Bars Near Funky Buddha, Mayfair: Closed, Now Itzel

By Liam Foster, Niche Reviewer

Last updated: 21 October 2026

Funky Buddha Club London has closed; Itzel now operates at its Berkeley Street address. Funky Buddha's tables, guestlist places and entry can no longer be booked. The bars around it are a different story: Berkeley Street is still a good place to start a Mayfair night, and the open clubs are a short walk or taxi away. This guide keeps the bars and swaps the club for open alternatives.

The Connaught Bar

Address: The Connaught, Carlos Place, London W1K 2AL

From Berkeley Street: a short walk across Mayfair

The Connaught Bar is one of Mayfair's most refined hotel bars, with a martini trolley as its signature. It suits a calm first drink before somewhere louder, and it is an easy taxi hop to any of the clubs below.

The May Fair Bar

Address: The May Fair Hotel, Stratton Street, London W1J 8LT

From Berkeley Street: a couple of minutes on foot

The May Fair Bar is the closest of the three, a stylish but relaxed hotel bar with a long cocktail list that mixes classics and newer creations. It is a good choice if the Connaught feels too formal for the start of the night.

The Donovan Bar

Address: Brown's Hotel, 33 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BP

From Berkeley Street: a few minutes on foot

The Donovan Bar sits inside Brown's Hotel and is named after the photographer Terence Donovan, whose pictures line the walls. It is darker and more intimate than the other two, and Albemarle Street runs parallel to Dover Street, so it is the natural first stop before Rumour.

Where to Go After Drinks

Funky Buddha's draw was a big, busy room playing open-format hip-hop, R&B, commercial and Afrobeats. These open clubs cover the same ground, and we book all of them. Details are as of October 2026.

• Rumour (formerly Tabu), 1 Dover Street, a short walk from Berkeley Street: open-format hip-hop, R&B and house from Wednesday to Saturday, tables from £1,000 minimum spend.
• Reign, Piccadilly: hip-hop, R&B and commercial on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, tables from £800 minimum spend.
• Tape, Hanover Square: hip-hop, R&B and Afrobeats on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, tables from £750 minimum spend.
• 99 Regent Street (formerly the Cuckoo Club): hip-hop and open format upstairs, house downstairs, Wednesday to Saturday, tables from £600 minimum spend.

Planning the Night

• Book the club before the bar: tables and guestlist places are what run out first on a Friday or Saturday.
• Allow time to move between venues. Hotel bars can be busy from 9pm, and the clubs open at 11pm.
• If you want the shortest walk from the bar to the door, pair the Donovan Bar or the May Fair Bar with Rumour.

The Funky Buddha page keeps the same list of open alternatives. To book one of them, get in touch with your date, your group size and the kind of night you want, and we will come back with the options.