Why Dabbers Is London’s Happiest Night Out And The Only Christmas Gift That Makes Sense

Lifestyle

In a city constantly reinventing itself, Dabbers Social Bingo has done something quietly subversive: it has revived an old-school game and turned it into one of London’s most joyful communal experiences. This is not bingo as your nan knew it. This is chaos, comedy, cabaret, dancing, flirtation, and pure oxytocin wrapped in a night out.

Located just off Liverpool Street, Dabbers merges retro kitsch with high-energy performance, attracting everyone from thirty-something brunchers to office groups, first dates and full families. It is one of those rare London venues where inhibitions drop quietly, the laughter feels unforced, and strangers become teammates by dessert.

We recently returned to experience their Christmas Bingo Voyage brunch, and it confirmed everything we have suspected about Dabbers. It's remained a staple and is the definition of a mood-lifting, serotonin-building, no-notes night out.

We started with bottomless prosecco, then moved on to plates of Wings and Springs chicken and waffles, so satisfying that restraint was abandoned, and an additional serving of Dicson Li and Chef Jake Perry's magic landed at the table minutes later. Between sips and bites, the entertainment unfurled. The hosts were not merely calling numbers. They were storytellers, performers, comedians, the conductors of a strangely beautiful social orchestra.

The bingo was not passive. It demanded engagement. The energy was contagious. One second, you were sitting politely. Next, you were shouting affirmations at strangers and doing spontaneous shoulder-rolls on the dance floor. It became clear very quickly that this is not brunch with bingo. It is bingo with personality. Almost theatrical in tone. Intimate in its messiness. Hilariously human.

Calling it interactive does not do it justice. This is top-tier comedy, cabaret, trivia, audience battles, and pure performance energy. You do not just mark numbers. You sing, yell, flirt, shout, cheer, compete, surrender, and accidentally bond with new people you never expected to meet.

And then, the music. By 4pm, the DJ had transformed the room. Mr Vegas’ Heads High. ABBA’s Dancing Queen. Destiny’s Child’s Bootylicious. It was impossible to remain seated. Impossible not to smile. By 5pm, the entire room felt like a collective organism vibrating on joy.

Buy Experiences

In a culture obsessed with discounting things, Dabbers is boldly promoting a different kind of value exchange even during the holidays, with their F**K Black Friday message. Do not buy stuff. Buy experiences. Do not invest in clutter. Invest in memories.

Their membership offering leans into precisely this philosophy.

Rather than gifting dad another whisky decanter, or your sister another candle, or your best friend another scarf, imagine gifting them the permission to be ridiculous with you in public. Membership is not really about priority booking. It is about priority joy.

For more info on their social membership, visit HERE.

Private Hire: The Insider Secret

Many people do not realise this, but Dabbers can be privately hired for your group alone. Imagine your people, your playlist, your theme, your prizes, your own tailored chaos. Whether it is a corporate party, a brand event, a reunion, a milestone birthday, or a hen or stag, Dabbers turns the night into a show where your group is the cast.

Because their hosts are not just MCs. They are professional comedians and emotional engineers. They make you feel like you belong instantly.

For more info on visit, HERE.

What Dabbers Actually Does To People

The most striking thing was not the food, or the drinks, or the games. It was the atmosphere, that soft humanising alchemy that happens when strangers stop being strangers.

This was not therapy. It was joy therapy. And in a city where winters are bleak, and isolation often is silently tolerated, Dabbers offers something radical: connection without effort. That does not happen in a restaurant. It does not happen in a cinema. It does not happen in a bar where everyone is staring into their drink. It happens here.

Whether you opt for Bottomless Brunch Bingo, Family Brunch Bingo, or the dizzying roster of Christmas specials, from Xmas Sleigh Bae Bingo to Xmas Pick N Mix Bingo or the Christmas Bingo Voyage we adored, you will leave a different person than the one who walked in. You will leave lighter.

Explore the full Christmas lineup and events, visit HERE.

Words by Jheanelle Feanny