BrewDog Waterloo, ping-pong in Waterloo

Photo: BrewDog

BrewDog Waterloo: Ping Pong in London

FreeWalk-inPing pongGroupsBar

Unit G, Waterloo Station, 01 The Sidings, London · SE1 7BH · Mo-Sa 08:00-20:00

BrewDog Waterloo is the brewer's biggest London bar, tucked inside The Sidings at Waterloo Station with close to 1,800 capacity over two floors. The pull for table tennis fans is simple: the ping pong is free and you just turn up. By day the place doubles as a co-working space, and at 5:30pm every day those work tables get flipped into ping pong tables, so the games come out as the after-work crowd rolls in.

It suits a casual evening with mates rather than a serious match. There are 60 taps pouring craft beer from the on-site microbrewery, plus food, so you can rally a few points then grab a pint. If ping pong is full, there are darts and duckpin bowling too, though those cost money and need booking.

The ping pong setup

Ping pong here is informal and free, which is rare in central London. The catch is timing: the tables you play on are the venue's co-working desks, which get converted into ping pong tables at 5:30pm each day. That means evenings are your window, and play runs on a first come, first served basis. There is no booking and no charge, so you grab a free table when one opens up. Bats and balls are provided at the bar. It works best as a casual game between drinks rather than a guaranteed slot, so be ready to wait if it is busy.

Good to know

The bar sits inside The Sidings development right at Waterloo Station, so transport could not be easier. Listed hours are Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm, though it operates as a late-night venue too. After midnight, entry is via the Curve next to the Leeke Street arches off York Road. There are 60 taps of craft beer from the in-house microbrewery plus a full food menu, so it doubles as a proper night out. For private hire or group bookings, the venue email is waterloobookings@brewdog.com.

Other games on site

If the ping pong tables are taken, BrewDog Waterloo has two other games, both paid and bookable. Electronic darts with automatic scoring runs roughly £8 to £12 per person depending on the day and time. There are also six lanes of duckpin bowling, a shorter, scaled-down version of the classic game, priced from £5 to £12 per person depending on day, time and age. Both need to be booked rather than walked into, unlike the ping pong, so plan ahead if a game of darts or a bowling lane is the main event.

Visit & book Get directions

Common questions

What is BrewDog Waterloo?
It is BrewDog's biggest London bar, inside The Sidings at Waterloo Station, with nearly 1,800 capacity over two floors, an on-site microbrewery and games including free ping pong, darts and bowling.
Is ping pong free at BrewDog Waterloo?
Yes. The ping pong is free and runs on a first come, first served basis. You do not need to book or pay to play.
Do I need to book ping pong or can I walk in?
It is walk-in only. There is no booking system for ping pong; you take a free table when one is available.
When can I play ping pong there?
The co-working tables are converted into ping pong tables at 5:30pm every day, so evenings are when you can play.
What other games are there and how much do they cost?
There are electronic darts at around £8 to £12 per person and six lanes of duckpin bowling from £5 to £12 per person. Both are paid and need booking, unlike the free ping pong.
What is the nearest station?
Waterloo. The bar is inside The Sidings at Waterloo Station, postcode SE1 7BH.

Other ping pong bars nearby