Most London clubs are basements dressed up with lighting. KOKO is a Grade II-listed Victorian theatre that spent £70m getting itself back, and the difference is obvious the moment you walk in. This review covers what the room is actually like, who goes, what you get for your money, and where it falls short.
The Room
KOKO opened in 1900 as the Camden Theatre and has been a BBC studio, the Music Machine and Camden Palace since. The 2022 restoration brought back the Louis XIV-style auditorium — red velvet, gilded balconies, chandeliers — and hung a giant disco ball over the dance floor.
The effect is genuinely rare in London nightlife. Three balcony tiers wrap around a proper theatre floor, so wherever you stand you are looking down into something rather than across a flat room. It holds roughly 1,500 people and still feels dramatic at half capacity, which most large venues cannot manage.
If you have only done Mayfair clubs, the scale is the shock. This is not an intimate room where you are three metres from the booth. It is a theatre, and it is designed to be looked at.
The Music
Weekend late-night programming runs house, electronic and disco, generally from 10pm to 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. The booking policy leans towards international touring DJs rather than a fixed resident sound, so two Saturdays a month apart can feel quite different.
The rest of the week belongs to live music. KOKO is first and foremost a gig venue, and a significant share of its calendar is ticketed concerts. That matters for planning: the KOKO you get on a Tuesday is not the KOKO you get on a Saturday.
The Crowd
Camden, not Mayfair. The crowd is younger, more mixed and considerably less status-driven than the Mayfair circuit — people are there for the room and the music rather than to be seen at a table. That is a genuine plus if bottle-service theatre puts you off, and a minus if that is exactly what you are paying for.
It also means the door is friendlier. Smart casual is the standard, trainers are broadly fine, and you are far less likely to be turned away for the wrong shoes than you would be on Mill Street. Full detail in our KOKO dress code guide.
Tables and Value
Balcony booths start from £1,000 minimum spend, with floor-side and central premium tables from £1,500. Headline DJ nights carry premium pricing.
On value, KOKO sits in an unusual position. A £1,000 booth is comparable to a mid-tier Mayfair table, but what you get is materially different: an elevated theatre box with sightlines over the whole room, rather than a rope-off at floor level. For a group that wants to actually see the night rather than perform in it, that is better value. For a group that wants to be the centre of attention, a Mayfair club does that job better.
Full breakdown in our KOKO table and bottle prices guide.
What Could Be Better
Three honest caveats. First, scale cuts both ways — at capacity on a headline Saturday, bars and cloakroom get busy in a way a 300-capacity Mayfair room never does. Second, the programming split means you need to check what kind of night you are walking into; arriving expecting a club night and finding a seated gig is a common mistake. Third, Camden at 4am is not Mayfair at 4am — transport is fine but the surrounding streets are busier and rougher around the edges.
The Verdict
KOKO is the best-looking large room in London nightlife and one of very few venues where the building is the main event. It is worth going for the space alone. Book a balcony booth if you want the full effect, come on a Friday or Saturday for the club programme, and check the listing first so you know whether you are getting a gig or a club night.
For the full picture — what is on, how to get in, location and prices — see our KOKO Camden guide, or go straight to entry prices or a table booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is KOKO Camden worth it?
Yes, particularly for the room. It is a restored Victorian theatre rather than a converted basement, and there is nothing else quite like it in London nightlife.
What kind of music does KOKO play?
House, electronic and disco on the Friday and Saturday late-night programme, with touring DJs. The rest of the week is largely ticketed live music.
How much is a table at KOKO?
Balcony booths start from £1,000 minimum spend and floor-side or central premium tables from £1,500. Headline nights carry premium pricing.
Is KOKO better than a Mayfair club?
Different rather than better. KOKO wins on the room, the scale and a more relaxed door; Mayfair wins if you want an intimate, status-driven bottle-service night.