The best large size concert venue in London. There are restaurants and a cinema in the same complex as well as a smaller O2 venue on site.
Ads P.
Place rating: 5 London, United Kingdom
I like this place a lot Simply everything under one roof for a night out. Safe and clean. Lovely
Paul H.
Place rating: 5 London, United Kingdom
We went for the atp tennis, I love this venue. Tons of restaurants and bars, so easy to get in and out of whether you go by tube or taxi or drive. Great views from almost every angle. Fast food is tasty if you don’t have time for restaurants. Roving drinks guys everywhere. I brought visitors from far away here, they were all super impressed. Security is always polite and thorough. My absolute favorite venue for concerts or sport.
Mei S.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
Based in East London, originally the Millennium Dome, now the O2. Under the dome is now the huge O2 Arena for concerts and shows, O2 Cineworld with its supersized Sky screen, the smaller O2 Indigo for gigs and conferences. The rest of the area is filled with restaurants, bars and nightclubs, Matter and Proud2. The sound in these nightclubs are brilliant. Now you can also climb on top of the Dome. Yet to do as I am afraid of heights! It is served by the Jubilee Line at North Greenwich, the only fast route out! Otherwise, it is the buses or the cable car to the docklands — which is more a tourist attraction then a way to travel regularly, as it is quite expensive for such a short distance.
Nickie C.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
I’ve only ever been to The O2 on an event day, but I have to say, they do it pretty well. Of course it gets busy, and if you want to eat somewhere before a concert, you’ll have to get there early. But there is a large variety of places to eat, a Cineworld, exhibitions, places to hang out, and even(currently) one of those machines that presses a penny flat(Brian C is addicted). For the venue portion — the main venue is really strict on what you can take in. I saw 2 small bags of crisps confiscated when I was there last week to see U2. Plus they take all the caps off bottled drinks, so if you’re feeling devious, slip a bottle cap into your pocket. Even though we had limited view seats(ie, behind the stage) we could see everything. Personally, I think the upper tier seats are just really a bit too high to properly enjoy myself, and I’d rather have less central seats a level down. The best way to go though, if you can swing it, is in a corporate box — they usually have bar service within the box, and a large selection of private seats. The few times I’ve been lucky enough to go and be in a box, I found that most people were more interested in the bar than the concert, and I had a great view with lots of space around me — bliss.
Lizzie P.
Place rating: 5 London, United Kingdom
Despite the hype I never actually got to visit the 02 when it was the infamous ‘millennium dome’ and quite frankly I don’t really mind! The venue as it is now is a fantastic place for everyone and I always enjoy a trip there. I have visited for a few different reasons, concerts, dinner, clubs, cinema but I must admit I mostly visit when I have tickets for something(Fleetwood Mac btw was the BEST!) As a venue I think its fantastic. Despite it’s 20,000 capacity no view is a bad view and it doesn’t feel huge compared with places like Wembley and Twickenham, where sitting at the back really does mean at the back. The acoustics are fairly good and I’ve always felt like I’ve gotten a good deal even when I’ve had the ‘worst’ seats. More than being just a venue, I am very fortunate to live a mere 10 minute bus ride from the 02 and thus often use it as my go to cinema or dining experience. It’s the one time I appreciate living in South East London(come on restaurateurs we need more dining experiences in SE). The cinema is cineworld which are fairly reasonably priced and have huge screens. They show all the latest films and its easy to navigate your way to. With a plethora of restaurants you can really make an evening of it and they have something to suit everyone’s tastes including Nandos, Las Iguanas, Byron, TGI Fridays and loads more. I’m a big fan of the outside bit where they have a mini Tesco, coffee shops and a nice space with fountains etc. My only suggestion would be to add shops. The 02 could be an ‘all in one’ with a shopping centre! Despite this it is the perfect place to catch dinner, a show or a film or even just a coffee! Especially if you havent made up your mind!
Tania L.
Place rating: 5 Milan, Italy
January 2009, i decided it was time for my daughter to enjoy her first concert. Which better location than the 02 Arena? Like other people mentioned, this place has it all. cinemas, restaurants and a great acustics. The little girl was stoic. We left early with Ryan Air, arrived at the arena quite early, ate ar their pricey food stands. Used their impeccably clean bathrooms(which says a lot about a location open to the public). My little girl managed to stay up for ALMOST the entire concert. Then, she fell asleep(among screams that were making the arena shake and rumble). The setting of the place almost makes it better for those who haven’t gotten floor tickets. And even nosebleeders have an almost decent view of the concert. I wouldn’t mind partaking to another amazing concert in such a great location.
Agustina G.
Place rating: 4 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Es un poco difícil escribir una reseña sobre estos lugares porque son algo así como No-lugares, o sea, vas pero en realidad vas por otra cosa y no por el lugar en si… se entiende? Tuve la oportunidad y el privilegio de ir al O2 para ver a mi banda favorita y realmente la pasé INCREIBLE. El O2 es, como para que se den una idea, como dos Luna Park de tamaño. Es un estadio cerrado, que afuera tiene una especie de patio de comidas gigante, que tiene desde una parrilla(El gaucho) y pubs hasta hamburguesas de Five Guys o Byron. Tiene un shop de memorabilia de Elvis y los stands donde venden el merch de quien esté tocando en el momento. Los precios del patio de comidas son standard, o sea, no te roban por estar adentro, muy al contrario de lo que uno pensaria. Una vez que se pasa el area de ingreso y te escanean el ticket, podes ir a la parte de la platea o al «campo». Si vas a platea, subis por escalera mecanica y te encontras con otro pequeño patio de comidas donde hay pizzas, fish and chips, vino y cerveza tirada. Tambien hay maquinas expendedoras de golosinas y estan los baños. Todo muy limpio y ordenando. Si vas a campo, hay un pasillito donde tambien venden comidas(las mismas), bebidas y los baños(a los que no entré). Una de las cosas que mas me llamó la atención es que en el campo, como habia una división(antes de seguir les explico: las entradas de campo eran bastante mas caras que las plateas) entre ‘front pit’ y el resto del campo, te daban unas pulseritas de colores y vos ibas ingresando, según el color a la zona que te tocaba. Ahora bien, el show de Take that fue INCREIBLE.(Nota: antes que piensen en «la banda de donde salió Robbie Williams»…no. TT es mucho mas que eso: Se separaron en el ’96, se juntaron en el 2005 y desde ese momento no pararon. Sacaron cuatro discos increíbles, se volvieron a juntar con Robbie en el 2011-cuando RW necesitaba un poco de fama– hicieron un tour, que tuve el privilegio de ver en Milán, Robbie se fue a fracasar otra vez con su carrera solista y el año pasado otro de sus miembros, decidió dejar la banda por temas personales, quedando TT como un trio. Sacan el disco III en noviembre, junto con un tour, mucho mas pequeño que el anterior, que se agotó a la horita de salir las entradas y tuvieron que agregar ONCE fechas mas. Batieron varios records, entre ellos la mayor estadia en el O2 de Londres. Tal vez, los puedan reconocer como la banda que hizo los temas principales de Stardust, X-Men First Class y mas acá en el tiempo, también estuvieron participando de la banda sonora de Kingsman.) Fuera de mi fanatismo-o no-, el show la rompe en todos los aspectos. El escenario es de otro planeta, el sonido es increíble, tienen una banda en vivo la rompe y trabajan con TT desde el 92, ellos son sumamente prolijos: se escuchan muy bien, están en forma, bailan mucho menos que antes pero están en constante movimiento por todo el escenario. No hay ni un detalle librado al azar. El cuerpo de baile que tienen es hipnótico. De las dos noches que estuve, una me la pasé mirando a los bailarines porque son un espectáculo aparte. Nada, el show es una experiencia increíble para cualquier fanatico de la música pop(y proximamente va a estar en su cine mas cercano, so, si les copa la música pop y los shows del tipo del Cirque du Soleil, estoy total y absolutamente segura que lo van a disfrutar). Salimos cerca de las 23hs del O2(no sin parar en Five Guys para cenar) y la vuelta fue un placer: a la salida del estadio está la entrada del subte que te lleva a todos los rincones de Londres, pero en todo caso eso es para la reseña del underground londinense. En fin, experiencia unica que espero que no sea irrepetible!
Gary M.
Place rating: 5 Singapore, Singapore
The O2 has it all. Live music. Cinema. Bars. Restaurants. And if that is enough you can even take a climb over the building. Now that is pretty awesome.
Bianca W.
Place rating: 3 London, United Kingdom
It’s huge, it’s loud, it’s colourful, it’s always freaking cold in there! The staff generally seems less than friendly, apart from the sky pavilion where I’ve always met friendly and helpful staff so far. I used to go here at least once a week, but after having tried most of the restaurants and not having found any that don’t seem to have the worst staff in London, I’ve moved on to other places. It’s worth a visit and great for big shows.
Sandiesh D.
Place rating: 5 Birmingham, United Kingdom
Was lucky enough to pop down to the O2 to see the one and only FLEETWOODMAC! The venue was great, everything you need from restaurants to bars. It’s always a great idea to pop into a bar grab a few cheeky drinks then head to a gig. It was very vibrant and great experience. The bars range from All bar one, Slug and Lettuce. You also have the chance to climb up the O2 unfortunately I was too pissed to do so, but definitely something exciting to try in the day. Might I add, I throughly enjoyed Fleetwood Mac, definitely one of my favourite concerts.
Has S.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
Been here so many times and always in awe with everyone’s concerts and acts. Today here for Olly Murs(a little gift for my nieces) and yet again I have had so much fun and come out thinking I like Olly Murs as he’s great on stage and well cheeky. Food is over priced in the arena but expected. Try to go to one of the lovely restaurants before a concert it’ll be better for your wallet and to your taste.
Fox E.
Place rating: 5 Buffalo, NY
If you say hi, I will say hi as well. If you say let’s make out, I will say let’s make out, too. And if you scream«oh» during the inevitable intimate bedroom encounter that transpires, I will scream O2. In that sense, this stadium is very personal to me. I’ve been here when it first opened as the Millennium and then more recently as the O2 and I must say that it’s a much better use of it these days. They could have done so much else with it, but anyway… the sheer visual spectacle of seeing this thing on the river banks is unmatched. And then of course it was in The World Is Not Enough to great effect. So it has to score 5. And in terms of personal experience, yes, I’ve been inside on several occasions and have plenty of pictures.
Thalie A.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
I’m digging this arena. Because it’s still new-ish, it is spanking clean and well organised from getting your tickets to finding some food & drink while you wait. The staff here are super friendly & helpful. This should not be taken for granted because there are other venues in & around London where the staff defo need a basic course in manners. Well lit, sign posted and even though there are heaps of facilities and people mingling to & fro, you are not on-top-of each other in here. The toilet stalls inside the arena need a little freshening but otherwise, a-ok. Seating in the arena is comfy, although if you are like any other audience member for concerts, you do tend to stand & vibe on the music. Easy to find your seat sections too. Yeah, the 02 is a breath of fresh air as far as music venues go.
Alex S.
Place rating: 5 London, United Kingdom
I know, I know, I know… a review of a venue is probably gonna be affected by how great the actual event attended was. Let’s just count that as my little disclaimer. 5 stars! I went to the 02 last weekend for the Country2Country festival. I am not a big country music listener, but was buoyed by the promise of beers poured into pint glasses the shape of cowboy boots(these never materialized, but the dream was there). The venue was great. The security was totally on-point(we were trying to rush the stage /line dance simultaneously) without being overly pushy or officious. The beer queues were short. The bathrooms(other than one post-concert rush) were clean and quick for in/outs. Sound good. Big screens good. Live in central-ish London? Well double-win because the Tube access is simple and easy-peasy. I think I’m at an age where I generally am snobby about big arena things* «oh, the O2? Naaaaah» used to be my standard line. But no longer! Country music or anything else I’m down for more O2-ing. *unless it’s Beyonce. YONCE, ALWAYS. Unilocal note: NEXTUP — USHERATTHE02WHADDUP!!!
Kevin B.
Place rating: 4 Summit, NJ
I recently traveled with my fiancée to London from New York to see the Monty Python Live reunion show, which was playing at the O2. Usually when I’m seeing a live performance the most thought I put into the actual venue is finding the address so that I get to the correct place. Luckily, the O2 was actually a very nice arena and made the absolutely amazing show a bit nicer experience. The O2 has its own subway station, which made traveling here quite easy. There are multitudes of other things in the area, including movie theaters, restaurants, and you can even climb up the side of the arena(for a nominal fee of course). Pedestrian traffic in and out of the arena was fairly brisk considering how many people were there and the all of the staff we encountered were quite friendly. The prices for food and drinks inside were high, but that’s universally seen at any sports arena or theater. I will say that their idea of nachos was pitifully bad — mealy chips with a watery«cheese» is just pathetic, but I should have known better since I was in London and not the States. All in all, it’s a pretty good venue and I would definitely see another live performace there if I’m ever in the area again.
Lyn P.
Place rating: 4 New Orleans, LA
So I am one of those Nine Inch Nails fans that makes a vacation out of a few NIN tour dates. When they announced their UK/EU dates for the spring, I knew I had to come to London to see them. Unfortunately, with the time difference and a bit of indecision on my part, we got tix up in nosebleed. I figured it would be okay since NIN shows have great visuals and in the end I wasn’t disappointed. Even though the venue is ginormous, the sound was great and so were the sight lines. I took a few videos and the sound quality was way better than I thought it would be which definitely speaks for the acoustics. The seats were comfortable(not like I sat in them for most of the show), but I appreciated being able to sit for a bit after some standard show dancing/fist pumping, etc. Pro-tips: do I even have to say that the Tube was the best way to get in and out of the show? There are a bunch of bars/restaurants/etc around the arena for pre or post show shenanigans if you’re feeling uninspired to make real plans before or after.
Mohamade A.
Place rating: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
We stayed not far from The O2 and on our way home at night, we wanted to go for a movie. The nearest Cineworld was at this place. It was my first time at The O2 as I never get to come around here when in London. I thought it was just the arena. I was surprised to find out it’s a shopping centre. Not just one or two shops but lots of shops and restaurants. We got the last screening at the cinema as the one before was booked out. Had about an hour to spare. Decided to go for a meal. Looking around for places to eat and most were closing down. Las Iguanas was still opened for another hour or less. Ate there. Ofcourse the famous O2 arena is in there and it’s one of the big entertainment venue in London. Lots of big concerts and other shows take place here. It is one of the biggest arenas. I would love to go see a show here next time I go.
Gemma M.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
We came for Up at the O2. We decided to climb the O2 on summer solstice as there was a promotion on O2 priority for 2−4−1. For the price of £16 each it was definitely worth it. After booking it in advance I worried whether the weather might be really bad and had visions of getting soaking wet. However we were really lucky as it was a really hot day and the sky was really clear so when we got to the top we had really good views over London. Climbing up isn’t too bad, occasionally it is slightly tricky to get your harness through the gates, but after a bit of wiggle it gets through. At the top you can mostly see Canary wharf, the docklands area and the Olympic park, where I could see the new Orbital structure. On the way down is the steepest part of the climb at 30 degrees, so you have to take it really slowly. They provide you with Ecco shoes and a blue vest top. The only thing you can take up with you is a small camera or smart phone and the jacket has a pocket with a zip in it to keep it safe as you ascend and descend. Don’t forget to bring a pair of socks with you though to wear with the shoes, although they do sell them for £1. At the end there is a little gift shop where you can buy photos at the steep price of £15 as well as little toys, t-shirts and drinks. After all the bouncing up and down the walk ways I did feel little bit dizzy when I got back down to firm ground. Had a good time and would recommend it if you have the opportunity especially if you can get a discount.
Ulrike E.
Place rating: 4 Favoriten, Österreich
Über diese Arena habe ich schon sehr viel gehört. Dort sind schon ganz berühmte Künstler aufgetreten. Der komplex ist gewaltig, Restaurants aller Richtungen, sowie Einkaufsmöglichkeiten Werden angeboten. Es ist wirklich sehenswert …
Jing Shyang Y.
Place rating: 3 Barnsbury, London, United Kingdom
Up at the O2 is a new experience that seeks to get that extra bit of value from having such an iconic building. You can practically imagine how this idea was bandied around in meetings till they settled on the idea that it would be a great idea to let people climb over the«white elephant». The climb nearly didn’t happen for our group because of the wine. Note, if the wind is above 40 mph, then they halt all upcoming walks until the wind level drops to a level below 35 mph. It’s a bit of a silly system, as wind for one constantly changes. One minute it will be 50, then a few minutes later, into the low 20s, then back up. I’m sure when we actually started the walk, the wind MUST have hit above 35mph, but they’re for sure won’t walk you down when you’re already a third of the way up. :/. What it DID do however was delay our walk so we just missed sunset on our«sunset climb»:(. So a suggestion, if planning to do the sunset climb. Don’t book the«sunset climb», book one or two sessions before that. You’ll spend a good 30 minutes or so at the top, so you’re sure to hit sunset by the time you’re at the top. Anyway, you’re first taken to a briefing room, where you’re shown a humorous video about safety and how the event will plan out. After this you head to the room next door to get all your gear on. You end up looking(and feeling) like an astronaut. Then it’s up and outside to start the climb. The climb to the top takes around 15 – 20 minutes. It can get quite windy up there, but the line is super secure with no risk to you. I like the fact that the platform you walk up is bouncy. Almost like it’s trying to replicate what you imagine it should feel like to walk over a great big tarp. But importantly has the important function of reducing the amount of weight upon the actual O2 structure. At the top, you realise the O2 isn’t really that high. But it’s fine because the views are great. Particularly over toward Canary Wharf. They even let you take your mobile with you to take pictures, safely stored in a arm pouch on your suit. It was very cold so the suits given were extremely welcome, but on a warmer day, I’m sure it would get quite hot inside them. So for sure, only have a t shirt on. You’ll probably regret anything thicker. So in all, it’s a good experience and one to tick off the bucket list. I didn’t love it that much that I would outwardly recommend it to others, but I would say it’s one of those to do if you’re already thinking of it. It isn’t cheap however at peak times, so if you can try to do it on a weekday.
Pammie R.
Place rating: 5 Dartford, United Kingdom
When people first discussed what they could do with the Millennium Dome, a lot of suggestions were bandied around. A shelter for the homeless, a business park and an indoor city to name a few. But I am SO glad they decided to turn it into this. I’ve been here many times for many reasons. The cinema here is huge, with squishy seats and nachos on offer. It can be a bit cold because of the air con so a jacket is definitely needed, but you’ll be cold in style. The bars and restaurants give you choice unmatched by most places, and makes the O2 the ideal venue to visit on a rainy day when you want to try something new or go on a pub crawl but don’t fancy trekking through the high street soaked to the skin in heels and a miniskirt. Occasionally it even has events like Roller Disco and ice skating so every visit offers something new. It’s extremely well connected transport-wise, with North Greenwich Station literally 30 seconds away and regular buses heading all over London so getting home will never be a problem. But the biggest and best part of the O2 is its arena. I’ve seen comedians and bands in this place, sat on every level and from every angle and no matter where you end up, you’re going to have an amazing time. The huge screens either side of the stage mean that wherever you are, you’ll know what’s going on and even on Level 4 where the screens appear no bigger than your iPhone screen, they’ve set up additional screens closer to combat it. The light shows are insane. Lasers, screens, projectors and about a million lights — I dread to think what their electric bill is like but I don’t ever want them to change. The sound is also well done. Loud enough to hear it wherever you are, but not so loud it ends up distorted or hurting your ears. Everything about this venue is amazing and no, I’m not biased because I’m an O2 customer and get Priority booking for events… check it out if somehow you haven’t already.
Filemk
Place rating: 3 Hattingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Also der Glanz der imposanten Arena scheint zusammen mit der Olympiade in die Vergangenheit sich verabschiedet zu haben. Die Mehrheit der Läden ist geschlossen und verlassen, nur noch vereinzelte Lokale sind offen. Einen Besucheransturm konnte man dort auch nicht gerade feststellen. Schade finde ich, dass solch ein Architektonisches Kunstwerk so vor sich hingammelt und langsam in Vergessenheit gerät.
Damina
Place rating: 4 Dusseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen
I also watched the NHL Game Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings there. I really loved it and had a lot of fun! Met a lot of people from the other side of europe! Nice place, nice service! Everything was good as expected! :)
Flying
Place rating: 4 Linz, Österreich
Wir haben uns die Titanic Ausstellung angesehen und ich kann diese vorbehaltlos weiterempfehlen. Man kann unzählige Artefakte, welche 2010 aus der Tiefe geholt wurden, bestaunen. Der O2 hat viel zu bieten, unter anderem auch viele gute Restaurants.
Mike G.
Place rating: 4 Hannover, Niedersachsen
Great Arena, I was there for a NHL — Hockeymatch between the Ducks of Anaheim and Los Angeles. Very nice place to visit a game or Concert.
Smarag
Place rating: 5 Berlin
i have been to quite a few gigs here and always enjoyed myself. great venue, good organisation(especially considering the amount of people attending the shows), nice food near by to spend some time before… always a fab place to see your favourite band! also the sound is pretty good!
Anja0
Place rating: 5 Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein
Am 19. und 20. Juni habe ich dort Bön Jovi live gehört und gesehen… nicht nur die KOnzerte waren genial… okay, dass war mir von vornherein klar… auch die Verkehrsanbindung und das Personal waren supernett… Alles super sauber dort… ganz grosse Klasse…
Crubio
Place rating: 5 Madrid
Mastodóntico recinto, una ciudad dentro de una ciudad, en el marco incomparable del Tamesis. Pabellón con capacidad para casi 20000 personas, que al mismo tiempo tiene 2 teatros e innumerables restaurantes, bares, discotecas de todo tipo de pelaje una maravilla arquitectónica que merece ser visitada y donde las horas vuelan. Altamente recomendable llegar por barco(hay servicios gratuitos desde East India). Un recinto muy a la americana, quizás en acontecimientos deportivos, el ambiente es bastante frio, pero es un monumento digno de ser visitado y la entrada es gratis.
SBU
Place rating: 5 Leipzig, Sachsen
Ich war 2008 auf einem Tiesto Event in der O2 Arena London. Ich muss sagen ich war echt überwältigt von diesem riesen Komplex. Es gibt alles dort drinnen, vom Restaurante bis zum Mode Shop. Von außen ist es auch sehr schön beleuchtet. Also wenn man mal in London ist, sollte man unbedingt nen Ausflug zur O2 Arena machen