"[7] Mick Williams of the Lennox Herald gave the song a 6 out of 10 rating and commented: ""Downtown Lights", while signalling the long-awaited return of Blue Nile, is a trifle disappointing as the band seem to have stood still and failed to progress since their much acclaimed debut disc.

"[8] Lisa Tilston of Record Mirror felt the song was "polite" and "pleasant", but added "nothing much happens except some synth, some singing, and a great bit when the drumming sounds like someone banging on a tupperware box".

"[11] David Thigpen of Rolling Stone commented: "Songs such as "The Downtown Lights" and "Saturday Night" have a sparse, soulful feel that blends the cool, nocturnal languor of Bryan Ferry with the mystical hues of Peter Gabriel.

"[12] Jason Ankeny of AllMusic stated: "Tracks like "The Downtown Lights" and "From a Late Night Train" are perfectly evocative of their titles: Rich in romantic atmosphere and detail, they conjure a nocturnal fantasy world lit by neon and shrouded in fog.

"[13] Matty Healy, the lead singer of the English pop rock band The 1975, based their song "Love It If We Made It" off of "The Downtown Lights".