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Opera Tavern, London,

Opera Tavern

4.6
4.6
245 Reviews
£26 to £40
Italian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 39 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
Opera Tavern is a beautiful two-storey bar and restaurant in the heart of central London’s theatre land. Located on Catherine Street we are opposite the Drury Lane Theatre, seconds from the Opera House, a stone’s throw from The Strand and a lovely walk across Waterloo Bridge from the South Bank.

A beautiful former pub, the exposed brickwork, bold artwork and flattering low lighting help our two-story restaurant create the perfect atmosphere for a pre-theatre meal or drink. The ground floor houses a long bar with the open grill at one end, and a few tables placed beside the theatre box windows, where guests can watch the world go by.

We specialise in Italian and Spanish influenced tapas and have a charcoal grill on the ground floor where we cook up all manner of stunning small plates.

For groups reservations and Private Hire enquiries, contact us directly at bookings@saltyard.co.uk

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Spanish
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Tue 12:00–22:00 Wed–Sat 12:00–23:00 Sun 12:00–20:00
  • Phone number
    020 7836 3680
  • Website
    https://www.saltyardgroup.co.uk/opera-tavern/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Łukasz Kiełbasiński
  • Private party facilities
    The upper floor of Opera Tavern is artistically designed, combining raw brickwork with an exquisite interior. Enhanced by impactful art pieces and soft, mood-enhancing lighting, it's an ideal setting for high-end events or professional meetings. The space caters to 45 seated attendees or 50 standing.
  • Location
    23 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JS
  • Area
    Covent Garden
  • Cross Street
    Covent Garden
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    Covent Garden Station - 4 min walk<br />Leicester Square Station - 9 min walk<br />Temple Station - 9 min walk<br />Charing Cross Station - 13 min walk
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 245 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Opera Tavern dazzles with its "outstanding" service and delightful tapas in a cozy, relaxed setting. Situated perfectly for theatre-goers, it's renowned for "amazing" Iberian pork belly and diverse Mediterranean flavors. The atmosphere is lively, while attentive staff ensure a "wonderful dining experience." Slightly pricey, but "good value" for quality and location.

245 Reviews

  1. Craig

    Dubai

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great choice for a pre-theatre dinner. Super quality small plates (tapas) and excellent service. Good drinks list as well with a nice selection of non-alcoholic cocktails. Heartily recommend!

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  2. Debbie

    London

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food and good, quick service. Perfect for a pre-theatre dinner. Haven’t been to the Opera Tavern for a while so delighted it is as good as ever.

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  3. Mmmm

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Spanish/Italian small plates menu is perfect for a light pre-theatre dinner. Recommended if you are going to Drury Lane, the Lyceum or the Royal Opera House as they are all within 3-4 minutes walk.

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  4. Chris

    Cheshire

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    A lovely restaurant that has great food. We had the tasting menu which had a good selection of food. Definitely worth a visit. Just round the corner from Covent Garden. Perfect location.

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  5. Dani

    Kent

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Read the reviews, did not disappoint on any level! Beautiful venue, beautiful food and our team member, Francesca was wonderful! We will definitely return!

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  6. Nikki

    Kent

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 14 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    First visit and completely love this place! Will be returning again very soon.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Emma

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 13 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was delicious, not the cheapest but reasonable for the quality. We had 5 dishes between 2 of us and were both full. We ordered lamb shoulder, slow cooked pork, courgette Tempura, croquettes and the crusted cod. We also got some bread which was lovely. The lamb and pork were stand outs and highly recommend. Everything was brought out very quickly- we were only at the restaurant about 45 minutes. We were charged £5 for water which seems a little steep, we assumed it would be tap water when they initially offered. Our fault for assuming but make sure you clarify if you want tap.

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  8. Magdalena

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 5 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic food, atmosphere and service provided by Aaron. 10/10, will definitely be back!

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  9. CBristol

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 5 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, attentive staff and good price. We loved all the dishes we ordered: the pork was cook to perfection and the yellow fin tuna was absolutely delicious. I definitely recommend and would go back.

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  10. Paul

    London

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 1 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely tapas style food in a great location for theatre land. Thoughtful drink menu and varied and delicious plates.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Opera Tavern is rated 4.6 stars by 245 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 39 times today
Google Map for Opera Tavern

23 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JS

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Covent Garden
  • Area
    Covent Garden
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Tue 12:00–22:00 Wed–Sat 12:00–23:00 Sun 12:00–20:00
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Spanish
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    Covent Garden Station - 4 min walkLeicester Square Station - 9 min walkTemple Station - 9 min walkCharing Cross Station - 13 min walk
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Łukasz Kiełbasiński
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.saltyardgroup.co.uk/opera-tavern/
  • Phone number
    020 7836 3680
  • Private party facilities
    The upper floor of Opera Tavern is artistically designed, combining raw brickwork with an exquisite interior. Enhanced by impactful art pieces and soft, mood-enhancing lighting, it's an ideal setting for high-end events or professional meetings. The space caters to 45 seated attendees or 50 standing.
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