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Opera Tavern, London,

Opera Tavern

4.6
4.6
342 Reviews
£26 to £40
Italian

Make a booking

2 people
11:30 pm
Booked 19 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
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 pm–10:00 pm Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    020 7836 3680
  • 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.
  • Area
    Covent Garden
  • Cross Street
    Covent Garden
  • 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
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wine

What 342 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
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Opera Tavern, nestled in the heart of the theatre district, offers a "fabulous" dining experience with its "great tapas and wine." The staff is "friendly" and "attentive," making it perfect for pre-theatre meals. Patrons praise the "delicious" food, cozy ambiance, and accommodating service, ensuring a memorable visit.

343 Reviews
  1. Gaik

    London2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Friendly staff and great food. Quite small but you can eat at the bar.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Nick

    London4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Always good. Can be noisy (lively) downstairs pre theatre time excellent food.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Helen

    London3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really lovely experience. Great food and service.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kevin

    London7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service. The pork belly was very special!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Felicity

    London1 review

    2.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Not a good experience. After being the first in the restaurant for a pre theatre dinner we wer the last to be served every dish 40 minutes later. The service was very poor and the food would have been good, had it arrived all at once and hot. A great pity as it was a treat for my daughter after passing her exams.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Alison

    Birmingham1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food here is very good - the braised ox cheek is highly recommended. Delia was very attentive & graceful in her service. Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. It’s not cheap, but it is quality.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Patrick

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The experience was lovely from the moment I arrived. The hostess, Leah, doubled as our waitress for most of the night and was always timely in getting us food and drinks. Incredible food was served, great Lamb and croquettes. Wide variety of drinks. Definitely will com again
    Opera TavernResponded 5 days ago
    Hi Patrick, thank you so much for your positive comments about Opera Tavern!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Bob

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 5 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love tapas. It means you get to try lots of different dishes. Two of us shared 5 plus desserts! It was all fab.
    Opera TavernResponded on 6 March 2025
    That's fab, glad you've enjoyed. Thank you for reply.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Eliza

    Gloucestershire8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, staff and atmosphere. I went with a group of friends and had a wonderful table and were allowed to relax there for most of the afternoon. We all said we will be going back.
    Opera TavernResponded on 4 March 2025
    Thank you so much Eliza, we really appreciated your wonderful feedback.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Nicola

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 25 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I’ve been to the Opera tavern many times and have always loved it the food and service is outstanding. A great pre theatre venue
    Opera TavernResponded on 4 March 2025
    Thank you so much for a kind words Nicola. See you next time!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Opera Tavern is rated 4.6 stars by 342 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
11:30 pm
Booked 19 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 pm–10:00 pm Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • 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, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wine
  • 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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