Opera Tavern

4.6

343 Reviews

£26 to £40

Italian

Make a booking

2 people

16 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 21 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
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 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 343 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

Noise • Energetic

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

G
Gaik
London2 reviews
4.0
Dined 1 day ago
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?
N
Nick
London4 reviews
4.0
Dined 2 days 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?
H
Helen
London3 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Really lovely experience. Great food and service.
Is this helpful?
K
Kevin
London7 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 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?
F
Felicity
London1 review
2.0
Dined 3 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?
A
Alison
Birmingham1 review
5.0
Dined 3 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?
P
Patrick
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 8 March 2025
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 6 days ago
Hi Patrick, thank you so much for your positive comments about Opera Tavern!
Is this helpful?
B
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?
E
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?
N
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 343 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

16 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 21 times today

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

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.

Opera Tavern

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 343 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Opera Tavern restaurant rated?

Is Opera Tavern currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information