Opera Tavern

Name: Opera Tavern
Address: 23 Catherine Street, London, United Kingdom, WC2B 5JS
Telephone: 020 7836 3680
Price range: £26 to £40
Rating: 4.6

4.6

363 Reviews

£26 to £40

Italian

23 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JS

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 24, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 23 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Charming
Good for special occasions
Neighborhood 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
Neighborhood
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, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wine

Experiences

Head Chef's Taster Menu Experience
£52.50 per person
May 1, 2025 - Jun 30, 2025
Indulge in the most beloved dishes from our A la Carte Menu such as: Padron Peppers Patatas Bravas, aioli, aged manchego Tiger prawns, garlic, hot red chilli salsa Tempura of tenderstem broccoli, vegan jalapeno aioli, pickled shallots Galician Octopus carpaccio, baby fennel & watermelon radish salad Slow cooked Iberian pork belly, apple, morcilla Grilled fillet of Angus beef, wild garlic mash potato, wild mushrooms Finish off with Churros, citrus mascarpone and chocolate sauce Complimentary portion of Jamón ibérico & manchego croquetas on us for every table ! *Chef's Tasting Menu is Subject to Seasonal Changes

What 363 people are saying

Opera Tavern reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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 is a delightful gem near Covent Garden, renowned for its exquisite Spanish and Italian tapas. Guests rave about the "wonderful service" and "amazing tapas" that make each visit memorable. The cozy ambiance and attentive staff, including standout servers like Leah and Delia, ensure a "fantastic experience" every time.

363 Reviews

J
James
London1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Can’t say enough good words about this place. Wonderful service (thank you Leah!). Amazing tapas, delightful atmosphere. A true hidden gem.
Is this helpful?
S
Stephen
Warwickshire3 reviews
4.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had a meal before the Tina show. The food quality was excellent as a tapas. Service was good and friendly. The main criticism was that it was a little expensive for the amount of food we had, would still recommend a visit.
Is this helpful?
L
Lyn VIP
London12 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food has always been good but just feel lots gone up another level. Great ingredients, sophisticated tasty dishes, we had a great evening. Particularly recommend the stuffed courgettes flower drizzled with honey, so good we had one each. And the Ibérica pork belly, solid umami meat, under a glazed shell. The asparagus dish with its quinoa crumb looked particularly attractive, as did the tuna tartare on a bed of prawn cracker like tapioca! Staff warm and attentive, wine flowed, just a great evening. Thanks
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G
Gillian
London5 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 12, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Booked because it was well recommended. A nice venue, pleasant staff, good quality food (small portions, but succulent and filling). However I was in a party of 3. My main course arrived before the others, but was barely warm. When theirs came, I asked for it to be reheated, but it turned out that both their meals were also cold. Second time around the food all arrived together and was hot and delicious. We were given free desserts to compensate, but overall, it was a disappointing experience.
Is this helpful?
E
Ellis
San Diego22 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
A little gem near the opera. We had a post-opera late lunch and everything was delicious! The courgettes, the baquerones, and croquettas were excellent but even better were the fabulous pork belly sliders! Absolutely delicious and the friendly service by Delia was great. Looking for great Spanish and Italian tapas near Covent Garden? This is the place.
Is this helpful?
N
Neil VIP
Yorkshire19 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Second visit here and highly recommended. Good central location for Covent Garden and theatre district. Excellent tapas, good service and a nice cozy feel to the place. Would recommend.
Opera TavernResponded on April 3, 2025
We appreciate your positive review about your recent experience with us! We hope to see you soon!
Is this helpful?
M
Matthew
London7 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food, lovely service! Will definitely be back.
Opera TavernResponded on April 3, 2025
We appreciate your positive review about your recent experience with us! We hope to see you soon!
Is this helpful?
D
David
Bedfordshire4 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 29, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Really good service. Friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The food was very good, although after ordering a couple of the larger dishes we saw other tables mixing the smaller bar snacks/tapas plates with the larger meat/vegetable dishes too. Started to get food envy, but we know what we will do next time! Overall, excellent ambience and quality food, if a little on the expensive side - but this is Covent Garden, after all.
Opera TavernResponded on April 3, 2025
We appreciate your positive review about your recent experience with us! We hope to see you soon!
Is this helpful?
D
Dave
London3 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic food, excellent service and atmosphere, as always. We always go here when we visit London.
Opera TavernResponded on April 3, 2025
We appreciate your positive review about your recent experience with us! We hope to see you soon!
Is this helpful?
l
louise
London2 reviews
4.0
Dined on March 28, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Lovely wine bar with delicious food. Highly recommend
Opera TavernResponded on April 3, 2025
We appreciate your positive review about your recent experience with us! We hope to see you soon!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Opera Tavern is rated 4.6 stars by 363 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 24, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 23 times today

Experiences are available.

23 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JS

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Covent Garden
Neighborhood
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, 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.

Opera Tavern

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Head Chef's Taster Menu Experience

Menu

What 363 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Opera Tavern restaurant rated?

Is Opera Tavern currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information