St James's, Fish & Seafood Restaurant Guide

Back in 1993 – when it was rescued from oblivion by the late Sir Terence Conran – this huge St James’s ballroom (est. 1929) – became an icon of London’s 1990s restaurant resurgence. Still owned by the remains of Sir Tel’s empire (renamed recently as The Evolv Collection), it’s nowadays out-of-sight and out of mind for most Londoners and perennially attracts scant feedback in our annual diners’ poll. Reports are of hits and misses – the latter are too common (and in accordance with our own past experience) to ignore: “good steak and nice to have some music. However, our meal and a bottle of (moderate) wine did not deserve a bill totalling £318… Shocking is an understatement”.

“Simply cooked fresh fish (often all you want)” is the USP at this trio of fishmonger/restaurants that offer “extremely reasonable prices for the quality” in prime central locations: off Piccadilly Circus, in Covent Garden and on Marylebone High Street. “The cooking does what it should do – the fish is the star of the show, delivered daily from Cornwall and really well executed”; and “they have specials depending on that day’s catch listed on a blackboard”. It’s “let down a little by staff that need more training to improve both the service and the ambience”.

You choose “the freshest fish” from iced display counters, to have cooked as you wish and served alongside “amazing seafood” at this “busy and exciting” Greek venue in St James’s, from a luxury international chain founded by Costas Spiladi in Montreal nearly 50 years ago that now stretches from Las Vegas via Athens to Singapore. Prices can be off-putting – critics say they’re “for gangstas and business expenses only” – but there are “some good deals at lunch” (or early evening); and advocates say you’re paying for “an absolute classic experience with the best quality”.

2024 Review: “You can’t fail to impress with the food, vibes and service”, according to fans of this Moscow-based chain, whose Mayfair offshoot is not short on glam. It provoked less feedback this year, though, in our annual diners’ poll (too limited for a rating), but expansion is coming in the second half of 2023 with a new branch, below the Strand Palace Hotel.

“Why, just why?” – Richard Caring’s famously showy Mayfair dining destination on a corner of Berkeley Square is definitely one to skip unless you enjoy spraying money at a meal, with 2/3 of our reporters considering the place dramatically “overpriced”. And it’s not just that its mix of sushi, sashimi and robata-grilled fish, meat and seafood doesn’t live up, but a staff attitude that can appear “very rude”, “the nightclubby style which can detract from the meal” and a sense that unless you have more money than sense it’s just not for you. Fun Fact – the Coral Room here for private dining boasts two of the largest live coral reef tanks in the world.

Founded in 2011 by four friends, this interesting concept hit ten sites in London in April 2025 with its debut in Kensington (replacing Street Burger on the high street) and also has a Brighton outpost as well as a handful of footholds in the Middle East and Asia. Fans are still in the majority and say its posh comfort food (the clue is in the name) is “a surprisingly good offering”. But while there are few harsh criticisms, its ratings have over the years slipped to a level that’s only “OK”.

“So welcoming it feels like home…”; “always look forward to eating here with a glass of house fizz…” – this “noisy, crowded but very fun” Champagne & Seafood bar in Soho is cossetting yet “down to earth” all at the same time and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Set in a converted Edwardian butchers’ shop which once supplied The Ritz and The Savoy, a perch on its high stools is “good for people-watching too” while tucking into some “excellent seafood” provided by its “snappy service”. Unusually for a venue that generates a high volume of feedback, not a word of it is negative – the worst being a gentle “not cheap, but good value”.

This “professional and consistently authentic” family-run Italian has occupied a prime corner site in central Mayfair since 1953, and pleases a crowd who are not keen to pay the ‘Mayfair prices’ charged elsewhere in the area. Breakfast (served from 7.30am), pizza and pasta dominate the menu.

Founded in 2011 by four friends, this interesting concept hit ten sites in London in April 2025 with its debut in Kensington (replacing Street Burger on the high street) and also has a Brighton outpost as well as a handful of footholds in the Middle East and Asia. Fans are still in the majority and say its posh comfort food (the clue is in the name) is “a surprisingly good offering”. But while there are few harsh criticisms, its ratings have over the years slipped to a level that’s only “OK”.

“A bright, clean, open space – huge for Soho” – houses this London outpost from Amsterdam’s De Visscher family, whose “extravagantly sized platters” of fish and seafood are promising but too inconsistent for a higher rating. (A not un-typical reporter “had two very different experiences – one in which the fish was fantastic and service very good – the other with comedically bad service and so-so fish”.)

“In the heart of the West End, yet tucked away” – “from the moment you step inside, you know straight away you are in expert hands” at this “satisfyingly plush, old school and reliable” haven, established in 1896 and part of Richard Caring’s empire since 2005. “You don’t mess with a classic, and this is one of them” – a buzzing series of cosy, old-fashioned parlours hiding behind luminescent frosted-glass windows and lined with black-and-white pics of its actor-heavy client-base. “There is a warm glow around the place” and it has long been both the No. 1 choice in our annual diners’ poll for fish and seafood and also the most commented-on destination full stop, helped by the fact that its location in a Theatreland alley makes it so very handy for eating before or after a show. “You know what the menu is offering and it delivers” – “nothing crazy or super-adventurous”, but “first class” oysters, fruits de mer, fish pie, Dover sole, Cornish fish stew and other “excellent fish served in a traditional way”. Service has been criticised more in recent years for being “arrogant” or “ungracious”, but grievous complaints are few and far between and the overall impression is of a “stalwart that’s stood the test of time” (“I feel a little unoriginal voting for it, you always get excellent food in a stimulating environment”).

“Forget hopping on a budget flight to the famous Cal Pep in Barcelona…” – the original inspiration for the Hart Bros’ genius small group of tapas pitstops – “… here in London you can sit at the counter, with the fun of watching mouthwatering tapas being prepared in front of you, so delivered piping hot (and best is the unbeatable fresh fish cooked ‘a la plancha’)”. “From the greeting to the explanations of the dishes, service is knowledgeable and caring”; there’s “a good choice of Spanish wines and sherries”; and the “superb” overall formula has made them one of the most popular destinations in our annual diners’ poll for almost 20 years now, even if the feeling has grown that “merely a small selection of dishes can incur eyewatering bills”. Top Tips – “the best atmosphere is had eating perched on a stool at the counter, but the Adelaide Street branch does have comfortable table seating downstairs”. On the Menu – “specific praise for the mojama”; “especially lovely prawn stuffed tortilla, seabream and the crisp aubergine with honey”; “tasty rabbit paella”; “squid croquetas are a perfect combo – crunchy on the outside, unctuous within”. “Shout out for the basics: lovely oils, bread etc…”

2024 Review: “Pre or post-theatre, very much a favourite over many years” – this elegant seafood bar was added adjacent to the main restaurant fifteen years ago, and its more laid-back style means it’s tailor-made for a luxurious bite and glass of fizz. That said, it’s become “quite pricey” over time, and doesn’t have quite the dazzling golden glow of yesteryear.

2023 Review: From Cream Group (owners of Cirque le Soir, Restaurant Ours, Wild and The Windmill Soho), this July opening in Mayfair occupies the erstwhile 120-cover site of XO (RIP). Former Elystan Street head chef Toby Burrowes heads up an extravagant offering, which includes a £3,000 ‘sunken treasure’ caviar platter; and a cocktail listed at £5,000 (a rare 1950s gin and a bottle of 1970 Dom Perignon BTW). All good PR. Opening in mid-July 2022, this new spot calls itself a ‘clubstaurant’ – not a term we feel needs encouragement.

The birthplace of the late Queen Elizbeth is a new 160-cover Mayfair dining destination with very elegant and pretty decor. Led by restaurateur Ross Shonhan, the menu features seasonal seafood dishes, championing less well-represented British species as part of a sustainable dining experience.