I've been trying to talk myself out of a 3-star review because the food is definitely worth more. But there were a couple of small things, that together, made this less than exceptional. I was alone so booked a hightop at the bar so I didn't take a table. It was a pre-theater reservation, but had plenty of time so there was no rush. Ordered a cocktail, then a second and a glass of wine with dinner, but they brought the cocktail and wine at the same time. btw, the glass of wine that was supposed to be 175ml was definitely NOT close to that amount. I ordered three plates (it's tapas-style). All the food was amazing, but the pacing was just off. They brought two of the plates right away but the third didn't come until I had finished the first two. But the thing that really left a bad taste in my mouth was getting the check and the waiter trying to bully me into having another drink. I politely said no but he wouldn't give up, saying "c'mon the night is young" and "c'mon you know you want another" etc. Dude, I said no multiple times and I just spent $150 (£110) on a solo dinner, do you really think it's a good idea to try to push me into ordering another drink? The other little complaints wouldn't have even registered with me, and this could easily be 4, and maybe 5 stars. But at these prices, I don't expect to be bullied/shamed when trying to pay my check and makes me think the other problems with pacing and size of the pour might be normal here too. read more

We were seeing a matinee and this was around the corner from the theater. We slipped in for a quick bite and was pleasantly surprised. Spanish & Italian tapas & wine are served in a chic setting with warm ambience. Tiger prawns came 6 to the order, grilled in a cast iron pan with a perfect garlic butter sauce for dipping. Octopus was tender and served on top of black rice cooked in squid sauce...excellent Nice find across from the Royal theater. read more

We had a great dinner at Opera Tavern and our waitress was wonderful! Every dish was perfect and the drinks were delish! Highly recommend for anything from a light dinner to a full meal! Lots of options with it being tapas style. read more

Food good Service good Selection good A good pre theater restaurant and bar. Glad we chose Opera Tavern read more

Great atmosphere. Staff is great and helpful. Tapas Steamed mussels with wonderful sauce, Slow cooked Iberian pork belly all good. Right down the street from Duchess Theater. Try the cider and Margaritas (it had been hot in London) read more

Opera Tavern - Lamp at table behind the bar. - Tapas Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Great atmosphere, great cocktails, wonderful staff, and the food was exceptional. So happy we stumbled on this place

It's a great spot in the heart of all of the theaters in London. We happened in on a Friday after the people going to shows were leaving. Grabbed a seat at the bar. The bartender was very nice and had lived in CA fir a couple of years. So it was nice to chat with someone from back home. Anyhow--the sliders are to die for. So was the Scotch egg. Great atmosphere and I'd definitely come back. In fact, I was back the next day for brunch. read more

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Great spot! Went to see 42nd Street with a few coworkers and we made a reservation for Opera Tavern for right after the show. We stopped by during intermission and ordered a bottle of wine, which they kindly held for us for after the show. When we came back, we sat upstairs and shared the: Swordfish Carpaccio with Pink Peppercorn Dressing, Smoked Almonds and Pea Shoots: nice and light, and the almonds added an excellent touch. Chargrilled Octopus with Crispy Potatoes, Romesco and Mojo Verde Aioli: I love octopus and this was excellent! Perfectly grilled and flavored. Roasted Tiger Prawns with Piquillo and Prawns Bisque, Grilled Sourdough and Lardo: decent flavor, though I found the sourdough soaked in the bisque a little strange and couldn't get the full sourdough flavor. Spanish or Italian Mixed Olives: so many olives, so much happiness. Padron Peppers: nice and sweet, easy to pop into your mouth. Jamon and Manchego Croquetas: just the right amount of cheesy and it didn't feel too oily, even though I'm sure it was. Spanish Selection of Cheese: beautiful cheese board with delicious flavors. Courgette Flower Stuffed with Monte Enebro Goats' Cheese and Drizzled with Honey: some nice flavors, but the tempura felt heavy and wasn't crispy. Patatas Fritas with Aioli and Bravas Sauce: yum! These were dangerously addicting. Classic Tortilla: pretty sizable portion. They do it runny here and it was a solid, simple tortilla. Super cute spot with nice service. And open late, perfect for a post-show supper! read more

Fun little upstairs tapas bar in Covent Garden close to and around the corner from the Royal Opera House, run by the same talented tapas crew as London's Salt Yard. Nice service experience. Recommend getting a bottle of wine (this is a tapas restaurant, after all) We ordered up about 5 dishes for two including: grilled octopus (tasty, but too small), papas fritas, pork loin, mini burger with foie (slightly overdone meat on the burger, but nice sauce) and their sweet potato tapas dish. Your meal will come with grilled bread and small, grilled mild, green, charred Spanish peppers. Very tasty accompaniments. (BTW, if you want more bread, you will have to ask for it, as it will not be offered. My only real ding on this place. This is a tapas restaurant, after all, and bread should be easier to come by.) Nice Covent Garden ambiance, although somewhat of a dated dining room with lots of 90s burgundy and black. Afterwards, walk around the Apple Market for a late night Covent Garden feel. Wondering outloud if Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter after a Victorian night market in Covent Garden in her throws of London amore? read more

It's an old Covent Garden boozer, converted into a clever, classy little tapas bar. Split over two floors, bar stools predominate the converted pub downstairs, small table informality and big (slightly drafty) windows balance an open glass wine wall in the space up the small staircase. From the team behind one of my favourite restaurants in London, Dehesa and older brother Salt Yard, it's fair to say that the opening of the Opera Tavern had me salivating slightly. The strong wine list mirrors the focus at sister restaurant Dehesa. Much of the menu appears to come from their older siblings too. The focus on solid Spanish swine is happily reprised. (Slightly sloppily carved) Jamon Iberico de Bellota is excellent. Salty and sweet with a nutty marbling of divine fat daring your heart to complain. Heads of deep fried courgette flower come next, stuffed with sticky goat's cheese and drizzled with honey. Mini Iberico pork and foie gras burgers fall apart without their skewer, the devil's own canapé. Rich little bundles popping with flavour, they feel a little out of place here, slightly too refined and worked, but unbelievably tasty non the less. This also applied to the (thankfully grease free) 'Italian style' Scotch Eggs. A clever take on the dish, soft cooked eggs lightly rolled in a spiced pork blanket served with garlicky aoli, it just felt slightly wrong in a tapas bar. The one bum note of the night came with a totally tasteless Short Rib of Beef served with over-cooked polenta and over-salted cavalo nero. Shame that. The gnocchi, taleggio cheese and mushroom gratin made up for this side step in the quality of the food. A perfect counterpoint to the meaty dishes served alongside. We finish our savories with the full set of three different pinchos morunos, squat charcoal grilled skewers, a little pricy at £3 a pop, but stickily well cooked. The Salt Marsh Lamb Leg with smoked paprika stands out as a favourite of the three, cooked to pink perfection within a charred carapace. Pannacotta with a tooth-tinglingly tangy tangerine granita was the least lardy of the puds but even that nearly finished me off. I wouldn't have had it, but our waiter was so insistent we try it. A great example of its kind, with creamy vanilla texture and biscuity swirls to give a contrast. Miss Jones had one of the interesting sheep's milk cheeses from the list, perfectly acceptable finishers to the meal. read more

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Very tempting-looking tapas menu here. They told me two items should be enough for a single diner, but I had three (two meats, one veggie) and found that was a little less than would fill me up. All the food was good, but the really outstanding item was the veggie, a courgette flower fried in a thin coating that was infused with honey and worked just magically. read more

When my parents were in town last week they took me to the Opera Tavern for a tapas meal. I love the concept of tapas, being a greedy pig it appeals to be able to try a little of everything! We were seated in the upstairs dining room, which has more room for large parties (we were a group of 6). Downstairs there is a bar you can sit at and some smaller tables. We started off with smoked almonds and fried peppers - eating these is a little like Russian roulette - about one in ten is a hot one! We also got the flatbread with rosemary butter. The menu is split into platters for charcuterie and cheese, items from the grill, including the fabulous foie gras burger and then other plates split into meat, fish and vegetables (including salads). You are meant to order 2/3 plates each and share, but when the scallop is literally one scallop it's a little difficult to share it between three! After some umming and ahhing we finally ordered a selection of charcuterie and small plates across the meat/fish/vegetable spread, this included heritage tomato salad with Parmesan cream, the Spanish charcuterie board, Cornish crab with samphire, chargrilled octopus with chickpea fritter & mojo verde. Everything was really tasty - I had to fight people off to get photos! Everything from the recommended foie gras burger to the salads was beautifully prepared and flavoured. Eaten but not seen above were lamb chops, mini burger with foie gras, pork belly, chargrilled quail, courgette flowers and a roasted beetroot salad (description doesn't do it justice!) With the meal we drank Albariño and beer (depending on people's taste). When it came to dessert all the desserts were paired with a sweet wine, sherry or port. So of course I had to try.... The chocolate fondant with salted caramel (to die for!) and expresso ice cream - this was paired with a glass of sherry. We left the meal stuffed and happy, but was it value for money? Well my parents didn't think so - they are used to spending an equivalent amount on a more traditional meal with three courses, and for me it was a lot to spend on a meal even with the traditional format and half bottle of wine each. However it was a great experience and if the larger 'main' plates had been more competitively priced at around £7 or those single scallop/courgette flowers were actually plates you could share, it would have felt better value. Would I be back? Possibly! But I may have a better strategy to attack the menu - their group deals at £35/£40 a head seem good value. read more

Opera Tavern - Chocolate fondant with salted caramel (to die for!) and expresso ice cream - this was paired with a glass of sherry. - Tapas Bars Near Me - London, XGL

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After having Iberico pork in San Francisco at Coqueta and Bottega in Napa, Greg sort of went on a an obsessive spree where he sought out places in London to get the same experience. That's where Opera Tavern comes in. This was our first proper sit-down meal in London, and couldn't be more excited for the experience. To start, we had the Spanish selection of cheese. The favorite amongst the three that were given was the Emmesenda when paired with the fruit compote. Then came the Holy Grail of pork - the Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. Sliced paper thin and aged for 5 years, this was definitely a treat. The meat had a great taste of woodiness and was not overly salty as I was expecting. Next came the Morcilla Scotch egg, which had a beautiful texture on the inside and out. The egg was cooked perfectly and I enjoyed the Morcilla around it. Next came the Grilled Ibérico Presa with Capers, Shallots and Lemon. If we had never tried Iberico pork leading up to Opera Tavern, this would have registered as a 10/10. However, I think we both felt that this dish fell just short of the two dishes we had back home. But that doesn't mean that we wouldn't recommend this dish either. Definitely a must-try item if you've never had the pleasure of eating it. Finally, one of the main reasons we came here - the Mini Ibérico Pork and Foie Gras Burger. As some of you may (or may not know), foie gras has been outlawed in San Francisco (but if you REALLY had to have it, there are places to go). These tasty little morsels were sliders out of heaven. The pork was juicy and was garnished with onions, cheese, and a perfectly crisp bun. I would HIGHLY recommend that you try this if you find yourself at Opera Tavern. We passed on dessert, and the recommendation of 2-3 dishes per person is definitely spot on. You might come in with the presumption that because Opera Tavern is so close to the theaters that it'd be a horrible rip off. But having had some delicious tapas here, I genuinely would disagree with you. Definitely look into here if you're around the area! read more

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I had an amazing lunch at Opera Tavern. I paid for it through the nose though and all other orifices. Truly not a place to go if you are looking to fill your empty stomach with food but being a tapas place I'd go there for wine and good company while having a few small bites on the side. Asking the waiter for wine recommendation was a brilliant move as he brought a lovely wine which I am beating myself up over for not remembering. Overall the service was excellent and prompt. Hard to tell though as there weren't that many other people there that day. As hard as it seems to get a table in the evening as easy it is to get one for lunch on a weekday. The place was basically deserted at 13.00 on a Wednesday. First thing to order was of course the mini Iberico pork and foie gras burger after all the raving reviews. It is not the kind of thing I'd get going for tapas. It's not the easiest thing to share, but after tasting it I can't image that you would want to. Such a tiny little succulent thing packed with flavour. At over £5 for a single burger I'd still happily get one every time I go there. In fact, the waiter was saying that the night before a couple got 6 each. The salt marsh lamb leg with pumpkin gnocchi, salted anchovies, brown butter and mint was another lovely dish full of flavour, though a bit on the small side. Gratin of gnocchi, taleggio, trompettes and migas was chosen as the token veggie dish and was of a pretty good size, could easily have shared this with more than one other person as it became a bit rich towards the end. One of the other highlights that I would definitely order again - apart from the bread that was very tasty with a slight grilled flavour to it - was the crispy squid and sea purslane with chilli aioli. The squid was the proper quality one, not chewing gum kind. Crispy and light batter surrounding melt in your mouth squid with an aioli with the right amount of bit to it. The letdown of the meal I have to say was the confit of old spot pork belly with rosemary scented cannellini beans. It felt a bit bland, didn't really do anything for me at all. It also came in a pretty small portion. I can really imagine coming back here to have some wine and 2 - 3 dishes to share among a few people but I wouldn't come back if I am looking for food. read more

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Great for a quick bite for the solo traveler. Window facing bar seats were perfect for the occasion. Delicious selection of tapas and wine. Friendly service. Listed under Michelin Bib Gourmands. read more

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If you're getting #burgerfatigue from all these popups, I'd recommend just going here. Why, it doesn't look like a burger place you say... Well, it isn't, but it's one of the things they happen to do really well. The fois gras burger is what gluttonous dreams are made of. We also had some campari champagne cocktails, cahrcuterie for days and some chat with fellow bar-seated dining enthusiasts who were going through the menu as well. You can't really make any bad decisions here, unless you've decided to go to a chain tapas place down the road instead but then if you're reading this, hopefully you've already had enough sense not to think about that other place and come here instead. read more

The Salt Yard Group have outdone themselves here. Never did I think their eponymous restaurant on Mortimer Street could be bettered, but it has been in my opinion. I really couldn't have asked for more from the food, atmosphere, or staff at the Opera Tavern. My lady and I popped in early for a drink and some nibbles before our reservation, and were treated with smiling, attentive-but-non-invasive hospitality from the off. Having not been able to find any record of my res - almost certainly my fault knowing my own record! - they were able to find a table for us with no issue on one of their busiest nights of the year, being the 14th of Feb. To top it all, our drinks and food up to that point - whitebait-style baby sand eels and a foie gras terrine - were comped by the front of house. A good start... The wine list was comprehensive and mostly Ibero-Italo centric, complimenting the food very nicely. The Opera Tavern distinguishes itself from its sister restaurants Dehesa and the Salt Yard with its charcoal grill - we tried several of the pinchos, the venison and the Iberico pork in particular being succulent, supremely tender and well-seasoned. Scallops were also very nicely done, having spent what must've been no more than 10 seconds a side on the grill and were accompanied by Morcilla de Burgos (Spanish blood sausage) and a gently-sweet artichoke purée. The now famed Ibérico pork and foie gras burger/'slider' made an obligatory appearance too, its recognition well-deserved with a small-but-perfectly-formed juicy little patty creating a miniature taste sensation. "Waiter - I'll have five more, please...". Completing our meal were the courgette flowers stuffed with a (nicely mature) goats' cheese - which helped cut through the hyper sweet honey drizzled over them - and the selection of three Manchegos with quince. All-in-all, I couldn't recommend this place enough. The only thing that could possibly knock half-a star of the place was - per the sweet tooth of the table - the dessert menu which was deemed "overly complex". However since we didn't try any of them it's hardly fair to comment! That'll have to wait til next time... read more

I came here in their first month when they were offering 50% off food and I'm glad I did because I wouldn't go back for full price as it would be quite pricey. The food itself was delicious most of the time and atmosphere is quite lovely but service has some kinks to work out as they put other people's items on our bill and took a long time to process our cards after we got our correct bill. The server was very nice, though, and when he thought I ordered one thing but really meant another, he took it back very kindly. Pork and foie gras burger - Absolutely amazing. Wish they made a bigger one! Courgettes stuffed with goats cheese and drizzled with honey - Decadent but overpriced as you pay for each one. Lamb with mint and anchovies - Incredibly tasty and anchovies are not fishy at all. Mozzarella with basil oil - Amazing. Grilled bread with oil starter - Nothin to call home about and I'm not a fan of paying for bread. Patatas Frites - Quite yummy and come with good sauces. Shortrib with polenta - OK Tuna - Disappointing Onglettes skewer - OK read more

The Food and service were good and the wine selection sufficient. My complaint here is with the management. When you include a 12.5% tip and a charitable donation to every bill, you play your customers for suckers and you under- value your staff. I would have given a bigger tip had my opinion mattered. and regarding the charity donation - have the staff ASK if you want a donation added to the bill - do not make your customer ASK to have it removed from the bill. this is the cheapest of moves and a real ensight to what the owner thinks of his customers. I'd like to force the owner to donate to MY favorite charity. Until they do, I wont be back. read more

We stopped in for dinner before a show. We were early for our reservation, which wasn't a problem. We were seated upstairs - the atmosphere is friendly but classy. The staff was welcoming, and the food was good. They totally understood our need to get to the show on time. If you're in the area, this is a good place to try. read more

This place would've receive 3 stars because most of the dishes we ordered were great but really small. Even if you order about 2 regular and 1 small for each person, you might still leave hungry (not complaining that they're not american like sizes!). However there are a few things they do really well. Pork & foie gras burgers - Very tasty! Most of the other stuff - was okay but now that I think about it... wasn't too memorable. We were seated on the ground floor and know it was really busy but felt a little ignored. When we finally settled the bill, the 4 of us were all paying by card and our waiter looked at us, sighed and said - "we're going to be here all night". I would expect this from NY, but for London - figured this is a common thing! So come to think of it... I stand by my 2 star rating as I don't think I'd be rushing to go back very soon. read more

There are much better places to enjoy Spanish food (but please don't go to them as the lines are getting too long for the best places). So come here if you are not a true foodie or you are a tourist. Get the slider that everyone raves about because it is very tasty, a nice glass of wine, and a plate of cheese (the cheese was really good). It is all very decent and respectable. Our service was mediocre at best. A lot of novices. One guy kept on bringing us food that wasn't ours. Another one was on his first day and clearly not trained. The crowd was nothing short of a weird mix--tourists, theatre goers and locals. I don't think I'll be rushing back....I'll stick with my other faves. read more

A friend recommended this when I asked for suggestions to go with my parents on my birthday. I'm so glad she did! We were sat upstairs in the restaurant, which was attractive and sophisticated. We weren't quite sure how to go about ordering but ended up going for two rounds, one from one side and the menu and the next from the other. I suspect this isn't necessarily how it should be done, but it's pretty flexible. The pork skewers I had were divine. Perfectly flavoured with paprika and cumin, I could have ordered them again and again, were that not against the spirit of the thing. The rest of my group were all waxing lyrical about the foie gras burgers - they could not praise them enough. Other highlights were the flatbread (I know, but it was real tasty) and the confit pork belly. We ended up way over-ordering. Everything is pretty rich and intense. I think it could be quite/very expensive, but if you resist too much temptation, you probably don't need that much to make a very satisfying meal. read more

Having heard great reviews about Opera Tavern, I decided to give it a try. The food was underwhelming at best. We didn't have an issue getting a table without reservations at 730pm on a Friday night, which was a bit surprising. The atmosphere is comfortable, and the bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Neither of us were very hungry, so we went for the jamon croquettas, monkfish with mussels broth, a platter of Iberico chorizo, and the classic tortilla. The chorizo was tasty and flavourful which is expected from Iberico pigs. The croquettas were fine, but I found the mushy texture combined with the lack of ham inside a bit disappointing. The monkfish lacked seasoning, and the mussels were acceptable. The best dish was probably the classic tortilla, but even then I wasn't blown-away. To be honest, I probably wouldn't come back. Best tapas in the city is still Barrafina in my opinion. read more

Went over here for a dinner with a friend. I give it only 3 stars, but with a heavy heart. The service was truly excellent - great waitress, great food and wine recommendations. The ambiance was nice enough - you can have semi-private conversations if you're on a date, and if you're in a group, it's not stuffy where you can't laugh or talk loudly. The food was really generally excellent as well. Then why the 3? The portions. Now, I'm not (just) an ignorant guy from America talking. There was just one dish that really annoyed me. It was a scallop something or the other. The dish itself tasted superb, but it was tiny. How tiny? 1 small scallop tiny. Not even a mouthful! It really bugged me. And I'm taking it out on Opera. Sorry. And I thought the lamb was a bit underdone, but I've been told I'm a philistine for even suggesting that, so we'll let that be. The scotch eggs (that I didn't have) looked fantastic. I'd probably go here again to give it another shot. But not order the scallop. read more

I find the name of Opera Tavern a little bit misleading; I feel like it suggests Italian cuisine, when it's really a tapas place. That said, it's run by the same people who run Salt Yard and Ember Yard, two better known tapas place around London, and I had this one recommended by a friend. I came with a friend on a weekday evening at 8:30 PM, having made the reservation just two days before. There were a few empty chairs at the bar, and an open table or two, so it may well have been possible to walk in. We had a cute table on the first floor, and I thought it was quite nice, but I could have easily been very happy at the bar too. We asked the waitress for some recommendations off the menu, and she rattled off at least 8, of which we ordered 5 (they suggest 2-3 plates per person). From the bar snacks section on the first page, we went for the Morcilla scotch egg and the Iberico pork and foie gras burger. The first was described to us as being known as "the best Scotch egg in London," and it did not disappoint. The yolk was beautifully runny, and it came with a tangy chutney. The pork and foie gras burger was equally impressive. I couldn't figure out how exactly foie gras fit into the equation, and we decided that it must be mixed in with the patty when it is shaped. The patty was served pink, and though I thought the top bun made it a bit unwieldy, when we went without it, it was a good two bites each. For the tapas, we got the Iberico presa, the crab croquettes, and the chargrilled octopus. I thought the crab croquettes were the best, and something really unique that you don't see often on the menu. We got four of them, and the aioli totally hit the spot. The Iberico presa had five thin slices of meat, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the tomato based sauce that came with it (this reminded me a bit of the Iberian pork ribs at Barrafina, but the latter was infinitely more satisfying). The chargrilled octopus was also ok, but nothing to write home about. I can rather confidently say that I've had better. They were served with an interesting round cake that I didn't quite think was a chickpea fritter, as described. Overall I really enjoyed my experience at Opera Tavern. Some dishes were better than others, but all of it was good quality food in a nice restaurant that is extremely well located. read more

There are three types of food I love most. Sushi, steak and tapas. So far, this wins my 'best tapas' award, of any place I've ever eaten it. It's Salt Yard group's latest offering, and they've nailed it once again. Though I was annoyed not to be able to use the 30% voucher they emailed round upon launch (technical problems with online booking), but ended up heading here for lunch. Based on Salt Yard's menu, I was able to get my favourite dish here as well (tempura courgette flowers stuffed with goats cheese and drizzled with honey - just phenomenal, you have to order them!). We also filled this out with amazing bread, beautiful cured meats and chorizo. Plus a phenomenal pair of desserts. I can't remember the specifics of the main dishes unfortunately, but I know they were divine. Just thinking about it now makes me want to book a table for tonight, which I just might do... read more

Wow, I think I just had the two best desserts ever! But let me start with the over all experience. First of all, tapas means small as in SMALL dishes, not main course size, nor American size. Second, they add 12.5% SERVICE TAX, like MANY other restaurants do, don't be an a** about it. This is Europe. We were two sharing 7 dishes (skipped the flatbread which we regret). We had burgers, chorizo, crab, iberico loin, patata fritta and courette flower. Everything was delicious except for the iberico loin which didn't taste much more than rosemary. Even the patata fritta , which was simply fries/chips with some seasoning, was super! Mini burgers - you need to have one per person, it is so good! Then there was dessert....omg! First the strawberries with pistaschio meringue and strawberry sorbet and then cold chocolate fondant with salted caramel sauce an espresso icecream. I cannot decide which one was the best. One thing for sure, I wish they would have the concept for desserts as for the rest of the food. Imagine not having to choooooose dessert, but to just have all of them! Small tasting desserts would have done it for me! Our waitress Amy was the best! She recommended the wine that was perfect, when we couldn't decide on red or white. She is the kind of waitress you always wish for! If you don't make reservations, be here when they at open at 17.00 to get a table. They accept AMEX. read more

Opposite the theatre, I'm always sceptical about these restaurants but this is definitely not one of those restaurant that caters for theatre goers. There's a 2 hours turn around per table. Waiters were attentive. Atmosphere was lovely but very busy. There was no rush and we didn't have to wait too long for our food. The food was amazing. The only tapas place I enjoyed was Barrafina but this is as good as Barrafina. I loved their salted Hake, their peach salad, their iberico pressa, the pork belly and the lamb chop... And many more! Oh the tortilla was awesome too... And their dessert, chocolate fondant... Yums!! I can go on forever. I am especially fond of this restaurant as the bill clearly states, optional service charge and the price is stated if you don't want to pay the service charge. There's also £1 donation to charity for every bill. It all states in the menu & that the service charge goes to all staff equally. I would recommend this place. read more

We sat upstairs in a somewhat noisy atmosphere. The server was unable to articulate any details since her English was poor- I don't get why they hire servers who are unable to speak the language adequately.The 4.5 pound charge for grilled bread was ludicrous.The Iberian tapas of tough ham was doused in an undefined gloppy red sauce.The pork belly was good but the Canneloni beans were funky.Just as we were being served our food a drunken large group was seated next to us raising the din so much that we gave up trying to talk.We ate and left because the noise was so bad and the hostess after we complained shrugged her shoulders.This is in the heart of the theatre district and even though we wanted to like it there just are too many other decent choices to go to. read more

Lots of goodies brought to you by the same people behind Salt Yard and Dehesa. Brand new and in the Covent Garden area. Very YUM: Mini foie gras burger, Stuffed courgette flowers, Croquettes, Truffle pecorino, Chorizo YUM: Lamb and gnocchi, Pork belly, Short rib Always delicious is the jamon iberico de bellota... I'm tough on the desserts...the choc fondant isn't the best I've tasted. Still fulfills the choc craving though! The pana cotta is quite nice...the three different textures go down quite well together. read more

Sliders (or mini burgers) seemed to be one of the buzz words of 2011. Everyone was serving them, but only a few managed to serve them well. Opera Tavern, located in London's Covent Garden is one of these. Their iberico pork foie gras sliders hit all the right notes. The iberico pork is served medium rare, and the addition of the shaved foie gras gives it that extra juiciness. Topped with melted aged manchego cheese, and a garlicky aoili and home-made onion jam below, this little gem is definitely the star of the show. The crispy Iberico pigs ears, San Daniele ham, and Truffle Pecorino cheese were also the ideal accompaniment to a nice big glass of Rioja. For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.gourmetbelly.wordpress.com x read more

We visited the Opera Tavern for the second time lastFriday night on a bit of a whim hoping that we would be able to get a couple of stools at the bar (no reservations downstairs). We turned up just after 7.30pm and the gods were with us as we managed to bag the two last remaining seats right in the corner of the bar. It turned out that this was possibly the most perfect spot; intimate but with a great view of the bustling room. I actually preferred sitting at the bar to the more formal dining room upstairs - more atmosphere and a chance to chat with the very friendly and informative bar staff. We were thirsty and hungry in equal measure so we ordered a couple of beers, nothing special on offer on the beer front unfortunately, chargrilled bread with olive oil and some stunningly good nocellara de belice olives to keep us going while we tried to decide on how to put our meal together. There is plenty of good stuff to choose from on the menu which is divided into "bar snacks, from the charcoal grill, hams, charcuterie, cheese and tapas" sections. We decided we were in for the long haul rather than a quick snack so we started with a couple of dishes from fish tapas selection: a very tasty crispy soft shell crab and an amazingly good Cornish bass ceviche with shaved asparagus, basil sorbet, radish and sea purslane. If you are looking for a recommendation on what to eat go for the bass ceviche every time as it is a truly wonderful taste sensation. It's probably just a personal groove that we have got into but staggering the ordering of dishes seems to work best for us and avoids a whole heap of dishes turning up at the same time which you then struggle to get through. So in this spirit I ordered a solitary mini Ibérico pork and foie gras burger from the charcoal grill selection. I had this burger on my previous visit when I thought it was good but not outstanding - however, on this occasion it a complete revelation. Perfectly cooked, beautifully presented and packing the most sublime flavour this was a mini burger to die for!! By this point in the evening we had really hit our stride and after a bit of breather, and a glass or two of the Molino Loco Macabeo,we went at the menu one more time. The chargrilled leeks and spring onion with a crispy duck egg and romesco was pretty damn good, the confit of pork belly with cannellini beans was probably the best I have ever tasted while the roasted duck with borlotti beans, cabbage, fennel salami and pomegranate was fine but possibly suffered from being in the presence of so many other outstanding dishes. The bar was thinning out by now and after a quick look at the dessert menu we both decided that enough was as good as feast.We had just enough time to grab a quick cortado and a glass of the very fine Jerez brandy before paying the bill and rushing to get the last train home. Not a cheap evening out but with top notch cooking, beautiful presentation and lovely service this was one bill we that we were more than happy to pay. read more

We ordered a few essentials, all of which were delicious - Boquerones (£3.30), Chargrilled Bread with Olive Oil and Alioli (£2.95) and Jamon Croquettes, which were maybe a bit pricey at £6.25 but were lovely and stodgy. Then we moved on to a Morcilla Scotch Egg (£5.25) which was brand new to the menu and will probably be there for a while given how tasty it was! Morcilla is a Spanish black pudding and worked beatifully with the creamy egg yolk and crispy coating. I highly recommend the Chargrilled Octopus with Chickpea Fritter, Red Pepper and Mojo Verde (£8.75) and the Sea Bass Ceviche with Shaved Cucumber, Basil Sorbet, Radish and Sea Purslane (£7.75). The octopus dish was beautifully balanced and the ceviche was incredibly refreshing and zingy. We had a Mini Ibérico Pork and Foie Gras Burger (£6.50), which was very good - I wish they did a full size version! The Charcoal Grilled Lamb Loin Chop with Aubergine, Shallot, Roasted Garlic and Mint Dressing (£7.00) was perfectly cooked and was full of flavour. The Confit of Old Spot Pork Belly with Rosemary Scented Cannellini Beans (£7.25) and the Courgette Flowers Stuffed with Goats' Cheese and Drizzled with Honey (£7.95) were both a bit of a let down for me. The cannellini beans were too bland and the pork, while well cooked didn't have enough to carry the beans. The courgette dish had too much honey making it feel more like a dessert! read more

Great tapas! Although the price is not very expensive, the share is small. The waiter is very helpful on explaining the menu. read more

Stopped here for food after going to a play. The food was terrific and the wine was very good. Ella, out server took very good care of us, kept us fed and watered for at least 2 hours. If was a perfect end to a very nice afternoon. Thanks Ella, I won't forget you or the Opera Tavern. read more

Good spanish red wine by the glass. Scotch egg lukewarm not good. Good pork and foie gras mini burger. Try that and go elsewhere for a full meal. read more

amazing food. super friendly staff. nice decor. bring it on. just in for a quick (meant to be light) lunch, my friend and i sat at the bar on the ground floor and ate our way through a good portion on the menu without meaning to. it was just all so tasty! we started with a few plates (pigs ears being one) and then thought why not a few more (the mini burger is fab), then we saw the scotch egg someone else was getting and we had to try it. and then there was the pickled salsify salad (!!!). yum and yum. i cannot wait to go again. although my wallet warns me it might not be an every week occurrence. read more

I love foie gras. I know I shouldn't but I do. I really really do. And when you put it on beef, it's just heaven. Try the slider, you won't regret it!! read more

WAY overpriced and not all so special. Two things though really turned us off: 1. The "tortilla" was actually a pie and not very good one. When the waitress saw we left it almost whole she didn't even consider offering a replacement dish. 2. Default add-on "optional" charity in the bill?? Seriously?! Oh, oh, and 12.5% tip? Are they from this planet?? read more