10 Years Later – Is This Still London’s Sexiest Restaurant?
Do a quick walk around Berkeley Square, and it’s impossible to miss – there’s usually a line of people outside who look like they were just sitting front row at fashion week, and there’s always a chance that there’s an A-List celebrity inside –David Beckham, Tom Cruise, Rihanna, Salma Hayek and Lindsay Lohan are just a few of the famous faces who have dined underneath its shimmering ceilings. When it launched in 2015, it was the place to be seen, and now, in 2025, on its 10th anniversary, we visited to find out – is Sexy Fish still…sexy?
In Partnership With Sexy Fish
What sets it apart
The glitz, the shine, the shimmer – the interiors still dazzle you as you walk in. As a food editor in London, I’ve been to my fair share of posh restaurants, and of late, I’ve noticed a trend for restaurants to go more subtle and pastel with their interiors, preferring soothing colours over loud aesthetics.
The glitz, the shine, the shimmer – the interiors still dazzle you as you walk in.
But Sexy Fish is unapologetically bold (and quite beautiful, might I add). The interiors, designed by Martin Brudnizki, bring together shimmering fish lamps created by Frank Gehry and sculptures by Damien Hirst – the art is striking.
It’s no surprise that it’s one of the most recognisable and photographed restaurants in the country. But while one generally knows that the interiors are decadent and the drinks are great, I had never visited for a full dinner before, and I was keen to find out if the food is as fabulous as the rest of it – and I was happy to find out that it absolutely hits the mark.
It’s no surprise that it’s one of the most recognisable and photographed restaurants in the country.
In honour of their 10th anniversary, the Japanese-inspired restaurant has brought back some classics from their 2015 menu, like black cod croquettes, wagyu tataki, smoked eel, foie gras pressed maki and Chilean sea bass (we love a good throwback).
Or you can choose from the main menu – but more on that later. Everything feels luxe but not in a posh, stuffy way – this is a place where fun is part of the dining experience. Wear your best dress, put on a shade of lipstick that’s brighter than what you normally wear, slip into those heels, and prepare to be well taken care of. It’s still one of the slickest dinner parties in London.
Our experience
We had an early dinner booking on a Friday, and the restaurant was already busy when we walked in at 5pm. The crowd was effortlessly cool, with a mix of fashion week attendees, families and couples. It was still too early for the party crowd to come in, but there was live pop music and sultry jazz playing and a buzz in the air like the night was only just getting started.
Just as we were ordering cocktails, a cake with the words “Will you marry me?” arrived at the table behind us, and we witnessed a man grinning from ear to ear propose to his partner – we couldn’t hear the conversation, but judging from the tears and the happy faces and the clamouring from tables nearby, she said yes. (I’ve always wanted to witness a restaurant proposal, and this really was adorable – so thank you, Sexy Fish and that lovely couple, I can now tick this off my life bucket list). The food is designed to share, and the menu is created in a way that makes it perfect if you’re looking for light bites with your drinks or you’re keen to go the whole mile and have a proper dinner.
What we ordered
There were a few things I knew I wanted as soon as I saw them on the menu. We had melt-in-the-mouth wagyu and foie grass gyozas with ume and black truffle, along with glazed pork belly with pear and ginger flavours dipped in a creamy sauce. One of my favourites was the caramelised black cod with spicy miso – it’s a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and if you love some umami, this is it. When it comes to sushi, you know you’re in good hands here – the sushi counter includes a chef’s selection of sashimi, nigiri and vegan sushi, and the nigiri comes in flavours like salmon and ikura or wagyu and truffle.
One of my favourites was the caramelised black cod with spicy miso – a perfect balance of sweet and spicy.
The restaurant is also home to the largest Japanese whisky collection in the world, and the bar holds rare single-barrel spirits from Chichibu whiskies released exclusively for Sexy Fish – but if you’re not a whisky drinker, there are plenty of bespoke tequilas, gins, and the restaurant even has its own Sexy Fish Vodka.
We went for the classic dragon rolls, which are one of the most popular options here, and the kimchi fried rice made the perfect end to the meal (before dessert), and felt like a bowl of comfort.
The kimchi fried rice made the perfect end to the meal (before dessert), and was like a bowl of comfort.
Finally, a beautiful dessert arrived in what I can only call an art installation – like the kind I can imagine being offered to a dessert-loving 16th-century prince. Grapes hung from the sides, tropical fruit balanced against each other in floral arrangements, sugared biscuits rested gracefully against each other, a chocolate lava cake glistened, and a fruity cheesecake with rose petals rested temptingly in front of me.
Finally, a beautiful dessert arrived in what I can only call an art installation.
I can almost imagine my grandmother looking at it and going – “Oh no, don’t eat it, it’s too pretty!” Luckily, my grandmother was not present and we dived in and at one point joked with the neighbouring table that maybe we should all share.
The verdict
Sexy Fish was launched by Richard Caring, the founder of Caprice Holdings, the same team behind some of London’s most famous destinations, including Annabels, Bacchanalia and Daphne’s. But alongside its glitzy family, Sexy Fish holds on to its title of being one of London’s most glamorous restaurants to visit – a place where you might just rub shoulders with the Beckhams or order the same dish as Harry Styles. But over the past ten years, I think it’s evolved to something that feels romantic and wholesome too.
One of the first Mayfair restaurants to feature a DJ in the dining room, there’s now an element of nostalgia to your time at Sexy Fish – it’s not quite old enough to be called a legend, but it is old enough to be an icon. It’s the kind of place you can party till the wee hours, but also take your kids to for lunch. And as I found out, it also makes a pretty stunning spot to propose to your girlfriend and receive a round of cheers from your fellow diners. It’s all about the vibes here – and ten years on, it’s still cool, it’s glamorous, and yes, undeniably sexy.
Sexy Fish is not quite old enough to be called a legend, but it is old enough to be an icon.
To join in the celebrations, head to Sexy Fish for their one-night-only anniversary party tonight [25th September], in partnership with Don Julio Tequila, headlined by Roger Sanchez. Standing bar tickets are available for £50, while table bookings require a minimum spend of £250 per person.
