Keith McNally opened Balthazar in SoHo in 1997 and spent fifteen years turning down the chance to clone it. In 2013 he relented for one city. The London Balthazar took over the old Theatre Museum on the corner of Russell Street and Wellington Street in Covent Garden, directly across from the Royal Opera House, and reproduced the Paris-brasserie fantasy of the original down to the nicotine-toned mirrors and pewter bar. More than a decade on, it is the most convincing grand French brasserie in London that is not actually French.
The Room
The room is the point. Balthazar seats around 175 across a long bar, red leather banquettes and a mezzanine, under distressed mirrors and amber globe lights built to look ninety years old on opening day. It is loud, busy and theatrical from breakfast service onward, which is the brasserie tradition rather than a flaw. Robert Reid, who came from the Connaught, ran the opening kitchen for owner Keith McNally and the backer Richard Caring of Caprice Holdings, setting a template the room still follows: French bistro classics executed at volume, every day, from 8am.
What to Order
The two dishes to judge it on are the steak frites, a hanger steak with shallot butter and a pile of thin fries, and the plateau de fruits de mer, the tiered seafood tower of oysters, crab, prawns and whelks that anchors the centre of the room. Around them sit the brasserie staples: French onion soup, steak tartare, duck shepherd's pie and a warm goat cheese and caramelised onion tart. Mains land roughly between £18 and £42, the seafood plateaux climb well past that, and the bread basket from the in-house bakery is the quiet reason regulars come back. For more of this format done far from Paris, see our running guide to the best French restaurants worldwide.
Best for a Long, Social Lunch
Balthazar is at its best as a midday or pre-theatre table rather than a hushed dinner. The all-day service, the volume and the location opposite the Royal Opera House make it a natural for a business lunch or a group celebration where the buzz is welcome. It belongs to the same family of grand exports as Alain Ducasse's London room and Alex Dilling's Mayfair counter; read those in our Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal features, and browse the wider London dining guide for where to go next.
Not for
Not for anyone chasing a Michelin tasting menu or a quiet table. Balthazar is a high-volume brasserie, the room runs loud from breakfast, and the kitchen trades fireworks for consistency across 175 covers.
Frequently Asked
Is Balthazar London worth it?
Yes, if you go for the room and the brasserie classics rather than cutting-edge cooking. Balthazar is Keith McNally's Covent Garden recreation of his New York original, and the steak frites, seafood plateau and bakery breads are reliably good across all-day service. It is not a Michelin destination and does not try to be. Treat it as a buzzy, handsome brasserie opposite the Royal Opera House and it delivers.
Who owns Balthazar London?
Balthazar London was created by restaurateur Keith McNally, who opened the original Balthazar in New York's SoHo in 1997, in partnership with Richard Caring's Caprice Holdings. It opened in Covent Garden in 2013 on the site of the former Theatre Museum, with Robert Reid leading the opening kitchen. The London room recreates the Paris-brasserie look and all-day menu of the New York flagship.
What should I order at Balthazar London?
Order the steak frites with shallot butter and the plateau de fruits de mer, the tiered seafood tower that anchors the room. The French onion soup, steak tartare and the warm goat cheese tart are the other brasserie staples to lean on, and the in-house bakery breads are a highlight. For brunch, the eggs Benedict and pastries are the draw.
How much does Balthazar London cost?
Main courses run roughly from £18 to £42, with the seafood plateaux priced well above that depending on size. A two-course lunch lands in the £35 to £55 range per person before wine, while a full dinner with the seafood tower and a bottle climbs quickly. It sits at the accessible end of grand London dining rather than the luxury-tasting-menu tier.
Is Balthazar London good for groups?
Yes, it is one of central London's better large-group brasseries. The scale of the room, the all-day service and the shareable seafood plateaux suit celebrations and pre-theatre parties, and the Covent Garden location opposite the Royal Opera House is easy to reach. Book ahead for weekend and pre-show slots, which are the busiest, and request the banquettes for bigger tables.