Regularly filled with famous faces and thespians, J Sheekey’s credentials are as starry as the surrounding Leicester Square theatres. With more than 150 years of history behind it, the restaurant could rival the stories of those stages too, acting for decades as an after-show hangout for cast members to quaff Champagne and suck oysters fresh from their shells. It's not all glitter and gold though, and in 2008 the restaurant opened a more casual asjoining Atlantic Terrace which promises the same quality of seafood without the formality.
Venue and Atmosphere
Opened in 1896 after Lord Salisbury decided he wanted seafood at his post-theatre dinner parties, J Sheekey is a time warp of a forgotten era. After we enter the restaurant by accident, coats are gently prised from shoulders and doormen are headmaster-stern, ushering us through white-panelled rooms to the Atlantic Bar. Don’t be fooled by ‘more casual’ description, J Sheekey’s Atlantic Bar is still white-tablecloths and waistcoated waiters posh, but with a bit more fun thrown in. The first room is mostly taken up by said bar, a circular beast behind which chefs crack open crab and bartenders mix classic concoctions.
Much like a stubbornly old-fashioned, yet refined great aunt, J Sheekey is a relic of a glitzier time. In a world where exposed brick and peeling wall paper is beautiful, J Sheekey resolutely dons pearls and a tiara; black and white celebrity portraits hang on walls and the floor is covered in art-deco tiles. Even today, the spot has kept its thespian appeal; in between business men, several famous faces ate discreetly at the tiny tables.
The outdoor terrace at J Sheekey Atlantic Bar is perfect when the sun shines.
Food and Drink
From the very beginning, J Sheekey has served seafood to the central London masses. The Atlantic Bar menu is shorter than the original restaurant's and focuses on small sharing plates, which turned out to be our demise, as we ordered enough food to down a small ship. Waiters kindly saved the last portion of gyoza for us, which were little dumplings of sweet lobster meat, given flavour by a soy sauce.
The menu is divided by hot and cold dishes, and all were exceptional, with fish so fresh it could have flipped out of the sea that day. Ahi Tuna Poke (£12.25) was a triple whammy of raw, delicate tuna, fiery chilli and sweet pineapple. Steamed Mussels and Clams (£9.5) were given added richness with an earthy Goan curry sauce; seared Galician Octopus (£12.75) was almost steak-like with thick tentacles cooked in paprika.
Even when the restaurant isn’t doing fish, it’s doing it well with a Black Angus Fillet Steak (£15.50) that was doused in a garlic butter. If the fish dishes are light and simple, pudding is heavy enough to sink yuo to the depths of the ocean. £8 might seem a little extravagant for honeycomb ice cream and chocolate sauce, but this dish was worthy of every penny as thick sauce melted into a sugar-crunch ice cream.
The venue keeps drinks short and simple, with a number of twists on classics, The Apero’ Spritz (£12) was the bar’s version on a the Italian classic with prosecco, Aperol, Beefeater Gin, Agave syrup and bitters. Wines are from coastal regions across the world, including Indian Ocean bottles and Aegean Sea choices, and are all picked to match the dishes on offer.
J Sheekey Atlantic Bar is famous for their seafood.
Summary
J Sheekey Atlantic Terrace is one of those rare London spots that’s as famous as the stellar cast members it regularly homes, and for good reason. With more than 150 years of history, the venue sticks to what it does best, seafood that is blockbuster good and classic cocktails, proving that style will always win over fashion.
