Sarastro

Great food. Good location. Friendly staff. Oh I couldn’t recommend this place enough. Its shear quirkiness is amazing, one of the most unique places I have dined. It’s fabulous! So many hidden gems and treasures. You won’t forget this place.

Came for a pre valentines meal and enjoyed the food very much. lovely presentation and really interesting atmosphere and style. The balcony tables feel intimate and romantic. I felt the live performance was a little jarring during a meal and a bit too loud. I believe the pricing was too much for the simplicity and portions of food. all round an enjoyable experience but even expensive for two people.

Sarastro is a restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine. The decor is absolutely stunning and theatrical. It reminded me of a king's tent in an Arabian desert with vibrant colours and artefacts. The service was attentive, but the taste of the main dishes was, unfortunately, not satisfactory. The lamb shank I ordered, which was very tender, was very salty, and I eat a lot of salt, so for me to find it too much is telling. My friends agreed. Meanwhile, their food of moussaka and tortellini required seasoning as it was quite bland. The starter of scallops was very delicious, though, and cooked to perfection. The chocolate fondant dessert was also lovely. Overall, a lovely dining experience but let down a bit by the main course.

Fascinating venue in the heart of theatre land. Almost opposite Drury Lane theatre, this former pub has been completely redesigned into a magical mini theatre; very atmospheric. There is a ramp for access - so accessible but the main ladies' toilet is not. (There are other toilets for youngsters which may be accessible). Staff were friendly enough. Service was a little slow, but the food was excellent; it was delicious in fact. For me, it was a little pricey. But by London standards, probably not!

i saw a glimpse of the interior many moons ago and when deciding on were i wanted to go for my 20th birthday celebrations this place immediately came to mind. after some research, i discovered it once more and booked a table for 2pm on a saturday. surprisingly, the restaurant was very quiet and my partner and i were seated on a balcony which oozed all the essence of a 19th century intimate parisian hideaway. the amount of privacy was pleasant and the food was absolutely scrumptious. even more, the two waitresses that served us were such genuine ladys who put much care and consideration into making our dining experience simply divine. i did not confess it was my birthday upon making the booking however, our first server asked if/what we were celebrating then came up sometime after my telling her with a delectable birthday treat: ‘happy birthday’ in a rich dark chocolate scrawl and melt-in-your-mouth pistachio macaroons. more over, our second server presented us with two cocktails they’re thinking of adding to the menu to taste test. overall, it was an absolutely fantastic experience i will now recommend to everybody that asks for places to visit in london. I am certain i will come back over and over again, inducting new guests into this opulent opera paradise.

I liked the vibe of the place, but the food and cleanliness wasn't up to part. We had the seabream dish for two and the beef kebab dish - overall, too greasy and not seasoned enough. We also felt that the prices didn't reflect the quality of the offering - and £5 for a small tap-poured, bubble-less "coke" is extortionate. Finally, there were discrepancues between the bill and the prices listed on the menu; apparently, they had mixed the old menus with the new ones. The waitor was kind though and offered us a 10% discount to make up for it. We won't be returning I'm afraid, mainly because we simply weren't impressed by the food.

This place makes me want to live here permanently. The food was fantastic and the place’s interior is like nothing I’ve ever seen. The service was super friendly and helpful with recommendations for food and drink. I’m there is one place I could recommend in all of London it’s here. A must visit.

Undeniably the star of the show here is the decor and the atmosphere, both of which are stunning. Also stunning is the music accompanying your meal. We had a string quartet, (superb) followed by two opera singers, (also superb). The food was good but there was a lack of vegetarian choices, only vegan options which was a bit poor, also lacking in protein. All in all, go to Sarastro you won’t be disappointed, we’ll definitely be going back.

Excellent food, entertainment, and service. We went for the food and stayed for the live entertainment and was not disappointed with how well everything was presented.

This place was horrible. The restaurant decor is over the top cheap looking and it looks very shabby and dirty. Our waiter was crabby- we tried to lighten the mood and he was very defensive and snippy to all the waiters and busboys who helped him. The waiter made the whole experience unpleasant. The food was awful- the appetizer mix had chicken strips. The meals were bad too- I had the eggplant which was greasy and my husband had the flavorless chicken. Go elsewhere.

Stopped in to check out this restaurant, the owner turned us away wouldn't let us enter, we were formally dressed and turned away, even though there was only one table with customers. It had a lot of phallic art nothing elegant just cheesy, the manager was rude and arrogant!

I really wanted to like Sarastro -- it had the promise of a fun evening out with friends in London's West End. However, it turned out to be all gaudy makeup and glitter and no substance. The service was poor. The food was underwhelming for the price charged, and there was no care or attention to customers (not just us -- others around us were also complaining). The ambiance was theatrical pirate ship -- like a floating bordello -- which was probably the best part of our evening at Sarastro. On top of all this, they cancelled the live show for the evening -- one of the key features of going to this restaurant. We weren't told this until AFTER we'd been there 30 minutes and had ordered our drinks and dinner (you'd think they would have had a backup plan or performer in place for when this occurs). On top of this, we literally had to chase down staff three times to get our bill and that took more than 30 minutes of waiting. Anyway, based on our experience this night, it was clear they are poorly managed, under staffed, and indifferent to their patrons. I'd never return to this place.

The food was very good. The service was okay and not the best help. The ambiance was very busy and it was hard to concentrate. The food outspoke everything else.

This place had so much potential, but this is a prime example of how a bad server can just destroy an experience. We made our reservation and were really looking forward to our dinner. Upon walking in, we were really excited about the decorations, and overall look of the restaurant. It is stunning to say the least. Very unique, vibrant, and colorful. We were seated immediately, even though we were about a half hour early for our reservation. There was live entertainment the night we were there, and while he was very friendly and we enjoyed him, our table was right near what turned out to be a very lively dance floor. As a side note, it would have been much appreciated to have been told that we were being seated by the dance floor, because once the entertainment started, we could no longer hear the others in our party, and we struggled to even get up and go to the restroom because the dance floor was so packed. We knew there would be a singer that evening, but had no idea that there would be a dance party and that we would be confined to our table just looking at one another. Then there was our very unpleasant server. She was curt, disinterested, and inattentive. We were at the restaurant for almost 2 hours, much longer than desired, and in that time we had our first order of drinks and water with our meal. We had water because we were never offered any additional drinks, and could not get her attention. And once we finished our first glass of water, we were never offered more, so we just sat there thirsty, trying to get the attention of one of the worst servers I have ever had. The food was good, definitely not even close to the best we had on our trip, and more expensive than any other place we dined at. One of the members of our party finally got up and wriggled through the dance floor to go ask somewhere for our bill. The bill was promptly brought to us by the gentleman she asked, not our server. We thought perhaps she just disliked us, but she was equally inattentive to the older couple seated next to us who seemingly got up and went and ordered more drinks with someone. So to sum up, the food was okay, our server was horrific, and the atmosphere was a cool aesthetic visually but very loud and not conducive to enjoying quite a pricey meal. This was by far the worst dining experience we had in our week in London. We will not be going back the next time we visit.

I had my birthday lunch here and the atmosphere blew me away. I am a big fan of classical ambiance and the beautiful music in the background truly complimented the restaurant. Although there were a good amount of people dining there, it was just as peaceful. The waiter was very kind and very relaxed. I enjoyed my time there. I would love to give it my 5 stars but it's only because of my personal taste that the food was okay for me. I really do like the menu. I have recommended this place to many people since!

This place is SO much fun! We made reservations for a friday night at 8PM, requesting a balcony. We arrived a little early, no problem, and were seated right away at a balcony table. This place definitely has special occasion atmosphere. The food and service was good. Live entertainment so much fun. At the end of our meal, it was a little difficult to get out because it had turned into a dance party. I would hesitate to bring children here mainly because of the bathroom art.

Sarastro is over the top, theatrical, and great fun - perfect for a meal in the heart of theatre land. The restaurant is a baroque fantasy crossed with a Prince's bedroom in the Palace of Versailles. Everything is gilded; strange, tiny balconies jut out above you, almost like cliff precipices, only these ones contain tables with diners. I was petrified that one would fall on top of me! Sarastro's is not the place where you go for memorable food. It is a place where wine and conversation flows, and everyone has a raucous and loud time. Don't think about coming here for a quiet meal. I come here for friends birthdays (they are great at catering for big groups) and this place is a safe bet for a Christmas party.

So odd. We arrived on Jan 2. Our table was oddly designed, with a pillar between 2 of the 3 guests. We asked if we could move to a more amenable table and we're told that we had to request those tables in advance. We were content with that, although we had booked some time in advance and were not aware. Servers were nice, banter was fun, but slightly distracted. We had 3 servers as the evening progressed, but only as they wandered past and noticed. Gluten free options were carefully attended to and appreciated. Our mains had been finished for at least 30 minutes before our plates were cleared and we received the dessert menu. It came, but too late. 2 courses took 2 hours. We had to leave. The manager had told us that he would bring a treat for my sister's birthday (and she loves this place as it was a favourite of our older, departed sister - yes, my emotional hook there). It never materialized. And the table that we had asked about earlier remained empty, as did at least half of the restaurant. The food was fine, just fine. And as we left we heard the manager tell a potential customer that they would probably prefer MacDonalds. I don't believe one should ever be that condescending. Ever. When serving perfectly average Mediterranean food. Decorations were fun, but unless someone is singing between courses I wouldn't rush.

This place looks awesome outside - we just had to try it. Without even know what was waiting inside. Decor is amazing, I would say decor is everything here! A lot of things everywhere! We were placed downstairs, and regret not asking for a table upstairs on the cute lofts. Food was totally ok but service was really slow. For the overall experience it is so worth having dinner her. Pictures on toilets are a bit...refreshing! Don't be prude. Don't watch the photos on Yelp - it will spoil the surprise! I wouldn't go here on a first date though. Haha!

Oh my. I'm still laughing about this visit the morning after! If you want the short version; decor is amazingly sumptuous and a real feast. Food is distinctly average and smacks of wedding preplate (especially the main course). What gives this the full 5 stars is the entertainment! I don't know if it's every night or just because it's the Valentine's time of year. They didn't mention it at time of booking. Enter stage left; professional karaoke crooner in white suit, armed with a microphone and a steely determination to find all the birthdays in the house and terrorise them. (it wasn't mine so I was safe!) I'm not sure what was worse; his song choices (drunk and sentimental Dad at the juke box), his schmaltz or his cheap backing tape. It was perfectly cringeworthy, so bad it was hilariously good. And an excellent date icebreaker, not to mention a distraction from the salmon, which was flavoursome but soggy, with overcooked potatoes and trimmings. I'd had no idea what the interior was like; I literally gasped when I stepped inside! Bachannalian and sumptuous theatre inspired decor. I wanted to dress up and feast, cavort about and drunk wine. (maybe they do private hire?!) They get very busy so you have to book. Check that they have someone singing when you do. Don't take people that don't have a sense of humour!

This review is based on the food and environment alone, unfortunately I didn't get to experience the entertainment because I visited on a Wednesday. The decor in here is fabulous, over the top, quirky and fun. You can sit in mezzanine booths that look over the restaurant we had a booth at the far end so we could see most of what was going on downstairs. We were not sure if our very sweet, but most incompetent waiter, was a replacement for the entertainment that we didn't get to experience on the night. He certainly provided laughter with some bizarre situations throughout the night. Unfortunately the food wasn't brilliant. It was ok and edible but somethings (fish) were a little over done and mine lacked flavour. However, this is a reasonably priced restaurant in theatreland and it's more interesting than your bog standard chain.

I'm still trying to work out my night here and find the right words to describe it and, I really do not think I can!!! I've walked past this place more times than I can remember for more years than I care to remember! The outside along used to intrigue me, with plants slowing building up outside over the years growing more with more being added bit by bit. The advert for the motown singer caught my eye a few years ago and thought that that would be interesting to go and see but there I left it. Then I had a conversation with a friend in passing who said they had been here for a work meal but they failed to explain this in full. At that point I decided I am going to come and tick this off my list as it's been there far too long. I booked a Thursday night having taken a look on their website of the various evening entertainment they have. I felt the singer was more my bag. Table booked and we arrive. Plants outside in full affect as usual. We arrived a little early for our booking but this was fine. You are greeted, on entry with just the start of crazy, wonderful, confusing interesting and questionable decor. As I took a look around whilst being taken to our table, there are tables above you which are set up to look like you are sat in a balcony seat in the theatre. Theatre is the theme of the restaurant and it looks like they have been able to collect wonderful props from the variety of theatres where this restaurant is situated. As I looked closer at the props filling the restaurant, I was impressed that they were dust free. For the shear number of things crammed into this restaurant, I thought they would be dust filled but no. Good sign. We ordered from the set menu. The starter is a mezze which you really have no choice with but there are a number of mains to select so not too restrictive as some set menus can be. Service was prompt and polite/friendly. I will cut to the chase. You don't really come here for the food. This was..food. Not terrible but nothing to review on. The part that makes this restaurant is the entertainment. A little old lady sat near us and brought us into her conversation (79.5 years old she said). After a few minutes of polite conversation, she landed information on us of what her job was. She was the Queens lookalike - fantastic. As the singing began up Queenie got and was dancing with the singer. National anthem played she returned to her table giving us a wink and saying 'you didn't expect that did you' Very right, we did not!! As the singing got into the flow, we found ourselves up and dancing with the other diners. I even got a jig with the queen ;) Then, if we couldn't get more strange, in come a bus load of RAF personnel clearly on a quick night out. Up they get and join in the dancing (Queenie asks me to set her up with one of the young RAF men and I oblige - yes I got a strange look when I asked if he wouldn't mind dancing with the queen!). They all congo out the restaurant onto the street and back in again..... WHAT??? I get tourists up who were sat next to us to join in the dancing and this goes on until the restaurant closes and then and only then, do we leave. Strange, strange night. I do believe it really happened and will be back to make sure that I didn't dream all those odd things put together for a great and memorable night!!!

Well where to start...at the beginning is best I guess. This is a restaurant which is like nothing I have ever experienced before and i use the word restaurant loosely!! From the outside it is covered with many plants, apparently it has won awards for its greenery. So you see the outside and think hey a bit quirky but as they always say its whats on the inside that counts and boy has it got some insides. So on entering you are struck by the very different layout, they have balcony seating and on this evening had a row of tables down the middle for a birthday celebration. Now the restaurant clearly has a link to the theatres in the area as many of the props which decorate it have come from theatre land. They have a good selection of cocktails and the food..well I don not think this is the place for a foodie. The food is ok and hits the spot but nothing special. The special thing is the atmosphere created by the live performers. They have live entertainment on different days, Monday is a string quartet, Wednesday is Raphaela Trio, Thursday is Colin Roy. We were there on Thursday so I cannot tell you about the other acts that reside there. Colin Roy is down as a singer of swing and Motown legends and he delivers on this. With a very good library of songs, all of which get you tapping your feet or swaying in your seat. Once we had done away with the food, which we had of the set menu so choices are limited but as I said earlier the food is not the priority (well for me it was not) There was an old dear sat near us who we had a chat with and before you knew it she was pulling out the little book which showed she was a Queen impersonator. And once the singing started she was up on the floor p.aying the part. All very good and unsuspecting. So as the evening went on the songs kept coming the RAF popped in for a quick drink and we kept on we kept dancing (well dancing is the technical term!!) The evening was so good we were there swaying away until it was time to leave. Had a great time here and will be back. If you are passing by this place pop in and book a table!!

Sarastro is somewhere where I have dined often, my dad introduced me to it as he knows the owner who is either Turkish or Turkish Cypriot. From the name I thought that it was either Italian or Spanish. It is decorated in the theme, as tribute to the theatre, with great colours and masks and statues everywhere. The last time I ate here, I had the grilled Dover Sole in a special sauce, which was fantastic. Baring in mind where the restaurant is, you may think that it would be really expensive to dine here, well, it is, but not too bad. The starters are around £4-6, which is decent, and the mains are around £22 on average. It is a great place to dine and the waiters are brilliant. I haven't been for a while but for all the times I have been, there has been a brilliant, tall and bald waiter who just makes everyone laugh. He was born to do his job and has been working there for years. I would recommend this restaurant any day, to anybody, with great food, great location and a great layout, you will love it. Just to add, a 12.5% service charge will be added to your bill at the end.

This restaurant is beautiful and has a great atmosphere. Unfortunately I have to rate the restaurant only 3 stars. I came here to celebrate my friends engagement. We had a beautiful area at the top balcony area for 10 of us. The design is very striking and there seems to be always something to look at. As there were so many of us, we had to have the set menu. The set menu was incredibly overpriced for what it was, the mezze at the beginning was very nice but not enough for all of us. As with all set menus there is the risk of ending up with something you don't really want, well the main dishes were ok. The dessert was a mixture of fruit (Beautifully designed) and baklava (Who doesn't like baklava?) We had a great evening that included watching people dancing on the tables. I would go again, but I would go in a smaller group to avoid the set menu.

I have walked pass this place many times over the years. Every time I passed, I looked in and thought 'must try this place', but until now, never had. It always struck me as great place for groups, as there is entertainment, whilst you dine. I was really excited when a group of 22 of us decided to give it a go for a leisurely Sunday lunch. The décor is really unusual, but that unusual, if you have visited any of the 'Little Bay' restaurants. In fact it looked very much like a 'Bigger Bay'. It has loads of gold leaf, and rich velvets going on, with elevated boxes around for diners to sit. We were seated in such a box, which was a bit of a squeeze. Being such a large group, we decided to go with the fixed price set menu. It started with a Meze. This sharing platter consisted of Hummus, Cacik (Yoghurt with chopped cucumber and garlic), Kisir (Turkish style cous cous salad, Shakshouka (Sautéed aubergine, green peppers and onions in tomato sauce), Cheese Borek (Cheese filled puff pastries), Mushroom Borek (Mushroom filled puff pastries) and (Sucuk (Turkish style spicy beef slices with mixed peppers and tomato sauce). All were very pleasant. Actually the Shakshouka was very nice. For the main course I decided to go for the Beef Bourguignon. I was really disappointed with it. It had little flavour. If felt like I was laboring to eat it, rather than enjoying what I was eating. It was a huge let down for me. For desert I played safe and decided on Panna Cotta, which was described as home-made fruit compote and mixed berries. For mixed berries, read one raspberry and two blueberries. Again, it was nothing to write home about. Whilst we dined, we had string quartet, and opera singers to entertain us. They were fine. They played to the crowd with tunes and songs that people would recognize from TV adverts. It felt 'Now That's What I call Opera/Classical 60. All in all, I felt let down by my experience, and at £60 for the set menu and three beers, found it expensive for what was offered. I kept thing how much cheaper the same sort of experience would have been at a Little Bay, and probably more fun too.

Came here after a 3.5 week trip away to the US and the Carribeans. Reserved through Top Table; we came here largely for the decor and atmosphere.... i didn't have high expectations of the food basd on past reviews, etc. The decor is fantastic; combination steam punk, jules verne, and bioshock with a twist of turkish. There's opera in the background...Cheesy ? Sure. Fun ? Absolutely. Service was very friendly, and apologetic; and they needed to be. Everything went well on the whole, but there were so many different details that went wrong: delivering the wrong bottle of wine, overselling an entree to my spouse, etc. I had the veal cutlet, and recommend it. The borek is so-so, but when you've had those in Turkey it's hard to go back. We had a glass of the Argentinian chenin blanc, and shared a botttle of the Stellenbosch chenin blanc as well. Both are pretty good, but I think I preferred the South American white to the South African white. I'd recommend coming here, if only for the decor. The food is ok, the wine is ok value, but the attention to detail is sometime lacking, despite the friendly service.

Theatre! Lights! Action! and yummy food! You eyes will never get tired of gazing at the decoration, and the colours and the fabrics, red intense velvet, blue and purple. You enter a world of wonder and everything is accompanied by really nice food. My husband first brought me here for a pre theatre dinner and then off to watch the Blueman group. Besides the small fight we had everything was great, the complimentary crudites and dip open your appetite, and the salmon is delicious. The only reason, why I can't give this place a higher rating is because my mother had an unfortunate mishap with the food. We brought her here n her first visit to London. We all had the same, a delicious Lamb Anatolian Style (from the set menu), however, she had a shrimp cocktail as an entree whilst we had the Grilled Hellim Cheese. So it was that what gave her an upset stomach. We haven't been back since, but I can't say I would never return.

Short version of the story: they charged us 42 pounds a person instead of the 26 pounds we ordered, and basically told us we were liars when we tried to correct them. The food was bland and not even worth the 26 pounds. The full story is noted below. Me and my family went to Sarastro. I had been there before and it was great: the restaurant looks amazing and the food was pretty good, so I decided to show it to my family. We went in there and my family loved the interior, they showed us to our seats, and we ordered our drinks. The first red flag was when we ordered sparkling water and they gave us a bottle instead of the glass we asked for. We figured that this was an honest mistake and left it at that. Later on one of us ordered wine and, again, he came up with a bottle instead of a glass. We noticed this on time and he went back to get a glass, which we had to ask for 4 more times. Again, this can happen. We ordered our food, and there were two menus, one that was £26,95 and one that was £42,95. We specifically ordered from the £26 menu and we got the food of this menu. I know this because I had been there before. When it was time to pay, they charged us £42 instead of £26. We noticed this and told them, but they insisted that we got the food of the £42 menu. This is not true, as I said before, and I know this because I had been there before and ordered the £26 menu, and we got exactly the same items as then. They would not budge, even after explaining this, and basically told us that we were lying and that they did not make a mistake. We were running out of time and had to leave, so we paid, but we will not come back here again. As for the food, it wasn't horrible, but I would have expected something way better, especially for 42 pounds.

Sarastro is a real character restaurant. The interior is completely crammed with gay operatically styled décor. Some of the tables are in little turrets and galleries, creating a highly unusual in and interesting environment. If you poke, the construction stage set quality, so don't poke too hard. When we were there, a decent sized group of musicians was performing instrumental covers which I quite enjoyed. We went in for a pre-dinner drink, so I can't comment on the food, but I'm going to anyway. Having read a few poor reviews, I find them entirely believable. To their credit, though they threw in some bread and olive oil which was great. So despite the patchy food and mouse reviews you can't fail to be moved by Sarastro so at least pop your head in, or grab a quick drink as we did, because it's charmingly unique.

This is where you go to be seduced by the devil. At least that is the vibe I got. Any restaurant with hedonistic murals picturing lots of awkward sexual positions in the restroom is going to get at least four stars from me. I mean, talk about a conversation piece. And that is exactly what this place is, something to talk about. It's weird. You don't go for the food, you go for the fun. Word to the wise, tip well and avoiding leaving with a curse! Kidding ... sort of.

Five star all the way for this quirky restaurant. I went with a friend on a Thursday evening. There was a set menu, 2 courses for £28.95 or 3 courses for £31.45. Starter is meze style which was very nice and I had the lamb for main course which was also enjoyable. My friend had panna cotta for dessert but she didn't like it. So why the five stars I hear you say! The decor in the restaurant is quirky and interesting, with some risky art work in the toilets. The staff are good and there is entertainment . Colin Roy, started with Swing followed by Motown, he is a great singer and entertainer encouraging everyone to get up and dance. The night finishes with a few more recents tunes being played by the DJ, all in all a fabulous evening and I would recommend it for a great fun night out.

I love how theater-like this place was! The food was wonderful, and the waiter was polite as could be. We didn't get to experience the entertainment, but it was definitely a different experience regardless and we loved it.

We had dinner at Sarastro after seeing Miss Saigon years ago.. The decor was amazing and so was food. Can't wait to go back to London to visit it once more.

WARNING, WARNING! Do not, I repeat, do not make a booking at this restaurant when it's serving ONLY it's Christmas menu. Why? 1. Overpriced 2. Looks like a ready meal 3. No choice but Christmas 4. Service was S.. L.. O.... W........ 5. Surrounded by office Christmas parties We made the most of it as we were out for my lovely husband's 35th birthday (not Christmas), we had a terrific booth, the décor is fascinating and we enjoy scrutinizing bad service. I was quite annoyed I wasn't warned of the Christmas take over when I booked - so make sure you ask what's on offer.

This is a place to go with friends... The decor is gaudy, theatrical and a bit racy (the drawings on the walls in the men's bathroom are nearly pornographic, but fun). The food is good, not great... But, the service and atmosphere make up for that. Both times I've been there the owner sent us treats. The first time it was a bottle of wine and a huge fruit and cheese platter... The second time it was multiple shots of Raki (a Turkish apertif) and a huge fruit and cheese platter. Fun times!

I found this place when out for a walk with my mum (she was curious as to what the place was with all the flowers and plants on outside), and I'm very glad that I did. Sarastro's is not your usual restaurant, with everything from the fantasy-land decoration, silk napkins, and the friendly Turkish staff (especially the owner) giving it a really authentic feeling. Both times I've been (once with my mum and two friends, and another time on a date) I went on the night they had a live string quartet and an opera singer, accompanied by two dancers who do their best to invite people up to dance (I was too shy to join them though!). It really is about the experience as much as it is about the food, though the food is equally fantastic. I had their three-course set menu (£32.45) with the fabulously tender Lamb Anatolian (slow cooked lamb shank served with mixed vegetables and keskek, traditional Anatolian creamed wheat) as my main the first time I went, and it was an easy choice to have it again the next time I went (on my date). The restaurant really is perfect for anything from a date or an easy-going dinner with friends, as the mezze starters to share is perfect to try exotic foods together, and the vibe is very energetic in the restaurant. Expect to pay around £90 for two if you're having wine and their set menu, though for a special occasion it's most definitely worth it. Although I haven't been to the restaurant when they haven't had live opera and dancers, I see no reason why you wouldn't book a table on that night, it really adds an awesome dimension to the dinner.

Food, both in taste and offering, is a very limiting feature for Sarastro. No matter matter how stunning the decor, if the food sucks, it's not worth revisiting. It claims to be a Turkish-themed restaurant but the menu is ladened with non-sequiturs as fish and chips, bourguignon, and linguini. At closer inspection the Lamb Anatolian isn't prepared in a very Turkish way at all. I wouldn't exactly describe the place as being cozy; I'm more inclined to calling it claustrophobic. And I'm pretty certain that, with all of the narrow stairways and b-deck (raised mezzanine) seating, a hurried exodus could very well result in massive casualties.

I've only been once here, but it's a popular place for people heading to the theatre to visit both before and after. I remember getting some attitude from the receptionist when arrived since I was late, though it was only late by ten minutes. We were crammed right next to other people and could barely squeeze between the tables. I remember having the dover sole, fairly large and well cooked (though still very juicy). It's main attraction is the cheesy threatre decore surrounding the place with many old theatre props hanging around the roof, on the walls and all around you. The menu wasn't particularly memorable but as long as you realise you're going for the atmosphere, then I guess you'll do okay.

You will have gathered from the other reviewers that the interior is great, and that is the case. However, the time we had to wait for our food (when the restaurant was pretty empty) meant that out chief interest in the decor was whether or not we could gnaw it to stave off hunger. We called in pre-theatre , with over an hour and a half to eat in. We told the manager we were going to a show. But still, we had to wait nearly an hour for our starters to arrive, and another twenty after that for our main course to arrive, despite asking the waiter when it would arrive ("Five ten minutes, OK" yeah, right). As a result, we had to rush our food. Good job the food wasn't particularly special and deserving of attention, then, eh? Ordinary/OK-ish food. Stale bread. Nice olives to be fair. £60 for two. 12.5% optional service charge? Best laugh I had all night.

It´s hard to describe this restaurant. You have to see it. It´s sooooo overdecorated but it works. It looks like when palace from One thousand and one nights stories joins national theatre. But as I said, it works and to be honest, it´s pretty impressive. Meals were excellent. They specialize in Middle East cousine and it´s really good. And deserts are delicous. Star down goes for service which was kind a average. Not bad but not good. I definitely reccomend to visit this place. You reall have to see that decoration :-)

Excellent service. The restaurant itself has a really good vibe and the decor is very amusing!! A small group/band played for a short while which was nice. We had the set menu of 2 courses. The food was very good I had the sea bass myself and my group of friends all thought it was a big potion (2 pieces of sea bass) but better to be too big than small.

Unfortunately the only positive thing that I can say about Sarastro's is that the interiors are stunning. This is not including the loos, which are covered in explicitly lewd murals. They were hilarious for adults but maybe not so appropriate for a restaurant that claims to offer a child-friendly atmosphere. Luckily I went with two colleagues and not any children. On second thought, it's not very lucky - we are all suffering from gastrointestinal illness today. My guess is that this is from the shellfish we ate (2 x prawns, 1 x mussels) - salmonella maybe? The food itself wasn't awful, it's just that there wasn't much of it. For example, at £14.50 I got 5 (possibly contaminated) prawns and a very small mixed green salad. And the service wasn't much better. We were practically begging them to give us the dessert menu, most likely out of starvation! A terrible experience.

Not sure how I managed to overlook this wonderful place - I guess I thought the whole of Soho is full of tourist traps. Sarastro is a family business and filled to the roof with decades of theater and opera props and quirky details (like the potholes that were filled with pennies as the owner determined this was cheaper than cement) The seating is cozy with balconies and little separées and booths. The music is naturally mostly from operas and makes for a "demimonde atmosphere" There are regular free shows with show tunes and arias at 8:30 pm and the staff seems to have a good time. Unfortunately, the food ranks behind the promising set-up. For being firmly in Mediterranean hands the food is pretty bland and uninspired, albeit reasonably priced. I was a bit underwhelmed by the fish dish and the stir fry but we had a lovely braised duck. I would happily give 5 stars if the would up their game there. Better stick to the starters, they were all lovely. They also keep the good tradition to serve a wonderful tomato paste, fresh olives and bread with the meal. Still, it is a brilliant place to go after theater for a drink or two with some excellent house wines and a setting that will blow away your visitors. If you want to sit in one of the balconies reservations are advisable (only four people or more!) PS: The bathrooms feature painted murals with orgy scenes in them that some might find offensive. Just take it with a wink and "warn" your guests before they go there. After all, this is theater land and not Disney land.

This restaurant definitely requires a visit! It is one of the most unusual restaurants in London. It looks like a theatre, with private booths and all sorts of unusual features. But please do not go expecting great food and service! The food is okay - the fish & the lamb seems to be the best choices on the menu. It's the atmosphere you go for! Take friends for a fun night outideally don't go on a Friday or Saturday night as it gets too busy and that's when the service goes abit downhill! Go on a Sunday lunch time when they have opera singers serenading you as you eat!!

Well, I LOVE Sarastro's! In the heart of Theatreland, Sarastro's is a gorgeously decadent restaurant that is also reasonably priced. Everytime I have been to Sarastro's the food has been delicious and the atmosphere even more so... The waiters are fabulous and have always looked after my friends and I extremely well. The toilets are also fabulous - not for prudes or people who lack a sense of fun though! Consider yourself warned! More than a restaurant... this is an experience!!!

Our friends took us for dinner here as it wouldn't have been my choice, I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised but sadly I wasn't. The decor and furnishings were dated and tired, not tacky but just in need of attention. The food was very bland and tasteless not a vast menu and really below average. The service was slow and abrupt we took 3 hours for 3 courses and were interrupted 3 times by a band/buskers that play at tables and then collect money from diners. There sadly wasn't anything good to say here.

Terrible quality food at high prices makes this otherwise fun looking place with live performances a no-go. We tried the humus, burek and pasta before leaving to have food elsewhere

Went with eleven others, friends & family and upon entering found the decor to be most unusual and pleasing. Like stepping back in time and very quaint. Some might find it a little claustrophobic, especially in the upper areas, but this added to the ambience. The food was extremely good and the dancing great. However, as the evening progressed members of the group used the toilets and came back disgusted. In both the ladies & gents the walls are totally covered with paintings depicting scenes of outrageous sexual activities; more suited to a brothel. The painting were extreme and simply pornographic. The age range of our party of twelve was between 33 & 68 years and only two thought that the paintings were in order; albeit everyone agreed that they were concerned should children/young persons view them. I later discovered that toilets are provided for under 16's; but none of our group spotted these on the night and had youngsters of been with us, they would have simply used the 'ordinary' toilets. What began as a pleasant experience ended on a very sad and disturbing note; with ten out of the twelve saying that the toilets would mean that they would not return to the premises again or recommend it to friends etc. I see from prior reviews that the owner states that the toilets were so decorated by the previous owners and so he left them alone! Why?

Sarastro, is extremely lush with a stunning themed layout. Dine in the balcony booths amongst venetian, byzantine or ottoman design and if you're lucky enough to book a table on a Monday evening then you will dine amongst keen opera-setters, with live opera singers in the restaurant. The menu is modern Turkish and therefore great for all taste buds.. You must book in advance to request a booth, the blue room at the back of the restaurant is my usual spot.. ask for it!! Check out the toilets as they are the most interesting in the capital..

Sarastros is an Opera inspired restaurant offering something different and quirky compared to your usual restaurants. The mass of foliage and shrubbery outside the restaurant gives a really exotic and extravagant first impression and when you get inside it's a feast for the eyes. There are drapes hanging everywhere, gold ceilings, trinkets, balconies that are beautifully decorated and carved to sit in. If you are going on a date or with your partner I would recommend requesting a private balcony as it creates such a magical and romantic eating experience. They have large balconies as well for bigger groups. I recently went to a friend's birthday meal and sitting up looking over this incredibly flamboyant restaurant is a really unique experience. The food however doesn't match up with the décor and atmosphere this restaurant offers. It certainly wasn't bad but when you compare the dishes to the surroundings there is little correlation-the food is quite basic, not full of flavours and scents as the restaurant is which is a bit of a shame because if this place had the whole package it would be a regular stop off of mine. Having said that I would definitely go back just to be able to see and experience the restaurant again. It is a definite must see!

Really great place. I took a girl there and she said it was the best restaurant she had been to in London. The entrance is decorated with flowers. The decor is the most elaborate you'll find. The food was yummy, and the singer was just about the coolest cat you'll ever meet. He went around table to table, shaking hands and singing. I want that man's job! Really great restaurant.

Our wonderful dinner was soured by a very discourteous hostess. Food and server were great during our meal, but as we finished dessert and waited for our coffee, the hostess approached and said they had a large party coming in, and could we "please pay and leave in the next 5 minutes." Never have I had such an uncomfortable and rude encounter with restaurant staff, particularly having spent over $100 and not finished my meal. Our polite server asked us to move to another table, and our coffee was complimentary, but the hostess' lack of courtesy towards a paying customer would make me reconsider a return visit.

Don't get drawn in by the fancy lights and curtains. Their food doesn't even compare to airplane food.

How does this place keep getting good reviews? Admittedly, this restaurant is all about the overall experience. The decor is over-the-top. We thought it would justify our visit, but upon closer inspection, the decor was cheap and resembled an amateur stage set. The food was pretty bad. I had a simple pasta in red sauce, but it tasted like it could have been a frozen meal. There are sauces that come from jars in the supermarket that taste better than it did. It was very bland apart from the saltiness. My husband had lamb which was marginally better than the pasta, but still a far cry from good. Probably somewhere between bad and mediocre. Because my husband had ordered part of a prix fixe menu, he was stuck with having dessert after the dismal main course. The chocolate cake he got was dry and not very flavourful. In addition to the poor food, the service was extremely slow even though the restaurant only had about 6 tables occupied. There was constantly waitstaff floating around, but they never seemed to be doing anything. The last thing that really stood out during our dining experience at Sarastro was really gross. After our table had been cleared and we were waiting for the bill, we noticed a mouse scurrying across the floor and hiding under one of the draped curtains. Clearly, not a sign of a good restaurant. I know that restaurants are bound to attract mice to some extent, but when they show up in the dining area, one can't help but start to wonder how big of a problem they might be having in the kitchen and pantry areas...

I am just not even sure what to say about this place! The decor is pretty impressive (like a cross between some eccentric old lady's loft and an old opera theatre junk sale). The restaurant itself is quite dark and very warm in summer which gives it a claustrophobic feel. We were seated upstairs in the tiny little loft areas which was pretty cool but kind of made you feel like you were sitting in a boat! The menu was a bit random and the food only ok but they have Opera singers in and the atmosphere makes the place worth a visit at least once!

Can't recommend this place enough!!! The atmosphere and decor is extremely unique and I was made to feel very welcome by all of the staff. We didn't get to eat much because our friend didn't feel very well (before we ate), but the waiter brought food and drink to make her feel better before we ordered (which he did not charge for). We had some starters which were all SO DELICIOUS. We couldn't stay for mains but judging by the starters I feel it would taste equally amazing. Would like to especially give a review to the waiter with the glasses who brought our sick friend some fresh lemon juice which ultimately made her feel better. The staff were all very accommodating and I had a very good time there. Would definitely go again!