A modern seafood bar with a rather humble name The Seafood Bar has a sustainable selection of fish.

Seafood and fish have always held the top spot as my preferred meal—an affinity I’ve alluded to numerous times, and one that continues to define my tastes.

So I’m particulrly keen to review this one. The Seafood Bar is relatively new edition to Soho, only a few years old. It opened in 2022 following the footsteps of its popular sister in Amsterdam.

The Seafood Bar was founded by the fishmonger de Visscher family. Fons de Visscher spent 27 years honing his craft as a fishmonger in Helmond before opening the first doors to diners.

Popularity rose and so did the restaurants, with the latest addition in Soho, where we went to see what was all the hype about. At first glance it’s busy with a flow of guests arriving and it’s a school night.

It’s bright and airy with a good space between tables so you are not eavesdropping on someone’s gossip on the next table.

It’s the oyster season so The Seafood Bar is running limited edition oysters with champagne and strawberry pearl, which we try along a glass of V.Testulat, Brut. There is a wide selection of wines including sparkling, champagne and prosecco.

And cocktails, but we have already ordered them to come with the mains. The strawberry pearls are a nice touch, resembling red caviar they add a fruity pop to each oyster.

If you have oysters with sauces, I’m one of the odd ones who eats them bare, do give them a go. It’s different from the usual mignonette and the light basil sauce adds an aromatic hint to the strawberry pearls.

Following the oysters it’s seabass ceviche and scallops. The seabass is wild and MSC certified, all fish and seafood is MSC certified at the Seafood Bar.

A very important factor to take into consideration when choosing a fish restaurant if we actually want to keep enjoying the fish rather than slowly replacing the catch with plastic.

A while ago I used to think that all the fish sold in the UK is MSC. Sadly that’s not the case at all.

The seabass is stunning, delicate, slightly sweet texture with a tropical mango and tannins from pomegranate. Although it’s called seviche it’s not the typical lime sour Peruvian style but rather more subtle.

It’s a good portion too and only £14.25.

Shortly followed by plump and juicy scallops, served with shimeji mushrooms, chorizo and cafe au lait jus. It’s one each and I realise after we split them that mine somehow is missing shimeji but has chorizo, while my guest’s has both the chorizo and mushrooms.

A predicament but it’s too late to point out because she already started on the scallops. Nevertheless, they are prepared to perfection. Although I wouldn’t mind some shimeji too.

The star of the show though is the Mixed Grill Crustaceans platter. We took a while deciding on the main destructed by the tempting plates carried past us. A fish person is spoiled for choice here.

In addition to many fruits de mer combinations, there are grilled fish platters, planchas and even fish skewers.

Ours came with all the usual suspects a combination of crustaceans from the plancha: lobster, langoustines, snow crab and prawns. I’m especially happy to see one of my childhood favourites snow crab on the menu.

It’s a mountain on a plate, which we don’t manage to finish all, it can easily be shared between three people.

Every crustacean is prepared to perfection to let the delicate meat shine. It’s fresh, it’s juicy. It tastes like Fons de Visscher himself caught it and brought it to shore within minutes.

The chef nailed the sauce also, one of the best butter parsley condiments I’ve tried with the seafood. But they don’t just do food well, the Watermelon Martini that we ordered with our mains are stunning.

It’s made with fresh watermelon, none of that synthetic syrup nonsense. The proof is in the taste, fresh and delicate watermelon mixed with Absolut vodka and lemon juice. Light and fruity with a delicate watermelon aroma.

The Seafood Bar is an ideal destination to gorge on a wide selection of fish and seafood without breaking a bank. And we are sure to be back again to try more of it.

The Seafood Bar, 77 Dean St, London W1D 3SH