Sexy Fish

Sexy Fish sits on the corner of Berkeley Square, and the name tells you most of what you need to know before you have even booked a table. This is Mayfair at its most theatrical: a glossy Asian seafood and sushi restaurant from Caprice Holdings, filled with Damien Hirst ceramic mermaids, a Frank Gehry bronze fish sculpture and enough gold leaf to make a jeweller blush. It draws a crowd that comes to be seen as much as to eat, and the noise level after 9pm makes quiet conversation optional.

The kitchen leans hard into robata grilling and raw fish. Sushi and sashimi are handled properly, the black cod with spicy miso is the dish most people order twice, and the caramelised lamb rack from the grill is worth the detour from the seafood-heavy menu. A raw bar and caviar service push the bill up fast, and it is easy to spend a small fortune before dessert arrives.

The room itself is the real draw for a lot of diners, all mirrored ceilings, aquarium-blue lighting and enough art to fill a small gallery. It suits a birthday, an expense account dinner or anyone who wants Mayfair glamour served with their sushi rather than in spite of it. It does not suit anyone looking for a quiet meal or value for money.

Judged purely as a place to eat, Sexy Fish is good rather than great, the cooking is competent and occasionally excellent but rarely surprising. Judged as a night out, it delivers exactly what it promises: spectacle, glamour and a bill to match. Go for the show, order carefully, and do not expect an early night.