Polpo in City of London, Westminster

Large group was well catered for. Food was simple but delicious.

This is a very welcoming restaurant with friendly, helpful staff, delicious food and a warm, comfortable, unpretentious setting. Went there for the first time a few weeks ago with friends and enjoyed it so much took another friend there last week. Would highly recommend (oh, and the prices are very reasonable too!)

Just off carnaby st away from the hustle and bustle lovely food and drinks hade meat balls and spaghetti .

We had a pre-theatre dinner here. Service was super quick and delicious.

Loved it here - will definitely be back

Great food and service. Always a solid Soho choice.

Great find, really helpful staff and wonderful food.

Kind staff and pleasant food. Top choice for a date night

Wonderful food! Really lovely place. Love it here and will be back!

Service was lovely. Food was slightly sub standard, except the burrata was delicious!

The atmosphere is nice. Unfortunality the Spaghetti with meatballs tasted like industry spaghetti and the meatballs like babyfood. It was OK. The Beef was also ok but very rare and difficult to eat. In General ok. The Service was also OK but a little bit chaotic. The waiter who had his first day was very Kind. In General. Nice atmosphere with OK Service and food. Prize is not so good.

What a great place! Good food and great service!

Had a wonderful time!! Delicious Tiramisu

Good food and friendly staff - amazing cocktails

Tapas is the right word but at extortionate main course prices. To pay 18 pounds for a tiny tiny bowl of pasta and 3 bits of meat is an absolute joke. The seafood was ok, nothing as tasty as the real stuff in Italy, but again at an extortionate cost. In all honesty, the food is totally average, nothing special at all and the drinks were also so expensive. I would never go back or recommend but each to their own.

I'm not really impressed by this place. I don't mind paying more for some good fish, but it has to BE good. Our fritto misto was tasteless and a disappointment. I hope I'm wrong, but it tasted of low quality frozen calamari and shrimp. Maybe it was a bad batch, I don't know. Ah, and a bottle of still water is 5 frickin pounds! What saved the night was a great aioli sauce and a good focaccia. The place is nice and the staff is kind, still not worth coming back though. Sorry

Very nice food and friendly staff. Maybe a bit expensive for what it actually is.

Thank you for Polpo a wonderful experience on my birthday!! I hope to visit again.

Delicious Italian tapas. Nice place for sharing a variety of dishes.

Super food and hospitality. Can't wait to go again. X

Really delicious cichetti - the beef shin pasta was a favourite, but all the food was amazing. Quite quiet at lunchtime and great service with helpful recommendations. Oh and fantastic coffee too!

it was very fast service, delicious food and the staff were lovely 🥰

John, Eze and Oana looked after us especially well, fantastic drinks and food. Great cocktails

We loved the Polpo team, and the food was scrumptious!!!!

Our host Ciro was wonderful. Delicious food, great atmosphere and wonderful service - I recommend!

Great food, great service, great area!

Italian restaurant offering excellent sharing dishes at very reasonable prices for London. Very pleasant and fast service. I recommend!

Love this place, have visited three times over the past two years. The atmosphere is very relaxed and staff are friendly. The food is excellent I've enjoyed it every time. Small plates with a good variety of options, quick service

Had a fantastic dining experience at Polpo Soho. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was great. Special thanks to our waiter, Ciro, for his excellent service—attentive, friendly, and made great recommendations. Will definitely be back!

Beetroot Tortellini were very delicious and the service very friendly. We are looking forward for our next stay.

Amazing food - the beef rigatoni especially!

Well prepared dishes for sharing. Portion have became quite small over time. Needs to be considered because you end up paying a lot for small main plates.

Lovely staff, amazing zucchini fries

Brilliant restaurant serving genuine Venetian cicchetti made with care. If you want great Italian food, far from the run of the mill fare you get everywhere else, Polpo is the real deal. It's original, tasty and fresh. You discover dishes that no one else bothers to cook. Sick of the pizza/spaghetti combo? Head to Polpo, with his intimate atmosphere and great food. The staff is very friendly, the service prompt even on Saturdays. Highly recommended.

We love this place and come here whenever we’re in central London. Awesome food, atmosphere & service and super family friendly. Ciro looked after us really well.

Great food! Excellent service from Corp, we’ll be back!

I went to Polpo Soho yesterday, and it was such a great experience! The vibe was super chill, perfect for a laid-back evening. One of the guys, Ramir working there was awesome – he casually suggested some dishes, and honestly, they were spot on! Everything I tried was delicious, and his recommendations made the night. The service was friendly but not too in-your-face, which I loved. I’ll definitely be back for more – totally worth a visit if you’re in Soho!

I feel that charging 13.5% service leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. It feels that you are deliberately conning customers by posting misleading prices on the menu.

I recently dined at this restaurant, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. First off, the portions were incredibly small, especially for the high prices they charge. The food itself was bland and lacked any real flavor, making the meal feel like a waste of money. To make matters worse, the service left much to be desired. The male waiter was overly pushy, constantly trying to upsell us on more items and add-ons. It made my entire party uncomfortable and took away from what should have been an enjoyable meal. I understand that restaurants need to make sales, but there's a fine line between good service and making customers feel pressured. Sadly, this place fell short in both food quality and customer care. I wouldn’t recommend it and definitely won’t be returning.

Great bar fantastic service friendly atmosphere will come again

The food was delicious and great service.

Amazing food and service, thank you to Shad for being a great host.

Great service super attentive - amazing food!

Eric and John were very attentive bartenders, happily return!

Great food! Amazing service! Cosy! If your in London this is the place to eat! Service is seconded to none! Will be coming back again 😀

Recommended restaurant and not disappointed

First time in. Very good. We shared several 'tapas' dishes. Nice atmosphere and good service.

Loved this little spot! The venician inspired food was very nice and reminded me of my trip to Venice a few years back. We sat at the bar and shared a few dishes that were just amazing. Our server/ Bartender John was very nice and knowledgeable. Would recommend for a quick bite but try and make a reservation if you don't want to sit at the bar 😅

I could seriously eat everything on the menu. Love the small plates idea, means I can have a good go at trying most of them. Deep fried olives and zucchini fries are absolute favourites.

I recently visited Polpo in London and had a generally pleasant dining experience, but there were a few aspects that didn’t quite meet expectations. The ambiance was charming and cozy, with a casual yet stylish feel that made for a comfortable meal. In terms of the food, some dishes stood out, especially the prawns, the sauce was wonderful which was well-executed and flavorful. I would definitely recommend. Overall, Polpo is an okay choice for a casual meal, especially if you’re in the mood for Venetian-inspired dishes, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impression for me.

I recently visited Polpo in London and had a generally pleasant dining experience, but there were a few aspects that didn’t quite meet expectations. The ambiance was charming and cozy, with a casual yet stylish feel that made for a comfortable meal. In terms of the food, some dishes stood out, especially the prawns, the sauce was wonderful which was well-executed and flavorful. I would definitely recommend. Overall, Polpo is an okay choice for a casual meal, especially if you’re in the mood for Venetian-inspired dishes, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impression for me.

Service was shocking. Waitress was rude from the moment we walked in. She clearly didnt want to be there. No smile no hello no thank you. Taking our order seemed like a inconvenience had to ask for a wine menu multiple times the manager eventually brought it over and a second later she slammed a second one dow on the table. Shame as was a nice looking place. Would have ordered more but just wanted to leave. Food we did have was good.

Service was shocking. Waitress was rude from the moment we walked in. She clearly didnt want to be there. No smile no hello no thank you. Taking our order seemed like a inconvenience had to ask for a wine menu multiple times the manager eventually brought it over and a second later she slammed a second one dow on the table. Shame as was a nice looking place. Would have ordered more but just wanted to leave. Food we did have was good.

Pit stop for my lunch break. I was worried I wouldn't find anything vegan, but Eric, the impeccable manager, recommended the best tortelloni ever. The menu has a Venetian feel to it, even SOHO, with its winding streets, is reminiscent of the flowing canals. Talking to Eric, you can tell he loves what he does and it shows in the service and food.

Eric and Eze were wonderful and the food was absolutely delicious, I had the chickpea ricotta balls and a delicious white wine with croquettes on the side. The bar staff had to be the highlight very attentive and the whole experience made my day.

Amazing customer service ! Caroline, Eric and Eze were fantastic ! Foods super delicious ♥️ Go Polpo !

Delicious food and amazing service! Never have a bad meal here

Always a decent meal, whether for business clients or personally. I’m a local and have been multiple times. Not so good for dairy allergies as the menu is very limited, but if not…off you go!

For an Italian restaurant in London it is very good I didn't give 1 euro at the entrance to the restaurant but instead it was a pleasant discovery.....finally there are things different from the usual dishes you find in London

The tiramisu espresso martini was 10/10

Food was delicious, however customer service was lacking and basic standards of table service and etiquette were not met.

3 big stars all round, if I could give 2.5/5 I would because this place is a big fat average!! Let down by the fritto misto which was literally soggy sticks of courgette, the wine was also expensive and average at best. Thanks but no thanks xx

If you are looking for very tasty Italian food in the heart of London this is THE place ! Seriously just go and try it out !

Delicious and always a must when I’m visiting London. The pork meatballs, fried stuffed olives and any of the crostini’s are some favorites but the menu is fantastic. Great for sharing and the staff are always fun and lively.

Having used recipes from the Polpo cookbook, I thought this is an excellent place to experience Venetian food. Yes, it’s about a fusion between tapas and Venetian dishes, and some people may find the portions too small. But that’s what tapas are about. The wine list is also excellent. The service was attentive and accommodating (we didn’t like being first placed close to the air conditioning).

Best Venetian food experience outside of Venice. In fact, it’s even better than many tourist traps in the Serenissima. Erik, the bartender, elevated our experience with his excellent suggestions and utmost hospitality. Eating at the bar by the wide open window is a real treat on a hot London day. Polpo was and remains our favorite restaurant this side of Canal Grande.

Food excellent service attentive and efficient. Only criticism is the price of bottle of wine. Very average quality - get better in supermarket for £5!

The bartenders made a horrible cocktail and we were two girls who were already a bit tipsy. Without asking us he kept pouring gin in our drinks while we were drinking and then doesn’t inform us that we were charged for it, felt like he did it because he could have gotten away with it. In addition to it being unprofessional that was very unsafe. But hey atleast the restaurant looks pretty even though the drinks and staff are horrible.

Great spot for small plates of tapas, Italian style. We loved their prawn and fennel toast, beetroot tortellini and octopus. Amaretto sour is one of the best I’ve had. Barman was lovely and helpful too.

Food was very greasy and made us ill. Everything arrived at once within a few minutes of ordering - how could it have been cooked this quickly? Was it sitting under the warmer? Overpriced for the quality. Will not be returning.

Amazing talian Food The food is delicious... The cocktails were great and the Barmaid Eric is passionate. His creations are worth having an other drink..

Erik the bartender, was sensational, and to be honest, he made the drinks incredible, his quality of service was exceptional. If I was to recommend a drink, 100% try out the Polpo Sour!!!

An amazing lunchtime meal and drinks sat at the bar watching the incredible Erik do his mixology! Great food, great staff - we will be back very soon!

Wow. Erik and Miguel will change your life. Best barmen in the galaxy. Try the tiramisu martini or spicy margarita. 🌌🍸

"Fabolous experience! We couldn't have asked for a more pleasant evening. The staff was amazing and really made the evening come together - selecting dishes, pairing wine and even showing us the recipe book! Thank you Polpo!"

My friend and I had a very enjoyable meal on Friday but the enjoyable experience was abruptly cut short due to the fact the window decorations were being dismantled while we were sitting in the window. We popped in to the restaurant when we were passing to see if we could have the corner/bar seats by the window and when we arrived there was already someone sitting there which was disappointing. We sat and enjoyed a lovely spicy margarita which a very nice gentleman made for us and when the guest left we were then allowed to move into the corner. Our food came out and we enjoyed every bit of it but just as we were finishing our dishes, the men came to take the window flower decorations down. There was mess everywhere and washers and debri flying around the area we were sitting at. A lady suggested we moved but there wasn’t really any apology made and no more food or drink was offered to us which was disappointing, or even a drink on the house for the inconvenience and at no point were we warned that we might have to move or that there would be a mess made around us, also having to be moved around a lot wasn't very relaxing. Also the lady I was with was her 60th birthday and apart from the bar man wishing her a happy birthday there was no other effort made. So all in all the food was nice but my experience was not great which is a shame, as she had recommended Polpo highly. This was also the review I added to the managers and didn’t even get a response.

Nice tapas style. Extra points for the vermouth.

Too noisy, noises bounce the walls. The food is good , specially the fried . The rest nothing special and a bit over price But good for a drink and nibbles to share

So delicious! The service from the waiters could be a little more attentive but one of the bartenders was very dedicated and made my cocktail perfect. As a whole everything is so charming

Erik was simply amazing - we eat at the bar he was so engaging and helpful. Could not fault his service and friendly approach.

Good food but slightly expensive.

Decent food, but too expensive for the quantities offered. Service was friendly but not very well organised, potentially because it was very busy on the day we visited.

Sat at the bar and got the best service in the restaurant! Highly recommended.

Really nice italian restaurant in London. A bit pricey, but high quality food and great atmosphere. Might get a bit packed depending on the day, so better to book in advance

Most cheerful waigthers in Piran with delishes food, excellent location with view to the sunset and to the sea 😉

Came here on a recommendation & it was brilliant! Great atmosphere, delicious food & lovely staff. Thank you for a wonderful night 😊

My friend took me here for dinner before a show and it was the perfect pre-theatre outing. Quick service, beautiful interiors, great wait staff and perfect portion size. Prices were totally reasonable and we made sure to keep room for dessert (tiramisu was so good).

Tremendous Dinner in a relaxing atmosphere. ( We booked this location after having a successful late lunch in their Sloan Square, London location on Saturday. We ate right after Trooping the Colors and it was superb). This Soho location is close to Liberty’s and Carnaby Street and it is a relaxing bit of Italy. Housed in Canaletto’s building (where he lived, as a painter) it is a 100% Italian experience. Their bartender, from Lithuania, makes a superb “Paper Plane” drink. All starters and mains are excellent at both locations! You cannot go wrong!

Love this little slice of Venice in the heart of Soho. Had the pork meatballs and they were delicious. The zucchini fries are always a favourite of mine. My friends and I weren't sure which wine to order so the waiter brought us a small sample to help us to decide.

I suspect the food is straight out of the microwave. Avoid.

Not a great experience, average food at best, miserable service. With so many better places to go avoid!

I had wanted to go to Polpo for a long time, but unfortunately I wasn’t blown away by the experience or food. Perhaps because it was a busy Saturday afternoon. The food was a little bit underwhelming. The Italian flavour somewhat Anglicised. The tiramisu was very sweet! Nevertheless, it was real food, freshly prepared and nourished us well. I will return when it’s not so busy and perhaps I will be blown away after all.

I’ve been visiting Polpo for many years. It’s always been at the pricier end of the market in terms of what you get for what you pay but the balance has been just about worthwhile. However I was stunned yesterday to be charged 13.5 percent service for a table of 3 people at lunchtime, adding £35 to my bill. In my opinion a 13.5 percent service charge, automatically added to the bill, tips the balance into the “definitely not worth it for the money” category. Such a shame as it’s a nice little restaurant but the price of the dishes combined with an exorbitant service charge means it’s off my list from now on.

We arrived at 9:00 p.m. and the kitchen was already closed, an hour before the closing time indicated on Google and in the Routard guide. Nothing special to say but the restaurant should change its hours online to avoid this kind of unpleasant surprises.

Fabulous food, great company from the bartender at the bar :)

It gave me cancer I'm very depressed now my grandad farted and the restaurant lost power then houses were made out of cheese that I put in my airpods also I at my grandma's car

Ein tolles Lokal mit feiner, italienischer Küche. Hier bekommt man die typischen Gerichte wie Pasta und Pizza. Der Service war freundlich

Very good food,excellent service, great ambiance. Loved the octopus, the gluten free pasta, the zucchini fries. Will come back

Another delicious meal with friends. Aside from some cold potatoes, I can't fault it.

Focaccia was fantastic, wonderful salty flavour. Pizza was a bit too fast food but the beef shin Ragu was really good and had a lovely flavour. Rosemary roast potatoes, I would have chosen a fluffier variety of potato personally. Overall a good meal and service was fantastic. 5 plates to share was more than enough for 2 people.