Museums.artBook
Number 11 of 20 in London

Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

Bill Bentley was a music-hall entertainer whose family owned oyster beds on the Essex coast. In 1916 he opened a bar in Swallow Street to sell them, and it has specialised in oysters ever since.

What it is
Oyster bar
Opened
1916
Area
Piccadilly
Nearest museum
The National Gallery, 650 m

London this week

    What Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill is known for

    1. The oyster bar

      A long counter of marble with red leather stools, where men in white jackets open native and rock oysters in front of you.

    2. The grill

      The upstairs rooms are hung with William Morris papers and serve fish on the bone and British meat.

    3. Swallow Street

      A short pedestrian lane between Piccadilly and Regent Street. In warm weather the tables on the terrace fill it from end to end.

    What to know

    • Open in Swallow Street since 1916
    • Founded to sell the oysters of the owner's own beds
    • Restored and reopened in 2005

    Where Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill is

    Address

    11-15 Swallow Street
    London W1B 4DG, United Kingdom

    Nearest station

    Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo, Piccadilly), two minutes on foot

    Museums and sights nearby

    Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.

    A comedian's oysters

    Bentley kept the restaurant alongside his stage career, and it stayed with his family for decades. By the end of the century it had faded.

    It was bought in 2005 by an Irish chef, who restored the Victorian building and put the oyster bar back at the centre of it.

    Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill: common questions

    Where is Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill?
    At 11-15 Swallow Street, in Mayfair, London. The nearest station is Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo, Piccadilly), two minutes on foot.
    Which museums and sights are near Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill?
    The National Gallery is 650 m away, The British Museum is 1.3 km away, Westminster Abbey is 1.3 km away. Distances are in a straight line from the restaurant.
    What is Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill known for?
    The oyster bar, The grill, Swallow Street. An oyster bar in a lane off Piccadilly, open since 1916, with a marble counter downstairs and a grill above. Three minutes from the Royal Academy.
    When did Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill open?
    In 1916. Open in Swallow Street since 1916.

    What visitors say about Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

    Rating from Google

    4.5

    2,132 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 8 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

    Tickets and tours near Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

    Things to do near Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

    The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 things to do in London

    Artists to see near Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

    The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.

    All 31 artists in London

    Hotels near Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

    The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in London. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 hotels in London, ranked

    Where to eat near Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill

    The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in London. Distances are in a straight line.

    All 20 restaurants in London, ranked
    All 20 restaurants in London, rankedMuseums and attractions in London