This year, we celebrate 130 years of J.Sheekey. Founded by Josef Sheekey, the restaurant began life in St Martin’s Court in 1896, after the Prime Minister granted him permission to serve fish and shellfish for his post-theatre supper parties.

Since 1896, it’s been a place of return, where actors, writers, artists, and the city’s great conversationalists gather night after night, the curtain never falling.

Sheekey’s doesn’t simply serve dinner – here, the conversations matter as much as the food, and the mood matters as much as the menu. Every evening feels unique, yet unmistakably Sheekey.

To mark 130 years, we’ll be celebrating in true Sheekey style, with moments that honour our British identity, creative legacy, and the culture that has always gathered around our tables.

A London Institution Since 1896

Founded by Josef Sheekey, a local fishmonger, the restaurant began life in St Martin’s Court in 1896, after the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, granted him permission to serve fish and shellfish for his post-theatre supper parties.

What began as a simple oyster bar soon became part of the rhythm and ritual of an evening in the West End. More than a century later, the iconic red frontage still stands as a beacon to theatreland’s revellers, welcoming guests for market-fresh seafood in the heart of Covent Garden.

The Classics Return

For 130 years, certain dishes have never left the conversation.

To celebrate this milestone year, we’re bringing together a selection of classic J. Sheekey plates – dishes that have shaped evenings, fuelled debates, and kept guests coming back for an encore. From Potted Shrimps and Cornish Smoked Eel to J.Sheekey’s Cornish Fish Stew, Lobster Thermidor and Peach Melba Pavlova, these are the dishes ordered instinctively, talked about endlessly, and remembered long after the table’s cleared.

Because while London moves fast, the classics don’t need reinvention – just the right table, the right company, and another night at Sheekey.

Book A Table

Coming this Summer

As part of our 130th year, a new chapter is set to unfold on the J.Sheekey terrace this summer. Rooted in British creativity and designed to turn heads in the heart of Covent Garden, it will mark one of the most exciting moments of the anniversary celebrations. More to be revealed soon.

Be the first to hear what’s coming next.