The bronze mermaids over the bar are Damien Hirst's, the whisky list is the largest collection of Japanese whisky in the world, and the table to ask for is the curved booth on the Berkeley Square side.

Sexy Fish is Richard Caring's glossiest Mayfair room, and for closing a deal it works on a simple principle: it signals you spent money without your guest ever seeing a price. What follows is the case for booking it, the dishes to order, and three Mayfair alternatives for the nights it is full or wrong.

The Room, and Its Mayfair Alternatives

1. Sexy Fish · Japanese-Asian · Mayfair · Berkeley Square

Sexy Fish sits on the corner of Berkeley Square in Mayfair, an Asian-leaning seafood room from Caprice Holdings where chef director Bjoern Weissgerber sends out miso-glazed black cod, robata-grilled Iberico pork ribs and soft-shell-crab tempura, with the lavish Hiro set menu when you want the kitchen to decide. Dinner for two with drinks runs around 170 pounds, and the bar holds the world's largest Japanese whisky list for marking a signature. The spectacle does the boasting so you do not have to; book the curved Berkeley Square booth and let the room impress the guest while you do the talking.

2. Scott's · Seafood · Mayfair · Mount Street

Scott's on Mount Street is the discreet, old-money alternative, a Mayfair seafood institution where the oysters, the Dover sole and the white-tablecloth service suit a quieter, more serious negotiation than Sexy Fish invites. It is where deals get done without anyone needing to perform. Ask for a corner table and let the calm do the work.

3. Hakkasan Mayfair · Cantonese · Mayfair · Bruton Street

Hakkasan's Bruton Street room trades on dark, lattice-screened glamour and refined Cantonese cooking, the silver cod and the Peking duck its signatures, in a setting that has carried a Michelin star in the group's history. It is the choice when you want low light and a sense of occasion without the Berkeley Square volume. Book a screened table for a small, confidential group.

4. Park Chinois · Chinese · Mayfair · Berkeley Street

Park Chinois on Berkeley Street is the theatrical option, a 1930s-Shanghai supper club with live music below and a refined Chinese menu above, for a deal that turns into a celebration. It is the most overtly entertaining room here. Take the upstairs dining room for dinner and let the downstairs handle the night that follows a signature.

5. CUT at 45 Park Lane · Steakhouse · Mayfair · Park Lane

Wolfgang Puck's CUT at 45 Park Lane is the Mayfair steak close, with a wall of dry-aged and wagyu cuts and a slick, modern room overlooking Hyde Park. It is the familiar format for a client who measures a deal in ribeye rather than sashimi. Book a window table and order a flight of cuts for the table to compare.

What Makes a Deal Room

  1. The room does the signalling. A guest should sense the evening's value without ever seeing the bill.
  2. It is central and easy. Mayfair, walkable from the hotels and offices a visiting client already uses.
  3. There is a way to go quiet. A booth, a screened table or a private room when the conversation turns sensitive.
  4. Something marks the moment. A whisky list, a wine cellar or a signature dish to seal the handshake.

Not for Every Deal

Skip Sexy Fish for a delicate one-on-one negotiation, because it is loud, it is seen, and the room is built to be noticed rather than to keep a secret. For that conversation, take a corner at Scott's or a screened table at Hakkasan Mayfair instead, and save Sexy Fish for the deal you want to celebrate out loud.

Booking Notes

Sexy Fish takes bookings online and the prime evening tables on the Berkeley Square side go first; aim a couple of weeks out for a Thursday or Friday and ask for a booth rather than the bar. The set weekday lunch around 34 pounds is the low-stakes way to scout the room before you bring a client.

Scott's and CUT are easiest midweek; Park Chinois is a weekend-energy room, so book it for the celebratory close rather than the working dinner. For a confidential meeting at Hakkasan, request a screened table when you reserve.

Reservation links may be affiliate links; bookings cost you nothing extra and never influence our editorial scoring. Compiled by the Restaurants for Kings editorial team from Michelin Guide, The World's 50 Best, James Beard and named press; see our methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sexy Fish good for a business dinner?

Yes, for a deal you want to celebrate rather than keep quiet. Sexy Fish on Berkeley Square is one of Mayfair's most glamorous rooms, and its spectacle signals a generous evening without your guest seeing a price. For a delicate or confidential negotiation, a quieter Mayfair room such as Scott's is the better choice.

What are the signature dishes at Sexy Fish?

The kitchen, led by chef director Bjoern Weissgerber, is known for miso-glazed black cod, robata-grilled Iberico pork ribs and soft-shell-crab tempura, with sushi and sashimi from the raw bar. The lavish Hiro set menu is the easiest way to order for a table, and the bar holds the world's largest collection of Japanese whisky.

How much does dinner at Sexy Fish cost?

Dinner for two with drinks and service is around 170 pounds, though a table ordering the Hiro set menu, premium sushi and whisky will run well beyond that. A weekday set lunch of three courses is offered at around 34 pounds, which is the most economical way to see the room before booking a client dinner.

What is the dress code at Sexy Fish?

Smart is expected, and the room rewards it. There is no jacket-and-tie requirement, but sportswear and beachwear are not the look here. Treat it as a place where a client will be dressed to be seen, and match it.