Stopped in here on a Sunday night. Food was plentiful and delicious, service was a little too personal (husband was grilled about why he'd left his salad) and slow at times. Not my first choice but worth a visit.
Captain Nemo
No wonder this place has been going strong for nearly 30 years - it offers good food, a happy and relaxed atmosphere, excellent service and value for money. Even on a busy Saturday night Sirena managed to make us forget, at least for a few moments, the bad weather, the credit crunch and all the other nasties going on presently. After some startlingly good marinated olives and different breads we had a 'real' pasta Carbonara: spaghetti with bacon, barely cooked egg, loads of black pepper and pecorino cheese, the correct combination of ingredients now nearly impossible to find in London (where it is usually served with cream, butter and Parmesan cheese), followed by the best grilled seabass we have had for ages and a mixed salad. For puddings we had an umbeatable Tiramisu'. With a bottle of very good house white and two espressos we spent under £ 45. We had a very good evening for less than half the money charged by most other restaurants.
A Buon Intenditor
It is always a pleasure to eat at Ristorante Sirena in James Street, W1, a local "hero" of nearly 30 years' standing. Unpretentious, value for money, good (real Italian) food, an inventive wine list and truly excellent service: this is what you get here. Their speciality is seafood and there are some outstanding dishes that you must try: amongst them, Tagliolini al Granchio (thin long pasta with crab and a hint of heat), Spaghetti Lobster, the best Veal Milanese in town, seasonal fish simply grilled and a good selection of desserts.
Polly
Delightful little Italian restaurant so unlike a lot of the big , modern places today. We had a really delicious meal and were served by a young and attentive staff. We plan on more visits especially in the summer when we can sit outside.
A no-nonsense gastronome
It is rare, nowadays, to find an Italian Restaurant in the UK and especially London with Italian staff -and the results (on plate and service) show! This long-standing fixture of James Street offers really good pasta - spaghetti ai frutti di mare was as good as anything eaten in Italy, followed by a very decent seabass wrapped in prosciutto. Truly good service - the young staff do know what customers expect. Their Tiramisu' is a must, as is a real espresso coffee (and perhaps a Sambuca or Limoncello!) to finish. Highly recommended.