Group dinners in Soho that don't go wrong

A group dinner goes wrong long before the food arrives: someone books online for ten, the system says six, and half the table ends up at the bar. In Soho the answer is to pick a room that publishes its limits. Here are four, with the numbers first.

The Seafood Bar, 77 Dean Street

Best for: the big table. The restaurant says it welcomes groups of 10 to 70 for lunch and dinner, with set menus and sharing menus available, and there is a dedicated enquiry link for groups of ten or more on its own site.

OpenTable lists it at £26 to £40 a head, though treat that as a guide and ask when you enquire. It is cash-free, and it opens at midday, so a long lunch is as easy as dinner.

Timing: the Oyster Happy Hour runs from three to five daily, at £1.50 an oyster. Gather the early arrivals then, and let the late ones catch up over the main event.

Order: oysters to start, then the fruits de mer platter for the middle of the table. Lobster mac n cheese and chips make decent sides.

The Palomar, 34 Rupert Street

Best for: a table that wants to share everything. The food is Middle Eastern inspired, built around fresh breads, dips and fire-cooked dishes. It opened in 2014, is run by siblings Zoë and Layo Paskin, and has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand since then, according to thisissoho.co.uk.

Its homepage describes group dining for 7 to 14 guests, with a choice of two set menus for the table to share. The dinner page, though, says the dining room takes tables of up to ten. Ring on 020 7439 8777 to confirm the size you need before you promise anyone a seat. It is open every day for dinner from five, per its dinner page.

Order: kubaneh with carrot tahini and harissa, the lamb shawarma croquette and the Ras el Hanout lamb cutlets. Ask for seats at the zinc kitchen bar if a few of you turn up early.

Bocca di Lupo, 12 Archer Street

Best for: a long Italian dinner with a private room in reserve. The food is served family style, in small or large plates, and there is a gelateria next door. The booking page says that for parties of five or more you should contact the restaurant on 020 7734 2223 if you cannot find availability.

For bigger numbers there is private dining for up to 32 through an online form. OpenTable describes the Remus Room as seating 12 to 32, with its own chef in a dedicated adjacent kitchen. An older Hot Dinners guide put the main dining room at a maximum booking of ten, so check that figure by phone.

Order: courgette flower fritti, rabbit orzotto with wild garlic and the beef tagliata, all picked out by Hot Dinners. A reviewer who used the private room praised the cappellacci and the sanguinaccio.

Blacklock Soho, 24 Great Windmill Street

Best for: a smaller group, or a weekday. This is the one to be honest about. Online booking stops at six. For six to eight, you email the restaurant, and a couple of tables are always kept free for walkers in. Its Christmas page says tables of up to 14 can be arranged by email Monday to Friday, or up to eight on Saturday and Sunday. Sundays are for roasts. A Saturday table of ten is not what this basement does best.

Where it shines is price and pace. OpenTable shows £25 and under, with chops from £8 each. The basement is on the Blacklock Soho page, and Hot Dinners notes it once housed a brothel.

Order: the All In, three meats piled on focaccia, plus a cocktail. Come on a weekday and email ahead.

How to book a table of ten

• Need ten or more on a Saturday? Start with The Seafood Bar, which publishes its group range.
• Want sharing plates and set menus? Palomar, after you have confirmed the table size by phone.
• Want a private room for 12 to 32? Bocca di Lupo.
• Want a cheap, loud weekday? Blacklock, by email.

Ring or email early, ask about the set menu, and confirm numbers a few days before. Prices here are guides, so ask for the per head figure at the time of booking.