diff --git a/ibis/backends/base/__init__.py b/ibis/backends/base/__init__.py
index 7c98b3269334..3e9517a485a6 100644
--- a/ibis/backends/base/__init__.py
+++ b/ibis/backends/base/__init__.py
@@ -204,6 +204,12 @@ def __dir__(self) -> list[str]:
         )
         return list(o)
 
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        tables = self._backend.list_tables()
+        rows = ["Tables", "------"]
+        rows.extend(f"- {name}" for name in sorted(tables))
+        return "\n".join(rows)
+
     def _ipython_key_completions_(self) -> list[str]:
         return self._backend.list_tables()
 
diff --git a/ibis/backends/tests/test_api.py b/ibis/backends/tests/test_api.py
index 8db8031fd919..996007a03d7c 100644
--- a/ibis/backends/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/ibis/backends/tests/test_api.py
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@ def test_tables_accessor_tab_completion(con):
     assert 'functional_alltypes' in keys
 
 
+def test_tables_accessor_repr(con):
+    result = repr(con.tables)
+    assert '- functional_alltypes' in result
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "expr_fn",
     [