To demo these different approaches let us create a sample database with a table

by the below script:

CREATE DATABASE SqlHintsDemoDB
GO
USE SqlHintsDemoDB
GO
CREATE TABLE dbo.Customers (CustId INT, Name NVARCHAR(50))

[ALSO READ] How to check if Temp table exists in Sql Server?

Approach 1: Using
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES view
We can write a query like below to check if a Customers Table exists in the
current database.
IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_NAME = N'Customers')
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END

RESULT:

The above query checks the existence of the Customers table across all the
schemas in the current database. Instead of this if you want to check the
existence of the Table in a specified Schema and the Specified Database then
we can write the above query as below:
IF EXISTS (SELECT *
FROM SqlHintsDemoDB.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = N'dbo' AND TABLE_NAME = N'Customers')
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END

RESULT:

Pros of this Approach: INFORMATION_SCHEMA views are portable across

different RDBMS systems, so porting to different RDBMS doesnt require any
change.
[ALSO READ] How to check if a Stored Procedure exists in Sql Server

Approach 2: Using OBJECT_ID() function

We can use OBJECT_ID() function like below to check if a Customers Table
exists in the current database.
IF OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.Customers', N'U') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END

RESULT:

Specifying the Database Name and Schema Name parts for the Table Name is
optional. But specifying Database Name and Schema Name provides an option
to check the existence of the table in the specified database and within a
specified schema, instead of checking in the current database across all the
schemas. The below query shows that even though the current database is

MASTER database, we can check the existence of the Customers table in the
dbo schema in the SqlHintsDemoDB database.
USE MASTER
GO
IF OBJECT_ID(N'SqlHintsDemoDB.dbo.Customers', N'U') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END

RESULT:

Pros: Easy to remember. One other notable point to mention about OBJECT_ID()
function is: it provides an option to check the existence of the Temporary Table
which is created in the current connection context. All other Approaches checks
the existence of the Temporary Table created across all the connections context
instead of just the current connection context. Below query shows how to check
the existence of a Temporary Table using OBJECT_ID() function:
CREATE TABLE #TempTable(ID INT)
GO
IF OBJECT_ID(N'TempDB.dbo.#TempTable', N'U') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END
GO

RESULT:

[ALSO READ] How to check if a Database exists in Sql Server

Approach 3: Using sys.Objects Catalog View

We can use the Sys.Objects catalog view to check the existence of the Table as
shown below:
IF EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sys.Objects
WHERE Object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.Customers')
AND Type = N'U')
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END

RESULT

[ALSO READ] How to check if a record exists in a table

Approach 4: Using sys.Tables Catalog View

We can use the Sys.Tables catalog view to check the existence of the Table as
shown below:
IF EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sys.Tables
WHERE Name = N'Customers' AND Type = N'U')
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END

RESULT

Sys.Tables catalog view inherits the rows from the Sys.Objects

Sys.objects catalog view is referred to as base view where as
referred to as derived view. Sys.Tables will return the rows only
objects whereas Sys.Object view apart from returning the rows for
it returns rows for the objects like: stored procedure, views etc.

catalog view,
sys.Tables is
for the Table
table objects,

[ALSO READ] How to check if a VIEW exists in Sql Server

Approach 5: Avoid Using sys.sysobjects System

table
We should avoid using sys.sysobjects System Table directly, direct access to it
will be deprecated in some future versions of the Sql Server. As per Microsoft
BOL link, Microsoft is suggesting to use the catalog views sys.objects/sys.tables
instead of sys.sysobjects system table directly.
IF EXISTS(SELECT name FROM sys.sysobjects
WHERE Name = N'Customers' AND xtype = N'U')
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table Exists'
END