16/07/2008
J Belassie

I went to the Ivy for my birthday and found the place very disappointing. As noted below, yes the fries do seem to come out of a frozen packet. The Bang Bang Chicken had no bang at all, just small pieces of dull chicken covered in a peanut butter sauce! The ravioli was just terrible. When ordering I asked the waiter for some fries, he corrected me that they were called chips!!! Then when he brought them to the table he said, here are the Fries !!! I am not sure if he was making fun of me!!! Overall very disappointing, makes you wonder why the rich and famous bother to go, unless of course when they arrive it changes!!!

19/01/2008
Emma Forsyth

I read some good reviews about this restaurant but this place has finally really turned me off for life. Do not even try and make a reservation as the restaurant managers are very rude over the phone- so much snobbism (it's funny when this place is not even classified as the 'creme de la creme' and you see staff with this attitude). After finally getting the chance to dine the food was absolutely plain average with an awful service (a lot of food delays) and not suprisingly the staff were again very rude. It's just amazing to see how popular this place even is when the service they provide is not properly in place. Do not waste your time and money. My recommendation would be for you to dine at Gordon Ramsay's Claridges and Petrus instead. My dining experience there was absolutely superb!

08/04/2005
Jet Rai

General Price Guide: Moderate - Expensive.

Location and Punters: Booking well in advance at this famous Covent Garden restaurant is essential as The Ivy remains one of London's most fashionable dining haunts. It is particularly popular with theatregoers as well as the players themselves. The nearest tube stations are Covent Garden or Leicester Square.

Atmosphere and Décor: Oak panels, soft lighting and 1920s stained glass windows all lend an air of clubbiness to this enduringly popular restaurant. The service and attention to detail are exemplary.

Nosh and Drinks: The menu is eclectic, mainly British/European, with a few influences from further afield. It caters mainly for those punters who prefer to stick to the tried and tested. Basic dishes such as good old Fish and Chips and Welsh Rarebit appear regularly on the menu and are living proof that plain food, carefully prepared, is hard to beat!

Another good example of simple ingredients prepared to perfection is the Ivy's ever-popular Salmon Fishcakes on a bed of Leaf Spinach. In fact, apart from a few interesting digressions, the bulk of the menu consists of traditional style fare, with the emphasis on simplicity.

In general, the cooking steers clear of exotic, culinary combinations and focuses, rather on well-defined flavours. Starters might include Tagliatelle with Broccoli and Gorgonzola, Crab Bisque, Kedgeree, or maybe even Sashimi.

Main courses range from Boiled Leg of Lamb with Caper Sauce or Shepherds' Pie to Thai Baked Sea Bass or Curried Chicken Masala.

Puddings, predictably, are top notch! The Chocolate Soufflé has a generous centre of dark chocolate and an ample adornment of clotted cream. It is just the perfect pudding. A set lunch costs from around £16. The wine list is reliable, with a bottle of house wine priced at approximately £12.

The Experience: The Ivy has certainly earned its coveted reputation. Its delightful "comfort food" has to be one of the main attractions.

To add your own review of this restaurant fill out the form below.