Ivy By The Sea in Scarborough

Great food, good service. Not really the kind of music I’d be playing if you wanted to attract customers. The tables were a bit sticky and off putting

I came here with my family. Beautiful place and very homly. The fire place adds a really nice vibe to the place.Great food and lovely staff. Would recommend and will definitely be coming back.

had a lovely time here really enjoyed and would recommend

I stayed here alone for 2 nights and was treated exceptionally well by all the staff would definitely recommend. Beautiful sea views and was well taken after by the manager

Stopped here for lunch with the dogs and was lovely very good food. It felt like the food took a while to come but I wasn't keep track but was worth the wait. Would come again if we are even back in town.

Nice atmosphere and lovely staff.

Don’t bother. We ordered as a table of seven and waited an hour for basically nothing more than sandwiches and chips. 3 meals showed up and then after another 15 minute wait the others eventually showed up. We asked about the food numerous times as the children where becoming very restless to which they just kept saying they where chasing it up but there had been a lot of orders all at once . It’s a grey foggy day in September with a handful of people in the restaurant I’d hate to see them in August at the height of the season. When food did eventually arrive it was cold and we then had to ask more than once for cutlery and sauces. No apologies where given nor did they try to make a mends. Funnily enough no one ever came back to our table to make sure everything was ok. The coke was also flat. AVOID

Called in for ×2 coffee and hot chocolate the coffees were more or less milk, Children wanted to go toilet and was rudely spoken to by the owner saying they wasn't customers so had to tell them to go toilet, no apology from anyone, there is signs up everywhere what you can and can't do it's so off putting and not welcoming at all. I think there needs to be training done in customer service and hospitality

Asked to have a table reserved. They said ok. When we turned up they had forgotten. My wife had the worst pizza ever served up. Looked like a prebought pizza base. With cheese and cubers of frozen chicken topped eith bottled barbacue sauce. Nor recomended and it wss only warm . Spag bol worst ive ever eaten i dont think there was any tomatoe in the sauce at all. Tasted of basil and sage. Wont eat there again

This is such a stunning little eatery/hotel and the owner pays great attention to detail regarding the satisfaction of their customers. We ordered an all day breakfast that comes with chips but I asked for no chips and ordered toast separately instead. Breakfast was delicious, compliments to the chef. A few minutes after being seated the owner came to me and said they will refund me for the toast because I didn't want the chips. They then made sure staff saw to our every need and got cutlery etc given to us. If we ever stay in Scarborough we will definitely stay here, the rooms look wonderful, the owner has some great deals and you can be assured they will look after you here. Thank You

We had a wonderful family meal. The standard of the food was super, and the portion sizes were very good. Amazing staff. Extremely friendly and helpful. August 2024.

Me and my grandson visited here and had a lovely lunch. Very welcoming and lovely food.

I went here to eat yesterday and the food was amazing the staff were friendly but I think the place could use more staff to make service faster I found it quite slow the fish was ok but the chips were amazing

I went in for breakfast today just to get told I was a “boomer” and shouldn’t be eating out at my age (I’m only 60) then when the food came I found a hair in my meal!!!!! AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!

probably the worst experience ever. waited ages for the food even though the place was empty, the food was not great and the prices are too high if you consider the food quality. the staff working there look like they hate their lives. DO NOT RECOMMEND.

We've been waiting ages and received dry burned pizza. Fish and burger wasn't that good either. Staff was friendly but it's best to go somewhere else.

Greeted by lovely, friendly staff who couldn't do enough to make us feel welcome. Order came quickly and the food was delicious. The kids afternoon tea is a great idea and our 3 year old loved it.

Nice coffee. Awful dry cake. Hardly ever open anyway 11.30-4 in peak season! Great location with harbour view. Such a let down. Could be wonderful like it was years ago.

Nice fish and chips but why close at 4 0'clock the sea front was very busy are you making to much money,

Food was nice but the service was poor, the 2 young people, 1 male and 1 female, were too busy laughing and messing around.

Only getting one star cos I can't give zero. Dreadful food, which we only ate because we had waited 45 mins for it! Frozen chips, fish was awful, veggie breakfast terrible, and even the kids turned their noses up at the pizza. The only saving grace in the whole experience was the free drink we were offered. The restaurant was not busy, not a surprise.

Service wasn't that brilliant, but the food was nice

The food was poor quality and over priced.i had pensioners fish and chips which wouldn't have filled a 4 year old.the fish was tiny and mostly batter .the fish content was miniscule..the meals were served in dribs and drabs.I would not use this cafe again.Very poor value for money. I GOT FISH AND CHIPS FOR MY GRANDSON .THE FISH WAS SMALL AND MY WIFE HAD TO GIVE HIM SOME OF HER CHIPS. VERY DISSAPOINTING. REGARDS KEN GRAY.

After waiting over 45mins for our order, we asked why people who came in after us were getting their food. The manager appeared but wasn’t wanting to hear our complaint, we were told not to get angry, (which we weren’t), as she wanted to explain our order had not been passed to the cook. She was in no way apologetic for this. We left the cafe and will never return. One thinks she could do with some customer management training.

I Stopped off here for some food and wasn't disappointed. The staff were really friendly and helpful. There was a little wait between getting served my drink and the food, despite the place not being super busy. But.. it was worth the wait. The food was fresh and tasty, and a big portion. Maybe they don't have a large kitchen, but I'm sure the food was cooked fresh, so that's worth waiting for. I'll certainly be going back. I had read some other reviews and I couldn't fault the place myself. The place is perfectly situated next to the water and marina, so it's a great place to stop for a break and food.

Called for a coffee today. Service was quick, drinks were nice and hot. Prices are reasonable for a seaside location. Toilets were reasonable, small but clean. We paid £8.35 for four drinks. We sat at the bay window seat excellent spot for people watching.

Wouldn't even rate the place a 1* we walked in and sat down, the tables were dirty and food all over the floor in the corner near where we were sat .we waited at least 20 minutes to be served ,to then waiting longer for food to come out, eventually one plate of food came out then we were told they had made a mistake it was for a different table so we had to wait another half an hour for the rest of the tables food , when that was finally brought out they had forgotten my partners food but made the kids meal that we had already recieved and eaten to then be told that the meal they gave us half an hour before was my partners food :/ I wouldn't mind if the place was busy but it wasnt the girls working in there looked as If they were dordaling around. We watched a few people walk out from bad service I wish we had not stayed.

Called on on spec. Ordered a senior fish and chips and a regular .The senior came with the same portion of chips and mushy peas, just a smaller fish which meant left over chips .They were fried in vegetable oil .It was really quiet when we were there so I cannot comment on the ambience.Goid view from the window.

We went here as a treat, our spare money is very precious to us, the place itself is lovely, well decorated and clean, apart from the toilets, the men's was certainly terrible, we sat down and our order was taken within 5 mins of us sitting down, 40 mins later someone actually realized we hadn't had our food and came over to us, God help them if they were actually busy, the new lad had forgotten to send the order upstairs, these things happen we are all human, we was offered a drink as an apology. About 10 mins later we got our meals, 2 x fish and chips and 1 breakfast bun, the breakfast bun looked ok and our son said it tasted ok, as for our fish and chips they were terrible, we are great believers in supporting a local business but when you produce fish and chips that looked and tasted like it had been bought in Aldi we will not be returning, the chips were supposed to be hand cut, I can gaurantee they were straight from a cheap pack and they tasted like it, as for the fish it was really thin, no taste and the batter was awful, if you are like us and don't have much spare spending money I would definitely avoid this place.

Me & my wife went in today, we had OAP Fish & chips offer. Staff were lovely, place was clean, food really worth the money. Very friendly staff, please don't cut bread into triangles, very difficult to make chip butties ...lol

Called in here for Saturday Lunch. We had the Pensioners Fish and Chips, this came with Mushy Peas, Bread and Butter and a Pot of Tea. Food was excellent ( wished I'd had a bigger appetite would have gone for the larger one). Place was really clean and Staff attentive. Cake looked lovely too - oh for a bigger appetite! Well Done to All,👍

Entered a very cold room. Order took quickly by young lady and handed to a lad leaning over bar playing with his phone. Looked like he was the cook, no overalls and obviously going into kitchen handling food. Ordered the large haddock, it wasnt, it was small and a scampi. Ordered tea, the pot was filled to the brim and tried to squeeze the bags to get some taste, we did not. Asked girl what tea it was, she said "tetley". Worst tea ever. Just as we were finishing an older woman came from out back , go behind the bar in her nightclothes, with hood up, helped herself to a hot drink, has this establishment no hygiene training ? Please be aware of your practices as a drop in by the EHO would result in you being closed down.

Amazing historic building. Lovely staff. Fast and tasty lunch. Very impressive value for money.

Me my wife and 2 kids had something to eat here and it was nice

Each year we take our grandchildren on holiday and this is there favourite place to eat. The food is well presented and tastes delicious

Called in today for the OAPs fish n chips. Nice food. Quick service by pleasant staff. The place was spotless. Will go again

Very nice fish and good service. My awkward kids asked for beans in separate dishes and they sorted that. Fish nice and fresh.

Lovely location but poor service by staff. They missed items off our order, never came to check on us and didn't give us the cutlery required to eat what they did give us.

Food was acceptable. Chicken burger was plain Iceland burger and chips. Scampi was nice. Unfortunately extremely overpriced and a bit dingy. Tea was cheap bags and tasteless, didn't even finish a cup let alone the pot. £3 for a small bottle of coke is unacceptable in my opinion. Also the only prices for drinks are for hot drinks and she stated that they were wrong. I would definitely not advise a visit and I won't be returning. Plenty of less expensive places selling the same thing if not better.

Looked a great place. Blond girl extremely rude and unprofessional talking about customers with other groups. Very ruffled with a few tables occupied, what would she have been like if busy?? Chips raw, fish batter uncooked. Think customer service training is in order

We had lunch hear small fish and chips and a slice of bread and a cup of tea cost under £7 good value for the price, clean and tidy staff good, a little slow on getting the food but it's worth the wait.

Popped in for fish and chips and was greeted if you can call it that with not a smile or a hello but find a table it's waitress service. We found a table but sat there for about 20 minutes for our order to be taken. Food and drinks came but wasn't the best tasting. We paid but once again the service was appalling not thank you how was your meal we got not a smile and that's £15. Never will go or recommend this place.

Plenty of 1 Star reviews (my 5* is missing right now), but anyways the place needs a good clean with soap and water for all areas! Tables need regular cleaning with a proper wet cloth and soap. Also need some order as to how guests are welcomed and handled. Cutlery needs a good clean maybe soaked in soda crystals…toilet areas also needs mopping hourly at least.

Wow! Tasty OAP Fish & Chips for only £5.95 complete with bread & butter, tartare sauces and a pot of tea! Big portions of prawn cocktail or chicken salad too! The fish batter was amazing and light. Nice views out of the huge windows!

Chips were not the best. Fish was fresh and well cooked One member of staff was cheerful. 7

Been waiting for half an our for our lunch. Staff need smiles. Won't be back

Very desypointed,the tea pot the cups and everything was very darty very expenssive,don't go there 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮

Went for a walk along the prom and decided to pop in somewhere for a late lunch. Saw the Ivy and the building was beautiful so decided to go on in. There were only a few others in, but the floor was messy and the table needed a wipe... but the staff were friendly and took our order quickly We both had the fish & chips and they were absolutely lovely! Literally cannot fault the food and drinks at all. Great cafe but needs more attention to cleaning between customers.

Nice cafe. Only one waitress she was also doing the cooking. Hats off to her, she was really nice. Nothing too much trouble.

Clean, tidy and welcoming, very nice meal

So this place is in a lovely building which is decorated very tastfully creating a nice atmosphere inside. The staff get top marks as they were very helpful and friendly. Unfortunately the price of the meals does not match with what they serve you. It was £10.95 for what is called Scarboroughs famous fish and chips as an adults portion. There was plenty of chips and what must have been a double serving of mushy peas however the fish was tiny, what I would expect to see in a kids special or something. The size of the fish as small as it was was also overwhelmed by the amount of batter around it. If I was rating the restaurant on staff and atmosphere alone I would have probably given it 5 stars but the food was just a let down unfortunately.

Terrible food, frozen chips try anywhere else in Scarborough for fish and chips.

Why can't I give zero stars, worst experience ever in a cafe/restaurant, we opted for the breakfast the price was expensive so we expected real quality. 30 minutes wait for out drinks, another 30 waiting for the meal. Service was atrocious no sorry for the wait. When it came beans were cold, one rasher of bacon was included which was tiny. Not recommded

Just called in for a coffee which was good price was reasonable too Dog friendly

Floor was quite dirty where we were sat and our table was quite sticky. Very Good Yorkshire brew made up for the dry scones (not home-made) carrot cake was tasty. View of the Docks from the bay window and the excellent service bumbed it up to 4 stars.

Staff very helpful but the food wasn’t up to standard. Our tea and coffee were cold as was the food. My scampi and chips were ok, but the burger we also ordered was barely warm and fatty. The children’s meal was ok as that was cool enough to eat. Lovely view of the harbour.

Broken toilet seat, sticky tables and loud staff talking about throwing up at the weekend... Lovely. On the bright side the bap was ok.

Awfull food. Dry halloumi tasted old, dry burger with no sauce. Pitifull amount of beans for a breakfast and mushrooms were so deep fried all you tasted was the fat. Cold rooms and sticky tables. Waiting staff was polite at least

Called in Friday lunch time for a spot of fish and chips as the place appeared modern, upbeat and seemed a step up from sitting inside the chippy just to the side of this place. Was told we could help ourselves to any table which we did. Then after over 10 minutes of nobody even acknowledging we were there, I went to go politely ask if we could place our order. A further 5 minutes passed before anyone came to take the order which was as simple as 2 adults fish and chips and 2 children's. Still took over 15 minutes to arrive meaning we had been seated over 30 minutes before a scrap of food arrived at our table. That's a long time unless you are in a heaving restaurant and enjoying a great ambience. This was neither unfortunately. When the food arrived, whilst it wasn't bad, it also wasn't good enough to save this review. Maybe my expectations were too high but basics of reasonably prompt service in a restaurant that was at less than 50% capacity, should be a given, not to mention the sticky table that was in desperate need of a good degrease of some sort. This place I'm sure has its market, but we unfortunately won't be back.

Even so we were told the wait for food was forty five minutes notice meals ordered out side and not long later getting there food still waiting for ours

Had a pleasant lunch in the sunshine today. Good service and lovely food.

FANTASTIC - service, food - we enjoyed! These cakes.....soooo yummy!!!

I would just like to thank this establishment by bringing my brother a cup of tea outside after I had sustained a nasty fall which required an ambulance. My brother was so upset and the sweet tea they brought him helped with the shock. I have never frequented Ivy by the Sea before and visit Scarborough at least twice yearly. I shall now give them my business! Thank you so much.

Shockingly expensive cake. Small slice at £4.25!!! Unfortunately no prices were shown on display. Be warned!! Young staff very pleasant but management absent so hopefully they will read this and take action at least to display prices.

Very nice fish & chips, burgers.

Absolutely appalling place. Steer well clear of this one. Ordered four meals and drinks and waited for 45 minutes before asking why the order had not been delivered. The same waitress who took the order said it had been forgotten. Needless to say we had a refund walked out went 50 yards down the road to The Anchor fish & chip cafe and had a great meal. Will never cross the threshold of this place again. Found out after our failed visit that the Ivy House cafe only has a two star food hygiene rating and they don’t display that very prominently for obvious reasons

Went here today family of 6 looking forward to fish and chips and they were absolutely disgusting the worst fish we have ever had tasted like a frozen one the batter was soggy and slimey wasn’t cooked enough and for the price we payed was definitely not worth it, will not be returning!

Stopped here for some respite from the sun and crowds for a beer and light refreshment - warm welcome and lovely staff - can’t deny the fixtures and fittings need a little TLC .. but hugely compensated by the excellent friendly staff - 100% recommended

Rip off bacon sandwich in a dog bowl

Ordered our food at the bar and werestaurant asked where we were seated.waited over 20 mins for food to our dismay the couple who were seated next table whom had been there for less than ten mins got food.waited another ten mins to be presented with OAP meals when we ordered full size meals and we have another 15 yrs to go till we qualify.turns out they gave our food to the next door table.5 mins later our proper portions arrived.all this confusion could of been avoided with table numbers.food was ok.filling and edible.

Just had coffee. But was nice to sit outside and look out over the harbour. Did have to go inside to order through after waiting 5 minutes

Looked lovely from the outside so thought we would go in for lunch. Once inside the chairs were ripped, table sticky. We ordered our food they brought half the orders out and we were still waiting 15 minutes later for some toast and a tuna sandwich so had to go and ask for them which they brought straight away so they must have just been sat there. There was no cutlery on any tables so had to ask for them and they didn’t give us any napkins. I asked for a water and was given a bottle without a glass to drink from. It seemed to be all young teenagers working, maybe to get it upto scratch they need to have someone working each day with experience of how to run a cafe as it’s getting run into the ground. The toilets were disgusting, paper all over the floor and no hand wash. I definitely would not recommend this place.

Visited here last week. The plastic chairs were a mess . Tables not clean .Strong coffee . Toilets a disgrace .will not return .

We did not stay at the Ivy this time BUT next time we are coming to town, this is the first place we are going to otry.<br/>We first had a drink break at the Ivy, we were impressed by the service given, the waitress really was working hard and nothing was to much trouble the drinks were very nice, far better than other offering from vendors near by, we returned later to have lunch. The food was very nice and presented very nicely, the service was great, the sun brolley was broken on our table and the waitress replaced it immediately, the waitress even noticed our little dog and asked if we needed any cold water for her, we did not hear of any complaints. And will certainly return again next time we are in town. <br/>.

Staff not very welcoming nice place all the same

Food was to a high standard and would recommend to anyone.

Very disappointing! Looked really nice from the outside, was modern and inviting but was totally different inside! No wonder there was hardly anyone in there, just people using the toilet😂 We went for breakfast as we were all starving! We went and ordered more a less straight away. We waited for drinks for about 10 mins and then continued to wait for our food, we waited that long that my friends cup of tea had gone cold! When the food came the portions were tiny but the food was reasonably nice. The table was sticky, the chairs were falling apart and the cutlery was filthy!! We had to ask for cutlery as there were none on our table and when they came out they still had food on from the last people that ate with them! Won’t be going back!!

Absolutely abismal dirty and disgusting food don't go there

Staff were non attentive, too busy on there phones!

This place looks nice from the out side and as I walked in it look okay but as me and my family sat down and took a closer look at the place it got worse and worse ( would rate 0 stars) would NOT recommend going here.

We visited this cafe as it looked very appealing from the outside with a modern bar that we could see through the window. However when we got inside, tables were dirty, sticky and the chairs were just ruined. We ordered drinks including a cup of tea. When it arrived to the table, the crockery was filthy! I asked for a replacement which came promptly, only they were just as dirty and so I chose not to drink it. To make matters worse, one of the waitresses picked up the cup I had returned, rang it quickly under a frother on the coffee machine, than dried it on her matted and stained pinny! I could have vomited. She then proceeded to put it straight onto a customer's tea tray. Do not go to this cafe! It's such a shame as its location is great but their very poor hygiene would be enough to close them down.

Arrived as a party of five to an empty cafe and now we know why! It was freezing beyond believe to the point I don't think they should have even been open, no heating on apart from an electric heater behind the bar. After waiting 45 minutes for the food, and the only ones in the cafe as other customers walked in and walked back out the door. The food was half cold half hot on every dish. Only one burger was available when we ordered so another dish was chosen and when the burger arrived they failed to tell us there was no relish or salad either! Had to ask three times for forgotten drinks. Had to ask for napkins that never arrived so I helped myself from other tables. Had to ask for condiments. Had to ask for the missing toast & butter. Most of the food was left because of this, no checks back were made so we got up to leave. No staff on the cafe floor, hiding in the kitchen so we had to shout hello to get their attention to complain which was completely pointless, rude, argumentive, huffing and very inexperienced in the art of Hospitality. We were all sat there in our coats freezing, I was shaking so much the food kept falling off my fork. Other than that we had a great day on the beach, might get away with it in summer but we are locals and word of mouth is huge in this town.

Nice place, although it was freezing cold.

Cold, civil but not friendly, poor coffee

Lovely ! And dogs allowed on a plus side!

Not as good as previous visits, food okay, small portions. Toilets not great.

Food was excellent, could be cleaner

Lovely place . Staff great and you can take your dog's in as well . Thanks saved us from getting soaked with the dogs 😊😊😊

This is in a good location, dog friendly and excellent food. Had the fish sharing platter and thoroughly enjoyed it! Polite and attentive staff. The only comment I would make would be it was quite dark in the main dining area. All of the spotlights were out, barr one. Would benefit with replacement and then it would be 5 stars from me.

We have just spent a weekend at the Ivy House. It is a dog friendly venue. Staff are lovely and could not fault them. The breakfast was ample and satisfied us all day. However, house keeping could be a lot better and needs to be improve some what. Dust beneath the beds had been there for some time along with a water bottle from a previous visitor. Dust thick enough to write my name in on top of the headboard. Sun bleached curtains were fragile and had tears to the edges. The spare bedding was the worst I had seen, with bird mess on a supposedly clean pillow and stains to duvets. The bedside lamps did not work as both bulbs had blown. The ceiling light needs fixing as one arm hangs down. The Elemis products need refilling as both shampoo and shower gel were empty. Sanitary bags non existent in the dispenser. Handle needs replacing on a chest of drawers as it is missing. More than two coat hangers needed in the built-in wardrobe. Second wardrobe cleared out of three spare duvets to free space for visitors luggage. Oh and perhaps most important, is that security door DOES NOT LOCK SECURELY, so until it is fixed, make sure your room door is LOCKED. This was reported on 14th September to a staff member. It was not fixed by the time we checked out on 16th September. Having said all that, we would revisit again knowing what to expect is some where to put your head down at the end of the day.

Great location friendly staff, great scones.

Does serving a cheap burger on a chopping board make it gourmet? The chef clearly can't follow the menu. It was terrible. Left feeling hungry and insulted by one member of staff. Won't be going back even for tea and cake. Shame it's a lovely spot.

Very unwelcoming, dirty and flies everywhere. Went in, no one greeted us and despite having only 3/4 tables of people to tend to, all the other tables were dirty and full of pots. We had to wait 10 minutes until someone came over to clean our table and didn't say a word to us and when asked if they take card payments was completely confused with the mention of it. We left soon after completely disgruntled with the awful service and hospitality. (Went to King Richards instead - where they actually clean the tables and straight after people leave too!)

I’ve never felt compelled to write a review on Google before but The Ivy House, Scarborough, was, unfortunately, very poor indeed. Lots of things, added together, made this a place I would urge other holiday-goers to avoid: draught beer pumps were broken, card-payment machine was broken, the table was dirty and smelly(!), drinks were different from what we had ordered, bin in the toilet hadn’t been emptied so there was rubbish all over the floor, glasses and cutlery were dirty, the ‘vegetarian gourmet burger’ consisted of two cheap vege-burgers in a dry bread roll (not exactly ‘gourmet’ and not including the relish promised on the menu), both our burgers were accompanied by dry chips which had obviously been cooked some time ago and very dry salad which must have been sitting around all day (definitely not fresh!). For around £9 for a burger meal, your money is most certainly better spent elsewhere! On a positive note, our experience of the staff (two young girls) was fine. They were polite. Having since read other reviews on here though, and, in particular, the owner’s responses to some of them, it seems that the owner does not posses the same manners we experienced from her staff!

A little slow when busy, only had sandwich of ham which was just cheap looking and tasting.

Food was good but portions were very small. Also the beer pumps were not working so i had a bottle instead and it was warm.

Lovely food and friendly staff!😃👍

absolutely gutted. been here with my friends for a quick bite,we thought a burger to make is simple enough and boy we were wrong. my burger came out raw in the middle, asked for an other, overcooked of course. the others's chicken burgers were ok ish, but just the bun and the chicken in between, sauce, salad you put it yourself my burger the same... the glasses were really badly stained with limescale, and to top it up, we ve seen one of the ladies getting the mayo bottle from under one of the servers armpits because her arms were full of the tray she was carrying and we re in the middle of summer... im sorry but i really didnt expect fine dining experience, just the basics, hot food, farely ok tasting, some clean dishes and some basic common sense waitoring. we were fooled by the looks of this place. but never again.

Coffie ok no beer on tap could use a spring clean

Unfortunately and disappointing they were not serving food this afternoon but the latte was nice