Ivy's in Hounslow

My wife experienced a wonderful luncheon at The Ivy, St John’s Wood. On that basis, I suggested to my colleague that we lunched at the City Garden Ivy. Unfortunately, due to crossed wires we ended up at the Ivy West Street. No special menus! Although the food was OK, the service was unfortunately lacklustre. Why the maitre’d would think it was satisfactory to present my glass of wine just as I finished my main course is beyond me. Especially when I’d asked for the wine just as the main course was served! And catching the attention of any member of the sparse serving staff was an absolute distraction to the enjoyment of the meal. Very, very disappointing.

Booked for the festive menu already but needed information regarding g gluten free options that I could not find on the website. Tried twice to call restaurant (as advised on the website) and no answer, even after a 17 minute wait. Chat bot useless. So cannot find any way at all to get the information we need. Shall we bother to let the Ivy know we are cancelling as the Ivy cannot be bothered to answer the phone?

I’ve had this on my list of to do’s for a while, so glad I was able to visit on a Friday evening having a personal goal celebration. Luckily I had made a reservation as there was a fairly big queue, the staff were polite and well polished. The food was delicious with delicate and subtle flavours, will definitely return. My only gripe was the champagne cocktail I ordered had way too much ice which diluted the drink and was overpowered by mint. This place is ideal for work, friends, family or any occasion.

Wat een prachtige plek om te eten. Waanzinnig mooi oud en authentiek art deco. Interieur. Met familie hier gegeten voorafgaand aan theaterbezoek. Dat zijn ze hier ook gewend. Prima , correcte en vlotte bediening. Erg lekker gegeten.kalfsschnitzel met erg lekkere topping van kappertjes en ansjovis met een heerlijke jus. Gevarieerde kaart en ook het eten bij de mede tafelgenoten werd goed gewaardeerd. Als ik in London zou wonen kwam ik hier zeker vaker

This is how it’s done. The Ivy is in a perfect location for the West End theatre district. The building is beautiful, service and ambiance is impeccable. The cocktails were perfectly mixed and served by a knowledgeable, professional and friendly barman and the food was wonderful. My new go-to place in London.

Uninviting and unwelcoming exterior but full of character inside. Probably not quite the usual Ivy vibe, largely due to its less vibrant decor, but rescued by the striking bar area that occupies the central area of the room. Food and service up to the usual high standard you'd expect from The Ivy. Watch out for the automatic cover 'and' service charge.

We had lunch at the Ivy. It is a pretty pub style restaurant. Beer selection was poor. Nothing on draft?? The food was very average and the server was terrible. I would not go back.

I got reservations a couple of months in advance for our dinner prior to The Mousetrap (literally just across the street). It was worth it, and there is a reason it's beloved by celebrities and the general public alike! The dinner was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced, the service was great, and the atmosphere was elegant. It was a little crowded if you have any sort of claustrophobia issue, and the restroom was in the basement (if you have accessibility issues), but it was just a wonderful experience for my high school freshman and me. Get your reservations early to have your pick of times!

It was good but not amazing ! The surrounding are really nice but it was cramped and the staff were ok but not as sharpe as you would expect, food was good but very expensive

Wonderfully relaxed dinner to celebrate a birthday. First visit to the Ivy and was obviously expecting good things. We arrived a few minutes early but our table was ready so we decided to sit and order some cocktails before eating. The waiter was very friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The cocktails (a very dirty vodka martini and a beautiful peach bellini) were delicious and well presented. The food was delicious and looked amazing. We had cheese souffle and warm duck salad to start (the salad was an amazing balance of colours, textures and temperatures, one of the best courses for a loooooooong time). This was followed by sirloin steak and baked, curried cauliflower, both with chips. The food was cooked perfectly, very tasty and we would recommend all of them. Finally, the dessert was a cheese selection and coconut sorbet. We accompanied the meal with some Veuve Clicquot and lovely dessert wine. The staff overheard a conversation about the reason for the celebration and kindly brought along some chocolates with a birthday message. Overall, we really enjoyed the whole occasion. A beautiful restaurant, in a handy central location. We are very grateful to the staff for making it such a nice night

This was a first visit for both of us. We booked as a pre-theatre treat. Sadly didn’t fancy anything on the new summer set menu and would have preferred either of the previous recent set menus given it was a quick pre-theatre visit, so we settled on the zucchini to share and a burger and the fish and chips. Both excellent but not wow. I would have gone for the Chicken Milanese or maybe salmon fishcake had they been an option. Bread was brought to the table without us having ordered it but quite a long wait for the mains so we didn’t mind the cover charge. An overzealous waitress spilt our water whilst pouring it right at the start so we spent the entire meal with extra napkins folded over the tablecloth soaking it up! She also came over repeatedly to ask if everything was OK, interrupting us mid sentence. Not ideal whilst one is having a private conversation. These visits dropped off as the restaurant became busier. The food was good and the atmosphere pleasant, although much more formal than say the Soho Ivy which is much bigger and had a real buzz about it when I went one Saturday evening. It’s a bucket list item ticked off and I’d definitely return. Hopefully when a different set menu is offered in the autumn/winter. There was no Prosecco by the glass unlike in the other Ivy restaurants. The Knickerbocker glory and peach Bellini were divine and given this was the original Ivy, the bill relatively reasonable, but we didn’t have wine. Lovely original decor and very comfortable and relaxing if one is one eating pre-theatre or after shopping.

A lovely visit to the Ivy for breakfast, a gorgeous setting great service and a tasty breakfast! Not as expensive as you would imagine we had the breakfast deal and it was lovely!

Just a brilliant restaurant. Great food and great service in a great atmosphere. Paul and Irina looked after us and made it a fun evening with great recommendations. The fish pie is the best I’ve ever had. Also a very good cheese soufflé. The prawn curry and tuna starter were praised by my wife too.

We dined here last year. I could not get this restaurant out of my head - a lot of friends and family from U.K recommended this spot. Spot on. Service, food, timing, atmosphere nailed it.

Disappointing. We haven’t been for several years, and it’s definitely lost some of its speciality. The staff were plentiful… so many that it was too much. The doorman moved out of the way so we could open the door ourselves (!), there were 3 hosts at reception asking our name (one would suffice) and as we walked through to be seated the staff walked into us expecting us to move out of their way - even though they were empty handed! There toilets were grim, blocked and broken and everything felt run down and unloved, not cared for Our server however, was brilliant, we had plenty of time to make our choices (and change our mind), the food was lovely, tasty and plentiful, and we were well looked after and not rushed out. It’s still a beautiful restaurant however the old fashioned charm, customer service and customer first has sadly gone. We went for a special wedding anniversary, but we left feeling let down. The charm that was there, the atmosphere, the amazing service and the exclusivity have sadly passed. Read less

Cant fault it great day out the staff were great and took care of everything you asked for the cocktails were amazing just a hreat time had

We went on a recommendation from locals for a pre theater dinner. Location was down the street from the Victoria Palace Theater (amazing). Ambiance was great and authentic London. Service was terrific and our meal, basic (Sheperd’s Pie) but authentic was delicious, with a gourmet presentation! We would definitely return there if in the area and certainly recommend it to others, reservations are suggested for a preferred time. We were seated since it was early and before reservations began.

I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch experience here. The classic decor set a charming ambiance, and the service struck the perfect balance of efficiency and warmth. The staff were friendly and personable, adding to the overall pleasant atmosphere. As always, the food was delicious, meeting my expectations.

Really great. Fantastic food and staff. Great atmosphere too. Nothing to complain about! Really good for vegetarians and they take care to make sure any allergies are noted.

I came to eat there with my family and we’ve liked all the food and also we’ve liked how the Italian waiter Named Giovanni serviced us gently and professionally. Highly recommended

Love this restaurant - always feel special when we visit. We visited for my birthday and the food and service did not disappoint.

We were greeted by Carolina the front of house host who was very professional and escorted us to our table. Our waitress Elitsa gave us exceptional customer service throughout our visit and nothing was too much trouble. For our main course we both had the fish pie which was so stunning it has to be the best we have ever had. When leaving the Ivy we were given such a warm send off it was lovely. It’s 10 years since we last dined at the Ivy however, I will be returning on my next trip to London.

We had a lovely brunch here. The hostess seated us quickly and Arnold, our waiter, was so attentive, helpful & friendly. Our order was done perfectly and we were able to spend some time relaxing at our table. Highly recommend!

Ana Lopez was our waitresses when we were there and was so nice and kind, helpful and great. The food was amazing and so was the dessert! 10/10 from me.

Delicious food and a lovely atmosphere. First time we’ve ever been to The Ivy and would definitely return again for a special occasion. I had the Rib Eye steak on the bone which was cooked to perfection, exactly how I’d requested it. Our party also had the Shepherds Pie and the Haddock which both got excellent reviews from the recipients. Definitely worth a visit! But watch out for the cover charge and the added service charge which is added to your bill. Standard at The Ivy but not everyone expects such a price increase at payment time.

Natalie our waitress was excellent , very friendly and helpful. I was soaking wet on arrival she got my coat off, settled me in my chair nothing was too much trouble . we had delicious food served beautifully highly recommend perfect service

Had a lovely meal here and was able to stumble across the road into St Martins Theatre to see Moustrap, without being rushed. The Ivy is such a lovely surrounding, relaxed and whilst upmarket, very comfortable to enjoy a meal in, even with teenagers. The prices are too high and even the historic Shepards Pie is under £20! Definitely there is a need to book though as it is always busy

My visit to The Ivy in left much to be desired. The service was lacking, and the food failed to impress; nothing stood out as particularly memorable. Based on this experience, I don't plan on returning anytime soon.

Storico locale, aperto fin dal 1917, nel cuore di Londra, nella zona dei principali teatri e capostipite dei vari ristoranti a marchio The Ivy presenti in gran parte del Regno Unito. Locale elegante, con diverse salette private e menù tipicamente inglese. Servizio veloce. Accanto al classico menù "à la carte" vi sono poi dei "set menu" ridotti che sono particolarmente convenienti. Suggerisco di provare i classici piatti per i quali il ristorante è famoso, tra i quali lo "Sheperd's Pie" o il Fish & Chips.

Very disappointing visit to The Ivy. Tables are crammed in so much, we may as well have been dining with the guests either side of us! Food was mediocre at best. My scallops were the smallest I've ever seen, I didn't even realise they could...

Having never been to ‘The Ivy’ but hearing about it all our lives, we booked for lunch prior to a visit to a nearby theatre. The staff were very friendly, especially our waitress. She was polite, helpful, and aware what was going on our tables. They serve complimentary bread, although ours arrived after our starters which was a bit dissapointing, however the bread was lovely and warm. All of us loved our chosen dishes, and they were well cooked and very tasty. Quite a long wait between starters and main and in my fish pie was a large piece of lobster shell. The unsatisfactory element of our meal came when the bill arrived: they add a discretionary service charge of 13.5% and a £2pp cover charge. The bread is billed on receipt as £0.00 so cannot by complimentary bread and then charge you £2. But what is the cover charge for. We asked for £8 to be removed from our bill, aware this would be coming off the service charge, however it’s one or the other. When we asked for this to be removed our waitress looked repulsed at our request and repeated it about 3 times, while then going over to a manager; who then edited the bill. Looked at us and then bought back. All in it’s a place to say I’ve visited; but there are just as good restaurants in London that are cheaper.

A nice experience despite a long wait for our table. Staff at the reception area were very welcoming but unfortunately we couldn’t get to our table until 6.45 from the 6pm booking. They were kind enough to buy us a round of drinks. We had...

We had a bit of a false start to our wedding anniversary dinner as our table was not ready on arrival and we had to wait over 20 minutes after the time that our table was booked for. We were seated at the bar whilst...

Our hotel recommended this restaurant for a pre-show dinner and made a reservation for us for two hours before our show. When we arrived, there was no table available for us and we were told to sit at the bar until one was available “in...

Amazing food and attentive staff! We went for my mother’s birthday and thoroughly enjoyed the food and ambiance, well worth a visit!

The Ivy remains an iconic old school restaurant and as such focuses on top notch service, but also on great food. A good wine list with some good value bottles (this is extremely rare in London). Clara was an excellent hostess and took good care...

I was celebrating my Birthday the food was really good the staff very attentive. The best dinner in a long time. Service was very good.

The food was delicious, and the service by Svetlana superb! Really made a special occasion feel great. Recommend it to everyone visiting London.

The dining environment has style and despite its apparent poshness, there are hints of informality which are welcome. Our 6’5” waiter was excellent - ‘on it’ and professional ; he had personality and a great sense of fun. Those serving staff with less ‘character’ -...

Food was ok but menu not that inspiring. Service was good. Fish curry was nice, sea bass was tiny, burger was ok, fish and chips was rubbish-better too thick and stodgy, fish wasn't that fresh- very disappointing.

It’s mostly the same food as you find at other Ivy locations. Except here, you pay a premium for the privilege. And then the cover charge. And then the 13.5% added, no matter how many of you there are. It’s no longer the place it...

Muy recomendable estos restaurantes. El servicio es excelente, el ambiente muy agradable y la comida estaba muy rica. Es comida inglesa bien hecha. Al mediodía tienen un menú de dos platos por menos de 20£ y son platos bastante generosos. Muy recomendable el sitio

My husband and I had a lovely evening here last night. We arrived early and had a glass of champagne and cocktail up at the bar, taking in the atmosphere. We were then shown to our table. We had bang bang chicken and duck salad,...

Counter seating for brunch was perfect. Bar staff attentive but you didn't feel like they were in your face despite sitting at the counter. Meal was delicious as were cocktails. Read quite a few recent reviews regarding bad service but, based on our experience, I...

Very mediocre. The food was not bad, but it was not very good. It is just not good enough for the location and the prices that they charge.

Having not been for years we decided to relive great times. It exceeded our aspirations, It’s quintessentially English -best ambiance, good wine selection, fantastic staff, unhurried service, great background music - and the food was perfection. Can’t wait to return.

I've been in the Ivy with my husband and we heard so many good things about it before. Definitely doesn't meet the expectations. The waitress was not great, she didn't meet the standards. Her uniform couldn't cover the tattoos, way too much jewelry and hair was not tied up properly. For most of the time we did not have any water. For starter I ordered Beef Fillet Carpaccio which was lacking saltiness, My husband had Cornish Shellfish Bisque which was really horrible! Way too rich for a soup, could work as a nice sauce but it's definitely not what you expect it to be. For main I had a Duck Curry which was quite tasty and my partner had a Rumb of Lamb which was not so bad but not great as well. For dessert we had a Fondant which was very ordinary. Overall drinks were good but, food not so much. We've been to many Ivy Collections around the UK so we expected the original to be perfect but it wasn't even close. The place looks lovely with an old fashioned style, hostess was very nice. The ground floor got a great atmosphere but upstairs is losing it. I'm happy that we tried it but definitely not gonna come back.

Came here last night for my birthday with my fiancé and cannot fault this place at all. From the moment you walk in to when you leave the staff are very polite and lovely, the food is amazing and my partner absolutely loved the cocktail he had. Will definitely be back. Thank you

Visted London for mine and the wife's 10 year wedding anniversary and how bitterly disappointing. What was meant to be a lovely night was ruined by a snobby waiter and cold food.

First time visiting the Ivy and we were not disappointed! Lovely setting, food was good but the service was outstanding. We were looked after by Costela who was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, she was able to help my husband (who has a dairy allergy) through the options and all without having to go and look for the information.. it was so reassuring that she knew the menu inside and out, and I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. Thank you Costela for such a great experience!

The host and security guard were lovely, however the manger in duty looked me and my friend who were visiting London up and down like something on his shoe. Left fairly upset, and left before eating or drinking. Fair to say we have never felt so belittled before in our lives. Absolutely disgusting service and could hear him talking about us to other staff members.

My friend and I booked a visit to London as we were excited at the prospect of finally being able to move around the county, safe to say we have been well and truly let down in our experience at the Ivy in London. We were especially disappointed as we were used to the welcome atmosphere at the Leeds branch, however upon arrival the main host greeted us with nothing short of a cold shoulder. We immediately felt uncomfortable and very much unwelcome, we were made to feel two foot tall and left before the drinks got to the table. Overall we were very disappointed and it has gad a very negative impact on our night.

I visited here for the first time this week The king prawn tempura were amazing the chicken yakotori were ok Our mains come steak noodles and veg it was tasty but cold I didn’t want to complain as the waiter Antonio was so lovely . In high sight I should of cause it would have been a lot nicer We had desert it was delicious dark chocolate and cherry mouse it was good xThe place was stunning Antonio was very helpful respectful and knowledgeable I would have to think about going again incase my mains were cold

Came here for lunch yesterday, and was expecting more. Food was OK, nothing to complain about - but left us underwhelmed. The service was good, we were well looked after by our waiter.The wine was expensive. £75 for Sancerre, and £4.75 bottled water. Oh, and 15% service charge - plus £2 per person cover charge. Not worth it, just to say we had been..... disappointed.

My wife & I enjoyed a delightful lunch at the Ivy today. The atmosphere there is classy but relaxed. Service is friendly & efficient but not overbearing. Food delicious, washed down with half a carafe of scrummy chardy. What could be better??

Had lunch to celebrate my parent's 60th wedding anniversary and loved every minute of it. Beautiful dining room with top notch service and a steady hand with classic dishes. Always a nice buzz about the place and the staff are great fun but totally professional. Proper old school restaurant and long may that continue.

Very overpriced and I couldn’t understand why?!+Helpful lady at reception.- Food was very bad.Burger looks like a Big Mac plain with 7 days bun..Pork belly I was expecting to be fatty but not just fat at room temperature.No one check back never.All night I couldn’t sleep I had diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting!When I decided to write this review I seen that is a Michelin star and I can’t believe it... the only Michelin thing there are the prices..

I had the great displeasure of visiting the Ivy yesterday for Lunch for what I thought would be a First Class dining experience but I could not be more wrong as Fine Dining unfortunately ceases to exist anymore! The place is more noisy and crowded than an underground station!! You can literally go insane with the volume level and I am still recovering from a headache from this Ghastly Horrendous experience!! The food is very very average and certainly not Michelin star!!! AND as for the waiters who are most very unattentive and just buzz around the place like Gigantic Flies without giving you the slightest bit of attention or the time of day!!! I am most exceptionally dissatisfied with my dining experience yesterday....

As a regular customer the Service is still 100% perfection , However the menu and food has declined so much . For started i had the smocked salmon . A plate arrived with smoked salmon splattered on a plate with a blob of cream cheese in the middle ( all that was missing was the bagal!) no thought whatsoever put in the look of this dish . For main my I had lobster. it was very average unfortunately .I have always loved this restaurant and always recommend . Please please someone sort out what is coming out of the kitchen as something is drastically going wrong .

After a year of lockdown, finally my husband, daughter and I had planned a day out in London to celebrate her Birthday. We asked for a table and were lucky to get one almost straight away by sitting outside. Good so far. Having been to their sister restaurant in Tunbridge Wells the week before, as part of a group of six and enjoyed the Monkfish and prawn curry I persuaded my daughter to try one with me in Covent Garden. The flavour was good but the service was very cold from the waiter who spent more time talking to his colleagues that attending tables. We finally caught his attention and informed him that I had half eaten a large shard of plastic from my curry. He asked if I'd like the curry replaced and I accepted as I wasn't sure how many other pieces of plastic were in the first one.The Manager approached and apologised and informed me that the shard of plastic came from the storage container that the prawns are kept in, and that the wait wouldn't be too long. Finally after another 15 -20 minutes a fresh dish arrived but sadly the rest of the family had eaten their meals by then and the moment has passed.To add insult to injury, we were then charged for all three of the curries and had to ask for a refund for the replacement one. Once again the Manager arrived with platitudes and removed the price of the one curry from the bill. I said at the time "You are really not doing very well are you?" He smiled weakly and walked away. What was going to be a really nice first visit to the Ivy Covent Garden turned into a facade. We asked for the bill, having had just one course as we were so disappointed, and left without so much as a good bye from the waiter. Service charge was also taken at 15% for abysmal service. Needless to say, we will not be returning any time soon!! I have owned restaurants and worked in Catering all my life and feel that their attitude towards their customers is on a take it or leave it basis as we are just another tourist passing by. Beware!

What a very sad state The Ivy has become. We used to dine there regularly before covid but now it’s totally lost it’s way. It used to mean something to dine there and be a really special place to go, As we walked in last night really looking forward to going back we were faced with a young couple in hot pants and trainers, a waiter that walked around with his hand in his pocket and the worst thing was no one seemed to care anymore. We won’t after many years bother going back, it’s so sad to see what we saw as an institution disappear and become almost a fast food chain with cutlery.

First visit, accepting the current times, it was very enjoyable, simple food which they do very well, great wine list. Recommended.

We have been meaning to try The Ivy for some time and took the opportunity for our anniversary. On arrival we were seated at the bar whilst our table was made up. We had lovely cocktails at the bar and looked around at the stunning surroundings. The place had a real buzz which you don't often get in the current climate and was really nice. Unexpected for 330 on a Thursday! Thereafter it just got a bit OK. Sat down and they didn't offer us the set menu which is a little naughty. We were going to order al a carte anyway but I think if someone had been too shy to ask they would have felt it cheeky and maybe misled. Service was efficient, no small talk, no enquiring or anything which felt a little cold if I'm honest. We didn't see the same waiter or waitress twice. Our house wine wasn't very nice and also wasn't very cold. Food was OK. Mushy peas with the fish and chips had a nice flavour Nothing, haddock was ok but the batter was boring and soggy.. shepherd's pie again was OK. Nothing special. We had our two courses, coffee and 180.00 later left the building as if we hadn't been anywhere special and it hadn't been a special occasion. I won't go back. Box ticked for the visit. Move on to places with friendlier service who actually make you feel like a valued customer

The Ivy West Street, or “Head Office” as we call it, are really being outshone by its “Bistro” sister restaurants that are opening up around the country. Especially “The Ivy Grill” & the stunning “Ivy in the Lanes, Brighton” . Service is cold . The decor is dated and compared to its Bistro chain, all rather drab. We placed our order and was told our bread was “on its way” . Couple of minutes later was informed my main coarse was currently unavailable (Pork Belly) so I had to pick another dish. Why wasn’t I informed when 1st given the Menu ? Meanwhile everyone seated around us was getting their bread, but not us ! Sounds petty but it’s another sign that the place has gone down hill. Our starters arrived and its wasn’t long before we noticed the Avocado Caesar salad had no avocado in it. We obviously mentioned this and it was taken back to the kitchen. While one of us sat with our starters in front of us waiting for the salad to return with hopefully this time avocado. Which it did. By this time we are still waiting for our bread and once the starters were cleared we asked for some bread. The main dishes arrived and looked and tasted good but the portion size of the gnocchi is tiny. Good job I had ordered sidedishes to accompany my steak as the gnocchi would not be enough to fill anybody.  My steak was over cooked. I ordered medium but it came cooked well done . I didn’t complain I just ate it . We didn’t want to come across as complainers . So suffered in silence..We’ve ticked the Ivy “head office” box and won’t return, not while the Ivy Bistro restaurants are so much more enjoyable.It’s sad to see this London institution on its knees.

We went to The Ivy for dinner, to celebrate a birthday. What an excellent choice it proved to be. We were shown to our table for two, and noted that covid requirements were strictly observed. For starters, I had a heritage beetroot salad, and my wife a cheese soufflé. For mains I had a steak, perfectly cooked to my choice, and my wife a fish dish. For dessert, I had apple pie (with Devonshire clotted cream!), and my wife had crème brûlée - rounded off with two espresso coffees. This was a first class, excellent, meal. Service was immaculate throughout; efficient and friendly.The room is delightful, in the Art Nouveau style. Although full, there was a calmness, and no overbearing noise, even though quiet music was playing.Highly recommended for a memorable event.

Not sure I want to waste any more time on this place by writing a review, they really are not interested, or at least that is how they made me feel. If they want some good staff head down to the "Sexy Fish"... that is how you do service. Shame the Ivy used to be the place to go ... Oh dear they have so lost that title .....Won't be going back

My partner and I couldn’t wait to go back to the Ivy, it’s one of those staples of London hospitality and we were so excited to be back. Unfortunately, we were sorely let down...When we arrived, we were guided upstairs to what they call “the upstairs gallery” but which was really the overflow room. No effort had been made to make that room pleasant and to the level of the room downstairs - we took our seats there but we noticed a couple being brought up and refusing to sit there, and I wish we had been so bold. From that point on, everything took ages. Getting menus, getting our order, getting our drinks, getting our food, getting the bill. That overflow room really wasn’t that busy, at some point there were 5 tables for 3 waiters. And yet we were completely forgotten every step of the way. Drinks: we ordered cocktails, food and a bottle of wine. We waited so long for our cocktails, the wine arrived first. The waiter who had taken our order served the wine and didn’t even notice we hadn’t received our cocktails yet. We were given bread and butter, the butter was cold. We had carpaccio and tartare for starters: lovely flavours but the portions were too small. Carpaccio lacked dressing too. Oui main courses were the duck curry and the Dover sole mauniere. Despite waiting a long time for our dishes, there both delicious when they arrived. Following that, no one gave us the dessert menu. And things just became comical: no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t get anyone’s attention. Until my partner managed to get someone’s attention...and it turned out he was a guest and didn’t work there. We obviously apologised profusely but the staff didn’t even notice what was going on. When we finally got someone, we dropped the idea of a cheese course and just ordered dessert to get the ordeal over with. Thankfully the baked Alaska was absolutely gorgeous. When we finally managed to get the bill, and we have never done that before, we decided we shouldn’t have to pay the “discretionary service charge”. When the waiter approached to take our payment, we said we weren’t happy to pay that charge at this time and would like it halved. No effort from the waiter to understand why, he just said he needed to check that with his manage. The manager came back with a new bill and the charge removed (but a £3 “cover charge” added), again, no effort made to understand why. Overall, this was delicious food...ruined by terrible service.

Unfortunately this began through a mistake of our own, in going to the wrong Ivy (I know!), but we called up and said we would be there 15 mins late, which we managed, and assumed everything would be okay. 15 mins isn't the end of the world.However on arrival, they kept us waiting for an extra 5 minutes, only to be told that we couldn't sit at our table, as we wouldn't finish in time due to us being 40 minutes late (categorically untrue, it was 15 minutes, 20 with the delay on their part). The woman (presumably the manager?) saying this did seem stressed so I'm guessing they were overly busy, but there was no need for the exaggeration, especially considering you're paying for good service. I think she might have been trying to help us so that we wouldn't have to vacate the table early to be fair, but if they had seen us on arrival, 15 mins late, it wouldn't have been necessary.Luckily they did allow us to sit at the bar but it was disappointing to be treated like that at the beginning. To be fair after that, the service at the bar was outstanding, and the food was pretty good. The man serving us behind the bar was brilliant, so thumbs up for that.

Such a beautiful environment 1920/30’s hints with a modern twist. The environment is both cosy and safe. The food is lovely, great flavours, and presentation The service was perfect and attentive. Clearly very busy and popular so you need to book. It is in a lovely central location.

First evening out after lockdown, so went somewhere special. Unfortunately the initial meet of the cloakroom girls was unfriendly, messy and too many of them treading on each other’s toes. Shame after the door man was so friendly whilst we waited outside before entering, as the girls couldn’t get their act together. Disappointed with food. Very small portions, although delicious, not value for money.

Having booked a table for a birthday lunch 10 days in advance, I called three days before to confirm the booking and ask for a ‘birthday plate. Upon arrival it was incredibly busy and the receptionist said they were getting our places for ‘bar dining’ ready. I advised her I had booked an actual table and she told me I had definitely booked bar dining. On their website it says that bar dining is for walk ins and not for reservations so I know I hadn’t booked this. I showed her my email reservation and miraculously a table was found. The service at the table was great - efficient, friendly and polite. We were not given the option of the set menu that is on their website and even though we ordered the options on it - were charged full price. The birthday plate did not arrive. I didn’t bother complaining at the time as I didn’t want to embarrass my guest whose birthday it was. The food was nice not amazing. Overall completely underwhelmed. Visiting a premium place like this should be a special experience and it was very average.

Arrived 16.50 for a 17.oo booking. Table not ready. After waiting 15 minutes shown to a seat at the bar where we asked for frozen marguerites but we’re told they could not make these, settled for a couple of glasses of champagne to pass the time.Eventually shown to our table ,for two, at 17.40. Taken upstairs to a cold gloomy lifeless room with plastic floral arrangements, atmosphere rated as zero. Ordered our food and a bottle of champers, it was my partners birthday, the waiter came back and said the champagne we ordered was not available. The food was of the quality you would get in a Berni Inn. Asked for lemon sorbet for dessert but this was not available. We were smartly dressed, jackets etc but we’re surrounded by T shirts, shorts trainers etc. Was not made to feel special at all.This was our first time and were very disappointed.

If you choose to use this bunch of thieves tip them with cash as they steal 60% from their staff tips. Food is rubbish too.

Was a lovely meal with friends .. high end food and service . Was very busy . I had cheese soufflé / sea bass / and baked Alaska ... was truly delicious and could notice no corners cut with ingredients and quality . Was expensive for 3 people with 2 drinks each .. but I’m a firm believer you get what you pay for . Would go back and recommend to anyone to go there

I have been coming to this restaurant since the late 1980s and there is something, still, special about the Ivy in West Street. It's not the food, which is upmarket Cote; it's not the clientele, the perma-tanned girls and boys from Essex conducting photoshoots of their shepherd's pies; and it's not to celeb' spot anymore - although Christopher Biggins can be spotted occasionally and Mary Berry was even in there a year or so ago. No, what is special about the Ivy in West Street is the ambience and the service - special shout out to the lovely Nathan who is always friendly, attentive and professional. It is a lovely space in which to sit and munch away on your frozen chips, it's classy without being stuffy, which is, I think, it's biggest asset along with its staff. And so, I forgive the Ivy its average, pricy food and the fact that the mash, the chips and I am sure much else arrives frozen in the middle of the night, forklifted off the back of a Brakes van, I forgive it all when I sit in its lovely dining room sipping my Viognier and waving to Biggins in the corner.

This original Ivy restaurant near St Martin's Lane was rather disappointing. I had expected an exceptional Michelin style and standard of cooking. In fact the level is similar to the Ivy Café chain though quite a bit more expensive. Basically this is good quality but overpriced bistro food positioning itself as some thing much better. We were put in the upstairs dining room which lacks conviviality to say the least. The service was good. In summary, I don't see what all the fuss is about and there are many many much better places in London. (PS The Ivy Cafés in Marylebone and St John's Wood have a nicer atmosphere)

Was really looking forward to going. My first time. But there is NO social distancing at all. Felt uncomfortable. Food was very nice and traditional, but my wife’s chocolate fondant was over cooked, sent back, only for it to come back exactly the same! In fairness they took it off the bill, but took the shine off. Overall, nice enough, food is reasonably priced, drinks over priced, you pay for the name. If you are looking for traditional English - try Rules or even Simpsons on the Strand.

Pretty restaurant with an amazing view. Food nothing fantastic. Friendly staff. Drinks came after food and waited ages for a card machine to pay. Nothing special, would only recommend for the view.

Always excellent service, great food and a fabulous atmosphere. So please that they managed to find us a table despite being super busy.

I booked the ivy, because I thought it would be nice. How wrong was I. They ruined my husbands 50th birthday. We were running 10 minutes late, so we rung and told them. They said this was no problem..we were booked in for 8pm and got there at 8.15..we were told to wait at the bar , we sat there for 1 hour before they sat us down..we then waited 20 minutes to be served a drink, we had to ask to be served twice to order our food. After 45 minutes of still waiting for a starter, we decided to leave. The manager apologised and said he was aware of the problems while we were there and would be in touch the next day to make it up to us. Still not heard anything from him, 3 days later! The ivy ruined our night, but more importantly ruined my husbands 50th birthday so disappointed. If I cud given zero stars I would have.

The standard of service was courteous but the kitchen was so slow it screwed up the dinner.1 hr 20 minutes from finished starter to the main course .The starter of melon and duck very good the main course of Cod…just warm and only ok.It just took too long and was unacceptable at the prices charged.Tired and needs the managers and kitchen to get their act together.Not a place to celebrate till they get themselves sorted.It’s an ok brassiere not special….AT THIS TIME

That is all I am going to say....had it today and now I know I have lived! It was way beyond expectations....

Can't wait o be back here again! Amazing food out of this world and the service was impeccable! Thanks all!

I was a guest at The Ivy West Street in April 2019 as well as all my good friends and family. I have been in the restaurant before but not really impressed with the service and food, we had to wait more than 15 minutes just to be seated. This time we were celebrating a very important birthday and many people were invited so we booked the whole private room upstairs and last minute we had to change plans for drinks, menus and etc. We made a bunch of strange requests that were not included in the planned before evening. However, the manager there(Graham) was absolute sweetheart and he insist with all our whims for the whole night. He and the waiters were spot on professional. We changed drinks on arrival so we had a beautifully served champagne on entering the room where the interior was looking really authentic. On the back there where our tables were everything was put together nicely(I am very picky for details). Later we were sat down and food and drinks were served. We had a pumpkin soup for a starter and a roasted chicken as a main dish. Both really really well executed. The desert was a bit too poor for my taste(chocolate panna cotta) but overall --BRAVO chef. The wines were good and after we finished with the food we went to the bar for extra drinks. We laughed and danced till late night and I am pretty sure at one point we came a bit too much for the staff but they have managed us and I think we all shared a great evening at the end. It was a brilliant celebration with amazing food and very professional service. Can't wait to visit again and would definitely look back for Graham!

visiting the UK from New Zealand in 2019, while in London friends booked us into The Ivy. Beautiful experience from the moment you step in, with such a cool bar to have pre dinner drinks at. Old school charm - like stepping back in time from this frenzied digital world. The food was incredible, the service immediate and discreet. Wine was kept in an ice bucket and glasses topped up at precisely the right intervals. Oh to live like this every night. Amazing, would go back in a heartbeat.

Have been lucky enough to visit a few times and interestingly I saw in my last review in 2018 that I had commented that personal space was very limited. This time around with Covid at it's height I felt that it was worse. Part of the appeal of the Ivy is it is fast moving, intimate and there is a very lively atmosphere. The food is always good as it was this time, well cooked, well presented, good portions and really flavoursome. The wine list is OK but I feel somewhat overpriced. Service at the table very good.When you book they give you a time slot and it is very precise, they also highlight that the table is only available for a fixed period of time. I have no problem with that as again it's part of the DNA of the place. When you arrive on time you expect to be taken care of fairly fast, this time around it was standing outside in the cold for 10 minutes, then 10 minutes in the very small lobby with other people and other diners passing to a from the cloakrooms, there seemed to be no real consideration for Covid and minimal communication about when your table will be ready. If you only have the table for 90 minutes and you are already running 20 minutes late when you sit down that is not great. I fully appreciate that the restaurant trade is severely challenged at this time and i do not want to post negative reviews about what is a great restaurant but I feel they need to manage their queueing more effectively and more safely.

I thought they would have spaced tables out for COVID reasons but other than a couple of plastic partitions it seemed to have the same amount of tables very close together - putting a hand sanitiser on the table is not adequate - space is what is needed. Food was good but the vegetable side dishes were over salted which spoilt the mains - been coming here for years but felt a bit let down on this occasion

I have always wanted to go here, and it was not a disappointment, the staff were exceptional , we were looked after by the manager Mattia and his assistant, true professionalism. I have to say read the review from a disgruntled customer George. If you treat staff with grace you will get the same curtesy back, maybe your table did not offer that. Great restaurant for food and service.

Just to say we had a wonderful meal last night (Table 8 for future reference), Have been many times as love the overall ambience, decor, lighting, service and food for I believe are reasonable prices. Have to highlight special praise for the service last night which was exemplary so a big Thank You to all concerned.As Arnie says I will be back.

We are big fans of the Ivy and have visited around 8-9 times in various locations since September. The Ivy West Street is one of our favourites and decided to lunch there again today. On arrival we were told “you’ve just arrived in time” in fact we were 5 minutes early, and shown to a very nice table. The food and service was excellent, but when we had finished eating (the baked Alaska was delicious ) we were told “as a heads up” that they would require our table in 5-10 minutes and did we want tea or coffee. As this was being rushed we declined. Not the treatment we would expect at this restaurant. This was unfortunate and unnecessary.

What a disappointment, from food to service. We had booked several weeks ago, and were seated upstairs. The menu was extremely limited. We skipped starters and ordered a main, with sides. We also ordered a bottle of wine. The food arrived and it was just so disappointing, the fish and chips did not even have a slice of lemon. The burger was the worst ever, and the cheese on top was grated. Through out the time the waiter ignored us, and we had to ask for our cup glasses to be refilled. Even when the food was served no one came to ask if it was ok. This is an expensive “Bills” and I would not recommend it to anyone.

First and last visit to The Ivy I’m afraid. Firstly the COVID precautions are very poor, small reception area with no social distancing, no temperature checks, people just drinking at the bar, tables not 2 metres apart, staff walking about with their masks pulled down, tables of clearly mixed households and most of the dinners walked about with no masks and no challenge. The food was good but a long way off anything like the best I’ve had in this price range. My lamb was only just warm, Ox stew lacked any real flavour, our cream brûlée was good but nothing exceptional. A whopping 12.5% service charge.The Ivy is just relying on its historical name. I felt that I was just at an expensive tourist attraction rather than fine dining restaurant. There are many many more better restaurants at half the cost.

This would have been a 5 star rating but thanks to one employee, Mattia, I am giving this restaurant a 1 star rating. What started out as a very pleasant afternoon with a nice meal and drinks and a very professional service by the lady who was serving our table, quickly soured thanks to Mattia. More specifically, after we finished our meal, we ordered cognac mulled wine which Mattia took at least 20-25 minutes to bring over only to warn us that we would need to leave in 20 minutes. To that I said, we would have to return our drinks as that didn’t give us enough time. Mattia snapped back and said that 20 minutes is plenty of time and that he wouldn’t be taking our drinks back. If he were to do that we would have to leave right away even though one of my friends was still drinking her coffee … To cut a long story short, Mattia’s behaviour was rude, unprofessional and completely patronising. When my friends and I called him out on it, he started muttering some angry words in another language. To top it all off, Mattia was the only employee in the restaurant to not wear a mask yet he was coming closer and closer to us as his behaviour was quickly spiralling out of control. When we asked him to keep some distance, he said “I am far enough” and that “we are the ones that will infect him, as he doesn’t have any symptoms!!”. This is the last thing that your customers need in the middle of a pandemic and in the run up to Christmas. Mattia, who claimed to be the manager, is the least appropriate person for the job. If you care about your business, your customers and the rest of the staff, you either need to remove Mattia or teach him some customer service basics… Overall a hugely negative experience in the run up to Christmas and right before London goes into another lockdown. I will definitely not be going back to the Ivy any time soon.

My Boss put me on to this place and I often end up in their regional equivalents in across Southern England. I have to say, the original is the best by a Country Mile! Staff very pleasant and accommodating, food is good but importantly, it's consistently good. The rest rooms are incredibly clean and service is prompt. The regional variants in Guildford, Tunbridge Wells and Winchester are okay, but the one that spawned them all just has it licked! I just love the atmosphere here on a busy day, it's great for an intimate meeting with clients, who are never disappointed. The wine is always cold, the bread fresh, staff attentive and helpful. Too often pretension takes over and the basics are neglected. Not here!

My husband and I visited The Ivy on our shopping trip to London and were shocked at how The Ivy, London did not adhere to the Covid rules for Tier 2?!Upon arriving at the restaurant we had to stand waiting with approx 6 other people, not socially distanced as there is not the space, our temperature was not taken which in other Ivy collection restaurants this does take place. We were taken eventually after a 15 minute wait upstairs and sat at a table next to the bar area where 4 very loud gentleman were stood drinking! As the rules state you should not be standing at a bar area drinking and I’m pretty sure the 4 gentleman were not of the same household, another rule in tier 2 to be in a restaurant.We complained and the staff did move us downstairs to a nice table, socially distanced and the waitress was very helpful and the meal was very nice. However we would not return to the restaurant, in the light of so many deaths due to Covid and necessary restrictions put in place, it is no good when restaurants such as this ignore the rules as it then spoils it for venues that do adhere to the rules. Very disappointing for a restaurant that had such a good reputation.

Having waited for what seems like a lifetime to be able to go out for a meal, our family were really looking forward to our trip to the Ivy, having been several times in the past.We arrived on time and were informed that our table was not quite ready and were led upstairs where we could wait and have a drink. We waited for around 30 minutes, which wasn't too much of a problem as we enjoyed some of the festive cocktails on offer.Once seated everything seemed to go ok, except perhaps the food was a little slow coming out and there were long gaps between courses with our main course coming out nearly 2 hours after we were seated.Then it started to go wrong.Before the main course plates had been cleared, one of the staff approached my son and said that we need to clear the table. I questioned this as we had not even had a chance to look at the desert menu. I was told we had taken too long and they need the table for another booking.I explained the delay was due to the slow pace the food arrived and the long delays between courses, but it fell on deaf ears and we were effectively thrown off our table. When my wife got wind of what was happening, she was a little upset, as unknown to the rest of us (we were a party of 5) she had arranged a small celebration desert as it was my son and his girlfriends first outing since their engagement and I had just had a significant birthday.She explained this to the manager and later,a pathetic looking saucer with two scoops of ice cream and congratulations written in chocolate sauce arrived just as we were leaving.We were offered drinks upstairs, but by then we just wanted to leave so paid the almost 4 figure bill and left, probably never to return. Which is a shame as we've had some lovely lunches there in the past, but there are plenty of other places in the area that are just as good.I'm giving this one star as there is no way that customers should suffer due to staff issues and I notice that there have been similar incidents recently.

First time here although we have been to a number of the Cafe’s.The soufflé was shared and was really nice and my wife had chicken and I took the fish and chips and both were good. Despite being full we shared a knickerbocker glory which is rarely seen on menus and a childhood favourite of mine.

We booked this restaurant for our 25th wedding anniversary. We had a rather long email exchange with the venue before our visit as my wife has Coeliac disease and wanted to make sure that she would be catered for once we arrived. We were given assurance that all dishes could be made gluten free and that they would make us feel special on our wedding anniversary. We arrived on the first day of being out of lockdownWell that was as far as the good customer service went!When we arrived we where shown to our table and straight away a waiter came over to us and said "which one of you is gluten free" he then went on to explain that whatever we wanted on the menu he would explain in detail if it was gluten free. At this point my wife asked about every starter on the menu and the waiter didn't have a clue if it was gluten free and said he would have to go and ask someone. Well why say that he could tell my wife that he knew what was gluten free when he clearly didn't know?My wife ended up ordering the Champagne and truffle risotto £24.50 and when it arrived it looked like a smearing of rice pudding on a dinner plate. This arrived stone cold. My wife queried it. It should of been hot but she got a look of you must be lying from the waiter. For main my wife order the Shepherds pie as she was told that was gluten free. Twenty minutes later she was informed the shepherds pie did in fact have gluten in. So back to the menu for another choice! this time she went for the corn fed chicken breasts £21.50 which turned out to be two chicken legs and a bit of gravy. I asked for the Botanist gin and when the bill arrived it had listed bath tub gin. I did mention this to the waiter and all i got was a shrug of the shoulders.There were at least two to three waiters standing around our table which was very imitating the whole time we were thereThe whole evening left a very sour taste in our mouths after spending £182.59. After being in lockdown for a month you would think they would want to get it right.I so wish we went back to Tom Kerridge bar and grill for a far better service and food.

Visited The Ivy for an early Saturday night dinner. We booked seats at the bar and it was really nice to have such a view of the restaurant after a month of being stuck inside the house!The service was attentive but not rushed. Going to other restaurants with Covid restrictions in place, the service has felt rushed where restaurants are under pressure to get people in and out quickly as their capacity has been reduced. That was not the case here; we always had water and wine glasses topped up and some excellent whiskey recommendations from the bar staff. It was really nice to feel as relaxed as possible and enjoy the setting!The food was really good; I had lobster bisque followed by rump of lamb and my partner had salmon sashimi followed by duck massaman curry. We both really enjoyed our evening and would definitely come back again!

I was lucky enough to carry out some work for The Ivy a few years ago with their IT network. This weekend me and my partner booked in for lunch and the service is still as exceptional as ever. Great food, personalised service and a superb experience overall. Will be returning in the new year. Thank you for everything!