The Exeter Arms in Derby

I absolutely love this place, I normally just sit at the bar and soak up the atmosphere which is completely different to anywhere else in Exeter, but this time I had some food too. The Service was spot on as always and the beef burger was so tasty. As I said, the atmosphere of the place is my favourite part, the staff are welcoming every time I enter the building. You don't often get that!

Went there for a birthday celebration with my partner. The decor is stunning and relaxing place to sit and eat. Booked an evening meal but we were early and they didn’t have a problem moving our reservation. We were waited on by Robyn who was professional but also friendly and helpful. The food was presented beautifully and absolutely delicious. Definitely recommend and will be visiting again.

Luckily I won’t my afternoon tea for 2 as I wouldn’t have paid for it. Despite putting it on the booking and also a phone call plus telling the waitress, we still ended up with salmon on one plate. We have reaction to salmon!! The chicken brioche was below par, a few thin strips of breaded chicken escalope covered in garlic mayo and 2 obviously shop bought muffins topped it of. It was pleasant but not what I thought it would be bearing in mind the reputation. Plus side, hot chocolate was nice.

Had a very nice meal before seeing Seth Lakeman at Exeter Cathedral. The food was delicious, and the staff were helpful and pleasant. Would definitely eat here again.

Love to come to the ivy for breakfast and dinner with my family and friends. Great atmosphere and delicious food.

Excellent dining experience! We wanted an early lunch whilst on our shopping trip and were pleased to be greeted with a warm welcome. The staff were very attentive, the atmosphere in the restaurant was really nice and the food was so fresh and tasty! We had sticky toffee pudding to end and were wowed with the presentation and flavour. Highly recommend.

Meal was really good,tried the sea bass. I was very happy with the service as well.

A group of four of us visited The Ivy Exeter for afternoon tea on Saturday to celebrate both my friend’s and my 40th birthdays, and unfortunately, we left feeling quite disappointed. Upon arrival, there was no one at the front desk, so we waited in the foyer. When the hostess eventually arrived, her demeanour was far from welcoming—she seemed disinterested, with no smile or warmth, making us feel as though we were an inconvenience. We were then seated at an incredibly cramped table—too small for two people, let alone four—and squeezed in amongst other tables that were uncomfortably close. The waiting staff bumped into my chair several times while serving the neighbouring tables, which was quite frustrating. On a positive note, the waiter who served us was friendly and tried to accommodate my request for a cold drink instead of a hot one. Unfortunately, I was told this wasn’t possible, and the only option offered was iced coffee—something I couldn’t have due to health reasons. In the end, I had to settle for tea, though the waiter was kind enough to arrange for water to be brought to the table as well. As for the afternoon tea itself, it was underwhelming, especially considering the price of £33.50 per person. It’s not the cheapest afternoon tea out there, and the quality certainly didn’t justify the cost. The food consisted of three tiny finger sandwiches, two small fruit scones with very little jam and cream to accompany them, one bite-sized piece of pistachio Battenberg, a bite-sized chocolate dessert, and a regular-sized lemon and poppyseed cupcake. Sadly, the bread of the sandwiches had gone hard and stale, the Battenberg lacked flavour beyond sweetness, the scones were dry, and the sponge of the cupcake was hard and flavourless. It was disheartening to pay almost £70 per couple for such a disappointing spread. After finishing our meal, we waited quite a while before anyone came over to check on us, and eventually, my husband had to flag down a waiter to request the bill. When the bill arrived, a 12.5% service charge had been automatically added, which we chose not to pay in full. While I did feel guilty about this, we felt the overall experience didn’t warrant the full tip, although we did leave a partial one. In summary, it felt as though The Ivy prioritises style over substance—there’s a clear focus on décor and presentation, but sadly little attention to the quality of the food. Had any staff inquired about our food or experience, we would have been honest about the issues, but no one asked at any point during our visit. Having seen similar reviews, I sincerely hope this feedback is taken as an opportunity to improve.

A fabulous evening- the food was sublime as was the atmosphere. Our server was brilliant. A must!

Had a very disappointing experience at The Ivy Exeter for a Valentine’s dinner. We waited an unreasonable amount of time (around 50 mins) for our main courses to arrive after our starters. Understandably, it was busy as it was Valentines weekend and our waiter was very apologetic as he had made a mistake causing this delay. However when we raised the issue with the manager, she was very condescending and dismissive, insisting the delay was actually "on track"—despite us watching every surrounding table receive their mains, dessert and leaving by the time we got served our mains. Ultimately, our Valentines dinner was ruined by this level of service by the management. I expected much better from The Ivy for the price we paid and the level of standard they hold themselves up to.

This is our 1st visit to the ivy in Exeter. Right from when you step in you can tell this is going to be a 1st class experience. Stunning décor and the staff very professional, but nice to be able to have a chat. We went as a family of 4. Mum dad and my wife. My wife and I had the blackened cod with a side of zucchini frites and the lemon and salted broccoli stems . Absolutely stunning 5* Parents both had the flat iron chicken,with side of parmesan truffle fries. They thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately we enjoyed it so much didn't take any pictures 😁

Best restaurant in Exeter. Amazing service, atmosphere and food

Attended the PBN networking event, The Ivy amazing as always.

Was really special to receive a birthday 'profiterole' cake on the house 🎂🎉 lovely staff and lovely food 🫶🏼

Magical atmosphere, perfect attentive service, delicious food!

Went for a birthday dinner. Great food and excellent service as you expect from the Ivy. Will be going again.

Marginally better than last time I went. They decided a dessert spoon was more appropriate to eat my soup with this time. It's still overpriced.

The Ivy is popular for a reason! A stunning resturant with loads of photo opportunities. The food was yummy and flavorful however as expected on the pricier side. Would be back for a special occasion.

Been to the ivy about 6 times now and my last experience with the food was very poor which is such a shame as I love the ivy. I ordered the lobster linguine but when I got it there wasn’t much lobster and only the claw I’d expect the tail atleast for £36.50 not to mention the pasta was way over cooked. The starter I had the squid which was chewy but last time was spot on hence why I ordered it so that was a real shame desert however was really nice. Hope this is a one off I’d like to try it again see if it is just that.

The best service I have experienced, FANTASTIC. The food, however, was not that great. My son's bone-in rib eye was cooked perfectly, but mine was heavily overcooked. To give the staff credit, without any questions the steak was removed, cooked over, as well as all the a-la-carte side dishes. But the steak lacked flavor, it could have used seasoning. I stopped myself from asking for steak sauce, not to disrespect the chef. Wouldn't give this another try, unless just for desert. Creme Brule and Apple Tarte were fantastic.

A review of 2 halves. Met with friendly staff, shown to table and told the wait for food was 45 minutes. Ok. Ordered my food at the bar and then the wait started. When the food arrived 90 minutes later ( with no apology or update on the lateness) it was wrong to what I ordered. The staff checked and the person who took my order put it through wrong. Even though staff offered to correct it, i couldn’t suffer another wait to accepted what was served. Have to say the food was good but unfortunately tainted by the wait and error in processing what i wanted. Its the 3rd time i have been here. Precious times have been excellent but this visit put me off.

Really disappointed pains me to write this review. Was mixed, one had veggie burger and loved it but others not so great 2 cold Sunday dinners and a rubbish Bangalore burger. Have always had really good meals here before and always first choice when booking a family gathering but sadly this time it was lacking.

Very dry tasteless burger, nasty cheap merlot, might have had a sweet but nobody was interested in taking the order. Second time have been disappointed, so will not be back.

Food did not match the price. Service could have been better.. was very good but not perfect becoming of this standard. .Lovely decor inside. Toilets smelly and shabby. No towels or eau de toilette for ladies.

We love coming here. It's an annual tradition/treat after Christmas. Always friendly service, good food and relaxing calm atmosphere.

Admittedly I did visit the Christmas period, but damn, didn't even have space to breathe in here. Food was okay, cocktail wasn't good, staff very clearly doing their best.

Fantastic pub with an amazing atmosphere and brilliant staff. Three of us ate and to start the dirty fries were fabulous. My friend had the seafood grill which he said the Bream was nice but everything else was dry, just needed some kind of sauce. I had the risotto which was fresh, hot and tasty but genuinely didn’t taste one piece of crab. I actually don’t think there was any in the dish whatsoever, bit weird. I want to return with my partner very soon and would love to order the same dishes, taste crab and some kind of sauce to accompany the dry seafood plate.

A nice old traditional pub.good beer.good food and very helpful bar staff.I am glad I went! I intend to revisit next time am in derby centre. I had the fire bucket chips and the peppers were fresh and the meat perfectly cooked. Very good job guys , decent music too....no appalling electronics.....chill chill !

A first-ever visit to the famed Ivy restaurant. We'd been recommended to try their breakfast over later meal options, so this is what we chose to do. Overall a very pleasant experience. We both opted for their special festive breakfast which consisted of a choice of one of two healthy juice options, a small cooked breakfast and two different small pastries - at a set price of £17.95 each. Different breakfast options are available. Possibly slightly overpriced at £17.95, but worth it for the exclusive service and surroundings I'd suggest. Be aware also that a discretionary 12.5% service charge is included in your bill, and that a bottled water will set you back £5.

Very nice restaurant .excellent service .. food was good .a nice evening out

Great experience. Had a great experience for my mother's 90tg.

Had a lovely Christmas Eve breakfast here! We were served by a wonderful young man called Henry Joy. He looked after our table with excellent service, making sure we all had everything we wanted and gave us recommendations on our lovely drinks. Thank you very much Henry!!

We had a lovely lunch at the ivy, everyone was so helpful and friendly, the service was great. We had a baby with us and they were great with helping getting a high chair and storing pushchair, it was also a birthday lunch and it was so lovely of them to give us a happy birthday dessert with a candle in, such a lovely touch which was much appreciated. The decor is beautiful too, highly recommend would definitely go again.

I would love to give 5 stars but sadly I can't. The food was excellent, the beer was amazing, the building is very quaint and the staff were really wonderful. However it was freezing. I had to eat with my coat on. A pub should feel cozy.

Just to help with young new service staff - mature ladies or any ladies do not like to be addressed as darling, honey. Just say nothing or ladies please.

The restaurant itself it's gorgeous and a very lovely atmosphere to be in and the service is faultless and attentive. The cocktails, too, are fabulous but the menu is very lackluster for such a setting; fish and chips, burgers, fish pie and pasta were the types of dishes on offer when I went- nothing particularly inspiring. I had a pasta dish which was one of the only sparse vegetarian options and it was as expected; pleasant enough but nothing to write home about especially for the price. I just feel the menu needs a shake up to reach the full potential of the dining experience which should feel as special as the surroundings.

Was not impressed booked a table for 16 dec . Chair arms worn and threadbare, food luke warm nothing hot ,chicken very dry and burnt at edges , sauce extremely garlicy and did not marry with the chichen .sprouts tasted like they were frozen not fresh . Mash potato with olive oil , far too much oil .would not rush back .

we would like to thank all your staff for a excellent evening on 14/12/2024 the service /food was exceptional we decided we will visit again for our 52 nd wedding anniversary in february

Everything about our evening was wonderful, the food, the drinks, but our server Izzy was the best x

Fantastic father and son Sunday lunch.

Went for the festive afternoon tea with a reservation- even though we booked ahead, they were full inside and put us outside, which was chilly even with the heaters. The afternoon tea was delicious but the portions were extremely small and very overpriced. Each person had three tiny finger sandwiches, two scones, and a few mini desserts (tasted stale, only one was good enough to eat all of). I enjoyed the experience but it was extremely overpriced and we paid almost £120 for a group of three. Our server was so kind and lovely! Would like to return for a meal instead, hopefully inside.

Had a meal here for our anniversary. Food was lovely, staff very attentive helpful and polite. Gets very busy and not alot of room at the bar so if u turn up slightly early , you may be asked to come back in 20 minutes - but worth it. Decor is amazing, seems alittle cramp but you will enjoy yourselves. Would recommend.

Very cozy and chique interior and very friendly service

The portions are very generous , Menu: Offers a variety of options,

Staff were quite rude on a busy day, festive snowmen, the main part of expensive festive cocktails were missing, when asked where they were, abruptly told, we’ve ran out but no alternative toppers out on or apology for half the cocktail missing. Duck curry usually presented so beautifully, just put in a bowl and literally plonked in front of my friend’s face. Such a shame as had such wonderful experiences before.

Excellent food in a nicely decorated restaurant. Cost was expensive. £100 for a lunch is a lot!

Have been to this Ivy several times before so Thought we’d treat a friend on her 60th birthday to breakfast. Somewhat disappointed!!! The waitress was very abrupt, the food not very warm, the scrambled egg overcooked, the service slow……. It won’t be high on my list to go in future!! A shame- I’ve always raved about it before!

Absolutely delicious. Friendly, helpful service

Fabulous way to celebrate a birthday.

When Yorkshire Grecians come to  Exeter City’s ⚽ home match we always pop into Ivy.  Thank you to Laura and team for always the warmest of welcome.  Fantastic and enjoyable.

A really lovely special place that feels perfect for a celebratory occasion. The lobster linguine was delicious! And the decor was outstanding, such a visual delight. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Looking forward to coming back some day soon!

Timing with food wasn't good. Had to return some food as it was not hot.

delicious and interesting little dessert ~

We prebooked. We got told we would be sat on separate tables but at least expected these to be close to one another! The afternoon tea was not great (small portions and stale/not fresh) and it was not all served at once, half an hour apart! They overcharged us (bride paid for her own drinks but they charged the party twice for these). They also told us we had underpaid but meant they had not received their full discretionary service charge. Really quite poor, expected so much more.

Food was great. 19.17 menu is very well priced. Service could have been faster. Great atmosphere. Will be back

We were sadly very disappointed with our visit for breakfast. The avocado on the avo toast was sludgy dark green, clearly quite old, and the full English was served mostly cold. I ate one bite of the avo toast and left the rest and the waitress did not even ask why when she collected the plate - perhaps she is used to seeing full plates of food returned? Or just poorly trained. The coffee was delicious however (although pricey at £4.25 for a black americano). We won’t be back.

Looks good and the food is fine, the trouble is the bar seems much too slow at producing drinks for the tables. I asked for a bottle of cider to go with my salmon starter. It took around twelve minutes arriving long after the salmon. My waitress tried hard but couldn't influence the way the kitchen and bar worked at different speeds. My glass of red wine arrived a minute or two after my main which was an improvement.

Great food, slightly pricey but so worth it. Staff are really kind and the service is spot on.

Lovely place and very classy. Highly recommend

Friendly , Fantastic staff really enjoyed our meal .....

I'm diabetic and can't eat carbohydrates. The waiting staff and chefs were pleased to alter their menu to cater for my dietary needs.

I met family from the midlands and Huddersfield, we chose this venue as it was central to us all, the reviews were good so we went with it. We were not disappointed we were made welcome and shown to our table, we had already pre ordered our food and payed a deposit as we were a party of 12. The food didn’t disappoint either, all the food was fantastic, I had the kebabs my Husband had the steak and fish. Delicious we didn’t have room for pudding. A great array of beers, ciders, wines and spirits.Definitely worth a visit.

Nice place we chose for our marriage anniversary day , a free dessert as a gift for our anniversary which make us really surprised, good food quality , absolutely fresh materials, only for stake needs more seasoning but the meet quality was definitely good,,,special thanks for staffs🌺🌺🌺🌺

Beautiful place , went for set menu stunning

Nice setting by the cathedral, and the food was good.

Everything is rushed they want you in and out ASAP the food is lovely however you can't enjoy it as you should for the price the restaurant is very spotless toilets on site lovely and clean no disabled access stairs going up but can't fault apart the rushed keep up the good work 👍

This place serves excellent food and is rightly praised for this. However.. Only wanted a snack so had a chip butty, wish I had had a bag of crisps. Not a butty, a baguette with no butter, or just a scrape at best. Baguette was dry and inedible, reheated to appear fresh. Chips were refried from cold. Presentation was non existent. Yes it was only a chip butties but it was a fiver and every meal sent out, however small reflects on the chef. Scored 2 because the beer was good

i asked for a well done steak and i dont know if it was miscommunication or what but i got a steak that look more medium rare, ordered a sirloin which was full of gristle and fat hard to chew that i had to spit bits out, waiter was informed of our bad experience and manager only gave us a complimentary coffee which to me doesnt feel justified for the price i payed for my meal i physically could not finish. atmosphere was good and service was okay but overall feel like a wasted night for my anniversary

steak sirloin was fatty with a lot of gristle and asked for medium well, the steak was rare. when waiter was informed the manager only gave complementary tea or coffee which i think is ridiculous seeing as the steak cost well over triple the price of a coffee

Great food and great service. Beautiful location.

Had to wait 30 mins, but I managed to get a solo table as a walk in (no reservation) on a Monday evening. Food as always at The Ivy was delicious and also reasonably priced. I had a main, a side and a glass of wine for under £35.

We went for brunch on our daughter's 18th birthday. First time we've been for brunch and the atmosphere was great. Busy but not manic. The menu was very reasonably priced and a good selection. The service was great, attentive but not intrusive. We hadn't booked it letting them know it was our daughter's birthday but they soon cottoned on. The manager said he wouldn't allow us to pay for our daughter's food given it was such a milestone for her. A lovely gesture that made the meal even more special.

Good food, delicately made. Good place for celebration. One of the best chips

Excellent quality food & presentation, fantastic service, we will visit again.

Jem of a place good selection of craft ale, food excellent service by Jeo was great. Will defo go back there. Wife and I could have stayed there till close.

Lovely selection on the menu. Well priced. Nice atmosphere, nice staff. Service charge added to the bill before payment for reference.

Fantastic place, food and service. Great value as well.

Delightful food and wine really made our visit to Exeter memorable. Scrumptious Scallops starter and tasty mushroom tagliatelle.

Went today for a special occasion, everything was excellent. We had the Autumn menu which is really good value, food and service was excellent we had table 41 which again was perfect for us. We were kindly given a complimentary desert to share to celebrate our anniversary. Throughly enjoyed our afternoon experience and will be returning.

We have been a few times because I love the atmosphere and the decor. Today was very busy and we were given the most tiniest tablets that ever existed we did not complain but when my partner who was looking at just a wall and could see none of the beauty of the restaurant positioned his chair to the side of the tiny table which our delightful waitress was quite happy with and we were NOT constricting ANYONE ! after five minutes when our mains was bought to the tiny table we were asked if we could move the chair back we didn't but spoilt the rest of our lunch as manager seemed to glare rather than do the opposite and see if we were happy. What a shame spent 110 pounds for lunch and did not feel the effort was there to make us comfortable?? Sorry Ivy not good enough

Lovely food and great service. Would definitely recommend

Afternoon Tea £70.00. Shared pre booked afternoon tea with friend. Table was ridiculously small & very close to the next one. Mentioned it to staff “yes we know but can’t do anything about it” Sandwiches, cakes and scones (4 mini ) were mediocre with just enough cream for one. Staff were very attentive but as explained to them - it is very difficult & disappointing to have to hold a conversation with a cake stand between you! Celebratory occasion spoilt! Lovely decor but sadly £70 + Service Charge added was not good value for money. Would not return or recommend The Ivy.

Had a amazing experience. Everything was spot on considering we called at short notice. Food was brilliant and the staff wonderful.

Recommended by another traveller - a traditional pub with a great atmosphere. Staff were lovely and food was great - we had fish & chips and the 3 mini pies. Was a wait for food but that was fine as was in no hurry. Will definitely return if back in Derby :)

Had a wonderful afternoon tea with friends. Service was very good, especially Caitlin who looked after us very well. Can’t wait to return again!

Had a great time at Ivy. Good service and tasty food.

Like always The Ivy is the best

Fantastic place, beautiful decor, great food, high-level service. I highly recommend it

While Martha’s service was commendable, I was disappointed with Paula, the manager - when we complained about the antisocial behaviour outside the stunning chapel she walked away! There was no apology for the issues we faced, and our request to adjust the bill was not addressed initially. Michal eventually resolved the situation by removing a round of drinks from the bill, along with the cold food we were served, which I appreciate. However, we had to request police intervention due to disruptive antisocial behaviour outside. Although the police resolved the situation, The Ivy did not offer any apology or acknowledgment. I have emailed yourself several times, which has lead me to no other option than to leave a review online. We also noticed that the table next to us had similar concerns, and the overall atmosphere left us feeling unwelcome and asked to remove service charge. I hope you will address these issues and ensure a better experience for future guests. If you are looking to dine outside, I would AVOID!

9th September - had a fabulous meal at the Ivy - service and food was excellent - thanks

Outstanding, in every way. The staff were FIRST CLASS, ambience, food and attention to detail were all exceptional. Thank you. It was my parents 59th wedding anniversary and it was everything we hoped for and more. Highly recommended.

Superb atmosphere and great food. Amy was a particularly excellent server!

A great place for breakfast with a great brunch menu with a variety of options which cater for all dietary requirements! Thank you Ivy Exeter

Delicious breakfast in beautiful surroundings. This is my favourite place.

Reheated meal from yesterday...waiter admitted from.last evening late...can nog be..they cleaning kitchen to go home not cooking gor a next day Afternoon tea next table...terrible artificial colouring used on cakes...Terrible!!!

Honestly the best food I have ever had in derby. The chefs and staff are amazing so hospitable and honestly the food is incredible.

Visited here on 8 june. Initially we accidently made a booking to be seated outside where we ended up eating our starters which were absolutley delicious. The staff were great and got us the first available seat inside the restaurant. As with all the Ivy restaurants, the decor and ambiance are superb and this was no different. The mains were also cooked to perfection, steak was perfectly cooked and the mashed potato was so silky smooth. The standout dishes were the salt and pepper squid, chicken skewers and you must try the celebration chocolate bomb dessert! I had arranged a small surprise birthday cake for one of us which the staff went along with perfectly, and was given free of charge, which was a nice touch. Great tasting cocktails too. Will be back again very very soon!

The Ivy Exeter is brilliant! Myself and a friend came in for drinks and we felt so special. All the staff made us feel so welcome! Kyle was great and had a great conversation with us. We will definitely be back.

Nice environment Lovely service Good food

Amy took good care of us, talked through our afternoon tea, what we had been served, was very friendly and helpful. Our food was tasty and the ambience was perfect. Thank you fir a great afternoon!