The Ivy Royal Tunbridge Wells in Tunbridge Wells

This was a lovely, delicious and relaxing lunch for two. We chose from the a la carte menu and it was really satisfying. We commenced the dining experience with a delicate apple, stilton, pecan salad & a perfectly proportioned French onion soup. Both excellent. Mains were blackened cod (hit the spot) and a magnificent pork schnitzel. For pud, we had the creme brûlée and the mandarin parfait. Delightful. Service was quick, efficient but not too hasty. Friendly and welcoming too. Thank you.

Our 4th visit, Quite simply a fabulous venue, food is amazing and the staff are attentive. Nice interior, comfy seats, washrooms all clean and presentable.

We arrived to find our phone booking had been missed (not ideal), but the restaurant fitted us in to the last table without a fuss. We had cocktails, three courses, wine by the glass and coffee. (The bill came to about £100 a head including 12.5% service charge). The food was a mix of British/European cuisine, a little expensive but great sized portions, very well cooked and every course was delicious. The restaurant was full but the service was very attentive. Our waiter Hugh who was new was brilliant and worked really hard to keep his tables happy. We did notice that some diners lacked manners and were at times disrespectful to the staff. A few wannabes clearly trying to show off. However, It is a great place to go with friends for dinner with a fun and relaxed atmosphere (buzzy music and artwork) more like a cocktail bar. Highly recommended for a special occasion. Tip - I don’t recommend the house Italian white at £9 a glass.

Worst staff and poorest customer service I’ve experienced in my life! Really need to train these ppl properly and make sure they check orders. How many waiting staff does it take to get an order right - 3 apparently and how long does it take to get 4 other restaurant goers drinks off your bill 30 minutes apparently ! Completely incompetent staff and managers. We were charged £394 for 8 other guests drinks and when trying to pay with a £100 voucher they added another £100 to the bill instead of deducting it. Do not recommend under any circumstances. Thank you for ruining my mums 80th birthday. Still waiting for a manager to ring and apologise and to explain why I was charged for 2 veg side orders that the waitress forgot to order!

Very nice food. Out of stock with a couple of drinks and dishes.

Always a reliable choice for food, service and atmosphere. At the higher end of the price scale but worth it! Will be heading back again and again.

Have been going to The Ivy in Tunbridge Wells since it opened, Always quite pricey but we didn’t mind because the staffing were clearly all London/highly trained and so we were paying for the experience. Prices have gone up, food has the look and feel of a chain and the service while ok is nothing special. This was particularly on leaving the restaurant. There use to be staff on exit getting your coats for you and asking if you had a nice evening. Last night the service was great however by the end of the evening (10.30) staff numbers had dwindled to the point that people leaving were having to find there own coats and no staff to ask if they had a nice evening or say goodbye. You need to go back to how you were when you started.

Had the best experience Jay was amazing ❤️

Autumn set menu- £29 for 3 courses and glass of English sparkling. Food was excellent and well presented, sirloin steak was superb and perfectly cooked. Good service

Always good quality in every respect

Came in with my husband this week we had the fish n chips & shepherds pie. A gentleman name Jay served us! He was absolutely so amazing and upbeat. We absolutely love the food but felt so right at home. We definitely will be back again. 100 stars! This place is so cute & food was so rich and delicious.

Served by a very knowledgeable bar man Chris,very charming.

I was on holiday with my family from America. We came across this restaurant and it was by far the best choice. Jay absolutely made my day. Checked on us all the time and served us with a great attitude. I will recommend this place to all my friends and family that come over and visit.

Incredible experience! Highly recommend to all Jay Grief made us feel like royalty! Thank you Jay!

Great place to dine and the service from a polite and professional manner from our waiter jay was amazing. Can tell its a well run establishment

Of the table of 8, 7 ordered the blackened cod. Every plate of cod was overcooked and the vegetable, beans and broccoli, were at best, luke warm. When I complianed, I was told h he'd get the manager. Nobody came. 10 minutes later a friend got up and spoke to the manager. He said he'd come over but I'd been looking down!! This was untrue, corroborated by my family who were facing into the restaurant. Nobody came to the table. I've been to this Ivy many times and always have the blackened cod, and always superb. Not this time and, apart from the delightful Scottish waitress, the redeeming feature) the service, and response to my complaint, was appalling! Despite taking most of the cost of the cod off the bill, this in no way compensated for the disappointment of what should have been a lovely birthday celebration, the Ivy has lost not only my custom but that of my family.

Birthday meal out with the family. When we sat down we were told the table would be required again in 2 hours. Totally understand as it’s a busy Saturday night and our youngest is 2.5yo so we’re keen on time efficiency. Unfortunately the speed of the food arriving was incredibly slow. Another group of diners were chatting to the manager behind us at the bar. It became clear they were the next diners for our table. We had four members of staff not very subtly checking on our progress with the manager explaining to the next diners their table will be ready in 5 minutes. Unfortunately we were still waiting for desserts that were ordered 20 mins before. I explained to the waitress (she was actually very good) no one will be rushing as it’s not our fault the food has been so slow. 30-40 minute wait between courses. All in all it was nice meal but nothing special considering the price you pay. Occasion slightly marred by the wait and then hurry feeling with the speed of the food service. Won’t be returning unfortunately as previously have had far more pleasurable experiences at other Ivys in the south east.

Had a very nice breakfast here 🙂

Great food, service and ambience

I’ve never had a disappointing experience at the Ivy in Tunbridge Wells. I visited with my partner at the end of August for a weekend lunch. We were booked on the terrace but it was a really hot day so the front of house found us a lovely table inside. Service was very friendly and we felt well attended. I had the scallop starter which was exquisite, my partner had smoked salmon with rye, very tasty. We had the chicken truffle main, again perfectly executed, it’s essentially a schnitzel with cream sauce. Portion was large. I had the chocolate bomb melting dessert with caramel sauce. So delicious! The waiter recommended a lovely wine too. Would always suggest you visit. A votre sante!

Excellent restaurant for that occasional, rather elaborate evening meal.

Amazing desserts, bar and local food

I have just returned from attempting to celebrate my twelfth wedding anniversary. The experience was depressing and a complete disappointment. On arrival everything started well - our order was taken by a very pleasant waiter, and some excellent starters arrived. However, the waiter then disappeared. A table of filth and mess all over the floor left by a group of mothers with toddlers was left on the table next to us for 45 minutes despite being the table closest to the entrance! All Overseen by the apparent manager of the restaurant who on asking - declared that the reason for this shameful lack of care, pride and attention was due to the restaurant being busy! Thus despite some twenty passes by the table from a group of waiters who did not appear to care less about any of the dining guests. I had to ask repeatedly for our wine to be topped up from where it was kept centrally in an ice bucket - and it ruined the meal quite frankly - with my wife getting angry because I was apparently making a fuss! Really poor experience - they just don’t care. For £265 - you expect a brilliant experience - this was really poor. Never again.

An excellent dining experience. The ambiance in the restaurant was inviting, the staff attentive, pleasant and helpful without being intrusive. The menu options are good and the food was well presented and enjoyable

Exceeded my expectations by a substantial margin.

Working in the area and called in quite late on Monday evening and managed to get a table with only a five minute wait. The food , service and surroundings were brilliant.

Great place with great food. Chocolate bomb was amazing. It was our anniversary and they even did a little something for that. Brilliant.

Excellent anniversary dinner on Saturday August 24. Intetesting menu. Very good martinis (good mixologist). Great service.

The service at the Ivy was as good as it usually is in other Ivy restaurants. Very polite, remembered who had order what and overall very attentive. The food was lovely and up to the usual standard. Unfortunately we only managed to relax and hear each other once all the screaming babies/toddlers and parents left. This is the reason for the average rating as the atmosphere was completely ruined when we were sat by 3 tables with very young children. We were placed at a table next where a parent had parked their pram despite sitting at a table 2/3m away. This was the first red flag. No soon had we sat down did the day care nursery screaming begin. The parent also thought the could pacify their baby by a our table away from theirs. Totally inconsiderate. I get it babies and toddlers cry this is completely normal however, since when do parents take toddlers and babies to places like the Ivy? Go to pizza express or Zizzi’s!!! I appreciate this is not the fault of the Ivy but maybe the Ivy could sit all the inconsiderate parents and their babies/toddlers together and away from those who want to enjoy a decent meal or perhaps introduce an age policy (10+)? It’s really unfair on people who want to catch up with friends and family and haven’t seen each other in a while to have the experience ruined. Being a Saturday the place was rammed so no we had no other option but wait it out until the tables emptied. Very disappointing.

I came here with friends for afternoon tea. Most of the group had the standard version and really enjoyed it, my review is based on the gluten free version. I was disappointed mainly due to the size and quality of what I was given. Firstly, I only got two finger sandwiches ! Very mean compared with all the delicious sandwiches and rolls that my friends got. The scones were nice and warm and were delicious. Unfortunately the other sweet treats were very disappointing. Some sort of berry selection which had a strange herby taste and was inedible. A yoghurt coconut with strawberry puree. Also inedible, tasted off to be honest. There was a brownie which was nice. I didn’t get a menu so it was really guess work about what I had. Overall I thought that the gluten free version was quite mean in size compared with the normal version and lacking in imagination. I’ve had a lot of gf afternoon teas and it’s quite easy to make them with various cakes and things. Also two finger sandwiches is incredibly stingy.

snooty reception, Fantastic waiter, very attentive But neither me or or my daughter could eat eat the food due to the strange concoctions served. I had a monkfish curry, It came slopping about in small pieces mixed with sweet potato and hard bits of chewy crisps in a very sweet coconut sauce I had two mouthfuls and gave up due to the intense clashes of texture and flavour My daughters food was stinking with truffle , and dried chicken with a rubbery fried egg on it. The smell of the huge amounts of truffle was overwhelming, and we just left without eating . £98 light, I don't think you will see us again.

Had to call the staff over all the time. We had breakfast. Ordered avocado x 3 as side dishes. Came halfway through the meal. It was not fresh and came out of a frozen bag. I know as I use this for smoothies. Coffee was lukewarm. For the money you pay it should be top service. Very disappointed and when we complain nothing was said.

Food and service fab. A great place for a momentous occasion...

An amazing experience from the moment you walk through the door. Amazing staff greet you and serve you through

Imaginative menu. Good value set lunch menu. Excellent service and decor. Could do more wines by the glass

S service good food not up to hotel duvin

We always visit The Ivy Tunbridge Wells on special occasions, the service is fantastic, the food is delicious and very consistent every time. Our server Saffron made my Mum’s 60th Birthday so special with her service, attentiveness and charisma.

Lunch menu very good, lots of choice.

Afternoon tea here, booked a table outside as the website photos DO NOT show that the outside tables are basically on a main road - cars going past you all the time with exhaust fumes in your scones. I asked to be moved inside and they said they were full, I highlighted the fact that their website photos are misleading and they admitted it was and all they could say was sorry. After the cakes arrived and we were sitting there thirsty for a while, I had to actually get up and go and find someone to ask them to perhaps provide us with some tea please? Isn’t this meant to be Afternoon Tea??!! Disgraceful and would never go back. The top tier cakes were basically just a ball of cream and inedible. I had booked it under my friend’s name as it was for her birthday too, no special Birthday message at the table/candle or anything, topped off with the seats in the fumes and the lack of actual tea, I was embarrassed to say the least.

Very over-rated! Scrambled eggs is nowhere near as good as Juliet’s a few doors down and the service here was slow and came with a bit of an attitude. Do yourselves a favour and skip past this door to the various other brunch providers on the High Street.

Service somewhat slow this time. Important that staff are aware of customers ...perhaps less chatting amongst themselves.

me and my boyfriend came to the tunbridge wells location for our anniversary and received excellent service and lovely food from Leo. will be coming back

Just had Afternoon Tea at the Ivy Tunbridge Wells, was a gift for my birthday from my work colleagues. It was absolutely delicious. Service was excellent, our Waitess was called Anna, thank you for your attentiveness today, my daughter has Gluten Free dietary requirements and Anna made sure this was dealt with. She also gave extra cakes with birthday candles as was my daughters birthday today also. Thank you once again.

Fantastic food, great service and beautiful surroundings.

Brilliant night out for a family birthday celebration & thank you to our excellent host & waiter, Rick.

Fantastic meal out to celebrate a birthday & kudos to our waiter, Rick, a perfect host! Lovely food & great cocktails too

1st impressions were good , lovely venue like all Ivy restaurants and initial waiter interaction good . Then it got quite disappointing, with a long wait for our drinks to start . 3 of our 5 party ordered the grilled chicken salad which was lovely except one had a piece of chicken that was pretty much raw inside?She apologetically explained to the waiter who took it to the kitchen to be replaced and a waitress came over and was very polite and explained it would take about 5 minutes to cook a fresh piece which was fine But then The waitress could clearly be seen by our party talking to the chef/kitchen staff about us and the chicken and he was very disgruntled about our complaint which was very unprofessional. It finally came out about 20 mins later by which time the rest of our party had finished their meals . Not once did any member of staff ask if we were ok ? Needed anything? When I got to the last piece of chicken on my plate it was also undercooked, pink and wet so I left it . The waiter came along to clear the plates no interaction or asking if everything was ok ? He actually took one persons plate whilst she was still eating the chips ? Dessert menus were left on the table but we decided to ask for the bill and leave . A very disappointing visit . The staff clearly need customer service training. Establishments do not survive on name alone. Food overall was good but overpriced. Service poor Venue good

An excellent breakfast with the usual Ivy impeccable service and ambience. A lovely Father’s Day treat from my two beautiful daughters.

A lovely lunch. The 2 course menu was great value for money. Only negative is making everybody sit so close together whilst shutting off half the restaurant. It was very hot and even hotter all pushed together.

The food was excellent, the service was attentive and the fathers day gifts were very thoughtful and unexpected. Overall the experience was fantastic.

We were celebrating our 30th Wedding Anniversary and we chose the right place to eat. Everything was fantastic. The service was top notch it could not be faulted at all. The food was amazing and they treated us to a free desert for our Anniversary which was sweet of them . Beautiful inside the restaurant too. We would definitely go again if we visit Tunbridge Wells in the future.

A wonderful place for a special occasion. Service is excellent and the food is always delicious. The vegetarian/vegan menu is really good. I had the best ever trifle for dessert! It's definitely not cheap though...!

Was an absolutely wonderful experience here. My boyfriend and I agree that the steak is some of the best we’ve ever had. The cocktails were delicious, definitely recommend trying a few. The service was absolutely phenomenal, really lovely staff felt very friendly but wasn’t too hassled which is usually a problem when eating somewhere pricey. Food is very reasonably priced for its quality, was surprised at the price being what it was for how much we ordered and what we ordered. Will definitely return.

Another great evening at The Ivy. Great service, delicious food and good selection of aperitifs and wine..as you’d expect. As there’s 6 in our family, only visit for a celebration a couple of times a year, as easier on the wallet! - but always love the atmosphere, high end bistro menu and wonderful decor. Perfectly located in the High Street - stumbling distance from the station. Highly recommend.

A friend asked us to them at the Ivy, bever been there before but will certainly go again. We were welcomed with a smile, though we were nearly an hour early. Shown our table in the window, which was perfect, away from the main bustle and buzz of the restaurant. Service was attentive and quick. The food was good and well priced. Very good

We have visited The Ivy on a number of occasions and it never disappoints. On this visit we had chosen the toast to spring menu. It was £27.50pp for three courses and a glass of wine from a set menu. The food was delicious and there were a good number of choices. We always enjoy a visit here, the atmosphere and venue are wonderful and buzzy. The staff are always very well presented and helpful. You very much feel like you are getting a fine dining service but the cost is so affordable. I think if you ordered off the a la carte menu, you might rack up a bill that seems too much. However there is nearly always a set menu of some kind to choose from and the value for money that you get from this for the quality of food and service is unbeatable!

Lovely food and friendly staff.

Excellent food and service, but on the expensive side.

Lovely food, lovely restaurant, would totally recommend 👌

Had champagne afternoon tea, and it was excellent. A good selection of sandwiches and cakes to suit all tastes.

Very attentive service,food was well presented. The vegan dishes my friend had were excellent. On the whole it was a good lunch for us all.

Right. Food is great for me. Top nosh where you can actually understand the menu The clientele are old farts who are not expecting the busy atmosphere. I think they are expecting a quiet pub vibe. But the place was heaving and we all had to talk loudly to hear each other.... So loud apparently that the table next to us complained. Jeez! We weren't shouting. Grumpy sods! Anyway, food is great. Drinks are great. Staff are great. What's not to like? Oh, the patrons... Just ignore them!

Fabulous place. The means are innovative, delicious and the right proportions!

Lovely decor and vibrant atmosphere. As others have implied, don't come here if you want silence, but it wasn't so loud that I wasn't able to have a conversation. Faultless service from the staff. Portions are a little small.

Excellent service, fantastic food and a beautiful setting. Faultless

Went for lunch on Sunday. First time at this restaurant and were really impressed. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. The drinks, food and service were excellent. The thrice baked souffle was amazing. We had two veggies with us and it was so refreshing to be asked on arrival if we required a vegetarian/vegan menu and I am told their food was fabulous. We will definitely go back.

The food was delicious and the surroundings very pleasing. Greeted nicely on arrival but unfortunately let down by quite an unfriendly waiter who struggled to muster up a smile or pleasantries even when delivering a birthday dessert with a lit candle.

Great atmosphere and friendly staff, let down by an annoying set-meal menu structure and well-presented but disappointing main courses. With respect to the set-meal structure, the two-course version no longer offers the choice of starter and main or main and desert, which is frequently found with many other establishments. As my wife never has a starter, but always a desert, she therefore had to choose her meal from the à la carte menu. So one star deducted for this. Two further stars were deducted for the main courses. Considering our delightfully presented and tasty starters (my daughter and myself) and ultimately my dessert, we all felt let down by the main courses. My wife and I both had a surprisingly-average "classic" shepherd's pie, accompanied by a gravy that disappointingly reminded us in so many ways of the type we both experienced at school. If it did indeed contain red wine as alleged by the menu, then we both certainly couldn't taste it. Our daughter, for whose birthday we'd booked the meal, was equally disappointed with her lobster languine, expecting a much better sensory experience for the price. However, she was delighted with the, unexpected to her, birthday surprise which followed. This Ivy touch rounded off the meal nicely.

Best place in Tunbridge Wells for atmosphere and food it’s my favourite and it never fails to deliver. I’ve tried so many dishes here and each time it’s perfect. Can’t be beaten for atmosphere either it’s always busy. Booking is advisable.

The food and service is very good, but and it is a very big but, the restaurant is so noisy it becomes quite difficult to enjoy a meal with friends. For me this ruins the whole meal experience

A very well run restaurant. Nicely cooked & presented food. Impressive waiter service from the excellent Mr Ridvan. Very pleasant ambience. The only criticism would be that the menu is too chicken and seafood orientated.

Came in for lunch. Had starters off tempura squid and parfait which were fairly ok. Nothing special. Once the waiter took our empty glasses, no additional drinks were offered. Finally we asked the waiter for a drink, he asked us what we wanted without giving us a drinks menu. The mains were terrible. My fiancé had the pancakes which weren’t cooked enough and tasted not fresh. I had the fish and chips, which were greasy and no additional sauces were offered. Seemed one waiter was telling off the other servers, which was quite apparent and the mood of the servers were very down! No checks on our food either. I work in hospitality and have known about the ivy restaurant and was quite excited to finally dine, but safe to say I won’t ever be going to any of their branches again. Style over substance to a tee!

One of the best eating experiences of my life

Booked table for a special occasion my Birthday. We were seated in an area with three two seater tables all very close to each other. We could hear each other's conversations! It made for a very uncomfortable special occasion. The food & service was excellent including my surprise Birthday cake only spoilt by the seating arrangement.

I went to the Ivy royal Tunbridge wells with my mum my dad and my sister mollie for lunch today For our starters we had lovely sauce to go with whenever we had with it I enjoyed my lunch I like how comfy the chairs were The view outside the window was lovely I could see all the people walking past and all the cars I had a very lovely experience at this restaurant Your staff there are very kind honest lovely Your restaurant gets a 5 out of 5 star ratings

Didn’t live up to expectations Big price for small portions (always knew it was on the pricey side… however) My medium rare steak came back medium/well done with barely any red/pink in the middle. Watch out when you order your £36 steak as that is literally all you get, chips are an extra cost, along with any other sides. Chips weren’t anything special, my local boozing pub does better chips. And the calamari for start was average My partner said that the beer selection was limited, with nothing on tap. However service was good and polite

Small portions for a large price…. Service was less than mediocre The fish and chips was extremely greasy, I get better from my local chippy. However the Duck pâté was lovely There are much better and cheaper places in twells for lunch/ dinner vibes.

A lovely welcome by all into a beautiful restaurant. Afternoon tea was delicate and delicious - definitely worth the treat!

We were meandering around Royal Tunbridge Wells looking to have dinner somewhere (we were celebrating our 10 years over the weekend) we hadn't booked but they managed to seat us but would need the table back by 7:30pm. We never felt rushed and still took our time with the meal. We ordered a bottle wine, starters and mains finished off with some truffles and cheeky cocktail. The sommelier came over a suggested another wine they had left in stock so we decided to have that, and as we did them a favour they took one of our starters off the bill. All staff were very pleasant and the food was delicious. The restaurant had a vibrant buzz about it and is obviously very popular. Would definitely go again and book.

Had a brunch on Saturday with my friends, many thanks to our server Jaro for making our dining experience wonderful!

Great food and friendly professional staff.

The waiter called Henry needs some customer service training.

We had wonderful brunch there 😋 all vegan and so delicious

Great service and variety of food! Our waiter Daniel was so friendly and attentive and made sure we were having a fantastic time. Will definitely be back!

The atmosphere was beautiful and we had such a lovely greeting from Hannah when we got there. The food was excellent as usual and the service was spot on! Daniel was so attentive and took care of us and made the difference with keeping us topped up and checking in. The cocktails are amazing and food selection can cater for a lot of pallets. Would recommend to anyone.

Lovely meal - good food, lively atmosphere and we finished with a delicious cocktail at the bar, we felt very welcome the whole time , receptionist Olivia was lovely and attentive, super evening.

The food was delicious and was especially surprised by the service; our waiter Daniel was very attentive and kind.

Was asked to move further down the bar to accommodate what I can only assume we're regulars to the establishment, not impressed, won't be back , clearly some sort of elitism : in reply ,Hardly gracious overtures, you are confusing somewhat, compliance with congeniality, and apologies with arrogance. Fortunately there are others far more worthy of my patronage ,to be enjoyed elsewhere in the town .

It was my first time dining in this restaurant a few weeks ago. I was served by a waiter by the name of Daniel and he was ever so helpful and friendly! Really felt like me and my partner were taken care of. Brill customer service and delicious food!

Went there yesterday with my boyfriend, and we loved it there. The food was delicious and the service superb. Many thanks to our server Daniel who made sure everything was great for us, it’s really nice to be able to get such nice service nowadays. All in all, I highly recommend the restaurant, and if possible, make sure you have Daniel as your server!

Went for some food and drinks with a few of my friends, lovely staff, Natalia was really helpful during our visit. Would visit again.

The food was great at The Ivy and we were delighted with the service. Alex who served us was polite, chatty and very professional.

Love this restaurant! The food was lovely, and the service is always great. I’d like to say a special thanks to a server of the name Daniel Katsimbras, who was very polite and was so patient with my kids, as they can be a handful!

I just wanted to comment on my recent encounter with your bartender David. Not only was he very knowledgeable on different cocktails but suggested a few personal favourites which I have to say were nothing short of exceptional. He continued to serve us throughout the evening with a smile on his face and never dropped his level of outstanding customer service. I’m looking forward to returning again just to be served by that strapping young man again.

David was a very enthusiastic at the bar, he made me an amazing cosmopolitan, had a lovely chat about cars.

The food was delicious and our waiter, Daniel was very attentive. We ordered following his recommendations and it was a success. Thank you! We’ll come back!

When one requires sophisticated dining one simply wanders down to the Ivy Tunbridge wells just steps away from the charismatic streets of the pantiles. Filled with a rich atmosphere you can be sure to feel bouji among the maximalism decor and classy bar. The welcome is always pleasant with caring and attentive staff at the door. Upon a recent visit the wonderful waiter Daniel was looking after us for our evening meal, very well informed on the menu and excellent service we could not fault his knowledge and attentiveness to our night, making our visit most splendid indeed. We could not fault this visit Daniel was superb!

The waiter Daniel was very polite and good at his job. He served us with a smile and he made our day. Besides that the food and atmosphere were quite good!

We visited yesterday and had a very lovely meal. Excellent atmosphere and food. Service from our waiter Daniel was very attentive. Overall great experience!

I had a wonderful time, food was great and the service was phenomenal!!! Special thanks to Daniel, he was a very attentive waiter and made my overall experience very pleasant! Would definitely visit again.