The Ivy St Albans Brasserie in St Albans

Doesn't live up to all the hype! Unfortunately due to nowhere to park we were slightly late to arrive. Tried to phone to advise them but no answer. We were met at the door by a staff member telling us we only had the remnants of the allocated 1.5 hours. Immediately on the back foot, we felt that we could only have a main course each. We were sat at a table with so much foot traffic behind one of the seats that we had to ask to move which added to the uncomfortable feeling started by the initial staff member, thankfully they obliged with a table change. The reason we went to this Ivy was that we were provided with a voucher as a wedding present. Expensive for what they provided. This experience has thoroughly put us off ever going back.

Excellent food, staff a little overwhelmed and a tad noisy for (some) older people.

A local favorite serving hearty meals made with fresh ingredients.

Good food good environment. Service not too impressive. In our 60-minute stay in the place for lunch, we were approached by the same staff three or four times asking if we needed any coffee or dessert (which we said no for two times before that already). The place was not even half-full, we asked for the bill and left, as we were asked to sit at a bar otherwise. It was only 60 minutes from the moment we sat down till we left.

I'm not sure where to start.. it went from bad to worse the minute we walked in. I specifically asked for a quiet table but got sat right in the centre of the restaurant at what was the noisiest part of the restaurant (by the kitchen service door).. we ordered drinks that after 20 mins still didn't arrive and had to ask 3 people to chase and then only one of the drinks came. Our starters took 40 mins to come (were delicious though).. the mains came and I had ordered mine with no truffle but came with it ... and my husband's steak was luke warm (they did take away and do another).. the sides didn't turn up with the mains.. we ordered 3 chips and only got 2.. The staff are all rushing around like frantic and it was hard to get anyone's attention.. the experience of the staff seems to be severely lacking (which I would like to be empathetic about but am struggling with).. and whilst moaning I think it only fair to comment on the size of the 'coke bottles' .. you serve mixer bottles and charge for what should be a full size soft drink - when poured into a glass with no ice it fills only 'half' a glass - this is a rip off and down right penny pinching greed!! Very very poor!!! I feel very aggrieved this morning having paid the amount we did (yes you did take a couple of things of the bill) however - it was a calamitous evening from the minute we walked through the door - an utter shambles of a night and could not hear a thing with our friends just the awful noise we were sounded by and the staff in and out the kitchen ongoing. Now thinking why did we pay for this awful experience .. it should be the other way round... No one can see we didn't bring each of these things to your attention - on reflection I don't think this has been handled in a professional way at all. Should people pay to have a terrible experience? This then leads me to think the whole customer service element of this restaurant is extremely poor! Would rather get in the car and drive to St Johns Wood where the service and experience is superb versus St Albans which was shambolic to say the least.

The food was great, service on time , atmosphere wonderful. I am coming soon with my friends !!!

It’s was amazing service and delicious food Thank you Ivy St Albans team

Fantastic place to wine and dine. Staff are wonderful and welcoming! Not pricey for the fantastic service and quality of food you receive.

The Ivy is a beautiful, elegant and impressive eatery. The moment you arrive, they make you feel welcome. The restaurant is spacious and incredibly decorated The staff are friendly, helpful, attentive, and hard-working. The food has always been delicious. 💫🥰

Breakfast for two today. Food was of good quality and reasonably priced. An enjoyable experience, helped by our friendly and efficient waitress, Sheila.

We had a meal for two at lunchtime.

Lovely experience all round. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

The bill for four people came to £250, but the portions were incredibly small, which felt like a joke. The servers struggled to understand our requests; they didn’t listen well and had difficulty speaking English clearly. It took the kitchen 40 minutes to serve our food. Overall, we were not impressed and found the prices to be overpriced.

A fantastic evening spent here, the welcoming upbeat atmosphere and friendly hostess were a lovely start. One of our party members have several severe allergies which our server Guillermo was extremely attentive to and ensured our guest at each course that the dish had been carefully prepared, he personally checked and had our guest feeling safe and confident which is not always the case when dining out with serious allergies. Guillermo provided a lively and fun experience for all of us and we will be back.

We had the pleasure of having dinner at this restaurant tonight. We can honestly say that all the food was great - lovely ambience in the restaurant and even though it was quite busy all the courses came out fairly and piping hit. Andrew, our waiter was exceptional , very attentive and informative and definitely has a winning smile. He made our evening !

Impeccable service. Sheila who was our table server was lovely and helpful. The Valentine's Day menu was varied and enjoyed by both myself and step mum. We asked for quick service, as we had a very ill dad at home who was being cared for while we had a short respite. All in all highly recommend

I recently had the pleasure of dining at your establishment, and I wanted to take a moment to commend my waiter, Guillermo for his exceptional service. From the moment we were seated, he greeted us with a warm smile and a friendly demeanor that instantly made us feel welcome. Not only was he attentive and efficient, but his sense of humor added a delightful touch to our dining experience. He knew just the right moments to engage us with a joke or a light-hearted comment, which truly elevated the atmosphere of our meal. It’s not often that you come across someone who manages to combine professionalism with a fun personality so seamlessly. Overall, his great service and welcoming attitude made our visit memorable. Thank you for having such a fantastic team member! I look forward to returning soon.

Wonderful food. Excellent service

Lovely breakfast. Our server Sheila was brilliant.

Had amazing Breakfast this morning and just wanted to say thank you to Sheila she was so helpful

Had a lovely Sunday lunch. The service was great by Andrew, could not fault him. The only thing that could be better would be the gravy!

There are times when dining out is not all about the food, though it is a huge part of the experience. Service, atmosphere, ambience are also important. Tonight at the Ivy in st albans we experienced exceptional service. George, we thank you. You made us welcome, super attentive but invisible at the same time. When some of the food was not up to standard, no drama. Just GREAT SERVICE. You made the evening memorable for us. Thank you.

Had an enjoyable visit here last month as a family of four. We don’t go for the festive menu. The food was well presented and tasty with decent portions. Atmosphere was pretty good with plenty people there for a festive meal. Would visit again if in the area. Drinks good but a bit pricey.

Food was delicious. A little pricey but you get what you pay for with excellent quality and attentive but unobtrusive service. I recommend the zucchini fritti as a sharing starter. Blackened cod great too.

A nice venue with good atmosphere. That is the good part. However I found the service to be fairly average and quite lacking in any personal way. Too many jacketed staff rushing about and not enough care taken with the table guests. To begin with the food is ok, and I mean ok, a large starter of bread whilst I wait for my actual starter. As it happened I could have waited all day as it was not delivered at all leaving me to just try and graze on my sour dough bread and increase my gluten content. When our mains arrived I reminded the staff that I was still waiting for my starter. The reply was apologetic and I could have it asap ( after my main course). Rather disappointing for a restaurant that trades highly on its name and reputation. The food when it came was ok, although my wife’s steak was chewy and not well cooked. The bright spot was the dessert. Overall I am extremely disappointed having eaten a few times in the Asia version with fantastic food and service each time. What was supposed to be a celebratory meal was really very average and not worth the money paid. I left the restaurant full of sour dough bread and a feeling that I could have spent much less for much better food and service at a gastro pub.

Lovely and unusual food, had a great lunch.

Just celebrated my 70th Birthday in the private dining room. Everything was absolutely tip top. Beautiful room, excellent service and delicious food. Thank you to Ethan, David and the very lovely Anna, who looked after us the whole time. She is a true professional and couldn't do enough for us with a lovely smile. Thank you to everyone at The Ivy St Albans. Mark Harris

Fabulous staff, superb food and drink, excellent location. A wonderful venue for family and friends. Andrew looked after us incredibly well and made us very welcone

Always lovely to visit The Ivy in St Albans. Brihanna made the visit very special for my daughter with out any prompting. Thank you:)

I'm hard to please. I'll start with that. My friends took me as a treat for having them over Easter. I'd been to the Chelsea Ivy many a time but never to my local one. Loved it. Sea bass with shrimp was fantastic. I did laugh actually at a bad review left re that dish. Clearly, he isn't a foodie. Prawns are not shrimp, and if you know, you know. Shrimp goes into the sauce on a dish like that. We also shared two different salads, actually some of the best I've ever eaten salad wise. Bursting with flavour. Ok so essentially, food was fantastic. Next the service ... My standards are high on service. Here they were attentive and knowledgeable. When I go into an establishment I expect the staff to know everything! And boy did I test them. They passed every one. 1. When I asked why my favourite champagne wasn't available it was explained perfectly! And he then sold it to me to try something more up and coming than Pol Roger. 2. The history of the IVY was then explained to me perfectly. 3. The fabulous scent that filled the bathrooms. I wanted it and I wanted to know what it was. Plates weren't left in front of us, cleared immediately. Big plus for me. Dirty tablecloth was properly scraped, cleaned. Upsell of dessert and drinks was nicely done. Ambience and my favourite table, number 30 is where I shall reside again in the future!

It’s just over priced and pretentious. No better or worse than any other high street chain, but for some reason the staff like to make you feel like it’s something it’s not.

Brihanna gave such great customer service and made my experience spectacular.

Had a lovely meal with the family as a belated Christmas celebration. Incredible service from Alviya, and delicious food. Cannot wait to go back 😁

The food was mediocre at best, with the presentation and interior decor being the only redeeming aspects of the experience. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. Our waitress a tall woman with brown hair, middle aged, glasses, and a loud demeanour who had the middle section on December 27th at 6 PM. She seemed impatient, rushed us through our meal, and was unwilling to wait an additional few minutes for us to order dessert. This behavior felt unprofessional, especially as we had not been dining for long. We left a tip as a courtesy to the rest of the hardworking staff, who were kind and professional. However, it’s clear that some staff members would benefit from additional training to meet the basic expectations of a pleasant dining experience.

Lovely Boxing Day afternoon/ evening at The Ivy St Albans. Our server Alviya was particularly excellent. Well done to all...

We got a nice customer service from Alvia

We had the most incredible time celebrating my boyfriend’s birthday at the Ivy. Our waitress Anna was so attentive, friendly and informative. She gave us excellent recommendations, always made sure our wine was topped up, and even sang my boyfriend happy birthday! The food itself was unreal, and all the courses came out so quickly even though it was very busy. 10/10, cannot wait to go again. Thank you Anna & the rest of the team :)

Excellent meal, lovely friendly helpful staff, highly recommend, food was delicious 😋

Probably one of the best restaurant options in St Alban's. The service could do with a bit of polish (some waiters are a bit keen to get your food and drinks ordered in order to turn the table and very obvious with their upselling) and the staff could benefit from a lesson in courtesy (barging past customers, not allowing customers to pass by first) but otherwise a good experience.

Great decor. We arrived on Christmas Eve 1pm, with a new born. Very accommodating and Andrew our waiter was v. Helpful!

Alviya was amazing. Food was brilliant. Can’t wait to come back!

Brilliant place and Brilliant staff especially Anna our waitress 👏

We enjoyed our dinner at The Ivvy St Albans. The food was amazing and the staff so friendly and special Anna the waitress that served us 😃

Alviya was our server for our small work Christmas meal and she was phenomenal. She always wore a kind smile, she was attentive and offered brilliant service! She is an asset to the team and we couldn't have been more looked after! We will be back :)

Thank you so much to Alviya for your great welcome of me and my friend! We had a great time and the music was brilliant!

We had a great experience here. The food was delicious. A special nod to the festive desserts, especially The Ivy Snowmen, which were fantastic! Andrew, our server, was very attentive and friendly. We will definitely come here again.

We had a lovely Sunday roast and really enjoyed the atmosphere. The food was tasty and well-prepared. A special mention goes to Andrew, our server, who was friendly and attentive throughout!

Our server Andrew was so friendly and attentive. Brunch was lovely!

Alviya is the mist incredible waitress I have ever had. She was so much fun she made our evening so enjoyable and we will definitely be returning. Xx

I really enjoyed my time here, with my family. Andrew our server was amazing. My only negative comment was with regard to the front of house/greeters - put it this way, I almost turned around and left. They should learn what it means to warmly greet a guest not be grumpy. They were just as bad as we left. Cheer up ladies! Everyone inside the place is really nice and friendly. I do recommend this place. Food is very good and tasty. Staff (inside) are really friendly and care about service. A great start to Christmas for our family. Thanks again Andrew, you were great!

Very nice experience - good food and great service from Andrew

Our first time at the Ivy, and it was such a special evening. We were well taken care of by our lovely host Andrew. He was very helpful and informative on the dishes as we really couldn’t choose what to order. We were very pleased with his recommendations. Can’t wait to come back again!

Alviya was brilliant. Great food. Thanks for having us 😊

Lovely evening with good food and friendly service especially from Alviya

Very beautiful place. Good food and good value for money.

Me and my partner had an amazing dining experience. The ambience and food were really great. Special mention to our server, Rahul who was very friendly and made us feel so welcome, he also suggested couple of dishes which were truly delicious. We had a good time. Highly recommend!

Had a wonderful afternoon in The Ivy St Albans. Our waitor Andrew was very charming and ensured we enjoyed our experience. Lovely young man who is a credit to this restaurant

Alviya was so lovely she made us feel very special on our anniversary thank you Alviya

Rahul was a fantastic, friendly and smiley waiter. He sung happy birthday to me which was really sweet. Food was delicious as always.

we order some festive drinks, so nice.

An amazing restaurant with very friendly Staff. We were served by friendly staff, including Rahul, and David. They were exceptionally attentive, without being overbearing, and they made sure we had a wonderful time to celebrate our engagement (including a wonderful surprise at the end of the meal). The food quality was exceptional, with good portion size and cooked beautifully. We will definitely be back again!

Fantastic time at the Ivy yesterday for lunch! Sheila was our appointed waitress and her recommendations and overall service were great! The truffle arancini rice balls were absolutely delicious! Will definitely return!

Food was below par for the cost. Chicken tasted reheated burger was tasteless. Plus side service was very good but for £100 per head I won’t be rushing back.

Amazing food and fabulous service by Rahul.

Great food and experience. Juan was SO helpful solving a problem with my coat - thank you so much!

A great place to come and celebrate a special occasion. I was really impressed with the veg and vegan menu and the curry was lovely that we ordered. Particularly busy during the festive period so would advise booking if you plan to visit during Xmas

Had a lovely meal at the Ivy St Albans Brasserie today. Our group ate the Cheese Soufflé, the Shepherd's Pie, the Fish Cake and the Truffle & Parmesan Chips. Their Christmas decorations also added a lovely festive feel. Great service to boot. We'll be back 🙂.

Me and my family had an amazing Christmas lunch in the St Albans branch. The festive Shepherds Pie was to die for! I'd strongly recommend this place.

I had a lovely lunch in Thr Ivy St Albans. I ordered sirloin steak with truffle chips, and my dad went for burger both very tasty! Served was polite and lovely. I would like to recommend that beautiful restaurant.

Very high standard of food and service. Expensive with all items priced separately.

Amazing food, loved the customer service. Great place, everyone should visit. Our waiter Rahul was amazing, took lots of care and recommended dishes was amazing as well. We had a better time.

Had dinner here recently. Amazing service from our server Rahul, who ensured we had a positive experience throughout. He noticed that we were celebrating an occasion, and provided dessert for us on the house. Food was delicious and the restaurant interior was beautiful and cozy. Highly recommend.

Was a lovely meal with good service.

Amazing service Food was stunning Xmas decs were very festive

The perfect place for a post Christmas shopping treat! Fantastic service from Rahul, delicious food & yummy cocktails :)

The food is bland and underwhelming. I had smoked salmon that tasted like Tesco own brand, duck goose shepherds pie that was completely tasteless and cheese that came with rotten mouldy grapes and no chutney. Bottle of beer £7. Ordered a coffee and it looked like dishwater once the growth melted. All for £60 plus huge service charge. Honestly better quality food in the pub. This food is terrible and this is just another chain masquerading as an upmarket restaurant. Save your money and avoid if you want tasty good quality food.

Lovely meal with a friend mid week. The service was high quality and the restaurant was beautiful inside. Food of course was delicious and we had the mid week set menu which was great. Will definitely come again.

We are twice a month here. Five stars service, excellent food. The water Andrew this evening, and the whole crews are every time always outstanding! Thank you very much Ivy J&A

Walked in and was not greeted to begin with, stone cold staff on entrance, very impolite upon arrival, just very poor service. Will not be attending again.

Food wasn't bad but honestly, it's nothing special and it does not justify the attitude.

Last minute decision to come here for breakfast on a Sunday morning. I narrowly missed the amazing breakfast offer that finishes at 11:30am. Instead, I was treated to the brunch menu and exemplary service. Honestly, you cannot fault this place for service; very attentive and nothing is an issue. What a delightful breakfast that used high quality ingredients coupled with a causal cool environment; exactly what’s in order for a Sunday morning. A totally addictive ambiance. The food, soft drinks and teas / coffees are reasonably priced. It’s the cocktails and alcohol where they make their money. Mind you, they do look good.

Our waiter was great! They also had live music and food is always good at the IVY :)

We visited the Ivy for a birthday celebration and had a lovely time. We were served by Rahul who was really informative and helpful when it came to recommending items on the new Christmas menu. He made that experience that more special for us, truly a kind and warm person.

We had a lovely experience on 11 th November. Our server Sheila was wonderful and went above and beyond to make our lunch memorable. She couldn’t do enough for us!Great warm and cosy atmosphere. Food was very tasty.

Attended a family celebration in the private room, everything went smoothly and the hosts were very happy with the occasion

The 1917 menu is not only great value but the food is excellent too. Really nice atmosphere and the staff are very friendly and professional.

Great service staff so helpful

Very hard to pick fault with this place. Downgraded atmosphere solely due to the fact that it was a Monday night and therefore not busy, which is by no means their fault.

Absolutely loved it. The team made me feel really special on my birthday and the food was absolutely delicious. To me this is one of the best restaurants in St. Albans (if not the best). We'll definitely return next time we're in town

Rahul gave such wonderful friendly caring service. Thank you x

Had a lovely meal at the St.Albans Ivy. The food was delicious and our waitress Sheila was superb a lovely lady.

We loved The Ivy at St Albans :) The food was really tasty - so many tempting options on the menu and the service was fantastic too! It was a meal to celebrate my birthday and the restaurant hadn’t known this until they saw me open a gift but surprised me with a chocolate profiterole dessert! Very kind. I would definitely like to visit again as we enjoyed such a pleasant evening, thank you!

Food and atmosphere was great. Staff were welcoming and friendly, especially our waitress Sheila who was amazing.

I had the pleasure of dining at Ivy St Albans in October, and I can honestly say it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, lovely host lady in green jacket brought us to a table. The service was flawless—our server Anna was attentive without being forceful, offering excellent recommendations. for starter we had a roasted scallops and mozarella. The food—wow! Every dish we ordered was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. The Peruvian chicken was a standout; the combination of quality and tastes was simply unforgettable. We also tried the Sticky Toffee Pudding, it was the best pudding I've ever had so far. I also appreciated the variety on the menu—there’s something for everyone, whether you have allergies or intolerances, or you are a foodie. The wine list was diverse, with something to pair perfectly with each course. My boyfriend had a glass of Pinoit Noir and I was staying with glass of Picpoul. I highly recommend St Albans Ivy for anyone looking for an outstanding dining experience.

Finding somewhere to eat on a Saturday lunchtime, with a group including a Vegetarian, a Coeliac and two people with serious food allergies can be an interesting proposition, but we decided to give The Ivy a try! I am so glad we did! We chose food from the main menu and the brunch menu and all found food that was really great. Recommendations would be Shepherds Pie and the Macaroni cheese, and for desert i would recommend the Nougat glace with cherries in flaming kirsh! So, the food was great, and the atmosphere was lovely, bright and relaxing, BUT i have to say a BIG thank-you to our wonderful server/waiter Drew (Andrew), who not only managed to deal with the allergies, was happy to give recommendations of what dishes to try and was also pretty handy with a chef's blow-torch! and all that with a friendly smile! Our lunch was enhanced by all the friendly staff, and we will definitely be back!

Came for a birthday celebration meal on a Sunday lunchtime. Several of us chose the Sunday Roast option. All of us were disappointed and frankly disgusted that the “roast potatoes “ which at over £30 per meal we would have expected to be good quality were obviously “Aunt Bessie” style pre-prepared flavourless lumps of nothingness. A Sunday Roast stands and falls on its roast potatoes and this was a massive fail. Would definitely not recommend.

My daughter and I went for brunch , the staff were friendly, efficient and attentive. The food was good, and beautifully presented. We were given a celebration treat which was a nice surprise. Shelia was very friendly and made our visit feel special.

Visited on Wednesday 30th October at 6.45pm. My first visit and I can honestly say it wont be my last. Service was excellent, food also excellent and very good value. Really pleasant décor and was made to feel like nothing was too much trouble. Had a lovely surprise at the end with a sweet treat of a profiterole filled with chocolate ganache and cream. A really lovely experience all round.

First time here and I would go back the 1917 set menu was very good

The staff needs training. They serve food over your drinks and the candle with their sleeves dragging into your drink. They interrupt private conversation to explain about the desert menu… They asked me this evening, if I had any food allergies FIVE times!!…For the desert menu, they gave us the set menu, it was limited and only cold desserts…I had to ask for the à la carte dessert menu as there were more choice… The general service was a disaster.. We were asked if everything was to our liking this evening and we said the food was excellent, but the service was diabolical.. My starter knife and fork was inside the main course display. We eat from the outside in! I have to say I was very disappointed With my experience. I did not pay the service. Buckle up, teach the staff manners, etiquette and how to lay a table. We pay for the food and the dining experience.