The Ivy in Boffa

Took my son after his graduation. Yes it’s a bit pricey but worth every penny after all we needed something just a bit special. Well food was wonderful and worth the money, service was impeccable too and so friendly. Waitress said she was hoping to get a permanent position, sincerely hope she did!!

Very nice restaurant with friendly staff. Good food , nice wine and great desserts!

We booked a meal here in between the Parts of Harry Potter at the Palace Theatre. We couldnt book a table but booked seats at the bar. We were excited at the prospect of eating at the Ivy, having really enjoyed meals at a couple of Ivy franchises.However, the service was really poor. We had to ask for our drinks orders to be taken, ask for our food order to be taken, and later ask for the dessert menu. Basic service like asking if our meals were okay didnt happen either. This normally happens at every restaurant or pub!The food wasnt brilliant. We eat at quite a few good quality restaurants regularly and have never received less than excellent service before.It was very noticeable that other, more glamorous people were getting attention from the staff.When I asked them to remove the service charge, no-one asked why and what they could do to improve!The decor is great and the place has a nice ambience, but middle aged ladies seem to be completely invisible there!

The restaurant is pretty elegant in a classic kind of fashion, the tables and sofas/chairs are quite comfortable and the whole atmosphere is warm and pleasant, we chose to have some of the traditional English dishes and were very satisfied with everything, the only weak point during an otherwise perfect dinner was our waitress timing as far as pouring the wine, she was nice but kept forgetting and not taking notice, she would often be away or busy with other guests and when we called her in order to have our wine she didnt take care of the issue as expected but made us wait a little bit more instead, and this went on all through the dinner. In such a beautiful place you expect a more complete level of service, nonetheless we would love to be back in the future.

-------- Original message --------Having had one of the best meals and service whilst visiting The Ivy in Canary Wharf, I truly was disappointed and shocked with The Ivy West St, London. I was disappointed on every level.We especially sought it out, as we are not from the UK and we were looking for a meal to eat before we went to the theatre. The hostess was very "superior"  and did not tell us that there was a time restriction on our table. Within twenty minutes of arriving, while enjoying our drinks, two separate waiters asked for our meal order. Then the snooty hostess arrived and told us she needed our table.  We were quite taken aback at her manner, however, as we werent planning on staying long anyway, we said no problem. The table next to us were a foreign party of six and we honestly thought they must be celebrities, as they were being treated like royalty compared to us. The waiters were really not very personable nor warm and the food was above average. All in all terribly disappointing and I literally could not wait to get out of there

Booked it, was dreading the cost, but really worth it. Paid £17 for the ivy cheeseburger....had to leave chips, so full! Very friendly staff but not pushy or over friendly. Really loved the experience and felt comfortable.

This restaurant was incredible! I was having a terrible night because another reservation had fallen through due to technical difficulties. Im so glad the hostess got us a table. The service was immaculate, the food was "dangerously delicious" and the restaurants ambience was the perfect mood setter for my partner and I. When I am back in London I will make time for another lovely evening.I highly recommend to end your evening with a refreshing dessert such as the Lemon Posset. Special thanks to both the beautiful hostess and our waiter Chris.

The service here was really good. The ambience is very pleasant as is the decor/building, though the dress code wasnt being adhered to by lots of patrons. I found the food pretty average with not much to get excited about, which considering the price is a deal breaker for me. As a Brit Im used to walking into a pub and finding similar dishes for much less. We need not have had starters as the portion sizes were quite big. On the whole unless your very hungry go straight for the main. Wine was very good.

Lets start by saying we ordered ourtable to 10:45 and we didnt know we need to order in 7 minutes our dinner, drinks and deserts. The place in very fancy and luxurious but we felt not welcome. The waiters were not patience and sometimes we waited too long after we ask something. In summary the food is good but the service is deficient.

A rude old Portuguese staff with his weird scary eyes told us “ was a good experience for you” when we were about to leave! Just because it was our first time attending to an Asian restaurant and have no idea about the food and needed assistance to order. Seems that the staff who was responsible for our table did not thought we are in this restaurant level! As we were foreigners and dressed simple casual dresses! He made us feel so little! And asked us where we are from and that’s how we know where he is from too, his face was 🙄 all the time we were there just because took us 20 min to decide what to order and one of my friend had to bring her little brother who is only 12 and do not like them sort of food. I don’t know why a staff would be annoyed from a little boy who is just on the phone without making any distributions! Just because he did not order anything? He only ordered a Simple starter. We spend over 100£ though! And then we were about to leave told us” it was a good experience for you” in a way that you don’t belong to them sort of places! The restaurant have a good reputation! And should teach their staff to be polite with everyone!

This is one of my favourite restaurants in the city.Food is great, the quality is superb and everything is cooked with love and care.The service is really good, Ive had the pleasure to meet different waiters and waitresses and they are all super professional.The bar and the restaurant are very nice and welcoming. And, finally, the location is also very good.I recommend it to everyone!!

What can I say? Definitely the best food I have ever eaten. Seriously amazing. I had the Baked Alaska for dessert; OMG! The whole dinner was great

Great fathers Day meal. They gave the dads a free glass of red wine which was a lovely touch. I went for the fish and chips which was huge and great value.

After a much overdue visit, it was finally time to try out The Ivy! Id heard great things about this place and it did not disappoint.The menu had a great variety of choice to cater to our large party, meaning that everyone was able to select something special for themselves.Starting with the crab-cake, the main of lamb chops was devine. Ill definitely be back to sample some more of the menu!

A pleasant experience for fine dining. There was a good selection of food on the menu and what I had was enjoyable.

Wow, what an experience. Loved it staff couldnt do enough for you. The ambience of the whole place is fantastic. The food is outstanding. The cocktails were lovely and they are not shy with the alcohol content! Whole experience was brilliant. Well worth the treat.

Fabulous experience dining in the original Ivy. Couldnt fault anything, the food was amazing as was the service. Highly recommended, especially for a special treat.....x

We visited on a busy Friday night, the tables are pretty well packed in, the food was tasty and the atmosphere was good, there were a few mistakes with our order, and the wine we ordered didn’t come, and when we asked they said they didn’t have it in stock, so 30mins later we got a different wine. Overall it was still a good meal out but could have been better.

Very friendly young serving and door staff. Cloakrooms available. Essential to book in advance especially in the evenings on weekends. Centrally located, excellent for post opera late dinners. The menu is consistently excellent, food is served quickly- fresh, well presented and very tasty. The decor is relaxed and beautiful. The bathroom is decorated in pink and gold. Unusual combination of art works on display. All in all a wonderful place for meals at any time of day. Thank you for such a lovely dining experience.

I went to the Ivy for my birthday and it was lovely. I’ve been to other Ivys before but this one really is something special. I had the crab to start and it was the most delicious crab I’ve ever eaten, then I followed with the salmon which was also lovely. They brought out some birthday truffles and I also tried the chocolate tart which of course was stunning. I also had one of their cocktails which was absolutely lovely. Honestly there is nothing to fault, the table was lovely, service was impeccable, quite slow with drinks at times & was left waiting for some items which we had to chase. However, I would recommend to anyone, of course it is on the pricier side but you get what you pay for. Beautiful decor, lovely food and right in the centre of london!

I love The Ivy because it’s a chain and therefore consistent, but it never feels like a chain. It feels quirky and independent. Their breakfasts are game-changers.

We sat at the bar which was fun to watch the bartenders make drinks. The service, food and ambiance were all perfect! I absolutely loved my shrimp and avocado cocktail starter. The steak was excellent and the peppercorn sauce was outstanding!! So happy we stopped here while in London!

I booked a table here last month and when I arrived the hostess informed me that there were no available tables (despite there being free tables on the floorand I was asked to wait at the bar. I ended up waiting for nearly 20 mins before being sat at my table, which was not what I expected for this kind of establishment.Nevertheless, from there the experience was very positive. The food was great and our table waiter was very good also.Would give 4.5 if I could, but seeing as there is no option I will give the benefit of the doubt and give 5 stars on this occasion.

I was skeptical because the reviews seem either very good or only moderate; although overall very good. I didn’t want an overly posh meal that required my status to be an air about me in order to feel qualified to chew amongst the elites… Of course it was anything but, it was a lovely and calm atmosphere, perhaps just a bit exclusive but mostly that’s just a facade. The food is good, the drinks are very good. We had some very typical English dinner sorts, as visitors to London. I can’t say I was disappointed whatsoever. The menu is fairly complex in its modern British fare, but I suppose to the average Britt it may seem business as usual. It’s not comfort food, it’s classic modern fare? None the less, good food, and outstanding service! Cheers!

Booked a table, only a week in advance which I think is good for The Ivy, for my friends 40th Birthday. We where treated very well by all the staff from the guy who opens the door, to our waiter. The atmosphere is like "home from home" Not stuffy at all.We had 2 bottles of house fizz (£65ethe Shepherds pie and spring greens. (£25eI had the Damien Hurst inspired Cheesecake selection, OMG HEAVEN! And my 2 friends had the Cheese burger (£19)and Chocolate cake. They said it was excellent.The bill came to £268 which I thought was pretty good. 10/10 for food, service and atmosphere. I will most definitely booking again next time Im in London. Thank you for a wonderful experience. Oh, yes we even sat next to a celebrity, from Dancing On Ice!!!

What can I say? Its the Ivy!The service was excellent and the food amazing.Also, perfect ambience. Very well spaced tables, intimate without being invasive. Well lit but not bright.The service was perfect. Very attentive staff without interrupting a lovely evening.I highly recommend for both the food and the service

An absolutely wonderful experience. We had two people serving us and they were incredibly kind and attentive. I had a small badge on that said it was my 30th birthday. They both took note and brought me a plate saying happy 30th at the end of the meal. Talk about incredible service! The food was also excellent. It was a very special experience and I could not be more greatful.

A brilliant place to visit. Food was fantastic with great service ice from all staff members. A great selection of food, wines, cocktails desserts. Service was great, the staff were attentive.

Fantastic dining experience, coupled with Fantastic service and a warm welcome. The food and wine are tried and tested classics. A relatively small menu done to perfection. The art works not to shabby either.

Do not hesitateBook a table for West StreetWhy? Because as the mothership it is completely the heart of the brand. Having enjoyed many dinners in the Ivy chain coming here was the best of them all. Food was exceptional and delicious. Environment good. BUT the difference here was the staff group. O m g they have just wonderful. So helpful and attentive- it truly lifte6our day dinner occasion into a top ten memory and that my readers sorts the wheat from the chaff.Book a table. Wat the mashed potatoes.

Such a lovely venue with amazing food. The staff treated us so lovely, cannot wait to return.

So I have finally made it to the original Ivy where all the celebrities came to hang out, dine and paparazzi wood cammer around outside the main door to catch a picture of the stars as they enter or leave. I was blessed to sit on the side where the celebrities sit normally. So I intended to come here to have three courses before my friend and I would go and see my cousin playing Tina Turner in the musical show. So so first I had the squid salad which was quite nice I thought it could do with a little bit more squid I had the lambs livers I did like it however I was told that it could be better. I am gone halfway through my main when I receive the text from my cousins father to inform me that the show has been cancelled due to Co-vid infections within the cast luckily my cousin wasnt one of them. The service on this day was quite slick there were a few bumps in the road but that wasnt me, that was for the people that you next to me as the maitre d did not inform them of the special for the day.

Wanted to go to The Ivy for so many years, we were celebrating my wifes 70th birthday, amazing service, fantastic food, we sat chatting for 30 minutes before ordering desert, so nice not to be rushed. Enjoy

We booked months in advance and got a friendly reminder a few days before.This 1917 Art Deco building is a perfect setting for a pre theatre meal. Its directly opposite The Ambassadors theatre( The Shark is brokenand St Martins( The Mousetrap). The stained glass windows and ornate Art Deco reliefs are punctuated by modern paintings by the likes of Damien Hirst.Guests coats are taken and are then ushered to the central cocktail bar for apperitifs whilst tables are being prepared. We were late so we only had 5 minutes at this gorgeous Savoy like bar. Try and get there as early as you can to take it all in, its rather majestic.At the table the lighting is low, very low which helped create the overwhelmingly brilliant dining ambience but reading the menu proved difficult. Exemplified by a polluting beacon of mobile phone torchlight coming from a struggling diner on the adjacent table. Ignoring the £160 caviar starter, we opted for a beetroot salad and bang bang chicken.Both superbly presented and tasty.The mouth watering selection of mains will take you some time to decide. My partner changed her mind several times before choosing the duck. I opted for Venison and both dishes were so beautifully cooked and presented. The macaroni cheese and truffle side dish (a relatively paltry £6is a must.The quality of the food, the presentation, the surroundings, the service staff waltzing elegantly between the cozy/cramped tables and of course the overall price of the meal was like theatre itself and the show hadnt even started.

The Ivy continues to offer great service and great food in the sweet spot between Covent Garden, Soho and Leicester Square.The menu is as equally as accessible as the location and full of the traditional favourites like Shepards Pie, burgers, steaks through to lobster and chips.The glamour days of TV and film stars maybe behind it, diluted by the franchises, as it seems to attracts a more ‘mature’ crowd, maybe they remember the cachet being at the Ivy used to bring… me being one I guess.The food continues to be consistently good and the service exemplary. The bar was a great place to people watch and as comfort as sitting at a table. 2 glasses of champagne, a bottle of white wine, 3 starters and a main course came to £-145 including tip. A great staging post for a night out at the theatre or in to town!

We visited The Ivy inbetween our visit to the two Harry Potter stage shows at Palace Theatre just round the corner.We explained that we had limited time to eat, and the staff were very efficient and our meal was finished with time to spare.The decor of the resturant was warm & welcoming. We both thoroughly enjoyed the duck. The theatrics of preparing the baked Alaska and setting it alight next to our table was exciting, and the dessert itself tasted divine.Our waitress (around 5ft 5, short pixie cut dark hair, very smileywas wonderfully professional, plesent and attentive. Nothing was too much trouble. Unfortunately we didnt get her name. The Ivy are lucky to have her!

The food, wine and cocktails were all delightful. The restaurant is beautiful both inside and outside. The staff are attentive and welcoming. I would definitely recommend coming here.

This was our fourth time to the Ivy, Ive had lunches in the Guildford Surrey one which is just Devine lovely but this was first time in the London one. Very busy but we booked a table not to be disappointed.I went with a girlfriend for lunch decided to get dress up.to make a trip into london We were greeted in a polite way we were taken to our table. First impression is definitely WOW We had a booth We didn’t wait long for a table the slots are not long for lunch as we were not drinking alcohol it wasn’t too expensive there is also a theatre menu after 4.30pm that menu also delicious if you want to make your meal cheaper not be embarrassed to ask for it! The atmosphere was great.

Lovely little place, was seated at the bar, never had a empty glass, food was delicious, great atmosphere and got to see the bar/ waiting staff make the flaming deserts right on the bar which is something you should see when there.

For a restaurant that had celebrities whisked in, I kind of was expecting a little too high but was letdown by a seemingly limited menu. Was that just menu for the day? Well, I mustve missed it. Dining at the bar, though, felt more worth it than at the table. And as a last minute option following a spectacle at The Dominion Theatre, it was the best stop to cap off the night.After the complimentary bread, I went straight to the roasted John Dory filets with cauliflower, potted shrimp and sea purslane. I barely remember I had any shrimp in my plate, though but the fish was exceptional. The grilled hispi cabbage salad? Hmmm, not so much. Carving into the vegetable was also a struggle.The baked Alaska was my personal entertainment for the night for desserts. But it looks unrefined after finishing off the flambé number. The alcohol and burnt bits left too strong to my liking.Their drinks made me linger some more and soak in the whimsical flare of the restaurant. They had some interesting paintings hung up on their walls and I managed to stay a while before they close at 0130H. Service was, of course, impeccable with the restaurant still full at/near closing time.

Loved the classic, intimate, warm atmosphere there. The service not bad but nothing special either.Mostly classic well executed dishes, sometimes with a twist.I hated the Asian dishes served there and I think they are out of context. They didn’t even taste that good and some where badly cut as well.Loved the cheese souffle with truffle and the Roast lobster as well.The grilled sole while good was underseasoned and overly charred to my liking. The shepard pie although tasty was nothing special. I still prefer the old fashioned one served right from the oven.

Have eaten here several times and the surprise is there are no surprises. You will recieve very good service and food that is just above average. This isnt a foodie place its a people watching place, with the attached members club great for mingling with artsy media types.My Sashimi was unremarkable, with no vibrancy (even the ponzu dressing couldnt revive it), and the "famous" shepherds pie was almost an embarrassment. Underseasoned mince, topped with a meagre amount of mashed potato, finished "tableside" with a swirl of over reduced gravy. Note to chef: you dont need to add a jug of gravy if you cook it how it should be - with the gravy and mince mixed together. Frustratingly at the more affordable Ivy Brasserie/Cafe offshoots, they serve a different shepherds pie, cooked properly and made with braised lamb leg (not mince), which is twice the size and £5 cheaper. The food in the Club is somehow worse: I had a tasty duck salad (although they scrimped on the duck), but an exceptionally ugly, lazy pie, filled with dry chunks of beef that needed at least another hour in the pot, and a runny gravy that lacked seasoning.And yet, Ill probably go back. The people watching is good, the food isnt that bad, the staff go out of their way to make your stay a good one. Its a perfectly decent alternative for people who cant get into Scotts. Sure, your date or business interest will be impressed to visit "THE" Ivy, but if you strip back the history and the the ceremony, and take an honest view, this is not a place for "foodies".

I would love to give this 5 stars but I have had to knock a star off for the incredibly rude why we were first met. I have to say after our first experience everyone else was fantastic but considering the place and the fact that we were there for a celebration it wasn’t how I expected to be welcomed.We arrive a few minutes early and as we came in a lady asked us if we had a reservation as I was replying yes and giving the name an extremely rude customer burst back through the door and completely interrupted talking over me. The member of staff instead of turning to the other lady and explaining she would be with her in a minute then completely ignored me and just left us stood there! She finished dealing with the rude lady and then didn’t apologise just quite curtly told us to wait at the bar. I guess the rude lady was a more valued customer. I don’t really like a place that make assumptions about you and then decide how it’s worth treating you. No one asked if they could take our coats or anything, I just think for the place and what you’re paying the welcome could have been much better. Having eaten at similar places before I’ve always found the customer service is much better. I found them a little patronising to be honest.That be said the food was beautiful. Our waiter could not have been nice, more helpful or more knowledgeable, happily answering questions and giving advice on the menu. He also realised we were celebrating and bought out some beautiful chocolates.

Went to The Ivy for a meal with the wife while in London. We were looking forward to this as to be honest this high market restaurant is not our normal establishment.Overall an ok experience, the atmosphere and service was what we expected and hoped for however a few things which have let it down. Firstly was the food ! Now I am no food expert however I was disappointed to be served a cold meal on a cold plate ! This was Rectified very quickly once I pointed it out, then there where the missing salad we ordered , we never did receive it but we where certainly charged for it.Now if this was TGI Fridays I would maybe have said - you get what you pay for however with little change out of £250 for a meal for 2 (yes that includes the drinks though I would have expected better.Disappointed ? yes , did it ruin our evening? no, would I recommend to others ? Tentatively maybe! But don’t think I will go back which is sad as we also and another meal at a so called high end restaurant early in the week costing the same and I will certainly be back there !

The food was well seasoned and just overall amazing. There was a good portion size from the starter to the desert. By the end, we were full but a nice full (if that makes sense). The staff were very attentive and venue itself was stunning. Only downfall would have been where we were sat, very close to other people and not enough privacy but would definitely reccommend for a nice meal in central.

Great atmosphere and the decor inside is class! Staff were attentive. Only downside was I had to wait a while for the chips to arrive before I could enjoy my steak. The rib-eye steak also wasn’t anything special, I’d try the fillet next time.

Lovely atmosphere. The staff are knowledgeable about their food choices and alcoholic beverages. Very clean and attention to detail. Excellent menu choices for everyone. Staff were very accommodating as my friend had gone to the wrong branch and was 30 minutes late. They didn’t throw us out even though we had gone over our allotted time. Would definitely eat there again. The highlight for me was having fresh mint leaves for my mint tea 🍵

Very good chain of restaurants in England. We had made a reservation in advance as we already once could not have a seat without.They have wonderfull exotic cocktails on offer, which we very much enjoyed. For mains we tried their pea-risotto, this is a green risotto which tasted great and was less heavy than a normal cheese risotto. We complemented this with some sides such as fries and beans.We finished with strawberry icecream and their special brownies. We had a good time here and we come again

I took my girlfriend to The Ivy as a surprise for her birthday in July, as it was always a place I knew she wanted to go to, but never thought in her dreams shed make it there.After initially getting mixed up with The Ivy in Covent Garden we found the right location, and were greeted by a very friendly team to show us to the bar before our table was ready.I have to say the cocktails were amazing and if we could, we would just pop in for these as they were real quality. The food was amazing quality, incredibly well presented and so tasty. In fact it is one of the few places weve been able to have 3 courses and not feel overly full.Staff were just lovely and attentive too and it did not feel like we were in any rush, but that may be because our booking was at 21:00.My only comment is that the tables where we were felt squashed and very close to others, so much so you could hear other peoples conversations, however this did not spoilt by girlfriends birthday surprise.All in all this was one incredible evening and would love to go back there one day.I would encourage everyone to go there at least once to experience The Ivy effect.

The Ivy is one of those restaurants in London that really make you feel like you had a very special time. The menu is full of my favourites and everything seems to be carefully crafted for you. I love the traditional dishes you apparently only find here, at the original Ivy, that are on the menu since 1917! The atmosphere is superb, the staff is absolutely amazing and a visit to The Ivy is truly a remarkable experience. Every single time.