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The Ivy

Address:1 West Street WC2H 9NQ
Tel:020 7836 4751
Website: Visit The Ivy website
Price: £44.00 Wine: £13.00 Champagne: £44.00
Opening Hours:Mon-Sun 12.30-5.15pm 5.30pm-12M

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The enticing aroma of celebrity continues to envelop this seminal Theatreland haunt which, 90 years after first opening its doors, remains a firm favourite among A-listers & mere mortals alike. From consistently well turned-out food & a refined but understated atmosphere to efficient, ‘impeccable’ service – it’s no wonder it’s notoriously hard to get a table in the clubby, wood-panelled dining room. Cleverly sticking to simple, unfussy dishes that people know & want to eat, the menu cherry picks from around the world: British classics such as shepherd’s pie or a salmon-packed fishcake doused in hollandaise sauce, next to linguine alla vongole or red Thai chicken curry; &, of course, no visit would be complete without the famous iced berries & hot white chocolate sauce for dessert. Considering the pedigree of the place, its prices are a delight: the three-course weekend lunch menu is £27, & it’s a lot easier to get a table then, too.

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Reader reviews of The Ivy:

R.R.Gill
Gold Reviewer

R.R.Gill (30s, Male, United Kingdom)

I'm probably one of the few who find the Ivy overrated – It's pleasant, has a good buzz and the food is pretty good however I feel compared to it's siblings in Caprice Holdings it doesn't deliver. 45 minute waits for my table don't help and neither does feeling rushed through the meal as they are obviously expecting another table. I want to like it but quite simply find it to be very average. (I'll get my coat…)

22 October 2008
Overall:7
Food and Drink:7
Service:6
Atmosphere:9
Value for Money:8
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Food fiend

Food fiend (30s, Female, United Kingdom)

The Ivy itself is an institution, fantastic reviews, some saying it's overrated but most raving about the quality. However, i always felt there existed that aura of stuffiness which has put me off going there in the past. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was posh inside but not in an intimidating way. Friendly staff guided us to our table where we proceeded to look hungrily at the very British menu provided. I started with Eggs Benedict, roast lamb for my main and ended with a chocolate pudding. Mr Foodie – fiend stuffed himself with gnocchi to start, skate for main and a sorbet for dessert (with ‘Happy Birthday’ written for added effect in chocolate). All those plus drinks came to just over £100. My food was near perfect. I half wanted it to be rubbish so that i could say it wasn't worth the money but it was actually very lovely and i left with a big smile on my face, well we both did.

22 October 2008
Overall:9
Food and Drink:9
Service:9
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:8
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Felix's Guide

Felix's Guide (40s, Male, United Kingdom)

Went to The Ivy last week after the theatre. It is the utlimate post theatre restaurant which delivers highly efficient service, simple dishes done extremely well (fish cakes, cod and chips, steak tartare, kegeree etc). and a heady mix of metropolitan chic mixed with A-rated celebrity atmosphere. It is, in a nut shell, one of the reasons to live in London and avoid the countryside.

16 September 2008
Overall:9
Food and Drink:7
Service:9
Atmosphere:10
Value for Money:8
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Robert B.
Gold Reviewer

Robert B. (40s, Male, United Kingdom)

The benchmark for many, and it still delivers. A great room, good if unremarkable food, wonderful staff and an atmostphere that lifts your mood as soon as you sit down. Have been fortunate enough to dine privately upstairs and I would recommend it to anyone looking to entertain 50 people.

15 September 2008
Overall:8
Food and Drink:8
Service:9
Atmosphere:9
Value for Money:8
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TomTom

TomTom (40s, Male, United Kingdom)

Editor's pick

The Ivy has always been good at delivering comfort food classics (calves’ liver, burgers & fishcakes) and that remains the case, but peppered amongst these stalwarts are a few judicious nods to more modern thinking: a zingy soy sauce infusion added real zest to a perfectly cooked sea bass. The clientele is a strange mix of genuine celebs, gastro tourists and shadowy agent types, though the former were conspicuous by their absence on my recent visit.

11 September 2008
Overall:6
Food and Drink:6
Service:8
Atmosphere:7
Value for Money:7
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