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Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mid-City WestMon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
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OK, this is a BEAUTIFUL place to have dinner in the evening. So romantic! The housemade guacamole and tortillas were yummy, crab cakes perfect, tuna tartare divine, and calamari (i don't usually like this, but theirs is nice) had wonderful dips!
I sipped on raspberry champagne served by our gracious waiter Ray. Entrees were as delightful, as was dessert (red velvet cake, berry crumble, and tiramisu).
Didn't see any celebs or paparazzi, but there were lovely people eating who were just as interesting to be around. I'm sure the famous ones showed up after we left... always works that way, doesn't it?
I'll go again, and again...
The Gimlet, YUM! The Pasta! YUM! The bill? YIKES! This is one of my fave places to go when someone else is paying with their corporate plastic!
I did see famous people and the paparazzi was stationed at the steps of little patio waiting for the celebs to come in or out, but over all it is a pretty laid back experience. It is very quaint actually, i think most people expect it to be hugely flashy, but the linens, furniture, decor etc.. is more like someones back patio or little cottage home.. the food is delicious for sure.. but if you have ANY concerns about money, it isn't a good place to sort of play it by ear.
Thank goodness that I had well credited friends for so long... I look forward to going back sometime..
It's a place to go to say you've gone, but not a place you probably will return. I lucked out on this visit, as I ran into an old friend who happened to be meeting another old friend at the Ivy. I didn't have lunch plans, and I've always wanted to go here, so I tagged along.
However, fantasy did not align with reality. For what I knew about this place (mad celeb sightings), the real thing didn't turn out to be exciting as I thought. Sure, there were papparazi, but not a mad swarm. Sure, it's pretty, lots of outdoors seating, and a cozy cottage feel, but nothing that'd make you say "wowza", given its reputation.
The atmosphere is quite lively; lots of people talking, some yelling, and because it is so small, people are always walking everywhere. I had to yell or lean in close to my friends to have myself heard. Sometimes I was afraid to turn my head for fear of suddenly smashing it into someone's elbow.
The food itself is regular American food, and the drinks are of ordinary quality, but I heard that's part of the charm. The Ivy doesn't try to do anything spectacular with their food, instead they provide comfort by providing the same type of dishes we grew up with. A burger is a burger; it won't have exotic spices, avocado squeezed with lemon, and then sprinkled with sliced peppercorn.
So overall, what do I think? I'm glad I went because perhaps there was a phase where I wanted to eat where the celebrities ate, but now, I rather just get good food. So go to the Ivy once, but don't expect too much.
Oh, but I did score a celeb sighting, Leona Lewis.
Great food, but not worth the wait or the STEEP prices. It's a place to go and say you've gone, but not a place to come back to.
Super cute restaurant though, I loved the atmosphere.
This is an ideal lunch spot. Great drinks (try the strawberry mimosa) and the artichoke starter. The ravioli with sage butter was delicious. We sat in an ideal location - outside by the edge of the balcony, with a great view of everything and everyone. The service was impeccable. I love the flowery-chintzy decor, very pretty and fun.
Came here the day after thanksgiving for lunch. For you Oprah fans, sorry but her recommendation of this place isn't very good. The place is cute, nice, very original home feeling to the place. The valet has many nice cars pulling up and from what I saw and hear, there is always a wait. The only thing I enjoyed was the fresh strawberry champagne; that took about 20 minutes and came out after our food was already served. service wasn't very good at all. Ran out of water and champagne and waited a while for a refill. My entree wasn't too bad, but for two people I spent about 100 bucks for brunch for my gf and me. Way too much for my budget. Ambience cool, food not too shabby, cool cars, cool people, suck service and over priced entrees. I think only oprah gets good service here. if you want to feel like your cool you should come here, but if you want a great dining experience, i recommend going somewhere else.
The Ivy. It is every tourist's dream destination. Scoring a table at the Ivy is sure to make you feel like a baller. In fact, when you pull up and give your keys to the valet you begin to feel like a Hollywood dealmaker.
The truth is you're not.
You are a shlub who is looking to see rather than be seen. But fear not Midwesterner, the Ivy will gladly take your money. I have eaten there my past 2 trips to LA and while I have enjoyed it, it is hard to argue that it is worth the trip. It is mediocre, overpriced food. Spending 100 on 2 entrees and an appetizer may make you feel like a celeb, but it won't get you in Us weekly. In fact, it will only get you rushed out by your waiter.
Even worse, if you are sitting on the patio there is a chance the person next to you will light up a cigarette, such as the incident that happened with us, and blow smoke in your face and on your meal. While LA has banned smoking in bars and restaurants, the patio of the Ivy remains a haven for smokers.
The final verdict: Find the place that is hot now if you want your celebrity fix, not this "Planet Hollywood" relic of the past.
I loved the Ivy. It was so fun to go with my friend from Germany who always reads about the Ivy in the German tabloids.
I know it's a little pricey, but the Grilled Vegetable Salad was delicious and the service was great.
We were seated right out front next to the picket fence with a great view of movie stars and wannabees :)
It's a place you have to go at least once just to be able to say "Yes, I've eaten there"
I will for sure go again!
A tourist trap? Maybe. But I had to see for myself. Made reservations for the world-famous Ivy and lo and behold, rising C-list celebs were being photographed by the paparazzi.
Ordered the seafood risotto and calamari appetizer. Both were pretty good, but hardly worth their costs. The bloody mary was quite good, but the most amusing part of the meal was watching every patron try to eavesdrop on every other conversation, hoping to hear some name-dropping, Hahaha, quite the scene, if you enjoy people watching.
Fish 'N' Chips like nobody knows!
$35 might seem like a lot for gourmet fish n snippets.... but this is far from typical and so worth it as the portions are huge and perfect for my twin and I to share...
We had a great time here , no celeb sightings this time but that's okay cause we were too busy diving into this plate! The fish n chips had dayboat scallops, lobster, white fish, GIANT shrimp, calamari, and amazing fries!
Alright, I've eaten at the Ivy. I was in Los Angeles for a period of time last year and I owed my friend money, so I agreed to pay for her meal at the Ivy. We both had the cheese ravioli. Might as well get something good. I hate it when you go to a slightly pricy restaurant and your friend orders an ice water, soup, and a half salad in order to save money. You're at the Ivy, get a damn meal. But it was expensive. This is coming from a hard-working midwesterner; the young couple next to us barely said a word to each other, picked over their salads and burgers, got their stuff to-go, and left.
I know freshness is a crucial part of a meal. Everyone loves freshness. And their ravioli tasted fresh. It was good. Was it worth $35? Not really. Was I blown away by the L'Occitane soaps in the womens bathroom? Not really. Was my mind blown by eating in what is basically a tiny Anthropologie store with a kitchen? No. No celebrity sightings, a slight wait, cramped quarters - this is basically Los Angeles in a nutshell.
Maybe if I were Demi Moore and eating here was worth about as much as eating out at Taco Bell is to me, I would have enjoyed it more. For what I paid for six or seven raviolis, it wasn't worth it. It was just okay.
The Ivy is a "has-been".
The food is over priced and nothing special. Service is mediocre. The only thing I like about the Ivy is the decor. The bathroom is cute too. In fact, that's the only thing I like about this place.
If you want to gawk at people like Jon Gosselin then this is the place for you!
The Only thing good about this place is how cute the patio is and also the ladies restroom. Its cute and cozy!
with all the ranting about this place, one might expect good food. I had a salmon dish and i wouldnt say it was delicious. The food looked better than it tasted.
I'd pass on the next Ivy suggestion. Unless i just want to sit out in the patio over an iced tea and people watch. i guess thats fun.
It's one of those places you have to try once...I mean it's The Ivy. The staff is rude, the seating is beyond cramped, the food is overpriced and you're just there to people watch. But it's LA people.
Expect a wait out of towner. (unless you're staying at a fabulous hotel that always manages to get us right the hell in) While you're waiting, also expect a very condescending, restless staff and people staring at you to see if you're "somebody", realizing you're not, then they too are glaring at you. The people watching is unbeatable and if there is a wait, the shopping phenomenal. Paparazzi are in droves there, so it's hilarious to see celebrities acting obscenely annoyed to be photographed.
The food is pretty good, and as many have said, PRICEY. They're known for their fried chicken, chopped salad and enchiladas?!?! Skip the salad, go for the fried chicken. Obviously NO ONE there is eating fried chicken, but it's delicious. IF you must calorie count, get the chopped salad. The lobster pasta is also good...don't know about $50.00 good.
Oh...but I should almost give it 3 stars bc 1.) They let these assholes smoke all over you while you eat. You're literally sitting on top of each other and while we are actually eating, these inconsiderate pricks puff away and drink iced tea. 2.) Once when I was there I felt I needed a little extra cranberry (ladies you know what I mean) So I was served a mini glass of Ocean Spray loaded with ice. I had about 4 bc it took 2 sips to finish. Grand total on the juice??? $44.00 I wanted to throw the glass at the waiter's head.
I went to dinner with friends to The Ivy, attracted by the fact that it's easy walking distance from where I live and it has a hot reputation.
The location was great, and the decor was cute. The service was decent, but not impressive for a pricey place like that.
My $26 enchilada wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either; I could get better for $9 at a family-style Mexican restaurant in Seattle. Two of my friends had Caesar salads, also $26 (each), and they weren't good at all. (I forget what the fourth in our party ordered, but I remember she was neither impressed nor horrified.) Our total bill for four, including overpriced drinks, was $160, plus tip.
Soon the two who ordered Caesar salads discovered why their meals didn't taste good. Their mouths started tingling and itching. A few hours later they were experiencing very unpleasant digestive tract distress, which persisted for the next day or two.
The next day, between trips to the bathroom, one of the salad victims phoned to complain, and was told that the owner would call back. Four days after the taint, someone from the restaurant returned the call, and said that no one had complained about the Caesar salad or any other sort of food poisoning. How often do people know exactly where they got their food poisoning, and even know who to call to complain? And isn't a call from two people who order the same thing and suffer the same consequences evidence that something was wrong? They blew their chance to make good on their mistake.
My impression of the place is that it's a restaurant where D-list celebrities go to pretend they're B-list celebrities, and where regular people go to see A-list celebrities and end up seeing those D-list celebrities. The food is incidental -- paying the ridiculous tab for bad food is the price those D-listers pay to market themselves as real celebrities, and the price regular people pay for the hope that they'll be seated next to someone famous.
Hint to people who want good celebrity sightings: A-list celebrities don't need to sit out on the patio eating bad food to reassure themselves that they're still famous. And if you want to see the sort of lesser celebrities who make a habit of enduring the Ivy, buy binoculars and loiter across the street.
Apparently the management thinks that their reputation as a place to see celebrities protects them from the crappy reviews they get on Yelp and other review sites. But sooner or later (I hope) the lackluster food will spoil the place's coolness, the celebrities will stop showing up there, and the place will be in trouble. Or maybe they'll get a clue and clean up their act. But I get the impression that they think they're safe resting on their laurels.
The first time I went here I wasn't very impressed but the second time was very pleased!
You must try the red velvet cake with pink frosting! It is definately one of the best cakes I've ever had! very fluffy and the pink cream cheese icing is not too heavy!
We headed out to Asia de Cuba for brunch. On La Cienega, it started to get very congested and roads were closed. With AIDS Walk today, getting to Asia de Cuba on Sunset before end of brunch was going to be very difficult. So we had to make alternate plans.
We tried Minestraio (from Angelini Osteria's chef), but parking was nowhere to be found (probably due to nearby Joan's On Third, which was overflowing with people). We decided to move onto Beverly Hills. I noticed on my car's navigation system that The Ivy was nearby. I had programmed many restaurants I wanted to try in my navigation system so that they would appear on my map when I was near. It was really a tool to get familiar with where places like The Ivy were, but today it came in handy because The Ivy is where we went.
We arrived around 1:45pm. The Ivy was quite busy. The decor was not what I expected. I knew they would have a patio area, but I expected the dining area to be much more formal and shi shi. The outdoor patio was cluttered and surrounded by a white picket fence and (of course) ivy. The inside was like an old country cottage. Antiques everywhere and many framed photos of the American flag (even one photo of the Confederate flag). We were sitting next to the defunct fireplace. Two deep, dusty vases/pots were sitting in the fireplace. I expected a spider to come out of the vase and greet us.
We were served complimentary raisin scones with butter and jam. I'm not the biggest scones fan, but they were okay (what you would expect).
The menu was quite expensive. None of the entrees were under $20. That is a little pricey for pancakes, omelettes and fried chicken. I had the crab cake benedict.
Two crab cakes were topped with poached eggs and some kind of hollandaise sauce (it tasted of nothing). They said the crab cakes were fresh, and they definitely were as I found a few pieces of shell in them. The crab cakes were flattened discs. They did not have that much taste to them. They were covered in a thick, crunchy breading (that was overdone). The poached eggs were big, but they were overcooked.
The crab cake benedict was served with a big portion of hash browns (you can also get french fries, cole slaw or fruit). The hash browns were okay. Cooked all the way through with a crispy but not burnt top. They could have used a little more seasoning, but I did have ketchup.
I also tried the lobster ravioli. Nothing special.
For dessert, we went with the hot fudge and butterscotch sundae. The desserts were either $13 or $16. That is a little bit pricey. Desserts at nice restaurants are usually $12 and under.
The sundae comes unassembled. Two large scoops of ice cream. A pitcher of hot (or more appropriately, warm) fudge. A pitcher of warm butterscotch. A cup of fresh whipped cream. A cup of roasted almonds. Once we threw everything in, the sundae was actually a little bland (maybe because the whipped cream and the sauces were not that great). The almonds were good. I've had better ice cream, but it was okay. You can get a better hot fudge sundae (with similar ingredients) at Lawry's.
All the plates had floral patterns on them. While they went with the decor, they were actually a little bit distracting. They helped make the food look less presentable, mediocre and overpriced. All of which was true.
Service was good. Very attentive and quick. In terms of the quality of the food, it was definitely no better than 2 stars. It was very overpriced so you are not going to get a good value here. The Ivy (like The Grill on the Alley) may just be one of those establishments that has a big name and does not need to maintain high food standards (many of the Yelp reviews for The Ivy are mediocre--2 to 3 stars). Maybe The Ivy was once great, but my guess is that you will leave disappointed.
In terms of parking, they have valet. There is also a nearby structure, which is $1.00 for every 30 minutes.
Do not come to the Ivy to see Stars. Come for the best fried chicken you will ever imagine in your LIFE!
Great prices, great food, great SERVICE... and the occasional Pierce Brosnan sighting. Some favorites:
Corn chowder
Shrimp pizza
garden salad
Ricky;s fried chicken
Ricky's cheese cake
How can you go wrong with that?
my favorite l.a. stomping ground! i don't find this place pretentious at all, it is the best homemade food when you are ready to splurge and treat yourself. so...here are my favorites: grilled vegetable salad with shrimp, salt & pepper shrimp, homemade pasta with mushrooms, crab salad, lobster with homemade pasta or risotto served in the shell, the banana split, key lime pie, champagne with crushed raspberries and the best vodka gimlet in the world! treat yourself at the ivy atleast once a year!
I haven't been here in years, but I haven't considered going back. I do agree with many that it is overpriced, but going once won't kill you. A lunch here mid-week is definitely an experience. I don't know much about it anymore, seems like it's sorta died down over the past 5 years... now the stars craving attention end up here. I guess if you live in LA, eat here once, then you've done it and can move on with your life and see that its not that big of a deal! However, if Jake Gyllenhaal decided to frequent this location, I would gladly pay the money to sit near him.
The iced tea is quite good.
It's nice to sit on the patio.
That's about it.
My halibut was overcooked (as in cooked-to-death) and not properly plated. The ceviche was abysmally bad.
Prices are absurd, but you already knew that. Regardless, I still enjoyed my lunch here (lunch experience, not the actual food).
Meh. The food was fresh, the service was adequate, but just not that impressive overall for the price. Tourist trap.
Wow, what a huge let down. I used to go to the Ivy years ago, back in the late 80's-early 90's when it was fabulous and had great food and outstanding service.
What a difference a few decades make---LOL!
Now its just a shadow of its former self. Still a great atmosphere but the food is lackluster and disappointing. The crab cakes, which used to be sublime, are now fried to death and the Cajun prime rib, which I used to dream about, is now a tough piece of beef with aggressively unpleasant seasoning. All subtlety has disappeared in the food preparation. The chocolate desert was frozen and bland. UGH!
Service is slam-bam, get em in and get em out. Our app's arrived literally 3 minutes after we ordered. Service is uninterested and perfunctory.
What a disgrace and what a shame!
A friend took us to lunch at this restaurant which she frequents a lot. It's like a garden amongst the LA jungle. Quite a change of scenery. Although, the frontage is unmistakable. I had flashes of dejavu from movies like Monster-In-Law and Get Shorty when we drove up to it.
The wait staff all wore light pink shirts which is cool. My friends ordered us a couple rounds of the Gimlet (?) and while I'm not a drinker, I agree that it's not bad at all. Very much like a mojito.
My friend ordered 2 crab cakes for each person around the table. Yummy! I ordered the black peppered shrimp and rice for lunch. It was very flavorful but I was disappointed that it didn't look more appetizing. As always, I ordered my coffee but the REAL TREAT of this lunch was the red velvet cake. That made the whole trip worth while! It was a generous slice and the icing wasn't too hard or sweet. I'd definitely go back for that.
The other turn-off was the bill. For 5 people, the bill was $405 (excl. tip). Yikes! I'm not sure if it was the crab cakes that did it or the $24 entrees, but it's been a while since I've seen a lunch bill that high for just 5 people.
Again, this is one of those places you just have to say you've been because you'll undoubted see it in an upcoming film. Not to mention, it's a part of LA history.
I came here the other night with a large group (15 or so) to do a bit of celebrating. We had a reservation so we got a great area inside next to the fireplace. While waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, I started with the cajun blood mary, which was yummy! It had sliced jalopenos, cajun spice, and of course a large stalk of celery. perfect.
Once we got around to ordering food, I chose the spinach and ricotta ravioli, which were very good, but definitely not worth 25 bucks! I also had a side of garlic toast to compliment my entree, which, I believe was $6 for 4 pieces of toast. ugh. My boyfriend had the salmon, mashed potatoes and cauliflower, which was probably $30 (?). We split the hot fudge brownie for dessert, and that was good... i don't even know how much it was, but I'm sure it was a lot haha.
Anyway, the point of this place is location and the fact that it's a total celeb hangout. The atmosphere is cute (a charming little cottage), and the service was very prompt and friendly (not that they were very busy), but I would have to say it's a tad pricey for what you get, it's food you can get most anywhere, nothing unique, but for 3 times the price! I can bet most people go there to catch a glimpse of a celeb..which is ridiculous. But all in all, it's a nice experience.
We went there cuz one of us was visiting from Ohio so she wanted to go cuz its a celebrity spot.
We didn't see any celebrities. except a paparazzi which seemed to be taking pictures of someone but i couldn't see who...
THE WAIT: 30 minutes
THE FOOD: came way too late...so they gave us free corn chowder lool..
I got the fish and chips and it was just...fish and chips (fries) really..nothing really special..
I think the next time I go there I'll just get a salad..
Had lunch here recently with my husband, sister and her fiance. We all had a wonderful experience. The food we can recommend includes the tuna, salmon and lobster ravioli. We made reservations a week beforehand which I would recommend....very busy place! We were given a beautiful table on the patio which was great for people watching...the only downside was a mischievous squirrel in the tree above me that was throwing nuts down my shirt and hitting me on the head...I did get a very cute pic of him though so it was all worth it! The service was efficient and friendly but there can be a little wait due to the numbers. We managed to miss the celebrity hoopla however there were many people taking photos from across the road so we certainly sensed the atmosphere. Can see why this place is a favorite...very pretty surrounds with tasty food.
Don't believe the hype people!
$25 cobb salad that tastes like what I imagine an ass to taste like.
$50 lobster pasta with gummy pasta that you could throw at the Hollywood type sitting behind you gabbing about this project or that.
Mobs of paparazzi waiting to catch a picture of whatever attention hungry celebrity may be dining al fresco (how convenient)
The only thing I like about this place is the decor and the fresh scones. It is like walking into a country cottage.
Food sux, waiters sux
Positives:
Great food, polite waiters, and you get to sit under a huge white umbrella to keep cool.
Negatives:
Tables are a little small and close together which can be uncomfortable if you've got two big italian men behind you.
And with all the people watching going on, you do have to keep your table manners even when you're starving and itching to chow down the huge mountain sized portions on your tiny plate
So overall ok, but not a place to go everyday, especially if you want to eat in peace... or have room to stretch your legs.
The food is definitely not worth the price... There are soooo many better places in L.A. that serves up mouthwatering dishes that won't swallow up your wallet.
This place is exactly what you might think of: hollywood, paparazzi and mediocre food. Last time I went for lunch, which was quite a bit ago, Nikki Hilton, her mom and their rich beautiful blonde girlfriends were dining right next to us. So that's where all my money goes! It goes to the chance that you might spot a real celebrity.... or in my case, someone who is famous for being rich. Fortunately, for me, the lunch wasn't on my dime... so, there ya go.
If you have out of town guests, who want to see "L.A.," then hell, take them here... I'm sure you'll spot a celebrity or two.
Totally overated and overpriced. I have lived in LA all my life and have never been, so my friend and I went for a late lunch, so we could experience something "LA." If "LA" is rude, pretentious and mediocre, than we got what we wanted. Our waiter was rude, and not helpful at all. My friend who is a vegetarian simply asked if a salad could be made without shrimp and he said, "that's in the salad." We ordered a caprese salad to share which is tomato and mozzarella, and when I ordered a salad for my entree, he looked at me said, "you're ordering a salad and a salad." He was absolutely rude and made us feel very unwelcomed. Plus the food was just ehhh! Won't be coming back to this place. In addition, saw no celebs, so booo!!
Black pepper shrimp is the only way to go. The help not so friendly to say the least but no one can rain on my parade when I have a plate of black pepper shrimp in front of me.
This place is all hype. The food is ridiculously priced, $23 bucks for pancakes?!
I wanted pancakes, I could not bring myself to getting it from this restaurant. So, I got the shrimp hash dish, it came with a nice salad, but not worth the $30. The hash was very salty. Others in the group got the "fresh" crab benedict and a grilled swordfish. The crab was dry and the grilled swordfish tasted pretty burnt. I probably wouldn't go here again.
Other than the food, the decor was nice, like an old cottage and they have many fresh flower arrangements. Blah.
Food was fab, especially on a beautiful day, outside. However, it was so packed that the waiters kept stepping on my toes!
Had the crab cakes, lobster ravioli, and cobbler! Great meal but the tight quarters made it uncomfortable and hard to have a private conversation.
So the other day my girlfriend says she wants to go somewhere for breakfast where she can be around people, but be in a quiet, serene, pretty setting...
......stumpted.......stumpted.......stumped....... .aha!
Go to the Ivy, because somehow, even though you are right on Robertson Blvd, once you step behind that white picket fence and walk up those stairs you start to feel like you are in the countryside, yet there are people and life around you.
This is what I would go to The Ivy for.
I would not however go for the food.
The food is OK. We both had crab benedict (not crab cake Benedict) which was again, OK. The bread it came on was a little burnt and overpowered the other flavors, the potatoes were nothing special, but the crab was very tasty (if not a little skimped on insofar as the portion). FYI they were like $24 and a special - not on the regular menu.
With one juice, two coffees, two orders of Benedict, tax and tip it came out to about $85 which is pricey for breakfast but ultimately to me worth it for the relaxing, pretty, high-end, I'm a special person atmosphere.
I would go back, though it wouldn't be because I was craving their food.
I brought some vendors here that were visiting me from Texas. Having never been to California, they wanted to see some stereotypical LA things. After a cruise down the Sunset strip, we went here. I told them we may even come across paparazzi or celebrities (yawn).
As we walk around the corner and up to the front of the place, we are trampled by paparazzi who are in a frenzy. We pause to watch as Kim Kardashian and Cierra (?) leave the Ivy. A whole scene unfolds with the photogs running in the street and everything.
I really impressed my vendors and was able to deliver on a true piece of LA. For me, I could care less who eats here, but seeing this all was really funny.
I also got to show my guests another real piece of LA, the over priced meal. The food here is good, I have eaten here before. It is nothing over the top though. But $25.75 for spaghetti and meatballs? You gotta be kidding me. It seems all entrees start at this price, I had a halibut that was $32.75. They even charge for water (Evian in bottles). Add this in, along with $12 glasses of California Coast Pinot Noir and WOW, what a bill. Thankfully, I was not paying for this one.
In all, the food is good here, though overpriced. They do have a very nice ambiance though with a great outdoor seating area. If hoping to spot people that are famous for doing nothing is your thing, you will want to come here for sure.
Oh, and watch the valet. It's $5 to park if you eat at the Ivy and $50 if you do not.
3.5 stars
Although this place is filled with paparazzi, masses of people looking for famous people and a long wait even if you have a reservation, I still cant seem to stay away from this place. I bring all my friends from out of town here so they can see the true LA experience.
I have waited in line to check in for my reservation, waited for 30 minutes after I checked in for my reservation and been pushed by the crazy amount of people here. BUT, I love the grilled vegetable salad. Its the perfect size portion and the veggies taste fresh. I have been super satisfied every time.
Make sure to leave ample time to eat here because of the wait but the food is defiantly worth it.
Ate here a while back--probably in 07-08. I had the herb cooked swordfish. I have to say, it wasn't what i was expecting. For one thing, it was overcooked. I don't know if it was their intention, but Ivy created a strange tasting herb concoction that made the swordfish taste absolutely horrible. The price was way too much for the quality that I got. To be honest, I've had better swordfish for far cheaper. That experience has made me come to believe that Ivy is just a place where one would go to hope to see a celebrity eat.
Great salads!
Great Desserts!
Great for lunch!
And I saw Simon Cowell here, and he was very nice!
I was debating between 2 and 3 stars on this one. A friend up in LA suggested joining her for a saturday lunch here, and since I asked her to pick I went along with the choice. We sat on the patio and the weather was absolutely amazing. The food was decent, but def. not good enough for the prices they charge. I also wasn't a fan of the tourist buses driving by every 20 mins to take pictures of the place. I swear, some minor celebrity could've been sitting in my vicinity but I didn't really care. that, and i was trying to avert my eyes from many the botched botox jobs around me.
So go here once to maybe say you've been. The food isn't all that and if you're going on a date you don't want to be seen on then this is def. a place to avoid. I like going to places for the food and the atmosphere, but mainly the food. Take your $40 *yes, for lunch* and go someplace else.
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Ahhh yeah! Get ready for This Girl's Guide To…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
places i've been when living in or visiting the…
These are my absolute favorite Los Angeles…
L.A. Magazine recently ranked the top 75…
