Sat at bar being ignored for :20 not getting drinks till :30. Our waiter was surly and rude. We had to ask for water multiple times, ask him to take empty wine glasses, ask to order….the service was the absolute worst ever.
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Forced early morning visit to the barbers .....!
My rating is really 3.5. 2 x negative comments that in some ways spoilt a good Breakfast . 1. The online booking for Breakfast made us have to arrive at 8.30 am today .No other times where available .Ok.... we booked .Turned up and the restaurant had less than 15 people at 8.30 and no more than 26 by 9.45 am. It was very very quiet .So why not able to make a booking for later than 8.30am. Feels like the online system cheated us . 2. The manager needs to inform staff that the small till ,service area as you enter is NOT a bathroom and to see a member of staff rubbing both hands through his hair etc styling it when Leaning over food service items and then with no hesitation continue to serve customers food using his hands is not exactly nice . CCTV will show it happening I am sure and if in doubt , he has a "Kiss " tattoo on his neck . Food was fine. Staff lovely (as usual ) Coffee perfect for that time of the morning .
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Terrible cold food & poor customer service
We visited The Ivy Kensington for breakfast on Mother’s Day which was terrible & completely spoiled our morning we arrived & received a warm welcome by the hosts at the front desk but it all went downhill from there. We were seated fairly near the bar & close to one of the staff till areas so could hear staff conversations constantly. We waited around 15 minutes for our host to take our drinks order when the drinks finally arrived they were cold so it was more like iced tea than hot breakfast tea the milk was missing & we had to ask 3 times for milk. we ordered our breakfast which took around 30 minutes for the first one to arrived it had one piece of bacon & again was cold the toast arrived cold, black & without butter the other 2 breakfast arrived around 10 minutes later again cold plus items missing & cold burnt toast with no butter one of the breakfasts a full English arrived with several items missing when questioned the lady who we assume was the manager was arguing that we ordered it this way due to an allergy which was not the case after a 5 minute argument she agreed to order the missing items which arrived around 20 minutes later by this stage the first half of the breakfast had been eaten & everyone else had finished their food there was no apologies at any stage & we heard the senior staff member & our host complaining about us behind us which is very unprofessional & extremely rude. When the bill arrived the items that were missing from the full English had been charged to our bill when we questioned this it was another big deal for them to correct the bill. It was a horrible experience long waits, cold food, cold tea, missing food items, terrible customer service , unprofessional staff I would not return or recommend this branch absolutely dreadful I really don’t understand how it takes so long to make cold hot drinks & food & when mistakes are made the staff want to argue then stand behind you bad mouthing you & charge you extra for their mistake customer service & food quantity need huge improvement.
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Not really up to standard
When I booked our table online for four of us to dine here (to celebrate 2 big birthdays) I asked for a nice table in the notes section of the booking online. This was completely overlooked as they put us on a table which was right next to the ladies toilets, just across from the kitchens and right next to a till area where there was a constant stream of staff flapping around us. Speaking of staff, there seemed to be lots walking around but not actuallly doing much. We waited an absolute age to get our drinks and then one of them, the Bloody Mary cocktail, had so much spice and worcestershire sauce in it, it was like drinking vinegar. We sent that back and got a replacement (which again took an age) only to find that the second Bloody Mary was like drinking a glass of tomato juice, no zing, no spice at all and certainly no vodka. We all belived that somebody behind the bar was having a joke with us. We didn't want to make any more of a fuss than had already been made, this was supposed to be a celebratory meal. The food is ok. Beware that any main course you choose is most likely not to include any vegetables - so half an aubergine that is aready £18 then needs a small bucket of fries with it, another £5+ so it ends up being quite an expensive vegetarian dish! Would we go again? I doubt it.
Really nice place. The front of the house was really Welcome and helpful. The waiter was really kind . We definitely will come back
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Excellent cocktails & a Good menu
The food never fails to satisfy & impress & the cocktails are excellent. The back terrace is wonderful for afternoon tea
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London weekend with family
Lovely food but service not very attentive. Had to keep asking for the wine to be poured since it was not placed adjacent to our table. Very noisy and tables packed too close together.
Read a review that food arrived before pre dinner drinks, thought, oh dear, but that’s exactly what happened to us. Had to send food back so we could enjoy our drinks. Ordered desserts and cheese that just didn’t turn up. Left disappointed that the Ivy brand is becoming so debased. Was offered complimentary desserts - refused - and removed service charge from bill. On a brighter note, the shepherds pie was good.
The restaurant has a lovely feel of Bohemian French meets Victorian, with plush seating, a great ambiance, and charming staff. The service was excellent and the food divine. Try the salted sourdough absolutely delicious. We all enjoyed our meals. The chicken Milanese is really good value. The waiter also checked if it was a special occasion at the beginning of the meal and my husband whose birthday it was brought a birthday treat of a chocolate profiterole. The restaurant is convenient to hotels in the area. We will definitely go back next time we are in London.
My dining experience was comprehensively bad except for the poor harried and untrained, but lovely staff who were trying to deal with the failings of this restaurant. To start with we ordered cocktails and the bar tender clearly did not have a clue of how to prepare a basic cocktail. The restaurant is French - it is called a brasserie - and they did not know the difference between a Kir and Kir royale - one of the most famous French drinks so I got a glass of cassis without wine. After teacing them what a kir is we finally got one- albeit with too much cassis to my liking. Subsequently every wine we ordered was ultimately unavailable - we had to change every single order of wine as it was unavailable. Each time it took alot of time to tell us that. Trainees of which there were many were completely unhelpful because they aren’t trained - they were standing around kinda just having fun with each other. Even though they are trainees they need to be told to be effective on a basic level - not just indicate they can’t do anything otherwise they should not be on the floor - they represent the restaurant so should at least be able to get help. Now to the food - we mostly ordered the special - the cod fillet. It came and was practically inedible but we did because we were so hungry. There was so much horse radish on it it took your head off and the fish completely dried out. We all got mash potatoes which we actually hadn’t ordered but thank goodness because we could mix it to take down the heat. The potatoes that came with the special were suppose to be smashed potatoes which is a specific recipe but the ones we got were simply boiled potatoes cut up. As for the mashed we got in addition the waitress confirmed they were complimentary (too right) as we hadn’t ordered them. Later when we told the poor woman (lovely woman) that the food was terrible they offered us some free desserts. Okay and we were gracious for the sake of the staff but this is a restaurant in trouble which is ruining the reputation of the overall ivy brand - I’ve gone to the main restaurant several times but I feel if this is the level of service and food in their many branches I have to believe overall standards have gone down. The branch is an expensive restaurant and should not be this terrible - a big mistake. I will never go to one again.
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Beautiful space, really gorgeous design.
Warm, friendly staff. Food was amazing and reasonably priced. Loved it here!
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We had an amazing dinner.
Started with the Stilton & walnut soufflé and salted sourdough. I had the roasted chicken & he had fish & chips. We really enjoyed everything - including the signature cocktails.
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This place has beautiful atmosphere with roaring 20's
This place has beautiful atmosphere with roaring 20's accents. The ambiance is exceptional but the service was not so much. I was seated with a table of 3 and we proceeded to sit down at our table. The hostess was rude first attempt about the reservation status so make sure you plan accordingly before approaching this restraunt. Our cocktails and water took precisely 13 min to come out and we did not recieve any of our food in the 25 min window that we ordered. We got the 8 oz sirloin (medium rare) ,the sole, crispy duck salad, and the linguine with mushroom and truffle cream sauce. The sirloin was over cooked and took approximately 23 min to come out. The sole was heavy on the bones ( dangerously thick bones); which we were not warned about prior to ordering. The linguine was oil heavy and contained no cream whatsoever. I am a chef at hotel bel air and I have a deep love for food and the overall experience brought me to tears. I am deeply discouraged by the overall quality of this restraunt and the waiter proceeded to argue with me about the sole. If you have a pallet for good quality fine dining food this is definitely not the establishment.
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The beef tartare was yummy.
5/5 by 👻
@M n. on 10/06/2022
This place was packed when I came but I got a table for one right away. The service was fast and the waiter was nice.
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What a cute restaurant on Kensington's High Street.
I came in about 7:30 on Friday night and was able to get a seat at the bar right away.I started with the Rhubarb & Raspberry G&T which was refreshing and the only negative was the soggy paper straw. I know they're good for the environment but they still drive me nuts. For dinner I had the Mushroom and Truffle Linguine. It was creamy but not heavy. There are a few items on the menu I'd definitely go back to check out!I finished dinner with the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini which was delicious. I expected it to be overly sweet but the caramel didn't overpower the espresso at all.If you're with a group or want a table I would recommend a reservation!
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Unfortunately, we had underwhelming service and food.
Heard a lot about this restaurant from referrals and couldn't wait to go. They require a credit card deposit to hold your spot it is that popular (all locations). So I was disappointed that there was a 30 min gap before anyone talked to us after we sat down. The asparagus salad was recommended by the waiter and it was too spicy to actually eat, with warm olives and couscous. I wanted to like it so bad but I couldn't finish it, it's a miss for me. My counterparts had soup and had ordered a side that never came. The soup was underwhelming and since the side never turned up can't speak to much more. The vibe is cool but felt like we could've walked into any random pub and found better food and service. The waiters seemed upset when we didn't order cocktails. I hate to rip on places but also think it would've been good to know it's a mixed bag on experience so I'm writing this bc it's a pricey place for such poor service. My guess is they are short staffed but the attitudes were not apologetic it was entitled. Weird. We still tipped but I personally would not go again.
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Since we're here for work work, my colleague wanted to meet
Since we're here for work work, my colleague wanted to meet up for dinner. Asked me if I had any prospective spots to eat at. So I ran the handy dandy Yelp app and saw this restaurant. Someone has mentioned the spot to me before, said they had a great experience there.So here we are, let's get to it shall we.Fried Zucchini: It's pretty good. Lightly battered and perfectly crispy. Such a delight in my mouth.Steak Tartare: Although a little under seasoned, I still enjoyed it. Eat it with the toast because that's how it's done.Shepherds Pie: I chose this comfort dish as my main event because I do make this myself. Every chef/cook makes this differently. The one served here is pretty good. The use of fresh rosemary is delish. The atmosphere is really quite nice. The service was also pretty good. From start to finish was a great experience. I would definitely eat here again if given the chance.¡Muchos gracias y hasta pronto!Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!!
4/5 by 👻
@FeeG on 07/31/2022
As a family we dined there on Friday night, we booked in advance and when we turned up we only had to wait for 5 mins for our table. The host/s were very pleasant at the door. The table was nice and the atmosphere overall was good. The drinks came fast and the food was really superb, I had salmon fillet and a side of spinach, it was the biggest, best cooked piece of fillet I'd had for a long time. My son and husband had the Monkfish curry and they loved that too. We couldnt fault the food. The only thing that let it down for us and our experience was our waitress. She looked rather snooty and had an attitute. She was fairly abrupt and didn't smile, She served us fast but it was like we were a pain in her rear, and she just wanted us gone! Even when we paid the bill (and reluctantly the already added tip), she didn't even make eye contact as she walked away.. no smile or thank you, just rude and unengaging. So shame..we would of enjoyed it more if we had had another waiter/ess!
We came the other night on a date at our reserved time and were told we had to wait at the bar until our table was ready, the girl, Jennifer, who escorted us was lovely and reassured us that as soon as a table was ready she would come get us. I could tell the staff were stressed and it took ages to get our drinks. More people were sat at the bar waiting for tables until eventually a table finally opened up and she quickly laid it out for us and took our drinks over. After that we had to wait ages again for someone to come over and take our order, even though we saw what seemed like the higher up staff standing around at the back chatting away while the rest of the staff were doing everything in mid chaos. Our food was worth the wait and we shared a very generous portion of zucchini fries which were delicious! If it wasn’t for the extremely slow service and overbooking of the place we would have enjoyed our evening much more.
Good, attentive service. Beautiful surroundings and delicious food! Thank you for being so patient with the baby too.
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Disappointing experience
We booked well in advance for a birthday meal but the reception was as if we were unexpected. Given a table right at the rear of the room near the toilets. Service was initially prompt but tailed off into non existence as the meal progressed. The food was a bright spot - good curry and blackened cod. Unable to have a dessert as the slow service meat that we were in danger of missing our train.
I was not going to bother to add a review but reading about the other awful experiences written here made me change my mind. We arrived at The Ivy Kensington late Sunday afternoon. The music was extremely loud and we asked if it could be turned down. The waiter informed us very stiffly that it was at the normal level. I then said in that case I didn't think we would stay. Instead of trying to offer another seat in a quieter location or even just apologising and behaving pleasantly the waiter stared at me coldly, snapped: "Well, do you what you want," and then immediately turned on his heel. In all my years of eating at The Ivy, or of eating in any restaurant I have never experienced such repellant behaviour. It seems to tie in with the other reports here. I shall certainly never be going to The Ivy again.
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Breakfast for2- Friday morning Pros:Beautiful atmosphere as
Breakfast for2- Friday morning Pros:Beautiful atmosphere as always Delicious food! A good selection of breakfast items Excellent and attentive service. Cons: None today
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We visited the Ivy Kensington for an impromptu dinner after
We visited the Ivy Kensington for an impromptu dinner after a day at Wimbledon. We had the Ivy restaurants on our London lists from their picturesque decor and settings, and impressive food and drink menus. While our food was tasty enough, I found the Ivy to be my least favorite meal of the trip due to poor service. We were immediately seated and after a bit of a wait, had our drink orders taken. Due to the heatwave, we were particularly parched, and unfortunately had to ask for water multiple times before it was finally brought to our table. Our food on the other hand was brought out quickly. We started with the sourdough which was warm and delicious with salted butter. For our entrees, we had the cod and sole, which was tasty but nothing unexpected. The highlight of our meal was the Centre Court special dessert, which included white chocolate, shortbread, strawberries, meringue, cool ice cream and a warm strawberry drizzle! Overall, it was a fine meal but the inattentive service left more to be desired.
I came there on my way home after waiting for my husband to come out of surgery for 5 hours, was craving a good steak with a glass of red wine. Asked for a cocktail before my meal. The cocktail came together with my steak which tasted like a meat cooked two days before and warmed in a microwave, and cost just under £30. Once I finished my steak the waiter asked politely if I wanted my wine now, somehow I refused. I asked for a cheese selection menu, waited for about 15 minutes, and decided that enough was enough. Now, my husband who frequented the Ivy for business lunches for years is not coming back, neither is my son. I'll make sure that all my friends are informed accordingly.
Eight of us had the most enjoyable evening as we had exceptional service and delicious food.The service was extremely efficient and quick .Mikele was very attentive but also discreet so that we could speak without interruptions. It was a great success.
I have just left the ivy after an extremely disappointing meal . I have been a vegetarian for 30 years , I was happy to have a great choice of food at the Ivy . I chose an Asian salad for starter which was lovely , i then chose a Malaysian curry for my main course . I started to eat the curry , after several mouthfuls I found a big piece of fish in the curry , on further examination I realised there were several large pieces of fish in the “vegetarian “ curry . Returned food , staff apologetic but the damage was done and unfortunately ruined the evening. I’ve read reviews below and see that this has unfortunately happened before . It seems that the ivy need to train their staff more on basic food prep ! Disappointing in any restaurant but shocking in somewhere like the ivy . Will not be visiting again !
Vibrant atmosphere, slick and cheerful staff serving a most enjoyable meal at a reasonable cost. Will certainly visit here again
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Avoid if you are a vegetarian
I visited the Kensington branch with my family for an early dinner and ordered the Keralan Sweet Potato Curry. The service was slow, and when our meals eventually arrived a plate was put in front of me that was clearly not sweet potato curry. It appeared to be a curry containing fillets of grey meat. I immediately told the waiter that there had been a mistake and this was not what I ordered, emphasising that I am vegetarian. His reaction was quite bizarre. Rather than taking the plate away immediately and apologising as I would expect, he said "it is the right meal". I then said, okay, please explain where in the description of this curry on your menu which includes sweet potato, choy sum, broccoli and coriander is this substance, he shrugged and said he didn't know, but it definitely wasn't meat. Again, we asked, if it's not meat, what is it? And he had no idea. Eventually after this exchange went on for much longer than it should have he went to find a colleague - and I stress this - leaving the plate of meat in front of me, despite me telling him I'm vegetarian. His colleague appeared, was equally vague but at least removed the dish and said he would re-order for me. The rest of my party ate their meals, I sat there waiting, then eventually the waiter appeared again and put a plate in front of me. I'm sure you can image my indignation when I looked down to see it was, once again, the fillets of grey meat. Once again, we had to ask for it to be removed, once again the waiting staff appeared totally baffled - as if it had not been them themselves who had taken the order, entered it into the till, and carried it from the kitchen to our table - twice. I did not expect to have to have a long conversation with the waiting staff explaining the difference between a sweet potato and a fillet of meat (which eventually transpired to be duck) and I certainly didn't expect to have to wait over an hour to eventually be served the meal I ordered. The unapologetic nature of the waiting staff really was something to behold. As our original waiter finally took away the second plate of meat he said "What are the chances?" From the look of things, fairly high, if you work in a restaurant and don't know what a sweet potato is. It's one thing to be served a plate of meat when you've ordered a vegetarian meal. It's another to then be accused by the staff of not knowing what meat is with a suggestion I should be quiet and eat what I'm given. It is quite another for this to happen twice. Having been a vegetarian for 30 years I appreciate that mistakes happen. In all my years of eating out, I have never witnessed such an appalling display of customer service - and this includes at institutions who are not charging £16 for a curry. I would have thought that The Ivy would provide its staff with some basic training, say, the content of the menus, or for example, what meat is. Clearly not. I contacted the restaurant to complain about my experience and they ignored my email. I then chased this and they again ignored my email. Terrible experience and customer service all around - avoid!
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Amazing! Go for breakfast so practical, healthy and tasty.
We enjoyed tea, eggs Benedict and , parfait
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Last Reply by 🍀 @EarlyAnswer20 (04/27/2023 5:41 pm)
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It can be under your name or a name you choose! Some reservation offers already include the AppointmentTrader Transfer Service which will transfer the reservation in to your name. If its not included you can add it on after buying the reservation for a small fee. One thing on that though: As many reservations become available at last minute, taking a reservation in someone else name is quick and great for privacy. Most reservations on AT are listed with a virtual phone number, so all you need to do is present the phone number at the hostess stand and you are good to go!
Best answer by 🥷🏻 @ColorfulRod45 (07/09/2021 8:17 pm)