Ivy At The Shore

(310) 393-3113

1535 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401 34.0123 -118.4957

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Neighborhoods: Downtown, West LA

theivyrestaurant.com

Hours:

Monday From 11:30 AM To 10:30 PM Tuesday To Thursday From 11:30 AM To 11:00 PM Friday To Saturday From 11:30 AM To 11:30 PM Sunday From 10:30 AM To 10:30 PM

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 10.04.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

Carte Blanche, American Express, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining, Celeb Hangout, Brunch, Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Dine At The Bar

Cuisine:

Traditional American, Cajun & Creole

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Ivy At The Shore

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Coveted front patio seating across from the boardwalk connects to the main dining area, where a tastefully retro Hawaiian theme channels wicker and hues of pink and green. Model ships float in high-arched windows, anchored atop seashell-bordered mirrors which reflect the mismatched china adorning impeccably set tables. Sun-kissed Hollywood deal-makers hailing from the Palisades and Malibu spend family night here with their well-mannered offspring groomed in kiddie couture. The menu includes seasonal stone crabs, healthy salads, and grilled fish.

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
The restaurant is crowded every night of the week. Reservations are strongly suggested.
Where to Sit:
There aren't many romantic tables for two, so patrons can request a corner table for a more intimate evening.
What to Drink:
The wine list is pricey--most people opt for the house special Ivy gimlet. Bloody marys are popular at brunch.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “especially like the crab cakes and the ambiance is great with ocean views.”
  2. “Our view from the front porch was the best but it did get crowded towards the end of our meal.”
  3. “The atmosphere is very casual (it is the beach after all) and the service has always been very sharply attentive and friendly.”
  4. “Maybe it's the setting (the views at sunset are fantastic), or maybe it's the decor (the pineapple-trimmed china is adorable), but most likely it's the mint juleps.”
  5. “The Robertson location is more romantic but the Ivy at the Shore is right behind them and gaining.”
  6. “have been to The Ivy on Robertson and that place is so overhyped & overpriced (not to mention the food sux), but this location across from the Santa Monica pier is fantastic!”
  7. “The old location on Ocean was more romantic, especially the patio, but it's not horrible.”
  8. “It was a very memorable and romantic evening.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “They make great smoothies and amazing desserts.”
  2. “love the steamed clams appetizer as well as the crab cakes.”
  3. “great service - great crab cakes and a nice place to hang out.”
  4. “especially like the crab cakes and the ambiance is great with ocean views.”
  5. “The ice cream sunday is the best!”
  6. “Yes, their famed gimlet is WAAAAYY too strong even though i asked for mine to be mild, but everything from the moist, flaky, flavorful halibut to the seafood broth entree to the crab cakes and grilled veggies, was yummy.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “also love the famous Ivy Gimlets for drinks, yummy!”
  2. “The best drink is the gimlet.”
food quality
92.8600025177002% positive
  1. “The food is the best attraction by far.”
  2. “have been to The Ivy on Robertson and that place is so overhyped & overpriced (not to mention the food sux), but this location across from the Santa Monica pier is fantastic!”
  3. “The food here is delicious!”
  4. “We most recently went for brunch and again the food was delicious and the service was professional.”
  5. “great service - great crab cakes and a nice place to hang out.”
  6. “great food, service was excellent.”
  7. “The brown bread is not my favorite, but everyone else always loves it.”
  8. “We don't usually complain about price if the experience, food and service are good.”
  9. “love the steamed clams appetizer as well as the crab cakes.”
  10. “have never tasted food so horrible.”
  11. “also love the famous Ivy Gimlets for drinks, yummy!”
  12. “The food and service were exquisite.”
  13. “especially like the crab cakes and the ambiance is great with ocean views.”
  14. “It almost makes the terribly high food prices seem acceptable.”
  15. “Yes, their famed gimlet is WAAAAYY too strong even though i asked for mine to be mild, but everything from the moist, flaky, flavorful halibut to the seafood broth entree to the crab cakes and grilled veggies, was yummy.”
  16. “excellent food and service, but not worth the price”
  17. “The food was all DELICIOUS!”
  18. “Great food - wonderful service”
  19. “Terrible service, terrible food.”
  20. “had the mushroom pizza - so good.”
  21. “Located right near the Santa Monica Pier, Ivy at the Shore is a great place to have a very nice meal and spot a few celebrities.”
  22. “Our view from the front porch was the best but it did get crowded towards the end of our meal.”
  23. “The Ivy in a nutshell: superb food and service.”
  24. “they have a wonderful seafood menu and the food is prepared expertly.”
  25. “was amazed at the poor, inattentive service, the long wait for cold food and the lack of any concern by the management.”
  26. “they had every other fast food with an extra zero in the price, so i was very disappointed and would suggest kfc or taco bell.”
  27. “If you want good food, go somewhere else.”
  28. “This place has fresh and amazing oysters!”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “they have a wonderful seafood menu and the food is prepared expertly.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Located right near the Santa Monica Pier, Ivy at the Shore is a great place to have a very nice meal and spot a few celebrities.”
  2. “great service - great crab cakes and a nice place to hang out.”
  3. “Portions are very good, but there's no way that you'd call this place a good value.”
service
78.13000202178955% positive
  1. “great service - great crab cakes and a nice place to hang out.”
  2. “We don't usually complain about price if the experience, food and service are good.”
  3. “excellent food and service, but not worth the price”
  4. “Great food - wonderful service”
  5. “The Ivy in a nutshell: superb food and service.”
  6. “Excellent service.”
  7. “was amazed at the poor, inattentive service, the long wait for cold food and the lack of any concern by the management.”
  8. “Terrible service, terrible food.”
  9. “We most recently went for brunch and again the food was delicious and the service was professional.”
  10. “The atmosphere is very casual (it is the beach after all) and the service has always been very sharply attentive and friendly.”
  11. “The last time I was here was for dinner (group of 4 w/o a reservation on a Friday nite) and were seated promptly and had friendly service.”
  12. “have been here many times (both on Robertson and the ocean) unfortunately due to business meetings- and hands down they have THE worst service on the planet.”
  13. “The food and service were exquisite.”
  14. “Very friendly staff”
  15. “great food, service was excellent.”
  16. “admit the waiters were attentive and my plate was full so they did not skimp on the portions.”
value
94.44000244140625% positive
  1. “By the way; this is what you pay the big dollars for.”
  2. “We don't usually complain about price if the experience, food and service are good.”
  3. “It almost makes the terribly high food prices seem acceptable.”
  4. “they had every other fast food with an extra zero in the price, so i was very disappointed and would suggest kfc or taco bell.”
  5. “At the end of the day, you're paying a huge premium to eat with other well-heeled (or highly-leveraged) patrons.”
  6. “have been to The Ivy on Robertson and that place is so overhyped & overpriced (not to mention the food sux), but this location across from the Santa Monica pier is fantastic!”
  7. “excellent food and service, but not worth the price”
  8. “Portions are very good, but there's no way that you'd call this place a good value.”
  9. “admit the waiters were attentive and my plate was full so they did not skimp on the portions.”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “was amazed at the poor, inattentive service, the long wait for cold food and the lack of any concern by the management.”
  2. “Passive, slow, impersonal and casual serivce.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

04/13/11

Don't bother - it's not what it used to be!

by Malibu chick

Dear Ivy,

You have always been one of our favorite restaurants. We are Malibu locals and have been coming for years.

Unfortunately, last night you blew it! We had heard from so many other people that the service was getting bad, the food wasn't as good as it used to be, but still we kept coming. Then Last night we experienced the worst restaurant service ever! It's so sad to see that you are now a tourist trap restaurant.

Thanks for the memories and good bye forever,

Your former loyal clientele

2 Star Rating: Below Average

04/12/11

Not for foodies

by andy66

The food is just okay for a high end, top of the line LA restaurant. It is fresh and tasty but in my opinion not really special but the Ivy at the Shore is more for the atmosphere.

3 Star Rating: Average

09/12/10

A little overpriced, but you're paying for the view

by Amber5050

I like this place-- good food, great patio seating area with a great view. If you want more privacy, the back room is nice too.

The food isn't bad at all, its just a little overpriced... but hey, its a restaurant on Ocean Ave. and you have to consider the much more expensive restaurants adjacent to the Ivy.

Overall, I think this place is a good place to eat if you have guests and want to take them to a posh/trendy place on the beach, but don't want to spend too much money.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/30/09

Very friendly staff

by angekur

Had to take a second to post a good review - the one (and only) time I have been there which was just a few months ago, the staff could not have been friendlier. My 1.5 year old son was with us and he was quite the toddler at the table, eventually spilling an entire bloody mary all over our table. The wait staff handled it so kindly and they continually came by to try to entertain him and keep him occupied. I was very impressed.

  • Pros: Staff, vibe, ocean air
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/15/09

Great experience 8/15/09

by nikkinikki23

we had out of town visitors and had never been here before. great food, service was excellent. especially appreciated our waiter, a charming irish guy who was very attentive & friendly & helped us with menu choices. all in all, a really great experience!

The Details on Ivy At The Shore

Place Categories:

  • excellent service
  • delicious great food
  • more romantic old location
  • impersonal serivce
  • romantic evening
  • great crab cakes
  • really great experience
  • worst inattentive service
  • nice place
  • fantastic view
  • cold food
  • famous ivy gimlets
  • amazing oysters
  • acceptable high food prices
  • huge premium
  • big dollars
  • great memory
  • amazing desserts
  • best drink
  • consistently impressive shore
  • friendly staff
  • very nice meal
  • suggest bell
  • favorite brown bread
  • attentive waiters
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