The Ivy
Los Angeles, CA 90048-3101
Phone: (310) 274-8303
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Alden Drive
- Best of Citysearch:
- Power Lunch 2007, People Watching 2006, Celeb Hangout 2005
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11:30am-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 10:30am-10pm
Editorial Review for The Ivy – by Andrea Rademan and Crista Bailey
The Scene
Husband and wife co-owners Richard Irving and Lynn von Kersting installed a white picket fence in front of the patio adorned with antique French garden chairs. Pre-dating shabby chic, the interior is cluttered with peeling, painted furniture, faded chintz, old paintings and more American flags than a revival meeting. Celebrity sightings are commonplace--everyone from J.Lo to Adrien Brody have graced this fixture on the power-dining map.
The Food
A place to see and be seen, the menu is traditional American, emphasizing comfort-food classics like fresh corn chowder, mesquite-grilled Cajun prime rib and fried chicken. Fish-and-chips consist of a giant platter with shrimp, scallops, cod and calamari, plus mountains of onion rings and fries. But the biggest compliments go to pastry chef Irving for seducing Hollywood's whippet-thin starlets with decadent desserts like fudgy pecan brownie and tart lemon pie.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Where to SitCelebs rendezvous at the four-top at the heart of the famed patio--request table 41, and let the paparazzi wonder who you are.
The ExtrasL.A. Desserts, the bakery arm of the Ivy, makes some of the best sweets in the city. Delectable, made-to-order cakes will make your sweetheart's birthday perfect. Call (310) 273-5537 to order.
User Reviews for The Ivy
05/02/2008 Posted by DearLA
For those that think The Ivy is too expensive...get a clue and go to Denny's for your pancakes. They do not want your type stopping by and ordering a drink just to see if a famous person shows up. They have great drinks by the way. The food is OK, but then, people do not go to the Ivy for good food. Such a shame that you need someone to explain this to you. McD's dollar menu crowd out, people willing to spend some green..in. This is why they have a $20 minimum and charge above average prices for average food...to keep the average and below average people...OUT. Duuhh. So go pick up an US magazine to get your star fix...it is much cheaper.
04/21/2008 Posted by jng9548
I grew up in LA and have eaten at virtually every high end restaurant in town. I have also been privileged enough to dine all over the world (Tokyo, Paris, London, etc). When my family goes out together, money is never an issue. We strongly believe in the old addage "you get what you pay for." That said, my experience at the ivy was extraordinary and not in a good way. It actually compelled me to sign up for my first online review site. We had gone there for my mother's birthday (a family of four) on a Sunday afternoon with reservations. We were seated promptly, but no one came to the table to provide menus for us for a while. When I saw the prices, I was shocked. I do not mind paying 16 for a small appetizer of exquisitely prepared food, nor do I flinch at a 26 dollar glass of vintage red or 70 dollar piece of meat...but 23 dollars for pancakes?! Just pancakes. Nothing but bisquick-esque $1.99 style pancakes? That's gouging. That's an establishment that no longer cares about its locals and its city. The menu prices are obviously not for the food, they are cover fees to a place that caters to paparazzi, the dregs of society and the reason people detest LA. So we go to order our food, myself $15 caprese appetizer (3 pieces of mozzerella and 3 slices of tomato), my father a $28 fried chicken, my sister a $23 huevos rancheros plus drinks. We told the waiter we would be ordering dessert also for my mother's birthday and asked for a dessert menu to peruse while we waited for our food. Instead of aknowledging the birthday, our waiter said " You know there's a 20 dollar minimum per person." I said " I am sure our bill will total more than 20 pp after dessert and drinks." To which he replied "The 20 minimum is on food only." When he saw my face, he blurted "That's just how we do it here." As if all LA natives/people of any worth knew this. How tacky. How EXTREMELY tacky. Suffice it to say I will not be going back there.
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