Ivy Restaurant

Ivy is a great place to grab dinner in an upbeat atmosphere. The waiter was top notch and really made the experience. The food was exceptional as well. I would absolutely go back here and would reccomend it to anyone looking for a great italian meal.

Pros: Food, service

Posted 04/27/09

I went to The Ivy with girlfriends before going to see Dirty Dancing. We had wonderful and friendly service and the food was delicious. You can't beat the value either! They offer a theater menu with several food options as well as wine for only $30/person.

This was a wonderful start to a great evening.

Pros: Great Value and Service

Posted 03/19/09

Ivy is a great Italian place that serves large quantities of food at a very reasonable price. The food and the service were phenomenal!! They have a great wine list for around $25/bottle. I was unsure about a couple of things on the menu and the wait staff was more than helpful in explaining everything. Great atmoshphere anytime of the day. Highly recommend!

Pros: Food, Service, Price

Posted 03/19/09

This is a good spot for pre theater dinner/drinks or for an after work get together with friends. There's more of a bar atmosphere on the lower level.

Posted 03/19/09

I've been to Ivy at least 10 times. Its a great place to meet up for a drink with friends as well as dinner. I highly recommend the Gnocchi with pull braised duck.

Pros: wine list, comfortable

Cons: Parking

Posted 03/18/09

My friend and I were planning on having a nice lunch here during restaurant week thinking that the food would be exceptional - especially during restaurant week. The food that we were served was not only tasteless and stale, but the service left much to be desired, as well.
1) When we were seated, we had to wait 15 minutes before anyone came to take our order (odd, considering there is a note at the bottom of your menu explaining that you try to be considerate of people that have to return to work and make every attempt to serve the meal in a relatively short amount of time).
2) My friend and I had both ordered the same 3 courses. The first course was the house salad with a goat cheese crostini. The lettuce that we received was soaked in salad dressing and appeared to have been soaking in the salad dressing all morning. Additionally, the goat cheese crostini was tough, stale, and cold.
3) Our second course was supposed to be gnocchi in a tomato sauce. When we received the second course, we also received the third course at the same time. Regarding the gnocchi, it was cold and I'm sure it had also been sitting out for quite a while.
4) Our supposedly third course (which came out with the second course), was a vegetable panini. Again, this was cold, hardly had any vegetables or goat cheese on it, the bread was barely toasted (and since it was cold, it had obviously been toasted a few hours earlier only causing it to be chewy).

This is one of the worst meals I have ever eaten considering the amount of money I spent on it. I would have much preferred spending $5 to get a burrito from the stand outside of the restaurant had I known how bad the food was going to be. I can only hope that the food is better when it is not restaurant week (although if anyone were using restaurant week as an opportunity to see whether or not they would like to go back during the rest of the year, I guarantee you they will not).

Pros: None

Cons: Old, stale food.

Posted 03/18/09

I have to say that is was one of the worst restaurants my husband and I have ever been to in Boston and I will never go back and would not send anyone I know to go there either. We had a dinner reservation that we arrived on time for and had to wait for our table for two for nearly 45 minutes. We checked in three times at the hostess stand to see when our table would be ready and each time she seemed more annoyed. When we finally sat down and began to eat we realized that this loud and over crowded (with young club goers) restaurant served small over priced portions. Our "server" checked in once and brought us bread with our meal. DO NOT WAIST YOUR TIME OR MONEY.

Posted 03/02/09

I went to Ivy for New years...first of all it was $150 for free drinks all night (which was good) and what was supposed to be food from 10-3...so for food there was bruschetta which was the size of my pinky and what i think was shrimp they left on spoons (so imagine how small that is) and gross who knows how many people were near it and touched it, and that was it...so all in all i wish i can call someone to get my money back..thank god the DJ was good and made it somewhat fun..i will never go here again..

Pros: bartender was very nice..

Cons: not worth my money

Posted 01/03/09

I went there on wednesday night with a group of friends and had a great time. We were sat quickly and greeted almost immediately. Our waiter went down the menu with us and told us about the $26 dollar per bottle wine list and the small plates. It was a fun to be able to order a few different things between us and share them. Our waiter was attentive and knew a lot about the menu and guided us through our first time. I would definitely recomend this place to anyone I know.

Posted 10/22/08

I had one of the worst dining experiences of my life at Ivy. We went out to celebrate a friend's new job and pending move. Two members of our party arrived first and informed the hostess that not everyone was there but she said, "not to worry" and chose to seat us anyway. Within 10 minutes the hostess came back to our table to inform us that we would have the next 90 minutes for dinner and then our time was up b/c a larger party was coming in!!! WHAT? Who does that?

Within 15 minutes of being seated our entire party had arrived. As we were discussing our menu options the waiter informed us - again - that we should "make a decision quickly" b/c another party was coming in that needed our seats. Although we asked for 2 more minutes to look over the menu, the waiter took about 15!!! Apparently we should hurry up but not their wait staff???? I have never been treated so poorly. We asked if there was another table that we could move to so that we could enjoy our dinner without the rush and constant hassle from the staff but, we were informed that there were no other options. Our food arrived sporadically and we were never asked if we wanted anything else to drink or even had our water glasses refilled. Finally, when our allotted "2 hours" were up, our waitstaff went to get the manager so that he could tell us that our time was up and we needed to leave.

This was the second, and last, time I will ever go to Ivy. Who needs to feel stressed when they go out to eat? I try to be mindful of the time I spend at a table (I once worked in the restaurant industry) and we probably would have met their "guidelines" for time spent at a table anyway but, to be met with that attitude before we even ordered is just plain RUDE.

My gut instinct was to walk away at the first insult but, I ignored it. Never again.

Pros: An eclectic menu with reasonable priced food and wine

Cons: Rude staff and hit-or-miss food

Posted 08/14/08

I am surprised to see the bad reviews! I went with a party of 30, on a friday night and had wonderful service and a great experience! We LOVED the inexpensive wine list and the small plates made for an engaging group dining experience. Our server took pictures, cleared promptly, offered great suggestions....the atmosphere was swanky and the small bill was a pleasant surprise!

I highly recommend this place.

Pros: upscale with low prices. great group dining!

Posted 07/14/08

This dabbled as my favorite restaurant in Boston for awhile... the food is usually fantastic, the wine list is excellent and well-priced... and usually decent service. However a few of us went to Ivy's a few weeks ago around 9:30 on a Friday night. The place was nearly empty, but after giving us a run-around for a few minutes, the hostess tried to shoo us to the bar even though we were there for dinner. The bartender came around and asked us if we wanted a table, which we had just tried to get. He talked to this hostess, some discussion ensued and we were finally seated- apparently in a section of a waitstaff who wanted to go home. Her first words to us were: "So do you know what you want?" I worked in restaurants for ten years, everything from casual to upscale, so I almost always give the benefit of the doubt. This time however, never was I so aggravated within ten minutes of arrival into a restaurant. Then our food came out rushed (some not very hot), and our waitress said one or two words to us the entire time. It was terrible and the manager seemed none too concerned. He pretended to apologize and told us the waitress was "having a bad day." The next time my two friends and I spend $150 at a restaurant on a Friday night, it is not likely to be there.

Pros: Food, wine, desserts

Cons: Service

Posted 07/07/08

After hearing all these reviews, I decided it would be a perfect place to take my sister for her birthday along with 10 other friends, our waitress was a total bitch...and it all started when we told her we didn't want any alcholcholic drinks, when anyone from our party asked her to explain something on the menu she was rude and condesending... also I went over and told her it was my sister's birthday and the first thing she said (yelled) is "i don't sing happy birthday" I was little taken back...I said that's fine just bring out a cake with a candel on it and we'd do the rest! Such horrible service!!!!

Pros: beautiful place

Cons: service & food

Posted 07/07/08

I recently dined at the Ivy for the first time. Patrons walk into a tastefully designed space filled with the requisite beautiful people and are greeted by a hostess with an exotic accent. My first impression was that the Ivy would be a typical trendy restaurant experience. I am happy to report otherwise.

I am embarrassed to admit we were bad customers. We had a reservation for 6. All but two were late (10-30 minutes) and we had two last minute additions. Although the Ivy was packed, they immediately seated the punctual two and not only accommodated our now party of 8, they did so quickly and without a trace of attitude. Service was pleasant and prompt throughout the evening.

Although the service was the star of the evening, the food and wine are praiseworthy as well. The Ivy offers an affordable wine list with a handful of good value bottles that are a bargain at $26. Every plate ordered was tasty and pleased even the picky palates in our party. The braised short ribs, scallops, and truffled arancini were our favorites. I can't wait to go back and simply enjoy a good meal rather than marvel at their service recovery skills.

Pros: Food and wine service, good value

Cons: Water service. Our water glasses stayed empty for most of the meal and were refilled only upon request.

Posted 04/18/08

I am warning everyone reading this not to go here with a group (perhaps just avoid at all cost). I threw a party for 20 people to celebrate a birthday and we were not even given a chance to enjoy our company, food or wine. Two days before the event, the booking manager told me that there would be a party coming in after us at 10 (our reservation was for 8:00), I was obviously a little annoyed with this time constraint. We arrived for our month standing reservation and were asked to wait, who knows the reasoning? So we get to our table and our waitress comes and tells us we have ten minutes to order?!?! What, we are here to celebrate, have some cocktails and enjoy our friends birthday. Not allowed. Our wine, which was ordered with our meals, because we had no time to order a drink then a meal we had to order everything at once, arrived after our two tapas dishes were served. Unacceptable! Not to mention that the servers were pulling tables away from our long table to get ready for the 10 o'clock reservation. All in all I would never ever suggest this to anyone I know or don't know!

Pros: food was ok

Cons: awful experience in every way

Posted 04/17/08

We went to Ivy to celebrate my wife's birthday with a group of about 15. We figured the "tapas" style would be fun for a group - getting people to share and thus be more social. The food itself was very good as was the service. I've read some reviews of Ivy where people were disappointed with the portion size but I would strongly disagree with that assessment. Two small plates was plenty of food for this big appetite.

Posted 04/05/08

This was my second time here, and I was hoping it was going to be better than the unimpressive first time. Yes, the wine is reasonably priced and the ambience is nice-especially for a Saturday night. What made me review it unfavorably was the long wait despite a reservation, and then once seated, no one came to the table. I had to ask a waitress if anyone had been assigned our table. The waiter came over and apologized because he had to get all the theater people out on time. That was not my problem, but it made me realize that this restaurant is good for theater goers who don't mind mediocre food and service because it is convenient for seeing shows. The meal wasn't bad, it was just lacking a bit in flavor. Everything seemed under-seasoned. I was underwhelmed, to say the least. The moral of this story is, if you are not rushing off to a show, you can probably do better somewhere else. However, if a group of people are inviting you out and they have already decided on this place, it won't ruin your night.

Pros: Close to theaters, nice ambience, reasonably priced wine

Cons: Service is lacking and they don't have to try because of proximity to theaters

Posted 03/10/08

Great service. The food was nothing short of fabulous. the wine was perfect. the dessert was heavenly.
I love the atmosphere the lighting , the comfortable seats
and don't worry about parking, they valet.

Posted 12/27/07

Excellent atmosphere, incredible food. Party of 3 ordered 7 different items and loved them all. Everything was perfect!!!

Pros: Great location in Theater District.

Posted 11/10/07

Wine list and food were amazing - a great date place! Service a bit inconsistent - but overall wonderful place. Recommend the mac and cheese.

Posted 11/02/07

Wow, what a great disappointment!
For a place that says "casual", it looks like these guys talk a lot and can't back it up because it's much more a scene than a casual 'Italian' restaurant. North Enders are probably peeved about them using that word.
The place is loud, we waited forever to be seated--and forget the really bad wine sold to you at a mere $26. It's all gimmick.
Looks like it's their first time owning a restaurant....better luck next time.

Posted 06/07/07

My wife and I LOVE this place. Good food, good service and good ambiance. Friendly staff and cool lounge downstairs. Great place to go while downtown.

Pros: Cool ambiance and nice wine list for not a lot of money

Cons: Parking

Posted 04/26/07

both in atmosphere and cuisine. can't tell what all the fuss is about... less than mediocre. cannot recommend.

Posted 04/21/07

I really enjoyed Ivy, and thought they were very accomodating even though some of my party was late for the reservation and we had to rush to make a show at the opera house.

Yes they don't have many options for big plates, but their speciality is their small plates. The scallops were excellent, along with the arancini and steak. Order a bunch and share! (like tapas, but more filling than most tapas). We were very satisfied, but not stuffed like after many Italian restaurants. The wine list was great, and very reasonably priced with many bottles for $26.

Pros: wine list, small plates, decor

Cons: loud

Posted 03/06/07

I went there on a Friday evening with my husband. The place is really nicely decorated, for sure, so we were looking forward to a nice dinner. The waiter was right there, asking us what we want, but we didn't get the menus when we were sitted 1 minute earlier, so were not ready. He brings the menus, we order a cocktail. He brings back the cocktail right back and wants to know what we want - duh, can we relax a little ? Anyway, the menu was not very extensive: 5 main dishes. We made up our mind, and when the waiter came again and we ordered, he said he "forgot" to tell us that they're out of the dish my husband wanted, the lamb, and also out of his second choice, a fish. He also forgot to tell us about the specials of the day, so he tells us. My husband goes with the special (that he said was not that great). We mention that we'd like a wine, but we have no wine menu. The waiter goes for the wine menu. He finally, after a while, comes back to get our wine choice, and as soon as he leaves, the main dishes are served. We were half-way through the main dish when the bottle of wine finally came. Meanwhile, a "girl's night out" very loud party is sitted close to us, and extremely well taken care of, ie, they somehow got BOTH of the two dishes that we couldn't get because they were out ! Strange, isn't it ? Well, we finished our dinner in a very loud environment, the waiter coming now every 5 minutes to check if we're done yet, and then left. We will NEVER go there again. It's maybe good for twenty-somethings that have no idea yet how to appreciate a good meal, but anybody above 28 should skip this place. The decor is super cool, the prices are very OK, the food is fine, but not special, and the service is a pure horror.

Pros: decor, location, price

Cons: service, ambience, limited menu

Posted 02/28/07

Wonderful staff, tasty small plates, very cozy for a date, but equally accomodating for a group of friends. Can't wait to go back.

Posted 02/24/07

The staff thinks they are to cool for us. Its thinks of it's self as a "Local" spot?

Really Brass Nuts:

The food is just ok and the wine list is, again, just ok.

The bar is nice but it should have a flat screen. Late night menu is still better than "News" anytime menu

Good looking peeps inside but mostly night clubbers

Pros: Nero d'Avola was nice already

Cons: It just thinksit is to cool

Posted 02/22/07

So I booked a reservation 2 weeks before the actual dinner night for Valentine's day weekend for my boyfriend & I. We live in Boston but I thought it would be fun to spend the night at a hotel in town. We were definietly in no rush. Our reservation was for 8:45pm and I had requested a table downstairs in the "romantic seating area" I knew something was up when we didn't get seated 20 minutes later. The manager came over & was very apologetic. He mentioned some guests 'refused' to leave & that more people were joining them even after they paid their bill. He set us up at the bar, gave us 2 rounds drinks on him and then 45-50 minutes later....we were seated. Our waitres was "ok"nothing special. I felt like she just didnt care that we were even there. The food I have to say was just 'ok'. The mac & cheese was yummy but the ceasar salad barely had any dressing on it. The scallops were also good. The cosmo that I had at the bar was a great drink. Probably the best cosmo I ever had! ....Overall, I would recommend this place hoping people have a better experience than us. We totally were not in any kind of rush that night but for someone that would have wanted to get in & get out...I'm sure they would of been VERY upset with the wait. I would go back, but not rush back. The manager made our night because he was just so nice.....

Pros: Good management, Great Cosmos

Cons: Long wait, Boring waitstaff

Posted 02/20/07

Went to Ivy on a date and was charmed by its ambience -- brick walls, candles, red velvet chairs, funky chandeliers. Love the $26 wine menu, and every dish we ordered -- scallops, sweet potato gnocchi, petit steak, and asparagus -- was superb. My only complaint is that our server was TOO efficient. We hadn't been sitting for 10 seconds when she came over and ordered our water, then 30 seconds later she took our drink order, and she practically ran away before my date could order his. The food came out about 5 minutes after we ordered, and they tried to take our plates away before we were finished. We couldn't get through an entire conversation without being "serviced" for one reason or another. We ordered dessert and coffee just because we'd felt like we'd only had about 25 minutes to actually talk. It was the shortest and most rushed dinner date I've ever had. My recommendation to Ivy -- let your customers relax and enjoy the wonderful sensory experience your restaurant has to offer.

Pros: Wonderful food, reasonably priced wine

Cons: Service too rushed

Posted 02/07/07

This eatery is superb. Everything about it is top level. The food, the staff, the service. Recommended.

Posted 02/03/07

Got seated downstairs in the "cava" or "grotto" or whatever they call it. Very intimate. Good service. Decent food. Good wine, especially for the price.

No, this is not North End Italian, but I've had some pretty crappy food in the North End, too. If you're looking for a nice quiet spot for two to spend some time in Downtown, Ivy's it.

Pros: Location

Cons: Dark?

Posted 01/30/07

I have dined a million places in Boston and each restaurant and menu have their place. Ivy is an excellent date restaurant, ladies night out, pre-theater, non pretentious establishment i love to be at. No it is not North End, nor is it L'Espalier, but of all the available options for an easy night out in Downtown Boston, Ivy fits the bill with taste and a touch of contemporary panache. In a busy city like boston I have learned to be smart diner; I always call ahead and if I have a big party, i ask for the manager and sweetly say it is a very important gathering and ask for his/her assurance that my evening will go smoothly. Being nice to restaurant people works wonders! We got complimentary desserts and a free bottle of wine! I had a fabulous time that first night and I keep going back. The Arancini with Black Truffles is my fave, the lamb is succulent (i actually chewed on the bone- terrible manners i know!). Those in the know will ask the chef to substitute mushroom ragout for the bean ragout and if you're feeling like comfort food with style, the mac& cheese is sinfully good as far as mac and cheese go. So before you go to Eastern Standard, Teatro, Piattini or someplace you are worried will be "uptight", head over to Ivy and enjoy the casual intimacy of tasty tapas-style food and a truly decent price. ooh, the scallops are really good too!

Pros: Valet, great affordable wine list as well as a "reserve" wine list

Cons: very few restaurants work well for parties over 8, Call ahead and book the entire downstairs for your large group

Posted 01/09/07

I had the opportunity to visit IVY with my parents from out of town the week before Chistmas and had an excellent time. The server was great. She seemed very knowledgeable and she was very personal. We ordered the Ivy House salad, mac & cheese, small steak, and shrimp arribiatta. Every thing came out fairly quickly. We also ordered the stuffed Pork Chop which was amazing. For desert we only tried the cheesecake and it was very filling. Can't wait to come back.

Pros: Great service, good deal, tasty food

Cons: Valet parking

Posted 12/26/06

Visited Ivy before seeing 'The Nutcracker' at the Opera House around the corner on a busy Friday night. We wanted something tasty, relatively quick and reasonably priced. All these things were found at the Ivy! Our waitress was sassy, greeted us with a smile and even answered our wine questions despite seemingly waiting on half of the tables in the restaurant. We live in the North End so were a little hesitant to visit an Italian restaurant but were so glad we did. It can definitely compete with some of the better known N.End eateries but without the side of attitude! The two of us had a bottle of wine and 5 small plates all for under $100 incl. tip. And we would def go back...the butcher block, steak tagliata, and shrimp linguini are all highly recommended.

Pros: Nice + efficient waitstaff, wine menu

Cons: cant think of any

Posted 12/17/06

The waiter recommended a great wine and since they are all the same price, we knew he wasn't just trying to get us to order the most expensive. I was with a party of 10 but even though 2 showed up half way through the meal and 1 showed up unexpectedly, they were very accomodating in getting us the extra seats and bringing the food out at different times. Many of my friends did not understand the concept of ordering several small plates and then sharing so everyone got their own little plate, and some complained that it was not enough. They just didn't understand the tapas experience. I got the gnocci which was filling enough. Overall I was pleased with the experience. The hostess could have been a bit more welcoming but we were seated promptly, the service was good, and the food was excellent.

Pros: ambience, food, wine selection

Cons: price

Posted 11/27/06

The food is sooo boring and can not compete with the North End. Avoid the ceasar salad! Definitely take the trek to the North End!

Posted 11/19/06

So, it looks like my experience was a little better b/c we actually tuck around long enough to eat. With a party of 8 and reservations made 5 days in advance we still waited 2 HOURS to be sat. We stood around drinking ourselves sober until the hunger pains became so unbearable that we had to demand to be seated. By this time we had no other alternative considering it was 11:30pm!
As for the food it was great and it would have been a fabulous evening had we not waited so long. We got a great assorted of tapas and it is a really great atmosphere. This place could do phenomenal if they ran shop a little tighter. Oh, yeah, the unidentifiable liquidy substance clogging the bathroom sink was pretty digusting.....
However, when the Manager heard our gripes and how long we waited he MORE THAN compesated by the comps he took off our bill. As amatter of fact, it was basically paid.
The service was great, but I am not sure she had anyother choice than to take care of us? hmm...
So, would I go back? Yeah, probably on a Tuesday night at 9:30 and sit at the bar.....

Pros: Great drinks, reasonable prices, great wine selection, good service, great atmosphere

Cons: Ridicuslously long wait times!

Posted 11/15/06

My boyfriend and I went to Ivy last night for dinner. We were seated promptly downstairs in a secluded area and it was pretty romantic. Our server was very attentive and immediately came up to us. We ordered the most delicious small plates and were full by the end of it all. Get the arrancini. The other reviews said it was soggy or luke warm, but ours were perfect. My only issue is they only give you 3 of them. Not enough for 2 people. We also got the gnocchi and the mac & cheese. Both flavorful and plenty for 2. I love the ambience! Will defintely go back.

Pros: Delicious food, decent prices

Cons: Bathroom on only one floor

Posted 11/04/06

Just as an FYI... We had a reservation for a party of 15 at 6pm. We were told at 7pm that our table had another reservation for 7:30pm. This restaurant encourages ordering drinks, apps, salads, then entrees... how did they expect 15 people to wine and dine themselves in an hour and a half on a friday night? The food was quite good, but how do they expect you to enjoy it?

Posted 11/03/06

read many reviews on this site & thought this would be worth a try. made reservations for friday evening for 8 friends & family. had 2 reservations, under 2 names for 2 tables (since online reservations didn't allow for more than 4).

decor was interesting. hostess was very nice. seated us promptly & promptly attended by waitstaff at beginning w/ drinks & bread. we ordered some small plates to try as appetizers while we waited for our whole group to arrive.

30 minutes later the last couple arrived & ordered. but we didn't get our small plates until another 15/20 minutes. our dinner took another 40 minutes. fortunately the food i had was not bad...probably the best on the menu: sweet potato gnocchi (consistency & flavor ok), seared tuna (nice combination w/ the artichoke, though extremely small), & the large plate pork chop (decent portion & tasty w/ the cranberries & stuffed goat cheese served w/ a good serving of candied yams). One friend also liked the cod. but 2 people ordered the chicken. It came out looking & smelling like a chinese sweet & sour dish; but tasted more sour, & otherwise lacked flavor & chicken was dry. the shrimp linguini only had 3 very small pieces of shrimp. the scallops were 3 even smaller pieces. the truffle arancini, we couldn't see or taste the truffle & the rice was a bit soggy. in addition, the excruciating long waits in between the foods really ruined the experience.

then when the bill came, we were charged an automatic 20% gratuity. we would have tipped accordingly. but i don't think my table of 4 met the required # of a large group of 6 or more. For $55 per person, most of my friends & family left hungry &/OR unsatisfied.

this would probably be ok to go on a non peak time with only 2 or 3 people & IF you order the right foods. all in all the food was mostly overpriced.

Pros: ambience, some nice waitstaff

Cons: excruciating wait for food, price, some food

Posted 10/30/06

After reading the reviews, I thought this was a place worth trying. They must've been to a different restaurant or they changed the chef. I went there w/8 friends so I had the opportunity to try many small plates. The arancini was soggy and bland, the tiger shrimp linguini was 4 really small shrimp mixed in hot pepper sauce w/linguini, the ravioli su fungi tastes like a $2 packaged ravioli and etc... Having had all the other bad small plates the seared tuna and the seared scallops tastes ok but not worth $12. On the large plates avoid the Pollo Bella Napoli at all costs. It's a butchered version of sweet and very SOUR chicken. My friends did like the pork chop. Overall, we thought the food was bad, the service is decent and the atmosphere is nice. If I had to go again, I would stay at the bar and have food elsewhere.

Pros: ambience

Cons: plain aweful food

Posted 10/28/06

I had such high hopes and expectations for Ivy - saw it reviewed and it looked like it had so much promise. And while the ambience was nice and the wine list was good/affordable, the food itself was terribly disappointing. We had the arancini, which came out luke-warm and soggy, and the scallops came out cold and without texture as well. The gnocchi was frighteningly gummy and lacked flavor, and the mussels were only half-edible - good flavor but half of our portion was closed (dead and inedible). I was there a few months ago, so perhaps they've worked on their quality since then, but I unfortunately cannot recommend Ivy, unless you're looking for a cute place to just grab a glass of wine with friends.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: Food

Posted 10/21/06

Ivy has a lot of competition given the number of excellent restuarants nearby on Tremont, Boylston, and Park Streets. Yet it is definitely a place to go to. The value is excellent with a good wine selection at $26 each. I have found the small plates to be excellent and very good value--especially the ravioli, duck, and fish dishes. I find 2 small plates per person is sufficient and along with a salad is a reasonable price for the meal. So if live in the neighberhood or are going to the movie or theatre, I high recommend Ivy for a visit.

Pros: Great service and very good value.

Posted 10/08/06

I can't say enough about Ivy. Fantastic and inventive Italian fare. It's perfect for a romantic date and won't break your budget. It isn't cheap, but it is a good value for the ambiance and quality of food. The service is quality, if a bit simple. The wine menu is simple to use - no anxiety since everything is the same price. They also allow purchasing 2 glass quartinos of wine for a fraction of the price of a bottle (great for sharing if you and your date only want to drink 1 glass of wine each).

Pros: Romantic. Value.

Cons: Location is a bit iffy after dark, but area is improving.

Posted 08/04/06

I organized a group dinner there for a Pen Prize winner. The environment was great. Definitely suggest it for a prestigious event.
The lady at the front door was not friendly at all, she was ready to argue and be upset. I did not like her attitude.
The waiters were awesome though. The food was really good. The wine was superb.
And the complimentary ice-cream was a nice end.
highly recommend it.

Pros: Great waiters, great environment. great food

Cons: the lady at the front door was very unwelcoming

Posted 07/26/06

Ivy delivers! Although I have had a few isolated lunches here where the service was below par, overall, Ivy is making a true effort to maintain their image of excellent food and impressive service. The wine list is interesting and truly different, and they are constantly updating their menu with new and fabulous seasonal items. Try the charred tomato soup, a true Italian-bistro delight!

Posted 07/25/06

My boyfriend and I decided to give Ivy a try the other night and were very impressed. The decor was absolutely unique, modern and impressive upon entering the restaurant. Our waitress was extremely prompt and courteous and our food was absolutely excellent!! Who can beat a $26 bottle of wine, where we have paid double the price for the same bottle elsewhere???? And, to top it off.... a delicious dessert served compliments of the chef!!! What a nice touch! I can't wait to return to this place and I am even more interested in checking out the nightlife which I hear is pretty happening in the lounge downstairs!!! I'm already telling all of my friends about this place!

Cons: parking could potentially pose a problem

Posted 07/05/06

Ivy capitalizes on the "small plates" trend by serving incredibly small portions at inflated prices. That said, the food is good -- very good, actually. I highly recommend the Italian Butcher Block ($10 per couple), four different cured Italian meats served with a wonderfully tasty fig compote. The prosciutto-stuffed arancini was disappointing and somewhat bland, but the truffled mac and cheese ($11) more than made up for it with its rich, earthy flavors. The petite steak was heavenly, fork-tender and served with a delicious pan sauce and tasty frites, but "petite" is the key word -- the $12 steak was four bites of goodness, hardly enough to share among friends.

At $26 a bottle, the wine list is amazing -- full of great choices, and organized based on taste profile. Unfortunately, the cocktail menu is clearly priced to make up the difference. The "cadillac margarita," $13, is served in a small rocks glass filled with crushed ice. A vodka martini, ordered straight up, also suffered from chunks of ice floating in the vodka -- definitely grounds for a demerit!

Service was attentive and prompt. Although our server was quite friendly and likeable, her knowledge of the menu was lacking and we were disappointed by her incorrect descriptions of some of the dishes. Seated in the bar area, I did find the atmosphere to be a bit on the loud side. I recommend asking to be seated in the dining room if you value conversation.

All in all, I think that Ivy is a great concept with flawed execution. I will probably return at some point to see if it improves, but for now it is not at the top of my list.

Pros: Good food, wine, and service

Cons: Tiny portions, overpriced

Posted 06/24/06