The Ivy Cardiff

I was lucky to celebrate our second anniversary at this elegance restaurant. Food was soo delicious and the customer service great. Absolutely nice place to visit again. PS. we got nice desert on house ♥️

+1

This was fantastic from start to finish. Lovely welcome with our coats taken and shown to our table. The menu choice is fabulous with a wide variety suiting all choices. I have a nut allergy and the Server Scarlet was amazing and the wonderful Bar Man who brought my drink completely separate to ensure no cross contamination. Scarlet our server was amazing she had only been there 2 weeks she informed us but nothing was too much she made sure we had a brilliant experience for our lunch. Her service was second to none!! For our birthday celebration she made sure it went off without a hitch and made a fuss of the birthday lady. This was our first time here and will not be our last!! Thank you Team Ivy Cardiff for a wonderful lunch and wonderful cosmopolitan cocktails!!

Out first visit to The Ivy. I was very impressed with the service from the moment we arrived. A lovely dining experience in a beautiful resteraunt. We will definitely return.

+1

All I can say that's the service was outstanding as when entering was greeted and confirming my booking, tooked our coats and placed on a hanger and placed in cloakroom, and we were shown to our table, where a waitress came to took our order for drinks and meal at the same time as we've already knew what's we wanted to eat as it saved on time. Will visit again

+1

I decided to try my luck for breakfast today at this beautiful restaurant. I was on my own so a bit apprehensive but the staff were wonderful, welcoming me warmly and making me feel relaxed. The food, as always, was incredible, pics below and I loved the little vase of daffodils on the table ahead of St David's Day tomorrow, March 1st. The most amazing thing happened to me when I was there, I won't say what, but I was absolutely blown away by the incredible random act of kindness by Matt, one of the managers. It really touched me and will stay with me for a very long time. Thank you again Matt if you get to read this. I am so grateful for what you did today. Totally recommend The Ivy.

First time in The Ivy. In Cardiff to see family so thought we'd book in for some dinner. Been waiting to book into Nottingham, definitely will after this. For those that love Bistro Pierre you'll feel right at home, service and prices comparable. Great food, good service, interesting cocktails, not your usuals, but this just makes you explore a little.

Great service,one of the best dining experiences in Cardiff and looking forward to return. They made us feel so special on our Anniversary dinner. Thanks to Tom for great cocktails and to Claudia for her kind and thoughtful hospitality!

Food was absolutely delicious and the service was exceptional, Solomon our waiter went above and beyond to make my birthday meal special. We visited as a family of 5 on the 26th of July, we all had a variety of different meals which were brought out quickly and efficiently, he was very attentive and he couldn't of been more welcoming, he even gave me a birthday desert with my very own candle. His service was excellent and he really made every effort to make the day memorable. Thank you Solomon and the staff at the ivy for making my day so wonderful. Would highly recommend.

Special & “an Experience” - there is no other way to describe it except to say good value too. The decor is amazing and the service formal but in a wonderful way. It’s not somewhere to dash in and dash out. Rather it’s somewhere to relax and soak up the experience. Arguably, other places can sell better perhaps but none will rival will rival the range of menu options or the experience. The central bar island is a work of art and the venue loaded with wonderfully tended plants and interesting art. Where else can you have Champagne for breakfast?

+2

Great brunch menu with lots of substantive lunch items but with some breakfast items. Eggs royale with smoked salmon particularly delicious. Great service and set up - as to be expected. Treat yourself. Careful - toilets are up a decent flight of steps…

I enjoyed a delicious meal here and really enjoyed the atmosphere. Before coming, I saw some negative reviews, but as an Asian woman, I felt really welcome in the restaurant and Daniel was very attentive to our table. Also, I believe this is the best espresso martini in town.

Had a delicious meal here with friends. Attentive service although occasionally waiting to get waiters eye , when it wasn’t busy really. I found the venue a little echoey. So may be a little difficult for any hearing impaired.The environment was lovely. Clean and fresh. Would visit again

+4

We visited just to have a few cocktails on our way home, we were made very welcome. We sat at the bar and although it was extremely busy we never had to wait for service. James and his staff ran everything like a very well oiled machine. A beautifully decorated restaurant, vibrant, lively colours and lighting...we stayed a lot longer than we planned. A lovely experience, I would highly recommend The Ivy.

As soon as we entered the ivy We were greeted by a warm smile By staff and immediately felt at home and like part of the family. It was our 1st visit to the ivy and certainly won't be the last. The staff and customer service we received was 1st class , and they did everything they could to make sure that everything was right for us. The food came out quite quickly even though the restaurant was busy with a great atmosphere. The meal sizes were generous The food was tasty and delicious. And definitely worth the price we paid

visited today for my birthday & what an experience! Have visited The Ivy many times all over the country, including several trips to the Cardiff restaurant but this just exceeded all expectations! The meal, as always was delicious, service was outstanding but the birthday dessert box was next level! Ammar made us feel very special and is a great asset to your team. You’re lucky to have him. Thank you for making my birthday special!

Not just dining but a true dining experience. From the way you're greeted to the service at the table, from the main room decor to the very plush toilets, everything is an experience. The Ivy Cardiff is probably one of the slightly more expensive places to eat in the city, but, for a special occasion, it is honestly worth trying. Eating there on a Saturday, it was the main menu only, and to be fair, the drinks are what will probably push your bill up. They do have a very nice looking 2-course set menu for certain days which could be a winner in terms of value, if you're being a bit more cost conscious, I'll happily return to test that out. Fantastic food, table water without even asking (something I always ask for), service was brilliant, and you weren't rushed at all, which added to the experience. We booked in advance, so didn't wait for a table. There may be a wait if you just turn up. Oh, and if it's your birthday (as it was for me!) make sure to mention it as they might give you a little treat (see pictures).

This was our first time at The Ivy and it didn't disappoint. We went for the afternoon tea. The decor is beautiful and truly is a feast for the eyes, so much has gone into this place and I particularly loved the real plants EVERYWHERE. A little expensive but you are paying for the whole experience and it's like stepping back in time :good food, fantastic presentation and wonderful service. I will definitely return. Thanks again.

Beautiful setting and amazing value for money we had the set menu from Monday to Thursday 17.30 till 22.30 for £27.50 additional £5 for dessert it was really lovely highly recommend

We came here to celebrate my sister starting a new job, and we can't fault the wonderful service we received, especially from our server Niall (I hope that's how you spell his name!) We had been here once before and it's the perfect place to celebrate special moments with friends and loved ones. The decor is to die for, the lighting and atmosphere perfect, and we felt very looked after the entire time. The food arrived quickly and was all absolutely gorgeous. I had the plant based Malaysian curry (lovely), but it was the chocolate bomb dessert that really stood out for me - heavenly! They also bought out a profiterole with a chocolate saying "Congratulations" for my sister, which really exemplifies the type of service that goes above and beyond. My partner would have preferred more variety when it came to the vegan desserts (that aren't just fruit or sorbet), but all in all I highly recommend The Ivy for a memorable time with faultless service. P.S. The women's toilets here are the best toilets I've ever been in!!!!! You'll know when you go in. 🌹😊

As a solo diner I thought I might feel a bit weird, but the staff were very friendly and the food was delicious. Beautiful decor as you would expect. Will definitely return.

I like the Ivy. I don’t know why I’ve not been to the Cardiff one before. I’ve been to the Ivy Asia several times. Oh well, rectified that on this trip. Big premises situated on the side of Saint David’s shopping centre, in the former Jamie’s Italian unit. No sign of the latter in what they’ve done though, and the interior is the usual sumptuous Ivy offering, with lots of colours and a riot to the senses. Nice big bar in the centre, big dragon on top. There’s a couple of floors inside – although I didn’t go up there, the upstairs looks pretty big. Booked, but it wasn’t too busy (Wednesday) so no wait for a table. One of those odd corner tables, but they’re fine when it’s not too busy. Lots of the usual chopped cushions on the benches. As you’d expect. Service was good and efficient, although they have so many different staff all wearing slightly different things I don’t know how they keep track… A system in play no doubt. The beer was a craft pilsner – decent and served in a frosted mug. Robata chicken skewers to start – I love these with their peanutty goodness and subtle flavours. Three of them but I could eat 10. Tried the fishcake to start, salmon and haddock – I liked this, it was similar to but much better than Wheeler’s fishcake from Marco Pierre White’s chain – served on a crushed pea and herb puree with a poached egg perched on top. All very tasty. For dessert it had to be the sticky toffee pudding, served under a smoky dome with a generous helping of clotted cream. Such a rich pudding. So very tasty. The smoky dome was real, by the way, and not a metaphor. Overall an excellent meal and to the standards you’d expect. Not particularly cheap, but then that’s not why you come to the Ivy, is it. Reasonable for the circumstances certainly. Would certainly come here again.

Upon your arrival you announce yourself at the check in desk, and then you are escorted to your table, which I think is a nice touch of elegance. The ambiance of the decor and music played in the background make it a lovely relaxed environment without being too pretentious. We were sat upstairs and it felt a very intimate dining experience. The waiting staff were exceptional and the food was fantastic. This was my 1st experience here and I was not disappointed.

Great food and service! Lovely atmosphere and wonderful decor.

Had an incredible experience here, would definitely recommend! The atmosphere was very pleasant and not loud, I really enjoyed the interior stylings. It was a place in which I felt at ease. The food was delicious, as were the drinks. It excelled in terms of visual appeal and taste. I would 100% recommend the linguine, it was cooked perfectly and had the perfect amount of bite. The staff were very friendly and welcoming! Mimi was incredibly kind throughout, and I enjoyed my time. I would come again if I was in the area.

Our first experience in an Ivy restaurant. The decor is beautiful, everything is so finely detailed. The food was lovely. We had The Ivy breakfast with the smoothie and pastries, which was amazing. Hot, fresh, good quality ingredients. The scrambled eggs were the best!! My other half is happy with any sort of breakfast, but he said this one was one of the best he'd had. We are looking forward to visiting more Ivy restaurants when we visit other places. The one and only criticism we had and it was a shame it happened while we were sat there was that we saw and overheard a member of staff running down the girl on the table next to us to another member of staff. It was quite catty. The girl hadn't really done anything wrong it was just crossed communication. Maybe, a slight bit more awareness that in a place like The Ivy, people are looking around and watching what's going on because it isn't a normal every day place, so it is easier for people to catch facial expressions and catty comments.

Beautiful Restaurant. My Favourite Go To Place Even If It's Just An Aperol Spritz At The Bar!! Food Is Amazing, Cocktails, Service & Simply The Whole Restaurant Itself.... Stunning!! Definitely Worth A Visit.

The whole experience was exeptionsal. Still dreaming about the food. We had ribeye on the bone and a fillet steak. The steaks melted like butter with an explosion of delicious flavour. Service was attentive, prompt and polite. The premises is a delight. What more could you want. Well done to the team at the Ivy. Cant wait to come back. John and Janet Chivers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Full Version From the moment we walked into The Ivy Cardiff, we were treated wonderfully. We were greeted warmly at the front desk and shown to the bar, where the staff were cheerful, polite, and genuinely welcoming. The drinks were absolutely sensational — perfectly crafted and beautifully presented. Our server, a lovely young lady named Mikyla (apologies if that’s not the correct spelling!), was exceptional. She was friendly, relatable, and extremely knowledgeable, offering fantastic recommendations for which drinks paired best with our dishes. The food was simply exquisite. We started with the zucchini fritti — light, crispy, and perfectly seasoned — alongside the salty sourdough, which complemented it beautifully. For mains, we enjoyed perfectly cooked steak with creamy mash and crisp chips. Dessert was the birthday box, which was as delicious as it was fun. On our second visit, we returned for a light brunch — we couldn’t resist ordering the zucchini and sourdough again, and added the maple pancakes on the side. Everything was just as amazing as before. Every single staff member we met was friendly and professional. Special mention to Jamie, who took the time to chat with us and even opened the door as we left — a truly lovely touch. Thank you to everyone at The Ivy Cardiff for making both visits so memorable. We’ll definitely be back soon!

Lovely service. Beautiful place. Nice enough food, didn’t wow me. Very noisy downstairs but luckily seated upstairs

We went to the Ivy for my son’s 18th. The place is amazing the decor amosphere was lovely. The first disappointing point was we were a party of 4 both my sons and partner are over 6 feet tall and we were squeezed onto a table suitable for 3 when your drinks and food is placed on the table. The table was difficult to relax and enjoy as the staff kept brushing past the table and we had to be aware when pushing our chairs out where they were, at one point I moved my arm and unfortunately elbowed the poor waitress who was passing behind me. I am very sorry. We placed our order and I was then told the dish I had chosen was sold out, disappointing! We then were served our starters which were amazing!! We then waited a very long time watching tables who arrived after us being served more efficiently than us!!! A member of staff then came to tell myself and my son. That they had run out of fillet steak!!! Very embarrassing and I would assume quite a popular option among clients!!! They offered an alternative steak for the same price and the food arrived quite quickly, but unfortunately my steak sauce was cold and my steak just warm. At this point I did not want to say anything as I did not want to ruin the experience even more considering it was supposed to be a special occasion and a special experience for my son’s 18th. I have to be honest although an impressive, first impression, don’t expect anything but a usual food chain with a slightly higher price point. So disappointing and kinda ruined the special occasion. I would have given 2 stars but I work in customer services so I know how the star rating can effect managers and staff members. You need to make it a more personal experience and have much better communication from kitchen to floor staff. Obvious to say I will not be rushing back any time soon!!!

We visited The Ivy in Cardiff to celebrate my sister’s birthday with a group of six. Booking was seamless, and even changes to the reservation were easy. The restaurant is stunning, with a gorgeous central bar—one of the most beautifully designed places I’ve seen recently. The food was very good, with portions that felt just right, though prices were slightly high. Unfortunately, my sister’s main course was forgotten and arrived 10–15 minutes later after we pointed it out. However, the manager apologized and removed it from the bill, which was much appreciated. The staff were warm and polite, though some lacked experience, with minor issues like how wine was served. Our table also had paper napkins instead of proper dinner ones, unlike other tables. Desserts included a special one for the birthday girl and an extra treat gifted by the restaurant. While thoughtful, the desserts didn’t quite meet expectations and felt overpriced. Still recommended!

Love the Ivy visited a few times, only feedback is no toilet paper and was early in the evening, and the app just doesn't work.

This was our 4 from 12 Restaurant in preparation for choosing a restaurant for my wife's 50th birthday. Ambience was brilliant here, loved the vibe and music. Food was very good, starter was gorgeous, fillet steak was slso gorgeous for my main but my dessert was the coconut panna cotta which I really did not enjoy at all, the only real taste was the slices of pineapple... would I recommend this place, of course I would...but I would rather send you to Thomas by Tom Simmons for a few quid more.... Just want to add the service was absolutely brilliant... 💯

Visited this place recently with my Family of 5. Really impressed with the welcome and surroundings which looks absolutely amazing. The food was lovely although limited choice for what my children would usually eat. The portions aren’t the biggest and most mains don’t even come with anything other than a garnish, so you have to order additional sides to accompany your mains. 2 adults and 3 children had starters each and mains and total was £189.00 I’d recommend this place for a special occasion but as a regular place to visit when we visit the city again it’s not for us.

Lovely decor. Good food. Lovely staff. Price of a bottle of water and service charge was a cheek when the prices were inflated for what it was and our waiter didnt seem to know what he was doing, then disappeared. May have been ill, so benefit of the doubt. The second was better but apparently was not his job to wait on tables,but he did very well considering. I think a tip should be the choice of the customer and amount of their choice, not forced upon them when handed the bill. That said it was a lovely treat.

The venue is beautifully decorated with a stunning atmosphere — definitely a lovely place to sit and relax. The food was alright, nothing exceptional but enjoyable enough. Service, however, was very slow. It felt like there was only one server handling the entire place, which made the experience a bit frustrating. Staff were doing their best, but the venue really needs more hands on deck during busy periods.

+6

Went for afternoon tea, It was fine..... It looked very impressive.sandwiches were nice. Scones weren't fresh. I wasn't blown away by any of the deserts. The server was very friendly and welcoming but a bit weird that we had to find him to give us plates... After serving us the afternoon tea set.... Just expected more

Average and overpriced is the only way I can describe The Ivy. It looks extremely lovely and everything is well presented...but that's as far as it goes. All the mains are very expensive but none come with sides which come at additional expense. The service was also incredibly slow (over 2 1/2 hours for 2 courses), and it was not full/busy. Our server was also quite rude and not particularly friendly, which put a slight dampener on the evening All in all, I'd say there are plenty of other places in Cardiff that are either equally as expensive and far superior or are cheaper and will provide a better service and experience

Undoubtedly a beautiful restaurant. We arrived early for our booking, we were given seats at the bar to have a drink whilst we waited, great service here. It went downhill when we got to the table. Disengaged waiter, in the past Ivy staff have added to the experience, not this time. Starters were delicious, mains both disappointing, greasy Milanese chicken, and rubbery red mullet in the fish stew. Not the expected standard at all. In fairness the stew was taken off the bill without us asking. I noticed the lady on the next table left her chicken too. Unfortunately I would not go back to this restaurant.

We are a family of three and we were greeted on arrival by the host who took our coats and bags. A pleasant lady took us to our prepared table and we were served by a smiley and attentive young lady -nothing was too much trouble. There was a large selection of drinks, and we were offered water . There were signature crackers and I chose the Ivy Snowman dessert. My wife had frozen winter berries and yoghurt with carbon dioxide effect smoke. I was given a complimentary large profiterole dessert with a lit candle and happy birthday chocolate. All the food was perfectly acceptable and was served promptly . There were no errors in the bill,but despite the high cost,it didn’t put us off coming again . There was a lift upstairs and the toilets were top class. We did notice that one of the chairs we were sitting on was worn and needed reupholstering. Other than that , was quite a nice experience,and as we picked a lunchtime experience,the atmosphere was a little subdued ,compared to an evening event in my opinion. We gave the loyalty app a go,and the young lady was kind enough to add our loyalty points towards another visit. We would definitely visit again,but I would expect a higher standard of speciality cuisine,considering the costs involved. Overall a very welcoming experience with a relaxed atmosphere and pleasant staff.

Booked a table a month ago to make a special Christmas trip to Cardiff. My old work friends had given me a voucher for The Ivy and we were very excited. Whilst waiting to go in a get seated, there was an issue with a missing coat as an older customer was leaving. This was eventually sorted out. We were taken upstairs to our table. The restaurant looked pretty but the pot plants in the window areas need some tlc. We ordered a 3 course meal, starter was delicious (chicken skewers and scallops) we weren't told the squid was off the menu, until we tried to order it! Main course was steak. I have to say for the price, rib eye £38 fillet £35. You then have to order sides on top of that. Very expensive for what it was. Desert was delicious, creme brulee. We had such high expectations and came away disappointed. There was then a discretionary charge added, £20. Which i know you dont have to pay but it shouldn't be added automatically. For a Thursday evening before christmas i thought it would be busier, which would have given it an atmosphere. I also had to ask for the heating to be put on, it was 2 degrees outside and felt about the same indoors. Then as we left, my partner was told his coat ticket wasnt the right one! And we had to point out his coat. It was ok but i wont be rushing back to the Ivy. I think you can get much more for your money these days. The staff were friendly though

Had a lovely meal here. Service was ok (husband asked for a 2nd drink & it didn't come) poor seating.......we had 2 couples either side of us and could hear their conversations, not very private at all. Christmas cocktails were nice

Beautiful decor, atmosphere was nice and quiet, there was a male voice choir singing too. We waited an hour before we recieved our food. Our starter was brought in a lovely serving tin, but we had to ask for plates to eat. The sauce on the chicken bourginion was delicious, however the chicken was very dry like it had been defrosted and the reheated too much. I let the server knowabout this but didn't want to make a fuss. We then felt rushed to pay the bill and leave... We appreciated that the table may have been a 2 hr booking but we had arrived at 2 and our meal wasn't brought till after 3...asked to leave at 4. Such a shame as we hadn't finished our drinks. We won't come again. I hope you manage to sort these issue out as its such a lovely venue.

My experience at The Ivy was disappointing. We had to wait 40 minutes to be seated and to place our drink / food orders. When we finally ordered food, it was subpar. The chicken skewers were fatty and chewy, and the duck starter had a mix of ingredients that didn't complement each other. For the mains, my partner had an acceptable shepherd's pie, but my burger with truffle cheese chips was the blandest I've ever tasted, and the chips were flavorless (I sent my main back). Throughout the evening, we constantly waited for service. The food was terrible and overpriced. Our bill was £104, even with one main meal deducted. Despite the positive reviews we read, our experience was far from satisfactory, and we won't be returning.

If you are Asian, kindly do not come here. We were served by a specific blonde waitress who just seem to can't fake a smile despite knowingly getting paid for £30 per hour. I understand if you are some moderate restaurant who just don't seem to find a need to entertain people that well. But I must say, as a fancy restaurant or maybe high end, u should work harder into hiring people who are capable of doing their job. I believe the people here who entered are not some simply people, if the Ivy strive to have a good reputation, it is time to up ur game in training ur staff, no one wants to see a brat trying to work a part time job and on the receptionist, seems very unwelcoming with the rbf, can’t even greet or anything. #do better

We had a very bad experience here today. We arrived at about 12.15 and we are in a bit rush to finish our meal in the next 1.5 hour as we got an appointment later. In the first 20 minutes, I raised my hands three times to three people, spoke with two waiters and they always say somebody with be with us. Reading the bad reviews previously, it seems there is a toxic environment that each waiter has its own responsible area, and the tips etcs get to the person who is responsible. As long as we are not in their zones, they just don't care. Also I think previous people did mention if you were Asian, you will be treated differently, I don't know if this is our case as we did orginally from Asian. I should have recorded more evidence. I paid American Express £650 annual fee to hold my Amex Platinum card. Sometimes they give me free event or meal voucher to spend. This Ivy is the only place in Cardiff (not the Ivy Asia next door) on that list I can use my free credit. I am definitely going to raise a complaint to Amex asking them to take this chain off. Waste my time.

Very disappointing New Year’s Eve experience On New Year’s Eve, my friend and I had a reservation at this restaurant, expecting a pleasant evening to celebrate. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. Despite having a reservation, we waited over two hours just to be served our food. There was no proper explanation, no apology, and no effort from the staff to manage the situation or keep customers informed. Spending such a long time waiting on a special night like New Year’s Eve completely ruined the experience. Good organization and respect for customers’ time are essential, especially on such an important occasion. Sadly, this was not the case here. I would not recommend this restaurant for special events, and I do not plan to return.

I wouldn't have given any stars. First impression were lovely welcoming, our table which we booked wasn't ready. We were taken to the bar area while we waited for our table. A lovely young lady then came to us to take us to our table. Two flights of stairs to the top floor. The table was wonderful, very pleased with it. We sat down and then this very rude woman in black, the clothes were very ill fitted and scruffy looking not very professional, like the other members of staff, said we couldn't sit there rudely , while looking down on us and then taken to a horrible seating area in a very busy walk way in the middle of the room. We had other dinners looking at us and made me feel very uncomfortable. We were there to have the festive menu and enjoy having time together. The experience was horrendous. We walked out without ordering anything. There were no surprises we booked for our table months ago and was looking forward to being there. I also visited the toilet before we left, there was poo in the toilet, maybe the rude manager should check the toilets at some point in her walking around with arrogance. We ended up having to walk into a different restaurant. We had a better welcome and the staff were all amazing and spend £100 there instead. I think your staff could do with some training, I work in the industry and I know what good customer services looks like, I'm afraid some of your staff, looking down on people and being very rude is not the way to be.