The Ivy on the Square

A rather sleek elegant venue with superb customer service. Offering a range of food and drinks to suit all tastes this a very popular and in demand place to be. With seating upstairs, downstairs, at the bar and outside, the staff do their best to accommodate all customers. They do accept walk ins, however best to book. A beautiful place. There was a "service charge" but staff should notify you of this. As always the staff do appreciate being nice to as well as tips 👍

+6

Another city another Ivy! As we were on holiday in Edinburgh it seemed like a good idea and we weren't disappointed, great service,great food, nice decor and atmosphere. I really like their duck salad so had to have it and I fancied their fish and chips this day, all tasty and good. My wife had duck curry followed by a Chocolate Bomb and really enjoyed that also. Great views across St Andrews Square from the first floor diner particularly at sunset. Recommended!

+2

The little entrance belies the lovely decorated restaurant inside. The waitresses were very polite and professional. Led us to upper level and marvelled by the architecture and design of the layout of the seatings. Fish and chips with the mash peas are excellent. A place that does not disappoint. 😍

+3

What can I say?! The Ivy was a fantastic experience! We inadvertently ended up in the Ivy for both breakfast and dinner in the same day (don’t ask - miscommunication with people we were meeting) but honestly I wasn’t mad about it! The service was second to none - they were very attentive and super pleasant. Food was beautiful. I even got extra toast with my omelette! For dinner we were a big table of 12 and nothing came out incorrectly- it was all perfect. Couldn’t recommend this place enough!

Excellent service and food. No complaints. We were seated in a friendly manner despite no reservation. Staff were considerate and asked if we had any dietary requirements. Food was crafted amazing and was very tasty. Would recommend to everyone.

This was probably one of the best lunches I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I have been to an Ivy restaurant once before in Windsor on my last trip to the UK but I don't remember it being quite this good. The food was extraordinary, service impeccable, and because I was by myself, I was able to observe the staff and how they operate. It was so fascinating watching such a well-oiled machine. I used to work in hospitality and it was a delight to watch. Mimi was incredible and so wonderful to chat with, she even picked up that I was Canadian, not American. She was attentive but not overbearing and still let me have my time to myself. The dessert was to die for as well. The whole experience really made my day. Not to mention the decor of The Ivy is just incredible. Even the bathroom was amazing. Highly recommend this chain if you are ever in UK, they have many locations to choose from. Thank you so much for such a wonderful afternoon! Cheers!

+2

My first visit alone after a trip to Edinburgh. I was greeted by a lovely gentleman who said he had the perfect table for me that wasn't in between too many people. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, the food was quick and delicious! I highly recommend the sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream!

+1

Had a really incredible evening, food was delicious, drinks were great! Thank you Kayleigh! So efficient and smiley, you made our evening!

Dishes are “beautifully presented” and span contemporary British to international Ivy classics like fish & chips, blackened cod, steak tartare, and ricotta‑truffle chicken Milanese If you’re looking for a stylish, reliable all‑day brasserie in a buzzing city‑centre spot, The Ivy on the Square is a solid choice. While it’s not budget‑friendly, it delivers on presentation, service, and atmosphere. It’s ideal for special occasions, leisurely lunches, or those seeking a touch of ivy‑style glamour in Edinburgh. Just be prepared for a premium price tag—especially for main courses and evening dining.

Such a beautiful place to dine! The burger had an excellent flavor according to my husband. I had a shepherds pie and it was delicious. The server was very polite and professional. I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting a special or memorable experience.

My mum, sister and I had a lovely lunch at The Ivy Edinburgh on Sunday. The food was amazing, and for the first time we sat upstairs which is absolutely beautiful. Our server was so polite and attentive, and he even surprised me with a profiterole and candle for my birthday – such a thoughtful touch! A really special experience.

The Yvy was an incredible find during our UK travels. We stumbled upon it on a bustling Saturday night without a reservation, so we grabbed seats at the bar — and we’re so glad we did. The bartender was exceptionally welcoming and friendly, setting the tone for a great evening. The food was absolutely delicious, and the drinks were simply outstanding — truly worth raving about. As with the other Yvy locations we’ve visited, the decor did not disappoint. It’s a perfect blend of warm, modern, and classy, creating an inviting atmosphere that makes you want to linger for just one more cocktail. Whether you’re wrapping up a day of exploring the city or looking for a stylish place to unwind, The Yvy is a must. Come for the ambiance, stay for the experience

The salmon was so tasty. Definitely recommend the pumpkin and butternut squash soup.

From the moment I walked in, I was captivated by the beautiful decor and elegant ambiance. The Ivy exudes a timeless charm that perfectly complements the indulgent experience of afternoon tea. The selection of teas and the exquisite array of sandwiches, scones, and pastries were absolutely delightful. Each item was meticulously prepared and presented, showcasing a perfect blend of classic and contemporary flavors. The champagne added a luxurious touch, making the experience even more special. The service was impeccable. The staff were attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure that every detail was perfect. Their warm hospitality made the experience all the more enjoyable.

All in all, very nice. Food was good but not exquisite. Dessert was a bit too sweet and heavy for my taste. Excellent wine selection with a good price range. Service was excellent. Very friendly and kind staff who helped us to our desired table. Only real remark would be that some of the seats and tables seemed to be really worn out and had seen better days. These where a bit uncomfortable which is why we requested a different table, which was no problem at all.

Such a beautiful venue- lovely atmosphere! Food was delicious. It was very busy when we were there so service was not quite what we hoped for.

Am always to Ivy around the world, I tried London and Edinburgh and soon we will try Manchester one, as usual, Edinburgh could not be less quality than London one, got drinks are brilliant, my all time favorite is the Ivy veggie breakfast

Amazing food, great location. The food was one of the best we tried in Edinburgh, far better than the Witchery, but on the same level with The Dome. The desserts however were not that great

We loved it ! The food was amazing - the staff were really attentive. It was all very Chrissmassy - beautifully decorated .

Amazing food, drinks and decor. I have a nut allergy and the staff, especially Eilidh, were very attentive and considerate regarding this. They made clear the precautions being taken and that they had trained medical staff in case of any incident. Would highly recommend.

Ivy is a lovely and lively place for a fibe meal and a pleasant atmosphere. The food is delicious. The only negative is the inadequate, tiny entrance.

Beautiful restaurant and warm services by the staff. Honestly I want to give 5-star for the experience however, the sea bass was really a disappointment. It wasn’t bad, just that i expected higher standard. Generous portion for the sea bass(which i love), however, the skin was not quite as crispy as I would prefer (it looked like the chef tried but the sauce made it soggy). The mushroom sauce with spinach’s and beans(?) was not a balanced match for the dish somehow. Our party ordered 3 sea-bass and the consensus was similar. The dish wasn’t executed as good as the description. The fish and chip was tasty with the pea mash. The burger from the Kids’ menu was bigger than McDonald’s Big Mac and delicious. Came with tasty fries. Fresh mint tea turned out to be made with a dried mint tea bag. Nice cocktail menu tho. & service was great.

Always love the Ivy chain. First time in this one. The Service was excellent and Martha from Bergamo Italy was a credit to the establishment. The starters were delicious but the main course was not up to the usual standard. Marta sorted it out. Happy to return.

We recently visited and while the food was absolutely delicious. We did feel a bit rushed at the beginning of the service. Our server, Mimi, was genuinely lovely—friendly, attentive, and made the effort to check in with us throughout the meal. Every dish we ordered was full of flavor and beautifully presented. It's clear the kitchen knows what they’re doing, and we’d happily come back just for the food. All in all great food, decent service, and a lovely server—being rushed at the start did affect our overall impression.

The restaurant setting is beautiful with lovely ambiance! The vibe was perfect for a relaxing meal, and the food was absolutely delicious. The portions were too small though...

Had a great dinner here with work colleagues. The food was very good – I had the fish, which was fresh and well-cooked. Service was excellent throughout, and the location made for a lovely evening. Would definitely recommend.

I was drawn to the atmosphere and how beautiful this restaurant was. I dined here on a Monday night, ordered a drink and the truffle arancini. The service was great until I waited 30 minutes for my drink. They said they were very busy and fortunately did not have to pay for the drink. This was very appreciated and unexpected. Overall, I would dine here again.

This is the 3rd Ivy I have been to and the food actually isn’t overpriced and is fairly reasonable. However, I think they make too much effort to try and market it as fine dining when it clearly isn’t. It feels quite posh but the food doesn’t reflect this. Servers were okay although we had 4 in total and after 2 hours we were asked to vacate the table and move to the bar, which was full. Overall I’d say we felt rushed, we was asked for our food order before our drinks had arrived. Will try somewhere else next time I’m in Edinburgh.

+1

A part from the staff (very polite and welcoming) and the location itself, beautiful, I wouldn't recommend it. Food was not so good and not worth the quite expensive bill I paid. The shepherd's pie was good, the chicken screwers not worth the price, Just like the crème brulée that I had for dessert.

+1

Disappointing afternoon tea at The Ivy in Edinburgh on 18th November. I expected far better and to be served on nice crockery and not a black plastic oblong platter with 3 sandwiches on it. We were also expected to use this and the same cutlery for our cakes. Only once offered tea which was so weak it was hardly coloured even after asking for it to be stronger. At the end of the tea we were asked if we wanted a “complimentary” tea or coffee…. Read the menu… it’s included!!! The table we were put on was near the toilets and kitchen doors it was very noisy so we asked to be moved. It was a late afternoon booking so we felt that they couldn’t be bothered as the dinner service was starting at 5pm. As this was a special birthday treat from my sister and neice I felt embarrassed that they paid for this and it wasn’t cheap. Not the sort of afternoon tea we expected and we definitely wouldn’t repeat. You must do better The Ivy if you want to impress and compete with other establishments.

We went here for my dad’s birthday and left pretty disappointed. The place is severely overpriced for what you actually get. The steak arrived on its own with no sides, so we had to ask for something as basic as chips, which we then had to pay extra for — on top of the extra charge for the sauce. For the price they’re charging, that really shouldn’t happen. The duck curry was the highlight of the meal, but everything else we ordered was pretty mediocre, especially considering the cost. Service was fine, but nothing special, and at these prices you’d expect much better attention and care. Overall, it just didn’t feel worth the money. At over £300 for 4 people, we won’t be rushing back.

Had afternoon tea with my family - the presentation was great and I loved the tea selection and food, however service was nonexistent they did not check on us even once after the food was brought. I had to flag down a staff to pay the bill, and a service charge was added on top.

The food and quality was very nice! The service is extremely slow , they delayed my drinks twice and after asking again and again after 15 min I got my beer. Then happen again with coffee.. normally you would apologise or give complementary… but nothing happen as usually. For the price you pay you should get higher standard.. in Glasgow I had much better experience.

I've been to the Ivy in other cities but I got to say this was not my favourite. The food was nice but my problem was with the atmosphere, the tables are so close to each other that if I try to reach with my fork to the other table I will be able to taste their food, which makes it a bit awkward when trying to have a conversation with your party, and you know the people next to you will hear it all. The other thing that really did not like was the service, I can be a bit picky with food and did not like anything from the mains, so I decided I would get a starter and a side instead as I liked the vegetarian options, to which the waitress said that my order is a 'bit of a mess'. I brushed it off as I was there celebrating my birthday with my partner. When he was doing the reservation he mentioned that it is my birthday and would like to have a dessert as a surprise, which was so nice of him. However, when the waitress was brining my surprise dessert the candle went of twice in front of me as she was in a such a hurry to leave it on the table and bounce. It is the small things that matter when you go to a nice restaurant and you expect everything to be pleasant. We saw the manager on the way out and although we decided not to say anything he seamed like a very polite and positive person. Overall, our experience was so-so, as per my review.

Booked a table for hubbys 64th. Service was good. Food was well below average. Starters were OK. Mains were terrible. I sent my dish back & accepted a refund. They tried to make amends by way of a ‘dessert’ for hubby. Fell way short of a memorable night out! Had to question the bill as they still tried to charge for the ‘chicken bourguinion’ which I rejected as it was as hard as leather! Definitely won’t be back! 🤨

+1

We booked in at The Ivy in Edinburgh, having visited The Ivy in Birmingham and knowing it could be a fabulous experience. We asked for a nice table as we were celebrating a special event. On arrival we were greeted and asked where we would like to be seated. We were a little surprised as we thought they would have known where we were going to sit as a nice table had been requested when we booked. We were also a little upset that there was a special Christmas menu but they had no turkey left. We had a little grumble about it, because we’d already been disappointed about the table. A ‘manager’ , who we believe is called Glen came over to us to tell us that because they’d run out of the turkey, the chef was going to make some more but we’d have to wait 40 mins. Ordinarily that would be find but Glen chose to be quite rude and argumentative with us. He had to be reminded that we were the customer and instead of being argumentative, he should have just soaked up the complaint, apologised and moved on. It did spoil what should have been a lovely, special evening for 4 friends. A place we won’t be going back to. 😕

We had booked online but were told they had no record if our booking but they had a spare table. They also said that afternoon tea is served from 3 to 5pm whilst in line you can book earlier. I guess their website booking service is not quite in line with the actual restaurant. We had coffee at the bar and then a prosecco before we were shown our table. The bar staff were very attentive as were thexwaiting staff. We had been given voucher for afternoon and were looking forward to a lovely experience. The food was very underwhelming. The egg finger sandwich lached flavour. The salmon and cream cheese roll was good but the chicken brioche roll was again disappointing. The scones were almost flat and hard. The cakes were again underwhelming. I didn't even finish one of them as it has azstrange taste. The chocolate buttons in milk froth! Was quite nice but difficult to eat. The only saving grace was the creme brulé. The afternoon tea was served in a plastic tray. I was expecting china plates. We both h opted for earl grey tea and had to ask for lemon. The quality of the tea was also poor. Overall a very underwhelming afternoon tea and sadly not worth the money. We had such expectations of The Ivy but sadly it did not live up to it's reputation for good food.

Very cool atmosphere and incredible design/decor. That said, the food leaves much to be desired and the cocktails tasted both like artificial flavoring and sugar bombs. I think our server either had to depart unexpectedly or was fired during her shift because the manager took over her section halfway through our meal. She definitely forgot to put our food order in so service was very slow and food took a long time to arrive. They were proactively apologizetic but it was still a subpar experience overall. At arrival they also gave us a big speech about how we could only stay for 2 hours because they were “slammed” but they had many many open tables throughout our entire meal. Overall, just not worth it for the price. There is much better food and service to be had elsewhere, all I can say is the decor was amazing and very high-end. But ultimately it was a “nice lipstick on an overpriced pig” type of experience. I wouldn’t go back and I wouldn’t recommend.

We paid nearly £200 for this meal and it was a complete waste of money. The food was extremely disappointing and nowhere near the standard one would expect for this price. The pepper sauce served with the steak was an absolute disaster — unbearably spicy, full of large chunks of pepper that left a horrible, bitter aftertaste when bitten into. Instead of enhancing the dish, it completely ruined the meat. A sauce like this should never be poured directly over the steak and should be served on the side. The Sunday roast beef was shockingly bad — rubbery, tough, and almost impossible to chew. It felt more like chewing on leather than eating beef. For such an expensive bill, this level of food quality is simply unacceptable. I strongly do not recommend this place and will definitely not be returning.

Hogamany 2025 almost ruined by the ineptitude and unprofessional service of The Ivy Edinburgh. From the outset it was bad and got worse as the evening went on. Not offered complimentary drink ( I shouldn't have to go find a member of staff to ask ) table not being ready and ignored ( again had to go find a member of staff) Evening fixed memu of £87 pp including service charge only to be served with an additional £35 service charge. ( Wouldn't mind if the service was good but it was well below par ) Starter ( duck ) was really nice. Desert ( bomb) was really nice Main course ( chicken ) was so over cooked it was almost inedible. We will not be returning to The Ivy edinburgh ( shame 😞)

We arrived slightly early but not a problem as our table was ready. We were seated upstairs next to the bar. About ten minutes after being seated a member of staff came and asked if we wanted water for the table. Then we sat and waited, and waited. Other tables were having their orders taken but we seemed to have been forgotten. During this time, food on large trays were being brought to the bar and at one point the tray of food nearly dropped onto me, saved by a member of staff, she did apologise. The closeness of the bar to our table wasn’t good. Constantly through our stay, trays were being left, staff having to brush against me to get empty ones or food being left. Very annoying! At long last our drinks order was taken. One of our party had her drink arrive very quickly, but the rest of us had to look at our bottle of wine sit on the bar, being moved up and down for over ten minutes, we timed this! Then it was brought to the table. Poured into what can only be described as half pint beer glasses not delicate wine glasses! We were hungry and really just taken a back with the lack of attention to detail and making us feel special. So much staff, so no excuse there!😢 Our food order was taken at last, starters came quickly and average. Mains, one of our party enjoyed her curry, the two others had ordered pasta and said it was lacking in flavour. I ordered the sea bream and left half, it was dry, tasteless, the sauce had sliced apple in but no taste, the best thing was the green beans. No staff asked if our food was ok, my plate of half eaten food wasn’t questioned! My daughter had made the booking a couple of months ago and had said the reason for our visit was celebrating buying her wedding dress. We were on a high when we arrived but that was soon dampened. My daughter was given a choux bun as a treat. We couldn’t leave fast enough. Disappointed ☹️ When we come back to Edinburgh later in the year we will be going somewhere else.

5.30 Sunday 4th Jan my wife and myself got in from the bitter cold and got seated. Our order was taken which included a very expensive bottle of merlot but we were happy to pay £41 to compliment the following meal. First thing was the room temperature it was quite cold but was assured the heating was on full blast. The starter arrived, onion soup which was nice and helped to heat us up. Main course came to us on cold plates, sirloin steak which was unchewable which about half was left by the both of us, mashed potatoes and broccoli only enough for one came with the steaks served on separate plates both were chilled. Very disappointing and spoiled an overnight stay in Edinburgh