Ivy & Varley

Review summary

1. E

   Erica

   Salt Lake City

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   Food is okay, nothing special. Service also wasn’t the best.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
2. L

   Liese

   VIP

   New York City

   5 reviews

   1.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on December 10, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   This was by far the worst experience I’ve ever had at Ivy… so much so that I don’t know how I could be convinced by anyone to come back. Normally, I love to come here, but the food tasted terrible and the service was not good. We ordered the artichoke dip and we couldn’t take more than a couple bites. The dip was full of dill which caught us off guard because it doesn’t list dill as one of the ingredients on the menu. It tasted discussing and we couldn’t taste the artichoke We also ordered the kale caesar and the cod & chips. The cod had so many bones that my business partner choked and accidentally swallowed one. When we told the server, all she said was “oh… I’ve never seen that happen before… anyways, would you like more Diet Cokes?” She didn’t offer to notify a manager or the chef, just walked away and didn’t come back until she brought us our check. The kale caesar wasn’t as great as it usually is. I don’t like that they’ve changed the croutons I was there for a business dinner and I was embarrassed that I had even recommended that we come here. After the overpowering dill “artichoke” dip, my business partner choking on bones from the fish, and the terrible service, I lost my appetite to ever come back. Not sure if Ivy has a new chef, but whatever they’re doing, it needs to go back to how things were
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
3. J

   Jessica

   Las Vegas

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on December 7, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Food was way before average and bacon wasn't cooked.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
4. L

   Lynn

   VIP

   Denver

   50 reviews

   4.0

   50 reviews

   Dined on December 4, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   Food is great! Pumpkin bread, Brussels: yum! Dessert was good! Banana bread pudding. Service was strange: ordered promptly but never saw my waitstaff again. Other people delivered. Ambience is nothing. But food: very good.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
5. V

   Venkat

   VIP

   Washington DC

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 17, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   You will be spammed . They add you to a email list without asking.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
6. T

   Tiffany

   Las Vegas

   7 reviews

   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on November 15, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   A Mixed Experience with Standout Dishes I had a largely positive experience at this restaurant, thanks to a few standout dishes that truly impressed. The grilled pumpkin bread served as an appetizer was nothing short of exceptional—warm, slightly sweet, and perfectly charred. Paired with a fresh serving of burrata and cranberry jam, it made for an unforgettable start to the meal. We also tried the Brussels sprouts, which were equally delicious—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with just the right amount of seasoning. For the main courses, my mother ordered the pork confit gnocchi, which she found satisfying, but my braised wagyu unfortunately fell short of expectations. While the meat was tender and flavorful, it was meant to be topped with shoestring potatoes, which were missing from my dish. This was a small but noticeable oversight. Additionally, the shaved fennel, which accompanied the wagyu, was inconsistently cooked—some pieces were soft and delicate, while others were far too crunchy and underdone. Given that the wagyu came in at nearly $40, these discrepancies were disappointing. On a positive note, the restaurant offers an impressive selection of non-alcoholic mixed drinks, which is a nice touch for those seeking refreshing, flavorful options without alcohol. Overall, while there were a few missteps, the restaurant does serve some excellent dishes and an excellent atmosphere that made the meal enjoyable. I'd recommend it, especially if you're looking to indulge in their grilled pumpkin bread and burrata appetizer. However, for the price, I would have hoped for a bit more consistency in the execution of the main courses.
   

   • 
   • 
   • 
   • 
   • 
   • 

   Is this helpful?

   Report
7. S

   Seth

   VIP

   Salt Lake City

   4 reviews

   1.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on November 14, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Just terrible food. Potatoes were cold, steak was tough and everything tasted like airplane food.
   

   1 person found this helpful

   Report
8. E

   Eric

   Salt Lake City

   14 reviews

   5.0

   14 reviews

   Dined on November 9, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Wow we've driven by Ivy & Varley for a long time and finally decided it was time to enjoy dinner there and experience this place. It's really two separate establishments sharing the same kitchen. Ivy is more the traditional restaurant where Varley is more of a nice cocktail bar. They share the same menu for both sides so either one is nice. Since it's considered a bar by Utah standards no kids are allowed. We were greeted promptly and seated right away and the vibe of Varley is nice. Modern lights and artwork in a big spacious setting. The bar is well displayed and there's seating at the bar or various tables throughout. We had a nice two top cocktail table for our experience. Cocktails are definitely their specialty but the drink menu not only boasts lots of signature cocktails but an extensive list of beer and wine selections too. We ordered the grilled pumpkin bread as a starter with our drinks. WOW! This really should have been dessert. Moist grilled pumpkin bread accompanied with burrata and a cranberry glaze. It was such a fun mix of flavors and absolutely delicious. For dinner we tried the Burgundy-Braised Wagyu Beef and the Pan Roasted Salmon. Our food came out super fast after we ordered it which was impressive. Both entrees were nice portions. The beef was so tender it melted in your mouth. It was nested on a bed of whipped potatoes and squash. Very nice presentation. The salmon was a hearty salmon filet nested on top of lima bean succotash and butternut squash puree. It was a bit surprising the succotash and puree were served cold with the salmon on top. It still tasted amazing but just an interesting mix of cold and hot food. Save room for dessert as they have a couple of tasty sweet treats to enjoy. We selected to pumpkin cheesecake since we started with pumpkin bread why not end with pumpkin cheesecake. A great experience with great service and great food. Well done Ivy & Varley!
   

   • 
   • 

   Is this helpful?

   Report
9. M

   Maria

   VIP

   Greater Boston

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on October 23, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We decided on apps, the goat cheese and pumpkin bread were delicious! Chicken lollipops were okay. Great service and atmosphere too! Small pour on the wine, but it could be a Utah thing.
   

   1 person found this helpful

   Report
10. J

    Jason

    VIP

    Greater Boston

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on October 22, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5

    The food here is very, very good. The maitre'd was very accommodating to a change in our reservation and the fact that OpenTable did not send our reservation to them properly which caused some confusion. I will say that the wait staff needs to be better trained. We ordered two bottles of wine and both were just opened and placed on the table, no one offered us a taste to verify the wine was, in fact, OK; something most high-end restaurants always do. But, overall, very good.
    

    Is this helpful?

    Report