the ivy chelsea garden

the ivy chelsea garden is a beautiful rose that popped up in a former plot of manure.  it’s so different from the bar/restaurant/blackout location that used to be there, i was skeptical. how could something so awesome exist where so many horrendous smells and bad decisions had come from?. apparently before you get married you need to take every opportunity to drink out of penis straws.

the restaurant has a wonderful garden that builds to it's atmosphere. definitely recommend it for breakfast. don't miss out on the poached eggs with avocado.

if you are in london on a sunny day, then you must go the brunch at the ivy chelsea garden. pick a table a the terrace and sip away on champagne and enjoy the weather and the food. the lobster benedict is superb very juicy and filling. pancakes are a great pairing as they have some orange zest in them and the best part they come with crispy bacon that are divine. it's a great outdoor venue and great for a sunday brunch.

you need seriously influential contacts, it seems, to get into the new ivy chelsea garden, a robert caring owned sister restaurant to the shepherd’s pie haven of fame in soho. one of london’s it restaurants of the moment and supposedly a celeb haunt, getting a table here is a definite and desirably flauntable mark of high society status.

was taken to lunch here on a nice sunny london day and it was lovely to be sitting outside in a garden setting . food and service were ok but ambiance great.

booked a table months in advance and was so disappointed in the way they work their system for sitting outside.

the sun was shining and the tables were free but yet they couldn't seat us there.

anyway went for the warm truffled chicken on toasted brioche
with a green herb salad. it was a bit too rich for me.

the food is so well priced though and cheap so definitely go for the ambiance.

i much prefer it to the originial ivy.

if you care about people watching and a great ambiance, the ivy is a great spot for it. even more so if you can score a table at their garden patio which is absolutely lovely. if you love food as much as i do and quality of your meal is the most important element, the ivy shouldn't be your first choice. the food is average and service is ok.

despite having lived in london for over 20 years, i have never been to one of the city’s most iconic restaurants, the ivy. and i still haven’t been however i have been able to try their newly opened, west london branch  on the kings road a couple of weeks ago. occupying what used to be local american style bar and grill henry j bean’s, i visited the ivy chelsea garden on a crisp but very bright april morning with my friend and fellow blogger and photographer giulia aka mondo mulia (her post here). the venue inside has been completely revamped: gone are the dark wood, pub-like panels and the 90s style trestle table i remember. the large dining room is now elegantly decorated in period parisian bistro style with opulence and plenty of gilded mirrors and plants. the bar itself is grand and takes centre stage in the indoor space however the piece de resistance is certainly the garden at the back. a very large space, it has now been furnished like picture perfect outdoor entertaining areas, with striped cushions, log fire and wide canopies interspersed with shrubs and greens.

loved the place the quick service the ambiance the waiters the food .... its all about details and elegance... you have to visit this place

the ivy chelsea garden is a beautiful rose that popped up in a former plot of manure. it’s so different from the bar/restaurant/blackout location that used to be there, i was skeptical. how could something so awesome exist where so many horrendous smells and bad decisions had come from?

the ivy chelsea garden opened up last month on the old site of henry j beans on the king's road. i used to be a huge fan of henry j beans as it was where i had my first ever date (many years ago) and also the venue of many fun nights out. however now as the ivy chelsea garden, it couldn't be more different…..it looks amazing! it really has the wow factor - very light, luxurious, lots of green and plenty of mirrors everywhere and the la piece de resistance is the beautiful garden and terrace at the back.

the ivy at chelsea garden is the perfect place if you want to hang out and people watch in a lovely setting, particularly on a nice day when you can sit outside in the garden. the food is definitely secondary to the vibe and the ambiance and the service is ok but won't blow you away.

everything i expected i had a delicious lunch with my friend the cauliflower soup is delicious though a few more croutons wouldn't hurt and the fish cooked perfectly. i love the decor and atmosphere like a little bubble away from the hubbub of kings road.

i don't like restaurants where you go to see and be seen!
i like good food, good service!
so automatically this rules out all the ivys...
that said i went there for a business dinner, weather was nice so we sat in the garden (big transformation from what used to be the henry j beans beer garden!
very chelseaesque spot but if you black out this aspect, service was very good, food was very nice even though the menu is similar to that of any sophiscated brasserie!
so all in all spent a lovely evening and would go again, nest summer!

after hearing many negative reviews about the place i decided to go in with an open mind.

the restaurant itself is warm and welcoming, the bar has a nice cosy feel to it and our table was situated in the garden which i must say, was a beautiful setting.

the service was average and at some times almost unprofessional for such an establishment; although very friendly.

we ordered a medley of starters in the middle; smoked salmon with crab, fried shrimps, beef carpaccio, zucchini fries, fried rice balls with cheese and truffle; all of which were average. for such simple dishes i would have expected better quality.

when it came to ordering the mains the waitress warned me off getting the fish and chips and so i settled for the rib eye steak with bearnaise sauce and truffle fries (the fries and sauce came much later!). other mains ordered were the chicken milanese with fried egg (which came raw) and the cauliflower and stilton soup which was apparently the only good dish. the dover sole was inedible and honestly the fish seemed to be all shipped in frozen. no one was satisfied with what they ordered.

all in all i believe the restaurants strong point is its garden and if they don't step up the food at the restaurant, after the summer they are going to run into all sorts of problems. for me at least i will not be going back.