The Ivy Kensington Brasserie

Decent little spot in Kensington, I think the highlight for me was when someone I was with ordered iced tea and they brought them a cup of ice water with a tea bag in it. Needless to say after about 30 minutes it was a slightly brown cup of ice water. They did eventually come back and give them some hot tea and a cup of ice but really it was hilarious. I really liked the sourdough bread, my tuna was fine but the peas were just so so. I guess I'd say service was pretty good, although the tea thing and a few other interactions did make me wonder if they were taking the piss with us.

I recently celebrated my birthday on Monday, June 9th, 2025, at Ivy Kensington with my family and friends. The reason I chose this restaurant for such a special occasion was because: 1. It’s conveniently located close to my home, and 2. It has been somewhat of a go-to spot for my family whenever we want to dine out. We’ve always had pleasant experiences here — especially appreciating the friendly, warm, and helpful service from staff, along with delicious food. That’s why I felt confident celebrating an important day with my loved ones here. Unfortunately, this visit was far from what I had come to expect. My father had made a reservation for 5 people at 7 PM. However, one more friend joined, making us a party of 6. I understand that this wasn’t communicated in advance, so when we requested a larger table, we were willing to wait patiently while the staff arranged it. During the wait, we ordered our starters, which arrived around 8:00–8:10 PM. After being moved to a new table near the kitchen, we waited nearly an hour for our main courses. Additionally, I had ordered still water and my friend ordered a berry smoothie — both simple drinks — but they took almost 30 minutes to arrive, which felt unreasonably long. What really disappointed me, however, was the service — or lack thereof. I tried to get the attention of a male staff member in a green shirt who was standing quite close to our table, but he ignored me. Everyone at our table noticed this and heard me call him, so I don’t understand why he didn’t respond. I understand the restaurant might have been very busy that night, but it genuinely felt like our table was being deliberately overlooked. As someone who also works in the hospitality industry, I know how stressful busy nights can be — but I would never intentionally ignore a customer or make them feel like they’re being treated with less importance. I don’t know whether that staff member was assigned to our section, but his actions — or lack thereof — made us feel unwelcome. It’s truly upsetting, especially on a day that was supposed to be special. I even told my father not to pay the service charge out of principle, but he kindly insisted on paying it anyway. That said, I do want to sincerely thank and acknowledge the Polish female staff member (I unfortunately didn’t get her name) who eventually attended to our table. She was warm, attentive, and genuinely tried to make us feel cared for — and I deeply appreciate that.

The atmosphere was vibrant and colourful. The food was spectacular and generous portions. Service was quick and amazing. They were so nice. I'd highly recommend booking a table in advance as it gets occupied very easily. Regardless, it was a sweet experience to celebrate special occassions. Drinks from the bar was beautiful and not to mention delicious.