Looks like the Shepherd ate most of the pie before it got to your table. 🐄🤠

People don't go to The Ivy for the food, they go there to be seen going there or to tell their friends "I've been to The Ivy"

A well-known TV chef did call The Ivy 'a chip shop for luvvies'.

It has a very 1990s feel to it. They seem to think that people in general don't understand restaurants. I think they understand £6-odd for a piece of bread. Absolutely outrageous and small portions, as well. Another lovely review, Gary, as always, and all the very best to you and the cameraman. You are doing a great job. Thank you.

Least u can say to ur friends, you’ve been to The Ivy. You can also say, you’ve been to The Ivy and it was overpriced shite!

Absolutely criminal serving soup without bread!

brilliant review Gary, ive paid 250 for a Michelin star 7 course, I needed a kebab afterwards I was still starving

I would just like to say I really enjoy Gary's videos. I think he's spot on every time and find him a decent normal chap giving reviews without an ego, like you find on most people with a youtube channel. Keep up the good work 👏.

Cauliflower soup and shepherds pie are hardly taxing dishes to make so you would expect them to top notch for that portion size and price. A mix of lamb and beef would have put me right off TBH. You were right to point of the deficiencies and very fair. The food just didn't match the decor and service.

'Collection' is just a posh word for chain. Nothing wrong with chain restaurants but you don't go to them for fine dining.

Went to the Ivy in Cardiff last year and wasn't impressed. 2 fish pies and a glass of red was over £70! The fish pies was just this soup in a bowl with about 5 chunks of the different types of fish and then this separate puff pastry lid that was basically just air... The soup tasted nice but I was starving after and got a burger elsewhere instead 😂 Edit: The decor and service was excellent though.

I believe the whole Ivy chain is up for grabs!🤔 £6.95 for those chips was absolutely criminal!

A new Gary Eats video drops today before my 39th birthday tomorrow. Get in. I'd like to take the time to thank Gary and his subscribers for the kind words when I said I suffer from Cerebral Palsy/Depression. I really appreciate that. Love, Paul xxx.

Love this channel... I've been off work with illness since November and these videos have relaxed me.... but also made me envious as I still can't eat properly (had chemoradiation) apart from soup and farleys rusks soaked in milk 😊 Thank you for uploading content.

Really enjoying your honest, welcoming, no-nonsense delivery, both in editing and the criticism itself. I'm a fan!

Soup served without bread and butter? They should be ashamed!

I took my wife to our local Ivy for our anniversary. Not cheap but really enjoyed it. Plus we got a bonus dessert - chocolate mouse with a red heart on top, completely free. I’m not sure you had the best luck with your choices, that mince did look like something I’d feed to my dogs - maybe that’s why it comes in a silly bowl?

I was 1 off, nice vid Gary, you'll soon be at 60000 followers, really pleased for you and the camera man.

Great review really enjoyed Thanks for all your hard work regards Greg keep the reviews coming

Your videos are always neatly presented. Kudos to you Gary.

Best food KZfaq site at the moment. Just worried about The Cameraman and imagine him having to pack his home made sandwiches in a plastic box.

Soup looked great, bread for £6 though... The main course portions didn't look big, the way they're presented, but they were okay, although if I'm paying £17 for shepherd's pie I'd hope it would come with some boiled veg... A plate would be an improvement.

Thanks for all your reviews Gary. Really love your clips.

I used to walk by the London Ivy every morning. There were street cleaning trucks which would spray the pavements with disinfectant to wash away the sick and urine from the night before, and they would also spray the fruit and vegetables which had been delivered on the pavement outside and were waiting to be taken in.

its like a posh weatherspoons aint it

Hi Gary. Great review. In all honesty i think you were being very generous with your score and calmness. I'd have been fuming if i was served that for £20. 2 things stood out for me. 1) I've never been to a pub or restaurant and had soup that didn't come with some sort of bread or roll as standard. To pay over £6 for some sourdough to go with it is extortion i think. At least Dick Turpin wore a mask lol. And 2). This one always winds me up. The service charge. I don't and never will pay a service charge. I think its unfair on the customer and is another way of getting money out of you. I'm always happy to directly give the waiter or waitress a tip if the service is good. But it has to be on ky terms. The shepherds pie did look nice but you'd need a microscope to see it. I've heard of shrinkflation but this took the biscuit in my opinion. I can't believe you had to pay extra for the spinach as surely the pie should have came with some sort of vegetables as standard. Its such a shame you were disappointed as the restaurant itself did look stunning. Unfortunately i can't give it anymore than a 3/10 mate. Like yourself i try to look at the positives everywhere but they were few and far between here sadly. Thank you for another great video Gary and looking forward to watching many more. Keep up the great work🙂👍

Great review as usual Garry, keep them coming

I really love watching your channel. You have one of those voices and ways of speaking that I could listen to all day. Greetings from Gibraltar and keep up the good work!

Great video. I like the low marks sometimes because it proves you are honest - in life things aren’t always 10/10

We had lunch at the Ivy in Brighton at the end of last summer, can't say I'll be rushing back. I had Fish and chips and it was average tasting at best, I was quite disappointed. My wife had the shepherd's pie as you did and your comments echo hers. I couldn't fault the staff or the surroundings but it was definitely over priced for the portion size and taste. I always ask if the fish is local as well and am often greeted with a moment of silence, surely putting money back into the local economy would be good selling point? My local pub does and is so much better for it. Nice review Gary, love your work, keep making them. 👍

I’ve got the man flu too. But this vid has certainly made me feel better! Thanks you!!! 😊😊😊

Hi Gary another great review. Me and my wife usually go to Greece for holidays but unfortunately haven’t been able to go for the last few years. Would love to see you do a Greek review. Keep up the good work really look forward to your videos

I live in Surrey and not a million miles away from there. Not been there yet, and thanks to this review, I shan't bother!

Great video Gary. I understand if you eat out often and can cook well at home, you will be very critical what they serve it must be at least better than home or much better meals from the supermarket 😊

Love your vids man keep up the hard work

Another great review Gary. You have quickly become my fav food reviewer on here.

Hi Gary! Fantastic as always. Maybe you could review Scott’s in Mayfair at some stage. Keep up the great work

Hi Gary, it even looks a bit disappointing. You're right about the bowl , and about the mix of lamb mince and beef mince. And the spinach looked lost. The Yanks have their creamed spinach which is appropriately heavy on the spinach. And not providing a slice of bread gratis for the soup is a bit petty. Beautiful decor and ambience , but unlike a gingerbread house , you can't eat that. This episode only confirms what I figured out during my stay in England in 2017 - the best value is to be found in little pubs and cafes , among the restaurants of our Arab and Turkish friends , and anywhere on Brick Lane. All the best , amigo , and thanks for another fine video !

Great review as always Gary shepherds pie definitely on the small side looks nice though and I agree about the bowl very awkward spinach looks lovely as well keep up the videos

I haven't commented for a while-Its good to see the progress of this site, its very professional and well done for your enthusiasm and ability. Excellent review. Good to see your hair now back to normal...............:) the style changed for one review! Would recommend the Midland Grand in London-dined there again recently, excellent and they allow corkage! All best wishes and keep up the fantastic work!

I’ve never been to one of these but always had the feeling it would be style over substance. Thanks for the honest review, Gary!

Gary, so sorry that you didn’t enjoy your meal. That shepherds pie looked really weird sitting in that bowl. It certainly didn’t look in the least appetizing either. Hope you have a better experience at the next place you visit!

Fantastic channel, no gimmicks, just straightforward reviews, enjoyable to watch 🌟 great channel Gary

Yet another excellent review Gary. Very through and fair. Keep them coming.

Definitely agree with the comment about having a roll with soup. Shepherds pie is with lamb not beef. For the price, I would have expected Garlic Bread and salad along with the dew as standard.

Ahhhh!!! The Ivy! A perfect example of Aesthetics & Branding over Substance. I have been to a couple (not the original, that maybe different) and I felt that it was Harvester food in a nicer setting and with a rather larger supplement!

Another very fair and Great Review Gary. Thank you.

Well done for giving it a go fella quality output as always enjoyed it immensely-makes a jobbing chef like myself feel better to see other’s product

I preferred the breakfast I had in the Ivy than the dinner I got. I wasn't blown away by the Shepherds pie either Gary. As for my favourite cheese it would be Stilton or Cashel Blue.

Gary, my wife says you are too kind here. She would have given it a five!! I always trust your judgement! Good luck. Great reviews!

Great review, very comprehensive. Hope you enjoy Whitby and try some fish and chip places. Some are superb

Your reviews are always very fair Gary and really well filmed. I think that there is this push to maximise profits at many restaurants at the moment. I’ve noticed many starters being portioned for three when there are four of us dining and wanting to share. Miserable and cheap cost cutting which will backfire for them in the end. As you said, what would it cost them to offer a free bread roll? Keep up the excellent work bringing us these reviews.

I first went to the original one in London 35 years ago with a very, very famous American musician who I was interviewing for the magazine I worked for. It was the largest expenses claim anyone had ever put in and didn't even include any booze because Gene Simmons from KISS is teetotal. The food was nowhere as good as my then local Italian caff on St Peter's St in Islington.

It's like the chef is not trying the food as he/she cooks it. Cauliflower soup should have very small pieces of veg, not lumps of cauli in it. With so many 'side dishes', a hot plate wouldn't go amiss, and as far as the minute shepherd's pie in a big plate is concerned - do they not have an executive chef to oversee? 5 out of 10 would have been enough. That said, thanks for taking us along . Appreciated.

Food critic Jay Rayner once commented when offered the desert menu 'no thank you, we've suffered enough'. Brutal!

Knowing that restaurant, I would say people go there 'to be seen' instead of the culinary experience. Given it's location (in Cobham) it's more about the vibe, drinks and local celebs/footballers that may be there instead of the quality of the food - which in my view is there as a prop for the social gathering instead of 'the main event'.

I have to say, what a ridiculous looking shepherd’s pie. Some foods can take a little pretentiousness, but not shepherd’s pie!

Ridiculous, my son is a chef in top fish restaurant in south Devon... they make bread fresh every morning and is given free with every meal

Yep.... 6 was exactly what I gave it. I appreciate the restaurant is stunning but cauliflower soup and cottage pie aren't exactly difficult to make nor difficult to make really tasty. I also thought the portion was ridiculous considering the pie came with no vegetables unless you paid extra and this bowl thing that seems to be all the rage at the moment is just stupid. Again, one of those places where you pay for mediocre food just to say you eat there!

Nice quirky wall decorations, a bit of an Ivy signature. Pretentious food presentation though and looking at the blow torched Shepherds pie, I'm sure the Shepherd didn't mind you eating his pie. Looking forward to your trip to Whitby. Great upload!

Gary is one of my favourite youtubers in the UK❤

No excuse for that soup [Making yesterdays last longer] The most miserable Shepherds pie ever! ] Zero excuse for no bread with soup! [ my Nan used to take her own in her handbag just in case] Any extra went in the handbag too.

I didn’t realise you’d been there already. Missed that one. Will have to watch.

Most Ivy food is made in a central production kitchen and reheated/assembled onsite. Chefs don’t taste the food onsite, hence why much of the food is under seasoned.

When I cook shepherds pie I always add Worcestershire sauce to the mince when cooking, a simple ingredient but adds so much flavor to the mince

29 quid for a bowl of mush! At least Dick Turpin wore a mask before he robbed you 😂

Absolutely love your channel. Thanks for the videos Mr Gary. (and my favourite cheese is Brie)

Great videos Gary ! I went to the ivy came out starving lol thk heavens for the local chippy , keep up the good work

Totally agree Gary. I've been to the Wimbledon Village branch. Gorgeous interior but the food was very disappointing.

I'm desperately unimpressed with the roofwork of The Ivy; I believe that's why they are holding back on buns for the soup, to save up for a Roofer and tiles.

Very unusual not to serve a small crusty roll or even a bit of bread with soup , and yeh very thin for a cauliflower soup , as soon as you cut open the shepherds pie you could see the potato was dry . Everything looked lovely but obviously lacked in flavour. Thanks Gary for an honest review 👍loved the interior

Well done Gary for being honest and giving it a go. Not sure if this ever been asked (or answered) but how do you get along with filming inside these places? Have you ever been told not to?

59k ❤🎉❤congratulations

Thanks for the heads-up! Judging from your video, I think 6/10 is spot on. Not to be avoided, not keen on going, either. Stilton is great cheese, but so are Gorgonzola and Roquefort. Mountain cheeses are to die for, too: think Appenzeller and Gruyère. Even Tilsiter and Esrom are good. There are so many amazing cheeses the answer is clear: I can't have a favourite! Get well soon!

Thanks Gary you've made my day. Look after yourself.

Another great review and think you scored it spot on. Spent the weekend in Cornwall staying at The Jamaica Inn in Bodmin -you need to give that a 'go'. Another place we had a very nice butexpensive tea and cake, with outrageous decor was The Camelot Castle Hotel at Tintagel. Now that is one you ought to feature due to its style.

Very well balanced review Gary,I’d definitely feel a bit short changed there👍

Beef 🐄and lamb 🐏...ok so thats a Shepage Pie then? Ty for sharing Gary..great honest review as per🎉

Another fantastic honest review from you Gary. I agree 💯 with you about serving it in a bowl, it was totally impractical. You seem to have to season and add flavour to it as well, that's not a great sign for such a popular eatery. Prices were way too high for what you had to eat. I don't think anyone could disagree that there are other better restaurants out there to visit and more affordable as well. Looking forward to your next review 😁

Gary Gary, I hate a stupid plate! That was a classic! I love Stilton and also Gorgonzola. I agree with your rating, but I might have gone for a 5…. What a trooper to film even with the flu… You are my favorite channel. Looking forward to watching more this week and feel better! 🐳🐳🍻🍻🏄🏻‍♀️🏄🏻‍♀️👍👍💕💕

Hi Gary thanks for the review, please review a carvery soon, ideally compare a chain and a independent pub and restaurant

Hope you will feel better soon Gary.I really enjoy all cheeses,but I especially like Spanish sheep’s milk cheeses,my favorite blue is the Spanish Cabrales,oak leaf wrapped,aged in caves.Aged goat cheese would be Humboldt Fog out of California,Cheddars must be English,and Canadian,so,so many great cheeses.Mushroom soup by its nature is bland,that’s why they make rice out of it,the thinness probably was because the line cook,or prep guy didn’t push all the solids through the chinois, tired,or didn’t care,then they added cream,and you got thin,bland soup.Bread, of cause they should give you bread,but what is the policy in the UK,in the US just about all restaurants give bread to start your meal, except Asian ones,Indian give free Poppadoms, and sauces.If you order side dishes here they come on separate plates,so the bowl with the mince,and mash wouldn’t bother me, I’d just pour the gravy around it,and eat the spinach separately,as always good review,much enjoyed by me.😊

I remember back @ 1995 Gene Wilder was performing on stage in London's theatre land and as a cab driver then, I used to collect him from his lodgings in Highgate and drive him to the Ivy restaurant in Covent Garden and other various places. He was a proper Gent.

Well Garry you answered my question about potion size of the main menu, and the £5 you saved not having a sweet you can spend in the chippy on your way home to fill you up lol 😂, keep up the good work bud love your channel 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻

I've passed the Ivy in London, York and Manchester on several occasion's and have a look at the menu, had a think and then go Naaaahhh and move on. One day I will take the plunge, but think it will be a bit of a Jamie Oliver, Ramsey and Gino Decampo disappointment. Sometimes the old adage....Less Is More rings absolutely true!! Looking forward to your new videos later in the week 😃

Part of a chain. They don't make the food onsite. The foods made in a production kitchen. The kitchen staff just reheat the food as far as I know.

bread is actually really important! hospitality folks I know never skimp on the bread and never charge the customer for it. if you have local baker who makes good bread, get him or her on board in your restaurant. I have complimented chefs on the bread, it can transform a dish like that soup. on seasoning, I don't mind adding salt to a dish when it's not seasoned to my taste but after having tasted it! when I cook at home I will do with little or no salt for health reasons, and invite guests to season to their taste. my reasoning is: if you prefer to add salt, you always can, but if too much is in there, you can't take it out!

Great video Gary. Think they must have put to much emphasis on the appearance of the shepherd's pie and forgot to season it properly, which I find happens quite alot when going to nice restaurants. Keep up the videos, love watching.

Gary I heard you say you are going to Whitby this week. I'd recommend going a bit further north to Saltburn and checking out the sea view restaurant. Then into Middlesbrough and get yourself a Parmo !! 😊

Looking forward to your Whitby videos Gary. Enjoy!

Honest as usual, well done Gary

The first time I have watched a video of yours where there was the need to work through the full compliment of condiments, says it all !

Hi Gary, I would be very interested to see who was working in the kitchen. Currently there is a national shortage of good chefs, so that might have something to do with the standard not been great. If you like stilton then you should give Dolcelatte a try. I know The Ivy in Brighton is much better. Thanks 😊

Another interesting review ⭐️ I've always wondered if The Ivy restaurants lived up to their reputation. Monterey Jack's my favourite cheese 🧀

Hi Gary. Another spot on video. My word the restaurant is lush to say the least. As for the soup. That should never have left the kitchen. It was too thin, under seasoned and no taste of stilton. As for the main course, I loved the bowl, I thought the presentation was spot on. Portion size was about right. I agree with younkn the bread tho. Over six quid fir bread is outrageous. Another great video Gary.

Excellent review as always, personally I prefer more food than bowl, chips for £6.95, I wonder how many spuds they used ONE

Hi Gary u don't need any seasoning your great. That Shepard's pie looked like it come out of a tin, r your taste buds deserve more, brilliant once again xxxx

Hi, Gary. I hate it when I go to a restaurant and have to adjust the food to make it alright. There's an esoteric culinary term for using both lamb & beef mince in a pie topped with mash: Sheppage Pie 😂. Seems to me it was more about the facade than the food. Great post, pal 👍.

Agreed, lamb and beef together in a Shepherds Pie doesn't work. Pricing for two course set menu seems reasonable, especially given the prestigious Ivy name. I'd have given your Ivy experience just half a point more than you did, so 6.5. I just looked at the menu for a country pub 3 miles from where I live in Kent £70 for 2 courses! It's not even known as a gastronomic mecca. Prices seem to vary so much these days. I don't eat out very much, but I can thoroughly recommend the Black Pig at Staple, which is a little village south of Wingham, which is about 5 miles south-east of Canterbury. If you're standing outside the Black Pig, which is a 16th century pub, it's incredibly quiet, Staple is a small village and it's miles from any busy road. Anyhow the food is terrific, there are ample portions - I know you'll be glad to hear that, Gary - and the interior and exterior ambiences are great. Prices are very reasonable. The menus are certainly more wide-ranging than most pub ones, and certainly have a lot more to show than the Ivy's rather scant offering.

Looked a decent place and the service may of been excellent but the Shepherds Pie definitely looked disappointing to me just didn't look right I think they tried to make it something but failed. Your comments were very honest as usual.