Ivy & Varley

Review summary

1. V

   Venkat

   Washington DC

   1 review

   vip
   3.0

   1 review

   Dined 6 days ago

   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.
   

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2. 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.
   

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3. S

   Seth

   Salt Lake City

   4 reviews

   vip
   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.
   

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4. 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!
   

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5. M

   Maria

   Greater Boston

   5 reviews

   vip
   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.
   

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6. J

   Jason

   Greater Boston

   7 reviews

   4.0

   7 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.
   

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7. K

   Katie

   Louisville

   4 reviews

   2.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on October 21, 2024

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

   Ivy and Varley has great potential. However, despite the food being tasty, our service wasn’t great. We were a large party of nine and the drinks delivered were wrong, we had to ask for silverware, and one friend that ordered soup never received a spoon. We were not checked on after the food was delivered. Plus, the lighting was extremely low which we personally didn’t love.
   

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8. M

   Michelle

   Salt Lake City

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on October 20, 2024

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

   Love this place! But it was a bit disappointing because I booked through Open Table and they did not have my reservation, and it was for a larger group. Thankfully the staff were great and accommodated us at Varley, but might want to double check reservations if booking on open table currently!
   

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9. D

   Donna

   Sacramento

   23 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   23 reviews

   Dined on October 16, 2024

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

   We had reservations at the restaurant but were bumped to the bar because of an event. I’m confused why the restaurant listed itself as available for reservations if they clearly had sold the place out. The bar staff did their best. However it was uncomfortable and loud. Very disappointing
   

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10. D

    Diana

    Salt Lake City

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on October 13, 2024

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

    We had a party of 6 Sunday evening before the show at the Eccles Theater. Most of us had the Kale Salad with different proteins added and it was delicious. The new soup on their menu, I believe it was pumpkin, was outstanding!! We ended up with 4 bowls at our table and shared it all! Our Server was fantastic and made sure we stayed on time to get to our show. Diana
    

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