Harden's says
Bristol can now claim an Ivy cafe, part of the spin-off from the celebrated Theatreland celebrities' favourite; 'accessible all-day dining' in Clifton (of course), overlooking The Mall Gardens.
Harden's survey result
Summary
Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan was – as of mid 2025 – rumoured to be on the verge of buying a £1 billion stake in Richard Caring’s restaurant empire, of which this famous brasserie chain is the crown jewel. Presumably, he’s more interested in ‘rolling out’ the brand in The Gulf and beyond rather than dropping by for a Salmon Fishcake and ‘Ivy Chocolate Bombe’, but if he’d asked the opinion of our annual diners’ poll, we’re not sure that he’d sign on the dotted line. “How can a restaurant with this heritage produce such uninspired, tick-box food?” is a question merited by its poor ratings, ditto what explains the “very slow and disinterested service”? The answer may be that “you don’t come here for the food, obviously” but for the “gorgeous” interior design and “picturesque” locations that continue to underpin their appeal. Let’s hope for the Sheikh’s sake that the middle classes of the Arab World are as undiscerning as those from the UK!
Summary
Thoroughly at home in Bristol’s smartest village, the first branch outside London of Richard Caring’s national chain is “a very good place to go for a relaxed business lunch” or similar occasion on smart, neutral ground – the food doesn’t inspire much in the way of feedback either good or bad.
Summary
“Everything here is what one would expect of The Ivy”; so say fans of its popular Clifton offshoot. “It plays it posh, in a posh part of town, and attracts a devoted clientele”, with its “lovely interior”. “The menu is standard and uninspiring, but the dishes are tasty: best for breakfast, with a good range of dishes and drinks”.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie?
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £27.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.25 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
Opening hours
| Monday | 8:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8:30 am‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 9 am‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am‑10 pm |
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