Couldn't have had a better experience. My boyfriend and I went for dinner last Saturday night. Even though downtown Wheaton is totally torn up valet was easy to get to. Unbeknownst to me my boyfriend had called ahead to make some plans with the owners. When we arrived we had a bottle of champagne brought to the table. After our glasses were poured my boyfriend pulled out the most beautiful ring and proposed! The wait staff and owners were so sweet! The owners came over to congratulate us and give us their best wishes. We beyond appreciate them helping us celebrate our engagement. We will be back again very soon! read more

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To say that we were instant fans of Ivy Restaurant would not be an exaggeration, this place is great! Having heard about it from a friend we gave it a try on a "date night" and were impressed with everything from beginning to end. The decor (I think it used to be an old church or funeral home?) is very unique and really enjoyable to survey while sipping a cocktail or munching on an app - of which I speak from experience. But you can take it all in after you are pleasantly surprised by the illuminated menus - super cool! We started with an drink, had a few apps, and moved to the main course, all guided by our friendly and attentive waitress who was more than happy to help answer questions or give recommendations. Everything we ordered, drinks and food, was tasty and plentiful! Our drinks consisted of a cocktail and wine and our app was the Artisanal Cheese Platter (highly recommend). For our mains we had a filet (superbly prepared and complimented with a baked potato and grilled asparagus) and the pot roast (which was on special and was a HUGE portion). Plus a little something sweet for dessert. The prices, of course, are a little bit higher but it is a classy place that pulls no punches in what it offers. Plus, like I said, the portions are very sizable. We left stuffed, impressed, and eager to return. And you will too! Check this place out as soon as you can. I know we'll be back just as soon as we can muster another free evening... read more

Parmesan Crusted Walleye: This was my favorite dish here. Definitely a fantastic choice; the fish is super flavorful and rich. The green beans are pretty average, but the stellar taste of the fish makes up for it. Pistachio Crusted Rainbow Trout: This was a daily special, so it wasn't on the menu. The trout was pretty good, and the pistachio crust sounded good in theory, but it felt a little overpowering. I like pistachios, but I would have liked a better balance between fish and pistachio. Also, the wild rice that came with this dish was the most awful wild rice we have ever tasted. The rice did not taste like it was cooked through properly, and it had an overwhelming taste of fermentation. I'm not sure if that was on purpose, but the taste was way too strong for the rice to be enjoyable. One of the worst rice dishes I've had... Seafood Papardelle: Lobster and shrimp were both very good, and pretty generously scattered. The lobster cream sauce was also rich and tasty (although I really couldn't taste the spicy). The papardelle itself left something to be desired - it came out stuck together and didn't taste very fresh. Service and atmosphere are nice. This restaurant is a hit or miss, which is risky because the dishes are all pretty expensive. It might still be worth a try, though! read more

I took my wife and son to Ivy tonight. We were looking forward to having a drink and some appetizers outside at the bar. Our server, Suzi, clearly didn't want us there. We ordered appetizers, and she frowned, telling us the kitchen was closing in 15 minutes. Then we ordered drinks, and she was frustrated about that too. It was really unexpected. I've lived in Wheaton for decades and we eat out all the time at Wheaton restaurants. But we've never been treated this way by a Wheaton server. We will not be back. By the way, Suzi's assistant, John, was very kind and we greatly appreciated it. read more

Food was bad and overpriced! It's a shame because it's a great location. Will not be back unless it's for a beer.

This is a decent upscale restaurant in downtown Wheaton. I ordered the Ivy's tournedos of beef Ivy style (with bleu cheese crumbles). It was excellent. The reason why I gave it 3 stars is that it's too pricey to make a regular habit of going. The inside is beautiful as a repurposed church. However, it was very dimly lit. read more

My husband and I went to Ivy to celebrate our anniversary. We first sat outside at the bar to get a drink but the bartender never waited on us, she just stared at the computer. There were only four other people at the bar. We decided to go to the inside bar to receive service. We found out that there was only one bartender for the entire establishment! The "bartender" outside couldn't serve drinks for some reason. The inside bartender was serving people at the inside bar, at the restaurant, and had to run in and out of the restaurant to serve the outside bar, too! read more

That what you get for rushing service at this joint. After 2 & 1/2 hours you get a bloody duck breast read more

Ivy Restaurant - Bloody duck breast yummy - Seafood Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Amazing food. Dick is always around to chat and make sure you are enjoying yourself. Great food

We went here for lunch after our wedding at the courthouse. The service was wonderful and one of the managers even came over to congratulate us. The complimentary bread was fresh and served with butter. We ordered the crab cake grilled cheese lunch special, meatloaf, lamb chops, beef sandwich, and parmesan crusted salmon. Everything was so fresh, hot, and the flavors were amazing! Everyone loved their dishes and our taste buds were very satisfied. They also gave us a complimentary key lime creme brulee for our wedding and it was soooo good! It definitely satisfied everyone's sweet tooth at the table. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. This was a church prior as you can tell and it is absolutely beautiful with the high ceilings, stained glass windows, fireplace, upstairs that looks out to to the dining room, etc. They had a beautiful patio outside that we can't wait to go to when it warms up. We loved our food, service, and experience. Highly recommend trying this restaurant if you haven't been here yet! read more

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In a town that is known for having more churches per capita than anywhere else, it only makes sense that one of the coolest places to eat is in a . . . .yep . . .you guessed it . . .a CHURCH! Oh don't worry if you are not the bible bound type, there will be no fist pounding, gospel singing or minister shouting and the only time a collection plate is passed is when you are done with your meal. This is a church in structure only with the tall cathedral ceilings, stained glass and quaint staircase to once was a balcony being the only remnants you'll recognize. And no church I've ever been to made a martini the way this place does! Open for lunch and dinner in the heart of downtown Wheaton, The Ivy is a great choice for a wide range of salads, entrees, soups, sandwiches, pasta and a full bar with a bartender who can pour a great drink!. Make sure you hear about that day's specials as those are usually the direction I go in. On my most recent visit it was a Cobb salad that was quite delicious served with their warm french bread and honey butter. My friend had the chicken and brie salad which was also quite tasty. The service is friendly, warm and welcoming (thanks Casey!) and the owner, Dick is usually around to welcome you to his business and share some of what makes the Ivy so special. On Friday nights, this seems to be THE place to be in Wheaton as the bar in the front is packed with people waiting for a table. And in the Summer months, there is a huge patio that doubles the amount of seating that the restaurant has (and the only place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine off their very good wine list, if you ask me!). Now here's a cool idea that they did. Chicago has been having a fairly decent winter this year (meaning your toes don't freeze when you go outside) So for those hearty souls, the Ivy had an "ice bar" this past weekend out on that patio with ice sculptures, fire pits as just a fun way to keep the party going outside. Loved the ingenuity! Prices are reasonable and if you drive, and who doesn't out here, if you can't find street parking in front of the restaurant, there is a huge, free parking structure located right behind the place. So while you won't be hearing "Amazing Grace" playing in the background, you might find a little enlightenment like I did. Who knew there was such a cool place in downtown Wheaton? And in a church? Praise be! read more

Ivy Restaurant - Turtle Brownie - Seafood Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

Excellent meal and service. Terrific ambience. Food was fresh, hot, prompt and delicious. We will be back.

Went to Ivy for dinner to celebrate a graduation. The service was good but the food was not. We've been here before, not sure what happened. Ordered two truffle burgers, one medium and one medium rare. Both came out burnt. We sent back one and it came out burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. The New York strip seasoning was good but the meat was dry and tough. The ribeye was more than 1/3 fat, a bad cut that should never have been served for $55. On the plus side the pasta dish and Salmon were good. read more

Wheaton's pride and joy. My first experience at Ivy was during my freshman year homecoming. It was weird and sad that time....but that was seven years ago so I felt like it was time to try again. But my family are all big fans so I knew it was probably good. But we started out with some drinks. I got the brazilian cosmo (i think?) It was interesting...a bit too sweet. I think I'd prefer a regular cosmo from now on. Later, we got a bottle of wine (or two!) For dinner, we split the beef carpaccio to start. While I was terrified to eat raw meat, I was not mad when I tasted this deliciousness. Plus, the salad that comes with it is absolutely amazing! Then, we got the blackened shrimp. This was very very good. The risotto cake was yummy and savory. It just was a great balance of everything! Then we got two field of greens salads and the turkey chipotle sandwich. The kitchen was kind enough to cut it into fourths for us and to separate the salads. The sandwich was surprisingly good...not what people would usually want at a super nice restaurant. But it was still really good! And the salads were super fresh and perfectly dressed. Honestly....they did no wrong! The food was fresh and delicious. And the service was great. Plus, the ambiance was exactly what I needed. It was such a sweet meal and we just really enjoyed it! Would love to be back. read more

Ivy Restaurant - Blackened shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

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Great selection of menu items, done very well. Appetizers are table sized for sharing, not just for 2 (Brussels sprouts, carpaccio, shrimp and watermelon salad, calamari) and very good. Between us, we had fish, pasta and meat dishes and we were all satisfied. Leave room for desserts (more individually sized than to share). Decent wine list by the glass. Cocktails run to the sweet side. Restaurant itself is in an interesting building (former church?). But high ceilings and hard surfaces make conversation difficult without raising your voice. Friendly and attentive service. Definitely recommend. read more

Great and varied menu, nice attentive service, and comfortable and laid back atmosphere.

I'm back for an update to my ROTD last year :) I came here over the weekend for my friend's bridal shower. Once again we were in the little private room upstairs, which was great. The staff was extremely nice, promptly refilling our glasses and offering suggestions. Because this was an event, they had a mini-menu for us to choose from...soup or salad, steak sandwich, chicken masala, or crab encrusted tilapia, and then we had cupcakes from the Latest Crave in Geneva for dessert. I had the wedge salad since the soup du jour was chicken noodle (and that's not all that exciting haha). The salad was good...I had never had a "wedge salad" before, but it is in fact a wedge (see the photos I uploaded). The bacon was my favorite part, or their house dressing, which was also really good. I ate it all :) I couldn't decide between the steak sandwich or the tilapia (I had just made chicken masala not long ago, and I hate mushrooms, so that one was immediately out for me). I ended up going with the tilapia, and it was really really good. Really. I'm always hesitant to order fish at a place that isn't exclusively seafood oriented, but they did a nice job of preparing it. The potatoes were also roasted to perfection, and crispy on the outside. Two of the girls I was sitting with had the chicken masala, and they said it was good too (that came with asparagus, which I'd prefer over green beans, but they were still good too). Once again, good job Ivy, and another bonus since once again I didn't pay for it (first time was on the company's dime, this time it was graciously thrown by my friend's future-MIL.) One of these days I'll make my parents take me here, as I really want more of the blackened shrimp I had last time, a keylime martini, and then something else - perhaps a nice filet? read more

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I've eaten here three times now and each time the service, ambience, and food were great. This time I ordered the parmesan encrusted salmon and it was very good. Also had dessert which was very good. Everyone enjoyed their entrees. Knocked off one star because two of our glasses had lipstick on them. Maybe the Red Hat Club had eaten there just before us? I recommend checking the glassware before drinking.... read more

First time at this restaurant and major disappointment as I came here with high recommendations. First of all I have to give kudos to the beautiful restaurant decore and architect - it is breath taking!. However, I give overall my side salad, main dish and dessert a 1 and if I could a zero since this is suppose to be an upscale restaurant. I order a small Cesar salad and there was hardly any flavor to the salad. My main dish was an 8 oz filet mignon with the traditional grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes. The main dish was about $50 and such a major disappointment. The filet mignon lacked so much in flavor. It tasted like the chef had cooked medium rare as I requested and seasoned it with lots of pepper and nothing more. It was so terrible that I could take about 3 bites that I asked the person that was having dinner with me to taste to assure i was not me. She also agreed. I hope this restaurant will read and work on this. It been over 15 years that I moved into the city. I grew up in Winfield and so coming to Wheaton to have dinner was such a disappointment. read more

The food is unique and good service. I loved the menu and friendly staff. The pricing was reasonable. The seating is tight but that's part of the charm. recommended. read more

The ambience is charming inviting and beautiful! The food is excellent. Salmon is my go too- decided to also try the bbq ribs and they were tender fall off the bone. The sauce is fantastic. The shrimp cocktail was wonderful and desserts were very good service is always great. Must try!!! read more

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This place is a charming older downtown restaurant and bar. Outdoor seating in warm weather is a treat on their covered patio. The bar is warm and inviting with fun drink specials. The owners are personable and cheerful. read more

We were a party of eight on a Sunday afternoon April 21 2024 celebrating my 75th birthday. Food and service was good. The problem was paying the bill. My sister was going to pay the bill with her credit card and I was going to leave the tip. The bill came with the gratuity already in the total which was not noticed. I gave my sister $115 and went to the bathroom. When I returned my sister was signing the credit card receipt and had already given the waitress the $115 in cash. Then I looked at the receipt and noticed we gave the tip twice. Once on the credit card and once with cash. We talked to both the waitress and the management and they looked at us with a dumb look as if to say that's your problem. So we gave $83 + $115 = $198 for a $450 meal. If it was my Credit Card I would refuse to pay but my sister is to nice to fight. But maybe I will call her. We use to like the IVY, but no more . Never will we return and if others ask we will tell them why. James R read more

I begin this review with a little trepidation. I have been to Ivy on many occasions and have really like their food. However today was quite unusual but it warrants this review. Let me begin by saying that we were pleasantly surprised that we were able to get a last-minute reservation on Mother's Day. Because we've been there so many times we had really hoped that our food quality experience would rival all of the others. This was not the case. To begin with they had a fixed choice menu. You have your choice of an entrée ham pork tilapia and beef. Then you could pick two sides and were able to choose from things like eggs Benedict bacon and crapes sausage etc. There are two reasons for a one star on this particular day. The first reason is the Service. Our waitress was barely in existence and while there were people in the restaurant They were not that slammed and she barely even acknowledged her being there it took forever for somebody to come up to us and then even when we were in our meal to get a refill of Coke or water or anything even our plates to be taken away had to be asked for. At some point it was as if our waitress no longer with interested I'm waiting on our table and nothing happened. I even said to my mom I think we might have offended her somehow but there was nothing that even could've slightly happen for that to be the case. The second reason for this review was that the food was lackluster at best. I got the crab crusted tilapia it was OK and covered in the sauce that wasn't necessary. It came with green beans. My mom had the meat and it didn't even come with any vegetables of any kind. And if you wanted vegetables you couldn't order them. The only thing that you could have was mashed smashed potatoes. Lastly the dessert was pathetic that came as it was there were two chocolates a brownie and chocolate covered strawberries. Hardly a dessert worth ordering honestly. My entire meal was $38 and really wasn't worth it in the end. I would not recommend coming to Ivy for ADA that has a holiday read more

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Interesting place. Love the inside. I thought it was an old church but when I asked about it I was told it was a funeral home built in the 1920's. Some people, that bothers them and some people live for that stuff. For me, I'm not superstitious and think the beauty of the arched ceilings and stained glass window is perfection. It didn't feel any weird vibes there for those of you who are wondering. Haha So, food... the mussels. Those were good but small. I love lamb so I ordered that and wasn't so much of a fan. The potatoes and asparagus were good. Also, Tried the kids mini burgers and those were good. I don't know if I'd return only because I'm hardly ever in Wheaton and there are other places I want to also try and while it was good, I wasn't blown away by any one dish. Also as far as service goes, our waitress was great. Super funny lady. read more

Ivy Restaurant - Love this stained glass window - Seafood Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

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I remember eating here years ago, so it was a real treat to have lunch again after enjoying the reindeer and painted windows. The smells coming from the heated tent drew us in! We had two kids meals that were huge - like a pound of pasta - and husband had the ribs and I had the crab cake and a cup of veggie soup. The owner was there and told us that the building was actually a funeral home/chapel way back and not a church! Fantastic service and everything was delicious!! We don't live in the area, but I d make the trip for this place again! read more

very disappointed with this restaurant. yes it is old & quaint with a beautiful patio, but lacks in so many ways. From the beginning we ordered cocktails only to have the waitress come back to tell us they didn't have any cocktails available currently... huh? We ordered the shish kabobs, which were good, and jambalaya which was very average. I actually counted the pieces of sausage because I struggled to see any. I had 3 half pieces. then decided to count the chicken. 4! I did have what I considered a good amount of shrimp (seemed previously frozen). The waitress came to the table every 20 min or so, in her defense we did say we were having a casual dinner, but we had no water refills and waited what felt like forever for her to come so we could ask for the check and containers for our leftovers. Beautiful place, very average experience read more

Wonderful restaurant in downtown Wheaton to enjoy with friends. Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service and us Boomers were impressed with the new light up menus Husband and I split the full slab of ribs which were tender and yummy. Great sauce too. Friends had the pork chops and butternut squash ravioli. Everyone was happy and I was complimented on choosing a perfect place for dinner. Dick, the owner, stops by every table to chat and welcome diners which is always the hallmark of a fine dining establishment. Bonus- you may ask your server to taste wine before choosing. read more

I should say it's a romantic place for a dinner date with your loves.. food tastes good as well. Too bad we were in a hurry to eat dinner because we had something planned that night. Otherwise I will take time to savor the ones I ordered. read more

I can't tell you how AWFUL our seating was. Service - delightful, food - lovely. Atmosphere - I should have been at Dennys! The fact that you put ANY customers in that dungeon / overflow room is appalling. You advertise the lovely pictures of the Ivy - which it is - but our experience in your CLOSET - was awful. I guess what makes it worse - when I complained when I left and the manager at the desks says "really, the room wasn't nice?" I can hardly even understand her words. EVERYONE.OF.YOU - knows the difference. Had she been gracious and apologized, I may feel different - but for well over $400 for a dinner of 4, I should not have sat in your closet. Shame on you and shame on the reception and stupidity I got from the manager at the counter. Had she asked "what can I do?" I may have felt different - but her careless attitude makes me wonder if I should ever go back? My only regret is that I don't have a picture to post of the "other side" of the Ivy - which, to them, should be horrifically embarrassing. read more

Very average food for the price point. We won't be returning back.We ordered butternut squash ravioli, jambalaya , buttered noodles and banana bread pudding. read more

We popped over to Ivy on a Friday night after our original dinner plans at a nearby place in downtown Wheaton fell through. Ivy quoted us a 10 minute wait, but fortunately, they had ample bar seats open where we were able to sit while we waited. The bartender, although busy, came over right away to take our drink order, and promptly brought us water and our beverages before we were transferred to our table in the dining area. They do give you the option to eat your meal at the bar (and by the way, they have both a bar and tall bar tables in the bar area) which we contemplated. Instead, we ordered our appetizer while waiting at the bar. Our table in the dining area ended up being ready prior to our appetizer arriving, so we cashed out at the bar for our drinks and appetizer, and went to go get sat in the dining area. The staff delivered our appetizer to our table in the dining area. So many of their appetizers looked amazing, but we went with the almond encrusted French brie, which was terrific. We put my son's dinner in right away, and ordered him the kids cheeseburger sliders, which came with a side of choice (we went with fruit; I think you could have also chosen fries). The cheeseburger was too sophisticated for my five-year-old's palette, with the burger meat being more of a filet of steak versus ground burger meat, and the bun being a pretzel bun versus a more "traditional" style bun. He ate one of the two sliders before losing interest. Hubby ordered the beer can chicken and I had the savory peach chicken. Both were super good. The peaches were a-plenty and really complimented the chicken. For dessert, we went with two items off of their "small"/tasting menu: the budino and the crème de cocoa. The budino had a graham cracker bottom with an almond vanilla flavor as the custard, but I really didn't taste any almond. The budino was just okay for me; I didn't finish it. The crème de cocoa was basically a chocolate mousse and was much better. Both were topped with a heaping of whipped cream which was unnecessary. Overall, the food, service and ambience were all good. We shall return. read more

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Delicious, romantic, and so awesome. I would highly recommend it for a date. Very good pasta as well.

We came here for a Valentine's evening, after I read that they were listed as one of the three most romantic restaurants in the west suburbs by westsuburbanliving.com. Well, they weren't wrong! First, the place has complimentary valet which is a perk in this neighborhood. The ambiance is amazing. Candle lit tables and a working fireplace. The inside shows the building was once an old church, complete with intact stained glass windows. They start you off with complimentary fresh baked bread and sweet butter which is incredible. I had the cream of vegetable soup that was outstanding and flavorful and my husband ordered the fried calamari. Guys, I hate calamari and I have to admit, this stuff looked great. I even tried a bite. I had the butternut squash ravioli - wow! And my husband had the a chicken dish that was crusted in cheese and served with fettuccini in a white wine sauce. Both meals were perfectly cooked and seasoned and very filling. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great date night spot! read more

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The ambiance is definitely the best part of the dining experience at Ivy. The prices are not bad, when compared to other high-end restaurants and steak houses. Unfortunately, the food really didn't WOW me. The steak and shrimp were pretty mediocre. The cut was good on the steak, but the flavors were really nothing special. The best part of my meal was the Marlborough Sav Blanc wine. read more

Ivy Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

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Food was great, drink size was above average, service good. However, I was with my 94 year old in laws and the elevator was out of commission, and the washrooms are located upstairs. I inquired about the elevator and how long it was of commission the ladies at the desk said it went out today..other patrons that overheard my conversation took me to the side and told me it was out of commission for several months. After sitting for a while my in laws with weak knees, a little short of breath needed to use the washroom, and it was upstairs, with the elevator inoperative they had to climb the stairs. Not good. So, when will the elevator get fixed, and how do other seniors and handicapped folks get up those stairs?. read more

This was my first visit here, always heard good things about it. Made reservations for 5 of us on a Friday night and we were seated right away. Nice large table in the center of the room with good views of this beautiful building. Our server was attentive without being overwhelming, considering Ivy was full, he made sure we were taken care of. Drinks arrived promptly along with delicious warm bread and soft butter. I ordered the Jambalaya which was good, not overly spicy and ample amounts of sausage, shrimp, etc. This Jambalaya is not what you'll find in NO so don't expect a true southern dish. My wife had the crab cakes which she said were delicious, 3 cakes served with spinach. The others in our group had a steak salad, pecan crusted Walleye and the salmon. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Our only complaint is that it took a while to get our meals but given the fact that Ivy had a large party going on upstairs, I can understand that the kitchen might have been backed up a bit. This is a beautiful restaurant, historic building with a warm, cozy interior. Look forward to our return and trying a steak or Friday night special of Prime Rib. read more

Great ambiance, food and service. Can't wait to return. Went on a date night and what a wonderful place.

Nice visit this week. Good service. Very nice building in DT Wheaton. Very high ceiling and beautiful interior. Menu is pricey but most upscale restaurants here are. read more

The only reason for the additional star is for the service provided by the employees and possibly the owner or manager that walked over to greet us, they were nice. Unfortunately, the food is not a good reflection of the price, reviews you find here, and good quality of service. Just simply nothing at all special for the price you pay. I feel cheated and I assume the only reason that people give good reviews is because they don't have much experience with dining for this price or possibly most likely don't know how to cook at home. I am not an experienced cook but I am 100% confident that anyone with decent cooking skills can prepare these dishes better on their own. read more