Ivo & Lulu (Reported Closed)

Doesn't Recommend

amegakure

Joined 3 years ago

french. We were curious. We went. We will never go back. I am French and I don't see anything about this place French. Except maybe a trendy pretention to get away with mediocrity because it is...French? The food is expensive for what it is. I can get better in a can. The magret is basically 8 thin slices layed down in a pool of sauce with in a middle some couscous that would feed a one year old. For $17...Please! My friend went for the confit. It was more a duck leg athan anything else. Then the best of the best: WE WERE ASK TO LEAVE!!! was it because we misbehaved? talked too loudly? got naked? no mind you!!! Obviously we were taking too much time at our table after waiting for ever for the main course. In 17 years in this city, nobody ever had the nerves to ask to free the table for others waiting. And I have been in many many different places!!! CAn you even imagine? Don't waste your time nor your money in this empty place.

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AlexSef

Joined 5 years ago

Gem of a Find!. We went there on a Friday night with 3 friends. It took a little while for us to get our table, but that was expected. We were able to open our bottle of wine (BYOB) in waiting. The staff were curtious & friendly. The food was amaizing, highly recomment the Duck Breast! Can't wait to go back & try a couple of the other dishes.

Doesn't Recommend

ThePalateKnife

Joined 5 years ago

No table despite a reservation. No food despite a menu. Like a bizarre movie set. All facade & empty promise.. I really wanted to like this place. It's charming, albeit cramped & has the feel of a hidden gem. Sadly, I find myself wishing there were a half star rating to serve up here.

My friend confirmed reservations for our party 48 hours prior to our arrival, only to be met with blank stares of incredulity. " No. Nothing here under that name. I'll seat you as soon as I can."

"As soon as I can" translated to almost an hour wait. A wait in which we watched with utter dismay as our host seated his friends who had audibly "just popped by" at a table he had only moments before nodded toward and said, "he'd have ready for us shortly." Once finally seated at a cramped alternate table, we were informed that of the 7 apps on the menu ,a scant 3 were available. "Ok, the food must be really good," I thought. More bad news. There was 1 entree from the menu to be had & 1 special of merguez w/ cous cous.

After ordering what we could, we were informed that of the 3 app choices, they were now "down to two," & "sorry, dessert's on the house." Of the apps left the alleged "terrine de faisant," which, when it finally arrived, tasted suspiciously like ground pork. I grew up eating pheasant almost weekly, so my tongue was primed but I found myself dabbing at the little clumps of meat masked in gooey brie & wondering...

The chicken was scant & a bit dry but pleasant. I ate my partner's few remaining bites as I was still starving.

We opened our 2nd bottle of wine, meant to be a gift, just to put something in our bellies. Our host/waiter came blithely by , visibly drunk, offering us the check instead of our promised dessert. Upon my inquiry as to what there was for sweets, I was told to "pay no attention to what was on the menu." He begrudgingly brought 2 unremarkable mango mousse for the 3 of us & staggered away.

We left- hungry & dismayed.

Doesn't Recommend

NYCEat

Joined 5 years ago

A truly unremarkable and upsetting visit to a once fantastic restaurant.. I used to be a big fan of Ivo and Lulu but after tonight?s experience I will never go back. I made a reservation over a week ago for a party of four. When I got there tonight not only was there no record of my reservation but the waitress/hostess was absolutely rude and inconsiderate. Although half the restaurant was empty she said she was too busy (understaffed?) and told us to wait. After 45 minutes I asked for my bottle of wine back (which she had placed in the freezer) and then she continued to chat with the chef. After another 20 minutes we left, and she followed us out to scold us for leaving. Her behavior was unacceptable and uncalled for, and the experience was an overall disappointment. A truly unremarkable and upsetting visit to a once fantastic restaurant.

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izzodesh

Joined 6 years ago

Used to be amazing...now not so much. Ivo and Lulu used to be a well kept secret. They didn't used to take reservations (now they claim they do for the past ?) and had some of the most entertaining staff/ customer service.

Unfortunately , the food has gone way down hill. Their best dish (appetizer) the smoked mussels is now made with shrimp..and not even normal sized shrimp. The tiny frozen ones that are the size of you finger nails. A very big let down from what it used to be.

This will be our last time going down their....the BYOB policy is still great, but def. not worth the long trek.

Also the main course, both duck dishes, were good but nothing to write home about...

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EleanorR

Joined 5 years ago

Glad i didn't see the recent bad reviews. Whoah, really happy not to have seen all the negative comments before going to Ivo & Lulu. I thought the food was great (mussels, rabbit sausage and boar sausage in particular), the service was attentive and prompt, and you can't beat BYOB and good prices. The only con was that the air conditioning was non-existent, so the heat was a bit much. I will absolutely go again though.

Recommends

chiway

Joined 5 years ago

Only Real Selling Point is Their BYOB. If you visit Ivo & Lulu, you're pretty much just going there so you have somewhere to drink your alcohol. The food is satisfactory, but no where near delighting. Couscous acts as a side for almost every dish you order and over-seasoning in general seems to be a restaurant motto. It's really not worth going out of the way for, and if you are around the area, go next door to La Sirene instead; certainly more expensive, but unquestionably better tasting. Bottom line: Forgettable.

Doesn't Recommend

lillin

Joined 7 years ago

WASTE OF MONEY. Couple of my friends and I had three-course meal here. It was just a complete waste of money. Every singe dish we ordered was disgusting, we couldn't even have a bite of anything. Dessert was edible, we all came out of the restaurant starving and went to have hambugers, which was much better than the food here and it cost not even 1/5 of the price that they charged us. I guess people only go because it's BYOB. Don't waste your money & time.

Doesn't Recommend

vinosole

Joined 5 years ago

Not a clue.... I used to come here all the time when the original owners were in the picture... Since the new owners took over, I have been here three or four times. I gave them a good chance, but it's just not the same. It seems like they took the establishment as a turn-key operation, and keeping the same menu and ambience, but they just don't have a clue what they are doing. The spirit is not there, first of all. This is hard to explain, but it has a lot to do with a general lack of hospitality. I could forgive this, but the food is not at all as good as the previous chef... The consistency and texture of the ingredients is sub-standard. I doubt it is actually organic. Part of my suspicion lies in the fact that the owners are constantly dashing out the door and returning with bags that look like they are from the Deli around the corner. And then there is the c*ckroach problem... yikes. Spotted several times. Worst of all, on my last trip, I was simply turned away at the door as they were "completely full tonight"... I peeked behind our host to find a half-empty restaurant at 8pm. It's sad really, but I don't think I will be returning again.

Recommends

twothirty

Joined 5 years ago

Couldn't be cuter. I was nervous about going here on a Saturday night after reading these reviews, and I thought my fears would be confirmed -- there was a line out the door, even at 10 p.m.! But as soon as we were seated, the service was amazing -- the woman who seemed to be running the joint was solicitous, helpful and welcoming. She even offered us some of her own wine when she saw that we'd forgotten to BYOB! On top of the convivial atmosphere, the food was fantastic -- all perfectly cooked. Expect a long wait and crowded tables, but it's totally worth it.