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All Reader Reviews of...
Ivo & Lulu
558 Broome St., New York, NY, 10013
nr. Varick St.
212-226-4399
| 6.8 | "Recommended" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
An absolute GEM!
finedine from 10002 | Posted on 7/1/09
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I don't care what the other reviewers are saying- if you're a true New Yorker, you would agree this place is a rare find. With the hundreds of typical "highly rated" restaurants to choose from in the city, this one stands out due to it's sheer ambiance and social experience. Sure, the service might be a little slow or slightly un-attentive at times. But it's always such a happening venue that people are too busy mingling to notice or even care. Bring one, two, even three bottles of wine and sit back and socialize while you wait for the delicious food! The place is small but cozy, and the tables are tightly packed but perfect for making new friends after a few drinks!
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Great food but don't expect great service...
tiffcal from 10005 | Posted on 5/4/09
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As a person who loves BYOBs, I was very excited to find Ivo and Lulu. The menu looked great and the restaurant defintiely has its quaint atmosphere... however, word to the wise 1) don't plan on actually having great service, 2) make earlier reservations as it gets busy with people waiting in chairs outside and 3) expect to be waiting for everything. Went early Saturday night and then had to open our own wine, someone stopped by a handful of times, 1) take order 2) give bread, 3) say they didn't have anymore confit, 4) drop bill off and 5) to tell us to leave. When it comes to any restaurant, being asked to leave twice is rediculous. We hadn't even paid our bill before being told they needed the table and wanted us to leave. I wish the service hadn't taken forever to get our food in the first place, and it was rediculous to be yelled at for a table when they took forever!
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Gross food, horrible service
Strandler from 10025 | Posted on 3/14/09
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The reviews made this sound wonderful. Unfortunately, from the moment we arrived, the service was terrible. The waiters were rude and unfriendly. When the food came, we were hoping for some redemption, but there was nothing there.
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Good Food. Questionable Service.
Davidj from 11238 | Posted on 1/25/09
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The food at Ivo and Lulu is good. I had the duck, the chicken, and the sausage. Each meat was paired with a tangy sweet sauce that made them taste very simular. The dishes were executed well but for having such a small menu it would have been nice to taste some more variety in the concept of each dish. Make sure to go early because the kitchen ran out of the first two dishes I really wanted the squash and the rabbit. The service was unorganized and confused. However, the servers were still kind amongst the chaos. The decor was equally confused and the crowd of recent grad students were louder then the Micheal Jackson greatest hits album that was on repeat the whole night. This place is for a group of friends who want some good food and don't care about anything else.
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Something changed. The place went from great to just AWFUL
LtR from 10023 | Posted on 10/30/08
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I've been to this place about 10 times. It used to be among my favorite places for a quick and casual meal before a night out. Ever since they expanded and raised the prices, the food and service have been terrible. Two weeks ago they lost our reso. It was a Friday. The waitresses told us 10 mins. Then another 10 mins. It was 45 minutes before we sat down. The food was lackluster at best. Last night, the service could not have been worse. Rude order takers have replaced the outgoing, smiling, friendly French women who used to work there (they made the place!). And the duck confit, which I've had several times, was tougher than a cheap and overcooked pork chop. Nobody bothered to ask how the meal was, and no one was concerned I didn't manage two bites (I couldn't get the meat off the bone). Terrible food; awful service; higher prices. Sad to see the place has deteriorated. I'm embarrassed now to have recommended it so many times.
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Couldn't help but write a review!
mhanleygw1 from 10012 | Posted on 9/10/08
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We tried just about everything on the sparse menu and each one was a wonderful burst of flavors. The roasted red pear with blue cheese is a must, along with any of the meats on the menu. We tried the chicken (the creamy sauce was delicious), the duck with tangerine (a bit dry around the edges, but wonderful nonetheless), and the sausage (with a bit of spicy kick). For the vegetarian in all of us, the squash with coconut milk is mouth-watering and filling as they stuff an entire summer squash with a variety of beans and peas. The entire squash can be eaten! Don't skimp out on dessert; the chocolate mouse was creamy, delicious and rich and the coconut flan is "something they serve in heaven", as my mom put it. Bring your own bottle(s) of wine, because there is no alcohol on the menu and no corking fee! An absolute must when looking for good deal with delicious taste:-)
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Great Affordable BYOB
stepha31382 from 11105 | Posted on 8/4/08
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I have read some really bad reviews on other sites which really surprise me! I love this place. Its small and gets busy, but you can't beat the value here. BYOB and the most expensive entrees (both of which are duck) are only $14! The menu is small but the food is delicious. Nice, dark atmosphere and the wait staff remembers us whenever we come in.
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uh - dont go!
guesswho from 10010 | Posted on 6/2/08
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the service - is seriously just AWFUL. after first telling us the wait was 20 minutes, we then asked them a second time and they told us 45 minutes. when we asked a third time (over an hour later) - they brought us out glasses of wine so we could sit on the sidewalk (literally on the floor) as we waited for our table. almost two hours later we were able to sit down. while the whole byob aspect is awesome, and the food was OK, they treated us as if we were not paying cutstomers. i would def. not recommend. oh and p.s. the pate (although good), is NOT pate.
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Great little BYOB gem
jojoyang10 from 10001 | Posted on 3/23/08
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Great combination of inventive French-caribbean food in a cute little nook and American friendly service. Limited menu but everything on it looks good. If you are a cheese person go for the Gratin Dauphinois, awesome traditional French dish from the Alps. They reinvented the recipe a made it even better! Terrines are a good option if you like spicy meats and strong cheese (camembert). the staff is helpful and they are real French Caribbean but without the usual French waiter rudeness. Would definitely go back there. And don't forget to bring your own bottle (heavy red for the terrine! dry white could be a good match for the gratin, a dry Chenin or Rousette).
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Small Portions, HUGE Flavour!
lovemuffin from 10013 | Posted on 11/2/07
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The dishes may be smaller than expected (though I considered it perfectly portioned), but taste definitely compensates for size. Everything on the menu looked really interesting, and the roast duck and boar sausage tasted AMAZING. The flavors and ingredients were really unique (spicy mango puree on the duck and blueberry sauce on the sausages) but surprisingly complemented each other very well. Dessert menu seemed lackluster, but turned out to be delightful - especially since I got a mango mousse on the house as they were out of choc for the night. Overall - great place for a romantic dinner or date with close friends.
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