Ivy Tavern

Started out great. Just not what it used to be.
Used to have a great energy and vibe when it first opened. Has really fallen off.

Great place to hangout even when it’s cold outside. Their heated patio is a hit! I’ve been here twice and both times were pleasant. The first visit is just to check out the place. We had a couple of drinks and mostly hangout inside since there’s nobody outside and they were getting ready to close the outside bar. The second time was the best time I’ve had here. It was a Christmas party. The people, music, Dj, servers can’t really complain about anything. I’ll be back for their famous burger very soon.

I really like this place, it’s divey and I like that. I was actually there for a party on the patio and although it was the 3^rd weekend in December and a little chilly out. It was nice and toasty by the bar and the manager put heaters out so we never felt the chill in the air. I arrived super early and greeted by the friendliest wait staff. We order what she suggested flavored vodka with tea. The tea had to be freshly brewed and we got 3 people come and apologize about the wait (which was really minimal) Since we were so early we decided to order a few appetizers, Greek Salad, fried Shrooms and Chili-​cheese fries. All the appetizers were great. I could tell this place had a good mix of locals, 2 of which bought me birthday shots. When the rest of our party arrived they brought out brisket sliders, hummus and grilled pimento cheese sandwiches. The hummus was good and I loved the pimento cheese sandwiches. All in all my night at the Ivy Tavern was loads of fun.
I’ll would recommend it and I’ll be back even without the party group.
FYI Valet parking is available or there is a lot out back.

We have frequented the Ivy Tavern since it opened. A lover of dive bars, this one was in our top 5. They have great music, decent bar food, old beat up furniture, a patio with hanging lights, and personable bartenders. You often see the same people, a mix of ages, ethnicities, locals, and everyone is usually happy.
Unfortunately our favorite place has gone downhill. The new manager is a grumpy gremlin showing no loyalty to locals (who are there weekly) and no customer service whatsoever.
Saturday night (¹²⁄₂₆) tornadoes ripped through Dallas (killing 11 people the last I checked). Our cousin’s flight was rerouted so we went to the Ivy to wait for her. Hours later after circling the storms, she landed in Dallas and met us at the Ivy with her suitcase in hand. We had a few drinks, they called last call, and we closed our tab. I immediately ordered an über, and because of the storms, the closest one I could find was 14 minutes away. The manager rudely said, «get out. You have to leave right now.» We asked if we could wait under the covered patio which is outside by the parking lot, and they said no. We politely tried to reason with him, but he put us out IN THE STORM with my cousins suitcase and locked the door. So we waited, and after about 7 minutes the rain really started to come down. We knocked on the window, and he wouldn’t even acknowledge seeing us… hence this review. So that’s the last of the Ivy. I’ve seen great dive bars ruined by power hungry, cocky managers and I’m so sad to see this one bite the dust.

This is my favorite Happy Hour location and a place to just relax and enjoy.
Friendly staff, they remember your order if you come in regularly, and the ambiance is perfect. This is my ‘Spot’ now.
Outside and inside sitting areas.

This bar is amazing, but the truth is the wait staff makes this place. The drinks are strong and the brisket grill cheese is worth a visit on its on. Meredith is always stylish, fun and efficient. Day drinking or night drinking or just a quick shot this is a great bar

The worst place to visit in Oak Lawn. The waitress was so rude. We told her it was our first time here and she had the audacity to tell us she’s in a hurry and to hurry up. Horrible customer service. Don’t come here. Not a friendly place. Not sure if it was because we were gay or she was just rude.

Love this jewel in between oak lawn & highland park — good food, strong drink, great staff. Meredith is a class act!

Came here on a surprisingly busy Sunday night to watch football and the US women’s soccer team. Our waitress, Meredith, was super helpful and attentive even though she was splitting time between the patio and inside. Our beers were always full and cold.
Her beret was pretty neat too.

Been a few times. The food and drink prices are great.
Service is lacking. Backbar was closed on Sunday night with a Cowboys game on? Bartenders run between both bars to find liquor and wait can be long. Unorganized if you will. Lady bartenders shouldn’t be wearing wife beaters.
I’d like to recommend that the kitchen brings the food directly to the table rather than placing it in the bar service area where it can sit for awhile before someone delivers it.
Easy parking and awesome patio.

Tallest strongest drinks in Dallas. Hip crowd, good simple food. Fun back patio. Parking leaves a lot to be desired … So walk!
One of Dallas best neighborhood bars run by real pros.

Finally made it out here with friends this summer. While the backyard/​patio was smaller and not as great as I’d hoped (too sandy and not as clean), the indoors made up for it. The décor is fun and there’s just enough seating so you can find a place for you and your friends.
There was a mix of clientele when I went which was nice to see but definitely more of an older crowd. The drinks were decently priced and we all know that’s always good news. Overall I would say come here if you want a low key night.

I go here all the time. It’s not as divey as it tries to be but they have great bar food and a pretty big drink menu. They used to have pizza which was great but for some reason they took it off of their menu.
You can catch all sorts of entertainment on any night. I’m sure they post a calendar but I’ve seen everything from a guy playing electric drums with an «ok» cover band to a self professed DJ. Entertainment is entertainment wether it’s good or not when you drink.

Stopped here to have some drinks and something to eat after a long day at work to try out a local tavern by my home. The atmosphere was a little bit divey in a kind of feel like home and felt like I was norm from Cheers. The bartenders star was really great I really enjoyed her professionalism the drinks were decently priced and they had a small selection to choose from. I did try a little bit of the bar food I got the blue cheese fries which were kind of excellent but they were really heavy with blue cheese on them. Overall I would say was a nice experience and I would you come back again

Decent happy hour and this spot has a nice, divey vibe. Happy hour best deals are on beer and well drinks. Wine is only $ 1 off, and there are very few wine selections. The house Cabernet was not that good.
The hot wings were decent, but nothing special, so were the fries. I like blue cheese, but these fries were doused in it :-) They would have been good with fewer chunks of blue cheese.
The background music was awesome — mostly 80’s & ’90’s R&B.
Service was good & friendly —- always a Huge plus.
There are some noteworthy cocktail specials during the week, which makes the tavern a good spot to meet people & hang out for a bit.

Love, love, love. This bar has a great back yard area complete with large Jenga and other games like corn hole. The outdoor bar and weekend live bands really make this a great space.
I normally prefer to be indoors… Call me a baby or girly girl but I refuse to be sweaty or in the sun #gingerskin. The inside is kind of a rustic vibe but still very homey.
I have been in numerous times for the drinks alone — hello affordable even when it isn’t happy hour pricing! Just recently did I try the food. The first time I tried the queso blanco. Eh … 3 out of 5 stars. Average and the chips were not my favorite but I’m glad I did not give up there. The next time I had the Turkey Melt and knock my socks off and call me Shirley … This was some of the best flavor I’ve ever had the privilege of tasting.
The turkey was real shaved turkey breast — like thanksgiving but not dry at all — extremely moist with delicious melted cheese. The sourdough was toasted and buttered to perfection with a jalapeños mayo that really wrapped all the flavors together. Oh and I haven’t mentioned the fries! Super crisp and flavorful — no condiments needed for this tasty tators. Yum! Sorry no picture but I was busy stuffing my face.
My only complaint is the service in the main bar area is generally extremely slow or do not pay attention to you at all. A couple times we have asked for drinks and about 10 minutes later they come or we remind the staff — that’s fine if they’re insanely busy but there was only a few others there. They are all very friendly but maybe not highly trained in bar tending skills. They seem more concerned with conversation with regulars than thirsty newbies.
Love this place — please try it.
Management — how do I get one of those fancy regular guest plaques?
Sincerely,
Your #1 Fan & Neighbor

This place is everything I thought it would be. I’d been passing it every weekend, wondering what it was like inside. Totally didn’t dissapoint. The front bar area looks and feels like I stepped into some Republican’s study adorned with mounted deer heads, a library and a wide selection of booze. Katie was behind the bar, very friendly and attentive, but not very engaging at first. Seemed slightly annoyed with my charm, but not a deal breaker.
It did however, solidify a few things that go with that Republican idea, the clientele is very trust fund babyish, white and comfy, as I said, very conservative. Most everyone was out on the patio, the music playing was energetic pop hits and the snottiest «sport» (golf) was on television, which again, is only appropriate for this place. I will say however that the presentation is everything because as much as I hate golf, the large television screens showing the lush green course was very striking with the room and made things even more pleasant.
Things got more interesting with the shift change with Clay, who is an outstanding dude who was also very attentive with me and a friend who met me there, also his first time at Ivy tavern. Clay is a great conversationalist, which made the experience even better. Too bad I had other things to do and I had to leave. Great spot, I’m totally coming here with some more people to share the experience.

A great place to hang out with Friends no matter what day of the week. So close to home and I’ve passed it over and over!!!
Happy hour is Monday through Sunday, although, careful what you consider well and what is not. Our server, Star, was friendly and attentive, and was able to tell us our daily drink specials even without looking at the menu. I especially like how she brought us iced water without asking if we wanted it with our meals:
Our meals;
The Greek salad was plentiful and contained everything that a Greek salad should have plus chicken (if preferred).
The chili cheese fries were just that but with an added zest of crunchy bacon bits and ranch on the sides. The fries aren’t skimpy so the chunks of potatoes equate to the chili and cheese.
The brisket sandwich was flavorful but lacked a good amount of meet. Because it was so flavorful I would’ve preferred just a bit more meat that would have equated to the Texas sized toast that was used on the sandwich.
The outdoor patio is classy and spacious for entertaining. Every weekday is something fun — 80’s Monday (I am definitely an 80s girl!, game night, DJ Night, etc.)
A great bar, dine and hangout!

Nice people… They have Blood and Honey on draft… Great music… I really like this place… Easy Über commute…

I think I just found my new go-​to neighborhood bar. Don’t let the Lemmon Ave. entrance fool you! The Ivy Tavern is a great neighborhood bar with so much to offer. I can see how a person would be leary considering it sits between a pawn shop and a convience store, but The Ivy is a hidden gem. The inside is cozy and has a pub feel. Around the back is a great outdoor space with an upscale, urban feel.
We stopped in on a busy Saturday night, but had no trouble finding a table for the four of us. Even though the place was crowded and our waitress was busy, she was very efficient about taking our orders, bringing our drinks and food, and checking up on us. And she did it all with a smile.
The music was a good mix. It was loud, but not too loud that we couldn’t talk. Some people were dancing.
I had a dirty gin martini and it was made just right. We ate some bar food including chicken fingers, a burger, and the pita flat sandwich. Everyone enjoyed the food.
Even though the parking lot was full, we easily found street parking very close by. It would be great if the owner could talk to the pawn shop about using their lot after hours though.