Ivy brings South Beach to Dewey

Florida’s South Beach is famous for its exclusive, high end nightclubs.  That upscale Miami flair has arrived in Dewey Beach: Ivy offers a contemporary twist on fine dining and a lavish nightclub unlike anything else in the Cape Region.

“It’s for anyone who wants to feel young,” said Highway One Partner John Snow.

“I guarantee you, everyone that comes in here will be surprised in a very good way.”

A list of signature drinks was created by Ivy’s on-staff mixologist and blends quality spirits with fresh, homemade mixes, such as blackberry puree and smashed blueberries.

Ivy’s dinner menu features small portions and high quality ingredients at low prices.

After dinner, Ivy is geared toward a young, professional crowd, Snow said.  But, he said, sophisticated people of all ages have come in and enjoyed themselves.  “They could be 25, they could be 65,” he said.

Two couples, both in their 60s, came in for a pre-dinner drink Saturday night, Snow said.  They ended up canceling dinner reservations in Rehoboth Beach and stayed for a meal, he said, and by 11:30 p.m., they were still at Ivy enjoying the DJ and sharing a bottle of Patron.

There is no dress code, Snow said. “People think you have to get dressed up.  You don’t.  You just have to look like you looked in the mirror and gave it a little bit of effort,” he said.

Snow said, before he opened Ivy he often saw women in heels and dresses going to Northbeach, which is covered in sand.  “I started thinking, these women would love a place where they could get dressed up,” he said.  “The evening part of it has caught on much faster than I thought it would.”

Venus to Ivy

Snow said he has noticed a shift in the restaurant industry.  More establishments in New York, South Beach and Washington, D.C., were trading in $35 entrees for smaller portions and higher quality, he said.  The restaurants transitioned into exclusive clubs after dinner.

Snow said the former location of Venus on the Half Shell, on the bay at Dagsworthy Avenue, was a perfect spot for a more contemporary, excusive hangout.  “By nature it’s small, so you’re never going to have that many people in here,” he said.

Snow said many visitors, particularly women, want fine dining, but they do not want to pay for, or stomach, an entire entrée. “We’re doing fine dining by the piece,” he said.  “And it’s not much more than they would’ve paid for two slices of pizza.”

With 16 bite-sized items to choose from, Ivy offers gourmet chef creations for less than $5 each, including a lamb Tootsie Pop, fresh ceviche, seared angus beef tenderloin and snow crab claw with wasabi cocktail sauce.

“We haven’t had one person come in here to eat that didn’t love it,” Snow said.  The food is significantly better than what was served at Venus, he said.

Ivy also features a daily happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Snow said there is no cover charge for regional DJs from Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Atlantic City.  Covers are only charged for national acts, such as DJ Jazzy Jeff, who played for Ivy’s opening night on Memorial Day weekend.

“It’s just a really cool place to hang out any time of the day,” Snow said.

Ivy also offers Bachelorette Party packages on a case-by-cases basis.  On Wednesday nights, bartenders whip up $2 martinis.

Starting in July, Snow said, he plans to work with CAMP Rehoboth to organize a Detox Party every Sunday, with DJ Skribble, who was featured on MTV’s Spring Break and Total Request Live.

Ivy is open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Tuesday to Sunday.  For more information, call 302-227-9292 or go to deweybeachlife.com for a list of upcoming DJs.