Friars Head in Richmondshire

Great decor and service,, food was good but expected better but worth a visit.

Great service and a lovely venue but the food (Sunday roast) was disappointing. Initially impressed by portion size but the food was really disappointing. Beef chewy, trio of meats included a chicken leg that was a game of spot the meat. Roast potatoes rock hard. Sadly couldn’t recommend and wouldn’t return. Better value available locally.

Wonderful restaurant & bar. Huge servings of fantastic food at reasonable prices. Atmosphere very cosy, warm & inviting. Staff were superb, very friendly & super accommodating, even sang happy birthday to my wife (thank you). Dog friendly too, our little furby was well received. 100% recommended all round. 10\10 👍😁

Sunday lunch was perfect and a bit more …everything was delicious nothing was missed one of the best Sunday lunches Wev ever had and I’m the most beautiful pub we are lucky enough to have at akebar

On the 1st Sept 2024, the Friars Head held my son’s Christening Reception. Catering for a party of 32, they provided the most beautiful Sunday lunch, excellent service and the staff constantly went the extra mile to ensure everything went smooth sailing. They set the west wing conservatory beautifully, everything was just perfect! We have been in previously for food too that has been wonderful. Everyone who came to the christening reception complimented how fantastic everything was! Honestly, I can say that The Friars Head is the best restaurant in North Yorkshire and is a strong favourite of ours. We will continuously recommend anyone to go here as Jude has gone above and beyond for us. Thank you so much for the most fabulous afternoon!

We enjoyed a fantastic meal this evening! Great service, great food, great atmosphere and of course great wine selection!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely lovely place, we had our wedding here recently and staff were fantastic. The food was incredible and everyone commented on the fantastic service and all round day that they had! We go here often just for food and a drink and honestly love it! A beautiful venue as well! Would definitely recommend!

10/10 perfect Sunday lunch there were 12 of us - leaving clean plates all round and everyone was happy no room for desert either !

Our daughters wedding reception was hosted by the Friars Head and they really could not have offered a better service! The whole event was amazing from set up to finish. All the staff were just lovely- so kind and helpful, and were instrumental in helping the event run smoothly. The food provided - a grazing platter buffet and then pizzas later on were the best I've think I've seen/tasted- A*! We returned the next day for dinner and again, the service was excellent as was the food. Many thanks to all, you were all fabulous. Next time we are back in the area, we will definitely be calling in.

I don’t usually post reviews but felt compelled to do so. This was our first visit to Akebar park. Our party of 3 had a very enjoyable roast dinner and our waitress Lucy was just lovely. We will be back.

Absolutely lovely food. Great selection of drinks. Lovely building and a nice outdoor area. Definitely recommend.

Lovely food. Lovely historic setting.

First class bar/restaurant. Very attentive and professional service. Lovely food. Excellent ambiance - could easily spend the afternoon here but had other commitments unfortunately.

Outstanding. Food is out of this world, absolutely delicious home made menu. Service is very good with caring staff who explain the menu. Atmosphere as friendly as one can get. Highly recommend the Friars Head.

OK, so not your usual pub menu... No gammon and egg, or mixed grill, The menu is much better than that. I recommend the mackerel and pickled cabbage starter, but the poached egg on black pudding looked fantastic. The fish pie for mains was excellent!

The food is amazing and the surroundings beautiful Staff so friendly and welcoming nothing is too much trouble not rushed at all

Had Sunday lunch here on the new chef's first day, food was amazing, highly recommended.

Group of eight to celebrate my 60th birthday, on Saturday 29th June, looked on line menu,something for everyone. Ordered drinks, 2 drinks had run out, missed starters, 2 mains had run out !!!, then ran short of chunky chips, that would effect three mains, but anyway they did come with the correct chips, my main was beef stripes on rice, along with two other people, that came on skinny fries !!!!, picked the meal because it had rice, asked the waitress, chef is just substituting. It had to go back as it was cold, everyone had something on there plate that was luke warm or cold. We ordered puddings, ran out of two and only one left of another choice. The waitress shouldn’t have had to keep coming out and saying we have run out of, this & this. ( the waitress tried her best) This was a special occasion and I will not be returning, or recommending it,we spent £280 in total. Take no notice of online menu, as you don’t get what you order, also with meals sold out, menu limited. I have emailed the restaurant, but still waiting for a reply. Only plus side waitress was good and surroundings were nice.

Called in for lunch after checking the menu on line and finding dishes that suited us all. Arrived and the menu given to us bared no resemblance to the one online, the one given was an evening menu in my opinion, with prices to match, and no lighter meals. We were told “awe it’s not been updated” …… not acceptable We live local but had friends staying, and although we vowed never to eat here again after an inedible meal that we had had in the past we did. Will definitely not be returning.

Brought 2 friends for dinner, food was lovely. Location was stunning and perfect service from Mia. We will be back

We went for Sunday lunch here and it was fantastic. The beef was delicious and cooked wonderfully. All elements were great. The puddings were lovely too and some nice alternatives to the usual brownie and sticky toffee, though they had those too! We have been a few times over the years under the various ownerships but I think it might be the best it’s been.

Nice place, 4 local real ales on, was reasonably priced

Lovely food and good service 😊😊

Stopped off for a quick lunch today - delicious sandwich with all the extras (chips and coleslaw for the win!), and the service was great too. Haven’t been here since it reopened, but brilliant to see The Friars back on top form 👌

Fantastic meal, can’t fault it and restaurant is beautiful.

The Friars Head seems to be back to its best!! Staff were very attentive, food was spot on and a great atmosphere. Already booked again for the weekend.

Under new management and has been restored to its former glory! So happy as this is my local and had gone down hill with previous management. Very excited to return!

We was visiting family who have a static on Akebar Caravan Park, and we booked a table at the Friars Head for a Sunday Lunch. Wow, the dining room is amazing with fabulous murals painted on the ceilings and walls, the staff was really friendly and the food was outstanding. I opted for the Trio of meats Sunday Roast, it was cooked to perfection and the presentation was outstanding. I cannot praise this place enough, and to sit next to the log fire on a cold wet day was the icing on the cake for us. We will definitely be returning and highly recommend Friars Head to anyone.

Bank holiday lunch absolutely delicious. Lovely staff and a great atmosphere. We can’t wait to return!

Lovely place just wish the youf lady taking my order had listened to how I wanted my food

Looking good after re-opening. Excellent lunch with lovely ciabatta bread and proper hand cut chips. Not sure the chips with the burger were also fresh I suspect not. Lovely garden which will be a delight in the summer. Miniature golf and outside Table tennis tables add to the attraction. Great beers too.

Had a fantastic Sunday lunch with friends. All of our meals were 10/10. Cooked to perfection and so tasty. All the staff were brilliant. Wonderful atmosphere. So pleased the Friars is back to its high standards. Glad it’s on our doorstep. 👏👏

Haven’t been here for a few years, was probably pre covid but have to say the place is still as good as it ever was. I had the Slow Cooked Belly Pork👌 Wife had the Rump Steak which was perfect. Menu really appealing, not complicated and well priced. We’ve already re booked for May Bank Holiday. Would definitely recommend.

Went to the Friars Head mid week on a Thursday for an early dinner with my two young boys. It was very busy for a Thursday and the atmosphere was fantastic and so welcoming. I had the gammon steak and chips and my boys shared a chicken and ham pie. Both were cooked to perfection and I highly recommend visiting. Well done Akebar Park for taking back the management of the Friars Head!

Lovely Easter Sunday lunch with family and friends! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Food ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Atmosphere Thank you Friars Head, Akebar Park, looking forward our next meal ❤️🥂

Went to the Friars Inn for Sunday dinner. The food was amazing but best of all the staff are so lovely. We have a 5 year old and Tina connected so well with her. Service was impeccable.

The Friars head is back in the hands of Akebar Park and must say that we had a fabulous Sunday lunch, with excellent service too. Awesome!

We ate at The Friars Head last night as a group of 4. This was our first visit since it reopened and we are so pleased it is back in the hands of the family! There was a lovely buzz when we arrived, with the fires lit in the bar and a lovely atmosphere in the garden room where we ate. The food was excellent, we enjoyed starters, main courses, desserts and coffee. We all commented on the quality and flavours of the food. The staff were attentive, friendly and seemed to enjoy their job! We found the value for money exceptionally reasonable and literally couldn't fault it. As locals we are so pleased to have it back to the Friars Head we were so familiar with. We really hope the reopening is a success and would recommend a visit!

Thank you for the a delicious meal tonight. The food was delicious and atmosphere great. Well done for taking back the running of the Friars Head! Menu was very good and with quality food cooked perfectly. The staff were friendly, helpful, polite and service good. Looking forward to visiting again.

Great to see the pub alive again since re opening, food was excellent, and great atmosphere.

Went for a drink with our two dogs, fab welcome, roaring fire, warm welcome from the team. Atmosphere buzzing, great to see the whole team working together, obviously a big function on. Well done & thanks

Fantastic staff very welcoming good atmosphere lots off meals going out looking good good to be back in the site ownership.

If you want the better service here, join up as a golfer. Otherwise just accept that golfers will be given priority over you.

Sunday lunch was very good. The staff were pleasant and attentive. I know this place has had mixed fortunes over the years but it seems to be back on track ..

Please read below my email to management which details our experience here. Hi I am really sorry to say that I am writing to make a formal complaint about our experience at The Friars head today (Monday 1st January 2024). I messaged ahead of our visit to ask if food was being served today and I was told 'We are yes 👍🏼 12-3pm'. No other clarification at this point that we should expect a different experience to normal, or to be told to expect a selection of 3 sandwiches. Had we had known, we'd have gone elsewhere. When we arrived, the one member of staff working that shift told us that we wouldn’t be able to have food as we were a table of 5 that hadn't booked. This was already a bit strange given that I’d messaged the Facebook page earlier. I then told him that I’d already messaged the page, so he then went to ask the chef. We were then told we could have a limited selection of sandwiches. We accepted this, and were sat down. He took our drinks order, and when the drinks came, all of them bar one was incorrect. He then took our food order. When our food came, a few items were incorrect but we also let that slide as the poor waiter was completely on his own. We noticed other tables eating other food from the normal menu, so I messaged the Facebook page for clarification as to why we weren't offered the full menu, hoping to speak to a manager or a supervisor. I was told on the Facebook page that they were running a limited menu for those who hadn't booked. To make the decision to allow walk in customers to observe booked customers receiving a different experience to us doesn't make any sense to me, but I was willing to let that go until another large walk in group (not booked) were given menus and pizza options. They had not booked, we asked them. I wish I could say that our bad experience ended here. The worst of it was when we wanted to pay the bill and express our concerns. It defies belief how poor the service was at this point. We went over to the bar to be respectful and discreet with our concerns because I thought this was the right thing to do. The waiter said he would bring the chef to speak to us. Initially, they offered to take the drinks off. Baring in mind, we hadn't even had the opportunity to explain why we were unhappy. Taking the drinks off wasn’t enough for our particular complaints. We were stood there 20 minutes being told to keep waiting for the chef to speak to us. I really didn't want to leave the cash (minus the items we thought should be taken off, these were 2 sandwiches and a child's sandwich they charged us £11 for) and just leave without speaking to someone as I don’t think that’s fair on the business. Eventually, the waiter asked us how much we were paying and didn’t ask us why and just completely fobbed us off. Part of me sympathises and understands, the guy was on his own and we were a nuisance he didn’t want to deal with. When we asked him why we were given a different experience, he literally said ‘I don’t know’ and looked like he was completely out of his depth. To summarise, giving us a totally different experience to the other customers just isn’t acceptable. Then to tell us that it’s only customers who are booked that are being treated differently, just isn’t true. Nor is it even acceptable anyway. Other walk in customers were given menus and pizza options. I’m not happy with the correspondence I’ve had on Facebook messenger, so I’m not hopeful I’ll get a better response on here either, but here’s hoping. We are loyal regular customers. We have had great experience and other not so great experiences, but sadly today was an exception and not in a good way. We visit a lot throughout the year as we have a lodge on site, and we have always tried to support the friars head throughout all its recent turbulence, but I’m not the kind of person to blast a company all over social media, I’d rather have a direct conversation, which I just haven’t had the opportunity to have. Kind regards Lucy

Please see below an email sent to management about our recent experience. Hi I am really sorry to say that I am writing to make a formal complaint about our experience at The Friars head today (Monday 1st January 2024). I messaged ahead of our visit to ask if food was being served today and I was told 'We are yes 👍🏼 12-3pm'. No other clarification at this point that we should expect a different experience to normal, or to be told to expect a selection of 3 sandwiches. Had we had known, we'd have gone elsewhere. When we arrived, the one member of staff working that shift told us that we wouldn’t be able to have food as we were a table of 5 that hadn't booked. This was already a bit strange given that I’d messaged the Facebook page earlier. I then told him that I’d already messaged the page, so he then went to ask the chef. We were then told we could have a limited selection of sandwiches. We accepted this, and were sat down. He took our drinks order, and when the drinks came, all of them bar one was incorrect. He then took our food order. When our food came, a few items were incorrect but we also let that slide as the poor waiter was completely on his own. We noticed other tables eating other food from the normal menu, so I messaged the Facebook page for clarification as to why we weren't offered the full menu, hoping to speak to a manager or a supervisor. I was told on the Facebook page that they were running a limited menu for those who hadn't booked. To make the decision to allow walk in customers to observe booked customers receiving a different experience to us doesn't make any sense to me, but I was willing to let that go until another large walk in group (not booked) were given menus and pizza options. They had not booked, we asked them. I wish I could say that our bad experience ended here. The worst of it was when we wanted to pay the bill and express our concerns. It defies belief how poor the service was at this point. We went over to the bar to be respectful and discreet with our concerns because I thought this was the right thing to do. The waiter said he would bring the chef to speak to us. Initially, they offered to take the drinks off. Baring in mind, we hadn't even had the opportunity to explain why we were unhappy. Taking the drinks off wasn’t enough for our particular complaints. We were stood there 20 minutes being told to keep waiting for the chef to speak to us. I really didn't want to leave the cash (minus the items we thought should be taken off, these were 2 sandwiches and a child's sandwich they charged us £11 for) and just leave without speaking to someone as I don’t think that’s fair on the business. Eventually, the waiter asked us how much we were paying and didn’t ask us why and just completely fobbed us off. Part of me sympathises and understands, the guy was on his own and we were a nuisance he didn’t want to deal with. When we asked him why we were given a different experience, he literally said ‘I don’t know’ and looked like he was completely out of his depth. To summarise, giving us a totally different experience to the other customers just isn’t acceptable. Then to tell us that it’s only customers who are booked that are being treated differently, just isn’t true. Nor is it even acceptable anyway. Other walk in customers were given menus and pizza options. I’m not happy with the correspondence I’ve had on Facebook messenger, so I’m not hopeful I’ll get a better response on here either, but here’s hoping. We are loyal regular customers. We have had great experience and other not so great experiences, but sadly today was an exception and not in a good way. We visit a lot throughout the year as we have a lodge on site, and we have always tried to support the friars head throughout all its recent turbulence, but I’m not the kind of person to blast a company all over social media, I’d rather have a direct conversation, which I just haven’t had the opportunity to have. Kind regards Lucy

We had a lovely meal on Monday night. There were 20 of us, The food was delicious and there was plenty of it, good service , and a lovely Christmas atmosphere. Thank you, we'll definitely be back.

Went as a party of 5 for a birthday meal last night. The food was lovely, the staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. Service was great. Very atmospheric with the Christmas decorations and music. They even sang Happy Birthday. The seafood platter, Tuna and mulled wine were particularly nice.

Came with a group of ladies for the Christmas fare lunch. We had a long wait to receive our lunch but on its arrival we were pleasantly surprised. We all had turkey and it was beautiful and succulent. The trimmings were tasty and the yorkshire puddings were great. Lots of lovely vegetables and the gravy was really nice. Only one staff behind the bar (Curtis), one waiting on staff and one chef. They all did a fabulous job despite being so under staffed. The management need to recognise these staff and provide more man power to make the service flow. Not their fault, they only have one pair of hands !!. Compliments to the chef ( sorry, don't know your name), you did a fab job. Management need to more visible to answer concerns and suggestions and not leave this to the front of house staff.

We visited a few months ago as a family of 5 for Sunday lunch and received a less than satisfactory service due to exceptionally slow service and the poor quality of the meat in particular. However at that point we put down to teething problems due it new owners so decided to give them the benefit do the doubt and it another go. This time we visited as a larger family group so had pre-ordered from the festive menu. When we arrived there was no one behind the bar to serve drinks so made the way to our table. The pre-ordered starters arrived relatively quickly and were tasty however there was then an hours wait before the mains arrived. The turkey main was very nice however the veg advertised as seasonal, was not (baby corn /mange tout) and the beef bourguigon was full of fat and gristle. Once we had finished our mains the desserts, frustratingly again, took another hour to arrive. If they were home made warm desserts or presented/displayed with some sort of care and attention, I'd understand. However the profiteroles, advertised as being filled with chantilly cream and served with a hot chocolate sauce, were the very cheap shop bought variety with squeezy cold chocolate sauce normally used for children's ice cream. The were thrown in a small bowl with zero effort made in the presentation. The cheesecake was slightly better but again served in a bowl with little care to the presentation. The bill we had to go and seek out at the bar after 20 or so minutes of waiting. It then took another 15 mins to sort out with the poor waitress having to individually input each item. The waitress staff were very friendly and attentive when they can be found but there are serious issues with the exceptionally slow service (it wasn't very busy) and the quality of the food. We won't be trying for a third time which is disappointing as we were frequent visitors for many years before the current owners took over. Be prepared for a very long wait if you do give it a go!

Fantastic Sunday lunch, I booked online for 12 of us , Alison rang to confirm the booking, she was so friendly. It was lovely, we were made to feel so welcome and they couldn’t do enough for us. I would definitely recommend and I can’t wait to go again. 😀

Just been in for a couple of drinks as we're looking at moving onto the site. The staff were exceptional and Kurtis went above and beyond to show us around the place and answer our questions. Look forward to returning

The food was very nice, the staff were friendly and polite. Nothing was too much. We'll be back. I'm sure of that.

Steak night, two rump steak dinners for £35 was very nice.

Had a small Parma chips n salad n my husband had a large one was the best parmo we ever had took home in a box coz was stuffed would recommend we back having another one was lovely and staff are lovely and friendly

This will sound awful but it’s honest. Sunday lunch … food was hot, beef was nice but vegetables were rock hard, cauliflower cheese tasteless Deserts were banoffee pie, shortbread crust was soft & stale, fruit pavlova was very tasty but it was just shoved onto the plate Needs more professional staff. It’s gone/going down hill very fast & such a shame I said it was honest, it is Please run this potentially superb pub with decent food & staff.

The worst restaurant experience I have ever had. We booked in advance for Sunday dinner, having had wonderful Sunday dinners here in the past. The waitress took our drinks order - then came back 10 minutes later for our food order, but we had to ask what had happened to our drinks. We both ordered roast beef. When it came out yorkshires were cold - complained, they changed for warm ones. Tried beef - it was like leather and almost cold, on a bed of cold mash. The seasonal veg was odd: cabbage and broccoli, which was so rock hard you couldn’t eat it (and I like a La dente), but since when has baby corn and mange tout been classed as seasonal veg??? I didn’t even try the cauliflower cheese which didn’t look up to standard - my husband did and he said it was rock hard. I called the waitress over and told her it was awful. She got the supposed Manager out and he tried to tell us that the vegetables should be rock hard!!! He admitted that the beef was poor quality - said he would only charge for one meal!!!! I told him no way, we haven’t eaten any meal. Eventually he didn’t charge for the meals - still charged for the 2 drinks though. The waitress and waiter were good but I felt sorry for them working there. This place used to be excellent for food, in future I won’t touch it with a barge pole.

Went in hoping for some food. Hate to say it but there was zero communication from the staff which ended in us feeling like we were in the way. Could learn a lot on customer service from the lovely lady in the shop across the carpark.

I’ve been following Friars Head on FB since a young relative of mine did a gig there in June, and thought it looked like a lovely place. This week we were staying close to , and it was our friends birthday, so we thought let’s go there. Had I read the recent reviews on here before then, I may well have swerved this. However, we didn’t, and I’m so glad we didn’t.It seems there has been a number of managerial changes over the last few months, which may well account for the poor reviews. The young guy we met first is the new manager, and he was very amenable with us, and served our drinks . Good start, as we all enjoyed our drinks. I have to say the bar and lounge are very welcoming and I love the oddness of the place. We ordered our food and then sat in the dining area to eat. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals, well cooked, good size portions and delicious . I suppose the acid test is would we return? Truthfully, absolutely 100% we all would. If the previous reviews were because of previous management and staff, then it would seem that issue has been addressed. We will be back when we are next in the area . 10/10

Curry night. Pre-booked as requested as there was a group of us. We sat an hour without any food, food, when it finally came wasn't worth the wait. I can honestly say that out of the 7 of us, I don't think anyone really enjoyed it. Service all over the place like the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing. The first time here, maybe last, will wait to hear if anything changes. Wanted so much to enjoy this, but hey, ho. Will say, though, the restaurant manager did apologise.

Recently had a meal alongside some friends here. The sharing starter was brilliant perfect for two people who just wanted something easy to nibble on. The BBQ pork belly bites were nice however the portion was rather small. The mains came and we were quite disappointed, one of the party ordered the slow roasted pork belly, the crackling on the top of the pork belly was soggy and the pork belly was dry, which meant this part of the meal was left. Another member of our party had the pizzas and found the base rather soggy so they left the majority of this. Nobody came to check back on the table mid way through the meal, so these issues couldn’t be raised. When a member of staff was passing, a glass of water was asked for, when this was brought over it was slammed on the table like it was inconvenience for asking for a drink. We ordered desserts as we all have a sweet tooth, the STP was really nice and was a massive portion! However the cheesecake was extremely thick it was like a cement consistency so this was left. When it came to payment the bill was split between both couples. One couple paid first with a waitress and when the other went to pay there was no one in the restaurant itself so their payment was taken at the bar. On our way home a member of our party then received a phone call accusing them of leaving without paying! Surely this should of been checked before contacting the guest! A meal which was meant to be a relaxed catch up with friends and ended up being the complete opposite.

We have been for lunch a few times since The Friars reopened and have found all the food so far to be very good especially the beef and carrot stew with puff pastry lid. This time we decided to go for Sunday Lunch but we’re left very disappointed we opted for the beef and pork dinners, in both cases the meat was over cooked and dry. The vegetables were nice if you like them still crunchy as I do but probably not cooked enough for most people. Mashed potato was over processed and had a strange taste as if had been made earlier and stored in a plastic container and reheated. The Yorkshire puddings also tasted as if they had been batch made and frozen then reheated on request and the jus/ gravy was split, watery and tasteless. I know they are having staffing problems at the minute as is common in most hospitality since covid but unless the Sunday lunch improves I doubt they will have many returning customers. The waitress however was very good even though she was rushed off her feet

Poor! Very Very slow service. Exceptionally bland food - it's actually quite an achievement to make a bland curry, no sign of a spice!) Cheap cuts of meat in the beef stew. Also expensive for the quality of the food. Very noisy and cold.

We only had a drink here, but enjoyed it very much. Attached to a caravan site, I would definitely use The Friars Head if I was staying there.

The slow roast pork and potatoes were just swimming in garlic sloppy potatoes Any normal chef would have never sent the meal out It’s the chef that lets this place down

Sunday lunch. It was a nice day( quiet!!!! Service was excellent ..but not well informed about the food 😕 Presentation Good. Meat was over cooked..and all tad cold But overall nice place to visit..garden space excellent ..

7 of us went for my birthday the other day,disappointing is all I can say,waitress was abit scatty,drinks were flat,chicken satay starter was disgusting ,bits of chicken on a skewer with,it might of been washing up liquid as a dipping sauce,rack of ribs was a joke and not charged for thankfully,overall won’t be back as there’s better locally

What’s happened? Having visited previously and enjoyed the food and service we were totally shocked how quickly it had gone down hill! A group of golfers being extremely rude to a waitress and the manager watched and joined in! The food! Unbelievably bad. Chicken Satay staters was boiled chicken on a skewer with a sauce which tasted like mayonnaise mixed with peanut butter! Absolutely revolting. The roast dinner disappointing, cold veg average potatoes. Yorkshire pudding was a week old at best! Service was shocking, told a waitress would come to the table, waited half an hour went back in , told to sit and wait!!!! This place needs sorting and quickly

We had a small gathering for my husband 50th birthday last week here and the manager Craig couldn't do enough for us. He went out of his way to get my husbands favourite drink in Jim beam when they wouldn't normally sell it. We were stuck for time to put up the birthday decorations so he saw to that for us too. Pizzas were a massive hit with the guests. Thank you friers head

3rd visit to the Friar's Head and goes with the saying only as good as your last meal. On this occasion I was totally appalled by the service, food and how disgusting the toliets were of Friar Head . The service of your restaurant was absolutely atrocious, we booked for Sunday Lunch and were brought the standard menu and told there were no kids menus but could tell hs what was on them. After chasing up we were given the correct menu for Sunday Lunch. Drinks order taken incorrectly but was quickly rectified when we ordered our food it took over an hour for the food to come out and there was only four other tables and they had been served with there food. When the food came out what was on the plate was cold the roast potatoes tasted reheated, yorkshire pudding was cold and soggy, mash potatoes was luke warm a sign of all this was ore cooked and reheated. Topped off with cold plates. The only tasty bit that was hot was the vegetables. We asked for tomato sauce for kids meal that was never received and had to go and ask for some and it then came out in a chipped pot which was sharp. We were not checked on once to whether everything is okay. This was some of the worst service I have received and if you are going to have just weekend staff on ensure you train them correctly. At the price's you charge £17 for a Sunday lunch you expect quality food and a good delivery of service. Feel robbed at £62 for two adults and a child. As for the toilets they were disgusting, smeling and a very full open bin in the ladies toilet.

I’m not one for writing reviews but had to on this occasion as I was totally appalled by the service of Friar Head on site at Akebar . .. we’d stayed previously and thoroughly enjoyed it … what a difference this occasion was .. site was okay but the service of your restaurant on site was absolutely atrocious… I’ve worked in customer service for over 20 years and have never been given such bad service .. if I thought for one moment that I had given 1% of the service that I’d received in my visit to Friar Head tonight, I would hand my notice in … hopefully the manager will do exactly that! … myself and my husband came to the restaurant at approximately 7.40 for something to eat … took nearly 20 minutes to get a drink and my husband asked for a menu .. not once did staff say that food had finished or were finishing shortly .. otherwise I wouldn’t have ordered overpriced drinks .. anyhow went to order from the menu that we’d been given earlier on in the day but we were given an alternative one … husband went to ask about the previous menu we were given and was told “rudely” you’re mistaken we’ve never had that menu ( quite clearly you do… as I took a screen shot of said menu ) and walked away from my husband .. great customer service! ..I asked to speak to the manager as my husband was quite upset at the way he’d been spoken to, and dismissed … actually I asked 3 members if staff .. each one seemed like deer caught in headlights but finally got to speak to the manager … let me say what an absolute disgrace to customer service he was … totally unapologetic to the fact we’d been given an “old” menu earlier and said we should have looked on line to see the opening times .. excuse me why should we have to look on line .. surely staff should have up to date menus and staff that would let you know when service was to finish? .. when I queried this politely.. as I’d like to be spoken to .. he he said … are you finished .. see you later !! ..if he said sorry for the misunderstanding, I’d have let it go … but never felt so let down Friar Head .. sort your management out …seriously need some customer service training

Long time favourites of the Friars Head eatery and experienced it change hands a number of times. Took dad today for his birthday lunch. Although a limited lunch menu I believe there’s sufficient choice and the presentation and quality was delicious. I had the Eaton mess for desert which was lovely. The bar-man seemed a bit uninterested, but the restaurant manager was on the ball. We did wait quite a time even though the place was very quiet but it was worth it. We had three drinks, three mains and two deserts from the luncheon menu and the tab was £54. That is a ridiculously cheap lunch in my book! Will definitely be returning.

Wonderful Sunday lunch. We were a bit wary after reading a mixed bag of reviews, but were won over by a beautiful Sunday roast. Great quality produce, lots of fresh veg and good service

We had a lovely Sunday lunch that included a gorgeous selection of veg & a home made Yorkshire Pudding all served with plenty of gravy. The only reason I’ve given a 4 and not 5 is it took a while to get served. On arrival...

Could be a great pub. Unfortunately have consistent staffing problems. So many staff left. Food ok but good staff are vital to the future of this place

Food itself was really and cant be faulted and they catered for gluten free. The waiters didn't seem to have a clue what was going on. Paid before our food came (foolish) one of the items wasnt available and they double charged us for what was already an overpriced burger. In all fairness the manager was really helpful and resolved it by refunding. Was an okay experience although let down by the rude old grumpy golfers that were also in there.

This place is not what it used to be. The floor and highchair given were filthy. Very poor management and staff. The food was a let down , very dry! No sauces. Will not be going back.

Booked a table for my 60th a few weeks prior. Got there for 7 asked if the table was ready, asked again 15 mins later , finally got to our table, sat there 45 mins without anyone coming to see if we were ok ,looked...

Don't be fooled by how this place looks when you're pulling up, it is an absolute stinker of a restaurant. Ate with 4 people and all of us wish we'd gone to McDonald's instead. If you want to keep reading, get some popcorn. I would class that as the worst meal I've ever paid for. £15 for a "gourmet" burger which was not as described (not a pretzel bun, no bacon, no onion rings and definitely not a gourmet 8oz beef patty). The sassy, arrogant man who appeared to be running the place tried to convince me that I was wrong and I'd in fact ordered the secret peasant burger which wasn't featured on their menu. It was the saddest looking burger I've ever tried to eat and I put it down after a bite due to how horrendous the quality of the meat was. I'll get back to Chief Sassbot later. The pizza our table ordered looked like they'd got it from the local cheap takeaway and plated it up, the rump steak ordered was bad quality and pink when it was asked to be cooked well-done, the chicken from the grill was extremely underwhelming in quality and most importantly, all 4 meals were agreed to be the lowest value for money we have ever received in a restaurant. The music for the entire time we were in there was Ed Sheeran (that might not be an issue for you but I'm personally not a fan of his music) and it turned out they were just playing this from someone's Spotify - but not even the premium version as Spotify ads kept interrupting the otherwise constant drone of Ed Sheeran's discography. Time for the customer service. I don't think Chief Sassbot had ever learnt anything about customer service, nor did his parents ever teach him anything about manners. After this sassy robot tried to gaslight me into believing that the Sheldon's Oven Bottom muffin encapsulating my McPeasant burger was a pretzel bun, he tried to intimidate me to stop me from talking to a female member of staff who actually had human social skills and who apologised for misleading me while ordering the secret McPeasant burger. Also, here's a side note to end with... ...I tried to take a poo for the long journey home and the men's toilet was out of toilet paper. I of course chose to report this to Chief Sassbot himself who groaned like a child at the fact that he had to put some effort in to keep the job which he doesn't belong in. AVOID THIS PLACE!!!!!

Ordered chips and fish and chips for my daughter and grandchildren, food took at least 30 minutes to come even though it was quiet when ordered. When they came the fish was awful dripping in oil, the paper underneath the fish had to be removed...

Not a good experience l. Left without ordering - no one seemed bothered.

I am so sorry for the staff as it’s definitely not their fault. But our experience was so disappointing. We wanted a nice meal in our very rare family time with my husband working away from home. We turned up, ordered drinks with two young...

We arrived and the service was terrible and they had no fish no chunky chips and no service !! I asked the young girl if we could order and all she said was she was busy taking the other two orders before me !! And...

This is genuinely a lovely bar/restaurant however, the service was all over the place. Apparently it had a new management team and didn't seem to be working very well. There was a male staff member crying in the bar, who then (I believe) 'left' . We overheard 2 separate tables that had waited for food for over 40 minutes, be told the chicken they ordered was no longer available. All in all, it was poor, we ended up cancelling our table that we had booked. Its a shame as we visited a number of years ago and it really is a lovely place. This is NO reflection on Akebar Park its self, Purley just the bar/restaurant

Been to Friars Head tonight (18th August) and what a lovely experience compared to previous times. The new manager Louise is so friendly and welcoming and will do anything to please her customers unlike the previous managers. We can't wait to come back tomorrow then...

Lovely evening at Friars Ĥead. Great new manager and already booked for tomorrow evening and for the Lionesses game on Sunday.

Overall, poor service with average quality food which is priced far too high for what you receive! We do try and support local businesses, however this is the first visit since new owners took it over and definitely the last! We are a family of...

Food was very blunt, it was lovely that we could take dogs in, but the food wasn’t worth the trip, it’s a shame as the place has a stunning spot and grounds are just beautiful, but unfortunately the food wasn’t good, average at best.

Family of 14 used the bar all day then it came time to order our evening meals only to be told that there would be no food due to the lack of staff. Food was being served but but at a snails pace and the...

Poor menu, platter for two, not available .main menu affected not available due to frying problems no chips or fries available which was part of many menus. 🤔 felt sorry for the two staff who had to relay these problems to guests.sorry you have lost...

Went for Sunday lunch for a family birthday. We love Akebar and the setting but the Sunday lunch was probably one of the worst we’ve had lately. Undercooked vegetables, overcooked beef and totally tasteless. Poor service no one asked if we wanted puddings and didn’t...

Loved it, warm welcome not just from the brilliant staff but locals and regulars. Plenty of choice behind the bar and on the menu. The food was amazing and good size portions. There is a golf course and campsite very close by so will definitely be returning if we're out that way again. Big thumbs up 👍

We wanted to spend our money wisely, and we got great food for a great price with an amazing taste and the portion size perfect . And a huge recommendation to the staff of the establishment as were above and beyond . Very friendly ,...

We didn’t eat here however we played bingo and the staff were amazing with my children. Included them and took the time to chat to them. The lovely lady even found my little girl a prize. Lovely atmosphere. We love it here.

Second time we have visited, the first time the food wasn't that good, this was a few years ago. But this time the food and service was excellent, I would certainly visit again.

Great food. Nice pint of beer highly recommended

We thought we'd combine a meeting with a meal and support a small business, the building is lovely and service was friendly, and prompt which as it was quiet I'm pleased about. The food I had high expectations for, so we ordered a delightful sounding...

Portions are to large but food very good

Went for lunch with friends the service was excellent The food was delicious and can recommend the beef stew ,fish and chips and fish pie The staff are very friendly and do a great job

Great place to eat, lovely food and great service