The Folly in Oxford

Just had afternoon tea at The Folly.. Very friendly staff and lovely food, sitting outside by the river!

10/10 food. Rika was amazing!!!!! Thanks for your recommendations!

Absolutely amazing house cocktails. You can taste the fruits. The staff is very polite and professional. We also booked a cocktail boat ride - I would highly recommend.

Everything was fine. Prices were the level we expected for Oxford. The premises were clean and tidy. Staff pleasant and efficient.

Yesterday, I went on the 'Afternoon Tea Sightseeing River Cruise'. The weather and the calm water were idealistic, but the main reason that the cruise was such on a high level was because of the shipper; Paul! He really made sure that everybody was enjoying their trip. With good humour and sharing interesting details about the thing we saw, did he make the cruise to the perfect afternoon activity!

We have just left The Folly after a cruise and dine experience gifted to us by my parents. The whole experience was top notch from start the finish. We arrived a little early ams were shown to our table we would dine at after our river trip. We were able to order our dinner before the trip wh I meant a very short wait for food on our return. The cruise itself was 45 mins long and guided by George, a very personable, likeable and informative person. We very much enjoyed our trip which included a glass of Prosecco. On return we sat down to the most delicious meal. The parfait starter was absolutely outstanding! The banana icecream I enjoyed as part of my dessert was so tasty and the peanut cremeux delicious! The service was prompt and so friendly and polite. We highly recommend the Folly and hope to return at some point.

This restaurant is an absolute gem. It is located right on the river with beautiful views and also offers a sunset cruise down the Thames prior to dinner. The dinner was top-notch, exquisite cuisine, and fabulous staff. Our waitress Alice was poised, professional, well spoken, and a delight. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Food was very good. The atmosphere was awesome. Weather was perfect. Alice was super polite and very accommodating. She brought me a pillow as my back was hurting after 3 mile walk. My husband and I had a great time we will be back.

The Folly in Oxford has a beautiful location and lovely surroundings, which is exactly why we were so excited to visit. Unfortunately, the experience was completely spoiled by the extremely rude and unhelpful woman at the front desk. We arrived as a group, and instead of making any effort to assist, she told us we could only be seated separately - on two opposite sides of the restaurant. There was no attempt to find a solution, no kindness, and absolutely no professionalism. She made it very clear that she didn’t care at all. Even though the place itself is charming, the attitude and behavior of the staff made us feel completely unwelcome. We ended up walking out - and honestly, with this kind of service, I wouldn’t recommend The Folly to anyone.

Great tasting menu experience, surprisingly interesting and close to perfection

delicious tasting menu that can be adapted to be gluten free (safe for celiac / coeliac), and lovely wine pairings. very friendly and professional service in a lovely setting!

Lovely restaurant along the River. Fantastic cocktails, tasty starters, and decent entrees. I wasn’t blown away by my fettuccine but it was good! I recommend a table by the window, but if all taken, no worries - the entire room is filled with natural sunlight and lovely decor, creating a very inviting and bright interior.

Absolutely delightful. We did the afternoon tea. All of the food was delicious and the service was absolutely top notch. Everyone was so pleasant and attentive.

We had a lovely dinner at The Folly. Everything was pretty good, but the standout dish was definitely the chicken.

Very enjoyable meal at The Folly. Light and flavourful, helpful and friendly service.

The restaurant manager is very kind and accommodating! He made the experience amazing, would definitely recommend the pork belly!

Este es un lugar muy bonito! Tomamos el té de la tarde aquí, y fue una delicia. La vista y el ambiente son tan agradables, y la comida era maravillosa. Había cometido un error al reservar un tiempo demasiado temprano para el té de la tarde, y el personal fue tan amable en hacer que funcione para nosotros. Recomiendo encarecidamente este lugar!

We had a delightful afternoon tea here! It's such a lovely environment and view right on the river! The food was so good, and we had a wonderful experience with the staff.

We recently had the pleasure of celebrating part of our intimate wedding day at The Folly Oxford, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Our guests arrived a little earlier than we did whilst we had a wonder round the city, but from the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcomed, providing a great atmosphere. The service made everything feel effortless, allowing us and our guests to relax and truly enjoy our special day. We had some bar snacks and bread tapas alongside our drinks which was fantastic to keep everyone going on a busy day. One of the highlights was undoubtedly the cocktail river cruise. The cruise staff were very friendly and knowledgeable, adding to the stunning views of Oxford. Our family haven't stopped complimenting the cruise and it was loved by everyone, the blankets were a great touch as well!! It was the perfect way to celebrate with our family and create unforgettable memories together - thank you!

We had a lovely experience trying to the testing menu for my wife's birthday. The place is very beautiful and has a great view on the river. The food and service were excellent

The staff was very welcoming. I reached after kitchen got closed and on that they recommended us to try some desserts and drinks. It was good. Specifically the drink (Iced Tea - Peach) prepared by Marius was awesome although it was not on the menu. It was so refreshing and I enjoyed it very well. Special thanks to Marius for recommending that.

We didn’t eat here, so can’t comment on that but for some drinks and a little boat trip it was fantastic. The service on arrival was really welcoming, great atmosphere. Nice outdoor area by the river to enjoy.

Henry was one of the best talking person I’ve ever spoken to. Really knows how to absolutely lift the energy. Nothing felt awkward at all, everyone spoke to each other, he was really funny. Never had such a good experience like that and will defo come again. Thank you Henry!!!!

Really nice staff and atmosphere. Food mediocre, definitely lacking salt. fish of the day was a bit dry, pork was too fatty, service was inconsistent and slow for our bread starter and had to ask multiple times for the bill. The price was very high for what we got. Have tried many places in oxford and a lot of them are better, especially considering the price (£30-40 for a main course). Id avoid overspending here and go to one of the many other nice restaurants oxford has to offer.

Great high tea on the river side

The bread was warm but tasted just ok, butter was nice, soup of the day and mackerel weren’t great, buttered veggies were fine, chicken main was overcooked so quite dry, the only one which kinda good was the caramel lava cake, I’d say this restaurant sells view more than food, view was nice and service was nice, but would not recommend.

Beautiful ambience and delicious food and service

Love that place! Always delicious food and deserts!

I had a meal here today with some work colleagues, but it was purely a social gathering. I highly recommend dining at this restaurant—the views over the river, the boats moored alongside, the excellent food, and the outstanding service from both Joe and Rika made for a wonderful experience. This might be the only restaurant in Oxford where you can dine right on the riverbank. A fantastic spot—definitely worth a visit. G.B.

Great staff fab food interesting place

Alice era un gran y tenía una charla encantadora con nosotros, era tan profesional y amable! Absolutamente nos alegramos la noche! La comida era absolutamente increíble, sin duda volveremos.

we had a very good time at The Folly , the food was excellent, tasty and well balanced, definitely going back !

Amazing food! Had the taster menu and loved every course. Excellent service and delightful waitress called Alice who was very knowledgable and explained each dish extremely well.

1/3/2025-Saturday. My husband took me to this Brasserie restaurant for our wedding anniversary celebrations. We went to this restaurant a few years ago. Now... we are back again. We love this restaurant so much. Their food were favourable & mouth-watering. Even though they do not have salt & pepper on the time. They focus from the natural, freshness of the food. The servers service was excellent, friendly & helpful. Sorry, I didn't get the name of the server's name. She is from Japan. I like to say 'Thank you very much ' for her excellent service. We will be back soon. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Afternoon tea (good value) for 10, and the staff were excellent - both on email before with our many changes and requests, and while we were there for most of the afternoon today! Sandwich fillings were a little thin, but the scones and cakes (and drinks) were excellent!

Great all around. The outdoor seating is worth the price!

We had afternoon tea in one of the domes outside and it was lovely! A heater and blankets provided to keep you warm. The food was good and we were able to get gluten free and vegetarian options. The two hour slot was more than enough time to enjoy ourselves.

Delicious food, beautiful venue, but lacked atmosphere. Soft furnishings would go along way to stop the booming of the more rumbustious tables and the music could cover more of the dining space Service was a little clinical, would like more enthusiasm about their delicious dishes and wines on offer.

Just had a valentine's dinner. Food and service very good. Unfortunately by the end of the meal was shivering despite having asked for a table where it was warm. Not all disability is visible.

Dishes were creative but executed with mediocrity. I had the mushroom croquettes which were fine, the crab Thermidor tart sounded ambitious but didn’t delight; it was rather mediocre in flavour. The bread selection was far worse than I’d expect for £9 from a restaurant; one was unpalatably dry; the butter selection mildly redeemed it. The main courses were of mixed quality: the pork belly was less creative but better executed, definitely worth the money. On the other hand the fish of the day, a sea-bass, though cooked to satisfaction (with fried fish skin - a nice touch) was unfortunately accompanied rather poorly. The gnocchi were alright but there was some unidentifiable root vegetable which was hard and fishy. The pickled radish gel was very nice, lifting the dish but overall the it was average at best. Moving onto dessert, the Prosecco cheesecake was the star of the show; I honestly couldn’t fault it, delicious. The chocolate and peanut creameux was passable, though there was an unusual aftertaste, though that could just be me; the banana ice cream that came with it was very nice.

Absolutely loved it, wonderful food so flavoursome with prompt and attentive service. I had the mushroom croqutes and belly of pork totally recommend it my wife loved her meal too. We shared the creme brule for desert. We also had a great table overlooking the river, cant fault this place at all. We cant wait to book again.

No me gusta escribir una crítica negativa, pero tengo que decir que tanto yo como mi marido no disfrutamos de nuestras comidas, mi pescado estaba bien cocinado, pero la salsa y verduras aparte de las verduras eran desagradables. Mi marido fue a por la hamburguesa especial la temporada y el sabor no fue de su agrado, es alguien que se come todo lo que nunca le oigo quejarse. Vimos salir tés de crema que parecían una opción mucho mejor. También creo que la comida es demasiado cara. El personal es amable y servicial.

Took our friend there for an afternoon tea for her birthday we were treated so well and the food was excellent

Took my mum for a Birthday day treat. They even wrote Happy birthday on the top plate. There was plenty to eat and a nice variety of cakes.

Absolutely fantastic food, the waitstaff were all incredible and accommodating of our birthday group. Beautiful setting by the river, lovely in the winter from inside and fantastic outdoor seating in the summer.

We went to The Folly for an anniversary and had their tasting menu. The food was absolutely fabulous; presented and described at the table well, tasted delicious. The layout and decor of The Folly are complimentary to each other. And our welcome and the service was spot on. I would thoroughly recommend eating here.

Lovely food if a little bit pricey. Was a bit noisy but due to a large group so moved table to try and sit away from them. My only gripe was that we had 3 courses and several waiting staff served us. At no point did any of them ask how we found the food, which I found odd as surely that is basic? And they add tip onto the bill when they can't even be sure you enjoyed it. Perhaps they know the food is very good (which it was), but I felt like for a 12.5% tip, the least they can do is ask for feedback and check you're okay.

Day made our anniversary special by acknowledging it.

Delicious Afternoon Tea with fizz for a Birthday meet-up by the river

I booked online after being recommended to go by our daughter, it was part of a stay in Oxford for my wife's birthday. They did not disappoint, the food was amazing and just the right amount wasn't left feeling hungry nor stuffed. The Folly sits on the bank of the river with stunning views and friendly staff the whole experience left both my wife and I feeling very happy with The Folly. We will definitely be going back next time we're in Oxford. I can completely recommend The Folly as a place to go when visiting Oxford.

Brilliant food, brilliant staff. Amazing meal. Could do with an extra heater for the colder days

Tuvimos una comida maravillosa anoche - fue un verdadero placer. El servicio, el entorno, la deliciosa comida y el vino hecho para una velada muy especial. Es caro pero con una relación calidad-precio absoluta. Gracias.

Really wonderful food, friendly, helpful service - and lovely and warm on a cold night.

I want to preface this review by saying that my intention is not to be overly critical, as we had an excellent experience with the service, and The Folly’s atmosphere is absolutely charming. However, the food and menu fell short of expectations. We started with some bar “tapas,” but as someone with Spanish, Latin and Middle Eastern roots, I can confidently say they were far from authentic. The honey butter served with the bread was a highlight—delightfully edible—but the hummus was disappointing. It lacked the flavor and texture you’d expect from a proper hummus. For a truly authentic Israeli-style hummus, I’d recommend trying Ottolenghi at Bicester Village, where the freshness and tradition really shine through at least for the hummus. For the main course, we ordered the beef fillet. While the presentation was visually appealing, the quality of the cut left much to be desired. The flavor was underwhelming, and the doneness wasn’t consistent—I ordered it medium-rare, but only a small portion of the cut was cooked to that standard. The dish as a whole was bland, and while I’m not someone who typically adds condiments to enhance flavors, a touch of salt could have made a difference. The wine selection was good, but I was surprised by the lack of French wines available by the glass, which I found a bit disappointing. Perhaps I missed something while reading through the wine menu. A Chateau Tour Haut Vignoble for £65 when in reality you find it for £30 (or less), seems a bit odd. I understand that taste is subjective, but as someone who is well-traveled and experienced in gastronomy, I couldn’t help but feel that The Folly aims high (at a high cost as well) but ultimately delivers food that is quite mediocre. That said, the staff was truly wonderful, and the venue itself is beautiful. With some improvements to the menu and execution, The Folly has great potential to match its atmosphere with an equally impressive culinary experience.

I think we all knew we would have a great experience from the warm reception we received from all the staff but particularly our server Alice. Nothing was too much trouble and she was chatty, friendly and helpful. We even got an extra heater which wasn’t going to be refused! The food was very tasty and there was plenty of it. The tea kept flowing and there was a very relaxed atmosphere. Thank you all for helping make it was wonderful afternoon for us.

We had the tasting menu last Friday, from first course to last it was amazing. Service from the staff was awesome, attentive and professional. Will 100% be back.

Whilst I know this review is a bit late, I still feel I should let people know about my experience at the Folly on Christmas Day 2024. 1) There was no Christmas atmosphere (staff friendly but no sigh of any Christmas cheer. 2) No crackers to pull??? 3) Whilst the food was delicious there was no stuffing??? 4) Surcharges way above average I will not be going there again for a Christmas lunch.

Excellent food and great service

Not the greatest afternoon tea.

Excellent tea at The Folly. Service was very good, Sandwiches, scones, cakes and tea were all really delicious. Table for 9 was very well looked after. Everyone enjoyed the meal. Thank you Folly team

Perfect spot for afternoon tea by the river. From the moment we called to make a booking, the service was impeccable. We were celebrating a birthday and were offered a separate function room, which was beautifully decorated and warm. The afternoon tea was delicious and the staff were incredibly kind and helpful. Thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon 😊

Overall the ambience was great though the restaurant needed to be warmer given it was 6 degrees. The food was not great the concept seemed to be trying too hard. Too many flavours. The cauliflower kiev lacked flavour and was really just a crumbed and fried cauliflower. The pork belly was overcooked

We wanted to escape the hustle of London for somewhere quieter, so we chose Oxford and The Folly for a birthday lunch—and we couldn’t have picked better. It’s a beautiful riverside restaurant, and we booked a cozy heated pod outside. Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined anything nicer. The food matched the ambiance—absolutely delicious, with generous portions, a great wine selection, and amazing service to top it all off. If you’re looking for a special spot for a special occasion, this is the place! :)

We booked the Christmas Day set menu for a 12:15pm sitting. The process of booking and then advising what choices you wanted were all handled on an online system and was done with plenty of notice and communication, and that worked really well. On the day we arrived we had a warm welcome and was shown to our seats which was right by the window to look over the river which was lovely - noticed there was no Christmas crackers on the tables. My father was not eating pork or drinking and my mother does not eat pork either and this was noted on the placenames. The young lad who brought the starter unfortunately was not briefed between the beetroot and orange cream cheese and got them the wrong way round when introducing them, and he was taken a back when we advised it was the other way round as beetroot is normally a red colour - it just needed the chef to brief the serving staff. Items missing from Christmas menu were stuffing, bread sauce and red cabbage and an alternative like a roasted chestnut stuffing or something else should have been offered for those not eating pork. The service was friendly and prompt and there was plenty of drinks available. The toilets were fresh and clean and well kept. Overall it was a good experience, however if charging £130 per head you would expect the alternatives and and a slightly better service in knowledge and experience. Would I return? Yes as the food was tasty and I think it would be lovely in the summer by the river!

Lovely setting, very good Christmas lunch. The food was delicious. All the team were very friendly. Would definitely recommend this restaurant

The food and the service were very good. The menu and the winelist offered many choices. For two courses each for two people, the breadboard and a bottle of wine it was GBP153, including service. We thought it was seriously over-priced, to a level that means we will probably not go again.

Lovely restaurant and great food. High Quality produce and very well presented. Staff very friendly, lovely ambience. Being by the river, I would imagine it’s wonderful in summer.

The most beautiful restaurant especially in a window seat overlooking the river. The service is spot on- attentive but not at all intrusive eg when our water ran out it was quickly and quietly replaced before we’d even noticed. We were not hurried along and they didn’t rush to give us our bill. And the food is simply lovely; very attractively presented, very tasty and I just wish I could have eaten more. Can’t recommend enough

Unique location, charming atmosphere and delicious afternoon tea.

Food was cold and had to be recooked. No atmosphere as we were the only diners. Delivery mid meal meant the door was wide open so room temperature plummeted. Main course at £32 was definitely not worth the money.

Mash potatoes with belly pork had a strange taste to say the least. Carrot cake tasted nothing like carrot cake. Pudding portions despite being over priced were very small

What a fantastic restaurant! We were still talking about the food today. The serving staff were really friendly and patient. The food was incredible. The place was busy but there was plenty of space and it didn’t ever feel too loud or crowded. Hope to return!

Lovely afternoon tea. Food was fresh and the scones weee delicious. Service was excellent as well.

Nehir kenarında bulunan bu restoranın yemekleri çok lezzetli. Noel ile ilgili çok güzel bir şekilde dekore edilmiştir. Personel çok ilgili ve yardımsever. Çok talep gören bir mekan olduğu için mutlaka rezervasyon yaptırın.

Lovely venue but VERY cold. I was so shocked that they added 12.5% service charge to the afternoon tea, which was already expensive. Such a shame.

Very good restaurant. We were here with 10+ group of friends. Everybody find something good. Food is testy. The staff if helping and friendly. Recommended!

Lovely place and lovely service . Great for allergies.

Very friendly staff. Great service and lovely food. But it was just so chilly in there. People were wearing their coats on the next table. Yes it was a cold day, but no excuse for not boosting up the heat.

Amazing venue and beautiful food! Service was outstanding, cannot wait to return! Thank you for your hospitality

Very good food and very good service

I've been here for afternoon tea and dinner. It's such a lovely restaurant on the river with a pleasant atmosphere. They have outdoor pods to dine in or the interior restaurant. Really nice food. Great place for a date if you are so inclined. Nice place to meet a friend for a coffee catch up.

Absolutely wonderful place, buzzing but plenty of space. Delicious food, charming staff. Not to be missed when in Oxford.

Lovely experience - not only was the Afternoon Tea great and very reasonably priced, the location is great and the host was really special. We will definitely come back again!

The Folly is one of the best restaurants in Oxford. We were surprised it was not more crowded, but that makes for a pleasant experience. The food is consistently both interesting and excellent, the staff are attentive and helpful, the location is convenient and the setting by the river is rather magical. Completely recommend.

The afternoon tea was of the highest quality - warm scones plus a selection of sandwiches and some lovely mini desserts. Really clean, great view of the water and great value too. Will definitely return and would definitely recommend.

Excellent food and attentive staff. Recommended! We shall return!

The Folly was a lovely, quaint and decadent dining experience. The service and food were exceptional, and the atmosphere was calm and relaxing. Thank you, The Folly!

Lovely setting, great food. Rather pricey and portions not over-generous but food imaginative and beautifully presented.

We absolutely love the folly. What a beautiful setting it is right next to the river. You are always given a warm friendly welcome from all the staff and the food is simply delicious. Thank you for another wonderful experience.

One of the nicest meals I've had in a long time. Beautifully presented, delicious food. Visited on a Sunday night and the restaurant was very quiet, which was a pity. The staff were very attentive and the service quick.

Lovely food in a great setting. Portion size was just right and the flavours were amazing.

We were on a corporate trip & had our dinner with our team of 25 people. Great food & great service. We had our dinner outdoor seating inside a dome.

Really lovely birthday dinner for my partner. The mains were 10/10- but my only disappointment was the duck starter, it looked beautiful but it lacked flavour and the duck was tepid and the flavour mix was bland/unusual. However, it may be that it wasn’t to my taste and my partners soup was very nice! Other than that, absolutely lovely and great staff and the best pork I’ve had in a long time ☺️ Thank you!

Contratamos la cúpula blanca para el cumpleaños de nuestra hija en la calle 21. Se veía muy bonito cuando llegamos. El servicio fue muy atento toda la noche, la comida era muy sabrosa y los vinos buenos. Tenía capacidad para 25 de nosotros y era muy cálido y acogedor con los calentadores. En general tuvimos una gran noche!

We arrived early, but that was no problem. The friendly staff showed us to a table, answered a couple of questions and took our order promptly. Before the food arrived, a large party came and were shown to a table immediately behind ours. They were noisy, with loud voices and even louder laughter. We asked to be moved, and that was arranged with no fuss. The food was good, I was impressed by the quality and imagination behind the vegetarian dish I chose. The wine was very enjoyable. One of the staff acknowledged the noise issue as we left. We will go back, possibly in summer to enjoy the view over the Thames.

We went for a Saturday night treat for myself and my partner. We were going to have the tasting menu, but everything sounded delicious so instead we had three starters, two mains and two desserts! Naughty, but so so tasty. The food was all fantastic. The staff were al brilliant. They are friendly, attentive, thoughtful and provided excellent service. We sat in one of the winter pods outside and they delivered us a button to press should we need any service help. We never needed to use the button. There were blankets if we got chilly, but the pods are so cost, we were fine. We were even able to use their mini speaker and play our own music to add to the atmosphere. It was just the most perfect night in Oxford I have experienced in years. I own a local tours company and will be telling all my guests to come here. Thank you to all The Folly team for a wonderful evening.

Nice location, spacious inside, only 1 lavatory I could find and the smallest piece of fish (as a mackerel starter) I have ever seen.

The service was ok, though when we asked for the bill it never came, we had to ask again and even then had to take it to the counter to finally pay. The fish was good but the Jacob’s ladder was chewy, small and the rib membrane was still on it which I didn’t know until it was in my mouth. The mains came before we had completed the starter also - v poor esp as we weren’t given an option to say no to the mains and had to move the starters to one side. The wine (valpollicella) was also ok but nothing special considering the price. We were even charged £3.95 for a bottle of still water for the table which I could only guess was from the tap. The reviews of this place were good and as I wanted a special evening for me and the wife, it seemed the perfect place, but sadly it was not the case considering the meal for 2 cost £146 all in. Won’t be promoting the place in the future but hope this feedback does improve the Folly.

Amazing food, lovely ambience, attentive staff. Great place for a treat.

It was lovely and great value. They kindly fit us in earlier, which was very kind of them.