The Folly in Oxford

We hired the white dome for our daughter’s 21st birthday. It looked really pretty when we arrived. The service was very attentive all evening, the food was all really tasty and the wines good. It seated 25 of us and was really warm and cosy with the heaters. All in all we had a great evening!

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.

We came here after a long travel day and boy was it great The drinks were amazing and the food divine I loved the classy but laid back atmosphere with the old school desks and chairs So cool I had a fish dish it was incredible and the service was great

The Folly is a great venue to celebrate a special occasion. We visited for our 25th wedding anniversary and had a wonderful dinner. Staff were exceptionally friendly and courteous without being stuffy. We enjoyed all three course and would definitely recommend the experience to others. If I was to be picky the only minor criticism is that the staff could have been a bit more smartly dressed. But overall, GREAT - Thank you.

Cafe at the tourist boat dock. We were served great coffee at a good price all the way on board. Mile....

Wonderful celebratory meal on the terrace by the river in the sunshine. Beautiful setting, delicious food and drinks and great service. Really good for dietary requirements (the gluten free dishes were excellent). Would highly recommend!

Riverside dining with a beautiful sunset!

Wonderful staff, afternoon tea was amazing..had a boat trip afterwards which was relaxing and a perfect end to our anniversary.. Would highly recommended..

We took a tea time boat ride on the Thames Enjoyed calm water and relaxed pace with our guide providing local history. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Great spot for lunch and good food! Absolutly banoffee martini! Bit annoying with the boat traffic using the same jetty as a disembarking point

Beautiful place but arriving as a family (7) we did not feel welcome even when ignored by the staff (polite on the other hand). There was room. I can't say if the food is good we crossed to the other restaurant on the other bank.

Awesome food I got the lamb and I loved it! Highly recommend to anyone in the Oxford area.

Food and service was disappointing for a place that calls itself fine dining. Sorry to be a bit crude but it really give the feeling the kitchen is trying too hard with the menu and just doesn't deliver. I would have preferred simpler food but better executed. Couple of examples to back up my comment: the duck liver parfait with a layer a caramelised sugar "crème brûlé" style and a side chutney packed with cinnamon, why? It just doesn't work I'm afraid, not sure if I was eating a starter or a bad dessert ... the other starter we had was pretty on the plate but really bland in taste... We then had to wait 50min for the main... The lamb was cooked perfectly but the jus had a burnt taste, could tell something burnt in the pan. The fish of the day arrived massively overcooked. The place in itself is absolutely beautiful. The cocktail we had was delicious. The server we had wasn't really good. 2 stars might be a bit harsh but the fact is out of the 4 plates we ordered, non were ok, and only one plate was fully eaten. Not quite what I was expecting for fine dining.

Beware of eating outside at the Folly. For more than £100 per head we deserved better. The cruises they run embark and disembark by the outside tables. Near the end of our meal the "captain" of the cruisers started hoovering and cleaning the boat less than 10 feet from our table. I explained it was interfering with the enjoyment of our meal and he told me he was required to do it by his manager, then noisily rolled down all of the plastic rain barriers on the side of the boat and carried on. I spoke to the restaurant manager who offered to move us, but we had finished eating by then. He said he was sorry and would feed back to the owner (who also owns the boat company) and that there had been previous similar complaints by diners. I suspect if the owner was inclined to do anything about it (like clean the boats in the morning, before the tours start, when there are no diners on the terrace) they would have done something before. A nice meal on a stunning evening was greatly diminished by this avoidable problem.

Phenomenal boat tour experience! Approximately 1.5 hour ride on the Thames. Advised! In the meantime you can have a nice English style snack..

We've lived in Oxfordshire for 7 years and always wanted to try here. Sadly, we'll never return. The food was terrible. The service was slow and nothing special. We ordered the pork terrine and duck parfait for starters. Pork terrine was tasteless, like they haven't seasoned it. Duck parfait had a strange sugar glaze on top like a crème brûlée, didn't work. We had lamb and fish of the day for mains. Lamb was just a roast dinner, nothing special. Fish of the day, waiter didn't tell me what fish it was and it was incredibly dry and so I didn't eat it. Thankfully they did remove that from the bill but with the bill being at £93, not worth the prices at all. We then went to grab a burger at popeyes afterwards because it was such disappointing food. If you're a foodie, stay away from the Folly!

Very good but a bit pricy for what you get.

Nice little restaurant with lots of seating right by the river where the boat tours depart from. Also lots of seating inside. Food was very tasty but the quantities are small so you will probably need at least two courses. Staff were great and very friendly, food arrived hot and speedily.

The atmosphere was very nice and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery

Very pleasant atmosphere and very friendly staff. Afternoon tea with snacks is very tasty. Pleasant atmosphere

Food was good if a little pricey, but you’re paying for the location and view too of course.

Without a doubt one of the best places I've been for atmosphere and service. Afternoon tea on a boat -book it!!!! My 8 year old loved it

Amazing restaurant - we came as a family group of 6 for the tasting menu, but came early for a bottle of prosecco to enjoy the beautiful view of the river. The tasting menu was fantastic. Each course was delicious, and the paired wine on the wine flight was perfect for each course. One of us is coeliac (gluten free) and they made very small adjustments to his food, but it still looked and tasted as good as ours. We will definitely be back, and I 1000% recommend the tasting menu and wine flight. Very reasonably priced compared to other places, local produce, and really accommodating for dietary requirements!

I’ve long wanted to try this restaurant but my experience wasn’t what I expected. The food was so so and the restaurant layout was poor. We were given a table between 2 toilet entrances and what was worse, there was a table for a group of 11 next to us. Actually their long table was nearly on top of ours and their talk was loud and noisy. We could hardly hear ourselves. We couldn’t wait to get out after the main course. I won’t go back again.

From the booking to the reception and the service from each member of staff it was faultless. ‘Very attentive and friendly and beautiful light and airy restaurant with river view. The afternoon tea was delicious, plentiful and very good value. ‘Will definitely be visiting again and recommending. Thank you

Lovely little gem found in Oxford with beautiful view! Will go back for afternoon tea

Lovely place, we thoroughly enjoyed our drinks on the pontoon before going for a cruise

Afternoon tea cruise. Gluten free option was awful, as was vegetarian option. For the price it was a ripoff. Tiny finger sandwiches, tinyist slice of cucumber in one, tinyest slice of just tomato in another. Two tiny flat tasetless scones, dry banana bread. Was the worst afternoon tea ive ever had.

Just a wonderful experience from beginning to end. Charming and helpful staff and great food complimented by brilliant location. Particularly recommend the torched trout starter, lamb main and carrot cake dessert. You won’t be disappointed.

A fantastic meal. The food was excellent, a lot of attention to detail. Service was great. What more can I say!

A very lovely restraint set in a charming location, along the banks of the Thames. Food was wonderful — especially the Duck Pate’. We also did their river cruise before the meal which was a little of fun. George was our skipper and he couldn’t have been a more wonderful host — as was everyone working g for this amazing place!! Great memory!

Beautiful location, amazing food and service second to none. Would totally recommend eating here

Went for afternoon tea with 3 friends and we had a lovely time. The staff were great and the food was really good. They didn’t rush us and the location was amazing.

We came for our friends birthday and it didn’t disappoint. All good was superb and we were delighted with the service 10/10!

The food was amazing! The chocolate fondant dessert had one too many flavours going on and the trout starter was a little small but it was amazing quality and taste overall! If you like ducks, sit outside but if you don’t, the inside is decorated beautifully and has a nice vibe! Would defo return!

Delicious desserts 😍 Absolutely recommend

Lovely boat trip with afternoon tea. Guide was amazing. Something different for a special occasion.

Went for afternoon tea. Food and environment were excellent.

Great experience with a relaxing 1.5 hour boat tour from the River Thames. Oxford with a difference. We were there very early and waited in the restaurant for our tour. The waiter (I think he was from Romania) was very nice and chatty. We felt totally comfortable and we will definitely come back for dinner. On the boat we had the high tea etagere (booked directly) and an additional glass of sparkling wine (which you can book and pay for in advance in the restaurant). Otherwise there is water and tea - included in the price of the tour. We sat in the back and had a great overview and Joe, a very friendly boat captain. Driving through a lock was also something different... Small note: If you're hoping to sightsee Oxford on the water, don't do it. It's more like something to relax. Apart from the lock and passing rowing clubs, there isn't much to see other than water and nature... .

Lovely setting, excellent food. Service was fantastic, our waitress was superb in every way. Highly recommend

Drinks only arrived once starters had been finished. Mains were very poor, especially considering the price point.

Very very Mid! Came for my mum's birthday lunch. Little did the know that half of us have worked in and managed some of the best restaurants in the city. Service was very slow, empty cups and plates being left for ages. Drinks took an far longer than they should have for the amount of staff to customers. No friendly chat or vibing with us, I asked about a few recommendations and didn't get much enthusiasm, I'd expect staff to be a lot more attentive for the amount of service they are getting. Setting was lovely and they are blessed with a river front setting. Food. Very very Mid. Prices are on the steeper end with mains between £30-40 a dish. No problem paying for good food. Presentation was nice but food didn't have much going on. Found very bland. My sister had a bean burger and was dry as a bone. Pork was well cooked but none of the ingredients shone. Id maybe say check out for high tea but chef needs to have a look at seasonings etc as really wasn't wowed. Good priced wine but quite a basic menu of the usual suspects. Pinot grigio etc. Cocktails were pleasantly surprising.

Great food, service and ambience- highly recommend

Near the Thames, on a small island, delicious food.

This was our first time at The Folly and I can't believe we haven't found it sooner. The food, service and atmosphere were all great. We will return. Thank you.

Myself and Denise had a wonderful afternoon and evening whilst at the Folly. We had the cruise experience before our meal which was fantastic. Service on the cruise and dining was second to none. We will be recommending you all at the Folly to our friends & family. Thank you ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent service, the food and wine were very good, and a great location. A very enjoyable experience.

Excellent food, excellent hospitality. Thank you very much 😀

Fantastic meal and service in a beautiful location. Love it here and can't wait to come back

I went with my boyfriend and we ordered belly and lamb, my lamb was ok, my boyfriend's belly was completely tasteless, we ordered a drink and a beer, they took more than 35 minutes to deliver and I ended up giving up on them and the dessert, attentive waiter But disappointing food and waiting time, I wouldn't recommend it.

The most friendly people ever. Period

Wonderful ambience, delicious food, fantastic service!

It is a lovely place to have afternoon tea and you can enjoy your special time with your family and friends. Outside dining gives you a stunning view of river Thames and you can also book a yacht which was really good.

We had afternoon tea, which is undervalued tbh. Sandwiches are dry and scones are just plain. The only highlight is the views, but still, not worthy & won’t go there again.

Absolutely brilliant, I was so impressed. Great seating inside by the windows but also great seating outside if you did want to be by the canal. They have outdoor seating with some covers for when it's cold. I had the afternoon tea which was £22.95 pp and the selection was brilliant. Very lovely staff too. One star only knocked off as the tea selection was slightly limited. Otherwise a very good afternoon tea with a beautiful view!

We went here for our tenth wedding anniversary and it was such a treat! The food was truly incredible and the service was wonderful! Beautiful setting a decor too.

Super food, service and location

3 of us for dinner, 1 meal really good, 1 meal quite good, 1 meal disappointing (starter and mains). So, not too bad. BUT.... really way too expensive for what it offers.

Beautiful location!!! Fabulous staff and excellent food.

Unique location, charming atmosphere and delicious afternoon tea.

Lovely experience on the river service was good would recommend the cream tea

Had an excellent time celebrating a birthday. Service was impeccable and the 6-course tasting menu was incredibly tasty and perfect quantity. Will definitely be returning when back in Oxford!

We could change our booked timeslot without problems, also we where able to sit outside at the waterside. Just perfect service. Also the service at the table was good.

We had a boat ride from Folly Bridge to Sandford Lock that included a picnic lunch and scone cream tea on board. Beautifully presented in a wicker basket.

A great restaurant with an impressive menu and highly attentive staff.

Superb all around!! Best meal in the Cotswold’s!!

We came to this restaurant without a reservation on a busy Sunday and still got a table. The menu was full of interesting options, but the prices were on the high side. So we enjoyed the fish of the day and skipped starters and desert, and still paid nearly £90. The staff were nice enough and for those who sat by the window there was nice views to the river Thames.

We came to this restaurant without a reservation on a busy Sunday and still got a table. The menu was full of interesting options, but the prices were on the high side. So we enjoyed the fish of the day and skipped starters and desert, and still paid nearly £90. The staff were nice enough and for those who sat by the window there was nice views to the river Thames.

Excellent food. Great gluten free options including puddings. Service was very good.

Good restaurant, great location, kid-friendly. We were looking for an easy restaurant to visit with our 2 yo on our first night out in Oxford. We found a really good spot by going to The Folly. The location is amazing and the view on the river is hard to beat, the staff was really helpful and our 2 daughter enjoyed her dinner. The service was quick and the food really good.

Good restaurant, great location, kid-friendly. We were looking for an easy restaurant to visit with our 2 yo on our first night out in Oxford. We found a really good spot by going to The Folly. The location is amazing and the view on the river is hard to beat, the staff was really helpful and our 2 daughter enjoyed her dinner. The service was quick and the food really good.

It was amazing. Service, food, drinks, atmosphere. Everything was perfect.

If your visiting Oxford I recommend "The Folly "We've had a fantastic dinner out here tonight, wonderful friendly staff ,great location on the river, menu has excellent range and interesting selection. The food was outstanding, wonderful flavours, textures, a throughly enjoyable evening. Thxs to the staff and especially the kitchen staff and ❤️❤️. All in all a wonderful dinning experience

If your visiting Oxford I recommend "The Folly "We've had a fantastic dinner out here tonight, wonderful friendly staff ,great location on the river, menu has excellent range and interesting selection. The food was outstanding, wonderful flavours, textures, a throughly enjoyable evening. Thxs to the staff and especially the kitchen staff and ❤️❤️

Très bonne qualité des plats aux saveurs intéressantes. Cuisson des viandes et des poissons appropriées. Service attentif, mais un peu lent.

Had afternoon tea at the The Folly.. highly recommend, from start to finish the service was great, afternoon was delicious. Will he back again.

Lovely location and very nice food but over priced

The food here is amazing and the service is outstanding. We asked for a table near the window with a nice view of the river. I would highly recommend The Folly for any special occasion or just to treat yourself to some good food.

We were a little disappointed. The location should be great, but rather than look out at the Thames, even from the main restaurant you seem to be largely looking at some sort of white tent. The food itself, particularly the steak, was quite disappointing as well as being expensive. Drinks were good, service was excellent.

Good restaurant, great location, kid-friendly. We were looking for an easy restaurant to visit with our 2 yo on our first night out in Oxford. We found a really good spot by going to The Folly. The location is amazing and the view on the river is hard to beat, the staff was really helpful and our 2 daughter enjoyed her dinner. The service was quick and the food really good.

This is by far one of the best meals we have had in Oxford. overall amazing food and setting. super friendly staff would highly recommend. we will definitely be back. what a hidden gem

Excellent service from our South African waitress..

Visited after our walk from Iffley for drinks. It was so nice and the people so lovely that we stayed for more drinks and food. Really good quality food and service and very accommodating of our dog Frank. Highly recommended for drinks and food alike.

Lovely spot- fabulous food and very good wine list. The Hundred Hills 2018 ESW is highly recommended! Smoked duck liver parfait with a Brûlée top served with chicken fat brioche was out of this world! A truly fabulous dish. Quite quiet on a Sunday evening but faultless service and great staff.

A nice afternoon tea wit what you would normally expect from a food perspective. Would have been a bit nicer if there were refills offered more readily on the teas and sandwiches.

I would say overall a great day had, afternoon exceed expectations. However the fact you pay on the day is very odd. I thought I had paid in advance and it cause some embarrassment. The restaurant was lovely and very Instagramable (if that's a word).

Great food and friendly staff, highly recommended

My wife and I went to the Folly for a meal as part of our 25th Wedding Anniversary celebrations. A special occasion matched by a very special meal. Everything about the food - presentation, quality of ingredients and taste - was outstanding. But much more than that, the warm welcome we received, the friendly and super efficient service and the cosy, relaxing atmosphere were all absolutely terrific. Not to mention the river view, oh and they serve a mean cocktail! Honestly, we couldn't have wished for a better evening. Massive thanks - we will be back!

First time visiting the the Folly and we were very pleased we did. The food choice and quality was very good. Presentation was excellent. Service and hospitality was also very good . We will return next time we visit Oxford

The setting is gorgeous, right on the Thames, with many windows to enjoy the view. We sat inside because it was a windy day, but there was also plenty of outdoor seating, including a tent-like structure. The service was perfect. The food was good. Overall this was a great experience.

Brilliant service and staff! I can't thank the staff enough for helping me to make my wife's Birthday lunch a surprise, as I had organised for our daughter and her partner to turn up unannounced. The whole team played along even though our surprise guests were late, which made ordering the food and keeping the surprise a bit difficult. The staff work so hard at creating such a relaxing atmosphere and are so attentive. Its just such a shame that the food (or at least food that we ordered) didn't quite match the service. They also need to do something with the canopy outside as this impedes the view of the Thames, which was the whole point of me booking the table that I booked. I feel a bit guilty not giving a 5 star review but this restaurant really does have so much potential. A brilliant location with a professional, helpful and friendly team.

A real dining gem by the river. The atmosphere is understated but high in quality. The food is delicious with a great selection catering to all tastes and dietary needs. It is beautifully presented and completed by the friendly and discreet service. We will look forward to returning soon.

Fui ao The Folly por duas vezes durante minha viagem. A primeira para um chá da tarde e a segunda para almoçar. As duas foram maravilhosas! Atendimento fantástico e a comida uma delícia. Sem falar no ambiente muito aconchegante tanto de dentro do restaurante quanto na varanda com o barulhinho da agua do rio passando. Vale a visita!

Staff was friendly and treated us well. Food was very good. Other than waterfront views interior was uninspired and actually a bit shabby. Would have been fine if prices weren’t so high. Definitely not a good value.

Really good place, beachy in decor and right on the river. Chose The Folly because of the excellent reviews on food quality. Have eaten afternoon tea in top London venues & often over-priced and disappointing. Not so at The Folly: v fresh sandwiches & cakes & amazing scones . So often they can be a bit dry or tasting of bicarb. We had Prosecco and it equally lovely. Price v reasonable. Staff very attentive & kind. Only reason I didn’t give 5*: menu needs something chocolatey in it & there could be a few more sandwiches ( although we wouldn’t have had room for them …. But the sandwiches were really nice and some might prefer more sandwiches and fewer cakes to eat) Delightful experience!

We visited the Folly to celebrate my wife’s birthday. Getting an evening away from the kids is rare for us so we were hoping for something special - the Folly certainly doesn’t disappoint. Firstly, a lovely location beside the river, secondly, friendly ‘unstuffy’ staff who were happy to engage in conversation and thirdly quite exceptional food (the standard a which we have not experienced elsewhere in Oxford). All in all a perfect package and memorable way to celebrate a special occasion. Thank you.

Great service, friendly and accommodating staff. Have tasted better food for the same price.

Hands down the best food my wife and I have eaten, ever. Each dish was clearly thought through, with every ingredient contributing to it. (I know that sounds pretentious, but it was absolutely true) Every mouthful was savoured, and I was actually sad when I finished. Incredible place. And the service was perfect too!

Excellent food and service. Would come back again for sure.