The Folly in Oxford

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.

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 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 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.

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.

Went for anniversary dinner in the restaurant, I ordered a drink took ages to arrive so chased up order with waiter who just ignored us. Drink didnt come until 2 mins before food arrived no explanation as to why. Food was superb but service was terrible. I wouldn't recommend this place for couples as other places offer good food as well as great service for similar price. Maybe as a group the service was more attentive but as a couple you are ignored.

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

Excellent food & service. Lovely atmosphere. We went as a group of 4 and we all had a lovely time.

Disappointing visit for the taster menu. Having said that, staff were faultless - friendly and attentive at all times. The food was, however, a let down. Mass produced bread for a the first course of an expensive 7 course menu was just inexcusable, an obvious fill in without costing more than a few pence. Although billed as homemade, it most certainly wasn't and tastier with more texture replacement could be found in Tesco. The rest of the courses were certainly tasty but suffered from too much budgeting, despite it being £75 per head (plus £9.37 service charge). Cutlery was, at times, poor quality and tarnished which detracted from what should be a special occasion.

Really good experience. The view is amazing, and people are really kind. Little bit disappointed about the beef burger because of the texture, but the taste was nice Cheese goat Panna cotta is nice and the risotto amazing Thank you:)

Friendly service and great environment

Lovely experience for a birthday tea We were blessed with the weather but even if the sun hadn't shined inside was also lovely with a beautiful view. Lovely cakes and pastries, brilliant service from staff

Great atmosphere and tasty afternoon tea!

Absolutely amazing food, service, wine and location. Very chatty about what to do on our stay in Oxford. Deserve a Michelin star the food quality was brilliant. Wine pairings were brilliant.

Afternoon tea was disappointing and drinks very overpriced

Beautiful little gastro pub in scenic location just by the river. Came here for rainy September day, but can imagine it being even better on a beautiful summer day. Interior is very nice, creating a lovely atmosphere. Service is nice and friendly. Food was perhaps a little bit on the pricey side for what you get, but not completely unreasonable. Has a nice liver pâté starter and the pork belly for main. Both nice dishes. - Value for money? Somewhat - Worth a detour? No - Best for (occasion)? - Would I go back? Yes

The Folly in Oxford offers riverside dining with scenic views. It serves modern british cuisine using local ingredients. Highlights include scallops and pork belly. The atmosphere is elegant yet relaxed. While the setting is picturesque, some find it overpriced and service can be inconsistent. It's a good choice for those prioritizing ambiance over value.

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.

We went on the river cruise with afternoon tea, it was such a pleasant treat. The food was delicious. The trip on the river was beautiful, so relaxing and interesting, the chap driving the boat was so knowledgeable and had a lovely sense of humour. I would definitely recommend a visit

It was generally good but for the price I was expecting a bit better setup and atmosphere.

An ok restaurant but Michelin star prices for gastropub fare food and atmosphere. Almost double the price for food and service you could get just as good in a half-decent gastropub.

Wonderful afternoon tea in Oxford 😙😍

Booked “afternoon tea by the river”. Was seated inside despite booking a few days in advance. Disappointing, especially on a sunny day. Afternoon tea was below average, sandwiches were slightly stale, scones were not cooked through. Way too doughy on the inside and completely broke apart even when trying to gently spread some cream over. A great location let down by bad food. Much better options for afternoon tea in Oxford.

Lovely afternoon tea, delicious, sandwiches, cakes and scones. All presented beautifully. Service was quite slow and had to ask a few times for top ups of drinks as well as having to ask for milk and sugar after teas were brought out. Setting is amazing, we were lucky with the weather so sat outside and it was so peaceful and picturesque would recommend!!

Staff and service were excellent. Food was also nice.

Perfect for an anniversary dinner.

Our first 💍 anniversary dinner. Had the tasting menu paired with the wine menu. From start to finish all the staff were attentive and helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Credit to all working that day. I appreciate your standards you've set in place All 5 stars. Will definitely be returning when we visit Oxford again

The food is ok, nothing out of the world. Short menu with elaborate dishes, no "light" option. The service stands out because they are very attentive and pleasant. We went and we were the only table. The prices were higher than what we had seen online.

Great food and service, really chatty and took time to explain all the dishes. The only downside of sitting outside was people smoking towards the end of our dinner

Lovely afternoon tea out on the pontoon by the river. Nice place to be, great friendly service. Good value tea, especially given the location. Nice sandwiches, really good scones, and nice cakes.

Took a river cruise with picnic, great afternoon out.

The afternoon tea was great. The service is quick and friendly. The atmosphere is very pleasant. There is also a vegan afternoon tea version.

We went on the boat trip. Then for a meal at The Folley restaurant, great food friendly staff . The second time we visited here would highly recommend

Had a lovely afternoon tea here by the river side, service was great really friendly staff, scone was toasty and tasty

Booked a special meal for my husband’s birthday. I was very excited to eat at the Folly for the first time as many friends recommended the place. Not sure what went wrong with my meal, perhaps because I ordered a dairy free option. My “slow cooked” pork was dry and not melting in the mouth as I’d expect it to be. Almost no sauce at all. I can’t believe they charge £32 for some meat (to be fair it was huge!) with steamed vegetables. For dessert I had a blood orange cremeux which lacked blood orange flavour and had too much gelatine. It is nice that they cater for dairy free people but the food wasn’t exciting. My husband’s food (Guinea fowl) seemed much better. I’d call it a hit-and-miss and personally wouldn’t come back again. For me the best thing about the place was its location and pretty ambience.

more of a casual fine dining vibe, nice location. don't understand the extra service charge, considering the food was already so expensive for mid ingredients

Can't comment on the food as we only had a drink however the service was great as was the atmosphere.

Walked here for an early meal at 4 15pm, as it looked a nice resto/pub on the web. They’re not serving food - even thought it’s Saturday afternoon, and mid tourist season. Weird. We went across the street.

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!

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

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Wonderful ambience, delicious food, fantastic service!

The most friendly people ever. Period

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!

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 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

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.