The Folly Bar in City of London, Westminster

We had a Christmas reservation for 20 people last night and it was very below average. I had been planning for 3 months to get one our friends down from Edinburgh to surprise everyone and asked the folly three times (on email, over the phone and in person during the day) if they could not hand over any of the name cards to anyone but myself or if we could take the name card of the person who was coming as a surprise out of the deck. They refused to let us take just his name card out of the deck and then gave all the cards to the first person that arrived (please bare in mind I could not get there early as I was coming straight from an exam an hour away and I told them this). This meant that everyone all saw his name in the name card deck and it completely ruined the surprise we had planned for 3 months. This completely sums up the staff’s attitude- they were rude and had no care at all that this was supposed to be a special meal for us all. We were sat on a long table which was with 4 or 5 other long tables all squished together so it just felt like we were in some industrial food hall. Zero atmosphere. None of the staff asked if we were ready for starters, they just brought them out and the rest of the meal also felt very rushed (also bare in mind no table was booked after us so there was zero need to rush our meal). We felt like we were being pushed through a money making machine - charge extortionate prices for a very below average rushed meal with rude, unhelpful and uncaring staff. Multiple people had to ask 3 or 4 times for a drink and still it wasn’t brought out. I have worked in hospitality for 7 years so I know how it is at Christmas but that doesn’t excuse appalling service and rushing tables for no reason other than to try and make as much money from them as possible. Last year we went to the Barrowboy & the Banker and it was tremendous- staff were so lovely, food was much more tasty and the atmosphere was incredible. Don’t waste your time booking the folly and head straight to the Barrowboy and the Banker instead.

Came here for this year’s Christmas gathering with a few colleagues on Tuesday night, and we really enjoyed it. All three courses tasted great and came in decent portions, but we did find the Christmas menu to be a bit small and doesn’t have too many options to choose from🤔 The vibe and atmosphere were spot on during the whole night and we absolutely love their festive decorations here and there.

Very rude staff. Unreasonable. Wouldn't recommend. Avoid at all costs!

The girl who greeted us at the entrance of the restaurant was very rude and unpleasant. With that, he made our experience very negative, he made us wait half an hour with plenty of room to sit… not to return… a shame because the waitresses were very attentive and pleasant.

Aggressive and rude bouncers to women. This seems to be a trend. Security outside the venue need to pipe down, came across rude and not inviting, sort it out, not a good look, many other options around, so remember that. I will definitely not be returning or recommending. I will be telling people to avoid and not waste their time and hard earned money on this place.

The atmosphere was such a vibe and the staff especially Louisa was so lovely and made our night!!!

They placed us at a table in front of the door and every time the door was opened, rightly so, it was so cold and windy that it couldn't be tolerated. We asked to change tables, but it was not possible, even though there were other unoccupied tables. We left after paying for the two beers, one of which we didn't even drink. If they cannot guarantee comfort, they should not have tables in front of the entrance. The gentlemen next door have also changed accommodation.

Had a great time. Served by louisa, such amazing service! The service was great and she really was accommodating!!!

Louisa is absolutely amazing, she was so good on service the perfect bartender , made us feel welcome will definitely come back

It wasn't easy to get here, apparently the place has a good reputation. And the wait was worth it! It's very beautiful here and the food is very tasty. So we'll be back!

Louisa was so kind while we were at the folly, the best bartender I have ever met. Extremely sociable and easy to approach. Would come back again just for her!!!!

Louisa was amazing tonight so attentive and looked after us

Wonderful restaurant Fabulous atmosphere Very good food Delicious fish and chips I recommend this establishment 1000%❤️❤️ Antonio is adorable 🤗 The extra staff

I had high expectations from this place . We were a group of ten girls looking for a nice place with good food . The restaurant looked very promising from the outside . The only place for us to sit was right at the entrance which was very inconvenient as the door was mostly opened , a lot of people going in and out and we were freezing . Very poor service , no one is taking your order , you have to order yourself through a QR code and it took us about 30 mins after lots of attempts because there was an error at checkout . All this time struggling to order we were hungry as hell. The food started to arrive , quite fast , but incomplete … we had to ask the staff for a tea and water , as they forgot to bring them . After a long time , when I was about to finish the tea I asked for the second time, a person from the staff came with another one asking if anyone ordered tea . I think that was my tea actually , they brought it after approx 40 mins or more . I don’t really understand this concept . You are seated and then you feel like you’re on your own. No one is asking you if you need anything . This is the poorest service I have ever experienced . I’m definitely not going back . And the food was not great , the cheeseburger was burned . Burger King is a Micheline star restaurant comparing to this . I never give bad reviews but this time I was very disappointed.

Place looks amazing. So many areas, each one with their own personality, service was great and warm, also found the food hitting the spot so overall Im given 5 out of 5

Went here on Friday for our work Xmas party, the place was beautiful and the speed of service was good - but unfortunately the food was really poor. Many of us had issues i.e cold soup, cold vegetables on mains, bland food (i.e the braised ox) and one of the worst Panna Cottas I've ever had (everyone that ordered left it). A real shame, wouldn't recommend or go again.

The food was great especially the brunch and the atmosphere was very relaxing. The decorations were aesthetic and the waitress Reshma was very hospitable and friendly.

Had a great dining experience at the folly!! Our waitress,Reshma was friendly,attentive,and made sure we had everything we needed.The food was delicious,and the service was excellent and the atmosphere was cozy and inviting. Highly recommend!!

Such a lovely place for lunch/ brunch. So Christmassy in here as well. Our waitress Reshma was so lovely and super helpful!

The Folly is a Christmas wonderland in itself. The beautiful Christmas Arch drew us in. Reshma looked after us really well. A very friendly person. Their breakfast bowl was super tasty!! Definitely recommend stopping by.

Great event organised at the Folly

Love this place! Staff is so friendly, great food and drinks too.

Beautiful venue. We only had drinks. Not bad coffee.

I went to this amazing place with my family during our holiday in and around London A marvel The Folly, it seems to have come out of the book "Alice in Wonderland" Very particular, spacious, floral and full of fairy-tale objects, colourful... it leaves you breathless for a moment The staff is very cheerful and kind, the menu is varied, meat and fish, here the quality is higher than average, but it's worth it The flavors are music to the palate, and the price is little more than normal If you happen to be near London Bridge, near the Tower, stop by, highly recommended

Decent food, very atmospheric. Fantastic bathroom.

Really nice setting, warm and good service.

Always a favourite, always a great atmosphere. Big love for the Folly.

Cozy and warm place, the cuisine is tasty. Excellent atmosphere.

Enjoyed a meal here with my partner on Friday night, our waitress was a young blonde girl who was very friendly and recommended us some lovely cocktails. We shared the chateaubriand which was lovely. Christmas decor is amazing!

Very very Cosy environment ♥️❤️♥️ Enjoyed a lot of Recommended

Less than medioker food and inattentive staff. Incredible decorations.

If you're looking for a convenient spot to catch up with friends, The Folly is a solid choice—right across from Monument station, so it’s easy to get to. The interior is beautiful; they’ve put some real effort into the decor, creating a space that’s trendy and inviting. It’s got that Instagrammable look without feeling too over-the-top. Now, the atmosphere is… let’s just say, lively. It’s the kind of place where you’ll be raising your voice more than a few times just to keep a conversation going. Great for a night out, but if you’re after a quieter setting, you might find it a bit much. As for the food, it’s fine, but nothing that’s really left me excited after a few visits. I’ve tried a mix of dishes over my last six trips, and while they’re all decent, none have really wowed me. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s more about the vibe than the food. Overall, The Folly is a lovely spot for drinks and catching up with friends in a buzzing atmosphere. I wouldn’t say it’s a food destination, but if you’re after a fun, convenient place to meet, it’s worth a visit.

The place looks gorgeous ready for Christmas...that's what drew us in tbh. The lady showing us to our table managed to knock a glass off the first 2 tables (big menus small tables...) but we got there in the end. Food was delicious but not hot...staff seemed very busy so there was no one to flag this up to at the time. On the whole would recommend though!

Great location, good food and great service (thanks Rashema!). Super kids friendly

thanks Reshma for the service ! We ate very well

Food was below average, did not enjoy the meal at all. The service was shocking, waiters/waitresses did not share information on diners requirements. We removed the service charge from our bill. We will not be returning.

Enjoyed a meal here in the evening on a Sunday. It was busy but they managed to get us in after around 10 minutes waiting (at a comfortable table with drinks). My husband had a hoisin duck flatbread that was delicious. I had fish and chips which was ok. Service was great, really friendly staff and a nice atmosphere. Would recommend.

It's OK. It's a generic city bar, the same drinks, rushed staff who appear unhappy. If you're going here it's probably for work drinks. If you have an area reserved it will be just fine.

I recently dined at The Folly in Bank with friends, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience that I wouldn’t recommend it. The food was underwhelming, and the noise levels were so high that having a conversation was nearly impossible. Service also left much to be desired. Shortly after arriving, we were rushed to order drinks, but then waited 25 minutes for them to arrive, with the olives and nuts we’d ordered never making it to the table. When the main dishes finally arrived, they were staggered, with three served well before the last. We’d specifically requested a plain veggie burger for my pregnant partner, but it arrived with toppings and had to be redone, meaning we couldn’t eat together. And my rare sirloin steak was not great (for £30). My fresh mint tea order was also forgotten by the end... It seemed our waitress wasn’t particularly enthusiastic—interactions felt blunt and unfriendly, with no smiles or warmth. Although the venue's dance floor and atmosphere might appeal to some, I wouldn’t return for the dining experience.

Nice Place ! Thanks a lot to Reshma & Anjali for the great & friendly service :-)

We came for dinner and the food was very good. The host was very friendly and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble! We would come again

We came for dinner tonight, the food was nice but the host was lovely, so welcoming and attentive, nothing we asked for was too much. She really made our evening far more enjoyable! Thank you :)

The folly is actually a great place and I've had many good nights here but unfortunately my most recent experience has put me off and I would not recommend it. There were irrationally aggressive bouncers out the front especially considering we had a booking. 31st October 24 7pm The steak and steak sandwich is also awful. Stick to the arancini and the scotch egg

Splendid place, clean and well cared for in design Excellent food and fast service. We were served by our compatriot Costantino 🇮🇹 very nice and professional. We will definitely return.

I went there with my friends! There was a DJ downstairs, nice cocktails and food upstairs. Very big venue and so many people, it was nice night out with friends, and made new ones as well. Very happy with the staff and organisers of Balancers events there! 😊🙏 Very nice night out with friends at Halloween party at the Folly! Great venue for so many things to organise there 🙌 👌 👏

Ate very good chicken pie. It was my first time in London and it was a fitting restaurant for this great day!

Great restaurant! Very nice decoration, refined cuisine

Excellent staff and food. Service was amazing, food came very quickly and very good quality. Our waiter was Reshma and she was exceptional!

Really nice Drake and Morgan venue. So pretty and comfortable. I always think the food could be a bit better in this chain. Not as fresh or generous as I would expect for the price. Worth a visit nonetheless.

Great food and even better service by Reshma!

Second time back in a few weeks, amazing food and drinks. Good service, lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend, and congrats to the team.

The place is very nicely decorated. Unfortunately you can't drink the coffee and the service was unfriendly.

Totally buzzing venue with a great atmosphere.

Upon booking at table for 12.15 we were told it would be for 2 hours ,1 out of 5 meals didn't arrive having complained 4 times when it did arrive the other 4 people had almost finished their meals. AT 13.20 we were then asked to move tables. This was supposed to be an enjoyable reunion which was totally spoiled. They were very apologetic not charging for one meal and discounting the bill. However that is not acceptable and we will not be returning to this venue.

Lovely place. Awful food. Average Service. Good for a drink only. Impressive Christmas decorations...bit early though.

Love the vibe of this restaurant. I had steak which was really tasty. Just a bit disappointed with the service as I didn’t see enough servers that could be attentive to all customers. By the way, it’s quite loud, not suitable for a nice conversation or a date, good for hanging out with your friends (you can shout as much as you want). Other than that, it was a good foodie experience in London.

Went here for a drink after a lovely Saturday afternoon walk in London. It was extremely busy. However, we managed to find ourselves a couple of seats. Lovely atmosphere! Had been meaning to visit again for a while and finally made it. I would definitely be visiting again even if it is only for a drink...I've not eaten here, so I can't comment on the food.

Been here a few times now and never ceases to impress me. Staff at door were lovely. We had bar service for drinks and snacks. Snacks were of high quality. Definitely coming back.

Beautiful restaurant, great service by Reshma!

Reshma was so smiley and friendly that we came back again the very next day and she was also only too happy to help us with our tourist questions

Reshma was very kind. I received a menu recommendation and it was very delicious. A place I want to come again next time!

Lovely decor great room service was perfect from reshma she was very friendly polite and helpful. condiments need to be on the table or maybe ask if you would like them

Very nice place and the cocktails were perfect.👍

Thanks for the meal. Reshma was super nice

Food was fantastic. The place looks great. We also brought our dog Charlie and they were fantastic with him providing a dog bed and water bowl. Our server was lovely, her name was Reshma.

Very good food and drinks. Perfect place for relaxing time with friends.Great Service.Biggest Thank You for Reshma who serve us in perfect way.

Excellent address We were initially won over by the setting and then by the quality of the products. Reshma listened to us and was very pleasant and professional I recommend

Great food. The waitress Reshma was very nice and helpful. We recommend this place. The decor inside is beautiful.

A complete rip off. Took our order but failed to deliver. Ran out of roast beef and yorkshire pudding on a Sunday lunchtime. Supplied three tiny slices of beef with no yorkshires 15 minutes after other members of our party had received huge half chicken portions. Should not have accepted the order. They did not offer an alternative or apologise for their failure

Didn't eat here so can't comment if food. But the espresso Martini Hideaway was FABULOUS!

Beautiful bar and spacious. Drinks were great too!

This restaurant is absolutely divine (i.e. 200/10). 🥂 The place is magnificent, the food delicious, no waiting, the servers are smiling and pleasant. Frankly this address is flawless. PS: don’t hesitate to go to the toilet, the detour is worth it! PS: the waffle chicken is delicious

Terrible food, worst restaurant of the year. Ordered buttermilk pancakes, turn out they became 'bitter'milk pancakes. The pancakes are so bitter that I almost puked. (I wonder how they made them, never thought a proper restaurant could fail in pancakes.). I used to finish all dishes even they are not very good ,but this time I had to tell the staff that the pancakes are so unacceptable, and I refused to eat. Services is bad. People around us had all been served water except us, until we requested for the second time. After I complained the dish, no apology from the staff or manager. Instead, the manager and the lady who served us, very obviously avoided to make eye contact with us. Price not cheap but the food and service are honestly not up to standard, very terrible and disappointing. My weekend was ruined, thanks.

Roast wasn't good beef was overcooked, chips were OK, salmon and samphire were both overcooked, only chicken on waffle was nice. dessert wasn't good as well. The ambience and service were good.

Great service combined with amazing food!

The food was rather plain, but I quite liked their drinks collection and they even had nice wine on their menu. The service was quite good, quick and the staff was friendly. Good for after work drinks given the location. Not that amazing for a meal.

Great place for a lunch, very nice range of dishes on the menu.

The staff are excellent. Really pleasant and efficient. We were sat at a table with comfy chairs that have blankets and cushions on so very relaxed. We weren’t rushed. The food came out in good time. The only thing that wasn’t quite there was the desserts. The steamed sponge and chocolate brownie were very very dry. Everything else was perfect, so had a great experience

Beatrice and Ethan are phenomenal, such excellent service and friendliness

Rachel quickest pint in london FACTS. 0.5 seconds Amazed Will come again

This place has a lovely vibe and a cosy atmosphere. The food is great, and the prices are very reasonable. Downstairs is a fun area for drinks and dancing with some fantastic music. Mim provided excellent service; she was polite and very helpful. She even brought us a brownie for our friend's birthday and sang the birthday song for us. Overall, it was an amazing experience!

It’s just so hard to get service and then so slow to get drinks . My bottle of water took over 23 mins to arrive I am sooo thirsty what the hell

Food was a bit faffy honestly, but RACHEL made our entire night, she was so lovely the whole way through and very fun to be around, everytime I needed her she was literally right behind me, want to take her home with me :( love you rach xxx

Great food and service as always. Thank you Anjali for looking after us 😊

Not bad but a little crowded sometimes.

Had chicken skewers and the rump steak. The chicken skewers were wet and if it wasn't for the fact I could see they were cooked I would have thought they were still raw based on the texture. The steak was cooked well but had no flavour. The chips were the dregs of the bag, small and mostly air. If it wasn't the fact that the people I was with had a much better experience then this would have been a 2 star review.

Did the cocktail making class - Arjun was amazing 🤩🤩

Gigi was amazing, Great recommendations and great customer service, would highly recommend

Look pretty place but personal wasn’t nice with me

What a great, social place, amazing

Very dark, multiple people using torches to see the menu. Very loud, waiter couldn’t hear so lead to multiple incorrect drinks. The decor is very nice. Portions are small. Part of the Drake and Morgan group; there are nicer examples than this.

I went for a meetup event, nice place.

I didn't eat, but the drink was ok and not expensive

Gıgı ,thank you for everything 🤩

Gigi was great - he gave us everything for free for this review! 😊

Gigi was amazing! Best server ever!

One of the best fish and chips in London. Excellent service. They have detailed menu outlining the allergens. Very clean and well designed toilets.

Gıgı . The food and everything was amazing.Furthermore, gigi was very helpful and kind. Thx for service

Gıgı thanks for service we have good time

Gigi was a great host. Loved the food and wine. Good atmosphere.