The Folly Inn in South Northamptonshire

Very hostile staff as soon as we arrived as a party of 10. Shown out to a beautiful marquee outside but no heating had been on to pre warm the room & it was bitter out there (thermostat showing 8 degrees)! Staff very put out that we asked for the heaters to be put on. Waited a long time to be asked if we’d like drinks, we offered to go to the bar & order but were made to feel like we couldn’t go in the bar. Drinks eventually came but with no friendly face or explanation of the menu etc that you usually get in a restaurant. Service really slow & all food dumped in front of us in an unfriendly manner as though everything was simply too much trouble. At the end of the meal a member of staff asked if we’d like anything else, so we ordered another round of drinks(around 10pm) whilst we waited for our taxis home. A few minutes later a different member of staff came out to tell us the bar closed at 9.30! When we questioned this we were told it was due to licensing! We were a polite party of 10, a lot of us in our 40’s and 50’s, not rowdy, just wanting a nice meal & a few drinks. The food was amazing but due to the atmosphere & poor service we will not return here & will not be recommending it to our friends & family. Such a shame as we had spent £800 and would’ve given a good tip had things have been different.

Really lovely meal along with friendly and accommodating staff who went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect

Very atmospheric restaurant in Towcester serving delightful food ... the Festive menu is superb ...

Three of us went for lunch. Menu looked good, food was ok but not outstanding. If you order sea bass as a special, you get just one fillet. Plenty of stodge - rice and potatoes. Excellent waiter.

Friendly staff, great food, very good value for money. Good menu either fixed price or a la carte. Excellent quality of food

Excellent lunch at The Folly today. Very tasty food and excellent service. Well done Team Folly. Will definitely be returning

Not our first visit to The Folly Towcester. Never disappointed and both food and service always good. My wife had the chicken supreme with a glass of excellent wine choose by our waiter. I had the lambs liver with crispy bacon which I asked to be cooked well and it was absolutely perfect, not over cooked both tender and full of flavour. My sister in law had the belly pork, and found it perfect, and brother in las had the beef and ale pie with a large tub of chips. We left well satisfied,

Go every 2 weeks on a Sunday for a roast dinner with my daughter, only place to go for a roast near me , in my opinion.

We were lucky enough to get a late lunch booking and we had a wonderful afternoon. A great , almost retro style dining experience , with fantastic service. The food was amazing - you can tell it was all freshly cooked. A lovely way to while away a Sunday afternoon

Sirloin steak was good, belly pork recommended for good reason. Good attentive staff,very courteous.

Excellant roast 5* stunning!! Best i've ever had (we both had pork in the end) , excellant pate starter 5* really enjoyed it , although that amount of pate and chutney needs another piece of toasted bread, happens everywhere ive no idea why giving the bread in probably the cheapest bit of the dish ( however i refused to be beaten and just ate the pate and chutney on its own at it was so nice :) ) banoffee cheesecake was underwelming compared to other desserts i've had and tasted like frozen that had been defrosted although my wife thought it was lovely ( i have a major sweetooth so i think i'm right) Staff were fairly good although we didnt get our cultlery for starter and i got the wrong main which i accepted as the option was to wait 10-15 mins while they prepared the chicken roast i ordered. ( i remember the young lad saying he should remember the starter and main order for just two people as he gave us our drinks to begin ( no glass offered with the bottle of cider until i asked so i would offer people the option as an improvment) ..2 pate, 1 roast pork, one roast chicken was the order but i still ended up with pork and then when it came and i pointed this out i was asked to confirm by the mamager id changed my mind and thats why it had been sent back, no id sent it back because i thought it was someone elses dinner and they had sent it to me while some poor chap on another table was staring at a chicken wondering where his crackling was. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the food and it was a lovely way to celebrate, ate too much as didn't want to leave any bit should have skipped dessert or had a different one and it was a struggle to walk home.:)

6 of us went yesterday lunch time and had a fantastic meal, we all had something different and every meal was superb , would highly recommend and we will be going back , thankyou

Disappointing visit. We decided to pop down to last minute for a family dinner for my granddaughter’s birthday. The first thing I noticed was the lack of table cloths. There have always been white table cloths but these were missing from all tables. There were no table mats, the table was laid up when after we arrived. The tables were sticky, usually a sign that the cleaning products are not being mixed correctly. We weren’t offered a children’s menu, only when ordering our dessert. The food was far below the usual standard expected when you visit. As a vegetarian I opted for the coco and chickpea curry, which was served with some white rice and some very salty kale on top. It was very poor, almost like a thick soups with carrots and a few chickpeas. Very disappointing. No ones food as hot, warm at best. No check back made to see if our food was ok. As we were celebrating my granddaughter birthday, my daughter asked if they had a candle for the ice cream, which they did. Overall far below the standard expected/ I am concerned the management change has seen a significant drop in standards. A real shame/

Very nice pub for some fine dining. We had the roast pork and the vegan chickpea curry. Both were excellent

Food top quality and therefore appropriately higher priced than standard pubs. One younger gentleman doing a grand job - without him we would have walked out. Lady doing admin/booking updates etc at the bar on a tablet, completely ignored us waiting - rude!! Hopefully just a one off as lovely pub.

I’ve never wrote a review for a restaurant before, this is my first time as generally we never have issues. Me and my boyfriend came for a meal after work first time coming since it’s new ownership. We both had the Camembert to start and I had the chicken with pesto and my boyfriend had pork belly. The food was amazing - HOWEVER, after the starter, my boyfriend started to say he had a tingling mouth and itchy lips (this is how his allergic reactions normally start) we waited to see how he was feeling and I could see he was starting to struggle and couldn’t eat his main meal. I went and got a menu to double check what the starter contains and definitely no nuts and fish were on there (which he is allergic to). I asked the staff behind the bar if there is anything else they use which isn’t listed, as my boyfriend is having an allergic reaction. They looked confused and double checked with kitchen staff, to which they just said “no, we haven’t used nuts and fish” but then stated they used fish earlier on. I informed them I had pesto in my meal and to double check this wasn’t contaminated with his food. Whilst waiting around for some answer and reassurance, I got none and I just left to go and get my partner for us to leave. We waited at the bar for someone to acknowledge us, to which a lady stated “Al pesto doesn’t have nuts” to which I replied “it is, it’s pine nuts”. We received no other communication, reassurance, checking if my partner was okay, or seeing if there was anything they could do. We then just got asked “I’m assuming you want to pay now” printed off the bill and gave it to us with chocolates. Then laughed to check if the chocolate has nuts. I continued to pay our bill in full and just leave. Our issue wasn’t taken seriously, no one knew what to say or do, we were given no help or check my partners well-being (who got worse as we got home) Really disappointed and we won’t be going back.

Four satisfied customers. Learnt about the pub's near three century history. Towcester is an attractive town, too.

The roasts were amazing. Had a wounderful wine. Cozy atmosphere and excellent service. We will recommend, and we will be back soon!

The food was lovely. Plenty of gluten free options. Cosy atmosphere. Parking not an issue.

Excellent Sunday lunch, a new venue for us , booking was easy , great location plenty of parking , friendly efficient reception shown straight to table, bar area is small so not a great place to arrive too early for booking.service was very good, drinks arrived promptly food order taken and starters arrived quickly We both ordered the Roast options and were delicious but neither of us managed to clear our plates - probably too much food if I’m honest , even a 15-20% reduction wouldn’t be noticed. Great value for money we highly recommend this restaurant

The Jewelled Nut Roast from the Sunday Roast menu was excellent. Other members of our party said the roast chicken and roast pork was good too. Service was good.

A great menu and good food all served by our excellent host “Annabella “ she was attentive and made our meal even more special with her excellent service

Have had lunch today, absolutely delicious . I had the terrine with sough dough toast and fish and chips followed by Eton Mess. Very busy, very friendly, excellent service. Highly recommend.

My friends and I had dinner at The Folly recently celebrating my birthday. We had a lovely time with great service and excellent food. Tracey is attentive and friendly as ever - and we really had a great time - we will be back soon.

It was good....but not outstanding, though the prices were not cheap...at the top end of my lunchtime budget

Enjoyed my mushroom wellington meal

Went for lunch with parents, they ordered the terrine which looked like an autopsy gone wrong. And it was tasteless to boot and came with hardly any bread. I opted for the Wagyu burger which was so gristle ridden, I suspected whether it wasn't just regular beef. My mom enjoyed the pork belly main although the gravy was sparing. My dad had surf and turf, the prawns weren’t cooked and were insipid looking, just shoved on a skewer and the steak was so fatty and sinewy thank God for steak knives. The chips were also undercooked. I ordered a dessert which did not taste nice so asked to return it and order something different. The second option was better so ate most of that. When the bill came it showed both desserts and when this was queried were told, you ordered it you pay for it. I said it wasn't a good dessert and was told that was personal preference and many other people had ordered it and said it was lovely. This wasn't true, I didn't see one of those carried to a table and I was in a good place to see what came out from the kitchen. My father left the money on the bar and walked out which meant the waitresses got less tip due to the manager’s decision to not remove an item from the bill. Bottom line, 2 ladies who served were very friendly and helpful. Won't be rushing back due to the combative attitude of the manager. Hospitality not high on her priority list and we will not be returning customers. Over priced limited menu, think most of the reviews were from previous landlords. Be careful what you order. You will be billed even if it isn’t to your taste.

The food and service was very good. Staff were really friendly and considerate.

A lovely setting for a wedding party. The staff were excellent with superb service and had already prepared tables for our arrival. Several food options were taken by the guests and all agreed the food was excellent. The favourite of the day seemed to be the fish and chips ! The fish was huge with lovely batter. Thank you staff at The Folly for rounding off the perfect day for the couple and we will be back again.

A wonderful meal in a lovely environment. The meal I had last night was delicious as was everyone’s at our table of 6. I needed to ask for a doggy bag as it was a large portion. The service was attentive but not intrusive and prompt. The new owners are obviously maintaining the high standards of quality and value as always. Thanks for a lovely evening Team Folly.

Great food, looked very appetising and tasted great Both of our meals looked as though they had been plated and sat under a heat lamp for some time and could have been a little hotter Having said that the starters and desserts were excellent, bread and butter pudding was brilliant

Lovely pub which is now really a restaurant. They very kindly allow camper vans to park overnight in their car park providing of course you use the restaurant. Excellent.

Went as a party of 12, we were put outside in marquee, it was heated, great as it was a chilli night. As there were 12 of us we got loud at times. The service was excellent and so was the food, if I got one tiny issue the wine was not chilled enough. Already thinking of my next visit in July for a double anniversary celebration.

No food, however it does get busy, so you need to book Dogs allowed Outside seating Lots of parking

Very good selection on the menu

Lovely evening meal, the food was delicious and the place is really nice with a great atmosphere. The staff are really friendly which just tops it all off

Its really good especially the beaf , Yorkshire pudding and the chips I can’t remember if they do have chips

Love little thatched roofed inn serving delicious, freshly cooked food. Had the black pudding and potato skins to start- tasty and a bit different. Pork for main. Crackling was cooked to perfection and there was plenty of it. Lemon tart for dessert which is on their set menu. Tangy and a decent amount of pastry. Service was good, staff were friendly and helpful. Would come back when in the area.

We have been coming to The Folly since the day they opened, and have never been disappointed. When we heard Robert was retiring, we were curious as to how the new owners would emulate and surpass Robert's vision for how he wanted The Folly to be. I am happy to say that the high standards have remained, and I am looking forward to seeing how they make some changes down the road. I am reliably informed that there aren't any plans to make drastic changes, although there will be some slight additions to the menu. This time, we came for a late Sunday lunch. We were warmly welcomed by Hannah, who showed us to our table with a flask of water and asked if we would any further drinks. So professional, and unlike many places, where you are shown to your table and then ignored. We had traditional Sunday Roast, which was so tasty and beautifully presented. We had no room left for desserts, but could see they looked suitably yummy 😋 I wish the new owners the best of fortunes with The Folly and look forward to coming back soon.

Walked into a almost empty pub to be told they are fully booked very strange group of people behind the bar

Thought it had been taken over for more friendly approach/

A poor Sunday lunch. Service was fine when someone was there, but too often they weren't. We were stuck in a tent outside of the main pub and service was less than apparent for too much of the time. Food was good but too much of it was cold. We weren't the only table sending dishes back as a result. To be fair then they knocked some off for the issues we experienced, but not the meal we hoped for.

Wonderful dining experience- family of six that met up for the first time in nearly two years. We weren't rushed at all, or bothered except when we needed something, the service was perfect and the food absolutely top class. Catered daily for gluten free with no missing out on parts of the meal - everything is prepared individually. Thank you!

Yet another superb meal for four, friendly staff who reserved a table with disabled access. Quite surprised how busy they are on a Thursday lunchtime - you need to book, which is a good sign!!

Lunch at The Folly was a family occasion meeting point for travelling from around the country. Plenty of parking. There was seven of us plus a toddler. Lunch was lovely great choice on the menu and plenty of it; food was hot and well-presented. We were well fed by the time we left, quite stuffed. Reasonably priced worked out at around £40 each for 3 courses and drinks (not including the toddler). which I think is good. Staff were efficient and friendly and we were not rushed into finishing and leaving in fact I think we were there for around 3 hours in total. I would highly recommend The Folly easy to book and welcoming.

Have lived in Towcester for years but today was the first time we’ve visited The Folly for a long time. Excellent Sunday Roast, welcoming staff, pleasant atmosphere. Very good value. We’ll definitely be back. Thanks.

Excellent food, great staff and a relaxed atmosphere make for a lovely evening. It's a small restaurant and feels a bit like you're in someone's own home. We were very well looked after and would definitely go back.

Comfortable atmosphere and couldn't fault the roast dinner. Best I've had when eating out for a long time

Beautiful place inside and out. Great food, exemplary service. Definitely one to return to.

One of our party of 5 is ceoliac. We were advised this was not a problem. They chose haddock chips and peas all gluten free. They also had some Cali flower cheese which we were also assured was gluten free. All good was lovely and very generous portions. Unfortunately as we were travelling home (40 mins) my daughter who is ceoliac began to feel very unwell. She knew from her symptom that it was due to her having been given something that has gluten in it? We made it home and she was very poorly. I telephoned the pub to try to discover where the cross contamination may have occurred. I was passed to the cook who said I don’t have a ****ing clue and hung up on me! The owner rang my daughter when he was informed of this . My point to this review is if you cannot assure your customers that it is safe for them to eat at your establishment then please don’t cater for allergies it really isn’t worth it! I would also like to add that on their website 2 course Sunday lunch was £22.00 . When we were given our mother day menus it was £30.00 for 2 courses but exactly the same menu! We will not be returning here.

Great food excellent location great service from Darren and Lee fabulous time.

The whole dining experience was so enjoyable, staff really friendly, the resturant was busy, however the seating arrangement doesnt make you feel your in a crowded setting.

Really delicious and pretty food. Managed to combine inn and restaurant vibes in one. Snug and cosy interior. Very good with vegan/dairy free options as well.

Really good to have The Folly on our doorstep. We regard it as a treat to visit. Well cooked and presented food at reasonable prices. We had the fixed price at £27 for 3 courses, so with drinks and gratuity it came in at around £40 per person. I had delicious parsnip and apple soup which sounded odd but was great. The batter on the fish was very crispy. I had a medium portion which was enough. Can't imagine I could have eaten the large one. My chocolate orange cup was really moreish. We were impressed with our waiter- just the right amount of attention.

Once again, a great meal. Service was attentive but not intrusive. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and the tables are not too close together. Will be back The set menu is excellent value

Fantastic restaurant with delicious food! Robert and Tracey (not married) were brilliant hosts and super friendly. Thank you for a lovely evening and hats off to the chef!! We will be back!

Met up with a friend and had lunch. Two course deal. Food was excellent and service was friendly and professional. Would definitely recommend.

From booking to departing the communication was excellent. A gathering of family from different locations to celebrate a 93rd birthday. We had a dog and were informed from the start that we would be in the marquee to accommodate him. It was warm and bright. The staff are well organised and friendly and the dog was spoilt with treats. Food was excellent with a good choice and an unsolicited birthday candle. Would recommend.

Absolutely superb meal again, great service and great food, menu is continually changing with 2 menu to suit all tastes and budgets

We’ve been twice now in the last couple of months and both times have been absolutely fantastic. The staff are very attentive. The decor is lovely it’s very homely at the same time it’s not overly busy which is brilliant because that means your food arrives within a good amount of time it arrives hot Arrives well presented. They don’t have a huge menu again absolutely brilliant. I don’t want to sit there and try and choose something of 12 different pages and what they do offer is very good quality so you have good choices good quality food lovely staff and a lovely evening

We regularly visit The Folly, always a warm friendly welcome , wonderful attentive service. Incredible tasting food. Thoroughly recommend. Thank you to Robert and all the staff

We have enjoyed dining at this excellent, quality restaurant with local family for many years now. The team at The Folly consistently deliver fine dining with a varied and desirable wine list, all served and presented with style under the watchful eye and leadership of the proprietor. Always accommodating of individual preference and need and never fails to deliver. Highly recommended.

Cosy little restaurant serving locally sourced (where possible) food expertly cooked. Friendly atmosphere. Ideal for a leisurely lunch or special dinner.

Absolutely delicious evening meal with my wife. From the polite friendly staff to the excellent food and great wine cannot recommend the folly too highly. Will definitely come back.

Thought I'd write this whilst I'm still sat here. Wow, incredible food. Seriously one of the best meals i have ever eaten. This place should have a Michelin Star. Everything was perfect. We will definitely be coming back. I'm just annoyed I've lived here for years and never been!!!

This was a great find following a recommendation from a friend. The pub felt really welcoming and the Sunday lunch despite being late in the day was one of the best we’d had. We also found the service to be excellent all round and will...

We had the fish and chips. Service was great and food delicious. Reasonably priced. Very quaint. Nicely presented Will come again

Went for my finances 50th birthday and it was perfect! The food was amazing, service was fabulous and such good value. A lovely touch of a scoop of ice cream with a candle. The owner wished him a happy birthday as we entered and left....

Everything as expected. Warm welcome, we were contacted mid day to check any allergies and possible menu choice (Sunday roast) (& probably to confirm booking). Food & drink AOK, service good. Toilets a bit basic for the restaurant (more sports pub than family restaurant but...

Spot on as usual. Thank you Robert and the team. Booked on line for 5.45pm and got a call to confirm our booking. We always come back.

The Folly never disappoints although having chosen the "Smaller Adult roast", which is an excellent idea as the standard portions are too large, we did not find this quite up to the standard of the usual Sunday roasts. That said, it was still very good...

wonderful place - very kind and great food. Very tolerant with our friends' anxious dog too who wouldnt budge out of the way.

Arrived busy Sunday no booking, took last table near door with our dog, Made to feel very welcome, fast service Ordered trio very nice plenty of meat & veg. The Pleanty of parking, opposite race course off A5. Advisable book I7

Found this place on Brit Stops and it did not disappoint. Turned all the kitchen back on for us and we was 5 minutes late for last orders and the food was outstanding. Customer service was top notch also. Couldn’t of asked for better defiantly...

Excellent and efficient service. Very polite and friendly staff. Excellent food. A very good choice on the menu and a very good vegan choice.

We came here to celebrate my mother's big birthday. The staff were fabulous from the moment we stepped in the door. They took us straight to a lovely table and made Mum feel really special, including with a candle in her dessert. The Folly offers...

Excellent food and impeccable service. Meeting family from London and locally. Excellent gluten free fish and chips. Very good value for money

This place is hard to get a table as the food and service is top notch went a couple of weeks ago so booked up for my birthday I tried calf's liver lady time and my god I've never tasted liver like that it was like eating steak , 🥩 beautiful this time I had the duck my god my mouth was drooling well worth the wait and book in advance to avoid disappointment you won't be trust me 🫵 you need yo come 🙂👌👌👌👌🍛🍜🍝

First time at Folly’s and it was amazing! Service deserves 5 stars, polite, friendly. Food was fresh and full of flavours. Whole restaurant is very clean and has lovely atmosphere. We’ll definitely come back.

Comfortable, excellent service. Recommended.

Another wonderful meal with fabulous service at The Folly. Never disappointed at this lovely restaurant.

First time, good service and great food. Wine lovely to. Will return for sure with friends. Can eat in heated enclosed outside area to.

Great lunch. The service was great so helpful and attentive. Foo was excellent and great options. Nothing was too much trouble

I visited with a group of friends. Two staff were polite and attentive. Excellent customer service. Most of us had the fish and chips. All meals were wonderfully cooked and with great portion sizes. I would definitely visit again.

Wonderful meal. My brother is coeliac and there was a big choice of gluten free food, not just steak and chips! Love the warm and cozy atmosphere in the restaurant. Best place to eat in the area

Great service, lovely atmosphere, delicious food. Very accommodating to my little dog and my friend’s toddler. Thanks, Folly 🤩

Very good meal and would recommend. However just a couple of negatives which missed the 5* review. Visited 13th Jan for dinner, however we popped in at lunch time after a long journey. Initially met with “it’s not a pub” which we apologised for but where allowed a drink which we greatly appreciated after a 3 hour journey. Arrived for our meal and woooow the food in this place deserves a Michelin star. Food - arrived promptly and was lovely and hot and very well presented. The plates looked stunning and the taste was mind blowing. Pork starter - just such a lovely dish Prawn starter - just mouthfuls of pure clean flavours Pork main - stunning and full of flavour Steak - cooked to perfection and the best bit of beef I have ever eaten (We couldn’t fit in pudding) Now a few negatives…. Drinks ordered (wine spritzer and larger) spritzer arrived with no spritz. Managed to get the lemonade but it was served in a gravy boat! Empty drinks - we had empty drink glasses for a while and had to ask for more drinks and when they arrived just plonked on table. No check back on food. No offer of condiments The food was stunning but we left feeling slightly deflated from the atmosphere from some of the staff. The male aged between 16 to 20 just needs to smile and engage with the customers as this would go along way. We appreciate how hard hospitality is but the younger staff (not being ageist) just need to smile and act like they want to be at work. Apart from these few staff issues it was amazing.

Fantastic meal for four, this could be our new favourite restaurant!

A fantastic meal for four, a little expensive if you go Al a carte but superb food in nice surroundings. Friendly staff with quick service.

Had works xmas lunch here and the service was good, food was excellent and nice atmosphere. Although clientele were of the senior range.

Lovely place great food a lovely staff 😊

New years eve meal with my friend. The folly once again came up trumps. What a wonderful meal . Starters Prawn cocktail , main three meat roast.Pork Beef and Chicken. Wow. The pork was so succulent and the cracking was perfect. Perfect size meal. Unfortunately I couldn't finish mine . The meal was wonderful. Can't wait to go back . This Restaurant is of a very high standard. The staff are excellent Ps. The great staff even gave me a doggy bag so I could have my meal later ,as I couldn't finish it . Thank You

Our third Boxing Day in a row and we intend to book for Boxing Day next year, which probably tells you all you need to know.

First visit to The Folly and it lived up to the expectations from the reviews on here. Food was enjoyable and presented with care. Service was excellent and friendly. A very enjoyable experience.

Our second visit, a meeting place between a north and south homes. It's a lovely, warm feeling pub with a good menu not so exhaustive as to leave one wondering whether all choices could be excellent. Our choices were given the seal of approval by us all. Minimal wait times and brisk and pleasant service.

A warm welcome, great food, great service, all in a lovely cosy and tasteful environment. We have been going to The Folly for a number of years now, and nothing changes. Thank goodness!! Well done, Rod and the Team, keep it up.

We had lunch with family in the heated marquee. We were asked to be seated there as we had a dog. It was nicely decorated and well heated. I was concerned we may be forgotten by the waiting staff as we were not in the...

After ordering, told no pate, forced to change course to desert, long wait to clear table, Not the usual service we receive, Thank you for replying, not sure if we are coming back after such poor service Staff should know what you are selling before taking orders,

Our favourite place to dine as a couple didn’t let us down when we had a family party of nine. Everyone enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Thank you Robert and the team.

Warm welcome Lovely atmosphere Excellent customer service Fabulous food Reasonable price Easy parking Not rushed Lovely choice of wines and beers