The Fox & Hounds Restaurant and Bar in East Hertfordshire

Lovely place and really good food. Only knocked off a star on atmosphere as the bar area is a nicer place to eat than the restaurant if you want a cosy sunday lunch, open fires and quaint setting, restaurant more formal set up. Just a suggestion, could do with better veggie or even vegan options

Our 2nd visit, this time for Sunday Lunch. Food, service and atmosphere is/was, TOP DRAWER!

A Wonderfull place. Our second visit (This time with friends). The food was fabulous, the atmosphere was comfortable and convivial, the service was impeccable. We will be back. 5*

Lovely pub, great staff, food was really good. The chef can really grill squid, it was perfect. The pork escalope was perfectly cooked and crispy, although it was huge, more than I could manage. Best panna cotta I have had in UK for dessert. Sausage roll from the shop was really good too, more sausage than pastry, but great texture and seasoning. I am not a local sadly, if I was this would be a very regular haunt!!

We were in area and fancied some dinner , a Quick Look in the Michelin guide led us there . What a wonderful place , the food was excellent the service great . Would definitely recommend and look forward to going back .

This month's menu features the irresistible fish soup. Also enjoyed the rigatoni with beef bolognese

Always an excellent meal here, the service is very good too, wouldn't mind a larger wine list though.

Stopped off for a light lunch on the way to Norfolk as was drawn by the menu online. Everything we had was excellent. The squid off the Josper was delicious, pasta al dente and quail very good. I agree with a previous review about quail not really spatchcocked but it was still excellent and so rare to find on menus for some obscure reason. Service polite and prompt. Would definitely recommend.

Very disappointed with lunch. The cheese souffle was actually not a souffle but more like an omelette, and cold in the centre. The spatchcock quail was left whole, not spatchcock with limp skin, under cooked, and lacking in flavour. The ice cream was good but not made in house. I have been here a few times before and enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere. Something has changed, and not for the better.

Past experience good, Today was very disappointing. Cold, under cooked, and over seasoned food. Food is not as described on the menu. Mediocre. I'm not sure if under new management, or new chef, or the chef couldn't cope with a large table of 35 at the same time as our table of 2. Whatever the reason, I won't be back.

Just visited Fox and Hound with best friend Had a lovely meal in nice and hospitable surroundings I am Sicilian and can honestly say their seafood linguine was amazing I will be back Great food , friendly and welcoming.

Delicious food, the service was excellent, lovely atmosphere. We will definitely be going back! Would highly recommend.

Lovely pub with great outdoor space and fab menu. Although no veggie main which was disappointing

We wanted a joyful wedding reception with excellent food and certainly weren't disappointed. We had our wedding reception at The Fox and Hounds after our ceremony at Place House Hall. The room looked fantastic and was very private for the whole afternoon. Bianca was very flexible about our menu; all of the food arrived swiftly and hot so that 28 people where able to eat together. We had so many compliments about the room, food and service. The cheese and hazelnut souffle and venison where huge hits. Thank you Bianca and James for our fun, happy and delicious wedding reception.

Comfortable and relaxed setting and atmosphere with staff who are discreet whilst being attentative. The food is outstanding, prepared and presented well with obvious skill and attention. For the gap between fine dining and gastro pubs, the space has been filled here expertly.

A great well run village bistro pub. We went off the 3 course menu, which had so many things I could have gone for. I had tagliatelle prawns, belly of pork and the cheeses, all of which were superb. 6 people all thought the same, well cooked homemade food, service on point (even offering the dogs a roast beef treat!) We will defo be back!

Visited this lovely Pub last Saturday, 27th, with a group of friends, amazing food, great service too. The menu is so varied but all dishes that we had were delicious, I personally had the Onglet Steak which was beautifully cooked. All of my friends had gorgeous food, I cannot recommend this little gem of a pub highly enough! Please visit as you won’t be disappointed.

Nice little place, felt very down to earth and friendly, nice staff. Food was good but not great and lacked a bit of umpf, portions was perfect for a lunch.

I am sorry to say we were disappointed with our visit - although the menu was inventive we were not impressed with the quality and did not meet our expectations - the wine menu was expensive. The waitresses were fine but needed to smile as you felt we were doing them a favour. To summarise the experience did not meet our expectations and lacking in value for the money.n

What a find! We did not book. Totally spontaneous visit and what a lovely space. Kind staff. Dog friendly and a “pub” menu that would not be out of sorts in somewhere like Clerkenwell. A joy to see. My partner said the fish cakes were the best she ever had. My skate with capers was beautifully cooked. My only quibble - not enough of the monks beard and the Ratte were not Ratte. Top of the night for us- a transcendental panacotta with Yorkshire rhubarb. Exceptional. Truly. Go and enjoy!

Had not eaten here for years but as good as I remembered. Delicious food and friendly helpful service from front of house. One of our party had been delayed and they juggled the starters for the other three and then matched up the mains to coincide with his arrival. Had the terrine, cheese soufflé, and goat’s cheese salad to stat followed by the pork in cider and the rigatoni with lamb. Cheeseboard, pear and almond tart and ice cream to finish. All very delicious.

I found this in the Michelin guide and was pleased to see it was only 15 mins away. I thought it’d be perfect to celebrate by boyfriends birthday, we’re both foodies! But it was a bit of a let down. Some of the food was lovely but not perhaps what I’d expect from somewhere in the Michelin guide. My pork chop was full of flavour but could have done with some sort of gravy, my boyfriend’s quail for fine but the chips really let it down they felt quite cheap and very dry! Both puddings were to be fair really lovely and our starters weren’t too bad. For somewhere that is price slightly higher than your average food pub I would have expected better quality especially on the chips. Service was absolutely lovely and the waitresses were really friendly and gave our pooch lots of fuss. We would come back for a drink but perhaps not again for food

Truly one of the best places to dine in the UK. I started with the minestrone soup, while my husband had the tuna tataki. For our main, we shared a delicious duck dish, followed by profiteroles for dessert. Every dish was fantastic, made with top-notch ingredients. We also grabbed some focaccia to go, which was incredibly tasty. The customer service was friendly and quick. I highly recommend a visit, We’ll definitely be returning!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Today was the second time we have come both times have been amazing great food so difficult to choose what to have as all looked delicious only disappointment was not being able to have a desert as too full but that's not because the portions were too big they were great just me . We Will be coming back again and again because we want to try the whole menu xx

Visited The Fox and Hounds hoping for a pleasant GF dining experience. Disappointed that the sauce wasn't GF, despite expectations. The waitresses were a bit abrupt and surly, diminishing the overall enjoyment. A missed opportunity for a more positive dining experience. Real shame.

Fantastic Sunday Lunch. Highly recommend for small or large groups.

We were greeted by two lovely ladies and made to feel welcome. Two of us ordered cheese soufflé that did surprise us. It was very stodgy with a dark brown crust on the top. The pork chop was delicious but really needed a lovely pork gravy (so easy to make with the pork juices) and apple sauce. The potatoes accompanying the Dover Sole were very floury and surely Charlotte potatoes or similar would have been more appropriate. I would welcome the chef’s reply to my soufflé query as it baffles us. Probably wouldn’t visit again.

Really lovely meal. Great service. Fantastic evening. Thank you.

This is one of our favourite pubs. The food is always fantastic and the staff friendly and helpful. Haven’t been for a while and was just as good as we remembered. Keep up the good work. Thank you for a lovely evening!

Probably one of the best roast dinners I have ever had, found it by chance and fortunately booked ahead and got the last table.

Hi, I wanted to take my family out for a special meal to celebrate my 70th birthday. I went there last night 27 January. I booked a chauffeur driven minibus to take us all there from Stevenage and collect us later. I chose this restaurant and knew they had just refurbed their dining room. I was not disappointed- the refurbishment was lovely and classy. I had requested pink champagne for our arrival Billecart Salmon pink rose. As soon as the menus arrived there was a lot of discussion amongst us all as there was such a good choice of starters, mains and deserts. There were also specials available as well as these regulars options. Four of our party chose the lamb specials for mains. They said it was superb. I chose the Portuguese clams for starters - excellent - followed by cod loin on a bed of Indian curry mussels- excellent. Five of our party managed deserts. I and a few others had a coffee/ tea. We then retired to the bar for liqueurs etc until our transport arrived. Thank you for a lovely night with superb food, service and setting.

Interesting and exceptionally busy venue. They welcome dogs, one sat near my feet watching me a lot, but well behaved! Took a little time to order and get my first course, but after that service was well paced. Generally happy with service, any slight glitches were a reflection of how busy it as. Josper squid was delicious with nice leaves too. Well matched with perfect chorizo. Main was a very good quality roast beef, well presented nicely cooked, with very well cooked vegetables. Dessert was on a whole different level… Paris Brest, choux pastry, praline cream, hot chocolate sauce & toasted nuts of exceptional taste and quality, only niggle would like Choux slightly lighter! Lovely staff, clean characterful toilets. Well worth the hours drive just past Harlow.

Lovely country pub with excellent food and great service! We had a lovely meal on a cold winters day in front of an open log fire. Very friendly service and a nice menu.

Great food, great service. It's a real treat to eat here.

We had an excellent Christmas lunch. Could not fault it in anyway. Great food and experience. Thank you. Neil

Family Sunday lunch today for 20 of us. Excellent service, delicious food and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others.

Absolutely love this gorgeous pub & restaurant. Such a welcoming ambiance, and owners James & Bianca are lovely. They’ve just had their restaurant refurbished and it oozes class. Takes your breath away. Food top notch too. Beautiful place.

I’ve been there a week ago and I’m still thinking how good the experience was. Food, service and location. I was there with a chef and our families. We both run 4 restaurants in London… still, amazed. Booked already for next time. Well done. P.s. Edy was outstanding.

We love this place. We always have a lovely meal and experience.

Probably the best restaurant experience I have had in years. Really creative dishes, perfectly cooked and well presented and at reasonable prices. Friendly staff and relaxed atmosphere meant we had a really great evening - thank you, we'll be back! Update Nov 23 - And we have been back, several times, and it's just as good - certainly not a flash in the pan!

Gastropub with prices to match. Not for me.

Probably the best gastro pub in the East of England

We went here yesterday as guests as part at a special occasion for Sunday lunch. There were eleven of us. The welcome, service and food were outstanding. I had the devilled kidneys, followed by slow cooked lamb (shared between four of us, with the most amazing variety of fresh vegetables) and then STP for desert. A lovely warm atmosphere the whole time which made the occasion totally memorable. Thoroughly recommended.

This is the best restaurant for miles around for food, service and a calm atmosphere without the clamour in many others. I enjoyed a wonderful birthday lunch there in mid September chateaubriand with the best chips ever. Thank you chef and staff

We visited this pub whilst cycling in glorious sunshine last Saturday. What an absolute gem of a place, immaculate gardens beautifully clean toilets, coffee and freshly made sausage rolls generously filled with quality sausage-meat along with a good selection of fresh pastries. All items were reasonably priced. We seemed to be the only foursome in there at around 10am to 12 noon and I think that’s because even though the pub is situated along a busy cycle route most cyclists don’t know it exists, as there is no mention on the website welcoming cyclists.Plus, the A board outside just has the main menu. It really needs another A board with ‘coffee, sausage rolls, pastries and cyclists welcome’. If this also listed prices, I’m sure the daytime clientele would increase dramatically. My only comment for improvement is a mug of coffee always goes down better than a cup even if there is an additional charge for a large coffee. I will definitely be back and wish this excellent business every success.

Great food and great service with a smile throughout a wonderful wedding.

I had high hopes after reading reviews for this gastropub but I was sadly underwhelmed. We ate in the back dining room which is OK but lacks the nice atmosphere of the bar area. The food is fine but not amazing, the Frito Misto starter at £15 was tasty but definitely not worth the price. The bill at the end had extra drinks that we had not had and even after pointing this out checking the ticket when we got home we had still been overcharged, one drink had been removed and not the other. I would say I'm not completely disgruntled but I'm not gruntled either. Yes grunted is a word.

saw the other reviews and thought it would be awesome very disappointing the beef was lovely but the veg was very under cooked the gravey was brown tasteless water if it wasn't for the fantastic company my dearest friend her daughter partner and awesome children it would have been a disaster I think £86 for two courses for two people was way over priced we would have been better off going for a local carvery well you don't know if you don't try?

Lovely place, waited for an age to get served, but lovely when it finally arrived. Overpriced though for what was roast lamb dinner...in a very noisy pub area, a pub where they didn't serve Guiness or really any popular beers, so bit of a strange place all in all, not quite a restaurant and not quite a pub

The cheese souffle was not great, very stodgy pudding texture sat in a bowl of sauce. Mentioned to the staff but no apology.Would not recommend this starter The roast beef was very good! The chicken was very good Very boney turbot but good taste Generous portion sizes Felt a bit rushed to leave at the end by staff but overall a good Sunday lunch

My partner and I eat out regularly. We love our food and really appreciate experiencing the way flavours are layered, and coupled together on a plate. We appreciate everything from classic dishes, simple but flavoursome dishes to a fusion of experimentation with ingredients, flavours and textures. We are fortunate enough to be able to be able to dine out in several counties and countries. Our visit to The Fox and Hounds in Hunsdon was nothing more than ordinary, as far as the food goes. But what was extraordinary was the prices for our ordinary food. We eat out in London regularly and expect to pay a premium price for a chefs talent, and training, combined with a lovely setting and a great atmosphere, I’m sure the chef here is talented, but the food was average at best, the atmosphere was sadly lacking and although one waitress was very friendly the service wasn’t great. This was a Saturday evening and for the prices charged we just would have loved to have had a better experience. In fact we were willing it!! It’s really not about the money… it’s more about our precious time, I absolutely love leaving positive reviews, but sadly on this occasion we really shouldn’t be coming away feeling ‘somewhat had over’ and hungry. Disappointing to say the least. Sorry but from the heart!

Lovely pub / restaurant with great service and delicious food! I’ve been here a couple of times and will be back for sure.

Drinks on the terrace moving on to an amazing evening meal inside. From the setting, atmosphere, service and most of all the food we found everything to be absolutely faultless

Great experience eating here. We booked last minute but still managed to get a table. The staff were very friending and the food was outstanding. Would highly recommend the Chateaubriand with added green beans and spinach. For dessert the profiteroles were a great choice. All in all a lovely evening.

Brilliant pub in a picturesque village. Got lucky calling on a Sunday morning and got a table. Food was fantastic especially the lamb roast and the croissant bread and butter pudding. Friendly, warm service. Highly recommended!

We had a wonderful Sunday lunch at the Fox and Hounds Hunsdon. They managed to accomodate us on Easter Sunday at the last minute with no issues. The roast beef was cooked to perfection and the cut tasted delicious. The Yorkshire pudding was light and fluffy. The vegetables were perfectly cooked and the gravy was rich and flavorful. We finished our meal with a delicious scoop of ice cream and an espresso. The service was excellent. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and she made sure that we had everything we needed. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The restaurant is located in a beautiful old building, and the interior is decorated in a traditional style. The restaurant was busy, but it didn't feel crowded. We felt like we were dining in someone's home. We highly recommend the Fox and Hounds Hunsdon to anyone looking for a delicious Sunday roast and excellent service. The bill was more expensive than what we would normally pay but it reflected well in the experience.

This was our first visit to the "Fox and Hounds" since Lockdown. Put simply it is as good as ever it was if not even better. I wanted to say "thank you" to three ezceptional women in my life - an osteopath, a doctor and my wife. All four of us had a splendind meal, with time to savour each course, with time to talk and enjoy each other's company, with no feeling of being rushed. All three courses that I had (Prawn Tagliatelli, Venison Pie and Honeycomb ice-cream, all of which I thoroughly recommend) were excellent I really applaud the genius who had the idea of serving the very palatable house in in half litre carafes. I really hope to return before too long.

Had a meal here for a friends 40th birthday! Very accommodating, nice staff and food was absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend!

Amazing food, great atmosphere, great staff

Went for a family lunch, the food was exquisite, portion sizes were very generous, the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming and the staff were attentive and polite. highly recommended!

1 week later. And we did come again with Daughter, Son in law and baby grandson. I am working my way through the menu. No dish missed a beat. Service attentive wthout being obtrusive. I love this place and cannot recommend it highly enough. 2023. The food is as good⁸ as ever. We sat in the deli area near the wood fire and were so comfortable. This must be the best food in herts. Kidneys .. oh my god. Can't remenber last time i had such delicious kidneys Salmon and horseradish cream..delicious. Fantastic basque chicken breast with mushrooms. My stuffed pork came with perfect crackling and smooth buttery mash and turnip top greens and a gorgeous jus. Just sipping my dessert wine while waiting for sticky toffee pudding which i know will be as delicious as the rest Amazing place. Love it. Will come again. Gastro pub does not do justice to what is a very fine restaurant. Home made ravioli was perfect. And porterhouse steak as good as I have eaten. Great atmosphere and very good attentive staff. 10 out of 10.

What a wonderful experience. We booked our wedding lunch at the fox and hounds, the food was wonderful, service lovely and they were ready to go the extra mile when needed. Would easily recommend to anyone. Thank to you bianca and team

We had a great time here last weekend. We where a large party of 17 and the accommodated us perfectly. Food was good and special mention to the kind waitress who made sure we had everything we needed!

We bought some venison and spinach meatballs after a wonderful visit on 12th Feb. We had them tonight with some linguine and they were amazing! Wowzer will be back again for some more of those 😋😋

We have lived in the village for a year now and finally went for Sunday lunch for my 50th birthday,can honestly say it was the best rib of beef I have ever had,staff were very friendly and nothing was to much trouble,we will be definitely going back..thank you Fox and Hounds for a lovely birthday meal.

Superb food - mussels, "off the menu" venison, cherry tart with clotted cream - sublime!

Food excellent staff lovely,bloody freezing in there though

Steak was lovely ...pasta was really nice Sticky toffee pudding.!.. had a lot better elsewhere so expensive for what it was. Cheese and crackers 👎🏼big thumbs down basic crackers which where all the same the cheese was basic too. £10 worth of disappointment 😞 such an easy thing to get right. No grape or apple 🤔and i love cheese and crackers!

Lovely dinner, great staff, pretty venue. Pork was the best I’ve eaten in a long time!!

Absolutely fantastic pre Christmas lunch. Only popped in to pick up my ‘at home’ Christmas order but had to stay for lunch after seeing the menu. It was very hard to choose, I could have gone for anything on the menu really as it all looked so good. The burrata salad was fab and quite unusual, but it really worked well. The venison main was immense, perfectly cooked and full of flavour with a little kick from the pepper. If you ever get the time I’d highly recommend the F&H, well worth a drive. Just don’t tell everyone ;)

Really lovely quaint pub. Good food and lovely fireplace

Delicious food and a nice deli in a cosy pub

We visited for a Birthday lunch on a Saturday. Two accidents on route and a diversion meant we arrived 45 mins late to join the table. The staff were very understanding of our travel challenges. I had the Cod Cheeks to start. Deep fried to panko bread crumb perfection. My main was a Venison haunch. Beautifully presented and super tasty. The meat was a bit on the chewy side but little can be done about that. All the table were happy with the quality, taste and presentation of the food. Very glad we visited and will definitely look to visit again.

We took 5 dogs there today not a problem

Absolutely fabulous pub with food to die for, service is fantastic and they have lovely open fires in the pub and dining room. I would book to be sure of getting a table.

Had a Saturday lunch here. Food was fine but a little underwhelming as I was expecting alot due to the fantastic reviews. We had fish and chips and steak. Presentation of food can definitely be worked on. Obviously this does not affect taste but it can be improved. Nice indoor atmosphere with the fire going. Very clean and tidy overall and staff were very friendly. There's a deli next to the car where you can purchase some specialist cooking ingredients.

I'm sad to say the Fox and Hounds didn't quite meet expectations. Our Sunday lunch was ok but the price for a 2 course Sunday lunch was not very good value. Our group of 4 were seated in a simple dining area at the back of the pub - wooden floors and tables create a rustic feel - and there was a real fire at one end which was nice. One of our group had the roast beef (supplement of £6) and very much enjoyed it but the huge Yorkshire pud with it was definitely almost burnt. Venison mains were enjoyed. Unfortunately my pheasant was tough, dry and tasteless. Perhaps I was just unlucky. Starters of salds (goats cheese, burrata) were good and portions very generous. Mains were accompanied by a nice selection of fresh veg, served in a dish and placed in the middle of the table. A £30 bottle of red wine was disappointing. There were a lot of families (some with well behaved children, some not) which didn't make for the most relaxing ambiance. All in a all an ok lunch, but wouldn't rush back.

Great place for a dinner treat. Good food, good service with friendly staff and a great atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Excellent food and service. Very accommodating. Will definitely come back.

I was looking forward to lunch today but it was disappointing unfortunately, for a bib gourmand restaurant. The ingredients seem fresh but the taste was too strong and too salty for my liking. Service and atmosphere was nonetheless good. If the food quality was better, will definitely recommend and return to the restaurant.

It is a gastropub with a decent reputation, as a "local", it is a bit limited.

Lovely pub, good beer, great food, lovely staff. Thanks for a great wedding venue.

Simply glorious. Great food in a relaxed venue. Still one of the best.

Really excellent visit to celebrate my wife's birthday with family.

Great food and service. They have added a deli shop with Brindisa products!!

Always lovely to visit the Fox & Hounds. Fabulous spanakopita on the menu this evening, delicious. Thank you

This pub restaurant looks small from the outside, but all the spaces were perfect for a small wedding party. The outside spaces were very pleasant with plenty of comfortable searing and interesting plants and shrubs giving a homely touch. Inside a buffet was served and another area housed the disco near the bar. Food was lovely, good taste, good variety served swiftly, the bar had a great choice of both alcoholic and soft drinks plus excellent coffee. Staff were attentive, friendly and helpful.

On the way to the Henry Moore foundation we stopped at this little pop in and quite a yummy lunch. Some traditional dishes and some with a twist, served by the owner with her cockapoo Horace trailing behind.

Bianca and James just get it right- every time ! Big birthday celebration the food was stunning, the wines wonderful and the Service as always, seamless! Simply the best place around for miles and miles

Delicious food especially the braised lamb for 4. Nice atmosphere with polite and efficient staff. Would definitely recommend

Food was good but the place needed a bit of a cleanup

We had our wedding here in June and cannot fault it! From the planning/organisation down to the very last detail was exceptional! The pub owners and staff really went above and beyond for us and made our wedding day absolutely amazing and unforgettable! We didn't want the night to end. The food was flawless! Positive comments all round and all our guests still speak of it to this day. The hospitality was extremely welcoming and attentive, always there to help and serve. Thank you Bianca and to your wonderful team for all your help and making our wedding day so so so special! Can't wait to visit for a lovely lunch xxx

We came for our wedding anniversary. Really delicious and fresh food. Spotlessly clean. Nice vibe. However we were quite offended by the poster in the mens toilets. It was blasphemous and crude and unnecessary. And not even particularly amusing. We mentioned this in a courteous manner at the end but there was no apology. If it was blasphemous to the Muslim faith it would be taken down in a trice. It marred an otherwise wonderful time. Many thanks

Online Sunday lunch from 12 to 5pm and there was a board outside saying the same. Online said that kitchen was closing at 15:30. We reached there at 15:16 after having driven 30mns and they said that kitchen was very busy and they just closed a minute before despite of multiple tables available. I asked that online says last order at 15:30 but they ignored me. I asked for the manager and she was just annoying with her false smile saying I am sorry sir but kitchen just closed. Pathetic and lacking any customer centricity & service. Will never try again

Great food, really enjoyed the squid and chermoula sauce. It's not necessarily traditional pub fare but the food is excellent and fresh - not a burger and deep fried scampi in sight! Lovely pub garden and dog friendly.

The most superb food with fantastic service. The kind of place you want to shout about from the roof tops but also keep just a little bit secret. Simply a gem.

Lovely location and great food. Staff were exceptionally friendly.

Staff weren't very hospitable, food just okay .

Lack of friendly service (they both seemed rather miserable), and wait time was slightly disappointing along with the black hairs in my smoked salmon. Although extremely tiny - did not manage to put me off - and otherwise enjoyed this starter very much. A friendlier, happier front of house would have made this a better review.

My partner and myself had an amazing meal here last Friday, she went with the lobster and I had a fantastic rib eye steak, very well cooked and tasted amazing, fantastic service from the waitresses and food was quick coming out. Would definitely return.