The Friendly Inn in Rugby - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

My wife and I have tried twice to have lunch here. The first time, the pub was so crowded we gave up. Yesterday we tried again but after 30 minutes no one had come to take our order so we left. The people on the next table had been waiting even longer. There are clearly not enough people in the kitchen to meet orders. We did have an evening meal here a few months ago which was ok but we had a long wait for food then too. This is a great shame as the place is quite local and serves a good range of gluten free dishes at a reasonable price. We had hoped to make it our “local” for lunch but won’t be bothering to go here again.

Popped in today for a lamb dinner with the family. Lovely atmosphere, staff was friendly and food was excellent. Will definitely be back!

Visited for lunch with friends today for first time in ages. Good food, but rather slow, they need to speed up a bit if they are going to retain customers! Several other groups were complaining about the long waits. Not sure if we visited on a bad day.

I would not write a second review in case I was mistaken for Dickens but felt the need as the two first reviews below were very unfair. It was as I said in my initial review, this part of Warwickshire is tricky. The owners are working very hard to make the pub a success and good luck to them as they are doing a fantastic job, not needing snide remarks. If people want cheap, instant and microwaved, then go to Wetherspoons. There is a very nice one in Rugby. Good food cooked freshly takes a little longer which people do not not realise. It is like the stupid comment on how can we have fresh fish in the Midlands. Realy. Some of the finest restaurants offer this in the area. Some customers are just dim and should order burger takeaways. If customers want delicious home cooked food with great service and surroundings then come to the Friendly. It is as its name and you will not be dissapointed. We look forward to lunch on Friday with Lady Rutland.

Over priced meals, served on sandwich plates for £9 charge £1 for 2 slices of average bread. Won't change chips for coleslaw without charging

We held my husband's 80th Birthday party at the Friendly Inn.There were 14 of us and we nearly all had different meals. Everything was spot on and the pub was buzzing. Staff could not do enough for you. Definately will be visiting again.

Decided to try The Friendly after quite a gap. New owners were very friendly and the pub had a nice atmosphere and was quite busy. The pub also has a new chef so we decided to try the steak and ale pie. The pie was very tasty and the chips much improved but we felt the pie could perhaps do with a bit more meat as we only had about four pieces maximum. Apart from that we can recommend the food. The rear bar was also a bit untidy by the coffee machine and could do with being cleared.

Last night we had the Christmas menu. Superb quality food served in a relaxed and friendly environment. Staff certainly live up to the pubs name! We will definitely be back as friends want to try the homemade lasagne and steak and ale pie!

This pub has changed hands and not for the better. It is such a shame...what was once a lovely bustling pub with great food and friendly staff has changed. The menu has changed and they they need to bring back their 2 meals for £12.00. The food however was good and I had cajun chicken which was lovely. The restaurant was empty - only us an another couple. There is absolutely no atmosphere in the restaurant and this needs to greatly improved - it needs the standards that the previous owner had when you had to ring to book a table!

Definate lives up to its name. Extremely friendly staff. 1st class service Superb food. Biscoff cheesecake is to die for. Will definitely return

A wonderful friendly welcome from Craig! Excellent quality food at a very fair price. A friendly, hard working chef as well!! Highly recommended!

The best freshly caught fish and chips I have ever had. The Friday ‘fish deal’ was definitely value for money A brilliant night accompanied by lovely live music.

Possibly the nicest pub grub we ve ever had…all fresh and homemade, staff couldn’t do enough for us….wish you were my local!

This restaurant has recently been taken over again so we thought we would try it. The food was all freshly cooked and delicious. We had starters, mains and I managed a sweet. The service was excellent and the new menu full of a variety of meals at reasonable costs. We spoke to the new owner who was full of enthusiasm to make it a community pub. We have always liked this pub but even more so with the new owner

Sadly disappointing. Friday night and only two other diners, this place used to be heaving. Food was adequate, but waitress not very competent nor friendly, in fact found other staff to be offhand. In response to my husband’s query as to how things were going he was told that you can’t please all of the people all of the time” it didn’t appear that they were pleasing anyone as the bar was also empty. As this is the only pub in the village the locals need to be onside and then to reach out to people from further afield encouraging them to come for meals . We won’t be returning in a hurry.

Great Sunday roast, melt in your mouth meats and ample vegetables all well cooked and of good variety

Had a lovely Sunday lunch - lamb was great and kindly gave me a Yorkshire pudding too. Staff was very friendly 😊

Called in for a few drinks with dogs in tow (allowed in the bar). A really welcoming traditional pub with great ale and staff!

Sorry to say the new management need help. The place is empty but nobody welcomes you in. Nobody brings menus. Half the menu is unavailable. All specials are diced meats. What a shame. Nigel and Deb had it running like a dream.

Very welcoming staff. Been a few years since I last came. Food even better, large menu choice, catering for all types even gluten free. Easy parking. Did cater for smaller amounts for us older ones who can’t manage the bigger dinners. Large choice of sweets and did have one, gorgeous. Sadly paying by card I forgot to leave a tip which was well deserved, but will make up for it next time which hopefully won’t be too long. Hope more people will try it as it’s worth the trip.

We were a party of seven, with a few of us travelling from a lot further afield arriving earlier than planned. This wasn't a problem for the staff and we were shown to our table, with drinks and food choices quickly taken. The starters and...

Always eaten here with Nigel and his wife, the chefs who cook the food haven't changed, but BOY OH BOY, The new landlords are nothing like as friendly or helpful as the previous ones ,They and the staff they employ are , lets be kind...

We were made very welcome as soon we entered the pub. Great ambience. The food was well presented and really tasty, but above all the staff were brilliant when we had to call for an ambulance for a member of the group that I was...

I was working and staying in a nearby hotel with no facilities! Having looked for restaurants close by this on popped it. Going into a pub alone at night to eat I was feeling quite nervous! I opened the door and typical tumble weed I...

Unfortunately my first experience here was not the best. Admittedly it was a block booking with meals 2 for £14. However, the soup was not for me and I believe quite expensive. The Christmas pudding/brandy sauce dessert for £5.95 was scandalous. They had actually ran...

We had not been to the Friendly since it was taken over some weeks ago but the food remains as good as ever, the staff helpful and friendly. No worries about going again - the new owners seem to have it all under control, well...

The pub itself is laid out in such a way that it invites a warm and friendly atmosphere. It is easy to strike up conversations with others and it has a good vibe. I felt it was somewhat let down by the sense of needing...

Found this lovely friendly pub after a walk round Draycote. Good home cooked food and value for money. Will definitely go back to try their Sunday roast.

Great little country pub with really friendly and welcoming staff. We have eaten here twice now, with the most recent being a really good quality homemade sunday roast (and lovely homemade puddings) at a great price. Good selection of red wine by the glass too....

We use this pub on a regular basis and are never dissapointed. Nigel and Debs are superb hosts. Nigel keeps his beer in excellent condition and usually offers a choice of at least 3 traditional ales. Whether eating or having drink, a warm welcome is...

Covid precautions good, including space between tables, service good with helpful service and food lovely. Recommend a night out there.

Great Lunch with my Wife & Cockapoo Steak & Ale Pie was superb Great welcome from Landlord Nigel & Wife Debbie Will be back soo

The pub is fully open and well set up for the current situation. Food menu is fantastic with great choice. They are fully open.

1st family outing for lunch. Service was excellent, just the right amount of friendly. Food was fabulous with aĺl options melting on the tongue. Fabulous few hours together this Sunday lunch time. Well done Friendly inn. Highlyvrecommend

First visit on Sunday, with my Father in law and Husband. the food was faultless,and the service was so good. It lives up to it's Name. Landlord and Staff so welcoming, I would recommend this lovely Inn to anyone. We will surely be doing many...

Good food , not expensive,pleasant pub in the country ,near to a big garden centre so good for an afternoon trip.

Excellent food, my fish was delicious. The evening was made by the excellent service we received from our waitress, she was so friendly and efficient. We will definitely come again.

Visited tonight was very disappointed with the Moussaka it had chunks of potato that had no flavour of moussaka just to fill the dish. It was on the specials board and at £13.95 I expected a portion with an aubergine layer and topped with cheese sauce . When they asked if everything was ok I said it was disappointing, I was informed they had followed the Negella recipe. If I had paid eight pounds for it, would have been ok, but for the price I expected proper moussaka and garlic bread home made not thin slices of cheap variety.

Absolutely loved it. Would really recommend it. Great food, great drink, great atmosphere and really friendly host and staff

Have been to this pub a few times now, always at lunchtime, and the food is consistently good, very tasty, piping hot and delivered speedily. There are always specials available and these include fabulous puddings, all reasonably priced. Whatever you opt for as a main course, you are offered a choice of vegetables, a choice of potatoes or the option of rice if you prefer - so something to suit all tastes. The staff are welcoming and pleasant and, as the pub is tucked away in the village, it is quiet and relaxing, and it has a large car park too. Well worth a visit.

We have our bike club monthly meetings here, and the staff are very friendly and helpful, and the food is good and reasonably priced. We are having our second Club Christmas Dinner here soon. Last Christmas the food was exceptional and I am hoping it stays that way for this year. A nice place to drop in.

We ate here on Saturday lunchtime. I had the lasagne which meant it came with garlic bread, but I was told I could change it for chips, which i did! The strawberry meringue with ice cream was delicious. The service is efficient and friendly. I have also eaten off the other lunchtime menu where the portions are smaller and the food is still good! It gets busy so it is worth booking.

Wonderful lunch, warm welcome in a cosy environment and fabulous choice of delicious food. 😊 Thank you.

Had Saturday lunch here recently, Really friendly from all the staff, a very good menu including most food, they also have smaller meals for £6. They will also slightly modify your choice of potatoes or vegetables which we were pleased about. It looked as if the restaurant would take up to 70 -80 people. I would recommend you book to avoid disappointment. Also very popular with walking groups. Car park to the side for approximately 20 cars.

Superb , great staff , definately going back , good food great price, just taking friends on the 7/9/19 , thats all you need to know , please use it !

Came with friends for lunch, the menu and special board offers a good choice. My wife and I both had the beef and ale pie, homemade and excellent, the staff are very friendly and helpful. Well worth a visit

Our first time at the Friendly Inn, but hopefully it won’t be the last. Usually we only have two courses but the food was so good we had pudding too. Lots of choice on the menu and the staff were very good and helpful.

Three of us enjoyed lovely food in a friendly old pub atmosphere. The staff were chatty, pleasant and efficient, enjoying a bit of banter in spite of being busy. The Sunday roast dinners were very good and just the right size for us. Desserts were delicious too. We will return!

We used to eat here regularly and don't know why we stopped, decided to try it again with friends and were so glad we did. Food isn't fancy but tasty, well presented and was all good. Lovely waitresses and knowledgeable owner who all made us feel so welcome even though we lingered till eleven thirty pm which I'm sure was beyond the norm as everyone else had left. As the only pub in the village it would be nice to think it was well supported by locals (not sure that's the case). Will definatly be back.

Our first visit to The Friendly Inn - why on earth haven't we been before? The staff were very friendly, as you'd expect, but the food lived up to expectations as well. We visited as a foursome and all four meals were wholesome, nicely cooked and well presented. When you include the lovely ambience of this old traditional pub and the selection of excellent real ales, what is there not to like? All at a reasonable price.

Surprised by reviews, thought food was average at best, maybe it was a bad day. Feels generally a bit run down and in need of a bit of tlc

Friendly by name and nature, good food , good ale, good company, great staff. All round great place to find good variety on the menu.

Visited on a Wednesday evening with two friends. Two of us had the two meals for £12 menu and had steak and ale pie. Choice of potato with it and mushy or ordinary peas. Very tasty and plenty of meat in it. Excellent for £6 each. Puds were lovely too at £4.95 each. The hosts were very friendly and all the staff were efficient and amiable. I shall definitely return again with my family as four of us could eat for £24 on Tues-Thurs. It feels like a normal pub, looking to be frequented by a fair few locals and whilst some things were fancier it’s generally pub grub, which is often all you want.

We had been visiting elderly relatives and having often eaten at The Friendly Inn we booked a late dinner. As always the welcome is warm, it is a very traditional pub with a good old fashioned menu which is clearly very popular with people in the area. We had Soup and the Garlic Mushrooms followed by Plaice, Lasagne and a Steak - all were well cooked and very generous portions. The service is excellent and you are always assured of a good hearty traditional meal.

So back to the Friendly for lunch ( not really checking up on you all! ). This time we had the chicken again and a really delicious steak and ale pie and still didn’t make it to the puddings. Busy and lots of discussion about the forthcoming quiz night ( sold out) so very pleased for the pub. The ladies who serve are delightful and knowledgeable about what’s on offer ( always good) - nice to see tweaks to the menu to avoid getting boring. Beer as good as last time but different range of guest offerings.

The Friendly Inn is situated in the quiet village of Frankton, just outside Rugby. It has a warm, welcoming, friendly and old fashioned country inn atmosphere. The menu is comprehensive and has good choices.

This pub really lives up to its name. Just stopped off on our bike ride for something to eat. Being a Sunday they were very busy serving Sunday lunches. We asked for sandwiches which weren't on the Sunday menu. Absolutely no problem. We were served very quickly by a lovely landlady. The landlord was serving behind the bar and was really helpful. Had a nice chat with him before we left. We have been here a few times and alway had good food in a well run local pub. Here's to our next visit sit

The name says it all .food and service excellent. Not much of a garden but then most pubs you pay for the garden and settings and then food average. Give it a try you won't be dissapointed

Visited the Friendly for lunch as part of a long walk along the disused railway. Have eaten there over the years and seen managements come and go.

Slightly disappointed all they did was Sunday Roast not the full menu, but I fully understand why. Not been here about a year..I've been missing out!!

Family went for Sunday dinner,so nice to visit a non chain pub that's not been messed with,well kept bitters and nice traditional food as you would expect from a traditional pub,had good banter with the owners and staff, menus very easy to understand and self explanatory ref £12 for two ECT,we had a nice time and will go back soon for good pint and good grub thanks folks.

We have visited the Friendly Inn on many occasions and have never been disappointed. The homemade dishes are delicious and well presented. Service is excellent, by friendly, professional staff. Just love this local, traditional pub

We have been using The Friendly Inn for 10 or 12 years & always get excellent friendly service. Do not be off put by the previous remarks. We were also in the pub the same night & did not hear the bad language which was totally unnecessary. The owners are not rude & do not deserve to receive the poor review!

We took our 98 year old friend out for dinner. What a treat is was! The owners are fantastic. The food amazing. Salmon, Scampi, Steak and Ale pie and Beef Stroganof. The desserts are to die for. Our favourite Salted Caramel Chocolate Stack.

The Friendly Inn is an incredible establishment with good, old-fashioned pub grub served by great staff. Every time I have been there, I have been treated like one of the family and have seen everyone around me get the same treatment. It’s not just a place to grab a beer, it’s somewhere to pop in for dinner with your partner on a work night, somewhere to celebrate a big occasion with the whole family, somewhere to pop in on your own and feel welcomed and even somewhere to find some advice or a local tradesman recommendation! They even maintain calm, dignity and professionalism in the face of the most unacceptable aggression and arrogance of a small minority of guests who feel the world owes them something (and aren’t prepared to pay full price to get the meal they actually want) which is something I sadly witnessed for myself on my most recent visit. I feel terrible for the staff, some of whom essentially suffered violence and aggression in their own home, and even some of the customers who had the terrible misfortune of being in the restaurant at the same time as these particular guests, who even went as far as shouting extreme swear words at the staff, just because they didn’t get as much food as they wanted (despite being told by the waitress beforehand that it was smaller than the 10 piece scampi meal on the main menu). In my opinion, the staff acted incredibly professionally and calmly in the face of such aggression and rudeness and the brave, kind and understanding reactions of the other customers around that I witnessed was clearly testament to the great job the landlord and landlady are really doing. Make sure you visit this pub soon - join the Friendly Inn family and get yourself a good meal, a great pint and some general chit chat to boot!

If you are of Irish or Welsh descent then avoid this place as the Landlord is a total racist. We went for a meal with family and due to the fact that we had the temerity to complain about the size of potions the landlord and landlady went into offensive mode. I won't bore you with the rest of the horrendous experience. It's amazing how these people are prepared to destroy customer relationships over 5 pieces of scampi!! Avoid.

Oh my goodness I’ve just come away from the worst restaurant/bar experience in my life!! And Welsh racist abuse from the landlord!! If you want a decent meal do NOT go for the 2 for £12 menu, even if the waitress says it’s still a good size! 5 pieces of scampi, a handful of shrivelled peas and ten chips is a child portion!! And then, if you dare to complain when the meal arrives you have a brash, loud landlady come to the table and instead of asking quietly if she can help, she shouts on the top of her voice “did someone want to complain”!! Wow!! That’s got the other customers’ attentions then!! And then the £13.95 DRY sweet chilli chicken, no homemade cottage pie, several hard chips, very little (if any) garnish to the dish and to top it all, when you question what is £8 on the bill, they have only gone and charged for the extra scampi pieces they brought in a dish as a result of the first complaint!! Oh dear it then gets worse. My brother in law is accused of being Irish??!! I have to say we are Welsh and my brother in law has lived in England for a very long time, so does not sound Irish at all. But even if he was Irish, what right does this brash, unprofessional human being known as the landlord have to pass comment??!! And the response to the reply “I’m Welsh actually “ is even more appalling “well that explains it”!!! Now all the restaurant/pub customers are looking and you have some “regular “ older folks passing their comments too. Now, their meals might be lovely and they might have been going to the same place for years, BUT that does not excuse the behaviour of these people who run the place. We are entitled to our opinions. And for any supposedly professional people running such an establishment to pass such vulgar comments about customers being Welsh then for shame on you. Landlord and landlady in dire need of customer service training, how to deal with customers in a polite, friendly and professional manner and to realise racism in any shape or form is highly unacceptable, prejudicial and discriminatory. I’m proud to be Welsh and would never, ever set foot in the UNFRIENDLY INN ever again.

We had not been to the Friendly Inn for quite sometime, but is somewhere my in-laws enjoy going, We received a lovely welcome from the landlord and the waitresses, they mad us very welcome. As my father in law is wheelchair bound it was nice to be able to easliy access the pub through a patio door and our table was ready just to wheel him into position. It is a very traditional pub - and absolutely non the worse for that. We had two good sized prawn cocktails a fish cake and one soup of the day which was Spinach and cheese, very hot and very tasty. We then all had the Roast Beef lunch again a very generous portion with really good vegetables, excellent roast potatoes and the most tender of beef. The desserts were just as good and again very generous portions of Tiramisu and a Lemon roulade. The service is excellent, the waiting staff are absolutely lovely and the food very traditional but very good, if you want a good value, with generous portions Sunday lunch, it is well worth a trip to this lovely little pub in the quiet village of Frankton.

last reviewed 3 years ago and have visited occasionally when in the area over the past 3 years. Decided to update review to reflect that service is still friendly, food is still good to eat and good value. Remember to book ....it is popular!

Under the heading, there is nothing that is too much trouble, i cannot recommend this place more highly. Great people, great food, great service. You managed to make a 3.5 hour family christmas meal even more special, thank you.

Had a really enjoyable visit here with our three year old. Staff were super friendly and attentive. Nothing was too much trouble. Food was great as well. The lamb curry was delicious. We will definitely be returning :)

Only been here once before for a drink. Thus time we enjoyed a meal in this 'local' and busy pub restaurant - always a good sign in a village. As expected, good food and a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Parking available. We will definitely return.

A group of 11 of us had booked in for Sunday lunch and were told they could only accommodate us at 2.30 so we settled for that time. We arrived, after a long walk, a few minutes late to a very unfriendly welcome. We were told that the choice was roast pork or beef and nothing else. Good job that none of us were vegetarians! One of our party was not feeling hungry so requested a soup or something similar - the request fell on deaf ears - roast pork or beef only!

We have been to the Friendly Inn a few times in the past but it was some time ago so we decided to visit again for my Grans 82nd birthday with a group of 8.

Nice meal out with family. The roast dinner was really nice although a couple of the roast potatoes were hard inside. staff were all very friendly (as the name suggests) and the service was excellent. Worth a visit.

Really enjoyable evening with friends having drinks and dinner. Reserved a table outside and it was bliss. Many thanks

Good local pub but i was disappointed with the proprietors behavior when an elderly lady was clearly suffering in the heat. He was more concerned about her making a mess than her well being. Michael.

Visited the friendly inn for the first time on our way back from Draycote water.

As a child (1947/51). I lived at the Post Office, Frankton. This weekend was a reunion with my Sister and two cousins...the first in 15 years! We came to relive happy childhood times and round it off with a lovely lunch at the perfectly named 'Friendly Inn'!!! We were not disappointed!! From a warm friendly greeting from the Landlord, a very helpful and charming young waitress we enjoyed a beautifully served light lunch. 3 of us opted for scampi and my cousin enjoyed the vegetable lasagna!! All in all...the ambient surroundings, the attentive service and the friendliness of the staff made our memorable day perfect !! Many thanks!

Yet again at excellent meal, great service from friendly young staff. Can't recommend this pub enough. You won't be disappointed.

We saw a sign for this pub on the main road, took a chance and called in. We were all so glad we did. Although the place was really busy and buzzing, the lovely young waitress quickly found us a table for three. Our drinks order was quickly taken and just as quickly delivered.

Met up with some old friends at this aptly named Pub "The Friendly Inn"! All the food was served in a timely manner and all my guests were very impressed with the standard of presentation and most importantly the quality of the food. Most impressive was the Fish Pie this was without doubt one of the best I have tasted in my many years of eating.

The ‘friendly’ certainly lived up to the name. Good atmosphere and friendly, cheerful staff. Fairly limited choice for Fathets Day menu but good food at a reasonable price with good service.

Friday evening meal with my partner. Could not fault the service or the food. Really friendly staff. We will be returning.

My family and I have dined at the Friendly at Frankton many times and the food and service is always excellent. The meals are delicious and fresh and the ambience of the pub is very welcoming. In the winter there is a lovely fire to welcome you. I celebrated a milestone birthday there and my party thoroughly enjoyed the meal with prompt service and plenty of smiles. In so many places now the waiting staff look miserable or rushed off their feet. Not here, always a smile.

The Friendly at Frankton is always a first choice in my family when deciding where to go for a meal. Best to book as its popular.

I last reviewed this place in 2015 and the prices for the lunchtime special is still the same price. 2 for £10. The meals are still very good. I had the roast beef and my husband had the steak and ale pie. The staff were very attentive and friendly. Didn't have to wait long. Lovely decor. We really enjoyed our visit. Will be back.

We opted for menu options that were included in the 2 for£10. Amazing value and meals were well presented and certainly good portions. The service team were all very cheerful and came across as they took pride in providing a good experience.

What a lovely place! Warm and friendly welcome followed by great food. 2 main courses for £10 was an unexpected bonus, makes this place even more brilliant. Definitely recommended. Look forward to coming back sooner rather than later.

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the pub for a meal. Traditional pub grub served by very attentive waitresses and owners hands on and extremely accommodating as we hadn’t booked. Had starter and mains beautifully cooked and presented and exceeded our expectations. Will definitely be going back and recommending to friends.

We went here for a meal with friends who have just moved to Draycote, which is nearby. This is a nice village pub

I tried this place last Sunday with another 5 people age range from 35-75.I had booked the previous Monday which

We booked a table for the family on Saturday 24th March and we were very impressed with the friendly atmosphere, a warm welcome, the food was wonderful and presented very well. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We have been visiting the "friendly" for many years. We're always welcomed with smiling faces. The food is exceptional. The service excellent. Can't wait to go back.

Just fancied a Sunday roast, so rang up and booked a table. When we arrived the restaurant was packed - always a good sign. The meals arrived quickly and were very enjoyable without being exceptional - all you would expect from a country pub serving good quality food.

went here for sunday lunch with about 30 other people it was a 90th birthday food was

Things didn't start off well when we were seated in the smaller of the 2 restaurant rooms, by door leading to toilets and car park, table was cramped, furniture unappealing, room under heated, other room looked nicer. Young waiting staff pleasant, tried hard but inexperienced, unable to answer questions about the drinks and made some mistakes. Food was quite good, no complaints, but Greene King IPA wasn't clear or as nice tasting as it should be, wife didn't like her wine. Not many customers for a weekend night so no atmosphere - only 1 other table in use in our room.

Excellent restaurant. Have been several times and food, welcome and service has never fallen below excellent. We'll recommended. Also used for family get togethers with great success.

My first time here for very many years, and what a great place it is!

A small party of four of us had an excellent meal at the aptly named Friendly Inn. The recommended fish pie was as good as promised and the rump steak in sauce was melt in the mouth. The sweet chilli chicken and scampi also didn't disappoint.