The Gilded Lily in South Lakeland

A bit too noisy to chat, but ok food

The food is spot on and the steak was unreal and the peppercorn sauce was delicious . Shame the service couldn’t match the quality from the chef in the kitchen. They had a new Australian lady who told me it was her first night and she was wonderful. So friendly and bubbly and nice. she left having brought me my beer and food but after she went . No one came for a check back on the meal and I had finished my drink part way through my meal and no one came to see if I wanted another drink dispute there being 3 members of staff on the bar and no one needing to be served (the bar was empty) and I only got another drink when one of the girls came to clear the empty glasses on the table next to me and I had to ask her for another drink , then the lovely lady came back and I was given the bill not by her sadly but by one of the young girls from behind the bar and she accused and questioned me on apparently telling one of the members of staff to f..k off this was never the case as the only lady staff member of staff I had been dealing with was fantastic. So well done to her and the chef. Food spot on and service from this First Lady brill . Thank you 🙂

Music playing when we went in. Then some idiot asked for football on TV, sound was turned up so you had a combination of music and football competing to drown the other out and make it impossible to talk, he then went outside to smoke. It appears to be the local halfwit hang out avoid

The food was great, a big portion with decent prices. Service was really friendly and nice too. I would totally recommend and go again! :)

Atmosphere was good, as was the food. I'm sure we'd have enjoyed the live music had we stuck around. The negative was the smell of frying from the fish and chip shop next door! All our clothes were tainted by the smell, hope this was just a one off, would put me off returning.

£6.50 for a pint of San Miguel. It's only £4 from my local. Looks like Ambleside is getting way out of my budget 😭.

This is a bar that serves food (though I didn't try any) with an interesting, kind of minimalist, decor. It has some interesting beers on offer that are not to be found in other pubs around the town. Unfortunately, when visiting recently the kitchens, extractor fans must not have been working as you could cut the air with a knife there was such a strong smell of cooked fats/oil in the air, which was over powering.

Good atmosphere. Good ales. But it smells of cheap fat from the chippy next door. My clothes were rancid the day after.

Always found this place very welcoming. A few adverse comments have been made about the locals but visitors should remember that this is their home and this is their local pub! I've always struck up a conversation and found everyone to be really friendly. The food is good and the beer excellent!

Awful place with aggressive customers. Was thrown from a chair by a man and no one offered assistance or apology. The group that he was with seemed to think what he'd done was not only acceptable but worth celebrating.

Great live music fri sat (unless it is some lame folk 😁) Open mic, quiz on Wednesday Generally exceptional food and drinks, except £4.50 for cheesy chips 🍟

One of the only restraunts open on a Tuesday night in Ambleside. It was welcoming and the food was great. Would re-visit.

Very warm welcome from both the barman and the locals. Lovely bar, decent drink, and a lovely warm fire on a cold evening. Really nice atmosphere. Toilets clean too.

Good food, real value for money and great early bird menu 3 courses for £23 before 630pm

Great little bar / restaurant, good selection of ales and cocktails at reasonable prices and friendly staff, we didn't eat but the food looked lovely, must return to sample!

We visited on a Sunday night when the town was dead. We were 2 of the 8 clientele, the music was great, that’s where it ended for us. The smell of cooking oil wasn’t great, I have a limited sense of smell so for me to smell anything is quite something. Not one for us I’m afraid.

The lily was so good the food was excellent and the decor was terrific everything was perfect me and my family had a wonderful meal together you should definitely come. 👍👍👍 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Words are inadequate. Gareth gave us friendly and excellent service. He made us feel completely welcome and poured a perfect pint. The chef is a genius, and the atmosphere is lovely. The fish cakes from the bargain early bird menu are perfectly seasoned all fish; no fillers except the perfectly crispy crust. The mussels and caper sauce divine. My husband had the cheeseburger and charcuterie also from the early bird menu and said it was delicious. We've been traveling around the UK for 6 weeks and this is the best meal we have had so far.

First visit ,why did it take us so long.? We have walked past many times ,the service was good,the food very tasty Good choices, I had the Chicken while my wife had the pie. Sadly no room for puddings

Although we booked on a recommendation, we were a bit worried when we were shown to our table and other people had to move their chairs to let us through. However, the food was nice - olives and halloumi, followed by a burger, coleslaw and chips. My partner had baked Camembert and a rump steak. Everything was cooked very nicely and our initial fears were allayed! This is probably more of a bar than an eatery, but none the worse for that!

Having passed the place numerous times we decided to give The Lily Bar a try for the first time. Great vibe to the place with very friendly staff, food was spot on, really well cooked and reasonably priced. Enjoyed it so much we booked again for the following night, tried two different meals and again very enjoyable. Thank to all staff and maybe next time we come you might have "Pattie butties".on the specials board 😀

Says on website closed Monday but drove past on bus and it’s open ?make your mind up !!

Lovely friendly staff. Great service.We had burgers, and they were delicious. Good beer, nice wine. We will be back when next in the area

Very tasty food at a reasonable price. The service is nice and smiling.

Friendly staff & standard drinks - wine and beer for £12. Knocking some stars as Pub quiz advertised as £1.5pp but was charged £2.00pp. Few rowdy locals as well.

Only came for the pub quiz. Was advertised as £1.50pp but was charged £2. Meant to start at 9 but was delayed until 9.45. Had tech issues throughout (not blaming the staff) but just not a good experience. Also don’t sit by the speakers unless you want your eardrums burst

We ordered a platter, soup and seabass risotto. It would not enough to say that food was awesome. It was next level. The risotto redefined my expectations about how risotto should be. I’m glad to visit this place and highly recommend!

The food was just delicious! Amazing! Nice vine and great service. Dog friendly :) Highly recommended!

Cracking little bar in the middle of the town. Great friendly service

Low quality, rough and full of aggressive drunk locals. Avoid at all costs

Very good food good beers. Was a bit warm in there could have done with Aircon on .

Had an exceptional experience. Staff super friendly, wine and cocktails excellent, food exceeded our expections. Simply outstanding. Best meal we've had this year. We will be back, thank you !

As a solo traveller it's always a struggle. I was given a table straight away but then after 15mins of being ignored I left. Just poor not even offered the chance to order a drink.

Great cocktails, good local crowd, live music, few Gen Zs.

Great place and friendly staff, only came in for a quick drink but ended up having a few and the homemade irish liquoer was lovely. Would love to have stayed longer but had to get the bus home. Will definately be back

Exceptional food Dining is casual and were surprised at the quality of the meal. Highly recommended. We'd definitely go again

Lovely, friendly staff and a choice of cocktails. There was a live band the night we went and a good, chilled atmosphere.

A nice evening with live music!

Booked here for dinner while on holiday and when we arrived our table was not reserved, the pub was full of people watching the football and the staff were most unhelpful. They said they would sort out a table in the middle of the football spectators, but they seemed amused that they had no table reserved for us. We left and will not return. Extremely disappointed given that we had to wait for 'approval' for our requested reservation when we booked online. Total shambles!

Back in the Lakes again. Visited the lily for drinks, to my surprise, their cocktail menu is now, more varied than before. Gareth made us some very professional cocktails. Great music, great atmosphere and staff

Food was ok but service disappointing. Waitresses didn’t smile once. We felt like we were a nuisance. One waitress told us to sit in in one seat then another stopped us and sent us to a different one that resulted in bad feelings between the 2 waitresses that we wore the brunt of. Had we not been tired and hungry we would have walked out. The service never improved and regrets not leaving.

Delicious food, good portions and nice service

Excellent service with a smile of

Just visited had early bird menu . Food was poor the bruschetta was old mixture of capers and tomatoes sloppy goo the squid was greecy and tasteless the prawns of main menu were good .the risotto was sour tasting mushrooms old chewy .the gnocchi was salty poor quality chicken tasted reheated .we left mains completely .definitely would not recommend

We took refuge from the rain and went to this bar/pub in search of something quick to eat. And we were pleasantly surprised. The food we ordered was beautifully prepared and tasted wonderful. Simply great. The service was also very attentive. We can definitely recommend it!

I have been here before a few years ago on a dark winter evening. It has a choice of three local real ales. Ric "The Hat" told me to order one of my all time favourites, Loweswater Gold. A superb golden ale. A modern one room bar on the main road near the bus interchange. Surprisingly generous toilet facilities. Good choice in music. Check opening times as this is a bar rather than a pub. Not the cheapest in town. They do serve food. Like the simple interior. Has a TV so probably show sports? Stayed to try the Barngates.

Rude people working at the bar, bar staff ignoring customers, locals acting like they own the place. Don’t recommend.

What a great little find! Food was excellent and the service quick and friendly, even brought a bowl of water and a biscuit for the dog.

Cracking little bar, great beer and atmosphere with wide attraction for locals and visitors. Didn't eat but the food looked very good too. Deffo recommends visiting x

We’ve been here before and loved it. Unfortunately this time when I specifically told the server ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL in ANY FOOD” (and told her it would result in a migraine) somehow there must have been a miscommunication- either the chef didn’t read it or maybe the server didn’t write it down legibly IDK. But I got a migraine. Prior to coming to the restaurant I felt great. I ordered my food carefully and definitely said “no alcohol.”I always say that at every restaurant- all in an effort to avoid migraines. In a country that makes such an effort to accommodate restaurant customer’s’ dietary restrictions, it saddens me that the chefs at the Lily couldn’t follow this one request. And to all the chefs who might read this, for some people who can’t consume alcohol at all, it DOES NOT BURN OFF ALL THE WAY in the cooking process. The only way you don’t get a migraine from alcohol is you ZDO NOT CONSUME IT AT ALL,EVER. If you’ve experienced severe migraines before you will understand why I will never go back to this restaurant again.

Lovely friendly place with lovely food and lovely staff , great bands ! Thanks Shane for looking after me and poppy so well xxx

Great music, decent beer and fabulous food. We went for the the early bird meal which was very goood value. Portion sizes are generous (we only managed two courses) and very tasty. There are a good range of beers to complement the food. Well worth a walk amongst the lakes.

Nice meal. Both had charcuterie then fish and chips…very good portions fish and chips, very good food. Service was ok, fast and efficient. Nice beer on tap. We went early and had a 2 course deal which was good value.

A really disappointing experience, food was bland and we suspect my partner's meal gave him an upset stomach. Service wasn't great either, we ordered a seafood pasta dish and risotto and this was served with packet sauces and malt vinegar??. Unfortunately we won't be returning.

Food was delicious, good charcuterie plate, lovely butchers burgers with good relish and proper bun with gherkins,salad etc and good fries, fish and chips very good and the chicken saltimboca very tasty, dessert good too although tiramisu a little dry. Service mixed, from issues over the table booked for two when we asked for seven and then some other little issues but overall good and sure we will be back.

It was such a busy evening and I couldn’t predict the customer service I received especially from Shane I believe his name was he couldn’t have been more accommodating. Food was fantastic and Shane couldn’t do enough for us. Thanks again can’t wait to come back to ambleside,

We visit the Lake District several times a year & we always visit The Lily. The food is very good & the cask beer is spot on. At weekends there is live music & the place is generally rocking late on. It gets quite popular so it’s wise to pre-book a table

Had a lovely couple of evenings here. Fun and friendly clientele. Barstaff were quick and polite. Thanks for making our stay in Ambleside enjoyable

Visited here most nights, very friendly and the quiz night was great fun. Didn’t manage to eat here but the food did look and smell good

This is my first visit and overall it was very nice place. Update on my review 11/02/24 Had a great night last night 👌 a real good buz about the place and a great live duet that sounded excellent 👍

Nice bar. They've stopped doing the paddle samplers of beer, which is a shame. Need to bring that back!

Lovely mushroom starter with the best creamy sauce of the week. Great fish and chips. Perfectly cooked sea bass with tomato risotto and asparagus. All in plentiful quantities. Very good service.

Really friendly staff and good drinks

Best fish and chips in town, served by Shane and Luke who are just amazing 🤩Catherine was making a great porn star martini...

Top notch boozer. Excellent live music on offer at the weekend. Great pint, excellent service.

Staff is friendly. Food is good with large portions but a bit salty for us.

This is the second time we have been to this venue. The last time was before covid. Friday night after being for a meal elsewhere. There was just one man, playing guitar and singing. Did from around 9 to 11.30 pm with a small break Wasn't that busy, but it was still a good night Mainly music on at the weekend Nice bar, service was good too Real ale too

Went for quiz, Enjoyable evening,

Lovely meal and great live entertainment.

Ok but not a place to go for a quiet meal. Basically you're sitting in a bar so there are no quiet areas. Service was a bit patchy, missing cutlery etc. The food was nice but I'm not sure the prices can be justified.

Fantastic food, great beer, great service and wonderful people. What more could you ask for!?

This bar was quiet on a Tuesday night so managed to get a table without booking. Food well presented and nicely cooked. Fish and chips portion huge.

Lovely meal tonight. Jane was very welcoming as soon as we walked in. Early bird a fab price too.

Really good for watching the rugby- happy husband xx

Visited twice on our holiday. Lovely bar with great food and superb service. Small choice but food is fantastic. Dog friendly with biscuits and water provided. We were served by Natasha both nights and her customer service was impeccable, a credit to her employer. The bar is showing Rugby World Cup and also has music and comedy nights, well worth a visit.

Visited twice on our holiday. Lovely bar with great food and superb service. Small choice but food is fantastic. Dog friendly with biscuits and water provided. We were served by Natasha both nights and her customer service was impeccable, a credit to her employer. The bar is showing Rugby World Cup and also has music and comedy nights, well worth a visit.

Lovely cocktails and chilled bar .

Great atmosphere, live band (I went on a Friday). The band Theiving Magpies we're great!

Really great place this, we stopped for drinks twice and food once during our week in Ambleside. The food was terrific, with the burger truly one of the best I've tasted. 👌 It was perfect after coming off the fells. Kids enjoyed thier portions which I didn't even think they did a kids menu so that was another bonus. Great service as well including making sure we were aware of live music times as we had the kids with us. On top was the beer - had Loweswater Gold each time, check out the picture for how good that was.

Spending a few days in Ambleside and this venue was near our guest house. Had a great local vibe, good atmosphere, nice music playing and friendly staff. They offer an early bird dinner special with a discount on 1-3 courses and this was perfect for us after spending a long day out touring the lakes. My mum and I thoroughly enjoyed the risotto and the chicken, ham and leek pie, and our profiteroles dessert were simply beautiful! . Special mention of ‘Natasha’ who demonstrates exceptional customer service, so friendly and efficient, she really added to our positive experience at The Lily Bar, Ambleside.

We were told how nice The Lily is & it did not disappoint- we had drinks & then a meal - I had a chicken dish with gnocchi which was delicious & my husband had lamb also very nice. The staff were friendly & our dog was given treats & water. It was our favourite place during our week in Ambleside very relaxing.

Great little bar in the busy town of Ambleside. Nice range of cask ales and some decent cocktails. We had food the night we visited and it was top notch. The chicken pie was lovely! Try a pint of the local Loweswater Gold, it's apparently what all the locals drink.

Food was exceptional and good value

Absolutely amazing good and extremely helpful service! A must- visit restaurant! I finished the desert before I could take any photos 😂

Very nice tucked away restaurant/bar. Very good food (the sea bass was excellent). The service was unbeatable. Definitely worth a visit.

Good tasty food at a reasonable price. We went in a party of 6 and had two courses each and drinks inc wine for £80 per couple. Good vegetarian options. Would recommend.

Very nice restaurant with good food and nice drinks. Staff very friendly.

Great little pub. Nice to find somewhere with live music on an evening, packed by the time we left, will be back!

The food is delicious. The staff are friendly and welcoming and give great service It has a really good atmosphere.

The service was simple - like being served at a pub . The food was average at best . Asked for mustard and told none available ( I would have walked across road to the Tesco and got some if my place ) . Price ok . Wine ok . Would not return or recommend

Good food. Service initially great, then once the clock struck 9 we were left with empty plates and glasses while one of the 2 serving staff on duty went outside for a cigarette and a chat.

Thought we should visit as mentioned in guide books as a cocktail bar to visit. In a town full of good pubs they could definitely have got the cocktail making right. But no! It was awful. No idea how to make essential cocktails and the service awful. Would not recommend.

Nice atmosphere, busy and dogs welcome.

In short, I spent hours looking for the right place to celebrate our anniversary and I was absolutely disgusted with the service! We turned up to an absolute yob filled pub providing the after party to a football club, in which they did not even reserve our table. They had to go over to a group to try and remove them from the table. Absolutely unrepresentative of what I saw online. Ran by children. We decided to walk away from our reservation and subsequently left with limited options of where to dine in busy Saturday night in Ambleside.

Played the same song on loop the whole time we were there. Wine was nice though.

Love it here. Amazing live music. Always a great night. If Bailey is performing then you are in for a treat. An excellent performer, who is destined for a bigger stage.

Visited Feb 2023 . This place used to be a great bar to chillout in after a walk. The guy behind the bar was friendly and knowlegable about the beers and music was very mellowing. But not anymore now theres young hungover bar staff who dont have any care for the customers swearing and laughing with each other. Loud club music playing. We wont be back.

Saw the website and the picture shows gluten free beer on tap… brilliant! Only when we went, no gf beer unless it was a lager from the fridge in a bottle and no place on the bar for a gf beer. As such, it was...

Called for food on Sunday evening and was not disappointed with what we ate. On the other hand the service was quiet the opposite, it felt like we was an inconvenience to both waiting staff, huffing and puffing hands in pockets slouching around. It’s a shame because the food was lovely. Cheer up ladies if your in this profession then a smile is always nice, its the customers that indirectly pay your wage.

Fish and chips were perfect. Enhanced by excellent service and atmosphere. Local reals ales and live music completed the perfect night. Thank you.