The Unicorn Inn in South Lakeland

Visited the Unicorn on a Sunday evening, after pre booking. Mimi very nice and helpful but not only was it decided to close at 8.00 but only Sunday lunch was offered- one course and no price list. Please note any information regarding pricing on website relates to previous owners and is well out of date. One course is in fact £17.95, not the £18.95 for two courses quoted on the website. The actual meal was the worst Sunday lunch we have ever had and it was only possible to eat much of it with the aid of a steak knife, normal knives failing to get through the fat and gristle. Roast potatoes were so hard they must have been held over from lunch time. We were given a round of drinks to compensate us for the poor meal but this did not really compensate us fairly for a very substandard meal which spoilt our first night in Ambleside. We will not be back

Meant to give 4 stars sorry. We enjoyed 2 lovely pre dinner drinks in a traditional lake land inn served by friendly staff. We loved puppy and other dogs and atmosphere and drinks were good. Hope to see you next yearxx

Nice pub in the centre of Ambleside. Good choice of beers and very cozy. A young couple behind the bar and their dogs meet and greet the guests.

Nice pub in the centre of Ambleside. Good choice of beers and very cozy. A young couple behind the bar and their dogs meet and greet the guests.

Amazing atmosphere and friendly staff. New management here now and you can tell! Nothing is too much for the guys here. Definitely my new regular. 😀 Thank you Sarah and the team

Liked it in here and the beer was lovely. Helles on tap. The only thing I didn't like was dog mess on the floor as we walked in. There was a young lass serving on her own and was struggling to keep up. We picked up the dog mess and moved it before someone trod on it and stank the place out. I think it was the dog that belonged to the pub. The only reason I dropped a star. Other than this, all was good

Walk in table of 4, on a Saturday afternoon/evening Lovely cosy pub that is well worth a visit! The staff are lovely and so welcoming. We had a homemade crumble with homemade ice cream and it was brilliant, it was a really big portion size! Well worth a visit & dog friendly

Fantastic warm welcome on a miserable Sunday afternoon. Lovely friendly staff and extremely dog friendly. We ordered 2 lamb shank dinners and the roast chicken, everything was beautiful and piping hot. We will return on our next visit to Ambleside.

Amazing pub, Amazing beer, Amazing staff particularly Mimi who went out of her way to post back to me my expensive sunglasses I foolishly left in the pub!!

Unicorn really needs to get involved with the parking pass system. Many hotels and even restaurants provide parking passes to their guests. So it was quite expensive to spend 2 days here. We were given the smallest room and told 'we didn't pay enough' for a larger room. When we booked on booking.com there was no choice, we just booked A room! The wine provided was nice and there was a kettle with some beverage selections. The separate bathroom was perfect. The unicorn is in a great location, easy walking to anywhere in town. It would be great if they could find how to incorporate breakfast for the guests as well like most places in England. A grab-and-go or a continental breakfast is not difficult. Photos are from nearby. Ambleside is beautiful but very crowded. Loved Bea, the little dog at the hotel!

We had a delicious Sunday Roast at The Unicorn. The lamb shank was delicious, as were the side items. The man behind the bar was very friendly. We had a great time while we were there, talking with travelers and admiring the friendly dogs in the establishment. The Unicorn is off the main road, and well worth a visit.

Best Sunday roast I've had in a long time. Down to earth, cosy pub with home cooked food and friendly staff. Good beers as well!

After looking at reviews and pictures on Trip Advisor we decided to book! Wish we hadn’t!! The photos are very misleading, a choice of about 4 things on menu and 1 special. I ordered sausage with chips and garden peas and got mash! But sausage was very nice! My husband’s portion was more like a child’s portion. Would not return.

Lovely Old Place which is Right amongst the Activities - Corridors [ Floors Creaking etc] and Guests can be Very Noisy though!

Great old school pub and a great pint

Cosy little pub. Had a Sunday roast here and it was fantastic! Great quality and price and the service was very friendly.

Came for lunch on a rainy day with friends. We had a booking for 1:30, and they said they opened at 1 so we came early to get out of the rain but the pub was shut. It was open when we came back at 1:30, and we were shown to a nice table. Food was very nice and fairly priced, especially the loaded fries. Very friendly staff and nice atmosphere, I'd come again (but make sure they're open!)

Booked table for Monday night for meal. Knew it was quiz night but not told menu would be limited. Arrived and was about to order off menus and told by barstaff that a curry was only meal available. They were very apologetic especially when a family at adjoining table was given food off a more extensive menu. Given a small portion of curry with half a poppadom.. Bar staff were excellent. Hopefully only a blip because of quiz but would have been helpful to be told in advance.

We had a warm friendly welcome and loved our room. We know it needs some TLC but there was a leaflet apologizing. They plan a refurb soon. However we loved it as it was and slept well. We will be back. Such a central place too! It’s always about the ambience of a place and The Unicorn has this in bundles!

Popped in on a Saturday night in August at 10pmish to see if their was a singer on, only to be told they were closing early, a group of about 8 paying customers landed only to be told the same, the previous times we have visited theirs always being a singer on, I think the pub may of changed hands. Their was only one young lady serving. When I asked why there wasn't a singer on, I was told not to raise my voice. Even though she had earlier stressed that she could only partially hear out of one of ears,

Gorgeous little pub for great food and lovely staff. Went for dinner last night, the Scampi was superb. Polite friendly welcome with a cute pub dog. Would recommend to anyone visiting Ambleside.

Great pub, dog friendly. Lovely staff with plenty going on in the pub from live music to a pub quiz.

Great night, good drinks, and friendly helpful staff!

Ok but no GUINNESS. Wot can you say.it has to compete with half a dozen pubs in about 200 metres.

Lovely British pub with light refreshing beer

A really nice place. You can have an excellent pint or a bite to eat there. Always crowded but well settled. They talk, they exchange fairly quickly. Everything we love.

Only had a pint nice cool place when you want to get out of the sun and have a cool one

Very happy I took a chance and asked whether they had a room for the night. The landlady, Camille, was lovely and offered me a more than fair rate. Comfy room and a good shower, also quiet given it’s a pub. Speaking of which, the cider (Weston’s) was excellent, and although I can’t speak for the beer, all those drinking it seemed more than happy with it. Sadly the kitchen was closed that night, and no doubt I missed out - but I’m sure that would be good value for money too. All in all, a great option if you’re passing through Ambleside and want solid accommodation at fair prices above a good old fashioned pub.

Great dog friendly inn,great beers and what looked like good food,our dog even copped off with the local pub dog and can't wait to go back

Superb pub and inn. I stayed there a few weeks ago and felt very welcomed, even though I booked on the same day. The service was excellent, and the staff were extremely friendly. I frequently travel from London to the Lakes to purchase large properties, and I will definitely stay there again next time I am in the area.

Great really old traditional pub and beers with live music 🎶 excellent

Good to see the Unicorn under new ownership, previous owners ruined the reputation. Good traditional pub for locals and tourists, very friendly staff (Aimee?) and good choice of background music.

We called into this pub during a downpour on Saturday, 15th. We recieved a warm welcome as was our dog. There was a good choice of beers, something to suit all. Will definitely make this our go to when in the area

Great atmosphere, great staff, really friendly, highly recommend

Great friendly staff. Enjoyed the curry and pint for £10 on the special

Great atmosphere good beer only came for drinks

Great value pub food and really dog friendly with dog treats and meals available!

We just got back from a week in Ambleside and ate here twice, fish & chips/scampi & chips one evening which we both really enjoyed, followed by beers and we also went on a Monday evening when they were servings pizzas and did the pub quiz. Proper pub with friendly staff and very dog friendly too. We will be back on next Ambleside holiday.

Quaint little pub down the back streets of Ambleside was very quiet and friendly and the food looked good.

A nice pub in the centre of town, we went to a pub quiz on a Monday and it was brilliant! Good energy from the bar staff and very friendly

Stayed here whilst exploring the lakes and mountains with a pal. Booked a twin room which served us well. We were met on arrival by Camile, very polite, helpful and a pleasant lass who made our visit very warm and welcoming. Our room was Very Clean, well presented and a complimentary gift in the room on our arrival. A lovely touch. All of the staff that we met during the week here were very pleasant and extremely helpful. The pub itself was friendly and vibrant, during the Monday quiz and Thursday live music. All in we enjoyed our time here thanks to the staff for their help and customer focus.

Very pleasant and helpful staff, nice pint of 🍺

A lovely meal in a lovely friendly pub . A family of 6 including a small child and tired cocker poo. Foodby tonight's chef was outstanding , on the special board was curry and chilli we can honestly say they were best we have ever eaten and homemade naan. Dog food for sale or free gravy bones and half price portions for children. Lovely atmosphere with live music . Very near a main car park. I would 100 percent recommend and the toffee sponge

I started going to the Unicorn when visiting Ambleside many years ago and so was very disappointed to see how badly it was run the last time I was there a couple of years ago. (it was closed when I visited in March last year.) So it was brilliant to see that the new management had sorted it out and it is now a great place to have a nice pint and good food again - including Sunday roasts. Mimi and all the other staff are delightful and nothing was too much trouble. There is a quiz night on Mondays and live music on Thursdays. What's more, you can stay there. I am looking forward to going again when traveling to Ambleside again.

A proper pub with a great beer selection.

Great pub with friendly staff and a good selection of beers and ales.

Great local bar off the main drag in Ambleside. Good range of well kept real ales & very friendly staff.

Lovely welcome in the pub..had our spaniel with us and she was equally welcomed.. Had sunday lunch which was lovely and I would highly recommend this pub especially if you have a dog

Brilliant night , friendly staff, so dog friendly , the staff made such a fuss of our Dalmatian Milo and the food was lovely, we will be back

Would really recommend this place. Stayed for the weekend with my wife and we both absolutely loved it. Bel made us feel at home and gave us great advice on walks in the area. Will definitely be back

Dog friendly pub with very welcoming staff and decent pub food.

Great pub, lovely staff. Music was fab the day we were there

Very friendly staff. Great food and reasonable price. Went 4 times at least with my dog and they loved her there. Not an overly large pub but feels like home.

A very authentic place to understand English tradition and history. Atmospheric and cozy, friendly.

Very nice, down to earth, dog friendly pub. Food was excellent! I had the steak and red wine pie, tasted fresh and homemade, would definitely recommend.

We made a number of visits to The Unicorn during our recent stay in Ambleside and thoroughly enjoyed every one especially the music evening on Thursday. We had Sunday lunch twice with friends and family and the food was excellent. Jockie, Catherine and John the chef were very friendly and helpful and the atmosphere was great. We will be moving back to Ambleside soon and will be spending a lot of time at The Unicorn and in the meantime recommending it to our friends, family and guests staying in our cottage while we are away. John and Tina.

Lovely old fashioned pub with a good atmosphere and they had some live music on the evening we were there. The food was very well cooked and the portions were generous, we will definitely return when we are in the area again.

We went on a day trip, from Manchester with the dog and after a long walk found this little gem. After filling up with a hearty meal and such a good selection behind the bar we ended up booking a room and staying over! The staff were super friendly, we plan on coming back for a weekend soon! Thanks again!

Fabulous cosy pub, with a lovely warm welcome. Staff were excellent and the food was brilliant best Sunday roast I've ever had outside my own house.

We've popped in a few times while visiting the Lakes. Great pub,excellent staff, and very welcoming.

Walked in at 9pm only to be told they had rang last orders! We walked out, followed by 4 others who also were going to go in.

Nice pub, we popped in for a few drinks and spent a couple of hours in there. There could be a better selection of real ales on tap but it kept us happy for the time we were there. We didn't have any food so can't comment on that. However we would go back when we're next in Ambleside.

The first impression is of a proper British pub. A nice buzz of conversation, the smell of good food and traditional decor. The young folk serving us could not have been more welcoming. We settled into a cozy corner with a pint of Unicorn and absorbed the atmosphere. Tasty tomato and basil soup, mushrooms and stilton and a hearty home made steak and red wine pie. All excellent and piping hot which is not always the case. Ambleside is awash with pubs but this one stands out. We are already planning a return

This pub is up a side street so a bit quieter but well worth finding. As you walk in you realise this is a proper traditional pub and it just gets better. A great pint of Unicorn at the bar and a chat with the staff who could not have been more welcoming. Piping hot home cooked dishes and a warm genuine atmosphere. Stayed much longer than we planned as it was so relaxing just chilling with the gentle pub buzz. Book at busy times.

Great food great prices. Excellent atmosphere

Great Olde worlde pub. Great cider, food was perfect. We got starters and some cheesy chips to put us on, and they were way above pub standard food. Staff were really nice and friendly.

Lovely atmosphere, music and people. Will definitely be returning! Me and my dad came in and had a wonderful time the staff were very inviting and chatty. Can’t wait to come back! :)

What a change,new owners a few months ago and what a change. The hosts have turned around what was a nondescript uninviting pub into a welcoming homely pub. Dog friendly,great selection of beers and probably the best Sunday roast I’ve had. The landlord and landlady have made turned the place into a must visit for visitors to Ambleside,they are so friendly and welcoming.

Lovely staff, very friendly and helpful. The food was superb! We had a Sunday lunch with ALL the trimmings. Nice and fresh with a good variety of veg. Will definitely be back!

Sunday lunch today....well done John the chef. A lovely tasty homecooked roast. Couldn't fault it. Highly recommended

Always enjoy a pint in The Unicorn when in Ambleside. I love that it is an authentic pub, don't ever change

Great little oldy worldy pub, good selection of beers and spirits, friendly, helpful staff, great ambience.

Fantastic find, the meatballs were delicious what a great meal and service will definitely be back. Both my dogs also very welcome.

Great, cosy little pub. Embodies everything you love about the Lake District after a days exploring. Friendly service and amazing hearty food (especially Sunday roast)

An fantastic evening at the Unicorn Inn, we went there for their amazing Thursday music night and their genius idea of a Sunday roast in Yorkshire pudding wrap. Just WOW!!! The lasagna and the homemade focaccia garlic bread was absolutely amazing. We enjoyed our meal and the staff (Mimi n James) were so warm and welcoming. Looking forward to our next visit. 🙌🏼❤️

Stumbled across this wee pub not long after arriving in Ambleside and what a great find. Best pub/restaurant Sunday lunch I’ve ever had. Returned a few times - really fun pub quiz and good beer. Very welcoming of dogs and very friendly staff. Will definitely return when back in Ambleside.

Probably our favourite pub in Ambleside. Now serving great food too to add to the great beers on offer. What more can I say? See you next time we're up there! Book early though.

Excellent old worldly pub. Friendly helpful staff cosy place to chill.

A classic British Pub experience with excellent service and excellent food. Makes a change from the Copy and Paste refurbished pubs all over the UK that look the same, sound loud and echoing and offer poor value at high prices. Well Done!!

Such a lovely pub with welcoming and friendly staff. We visited as an extended family of 8 after a long walk and nothing was too much trouble. We even got offered water for our dog, which doesn’t sound like much but is something that doesn’t happen often. Will definitely visit again.

What the actual? Popped in here on a dreech Sunday in October. What a find! Tucked away in a side street but lovely staff, great beer, fab Sunday Roast. Go! It’s not fancy pub grub, no pretentious stuff but it’s worth it!

Excellent pint of unicorn at the Unicorn!

Proper pub in Ambleside. Great service of awesome.e food and ales. Pub quiz on Mondays and live music on Thursdays. 💖

Have been going to the Unicorn for many years and it is still fantastic. Great beer, great food and very friendly staff. The meatballs are still amazing.

Good selection drinks at a decent price for the area. Good atmosphere. Staff seem friendly and keep tables free and tidy right away.

A quaint little place with a lovely, cosy atmosphere

Wow so nice to see the unicorn open again we have been coming up here for many year's and this has always been our favourite pub.so lovely to see John the chef back lovely guy and the couple behind the bar are very nice and welcoming long may it continue.

Spot on. Quite possibly the best! The guy on the phone squeezed 6 of us in for roasts at 19:30 on a Sunday evening. The same guy on arrival couldn’t be more accommodating along with the chef that cooked the absolute best roast dinner and stayed on so we could have dessert. The food was out of this world but both the bar man and the chef absolutely made this place. Real gents a proper gem of a pub! ♥️

Dined here 3 times during a week's stay in ambleside. Very accommodating of giant breed dog. Staff very pleasant. Ideal location

Great little pub in heart of Ambleside

called for a drink with family and friend, staff were very welcoming and the pub had a good vibe, Customers were very friendly and sociable nice pub

Great place, the staff are very friendly and very welcoming. The food is great and good prices. Can't go wrong here, I'll be visiting this place again for sure.

Cracking food and the ales are well looked after, you can really tell they clean the lines regularly!

Absolutely delicious food for a really good price.

Great place, stopped by for a drink while making our way back to bus stop. Dog friendly, nice place.

Under new management and called in on the off-chance of finding a pub in Ambleside that wasn't what pretty much all of the others are offering when it comes to food (some have even massively reduced their menus and one we have recently visited had stopped bothering serving Sunday Lunches!). Delighted to find a great Sunday Lunch, no sign of frozen veg. Decent choice of beers which it seems like may improve further in the coming weeks. Will definitely return

Great place for a Sunday roast. Had a great meal there, a good sized portion of really tasty roast chicken. Gravy and veg combine to make a really enjoyable experience.

Excellent pub, great service, food and the staff. Lovely welcome from the staff, dogs welcomed like they were their own. We had the soup with homemade bread. Totally recommend.

Well used to be a pub now reservations only !!!!

Nice old fashioned pub, staff are friendly and the atmosphere is very nice.