The Unicorn Inn in South Lakeland

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

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!

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

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.

My favorite pub in Ambleside. Great live music.

Welcoming landlord, friendly efficient team, well kept ales and delicious food, (I love the meatballs). We've been coming to Ambleside for over 10 years and always visit the Unicorn, I highly recommend if you like a genuine Lakeland establishment with a great relaxed atmosphere. It was only day 3 of opening after lockdown on our most recent visit and it was just as amazing.

We visited The Unicorn Inn a couple of times during October, when we were staying in Ambleside for a week.We pre-booked a table for a Saturday night, which was important as it was very busy, especially given the Covid restrictions at the time.The food was excellent, one of the best meals we had during the trip. The selection of beer is also excellent - I could quite happily drink Dizzy Blonde every day for the rest of my life!

4 of us booked in here just before the autumn lockdown for an evening meal. Really helpful, friendly and efficient booking over the phone, food was great, good value and plenty of it (recommend the Hungarian meatballs). The beer was well kept (cascade i think) and the staff were great, so nice with our wee dog. Nice pub feel about the place too. Really hope they survive the current challenges to the hospitality industry and we can come back again in the future.

Wow what a lovely friendly pub, landlord very friendly, ate here once and food lovely and home cooked, went for drinks many times at our stay, home from home, nothing was too much trouble, would definitely recommend thank you

The best pub in Ambleside we stumbled across this little pub on our second day and loved it so much, proper old English pub with excellent food but what really made it for us was the bar man, such a friendly guy and very helpful☺️ we just had our last drink before lockdown number 2. Will be seeing you all again next year hopefully

The staff were friendly enough and the beer was good but unfortunately they were fully booked the whole week we were there! Would go back for drinks but wouldn't book for a meal as disappointed.

Visited The Unicorn Inn on several occasions during our break in Ambleside. A lovely, friendly traditional pub. We found the drinks to be very reasonably priced and the staff to be very friendly and welcoming. On previous visits to Ambleside we have always drank at The White Lion but The Unicorn was much more welcoming and is now our new favourite pub in Ambleside! Will definitely be back next time we are in Ambleside.

Really friendly staff and great food. Lovely atmosphere and all Covid precautions in place. Will definitely eat here again.

Es con desgana que publico esto ya que las excelentes críticas están haciendo que este encantador lugar sea tan popular que terminaremos sin llegar en un día. ?Tan relajante, tan acogedor, tan buen servicio, comida sabrosa, ¡todo es perfecto! No es lujoso, es un pub adecuado que sirve comida casera, muy bien. ¡El chile es genial, al igual que el curry y las albóndigas son fabulosas! Creo que hemos probado todo lo que está en el menú ahora, así que tenemos algo una y otra vez. Mi compañero pidió patatas fritas, chile encima y luego queso. ¡Estaba muy feliz con la comida que le sirvieron! Seguiremos comiendo aquí cada vez que visitemos Ambleside.

Lamentablemente, parece que por las noches este lugar es un antro. El trabajo duro y el paisaje bien pensado del pub se arruinan por lo ruidoso y desagradable. . . . . personal. Bueno, uno de ellos de todos modos.¿Alguna vez ha sentido la necesidad de ser intimidado y señalado injustificadamente?¿Sintió la necesidad de entrar a un lugar donde se sienta tan seguro como imagina que lo haría en un garito de drogas?¿Qué tal un establecimiento donde no existen trámites oficiales ni atención general para la atención al cliente?¿Tienes una novia, un prometido o una esposa frente a la que estás desesperado por hacer el ridículo? O tal vez incluso un novio o esposo. . . ?Simplemente ven aquí donde se cumplirán todos tus deseos. .Sí, no te vayas. . . lugares mucho mejores en Ambleside

Acabo de terminar nuestro descanso de dos semanas en Ambleside y visité este maravilloso pub muchas veces para tomar bebidas y comida. El personal y los clientes habituales no podrían haber sido más amables al hacer que mi esposo y yo realmente fueran bienvenidos. La comida como siempre fue excelente y lo recomendamos encarecidamente. Realmente bien organizado dadas las nuevas restricciones de COVID y el personal hizo todos los esfuerzos necesarios para que todos se sintieran seguros y lo más normales posible en el mundo tan extraño en el que vivimos ahora. Bien hecho a todos en el Unicornio y gracias por todo.

Usé el Unicornio regularmente a lo largo de los años. Hice una reserva para la noche del 22 de septiembre. Sonó para adelantar 30 minutos. No tengo constancia de mi reserva. La señora con la que hablé preguntó "¿hablaste con un chico mayor cuando hiciste la reserva?". Yo hice.La respuesta fue "siento que esto suceda con bastante frecuencia cuando hablas con él"Tenga cuidado.

Reservamos el Unicornio para nuestra primera noche de estancia en Ambleside, qué suerte tuvimos. Comida fabulosa con un servicio amable en un pub adecuado. Muy bien, reservamos nuevamente un par de noches más tarde. Las albóndigas no deben perderse y el bizcocho de melaza, aunque la porción es enorme, es tan liviana y esponjosa que se termina fácilmente, ¡bueno, si puede exprimirlo después de las albóndigas! Definitivamente reserve en las condiciones actuales y no se decepcionará.

Found this pub just behind the crowds at the shops, beautiful old pub, lovely polite staff and great food. If we ever come back this way we will definitely go here again. Thank you.

Disfrutamos de 4 comidas aquí durante un descanso de una semana. El pub es muy pequeño pero hicieron todo lo posible por eso, para propósitos de Covid. Servicio muy amable. Se recomienda reservar con anticipación ya que se llena. Albóndigas húngaras, una especialidad, muy sabrosas. Mi bistec también bien cocinado. Precios comparables con otros alimentos de pub de la zona. La cerveza local también era buena.

Excellent service fitted us in without booking. Fairly basic pub menu but thoroughly enjoyed both our food & beer. Chips excellent!,

We stumbled across this and so glad we did.We had our puppy with us, it was raining and we just wanted to eat and get dry!This was by far the friendliest pub we went to during our 4 day stay.. The front of house (lady with blonde hair and young lad) are a credit to this establishment. Really happy and welcoming!Even came straight over with a bowl of water for our pub.The food was also the best we had and we ate out for lunch and dinner everyday! I had the homemade chicken curry and loved it!Wide selection of drinks and a traditional pub.. exatly what you're after in The Lakes.We met the owner on our way out and he was a lovely gentleman. 29 years experience.. he sure knows what he is doing Don't pass this place for others as you will regret it!

Have visited Ambleside many many times & always tried the newer trendy cafes that have popped up over the years.... almost fell upon this place whilst walking down a side street and so glad we did.A good old fashioned pub, yep, worn carpets, brass hangings etc..but a lovely welcome and a nice little table for 2 on a Sunday lunchtime. Had the vegetarian chilli and husband had the meat chilli....can honestly say the best chilli we have both had in years. Great sized portions..too big as couldn't manage a pudding !So glad we found this place & will def be going back.

What a lovely pub! We had such a warm welcome from chap behind the bar, and despite being turned away from a few other pubs/restaurants on the main stretch, he found us a little table for 2. It’s a good old fashioned pub. You know, the ones where the wooden tables are slightly sticky from beer with brass decorations hanging from the ceiling. It was just what we needed. I had the steak and ale pie and my husband had the curry.The food was lovely. Wholesome and filling, with large portions. If we were locals it would be our go to pub!

Very rarely do we both order the same but this jumped out to both of us & we were so glad we did! Prawns, scampi & fish all perfectly cooked in lovely light batter & so fresh. Any dish would be better with homemade chips but they seem to be rarer than ever these days so these were just the norm - to be honest with all the fish I was too full & left most of them! Nice pot of tartare sauce with the dish too. The Unicorn beer is a great pint to accompany this - lovely meal!

This was our first time in the Unicorn and we received a warm friendly welcome from the staff members- the food was very good, and the Inn had a lovely, easygoing atmosphere.

Our visits to Ambleside always include several trips to The Unicorn.Its always warm and welcoming and serves good wholesome food with a choice of beers. Hannah is always helpful and friendly.Cant wait to revisit later in the year.

Very nice hostelry, up a side street but still very busy. Good range of beers, week kept. Did looked nice

I agree, best pub in Ambleside. Lovely feel and atmosphere and great beer and food. Always felt welcome.

Old fashioned pub serving great quality beer and food. Traditional pub grub done incredibly well, decent portions and at a good price. So good we went here 4 times in 6 days. Twice to eat and twice just for drinks.

Nos alojamos aquí el sábado por la noche cuando íbamos caminando. Buen lugar. La habitación era cálida y limpia, aunque un poco pequeña pero fue genial para una noche. La cama era muy cómoda. Nos quedamos en el pub ya que había música y el clima afuera era atroz. Comimos aquí y esperaba cosas buenas. La comida era normal, el bistec gammon estaba seco y si te gustan las pilas de papas fritas, entonces serás feliz. Mi esposa tenía el pastel de carne, una tapa de hojaldre se arrojó encima del plato y era simplemente insípido. El desayuno fue mucho mejor. Me alojaría aquí de nuevo, pero comer en otro lugar ya que la elección del menú era muy limitada y la calidad era normal.

Por lo general, para esta época del año, Ambleside estaba envuelto en llovizna, por lo que encontrar un lugar para comer, con un pequeño, sería un desafío. Muchos de los cafés estaban llenos y, como habíamos estado aquí para tomar una copa en ocasiones anteriores, pensamos que llamaríamos para almorzar al niño.Conseguimos una mesa en la parte baja del pub, pedimos en el bar y la comida llegó muy rápidamente. Las patatas fritas eran increíbles y el pequeño Tigger disfrutó de la comida que no tiraba al suelo (como siempre).Cuando nos fuimos, el primer comentario de mi esposa fue "¡bueno, no volveremos corriendo!" "Usted ve que el problema era el personal. Solo puedo presumir que hubo un duelo más temprano en el día. O eso o de alguna manera, el personal refleja el clima: soleado = sonrisas alegres o nublado y llovizna = adusto y deprimido. Uno en su hora de almuerzo se mudó de inmediato a las habitaciones cuando nos sentamos en la mesa cerca, puede que haya escuchado un "tut" pero eso podría haber sido el ruido de mover sillas / mesa. A pesar de lo obvio, tuvimos que pedir una silla alta. La solicitud se remitió a otro miembro del personal que, sin decir palabra, fue a buscar a The Highchair. Una sonrisa, un simple ‘¿cómo está tu comida? Habría recorrido un largo camino. Es posible que nos hayamos quedado más tiempo y sin duda hubiéramos gastado más dinero.En serio, si hubiera habido un duelo, lamento mucho tu pérdida.

Acabo de disfrutar las albóndigas más grandes que he visto. El mejor sabor y la mejor salsa servida con papas fritas o arroz. muy recomendable. si quieres las mejores bolas, entonces haz el unicornio. agradable personal amable y buena cerveza

we went here and the place was full but one of the ladies who worked there with short blonde hair was so lovely she got us two tables together as there was 7 of us not a problem . the food was gorgeous and it was such a lovely friendly place. 100% recommend !

We were looking for a nice pub to have a meal at during our visit and The Unicorn was a lovely cosy pub with a good selection of food. Opted for the falafel burger from the specials menu, which was a really tasty burger but the real star of the show were the gourmet chips - they were soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. As well as a lovely meal, we enjoyed some of the Robinson's ales on offer, which complimented the meal beautifully.

We were really lucky as we came here looking for food and despite it being absolutely rammed managed to nab a table as another party was leaving. The food was great, proper pub grub and also vegetarian friendly. The staff were also lovely, really helpful and chatty in general. We didn’t love the musician on, bit outdated in terms of his comedy but wasn’t the end of the world. Overall thought the pub was good craic for a Saturday night in Ambleside!

Love this pub, its so warm and cosy with really comfy seats.Very busy this Novemebr 16th as christmas lights switch on but still managed to get a seat even though it was very busy. Didnt eat here this time, but have eaten here before and the food is lovely too. Lovely landlord always present very homely. Will be returning!

Popped in for a quick bite. Decided on the Hungarian meatballs and the steak and Stilton special. Food came out piping hot and the quality was excellent. Highly recommended

Personal realmente alegre. Pequeño y acogedor pub que vale la pena visitar.

This is a wee gem of a pub/restaurant in Ambleside. I’m gluten free and not only were there gluten free options, the chef also came out to speak to me and talked through what I could have and how things were cooked. Best gluten free experience I’ve had in any restaurant. The rest of my party really enjoyed their food as well. Recommend the big Yorkshire puddings which my sister had. Really busy, warm and friendly environment. Make sure you visit whilst in Ambleside, down a side street so not a place you’ll naturally walk by.

Our family were visiting Ambleside for an 80th birthday and on our last night, we decided to try the Unicorn. The food was absolutely gorgeous, and the service from all staff was delightful. Everything about the evening was great, and it made for a lovely end to our trip (some of us had flown from Australia, so it was extra good!) Thank you to all staff!