Folly

Bars and pubs Bank
3 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 stars
(24user reviews)
Folly

A vast, yawning venue, spread over two floors and multiple levels with a look that’s part industrial and part Country Living, this chameleon tries to be a lot of things.

It’s a deli and restaurant (and florist) during the day and, later, a brash, buzzy cocktail and champagne bar. Upstairs, an open kitchen opposite an array of long picnic tables serves sharing platters, gourmet sandwiches, seafood and pub staples made posh.

Drinkers head down to couches and tables for two lit by birdcage lanterns, or the private vaults. Bartenders will create cocktails to your design using fresh ingredients, or you can choose from twists on standard classics, such as an apple and honey margarita, or ‘skinnies’.

The wine list isn’t overly extortionate (house wine is under £14), but a lot of bubbly – mainly prosecco and Pommery – gets poured.

Posted:

Venue name: Folly
Contact:
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Address: 41 Gracechurch Street
London
EC3V 0BT
Opening hours: Open 7.30am-11pm Mon-Wed; 7.30am-1am Thur-Fri; 10am-midnight Sat; 10am-7pm Sun
Transport: Tube: Monument tube
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Average User Rating

3.2 / 5

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star:7
  • 4 star:6
  • 3 star:3
  • 2 star:0
  • 1 star:8
LiveReviews|24
1 person listening
tastemaker

This place is always really busy on weekdays probably due to its location. It has great decor and is really big. It also has a great selection of drinks and food. It's sharing platters are quite tasty if not a bit "samey". It does get noisy during key times e.g. Friday evenings and sometimes it is really difficult to have a conversation comfortably, no matter what level you settle at (the basement has more tables for those wanting to eat). 

Tastemaker

This beautifully decorated bar is a lovely place to sit and have a cocktail or two. During the week it gets rammed but on a Saturday it's much quieter and very easy to get a table. Cocktails are delicious - I haven't tried the food but the menu looked nice. The decor is quirky but tasteful, and in an area that can be a bit dead on weekends, this is a good find.

tastemaker

I've been to the Folly a number of times as only work 10 mins away, but this time we went on a Saturday night after an evening at Swingers. The vibe was much more relaxed than normal, although it was still busy, and was more small groups rather than rowdy groups of work colleagues (as I have been part of many times).

Drinks are pretty reasonable price (£6ish for a glass of wine) and they also have a good selection of everything.

A great place for a few drinks right in the city. Also near the stations for a quick trip home.

Tastemaker

We went here after a day out on a Saturday and this seemed to be one of the few places open around the City.  It is a pleasant looking place with quirky décor.  We were sat at a table where two of the chairs had faux fur on the seats.

There was a good range on the menu and I opted for burger and fries.  The burger was very big and chunky, I struggled to get through it and chips, so good value.  The burger was very nice, but the chips were a bit disappointing - a bit dry.  I like to normally get really thick chips or fries like you would get at the burger places such as Honest Burger, so these were not as good.


The people that I went with also enjoyed their food and we were too full for pudding.  We went to the toilet before we left and I was really impressed with the décor of the toilet - I would have taken a picture, but I had left my phone on the table!

Tastemaker

Fairly decent city bar, always packed with people having after work drinks/leaving drinks/birthdays/catch ups. Restaurant food is gastro type pub food and plenty of options, prices are reasonable too. It gets pretty loud so would't recommend it for a catch up but if you want a decent venue then I'd definitely recommend.


Staff was awful. It was a Friday eve after work and we had made a booking for 4 people a few days in advance. When we got there and asked for a chair for an extra person they didn't help us. Not to mention we had already ordered drinks and starters they told us we had to leave because the reservation was only for 2 hours. At this point they sent the manager who we found totally unaccommodating and rude and even though there had been a misunderstanding on their side they did not admit it until we confronted them.. at which point we had to leave because the reservation window was nearly over. We have never experienced such a bad attitude from a manager! Will definitely never go there again. 


My mother and I found this place whilst browsing around Leadenhall Market and St. Pauls area. When we walked into the hustle and bustle of the Folly, we gathered it was lunch time and the workers in the area had popped their for their lunch and midday snacks. We were seated really quickly - a table was freshly prepared for us. The star were really helpful and friendly. They were eager to please and help us out with any questions about the menu and even for suggestions. There are many choices for meat eaters however for vegetarians, there are only 3-4 options - two of which are a focaccia sharing platter. The atmosphere was really lovely. The decor is amazing and unique. The layout of the place is really open plan. I would go back but only if I fancied another Butterbean burger (which was delicious) as there wasn't much to choose from. But i definitely recommend to a meat eating friend.


We visited The Folly for our Christmas party and we were sadly, very disappointed! The staff were nice, but service was distinctly average - we often found ourselves refilling our wine glasses when we were told that it was part of the service we had paid for. All the meat on the Christmas menu was particularly dry. Most of the deserts were terrible; we all had little taster, but it just wasn't worth it! The best options on the menu was the vegetarian starter; a warm pumpkin & chanterelle tart and the main - pan-fried sea bass . The upside was the 'venue' itself - it has been beautifully designed. But that was actually it!


I needed a place to have leaving drinks from work. It was Friday evening and about 25.(busy time as u can imagine) Was really pleased I was able to reserve a table and area for me and my friends. Pre ordered drinks before hand and it was all ready and waiting for us on arrival. Much easier and I hadn't even thought about that before. very friendly staff. Great place , and amazing atmosphere.


amazing! is rare to find a venue like this in the city! the decor bring you to different atmosphere, the cocktails list is fantastic, LOVE the duck bath tab!!! the staff is brilliant, not too heavy, but attentive enough to make sure you have everything you need! A GREAT SPOT FOR PARTIES! Will definitely going back there


Got brought here for a work function last week - amazing looking venue and we had a real party... Canapes were excellent, the cocktails were tasty (and plentiful) and the service quick considering the number of people that were there. Will definitely be returning (without the directors)!


Just a quick word to recommend this place! I just celebrated my birthday there last Friday and had a brilliant night. The staff, drinks, food and cocktails was all good. Big thanks to the reservation team and the staff on the floor to had make this event so easy to organised and to had taking care of my party the entire evening. Will definitely come back. Thanks the folly team


After being ignored for several minutes at the bar by the sweaty looking barman with his back to me busily being busy, I eventually received an over-priced beer in a sticky, filthy glass which seemed to have by-passed the dishwasher before re-use. I risked about a quarter of the beer before deciding it was not going to clean itself and left. The staff were also pretty listless the last time I went, so I don't know what made me go back...no doubt after this time though!


This place stinks literally and metaphorically! I hosted a group of 20 or so clients for a quick pre-party drink rendezvous and can honestly say I have never been treated so badly in any bar I have been too (and I have been to a lot). The beer was terrible, the service was churlish and best and rude as a norm. When asked to top a pint up from a ridiculously low level I was shouted at saying "that's a full pint", it clearly wasn't. Also the actual bar stinks of what can only be described as a smell a bit like smelly feet. We had a group discussion about it and could only come up with the manky indoor trees slowly rotting, whatever the source of the smell it made a terrible experience unbearable. I urge anyone of a sound mind to boycott this place, it only gets one star as it is the minimum allowed.


Time Out, please remove this from your list of places to watch the Olympics. Despite displaying four screens, of which one was large, repeated requests, and a bar full of people who were clearly interested in watching some of the Olympics action, the arrogant and rude member of staff, who may have been the manager, would not put the sound on for even part of the time. The men’s cycling team sprint final was watched with nothing but noise from the customers who were there to cheer Team GB as they won gold. It doesn’t claim to be a sports bar, which is fine, but its inclusion in this Time Out list is misleading.


My colleagues and clients had an awful experience drinking here, the bar staff (or a bar man) was rude and simply abusive (of a homophobic nature), with useless duty management. I will never visit this bar again.


I am not from around here (London), Californian through and through, but I have to say that this place for some reason, struck a chord with me, it has the warmth from home. Its not too fussy and the vibe was electric, when I was there for a Chrismas 'do' in December, it was packed full of people, drinking and eating, rare to see a venue of this size in the UK, so 'American' I can proudly say, yet with so much detail and garden charm... Cocktails are up there with the best, definitely a nice surprise... Cuan the Mixologist was a doll!


I've been passing this place so many times, just waited for an occasion to try it out. What a DISAPPOINTMENT! It might is good enough for couple of drinks with workmates but I would definitely not recommended having dinner even they have lovely candles. I totally agree with previous comments. The look is only the good part, the rest - service and quality of food is very very poor. We went there on Saturday evening. Waiting by the door for while just to be seated. I ordered salmon that was slightly burned and dry and my boyfriend 's pasta was overcooked. FOR THE DISASTROUS YOU WILL BE CHARGED MORE THEN 10% service charge.


A great place to be for a quick bite and great cocktails on a Wednesday night. I was take dot the folly by my new colleagues as I just moved from Birmingham to London a few weeks ago. I absolutely love the place. Didn't have time to grab some food, but I saw a very busy restaurant which is always a very good sign. They will definitely see more of me and my new colleagues very soon.


What a pleasant surprise... i was sceptical after reading a couple of reviews- but all of my friends work in the city and this was the best place for us. We had a group of 12 of us for dinner last Friday night and got a fantastic table and the food was very tasty- Steaks were very tender and the girls mostly had one of the massive range of salads- we had a lovely waitress who took care of us and managed to get us a table downstairs in the bar and we partied late on to the night. The barmen were great and made the us loads of cocktails which were amazing to say the least. Thank you Folly we will definitely be returning on mass.


If your like me you will enjoy a cocktail or 2. On a busy Thursday night its just the thing to enjoy. Tucked away in the corner is what they call the 'mixologist table'. You pretty much go up there tell the bar tender what you like/don't like and he will make something that fits the bill! Have quite enjoyed a few nights up there to say the least, plus the surrounds are very pretty & a bite from the menu never goes astray!


Great place, it's our usual spot to head to after a busy day at the office. Considering the size, service is generally pretty good, and the food is great, although I have to admit I've only eaten there a couple of times. Cocktails are amazing though, and the guys behind the bar really know their stuff. Not the place to come if you want to kick back on a sofa with a paper for the afternoon, but if you want a great fun environment in the city I'd highly recommend The Folly.


I think I may have been at the wrong place, because I just spent dinner there tonight (granted it was a Saturday night in the City), and I didn't get any of the shoddy service nor bad food like I read below. The food is good, not great, as its not a high end restaurant, but I had a special order of the salmon which was actually quite nice. Again, I am also confused with the service mentioned below... The waitress was attentive and nice enough... But I must say a special mention has to go to the toilets... very nice indeed!


This place is great to look at, and lures you in but the service is atrocious and the food mediocre. Why has it not improved five months after opening. Some quality training is required.

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