The Fox Den — Restaurant in England

I made a reservation in August 2024 for my birthday lunch celebration January 2025; 4 months notice.

Upon arrival, I was asked if I would change to a different table. I said no because I chose my tables in August.

Our reservation was 12.30pm. The waitress who took our food order got the quantities wrong and had to walk away and return (10 minutes later) to double check. My husband amended her errors.

Drinks were promptly served apart from enough water glasses to accompany the water jugs. Frequent requests for more water glasses to accompany the jugs of water were ignored.

Non alcoholic cocktail orders were declined on the basis that my nieces were under 18. We did request NON ALCOHOLIC COCKTAILS!

At 2.15pm, I asked where our food was? My family had travelled 3 hours and had 3 hour return journeys home. I requested that they please get on with our food orders. Other tables that arrived after us were served before us.

At 2.45pm, the food started arriving. I ordered roast beef which was rare, as requested. But the parsnips were woody and inedible. My niece ordered the Aubergine gratin; she said it was “hard”. There was a mixture of feedback about the food from my family. But I think we were all fed up with the waiting and lack of service.

To say that my birthday lunch was ruined by the incompetent staff is an understatement. The occasion can’t be lived again – the precious moment in time has gone and there is nothing the Fox Den can do to undo my disappointment. Suffice to say that we shall never return nor can I recommend the venue to...

We arrived a party of 8 and we were greeted by Dylan. Dylan proceeded to try and excuse his very poor customer service from the beginning by telling us that he was "hanging" (hungover) from the night before. We gave our orders which had to be repeated a few times and finally we were waiting for our food. There was a variety of starters ordered as part of the lunch time deal and when mine arrived (calamari), it was luke-warm and rubbery. For mains I ordered the duck pizza which came with onions which I do not eat so I asked for "no red or spring onions". Not only did we wait nearly an hour for our mains but when mine came out, it had onions on it. Dylan whipped my plate away and 7 minutes later it was returned. Given Dylan the benefit of the doubt, I tucked into my pizza only to find the onions that they couldn't pick off the top!! Obviously, this caused me to talk to Dylan again who proceeded to tell me that I only asked for no spring onions. 2 other guests at my table and I informed Dylan that I did in fact ask for no onions to which he replied, did I want a fresh one? I asked him why I didn't get a fresh one after I complained to which he replied, we just picked the onions off so that we didn't have to do a fresh one!! Well, that was it for me. In any other restaurant that would have been my starter and drink wiped off of the bill but no, Dylan just took the pizza off and charged me a service charge. Needless to say, I will not be going back to...

Today Mother’s Day 2025 we attended on time to check in for our pre booked table for 12 at 3pm, our table was late due to delays in the kitchen, ultimately we were offered a table in the bar section not restaurant. A delay in food leaving the kitchen was an understatement, after some very poorly presented and rather tasteless starters our mains were eventually placed at the table at 4.45pm. To say these roast dinners, and two of the blandest children’s meals I have ever seen, left a lot to be desired is an understatement! I wish I had photos to share as none of the food we were served looked anything like the meals photoed in other earlier reviews. I am gluten free and waited an additional 10 minutes for my meal to arrive, the meat was slivers of rare beef with sloppy veg, appalled I sent the meal back, complained to the manager who did absolutely nothing to appease the situation. I promptly left the venue. Everyone appreciates that on special occasions venues are busy, but this venue seemed totally unprepared to cater to the customers arriving for bookings, we heard lots of people complaining, hardly any staff present, no customer service what so ever! At £28 a head for a restricted menu, no drinks service at table, it was very, very poor and upsetting! And for me no Mother’s...