Every 7 years your Birthday falls on a Monday. And on Mondays the best restaurants are all closed. Except the Fox at Willian. Not only is it open but it is jam packed. Not only is it open but the food, wine and service are all excellent. Not only is it open but the car park, the restaurant and the bar are already filling up from 6 p.m. onwards. Not with Willian locals though. But with guests driving many miles to this tiny village to sample their famous food, drink and hospitality. Not just a four star AA certificate, but mentioned in the Michelin Guide too. Genuine fine dining. Fair prices too - for good quality food with generous portions. No one goes hungry at The Fox. And our afterthought was: well, yes, we only came here because nowhere else was open on a Monday BUT we'll definitely come once a month from now on ... if we can book a table. Yes, booking is essential - much too popular to leave to chance.

I can't praise the staff here enough. We came for lunch with our dog and another customer was really rude to us because they didn't think dogs should be allowed in pubs (we'd obviously checked with the staff beforehand, and there was already another dog inside). The staff were so quick to swoop in and take us off to another table and showered our dog with treats throughout our meal. The food was delicious and we'll of course be coming back again, not just because I suspect the dog will try to go in every time we pass!

Slow inexperienced service. The staff were perfectly friendly but clearly had had little training in how to serve customers. Very disappointing cuisine. Three of us ordered the mushroom and truffle risotto which was dry with little truffle flavour and we all left most of the dish. Nobody came near our table so it was impossible to complain. When eventually our dishes were cleared I pointed out that three of us had not eaten our risotto. "Yes, I see that. I will tell the chef". But nobody in charge appeared. And the waitress produced our bill for £220. Disappointing to say the least

The welcome and service were good, sadly the deep-fried pickles were all gherkins and the flavour was missing. The potato side dish was overcooked and again, lacked flavour. The mackerel dish was fine but again I had to add seasoning. Overall the place has a lot going for it, it is very clean and tidy, the gardens are well set out and the parking is adequate. Perhaps I chose the wrong dishes, I nearly chose fish and chips but one diner sent hers back for some reason. We need to visit again to clarify if it was a bad kitchen day or my bad choices day.

Thankyou to Henry ( I do hope that is his name!?! ) a charming young man ( tall, brunette with specs ) who certainly went the extra mile to make my flying lunch visit special! The food as always was top notch & his service was friendly, welcoming & professional. I would have no hesitation in recommending this pub to all. Keep up the great work!

The restaurant was very good, food, service and ambience. The only reason I marked service down was that there were 3 extra drinks added to our bill, they were not ours! The restaurant is very popular, full throughout Sunday lunchtime, make sure you book! If you want a quiet meal choose another time! However, highly recommended!

An extremely well thought out and beautiful short stay venue. Pub, restaurant and rooms to stay with the added benefit of allowing pets, which was a real benefit. The wifi was a bit hit and miss, although the staff were so accommodating and helpful that they outweighed any tech hiccups. The breakfast and dinners were faultless. I wouldn’t hesitate on planning a return visit if in the neighbourhood

Beautifully decorated and a well organised, plant-filled restaurant area. Best looking interior of a pub we’ve been to so far in Hertfordshire. Booked for a last minute Monday lunch and there was lots of room. Staff were friendly and the food options were varied and delicious! We’ll definitely be coming back at a weekend or evening to try it out again.

Came here for the Sunday roast. The had ran out of beef by the time we had got there but that is to be expected if you go later in the day. They have a butternut roast if you have vegetarians in your group. The truffle fries are worth getting.

Couldn't be located at a more picturesque place. Lovely fields, opposite a pond, lovely church next door; the outdoor area is flawless. There are outdoor bars, an outhouse with pool table and toilets, and lots of places to sit even on a busy day as it basically boasts two outdoor areas. The vibes here are simply amazing. The food is pricey but wouldn't say "overpriced" as it's fresh and lovely, so you're definitely getting what you paid for. The beer ranges are great, especially for someone who likes trying lots of different ones. Would highly recommend if you're in the area, and even if you're not, to be honest. Whether it's summer or winter, it's the cosiest pub there is all year round.

Stopped for lunch with my husband as part of a journey as I'd read the pub had a nice garden. We were told we could sit in the bar area so thought the garden was full (understandably on a sunny Sunday), only for others who also hadn't booked to be told they could sit in the garden. We waited 25 minutes for drinks (including water!) and almost an hour for food. When we asked if it was on its way (after about 45 minutes) we received no apology and were told it was because they were busy in the garden, so not only were we not given the option to sit in the garden, we were treated worse because we weren't sitting in the garden. We have arrived home much later than intended because it took so long, and if they'd said there was going to be a long wait because of the garden we would definitely have gone somewhere else.

We love the Fox, but wish some dog owners kept their dogs to their own table. A recent visit had one table available for 4 in the bar area and a large standard poodle cross was under our table. The owners just said " It's OK, he won't bite" and carried on! Once again, a minority of dog owners create a bad image.

We had an amazing anniversary dinner at the Fox. Our waitress was very attentive, we didn't feel at any point like we'd been forgotten or had to ask for anything (which sadly happens more often than not!). The steak was cooked perfectly and great value for money (we had the sharing 700g rib eye) and the kitchen even sent out a plate at the end wishing us happy anniversary which was a nice touch. Would recommend and will be back

The Fox is a little pricey but the food is good so the place is worth visiting. 🙂 We had the calamari starter, the Sunday roast (beef), and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. All the food was fresh and delicious although it took a while to be served. One waitress let us know that one of our dishes was coming soon which was nice, but we wish they would’ve taken care of us a little better instead of having just about everybody who works there show up at least once at our table. Overall everything was fine and we enjoyed the dinner as well as the atmosphere there. I’d definitely eat at the Fox again. ;)

Nice place, food was excellent, location really picturesque. The management need to put on a couple more staff, especially outside. There was only one member outside and the poor guy was totally swamped. Absolutely not his fault as he was all on his own outside on a bank holiday Monday, but we ended up going inside and sitting in bar area. Was much more peaceful and could just order at bar, where the young guy behind the bar was also really helpful and friendly. Food took a while, probably additional staff needed in the kitchen also. Nothing huge to complain about, but at these prices (£16 for vegetarian main) the place just needs more staff to make the experience better. All in all definitely recommend.

Stopped for coffee/breakfast on journey on the A1(M) with baby and two dogs. Great breakfast and fabulous coffee. Comfortable and warm. Welcoming service. Would definitely recommend over traditional services. Lovely walk across the road for the dogs too.

Disappointed on a family meal, cling film in one of the starters (croquettes) and the other was cold. It took 20mins before we had our first drinks arrived…the staff were nice but clearly overstretched. I would’ve expected a gesture on the whopping bill but they only removed the starters that weren’t fit for consumption. It’s way overpriced for the experience.

Lovely room, friendly staff, we had a last minute change due to baby sitting issues, they moved our room and arranged a couple of beds for the kids, nothing seemed like too much trouble. Breakfast was brilliant, very well cooked, I honestly had a very nice stay here and was very impressed.

Didn't stay at the hotel (though the establishment itself looked lovely and I imagine the rooms follow suit). Came for lunch 14/06, sat outside in the garden. Not only was the food absolutely fantastic (we had the pulled lamb, hummus, chicken burger and bavette steak) but the service was also outstanding. We came with our 6 month old son too, and the staff were accommodating and went above and beyond. Thank you.

Beautifully presented and gorgeous meal, excellent service. Had function room for 80th party and for a large family group of over 30 it was very suitable. Food was definitely worth the cost, would go again and recommend.

Great pub and awesome Sunday roast. The place is very nice and they have a good selection of beer on tap (didn't look at the wine list). Might be my new favourite Sunday roast place. Go try it. Service is great

Really cute setting. Dog friendly, snacks for dogs. Didn’t have the drink either of us wanted but we found something else we liked. Would ask for a warmer welcome, or any sort of goodbye. Staff not very attentive. *** update*** we returned yesterday. No treats for dogs. Again, no warm welcome or any goodbye of any sort. £15.50 for a small mulled wine, rum and Coke and peanuts?!

Lovely place to go for walks with dogs. great country pub restaurant. Not eaten there yet. Coffee is ok but was in take away cup. Dogs seemed welcome in the bar area. Lots of space to sit outside I heard summer it can get very busy. Parking compared to seat availability is limited. So double up in the car.

Love this place!!! Staff are amazing, food is fabulous and rooms also modern and well thought out with everything you could need. Best nights sleep I have when I go away on business. Really well run pub, restaurant and lodgings.

What a treat! As a gluten free/dairy free peep life can be tricky but not at the Fox. Not only is their menu delicious - I actually had choices!!! - the staff could not have been lovelier. Attentive, knowledgeable, friendly - just excellent and the food was amazing. I was visiting family so I'm not local and probably just as well, if I was I would be eating here ALL the time. Highly recommend. To be able to eat without worrying was a rare treat.

Stayed here for 1 night. Sunday lunch was good. Accommodation was very high standard. New and modern amenities. Good supply of milk for tea and coffee. Air conditioning which was welcome although the water pump attached to the aircon was annoying at night. Highly recommend.

We had a beautiful Sunday lunch here me and my partner had roast pork whilst our friend had chicken. All food was warm tasty and well cooked. Fab service and staff! We had a Rolo dessert and a panacotta which were very rich but beautifully presented! Pricing us high medium end but the food served is good value for the price. You must book early to avoid disappointment and they are doggy friendly to but please let them know you are bring a 🐕

We ate here for the first time on Thursday evening. I was so impressed! The staff were so helpful and accommodating, right from my first enquiry and throughout our visit. The food was impressive; the steak was the best I've had in a very long time, or perhaps ever! A really great dining experience; we will be back!

Arrived really late (1am) and the staff were gracious and set up a way for us to get access to our garden suite. Let me tell you, what a welcome surprise it was after a long day of travel! The rooms are GORGEOUS and we were sad we couldn't stay longer. That being said, the restaurant staff were a bit inexperienced, the food orders were wrong, there wasn't a lot of care or concern with the food itself. So 5/5 for the hotel and accommodations, 3/5 for restaurant food and service.

Great location, the fish and chips were the best I've had, and the staff were friendly. My only disappointment was the beer selection, or lack of. The two guest beers they had on were very similar in taste, and not really to my liking. I would like to give it four and a half stars.

Real country pub in a rural setting besides a beautiful old church. Visited on a warm summers evening with family and friends and took advantage of their garden bar, yes they actually do have a separate well stocked bar bar in the garden. Good seating area suitable for small or large groups or just the two of you. Friendly helpful staff and good tasty food. Had a lovely evening and will be returning.