Chester Arms in Oxford

Finalmente llegamos a visitar después de escuchar cosas tan buenas sobre el lugar. No nos decepcionaron. Llegamos temprano (justo antes de las 12 : 00 ) ya que no pudimos reservar (completamente reservado) pero dejan una serie de mesas disponibles para walk ins. A la llegada nos encontramos casualmente por Becky que estaba acabando de salir que se detuvo y charlar con nosotros fuera. Estábamos sentados junto al fuego (perfecto como estaba helado fuera) Elegimos el plato de carne infame y era tan bueno. Probablemente uno de los mejores filetes que hemos probado. El servicio fue atento, tuvimos una buena charla con Ben, que supongo que está frente a la casa. Esto es una joya de un lugar. Una visita obligada si usted está visitando Oxford, a solo un corto viaje en autobús / taxi del centro de la ciudad. Definitivamente volveré. Pete & Debbie.

Excellent Steak platter (comfortably fed 2 big eaters) but on reflection probably should have had something from the blackboard of specials all sounded great. Good starters too. Attentive staff. Top notch Saturday afternoon lunch.

Reasonably priced pints, lovely staff and chill atmosphere. Good local pub

The Chester’s steak platter is unreal! And the waitress we had, Ava, was super friendly. Would definitely recommend.

The best restaurant in Oxford without a doubt and for vegetarians the best option, very varied and everything very well prepared and very delicious, the meat is spectacular if you are passing through, don't even consider it, in addition to a very cool decoration and an incredible terrace inside the restaurant that It is a chalet in a very quiet area where you can walk until you reach the edge of the river to download everything we have eaten, because it is so good and how they put a lot of it, you come out so full ahh and everything is super clean, they have a card and parking in the streets that usually exist almost always

One of my favourite pubs in Oxford if you are looking to eat a steak! Very big portions so it is better to come with some friends ☺️

Lovely hidden gem. Great food, especially the steak platter, alongside the crème brûlée! Absolutely divine! Definitely recommend!

Llegamos justo cuando la cocina estaba cerrando, pero el personal era muy servicial y nos atendió. La comida era muy buena, el queso de coliflor en particular era excepcional. Me hubiera gustado un par de chirivías, pero creo que eso puede haber sido porque llegamos cuando la cocina estaba cerrando! El tamaño de la porción era excelente y en general muy bueno para el dinero y el pub tiene un buen ambiente. El personal era muy bueno y le encantaría volver a visitar en el futuro.

Visité aquí con mi familia en una fría noche de enero. Había oído muchas buenas críticas y este pub me lo recomendó mi hija. 6 de nosotros en y tuvimos una reserva tarde por la noche. El pub era cálido y amable. El menú es pequeño, pero me gusta. Fuimos por su plato especial para compartir filetes, que fue absolutamente increíble, es un plato grande y mi pareja y yo tuvimos mucha comida para nosotros dos. Sin duda recomendaría esto. La comida llegó a su debido tiempo y una buena selección de bebidas. Sin duda volvería a visitar

Visited 3 times so far, food and service have been consistently top-notch. Free street parking on weekends is a plus. Is there really a better way to treat yourself than their steak platter?

The food was amazing. I had the red mullet, and it was so delicious. Great staff, great atmosphere. Well worth a visit.

Can't rate this place highly enough. Great steak platter and supplemented by a very good veggie pie option. Amazing staff and lovely relaxed manner

The pasta was overcooked, and the sauce lacked depth of flavor.

Si pudiera darle a este lugar 6 estrellas lo haría. He estado un par de veces y parece que está mejorando. Visitamos recientemente y nos llevamos a mi mamá y papá con nosotros. Mi madre pidió el pescado grande y patatas fritas que es absolutamente enorme. Pedimos el plato de carne para compartir para 3 de nosotros. Tanta comida irreal. El filete es tan suave y tierno, carne pura sin grasa. Las patatas fritas son estilo chip shop y son deliciosas. La col y el tocino también son irreales. Nos encanta este lugar y solo desearíamos vivir más cerca. Lo único negativo es el aparcamiento, ya que está en una calle estrecha con pocas plazas. Vale la pena que te rompan el coche porque es tan bueno. No podría recomendar más.

Wonderful place, fantastic food

If you are looking for fantastic Sunday roast in Oxford, look no further! We absolutely loved the Chester Arms and the lovely staff who made these Aussies feel very welcome and looked after!

Great food, great staff, great atmosphere! Will definitely come again!

Generous portions of perfectly cooked steak, great for splitting with friends or family. It's a delicious and fun way to enjoy a fantastic meal together.

Really wonderful. It's not hard to see why this place is a local legend, or why it's packed out mid-week with people all ordering the same iconic steak platter. The food was amazing; the service was friendly, helpful and efficient. And the whole meal, including wine and puddings, was surprisingly good value. All round, an excellent experience.

Hemos visitado Inglaterra varias veces, pero nunca un domingo. Me ha decepcionado mucho perderme sus famosos asados dominicales. Esta temporada, nos encontramos en Costswolds durante un domingo y me entusiasmó participar en esta tradición dominical. Después de unas cuantas búsquedas en internet, me topé con un artículo a favor de Chester Arms. Se jactaba de una larga fila alrededor de la manzana. Hicimos una reserva con meses de antelación. Nos encontramos en medio de un barrio sin pretensiones. El restaurante era pintoresco y lleno de lugareños. Dicho esto, lo mejor que puedo decir sobre el restaurante es la conveniencia local. Los aperitivos son inspirados en Oriente Medio. No encontrarás pudín de Yorkshire ni salsas ni carne tierna. La carne es sabrosa pero difícil de masticar y la carne de res es su única opción. Este no es un tipo de lugar al que quieres ir para tu asado dominical, pero este puede ser el lugar al que vas si no quieres conducir más allá de tu calle.

We have visited England several times but never on a Sunday. I've been so disappointed to miss their famous Sunday roasts. This season, we found ourselves in the Costswolds over a Sunday and I was excited to partake in this Sunday tradition. After a few internet searches, I stumbled upon an article in favor of the Chester Arms. It bragged about a long line around the block. We made a reservation months in advance. We found ourselves in the middle of an unassuming neighborhood. The restaurant was quaint and filled with locals. That being said, the best thing I can say about the restaurant is local convenience. The appetizers are middle Eastern inspired. You won't find Yorkshire pudding or any good gravies here nor any tender meat. The meat is flavorful but difficult to chew and beef is your only option. This isn't a type of place you want to go to for your Sunday roast but this may be the place you go to if you don't want to drive beyond your street.

Steak platter and Sunday roasts are incredible. Expect a long service wait, but it's worth it. Staff are busy, but helpful and lovely. Really lovely atmosphere - both for a cosy dinner on a dreary evening, and for drinks in the garden when the sun's out.

Amazing customer service！Good food and ambience. No wonder the line is always super long！

Nice meal outside. Too bad they determine what you have to pay for service. That was a letdown.

Very popular. Opens at 12 noon. Better be standing in the line well before 11 AM.

Excellent vegetarian roast- each part was very tasty and well cooked. Very generous portion! Crispy roast potatoes. Queued from around 11.40, no issues. Good bike rack.

The staff is unfriendly, and to get a table, you have to arrive before they even open and wait half an hour just to be told you’ll have to wait another hour! By 1 p.m., the food is already running out. AVOID this place!

One of the best pubs in Oxford for food! Been here several times for their steak platter which is amazing! Service is always welcoming and is a beautiful cosy pub for winter months

This is the place you've been looking for.We had dinner here with some friends. Highly recommended!

Excellent food. Great place. If you are driving there is no parking nearby.

More than 10 years in Oxford and I can't believe that I didn't discover the Chester Arms earlier. Amazing food, amazing people, best beer this side of Munich!

A happy and cozy place with delicious meats at a very reasonable price. Highly highly recommended. If the application stops, it is advisable to reserve

Wonderful food, staff and atmosphere.

Beautiful place, nice. Too little space and too many tables and chairs. It's too tight. I will gladly visit this place again when the meals will be less fatty.

We had the steak platter yesterday and honestly it was *outstanding*. We were just blown away. Incredibly delicious. The steak itself was beautifully seasoned and cooked, the chips were possibly the best I’ve ever had, the bearnaise sauce was just delicious and even the bread whilst we were waiting was exceptionally good. Would give the food six stars if I could!

The best steak and Sunday roast in town!

Visited on a Sunday Eve. Kitchen opened at 6pm and food arrived not long after. Had the Steak platter and it was amazing!!! Loads for me & the GF. Service was friendly & fantastic, will defo be visiting again!

Ordered the steak 🥩. Bit pricey but it was tasty. Service was awesome and a great selection of ale and beer. Will be coming back. Thanks.

Really great steak platter. Been twice, now, and already looking forward to the next time! Only regret is that because it's a platter for 2, and I haven't yet persuaded my partner to try rare steak, I have to eat medium-rare meat. Also means I can't post pictures cus some smart arse will comment it's overcooked. Either way, delicious!

Very nice food and drinks. Good service, quick and efficient with smiles. Steak platter was excellent as was the beer.

The steak platter. Hoooolyyyy. What a meal, I keep coming back.

Steak good. Add a bitter ale 5% abv or above for the fifth star.

Mientras visitábamos Oxford comimos aquí. Mi amigo había estado previamente con la familia y me dijo que era bueno, pero no estaba completamente preparado para lo sabroso que era el plato de carne. Sólo desearía vivir más cerca. 10 / 10 altamente recomendable.

I've been for Sunday roast a few times and the food is absolutely incredible. No reservations so table are first come first serve so queueing before 1145 is a safe bet depending on how big if a group you're coming with

Their steak platter is very delicious, the portion is very generous, the steak is tender and chewy, and their peach-flavored beer is highly recommended! (It should be noted that dinner must be reserved in advance, otherwise you will have to queue up)

Believe the hype. Believe the comments about the queue. The roast beef was delicious, as well as being huge. I love that they've kept the rustic feel but maintain an incredibly high standard of food and service. We got here at 11.30 and there was already a queue. Absolutely worth the wait.

Uno de nuestros lugares regulares para comer cuando viajamos a Oxford para ver a la familia y siempre es tan bueno como nuestra primera visita. Personal amable y servicial, excelente comida y excelente comida. 3 de nosotros tenía el plato de carne que pedimos raro y estaba perfectamente cocinado. Ya estoy deseando mi próxima visita!

The cabbage is out of this world, an absolute must have when visiting!! The service was so quick even for a busy saturday and the staff were very accommodating and lovely. The food is amazing value for price particularly the steak platter and just truly delicious food!

One of the good places I have been to. It’s good, dog friendly. They have Polaroid images of all the dog that visit the pub. Food was tasty and beer was great to

Great service, very good atmosphere. The steak platter and the fish and chips are great.

You must try the steak platter if you visit this place. The steak and chunky fries were amazing!

One of the very best pub restaurants in Oxford

5 stars for everything here. The food was delicious and tasty! Cabbage with bacon/smoked sausage was surprisingly good, crisp chips and salad with the medium rare steak, awesome combination. You can book online (even we were late they manage to get a table for us). The lunch is served until 2:30pm (we were just on time). The service was very good and we were happy to pay the service fee (12.5%) added to the bill, employees were friendly and quick. Feedback from my husband on the IPA was delicious, really good IPA. The atmosphere is great, they have a garden outside for warmer days. Loved the pictures of dogs on the wall, I look forward to going back and bring my dog with us. The place is also pet friendly. Definitely worth a visit!

Typical English pub, very good beer, excellent food. Very welcoming and friendly staff.

This is it. This is the place you've been looking for. Get the steak platter,order extra bernaise and cabbage, and you are headed straight for a food coma. Don't make other plans, just make sure you get home safe.

Probamos este lugar ya que nuestro hijo eligió este diciendo que es un pequeño lugar escondido, pero bueno para el asado del domingo Tuvimos que hacer cola y esperar una hora, pero está bien

Let’s get it short: The Food was fu..ing amazing, the best Pub food we‘ve ever had. Steak medium rare, service absolutely outrageous🥰 and friendly, location perfect, delicious beer, what else could you imagine? Highly Recommended!!!!

Tons of amazing food, worth the price everytime

Finally had the steak platter after months of wanting to try. Chips were so crispy and flavourful. Got meat sweats but it was worth it.

Two words: steak platter. It’s what The Chester Arms is known for, and it never disappoints. Sometimes there’s a wait; it’s always worth it. Delightful staff, with a super efficient front-of-house. Big beer garden, perfect for a drink on a summer’s evening. Never had a bad experience here.

Un amigo y yo nos encontramos en el área de Oxford y decidimos probar este pub. Ambos comemos bastante con nuestras familias. El servicio y la cerveza eran buenos y era una noche agradable, así que se sentó fuera. Nos quedamos satisfechos con nuestra elección cuando ves tanta gente allí comiendo debe ser bueno. Fuimos por un par de entrantes pimientos Pedron y pan casero y dips ambos eran muy buenos. Fuimos por el plato de carne para principal, se veía muy impresionante y el filete se cocinó bien, nuestro único problema leve fue que algunos de los filetes eran un poco masticables, pero en general fue una buena experiencia y puede que solo tuvimos un poco de mala suerte. Sin duda volvería de nuevo si nos encontramos en Oxford.

James was wonderful. Booking us a table and looking after us really well. Food was amazing and such a big portion.

Wow! I'll be back. Amazing service and well worth a try. Unique special daily and the pictures don't lie. That is actually what it looks like on your table.

Incredible everything! order the steak but hear the specials as well

Great food & feel to the place!

Nice food, rather spoiled by being jammed into a corner by two enormous, stinking dogs the owners were incapable of controlling.

Never had a bad meal or experience here, food is amazing, steak platter all the way

Probably one of the best fish and chips I've had. Good atmosphere and fast service. Good with an English IPA beer. Very reasonable prices.

This is a nice place the food is good and the service is good too. I recommend booking a tablet in advance.

Vegan sharing mezze and roast are impeccable 👏

They met everything expected, I would give it one more star. Thanks a lot. Pet friendly ❤️

The food was really good. We purchased a steak platter between three of us. We wanted the steak medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. The service was good and they always kept checking to make sure we were happy with our food. The IPA was good also especially when i don’t usually drink it but i throughly enjoyed it.

Best of the best for steak in Oxford. Super reasonable price - £60 for a 3-ppl-share steak, with excellent juicy and tender meat with great chip and sauce.

Great service, good food and really friendly staff. Very dog friendly. Food was quick to come out, but not rushed, staff were super happy and friendly, and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. The starters were good, and the infamous steak platter was done exactly as ordered (rare). Will be back!

The food was really nice, but it was way too much to finish it. Maybe a little less on the plate and a slightly lower price would be an idea. The staff were very friendly and the selection of beers was also nice.

we couldn't reserve, so we came early for a Bday dinner. We ordered the 3 platter steak for 4 people, and it was amazing. the steak was so epic, the fries, the salad, great Bearnaise sauce. Highly recommend this dish!! Service is very average, you need to go get your own drinks, yet they expect you to pay 12.5%.... seriously they ask for Tip for me getting my own drinks? if service had been better, I would have given a 5/5.

A great beer garden, especially on a sunny day. So lovely to sit around the tree. Good beers. Small but excellent menu. Worth spending a few hours here!

We had a reservation but were very late, we were unable to get through on the phone. Luckily they kindly found a table for us anyway. Portion sizes were very generous and really good quality food. Garden was lovely to sit out in!

A rather British-style local pub. The steak platter is very generous and tastes quite good. There aren’t many varieties of food, but it’s suitable for foreign tourists to experience local cuisine.

This absolute gem of a restaurant can not receive enough praise. The atmosphere is incredible, the food is nothing short of excellent - certainly a level of quality where you would expect to pay triple the cost (the steak platter is a MUST) The staff are very keen to be of service: Merlin was a great help during my meal today. Will absolutely be coming back.

Just popped in for a cheeky bevy and a small snack. The pints were deeeeelicious and super fresh. We were only coming in for something small, sharing a small portion of arancini, which was so soooo tasty - tomato sauce was incredible. Gave us complimentary bread, didn't rush us out at all, such brilliant and attentive people who work here. Wicked experience

Went for a Sunday roast. Was not disappointed. The food was delicious and plentiful.

Fantastic roast dinner, pork was so tender and potatoes, veg and yorkshires all cooked to perfection. Great selection of drinks and £23 for a roast dinner and a dessert I thought was very reasonable for the area and the quality. Friendly staff also. The queues outside at 11:45am says it all really. Will be back!

The Sunday roast was somewhat disappointing. Given the queues to get in, I expected something that would offer more to write home about. Whilst there were plenty of potatoes and sufficient veg, there was little meat and gravy was watery and sparse. The beef was paper thin to the extent there was hardly anything there. Pork was ok, but crackling tough and hard - eat with caution, and if you have delicate teeth, expect expensive dental bills. Had crème brûlée for pudding and it was pretty standard. Service was slow and quite laborious even though we were one of the first to get in. Meal took around two hours for main course and pudding. I’ve had better roast dinners at Head of the River and Gusto on the High Street. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this one.

My partner and I moved to Oxford last year and we’ve been coming to this pub every week for date night, purely because it has the best food, great service, fantastic vibe, the best beer garden tree, the best dogs, and a superb location. The staff are always super friendly, polite, helpful, and accommodating. They change the specials almost from day to day, which means you can always try something new, or opt for the usual from the menu. Every friend I’ve taken there has been delighted by the food. I’ve noticed some people have said in other reviews you have to wait a long time for food to arrive… it’s a popular pub, so if you come at peak time, naturally you’ll wait a little longer, but if the company is good, then it shouldn’t be a problem ;) Top tip, arrive early (before seven pm) and you’ll get a table in no time :)

Visited Chester arms many times over the years. Steak always cooked lovely and the sides are a nice touch. I do feel standards have dropped in recent times though. Twice now I’ve waited over an hour for food and we only order one dish for the table (the famous steak platter of course). First photo was 2019 for 2 people, second photo for 2024 for 3 people. Steak portions have shrunk a lot, chips were better back in the day too being a lot crispier verses present day the chips seem to be like chip shop chips. A bit mushy. The ratio of chips to steak has changed a lot so the chips seemed to just bulk up the dish to make it more filling. Plus free bread back then used to be a basket for the table, now just a tiny slither per person. It’s only some bread! Surely doesn’t cost the earth to make and is a nice little touch, especially if you need to wait a long time for dinner to be served. Finally I prefer to add a tip on at the end at my discretion rather than a service fee. I can understand service fee for large groups but we were just a small table.

Enjoyable family dinner! Great food and cozy atmosphere. Perfect for quality time together

Lovely cosy pub with a nice hustle bustle atmosphere. We needed to book a few weeks in advance to get in. Had their special steak platter which was for three and very good value for money. All in all a great pub meal out experience.

Absolutely magical evening spent with my girlfriend! The restaurant exuded charm, and the cuisine was a delightful journey for our taste buds. Sharing such a romantic dinner with her made the experience even more meaningful and unforgettable

Delicious food served in an authentic setting.The flavors were spot-on, and the atmosphere truly felt genuine, making it a dining experience to remember

Went on Saturday night and the host was very friendly, nice outdoor area and cosy interior. Waiter was also very friendly and the service was perfect. The selection of lager was great with some standard lager, gluten free and peach infused which was nice to try. The steak platter was great (especially the bacon lettuce thing was crazy in the steak sauce) and presented so well. It’s a good price for steak a very generous portion as well (steak for 2 could have easily fed 3 of us) so managed to take some leftovers home luckily. They have a discretionary 12.5% service charge which usually I would complain about, but they made it clear this is added to the bill and give you the choice to remove it and the service was worth that anyway. Overall I’d definitely recommend visiting.

Fantastic steak platter. Starters also very good.

Bloody awesome, we had been unable to book, so we had a wait for a table but definitely worth it excellent staff, steak platter was cooked perfectly, can't wait to return on me next trip to oxford

They have the Best meal of the week, when visiting Oxford. Remember to book a table weeks in advance

Everyone has to try the steak here. The quality of the food is high, service is good, and portion is amazing.

Love love LOVE this place! I really ought to try other meals on their menu, but the steak platter gets me every time 😅😋 Visited again last weekend, 5 of us walked in without booking (the audacity!) but we were seated immediately without no stress or fuss. Thank you guuuuys 😊♥️

Steak platter always a winner! Good quality food, with great service. Would recommend.

Can’t go wrong. Steak platter or nothing. Solid food, descent price.

I feel bad because we only go here to order one thing. It's so good why go for anything else. Honestly one of my favourite places to eat out in Oxford, highly recommended. You'll need to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Had dinner here; koftas, chicken burger, lamb ragu and beers. All were delicious.