Jacobs Inn in Oxford

Popped in for a drink with work mates There was a lovely lady behind the bar Although she was in the middle of a conversation she made sure to welcome us and make us feel comfortable Let us choose our own music and was very chatty Will defo be coming back

Originally The Red Lion, this pub was successfully run as Jacob's Inn for ten years until changing hands in 2023. Since then it has gone into a death spiral, with several tenants and/or managers taking it on in quick succession without it ever looking as if it was going to be a success again. As Jacob's Inn, it functioned primarily as a restaurant with bar attached, and with its large garden and selection of animals - pigs, goats and chickens - it drew a family clientele from miles around, not just from the local area. When it changed hands it was beginning to look a little tired, and that situation has steadily worsened. What was a charming outdoor space has become overgrown, with dead plants and foliage unremoved, and a marquee installed during the pandemic is a grubby eyesore. Both the interior and exterior of the pub are in need of a deep clean, and many of the fittings and fixtures need either refurbishing or replacing. Part of the problem lies in the fact that a pub with a food offering of staples like pizzas and burgers competes directly with the White Hart, only a few yards away, and the long-established and well-thought-of Plough down the road. Jacob's Inn was a full-service restaurant, and although its offering could be variable, it attracted a regular eating-out crowd. By the way, I'm not attaching blame to any of those who have tried to make a go of it - it's too big a job for individuals, and it's clearly the brewers who are best placed to effect a rescue. They need to step in, spend a bit of money, refurbish where necessary, and at the very least send in a squad to deep clean and tidy up. Wolvercote is a sought-after village with a fairly well-off population, and The Wolvercote is a handsome period building at its centre, with ample parking. It should be an absolute cash cow, but unless some drastic action is taken I fear that it will suffer the fate of The White Hart at Wytham, a mile or so down the road, which remains empty after closing down a couple of years ago.

Had a pie and chips from here and the kids had a burger and pizza we never went in to the restaurant as it was closed but we had food in the bar was nice the garden was nice too kids loved playing about in the garden the bar is a what you expect from a building of it’s age

Driving home from Oxford, came across this pub and just had to go in as we’ve been looking for ye olde English pub! Mick greeted us and was very helpful fixing us up with our drinks, and sorting out our dinner order. Davin, the chef, brought out our Steak n Ale pie n chips! We needed some minor adjustments from standard order and Davin couldn’t have been more accommodating- good on ya mate!!! These pies did not disappoint! Best pies we’ve ever had, and us Aussies love our pies!!! Thanks Mick and Davin for a great evening, we’ll be back if we’re ever over this way again.

I was out exploring so popped into wet my whistle. Friendly bar man and a decent pint of Guinness. I will definitely have food next time I return with the family. The garden is beautiful and so tranquil to sit and pass the time of day.

Tired and dirty, unkempt garden area with dying plants and shabby furniture. Very disappointing. Empty on a beautiful day

Very disappointing visit. We wanted to try this new place in the neighborhood, and were glad to see good reviews on TripAdvisor. We were a little put off by the lack of a website/menu to review, but decided to go anyway on Sat 2 March. When we walked in, the person behind the bar informed us that they didn’t have a chef on that evening, so there was no food. There was no signage outside to warn us before walking in, and no website to warn us that we were about to waste a trip. Really disappointing, so I wanted to warn anyone interested in eating to call before you go, or else you’ll have to go elsewhere for food like we did.

Had a delicious sunday roast here just before christmas, amazing menu absolutely spoilt for choice. We had the gammon and it was perfection, veg and yorkies were yummy as well. All served with a friendly smile and very speedy service. Our waitress was very attentive and made sure our food was okay, and the landlady also checked our food was up to standard which of course it was. Couldn’t recommend more!!!

Now The Wolvercote. Called in Sunday lunchtime, with dog, in the hope of Sunday lunch. Expectations exceeded - roast beef, Yorkshire pudding made with real eggs and flour, a range of well cooked vegetables. Portion sizes huge - lucky we had walked a long way and were able to do justice to it. Clean plates all round. Desserts also seemed home made and delicious. Great welcome and service

Now "The Wolvercote" pub, this pub has reopened under new management. We ate from a well planned menu of first rate pies, fish and chips and burgers (veggie and vegan options). Prices were reasonable, and I was glad to note that this is proper home cooked food, handmade pastry (definitely not bought in!).

Lack lustre staff and mediocre food. Great location and venue lovely, a lot of room for improvements here. Nut roast was sold out at 12:45, and a cauliflower option for £17! Overpriced. I decided to try the moving mountains burger and it looked like a burger from a burger van on the side of a road. My friends tried the halloumi burgers, they were told mushrooms are inside but there weren’t any, instead two giant slabs of halloumi. Our waitress could have been friendlier. Needless plastic waste for condiments when the bottles could have been wiped down after each table sitting. Bathroom hand dryer broken, and toilet rolls left on the side and not in holders. Third time I have been here and will no longer give it another go.

We haven’t been at Jacob’s inn since last year but nothing changed really! Amazing staff as always and great food! It’s worth the wait ! Well done Jacob’s inn team in coping with that weather! We will be back!

Booked for a coffee via email. Email came and then another came promptly canceling it but did not know that until I arrived. Arrived and told off for not waiting on arrival at entrance. Told off for sitting in a tented area when I had booked a covered area to sit. Apparently not the right covered area!! Waiter took order but gave us a time limit of an hour as the area we were sitting in was fully booked. Was actually sitting in a tent with 2 couples that had the capacity for at least 30 people. Manager came over and told us to move immediately as we were booked in another area. I said fine and asked her to carry our water glasses and get cushions for us. On rising to leave she saw my stick and promptly changed her mind and said we could stay. !!!! So the disabled are treated differently when the impairment is made obvious. That just makes it worse. I have never met such rude, obnoxious staff in my life. They all need to go to charm school and learn people skills. I will not be returning, which is really sad as it was the first time in a year and I had had really good times before. Staff get a grip and shape up.

I have been to Jacob’s Inn a couple times, mostly for the goats . Recently I spent a few days in the area and had the good fortune of having lunch and dinner there. The beer and cider is good quality, most of the staff are stand out, in particular Jo and Lizzy made me, my friend and our two dogs feel particularly welcome. Big smiles and great service. A definite yes for the discerning traveler with a passion for animals, people and a warm environment. A plus is the well stocked deli selling local produce at reasonable prices. Thanks to the team for a warm visit!

This is one of our favourite places to eat. The atmosphere is great with a lovely garden that is well presented. We arrived Sunday for a roast and our order was taken quickly and arrived fast. We were served by Jo who was wonderful, very passionate and helpful and really wanted us to have a nice meal! If I was rating Jo she would get 5stars plus. She went above and beyond to make our meal special which she did..

Busy Saturday lunch, but the staff looked after us so well. We enjoyed our fish and chips, and recommend the gin goblets very highly! Try the Martin Millers goblet! Make sure you book in advance as they do get busy very quickly!

Visited with friends on a Sunday, waited 30 mins for a drink, which was then given for free as we had waited so long, but there was no apology after asking twice where our drinks were for a table of 6. Staff explained twice it was busy, when it wasn’t as there were lots of tables free. I don’t mind waiting but an apology goes a long way. We all ordered a roast, which also after ordering took almost an hour to come. The roast was very very dry and gravy was like water, no taste atall. All left quite a lot on our plates. All very disappointed as the location was so great, was expecting great things. Won’t be visiting again due to service and dry food.

Visited for a Sunday roast. First we waited a while for drinks to arrive. We asked where they were and we were told the bar was busy but they will be on their way. We accepted this but as time passed and another table received their drinks before us, we asked again. We were informed the ‘ticket’ got lost. However, they therefore didn’t charge us for our drinks.We all ordered a roast (4 beef and 2 lamb). All of which were dry and quite fatty cuts. The gravy was tasteless and watery. The potatoes were ok. My Yorkshire was burnt. The only flavour I got was the pepper on the carrots. I did see other dishes go past the table, so maybe it was just the roast that wasn’t great. I would hesitate to return.

Bit of a mixed bag, this one. Our order of starters (tomato and basil soup) were somehow lost by the kitchen resulting in us having a substitute beetroot and ginger soup around an hour after we initially ordered. Best description of this is that it was 'different'. Our mains were fine (although I didn't recieve the ketchup I requested). Still, we were given the soups free of charge as well as a couple of complimentary free hot drinks so I shouldn't moan too much. Staff were friendly and they were pretty busy (Saturday evening)

Visited with friends for evening meal. Lovely outside space and the service was good. Unfortunately the food was very average to poor apart from the starter.

It is a lovely setting and feel to the outside place. Covid measures in placeStarter was luke warm. Strangely the meal came and we were told a colleague will bring the cutlery. It got colder as we waited. his happened for both coursesOne veggie main unless you want a pizza. It was a large lump of roasted cauliflower. I ate the outer bits and were cooked. I do wish Id sent it back again. It was cold when it came and they heated it upMy partner liked his meat main The services is the same as it was at the cafe in Headington, variableI think best for drinks and snacks in a lovely settingThis was a treat. First meal out after lockdown

This was a frustrating and disappointing evening. First of all, having booked online we tried to call just to make sure they had our booking, but they didn't answer the phone all day long. On arrival we asked to be seated but were left standing at the entrance in full view of the staff for several minutes for no discernible reason. Only when I asked again if we were going to be allowed in did they show us to a table. The waiter was very friendly. But the marquee we were put in had no working lights and no working heater (both were present but disconnected). Next to us was another marquee festooned with lights and clearly very jolly. In our case, when it got very dark, they brought a single battery-driven tea light. After we had sat down two more groups were shown into our marquee. For some reason, despite us ordering before them, both of those groups had completed their entire meal - and one of them actually paid and left - before we even saw our main courses. For starters we ordered two portions of halloumi fries but only one came. There was then a wait of an hour for the main courses (while the other diners were served). This was explained as a problem in the kitchen. When the food finally arrived it was so-so. Apparently the pizzas were ok. I had the pork loin which was a bit dry and chewy with lumpy mashed potatoes. It was also described as coming with crackling but there wasn't any. By the time the bill came it was pitch dark and freezing cold and I had to view the price, with its non-discretionary 12.5% service charge, by phone light. All in all, this felt like a place without any clear management. And they need to learn that if all customers are paying the same price then all customers should be treated equally well. It was horrible to sit there in the dark watching other people eat in light and warmth. Two stars because my daughter said the pizza was good.

They’ve started doing pizza, which was a welcome informal change - but it just wasn’t that good! Starter of asparagus lovely though.

Booked lunch on our way to Southampton. It was lovely to return after such a long time. ‘Substantial’ snacks were lovely & the staff welcoming. It’s not normal but then nothing is but everyone is doing their best under difficult circumstances. Well done to all the team & hopefully see you again soon.

I was a bit nervous with a few negative reviews, however .... ...... we had a lovely Sunday lunch and were looked after very well ( with 3 children in the group). Very nice food, lots of vegetables and gravy ! Good friendly helpful service.

We were staying at a hotel nearby with no meals provided. Having discovered Jacob's Inn, we returned several times and were made to feel very welcome, whilst feeling safe due to the careful coronavirus precautions taken. All the meals were delicious; home cooked, generous portions and very tasty. The pub has a lovely, traditional atmosphere, feeling cosy even though tables were well spaced.

We had booked through the pub’s app. Had to wait the door to wait to be seated. Sanitizers were available at the door. The food was delicious and didn’t have to wait long before the food arrived. I had lamb and mint pie with mash. It was very tasty.Would recommend this pub. We also went for breakfast the following day which we would recommend.

We came here early before a long walk so it wasnt busy and we only had teas and coffee but the service was excellent , friendly and helpful. Great to see the hens and goats !

Llamado para el almuerzo después de caminar por el camino de sirga del canal de Oxford. nos llevaron al jardín ya que teníamos a nuestro perro con nosotros. la comida era bastante buena y una porción decente, pero a treinta y tres libras por una hamburguesa, una ensalada de pollo y dos pintas de Guinness no es barato.

Mi novio y yo vinimos aquí después de un largo paseo por Wytham Woods. Cuando llamamos al personal para reservar por un par de horas, el personal fue servicial y nos ofreció una mesa que era muy flexible. Hasta ahora tan bueno.El entorno del pub en sí es realmente encantador en el campo de Wolvercote. Un área al aire libre muy generosa con decoraciones twee y mesas bien espaciadas parecía perfecta para una comida en tiempos de covid. Elegimos una mesa y pedimos 2 asados dominicales y 2 cervezas a través de la aplicación sin ningún problema.Lamentablemente ahí es donde la experiencia dejó de superar las expectativas.El principal problema de este lugar es que el servicio y la organización eran deficientes. Después de haber pedido, el asado de 1 domingo se llevó antes de las bebidas, sin cubiertos y, por lo tanto, lamentablemente se había enfriado cuando tuvimos la oportunidad de llamar a otra camarera que estaba caminando. A continuación, solo sacaron 1 cerveza, así que me quedé sin comida ni bebida durante 10/15 minutos más.Una vez que sacaron mi comida, noté que faltaban elementos del asado del domingo (verduras y puré), dejando mi plato muy triste y vacío en comparación con el de mi novio, que de alguna manera nadie se había dado cuenta. También había una clara diferencia en la porción de cordero entre estos dos pedidos idénticos, que parecía que uno de nosotros había sido enormemente corto. Le pedí a la camarera que viera dónde estaban las verduras que faltaban y esto hizo que esperara otros 10 minutos hasta que se corrigiera, momento en el que la cena fría de mi compañero ya se había comido en gran medida y yo tenía mucha, mucha hambre.Una vez que llegó por completo, la comida en sí era normal en el mejor de los casos, lamento decirlo. Fue una lástima que el encantador cordero local se hubiera cocido en exceso sin condimento alguno, las papas estaban duras y duras y claramente habían estado sentadas durante horas (nuevamente sin condimentar) y el puré de vegetales de raíz que había esperado con tanta paciencia era de alguna manera no dulce ni terroso en absoluto, como una zanahoria blanda y aguada. Los cerdos extra en mantas que pedimos son indistinguibles de los que obtendría de la sección de congelados de Tesco en Navidad. Todo el plato carecía de sabor o refinamiento, lo que cabría esperar dada la configuración y el precio de 16. 50. Simplemente no estaba sabroso como debería ser un almuerzo de domingo.Comenzamos a notar una gran cantidad de avispas persistentes posadas sobre nosotros, nuestros vasos y nuestros platos, lo cual, por supuesto, no es culpa de nadie. Estábamos tratando de encontrar a alguien que nos ayudara a movernos a una mesa diferente adentro (no debes levantarte y caminar a menos que vayas al baño debido al distanciamiento social). Desafortunadamente, nuevamente no había nadie, así que tuvimos que mover todo nosotros mismos y encontrar una mesa adentro (entre muchas miradas de otros clientes). En este punto, nuestra primera camarera finalmente trajo el agua del grifo que habíamos pedido 50 minutos antes. Rápidamente comimos nuestra comida muy mediocre y nos fuimos.Como estudiantes, gastar 50 en 2 asados y bebidas no es barato, y esto estaba destinado a ser un placer. Desafortunadamente, se sintió como una lección muy costosa de mal servicio al cliente y comida de mala calidad. Ambos hemos trabajado en la industria de la restauración y el catering durante las temporadas de verano, por lo que sabemos lo difícil que puede ser. Este personal necesita ser reentrenado y todo el lugar necesita una reorganización si este lugar quiere seguir teniendo un precio competitivo y la reputación de un pub gastronómico. Lamentablemente, a pesar de la ubicación, nunca volveré a venir aquí y preferiría gastar mi dinero en el White Hart en Wytham.

There was a female manager who was very rude to customers and staff. Yes it was busy but that doesn't mean you should loose all your manners. She seems to be new as we've never seen her before.

Great setting, great staff, great coffee. I was fully golden momented. Great efforts were clearly being taken to ensure social distancing and COVID-compliance.

Visité hace una semana. Pedí pescado y patatas fritas como no hay mucho más en el menú. Cuando finalmente llegó, el pescado (que se suponía que era bacalao) estaba frío y poco cocido con solo un trozo de masa que lo cubría. Las patatas fritas tampoco se comieron, ya que eran patatas de muy mala calidad y muy quemadas. Un desperdicio total de 15.Si la camarera hubiera regresado, le habría dicho, pero solo una dama sirviendo.

What a great find! Went to Oxford for the weekend for Car Chase Heroes and to go out with mates for drinks. The next day, we went to the Meadows (beautiful on a nice day) and stumbled across this place. Great pub with good food and service. The garden was clearly a big hit with a lot of people. Highly recommend.

Well organised to meet Covid regs with track and trace, good spacing and hygiene. Limited menu but the food we had was good. Polite and friendly staff. Nice location

We had a meal with a friend and we all felt really safe. Staff were friendly as usual and the food was as good as ever. Sit in the garden and relax !

We visited with family last month for drinks and lunch. There were friendly waiters but there simply weren’t enough on duty so we had to wait a very long time for our drinks, chase them up, and wait 45 minutes for our lunch! Then when it finally arrived it was burnt and dry. Based on our experience we would not recommend.

We booked the Trout but the cramped dirty table sent us packing and over to adjacent Jacob's Inn where the staff are friendly and efficient. Lots of space indoors and out with good cooking and a nice menu. Not enough veggie choices for me but overall a lovely place to eat and drink.

Wandered over to Jacobs Inn on a Friday night to be greeted by extremely friendly staff. We had the choice to either have table service, or use their new QR code system. We opted for old fashioned table service and were not disappointed! We enjoyed a heritage tomato dish to start, followed by a pork loin steak with creamy mash - it absolutely hit the spot! My friend had fish & chips, as recommended due to it being National Fish & Chip day! All in all we both had a lovely evening, and felt really looked after. Next time we visit, we’ll come for lunch as we’ve been told they have goats & chickens!

I came for lunch on Saturday with my family, after recommendation from friends. We all had an amazing time. The lunch specials menu was delicious (grilled sea bream was a real winner) and the staff were very attentive and friendly. The gentleman who was front of house and looked after us, was a very jolly character and made our dining experience more enjoyable. I just wanted to say thank you! It's not all the time people get praised, but the quality of the service and food was excellent. It's nice to know there are such places local to us. We’ll definitely be back!

I came here on 30th August with my girlfriend. We had Sunday roast .The food was great. It was Covid friendly but staff did not wear masks.We ordered and paid upfront. Unfortunately, I also tipped the waiters upfront. BIG MISTAKE. Giving service is alien to the waiters here. We had to ask for sauces. The plate was cold. We had to almost beg for salt and pepper. I felt we were a burden on the waiting staff!The level of service from the staff was worth £0

All the negative reviews cover what is wrong with this pub, and we did have the service charge taken off,however, a friend took us to this as a treat so did not want to embarrass them by complaining.On visiting the Gents on the way out the smell from the urinal was over powering.Never Again

We didn't eat so can only comment on the friendly staff and well-kept beer. Nice atmosphere and staff chatty Stretch your legs and walk on here rather than stop at The Trout where surly staff can't be bothered.

Had some great food in this gastro pub, and had a brilliant waiter. When we came to pay the bill though, an extra 12.5 per cent service charge had been added. This had not been shown on the menu. When queried, we were told this was an error, and was shown on the lunch menu (we were eating in the evening). We all make mistakes, but I got the sense from the way the manager reacted in a fairly challenging way ("would you have paid it if I had put it on the menu?") that this might not be a been a one-off... There was also a table next to us who told us they had had the same experience the evening before too...

We have eaten here before but not recently. We felt ok with the covid 19 cleaning that had been out in place. Ate outside and used QR code to order from a poor menu selection. It was a Eat h out to help out evening and the place was busy. Service was fine bit food was really disppointing in choice and quality. Fish and chips and a super food salad which was small and not as stated, certainly not a main course. We asked and were given another one. Service charge was included on every order and the bill did not reflect the fod and soft drink ordered and the offer. We emailed the pub, suggesting that the app might have an error which would affect others. No reply. We are local but probably won't go back. Shame that a local small chain which really offered a good menu and value for money is now below ordinary.

My wife went here for brunch on the Saturday and recommended it so we decided to do a Rishi Dishi on the Wednesday.Firstly the menu looked good on the website but when we arrived the menu was much reduced and under par. Bit of false advertising TBH. Burgers were the main choice to go for in the end (even though I really didn't want one) as everything else didn't take our fancy. After ordering drinks and food we then sat there for almost an hour and it became clear when people who arrived after us were getting food before us that they'd forgotten our order.I ordered another drink which arrived very quickly and asked when our food would be arriving. The waiter said it would be in 5 minutes after another cover before us. Great (not so much...). My sweet potato fries were not cooked and my wife's hallomui burger wasn't cooked and was cold. My cheese burger was okay. We were so hungry that we couldn't face sending it back and left half of it in the end. Thereafter the plates weren't cleared for ages and we ended up just getting the bill and evacuating to end the whole experience. Final nail in the coffin was the 12.5 % 'Stealth Service Charge'. Any other time I would have asked for it to be removed but seeing as the staff probably haven't been trained properly and had a rough time due to Covid I let it slide. Should have checked Trip Advisor before as it seems there are some similar complaints.In summary it was the worst meal in Oxfordshire I have ever had and the worst for a long time overall. We'll never go back without improvements. Only positive was that the staff were friendly...

Absolutely amazing service and food. Ben went that extra mile to make our visit memorable. Nothing was too much trouble for him and exceptional organisation throughout the venue. Compliments to the chefs on duty who delivered outstanding plates. A jewel in Oxford. Will be back for sure. Thank you

The menu on the website for this gastro pub bears very little resemblance to what's actually on offer. At lunch there were four mains with only one veggie option. When we asked the waitress she was distinctly stroppy.

This is a nice enough pub and we have eaten there before, pre Covid. Unfortunately it was a “Rishi” Monday night but we couldn’t avoid being out due to visiting family. We were a party of 6. We were greeted very warmly at the “door” and seated at a bench table in the makeshift marquee. Not much atmosphere but I don’t think they had tables big enough for us outside. But all well and good. Drinks ordered and then food. Ordered a selection of starters to share which were lovely. A v hungry family as they had been walking in Oxford all day. Starters cleared and then things began to fall apart. We waited an hour and 20 mins for our main courses. Knowing that the place was supposedly full, (although a lot of empty tables for distancing), we were very understanding at first. The staff were all v pleasant as we repeatedly asked them where our food was. Each time though, not one person came back to give us an update. There was only one decent server who seemed to have a clue what was going on and she eventually came back to tell us that the person that had cleared our starters had not informed the kitchen so they hadn’t started preparing our main courses. Naturally we were back of the queue and we watched people arrive, get served and leave before our main courses arrived. The lady who was seemingly in control very sweetly comped is a round of drinks for the wait which she didn’t have to do so kudos for showing great customer service. But the fact remains that more training needs to be given to the front of house people in how to interact with customers. Just keep people informed even if there is a mess up. Unfortunately we are unlikely to return after this as there is so much choice in the area. It’s a shame as it’s a decent enough pub.

Just had a lovely meal with my beautiful wife, the staff were very polite and helpful and the one way system was very well followed. While the starter and dessert were both excellent I think the burger needed just a little more. The sauce in the burger was very minimal but but it was well presented, I think the dish could have done with a side salad or ‘slaw’ for the price but would definitely return again in the future. I’m not sure where the reviews complaining that the food isn’t as described on the menu are coming from because the menu I had didn’t have descriptions on it. Overall very enjoyable with nice friendly staff and very nice food.

It was our first upon arrival in oxford and we found this hidden gem after we shopped for clothes at Bicester village. The roast was beautiful and the service was excellent too. Would recommend to anyone who is nearby.

We attended for my Grandmothers 80th Birthday. It took three attempts to get the drinks we ordered correct, the house wine was absolutely disgusting, service was terribly slow and when the food arrived it was not as described on the menu and horrible. When we complained the manager was extremely rude and basically said we should have said something straight away and he would have given us the option to chose something else, what he failed to understand was as a table of 8 we all had different things and none of us were happy so why would we order something else which clearly wouldn’t have been nice. None of the staff adhered to the current guidelines regarding COVID 19, I didn’t see any cleaning take place and the staff had no masks/visors. Over all our experience was terrible and it’s safe to say we will not be returning. My advice would be to look elsewhere and don’t even bother! As for the manager, I think he needs to learn a few things about customer service.

We waited over an hour for food and when it finally arrived it wasn't great. My friend tried to send his meal back because it didn't resemble the menu description and was told there were other customers who had priority so he would have to wait another hour. No apologies from the staff and they were very rude. I would not go back to this place again!

Staff were lovely, food was amazing, very quick and friendly service, staff even let me feed the animals! Would highly recommend here for food or drinks, and will come back next time in Oxford

Opted for daily 3 course lunch as a celebrating today.. always been excellent in the past. Sadly today didn’t meet expectations. Staff polite as always, however food slow to arrive and dessert complete disappointment. Didn’t realise they were partaking in eat out 50% off scheme. Staff did deduct soft drinks and dessert from bill but will be a while before I choose to return

Nice pub...but as many others in the area. We have waited at the door to be seated to be completely ignored by the 2 bar tenders at the bar and the several waiters who walked in...neither the courtesy of being greeted. Then we asked if we could be seated and finally a waiter come and told us to seat under a plastic gazebo which had large tables, we felt put in the naughty corner! We tried to order using the app, as asked, and the menu did not have any snack...we just got up and went to the pub in front where we have been made feel welcome from the first moment and we had a very nice aperitive.

Had a wonderful meal with the family.The food arrived perfectly displayed and was lovely and hot. Obviously a lot of care and attention had been taken to present these dishes.The service was amazing and felt really safe with the Covid measures in place.Loving the goats and chickens - such great extra entertainment for the family.A chap called Damon or Damion (apologies if I have this wrong) was extremely helpful and kind with my elderly aunt and all the family.Looking forward to returning and have told all my family and friends of this lovely place with the fab staff.Don’t miss this amazing place, it’s a must !!!

Booked a lunch time meal to celebrate my daughter's birthday. We were a party of 4 adults and 3 children. Very concerned straight away ,the staff were not wearing any face masks or visors and when questioned about it were informed that this was not mandatory so the staff could choose to if they wanted to or not .The one way system was a shambles,in one door and back out the same way as the exit door to the garden which was also an exit to the car park was closed for staff only. We did not notice any cleaning of tables during our time there, lots of staff hoping around and social distancing was non existent. We also were expecting to complete some sort of track and trace info form but again that didn't materialise. The food was ok,nothing special and it took a long time to get our meal and then they forgot our youngest granddaughters meal so not efficient in that department. All in all a restaurant to avoid in this present climate .

Myself and my girlfriend stumbled across the Jacobs Inn on a walk so we popped in for drink. It was such an amazing place we stayed all afternoon and evening for dinner. Great food, great wine and great service. And we loved the goats, you have to sit at a table next to them. Definitely worth a visit.

In theory Jacobs Inn seems like it's ideal for post lockdown dining but it didn't meet its potential for me unfortunately.The menu looked interesting but on arrival, several options were not available - no sea bream or halloumi so the pescatarian options were somewhat limited.I decided to have the fish burger which was a mistake - it was incredibly greasy fish in batter (literally dripping) and no sauce or relish on it. (They didn't even have tomato ketchup which was a bit of a shocker!). It was, if i'm honest, predominantly batter with a slover of fish in it. Why not just use fish fingers??? On the flip side, 2 of my party had the cheese burgers and they said they were good.The garden is large and the tables are nicely spaced out and, yes, there is hand sanitiser available and various other precautions but the staff are really not adhering to Covid gudelines as well as they should be in my opinion. The guy clearing the plates literally leant over my shoulder to do so. I understand it's a new way of working for them all but we would understand if they asked us to pass all the plates to the end of the table. similarly, the table did NOT look like it had been cleaned prior to our arrival as is their claim. it was very grubby.My final grumble is that, maybe I'm out of touch since lockdown, but it was very expensive for what we got. Despite it not being mentioned on the menu and being indicated as a free alternative, they charged us extra for sweet potato fries over regular. The main stinger was £6.75 for a small glass of white wine - ouch! It wasn't anything special, just a Sauvignon Blanc that we didnt even see the label of. That is way more than I'd expect to pay.

A hidden gem not far from the river. A vibrant friendly establishment. This is a place that has really got the social distancing stuff right, without impacting on the enjoyment of the experience. The staff were lovely and helpful, and we felt welcomed and valued throughout the evening. Great food, great atmosphere, great service. As an added bonus they had some goats and chickens who were entertaining us throughout the evening from their enclosure at the side of the garden. Will definitely be back!

The place itself is wonderful but when it comes to employees there and food they serve it is absolutely fantastic.There is always a friendly atmosphere, on busy days you might need to wait longer for food but it is worth it. Plenty of space, socially distanced, dogs friendly place. As a family with a child we would highly recommend this place to everyone.

Had a wonderful dinner sitting outdoors at the Jacob’s Inn. Great food and the service was so friendly and efficient. Everything I could wish for from a pub restaurant. Highly recommend.

At start of lockdown they were doing brilliant fish and brilliant chips with mushies and tartare for around £10. Then the chips dropped in quality but the rest was good. Now the chips are moderate, the fish is tiny, half cooked inside but overcooked outside, there are no mushies or tartare and the price has gone up to £15. Very poor.

The title says it all really. day 2 of post Corona opening but shambolic service compared with the place I visited on Saturday and another place today. Sunday roast had to go back, potatoes were hard as stones, veg cold, meat a bit tough. 4.30pm Sunday and food probably been hanging around.

Really good Sunday Roast. Delivered to our door on time. It just needed heating up. Much better than one from another nearby pub we had a few weeks ago.

Had a really average meal here which is disappointing as we used to come here when it first opened and it always was amazing and felt like a treat to go there as it’s quite out the way for us. When we first arrived we were served by a lovely waitress, we ordered burgers and a few starters.. starters were great Delivered by a different waiter... then our mains arrived really quick by another waitress : we had burgers - burger buns were cold and chips were just thrown on the plate for £15 a burger presentation was poor compared to other gastro pubs, we had no check back I would of liked more sauces but no was around to ask - had to just leave the table with no one coming to see us about pudding or clearing plates we had to go to bar to pay our bill.. overall very disappointing experience with no service whatsoever! Probably won’t return.

called in here mid afternoon as needed something to eat and drink. Menu fairly standard stuff but good quality and decent prices. Friendly staff and also dog friendly.

This was our first visit to Jacob's Inn.There were 19 of us celebrating twin grandmothers' 96th birthdays with a special Sunday lunch.With a bit of pre-ordering, the wonderful Jacob's Inn staff managed our booking with great hospitality - and wonderful efficiency.The delicious and wide-ranging menu suited all tastes. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed.We all had a great time - and I for one will be back!

Very disappointing meals for party of six. Felt like nobody there cares any more.Unforgivably children’s meal already had salt on the fries. If you can’t serve good hot food at 4 pm don’t offer it.We didn’t complain at time as didn’t want to spoil the birthday do.

Wurde uns von lokalen Arbeitskollegen empfohlen. Typisch englisch uriger Pub. Fish&Chips waren lecker!

Nice place but expect an onslaught of mums in the afternoons bringing their horrible out-of-control kids

Jacobs Inn came highly recommended from someone who was once a regular but has stopped going since the barmaid is so disinterested and quite frankly rude, it makes for a rather unpleasant evening. My husband and I decided to give it a go as the location suited us. The barmaid was totally disinterested in us, it felt as though we had interrupted her evening, she was far more interested in regulars having a drink at the bar than taking our food or drink order. I had to clear our own table as she was talking to friends at the bar, even though it was very quiet, there were only 3 tables eating. She didn’t make eye contact, smile or engage in anyway until right at the end when my husband was paying the bill then in a very bored manner asked if our meal had been ok. The food was fairly good, but the service and atmosphere created by her means that we’ll go elsewhere next time.

¡Qué joya de restaurante! Nosotros (2Adultos, 2 niños y un perro) están en el área por medio plazo. Hemos comido en este pub durante 2 noches consecutivas, ambas noches la comida ha sido excelente y el servicio amable y servicial.Es un pequeño pub realmente encantador y acogedor al que volveremos por el resto del viaje.

Extremadamente decepcionado, he estado aquí un par de veces antes y fue mucho mejor.El servicio era deficiente y la mayoría del personal parecía totalmente desinteresado. La joven que nos atendió no tenía ninguna relación con ninguno de nosotros.Parte de la comida que se sirve estaba bien, pero ciertamente no era el estándar que era la última vez. El crumble de ciruelas no podía describirse de ninguna manera como un crumble (se los llevaron y no cobraron por ellos).Era mi cumpleaños y disfrutamos de reunirnos como familia: todos tuvimos que viajar aproximadamente una hora y media para llegar a Jacobs Inn (la misma distancia para todos nosotros). Era una pena que los estándares parecieran haber caído y ahora estamos pensando que tendremos que encontrar otro lugar cuando nos reunamos, lo cual es una verdadera pena.

Estuve el martes con mi pareja y dos amigos, un servicio increíble. Sentado en el bar y servicio completo de mesa, el caballero encantador (tipo alto) recomendó el trato del día (dos platos principales y una jarra de vino).

La comida era normal, todo un poco cocido pero era más que comestible. Sin embargo, el servicio al cliente fue peor que el promedio. 3 empleados para un sábado por la noche no es suficiente. Falta de servicio al cliente y grosería del personal. Solo tomó la mitad de las mesas antes de irse y reírse con el otro miembro del personal que trabajaba en el restaurante.

I've been here a few times now and always enjoy a visit - the atmosphere is always very welcoming and the staff are friendly and accommodating. Most recently we had our work Christmas dinner which was excellent - our waiter Ben was very attentive and all three courses were absolutely delicious. Good wine, good company and a relaxing atmosphere made for a great experience!

Barmaid initially, no smile, looked as though didn't want to be there and slammed change on bar. Had to keep asking to order drinks and then remind them we were still waiting for them. Main was OK, puddings served cold (prob left on side waiting tobe delivered) so had to be reheated. Obviously lack of staff but no apology and no response from an email letting them know.

We visited here in February on a trip to Oxford and thoroughly enjoyed the food and the ambience, so we decided to go again on our Christmas trip to Oxford. It was a huge disappointment the bar and restaurant are lovely, but I can’t say the same for the food. My partner and I opted for the burgers as we’d had these before and our son chose fishcakes which came with broccoli, we asked if we could change the broccoli to fries and the waitress point blank said no you’ll have to order a side of fries, which we did. The burgers came on large white baps, however the VERY chargrilled burgers were only half the size of the bap, my partner had asked for no burger relish, but both burgers came with it on. I could understand the burgers being small when they have the two for one offer but not when paying full price. To add insult the fishcakes came without any broccoli!! We were all very tired and hungry so we ate up and left, a very disappointing visit. At the time of our visit, there were only a handful of other diners, so no excuses.

We have been quite a few times over the years but not been for a while. Whilst the pub is lovely with a great ambience, we have had some mixed experience with the food, but never as disappointing as on this occassion. The Burgers were served cold and had to be sent back, no apology, and the general presentation of the food was very plain. The Duck and the Coq A Vin dishes were watery, the meat dry and over cooked. Very bland and overpriced was our verdict! We won't be going back unless there is an obvious change in the kitchen.

So the day didn't start too great. It was a grey, dreary day. Lots of rain with a wind chill that chilled you to your bones. My girlfriend and I were pretty tired and a bit hungover from the day before and had a fair bit of travelling to do later on so we thought we'd treat ourselves and go get some breakfast in the pub down the way. We didn't know much about the pub apart from how it looked outside but it seemed pretty decent.

Just had a meal at Jacob's Inn and it was excellent. The food was perfect and the staff extremely friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend a visit when you are in Oxford.

We’ve visited many times before - a really disappointing visit on Boxing Day with family. The main dishes were served on cold plates, as such most of the food was cold. The superfood salad was served with Halloumi - stone cold, which everyone knows is rubbery, the dressing almost entirely oil, no obvious vinegar added. Shame as a treat to take our extended family out for lunch on Boxing Day and we had said ahead of our visit that it was great.

Our group of 10 from the office had our Christmas lunch here last week and it was lovely! The duck in particular was excellent, as was the celeriac soup starter. Our waiter Ben was very helpful and attentive and made sure all the food arrived at the same time (not easy with a party of 10!). I’d certainly recommend Jacobs Inn and will be going back!

My friends and I had an absolutely fantastic time at Jacobs for Sunday Lunch. We had excellent service throughout the afternoon from Shawnee and Jon, who were very welcoming, smiley and chatty. They made sure we had everything we needed without being over bearing and made excellent recommendations! We had 2 dogs with us who were also very welcome. What a great pub, we will definitely be back!

Our group of 8 enjoyed a wonderful afternoon here on Sunday. The pub was beautifully decorated and we had a generously sized table near the fireplace. Food was delicious - sharing camembert to start and a range of roasts all of which came with a generous amount of veg, gravy and condiments. Service was speedy considering the very busy bar, and the staff were very attentive. We look forward to our next visit.

Best to give this a miss, booked a lunch for myself and my wife, we were seated and waited ages before we were asked for our Drinks order and at the same time they wanted our food order of which I asked can we mull over the Menu whilst having a drink, the Restaurant was not at all busy. Ordered our food looked pretty unappealing Dover Sole, madshed potatoes and seasonal vegetables ok not easy to make interesting but, me Chicken and mushroom pie, mash potatoes and seasonal vegetables and pot of gravy mine cold so asked them to reheat no mention of sorry for that, then asked for a Coffee and mini desert, asked specifically for American and hot milk on the side no milk so had to ask for it again seemed like doing anything to be of good service was way to much trouble it ruined the lunch out I did say on paying for the meal we won't be coming back and it did not bother them not sure how these places operate or do repeat Business to me it was unacceptable as I say give it a wide Berth.

After walking nearly an hour today my boyfriend and I ordered food at the bar and after an hour it still hadn’t arrived and was later told it didn’t go through. Even though the bar stuff had seen us sitting and waiting for such a long time. We hardly even received an apology or anything complimentary . Shocking service .

Starter was a soup - very disappointing. Celeriac soup, but they didn't put much celeriac in. Seemed watered down. Doubly sad at the price.

Stayed at a nearby hotel but ate here one night. Great food at reasonable prices including the drinks. Three of us had the chicken and ham leak pie which was very tasty and filling. The staff were very helpful and friendly.

Stopped at this charming looking pub for lunch after shopping in Swindon, received a friendly welcome, however this was the only positive thing about our visit! Ordered fish and chips and a burger. The chips were obviously refried, soggy and tasted as if the frying oil was in need of changing. The fish was over cooked and dry. Tried a pint of hobgoblin and it tasted as though the barrel was on its way and would probably have been better on my chips as vinegar. Unsatisfied with this I then sampled a pint of Oxford gold and this was even worse! With all the lovely pubs in the area this is one to avoid! Overpriced and definitely under quality

Having read glowing reviews and after having the place recommended by people I was expecting more. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either, it was very average.

We got to the pub at 5.15 and were placed at a table by an electronic till. As the pub had only one other customer at that time in the restaurant we asked to be moved to a nicer table. We were told that the restaurant was "fully booked" and that couldn't be managed. When we left at 8.30 half the tables were still empty so no real reason why we couldn't have been given a nicer table. We had to wait quite a while for our initial drinks order and when the food arrived it was ok but we considered it over-priced for the quality we received. The waitress then tried to clear our plates while some of us were still eating so clearly some staff training is missing. The bill then tried to charge us £7.50 extra for the bottle of wine we ordered and that had to be corrected.We did do the British thing of giving a 10% tip when it wasn't really deserved -but hey ho. We won't be eating there again.

We love this cosy little place! A beautiful mature paved garden with goats and chickens, and a cosy log fire and armchairs inside. Nice varied menu, not pretentious at all! We've been here many times before (just with friends, and also with family and children), and never disappointed wih the food or service!

Stumbled across this place whilst looking for a late lunch on the way to Oxford from hours of shopping at Bicester Village. From the outside it looked really welcoming, on entering it was really querky, the bar area was decorated in a way that made me feel that I was entering a pub/deli. Asked if food was being served, which it was and we had the choice of either sitting in the bar area or at the back in the restaurant. We opted for the restaurant, we were greeted and allocated a table and enjoyed full table service. The decor continued to be interesting and pleasant, with a lovely open fire.

My sister, mum and I went here for my 40th birthday meal. I had a the chicken ceaser salad which was lovely. Mum had the pulled pork again which was very nice. My sister had the seafood linguine and towards the end noticed the prawns were uncooked. We mentioned this to the waitress and got a half hearted apology. We dont like to complain but when it comes to seafood a half apology doesn't really cut it. Unfortunately this ruin our evening.

lovely charming traditional pub, good staff and atmosphere, but measly portions which was very disappointing.

I visited this pub with family. The staff and service are impeccable. They were very accommodating of a family with two small kids. Food arrived quickly and staff checked on our table regularly. However, I must say that I was disappointed in the Yorkshire puddings and roast potato. Both tasted as if they had been made a while before serving and they were spongy. We have come from South Africa for this Sunday roast which was booked at least a month in advance on advice from a review in the New York Times “36 hours in...” feature, so this was a deep disappointment. The lamb was wonderful, however, as were the vegetables. Overall, a nice lunch time out.

Popped in for a roast and didn’t disappoint. House red was rather nice too! Dog friendly and the goats in the garden is a nice touch.