No.1 Ship Street in Oxford

We walked in today and were greated by a service staff with a French accent. He set a table quickly that would have crowded us and when we asked for a bit closer to the window and more separated he refused. He said I already I set this one. I said but can’t you set that one and he said no. We walked out. I definitely called him on his French style rudeness that we encounter in France. I guess this company should consider hiring polite and kind Brits. We ate at The Plough. It was terrific!

Went here after recommendation by a friend and wasn't disappointed. Food was excellent, staff were really friendly and a reasonable price. Place was packed out, which is a good sign. Will definitely return at some point.

Food tasted good. Portion and price were also reasonable. Drinks were nice. Services provided was just minimum which did not match the theme of the restaurant and the price. Expected something more than that. Toilets were clean.

Absolutely fantastic!! My family had the burger (delicious) mussels (beyond amazing - possibly the best mussels I’ve ever had) and the crab (worth every Penny - treat of the year!) staff were kind, attentive and so knowledgeable about the food. Chef - out of this world 👍 thank you all .

Very nice food, but not nice enough for the price. At Michelin prices I expect Michelin quality and levels of service, whereas here the food was at times a tad too salty and the service was very good but could be more attentive. It's still very nice, I wouldn't not discourage you from going, but if you're looking for fine dining, personally I would recommend either The Nut Tree Inn which is similarly priced, or Pierre Victoire, which is much cheaper and more or less as good.

If you go to this restaurant, mske sure you take a sleeping bag and calculator; the service was so slow, it was very very expensive for not much food, and then they over charged us twice! Luckily there is a kebab shop not too far away as it was one of the few restaurants where I left hungry after parting with so much money.

Excellent night out food was delicious service was fantastic

Had a wonderful lunch here. Good food and service.

The surf and turf did not live up to expectations

Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here today. Very tempting menu including excellent seafood. Friendly & very attentive service & a restaurant full of happy customers.

Lovely restaurant. Staff and food excellent. Great experience

My daughter mentioned it was my birthday but all the restaurant did was to put a candle in the cheesecake we had already paid for. Perhaps they should have given us an extra portion. We had the 2 course set meal and it was pretty good: we shared mushroom croquettes to start which came with romanesco sauce. We then shared cheese souffle (more of a starter portion) and brisket with polenta (delicious) for our mains and a Basque cheesecake to share fir pudding. Plus a bottle of very nice house red. Lovely venue and nice team.

A relaxed and special restaurant with a good and varied menu. Slightly cold welcome at the door and to the table but the waitress made up for all of that with bright and vibrant service. Food perfectly presented and beautifully cooked. Good atmosphere if not a little noisy.

This was our second visit of the week. It’s just a hidden gem and intimate, cosy, has a great ambiance and the food is absolutely superb! On our first visit we ate from the set menu which was great, there are only two options but one is vegetarian. The home made bread side is delicious. Yesterday we went off the main menu, it was amazing, the miso glazed root vegetable dish was one of the best vegetarian dishes I have eaten, my partner had the steak which he said was fantastic. The quince & almond tart was divine. All the staff are attentive and helpful, a special thanks to Amos who served us, great customer service. A glass of champagne is reasonably priced at £12.00. We can’t wait to return.

We have dined frequently at No1 Ship Street and always love it - the staff, the food and service is excellent. Following a medical episode on Valentine's Day, the management seamlessly took charge, minimising our discomfort and ensuring our safety. We cannot thank them enough for their diligence, good humour, efficiency and kindness.

We celebrated my birthday during a trip to Oxford and it was a wonderful experience. I had checked out the menu beforehand and after a bit of dithering stuck to the dishes which had grabbed me - quail to start with and Thornback ray for main course. Both delicious and cooked perfectly. Pre starter oysters were fab. Onion soup and lamb were also both excellent. A really interesting wine list and perfect service added to the experience. I wish I lived nearer so I could go again soon!

Absolutely delightful Saturday lunch. Food was superb, we had lobster, burger and bisque very well cooked and good size. Service was excellent, sharp and friendly! There was a slight delay on mains too which they compensated immediately and really didn’t have to. Atmosphere was really nice - contemporary decor with perfect lighting, nice plants and lovely colours. I would highly recommend!

Unbeatable lunch menu that uses high quality products and really delicious. Do support independent local restaurants in the city that's inundated with chains!

Two of us came at lunchtime and ordered from the set meal options. His butternut squash soup was good but unremarkable. I sent my squid back for having a taste bypass. Another, much tastier portion was given, unfortunately well after he'd finished his soup. I've never had squid before: is there supposed to be a tough thing like a rubber band down the length of it? Pork cheeks were very tasty, rich gravy and perfect mash with a few tiny cubes of unpeeled granny smith apple. Fine. Unremarkable. The staff were very attentive and concerned that the second squid was tasty. I didn't have the heart to mention the rubber bands.

Really fantastic spot for a late valentine's dinner. We had a booking so they got us a comfortable cozy spot upstairs. The service was lovely - we were served by two very friendly and knowledgeable people, it said Danny on our check but I'm not sure if that was the lady or the fellow. Explained the specials and I went for the cod and crayfish risotto (which was fantastic!) and my partner got the sirloin steak which was cooked to perfection and beautifully tender. Big props to the team on this one for making our dinner so good. Will definitely have to pop back and try the sorbets sometime, I didn't quite have the space for it!

Best oysters I've had in a very long time.

We came across this place by chance and walked without reservation for lunch. We opted for 2 course set menu and dishes were very well cooked and nicely presented. We paired it with local sparkling wine. The service was lovely. We have observed that the restaurant was serving local clientele rather than tourists which was reassuring. We would be happy to dine there again.

Fabulous Surf n Turf - Yummy cocktails - Friendly and efficient waiting staff 😊

I have lost count the times I passed and it was too busy for 1. Today is the day. Fresh mussels? Yes sir.....I'll know if their not. WELL, WELL, I ate my words they're Fresh and meaty. Cream and dry white wine. Home-made bread. A bowl of greens. Absolutely cooked to perfection. Water with lime. A medium dry glass of wine. HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR IRISH COFFE? I asked Holly. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT SIR? I rattled on.how I like the whiskey heated so I don't get a luke warm drink. They checked if I was happy with my whiskey. Irish only I replied. IT WAS PERFECT. JUST RIGHT. Throughout my visit I was treated as a VIP. Every member of staff took the time to listen to my idle chat making my solo experience not lonely at all. That's a first. I can not applaud the service enough. They called me a taxi. They served me excellent food. They looked after me. They made me feel special . The dessert was incredible. If the sugar doesn't break like ice and the creme ain't creamy and fresh , it can not be the real deal. Lucky me. Real deal. Thank you very much for helping me celebrate back to work. May I make a special thanks to Holly. Very professional and friendly. Worthy of best person who's served me as long as I can remember. Should be front of house.

Nice vibe, welcoming staff. Love the pig cheek and fries!

We ate here on Saturday 3 February as a group of 8 and had an amazing meal. The Cod with clams was an excellent, great mussels and the oysters were really fresh. The waiter who looked after us was excellent and made it a great experience. Will definitively recommend and return.

We came here for a Friday eve dinner. Our waiter was knowledgeable and helpful. The decor and the atmosphere was great. The cote de bouef in particular was delicious on the surf and turf, but it was all great. We also really enjoyed the oysters. We would come back.

On 1st February we ate at this restaurant. I ordered the cod with clams. After 2 mouthfuls I suspected that there were traces of mussels in the sauce and asked the waitress to check with the chef. She confirmed that it was possible and asked if I would like to choose another meal. I did because I'm allerglic to mussels. When the bill was presented we were charged for both meals. I spoke with the owners who insisted that, because the meal was advertised with clams, the problem was my responsibility and we had to pay. I pointed out that the clams were fine it was the issues of the traces of mussel in the sauce but he turned his back on me and walked away. I think I preferred No1 Ship Street in its previous civil and relaxed incarnation as the News Cafe if this is the attitude and approach of the management.

Delicious food and drink, and they were very gracious about our late arrival.

Phenomenal food, excellent drinks. Everything you’d want from a bistro. French onion soup was perfection. Thornback ray was a delight, I cannot wait to return. Pisco sour a highlight.

Visited here for my sons 21st and was able to get a table on Saturday night. The service was attentive and informative but we were on the 1st floor and it lacked atmosphere. We had their version of onion soup which was tasty and a good appetizer. We followed by sharing the Cote de Beauf s served with chips. The steak was good but lacked a sauce and needed it, the triple cooked chips were the star but shouldnt have been. We closed with a chocolate souffle which was good but not great. We enjoyed the experience but wouldn't rush back there is better for less. I also dont approve of them adding 12.5% service charge it may be nominally optional but not the way its presented. Service didnt justify 12.5% maybe 2.5%.

Excellent meal with friends. Good choice. Service good and not rushed. Cosy feel, relaxed atmosphere. Centrally located

Red wine risotto was outrageous, we could not even eat it. Other dishes were average or slightly below average as well. Main course also took more than 30mins after starter was finished. At least service was good, so that made up for the kitchen glitch. But will not be going back for sure.

everything we had was absolutely, remarkably delicious! The service was very friendly and speedy as well

Very good. Ambiance is nice and cozy. The meals were varied and flavours really rich. We were notably pleasantly surprised by the oysters as starters, and the coffee / salted caramel homemade ice creams, which are very interestingly deep and delicate, without being too sweet. We came for dinner, but they also seem to have good value for money lunches, that I'd happily taste next time I go. Recommended.

Mediocre overcooked food for conference delegates. Vegetables came late. In fact the meal was meant to begin at 7pm but we only received our starters at 8.15pm. Very disappointed.

I bought my family here for lunch on 30/12. My husband and I live in Oxford but have never eaten here before but I have wanted to come for sometime. I have to say I had such high hopes and expectations given the reviews here and the fact it’s a reasonably expensive restaurant (we were 4 couples and 3 children and it was £125 per couple in the end, no deserts). It was fine. It was not special. A few of us had the burrata and was all felt there was the butternut squash accompaniment was a bit overwhelmed with vinegar. Two of us had the venison hotpot (myself included) and it just underwhelmed. Bread was bought for the table, two of the group were gluten free and one ordered soup for the starter but they didn’t bring any gluten free bread even though when we asked if it was available it was. They then bought one serving despite the rest of the table having bread so there was just one person without bread. The person in our group who was really happy with their food ordered fish so maybe this is what they are really good at but from the reviews on here it does seem our experience was below the normal standard. To be clear it was not terrible but for the of quality of restaurant believed I had booked, the price and the fact we bought our extended family here for a special meal it definitely didn’t live up to expectations which was really disappointing.

Classy restaurant with good price value

Lovely food in the centre of town. Service excellent from Dani and staff

Lovely neighbourhood spot, fabulous service, thank you for a great evening

[Reply available] Although it was described as high-class, it was much cheaper than in London. We were able to enjoy a delicious meal for two people for around £100 (£1=¥178.96 +tax)! ! The menu seems to change depending on the time. I went looking for fish and chips, but they didn't have any. ◎The waitress was also very smiling and pleasant!

Great food - nearly all ingredients asourced in UK and Ireland. Service was excellent (thanks Holly!), lovely setting. Highly recommend for a special meal out.

Was in Oxford for a long weekend and had an evening meal here. Fantastic food, friendly service and a lovely atmosphere. One of the best meals we've had. Highly recommended.

Very enjoyable meal food excellent staff very prifessional. Definate will be back again.

We come to this restaurant as a tradition now for my birthday. The most recent time, as always, didn’t disappoint. The lobster is the best you can get in the area. Really nice champagne by the glass also. Friendly and attentive service without being over the top, and the setting is very nice without being over the top.

We had a nice evening at No.1 Restaurant. The prices here tend to be higher. The aperitifs were well made, starters were good, with a terrine of pigeon, chicken and pork coming to mind, as well as 'deviled lamb kidneys'. The meat quality of the Cote de Boeuf had room for improvement. Half a lobster was barely bigger than a tiger prawn. Still, for the most part, it tasted pretty good. The service was okay. All in all, solid with reasonable pricing.

Best restaurant in Oxford, good for special occasions. Consistently excellent, not stuffy or pretentious, just great food and service with a warm and welcoming ambience.

We had wine by the glass and lobster. Delicious all around with excellent service. I'd highly recommend No. 1 Ship Street.

Outstanding quality and atmosphere would 100% recommend and will return.

We were there early evening for our wedding anniversary. The atmosphere was cosy and Christmas The food was delish, had onion soup then coq au vin, cant remember the last time I had such good dishes. Husband had steak and lobster very nice. Staff we attentive and friendly. Would highly recommend, you need to book, we will be back anytime we are in the area. Thanks

Love it, second time I've been and the service, food, ambience are all 10/10! Thank you to the team for a great experience!

Real nice place.absolut recommendation

Excellent restaurant. Had a really enjoyable meal here with friends it's a shame its not an hour closer to home so I could go here more often

I really liked this place. It was a bit differnt and the food and cocktails were excellent and I would definitely come back. It's got a fun vibe and I would definitly bring younger friends here for something that's not too traditional but still upmarket. That said, my 82 year old Dad might prefer the Ivy Cafe, but I think he would give this place a go! I would recommend it for taking friends who want a night out in Oxford and definitely a date place.

We had a wonder Friday dinner, lovely food and wine with very friendly service, including running after us with a forgotten article Would highly recommend

Just may be tye best restaurant in Oxford. And I have been to many over the last 6 years in town.

The food here is exceptional and the staff looked after us and our new born twins so well which is not always the case with children! Great food menu, great wine menu, not the desserts for us but if you like what they serve they will be outstanding! Highly recommend!

No. 1 Ship Street is a great restaurant to dine at. The atmosphere was amazing, even though it was busy you could easily hear people speaking to you from the other side of the table. The service was great as well, nothing to complain about. When I went there I had the set menu, although the chicken livers were delicious, the pumpkin pasta was a little lacklustre, but the rice pudding made up for it. I would go again and recommend it to a friend

Fabulous intimate setting. The restaurant has a warm luxurious feel about it, with attentive staff and exquisite food. We had the octopus/squid starter, lobster and Wagyu beef mains accompanied by a sensational bottle of Barolo. We’ve been 3 times now and always a great evening out.

Fantastic food, excellent service. We had oysters, pumpkin with cheese and truffle, beef carpaccio, fish of the day and muscles … all was exquisite and the service was 11 out of 10 … a wonderful experience … thank you to the chef, staff and owners on 1 Ship Street 😘❤️🤭

Aside from the best food they served, I also want to share that their Customer Service is the best among the restaurant in the area. The entire customer journey was very pleasant because they ensured the request from each of the us were fulfilled.

We were in Oxford for the evening after a spur of the moment decision to stay the night there on our way back to Suffolk, from London. Where to eat - as we don’t’ know Oxford at all. Both Trip Advisor, and consulting with others in the College where we were staying, resulted in a recommendation try No 1, Ship St - only 5 minutes walk from where we were. It did not disappoint. Although almost full - they fitted us in at no notice at all; service was excellent - attentive without being intrusive, and the ‘ambience’ was perfect - quiet, calm, with dim mood lighting, but with enough of a ‘buzz’. And the food. Delicious! Unusual flavours perfectly cooked and presented.

Honestly, mediocre food, especially for the price. Friendly staff, lively place otherwise.

Made a mistake with our booking and turned up on the wrong date. The restaurant was very busy but the manager fitted us in and we were served promptly. Delicious hake with puy lentils.

**We ordered a plate of salad and burrata on the side and it was very good **We ordered the chicken which was just as good **The price is a little high compared to other restaurants

Amazing food and great service.

Lovely restaurant! Great starters & mains, top choice the scallops. Unfortunately disappointed with the dessert - pretty standard

Great fresh and exciting….. good place to meet and eat

My son, whose graduation it was, found us this little place, and it was perfect! What made it so, along with really fresh oysters and seafood, was the service offered by our waiter, Amos, a credit to the restaurant! He knew the details of the Daily Specials, and he knew the menu and the wine menu, and this all helped in us making the right choices, great food and wine! Thank you young man!

I loved it, great air conditioning and literally the best chips

Cozy dining room, service was very friendly and attentive, food was quite good, oysters were delicious as were the potato leek soup and gazpacho

The lunch we had at No.1 Ship Street is definitely one of the highlights which made our experience in Oxford unforgettable. On top of the cozy pleasant atmosphere, very friendly staffs and generous 3-course lunch menu, we had the best Moules ever there!! Absolutely recommend and will stop by next time to try other dishes when we are back to Oxford 🫶🏼

There are probably no more than five restaurants I would recommend without hesitation to friends and this is one of them. Excellent food, reasonable and interesting wine list and diligent service. Excellent central location

We ate here a few days ago. many compliments should be given to the staff including the servers and the kitchen. A lovely dinner complimented by a stunning bottle of wine. The decor is just right and reflects the nature of the restaurant. Would return in an instant

Have to change to a more detailed review further down due to a disappointing experience. Previously rated 5/5 with the following: Great British food, pricy but worth it. Nice atmosphere. Seems to have a good wine selection too. Good place to book for a celebratory meal when you're willing to splash out a bit to have something nice. Updated review Aug 2023: Cocktails, corn n oil and pineapple daquirri were really good. Service for drinks and to take food orders was a little slow upstairs but friendly. Once ordered food came in good time. Scallops starter was excellent. Burrata was served with picked tomatos. Interesting idea but isn't better than with just fresh tomatoes, the pickled tomatoes were too soft next to the burrata. Mains weren't good overall. Triple cooked chips where delicious especially with the truffle mayo. However the actual main courses came out differently to what was expected from the menu in a negative way. Lamb shoulder was actually pulled lamb shoulder stuffed into a ramekin and cooked further which lead to it being really very dry. Cockles, courgette and sauce with it were nice enough. Potato cake with it was very nice but main part of the dish was no good. Chicken confit as a main, came with an unexpected broth which completely washed away any sign of confit that the chicken may have had, and despite being in broth and confited the chicken itself was also dry. The menu should better reflect what you'll actually be receiving and unfortunately these unexpected changes seemingly made the dishes worse. Very disappointing overall experience as a result especially for the price, and having better experiences previously.

After 5 years living in Oxford, we finally tried no.1 Ship Street, we went for the set lunch menu on a weekday, and we had a great experience. The food was amazing, and tasty, and the service was great. Will definitely be coming here again.

I have had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant multiple times and it continues to impress me as a hidden gem. While my partner and I tend to stick to our usual main dish, we have stepped outside of our comfort zone on occasion to try new starters, and they have never disappointed. However, I must emphasize that we have yet to find a substitute for our beloved main. Without a doubt, the highlight of our experience is the cote de boeuf, which is absolutely exceptional. Additionally, I feel compelled to mention that their triple cooked chips are the finest I have ever encountered. I cannot find a single fault with this restaurant, as it consistently delivers an impeccable dining experience. As creatures of habit, we not only stick to our regular food choices but also gravitate towards the same dining establishments. This is because we appreciate the reliability and consistency this restaurant has demonstrated. Thank you for your exceptional service, and we look forward to returning soon.

Excellent restaurant in the historic old center of Oxford Acceptable prices considering the dishes and wines chosen

Excellent food and good service in a centrally located restaurant. The menu is gutsy with some food combinations that are surprisingly good together. The dining room is a bit small so I imagine it can be noisy, but we didn't' have trouble carrying on a business discussion. When I'm back in town, this will be my go-to place for a special meal.

Excellent food, fantastic level of service and a lovely ambiance in this hidden gem of Oxford City Centre.

Had a great night celebrating a birthday. Really busy, so book in advance, but the service was still superb.

We had a simply brilliant meal at No1 Ship Street. From the moment we entered the restaurant, the staff were friendly and welcoming. We had a lovely waitress called Cecelia who was very attentive, knowledgeable and took time to chat to us too. The homemade bread was delicious, the scallop starter was one of the best scallop dishes we’ve ever had, and the lamb and rabbit mains were excellent. We enjoyed a bottle of the English sparkling wine which was delicious and the Sancerre was a perfect pairing to our mains. I had cheese for dessert which was very tasty and my husband had the chocolate mousse which is said was the best mousse he’s ever had. All in all, it was a brilliant evening and the perfect way to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. Thanks to all the staff!

Delicious full meal. Aside from the nice starters to open with, my main stood out the most. The gnocchi was fluffy and light, paired with melt in your mouth aubergine and a tangy spicy tomato sauce. The other dishes were also perfectly flavored, despite being on the pricier side, the portion sizes really made up for it. Staff were lovely and very friendly to us, and tried to serve us as efficiently as possible even with the busy night. Highly recommended for those who want a fancier night out.

Really good menu, great service and great food! My favourite restaurant in Oxford!

We booked a table having seen that they offered a very reasonable priced lunch menu, which is a great low risk way of trying somewhere new. The food was absolutely spectacular and the service matched. The team were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We will be back for the full a la carte experience very soon.

The atmosphere in the restaurant is great! Unfortunately we had constant drafts from the ceiling fan. Unfortunately my steak was on the cold side.

The food is phenomenal here, the best rock oysters I've had for some time, lobster was excellent as were the scallops. Worth the extra as service and ambience was spot on.

Extremely disappointed with the lack of interpersonal skills of the owner. We were 10 minutes early for our 8.30pm reservation, and were told by the owner “go away for 10 minutes”. I accept the message, but it would have been more courteous to have been greeted with a welcome first. I have been a regular of this restaurant for many years, but will sadly not be returning due to the arrogance and lack of recognition of the paying regular customer. Very patronising and very rude.

Fantastic birthday meal highly recommend ❤️

Lovely food. Amazing service from our host, Alia, who worked like a Trojan. Would definitely recommend it.

What a lovely find for our lunch today. Fabulous selection of food on offer here. Something for everyone. We were so impressed with this restaurant and will hopefully be back soon. Perfect for lunch or evening dinner.

Visited No 1 Ship Street over the weekend after my daughter had read the reviews. The staff were very friendly but had a couple of issues with our order but it was sorted. We had mains and deserts, my steak was well cooked and enjoyable so was my wife’s Mussels. However both my daughter and her partner had the conflict chicken which they were underwhelmed by and thought the meal was bland. Regarding our deserts, my wife had the baked Alaska which she enjoyed but wasn’t blown away and me and my daughter had the chocolate mousse. It tasted nice but mine looked like it had been dropped on the plate so a bit of time on presentation would have helped. Considering we had two courses, no bottles of wine just a few drinks and the bill just over two hundred I think that’s on the dear side for the food we had.

Perfect atmosphere and very kind host. The food was very good as well

Great starters , both mains were not great. My steak was much too chewy and my wife's rabbit was way over salted, and she loves salt.

Went on a Thursday evening, booked for 6.30. Very pleasant, intelligent and articulate waiting staff. Service was very prompt. I had moules mariniere to start and the portion was very generous and of exceptional quality, some of the best ever. My girlfriend had oysters in a red wine vinegar jus that she said were excellent. We both had the slow cooked lamb shoulder with pommes dauphinois, another very good choice. Bill including a half litre of pays d’oc Pinot noir inc service charge was a very reasonable £103. A top pick restaurant, would be a definite go-to if we lived in Oxford but certainly a go-to should we find ourselves there again.

A very cozy restaurant on a fetching side street in central Oxford. Excellent service complemented outstanding a la carte options, including a delicious smoked trout in a nicoise salad, savory gazpacho, a very good burger, and excellent boulevardier cocktail. A very welcoming but professional environment, at a great price point. When you visit, this place should definitely be on the menu.

Absolutely delicious food. Might be a bit pricier than most places, but I felt like the food matched the price for me. Would recommend.

Loved this place, nice menu, nice food all round. Was lucky to get in, it was ramo.

Remarkable seafood here -- a half dozen northern Ireland oysters on the half-shell, a hot smoked sea trout salad with the best, freshest sea trout I've ever tasted, and a Cornish cod filet with trumpet mushrooms and a wine and bone marrow sauce. A fine Chablis and a rhubarb sorbet made it all memorable. Superb!

Absolutely can't recommend this place enough. I had an amazing starter with the best cooked and tasting octopus I have ever had. My main was great too, I had the lamb , which unusually came with cockles or clams. Sounds wrong but it was lovely.