Old Parsonage Bar & Restaurant in Oxford

Really disappointing experience. I can't take the time or money back. It's a scam. They have a pretty fire place but really and truly this isn't worth it.

I recently had the pleasure of trying the chicken schnitzel at The Parsonage Grill in Oxford, and it was nothing short of exceptional. The schnitzel itself was beautifully golden and perfectly crisp, with a tender and flavorful interior that spoke to the quality of the ingredients and the care in preparation. The dish was topped with a delicately fried egg, its yolk adding a rich and silky texture that complemented the crunchy schnitzel. The capers and fresh herbs on top introduced a briny and fresh element that elevated the overall flavor profile, making each bite more exciting than the last. On the side, the smooth, creamy mashed potatoes were the perfect accompaniment—comforting and luxurious, providing a soft contrast to the crispy schnitzel. The presentation was simple yet elegant, showing the chef’s confidence in letting the quality of the food speak for itself. Dining at The Parsonage Grill was an experience I won’t soon forget, and this chicken schnitzel is a must-try for anyone visiting Oxford. It’s a classic dish done to perfection, with thoughtful touches that make it truly memorable.

This place dines out on an old reputation, which is clearly unwarranted. The food was so disappointing and service was young and untrained. They want to be the best restaurant in Oxford. It's not, it's far from it. I bet they give Hilary Clinton cleaner tables and chairs. No one seemed excited to work there. I will never go back. I feel robbed. I am so disappointed I took my guests here. It was ranks. The whole afternoon could taste overcooked monkfish.

We are commenting on the Old Parsonage Grill which we booked for a birthday celebration. Whilst the food and ambience was good, the service was patchy, the waitress forgetting to put though side orders meaning we had to start our meals with no veg sides. This could have been forgiven because this is such a nice place to be in, until the bill turned up. £317 for five meals and drinks. I'm sorry but this is astronomically expensive for the experience we had. The overall evening did not justify a cost of over £60 a head. This is somewhere that is justifying ripping people off because of its location and reputation. If you are going to do that, the experience should be faultless and the food of much higher quality.

We were on a trip down memory lane in Oxford. We visited based on recommendation. Lovely entrance with open fire on arrival. The greeting was mildly perfunctory and we were taken to the stylish dining room. The ladies’ washroom was v smart and clean. But we both chose rabbit pie with tarragon which was good but we felt our local pub offers as good for less. The wine menu is pricey with the house red at £27 plus. Hint to management, maybe say what the wine is… apparently it’s a Pinot noir. That would give it a bit of personality! We were able to taste it, given it was not clear what it was, but went for a Rioja instead. The Highlight was charming service from Lily. She has a great customer style, I watched her on other tables. Given that the whole lunch experience lacked ambiance, it was Lily who stood out. She made our visit more interesting!! Otherwise all rather stylish and a pleasant lunch but overpriced for what we had.

A lovely little hotel housed in a historic building complex. Tastefully rennovated to a very high standard which is reflected in the price. As is required by law, the historic hotel building is secured by a fire alarm system. We can vouch for its sensitivity, as we were able to experience it, each time we stayed there. The first time, the old chimney was on fire very early in the morning. The second time, we were just about to go to sleep when the alarm went again because one of the guests had showered without closing the bedroom door. Grateful as I was to be 'saved by the bell' the first time, I would be weary to book the hotel again, as you cannot be sure of a good night's sleep - despite the classy surroundings.

Great hotel, one of the best will have memories for life. Will definitely stay there again. Great staff

Bom para almoço ou jantar. Bom atendimento, típico inglês, pratos bem servidos e com boa apresentação. Estacionamento não é fácil.

The first thing you see once you duck through the door at the Parsonage Grill is a massive, ancient fireplace. The neutral colored walls are covered with interesting paintings. Atmosphere alone makes this a winner, but the food is also consistently excellent. Pretend you're a brainy Oxford fellow or don, or visiting scientist, and enjoy a meal to remember.

Poor all round. We appeared to be the only table occupied indoors and despite requesting to move to a larger table because the one we were given was cramped, we were told that the table behind us was reserved. Of course, it went unoccupied for the entire time of our visit. Service was generally abrupt and piecemeal - we had to ask for empty cups and bottles to be removed. One bottle remained uncleared from the end of our starters to the end of the meal. All courses were overpriced but the desserts were exceptionally poor value, to the point where we complained to the only member of staff who seemed willing to provide some decent service. He generously removed one side and one dessert from the bill. Overall, this was an experience not worthy of an average chain restaurant, much less one that claims to be "luxury in Oxford"

The restaurant is very nice and previous visits have been excellent - on this occasion the service was slow, perhaps as we were a later evening booking and had to attract attention to order, and it was slow clearing away the plates. The main course (lamb) was warm not hot.

This establishment is absolutely wonderful. I cannot give this place enough credit for the food, atmosphere and staff. I went with my partner for a romantic date to Personage Grill for dinner as we never been there before. We requested a seat outside and ordered 2 steaks which were medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. The staff accommodated us and helped us with choosing the perfect wine. The ambience of the place was unbelievable as it was perfect for a romantic date. We were not being interrupted by anyone and were left alone which was exactly what we were looking for! I definitely recommend this place for dates.

We dropped in for lunch without having made a booking and were made to feel most welcome by the friendly and attentive member of staff. We were quickly looked after and taken to the restaurant area, which has a delightful ambience and decor, and allowed to choose from the tables that were available. Over the course of our lunch we probably interacted with three different members of staff all of whom were a credit to the establishment. The food itself was absolutely superb and we both remarked that we couldn’t remember the last time that we had a meal out which was so good. On first sight of the menu I did think the prices were a little on the steep side but the quality of the food caused me to think again. On this experience we would highly recommend and will definitely be returning. Overall an excellent dining experience.

What a magical place! The hotel is located just few minutes from the city centre. The building itself and the interiors are just stunning, and during our stay for New Year's eve the fireplace at the entrance gave a magical, final touch to it. A big thanks and congrats for the excellent service goes out to all the staff especially to our waiter Andrea, that served us during our stay, making us feel like home. What else to say, a MUST hotel if you are willing to feel the charme of Oxford. 5 stars all well deserved!!

Beautiful and charming hotel with a central location and even a small carpark if you ask nicely. Superb and attentive service. Great breakfast. Will be back!

Excellent all round. Some minor grumbles - English breakfast not brilliant - butter is consistently too hard to spread, bacon is so crispy it’s inedible. Toast is hardly worthy of the name - I think it’s frozen bread defrosted. Very difficult to find room - the hotel is a veritable maze. Excellent parking but book ahead. Safety in room around bath is not good - nothing to hold on to when getting out.

This place is top rate in a perfect location in the heart of Oxford. We could not fault this charming place - perfect food and service from such friendly staff. The ambience has been carefully thought through also inclusive of a superb art collection.

Back in December I had quite a mediocre experience at the Parsonage Grill (the restaurant at this hotel) and left a review on 'TripAdvisor' saying so. I returned recently and was delighted by the change at the restaurant. The spaces at this hotel have always been really beautiful, real 17th century Cotswold charm with the mellow golden flagstones and low arches. Now, the physical charm of the place is complimented by what seems to be a massive improvement in the kitchen. Two of us arrived for lunch and I immediately noticed the improvement in service. Two very nice lads were focussing on arriving guests and we were immediately greeted and offered a choice of tables, inside or outside, near the window or do you prefer the fireplace? The staff have the great knack of greeting and settling guests quickly and we were seated with a glass of champagne promptly. The food is much improved over the last six months: I had a big, fleshy tranche of cod dressed in a salty brown shrimp veloute; a really nice whiff of the seaside and a clever balancing of unctuous and piquant flavours. My friend just returned from Paris had an enormous fanned-out maigret de canard just cooked nicely with a big hint of pink in the centre of each wafer of duck breast. She said it would have done credit to any nice Paris menu. The prices seem to have come down a bit and although unfortunately we didn't get to attack the wine list I did run through a few bottles of very nice local, artisanal beers which were top quality: cold, crisp 'craft ale' styles from small local producers, very refreshing on a humid summer day. All in all Gemma the manageress here has done a great job and it is a real pleasure to be able to go back onto TripAdvisor and recommend her kitchen and hotel without qualification.

El viejo sacerdote es un hermoso edificio antiguo y bien merece una visita. La comida es muy buena y hay un ambiente muy agradable en los restaurantes. He comido comida vegetariana aquí en un par de ocasiones y me pareció muy bueno. El personal era amable y servicial y yo realmente disfrutamos de la precioso entorno. No dudaría en volver a este restaurante de nuevo.

Enjoyed afternoon tea here in the greenhouse wonderful service and pretty quirky surroundings great sandwiches well recommended to anyone looking for a nice place to have lunch, cakes were also fantastic

Food, staff and ambience was perfect. I highly recommend it. Its oozing with history and atmosphere, outdoor seating was really pleasant.

Visited the Old Parsonage to celebrate my parents Diamond Wedding anniversary. We were treated with a very warm reception ensuring my parents who are both in their 80's felt very special. We choose from the afternoon high tea menu and were not disappointed. A great array of finger sandwiches, scones and cakes all washed down with an endless supply of any tea of your choice. I would highly recommend this fantastic little gem and hope to revisit soon.

I reviewed their restaurant in the hotel placing on Trip advisor. SO look there for a more detailed review. However, in brief, classy surrounding, average food at well above average prices. Great place to eat if money is no object.

V good service, great pre-lunch drinks (properly made and served Bloody Mary) and reasonable cost. All in all a good experience

The Old Parsonage's myth crumbled as soon as we tried its food. It is appalling to charge that much for such low quality. Service was negligent. I would only recommend it for a glass of wine or champagne close to the fireplace.

Please see review for hotel. But basically, tea waas not worth teh £25 with 12.5% service charge added. Very expensive and excessive. Cakes were beautiful but sandwiches only standard.

Great venue in the heart of Oxford. Lovely terrace to enjoy the last of the Summer sun. Not cheap but that's not why you go. Lovely wine selection and nice, modern menu

We stayed at the Hotel for 2 nights, wonderful is all there is to say. Lovely rooms, comfy beds and fab bathroom. The bar and restaurant have a wonderful atmosphere, the log fire adds a wonderful ambience, and staff are efficient and attentive. Love the extra touch of homemade crisp when you buy a drink. A wonderful place.

""Old school" food but done very well. Expensive, exclusive, very popular with University dons and good buzz. Worth splashing out for a special occasion."

Visited for a Thurs eve supper during a recent mid week break to Oxford with my husband. The hotel and restaurant are beautiful and there is a nice but small bar for pre dinner drinks. The drinks were good although the service at th bear was a little slow for how busy it was and how much we were paying. At circa £9 a pop I want top notch service. It may have been because the barmaid was new and her English wasn't the best. The maitre d' was excellent though. The restaurant area is small and cosy. Lovely decor and relaxed brasserie atmosphere. The food was good but not stunning. Ditto restaurant service. The only real down point through was the layout. The hotel and restaurant are in a very old building so presumably there are architectural restraints, but hotels guests who were checking in during dinner service then had to drag their luggage through the, not exactly roomy, restaurant to access their rooms. Unfortunately we were seated right by the door through to the rooms and three times during our meal we had people struggling by within inches of us. Not ideal to have the rooms accessed via the restaurant. I don't know the rest of the layout of the hotel but I would force a corridor somewhere or even have staff take guests bags out and round the back to avoid having to go through the restaurant.

Probably the worst and most inappropriately priced Afternoon Tea I've experienced. The sandwiches looked and tasted as though they were brought from Tesco and just had the crust chopped off. Equally, the cakes looked and tasted like they were old boxes of Mr Kipling's end-of-the-line, 'must-get-rid-of-them', cakes. And finally, sadly, the service barely scraped acceptable.This was really disappointing. We travelled from London and had a great day and this was going to be a real treat, which really let us down.Most certainly I will not go there again and I will not recommend this place to anyone.Old Parsonage - get your act together. The food, drink and service is over priced and under whelming.Jaq

I came here for a mid week meal with a large party of friends.There were 15 of us and we had the private room to the rear of the bar area.The food was excellent. We ordered À la carte although they do offer a set menu for larger parties.Service was good although they were a little slow to deal with the bill and payment at the end of our meal.An all round enjoyable evening.

I had my work leaving do there and my colleagues and I were well taken care of. The waiters were very attentive but not invasive at all. And the food was just lovely. Being a big fan of afternoon tea, I can honestly say this is one of the best I have had, competing in the league of Fortnum and the likes!! Finally, the ambiance is very cosy and warm, but very swish without making you feel you have to whisper.. Perfect afternoon with colleagues!