The Acorn in Cherwell

ian behind the bar was absolutely cracking, loved it here, highly recommend

was very busy today , lovely atmosphere , food was lush , not been here in years but we will def be back soon , Manager was lovely he sang happy birthday to us , other staff all lovely and helpful x

Carvery was not great desserts not much better Not many options not much on the plate

Exceeded expectations Ordered food at 2:30pm on a Saturday afternoon and were warned that there might be quite a wait. Food arrived in 20 minutes and was just as expected. Good hearty steak and ale pie.

Mark and Ian were amazing Thanks so much Travelled from wales for a funeral and made our evening so lovely. Thanks

Lovely lovely staff. Food was fab. Experience was made better by the perfectly welcoming staff x

Great value while they have the winter menu options! The barman Ian is always smiley, pleasent and chilled. We go twice a month to eat and very rearly have any issues.

Staff friendly helpful entertaining .to watch football from the scaffolding man pukka place

Always stop in here when we’re in Bicester. Great service, good value food and never been left disappointed. A good hearty pub!

Barwoman was rude, there was loads of stuff missing off the menu and it was dirty

The best pub nearby the Bicester Village! Enjoy Two Pub Classic deal during Mon to Sat.

Perfect for lunch before shopping

Service was friendly and warm Food was okay, though the portion sizes were smaller as compared to their sister pubs.

the place has horrible “employees” rude and disrespectful one of them accused us for a mess we clearly hadn’t made then proceeded to be disrespectful while cleaning it meanwhile we were sitting and it or whatever that human thing was walked away leaving us with a dirty table.. nobody came to clean or ask if we were ready to order and the food was highly priced for its horrible quality i don’t know why people are lying in the reviews

Great place never been before but really nice

Good food, prompt service, friendly staff and reasonably priced, would certainly revisit again for food.

This was my first visit, and I have to say, my husband was right—this place is fantastic! He had told me how great it was, and it certainly lived up to the praise. I ordered the fish and chips, and it was absolutely perfect—crispy batter, tender fish, and full of flavor. My husband had the gammon, which he really enjoyed, and we both finished our meal with the cheesecake. It was rich, creamy, and the perfect way to end a lovely meal. The staff were brilliant—polite, professional, and attentive throughout, which made the experience even better. For a first visit, I couldn’t have asked for more—delicious food, great service, and a welcoming atmosphere. 5 stars all the way! I can’t wait to come back.

good restuarant but can't do take away.

Our 1st visit, first impressions on passing by it looked inviting and suited our visit and budget. On entry there was no welcome greeting dispite there only being a handful of other guests already seated. We approached the bar and entered our car reg and thought we would let someone know we were there for our reservation. There was the chef out the front trying to help an older gentleman with the till or booking computer I wasn't sure but it seemed like we were intruding. I don't feel the chef should be out front helping. We were instructed we could Pick were we wanted to sit seem as it was almost empty which was my initial concern a pub and restaurant in a prime location next to Bicester village. But we decided to stay. We took our drinks and picked a table then that was the end of what ever customer service there was we picked our choices went to find someone to take our order. Again the till proved to be the sticking point. Food came quickly. To be fair the food was OK a typical chain pub meal nothing fancy or to write home about. Very little interaction, untill we went to pay when I think it was the owner was then behind the bar he made it feel less clinical and more welcoming on leaving the restaurant. Shame there was no atmosphere.

Lovely welcome Waiter extremely friendly and sang happy birthday to my sister as he bought her dessert out which was fabulous he had the most amazing voice. Thank you

This is an unusual review in that we did not dine here on this occasion. But this was due to excellent customer service. When we arrived we spoke with James at the bar who was welcoming and personable. He explained to us that a full coach load of 45 visitors to the shopping village had just arrived and that might put some pressure on the kitchen so we might expect a delay. He went into the kitchen to enquire knowing full well we might not stay and indeed the projected wait was not within our time scale so we chose elsewhere. He could have just accepted our custom and said nothing. We will definitely dine here next time.

Cold bland food after a wait of 75mins. Absolutely not worth the wait

Pleasant atmosphere, pleasant staff and good food! Not overpriced and it fills a hole! Would revisit again if I’m back in the area!

Fast friendly service, varied menu, with us opting for the Sunday roast 😋. My only grip is that Green King advertised discounts for blue light staff, but you need to get a code before visiting, no discounts

Bec who is on the bar is a lovley person and great at her job mark is so kind he shared his chocolates with us and told us some funny jokes. Great place to go very family friendly would highly recommend

Popped in here for a meal before our journey south. Staff were so attentive and friendly, even got a rendition of an Elvis song from a very tuneful barman. Food was hot and delicious 😋

Great for a green king pub, Good food atmosphere and staff

I recently had the best fish and chips from them, I strongly recommend it.

Ian was fantastic! Runs a great team and environment, lovely pub, quick service. Would definitely come back.

Lovely experience and such friendly staff.

Came here with two friends after a day shopping at bicester village. We ordered drinks at the bar and were served by a very rude dark haired woman, for reference she had a nose piercing. My friend has a dairy allergy so while at the bar I requested either a dairy free or vegan menu for her. The woman behind the bar laughed in my face at this request before turning to her colleague and continuing to gossip about me, whilst I was stood right in front of me! We then ordered our food and waited for at least 45 mins before it arrived with no remorse from staff. Staff acted as if they didnt want us there, not responding when we said thank you. Food was very mediocre. Will not be returning.

An excellent Chicken & Pulled Ham pie at a very reasonable price. Swift and friendly service. Genuinely dog friendly as opposed to dog tolerant! We were made to feel very welcome.

Started off realy well staff were friendly and helpful. Just a shame about the food what was unedible and it tasted deap fried. Chicken nugets where unedible and the pie would be good as a door stop.

Before visiting the shopping village, after visiting the shopping village, the best dining options, delicious meals, and elegant decoration always make people comfortable and comfortable, and enjoy a good meal!

After a day of being dragged around over the road, the welcome from the cheerful chap was very much appreciated. Service was excellent. The food was good. Will use again if in the area.

As soon as we stepped into the establishment, we were greeted with Ian. He was absolutely brilliant with the boys and keeping them entertained and very helpful when we asked for something. The food was average but you get what you pay for, it filled a hole and bonus the kids cleared there plates so winner winner. You have certainly dropped lucky to have Ian as front of house his wit along with friendly approach is something you can't seem find these days. Keep smiling Ian your one of a kind!

Really nice pub food, best I’ve had in a while. All staff really lovely and welcoming. Must visit after Bicester shopping!

Lovely Friday night meal at The Acorn. Great service and the best pub burger I’ve had in a long time.

Great service, good value for money

A little more than you might expect from a Greene King. I was impressed with the food (burgers) and the service. Can't ask for much more for the price

Popped into the acorn for a light lunch this afternoon and was greeted by sam behind the bar. she took my order and informed me of some great deals currently running. Very nice staff and made me want to come back.

Popped in for a quick meal whilst on a long drive. Food was decent for the price. The staff were excellent, so.helpful and friendly

Good food, friendly atmosphere, good prices

Good food, good drinks, good service. Very good atmosphere with very friendly and welcoming staff. Fully recommend.

Food was a 10/10, Sirloin roast was amazing! Service was quick and staff were soo friendly. Will be coming back soon.

Best pub lunch by a country mile. And reasonably priced. Staff friendly also. Will go again.

Not the first time . We come the acorn about 7pm and staff say kitchen close and opend again in next one hour . When we come back about 8pm staff come and say sorry kitchen close . while other tables were still served food as usual.

Really friendly staff and great location

We have come here a few times recently and food is excellent, and the bar staff and manager are so friendly and the manager has a good singing voice that brings an excellent atmosphere to the pub. Would definitely come back.

Very nice staff and the food is excellent!

First time here very friendly welcome, had 3 course meal which we really enjoyed, thoroughly recommend caramelised biscuit cheese cake "to die for " ! All in all very enjoyable excellent service would certainly come back when in area. ! Thanks to all staff at the Acorn .

We had the best juiciest burgers here and the staff was lovely 28.09.2024. James who served is very polite and he also mentioned the names of the chefs which I cannot remember now. Definitely recommended rather than over priced restaurants in Bicester Village.

Just popped in for a drink and decided not to order food as advised there was a 45 minute wait from ordering!!! Christmas Tree up in October?

What a find. Great food, great staff and great ambiance. We plane to keep coming back and try everything on the menu, we wont be disappointed.

Came here on a Saturday evening for food with some friends. First time and last time that I will be going to the acorn. Two of us order hunters chicken and you could see the food was microwaved and greasy. When we complained about the food being cold initially we received attitude back and when coming back with our food there was a comment il wait here that your food is hot. The food was disgusting and the whole time we had two drunk males behind us being extremely loud swearing, heaving at the shots the barmaid had made them clearly they were friends with her as they were saying oh she done us dirty with these shots. We were not asked at all how the food was when clearing table and then got an apology about an hour and half after the males shouting all night and it was only when my partner mentioned the horrendous food we were offered a refund. Wouldn’t recommend do not waste your time.

We just came here for dinner after a full day of shopping at Bicester Village. I’ve been eating here for at least 8 years, and it’s been quite good in the past. However, this time was simply shocking! First, we ordered beef ribs, two burgers, and a mixed grill. The steak on the menu was supposed to come with onion rings and broccoli, but when it arrived, there were only peas. The beef patty in the burger was overcooked. As for my mixed grill, after waiting for half an hour, they told me there was an issue with some ingredients and had to remake it. However, they didn’t inform me in time, which caused me to wait for at least 40 minutes. Also, the steak was tiny. It was a terrible experience!

I can't say the food is michelin, but we visit regularly because its a favourite stop for the kids - especially after we've visited the Village. One server in particular, an older gentleman, always makes sure we are well looked after. Professional, personable and just generally friendly, great with our smalls! But also tells us what is/isn't available before we set our hearts on something. The food speaks for itself, tasty, affordable, but its the welcoming service, especially from this chap, that, as a family, we look forward to most. See you soon.

Visited on Saturday evening and it was a great experience. The beer and burger deal was brilliant and would definitely recommend the Swiss burger, it was fab! A nice busy atmosphere but staff all handled it well, excellent service from an older guy (didn’t manage to catch his name) but we would be returning just for the warm welcome we received. A must visit after a day of shopping.

Had a really good night on Saturday The food was fantastic and the old grey haired man am assuming he was the manager was absolutely fantastic, they seemed short staffed but he handle it very well. Very well done to him and the team great efforts ☺️

I recently visited this fantastic pub and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish! I started with the tomato soup, which was rich, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. It was a warm and comforting start to my meal. Then came the grilled gammon, accompanied by crispy chips and golden onion rings. The gammon was cooked to perfection, tender, and full of flavor, while the chips and onion rings were just the right level of crispy without being greasy. To top it all off, I indulged in the caramelised biscuit cheesecake for dessert. It was absolutely divine—the creamy cheesecake with a hint of caramel and that biscuit crunch was the perfect sweet ending. Overall, everything was amazing and delicious, with excellent service to match. I can't wait to come back and try more from the menu!

We had a great meal and Ian is fantastic when we are in the area we will definitely go back xx

The pub is very nice it was a nice and quiet evening with family's around and people have a laugh and joke. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Food was lovely highly recommend.

Took my elderly nan out for her birthday. She was greeted with a rendition of happy birthday sung beautifully. Our meal was lovely. Hot and well presented. Staff were warm and friendly and made my nan feel special. Will definitely return. Thank you

We chose to eat here as we thought the places in the village wouldn't cater well for our toddler. Unfortunately we were served microwaved pizza for the children's pizza option which had an undercooked base even after this was sent back... the chips weren't great either they tasted a bit strange not sure what else had been fried in the oil...the adult meals weren't any better :( and they got the children's desert order wrong...all in all we didn't have a great experience.

Lovely food and great options for coeliac like me the braised beef is particularly nice with the mash and gravy

Absolutely lovely little pub, such friendly staff, great atmosphere and good food. We will definitely be back x

Great little spot on a corner w lovely atmosphere and greenery. Food variety and quality is perfect 🥰

Just passing through and it’s a place we have eaten at previously. Our second visit didn’t let us down. Food came quickly and the chicken pie was to die for. Added bonus was the friendly staff, made you feel very well welcome being as we are strangers to these parts. Definitely call again. Thanks Taff

Lovely helpful staff. The menu is unusually good, almost nothing I wouldn’t choose. We had Katsu Chicken which was very good.

James was the best host and made our stay the greatest ever. Highly recommend

Great spot - really friendly staff. James made me the best Eaton Mess Sundae I’ve ever had!

We were a large group of males with an age group of 6 to 65, and were happily welcomed in for lunch and was served by Mark. He is a great chap and even accommodated my intolerance to eggs by substituted them with mushrooms. The Sticky Toffee Pudding with custard is to die for, and I can't wait for our next visit!

We visited Bicester Village today our very 1st time, the shops just ok, but Security Guard, suggested The Acorn. Brilliant place Rebecca was so lovely and friendly from the onset. Thank you

To say this pub is the gateway to Bicester village doesn't mean it is I any shape or form up to scratch. The food is mediocre if you don't mind over microwaved chicken so bad the bottom was rock solid and dried up Mac and cheese. Swerve on by and pay the extra. There are plenty pubs and restaurants in the area who won't tell you when you complain oh we have just had a coach party arrive so you would have to wait for a replacement. Really. Must do better.

Fantastic meal and service, big thank you to James who made us feel very welcome and to the chefs Ian and Brandon (?) Food was excellent.

Great pub. Great service. Staff are really friendly. Especially Ians pub quiz on a Tuesday

Came in with the family lovely place, great atmosphere and great food!!

Entertaining barman very friendly good food and service

This place is an absolute must go! The salmon & vintage cheddar fishcakes were divine! The rest of the family had Hunter’s chicken, chicken schnitzel and starters - all really enjoyed and said their meals were delicious! Service was spot on, setting was clean. The staff are wonderful, really lovely and extremely helpful. We will definitely be visiting again - well worth our 90 minute drive!

Ian was very catering, great personality and made us all feel very welcome! Great pub, food and a good laugh.

Delicious food at good price with friendly and attentive service. Plenty of space between tables too so comfortable environment.

What a load of rubbish! Would have ordered but the staff was like telling me quick quick when he was flirting away with the two ladies in front of us. Been before it was good but this time round we walked away and went to Burger King opposite instead. Rather spend my money somewhere where they’ll appreciate it.

Popped in for lunch after doing a bit of morning shopping in Bicester. They have a self seating area or an area where there is table service. We opted to sit in the self seating area, which means you can go to the bar to order food / drinks. The gentleman serving us behind the bar was so friendly and very witty / funny, making an excellent effort to converse with us whilst taking our order. It makes all the difference when ordering as well as eating in a venue that you are not familiar with. I opted for the rump steak and doubled up on it. Also added battered shrimp along with peppercorn steak sauce to the order and chose to have my steaks cooked medium rare, and they were cooked perfectly. Kids opted for beef and ale pie with chips, and macaroni cheese. My partner opted for battered houlami with chips. The food took a while to arrive but it was fairly busy, so understandable. The food was cooked perfectly and the portions were very generous. The pie crust was fairly thick and a bit too much to eat, but that's possibly because the macaroni cheese was shared with it too. The restaurant is nice and clean and the toilets were fairly clean too. The venue accepts blue light discount as well, so if you have that, remember to give them your code to claim. Will definitely be visiting this venue again in future and trying a couple of their ales that they have on tap (decided to opt for soft drinks on this occasion). Thanks to all the staff working at The Acorn at lunchtime on Monday 5th August, 2024. You made our meal a pleasant and enjoyable one!

Had a rubbish experience waited for over an hour for my food, in the end got a refund due to having to leave, chap behind the bar told a few of my mates they’d get “punched in the face” if we used the app to order.

I walked into the pub and it looked nice. My friend preferred a drink from the bar, I turned to her and said “I was just going to order on the app”. The old man behind the bar is a floral shirt and pinkish trousers said exactly this “if you order from the app I will punch you in the face and leave your things behind the bar for hours”. I have never been so disgusted. I was tempted to phone the police!

What a cracking pub. We are not local but we are glad we picked this pub. On arrival, the manager/landlord greeted us with a smile, a great personality and a very warm welcome. He was happy to have a laugh and a joke. Once seated the waiter was also super friendly and chatty. Our food took no time at all to prepare, came to the table very hot and was delicious. The service, food and time for ordering to food on the table was impeccable. The managers riddle kept us very amused (thank you for confirming my husband had in fact solved the riddle) and thank you for making our visit amazing. I can’t believe the negative reviews that I have read. They are very much a misrepresentation of this fantastic find.

What a fantastic place. Very friendly and welcoming with a great atmosphere. When we next visit the Silverstone circuit we will definitely eat here again.

Good, classic pub food with excellent one of a kind service. The man behind the bar ensured we had a memorable time, singing away and telling jokes. Great to see someone enjoying themselves and having a good time at work.

The food was wonderful, and the service from James the bar tender was impeccable! I would recommend this pub/restaurant to anyone!

Sam, one of the staff member was so lovely and really good to talk to. The pub is beautiful and has really good staff members like Sam. Thank you 🙏🏻

Just been out for a family meal and despite the less than cheery weather the atmosphere, service and food were phenomenal. I had the chicken and ham hock pie and it’s not often I’m bested by a main but man alive was it delicious. Special mentions go to Sam and Mark whose friendly and cheerful attitudes (as well as marks very funky shirt) made our dining experience an absolute pleasure. Rest assured we will be back!

Really welcoming environment and lovely food - Alan and James were very kind.

This place has upped its game from years previously. Being the closest Pub to Bicester Village (just across the road), it offers great food and beverages, outside seating and ample parking!! Pricing is very reasonable too!

Lovely pub, friendly atmosphere,

Absolutely amazing Eton Mess Sundae made by James 💖

Lovely place. Meet a friend there as it is easy for them to find and has it's own parking. Was pleasantly surprised, ended up having a really nice meal, the steak was lovely and actually quite reasonable priced.

Great service and the food was great too

Sam was very hospitable and happy to serve us! The food was lovely my partner and I only had burger and chips but the burger was so tasty! Thank you Sam and team we will be back again soon! Kev, Kat and Clodagh 😃😃

Lovely food, lovely owners, great atmosphere. excited to visit again

Had meal and drinks, pub nice, service good and staff pleasant, food (burger with cheese and bacon) only average,but dry and burgers seemed overdone and hard. Chips dry and not the best. Beaten by a Burger King Angus.