The Alchemist Oxford in Oxford

Exciting cocktails and delicious food (you rarely get delicious food in Oxford), the servers are nice! 🥰

Excellent place with lovely food, great service, atmosphere was great, friendly staff, with good views over the Colleges of Oxford.

Great atmosphere! Good for a quick night out The cocktail was delicious and I ordered a non-alcoholic one and it was better than I expected. I recommend it.

The drinks are so exciting!! And the food is really nice

Nice atmosphere, good service, really nice deserts.

Fun. Food and drink with a theatrical flair.

Nibbles and starters are great!

Attended as a group of 12 for the alchemist brunch. Service was good albeit a little slow at times. Food tasty but portions very small. Cocktails amazing and magical. Thanks for having us!

Very nice place to have a drink.

Food was great but the theatrical cocktail making was brilliant

Mac donald will be better food to eat ! No worthy to visit .

Lovely place for cocktails on a night out

Very busy but something different. I'm impressed with the bar staff and their extensive knowledge of all the cocktails they have to make.

Absolutely a fantastic place to kick back on a Friday after work. The entire theme was amazing. The best part about it were the science themed drinks. We had the pear pressure and it was delicious. A nice fruity yet deceptive drink. You may not be able to stop. We had three each and almost kept going. The mix of science and flavour was absolutely brilliant. I won't go into detail about it so as to not spoil the first hand experience for new patrons but trust me it's wonderful. Adding to the overall appeal was the music. My brother was hoping to beat of the music all night and I can't say I wasn't either but don't tell him that. It's our little secret. The only downside was the food actually. It's not bad but it's not the best fish and chips I've had either. Too much breading and the sauces were not to my liking. I'm sure most Brits like mushy peas and sour mayo salad but my Trinidadian palette wasn't having it.

Poor service, 3 members of staff stood talking at a table, took ages stood at the bar for someone to take our order. Asked a female member of staff if we could order, she said yes, and then walked off and didn't come back? Drinks themselves were anticlimactic, none of the showmanship you'd expect for the price

I've been here 3 times over the last two years, each time seeking cocktails. The first two times I was unimpressed - they were more about presentation than taste - but the third time I went the flavour matched the amazing presentation, so I would be willing to continue to patronise this establishment and give them more chances since they seem to be working on improvement. The prices aren't particularly low for the area so they really need to make sure the quality is good to justify it.

absolute vibe, george was holding the fort down behind the bar like a legend, and the cocktails were coming out rapid and awesome as always 🤟

You need to fit in, 6 pac and ferrari and you get spoken to.

We had a fantastic time! All the staff were so helpful, even when our train was cancelled, and had to change times, they were so understanding and accommodating. They were friendly and fun in they're service too! The food was lovely, we went for brunch and had the breakfast wrap.... Yum! And the cocktails were so tasty, and were visually stunning!

Always great to stop off and have a bit to eat and a few cocktails whilst shopping

Came here twice first time on valentine's Day and this weekend both times the staff has been brilliant walm and welcoming food brilliant even tho on my second visit the steak sandwich is no great, Cocktails are on the pricey side but worth it , will return On 1st visit was maded well aware of the service charge that was well respected and well worth paying

Very nice concept of bar. Since I was graduated as chemist as well, I highly liked this bar, they have various type of cocktails which were served in a chemical laboratory apparatus. All of them were stunning, my friends ordered different types so we could see what they could amaze us and it was hilarious! Highly recommended place.

If you like waiting an age for a gimmicky drink (and Love Island) you'll probably think this is the coolest place ever.

Exquisite place..great food locale and friendly service.

Lovely atmospere would recommend

My recent visit to this establishment left me deeply disappointed and frustrated with the level of service and unprofessional behavior displayed by the staff, particularly the manager. Upon arrival, we were not given menus and had to wait for a considerable amount of time before we had to ask for them ourselves. This initial lack of attention to detail set the tone for the rest of our experience. When it finally came time to place our order, it took an incredibly long 20 minutes for a staff member to take our order. This delay left us feeling neglected and undervalued as customers. However, the most distressing incident occurred when our drinks were served. The manager, who was serving them, rudely pushed in front of the lovely gentleman taking our order, showing a complete disregard for proper etiquette. To make matters worse, she handed us the drinks without any instructions, resulting in a spill that soaked two customers' knees. Shockingly, she did not apologize or offer any assistance in cleaning up the mess, instead walking off as if it were not her responsibility. The quality of the food was also subpar, especially when compared to similar establishments in London. It lacked the creativity and finesse that one would expect from a dining experience. To add insult to injury, when it came time to settle the bill, the manager attempted to charge us for the drink that was spilled. Her approach was aggressive, argumentative, and clearly looking for conflict. This level of unprofessionalism is simply unacceptable. When we raised our concerns with the general manager, we were met with an excuse that the manager may be experiencing personal problems. While understanding personal challenges is important, it does not excuse or justify such behavior, especially in a customer-facing role. This incident has left us with no desire to return to this establishment in the future. In conclusion, the service and behavior exhibited by the manager and staff at this establishment were far below acceptable standards. The lack of attention to detail, poor quality of food, and unprofessionalism displayed throughout our visit were disheartening. I strongly advise others to reconsider visiting this establishment until they address these issues and improve their overall customer experience.

Celebrated a friends birthday here with lunch and cocktails. Food came promptly. Can recommend the Steak sandwich and mixed starter. The pancakes and calamari were delicious too! Well staffed, good food and good atmosphere. Nicely refurbished with clean toilets. Cocktails are fun as well as tasty. Even the tea had dry ice 😁

Came here before the theatre so we were impressed with the speedy service of the food, sadly not all as hot as it could be but very nice all the same. Cocktails are also great but then they always are here Service was OK, great at first but when someone went off shift it did slow down a bit but all in all another good experience.

We did the cocktail masterclass as part of our work Christmas party and it was excellent. The cocktails didn’t taste amazing but were very fun to make and very aesthetically pleasing.

Christmas Dinner for a works party was really poor. The drinks, as usual, were amazing, and their normal menus is always bang on. I will always drop in for a drink when I'm nearby.

Slow, rude & dangerous service. Advised of allergies, got plates mixed up as did not take seriously. Incredibly slow service. Asked to remove service charge, rude response. Paid cash, no change. Very disappointed and upsetting how my daughter and friends were treated.

Hash brown balls are insane - definitely recommend with any breakfast!!! So so good. The pancakes with bacon and syrup were tasty but honestly the hash brown balls were another level

This place is truly wonderful. The customer service is consistently top-notch, and you rarely have to wait in line. The staff treats everyone really well, and the food is of excellent quality. I particularly noticed the absence of the 'gin bug' cocktail on their menu – it's a must-try!

had a fantastic evening, will definitely book again

Stoped for some snacks and a break from shopping. The bar was busy but service was quick. Went for 3 of the nibbles, they were all fab but the mayo either the crispy mushrooms was just amazing. Great place with a buzzing atmosphere.

Came on a Thursday evening for a drink. Hardly anyone in the bar. Had 2 people in front of us but still took about 15 minutes for the one server to get around to us. Drinks were Ok but the service was awful! Atmosphere was pretty drab.

I went out on a date and the music at the venue was extremely loud, which made it difficult for me to enjoy myself. The place was supposed to be more like a pub, not a club, where you can have a good time and relax. Unfortunately, the loud music made it a less-than-ideal night out.

Great cocktails you can watch being created by expert staff

The cocktails here were amazing and well made. However I don’t think I have ever collectively seen a group of staff as miserable as those on shift last night. I did wonder if they had had a massive argument before the shift started as I didn’t see a smile pass anyone’s lips to customers or each other for the half an hour we were at the bar. Shame as

What a place!!!. The cocktails were absolutely mind blowing and none alcoholic options are available. And one great thing under eighteens are welcome up to 8pm.Don't forget your phone/camera for great photos. Only one criticism, it's expensive, but worth it for a special treat and stunning views over Oxford city from the outside seating area's,the staff are brilliant,thumbs up from me.👍🍹🧃🥂🥃.

Popped in when in Oxford, what a great place to eat and drink. It was very busy and we managed to get a table (for an hour in between bookings) and we were really well looked after. Clearly the specialist drinks menu is their USP, we were not disappointed, the drinks were served with care and the drama was great when we added the "ingredients" at the table. The food was excellent, of fine quality and served with as much care. A little pricey, however we knew what we were paying up front so it wasn't an issue. Check the bill as the optional "service charge" is already included in the total.

Excellent lava lamp cocktail and duck and pancakes! Music a bit loud for chatting but good atmosphere.

The Alchemist is located on top of the shopping centre with indoor and outdoor seating. Blankets are provided for added comfort.  There are lovely views of Oxford. The bar has a nice selection of cocktails. It is a wonderful spot for socialising and taking in the scenery. 🍹

Bottomless rip off pay £40 for only 3 drinks and rude staff who claim to have watched cctv for when we sat down, poor management maybe they should be watching their staff making sure they are proactively tending to customer instead of trying to get away with least drinks possible, expensive and tacky experience. Complained but no use and no refund

Visited 14/10/23 with my wife - Blonde bar lady needs a shout out for the amount of complex cocktails she managed to serve in a short time, shame there wasn't more staff on though so took a while to get served. Drinks were decent & good atmosphere

Very disappointed, used to love the alchemist when it opened in Oxford. Today we visited, and it cost a fortune for food which was not great at all. Would have preferred a pret sandwich. £50 for 2 drinks and 2 mains! Excluding service! Won't be back, try Mowgli street food much better.

Can’t comment on the main courses because we’ve always had a buffet of Nibbles and Starters but the food has always been excellent with a fast and friendly service.

Went with a big group and were catered for three courses. The starters vegetarian gyoza was ok and the katsu curry had some rice thay were under cooked which was not nice. The next level brownie on the other hand was incredible!! Although each courses took quite a lot of time overall the service speed was adequate. The issue was the fact that music kept getting louder and they kept reducing the light. The entrance area felt more like a bar and our area although seemed to be built for dinner guests, there was not enough partition. Would love to come back for drinks but not really for food.

I admit, having read a few of the previous reviews I was in two minds about booking here, but, it turned out to be a five star service. It was a great meal and a great service on a Saturday night.

Nice place friendly they didn't make any more the cocktail I wanted. I wouldn't recommend the place for children.I didn't order anything to eat.

Food absolutely terrible. Fries so full with oil they were inedible. My mum had the duck salad and it was about 10 pieces of duck fat on some leaves! I should have refused to pay. Honestly, shut the kitchen and stick to drinks.

Nice atmosphere, good selection of cocktails and food is good.

Had some lovely drinks and small plates. Service and atmosphere were great, we had a really good time

Excellent all round experience!

Atmosphere of this place is outstanding while the drink is interesting. Didn't get to try any food as the kitchen has already closed and everything is self serve and self order at the bar. The drink was a bit messy as it is nearly impossible to carry.

Nice location on top of the shopping centre, with indoor and outdoor seating. Lovely views over Oxford and the cathedral spires. We had to wait for a good 15 mins before being served at the bar, and there were only 2 people ahead of us. I guess the problem with fancy cocktails is that they take ages to make! The drinks themselves were ok, but at £15 a cocktail, they definitely weren't worth it. Especially when they try to ask for a tip too! We won't return

Amazing range of cocktails beautifully presented. Bar staff really helped with making choices of the huge list of drinks

Ok so dont stand at the bar if youre a woman in her own (im not that shabby) over 35 expecting to be served or even greeted. You will be overlooked and then if you speak up youll be told youre standing in the wrong place (but theres no signs) theyll give you a broken card machine and leave you without checking back for ages so you have to chase them like a doughnut around the bar and they wont care they made you feel like awful invisible unvalued or that you soent £20 for the privilege

Went last night to celebrate my daughters birthday. It was not the first visit. The staff was amazing superb services!! The guy who served was zac I am sorry can’t remember the name Properly sorry. All the staff and services were impeccable. Ambience was good too. The food was did not taste good at all very very disappointed in the food.last year it used to be good that’s why decided to celebrate my daughter’s birthday there. It was 6 of us and no one liked the food at all my katsu curry was cold, tasteless no flavours at all very poor presentation too. Unbelievably bad it was. Korean burgers were not nice too. Very small portion of food. We all finished our meal as we all were hungry but did not enjoy at all. Sadly my decision to celebrate my daughter’s birthday there was a bad idea!!!! But once again big thank you to the staff🙏

Totally disappointed, I would never recommend this restaurant. We live in London and it was our first and last time in this place, we only expected to receive the menu in about 15 minutes, we tried to make contact with several nearby waiters and for a moment we thought we were invisible, after getting the menu again we waited for more It took some time for us to order, but what I can say about a worst experience was when we received our dinner. We ordered a good steak as indicated on the menu, we informed the waiter that we like steak well, and we received a raw steak, of course we complained and I waited around 20 minutes to receive the new order, when we received it it was an even worse surprise, the steak it was burnt! The manager noticed and asked us if there was anything she could do and of course, there was nothing else to be done and so we received a minor discount and an apology! My opinion is don't waste your time going here

Totally disappointed, I would never recommend this restaurant. We live in London and it was our first and last time in this place, we only expected to receive the menu in about 15 minutes, we tried to make contact with several nearby waiters and for a moment we thought we were invisible, after getting the menu again we waited for more It took some time for us to order, but what I can say about a worst experience was when we received our dinner. We ordered a good steak as indicated on the menu, we informed the waiter that we like steak well, and we received a raw steak, of course we complained and I waited around 20 minutes to receive the new order, when we received it it was an even worse surprise, the steak it was burnt! The manager noticed and asked us if there was anything she could do and of course, there was nothing else to be done and so we received a minor discount and an apology! My opinion is don't waste your time going here!!!

First things first. We had to wait 20 minutes to order drinks and food. The service was non existent, we were raising our hands and nobody was paying attention to us when they were passing by. Despite that we had our starters which were fine, the wait for the main dishes was too long. I got my vegetarian dish 10 minutes before my partner did and when he received his steak it wasn’t even what he had asked for which was well done and not rare steak. So we had to wait even more for the correct one. It took ages to receive our bill as well. One of the staff members asked us if we were pleased in the end and we said we weren’t and despite receiving a small discount. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, the service alone was not pleasant.

We only came to Alchemist for Lauren & George.. the most amazing Bar Man & Woman in Oxford. Our group loved them and their service thank you. Love them x

I have been to the Alchemist a few times and, although it is fine, it is not my favourite place in the Westgate. It gets noisy there and also very dark in the evening. I accept I'm a 40 something man so probably not the kind of clientele they want. The food is ok, my chicken in a basket was tasty but not as hot as I would have liked. Staff seem fine if a little disinterested.

Very good service, much better than in Pho or Mawgli nearby! Excellent food quality And I find this place very convenient to spend time. It is relatively quiet here, comfortable and you have a power supply for your laptop.

Absolutely fantastic restaurant. Great service from all staff, and the presentation of cocktails were absolutely fantastic and was such a special experience for a night out. Food was delicious. A little pricey, but well worth it for the experience.

I organised a cocktail masterclass for a work social event for Thursday 16th August with Georgi (sorry if the spelling is wrong!) and it was fantastic. He was very patient, clear to understand and made us all laugh which was lovely. I didn't know what to expect but we were greeted with welcome drinks, and all made drinks behind the bar and had a competition at the end. Was definitely worth the money and there were even a few people that approached after to ask how to book one. Shows how brilliant he was! Everyone was talking about it at dinner so was super pleased. Thank you!

On the roof of the shopping center. Modern and bright with views of Oxford University. Friendly and service-oriented staff. Delicious food. With outdoor terrace. Normally a reservation must be made.

Cool bar, kick back nd watch the magic happen, these folks will make you up some cracking drinks. On a nice afternoon it's lovely yo sit outside with a view if the city

Lovely place but when you get down to it you're paying £15 for two sips of a cocktail. Its just not good value for money and there are so many other nice places in Oxford.

Nice place good drinks, the lady that served us seemed very grumpy as of she didn’t want to work there… disappointed

Excellent attention to detail and drinks. You do pay a good premium for the experience of exotic cocktails, but it makes for a good evening. Venue is nicely decorated and does have a small outside area. Kept very clean. I have sometimes found it difficult to find seating. Drinks tend to be on the sweeter side, but they do also have a selection of stronger, less sweetened options. Plenty of interesting and unique options, as well as your standard cocktail classics.

Great atmosphere, music and cocktails.

Nice bar and fun drinks! Been here many times since it has opened and a few times for food. It is pricey, but nice place and good atmosphere. I’ve always enjoyed the starters and small plates better than the main courses. The cocktails are fun and taste great, but are expensive. Still would recommend and enjoy going here!

Expensive but the service and experience was first class...Great recommendations and looked after very well. Food was a little underwhelming but had a fab couple of hours.

You can tell how good a cocktail bar is by the standard of the simple, classic cocktails. Came in for a mojito on my birthday and was so disappointed. It wasn't even muddled with lime (that's pretty indispensable part of how are you make one), just a small slice added with some skinny, slightly Browning mint. They use sugar syrup. There wasn't really any point in complaining because they were just remake me another one exactly the same way. The bar staff are all wearing grubby trainers, watched one of them stand on the shelf where the glasses go (on the black rubber mat) to reach the display shelf. Plenty of managers and other staff around so presume this is fairly normal for their hygiene practices. Two stars because it's an attractive venue.

Lovely little bar, great selection of drinks both non-alcoholic and alcoholic for not extortionate prices. It's a little on the pricier side, but you get what you pay for. Free water is provided when you dine which was lovely, both sparkling and still, though it can be hard to get staff's attention as they all seem quite young and very busy! Food selection is honestly one of the best I've seen, not too plain but also not show-offy, with plenty of plant-based options which absolutely delighted me as a vegetarian myself. And for once, the plant-based options aren't just beans! Huzzah! I also loved the sauces that came with my food, and I'm normally not someone who likes sauce. Plus, they put the sauces on the side, rather than slathering your food in them, which was very much appreciated so that I had the option to eat it or not. I would definitely come back, next time with more money so I can really enjoy a full meal experience!

I went here for a birthday meal and was slightly disappointed . There were a lot of wasps both at the bar and outside which I understand isn’t the restaurants fault but did ruin the exsperience. You ordered food at the bar which I thought was strange given the price being slightly upmarket. Meals were good but had to pay exstra for salt on pepper on fries which I thought was ridiculous aswell as pay exstra if you wanted pickles on your burger? Actual food was good but nothing spectacular. Outdoor seating was comfortable with a lot of different options. My main reason for being slightly upset is that we asked if they did anything for birthdays and they said that they could possibly put a candle on one of the desserts if you ordered so we did that and when it came they said they didn’t have any candles. As someone who works in hospitality I thought this was quite bad and abnormal. We ordered the basked Alaska which was disgusting, melted candy floss which was weird aswell as meringue with no crisp and a cold waffle underneath. The brownie was good but desserts were also defo overpriced. The service was okay but have had better at cheaper restaurants.

The portions were appauling, the coleslaw was off the staff didn’t really help. We won’t be coming back anytime soon.

Fantastic service. Delicious food.

Went for drinks. Had three of them and they all tasted amazing.

Sat outside but had to order at the bar and only 1 bar tender on so had to wait a long time to get our first drinks

Only ok. The good stuff - great view, nice decor. Service was fast and attentive. The cocktails are definitively impressive artistically, but they all run very sweet, not very adult. They had also run out of about half the cocktail menu before 7pm on a Saturday which is not good. The food was reasonably priced but not amazing. Bland salt and pepper squid which is supposed be spicy but tasted of nothing. Sad salad with a lot of leaves and about 3 pieces of cucumber and watermelon. Nothing worse than a mean salad. Odd atmosphere with a mixture of drunk lads night out and also people who had bought their kids… no idea what this place is trying to be tbh.

Fab drinks, great music and service

Great service, food and value. Special mention to our lovely waitress Ilona. Such a lovely lunch and great value brunch menu

Very nice place to grab some food and relax from the busyness of the city centre. Great views from the outside seating area. Food was pretty good and good value, the coffee was really good too. Will happily return.

no atmosphere, and waited ages for pre ordered drinks were not ready when arrived. Then waited over half an hour to remind of drinks we had to order again. Only one member of bar staff behind bar.

Terrible, had one drink which was full of weird jelly strings. Then my friend got refused service because a bartender claimed she said ‘I’m so drunk that I’m blind’ to some men at the bar. We were on our own and spoke to no men at the bar… Spoke to the manager and gave them every chance to correct the situation. He was rude, lovely bouncers though who apologised on their behalf and said they were not nice people… won’t be going back!!!

Great location with spectacular city views, friendly and efficient staff!

Great rooftop bar, has an amazing vibe and view. The act of making cocktails is like a small show to watch! Very entertaining and wonderful bar staff.

Nice atmosphere It smells like the old Barcode

Ryan is the man you need your drinks from Trust

We had booked a table for 5 today & Service , Food & Drinks were amazing.The waitress who looked after us was Fantastic. Nothing was too much trouble. We'll Done guys

Great cocktails, kind service highly recommended for those who like unusual experiences 🍸🍹🥂

What can we say we love popping in even if we have just time for one drink or more lol lovey people great drinks and atmosphere.

Good food, dexter the waitor gave good service. Top marks.

Went hoping for some afternoon cocktails on a sunny weekend in May while celebrating our wedding anniversary. City Centre was heaving so we were surprised to see so many tables available outside, why might this be? Found a nice spot with great views of Boars Hill, seemed too good to be true. Sat there for a while being completely ignored by the staff who were shuffling around trying to look busy and doing their best to avoid making eye contact. One waitress was having a lengthy conversation with some other customers. Eventually managed to establish that we had to order at the bar, confusing, but whatever. Went and found a menu myself, selected our drinks and then went and stood at the bar. Pretty empty inside, lots of staff loitering around, cleaning glasses etc, some sort of cocktail making experience going on with a couple of customers, but nobody serving drinks. No eye contact, no “with you in a minute” just completely ignored. I started wondering if it was it me? Did I bear a resemblance to someone that had caused a disturbance there previously, had I breached the dress code by placing my sunglasses on top of my head, was there a mobile app which required all of my personal data before it would message the staff to announce that I was ready to order? Seemingly not, as another group arrived after me who must also have been donning invisibility cloaks. Stood there feeling like a plonker for 5 minutes and then gave up and left. We went to Victors where the act of customers purchasing drinks seemed less controversial.

I would like to thank all the staff we encountered today. Visiting from London, family of 7 included 1 crazy 4yr old and a ratty 18month old. You were all lovely and patient. The food for the children was amazing! Thank you very much. Will be visiting again when back in the area... hopefully when the kids are a little older.

Very good food loved the cocktails

Absolutely awful! First time in Oxford! Young PROFESSIONALS!!! asked to leave because we happened to have one conversation with a person that they didn’t want in the venue. Will go back to London where they know how to run a bar!!!