The Bear Inn in Oxford

Very good place to go for a few drinks!

This historic pub is located just off the main street and is famous for its neckties. I arrived a little late for lunch, but the staff at the counter were very welcoming and made me happy. As written in chalk, the food is freshly prepared and brought to you. It was very delicious♪ The restroom is immediately to your right after going up the steep stairs.

Wonderful ambience. The clipping of the ties in the walls and ceiling is very unique and interesting.

Very smallpub a friendly and nice beer

Delicious fish&chips, nice barmaid and dirty toilet

One of Oxford's oldest pubs. Small and cramped inside and popular due to age and character but outside space is decent. London Pride very good.

Friendly little bar with great ales. The fish didn’t smell very good so we didn’t order anything to eat.

We're vegan so had the plant based nachos for 2 for lunch. It was tiny, so disappointed. Nice pub and the staff are friendly enough.

I used to come here in the 80s. The ties are still there! Good to see the service is still friendly and the food is tasty. An Oxford institution.

Friendly welcome in a such a small space with a six foot barmen standing at a weird angle to make anyone's back ache!! Great historic place to have a pint and look at loads of ties in boxes from rugby tournaments from yesteryear. Hasn't changed since my last visit maybe 13 years previous. A highlight on an historic March round town!

It's a historical place. It's fun to eat something here.

Didn't have any food, but what we saw looked nice

Not a great experience ordered starters and main course and both arrived at same time. Asked why and told small kitchen and they are busy. Soup followed by fish and chips obviously one course cold when I got to eat it.

Lovely Pub with some beautiful outdoor seating and fires. Very cosy and good atmosphere inside. Not 5 stars because a pint of Neck Oil was £7.55

Fish and chips was £14 a was literally joke sized. It was tiny. Like a small kids portion. Beer was quite spenny too.

Great pub. We went on jazz night and a really good vibe in there

Live this place, oozing with character & history, haven't eaten here but have been told the food is delicious.

Lovely history, ladies toilets need attention. £7 a pint, loo seat not attached.

Lovely old building with some decent food and beer.

Just one of the coolest pubs in England. The oldest in Oxford. Cozy and intimate are the exact words to describe this place. Great cask ale and a really good fish and chips.

Fantastic little pub with great atmosphere and open fires. A proper classic English heritage pub.

Visiting Oxford and found this wonderful little pub.

Best fish and chips I had anywhere in England. Great old pub atmosphere. Mate had the burger and he said it’s the best he’s had in the two months living in the UK. Highly recommend.

Lovely old pub 🍻. Great atmosphere

Oldest pub in Oxford, or at least one of - cracking little place, tucked down a side street. Enjoyed the Guinness 👌

Pub was friendly, both staff & other customers, however, to be charged £12.60 for glass of wine( which was not that nice!!! is sadly a rip off could have purchased a good bottle for what we were charged for a glass. So avoid the wine..

The inside was very historical and beautiful. The atmosphere was really great. However, we ordered just 2 bruschettas and they were absolutely uneatable…

Great historical pub, from 1242AD. Great selection of beer and great atmosphere

Just visited this pub for our Sunday lunch - description on the menu implied much more than was served - had to ask for condiments, which were tiny portions when eventually served. No music or TV which was a huge plus BUT the infantile chatter and noise from the kitchen staff off set the peace and quiet - very unprofessional. Whilst perusing the menu for a dessert and further drinks, we were abruptly told that the table was reserved and we had to leave ASAP because the other people had arrived! There WAS NO notice of this on the table when we arrived, therefore we would not have sat there. Overall food was good but customer service was not - they missed out on a further £20-30 in their till, and hit a poor - but honest - review. Try somewhere else in Oxford.

El pub más antiguo de Oxford. Está siempre lleno, con mucha gente joven y no tan joven

Another wonderful old character pub in Oxford and a must visit for any English pub lover. Good selection of fullers ales on taps and a great outdoor drinking area. The inside has low ceilings and small rooms with plenty of character - but she can be a bit of a squeeze.

Awesome old English pub in Oxford. Enjoyed the display of cut off ties through the years! Small with excellent food.

Sadly disappointing experience. We had to pre-book and pay a deposit which is fair enough only to be told a couple of days beforehand that no Sunday roast would be available with little chance of getting booked in elsewhere. After having ordered and paid for the food we were told it would be a 45 minute wait for it. Food was distinctly average and portions were small so one can only guess at how small the "small portion" options would have been. Go for the old pub experience and to see the amazing collection of cut-off ties and enjoy the decent beer, but maybe give the food a miss.

Sorprendente pun en Oxford, merece la pena callejear para buscarlo, pub típico, con paredes rodeadas de historia, a un paso de christ church, se puede pedir online, servicio muy atento y cocina tradicional , nos encantó

Looks lovely and in a good location but the food is below average and disappointingly small portions, especially for the price. The pub interior is charming and characterful, but not many seats inside so you'll likely sit outdoors. A nice central place to stop for a drink, but if you're looking for a meal I'd recommend trying elsewhere. Fairly expensive (I paid £17 for a vegetarian pie & mash which turned out to be underwhelmingly small), but I guess that's central Oxford prices.

Y. Excelente sitio para beber una cerveza. El Pub se fundó en 1242. Ofrece comida y tiene menú de niños. La ubicación es un poco difícil pero vale la pena intentar encontrarlo. Cuenta con un amplio "jardín", lo cual es un espacio bajo carpa con mesas para disfrutar y como espacio para fumadores. Un lugar imperdible.

The white wine we were served was in fact watered down wine. This was exchanged for proper wine, but I have to say that this is a very very concerning event. I suggest you test your drink before leaving the bar.

Promoted as the oldest pub in Oxford. Should have a sign worst value in England. Was charged 12 pounds for a small glass of wine! Staff could not care less when price was queried.

Hats off to The Bear for hosting the wonderful Spiralites last night. Tommy Smith is the very best crooner around. Let’s hope this means a return of live music to the City centre!

We went with my uni friend and we had a great time. The food is amazing the ales are great and the atmosphere even outside is cozy.

Nice pub, shame about the beer. Worst pint I've had all week and was told it was supposed to taste like it. I know my ale and it didn't taste right. Wasn't offered a replacement so won't be coming back.

Get a pint and some fish and chips!

Great pub, lovely welcoming staff food and beer delicious

We sat outside which was ok but not as great as the interior, but it was so busy we couldn't really get in. Food was fantastic. Service was good but a bit slow due to how many people were there.

It’s sad that their selection of beer is so poor when it’s such an old pub.

Popped in for quick pint on a Friday evening was a bit busy so didn't get a good look around but was a nice traditional pub low ceilings uneven floors etc. Did take a while to get served but think that was more to do with some foreign visitors not understanding how a British Bar works queuing etc but staff were polite and friendly and there was a good selection of beers. Would definitely call again just maybe at a quieter time.

A great pub full of character didn't eat but the food looked ok. It had a nice selection of beers etc and all staff I dealt with were friendly and polite. As it's an old pub the usual low ceilings and uneven floor caveat applies so certain areas might be a challenge of you are tall or have mobility issues.

Nice pub with a good atmosphere.

I had a very bad experience. Took my family for Sunday roast and we all end up with food poisoning. Do not recommend to eat there. Would have rated it 0 if I could.

The pub is small, so much of the seating is outside. This place gets busy, so queues at the bar can be very long.

The only thing special on this pub is, that it is said to be the oldest pub in oxford. Otherwise it is really overprized (for a pint and a half pint 12.50 pounds) and the toilets are totally disgusting. Not clean, strong urine smell and not possible to sit down. If it would have been a public toilet i totally would have expected that, but please not in a pub.

This is the oldest pub in Oxford dating to the 1200s. They do well to keep up with the demand of the curious.

A cute, cosy and historic pub in the heart of Oxford's City centre. Real Old pubs with low ceilings, snugs, exposed wood beams and tightly packed seating areas are really charming and enjoyable. The atmosphere is hard to replicate and modern pubs that try to artificially create this look and feel usually fail. I'd recommend the Bear, and if you can get a seat inside on a busy weekend and enjoy a few of their fine ales then you'll be in good company. Cheers 🍻

An old pub possibly oldest in Oxford Inside pub great but outside not so Not a very good outlook on the street and surrounding arra

Definitely a fun place to have a drink, lots of character in the Pub itself, service team was friendly and efficient. The mains were just OK for the price, did not look or taste home cooked, seemed more “out of a box”. I agree with other recent reviews that portions were on the small side and veggies were bland. We had the steak pie and chicken pie, both meals were in the 18-20 GBP range. The pies themselves were small, about the size of the 5 GBP meat pies in the market we visited earlier. Snacks would be fine here, great atmosphere for a drink or two, but not somewhere I’d look forward to eating a full meal when in Oxford.

A must visit Pub if in Oxford. Only small but makes up for it in character and great staff. Good selection of ales, the one I had chosen had just ran out and I had already paid but let me have an alternative with higher gravity at no extra cost (Thank You!). Offer to bring drinks to you while you find a seat in or outdoors.

Precio normal ( para un pub en UK) pero con muchas mesas en terraza cubierta con sombrillas termicas

Friendly people, nice central location. Very atmospheric. But food was dodgy- the mashed potato was so inedible that two of us left it untouched, and the “gravy” for our pies looked liked the result of a bad chemistry experiment.

Visited for a couple of drinks. Enjoyed the historical nature of the venue and general atmosphere. Service was very slow and lots of issues with the kitchen. I probably would visit again during a slightly less busy time.

Decent amount of completely unseasoned, flavourless food. Asked for mustard, told they were nearly out so could only give a squirt. I think the white stuff was supposed to be cauliflower cheese but it tasted of water. They were running low on potatoes by 1pm. No seasoning or sauce on the veg. Gravy was ok. Lovely place for a pint, friendly staff but just don't go for the Sunday roast.

The Sunday roast was not a good experience and a less than average meal. Roast pork with crackling had no crackling. Braised leeks seems barely cooked. Other veg was microwaved a bit too much. Yorkshires were dry and powdery.

Fantastic! Best environment, best bartender!

Nos pusieron cerveza caliente pagando casi 6 libras. Al ir a la barra a quejarnos, nos dijeron de muy malas maneras que la podían cambiar por una fría pero volviéndonos a cobrar. Servicio muy decepcionante

Great place in Oxford. The oldest pub in Oxford is really good.

Amazing old pub ! Tuesday is live jazz music night and the atmosphere at night in the outside marquee is lovely.

The oldest pub in Oxford, this is a small two room set up with a bar area on side and a more intimate snug type room the other. The latter has a fireplace and is also adorned, famously, with cabinets full of ties. The pub itself has thankfully retained most original fittings and feels historic still. It gets very busy on a Friday and Saturday night and so the outdoor yard areas are a good addition. I noticed they had craft beer from the Beavertown brewery as well. The real ale is generally from Fuller's fayre and included a very pleasant session ale of the IPA style. There was also a guest ale on. The real ale was well kept and in good condition. Honourable mention to the landlord who is a very friendly and welcoming figure, something you don't always see in tourist areas.

Put the Bear Inn on your list of places to experience. Love the history behind this great Inn If only the walls could talk. We online stopped by for a drink so can't comment on the food. Good selection of ales and loved the cidar. Take care if visiting the Ladies. Narrow sloping stairway, and it's wasn't because of the cidar...lol. The neckties adorning the walls and ceiling must have taken years to collect.

Visited on Sunday with great expectation of a Sunday roast. Service very slow, kids serving did NOT have a clue how to serve or look after a table (cutlery not placed, not asked if we wanted sauces, etc.etc), beef roast was literally 2 slices and 2 potatoes, and we had to wait 1 hour for it. Overall, a pub that is quit obviously not working. Also fairly expensive, as Sunday roast where priced £15+ each 😳

Poor customer service. Female bartender gave preference to Iocals.... took my business elsewhere. If I could give a "0" rating, I would.

I had to have 1 tapping beer in this place. Beer taste - you have to accept type of tapping. Atmosphere is great.

Great atmosphere if you happen to bag one of the few tables, windowsills and/or stools inside. Otherwise you can drink Fullers outside in a fairly lacklustre seating environment that no doubt livens up (I have witnessed this) on a busy evening. When we went there on a mid-afternoon in July 2023 it was too busy to accommodate us inside but the outside area could have been anywhere. The staff were most pleasant.

Wunderschönes und ursprüngliches Pub. Innen interessant mit den vielen Bilderrahmen in denen unzählige Krawatten "archiviert" sind. Und draußen kann man auch bei englischem Wetter sitzen und Mittwochs die life Musik genießen. Einfach herrlich!

μου άρεσε πολύ!επίσης το φαγητό εξαιρετικό αν και τα πιο πολλά πράγματα του μενού είχαν τελειώσει!

What a fun place! Low ceilings really bring out the old Oxford vibe of this pub. And the Tuesday night jazz was lovely. I only went one time, but would have loved to have gone a second time around.

Quite small on the inside, so be ready to have to sit outside. Cool ties everywhere! Fish and chips smell is overpowering at first, but you get used to it:)

It has a huge collection of ties from club representatives at Oxford from over the years. If rich history and quaint vibes are what you're after, then this is your place!

Charming pub but the decor with all the ties could be freshened up to look a bit more interesting.

So cool!!! The best pub in town! The inside feels so authentic 🇬🇧 The food is better than many other pubs but it’s such a nice place that it easily went crowded

Schöne und urige Atmosphäre mit live Musik im Freien.

Oxfords oldest pub. Only a small number of seats inside but a large outdoor section. The history behind the pub is worth the visit alone

We drank a lot of beer and tequila. It was a great time.

Small old pub in the heart of Oxford. Very spacious beer garden, excellent place to spend beautiful summer afternoons. Can get full, though!

Make sure to duck when you enter this tiny, 18th-century Oxford watering hole. With ceilings designed for people of a much earlier era, and so small inside as to be almost comical, this lovely little pub has a welcoming, cosy atmosphere, a good selection of real ales on tap (at good prices, too) and friendly staff. It also shows off its connection to local sports in its decor, with walls adorned from floor to ceiling with ties from the nearby university's myriad clubs. Be sure to sit by the window and have a chuckle at the tour groups sticking their heads in as they go past.

Fascinating old pub (apparently oldest in Oxford...) low ceilings, lot's of character and great food.

Great beer, busy with atmosphere and serves cask bitters as well as ipas and lagers, which is seemingly becoming less popular nowadays. Seating outside under cover is really handy for when it gets busy.

The food was great but the waiting time not so good

Great jazz singer in the garden area outside, lovely atmosphere

Charming outside area. Rustic interior. A fine pub.

Overall the experience was quite disappointing. We made a booking for lunch for 8 people about 1-2 months in advance as it was a birthday celebration while on holiday. When we arrived there wasn’t any prepared or reserved area, we were simply told to find somewhere outside to sit. We did know we were going to be sitting outside so that was fine. The outside area had lots of benches for seating although was quite messy and one central area had standing water and stunk of urine. We decided to split our group onto two separate benches in a better section. The inside of the bar was quite nice and historical, which was nice to view briefly. We ordered at the bar which was fine and the waiter was helpful although he seemed a bit under staffed. The food was average and the burger was quite disappointing for the price, if I remember correctly it was about £18 GBP, however the beef was over cooked and the salad seemed to extend to simply lettuce and tomato. Some others had fish and chips which they said was great and the portion was very large. The atmosphere outside was quite dull although it was lunch time so wasn’t very busy outside. Overall it was quite average and after travelling through Europe and UK we did have higher expectations for the oldest pub in Oxford. I think there is a great opportunity to improve the service and atmosphere for the outdoor area and would suggest that some of the menu is revamped. I would come again for a drink if in Oxford, but would have lower expectations.

After a long absence following previous misgivings, I decided to meet friends for lunch and book a table. I was confronted by a booking charge of £5 per head and my confirmation email said "will be refunded against bill on the day". On the day, I ordered the first round of drinks with meal and with no sign of reservation refund my query was met with we don't do that any more, will be processed in a couple of days time" !!!! The meal itself was expensive, barely matched the menu description and was frankly disappointing. On top of this, the adjoining party left and their crockery and glasses and uneaten food remained on the tables for nearly one hour! So, basically BEWARE - I suggest you spend your hard-earned cash with an establishment that cares about it's customers.

Usually a happening place full of character with very pleasant staff (mostly students) and customers. Monday 19th June not so good, bar randomly unattended, overcharged and hassled to exit. We were oblivious to Monday closing is 10.30pm (normal on Sundays in UK). Perhaps on the earlier closing days The Bear could make it more obvious. The next day I went back to speak to the manager, I hate complaining and usually 'vote with my feet'.

Cool old pub in Oxford The oldest pub in Oxford

Wanted to visit the oldest pub in Oxford, and it is a beautiful looking pub. I can't say the same for the food. It took quite a long time to come out, and the burger was pretty good. However, my partners pie was rock hard from being overcooked and very little flavour. The mashed potatoes were quite tasteless. Looking at older pictures of the food from tripadvisor, it looked like the food used to be a lot nicer. Burgers and pies used to come with salad.

Always pop in for a taste of real Oxford when back. Terrace is a bit naff but inside is timeless Oxford

Un vero pub di altri tempi. Tutto in linea con la tradizione: arredi decori soffitti bassissimi. Birra e cibo buoni. Bagni superfrequentati 😂

Never disappointed...a regular establishment for myself. Super helpful staff, one guy waiting outside went out of his way to find us a table when we had to move from a reserved table on a busy Friday evening. Lovely touch

Nice beer garden but food (we had pies) was pretty average for the price.

Great pub and friendly staff. Have to call in for a pint when visiting Oxford.

We booked in advance, and as with the previous reviewer were sat by the entrance to the men’s toilet so the smell wafted out every time anyone went in or out. It took nearly an hour to get our food, which was very disappointing when it arrived. Overcooked roast beef, underseasoned potatoes and carrots. We ate it as we were starving by this time. We booked based on positive reviews but it was one of the worst pub roasts I have had. We won’t be back for food.

Great pub, has chess board. Quite small if above 6ft tall