The Butchers Arms in South Oxfordshire

Had a great lunch here yesterday - 2 lamb Sunday roasts, 1 mushroom and spinach Wellington, all served with roast potatoes, parsnips, veggies and gravy; our 4th family member had fish and chips. Ok, so the service was a little slow due to chef making the batter from scratch. But it was obviously all home -cooked and we were kept up to date by the pleasant and attentive lady behind the bar. So, why wasn’t it busier? Locals - passers by - use it or lose it!

Was once a wonderful dog friendly and customer friendly pub with decent fare at a decent price. So the energy crisis saw the last landlord up sticks to be a handyman in Norfolk and I wondered if any new owners would change much. The answer is no … it looks and feels much the same apart from what I hope was an isolated incident but I fear is the norm. My attendance was mid afternoon and the only other customers in the bar were four or five middle aged locals I guess. Nothing wrong apart from the sailor blushing language that emanated from them in an almost constant stream for the entirety of my stay. F and C and any combination you care to think of at a loud volume without a care that others may find it very rude and quite frankly boorish. I know drinking customers spend money but in fear of having to endure an atmosphere like this again I regret that I will probably not be going any more. It’s a pity because I like the pub and I like the beer and food.

Great selection of drinks, clean and tidy pub but awful staff. Waitress began shouting and swearing before just walking out leaving me waiting at the bar for our drinks. Will not be returning if this is the level of service provided, such a shame for such a picturesque country pub!

Very enjoyable lunch today, food was tasty and reasonably priced. We were doing a pre walk for our u3a group in August and received a warm welcome from the assistant manager who helped us with the booking. We are looking forward to returning in August.

This was a nice pub with nice food nice atmosphere but now it’s horrible really unfriendly aggressive bar staff loud music a real shame it’s gone so far down hill. I won’t be going back.

visited with friends to celebrate a birthday for drinks and dinner. After being shown our table it all went rather down hill, nachos were stale and the dip had a nasty twang to it as well as being super glossy my mate even thought it was blitzed peas, main courses were luke warm and one person did not eat anything as it tasted so bad and overcooked, will return for drinks but not food in the future

Recently been taken over and unfortunately just the two of us there at about 1.20pm. Admittedly there were road works and the warning signs suggested the pub was not accessible !! Drinks quickly brought to the table by pleasant young man. Food followed in the time it took to cook...sausage and mash with onion gravy and peas and scampi and chips, the former not really hot the latter was deep fried, so hot. Reasonably prices and loudish music from Heart fm. Good luck to new owners

A Christmas roast for approx. 20 people, nice and hot, good quality, friendly staff too! Guests were impressed with the price considering those nearby charge twice as much if not more

Other pubs in the area do decent food, but at much higher prices. On the evidence of this visit, the Butchers Arms is filling a different spot in the market. It's not gastro; it's not foodie: it just does good basic food at good basic prices. It's a brick pub, not very ancient, well up a side road in this large village or complex of villages. Plenty of space inside and out. Veneer floors, good wooden tables, clean. I had the chicken wrap for about £10. Well satisfied. Two big wraps with tasty, breadcrumbed chicken. The wraps were grilled too, with slight Maillard browning on the ends. Came with loads of chips/fries and one of the best and most copious salads I've had in a pub (cucumber, red and green peppers, lots of red onion, red lettuce, green leafy stuff, a touch of (soy?) sauce). Proper filling! So massive kudos to the kitchen. Washed down with two pints of Brakspear's Gravity. While I was there, a woman came up to the bar specifically to praise their lasagne. Find.

Great value for money and friendly greeting and service. Lentil and vegetable soup, just like mother used to make followed by ham egg and (plenty of) chips and scampi and (lots of)chips. Both hot and tasty. Sweet citron tart.... did not get much of this as Mrs H scoffed it...but she had not had soup. 2 courses and a drink each for £31.00; could not fault it; best value for money in the Henley area......we shall return

Vegetarian (possibly vegan) lunch yesterday. Helpful staff, food piping hot, tasty, quickly served and well presented. Very good value too. We were given directions to a local site of interest that we were looking for (Sedgehill Spring Well) which we found. We last visited in 2018 and gave the Butchers Arms an equally good review then. Well done. Well be back. Thank you. (However, we did notice the pub was displaying the Union Flag upside down!!!)

The staff were very welcoming and helpful. They had a good wine selection and Guinness on draft. We sat outside in the garden with our dog and were surprised how quiet it was for a Saturday night. We all ordered burgers, which were served with a tasty relish and large chips. Good value and pleasant evening.

Heard about this pub on the grapevine, so we decided to try it a couple of days ago. Warmly welcomed by staff and seated quickly as lots of tables taken. Given menus 2 courses for £12 as well as other dishes on a separate menu. Decided on 2 pea soups - excellent, hot and tasty with warm bread and butter followed by 1 scampi and 1 ham egg and chips. Two decent sized portions, well cooked (chips crispy as they should be). Portion size just right but too many chips for Mrs.....so my gain. Great value for money....we shall return

What a fantastic meal we had at The Butchers Arms, the service and food was fantastic, well done to Karen & her team for everything

First time visit and somewhat last minute ... just looking for a straightforward pub Sunday lunch that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Easier said than done in South Ox. ... but the Butchers Arms delivers. Cosy surroundings, good choice of three different roasts and a giant plateful of meat, potatoes and 7 veg, plus Yorkshire pud/crackling* etc (*delete as appropriate). Not plush, not gastro, just honest, local and enjoyable.

We went to The Butcher’s Arms for dinner while baby-sitting boys aged 6 and 7. The staff were friendly, the food arrived quickly and was tasty and very reasonably priced. The boys enjoyed playing in the big garden and on the wooden play equipment.

Fantastic Saturday lunch with my wife. Great service, really friendly and fabulous food. Highly recommended.

The landlord has disappeared off to Norfolk but the chef has stepped up and is doing a fantastic job of keeping everyone safe while enjoying a pint and fab food. The staff wear masks unlike the other pubs in the village and has lots of...

A very nice dinner around a huge outdoor table that meant we could socially distance from our dining companions. The menu is traditional pub fare. Pies on offer that day were cottage pie and chicken and gammon pie. Chips were especially delicious. I had ham,...

Our first visit to The Butcher's Arms and we were not disappointed. The Covid measures were all in place and we were served promptly by very friendly staff. The menu was a bit limited, as might be expected, but the burgers were excellent, homemade and...

After rejecting the offer of a inane bet - swimming across the River from Purley on Thames to Mapledurham (I had correctly pointed out that in doing so, many locals’ eyes ‘would turn....as would many stomachs’ - Dan Stevens in The Guest, I was sadly...

First time back after lockdown. Easy to book and all well organised on arrival. A fabulous burger with lovely chips and tasty scampi and chips. Great to be back and find the quality is as good as ever.

Nothing pretentious, or over the top. Just good quality grub with no frills but efficient service. It does what it needs to do and it does it very well!

I was there as part of a group of 30 for Christmas lunch. The food was hot, plentiful and delicious. Great pub and staff!

Decided to go here with my Berkshire cousins. Good food, very tasty, enough of it for a Sunday roast and all the beer was good as well. No complaints whatsoever and will return again next year.

We have been to the Butcher's arms ever since we have moved to this area. The landlord is a great guy who always makes us feel welcome. Have taken a lot of our friends there. Went to the Big Bash and couldn't have been happier....

Absolute gem of a fins this place. As with most Brakspear pubs, it's got nice family friendly walks leading to/from it. After a nice walk. You get to enjoy great food, skilled down with fantastic local ale. Ample outside seating, which just soaked up loads...

We enjoyed our lunch at this traditional English pub, real pub food with large portions and fast friendly service, plenty of room to sit inside or enjoy a quiet afternoon in the pub garden.

I arrived around 1.45 (45 mins before food end). The staff member was ok though could have been friendlier. Other customers at the bar were nicely friendly. Ordered Ham egg chips and peas. Ham was amongst the worst I’ve ever had. Looked like it had...

My daughter took us here and I am afraid I couldn't recommend the luxury fish pie. It was one of the most expensive and initially the meal looked inviting. I had a very hot dish with peas and lightly cooked leeks on the side. With...

Absolutamente encantadora cena navideña con amigos, ambiente acogedor y buen pub inglés tradicional.Un pequeño error con la reserva, pero el personal no podría haber hecho lo imposible para acomodarse a pesar de que estaba ocupado. Trabajé en la industria durante 20 años y habría estado en la luna si hubiera tenido personal que trataría con una supervisión muy pequeña de la forma en que lo hicieron. El excelente menú de Navidad y las opciones de menú estándar hechas por otras mesas también se vieron bien; perros amables y agradables locales.Definitivamente haremos una segunda visita en el nuevo año para probar el resto del menú.Por cierto, baños limpios. . . muy agradable de ver!

We went for a light lunch mid week. Food came very well presented. I had a tuna sandwich with garnish and friend had the ploughman's lunch. Again well presented but not much bread considering the cheese and butter supplied!

Estaba buscando un pub que estuviera equidistante de mi casa y de la casa de mis amigos donde pudiéramos encontrarnos y tomar una comida y una bebida. Me sentí tan complacido cuando encontré The Butchers Arms en Sonning Common que le pedí a mi hijo que me acompañara allí un par de días más tarde para que pudiéramos probarlo. Ambos nos sentamos en el jardín ya que era un día cálido y disfrutamos de un buen almuerzo a la antigua usanza de Ploughman. Fue maravilloso tener una hermosa pieza de jamón fresco (no de un paquete) y un sabroso queso cheddar con panecillos crujientes calientes, manzana, ensalada y pepinillo. No recuerdo la última vez que disfruté tanto de una buena comida tan simple y tengo muchas ganas de volver para poder probar algo más del menú del almuerzo o de la cena. Recomiendo este pub para cualquier persona que, como yo, recuerde cuando los pubs eran pubs y no restaurantes glorificados.

When we arrived we were told that there would be a wait...this turned into an hour before the food came. We really would have gone somewhere else. A pity. Food ordinary and expensive for what it was....

Went here at the weekend and had a lovely roast dinner, great value for money too! Seems like a friendly family pub. Would definitely recommend for good pub food!

Era un pub típico del país con bastantes rincones, el servicio es agradable, pero el bar parece un poco desgastado y no tan moderno o actualizado como otros pubs del país. Pero bueno, quiero probarlo en el verano también en su gran gardebn cerveza.

Nice ambience and customers. Landlord jovial and chatty. Slightly overweight perhaps but a good all round sort of bloke. Try it.

Went on Saturday for Christmas meal with the ladies.had a really great time and the food was great.service was great and so so friendly thank you for being such a lovely pub and the landlord rob just the best.thank guys xx. 10/10 excellent

We called into this lovely pub while exhibiting at Stonor, blue cheese burgers were delicious, juicy and really tasty with lovely chips, highly recommend a visit!

Excellent service & meal - group of 12 whole range of meals Salmon, Steak, Gourmet Burger, Scampi nothing left on a plate and the desserts were amazing too looking forward to return visit 😁

Llamado para una esposa de asado de domingo tenía pollo, tuve la carne asada, ambas comidas fueron excelentes, mucha carne, buena variedad de verduras, patatas asadas, y un gran pudín de Yorkshire, todo cubierto con una salsa, comida tan grande , tenía un trabajo para comerlo todo,

Best burger ever- tasted like steak. Great atmosphere. Beautiful building. Have a lovely dinner with friends Laura and Alex, as well as another couple.

Vine aquí para un asado y fuimos de salida basado en comentarios anteriores. El menú parecía genial pero para Asado del domingo en 13 libras por cabeza, espero alimentar bien. El menú sugiere que con su carne elegida se obtiene la siguiente.

Cuatro salimos para una comida el viernes por la noche. Dos tenían los filetes de solomillo. Jugosos y preparado a la orden. Los otros dos fuimos para peces. Un precioso pastel de pescado cubiertas de lujo con un huevo y un pescado y patatas fritas - hidratación cod envuelto en masa sabrosa vivificante. Luego compartimos una junta dos variado y generoso de queso. Rodeado de otros comensales y clientes habituales disfrutando de una pinta de viernes por la noche. Ideal!

Nos invitaron a la comida muy buena, buen servicio y un excelente ambiente para nuestra comida de Navidad del grupo. Aunque a más de 40 personas que éramos un grupo grande para este pub para servir en una sentada, teniendo en la mayoría de las mesas, la comida llegó caliente y deliciosa. El nivel era alto y coherente en todas las opciones de menú y representaba una fantástica relación calidad-precio. Probablemente el mejor menú de Navidad que he disfrutado! Todo el personal fue amable y dirigido los asuntos típicos que pedí lo de una forma tranquila y servicial. No puedo alabar lo suficiente. Gracias.

Visited on a Friday evening, nice atmosphere, good pub food, friendly service, very pleasant. It has a nice garden aswell for when the weather is good.

nice quiet traditional pub, great sunday lunch. and friendly owners, would recommend others to try it, get in early to avoid the rush

The Butchers Arms is unrecognisable from a few years ago, and the fact that the current tenants have both won awards and signed on for a second term says it all. I don't think anyone lasted more than 6 months beforehand.I visited for a post meeting supper a couple or months ago with 4 colleagues - we didn't want top end gastro, high pirces, just a good solid pub meal at decent prices in a pleasant atmosphere - and that is just what we got. In fact I would say that the food is at the very top end of traditional pub fare, some dishes would not be out of place in many of its "gastro neighbours" - of which there are of course many, and where I also dine, such as the Greyhound...but if you are looking for Horses for Courses, then the Butchers Arms is spot on.Interesting selection of beers from around the country as well - might have to visit more often, the Jennings (from Cumbria?)was excellent.

One of many trips to the Butchers arms, the perfect country pub especially on a hot summers day (although few and far between in England). Great and friendly service with a great selection of beers, ciders and wines. Although I didn't eat on this occasion, the menu has many great options and the food will bring you back if nothing else.

We went there last year and the food was great. Good choice. Good service. Very busy.We recently went there in June 2016. A lot less choice of food and some of the choice was unavailable. We were the only ones there on a Saturday night. We almost left and went elsewhere. We will probably go somewhere else next time which is a shame as it was a nice place.Not sure if they have changed owners but it was different people in the pub this time which is probably reflecting why it wasn't so busy.What I had was ok but compared to previous visits it wasn't up to scratch. We left earlier than we would have done before.

Had a lovely Sunday lunch and the staff were so welcoming and friendly. It was fairly busy so I recommend booking! Had a chat with the couple running the place who are apparently standing in for the regular Management and I have to say they are doing a wonderful job. Will definitely be back before too long.

Visited with a friend and was pleasantly surprised. The lady behind the bar (also waiting tables and everything else!) was very welcoming and friendly. Good food and an interesting menu. Will definitely return. Great.

While house sitting went to this real good local pub food great the pie was outstanding I will go again. Dog friendly

warm and friendly welcome from barmaid, seated at table given menus went to have a look at the specials board which is in another part of the pub would have been nice to have had a specials board in both sides of the bar.Specials were not what I would call specials the prices were the same as on main menu they should be at least half ridiculous prices for what you get. Drinks are very expensive.Ordered our food 35 minute wait but it was piping hot looked great ordered pudding two scoop ice cream well honestly the most tiniest scoops ever my grand children would have needed specs to find it in the bowl.So sorry pub looks good from the outside drab on the inside and cold very draughty only good thing is the taste of the food and barmaid will not go again certainly not recommend this to any of my friends.

This is a well kept country pub but the drinks are probably the most expensive in the Reading area.The restaurant and bar area was spotless and the service good but at what price.I paid 90 pence a pint more for the same product than my local in Shinfield.

Came here for a Sunday lunchtime gin and tonic and found it so pleasant we stayed for lunch. The food was good, home cooked fare, raised up a notch. I had the risotto which was a under seasoned but as I could add salt and pepper, wasn't really a problem. My partner had nothing but praise for his bangers and mash. The service was efficient and but it was pretty quiet for Sunday lunchtime. We spent a good hour in a lovely spot overlooking the garden and enjoyed being able to relax in unfussy surroundings.

Absolutely lovely setting, plenty of space and in a beautiful village with view of "duckingham palace" on the local pond.. We arrived towards the end of lunch and there was a slight wait for food but in pleasant surroundings this was no inconvenience. Landlord very friendly and broad range of food satisfied all tastes. The asparagus and mushroom risotto was delicious. Teenagers enjoyed their gourmet burgers with chunky chips served in miniature frying baskets.

Had a meal here with a group of friends and children today. Food took a while but we ordered after a lagre table had booked and were informed there was a delay.Pub was cosy, clean and welcoming and the landlord and waitress were friendly.Food was nice, the kids complained the ice cream felt like it had been in the freezer since Spring two years ago but ate it still though my friend said it did have an old feel to it. Had the final bill not been so expensive at nearly £130, we would definitely have returned when the summer comes as the kids loved the garden area.We felt that for 6 meals, 2 of these were kiddies and 1 was a sandwich,2 burgers,1 main meal and 2 puddings and three portions of ice creams plus a few drinks each that it was really pricey compared to other establishments we usually go to.

Hi, I came once before with some friends of mine had a great lunch, lovely roaring fire, very warm welcome from lady and very good food. I visited again today and the pub was very busy indeed great to see the lady, I found out today her name is Jennette she brightened up our day very bubbly and very attentive for a busy lunch time very impressed, food was fantastic plenty of it and a high standard, thank you

Always have a nice Sunday roast here, and the staff are friendly. (Dog friendly too) Great location. Cant say much more...

visited the butchers arms on recommendation must have come on a wrong day thought we would try evening meal friendly smile from Karen and gent behind bar can not fault their service in any way. Once at our table service from young staff is childish and not good for business no smile had to go back to the bar and order our desserts will try again but during the day no disrespect to Karen very nice lady

Arrived for a 1.30pm booking. Ordered our food and 1.45pm had to wait another hour before we got our food. This is the second time this has happened. Not very impressed with Sunday service.

Found by chance whilst out for a drive, Had the best roast ever eaten in a pub. Staff were great, table service a nice touch. Pub was warm clean and friendly. Good value for money, dogs welcome. Will be visiting again soon

Another visit to The Butchers Arms, this time for valentines Day and the standard was as good as always.

Popped in here on off chance as we'd try to find somewhere last minute. This was the 3rd we'd been to to find something to eat- 1st pub packed, 2nd only did tapas and thus one suited all tastes. The home made steak and ale pie was fabulous, burgeoning with tender rump steak and a lovely suet crust. Lots if lovely seasonal veg to go with it. The cod and chips looked fab, fresh fish in a crispy beer batter. The boys had burgers which was met with lots of pleasant noises! Puddings consisted of a variety of home made delights and the bread and butter pudding was chosen by the boys, after the huge portion of pie and the whale of a fish girls decided to decline. Will definitely come back again, will try the Sunday roast which looks promising.

Attended a family meal here and was disappointed with the food, the service and the range. Meat was dry, potatoes hard and due to not being able to eat wheat or gluten no gravy or cheese sauce on the cauliflower cheese. My partners food whilst covered in gravy was still dry and over cooked.Disappointed overall, waiting staff did not seem particularly keen to be there.Venue was nicely decorated and felt homely for a country pub, warm by fires, but cooler in other areas.The only real saving grace was the manager / landlord who attempted to help.

This was our third visit in the last 6 months for Sunday lunch. Between the six of us we sampled the pork, beef and chicken which were all excellent. As before there was a fantastic range of well-cooked vegetables and “proper’’roast potatoes. We arrived early and the pub soon filled up but the service was attentive and on the ball.We are look forward to our next visit when we are in Reading again.

A pleasent medium priced pub. The staff were friendly and the pub was warm even though it was freezing outside. The cod was excellent. It was fresh fish from a local fishmonger. My companion had the cooked ham and we were both happy with the quality and quantity. Other dishes being served looked equally tasty. With so many pubs serving very average food it was refreshing to see good quality produce being used. Keep up the good work.

Went to this pub with a large group of my family. We received a very warm welcome by friendly staff. It was a Sunday so they had a choice of roast lunches as well as a few other options. The food was delicious and good sized portions. I would definitely go back again.

The atmosphere in the pub is warm and friendly, although unfortunately we were out in the conservatory, I do understand that we were a large group, but it is winter and the heating was hardly on - quitre frankly I froze during lunch. The menu for a Sunday was okay, pork, beef or turkey with the trimmings. I am not a fan of roast so went for the saussage and mash, which was tasty, if a little heavy on the mash - I only managed half of it. The dessert menu was okay - four or five options all served with either cream, icecream or custard. The main problem was the staff. The waitress was very brusque and not friendly at all, even asking us to take our own drinks off of the tray so she could balance it - plus we must have had 4 different waiting staff during the lunch. Dessert choice was pretty standard. The place was a little let down by the service. It was slow, there was a long wait during the main courses which were brought - the majority were brought out and then we had to wait about 4/5 mins for the remaining 4 which meant the people who has been served either had to wait - and their food got cold, or they had to start - and be rude. Two desserts were put out, my husband's was wrong and then it was whisked away from him - all it was missing was custard, and then we were told desserts were going to be another 5 minutes. So either the dessert was kept hot for 5 mins or it was given to someone else. The waitress when asking for coffee only asked one table and I had to go to the bar and order. All in all it was very average and I would not choose to return.

Went to this pub on the.7th Nov.booked a table for 8 of us one of whom is in a wheelchair and the owners and staff could not have been more helpful.the food was great we all had something different and not one complaint.it is just such a friendly old world type of pub been there 3 times now never dissapointed.the food is soooo good.highley recommend it.

Well cooked and presented Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Second visit this year and we will be back. Friendly and relaxed ambience.

A Day to remember at the Butchers Arms-good welcome ,table in a bit of a chilly place (No15) but 2 very good roast pork dishes ;the vegetables were exceptional The Sauvignon and Temranillo were good and no delay in service as experienced in other tavers.staff seemed happy and the boss came and said hello..pleasant greetings and a feeling that we should come back -immediately booked again table 8 on Dec 5th at 12.30

Four of us had dinner on a Friday night. A warm welcome from Rob and his super friendly young staff. The highlight of the starters was a walnut and stilton pate. We all had rib eye steaks. All cooked to order and with a selection of sauces. Mouth watering meat. Two of our party managed pudding, cooked to perfection. Couldn't fault any of it. Great way to start the weekend!

Lots of excellent food on Sunday's with loads of trimmings. They take dogs as well so you can go for a walk in the local area afterwards!

What a gem of a pub if you want the traditional Sunday lunch - went with a fussy family and everyone left happy and full. Roast beef was full of flavour and the generous portions of beautifully cooked vegetables complimented a very generous portion of tasty and nicely cooked beef. Likewise for the venison and the fish and chips for the non roast teenager were equally generous and, judging by the lack of complaints and empty plate, tasty. pudding was equally generous and tasty bread and butter. We left happy, full and planning our next visit. If you yearn for well cooked pub food without the gastropub pretence you'll love it.

Popped in again today.Ellie and Rob were on a well-deserved break in Ireland.Still made to feel so welcome although we are neither local nor regulars.The food and drink were, as expected, of the same consistently high quality.This is a 'proper' pub with that 'something extra' that causes us to make an 80 mile round trip just for a 'pie and a pint'.

Very nice, landlord Rob very friendly. Sandwiches and chips great. Interesting selection of beers. Overall very nice.

Went out for our anniversary so tryed the butchers it was recommended by friends.had a really lovely meal.the staff are so friendly and helpful it's just as a pub should be oldie worldie.enjoyed the lunch time there.will be going again soon

Called in for a Mid day pub meal with family.Very warm welcome by Landlord,and shown to a lovely table in the conservatory area.Everything was laid out nice,and the pub had a lovely atmosphere.We ordered our food off the menu, which had a varied choice, also there was a specialsboard with further choice.The prices were reasonable, and it didn't take long for our food to arrive, a lovely homecooked lasagne with garlic bread and salad.Very good portion sizes and one of the best lasagne's Ive ever had.We will return on our next trip to Reading.

First time of visiting this restaurant and will be going back, the food is lovely, were made to feel very welcome,

Lovely traditional pub. Very cosy and homely. Food was first class. We chose to ate in the bar though there is a separate dining facility if required.Apparently they have quiz and poker nights. Just what you need for community spirit!

We couldn't get in our usual restaurant for Sunday lunch so having heard of previous good reviews we decided to give this a go. We had traditional Sunday lunch and it was delicious. A decent portion of meat (beef, pork or chicken) with a wide selection of perfectly cooked vegetable. Leeks, spring greens, carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, Swede mash, cauliflower cheese. And roast potatoes. All puddings homemade, I had sticky toffee pudding and the family had apple crumble all served with cream, ice cream or custard. We will defiantly be back.

Service was really good but food was just ok. Nice location but the park area needs a bit of attention. I thought it was a bit pricey given the quality of food. Gave a tip based on service received but unfortunately the meals just weren't that good.

Went with wife & 4 kids, mother in law and father in law. Highly recommend , good service, right amount of choice on menu , made to feel welcome and not rushed into ordering, kids food was great....I personally recommend BANGERS 'N MASH ! ! Prices are middle of the road and good value.....try it I doubt you'd be disappointed .

Very friendly Landlord. Great meal and very accommodating when dealing with my son who is a very fussy eater. He cleaned his plate.

Very welcoming even though we had not booked. Nothing to much trouble for mine host (and hostess!), soon had two tables pushed together and a high chair supplied for the little one. Quite busy even at 6 o'clock on a Wednesday evening which must be a testament in itself. Good beer and very good food, freshly prepared and hot. Will certainly be revisiting on a lunch time to enjoy the outdoor seating areas.

I like this place and say that after popping in seven or eight times in the past three months. The beer - and cider one time - has been good. Mind you I am partial to a drop of Cumberland (ale not sausage, though they are pretty yummy too) which always seems to be on tap. The landlord is chipper but not in your face and the place always has people in it. What a joy. I am enjoying going in here because it is a pub that serves good food, not an eaterie that begrudgingly sell ale. I've had a lasagne and a Sunday lunch, which were both very serviceable and you could tell homemade. I say that as a complement, because effort had gone into the preparation - though the roast might have been hotter - and the menu does not seem to be tainted by the products of food company Brakes Brothers.No offence Brakes. The pub of course is dog friendly, which is always a bone-us.Talking of courses, 20 years ago I used to use this pub after a night of rabbit catching with the dogs around Crowsley and Harpsden - and it was never as appealing as it is now.So, take a bow-wow the Butcher's

We wanted a country pub for a family meal and what a find! Something for everyone on the menu; I was torn between Steal and Ale Pie and the Build your burger (my son went for that one) My wife chose Salmon and Garlic Prawns on a bed of Butternut squash Risotto with Spinach. Wow! One of the best dishes we've had anywhere. Couldn't manage desserts after that but they were all tempting. Staff were excellent and helpful, we asked for Olives (not on the menu) no problem. Beer garden if you want it but lovely atmosphere in the restaurant.

We have recently been going to the butchers arms for drinks,as always a great atmosphere and the staff are lovely. We decided to try out the food and we were not disappointing!!There were 8 of us and we all left with empty plates and full bellies! All our food was delicious- a varied menu with lots of choice, great service with a smile, and 8 very happy guests.Will definitely be returning and highly recommended.

It has been some years since the Butchers Arms has been one of the pubs that my wife and I have visited, so it was a nice surprise to see that it is back to being a good local pub.It was a further nice surprise to sample the food in a very pleasant atmosphere in the conservatory / dining room.The welcome we received was pleasant, helpful, but not gushing or overbearing. We shared two starters, both of which were very nicely presented, but also tasted fantastic. And we weren't disappointed with the mains either - both of which demonstrated what a good chef can deliver in a pub environment without charging the earth.I would thoroughly recommend visiting if you are passing. I would also recommend visiting if you have to make a special trip - it really was very good!Keep up the good work!

We held my wife's 80th birthday party here which was such a wonderful success - due to the first class meal and attention we received and have been back several times since.We have always been accorded the same marvellous service and on Friday,12th June, being our 61st wedding anniversary we again visited and had our usual good service.My wife, being a vegetarian had a super meal and I had the steak and ale pie. At the age of 81 it is the finest pie I have ever tasted, please do give it a try. We recommend you visit the Butchers Arms where the staff are so friendly and helpful and the service and food absolutely first class.

Brought my mother here for a belated birthday lunch - and were not disappointed. We had booked but it wasn't busy so we had complete choice of where we sat and chose conservatory. There was quite a comprehensive menu, including ciabatta sandwiches , and a couple of 'specials'.Hubby had goats' cheese and beetroot to start, while I had crayfish salad and Mum had the soup. Although my salad didn't come with bread, I was glad when I saw how generous the main course was!We'd all wanted the 'special' - salmon salad - but unfortunately there were only two available, which was disappointing at 1215 pm so one of us had vegeburger. Loved the 'new potatoes' with the salad which weren't the usual tasteless vegetable but turned into a kind of hot potato salad with mayonnaise.There were three desserts on chalkboard: I had the peach and raspberry bread and butter pudding, while the others had ice cream (but shared my pudding!)All this plus drinks and coffees for £82, so not the cheapest but extremely nice place to eat with a lovely lady on duty.I noticed in passing the outside seating and a rather splendid playground for anyone with kids.Exquisitely clean and well-presented loos (these things make an impression!)

Our fathers 90th Birthday celebration lunch !!Fantastic !! Sunday lunch was excellant - 9 different seasonable veggies, meat excellant , well looked after !! Fantastic value. Thank you Rob and Ellie Landlord , Damian and Karen Chefs, Maizie and Abbie waiting/bar staff. We didn't want for anything. A Must to try !!Eric, Dave, Michael , jane, Craig and Ali

I am glad to see that this place seems to have been receiving good reviews of late, it assuredly deserves them. In fact, upon our visit last night, I overheard several other tables commenting on how friendly the pub landlord was.We sat on the comfortable sofas, a welcoming sight after our long walk from Reading, and proceeded to scan the menu. Food prices weren't too high, but weren't exactly cheap either, with the cheaper main courses being around £10. The expensive food is why I am forced to give the pub 4/5, rather than a full five stars. Aside from this, the experience was great.The landlord was friendly, and had a good selection of ales. The vegetable soup of the day was top notch; one could not want for better quality, or a larger portion. The bread, too, was great with it. A lot better than the equally fantastic soup that I had earlier in the day at the Pack Saddle.My clam linguine was also good. Perhaps a slightly too large portion, actually, after the starter. It was, however, incredibly expensive - even for the portion size one gets. There was also an overload of clams; far too many considering the amount of pasta and the time it takes to de-shell them all. The pub, however, was great, and I wish we could have stayed longer into the evening - we both happily would.

Congrats to the management. The Butchers has really stepped up. we dropped in Friday for early supper. There was a good atmosphere, friendly people and as it was 1st May they had organised Morris Dancers which added to the fun. As it happened there was a new menu. I had the cod and chips which was first class and thoroughly recommended and CJ has the sausage and mash which went down a treat. The team are really creating a good vibe here so please support if you are local.

Drove past on Saturday through work so I thought I would take the misses and sister for Sunday lunch. Very friendly staff, great village pub with good size garden.,which allow dogs. So will definitely return. The food was great. The Sunday roast was value for money with great selection of veg and ample meat and if that doesn't fill you up the puddings are fresh and tasty. Will recommend and come back.

A very warm welcome by the landlord and the regulars - makes a change for a local pub not to go quiet when "strangers" walk in!Great selection of beer and wine, and delicious lunch with generous portions.Good mix of background music.Been talked into returning for the Tamla Motown evening!

I called in in desperate need of refreshment after a long walk and decided to have lunch too. I dont leave reviews normally as I expect good food everywhere ..i only leave refs for friendly service. Manager very helpful and freindly. As a female visiting alone i found the place to be very welcoming and yes the food was delicious (veggie burger and fab home made chips) Thanks for the directions back to Henley too!

We went for Sunday lunch as a last minute decision, and were delighted at the quality of the food and helping sizes. The new chef patron and his team were still getting things fine tuned and up and running but his cheerful style and attentive banter were great. I am sure this restaurant/pub will be going places