The Fishes in Vale of White Horse

Great food, great service, great Sunday roast deal

I was denied access to the restaurant with my service dog. I am on the autism spectrum and have been in therapy for years. I did two degrees in psychology to help me with it. So it helps me to have my assistance animal with me. He is a Husky and I prefer not to draw attention to him by making him wear a harness, as this would make my life harder. There is no legal requirement to make him wear a harness. I phoned ahead and asked if we could sit in the restaurant, including my assistance dog, and I was told we could and that a note would be added to our reservation. We were blocked from the restaurant upon arrival and upon indicating that I'm autistic and that my husky is a service animal I was asked "are you sure" by the manager. We were then seated in the bar and the experience hung over the rest of the evening. I was very stressed. I do question whether there was any point in calling ahead. Update: It has been a year, and despite reaching out to the restaurant a year ago, they haven't done anything to set things right. I have seen no change to their policy when in practice. Empty words. This group do not really deserve the opportunity that they have been afforded.

El jueves por la noche con amigos. El lugar era alentador muy ocupado de hecho para una noche de febrero miserable húmeda. Las expectativas eran altas. El servicio era excelente, practicado, rápido y alegre, todos querían ayudar. Las mejores notas. Comida... bueno... no estoy seguro si tenían el equipo o no, pero algunos problemas para mí. En realidad me siento mal por escribir esto, porque no escribo a menudo críticas negativas, y el personal (y la cerveza) era genial, pero había problemas aquí... cangrejo devon y "tarta" de puerro resultó ser un mostaza, bastante sabroso, lamentablemente gris gloop en lo que solo se puede describir como una montaña rusa de bebidas. No era una tarta, era un trozo plano de hojaldre que se había quedado plano, exactamente en textura a una montaña de corcho. No es genial y (cangrejo aparte) no vale £ 10. 50 . También había trozos de concha de cangrejo. No soy un juez Masterchef, pero la concha de cangrejo es un no, ¿no? La concha de cangrejo era más escamosa que el pastel, supongo. Luego a mi filete de grupa, medio raro. A 23 libras, esperaba algo más que un trozo de carne cocida... ¿algo de sabor, cocinado en mantequilla con un puré o queso crujiente? No, sólo freír brevemente y chocar en un plato con una selva de cohetes y algunas patatas fritas. Ok, pero no muy “gastro”. A los amigos les encantó el scrumpet de pato, (que sí se veía bien e invitaba a alguna envidia del menú) , encontró que el pastel de ternera era robusto (y lo dejó sin terminar) y consideró que los camarones picantes eran un poco “meh”. El confit de pato fue bien recibido. En general, no es una experiencia gastronómica inspiradora, menos “gastropub”, más “posh Oxford pub con aspiraciones gastro”. Pero tal vez estoy siendo duro (espero que no) , con un montón de clientes a mitad de semana, tal vez era solo yo...? Podría haber sido una victoria durante toda la ronda y luego volvería allí de nuevo, en lugar de La Trucha a la vuelta de la esquina (que siempre ha sido consistente para mí). Pero no me apresuro a regresar. Quizás vaya en verano y pruebe el almuerzo junto al río, solo para estar seguro, pero honestamente no sentí que fuera una gran comida. Lo siento chef, su personal es encantador y los clientes deben amar su comida (empacado un jueves por la noche! Otros rivales de pub deben estar verdes de envidia) pero anoche no estuvieron a la altura del bombo para mí (todavía estoy recordando que ‘bebidas posavasos’... ).

Quality good, quantity not so good. Service was very polite but food took a long time to arrive.

Booked on line for two. It was half term not too busy, the food was delicious above average and the service was v.good. Asked for the musak to be turned down which it was. A pleasurable visit allround and local to me. Im GF and this was no problem. Ample Parking, Im thinking of going back in the summer for my birthday! Nina

Lovely gastropub on the outskirts of Oxford. I had the braised beef & ale pie which arrived encased in pastry, balanced on a pile of mash and greens. It was v tasty. For desert, I had the tarte tatin which was served with a caramel sauce and ice cream. It was tasty too but a bit too sweet for me

A beautiful restaurant set back from the road in a beautiful setting. Staff are friendly and professional as well as attentive. The menu is varied are delicious for starters and mains, unfortunately for me I’m not keen on chocolate desserts and ice cream so dessert was not an option as in many restaurants. Why not a fruity dessert or an option with cream or custard. This was the only thing that disappointed me. A wonderful ambience and an enjoyable meal .

I love it here, lovely outdoor seating as well

Met for lunch and dog walk here. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful, gave us tips on where best to walk dog locally. Booked us into the bar area for lunch which is very dog friendly. Service at the bar was very efficient. Food was really lovely, great portion size and tasted great. By the time we left, car park was full, so obviously very popular place. Highly recommend.

The food is all ways excellent. You can sit inside, conservatory, balcony and gardens. Lots of good offers if you go regularly.

Llevé a mi hijo a comer tarde. Ambos tuvimos sopa de tomate para empezar, que era agradable, aunque el pan estaba rancio. Luego tomé el curry vegetariano, bastante bueno. Tenía el asado del domingo (hambriento de 19 años) que venía con un enorme pudín Yorkshire, patatas, etc. PERO los dos trozos más míseros y grasos de carne de res, escondidos bajo todos los recortes mencionados. Francamente, un poco estafador. Cuando la camarera vino a quitar los platos, mencioné la escasez y calidad de la carne de res y ella se ofreció a conseguir un poco más sin embargo, él había terminado de comer y se negó. Luego tomó el pudín de toffee pegajoso, que disfrutó. Bebemos una coca y agua del grifo. La factura, con servicio a las 12. El 5% (pagué esto ya que el personal era muy bueno) llegó a £ 87. 24 que, dadas las circunstancias, sentí que era extorsivo. No puedo no recomendar este lugar como relación calidad-precio.

El Fishes se ha convertido en un lugar regular para nosotros, el personal amable, excelente comida, perro y aparcamiento. Tercera visita en tres fines de semana. Encantador lugar.

Had dinner with my friends last night and we really enjoyed the whole evening. The staff, as always, was amazing and special thanks to Savanah that served our table, she has always been super friendly and professional.

Took two clients for a business meal and was defintely not disappointed. They are British and German but have lived in the USA for years so a great steak and a pie and mash were the order of the day. Great atmosphere even on a Monday and friendly staff.

The staff and location were lovely. I had the duck confit which tasted nice but nothing special. It came with barely any mash for a side and about a spoonful of miniscule pieces of diced carrot and a couple of strands of cabbage. Definitely expected more. I'd say it is overpriced for what it is.

Second Sunday visited in a row, excellent food, friendly service. We'll be back :-)

Very nice ambience and varied menu. Attentive staff.

This was the first time we had been here, my parents have been before. It was beautiful and the food was amazing. Only downside was we had to ask for napkins and side plates, the steak knives came out after the steak. Maybe it was because it was busy but it seemed like there wasn’t enough staff as the little details were missed. Overall it was lovely. We will definitely be back and would recommend this restaurant to anyone. 😊

A birthday celebration made by a great place. Food and service were outstanding.

We’ve been before and it was just as lovely. Had a gorgeous new years meal with our children.

We’ve been there many times but in this occasion we were disappointed. The quality of the food was mediocre: as an example, the pork belly was dry; the dessert was excessively sweet (and we do have a sweet tooth!); the fried polenta felt more like a starter than a main dish. The special menu was a bit limited and overpriced. Service and ambience were good.

As always a great experience - the level and professionalism of the serving staff was particularly impressive.

Deliciosa comida como siempre, y una gran cantidad de pensamiento y esfuerzo puesto en ayudar a un miembro de nuestra fiesta con múltiples alergias a tomar una decisión sobre platos seguros para elegir.

Lovely pub, it was busy with some large parties in tonight. Unfortunately one of the dinners didn’t come with the rest. Food wasn’t as good as it has been in the past. Sea bream very good!

Traditionally, we have dinner at the Fishes on Christmas Eve's Eve. This year it was a good a meal as ever we've had. Convivial service, especially delightful, when I couldn't make my mind up! Food delicious and it didn't break the bank! Thank you, and Merry Christmas

Such a beautiful venue and the best aubergine Burger I have ever had. The stuff were absolutely lovely.

Pork belly with crackling, total disappointment. Average meal with rock hard crackling don't reflect the price. Use to love this place.

Back to its best! This is how I remember The Fishes ….. fantastic food, the best staff, and a buzzing atmosphere! Lovely Sunday afternoon with a great roast. The staff even offered extra Yorkshire puffs…a very lovely touch! Thank you. We’ll be back… soon!

Lovely Xmas dinner and great service . Friendly staff.

Lovely experience from arrival right through to departure. The staff are so friendly - a real credit to the restaurant. Meal was delicious. Well done everyone. We will be back!

We meet our friends and have been coming for a few years Today we thought it has become very expensive and the food was not to your usual standard We will consider coming again but we may try somewhere else

Hermosa comida y encantador ambiente navideño al pub, todos tuvimos diferentes pescados del menú principal y la tabla de especiales, y cada uno de nosotros estaba encantado, al igual que con los desiertos, una gran gama que hizo muy difícil de elegir. El personal nos hizo sentir muy bienvenido tan pronto como entramos por la puerta. Gracias, sin duda volveremos.

Welcoming staff & friendly service. Sunday roast with “pudding” was tasty, fresh & excellent. Lovely pub / restaurant atmosphere. Highly recommend.

The Fishes is so much better these days. The food is just fantastic, the staff are friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is cosy and comfortable. I had a Sunday lunch of Roast Venison which was divine and worth every penny.

A little on the pretentious side. Rather perfunctory service, but I guess that depends who you get. Food ok but only had a fairly non-descript snack so can't really comment much beyond that. Nice location.

Were pursuaded to download the app which is a hangover from Covid keep your distance days as 50% of the food menu was not on the app. Conclusion could be too expensive to maintain or only for regulars who can earn points every visit. We used a regular credit card, where the 10% tip seemed to be compulsory, I did not mind as the service was decent.

We had a wonderful experience at this cozy outdoor sitting area. The ambiance was perfect for a relaxed meal, and we enjoyed the crisp autumn air. We tried several dishes from the autumn menu, and everything was absolutely delicious. Each dish was flavorful and well-seasoned, capturing the essence of the season. Highly recommend for anyone looking to enjoy a comfortable dining experience with great food!

Delightful fish of the day and a salad, lovely glass of wine, pleasant environment and lovely staff. Perfect lunch.

Food was delicious and the service was attentive and could not be faulted. This is a dog friendly pub in the bar area, which is something we always look for. Thoroughly recommend 😊

Lovely food and nice atmosphere; quiet and warm; perfect for a Monday night out! . Good food choices and was all delicious!

I tried the soup of the day and a courgette side dish, and both were simply amazing. The soup was rich and flavorful, perfect for the season, while the courgette side was cooked to perfection, full of fresh taste and well-balanced seasoning. The service was prompt and attentive, and the atmosphere was relaxed, making for an enjoyable experience overall. Everything was well-prepared and exceeded expectations. Will definitely return—an excellent experience.

Went to the Fishes for lunch with friends. An amazing experience. When the waitress came to take our order she also asked if we had any allergies which surprised me as not many resturants ask this. I had the Gnocchi , well presented with wonderful flavours, followed by a great coffee with a chocolate brownie. Would certainly recommend them and will definitely be going back again. Big thank you to all the staff.

Walked in, two people two dogs. Lovely Sunday roast. Was absolutely lovely till I asked for a spoon, it was thrown at us via a waitress into the dish who then took there break. If she had said sorry I am On a break I would apologised. I think for a nearly 200£ meal staff need to get their professionally responsibility in order. Still tipped as the original host wast lovely.

First time at the Fishes and the atmosphere and service was great. The food main course was disappointing. My Sea Bream was pan fried and came with a handful of rocket a 3 new potatoes cut in half. The caper sauce was poor and for the money it just did not look or taste that great. We will try again at the Fishes but have to say if you charge over 20 for a main you can do better than what I was given.

The food was excellent, even though some of things on menu had run out.

Tasty food with good sized portions and interesting menu. Service excellent. Plenty of parking.

Roast dinners are decent and the pub is lovely. A bit on the expensive side for what you get but always an enjoyable experience

Had a great experience here today celebrating my daughter’s 21st Birthday. Came up from Cardiff with the family to celebrate as a surprise, unfortunately one of the family had a flat tyre on route, called the restaurant to change the time of the booking and they were extremely helpful and accommodating. Great restaurant with fantastic surroundings…a hidden gem! Sunday lunch was delicious and the staff were all great. Would definitely recommend and will be back again!

Nice place to grab a Sunday roast. Friendly service and a pleasant atmosphere.

Nice spot for a Sunday roast. Charmy and polite waiters. Definitely will come back.

The food and drink were excellent and we would definitely go back. The main restaurant was a bit loud and the music was not to our taste - if I had known, I would have booked the conservatory. The restaurant was busy, but by no means full and so we should probably have asked to move. Our original waiter disappeared and at times we struggled to attract attention, but another waiter took over and tried hard to speed things up. I usually like to add tonic to my gin myself, but was not given the opportunity.

Lovely place, great food and great service. Nice atmosphere with a variety of place to sit inside, by the bar or outside. On the terrace there are heaters for when it gets colder which is a great feature.

The food and drink were excellent and we would definitely come back. I should have booked in the conservatory, as the main room was noisy and the music was not to our taste. The service was a bit slow. Our original waiter disappeared and at times we struggled to attract attention, but someone else took over and tried to speed things up. The restaurant was busy, but by no means full, so we should probably have asked to move. I prefer to add the tonic to my gin myself, but was not given the option.

Lovely food and service. Disappointed to see no sides of vegetables in any shape or form so not great from a balanced diet point of view. The wine was delicious and the atmosphere warm and welcoming.

Gorgeous garden in the sun. Great drinks and food in the garden. Excellent service.

Lovely meal, food was especially good, service and atmosphere also lovely

Good ambience and music, friendly and accommodating staff. Had a lovely lunch.

Staff not caring, Sunday roast mediocre (beef)

Great place end nice service food coalition

We had a warm welcome and shown to our table. The food was delicious and the wine was lovely. We didn't feel rushed at all and had a great time! We would love to visit again.

Great food, from a wide menu. We were well-served, promptly by friendly staff. We came for the birthday offer of a free bottle of wine, per two people having a two course meal.

Lovely venue, efficient service and great food, helped by the beautiful weather

From the minute I walked in to the minute I left I was astonished by the great level of service from cameron and Sophie who served me my food in a professional and timely manor. They both were excellent, also great selection of drinks. All the staff were easy to talk to and had a great attitude towards all the customers in the restaurant would defo recommend as food was also great !

We have been going to The Fishes for many years but hadn't been in a while and we were really underwhelmed. It was very busy so I assume they are getting something right but our meal was a big disappointment, particularly since we have been happy previously when we have been there. I had the fish pie and my wife had the fish of the day and both were just ordinary, the fish pie accompanied by a "salad" - note to the chef, the definition of salad is "a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing", not just lettuce, which was on my plate. Similarly the desserts were just ordinary. This was also the verdict of our friends. I hope that this was a one-off and that we were unlucky but I don't think we'll be hurrying back.

Lovely location with big garden, just off A34. Watermelon, rice noodle salad was dee-lish! Friendly service, didn't have to wait long even though quite busy for a Monday evening!

Excellent food, very nice and helpful staff, lovely atmosphere. A rare treat and a wonderful experience 🙂

Had a delightul business lunch with two guests - fish of the day and two sandwiches were delicious barring a little mix up with the order which was rectified immediately.

Really like this place. They do most things well. Menu is extensive, something for everyone. Pleasant service.

The best pub garden in Oxford in my opinion! Best place to spend the summer, fantastic family atmosphere with plenty of space to play and always room to park as well - never struggled for a table even on a sunny Sunday, and delicious food worth the price tag.

Lovely pub with great food and drinks and also dog friendly with huge garden

Great gastro pub in a lovely location

Pretty awful. We tried it 6 months ago and it was ok but not great. This evening’s experience was so so bad. The food was so spicy that we had to leave it, and there was a total lack of service. They were not that busy. When I went into pay I saw why. They were chatting. Seating outside was just the pits. Don’t go there. It is a waste of your money

Food has deteriorated over the last 12 months and is now only just edible - we left half as so spicy and other was salty. The outdoor space is just tables in the garden - so not exactly gastro pub - more normal pub with poor food and expensive prices. Lots of letter places to go.

We were stuck out in the garden so it was like having a pub meal in a rather poor looking pub. Food was too spicy and we had to leave most of it. The place has definitely gone down hill in the last few years and we thought we would give it another go. But alas it was worse so never again. Avoid this one it is well below decent.

Service a little slow but the food was excellent on a busy evening

Delicious dinner had. Loved the summer pudding which I don't often find now in restaurants.

All food was uniformly excellent. Also nice to have cocktails in the parlour bar. Staff very knowledgeable and helpful although the service was slow at times, but the restaurant was busy and we weren’t in a hurry.

We arrived after booking last Sunday…Roast was £25 pounds for two course. We had heard so much about the food, we were not disappointed. I had the Lamb my daughter the pork The roast potatoes were the best I have tasted the Yorkshire pudding was wonderful I have been to so many places were the Yorkshire pudding was left sat in grease so the bottom is greasy, but not here. A bonus they came round with extra potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Love the pot of gravy The cauliflower cheese deserves 5* on its own. A great atmosphere Wonderful food and excellent service. The garden is a great place to have a pizza and relax with the young ones We will be back.

Food was great but the waiter staff are cursory and bordering on rude

Nice pub in a lovely location. Service was really very good, staff friendly and polite. Guinness was ok for value. Ordered Smoked Mackerel Pâté on Sourdough, Soft-boiled Egg, Baby Gem & Chardonnay Vinaigrette £9.75 from the lunch sandwich menu as it was a hot day and waned something light. It really was very light, only one piece of sourdough. I don't think it represented good value for the price, the side of chips for three and a half quid was very small. That all been said, the food was of good quality, delicious flavour, the chips were hot and stayed hot as they pre-heated the bowl they were served in. However, I stopped at Greggs for a sausage roll at the station to fill me up. If I go again, I won't order from the sandwich menu. I'll give it 4/5 due to friendly staff and prompt service but the food value is lower.

Setting is wonderful but the food is average; the lamb kofta starter particularly disappointing as was £7 and came as 1 chopped up kofta and yoghurt on a tiny plate. No flatbread and bit dry and poorly presented. Portion of fried also £5 for quite small portion. Wouldn’t go back tbh. Better places

It's so, so delicious. I was lucky enough to have the summer menu, and the refreshing cod dish was a perfect combination of the sauce, which I had never tried before, and the richly textured black rice. The salad that came with Jimmy BBQ was crazy.🥹 There is an outdoor garden, and we ate in the terrace space where you can feel the outdoors. It is difficult to express in words how pleasant it was. This is by far the best restaurant I've had in Oxford. Many staff members responded very kindly, from guidance to explanations. Next time I come to Oxford, I will definitely come back and try the new menu!!!😉 Highly recommended!!!!!

Amazing experience at The fishes starting from a very welcoming hostess. The team was very attentive and they have a lovely garden too. I was checked upon when I was about to finish my roast and served more p🤩tatoes and yorkshire pudding( it never happened to me before 🥹) I have become a fan and would definitely be returning !!!

Visited for a Sunday, was found a table, personally wasnt overly impressed with the options onnthe menu, so didn't stay.

Outstanding, outstanding, outstanding. Excellent food, beautiful surroundings and amazing service. Can't wait to go back. Well done.

Had a family meal here and enjoyed, great food, good quality, great portions and value. My only regret was having prawn pil pil as starter, this arrived with heads and shell on, so by the time they were peeled they were cold. Waiting staff were a credit to the establishment, polite, friendly and helpful very efficient. Think disabled toilet needs attention.

Good pub with nice food, beer could have been colder

Amazing service from Louis our server. He was ahead of the ball throughout our whole sitting. Great food and lovely place. Highly recommend.

Really pretty setting, great service and good food.

Went with family and service and food were great

Good meat, excellent roast potatoes, silly over-sized yorkie and undercooked cabbage with large veins still in.

Beautiful food and outstanding service 👌 highly recommended 👍 amazing very cozy place with beautiful big garden x also pet friendly which was important for us. Oscar our waiter was very nice and friendly and helpful x thank you so much for our lovely time spent at the Fishes would definitely love to come back ❤️

Lovely pub with lots of space and plenty of seating in several locations. Food was very good, not your average pub food and they have a good selection of beers available. Will definitely visit again if in the area.

On Friday me and my family came to eat at your pub. My son ordered a cheeseburger which was ok and my daughter the chicken piece kids meal which was really good and good valve for a kids meal. My real feedback is the adult mains. I ordered a cheeseburger which was two thin burgers the same burger in the kids meal but just 2 patties. The meat was really poor quality and really disappointing. My wife ordered a rump steak. Again not a very good cut of meat. Also your steak knives were so blunt it was very difficult to cut. We come to your pub most Mondays and Fridays for a drink whilst my son is playing football in the rugby club up the road. I just wanted to give you feedback on the food as I don’t think we will try again unless you get different produce/chef.

The food is reasonably good but the drinks are pricey. The beers and ales that are not pulled regular do not have good flavor and I asking the staff how regular were the pipes cleaned and cleaning the pipes every 2 - 3 weeks does not help with any CAMRA awards. The atmosphere is good and the pub has a good feel. The place is not local friendly but is usually busy anyway.

The problem was that we did not realise from the website that only a restricted menu was available, Sunday lunch type. Of its type it was reasonable but not excellent.

Lovely experience visiting them for the first time and defenetly will go back for the ambience. It is a perfect summer hangout space to catch up with friends.

It is a beautiful pub. I should have taken some photos so you can see how great it is. Excellent usage of space/environment

We booked a family lunch to get together, we don't live locally but we have hired the tepee a few years ago for a party. We knew the venue would be perfect for a sunny day and it was; However the food really wasn't good , the lamb was tough and many aspects of the two courses we all ordered tasted synthetic (shop bought and not tasty) we all love cauliflower cheese and this just wasn't cheesy?? Ordinarily we are not fussy but this was a Sunday Roast? not good value as we left a great deal. The staff were gracious and the price of one bottle of wine was taken from the bill. Sadly we won't rush back to eat here.

We only stopped for drinks so can't rate the food. Beautiful setting and nice friendly staff.