The Jolly Boatman in Cherwell

We went for a family meal today to celebrate my husbands birthday. We all (4 of us) selected the carvery, but unfortunately the food was just warm. We mentioned this to the waitress who didn't seem surprised at all, and she also said that we were not the first to have said this! It was a shame as the food tasted very nice, but was very much let down by the temperature. The waitress explained that the food would have been warmer if we had eaten earlier in the day, but the food should have been hot, regardless of what time of time we had ordered it. The staff were all very welcoming and made us feel very welcome.

Stopped in here for a cavery whilst camping near by. Lovley food and service. Sam looked after us, will definitely be returning. A1.

It was my first time eating at the jolly boatman It was on a recommendation from a friend who I messaged afterwards to thank, for sharing such a gem of a place Beautiful Pub and setting is spectacular But apart from that the roast carvery was the best iv ever had and I have tried many and not just in the oxford area The drinks was very good The staff where very friendly and accommodating It was a lovely experience and whilst having dinner watching the canal boats passing was the icing on the cake I can’t wait to come back again Highly recommend Thank you very much x

Met here to catch up with family, lovely to sit outside by the canal while waiting for everyone to arrive, and then had a great meal inside. Very filling portions and delicious food.

This pub is in a prime position, on a main road and Oxford canal, but for a Friday night felt decidedly empty. However the food was plentiful and well cooked. The staff were friendly and efficient. The downside is their website as you cannot view the menu. The waiter asked me to make reference to this so the manager can see it is an issue.

Please Jolly Boatman change your menu!!! I've been going there for years and you serve the same old thing everytime. I order the vegetarian option and that's the only veg option on the menu and it's always the same! I'm going there at Christmas, please don't serve me veg roulade again!

This is a beautiful spot. A traditional British pub with heaps of charm, great staff, service, food, and car parking. And with the added bonus of it's gorgeous setting with its canal side. A beautiful place for watching the boats go by, dog walkers or ramblers. Would definitely recommend.

Just had an amazing Sunday Roast Dinner at the Jolly Boatman . 3 choices of meat, help yourself to a great selection of veg, all the trimmings, gravy, and selection of accompanying sauces. Great value for money, great service all in a lovely environment too . Definitely recommend.

We have just been here today for lunch with our friends and wanted to say how lovely the food was and how wonderful the staff are especially Brendan and Naomi, they were exceptionally friendly , helpful and deserve a raise, thank you for a lovely time x

I took my daughter her for a drink, she has special needs. Pub looks nice but staff very unfriendly and unhelpful. Tried there again a few weeks later September 2023, with 3 of us, and just as bad. It was a Thursday, both times, and quiet, so there was no excuse for their total unfriendlyness!! They just couldn't be bothered with us! Won't be going again, and I believe one at least was a senior member of staff, as I asked for advice on a type of wine, and he just flicked his arm and didn't respond well.

Great lunch, the staff are always friendly and interact well with my boys and the food was lovely as always. Thank you

Although a great looking, historic little pub right next to the canal, probably great for just having a drink but we had the Sunday Carvery and it was awful. £15.95 per head, total waste of money.

Sunday carvery. A bad experience as the service was very poor as was the food. The food was only LUKEWARM. The vegetables were hard (Broccoli and Cauliflower), the potatoes hardly roasted, Gravy lukewarm. We waited a very long time for the dessert menu and gave up in the end.

Just a bit down from the Boat Inn, right on the canal. Sitting outside just watching the world go by slowly on the water was great. It is a very local pub tho, one of those where everyone stops and stares at the non natives.

Stayed over in Motorhome. Lovely area. Food and staff lovely . Walking down canal very nice and calming

Wow where do I start. I have lived in Oxford now 16yrs and have to say this is the best Sunday Roast I have ever had. Everything was top class. As we entered, staff met us we have never been in there before We have little dog, and we were made very welcome with him. The atmosphere was lovely also another little dog in our section. People on other tables very friendly. The place was spotless. The prices are very fair for Drinks as well as the food. Staff Beautiful and so helpful. The tables are well spaced apart so not sitting on top of each other. We had Carvery bit of pork and beef; the pork was rolled pork bit disappointed with no crackling was really looking forward to having crackling. The beef was also cooked perfect not over cooked but not undercooked simply perfect. Plenty of veg it was like being a child in sweet shop with the options of veg and gravy etc massive Yorkshire pies lovely. You help yourself to it. and can go back for more veg if you want. The veg was Brockley and shredded cabbage homemade roast potatoes. Colliflower with cheese sauce on the side so could have with or without the cheese sauce. Roasted parsnips stuffing and more. There was also vegan gravy and other vegan options. You can have as many as you want of any of the veg. I see one lady taking 2 Yorkshire puddings bless her they were massive (lovely, lovely) As soon as a table left the staff were straight on it cleaning it and resetting. I popped my head into the kitchen by mistake looking for the lady’s even in middle of service I have to say being in the trade myself was very clean. The other menu is also available on a Sunday. I did see quite few tables half having food from the menu and half carvery. I have to say they were also full and had great portions of food on them. We sat in the bar area where the open fire is (was not on) but how beautiful will that be in the winter. The tables are just the same as in the carvery area. Our seat was better because it had a sofa type couch so could put dog and blanket beside me. If you do not like eating around dogs all you have to do is go into the carvery area. A lot of pubs say dog friendly but only let dogs into there gardens (not dog friendly at all.) But this place really is dog friendly. our area where we sat was just as first class as the carvery area. One man on a table by us had a pie and mash with veg wow the pie was the size of a desert bowl…. good portion of mash and veg with it. I could not help but ask him after. He said first class he also said he could not eat it all he was too full. Wow what a compliment to the chef. Thank you, Jolly boat man first class, all round we will be back…………

What a lovely pub the young man who looked after us from start to finish was friendly and professional we called in at lunchtime i ordered ham egg and chips and I must say it was the nicest meal I've had in a long long time I would recommend this pub and will be calling in again very soon ; Thank you very much

Lovely traditional cosy pub. Nice quality food and good, big portions with plenty of veggie options. Friendly staff, quiet, lovely interior. We've been coming here for years and always rate it!

As a family, we frequently visit here whether it be for lunch or like today, a carvery. The quality of food is always incredible with generous portion sizes and great hospitality. 2 adults and 3 kids today for a carvery and it was the best roast I’ve had in a long time. Great selection of meat and veg to choose from, crispy potatoes, sausages, huge Yorkshire puddings and loved the cheese sauce to add to any veggies! Absolutely brilliant, like always!

We were very hesitant about visiting here once we saw the Greene King sign (small, overpriced food portions) but once we were settled, we were glad we did. The pumps are Greene King but not the food. Result! The food is homemade and chosen by the landlord. I had the Cajun chicken burger and chips which was huge. Our friend had the pie of the day (Lamb, Mint and pea) which was also a substantial portion, while my wife had the lasagna which came with chips and decent garlic Bread. This was excellent and clearly homemade, unlike the pathetic effort that she had two nights previous at Beefeater. The staff were great, really friendly and nothing was too much effort. The pub sits on the canal bank and it was a shame that it was raining as it would have been nice to sit, eat and drink right on the canal bank. Our thanks goes to all the staff there. You're doing a great job. Keep it up.

Another visit to the Jolly Boatman yesterday and I have to say it was a very pleasant visit. It started with a good choice of ales, especially the 6X. There's quite a varied menu and at very reasonable prices and we both enjoyed what they served, which came without an unreasonable wait. It’s a lovely pub inside, and as it was pouring rain we were glad there were a few free tables. But the view of the canal really adds to it. Will definitely come back again.

Great food, welcoming atmosphere. Service very quick and friendly - although if we'd been after a leisurely meal, it might have felt a bit too quick. As it was, we were hungry and were glad that there wasn't long to wait between the courses.

One of the worst bar managers I’ve seen in a long time. Rest of the staff worked hard to make up for him

Dined on Sunday night and ordered the steak and stilton suet pie. Most disappointed as I understood it was "freshly cooked". It was not. The suet pudding was hard and difficult to cut, suggesting that it has been pre-cooked some time earlier and then reheated....

Came here with family and we had a lovely time, the barman with the dark curly hair and the one with the ginger beard were particularly friendly and we will be coming back

Decided to have lunch here as we have done many times before. One diner is awaiting surgery and each step is very painful at the moment so they walk with a stick, another is disabled and not easily mobile. Ordering drinks at the bar we...

After reading recent reviews on Trip Adviser we were concerned but were very surprised with the quality of service and food. The staff behind the bar and the kitchen were warm & welcoming. Not sure why others had such bad experiences to write their reviews....

Disappointed with food quality, despite lots of good reviews on Trip Advisor. Front of house staff were very good, but this did not compensate for very poor food; "pie of the day" suggests a freshly cooked on the premises dish, but what we got were...

After a very disappointing experience at the Boat Inn just up the tow path, it was good to find this one performing as a well run pub. This is a fine looking Oxfordshire stone pub from the roadside outside, but it’s thoroughly modernised inside, with...

This is a tranquil location by the side of the canal. The food is good, although I was specific with my order when it arrived it contained a sauce I had not ordered. When sent back the staff argued that it was right. This customer...

My family and I had a great time at The Jolly Boatman. Great carvery, well cooked and a good selection of meats and lots of veggies, Yorkshire puddings, gravy and sauces. The staff were very polite and helpful. Great location and ambiance. I wouldn’t hesitate...

We ate here twice in a week whilst on holiday nearby. The food was great and the position on the canal was perfect, especially with the ducklings. The staff on the whole were really helpful. I'd definitely recommend.

Absolutely appalled at the way we’ve been treated by this pub. I rang back in February to enquire about a large family booking in June and told the snug was available on the date and time we requested. Great news we thought! Unfortunately, this wasn’t...

Went here for luch with two friends who were visiting the UK from Australia. All the staff were very welcoming and friendly. We had an excellent lunch and then went outside for a couple of coffees. This old canal side pub is so ideally located,...

This pub/restaurant has a number of rooms for dining and drinks. We visited for lunch and received a friendly welcome before being shown to a table in the restaurant area., which looks out on the adjacent Oxford Canal. The menu contains a good choice and...

I booked a table at this pub on the recommendation of a friend, I was not disappointed. I had the cod and chips and I have to say it’s the best cod and chips I have ever had. Cooked to perfection the cod filled the...

Canal side setting which is very pleasant. Pub decor is disappointing compared to the web site imagery. Food was very average (hygiene rating of 4); three of our party had the cauliflower based curry and all three were disappointed with the dish being luke warm!...

As it was Mothers Day my wife and I expected the restaurant to be busy, so opted for the first serving in the carvery at noon. I have always been a stickler for time keeping, and drove into the car park just as the noon...

Nice setting by the canal. We felt welcomed the moment we walked in and were shown to a table in the pleasant dining room. The very friendly and accommodating service continued throughout the meal. We were on a bit of a tight time scale and...

Had a pleasant lunch here today. Good service and interior, clean toilets, reasonable prices. Could only fault that the bacon in the bacon, brie and cranberry panini was not cooked enough - safe, but not crisp.

We came here last month there was 16 of us for an 18th and a 40th birthday family dinner. They had seated us well in a separate area altogether which was great. The food was excellent everyone was very happy, the staff were all very...

Wonderful canal side pub in Kidlington. The staff are fantastic, friendly and attentive. The food was hot, fresh and delicious. Relaxed and cozy atmosphere, with a roaring fire to warm us up after a frosty walk along the canal in -2 winter weather! 10/10 would...

Visited many times over the years and it is always fantastic. Always a warm atmosphere, fireplace, well priced drinks great food, excellent friendly helpful staff. My favourite pub in the village. Perfect for a solo drink, with friends and the family and kids. Perfect location...

We have been regulars since moving locally 10 years ago. Visited today for a Christmas/birthday celebration and as usual were not disappointed! I had the Stilton suet beef pud and it was even better than I remembered. Mmmmm…. The venison pie and ham, egg and...

Jack was an absolute legend. What a great server. We were a large group (11) and he handled it with ease. Starters were fab, tasted fresh. Mains were well cooked, no complaints! We didn’t have much room but he had our arms twisted for puddings....

We arrived here for a late lunch, not too many people and easily found seats. Ordered drinks which came at a reasonable pace and continued to order some food. Sat there for 45 mins then asked about the food, and was told there was a...

We visited The Jolly Boatman with family and enjoyed a great evening with superb food. Two of us had steaks which were beautifully cooked. The Cod in Batter was delicious as were the Sausages, Mash and Peas. The staff were very friendly and there was...

I moored up at the end of the day & popped in to see if we would need to book & was greeted fantastically with a smile & enthusiasm. Came back an hour later with the family & bar manager remembered us & sat me...

I came here for a Sunday carved to catch up with my folks and my partner and when we arrived it was caos, totally unattentive staff, idiotic male staff larking & joking around, lots of dirty tables still full of empty glasses and plates of...

Booked Sunday lunch for myself and my wife. Was not disappointed. The Carvery was excellent and plenty of it. Good choice of draft beer and cider.

Found this gem whilst on holiday, so good ate their twice, wife had steak and peppercorn pie, best pie she’s ever had! Service from all staff was excellent, booking was very easy I can’t recommend this place enough! Even better they were very dog friendly!

We dropped in after finding this place on google on our way home to Lincolnshire after spending the weekend in Oxford and what a lovely surprise. Staff were lovely, attentive, helpful and funny and we had a great conversation with the couple behind the bar....

We hired out the decking area next to canal for a family party for my sisters 30th birthday. We were able to come and set up before the party started and was really impressed with the food! Sam, Ben and all the staff were really...

Had use of the snug area with family and friends. It was a Saturday night and the pub was extremely busy with drinks and orders for food. However the staff were absolutely amazing. They continued to provide an efficient service to the visitors and to...

We stopped at this pub and we were very impressed with the whole experience When we walked in the staff were very helpful finding us a table and allowing us time to look at the menu and we felt valued before we had even ordered...

Went to the jolly boatman last night 24th only to be told sorry no food no gas ..not true .. only to find out shutting early land lords wife runs pub down the road that also shut at 8.30 not good enough short memory crying...

Just returned from lunch with the family for my Mums birthday. The service was extremely slow and when it did arrive the chips were cold and the pasta was salty. When we finally got the bill after 2 hours of just drinks and main meal,...

This is an amazing pub. Amazing chef. Amazing staff. Would recommend the pie of the day. The steak and Stilton sauce is to die for. Yum yum yum.

Went for the Sunday carvery and was amazing! Best carvery been to in a long time. Staff were very friendly too and a great atmosphere right by the canal, will definitely be back again!

We had a lovely lunch here very friendly attentive staff we come here often. The team are so friendly helpful and obliging Lovely place setting by the canal nice all year round. The carvery was out of this world. The food is always lovely here...

We were invited by friends and were looking forward to a great time we were met by unfriendly staff rand eally got the impression they hated their job the food was drab and we couldn't be sure if the veg was frozen or fresh as...

The staff were friendly and attentive. We had not made a reservation but the restaurant were able to fit us in which was music to our ears as we had two hungry children. Food was quick to arrive and tasty! Big portions and nice atmosphere....

Just had a lovely meal at the Jolly Boatman. There were five of us and everyone enjoyed the food. Special mention about the Salmon , it was new on the menu and i would highly recommend it. Lovely evening in a very friendly pub. Will...

We went on Sunday 7th Nov for a late lunch. The meat was delicious, with rare beef, and delicious turkey. Sadly the veg were dried up, not plentiful and so annoying when servers mix up old and new veg, so you get a mixture of...

Food was good but would have loved to be have been greeted with a polite welcome rather than being handed a mask. Wasn’t given the opportunity to express that I am exempt. Won’t revisit.

This is a nice pub with nice food but no friendly welcome only a demand to wear a mask. 3 months after restrictions were lifted they need to work on their hospitality. If you can live with that it’s a good pub

Very nice pub which served an excellent evening meal. The staff were very helpful and the meal wasn’t too long in arriving.

A very enjoyable afternoon with a party of 20 we were well looked after and a excellent Carvery that gave good food. I would recommend Sunday lunch for all

Called in the jolly Boatman after work today and had some food which was absolutely amazing 10 out of 10 also have to say the bar staff were spot on and extremely helpful. Will definitely be visiting again and would recommend a visit

This is a beautiful and friendly pub right on the banks of the Oxford shire canal. Jane and her team are exceptional and the food is always superb.

Lovely location and lovely for drinks, but such a shame that the food is really really not good, to the extent that they cannot care at all. Not necessarily an issue but the prices should reflect that, rather than brag about how good the food...

On a narrowboat holiday, called in for an evening meal. Very welcoming friendly staff. 2 had squid starter and 1 had pate. All 4 had the lamb shank. Food came amazingly quickly, well presented and hot (except pate!) it was all good. Chocolate fudge cake...

Food average, setting wonderful and the young bar lady needs to cheer up and learn some customer service skills or maybe find a job where she does need to speak to customers asking herquestions. Eye rolling when somebody asks where the toilet is, isn’t normally...

So, we were a group of 10 people, plus dog. We were spending the weekend close by and all met up here. Dish of biscuits for the dog was appreciated. We pre-ordered (only fair given that there were so many of us). Staff were very...

I met up with a friend yesterday and as it was a sunny day we decided to eat outside by the canal. There were many boats moored alongside which made for an interesting view. The pub inside is cosy and well laid out and at...

Went with family for lunch 5 adults and a toddler. We were told no more food orders were being taken at 1.50pm as kitchen was too busy. Then a colleague said to another customer alongside me that no more orders were being taken for 15...

We stopped here on our bike ride along the Canal from our Camp site We cycled around 30 minutes along the beautiful canal path to come across this lovely pub right on the water We sat outside for drinks and something to eat although did...

A few friends and I came one afternoon for a meal and a few drinks sat outside, the food was great however the service inside needed a little bit of work. Being mask exempt, I don’t expect to be questioned and patronised for not wearing...

Very disappointing, waited more than 30 minutes for my Bacon & Brie Panini, the bacon was undercooked & stringy, the accompanying chips inedible as they tasted of fish. Tables were left uncleared & we arrived just before 2 pm so not really busy either. Staff...

We booked a table in advance to be told on arrival the food would take an hour to arrive as two larger parties had turned up and already ordered their food. Despite this we stayed and after an hour and 25 the food came. Items...

After being let down by a mother local pub we walked along the tow path for an evening meal here. Busy on a beautiful sunny night. Good vegetarian selection. Staff busy but doing their best.

Booked our anniversary meal here after a big disappointment at a traditional county pub in a small village. The meal and evening were everything we hoped . Food all cooked from scratch and made by the chef, the ginger battered halloumi and salt and pepper...

We live down the road from The Jolly Boatman. I have to say the location and feel of the venue is amazing, great views and an all round lovely place to have a drink. I 100% advise against ordering any food here. We ordered a...

I came here for food with my 4 year old autistic son got served drinks quick ask for menu. Then waited and watch while 3 other tables came in well after me and all got served 40 mins I waited and it was not busy.....

We visited for an evening meal, but not busy. The food was good. The serving staff more intrested in chattering to locals. 20 minutes to bring menu another 15 minutes to take the order.

I like to be honest so this is an accurate reflection of our visit. This lovely canalside pub was busy on a lovely June lunchtime. The staff were welcoming and pleasant and warned us service may be slow as they were especially busy. They were...

We sat down by the beautiful canal side of pub. It asked people to make themselves known to a member of staff to order.could see it was busy so waited 15mins. Waitress turned up and asked us if we had been served. we said no...

As the kitchen closed we arrived in the hope of dinner. Our first night on a canal boat and we were too late for our reservation in a neighbouring pub. These guys took pity on us and fed us a fabulous meal; steak n Stilton...

Won’t be visiting again - under staffed, waited over an hour and half for starters then main never arrived. We cancelled our mains. Food over priced when your served processed chicken goujons at 6.50. Maybe visit for a drink never food.

Literally on the edge of the canal. We sat outside in the beer garden. Great seats and tables. Great selection of beers and wines and very friendly and efficient staff. For us, location is as important as the food for informal occasions, and this place...

Super accommodating for my partner with coeliac disease, the gluten free fish and chips was delightful! 10/10 would recommend. We spoke to the managers before our visit who put our minds at rest and talked us through their GF options/ how it's prepared so we...

We used the Jolly Boatman for a wake. There were 15 family members due to the restrictions. Felt very safe with the Covid19 measures in the pub. We used the small barn which is attached to the pub. Arrived to freshly brewed tea and coffee...

We visited the Jolly last night for a family meal. Food - absolutely lovely Staff - excellent Atmosphere - lovely. We felt very safe with all the new cobid 19 precautions. Thank you for a lovely relaxing evening.

We had a lovely lunch great view as we booked. We had a table over looking the canal. What really was good was as I rang to enquire about availability I was reassured that there was lots of antibacterial hand sanitiser, all precautions inplace and...

We stopped here for an early evening meal, and enjoyed a tasty meal watching the world go by slowly on one of the wooden canal side benches. There are few better locations for enjoying a meal and winding down after a day at work. I...

Sat outside by the canal for a few drinks and burgers & fries.very good food for the money and a covered outside space if weather not great

Stopped here for a meal a couple of weeks ago on a Friday evening. The food was fabulous everything was really tasty and well cooked. Organisation was very good and our whole experience was well managed by a group of young staff.

We had The Steak and Stilton suet pudding and the Bacon Mac n cheese both were absolutely delicious The food was very hot and very tasty

We had a midday visit for lunch for four of us. It was easy to book online and had an immediate response confirming the booking.Laid out well with the tables spaced for these covid times. The menu was good and a wide range to choose from. I chose Steak and Stilton Suet Pudding with mash and seasonal vegetables. It was fantastically good.The staff were very polite and attentive. Boats and barges sailing by a few yards away make it a great setting. I highly recommend eating here.

This is my second review of the Jolly Boatman, the first being in March 2019. So, what's happened since then, apart from me being another year older? Well this great pub has just got better and better. I know it wasn't easy for many landlords running a pub, a cafe or a restaurant during lockdown, but what the team did was to give the place a good old makeover, inside and out, so they could welcome much needed visitors back to what is a very busy and well-liked haunt for so many people. We do go there quite regularly, even though, for us, it's a 10 mile, 20 minute trip to get there. However, it's worth it, for the friendly welcome, which is warm and genuine, through to the idyllic location as it nestles alongside the Oxford canal near Thrupp and that's before I go on to talk about the excellent home cooked food, which attracts an extremely reasonable price, when you consider the quality of the food and the generous servings. We always take our dogs for a weekend walk along the canal path and return for a nice spot of lunch and we have never had a bad meal or an unhappy visit ever. If you haven't tried it, then take this as a very high recommendation from me. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. Our best wishes to the Landlady, Jane Honey and her team of wonderful staff, led by Sam and Charlotte, who always greet us ad look after us every time we go there.