The Oarsman in Wycombe

"The restaurant and pub area are lovely and so were the staff. However both mine and my husband’s Sunday roast meats were full of fibers making it quite chewy and not very tasteful. Did also think were a bit expensive at £27 even for Marlow. Desert was the star of the day and the ginger loaf was to die for. I would recommend the restaurant but maybe not for a Sunday roast, i have had better ones before."

Visited for a family meal for Sunday lunch. Menu was limited and frankly the food was poor. Tough meat with gristle, poor knives that couldn’t cut the meat, a chef that’s trying too hard to be different, gravy served in handle pots that are too hot to pick up and pretty pricey. Frankly I’ve had better frozen roast dinners.

Buon pub a Marlow, di classe, offre prodotti anche particolari. Buon la carta dei vini cosa assolutamente non scontata in Inghilterra. Bruschetta al pepe buona così come la carne di qualità.

My family has varied demands of food, which can often challenge a kitchen, but not here... aided by a very competent and engaging front of house. It was a joy to sample the variety of food on offer... the menu is varied but every dish served was complete and a delight. There are few places that each of my folk agree on... but they all want to come back here!

Absolutely faultless. Food was easily one of the best meals I’ve had for a very long time. Caters for everything from a special occasion to a post-Thames-path meal with dogs. Will definitely be back

Excellent food and great service

Excellent food and service. What more could you want! I’d been past this restaurant on the main road in Marlow a few times and hadn’t realised how lovely it was. Very talented chefs in the kitchen coupled with excellent service from the two waiting staff made for a great experience. We had venison, steak frites, bouillabaise soup and a kids meal with sides and everything was cooked to perfection and well presented. We couldn’t fault it. Dessert was excellent - chocolate tart modified to add cherry sorbet. Coffees also great. We will return, thank you dream team!!

Really wonderful service, excellent food. The steak was perfectly cooked. Best onion rings I’ve ever tasted and the potato sides are a must.

Lovely place, great service and good food

To the team of The Oarsman thank you so much for a very enjoyable evening and for looking after us so well. The food was fabulous the fish soup absolutely delicious the pork chop was amazing. The venison cooked to perfection. Lovely wine.

Best fish and chips ever, great batter, perfectly fried in clean oil, well served by efficient staff, thank you,look forward to returning, regards zjill

After reading Michelin guide this restaurant did not meet the expectations. As regular Michelin food lovers the food and hygiene in the building didn’t meet the ours requirements. This is a cozy place with nice people working there. There was nothing wrong with the food, but not qualified for mentioning in Michelin.

Celebrated my husbands birthday at the superb Oarsman, really easy to find and park. Great character, lighting was perfect, food excellent. Good service and atmosphere, would definitely recommend and return for future celebrations, thank you!

My wife and I were fortunate to visit oarsman with friends on 23rd. We had a lovely few hours on the terrace for lunch which was lobster and amazing. The Guinness was a fine accompaniment. The service also impeccable. We will certainly revisit the next time in Marlow.

The food tasted great but small portions, the beer choice was mainly macro brewery choices but they do serve a local Rebellion IPA which was in great condition and a fair price, the service charge is 12.5% so take this into account when checking the prices, we were asked if we wanted any still or carbonated water and we asked for tapped but there was a charge on the bill for this, refunded when pointed out.

Amazing food talking to the staff its clear that the place cares about service and quality of food and drink 10/10 would recommend

The service was excellent,. The kitchen staff adapted dishes to cater for allergies. The food was excellent. Good choice of beer and wine.

Lovely little sunny courtyard garden at the back, thank you so much to our waitress for managing to accommodate our group on short notice. Food was excellent and 300 wines to choose from so a very enjoyable Sunday lunch!

This pub is beautifully decorated, comfortable and has a great atmosphere, came for a birthday dinner and were greeted by a lovely waitress, the menu and wine list were explained very well to any questions we had. Food was amazing! Service was impeccable and definitely will return. Thank you for your great service and fantastic food!

Lovely pub and very good service. Highly recommended.

Dog friendly dining in the bar,snug or terrace. The menu was small but it had some great options. We had the charred sourdough while I dithered over my main course. I chose the mussels and trout with a side of hispi cabbage which was all delicious. My partner chose the steak and frites which he enjoyed. He had some local cask ale and I had a glass of wine from a wide selection. The staff were attentive and friendly. We had a very nice evening.

Entrecote went down a treat! Very knowledgeable and helpful waitress. Overall very good!

A belated and very enjoyable Fathers Day lunch at the Oarsman in Marlow. Situated in the town centre, parking is tricky at busy times, but we used nearby supermarket car park for a charge. Chosen partly because dogs are allowed for reservations in the bar area. We were served by a very helpful, courteous young man who helped with orders and added to our overall experience by making helpful suggestions. Everybody enjoyed the food, some floored by the size of the pork chop after a number of small dish starters. One quibble was a bit disappointed at the number of 0% drinks, Thatchers Zero Cider would have been nice. Clean toilets up the stairs but disabled available downstairs.

Fantastic food . Great service. Great staff. Great atmosphere 👌

Celebrated a special occasion today with a delightful lunch à deux at The Oarsman. It was literally à deux since we were the only two customers. That's a pity because we both thought this was a great restaurant. Herself had two selections from the snacks menu - Prawns in spiced butter and focaccia - followed by mussels and trout. I enjoyed Arbroath smokies and then pork chop. Everything was delicious. Service was excellent. Recommended.

Great Gastro pub - nice crowd of people, and lovely food

Excellent service, food was lovely. Waitresses went above and beyond. Fantastic evening

Imaginative recipes, good selection of wines, friendly service. Although we had the excellent a la carte menu, the set lunch menu also looked very appealing.

Was expecting good things based on reviews and descriptions, but lunch was disappointing. Menu very limited, which is understandable given they focus on seasonal foods, so perhaps time of year. Sent the filet steak back as it was tough. They were good about it. Service was good.

Dark and dingy pub with poor lighting, not disability friendly. Uncooperative staff, unimaginative problem solver kitchen regularly closed in the evening it seems. Unable to provide reservations for customers including those with disability needs. Often blaring horrible loud music and noise late into the evening

Really good , well executed menu, knowledgable staff , best wine list in Marlow . Head there immediately

Four of us went for dinner. Overall - this is an exceptional pub who are strongest in their food and senior service. We were comparing them to the wonderful Feathered Nest near Burford. You should go. Strengths: - Food with a strong point of view. The chicken and ginger pudding stand out - they sound boring but neither were, which takes admirable strength of character and technique. - Service by the more senior staff is equally impressive and timely. Feedback: - There is an unreconciled note on the front page of the wine list about a direct board - this was not found and remains a mystery

Stopped by this amazing restaurant and had a selection of their bar snacks; they were delicious! Will definitely be back.

Great place, staff are very polite and fun! Food is amazing and so well presented! Good atmosphere as well! Look forwards to returning !!

This classy and comfortable pub appears more like a French restaurant than a gastropub. Lovely waiter originally from Guadalupe guided us through the menu and advised on wine choices. Fun French graphic posters adorn the walls. A bit more seasonal vegetable choices would have been great especially if included in the main course. Loved having a linen proper napkin and enjoying restaurant level attention to service.

High quality food and a good selection of drinks

Best desert in town, Rhubarb Pavlova

Buzzy atmosphere. Friendly and excellent service. Good menu and quality food. All enjoyed. Huge wine list - difficult to work out what to choose.

Everything was fenomenal but I also have to say that the risotto portion was too small, however really tasty. Their cod had finished so we couldn't try it. Oh, and they charge 12% service, which is also a lot but we paid because the service was impeccable.

Lovely place, very warm and welcoming. Great staff!

Met a customer for late lunch, the staff were really friendly and made everything easy. The food we ordered was perfect and very tasty as well as being extremely well presented- we will definitely return.

We went for a wedding anniversary; just the two of us, and were looked after superbly. The menu was mercifully short, lent towards fish, and had good variety. We had three courses all of which were lovely.

Best place in Marlow for flavour, good quality of produce, fantastic cooking and friendly warm service. We love it!

Atmospheric gastro pub, great service, very welcoming.

Ate here table for 2. Service was outstanding with friendly, knowledgeable staff Food was good quality, not outstanding but good. Desserts were average Others have commented on prices, saying its expensive which it is if looking at menu in isolation. But when comparing prices to the chain restaurants on marlow High Street then prices at the Oarsman are comparable Nice atmosphere.

A visit for Mother's Day with entourage of children and grandchildren involved both a full menu for adults and less extensive one for the small ones! Portions were not excessive (good thing) and well cooked. Staff were pleasant and welcoming. Tables are close together and everyone there lovely, but at times the volume of conversation was such that chat on our table was sometimes hard to follow. Parking on our day in Marlow was a 'mare', but eventually one succeeded.

While the attentive service deserves praise, our recent birthday celebration at the Oarsman was impacted by the food. Three guests who ordered the steak found the accompanying sauce to have an unusual, somewhat burnt taste, which off-set the steak. Similarly, the burrata starter chosen by two guests lacked the expected vibrancy of flavour. While these represent just two dishes from the menu, it's worth noting that no other guests at our table offered positive comments about the overall taste of their meals. To add, the set menu offered limited vegan options so they allowed us to dine a la carte.

Amazing food and the staff are all really friendly. My favourite place to eat in Marlow!

Fabulous first visit to The Oarsman, staff were very polite and attentive without being overbearing, ambience was perfect, not too quiet so you feel you have to whisper but not too noisy. Food was excellent and timely, we will definitely be back.

The roast is AMAZING. Service was fabulous. We really enjoyed our meal.

We came as a group of four friends who are local. We have been before and always enjoyed the food and ambiance and we certainly were not disappointed this time. The whole experience was first class and excellent value for money. I highly recommend it!

The food was excellent, the service was perfect, the ambiance was just right. Everything worked well to make a birthday celebration exactly that. A celebration 🎉

As with a lot of restaurants there just isn’t the staff to cope with the busy times. We all felt that the food was good but that you had to ask to be served with huge delays.

Have eaten here twice - once for a meal with a friend and second time for a Christmas dinner with work colleagues. Both meals have been brilliant. Good quality food, excellent staff. Love that the menu is small as someone who is indecisive. You must try the potato’s / chips with the nduja butter Interior is great, with some nice art on the walls and the women’s bathroom is 😍

Excellent place to have an occasion or dinner with your loved ones! The food is fantastic!

Fabulous place for evening meal. Food, service great. Very friendly atmosphere. Highly recommend this restaurant.

We had a really lovely meal here. The food was great and the staff were accommodating of our large group and very personable and attentive. The food took a little while to come out but with the drinks flowing and service being great it was nice to chill out and enjoy the venue. And when the food arrived it was certainly worth it!

Had a brilliant meal here. Staff were superb as was the food. Will be back!

Pleasant surprise this pub in Marlow, is. Vegetarian options are finger liking good! Nearby public parking that’s not a rip off adds to the experience.

Main course not hot, small portion, under cooked steak, just really disappointing. Perhaps we could have been asked how we liked our steaks. Tiny portion of bread for £10, laughable.

We cannot speak highly enough of this restaurant and it's wonderful staff (and fantastic food!) My 91 year old Scottish nan had the time of her life at the Burns Night event, with the waiting staff engaging in conversations with her, the piper stopping to talk with her, and then the head chef who came and talked with us. This restaurant has got a lot of things right and we cannot thank you all enough. We have been here many times before and we will continue to come back again and again. Thank you; you were all amazing!

We had a meal here in Jan 2023 and it was superb. Returned back this January and ordered the same cod dish - it was 1/2 size and increased in price, not good quality fish neither. The side of cannellini beans was not cooked properly as most of the beans were still crunchy. The fish and chips dish had fish the size of a large fishfinger, £21. Pork belly was mostly fat and not rendered at all, we were offered another dish instead but wanted to eat together and not wait so they said they’d take it off the bill. However, only 1/2 of the original dish price was taken off as some of the vegetables and edible meat were eaten. We left feeling insulted, it was supposed to be a special evening and it was anything but.

This place has gone downhill, we ate here 12months ago and it was amazing, this time portions have shrunk and prices inflated but the worst bit was the food was not cooked well, white beans accompanying the cod dish were crunchy, fish itself mediocre (£29), no potatoes came with the dish. Fish and chips tiny, size of a large fish finger. Pork belly mostly white (and not rendered at all!) fat, the rest of that dish bland and not seasoned. Because of the poor quality we were told the pork would be taken off the bill but in the end only £13 of the original £26 was taken off (as the person had some of the veg/edible meat from the plate). It was supposed to be a special meal and it ended up being memorable but for the wrong reasons. Left feeling insulted, won’t be back.

Nice pub but food is a bit pricy

Food led pub. One local cask ale available which was in good order. Friendly staff. Popular with families with young children.

We came here for dinner and it was good to see the place back open. We visited a while back under different ownership and was left quite disappointed so we were keen to give it another go. The food has improved drastically, from small portions of frozen food to better quality and presented dishes, I'm glad to see such improvement. The service has also improved - it seems as if the staff have been trained better and know how to treat guests better. I'm glad to see this improvement.

Typical English pub, welcoming and warm atmosphere. Punctual and witty service. Great beers but the food is delicious too. A gem in Marlow

Dunno what I ate but it was bang tidy. To the staff, words to mums and dads, well played.

Ordered the Bellinis with salmon with a side of chips. When it arrived you are greeted with 3 Bellinis the size of 2p pieces along with 5 chunky chips all for some gobsmacking price. Had to order at bar even though we were seated in booth as staff wondering around pretending to be busy. Awful- won’t be back.

I really didn't want to give a negative review so emailed The Oarsman direct to make my comments known. I did get a reply. However, it was generic, unsympathetic and made me feel as if I were in the wrong. We popped in there for lunch during the week, it was late, so quite empty. I had the fish soup, which was pleasant and my husband ordered the mussels as a main course. I have never seen so few mussels in a pie dish, not even as a starter. The meal was padded out with fancy (not very nice) butter and some toasted bread. In our experience mussels normally come in a saucepan where the lid acts as a shell depot and there's a finger bowl. No such thing, and expensive. And to cap it all, we ordered two glasses of wine, one of which cost £22 for the Maison Saint Aix - a whole bottle only retails at around £15 - not quite sure why we ordered it, it was a rip off. So to sum up our lunch, the service was average, the food average, ambience average and the cost far too expensive for what it was. We're nevery going back.

Such friendly and lovely staff - not over powering service which was lovely. Such a lovely venue, comfy chairs and amazing food! Thank you

Nothing to write home about in terms of food, service, or atmosphere, yet the prices are quite high, and the portions are stingy. Staff were reasonably nice, most people in my group liked the food (although mine was over-salted, and this is coming from someone who usually adds salt to most dishes in restaurants), but neither the atmosphere nor the menu were anything special. Wouldn't choose it again.

Have visited before and had good food about 5 months ago but don’t recommend for Sunday lunch, food poor, 2 tiny individual jugs of gravy between 4 for roast beef - asked for more and charged £2 per portion. We were next to two tables, one had a dachshund that kept barking and when they left the table the new guests had screaming children instead,

These guys are doing great on all fronts. This is high class bistro cooking and in my opinion the best place to eat in Marlow. Love the booths in the bar area. Attentive service and a stonking wine list. Bravo!

I booked after a recommendation from a friend. The whole group was hugely disappointed with the food. The Yorkshire puddings lacked any flavour whatsoever. The food was warm at best when served. We then waited 5 minutes for condiments to arrive which meant the food was cold when eaten. We were charged £4 for gravy which is ludicrous given the size. Literally a shot glass full in a mini jug. We were charged £5 for kale that we didn't order. The food wasn't terrible, however, some vegetables would be nice with a roast dinner. You get a single piece of meat, a fondant potato, a golf ball sized portion of cabbage and a bland Yorkshire pudding. That's it. Desserts were lovely £420 for 6 people, with 2 drinks each. So not great value either. Definitely a style over substance place. Pretentious roast dinners are not what people want.

Fantastic meal and incredibly friendly staff. From start to finish we were well looked after and food was absolutely outstanding. Definitely a Marlow gem!!

Wonderful gastro pub in Marlowe. Yes it’s a bit pricey but the food was very good. I started with bubble and squeak with some very nice beef and the Cavetini home made pasta with a very rich beef ragu. Service was super good. Easy parking so what’s not to like. Would I go back. Yes I would 😁

It was ok but very expensive for what it was. I was actually quite disappointed with the roast, the meat was nice but thats all it was for £27. Just meat, little cabbage, potato and a Yorkshire. No veg and a tiny bit of gravy which i found really strange as the price was so high. We even got charged £4 for extra gravy. One of us asked for extra cabbage, the server came out with a bowl of kale and said there was no more cabbage which we didn't eat but still had a charge of £5 for it on the bill. Overall over priced with a £50 service charge slapped on the bill, I wouldn't go back.

Having been here for drinks, drinks and bar snacks, family meals and group I simply don’t get the reviews (mainly the ones mentioning money!) as I’ve never had a bad thing here. Whilst it isn’t cheap jeez your in Marlow, staff are long term and great and the variety of quality of the food is up to standard. A group of gents for lunch for our annual (early) Christmas lunch, trotters/parfait/burrata all excellent as ever. Fish/suet puddings followed by a cheese course and port later. Nothing was too much trouble. No photos…we were too busy in the real world If you enjoy good good go, now!

Would like to start by saying the staff were impeccable, despite the poor food experience, we made sure our waitress recieved a generous tip because she was fantastic. However, the food and service time was not.. The way the menu was priced we were expecting great quality and large portions. Firstly, we waited almost 2hrs for our mains to arrive. By the time they came we were all starving and desperate to eat! My husband had ordered the Cod dish (which was the most expensive main, at £29) - he asked if they were able to add batter to the fish, because their website menu shows a 'fish & chips' option, which was not listed on the physical menu. He was told they'd check and let him know. His meal arrived without comment and they'd removed all of the minimal sides/sauces, just serving him 1 small piece of bare Cod on it's own. £29 for this is absolutely insane, plus the price of adding a side of potatoes... Both steaks were ordered medium rare, but came burnt. The pork belly was served bland and looked very pale. Finally they seemingly forgot one of our party's main, and when it eventually did arrive she couldn't finish it because it tasted so strongly of salt and oil. Out of 8 adults, only 3 were satisfied with their food. We aren't a fussy family and never usually complain when out to dinner, but at the prices this pub charges and with the amount of time we'd waited to eat, we had to say something. Unfortunately couldn't recommend visiting here.

Great Sunday lunch, really good service

Great pub, with good atmosphere. Had stopped in for a cocktail while visiting area. Cocktails well made (would recommend Autumn Cup). Bar area has a cosy snug which is comfortable. Bar staff more than happy to help me charge my phone which was unexpectedly low on battery.

Unfortunately did not have time to eat but can say that my experience has been amazing and the want to dine here has increased ten fold. Special thanks to savannah (forgive me if i have mispelled) and the gentleman waiting tables. Welcoming friendly, knowledgable amd much more

A very pleasant dining and drinking atmosphere. For pre or post dinner socialising the bar is a lovely space. The restaurant is bigger than you might think but some tables a little "squashed" in so not particularly private or intimate for a date night ! But the food and service was exceptional - very pleasant and attentive waiting staff and the food was delicious.

Not cheap but a lovely experience. 6 of us went The Oarsman for lunch. The staff were wonderful. Very friendly and fun. Lovely warm bright restaurant. Food was very good. Portions are a little on the small size for the price but everything tasted great. Would definitely recommend for atmosphere, service and quality of food

Really enjoyed the risotto blanco!

This is a very good restaurant. The portions were generously sized and all the dishes we had were excellent, very nicely cooked and presented. The selection of wines by the glass was very good. The service was friendly and efficient. It is quite a big restaurant with lots of covers and there is a bar area if you just want a drink.

Excellent Sunday roast, very family friendly and accepted our very short notice booking. Very friendly staff and efficient service. Will come again!

We were a walk in family of 4 for Sunday Lunch. Decor is very nice, love the log fire and seating at the bar looks very inviting. The restaurant was full so we were given a table in the snug area which was perfect with lots of room even for buggy. Our Waitress was fantastic, very professional, very courteous and was on the ball especially with our Son making sure his food would come out when ready etc. Our starters were excellent - my wife had the Chicken Liver Parfait which we both agreed was one the best we have ever tasted. I had the Fish Soup which was perfect on a cold wet day. My son demolished his Fish Goujons which was a big portion. For mains we both had the pork belly which was so tender and flavorsome. The portion sizes are perfect. We got a few servings of Chocolate Chip ice cream for dessert. Once again my Son devoured his and did we. Overall great food and great staff. We cannot wait to come back here again New Years Eve.

Five of us went for dinner on a Tuesday evening , we tried the sea bass, liver and bacon , pork belly and the vegetarian choice of aubergine All of us really enjoyed all of our main courses with side dishes of cabbage and roast potatoes. Everything we tasted was delicious and presented so well ! We then went on to have dessert of the ginger loaf which I can personally recommend it was so light and was perfect with the butterscotch sauce and ice cream . The staff were also very chatty and friendly . Thank you for such a wonderful evening . We will definitely be recommending and returning again.

Very nice pub full of atmosphere but thought the food was really quite average. It tries to be all fancy on the menu and prices are rather hefty; for ultimately bland food and small portions. We were a large group and had to pre-order. Apparently their “focaccia machine” was out of order and so we were given sourdough instead. I have questions but whatever. Then the mains were strange; they say they do Sunday Roast but their version of it looked nothing like a traditional Sunday Roast which was a shame. The aubergine main was incredibly tasteless and small. The best part of the meal were the crispy potatoes with nduja aioli to be honest. Despite staff being very friendly and professional, I would probably not come back for the food.

Dined solo as was on business overnight stay prior to a two day meeting. Had not booked but it was on Monday evening so wasn’t busy at 5:30. Friendly greeting and service. Asked waitress to pick her favourite dishes from the menu and she didn’t disappoint. My main Fillet of Cod, Cauliflower & Isle of Mull Cheddar Purée, Caper & Raisin was excellent! I have eaten in some good restaurants this year in the UK and Quinta Do Lago in Portugal and the main was one of my favourites. Great restaurant and service! Fully recommend anyone to visit who enjoys high quality food!

Booked a table for 12 for a birthday. They only have a table for eight so four guests expected to sit on separate table. Manager said I shouldn't worry as it wasn't far from the main table. Had to rearrange seating myself which was a compromise. Reasonable food but slow drinks service as small team trying to work as waiters and barmen for the pub.

Great place for snacks, refreshments and has facilities for business meetings up top.

Not only was it excellent food and fabulous service, the fish soup was super and beetroot salad amazing The team also couldn’t have been more helpful as we were delayed so later than booked . The waitress was professionalism exemplified Really went over and beyond Highly recommend

A unanimous “Worst Meal Ever”, Yes, I agree, quirky or rude waiter? Food was dreadful Pork Blanquette £21.5 was two balls of fat with a minuscule piece of meat inside one of them. Oarsman Spicy Fried Chicken 50 % coating and died up chicken inside, was like leftovers from lunch. The steak had to be cooked the way the Chief decided to cook it, yes astonishingly incapable, and was poor at best. The whole experience was a disaster and the extortionate bill only doubled the pain.

Great food and lovely staff. First time visiting from London and we loved it. The homemade bread&butter and the risotto are fab

Nice Brown restaurant, good vibes good food.

£12 for a medium glass of rosé, shocking even for Marlow! Staff were lovely and atmosphere nice, prices in the bar too steep. Understand from friends the food is good, shame it’s too pricey to pop in for drinks after work.

From the warmest of welcomes to consistent friendly service and excellent food. A great experience that I would (and already have) recommended to friends and family. Very dog friendly too.