The Oval Tavern in Croydon

Great pub for food, drink and music. Been here many a time and always enjoyed the friendly, efficient service. On every single occasion the only negative aspect was the appalling odour in the ladies restrooms. The management must be aware of this as there are a few plastic room air-fresheners placed near the sink but they do not seem to be resolving the problem. Such a shame that this one issue lets down what is otherwise the best pub in the area.

Great evening of live music at the open mic. Dave puts on a fab gathering. It's a friendly, homely affair with a good selection of talented musicians. Tonight's highlights were Dan Luke's and the stand out songs of Theo Dussek

What Train Station from Asda Wallington Superstore is there a bus station near the airport and you

Lovely local pub. Live music on the weekend and always a nice crowd in there. Good Guinness too

I had arranged to meet a friend of mine i hadn't seen in some time for a nice quiet drink and catch up.On line this looked like a nice relaxed little pub. Unfortunately we felt like we had walked into a toddlers day care lots of baby's crying very noisy. If this is a regular meeting spot for mothers you should check with the pub first before you go or be prepared to leave and find somewhere quieter.

6 adults, including 2 visiting from New York, 1 baby, 1 dog. We had a really nice time thank you. Mostly sandwiches and soups. Very good service, and food, and very reasonable cost. Well worth a visit.

Lovely find in East Croydon, food was very tasty, staff very friendly and all rounded off we a decent drop of Proper Job!!

Great pub. Great food. Could be the best pub in Croydon.

Best pub in Croydon by far. Really cosy inside and with a lovely beer garden too. Great, friendly staff and a lovely home cooked food menu as well as regular live music and other events. Book your tables early as this place books up fast! As the sign outside says: "Friendly food, tasty staff" 😂

The best pub in Croydon; Ester is kind and runs an amazing pub with old world charm, lovely staff, tasty food and a relaxed ambience. We come here every Friday after work and end up staying for hours.

The staff, food, indy beer selection and live music make this the perfect local. Both the weekday menu and the Sunday roasts are great value. Personal faves are the Beef Rendang, ChiliChoc, and Pork Bau Buns. Also had the pleasure to celebrate a wedding reception with dear friends there, and the team at the Oval did a brilliant job and helped create many happy memories!

This place is our go to for lunch, even after I moved to the other side of London I would still spend an hour travelling here rather than anywhere else for a Sunday roast! Lots of veggie/ vegan options, good food is always a guarantee here. I really recommend going down for their live music nights as the atmosphere is unmatched and the staff couldn't be friendlier :)

Fantastic pub to go and have a roast in. Always packed so maybe book in advance. Band playing jazz added to the laid back atmosphere.

Super miejsce ,można posłuchać muzyki na żywo. Co tydzień cis nowego.

Wouldn’t recommend - poor service and experience. P.s - Don’t book a table in advance, they don’t reserve tables anyway! Myself and my partner booked a table a week in advance - as we had heard that the roasts and food in here are fantastic, and we knew that it would be busy being a Sunday afternoon. We called ahead 2 hours before to double check the timings, a table booked for 2:30 and all was confirmed as fine. When we arrived, it was clear to see that the pub was extremely busy, due to it being a Sunday and popular for a roast dinner, and also due to having live music on. We scanned around but every table was occupied, and as we couldn’t locate our table, decided to ask at the bar and get a drink. We explained that we had a table booked, and the bar lady knew the name from us calling previously one can only presume. She proceeded to ask us if we wanted a drink, so we got some drinks before she then went to check with one of her colleagues which table it was, as they were all occupied. The lady then came back smirking (I am not sure if this was embarrassment or that she found it funny), and told us that all tables were occupied, and that the only choice we had was to either sit outside in the cold or share a table with another couple sat a table for 4. We both felt frustrated and incredibly disappointed, as this completely ridiculed the idea of booking a table in the first place. Whilst I understand that it’s a busy day / period, to not have a reserved sign on a table seemed completely disorganised, and to have us buy a drink first also made us feel that we were then backed into a corner of having to wait regardless. I decided to discuss this with the bar lady, who agreed it didn’t make much sense, but was only telling us as instructed by her senior colleague. I said that had we have known there was not a table for us, that we wouldn’t of made the effort to travel down there (around 30 mins away), and definitely would not have bought a drink! She then went away and spoke to her senior colleague once again, and came back and refunded us for the drinks we had purchased and apologised. Myself and my partner could not believe the experience, so decided to finish the drinks and leave, so went and sat out in the garden. A member of staff came shortly after, to say that they had ‘made a table and some space for us upstairs’, but due to the experience and service previously, we politely declined. The member of staff was very friendly and seemed genuinely gutted that we had had such a bad experience and apologised profusely. It wasn’t his fault at all, and I explained that I didn’t think it was fair that he was given the job of having to come out to us to take ‘both barrels’ so to speak, so I kindly asked if he would ask the manager to come and have a word with us so I could provide honest feedback. He went to find the manager but came back soon after and apologised to say that the manager was not available, but that he would provide the feedback to them and ensure it was passed on. The principle of booking a table at any restaurant or pub is that it is ready or nearly ready when you arrive, and that bookings for tables are prioritised over walk in customers. This obviously wasn’t the case here, so I can’t recommend booking a table here, as it may result in a similar experience. Myself and my partner after phoning a few places (who were all full with bookings for roasts - what a surprise!), then decided to take a walk into East Croydon. We came across a lovely modernised restaurant across from the station called Fern, and the experience was absolutely faultless. We decided to eat there instead and I have to say, we probably had a nicer meal than we could have had at The Oval anyway. Safe to say we won’t be returning, and neither will our friends or family members after hearing about this!

Wouldn’t recommend - poor service and experience. P.s - Don’t book a table in advance, they don’t reserve tables anyway! Myself and my partner booked a table a week in advance - as we had heard that the roasts and food in here are fantastic, and we knew that it would be busy being a Sunday afternoon. We called ahead 2 hours before to double check the timings, a table booked for 2:30 and all was confirmed as fine. When we arrived, it was clear to see that the pub was extremely busy, due to it being a Sunday and popular for a roast dinner, and also due to having live music on. We scanned around but every table was occupied, and as we couldn’t locate our table, decided to ask at the bar and get a drink. We explained that we had a table booked, and the bar lady knew the name from us calling previously one can only presume. She proceeded to ask us if we wanted a drink, so we got some drinks before she then went to check with one of her colleagues which table it was, as they were all occupied. The lady then came back smirking (I am not sure if this was embarrassment or that she found it funny), and told us that all tables were occupied, and that the only choice we had was to either sit outside in the cold or share a table with another couple sat a table for 4. We both felt frustrated and incredibly disappointed, as this completely ridiculed the idea of booking a table in the first place. Whilst I understand that it’s a busy day / period, to not have a reserved sign on a table seemed completely disorganised, and to have us buy a drink first also made us feel that we were then backed into a corner of having to wait regardless. I decided to discuss this with the bar lady, who agreed it didn’t make much sense, but was only telling us as instructed by her senior colleague. I said that had we have known there was not a table for us, that we wouldn’t of made the effort to travel down there (around 30 mins away), and definitely would not have bought a drink! She then went away and spoke to her senior colleague once again, and came back and refunded us for the drinks we had purchased and apologised. Myself and my partner could not believe the experience, so decided to finish the drinks and leave, so went and sat out in the garden. A member of staff came shortly after, to say that they had ‘made a table and some space for us upstairs’, but due to the experience and service previously, we politely declined. The member of staff was very friendly and seemed genuinely gutted that we had had such a bad experience and apologised profusely. It wasn’t his fault at all, and I explained that I didn’t think it was fair that he was given the job of having to come out to us to take ‘both barrels’ so to speak, so I kindly asked if he would ask the manager to come and have a word with us so I could provide honest feedback. He went to find the manager but came back soon after and apologised to say that the manager was not available, but that he would provide the feedback to them and ensure it was passed on. The principle of booking a table at any restaurant or pub is that it is ready or nearly ready when you arrive, and that bookings for tables are prioritised over walk in customers. This obviously wasn’t the case here, so I can’t recommend booking a table here, as it may result in a similar experience. Myself and my partner after phoning a few places (who were all full with bookings for roasts - what a surprise!), then decided to take a walk into East Croydon. We came across a lovely modernised restaurant across from the station called Fern, and the experience was absolutely faultless. We decided to eat there instead and I have to say, we probably had a nicer meal than we could have had at The Oval anyway. Safe to say we won’t be returning, and neither will our friends or family members after hearing about this!

Buen bar en Croydon. Cerveza de barril. Tienen comida a la mesa. Platos del día por £9.75 y buen tamaño. Música en vivo. Volvería

Good local to chill out while listening to live music and enjoying their great food.

What a great pub, came with my daughter who lives in the area and had a fantastic Sunday lunch, roast beef and roast chicken, very good value loads on the plate. Would be good if you could do a smaller portion for us with not such big appetites . Lovely friendly staff and customers and great band for Sunday lunch time. Definitely book for Sunday as it gets packed.

We absolutely love this local pub, not only is the food affordable, it is completely delicious. In Croydon you simple can’t beat it. 😍

popped in here for a drink on a croydon xmas crawl and must say really surprised. 1st of all it was packed with a lovely family crowd. nice vibe and great staff ...standing room only there were 11 of us and i think there may have been music later.great guinness and its a shame we didn't stay for another. will deffo be back.

Love this pub, great little gem of a boozer in the heart of busy Croydon

Had many great nights here - a gem Of a pub with live bands and great atmosphere highly recommended ✌️👍🥰 love this place! X

Had our family Christmas lunch here it was absolutely amazing Fabulous food fabulous atmosphere Fabulous staff. It was soooo Christmassy Thank you 🙏

Great pub, went to see a live gig, which was really good. Drinks are a fair price, and it has a nice atmosphere

Great night. Great atmosphere. Good beers.

Great food at good prices, and unexpected (and v v good) live music to go with our roast!

Great food and great service. I wish there’s more seats available.

Great little venue. Lovely food, music.

Went to see the Big Beer Band for the first time last night - it was amazing! The music was amazing, beer was flowing and the atmosphere was great!

A proper community pub serving great cask ale and promoting superb live music.

Wonderful experience and can't believe we've never been before! Visited for a Sunday roast after seeing good reviews and will definitely be coming back. Fantastic Jazz band playing and the atmosphere was something I haven't experienced in a while. Friendly locals and staff alongside a delicious roast dinner for a reasonable price. I had the mushroom wellington and my partner the beef, both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and was lovely as a vegetarian to feel you had the same selection as meat eaters; I don't usually get stuffing! A good selection of drinks in a proper pub. Will make sure to come back in the summer as the garden is a great space too.

Love this pub. A little gem in the back streets of Croydon. I was there on a Saturday afternoon and it was very busy, so quite noisy. The pub is both pet and child friendly. The food we ordered was lovely but the service was slow though it was very busy so to be expected. Only gripe is that it could be a little cleaner. Children tend to shove things down the back of radiators.

Great staff super friendly and very receptive, the food came out really quick and was great, the atmosphere was lovely. Kids friendly

A real treasure of a local pub which managed to attract people from far and wide to it's great musical line up, friendly atmosphere and home made food

Fantastic little pub with awesome good at really reasonable prices - what more could you want!

Have been to the Oval several times, had a fantastic night out with family. Food was great, the show was excellent and can't wait til out next visit!!!!

Food is amazing, highly recommend the pulled pork bap. The staff are welcoming and it has a great beer garden.

The last remaining great live music venue in Croydon. Amazing musicians and bands, with very varied genres. Staff are super friendly and very accommodating.

A busy night but didn’t have sufficient beer. The only drinkable beer ran out at 8.30 and they didn’t replace it so I had nothing to drink and had to stay and drink nothing or go and leave my friends. 5 hand pumps and only two in operation. Not good

A good all round pub, decent range of ales, good food, friendly service, just love going there

Beef rendang, Club Snadwich with Chuncky chips. Plus drinks

Nice cosy family pub. Food is ok to

Always an enjoyable, lively place to drink. Great, friendly bar staff and a diverse, happy and eclectic mix of customers. It is impossible not to love this pub. One small personal caveat: I wish they had a better craft beer on tap. This will not stop me coming back again and again (ad infinitum) though.

Chanceux d´avoir trouvé ce lieu très accueillant. Groupe Musique programmé

Excellent food, friendly staff. Man cleaning the windows inside and out was also friendly.

A very pretty flower adorned pub with a lovely garden to enjoy food and drink. An outside oasis.

My sister-in-law had her wedding reception here in the back garden area. The manager and staff went all out to make the occasion very special. Really well done to all the staff that looked after us! The early dinner food was amazing and the night time snack table was super delicious. You should be very proud of yourself and the staff, thank you!

We were at the Oval Tavern for our Estelle and Debbie’s wedding reception in the courtyard on the 9th September 2023. We all had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and evening. The staff were very welcoming and extremely friendly. The food was very good with a good choice of vegetables. My husband and I had beef and a gorgeous crisp yorkshire pudding. We could not fault it. Well done to all the staff, they helped to make it the wonderful wedding day for Estelle and Debbie to look back on.

Great pub, a little gem in Croydon off the beaten track. Great service and great outdoor terrace to enjoy the atmosphere and sunshine!

Great fun and good show going on but the service could improve a bit. I felt the staff was not happy to be there.

An excellent fish finger sandwich

An awesome local with live music most days, and drag shows once a month. Sunday lunch is excellent, but you have to book in person or over the phone

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at this pub! The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, making it the perfect place to unwind and enjoy some quality time. The food was beyond amazing - every dish was bursting with flavor and expertly prepared. The staff were friendly and attentive, adding to the overall enjoyable evening. I can't wait to return to this gem of a pub for more delightful moments and delectable meals!

What a fantastic pub this is. First time back in over 30 years. Staff are excellent, the atmosphere is welcoming, and live music is brilliant. Will not leave it so long next time.

Some idiots attend but mostly nice people staff are a little rude . The pub itself and the live music makes up for it

Great place for live music and to have a beer in their lovely garden

I said to my partner this evening that the oval scores highest in my mind, for the things about a pub that matter most to me, than any pub I've ever known. It's just great.

Olde worlde interior (low beams etc) with cracking food and friendly service. The quiz is great. Also absolutely love the secluded patio/Garden area which includes a pagoda/stage type building.

I bought my parents here for lunch after I got married and we all had the most amazing food. Wonderful staff, and a brilliant atmosphere. I've been back a few times since and it's never disappointed.

I booked a couple of tables at The Oval Tavern for a leaving do. Process was really easy, staff were flexible and extremely welcoming. Prices are fair and the real ales are kept extremely well, by far the best in that regard in walking distance of East Croydon. Particular thanks to Mike who handled the booking. I will definitely be back soon.

Went there to celebrate my brothers birthday, unfortunately it rained all day so we were not able to use the substantial garden. The staff made sure it did not effect the day, they worked very hard. It helped make an amazing day brilliant.

Great ambience. Old, local pub feel with low ceilings, plenty of drink selection, friendly staff and live music. Highly recommend

Fantastic little pub that really is a hidden gem. Visited Sunday lunchtime. Friendly staff. Live band just setting up and lots of tables reserved. Cosy atmosphere and large garden terrace area with lots of picnic tables and plenty of bright and cheerful flowers. We only had some chips but they were very tasty and food sounds great. Didn't stay for the music but will look forward to visiting again in the future.

First visit to this pub for a friend’s birthday. Good sized beer garden with plenty of seating, which was a relief as it was very hot. Very busy. There was a barbecue in the garden, tried the burger, bit overcooked but very tasty salads on the side. The bar had an Irish band playing and it was packed with people enjoying the music. Recommended. Quite a few stairs to get out into the garden so not ideal for anyone with mobility issues.

Fabulous lunch for five at this great pub. Soup was amazing and the peanut stew was so good. Great real ales as well. Can't speak highly enough about this hidden gem.

Nice place with a lovely patio and a large indoor area as well. The food and drinks were tasty. Friendly staff

Pub tenu par des jeunes gens forts sympathiques. Ambiance très cool. Hamburger frites super bon. Bière extra. Bravo, continuez les jeunes c'est bien agréable de s'arrêter par chez vous.

We are regular punters. Love the while atmosphere of the oval. Staff always freindly and guaranteed decent music.

Good customer service the food came on time

Wonderful pub with great food and even better staff

Was there for a retirement do on Friday 30th June 2023, been there before, always a good atmosphere, nice beer garden with covered areas, and good live entertainment, band was good, and the young lady who was singing this time had a lovely voice. Definitely worth a visit, staff always friendly, good service, always busy when I've been in, clearly popular. Good ale as well, which can be difficult to find. Well worth a visit.

We had a lovely work BBQ. Friendly staff and fresh food. The halloumi burger was really good!

Simply the best pub in Croydon. Also great food and selection of beers at a reasonable price. Their roasts are especially good but remember to book as it is really popular on Sundays when they also have great live jazz music. Shout out also to the super friendly staff - please keep up the great work!

Every time I've been here I've had a fabulous time, from the good food , amazing staff to the different selection of alcohol available. The only thing that could make this place better is if it was my local.

I booked a table for 8 sunday roasts after a recomendation from a friend. All were very happy. Lovely staff and garden. It was a little cooler than anticipated so the infra red heaters above the tables were very welcome indeed. Ales were running low after the jazz fans inside had their fill.

Good atmosphere, nice garden. Didn't eat so can't comment on the food, beer selection was ok.

Lovely Sunday lunch on our visit to this brilliant pub. Really friendly (hilarious!) staff, excellent food and nice atmosphere. Warmly recommended.

Cracking Sunday lunch today at the Oval Tavern! Excellent food (really lovely roast), great atmosphere and fantastic staff. A classic pub. Thank you! Will be back.

Very reasonably priced menu. Big garden that gets the sun 🌞 on sunny days! Staff friendly and helpful

Relaxed, dog friendly, hospitable pub. Good food and beer. Live music was an unexpected bonus.

Lovely pub with very helpful staff and good food and drink

A lovely hidden garden, great atmosphere, delicious food, all around perfect pub

Great atmosphere (I was there during Eurovision and it was mad fun!) And a great outside seating area too.

One of the nicest pubs in Croydon

Great pub! Don’t put a logo on the foam if you ask them not to. Also did a stag do there ages ago and they were great when a Buddhist in the group was a bit aggressive with his tequila slammer and cut his hand.

A delightful gem, hidden away in the back streets of East Croydon. Superb greeting and selection of ales. Veggie roast up there with the best. Live jazz playing was amazing. I understand it's a real community pub in the correct way. Wish it was my local.

Small venue, eitj outide space, friendly, ska band on stage. Will definitely visit again.

We LOVE the Oval Tavern and are regulars- top staff, proper Sunday lunch, beautiful setting in the garden. Ollie the local cat is a particular highlight.

Great local pub with good beers, music and lovely staff

Everything about this pub is excellent. The people are very friendly, including the bar staff. There was a live band, which for me to hear different music than I'd normally listen to was great. Good selection of beers, just a really nice vibe that makes you want to come back again and again.

Lost in space - another great performance. Venue nice friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Beer garden out the back.

Went to see a live band a few weeks ago. Atmosphere was good - great choice of real ales at ok prices & great band = excellent night out!

Came on a quiet Tuesday lunch time, not quite ready for lunch on time but decent prices and decent food. All in all, a good experience

Fantastic place to meet friends, Staff are very good, Just a lovely Pub...and 👍

Nice place, great staff, renowned local live music venue. Getting ready for some good bands this year. Improving the sound desk and output mix to the audience.

Can't believe I didn't know this place existed

Lovely back street pub with lots of community events and music. The food is home made and delicious too, especially the Sunday roast:: but you would be wise to phone well in advance as it books up quickly...prices are reasonable too. Definitely worth a visit.

Food very good here.. almost surprisingly so. Everything we ordered was very well done , tasty and quality. Staff super friendly and accommodating. Wish more pubs were like this.

Best pub in Croydon. Great staff and the band on Good Friday were top drawer.