The Pack Saddle in South Oxfordshire - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We went for Sunday lunch - great food and excellent service! Very pleasing inside and outside; Plenty of parking space. Would definitely go back!

Everywhere else was full, so we decided to give the pack saddle a go. We found a lovely little pub that seemed very under rated and we don’t understand why. We experienced great service with friendly attentive staff, a lovely atmosphere, food was delicious (both hubby and I had the fish and chips), well priced drinks and a lovely outdoor garden and children’s entertainment area. What more can one ask for on a lovely summer’s evening? Give them a go, you won’t be disappointed.

We liked the ambience, it’s slightly more than a village pub with its menu but does have welcoming feel. One can sit inside or outside and well behaved dogs are welcome. Staff are very friendly and provided an efficient service. Lunch was very good as was the choice of beers and wines. Garden is nice but be aware of the busy road behind the hedge which can be a bit noisy. Nothing extreme, just a bit of road noise. We will return.

Everyone enjoyed their meal particularly my mother. She had the wings as her mains, which she thoroughly enjoyed. The kitchen made chips for her even though it was not on the menu. I was disappointed with the King Prawn linguine. It needed flavour, a little salt and pepper. We will visit again on a week day when the menu is more extensive. The staff were friendly and welcoming.

Great ambience and the food tasted great. However, two of us had steak (rare and medium rare) and despite its great taste it was chewy. I managed OK, but my almost 88 year old mother had great difficulty with it. Also TBH the menu has changed significantly since my last visit, and is now very 'burger heavy'.

I visited The Pack Saddle on a Thursday evening after not having visited for many years. The food was outstanding (half rack of pork ribs and buttermilk chicken burger). Drinks were great and the service was friendly & warm. We’ll be back! Looking forward to trying the roast dinner!

We went for a family birthday lunch 8 of us. We had 3 starters, meatballs, pork belly bites and halloumi fries, delicious. Mains were beef, lamb and porcetta roasts, Thai curry and prawn linguine as well as a starter of cod bites. All were delicious, the pork was described as epic. Everything was clearly scratch made. But, the service , whilst lovely, was a tad chaotic, staff were a little puzzled that we needed cutlery despite having taken it away after our starters. My main (actually a starter) was forgotten by the kitchen, despite the lovely waitress double checking our order. However, these issues were quickly resolved. My husband says I’m mean for knocking off a point, but I can’t knock off a half point. Overall a great experience, we will be back.

Went to The Pack Saddle's Thai night for dinner. The food was exceptional and the guest Chef, Gann, did not disappoint. This is the second time we have been to a Thai night and will 100% be going to the next one. The pub is lovely, the service excellent and the staff are very friendly

Absolutely spot on Sunday roast! Veggie roast was also delicious. Nice welcome, great service. We will definitely be back.

Dogs barking and kids running around noisily making dinner conservation sometimes difficult. Also, some items unavailable from the menu. I’ve had better evenings there.

Amazing Roast and great atmosphere, fast service and very friendly staff. Well priced and pleasant ambience. Thoroughly recommend

Very quiet, not sure it was open. Food arrived cold, quite expensive for 2 main courses and bottle of sparkling water. Staff very pleasant

Best Sunday lunch anywhere. We visit fromour go to Spain. Our 3rd Sunday lunch since last summer and the high standard doesn't waver. And very friendly staff to boot

We had a really lovely Mother's Day meal. The food was gorgeous and the staff courteous and helpful. Felt nice and cosy and would highly recommend.

Amazing food and even better staff! Had a lovely time with my family and found it very spacious. Will definitely be visiting again soon👍🏾

Lovely place to stop for lunch after a long walk. We walked from Reading along to Mapledurham and back round. As always great food, a great selection of drinks and great service

I think we must have just been unlucky as all the reviews rave about the Sunday lunch. Although many components were nice, the beef was almost impossible to cut or chew (I gave up in the end and just ate the veg) and the slow cooked pork was quite tough. The waiting staff were lovely but the service was very slow. We've heard so many good things about this pub we were surprised and figured they were just having an off day but I'm afraid I won't be rushing back to double check. Sorry.

Great food, but the service was very slow.The roast potatoes were excellent. Definitely worth a visit. Would recommend to anyone.

Fantastic food and great staff , a great place for food and drinks, would highly recommend , beautiful garden too, well worth a visit

Great food, warm atmosphere. We were there on a busy day, but the staff were very friendly and efficient. I recommend the beef and the gravy is excellent. Perfect Sunday lunch.

Five of us had Boxing Day lunch at The Pack Saddle and it was excellent. We all had different main courses and everyone raved about theirs. A lovely pub/restaurant with great food and good service.

Fantastic pub with a great bar. Really friendly staff and Matt is so welcoming. Delicious food and a great choice of menu.

We had a great time today for our New Year’s Eve lunch! Very friendly staff, very welcoming and great service. We will definitely come again!

Really beautiful food, service and a lovely atmosphere. Along with our Chocolate Labrador we had a splendid lunch, just fantastic food. So pleased we booked this place and we shall definitely come again.

Booking process was easy, service was so attentive and friendly, and it was a lovely free space for the 4 kids in our party

Very tasty meal. Roast lamb was one of the best roasts I've had at a pub. Roast potatoes were so good. Freshly cooked and crispy and no recooked potato flavour! Others had the beef bourgignon and also the fish. All were very tasty. Would definitely book again

Excellent midweek lunch. Five of us met for a reunion . We had Roast turkey , lamb chops and roast hake all included vegetables and potatoes. Service was attentive and friendly. Food cooked fresh so don't expect to rush. Food was presented beautifully, was delicious and perfectly cooked. Flavors excellent. We would all like to return and try what the others had next time. There is a Christmas set menu for prebooked parties, some items are on the a la carte Lovely pub with a log burner fire, atmospheric decor and furnishings. Interesting pictures including old album covers and movie photos Price was lower than other comparable restaurants, so offered good value considering the quality. .

My family and I had the very best Sunday lunch we have ever had, anywhere. We were a family of 8 adults with mixed preferences of meat eaters and Vegetarians, I cannot praise them enough for their service but especially the Sunday roast for all of us was delicious, the vegetarian Wellington was above and beyond from the norm of vegetarian choices, in fact every thing was so well cooked and presented. Will definitely be booking again and again, thank you for such an enjoyable meal.

Sunday lunch was extremely delicious. The beef was very tender and the crackling on the pork was beautiful. The roast potatoes to die for!!! Overall a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday roast highly recommended. The biscoff cheesecake was also delicious to finish off a scrummy meal. Thank you

I had booked a lunch table for two at 12.30 having read the menu and been very interested in the proposals. There were at that time about 10 other patrons. We ordered our main courses at about 1 pm, they arrived about 1.30 pm. We both had lamb chops followed by apple crumbles which were really excellent and perfectly cooked. The service was abysmally slow and we both gained the impression that the server at times was 'somewhere else'. Our empty main course plates sat for almost 20 minutes with the server having walked past our table several times and not noticing. It is appreciated that the pub is 'dog friendly' but the sight of one dog sitting on a chair with feet on the table surface, was enough for my colleague and I not to return

Great food and service. The roast potatoes were excellent. Definitely worth a visit. Would recommend to anyone.

Accueil très sympa, personnel très agréable et attentive à nos demandes ! La nourriture est fraîche et bonne . Idéalement situé à la campagne cadre très agréable.

The pub is incredibly lovely and situated in a very lovely setting. The food is delicious and very much worth a drive. The service can be slow, so I wouldn’t recommend here if you’re looking for a quick bit. If you love good food then I suggest building in time if you have plans following your food, as you won’t be disappointed. For me, I like to not be rushed and to enjoy my meal, and the food is more than worth the wait. The staff are incredibly friendly and attentive. Would recommend and will definitely be making more plans to return and share this gem with friends and family. Photo of our half eaten roast dinner for refernce, where we couldn’t wait to tuck in!

Service was very disappointing. Pub was empty during a weekday and they took close to 40 mins to serve a simple children’s menu (hotdog + chips) and a main course (fish and chips). Meal was very average… fish had an overly thick/dry crust that tasted excessively oily. Would have cancelled the order had I not been with a ravenous 5 yrs old desperate for lunch. Its not my first visit as its a family friendly place in a pleasant location, however the food is consistently poor and the service really lets the place down. Ok for a pint but would suggest trying the Packhorse around the corner. Infinitely better service, food and the gin selection is second to none.

We dined outside here on a midweek evening having played golf at The Caversham. A good range of beers and local ales plus good food mean that we enjoyed our visit and would return. Despite a shortage of staff our meals arrived in good time. Note that they don't run 'tabs' on the outside tables.

The food was really good, cooked well and was delicious. The problem was the service. Firstly we waited quite a while for someone to come and take our drinks and food order. Secondly, the waitress dropped a glass bottle of orange juice on my 5 year olds head, accidents happen and she apologised but no one checked to see if he was ok or offered ice for his head. Then thirdly, our 4 month old woke from her nap and was crying whilst I prepared her bottle. A man (assuming the manager as he was not dressed the same as the waiting staff) came over and told us we would have to take the baby outside as she was disturbing other customers. We chose this restaurant as we assumed it was child friendly with a play area outside. I could understand if my baby had been crying non stop the entire time we were there but it was less than 5 mins. I wasn’t offered to have my lunch taken to be kept warm or asked if I needed hot water just asked to leave the restaurant. I was so shocked I didn’t complain on the day but did provide feedback with my full contact details and have heard nothing a month on. Neither myself or friends will be returning and I don’t recommend it if you want a family meal.

First and last visit, fish and chips was ordered by 1 fish was very dry and overcooked and steak was ordered by 1 which was not very good. We found having to give our card to staff WAS TOTALLY WRONG, if the banks knew what you are doing they would be very shocked, you had our card sat at the side of the till anyone could have picked it up.

Ótimo "pub", com boa culinária e boas cervejas. O ambiente é de um "pub" de bairro: amigável, aconchegante. Situa-se em zona rural (próximo a Reading) e é gerido por uma família. O serviço é bom, eficiente e cordial. Bom para famílias (com crianças).

Brilliant food, brilliant service, lovely garden and suitable for all ages. We all ate a roast - my husband had the beef and pork combination, my parents and I had the chicken roast. The meat was tasty and well cooked the vegetables were plenty and fresh. The pudding - was naughty but nice - we had summer pudding - it was very good. Look forward to returning soon.

We had a fabulous meal (best BBQ ever said the kids) for the King’s coronation yesterday. The place was well decorated, the tents were out to protect us from the rain and service was brilliant as usual.

I very much enjoyed my visit to the pack saddle. The atmosphere was phenomenal, all the locals were very friendly, and the music selection is out of this world. The staff were extraordinary, and incredibly accommodating. One of the many amazing features is Wilma, the...

Mothering Sunday meal. Only do roasts. So I had Lamb. Supposedly pink. But wasn't. It was too fatty and far too chewy. Tried the beef. Stunning. Tried the chicken. Lovely. Vegetables were spars. But good. Roast potatoes were good. Gravy sir? That will be £1.50...

Had one of the best roasts I’ve ever had. Chicken was busting with flavour and juicy. Had a roast down the road which the chicken was concerningly dry with watery gravy. Great options of drinks with knowledgeable staff who introduced my friend to some lovely...

We hadn’t visited before but decided to go for lunch after reading an excellent review. We were not disappointed! Lovely husband had the sausage and mash with a pint of local bitter shandy and I went for the beef bourguignon with a nice big glass...

I originally set out to come here in the late 1970s. I was with a friend and we had both recently passed our driving tests and were keen real ale enthusiasts. This was then a Gale's pub, somewhat removed from their core trading area in...

Returned for the first time in a few years and were delighted with our food and the service. We had the roast lamb and pork belly and it was very good quality. We will be returning !

Stopped here for lunch one Thursday and were delighted both with the meal and the service. Made to feel very welcome (as was our dog) and served a delicious meal. I would highly recommend a visit.

we went to the pack saddle on the 11th of September for a sunday lunch. we were one of 4 tables that were seated. we waited an hour and a half for 2 roast beefs and 3 roast chicken as they ran out of beef...

Very impressive food. I thought this was just a chain but I don't believe it is. Sunday roast was excellent. Beef was cooked very nicely. The staff were awesome too, seemed like a good bunch.

We visited on Fathers Day for the first time and enjoyed a superb Sunday lunch. The roast beef was just perfect served with a Yorkshire pud, perfectly crispy roast potatoes and lots of veg all beautifully cooked. We chose a chocolate brownie for pud which...

We were sadly disappointed. Food and service both only average Food prices high. We wouldn't go again.

This is a really nice country pub, welcoming and relaxed. Visited a few times so far in 2022 and haven’t been disappointed. Everyone who works here is really friendly and accommodating, Sunday roast was great, nice big portions! Pork tacos are absolutely delicious, mac and...

Mixed bag really. The service staff were very good and tried really hard. The food was presented beautifully but the menu was disappointing (vegetarian option was quinoa salad for a starter followed by cous cous salad as a main!). My friends ordered the burger and...

Ate at the Pack Saddle with friends on Friday and can’t believe we hadn’t tried it out before. The service was excellent -friendly, knowledgable about the dishes, and professional. The food was exceptional. I can usually find something that’s not quite to my liking but...

Usually very good but good quality has dropped. Undercooked food and seeming to rush everything out the kitchen. For the price you pay, you expect quality and not undercooked food! Disappointing.

Pub has a welcoming ambiance and food was excellent and well priced. Staff very friendly and attentive. Well worth visiting.

This gastro pub near where we live has been up and down over the years. Today it was full (good sign) and we had a really good Sunday lunch. Tender roast beef, beautifully cooked tasty roast chicken and a delicious roast cod in a vegetable...

We were recommended this pub due to previous high quality a la carte dining. When we arrived we were greeted with a standard pub menu. We probably should have checked first but there you go. This is what followed; 1) bland, overly diluted cocktails 2)...

We love the ambience of this place however the menu is very limited and no prices were on the menu! A long wait…disappointing. We will no longer visit there and shall go elsewhere.

Attended the pack and saddle on Thursday at 7pm. Upon arrival there where no cars in the car park. We thought it was closed down, but the lights were on so we walked in. 3 people in there 1 being a member of staff, no...

Service slow... Please wait to be seated when two tables were not reserved. Small child portions for grown adults. Undercooked meat, overcooked veg. Never again

Have just had an exceptional few hours at this pub. People couldn’t have been friendlier. The beer was excellent and the food looked amazing. Well done!

Yesterday we had a lovely shopping trip in Reading and decided to stop off at the Pack Saddle for a Sunday roast. The pub looked very inviting and the staff very friendly and attentive. But, the food...extremely disappointing to say the least. The portion size...

I visited this pub for lunch today, I was with my nephew. On the sign outside it said great food...... When we ent, the pub had just three or four people in it. We asked for a table, and the server basically, so anywhere. We...

2nd time we have eaten here. Fantastic food, high quality. V tasty sea bass, macaroni cheese and bbq leeks with blue cheese. Love the special cheese dessert too

We’re so thrilled this place changed hands. The menu is so unique and absolutely everything we’ve ordered over the last 4/5 visits hasn’t disappointed. It’s more expensive than it was before (and rightly so) so if you’re a fan of quality over quantity and amazing...

We live locally and wanted to try the new menu and it was brilliant. The cod with teriyaki mushrooms was cooked to perfection- have not had mushrooms this good ever before. The monkfish was another winner in the char sui coating. Great to have this...

We live locally and had heard there was a change of management and a new head chef so decided to try it out (previously this place was god awful in my opinion). We visited a few weeks back and have since been back 4/5 times,...

We last used the Pack Saddle in pre-pandemic days. It was then a very busy pub/restaurant, especially at weekends; noted for its high standard traditional pub grub, reasonable prices, and friendly service. We returned there again yesterday, and it would not be unfair to say...

The food was extremely tasty and we loved sitting in the garden. Great quality food and very charming place. We recommend it

Staff were excellent and the decor of the pub is great. Similar to other reviews the food was at best disappointing and overpriced. I think it would be fair to say that the menu is too unusual and I would not recommend to friends and...

I am so surprised to see my last review on here from 2015! ( I forgot about this visit! ) It was good then, sadly not now. I visited Sunday lunchtime with friends. Much has changed since 2015, but initially I found the outside seating...

This was the first visit to the Packsaddle since June when we had a lovely meal with friends post lockdown. The pub now has a fantastic outdoor space which is very welcoming and allows for a relaxing evening in the last days of summer. On...

Our starter was Foie gras (chicken) mousse which was extremely salty and returned. No French toast or equivalent was offered - has anyone tried to eat mousse with a knife and fork? Main course was BBQ glazed monkfish tail and two small pieces of cauliflower...

Having heard about the new chef and revamp to the menu some friends and I attended yesterday evening. Having reviewed both the bar and main menus, we decided to try the Thai croquettes, one of us had the monkfish and two the hot dogs! Utterly...

The service and food was excellent. However there has been a big switch up with menu and affordability. It isn’t as affordable as it used to be and it was an awkward surprise for us as the menu isn’t on the website. Even if it...

This restaurant is absoultly wonderful. From the moment I walked in with my partner to when we left, we were catered for and the service was excellet. The young female waitress (Emma), was very welcoming and friendly and gave excellent recommandations for wine pairing of...

A new menu and wow I was in heaven with the meal I chose! I wasn't sure if I would like the veggie options but I chose the celery dish (something I wouldn't usually go for!) and I am glad I did, it was delicious...

We’ve not been here for nearly a year, but today’s lunch was very different from our last visit and very good indeed. We’ve eat at several pubs nearby recently and most are ok to good, and mainly provide straight forward pub food, with a few...

So lucky that one of our local pubs has redone its menu and created amazing food at a reasonable price given the quality you get! Fois gras, lamb and white chocolate dessert were all absolutely incredible, with kids menu and playground to keep the children...

Hi all. Booked Sunday morning via email Phil replied in a timely fashion and on arrival had our pick of the tables. Food (4x sunday roasts ) arrived far quicker than expected and was excellent. Great kids play area too. Would highly recommend.

This place is a not-so-hidden gem! We made our booking over the phone as I was advised by a friend that Friday- Sunday are incredibly busy. The service was welcoming and attentive when we arrived, all covid measures in place. It’s independent and family run...

Fantastic warm welcoming service, seriously good food, beautiful interior design, fabulous outside play area for the kids, home grown produce, lovely covered heated outdoor area. Couldn’t fault it.

The pub is set in a beautiful location and is tastefully decorated giving a warm cosy atmosphere. most waiting staff were attentive and friendly perhaps some individuals would benefit from an attitude adjustment. our starters and main courses were amazing ( see pictures) but had...

Excellent business dinner on Wednesday. I had the rump steak which was superb. Wines by glass very good. Service very good. Most enjoyable to be back indoors.

Brilliant pub. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming as soon as you walk in. Beautifully furnished inside with a fireplace and comfy places to enjoy a few drinks and a great dining space if you are eating. Outside there is a big marquee, patio heaters and a small play area for the kids. The food is EXCEPTIONAL! The chef clearly cares about each plate they send out and is both tasty and beautifully plated. Good selection of beers and wines and a huge gin list. Cannot recommend this place enough!

Rude staff, obnoxious landlord, over priced, under quality food and generally unpleasant all round. Never again.

Customer Sevice very poor, food average, would not take cash??? Would not recommend. Bad experience for first time out.

Came with friends (4) after work and ended up staying a while. All PPE was evident, food was amazing and fresh from allotment and atmosphere was great Well done x

Amazing Sunday Roast and best pudding we’ve had in ages! The roast beef was beautifully pink and the slow roast shoulder of lamb fell apart at the touch of the fork

I have been twice recently for a business dinner early evening. In both cases I had steak both times excellent. Wines by the glass very good. Good service.I think they have done very well with table spacing. Also went with the family in the garden in the summer for lunch and it was great.

Lovely country pub, with great food. Definitely a must try. Great for a casual dining experience, and very reasonably priced.

A delightful, beautiful, sunny late morning and afternoon in Mapledurham.Decided to come here, after departing another venue for a couple of rounds of drinks.Pleasant location and staff are decent.Rounds of drinks included ales, lager, white wines and tomato juice and diet cola.Very relaxing and pleasant stop-off.

First impressions are always important.....garden needs the grass cut and the weeds removed from the path to the front door. Has been refurbished during lockdown and not sure that moving bar was a good idea as you now arrive in the dining area, so nobody to greet you as they are in the bar. Table had been booked but allocated table next to door so very drafty (as door open for covid) ; changed table ourselves.Polite, welcoming young man brought menus (we were only customers inside) and took order. (reduced size menu but 2 dishes not available!!) Surprised other older member of staff (may have been licensee) walked past our table several times and never spoke.....not even good afternoon!!!!!Scotch egg very good, whitebait frozen from packet OK, tempura prawns nice....chips, supposed to be triple cooked, more like saute potatoes or previously cooked potatoes, sliced then deep fried.....mentioned this but told the reason 'triple cooked'

Have been twice since it reopened post lockdown. Once lunch in the garden entirely social and family. Tonight business dinner inside. Both times food very good. Tonight I had the scotch egg followed by the curry with chicken. Great value and very good service.

I was so looking forward to this lunch as I have heard some good comments.Nice setting for lunch on a very hot day. Unfortunately the lunch overall was very mediocre. Ordered white bait and the calamari which was nothing to rave about. The red massaman curry was really disappointing - where was the Thai flavours? It was very bland and for £4 more, you get 4 prawns added, and with £3 more, a few pieces of chicken were added.Not an enjoyable experience at all. Only consolation is that there was a £20 discount due to the Eat out scheme.Not for me judging by this visit.

On a very hot day - reaching 37 degrees - there are few inland areas, in which one can get both the Sun, and a constant, pleasant breeze (off the river) - Mapledurham Estate and the Church.Had been their earlier in the afternoon with an Italian colleague.Decided to stop off, at this venue, as we hadn’t been here before. Located very close to Mapledurham Golf Course, it has a decent garden.Colas were refreshing, and my colleague’s white wine was apparently decent.Nice location.

Go choice on menu for adults and children. Also a good gluten free menu Someone in the kitchen has a good knowledge of allergy’s

Excellent food and beer/wine to meet most tastes: a local community pub serving Tokers Green and the surrounding area which caters well for the users of A4074 between Reading and Oxford

We came here for lunch. Service was very good (young man). Liked the decor. Starters - we both had the squid. Disappointing. It was SO plain...just a few rings, and some sauce that tasted just like the kind you'd get from a plastic bottle. For the price, it should have been served with a little more artistry, perhaps a little salad? Mains - my risotto was OK, but a little too salty and not quite liquidy enough. My friend had the Red Thai Curry. As it was 'red' she did expect it to be hotter than a green, but it was still too hot and she couldn't finish it. I also felt my risotto needed a green side vegetable and was surprised to see no side vegetables on the menu, so had to ask for spinach (which was supplied, beautifully cooked). On a cold day (6-7 degrees?) the room was not quite warm enough, so I ate in my coat. So, on the basis of that meal, not 'bad', but not great either.