The Red Lion in Oxford

Ordered food 3 people left waiting over 20 minutes for a drink, 15 minutes after my wife’s wine was served although menu looked ok in a hot restaurant waiting that long for some water not good enough, I left others stayed felt like I was being took the piss out of, plenty of other eateries in Oxford, shame the cock up happened, will not use again !!!

For us it was something so strange we were staying in the hotel opposite and saw people eating fish and chips but we are not really fans of that We ordered a different fish but my daughter really liked it. I ordered scallops and pork and it was just incredible.

Brilliant place for Sunday lunch, including the gravy!. Excellent food and service! Recommend for family and friends. Looking forward to our next visit.

Incredible food, excellent service, and a great choice of drinks. We will definitely be eating here again

We booked as a party of ten for a Sunday lunch as a family celebration. Charlie looked after us and was very friendly and attentive, including bringing games and colouring books for the children in the group. The food was excellent with a good variety, and we had a lovely bottle of wine. It was also very reasonably priced. Thank you for being a part of our memorable day!

Unfortunately wasn't their long popped in for a visit with a friend, but I like the new renovations and shall be coming back soon for food and or business meetings

Fantastic visit food was amazing Nathan was extremely impressive

Stephen and David are so accommodating, very friendly and helpful staff. 10/10 would come back again.

I’ve been there 3 times All this time the staffs are very late when you want to order

Enjoyed a lovely evening with friends. Service was slow due to a packed pub but staff were friendly. When the food arrived - was delicious and worth the wait. Also had amazingly spacious and chic lady toilets. Will come here again when I am next in town.

We had a booking for 15 people for lunch and we were very happy with our experience - great food and excellent service. All the dishes were delicious and beautifully presented, and the service was prompt and well synchronised. We were allocated our own dining area, which was wonderful as we could move around and mix. The staff were very polite, helpful and attentive throughout. We were all very impressed and would definitely recommend.

Very nice and friendly place. Kind to young kids.

Jermaine is absolutely the best and greatest bartender I have ever met in my life. he deserves the biggest raise

Jermaine is the best bar tender in Oxford- superb service 👌

Jermaine was top tier, class service

Jermaine served us and we had a great experience.

Jermaine was the best bartender I have ever met. He deserves a pay rise immediately.

tommie epic bartender thank you

I had a beautiful day at the Redlion , the garden is beautiful and the food is delicious! Big up David for his impeccable service! Thank you !

Tommie is a great bartender very friendly and Lovley

Visited here on April 26th 2025 to attend a daytime event and it was excellent. Staff were great and very accommodating and the people who organised the event were on point! Music was excellent and the vibe was second to none. Lets hope this is a regular occurrence for Oxford as its what we are missing! Cant wait for the next one 🤞🏻

We had a great time on Saturday at the day party at The Red Lion. Great atmosphere. Drinks were lovely and had a good service by staff. A wonderful day with friends. Such a good vibe. Would return.

Edit to my 5 star comment at Xmas to say I went to a day party here on the 26th of April and had the best time. This pub really does cater to all ages. I sometimes feel the older generation get left behind when it comes to things to do but this event was brilliant. The people running the event were super friendly and engaged with the crowd and the staff at the pub matched the feel good energy despite being super busy! I was gutted it finished at 8 but I did hear the DJ a mention that it was to be respectful to the neighbours. More day parties please 🙏🏼 the vibes were amazing. Complimentary staff great service amazing. Full of Christmas spirit and good vibes

On Saturday 26th April, hundreds of us went to a day party at The Red Lion. The DJs were brilliant, the staff were busy, and everyone was having a good time. My fish and chips were perfect. Midway through a man walked in with a huge sign complaining about the party. The DJ apologised about the sound, and even bored us on the details he was taking to make it easier on the neighbours. The sign man has left a caustic review on here that does not reflect the essence of the day. Well done to the organisers, and everyone understood why there was no last song at 8pm. The only complaint I have was about the drinks being priced incorrectly on one repeated order, but the staff were rushed and the entry was free….. I hope there’s another event soon. Hopefully with a less intrusive audio to keep Sign Man Leo at bay…..

The Red Lion doesn't respect the neighbours.

I went to a day party here at the weekend 26th April. it was so so good, lively, good vibes, everyone there was friendly. Even the bar staff despite being rushed off their feet were efficient and still serving us with a smile and helpful with any questions. I heard the DJ apologising to the neighbours but in all honesty i’m not sure what you’re expecting living in a lively town centre. plus it was the middle of the day not even late at night. oxford needs more of this something grown up for us to go. It was very diverse and the music and atmosphere was superb. hoping to hear about the next event. can’t comment on the food as i didn’t eat xx

Pub too loud, you can't chat, the music is too loud, and the managers are very rude and don't pay attention to customers. Lots of drunk people. Expensive for the service and unfriendly.

It is an expensive, ugly and noisy place. They play the music too loud and it is not a friendly place at all. There are other better places in Oxford and more respectful with a warm atmosphere and more polite management. Avoid the Red Lion.

Absolutely fantastic venue! Great staff, atmosphere and food, special mention to Steve and his team who hosted an awesome event yesterday, and to the handsome group playing the wicked tunes all day and for adjusting their volumes and EQ’s as well as finishing on time to appease the local community concerns. Great work everyone! 🙌🏻🎶🙏🏻

The Red Lion is an overrated, expensive, dirty pub with unfriendly staff. They disturb all the neighbors in the area with loud music and show no respect for others. It's a terrible place.

Absolutely appalling experience. If you're hoping for a peaceful stay, stay far away from the Red Lion. The noise here is relentless — loud guests, blaring music, zero soundproofing, and absolutely no respect for their neighbours' comfort. Management is either completely incompetent or simply doesn't care. It's disgraceful that they continue to operate without addressing the constant disturbances. Red Lion should be ashamed to call itself a place of hospitality.

Service was exceptional, David was incredible

Tyrell is best I’ve ever seen working for M&B ever!! And he’s cute 🥰

Amazing service from David today. Made the visit here even better!

tryrell was absolutely amazing he made ordering food and drinks very easy and is suck a polit young man

Great place would highly recommend Shan was of great service

lovely atmospheric pub, lots of good outside seating and drink choice. Always lovely staff despite busy hours. Shannon and Ty were lovely.

Tyrell was incredible, couldn’t recommend enough !!!

The finest establishment in Oxfordshire. Couldn’t recommend it more!

Amazing place. Best place to come with friends in Oxford.

Best pub in oxford tyrell is so handsome i love him

Tyrell was amazing what a great experience

Stephen and his team went above and beyond to make sure I had the best birthday on Saturday night! Gorgeous cocktails and gorgeous food to match! 1000% would recommend. Thank you all!

The majority of the staff have zero hospitality skills. No greetings, no Thank Yous. No awareness of who is waiting and for how long. It's a lottery as to when you get served. This is nothing new, everytime I work in Oxford which is roughly once a year the staff are different, yet again, mostly lack bar/hospitality skills. I think the training must be serverly lacking, and the management not observant of this.

Terrible service. Took 1 hour to get our food and the order was wrong. The place was empty as well.

“Leave the review and get one on us” But then waiting in a queue and this promo is only for 30 mins will give you no free drink ;)

Jermaine is a great bartender, had a lovely conversation. Great service

Lovely garden and lively atmosphere. Harry was extremely helpful

Definitely the best pub in Oxford. If you want vibes, a nice drink and enjoy time with your loved one things definitely a go-to. Harry, who served my friends and I- very professional and nice guy all round. Do not think twice about coming here

The service was friendly, quick and the place was well kept

The food was very nice but the service and attitude of the staff was dire. I had to order drinks and food at the bar which is ok. The food was delivered to the table but when we had finished and the plates taken away we weren't offered a desert menu. I also had to go to the bar for further drinks and to ask for the bill. I wasn't given a bill, only told the amount I needed to pay which I wasn't comfortable with and it also seemed expensive for what we'd had. Upon paying I asked for a receipt and was inadvertently given a print out of the bill. I went back to our table and glanced at the bill to see that a service charge had been added without my knowledge or agreement. I went back to the bar and asked for it to be removed. The female member of staff was quite hostile and refused, saying it was company policy and cannot be removed. I informed her that it is down to me if I want to tip and they have no right to add a charge to my bill and insist I pay it. If I'd been given a bill before I paid I wouldn't have paid until the charge was removed. She was adamant she wasn't going to refund it and asked if I wanted to speak to the manager and I said I did. He came over at this point and asked if there was a problem and she rudely said 'he wants the service charge removed' in front of me. The manager was rather sheepish and refunded the unauthorised charge, theft or fraudulent transaction to use the appropriate term. This sly underhand practice of adding charges or asking for tips is an appalling way to treat customers. Eating out is not cheap but rather than appreciate the customers they get people like this just try and rip them off.

Perhaps the most perfect meal I've ever enjoyed at a restaurant.

Service was a little bit slow, but the pub has been busy. Very friendly staff.

Absolutely beautiful place! Friendly but fully stressed service! Ordered a Cappuccino A hot chocolate. After 5 minutes I was served with the almost cold sugarless hot chocolate which wasn't tasty at all! The Cappuccino was forgotten! So we had to wait for that. The side dish Grilled Asparagus was absolutely tasteless and lightly warm not enjoyable at all! When the Cappuccino arrived it was full of coffee ground so undrinkable! Absolutely a waste of money! Luckily I was a tourist so I won't have to visit them again! The Toffee Cremebrule was good and served beautifully 😍 Sorry guys no harm but you need to improve with making better coffee

It was a great experience. Big up David.

Thank you to Tom, service was excellent

Tom was a great bartender good customer service !!!

Tom had great customer service and it was a lovely atmosphere

Great pub, great food, cheers Tom

Tom was amazing tonight, he should be a manager.

David is the best server we go all the time and the staff at the red lion are exceptional

El servicio fue increíble por un servidor llamado David, fue una experiencia agradable y fantástica y sin duda recomendaría ir aquí

Increíble pub, el servicio de David fue genial. Me gustó mucho la experiencia en este establecimiento, un ambiente encantador y grandes bebidas.

Todo el personal en el león rojo ar tan acogedor es una experiencia increíble y vale la pena el precio. David es el mejor servidor de la historia

Este es un gran lugar para una noche casual. El personal es genial y David es en particular. Usted puede ser servido rápidamente a pesar de que está ocupado.

David era genial y nos dio un excelente servicio. No sólo nos ofreció bebidas gratis. David era tan amable y nos trató bien.

Harry was really kind towards us on the bar and pours a great pint!

Great service from Harry, pub garden had a fantastic atmosphere

Really pretty pub, nice when you want to get away from the busy city. Staff are friendly too!

Made a big booking for a birthday and Harry was so helpful, made sure the evening was enjoyable for us all. Lovely staff and great atmosphere.

Best pub in oxford! Came here with friends and had the most amazing time, food was great and the staff were lovely (especially Harry and Izzy)!! Will definitely be coming back here soon.

Came here for my birthday meal with my children and had the best time the staff made it extra special, shout out to Harry and Izzy! Can’t wait to be returning soon!!

Fantastic for an intimate work hen party the snug was brilliant and the staff were lovely. Would recommend

The Red Lion is a beautiful place to eat and have a drink. The team were so lovely and accommodating, especially David and Stephen. The food was cooked to perfection and the pints were refreshing. I would highly recommend this place if you ever want to grab a drink and a pint- the beer garden is gorgeous (and don't get me started about the bathroom). Thank you Red Lion for an unforgettable experience.

Terrible customer service. The waiter ignored me and decided to serve someone else despite the fact that I pointed out that I was waiting as well. He didn't even apologise, just shrugged.

Terrible service. Dismissive barman much too interested in emptying his glasswasher than actually serving the 9 waiting customers. We had planned to eat there, but this guy put us right off

We popped in on the way to the train station. Was greeted superbly, told the pub is dog friendly which was nice to hear considering the superb ambience. Charlie offered a mat and water for the dog and helped us pick some excellent desserts. Thank you very much Charlie truly made our short but pleasure stop memorable. Back there on our next trip in Oxford!

Absolutely fantastic service from jonas, was very busy and he seemed to be looking after a lot of tables but he made our evening very special, great service even though he was under a lot of pressure

Ordered food from the red lion and after 1,5 hours of waiting for our food they canceled our order.

A very traditional and affordable restaurant in the centre of Oxford. The Sunday Roast is an absolute banger, with a great selection of beers to complement it perfectly. The fish starters (scallops and squids) are highly recommended for their rich flavour and finesse of presentation. The cheese board for dessert is also fantastic. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, but not too noisy, making it ideal for good conversation. Big up to our waiter, Charlie, who was devoted and attentive throughout the entire Sunday lunch. Note: It’s best to book a table in advance, as the place enjoys an excellent reputation. Visit: Sunday, 2 March 2025.

Brilliant service from Charlie, came in for a few drinks on my mates birthday and was very helpful with recommending a drink

Came for lunch with my mum. 2 lovely glasses of wine, 1 great chicken burger and 1 nice onion and vegan goats cheese tart. Prices on the higher side but this was a special occasion so didn't mind. Food was delicious. Service was friendly but a bit slow. Would reccomend if looking for a nice spot in the centre with a good beer garden.

Amazing service. Everyone was so lovely and helpful’!!

Great place, Charlie was amazing!

Great stop for sunday roast. The roast chicken and roast sirloin were well cooked and flavorful. I particularly loved the roasted carrots and parsnips! Well crafted drinks from the bar and a lovely ambience add to the experience. Would definitely recommend stopping here!

nice vibes and you can get a free drink by leaving a review so come by, brilliant stuff

Charlie gave amazing service drinks were great

Charlie with the glasses was an absolute GEM! So attentive and made my drink just how I like it!

Fantastic pub, always a great atmosphere. Lovely place to come with friends!

charile provided excellent service he was so kind to me and my friends and gave us put drinks soo quickly!!! will be coming back

charlie was an excellent and quick server, thank you so much made the experience amazing. will return!!

Love it amazing so much and Charlie is the best.

Fab pub, will continue to come back and tell everyone I know. Staff are so friendly and great!

Looks good atmosphere would deffo recommend it !!

Fab atmosphere, fab service by Charlie our lovely bartender!!! And tasty drinks!! 100% recommend

We had a great evening at the Red Lion, would definitely recommend!

Selected this place for dinner for our last meal in Oxford before flying to NZ. I was left waiting to order and pay for 10 minutes at the bar while staff just ignored the growing queue. Took 43 minutes for our food to arrive even though place wasn't busy. We ordered more drinks when food was delivered - they never showed up and when my daughter started to eat her chicken pie there was a massive hair in it. We managed to get a refund for that meal but it put the rest of us off our food. We ended up just walking out. A really crap ending to a lovely few days in Oxford. Wouldn't recommend at all.

6 of us in Oxford for the weekend, we had Sunday lunch here. I can’t praise the staff enough, we arrived an hour early as it was raining fully intending to sit at the bar until our table was ready. They found us a table and cleared it quickly so we could sit. Connor, our waiter was still fairly new to the job but he took our drink orders and they arrived fairly quickly (all different cocktails, all excellent) After much deliberation over the menu we all had different combinations from the Sunday Roast menu. Again all wonderfull, beef very tender and cooked to everybody’s taste. Condiments supplied in generous portions. More drinks ordered, again very good. Connor got everybody’s desert order correct despite lots of different choices and lots of changes, the mini desert and cocktail option is a winner, he did a marvellous job looking after 6 people. No hesitation in recommending the Red Lion for Sunday Roasts and cocktails

Alison was the best. The service is incredible and the Sunday Roast is perfection!!!!!!!

Best roast in Oxford city centre. Trio of roast to die for, shout out to our server Alison she is superb