The Red Lion Bar & Restaurant in South Oxfordshire

I Wasn’t expecting too much from a pub dinner in a rather nondescript Oxfordshire village on a Tuesday evening but I was most pleasantly surprised. The pub is very old and as such cosy and inviting. There is a good selection of draught beer served at one of the fireside tables by most welcoming staff. The menu is varied and original and prices are reasonable. One of the specials of the day was sea bass. It was as good as any top London restaurant. The 45 minute drive was well worth it and I shall be returning soon.

We were staying in Chalgrove, at an AirBnB, just down from this pub, and it was recommended by the host. It did not disappoint, we both had mains and dessert, and we loved the touch of old school dining with complimentary bread & butter. The food was hot, tasty and great portion sizes. The pub is a traditional English pub, with cosy decor and friendly & attentive staff, and two residents dogs, that are calm, friendly and although definitely looking out for the odd treat here & there, are not a bothersome. If we lived nearby we’d DEFINITELY be in here on a regular basis!! Traditional British pub food at its best!!!

Had a fantastic Sunday lunch at the Red Lion. The team could not have been more welcoming, and the food was spot on. Lovely “real” pub.

Lovely pub, lovely garden x great service and really good food with a cheeky pub dog 😊, first visit we will be back again soon!

We had our wedding anniversary meal . You really couldn’t fault it was perfect. We had our wedding here five years ago and they even got in lamb for us as that’s what we’d had at our wedding meal. Superb food. Always a very warm welcome .

Great steak 😋🥩. Dogs are very welcome

What a beautiful pub and location food was superb and the landlady even more superb made us very welcome what an asset to the pub it’s certainly a hidden gem you must visit

Cannot tell you how great this village pub is. Suzanne, Raymond and all the team are so welcoming. We had a group of four and, on my recommendation, we all have steak. Amazing! Such a nice surprise to have homemade soda bread too. This is one of my three favourite steak places in the UK (my others are Hawksmoor and Blacklock in London). It's cooked to perfection. The sticky toffee pudding is to die for. In fact, the whole menu is. Plus, they have my favourite beer ever here (from time to time it changes) but Buttcombe is divine. Thank you Red Lion. Added bonus - they're dog friendly.

What a disappointing experience our family including American visitors had yesterday. Food was not good. Calves liver choice cut far too thick and smothored in a too mustardy sauce. I would question what we received was actually calves liver and it did not cut easily. A gammon choice was fatty and not enjoyable. Beef choice could have been much better too. Also having the pub dog constantly pestering under the table was off putting. It is years since we visited the Red Lion and we wont be going back again. Our American visitors were so looking forward to going there but i was embarassed by what we were served. At a cost of 200.00 plus it should have been better

I supported a person to eat here and we both enjoyed our meals. The decor is lovely and the staff are very kind 🥰 they also had 2 lovely doggos who interacted with us a lot! The only reason for 4 stars is that the food is on the expensive side and I maybe wouldn't have eaten here if it wasn't for my job and the children's menu, which means I would have missed out on meeting some wonderful people!

Lovely food, polite and friendly staff

What a fantastic place, food was top class, I had the Liver, Mash and Onion Gravy, I can safely and confidently say that was the best Liver I’ve ever eaten out, highly recommend visiting

We visited the Red Lion after being given a voucher for Christmas by a family member. This was a much awaited evening out for my husband and I without our children. We had a table booked for 7pm and turned up on time. Upon arriving we were given a table and our drinks orders were taken promptly. We then had to wait for absolutely ages for anyone to take our food order. In the end I ended up going to the bar to ask if we could order our food as we were getting hungry. The person behind the bar came over and took our order and upon ordering I asked if we could order some bread ( I am heavily pregnant and by this point needed something to nibble on) I was told that bread comes out automatically when you order your mains. I was happy with this and satisfied that I would get something to eat while waiting for my main. Nothing came! At 8.25 I ended flagging down a staff member again asking where our food was and if we were going to get any bread. Almost immediately our dinner was then brought over to us. Still we were not given any bread but by this point I was just happy to eat something. The food was absolutely lovely and we were pleased with the food we had. We then ordered desert but then had to wait once again as no one came back to us so I had to go up to the bar to ask to pay. The thing that made this whole experience more disappointing was that the woman who I can only assume was the landlady and chef had been sat down next to us at one point chatting away to others in the restaurant while we were sat waiting for our food. We then witnessed another staff member wearing chef attire also wandering around at one point too whilst still waiting for our food. I would add that it is also frustrating and somewhat unprofessional to have to observe the same landlady and chef happily sat down eating their own dinner amongst other patrons whilst waiting for dessert. Overall it was a really disappointing evening and the service unfortunately was diabolical. I did not even have the opportunity to discuss this with anyone as no one came back to our table to ask how our meal had been.

Chalgrove has the classic set up of church and pub well a few. Red Lion is probably the oldest and I seem to recall the church are the landlords. Pub dog Hindi waddled over to greet us on arrival and lots of staff serving which is a good sign. Lively cosy old pub and must say the skate we had was superb and great value.

Great place to enjoy a meal, book as it’s popular

What a splendid find, for me it was like a little piece of heaven. Friendly service, amazing food, (I even said I don't remember when I last had steak that good), such a cute interior and friendly dogs inside. So glad we changed our minds from what we had booked to eat there instead. If you're not a dog fan, it's probably not the place for you.

I have been here a number of times for meals. A great atmosphere enhanced by friendly and helpful staff. The bar hosts a number of beers over and above the standard. Well worth a visit.

I don't live in the area, but was going to a hair appointment, popped in for a bit of lunch beforehand and was very happy to find the nicest pub I've probably ever been to. the staff were lovely, as were the resident dogs. food was incredible and the atmosphere was so welcoming (I'm always a little afraid of village pubs in areas I'm not familiar with as they can be unwelcoming to outsiders) but the staff were so lovely. will definitely be coming back for dinner with the family soon.

Four went there for lunch, and when we arrived there were only perhaps four other people in the pub. We quickly ordered just a main course each, and it took nearly an hour to arrive. After around 45 minutes, I asked how much longer the food would be and was told, 'It will be here soon. We're very busy.' Yes, they were busy then (45 minutes after we'd ordered) but not at the time we placed our order. Also note, no hint of an apology for the delay. It may have helped if they updated us occassionally, instead of just leaving us sat there waiting. Add to that dogs and toddlers running amok, and it's not a good place for adults to go for a quiet lunch. If you're on any type of timescale, you'll need to consider the potential long wait too. The food actually was very good, but taking an hour to deliver it... Good grief...

Popped in for a lunchtime drink, missed the kitchen open times, but the landlady had a chat with the chef who made me a steak sandwich. Simple but delicious and went out of their way to help. Pub was packed and great atmosphere too… will be going back!

Had lunch there the whole experience was excellent.

AMAZING food, lovely staff and cosy fire! Sea bass and sole are delicious!

Our great little pub, as always delivers! Weathered Covid and going strong! Bravo to All!

I have been here about 7 times since I moved to the village and every time it has taken over an hour to come. A couple of times it took an hour and a half for a baguette.

The Red Lion were an extraordinarily friendly, professional and efficient service, providing breakfast for guests on the morning after our wedding day. Our guests are still talking about the delicious food, a perfect pick-me-up for after the big party. Thank you to The Red Lion for a wonderful service, it will not go forgotten. Would recommend to anyone looking to cater for weddings or large events.

I ate here several times during my visit to UK and loved it. We had my "last supper" with my family the evening before returning to Australia and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their food. Thank you Red Lion, everything was amazing!

We had a fantastic experience at the Red Lion! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, making it the perfect place to unwind. The food was not only delicious but also beautifully presented, a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. What truly sets this pub apart is the friendly and attentive staff who made us feel right at home, we just moved to Chalgrove and it’s exciting to have such a great pub a short walk away. I can’t wait to visit again!

Lovely pub with lovely staff specially the kitchen staff. Food tasted fresh and not long to wait

First visit last Sunday but will definitely not be the last. The beef was superb and melted in the mouth. Wife had the pork and raved about the crackling. All the vegetables were cooked to perfection and we're plentiful. All in all the best Sunday lunch for years There is one criticism. We were so full after this that we just hadn't got room for the delicious looking plum crumble..

First time visiter real good English pub . Friendly staff . Would like to visit again !!

Quaint family run pub, which has option of sitting inside by the bar or spacious area out the back for alfresco dining. There’s an extensive selection of food on the menu, that caters for all dietary requirement! The food was delicious. Highly recommend a dessert too! I went for the maltesers cheesecake and it was divine! Friendly and helpful staff and loved meeting the residents dogs - Indi and Franklin! Lovely!

Always great food - menu changes regularly- lovely friendly landlady and good staff and service - great atmosphere

Great food and atmosphere I really enjoyed the bread made in-house 🤤

Food was lovely worth for waiting

First time in The Red Lion in Chalgrove for me today, and as soon as I walked in I knew it would be a good experience. A village pub that was welcoming and cosy. The staff were very friendly and food and drinks were excellent. I do like a pub that has a selection of real ales on and I had 4 to choose from here. The Rebellion IPA was good and the Butcombe was exceptional. We all had baguettes for a light lunch, which was served promptly and was very delicious. We had our granddaughter with us and were pleased to find they have bady changing facilities too. Well done Red Lion. We will be back!

Went for a pint on my own. Lovely ladies behind bar serving. Nice well kept garden area for a summers day.

Excellent food and friendly service. The place was full and everybody seem to know each other. Not your typical pub food but a set above in plating and flavor. The owner came to offer us dessert and we ordered her homemade Bakewell tart. Absolutely delicious.

As always, service and food very good. Reasonable price and clean

Good roast dinner with visiting family.

The landlady is absolutely lovely. She put on a wake for a friend's young son who was tragically taken from family and friends. Food was amazing.

Good quality food, freshly prepared with friendly and attentive staff

Unfortunately not the greatest experience. The pub looks good and is very clean, however long waits for the food (almost 1h for 4 burgers and 1 fish and chips). Chips in the menu supposed to be hand cut with peels on but ended up being normal chips and overcooked. Burguer was dry and overcooked, the fried cod was good.

Nice beer, great service, nice pub

Fairly new to the village and WOW we are now the luckiest people in the world Steak, pork en-croute WOW WOW WOW

We visited this beautiful ancient inn for lunch. Incredibly welcoming and quickly seated, despite arriving without a booking. The menu has specials and staples, offering something for every dietary requirement and/or tastes. Calves liver and bacon was perfectly cooked and served with a jus, Colcannon mash, and onion rings: the best example of this dish that I have tasted in the last few years! There is a very competent kitchen at work here and everything they served to us was good. The desserts are all home made by the landlady who is a specialised professional pastry chef, whose ‘pudding nights’ are sold out months in advance. Our dishes of crème brûlée containing fresh raspberries and sticky toffee pudding were perfectly executed. They are punching above their weight in terms of quality/value for money. Definitely worth a special trip. Recommended.

We had a lovely meal at the Red Lion last night. I had contacted the team about some food allergies I have. The chef, Rob corresponded with me directly and was able to suggest a delicious menu with several options for starters, mains and dessert. It is not usual for me to have more than one option for each course so it was really lovely to have options available. I had a delicious falafel burger with sweet potato fries, coleslaw and salad. The waiting staff (thank you to Cas and others) took great care and attention to check ingredients with me and check how our meal was being enjoyed. The ambience of the pub was great too. It was fun to see lots of locals enjoying the pub as well as other visitors. Very cosy atmosphere and friendly staff. Thank you for a great evening and we will be back!

Fantastic, cosy country pub for food & good beer. Live music for st Patrick’s advertised but no band on the night otherwise would be 5*. Owners super friendly & made the best of it though

Had a small family gathering in the function room for my birthday. The venue was perfect, the food excellent and the staff charming. My elderly disabled mother was able to arrive to the room without difficulty, and the direct access to the garden and play area for the children ensured all generations were happy. Thank you for a lovely afternoon

Been a few times on different occasions. Enjoyed the garden and atmosphere. On our last visit we had a fabulous dinner, with the added bonus of a cuddle with one of the pub dogs. It is a credit to the owners this is how to run a successful pub. Thank you we will be back.

Food was excellent. Warm welcome. Lovely atmosphere. The lamb cutlets were superb. We went for Valentines and the menu had so many delicious options. The puddings that Suzanne makes are just the best. We had a wonderful night. Brought back all the lovely memories of our wedding here. So lucky to have this quality so near.

Fantastic layout for our Diamond Wedding anniversary. Friendly attentive staff, excellent food. Many many thanks

Whilst the food was tasty enough we were really disappointed by the small portion sizes and significantly long wait time to be served. We were asked five times if we wanted another drink from the time that we ordered and our food coming out which started to feel a bit ridiculous. There were a handful of experienced staff helping customers but there were multiple very inexperienced staff who dropped cutlery on multiple occasions, forgot what we had ordered and said that dishes were not available on the menu (that we then saw served to other customers have who ordered after us). Parking is also very difficult here due to tight roads and complete lack of signage.

Lunch. Friendly staff. Cosy environment. I had the roast pheasant which was nice, but I was amazed by how small the portion was despite being a main course. I came home and had toast.

Great lunch with a lovely fire thank you

Very nice but quite expensive and could have been more generous with the vegetables.

Lovely homely pub. Had a sandwich for lunch. 👍

Fabulous buffet at the Red Lion on Thursday for our group. Great choice of food and attention to detail. Highly recommend to other local groups and visitors

The Red Lion always serves fantastic food with great service. We went for Sunday lunch and had the roast beef which was really tasty and came with a good selection of vegetables, all cooked to perfection. Pudding was hard to choose but in the end I had the creme brulee with shortbread biscuits and my partner had the baked apple crumble cheescake, both were delicious. I really would recommend the Red Lion.

Delicious Sunday roast in a beautiful village pub.

I visited here with my family again in October. Still excellent! Very friendly staff and owner, lots of dogs(! Which I LOVE in a country pub) and great food with lots of gluten-free options. My wife’s cheesecake was simply the best I have ever had. If I was an American wanting to find a real English pub, I’d go here!

Enjoyed a drink and liked the friendly staff.

We didn’t think we’d need to book for a week Day lunch but this pub was really busy. They agreed that we could sit in the marquee in the garden. Service was good and food was tasty. Limited choice for vegetarians but the food was good. Would come again.

Varied menu and excellent food, good service and good value. Recommended. Hope to be able visit again soon.

We were staying at an airbnb in the village close to the pub and the Red lion provided the most fantastic meal. Definitely a gastropub experience and the food was top-notch with great service and a good atmosphere. Highly recommended

Absolutely stunning meals and drinks highly recommend 🙂🙂🙂🙂

We had a table booked for 7pm and arrived at 5pm for drinks.The pub was pleasantly busy and the atmosphere was how a country pub should be….laughter with strangers and dogs begging at the bar for a treat from the friendly barman!Enjoying this wonderful atmosphere a little too much we didn’t sit to our table till 7.30 and then by 10 were so full and relaxed we could barely move😂 Excellent food,drink,hospitality and company from start to finish….book a table in this little treasure and see for yourself how Ray and his wife Suzanne have quite possibly the best pub for miles around,reflected in their team of brilliant staff too!!

Had probably the best meal of my life here everything was fresh and cooked to perfection. They really go out of there way to make you feel welcome

Another fab meal friendly staff made to feel very welcome

The food was excellent. Always a warm welcome . We were celebrating our wedding anniversary. We had our wedding reception here and we highly recommend it . The Lamb chops were superb

Gorgeous country pub, with pub dogs, family run like it should be.

I had a really good calf’s liver Sunday roast.

Great pineapple cider! And lovely staff :) Say hi to Frank the sausage dog for us

Just want to give a massive shout out to Sue and her team in the red lion Chalgrove Took my mother-in-law there for dinner on Monday evening this week She was very impressed with the service and quality of the food Beautiful food company and ambience.

Lovely public house with a varied menu to cater for everyone. The fish and chips I ordered were delicious and even though they were very busy the food arrived promptly. Would recommend.

Respect to the team at the Red Lion, who refilled my water bottle when I called in on a bike ride at 33°C today. Next time we're up for a family meal, the Red Lion will be at the top of the list!

The menu is fabulous especially if your gluten free. The landlady is gluten free and knows what she is talking about, which is very reassuring.

Lovely traditional village pub with a great range of food and drink on offer. Food Is tasty and not overpriced and staff are friendly and helpful. A pleasant garden at the back for alfresco dining if you wish. Highly recommended.

Really lovely pub, good food and great service.

Nice pub, friendly staff. It was busy for a Monday night which is always a good sign. Food was average.

Nice friendly village pub with a lovely outlook. Did not order food. Menu looked quite good. Can get quite crowded at times. Nice outdoor seating area at the front.

Friendly service. Excellent beers and great food

We had the most beautiful meal Easter Sunday. The food was amazing, the staff were lovely and we couldn’t recommend this place enough!

Great food and a warm welcome . Definately worth a visit. Thanks N

What a super place. This picturesque country pub offers a warm welcome and a cosy environment. I can not eat wheat and there were plenty of gluten-free options on the menu. The food was excellent (a little pricey) and there is a great pudding menu. The ale is very well stored and as good as I have had anywhere (I drank Doom). The pub is beautiful and very well maintained (see photos) both inside and out…even the bathrooms are immaculate. We were greeted by the owner and both she and the waitress were charming and welcoming. There are two delightful dogs in the bar, which I LOVE! It makes the place very homely. Of course some people will not like this when dining but I’m sure they could be put away if you asked. Personally, I’d ask for more!! All in all, I loved the place.

Always excellent, the chef will go out of his way for people with specific dietary requirements so don’t worry if you need to order off menu.

The food was fabulous, absolutely will go back next time I'm up that way...

Some friends of ours who live locally took us here for dinner on a busy Saturday evening. Despite the number of patrons dining, the staff never made us feel rushed or hurried. The food was simply superb - Blue Cheese & Celeriac soup being a first for me, and absolutely delicious! The range of desserts offered here is also impressive, having something to suit all tastes. Highly recommended.

I had an evening meal at this lovely place yesterday as I was visiting the area with my family and was recommended to come here by my loctitian. Wonderful family atmosphere, very kind and attentive staff. Food presentation is incredible. Great prices for the high quality food. Very impressed and would love to eat here again in the future. Thank you!

We had a perfect Valentines meal. The food was amazing as always. Raymond and Suzanne are such wonderful hosts. Highly recommended.

Fantastic food and service I'm looking forward to going back

Really nice pub friendly staff food excellent and value for money. Good choice of beers London Pride a superb choice.

Brilliant. Varied menu and suberb food. A very Happy place.

We booked for lunch today at short notice the Red lion was recommended by a friend. The food was amazing the staff were very friendly. We had an excellent time.

We had dinner catch up with family last night and was delighted to find this gastro pub to be dog friendly and with lovely interior deco. We had starters of spring roles both vegetarian and duck version as well as scallops and white baits.Our mains were ribeye steaks and one of venison. They served us bread with butter on waiting for our starter. It took a bit longer than we thought for the meals to arrive but service was great!We had desserts too and the Eton Mess as well as the Toffee pudding were delicious. Highly recommended for family and friends or for a romantic dinner.

We received good old fashioned quality service and fantastic food the liver and onions the best I have ever had! Great value and very friendly thanks you to the team for looking after so well, Andy

Great place, lovely bar lady and nice food

More great food and service at the Red Lion. Would highly recommend 👌

Beautiful dog friendly pub, big garden and comfortable atmosphere. Pub staff were extremely friendly, came over to say hello. Food was exquisite and chefs were friendly too and accomodating for allergies. Would highly recomend and will be back for sure. 😊

Great food. Quiet but a bit buzzy. Lovely location.

We had an excellent meal at this lovely pub. Fantastic service and delicious food. Really nice atmosphere inside. All the staff were really friendly and helpful. We will definitely be going again!