The Swan in West Berkshire

How can you explain the fact that you started banging on the door of my room so that I would open it, after I opened it you immediately started yelling and accusing me of smoking? .After I came to my colleagues’ room, who were lying quietly resting and not smoking anything, they were also puzzled that you had “bothered” them like that. Then I decided to come down to you to find out in more detail why you were thinking about us, so I invited you into the room to check whether we smoked or not, for some reason you thought that I blamed the other rooms. You say that there was no one but us, but in the morning I saw a man who was leaving the hotel with a suitcase. I advise you next time to calmly find out what’s wrong, and not start with shouting.

The rooms are very cold, there is no heating at all.

We did a pub stop over in our motorhome. Had dinner and a few drinks in the pub. Great service. Staff were absolutely lovely. Thanks so much guys

We used the Swan as a motorhome stop. Nice food and beer and the service was excellent.

Good place to stopover in the motorhome. Quiet and friendly. Food is good and well priced. The staff are quite laid back, but the kitchen was very slow bringing my meal out, about 45 minutes. I ordered a sweet and after over 30 minutes of waiting I was told they had just realised they didn't have part of it so couldn't serve it. Also I was just reversing to leave in the morning, a supplies delivery wagon pulled in and blocked me on for about 35 minutes while he delivered and chatted to the landlord in the carpark for ages. I didn't ask him to move as it was a free stop over, and he was doing his job. They could just have been a bit more aware.

Stayed in a twin room here with a friend while walking the Ridgeway and had dinner in the bar. Some of the reviews left me a bit nervous but honestly I don't know what the fuss is about. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend staying here. Our room was bright and modern with a view of trees. The beds were a bit soft but fine and the bathroom was tiny but also fine for a short stay. Staff were friendly. And dinner was remarkably tasty. Lovely sunny beer garden out the back.

Food very poor quality and cooked poorly. Hotel was badly decorated with woodchip!! Seriously I thought Jarvis Cocker had sorted woodchip out long ago!

Hubby had to come here for his birthday lunch, even though it was 3 months ago! He just raves about the food. Sunday lunch is amazing here. Generous portions, really tasty well cooked food. Lovely atmosphere and friendly. We've been here a few times and the best bit is the beef for the Sunday roast - always cooked through, just how we like it. Delicious honey roasted parsnips, carrots, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes. Just writing this is making me hungry!!

Had an enjoyable meal here. The pub is set in a lovely position

Lovely pub in beautiful village just off A34. Nice pub garden. Easy parking.

Very friendly. Have coeliac experience, so I felt very comfortable ordering a gf meal

As other people have said on here, service and food was not up to standard, mostly cold. I had french onion soup, which was Luke warm, then lamp rump, cold beg, no gravy and cold, I couldn't eat it, neither to the rest of us. The owner and chief should visit the Swan at Compton, to learn how give excellent service and food I will not be returning

Sat for half an hour with plates from predecessors on the table, then asked if we could eat? It took at least an hour so it was better to go to the neighbour across the street.....

Folk concert and food Rescued (marginally) by great music. 27.04.24 Visited from 100+ miles away specifically to enjoy the guest musicians. On arrival this small pub, mostly set up for food that night, was already quite busy. We were allocated to a table quite near the band, which we were, initially, delighted by. We found the one table next to us, for three or four, was eventually filled by 8 people who chatted loudly and continuously throughout the whole performance, normally I would have intervened but one of them seemed to know the band, whilst others were clearly locals. The table the other side of us was clearly occupied by locals too with no interest in the event and spent virtually all their time there shouting to each other to be heard (by all around too). To reinforce that, they left before the music ended too. Moving onto the incidental food. My daughter had a lamb rump with tasteless ratatouille and floury new potatoes devoid of flavour or seasoning. My mixed grill was generally seriously over cooked. I specifically requested rare steak, which was at best medium, the lamb equally so, and the thick slab of gammon. The mushrooms were more about over seasoning than any other flavour, the tiny tomatoes were just there, I guess nothing more need be said. The chips and onion rings were surprisingly nice. Basically the venue had one experienced waitress/barmaid and one who appeared to be very inexperienced. Both for the main and the dessert the other staff member had to come back to confirm our orders. After being shown to table after a long wait I went back to the bar to get menus. After main was served it took an hour to clear the table, then even though we asked for menus we had to go back to the bar again to ask for one. Dessert finally arrived around 70 minutes after the mains. Desserts were a cheese plate, quite generous and a formulaic berry Eton mess. It was ok but unexciting. The venue needed at least one more staff member to justify running the event and serving the poor food. A great band impacted by rude locals and mediocre (being kind) food. Toilets cleanish but dated.

Stayed overnight in motorhome, very welcoming and nice food. Real ale was good. Helpful landlady

We stopped in our motorhome overnight on our way to Portsmouth. The owners were very friendly and made you feel very welcome. The drinks were reasonably priced and the food was delicious and again reasonably priced. Definitely recommend The Swan to everyone. Well worth a visit. Definitely stay here again.

I stayed here for a week inbetween house moves. Great hosts and staff who couldn’t do enough for us. Food was top drawer and catered for my needs perfectly. I still pop in from time to time and seems to be going from strength to strength.

Clean facilities and lovely staff

Made very welcome. Very friendly and relaxed. Apart from one shy dog who wouldn't let me stroke him 🤣🤣 We read online that campervans are welcome to stay overnight assuming you eat or drink, which we had hoped to do. However, food was not available due to chef being away, but we were still allowed to camp. We did have a couple of beers though and do look forward to returning to try the food.

Great Sunday roast. Friendly staff!

Can't fault The Swan, very welcoming place to relax and enjoy some good food. Friendly staff too who did their best to make our dining experience a happy one.They have car parking too which makes a real difference. They have also done everything right with regard to Covid, they are very efficient in this respect.I saw on their menus they do special dietary requirements ie gluten free and I think vegetarian too.We have been here a couple of times now and they have made us feel very welcome.

Having visited twice in two weeks I can safely say that The Swan is quickly becoming a personal favourite of mine. Not only is the food to a very good standard, the service is great too - nothing is ever too much trouble for Pheonix and Linzi, who were both so warm and welcoming. We had a whitebait and a chicken karahi to start which were both very tasty and with a few chips the chicken could have been called a main course. For mains we had BBQ ribs - served with chips and onion rings, pie of the day (which today was a beef and mushroom) served with mash, vegetables and gravy, and a Teryaki Chicken - served with rice. All of them were truly fantastic and we couldn't recommend them highly enough. My personal opinion is - if you havent eaten here already then it MUST go on your list of places to visit. I already cant wait to come back and try the rest of the menu.

Fabulous reception and lovely food. We’re definitely going to be back. Can’t recommend the roast dinner enough it was huge

Me and my partner had a lovely meal in there early this. Curry (korma) was just right. Yes spicy but not complaining, they did state it was a little spicy to myself. The burger is thick and tasty. You can tell its home made. We both had starters as well. Chicken dish and calamari. I cant explain how yummy these were.Staff were so friendly and smiley. Looking forward to coming back to The Swan soon.I want to compliment the chef and his mouth watering dishes.Food is worth the price you pay. More than enough food on your plate. You won't leave hungry. We both had to go for a nap when we got home. Delicious. Thank you so much.

The swan has recently been taken over so we were excited to try out one of our locals again. Safe to say we won’t be going back for food. The curry was meant to be a korma (Luckily I’m ok with spice) and it blew my head off and was tasteless, the poppadom was soggy and the mango chutney tasted like sick. I was so disappointed, the burger that was also ordered dripped with grease and tasted strange. We didn’t order pudding as the mains put us off so much. Such a shame as the prices do not reflect the quality of food. The only thing I will say is the service was ok. They need to sort it out otherwise I can’t see it working for them. Such a shame.

Popped in on a Saturday afternoon. Only two other punters so literally not atmosphere. Waited for 5 minutes for the landlord to appear. Looked most inconvenienced at our presence. When I asked to pay by card he huffed and puffed and slammed the card machine down. Dreadful, cliquey, ghastly pub with mean staff and zero atmosphere.

Having looked through the window and seen two dogs in the pub, we entered with our (very friendly) dog on a lead to see if we could get an evening meal, only to be told - as one of the resident dogs started barking at us - 'Oh, I don't think this will work with your dog'!! Needless to say we retreated to find a more welcoming, dog friendly pub to eat and drink at! I can understand now why it was completely empty!

Stopped to grab lunch on our way up the A34 and glad we found it. The service was lovely with many regular customers eating in the restaurant. We had curry and spag bol. They were both excellent and well-presented

Excellent venue, menu, service etc The Sunday Carvery is to die for, the Best in Berkshire and the Host's are the Best

This is a review of 2 halves. Upon arrival the staff were warm and friendly, we sorted our rooms and ordered our mealsThe food was excellent, I had Cod and chips and it was cooked to perfection along with the other meals.When the manager came to collect the plates he was abrupt and miserable, hey ho, perhaps a bad day. The bedrooms are extremely dated and the loo didn’t flush properly.The bed was fairly firm (but that’s a personal dislike).The pillows were like thin sliced bread and we could have done with another 2 each. We couldn’t ask for more as it was mindnight and there were no more spare in the room.Would I Eat here again. Yes. Would I stay or recommend staying here again. NO NOT AT THERE PRICESI would value the standard rooms at £35-40 and the 4 poster room at £45-50. This is not a 3 star establishment More a 2.

Stopped over on the way to ferry at Poole.Very friendly staff. typical pub food. Average price. Served a good pint of Wadworth 6X

Pub très sympa, accueil chaleureux et contre une bière accueil camping car pour la nuit sur le parking.Dégustation des bières proposées avant de choisir, vaut le détour

Such a lovely pub with very friendly landlords and doggy’s! Honestly can’t thank them enough! We broke down near the pub and had a few hours to kill! It was 21:30 when we arrived, even though they had stopped serving we were cooked the best pasties and were able to stay until our breakdown van arrived! Highly recommended for excellent food and service!

Spent a night at The Swan and couldn't have been made to feel more welcome. Lovely pub in a quiet village setting. Room had everything I needed and was clean and well kept. Breakfast was superb - quality food, beautifully cooked. Lovely and friendly service and they (literally) went several extra miles for me, as Richard was kind enough to run me to Didcot station to save me ordering a taxi. This is truly 5 star service and I can’t imagine many top hotels doing the same. I really enjoyed my stay and I look forward to visiting again soon!

A great alternative to Chieveley Services for lunch.Just off the A34 a few miles before Chieveley Services when heading south. We have stopped here a number of times for lunch now when heading south on the A34 (there is a sign at the side of the road advertising it). Every time we have been made welcome as we travel with our Westie dog. (Please note if you are taking a dog into the pub just pop in first without your dog to let them know you have a dog with you to give them a chance to take their own dogs out of the bar ).There is an extensive specials menu which runs alongside their main menu. They seem to cater for most dietary needs.We have over our visits tried a number of items off the menu and all the meals have been to a very good standard of Pub food and good value at between £25-30 for two people including drinks. Toilets are clean which is of course another reason for stopping when travelling. Some outside tables available if the weather is nice. They also have a table of books which they sell to raise funds for charity, so have a browse while you’re there or drop off those no longer required books.Hope you enjoy your lunch.

This a great place to go to for your Sunday lunch. Very tasty, good portions, very good value for money. Great atmosphere. However, the menu during the week is fantastic too. We always enjoy our meals and the staff are so pleasant and polite

Stopped halfway to Bournemouth just off A34. Lovely log fire and good beers/Guinness. Sandwiches were doorsteps and really fresh. A good break on our journey.

Driving from the Midlands to Southampton to start a cruise,we stopped at the Swan,we booked a room for the night,and had both an evening meal and breakfast.the room was dated but comfortable the meals very good. I would recommend the stay and the meals value for money.

Interesting fact, this was Moorland's first pub, so had to sample a pint of Moorland's original. We visited on the off chance having attended a carol service at the nearby St Mary's church, looking for somewhere serving food after 8pm on a mid-week December evening. Cannot fault the food, good honest pub grub, sausage and mash, gammon steak all the favourites. Both space to have a meal or enjoy a drink. Ample parking adjacent to the pub, If we are in the area again, will definitely re-visit.

Had dinner at this pub several nights as I was staying at the hotel. Good variety on the menu. Food delicious & well presented. The pub is cosy and popular with the locals. Friendly hosts Richard and Kim make you feel welcome.

Heading south on the dreaded A34 and desperate for a coffee and a break we headed into East Ilsley and stumbled across The Swan.This is an unspoilt pub well supported by the locals. Service is quick & cheerful and the coffee excellent. Only moments from the highway it is much better value and far more pleasant than the service areas on the A34. Recommended

Hi. Now here’s on odd one. Not the sort of thing you come across very often and needs to be highlighted to all around about going above and beyond the call of duty. So we were staying in the swan in Compton not here. But our friends were in here and we ate with them and drank a few beers. We couldn’t get a taxi back to Compton for love of money because of the races. The lovely girl behind the bar Said that one of their staff could give us a lift back to Compton later. So we had a few more drinks but missed our lift. When we realised the time and got back to the bar the landlord had sent him home. Our mistake. But then he gave us a lift back. Without asking for payment. I just want to say thank you to him for looking after us as it would have been a long walk back. Many thanks Andy

Stopped off at the Swan with friends as part of a 7 mile circular walk. Beforehand we hadn't decided which of the two village pubs to aim for, but as the Swan is the more traditional pub of the two opted to visit there.Turned out to be an excellent choice!Although only wanting the light meal menu - plenty of options including some lovely throw - back basket meals. Slightly larger and rather nicer than I remember. Had a good luck at their main menu and specials board and a really good range of well priced food. We saw the meals and desserts for other diners and all looked rather good.For a Saturday lunchtime all appeared a bit quiet but hopefully they'll do a roaring trade during the summer and when the big race meetings are on.We'll certainly be back when in the area.

They don't like complaints, and sadly the customer survice ruined our visit, even though the food is good and large menu, it's always the service that's remembered. Bit intimidating.

The quality of the meals served was poor and certainly not value . A steak pie dominated by pastry and filled with 5 or 6 pieces of soft meat or something that was supposed to be Aberdeen Angus Steak. Fish and chips where the fish was white and grey in colour and looked as if it had been put through a wringer. The meal took about 10 minutes to prepare (an early warning sign ) and was generally lacking in taste. On this experience I would recommend not eating here.

Lovely old traditional un gentrified pub. Comfortable and very friendly. Excellent beers and fantastic food at good prices.

We stop in at the Swan fairly often as it’s en route to our son in Oxford Decent menu and food well cooked usually Surprised today that on arriving at 1.45 to be told that we were too late for any cooked food!! Bizarrely on the premise they were too busy - half empty pub. Disappointing- but the Brie and cranberry sandwich was good if on soggy white breadI think we’ll try the other pub next time - Crown &Horns next door Still staggered that on Bank holiday Monday a pub can’t do hot food after 1.45!!!

Only a short way from the main road, we stopped here on our way to the south coast for a light meal. We were had a huge choice of sandwiches, jackets or small portions of meals to choose from. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, so much so that we called in for a meal on our way north after our holiday. The staff were superb - we highly recommend this cosy village pub.

We ate here today. Great friendly pub brimming with atmosphere. Food is well presented and tasty. Great portions and worth the money. Lovely open fire.

stopped for lunch on the way to south Coast had the most delicious meal what more can i say we could not fault the food it was Fabulous

We booked for our family of seven very late (1 hour before) for lunch on Sunday, the carvery was Great, lovely roast pork, tasty roasties and lots of veg, all cooked to perfection .Good friendly staff and the puds are to die for. Very good , but arrive Hungry Thanks for looking after us , see you again soon

Stayed here for one night and the room was ideal set up but the jewel in the crown (for me) was the pub itself. Clearly a family effort (rather than a chain event) which made for a great welcome, excellent real ale with both dinner and breakfast being excellent!Also really great to see such a welcome for those (not me) with dogs. Until next time...

Looking for lunch on the A34 saw a sign advertising good food at the Swan, we were not disappointed. A friendly welcome to a traditional English pub was followed by delicious and freshly prepared food. We thouroughly enjoyed our lunch, the chicken and ham pie was very good and the apple and walnut pudding was excellent. Dont bother with any of the greasy spoon services on the A34 head off to East Ilsey and the Swan Hotel

Friendly staff who did everything they could to ensure a lovely visit. Accessible to my elderly mother with a trolley and lovely yummy food. Lovely atmosphere and couldn't fault them. Parking is ample too.

We had a lovely meal - we chose The Carvery as it was a special party and the host requested a carvery - it was a great choice - there were 2 joints of meat on offer pork and beef - I had both. There was an array of vegetables to choose from - homemade gravy and the extra sauces - horseradish and apple. If you like a good carvery, a proper country pub I can recommend The Swan.

Found myself at the Swan after my second vehicle breakdown in three days. Whilst waiting for a new vehicle to arrive they provided me coffee on the house, use of the TV and a place to vape. 1st Class and a rarity. Thank you very much. Cheered me up no end.Mark

This pub is very conveniently placed near the A34 and provides quality food and friendly service. Can heartily recommend!

An old building but comfortable and very welcoming to wet walkers. Very good meals. very pleasant and helpful landlord.

Stopped off here on one of our motorcycle ride outs, some pubs would have seen 30 bikers turn up and refuse to serve but we were made to feel welcome and served food and drink very efficiently. Great proper pub serving good food. Will definitely call again.

Situated in the lovely village of East Ilsley and just off the A34, The Swan is a lovely village pub. The staff were very kind and helpful and the burgers were delicious! The service was great and the atmosphere was welcoming. The facilities were very nicely kept and well maintained. Overall a very good pub and worth a visit.

We travel the A34 quite regularly and call in for a light lunch and a pint.Lovely staff - still has the atmosphere of a horse racing area (just off Newbury Downs).Food good, middle level pub grub. Had Sunday carvery late April - excellent.No need to go to Chievely ( app 4 miles further south) which is crowded, smells of rancid fat and a typical (poor) UK service station.

Stopped here for a light lunch having seen it signposted of the A34 many times before, what a great decision! Lovely country village pub with table service, lovely good value food. I had a superb home made vegetable soup with warm role and cracking salad. Nice coffee and good selection of ales too. Highly recommended.

We popped into this pub for a Sunday roast after seeing their sign on the motorway. We're so glad we did the food and staff were lovely

A very pleasant and unpretentious local pub serving basic pub fare at a reasonable price. Food was nothing to write home about but perfectly fine for an ordinary day out. What did stand out was the friendly and attentive service. Seemed popular with the rambling, dog walking crowd (complete with big boots and red socks!)

Easy to find and good parking.Charming people and good service. Menu choice was good, I went with brie courgette almond crumble came with 2 bits of garlic bread and salad. This had dressing on which they changed for me. So fresh and tasty.My friend had fajitas and really good, bit too much couldn’t finish, however we did find a bit of room for chocolate brownie with cream…oh my this is my favourite dessert of all time and one of the best I have ever had.Was quite busy so would recommend booking to make sure of a table. Cosy with a friendly atmosphere, most welcoming.

The four of us all had very good meals and were well served by the people there, going out of their way to help.

Met friends for dinner, food was average and quite highly priced for what it was. The steak pie was good, the haddock poor, the thai green curry and the fishcakes average. Presentation of the food was good and the bar man was helpful and friendly.

Decided to meet here as it was central for our party to travel, and so pleased we did . Food was good, staff friendly and the atmosphere great too. We will defiantly be back

Dropped in for a (very) quick bite en route to an appointment at Harwell - this place is so conveniently placed by the A34 but without being actually on it.As we were early (12 noon) it was quiet but not deserted, with some patrons going al fresco whilst we delved into the core. Pretty much what you'd expect - low ceilings, lots of seating and tables in a character building (former coaching inn).The menu is good. Choices of starters and mains to suit most budgets, lighter bites for those of us in a rush, open sandwiches, panini's, and childrens choices.My scampi - £6.50 - was as fulsome as other pubs have charged me double for not long ago, and well presented. Excellent value. My son's sausage was just as good and the coronation chicken on french bread equally pleasing.The beer was nice too - not the biggest variety but also not just national brands, with a choice of local fare that was tasty and not too strong.Take a turn around the village too - very pleasant duck pond over the other side and some very attractive houses. There's a genuine cart barn in the pub car park too...

Saw the sign and decided to abandon motorway services in favour of this lovely pub. Food from Blackboard choices excellent, standard menu much as you would expect anywhere, think £19.50 a bit much for a steak, you southerners obviously got too much money. Reiterate previous comments, very friendly welcome and good service, would definitely call again.

We arrived after a difficult journey on A34 with our young daughter. Excellent food, and very friendly clientele and helpful staff. Thank you!

The Swan has been my parent's local for many years, however I hadn't eaten there properly until recently.The pub has a nice warm atmosphere and friendly staff that make you feel at home. The menu is varied with a regularly updated specials board, meaning that there is sure to be something to suit everyone.Based on a recommendation from my dad, I went for a rib eye steak as, in his words, you could cut it with a butter knife as it was that tender. He wasn't wrong. Amazingly tender steak which was perfectly cooked to my liking, and it came with plenty of trimmings including chips, mushroom, tomato and onion rings.Good choice of desserts too - I had syrup sponge which was excellent.Definitely worth a visit!

Good food and service in spite of being rushed off their feet as the dining area was packed. A good atmosphere with friendly staff.

Went here for a quick bite the other night, and the food was great, the service good, the tables clean and the prices okay. it is very much a classic British pub with nothing fancy on the menu, but a good selection of beers that are well kept and served. Sunday lunches are the big event here and are well worth a try.

Popped in for a quick drink.Landlord very friendly beer of very good quality. Toilets clean. Nice atmosphere,a pleasant evening.

Both had items off the specials menu and both were good pub grub. Service was friendly if just a bit slow.

Stopped in for lunch after a walk with my daughter. Really nice welcome from the staff. Food was all done really well and served promptly. It's standard pub fare, 5 stars is for the service. All in all a really good customer experience.

Randomly saw a sign for this place on the motorway and I'm pleased we stopped here for lunch. Great atmosphere, very very friendly people and fab food. Just what we needed. Definitely recommend this place.

Stopped off here on our way to Bournemouth, as we have many times in the past . Had a very nice Ham sandwich and chips, the food here is always of very good quality . So pleased to see that Daisy the dog is still here. There was a roaring log fire in the grate , the toilets are spotless as is the whole pub . Always a warm welcome, and staff are great . Will be back next year , shame it's not nearer to where we live.

As the pub next door didn't open until 1200 we called in here and would have had lunch but it was freezing cold. The landlord was friendly and welcoming and there is an extensive menu but I was just too cold. The fire was laid up with logs but not lit and the radiators were not on so we had a drink and moved on. Shame.

Had a working lunch today. The service was friendly, food was nice and the pub felt clean and well arranged. I would happily go back. Food is traditional pub grub - nothing fancy.

Called to break journey from Wales to London, it is about 5 miles off M4 on A34 north at Newbury junction. Friendly and helpful staff made adjustments to the menu to cater for our preferences and were very attentive. Good standard of pub food at reasonable prices. Well worth a detour from the motorway service areas.

Lovely Sunday roast carvery. Delicious! Staff were attentive and service was good. Looking forward to our next visit.

Went here on spec and we were pleasantly surprised, lovely atmosphere, smart and tidy with a real log fire and brass decorations etc, a reasonably priced menu with a very good selection of food to choose from. We had a love three course meal and drinks for under £60 including a gratuity. We will return.

A fantastic 3-course Christmas meal, with plenty of choice and plenty of food. Quality crackers, mince pies & coffee included all at an excellent price.We were made very welcome. Friendly and efficient service, with everyone's meals coming out close together - quite a feat considering there were 26 of us in the party.One of Compton Harriers favourite pubs!

East Ilsley is spoilt in having 2 good pubs although in olden days I understand it once had 17. Those were the days. The Swan is more of a traditional pub than the Crown and Horns across the road which seems to have morphed into a gastro pub so there is choice. We like The Swan for its homely, friendly atmosphere, it often has a real log fire and serves tasty, reasonably priced food. Try it if you want a good relaxing chill-out.

The Swan is well placed when travelling south down the A34 towards Southampton, Portsmouth and Poole. It's about 45 mins out. We stop there on our way to the Portsmouth ferry for coffee on the way south and for dinner on the way north. There is a good size car park although it does fill up in the evening. The staff are very welcoming and the food is generous and reasonable value. They also serve smaller portions for those who only want a snack. The owners are dog friendly - they have 3 that own the bar - so not ideal if you don't like dogs. the service was a little slow on both our recent visits - it took around 30 minutes to get our food but it was busy, which is a good sign. The food is worth waiting for.The only downside was a rather noisy local who sat at one end of the bar and continually shouted at the bar staff and other customers with a very tiresome line in banter that only he found amusing. Okay, he is probably there every night but he needs to be asked to tone it down as it is not conducive to others enjoying the atmosphere of this quaint old pub - it's a difficult one to resolve. Another party of 4 near us got up and left due to his loud comments to others. We would have left too except we had ordered our dinner.We will continue to use the pub but will seat ourselves as far away as possible from this local 'character'.Do give The Swan a visit on your journey south.

An extremely inviting and warm welcome was extended to our party of 4 for lunch two weeks ago. The entirely French menu was varied and to our delight, described precisely each dish ....and it didn't disappoint. Two of our party had the fish cassoulette to start (a small golden orb of pastry atop a large ramekin - perfectly cooked fish & a divine flavour); one person had the beetroot & mustard soup (unusual but delicious) & the 4th person had the gravad lax (served at room temperature & full of flavour). For the main course, 3 people had the Beef Wellington (one each well-done, medium & medium-rare) all succulent,tasty & cooked accurately. I had the lamb en croute (medium cooked) with a crunchy topping, tender juicy lamb & perfect vegetables. The desserts were all 'magnifique' - but sample them for yourselves!! Service perfect without being intrusive. The cost of the meal reflects perfectly the high standard of the cooking/service/surroundings and the staff are really professional in their approach. We shall return soon - it was a treat to experience our meal at the Swan - you won't be disappointed.

My wife, daughter and I enjoyed our Sunday lunch in this fascinating old building on the way to Oxford from London and just a very short detour from the motorway. We all had the beef and as it is a French restaurant we perhaps unrealistically anticipated something a little more bloody but as we are here in a minority in this respect it is understandable that the beef was cooked more than we would have preferred. It was nevertheless a splendid piece of meat. Puddings and service were excellent. This has been our most enjoyable lunch in the Oxford area and we will, God willing, visit again. Next time we will go for an unambiguously French main dish.

Excellent service and very good food. Prices are high given the size of certain dishes. <br />We would go back as it was a really good lunch.

The Swan at Tetworth is an amazing place - absolutely wonderful French cooking and the Sunday roast beef is divine!

WE CAME FOR MY WIFE,S BIRTHDAY,WE HAVE BEEN TO THE SWAN NUMEROUS TIMES AND I CAN ONLY SAY THAT THE FOOD WAS SOME OF THE BEST I HAVE TASTED.I DON,T NORMALY EAT A THREE COURSE MEAL BUT HAD NO PROBLEM THIS TIME.WE WILL COME AGAIN AND RECOMMEND YOU TO OUR FRIENDS.THANKS FOR CONTRIBUTING TO A GREAT DAY. STEVE AND CAS

A fantastic French style bistro if you are heading to or from Bicester outlet village. Handy too for visits to Oxford and if you are going to John Lewis at High Wycombe. Excellent location next to the antique shop so an excuse pre or post lunch for a browse. The food and the service at the Swan are both excellent. The menu is very comprehensive and the wine list of sufficient depth and quality to please all palates. The food is something else and on par with a Michelin star restaurant. The owner and his assistant are excellent at their job, polite very attentive and professional who know their stuff without doubt. For foodies this is a 'must do' visit where the standard of food and service will not disappoint. I was recommended to go there by a friend and was not in any way disappointed . Brilliant all round. I will definitely be going back within the next few weeks.

We had a lovely evening with two friends at this French Restaurant on Saturday evening. From the moment we entered we were welcomed warmly and the service from then on was excellent. Attentive but not over the top. We all thought the food was wonderful, not a huge menu and all in French so we needed a little help! We all said we would be returning so that says it all.

exceptional welcome and atmosphere would recommend it . The owners were on hand and made it a personal experience .

Another excellent meal at the Swan, Tetsworth. Nice to see a number of changes to the menu since our last visit - although a few 'favourites remain. Superb veal , excellent cheese board and as always the service was attentive without being intrusive. Still seems to be a bit of a hidden gem!

It was our anniversary so went with friends. Service was very good, as was host French. Food very good but pricy & some charges not appreciated ie veg for one main extra £4 Wine good selection but overpriced Would go again bu only for special event or special offer. Bill was high & no complimentary thank you

My wife, 2 children and I went for Saturday lunch following a recommendation. When we arrived a large family party (20+ having arrival drinks and canapes in the area where we were sat and remain for about 20 mins after we were seated. There wasn't a children s meals which wasn't a particular problem and the waiter and chef went out of their way to make something plain-ish for my daughter - a fussy eater! The food was generally good although not very much of it at all. I had the vegetarian tagine which was particularly disappointing, both in terms of the quality and quantity. Lunch for 2 adults and 2 children with a drink each and 3 desserts tipped the scales at £110 and, quite frankly, I would have expected better. The service was excellent

Very friendly and good service. My father has to have a salt free diet and I asked for this on the booking form. This was remembered and dealt with easily and with a minimum amount of fuss. Food was delicious and it's fun if you have to time to have a browse around the antique centre afterwards!

We loved this place. We had a very friendly greeting as we entered and were made to feel special. The food is superb and freshly cooked. They were able to cater for my gluten intolerance with no problem. Make sure you leave at least an extra hour to spend time wandering through the vast antique centre connected to the restaurant. We can't wait to go back.