Woodstock Arms in West Oxfordshire

Warm and welcoming pub with friendly staff. The food was great and the menu had a good variety of choices. If you are in the area it is well worth a visit!

Meet our daughter for Sunday lunch. Lovely old pub in the middle of Woodstock. Warm welcome & lovely ambience. Great menu. 2 beef & venison wellington. All the food was fab, my venison wellington was the best i have ever had, superb. Smashing bottle of Rioja. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday lunch time. Will be back.

We went on a Saturday evening, without having booked a table. The food was amazing, the staff were very attentive and the atmosphere was great. Would definitely recommend.

I visited the Woodstock Arms, with my wife tonight for dinner we have been staying in the area for a few days. I booked the table online after looking at their extensive menu. We arrived in this cosy pub which at 6:30pm was rather busy. A very friendly lady showed us to our table. The menu was varied with something to suit all tastes i settees for french onion soup to start it was outstanding, my main a feather blade of beef bourguignon with dauphinois potatoes was delicious and the beef very tender. My wife had the terrine a really hearty portion she had the chicken as a main again bath delicious. We were both full, so sadly couldn’t fit in a pudding which was a real shame because the puddings on offer were very tempting. The ambience in the restaurant is very cosy, I always think the staff make any establishment, the staff at the Woodstock Arms were welcoming and hospitable you’d have thought we had been going there for years we were made so welcome. It’s a shame we live in London otherwise this would most definitely be a regular haunt. The drinks and food are very reasonably priced, I would highly recommend the Woodstock Arms if you are staying in the area or a local who’s never been before. Well worthy of 5 stars 👍

We had Sunday Lunch ,It was Fantastic ,Scrummy Sunday Roast. Staff were very good. I can recommend this place ,Starters are Soo good ,Thank yo u Woodstock Arms for a great day. Jeff Myers

3 of us had wonderful lunch after Blenheim visit ( cafes great there too but we also love pubs) on a weekday, had reservations. Okay service but what stood out was atmosphere, location, good food!

Friendly warm atmosphere and very nice menu, well presented, nicely served, and in all a fine place for a good meal in a excellent location

On the face of this restaurant it looks like a nice place, staff are nice but I was disappointed with the food. Before i booked we looked at the “sample”menu and there was mussels, scallops, place, cod and more which would have been great as my wife is a pescatarian. However, on arrival most of the dishes I have stated above were not on there so my wife ended up with three starters. I had the squid which was nice and the cod was a bit heavy. My wife had whitebait, squid and baked cheese, which was not ideal. She left most of it as the sauce for the squid on her plate seemed different to the one I just had. We did have ice cream for desert and a crumble and I am used to paying large prices, however when you consider it was mostly all fried, it didn’t justify the £98 charge. Yes I had a gin and tonic and my wife had two glasses of wine, but this one could be one to avoid.

The best lunch I’ve had in many years. Slightly higher priced than other pubs but the best quality the best standard, fresh and high-standard Food. Slightly more than other pubs in Price but you certainly get what you pay for, the best of Sunday roast, are you really must go here if you’re not been before, my mum who is offered food for medical reasons at the moment, with really looked after by the staff who provide to do with the slightly smaller Sunday lunch which she thoroughly enjoyed, if you’re not been here for Sunday lunch, or any other meal, make it a priority, the best and the staff were absolutely amazing.

Disappointed last time we were in Woodstock, so pleased to report a far better experience this time out. We enjoyed a nice Tim Taylor and St Austell Tribute respectively, in front of an open fire, perfect. Lovely ambience, nice cinema based wall coverings.

Really enjoyed the food but I did think it was a bit on the expensive side. Woodstock Arms is a pub, you are 10 feet away from the bar. The prices are what you would expect in a restaurant. If you don't mind the fact that there is a busy bar next to you, or do what we did and sit in the far corner, then it is fine - the duck was excellent.

I have given a rating of average, but it was better than that but not Very good! We booked and arrived at 4PM for a booking in the restaurant, we were offered the bar area (which looked nice but my partner specifically requested the restaurant, the small issue was resolved and in we went) ambience was very nice with 80% of tables taken (concert at Blenheim palace helped) we waited for a drink request and menu to be delivered, my partner had to find a menu, this seemed to be frowned on by the staff. we were eventually offered drinks so we took the opportunity to order food at the same time. Our food arrived and i have to say it was very good, only problem was again trying to get another drink, we literally had to stop a staff member walking past to order. Our bill arrived and it included a 12.5% surcharge ( i have no issue at all tipping especially for good service) but the service was poor and should have been removed, do you think we could get anyone's attention NO, we needed to leave for the concert and still had a bill of £125 which included the service charge, i paid in cash £130 (no change) do you think we were offered the opportunity to remove the service charge or additional tip NO. So although the food was good the service was substandard with an expectation of a tip not because of good service, but because they had turned up.

For many years we have used the Woodstock Arms to meet up for dinner with friends. Last year we had the most awful experience and the meal was really terrible. I think it is now under new management and I am pleased to say after booking with trepidation we had a really lovely meal and now feel confident we can continue to return.

Since the management here changed in June, many friends have told me that I must go. I did yesterday, and was totally bowled over. I had one of the specials...a beef rarebit.. Never had such a thing but it was absolutely delicious. Friends had a HUGE crisp fish with home made chips, and another had a hot salmon salad which looked delicious and apparently was. What a find.The service lived up to the food, very anxious to please and succeeding. Can't wait to go back.

Went here with my family for dinner after visiting Blenheim Palace, and we all had a really good time! Everyone’s food was amazing—we all got different things and enjoyed them very much. We split two puddings for dessert, and those were delicious as well. The waiter was very nice and helpful when we asked for recommendations, and was attentive without constantly checking on us. In addition, we went on a Monday night, so the place was really quiet. The atmosphere was good, and the food came to the table very fast. We had a very pleasant experience, and would all come back again in a heartbeat!

My Husband booked this pub for my Birthday weekend 2-night stay away. We were greeted so warmly and were shown to our room, which was gorgeous (room number 3). The room was clean, well supplied and airy. We ate in on our first night, and I can highly recommend the fishcake!! We spent the following day out and when we returned, we were cheered by the same chap who had greeted us and who asked us if we had enjoyed our day - he remembered what we had planned. The breakfasts were lovely and all in all, no complaints. We would definitely return.

Lovely old pub where its nice to see locals in with their dogs. Both the food and the service leave much to be desired which was rather a shame.

Popped in for drinks during our stay in Woodstock and had spotted the Greene King sign outside. Decent atmosphere inside but sadly no Greene King ales, they just own the building or something like that. Happy with Tribute or Landlord as both excellent. Unfortunately the Sauvignon was warm, very disappointing.

Nice decor fish and chips were nice but fish pie was very dry had more mash potatoes than fish had to send it back. Crumble was nice but had to wait sometime before it was delivered.

Loved the quirky design and interior! The staff were Super attentive and what a great atmosphere in the evening. We stayed in one of the bigger rooms ( Extremely clean and comfy stay! ) Cracking breakfast and general good vibe! We will be staying again for sure.

Really lovely cosy pub. Staff were great 2 guys I assume owned it, worked hard, very polite and welcoming. The room we stayed in was fit for purpose and clean. On the small side however, it did suite us for a quick get away break and didn’t spend too much time in the room. The room had all the essentials. We stayed for dinner, the food was very good and the price was also reasonable. Unfortunately the young girl on service wasn’t very attentive. We had to ask a few times for the same things and was given a bill folder without the bill in it, we had to ask again. A little slow on the service side for dinner but again the guys were trying to make it all work. Special mention to the young lad who was running around doing a great job also! He didn’t stop. Breakfast was fab. Very good food. Very good service. Overall the location was good, very pretty village, plenty of pubs and places to eat in close proximity. Lovely weekend away, great little pub to stay. Will return again soon!

One of the best meals we’ve ever had in a pub. The pork chop was excellent and the chicken pie was brilliant! Atmosphere was spot on!

Lovely old pub with rooms in the historic village close to Blenheim Palace - low beams, local beers, friendly bar staff. Enjoyed a lovely local cider.

I find it hard to recognise some of the previous reviews as being about the same pub! We had an excellent two evenings here. The staff were wonderful. Very attentive, welcoming and professional. Also made a nice fuss of our dog. There was a lovely atmosphere and we went on two different evenings - once for drinks only later in the evening, and the following night for dinner a little earlier in the evening. The pub decor is quirky and cosy. The menu has a good range of choice. We tried the feta and green bean salad, cottage pie, blade of beef bourguignon and it was all hot and delicious with good portion sizes. Was it pricey? Yes, but no different to every where else of this quality these days. Loved everything about this pub. Keep up the great work team!

We explored Woodstock on a Thursday and dropped by the Woodstock Arms for drinks. Impressed, we booked a table for lunch the following Sunday. Our Thursday visit was delightful; the bar team were excellent, and the food looked appetising. However, on Sunday, despite being shown to a different table than booked (initially not a concern), our experience took a downturn. Ordering starters took approximately 25 minutes. We opted for the Cheddar & N’duja croquettes and Fried Whitebait, both delicious. After another 30 minutes, we ordered mains, specifying rare and medium-rare for beef. When the dishes arrived, both were presented as "rare" and "medium-rare," though my "rare" was more akin to well-done. Upon notifying the waiter, one plate was taken away, and the barman later explained the beef was cooked sous vide, limiting the degree of doneness. We opted for a whole roast chicken instead. The chicken, presented on a platter, and so followed several more platters of roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, and vegetables. The table was full of platters of food, leaving us nowhere to put our dinner plates to eat. At this stage we requested condiments and cutlery, and that the gravy was missing. Despite asking for a larger table, we were given an additional bar table to put the platters on. The carving knife and fork provided were not fit for purpose and the knife was blunt, making it hard to carve the overcooked chicken. By the time the chicken was carved, the rest of the items were all cold. When we pointed out the issue to the waitress, there was a lack of apology or concern. The entire meal was sent back. The barman apologised again, offering additional items, but we had reached our limit. Despite poor service and substandard food, the bill lacked any adjustment or removal of the gratuity. We paid the bill, deeply disappointed. Reflecting on the experience for a week, I decided to write this review, hoping they elevate their standards.

Met friends from Banbury for lunch the A board outside advertising a roaring Log Fire encouraged us in sadly no log fire in either of the two fireplaces although it wasn’t a cold day what a difference it would have.made.The staff we’re very friendly and helpful our food was delivered in good time the prices were on the high side. £7 for a portion of Halloumi Fries £18 for fish and chips but I suppose this is Woodstock! Our bill ended up at £147 no starter no puddings one round of drinks 4 coffees a big surprise £14 addition to the bill 12% service charge I hate that we always leave a tip.we ate in the bar not in the restaurant. Generally we enjoyed our visit although the pub could do with investment it’s a bit rough around the edge’s

We stayed here for New Years Eve, booked directly for bed and breakfast however, later told after eating breakfast, this wasn’t included. Even though our invoice sent by them clearly says bed and breakfast rate £120 and on their website!! This was eventually wavered. No way would we have paid an extra £30 for breakfast considering the quality of accommodation offered. Basic and tiny room, no space for any luggage. Safety concerns - plug socket hanging off wall with sticky note, side lamp hanging from exposed wire, no plug near electricals/kettle and coffee machine or long enough leads, meaning you had to put kettle on floor to plug in and use. Coffee machine - no coffee pods, so couldn’t be used. Three tea bags for two people, no complimentary tray of water or biscuits for example. Mini fridge not plugged in or working. Bathroom needs an update, compact. Burnt leg on radiator next to toilet. Only positive - comfortable bed and warm room. We couldn’t fault the food in the pub, excellent quality and attention to detail. Shame about the rooms. So we would return to the pub but rooms not worth the money and need some time and attention.

10/10 Sunday lunch, fantastic food great portions and well presented. Can’t beat it! Meat was perfectly cooked, loads of veg and nice atmosphere

A lovely cosy pub with a fantastic atmosphere. We visited on Sunday evening after a trip to Blenheim Palace and we hit the jackpot ! Fantastic food, i had the roast beef (served pink) they did ask and you can choose if you want well done. It was fabulous served with loads of gravy crispy roasties and a marvellous Yorkshire pudding filled with brisket ! The Tartiflette my wife had was sumptuous and oozing with cheese and flavour and the kids burgers were also fantastic. Good portions, good service in a lovely setting.

I stayed for one night to attend the Light Trail at Blenheim Palace. From the moment I arrived the staff were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Madi was an excellent person to meet the moment I walked through the door. The staff over the afternoon and night were very welcoming.

Just stopped in for some lunch/dinner after visiting the Blenheim Palace. Very welcoming and service spot on. Food freshly prepared I went for the trio of roasts which was delicious and my partner the roast chicken. Didn’t disappoint and the meats were succulent and vegetables nicely seasoned with a hint of the honey glaze. Usually would skip dessert but as the portions of the mains were also spot on ( hate piles and piles of meat) we choose the sticky toffee pudding by with ice cream (you must try this!) if you’re passing by do stop in and try it for yourself you won’t be disappointed.

Have visited the Woodstock Arms regularly and have enjoyed the food, the service and the ambience but were so disappointed when we last visited that the only Ladies loo that was available was filthy and the bin for used paper towels was overflowing over the floor. This was when we had an early Monday lunch so obviously hadn't been cleaned for ages which is especially upsetting at a time of Covid. I have emailed and then posted a copy of the email to the manager for an apology and assurances that this was a one off and haven't had the courtesy of a reply so it seems he thinks this is acceptable.

Looks nice from outside. And looks nice inside. Advertised Xmas menu which didn’t exist. Not the end of the world but menu is pre made and limited so if you want a burger or steak and like then medium or rare you can’t have it cos they have to go well done unless it made on site. Service was mediocre and lacked a bit of atmosphere and it’s the week of Xmas.

We have been coming here for years in December and the food sadly has consistently gone down hill.First of all our waitress was absolutely brilliant! Friendly and efficient.The food was pretty mediocre - i had salmon to start with which was fine. Then a chicken burger which at £15 should have been amazing was one chicken thigh (not problem with thigh meat) but just one small chicken thigh! My husband had the ground steak burger which was blatantly not! It was a cheap burger patty - this was returned and replaced with the ribs which were small, boiled and covered in a cheap sweet sauce.No mulled wine in December - whaaaat?My final point is to be told at when we sat down and the children asked for a packet of crisps whilst we had our drinks "we don't serve crisps in the restaurant" in an off hand way by a man that looked like the manager was a serious lack of judgement considering we were about to spend over £150 on food. If we could have left and found somewhere else we would have done.To finish on a positive note - again our waitress was excellent.

We had a very nice Sunday roast but no condiments were offered and neither were we asked by staff if we were enjoying the meal. The male staff member (assumably a floor manager) was unfriendly and when we tried returning later in the day for a drink we were refused entry even though someone was leaving and offered us their table.

Website includes a festive menu but not serving it on the day I went, in December, very odd. If you aren’t going to serve the menu the whole time, I would suggest adding the days you are. Menu pretty limited and struggled to have something nice with vegetables, fish and chips, ribs, burgers, mushroom risotto. Limited menu. Huge open fire but not lit on a cold day, not very warm inside and no ambience. 12.5% service charge automatically added which we asked to be removed. Not because the waitress wasn’t pleasant because she was, but not paying 12.5% for an average experience and a meal I could have made better at home. Probably wouldn’t go again.

The whole roast dinner was very tasty and well cooked. Service was great, I would recommend the Woodstock Arms for a fab Sundsy roast.

A very neat pub at atmosphere. We both had the fish and chips. Good pub grub. Good cask ales. Nice service, We made a booking on a busy Saturday night. They worked to fit us in.

The Woodstock Arms benefits from its sumptuous location, in the heart of the beautiful village of Woodstock. Ideal for a Sunday lunch on your way to Blenheim Palace, it is also a family-friendly location for any sort of gathering. The menu is varied and suitable for several diets, and it is good value for money. The drinks selection is also comprehensive and of good taste. The ambiance of the pub is very traditional, and dogs are warmly welcomed.

Think is one of my favourite places to eat in Woodstock, the staff provide great service and the food is always excellent! and with the added addition of allowing dogs the whole family is welcome. Brilliant.

Pleasant atmosphere and staff, prompt service but the food itself was disappointing, with all three meals lacking e.g. barely any fish inside the batter.

Very friendly, welcoming service with a touch of humour that made our evening very enjoyable. Cozy, traditional English pub, in the best sense. Loved our dinner here and would definitely return.

Would not recommend this restaurant/ pub. The service received by the manager himself was disgraceful, not one member of staff approached us to take our order to which I had to approach them to ask to be served. When expressing my disappointment to the manager, he snatched our menus and responded ‘ok’.

Woodstock is a lovely traditional English market town near Oxford, famous for the proximity of Blenheim palace, but a little gem on its own right. In the very heart of the town, the Woodstock Arms is a hotel-cum-restaurant that offers traditional food in a warm and cosy pub downstairs. We had a great Sunday family lunch, with traditional food and a nice bottle of wine. The service is kind, attentive and professional; the bill very reasonable. A very pleasant experience, they'll see us again.

We had a very tasty lunch and drinks, friendly service and a great atmosphere. Very welcoming to dogs too.

Solo traveler- treated very well. Dave, the manager, kept my bag for me while I walked around the city then was kind enough to upgrade my room. Felt very safe as a solo female traveler. The room and pub were perfect. Staff very pleasant and helpful. Thank you for a lovely stay.

We stayed here for the recent Belnheim Triathlon. The rooms are compact yet are done well and have everything you need. My recommendation would be use the fan if you run hot as leaving the window open, like I did, could mean you hear traffic noise and wake up early. It's happens in Woodstock especially on an event weekend. It's not too big a problem and we would stay in the rooms again.Food wise, breakfast is a limited menu and well done and tasty. Service was family friendly and we got a warm welcome. Food on the Saturday night was again a short menu although excellent. We had burger and chips and everything was hot, tasty and flavoursome. The salt and pepper squid was a highlight. Well worth a visit for us. I hope to visit again.

The most bizarre experience ever. We popped into this pub or something quick drink at 6 o'clock. It was empty and we asked for a table. The barman went off for ages only to come back to tell us there were no tables avaliable. We were a group of 4 women aged 35 and above. Very odd!

. . . was worried. No need. We shared a ham hock starter, plenty for both of us. Then cod loin with a super tomato, olive and spice sauce on crushed potatoes. I had lamb rump with fondant potato and stem brocoli and roasted sweet corn pieces, really super. Aflagato with Kahula a lovely pudA nicer meal than in the expensive hotel last night. With a bottle of Picpoul de Pinet. Total £96.50. I did not pay the 12.5% SC which I hate. I gave cash they got a better deal. I

The Sunday menu is quite mites. If we didn't eat meat we would have been struggling as the nut roast and plaice were sold out. We both chose the belly pork with honey roast vegetables. The service was quick and the food was nice presented. The portion size was large. Everything was very tasty but spoiled because it was not hot. The staff did offer to take it back to the kitchen but I persevered with it.

Dropped on this little gem for lunch. Dave behind the bar was friendly welcoming and very knowledgeable about his draught beers. Good wine choice, good menu. Emily served us she was bubbly and very helpful. The food was lovely better than average pub food. All in all we had a very good experience here and would return and recommend this place to our friends.

The excellent welcoming frontage to this place drew us in for a meal and drinks whilst visiting Woodstock, but failed to deliver in what mattered.The meal was very ordinary, with powdery frozen chips, the mushy peas were garden peas that had been mushed and my cheeseburger had ‘plastic’ cheese. The disappointment was exacerbated by an automatic 12.5% service charge added to the total bill, INCLUDING drinks.Be warned, the Black Prince is SO much better.

Popped in for a quick drink. The staff were warm and welcoming. Nice selection of drinks in comfortable surroundings. Dog friendly.

Thank you for a lovely Sunday lunch and excellent service. We will definitely be visiting agai very soon.

Paid via booking.com. When we checked out we were told they hadn't received the payment from booking.com and we had to pay again. Booking.com sent us the receipt for payment but in spite of speaking to the manager via telephone and emails, the hotel won't refund us so we've paid twice !

Ordered the prawn and squid linguine. Was served floating in olive oil and fairly tasteless. It wasn’t just excessive it was swimming I.in it. No one came back to check if the meal was okay. At the end of the meal the waiter returned, I informed him of the olive oil and he looked at the plate and agreed he wouldn’t have eaten it and would let the kitchen know. No apology and more so no offer of a refund or even a complimentary coffee.. won’t be going again very poor and not busy.

Looked promising but was very disappointing. Expensive Sunday roast - one slice of beef with hard, overdone roast potatoes. Burger looked good when it arrived for kids but hard, fatty gristly pieces. 12.5% service charge added which is discretionary so we didn’t pay as the service was average and the food quality poor plus for a table of 4 why do we pay service charge to simply deliver the plate from the kitchen? Shame as we had looked forward to the lunch after hearing some good reviews.

Very nice welcome and a lovely setting. Our room was very clean with nice furnishings and large tv. Only thing that let our stay down was the food. Nothing like the website which was annoying as I had specifically chosen this place to stay as the vegetarian food looked so nice. A pretty rubbish selection. We are elsewhere on the second night. Breakfast was also disappointing with no vegetarian options, no rack of toast etc. A shame.

Went here for lunch. Had the Thai style seafood linguine. For nearly £15 I got the smallest amount of pasta and then played hunt the seafood. Very very poor. Also the website is very misleading as none of the featured dishes were available. There are several much better places in Woodstock

I have been coming to this pub for years, it has always been amazing , food, ambience, staff. Went last night with two of my besties.. our first exciting meal out since lockdown… we were all so disappointed it’s unreal. Menu was lovely ( as usual) on the website.. when we got there we were shoved on a tiny table in the bar… I had booked the restaurant. We were handed grubby paper menus.. this menu was awful.. three starters… one being a bowl of olives. mains were all all burgers and fish and chips and when te food arrived it was chucked on a plate, no presentation, the chips tasted of fish and the burger I had was dry and inedible. Has this place changed hands or something? It’s the polar opposite of what I normally expect and love about the place. I’m not returning .

Meeting in Woodstock with friends from afar we checked out the menus of several restaurants. The Woodstock Arms seemed to offer largest choice so we booked.Having eaten at the restaurant before we were not disappointed by the service and food quality but the menu offered was nothing like that shown on the website with few choices and still shows different menu on website this morning.We would not have chosen the restaurant if we had known the menu choices which were offered.

VERY average food!! Linguine with two small prawns and two small mussels. Rather dry chicken and less than average chips with a tiny salad for me. No one asked if we had enjoyed the meal….bit of a clue there!!

We booked a table for Sunday roast for Father's Day with my 5 year old daughter. We were shoved into a corner on a tiny wobbly round table seated very closely to other people which was not in keeping with social distancing. Myself and my daughter both ordered roast chicken only to be told that they were only one chicken left! I said there was nothing else on the menu that we wanted so we would share this. When it arrived it was cold and horrible. The roast potatoes and vegetables were disgusting. It was like they had been cooked a few days ago and not even heated up properly. We didn't eat it as it was like eating cold leftover food. Even my daughter said sorry Mummy I can't eat this it's disgusting! The Yorkshire puddings were crunchy hard and stale. The pub allowed another guest to sit closely to us too and they had a very smelly dog with them! The whole experience was absolutely terrible! They said they had done 200 roasts today and that was their excuse for having only one chicken left! Do not waste your time going here! You will be very disappointed!

Booked a table to ensure we could eat Saturday 12th, very helpful staff. My wife was more than keen because they had Gluten free fish and chips on the menu, which isn’t extensive. We are glad we booked a table, it was busy and people were being turned away. We ordered our food, I also had fish and chips, normal version (as I call it). The inside of the pub is also very pleasant, we had a window table but a street car park stopped proper people watching but we did our best. Our food arrived, initial impression was, that’s big, fish was a decent size and delicious, mine was slightly a darker golden brown than my wife’s but both were delicious. Chips whilst not disappointing could have been better, thin cut and crispy, thick cut would have been the crown topper.Certainly we both enjoyed our meal, staff were very good, a place to go back to…..definitely.

Love the Woodstock Arms - during lockdown, the Moving Mountains vegan burger was a staple takeaway for us so we were extremely excited to visit again and dine inside. Visited today for lunch with my sister but we were disappointed to see zero vegan mains on the menu - NONE! We ended up with hummus and chips for lunch. Really disappointed but if this improves, we’ll definitely be back as staff and ambience are the best in Woodstock. :)

Really impressed that despite struggling for staff at present, they are focussing on quality over quantity and keeping bookings down so they can give best service possible. We’d accidentally booked only one table and needed two but the manager worked with us to find an outside solution that worked for us. I’d say sensible common sense approach to Covid regs without being too heavy handed or over the top. Food was very good and despite being warned it might be slow service we didn’t find this to be the case. Thanks again for a great evening!

A lovely evening meal with really friendly and attentive service. The food was good. The restaurant is well located in Woodstock.

A really friendly welcome and great table service. Had an excellent 2 course lunch - the steak was perfect. Would definitely eat here again.

Visited the restaurant as COVID restrictions are eased. The outside dining area is lovely. Close to the Blenheim Palace which was why we chose the place. Had burgers and sausages- were very tasty and well presented. The service was great, too. Worth a visit if you are in Woodstock.

A great Christmas lunch - turkey with all the trimmings - the best I’ve ever tasted Staff were excellent and treated us as if we were family in a safe and secure COVID environment Would recommend as one of the best in Woodstock

Had breakfast here this morning and it was probably the best bacon and eggs I have ever tasted and portions so big I took half away for my lunch!

We had been visiting Blenheim palace and then decided to walk into Woodstock for a few drinks before heading home, this lovely pub was recommended by several friends, Georgia and George gave us a friendly welcome, nice locals, the Guinness and Wine were great as was the cheeseboard. We will definitely be back!

We visited here on a Sunday evening (pre-booked) for a roast dinner - and it was a bit of a mixed experience!The staff were all very nice and attentive, however there seemed to be only one gentleman manning the hotel reception and the area of the restaurant where we were seated, so he was a bit rushed off his feet running backwards and forwards, and there was a bit of a wait for our drinks order. We were seated round the corner from the main bar which was a little quieter, so didn’t quite have the same atmosphere as the main bar area.We were a bit disappointed to be told that nearly all the roasts were sold out, so only the chicken option was left- and we had the last portions!!We were also told there was no drinks menu - which seemed a bit odd and felt a bit like ordering in the dark when it came to wine (especially price wise).The meals themselves were delicious - the chicken was beautifully cooked and seasoned, and they also had the most amazing Yorkshire puddings! Desserts were good too: a crumble and a chocolate brownie with buffalo milk ice cream, really lovely!It should have been a really special evening given the quality of the food and all the promise this restaurant has, but just a few disappointing bits which stopped it being as good as it deserves to be.

Place has no covid secure rules at all no rules no safety features. Dangerous We ordered starters which never arrived for 35 minutes . Then asked the waiter about it . Forgot to put the order through. Accept we made mistakes 15 mins later with multiple mains we actually had to complain about the fact had not got starters Response : I did not make the mistake cannot make the food go starters. This is for a cold salad that should take 2 mins and waiting now 55 minutes Then got duck on 10 mins cold and hard because something they made and left at the side for 1 hour 15 mins before serving us not made new . Again forgot the chips we ordered no apologies nil else In covid environment how can u manage multiple tables with no covid security . If the tier goes up this place will be a spreader would not get any at risk person here at all I hav been to so many many restaurants but have to say a place that does not take pride in its service or food.

Sadly this lovely pub has a few things to work on. The Sunday lunch was very very disappointing. When questioned about the roast beef the waitress who was polite and lovely informed us the chef cooks the meat in the morning and then Heats it on a grill when ordered. The rest of the food was clearly just heated up. The roast potatoes were not roasted and the pork with crackling resembled a pork chop grilled and for the crackling it was just fat. (See picture) this was the worst Sunday roast I have ever eaten. It is a shame as the pub is great with a good vibe. Very let down by the food. The chef has clearly been changed because 8 months ago we had a lovely Sunday lunch with family before lockdown began. I would give it 4 stars for the staff and the general atmosphere and minus 4 for the food.

Enjoyed a delicious breakfast here with very friendly greeting by all staff then decided to come back in the evening for again another lovely meal, 3 steaks ordered and all cooked to perfection, then i had the special Salmon and crab fishcakes, highly recommend!

Went on a Saturday night and had a really nice meal. Place was packed and a good atmosphere. Staff very pleasant and food was excellent. I had a chicken, bacon, leek pie served with mash potato. My wife had a minted lamb burger with fries. We both enjoyed our meals. For starters we shared scampi which was also very tasty.

Spent a lovely evening here. The staff were really good in ensuring everyone followed the COVID rules, kept tables well served and somehow kept smiling. The table app allowing to order from your phone was brilliant. We shall be back.

nice pub with attractive outside area. Food was great although the craft ales were limited and poor.

The table we were shown to was much too close to other diners to ensure social distancing which is v disappointing given the rising numbers. We were moved without issue but then heard some of the staff talking about us! There were 3 veggie options but 2 weren't available as there wasn't any halloumi. This left one option, a burger, which was ok but uninspiring. My husband's seabass was good. 12.5% service charge is added to all orders. I'd rather choose how much to tip so this is another negative. All in all it wasn't great and we won't be returning.

Delicious excellent pub food. Good value for money, lovely friendly service. Great choice of specials.

We visited on my hubby's 60th birthday after a visit to Blenheim Palace. We got a casual table in the charming garden and ordered bar snacks that were out of this world and HUGE portions. The chipolata sausages were full size and about six of them. The battered halloumi fries were hot, crisp and golden. The mozzarella and tomato salad was lovely and the hummus and bread were good. It's a bit pricey at around £65 for four for bar snacks, 2 beers, 1 white wine and a tea. But overall, the service was fast and the food was well worth the visit.

we found the food and hospitality good and enjoyed the Fish cakes which we would recommend, however we found the social distancing of the table that we were sat at in apprapriate . Most of the tables were well distanced but we were sat close a table of 6 rather noisy 30 somethings who did not take care when leaving the table, for this reason we would not return there.

I DID feel safe! Despite a gathering of customers around the front door, when inside I felt all Covid measures were acceptable. The service was good and the food was great. My only issue - hence the 4/5 - was that my sauce on my sticky toffee pudding was grainy! Other than that great!

Had just arrived in Woodstock and went for lunch. We ordered a Caesar salad and a Superfood Salad. The Caesar salad was unseasoned with no dressing, not particularly great and the Superfood Salad was actually sent back as it was a bowl of leaves with boiled brocoli and shredded carrot (not as described on the menu).We would not recommend the food

We stayed at the Woodstock arms on Thursday 27th Aug. Our room was very clean and comfortable and staff very helpful on our arrival. We had an evening meal which was of good quality if a little expensive for what it was. We felt perfectly safe and received table service the whole time we were there. Plenty of space around our table and the staff again were very friendly and efficient.I was shocked to see the previous comments as this bore no resemblance to our visit. Some people are probably better eating at home if they find eating out so stressful.

We visited the Woodstock Arms early this evening for a light bite to eat. When we arrived at 6.00pm it was quiet, but over the course of 30 minutes it started to fill up rapidly. We felt extremely uneasy by the lack of Covid precautions. The staff weren’t wearing masks or visors and there appeared to have been no attempt to space out the furniture. This became all the more apparent as the place started to fill up. A family arrived to sit at the table behind ours and the lady actually had to ask my husband to move in his chair to squeeze by. They couldn’t have been more than half a meter away from him when seated. The attached photograph doesn’t really do justice to just how close they were, but I did hear one of their party comment that “the tables aren’t very far apart, are they?”, so we weren’t the only ones to have noticed. Despite posters on the walls advising you not to leave your table to go to the bar, my husband was asked to go to the bar to pay because the card reader signal wouldn’t reach as far as our table. We ate as fast as we could and left as soon as we were able to. The food itself was fine - average - but I couldn’t possibly recommend this pub under the current circumstances as I just don’t think they are operating safely.

We had pre-booked a table for our evening meal and arrived on time, but we seemed to be a bit of a surprise arrival, but were seated promptly. They were not full, but fairly busy.... but this was no excuse for being seated at a filthy table! I called the waiter over and asked for the table to be cleaned.... after the quickest of sprays/wipe he was off...only for me to call him back to do it again, as the table was still sticky/gooey.My wife's meal (Humous followed by fishcakes was good), however my Spicy chicken burger was foul (pun intended!).... at £14.50 for a burger I was expecting to be amazed..... what I got was just plain awful. A sad deflated bun sat on top of what can only be described as the cheapest, nastiest skinny sad excuse for meat wrapped in breadcrumbs... not anything remotely made in the kitchen, but out of a pre-made discount bag from the cheapest source possible. This sad excuse for chicken sat on two shavings of gherkin, a slice of tomato and the outer leaf of sad lettuce ... a small tin of chips finished off the plate! Here is where I made a mistake....I should have gone ballistic - instead, I made an effort... but after two mouthfuls I was defeated and called the waiter over.... he went to the manager and came back with a 20% discount, as I had started the meal (my fault)...... not a happy bunny, so eventually the manager came over. He agreed to take my entire meal cost off the bill...Add to this - little or no thought about Covid, no checks, no masks, no protection.... waiting staff handing out unwrapped cutlery and certainly inside 1/2mtr etc etcWhen we left, we had to fight our way out of the door, past a throng of unmasked smoking saddos, unable to have the courtesy to move away from the entrance....

Not a good start. It was one of those recent 34 degree days and we went here for dinner. It was very hot, there were several empty tables but despite that we were shown to the table right next to the door to the kitchen. Why do people do this it’s insulting? Once we were shown to another table though things began to look up.Service was good and attentive. We both had the same starter the smoke mackerel pate which was ok but our mains of bavette of steak and swordfish were both excellent. Both cooked just right. Excellent local ice cream for dessert.The place was clean, Covid aware with a good atmosphere and good value for money.

We were staying at Bicester Hotel and Spa and after quite disappointing experience with one of local places decided to explore Woodstock instead. Initially we were quite apprehensive of the venue but the menu looked great and despite my partners objections ( the venue didn't look as promising as Kings Arms just around the corner)we took a risk.Arancini and mackerel pate were superb, swordfish and risotto absolutely spot on-we normally dine in London high end eateries(apologies for sounding a snob but just to give you an idea of the standard id expect) and this place despite its facade didn't disappoint at all.One thing-we sat outside (which made ambience quite agreeable) - wine list wasnt impressive (Kings arms might be better place if you want a great quality drink) but if you after good quality food, quick but not imposing service -i would strongly recommend it!Nothing but the praise to the chef,staff and management

Visited Woodstock after a superb day at Blenheim Palace. What a fantastic place, wonderful food and staff were so helpful and friendly. Food was great quality and it made an amazing end to a great day. Thank you so much x

Popped in for lunch after visiting Blenheim Palace, lovely pub with lots of choice on the menu, good customer service, Sea Bass special was stunning.

Had two excellent meals here with the family, the dinner was so good we went back for lunch the next day, and there is plenty of choice in Woodstock. The lamb croquets at dinner were superb, we all had them for our starters, saddle of lamb, fish and chips but especially the chicken and mushroom pie all delicious. For lunch I had the chicken livers and my guest had the soup, again top marks. Might have been nice to have cream and butter in the mashed potato but it’s a tiny gripe. At lunch we had a couple of bottles of simply delicious white Rioja which at £30 a bottle was a steal. This is a strong recommendation, we shall certainly be back.

Amazing food. Amazing service. Ten out of ten. What a lovely meal tonight.canr think of anything else to say. Marvelous. Will come again.

We walked in here and I noticed the left side was the pub side where there was completely no social distancing at all. People cuddling the lot. Luckily the restaurant part wasn’t that bad although there was two busy tables next to each other. There was enough hand sanitizers available but that’s about it. Staff wasn’t wearing mouthmasks either. Now about the food. As a starter we had fishcakes. They were completely flavorless. As a main we had chicken leek pie. It made us both feel dodgy afterwards. If it wasn’t for the friendly staff I’d give this place a terrible.

First venture out after lockdown, staying in Woodstock and had a great experience with the young professionals running the Woodstock arms, safe & well run enforced rules and great atmosphere in the outside garden area, good food and wine, reminded us of Sydney eat street eateries, many thanks

This place was actually recommended to us so we went for food on that basis. Sadly it wasn’t a great experience as I had to send my steak back... asked for medium but it was very rare, even when it came back to me. The staff were very pleasant and did refund it without a problem. Beer garden a bit tight on space given social distancing needed. Wanted to love it but I guess as it was it’s first day back in business after lockdown measures, I’ve allowed for that in my 3 star. Sorry guys.

Visited on Sunday for lunch. Booked a table for one o'clock, arrived a little early only to be told that my booking was for 3 o'clock. I had email proof that it wasn't my mistake. The waitress did manage to find a suitable table as the small restaurant section wasn't busy. Not overly apologetic for their mistake. No tomato juice for the signature Bloody Mary that is top of the Sunday lunch menu. They did however manage to send someone to the very nearby shop after I made a fuss about it. A very long wait for the food. Extremely small portions. The veg was a joke. 2 tiny chunks of carrot, a small handful of cabbage, 3 undercooked half roast potatoes and a very sad undercooked, flat Yorkshire pud.I chose this pub because we had been for lunch at their sister pub in Wolvercote, this was a much better experience. Not sure why the standard can't be the same for both pubs.Certainly won't be returning to The Woodstock Arms. There are quite a few other pubs to choose from in Woodstock.

Not sure why so many negative reviews? We ate here last night(Saturday). It was early but the pub was busy and by the time we left the restaurant was full. Service was attentive - food was very good and nicely presented. I had a lovely rib eye which was very flavoursome and beautifully cooked, nice sauce with it too. Nothing to complain about at all. The server hit the bill wrong but that’s the only negative. We had a really nice visit.

Had lunch there yesterday and was a very disappointing roast, mine was the lamb and my partners was the beef. A small portion of meat with large amount of tasteless roast potatoes and on both plates a huge Yorkshire pudding. The only accompanying vegetable on both plates was a desert sized spoonful of cabbage. And that was it. No carrots no peas just a small amount of cabbage. Really really poor.