The Ox Barn — Restaurant in Cotswold District

The venue, as reviews state, is stunning.

When we arrived we had a drink. These are about £15-20 per glass. One of the glasses was not fully filled. We were informed they had run out but they’d reduce the price. A bit of an odd start. The waitress serving us then accidentally dropped one of the glasses, smashing and getting the drink over us. In fairness, she was embarrassed, apologetic & cleaned up as quickly as possible. Accidents happen but we then waited a while for it to be replaced.

We were then asked to go to our dinner table. We were told it was because a bigger table was coming in. It felt abrupt & rushed especially when the delay was because of the accident. The restaurant and bar was also not busy to warrant the haste.

At the table there was a brief acknowledgement that we were celebrating birthdays but it lacked enthusiasm. It would have been nice to receive a bit more of a fuss.

Starters felt a bit small for the price point. Some tables received bread before starters. We did not receive any. It felt like it was forgotten as bread wasn’t on the menu and tables are set with plates and butter knives

Long wait for mains. A few tables were waiting & felt like restaurant was short staffed. Only 1 of 4 main meals was correct. They had put through beef tartare instead of beef fillet. It took a while for the waiter to apologise and give an indication of how long the food will take. With all the issues happening, it was perhaps a few minutes too late.

The food came, but they forgot to change our cutlery so we couldn’t cut through the beef as the knife given to us wasn’t shape enough. Again we had to wait to flag down the waiter.

The main was nice, although as reviews say it’s a small portion.

The waiting staff were not attentive to refill our wine and we had to pour ourselves. We also had to ask for more water. I’m not against pouring but when it’s a restaurant at a certain price point, you expect more attention. Had they regularly poured our wine, we may have ordered more wine.

For dessert; I want to reiterate the lack of acknowledgement we were celebrating. I did not want or expect any freebie but it would have been nice to have had a candle or something.

There were mistakes on the bill. Ironically they had under charged us I know most people, especially after a disappointing experience would have taken the win here but i did the honourable thing & I went to speak to one of the waiters.

The bill was amendef. He kindly only charged us for 1 beef fillet. I didnt remove the service charge albeit in hindsight, removing it was probably warranted. The drinks at the start of the experience were not on the bill. I do not know if this was removed or they forgot to transfer it but if it was the former, they did not say it was to recognise the accident.

Before leaving we popped into the Bar. This is because the venue has a range of beautiful sheep chairs. The bar man asked how our meal was and picked up that it wasn’t a perfect experience. He did offer us a free round of drinks. We turned it down but there were at least attempts to rectify.

It is a shame, because it is a lovely venue and we had a fair bit of bad luck on the day but even if all the issues didn’t arise, I do agree with other reviews that the food is overpriced. If the bill was correct including the aperitifs it would have been over £500. I did not feel we had an experience that aligns with...

An amazing looking building set in lovely grounds sets the scene for this beautiful looking restaurant that is well set out. Sadly that's where my experience of what looked like a quality restaurant ended.

Although the atmosphere was great inside and the place was decorated well 3 of our table of 6 were facing a large plane wall. Not even a picture on it, so we didn't get to take in any of the views that were on offer.

The menu was good, although there was a series lack of vegetarian options (1 main course!) and I think if you're a vegan a phone call before booking would be highly recommended. The wine menu was rather small considering the availability of space they have and the prices increased rather steeply so if your on a budget you'll be limited to maybe one red and one white wine.

Considering the price of the meals the service didn't match what you would expect from, what should be a quality restaurant. The staff weren't very knowledgeable or attentive to our table at all. I don't think our waitress even smiled at us. It almost felt slightly unwelcoming. I'd say it felt more like gastro pub service than a restaurant which was a shame.

The food was well presented and although the starters were pretty tasty, everyone had to reach for the salt and pepper to season their main courses. I cant remember the last time I had to do this in a restaurant.

The lamb looked very fatty and the fat hadn't been rendered down very well. The beef, although well cooked and looking good was a bit chewy and not melt in the mouth as you'd expect. Our side of Duck fat ratte potatoes were barely cooked and the fat seemed like a bit of an after thought for the dish.

The only reason most of our dishes were empty at the end of the meal was because we had someone that eats three times as much as an average person. Otherwise everyone would have left something on their plate, not because there was too much, but because it lacked flavour or was too oily/fatty. Thankfully the salt and pepper mills are of good quality as they are well used!!

Overall, despite its looks and cost, the food was average, the service was below average and it was only really the venue that makes it an attractive...

Four of us dined at this restaurant last night, and it was one of the most disappointing experiences we’ve ever had. If this is what Michelin-level service is supposed to be, then I must be missing something.

We all ordered the lamb, and each plate contained just three slices, as thin as tissue paper and completely stone cold. It seemed as if the chef had forgotten to heat it properly perhaps even in the microwave. The plates themselves were cold as well, which made it clear that our food had likely been sitting on the chef’s tray for at least 20 minutes before being served.

When our food finally arrived, we had to wait an additional four to five minutes before calling a staff member to bring us cutlery without so much as an apology. I also noticed that the woman at the table next to us had to send her food back because it was cold.

To top it off, they attempted to charge us over £20 for the service charge. Given the poor experience, I refused to pay it. Service charges should be an option on the card reader, allowing customers to select "yes" or "no." Why should I pay extra for someone to serve me cold food?

I was truly disappointed that this restaurant holds a Michelin title. It seems that this recognition has led to overconfidence, resulting in a decline in both food quality and service. Please take this as constructive feedback rather...