Gees Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Oxford

I've thought hard before writing this review. I had booked at table for 7 at Gee's through Opentable to hold family reunion - and noted own the reservation that we had three 80+ year-olds in the party and would like a quiet table in the conservatory. When we arrived (about 7 minutes early) the host asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside and I confirmed inside because we were concerned the outside chairs might be uncomfortable for the elderly members of the party. We were then led into the conservatory and indicated a table that was not made up - in fact it looked like someone had been sitting at it. The host confirmed that a party of three had been occupying the table but had asked to be moved - and had been give the table originally reserved for our party. This wouldn't have been a problem except for the fact that the table we were now being offered was in the sun whereas the original table, now occupied by the party of 3, was in the shady part of the conservatory. Although the host made a half-hearted offer to move us "somewhere else" it was clear that the rest of the conservatory was also in the sun. If there were other suitable tables indoors why did the party of 3 not get seated there? I suspect because the table they wanted - the one reserved for our party - was in the shade.

I had misgivings but was persuaded by one of our party to stick with the table we had been given. After prompting, the waiter completed the setting of the table (removing a used water glass and bringing more water glasses, cutlery etc). Unfortunately my worries were confirmed when during the main course everyone in the party started to feel uncomfortable in the glare of the sun. One of the elderly members of the team resorted to wearing a hat and sunglasses before starting to perspire and then feel dizzy. I asked the waiter if we could move urgently and we were again offered a table outside under an awning. We took this table and finished our meal.

I have no issue with the food (delicious except for a risotto that was over-powered by chorizo) or the waiter (he was solicitous, polite and efficient). However, I felt the host had badly let us down. The notes clearly made reference to the elderly people in our party and Gee's is surely not unfamiliar with people overheating if in the direct glare of the sun. We were given a 10% discount on the bill but there was no apology and no explanation why the discount was applied. Throughout the meal another member of the team - the manager? - had been sitting near the bar working at a laptop but neither she nor the host made any effort to speak to us after we had moved table. The discount isn't the point: this was a reunion of people who had not seen each other for a while and may never have a chance to meet up again like that. For the want of a little common sense and consideration, a meal that could have been wonderful instead will be remembered as the one where our table in the shade was given to another party and we all...

Really debated whether to write this review, but for the sake of public safety and constructive feedback here it is.

We decided to go to Gees for a celebratory meal with my elderly father after he received both jabs. We had ordered a nice array of food and were having a good time. My father ordered the crab linguine with king prawns & crayfish, which he was thoroughly enjoying until he tapped me in the arm and said he found something sharp and hard in the meal. Initially we thought it was just a piece of shell, but upon closer examination it resembled a corner of a plastic container. We brushed it aside as these things sometime happen, it was concerning but we proceeded with the meal cautiously.

A little later, he found another piece of plastic in his crab linguine, this time a much larger piece (size of a 10p coin) and was very sharp. In the picture attached it is the piece on the right. As you may see these fragments are frankly downright dangerous if accidentally swallowed by anyone.

We were just shocked - if he accidentally swallowed that he could have gotten seriously hurt and would have required medical assistance. We called over the floor manager, a lovely lady called Gemma, who immediately took the pieces of plastic we found in the food to the kitchen to discuss with the chefs. She returned to tell us that it most likely was from crab meat (likely from their containers), and the chefs are now aware and will take extra care in the preparation.

This is not a complaint, it’s obvious this was an accident, Gees is place where our family has gone before and we don't want to hurt their business. But for the sake of public safety, if you are planning to have the crab linguine dish please please do take extra care and chew thoroughly just in case.

If you’re the owner / head chef of Gees, please please take the extra time to sieve through the crab meat and ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. If it's an issue with your crab meat supplier then please give them the feedback and hope this doesn't end up in the plates of other restaurants or Gees ever again.

That being said, the rest of the food was great, the service there was excellent, and the ambience of the venue was on point. The manager Gemma was really excellent at dealing with the situation, and even beyond that at the start of the evening she moved us to a better table, and when my partner found a bit of hair in her burrata rainbow chard main (seems like a very minor issue now) she was quick to replace the dish, and after all these issues she was kind enough to not charge us for the entire meal.

That being said, the incident has really marred the evening, and we face an anxious few days wait hoping my father didn't unknowingly swallow a piece of plastic in his meal that he didn't manage to detect, and if so it would pass...

Above all there are two things you could say Gee’s boasts: A truly wonderful interior, the likes to which possibly no other restaurant in Oxford can compare, and a good local reputation. It has been around for quite a while and has acquired a bit of a following.

I first ate at Gee’s in early 2015 and was reasonably impressed with the whole experience, enough to visit it for a second time about six months later. However my third visit came more recently (December 2017), and I can’t say I left quite as enthused as I did two years previous. My partner and I both ordered the same dishes, and both ended the meal with much emptier wallets and the same feeling of disappointment.

The service we received was good; the front of house staff were friendly and dealt with all requests and dietary requirements positively and professionally, and we did have a nice - yet overpriced - wine with our meal (Verdejo 2016, Azumbre Cuatro Rayas, Rueda, Spain - £19.50 for 500ml). Unfortunately the food did not match the quality of the wine or the service, and nor did it live up to its ambitious price tag. Mediocre Salt Cod Croquettas with Saffron Aioli for £10.50 did seem especially steep, as did a pleasant enough but small main course - consisting of halibut, two clams, three mussels, some sauce and a bit of fennel - that came in at £24.50. The Crema Catalana (titled ‘Crème Catalan’ on the menu for some reason, and costing £6.75) had a reasonably pleasant flavour but was underset and ultimately failed to do this old classic justice. The blackberry sorbet (despite its perfect texture) seemed almost devoid of all flavour, quite in contrast to its apple flavoured counterpart which was nice (if not slightly too solid). Together the two sorbets cost £4.50.

Had we left the restaurant having paid a total of around £75 I might have been satisfied. However, the bill came in at over £120, and although the evening was not unpleasant, it was not by any means worth that amount of money. There was a time when Gee’s was considered one of Oxford’s best, and to some loyalists I’m sure it still holds such an accolade, but to me it is apparent that it no longer deserves a place amongst the top. With the likes of Arbequina and Oli’s Thai offering truly wonderful food, service and a great all round experience at a reasonable price, the comparison begs the question: “To what degree is Gee’s living off a pretty interior and an old...