The Crown — Restaurant in Oxford

I visit this pub on occasion, usually for a couple of casual drinks. It's a nice venue with seating inside and in the outdoor courtyard. The premise isn't huge so there's limited seating both inside and out. Ideally located right in the city centre, it often gets busy,but it's a good place to go if you're lucky enough to find a table.

The range of drinks is ok. I'm typically a craft beer / IPA drinker and they had enough to choose from for my tastes.

This pub is part of the Nicholson's pub chain, and therefore is known for their pies. The meal I had here (fish and chips) was tasty, well portioned and came out in good time. The pies looked good too.

Unfortunately, the poor part of the review comes entirely from the service. I was visiting as part of a group - a family outing to celebrate a birthday. We had made a large booking 9 adults and a baby on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Upon prompt arrival, we could see that they were busy. Busy enough that they'd decided to ignore our booking and had allowed several smaller groups to take our reserved tables and order their own food.

The pub was full and there were no other tables available at the time. One barman in particular was both unhelpful and rude. He simply threw his hands up in the air and told us we couldn't be seated. Questioning this, we proposed that they vacate other tables where people were not eating and had no reservation. Without even considering this he responded with a no and said that everyone else were regulars - a statement which I believe was untrue and beside the point - we had made a reservation afterall and the pub was at fault here.

We eventually spoke to the manager who was a bit more helpful. He tried to call up the Chequers pub (also a Nicholson brand) to see if we could get seated there. They were, unfortunately, also full. The manager also refused to let vacate any other tables. We got lucky at this point in that another group decided to leave at this point and we were able to take their tables.

Once seated we then found out they had no high chair for the baby. There was also a bit of a mix up in communication with the manager as he lead us to believe that we'd have table service, but we had to order at the bar. This was probably an honest mistake, but we were quite irritated at this point. Once our meal was ordered the food arrived quite quickly. The rude barman initially came over to us with the first couple of pies and just blurted out "pie". This is a pub known for pies... many of us ordered different pies. He had no idea what he was serving so had to go back and find out. One member of our group had ordered a suet pie, but when that arrived it turned out not to be a suet pastry. The manager didn't seem to understand what that meant simply stating that's how it comes. This meal was sent back and a different meal was ordered.

When going to pay our tab at the bar we requested a discount for the unpleasantries, screw up with reservation and the suet-less pie mix up resulting in a meal having to be served late. The manager allowed for a 20% discount, whilst the rude barman tutted, rolled his eyes and shook his head in the background.

I will also add that on a previous visit I have seen a small rodent running around the premise, entering and exiting the door to the kitchen. To be honest, this wasn't a big deal for me - they can just come in off the street and I only saw it on the one occasion so I assume it has been dealt with.

So in summary I do think the food and drink here are good. However you can't rely on reservations, it's no good for families or...

So I’m traveling w my wife this past week to England and we decided to take the trip away from London and go west. We started at Oxford and it has a pretty busy atmosphere. I wanted to try some old school British food and what best place to try than in an old pub setting? I found The Crown which is part of the whole Nicholson pubs company which they own The Chequers as well. We actually went to The Chequers but their food service already closed so we went to The Crown.

When we got there we asked if there is still food service and they told us we only have 5 minutes to order and had to rush to get our order in before they close. So we did and decided to get their Ocean fish and chips and the Steak and Ale pie. Total bill was £37 plus 10% service charge ($54.91 US)

We sat by the right side of the entrance near the bathroom and all we can smell was the lemon ammonia cleaner coming through the doors and as people pass by and opens the door the smell gets much stronger. Luckily a table away from the bathroom opened up so we decided to relocate just as the food arrived.

So based on the photos it doesn’t look bad.. only thing that really threw me off was the “breaded scampi” which is basically just fried breaded shrimp. However the breading was pretty thick and there’s gotta be micro shrimp inside.. lol the mushy peas is basically what it is.. mushy peas, the fries are underwhelming and soft.. should’ve called it mushy chips, and the fish.. the main piece, was dry, flaky like cardboard.

And the pie, it looks good but as I tried to dig in I basically get a very thick and dry crust, lack of meat and sauce, but at least the sauce in the cup helped because I needed all the sauce I can get! I even poured the sauce to the fish but it’s really a lost cause. The broccoli stem was just plain steam broccoli but the carrots and mash were descent.. :)

I wish I can say good things as I like the old pub vibe, maybe it’s because we came in late and they were about to close and the kitchen was not happy to serve us, but hey I don’t know. This was our experience and hopefully it will be better for others...

Nestled in the heart of the historic city of Oxford, stands a true gem among the bustling streets – The Crown pub. Housed in a heritage old building where the legendary Shakespeare himself once resided, this pub exudes charm and nostalgia in every corner.

Stepping into The Crown feels like stepping back in time, as the hustle and bustle of the busy street outside fades away, leaving behind a sense of isolation and tranquility. The preservation of the architectural heritage is truly commendable, with every nook and cranny echoing stories of the past.

One of the standout features of The Crown is its friendly and attentive staff, with the affable Mathew. From the warm welcome at the door to the impeccable service at the table, the staff at The Crown truly go above and beyond to ensure a memorable experience for every guest.

The pub itself is a clean and inviting space, with a cozy ambiance that makes it the perfect spot to unwind after a long day of exploring Oxford. Whether you're looking to enjoy a pint of local ale or indulge in a hearty meal, The Crown has something for everyone.

In conclusion, The Crown is a true hidden treasure in the heart of Oxford, where history meets hospitality in the most delightful way. If you're looking for a quintessentially English pub experience with a touch of magic, look no further than The Crown. A visit to this charming establishment is sure to leave you with fond memories and a...