The Oranges and Lemons — Restaurant in Oxford

Disappointing and Misleading Experience at Oranges and Lemons.

My recent attempt to attend the pub quiz was incredibly disappointing and frankly, felt like a complete waste of time. Having checked their website beforehand, I specifically noted the information stating that seating for the quiz was on a "first come first served" basis. Based on this, my friends and I made a conscious effort to arrive considerably early to secure a table for our group.

Imagine our frustration then, when we were met with a sea of empty tables inside, each adorned with a "reserved" sign. This directly contradicted the information provided on their website. When I raised this discrepancy with the manager, I was informed that these reservations were held for "loyal customers," leaving us with the unacceptable alternative of sitting outside. At this time of year, the unpredictable weather makes outdoor seating a far from ideal option, especially for a group intending to have a meal while participating in the quiz.

The fact that reservations are taken isn't the core issue here. It's the blatant contradiction between this practice and the misleading information presented on their website claiming that reservations are not possible for pub quizzes. This false advertisement is unacceptable and immediately erodes any trust I had in the pub's transparency and integrity.

Despite our commitment to arriving early and being prepared to spend money on food and drinks, we were made to feel like an inconvenience and were expected to make significant sacrifices due to the pub's undisclosed reservation policy. This experience has left me with a very negative impression of Oranges and Lemons. The misleading website information and the dismissive attitude towards new customers in favour of an unadvertised reservation system suggests a lack of respect for potential patrons. I will certainly not be recommending this establishment and will be hesitant to visit again...

my son has been mentioning Orange and Lemons since they opened and I was fortunate that he took me there for mother's day. What a wonderful experience from the moment we arrived to leaving. They have a large selection of beers and not being a beer drinker, managed to find two that I liked, not saying I would drink them mind! A good and unusual selection of spirits, the bloody shiraz gin was lovely as was the samphire gin. I'm planning on trying a different one every time I visit.

The staff are incredibly helpful and nothing was too much trouble, Johnny and Jade have made the pub a very special place to visit. They make you feel like a part of the family.

Food was delicious, as I very fussy eater, the halloumi fries I would order again and the mediterranean tart was perfect along with the side and condiments. My son had the bao buns, these looked incredible and beef roast which looked very ample and his words 'one of the best roasts I've had' I did try a little of his yorkshire pudding and can agree one of the best in Oxford. Sticky toffee pudding and churros were a nice end to a lovely meal, although we struggled to finish it all.

Thank you Johnny and Jade for a wonderful day yesterday and for my complimentary prosecco. Everything was perfect and your staff are wonderful, can't wait to...

The Oranges and Lemons has a much better selection of beers than its Youngs-owned predecessor, and they are well kept. It has the potential to be a great pub, but is let down by chaotic management and understaffing.

Even at busy mealtimes, there is typically only one dedicated barperson serving drinks and taking food orders, while another person shuttles between delivering that food to tables and serving drinks if/when when they have a moment. A large queue then develops, which is then ineptly managed in terms of serving people in the right order. Initially I put this down to teething problems, but it has been months now and service is as poor as it was in Week 1.

Come on, owners - show some respect to your clientele and sort yourselves out. We would like to see you succeed, but have many...