The Varsity Club — Restaurant in Oxford

We had a great night up on the rooftop for our friends 30th which we’d booked, up until the end of of the evening - we were in a party of 30 plus people, had spent hundreds of pounds all night in our group, me and one other party member went down to see if we could pop to mcdonald’s quickly (around half 12, knowing this bar was open til 2am) and then be let back in and the lady on the door gave us a stamp on our hand and said “yep no problem we’ll let you back in if you show us a stamp”. We come back 20/30 mins later with a (bald and rude) bouncer on the door who says “we can’t let you back in as it’s after 12, and our license doesn’t allow entry after 12” (which the woman who stamped us did NOT mention). We spent half an hour arguing with him over this and his manager was so rude beyond words, had no empathy over the fact we’d been told 2 different things from HIS STAFF MEMBERS, and completely disregarded the fact we had spent so much money all night. The way the situation was handled was so rude, dismissive and unprofessional. We understood the policy and license, we SAID we understood it. The problem was how they spoke to us. The manager took no accountability over the fact the lady who stamped us told us wrong info. There was no empathy or apology over the fact we clearly were told we’d be let back in - why would we have gotten hand stamps and left, otherwise?! . If they’d have just said “hey, sorry you were told that that’s not quite right, sorry it’s ruined your night and we get it’s annoying” we’d have been fine. But both bouncer and manager were just SO rude and dismissive/rude that it completely ruined the whole night as we had to stand on the doorstep for half an hour waiting for our party to come out. When I literally said to the bouncer, “I get the policy but you’re not being remotely empathetic or understanding right now to your customers who have spent a lot of money and are clearly unhappy” he smuggly smiled at us and said nothing. As someone who’s worked in customer facing hospitality for years, I was shocked and disgusted by their attitude. Absolutely terrible customer service, so much so that we would not return or recommend this place to friends. So note to all, don’t leave the bar unless you plan on...

We went there 2 days ago to have lunch, it was very pleasant, the food was delicious, the waiters very kind and the view amazing. To enter I had to scan the QR code of the Varsity club and enter my details (covid measure) and my boyfriend who did the reservation did not have to do anything. Yesterday, We had to scan 1 NHS QR Code for the all group.

Today, we arrived at 4 for a reservation during the afternoon. A guy was at the door, checking the bookings. He asked us to do the QR code. I thought it was the one as the first day but no. He said, in a mean way that we all had to do the NHS QR Code otherwise we could live. We went outside to download the app but one of us had a too old version of her phone and could not download it. We tried to explain but he asked us to leave, that it was our issue, not his and if we did not have, we could go and come back only with it.

It would be great that you have only one policy and that we are not rejected from the bar like that, in a way not very pleasant. We really liked the bar that we discovered the other way but the way the guy talked to us was not acceptable. We do not want to come back if we are treated like that. The Varsity Club is supposed to be chic but it is not a way to welcome the customers. I worked in a chic place and I've never seen that.

I hope you will take this comment in consideration, otherwise the restaurant itself was very good and I recommend it, just not the guy who was at the entrance. The food and mocktails were...

We booked a table for 2 and we have got a table straight away on the roof terrace where we just booked. A white shirt gentlemen very politletly told us we can just choose which ever table we want and there is a table service. We did and we was waiting for 25 min. There was quite few staff 2 girl o e blondiesh and ond black hair waitress going around 2x in this amount of time. We couldn't order anything online true the qr code it was stopped. The 2 eaitress only took 2 orders and not even have a look around who else want to order anything. And after those 2 orders they just disappeared and was waiting by the bar and drinking chatting which would be ok if everyone would have their orders ongoing. I belive nobody told them there is a new table, the management wasnt around and it was really not managed or any sections anything. We decided after this almost half an hour to leave without any order take even i was was waveing when i saw they looki g around. I am really not a person who write a bad review but the whole place was beautiful and we really wanted to stay there because of the place and weather. I went really unhappy.. and nobody even noticed when we...