The Oak Baginton — Restaurant in Warwick

From the gallery photos on the The Oak’s website one gets the impression that the pub is a substantial building set well off the road within its own grounds. Reality on arrival is that it’s far smaller than expected and that it sits in an oppressive heavily wooded copse.

Again, the website video would have you think that the interior is a brightly lit well illuminated area with well thought out décor presenting a warm and friendly atmosphere. Reality proved that it was a dark and oppressive open space with numerous tables centred on a large TV screen more resembling a dimly lit village hall.

However, having booked a table online for lunch my wife and we ignored our preconceptions and presented ourselves for seating. The staff member who greeted us couldn’t get his iPad to log on to the booking system so that was ignored and we were given a table in the main hall. The first thing noticeable was the temperature. We considered putting our overcoats back on but decided to brave it out, however we noticed two other tables who decided to retain theirs. To be fair whilst this visit occurred during the noticeably cold June of 2024 a little supplementary heating would have been appreciated.

Our waiter pointed out the menus and told us to order at the bar. We had already noted a lack of simple starters like a soup option and this was confirmed assertively at the bar by two male staff echoing ‘We Don’t Do Soup!”. Hence we skipped the option and went straight to ordering a burger and fish and chips. Ordering our drinks took two attempts as apparently one half of diet coke and one pint of standard coke was too complicated to get right first time.

As we patiently waited, two other parties arrived and after about 40 mins it was evident that they had been served in preference to us. Calling what I presume was the manageress over she told us that our meals were late due to my fish having to be ‘hand battered’ and that took extra time! However, she returned quickly with our order and placed before me what I can only describe as the most pathetic offering of battered fish I have ever been served in my Seventy years on this planet. A slab of anaemic looking batter with the consistency of concrete which revealed a sliver (it would be an insult to call it a filet) no bigger than a quarter inch thick of dried-up fish within. It remained on my table no longer than two minutes before being sent back as totally unacceptable for the asking price of £16.

Removing it with a half hearted and obviously insincere apology I was offered no explanation as to why it was so poor. I replaced the meal with the burger that my wife had ordered and to be fair to The Oak that was indeed well cooked and very tasty.

Paying up I was still not offered a satisfactory apology nor any explanation. We paid for the two burgers and drinks and left as quickly as we could for coffee elsewhere.

Other reviews of this pub mention that it’s grossly overpriced for the quality of food on offer. That would be an understatement in our experience. On our visit at least, it would have been nice if they’d turned the lights on, put a little heat into the place and cooked a presentable fish in batter before serving two other tables...

We’ve just returned from an impromptu dinner out and I wanted to share my mixed review in the hope that it might help others and to hopefully make The Oak management aware. When we arrived, we were welcomed by a really lovely lady who was wonderful with our two year old, making him feel really welcome and comfortable. She also took our order and advised me well on the vegan options on the menu. The pub itself is lovely too and had a nice atmosphere. I ordered a kids vegan burger and chips for my son and an adults vegan burger for myself, which the menu said came with vegan cheese and roasted peppers. When the meals came out, my meal (£13.50) was identical to my two year old’s (£5), apart from the fact that his had peas too. They informed me in handing me mine that they had no vegan cheese, which it would have been nice to know beforehand. The burger had nothing else on it - just burger and dry bread. I questioned why my meal was smaller than the £5 kids meal and the man said it should be on a bigger plate - it looked like they’d given me a kids one too. I asked about the peppers and other toppings on the burger and he said he would take it and sort it. He offered mayonnaise, but not vegan. It came back on a bigger plate with a few extra chips and a few leaves of rocket on the burger - still no roasted peppers or any other toppings. When the man came back to check if it had been sorted, he said he would ask again about the peppers etc. As my husband and son had almost finished their food, I said to leave it and he said we could have a free dessert. We had to leave soon-ish to get my son home so informed him we wouldn’t have time for dessert so settled our bill. It was disappointing not to be offered any money off the food instead after a meal that wasn’t as described on the menu. It was a shame that we left feeling disappointed after such a nice start to the evening in...

Went for a birthday celebration meal here for my nephews birthday. There were 14 of us in total. As we went on a sunday we were given the sunday 2/3 course menu which is on the back of the normal menu. 2 course £12, or 3 for £15. Sounds like a good deal... Both myself and my husband wanted pate to start and lamb rump for main. I have to stress this was not the sunday roast. The mains options consisted of a sunday roast, half a chicken or lamb rump (£2 upgrade which we didnt mind), vegan shepherds pie and a few other choices. I paid £28 which included the £2 upgrade each for the lamb. Sat back down at the table while others in my party ordered. Was then called back to the bar by the barman who said I needed to pay another £4, as the 2/3 course deal was no longer on. He apologised and said as they had ran out of the sunday roasts the deal was no longer on. ??? Bizarre!!! I said I didnt want the sunday roast, I wanted the lamb rump. He explained I could have exactly what I had ordered as its also on the main menu. So i can have exactly the same food? But I just have to pay £4 more? Yes he said. There was absolutely no reason why I couldnt have the 2/3 course deal, other than they had decided once they had run out of sunday roasts that its off. There are no signs/notices or anything on the menu or in the pub to inform you of this and as I had not ordered the sunday roast and they still had all the other options available on the offer menu there was no legal basis on charging me more money than I had originally paid. I believe as there was so many of us they saw a money making opportunity and decided to take it. I have to say the barman who took the order was very apologetic. Unfortunately the bar manager really did not seem to care at all. Food was actually nice but unfortunately whole experience ruined before it started. Will not...