Rose Revived — Restaurant in West Oxfordshire

Resting on its laurels earned a very long time ago. Now there is a need a total review of everything by the owners. Went there for lunch last Thursday with an old friend. First time in ages. Very disappointed. Overcrowded with a lot of sadly obese people, so clearly someone is eating the food. However, our experience of lunch left us dissatisfied and unhappy with all but one aspect of our visit. My relatively simple dish had clearly been partially cooked well in advance, possibly even the day before - both the chicken breast and the vegetables - and then set aside only to be reheated when my order reached the kitchen on the day itself. The result was tough and dry chicken and the whole plateful had been reheated before a sauce had been poured over it. That didn't fool anyone. There were several examples of dog faeces on the grass which should have been spotted by the staff walking past them as they carried food out to the tables, then promptly removed by those or other staff. As we left, two young men who'd been carrying food from the kitchen to the tables outside, past the aforementioned dog excrement, were standing idly with their backs to everyone, including us and, indeed, to everything; engrossed in their own conversation. Had their idea of good service been up to scratch they would have been aware that we were leaving and, in any event, have not been been facing the other way so they could have seen us, smiled, thanked us and said goodbye and we, too, would have smiled and thanked them. Not rocket science. They didn't register our presence. We might as well not have existed. The only plus was the young lady called Annabel who took our orders for food and drink, served them and was observant of and attentive to our needs without being obtrusive. She also smiled - genuine not scripted smiles - and thanked us as we walked out the door because she was looking the right way and was observant. Thank you Annabel. You were Five Star even if some of your colleagues were not. Maybe you could offer your colleagues some advice on service? You are more than qualified to do so. But of course it's a Greedy King pub these days which is as good a reason as any for going elsewhere - though that is difficult, given the monopoly Greedy King have after their takeovers and closures of their rival breweries and with them their tied estate of pubs.

Note to the person who responded to my review :-

Your response suggesting I can't tell dog excrement from moss is a pathetic response and an insult to my knowledge and experience of both moss and dogs. Visibly it was dog excrement and the stench was also unmistakable. Your staff walk right past it and were lucky not to tread in it! And it shouldn't have taken my review to prompt your staff to look for such canine waste. That should have been done automatically and frequently. Don't insult my...

Stay at the Rose Revived Hotel for 2 nights whilst on a weekday city break for me and the good lady.

This is a beautiful sympathetically restored old farm/stables situated on the banks of the Themes in Newbridge Witney, about 30 mins west of Oxford.

On entering the building you are presented with a reception desk with the main bar. As you look through the ground floor you can see the venue is well setup for receiving patrons for breakfast/lunch or dinner. We arrived on the Sunday afternoon after spending the day on Didcot and it was packed with people eating Sunday lunch, very popular.

Check-in was quick and given simple directions to the room up just one small flight of stairs. Once,on the second floor you are presented with a well decorated environment carpeted and wood walled panelling.

Entering the room I have a word,of warning, due to it being an old building there is a step as you walk into the room which is la larger drop then your average step and the floor is uneven, this may cause issues with anyone who is disabled.

Room was clean and decorated well with the usual tea & coffee making facilities. A large double bed blessed with white sheets, pillows and duvet. Large screen TV my only criticism of my stay,the TV required turning as it was missing all the ITV channels which I found a little odd, none the less, all the other channels where available for viewing.

A small desk with a chair, the bed was comfortable. The room faced the main road running North to sounds crossing the River but well sound proofed, you could hear traffics with the windows closed.

Bathroom was a little pokey but functional, tiled floor to ceiling with a sink toilet and shower, which is a little small but the water is hot.

Had dinner both nights we stayed where we had 3 courses with drinks £66 & £67 respectively. Great meals both nights, served and cooked beautifully. Staff well trained in allergies, both my wife and I are Coeliacs, the premises cater well for those with allergens, gluten free with Vegan options available.

Decor in the min bar they have left in pace all the original stone flooring flag with the rest of the building with the wood floorings. Area in the restaurant over looking to river with an outside seating area.

Staff all very pleasant, courteous, polite and respectful.

Overall I would highly recommend a stay, as above, my only criticism in the floor in the room.

Very comfortable, within 30 mins communities of Oxford, Didcot and Bicester.

5G signal, I had 2/3 bars however Free WIFI...

My recent visit to the Rose Revived pub for a Sunday roast dinner left me with mixed feelings and several disappointments. While there were certainly some highlights, there were several aspects of the experience that need significant improvement.

To begin with, the pub's ambiance was welcoming, with a cozy atmosphere and rustic decor that set the stage for a traditional Sunday roast. The menu offered a promising selection, and I opted for the roast beef. Unfortunately, this is where the positives ended.

The most glaring issue was the quality of the vegetables. They were overcooked and mushy, lacking the crispness and freshness that one expects in a Sunday roast. This was particularly disappointing as the vegetables are a crucial element of a classic roast dinner.

Equally disappointing were the roast potatoes, which were shockingly revealed to be frozen. They were devoid of the crispy, golden texture that makes roast potatoes such a beloved component of this meal. It was evident that shortcuts were taken in the kitchen, compromising the overall quality of the dish.

But the disappointments didn't end with the food. The service left much to be desired. As with my previous visit, it took an unreasonably long time to clear our plates once we had finished our meal. We waited far too long with empty plates in front of us, and it was frustrating to see the staff seemingly inattentive to this basic aspect of service.

The delay in receiving the bill was yet another point of frustration. Despite reminding the staff multiple times, we had to wait an unnecessary amount of time to settle our bill. It's crucial for a restaurant to provide prompt and efficient service, and in this regard, the Rose Revived pub fell short.

What compounded these issues was the complete lack of empathy from the staff for the extended wait times and the poor quality of the meal. There was no acknowledgment or apology for these disappointments, which left a bitter taste in our mouths.

In conclusion, the Rose Revived pub provided a subpar Sunday roast experience marred by a lack of attention to detail and an unfortunate indifference to customer satisfaction. The substandard vegetables, frozen roast potatoes, extended delays in service, and a lack of empathy for these shortcomings created a disappointing dining experience. I hope that the pub will take these concerns seriously and make the necessary improvements to deliver the high-quality Sunday roast that...