The Carpenters Arms — Restaurant in West Oxfordshire

If you are lucky enough to be passing this pub when they're open for meals, stop in and have a bite. You can't go wrong. I had the steak and kidney pie and it was excellent. The gravy was full of steaky flavor and not over powered by the kidney. My partner had the sirloin steak and I tasted a bit. It was so well prepared and one of the best tasting steaks that I'd had in years. The chips were crispy on the outside but literally melted in my mouth -- I can't explain how delicious they were.

I would grow fat if it was nearer to my home, unable to resist. The real ale was also well cared for and tasted good. We were there at about 1:30 pm on a Saturday and many table were either occupied or reserved. We were lucky that a party left as we arrived. The staff was friendly and helpful. The atmosphere welcoming. But as we finished our meal and the wait-staff asked how it was the gentleman behind us grumbled his unhappiness with the speed of which his food came. He grew more irrate as the wait-staff and kitchen staff approached him. They hardly got a word out before he was demanding his money back. It was quite unusual and uncalled for. All staff members were polite during the ordeal and I give them much credit for that. I don't know how I would have reacted. I felt sorry for the man's female companion, who sat stock-still at the table, unreadable. Which was curious in itself...but this isn't a blog, so I'll get back to my review.

Delicious, scrumptious, meal snd beer. Well priced. Welcoming traditional friendly neighborhood pub atmosphere.

I admit the food didn't arrive in the swiftest of manners but it hadn't been outrageously slow. I wasn't watching the minutes, I was sipping my beer and enjoying a good conversation. When we tasted our meals, it was clear the chef was quite talented and if I had a choice between the meal I had and a mediocre meal that arrived ten minutes sooner, I would choose the meal I ate, no question. I'd rather have a great meal in half an hour than a mediocre meal in twenty minutes. You cannot rush perfection. Not a gastropub, just a traditional pub with...

Awful. About 3 years ago it used to be a really good and vibrant pub with an excellent menu and was always busy. Then a new landlord took it on and IMHO it started to slide. I went in last week with a group of friends and if the truth was to be known I was both horrified and saddened.

For a start someone has gone mad with the blue paint, makes the place look like an upturned boat inside and not warm, but then that was probably appropriate as the welcome from the owners / staff was pretty cold at best and mostly completely missing. Definitely not something you would recieved a few years ago.

The menu was bland to say the least, but it did have one traditional Burford thing about it, the prices.... All of which were a tad high for the limited and unimaginative offerings available imho.

We had travalled out to see what the new owners had done to the place, meet up with old friends and eat so we did, the food was hot but I would say the waitress just abandoned it on the table without even asking who's dish was who's ...

The beers on offer at the bar were limited and they didn't have any pots for the draught, choosing to serve it in what I would describe as a flower vase. Somewhere behind that bar is my old pint pot from when I was a daily customer!

Would I go back again? Unless they really improve their game it's highly unlikely unless we have arranged to meet some friends there. Sad really because the place has some really good memories for me.

Still, I wish the new owners luck in their endeavours but they have a long way to go and a massive hill to climb if they want to get the...

Probably fine for meat-eaters but vegans or the dairy-intolerant should be aware there are no vegan options (on the Sunday menu at least). There is also no labelling on the menu as to what is vegan, vegetarian or gluten free etc, so you have to ask. While the waiter was happy to go and check with the chef, who offered to make something dairy-free for me, the spur-of-the-moment options didn't sound that appealing. In 2025, it shouldn't be unreasonable to expect a single vegan option on the menu, and providing dietary information on the menu would save customers having to ask.

Also, be aware that (contrary to the website), you cannot order single courses for Sunday lunch, they only have 2 courses for I think it was £31.95 or 3 courses for I think £36.95. This was more than I wanted to spend/eat, but there was no option to just get a main course, or a simple starter like bread or olives. The starters are also nouvelle cuisine style, so you don't get a lot for the cost. (Although they are definitely fancy, which might suit those with smaller appetites wanting a treat.)

I don't want to make it sound negative, as they did try to accommodate my dietary requirements and my meat-eating husband's dishes were good, plus the waiter tried to be helpful, but just to make it clear that this is probably a restaurant more suitable for those with no dietary requirements and who enjoy meat (there was 1 fish option for starter and...