Pubs in Oxford

Discover the best pubs and bars in Oxford. Browse opening hours, menus, events, and more.

Found 167 pubs in Oxford — Page 6 of 14

Three Goats' Heads

3a St Michael's Street, Oxford OX1 2DR

Sam Smith’s only pub in Oxford was opened in 1987 having been converted from a pizza restaurant (and thought to have previously been a corn merchants). It is of a very unusual design, with steps up from street level to an upper bar, and steps down to the basement bar. The bars are linked internally by another staircase. As with all Smith’s pubs, the drinks are keenly priced and you won’t spot any high street brands, not even amongst the top shelf spirits. The upstairs is more plush than the basement, which is open only at busy times; note the tiling, and the ornate columns, and the architectural drawings of the building displayed on the walls. And the three goats' heads. Next door to the Oxford Union. Refurbished September 2019.

Turf Tavern

St Helen's Passage, Oxford OX1 3SU

One of the most famous pubs in Oxford, and yet one of the most difficult to find - stand under the Bridge of Sighs and you’ll see the sign. In all the guide books, so popular with tourists. It’s not actually as old as it looks (it dates from the end of the 18th century), nor is it as old as the city wall that bounds the garden to the south. There are several rooms with two bars and has recently had a Greene King 'Heritage' makeover. Outdoor seating is in the walled garden area and a small patio area outside the front door, heated by braziers in winter. Features in Thomas Hardy's novel 'Jude the Obscure' as 'an obscure and low-beamed tavern' which he renamed the Lamb & Flag. The pub claims that this is where former US President Bill Clinton famously "did not inhale".

Bear Inn

6 Alfred Street, Oxford OX1 4EH

The original Bear Inn (so called from 1432) ran the length of Alfred Street up to the 'High' and was one of Oxford's largest and most important hostelries until 1801 when it was demolished. The current building was originally behind the old inn and dates from 1606 being an ostlers' house for the men who looked after the horses. First recorded as an inn called the Jolly Trooper in 1774, it took the name Bear Inn when the original was demolished. The Bear is a 'tied' house in more ways than one, renowned for its collection of tie remnants taken from customers. The inside of the pub is very compact - the main, low-ceilinged bar has two small rooms adjoining and the ladies toilets are up a narrow winding stairway. The rare pewter-topped bar and other historic fittings were removed in a 2000 refurbishment but the back room still has floor to ceiling panelling and brass bell pushes from the days of waiter service. Has been identified by CAMRA as having a regionally important historic pub interior. There is a large pavement seating area off Blue Boar Street to boost the pub’s capacity.

Wheatsheaf

129 High Street, Oxford OX1 4DF

Real Ale Available

Real Cider Available

Traditional Pub Games

+7 more

Two-storey, well-established music venue down another Medieval passageway off the High, and also accessible from Blue Boar Street. The ground floor area is the bar, with pool table, and the music events are/were held upstairs. The music has been curtailed due to current restrictions and the owners put in a planning application to convert the upstairs to student accommodation which saw mass opposition and was thrown out. The beers used to reflect the music vibe.

White Horse

52 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BB

Another famous old Oxford pub, squeezed in between the two entrances to the Norrington Room of Blackwell’s bookshop, and opposite the Sheldonian Theatre. Dating from the 16th century and Grade II listed (though it has been modified over time), it justiably claims to be Oxford’s smallest pub. There are a couple of seats outside for smokers, and the entrance to the pub is down three steps into a low, narrow room, with panelled walls, a long bar, and pictures of old University sporting teams. At the rear is a tiny snug, a raised area with one large table. The size of the pub means it doesn’t take many people to fill it, and it always seems to be busy. Famous for its role in the Morse series, it was also frequented by Winston Churchill and Bill Clinton.

Grande Café

84 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG

Family Friendly

Close to Bus Routes

Quiet Pub

Smart café on the High Street, reputedly on the site of England’s first coffee house, very much tea and cakes during the day and cocktails at night.

Cow & Creek

12 New Road, Oxford OX1 1LT

There has been a public house on the site since 1764 and before that a malthouse. Called the Anchor until 1977 it then became the Westgate, then in 1997 O.X. ONE, then Que Pasa until 2011 when it became the Bell & Compass. Once a Morrells pub, now Marston's, and reincarnated most recently in October 2015 aimed at a younger crowd with bulk cocktail deals, burgers, ice cream, and all day breakfasts. There is a dancefloor and week-end DJ. Often only has one real ale.

Castle

24 Paradise Street, Oxford OX1 1LD

A pub on this site from 1780 called Paradise House was rebuilt in 1892 to a design by H. G. Drinkwater. It followed the trend in the 1980s and was called the Oxford Ale House for a while before becoming the Castle Tavern. The pub is now above the street after the re-alignment of Castle Street when the Westgate Shopping Centre opposite was first built. Some period features remain, but the interior is modern with one long room and a pleasant half cellar. Purchased by Hook Norton in December 2016 for their first venture into the city and extensively refurbished, it now offers a range of real ales, not all from Hook Norton, and two ciders on the bar.

Angel & Greyhound

30 St Clement's Street, Oxford OX4 1AB

Formerly the Burton Ale Stores and the Oranges & Lemons, the pub’s current name is derived from the names of the two meadows nearby, both of which were named after pubs that were at one time in the High Street. There is one room with raised seating areas to one side and the bar to the other. A bar billiard table is a rare survivor in Oxford, and there is a large collection of board games. There are outdoor seating areas to the front and rear, the former on busy St Clement’s Street is less peaceful than the latter. If you’re in any doubt as to whether to go outside, check out the weather forecast on the blackboard.

Café Tarifa

56-60 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JB

Another of Cowley Road’s cocktail bars/cafes. This one vaguely Mediterranean, Morocco/Southern Spain?

Cape of Good Hope

The Plain, Oxford OX4 1EA

A corner pub at the junction of Iffley and Cowley Road, originally 1785 and rebuilt to a design of HW Drinkwater in 1893 for Morrells; it gained its name due to being on a 'headland' similar in shape to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. There are two rooms on two levels, both with a bar, and both with big windows overlooking The Plain; a few seats on the pavement at the front are supplemented by an enclosed yard at the back, where the seating is partially covered and heated. The upstairs room is not always open, and can be privately booked for functions. Food is served all day. The decor and furniture has improved after a refurbishment.

Chester Arms

19 Chester Street, Oxford OX4 1SN

A trendy back-street pub off the Iffley Road built in 1898 and now opened-out with boarded floors and powder blue painted walls. The stud copperwork bar front is of interest as are the brass light fittings but do not miss the original Halls Brewery stained and leaded glasswork on the entrance surrounds. There is a large patio garden to the rear with an impressive tree. If you want the famous Sunday Roast you need to be there before they open to get in the queue.

Browse Pubs by Feature

Dog Friendly Pubs Beer Gardens Gastropubs Live Sports Live Music Real Ale Pool Tables