Royal Oak, Burfordback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Surprised by the reviews on here - Burford looks a wonderful place but maybe the pubs don't do it justice.
This was the first pub we encountered following our walk in the local countryside.
Quite busy with punters - the barstaff were pleasant and helpful. Several Wadworth Ales on - I had the Horizon, which was absolutely fine.
Food was good as well.
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Not what it used to be, and not for the better either. Flat beer and warm food. Won't get into the good beer guide anyway.Burford needs a good pub but why is it so dificult?
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Oh dear; what a disappointment! Every year we attend the Levellers festival in Burford and we found this pub last year. Stone flagged floors, sympathetic furniture, toby jugs hanging from the ceiling, no music, ploughman's lunches, a great pint of beer and a lovely landlord. But no more! The toby mugs have gone and in its place large clumps of wiring protrude from an untidy, cheap looking plaster board ceiling. New furniture has arrived together with a TV and loud rock music is played out at a terrific volume whilst the staff ignore requests to turn it down. The food is alright though overpriced. If the loss of atmosphere wasn't enough the beer has gone down hill also. The Wadworth Horizon I was given was the flat dregs of an old barrel and should certainly not have been given to a customer. The 6X which replaced it and which I had to ask twice for a disappointment. The whole ambiance of a traditional English pub in a picturesque Market Town has been completely destroyed and the staff are neither particularly friendly or competent either.
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In a town with few proper pubs this looks and feels like one - unfortunately the beer (on this occassion Henry's IPA) was undrinkable murk. Burford is such a pleasant picturesque little town but not somewhere a proper ale drinker should consider residing in
anonymous - 1 May 2010 23:42 |
The sign outside says "Not a gastro pub".
You better believe it - DO NOT EAT HERE.
The food took 45 minutes to arrive and was inedible. Clearly it was reheated from frozen, but completely tasteless. The boiled potatoes hadn't even been properly cleaned.
When I mentioned my dissatisfaction to the landlady she just smiled and shrugged.
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Nice proper authentic local pub � the collection of toby jugs is impressive! Very quiet when we visited on a midweek evening with just a couple of locals propping up the bar, didn�t feel uncomfortable or anything though. Not a particularly wide selection of ales considering the �CAMRA recommended� sign.
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Sign outside reads "Not gastro, not retro, just a real pub. CAMRA recommended". There is no fruit machine, no quiz machine, no jukebox, no music. Fantastic. Bar billiards stuck away at the back in the corner is only concession. Had enjoyable few "frames" on there. Landlord (Gary) does come across a bit miserable at first but he was only too glad to explain a few of the finer points of bar billiards to us and is a very likeable chap once you talk to him. The other entertainment provided was trying to get a cork out of the bottom of a bottle with a piece of string. My companion managed this to a raptorous round of applause and strangely, the bottle had disappeared on the next visit. Also had pleasure of seeing in the New Year here. A small wireless was brought out for midnight and then every single customer (approx a dozen) wished every other one a happy new year, without fail. They do serve food here, but I sense begrudgingly. Quite a stir was caused when someone asked for mash with thier chop. Didn't eat but looked like decent, basic good food. If you want a proper old fashioned pub when eavesdropping on the locals discussions and then joining in is the entertainment, then is for you. Is shut in the afternoons, between 3-7 and was going to say this is all you can fault it on. However, I have a soft spot for the traditional hours. A rare treat just off the High St and first pub I'm giving 10 out of 10 to. Over 1000 Toby jugs hanging from ceiling by the way
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A typical old English pub. Hidden away down a quiet road.
Very quiet the sunday we visited. A nice open fire and lots of toby jugs!
Good ale. The landlord was a bit miserable though.
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