please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Friendly pub with entrances onto two different streets. A few steps to negotiate, and uninteresting decor, but a good selection of ales - changing even whilst we were there. Food menu spotted but not tried.
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An old pub with lots of history with various nooks and crannies. I had the Oak ale, a session beer, though other ales including greene king IPA were on. Also had an interesting selection of craft beers on tap - the punk IPA particularly good. Probably the best pub in the vicinity when compared with the Eclipse or old Vine. Definitely visit again.
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Interesting pub, playing on its history. Although, it seemed very modern inside.
They had Black Sheep Special on - which was a good find and in decent condition.
Less could be said about the food. I ordered the Steak - which I wouldn't have given to my dog. It had the consistency of a burger and very fatty.
Still, if you don't expect too much, you are not disappointed.
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interesting place. the building is very beautifull and the way it is squeezed into a medieval alley way adds to that. inside there are lots of wonderfull old elements, but you cant help feeling it could be so much more charming and there is a bit of a feel of a chain pub inside. however if you are lucky to sit at table no.1 which is a window table up the stairs in the small room off the bar, you have the most incredible setting for your pint. you sit in amongst the beams, and look out onto the charming medieval alley. its such a pretty setting its almost like a film set. also credit to the bar staff who were keen to let customers know about the history of the building. atmosphere was lively was lots of loud laughing groups of student types and a fair few tourists aswell. also the beer was very good, 5 or 6 variaties including a great offering from the Kite brewery
would like to confirm some of the below comments... oldest pub in England? very old building with a fascinating history yes.. but oldest? not by a few hundred years.
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It claims to be the oldest bar in England. MY ARSE !!!!
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Busy on the friday evening we visited. Lured in by its historic claims which were prompty undone by the modern decor on the inside. Ok pint of Aspalls - would go again
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Popped in here last Tuesday during a Pub Crawl of Winchester, but it was almost Empty in the afternoon. Admitidly the pub is tucked away down a passage but something must be keeping the punters away? 6 Real Ale Pumps were available I plumped for the GK IPA which was very good, also available amongst others was Old Speckled Hen and Royal Oak . Nicely decorated with Oak beams and Background music, but as blamm says there are better pubs to in Winchester to visit, the best I found (so far) was The Eclipse.
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Popped in after work recently so it was pretty quiet and lifeless for around 5.15. I've not been here for a few years. Service was ok but a bit brusque I felt. A bottle of Crabbies cost �4.05! Crazy (this is in November 2010).
The Black Boy, Hyde Tavern, The Eclipse, Wykeham Arms and others are all easily better pubs.
blamm - 12 Nov 2010 12:10 |
I've come to this pub on and off over about 15 years and can always say that I've had a great time in here.
The atmosphere is always good and the bar staff always impress me. We popped in on Saturday and the place was busy but not heaving.
Mixed age range of students to old folks and prices good for a town centre pub.
Will be coming here until the day I die, it's my favourite pub in Winchester.
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It may well be 'Another Oldest Pub in England', however the Abbott Ales was superb!! The best pint of Abbott I have tasted outside of Bury St. Edmunds. It was absolutely brilliant!! As for the pub.......as I normally say, that's another story. But for the beer I gotta give it 7/10. I'll be back!!! (In the words of 'Arnold')
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Yep, another "oldest bar in England" -how many are there? Claims of that honour thus far in Nottingham, Norwich, York...and now Winchester! Astonishing, did Queen Elizabeth I sleep here as well, I wonder?
Typical "oldest bar in England" appearance-all (fake) beams, low (fake) ceilings and dark (fake) wooden panels. But lots of cramped, sorry, cosy, places to sit and enjoy your ale and food, latter is standard and adequate.
Laughable nonsense on the menus, there to wow the tourists no doubt-goes on about how "Bonnie Prince Charlie" hid in the afore mentioned oak tree to escape his would be captors-well, only about 100 years out there guys, and about 400 miles too far south-it was, of course, King Charles II, but hey, who needs accuracy when there are tourists to impress? This tale led to hundreds of pubs throughout England having this name, most of them claiming to be near the spot where it happened. This one wasn't.
Service is OK, atmosphere lively, but hardly a local voice to be heard. Bland and visitor centric.
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Had a drink in here while visiting friends in Winchester. Nice open plan layout, with a general sprinkling of old and young, and tourist types sat around. I am not an overly keen fan of Greene King pubs, as they usually serve the same old tired choice of beers, but there was slightly more on offer here. I opted for the guest ale 'Alepril Fool'. As mine was the last out the barrel, the girl behind the bar asked me to try a few gulps to make sure it was o.k. As it was not at it's best, she happily offered me another choice, so I went for the Moorlands, which was fine. But I liked the fact that the bargirl seemed to know her stuff about 'Ale'. Didn't eat the food, but from what I could see, it looked quite good. Would visit again, when I am back in Winchester.
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One of those that claims it�s the �oldest bar in England�, lots of light coloured �old� oak beams on display which combined with the open plan layout make it look and feel literally like drinking in a barn. Greene King�s normal range of kegs and casks plus a couple of guest beers, one from Hopback the other from Brewsters. The Hopback was particularly badly kept and I would expect the other casks to be similarly mistreated. There is an outdoor drinking and smoking area and the usual nasty accoutrements, like a too loud juke box, sport on various TV�s, and lots of machines. It bills itself as �The No 1 meeting and eating venue in Winchester� so at least they�re not making any claims about the beer.
anonymous - 4 May 2009 11:21 |
Was better than the last time I visited, but that simply means it was now average. Gets a point for interesting beer selection, including a mild. You just don't see much mild on hand pump in these parts.
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Spaceous bar area, but maybe with to many slut machines. Decent pint of Taylor's Ram Tam though.
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Quite decent. Went to go and see a friends gig there, and although clearly not a music venue it wasn't bad. 'Not too exspensive either. Can do worse in winch.
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Easy pub grub and OK beer, plenty of space, some of the barstaff seem like they have never worked in a pub at all - some training needed. Overall I will go there if quick pub meal and pint needed.
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Didn't bother going in when we saw it was GK.
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Nice pint of beer in here with a hint of ginger...
Bit of a confused layout. Some parts ye olde and others a tad grubby. Friendly chap behind the jump which was refreshing.
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Nice beer, Appaling Food !
-we sent ours back, twice, but was resent the Same food "beacuse we had started it" (one mouth full!)
-manageress was sat alongside us, but not interested as "she was on her break" (!!)
Great shame, looks nice interior though.
Avoid the food :
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Not too bad a place, decent atmosphere.
5 ales on (2 of which weren't Greedy King) my Moorhouse Bitter was fairly good. Food looked decent but didn't sample.
Funny barmaid wearing pixie boots kept us smiling. Worth a stop on a Winchester crawl, quite liked it here.
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Not sure if the claim that its the oldest bar in britain is true, but friendly service and a nice pint of "Fireside Ale" from the GK stable was had. 8/10
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Largish town centre pub which claims to be Winchester's oldest, with a non-smoking area downstairs, as davel_cats suggested. A pub owned by Greene King (founded 1799, tortuous Crosby Stills Nash reference possible) and does a middling-sized range of their beers including something wintry at 4.5% whose name I've forgotten. No ploughman's lunches, but salads are ok.
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hi there. think the royal oak is wicked. food is lush - and the sexy lady who iv seen cooking isnt too bad either (think her name is laura?). anyway good pub, recommend it. cheers
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Escape the modern bland pub on the ground floor and go downstairs (almost underneath the High Street) to the old part where the ancient walls are visible. It is peaceful and quiet down there, a great place to enjoy your pint.
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Went to the Royal Oak on a Thursday night recentley. They have a quiz on a thursday night which is amazing! You've got to go to this. Really busy and it was fun & easy too! Nice pub, good atmosphere and the prices are good too!
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Best time to visit is during the day or early evening, ie before the students of Winchester take over. never eaten here, but the beer is well served and the bar manager is great . .. the rest of the staff, well it can partly depend on the day you visit . .but this a regular drinking hole for us after work.
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The old part downstairs is nice and quiet but the rest of the pub is bland and generally over-run by an ungainly mix of under-age drinkers, students and pikeys.
sross - 22 Apr 2006 14:31 |
Has had the heart knocked out of it long ago, just another city centre tourist pub, won't be long before it goes the way of the Vine. Bar staff unpleasant as is the food, decor, beer,customers and 'Yack' alley that leads to the front door.
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Ok for a drink with a few booths to sit in and a beer garden but the food was the usual bland chain type stuff.
anonymous - 13 Feb 2006 13:32 |
Nothing special. Not sure why I spend time here for a pint when Winchester has so many other interesting possibilities.
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A decent pub
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Decent pub but on first impressions not that different from any other. However, go down the steps to the basement, which is the bit of the pub that qualifies it to be one of the oldest pubs in Britain, you get a different view. The basement is a surprising sanctuary from the busy city centre and is great for a quiet drink or a bit of privacy for meeting people or working.
anonymous - 21 Aug 2005 22:44 |
It's the oldest bar in Britain apparently. Yeah, this and about another 100 across the island. Bar staff are pretty unpleasant, as is the atmosphere most nights. The tables are usually dirty. Bogs are better than they were.
anonymous - 28 Jul 2005 14:18 |
The Oak has the location alright, and plenty of space inside and out. The pub is looking pretty tired now and a re-fit is rumoured that will help this, but the beer is well cared for, if sometimes over-chilled, and there's normally 3 to choose from (used to be 6!) There's generally a good atmosphere and lots going on; pub quiz, themed discos etc. The menu is classic pub fare, but well done and inexpensive, and my experience of the staff has always been positive.
anonymous - 15 Dec 2004 17:13 |
Claims to be one of the oldest pubs in Winchester and conveniently situated in the High Street. Offers a good selection of beer and pub grub.
A small rear garden overlooks the busy St Georges Street and there is even a no smoking basement room that shows off the pubs ancient beginnings.
However, has a strict and inflexible 'no children in the bar' policy often to the point of unnecessary rudeness (I witnessed a father having a drink whilst mother and daughter went shopping, on return mother and daughter go to get father but bar staff rudely shout across the pub that no children are allowed, even though it is obvious that they are not staying or will ever likely return!)
ManAged35 - 27 Jul 2004 13:18 |
