Crown, Oxford

About us

Step in to discover a traditional pub of unique character, revered for its eclectic range of real ales and its quality pub food, which are served, as they should be, with a generous measure of famous British hospitality.

The Crown has had a succession of famous landlords. In the year of the Gunpowder Plot it was kept by John Davenant and it was during this time Shakespeare paid his frequent visits to Oxford. The poet used to stop in the University town on his journeys between Stratford and London, and the Crown was his headquarters.

The Crown is one of many rare gems in the Nicholson's collection of great British pubs, reputed for their distinctive buildings, intriguing history and vibrant atmosphere.

Facilities

Family friendlyFoodFunction roomOutside areaReal aleWiFi freeCricketFootballRugbyTerrestrial TVCask Marque

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Reviews

1,708 reviews

4.3/5

Lorraine Jackson

2 months ago

Great food served by friendly staff in a traditional and atmospheric English pub. The menu is clearly very popular here. The lamb shank Shepherds pie, the slow cooked rib and brisket pie and the fish pie were all completely sold out before 7.00pm on a Saturday evening! Very expensive drinks which wouldn't look out of place in the capital. With lots of history, great memories of years past, this is still a great venue to meet up with family and friends for drinks or a tasty meal. 26th January 2024 Popped in for a glass of wine. It was cozy warm and very welcoming. The prices have shot up to ridiculous heights but overall a pleasant drop in

Adeline Kim

4 months ago

We loved our time at the Crown! Waited right when it opened and were able to get a table for 5, but would recommend making a reservation as there were a lot of tables reserved already and people after us were getting turned away. We had the Sunday Roasts and steak and ale pie and everything was delicious. Also so cool that Shakespeare used to frequent here. Was such a great meal for our Oxford trip!

David Mewton

4 months ago

Great bar tender lady..said we had 9 minutes for last orders. Being a 40 Yr old with my 75 Yr old dad we were slowish to drink..and happy to be given latest orders. But the abuse from the Manager was something else. I am sure with his attitude his days are numbered but the bar lady was lovely. Please take note pub nice environment... Manager needs education

James

5 months ago

First time in the UK and wanted to see how common it is to find great Fish & Chips. My first experience at another restaurant was incredible so I was hoping all restaurants were equal. One thing I learned a bit different over here is you need to go to the counter and order; while they will bring the meal out to you, no one will take your order from the table. So, if you are sitting at a table waiting to place an order... it will be a long wait. They are very friendly and I asked for a beer suggestion. I found that beer here, much like back home is a very subjective thing. Some I liked... some I did not. However, something very nice, they will let you sample their beers before you choose. Meals are not served particularly fast, but I'm sure it's because it is freshly prepared. Fish & Chips here are typically served with "smashed peas" and if you have never had before, you'll either like them or not. If you don't like peas, you most likely won't like smashed peas. The coating is a golden crisp and the fish was white and fried to perfection. The chips were also quite good. My meal was good but it wasn't quite as good as the previous pub I had tried. It was a nice place and the food was okay, but there are better choices.

Sebastien Crespel

6 months ago

This was a good experience. We were 9 and they accepted us, no worries. The dishes were good, we tested nearly the whole menu, nobody was disappointed, except maybe for a dessert that is a cheesecake but it is not described so, just a question of taste.