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Behind Debenhams

King's Arms - Young's pub, with a good range of ales. Traditional style, with plenty of seating spread over a number of rooms. Very pleasant atmosphere.

Next Door - Another Young's pub, next door to the King's Arms. More of a restaurant, with a bright modern appearance - serving fantastic, reasonably priced food. The toad in the hole is phenominal, and they also do huge salads which are great value for money. Range of ales, although they're not cheap - most being >£2.25/pint. They advertise jazz nights there, which look to be pretty regular.

Turf Tavern - Very old pub - low ceilings, wooden beams, loads of rooms and gardens. Supposedly features in Morse a bit, and is alledgedly where Bill Clinton smoked pot. 11 guest ales, making it the best real ale outlet I've ever found - and the staff are knowledgable about them all.

George Street

Goose - A Wetherspoons-like place, brightly lit with plenty of seating. Food served during the day, and a variety of ales - with Bass and a few guests. Usually have to queue to get in on a Fri/Sat night, probably because the beer's so cheap.

Old Orleans - Had our xmas meal in the restaurant downstairs, but the food wasn't great. Drinks are also quite expensive, with Caffreys being the only bitter I think. They do cocktails, but it's the sort of place you'd expect to see a Chicago's-like crowd.

O'Neills - Spacious place, with a couple of bars which generally have quite quick service. Caffreys only, but they offer table service which is a nice touch. Plenty of standing/sitting room, with some comfy sofas if you're lucky. Also have a live music area (which was put to good use on New Years eve)

Cock & Camel - Yet another Youngs pub! Open plan, with plenty of small tables and seating at the bar. Good beer (about 4 ales), and looks quite classy.

Misc

Que Pasa - Cheesy club. Great if you like Steps and all the usual 60's stuff, but expensive on the drinks front; nasty toilets; filthy floor; no cloakroom (unless you get the girls to flirt with the DJ) and always overcrowded. Why we always end up going there is beyond me...!

Bar Med - One word sums up this popular meeting place - loud. You have to pay to get in after 9pm, and the drinks are pricy. Creamflow only. Dancefloor and another bar downstairs. If you want a place where you can chat with your mates, then it's best avoided; but if you just want to chill in the comfy sofas or are looking for a place to stay til late, then it's great.

Colours - Next door to Bar Med - pool club with American and regular tables. Projector TV for sport, and bar food served all day.

Park End - Club with a main dancefloor (dance/house), cheese room (hot and sweaty) and R&B room (fortunately never been in) Allegedly there's a fourth room, but the place is like a warren, and I've not found it yet. Expensve drinks, but good for the end of the night.

Mitre - Not sure if it was called that, but it was on the barmans T-shirt... Hidden away up a side street - an old-style pub which looked very comfortable. Shame it didn't do any proper beer (creamflow Flowers IPA and Boddy's only) Seemed quite out of place in Oxford, and made a really nice change.

Chequers - Absolutely great place - big pub with nice outside area with loads of benches when the weather's nice. Do a couple of ales and Staropramen. Really good as a meeting place, and has absolutely superb music at the weekends (drum and bass - old school, remixes of new stuff - makes fantastic background music) I think there's a dance floor upstairs, but never been up there.

DTMs - Underneath the theatre . Alternativce night club, playing mexican-style music and non-pop/r'n'b/garage/dance - ie - a very different night out. Small dance floor at the end of the bar, and a post-modern drinking area upstairs - very nice.

Mood - Classy, select crowd. Expensive, but nice place with a small dancefloor. Very late licence on a Friday.

 

For a more up-to-date and comprehensive pub guide to Oxford, try OxfordPubGuide

 

 

Disclaimer: Some of these guides are years out of date, and are for entertainment or reminiscent value only. It's likely a number of the pubs included have since closed, changed hands, or are now completely different. Some of them I've only visited once, and hence may be misrepresented. These reviews are my opinion at the time of writing, and no accuracy in claimed in their description - for those of a sensitive nature, please take no offence.