Turtle Bay, Oxford

Modern open plan pub hidden behind a shopping development and the theatre. Floor board, very Wetherspoony tables and chairs with a smaller sofa'd area up one step. Piped chart music. Different world to old Oxford, its rather characterless and needs better quality beer to me if it were to fit in with the rest of Oxford. Picked from the 2009 Good Beer Guide Entries, there were 5 real ales, but the quality was poor, the beer far too warm and unpleasent. Maybe a one off considering other comments below? Poor

I often regard this as the best pub in Oxford for ale choice. While staying in Oxford to travel to Reading beer festival we spent a couple of days round the Oxfors pubs. On 27th April enjoyed Wadworth Lily the Pink and Salopian Peccadillo, then on 2nd May enjoyed Raw Edge Pale Ale and Holdens April Showers. The soup with hot bagette went down well too.

A 2002 shop conversion, this modern pub offers a good range of real ales in a quiet corner of central Oxford. Finding the pub is half the challenge - the map on this site is a little misleading as it is not possible to access the pub from George Street. Instead you should approach from Magdalen St and turn down the small alleyway behind Debenhams. The pub is somewhat simplistic, with a single, large split-level room full of standard tables and chairs summing up the interior. This may put off the pub traditionalist, but it feels like the sort of place you could get away with dragging your non ale drinking friends to, which is a big plus in my book. The pub has a nice community vibe to it, with plenty of events organised, such as curry and quiz night (£3), pizza night, talent contests and four beer festivals each year. The staff were very welcoming and their commitment to good beer can be seen by the healthy collection of pump clips on the walls around the bar. A blackboard next to the bar lists the current selection, with all 6 pumps in action when I visited. I had a choice of Brakspear Bitter, Sadler's Pumpkin Eater and Thin Ice, Enville Nailmaker Mild (manager's special £2.50), Acorn Quantum and Breconshire Baroque. Aside from the manager's special, the beer was priced around the £3.00-£3.20 mark. They have recently won the Oxford CAMRA pub of the year award and it's easy to see why. A nice, versatile pub with much to recommend.

A lovely pub - slightly off the beaten track. Don't let the modern stylings put you off, the beer (6HPs) was in top form, staff and locals friendly, and free wi-fi. No food Monday night, quiz night & curry Sunday nights. Local CAMRA POTY 09. Prices from £2.10 (managers special) to £3.10

Excellent modern bar tucked away behind shops. Mixture of tables and comfy chairs, with good range of beers. A pleasant surprise.