ReviewFound this pub by accident when, having walked up the canal from Central Oxford to the area of Jericho, was meandering the back streets to get to the Open Top tourist bus stop on the main road back into Oxford.
The Victoria is situated on the corner of Walton Street and St Bernard’s Road and we decided on a last pint before heading home. And I am very glad we did as this was definitely a Brucey Bonus as this is a very decent pub.
Internally it is a split-level multi-room pub. There is a large main bar area with an open atrium to the second-floor ceiling, from which is suspended a large model of a Hawker biplane that could do some serious damage if it ever came loose and fell onto the punters below. And the ceiling above this is painted with a version of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, but with the characters holding pints. The main bar is wood floored and half paneled with all walls covered in period photo’s of Oxfords and around.
Then there are other rooms upstairs, one known as the Terrace room and then a smaller bar at the front, known as the Lair, which is a very cosy paneled bar room with seating and a fire place.
There is a small garden patio on Walton Street by the front entrance to the pub, itself but don't be fooled that is it as far as outside drinking goes as around the corner is to be found a pedestrian entrance to the main bar and larger back garden area . You have to negotiate several flights of steps both down and up before arriving at the pleasant back garden.
Alongside the standard cold lager pumps there are a couple of real ales. I think there is a tie up with Marstons and EPA was on. But there is a guest and this was a particularly fine pint of Jennings Cumberland Ale which had traveled well from the Lake District brewery
So all in all I really liked this pub and would certainly frequent it if I lived in the Jericho area of Oxford.
