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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Komakino .
Submitted on Sunday, 21st October 2018
With picture contributions to 725 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (5 more images)
Detail Pages
The Kings Arms, Wantage
Wantage
OX12 8AU
Served areas
Reviews of The Kings Arms (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Kings Arms
Another fairly decent alehouse in Wantage. The front room has a couple of fireplaces and some nice glazed windows. The main bar can be found up a couple of steps to the rear where there is also a long, thin room with bare boards. A large outdoor space to the rear left-hand side completes the seating options. Board games can be found at the very rear. Dogs are welcome.
A total of 6 real ales and 6 traditional ciders are available. On cask, were Broadtown Upper Quadrant, Thornbridge 1838, Siren Mum's The Word, Mighty Oak The Joy of Six, Frome Taiheke & Ossett/Vault City Fruited Pale. Ciders were Lilley's Rhubarb, Sandford Orchards Fanny's Bramble & Devon Mist, Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Seacider Hardcore & Abrahall's Alice. Craft beers were also represented with Camden Pale, Bluntrock Wasson, Toast Grassroots Pale & Polly's Supreme Dream.
There was another knowledgeable barman here, who informed me that all of the beers and ciders were listed on their website. That may be the case, but there is very little mobile phone signal in Wantage! Nevertheless, my Mum's The Word was a nice smoky beer with added chilli.
Probably the second best pub in Wantage after the Royal Oak. Worth a visit. 7.5/10.
On 2nd March 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about The Kings Arms
Re-opened and refurbed as mentioned by Quinno below. This is now in the hands of the small pub company Oak Taverns which also owns the esteemed Cross Keys in Thame. Still darkly-lit inside, this has a bar located against the left-hand wall up couple of steps from a lobby-type room with ample seating. Six ales including four locals (Animal / XT Dragon, Little Ox Oddbod, Thame Hoppiness, Loose Cannon Gunner's Gold as well as Titanic Plum Porter and Wadworth Treacle Treat) - pints of the Animal, Little Ox and Titanic were all excellent. As mentioned below, this was dying as a pub (I visited about year before Quinno, and my visit was exactly as he describes), so it's a great turnaround. A hard ask to compete with the renowned Shoulder of Mutton over the road, but this is decent way to go about it. Also, there were four boxes of real cider for the appleheads, and the beer garden out back is a nice spot too.
On 21st October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1077 recommendations about 1077 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Kings Arms
Reopened on July 12th with 4 Handpumps and several keg lines. A small micro brewery will be added later in the year and known as Wantage brewery
April 2017
Opposite the Shoulder, this one looks really nice from outside which is done in Brewer’s Tudor but inside it is dying as a pub. A small main area as you enter with darts and TV sport. Narrow doorway to further rear room with bar that opens out to a bleak area with a pool table which smells of cigarettes. Two pumps, no ale, not even a keg Guinness – incredibly I ended-up with a lukewarm half of the black stuff from a can underneath the bar. Truly dire. Rated 1.5
On 25th September 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
View more reviews of The Kings Arms (4)
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- Official site of The Kings Arms - Kingsarmswantage.co.uk
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Kings Arms - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Beer Festivals : Yes last updated 02 March 2025 by Blue Scrumpy
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Car Park : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Darts : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 02 March 2025 by Blue Scrumpy
- Function Room : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Hot Food : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Jukebox : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Karaoke : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Live Music : Yes - Occasionally - last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Micropub : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Pinball : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Pool Table : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Quiz Night : Yes - Wednesdays - last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
- WiFi : Yes - WalkIn WiFi: sign-in required - last updated 21 October 2018 by Komakino .
