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Gardeners Arms, Oxford
Oxford
OX2 6LX
Pub Type
Greene KingReviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Gardeners Arms
Called in here for the first time despite previous visits to the excellent Rose & Crown over the road. A pleasant looking pub,It's long and narrow inside with a carpeted floor, various tables and chairs along with some upholstered bench seating, the pub very much has an old school look about it.The three handpump offerings were Wainwright , Skinners Lushingtons and Gardeners Arms Ale, presumably some Greene King beer in disguise, the Lushingtons though was nice enough. This pub doesn't match up to its neighbor over the road but it's well worth a pint here.
On 27th June 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Gardeners Arms
A first in here the other night and first off, this pub shouldn't be confused with the superior Gardeners Arms to the south-west on Plantation Road. Nevertheless, this pub makes for a welcome double with the Rose & Crown across the road. The interior is well described below except that the piano would now appear to be an upright rather than grand and I didn't spot the hot nuts machine; it was a cold night and minus my long johns, I could have done with some extra warmth. Clients seemed like a decent bunch, older and more genteel, though this is rather an expensive residential area off the tourist and student trail.
Ales: Gardener's Arms Finest Ale and tongue-tying Thwaites' Wainwright's Extremely Lovely Golden Pale Ale at £3.80 a pint and decent enough.
I'd come here again but was rather put off by the fungus infestation (which resembled grass) descending (or growing) out of the outlet pipe to the urinal cistern in the gent's.
Note also the opening times as this place would appear to be closed on Mondays.
On 3rd January 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Gardeners Arms
This GK tied house is long and narrow and has been run by the same couple over 20 years,she behind the bar ,he does the cooking.The carpeted interior has a series of fitted banquettes running the length of the building apart from a baby grand piano at the rear with photos of Oxford dotted about the walls.The bar has two ends used as serving points for the front and back.It feels unaltered since the 70's,chintzy yet retro in a good way.The food will appeals to both vegetarians and carnevours,at pub grub prices.
The TV was tuned to BBC2,and the few customers in did seem to be captivated by the gardening program which seemed appropriate given the pub name.However this did detract from the atmosphere which could hardly be described as lively.
At the bar there are three handpumps with guest Thwaites Wainwright,and GK Howell's Frosty Bells and a house Gardeners Arms at 3.8% almost certainly the dreaded GK IPA ,it tasted really dull.
With the Rose and Crown over the road draging in the CAMRA types,there would seem little point visiting here but I liked the old school feel to the pub,the Mulled Cyder on the bar top and heated nut display both unusually rare these days.It's worth popping in for a quick half.
On 23rd January 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Gardeners Arms
Situated on North Parade, a strange narrow side street off the main road that hosts a number of small businesses and two pubs quite unexpectedly. The interior here is a relatively unspoilt 60’s/70’s refit, a long narrow (partially knocked-through) room with a number of unusual coved banquette seating areas and some cosy features; I was quite taken with the impressive Xmas decorations. Place appeared to be run a pleasant old couple (almost 20 years at the tiller, apparently). Other stuff included a TV tuned quietly to some cookery programme with no one watching, a magazine rack, hot nuts machine and numerous framed prints of Oxford on the walls. Some random bits of clutter here and there, especially towards the rear; in fact it felt rather like an upmarket version of the Retreat in Reading. A genteel air on my Sunday afternoon sojourn, with a number of geriatric diners making up the clientèle. Three ales on; Thwaites Wainwright, Otter Bitter and house beer of uncertain provenance, with proper stewing mulled cider as a festive treat. My Otter, unfortunately, wasn’t really up to much. Nice place, shame about the beer this time. But I’d certainly pop in again if visiting the Rose & Crown for a swift one as it feels like a nice place to be.
On 19th December 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]