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Cambridge PuG Crawl, Friday 5th April 2024 with Gann on the Pub Forum

The Magdalen Arms, Oxford

243 Iffley Road
Oxford
OX4 1SJ
Phone: 01865243159

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Magdalen Arms

The Magdalen Arms has a front bar with serving counter on the right wall and sofas with thick tables and chairs opposite. More seating is found towards the rear and at the back is an open plan pizza restaurant. Premium keg was available and on the four hand pumps were TT Landlord, JW Lees Plum Pudding, Greene King’s Rocking Rudolph and Deuchars. The Lees was on good form, but I thought this place was a bit up itself so not for me.

On 27th December 2022 - rating: 4
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Magdalen Arms

I lived for four years around the corner from here and haven’t been in since at least 2000 when this pub was indeed a bit rough round the edges and was home to three pool tables with red, blue and yellow baize.
Now it’s a serious gastropub - 2019 Michelin Guide - with much chunky furniture and the aforementioned plum coloured spacious interior with cream coloured ceiling and modern boarded floor. You can tell it’s a gastropub, as the staff all wear navy blue aprons with white stripes and many of the tables are laid for dining, quite a few with reserved signs on the large pale pine tables. Illumination comes courtesy of large metal shaded hanging lamps. There’s an open kitchen, so that excess heat can drain into the pub and clanking noises can compete with the subdued mood music. There’s a side patio and one to the rear which is non-smoking. Naturally, given the nature of the place, there are no TVs and as mentioned, bogs are indeed very nice, but don't justify a visit in their own right.
Ales: Deuchars IPA with clip thankfully reversed, Old Hooky, Bank’s Hopfest and Ghost Ship at a rather pricey £2.25 a half, though in good shape.
This isn’t a bad place and in a decent location, but it really is more restaurant than boozer where I’d prefer to eat rather than drink but it would make for a good inclusion with the Chester and Fir Tree on the way to the Isis Farmhouse.

On 29th August 2019 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1955 recommendations about 1922 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The Magdalen Arms

An unremarkable exterior that gives few clues as to its function. Inside it's huge, a dimly lit burgundy/plum shade main room with chunky wood furnishings and a pine bar top. To the rear beyond a couple of screens is a table service restaurant (‘Michelin recommended’, apparently). No garden but external seating runs the length of the pub. Child friendly, including what appeared to be a box of kids toys so one to avoid if you don’t like sprogs with your pint. No sign of the bar billiards table mentioned in the WhatPub review. Four pumps with three on, amazingly all Caledonian; Deuchars, Golden XPA and Trojan Horse which is their stab at a black IPA which was sweet and tasted of horseradish but condition wise it was in good condition. Also bowls of gratis crisps and nuts at the bar. Nice bogs. Could take it or leave it as a venue.

On 7th November 2014 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5043 recommendations about 5026 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve of N21 left this review about Magdalen Arms

This is billed as a gastro pub restaurant but looked definitely more Gastro restaurant than pub when I poked my nose in. Apparently the Magdalen Arms underwent a major refurb in early 2010 when it was transformed from rough house boozer into Gastro pub experience by the people behind the well-known leading Gastro pub / restaurant, the Anchor & Hope in Waterloo.
Dark plum coloured décor with lots of assorted tables, there is a long bar all along one side. However it didn’t strike me as the type of place you would be comfortable just having a drink in.
Won’t rate it as we didn’t stay but moved to the Rusty Bicycle around the corner , which is a proper pub.

On 21st August 2012 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2094 recommendations about 1985 pubs]