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Detail Pages
Tile Shop Ale House, Oxford
Headington
Postal town: Oxford
OX3 7BX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about Tile Shop Ale House
A micro just off the main road. A good use of limited space; cushioned bench seating either side with some bright tiling (natch) and nik-naks to make it more homely than the average. 70s MoR on the speakers, so not a puritan micro. Atmosphere a bit flat unfortunately, just us and two other customers on a Saturday afternoon with a non-engaging barman – may well be the same ‘gawping youth’ referenced below, hopefully it’s a bit livelier in the evening. Just two cask plus three keg, I went for the Tring Ridgeway (NBSS 4) at a competitive price. The beer quality means I’d pop back in again en route to the Mason’s but micros really do rely on the guv’nor to set the tone and this one missed the beat. GBG’23 listed, which is fair. 6.5
On 11th May 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5107 recommendations about 5090 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Tile Shop Ale House
Much has been said below about this micropub; a simple affair with a tiled floor being a nod to its previous use and an obvious Irish flavour. There’s much aeronautical décor, then tiresome St. Patrick’s Day bunting, furniture being mixed with some banquettes. A disabled ‘bathroom’ (no there isn’t) is to the rear, but it’s down a couple of steps, rendering it unfit for purpose; it also opens directly into the room, which is a bit of a turn-off. There are gravity feed casks to the rear, but no menu or pricing, so you have to ask the youth behind the counter what’s on offer and he didn’t seem that knowledgeable; when not serving me, he sat in silence in the bar area, gawping at his phone screen, another barman also sitting in silence, with just me as the only customer on a Friday afternoon, sitting in the chill, a wood burning stove sadly unlit. The other problem with this place are the opening times, closing at just 8.00pm except on Friday and Saturday, 9.00pm; I don’t know why this place wastes money being open during the day with no customers, yet throws away the optimal evening opening times when the many local students will want to use it, taking advantage of what – ‘spoons aside – are the lowest prices in Oxford.
Beers were few in number and seem to gravitate towards Tring, which is hardly local, my Going Loco fine and just £2.20 a half.
The Tile Shop seems a bit confused, like a work in progress. The staff don’t exactly lift the place, the ale choice being limited, with ridiculous opening times, none of which affects the Royal Blenheim in town, not to mention many other fine hostelries.
On 17th March 2023
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1992 recommendations about 1958 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Daniel Lordan left this review about Tile Shop Ale House
This little pub really is a gem The main focus is on locally produced real ale with 1 regular cask,1 rotation guest and 3-keg beers always available. 12 bottled ciders, various wines, spirits and cocktails for those who prefer something different. The ales are served straight from the cask and kept very well and to top national standards. A great place for friends to meet and chat without any of the normal chain-pub distractions. A range of bar snacks are also available. A real must for real ale drinkers and anyone who likes their beer served fresh. Lovely atmosphere and great friendly hosts. The interior floor is the original display floor from when it was a tile shop. Now included in the good beer guide.
On 28th November 2022
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Tile Shop Ale House
A cosy little micro-pub in a typical shop conversion. The wooden benches and chairs are liberally strewn with cushions and there are perhaps slightly more decorations round the walls than the average, while an interesting tiled floor seems to have been constructed from oddments. The little bar at the back fronts a small stillage of beers from the Tring Brewery, with a boxed cider and the usual fridge of more exotic stuff. Ales now priced at £4. Pleasant enough.
On 1st June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3352 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about Tile Shop Ale House
Oxford's first micropub housed in a former tile shop just off the crossroads in the centre of Headington. Indeed the first thing you notice is the (original) multi-tiled floor; a hodgepodge of different tiles of different colours along with a brightly-coloured tile fireplace against the right-hand wall. The brainchild of five friends from differing backgrounds (one a pilot) this had been in existence a mere 10 weeks prior to my Saturday lunchtime visit. Being the only punter, I got the chance to have a chat with the main, be-aproned guvnor, Ian, and it looks to have been a popular destination in its brief life so far, with a number of regulars already. As former shop premises, it's a smallish room with the bar at the far right of the room with several racks of barrels, albeit I learned that they only carried two beers, both by Tring; Side Pocket For A Toad and Ridgeway and despite me espying a handful of 'other' breweries' pump clips, I was told that the Tring beers are the only ones they will be stocking as they last and stay fresher longest. My Side Pocket was indeed in fine fettle and £3.80 for a pint's worth. I've been to better micropubs and the ale selection is a bit of a let-down, but this is definitely worth inclusion on any Headington crawl.
On 13th June 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1075 recommendations about 1075 pubs]