The White Horse pub first opened as The Mermaid in 1591, changed its name a handful of times, but settled on White Horse ever since the 1830's. Thanks to its central location and tons of history, it seems like this pub has suffered at the hands of tourists like myself in recent years. The interior is smaller than other pubs I visited, but could be downright cozy if it weren't for the people coming in, looking around, and then leaving after taking a photo or two. (Maybe I just caught a tour bus day) They have 8-10 beers on tap, offer wine, and was told that the fish & chips are tip top, though we just had a few pints on our visit. Service at the bar was friendly and prompt, and we snagged one of the few tables available to sit and people watch. Overall White Horse is a fine small pub and well worth a visit if you love historic buildings/businesses. You can be the judge of the rest. read more

White Horse - Pubs Near Me - Oxford, OXF

Bijou and very old pub tucked under Blackwells. Bedevilled by tourist hordes much of the time ( last visit it was notably a gaggle of dyed hair American pseudo students discussing what to be offended by next, while talking too loud , not understanding anything they've seen, and getting in everyone's way). However, if you're willing to brave that sort of thing, or are there at a quieter time, get yourself a pint of Guinness and a hot pastrami sandwich. You can thank me later. read more

Great location. But the decor has changed from traditional and authentic to something solely for tourists. Gone are the old photos and comfy low lighting. Now it's photos of tv shows and movie actors. My favorite pub has sold out. read more

Small to medium sized pub that serves food. About 8 or so beer on tap, and a fairly large selection of food (for a pub). The food tasted quite nice actually. Table service (ordering and serving). Most tables have a bench seat on one side oft he table, and a low stool on the other side. Not much space between bar and table so person on stoll needs to occasionally lean forward to let people pass behind. All not very comfortable. No WiFi. Toilets, on the dirty side. Handsoap dispenser was empty. There was no music playing, which I thought was a shame. read more

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Nothing was really bad but it wasn't worth the 20 minute walk. Overrated here in Yelp. Tasty but pie was mostly a crust not a pie and the fish and chips were rather tasteless. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was a 4 star dessert on 2 star entreees. read more

The atmosphere alone deserves 5 stars. It is so tight and cozy. The waitstaff is amazing and attentive and it is a great central location. My boyfriend and I had to try this when on our tour we were told that the bookstore neighboring both sides had tried for centuries to buy them out and they refuse. The fish and chips were alright- the batter reminded me of funnel cake batter- too sweet. The hot meat sandwich wth mushrooms and onions was nothing to rave about, either. If anything just stop in for a pint and friendly faces. read more

White Horse - A pint of white horse at the White Horse - Pubs Near Me - Oxford, OXF

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Cozy pub right next to Blackwell's. This is a fantastic and friendly place to get cheap and good quality fish and chips for takeaway Atmosphere: 5 stars Fish and chips: 5 stars WiFi: absolutely not, if they didn't need it hundreds of years ago then you don't need it here read more

This pub is incredibly charming. Small, dark and, cozy; this place is a step back in time! Great beer selection as fell as mulled wine! Seem to always have nice specials! I had the Homemade Lamb Casserole special which was completely gourmet! Very hearty! Mum had the Steak and Ale Pie which was rich and bold! Also, had the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert which was just fantastic! Really enjoy sitting here and indulging in food, drinks and passing the time! read more

White Horse - Lamb Casserole Special - Pubs Near Me - Oxford, OXF

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Quite good fish and chips, good ales on tap, and the cozy (small!) interior really encourages spontaneous random conversation with your fellow patrons. Given the opportunity, I'll definitely be back. read more

White Horse - Pubs Near Me - Oxford, OXF

Loved this place. It was tiny and cozy sitting in the outer rim of oxford university campus and the main downtown area. Drinks were really good and calamari tasted not bad. Cheesy garlic bread was pretty good too and comes in three pieces. The service was not terrible. The place becomes noisy since it's small. read more

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Tiny little pub with excellent cider and wonderfully tender fish in their fish and chips. Literally next door to Blackwell's bookshop.

A very nice - and, as other reviewers have made clear - a very cosy little pub sandwiched in between two frontages of Blackwell's bookshops. Dating back to 1590, it is one of Oxford's oldest pubs, although the current building was built in the 1700s. Initially called the White Mermaid, it was then called the Jolly Volunteer, then (after 1660) The Elephant, and it only acquired the current name a hundred years or so later. The pub is basically a wide passage, with low ceilings. There's an excellent window-table at the front - great for a group of friends (we fitted 10 around it), and another small seating area at the back. It does real ales, on my visit including Vale Best Bitter, Wychwood Hobgoblin, St Austell Tribute, White Horse Wayland Smithy, Timothy Taylor Landlord, and Hook Norton's Old Hookey. Worth a visit. read more

White Horse - Pubs Near Me - Oxford, OXF

Warm feel and polite staff. I wasn't able to spend much time here. We had one day in Oxford and made a mini Morse pub crawl part of it. This was our first stop and I really wanted to go back, but time didn't allow. It was quiet (about noon) and just a few other groups of people inside. No music. Just quiet conversations. The bartender (needlessly) apologized for our very short wait. His apology was genuine. He cared about our experience there. It felt so good just sitting there with the sun shining through the window. Again, it was warm. Comfortable. If I make it back to Oxford, I will absolutely return. Oh, and they poured the most perfect Guinness I've ever seen. See the photo. (I know, Ireland is on my list...Calm down.) read more

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Another cozy, warm,historic bar at Oxford! İf you visit Oxford you should definitely make a stop here, one if the oldest in Oxford. read more

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A must visit when in Oxford! Once we were done with Blackwell's we popped next door to The White Horse. This place really is tiny, which is not surprising when you realise how old it is! Watch your head if you're tall! We found a little table still available, sandwiched between an enthusiastic Christmas party, and some American tourists. I definitely recommend checking out the photos on the wall, there's so much history shown there! It's not hard to get served, largely because the bar is tiny so the staff can't miss you! We got a couple of pints and mum had a great selection of herbal teas to choose from (pretty impressive in England!) The beer was fine (I've yet to find an English beer that I love, despite having tried a bunch of CAMRA beers) and the atmosphere festive. I took great delight seeing the staff using the dumb waiter - it had a ROPE! No electronic fanciness here, folks, just original analogue pulleys and ropes. The tourists beside us ordered food and oh my god did it ever look good! Giant portions of incredibly homey goodness that I wanted to steal immediately. They also had a pie special that was loaded up with amazing game meats and if I'd had room I would definitely have ordered it - I suspect the food is great here. The bathrooms are a bit blah, unsurprisingly, as they obviously aren't original. Cold and a bit bleak, but you aren't in there for long. It might be more expensive than other places, but you're paying for the history, and I'm totally ok with that! read more

We went here for dinner on a Sunday night and got the last table. The pub is extremely small with very limited seating, so we were lucky. The pub oozes history and the atmosphere is quite pleasant. It has Guinness on tap so that is a big positive for me. I got the beef and mushroom pie and enjoyed it a lot. The meat was tender and the gravy was very good. It came with mash and veggies. The people around us also had some interesting plates that I want to try. The fish and chips looked really good--a very thin batter and not greasy. A woman had the corn fed chicken which I want to try. And the curry smelled excellent. In short, this place is a winner and I want to return for sure to try some other dishes. read more

Food: YES Beer: YES Cider: YES What else do you need? Fabulous pub, over Blackwell's, very studenty on Broad Street, and somehow never massively crowded. This is where you take your parents for their Sunday roast. If it's still on. read more

13th?! in the pub rankings. The mention of the word cute is surprisingly appropriate for this little pub. Tucked in under the eaves of the Blackwells Empire its a little pub for hobbits. Great beer selection and there is food (although I'm sure that's only for the tourists). The bar staff are never over friendly, in fact I know least about them of any bar staff in Oxford, as they kind of melt into the background with the low lighting. The room at the back to the left of the toilets is a great place to hang out with your mates over a few cheeky beers and no one will ever find you there. You're in the centre of town, everyone else is at lectures or labs, and you're enjoying lashing of real ale and mountains of McCoys. Those happy memories make this a five star. P.S. Just reading some of the other reviews. As pubs make so little on food, and the White Horse attracts plenty of non-food customers, Cancel The Food. read more

Fish and chips were better than most places The server was helpful and pleasant The fish was flakey and the breading was light and crispy.Only drawback was limited seating. read more

I won't add much to the food and drink comments because I think they've been covered, but I just want to say a bit about the history behind it: It was where the Inspector Morse series was filmed in 1987 and, more recently, The Oxford Murders in March 2009. If you're a fan of Elijah Wood or John Hurt, you'll be interested to know that they drank here during the filming. Still, a pub shouldn't be judged solely on its building (grade 2 listed) or its past visitors, but by what it provides, and there are certainly better places to eat nearby. read more

I can't really say anything about the food as we didn't eat here; it just looked so cute that we had to pop in for a drink. Now I'm not much of a pub drinker but this place was so oldie worldy pub like I felt compelled to get a proper pub drink in and opted for a Goblin Cider - it looked good and fitting! But I didn't like it, but that's not to say this place aint great. Firstly it's tiny! But also quite historic and famous, and hey it's right next door to Blackwell's! read more

White Horse - Pubs Near Me - Oxford, OXF

The white hart is overall an okay pub. The good.. The drink is reasonably priced and there is a good selection. There are 2 pool tables and 2 darts boards (ask at bar for darts). There is in I.T Box There are televisions which show sport. There are plenty of seats and chairs. There is a fire to kepep you warm on a cold day. The toilets are in good condition. The Food Menu is varied. The Bad... The decor is slightly bland. The atmosphere is never buzzing, even in the evening. The food service is slow. You never quite get the food you ordered. Let me elaborate on that last part. The problem is that their menu is very nicely varied and quite big. But the three times ive eaten there the food has been slow and i have never got exactly what i asked for. The first time i ordered a lamb burger but got beef, the second time i ordered a jacket pot and got chips and then the last time i asked for no tomatoes because im allergic...but got them anyway. I have eaten both at the busy weekend and on a quiet weekday lunch time. Its a shame because this is a nice pub otherwise. The staff are very nice and the owner is lovely. so if your reading this white horse.... SORT THE FOOD OUT :) ps. this is a great pub to get to cos its outside of town and cowley rd meaning people can drive AND park..yes park...there! read more

One of the few Oxford pubs that's got a distinct vibe that seems to remain intact year after year. Whether it's the proximity to Blackwell's main Oxford store, the Bodleian, or the Colleges in the Broad Street area, it's got something of a bookish but friendly air. The food's certainly not to write home about, but one look around shows you that's not what the White Horse is about: this is a small, simple, decent pub that serves good ale without pretension, treats its customers well, and is obviously well-loved by its regulars. The staff have always been a positive down the years I've been visiting - welcoming and knowledgeable about the beers without being over-bearing. If you get the table on the raised area at the back of the pub you could quite happily sit with a group for hours on end. read more

I think this is in my top 3 pubs in Oxford! Very traditional pub, not much room inside so cannot get very busy. if you go when it is quiet you can have a very enjoyable time with very friendly and talkative staff. Would recommend for any ale drinkers! read more

Tiny and historic pub on Broad Street. If you can get in, you should go. I've been unable to find a seat there about 5 times for every one time I've actually stopped in. Worth it if you can find a space though, because it is quaint and cozy. read more

Great service, very good fish and chips, perhaps a little pricey but inline with other Oxford restaurants. Over all I'm a fan. read more

Mac and Cheese are amazing! Cute, cozy little pub in the heart of town. Drinks and food came quickly and staff were friendly.

Friendly service, busy during lunchtime since the place is tiny inside. Food was good, we had the fish and chips along with the seafood pie. If you want pub food, this place is worth a try since you will see such a variety of people here. read more

It's Cool to be able to say that you drank at the same pub the Winston Churchill used to frequent. Service was typical. Their selection of beers and ciders on tap were great as they featured many local drinks. I didn't try the food but the pub had character as it's over 500 years old. read more

This place is small just opposite the Sheldonian Theatre . Its full of dark wood and bare floorboards . Theres a bit of a Morse connection and apparently it was a favourite of Churchill . However on a practical note its expensive . £3.80 for a pint of Cornish 3.6% water of poor quality . Nice to visit once . read more

What a wonderful atmosphere eating and drinking in a 500 year old establishment right across from the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad St. I wanted something to stick to my ribs so I had the special that was a game pie and it was very good and just what I needed. The Pale Ale was very good as well. read more

Fantastic, tiny pub right on Broad St. Independently run. Good food, great selection of beer and cider. Friendly bartenders, and they do take-away food as well. Usually quite busy, but if you can grab a table, it's a great place to spend an evening. read more

I love this place. It is a small little pub with friendly wait staff and good food. The mussels in this place was fresh, good and tasty. I absolutely adore the hot chocolate here, it is creamy and rich. The Sunday roast wasn't dry and the sauce was not bland. Seating can be a bit tight but they're worth it. All other food comes in reasonably sized portions and good value for money. read more

We had a few great meals here while we were in Oxford. The service was super friendly and efficient. We loved the chicken pot pie and the delicious veggies that came with it. It was a little pricey relative to other pubs but fun for a splurge while on vacation. read more

The White Horse is the dinkiest pub I've ever been in. It's squeezed between the two shop fronts of the vast Blackwell's bookshop and looks like something of an afterthought, but you can't beat it for atmosphere: it's low-ceilinged and wonky, and although the food is forgettable reheated stodge, it's a great place to sit for a sociable drink, especially in winter. read more

Atmosphere: 4.5 stars Pub: 4 stars Restaurant: 2 stars Neat old pub with a great feel and nice staff. Very cozy feel in the winter. Decent selection of beers and ciders. Some liquors. Food is pub food, usually heavy and a bit greasy. If you eat here, try to reserve the back table. read more

Good service. Stopped in for a pint of beer while on tour in Oxford. Quaint, very authentic British pub interior. No music , just folks talking and drinking. They also serve food but we didn't eat. read more

Rumour has it that the White Horse was one of Inspector Morse's favourite pubs. It is one of mine too! Definitely more 'gown' thatn 'town' but non-students should appreciate the cosy atmosphere as well. Does a cracking mulled wine in the winter, coffee and bar food all year round. I would recommend the fish and chips in particular. read more

Tiny pub in the middle of tourist-happy Oxford. Friendly staff, good food and nice ales.

Excellent Fish and Chips. Exactly what I wanted, served hot, although the portion size was a bit small (one filet for 8.95). The barman was rude as well. Food was great, however, so earns 4 stars from me. read more