The Victoria

The Victoria, what a change around! Last time I went the place was filthy and really smelt bad. Now it is clean and really nicely done. The oldy look of the pub makes a pleasant change from all the bars that seem to be opening everywhere. The garden is arguably the best in the area, plus it has a front terrace which is great to sit and watch the world go by. The pub actually feels quite classy, not sure I want classy for a pub, but it certainly has a nice feel and vibe to it. The bar snacks are pretty good too if you don't want the drama of having dinner somewhere.

I like it and would recommend going there while out and about on Walton St. which is now the new going out strip in Oxford, away from the awful city centre and enough places there for a fun night out.

Vanessa (Unverified), 23/06/08

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Very agreeable after a couple of years in the doldrums. One of the better drinking holes in Oxford now after good refit. Should really come in to its own as the nights start drawing in later in the year. Was previously a weak link in the Jericho pub scene but is now on a par if not better than a number of its local rivals. Food I have sampled was good rather than brilliant but i'm always happy to see Peroni lager on tap.

Joe B (Unverified), 22/06/08

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After suffering in the doldrums for a long period, this pub has finally been taken over and thoroughly refurbished to a very high standard. Catering for the trendy Jericho crowd, it serves continental beers (a la the Jericho Tavern) and has a short, tasty faux-Victorian bar menu consisting of pie & chips with a modern twist (steak and mature Somerset cheddar; butternut squash, caramelised onion & feta - delicious - with skinny French fries), bangers, sandwiches and ploughman's lunches. The whole place has gone for a Victorian-retro theme, with wood panelling, ornate mirrors and other quirky touches, including a model aeroplane (not very Victorian!) suspended in the central floor-to-upper-balcony space and a brightly-coloured classical fresco on the ceiling. It all works well, making the place grand enough to look smart and stylish, but remaining spacious rather than crowded with kitsch. Yet it also has corners of cosy intimacy, such as the tiny lower snug bar, which makes a good winter refuge. There's plenty of garden space for summer sun too, with the raised street-front people-watching terrace and the rear 'bamboo garden' with its colossal central bench. When the bamboo's grown a bit I imagine this will be a bit like drinking in a jungle. Very exotic.

Su Jordan (DI Staff), 18/06/08

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