The Half Moon

Tiny Irish pub with lively folk music sessions on Sunday and Wednesday evenings (occasionally attended by current and past stars of the folk scene). Also hosts Sparky's Flying Circus on Thursdays and a Jazz evening (usually on the last Wednesday of every month). Now accepts cards!
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12noon - 12.30am Sat & Sun 12.30pm - 2.30am. Wifi access available.

18 St Clements
Oxford
OX4 1AB

Cowley Road Area
Telephone: 01865 247808
Map
Website

Real Fire & Live music events.



Coming up:

Sparky's Flying Circus
Thu, 7 January - Thu, 17 June

Folk Night
Sun, 28 February - Sat, 25 December

Irish Conversation Group
Tue, 2 March - Sat, 25 December

FACTual
Wed, 31 March

Ads by Daily Info:
Daily Info, Oxford Restaurants: Indian Curry House offer free home delivery and the best curry in Oxford!

Daily Info, Oxford: Luxury Private Villa Holidays in Turkey!

Affordable, comfortable B&B, self-catering and letting with Abodes of Oxford
Useful links:

Oxford Restaurants
Oxford Hotels
Oxford Pubs & Bars
Oxford Gig venues
Oxford Concert venues




Submit your own review

Wow! What a treat to wander past for last orders at the legendary Half Moon last Weds and find a whole jazz quintet stuffed miraculously into one half of the lower bar. I wouldn't have believed it were possible had I not seen it. Nice smooth background classics (Watermelon Man, etc.) to listen to whilst quaffing an ale. Could've done with a vocalist though (or perhaps I missed that bit?). The pub wasn't too full to mean that it was ridiculously squashed in, but there were enough punters for a nice vibe. Especially liked the sax. Hope they come back!

Roo, 03/03/09


It is difficult to do justice to this oasis of merriment with words nevertheless, it would be a shame not to try.

Found nestled in popular St. Clements, the Half Moon provides a haven of restful charm by day and a buzzing social mecca for those in the business of fun and free thought by night.

The interior has benefited from new ownership and the feel of a traditional pub has been enhanced with a cosy fire and comfy sofas. Basically, what you have with the Half Moon is something a bit special tweaked to become something utterly fabulous. There is soulful pleasure oozing from the woodwork and a sense of gentle, good humoured wit which permeates the atmosphere.

You can expect a warm welcome from the staff, owner and regulars alike. Call in, sit back and feel safe in the knowledge that you are in good company.

1,000,000 out of 10

Clifton, 20/12/08


Best Pub in the World? Probably! I live in Cumbria, and I haven't found a pub to match it! I am visiting Oxford twice in two months just to go back to this pub! The Half Moon has bags of character and charm. The landlord Joe Ryan is a charming and friendly Irishman running what amounts to a pub that could has been lifted from a village in the midst of rural Ireland and dropped into the centre of Oxford. The beer is good, the regulars are amazing people, and if you have a love of traditional music, the place is almost like The Cavern Club....if you're a folky! And if you happen to be around during Folk Festival time you may bump into a famous face or two at the nightly sessions, most likey, Jon Boden of Bellowhead. Regular folk sessions held on Sunday nights and all are welcome to join in, just don't get too boisterous or you're likely to get told off!!

The place does fill up quickly and people just keep coming and coming and coming! Closing time is debatable, I have been 5 times during my visits to Oxford, and the latest I managed to stay was 3.30am!! And the atmosphere was still lively and the hardcore regulars were still going strong!
If you want a unique experience, please, please visit this pub on a Sunday night, you won't be disappointed!

Sarah, 10/05/07


An Oxford gem. Utterly authentic Irish pub, with high-class folk music a few times a week. Arrive early on Sunday nights if you want a seat - and be treated to non-stop traditional music with up to 20 musicians. Be polite to the landlord Joe - he's a lovely guy but won't stand for excessive drunkenness, timewasting, disrespect or (crime of crimes) noise during a quiet song. And be prepared for a sore head the next day.

al, 29/01/07



Fill in the boxes and then click "Send Review" to submit your review for The Half Moon.

Type or paste the text of your review (10 - 300 words) in here:

Your nickname (which you would like others to see on this site):



Contact Details
These are for Daily Info staff use only - we might want to contact you if, for example, we want to add you to our official reviewer's list (free tickets! Click here for more info).
Your name
and email
and/or phone number

Terms and Conditions. Go on, do read them, it'll be nice.