Bar Meze

My family and I are regular costumers at Bar Meze. It is our most favourite restaurant in Oxford. Menu has a varied selection of Meze which we all like. When eating with other friends, we prefer to go for 12 mezes between 4 of us. There is always some food left. Normally our bill is under £50.00 with a bottle of house wine which is one of the best house wines I have tried. We think Bar Meze is good value for money. Service is also friendly. We think Bar Meze is a must-visit restaurant; we are never disappointed, we go there again and again and recommend our friends who always have appreciated our recommendation. I can say that their hummus is the best I have ever tasted, and I know what I am saying as I am half Turkish.

lady D (DI User), 01/06/11

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Of all the many fascinating restaurants in Oxford, there are very few to compare with the ambiance and atmosphere of Bar Meze. My wife and I have been going to this Headington restaurant from our home in Summertown for the past five years and in this time we have consistently enjoyed the most delicious Turkish food, impeccable service and very reasonable prices. In fact, whenever we have visitors, we take them to Bar Meze knowing that they will be highly impressed by the exquisite cuisine and friendly staff.

Just last week, a group of six of us spent a delightful Sunday afternoon at Bar Meze where we were all nicely sated by the vast range of Turkish dishes that our party had ordered. Each of the 20 mezes was mouth-watering and delectable, some of course proving to be more popular than others. Our guests were asking afterwards why they did not have an equivalent Bar Meze restaurant in their neck of the woods. Other than dining there, I often arrange to meet work colleagues or have business meetings over tea or coffee, with the personable staff always greeting me like a long lost friend.

The only thing missing from Bar Meze is that it should provide wireless internet for their customers like the cafe next door. If the management does that, even more people will come and have business meetings in this delightful and welcoming surroundings. There is no doubt in my mind, that there are not many restaurants in Oxford that can beat Bar Meze in terms of food, decor, price and service, so much so that many a time I find my favourite table occupied by another satisfied diner. That alone is testament to its growing popularity.

JRW (Unverified), 18/05/11

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I used to love Bar Meze but my last visit there was just that... my last visit. The service was really bad, they forgot most of our order. The plates were cold as was the food and I noticed other diners sending theirs back, the lamb brochette was cooked beyond repair and they have altered all the prices, meaning you have to pay extra for everything, rice potatoes etc. The turkish rice I once loved with the coconut and the raisins was just boiled rice and cost about 3 quid plus! All in all the mezes were the same had they remembered to bring them to the table but I will not be going back as I feel ripped off. Poor service bad main meal and extortionate prices.

nelliepud (Unverified), 25/04/11

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Went there last Sunday because of a Groupon voucher. The hummous was very dry; we ordered seafood salad and received falafels instead! Almost £6 for 3 pieces of baklava.

Lady C (Unverified), 16/04/11

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We live in Headington and have been to Bar Meze on a regular basis since its opening. We booked a round table for six- when we arrived despite there only being 3 other tables with diners our table was not ready and we had to stand around while they arranged it.

As we have been many times before we made our choices very quickly and placed the order. One of our group had chosen a T bone steak and asked that there be no salad on it just chips. The waitress explained that now it only came with salad so we would have to order chips separately. As two of us were having the mixed grill we also got the same reply: to order chips at £3.50 per portion which arrived in a small bowl - very expensive chips!

Worse was to come though, as when the mixed grills arrived they were on cold plates which I noticed before they landed on the table. Anyone serving hot food knows that it should be on hot plates. Two of the ladies in our group said their food was OK but one had chosen the half roast duck which was greasy and a small portion.

Our bill came to £148.00 and we all felt this to be excessive for the quality of food & service. Other people have remarked on the decor and it is now worse! It is sad to see a once thriving eaterie in this state but we have all decided that we will not be returning again.

Headington Diners (Unverified), 02/03/11

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Went here recently and frankly, wasn't impressed. Mint tea was just a peppermint teabag with 2 mint leaves. £3 for small portions...not the best. Overpriced for what you get.

mezzina (Unverified), 08/02/11

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I live in Headington and have been going to Bar Meze for years since it opened. My family and I used to go there on an extremely regular basis and we got to know all of the staff and the owner. When the restaurant first opened it was gorgeous on the inside and the meals were really great and tasty.

However, the longer this restaurant has been open, the more rundown it has started to become. The decor is still okay, but there are serious slippings. For example, the taps in the toilets have come off and not been replaced for at least 2 years. The once immaculate pair of Turkish shoes and Fez on the toilet doors are broken and look shabby now.

Portion sizes have seriously decreased and prices have gone up. The quality of the food is no longer the same and you could leave feeling disappointed.

The staff are still very friendly and attentive so they should not be dissed! But all in all, this restaurant WAS excellent and is now quite frankly a disappointment. The once bustling environment with traditional music has gone.

HS (Unverified), 27/02/10

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I recently went to Bar Meze with my friends, it was my best friend's birthday. The place had a lovely atmosphere, great service and the food was gorgeous. I had a fantastic night. Best of all, one of the waitresses surprised my friend with a birthday cake. Which was complimentary.

Really happy will go again and again.

SA (Unverified), 12/11/09

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My boyfriend and I paid a visit to Bar Meze for our Saturday lunch. The first thing I noticed was the oil containers on the tables, where very large clumps of mould was growing on the piece of thyme placed in it. I was wondering whether they paid as little attention to their food in the kitchen as to what was put on the tables for consumption. I made them aware of the mould and said that I was a bit apprehensive about the food being served to me. The staff and manager didn't take my comment very seriously. They did though remove the oil from a couple of tables, where the mould growth was very obvious, but they definitely weren't apologetic about it. Actually, the manager just had a smirk on his face, as if he found it all very amusing.

We got two mezes and a drink for £6 (lunch time offer), which was slightly expensive for the size of the portions and the quality of the food. I got chicken in a creamy sauce, which actually tasted quite good, and a fried goats cheese, which reminded me more of deep-fried cartilage than soft creamy goats cheese - I reckon it had been sitting around in the fridge for a long time and had gone hard as old cheese often do.

In all, the place has a nice atmosphere, but is also slightly run down. Only go here if you don't care that much about the food being served to you or getting a good service - or most importantly, stay away from condiments on the tables. Restaurants which don't pay attention to the dining area of the restaurant, probably don't pay much attention to cleanliness in the kitchen either, so I won't be coming back to Bar Meze again.

LF (DI User), 26/09/09

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Highly recommended - very friendly atmosphere and particularly accommodating with children. Our fave Headington restaurant!

wook (Unverified), 22/10/08

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This place is great for a relaxed drink and a few tasty snacks. Very good menu and great value especially if you come for the lunch deal or for dinner. Service is always friendly and we never feel pressured or rushed no matter how busy the restaurant and bar are. Particular food favourites are the sausage meze, houmous and chicken in onion and white wine - delicious. Great value when you take note that all mezes come with a generous portion of pitta bread to mop it all up with. Recommended wholeheartedly for relaxed evenings out.

ALS (Unverified), 15/08/08

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Reliably tasty and wide variety of mezes in pleasant surroundings. Drinks service can be erratic (eg. on two separate visits we requested a jug of water with our drinks, and on both occasions we had to ask again up to three times more before we actually got it), but it's worth bearing with this as the food is delicious, and arrives relatively speedily. Both times I have been in a party of four and we found that sharing 12 mezzes between us was more than enough (along with the complementary pitta bread that comes with the food order and the olives and pickles that you get given at the outset to nibble on with your drinks). The ovenbaked houmous is particularly worth a try. They have deals for different numbers of mezes (3, 6 or 9) that make each meze cheaper the more you get at once, which works well.
The standard desserts are rather heavy and overly sweet - and a bit steep at £5 each - but the fresh fruit platter and the baklava are delicious. Worth a visit.

Roo (DI Reviewer), 13/06/08

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My boyfriend and I went to Bar Meze for New Year's Eve and we were both shocked by the service we received. The set menu was hugely overpriced for what it was and the service was appalling. We were completely forgotten as soon as the clock struck 12 and never received our dessert, as the waitress was too busy dancing with some of the other staff. Tired of waiting we asked for the bill, at which point the waitress snapped at my boyfriend that she hadn't been given enough time to celebrate. I had been to Bar Meze once before - when one of the waitresses spilt a hot chicken dish over a friend's lap - but thought I would give it another try. I will not be going back again.

E.R. (Unverified), 30/06/07

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We went to Bar Meze tonight and were very disappointed. We ordered the six meze deal.
When my drink arrived, the stirrer was very dirty - sticky and covered in some old food!
The waitress then arrived with our cutlery, and noticed that one of the knives was dirty. Instead of replacing the knife, she scraped the dirt off with her nail, and then went to give us the knife. We asked for the knife to be replaced, and the waitress examined the knife as if it was clean enough!
The food was ok - small portions, but nothing special. I had the chicken wings, and thought the chicken was off - it tasted terrible. We will not be going back.

cw (Unverified), 28/05/07

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We visit our daughter who is a student in Oxford several times a year. One of the highlights is our regular meal at Bar Meze. Wonderful food, great ambience, friendly staff. Their Lamb Incik is always memorable!

Jadi (Unverified), 19/03/07

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I have eaten here 2/3 times over the last couple of years and don't feel the same as the other 2 reviews so far. Admittedly I only shared some small meze dishes each time and din't have anything more substantial, but I generally found the food to be rather run-of-the-mill and there was a longer than average wait for it. The Turkish coffee I had at the end seemed to be just an espresso made very badly (but I suppose that's what makes it authentic!). Having said all this the interior is very nice.

Joe B (Unverified), 14/03/07

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We stayed in Oxford recently with our 11 month old baby and saw this restaurant in the Vegetarian Grapevine guide. Although it was further from the hotel than we wanted to go we decided we would try it. We were so glad we did! The atmosphere was brilliant and our table was set up perfectly with a high chair ready for when we arrived.

Throughout our visit the staff included and spoke to our daughter. They were very understanding of her egg allergy and made us all feel very welcome.

When we asked about certain dishes they were explained proudly and even though we are small eaters, we were not pushed or felt obliged to order more than we felt we needed.

The food was delicious and well-priced and service was wonderfully attentive but never intrusive. Even though it was a busy Saturday night we were unhurried and felt very relaxed.

The decoration and character of the restaurant is an absolute delight. I would recommend it to anyone. We look forward to returning soon.

Ms KM (Unverified), 20/02/06

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Bar Meze is situated in the centre of Headington, next to the Post Office and opposite Bury Knowle Park.

My boyfriend and I went for a meal on a Friday evening; we had booked a table and were shown straight to it. The interior of the restaurant has quite a cosy mediterranean feel, with terracotta walls and tables, comfy chairs and cushioned benches at the front alongside a long bar which serves cocktails as well as the usual beers, wine and spirits. Behind the bar area, the restaurant has mainly circular tables, with a conservatory at the back in which the tables for two are situated. The Turkish decor is attractive, with wall-mounted and ceiling-suspended lamps, lucky charms inlaid into the tile flooring, and background music at just the right level to be heard without being intrusive. The restaurant was full (and always has been when I've visited before), so advanced booking is recommended. The separated seating areas make it ideal for both group visits and romantic dining.

The service was excellent, the waitress taking our drinks order almost immediately, and we sat contemplating the menu while munching our way through a small dish of olives, sun-dried tomatoes and chillis. We decided on the Turkish Efes beer, but can also recommend the Turkish Villa Dolluca wine from a previous visit. We chose three mezes (£3 each, or 3 for £8, 6 for £12, 9 for £16) to share as starters from their large selection of cold and hot mezes (any more than this and we tend to struggle with the main course!): Borek (filo pastry filled with feta cheese and chopped parsley), Sucuk Izgara (thin slices of spicy beef) and (my favourite!) Patlican Tava (charcoal-cooked aubergine served with a spicy tomato sauce). These were served very promptly with a basket of warm pitta bread, and devoured very quickly.

For our main courses, I had the chicken brochette (£11) and my boyfriend had the moussaka (£11). (The main courses range from £10-£14.) You also get a choice of sauté potatoes, French fries or basmati rice included in the price. Both dishes came very quickly after the starters had been cleared and were huge. My plate had six or seven big pieces of succulent chicken breast with peppers and onions sat on a pitta bread and a very fresh side salad. The moussaka was again enormous, and looked very fresh - this was also served with side salad. Both dishes were hot. The fries and rice that we chose were brought out on separate plates and again were both hot and tasty (and the rice had pine nuts in it).

Throughout the meal we were asked if everything was to our satisfaction (once by a man who I presumed was the owner).

Our plates were cleared and we were asked if we wanted desserts or coffee. We had a look, but were too full – if you still have room at this point however, I can from past experience fully recommend the baklava. Desserts weigh in at around the £5 mark. We decided to have more drinks, and moved to the front of the restaurant for these, staying for another half an hour or so before dragging ourselves away. Our total bill came to just over £48 for 3 mezes, two mains, 5 beers and a cocktail. If you wanted a slightly cheaper night, I would suggest sharing 16 mezes and a bottle of wine (total cost around £30).

The restaurant also has a jazz evening on a Monday night, and a lunchtime meal offer of 2 mezes and a glass of house wine, beer or soft drink for £6. Having visited Bar Meze several times in different contexts and found it equally enjoyable, I fully recommend you try it.

Teresa Willis (Unverified), 08/11/04

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