The Chester Arms

5 stars for everything here. The food was delicious and tasty! Cabbage with bacon/smoked sausage was surprisingly good, crisp chips and salad with the medium rare steak, awesome combination. You can book online (even we were late they manage to get a table for us). The lunch is served until 2:30pm (we were just on time). The service was very good and we were happy to pay the service fee (12.5%) added to the bill, employees were friendly and quick. Feedback from my husband on the IPA was delicious, really good IPA. The atmosphere is great, they have a garden outside for warmer days. Loved the pictures of dogs on the wall, I look forward to going back and bring my dog with us. The place is also pet friendly. Definitely worth a visit!

Visited 3 times so far, food and service have been consistently top-notch. Free street parking on weekends is a plus. Is there really a better way to treat yourself than their steak platter?

One of the good places I have been to. It’s good, dog friendly. They have Polaroid images of all the dog that visit the pub. Food was tasty and beer was great to

Generous portions of perfectly cooked steak, great for splitting with friends or family. It's a delicious and fun way to enjoy a fantastic meal together.

Visited Chester arms many times over the years. Steak always cooked lovely and the sides are a nice touch. I do feel standards have dropped in recent times though. Twice now I’ve waited over an hour for food and we only order one dish for the table (the famous steak platter of course). First photo was 2019 for 2 people, second photo for 2024 for 3 people. Steak portions have shrunk a lot, chips were better back in the day too being a lot crispier verses present day the chips seem to be like chip shop chips. A bit mushy. The ratio of chips to steak has changed a lot so the chips seemed to just bulk up the dish to make it more filling. Plus free bread back then used to be a basket for the table, now just a tiny slither per person. It’s only some bread! Surely doesn’t cost the earth to make and is a nice little touch, especially if you need to wait a long time for dinner to be served. Finally I prefer to add a tip on at the end at my discretion rather than a service fee. I can understand service fee for large groups but we were just a small table.

Lovely hidden gem. Great food, especially the steak platter, alongside the crème brûlée! Absolutely divine! Definitely recommend!

This absolute gem of a restaurant can not receive enough praise. The atmosphere is incredible, the food is nothing short of excellent - certainly a level of quality where you would expect to pay triple the cost (the steak platter is a MUST) The staff are very keen to be of service: Merlin was a great help during my meal today. Will absolutely be coming back.

One of the best pubs in Oxford for food! Been here several times for their steak platter which is amazing! Service is always welcoming and is a beautiful cosy pub for winter months

A must if you're in Oxford. Staff Food Beers It's better if you make reservations but they also have some tables for walk-ins

We have visited England several times but never on a Sunday. I've been so disappointed to miss their famous Sunday roasts. This season, we found ourselves in the Costswolds over a Sunday and I was excited to partake in this Sunday tradition. After a few internet searches, I stumbled upon an article in favor of the Chester Arms. It bragged about a long line around the block. We made a reservation months in advance. We found ourselves in the middle of an unassuming neighborhood. The restaurant was quaint and filled with locals. That being said, the best thing I can say about the restaurant is local convenience. The appetizers are middle Eastern inspired. You won't find Yorkshire pudding or any good gravies here nor any tender meat. The meat is flavorful but difficult to chew and beef is your only option. This isn't a type of place you want to go to for your Sunday roast but this may be the place you go to if you don't want to drive beyond your street.

Everything about this place is wonderful. From the photos of dogs on the walls, smiling servers (even when very busy) to wonderfully prepared food and well selected drinks created wonderful memories.

Where do I start... This place is just amazing, great price for the amazing steak platters. The pictures attached are for a 2 person which you can see is great value for money. The platters always come out piping hot, defo worth the wait! Only criticism is that you do need to eat the steak fairly quick otherwise it tends to get slightly chewy - but that's just my opinion. The ambiance is fantastic and just so lovely, and the drinks manage to go down lovely whilst you wait. The only reason why I did not give 5 starts was because the Waiter was rushing our booking, then came over later and seemed off-tone and rushed us again with Dessert. Other than that this place is 10/10 definitely recommend

This is, without a doubt, the best food I've ever had. I went to the Chester Arms two years ago and I'm still drooling at the thought of the vegetarian mezze and steak platter. We got both to split between three people and it was more than enough for all of us. Everything on the veg plate was incredible. I couldn't pick a favorite bite because each seemed to be better than the last. And the steak platter was the most delicious and tender meat I've ever had the pleasure of eating. Do everything that you can to get to the Chester Arms--you'll be up late dreaming of your meal for years to come.

Chester Arms is a pub, but I would say their food is of restaurants quality. We went there after numerous recommendations of the steak they make. Despite being 8 in the evening on a school night, the place was pretty full, so good job that we have booked! The menu is very small, however, whatever they do is of a superb quality. However, if you go for a steak (and I suspect that's the main reason people go there), be aware that the wait is 45 min, as it takes to time to cook the dish. The main dishes are mostly for sharing, so it's much better if you are not on your own! We ordered an option for 3-4 people (we were 5) but it was more than enough! In addition to mouthwatering rare stake, the dish came with chips and veggies. I had no room for dessert left, but if it's as good as food I am so coming back!

Excellent Sunday Roast! Very tasty food and make sure you go hungry. I am willing to take a detour to Oxford to enjoy a meal there again.

Holy shit. I was recommend to come here by a local and damn this was one of the best steaks I've ever had. Staff: So friendly and nice! Interior: It's kind of hot so find a nice cool spot unless you good with the heat. Food: Steak Platter: This steak will have you wait about 30-45 minutes. But damn it's totally worth it! I was just waiting for time to pass waiting for my mouth to salivate. And once the steaks came I was like damn. Definitely can split the large one with two people. Overall: I will warn you you will fall asleep into a coma after this steak. It's so good that you just want to eat it and eat it and then go to bed lol

This is the pub your UK dreams are made of. Stop going to the corporate owned pubs; don't dare step into a Green King or a Wetherspoons. Take a cab, bus, or walk over to this little pub near Iffley to enjoy a few pints of local craft beer and well cooked UK pub food. If its nice out, they have a great backyard area too! On their normal menu, they have a lot of the hearty pub food you would expect like crispy fish and chips. But the real gem of the menu is the steak for two, which comes with a variety of sides and is surprisingly delicious. On Sundays, stop by for an authentic roast.

Great place, great service, great food, great music. Really nothing bad to say. We have just moved in to Oxford two days ago, and this pub is exactly the kind of places we were hoping to see here..! Will come back for sure.

Excellent cultural experience for visitors who enjoy good beer, food and local ambiance, especially its people

Ridiculously delicious meat and veggies!! Best time ever, it's a 'must-do' when in Oxford!

This neighbourhood pub has great steak platters. Friendly staff and a good atmosphere. Pints can be pricy but they have a good selection

Crowded on a Sunday lunchtime, hmmmm I wonder why? Because the Sunday lunches are lovely, as we've learned. The Sunday lunch menu only has I think 4 choices - chicken, beef, pork with crackling, and nut roast. I got the beef, and though we did wait a fair while for food and drink, we were rewarded with super hot plates of tender beef with creamy horseradish sauce, crispy roasted potatoes, homemade yorkshire puddings, cauliflower cheese plus all the usual veggies, and rich gravy. If there's something better to have on a hungover morning, I couldn't name it. It's a cute, rustic looking place, though I found it a little chilly and the tables are in weird places - we were hidden away behind a pillar - but if I lived here, I'd be wanting to come every Sunday afternoon. Parking is a nightmare around here, by the way, so plan ahead!

On a rainy evening, some live music writing your "memoire" with a half pint of 1664. The pub is an extension to your home, something you can enjoy in the evening or in the afternoon known only to the people who live nearby. If you are in Oxford, rainy or sunny day, please come by for a few minutes or for longer.

Nice music from time to time. Good alcohol selection. Friendly atmosphere. Pub food.