The Pickled Ploughman

The Unicorn Inn

➤ Market Place, OX15 0SE, Cherwell, United Kingdom

Menu • Cafés • Steak • Seafood • British

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"We came to visit here after hearing the new owner was starting to make a bit more effort with his business after a year of being there. We were greeted by fag butts all over the floor, along with a load of rubbish and flower beds full of junk and fag butts. Not the greatest welcome, but we continued. The entrance corridor was dark and half lit by fairy lights on the ceiling. No one was really in the pub, apart from a couple of what I assume to be locals sitting at the bar. The bar area was a mess, with bottles everywhere, dirty glasses (not sure where they came from as the pub was empty). We asked to look at a menu and was handed a folded and ripped bit of paper, which was strewn with spelling and grammar mistakes. The guy behind the bar looked totally at a loss surrounded by mess on his own. The coffee machine was surrounded by dirty napkins and sachets of sugar, with a pint of milk sat out on the side (not in the fridge). The floors don’t seem to have been washed since 2015, and don’t even get me started on the windows. What was once a beautiful beer garden is now covered with tents and tables are stacked in the flower beds. There’s no real sign of life outside apart from the mould that seemed to be growing in the ash trays. The pizza oven is filled with fag butts and rubbish, something I’m sure environmental health would have a field day with. I was also suggested to go upstairs to the ‘pool room’ a room with sticky floors, sticky tables and more strewn rubbish. The pool table barely works without a good kick in told. I popped outside of said pool room to find a stair case leading down to the garden covered in glass and yeah you guessed it fag butts. It’s such a shame that this lovely little pub has been treated with such lack of respect, and it is now so far away from its former glory that its hard to believe it will ever regain it. I will not be coming back."

The Cartwright

➤ 1-5 Croughton Road, Aynho, OX17 3BE, Banbury, United Kingdom

Menu • Pub • Cafés • Seafood • British

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"This charming coaching Inn is located in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds well situated for the city of Oxford and Bletchley Park. The food is good quality and reasonable priced. Staff are friendly attentive and efficient. who makes staying here a pleasurei. The rooms were clean but in need of refreshing/ refurbishment hence the four stars) would definitely stay again. Rooms: 3 Service: 5 Location: 5"

The Red Lion

➤ The Green, OX17 3NG, Cherwell, United Kingdom

Menu • Pub • Cafés • Steak • Seafood

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"We had stayed at The Red Lion before and, after comparing prices in and around Banbury, we found that they couldn't compete. We stayed for one night in a room next to the main road, but the double glazing on the window was excellent and we hardly noticed any noise from the busy road. The room was nicely furnished, the bed was extremely comfortable, and the bathroom was lovely. We had dinner at the pub and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially considering the very reasonable prices. The entire pub was clean, and the staff were efficient and friendly. The parking lot at the back of the pub was a bonus. We highly recommend staying here to anyone!"

White Horse

➤ 2 The Square, King's Sutton OX17 3RF, OX17 3RQ, Banbury, United Kingdom

Menu • Pub • Pubs • Seafood • British

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"that was nice to eat. at the beginning we had cooked the beer and cheddar soup and the cuddles in the beer. this was served with some broth and homemade butter with salt and crumble from their garden. it was a fantastic start as all three items were perfect. for our main we had the lamb 'pee' with savoyen kohl, dauphinoise kartoffeln, lambskin and minze sauce and the bark meat with chips and bone marrow. everything was very good. if there was a thing that I would have changed for myself, it would be a little less salt in the lamb engraving and I think I preferred the cake to be a little less packed with meat. the crust of the torte was excellent and the mince sauce was better than any mince sauce I had. the bark was excellent, cooked medium rarely at the choice of the chef and while my partner felt that the bone mark was too rich for him, I could polish off what he could not eat. all in all it was a great meal. would recommend."

The Crown Tuns Puddingface

➤ New Street, Cherwell, United Kingdom, OX15 0SP

Menu • Cafés • Steak • Kitchen • Chicken

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"Really disappointed with the trip advisors as much as the pub. This was our first time here so we were looking forward to it based on the recent reviews. I rang and tried to book a table for 6:00 to 6.30 and was encouraged to make it 6 as they were busy later. When we turned up we were the only people there for half an hour and then 2 other couples came in before we left at 7:25pm. We ordered the dough balls to start and the garlic butter was frozen. The menu of lots of different pies on offer from the previous tenants was still visible but not on offer. The menu was very limited unless you wanted pizza. I ordered the crown burger because the confit duck leg was unavailable. My partner ordered the chicken chasseur. The burger came out on the smallest plate I have ever seen a main course served on in a pub or restaurant and it was tiny. It was £16 and an extra £1 for the cheese and another £1.50 for the single slice of bacon. The portion of fries came in a mug size cup! The chicken chasseur sauce was see through and was extremely watery and wasn't right. It came with no veg and a similar size portion of chips to mine and that was it! £42.50 for one portion of dough balls and 2 mains. The most disappointing thing was the way that our complaint was dealt with by the manager and staff. Nothing not even an apology. We eat out every week and have only had to stop on the way home once before to get something more to eat. This was the second time!!"