The Oxford

Been coming here for the past 8 years every time I fly into Raleigh on business and always enjoyed the great food, drinks and service.
I was sad to learn that they will be closing their doors on Sunday due to heavier city restrictions on noise and crowds.
They had a scaled back menu and limited bar but offered half price bottles of wine so that was nice. Still enjoyed ourselves and had a great time.
I hope they will open again at a new location.

Stopped in here after a hockey game. We were looking for a place that was open after 11pm because it seems lots of places in the area closed at that time. This one was open until 12am so an hour wins it for us lol We got here at 10:30pm and it was a Thursday night. There wasn’t many people inside which is absolutely fine by me haha The atmosphere is very nice! It’s pretty dim, and quite a big place. Lots of places to sit too.
We were seated close to the entrance by the bar which was fine. They were showing the end of a football game and had a super large tv which was cool. Too bad I don’t care for football lol But the screen was nice for games! My friend ordered a fajita thing– I only cut a tiny piece off and it was alright. I can’t pass judgement on the food really because I only had drinks. Which brings me to that portion. I ordered a Captain Morgan and Coke and I had to ask for a double shot because the first drink the waitress brought me — was extremely weak and they aren’t cheap in prices with the alcohol so I’d like to get a drink without them being stingy. So I had to ask for a double shot which they gladly charged me for of course.
My only complaint was the waitress. As I said before– there wasn’t many customers at the time we were there and she took forever to bring us our drinks. She kept disappearing from view. Plus we were sitting close to the bar area so there really was no reason for the delay. It’s one thing if the place is packed and busy but when it’s pretty empty — why are you taking so long? For that matter we could have sat at the bar. She also never came over and asked the «How’s everything?» question. We had to keep flagging her down. So that annoyed me a bit– especially since our time there was limited to an hour and a half. And not even a full hour and a half technically. I guess one thing was good about that– we probably woulda spent a lot more money on those drinks if we had time for more rounds– but we only had time for two since it took so long in between our orders. But overall the food seemed alright, the atmosphere is cool, and it’s a great place to watch games– but make sure you order double shots if you get any liquor and make sure you bring extra cash.

A group of about 10 of us ate here on 12÷5÷15. This is probably one of the worst places I’ve ever eaten at. It took almost 30 minutes to get a cocktail and water. Had to send the watery martini back. Their NC Poutine was awful. They don’t earn the right to call it Poutine. Old fries, orange cheese (not cheese curd) biscuit gravy. My beet salad was fine. The chocolate raspberry crème brûlée was flavorless. The décor was old and dirty. Not enough staff to handle the tables. Even the management had to come out and assist. I blame management! Stay away

Went on a Tuesday night while on a business trip. The place was dead except for maybe a half dozen folks, but I wasn’t going for excitement, just dinner. Had a decent selection of beers, and the server was helpful in suggesting something based on what I liked or what I wanted to try (I always try to sample the locally-​brewed offerings whenever I travel).
Had the Stilton — a blackened burger with a mild bleu cheese and bacon. Very juicy and delicious — I’d definitely have it again. One of the folks with me had the Southern Heat, which came with habanero peppers, pepper jack, and fried green tomato. He really enjoyed his, too.
I was at first disappointed when the burgers came with chips (I prefer fries every time), but these chips were made there (not out of a bag), on the thick side, and came with a spicy dipping sauce that made me forget the lack of fries. Nice change of pace.

I came here with a large group — something often a problem for restaurants. Not the Oxford. They gave us a wonderful set up and treated us royally. The food was great but the staff really made this place a treat. I would go back anytime.

Yikes! Hilariously they describe themselves as a British pub yet doesn’t have a single British item on their menu. Not even fish and chips.
Took our work team to the Oxford for lunch and while the service and atmosphere was ok, the quality of food is horrendous. Burger was overcooked and absolutely flavorless, fried green tomatoes was not much different from biting into a wet sponge. I was originally planning to go with a shrimp salad but learned that the shrimp is farm raised and imported from india. Not a chance I’ll go back.

The girls and I had brunch here today and it was good but I really want to shout out the bartender named Daniel he is so sweet and awesome! He makes the best drinks as well!

I used to love the food at the Oxford. And they used to have my favorite beer on tap. I’d like to think this wasn’t that long ago, but I was just there last night and it’s like a completely different place.
First of all, the beer selection has been reduced to pitiful proportions. I’m not sure who their supplier is, but they’ve truly fallen off their game. (or the printed menu we were given wasn’t up-​to-​date)
The waitress we had was training another waitress, who seemed nonplussed to be there on a Tuesday night. We sat on the patio and the weather was amazing. Honestly, we were just looking for a place to have something to snack on and a quick drink.
I was shocked to find that everything I used to like on the menu was no longer there. The food offerings were reduced to a fraction of what they once were and nothing… really NOTHING appealed to me at all. We eventually decided on the nachos, which I figured would be interesting since they added pesto as an ingredient.
It was enough food for a small country! And you really couldn’t find the chips unless you worked pretty hard. They were okay, but for that to be the only thing on the menu I would even try… that’s saying something…
I really hope they decide to give the present menu a makeover soon, because I definitely won’t be returning for an overpriced cocktail. (Those looked good, but $ 10 for a specialty drink just seems foolish if you aren’t celebrating something.)
I may try again next year… if they’re still there.

Went here last week for dinner — it had been a while since I ate here so I didn’t know what to expect. Five stars! Our waitress was amazing as well as the food — the salad with amazingly fresh veggies and salad was a combination of perfection.

My husband and I went to the Oxford for lunch the other day. There was not very many people in there for lunch so I was not sure if it was going to be good. We were waited on by the bartender who was very attentive. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap and my husband got a croissant with proscuitto and apple with cheese. Both came with homemade chips and a chipolte dipping sauce. We shared both sandwiches, I though they were both very good and great lunch portions. The handcut chips were delicious paired with the house chipolte sauce. The rest of their menu appeared to have a great selection for a casual lunch or dinner. We would definitely go back to the Oxford.

Came here because my hotel was right across the street and was just looking for a quick bite and drink. Pleasantly surprised with the food and service. Admittedly, I just sat at bar for light fare and drinks but bartender Andrew was very helpful and made great recommendations.
The Jade IPA and the Fortnight X-​pat IPA are both very good and the pork belly sliders were tasty as was the tomato gorgonzola bisque (both are smallish offerings). A large place but nothing pretentious…

We went here for the buffet on Sunday morning. The staff was extremely friendly. However there were a number of issues:
ATMOSPHERE
When we first walked in the door, the floors were sticky, and the air was a little humid. The carpeting was ripped, the bathrooms were dirty, and the smell of their party last night lingered.
FOOD
We went through the buffet and were disappointed that they were rationing the bacon. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it was a little strange that they had someone serving the bacon (versus it being a self-​serve station like the rest of the food).
The waffles were served cold. Even though the staff was considerate and prompt in their efforts to rectify the situation, food that should’ve been hot was still cold. This included the bread pudding, which was served ice cold. The presentation of the dessert was lovely though.
The omelette station allowed for customized omelettes, except for the fact that you couldn’t order egg whites; they only offered egg beaters. Other than that, the omelettes were delicious, and the wait staff was really great about bringing our omelettes to us so that we wouldn’t have to stand by the station and wait.
SERVICE
Despite the shortcomings of the atmosphere and some of the food, the wait staff was excellent. They were attentive, friendly, and knowledgable.

Been awhile (uh, years) since we’ve been here, and after lunch on this Saturday, I have to say, what took us so long? It was quite good! Dad wanted to go here for his birthday lunch so he made reservations. Turned out we didn’t need them as we practically had the indoors to ourselves. They still treated us as if they were packed. From hostess to Server to Manager who checked on us, service was great!
And the food… well, all four of us were quite happy with the quality and taste. Sis asked for extra sauerkraut on her reuben and was very happy with the results. Not to mention the house-​made chips with chipotle ranch dressing were really good. (those I can attest to as she actually shared a few)…nice kick to the dressing. I liked it so much I asked for a lid for one to take it home and was granted such… yum! Especially nice considering it wasn’t my order. Even brought be extra… that’s what I call considerate!
I opted for the «generous» (they have 2 sizes) Kale Salad, with avocado, red onion, pumpkin seeds and a very fresh delicious lemon vinaigrette. Loved it, but I gotta say it’s a lot of bulky roughage, so maybe in the future my insides would do better with a small version with added protein on top.
Birthday Dad was happy with his fish ‘n chips (fish n fries really) as long as they had malt vinegar (yes), and StepMom loved her tomato bisque with gorgonzola, and also managed to polish off Birthday Dad’s free birthday dessert. (her choice of brownie… they were kind enough to substitute the marshmallow for the maple-​bourbon ice cream, which made her happy).
Thanks Oxford for making Dad’s birthday just what he wanted!

Location and size is what makes this place great. The food is typical bar food, so if you are looking for something unusual or different this isn’t the place. But for bar food, live music, sunday brunch, ability to host a large crowd or a good time Saturday night then this is the place for you. Staff is decent, they don’t go above and beyond but they are still good. Menu gives good options, place is clean. Lots of beer and drink selections.

This past weekend, I went to this establishment TWICE it was so lovely! The first time was with a friend as we just wanted a night out to blow off the week. The music was awesome! How many places downtown offer you live music in such a large space to meet any type of evening you’re looking for? There’s seating, there’s chatting and a band to sing along to! We had a blast! :)
Second visit was with my parents for Sunday brunch. And we all agreed this might be our new Sunday breakfast location. Worth every penny as the food was so savory and fresh and it was such a fun ambiance with really attentive service making us feel right at home!
We will be back! Thank you, Oxford team!

Great food!!! There’s plenty there for vegetarian and meateater alike AND gluten-​free menu options indicated as well! Fun drink menu… be sure to try the Moscow Mule!
Our waiter was friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. The only issue really was that it was a bit difficult to hear him over the live (cover) band.
Noise level and activity pick up at 10pm so if you’re looking for a quiet meal, you’ll want to explore other options.

My friends and I were looking for a fun, but not crazy, night out when we’re stumbled upon The Oxford. The atmosphere was nice, a bit on the classy side, so it really fit our needs for the night. They have a mixed crowd when it comes to age (as far as bar goers are concerned. Again, it was classy but still casual).
Downside? The menu listed a Thursday night $ 7 seasonal cocktail special. However, when asking the waitress about it, we found that the special was out of date. I then asked if i could try one of three seasonal ales, and asked her opinion or suggestion. Only to find that all but one were out. It did make my decision easier, but I was sad that there wasn’t the variety that the menu claimed. I will say that they did have a great menu overall. Many options and my friend got a delicious Pomegranet Martini. They also boast an award winning Honey Lavender Martini (with heat from
Jalapeño!)
I would go back, but only if i wanted a very chill night out. :)

Outstanding service. We were promptly greeted and our waitress was friendly.
The Tomato Stilton Bisque was excellent! The Smoked Salmon & Potato Croquettes were not warm on the inside at all. (it was cooked, just cold on inside) but still yummy.
The person I was with had the Chicken Bangers and they were excellent! A must try for anyone!
The dining area was nice, friendly atmosphere and good décor. Overall, very pleased.
Be prepared to be swarmed, and I mean swarmed, with young folks coming to hear the band. It’s a happening place on a Saturday, I enjoyed the band and the people, but you will not be able to move once they all come in, and I am serious about that, overly crowded.(Line out the door too around 11pm)
The bathrooms started out to be very clean and has a tv in there! But as the nightlife begins, well… you know what hapens…
I will definately be back to try some more foodies! Not so sure about the weekend nightlife :)

Slightly overpriced, but I do enjoy the ambiance and the food.
I’ve been here a couple times. Today was the St. Paddy festival downtown. I am not huge on crowds, so I skipped the parade, but I did the «walk through» afterwards. I was hungry and I didn’t want the greasy fried street-​food. (Not that I am above that, but I wanted something more substantial.) So we wandered in to the Oxford. There were three of us. We got a table at the bar right away. Otherwise, it would have been a 45 minute wait for a table.
My friend and I shared the reuben. It was pretty solid. I enjoyed it thoroughly. We also started with the fried avocado. That was just alright. And the fries were alright. Nothing special.
But I still do like it here.
Slainte’! (Wait. Can I say that in an English pub? If it’s St. Paddy’s day, I think you still can… right?)

Never been here for food but the drinks are good and the atmosphere was very inviting! The bartenders are friendly and it’s never ridiculously crowded which is great for a pub atmosphere. I’d much rather be able to drink and talk then shout over a ton of obnoxious clubbers.
My only con regarding The Oxford is when the live music is playing it’s LOUD. Like annoying club loud. I don’t think people come to a pub (even if it’s an Americanized one) to be blown away by guitars and drums. It’s not terrible music, but it’s just so loud.
Will definitely be back, just not on a live music night.