Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Oxford/Oxfordshire

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Oxford/Oxfordshire? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Plough at Hanney

4.8

4.8 (456)

£25 and under

British

Wantage

About the restaurant

Set in the picturesque village of West Hanney,This beautiful thatched pub offers great british pub classics, and small plates, with a vibrant pub atmosphere. This community owned business has new tenants who have been lucky to win a fair few awards in their time.
The Plough is the ultimate country pub and offers an incredible atmosphere and dining experience. Housed in a stunningly thatched public house, customers can choose to eat in the beautiful eatery, in the cosy bar by the fire or in the beautiful sun trapped garden.
With a passion for supporting farmers, the kitchen sources food from the very best local farms, knowing where each item comes from, from farm to plate. Owain even uses the produce from his family farm in Wales! Cooking is modern British and menus change daily depending on what is fresh and seasonal - Luke is particularly passionate about his small plates menu, ensuring that th plough is something for everyone.

Top review

Brooke

Dined on Jun 23, 2025

Lovely looking pub with a classic menu done well. We both had Fish & Chips which were very good. I swapped my fat chips for skinny fries and my partner was jealous.

Branca

4.7

4.7 (2490)

£25 and under

Italian

Oxford

About the restaurant

Welcome to Branca, our large and lively Italian brasserie in Jericho. For us food is all about quality ingredients, honest cooking, big flavours and uncomplicated dishes. In other words buy decent stuff and keep it simple.

Top review

James

Dined on Jun 14, 2025

Fantastic service with helpful staff, lovely seasonal selection of food and drink with complimentary bread and prosecco for special events. Restaurant was light, spacious and clean and was overall a fantastic dining experience out.

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Popular dish

Fish Stew

Sticks'n'Sushi - Oxford

4.7

4.7 (210)

£26 to £40

Sushi

Oxford

About the restaurant

Located on the Roof Terrace in Westgate Shopping Centre, enjoy classic and creative sushi, sticks and Japanese-inspired cocktails with stunning views of Oxford’s historic spires. Perfect for quick lunches, leisurely dinners, celebrations and graduations. A sushi restaurant - even for those who don't like fish.

Top review

Livvy

Dined 4 days ago

This was the first time my partner and I had visited. I would highly recommend Sticks’n’Sushi to anyone as the food was a 10/10, staff were very friendly and knowledgeable, and the ambiance was perfect.

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Experience

Lunch and Early Evening Menu £26pp, 12pm-6pm

Experience

Lunch & Dinner Set Menus from £41

Quod Restaurant & Bar

4.6

4.6 (5303)

£26 to £40

European

Oxford

About the restaurant

On Oxford’s bustling High Street, peering out onto St Mary’s Church and the iconic Radcliffe Camera, Quod Restaurant & Bar with its unrivalled location forms the lively hub of the Old Bank Hotel. Regulars and visitors alike flock to Quod for its broad menu of European classics. Head chef Rohan Kashid and his team produce daily blackboard specials, a weekday set lunch menu and afternoon teas.
With a striking onyx bar, original artwork, and a private dining space, the ‘Red Room’ inside, outside, Quod’s Italian garden terrace provides a vibrant Mediterranean atmosphere in the hidden heart of the city.

Top review

Chris

Dined 2 days ago

friendly, welcoming and excellent with the toddler and baby in our group, much recommended

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Popular dish

Chicken Tikka Masala

Experience

Afternoon Tea in Quod

Pho Oxford

4.6

4.6 (472)

£25 and under

Vietnamese

Oxford

About the restaurant

Located on the roof of the Westgate Shopping Centre, Pho is a healthy Vietnamese restaurant that specialise in pho noodle soup, the national dish of Vietnam. Aside from pho, you can also expect to find amazing sharing starters, healthy salads, hearty rice bowls and decadent curries. They have a range of freshly made juices and also Vietnamese beers and a large wine and cocktail list. Pho’s menu is 40% vegan and nearly entirely gluten-free too. They also have an accessible kids’ menu where children can get a meal and a drink for £5.50

Top review

Masliza

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

I am a regular at Pho but I was particularly impressed with the staff yesterday (21/06/25). I took a friend who came for the first time and she was worried if the curry that she wanted to order would be too spicy. The staff (lady) was very understanding and gave my friend some curry (in a small bowl) for her to taste first. What an extraordinary service! (I didn’t get the lady’s name). The other staff (male) explaining the gluten free option was also brilliant! Thank you.

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Popular dish

Spicy Chicken Curry

Kibou Oxford

4.6

4.6 (40)

£26 to £40

Japanese

Oxford

About the restaurant

Bringing Tokyo-chic to Jericho, KIBOU Oxford on 11-12 Little Clarendon Street fuses vibrant Japanese dining with great design. Expect stunning murals, floral installations, and neon-lit booths in our stylish dining areas, including an open sushi kitchen, cocktail lounge, and lush Japanese garden.
Our diverse menu features beautifully crafted moriawase sushi and sashimi platters, A5 grade wagyu, hearty ramen, crispy tempura and pillowy bao buns, alongside vegan options, teriyaki, katsu curry and a range of Japanese-inspired puds.
Plus, sip signature Japanese cocktails, sake, and whiskies in our beautiful bar and lounge or check out our lunchtime Teishoku set menu for a great value lunch offering in Oxford.
Discover KIBOU's fusion of classic Japanese flavours in a lively setting that feels like a Tokyo hidden gem.

Top review

Cherry

Dined on Jun 14, 2025

We had an amazing experience at Kibou in Oxford. The host and server were fantastic. The food was out of this world. We will definitely be back!

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Experience

Teishoku Set Lunch - £17.50

Experience

Japanese Afternoon Tea

Experience

Vegetarian Japanese Afternoon Tea

The Ivy Oxford Brasserie

4.5

4.5 (7572)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Oxford

About the restaurant

The Ivy Oxford Brasserie is located on the bustling High Street in the heart of Oxford. Enjoy an accessible all-encompassing menu, serving British classics from dawn until dusk, including breakfast, elevenses, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks, dinner and cocktails.

Top review

JULIA

Dined 4 days ago

Great table, food and service excellent as usual, would highly recommend.

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Traditional Fish and Chips

Côte Brasserie - Henley

4.4

4.4 (49)

£25 and under

French

Henley-On-Thames

About the restaurant

Nestled among historic streets, quirky shops and independent galleries, Côte Henley is perfectly located - whether it's for breakfast, a lunchtime treat, or a romantic dinner. Our welcoming, French restaurant is in the heart of Henley market town, close to the Thames riverside and only a three-minute walk from Kenton Theatre, making it a great choice for a pre-theatre dinner. We also have a secret courtyard garden hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the town, perfect for alfresco dining and long catch-ups in the sunshine.

Top review

AndrewVIP

Dined on Apr 7, 2025

It’s always very good here & my family & friends loved it too.

The Duke

4.2

4.2 (38)

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Henley-On-Thames

About the restaurant

The Duke is a formidable foodie bolt-hole, adding exciting but classic new flavours to Henley’s already well-established and impressive food scene.

Top review

Emily Thomas

Dined on Jun 18, 2025

Great quality food and very good value. Dined there on a Wednesday so was able to enjoy the steak offer for £22, would recommend! Bar service was great and really enjoyed Dukes Hour drinks but was a little disappointed with the table service. There were a couple of errors with food and drinks which was a shame as there were only about 4 other tables occupied so wasn't busy. It was also a little bit of a shame that there was no Birthday dessert/treat (I know not everywhere does this) however, it was a bit of a shame as we were there for my partners Birthday and I had made a note on the booking so would have been nice!

Piccolino - Henley-on-Thames

4.1

4.1 (100)

£26 to £40

Italian

Henley-On-Thames

About the restaurant

A treasure in the heart of Henley-on-Thames, the newest addition to the Piccolino family brings a flavour of Italy to this historic market town. Located in a grade ii listed building, the Piccolino, henley embodies the charm and sophistication of authentic Italian dining.

Set to open on Tuesday 25th June 2024, this culinary haven promises an exclusive gastronomic experience, with a stunning river walk entrance and elegantly designed spaces including two bars, a winterised courtyard, and a unique private dining room.

The restaurant features 140 seats inside and a delightful 38 seat patio, offering a picturesque setting in the town’s vibrant center.

Top review

Katerina

Dined 4 days ago

Nice food and atmosphere. The people working there are very polite and provide a professional service. They make sure that your needs are catered for. The wine list is also interesting and selected after consideration. I would suggest to include in the menu a couple more vegan options. Overall, we are happy All the reasons for us to visit Piccolino regularly!

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