Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
The Oakfield, Chester, Cheshire

The Oakfield

4.4 (3753)
£25 and under
International
Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire CH2 1LH

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 21 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Kid-friendly
The Oakfield is set in a stunning property at the heart of Chester Zoo, making this a truly unique contemporary British pub.

With pride and passion we’ll be serving freshly prepared locally sourced food and hand-picked beers, wines and spirits. The Oakfield has been lovingly restored and our new garden room offers incredible views of our award winning gardens.

So, whether you are enjoying a day at the zoo or want to pop in for lunch you’ll get a warm welcome from our team.*

*Usual zoo admission fees apply but our members can visit as often as they wish.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    International
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00 am–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Ben Finchett

Experiences

  • Afternoon Tea - MUST be booked 48 hours in advance

    £25.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    ***Please note: Bookings must be made 48 hours in advance and full prepayment is required at the time of booking. This is non refundable, non transferable.*** In the comfortable surroundings of The Oakfield, you shall be welcomed with freshly prepared sandwiches, freshly baked plain and currant scones, a selection of classic cakes, pastries and macaroons. This sumptuous selection shall be accompanied by the finest of teas, coffees or herbal infusions.

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

What 3,753 people are saying

The Oakfield reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Cheshire

    Great for brunch

  • Cheshire

    Kid-friendly

  • Cheshire

    Most Booked

  • Chester

    Great for brunch

  • Chester

    Kid-friendly

  • Chester

    Healthy

  • Chester

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Chester

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Oakfield offers a delightful dining experience at Chester Zoo with a "beautiful atmosphere" and "friendly staff." Guests appreciate the "delicious food" and varied menu, including vegan options. The restaurant's "excellent service" and special touches for celebrations make it "highly recommended." Some experienced slow service, but overall, it's a "lovely place" to dine.
3,753 Reviews
  1. Debbie

    Cheshire2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful location with very tasty food. Good menu selection. Only negative is the disparity in portion size vs price. Small plates, chicken wings, was a good size for a “small plate”. Crispy beef salad, although delicious, was almost twice price of small plate but very small portion. We ordered as part of a selection to share so ok for us but if you had ordered as a single item it would have been disappointing. Taste though was excellent

    Is this helpful?

  2. Diane VIP

    Cheshire10 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Bit disappointed this time at the Oakfield people got served before us even tho we were there first, food wasn’t very hot and waited near 40 mins for food , it wasn’t as busy as I’ve known it so wasn’t sure why we waited so long not done before, felt maybe not enough staff

    Is this helpful?

  3. Susan

    Cheshire5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Always look forward to eating her when we visit the Zoo. The food is delicious and it's a lovely atmosphere.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Ian

    Cheshire3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Beer tasted slightly off, had a different replacement but bar staff took little interest and just gave me a different type. Note 3rd visit I've ordered Cheshire Cat and it has tasted strange. Fish was tasteless and the burger was overcooked. Waitress was great.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jade

    Manchester/Greater Manchester3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 29, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Nice place to eat, the glass veranda has a nice airy feel to it and good atmosphere. Food fairly decent but service mediocre - quite slow and some staff didn’t seem overly friendly or helpful.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Julie

    Cheshire1 review

    1.0

    Dined on June 29, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Disappointed with afternoon tea. Cost £25 pp Pre-booked No tea menu, selection made from waitress recall Fruit teas ( berry) poor flavour despite brewed. Sandwiches fillings fair but bread poor quality and dry especially the brown, though the tiny bun with chicken mayo was tasty probably due to fennel in the filling. Scones rubbery and left dry taste to palate, insufficient clotted cream ie one tiny portion between two persons, though they did give extra clotted cream upon request. Sweet selection, macarons the best item all others poor, had to ask the flavour of one item which was apparently white chocolate & raspberry. Service was satisfactory Ambience acceptable for restaurant size and time of day. Other food items ie roast, fish & chips looked appealing, so maybe we just made wrong choice Overall poor experience and would not recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lisa

    Cheshire3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 28, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Menu options seem limited compared to previous visits but food was tasty Staff were friendly but service not up to usual standard - wrong drinks, long wait for food and drinks - not sure if this was due to a private event being held The manager did apologise This is the first time we have been where service was not good so hopefully just a one off

    Is this helpful?

  8. Christine Ann

    Cheshire9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great visit! We were shown to a quiet wood panelled room which was ideal for a leisurely catch up. Service was attentive and friendly and the food, good. Loved that a selection of small plates is available now, alongside traditional courses. Enjoyed the delicate wild garlic soup and generous plate of gammon, egg and chips. We’ll be back!

    Is this helpful?

  9. ALISON

    Cheshire5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 22, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    This was a special birthday lunch celebrating our son's birthday, 3 generations inc. our grandson, aged 3. We enjoy the atmosphere and character at Oakfield and have always had good meals. However the half roast chicken was disappointing, our chicken was undercooked and we had to return the 3 meals the first time. They brought us fresh meals but the chicken was still underwhelming, wet and tasteless. The roast potatoes were hard and slightly dry and I ordered a side dish of honey roasted carrots and parsnips which were undercooked, hard and dry. The french beans were also undercooked. The gravy was tasty and the red cabbage and single carrot were ok. We also liked the sausage meat stuffing. We're not normally ones to complain and we understand that they were very busy but from when we arrived, it took over 75 minutes before we had any food which is difficult with a 3 year old when we came to enjoy the zoo. The staff were very polite and the fish and chips and children's burger meals were fine.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Helen

    Norfolk/Suffolk4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 21, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was a little slow as there was a large wedding party - but food was enjoyable

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Oakfield is rated 4.4 stars by 3753 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Cheshire
  4. Chester
  5. Chester

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 21 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Oakfield

Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire CH2 1LH

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Chester
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00 am–11:00 pm
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    International
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ben Finchett
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo