Old Bookbinders Ale House

Great cosy pub with proper food — downside is it is sooo popular nowadays that you probably have to book a table for dinner — who ever think about booking a table when they just want to randomly hang at local pub anyway! If it’s not because of the lack of seats I’d give this place full five stars

My wife and I visited the Bookbinders Ale House for dinner tonight, under the impression that we were visiting an English style pub. Upon entry the front feels like a cozy traditional English pub. However, we were a bit thrown off by the French cuisine and almost entirely French staff. I will say that the staff was very friendly and the pub is pretty cool, with a very eclectic theme ranging from old brass instruments and records to French art. The food was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. We had the Complète Crèpe, Greek Salad, and Bread with Addukah (see my pictures) and our bill was about £34 (including the 10% gratuity automatically added). There seems to be a fairly good number of French restaurants only a short walk in Oxford that are clearly indicated as French cuisine. This ones a bit misleading though. Overall for the value, this is a good bet, but I’m leaving only 3 stars given the odd mish-​mash of English pub and French cuisine.

Visited Oxford for the weekend, and searched for an early dinner (5ish) not too far from the bus station. Luckily Bookbinders caught our eye, which turned out to be a short walk from our Airbnb. The restaurant is a proper old english pub, with quirky décor and a French kitchen. Stuffed mussels with pastis were memorable, as was the wine and the salmon entre. The charcuterie was meh, but I’ll let that slide. Highly recommend, but do try and reserve a table, as it’s not a very big place and it quickly filled up with lots of waiting at the bar. Also wanted to add — the desert crêpe with bananas and Belgium chocolate — go for it!

This pub is in Jericho. It is a few blocks away from the main street that runs through Jericho (Walton), but Oxford is so small that this place is NOT far away. True, there’s really nothing else around it, but it’s pretty close to everywhere else in Jericho. The pub was really nice. It is very cozy with friendly waitstaff, free monkey nuts and good food. I had the mussels and fries. The mussels were meaty with a nice garlicky sauce. The fries were skinny cut and comes with aioli but I suggest just dipping them into the sauce for the mussels. It also comes with a piece of garlic bread which to be honest was overkill and not that great, but everything else makes up for it. Will be back again.

WAY out of the way (technically Jericho, but far, far out). Filled with tat without seeming tatty, all mismatched and jumble-​sale-​y, games, and a FABULOUS quiz, and you can get in here (‘cos it’s so far from anything) with your 16 friends and probably find a table.
So, there’s that.

This fantastic pun re-​opened this term, after closing over the summer. The previous owner’s lack of a good range of ales and free monkey nuts has been rectified. There is a great variety of local and seasonal ales, a reasonable wine list and some lovely whiskys on offer.
As before, board games and daily papers are available to suit both a long evening with frienda or a quick pint before bed. The new owner, who also runs a Creperie in central Oxford, has provided a brilliant new menu of hot food the best choices including a game pie and the moules frites offer on Friday. A cosy and eccentric pub back at its best.

Nice bar staff, decent boardgames and a famously cosy feel and nice atmosphere. It should really be a little off the beaten track, but its fame brings people in from all over. Well worth a visit.

Spent new year here, drinking great real ale, playing scrabble and listening to an open mic night.
Quirky and fun.

Great little pub, off the beaten path. Good food, good beer, good service and good atmosphere.
It is the dimly lit, mismatched chairs, everything old kind of pub. Good separate room for events and plenty of space for groups to come have a good time. I would go back here, for sure.

I’ve had some good evenings here especially in the summer or when they’ve had beer festivals. Despite the endorsement by CAMRA I’ve had some appalling beer in here and I wouldn’t recommend it to the proper beer drinker especially when the far-​superior Harcourt is so close by.
Dec 2011
I got a slagging for that review but I’m pleased to say that the perpetrator (s) have moved on and been replaced by the wonderful Michel French cook known to many in Oxford. The food has improved beyond measure and if you’ve not been here in a while I’d cut along to it quickly before it is discovered. They’ve opened up the rear of the pub and made a very cosy lounge. On both recent occasions the beer has been exceptional. I’d now put my rating up to *

The Bookbinders often feels like one of those places that people always talk about, but never get round to visiting, which is a shame as it’s an excellent little boozer; and probably the best of the Jericho set.
Its focus on real ale, its place in its community (something that a good quiz always helps pubs cement), and its reasonable prices set it apart from most of its Oxford competitors.
The range of Greene King /​Shephard Neame ales is always good, and the food is better than expected — top end pub grub is probably the fairest description.
If there’s a downside it’s the occasional Morse crowds, and its seemingly irresistable draw to pub crawlers.

This is one of my favourite pubs in Oxford. It’s a bit out of the way for central Oxford pubgoers, but it’s well worth the trek and it doesn’t seem to suffer from lack of customers.
If you’re into your real ale, it’s well worth coming along, and I always find that pubs focusing on real ale have a certain feel about them. I’m not bothered about ale, but I do like interesting rooms, dogs running around and, in this case, the free peanuts!
Food is served:
Mon-​Thurs: noon-​2pm and 6−9pm
Fri-​Sat: noon-​5pm
Sun: noon-​5pm (although sometimes they run out earlier).
Tuesday is the infamous quiz night, starting at 7 and ending in much hilarity and clinking of glasses.
It’s one of the few places where locals, students and tourists seem to mix really well. Give it a try for that warm and fuzzy feeling.