The Eagle and Child oxford

The food is excellent! We had the fantastic pork belly carvery. I think my hubby still has dreams about it. It was amazing! It was also great to just sit and wonder what it must have been like for Tolkien and Lewis to be there and how much of it might have changed or stayed the same. A proper little English pub and a must see spot in Oxford!

Historic Oxford pub that unfortunately has lost much of its charm, becoming a carbon copy Nicholson's with a few plaques about the Inklings and a weak selection of beers. Far better option is the Lamb and Flag just across the road. Not only is it the pub that Tolkien and Lewis met in originally (before they changed the wallpaper) but profits from drinks fund student scholarships!

Historic Oxford pub that unfortunately has lost much of its charm, becoming a carbon copy Nicholson's with a few plaques about the Inklings and a weak selection of beers. Far better option is the Lamb and Flag just across the road. Not only is it the pub that Tolkien and Lewis met in originally (before they changed the wallpaper) but profits from drinks fund student scholarships!

The beer is good and options for drinks are generally pretty good. The food was better than expected. The chicken pot pie was alright though the crust was thicker than I typically like. But especially the Mac and cheese, it was very nice. The fish and chips were pretty good and chips were well done. My biggest problem here is that it’s grossly under staffed so when it’s busy, it’s a bit of a mess. The history of people that have attended the bar like CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien is pretty cool.

My local friend was adamant that I don't leave Oxford without at least coming inside this very famous pub. Everyone knows you're here because it's famous so don't have high expectations for the food or the service. It just feels old and is very cozy so you will definitely get the optimal old Oxford pub experience. Also, I don't know who needs to hear this right but just sitting in the same pub as Tolkien and Lewis won't make you a better writer. You know in your heart you just need to practice.

Very nice place, tasty food and lots of Tolkien stuff which made my inner nerd very happy!

Love this place. Echoes of Tolkien, Lewis, and the Inklings. Great fish and chips.

I expected to encounter difficulty in finding a table on a Tuesday afternoon (traditionally when "The Inklings" would meet for their weekly congregations). Yet within minutes, my friend and I were escorted and seated at a table directly underneath several artifacts, photos and letters adorning the walls behind us, that once belonged to the literary giants (such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and others) that once frequented this charming tavern. Once again (as was a frequent occurrence during my tour of the UK), I partook of the Shepherd's Pie and a glass of tomato juice (confession: I'm not much of a beer or ale imbiber; apologies for my ignorance to those who are true connoisseurs of the hopped and malted brews, and for the offense of ordering such an abomination in a pub...haha!). In truth, coming here was more of a pilgrimage for a life-long Tolkien aficionado, than anything having to do with drinking or eating. And yet, in raising a glass in toast to my literary heroes, in the hallowed halls where they once gathered, I felt warm sense of kinship, and thankfulness, for such an amazing opportunity.

The richness of history here.. was palpable..

Iconic, old school feeling place.