The Oak Bistro Reviews Summary

Food Quality

Pros:

• "The food is outstanding - everything we tried was delicious."
• "Scallops and beef wellington were absolutely outstanding."
• "Big juicy prawns to start and a rib eye that nearly finished me! Both fantastic."
• "Main meals were of good quality and served within a good time frame."
• "The scallops as an appetiser was amazing, it was perfectly cooked, soft and tender at the same time."
• "The food was exquisite and the service was great."
• "All meat and sides cooked perfectly."

Cons:

• "The sauce was too heavy and creamy for me."
• "The beef inside was bit dry and undercooked so it was not very soft. However the pastry outside was amazing."
• "The Wellington - mashed potatoes were cold, red wine jus was cold and the beef had a heartbeat in the centre."
• "The mussels in my seafood risotto had sand in them!"
• "The prawn linguine is lack of 'kick' and is also too simple with tomato sauce only."
• "The food was bland and cold."
• "The confit duck leg is a bit dry."

Service

Pros:

• "The staff members were extremely nice and made the whole experience."
• "Service was freindly & timely."
• "The staff were all extremely polite and made our evening."
• "Service was wonderful."
• "We received excellent table service from start to finish."
• "Service was excellent and at a level yet to be experienced at another venue in Cambridge."
• "The service was superlative."

Cons:

• "The waitress took hours to serve us - every time, it was a long wait for her to bring menu's, take our orders, clear the table and bring the bill."
• "The waiter was too much in your face."
• "Service was good, although £60 accidently added to the bill which was resolved swiftly."
• "We had to wait a longer than acceptable time for our starters to be served."
• "The waiter was exceptionally professional and friendly throughout with a enlightening charm about him."
• "Unfortunately we had a table in the covered outside area, which despite heaters, was too cold for a January evening."
• "The staff, I think his name was Philip, full of contempt said 'sorry, we had to give your table to someone else!'"

Ambience

Pros:

• "The seating was very comfortable and although there were a lot of tables, it didn't feel claustrophobic."
• "We sat outside in their little secret garden area which was very romantic and cozy."
• "A lovely relaxed romantic atmosphere."
• "The decor is cozy and intimate."
• "Sat in the garden area for lunch which is nicely secluded and cosy without being claustrophobic."
• "We sat outside and it was very cosy, couldn't hear the traffic hardly at all."
• "The whole atmosphere is nice and relaxed."

Cons:

• "Ambience a bit lacking and decor a bit dated."
• "It was dark, smelled of damp, zero atmosphere."
• "Decor is a little rough round the edges."
• "The setting is not welcoming or beautiful as anyone can desire."
• "Outdoor area is now quite enclosed so there’s not much airflow, and staff were wearing face shields (not masks) that barely covered their faces so wouldn’t catch any viral particles."
• "Our outside seats had the unpleasant smell of what I imagine was the toilet."
• "The restaurant was full with several Christmas parties so there was a nice atmosphere."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "I have eaten everywhere in Cambridge and there are tons of good places but as of June 2023 this is the best on just about every measure including value for money."
• "Prices are extremely reasonable for what you're getting."
• "The bill was a pleasant £84.00 which I was expecting it to be more."
• "Very reasonable prices with a £25 set menu for 3 courses."
• "The wine at only £30 was sensational (see the picture), if I had paid £100 for that bottle I would have been happy."
• "This place is a must if you enjoy fine dining but not at ridiculous prices."
• "The prices are very reasonable here compared to London."

Cons:

• "It is average after taking the price, portion size, long-wait, freshness, etc. into account."
• "To what you get it's overpriced with an additional 'voluntary' service charge."
• "A little pricey, so worth it."
• "Drinks reasonable apart from the wine which seemed a bit pricey."
• "Great service but overpriced for such small portions."
• "They ruined my surprise and my night. I don't recommend this place for any occasions as they only care about money not the customers."
• "Charged £14 for their only vegan main available which would have been somewhat adequate for a starter."