The Duke

3.8

7 Reviews

£26 to £40

Gastro Pub

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 25, 2025

7:30 PM

Booked 11 times today

Neighborhood gem
Good for business meals
Innovative

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

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
Gastro Pub
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm
Phone number
01491 411776
Website
https://thedukehenley.co.uk/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
30 Duke St, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 1UP
Neighborhood
Henley-On-Thames
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 7 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

3.8

3.8 based on all time ratings

4Food
3.9Service
4.3Ambience
3.3Value

Noise • Energetic

7 Reviews

J
Juliette
Oxford
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 1
It’s rare that I take the time to write restaurant reviews and usually only done when the restaurant is fabulous or truly awful, unfortunately the Duke falls into the latter category. The food was hugely overpriced and quite frankly some dishes very unpleasant. The attempt to cater for a tapas-like meal with small and large plates can work but this is poorly explained on the menu and by the staff. We ordered the duck lasagna which came looking like a pile of Parmesan cheese, the duck could not be tasted and the hint of picketed onion made the dish a waste of money and quite unpleasant. Other dishes such as the focaccia and the king prawns were ok but the chips were not chips, more like mash formed in the shape of chips and deep fried and then over salted. The chocolate dessert came with passion fruit sorbet which was so tart it was inedible and the chocolate tasted just like a chocolate yoghurt I get for my children. The place was noisy on arrival but busy so easily explained but then half way through the evening a DJ set up and started playing loud house music meaning my friend and I had to shout back and forth at each other in order to hear, not what you want when you are trying to have a nice meal. Given the small amount of food we had and a bottle of wine and the unpleasant experience definitely not worth the nearly £150 pice tag. I will never be returning and highly recommend that the owners and the chefs take another look at their menu and figure out whether they are aiming to be a pub, a restaurant or a club, attempting to do all three is not working at all. There are a plethora of other, much nicer, restaurants within a stones throw of the front door of the Duke, go to any one of them before stepping into the Duke and being disappointed!
The DukeResponded today
Dear Juliette, Thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience at The Duke fell short of expectations. Your comments regarding the food, menu clarity, and overall atmosphere are concerning, and we deeply regret any disappointment caused. Please know that your feedback has been taken seriously and will be reviewed with our team to identify areas for improvement. We’d appreciate the opportunity to discuss your experience further. If you’re willing, please would you be so kind to drop us an email us with your contact details so we can address your concerns directly. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, and we hope to have the chance to improve your impression of The Duke in the future. Best regards, Jason The Duke Team
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K
Kat
VIP
San Diego
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
While I appreciate it’s a new restaurant and there are probably kinks to work out, I think the food needs to be stepped up. Something was very off with the fryer. The caviar potato tasted of pure grease. I will say the lasagna was very good. A great dish, however value for £ is not there. I hope improvements can be made as Henley is desperate for a really good restaurant.
The DukeResponded 5 days ago
Dear Kat, Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the lasagna, and we’re sorry to hear about your experience with the caviar potato. We’ve not had similar feedback from previous guests regarding the fryer, but we take all comments seriously and will definitely be looking into this. We appreciate your honest input and will be addressing this issue to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We’re always striving to improve and hope you’ll give us another opportunity to provide the great experience Henley deserves. Best regards, Jason Herrington General Manager
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P
Paul
Oxford
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great to find a place in Henley with a good vibe, menu and drinks choice. The mark downs on food and service are due to what I suspect are “we’ve just opened” teething troubles that will be addressed; the fish pie was just a little too salty - the rest of the dishes were great and service took some time on arrival as it was packed! Will definitely go back.
The DukeResponded 5 days ago
Dear Paul, Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a detailed review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the vibe, menu, and drinks selection at our place in Henley—it means a lot to us. We truly appreciate your understanding as we settle into our rhythm following the opening. Your feedback is invaluable, and we’ll take a closer look at the seasoning of our fish pie to ensure it’s just right in the future. We’re also reviewing our service processes to ensure that even during busy times, every guest feels well taken care of. It’s wonderful to know you plan to visit again, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for an even better experience next time! Warm regards, Jason Herrington General Manager
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L
Luci
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is such a welcome addition to Henley ! The food is really really good , great concept of sharing plates as well which means you can try so many things !
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a
alex
London
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Brilliant addition to Henley - exceptional food and ambience - can’t wait to return
The DukeResponded 5 days ago
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled you enjoyed the food and ambience. We can't wait to welcome you back soon!
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M
Mary
Oxford
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food, great staff and great to have a menu that so different to other restaurants in Henley. A much needed addition !
The DukeResponded 5 days ago
Dear Mary, Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the food and our team’s service. We’re proud to offer something a little different in Henley, and it’s fantastic to know that our menu stood out to you. Your support means a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back for more delicious meals soon! Best regards, Jason Herrington General Manager
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s
sarah
Warwickshire
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on January 14, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
I am baffled by the continuing trend for minimalist menus… place looks great, staff were great, and the food was fine - but the menu was ridiculous and the waiter was just confused by our questions. Mentally exhausting experience!
The DukeResponded on January 16, 2025
Dear Sarah, Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the atmosphere & the team’s service. However, we’re sorry to hear that the menu and communication from our team left you feeling frustrated. We strive to make our menus clear and ensure our staff are fully equipped to assist with any questions, so your comments are very valuable to us. We’d really appreciate the chance to learn more about your experience and discuss it further. If you’re open to it, please share your contact details with us via our email address, or let us know the best way to reach you so we can arrange a call. Thank you again for your feedback. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, Jason Herrington General Manager
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FAQs

The Duke is rated 3.8 stars by 7 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 25, 2025

7:30 PM

Booked 11 times today

30 Duke St, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 1UP

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Henley-On-Thames
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
Gastro Pub
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://thedukehenley.co.uk/
Phone number
01491 411776

The Duke

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

To Start

The Duke's Spice

Pineapple & Rum Punch

Sea & Smoke Old Fashioned

The Dukeswood Bramble

Dark Chocolate & Cherry Negroni

Snacks

Olives

Aged Beef Fat Focaccia

King Prawn

Potato

Lobster

Iberico Pig Pie

From Paddock

Delica Pumpkin

Bitter Leaf Salad

Young Carrots

Hispi

Triple Cooked Chips

From Field

Raw Deer

Iberico Pig Chop

Creedy Carver Duck Lasagna

Highland Rump Cap

From Sea

Raw Salmon

Fish Pie

Lobster

Plates

Miso Salted Caramel

Milk Chocolate

Baron Bigod

To Finish

Toasted Hazelnut Espresso Martini

Caramel Apple Old Fashioned

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

How is The Duke restaurant rated?

Is The Duke currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information