Giggling Squid - Oxford
55 Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AE, GB
Rating: 4.4 ★ (897 ratings)
Details
Giggling Squid - Oxford in Jericho offers a captivating atmosphere, presenting a bright, modern, and fun dining experience that steps away from traditional Thai decor. The interior is light, airy, and stylish, featuring a nautical ambience with delightful line drawings of sea creatures, bleached wood, and abundant floral arrangements. Despite its expansive layout, this Walton Street venue maintains an intimate feel with well-spaced tables and booths, creating a cheerful and welcoming environment.
The restaurant specialises in authentic Thai cuisine with a contemporary twist, offering flavours that are both faithful to classic recipes and thoughtfully adapted for Western palates. Guests can enjoy generous, sociable servings, ideal for sharing, with highlights including their popular Salt & Pepper Squid, rich Lamb Massaman curry, and various delectable Thai Tapas Lunch Sets. Fruity cocktails adorned with edible flowers also prove a popular choice, complementing the vibrant dishes and contributing to a memorable dining experience.
This inviting establishment is perfectly suited for a wide array of occasions, from relaxed meals with friends or romantic dates to larger group bookings and celebratory gatherings. It caters adeptly to both seasoned Thai food enthusiasts and those new to the cuisine, offering accessible flavours that gently introduce the richness of Thai cooking. Whether seeking a special anniversary dinner or a casual lunch, Giggling Squid - Oxford provides a lovely setting for delightful Thai comfort food.
Location
Opening Hours
Monday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM; Tuesday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM; Wednesday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM; Thursday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM; Friday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM; Saturday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM; Sunday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM
Contact
+44 1865 557696
Comments
While the food was enjoyable, the overall experience was let down by the service. The restaurant didn't seem particularly busy, yet we spent a considerable amount of time waiting for attention after being seated. Throughout the evening, it felt as though our table had been forgotten on a few occasions, which was disappointing given the special occasion.
What made this especially frustrating is that previous visits have always been excellent, which is why we chose Giggling Squid for the celebration in the first place.
I'm hoping this was simply an off night, as the restaurant has consistently delivered great experiences in the past. Unfortunately, this time it left us feeling a little disappointed.
and 4 soft drinks.
The food was amazing! Everything was marked non-gluten which made me feel extra safe. The food came out on time and tasted very nice! The decor was very cute and the place was way bigger then I expected it.
Would definitely come back!
We ordered the Bangkok Bites and Sizzling Wings for starters, Pad Thai, various rice plates and a beef dish for main course and melting chocolate hearts, cheesecake and pandan tres leche for desert. Truly enjoyed every bite!
The ambiance in Giggling Squid in Cambridge is more glamorous, hence the 4-star for atmosphere for the one in Oxford, but overall it was a great experience..
A huge plus for me was the Pad Thai—they cook the bean sprouts thoroughly, so there’s none of that raw, fishy smell you sometimes get. The curries and chicken wings are solid and tasty, but the absolute stars of the show are the fried squid and the dumplings.
The fried squid is hands down the best I’ve ever had in my life. The dumplings are also fantastic, with no gamy smell from the meat at all. No matter what main dish I try, I always make sure to order these two on the side.
The interior is beautifully designed and great for photos. It’s also a perfect spot for takeaway on those days you just don't feel like cooking.
Parking tip: Parking can be a bit tricky, but you can find pay-and-display spaces on the side road next to the Oxford Press Centre.
Restaurant lovely staff great only putting a 4 star as it was a little slow at points and stopping a waiter to get second round of drinks was alittle tricky but otherwise staff were lovely just very busy. Victoria our waitress was very nice and bless it was a bit of dramatic night.
But the food was stunning! Absolutely beautiful full of flavour and worth every very reasonable penny. We had the pork skewers and the one bite salmon, the pork was nice the sauce elevated it a lot. The one but salmon though was sublime.
For mains we had the Thai melting beef which was superb completely melting packed with flavour. We also had the Thai hake which was one of the best Thai dishes I’ve ever had it was beautiful the flavours were just out of the world. We also had the pak choi and tenderstem and the Tom yum rice. The rice wasn’t as exciting as it sound but still very nice the pak Choi beautifully cooked.
Absolutely wonderful night we recommend the Chang beer also to go with you main course they also had a great range of interesting cocktails which was nice to differ from the norm!
Great place loved it I’m sure we’ll be back!!!