skip nav  
 


Cambridge pub and bar guide

Here's a guide to the pubs and bars of Cambridge - good or bad, we bring you the most talked about venues and the places you have to visit at least once. We've included a few user reviews, to give you an idea of what to expect when you get there. Or you can follow the links to see full details and all reviews for each pub.

The Cambridge Blue, Cambridge

picture of The Cambridge Blue, Cambridge

Address: 85-87 Gwydir Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 2LG
Phone: 01223 471680
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: Cambridge (0.7 miles), Shelford (4 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Popped back in here after an absence of a couple of years. My god it's changed - and not for the better. The guy (one - on Saturday afternoon!) behind the bar was under too much pressure to serve the beers at all well and not even be courteous about it either. Decided to have the food and can only say we felt swizzed. I was looking forward to this visit and can only say I shan't be back in that much of a hurry. Like the reviewer below said, the beers etc aren't the be all and end all. It's the whole experience.
22 Sep 2013 17:13
i would say it lacks in atmosphere after what i assume was a rebuild. the make-up of the crowd doesn't help that much.

i do credit the huge range of beers, but for me, it's about the whole experience, not just the beer and i would notch this place up as a bit of a victim of its own success.

i know that is unlikely to be a popular view but i have to rate places on how keen i am to visit them, and to be honest the lack of character and the crowd diminishes my pleasure at visiting the blue.
1 Jul 2013 22:43
TWG is right, there has been a lot of building work done over the past couple of years. Beer quality and choice still as good as ever. The food lets it down, but it has never really been known for that. This pub and the Geldart are easily the best in the area, probably in Cambridge.
6 Jun 2013 17:42

Elm Tree, Cambridge

picture of Elm Tree, Cambridge

Address: Orchard Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 1JT
Phone: 01223 363005
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: Cambridge (0.9 miles), Shelford (4.3 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Great little pub leased to B&T under an agreement with Charles Wells. Beers were in very good condition and the lad behind the bar friendly.
22 Sep 2013 18:01
Cracking pub. Great beer, staff who know what they're talking about. No food , but Thai pub 3 paces away does good stuff.
4 Jun 2013 18:33
Lovely pub - very long and narrow inside, lots of Atmosphere and lots of ales on tap - Glastonbury Lady of the Lake, very nice.
10 Apr 2013 20:01

The Devonshire Arms, Cambridge

picture of The Devonshire Arms, Cambridge

Address: 1, Devonshire Rd, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 2BH
Phone: 01223 316610
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: Cambridge (0.3 miles), Shelford (3.7 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

First visit here 21/09/13 and have to say I really liked the place. Nice to see Milton beers as we don't get them round our way much. Both of the beers that we had were in very good nick. The Nero was fantastic.
22 Sep 2013 17:48
a stalwart. after the second pint in the beer garden, which has a shutaway kind of feel, you even forget you're in cambridge; to my mind that's a good thing.
25 Jun 2013 13:18
Good beer, good reputation. Just could be so much better with a bit of attention to small things. Staff were outside smoking constantly, with customers waiting at an unmanned bar. I don't grudge them a fag, but they could at least wipe the bar down before they go out, it's awash in beer even when it's quiet. Generally good though, and apparently food is good.
4 Jun 2013 19:38

The Champion of the Thames, Cambridge

picture of The Champion of the Thames, Cambridge

Address: 68 King St, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 1LN
Phone: 01223 352043
See full pub details


Nearest train station: Cambridge (1.1 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

Called in on a return visit at the weekend. Nice little pub with well kept beers and friendly locals. Watched the rugby and had some craic.
Would have stayed longer if there was some food; just snacky stuff please.
23 Feb 2014 21:31
We entered with trepidation given it's a Greene King joint, but it's a superior example of that breed thanks to a friendly old time atmosphere and the classic surroundings and we were greeted affably. The ales were just fine - if another brewery got its hands on it, it could approach legendary status.
22 Aug 2013 18:04
One of the few GK pubs I would visit insofar it's historic character and perhaps the odd unusual (GK) beer - 10 years ago it was Suffolk strong, this times it was the Reserve. Worthy of any pub crawl inclusion even through beer range is a little narrow.
10 Apr 2013 19:15

The Bun Shop, Cambridge

picture of The Bun Shop, Cambridge

Address: 1 King Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 1LH
Phone: 01223 366866
See full pub details


Nearest train station: Cambridge (1.2 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

I used to like this place for a quick snack & pint at lunchtime, when it was called the BunShop (true, the original one was on Downing St). It had a lot of rowing memorabilia and was popular with local shop workers for lunch.

I stopped going when it went to a fancy tapas bar - and so did most of the old regulars.

Tried it the other day, as an alternative to the Bath House (which has gone McDonalds-style) and found it OK for a light lunch. Hot beef bun tasty, though beef tough. Good range of varying micro-beers: I tried MistyRiver and it was OK. Menu is perhaps too extensive for a place like this, and a little bit expensive. A window seat is great for watching the strange people going up and down King Street!
10 Oct 2013 18:35
PS/ turns out it is a chain, or at least the start of one. the developers sold their previous chain to greene king and are not shy of saying that this is what they want to do with this one too.

10 Jun 2013 14:34
true enough. nothing wrong with it that you could stand in the court of public opinion and condemn it on. lots of cambridge folk like places like it, the geldart, for example, which focuses on a similar market at the mill road end of town.

BTW, with our references to bills and malmaison, it's worth me saying i have no clue whether cambridge brew house is or isn't part of a chain. it may not matter. baroosh (another chain) cultivates a similar market, and i rather like their cambridge bar.

so i make no play of being objective and am entirely capricious in my view ... but something about the clientele and ambience here does give me the irrits.

10 Jun 2013 13:20

The Alexandra Arms, Cambridge

picture of The Alexandra Arms, Cambridge

Address: 22-24 Gwydir Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 2LL
Phone: 01223 366161
See full pub details


Nearest train stations: Cambridge (0.6 miles), Shelford (4 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

in spite of recent publicity regarding its 1 (out of 5) Food Hygiene rating, I think this place is still worth a try for beer. If they sort out the kitchen, they could really make something of the pub.
9 Jan 2014 17:13
staff friendly. good selection on tap. i did not have time to sample all and just tried the noble, an english craft lager. good atmosphere and spacious while still having a few nooks and crannies , and the odd newspaper to read.

i can't abide the blue so i'm glad there's something else good in the same area and would return.
1 Jul 2013 22:38
Under new management, but the Landlord is still Greene King. You wouldn't know it though, as they seem to be letting the managers/tenants choose beer off tie. Worth a visit. Food wasn't great when I went, but Blue, geldart and kingston not far away.
5 Jun 2013 19:34

The Haymakers, Chesterton

Address: 54, High St, Chesterton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB4 1NG
Phone: 01223 367417
See full pub details


Nearest train station: Cambridge (1.7 miles)


Reviews by BITE users:

First visit since I worked next door (25 years ago) and an instant classic; if a little quiet on Sunday evening. Feels similar to the Devonshire in style, beer and food range, perhaps the customer base is a bit wider though ! Nice ska playing; not sure about the live music arrangements. Milton beers good not great yet.
4 Aug 2013 18:27
Great newly reopened pub with a REAL community feel. ( pub quiz, stitch and bitch, pudding club etc)
Nice beer garden , excellent wine and beer. Fantastic authentic pizzas and great friendly staff. well done and good luck for the future.
10 Jun 2013 13:58
Changed hands recently and is a bit better. Still seems to be a work in progress - toilets and cleaning need attention, service a bit "quirky" or slipshod depending how you look at it. Getting there, though, so probably worth a look in a few weeks.
29 May 2013 18:11

More information

Want to find out more about pubs in Cambridge? Why not have a look at our advanced pub search or full text pub search? You might also want to browse pubs by county or region. Or have some fun with the random pub crawl generator.