please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Carlton Arms looks like a bit of a dive from the outside. But at least it was open, unlike most pubs in Cambridge when we visited. It turned out to be a really good pub with a decent ale selection and an even better cider selection. I'm not sure if the pub is West Indian-owned. But many of the clientele were certainly of West Indian descent and speciality foods included jerk chicken and curried goat. The interior has some strange decorations. But it's clearly a popular place and the locals seemed a fairly friendly bunch, if not a little inebriated. There was even a couple of complimentary cheeses we were invited to sample. Ales were Oakham JHB, Adnams Broadside, Hook Norton Hooky & Sharps Doom Bar. Ciders were Cornish Orchards Farmhouse, Hogans Panking Pole, Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Fiery Fox, Happy Daze & Two Trees Perry, Westons Old Rosie & Orchard Pig Philosopher & The Hogfather. I was spoilt for choice. As you can see from my first sentence, this is an unassuming place that exceeded all of my expectations.
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Update based on a visit last year. On visit today I had lovely pints of Elgoods and Tydd Steam from the barrel - defintely worth a trip for the beer quality even if the pub is not as obviously welcoming as before. Sausage menu is great.
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Has certainly re-opened and still serving a decent range of well-kept beers from small but competent brewers, even though it has lost a bit of the quality it had under the previous landlords. The food is very good pub food.
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The pub is now set to re-open on 30th July.
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Closed at the moment after a fire. Should re-open June 2011.
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Re my previous comment, I've just answered my own question. Googled it to discover there was a fire just before Xmas. The article in the local press seems to suggest it's being rebuilt ("seven months loss of earnings for the owners"). Let's hope so, as it's the best pub in that part of town.
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At the moment it's a building site. No indication whether it's a refurb or a conversion to something residential. Any idea, anybody ??
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Looks like a dive from the outside, but go on in and it's a fantastic pub. Friendly locals and staff (something you dont often get in Cambridge), and very good beer reasonably priced. A good 20 minute walk out of the city but worth it for the beer and friendly atmosphere.
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The Carlton Arms is on a large housing estate. Easily the best one of the four pubs on the estate. Food is passable and reasonably priced. Good selection of real ales in very good condition. The range constantly changes as new guest ales arrive. Staff and landlord very friendly.
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Abbeydale Brimstone, Elgoods Black Dog, Summer Lightning, Northumberland Bucking Fastard, Oakham JHB, Oldershaw Regal Blonde, Old Rosie & Cassels Cider, all on blackboard then served by gravity. Enter to the left & find a rather naff little lounge/sofa style, albeit with assorted Cambridge prints on walls, and beyond to more traditional wooden furniture (with cruet, so presume for dining at different hour) & out to �smoking terrace� at side of pub which opens to larger paved picnic set area at front. The right hand room, separate entrance but also served by central bar, has two pool tables & a dartboard and was equally quiet Sat 5pm.
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Still excellent, good choice of beers and a welcoming environment.
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I read in a local Camra newsletter that the old landlord had moved on and this had been taken over by a regular and his dad. As an infrequent visitor I popped back for a look and all seems okay. Decent range of real ales as evidenced by the incredible collection of pump clips hanging from the ceiling. Also real ciders and an acceptable selection of house wines. So no immediate need to worry. One thing I've never seen before - on each handpump there was a clip for the beer which was to follow on that pump.
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Looks like a 1960s style estate pub from the outside but a great range of beer. On my visit: Deuchars, Cambridge Bitter, JHB, Tribute, Wherry, Cottage Champflower and Potbelly Bejing Black Mild (a first for me). Beer was well kept and locals were friendly. A bit of a walk out of the city but worth taking a stroll on a nice day.
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A large 1970's looking pub from the outside. It is separated into two bars lounge and public bar. I could not see any internal method of moving between bars. A good selection of beer available served straight from the cask. A blackboard to the right of the public bar displays the choice,strength,price and beer type. Seven ales were available on Friday; Caledonian Deuchars, Elgoods Cambridge, Oakham JHB, St Austell Tribute, Woodfordes Wherry, Cottage Champflower and Potbelly Beijing Black Mild. 2 pool tables a dartboard and skittles were available to play. It must have been about a 15 minute walk from our previous pub (The Portland Arms). It was certainly worth the walk and seemed a real community pub.
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Terry & Jethro are concentrating on the magnificent Cambridge Blue, but I have to say that the beer in the Carlton is absolutely magnificent under the current leadership - excellent pub food and great community atmosphere as always. Possibly the best pub in Britain.
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Still providing excellent quality micro-beers on gravity in a friendly setting.
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I can't believe some of these comments. This must be one of the best pubs in Cambridge. The atmosphere is friendly, the beer is always superb, and the food is excellent. There is plenty of room and I, for one, appreciate the smoke-free atmosphere. Steady as you go, Terri and Jethro - you're doing fine.
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Still Cambridge's most friendly pub, and best choice of quality beers for some miles. Atracts a wide range of customers across the week - a must visit.
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Better when you could smoke!
anonymous - 26 Nov 2006 16:59 |
What have they done to this place? Used to have a real community atmosphere. A terrible shame that another quality, charming hostelry has bitten the dust. To be fair they've not had a bad go at creating a sort of themed real ale type pub, but it doesn't work. We can only live in hope that a new owner can turn this place back around to what it was circa the mid 1990's.
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Amazed at the comment above - particularly the "fake people", possibly Anonymous means students ? Smoking ban is on it's way anyway, whatever we think, and the public bar remains child-free if that's a problem. The real ale quality and range remains.
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What a shame. This used to be a really good pub. More of a creche/cafe that sells ale now. Full of fake people. Couldn't even have a smoke. Best avoided.
anonymous - 3 Nov 2005 17:40 |
Now no-smoking throughout.
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The best selection of real ales short of a beer festival, decent and cheap food, combined with a no smoking lounge with sofas makes this a great pub.
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Despite unpromising location, one of Britain's great pubs - friendly, community-focused, best real selection and more importantly quality anywhere, and increasingly good food - my children love its as well
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Lovely pub grub at good prices, served with a smile. Always at least four real ales on tap. the staff are great too.
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Excellent pub with a local feel, brand new beer garden is a pleasure to sit in, excellent changing selection of real ales and runs its own Beer Festival in July. Non smoking lounge definitely the place to be. Wonderful pub grub, quiz machine and jukebox too.
Jennifer - 10 Jul 2004 22:17 |
The no-smoking lounge is much appreciated - we bring our twin boys (5 months) for some much needed real ale (for us not them). Very friendly place and excellent beer.
Ali - 24 Apr 2004 22:52 |
Fun pub quiz on Wednesday evenings. The landlord used to run the tombola at Cambridge Beer Festival; he has no problem making himself heard.
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2 bars, lounge is completely no smoking. 2 pool tables, a dartboard, skittles. Good selection of food at reasonable prices. Excellent real ale served straight from the cask
Denise - 18 Mar 2004 22:30 |
