Axe and Compass in Huntingdonshire

I am fairly local and I needed to visit nearby villages and thought that it would be nice to check up on the Axe and Compass again as I have in the past brought a group to eat there on several occasions. I had the Greek style lamb steak for £18.00 and the presentation was good but the meat was cut in strips with next to no edible meat on any part, even the steak knife could not cut to remove the little pieces of meat off the gristle. I did complain and I did get a sorry from the waitress! My pint of beer was good but at £5.35 in a village pub. The service was good and there was a comfortable atmosphere. I got the impression that the management is taking advantage of the day trippers that were there in what is a beautiful area and forgetting that they might like a few locals come winter. I have never come across any thing like it in Greece.

Hadn't been to the Axe for a while and went on a Thursday evening and chose off the Steak board options which was very reasonably priced and included two glasses of wine. Chose the Flat Iron Steak which was excellent and a decent size for the price. Starter of fried scampi was also fine and bottle of Merlot was very drinkable. Service was also very good and a great choice of beers. We will certainly return.

A great choice from the specials board. In our party we had mixed grill, blade of beef and ribeye steak. We also had fish and chips and a fish platter. Really lovely simple food, cooked and presented well. Can’t beat good pub food.

The venue and location was perfect. However the service did not live up to it. I had called to book a table for the weekend, worried many places will be fully booked as it was a very sunny weekend. When we arrived, there was no sign of our booking anywhere. Thankfully, they were not busy (odd) so we could get a table straight away. The server told us we could sit anywhere. Since we had a dog with us, we chose the garden outside. We were given a choice of menus and was told he will be back to take our orders. After we have chosen that we wanted the Sunday roast, we were then told we had to sit at the patio tables for roast. My friends and I decided we’ll just stay where we are and just go with the garden menu. The server said he will come back to take our food orders but he never returned. So our friend ordered at the bar. The food took a long time to arrive and the burger I had was quite average, without chips for £15. I think I would return to the pub for just drinks but not sure about food at the garden. It’s such a shame since they have a very lovely garden.

Very disappointed with our food. We payed over £30 for 4 small cups of fries and 2 portions of chicken wings. Chicken wings consisted of 2 1/2 wings which were ok but not worth £7.50 per serving! The fries cost £4 per serving and came in a small cardboard bowl as we were sat in the garden. Will probably stick to a pub in the next village from now on. Totally over priced basic food!

We went on Thursday night to take advantage of steak night for a birthday. Booked on line to sit in the snug but was sat in the restaurant. We then waited ages for someone to come take order for drinks. Went to bar and was asked to wait another 5 mins. They were obviously short staffed. We didn't get given a steak night menu until we asked. Staff clearly stressed and taking orders on a tablet was obviously stressful process. 🙄 Food was lovely, perfect steaks. Service let it down. Staff were very apologetic though. Have to say this is the first time we've had such slow service as its usually top notch. We will be back and fingers crossed all will be well again

Booked a table for 9 over a week in advance, only to be sat in the small bar area next to the door. Wouldn't have been a problem in summer. It was manic inside, however that is a good sign. The food is very fairly priced but you get exactly what you pay for, by no means outstanding. The wait was an hour and a half, which seemed excessively long and thats certainly worth considering if you have young kids. Not sure what the issue was, inexperienced staff or understaffing but it put us off from returning for food when next in the area.

Myself, husband and daughter really enjoyed a lovely set menu roast, 3 course, good choice and the staff were excellent considering how busy it was. Myself and my husband had the lamb and it was so tender and lots of it, food all came out at the same time and it was perfect, lovely veggies and just couldn’t fault it. Price was pretty reasonable .. lovely atmosphere and stunning decor! would definitely book again - Thank you

Dropped in for a drink whilst walking, friendly bar staff. The lady was more than helpful providing a bowl and water for our dog. Thank you, will definitely be returning

Our table was booked for 6.30. They were very slow giving us a menu and even slower bringing our starter, which arrived about 7.30! I had Stilton and Broccolli Soup. It was Luke warm and tasted awful. My main was Fish and Chips. The fish was like something cheap from a supermarket, which had been shoved in the oven. We were not even sure it was cod. The batter was damp and soggy and the fish was Luke warm and the chips were horrible. Desert was lovely, I had cheesecake. We went home for coffee! I have eaten there on many occasions and. It has always been fine but this Saturday night was awful.

We go every week for a Friday drink and occasional meal. Staff are great and so is the food. Highly recommend this place.

Sat for an hour before being told they had "lost" our order. Didn't even offer a drink to apologise. Shame as we were looking forward to this as a treat.

We love this local pub and want to support it as much as we can. We saw the offer for ‘Kids Eat Free’ on Wednesdays and arrived at 6 pm with 2 children aged 4 & 6. They enjoyed playing on the play equipment in the garden but having ordered the food at 6.10pm it did not arrive until 7.15pm after asking twice about it. This was too late and it became stressful with two hungry children who were getting tired. There was no explanation or apology from the staff and we wouldn’t want to repeat the experience so we hope that this will improve for others who try it out with their children, as it is a nice offer but needs to be matched with faster service if children are coming.

I've been coming here for years but today I was really disappointed with the poor service. Only one barmaid behind the bar serving, one lady messing around with an ice cream machine that had no customers (although she could clearly see the queue building at the bar and even used the till making the bar maid wait adding to the delays further), one lad clearing glasses and another person doing the same - all oblivious or ignoring the number of customers waiting. After 10 minutes we cut our losses and left without ordering to go to The Cock up the road where we were served immediately and stayed for the rest of the evening. The Axe needs to get it's act together!

Service dreadful waited an hour and a half to be served . Nice food but spoiled by poor unfriendly service

Lovely atmosphere and excellent food. Dog friendly as well. The beer garden was very relaxing in the sunshine.

Meal was nice enough but so much extremely rich gravy on I didn't enough mine. Pleased I only had a child's portion. Don't think we will go back real shame as was looking forward to a meal out together and a lovely walk though the...

We walked from St Ives town, via Houghton Mill, to this lovely pub today. The food was good but it is the staff that really make this pub. There were 2 ladies serving, they were so friendly and helpful. Not sure of your names but...

I always come here to meet up with friend and I must say the food is always great and staff are always really friendly. It’s great that I can take my dogs too and very accommodating to children. Will definitely continue to use as my...

Had a brilliant time here with friends and the food was enjoyed by all. Lovely generous hot roast dinners and equally as delicious desserts. Followed by coffee and mince pies. Christmas crackers on the table was a nice touch. Friendly and efficient staff. Nice village...

Had a fabulous meal for a works dinner. Had the scallops to start which were lovely and the presentation was 👌🏻followed by the sirloin steak for main which again was cooked to exactly to order. There were 8 of us and 7 out of the...

You must try this place. Everything about it is just amazing. The staff, the regulars and the locals make this pub and restaurant such a nice place to be. Tonight was the second time that my partner and I ate here, and WOW!!!! Try the...

Popped in on a Wednesday lunchtime with a friend to take advantage of there buy one get one free offer. We both had the paninis and really enjoyed them. Lovely friendly and welcome staff. Will definitely be returning 😊

Called in with a view to drinks and a meal. The outside looks inviting but the inside is a hotchpot of different rooms with no theme. It was not warm, even by the fire in a back bar. There were picture lights on the wall...

Booked table for 4 at 19:30 on Sat 30/102021. Restaurant not that busy. Staff efficient but both first and second courses took quite a while to come. Wine was passable but at £27 a bottle should have been better. Prices high for what we had....

We visited here after the illuminated boat parade in St Ives, having previously come here for a nice Sunday lunch as part of a birthday celebration and been impressed by the food and service, particularly for such a large party. We were surprised to see...

The food ranged from disappointing to appalling. Three of us had fish and chips (all of which was cooked in its skin) and my wife had ‘chorizo chicken with linguine’ which was indescribably bad. This was compounded by the fun from the other tables. Socially...

I visited here with a group of 18 friends at the weekend. We were families staying at a nearby campsite who had enjoyed a long walk and picnic. We stopped at this pub for a drink in the garden before returning to the site. We...

Food - 3/10 Service - 8/10 The man serving was very nice and deserves recognition for his professionalism, but the lady making the drinks has a very bad attitude when asked about how long our drinks would be (30 mins). Food was below average from...

Staying at the nearby camp site so visited for evening meal. Food was very very good I had smoked salmon which melted in the mouth however we had waited nearly an hour for our starters and thankfully the mains came very soon after. Gave the...

Always loved the Axe and compass for food! Last night was spot on again. Staff were very accommodating for us both with wife being pregnant and requesting a table away from people (Covid reasons). Steak night was not a disappointment. The quantity and quality of the food was amazing. Steak cooked to perfection. Only gripe was the food took 50 mins to arrive after ordering but food made up for it and Joe was extremely pleasant and helpful. Will be booking again.

We came across the Axe and Compass when driving around looking for somewhere to for a Sunday lunch - so it was our first visit! The staff were really welcoming and the food was very very good! They had a good kids menu too. The tables were well spaced out and there is a one way system in place - reassuring during these times! There is a play area outside which was great. We will definitely be going back and highly recommend a meal here!

Visited on a lovely Friday afternoon for lunch so we decided to sit in the beer garden. We had the fish & chips and the cajun chicken burger. I thought the portion of fish and chips was a bit meagre for the price (£14) and I personally think serving garden, rather than mushy, peas with fish & chips should be outlawed but Mrs P thought the cajun chicken burger was the best she's had since the one she had in Baton Rouge some years ago.

Slow Service. Sat at our table half an hour before food order taken. Food arrived 1 hour and 45 minutes after our arrival. Drinks orders were taken promptly but again slow to arrive. Food was good once it came but definitely not worth the wait. I’d avoid unless you have plenty of time on your hands.

Very quiet as in empty, but it was early week. One table of locals who got very loud which imposed upon our evening out. Seemingly locals don’t follow the COVID directions supposedly in place either. Food was good but ambience dominated by the loud conversations of the locals and a child who really should not have been there at that time of night. Management do need to reassess the COVID precautions and measures.

Have been here a few times for Sunday lunch, with my partner and with friends. Has been wonderful every time. Portions are huge (it’s rare that we don’t have room for dessert!) and veggie wellington is done so nicely. Ambience inside is so lovely and not at all what we’d expected. Can’t wait to come back!

Great place to visit, great service love location they even got Beau our dog a bowl of water. Food was delicious

Today we ordered a Sunday roast to collect. Just 2 days after all pubs have been shut the Axe have put a takeaway service together. We ordered and collected and took home the most amazing (beef) Sunday roasts. It was an absolute quality meal and put together superbly. Although we collected they do offer delivery service (locally) and there’s good hygiene awareness when you collect. Fantastic!

Walked here for Sunday lunch and frankly it was superb , delicious dinner , we both had beef and there was no fuss that I wanted rare and my other half wanted well done plus they serve wherry bitter , all these things make me happy and we will certainly be going back !

Thursday night is steak night and we had delicious rump steaks , very generous portions, tasty chips and peas and mushrooms. Couldn’t fault it. Staff very attentive and friendly. One small criticism is that it took quite a while from ordering to receiving but definitely worth the wait.

Wonderful menu, recommend the Guinness bread! Delightful veg burger and superb fries, don’t often eat an entire serving, disappointed my partner who relies on me not eating them all.

This pub /restaurant has recently been refurbished The staff were very friendly and attentive. Good choice of food/wine

We visited on 15th Dec.2019, and being pretty close to Christmas we’d made a reservation for a table for 4. Need not have bothered as there were only ever a total of 4 (poss.5) tables in use by diners. We all thought this was sad, and wondered what was going on; a Village pub where the food was good, a Saturday night and hardly anyone in the restaurant? When we got to the Pub the only other people in the bar were the staff and one of the owners/family. Good bar service, and range of drinks available. Shown to our table when we were ready, and it was in the older part of the restaurant which we much prefer as it has more atmosphere. Food-wise we ordered: 1x Game Terrine; 2x Blade of Beef with Mashed Potatoes and veggies in a lovely rich gravy, 1x Ribeye & 1x Flat Iron steaks with the usual trimmings plus a side of Onion Rings. The flat iron steak lacked a little flavour for my husband, but other than that there were no negative comments on the main courses. Drinks with main courses. Desserts: 1x fruit sorbets selection, 2x ice creams with a shot of Baileys over. Desserts were yummy! Finished off with 1x coffee, 1x Baileys, 1x G&T. Total bill £155. The food was reasonably priced, the drinks a little pricey but average I suppose for a restaurant. Hope the Axe & Compass had better supported evenings.

Very nice, old, traditional English local pub. New menu is very good and lovely service from friendly staff. An asset to our community. Great place for a drink or meal and to take visiting friends to

I have visited the Axe and Compass on several occasions and have always been impressed by the quality of the food and if you research their special offers you will find some great value meals

Made us wait a very long time, seemed to be more interested in people sitting in the garden rather than in the people in the restaurant! Had a 3 year old with me and it took an hour to get 4 Sunday lunches and quite frankly I wouldn’t of waited if I had known what I was about to get, shoddy food and poor quality, I will not return or recommend

You need a reservation to go here for dinner, thankfully they could fit us in at the last minute. There are only 2 pubs in this small village, so we were happy they fit us in. The service was friendly and efficient. Food was good. We had the special which was a steak, which was ok.

First thing you notice is the friendly staff.

Waited for over the hour for lunch to arrive...difficult when you have a child with you!! Staff were friendly enough but the over subscribe to lunch leaving everyone complaining!!

I decided to take the wife out for a meal to celebrate that it was Friday and the end of a busy week. I haven’t been here for over a year and wasn’t disappointed. The greeting we received when we arrived was warm and friendly. The drinks were lovely and the starters were very tasteful. We both had steak which were cooked to perfection and very tasty. Coffee to finish of a very pleasant meal and evening.

Enjoyed a very nice steak at the Axe and Compass last night cooked to perfection. Natalie and Elsa looked after us with efficiency and smiles even though it was busy! We will be back soon thank you

The Axe is our favorite pub when visiting Hemmingford Abbotts. The food is wonderful and the beer garden is very nice. There is a play area for the children as well.

The staff are friendly and the service was quick. However, we found the food to be disappointing. The fish and chips was over cooked and the Axe burger was dripping with fat.

We were staying in the village and expecting great things after reading some of the reviews on TA. The pub was pleasant and well decorated and the staff were friendly. We thought the menu was limited and both finished up ordering fish and chips. Our meals eventually came and as we started eating, we found the fish very disappointing. To be honest, coming from the north we were expecting either cod or haddock. This it certainly was not, the fish was obviously pre-battered frozen and was tough, probably being bass, a type of Asian catfish. Although the chips were cut from skin-on potatoes, they were greasy and soggy. No-one came to ask if our food was OK, or we would have told them!

We booked the Axe and Compass for 14 members and friends of our WI, letting them have our menu choices in advance. We had a lovely welcome and were shown to a lovely large room where we were all able to sit together. All of the dishes were exactly as ordered, all freshly prepared and well presented. Everyone of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals and all the plated were empty when cleared away! We were considering either moving to this beautiful village just to have this pub as a local or arranging another outing just to come for another delicious meal. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended!

Lovely atmosphere with excellent managers and staff. Prices are reasonable. The food is great. My husband and have thoroughly enjoyed our meals and drinks.

Staying locally on holiday, so tried the local for a meal. Good selection of beers on tap, staff very friendly. Lisa went out of the way to accommodate my wife’s wishes for a hot sauce to go with her meal.

Called in for a lunch time beer whilst staying at Houghton Mill caravan site. Very nice pub and good selection of beers

Only the second time we have been to the quiz night and this time we had dinner as well. The food was very good and the service excellent. The staff couldn't have been more helpful. All in all a really good night.

Normally we avoid eating out on a ‘celebration’ day in this case Father’s Day. However with family over from Australia and down from Worcester for the day, also including 98 year old mother in law, it seemed appropriate to risk it. Based on this experience never again.

The food is nice if a little over priced but the service is the problem. Slow would be an understatement 10 minutes for a pint and a soft drink then a further 30 minutes for a cottage pie and a sandwich. The staff seem to wander around looking busy but doing very little.

Hmm, where to start.. have always enjoyed our previous visit to this lovely gastro pub. To day (father's day) we had pre-booked for 9 paying £90 deposit. To get ahead start we had previewed thier website to view the menu, looked great. However, to find web page was not up to date. That said menu and special board was perfectly suited to a Father's Day and not disappointed withe the selection. From the start service was slow. Took 15 -20 minutes to order drinks despite offering to order from bar. Only once drinks received we could order dinner. Starters took about 45 minutes to arrive and no complaints, all very nice. However, our mains were particularly slow arriving. We chase a couple occasions and was told 'just coming'.

Very nice, steak and chips and a carafe of wine for two £25.00. Nice ambience in pub, cheerful staff.

Good food, a nice village and we also took part in the Quuz night. We would visit again if we were in the area.

Visited this pub on 2 previous occasions for lunch only to be told we are not serving food at the moment I asked why and was told because we are not.

Firstly, excellent friendly service which was outstanding. Food was basic pub fare, nothing exciting. Unfortunately the Chef chose to over-season everything which presumably was meant to conceal what proved to be, the very ordinary raw materials.

We were out for a family walk and called in here for a quick sandwich lunch. The service was very good, and the food excellent! Thankyou.

Regrettably we booked for our wedding anniversary, as previously we had had a good meal. Table not ready for 45 mins after booked time. Menu availability was greatly reduced, anything we wanted was no longer available.

Fantastic meal enjoyed by the six of us with ages ranging from 7 - 70+.

Our experience was very disappointing,some of the food we received was cold and inedible ,the roast potatoes were rock hard ,the meat was too tough to chew and the yorkshire puddings were cold and burnt altogether a total waist of money, plus a piece of wire was found in the food ,this was reported to the staff who offered no apology in fact showed no interest at all.

Recommended to us from our B&B.; Good food, good beer, staff were very pleasant and attentive. Specials board was very good.

Service fantastic, food excellent, great menu choice inclusive of the specials board. Staff were very attentive and were able to accommodate us even though we had not booked. Really great atmosphere and would without doubt recommend this place.

Staff very pleasant; food reasonable quality; prices a little on the steep side. Enjoyed the lunch though.

Went to this traditional pub for Sunday lunch and was really impressed. The staff are friendly and there is a good selection of beers. The menu had a good selection and the roast beef was outstanding. Portion size was good with six (yes six) vegetables. The sticky toffee pudding was to die for.

My husband and I went for lunch today with our two little dogs and really enjoyed it. Very warm and friendly welcome from the lady at the bar. Super atmosphere and ambience in this fab village pub. It was a great menu with lots of things we wanted so it was hard to choose. I had two starters the chicken satay and scotch egg and my husband had the burger, all absolutely delicious! Our fave beers on tap aswell. Really great experience, we’ll definitely be back. Lots.

Popped in as closest to Riverside B&B; to find a nice selection of drinks, wines and spirits. I asked for the menu and was amazed by the selection on offer. I plumped for the swordfish with ginger and lime arancini. Beautifully presented and with a flavorsome pickled red cabbage only £16. Compliments to the chef! Came in for a second night and the tuna steak with olives, spinach and sun blushed tomatoes jumped out at me for a reasonable £14. When it turn up cooked to perfection and with the plumpest mussels and tastiest olives I was surprised by the price tag. The bar staff were extremely pleasant and nothing was to much trouble. I would thoroughly recommend if you are in the area for a gastronomic delight. A pub quiz is also held on a and fish and chips on Fridays. No food on Mondays.

We booked a table for 7 for Boxing Day. ‘Turkey’ed out’ we wanted just pub grub. £25 head for 2 courses was good value and the steaks were very good. Love the pub, especially the bar area but the restaurant lacks atmosphere and doesn’t help when there are no table decorations or silly cracker hats! Didn’t feel like Christmas, could have been just another Sunday lunch. No effort made just in, out and 200 pounds, thank you very much!

A Christmas turkey lunch with a large group of friends was truly spoilt by extremely slow service and a plate of Christmas fayre that wouldn't look out of place in a dog's bowl. No attempt to make the main course look appetising. A thick, dark brown, salty gravy totally smothered everything on the plate. It was a poor attempt to hide the dire quality of the food on the plate. I would have sent it back but didn't want to upset the party organiser. At least the dessert was well assembled with lovely fresh berries.

We booked online for a group of 13, including three five and under. We requested a highchair and on arrival it was there ready and waiting - a good start, phew! I’m pleased to report this continued for the rest of the meal - hurrah!

This is a lovely, authentic, quintessentially english pub. Stopped for a drink here during a walk and could have stayed all day - didn't eat here but food looked lovely as it was coming out.

We came here for a Sunday roast and is my new favourite place to come.

We came here today for Sunday lunch with all the family. I'm pregnant and currently my biggest good aversion is red meat however, the only roasts available were beef or lamb. The waitress kindly checked if there was any chicken available and the chef prepared me a roast chicken specially. We were all very impressed with how thoughtful and kind this was and it was wonderful for me to be able to have such a delicious roast. Everyone else thoroughly enjoyed their roast beef and lamb! Thank you very much for a lovely lunch. 10/10 would come here again!

Nice Village pub has a steak deal on Thursdays. 2 meals with a small carafe of wine for £25. Have eaten here twice and each time the steak was excellent. Dessert is great and we'll priced too. We'll worth a visit.

A little wait for food but well worth it! Warm welcoming staff and a lovely atmosphere. Will definitely be back and highly recommend, did i mention the food is amazing!?

Good food and quick service. Local pub served great pub grub and staff very friendly and polite. i will visit again

We ate here on thursday when there were specials 2 mains plus a carafe of wine for £25 . I had rump steak, chips, peas, mushrooms and grilled tomato, my husband had the gammon steak and we both really enjoyed our meals.

Popped in for a spot of lunch the bar was not very busy found the staff very friendly and the food was very good did wait a little time to get the food

Me and my boyfriend visited for and evening meal, the service when we arrived was lovely and friendly, the food was amazing. The new head chef has done an amazing job on the menu and presentation. Defintely will be returning!

Went to the Axe and Compass for a family meal and I can’t fault the service or the food - my steak was cooked perfectly to my preferences and the sides were amazing. Service was fantastic and very efficient, and helped cater to my sisters dietary needs. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an authentic pub meal, with a varied menu and friendly atmosphere :-)

Although there was a bit of a wait for food, when it did come it was lovely. Our entire table had the Halloumi burgers which were lovely. Nice atmosphere, in a good location.

Ate here for the first time with my family and we will definitely be coming back! Lovely baked Camembert starter followed by the Tuna steak, both cooked beautifully. It can be difficult finding places which cater for my vegan (and very fussy) sister, but she had the sweet potato and aubergine curry and loved it! The service was also great - we were well looked after by Charlie and Lewis who were both very friendly and attentive throughout our meal. Thank you to all the staff for a lovely evening. x

Stopped for lunch and were very pleased. Many good menu choices, excellent food and great friendly service! Can’t wait to go back again.

Nasty weather on the sunday whilst camping nearby, went for lunch and a few beers. Good selection of beer and decent food although we were disappointed with 3 potatoes with a sunday lunch especially the mrs who is GF and couldn't have the yorkie pud but other than that it was good.

Lovely thatched roof pub with a beer garden. We found this pub on our walk & decided to walk back later & so glad we did. Food was really good. I had tuna steak which was cooked perfectly & my husband had mussels & said they were great. Finished with the sticky toffee pudding...wow!

We had a lunch at this pretty pub. The baked camembert was wonderful, and excellent for a lightish lunch. Good beer selection, and friendly service.

We had had the dogs swimming in a nearby ex gravel pit ,not been to the ax and compass for many years ,previous landlords have retired and daughter has taken over,what a difference, now a gastro pub, dog friendly unusual for Cambridgeshire. Food was superb wife had the sole, best coked she said in many years, I had the pork again superb..well worth a visit.

Had a fantastic meal at the Axe this weekend. 26 of us for a 3 course lunch. Food & service was amazing. Extra crispy roast potatoes & super soft beef roast 👌🏼 thoroughly enjoyed by all, can’t wait to return again for more. 🌟

Eight of the family were meeting at the pub for evening dinner. We had mentioned two littl'uns so they had reserved a table in a quiet corner - slightly cooler too; in this minor heatwave. When they saw the 2 week old they rushed off & returned with a fan for us. The drinks were great, the food was excellent & despite being very, very busy the service was superb. Thank you so much for all of it.

A great venue for a First Birthday and Christening celebration at the weekend!

We drove to the pub after searching for something suitable on TripAdvisor.