Giggling Squid - Cambridge in Cambridge

Ocupado un lunes por la noche, lo que siempre es una buena señal. Buena comida, decoración encantadora y servicio educado. Realmente disfrutamos de nuestra visita.

Llegó al restaurante a las 5. 50 pm listo para nuestra reserva de mesa a las 6. 00 pm. El restaurante estaba ocupado, pero pensamos que no sería ningún problema debido a reservarlo hace 3 meses y tener una reserva de 6 pm para 4 personas. ¡Cómo me equivoqué! No había mesas listas para nosotros. Tuvimos que quedarnos parados durante casi 30 minutos antes de poder sentarnos. Había algunas mesas libres pero nos dijeron que no podíamos tenerlas porque estaban reservadas para otros. Una vez sentados pedimos la cena y las bebidas de inmediato, ya que teníamos tiempo limitado debido a tener que estar en el teatro a las 7. 45 pm Los entrantes llegaron después de unos 20 minutos y luego nada durante otros 30 minutos. Al preguntar por tercera vez dónde estaba nuestra cena, nos dijeron que nuestro pedido había desaparecido de su pantalla, pero ahora estaba siendo ordenado. Nuestra comida principal finalmente llegó a nuestra mesa (después de recibir una comida incorrecta primero) a las 7. 30 . ¡Tuvimos 15 minutos para comerlo! La comida estaba bien, aunque uno de los platos estaba frío, pero no tenía tiempo para enviar de vuelta. Creo que la calidad parecía haber bajado un poco de las visitas anteriores probablemente porque estaban demasiado estirados. Para terminar, tratamos de pagar, pero las máquinas de tarjetas parecían estar funcionando, así que esto se sumó a nuestra prisa por salir del restaurante y al teatro. Finalmente pagamos y dejamos el restaurante a las 7. 55 pm. Al mirar la factura más tarde noté que incluso nos habían cobrado un cargo por servicio por nuestra experiencia y no lo había visto debido a cuánta prisa teníamos. ¡Gracias Calamar riendo, una noche muy estresante para nosotros! ¡Si no puedes sentar a la gente cuando hayan reservado, entonces no dejes que reserven en primer lugar!

Great food, a little on the expensive side, but great food

A long wait to get a table (with reservation) plus a long wait just to pay the bills. The food is ok, a bit salty, and is not very authentic. The vibe is great, tho a bit loud.

Terrible service. We had a party of 6 celebrating a teen birthday. Had to ask 3 times for water - and yes we also bought drinks. Our waitress came to our table once to take our orders and then disappeared. Gave up waiting for the birthday celebration treat and had to get up to leave before we could get anyone’s attention in order to pay. Toilets were disgusting- paper overflowing and extremely sticky floors. Very disappointed that a special night turned out to be so very bad.

Tenemos experiencia diversa con este restaurante. Fue difícil calificarlo por estrellas ya que la comida era excelente, pero el personal era muy pobre. Llegamos a tiempo para un 5. 15 mesa reservada previamente antes de una charla de intercambio de maíz a las 7 pm (frente). El restaurante estaba vacío, excepto tal vez 2 o 3 mesas. Dos camareras charlaban entre ellas en la esquina, sin mirar a los comensales. Después de 15 minutos tuvimos una atención de camareros y pedimos bebidas y comida. Llegó el vino y luego cuando se recordó, el agua. Estábamos esperando nuestra orden de comida mientras el restaurante llenaba su capacidad, con otros comensales comiendo ya. Cuando volvimos a llamar la atención de los camareros infirió que era nuestra culpa ya que habíamos pedido 2 platos de entrantes mixtos. La red llegó en tiempo razonable y toda la comida que teníamos era preciosa. Fue una pena que tuviéramos tan poco tiempo para disfrutarlo.

Amazing restaurant with very delicious dishes, charming interior at good prices. I especially like the showstopper set: the slow-cooked beef with green curry and the prawns are both very good.

Ridiculously long waiting times. In 50 min I could cook pad Thai myself with ease...

Has lunch for my Birthday and the food & service were both amazing thank you 😊 would highly recommend, best dining out experience Iv had for a long while , well done !!

Nuestra primera visita a El calamar risueño y nos decepcionó! Nos recibieron tan pronto como entramos por la puerta, nos sentamos rápidamente a pesar de que llegamos temprano y estaban ocupados. El servicio fue excelente en todo. La comida deliciosa, servida rápidamente estaba caliente... y los sabores divinos! 😍 Nuestro servidor era Lewis y quiero mencionarlo como el joven más educado, bien educado y bien informado y era súper eficiente. ¡Es un tesoro! 👌 Volveremos.

Cena después del evento con plato compartido y copa de vino. Perfecto. Gracias. Personal bien formado y con personalidad.

It was a great experience eating here!

The decor of the restaurant is very well curated and the staff is always kind, helpful and friendly! It is very easy to book as well. The allergen and ingredient information is very detailed and accessible, more than any other restaurant I have ever been at. Good vegan food selection, but I would love to see more options. Definitely recommended!

We were there to celebrate one of us birthday so I asked to put candles on the dessert cake I was planning to buy after a meal. The waiters changed all the time so we ended up with 3 of them at our table at some point. Nevertheless, this would be OK and if the candles were too much to ask would also be OK but it'd be good to know in advance and not to be disappointed later. The candles were forgotten and I had to ask for them back in front of the birthday person. Ahhhh.....ruined the experience completely.

Really delicious food, service could have been better. Lots of waiters and waitresses around but not paying attention to the table. Good atmosphere in there. Recommended to few people already. Will be visiting again soon.

Probably the best Thai food I’ve ever had. Lovely restaurant with friendly staff.

Had the most amazing dinner with my husband and daughter. Cassie made us feel very special. Service was brilliant but most importantly the food was out of this world.

Great food, beautiful building, will be back

Had a really lovely birthday dinner here last night. The staff were super attentive, friendly, and made us feel special from the moment we arrived. Plus, the food was absolutely delicious and we didn't have to wait long at all for any of the courses. A great night!

Nice place . But the food was under .... what I expected

Nice meal and very nice place… I was there with my husband who tried Thai food for the first time and loved it … will be definitely coming back.

This is one of the best Thai restaurants I’ve been. The dishes here really tickle many different taste buds!! Delicious dishes beautifully presented in a great ambiance.. Strongly suggest sharers…

First time dining here. Although the atmosphere is quite loud. The decor is fabulous to look at. Gives a Bridgiton vibe. The staff are very helpful. The food is lovely and full of flavour. You are charged a service fee onto your bill which was a new one for us. Nothing major like £6 if I recall. Very easy to book online and easy enough to ammend your booking if needed to.

Really lovely atmosphere in what looked like an old bank. Really friendly staff and the food was really well cooked. We had satay 3 ways to start and then pad thai. Specially enjoyed the sauce.

Nice meal, large place and plenty of seating and quick service.

Group of 4 came here. Pretty busy so we were lucky to get a table as we hadn’t booked Tasty flavours and lots to choose from on menu

Booked this for a pre show dinner. The decor is bright and colorful with a lovely atmosphere. The staff were all lovely, welcoming , attentive and we did not feel rushed at all. W hen another friend joined us there was no issue with another place setting and order. The food was delicious, and enjoyed by us all. My partner and I are already planning to go back.

Best Thai food we’ve ever had. Beautiful venue. The cocktails are also excellent.

Lovely building. Wanted a quick but tasty lunch and this fitted the bill. Thought lunch set was excellent value and all the dishes left me wanting more.

Eten zeer goed. Personeel zeer correct en behulpzaam. Echt een aanrader. Deze keer de tapas genoten. En een extra bijgerecht. Restaurant erg sfeervol.

Wonderful place to dine in in Cambridge. Very close to city centre. It's an unbelievable interior, I wouldn't think of to be that beautiful. It's a Thai restaurant. Foods are so tasty and fast service. Authentic Thai taste. They have a kids' menu, and a waitress who served us was kind enough to bring some paints and colours to my kid to keep her occupied. Overall, I had a great experience. Would cost a person 20 to 30

Very nice seating area and yummy food~

The giggling squid is a definite place to visit,everything is just amazing staff are wonderful food is amazing and the atmosphere is nice definitely worth a visit I would recommend you book as they do get busy 😊

I went here last night for the first time with my husband. We don't usually go much from our comfort zone and your standard restaurants.. but I am very glad we did. The food was cooked to perfection, with bursts of flavour. I had heard it can have a delay on food but was worth it, but we don't feel we waited long at all, we went at 5pm so maybe later on it may become busier and have more delays. However, that still wouldn't have phased us because we had all evening. The staff are all friendly and attentive and the decor is very different and authentic we loved it.. we really liked it and couldn't fault any part of it.

Lovely Giggling Squid restaurant, better than the Brighton one. Beautiful inside, good food, good service, a lovely meal. Would highly recommend.

2nd Giggling squid and the Cambridge location is just as great. We went in on a slower day so that helped with the wait time. Food tasted great love that their menu has vegetarian options.

Tasty meal. Pleasant surroundings and friendly service.

Can't wait to return, food was amazing and the restaurant was absolutely beautiful

I’m pretty good for a chain . Tasty food

First of all the staff members (e.g. Angie and Yeepun) are fantastic! So warm and friendly! The atmosphere is very beautiful! It’s like being in a fairyland or bird cage. You will have to enter to see what I mean! The food was alright. I say this as someone who loves Thai food and is constantly eating it every chance I get. It’s really hard to get the flavors to wow me unless the chef is doing something spectacular. With that said if you like Thai food you would automatically like it!

I recently tried Thai food for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. The restaurant has a beautiful, serene ambiance with lovely color combinations and lighting. The lady who served us was incredibly polite and humble, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The only downside was the service charge added to the bill. Despite that, I would definitely visit again if I find myself in town.

Another great meal at Giggling Squid. Beautiful restaurant and always great food and service.

Excellent food and such a beautiful building and interior design! Everything we had was delicious!

Lovely food and decor but the handling of allergens was terrible We told them 1 of our party had a shellfish allergy and they put the allergy ticket on the table. We ordered starters and they checked who was allergic to what and all okay. But when they brought the starters we were going to share, they just put down plates with stickers on. The stickers are bright pink and just say "Giggling Squid Crustacean Molluscs" So we assumed the stickers meant they contained the allergens written on the stickers. We were a little surprised but the person with the shellfish allergy ate from the dishes which didn't have the Crustaceans Molluscs sticker on it. When the mains came out, the waiter gave the person with the shellfish allergy their dinner and said this is for the shellfish allergic person, and this dish had the same sticker. The sticker which just says an allergen, actually means that dish is free from it! It is so stupid and the opposite of what sensible people would assume. It meant that the person who has the shellfish allergy ate starters with Crustaceans and / Molluscs in thinking they were safe! So stupid. Thankfully it is a mild allergy and he only ate a little. We told the waiter and she did not care that we could have had a serious medical emergency. The sticker system is stupid. Why do the stickers just say the allergen???? It would be so simple to say "free from XYZ" instead of what is says which is "XYZ" if you go here with an allergy, ask very carefully what you can and can't eat.

Beautiful place and spectacular red curry, full of flavour and intense. I insist on the curry and the battered baby squid which are a delight with their spicy sauce.

This is a place where you pay for the setup and service, not the food. The curry dishes are not good at all for any Thai standard, and they charge Rice separately! More ridiculous, the jasmine rice is not jasmine rice at all!

The environment is OK, but the taste is terrible. It is the worst Thai food that Asians have ever eaten. It is very unauthentic. It is all thick soup and can only fool European and American people.

Excellent Thai cuisine with some reinterpretations by the chef to try such as the pad thai in the photo. Very comfortable and welcoming environment. If you love or want to taste Thai dishes this place is super recommended!

Overpriced and small portions, long time waiting to order and the staff wasn't busy at all, the place wasn't busy either but they were chatting without paying attention to us. We won't be back

The nicest part of this restaurant are its grand decor and the kind staff. The food however, was slightly bland and underwhelming. If you’re looking for authentic thai food, this isn’t the place. But if you’re looking to celebrate or have a nice dinner out, this is very much the place to go. The decor is veryyyy pretty and mesmerising! The staff were also very accommodating and kind :) Recommended for celebrations, such as birthdays or graduations!

Had my birthday here last night and loved it! Emily our server was excellent and the food was delicious. Thanks so much for the birthday icecream and plate! Such a thoughtful touch 🥰

Awesome service, great food in a great atmosphere. Would thoroughly recommend 👌

The interior design is amazing, creating a great atmosphere for dining. The food is delicious, and there were enough vegetarian options for us to choose from. There was nothing to dislike. I highly recommend.

Great experience. Sat in the birdcage, good was great. Service could be a little more attentive.

Wonderful Thai food in a great and flowery atmosphere ! Everything we tried was exquisite. The Pad Thai and the spring rolls are my favorites😋

Really good but a little pricey. Good for a special meal.

Locale molto bello, è come un enorme giardino ma al chiuso. Cameriere gentilissime, ospitalità e raffinatezza. Abbiamo gustato i salt and pepper squid deliziosi, , gli spiedini di maiale, i jummy duck spring rolls,e i pork damplings con riso jasmine; inoltre un piatto di gigglins pad thai chiken.Birra ed acqua minerale. In due abbiamo speso 60 pounds.

We went there on a Sunday with no reservation and got a nice table by the window! We ordered the massaman curry and lots of prawn dishes and starters. Was greatful there were halal options and enjoyed it very much. Asthetically nice for al social media type people and nice date place

Very good food and picturesque atmosphere. He recommends the pad thai with prawns and the spring rolls. Worth a visit!

First time at Giggling Squid & thoroughly enjoyed it. Lovely food with nice menu and good choice. Had the lunch tapas menu which was a good way to sample a range of dishes.

On a busy Friday lunchtime we booked last minute as in area at daughter’s graduation. Nice inside and shown to table. We had lovely service and food and drinks hit the spot in comfortable surroundings. No room for pudding but everything was lovely. Thank you for making our experience so good.

Menu is not clear about vegan or vegetarian options. Its vegetarian dish and in ingredients it's not mentioned about egg still they added it may contain egg. It contains egg or not? no one knows and no clear answer from staff. Staff were not much friendly on asking anything. We ordered green curry and sticky rice. Rice served in small basket and in plastic bag. Haven't expected from such restaurant. Positive: - Great interior - Many Vegetarian dishes (but they not sure about it has egg or not)

I finally had the chance to experience the Giggling Squid today for my birthday, after seeing pictures of this beautifully decorated restaurant and reading lots of lovely positive reviews. Okay so I want to say that I’m only leaving this review because I think this restaurant is worthy of keeping lovely, and so I’m hoping that the owners will tidy up the areas where it’s starting to look tacky, Front Entrance.. This is in desperate need of repainting correctly, as there were areas that had been touched up here and there that were different in colours to other areas, and there was junk and mess all around the desk, couple of cartons of Tropicana, and it looked grubby around the doors and walls. Basically it just looked rather run down!, which is such a shame because it’s an absolutely stunning building, which was clearly decorated to a very high standard. The grubby smell which occurs in some busy restaurants hit me as I walked in. I think you need better cleaners, and not just someone who cleans for the money but someone who actually loves to clean, and who takes pride in the cleanliness and appearance of your restaurant. Toilets… Loved the toilets as they are very vintage looking yet still kind of lovely, although again I will say needs cleaning better. Uniform.. The shirts and aprons the staff wore are all lovely in colour and design, but how scruffy it looked with all the different style casual jeans and running trainers. I found the bottom half of the attire completely bizarre, specially to wear in such a beautiful restaurant. The food.. We booked our table for 12 noon, so only about three other tables had customers at. So it wasn’t busy when I placed my order. I had the vegetable tapas selection, which was all delicious apart from the button mushroom in the mix vegetable, (I love mushrooms by the way), but they tasted a tad old. My prawns in ginger, half the dish was hot and half cold, it was like it had been pulled out the fridge already prepared and thrown in the wok, but then not cooked for long enough. The sticky chicken and vegetable spring rolls are absolutely delicious, both those two dishes are a 10/10 from me and my daughter. Actually the green Thai curry was a 10/10 too. Garlic noodles were not very pleasant in my opinion. The Staff… The ladies and gentlemen were all very professional and polite who served us, 10/10 from me Table… I found the red napkins and place mats looked odd with the beautiful colour scheme, but that’s just my opinion. It just seemed like something so beautiful was starting to slowly become run down!, that was my initial first impression of the front entrance, and it made me feel sad. I don’t want to criticise or upset anyone, but you must raise the standards higher so that you will remain open in many years to come. I wish all the Giggling Squid restaurants a prosperous future. Although it maybe a good idea to maintain the restaurants you have to a high standard before opening anymore.

Just wanted to thank all the staff that came to see that my daughter was ok and if they could help at all. Unfortunately I did not get their names as I was concentrating on my daughters health. Unfortunately my daughter was unwell after her graduation and a couple of members of staff came over to offer assistance. Even though we were in the way, near the kitchen they were still polite. So just a big thank you. Also special thanks to Carla our waitress who looked after us also. Amazing food also when I was able to eat it! Thanks again, an amazing team! xxx

Great food, good atmosphere but sadly terrible service.

The staff were friendly and accommodating - rushing our order through as we were going to the theatre opposite . Food was delicious .

Went for my sisters 30th birthday. Staff were friendly and accommodating. Food was good.

My work colleagues and I recently came for a leaving do. There was 11 of us however the service was really good and quick and all the food was delicious. We needed to all pay separately at the end which can sometimes cause problems at other restaurants, however Emily our server was extremely patient and made it really easy for us. Would definitely recommend.

Nicely decorated inside. Food was ok, it was a little bland.

The good is so good specially the sticky chicken. They have vegetarian options is needed.

Service was excellent but I found my dish to be a bit bland and the vegetables weren't cooked enough. Had the vegetable Stir Fry and the pak choi and broccolli weren't cooked enough and I found them too crunchy.

Nice deco. Starters was delicious 😋. Main courses was a let down 🫤 However there isn’t much Thai restaurants to compete in Cambridge. This restaurant is not too bad, just adjust your expectations.

Amazing food, great atmosphere!

Amazing decor of an old library with beautiful architecture. Squid starters were so tasty. Mains were delicious too, especially pad Thai. Mini chocolate dessert was also lovely. Great service. Will definitely be back!

Proper Thai food in perfect location. As spicy as it should be and as tasty as it should be. Lovely staff 👌

Magic, chain Thai food, catered for Allergies great 👍

Photos speak for themselves, food is okay for price. Worth going for the atmosphere alone.

Excellent food, service, quality of food. Reasonably good value too.

First the pros: - tasty food - beautiful building - helpful staff Now the cons: - probably due to the vaulted ceiling but the place is very loud - the food took very long to served, despite the restaurant being only about 50% full Finally, the worst: - a service charged was added to the bill, but when the waitress came to take payment by card she asked if I wanted to leave a gratuity. I told her that a service charge was already added to my bill, but she said it was different. So, I would really like to hear from the management and find out what is the difference between the service charge and the gratuity? As well as who keeps each charge? Are people being charged twice for tips?

Booked ahead and enjoyed an absolutely delicious meal with friends. Treated myself to the special Margarita cocktail and for starters, enjoyed the mushroom option. For mains I choose the king prawn Pad Thai, with a side of coconut rice. All food was great and really enjoyed the whole meal, with the friends I was with also saying positive things about their respective meals.

This is quite possibly the worst ever Thai food we’ve ever had, not only that but the property itself on the way down to the toilets is absolutely disgustingly filthy the kitchen is also filthy. We waited about 40 minutes for the drinks to arrive and although the waitress was very friendly, it wasn’t sufficient to make us ever want to return to the giggling squid ever again!

Design of the hall unable you to talk and hear your partner. Last supper for me !

Great tasting Thai food in a nice room in the Guildhall. The acoustics are difficult and it can get noisy. You have to ask for the lunch menu if dining during the day but it is well worth it.

The best thai restaurant in Cambridge. Creative menu and well-prepared food. Staff are polite and accommodating. Good cocktail and atmosphere. Impressively, when about to leave, waiter and waitress smiled and said” Have a good day”

Very enjoyable food and enjoyed my wine too. Quick and friendly service!

The food was cold and although we mention it twice they ignored us. Four of us ordered their most expensive signature dish and the meat was chewy. We couldn't swallow it.

Wonderful place for a dinner with colleagues. The choice is important and the cuisine has taste! Be careful with very spicy dishes!! But overall very good meal!!

Cool venue, lamb masamam was delicious. Drunken ribs were meh, both kinda pricey as well. Reasonably priced cocktails though which were nice.

Comfortable dinning environment.

The interior layout is very beautiful and unique, the food is great too

***Latest Update*** Another visit to Giggling Squid. The food was again at the same standards as always. This time we were sat in the cage benches and I have to say, it was the most uncomfortable thing ever! The semicircle design makes it impossible to enjoy your meal as you constantly slide to your side. And if I had to be picky, a couple of plates were chipped, not what you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre. Still the same quality of food. Everything was cooked nicely and it was very enjoyable. Special mention to our waiter Jack who was very polite and friendly. Having tried Giggling Squid in Bury St.Edmunds, I was looking forward visiting the Cambridge branch. Overall was a good experience. The food was very good but, if there is one thing to say, the portions were not big enough, especially the starters. Quality was very good and the dumplings were very tasty. The place has great decoration and it is very theatrical. Staff was friendly and helpful. If you believe this review has been helpful, please don’t forget to press the 👍 button. Thank you

Beautiful location . Lovely staff . Lovely looking food . But taste , sorry to say bland .

Best Thai restaurant I've ever been too. Lovely service, excellent drinks menu too. Highly recommended

I had the pleasure of visiting Giggling Squid in Cambridge for the first time. We didn't have a reservation, but the staff at the door were incredibly friendly, and genuinely excited to find us a table. The atmosphere of the restaurant is incredibly warm and inviting, and the food is simply mouthwatering. Personally, I couldn't get enough of the Salt & Pepper Chilli Mushrooms and the Chilli & Basil Gra Pa. Chilli and Basil Gra Pa is an absolute delight for the taste buds. And don't forget to pair it with some rice for the perfect combination. All in all, I can confidently say that my experience was a solid 10/10.

Great potential. It sll depends on where one sits. I had mix experiences on two separate occasions. Service slower than usual even for cocktails. Price on the high side for Thai food when compared to other good Thai restaurants in Cambridge.

Always love visiting giggling squid. They had a tapas lunch menu on which we ordered about 6/7 different dishes to try which was delicious. The Thai Sabi cocktail as well was amazing, we had lots of them! Service was great too

Good food & great service apart from just one member of staff forgetting her smile 😊

Giggling squid one of my favourite places to go in Cambridge for a luxurious meal with a beautiful view. The restaurant is always super busy with love waiters and waitresses who always attend to your needs. My favourite is the chilli squid , tempura butterfly king prawn pad Thai and the strawberry cooler ! Such a refreshing drink! If you are in Cambridge you defo need to try this place !

First visit for pre-concert meal on a Saturday night. Light & airy restaurant. Waiter took order within 10 minutes of being seated. We knew what to order as had browsed menu online beforehand. We ordered the veg spring rolls to share for starters. Well presented, light & crispy. They arrived before the drinks, but that didn't matter as the waiter soon returned with them. For mains, red Thai curry for me, sticky chicken bites for hubby then shared egg fried rice and roti. For parking, Grand Arcade was free after 6pm and a 2 minute walk to the restaurant.

Was an amazing experience, staff were super friendly, restaurant was super well decorated. Overall superb. Will probably be going here every time.