King's Arms in East Cambridgeshire

Following some terrible reviews from earlier in the year (including one from me!) there has been a complete change of staff. I went along on Friday night to see the live entertainment: Queenie B's drag show, which was an awesome evening of entertainment in itself. But the whole place felt a lot safer. There were a couple of bouncers who were friendly and not giving it the attitude you usually get. Which in turn seemed to attract nicer clientele. Staff were on it with the table clearing / cleaning, and the toilets were immaculate. Drinks were REALLY well priced. I don't think I've ever seen drink prices go down in a pub before. I highly recommend the Campo Viejo Rioja at just over £5 for a large glass! It's nice to actually look forward to a revisit. Well done for turning the place around!

Wow, well that was sh*t. Arrived, had our first drink, staff were unfriendly, but drinks and crowd were OK so we decided to order a bottle of wine. Literally less than one minute later, off goes the music, off go the lights. There was confusion among the patrons as it was 22:20 on a Saturday night. I was still at the bar, waiting for my receipt so asked the barman what was going on, he said they were closing as “they wanted to go home”. Gutted, we had just committed to a bottle which we hadn’t even opened and he’d not said anything about closing. I’d read a couple of bad reviews recently involving homophobia, which really put me off, but thought I’d give them a chance. Such a mistake, would never go back under the current owners. Just disgusted at their behaviour.

Avoid at all costs, like seriously. Staff are rude, transphobic and homophobic and give you weird stares if you stand out.

It reminded me of one of those places you read about on line that you intentionally go to be abused but it's all a bit of fun. This however was not fun, in good taste or intentional.

If you fancy a miserable experience with a welcome akin to wormwood scrubs then this could be the place for you Rudest staff I've had the misfortune to come across in a long time Wouldn't go back if you paid me

Visited here with a friend for drinks and to watch the football, atmosphere was generally chilled and comfortable, service was quick and efficient but what has to be commented on is the Staropramen I had, it was poured and served to perfection with great carbonation and the authentic glasses. Best pint of Staropramen I've ever had. Will return at some point when in Ely for that alone!

No ales on tap, and just told what we've got is in the fridge if you look, this was 2nd visit, first time bar staff too busy chatting to serve. Won't bother again, plenty of better alternatives in Ely. If,as a new pub you want to compete you need better bar staff.

If you’re interested in visiting the cathedral, this is a very convenient lunch stop. Decent pub food, reasonably priced.

The caring landlord of the KA once again delivers his choice of music across Ely City Centre. As ever, trouble taken not to warn the community. Happily he has sought advice from the council and the police which he has thoughtfully interpreted of being in favour of carrying on in any way he pleases as long everyone enjoys themselves. Please can we have more? The landlord is clearly in favour of his own activities. Oh, and another patronising response, please.

Popping in for a quick drink, I liked the way the place has been nicely refurbished (it is work in progress). Very friendly bar lady (daughter of owner) We chose a beer which we thought may be like Blue Moon when we read the description - but sadly it wasn't very nice. Very flat and tasteless. However this wouldn't put us off visiting again - we would have something else

What a racket. This pub plays outdoor music at full volume with complete disregard for the surrounding community. They operate with complete disregard to the community. They are a blight on Ely City Centre.

Quiet, select pub with friendly staff, good reliable food and in a convenient location. Peaceful to rest in and enjoy lunch or evening meal and not far from cathedral car parking.

Visiting Ely to see family , we just popped in here to see what food was on offer after having been turned away from the Minster pub, but what good luck for us. The menu was very inviting and so we chose to go with the tapas ...ordered 6 dishes between the 2 of us. It promptly arrived and wow...there was loads of food, fresh, tasty and piping hot. We ate way to much but it was so delicious, would recommend the bruschetta, asparagus, chicken nuggets ( none of your shop bought rubbish ) properly tasty fresh and tender chicken. All very tasty, beautifully presented and excellent value for money. Staff were lovely, very helpful and attentive. Will definitely call in again next time we are in town.

Just called in for a drink , nice place. Barman very helpful and friendly ? Was a bit cold but the food looked quite nice . Happily go back for a beer

Although the menu wasn't the same as online the food was wonderful. Thanks for a great meal. Would definitely visit again.

We visited here for lunch on a Saturday lunchtime. It was very busy and so we had high hopes. The staff are friendly and helpful and the décor is fresh, bright and clean. I ordered a jacket potato with cheese and was very disappointed with it. The potato skin was black and soggy and the potato had been kept warm for a long while as the skin had completely come away from the potato flesh. It was luke warm and the filling was very sparse. The small side salad I had with it was fresh and nicely dressed. Considering the reviews of The King's Arms, I hope this was a one off but I am afraid we shan't be returning.

I always enjoy a visit to Ely and today was a cold but sunny day to visit the cathedral and river, treated ourselves to lunch at the Kings Arms and wasn't disappointed. Staff were friendly, helpful and food fresh and enjoyable. Also found out they do a rather splendid breakfast too on Saturdays (so maybe next time). Great to be able to park at the back of the pub too - a well kept secret.

Sorry but, not the best food I have had. Goats cheese tart, with camelised onion, not anything like the menu said, chips were over cooked. Two of us had this tart, we both didn't enjoy it.

we went in here just by chance and had a great meal with very friendly service and a reasonable price. All accompanied by good beer

Attentive and friendly staff, in an attractively decorated pub, provided a hearty lunch (ham, egg and chips) and excellent coffees. The menu was more adventurous than our choice but that’s what we fancied on a crisp November day. It was great to find a traditional pub but one which had been modernised (excellent cappuccino from a good coffee machine). The welcome was warm, the staff charming and chatty; we arrived at 1145, and the rush started at about 1230 – good timing.

We popped in today for some lunch before walking our two dogs; was our first time in here. The landlord is lovely! Welcomed the dogs and even brought them some cheese when they were being too fussy with the dog treats they’d been offered.

Headed into the Kings Arms in Ely for a spot of lunch. We’d gone to Ely for a dog walk so had our two small pups with us. They can be nervous so when the man came over to serve us, our two barked at...

let's start fro the positive. The place is clean and the Landlord very polite, with good service. However we ordered two Pork roast and they served us some badly defrost pork chop. The lady came to the table and asked us if it was everything was good.

We arrived at the Kings Arms at about 2-15 , having driven for 3hrs . It looked a welcoming and attractive . Clearly some refurb ongoing but we only needed a sandwich . Didn't start well as we had to wait 5 mins for anyone to turn up to serve us but we were still relaxed . Ordered some beer and lager and sandwiches . I think the sandwiches were about£6 each. My wife's Brie and Cranberry on brown bread was an absolute disgrace . Supermarket sliced brown with three chunks of Brie and swamped with a huge amount of cranberry . The landlady asked if the food was ok as my wife scraped all the cranberry off . Obviously it wasn't but we were too polite to moan . The bill was just under £20 and we should have refused to pay for the brie sandwich . We had a 5 course taster dinner for two for £55 later that day . No love in that sandwich for sure . Very disappointed.

Un salto aquí para el almuerzo con la familia un sábado por la tarde. Personal muy amable y un buen menú variado. Mi esposa y yo comimos fuera de las ofertas especiales. Hamburguesa con bacon en un brioche bun para ella, y pollo y pastel de hongos con puré para mí.

Renovación sábado almuerzo parecen ser casi completo - personal tan amable y educado, un ambiente encantador, con una buena selección en el menú recién y bien preparado con una tabla especial para el día, precios razonables. El servicio era muy bueno, qué comida relajante sin prisa, sin duda volveremos. Estacionamiento parte trasera de pub con comidas al lado si lo desea

Hard to tell what this will be like when finished, as it still looks raw because of alterations in progress, but the staff were friendly and helpful, there was a good pub menu at decent prices, though the beer seemed expensive even by the standard of other pubs in town.

Good little bar. Really busy when we called in , with a lively friendly atmosphere.Good choice of beers and a friendly bar staff.Enjoyed our visit here

Clearly still having renovation work done but this didn't detract from the friendly welcome we received. We ordered jacket potato with tuna and a prawn sandwich with chips. Just what we needed - well presented and delicious. Shame we were only passing through Ely because we would definitely have returned.

Lovely little pub, though it is more of a restaurant. Very cosy interior, and the staff were lovely and attentive. We had cheesy chips, and they were lovely, but as for proper meals, I can't really comment as we didn't have one. Nice little pit stop for food.

A year in and the owners are gradually revamping this place. It's starting to get there. But with the landlady and landlord being this friendly, plenty of live music and cheap alcohol what more do you need. The food is average pub grub at a good price too

A good pub under modernisation, busy saturday night as there was a soul night, but not too much soul.....BUT NO TEQUILA.... what.... and they were told two weeks ago when they ran out to get some in, the landlord go some stick from us about this, but he took it well and said he would get some in for us. Not eaten there, but I know folk who have and it is very good I hear.

A welcome respite after a hectic week of work. I was dressed in my scruffy workwear and no one minded. Nice live music act made me feel like dancing, I didn't though.

The new owners of this pub took it over in February 2016 and have since been trying hard to attract new and old customers by improving the layout and décor of the bars and implementing a new and manageable menu of meals and snacks. The added attraction added is regular music of different flavours from soul, disco, scar and rock right through to jazz. There are also regular themed social nights, which also include quiz nights. My wife and I decided to make good a drab February Sunday lunchtime by ordering some drinks and roast dinner from the menu. We were also lucky enough to sit listening to a fabulous jazz band, which made for a very mellow and enjoyable afternoon indeed. When the food arrived it was well cooked and of good quality. I had the roast lamb shank in red wine sauce and my wife, the roast pork. The roast potatoes were crispy and the vegetables provided were cooked just to our liking 'not too hard or soft'. We followed up with 'old skool' puddings of sticky toffee and jam roly-poly that were served piping hot with plenty of custard. At all times the staff were friendly and attentive while not too overbearing. We finished off our meal by taking coffee on the comfortable sofas in the front bar, the coffee too was of good quality and helped to wash the lunch down nicely. All in all a nice pub that has the potential to do very well under its new ownership and will be a great place for the local community to come together socially and also a nice destination from those coming from further afield to visit the City of Ely itself.

Really enjoyed having a drink here on the comfy sofa whilst looking up at the cathedral. Really friendly staff that made us feel welcome too. Only downside was that there wasn't a choice of red wine, but that wouldn't stop me returning.

We stopped in for a quick lunch on a visit to Ely Cathedral. Nice beer, ordinary food (but home made), oddly cafelike atmosphere. Staff were friendly enough. Felt like a locals pub but with no locals in it. Odd. Wouldn't rush back - but would recommend this over the nearby boil-in-the-bag chain pub options. Seems to be more of a venue than a bar.

We were attended a clairvoyant supper. There was a set menu of sausage and mash or scampi and fries. The food was basic and warm but, as we were the last table to finish our readings it was around 9pm before we started eating, a little too late for me.I think they are still making changes as the floor isn't quite finished in places. I'd go back again and try the food when it isn't part of an event but not for a 'special event'. There is just something missing

I would say this is a little hit and miss, I went for the burger again and the burger itself was about twice the size of the bun, which I find a little odd. One of the others in the party was not sure whether the jacket potato was cooked through, whilst the other who had one said it was fine.

We had our first complete evening here under the new owners this weekend and were not disappointed. There was an excellent band on (Max Headroom) which made the evening even more enjoyable. It was busy with a great atmosphere. Always served promptly, a choice of wines, and toilets were immaculate. I’m glad to report it has kept up its great reputation. Highly recommend.

Spent the day here at music festival , really great atmosphere with good bands , staff helpful and although bar was busy we were served quickly and everyone very helpful , will be back again soon as they have a lot of events here on during the rest of year .

We stopped off at The Kings Arms in our visit to Ely during May. We were looking for a "no frills" venue for a quick lunch and drinks, and this served our purpose.

Great beer, service and well looked after too. Met some friends there and we all had a wonderful evening.

I stopped in for a quick drink. I had a fairly dreadful half pint of flat Woodford's Wherry. Sadly it is clear that the King's Arms does not look after it's beer properly.

Been here a few times and it is always a good experience. The food is well priced and you get good portions. Great selection of beers on tap as well as Aspalls draught cider....mmmm!

Unusual set up but still quite nice. I only had a quick drink in here but the staff and locals seemed very nice.

Good, friendly service plus well kept and served cask ale at correct temperature. However, buffet sandwiches didn't have much in them and much of this was unpleasant. Accompanying chips were soggy.

Stopped here for lunch while visiting Ely Cathedral. I needed a real ale fix since it's hard to find cask ale in the US. Good beer - I wasn't disappointed. Local sausages eggs and chips was a treat. Folks behind the bar were a good laugh. Great day out, good food and beer.

Ate here at a weekend and the food was pretty good, had the fish pie. It was worth the money as it wasn't that expensive. The restaurant needs a bit of an upgrade and interior design! Along with changing the layout as it's not restaurant looking!

A nice pub offering 'pub grub'. We had sandwiches here, I had pulled lamb which was served warm with a creme fraiche and mint sauce. The landlady is very welcoming and the lager here is very good

On a dismal bank holiday Monday we drove to Ely and needed an early lunch. We walked passed the King's Arms and decided it would do.What a pleasant surprise. The street front suggests a shabby 'local' pub, but inside the decor is fresh and modern and the welcome was warm.Our first set of decisions revolved around which pints to have, both were spot on.Next should we eat from the specials board, the normal menu or the cheap and cheerful menu.Lured by the promise of sausages from a prize winning local butcher we opted for cheap and cheerful. Good enough to knock your socks off.I had Chips, Eggs and Sausages, Sir opted for the Yorkshire pudding with mash, sausages and vegetables. When he asked for chips instead of mash, he was offered roast potatoes. We were soon replite and very happy.

We popped in for lunch on a bright sunny weekday. We ordered from the specials board. Food was freshly prepared and hot, tasty and very accepable pub fare. Value for money was about average and beer was good. Not a remarkable experience but quite OK.

My hubby and I decided to pop in here for a pint Friday night early. We are local, living just round the corner from here. We thought word pop in and see what the beer was like.ascwe hadn't been in for a long time.....might as well have thrown £7.60 down the drain in the road, two pints of the worst ale we have ever had. When there is so much good beer in Ely you cannot afford to serve trash like that. We won't be going back.

I've been here twice this week so feel another review coming on! The first visit was on Saturday night. There was a band in the back room which was absolutely heaving! We were served quickly and we retired to the front lounge where it was it a bit quieter. They've arranged the (four?) two-seater sofas into a circle which leads to a great atmosphere, and encourages conversation among strangers, why don't all pubs do this?! The band were fantastic, out the back it was at full gig volume, but in the front you could still hold a conversation while listening to the band. The landlady came round during the interval and chatted with everyone which was a lovely touch. On Saturday, we noticed a "Quiz night on Tuesday" on the blackboard, so we came back last night. The quiz was perfect! The questions were pitched just right, not too hard, good mix of generational questions too, from Queen Victoria to Craig David etc. A great atmosphere, and a busy pub on a Tuesday night! Well priced nice wine, the cleanest toilets in Ely and a bar team that treat you like family still keep this place the best pub in Ely!

Went in for lunch with my wife and mum. We all had really lovely lunches and the staff were really chatty and friendly. We sat in the beer garden with our fusy little dog, which the staff accommodated brilliantly. The beer garden at the back was beautiful and with stunning views of the cathedral.

Whilst in Ely we have visited this pub on a number of occasions. The music nights have been excellent with a good variety of bands to suit all tastes.The pub is clean and the staff make you feel very welcome. Many thanks to Fiona, Jess and Barbara, the landlady.Looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Empty and no atmosphere the only time you see people is when the same old bands play on a SaturdayThe landlady then brings a bucket around for paying for a band that you have already payed for as the drink is one of the most expensive pubs in town.Would not recommend....

G&T ok, The bar is smack bang in the middle so you have to walk down a corridor to access back end of the establishment after passing the kitchen, which had all of its left overs piled up on a table .The food was emerging from a door which had people being forced to stand in front of due to the poor design of the bar area. The bar needs re siting against one wall to open the space up for seating and customers.

Me and my husband decided we would go somewhere different so we try the kings arms... we ordered a simple meal sausage egg and chips, it can out cold and looked dirty, the young lady vicky working didn't understand what we were saying then became rude. So we had to pay 6.95 each for something we didn't eat or even like! So hands down the worst place you could go

......... but glad we didn't. The place we were going to have lunch in was closed so visited the King's Arms because it was nearby, We were greeted by really friendly staff who went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable, the décor is very pleasant and the place really clean. We chose the 'two meals for £9.60' option and both were delicious, The 'Bubble 'n' squeak with bacon, sausage, egg & beans was amazing value for money, but more than that it was all really tasty. The meat products are from a local high quality butchers and you could tell they are as the ham in the other meal we chose was equally good. I don't know how the place makes a profit selling such quality food for such a reasonable price. It won't be long before we call back for more.

I've only had a baguette here one lunch time (it was lovely), so don't feel qualified to review it as a restaurant, but have frequented it as a pub many, many times, so that is what I'll review. A few years ago this place was a state. A windowless room, graffiti, drugs notices everywhere, it was even nick named "Beirut" by it's current owners. When I saw it being refurbed I couldn't even imagine how anyone could make it habitable... But it was made into what must be the more comfortable room in Ely. Decor: The decor is modern, fresh, funky and bright. There's a great mix of table sizes (I know this sounds a weird thing to review, but it makes a difference!) There's low coffee tables by comfy leather sofas, high tables to eat at. two seat tables, and you could probably get 10 - 12 around the table by the big window. The rooms are so light now, the bar is open between the front and back, and there are rooflight to the back too. The front has two large windows with great people watching oppertunities and a view of the cathedral. The toilets are bight, modern and clean. The cubicles are walnut, and the sinks are the automatic duravit type, excellent. Staff: The staff make pubs, and this place is no different. Visiting a couple of weeks after the refurb, the landlady actually came round to each table and introduced herself, and bought everyone a drink! All of the staff are so friendly, bubbly, and nothing is too much trouble. Atmosphere: This is a pub of contrasts. It's quiet in the day: The smell of fresh coffee and low music is a treat, it's cheaper than a coffee shop and way nicer. A lot of people sit by the windows and read. When I was self employed for a short stint I actually came here to work! By night the bar is busier, but not too busy. On a Friday night it can be five deep at the bar in the Hereward, great, but a bit annoying, here it always seems just right. There's a juke box with millions of songs on it. It's all touch screen (easy to operate after a few vino's) and can even sort music by genre or decade! There's live music once (or sometimes twice) a week, normally on a Friday or Saturday. Be warned it does get a lot busier when theres music on! If you sit in the back with the band, don't expect to be able to talk at a normal volume, it's live music! If you go to the front bar tho you can hear the band, and will prob only have to slightly raise your voice to have a conversation. They have open mic nights, and the occasional mid week comedy, but I've not been to any of these yet. Food & Drink: As I've mentioned I've never had a full meal here, but everyone food always looks, and smells nice when it comes out. There's always specials on the black board, and at reasonable prices. Right, more importantly drink. They have all of the 'normal' largers, bitters and ciders you'd expect on tap, as well as featuring an extensive range of bottles. There's all the spirits, and brightly coloured alcopops for the kids too. Wine. I'm a wine drinker, and the wines are one one of the reasons I keep coming back. They probably stock about 20-25 wines at any time (red, whire, rose, & sparkling). All the wines are available by the glass (a nice touch). They used to do my favourite Wolf Blass wine in here for £12, at a time when it was £9-10 in Tescos! But now they have everything from flowery Riojas, to full bodied Austrailian Shiraz. Their Pinot Grigot is a winner too - In the summer they'll give you an ice bucket to go sit in the garden with it. Other: It has a huge car park (easily missed from the street), and a newly landscaped beer garden too. The garden isn't that well known, and is amazing in summer to head out there to enjoy a Pinot Grigot with a fantastic view of the cathedral. Free Wifi, always a bonus. Open all day, late nights Fri & Sat etc. Downsides: Struggling to think of one, but it can get too quiet, especially on a school night. That's about it really!