The Ickleton Lion in South Cambridgeshire

Really enjoyed our lunch at The Ickleton Lion, I had a steak baguette which was absolutely delicious - served with a marmalade onion dressing and chips. My wife who is gluten-free and dairy free had ham, duck egg and chips which was very good. The staff and hosts were very friendly- we will return.

Had a fantastic meal in this friendly pub, great end to a lovely day out to Duxford, we were attracted back to this pretty village after a detour to avoid a traffic jam earlier in the day. What a find!! Friendly staff and customers and a live band. It ticked all the boxes. Highly recommend this pub.

Such a lovely, family feeling pub. Great location, amazing outdoor area. Food was unbelievable! Was a friendly, welcoming service and would come back again when back in the area

What an absolute shambles! No covid signs, no hand sanitiser, under staffed and disgusting behaviour from the land lord and lady. Gladly the pub is now closed but won’t be going back when it is open!!!!

We have called into this pub for a couple of light lunchtime meals, Ham hock terrine and a mixed meat platter, both weredelicious. The staff were friendly and the health regulations were observed. We consider this to be venue well worth revisiting.It’s a good Pub in a nice village.

This is the second time we have been to this most amazing establishment. I treated my Uncle Dennis Stratton (Ex-Iron Maiden Guitarist) and my Auntie Jules to a Sunday lunch and this place is just simply amazing.The landlady Sharon is just so welcoming and we tried many different wines before we made our choice and so inviting - after 6 tester wine samples, we stuck with a beautiful bottle of red, it started off our lunch to exquisite taste.Our waitress Hannah was soooooo friendly and welcoming and nothing is too much trouble for her, Hannah is professional, so friendly and should be a credit to the Public House and amazing at everything she does - Thank You ❤️Our food was simply wonderful, the Chef Mick and Paul are amazing Chefs and again a credit to the business - this place is very warming, beautiful and really is a “Gem” in the Saffron Walden area,You have to come here to sample the ambiance, warm and friendly atmosphere and would recommend this beautiful place to everyone I know.Thank you so much for our wonderful second time.We will be back again and again❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This pub is in the next village to where we live and we hadn't been there for a year or so but decided to take advantage of the lovely weather and walk down for Sunday lunch and I'm glad we did. We had a later meal at 14:30 but the fact the pub is open until 20:00 on Sunday is a great bonus as we were never under any pressure to finish up. I had the Scotch egg for starters and my wife the trout fish cake, both of which were very good. We both had halibut for our main dish, some might consider it a small portion but it was perfect for us as we had a starter. If you wanted something larger the roasts looked huge. The halibut was very well cooked and we both very much enjoyed it. I was surprised by the chef asking me how it was later in the pub as I knew him from a previous pub where he'd worked, he'd always made excellent fish dishes there too. The service was friendly, professional and attentive. We shall definitely be back soon.

This pub has rejigged its opening times in light of the present virus situation. However I can happily report that this has not affected the friendly staff who are between them very knowledgable and helpful about wine.We booked a table for two in the evening and were served by staff using the appropriate PPE for this particular moment in time. We chose a scallop dish to start followed by a main course of Barnsley chop and accompanying vegetables. Both were delicious and reasonably priced.This is a good pub which serves a good range of Green King beers, lagers and wine.

Popped in on a Sunday lunchtime for a couple of pints and perhaps some food. Only one drab beer on pump and very surprised on viewing the fairly extensive menu on the wall that there was not a single vegetarian option available, let alone a vegan one. Shameful these days and not a good business model. We didn't hang around long. Staff at least seemed friendly.

We decided to try the seafood Saturday menu after going there the previous week and saw what was on the menu. We ordered the crayfish and avocado and scallops and then the monkfish curry and paella for mains which were all wonderful! Also staff are very welcoming.

Good food and good beer in a quiet Cambridgeshire village. I’ve been coming here over 20years and the food now is better than it used to be with a varied main menu, lunch menu and specials board BUT I do wish they had retained their iconic chilli and chips from their old menu hence only 4 stars

Great atmosphere, well kept beer, excellent food and attentive staff. My family and I came for lunch on Saturday and were really pleased with our food, my wife commented on the excellent choice of wine and the menu was imaginative and interesting

Booked a table for a Sarturday evening supper. Great meal - ‘pub food with a bit more’ plus a really impressive wine list and knowledgeable staff. Wood burning stove creating a cosy atmosphere- what more can you ask of your local pub? Will definitely be back!

The pub has a lovely inviting atmosphere and has been recently been beautifully renovated.My daughter and i met for lunch and had a very enjoyable meal togetherWe shared starters and the moules were some of the best I've had.... we each had one of the linguine for mains (her mushroom & me the chilli prawn) both lovely and lots!!The desserts were Fabulous.... the caramel and pear dessert, (homemade by sharron owner of the lion) was stupendous.Sharron & Richard and their team made us very welcome and we will be going back!

Went to the pub for the first time last night, stood at the bar to order a drink and was totally ignored. A very pleasant girl then asked us to sit down and we decided to order some food. I had fish and chips, fish was greasy and I suspect it was frozen and not fresh,judging by my experiences, the chips were very bland, in all it was as basic as basic gets. I would suggest using fresh fish with homemade batter and mushy peas as at least an alternative. I hope the owners regard these comments as constructive criticisms.

We have visited this Pub predominantly in the afternoons. The landlords and decor have changed for the better. There is a reasonably priced wine list (see photos). We have sampled a sharing platter which was filling. The pub is worth a visit.

An unplanned stop at the end of a busy day led to a very pleasant meal in this recently renovated country pub.We found a friendly welcome a good selection of beer and a small comfortable restaurant . The food is well presented good quality pub fare . Priced slightly on the high side of average for a fairly simple menu the steak was tasty. soup of the day [ carrot & coriander. pub staple ] tasted fresh and was well supported with crusty breadWhile service was friendly and pleasant the soup arrived without a spoon not noted by waitress , some of the whitebait starter found the floor not the table and no check was made that the meal was ok until we had just about finished eating.In all Nice food in a nice place slightly let down by inexperienced service

New people took over recently so we went for dinner for the first time soon after the new menu was launched. It was simply superb. There was a good variety of home cooked food and a simply superb wine list. I can recommend the Viognier and the Caesar salad!

The Lion is open again with new landlady Sharon, and at familiar friendly faces behind the bar. Available currently at lunchtime are a range of sandwiches and platters. We were a group of 8 of us for lunch on Friday 2nd August and we were impressed with the quality and quantity of food served. Lots of smoked salmon on the platter. I had a ham and cheese baguette nice fresh crisp baguette, nice ham and melted cheese filling. Simple but well done. Pleasant lunch in the garden. Bodes well for the future.

We dealt with three staff who were all polite. The menu being Sunday was basically roast or pizza. The pizzas were very good.

Myself and my girlfriend went to the pub for out Valentine’s Day meal, I couldn’t fault the service or food, the salmon and prawn starter was superb, the steak with mushroom sauce was cooked perfectly and the cheese board I had was for one! Was a very generous portion and was a great selection, it was a lovely setting to spend our evening and I will be going again and I without doubt, 100% recommend it.

I was quite gutted as we went to this pub as a family from my recommendation, as the food is usually really nice.

very friendly staff. Welcomed grandchildren very cosy inside a true village icon. menu looked good has varied sample of beers.

Our first visit to the pub celebrating my parents wedding anniversary. Food exceptional & good selection of starters. The roast platter was tasty but not enough meat on the platter to feed 4 & I wouldn’t say the beef was rare as stated by waitress, & cold plates too!!Although we could have asked for more I didn’t feel comfortable. We were given a chalkboard with deserts & we ordered only to then be told 15 minutes later my order of cheesecake had sold out last night!!! The big thing that let us down was the wait in between courses....... exceptionally slow & not enough staff serving. That has put me off going again unfortunately.

First try at this place and loved the food and the format.

We heard there was a new chef at the Ickleton Lion so in the past week we have been twice for dinner to check it out. The first visit my husband had the steak & I had the Haddock from the specials board. Both were excellent, well presented, perfectly cooked & very tasty. Our daughter can be a little fussy but after she had a chat with the chef (she's 5!) she was served food which she loved. The second visit was last night. We ordered from the specials board and we both chose the Chicken. Again, very tasty & well presented The only criticism was we could have done with more sauce BUT I know if we'd asked we would have got some more. We also tried deserts - the desert board had several dishes we wanted to try so we chose the sharer which consisted of Espresso Creme Brulee, Baileys "cheesecake" and chocolate brownies. WOW they were amazing!!! Great food, very accommodating, friendly and a big thumbs up for the new chef! Well done guys - keep up the good work and we can't wait to try more!

Met up with friends and family for Sunday Lunch. The food was excellent and more vegetables could be requested if required. There was a selection of three roasts all bought to the table and served from rare to well done. We had a child with us and at our request their food was bought to the table cooked as we asked, prior to ours. The staff were all superb and very accommodating, will definitely return.

Had a fantastic family meal,lovely friendly staff highly recommend the home cooked meals and pizzas my two sons devoured

We stopped here on the way to pick up family at Stansted airport (we’re from the Midlands) after viewing on TripAdvisor. We’ve hit lucky on a number of occasions doing this, and this visit was no exception. We were welcomed warmly, and the food we ordered from the varied menu was served in good time - neither too slow or too quick. My husband had the Haddock & Chips, while I chose the Goats Cheese pizza. Delicious! A really good experience and should we be passing again we wouldn’t hesitate to revisit. Thank you for a lovely lunch

Family party of 8 on a Friday evening, we appeared to be the only ones eating although busy with drinkers in the garden. Service was slow and uninterested, several food items had run out at lunchtime (cream, chicken) so menu limited. Food quality very variable fish and chips fine, lamb shank itself ok but hardly any vegs and expensive. Vegetarian options extremely poor. Burger buns terrible.

The food here is very nice, and the service is excellent, but other aspects let this place down. I appreciate that smokers need somewhere to go but there should be a designated area in the garden. My family and I have been here a couple of times for lunch. Unfortunately, each time we sat in the garden there were smokers all around us. It's unfair to non-smokers, especially those with children, and those eating. Please could you create a separate area for smokers to go?!

We arrived for a sunny afternoon drink to be greeted by a cloud of smoke, overflowing ashtrays and dog mess (promptly trodden in) in the garden seating area. Dogs roving off lead to defacate at will is not acceptable and we are dog lovers.

Just had an excellent Sunday roast, absolutely delicious and everything cooked to perfection. The sticky toffee pudding was to die for! Thoroughly recommend a visit. Beer is also kept very well and wine choices very good indeed.

Came here for work lunch, mid week evening meal with daughter and today we all tried the breakfast. All amazing food but the chocolate brownie pudding was the best I've ever had! Breakfast this morning was fabulous too. Michelle and Tom always very welcoming and go that extra mile for our 4 year old daughter. Service is great too. Overall a great family, dog friendly pub. Well done to the whole Ickleton Lion team.

We dined at The Ickleton lion last Saturday night. The four of us had a love meal, 2 being from their curry night menu, 1 top quality steak and my own Paleo bowl which was fresh, crispy and delicious. It’s wonderful to find a menu with something for everyone and the warm welcome which you receive from the hosts along with a can do attitude, too service in general! We will be regular visitors to this charming pub!

Michelle and the team helped organise a surprise 50th birthday party, catering for 23 people. We had exclusive use of the restaurant area and it was set up beautifully.

We visited to have lunch and tried their table top carvery. Great mixture of veg and meat and fab service. Food came out quickly and was hot and seasoned well. The atmosphere was great for adults and children, we will visit again.

We wouldn't normally go out for a Sunday lunch but are having a look around decided on this pub as it served roast on a platter. Loved the pub having a small bar, open fire little room, dogs welcome everything I like. When the roast dinner came it was on a plate. Looked a fair size but not massive. We waited but that was it, had to be shared between two. My wife has a small appetite and she couldn't believe the size we had to laugh. The meat was very limited and in bits no slices. We veggies were missing as advertised on the menu and despite my Mrs saying she had a nut allergy the stuffing was still popped on top. Kids pasta in sauce seemed dear but they chose it and the puddings were nice. 4 quid for two scoops of ice cream for the kids, come on.

I drive by The Ickleton Lion most weeks and always think how nice it looks and that I must stop for a meal sometime - well, we actually managed it last week and it was a really good experience. Proper village pubs are few and far between these days but this is one of them - it has a proper old style bar that locals gather around for drinks and a chat and the rest of the place has a selection of seating areas and tables for drinking/eating and I guess what would have been 'the snug' with a log burner. It has retained an old style charm that is really relaxing. We visited on a Monday evening when they don't run their full dining menu but do still offer fantastic stone baked pizzas - I can honestly say they are some of the best pizzas I have had. Service was friendly and efficient. We'll definitely be back to try their main menu very soon.

Just great, is all! No overfancy menu descriptions that fail to deliver, just really best examples of lunch. Ham egg chips, burger stilton chips. And when you ask for coffee you get coffee - best filter coffee with a great smell, not a choice of...

Called in for an evening meal after a long drive. Although no booking had been made we were made to feel welcome and shown to our table. The menu offered plenty of choice and personal preferences were accepted without question. Quality and quantity of food...

We went on Sunday for a family meal, if your looking for tradition, great food, good value and a friendly...

We had booked for lunch at another local pub but were notified at the last minute that this had closed down. A quick on line search brought up The Ickleton Lion and we were pleased that they could fit in our party of nine for Monday lunch. The welcome and service were exemplary and although our party arrived at various times the staff were happy to serve lunch in stages to suit us. We all regularly eat at local pubs and agreed that the service and food standards were outstanding. Will certainly visit again en route to Cambridge.

Había querido visitar antes como palabra de hablar boca habían dicho lo bueno que este pub era. Llegamos a última hora de la tarde sólo para una copa rápida ya que estaban cerca. Nos sorprendió el espacio en general y las diferentes secciones había. Desde una habitación más grande para una cena de grupo a la zona de snug acogedora, fue todo lo que necesitaba sin tomar distancia cualquiera el ambiente histórico. El jardín es un buen tamaño y me dijeron que no festivales de cerveza, así que esperamos poder asistir a la siguiente. ¡Me encantó! No he probado la comida, pero supongo que será una buena razón suficiente para ir de nuevo. Gracias al agradable personal por un buen tiempo.

5 adultos comida familiar con bebidas y postres. Impresionado con la comida, y especialmente en los pudines (bannoffee tarta). . . buen ambiente para pub local, ocupado lo suficiente con gente bebiendo o comiendo y bebiendo. . Los precios estaban bien. Sin duda volvería.

Very friendly & welcoming, coffee with lovely biscuits @ 10am, efficient orders taken for lunch, food generous and enjoyed by the group, served in a timely manner we, would recommend highly

Visit regularly with friends from work. Has a a nice beer garden for summer drinking. Selection of ales and beers is decent and has guest ales regularly.Parking available by the side of the pub.

I've been coming to this pub for lunch for several years, since I work nearby. The new management are doing a great job.Food portions are just as large as previously and still remain good value compared to other pubs in the area. Staff are friendly and food is served quickly.There is sometimes as issue where the jacket potatoes are overcharged (menu says two toppings, but till charges extra for the second topping), but staff are happy to correct when informed of the error. It would be nice if this could be fixed.On my last visit, we noticed the chilli portions on the chilli, chips and cheese looked a bit small. Not tiny, but smaller than usual. Before we even had a chance to mention it, the chef (who I think is also the landlord) came running out of the kitchen with a large bowl of extra chilli for us to share. That was a very nice touch, since most pubs wouldn't do anything unless the customer complains.

Have passed the Ickleton Lion on numerous occasions and today we finally had time to go in. We were so glad we did. The food was delicious, the service was outstanding but what made this visit was the welcome we received from all the staff. They were all so lovely and friendly. We will definitely return as we can't wait to try their pizzas. We cannot praise the Ickleton Lion enough 10/10.

The pub is tasteful, great basic pub grub, good portions, fabulous range of wines and beers, friendly staff and a totally enjoyable evening

Very sub standard pub grub. Mainly burgers and sausages. Very poor vegetarian option, though the waitress tried very hard. We opted for whiting. This was served chopped up, with no seasoning and not even a piece of lemon. The salad was not very fresh. The sweet potato chips were plentiful. Desserts are all brought in. All staff were friendly but I would never eat there again, sorry.

Popped in for a wine with a friend, ended up having pizza and wine. The pizza was amazing and I do rate it highly, and also it came quickly- which is always a bonus. Also there were two vegetarian options for pizza which you don't get that often

Had a few beers and 2 pizzas, one mushrooms and another salami. Very clean pub, excellent service, and really good food!

We live in the village and visit on a regular basis. I am writing this because it's the first time we have eaten here properly for some time. All I need to say is the food is great (wholesome and plentiful), it is reasonably priced and the staff superb! The meals we had were great and the kids ate it all up.

Good choice of reasonably priced soup and sandwich options served until 2.30. Spicy tomato and spinach soup with prawn baguette was delicious. Friendly service. Garden seating available but a bit chilly today. Quite quiet although directly on the road. Conveniently placed for our journey between Audley End and Cambridge, and less crowded than either.

The Lion was friendly enough, but it was looking tired. New management took it over in January and it reopened in March looking much sharper. Food choice and price are reasonable, new management welcoming and the place was quite busy even though it was a Tuesday night. My 4 stars reflects the improvement; good stop off for a pint and uncomplicated lunch or dinner.

Just visited our local pub the Ickleton lion. The pub itself has just been taken over with new landlords and the refurbishment is absolutely on point.. new menu and food is to die for.. chicken starters are the lightest batter and tastiest ever had which we ordered a few of and shared all family really liked. All mains were spot on, tasty chicken, rib eyes were so so tender, peppercorn sauce beautiful. Child meal was great too, Service was very friendly, felt very welcome and can't wait to go back tomorrow for Sunday roast... great job guys!

We both had a great tasty meal. Both starters and main courses were well cooked and served by very friendly staff. The landlord checked we had enjoyed our meals while chatting about our day and the area in general.A thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours spend in a locals public house.

My first round was about £12 and I paid with a card. No probs so far. The second time I only bought a couple of drinks for about £6. When I tried to pay with a card was told there was a £10 minimum. I didn't have any cash with me. I asked the bar maid to go and check with the owner, confident he'd be reasonable, as there was no warning about it but she came back and told me he said no. I had to pay another £3 plus for a tiny bottle of take away beer to make it over a tenner. What a welcome. Thanks mate, you won't see me again.

Looking for somewhere to eat we came upon the Ickleton Arms which is a Green King pub. From the outside it looked quaint and well kept but inside was much less refined. The bar was small and dark. The menu was on a small chalk board and not all the prices were displayed which came as a shock when 3 roast dinners, a shandy, a J2O and a cup of tea cost well over £50!!The food was nice. Some veg was on the plate and other veg served separately. The meat was a little stringy and I would have preferred no veg on the plate only because it was a carrot and parsnip mash (neither myself or my daughter like parsnip). Throughout the meal we had a least one dog or sometimes two begging at or even under the table and although they were very sweet it's not what I would usually expect.On the occasion of our visited we had the treat of listening to a very loud lady berating her three year old for everything he did, whether it was getting dirt on his shirt from playing outside, interrupting her while she was talking, playing with his toys on the floor or putting his finger in his mouth (you know what the dentist said!) The child was just like any three year old and didn't affect us in then least his mother on the other hand was most annoying.

First time visiting and I've lived in Duxford all my life, had the pie which was chicken, ham and leek, so so so good, Dogs are lovely to have around and the staff friendly. Will be visiting again and telling others.

First visit. Met my sister and her husband for a lunch and chat. Weather was superb so we sat in the beautiful garden area. Had starters and main courses. EXCELLENT. Compliments to chef Oliver. Chris, the manager was superb host. Lovely old you worldly pub set in a lovely village. Highly recommend the ICKLETON LION. Hope I am able to return one day. I live in Isle of Wight, and my sister lives in Cambridgeshire.

Great place to stop for lunch off M11 - country village pub, very relaxed, friendly dogs all round - some are pub residents and some are visiting with their owners. Good pub food - reasonably quick service. A nice drop of beer. Car park and garden.

The food here is often very good. But recently, my colleague was served up with a BURNT OMLETTE! This had been folded so that the burn was on the INSIDE - not visible until he started to eat itEggs are cheap; if you burn an omlette, you simply throw it out and start over again. But no, this pub served it up.A complete lack of respect for the customer - those in the kitchen must have known this

It was very very busy for a Friday lunchtime. Food was pretty good, specially appreciated the garden (and there was enough parasols for each table!). Very friendly dog :) Plenty of parking available

I have been to this pub for several years. It has a friendly atmosphere but does get busy at weekday lunchtimes with many in the nearby Wellcome Genome campus using it for a casual lunch. I would class the food as good honest pub food, with Chilli, chips and cheese being particularly good value.

Perhaps we should have avoided fathers day and the day of the village open gardens.The starters took 40 minutes to arrive and were adequate.The main courses were very average I would find it hard to revisit this establishment as there are many other excellent local venues

We last visited earlier this year, so dining externally out of bounds, although we have sat outside to dine last summer. We were seated in the small room on the right, against the fireplace which was full of junk - kids toys, assorted paper work relating to the business of the pub - embarrassing and not very appropriate for customers who are spending money to dine! Be mindful when you book by asking where you'll be seated because our experience was pretty awful and fare from ideal.

We visited this pub after a visit to Cambridge staying at The Holiday Inn Expess at Whittlesford. Sunday Lunch was fantastic. Beef comes only Medium rare. Our waiter explained that it was a Rib and that if it was not to our taste try the Pork or Lamb. The beef was so tender and came with home made yorkshire puddings, fresh veg, good roast potato. This is a Chef who knows his beef. My wife had Sea Bass with new potatoes, and fresh vegatables, and said it was lovely. Cheese cake for desert was very nice.There are other courses on the menu something for evryones taste. Booking is advised as there were 20 cyclist refueling on roast beef. A lovely lunch. A nice Garden for the children to play in.

Just passing the pub bank holiday thought we would pop in for a meal.the fish and chips only just fit on the plate and the carbonara was as good as I had on holiday in Italy. Great

This has been a local of ours for quite a while and its always been a bit hit or miss. Visited recently on a sunny Saturday afternoon and had a pleasant lunch in the garden. Simple kids meals and a decent enough homemade chilli. Not the best, not the worst but a nice place to stop for a drink when the sun is out

The menu has something for everyone and v good valueThe Aberdeen Angus steak was done as requested seignant and the quality fine with peas and chips perfect if reconstituted.--about £12. It comes with a free pint of anything.... no doubt vodka if requested... on special days. Fish and Chips are fresh enough to be frozen There are a wide range of starters and salt caramel cheesecake with iceream comes as a appropriate size portion. Not perhaps for the English who may want to leave the table feeling fullambience? Not romantic Many regular riverains. Skilled workers that knock off at 3.30 sometimes ,often v busyLarge outside aresa and couple of tables on the High St

This is a good friendly local pub. Pop in if you are passing by this way be it visiting, cycling or walking. Some good beers and a nice garden and friendly service. We visit with our dog when out for a walk.

I visited this pub on Mother's Day Sunday 7th of March with my family after being told by a friend that this place was really good. On arriving I told them we were booked in at 2oclock in the restaurant, to which the waitress said no it's in the bar, I know for a fact it was not in the bar as I was given a choice and chose the restaurant, but there was not a table available so had to wait for a table in the snug area. I then went to get 4 drinks to take over to my party, while at the bar with no other customers in sight I was completely ignored I was gone so long my family thought I'd gone home!! About half hour later finally a table was free by the fire which turned out to be the table from Hell ! Starters came no problem it was lovely but after that all went downhill. My roast lamb was awful however much I chewed it I could not eat it, had to put it in a tissue also the plate looked a mess. My other friends pork was full of fat and the veg was like frozen veg with Tesco value cheese sauce over it, horrendous stuff. Also they were not interested in doing a child's meal ,so a six year old child got the same pork mess on a plate. Then came the highlight of the Mother's Day meal the restaurant filled up with smoke from the 3 fires they had, it was so overpowering all our eyes were watering, plus it made everyone all start coughing with bits of ash floating in the room, it was like something out of faulty towers without basil !! We did not have the desserts because of the smoke. my clothes stank of smoke and we all had to change when we got home. All in all this was a Mother's Day meal from hell with no real heart felt apology from any of the staff they were in chaos and didn't seem to realise our obvious distress and with all that we were hit with a bill for £49. The day ended with a McDonald's on the way home as we were starving oh well there's always next year !!!!

Firstly I'd like to say how much we have enjoyed coming here in the past. I used to work very close to this pub and come here for lunch on a Friday a couple of times a week. The food has always been very generous and good 'pub grub', this is why we booked in for a simple mother's day lunch. We arrived and after waiting awhile told the bar maid/waitress we had a table booked. It had been booked over a month ago. There was nothing in the diary at all. After checking through their booking diary there was no entry at all. We were initially accused of having booked a near by pub with a similar name. Upon confirming this was not the case and standing not having a clue where to go as everywhere would be full the waitress suggested we sit in the 'snug' part of the pub at two round tables. At this point my fiance and I left to see if the similarly named local pub had any space, we told them our name and also how big the party was and of course there was no space. We dashed back around to here and decided we would take the small round tables in the snug. At which point the same waitress came to the table and promptly lied!! Telling us that the other pub (we had just been to) had called and said that they were waiting for us and we had booked with them. When challenged about this and told we had just been there she continued to lie. I saw red and promptly called the other pub to absolutely confirm there had been no mix up and there hadn't there was no booking for us at all, she simply lied to make us feel bad and her appear to be right. The pub was in chaos and the staff didn't appear to have it under control at all. Far too many people booked in and staff that had no idea about time management. We eventually ordered our food and the starter came in good time and was very good. However, we then had to wait for an eternity to get our main course, at two points we considered leaving and having nothing other than our starter. The pub as a whole was so smokey that the staff and us had to regularly prop open the front door to let the smoke escape from the room. We waited so long for our main course that one waitress came over and asked if we would like to see the pudding menu, to which she got a sharp answer. Whilst we were waiting another group of 14 or so were waiting in the bar for their table and the wait they had to endure to even sit down game the pub and uncomfortable feel. At one point Chris came out of the Kitchen and gave a waitress a dressing down in the pub and she then returned with tears in her eyes to clear the tables. All of which lead to a very uncomfortable feel. The main course finally arrived and the food was hit and miss, some great others such as the roast beef was stringy and tough most of which was left by those who had it. Upon payment there was no further apology, no discount or mention of the confusion and the waitress who had flagrantly lied took the money in a very sullen fashion. I used to really rate this little pub, but i was shocked by what we were greeted with and especially how the staff behaved towards us.

I am a frequent visitor to this pub close to my place of work. The food is typically British pub food and includes a very reasonably priced menu with large portion sizes! Omelettes and chips are around £6.50 and well worth the price. Fish and chips come with a gigantic fish! Decent selection of drinks and a nice beer garden (beware of wasps!).

Not been here in years and though it's under new ownership it hasn't changed much. Definitely not a gastropub but if you want a good, honest, sunday roast and some good desserts then you could do far worse than here. The gravy and yorkshire puddings were as good as I've had anywhere and it was great to have LOTS of beef for a change - so many places skimp here. Even better, it was still a little pink despite it being a late lunch. And at £80 for 5 hungry people including the drinks it's great value too.

a group of us went there for dinner, the food was good, the fish is enormous. Food took a while to arrive but was all correct. I felt sorry for the the only person on staff - trying to cover the bar and food, it is rather noisy

We have not been here for a long time and had a great family Sunday lunch. The pub was very busy when we arrived but we where looked after very fast. We all had the Sunday roast, which was fantastic the only two things where a bit of a wait on the food and the portions are quite large but all in all the food was great. The service was good and the atmosphere was great as the pub was full. We will be back and if the portion sizes are a little smaller we will have a dessert next time.

Popped in with a friend for lunch after being disappointed with a few other local pubs.It didn't let us down.We're served quickly at the bar and given a choice of tables.We both had the fish n chips..wow, what a portion! Cooked perfectly and served to us by the very friendly landlady.Will certainly be back!

I visited this pub today for a work lunch with seven other colleagues, we ordered our food at the bar and I specifically said I was gluten free, I ordered the mushroom omelette with chips and salad. The food arrived and everything seemed fine until I had eaten a few chips and wondered if they actually were gluten free. I asked the women who I had ordered from and she said yes it was all gluten free, then added apart from the oil we use to fry the chips in, we also fry batter etc! I couldn't believe my ears, so then it's not gluten free it's contaminated!!! She could see I was upset and apologised, she didn't seem to realise what effect this could have on someone who is celiac maybe she needs training on this as it's extremely important if you are serving food to people with allergies. Goodness knows what else might be cross contaminated in the kitchen! I was so cross and feeling unwell that I had to leave. It spoilt our lunch and it spoilt the rest of my day. People just don't realise how ill you can become after eating gluten if you have an allergy. I just wanted to pre-warn anyone else that was thinking of going to this establishment that has allergies, AVOID!

Travelling with work colleagues on M11 we were looking for somewhere for lunch that wasn't the usual services type place. This is a very nice pub, not far from M11. Good pub food at a sensible price and very generous portions. Car park and friendly staff.

We were travelling to Cambridge from London and came across Ickleton when we jumped off the highway. We stopped at the pub for a bite to eat. It was a great historic pub with parts going back to the 1600's. The food was really good. We had a baguette and the local hamburger. Both were terrific. The beer was sensational. We were made to feel really welcome and also greeted by the locals. This was a great change from a fast, busy London.

We had 9 people for lunch. Orders varied from sandwiches to steak and kidney pudding to the largest fish and chips I've seen, seriously huge fish! All the food was very tasty, fresh and served in a timely manner. The beer was good with a wide variety. Service was friendly and efficient. We had hoped to get back but time ran out. Next time. Would recommend.

Came across this pub by chance, a great find. Couple of miles off M11, easy to find. Nice couple run the Lion, food lovely, and portions not for the faint hearted. Fish and chips - huge! Home made soup - cracking. Would go back again. Hand cut chips would just top the meals off nicely.

It was difficult to believe there was a chef in the pub, which is a lovely, historic place. The food seemed to have been made up from ready-made ingredients, the worst of which was the so-called barbecue sauce. It was like thick, coarse batter, tasting of a kind of HP sauce with just a hint of the barbecue. The service and ambience was pleasant enough, but I cannot recommend the food, unless we hit a one-off bad night. This was the lower end of pub-restarant food.

Typical Cambridgeshire village pub, lovely old building on High Street (please use car park as very narrow street). Made very welcome on several visits, beer good - wish I could have stayed for another - food OK, maybe make some allowance for mid-week early lunch but basics like sausages and chilli should be easy and not reheated last weeks leftovers. Little bit of attention to lunchtime customers - who may be in too much of a hurry, or elderly and too polite to complain, may pay divedends?

Great staff, great ambience, fantastic food....and very dog friendly.This pub has some of the best kept beers for miles.

Stopped for lunch on way home and amazed at the food here. Good food at usual pub prices. Beware if you have fish it is a small whale in size, possibly too much!. Pleasant surroundings for a lunch time meal and nice staff. Very happy to return if ever in the area again. Good selection of beers etc.

Some colleagues and I went here for a lunch recently. We all ordered different food which all came out together and was rather yummy. I'm not sure that the chefs special nachos should be listed as a light bite though as they are rather filling and quite a lot for one person to eat to themselves. We noticed that there is a quiz night and also a steak night which we're all hoping to attend soon!

Good things: LOVED THE FOODThe chefs nachos were to die for! Great chunks of bacon and no skimping on sauces, had this as a shared starter. Calamari rings also very good!! Recommend the spaghetti carbonara, good sauce not thin and watery. Steaks and burgers very nice too! Loved the sticky toffee pudding and chocolate fudge cake! Big onion rings Bad things: Took a long time to get starters (but then quick service on mains and dessert which was good!) The fish didn't have much taste The dessert coffees weren't very nice and had weird cream The chicken goujons were a bit dry BUT OVERALL IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND IM DEFINITELY COMING BACK!!!!

After 4 days of rugby and fun needed to feed 59 boys and 14 coaches before heading to Stansted lads needed decent meal before we handed them back to their Mums. Rang in order night before roast beef or pork all came out piping hot with roast potatoes carrots broccoli Yorkshire pudding cauliflower devoured by all and followed up with chocolate cake or ice cream. Fair play to Chris and his team for such a welcome and a beautiful home cooked meal. Lads had great fun in garden whilst coaches had their coffee. Will go back when in the area again.

Went here for a Sunday lunch as its dog-friendly. Lovely welcome and good service considering that there only seemed to be 2 people working and they had a large group in for a celebratory meal. The meal was good for the price, however, later that evening I was quite sick, vomited twice in fact. My fiancé phoned the pub to tell them, and he was told someone would call him back. That call never happened. They may have thought it was someone trying to blah a refund, but we weren't bothered about that, and my other half was very polite when he phoned. To not phone back is just plain silly, as we could have reported it if we were that way inclined. Heads up Ickleton Lion, a courtesy call would have sufficed and I probably wouldn't have posted this poor review.

Picked the ickleton lion due to it being local to Duxford where I am from. After being advised not to have the beef by a fellow customer we chose the Pork roast which was overall disappointing. I was going to make a complaint at the time however I was told to keep quiet in order to not upset the afternoon as we were all in a jolly good mood. We were all of the same opinion that the meal was poor. Ie the roast pork was tough which is amazing because a KP could cook a joint of pork, the roast potatoes were like meteorites and the Yorkshire pudding was like a Victorian marshmallow. As a result of this the Ickletom Lion is not anywhere near the top of the list of place to frequent, as we as a family are frequent diners and I would hope that the management take my comments on board.

I doubt that there is a definitive set of requirements for a village pub, but a warm welcome, a cosy atmosphere and good food and drink are surely high on the list. Anyway, these were qualities we appreciated finding at the Ickleton Lion after a cold wet winter walk.The Lion has a comfortable traditional presence on the high street and the inside offers a nice range of congenial linked bars and rooms. All were buzzing with two walking groups when we were there, giving it a lively almost party-like atmosphere. There is a good garden at the rear (N tells me they hold fun local rock events here in the summer).The menu includes snacks, light bites/lunches and a full a la carte selection. We were there for lunch and in our immediate party M had baked potato with cheese and ham, and K & A had carrot, coriander and beetroot soup – very good and ample in both cases. I had an enviably fluffy ham omelette (how do they do it?) with salad and excellent chips. Not only was the food good, but The Lion had obviously geared itself up to deal with 60 customers without a lot of people sitting about waiting to be served. It was an experience to encourage a repeat visit.Maybe an additional requirement for a good village pub these days is not just to keep a trickle of locals happy, but to be organised enough to deal with an influx of those escaping the town.

Recently had a dinner here - 3 courses in the private dining area with 13 other people - lovely real fire which made the place feel so warm and cosy.Beware the portions are very generous - so don't fill yourself up too if you like puddings because they are awesome ! tradional options sticky toffee pud, cheesecake, spotty dick to name a few.Some specials on offer for main and starters which gave a good variety. Not a huge range of veggie options but I asked for a veggie starter and side order of chips which was great.The service was polite and the dishes were presented very well.

Nice warm fire, traditional pub, friendly atmosphere and welcoming staff. Huge fish and chips is a speciality, but lots of traditional pub food on a wide menu. Very tasty and a struggle to finish the huge dishes. Too full for puddings!!

Very friendly staff and large portions of very good food. We stopped by for a meal on a Sunday in late December and were warmly received. Being a Sunday lunch not everything was on the menu, but this did not mean they would not make it for us - the "computer says 'no'" attitude does not exist in this pub.Their fish and chips are the biggest portions I have ever seen.The locals were also very friendly, making way for us when there were no spare tables. I highly recommend you visit this pub if you are ever passing by.

Unfortunately this is the fourth time I've eaten there, as whenever people leave from where I work our team always goes there for a leaving lunch.First time I had prawn cocktail baguette where the bottom half was a soggy mess due to them putting so much prawn cocktail sauce on it. Second time I ate there I ordered a stir fry, where it absolutely NO flavour at all!Fourth time I had ham egg and chips, the two measly slices of ham were so thin you could see through them.And the last time, I ordered their Ickleton Burger, the meat had zero flavour and had an extremely bitter taste to it, so much that I did not eat it. When I mentioned it at the end they simply said 'oh sorry you didn't like it'I am not the only one on our team who hold the same opinion about their food.Eat somewhere else.

My colleagues and I work locally and regularly dine here - both during the day and of an evening. The owners really make you feel welcome and work hard to provide extremely good food. It's always a good trip when we visit The Ickleton Lion.Great for visiting on business or with friends - and we're looking to make the most of the garden in the summer too!