The Orator in Cambridge - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Best cafe in Cambridge, very peaceful Quiet and so nice big garden, we enjoyed there 😍 and good coffee 😌

Great "secret" garden in the middle of Cambridge. Should be fabulous on a summer's evening. Been here many times socially and for corporate events. Tuesday night and the staff want to close up and for you to go home at 9pm despite 11pm close. Just rude. Hope you have better luck.

I love to hang out at the union / orator, ambiance is 100%, however, food is extremely and services is abhorrent - the weekend manager, I believe her name is Helen, needs to be fired - extremely rude to customers, shouting at them across the dining hall - I feel extremely embarrassed on her behalf. Her English is also extremely poor - I really struggle to understand her when she speaks

Great for drinks - inside and out.

Perfect place, both the charming terrace and the interior, very friendly staff, and good gluten-free and lactose-free alternatives. Excellent food.

Staff not very attentive. My dish was overcooked and dry. All three meals had not seen the slightest bit of seasoning. A real shame considering the building and decor is very nice.

I visited The Orator for the first time today, joining a group celebrating a co-worker's departure, and I had high expectations based on the supposed good vibes, food, and drinks. Unfortunately, my experience was nothing short of a disaster. Upon arrival, I was abruptly informed that I couldn't be served because I was an American in a group that had been "cut off" for excessive drinking. This baffling decision was made despite my having just arrived. Keep in mind it was 7:45 pm at the time of my arrival. Early in the evening. The supposed reason? Someone from our group accidentally dropped a glass in front of a staff member, causing their apparent ire. While I understand such accidents can be frustrating, it's absurd to penalize an entire group for one person's mistake. When I calmly explained to the bartender that I had just arrived and simply wanted to enjoy my drink at the bar, I was bluntly told that the group's ban was non-negotiable. To make matters worse, the manager I spoke to was incredibly rude, making it clear that I wasn't welcome, despite my polite demeanor. This felt like blatant discrimination against me for being part of a group that had one person who might have overindulged. My high expectations were utterly shattered by the rude staff and unreasonable policies at The Orator. Avoid this place if you expect fair and respectful treatment!

The spacious outdoor area was much appreciated in central Cambridge. In the early evening, this place made a great civilised escape from camping. The young bar staff were very friendly and the food, though not ambitious, did exactly what it said on the tin and came promptly. Thoroughly decent place with photos of Cambridge union speakers over the fireplace to remind you where you are.

A beautiful bar and restaurant - aesthetically very pleasing. The food is mixed, some dishes stand out, and others are less impressive. It’s very expensive though. Service is consistently rude.

Lovely garden area drinks a bit pricey but that's what you pay nowadays

Appearance and decor look refined. Food selection is good, but service did not match the expectations inferred by the standard of the surrounding, history, and location. Hair found in one meal which was returned and refund or replacement offered in 5 mins (actually nearer 30). Similar for request for all food courses to be served at same time, we had 3 mains and a dessert for 4 diners, so not so tricky I think. "No problem" was communicated, but apparently not so as a couple of reminders failed to materialise to course. Worth a look for the surroundings and entertainment, so don't completely discount, although consider eating before you go or stash some sarnies to share while you wait.

I didn't have any meal, but the place is amazing.

Just overall overrated. Food and drinks took forever. Were super average. Ambience was not enjoyable, hot, no fans or aircon. Not kid friendly, nothing on the menu for babies. Even if there were, if it took 5 hours to serve a meal, babies are not going to wait in the heat.

A good spot but the service is appalling. I’ve been several times since it first opened, and have never had a good experience. Service is slow and staff unhelpful.

One of the best in Cambridge, i really recommend it if you’d like to get a nice evening, have a tasty food and listen to music.

Lovely weather and garden great place to sit outside.

We sat in the garden on a beautiful hot summers day which was a lovely escape from the busy, tourist packed narrow streets of the city. The food was very reasonably priced, excellent quality and with very efficient and friendly service

This is a great pub in the middle of Cambridge. For us it provides the perfect oasis when visiting the city as it has a great beer garden which is completely dog friendly. A fair selection of beers and good cocktails. The Orator offers much more but we just use the garden:-)

Staff excellent. Food not so good. Caesar salad lacking in salad. Chicken schnitzel strange consistency and flavour.

This place has the potential to be incredible, lovely garden space & interior, the food tried so far has always been great, the location is fantastic too. The only let down at times is the service. We had a Christmas meal & there was one person serving and our drinks took so long to arrive that we were already eating with no drinks on the table, the next round sat ready at the end of the bar to the point we almost got up to collect ourselves & we couldn’t get anyone’s attention to ask for deserts or more drinks so gave up as it was getting late! Have been for drinks a few times as love using the garden space & were told certain drinks not available, only to then be available when the next person bought a round 🤷‍♀️ the bar staff could do with keeping an eye on who’s next to be served as some people walk up to the bar are served straight away before others that have been waiting, the staff just need to look a bit more like they want to be there service with a smile and a bit of banter goes a long way. Lastly keep the fridges stocked, it seems crazy for a place like this to not have Prosecco available or a lot of the wines chilled enough to serve, also meaning a fair few cocktails were off the menu. Not trying to criticise more give feedback, as great having this place on my doorstep & would love to use it more and recommend to clients, but a few improvements needed.

The vibe has declined significantly, with new staff and managers. We were treated with disdain in a punitive fashion. We had loved going here. Not anymore. Such a shame! We felt very unwelcome.

Arrived for some early(ish) dinner. Waited at the nearly empty bar for c. 10 mins whilst the bar staff served a small group. Service was brusque and not cheery. Made us feel like we were an inconvenience and not particularly welcome. Had to return the “lime” and soda that came with no lime. Ordered the smash burger and a vegan burger for my wife. Both were utterly bland and the fries were incredibly salty. Pretty overpriced for the what they were. HOWEVER, the courtyard was lovely, full of people having a nice evening drink, and accompanied by some lovely live music. I would recommend going somewhere else if you are wanting dinner, but this spot is lovely for a summer evening drink (if you don’t mind the service).

I get to the restaurant and asked for the direction for Cambridge Student Union. The waitress told me that I needed to get out of the building and went around half block to the Union reception. The fact is that the restaurant and the Union part are integral and they are in the same building and connected through a rear hall. I think the waitress is very mean and did not acknowledge that people came in to Orator because it’s part of the Union. She is obviously not qualified to work for a University community for misguiding people.

The birthday celebration was amazing and regardless that we were not able to make a reservation, Ella was able to arrange everything for us. I really do miss this kind of personalized and caring service, you don’t get this often this day. Super happy to come back, thanks you Ella and all the staff, amazing night! ☺️🥳👍

The cocktail class was such an incredibly informative and enjoyable experience. Thank you to Emily for leading such an incredible educational experience. We will definitely be back.

We hired a private room for a special birthday and everything was amazing, but most of all the staff were brilliant! Emily and Ben, thanks so Much!

Excellent place. Back yard gives out a vibe of the 50s 60s private societies clubs. "oh captain my captain" dead poets society stuff . you know what I mean. Update 2024 : Still nice. they got better garden chairs etc. But they have removed the posh chesterfield sofas facing the windows towards the garden. Slowly transforming it to mainstream pub? Careful guys, Orator is unique. Dont F around too much.

Very middle of the road experience at the Orator. Lovely decor and ambience. Good seating with lots of light. The food was well cooked, well presented and tasted good. We had the Orator burger, steak bavette and the chicken schnitzel. Unfortunately the service was the bare minimum. It was a quiet early evening in the restaurant (around 6pm) however we felt as though we were inconveniencing the servers by being there, taking our order etc was all done with an air of disdain. There was also no flexibility to accommodate very simply requests, charges for extras (e.g sauce) but then no way of charging for these. The way this was all communicated was poor and a bit unnecessary. A mixed experience overall.

We always go for cocktails to the Orator. This time we didn’t order them since we saw the bar tender licking his figers while making cocktails, drying his hand with his trousers and of course grabbing things that he was placing on the cocktails with his hands that had been contaminated from making different cocktails. Also, one of the members of the staff decided to leave the main door open and left it locked so that even if we tried, or other customers tried, we were unable to close it. It was really cold with the door open and even though we told the waitress and she told her manager, this didn’t do anything. I asked a waiter to please ask the manager to come and talk to me and he made fun of that and copied me as if he was a 6 years old. His face when he saw I had seen it was quite red… perhaps you guys need to train your young staff to have good manners? I spoke to the manager and he said that he didn’t have time to close the door. We got out things and left and we saw how we got his key to leave the door free to close.

Awesome pub. Great for after work drinks with a group.

Frankly overpriced, given the quality of the food. Acceptable katsu curry, ludicrously over-salted fries, stodgy tasteless "dirty" vegan burger. A shame, as it used to be good.

We arrived around 10:30 pm to have a drink. They were already closing a part of the room. We took a seat and waited for more than 15 min hoping for a waiter to come (he came to ask 1 min after we had a seat…). We finally went to the bar to order by ourselves and as I was really cold, I wanted a cup of tea and the guys told us that is was not possible at that time even if it was written in the menu we had… Don’t let people wait more than 15 min with a menu that shows some unavailable drinks

Excellent ambience and Brewboard beer.

Great spot to bring the dogs and have good drinks and snacks. Beautiful garden to sit out with friends with a great atmosphere. All the staff were so welcoming and friendly providing 5 star service :) Would recommend!!

Impromptu visit yesterday for an early dinner. Lovely setting and decor. When we arrived, there was only one table occupied, and we were taken to the only table that hadn’t been set. Upon ordering drinks we were informed there was no Sauvignon Blanc, but I was offered an alternative. We had to ask for our food order to be taken , sharing starters came without any side plates. We had to ask multiple times for them. Food was tasty, but overpriced. No one asked if ‘everything was ok with our meal’ 5 tables were now occupied, but they seated everyone so close together (it’s a large venue) , we all had to whisper in order to have shy privacy. The staff 4-5 of them all congregated at the bar, and were talking and joking VERY loudly We asked for tat water and were given a £4.50 bottle of water. Service was abysmal. Had to ask for the bill & eventually went to the bar to pay as no one was coming to take payment. When I mentioned that the service was bad, the very pretentious waisted gave us an incredibly sarcastic ‘good bye’ I will not be returning. AVOID!!! There are SO many other great places to go.

Amazing food and drinks, fast service… Dante in particular was a hugely attentive waiter and gave great customer services for me and my friends

Very aggressive front of house, he’s a prima Donna. Not at all welcoming. Very nice interior and bar staff are nice. Definitely staff issues, some very nice others don’t want to be here.

Beautiful food. Best roast in Cambridge. Only negative point, food took 1 hour. Waiters told us that was exceptionally because Eastern.

I have visited here many times and was in my top 5 places for a drink. Walked in as before, went to the bar to order a drink as is done in these places. Can’t do that. Need to have table service. Really? Trouble was, one person behind the bar and one waiter meant popping in for a quick drink was out. How silly. Made no sense as the girl could have poured a beer in a minute. No customer service and will probably not go back. Avoid. Loads of better places nearby.

Certainly feels like effort is put in to service and cocktails, but there was something off about all the cocktails I tried this time, all slightly over the top: too sweet, too sour, too creamy or too salty. Rather than highlighting the key flavour, it felt saturated. On a previous occasion the espresso martini was a good option I think, so maybe it was just an off night. I'd usually say the bartender dropping cocktails can be a sign of good enthusiasm, but maybe not this time.

3.5 in my opinion. Nice environment, interesting menu with light and heavy options, minimal service, with a premium charge justified for “Charity”. There is some room for improvement to match the place and price. I’ve been curious about the place and its menu, while hesitating for years because of the divided reviews. Caesar Coqueta is quite fun. An huge ball of melting creamy tender chicken filling in a light crispy shell. Indulgent without being too heavy. The cheese chips are tasty too. The pesto is interesting with the addition of pumpkin seeds but lacks a kick of flavor and seems dispensable as the croquette is tasty on its own. We didn’t locate the sweet anchovy though. Maybe it’s in the pesto but it’s really not prominent enough to provide the umami. The feta and artichoke bruschetta is also rich yet not too greasy. The softer, denser and plumper bread (almost brioche like) with the untoasted side up goes super well with the creamy topping, as the spongy structure gives more support in comparison with the more common, often hard grillled baguette/sourdough. The salted coley is nicely cooked, in a healthy way. The truffle isn’t prominent. The butternut squash is soft and delightful. The green drips have a strong star anise taste and overpowers the fish and veggies. Chili and ginger can be better spice options for a more warming yet balanced dish. Lemon and pineapple can work for summer too. Portion is small but adequate. My friend’s parsnip soup looks nice too. Service is a little “immature” and not attentive for the price (on top of the slightly overpriced food), but I consider it a charity after all. The interior is bright and chill (with sockets!). Might come back for some relaxing study hours and possibly another thoughtful light meal.

Visited for Mother’s Day so as expected very busy Staff were brilliant We arrived a bit early so table wasn’t ready so we sat in the comfy chairs and sofa outside Staff kept us up to date and offered us drinks Once at out table drinks were brought quickly Food was a bit slow but didn’t really notice as we were there to catch up as a family We were virtually the last to leave the restaurant and that’s when we discovered they were 2 chefs down! They had managed to turn out excellent food in a reasonable time on one of their busiest days! We all enjoyed the food and the ambiance We even laughter at the toilet sign that so many had commented on! Which I wouldn’t even had noticed if it wasn’t for so many highlighting it in their reviews! Same we live at least an hours drive away else we would make this a regular haunt

Woeful Mothers Day lunch, cold side dishes, roast potatoes were a failure. Beef was a chewy and fatty mess, pork belly looked and tasted like it had been cooked days ago. The staff however were excellent! We won’t be returning.

On their website the Orator promises: ‘We can accommodate all types of milestone events with flair! ...Find out how we can help you host your dream event.’ Unfortunately, the reality failed to live up to expectations. The Dining Room was a gorgeous venue for my special birthday party. However, the quality of the food and the woeful service detracted hugely from what should have been a wonderful day. Despite the lovely setting, the overall experience failed to deliver the culinary treat and attentive care I had expected for such an occasion.

Staff friendly enough but inattentive. Food was over-priced and mediocre at best. Don’t get me started on that ridiculous virtue signalling sign between the toilets downstairs. And…the place was cold…after eating we had to huddle around the fire. We won’t be back, especially as there are plenty of other options in the town.

Where to begin... My partner and I are PhD students, who wanted to celebrate our Valentines day in a special way. So even though the £100 fixed price dinner was not ideal, we decided to shell out for the special occasion. Going in, the decor is just very normal (almost boring). Our seats were wobbly. And the waitress was actually cold and snarky. I've worked in hospitality a lot and normally am very sympathetic of even badly behaved waiting staff, but this was too appalling. The meals were so disappointing, the steak was a very cheap cut and cooked horribly. The dessert tasted like it came from Iceland and nothing felt fresh. Which also would have been forgivable if my partner didn't get FOOD POISONING. We rushed out of that place since he was so sick. Tried to contact the restaurant to let them know about this but they never responded. We barely EVER review places, unless it is phenomenally good. This is a first where I've had to rant this much because we feel absolutely conned. And because I dont want anyone in a similar position as us to risk it by having dinner there. There's plenty of other great places in Cambridge, so give this a miss!! - 2 indignant customers

I had a coffee here, which was lovely. Didn't eat but my partner did and she said the food was OK. The service was atrocious. It was ages before we got served, but then we got the wrong meal - so the whole process started again. Downstairs in the loos there is a horrible message saying anyone can use any toilet - m or f - where they feel 'most comfortable'. I pointed out to a male staff member that this made me feel uncomfortable. His response was to sneer at me and tell me to go somewhere else.

6 of us attended the cocktail making class hosted by Emilija and had an amazing time! Really welcoming atmosphere and a really informative and enjoyable experience. The range of cocktails was perfect (the Clover Club was my favourite!). Would definitely do this experience again with another group of friends. Great value for money, Emilija was great - would definitely recommend.

Did the mixology evening with Emily, and had an amazing time! She was very knowledgeable, and it made for a great date night.

We visited the famous Orator Bar in Cambridge a number of times, and absolutely love it. It seems posher than it must have been when students visited it en mass and fell through the lethally constructed little corner door. All that was gone, this time, we were directed to the main entrance and told it was waitress table service only. We waited, eventually a waitress took our order, we waited a bit more, our drinks arrived. We looked around, admired the photographs and decided on another drink. Since there was a barman at the bar, it seemed churlish not to order the drinks from him. Our waitress arrived, she wasn’t happy, didn’t we know it was waitress service at the table? She said she would send someone. We duly went and sat down and waited.. and waited. Eventually a young man passed by and asked if we wanted serving. We hesitated, and thought no, let’s get out now, so we asked for the Bill. Our girl turned up with a card machine. We said we wanted to pay by cash. She said there were signs everywhere.. on the internet… we came in off the street and on the doors. We said we didn’t want to support card only establishments, we believe they will lead to the loss of our financial freedom and then our democratic freedom. She said they were a registered Charity and couldn’t keep cash on the premises. We paid by card and left. I went back in the morning to find these ‘Card only’ signs. A young man saw me looking. He said there should be plenty of them about, but he couldn’t find any, not one; which he said was unfortunate. He said he did tell people who ordered dinner that it was card only payment. I said no one told me. He said, “I’m telling you now” Although he did add, that if we wanted to pay by cash we still could, provided we had the exact amount, no change could be given. Apart from the lost charm, I did wonder how those in need of being served by a wealthy college benefited from their Charity status?

My Celeriac Schnitzel Katsu curry was the best meal of a 7 week holiday in the UK. Great idea to Poach and crumb celeriac accompanied with delicious katsu sauce.

They don't have choices for dinner, I will be happy if they have a bigger menu. Also, it was cold inside, my friend and I freezing 🥶

It's an good spot for a meal. We came in back entrance and were met with a note of disdain for coming in the wrong way. There was something missing here, the vibe was off a bit can't put my finger on it. Sure many famous humans have graced the location.

Brilliant, buzzy,relaxing ,loved it

Fancied a quiet couple of drinks on a Saturday night after a meal elsewhere; this place was a really nice atmosphere to be in. Some of the drinks were a bit pricey for what they were, but decent nonetheless. We found the staff polite and attentive. I have to mention the toilets though. The sign telling patrons to ‘choose whichever toilet (m/f) they feel comfortable in’ is bonkers. As a biological female I should feel comfortable in a female toilet. I didn’t. I’m not keen to return if you place trans rights above women’s rights to privacy, safety, and security.

My daughter recommended this restaurant and I’m so glad she did. If you didn’t know about it you could easily think it was only for the university or a members club. It’s open to everyone and for all occasions whether just a coffee, lunch or dinner. Delicious food in a beautiful Victorian building. We loved it. Calvin, our waiter, was attentive and really made the night!

Decent prices for very good food, try the Sea Change red wine from Salento, a good deal at £30 a bottle. Goid veggie options too, belly pork was excellent. Waiting staff polite, friendly and attentive. Will defo return.

Apparently I had to deal with the manager who was sooo condensending, rude and downright patronizing that I left even before actually ordering. Be warned. This place may look fancy but I wouldn't even take my dog here to be fed. Hopefully customer service may...

Stopped in just for cocktails. Super nice!!

Brilliant bar that we stumbled across. Friendly service and we loved the atmosphere. Be careful though - we got a pint and a latte - the pint was £7.70!! Yep, you read that right! I queried it and the barman said it was from a local brewery. It was a good pint but that was exorbitant. I'd definitely go back but go for a cheaper pint! 😂

Our post Christmas company dinner! Freddie and the team at The Orator did not disappoint. Incredible food, fantastic service and overall a really good evening. Thank you!!

Went here for new year's eve 2023. Booked about 2 weeks in advance. Set menu was amazing value (£36pp for 3 courses, an amuse bouche and glass of prosecco). Food was really nice, and the service was excellent. Will definitely be coming here again! The Bourgignone was amazing!

Incredible venue and atmosphere, knowledgeable and friendly bar staff, especially Emily. Great Signature cocktails, execution of classics and non-alcoholic options like the Pre-debtae clearly inspired by the French Martini! Cannot forget the wide variety of wines bound to find one for your taste and choice...

Warm atmosphere + well decorated + high ceiling. Foods and drinks were well prepared at reasonable price. Especially special thanks to "Sovia" who served us with very cheerful smile, lovely and very pleasant personality. Wish you have a very Happy New Year! TK Leung

As a regular customer, I can confidently say that The Orator is one of the best places there are to visit. The whole team is welcoming and vibrant and I must mention that the best service I have received are from staff members Ritchie and...

Great location and amazing drinks made by Emilia. Would recommend for a night out with friends and family.

We had lunch at The Orator yesterday. Absolutely great. What a wonderful energy. The location is great. Bright, windows, very kind people, awesome food, incredibly pleasant experience. Thank you very much to all the work and energy to offer us this great experience. One person wanted the turkey dinner, another wanted a brisket burger, another friend wanted an awesome kale salad, and another wanted the open ravioli. Superb.

Came in with my friends for a quick lunch the server Ella was great, recommended me a delicious dish that was the pigeon and Emily recommended me a great cocktail that was the elder flower spritz and the service was great and quick.

Thank you to Richie, Melissa and Ellen for an amazing lunch, great atmosphere, great food and great service.

The staff were excellent, Ritchie, Mellissa and Ellen were attentive and accommodating of allergies in the group. We were sat next to the pass and it was great to see the chefs working, the food was absolutely delicious and we would happily return again to...

Was here for dinner with a few friends. Food was excellent, especially the brisket burger. However, the service here was poor. Staff were unfriendly and unattentive, which is rather unfortunate given the pleasant atmosphere and excellent food.

Just popped in with work colleagues as part of our festive celebrations. Just didn't enjoy the atmosphere or service.

Food was great. However, one of their staff was very rude. I'm worried about her having implicit bias on certain customers.

I love having a drink here. Service may be slow but it has an atmosphere of a hotel or something. I recommend for a 🍷 drink.

Best meal I’ve had this year. Stunning vegetarian starter of deep-fried Brussels sprouts with sweet and sticky tamarind sauce, fabulous romanesco main course and super choice of desserts. It was great to go somewhere that the vegetarian options were genuinely interesting and on a par with the also excellent meat and fish dishes which my fellow diners exclaimed over. Every course our group was served was met with eager appreciation. Great service and a lovely setting.

Nice venue with a relaxed atmosphere. Food is pretty good.

What a wonderfully warm welcome; by Liz [I believe]. Friendly, professional, discreet, and just lovely really. Also Ellen and I think Melissa too. The hospitality all round was great. Including the time I popped in before and there was a chap at the bar. Plus...

What a wonderfully warm welcome; by Liz [I believe]. Friendly, professional, discreet, and just lovely really. Also Ellen and I think Melissa too. The hospitality all round was great. Including the time I popped in before and there was a chap at the bar. Plus a fab menu and delicious food. Looking forward to coming back many more times, not only to get to taste more of it, but as a regular place to meet up with friends. And then there’s the comfort and beauty of the place, which is also light filled with the almost floor to ceiling walls of windows, and has lighting that doesn’t give you a migraine. There’s even a lift should you wish/need to use one, making it easily accessible. A top dining experience. Highly recommend.

Emily was amazing!!! Great service and better food. Highly recommend for a good night out and to have an intimate service

Wonderful restuarant in a beautiful setting. Ella and Sophia looked after us and the food and service was fantastic. We intended to just have a quick meal but switched to the Christmas menu and made a celebration of it. The deep fried sprouts are amazing (no really. Try them). Thank you

Wonderful restaurant in a beautiful setting. There is a debating hall nearby and we had fun playing "name the celebrity". Is obviously a popular Cambridge spot. Ella and Sophia looked after us and the food and service was fantastic. We intended just to have a...

Took longer than desired to get served and checked for drinks etc. Friendly staff and very tasty food.

We stopped over at the Orator for some brunch on the 2nd and I can say that I was very impressed with the whole experience. The waiter was very pleasant to deal with and while the host who appeared to be the manager on site...

Came from London to spend the afternoon in Cambridge and had dinner at your place and was really busy but Ellen was superb as she found me a table and recommended the beef bourguignon and absolutely delicious Thanks very much for being helpful and kind

Very special bar / restaurant Can’t believe we hadn’t found it earlier Good food, reasonably priced in beautiful old Cambridge Uni building Lovely staff friendly service from Ellen and Sofia

Never been to the Orator before but will be going back. Delightful atmosphere with relaxed vibe. Beautiful singing & piano. Food was great. I can recommend the Parsnip soup & salted coley - yummy!! The lemon tart was nice strangely didn't get a fork to eat it with though, tricky with a spoon. Great place to go.

Lovely atmosphere and fabulous food. Staff were wonderful - our waiter was Paul and he was excellent.

Very good establishment, food was excellent.

Food’s gone downhill. Service is so incredibly slow. Lovely place. Good beers. Could do so much better.

Beef shin bourguignon was very tasty!

This was our first visit to The Orator, and what a delightful find it was. Quiet and serene. The staff were wonderful, and what a place to captivate inspiration.

We visited The Orator for the first time this evening. We visit Cambridge most weekends and I suggested to my husband about visiting this venue. Well we will definitely be back. The staff were warm, friendly and welcoming even bringing out a leaflet about the history of the place because my husband asked. The food was absolutely delicious and the venue is beautiful. We have now stated that this will be one of our main go to places when visiting Cambridge. You will not regret visiting this wonderful and historic place.

Super good and reasonable prices considering its Cambridge! They have got it just right. Friendly staff and all 6 of us enjoyed our meals.

Sharing plates menu: - 'Soup' - 'Leeks' - 'Pigeon' Hmm...

Compared to our first visit, 2 weeks prior, it really wasn't a great experience this time round. Even though we had booked a week in advance for 2 people, a table was not ready for us when we arrived 3 minutes early. The food was nowhere near the same standard as the previous visit, especially as we had the exact same food that we'd had 2 weeks prior. And the service was not very attentive, in terms of making sure we had a drink at all times....very disappointed with this visit 😕

Here to recommend cocktail making class by Emily, it's super fun and well worth the money.

Whether I’m meeting a friend for a visit and cocktail or a splendid meal The Orator does not disappoint. Cozy and relaxed atmosphere and excellent service will always make a bright spot in my day. The Trout Coley that I enjoyed last evening was prepared and cooked to perfection and the attention to detail was impressive. An entirely memorable experience.

On Tuesday evening, the three of us decided to visit the Orator for dinner for the first time, and I’m so glad we did. Our food - including pigeon starter, superbly tender and tasty beef bourginon, and coley - was outstanding. It was also very reasonably priced. With an interesting, quirky and comfortable atmosphere and friendly and attentive staff, the Orator will be a regular for us from now on.

Been to Orator two times within the brief 30 hours I spent in Cambridge. Absolute delight for a calm mid-day visit and to knock back a pint or two in the evening. Particularly appreciated the hospitality of the staff and the garden area!

Just grabbed a quick beer here on a Wednesday night, but my friend and I loved the friendly service and the live music - which was chilled enough not to overpower the conversation - as well as the super-atmospheric outdoor area. We'll be back!