The Punter in Cambridge

Everything about this place is perfect! Located about xx min from the ciry centre, this place is in a walkable distance from it, while also having a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The food is great, the staff is very polite and the prices are reasonal for the portions. Totally a must in a warm sunny day!

Good place. The food is fine, even though scotch egg is extraordinarily delicious. I got signature burger. The minced meat was thoughtfully prepared: good quality beef, appropriate herbs. But it wasn’t thoughtfully cooked, resulting in a very dry patty. Chips were also overdone. Since the prices are relatively high, I expected more care. But in general, it’s a good gastro pub anyway.

Excellent food and great service. Definitely recommended.

I was disappointed with the lamb steak.it was tough and gristly. I mentioned this to the waitress, and she said she would pass it on. I thought that at least they might have offered a free coffee or dessert. As it happened, we couldn't have a dessert as the crumble was going to take 15 to 20 minutes to arrive, and we were short of time before our concert that evening. However, the vegetables were very tasty, and my friends enjoyed their hake meal.

Great ambience, interesting sounding menu but unfortunately the food that arrived on our table on Sunday last was simply tired out. Is it too much to ask for freshly cooked chips and not chips which have been hanging around for a few hours. Service was simply absent. We have been coming to the Punter for years but haven't eaten for a number of years because the food was just not up to it....so drinks only and a bag of crisps. Decided to return and try again because the menu looked really interesting!!!!! Is it so difficult to find a chef with pride and passion and ability. Seemingly it is.Sad to write such a review because we wanted it to work but it still doesn't apparently.

They kept us waiting at the door after being said that they were looking for a table. After ages, we approached the desk again for updates and they told us that there was no table available, and it was fully booked. Why not telling us as as we stepped in if they knew it? This just wasted our time and being busy is not an excuse, as I work in the same field, and I also deal with waiting customers.

Exceptional food, okay deserts. I should have tried the apple and blackberry instead of the sticky toffee pudding.

Very very good place to eat. Menu is excellent Service is great Atmosphere is great The meal was good throughout, Felt very relaxed and relaxed throughout the evening.

Great food, good service, very friendly.

Ate there tonight and had the lamb steak. Staff friendly but they really need to change the chef. Steak was way over cooked borderline burnt and I think my shoe would have more flavor. In this day and age surely you ask and deliver how well cooked or not how well done a customer wants it. Personally, I favor rare to medium but this was borderline inedible. Ugh. 🤢

Very good relaxed lunch with good beer.

Was there for lunch, had a really juicy burger with fries. They have a great variety of drinks as well. I heard their fish and chips are very good too. The place is really cool and the ambience very nice and not loud, which is good if you want to hang out with friends and be able to talk. I definitely recommend.

Our first visit and The Punter ticked all the boxes, nice atmosphere, Great service & excellent beer. That's about all I can say 💖

Loved it! Early Friday night dinner with our dog Hendrix. Warmly welcomed, fantastic attentive service and brilliant food and atmosphere. A really lovely authentic pub and highly recommend

The food was delicious and the service from liv, Hannah and Claudia was amazing. 10/10, we are so happy we came here for food

I do not recommend. After 2 hours they come and tell me to leave the premises because they are booking with another person

Delight! It was all good and we had a wonderful time, cant wait to be back!

Lovely food and marvellous scenery. We had a great Xmas office lunch. The small critique was the vegan sticky toffee pudding, which was not as great as the rest of the food (but still enjoyable).

Loved this pub, in particular the food. It's my favourite in Cambridge! The atmosphere is great as well, especially in the Barn. Most of the staff was friendly and professional.

Bonito sitio en pleno Cambridge y al lado de la zona alta. The Punter se refiere a los que con el palo largo, navegan las barcazas por los ríos de la zona. Muy antiguo y de los famosos pubs en Cambridge. Tiene diferentes ambientes repartidos por el edificio de un bonito azul con sus típicas ventanas de madera oscura. La comida es francamente buena y si coincides en domingo, tienes la posibilidad de pedir el famoso Sunday Roast en mi experiencia, probé el de pavo, muy logrado. Además tienen la típica carta inglesa con salchichas, fish and chips, hake (merluza), pollo y estos platos vienen acompañados por guisantes, brócoli y otras típicas verduras inglesas. Buena variedad de cervezas y algunos vinos tintos razonables. Precio comedido y buen y atento servicio. Recomendable reservar antes sobre todo en domingo. Si estás por Cambridge, merece la pena probarlo. Por cierto muy cerca, hay una muy buena tienda de vinilos para los como yo, aficionados a la música en este formato.

Had work Christmas dinner for 14 today. The food was delicious and staff were lovely.

Great food in a great atmosphere although would have been nice if it was a bit more authentic inside to reflect the outside of the building character but it is nice nonetheless.

It was a cosy place. We had a Christmas party there. The vegan nut roast wasn’t very good but the vegan dessert was really delicious.

Absolutely lovely little place Very cosy and comfortable Staff are very polite Food was great Really good Xmas vibe in there would 100% return and recommend 10/10 I had such a good time it was for a friends birthday

extremely slow service and food not as good as expected

Delightful pub with an old world charm. It was the perfect place for a lunch with friends on an autumn day. Food was delicious, staff were friendly and attentive and atmosphere was great. I had a lunch of crab croquettes followed by sausage & mash and it was all delicious with wine and it was ~£35

The moment you enter by the door, you feel the nice ambiance. Young staff who cares in all the details of the restaurant. Very helpful and friendly The food is lovely, kind of pub food, but with a haute cuisine touch We can't wait to come back on our next trip to Cambridge.

Very nice environment. Excellent staff. No !!! Extremely EXCELLENT STAFF. Wow! Suffolk Ale was really nice. We had four meals, all different ALL 👏 Followed by four Pudding, ALL different 👏 We were only poking our nose into Cambridge for 24 hours , so glad we found this eatery . THANK YOU 😊

Great lunchtime spot. Not as cheap as chips, but good value for the quality of the food and presentation. Nice beers on tap too.

Nice place but the table service only policy is a bit jarring if you're just popping in for a few drinks, it being a pub. They weren't happy with us splittling the bill equally at the end. Great pint of Guinness

"fancy" bangers and mash (with merguez sausages) was great, with friendly and attentive staff

It was a bit of a walk from our hotel but well worth it. The staff are very friendly and attentive and the food is awesome. I had chicken schnitzel, and the portion was huge. Lovely ales, too. I totally recommend this pub, its staff and its food. Also dog-friendly, so our Chihuahua also enjoyed it.

delicious food good value for price

The owners of the pub are very friendly couple,and fantastic Customer service all the bar staff are super friendly and will cater for most of everyone’s needs. Courtyard is cosy and good to interact with other members of the pub. Food is top draw and beats a lot of pubs for taste And presentation Food and beers are a little pricey, but like everyone knows you pay for what you get Ideal for dates, Out with friends, or just with the family,Five. Stars all the way.👌

Good pub food. Lovely staff. A bit expensive but very nice and pleasant.

Disappointing evening meal last Monday. Starters were good (potato skin was basically small baked potato). The Teriyaki Salmon was disappointing as it was poached salmon with a sauce poured over it. The Chicken Schnitzel with Warm Potato Salad & Provencal Sauce was Ok. The Provençal sauce was too sharp and simplistic and there was no salad but steamed vegetables (now I like warm potato salad) So overall a shame

Nice starters. But we didn't like the famous ubergene dish. It was very spicy. The sticky caramel with ice cream was really good

Food was great, but the attitude of one of the waiting staff was absolutely atrocious. I've never met such a rude person with attitude and a real chip on their shoulder about waiting on people. Sorry The Punter we have been many times and enjoyed the food and atmosphere but I won't be returning to be insulted by a stroppy girl who very obviously didn't like waiting on tables

I had a great dinner evening out at the Punter during my last academic visit to Cambridge University. Loved their smoked aubergine.

The place is beautiful, I gotta say that cause it is, but unfortunately there's a but, I mean, if you're going there for a pint, or for a hot drink sure it's ok. Myself and my friends went there and ordered some food. Don't get me wrong, presentation was a 10/10. The food in itself was gorgeous, but when it comes to taste and seasoning, it unfortunately lacked. Not only on the dish I was served, but also from my friends who commented the same about the seasoning. If you like bland food, this is one of the places. England conquered a world full of spices yet, most English pubs don't know the word marinate and seasoning. It's a shame because the potential is there as the place is gorgeous.

Booked a group of 13. Staff were super helpful and friendly. Service was great. Food was tasty.

Very friendly service & good food, thank you!

Service good Atmosphere fantastic But food needed a bit of a kick. Had fish and chips, pork ribs and aubergine tahini but they were all missing something. Perhaps they are trying healthy meals with less fat, sugar and salt. Pork ribs were better than the other two, fish batter wasn't crispy which was sad but the fish itself was tasty. Aubergine tasted blend, again it was sad because it looked great. Their potatoes were really good though. I think they use good & fresh ingredients.

Buonissima la patata dolce, servizio veloce e gentile.

A lovely lunch with friends. Friendly & welcoming staff and a very good 'gastro pub' menu that left us all very full (3 starters and two mains between three of us). The Barn is very nicely decorated!

Definitely worth walking those few extra steps away from the city centre. We were greeted by genuinely friendly staff and offered a lovely table in the shade, temperature was in the 30’s when we visited. The courtyard garden is quirky and inviting . We had teriyaki salmon with udon noodles, which was a generous thick salmon with noodles in a delicious sauce. The beer had been kept well and was served at the perfect temperature. This will be our go to good food pub now when we visit Cambridge. Don’t be put off by the temporarily missing pub sign on the side of the pub, what awaits inside when you walk through the door is wonderful.

Great place food Great staff fantastic

Truly a refreshing experience in the sometimes static English pub landscape. Beautiful location (especially outside), and the food was high quality.

Very beautiful pub worth visiting. Will definitely go back again

Such a friendly and pleasant pub with a laid back and pleasant vibe and good beer and food. They accommodated nine of us, including four children and a dog happily in the delightful inside courtyard area. They were efficient and friendly throughout and were happy to bring out a cake we had bought to celebrate a birthday. Nothing was too much trouble

Disappointed by the food. Overcooked and expensive. Had much better food when I visited this pub a few years ago.

Just a lovely pub with great food, wonderful staff and a lovely atmosphere. Would happily return.

Just a few mins away from the main bridge where the punting boats are moored, this pub provides exceptional food with a very friendly service. Tried the steak, lamb, chicken, and the eggplant. Nothing could be faulted. Well done to the team!

We were a large group of 12 and were seated in their private room. We had a few changes in numbers and the team at The Punter were extremely helpful in accommodating our changing requests prior to the booking. They have a great menu, certainly something to suit all tastes. The quality and presentation of the food was high, a true gastro pub. There was a nice atmosphere and the staff were all very friendly and attentive. I would highly recommend and look forward to returning!

Nice place with a lovely courtyard!

Very strange experience. From the outside, looks like a very old fashioned pub. Coming through the door you need to wait to be seated and taken through a very quiet pub to a table. Very pleasant surrounds, nice enough, beer was nice enough, it all just felt a bit strange, like Covid times were back upon us. Nothing particularly wrong with it but just not an easygoing experience

Agréable pub ambiance du siècle dernier dans la déco ou la musique anglaise nous resynchrobise. Personnel souriant, cuisine sympa, un bel endroit pour une immersion dans un pub anglais

Lovely seating and atmosphere-highly recommend for that reason alone. The food we had was good - simple pub food but some of the best we had in Cambridge (which underwhelmed us). The service was lacking - unfriendly and almost rude. Maybe they were having an off day.

Refused service because there were 9 of us and only six at a table allowed in the garden, there were other empty tables but groups are not permitted to use 2 tables. We had another team member on the way so in fact the ten of us were refused. We had just had an AGM , and wanted light refreshments...drinks and snacks. Shocking!

Served an excellent pint of Guinness

Nice pub grub and friendly service. Love the decor and paintings, but otherwise nothing particularly special about it.

Nice pub with good pub grub. Very friendly staff. The Punt Blonde ale was very nice.

Great courtyard and barn seating, lovely place for a drink

Lovely staff, excellent food and great atmosphere.

From outside the Punter looks like a pub (i.e. somewhere to pop in for a drink). Alas is is not; it used to be! Dropped by today for an afternoon drink and entered only to be told that I needed to join the queue at the entrance ( there was no queue). Having looked around, clearly this is a restaurant not a pub. So if you fancy a quick drink, be prepared to join a queue and wait to be seated.

Lovely spot and atmosphere especially in the courtyard area. Food options really nice and wine and beer spot on. My first visit and loved it.

Very lovely Cambridge pub, excellent service and great food. Beautiful courtyard garden, a real oasis of calm.

Ølen var noget tynd sprøjt , Newton ville ikke have observeret nogle former for ting med det faldne æble, hvis han havde drukket her. Han havde mistet sin livsoplevelse . God musik og stemning ellers

I have been visiting here for many years. Decided to visit on Saturday to eat. My girlfriend popped in at 4:30pm and asked for change for car parking so we could eat. The response from bar staff was abrupt and rude; We don’t have any change and they don’t serve food until 5pm. (Which was 30 mins away) I called on Sunday to speak to a manager and the girl answering the phone refused to give her name .. You have a very strange customer service working in the public sector .. Poor attitude and poor service … food and atmosphere is great but this is poor.. Needless to say we went to Browns and ate and drank to our hearts content. I tried to talk to a manager but staff on the phone are caged and not very responsive .. How this place has changed since I lived opposite it. I am leaving this review because no one will talk or willing to listen on the phone The owner needs to be aware of what’s going on

Visited here on Sun June 4/23 for a late lunch. There were 2 of us and we were seated in the sunny patio area. Had delicious Pimm's to start and then the ham hock croquettes, goat cheese tatin and salmon main. The food was absolutely delicious. Great service and terrific location! Thank you!

Good food and a cosy, pub atmosphere. Really cool place to eat out with a group of friends

Staff routinely forget things and are slow to bring food, yet they still expect a service charge as part of the main bill. Rude, slightly passive aggressive staff.

We joned our friends’ table and were told we should be sorry for taking more than 8 seats even though the place was empty. Waitress did not take the order and left our table. Weird.

Although the service was a bit slow that particular evening, we forgave them once our food had arrived - it was delicious. The menu offers both vegetarian and vegan options and there is plenty to choose from. The kitchen door needs a soft closer!!!! - we were sitting near it and every time it was used, it banged loudly and made me jump :) Otherwise, great food, fab location right on the riverbank, reasonably priced. There is an outdoor area too, which was perfect for our coffee at the end of our meal. Great staff, keen, helpful, smiley.

Beautiful place, very cozy, lovely plants. Food is not bad but, surprisingly, fish & chips was sold out.

Loving the atmosphere, the food not so much

The menu may not change much but The Punter always delivers! Good quality, well cooked food at reasonable prices, what's not to like? Plus a decent selection of beers too.

What a little gem this place is !! Very friendly attentive staff full table service superb food and very reasonably priced. We hadn’t booked and arrived on spec just before it got busy so I would advise pre booking a table this was 12 noonish.. My steak in peppercorn sauce was delicious. Would certainly re visit next time we are in Cambridge

Lovely city pub full of character, cosy and packed on a Saturday night. The menu is fairly small but good choices and still difficult to choose! Unhurried efficient service, stand out dishes were rib eye steak followed by apple & blackcurrant crumble. Would highly recommend.

We booked a table for my daughter’s 22nd birthday and we’re delighted with the service, kindness, atmosphere and food. Rang in advance to explain my mum’s mobility issues and were allocated the perfect table. Also asked if we could take along a birthday cake and it wasn’t a problem. Staff superb. Food equally so. Would heartily recommend. Ideal for a multi-generational group, party of friends or cosy couple. Bravo!

Called in on a quiet afternoon for a drink to avoid a heavy downpour. Beer was excellent but they only do table service. You have to sit at a table and your order is taken and your drink’s brought to you. The problem with this is when you want another round you have to wave your arms about to attract the attention of the barmaid who is hiding behind the bar. I gave up and walked to the bar much to her displeasure. A third star for still accepting cash.

Great pub food with many choices for all diets

We stopped here for lunch while we were passing through. The best fish and chips!!

Well one of the few non chain pubs around. Always cosy. Food is good as well. Brilliant for conversations.

Best fish and chips we have EVER had!! great for a pub lunch in the garden

Fantastic place, I can only recommend it. The sea bream was the most delicious I have ever eaten.

Excellent, but not fancy (which is a plus).

Honestly..my first time visiting Cambridge and not the best experience I've had.Walked in and waited to be seated as directed .Stood for five minutes until the lady who was supposed to direct me to a table actually acknowledged me. Proceeded to tell me there are only tables outside where I was happy to sit. She walked off didn't bother to come back to take any order.She walked past me once and didn't bother to ask me for my order.. and after sitting there for about 10mins I left. I understand they were busy but this was horrible experience and definitely did not feel welcome there .

Beautiful pub, really pretty Drinks: 6/10 Atmosphere: 10/10 Prices: 5/10

Great food and great atmosphere! It’s relatively more expensive than the average pub, but totally worth it

Friendly, quirky, old fashioned pub. Delicious food, friendly staff. Not cheap but reasonable for the food served.

Good food at a reasonable price service a little slow

Really great food. Good service. Nearby parking.

The food quality at the Punter is persistently top notch, and the menu choices more interesting than you might expect from a pub. The choice of drinks, and the somewhat quirky spaces contribute to a great experience!

very friendly and accommodating staff - fantastic fresh and well presented food. Dog friendly. Great outdoor seating area. Good selection of beers wines and spirits.

Favourite pub in Cambridge. Great beer and food and the staff are always friendly.

I will go back. the best pub lunch that I have had in years. The food was delicious - the trout pate had a lovely celery side salad with excellent toast. The fish and chips with lashings of peas were just like they tasted in the last century! Excellent!

Good fish and chips and good beer. Friendly place with great atmosphere winter and summer

This used to be a proper atmospheric and bustlingly local pub. But then came Covid and it has now morphed into a ‘Table service only’ restaurant pretending to be a pub. You can still just drink in there providing that there is a table free (no standing allowed), but no-one bothers to keep an eye on whether your glass might be needing a refill (no going to the bar yourself) so it can be a pretty frustrating experience. I guess there’s more profit in food (perhaps this is the only way for it to survive), but it’s sad to see an old friend so changed.

Lovely place with a nice atmosphere. Good customer service. I highly recommend the baked potato with feta and avocado and the ribeye steak. As starters also the croquettes and the mushroom soup were delicious Cons: The vegetable that come with the roast are boiled and not so good. Especially the Brussel spouts. Better try another one of their dishes instead of the typical roast