The Punter in Cambridge

We had our Christmas meal at The Punter yesterday, and it was fantastic! The atmosphere was amazing, and the food was absolutely delicious. A special shoutout to the staff, especially those who waited on our table—they were so helpful and attentive throughout the meal. We couldn’t have asked for better service! Thank you for making our Christmas lunch so enjoyable. We’ll definitely be recommending to other teams, and we look forward to visiting again soon!

Such a cute and cosy pub with an amazing atmosphere and great food. We had the nicest waitress so big shoutout to Izzy who took such good care of us. It was a bit chilly in the pub and she went out of her way to bring us a hot water bottle and that made all the difference!

Worst roast I've ever had, the food was so dry and bland, the "roast" potatoes were slightly baked and excessively dry .....great pairing with the dry turkey. Happy to not go back. If you have Christmas party's coming up, I'd avoid the roast. The staff were great.

I can’t speak highly enough of The Punter. The food is terrific and the staff are so friendly and helpful. A member of my party had a nut allergy and they dealt with it just brilliantly!

Nice and cosy pub. Great atmosphere whether it’s for dinner or a coffee on your own or with friends.

Very tasty food,not exactly typical english pub food, but more well prepared and served! The atmosphere of the pub is very cozy and the staff is very polite and friendly! They also let us put a homemade birthday cake in their fridge in order to enjoy it after our dinner. Highly recommend it!

Lovely place and great food. Menu is a bit limited though

It is a nice venue, with a range of table options. There are options in little side rooms, a couple of larger rooms with multiple tables and an outside courtyard too. The staff were friendly and attentive. The food was good overall. Between our group we had: burgers which were decent; a large fish and chips; a lamb stew; and children’s menus. I thought the children’s meals were a bit small. The piece of fish could have been bigger and more chips would have filled them up for little extra cost. The fondant was better than the sticky toffee pudding. The crumble went down well. I really enjoyed the Punter blonde beer. Very nice.

Rude staff member clapping his hands, and saying "we are closed, let's go" as we were finishing our drinks up. Manners costs nothing, maybe someone can teach the young man behind the bar that, won't be returning

I have frequented Cambridge establishments for over 15 years, yet my recent visit to Cambridge The Punter was a shock to the system. After waiting a full half-hour merely to be served drinks, we were met not with hospitality but with surprising hostility. The staff not only appeared uninterested in serving but actually laughed at us in an openly dismissive manner. When we dared to remark on the slow service, their response was sarcastic at best, bordering on confrontational. To top it off, when as a result we ordered the bill for just drinks and entrants, it was quite literally slapped onto the table with a dismissive attitude I would never expect in any reputable (or not) establishment. We were even told that they ‘don’t need rude clients,’ which left us frankly speechless. After years in this city, I am still appalled that this type of service could be considered acceptable anywhere, let alone here in Cambridge. I hope The Punter reflects on the sort of image they wish to project and considers if this attitude is truly the Yes way forward.

Had an early dinner here early in the week. Lovely pub with nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Ordered the Steak with Chimchurri, salad and potatoes, whilst my friend had the burger. The steak was cooked well, and potatoes were yummy but the Chimchurri tasted of nothing? very bland, which was disappointing. Wouldn't stop me from coming back though, and trying something else. Lovely paintings too look at too.

This place has a lovely atmosphere, interesting artwork/pictures adorn the walls and it feels very cosy. My partner and I ordered the calamari and scotch egg for starters and we both had fish and chips for main course. The, clearly homemade, scotch egg was superb and one could actually 'taste' the sausage meat and a perfectly cooked egg. The calamari gets equally praise. The fish and chips and garden peas were perfectly cooked and of a larger portion than expected, great value. If I was to be hyper picky, It would have been nice to have the option of mushy peas. Service was faultless; a jug of table water was brought to the table as we sat down (a small detail, but important in my mind) and the waitress was friendly, efficient and just the right level of attentive. A service charge of 12.5% is added to the bill, which after confirming that it would go to the waitress I was happy to pay.

A pub I often visit but only got round to reviewing - the food is excellent and a good selection of beers. Often take friends or family here if visiting - make sure to book though to not be disappointed.

Really good food and girl who served was lovely.

What a fabulous pub! Delicious food, friendly people and a lovely atmosphere. Visited lunchtime on Sunday and found a really welcoming atmosphere. The fresh home done fish and chips was amazing, and the lamb steak and Mediterranean veg was delicious. Highly recommend this lovely independent pub! Thanks guys :))

3 of our party had severe food poisoning after a pork Sunday lunch. The porchetta was also completely fatty and hardly any meat

Nice restaurant. Very large portions. Meal for three people £92.30

Atmosphere was nice but the burge was burnt on one side and the steak chewy. We went there as a group of 6 during peak time so could be because it was too busy.

The Fish & Chips is recommended 👌

We had dinner at The Punter after looking at the reviews online as somewhere good to eat. The food is average burnt burger good fish and chips. The service is fine but you do feel like you are being an inconvenience at times with some of the staff. Not the best meal we have had in Cambridge but not the worst

Taste overall 9/10 I love the lamb steak here, recommended. Apple&Mango is good too. Service 8/10 the order and food is pretty slow and felt like they needed more staff (maybe because I went there right when it’s open) Cleanness 10/10. Portion with the price 8/10. Vibe 9/10 Good vibe but no internet access and signal at the table inside the restaurant

A quirky pub we found by chance. It's a lot bigger than it looks from outside, so we tried it for lunch and were not disappointed. Had a nice garden area, decent choice of real ales and a selection of food prepared on site that was great value and very tasty. What's not to like?! Guess it is this good because it is slightly outside of the city central honey trap tourist area.

Fabulous fish and chips, good service..... have been back since and just as good ....would thoroughly recommend this pub restaurant

Really nice atmosphere, good service and amazing food. I can’t recall when I had so tasty hamburger last time…

Great pub in Cambridge with gastronomic food. I would say it is less touristic than the Eagle where we went the night before. Food and drinks were really good. I had the steak and it was cooked perfectly as requested. Everyone was happy. I would recommend if you want to have a good dîner and time in Cambridge.

Very cozy, delicious food and friendly staff:)

We have become regulars at the Punter when we visit our family in Cambridge. It was a very good meal as always.

Absolutely terrible service. I've been a repeat customer, coming in for a meal and/or a drink nearly weekly but this will be my last time. The pub was practically empty but even after 25 minutes they could not be bothered to come serve. The food is alright but nothing special - you're paying for location and 'vibes'rather than anything special culinary wise. Service is generally terrible, last time I went they mixed up my friends drinks and time before they were slow to serve a group of us. Given this place plenty of chances but no more, which is a great shame. Luckily Cambridge is not short of good places to eat or drink. Take your custom elsewhere.

The pub is my favourite in Cambridge. It is pretty and has a great atmosphere with delicious food and drink. Highly recommend to everyone. Yesterday I suddenly became unwell and the staff were incredibly kind and caring - they did everything they could to make the situation better for everyone. Thank you so much!

Nice ambience with attentive staff so looked forward to a nice lunch. 3 of us chose fish and chips. Fish was cooked well but unfortunately the chips were so overcooked that getting a fork in them was a real problem. After advising the staff of the problem the 3 plates were removed and after a while replaced with fresh meals. Same issue again! Inedible, needed a steak knife to saw through them. Just ate the fish and advised staff who were apologetic. In the end manager talked to us and said other customers not complained. Maybe people don’t like to complain but if you are paying for something you should expect it to be edible and enjoyable. Businesses should know if there is a problem so they can rectify it.The service charge was removed from bill but frankly we could never recommend the place which is a real shame because we did like it there.

Really disappointed in the customer service. I've been for dinner a few times and I've always felt that I'm inconveniencing the staff by asking to be seated, for a menu, to place an order, etc. I'm writing a review now because last night's service was especially poor, with having to get up twice to ask for items and to order another drink. The bar staff don't want customers coming up to the bar to order but staff also don't come over to the tables to check whether everything's fine with the orders.

Great lunch today as this is one of my favourite places but honestly decide if you are a pub or restaurant. If a restaurant you need to move staffing levels up to deliver drinks promptly and take orders on time and bring food before people start asking about how long it will be. You are charging a service charge...think about it.

We had a great meal, with a nice selection of draught beers and flavourish plates! Very kind and welcoming staff as well!

Staff more interested in flicking their hair and playing on their mobiles. Drinks where OK but so much attitude from the staff don't think I'll be going there again. They need to concentrate on customers rather than their golden locks and chatting amongst themselves.

We only had a coffee but a lovely venue with a very friendly and efficient barman

Great pub with good prices. They have a nice selection of beers and the outdoor area is very pretty

The place is fine but part of the staff is not supportive and rude.

My partner had to send his steak back as it was overcooked and the pepper sauce was very thin and watery. The steak he finally got was definitely cooked better but the quality was very poor and overpriced. We had to pay extra for the vegetables to go with the steak! My salmon and teriyaki noodles was nice but hardly any vegetables in the dish. My wine was pretty vile too and very expensive at £9 a glass. The waitress was very moody and unfriendly and literally dumped our food and drinks on our table. It was my birthday lunch so i am very disappointed that I chose to eat there, I think anywhere else would have been better!

Lovely interesting place to eat, relaxed atmosphere. Food was lovely, service was good, but I didn't appreciate the obligatory service fee added to my bill (and there were only two of us dining, not a huge party). I like to choose when to tip, not be made to. It put a bit of a dampner on our experience

Ci siamo trovati molto bene nei locali accoglienti e ben arredati di questo pub non lontano dal Cam. Abbiamo mangiato una strepitosa patata dolce farcita di feta, avocado e aromi vari e uno schnitzel, che però non ci ha soddisfatti per via dell’aggiunta di una singolare e d inattesa salsa di pomodoro che lo ricopriva. Di qualità anche il tradizionale Fish and Chips, croccante e accompagnato da teneri piselli.

Went this weekend in a group of 12 for a birthday celebration and they couldn’t have been nicer. Such warm friendly people. It’s always been a family favourite and now our friends love it too. The food was excellent as was the service. Couldn’t ask for more.

Lovely place.. friendly staff.. Calamari overcooked and chewy,burger lacked seasoning,chips tasty..

Came for lunch for my Brother’s birthday. Food was great! Generous portion sizes. Staff were brilliant. Will definitely have to come back.

Lovely quirky outside seating area

Tasty roast. But you must book in advance.

We came in without a reservation, got served quicky and had a great meal. The vegetarian offerings were excellent and varied.

Un pub storico, ricco di fascino e di bellezza. Servizio gentile, cucina più che discreta. Situato nella bella Cambridge, è un locale accogliente e piacevole.

Unfortunately, the steak was quite disappointing, we ordered medium rare but it was very well done.

We sat in the Garden room, took 20mins to order drinks, longer to order food, had to go into bar twice to ask for more drinks. Second time I went in three staff just. Stood chatting. No impression of a manager keeping an eye on stuff, no service at all. When I complained they took service charge off. Food was very nice.

Loved The Punter, great food ; ambience

Lovely pub great food, burger was delicious. We would definitely return, took the dog with us too.

This little pub sits further away from the city centre which makes it much quieter. It is lovely on the inside and out in therms of aesthetics. The food was good, although I would say the menu is disappointing to a certain extent. We loved the fish and chips but the other dish could’ve done with more flavour.

beautiful food lovely people nice feel will be back soon

Gorgeous atmosphere on a sunny day. Top service and delicious food. The scotch egg is incredible

12 of us came for a big family birthday, for which we booked the private room. As this is a quirky room in an old barn I had expected it to be cold but the radiators were on full blast and it was pleasantly warm. Staff were fabulous throughout, from booking over the phone, friendly and helpful service on the day and happy to let us linger all afternoon catching up and playing games. They let us bring our own cake and even brought plates and a knife. Oh, and the food was great too! Been here a couple of times before and the quality is consistent. Recommended.

Good food , puppy was made welcome. Sausage and mash very good.

Great pub, one of the best 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.

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.

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.

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.

Excellent food, had a lunch of fish and chips and the chicken schnitzel. Both were very good and generous portions. Staff were lovely, friendly and attentive. Not a drinking pub as it might appear, it is a restaurant serving English pub food. And it does a very good job at this.

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.👌

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

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

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!