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The Kingston Arms, Cambridge
Cambridge
CB1 2NU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Kingston Arms
Last stop on my way back to the station, and absolutely rammed when I called in due to some post-work retirement celebration involving a large group which made it very difficult to move around and get a good feel of the place (although what I saw was appealing). That said, I could reach the bar easily enough and the staff were efficient, so I had a quick Batemans Dark M (£4.80, and in great shape) from one of the seven active handpumps, with the other in the process of being changed. Deservedly popular by the look of things.
On 21st April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Steve of N21 left this review about The Kingston Arms
First time to visit the ‘new’ Kingston Arms since it reopened in March last year as a wet led pub after a period being a Greek restaurant and then being closed. Same internal layout as the old Kingston Arms but this time with 8 real ale pumps on the bar instead of the plethora to compete with the Cambridge Blue of the previous incarnation.
I liked the old one and I liked this one and good to find it being well utilised on an early Friday evening. Nice line up of ale styles as described below and my Blue Monkey Plus 1 IPA was spot on. And as Steve also describes below, any pub where you get free scoff is worth an extra point.
On 14th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2122 recommendations about 2001 pubs]
Steve C left this review about The Kingston Arms
The Kingston Arms is an L-shaped pub with seating across the front windows between the two front entrances. There was a retirement party in progress here during my visit on Friday afternoon last week. As I passed they kindly allowed me to pinch a few sausages from the platter, which saved me having to fork out for a pork pie from the bar. Eight hand pumps are supported, the cask was Tring Brewery’s Side Pocket, Osset’s White rat, Bass, Blue Monkey Brewery’s Plus 1, Windsor & Eton’s Knight of the Garter, Salopian’s Oracle, Batemans’ Dark Mild and Lords Brewery’s Corax Stout. Craft keg was also available from the friendly bar staff who were kept busy by the thirsty crowd. Past the bar up the long right-hand side is access to the picnic table lined beer garden out back. It was just as busy out here with all the tables taken. I liked it in here and would be very happy if my local was anywhere near as good.
On 12th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5268 recommendations about 5236 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Kingston Arms
The Bass glazing and Hewitt’s lanterns (see photos) seem to have arrived since the current operator moved in in 2023, otherwise the interior is largely as described below. It was very busy on our PuG crawl of a Friday at just gone 6.30pm, with a good buzz from a mixed crowd.
The cask lineup amounts to eight, my half of Windsor and Eton’s Koh-I-nor at £2.40 tasting not bad at all and at a fair price.
This is definitely worth a visit, but it’s perhaps a bit too busy for comfort.
On 8th April 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1993 recommendations about 1959 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Kingston Arms
ORIGINAL REVIEW September 2012.
Close to The Cambridge Blue,but I felt it was overshadowed by it's illustrious neighbour despite sporting 13 handpumps.It has a small interior with tables and chairs running along the front windows and the bar occupying the centre left of the building. More bench seating is available by the door to the modest sized rear garden.Mostly pine furniture did not seem to sit well in the cosy interior,and there was a lot of emphasis on food with signs describing sausages of the week,cheese selection,pub grub availability mixed up with some interesting old metal advertising boards.Fairy lights hanging above the front windows completed the jumbled interior.
The ale choice was wide,some obscure micros along with some national real ale brands(TT Landlord,Thornbridge Jaipur)and some handpumps were given over to ciders.Good to see a mild in the shape of Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde,but I felt that possibilty the pub doesn't get the throughput to justify quite so many handpumps.
Worth including on a real ale crawl,but my third choice of the Mill Street holy trinity.
UPDATE
After a period as a restaurant and then closure,this pub reopened a year ago as a wet led ale house,and very good it is at that.The L shaped interior is unchanged,the breweriana very much in evidence and the 8 real ales on during my visit were Windsor & Eton Kohi Noor and Knights of the Garter,Tring Sidepocket,Rat White Rat,Marston's Bass (a permanent),Lords Brewing Corax,Batemans Dark M and Blue Monkey Infinity +1 (NBSS 4).A good range of ales in styles and strengths and a lively boozer atmosphere lead to an upgrade from me.Dont miss this one out when on an ale tour.
On 7th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2730 recommendations about 2730 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Kingston Arms
A traditional backstreet local, with dramatic white arches over the front windows and door. It has been under new ownership since February 2023 (see website for details). One of the front windows has an incongruous Warm Beer etched into it, while another has B&T Ales and Stout, a reference to long-closed Bailey & Tebbutt, who owned many pubs in Cambridge but were closed by Greene King in 1957. Once inside there's a nice atmosphere with plenty of light from those front windows and an attractive bar counter with eight hand pumps. There were six beers on at the time of my Thursday afternoon visit, the manager explaining that there was a tap takeover planned for the weekend so a couple of lines were being kept clear. Their regular beers here are Bass, Ossett White Rat and Tring Side Pocket for a Toad - it was Tring whose beers were going to feature at the weekend. I went for a half of Side Pocket, which was probably in the best condition I've ever had this beer, as it tends to be put on the bar too fresh, but this one was NBSS 4. I came back the next day and had a Bass which was NBSS 3.5. It will be a surprise if this pub is not in next year's Good Beer Guide.
Date of visit: 29th February 2024
On 3rd April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3751 recommendations about 3486 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Kingston Arms
This was our last pub of our Cambridge crawl, so my memory and note taking may be a little hazy, unlike the beer in here I'm glad to say. Real ales were into double figures, and I made no attempt to list them all, but the Gun Milk Stout at £3.60 a pint was a good bet.
It's not the most comfortable pub I've ever been in, - too many backless benches for my taste; modern bar counter, dark green ceiling - but it still rates as a top pub due to the ale selection. It's yet another Cambridge with a well deserved place on any Cambridge crawl
On 23rd October 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Kingston Arms
One fairly open room extending round a central bar, a little dark in décor with lots of French pictures hanging round giving something of a wine bar feel. At the rear is a nice patio garden with lots of potted plants. An excellent range of beers from local brewers and further afield is available and well-kept (Cask Marque accreditation). Beware afternoon closing however.
On 21st May 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3352 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Kingston Arms
A very good pub this one and well worth a visit. This small backstreet pub had a choice of 13 hand pulled ales on our visit. The interior consists of an L shaped room, with mustard coloured painted walls and dark green ceilings. The servery had a pine cladded front, with mahogany counter. There was a lit coal fire in front of the bar on this visit, very welcoming indeed. Seating consisted of tables and chairs along the front windows and some settees dotted around the back. We sat at the front where we noticed a small cardboard box with a cat inside having a snooze, the box said his name was Bear. We went for the Tydd Brewery Neanderthal. Opening times 12-3 5-11 during the week.
On 12th March 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Kingston Arms
This is another back street ale house that has been knocked into one room.
There were what looked like carpet tiles on the floor for a change and bare wooden tables. There was a TV screen but it was turned off. The bar sported twelve hand pumps and a black cat fast asleep at one end of it. There were two ciders available and the beers on offer tended to have a slant in favour of larger micros. I went for a Thornbridge Jaipur IPA (£4.10) which tends to be pricey even in a Spoons. It was in excellent nick.
For the third time on the day I missed out on the CAMRA discount.
This was a much better place than the manic Cambridge Blue around the corner.
On 23rd December 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]