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The Hopbine, Cambridge

Fair Street
Cambridge
CB1 1HA

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Malden man left this review about The Hopbine

This is a large L-shaped side street pub close to Midsummer Common and having boarded floors and Georgian style windows. The bar is in the crook of the "L" as you enter, a few on, Craft Academy Reprezent, Tring Squadron Scramble plus also Whirl Wind, Rocket Vostok Stout, Boudicca Three Tails Bitter, Crafty Carpenters Cask and Hallet's Blindfold cider. A line up worthy of a stand out pub which also stands out due to being painted orange! There is also a fridge full of craft cans and bottles and a considerable selection of rums.
The interior is pleasing with wainscoted walls to the front area and decent two thirds height wood panelling to the rear where there is also a nice stained glass rooflight.
I liked the ambience, a very mixed clientele who all seemed to rub along together, a great music soundtrack, source unknown but I didn't think it was a jukebox.
Food is served, decent prices, there are board games and books plus deals such as "Thirsty Thursday" when there is 50p off a pint of real ale. The 10% CAMRA discount is prominently displayed and was mentioned at the point of sale too. A deserved 2019 CAMRA GBG entry whatever your views, this is a gem of a pub worthy of seeking out.

On 29th September 2018 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rob Hunter left this review about The Hopbine

My memory of this place is fairly limited, other than the fact I came across it by accident after walking the wrong direction back to my hotel. Needless to say I ended up calling in for a swift half! I had Wilbraham by Crafty Beers, a reasonable bitter.

On 17th May 2018 - rating: 7
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Aqualung . left this review about The Hopbine

This is a free house that is an open plan room with the bar centrally situated and wooden floorboards in the areas around it. At the far end on the right hand side is what appeared to be a dining room that was taken up by what looked like a Xmas party.
On the bar there were as far as I could see just four hand pumps holding a 7.5% cider, the 7.0% Milton Mammon and Brewster's Aromantica & Ho Ho Ho. Perched on the far end of the bar were three firkins that I was told were empty but seemed to have proper cooling systems applied to them. I have no idea why these barrels were there rather than having the beer in the cellar, maybe they don't like the task of cleaning the lines.
This was the second pub of the day that I missed out on the CAMRA discount!
I went for the Ho Ho Ho (£3.60) which was in excellent condition and turned out to be a very drinkable Xmas ale.
This was a pleasant enough pub and I'd love to know what was going on with the gravity dispense.

On 22nd December 2014 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


paulof horsham left this review about The Hopbine

Owing to Cambridge's weird reticence on afternoon drinking, we needed a pub open at 4:30 and The Hopbine fitted the bill nicely (although the map-reading had us there 5 minutes later than intended). Pretty large inside: to the right of the bar it's mainly carpets, tables and chairs; to the left, the drinking is more vertical. While not all the pumps were in use on our visit, the barman was spot on with friendly advice regarding the choice of the 4 or 5 available and the beer quality couldn't be faulted.

Definitely one to add the long list of candidates for a city pub crawl.

On 17th September 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 449 recommendations about 421 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hopbine

The pub has moved on since it's GK tie,it's now a freehouse but still retains a somewhat corporate interior.You enter with the bar infront of you and there are three lots of double handpumps so it is worth walking around the counter to see what's on.The choice on our visit was Buntingford Polar Star (in very good nick),City of Cambridge Hobsons Choice,Priory Mild,Oakham JHB and Citra with a cider on the sixth pump.
The interior is open plan and carpeted with, at the rear, a large raised wood panneled section populated by dark wooden tables and chairs.There was a bit of musak playing and the obligatory (in Cambridge at least) large collection of board games.
Although the interior lacked the charm of many of the street corner pubs in the area,the presence of Oakham ales in the guest list is a noteable positive.I would pop back to see what's on at the bar if engaging in beer tourism in the locality.

On 14th September 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Alan Winfield left this review about The Hopbine

This is a decent looking pub that had two rooms i went in the lounge and this was quite smart and comfortable.
This is a Greene King tied house and there were two real ales on the bar i had a drink of Greene King IPA and this was a dcent drink the other beer was GK Abbot.
I thought this was quite a nice pub.

Pub visited 17/6/1989

On 17th June 1989 - rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]