Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Maypole, Cambridge
Cambridge
CB5 8AF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Steve of N21 left this review about The Maypole
Difficult one to give a rating to for me as I wasn’t that enamoured by the pub itself. The outside vista is pretty unimpressive (for the reasons given below), with the exception of the outside wall mural by the bike racks that depicts the inside of the public bar on the outside. And inside the main public bar gives the feeling of a bland estate pub room, even despite the impressive Maypole mural on the far wall and the large beer chalk board on another. And then the separate lounge bar round the back reminded me more of a media company works canteen with its gaudy coloured seating all set for dining. The one bit of the pub I did like was ironically the covered outside section with its grey tables and chairs seating, which I can imagine is a good spot for a pint on a late evening when all the assorted fairy lights are in use.
What I was very enamoured with however was the impressive drinks offerings and the congenial landlord, who was just about everything you could want in a “mine host”.
On the beer front the bar supports 8 ale pumps and some 12 craft keg taps, and behind the serving bar was one of the most impressive selections of available gins I have ever seen. The available ales for our visit were New River Brewery Blind Poet Porter, Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde Mild, Old Brown Mouse Best Bitter from the Three Blind Mice Brewery, Nene Valley Brewing Chestnut Bitter, Tydd Steam Piston Bob best Bitter, Grain Brewing Oak light Bitter and Oakham’s Citra and Mompessons Gold Amber Ale. So, a good selection of different beer styles handily arranged from dark to golden as you go from right to left on the pumps. This was my first visit here so not sure if that was a permanent thing or I was just lucky, but it was a bloody convenient way of presenting a decent line up.
As mentioned below this free house is family run and the current landlord has taken over the running from his father (of Italian origin, hence the slant of the food menu) and is already grooming his son and daughter for succession. A very good host who informed us that our next pub (The Champion of the Thames) had just been awarded the local CAMRA branch POTY award.
I struggled to score this one but think I should overcome my dislike of the pub interior itself and give it the 8 it’s drinks selection and congenial family ownership probably deserves.
On 12th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Steve C left this review about The Maypole
The Maypole isn’t in the most attractive building, and the adjacent building site also detracts from the aesthetics, however a mural of the bar counter on the front exterior wall informs passers-by of what to expect inside. The interior is L-shaped with a bright and airy front seating area that is faced by the curved bar counter across the rear. A door to the right of the bar counter leads to a rear seating area where the counter runs up the left hand wall. I counted nine hand pumps on the rear bar and eight on the front bar. Available were New River Brewery’s Blind Poet, Mighty Oak Brewery’s Oscar Wilde, Nene Valley Brewery’s Nene Valley Bitter, Tydd Steam Brewery’s Piston Bob, Grain Brewery’s Oak, Oakham’s Citra and Mompesson’s Gold, Three Blind Mice Brewery’s Old Brown Mouse and Weston’s Old Rosie Cider. A craft keg range was also available, as was a pizza menu which sat well with the Mediterranean atmosphere and background music. Up the side of the building is a surprisingly large covered decked area for alfresco eating and drinking. I thought the service was extremely friendly and the Piston Bob was very good. I’d have no hesitation revisiting here.
On 10th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Maypole
Variously known as the Plume of Feathers, this place dates back to the mid-19th century, demolished in the late ‘30s, the frankly rather unappealing current structure is a modern estate-style rebuild of c.1957 for Tollemache – ‘Tolly’ – Cobbold and now family run by the same family since 1982, Don Castiglione presiding over the bar with daughter, both providing a friendly welcome.
There were eight cask options, my New River Blind Poet, more-than-London priced at £2.75 a half and decent enough.
Worth including on a crawl, but with a very modern grey interior it’s a bit too dour to warrant a prolonged stay.
On 8th April 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Graham Coombs left this review about The Maypole
As variously mentioned before, a peculiar (in a good way) backstreet pub with a rather out-of-place 1960s sort of interior, totally redeemed by the splendid selection of beers from the excellent range of cask, through some crafty keg to a long list of Belgian bottles. The third generation Italian family owners do a great job in keeping this a destination pub. The food incidentally is great and authentic, if a little pricey.
On 7th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Maypole
This has to be one of Cambridge's must do real ale pubs. It's a post war rebuild on the site of a much older pub called the Plume of Feathers, according to some photos and information I saw on the wall in the main room. There were eight hand pumps on the bar, and the blackboard nearby listed 15 keg beers too. Perhaps it's the emphasis on food that leads them to close between 2:30 and 5:30pm every day except Saturday, but if you are planning a visit to Cambridge it's best to arrange your pub route with this information in mind. On my first visit here I had Tydd Steam Cashmere, which was NBSS 3.5 when I started on it, but it was a definite 4 by the time I had finished. I returned two days later and had the same beer again (still a 4 - I didn't ask if it was the same barrel) plus Tring Ridgeway bitter (NBSS 3.5). I noticed that all the cask beers were from different breweries, and mostly fairly local too, though I don't know if this is policy or just happenstance.
Date of visit: 28th February 2024
On 3rd April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3734 recommendations about 3471 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Maypole
Although there’s an old building at the heart of this pub you are faced with an awful 1960s side extension, it doesn’t get any better inside. Bland and transport caff-like would probably sum it up. I didn’t see a vast blackboard unless it’s behind the big mural, there’s a blackboard on a window to the side of the counter, there’s also a small one that lists “premium” i.e. expensive cans, and another covert one at the other end of the counter that lists the casks. Looking at previous glowing reviews I thought I had the wrong pub but no that’s it. It certainly wins out on the pump count, 8 hand pumps and 10 crafty kegs, the back room was closed for a graduation party but not much to see there either. Not many complaints about the beer however, the decent quality and the high pump count no doubt gives it a place in the GBG 2022. A lot of outdoor side space is taken up with tables and benches most of which is under cover, a window cum hatch provides service to fresh air lovers. The place is further marred by a building site next door.
On 25th July 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Maypole
I don't think that this pub has changed much, if at all, since previous reviwers' visits, which is a very good thing indeed. The licensees are still Mario and Vincent Castiglione, and the pub is still rightly a GBG regular. There are two separate rooms, with the one at the front a bit more roomy and seemed to be where those wanting something to eat were sitting - or perhaps they avoided the back bar as it was full of CAMRA types on a pub crawl.
There were far too many beers to list (luckily the pub lists them on a board), but I had a pint of the excellent local brew Milton Justinian.
This is a destination pub that should be included on any Cambridge crawl. In fact Cambridge seems to be full of great pubs, and I shall clearly have to pay a return visit to do the place justice.
On 18th October 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Maypole
Just off Jesus Common and tucked away from the tourist hot spots,this pub is now a free house and has been in the capable hands of Mario for 34 years and has just won the local CAMRA pub of the year.You enter into a front room with the interior quite like a canteen,simple furniture and flooring.Check out the vast blackboard to find out what's on from 14 handpumps and 15 keg taps.There is a quieter back room to the side,again simply furnished but functional.Finally there is an upstairs function room used as an overflow for terrestrial sporting events such as rugby and football internationals.Courtyard seating for good weather drinking.
There were too many ales to note fully but there was a lot of Locales and a number of light golden ales on my trip but with a few different ale styles as well.The keg options were often the more pokey ABV choices and again with a mix of styles.Over two sessions I consumed Nene Valley Australian Pale,Crafty Beers Sauvignon Blonde and Grain Smash all in perfect condition on a very hot day.Other brewers featured on the ale line up were Mad Squirrel,Milton and Colchester while the keg line up was even more diverse.
This is a drinking institution in Cambridge popular with a wide cross section of people and it would be a major mistake not to call in when in town.I will most certainly return.
On 15th July 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Maypole
This pub is a little tucked away but well worth seeking out. Almost too many cask beers to choose from! The beers are split across two bars, so worth checking out both before making your choice. One had 9 pumps and the other had 7 or so. I had a half of Simple Stout by Three Blind Mice at £2.25. Seems to be popular with students and was fairly busy at the time of my visit.
The pub seems to have some history and there is a timeline above the rear bar of who the various owners have been over the years. Found it quite interesting to look at while supping by drink.
Definitely one to seek out.
On 17th May 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Maypole
This looks like a post war build pub and is definitely one I hadn't been to before. It's tucked away by the entrance to a multi-storey car park. The building seems to be split into three with a "public" bar to the right a "saloon" bar to the left and an off licence room in the middle. I went in the "public" bar which was a small wooden floored room with a bar on one side and a few tables and chairs. As the owner is of Italian origin the food served has an Italian slant.
The bar is dominated by eight hand pumps which included two Mauldon's beers, Church End Fallen Angel, Three Blind Mice Simple Simcoe Says and Grain Winter Ash. I later spotted a board with more beers that were on in the distant "saloon" bar.
I went for the Fallen Angel (£4.10) which is expensive but I failed to look up the 20p CAMRA discount which would have eased the pain slightly.
The prices are off-putting here but there is a big selection of beers to choose from and no national brands that I could see.
On 22nd December 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]