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Detail Pages
Pickerel Inn, Cambridge
Cambridge
CB3 0AF
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about Pickerel Inn
The Pickerel is a bare boarded aged pub with a front bar area where high tables sit in the front windows and a bar counter is found on the right-hand wall. This counter runs up the right to a low ceilinged cosy bar area with more high tables. Seating runs up the left-hand wall from the front to a dining area at the rear that is looked upon by an exposed brick inglenook with burner in the rear wall. The front bar counter supports six hand pumps that were drawing Greene King IPA, Wantsum Brewery’s Heart of Darkness and Miller’s Mirth, Oakham’s Pickerel, Woodforde’s Wherry and the house 1608 Best Bitter. Four more hand pumps are found on the rear bar counter with the addition of GK Future Brewers Spring Break. Premium and craft keg is also available across the two bars. I went for the Pickerel which I didn’t rate. The location of this pub next to the River Cam and a boating/punting quay means that it has to accommodate the tourist crowd, which isn’t great, but people gotta pay the bills. In any other place this pub would be a revisit, but with so many decent boozers around here I think I’ll be walking past when next in the area.
On 10th April 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about Pickerel Inn
A nice old coaching inn - they use the date 1608 for their menu boxes and as the name of their house beer, but as mentioned by a previous reviewer, the frontage is a lot later than that. A corner of the bar counter is in the front room, but some of the beers are on a further section in another room towards the rear. There were eight beers on at the time of my visit - I went for Wantsum Imperium, a pretty good Kentish bitter (NBSS 3.5); see photo for others available. This is a Greene King pub, but only one beer was theirs. I liked it here, though the background music was a bit irritating.
Date of visit: 1st March 2024
On 3rd April 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Pickerel Inn
Quirky old interior with a front and back bar. 10 real ale taps between the 2 bars 4 doubles on the taps.
On 23rd September 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Pickerel Inn
This looks like a late Georgian frontage, which is in light blue brick, with some darker blue paintwork. There is a patio at the back, once called Fisher's Lane, so I guess it was an anglers' area - hence the pub name, possibly? Anyhow, the interior looks older and I believe there are c16th century timbers at the back. There are two areas. The bar is at the front and the back is more for dining - I didn't eat so can't comment on that. The décor is one of cream, brick, wood panel and supporting beams. The bar has a small grate fire, a wood floor and a TV showing silent Olympics. There is a large fireplace at the back and both areas have some nice wood bench seats. The music was general and very quiet. The walls had a few maps, old pictures and the odd stuffed Pike on them. The service was friendly and the clientele mature. Beer; usual tap stuff with Theakston's Old Peculiar, Brains SA, Woodforde Nelson's Revenge and a decent Wherry. I really liked this place and would definitely return.
On 22nd February 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about Pickerel Inn
If The Pickerel is the oldest pub in Cambridge, I see no reason to doubt it. I just wish there was, I don't know, a bit more inspiration about the place. Maybe the lunchtime crowds had all departed by the time we arrived, but we felt no real inclination to stick around ourselves.
The beer range was one of the oddest I've encountered: just Woodforde Wherry and Old Peculier, the latter surely there to appeal to tourists rather than in any expectation of shifting large quantities of strong ale to regulars. No less than 3 ciders as well, although it seemed that there may have been a bit of a cider promotion going on. The local CAMRA magazine suggests that the pub intends to expand the range of ales shortly: I would be investigating the progress of that scheme before returning.
On 17th September 2012
- rating: 4
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Pickerel Inn
This is certainly an old building with low ceilings throughout and two sections,a front bar running along the street frontage with three handpumps and a rear section with more seating and a low entrance to the bar from one side.However the dead hand of a major pubco (Taylor Walker) is revealed in the choice of only two real ales Woodforde's Wherry and Theakston's Old Peculier from the numerous handpumps.Cider fans fared better with three handpulled choices.The corporate menus,insipid musak , a coal affect gas "wood burner" below a sizeable flat screen(off at lunchtime thankfully) all led to a feeling that this pub could be so much better in the hands of an owner who really cares.
Surprised it features in the 2013 GBG ,my visit was pretty brief.
On 14th September 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Pickerel Inn
The Pickerel claims to be the oldest pub in Cambridge, dating from 1608. It certainly looks and feels old, the timber beamed ceiling dips and bends, old wooden boarded flooring and the very low duck through internal doorway hints at age too. Lots of interconnected areas inside, the bar itself is split in two however the bank of five handpumps repeats on each side so not much chance of missing what is on offer. I gather that the Theakston Old Peculiar and Woodforde's Wherry and Norfolk Revenge are regulars. They were supplemented by Pot Belly Aisling and Oakham Bishops Farewell. Watch out though as some of the beers are dispensed using sparklers which may be all well and good for Old Peculiar but less so for the southern brews.
A pickerel is a young pike, and the theme is displayed around the pub with a stuffed pike in a glass case and various musings about the fish and folklore surrounding it written on the walls. The pub itself is located by Magdalene Bridge over The River Cam, so perhaps gets its name from a prevalence of said fish in years gone by?
Very busy indeed on Saturday evening with a mixed clientele of students, townsfolk and visitors but it seems to be de rigeur to share tables. Beyond the bar towards the rear a door leads out to an outdoor courtyard area with some covered seating. Food does appear to be served now, a board advertised a few specials.
On 10th October 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about Pickerel Inn
Old multi-roomed pub right next to bridge over Cam. Two banks of handpumps serving same beers front & rear bar; Woodforde Nelson's Revenge & Headcracker(7%), Oakham Inferno, Salem January Sale. Quite studenty but good homely feel. Not crowded on our early evening visit, one wonders how these houses survive outside term-time.
On 28th January 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Timothy Angliss left this review about Pickerel Inn
Frequented by Magdalene students, has a good selection of real ales reasonably priced (for Cambridge). No food served that I know of. Well worth a visit - if only for the Old Peculiar!
On 24th September 2004
- rating: 8
[User has posted 4 recommendations about 4 pubs]