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The Orator, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

The Orator

4.1
4.1
481 Reviews
£25 and under
Contemporary British

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2 people
19:00
Booked 14 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
Nothing delights quite like The Orator, serving up contemporary British food, cocktails, beer and wine. Set in a stunning Victorian gothic venue with high ceilings bathed in swathes of natural light.

We can offer private dining for up to 20 in our private Dining Room used to host guests of the Cambridge Union Society, recently including Dua Lipa and Robert de Niro. For larger groups, we have a number of different rooms throughout the venue to cater for any occasion.
Speak to our events team at enquiries@theoratorcambridge.co.uk for more information on all private hire options.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary British, British, Cafe Dining
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 09:00–23:00 Fri, Sat 09:00–00:00 Sun 11:00–23:00
  • Phone number
    01223 417142
  • Payment Options
    Cash not accepted
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    We have a number of small and large event spaces available to hire. Contact us at enquiries@theoratorcambridge.co.uk for more information.
  • Area
    Cambridge
  • Cross Street
    Hidden behind the Round Church, between Bridge Street and Park Street.
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 481 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1
4.1 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 3.8Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.9Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Good for business meals

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Child-friendly

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Innovative

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Hot spot

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Great for fine wines

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Romantic

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Cambridge

    Best Ambience

  • Cambridge

    Great for brunch

  • Cambridge

    Good for business meals

  • Cambridge

    Child-friendly

  • Cambridge

    Innovative

  • Cambridge

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Cambridge

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Cambridge

    Great for fine wines

  • Cambridge

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Cambridge

    Romantic

  • Cambridge

    Vegetarian-friendly

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Orator boasts a "great atmosphere" with live music and a delightful garden setting, perfect for sunny days. Known for "superb dining experiences," it offers quality food like "about the best smash burger" and a "classy bar menu." While service can be inconsistent, the charming ambiance and friendly staff make it a worthy visit.

481 Reviews
  1. Rosanne

    Bath

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely food and great service for the young man who neither said please or thank you and largely ignored us through the process of paying. He may be having an ‘off’ day but he also took the shine off what would have been a 5 star lunch. Will try again.

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  2. Nicole

    Cambridge

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 22 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great environment, wonderful food and lovely singer for the evening.

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  3. Neil

    Kent

    19 reviews

    3.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    A lovely team of staff and very quick and efficient service, a trifle noisy for our taste, very convenient location just off the main centre of Cambridge
    The OratorResponded on 17 November 2024
    Hi Neil, Many thanks for your honest review, it is great to hear that our team looked after you well. Hopefully you will visit us again Best wishes, The Orator Team

    Is this helpful?

  4. Howard

    London

    38 reviews

    4.0

    38 reviews

    Dined on 27 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The Orator was a great choice for a relaxed family family lunch. The main attraction was its large, airy and gracious dining room: high-ceilinged and flooded with light on a sunny Sunday. It was also not super busy. Perhaps Cambridge has not yet cottoned on to what a nice place this is. Food was pretty good, wine was fairly priced and, all in all, it made a very agreeable change from The Ivy.
    The OratorResponded on 17 November 2024
    Hi Howard, Many thanks for your feedback, we look forward to welcoming you back soon, and will strive for 5 stars next time! Best wishes, The Orator Team

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  5. Thomas

    London

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 26 October 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    I arrived early to have some drinks at the bar. I was on crutches so I wasn’t able to stand around so the staff told me to wait by the entrance in a seat. We were then totally forgotten about for 50 minutes and then ended up just getting out table. The staff were apologetic but no goodwill gesture was made. Service was the rest of the evening was very slow.
    The OratorResponded on 17 November 2024
    Hi Thomas, I am sorry to hear of your experience on your recent visit to The Orator. This is not the service we aim to provide. We take all feedback seriously, and please be assured, I will investigate this further. Best wishes, Claire Hey Restaurant and Catering Manager

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  6. Sally

    London

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 12 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Service seemed a little slow. Took a while to get our initial drinks. Main course was delicious. Dessert very disappointing but was deducted from the bill. Lemon posset was like rubber. Very poor. Saying that surroundings were lovely, would try again
    The OratorResponded on 17 November 2024
    Hi Sally, Thank you for your honest review. We look forward to welcoming you back soon for a 5 star experience ! Best wishes The Orator Team

    Is this helpful?

  7. Binks

    London

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 6 October 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    The venue is very comfortable and attractive. There was plenty of space for couples/families etc. The starters were good. Lovely breads. The side order salad was very poor - basically what seemed like bowl of washed leaves with a very soapy dressing (not very Sumac IMHO). Other dishes were satisfactory though not overly well presented. Whilst the staff were friendly, they seemed very inexperienced ie not offering high chairs etc. The service was a bit too slow. But must emphasise they were thoroughly pleasant but seemed to lack training.
    The OratorResponded on 17 November 2024
    Thank you for your feedback, which we will take on board and improve. We hope you will visit us again for an improved experience. Best wishes, The Orator Team

    Is this helpful?

  8. Stacy

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 28 September 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    The venue is fantastic! Modern but classic and spacious. Such a great looking restaurant but it is let down massively by slow and unattentive service. We waited more than 5 minutes to be seated while queue started to grown out the door for people just wanting to get a table. Once seated, even with a reservation, we waited a while for someone to come to take a drinks order. Even worse, tables on either side of us, who came after us, were served and had paid before someone even came to clear our table. The unattentive service was appalling. The food was mediocre at best. The crispy gnocchi is an interesting concept and well presented but sadly lacks any sort of flavor. The flatbreads are good but the bread gets soggy quickly so be prepared to eat fast or have cold and soggy bread. We had high hopes for this place but sadly it was disappointing in many ways.

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  9. Bernadette

    Essex

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 13 September 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Simple menu, great food, great service and love the ambiance.

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  10. Daniel

    Cambridge

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 September 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellant food, nice location, history, good drinks, warm and friendly. What’s more to like.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Orator is rated 4.1 stars by 481 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 14 times today
Google Map for The Orator

The Orator, Round Church Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB5 8AD

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Hidden behind the Round Church, between Bridge Street and Park Street.
  • Area
    Cambridge
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 09:00–23:00 Fri, Sat 09:00–00:00 Sun 11:00–23:00
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary British, British, Cafe Dining
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    Cash not accepted
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    01223 417142
  • Private party facilities
    We have a number of small and large event spaces available to hire. Contact us at enquiries@theoratorcambridge.co.uk for more information.
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