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The Orator, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

The Orator

4.2 (533)
£26 to £40
Contemporary British
The Orator, Round Church Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB5 8AD

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Good for groups
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
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary British, Fusion / Eclectic, Beer Garden
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Wed 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • 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.
  • Neighborhood
    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, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 533 people are saying

The Orator reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.2
4.2 based on recent ratings
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Good for business meals

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Innovative

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

    Great for fine wines

  • Cambridge

    Best Ambiance

  • Cambridge

    Good for business meals

  • Cambridge

    Innovative

  • Cambridge

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Cambridge

    Hot spot

  • Cambridge

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Orator offers a delightful dining experience with "fantastic food," "very helpful" staff, and a "great location in the city centre." Perfect for both informal and special occasions, it boasts a lovely garden and a "great vibe." While there are occasional service hiccups, the warm atmosphere and attentive service make it a standout choice.
533 Reviews
  1. Joanne Allen

    Oxford/Oxfordshire10 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was tasty but rather overpriced for what it was. My daughter ordered a burger and chips, priced at a hefty £19. She asked for no onions, but when it came we had to send it back as it came with onions in it, and peppers instead of the tomatoes listed on the menu (my daughter can’t eat peppers). The staff member did deal with it well though, and took it off the bill. I ordered the quinoa, goats cheese and sweet potato salad, which although tasty, was very small for the £14 price tag. The garden is a pleasant place to eat, but you’re only able to order a limited menu at the bar if you want to sit outside, and although there is a QR code on a board provided for ordering drinks, it has been placed right by the door into the bar, which is quite a long way from most of the outdoor seating. Overall I enjoyed the experience and the food and probably will go again and perhaps try the larger indoor menu next time.
    The OratorResponded 1 day ago
    Thank you for the feedback Joanne, and we do hope that you will try us again for a more improved visit. Besy wishes, The Orator team

    Is this helpful?

  2. Beverley

    Cambridge/Cambridgeshire1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Unhurried lunch of drinks, mains and dessert. Everyone enjoyed their choices. Very polite service, and helpful advice with regard to allergies. Local produce including a good gin for everyday g&ts. The garden looked lovely but too hot for us the day we visited. Would definitely recommend for informal dining or a special occasion.

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  3. John

    Norfolk/Suffolk2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent lunch, well prepared and served. Very good price
    The OratorResponded on June 23, 2025
    Thank you for the great review John, we hope to see you soon. Best wishes, The Orator team

    Is this helpful?

  4. Astrid

    London4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    As ever, we enjoyed a lovely dining experience for Father's Day. We decided quite late, but everything was fine, especially the complimentary espresso martinis! Maybe a small comment on the food - the beef croquettes were very nice and moist, but would have benefited from an extra zing of horseradish.

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  5. monique

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    food was excellent and staff were so helpful, thank you for a great fathers day lunch
    The OratorResponded on June 23, 2025
    Many thanks for the great feedback Monique, we are delighted to have helped you celebrate a special day! Best wishes, The Orator team

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  6. Carol

    London6 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The staff were attentive and helpful. The food was awful! I was also upset that on a beautiful day, those eating from the full menu (and spending more money) cannot eat outside!
    The OratorResponded on June 23, 2025
    I am sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your visit Carol. We run a reduced outdoor menu due to the capacity of our garden, and to enable our team to provide great service for our guests. It is simply not possible outside unfortunately. We do hope that you will try us again. Best wishes, Claire Hey, Restaurant and Catering manager

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  7. Rosalind

    Cambridge/Cambridgeshire1 review

    4.0

    Dined on June 3, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Lovely place. It was quiet, so not much atmosphere. We were ignored on arrival and we had to ask for menus and water, but once engaged, the service was fine. We were in a hurry and service was prompt. Food quality was good, and it was presented nicely.
    The OratorResponded on June 9, 2025
    Thank you for your feedback Rosalind, we hope to see you soon for a 5 star service! All the best, The Orator team

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  8. Cindy

    London4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    No check back on food, no one asked if we wanted more drinks, we had to ask when they cleared food plates away. Food was a bit bland.. the bavette steak was a really weird texture- not like steak at all. A bit disappointing really. Probably better for cocktails and bar snacks
    The OratorResponded on May 28, 2025
    Hi Cindy, we are sorry to hear that your visit didn't meet our usual standards, I have passed the feedback onto our team members. We hope to see you again for an improved visit. Best wishes, The Orator team

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  9. Katie

    Greater Boston1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 23, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    some hits and misses. ambience was nice, service took a long time. some nice dishes but the creme brulee was inedible
    The OratorResponded on May 28, 2025
    Thank you for your feedback Katie, and we are very sorry that your experience wasn't a wholly positive one. This isn't the standard that we wish to achieve. We hope to welcome you back soon for a better visit. Best wishes The Orator team

    Is this helpful?

  10. Steve

    Cambridge/Cambridgeshire3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Had lunch with friends at the Orator. The service was very good with no pressure to order. The food arrived in good time and was very good well prepared and presented. I would recommend the Orator for lunch.
    The OratorResponded on May 28, 2025
    We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your visit Steve, and hope to see you again soon! Best wishes, The Orator team

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Orator is rated 4.2 stars by 533 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Cambridge/Cambridgeshire
  4. Cambridge
  5. Cambridge

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 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.
  • Neighborhood
    Cambridge
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Wed 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary British, Fusion / Eclectic, Beer Garden
  • 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, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • 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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