The Box Room Board Game Café in Cambridge

I came here with my son and didn't know what games to play but the staff were very helpful in terms of recommending different games. One of them even took the time to teach us how to play one that we now both love.

We were given a gift voucher for The Box Room and it was great fun. Really good coffee too!

It all felt quite indifferent. I can't say we got much of a welcome or service. We were told 'your table's over there. We sat down but no one came over to ask about games or food. Eventually we picked our own game and found someone to order drinks from. They came and were ok. About an hour later we were asked if we wanted to order anything else. We were in the middle of a game so we said, maybe later. But they took the menu away so we couldn't. We finished our game and left at that point. Not sure we'll bother going back.

Fun place!! A great collection of games

The selection of games is great and the staff and are knowledgeable about them to help explain the rules. We ordered pizza, burgers & hotdogs for lunch; I wouldn't go there for the food as it's not great! Overall, I will definitely go back as we had great fun! It was perfect for 6 of us and plenty of 6 player games to choose from.

Initially cold in the basement, but as more people gathered in there it became more pleasant. We didn't eat here, only had a drink or two and enjoyed being together with friends.

Great cafe with more games than you could ever play!

Nice place and the bar staff were lovely but I didn't enjoy the event they hosted in the basement. Not welcoming to newcomers at all. I went by myself - very out of my comfort zone as I'm quite shy - but felt very awkward like I was interrupting a friend group's game night. The guy explaining the game (not sure if he runs the event or just a customer) didn't seem pleased he had to explain the game and didn't seem to want me there. The event details stated there's an instructor so I imagine it was him? I decided to play the game we played my own way because I had no clue what I was doing, and felt awkward to ask questions. I left after one hour and was ignored as I said goodbye so I won't be returning. If you decide to go, bring a friend with you so you're not out of place, although I'd suggest you just grab a table upstairs. The basement is also very stuffy, not great when people are coughing all the time.

Tried this for the first time. Good fun. 6of us for some lunch and a couple of hours of relaxing entertainment. Tried a couple of new games and purchased both after from the extensive stock of new games. Service was friendly and informative. Food well prepared and tasty. Probably worth booking at weekend. Will be back Another visit Nov 24 Busy Sunday menu has changed but new pizzas are good. Gaming was fun

Great place, but was made to wait 10 minutes for our booked table and then were given the bill 20 minutes before our slot was meant to end, so felt a bit rushed out. Still would recommend as a great thing to do in Cambridge.

A great place to spend a couple of hours. Large selection of games to choose from. A coffee and a few nibbles while you play , perfect.

A great place to chill with friends/family. Good variety of board games and doesn’t cost that much. If you love playing board games, it’s the place to visit.

Great board game cafe with lots of games to choose from and great drink choices.

Very accommodating gentleman, props to him.

We hired out the basement room for a private party and it was excellent. Plenty of games to choose from for all ages. Great food. They were very good catering for dietary requirements - happy to check ingredients, gf bread available and dairy free hot chocolate and milkshakes.

Fabulous first time experience. Booked for 2 hours which flew by with friends. Great setting to meet and catch up with friends. Only tried the fries so can't comment on the food but there was a good selection. Can't wait to return!

Loved my first time at the Box room. The atmosphere was quite chill. Everyone seemed really into their different games and were happy. I certainly was. Planning to go back with friends soon; and hopefully for a longer period next time. We only ordered drinks so can’t say anything about the food. As this is located in the city centre, parking can be quite difficult to find depending on what day of the week it is.

Great and massive selection of board games. If you need help with learning a new game, the staff will teach you. The toasties are awesome! Wednesdays with Carl at the helm is excellent value and a good way to learn new games.

Always friendly helpful and supportive team. Food is great and large drinks selection. Over 500 games to play great to play with friends. Although Wednesday night Carl hosts an event in the basement room where he is super patient and a great game teacher always supportive and patient. A brilliant night out and highly recommended.

Our first visit, and we had a great time. The food is really good versions of comfort food, and the staff were brilliant.

Good place, great selection of games, well used but maintained! The food was okay, though limited which is understandable. The milkshake was particularly good! Will definitely go again! Also we won pandemic on normal, that's worth a star in it's self!

The selection of games is great and so is atmosphere. Yet too many instruction book pages or play pieces are broken and/or missing. Drinks prices are insane and services terribly unprofessional.

The perfect place to meet, have a chat, eat, drink, play some games and generally have a lovely time.

Came on a trip from the US to visit my friends in the UK and we decided to stay at this spot for a little. It’s a very nice spot to hangout at and it seems they have events here and there. Someone had even reserved the whole store so we were kindly let know of to leave after 2 hours. I asked the store staff to surprise me with a drink, and I’ve received a little chocolate drink of sorts. It was very enjoyable as chocolate drinks are one of my favorites. They had a wide assortment of games which, some more rare than others. It’d definitely be a personal hangout spot of mine if I were a local to the area.

How did I wait so long to come here? Great selection of games, very chilled vibe, great food and drink plus friendly attentive service. Had a great afternoon here with my teenage daughters trying out new games and enjoying the toasties.

Probably my favourite places to go in Cambridge.

The Box Room Board Game Café is an absolute gem for anyone looking to enjoy a fun and relaxed atmosphere with friends or family. The café boasts an extensive collection of board games, catering to all tastes and skill levels, whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore board game enthusiast. The staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, always ready to recommend the perfect game and explain the rules if needed. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, making it the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy hours of entertainment. The menu is impressive as well, offering a great selection of snacks, drinks, and light meals that are delicious and reasonably priced. Whether you’re looking for a unique date night, a fun outing with friends, or just a place to escape and dive into the world of board games, The Box Room is the place to be. I can’t recommend it highly enough – it’s a must-visit for anyone who loves board games or is looking for a new favorite hangout spot!

This place is awesome. Great selection of games, food and drinks at very reasonable prices

Absolutely loved it! They have so many games - it is honestly hard to choose! Moreover, the prices are cheap. It is 2 pounds per person per hour if you order food. So honestly, a bargain. I recommend the waffles, they were super good and they also have an offer for 1+1.

Everything was great, very friendly and helpful staff, ready to explain any board game. A huge library of board games of all types and great atmosphere.

Lovely few hours playing through the great selection of games. A great board game cafe

Well stocked with games to buy or rent for the day. Sanjay is very attentive, kind and thoroughly dedicated to customer service.

Fun, friendly, and well-stocked boardgame café, with a lovely atmosphere and a good range of food and drink and gaming options.

Always a brilliant place to spend a few hours! The customer service is excellent, the food and drinks are very tasty and the selection of board games is excellent. A brilliant way to spend a Birthday if you enjoy cake and a board game!

This place is overcharging. I have been there twice and both times they have overcharged me and my friends. They don't account for the breakdown of what they have charged you. If you ask they will get defensive. Do not go to they massively overcharge. £66 for 2 hours of games and drinks!

I love the cafe and always have fun going there, I’d say it’s my favourite spot in Cambridge. I’ve been a couple of times though where there have been very large parties that have booked multiple tables out and have made it very noisy. As someone with autism (and id imagine other customers as well) this is quite difficult and I think it would be a great idea to have a quiet area or time of the day where you can book and know it will be a relaxing experience. Other than this it’s a great place ◡̈

It's a great setup. There's little to argue there. You'll enjoy yourself. The food is as you'd perhaps expect for a board game cafe - not it's focus, not it's strong suit. Drinks the same. My only watch out is you'll need a good airing afterwards as the hot food is cooked on the ground floor behind the bar. And isn't ventilated anywhere but into the main room. Took 3 days for my clothes to lose the smell. Am I going back? Of course.

Wonderful place. Plenty of games to play. Staff were very friendly and kind. Great place to have a few drinks and chill out. Highly recommend.

Having frequented a few games cafe’s, this one is pretty decent! They have lots of games available, big size tables, and very helpful, great staff. I would say the venue is rather small and did lack some atmosphere, I’d have loved some music playing, and some decor in the building. Drinks/snacks prices were high, but given the low cost of entertainment, I’d say it’s not too off.

Took the kids here after they finished school and to mark the start of the summer break. We had a great time and while only booked for 2 hours, we stayed for 3. My children are 5 and 8 and there were plenty of games that both of them could play. We played Stomp the Plank, Dino SOS, Hide the Slug and Sosig (which we also purchased from the sale area!) We got there at 12:30 and it was really empty which worked fine for us and the staff helped us choose games (as they always do) and the kids then found the confidence to go and find more to try out. Next time, I must ask the lovely staff their names so I can mention them here. I'm not the biggest fan of cheese toasties but the kids think this is great and the air-fryer chips too. The food bill racks up fairly quickly so think about food before you go there. We had planned to eat there so no surprises for us. I don't have any photos without my kids but I'll try and take some next time! Overall, a great place for screen-free entertainment for children and adults alike.

Amazing board game place. Very friendly staff and nice environment for couple/group board games.

I have never seen so many board games!! So much choice and all sorted by genre and age. Even games for littlees. They have a purchase section as well. We had lunch there, not so good. My chicken and mozzarella toastie was thin cut prepacked chicken very disappointing. Even prepacked thicker chicken would have been better. Burgers for the rest of the group were disappointing as well. The chips were soggy, as if done in the microwave. Next time, we'd eat elsewhere and just book to play games. Great place for the games, food not so......

Great selection of games, and good food.

The place to go with friends for a great time out. Great food, lovely atmosphere and excellent service. We’ll definitely be coming back !!

We had a team session here, and loved it. Such lovely staff and a great variety of games. Will definitely come back! The Oreo milkshakes were amazing!

Love going here with the kids to while some time away and spend some quality family time together, away from the electronics. Would have loved it as a place for a date, or just to spend time, as a student too.

Fantastic board game cafe with an excellent collection and menu. So glad Cambridge finally has one of these.

Best chocolate and banana cake I’ve ever had. Oh, and fab games too. Thanks!!

Good atmosphere and date idea or even just a getaway from daily life hustle. Reasonably priced and super helpful staff as well

I had a nice experience at the box room board game cafe. They have got a good variety of board games and an extensive menu of non-alcoholic beverages (and some local beers). On the downside, the vibe is not as cool or interesting as the vibe of other board game cafes I have been to in the past. I also found the fees a bit too expensive (especially if you are planning to also eat and drink there). The kitchen area needs a better extractor fan, as the entire place was smelling like fried food (and my clothes were still smelling like toasties when I got home).

The service is so bad and it’s so expensive, they wasn’t clear about the prices and charged us so much, we just play 20 minutes more and charged us the whole hour

Great place, great staff, great food. The staff are particularly friendly and are happy to offer great suggestions of games to play or buy. Walked in for a look, left with 2 games. Oops.

Had a great time! Great selection of games to play and the staff were very polite :)

Been going on a Friday with group I run with disabilities and staff are so friendly and patient with them. Also go on the Wednesday meet mingle event and been loving them from the start.

Fun couple of hours. Should have booked but will be better organised next time.

This is such a LOVELY place. The people that run it are extremely nice and smiley 😊 and that is a long way!!! The price is very fair, the food and drinks are varied, fun and actually really good. It is so so wonderful to be able to socialise with friends in a fun place like this. Good for all sorts of ages and gamers. I'm not much of a board game kinda girl but this place has fun chill laid back options too. I have loved my few visits.

As ever, friendly and welcoming - excellent (gluten free!) toasted sandwiches. Great range of games, just the right level of helpful comments.

Really great selection of games to choose from and good prices to actually sit down and play. Lovely tea and coffee, although food seemed a little on the pricey side. Really friendly staff and a welcoming environment. Worth a visit.

Great place to send time with friends and or family. Huge selection of board games all well maintained, and the staff is ready to help. Coffees where good too.

Great cafe, lots of fun games and reasonable prices, just wish the staff was a little less overbearing sometimes.

We had a fantastic evening here. There are so many games to choose from and at £2 per hour when you order food/drink I think it was fab value. We only had drinks but they came quickly each time. The staff were very friendly. We were lucky to walk in and get a table but I would definitely recommend booking!

Cool place, terrible service! Went here with a group of friends, would definitely recommend for a fun night of board gaming! Food is pretty decent (toasties etc) but the service is so poor. Food and drinks take soo long and arrive at strange times (people got food before my first drink). When I complained about the time for my second drink the manager came over to our table and shouted at me! Very rude and unprofessional, really ruined the experience. All in all, good for board game vibes, awful as a bar/restaurant.

Food orders were spaced far apart, drinks weren't arriving after last orders, we went to enquire and the manager came over and shouted at us and cut us off from any further food or drink, and refused to give us the rest of what we had previously ordered, for daring to ask for the drinks we ordered which we could see sitting on the counter for 7 minutes. The response was disproportionate to the request and extremely unprofessional; particularly considering the slow arrival time generally. This was not the first bad experience with the service here, but it will likely be the last. Good array of board games and a reasonably nice atmosphere, shame the staff bring down this review drastically. Having spent a lot of time at board game cafes across three continents I've come to know that these institutions live and die by the staff and the sense of community they cultivate, and in this crucial area this store is unfortunately profoundly lacking.

Great way to spend a couple of hours in Cambridge! Staff are friendly, food is decent in both portions and prices, and very reasonable charge to play (£2/£3 per person, per hour). Lots of game choices, for different group sizes/interests and games are in good condition. Definitely worth booking - gets busy quickly!

Very good selection of games to play. They are in good condition and rarely missing pieces. You can buy new games. You can bring your own games. The service is excellent. Staff have often played many of the games themselves. The food and drink is a nice accompaniment to the gaming, in sensible portion sizes too. The general atmosphere is positive and relaxed.

Went to the Box Room a couple of times as a treat for my daughter. We had so much fun, a very clean cafè, lovely staff and plenty of games to choose from. Will definitely come back again. Perhaps could expand a bit the menu for fussy younger kids.

Dev, can I request: 1) "Can't Stop" as a terrific lightweight game to include in your cafe? 2) and "Gaia Project" or "Terra Mystica" to be added as heavier Euro games? Thanks for you and your family/staff's nice hospitality whenever we visit

Visited with my daughter and played Raptor and the game of life. Both we have not played. Such array of games and so busy, which is lovely to see. Staff are helpful.

Best place for board games I have ever been. Super nice and friendly staff!!!

Fun experience. Good prices. Lots of different types of board games!

A great local Boardgames cafe, with a great selection of games.

We recently visited as a team and had a great time playing games in this relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Great selction of board games to play and staff with excellent knowledge of the games. The experience was great value for money, especially the games and drinks. Only reason for 4 rather than 5 stars is the food. They do offer some simple hot snack food which was ok, but the wait was too long

Very busy resulting in slow service (an hour for cheesy fries) for example. Staff are very friendly however, they just seemed understaffed for the volume of people. We also found a few of the popular games have become grubby and need replacing which has surely been factored into the cost model. It is a shame as in the past it has been great but this day was extremely busy and not as enjoyable.

I think it needs some drawers or baskets or hooks under the tables for your belongings and it can get really loud because there are no sound dampening on the walls (maybe foam panels on the walls would help). In general they have a very good selection of board games - prime tier.

Great place spend many an afternoon here

Lovely staff and a great selection of games. Highly recommend and can't wait to go again!

Excellent range of games and nice atmosphere. We walked in and were able to play for 3 hours but next time I would probably book just to be sure.

Great café for board game nerds, with a great selection including some very up-to-date and current games. Reasonable pricing as well. The venue is however somewhat ill-kept, especially the toilets and general organisation when I had a table booked (had to kick someone off a table for our reservation which felt bad for those on the table - as I imagine it would be marked as reserved). I also requested a quieter table due to my poor hearing but that was forgotten about. Edit: The operational manager reached out to me to explain the situation and what happened since they said they sat us at the quietest bit of the café, and the couple who were kicked off were aware we had reserved the table. I still maintain the thought of better communication to us but this has given me a little more piece of mind. (moved from 3->4 stars)

An excellent experience all round! From booking online (quick, easy and user friendly) to the café itself (clean and organised with a great atmosphere), I was really impressed. They have a huge choice of games, and the staff are helpful. I didn't try the food myself but I got no complaints from my teens. We'll definitely be back.

Really enjoyed the visit with my 6 year old son, plenty of games for younger children. Attentive staff for food and drinks, everything came quickly.

Atmosphere is relaxed, and the hot chocolate is simply amazing. The staff were friendly and helpful, creating a welcoming vibe. With a diverse game collection, it's a perfect spot for a laid-back hangout. Totally recommend checking it out!

Cambridge board games cafe is a gem! The atmosphere is lively, and the staff are super cool. They've got a bunch of games – perfect for a fun night out. Highly recommend, five stars!

Just had an awesome experience at the Cambridge games cafe! I found the place cozy with a cool vibe. The food is wonderful. The staff are friendly, and there is a great variety of games. Definitely recommend for a chill hangout. Will definitely be returning next month!

Atmosphere was excellent, they let us stay an hour past to when we reserved, the drinks were great; don't get the nachos.

Went here with family during the Christmas break. Booked a table for 2 hours. Very welcoming and a great atmosphere. Huge selection of games and knowledgeable staff. Would definitely recommend!

Warm welcome, nice environment, great shakes!

great cafe, staff are very friendly :) played a fun game called ‘what next?’ - a choose your own path game with fun little mini games too !

Cute cosy cafe, wide selection of board games. They have a nice menu filled with assorted coffees, cakes and sandwich toasties. Would recommend anytime of the year. The staff were friendly and made the entire stay welcoming. I recommend booking a table before hand.

Massive selection of games to choose from, food and drink are reasonable prices, staff friendly and helpful.100% worth booking a table with friends and testing a board game out before you buy.

A regular visitor to the Box cafe - you will not be disappointed. Friendly service, a lifetime supply of games, great.toasted sandwiches and coffee/beer/shakes. Definitely worth booking because this place fills up! Sat downstairs this time - despite no windows it still has a great gamers vibe.

Good to play board games and trading cards too.

Fun, intimate cafe with a great selection and friendly staff

Great little place to spend a few hrs with friends, family or a date. Unless you know the games beforehand, be aware you could spend up to an hr reading rules on how to play so it may benefit doing some research on games you want to play on their website. They do food and drink and half a downstairs with more tables. Can stay up to 3 hrs.

Really enjoy this place (especially the sticky bun on my last visit!). Big selection of games. Whenever we have asked staff for suggestions they are very helpful and are clearly enthusiastic and experienced around their game collection.

This was our first time at the box room but not our first board game cafe. We had booked a table but still had to wait, they were very busy so this may well have been a one off. We were seated and then a staff member came and took our drink and food orders. The drinks arrived very quickly. Alot of choice for the games, split in to 5 sections. If you are new to board games, I'd recommend doing a little bit of research first on what type you'd like to play. Overall a good experience and we would go back.

Very broad selection of board games, and all of the ones we tried were in very good conditions. The staff was very nice and we probably had the best peppermint tea of our lives! It seems we were very lucky to get a table without booking in advance, as the place was packed! Great atmosphere!!

We all really enjoyed the 3 hours we spent here, the food was good and the selection of games is good and extensive.

One of my favourite things to do in Cambridge, the staff are always super helpful with the games. Rob especially was fantastic on our last visit :)

Went there with my son, we had a lot of fun and played 3 different juniors' board games. Highly recommended!

Alex, Rob and all the team are incredibly helpful. For those budding enthusiasts this is a must. There is a massive 500 games to choose from and the snacks and drinks are great too. We always feel very well cared for and both my wife and I have recently shared our birthdays here. Loads of fun. Thank you x