Cricketers Arms Pub & Eatery

Cricketers Arms Pub & EateryCricketers Arms Pub & Eatery
Cricketers Arms Pub & EateryCricketers Arms Pub & Eatery
Bar, Eatery

5250 North International Dr
Orlando, Florida, 32819-9351
United States

// CLOSED //

Tonight the place was covered in plastic with "Warning: Tax Liens" signs plastered on it. 4/2/11
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.59
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
16
pDev:
12.81%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by StevieW:
Photo of StevieW
Reviewed by StevieW from Florida

3.25/5  rDev -9.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 4 | food: 4
The Cricketer Arms is located in the Mercado on International Drive, just a few blocks from the Orlando Convention Center. It has a very cozy dark wood, European pub feel to it. Just the kind of place that you would want to hunker down on a rainy night, like the one my wife and I visited recently. The beer selection was very good for Florida. 17 Taps, four "hand drawn" including Fullers ESB, Fullers London Pride, Young's London Special Ale and my favorite good ol Old Thumper by Shipyard. They also carried Boddington's Tetley's and a few other Euro's. They seemed to pour a decent pint of Guinness too.
The food was very tasty well proportioned pub food. The wife had fish n' chips, I had Shepard's Pie (Cottage Pie).

Here's my problem with this place--Euro Service and super shady math. They include a 15 % gratuity on all checks, not a problem alot of places in Florida do that due to the large amount of international guests.
They also rotate the people waiting on you, and therefore your orders get lost or forgotten easily. Also they hand write the checks/reciepts without prices on them !!!! We had to ask 3 times for a breakdown of the prices after our bill came to $42 for 2 $8.95 entrees and a couple pints. No restuarant owner operator worth a damn, can justify not having a computerized operating system with itemized reciepts in the year 2004. No beer prices on the menu, not posted behind the bar, not on the handwritten reciept. No way to track sales and balance revenue with reciepts, much less how much tax should be paid. Hello IRS ?
So when we asked for the check to be explained, naturally the person who delivered the check was no where to be found, only to show up later. Could be a break, yea yea. The bill, with gratuity added ended up being $6.00 more than it should. Not a big deal, but add that up over 100 covers on a busy night over a month, and a year and you have bundle of money. These allegations do not come lightly. I have been in alot of places, I have worked in a customer contact position and have handled cash since I was 16. I have caught people stealing and looked in their eyes. I left this place with the distinct impression that they are running a scam. They are overcharging guests and getting away with it. While we were confronting the Manager Lady, a customer sitting at the bar paid for a pint with a $20 bill. The bartender rang it up and another person behind the bar, returned with change for a $10 bill !!! Then claimed the customery ignorance with an "oh let me check with the bartender, he's out back" When I suggested to the manager that this was more than a misunderstanding, that they have a scam going on here, she got super defensive and could only reply with "it's not a scam" But no facts as to why we were overcharged, other than oh, we have the wrong price on the beer, we charged you $6.50 and should have been $9.00 so we really gave you a discount. Bullshit.

If you need a beer in Orlando, go to this place, but be warned !!. $15 gratuity, super slow service, and watch the help, smile, get lost, confuse your order, then see if they look you in the eye when they hand you the check.
The owners should be ashamed of the racket going on here.
Feb 04, 2004
More User Ratings:
Photo of Blaise
Reviewed by Blaise from Florida

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Cricketers Arms is a great place to go get a pint, eat some food and talk with interesting people. Be sure to check both the outside and inside bar as the taps are different.Taps are changed frequently as well so you may be surprised by a new brew waiting for you when you arrive. The food is very good. Lots of hearty English dishes like bangers and mash or cottage pie. Every night boasts live entertainment starting at 10:30. Its also a great place to catch an EPL or rugby match. Now located at Festival Bay mall it is worth checking out for any local or visiter to the Orlando area.
Jun 21, 2008
Photo of HardcoreKeith
Reviewed by HardcoreKeith from Florida

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 4
I went there for the hand-pumped ale, a new experience for me, since this is apparently the only place in the city where you can get it. Available were Fuller's London Pride, ESB, and four choices from Shipyard. I had both of the Fuller's (at $6 each!).

I had a cottage pie, which was good and a somewhat reasonable portion for its $10 price tag.

Service was not amazing. I was forgotton about for 20 minutes or so whilst trying to pay my tab.

I read something about eight beers on hand-pump, but I looked all over and there seemed to be clearly only six.

Anyway, the beer and food were both good.
Mar 22, 2008
Photo of WynnO
Reviewed by WynnO from Florida

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I am posting this mostly to provide a more current opinion.

They are now in the Festival Bay Mall. My first trip (March 2008) was favorable---I will go back. I counted 6 hand-drawn taps with another 10 taps.

Of the hand-drawn, I had two micros---one was a shipyard variety. I enjoyed them immensely. They were served "cool" in a room-temperature pint glass. One reviewer claimed his beer to be a bit stale. That "may" have been the case when I was there (I don't frequent the Shipyard brands), however it was fine nevertheless.

Atmosphere is good, food is decent, and YES, it is a bit pricey, however it is as expected for a mall on I-Drive. For me, lunch for two with two hand-drawn pints was $40. One downer---the server added gratuity without asking. That's a big negative for me, but it worked out since I got away by only paying their 15% instead of my usual 20% (if they choose the rate, that's all they get from me).

The place may not be worth a significant drive, but if you are nearby, I recommend giving it a try.
Mar 13, 2008
Photo of Biermeister
Reviewed by Biermeister from Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3
NOTE: They are moving in May 2007 a few blocks away. Not sure of the new address?
Active British Themed Pub that caters to the after work wait staff from the surrounding restaurants and hotels after 11:PM. Music most nights. I went three times during a recent work convention week and had a great time.
The 4 hand pulled ales: Fullers ESB, London Pride, Young's Special and Ship Yard from Maine are the only drinkable reasons to go here. One of the only local places in a sea of poor beer serving national chains.
Apr 19, 2007
Photo of GooberMcNutly
Reviewed by GooberMcNutly from Florida

3.1/5  rDev -13.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 2
A nice little Brit pub in the most touristy drag in Orlando. There are a lot of ex-pat Brits around here, so it isn't all tourists here, especially when a big cricket or rugby match is on the TV. Plenty of room to spread out and the decor is laid back and ultra casual.

4 beer engines and a bunch more taps pour up a good pint, if a little too cold for a proper pour. My Speckled Hen was good and very fresh but close to 33 degrees and served in a frosted glass. So much for the flavor.

About my only gripe is that the portions are really small for the price.
Mar 19, 2007
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I finally found this place after driving around for a bit. It isnt really on international blvd, but instead, around the backside of one of the many shopping areas. Typical british pub feel. Woody and dark and stuffy. Being a soccer fan, I was glad to see they had soccer on all of the TVs. Premier league and then another channel that ran highlights and clips.

Service was good. The beer selection was average. Went for lunch and had the hand drawn Fullers ESB. Didnt seem as fresh as I would have liked. Typically, in my experiences, the hand drawn and cask beers tastes fresher and better, but not in this case.

Quite expensive. Lunch size fish and chips, beer, water = 18 ruble. If I stayed in the area, I would revisit, but wouldnt jump off of the interstate (like I did) for Cricketers Arms.
Dec 08, 2006
Photo of marksto
Reviewed by marksto from Florida

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Located amidst the tourist-trap hell that is the I-drive corridor in Orlando, Cricketers Arms provides a welcome respite from that scene in the form of a decent british-style pub.

The beer selection consists of around 18 taps of which about 5 of which are on handpull (not real ale, but a facsimile served sans C02). The majority of these are classic british ales with a few extras thrown in like some American micros, a Belgian or two, and Pilsner Urquell. The ambiance is classic british pub with a post and wood motif and a crowd consisting of the expected tourists but also a surprisingly large throng of ex-pats who are now natives. There are several covered patio areas including a large one with full bar out back that have appeared since the smoking ban was put in place. Not where I’d want to spend my time on a sticky June afternoon, but just the thing for those who smoke and have to deal with Florida’s law. I did not have any food, but the menu looked like pretty typical British fare and has a reputation of decent quality.

Overall, not a pub that is going to really impress people accustomed to great beer places, but certainly a worthwhile visit for tourists seeking real beer among the theme parks of Orlando.
Jun 27, 2006
Photo of finepaws
Reviewed by finepaws from North Carolina

2.58/5  rDev -28.1%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2 | food: 2
We went here very late, on a Saturday nite. The kitchen was almost closed, but they did serve us, and they were pleasant. They had a late night menu consisting of appetizers. I thought the prices were ridiculous for what they served. And the beer selection could have been more. It was just another bar, imo. Dim atmosphere, loud cheesy music, with a diverse group of humans. They have a small dance floor for anyone who wants to dance to the live band that was playing. It was ok for a short period of time. I'm guessing it's better earlier in the evening. Or that's what I'm told.
Jun 26, 2006
Photo of GCBrewingCo
Reviewed by GCBrewingCo from North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
Cricketers was just down the street from where the AHA NHC was being held so we walked into the Mercado where it is and decided to have a beer and some dinner. As we ordered a beer we were informed that the kitchen was closed. Had a beer and could not get waited on to give anyone the CC receipt after purchase. After getting this done, went outside and consumed the hand pull.

So we returned after dinner down the street. The place had a few more people now, and the service was just about the same. Not overly nice and not overly helpful. Anyway, another handpull later and we decided to depart.

I might go back, but with a so-so selection and expensive pints ($6), it would not be my first stop.
Jun 24, 2006
Photo of Jredner
Reviewed by Jredner from Florida

3.56/5  rDev -0.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3
I originally visited in September of 2004.

Great British Pub. Had two cask conditoned taps. Had Chimay and a about 4 other taps at an outside bar. The Blackwater Porter was very good and I mostly stuck to that all night though they have a decent tap selection and a solid bottle selection.

Live music and Red is the friendliest and most enormous bartender you will ever meet. He makes that hand pump fly. I really like the laid back atmosphere and since half the bar was on vacation everyone was pretty happy go lucky and friendly. Definitely worth a trip.

Great place.
Jan 18, 2006
Photo of kinglouix
Reviewed by kinglouix from Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -14.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 2.5
Olando as an area generally lacks culture. It is a sprawl of people who couldn't make it anywhere else, who don't realize that Florida has nothing to offer but beach, and their only reason for being here is that they are near "Disney World." As a result you have two kinds of establishments: 1) chain restaurants 2) places that are not authentic and try and imitate something they are not.
Throw in the ridiculous price gauging because you are in the tourist mecca and you get a total mess. Cricketers falls into the second category. To their credit they have beers you can't get anywhere else in Orlando on tap, however the Fullers ESB tasted stale, and at close to 6$ a pint you can keep it and the tourists too. None of the good belgium beers or anything creative or not mainstream. So you will find bass, guiness, etc. and cheesy entertainment.
Feb 19, 2005
Photo of UncleJimbo
Reviewed by UncleJimbo from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +9.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
This pub is a good find in the beer-wasteland of the Orlando Convention Center area. It is located in the Mercado, about a mile north of the Convention Center on International Drive.

When I entered, I was heartened to see 4 hand pumps, but then my hopes for some cask ale were dashed when I was informed that the beers on those hand pumps were simply regular kegs, only not connected to CO2 pressure. Oh, well, they tasted good nonetheless. The 4 beers on hand pump during my visit were: Young's Special Ale, Fullers London Pride, Fullers ESB, and Shipyard Old Thumper.

In addition to the 4 hand pumps, there were 16-20 other beers on tap. It is hard to say for sure because their beer menu was very outdated. Some of the beers on tap included: Guinness stout, Tetley's, Boddington's, Newcastle Brown, Stella Artois (out), Yuengling (out), Fuller's IPA (out), Abita Amber, Sierra Nevada, and Chimay Triple. There were at least 15 bottled beers available, mostly macros, but including Kaliber, Sol, Tucher Hefeweizen, and a couple of ciders and malternatives.

The main bar seats about 12, and there is a second room with a bar off to the side. The bar interior has a nice feel to it, with a lot of wood (rough hewn ceiling beams and pillars and tables and chairs), a large mirror behind the bar, and a fire place (though I wonder if it is ever used in warm Florida?). The pub is modeled after British pubs, and they show English football matches on the TVs (special cover charge to watch these games, apparently). There is also some outdoor seating. The crowd was a mix of locals and UK transplants and visitors/tourists, like myself.

I found the service to be very friendly, and the bartenders seemed fairly knowledgeable about the beers. They have live music almost every night, and the performer I saw was very good. I did not have a chance to try the food, though I wish I had, as they had typical pub food and many typical British pub food items (e.g., Ploughman's lunch, etc.).

Overall a comfortable and friendly place with a decent beer bar selection. Certainly the best place I found within walking distance of the Convention Center.
Apr 03, 2004
Photo of CRJMellor
Reviewed by CRJMellor from Arkansas

4/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Really interesting place in what really amounts to a strip mall. Very authentic English pub decor. Small stage with live music occasionally. Some picnic tables out front for those nice Orlando evenings. English ales on hand pull and real bangers and mash complete the English pub feel. Very popular with all the British tourists in Orlando as evidenced by the large preponderance of them there. TV's are readily available for the important soccer and rugby games and special viewing parties are advertised and held for live events. Food was good to very good as far as authentic English pub grub goes.

If you get a rainy day in Orlando or you are by yourself seek out this place as there seems to be a nice established set of regulars as well as the flood of tourist that hit the place.
Dec 14, 2003
Photo of AtLagerHeads
Reviewed by AtLagerHeads from Ohio

4.29/5  rDev +19.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5
This is as close as I've gotten to an English pub in the US. This little gem is just that - a gem located on an alley way walk in the Mercado just south of Route 482 on Interntional Drive, this is a proper pub that is worth the effort to seek out. Great English cask ales from Fullers and Youngs, and with Old Thumper plus a number of other good brews.

It is clear that this is a hangout for British tourists and locals from England. There is great seating inside and some nicely placed tables and chairs on the walkway outside. Damons was located just in front of this spot, but it is now closed and being remodeled into something else.

Take the time to visit this pub. You'll enjoy the experience.
Oct 23, 2003
Photo of Loki
Reviewed by Loki from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +25.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
A spot on proper pub in what is otherwise the BA wasteland of Orlando, FL.

Locate on International Drive in The Mercado, a touristy complex of shops and restaurants. Please Ignore all of the crap. It is worth it, trust me.

To navigate to the Cricketers Arms go to the front entrance and turn right into the first walkway/alleyway between the shops available. Continue until it ends and take a left. You will come to the Cricketers Arms which has tables outside and more inside.

The first thing that surprised me was the amount of actual British Tourists. Apparently they share the information and once they find the place they come back everytime they are in Orlando.

Styled after a traditional pub with a big bar, dart boards, big wooden tables and benches, and wall booths. The ceiling is set to look like you are inside a thatched roof building.

First thing you'll notice at the bar is the four hand-drawn (or cask-conditioned) taps. Fuller's London Pride and ESB, Young's Ram Rod, and Old Thumper all on cask. Plus a variety of both import and domestics on tap and in the bottle. I stuck solely to the casks.

The menu is a traditional english pub. I had Bangers & Mash, which is English spicy (not really that spicey) sausage and mashed potatoes and gravy. They had other traditional English Pub meals. So you may or may not like the food. I didn't look, but I'm sure they have alternatives. I like to eat what the locals eat.

Service and the atmoshpere where top notch. Very pleasant, friendly, and quick. They introduced themselves and asked my name. It also seemed like the place with a lot of regulars and "where everybody knows your name." Sorry that was corny.

They had live music, with a guy starting out accoustical, then having a drummer and bass player join him. He was very interactive with the crowd and is there very Monday night. Seemed like something going on every day of the week.

Great place and a must for BA's in or visiting Orlando IMHO.
Aug 28, 2003
Cricketers Arms Pub & Eatery in Orlando, FL
Place rating: 3.59 out of 5 with 16 ratings