Christ's

Christ's bar is homely, with window seats and Victorian style ceiling beams it has the character of an old man's pub. Food-wise, there's only chocolate. The bar has a television, darts board and a relaxed ambience, let down slightly by the baby blue walls with their school toilet connotations. Katy Tranter

Wine £1.40, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £2.17

Churchill

The bar itself is large and open, with plenty of seating and all the standard college bar paraphernalia: a large darts board, a couple of vending machines and a jukebox. With the exception of Pav, one of the few college bar ents that's free entry for all Cambridge students, this is a very run-of-the-mill bar. Izzy de Rosario

Wine £1.90, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £1.40

Clare: Best Setting

Clare bar has it all. It’s scenic, with comfortable sofas in an atmospheric underground environment. There’s a buzzing atmosphere, friendly bartenders, foosball and pool tables, jukebox and widescreen TV, a wide range of bar snacks, cheap drinks and great virgin cocktails. Go. Catherine Hall

Wine £1.50, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £1.50

Clare Hall

Walking in here is like entering a funky New York apartment with its slanted ceilings. But, despite the bright red walls the atmosphere, although warm, is not quite Upper East Side. It was deserted at 10pm, perhaps highlighting the difference between this and an undergrad bar. Or maybe just the punters’ workload. Sarika Thanki

Wine £1.50, Cheapest Pint £2.00, Vodka and Coke, £1.50

Corpus

This is a proper college bar: cosy and crammed with drunk boys in gowns and mortar-boards. There’s something for everyone: Polish vodkas, dirt-cheap fairtrade coffee and four different sorts of sambuca. However, the orange-and-cream colour scheme seems misconceived, and the music is horrendous. Tom Smith

Wine £1.20, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £1.75

Darwin: Hidden Gem

This bar is not for limbering up ahead of a Cindies drinking marathon. Instead, savour your single malt or decorously sup a Bitberger before stepping outside to waltz gracefully across the grounds. Late night sessions are rumoured, when one suspects things get a little more iniquitous. Alfred Rudd

Wine £1.30, Cheapest Pint £1.50, Vodka and Coke, £2.00

Downing

Downing's café-bar is a solitary building, cowering under the shadow of the library. Student-run and the venue for several ents, it might be expected to possess real character. But this was strangely lacking. Still, its Mediterranean colour scheme exuded a warm glow, the bar-keep was friendly and the drinks reasonably priced. Essentially adequate, it doesn’t merit a special trip out. Jess Snow

Wine £2.00, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £1.50

Emma: Cheapest Bar, Best for Ents

This student-run bar is cosy yet maintains a sizeable space if you want to cut some shapes. Although the blue plastic décor is more pop-up-pirate than swanky yacht, impressively cheap drinks and the legendary Funk Da Bar make a good case for it being the best college establishment. Gianna Vaughan

Wine £1.30, Cheapest Pint £1.20, Vodka and Coke, £1.10

Fitz

Likely to be your first stop when you stagger out of formal; at this time it fills with bright inebriated young things. It was just ten minutes before my mate was chatted up. Vile pasties, decor like the inside of the better sort of suitcase, a wide array of retro arcade machines and loads of pool tables next door. David Brown

Wine £1.40, Cheapest Pint £1.35, Vodka and Coke, £2.05

Girton

Never ones to shun a challenge, we negotiated the bus ride and found ourselves a lovely bar. Red velvet stools, old photos and arched alcoves make for a friendly atmosphere whilst the jukebox and usual paraphernalia ensure you don't get bored. An opportunity “to boldly go” where few have gone before. Laura Kilbride

Wine £2.20, Cheapest Pint £1.70, Vodka and Coke, £1.75

Caius

Visiting Caius put me into a foul mood. It wasn't the cheap prices, friendly patrons or comfortable décor, which I rather liked. Instead, I objected to being ejected by the angry barman for not being a Caius member. A shame as I'd overheard a college member wishing for “more girls from other colleges.” For Caians only. Chrissie Collins

Wine £1.30, Cheapest Pint £1.90, Vodka and Coke, £1.50

Homerton

Clean, modern and spacious, this bar was recently redecorated and combined with the college buttery, and, as such, feels a little utilitarian. However, comfy sofas, trendy bar seats and a large projector screen makes it a popular choice for students of Homerton. And for others too, if you can face the bus ride. Ed Galvin

Wine £1.70, Cheapest Pint £2.00, Vodka and Coke, £2.00

Hughes Hall

Although entirely lacking draught beer, your inner Highlander will be pleased with the monstrous collection of single malts. The welcoming student barman and hot clientele mean that despite looking like an art-deco sports pavillion, it’s definitely worth a visit. Plus, its right next to Fagito’s, easily Cambridge’s best kebab shop. Ric Whalley

Wine £1.50, Cheapest Pint £1.65, Vodka and Coke, £1.80

Jesus: Style Award

Small but perfectly formed, this stylish bar offers expensive drinks but excellent cocktails. Colourful, ergonomic seats and a curvy glass wall adds to the sophisticated, yuppy feel. Hordes of drunken Jesuans detract from it. Good and evil, Yin and Yang. Like the Universe, Jesus bar has perfect balance. Adam Kessler

Wine £1.95, Cheapest Pint £2.00, Vodka and Coke, £1.75

King's

The décor in this place is fantastic; they have framed a hammer and sickle lest the students forget their revolutionary mission. They hold regular pop quizzes and gigs; if you’re really lucky you may even gain entry to the fabled King’s Cellar where a load of indie types are holed up with gunpowder and Blur’s Greatest Hits. Jessica King

Wine £1.40, Cheapest Pint £1.25, Vodka and Coke, £1.75

Lucy Cav

Can a bar be a bar without beer on tap? Dodgy wine and an almost impressive lack of drink selection are compensated for by fabulous conversation and a starlit conservatory. The porters are strict on non-members, but if you make it inside enjoy inexpensive drinks and the excellent, and not necessarily quiet, Lucy scene. Fill up my glass. Bernadette de Villiers

Wine £1.40, Cheapest Pint £1.70, Vodka and Coke, £1.85

Magdalene

One of the prettiest college bars, it blends cheerful red and yellow stripy wallpaper with traditional timber beamwork. The room has a clean and spacious feel to it, and features a games machine and an electronic jukebox. Not always bustling, but with the pleasant air of a country pub. One of my favourites. Lizzie Briggs

Wine £1.60, Cheapest Pint £2.10, Vodka and Coke, £1.78

New Hall: Most Expensive Bar

Bright, airy, high ceilinged but mostly quiet. Gargantuan TV and sound system and the pool table is tiny but free. There’s a predictably massive rush on rosé when formal kicks out and all beer is bottled. Service is cheeky and cheerful, college members sometimes work behind the bar. Shots only £1. David Brown

Wine £2.00, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £2.00

Newnham

Friday night: entirely empty except for two friends of the barman. The beer’s run out, and there’s been no house wine since December; “people mainly come in here to buy chocolate”, he says wistfully. Features a rather forlorn discoball and a stairlift. Four girls come in and set up a board game; we make a swift exit. Tom Smith

Wine £1.85, Cheapest Pint £1.59, Vodka and Coke, £1.90

Pembroke

After the ceiling fell in last year, this bar was redecorated and consequently it is easily one of the most pleasant bars around. Yet, the plush sofas, dark red walls, pool table, foosball table and TV have not lured students; it is inexplicably underused, even though the main room of the bar doubles up as their JCR. Izzy de Rosario

Wine £1.80, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £2.40

Peterhouse

Peterhouse bar is not frequented by its students, or anyone else. It is in response to this that the College have agreed to renovate it over the Easter vacation. So hopefully by next term, there'll be no more chipped and garish yellow walls, more seating, a jukebox, and it'll be open on Mondays. Fingers crossed. Izzy de Rosario

Wine £1.65, Cheapest Pint £1.85, Vodka and Coke, £2.50

Queens'

A spacious open plan bar with all the old-world charm of a formica airport lounge. But it does have a wonderfully cheerful atmosphere and sunny open terrace in the summer. Juke boxes, foosball, TV sport, coffee shop and a Sunday roast make this perhaps not the spot for intellectual discussion, but lively nonetheless. Isabel Taylor

Wine £2.00, Cheapest Pint £1.60, Vodka and Coke, £1.80

Robinson

Its “Saved By The Bell” feel is complimented by a juke box, pool table and foosball table. Hot food is served on a Sunday evening. The smoothies are well worth a try and a visit to this bar is definitely recommended, especially if you are a brick-fetishist. Sarika Thanki

Wine £1.50, Cheapest Pint £1.90, Vodka and Coke, £2.00

Selwyn

With a sexy S-shaped bar, blonde pine floor and large windows, it’s aesthetically pleasing: the Sweden of college bars. It could be mistaken for the trendiest of trendy wine bars. The sofas are deliciously marshmallow-like and create a homely feeling. Wednesday’s “Selwyn Savers” means all pints are a quid. David Brown

Wine £2.00, Cheapest Pint £1.90, Vodka and Coke, £1.80

Sidney

Impressive array of spirits, with a nudge and a wink perhaps getting you a cheeky absinthe. There’s also real ale. Little ventilation so a bit sweaty, and the weird tripartite set-up makes it hard to decide on the aesthetic, but cosy. No jukebox, so the bar staff decide the tunes: a good thing, bearing in mind the drunken student musical taste. David Brown

Wine £1.40, Cheapest Pint £1.30, Vodka and Coke, £1.10

St Catz: Worst Bar

Designed by numbers, it has pool, foosball and arcade games but the bland decoration and uncomfortable seats ruin any potential atmosphere. Behind the bar the cheerful chappie has stuck up colourful posters and some famous faces, lending the counter some much needed character. Shame about the rest of the room. Adam Kessler

Wine £1.40, Cheapest Pint £1.90, Vodka and Coke, £1.40

St Edmunds

A good drink selection with cheap prices and an attractive though small bar. It’s not for the kids but if you’re over 21 it’s an option. Outside the cute little box of a bar there’s masses of underused, badly furnished common-room space but it is all too bright, devoid of atmosphere and lonely, even on a Saturday night.Bernadette de Villiers

Wine £1.50, Cheapest Pint £1.60, Vodka and Coke, £1.75

St John's: Best Bar

One of the busiest Cambridge bars, it's worth going earlier in the evening if you want to get noticed. There's plenty to do; the room stocks a bagatelle table, TV and board games are available on request. There’s a range of food on offer standard chocolate bars to toasties. Definitely has the feel of a proper pub about it. Lizzie Briggs

Wine £1.35, Cheapest Pint £2.00, Vodka and Coke, £1.75

Trinity

Trinity bar is often likened to an airport lounge, due to the awkward seating arrangements. Lots on offer: cheap drinks, a pool table, a football table and two TVs. There's also a massive food selection ranging from fruit to sponge cakes. Definitely pop in, if you can stomach the unfriendly bar staff.Lizzie Briggs

Wine £1.20, Cheapest Pint £1.80,Vodka and Coke, £1.55

Trinity Hall

Wacka-wacka porn music was coupled with more bar snacks than you could shake your rhythm stick at, including the Holy Grail of booze accompaniments, Mini-Cookies. The décor trod the line between a Church of England Primary and a Medieval Tavern, replete with comely, yet surly serving wenches. Huzzah! Lowri Jenkins & Lauren Smith

Wine £2.20, Cheapest Pint £1.80, Vodka and Coke, £1.50

Wolfson

It's an epic trek; Lord of the Rings stylee, but once you do it's a pleasant enough place. It comes complete with cafeteria style seating, a few sofas and attractive mood lighting. A cheeky 2 for 1 drinks deal got us squiffy enough, and the friendly barman sealed the deal. If you're in the area, make the detour. Chutney Higginbotham

Wine £1.45, Cheapest Pint £1.60, Vodka and Coke, £2.20