Bells Fish & Chips in County Durham - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Food fantastic - cooked in beef dripping. Additional fryer now added to cater for gluten free, after 4pm. Menu includes scampi, beans, mushy peas, gravy, cheese or corned beef patties & onion rings. Best Fishychip in Durham!

Edit. I have to say that the food is now back to how it was originally (kinda though). Fish is beautiful, i just wish they would cook the chips a minute longer as sometimes some are a little undercooked.The food used to be so much better, tastier than it is today. I went there almost daily for my lunch in 2004 at the original Gilesgate Bells. Food was always the best around and obviously a lot cheaper. £2.20 for a fish n chip buttie lol. and it was always a lovely meal. But since building new shops and restaurants, its had a knock on effect with the food.

Great chippy . Love everything they cook. Bells staff are always friendly and polite. Ask for scraps if available.

Nice fish, chips and peas but not at £13.20!!! And that’s for one!

It’s one of the worst fish and chips I have ever had. It had a bad taste, the oil that is used is very bad and size of the fish is not good as well. The chips are fried in bad oil too.

Very professional Nicola frying and Mandy service second to none First class

expensive... (thanks brexit voters), but fantastic cod and chips.... loved it...

I used to visit here when I worked in the area, many years ago. I was actually just passing on the A1M, but decided to take the detour, The food is just as good as I remember from over 14 yrs ago...

Best fish n chips in Durham quick service consistently good

I visited recently and though the fish it appeared large, it was very thin at one end and ate it like a crisp. The batter was tasty the fish was boneless, I was allowed to place my own salt and vinegar on the fish, a blast back to the pre-pandemic era. but I don't think I'll be in a rush to revisit the premises, which are really smart for a fish and chips shop.

Arrived at 7.45 pm to be told everything was turned off even though closing time is 8.15 pm. I'm sure the closing time is when the cooking stops. Seemed like the staff just wanted to get away early and weren't bothered about customers. This is why the food industry is in such a poor state. Won't be eating the over priced garbage again

Great overall nice staff nice food nice atmosphere best place for a night out with the family

I went tonight @ 8.05 pm first visit, went to till to be served. Three staff members two talking and one mopping the floor, not one staff member asked what I would like. They looked at me and still continued talking. Stood 5 mins still not acknowledged. I walked out and took my service elsewhere.

Visited for the first time since being at college in the 90s. What used to be one of the best pubs in Sunderland absolutely destroyed. The famous central circular bar has been removed and the atmosphere was awful. Heart breaking!

Very much over rated and overpriced There are much better shops in the area and cannot understand how people keep returning Found the portion sizes small and quality poor

Ok fish n chips but expensive and very small fish not good value at all

Great service. Food was lovely. Usual chip shop menu. Quirky fish tank so can watch the fish swim if you have to wait on food. Staff all very friendly. Very clean shop. Free parking directly outside.

I definitely have had better fish & chips,from here before.They were not upto their usual standard. They are starting to get a bit pricey,at £10.80 for cod & chips.

The food here is absolutely delicious

Me and my son always get our fish and chips from gilesgate bells We had them last night and the fish was as absolutely beautiful cooked to perfection Well done to ‘I think she’s called Nicola’ lovely girl

Takeaway. Excellent service. Great fish and chips. Also had fish cakes and corned beef patty. All very nice.

Great chippy with a gluten free fryer. There can be a bit of a queue after 8pm (they close at 9), but they're great at checking with the queue in advance about if they need to fry anything for you before you reach the counter.

Food freshly cooked. Fish is a good size and well cooked. Staff are fast and efficient.

As far as I'm concerned it's the best fish an chips in the area. They are always very busy, but the staff deal with everybody very quickly. Fish is getting quite expensive, but it's very well cooked and somewhat flavoursome. Best of all they always tend to have ginger beer.

Placed an order by phone to get there and have to wait for ages when could clearly see my food done and no one served me then to find out part of my order was missing and had to wait round longer for the nuggets. Other food will be cold by now . Service is very slow. Shall be going to the arnison one from now on least they have a service with a smile

Chips were crispy and tasty but the fish was really small and not worth the money. Service from the young lady was great and the shop is very stylish. Disappointed in portion size.

BEST fish and chips I've ever eaten,fish large,flakey and white,perfectly cooked,chips spot on too,all freshly cooked...very large portions, excellent tartare sauce and curry sauce...really good value for money.The waitress was really friendly and cheerful too...would HIGHLY recommend...and perfect spot for enjoying Durham

Det var okay. Jeg er ikke vild med alt det dej om fisken, men det er vist hele konceptet. Man kunne købe Extra dej som de dryssede over pomfritterne. Det var mega sprødt, men da vi kom hjem var det blødt. Så stod det nogle minutter så var det hårdt igen.. vildt nok.. fisk med magi

Very disappointed with the service,”the two members of staff, one behind the counter and one frying fish were arguing about the amount of haddock being ordered”. Then the customer before us got a good sized haddock, and when I saw ours I mentioned how small it was. The staff member told me it goes of the weight, but the fish was not only small, but also very flat.

The food isnt bad, but i feel its very overpriced, almost £3 for a portion of chips that isn't very big, £1.70 for gravy, its only a tablespoon of powder and some hot water.

Sadly not the usual decent standard of fish n chips. I saw the small cod come out nestling among the bigger fish. Guess who got it. Me. I only found out when I went to the car and my wife opened up the box. I hate being slipped a crippler and the woman serving me certainly did that. I said to my wife I will take it back but she said no. And to cap it all the fish was definitely not fresh. So come on Graham. This single portion of fish n chips cost £12. This was certainly not value for money.

They have a separate fryer for gluten free fish and chips. It is not available before 4pm due to energy costs. Good sizes for haddock, cod and chips. The gluten free battered cod was very good. Very friendly and helpful staff. Overall a great experience. They also take telephone orders.

Great fish and chips, difficult parking but worth it tbh. Cannot fault anything about the food or the staff and service. Our go to chip shop.

Chips absolutely awful will not be returning.

Bit more pricy than other fish and chip shops but always delicious

Bought gluten free fish and chips for a family member. When opened inside the box was saturated with fat. The chips were hard as if under cooked. The batter on the fish was soggy. It was as if the fish had not had the fat drained off it. Having eaten a small taste of the fish and chips my family member vomited. I was very disappointed having spent quite a lot of money on the total order to have this happen. It's hard enough for a gluten intolerant person to find decent food to eat without things like this happening. Perhaps staff need retraining in frying gluten free food I hope others will not have the same thing happen to them. Unfortunately I will not buy from Bells again.

Fantastic fish and chips take away.

Chips were fantastic, but there just weren't enough of them in a portion. This is of course relative to what we've been used to back home in Leicestershire

Nice fish & chips as expected from Bells however wait did seem excessive for 3 people and the fish was a bit too greasy for 5*

Bloody pricey for chip shop wares

Had to sit inside as it was far too hot to sit in the market square. The fish and chips were good but not on a regular basis, they were far too fatty so only go about twice a year.

Naprawdę pyszna rybka ... polecam

To dear compare to the rest of them around thim

Really nice Fish and Chips (best in Durham). Staff are friendly and they have deep fried haggis which I've never had before but will have again in the future.

Fantastic scampi & chips with a beautiful salad. Large portions Large cod & chips my partner said it was gorgeous. Very large portions Nice pot of tea. Staff amazing so polite and very friendly Restaurant so clean and trendy Price really good Washrooms extremely clean. Definitely be returning Thank you to all the staff Lisa & paul

Great fish and chips as usual. Freshly cooked to order and stayed hot until we made it home to eat them. Option to eat in or takeaway. A great option for enjoying Durham’s market place whether as a tourist or a local.

It was a little expensive but excellent service, good portions

Excellent food Good service Great staff

The best fish bites I’ve ever had-succulent moist huge flakes of cod in crispy batter and cooked to absolute perfection-only just done to retain the moisture and flavour of the fish and no hint at all of drying out, that spoils so many portions of fish and chips. Chunky lovely chips and loads of scramptions of batter mmmmm together with curry sauce and home made tartar sauce which was every bit as perfect a condiment as I’d hoped for. No wonder Bells is so popular 😋🙌🏻👏🏻👌🏻

Easily the best fish and chips in the area. The food is hot, fresh, tasty, and good value for money. The service is swift, even when very busy, and the staff has always been pleasant. Need some comfort food? Look no further!

More batter than fish,small, overcooked and dry. Not nice at all, considering a fish lot is over ten pound it's absolutely disgraceful

Husband just been to Bells Gilesgate. Terrible, fish all batter and when opened up fish was all dry. If it had not been a 10 minute drive away they would have gone back. Not cheap either. Will definitely be giving it a miss in future.

Lovely food. Staff very friendly. I will dine in next time

I live locally and it seems one week the fish is fresh next week I am disappointed , I try again Bells again Gilesgate) faith restored.. Today I asked for lightly battered fish..I came out looking good.. But the fish was old or overcooked.. Just such a disappointment. Maybe they are trying to do too much.. 10 pounds ... disappointed again .. This message is for the owners it's feedback

A lovely clean shop with an ornamental aquarium stocked with tropical fish in life like surroundings built into the wall.The food is well cooked and presented,beverages to accompany food are prepared as required.Thoughtful and pleasant staff.Parking is limited so arrive in good time at meal times.

Portions getting very small and prices are going up.

As tourists we were looking forward to the traditional fish & chips. Sadly it was the worst we've ever eaten. Extremely soggy chips (putting the fish on top of the chips will even make it more soggy anyway), and dry fish without any flavour. My wife had a tasteless dry burger to finish the dramatic experience.

Really good fish and chips. They only do a take away option Chicken nuggets were great, not the cheap nuggets, they were the good nuggets!

Lovely staff and swift service. Generous portion of beautifully cooked food. Thanks Bell's, I'll be back!

Great Fish & chips, best in the area

Wben were at home Bells is the only choice for me. There are others but we prefer Bells, always consistent.

Immaculate premises..a sign of quality when staff ask “are you happy to wait for a fresh fried fish” (ABSOLUTELY..and enjoy the fish tank wile you wait) Fish is HUGE…batter perfect….chips are always perfect too Mushy peas/gravy/curry are all well made and soo thick..I always tell the staff “save the pot just pour it all over” 🙌🏼. Price of everything is Rocketing..but Bells still give the best..would rather pay for quality..then eat from rubbish oil that’s also seen kebab and choc bars through it

Had Fish & Chips & Haggis & Chips. Fish & Chips were very good as always. Haggis was not to our liking as it was stodgy and lacking the haggis flavour we expect from Haggis in Scotland.

Delicious fish and chip butty, Great portion size, had been dried nicely so batter was crisp and chips were not fat soaked and greasy. Good value, impressive fish tank to look at while you wait.

Lovely, quality food, always good to pop in and see the piranha!

For the reputation I thought I would receive outstanding service however I thought the service was absolutely appalling. Overall food was quite nice but prices compared to my local were really bad. Probably wouldn't return based on the service.

Always really nice and fresh. Portions are large .. one fish and chips is always more than than plenty for two of us. Staff are friendly and efficient. Definitely worth visiting

Delicious food, a shout out to our waiter Luke for giving absolutely amazing customer service and looking after us.

Not great. We have been before and will go again. Called 23rd Nov 1.15pm. Fish was perfect and lovely. Chips were re-fried (part cooked and then cooked again) sorry don't expect this from Bells. The lady who served me was not very polite. She wrapped my order and I had to ask her to unwrap them as we were to eat them now and wanted salt and vineger. She only had to ask before wrapping. Hopefully 5 starts next time.

Absolutely love the fish and chips from Bell's with a portion of mushy peas and curry sauce.

The Fish was a big let down enjoyed the chips

Always enjoy our food from here. Travel about 19 miles to our nearest Bells chippy

Absolutely beautiful fish and chips friendly welcoming staff spotless premises what more can you ask for

Popped in today whe npassing for fish and chips. Haveny been for almost a year. The booth we werw sat in hadbthe filthiest marble table i have ever seen. Couldnt even slide the pate across the table witout it catching on all the lumps of hardened waste stuck to the table....pretty disgusting Paid the extra for LARGE portions and i would hate to have seen the regular portion sizes after seing the tiny LARGE portion. Unlikely to be back again due to the filthy table rather than the portion sizes to be fair, but just vey disappoined as they only had 3 tables in, so werent busy and the staff have no real excuse for not cleaning the tables between customers.

Very friendly service and great tasting chips 👍

Amazing service very clean and efficient. At the time of writing they had different equipment for Pescetarian and normal fish and chips. So there is Halal option. Crispy batter with generously sized fillets. Parking on site. Highly recommended.

Lovely little fish and chip restaurant. Staff were lovely: the decor was very nice and food was delicious. Little pricey but to be expected for the amount of food you get. The fish was really, really good! We will be back

I call ahead to order gluten free fish and chips. The staff are always lovely and the food is delicious.

Sat in the park. Gorgeous food cod n chips

Very average meal. The chips were not good and the scampi portion was fairly small

Great service and friendly staff. Good choice of menu and well presented and prepared food.

One of the best chippies in the area but boy has fish and chips become eye-wateringly expensive! Over £9!!

Fish always tasty and crunchy . Highly recommended

Great classic fish and chip restaurant in the heart of the beautiful city of Durham. But is it good enough to make my list of the best fish and chips in the UK?? … So here’s the lowdown 1. The restaurant is cosy but has a lovely atmosphere, comfy seating and the buzz of happy customers 2. The service was great. Had a short queue to be seated but the waiting staff were friendly and courteous, always making sure you were happy 3. The food was high quality. Tasty chips, perfectly cooked using a good quality potato. The fish was good. Our party had both cod and plaice. The plaice was cooked in batter and was light and full of flavour. The battered cod was cooked well but less flavoursome than the plaice or haddock. Cooked in beef dripping and you could tell. The portions were generous too. And you are offered bread and butter as a side as standard. 4. The cost …. For a good sit in fish and chip dining experience this was fairly priced and comparable to most others in the same league. 5…. So …on the list?? Definitely….it’s great food served in a great location…what’s not to like?

I have been eating here for 5 years during which time they moved from its old location next to the local off license to its current one. I waited in line on Good Friday and in fact 15 minutes before I got served. That was an expected wait on its busiest day of the year but what was not expected was the price hike from £7.50 to £9! This is close to London prices and even at Beamish they charge £8.30 for fish and chips. The portion size had shrunk, too, to add insult to injury! This is a Good Friday disappointment. The taste remains decent but the increased price does leave me with a bitter taste in my mouth! I may look elsewhere for my fish and chips from now on.

My favourite fish and chi shop on Durham.

Been ill with food poisoning from here since yesterday! Tried speaking with people today!! Promised return calls but nothing!

Four of us were in bells at Giles gate yesterday afternoon we have food poisoning from the sausage we all eat this place has rapidly gone down hill will be contacting the council

Very good quality food, nice size portions aswel.

To me bells fish shop at Sunderland road has Gone back in quality stoped going very unappitizing

Read some of the reviews on here and to be honest i'm quite surprised as the negativity. I eaten here loads of times myself and never had a bad experience, same can be said for all of my network of family and friends. Fish is always fresh cooked and a decent sized portion.Chips are the same and dont think i've ever felt that the food was warmed up from a previous day. Keep on going just the way you are,it works.

best fish and chips from Bell's

Fish & chips from Sunderland Road were covered in thick inedible batter. The fish looked and tasted as if it had been reheated from cold. Go to Newton Hall shop for quality.

Fish was quite good but the chips should have been better. At least half were odds and ends which seemed to have been cooked twice. The others were very nice and we both enjoyed them. A bit more quality control would easily make it 5 stars

Nice chips mince pie stone cold

The best fish and chips in Durham.

Great fish & chips, great sausage & chips etc. A little pricey but I don't mind paying for quality!

Always good choice for fish and chips

Was good not anymore what they class as a bag of chips is pathetic. They should say hand full of chips. Will not be going back!

One of the best chippies I've visited, and the fish are whoppers (I'm an angler so I know) and you get the crackling batter off the fish aswell. Mmmmm!!!!