Cross Keys Inn in County Durham

We came for dinner on a Tuesday. They weren't as busy as usual. I had a fillet steak which was lovely and perfectly cooked. The portions are ridiculously large and the quality of the food is excellent. Value is great.

Arrived without booking but was told to take any table. Ordered ribeye and fish and chips. Steak was fatty and not rendered, fish had a few bones in. Nobody asked if meal was OK, regulars seemed to get most of attention. Wasn't inedible but won't be back.

Booked as we were in the area on holiday on a Tuesday night. The web-site said open until 8 and I was a bit worried as we could only get there by 7.30 but we were warmly welcomed, allowed to sit where we wanted as it was not busy and our drinks arrived in seconds. We ordered from a very large menu / specials board and again we were served very quickly even though 7 more diners arrived just after us. This didn’t make the dining area particularly busy but I think they have very ‘slick’ kitchen and work hard on customer service. The food was very good and whilst portion control was better than some restaurants it was still slightly too much ( I prefer smaller sizes which allows me to have more courses) Our shared dessert was sold out but we were recommended another cheesecake and this was excellent. The beer was Black Sheep, which I like and the house favourite red wine (I could not pronounce its name nor dare to try and spell it here) was so good I bought another bottle to take back to the holiday cottage with another meal. Prices were excellent (especially the red wine at £14.50) and at the end the landlord came over and had a chat with us which we appreciated. From what he said you probably need to book in for one of the 3 Sunday lunch sittings. Overall a very enjoyable night out and we would like to repeat our thanks to everyone working there.

Friendly staff despite been run busy -large selection on the menu-food was fabulous with as usual generous portions. Been several times before and never fails - Thank you 🙏

While in the area completing some family history on my wife’s side in Esh Winning and Trimdon had a great meal at the Cross Keys. Luckily we had booked a few weeks in advance as it was full even at 4.00. My wife and i shared a starter had two main courses (Pork and Beef) with al the trimmings -very large portions and tender meat. We also shared a very large slice of chocolate orange cake with ice cream. Woth some beers and a large glass of wine the total came to around £43. Excellent value. Good atmosphere and very friendly staff and management. Lucky locals.

If ever there was a good ole country pub, then this quirky little place ticks every box. Cracking grub at a cracking price, friendly atmosphere, service outstanding and portions to please every Desperate Dan. Staff lovely and very welcoming. Lovely location, dog friendly, parking on site and ideal for that ideal country pit stop. Well done Cross Keys. We’ll be back and we will try the desserts next time 😋

Lovely cosy and warm pub. The staff are very friendly and attentive. Our food was excellent with homemade chips. My husband had the steak pie and he said it was very tasty and the meat tender. I had the hunters chicken and it was cooked beautifully. Look forward to our next visit 😊

Had lunch here last weekend, but was a bit disappointed. I had the CrossKeys burger, double burger with BBQ, Bacon and a grilled chicken breast on top. Chicken was okay, burger was tough and rubbery and not what you would expect it to be at about £18. My son enjoyed the cod bites and my wife said the hunters chicken was okay, though was overpriced for what it was. My wife and son cleared most of their plates. My daughter had the burger also and said it was okay but she's had much better ones. We both only ate about half of what we had, even though we were both ravenous post football and me skipping breakfast. Chips were decent, service was decent, both prevented a 2 star review. I am back with some friends in February, so will give it another chance, but not having a burger. Burger was (in my experience) far inferior to a Five Guys, never mind a Fat Hippo, barely better than Maccies and i think i'd prefer Burger King. In summary, definitely the worst pub burger i have had in the £10-£20 price range.

My daughter booked lunch here to celebrate my 90th Birthday on Boxing Day. She had Bacon Pudding, my son-in-law had local black pudding, my grandson I believe had calamari and I had a local Fillet steak perfectly cooked to my taste with all the trimmings. The staff went out of their way to make it a special occasion for me and served the cake my daughter had made with a "90" sparkler all lit up.. Although we were only a small family group several other diners came across to congratulate me and it felt as though the whole restaurant was joining in encouraged by the staff making it a day I shall never forget. I would certainly recommend the Cross Keys Inn to celebrate any special occasion.

Outstanding quality and value Sunday Lunch.All home made, good inputs and food which delivered in taste and quantity. Lots of options including veggie sausages with veggie gravy.Very pleasant staff who enjoy serving ! A rare situation today.Main course for £10.50P.....Extensive choice of puddings which were excellent.Breathtaking vistas over the wear valley.

Fantastic cosy village pub, food superb! Great atmosphere, Steve, Karen and the rest of the team, brilliant hosts! Fish n chips, by far the best in the North East - the Northern Echo review got it wrong in our eyes 1. Crosskeys Esh 2. Bells Durham Hats off to Donna and her team! Come enjoy a Fish n Chip supper with a first class pint or a glass of wine and great warm atmosphere. Eat, drink and enjoy TrevC

Been tonight with friends food was amazing as always . Great owners and staff could not do enough for us looking forward to outer next visit .

We stayed with 4 of our friends in the holiday let which was perfect for our get together. It had everything we needed, the welcome hamper was appreciated too... Ate in the pub the first night and WOW all our meals were delicious.. we definitely would return.

Stayed in the apartment for 2 nights,it was spacious and very clean with a nice welcome basket of food. Went down to bar on first night and was made very welcome by staff and locals.we ate in thr restaurant and the food was excellent with all 4 of us clearing plates.service was excellent and large portions.The drinks and food prices were very cheap.I can highly recommend apartment and pub,will feff be visiting again.

We came for dinner and we all had different dishes. My wife had the steak pie, my father in law the fillet steak, my mother in law the sweet and sour chicken and my sister in law had scampi. The food was very nice and generous portions. I had ribeye steak which was cooked just as I asked it and was tasty but it wasn't the best piece of meat I have had - it had quite a lot of stringy bits. The dishes came with vegetables and an enormous bowl of delicious chips to share. They were very busy but we were served very quickly.

We were recommended this place by some friends and boy it did not disappoint! The choice of meats was amazing accompanied by roast potatoes Yorkshire pudding various other vegetables and plenty of gravy. The staff were extremely welcoming nothing was a bother, we even managed desserts of which there is an extensive choice. All the food was delicious, we will definitely be going back.

Fabulous place for a family get together and day out in Durham. Pub food excellent and the warmest welcome

We called in without booking and were made so welcome .Food was excellent and would definitely recommend this pub as it’s value for money served by amazing staff.

All four of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals which were exceptional. Staff were very pleasant, service was quicker than expected. Medium rare lamb chops, was medium rare, and very nice too. Fish and chips, excellent my wife’s mince and dumplings were really very nice indeed. We will be back.

A sumptuous surf and turf made my night only to be topped off with a salted caramel blonde cheesecake- superb. Delicious food in a homely environment

Sunday lunch absolutely wonderful meat so tender veg very fresh, price very good and service was great well done, highly recommended 🙌 thank you

Called in by chance as stayed locally. It was busy but we managed to have a table. Good choices on the menu, portions very large which meant waste. Don't think the vegetable pasta mentioned it came covered in cheese so beware if you don't eat cheese! Good friendly staff.

We stayed as a part of 9 in the upstairs holiday let in June and have already said we will be booking again. Rooms were a brilliant size and we never felt like we were on top of each other - beds very comfortable and the kitchen was kitted out with cupboard staples, like tea, coffee, cereal, milk and butter. Noise from the pub in the evening is noticeable (but not ridiculous) for younger children, but they had no trouble sleeping. We also ate in the restaurant one evening and popped down for drinks - found staff to be very friendly and accommodating, and the food was delicious and obviously homemade. I will say, the portion sizes were probably too big - and we're a family of big eaters! Thank you to all for a really lovely stay.

Absolutely lovely place. Meal was fantastic, staff were very friendly. Very reasonable prices especially for the quality of the food.

Popped in for Sunday lunch with family. They offer a range of meats and between us we tried them all. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their roasts and the portion size was good and we had a variety of vegetables on the side. The staff were all very friendly, service was prompt too. We will definitely visit again next time we’re up in Durham.

We entered the restaurant at midday, the tables were mainly empty! our party was for 4 x adults, who all ordered slightly different meals. The rib eyed steak at £26.00 seemed slightly expensive, but it seemed to attract 2 of our 4 diners. Whilst I...

Browsing Trip Advisor for somewhere to visit for Sunday Lunch, we came across this pub. Lunch is served in sittings, we opted for the 4pm slot. I went for the gammon, the other half had the turkey. Both meals came with plenty of meat, roasties,...

A perfectly good value - no frills - Sunday lunch. We received a warm welcome from staff and excellent service throughout our meal. The food and drink prices were very reasonable and portions more than adequate. A perfectly pleasant meal that was good value for...

Possibly the best pub sunday lunch we have ever had. We booked a table for five people over the easter weekend on my daughters reccomendation. We arrived early so were pointed towards the bar area while they got our table ready.the staff were friendly and...

We live nearby but for some odd reason had never visited the Cross Keys, so this was an inexplicable first. We each had a main and a dessert. The main course options can best be described as English pub food. Generally when pubs try to...

Been quite a few times the food has always been good ,dropped in about 14.30pm 5th March for what would normally be a very good Sunday lunch ,worst one yet the owner must have changed the meat supplier as was very tough and yorkshire puddings...

We came here a couple of times this week with friends and family. Even on a Monday they were busy so I'm glad we booked. I had lamb chops the first time and a Chinese style chicken curry on the second occasion. Both dishes were...

Its a little village and they're not used to having foreigners in their midst so women who are not english are referred to as 'sirs' by the landlord but that's ok 😂. The apartment is lovely and modern though 👍🏾

Home from home apartment. Excellent pub and restaurant. Credit to Karen, Steve and all staff for creating a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

Came here with 6 in party for Sunday lunch, very busy yet you wouldn’t have known from the staff, incredibly organised and quick on orders! So much food and so much went back as too much! Yorkshire’s were burnt unfortunately but at this point staff...

If we could have given 10 out of 5 we would have done. Excellent hospitality, thankyou Karen & Jess. Food was exceptional

We met for a family ‘start of the Christmas season meal’ for 9 adults and one child aged 6. We had all chosen from the festive fayre menu in advance. Service was brilliant and the food was delicious. Portions are very generous so only opt...

Lovely staff, lovely food, real good value for money and a nice atmosphere, glad to be living near this pub

went there for some food and saw the reviews - and they seemed decent enough, especially the previous one regarding the steak...nice! as i was in the mood for some red meat... ordered the fillet and blue cheese sauce and it was nice enough, the...

Very warm welcome and service efficient and attentive staff. The steaks were excellent, cooked to perfection, generous portions and well presented. Would recommend without hesitation and good value.

Based in Leeds with relatives in Esh, we often eat there. The staff are lovely and welcoming, with the gorgeous soft Durham accent. Good choice of foods, and beers. Really cannot fault them. ## Also worth mentioning- they’ve a rental holiday let over the pub,...

We visit regularly as we have relatives nearby and we always end up in the Cross Keys. Great atmosphere, the staff couldn’t be more welcoming and there’s always a good choice of great pub food. Wouldn’t go anywhere else in this area.

We came for a family meal. There is plenty of choice on the menu that attracted me but after much thought I went for the lamb chops which consisted of 3 large chops served with a mint gravy, onion rings, tomato, mushrooms, salad and delicious...

We booked the day before for Sunday lunch for 8+dog! We sat in the bar and were made really welcome. The service was excellent with a great range of Sunday Roast Meats and puddings. The kids loved playing pool and darts and it was really...

Six of us booked here on the back of Trip Advisor ratings and boy were we happy we did !! All six plates wiped clean and everyone saying this was the best meal they had ever had in any pub. I had Hunters Chicken which...

Went here with my hubby for a meal as we were looking for somewhere different to our usual haunts. We were so glad we chose The Cross Keys. We haven't been for years and now can't wait to go back, it was excellent. From the...

Read so much on Tripadvisor that decided to book Sunday Lunch on the way from Coventry to a family visit in Gateshead. We were not disappointed. Arrived a little early for a 2pm sitting and was pointed to the bar in the next room to...

Went for a lovely Sunday dinner and couldn’t decide on the desserts so had 2…. I must admit the salted Carmel brownie was amazing even better than Tinder

So pleased to have found this wonderful pub with amazing food for the hungry. Delicious food, fast service & friendly staff. Will certainly be visiting again very shortly. It’s worth travelling from Lincolnshire for your delicious gammon & chips with all the trimmings.., Keep up...

We really enjoyed our meal here this evening. Friendly welcome and service, wide range of excellent pub food and very reasonable prices. The portions are generous too!

Great menu choice, excellent food & service. Will certainly be revisiting this establishment. A small journey from Durham city but worth the drive!

So pleased that The Cross Keys is still going strong. Had a lovely meal there with family. Portions plentiful which is sad (not) as I couldn’t manage one of their lovely desserts. Have been a couple of times in recent months and have not been...

This is the first time I have never been able to finish a pub meal . I ordered the giant filled Yorkshire pudding which featured mash pork chop 2 black pudding and two sausages plus the veg and wife fish and chips not only were...

Lovely proper pub that serves great food. Sunday lunch was very good and cheap drinks. Would recommend to everyone.

I'm not sure where to start with this review, we have stayed all over the UK with our family as it's a short flight from Ireland but never have we received such a warm welcome from both the family who own the business and their...

It was amazing to stay here,just booking my next holiday to come here .The staff where so helpful and kind,very clean and tidy.food was lovely and a good amount of food maybe even too much!Also beautiful scenes .cant wait for our next holiday. in the...

We have just returned from a week staying at The Cross Keys Inn. Located above the pub, the accommodation was spacious, modern and full of character. The kitchen looks out over a farm and we saw several new born lambs gamboling around the barn. The...

Good traditional English pub in nice location. Clean & friendly with god quality food & generous portions. We had gammon & turkey and both were nice thick cuts of meat. Had choice of zero beers & Brew Dog nice change. Well worth visit. PS Gammon...

Impromptu Monday evening visit. Very welcoming hosts, good choice of excellent quality food and beer/whisky. A very convivial evening was had, so we will be returning soon!

My wife and I recently stayed in the flat above the Cross Keys with two other couples to attend a party in Durham. The accommodation was excellent. It was spacious, clean and very comfortable, and within easy travelling distance of the night life in Durham....

Brilliant family meal, great choice on the menu, lovely cosy pub with very accommodating abs friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Perfect Sunday lunch nothing too much trouble. The food was plentiful and beautifully prepared. We were even given a lift to the nearest bus! Would thoroughly recommend

2 of us went with the dogs so sat in the bar. Steak parmo was lovely and so was the lasagne. Lots of chips and extra blue cheese sauce to dip them in. Extra bonus was they sell blue moon! First time there but live...

We were staying in Durham for a few days and fancied eating somewhere outside of the city. Chose the Cross Keys after reading reviews on Tripadvisor and we're so glad we did. The food and service were both fabulous. Lots of choice, including a specials...

Such a lovely friendly place to stop for a meal , visiting Beamish Museum on our holiday , highly recommended , amazing food and service and friendly staff , great experience. .

Just returned from hen weekend where the Cross Keys acted as our ‘base’… it was an absolute joy to stay there… accommodation was perfect… spacious, comfortable, clean and had those little extra touches (butter milk and orange in fridge, breakfast hamper and multitude of toiletries)...

Location - great for exploring a part of England we've rarely visited. Accommodation - comfortable rooms, spacious lounge, well equipped kitchen, roomy bathrooms. Eating - the pub below is extremely welcoming, offering a wide range of drinks and an excellent choice of traditional pub food....

Lovely meal at the Cross keys Inn at Esh. Very friendly and we were made very welcome. Furthermore ,the chef was offering me plenty of gluten free options. I had Gluten Free fish and chips and I was very impressed. Would recommend the venue to...

Brilliant. Nice to see it open again. Great staff and food. Measures taken in place are awkward but we'll get used to it I'm sure

Visited here whilst staying at Weardale lodges. Friendly staff . Varied menu Food was amazing and portions were large. Would certainly return if we are ever back in that part of the country.

We popped in for a quick snack and what a delight. Very friendly lady behind the bar and incredibly helpful. The snacks were delicious and delivered quickly. We were lucky to have passed this little gem and saw it.

We visited on Friday 28th for lunch. We were booked in for 12.30 for a table of 4, we arrived a little early and the pub was quiet with nobody else in. We thought!! What we done here it’s quiet maybe we made a mistake...

Had a lovely meal steaks were fantastic and very reasonably priced very friendly staff will definitely be back for some more food n drinks

We wanted to grab some drinks and food a little outside Durham for an evening, so headed to the Cross Keys. Easy to reach by jumping into an Uber and you get some lovely countryside views along the way. The food here was really top...

We were recommended to this pub by a friend who used to live locally and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed a delicious meal and an extremely warm welcome at this lovingly refurbished pub. The quality of the food was excellent and the portions really...

Really nice friendly place. Husband had pie which he said was delicious, I had chicken in garlic and mushroom sauce very nice . Desserts were a let down tiny piece of cake and custard , Apple crumble is terrible . Would definitely go back but...

My wife and I each had very good food. My mixed grill was the best I’ve ever had, anywhere.Enormous amount of meat and very well cooked. My wife had corned beef pie and was very pleased with it. The staff were very friendly and the...

Really good food, staff lovely, believe under new management, they have a little bit of work to do to match the venue to the food. It just lacks that country/homely feel. I wish them good luck in the future.

Very substantial Sunday dinner, wide choice of meats and my favourite mushy peas. It's not top quality but good pub grub. Staff were friendly.

Visited this pub,purely on the off chance as needed to get my family out of the house. Not only was this place immaculate, service was second to none and the food, absolutely delicious. We will definitely be back 😁👏🏻😁👏🏻

Booked a table for me and my family for Sunday lunch turned up 45 minutes early my husband went over stood at door which the sign told him and 2 girls stood looking at him, then when he asked them he heard one of the...

Our family had a fantastic meal here on Saturday we all enjoyed the excellent food and lovely friendly service! We would highly recommend it and will certainly be back!

Came here for a meal. Had the salmon with hollandaise and profiteroles. Both were delicious. I’d definitely go again.

Myself and the other loyal regulars of this pub, have suffered years of mismanagement by subsequent tenants and the popularity of the place dropped to almost zero. Steve and Karen along with their son Jonny and their great staff have transformed it into the warmest,...

One of the most impressive watering holes (from both the outside and the inside)! Fantastic selection of craft ales and stouts. Lively and buzzing atmosphere. Helpful and efficient staff. The toilets were upstairs, so would not be suitable for those with accessibility needs. It won’t...

Myself and my husband visit the cross keys regularly never having an issue and knowing we never will. Fresh, hot, delicious food with lovely staff members I could make them all:) thank you for constant good service that we will continue to travel for

came here with family for a sundays dinner, what a lovley pub this is, the dinner was cavery which was very nice and tasty. not one of us left any thing on our plates. clean pub, friendly staff and fair prices on food and drinkswill def return

Came here for a last minute dinner, steak was amazing and the mussels all at a reasonable price. Very good customer service.

We came here for a large family meal. This is an old fashioned pub in a small village with an extensive menu. I had steak pie served with mash and vegetables but we were given chips, sweet potato fries and salad to share as well. The pie was served in a dish with a crust top. The steak was very tender and tasty. I could not manage a dessert. Everyone else was very happy with their food. Atmosphere and service was very friendly.

What a warm and friendly welcome we received by all the staff at The Cross Keys Inn. The owners were so helpful too as we were en route to a wedding from Cornwall. We had a delicious meal which was so huge we struggled to finish it! The calamari starter was crispy and fab. I went with fish and chips and my husband had steak and ale pie, both were homemade and awesome. The hand made chips came in a huge bowl and really were a winner. We couldn't manage a pud which was sad as again they were all homemade and such a range. We enjoyed the local ale and a great range of gins too. Highly recommend a visit

So pleased to have eventually managed to get a table here on a Saturday evening!!! A wonderfully warm welcome and a decent menu and specials board!Opted for the steak and ale pie and wasn’t disappointed at all! Good portions but with full on flavour. Nice veggies too.Like that they don’t take advantage with the cost of their wines and beers too.Lovely local feel. Would recommend!

I go here often with my girlfriend. The food is really good and the bar staff are really friendly. i would defenetly recomend.

Popped in here for a bite to eat last week whilst we stayed in the area for a few days. Could not fault it at all. It's a lovely, cosy pub, with great ales and really friendly service but the food was the star of the show. I opted for the lamb chops from the daily specials and can honestly say they were fantastic. Three beautiful lamb chops, heaps of mash, heaps of veg and a lovely subtle mint gravy. Traditional pub food as it should be. My wife wasn't particularly hungry so just opted for a starter and the staff had absolutely no problem with this. It too, was delicious and a more than enough portion.Overall, highly recommended. If we're ever back in the area we'll definitely be popping back. Well done!

Found the pub on trip advisor. Turned up 6 adults 3 kids and a dog no booking. The man behind by the bar made us welcome and because we had the dog laid out the table in the bar area the food was great and tasty and had a couple of ales on pump and both were nice.

Bishop Middleham is a beautiful village. In it, lies the Cross Keys Inn - a fantastic restaurant. This pub sits on the main road through Bishop Middleham, where there is plenty of on-street parking. The dining area is quite large, but it doesn't feel open and exposed. The layout and decor is such that you do not feel cramped or even slightly bothered by other diners.

This pub is a must to visit. Fabulously friendly owners, staff & locals with THE BEST Laverick pizza and Sunday Lunches too! The accommodation above the pub is first class with the most amazing views. Do not miss out. Visit as soon as you can. Bring family and friends, if it's a special occasion there is a function room/dining area. You will receive a first class service.

We went for a family meal while staying local for our sons graduation. This was a lovely spot for food and drinks. The staff were all extremely welcoming and helpful. We went both nights during our stay and made to feel very welcome on both occasions. I would definitely recommend to anyone staying in the area. The locals were all very warm & friendly .

The food snob in me is always a little dubious when I go for "Pub Grub". But I have to say that this pubs standard of food surpassed many restraunts I've visited! The portions are good, the service is super friendly and the standard of the locally sourced food is brilliant! I would highly recommend anyone to give it a try. I shall be returning. Very tasty!

Two meals for a tenner before 6.00 you can’t go wrong, great choice as well. Easy street parking. Go on give it a try you won’t be disappointed.

Visited mid Friday afternoon. Pub deserted, but full menu available. Food freshly made, chicken curry especially good. Great to see staff preparing vegetables for evening service, rather than using pre packed. Passed a few hours later and the place was busy