Derwent Walker cocktail bar and restaurant in Allerdale

Great cocktail and drinks bar with a very nice upstairs restaurant. Dog friendly downstairs and the staff were very accommodating.

No matter how many new places we try when we’re away, we always end up back at Derwent Walker. The food is consistently amazing, with fast service to match, and the drinks are just incredible. We love the ever-changing specials that keep things exciting. The staff are super friendly and welcoming. Honestly, what’s not to love? Can’t wait for our next visit!

Derwent Walker in Keswick is a hidden gem for cocktail lovers! The drinks are delicious! We had a round of spicy margs and they were 10/10!! Whether you’re after a classic or something more adventurous, the cocktail menu has got it all. Highly recommend for a great evening out!

I often go to DW but had not been for a couple of months , as I had family up on holiday I thought it would be nice to take them , it was a busy Saturday night, so we were lucky to get a table although it wasn't until 8,45 pm ,but the food was lovely we were all impressed ,I loved the Steak stripes , my sister thought the fish cake was delicious 😋 glad we got a table 😀

My friends and I don’t live far away but every year we come to Keswick and stay in a lodge for a chill out break and the only time we get dressed is to go out one night for a meal! We tend to try different places so this year it was the Derwent Walker and to be honest I don’t think we will be going anywhere else in the future! We were met with a warm welcome and all the staff were lovely. My friends said that the Espresso Martinis they had were the best they had had (and they have had a lot 😂). The food was just amazing, we couldn’t fault any of it, just perfect. I don’t think we will be waiting until our yearly trip to revisit, we will all be bringing our other halves along for date nights! Well done, just gorgeous 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

This is a must visit gem!! Jack the manager and his team are excellent. They are friendly and knowledgeable and readily discuss the dishes on offer to assist in guiding through an amazing variety of menu options full of flavours and beautifully presented and served. The upstairs restaurant is cozy and atmospheric. An altogether dining experience to satisfy whatever the occasion. Tonight was our third visit over the years and although menu styles have been changed during that period we will certainly return next time we visit Keswick

Really did not enjoy, everything was slow at coming out, which I know tapas can be but they actually forgot our order. Really disappointed, food was bland and very average sorry to say. Just all lacking something. Was very expensive for what it was tbh. Overall disappointing experience.

We sat upstairs and ordered three dishes each to share between two of us. The food was nice and was enough for 2 but £10 plus for a bowl of garlic mushrooms etc is a bit excessive. You could get the same portion for less as a starter somewhere. I found it quite expensive for what it was but the food tasted nice and the service was good.

Lovely lil place. Stopped for a couple of drinks (cocktails are ace) but wished we'd booked in for food as it looked really good. Staff are lovely too.

Really enjoyed tapas and cocktails with family and friends. We had a selection of dishes all very tasty and staff were efficient and friendly. Would definitely recommend.

Really liked the atmosphere and vibe. Food was ok but very rich and a bit artificially. Lovely staff.

A bit quirky, but friendly staff and good atmos.

We decided to spend a night in Keswick. The town was very busy so we felt grateful to find somewhere to eat. They offer a selection of small plates. We had prawns, crispy chicken, fries and cream cheese jalapeños. It’s simple deep fried food, apart from the prawns but it was tasty and went well with the drinks. The service was friendly and fast and we enjoyed ourselves.

A last minute visit to Keswick, and my usual dinner haunts had no availability, so I booked here based on the Trip Advisor reviews. First impression was that the small plates are expensive. I chose a couple, and they were fine. But not as good as those from Bar ES and much more expensive. On the other hand, my wife chose a pork burger, which was reasonably priced and pretty good. We ordered a bottle of wine well in advance of ordering food. It did not arrive until I'd finished my first dish, even after I'd chased it up. All in all, a disappointing evening. If you can, go to Bar ES.

We were in Keswick for the afternoon on Saturday and decided to have a late lunch. We walked into here and the welcome was fabulous 👌...I'm always shocked by good customer service in this country as its so rare but its here in bucket loads from the lovely girl who welcomed us to the guy who served our food. We asked if we could dine upstairs and a table was quickly found. There were two large tables of customers who seemed to be having celebrations of some kind and the vibe was brilliant...not too noisy but with a Spanish tapas bar feeling. The food was delicious I had the fishcake with parmesan fries...so tasty and my husband had the cauliflower with naked fries... A glass of lovely pinot grigio and a coffee rounded us up. All-in all a go to for us...we will be back!!

We dined on two consecutive midweek nights after enjoying the first one so much. Initially we were a little put off by the cramped downstairs bar area, but were quickly whisked off upstairs to an airy, interestingly decorated upstairs dining area. We ordered a delightful bottle of Viognier and settled down to make food choices. We were advised that that the food was “small plates” and we may need to order 3 each… what came was much more substantial than the tapas we have enjoyed in the past. All the dishes on both nights were really tasty and very enjoyable, the stars being the duck pancakes and the pork belly bites with the chorizo being a special surprise. We sampled some cocktails as we couldn’t manage deserts, the Blencathra bramble, Porn star martini and Kendal mint cake espresso martini were all rather good… the latter perhaps needing an extra skill to remove the dipped chocolate from the rim. All in all a fabulous couple of evenings, one tip might be go early as like most of Keswick the place got quite soon after 9.

our first visit here and we will definitely be back! there are so many unique cocktails and they taste amazing! the place has a lovely atmosphere and staff are very friendly!

We ate here during our stay in Keswick. Absolutely amazing food, so tasty. Couldn't do enough for us. Best tapas in Keswick. Highly recommend a visit.

Popped in here for a cocktail on our honeymoon and due to how nice they were we stayed for a second round. We've had cocktails in North America, Asia, Africa and Europe and these were honestly the best we have ever had. Staff were also great. Well done guys and girls on what you're doing

Very cosy cocktail bar with really good food. We loved every bit of it.

We had 5 of the small portions and 4 cocktails. The food and drinks where lovely, service was 2nd to none. Will definitely be returning

Great food and service, a bit on the pricey side for tapas, we had 5 tapas, fries and a beer and a couple of cocktails the bill was £90 but couldn’t fault the food or the drinks.Service was very efficient and friendly. Could do with a bit of music in the back ground to create a better atmosphere, but we still enjoyed our meal, would go back again.

Our first visit to the Derwent Walker Restaurant and won't be the last. A varied tapas menu and the food is outstanding 👌 We tried the lamb, beef, duck pancakes, chilli prawns, pulled pork nachos, chorizo and finished off with the salted caramel dessert. Absolutely delicious!! 😋 We didn't try the cocktails but they appeared to be very popular. All the staff are really friendly and a special thank you to Sally who made us most welcome. Thanks for a great evening and hope to return soon.

They have a great cocktail menu including a small selection of weekly specials. We tried a gingery one, a limoncello one and a Tiramisu espresso martini. All delicious and well presented. Staff were friendly and there was a nice atmosphere.

Really lovely restaurant, great food, wonderful cocktails, fantastic ambience and incredible service. Highly recommended! Espresso martinis are the best ever!

We went back to this place again and again during our stay, because the cocktails are absolutely amazing! The hidden treasure was a lovely little surprise which added to the experience ☺️ we will definitely return on our next trip to Keswick!

Had the pleasure of eating here tonight with my wife. Some of the best food I've eaten in Keswick. Some incredible cocktails too.

The whole experience was outstanding. The bar and restaurant is so modern and sophisticated. The staff are extremely pleasant and friendly. And then there was the food, served as a tapas and seriously tasty. Vegan options were the best tapas I’ve tasted my husband had the prawns and steak dishes. He did have the sticky toffee pudding and he rated it as the best in England.

Had late afternoon dinner sitting outside. Good burger, excellent crusty sourdough bun. sriracha fries were good. My wife had a lamb tapa with a side of roasted veg and fries. Lamb was served pink, it was tender and flavourful. Overall we enjoyed our meal if a bit expensive,but what would you expect in a tourist destination like Keswick.

Lovely, comfortable surroundings with attentive staff. We booked for a Monday night and it was busy but there were no delays. We opted for 6 dishes - which was plenty. We tried the cocktails - the mango and coconut margarita was fab but if you like spice the spicy mango margarita was amazing. Proper cocktails no only did they taste great but they looked fab too. Highly recommend.

First visit to the restaurant and have to say staff, atmosphere was great. Had tapas menu which to be fair was very good. Just one small issue was the garlic and chilli prawns that were quite bland and tasteless. Traditionally known in Spain as gambas pill pill they are cooked in oil with fresh chillies and garlic served sizzling with crusty bread that when dipped in the garlic and chilli oil is delicious but apart from that dissapointment would reccomend.

We ate here our first night in Keswick. I had lamb and my husband had scallops. Both of our meals were cooked to perfection, and we were in foodie heaven. We came back again the next night to try a selection of their small plates! Highly Recommend!!

Great attentive staff and amazing selection.

Lovely friendly place. The cocktails are gorgeous, quite unique. Good food, had one of the specials which to die for. Small downstairs but big dining room upstairs so don't be put off if it looks full. Well worth a visit.

Gem of a spot. Got better with every cocktail! Developed the munchies so sampled a few tapas dishes which were equally good. Recommended.

Came for a birthday date night. Absolutely amazing all the way through. Very attentive and friendly service. Brilliant drinks and Amazing food which came nice and quickly too! Will be recommending this to all our friends!

A great little spot, and one which is easily passed by because it isn't clear that there is a really nice restaurant part upstairs. Looking in the window from the outside, it looks like a tiny little cocktail bar. However, there is a good sized eating area upstairs, nice and cosy and nicely lit. The tapas style food is very well presented and very tasty. In the afternoon I also had a very nice coffee, about which I am quite fussy, this was very good.

Amazing cocktails and great service that's all you need to know. Will definitely be back for an old fashioned cocktail on the next visit to Keswick.

We had a fantastic meal at the Derwent Walker Cocktail Bar or Restaurant. The food was amazing - imaginative, tasty and piping hot. Having just got back from a month in Spain, we have had our fair share of tapas recently, but the food here was the best we've ever had by a long way. Every dish was delicious

Had the steak bites, the sliders and the duck pancakes. The pulled pork slider was good, the other two sliders were not great. The duck pancakes were…not pancakes. It’s a pot of hoisin sauce served with huge chunks of green onion and cucumber and some very sad dry duck bits. The steak and asparagus was good and had a lovely sauce.

A creative tapas style menu in a cozy cafe/bar restaurant. Can be very busy but it's worth it!

Great place , fantastic cocktails...pay them a visit and enjoy

Great food, tapas with a twist and great cocktails

Amazing meal last night. Food was brilliant, staff were lovely and the cocktails were unreal. Lovely little restaurant to go to if you are visiting Keswick.

This is my absolute favourite place to go for food & cocktails. By far the best cocktails I've ever had! The food is also very good, and its great that they cater for vegans & vegetarians. They change the menu regularly - they took my favourite the 'vegan burgers' off but when I asked about it, they made me one especially :) The staff are so friendly & attentive which makes for such a lovely atmosphere. Looking forward to my next 'date night' a Derwent Walker! :)

Fabulous, service, food and atmosphere superb

The food here is amazing. The best by far 🙌 the cocktails are beautiful. Staff are friendly and attentive. Definatly a must if your in keswick x

Great place for a decent selection of proper cocktails. Downstairs space is limited but there are additional tables upstairs. Food is served here although we only went for the cocktails. There is only 1 toilet which did mean an occasional queue but the busy staff were helpful and attentive and did there best to get us a table when we called for a second visit. The cocktails are top quality and worth the price. Other mainstream drinks are also available. Definitely worth a visit for something different.

We’ve been coming since they first opened and they’ve got better and better. They’re now doing a tapas-style menu to include Spanish and British dishes. Friendly and relaxed, great atmosphere.

Amazing cocktails with a fantastic choice served by friendly staff. The seating and table situation is a little odd - short seats and high tables! Cocktails are amazing though. Really amazing taste. Range from £10-12 but worth it for a treat.

Great place, though very busy. Definitely book a table before you go.

Very welcoming bar, with lovely staff. Only stopped for drinks but good choice of cocktails as well as beers. Highly enjoyable

Absolute gem of a place. Gorgeous food and the staff are just lovely. Fabulous atmosphere. All the ingredients for a perfect night!

I came here for an evening coffee and ended up coming back for evening cocktails. The customer service is excellent. The food though we didn’t have it looked really amazing if not somewhat expensive and the seasonal cocktails we ordered were exquisite. Atmosphere is warm and cosy.

Went here for our anniversary dinner, staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming the food was good with a great cocktail selection we will be going back next time we visit!

All the staff were lovely and the cocktails were nice but unfortunately the food just wasn't up to scratch.

Highly recommend this small, friendly restaurant. The food, drinks and service were amazing

Good choice of food, great service: deserves to be busier. Give it a try.

Wonderful spot for tapas and cocktails. Great selection of high quality tapas, friendly and professional service, nice atmosphere in the restaurant area

Amazing food with very friendly knowledgeable staff and Amazing cocktails.

We are fairly local to Keswick and I decided to bring my daughter up on the bus, for a day out. As soon as my daughter spotted this place she said she would like to eat here later in the day. I booked a table via the app. She certainly picked well. The food was amazing, the staff lovely and the cocktail & mocktail were fab! Next time I’m bringing my husband or my friends to properly get stuck into the cocktails!!

Place looked stunning, service was lovely but unfortunately food was not great. Overpriced, dry and somewhat pretentious. Very disappointed. 😞

Our favourite bar in Keswick. The cocktails are the best around, made with fresh ingredients! Always busy and lively, staff always amazingly friendly and welcoming

We visited here twice. Once for cocktails and second time for food and drinks which we booked. Both visits were exceptional and the food was great. Service was brilliant and made to feel special. Staff attentive.

So, the food was well presented and came quickly, but the Guinness really wasn't good in here. I'd recommend drinking something else. It was warm and flat. Mostly meat too, that was fine for everyone in the group but me. I was very limited on vegetarian options. Its not what you expect these days.The group seemed to enjoy the cocktails - one party member ordered the one with chili in and it was too much for her, but that's her own daft fault. I'm sure I already reviewed this place a few years back, but it was called something different. I only remembered Id been in when my memory was jogged by the tiled wall upstairs. Fun decor anyway.

This was such a great night out! The staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. Our waitress was extremely sweet and funny and made our experience even better!! The food was lovely and the atmosphere was great! The music wasn’t too loud and the lighting was beautiful. Would definitely come here again next time we come up to the lakes! Although we did not have a cocktail, they looked stunning and woulr definitely try them next time we came.

Came to Keswick for the weekend got my fiancé's 30th and this place came highly recommended. I can see why, the food was incredible and the waiting staff were very attentive and polite. We went for the mains as we'd already had tapas the night before elsewhere, but all of the food looked amazing

Excellent Drinks and Service, Average Food. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Derwent Walker Cocktail Bar, and overall, it was a delightful experience. The bar offers a fantastic range of drinks and boasts exceptional service. However, I found the food to be average compared to the stellar drinks and attentive staff. Let's start with the highlights—the drinks. The cocktail menu at Derwent Walker is truly impressive. The mixologists are skilled craftsmen who take great pride in their creations. Each drink I tried was expertly crafted, bursting with flavor, and beautifully presented. The bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable, recommending unique combinations based on my preferences. The attention to detail and creativity in the drinks definitely deserves commendation. Furthermore, the service at Derwent Walker Cocktail Bar was top-notch. The staff was attentive, professional, and always ready to provide recommendations or answer any questions. They created a warm and inviting atmosphere, making me feel welcome throughout my visit. The level of service was consistent and added significantly to the overall enjoyment of my time at the bar. While the drinks and service were exceptional, I must admit that the food was a bit underwhelming. The menu offered a decent variety of options, but the execution didn't match the same level of excellence found in the bar's libations. The dishes I tried were satisfactory, but they didn't quite reach the same heights as the drinks. I found them to be lacking in flavor and originality, leaving me somewhat disappointed. Despite the average food, the Derwent Walker Cocktail Bar remains an excellent choice for those seeking a memorable drinking experience. The creative cocktails, combined with the exceptional service, make it a destination worth visiting. If the bar could elevate its food offerings to match the same caliber as its drinks, it would undoubtedly be a five-star establishment. In conclusion, the Derwent Walker Cocktail Bar is a haven for cocktail enthusiasts and provides an enjoyable evening with its superb drinks and attentive service. While the food may not have been outstanding, the overall experience remains highly recommended. I look forward to returning for another round of innovative libations in the near future.

A very, very cool vibe with exceptional food, drinks and staff…

Just had drinks..service great 👍

Disappointing. I ordered the vegetarian tagine which you could only taste cinnamon and spicy, absolutely terrible. Had to order something else, so I went for the vegan mini burgers. Very dry, the vegan meat not great. Staff was really nice but we never got the birthday candles on the desert that i asked through the phone booking !

The cocktails here were so good. We had tapas and baked Camembert which was equally amazing. With the chorizo being served on a bed of fire which was cool but also gave it an amazing taste. Great atmosphere and such friendly staff

Surrounded by beautiful scenery we accidentally found this little gem of a cocktail bar. They served food however you need to book a table in advance. ( we will be doing this upon our return). So we sampled a couple of the cocktails and as they served French Martinis my evening was already a success. Prices were around £9 - £13 for drinks however we did spend a couple of hours here. Staff of Jack (barperson) Katie ( server) and Sally (Restaurant) were fantastic in their welcome, knowledge and charm. Customer experience for all of them were second to none. If you do visit Keswick keep an hour in the afternoon spare, opens at 4 but go early to get a seat as soon fills up but doesn't feel busy or overcrowded Definitely will be returning ☺️- Thanks from Kendra & David

Lovely little bar for cocktails sat in the sunshine. The staff were so welcoming and very friendly. The cocktails were amazing and the presentation was different compared to the usual bog standard style. Definitely recommend a stop off 🍸 🍸

Had another great meal before going to the theatre. Staff so welcoming and grateful for your support. Well worth a visit.

Tapas is from frozen not fresh They charge for fresh but that’s not what you get

The food and service was awesome. I was brought here for a birthday treat, and wow. Tapas selection and sharing plate were both delicious and very filling. The presentation was really interesting, especially the "pig on fire"🙈🙈. I wanted to put pictures with this review, but google wasn't allowing me. So I will post separately. Thank you to the staff.

Very disappointed with the size of my main course I ordered the plaice but didn't even get a whole fillet, the portion was tiny, if I hadn't ordered a side of potato's I would have been starving

Had dinner here last week with a friend the food was lovely, I had cod witch was on the specials ,it was amazing ! My friend had lamb she said it was lovely , the staff are very nice and helpful 😀

Great service and experience. Cocktails were spot on served with conversation. The food was really well presented and tasty..

Just had the most delicious meal at Derwant Walker. I always respect an establishment that treats it's side dishes with as much care as the main course. The lamb was to die for but so were the veggies. Not only was the food beautiful but the service was first class. The manageress deserves an award for her service and compassion towards customers. We will definitely be back on our next keswick trip.

Last minute booking for everywhere else was full. What a find !! Super Friendly hospitality, great cocktails, the tapas starters and Guinea fowl main meals were just excellent to say the least. Not forgetting the Bar staff. Memorable evening. Well done all.

Lovely food, great cocktails, exceptional service

A small restaurant, booking a must. Great cosy modern atmosphere. The food was delicious. Choice of a few main meals or tapas style dining. There could have been more options on the tapas menu, but what they do they do very well. The blonde girl serving us (I didn't get her name) was fabulous, she was attentive, and let her wonderful personality show through, being very personable and joking with us. Gave us recommendations for desert which did not disappoint.

Welcomed by a smiley face fantastic cocktails can't wait to try food next time we are in keswick

The espresso martinis are absolutely gorgeous, however the old fashioned was terrible. It just tasted completely watered down. Definitely recommend for the range of espresso martinis though!

Good food, good service, good value

Arrived on a snowy March evening to be greeted by Jessica and shown to a lovely candle lit table next to a blazing log fire. The food was amazing, choice of cocktails & mains plus desserts. Great cocktail menu too. Cozy & wonderful ambience. Will definitely be returning.

Another lovely meal, staff as always professional and attentive. Huge bonus is that dogs are not allowed upstairs in the restaurant. Thank you.

Good Food Wonderful Staff Would Definitely Go Back

We went to the bar back in October and it was amazing. The food and drinks were great, but what really made the trip was how lovely all the staff were. We will be visiting again when we're next in Keswick!

We were a party of four and we opted for 4 tapas dishes to share as starters...olives, tempura prawns, cheese balls and sticky sausage, all of which were OK. We chose the duck, the hake, the lamb and mini vegan burgers as mains. I was told the hake, duck and lamb dishes were nice, 4 out of 5 as a score. My 3 mini vegan burgers were poor, the meat substitute was ok but there was not much garnish and they were a bit dry. I think it would be better if they just offered a larger vegan burger. There was just too much bread with the 3 mini ones. Also if you wanted chips with them you had to order a separate side dish. The mini burgers didn't really present as a main course. The rioja wine was fine, 3.5 out or 5 as a score. Two of my fellow diners shared a baked camambert for dessert which would have been better if the bread with it was toasted. I tried some of the camambert and it was a good cheese. The staff were friendly but the restaurant and cocktail bar would benefit from being in larger premises as it was busy (it was Saturday) and the cocktail bar downstairs was crowded. There is only one unisex toilet servicing the bar and restaurant so again, larger premises would be better if the opportunity arises for the business.

Lovely food and staff all v friendly. Just had three tapas. V nice.

Excellent tapas and cocktails, and great service too. Highly recommended 👌

5 of us went tonight and it was excellent. Great service and great food. We will definitely be returning.

We only visit once a year, but we were greeted like old friends! The food as always was fantastic 😋 Katie and her team, looked after us really well. See you next year. Angela & Jeff Xx

Excellent food, great atmosphere, friendly helpful staff and you must try the espresso martini cocktail.

We ate here on the evening of 5th November. We were looking for somewhere to get a meal and walked in on the off chance as the restaurant opened at 4pm. We were lucky to get in because it started to fill fairly quickly. The meal and service was top notch. Lovely atmosphere too.

Top notch in all aspects. Food service staff. All lovely.

We had a great experience here. Food delicious. We had a bottle of rose wine from Bardolino which was divine. Staff and service spot on. Really good value for money.