Marsden Grotto in South Tyneside

Beautiful hotel and setting shame there was dirty tables food on the floor rubbish bags left near the breakfast food dirty cups left on tables outside and big issue of being locked in the hotel no staff or access to phone as signal non existent and staff forgot to leave emergency phone out only way out we had was a key we were given to unlock the emergency exit on to the beach We told to ring the manager if there was an emergency but we couldn’t have done with not having the emergency phone Didn’t eat in the restaurant as it was very expensive and what we saw being served to other people in the restaurant didn’t look appetising

Parked at the top of the cliff and took the lift down and wow,what a surprise. It's absolutely fascinating! Very well designed bar,restaurant and rooms,all built within an old smugglers cave.The food was delicious. Our room had 5 windows overlooking the beach and Marsden rock. Loved waking up to the sound of waves crashing on the beach

I came here with my son for lunch and a drink. The location is beautiful and unique, a real cave carved out of a cliff, with a fantastic view of the sea and Marsden Rock. As others have said though, that is the only attraction. I found the service behind the bar very poor. Slow, and the barmaid did not seem to grasp anything I was asking about. Chips were included with both meals, I asked if there were both thin fries and thick chips (the menu suggested this was the case), in which case we‘d have the latter. She took this to mean we wanted an extra portion of chips. She also wanted to give us 2 lemonades instead of just one, because she got the wrong end of the stick there too. I was refunded for the extra chips, but it is frustrating to have to deal with this. The worst thing for me though: I paid £25 for a half lobster, and it was the most puny, pathetic thing I‘ve ever seen. Extremely small, and not a claw in sight. They may say they remove the meat from the claw for the customer’s convenience, but I’m not convinced it was all there. Hardly any meat, indifferently thrown onto the plate, barely even lukewarm, served with a measly portion of undercooked, lukewarm fries (we never got the thick chips I asked about, if there even were any), and some lacklustre, undressed salad. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for serving that for £25, but I doubt they care. I‘m glad I didn‘t pay for a whole lobster, which would have cost £45. Totally outrageous! If that is how they do lobster, that size and that preparation, they should take it off the menu. My son didn‘t reckon much to the Jack burger either, also pricey at £20 and served with the same undercooked fries. Go there for a drink to enjoy the location, but on the strength of our experience I‘d avoid the food. And be crystal clear with the barmaid, or you never know what you might get!

Great place to visit. Spectacular scenery.

Incredible location. Best for sunset over the sea. Great staff, iffy wine list though..

Very very bad food. All I could taste was rancid oil worse than bottom barrel kebab shops

Amazing place, friendly staff and very accommodating! We booked last minute for mother's day, due to an issue with another booking and I'm so glad we did! The food was delicious and well priced, the service was quick and delightful and the view was, of course, amazing. Portions were great too. We were served by Anya, who was really helpful and attentive. We will certainly be back!

I visited the restaurant. The food was very tasty, but a bit cold. Restaurant prices but very poor service. Tables not cleaned. I have nothing against the lady who worked that day. Because she tried, but there was only one. There should be at least one other person to serve

Popped in for a bite to eat and was mega disappointed. Ordered the and surf and turf wrap for myself, fish & chips for the wife, 2 x latte's and a bottle of water which came to £53.20p. Table was dirty so the wife had to go to the bar and ask for the table to be cleaned. Young lad behind the bar handed the wife some blue roll and some spray to clean the table herself!! Anyway she cleaned the table and we ordered the food. The coffee's and water arrived and we then waited ages for the food - the place was not overly busy may I add. I was really looking forward to my lunch and it eventually arrived.....stone cold! The frozen fries were cold inside the wrap as was the steak. I had only 2 prawns in the wrap and a few pieces of steak made up with salad. - this was £21 plus! The wife's fish and chips were cold also. We ate it as we were hungry but for what we paid it was very poor. Spoke to the lad behind the bar on the way out about the food being cold and he said "yeah the chef had orders waiting, i never had time to go and get the food so the chef brought the food out"- yeah mate for fifty odd quid that really solved the issue!!! There was a sign up in the bar asking people to voluntarily donate to the up keep of the lift which i think was cheeky considering you have to pay to park upstairs. There is no WiFi which is a concern giving you can't get a signal and if someone needs you in an emergency you are screwed. Another sign up stating there is no WiFi and its like it's 1995 and they would rather people spoke to wach other. Well pity the prices and customer service were not still of 1995!!!! What an absolute shambles this place is, they are charging near enough top dollar for very little. Would not recommend anyone to go for food

Very nice place to relax outside of the world without any network

This pub/restaurant is partly built into a cave at the bottom of Marsden Grotto It serves a good range of beers, wines and spirits. The food that is sold is mainly fish or shell fish. Although it also sells things like steak. What makes this pub special is the fact that part of the pub is built into a cave and outside there are some very nice views of Marsden Rock. I have attached some photos to give you an idea of what it is like there. If you are in this area pay this pub a visit it's well worth it.

We opted to use the Marsden Grotto for my sister’s baby shower. The staff was ever so helpful, the views are amazing outside as it sits directly on the beach. The baby shower was in the cave area which is beautifully lit with a rustic interior. Would highly recommend!

A lovely experience at the Marsden Grotto. A bucket list tick to stay in a cave something bit different. We stayed in the shanti penthouse which had panoramic views of the ocean. We were very lucky to have a clear day so the views were amazing. The hotel has no public WiFi and no signal due to its location. Although I wasn’t bothered by the social media we were going to spend more time in the room enjoying the view whilst watching the fire stick but unable to do this with no WiFi. The bed was extremely comfortable. I have read other comments about a smell in the room and although there was something I believe this is due to the location and more sea air than a bad smell. We had food on the Friday night which was nice. Breakfast is just toast, muffins and small boxes of cereal.

What a gem. Very interesting, beautiful inside, stunning views outside and fabulous food.

Lovely scenic spot. Have been here a few times, only tried drinks and a cheesecake but it's a nice venue. Biscoff cheesecake was delicious. Cool experience going down the lift and lots of history to read. Nice to sit outside with the view.

Amazing location, amazing food and amazing atmosphere! And no phone connection at all! Couldn’t want for anything better!

Location is exceptionally good , cannot comment on rooms as we came for food. Lack of staff for service to start and food very very bland . Will return for drinks and walk but certainly won’t be purchasing food

ordered katsu fish burger and my partner got a streak wrap both were really nice ,perfect view ,obviously pay a bit more because of location but so what ,great south shields pub

What an absolute waste of money. Location is the only thing going for it. We went for my son's 13th birthday, with is having to hide the disappointment. I could have made better food at home & the price for said food was ridiculous. Save your money, go somewhere better for less.

Lovely cocktail for my birthday 🎉

Dog friendly and a cool location is the only good thing we experienced. Can't speak for the rooms as we only came for food in the restaurant. Service was poor, waited over an hour for food which was bland and overpriced. There were drinks glasses left on tables which also weren't cleaned. Toilets needed cleaning and outside also needed sweeping as there was rubbish everywhere. Shame as it's so unique.

A fabulous, quirky place to visit, eat and stay. It is steeped in very interesting history. It is well worth a visit, even if it's just for a coffee.

A place to go, one of a kind. Highly recommended. Small variety of choice of drinks but still the view and location makes it special.

Had an absolutely wonderful time at the grotto for my husbands birthday, Erin went above and beyond to make our stay perfect and we will definitely be staying again and the food was delicious.

Stayed here with my wife for a night in the Shanty Penthouse. Fantastic room with amazing views, waking up to the sound of the sea and seeing it roll in made the stay worth every penny. Staff are lovely and helpful and I can't fault the place one bit. We will definitely stay again and highly recommend. In fact we didn't want to leave.

Beautiful place.. will keep going back.

Unique place. Good food. On the beach. Use the lift not the stairs. Wraps are recommended 😉 The car park is expensive as the minimum charge is £3.

Service and forward amazing. The location is spectacular.

One of the 7 wonders of the North East, the others being the terrible service at any branch of McDonald's, the welding keeping the Angel of the North together, Geordie girls dress sense on a winters night out, Greggs sausage rolls, Donatello's kebabs and of course Rivelino (the band).... This is not a Wetherspoons, this is a very unique place to visit, stay, and or eat. The staff are what make this place, although the setting is nothing short of spectacular. Steeped in myth and legend of ghost smugglers and surf and turf wraps, The Grotto is a must for any passing visitor to the area. The food is... on a plate, the prices are... on a list.... It is what it is, go there, look around you, appreciate it for what and where it is, it's not the Ritz, but the welcome is second to none...at any time of year. I've been going here for over 50 years, and the 2025 version is one of the best there's been. Generally cold, wet and miserable, the coast also offers stones, shells, sand and the occasional dolphin. Bring your big coat.

Marsden Grotty. What a wasted opportunity. With such great views it should be heaving. If the decor and food was great it would be. I'd go back and sit outside on a warm and sunny day but in the middle of winter we just looked and left.

It must be 200 feet down from the top of the cliff but there's a lift to get you to the bottom inside you can see the cliff face where they carved into it to make the cavity for the pub. It was worth the £6 pint of Madri just to see the place.

We stayed here at the end of summer hoping to see the northern lights, however luck was not on our side and the night we arrived the clouds came in, however far from being disappointed we had an amazing night, fantastic room unique view and an absolutely unique experience A*****

Beautiful bar set into a cave on the sea front. Also has rooms.

I ate here about 5 or 6 years ago and had a lovely seafood platter. Unfortunately I visited recently. I didn't get to sample the food so I can't comment on that. We wanted to eat here but the service was so poor we left. Also, after checking the menu it seemed slightly over priced for which was essentially a pub grub menu. The place seemed to be selling more coffee and pints than food. If they separated the bar and the restaurant they could probably provide table service and an actual restaurant experience, and keep the steady trade of coffee and pints.

Very disappointed been many times but won’t be hurrying back called today One member of staff not a smile in sight Coffee £4.40 No cups , given in a take away cup no spoon had to share the spoon she used behind the counter Waited 20 minutes if wasn’t for the view . Ended up not having food at their price expect a lot better service 😞😞😞

14£ for a prawn sandwich that I can only describe as wet and small ,gave me the shits like a tsunami ,won’t be going back !!

Nice place for coffee with love views

What an Amazing place. Set in an old Smugglers Cave the atmosphere was nice & the food was great. There is a lift down to the restaurant but it closes at 10pm for some reason ? After that you have to use the long stairs up from the seafront. If you have mobility problems like I do you'd be better getting out before 10pm. I would imagine it's great in the summer as you go right down to the seafront. Sadly it was dark when I went with friends but I'll definitely be going back 👍

Food amazing and staff happy and friendly.

Booked the cave room for our 20th wedding anniversary. The room was extremely dirty, furniture dropping to pieces compliment tray poor cups and spoon had to be washed before we could use them. Food in the restaurant was over priced and average quality, we will definitely not be returning not even for a drink. Terrible experience.

Fantastic place to relax and take fantastic photos.

Absolute racket. They wanted £19.95 for fish and chips and £22.95 for 'posh' fish and chips (pictured). Actually paid thinking it would be better than normal fish and chips. No. The server walked out with what looked (and went down like) kids portions from colmans, and the 'posh' fish and chips was even worse. The staff wouldn't accommodate when one of us wanted a fish on its own with peas, stating we'd be charged the same as for fish and chips + peas. £3.50 for a cup of tea as well. Let my stupidity be a lesson.

I was so disappointed with this place, the staff were rude and the food was microwaved, I was told this by a member of staff when I asked if the fish was well battered, his reply was it comes out the packet into the microwave there are no options. Beautiful setting but if they want to make money they need a proper kitchen team. We paid £58 for fish and chips, a burger, a cappuccino and a coke, we left most of this, we did approach the staff but they just dismissed us.

Beautiful hotel/bar in a cave so don't expect any phone signal or WiFi in and around the bar area , not sure on the hotel rooms though

I was driving past thought it was derelict but closer inspection obviously not! A hidden gem, paid online for parking and went down the lift. I didn't stay in the hotel but had fish n chips looking at the beach, amazing, definitely recommend it. The hotel looks very modern and quirky with history. After a walk along the beach i thought I'd try the stairs - should've done that the other way 😆

Used to be lovely went few weeks ago the windows were scruffy the tables were sticky floors dirty over priced drinks and unatentive staff what a shame as a lovely place

Only called in for a drink, so can't give an opinion on the rooms or food. It was quite busy when we arrived and the only free tables hadn't been cleared. One was wet where something had been spilt and the other was sticky and covered in sugar, where some children had been playing. As the weather was decent, we sat outside with our drinks. Lovely views of Marsden Rock. Toilet facilities were clean and well maintained.

Wonderful building and location but shame about the food. Calamari and whitebait seemed frozen. Sandwiches were okay. Expensive.

Food was over priced and poor quality. Staff were friendly but obviously over worked.

The Grotto is a lovely location, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, dog friendly. Go for a drink after a walk on the beach or in the Leas but don’t be tempted by the menu. The food is terrible and absolutely overprized. Our experience is not based on one visit. We are regular customers all year round and tried the food on several occasions.

Nice place but food is very overpriced and not particularly good. Go for a drink but unless you've got money to throw away for a poor meal keep it in your pocket. Burger was dry, seafood pasta mediocre, the fish portion was small and everything lacked flavour. Table was also dirty.

Lovely place, ideal for a coffee or bite to eat. I have been coming here since i was a littke kid. The lass who served me today was very polite...really nice. My only gripe with the Grotto is the lack of WiFi which would be a massive plus...who doesn't have WiFi in this day and age?? You can't even get a signal on the terrace whilst having your drink which is really annoying so the addition of WIFI would be really helpful especially as I was waiting on an important call which ironically I missed!

Very overpriced, the chips were frozen chips. The scampi was out of a supermarket freezer! Little effort for approx. £19 per meal! Would I go back? NO!!

Been years since last time there. And definitely didn't disappoint. Clean, friendly staff, and great views outside. Well worth a visit.

Great venue, definitely different to most other restaurants in uk. Has the possibility to be an excellent venue for various events. Cafe are at the front caters well for beach customers however the rear area could be an absolute top restaurant venue. Plenty of fresh fish available locally however we didn't feel ourselves and other customers received fresh and prepared on site. Fish batter soggy and under cooked. Fries even after being replaced once still came back under cooked and soggy. We left feeling disappointed with nothing further to say. Fresh fish and prepared in the kitchen with staff that can would make all the difference. Come on guys you have a fantastic place now make it fantastic!

The novelty of the lift, location and views is brilliant. Definitely visit once and wander on the beach. However the food is very expensive £17.50 for a halloumi wrap and £22 for half a sea bass slice. Dirty sticky tables. Service was great and friendly.

Went in for coffee, great views, brilliant service

Dont bother! Gave this place another chance after a bad experience a year ago and if anything its worse! Staff rude (think was the manager) food order was wrong, staff blamed me! Food was awful, still frozen! Dirty tables and place stunk

A coastal gem with stunning views, great food, and a relaxing atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Great place for coffee or hot chocolate by the side of the sea. Like the lift down from the top of the cliff in to the Grotto. Lovely setting and nicely decorated. Hot chocolate was good. Only 2 girls behind the counter working their socks off to keep up with the orders. Well done both.

Same as it has been for many years

An expensive place, the black mussel was stinky and had a bitter taste.

Not a great experience. The tables were pretty dirty. Staff rude and unhelpful. Had trouble requiring a glass for a drink. Drinks poor quality and expensive. It smelt dirty and definitely looked that way. Would not return.

Unique place, great atmosphere. 4 stars as decided not to stay for food as it was rather expensive.

Not a one for writing bad reviews but my god this place has went downhill. Got fish, chips and mushy peas priced at £19.99, thought i was getting something decent to say the least, not even a slice of bread to accompany it. Food came and fish was swimming in grease, 3 serviettes later to mop it up and fish was bland. Told staff member and come back was, chef said yes maybe the fish hadnt rested enough?, asked if i wanted it changed, heck no when you hear stories about that so perservered. Chips half cooked and some burnt too, a little more than a handful. Disgusting to say the least. Last time ever there 👎. Hubby got crab arancini which came with little bit of tired salad £21. Save your money folks, Colmans 100% better and cheaper. Place could do with a good clean too.

Just had a meal, which was excellent, friendly service. Lovely views from bar and terrace.

A must see when you're in the North East. A bar/restaurant caved into the side of the rockface. Friendly staff and a fantastic view.

Short visit. Good sevice; tasty coffee and hot chocolate.

Many turned away because of lift being out of order. After paying £3 to park. The stairs are not an option in windy weather, or for disabled, elderly people.

What a brilliant place location and staff are lovely xx we tried lobster fior the first time and it was amaxing

Oh dear,where to start. Lift has seen better days ,needs refurbished. Bar area ok-ish, ordered 'food' , bar area could be cleaner but on to food,ordered a crab sandwich priced at £16.50 expecting a real treat, what arrived was a mush of brown paste that just ran all over the plate with a little salad-ish thing on side.Sent back &, to be fair was offered alternative but declined. Very sad place now, we had friends from NI visiting & from previous visits over many years was expecting significantly better than what we got,not a good experience

Not a good experience today, on entering the grotto it did not look nor smell clean. Food - The fish was hard to find inside doughy greasy batter. Fries tasteless with dry mushy peas. To conclude my review of my experience at the grotto today, 25 September 2024. It is not value for money and over priced.

Quick stop for a delicious coffee - lovely, unique spot.

What a quwiky location for a restaurant with rooms, loved it food and service was great

Called in for some food having heard about the views. The location is lovely and the view would be too but sadly the fog came in for us. We ordered food and whilst there was a steady stream of customers it wasn't really too busy. The food came quickly. Too quickly. Which suggested prepared before hand. And as a result it was dry so I can only assume microwaved or overcooked now to reheat. Even my mussels were dried out? Not ideal. Staff also seemed frustrated and tired. So tables left dirty for longer than they should have been. And service slow.

Great location, unique and interesting. Nice staff. Good food and well kept beer.

Had some chips and a drink here while walking along the beach. Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff.

Location, location, location. As of September 2024 this place is doing pretty well. There are so many reports of the entranceway being smelly and of a general lack of cleanliness, but, I didn’t find any of this when I visited with family on, a weekday afternoon in order to have lunch. Yes, there are a few things that could be tidied up but in the current climate this place is looking after itself pretty well it is pricey which I put down the location. There aren’t many other places where you can sit and have these views And that comes at a premium which I was happy to accept. Service from the weekday staff was not the most attentive. Staff were much happier chatting between themselves and figuring out their own plans rather than interacting with and looking after customers, but, whenever any questions were asked, they were helpful, generous and engaged.

We had a great 1 night stay here. The location is amazing. Our room looked directly out on the beach, the view is stunning. The room was basic, but clean and comfortable. The hallways and dining areas are carved out of the rock. The manageress is really friendly, all the staff were lovely. We had fish & chips - fresh, delicious chips were homemade- a great first night for our Hadrians wall challenge!

Visited today. Sat at table to discover soon seat was soaked. Staff unaware? Ordered food which was dreadful. Frozen scampi/ fries. Crab served in warm bun and dreadful salad not as advertised. Cutlery was brought in wet napkins. No tea spoons available. Basic stuff. Given a 25% reduction. Even then not value for money. Totally disappointed

Horrendous food for the price. I’ve worked in cafes and restaurants and could not imagine not even having a tea spoon for hot drinks… Paid over £60 for 2 teas, a hot chocolate, fish wrap, scampi and chips and crab sandwich. No spoons to be seen for the drinks, given the wooden ice cream spoons instead, tea came in a cup not even in a tea pot (who doesn’t have tea pots for tea)? Cutlery came wrapped in wet napkins, the fries are just cooked from frozen and were cold after 2 minutes, crab sandwich came on a tiny overspilling plate and the bun was warm but the filling cold. Paying over £15 for food you would expect quality but this was not it at all. Shame as you travel for the location and the experience and I’ve never had such a disappointing meal. Also the place just has an odd smell and the cushioned seats were wet when we sat down.

My husband and I ordered two steak wraps from the menu, we had been looking forward to going there for some time and high expectations. The service was fine, but the food was terrible. The wrap came out nicely presented, but the steak was cold, you got three lousy pieces of uncooked steak the wrap was soggy the onion and peppers were raw. The wrap was an astonishing £18.50…. The whole thing tasted absolutely terrible. I couldn’t enjoy the first mouthful let alone the whole meal. This was very disappointing, the plate was taken to the bar and the kind waitress took the plate back to the kitchen, the waitress spoke to her manager on my behalf. The manager came to speak to me personally and apologised, the steak should not have been cold to say the least. The manger was going to speak to the chef in person. The manager came me a refund for my meal and apologised, it was a very disappointing visit!

Amazing views, good food and friendly staff. A really unique and historical place set within a clifftop, well worth a visit.

Great and unique place to stay. Staff are fantastic and the place is definitely worth a stay if you get chance!

Sandwiches were disappointing, nice chips though, given wrong coffee but told it was the same. However, a cappuccino is not the same as a latte. Really should be better at these prices.

Bit of an appetite after a long walk by the sea, stopped in here thinking we’d get a Coke and a couple of sandwiches. Realised how hungry we were and went for a huge seafood sharing platter. Got to say it was gorgeous, add that to the utterly unique dining area and fantastic location and we’d stumbled onto a winner. Only slight downsides were that the staff were a little slow in cleaning and clearing.

We had a family meal here as we all love seafood and we weren't disappointed. The seafood chowder was amazing, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our food. The location is unusual and one of a kind, which adds to the experience. The staff were lovely and very helpful. It is a little expensive but it is seafood so that's expected. The drinks are very expensive and there are no other options nearby. Also the £3 charge for the var park seems excessive, given the location we'd expected it to be free. Worth a visit but only on special occasions as too expensive to be a regular thing

Have to say the description of the surf and turf burger is very misleading jumbo prawns which come as 3 small prawns that fitted into a small bun and very bland for £27.aa for the location and inside is beautiful would go back for a drink but never eat there again

In Aug 2024 we were heading for a walk from the nearby lighthouse and saw this on Google maps and decided to give it a try and what an amazing place. It has a fabulous setting right on the shore with rock stacks just offshore. The patio literally sits just above the shore. The restaurant is unique in my experience being set in caves in the rocks. Just a fabulous place and the coastal walk is also amazing on the cliff tops.

Really disappointed today. Came last year and had a fantastic birthday meal, we dreamed of the seafood chowder and couldn't wait to come back!! Fast forward a year and the prices have went up phenomenal amounts! Gourmet prices for food that is sub standard and you have to go up to the bar to order, not even table service for such big prices! The steak wrap had minimal steak and filling in, the katsu cod burger: the curry sauce tasted like sultanas and sweet, not katsu curry sauce at all!! A seafood chowder that was very small either only 1 small piece of bread, a steak wrap, katsu cod burger and 2 soft drinks came to £59. Highly disappointed and we will never visit again.

Called in for a beer and a coffee a proper hide away as it’s built into a cave, food looks splendid, will definitely call in again for food next time when we are in the area

Fantastic location. Built into the cliff and outside area looking on to the beach. Nesting seabirds on cliffs and the Rock.

Perfect for disconnecting from the weekly routine.

I really love that place. When I was there last year we had a nice clean room. We have been there two weeks ago and it is a big diference. The room was very dusty, dirty and mess in sink. Dissapointed. The breakfest included for one night 145,-£ was absolutely nightmere. Just bread, butter and muffines??? It was a bad joke...no more...one positive thing - great view.

Fantastic place, absolutely delightful.

Beautiful restaurant but the service is slow. Food is lovely. Beautiful view on marsden bay

Well what can I say came here with my wife an the dog which was great, but got some food Jesus Christ just under £50 for fries halloumi fries an a veggie burger an 2 coke, must ov thought we were pirate, will not be back but a great day out if you have a dog or not.

Great place for a little restaurant with amazing views. It’s right in a grotto, actually rocks!

great cosy unique pub great sea views

Tables and patio outside let the place down and it need serious cleaning outside, every day. Not helped by people feeding pidgeons on the tables which is a health hazard. Overpriced drinks and the staff don't even bring them out for you. As with many places these days, it feels there's little staff/customer interaction or pride in their work.