Marsden Grotto in South Tyneside

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.

Nice place for coffee and food, could do with a better selection of cakes when having coffee, nice friendly staff.

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 😆

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.

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

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!

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

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!!

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.

Same as it has been for many years

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Beautiful views, excellent service

I go for my Sunday dinner and the dinners are always lush

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.

It's an interesting experience right from the moment you board the lift to descend into the restaurant. The main room appears to be hollowed out of the cliff. It's not pretty but it's pretty unusual. There was a good selection of drinks behind the bar, we didn't try the wine list. There is a good selection of seafood on the menu which is why we went there and everything that we had [there were 7 of us all having something different] was delicious. Service was excellent and the view from the veranda over the North Sea is quite spectacular. Thanks for a lovely night.

Food was average at best and overpriced. It’s very grubby in general, tables were dirty and sticky to touch, toilets an absolute disgrace. Wish we had just gone with our gut instinct when we got there and went elsewhere. The restaurant is trying to be something it’s not - it’s pub food and drink for the locals, nothing more. Will not be back and would not recommend.

The grotto is absolutely beautiful but unfortunately extremely expensive such a shame as it’s on our doorstep and used to love going there

Great ambience and if you like sea birds, there is plenty to see. I cannot comment on the hotel as it was just a flying visit.

Amazing place but sadly is expensive, at £6.25 for a pint of peroni it's cheaper to drink in London. Staff weren't the quickest to tidy messy tables or wipe down the bar which is a shame as this venue is one of the most unique I've been to. Will definitely be back but will be to enjoy the beach as I won't be paying there prices

Great view, parking ticket has wrong time and you can only use pound coins. £1 donation to go down

Absolutely ripped off £120 for 3 x surf and turf 🤬 steak was nice but 4 frozen king prawns and 8 mussels the size of my thumb nail and a couple small handfuls of frozen fries bit salad and some tasteless colslaw wish I’d sent it back instead of eaten it when there for my son 16th feel like I’ve disappointed him. I’m never a one to complain but I’m absolutely fuming and pissed off at myself for paying it The second photo was off the 3 plates

Food terrible for the price. McDonald's fries, overcooked steak and mussels that were so small needed a magnifying glass to find them. First time last time overpriced Whether spoons food.

A location so unique it deserves a visit. The food is good, if a bit pricey, but the experience of being transported to a little geological wonderland, removed from the world above is what's really magical.

Worth going down for a pint (£6+), and the dog on the beach, it is one of very few cave bars in Europe, and has loads of history, from jack the blaster, Peter Allan, and going through different ownerships, ghost stories and pirates. A great beach, and views. Access is either by lift from the car park or by a zigzag staircase on the cliff at the side of the building. The lift is housed in a brick shaft rising from the front of the building.would definitely recommend a visit if you haven't been.

Only stopped to see the Marsden Rock

The Food is Amazing, & the staff are very friendly. Right outside is Marsden Rock. You can sit inside or outside, There is No Wi-Fi as you are inside a cave so you got to talk to each other like it's 1995. 1st time here & will definitely be back again. There is a lift from the car park down to Bar/Restaurant or you can take the stairs down that come down the cliff but there is a lot of them. Been back again today 2.6.24 & once again the food was so amazing & the staff are very friendly. Well be back again sometime soon.

£30 for fish & chips, £26 for a burger 😂😂 cone of chips £5.50 pint Ipa £6.75 nice place but never eating there is far too overpriced

Very expensive £3.50 for a small bottle of Coke bcse they ' forgot ' to order the syrup for the premix on a bank holiday!!

Excellent seafood restaurant food was perfect, ambience amazing staff friendly and attentive. Highly recommend a visit if you are in the area

Wonderful pub--it's a pub that serves food, rather than a restaurant that serves drinks. Literally in a cave on the beach; worth coming to just for that. Friendly staff, who say Hello if they know you (we're locals), but just as good for tourists. One tip though: don't use the Grotto car park. It's not owned by the pub, they get no money from it I don't think, and it's more expensive than the Marsden Lea one a hundred yards along the clifftop. So use Marsden Lea instead

A place that is very unusual. Bar restaurant and hotel. Built into the cliffs. With seating outside as well as inside. Great friendly place with great staff and friendly service. Definitely worth a visit 😃

Stayed for 1 night beautiful place with beautiful views. The staff Eva. Eve. Dylan and John went above and beyond to make our stay perfect thank you Tara and Ian x

Love this place. We had our wedding reception here and the service was excellent. The room we stayed in was fantastic. A great time all round

We love everything about this place. Looking forward to staying over in the winter months due to its seafront location.

What a letdown! The food was appalling, the service was terrible, and the prices were outrageously high. We won't be returning!

Super unique place to visit and watch the sea. Loved the history of the place and how authentic it feels.

Very nice location, so close to the sea. It is possible that the sound from the waves will make it difficult to sleep if you choose to stay at the hotel. Very special that much of the area is in caves. I didn't spend the night, I was only visiting for a few hours.

I only popped down for a bite to eat, it's a very unique setting, the food was decent enough, though I did find it quite expensive for what it was, I guess you're paying for the setting as much as the food.

Its a novelty to eat inside a cave. Food was lovely, atmosphere was lovely. Nice views of the beach. Staff were really helpful. Take £3 cash for the carpark as it doesn't take card. Dog friendly.

It's nice listening to the waves while led in bed.

Great service But £17.95 for a burger and chips not good French fries frozen not made from scratch Burger just.ok Salad ( well no words to describe how bad it was ) dry and so.e limp no dressing on ,no tomato either, coleslaw no dressing withnit so dry

Didn't stay in rooms, but bar build into caves whar more can you ask for. Beer not cheap. April 2024 pint of Madri £6

Lovely place, lovely staff but service extremely slow. We sat for over 40 mins before we got any food however the food was delicious, not much choice if you dont like fish though. I had a burger which was good and everyone else said they enjoyed their food.

Visited the restaurant for a bite with the Gran kids they were surprised of the fact that the location being part of the cliff face. Not overlay-priced meals were nice and enjoyable

Slow service, expensive drinks, but really nice homemade chips, better than Coleman chips, but very average overall

Brilliant location and very friendly staff

Can't rate it enough for food n service Brilliant

A place to visit when you are in South Shields.