Riley's Fish Shack in North Tyneside

Went for lunch and dinner as we were in the area for a few days. Lunch was ok👍. Dinner not so good, over cooked salted potatoes, salad drenched in oil and the bread was under cooked. We were the last table booked so I guess they let the fire run down hence the under cooked bread. Overall we were disappointed.

An idiosyncratic location at the foot of steep cliffs in King Edwards Bay in Tynemouth in converted shipping containers. Seating inside is both limited in numbers and very tight on raised stools with the remaining outside on a covered balcony. In summer there are deckchairs on the sand. You need to wrap up and be prepared for the weather. The menu is fish led and cooked over an open flame. in keeping with the rustic vibe the food is served in card boxes with wooden cutlery and plastic cups. We had the Brill and Hake dishes which came with generous sides of two salads and roasted potatoes. It is on the pricey side but the food was superb and the overall package a great experience. if you are picky about home comforts then don't venture down but to sample really fresh fish expertly cooked then don't miss!

Great food but check your bank account!! Fab food, really fresh and tasty. No Monkfish, despite it being on menu alas😧. Meal was £64 on receipt presented but on checking bank £76 had been taken. Rang and was told was service charge. It wasn’t on receipt, wasn’t mentioned and had I not checked, would have been non the wiser.. very strange affair!! Put me off returning if I’m honest. Don’t like to be deceived. I’m not the only one looking at these comments.

Visited today and couldn't have asked for a better location. Luckily had a sunny day and sat on the beach in deckchairs admiring the view. The staff were friendly and the food delicious and unusual. However, we felt the prices were very high.

Wanted something different for a Sunday lunch. I think they were a bit understaffed which could be the reason why we were ignored when we got there and then once we got a seat and ordered waited a long time to get our drinks, had to chase them up. I had the langoustines and my husband had baked cod, both had hot potatoes. The langoustines were nice but were in a very heavy sauce that they didn’t need, the cod was in what appeared to be French onion soup, again too heavy on flavour.Good seafood does not need drowning out. It’s a lovely idea and amazing view but all seems a bit over contrived. Also about 12% service charge added on - yes I could have asked them to remove it as the service was not good, I didn’t but I will not return.

Been here a few times now and it is always consistently good. Granted it is on the pricey side but you pay that for the setting and quality. Popular spot so be prepared for some noise as it is always busy!

Terrible service literally know one in restaurant or on beach “-fully booked” Never come back again !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Having heard glowing reviews, we made sure to stop at Riley's Fish Shack for lunch during our drive back from Scotland. Although we didn't have the chance to explore the town, the journey down numerous steps to reach the shack, nestled on the beach, was part of the charm. The place was bustling, and rightly so. Booking ahead was essential, especially if you want a spot on the balcony or need to accommodate your furry friend, as the beach restricts dogs during the summer months. The effort to secure a reservation was well worth it. The menu, filled with homemade selections, was exceptional. We indulged in dishes that were both hearty and flavorful, perfectly complementing the seaside ambiance. At around £50 per person, including drinks, the experience wasn't inexpensive, but the generous portions and outstanding service justified the price. We left satisfied and without any reservations about returning. Riley's Fish Shack offers a memorable dining experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting the area.

Perfect way to spend the afternoon. My boyfriend and I had a late lunch at Riley’s today. It was absolutely amazing. The service was wonderful, we sat up in the shack and after the smoked mackerel pate that we shared for started and then the baked hake and cod that we shared we were stuffed. The quality of the food was amazing and the whole experience was a special treat. We will be back! Thank you everyone especially Sam who made our experience extra special. 🤍

Great location, friendly staff. Over priced food, limited menu served with wooden cutlery. Disappointing expensive lunch, will not go back. Fish and food muttered in flavours over powering food, potatoes cold. Save your money and go else where

Delicious food. Really amazing, best in the area. Staff were wonderful except one rude female waiter. The view and setting is also really cool, perfect for a sunny day! My gripe is the cutlery and glasses, it’s plastic and wooden. How are you meant to cut a steak with a disposable wooden knife! The plastic cups made everything feel a bit cheap which took away from the experience! Still amazing however just not quite perfect.

Pre booked a beach deckchair when we booked (ages ago!) and then opted for a fire pit when we were there (at an extra charge). The visit was definitely worth the wait. The food was delicious - honest local ingredients cooked simply but beautifully. No fuss, just absolutely delicious taste. The view is just amazing down on the beach with the sun setting & the fire burning in the metal fire pit (& a dolphin & seal in the bay). Staff were amazing & could not have been more friendly or helpful. They absolutely made our visit. We had an amazing evening & will definitely be back. Recommend most highly but even on a sunny evening it can be chilly so make sure to take a warm jacket & ask for a blanket!!

Pre booked a table to sit out on deck chairs. The food absolutely surpassed expectations. Whilst quite pricy, I couldn’t fault the food, drinks or service. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely return.

We regularly visit Riley’s fish shack and we are never disappointed. We love the general vibe and the food is always excellent. It is always very fresh and there is a great selection. My only criticism would be the wooden cutlery - they can occasionally break which makes deboning fish quite tricky, nonetheless it is a truly excellent place to eat.

Very, very, very overpriced food. Terrible customer service from “Donna” who we were told to speak to when we enquired where our table was but had not been introduced to so had no idea where to go. When told to join the queue, I turned around to see what can only be described as a lump of people not knowing whether they were queuing to access the Bay or the restaurant. There needs to be some proper system implemented here as it was not obvious where to go to access tables you have reserved. Anyway, when we’re taken to our table we’re told we have to get back up and take photographs of the menu as they don’t have any printed out. Seriously? Waited around 15 minutes for somebody to take our order. Nobody ever returned after food was brought out to check if we wanted more drinks. Oh, and they accept cash but don’t give you change. They also had the cheek to slap on a service charge for what was really abysmal service. I’m not buying into this tips culture that is making its way across the Atlantic. A tip is earned, not a given. Having said all of the above, I can’t fault the food and it was extremely fresh and delicious.

My son suggested going here and I was slightly put off by the very mixed reviews - am really amazed by all the negative ones now I've been! Even though it was a very cold day we decided to eat on the balcony under a heater (having booked a table inside). The food was exceptional, service excellent and of course the location is sublime. I didn't think adding 12.5% for service charge was too much nowadays (some places add 15%) and having the food in a cardboard box was great as the portions were huge and I could take the rest home easily for supper! The wooden cutlery isn't ideal and they should change that though. The quality of the cooking really is superb and I'd be there weekly if I lived closer. Highly recommend.

We visited on both 27th April for dinner and 28th April for breakfast (yes we loved it that much) To eat fresh fish in this location is a privilege We had oysters for starters and monkfish for mains, both were excellent. For breakfast I had kippers my partner had the fish cake, once again outstanding I agree some people won’t like some of the obvious discomfort of eating outside (in that case don’t moan, book Riley’s Fish Restaurant in Tynemouth). For a genuinely unique and uplifting experience go to The Fish Shack, it’s really is fabulous

Very good food. Plenty of it. Very good service. The location makes it whatever the weather. Fish Meal + Steak Wrap + Bottle of fizz + 3 pints of lager £128. Few quid for nice food wrapped up on the beach.

The food here is so good!! The best thing we got was the crispy halibut! Would highly recommend! Had a really nice ambiance and if it’s cold you can sit inside by the fire!!

Food is delicious although very expensive. Service was chaotic on the day we stopped for lunch despite it not being busy. Took ages for someone to welcome us and then over an hour for all of our three dishes to arrive. Returned one dish as it was not what we ordered and after a further thirty minutes gave up waiting and asked for a refund before going to Marshalls for fish and chips. Staff were very friendly and helpful but something was clearly wrong with the ordering system as they were apologising to other customers for long waits and incorrect orders or struggling to match orders to tables. Still not received refund so may have paid nearly £40 for two dishes and a hot drink.

This place came highly recommend. Had a shelf on the balcony, visited in April, my advice wear something warm , I was absolutely freezing. The food severed in cardboard boxes with wooden cutlery, drinks in plastic cups , really, for their prices . Minimum charge per person £25, most of their main dishes are over that and everything served together even starter . I can honestly say this was possibly one of the worst food experiences I have had , the place is totally over hyped. Will never return.

We stopped for lunch on our way to Northumberland and Rileys has been recommended by a friend. It is an unassuming place right on the beach at Tynemouth in the shadows of the Priory and Castle. It has a few indoor seats, some outdoor on the narrow balcony and seating on the sand. We had luckily booked indoors as the wind was very cold. But we were still blown away, metaphorically, by the food. A sizeable menu of fish delights which made deciding hard and what we had was superb. The service was amazing and the ambience delightful. Small wood burners built into the wall at the end of each indoor table gave welcome warmth. I thoroughly recommend a visit. Massive thanks and congrats to the team at Rileys.

Booked deckchairs online and arrived to be greeted by a chap who was polite and showed us to our seats in the beach. Another guy took our drink order, I asked about the small plates on the website and he looked at us like we were aliens or the dirt on his shoe, said the chalk board was the only small plates, this guy really needs another career. Monkfish tail and Cod dishes were very good with lots of healthy salad and just enough sauces. Unfortunately no one asked if we wanted another drink and no one came to clear the empty plastic glasses, food boxes, litter amongst the seating area or even wiped our table before we ate. We disposed of our own litter in a large bin and went to the bar to pay, where we found a 12.5% service charge auto added to bill which was astounding considering we had very little service or made to feel comfortable when ordering food. The dishes are great but the service is appalling so we won’t be visiting again.

I had heard so much about this place and as I was staying in Whitley Bay over Easter I booked a table for Easter Saturday months in advance, expecting a great experience. I was greeted by a very nice young man and shown to my table. It was not explained to me how to order my food but I assumed it was waitress service as there appeared to be lots of staff around. Instead I was resolutely ignored and sat waiting for about 40 minutes, with no communication from any of the staff. There was a great atmosphere but a general air of disorganisation so in the end I went to the till to order which was just as well or I might have been still sat waiting. I was served by a miserable guy with a beard and a hat who had a definite attitude and needs training in customer service. He was completely unempathetic and his curt, abrupt answers to my polite questions gave me the impression he was too busy trying to be hip and bohemian as it became very clear he knew I was waiting to be served. After that, things got better as the food arrived! The waitress who served me my food was great. I had amazing fresh cod in a herb crumb in french onion soup, which was simply delicious. I was lucky enough to be there on a sunny day so in the end I had a reasonably nice experience but I would have appreciated some acknowledgement of my existence.

What a disappointment though we have been coming since it first started. That won’t be happening as we won’t return sadly. Treated friends staying for the weekend. Slow service - can live with that but 25 mins for 4 hot drinks? No crumpets - they had run out so they up for some. The setting is gorgeous, the food pretty good though expensive BUT the staff indifference and interaction was what put us off. Friends remarked on how unfriendly they were. We were sat next to the kitchen inside and the look I got asking for a dash of extra milk when they got a minute…. And I could put my drink there where they were doing the drinks…. The gall too for adding on 12.5 percent service. Get that outside maybe but not in and also service was ghastly. Agree on the wooden crockery as that can’t cut a crumpet! We had a much nicer and better value brekky at Dill and Bear in Tynemouth a month ago and we ate Friday night with friends at Mascalzone in Newcastle and The Beehive Pub near seaton delaval today for Sunday lunch. Friends said today how much the friendliness/ welcome/ hospitality in both contrasted to Riley’s - such a shame. Suspect complacency has taken over as the place is now so popular. I am sorry to put this review in but spend your money elsewhere…..

This was our second time at Riley’s Fish Shack and it felt just as amazing as our first visit. The location is utterly amazing, especially as the sunsets and it gets darker. The food is honestly some of the best seafood we have had. The chefs and staff are just fantastic and we really don’t have anything negative to say about. We come with our toddler and it’s endless fun for her playing in the sand while we watch and eat incredible food and have a little tipple! If you’re in the north east, be sure to book a table on the beach (check the weather)!

Almost 8 years since I last reviewed Riley's Fish Shack so it's time to update with my latest visit. In the intervening years the establishment has gone from strength to strength & is more popular than ever, even on a cold clear evening in late March. Why? It ticks a lot of boxes...a lot of boxes... Tick one is huge: location. Right on the natural cove that forms around King Edward's Bay in Tynemouth. The sea, the sunset, the beach... Tick two is also huge: the people. Accommodating, friendly, informative & talented. Tick three, guess what...is also huge: the food & drink. We went for the monkfish wrap & monkfish kebab along with a bottle of rosé & a cheeky pint of stout from Two by Two. All delicious, memorable & recommended in equal measure. Booking is almost always essential, unless you're very lucky or willing to wait. I hope that this wonderful place is here for the next 8 years, and the next 8 years, and... Still smiling as I look through the pictures now & that's the biggest tick of all: event dining...memories that last & make you feel very fortunate to have such a great restaurant on your doorstep.

Booked this as a start to a week’s holiday in Northumberland but unfortunately we were less than impressed. I ordered the monkfish which was very firm and stringy and tasted like it had been reheated. The dining conditions are cramped. The food is overpriced and served in disposable takeaway style cartons with cheap disposable wooden cutlery. Their cocktails are only ever going to taste as good as the plastic cups they are served in - not good for the environment and definitely not good for the customer’s experience! The best thing about it was the playlist of largely Mancunian music and of course the view!

Simply delicious! Came down for breakfast after a sea dip and it was as good as always, maybe even better. I don’t think anyone could ever match the expertise of these guys for quality and taste. The fish cakes are literally the best I’ve ever had and the salad and home made bread! What can I say…..perfect in every way!

Had the monkfish kebab which was perfect as we're the oysters however the fish empanada was oversalted for me ,have had them before without this being an issue. Even though it was a Monday lunch the place was pretty fully booked so a good idea to book ahead. Unique venue but wrap up warm on windy days.

This used to be really good but not the prices no longer suit the venue. It used to be an excellent value for money concept. The quality of the food is excellent but it is still served in standard boxes and with wooden cutlery (one of ours broke). This may be the price of the pandemic. Reservation is £25/head which is deducted from the final bill. The 12.5% service charge was exorbitant in outdoor surroundings with smoke from other guests' fire pits billowing in your face (they paid £10 each for the privilege).I tolerated this as a first day out after lockdown but certainly will not be visiting again. The saving grace is that we were in good company

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Riley's last week. The food was excellent (monkfish, empanada, potatoes), the setting was stunning and the staff were really friendly. And we were fortunate with the weather in that it was dry. We paid £100 for 2 aperitif's, 2 meals, a bottle of wine, a fire pit and the service charge and I thought given the setting, the quality of the food and service it was value for money. It is possible to have a much cheaper evening though. We would definitely return if we are up that way again.

My girlfriend and I booked here for Friday night. We were a little concerned about the food options at first as we are both vegetarians and knew that this place was a ‘fish shack’.Although there was only one vegetarian dish on the menu(the turnip empanada), it was one of the tastiest meals I’ve ever had. What’s more, the server that we had went out of his way to make us a side salad of rocket, roasted potatoes, sourdough bread amongst other things which was also delicious and that I don’t believe was even on the menu.The same server was also very attentive and patient with the weather and the fact that our fire kept going out because of the elements. The views across the beach, sea and priory were stunning and the beers were good too, if not a little expensive. The hot chocolates were also very tasty.Overall we were thrilled with the experience and the fantastic service from this individual really helped make the night (unfortunately we didn’t get his name).

We were a group of 5 people who all had fantastic meals in a wonderful setting, all of us had various fish meals except one person who had the vegetarian option. The rain and hail made it even more memorable and we intend to return in the summer when the sun is shining. Thanks to all the staff for their prompt and efficient service. Everyone visiting the area should make a point of enjoying a meal here.

Probably the coldest spring in years found us sitting on a beach looking at the North Sea on a day when the weather was at best described as "changeable" And do you know what? We had a great time. Food was lovely, service was outstanding and the atmosphere amazing. Our first lunch out post lockdown easing and we could not have picked a better place. We'll be back but only after this aged person has dealt with post lockdown inactivity and can do the stairs up better. Doing a great job guys, keep it up.

I had the Dover Sole which was cooked to perfection and was accompanied by a perfectly counterbalanced side salad with sour dough and an agreeable glass of white wine. I rate the food and wine very highly as did my friends. Prices are reasonable and the service is good. The location is epic and whilst the weather was uncooperative the hailstorm certainly made the experience memorable. Access is via steps and a slope and this might be tricky for some but otherwise I rate this establishment very highly and want to return

Gorgeous view, food and staff! Second time dining at Riley’s and we were not disappointed. Staff were lovely, views were incredible and the sun was out which was even better. Food was absolutely incredible and the monkfish curry was the best curry I’ve ever had!

I was looking forward to this and unfortunately was disappointed. I ordered the Dover Sole, which was undercooked. It had a slimy consistency and had a pool of blood in it. The staff member took it away but then returned it saying that is how it’s supposed to be cooked which left me feeling as if I was in the wrong to return it. I’d been put off it anyway as the staff member who returned it said it was an artery . There was no offer to cook it further for me or change it to something else. £22 for a side salad and potatoes was an expensive snack.

First time here, but I’ve been wanting to try this place so much, since reading so many good things. We’ve just moved back after 25 years of living south & I’m so pleased we book upfront. One of the most beautiful spots & felt like I was on holiday. The food was fantastic & guys servicing us were just brilliant. I can’t recommend this place highly enough , we’ve have booked again & dying to bring all of our southern friends here. Thank you do much guys & looking forward to seeing you again soon

Service great / Amazing Food / Worth evening ££ Unusual venue - sitting on the beach just a shame it wasn’t 80f Will return Lady who served us new and delivered exceptional service

Fabulous venue on the beach. Great food great concept. Really enjoyed my halibut steak. Definitely recommended

Turned up early to see a lot of free tables.Politely asked if they could squeeze us in.“ no, we are fully booked” ( despite most tables being empty ) “ we are actually fully booked until June “ person walks away.We walked by an hour later...still lots of empty tables and....there are tables to be booked most days as we checked on line.Food may well be good but front of house...terrible, unfriendly and liars.We had glorious fish and chips at Marshall’s with zero attitude.

We had the lobster meal delivered and every morsel was amazing. We loved the clear cooking instructions and the high quality ingredients. The lobster was sublime. It really is the best meal we have had in a long time. Just perfect.

Walking the dog through tynemouth and thought I'd try Riley's. It had been recommended several times so I figured why not. The que was very short and I had heard stories of the place being super busy so this seemed like the perfect time to try it. Waited 50 minutes for my food, in the freezing cold(my fault for chosing to go in December) and when it arrived it was very disappointing. I had a fish Empanada, which I wouldn't mind waiting for it if had been explained at the time of ordering that it could take a while, maybe I'd have chosen something else. Clash of flavours for my liking too. I had some hotplate potato side to accompany the meal. The potato I expected to be hot and crispy coming off the hotplate was lukewarm and lathered in Aioli to the point where I couldn't taste much of the seasoning or flavour on the potato. All in all after waiting so long and having high expectations (again maybe I take the blame for expecting more), but very overpriced and in my opinion quite overrated.

Arranged a trip to Tynemouth just to go here. Arrived and there was a big queue which is fine as I was expecting it to have one. 25 minutes later - I arrive at the front of the queue to be told they won’t taking any food orders because they had fell behind in the kitchen. The staff member was rude when I questioned why didn’t she tell the line of people, she simply turned her back on me. I can see by Facebook that this happened to other people, however Riley’s seem to defend the queuing system and actually have the worst Customer service I have ever come across.

Social media platform advised to queue or pre order turned up to be made aware after 25 minutes of queuing that they were too behind on pre orders. Attitude of the female staff member was very snotty like we should already this this.

Covid19 lockdown 2 review:Visited this beach-based open air venue today for brunch and coffee. Both of these were great. Nice bit of kipper, poached egg, bread stick and dips with mixed greens. Lovely stuff.Coffee was a bit pricey but tasted very nice. Bitter velvet

I booked this for my husbands birthday and paid £50 deposit for the 2 of us. Service was good and food delicious but totally totally over priced for what is essentially a take meal in a cardboard box. We paid over £70 for 2 meals and 2 beers ans 2 oysters. I would not return as I could gwt a lovely meal somewhere else. The table was also dirty and clearly had not been wiped. It was a shame really.

Love Riley’s Fish shack - fresh tasty food and great service. Nothing better than eating by a fire on the beach .

Completely different and unique sat on the beach in December around the fire on the beach food was fab

We’ve eaten here several times now. We generally eat here on a Christmas Eve and during the summer evenings too. The new chair booking system works really well, we really appreciate it. The food is always excellent, it’s fresh and really flavoursome. The staff and their customer service has always been exceptional . The whole experience is something unique and special. The fire pits add to that experience. It’s not cheap, it’s certainly not inexpensive but you get what you pay for essentially. Good quality, fresh food, served by individuals who have obviously been encouraged to ensure that your experience is a good one ~ on the beach front. What’s not to love. If you’re really lucky you even get to see dolphins breaching . We love it, we’ll be back.

Loved everything about this place just disappointed that it is closing for October. We both enjoyed everything we ordered my turbot with chanterelles was amazingly good! Can’t wait to come back in November.

What a well run Covid precautionary restaurant, with the usual selection delicious fresh fish dishes. Even the steak was excellent. We prefer the new arrangement of booking not queuing, hope they keep it. Well done in coping with table service!

1st visit, absolutely loved it. Hake for me, Monkfish for hubby, they were both delicious. Great beer, thank God- hubby is a total beer snob, gin for me so totally happy. Sitting on the beach- September- having lunch. What's not to love.

Magical setting, toasty fire pit, exceptional food and friendly staff Fish curry & halibut chop both wonderful! Thank you for a super evening

Excellent setting wonderfull food and quirky beers - loved it - its not cheap especially when your son orders the £30 turbot but its now ticked off the list - will definately be back when were up again.

We were really lucky with the weather as it was a gorgeous sunny day. The setting and the food were both perfect, lovely to have such fresh food served on the beach. We will be back.

Have eaten here on a couple of occasions but this time brought the whole family.Just gets better..... the food is amazing and plentiful. We all had something different and was all delicious. My daughter who does not like fish had the flat iron steak and she loved it. Such a lovely setting on the beach. We will certainly keep coming back.

Been following Riley’s for a couple of years and haven’t managed to get the time to come up for a visit it to area until this week. Booked an evening slot for my husband and I and my daughter and granddaughter. Was really worried that having waited so long to give it a try that I would be disappointed. I had the halibut chop which is probably the best fish dish I have ever eaten. My daughter had the Goan curry and my husband had plaice. My grand daughter devoured the fish cake and we finished the experience by roasting marshmallows over our fire pit. An amazing experience. Well worth a visit. We will be back in the winter when we can visit with the dog

Food excellent, friendly & prompt service, location perfect! If you are visiting Tynemouth this restaurant is an absolute must; booking online recommended.

Really enjoyed our visit to the fish shack, the food quality was absolutely spot on and the flavours were amazing. Eat out to help out was on during our visit and therefore we received £10 off per person. Had the scheme not been running our meal would have been on the expensive side.

We visited in August having been several times before. The service was slow - it took an hour for the main course to arrive. The food was superb though we had mackerel wrap halibut and mixed sides with a great salad and superb potatoes. We shared a bottle of very good Riesling. We would have liked a dessert but they told us they didnt havy any. The atmosphere was lovely looking out to the sea at dusk with a fire pit to keep us warm. I would have liked a whisky which they didnt have either. We paid 120.- for two. All in all a lovely experience but for this sort of money I’d expect better service and why they would have neither dessert nor a whisky remains a mystery to me.

Great meal here on Saturday afternoon. They are open for dine in, but that means eat on the beach. The small dining area in the restaurant is off limits due to COVID.We booked in advance as you have to, it’s so popular. Lots of families were down with children picnicing and adults dining. The menu isn’t really child friendly unless they are extremely adventurous.We waited at the wait sign, we were seen quickly enough and then seated quickly enough. Drinks orders were taken promptly and we were given single use menus. There were a couple of things sold out and that was at 1700!!! The team were lovely and put up umbrellas and windbreaks for us. Sit close to the restaurant if you don’t want to be too exposed. We were sat right at the front to have the view.We chose lobster salad to start and were then advised that was also sold out. As all of the other starters weren’t our thing we chose to have the squid main course as a starter to share. But the kitchen couldn’t bring that first and then the two main courses after? A bit inflexible if you ask me.So anyway, we ordered squid, halibut, monkfish kebab. They came after not too long and we relaxed and enjoyed the view. Irony of irony is we were child free and the people next to us were completely unconcerned about their six children playing right in front of our table. The food soon arrived and the squid and halibut stole the show. The monkfish kebab was really disappointing.I love the concept and the food, so despite some disappointments and having children roughhousing in front of me (when I left mine so I didn’t have to deal with that) we will be back.

On a beach in tynemouth Down 70 stairs. You must reserve the deck chairs with a minimum spend of 25 per. Superb fish try the haddock steak or. Cod curry Good wine list Pray for dry weather Served in cardboard but a world class experience.

Location amazing food amazing beach turns into abit of a drunk teenage gathering after a certain time but that might have changed with Covid

I tried to cancel my booking for today due to the dreadful weather -sent three e mails (the first one on Wednesday night to give plenty of notice )tried to ring them several times and there was no reply so left a voicemail. No one got back to me so they obviously don’t read their e mails or check the phone. Disgraceful as I had to pay £75 up front. It seems to me they are happy to take your money and make it impossible to change /cancel your booking.

Booked for a Sunday evening and loved it. I'd never been before as do not have the patience to queue for an indeterminate amount of time so the fact you can reserve a table for 2 hours and it's waiter service were major plus points for me.i ordered the monkfish kebab which was really tasty and the potatoes with sauce are amazing!! We also got a fire pit too and brought our own marshmallows to toast too. I love the option that you can re-arrange if you want to up to 24hrs before hand if bad weather too. Yes it's not cheap (my main was £20) but as you pay £25 upfront to reserve a seat it's not too bad on the night. One thing - wine is pricey so be prepared for that!! Would def go again but as a treat.

After travelling 2 hours to Riley’s this shack is advertised on the web page as takeaway only. We were turned away to be told this takeaway shack did not do takeaway. I don’t understand how this facility can do anything other than takeaway as they are serving people on the public beach. I also counted 27 free deck deck chairs and 3 empty tables. The female that turned us away was not interested and gave us no explanation. I doubt we will travel back and we will also tell all our friends about this experience. I am sure however the excuse will be Corvid which is irrelevant.

Excellent second visitHad a lovely time on Saturday at Riley’s. The new booking arrangements are very helpful and easy to use better in my view that the previous turn up and wait in a long Q. So I hope this continues post Covid. We had some really nice monkfish and mackerel plus fish cakes. All dishes including the sides were lovely and staff were helpful and attentive. Clearly taking the Covid arrangements very seriously. It was also nice to have your table and deckchairs for a 2 hour slot and we had a relaxing afternoon on the beach as a result.Just a shame we don’t live closer

We went to Fish Shack today for the first time since Lockdown ended.The food was delicious as always, well priced and well cooked,,The service was excellent and the Covid safety measures well thought out and executed.We were very pleased to welcome them back.

Food was fantastic; both mains came with sides which I thought was good for the price. Goan cod curry and monkfish skewers the freshest and tastiest fish dishes you could ask for. Only let down for me was the drinks; I don't mind paying £25+ for a bottle of nice wine but not out of plastic beakers. Setting is superb, never eaten anywhere like it. We were very comfortable until after dark with the fire roaring and G+T in hand.

Beautiful afternoon, wonderful setting beneath Tynemouth Priory, and really excellent fish on the beach: Oysters, Turbot Ceviche, Goan Cod Curry and Pan Roast Halibut Chop. Not cheap, Just over £80, with several drinks, for two, but a serious quality meal.You have to book a deck chairs online, with a £25 deposit for each chair. The location on the beach, with the sea breeze, means social distancing is observed and we felt safe. Waiting staff take orders and deliver the food and drinks. A really memorable fish meal - I've never had a (superb) Halibut chop before! - made even better by being our first meal outside the house since March.

Just had a fabulous lunch, food was amazing with a great choice on the menu. Service was fast and friendly and the setting was perfect, couldn't fault it and will most definitely be going back. I went for the monkfish kebab and my partner had the skate wings, both came with sides, were cooked to perfection and really well presented.

The sun is shining. Sat on the beach. Absolutely superb sea food. The best seafood restaurant that we've been to for years. Service was excellent. Great value for money. A must visit restaurant.

Amazing setting and amazing food. The sun shone, service was excellent and the food outstanding. If you get the chance you must go!!!!

First post lockdown dinner.... and what a fantastic night ! Excellent pre dining communication as part of the new booking system, great service and staff, excellent food, as usual (the oysters were fabulous), but they have somehow managed to embrace the COVID-19 restrictions and make the experience on the beach, complete with deck chairs, parasols and fire pits even more enjoyable ! So , it's not the cheapest meal you'll ever have, but supporting our local restaurants is vital right now and would you want to cook in a converted container and serve people in all weathers on the beach ???? Well done Riley's team. So looking forward to the next time.

Waited 70 minutes for food and only get the deck chairs for 2 hours. Very overpriced. Heard loud screams coming from the kitchen of appalling language (apparently the owner was very stressed). Would not recommend.

Riley's is always brilliant, but they've really adapted well to operating within the constrictions of COVID-19. The deckchair booking system works well (and eliminates the need to queue!) and the friendly staff are all kitted out, so you know your experience will be a safe one. You get a parasol and windbreaker with your set of deckchairs, and the staff put both up for you. Apparently, you can also ask for a fire pit if it's particularly cold.The food is as delicious as ever, with an excellent selection covering a range of prices. There's even a flat iron steak for anyone who's not a fish fan.If you can get to Tynemouth, I recommend Riley's Fish Shack wholeheartedly. The whole experience gives you that feeling of being on holiday and everything being alright.

My third visit to Riley’s and the best by far. The previous two were lovely but marred by the queue to order, long wait for food and short time to eat in cramped surroundings - sorry, that sounds very negative. I still enjoyed each visit as the food was gorgeous both times. This time - Friday afternoon with nine others, none of whom had been before - everything was perfect! Having a booked time and waiter service elevated the experience to the extent that I hope this is Riley’s new normal. Sitting on very comfortable deck chairs with the tide coming in and very attentive and helpful young people taking orders for drinks and food made this a heavenly experience - seriously.The food was top notch - cannot even think how anyone could fault it (previous comments on TripAdvisor) and, for the quality, not too expensive. Paying upfront is a great idea too - assurance for Riley’s (with a flexibility that allows for changes to plans) - and the joy of only paying the difference on the day. I do agree with some comments that the wine is not cheap but, to be honest, it is such a great experience all round that a few extra quid to be served chilled wine in a deckchair is fine by me.

Favorite memories are often just a confluence of happy, sometimes accidental, circumstances! We emerged from our lock-down over the weekend to join friends down on the beach. As if to script, the sun shone brightly; the sound of a group of school kids splashing around in the sea echoed about as we sat in deck chairs flanked by fire-pits, and enjoyed the lovely food on offer at Riley's - it seemed that all was well again with the world ! I think the great quality cooking, fresh local ingredients, served very honestly in paper cartons with disposable cutlery - all very enigmatic of a natural beach culture, has been well written about and quite rightly praised very highly indeed. Our time down there on Saturday echoed all of that, but from the "experience" point-of-view, it was dampened slightly by the elevated prices generally, but in particular, I would just like to support the comment made in a previous review: that the price of their wines is quite ridiculous, and it's the only reason I can't give it a 5-star rating - after all, this isn't meant to be fine dining!

We have just visited as.a family of 3 adults and 2 children. Food was sensational, staff were lovely, and I think the table settings have been very thoughtfully set out. Just a couple of gripes - I think the wine selection was extortionately expensive. We don’t mind paying high prices for food (typically 20 pound for a main) but the cheapest wine per bottle was 24 pound. As a local who has visited regularly, I have seen a sharp rise in prices. I think if you offered a more reasonable selection of wine for say £16 per bottle it would encourage us to visit in a more regular basis - as at the mo I would have to say our bill came to 200 for a family of 5 and two of those were children. I love Riley’s, and fully support it takes a lot to run to give the food the love it deserves, but please don’t price out local people and offer more choice in your wine. And food so we can continue to support you long term x

This place is outstanding. If you have to wait, wait, and enjoy the scenery. The food is cooked to a high level, and for a beach side shack it is of the highest quality that you would expect in the finest city restaurants.

I've wanted to visit this place for ages, but only just got around to it, just before the lockdown - staying in South Shields, it was an easy hop on the ferry and a cab up to Tynemouth (about £6).We watched from the Gibraltar Inn at the top of the cliff to see when the queue subsided a bit before heading down to the Shack - what a great place!! Everyone just out to enjoy themselves and the choice of food was amazing. We'd had a big breakfast at the hotel so opted to share the red mullet with salsa verde - perfect light bite as got 4 mullet to share - so tasty!! Washed down with a couple of pints of local lager while watching the beach and the sea - all the time with the wonderful smell of freshly cooked fish and seafood.An amazing place run by people who care about what they're doing - just go and try it for yourself!!

We had heard about Riley's Fish Shack from friends and expected a traditional chippy on the beach. How wrong we were as it was a fish lover's gastronomic delight. It is very basic, compact and bijou but the food was great. We had their speciality fish cakes, kipper wraps and fish curry and they were all superb. This coupled with a fantastic beachfront view made it a great lunchtime stop.

Halibut, red mullet, lobster all beautifully cooked with very tasty salad and potatoes. Sunny service and find you if you are on the beach. Truly concerned that you enjoy the food.You must queue and wait for the food to be prepared. Very little seating except deck chairs on the beach.Wrap warm in winter.Not a cheap option. Great experience.

Amazing sea food, location and staff. Langoustines superb, slightly sweet and full of flavour. Goan monk fish curry spot on and a great Porter beer to wash it down. Arrived just after 5 and advised to wait by chef for 5 minutes to see what fish was being delivered 10 minutes later a new menu. Numerous log burners keeping you warm in a March dusk over looking crashing waves, perfect end to the day.

This place is so good. Really great venue, wonderful sea view and exceptional food. Very tasty, well cooked fish, salad and potatoes. Worth the money and trip. Nice, friendly staff too! Thank you

For some reason my review in December only gave 2 stars when it should have been 5.As I had said in my first review we had come from Carlisle well worth the drive.My son who was with us had visited before.The setting is fabulous as was the service & food nice and casual.

It's becoming a pilgrimage to go to Riley's as the food is superb. A cold crisp winter evening seated next to a log burner looking out to sea. What's not to like.Dover sole and grilled squid with a great ipa beer. Highly recommended especially if the weather is settled.

I have often called in at Riley’s for a relaxing cup of coffee, but was surprised to find that a standard Americano now costs £2.90, up from £2.20 only last month 🙁

Second visit and worth the 3 hours round trip to sample the utterly delicious seafood cooked here. Ok, it’s a shack but that adds to the experience. Seafood could not taste more delicious.... it’s not cheap but why would it be, the fish is so fresh and the portions are generous! For three of us with a glass of wine it came to £75. £25pp is a bargain for the quality of food these guys are serving up. We will be back again very soon.... 5*

Saw the Kate Ovens video about this place and walked from Whitley Bay to Tynemouth to visit. Great location on the beach. Was cold, but they cant control the weather, and quite a long wait but the chilli fish empanadas were gorgeous. Will revisit as loads on the menu I fancied

Fish as always fantastic only trouble being that it is so popular that the waiting time to place the order gets longer. Just grin and bare it as its worth the discomfort

Fantastic location, food and service but £7 for a glass of cold red wine in a plastic cup, come on, who are you kidding! We know how much the bottle costs....

Great if you are a fish lover. Hubby had three oysters - Rockefeller, Classic and one other. Outdoors with log burner fires and stunning beach view.

It’s always busy here but worth the wait . had fish cakes and empanadas excellent .Husband had red mullet and friend had kippers .All enjoyed

After all these years of meaning to visit, me and the family went today as previous visits have seen huge queues and we have gone elsewhere but today it was not as manic as usual. So we ordered and waited the weather was not great and we managed to get some of the few seats inside which was very cosy. I had the skate fin with salad and potatoes and I have to say it was great, Jules had the red mullet flat bread which she said was okay Ellie shared mine but £2.40 for a can of coke is ridiculous. The location is a cracker but the hype that goes along with this place really is overdone. All in all I would recommend a visit and we maybe will be back one day and I also thought the staff were great and it’s defo dog friendly. Another local spot ticked off the list

We went to Tynemouth just to visit the shack and we were blown away by the experience. It was a wild and blustery day and the shack was buzzing. We managed to get two stools, sitting over looking the bay. A log burner and cosy rugs kept us warm as we waited for our food. I was thrilled to get the last portion of monkfish tails and my partner had a kipper wrap. The food was well priced considering the food you were eating. The fish was as white as white and so fresh. We had to wait a little but everything is cooked to order. we just enjoyed the view and a drink whilst we waited with wonderful smells of garlic and rosemary potatoes being roasted behind us.

Omg this place was amazing! We went on a cold February lunch time and turned up 10 minutes after it started serving lunch and we were glad we did because it got very busy very quickly. We sat outside on the seats right next to a fire and there was a bit of a wait for the food but the smells and watching them make the food meant that we didn’t mind. The highlight dish was the octopus Ragu with gnocchi which was AMAZING. We also got a wrap and a flatbread which was also delicious. Would 100% recommend

After walking down the dark, sandy steps, we saw Riley’s Fish Shack: glowing in the cold evening with wonderful log fires and a lovely smoky smell. We were greeted by very friendly staff and sat ourselves down on a table by one of wood burners inside. The evening food service started at 6:30pm, but we were lucky to have arrived ten minutes prior, as it was already busy by then! The food was incredible, with the lobster, turbot and the accompaniments of grilled potatoes and a homemade salad selection being incredibly tasty. Also, it is worth noting that the food is equally as beautiful as the setting of King Edward’s Bay. A wonderful evening!