The Briar Dene in North Tyneside - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

A little disappointment. Great place to start if a little expensive, but going downhill. Cask ale board had no relation to the pumps that were serving. Hanging fish call Chandeliers covered in dust, weeds like a forest near front entrance. What a shame. Hope they sort this sort of thing.

We have had lunch here a few months ago which was a lovely experience went today for lunch & it was nothing like the previous one. Very little choice for gluten free not even an option for chicken asked if it was possible to mix a dish have something different with the chicken skewers but it wasn't possible. We place our orders Chicken bang bang which was very nice a mediocre gluten free pizza & a small fish & chips. The triple cooked chips were under cooked I tried to attract a member of staff to no avail no one showed any interest in how we were finding our meal. Felt customer service was extremely poor. On leaving I was offered chip replacement.

Absolutely love this pub. Beautifully designed, always spotless, with loads of varied, comfortable seating areas. Lovely food and plenty of it for a very reasonable price. All members of staff so polite, helpful and friendly, couldn’t recommend the place enough. Well done.

Hi myself and a couple of friends popped in before heading to a Funeral, just for a soft drink , we got there ( Out the Rain) at 11.20, to be greeted by a very smart member of staff , ask if he could help , ( We just want a drink ) Unfortunately we don’t open until 11.30!! ( Opps sorry we did not know , is it ok if we just wait at a table ? ( No we open until 11.30) This was disappointing, and not very customer focused. We did return after the Funeral, for some food, ( Which was good , and well presented) Would we return? Don’t think so

I booked this restaurant as we kept passing it while staying in Whitley Bay the outside was very nicely done out. We went inside and weren’t disappointed the décor inside was very nice and it was very busy for a Wednesday night. The food was delicious and it was really good value for money. The bar staff who took the order and the waiter who brought the food were all very helpful. If we are in the area again wouldn’t hesitate to return.

We went here yesterday 14th May 2024, the staff are amazing lovely place plenty of parking, great food and drink, the only reason I never gave it a 5 was I ordered tempura prawns with my steak but they were just 3 prawns in their own shell no tempura batter, plus one of the prawns still had the black vein in the back. Would go back though.

We visited here and didn't read any of the reviews prior to our visit. We had a good visit and couldn't fault anything about our evening apart from the price of the bottle of wine. We had the fishcake, seafood linguine, the honey glazed bacon chop and I had the chicken shawarma hanging kebab. All the food was very nice and we had no issues with it. The kebab was not hanging but was on a skewer. The service was great and speedy, food was hot and delicious. The staff were friendly and attentive. Establishment was clean, a bit noisey but didn't affect us. Thanks for a nice evening.

Very slow service, waited nearly an hour for starters and then the same again for mains. As a previous reviewer said, apart from the manager, all the staff seemed pretty uninterested in actually serving anyone e.g. when bringing drinks to table not taking empty glasses, there were lots of little examples of things like that. What should have been a lovely family meal turned out to be an afternoon of waiting around. Also to add the pub was only half full so it's not like they had an unexpected rush. Definitely won't be going back and wouldn't recommend.

Quality food at a very competative price. Portions are substantial and the options cover all bases. Would definitely recommend.

This visit started with a rather rude barman setting the tone for a rather unpleasant lunch, slow service over an hour from ordering to actually receiving any food. With plenty of time on my hands to notice the chaotic front of house service I regretted my visit well before my slightly over cooked food eventually arrived, uncleared tables,no menus on tables and a rocking table that threatened to tip over at the slightest touch this along with an obvious lack of supervision amongst the seemingly uninterested staff lets a very well refurbished venue down badly. I won’t be back in a hurry!

Went for lunch, no meet and greet so joined large queue at the bar. Only 2 young lads serving who were totally overwhelmed and couldn't cope at all. They were pleasant and friendly enough so perhaps they were very inexperienced and more training/supervision was required but the manager should have been on the ball and sorted this out. Eventually shown to our table, perused the menu and made our choices and off I went to join the large queue again to place our order. Another long wait only to be told it was table service!! Anyway we eventually gave our food and drinks order to the manager then waited and waited..... After we had been sitting for over 30 mins we asked how long the drinks would be and were told they were on their way. Another 15 mins passed and the drinks eventually arrived followed by the food another 5 minutes later. The food was OK but nothing special. Of course no one came to clear the table so we had to go to the bar yet again to pay the bill. After the money spent on the 2nd full refurbishment in only a few years the management really need to take note otherwise they won't get any repeat customers.

Went Easter Sunday for lunch. We were seated and drinks order taken. We then waited around 15 minutes to order food, I had to try lock eyes with someone to come over which eventually worked. It was very busy, but a simple allocation of staff to particular tables would solve that. Food came out and was nice, meat really nicely cooked, good veg and gravy. I asked for some sauces and extra gravy which I ended up going to the bar for, but in fairness the lad who'd gone to get them dashed out with it all, said he had to wait for some heated gravy. No one came to clear our plates so I went to the bar or order dessert. Place is good and I'm glad it's booming again but don't let the service slide!

Having searched many venues for a suitable location for a celebration of life we eventually decided to go with the Tavern and Galley, i would love to extend my familys thanks to all the staff and in particular naomi for here superb quick reply to any of our questions or queries. We booked for a total of 60 people and ordered catering from the venue for this number, however more than 80 turned up and there was more than enough to feed everyone with over half remaining at the end, the spread was wonderful and tasty, sandwiches superb and they even helped us to use on the tvs to play a video that we had made for the occasion. Overall everyone left as happy as possible at such an event and there were no complaints. Thank you so much Tavern and Galley we will be back

Despite a previous complaint that went unanswered, I decided to give Tavern and Galley another chance at the insistence of friends. However, this visit only compounded my disappointment. My meal, a chicken shawarma, was served cold and with a long black hair in it. When brought to the attention of your staff, the solution offered did little to rectify the situation, resulting in me being served what seemed to be the same undercooked and cold meal. When eating one piece of chicken it was raw, not just a little undercooked but raw and cold.. I was too embarrassed (our friends are frequent visitors and friendly with manageress) to even say any more after the hair incident, so hoped for the best and pushed the chicken under the off-tasting red cabbage. I felt totally sick 🤮 Additionally, my husband's dessert contained a large piece of plastic, which is unacceptable and raises concerns about the overall hygiene and safety practices in your kitchen. Despite these incidents, we received no apology, just a shrug of shoulders and a giggle from the manageress and were charged the full price for our meals. These experiences have left me extremely unwell, with severe symptoms of food poisoning for the past few days Be warned.. Ask around.. I've since spoken to many people who've received appalling service, awful food and even worse fell ill

Very disappointed in service and cleaniness. Tried to get served drinks but were more interested in trying to tune in TV . Eventually served and ask twice if they could clear table from previous customers, ended up cleaning table ourselves. Also reported no hand soap in ladies toilets. Next day popped in on dog walk , same issues, gets boring having to ask to clear tables again. Waiting for drinks whilst staff just standing. Still no hand soap , ask to see manager as obviously when I reported day before nothing done . Managers response “ we are waiting delivery, so I can’t to nothing about it ! Unbelievable . Excellent customer service

We called in for lunch after a walk. We had the hot roast beef sandwiches they were lovely. The service was friendly and efficient. Couldn’t fault our experience.

My partner and I visited on Saturday at 5.45pm .There was lots of tables with reserved on them and only a couple of small tables which didn’t have a reserved sign were tatty and small.I ordered a glass of Diet Coke,the glass had an odour of dirty dish water.My partner tried to order a pint and was told the barrel had just went off.I asked a member of staff if there was any where we could sit to eat and I was told he would check the booking and get back to me,after 10 minutes I didn’t get an answer and the member of staff was no where to be seen.We left feeling very negative and not impressed with the newly branded venue.

Do not come here. We waited at the door to be seated, plenty of staff but no one came over to inform us we should seat ourselves. After asking at the bar if we should seat ourselves we were not informed that you also had to come to the bar to order food and drinks, again very confusing as a first time customer and quite awkward. The young man behind the bar was extremely rude and just treated us as if we were idiots. I had asked for a drink with no ice, when he put ice in my glass and started pouring I politely reminded him I asked for no ice and he just said ‘ of course you did’ in a rude, condescending manner. He was speaking to his colleague and he said ‘let them complain, they’ve been here before and they know it’s not table service so don’t take it over just leave them to complain it’s not your problem’ in front of us - we were literally stunned that he was so openly impolite and aggressive. We sat down at our table and waited at least 45 mins for 2 sandwiches and a halloumi skewer. The waitress was polite however no one asked if the food was okay or checked on us for the duration of our meal. The food was mediocre but definitely not worth the price or the bad service. Would not recommend this place to anyone.

Found a booth, table 19, went to order drinks and open a tab before we ordered food, ‘no tabs in the bar area’ I was told. So paid for drinks separately. Lots of young lads behind the bar service was a bit chaotic. Anyway we ordered fish and chips, Sunday roast, fish pie and a veggie dish. Food arrived and we asked for more drinks, but we couldn’t order and had to go to the bar again… ridiculous. The chips under my fish had been cremated, the fish was ok, the mushy peas cold. The seafood pie came with cabbage ? The Sunday roast came with no pork or crackling as advertised. The veggie dish was ok. The lamp above our table was broken with one bulb out the tables next to us only had one bulb out of three working. Cleaning spray bottles left near tables food debris around the bar … The whole place is just not being managed at all. And a glass of mediocre wine Was £9.45 ! A truly disappointing experience, we won’t return and suggest you do the same

Superb food if slightly expensive but let down badly by elements of very naive service levels at bar and to table. this largely seemed to be down to coordination rather than willingness / friendliness on the part of the staff.

Called in to this venue for drinks before going out for a meal at another local restaurant. I was with my wife and her mother. When we walked in we were greeted by 8 dogs sitting in various locations but sitting on seats that people would normally sit.. even dogs were on stools at the bar.. a lady was standing next us with a little scotty dog complaining to a member of staff as there was no where decent place to sit for her dog… now is this place a place for people to enjoy themselves or more important for a place for dogs to go.. this was 7.00pm on a Saturday night.. won’t be rushing back.. we left without even sitting down…

Had fish and chips and pork chop. Absolutely lovely food and service. Surroundings lovely and all staff wonderful.will definitely be back

Could be better. Building work was very noisy. Chips could have been hotter. The food and service were OK. Disappointed that the vegan pie was mushroom. This seems to be a goto in many pubs. Give the veggie/vegan mushroom it's cheap.

I've been here after the last lockdown and it was nice so despite the outdoor seating regulations I thought I would do the same again. Booked through the app very easy which I downloaded thinking I would need it upon arrival. Even though it was really cold on the day we still visited and the girl allocated us a table under the canopy area which was not sheltered from the sides at all, luckily as it was raining she moved us to under the wooden canopy area which was slightly better. We were told to order drinks and food through the app but it wouldn't load, so after 10 minutes of trying we asked a young girl how to order to be told the app was not working. Had a great pint of Shipyard Ale and after a slight wait our food was brought out and it looked incredible. It was really tasty and hot to start with but obviously it went cold very quickly so we both it as quickly as possible. My only criticism of my lunch - the trio of meats, was the beef, it was wafer thin like the kind you get in the chiller fridges in supermarkets, very disappointing. At the end of our meal the waitress and a problem with the card machine and went inside to sort it out after I had tapped my card on it, she did say it had gone through but needed to get a receipt. When I got home I noticed on the receipt I had been charged an extra 1 pound for a face mask which was odd as I didn't request one as I was wearing my own already. So wrap up warm if you are going to visit on a cold day, hat. gloves, scarf, blanket as you will need to as there are no outdoor heaters. We both agreed the food was really good but would only return once the restrictions on inside dining are eased within the next couple of weeks.

Constructive criticism review for the restaurant.I have been a waitress for 4 years and my partner is a qualified chef so we both know what it’s like working in the restaurant environment. It is very busy and demanding but standards should still be kept at a high. This was the first time we had been out since lockdown so we were excited to finally have a date night. We booked a table for 2 outside- this was done easily via the briar dene’s website and we received confirmation almost immediately. The restaurant followed all guidelines in regards to COVID. The outside area was clean and inviting. When we arrived the waitress told us to take a seat and she would be with us ‘in just a minute to tell us what to do’. We waited 35minutes (we did show up 15min early than our booking time- so we gave 15mins thinking they may not be ready for us yet.) Then it took me approximately 20min to flag a waitress down to see how we can order. The waitress once I got her attention was happy to tell me to download an app and put my order through that. The app was easy to use. It’s called ‘Fitzgerald’. I believe this wait could have been avoided if waiting staff were proactive and said as soon as we were shown to our seats to download the app. Such as saying‘Booking name?... yes if you’d just like to take a seat. Due to COVID we are now using an app to put orders through... it’s called Fitzgerald’ It was awkward as we were sitting there for 40 minutes without a drink. If we were an elderly couple who did not have access to apps wonder what would have happened? IN FUTURE PUT THE APP NAME ON CUSTOMERS CONFIRMATION EMAIL THEN THIS WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN TO CUSTOMERS :) Reduced menu: I think that they had plenty to offer and it was sensible of them doing a reduced menu. So when we did order: our food came pretty quick within 10minutes, we ordered a brownie as well. The waiter asked us whether we’d like to wait 5 minutes or so until he brings out the dessert. In which we said yeah that’ll be great thanks. 20 seconds later the waitress brings out the brownie, then at last the drinks. Apps which I’ve used for weatherspoons prompts you when ordering a gin which mixer you would like with it. This app didn’t so I ended up with a straight gin- my fault as I assumed it must just be included instead of me having to buy a separate drink as a mixer. In future so this doesn’t happen to others if someone could put something on the app that would be fab. My partner had a fanta. I hoped waitress I would have had common sense of asking her customer who has a straight gin infront of them ‘are you sure you don’t want a mixer with that??’ At first I thought she may have had her hands full when she came to the table and that’s why my mixer wasn’t there but I thought wrong and now didn’t have the energy to catch another waitress/waiters attention. Anyways this is what we had and what we thought about it below : Cod bites and chips- Pros: cod bites were delicious. The tartar sauce tasted homemade. The chips at the top of the basket were gorgeous crisp on the outside fluffy potato in the middle. Portion of cod bites were generous and reflected the price.Cons: the chips at the bottom of the basket which made up about 1/3 of chips were very small and hard- something which was probably best not serving at all. Portion of chips was a bit mean considering most of them weren’t a joy to eat.Advice for restaurant: small side salad, slice of lemon and some peas would have improved this dish. As well as more chips. Presentation could be better Nachos: £4:50Pros: toppings tasted nice- not the best Cons: not sure why they are called nachos when really it was topped fries which weren’t very nice. Kind of just tasted like frozen fries that weren’t crispy. With tortilla crisps at the bottom of the bowl under the fries with no sauce on all piled in a small bowl.Advice to restaurant: keep it simple tortilla chips, plenty cheese, salsa, cheese sauce, guacamole and sour cream. Even if the price needs to be increased at least it will be a good experience for the customer. Basically don’t put fries in on the top of the bowl as it’s really just topped fries XD I like the idea but it’s not working for me sorry. By changing the presentation it will make it look more appetising as well. I did think at first it might have been because you’d had tan out of tortilla crispsOnion rings:Best onion rings I’ve ever tasted- the batter was delicious!!No cons at all they were perfect. Brownie: £5.95Pros: non reallyCons, cost, brownie was cold- checked as soon as it came out so hadn’t cooled down due to the weather. The ice cream was obviously just cheap- which is fine but for a £6 brownie I would expect better. The brownie it’s self wasn’t nice- didn’t really taste like a naughty tasty desert. It tasted plain and the presentation was boring. Advice for restaurant: new brownie recipe if you’re going to sell for £5.95 make it be worth it for the customer. A dessert is a special treat- again presentation!! Making it warm as well. I don’t care if it’s microwaved for a minute as long as it nice and warm When you think of a brownie you think of warm and sticky gooey brownie with a lovely chocolate flavour that makes you want to go in for another bite. The restaurant is beautifully located and has lovely outdoor sitting. The waiting staff are friendly but need to be a bit more proactive.It is outside near the coast so it will be nippy. Me and my partner were prepared and brought a blanket each and a hot water bottle. (There isn’t any outdoor heating either so definitely wrap up warm)Would I go back? Not for a meal but for drinks with a side of onion rings I possibly would. 2 stars have been given as it wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t great it just has lots of room for improvement. I really do hope to hear that they have changed things for the better as the pub has so much potential. One more thing to advise would be when you make these changes and get better reviews increase your activity on social media. Possibly offer cocktails as well. Hope this review isn’t taken the wrong way it was just our honest experience yesterday. I know things can be tough with COVID- but let’s make the best out of a bad situation

greatly let down by this place on Saturday afternoon 25th. I contacted them on Friday evening to enquire about wether or not I would have to reserve a table for Saturday afternoon, I was told by a female member of staff that i wouldn't need to reserve a table and they didn't take bookings... OMG hahaha what a joke on arrival place was pretty full and the tables that were empty were clearly showing reserve signs on them, bit of a head scratcher that one considering I was told they didn't take bookings??? Never the less I went to the desk asked for a table of 4 for my very hungry family and guess what?? I was asked if I had booked a table , I said no and they told me it was fully booked and there was no table availability at all , what a joke considering I travelled 20 miles to try this place , so I would like to thank the brair dene for completely ruining my 1st never happening meal after the lockdown thanks guys for not not knowing anything about customer service skills. and by the way if you want to eat here make sure you book a table lol

Waited an hour for a very expensive over cooked fish with burnt batter. The young ladies at the front working very hard but management, blinded by his own self importance. Greed comes to mind! If that's all whitley bay has to offer, we won't be back. Adios!

Briadene pub new addition the hatch coffee place in the parking area so while out walking the dog thought we would give it a try and they do great coffee also hot dogs and ice cream staff very pleasant and friendly will be great for all the walker's and for all the runners on the weekends when they start up . So 10/10 just what is needed . one other thing some bins so you can put the empty cups in

Had a mother's Day Pizza takeaway- delivered punctually and cheerfully. Quite the best pizza ever. Thank you

Turned up on spec after a walk around the dene. Warmly welcomed by a waitress who quickly and effortlessly explained the COVID rules and helped with our online order. Drinks were quickly out, food not so, but we were happy to sit and relax. People were well spaced out and the staff were right on top of cleanliness.The food was lovely, proper pub grub. We had the fish finger wraps (more than adequate for a full meal) and my son had fish goujons (again, a significant portion). We ordered onion rings on the side - they are proper home-made rings and were huge! We didn’t need them, really. Thoroughly enjoyed this one of scarcely a handful of meals out we’ve had this year.

We have visited the Briardene for a few years now, but unfortunately won’t be going back. The Sunday lunch just seems to be getting worse (though at £12 its not exactly cheap). We visited last Sunday as a family of 5. We were brought the wrong drinks, waited 40 minutes for our main course (not great with 3 hungry bored kids ). When it arrived we only had 2 small carrots and a small amount of cabbage in the way of veg and 1 roast potato each. Mashed potato was £3 extra and the portion was slimy and not enough for 1 person. The pub seemed understaffed for the size of the restaurant. We had to ask for our finished plates to be taken away, after the waitresses all walked past them numerous times. The couple next to us complained (for similar reasons) and had their meal refunded. It’s such a shame, as the staff were lovely and the setting (and Covid measures) great, but the food is worse than average. There is so much competition now at the coast that pubs need to do better than this.

Had a lovely meal with Bubble members of my family. Food was brilliant especially the Fish and chips with the most gorgeous batter on the fish. My son-in-law said his burger was amazing and my daughter had chicken skewars on rice which she enjoyed. I personally think The Briardene does the best fish and chips in the area. Well recommended.

The service here and food has really improved since my last visit. The new ordering app is brilliant and allows you to pay and order at the table. Lovely outside area and a great coastal location

We called in for lunch without a booking, we were made very welcome by a member of staff at the entrance. The tables are well spaced, the food was really good and the staff very friendly.

We stayed in Whitley Bay for a few days and had a couple of drinks here on the first day and it was really nice.Came back the second day and the amount of weird looks we got from the staff because they clearly didn’t believe we were from the same household spoiled the night..My wife and I have two children in their early twenties who have come home through Covid but the staff clearly couldn’t get their heads around that..we didn’t go back.

Very nice and clean establishment. Nice outdoor seating which was nice to drink outside. Facillities all clean and appeared strong and keen on COVID prevention measure. Young lady that served us was very friendly and polite.

Stopped for Fish and chips on Saturday but went to the take away round the back as we had the dog with us (not sure if this is owned by the same people or no) Sat on the seats at the back of the restaurant and had one of the best ever haddock and chips ever.

I love the briar dene and staff are all lovely. However the food is so so inconsistent whilst being so expensive. We ordered fish bites, (nearly 15 quid) and although tasty is absolutely extortionate for what you get, a couple of bits of cod, few prawns and a couple of scampi. The chips were stale and clearly reheated, not sure why would need to skip fresh cooking of chips as the place was empty. The lemon mayonnaise was also missing which we had to ask for and no slice of lemon for the fish. Partner had a chicken wrap, which says on the menu served with flatbread. It came in a rather sorry looking cold tortilla wrap, not a flatbread, and he was very disappointed with it, said the breaded chicken was soggy and whole thing had no flavour. As I said the briar is a nice pub, especially to sit outside with the dog because of the location. But this inconsistency with food has to be addressed. Are the chefs regularly changed? If so, someone needs to make sure all the food is of the same par all of the time. If they're all swapping shifts all the time, some of the chefs care about what they're letting out of the kitchen and some definitely don't.

My husband and I visited here for a meal. We were asked to wear a mask till we got to our table and if we went to the bar or toilet to put it back on. I've no issues with that but when a local turns up and stands at the bar drinking and talking with no mask on it looks like one rule for locals and another for everyone else. Also a bloke went to the toilet moved the occupied sign to vacant even though my husband was in the toilet the proceeded to go in when it should be one in one out Has it not been for that I would have given 5 stars because the staff were very friendly and the food was superb.

Firstly the area around the Briar Dene is beautiful, great for a walk afterwards. The food itself is divine and always fills me up. Customer service is good.

We had 3 x gluten free fish and we know they have a separate fryer so felt confident with our GF order. Service was very friendly and efficient and the one-way system worked well. We pre-booked our table and chose to sit outside which was dog friendly.Would recommend.

Every time I have been here previously for Sunday dinner it has been quick and lovely however this time it took far too long for and therefore we asked for a full refund, and cancelled the order. Everyone was very apologetic but that makes no difference. And therefore we ate somewhere else (GREGGS), due to this disaster of an experience we will not be returning.

Booked a table for 1.30pm ... still waiting for Sunday lunch over an hour later! Shocking service and no-one bothered to come tell us about delays or when the food would arrive!!

We were shown to a well spaced table and asked to download the app to order our food to minimise the contact between us and the staff. This was the first time we had ordered food via an app and found the process a bit of a pain to be honest. There was also a 40-odd minute wait for the food to arrive, and the restaurant was hardly overflowing. Although our wait time did seem shorter compared to those that placed an order with the staff.The food itself was rather good, and we all enjoyed it. The price was a little high but the quality of the food was worth paying for. I'm hopeful that the service can be ironed out to make this place perfect.

Only called in for a drink en route to somewhere else but was extremely impressed. Greeted at door, face mask required to walk through eating area but then able to remove and sit in choice of seat outside. Highly professional staff. A bit pricy for a drink but worth the extra.

Not on the half price food scheme, nearly empty restaurant and still 45 minutes to get 2 burgers, fish wrap and fish and chips cooked. And it cost £62 in total. Complete rip off.

We had take away fish and chips from here. Cod is £6.75 and large battered sausages are £5.95! I don’t think I’ve ever seen sausages this expensive! The cod was a good size as was the sausage but the batter was poor (very smooth and almost cakelike inside. Chips were good though and everything inside the batter tasted good.

Everyone said they would visit again, the surroundings were really nice. Food was really fresh and tasty. Food - tomato soup, fish & chips, roast beef, choc brownie, sticky toffee pudding, pannecotta

my Mum chose this pub to eat at before I was took her to the local theatre for her birthday treat, as it was a sunday afternoon so the menu was a limited one anyway. On arrival we were informed that much of the menu was unavailable ie no beef for a beef Sunday lunch, no stuffing off the chicken Sunday lunch, no crackling or black pudding off the pork sunday lunch. she opted for scampi & chips which were perfectly hot & edible, I chose mince & dumplings which looked nice on arrival but the mince was cold, I asked to have to heated up & it was taken away only to be brought back minutes later with a hot plate but the food was still cold, so I asked again to have to re-heated, the manager was sent for & said she would make sure it was done properly this time & also credit my bill with the cost, by the time it came back again it was still no hotter but my mum had all but finished her meal & we were running out of time as we had the theatre to go to so I just accepted it & ate the hot veg & dumpling as the mince was still cold. It's a huge shame as it spoilt our day a little, especially as my mum had chosen it as it reminded her of when she used to drink there in the 60's & we were going to see a 60's musical dance show, I probably wouldn't go back.

We arranged to meet here drinks on the high price , like the food . We did have fish & chips service very good and polite, helpful. Chips nice but not enough fish small one of our group had a few bones but he was not bothered I would have been. If we had thought for the overall price we could have got a taxi to the Waterford Arms Seaton Sluice got more than twice as much fish & chips cheaper drinks aswell

Firstly we were recommended to the Brier Dene as it would be an ideal place to go after a family funeral, in this case my mums. The management could not be more helpful. They had a space which suited us down to the ground. The food was excellent as was the cask ale particularly Anarchy Brew. The Brier Dene allowed the family members to relax and chat without any outside distractions.

In this time of austerity it was refreshing to see this pub/restaurant open once again.We used to pop in while passing over the years and were dissapointed when it closed its doors.Having noted it had reopened we finally had an opportunity to visit.Good parking and an impressive refurbishment Or first impressions were very positive as we looked around the roomExtensive bar facilities that were well stocked.Bar staff very efficient and friendlyDeciding to eat we found a table.Good selection of food on the menu but looking around the room at the other diners the fish and chips seemed a good choice.We shared some mussels that came in a delicious coconut and a hint of chilli Crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Decent potion size.The mains came and the fish was the star of the show with a light crispy batter.The mushy peas and hand cut chips were an ideal accompaniment Again decent quantity but more important qualityWaitress staff very helpful and attentive.No room for pudding so no review We have friends coming to visit over Easter and have decided this place ticks all the boxes. Great location and quality food and service

Visited this pub on a Friday evening and had a most excellent meal, staff were very pleasant, highly recommend! Great Fish and Chips and Suet Pudding.

Had lunch and drinks at Briar Dene. Lovely location close to the seafront. Pub is modern, clean bright and airy. Staff friendly and helpful. Superb crispy batter on fish and chunky chips.

We visited at lunchtime on a Friday and ordered scampi and chips and fish and chips, about £25 plus drinks on top. The staff are great and the restaurant is clean and spacious. The place is badly let down by very small portions for the cost, it is nowhere near value for money. The food was OK but no more so the owners need to give a lot of attention to cost, quality and size.

I went here for lunch with my Nana, quiet when we arrived at 12.15. I ordered the crispy chicken waffle burger and my nana ordered the salmon and cod fish cakes. The crispy chicken waffle burger was served on a sweet waffle this was not stated on the menu and inedible it was so sweet and the chicken so overcooked. The cod and salmon fish cakes were bland and the winter greens which went with must have only seen the water as they were so hard! £32.60 for two meals, one pint of Diet Coke and a pot of tea and the majority left was shocking!! We certainly won’t be back!

I went for dinner tonight. Was disappointed with my main course. I ordered the Beet and Route Lasagne which is basically a vegetarian lasagne. It tasted very nice but the portion they brought out was a joke. very small. It came with 2 small pieces of garlic bread and a small salad. I thought I'd gave them the benefit of the doubt and did nt say anything, it may have been more filling than it looked. It wasn't. I finished it in half the time it took my friend to eat his fish and chips. I was still very hungry. I told the waitress who said she would let the manager know. We ordered desserts and more drinks. No apology came or offer to reduce bill / offer a free coffee, nothing. We paid and left. The rest of the food / drink was nice. But I left feeling hungry and dissatisfied.

I went with my daughter and i ordered a hot roast sanwich of the day, when it came it was cold pork with cold gravy and frozen chips, (the dog enjoyed the meat). my daughter ordered mince and dumpling, it came with asparagus which was limp and inedible, she couldnt cut the dumpling because it was rock hard (which had obviously been microwaved)and there was a spoon full of mince on the side of the plate, she ate the mince and left the rest, i think for the price you are paying they should at least put some veg and potato on. I would never go back for a meal, it was really quiet when we went so there was no excuse to serve food that is cold and inedible.

Visited this pub on a Saturday lunchtime and had a most excellent lunch, staff were very pleasant, highly recommend!

Great venue, great décor, good food but, overpriced. The mains are probably about right at the top end of the scale for the quality but, other factors spoil it; the desserts are small, expensive and the pavlova was not thawed. With other hidden prices it makes The Briar Dene expensive, they even charge for sauces (cranberry, horseradish etc.) which should be complimentary and the sides are over-the-top, for instance a dollop of admittedly very nice mashed potato will set you back £3! The food, as mentioned, is good (not the best) but the service takes ages and takes the shine off. A pity, as the atmosphere and ambience are both good and there is certainly plenty of space to spread out into. The staff are very welcoming and they even allow well-behaved dogs into an area inside by the entrance but, all-in-all, not worth the cost unless very occasionally and even then, there is better available not far away. Ample car parking and, as the service delay shows, they don’t hurry you out.

My partner and I visited this pub for food on Sunday. We checked the sign outside during the afternoon and it said winter opening for food 12.00 to 9.00. We arrived at 7.30 to be informed that the kitchen closes at 6 pm on Sundays. They need to get their advertisements sorted. As it happens the pub was deserted. Not a good sign as the pub does not have the same atmosphere as during its previous existence.

Waited over 20 minutes. Ten minutes with the Chefs shouting Service!!! and getting no response. When my less fresh food was eventually served to me I pointed this out and was told “we can’t really hear them in the restaurant”. That was no comfort!

We took a walk along Whitley Bay promenade and decided to earn our lunch and go to Briar Dene.

Lovely evening here all good beautifully cooked and presented. Staff very attentive and friendly. Loved the inside decor, light and clean looking. Will visit again when we visit our friends. My Husband loved the trifle for dessert.

Very clean and airy. Food was well presented and very nice. The staff were very helpful with water and treats for our dog. Only 3 dog friend?3 dog friendly tables in a very well

Came here with my dad for a bite to eat. I was never in the pub before it was renovated but it looks great inside now. They had some good beers on tap including Anarchy which was a good choice. We sat in the bar and just ordered at the bar.

Lovely pub, dog friendly, reasonable children's menu, good beer. We've visited twice in last month and both times food has been really delicious, the only thing is the portion size is still very small for the price. Not what you expect from pub food. It's a real shame as if they were slightly more generous with the portions (more chips, more rice) I think people would be more likely to return, there were so many empty tables on a Saturday night. I never order dessert but did on both visits as I wasn't full from my main. If I compare to The Beacon where we often struggle to get a table on a Saturday, I'd say the food is actually a lot nicer at The Briardene you just get less! We'll definitely go back at some point, I like the friendly relaxed atmosphere, but we won't do as often as we would if it was better value for money.

Popped in here this afternoon out of the wind/rain on route from town to caravan park. Lovely decor... Smiling waitresses. Not too badly priced pint. Seen some cracking deals like Fizz Friday. Bottle of Bubble's for £12.00. Will be back.

8 people all enjoyed their meals. I personally love this place have been many times . The atmosphere, the decor, and especially the staff were lovely. All members of party had different items from menu and all were thoroughly enjoyed. Would thoroughly recommend this venue.

Sunday lunch for 6 adults and 3 children. Venue is really nice and bright from what it used to be. Service was good especially as they were really busy due to the fireworks display.

Lovely lunch at The Briardene. My other half chose traditional fish and chips and declared the fish to be the best ever. Perfectly cooked in a nicely cooked batter which was not heavy and certainly not greasy. Well Done.

Had lunch for 4 today. Food delicious & well presented, service was excellent. Decor very pleasant. Would highly recommend.

We had our wedding reception at the briar dene last weekend and can honestly say we had an absolutely amazing experience. To say that all the staff were friendly and accomodating is an understatement... they really went out of their way to ensure that everything ran smoothly and everybody had a great time. From serving our arrival drinks early when heavy rain forced our guests to forego the postceremony photographs, to keeping our drinks topped up, to serving a delicious 3 course dinner including catering for several dietary requirements, nothing was too much trouble. All our guests commented on how tasty the food was and we can certainly echo their comments.

I was a bit wary having read some of the less than 'good' reviews but I couldn't have been so wrong.

The Briar Dene looks great externally,the internal decor is very modern and clean.

Monday night , not a busy night or not popular ???

We ate here Sunday just gone for the first time, I had the beef roast and my partner had pork, both equally fantastic!! The place was busy but welcoming, and the staff were very attentive. We didn’t wait long for our meals and the service was perfect. We will definitely be back!

I ordered market fish that happened to be TROUT. It arrived and as far I i was concerned it was a salmon fillet. I called the lady over and advised I think this is salmon not trout. I’m not bothered cos I like salmon. The conversation that followed was like a monty python sketch. “Its trout “ “its trout “ “its trout “. And the last word is “its TROUT”

Place looks dreary, miserable staff, food bad ,curry of the day was a joke, £3.00 for side chips , 8 pieces of scampi £40 for a quick lunch for 2, what a RIP OFF do well to avoid this place, more than likely why its quiet.

We made a booking to host the people who attended a family funeral here after the service. I imagine that these types of functions do form a large part of the day-to-day business with the pub/restaurant being in close proximity to Whitley Bay Crematorium.

Excellent service, really nice fresh food, cooked to perfection and lovely friendly well knowledgeable staff who couldn’t do enough for you. Would highly recommend to anyone in and around Whitley Bay!

Just visited here for Sunday lunch after driving around deciding where to go. Was not disappointed, absolutely lovely. Veg was cooked perfectly and Yorkshire pudding, amazing! Deserts fab too. Will 100% return. Nice surprise!

We ate here a couple of times whilst staying in a cottage nearby. It is dog friendly in certain area. It is nicely decorated and clean and the staff are friendly. The Sunday roast was good and plenty of it. On another day I had curry, it was a bit disappointing, not what you imagine a curry to look like.

Over priced and the fish was very very greasy and it was leaking out of our cartons luckily we had a plate in the van to save our clothes for

Tuesdays are two for a tenner so we thought lets give it a try.

£3.30 for a pint of ‘gun’ coke....absolute rip off. Staff were very good to be fair but this place has become too greedy

The 'brioche' was a slice of toast cut into 2, with the crusts cut off. No mention was made when ordering. Diabolical! Did not justify the £6.95 price tag.

Came here for dinner as we wanted traditional seaside fish and chips. Not quite as I remember seaside fish and chips but I am a Southerner. Peach Melba dessert was a bit disappointing but my partner enjoyed his cheesecake. Food was hot and served quickly. Nice clean place to eat.

Popped in by chance last night 24/8

Very poor. Curry from £10.95 but ended up being £17.50 for two beef ribs with fat. A sauce not sure what over the top of over cooked hard beef. Scampi that was wet inside obviously frozen and tasteless. Do yourselves a favour and go somewhere else

My husband I walked down to the Briar Dene for ‘fizz Friday’ (£12 for a bottle of Prosecco) - made the decision to get some food from the takeaway. Had chips and curry sauce and a haddock and chips between us and both agreed it was the best chippy tea we’d had in a while. Cooked fresh to order (compliments to chef who was very professional) and sat outside on a balmy summer’s evening. At £24 for a meal for two including a bottle of Prosecco it’s hard to beat! Come on peeps - support local venues!

Visited today whilst on holiday. Ordered the chicken,leek and asparagus filo pie. So disappointed. 4 pieces of chicken in the pie,3 of them the size of a teaspoon. Considering the cost of chicken it was not worth the £13.25.

Had a lovely meal but the best experience was the staff. Ros was our waitress and my husband and I go just as much or the food as we do for her. She is one of the nicest friendliest waiting staff in the restaurant, even if the restaurant is busy she makes everyone welcome. Do say hello to her if you go she has lots to say and a very nice person.

Called into the Brierdene pub after a really long walk so was desperate for a nice cold drink. The staff were lovely but the price of the drinks were very expensive.

Only scoring at this level as very overpriced The food was good but definitely not worth the money for what you got. It was no wonder it was not very busy. The prawn starter was £9.25 and you got 3 prawns so £3 per prawn! The girl that brought my wife’s garlic bread was very surly and almost threw it at us. Portions very small but when the deserts arrived they made the starters look big. Would not come back in a hurry - but then if I wanted to would have to save up.

Visited when the place re-opened after the refurbishment & was disappointed. However, decided to revisit with family this Sunday & arrived around 7.00pm. Told food wasn’t served after 6.00pm. I thought this was a pub/restaurant?.. Could be why there was very few customers in the place for a Sunday night!

Been numerous times to get take away fish and chips. However, today when we went it was very poor as the chips were cooked enough. Also the thing that put me off the most was most of the staff behind the counter went out for a cigarette break at the same time as it wasn’t busy. Do you really want to see that when buying fish and chips?

This restaurant has good car parking. It is well maintained.Spotless toilets both male and female.Friendly staff, good choice of reasonably priced food,several special offers of two for £20-00. Excellent presentation of food good sized portions.Highly recommended.

Not been here in years the restaurant looks fantastic and the food did not disappoint. We went early so it was quiet but the staff were superb especially with my two young kids. Food was very nice, tasty homemade and we'll presented. Prices very reasonable.

I’ve posted a number of reviews on the Briar Dene, all to some extent critical. On this occasion, two takeaway fish and chips, eaten at the table outside the entrance door, were absolutely lovely. It was only fish and chips but the fish was lovely, crispy batter and tasty cod and the chips were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. What fish and chips should be. At £6.75 ish I don’t believe they are expensive for the area, a pint of Peroni to wash it down was £4.95 but we were sitting outside so I suppose we could have brought our own....?