The Church Mouse in County Durham

I came in earlier this week and had a brilliant meal and the service was excellent.

Service was absolutely amazing, such lovely staff!!

lovely place. worker called anna was very kind

Excellent food, good value for money.

Ordered two hot beef sandwiches, and two pints of pepsi max, order came to £30. The sandwiches were tasty but absolutely tiny, I'm not joking about 4 bites of sandwich. The chips were ok but again a tiny portion. I'm off home to make another sandwich as I'm still starving. Would not recommend, way over priced for the quality and quantity.

Lovely food and the staff were fantastic

!!!Saved Our Christmas Eve Dinner!!! After a disappointing experience with our original plans at the Red Lion, we decided to try our luck at the Church Mouse, and we’re so glad we did! Despite a fully booked restaurant, the staff went above and beyond to accommodate our party of four. The service was exceptional, and the entire experience turned our evening around. The meal was outstanding, and the warm, welcoming atmosphere made it a night to remember. A huge thank you to the incredible staff for saving our Christmas Eve. We’ll definitely be returning in the future. Well done to everyone involved—it was truly appreciated!

We had Christmas Day lunch booked and what a disappointment it was. Several weeks ago we went in for lunch and paid the balance and were shown which table in the restaurant we would be getting and were told all the tables would be decorated and made to look very Christmassy. We arrived at 2pm yesterday and the table was booked for 2.15. There was a very long queue to get in and the whole place seemed rather chaotic. Alarms bells started to ring but we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. When we eventually got to the front of the queue I was asked for my name and the the gentleman dealing with the bookings and he went off in the direction.of the promised table and then came back, didn’t speak for several minutes and then told a passing waitress to set another table and we were directed to the pub area. When I questioned this and explained we had been told that we were in the dining room he very rudely stated that no tables could be chosen. What puzzles me was why he had minutes earlier checked the table we were told we were having !! The table for four we actually got was in a corner of the pub and consisted of two different height small tables , a wobbly chair and wasn't set with any cutlery. Eventually the young waitress came along with knives, forks etc. As I have already said we have eaten here before and the food was very good BUT yesterday it most certainly wasn’t. The starter arrived and we all had different and we agreed it was very average and just ok. We had all chosen a traditional Christmas dinner which again was ok but nothing special. We asked for cranberry sauce to accompany it but this didn’t arrive. It took 50 minutes for the plates to be cleared away after we had finished what we could then the deserts arrived which again weren't great. We didn’t finish them and left. The truth is I think that two many people had booked to have their Christmas Day lunch there and instead of adding an extra 30-40 minutes turn around time for customers on the earlier tables they hadn’t and this had a knock on effect. The service was so slow, staff attitude poor and atmosphere 0%. We most definitely will not return again.

Food very disappointing. Ordered pie and was not eatable due to meet being all fat and grisle. Not acceptable for £19.00. Deserts were nice and atmosphere cosy

Christmas eve dinner, super! Lovely place to stop, very friendly staff, very attentive, lovely fresh food 👍

Great service from Tracey…really friendly and attentive! Would definitely come back!

Tracey was super nice and helped us change our order to exactly what we wanted. Lovely service and humour!

Fire was on making it feel really cosy.Food was delicious

Revisiting with friends for Sunday lunch . Have to say service was poor ( not the actual server who was lovely ) Drinks order taken but took so long that they were back for mains order before drinks arrived. Mains food arrived promptly and was lovely. Dessert orders were taken but needed chasing up as we thought we had been forgotten. One dessert was incorrect when it arrived but as it had taken so long it was eaten anyway. Hopefully just a one off as no issues on previous visits.

7 of us enjoyed a very happy afternoon enjoying a pre Christmas celebration. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and there was a lovely atmosphere. The service was excellent, the food delicious and the prices competitive.

Love this place - great service as always provided by Rory ! Will be back :)

Food was good, but a bit on the expensive side and I feel it’s not really a family venue at least not when we went on a Monday teatime. Tracey our server was amazing though.

Busy but the staff were still very polite and friendly

Very average pub, awful service, food ok

Great service , fabulous experience from Tracey

Went with a group of about 10 from work on the 6.12.24 and yes it was quite busy but wow. Way over an hour for food. I can’t speak for all involved although most seemed quite dissatisfied with both the quality and quantity of food. I ordered the gammon and to be honest could have stopped to get food on the way home. There were literally 8 chips. I get you’re busy and it’s the ‘festive period’ but I heard a few comments relating to ‘better at spoons’. I saw the bill at the til and it was over £300 and that didn’t include what some had spent at the bar prior to this. Will not return and sadly cannot recommend.

Food was nice buy a little cold Alec the server was amazing with us all night

Tracey was good fun and made us feel welcome. Big portion freshly made and really tasty!

Tracey was great as per usual, lovely service and atmosphere. 10/10

Excellent venue, Tracy our waitress was excellent 👏

Christmas day out for mother and daughter. Shopping in town then finished our day off with a delicious Sunday dinner. The overall experience was wonderful, we opted the turkey and stuffing. Portion size was more than ample, Yorkshire puds yummy. We were served by a pleasant young man called Matthew who couldn't do enough for us, lots of patience and offered us options. We will be back. X

Fantastic food great service and Matthew was very accommodating with table changes

Lovely decor and ambience. Shame about the food and service. Meal for 10 people to celebrate an 80th birthday. Starter of camembert arrived. Toast was cold as was the cheese. Broke open the top and the cheese was lumpy and solid inside. Sent back to be reheated. Main course of creamy chicken burger. Nothing creamy about it. A piece of dry chicken in a bun with lettuce, a tomato and slice of cucumber. Cold cheese sauce on the side in a small ramekin and the fries were also cold. Service was poor and for drink top ups had to seek a server. Prices very inflated for the quality of food and service. And beware the service charge, or even better, don't bother.

Absolutely fantastic place to eat, friendly, warm and welcoming, the food was exceptional. The service we received from our waitress Caytlin was outstanding, extremely polite and professional, rare to see these days in a pub setting, very refreshing. Will definitely be returning again, Thank-you, M.

Afternoon lunch. Fantastic setting good options. Had steak with fries and onion rings, also salmon fish cakes. With deserts.

Great service and friendly staff

Tracey was a great prompt service great banter . A genuine nice person thanks for the recommendations

My partner and I have just had Sunday lunch at the Church Mouse and it could not be faulted. It was all absolutely delicious, well presented, very tasty and plenty of it. We had the trio of meats, and everything was cooked to perfection. Serviced by Rory who was most helpful. Will most definitely be paying them another visit. Thank you

Warm welcome, lovely ambience, cosy, very dog friendly area. South facing garden for dining/drinks. Beautiful decor, nooks & break out areas to drink/dine with privacy. Wonderful real fires, good parking, very accessible. Great customer service. Good Menu Choices, Good Wine, pricey but worth every penny.

Alec provided exceptional service! Thank you x

Friendly efficient service, great food and lovely surroundings. Been a long time since we came here but will definitely return soon.

My partner and I ordered Prawn Cocktail,Boz Sirloin,V Aubergine Gratin.We really enjoyed . Thanks for your service Jake .Was Brilliant service

Foid still hasnt been delivered, when the app says it has. I phoned the church mouse and it still hasn't been collected! The restauran kitchen t ilosed fir food at 10 pm! I want a full refund

Lovely, cosy atmosphere with an open fire. Fantastic food and lovely staff, A+ to Reece and Liam for the banter and great service. Will definitely be returning.

Nice pub, plenty of comfortable seating areas. Sunday lunch was great.

The chips and chicken hunter was absolutely brilliant. Thank you to reece and Liam for amazing service, atmosphere was great. The Grandchildren enjoyed their food aswell as it was there first time here. Great service will definitely be back!!!

Really lovely food the best place to come for great atmosphere the staff can't do enough for you. We came here for my girlfriends birthday with the family thanks reece and team. We will be back

Reece and Liam had exceptional service, very helpful food was lovely would definitely recommend

Thank you Alec for your fabulous service. Very kind !

Alec is a superstar. Very attentive, made our visit. Thank you.

The fish was very salty, too salty for me. It wasn't last time I ordered. I was surprised salt was added as some people can't eat so much on health grounds.

Disappointing. Salad - a pile of rocket. Hunters chicken in batter!!! Had to remove batter. Chips dry. VAT added to bill shocking. Won't be back.

Very average at best. We had garlic bread to share, a lasagne and chicken burger with 2 soft drinks and it was £55 There are much better pubs that service food in the area or pop a mile down the road to Chester le street where you will find a few really good Italians that are cheap and fabulous.

Overall OK at best. Three dishes pie of the day which was chicken and mushroom was good. Lasagne which was OK but too sloppy. Chicken and bacon salad, was really poor, not the right lettuce but that was OK. Far too over ripe unpleasant tasting avocado, no egg and bread not toasted with too much pesto. Saturday lunchtime not busy at all now I know why

Matthew our server was very polite and attentive

This was our first dining experience at the CHURCH MOUSE. Can not fault the establishment and staff in any way shape or form, very warm, friendly and attentive staff. Will not be the last time we visit. Happy to recommended them to all.

Starter and main were lovely, puddings. Little bit of a let down but nothing awful, just didn't feel that they matched the standard of the rest of the meal. Service was polite and cheerful. My husband ordered 3 courses from the weekend special menu and I ordered from the main menu. Unfortunately when we got home and I checked the receipt he had been charged separately for each item he ordered and not given the weekend special rate. A small difference of around 4 pounds but still not good. Too far for us to bother going back for it but please make sure you check your bills before you leave. A beautiful place to eat, decor is gorgeous and atmosphere warm and cosy.

Beef was a little tough for me but the turkey was perfect for Alex and the pate starter, absolutely perfect.

Another very pleasant evening meal at the Church Mouse. Request for seating for someone with poor mobility was provided, as always. Service by Rory was friendly and efficient and prompt. Food good, especially the fish pie (specials menu) and sea bass fillets. Very good value, with a money off voucher. We will return soon!

Lovely place, good food and great service from Caitlin. Highly recommend

Not our first visit and the venue didn't disappoint, lovely friendly atmosphere, service excellent from all staff in particular Rory. Food was tasty and good value for money. We will definitely eat here again when back in Durham

I LOVED everything about The Church Mouse. It's a cosy pub with amazing atmosphere. The food is beautiful and the staff are just the most friendliest I have ever come across. They couldn't do enough for you and they really did make it a better experience because they were so great. The waiter Alec is a darling. Such a wonderful guy. We would go back to see him :)

Good food. Nicely cooked hot and tastes good. The pizza came out stonebaked and tasted very good. The burgers and chips were also nice. Chicken snitzel topped with bacon which was cooked lovely and crispy. Chicken was hot but may have lacked a little more bbq sauce for my liking. Cheese melted on top too. Puddings were tasty, nice cheesecake. Would recommend visiting.

Lovely meals and a really polite, friendly server called Matthew.

Expensive, arrived stone cold. I expected mashed potato on a Sunday dinner, disappointed there wasn’t any. Roast potatoes hard and impossible to cut.

Was a pub with pub meals it is what it is

Been many times and thoroughly enjoyed every meal we’ve had here. Today was our first meal out with our daughter - she’s six months old. The staff were so helpful and friendly, they even brought her apple sauce to try which was so kind of them. My only complaint - and this may be because my daughter is six months and this may not be the case for older babies and toddlers - I found the high chairs more like low chairs. I also didn’t feel it felt very secure, the buckle wasn’t tight around her and holding her upright. I mean, she managed because she’s a super star but I ended up moving her into her pushchair so I could relax and enjoy my meal without worrying about her. That is my only complaint - the highchairs need to be a bit higher, or maybe have a couple of highchairs for babies and a couple for toddlers?

Alec and the team were lovely and welcoming - and the food we had was 10/10! Will definitely be back :)

Fabulous country pub with character & beautiful atmosphere, great friendly staff, great menu & fabulous delicious food

Epic food and drinks and 2nd to none on service 👌

Caitlin served my mum and I today as we popped in for lunch. The food was fresh, tasty and perfectly sized !! Great value and atmosphere, a lovely hidden gem 💎 Caitlin was very attentive without us feeling pressured, really welcoming and helpful ! See you again soon!

We were served by Matthew. He was efficient,helpful and polite.

Had a lovely late lunch here, food was lovely but I thought it was a bit pricey.

We visited today, 14th September 2024. We were greeted very warmly and seated with no problem even though we were early. Alec was our server, what a lovely guy. He was very good at his job, giving us the information and checking if we had any allergies. The food was delicious, all of our party thoroughly enjoyed their food,vwe even had room for a pudding even though the mains were very generous. I would highly recommend The Church Mouse. It makes such a huge difference being treated nicely. Thank you

I was there with some of my colleagues from work. And it was a nice experience.

Excellent food, super friendly and helpful staff , great atmosphere don't miss out if your out that way give the church mouse a try , I'm sure you'll enjoy

Tracey was super attentive and provided a great service

Tracey was a great hostess, the food was stunning and all arrived promptly. A great atmosphere and a great night at the church mouse.

Service amazing from Tracey!!! Dom and Ali did amazing with all the food!! Spot on

Lovely food and friendly service

Unplanned stop at this fantastic pub, friendly staff chilled atmosphere,and a varied menu (recommend the signature burger)will definitely return next time in the area.

Have been on numerous occasions for birthdays anniversary mothers/fathers days as well as just for Sunday lunch extremely cosy venue and staff are always very friendly and helpful

A lovely place. The food was tasty. We had the 3 course lunch and could easily choose from a varied menu. It was great. We were served by Alec who gave first class service and was friendly and helpful. Excellent. Thanks very much. We'll come back again soon.

Lovely food and great service. Matthew was friendly and efficient.

Lovely experience with Matthew. He's a lovely lad!

Thanks for your response after 3 months, glad to see your on top of customer service, at the time of booking it didn’t have a cancellation policy, happy to share screenshots of your website from that time Appalling service deposit won’t be refunded although they do not state this anywhere on their website, have eaten many times at Mitchell’s and butler’s restaurants will not be visiting any of their restaurants anymore Special shout to Jake for the inept customer service

Never disappoints, really lovely place, excellent food, very friendly staff, we were served by Tracey who’s always great, very friendly and professional

Visiting as a family of 4 we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Thank you to Tracey for looking after us so well! Highly recommend.

Such an amazing place to go!! We went as a family of 3 and each of us enjoyed our food. Caitlin was an amazing hostess, she couldn't do enough for you!! Each member of staff made us all feel extremely welcome, and we'd definitely be back!! Thank you to the chefs Dom and Stephen. Your food was outstanding!!

We went yesterday 5 of us ..two of us ordered same dish sliced beef (steak)in a bun it was terrible the blood from the uncooked meat was in the bun chips were cold couldn't eat it..it was terrible! Another meal was supposed to be chicken it was cooked to a crisp shocking! LITERALLY a crisp! The other meal was served with overcooked slimy tenderstem under the main course all 5 meals were a disgrace.We did complain and were not charged which was the right thing for them to do ..but this was a little birthday treat for one of our party who happens to be going through some distress atm we felt may help to alleviate it at this time ..a complete disaster! I personally wouldn't go again .

Our server Matthew was lovely, the food was amazing too! We will definitely be coming back!

Great experience. Our server, Alec, was so friendly & accommodating. Extremely conscious of allergens (I am celiac). Overall a lovely evening. Thank you

We went for Sunday lunch and found the food very tasty. The portions were generous size and staff were friendly and very efficient. Would definately come again.

Sunday lunch was lovely. Plenty of meat, nice portion size. The staff were nice and pleasant. Highly recommend.

A lovely and relaxed atmosphere with friendly and helpful staff

We had a wonderful evening coffee and cake in The Church Mouse. The place is simply gorgeous; all three of us loved it. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. Thank-you all for a great evening.

Great food and value for money. Great atmosphere. Matthew could not be anymore helpful, an asset xx

Fantastic service. Could do with a bigger portion on the plate. However still enjoyed the meal. Very friendly staff

Fantastic meal! Service was really great (I can't remember the name of our waiter but he was so helpful). I have an intolerance to gluten and dairy and this was taken seriously, so much so that I had specially cleaned cutlery (which I've never had anywhere before). I had the gluten and dairy free fish and chips was absolutely delicious. Thanks

Nice atmosphere and a very good Sunday roast. Good parking

Caitlin, thank you for everything. I'll be back

Everything was really good, the service and the food. I was positively surprised that even though one of the guests ordered the food later than the rest of us, we all got our food at the same time.

Lovely meal, fantastic staff, thoroughly enjoyed it. Xx

Great service from Mathew. Shame about the food. Very disappointing

Great lunch with good service. Will definitely be coming back!