The Cross Keys in County Durham

I am comming back soon pub 5 star staff 5 star food 5 star manager was so Exerllent I was even served by the manger due busy day shortage of staff even manager helped 2 serve atmosphere 10/ 10 loverly friendly.people just 2 let u all 2 know I am on my way back soon

Delish sunday lunch, price extremely reasonable, young girls waiting on were all polite and friendly and love the concept they use p.s choppy mint salad made my day thankyou 😊

Good food and very friendly staff

Lots of choice on menu and all the meals our party had were first class, homemade British classics done really well, lots of chips and veg to go with them and a lovely friendly waitress.

Great food, lots of options, friendly staff, good service, biggest pie my gf ever saw

Just had 4 takeaway meals . Lovely highly recommended.

Very friendly pub and customers,didnt have any food but everybody says it is good

banging food, underrated pub. lovely staff and fantastic atmosphere. if you're looking for a sign to come here, this is it !

Home made lasagna with garlic bread and chips was blooming delicious, great meal great staff and lovey music me and mrs loved every minute thank you defo be back again! 😊👍

This was my first visit here for a colleagues leaving meal as i work locally.At first i made the mistake thinking it was too small for 10 plus people .But the pub is cosy and staff were all very helpful and welcoming.We then were shown a large room that could easily sit 50 people. The good was great not fancy in a nice way.But good " tucker" and large portions too and prices were great value.So please try the crosskeys you wont be disappointed..

Very friendly, food top of the class and plenty of it

The Sunday dinner has once again sorted out my hangover unreal

Been a few times now. Good is nice but avoid the steak and kidney pudding

Service All Ways Good / Foods All WAY Fantastic xxx

Great place for refreshments as part of a good dog walk from Sedgefield.

Just had a drink nice friendly pub

Excellent food and service. Outstanding quality.

Buffet style Sunday lunch yet the quality and price were good. Veggies were fresh and not overcooked. Service was good except one staff who wasn't having a good day. Dessert wasn't great. Sticky toffee pudding was treacle sponge.

Beautiful place, really friendly staff meal was gorgeous and price range was good. Ladies watch the step coming out of the toilets , I ended up flat on my face to the amusement of my partner Would recommend cross keys will visit again

Staff are brilliant as is the food. Great prices and big platefuls

We visited here for Sunday lunch while we were staying nearby . 6 of us had the carvery it was very busy but very well organised . The staff asked us which meats we wanted then they brought 6 plates up to the hot server and told you to come up to fill the plate with your veg . I chose the beef it was piping hot and melted in your mouth . The veggies were plentiful even towards the end of service the chef was still filling it up . The next table were invited up when we moved away ,so there wasn't a big queue of people at once . I noticed they were plating up take away aswell . If I was in the area again I would make a detour to go, it was one of the best carvery I have ever had .

Visited today for Sunday Lunch,. 5 Stars for the food, service and value for money. Would highly recommend the Cross Keys for a family visit.

Excellent food and excellent service

Jane cunningly is the star attraction at this pub Had a great night

Always great food here and staff so friendly, Sunday lunch was amazing 👏

Had lasagne this visit and was a substantial portion and very tasty. Will be visiting again soon. Staff also very friendly .

Post covid & they've survived by hard work and continued excellent customer service. Full menu available - with an odd exception (bring back fish & chips). Can't fault the quality nor quantity of the meals. Book for Sunday lunch or you may be disappointed. Beer kept excellently with lines regularly cleaned. Can't recommend enough. 👍

Excellent homemade food and cosy environment

Staff really good. Food all fresh Fresh chips are to die for. All good priced Definitely will be visiting again

Just had a meal here and it was gorgeous. The portions were very generous and the staff were lovely. Well worth a visit

We live in the village and this was our first visit to our local for a variety of reasons. Went with family and are blown away by the hospitality and olde world charm. The food is fabulous, huge portions and very reasonably priced. The raspberry meringue was excellent and my husband enjoyed his treacle sponge too. What a gem this is… lucky 🍀 it’s our local. And we took the dog!

Just ok really, franchise so you can expect a limited quality. Quite expensive when thinking about the quality.

Lovely traditional English village pub overlooking the village gree, great setting. Now cards on the table, I am generally not a fan of carveries but this was excellent. No overcooked mushy veg in sight, roast potatoes the best I have had in a long time. My mistake was "going large", I like my food and can put a bit away but it left no room for pudding. One slight drawback was no dairy free dessert for my grandaughter but that really is a minor point and the staff were very apologetic for this. We will be back some time and I will go for a regular plate leaving room for pudding. Oh I forgot to mention great value, very very reasonably priced as well.

Would recommend, good home made food.

Lovely food as always a little gem and the hospitality is second to none

The dinner was excellent and service was spot on

Had a sunday roast. Good choice and portions at a fair price. Food was very nice

Came for Sunday lunch. Went home hungry as barely ate anything, the food is dismal. Carvery style but meat and yorkshire pudding came out first so you helped yourself to veg. Veg was dreadful, either canned or frozen. Stuffing ball disintegrated, mash was lumpy and the youkshires and roasties tasted greasy. When it comes to the meat....oh dear. As though it was the type which is microwaved in a pack. All fat so didnt eat any. Pub itself is nice and it's cosy and the staff were polite

Relaxing environment. Good service

Excellent staff, excellent food!

Beautiful food good price. Everyone was happy and full. Big plates.

Healthy portions, great service, good pub grub.

Consistently great quality and value.

Booked for Sunday lunch, servers were very pleasant and helpful. Three of us ordered the large lunch and one ordered the small lunch, food was nice and fresh, although too much, when we return we will all order the small lunch. Very good value for money and delicious, would highly recommend.

Four of us went for Sunday lunch. We had beef and pork and we all found the food to be fabulous! There was plenty of everything and we also got service with a smile from a lovely waitress. Would strongly recommend and we will definitely be going back soon.

Rubbish don't even do a vegetarian option on Sunday lunch. 🤑

Lovely food and service but cold and dark lighting

Food beautiful, and excellent service

Ate here by chance while holidaying in the area, having selected it purely by close proximity to our location that day. And we were delighted to have found such a hidden gem! We arrived early evening midweek and the place was very quiet but suspect that it is popular with the locals and could get quite busy. Food was superb "pub grub" with massive portions for ridiculously low prices. We both had 3 courses with drinks each and the bill could still be paid "contactless" i.e under £45! Service was excellent and we felt totally covid-safe with staff wearing face coverings and tables nicely distanced. Definitely highly recommended!

Excellent home cooked meals which were thoroughly enjoyed by our party of 4. Generous portion sizes combined with excellent beer. Prices very reasonable too. Well worth a visit.

So impressed by the food, been in county Durham for holiday and visited this evening for dinner. Really recommend for a relaxed meal with great food. My husband had the pie and said it was especially good and the chips were amazing.

Fantastic local pub, owners are lovely and are happy for a chat. Would throughly recommend. Thanks again.

One of the best Sunday roasts I've had in a long time and it was.. lol First time I have eaten at a pub restaurant Since the beginning of covid and the food did not disappoint it was delicious.. With great service from friendly staff.. 5 stars all the way Thank you..

My husband and I were staying locally for a few days and booked a meal in the pub for the first evening. Greeted very warmly and shown to a table. Good choice of food and drinks on the menus. I opted for the salmon with chips and veg and my husband chose the chicken sinatra. Both meals delicious and we couldn't eat all the chips, which is unusual for us, as there were loads!! Liked the veg being presented in serving dishes too. We decided to eat there again on the following evening and had the curry and mushrooms on toast. both yummy! We returned for Sunday lunch and both had the roast beef with all the trimmings. Best roast beef I've had! For pudding on two of the occassions we had treacle sponge and raspberry pavlova. The staff and Karin were so friendly and helpful it made our trip. Nothing too much trouble and everywhere spotlessly clean.

Unbelievable food, unbelievable value!!

The website gives a very different impression of this pub than the real life experience. It's ok. Very friendly staff. Nice wine. The food is fairly basic and the portions are huge.

Excellent food and great service

Fabulous food. Warm, lovely service. They don't scrimp on portions. Everyone happy. Will be back definitely.

Steak and Ale pie was huge. Excellent food always.

Lovely bank holiday lunch after drinks in the beer garden. Thanks Karen and staff.

It was great to be allowed back indoors and having a meal and few beers. The food was still fantastic The service was brilliant And you can't complain about the price. Highly recommend

Great food, good beer and a nice welcome. The mince and dumplings are splendid and an absolute bargain. Great beer garden too.

Strange and cold atmosphere. Granted covid has changed things but no pleasant vibe. Very dated decor. Was told we could not have half rice and chips yet then served them separately anyway so couldn't see the logic. Food was alright but debatable as weather was homemade not sure.

Sunday lunch was great at a very good price. Freindly and welcoming owner and staff.

First time here and food was amazing, just look at the size of the Steak and Ale pie, and a proper pie case not just a lid! Real home made chips, and reasonable pie, a lot of meals around £9.50. A wait to pay after asking for the bill only negative.

We stayed just down the road at a lovely cottage for a weeks break and ate here 5 evenings out of the 7 nights. The food is excellent and plentiful, tables and chairs spotless, as soon as a table is vacated it is thoroughly cleaned so is every part of the chairs. The staff are fantastic. There is seating outside with some tables under cover. House wine was only circa £9 and a very good Hardys Bin 161 selection. Plenty of parking outside the pub.

We went out together first time since lockdown for a social evening in the Cross Keys, restaurant in Bishop Middleham. Food was superb, cooked to perfection and all the time social distancing was observed by the staff and customers. Couldn't have been at a better location for our first time out since Coronavirus arrived. Restaurant is now open for diners who must book in advance with contact details.

Enjoyed an excellent meal last night. Very well organised and felt COVID secure. Friendly staff and delicious food. Will certainly be returning.

Always lovely. Owners really nice. Food is excellent value for money. Dumplings are to die for. Chocolate Orange Cake is an absolute sin but a must. Beautiful

It's Bill here..Usually down every Friday for lunch. Was missing my chilli half and half due to the lockdown. However..tried the takeaway for the first time. Well organised with a pickup time and collected at the rear. Food was just plated on arrival and was red hot. Exactly the same high standard of food and the usual friendly staff. Many thanks to all....we will return..stay safe all.

Booked a table for later in the lunchtime serving (2pm) hoping it’d be a bit quieter - it wasn’t. Be aware if you do not like crowds or cramped spaces this is not the place for you as the main dining room is quite small and gets extremely busy. Despite booking a certain table well in advance we were shown to a different one right next to the carvery and one of our party had to keep moving to allow other guests access to some of the food. The food was ok although the beef was far too chewy and the roast potatoes had a strange taste. Pork, mash, gravy, veg all nice. Lovely waitress serving.

Enjoyed a meal here while staying in the cottage up the road. The meal was outstanding to say the least. Best meal in a long time. The service by a young lady was impeccable too. Well done Crosskeys.

Great place with good beer and value for money grub.

What can I say? The food in this place is excellent and so is the service. Everything cooked to perfection.

Can't fault The Keys. Always great food, but like to see some variations to the menu from time to time.

Great food friendly staft and will call again Leeming bar cycle club thankyou

Great Sunday carvery and so is the price.

Lovely place lovely and friendly staff

Great Sunday roast friendly helpful staff

This pub never let's you down Great food and atmosphere very reasonably priced proffesional service would definitely recommend

Great grub lovely people been many times

Excellent. Well worth the money. A hidden gem

The food was absolutely delicious. Huge portions too. I'd go every day if I could

The Cross Keys is a great place to eat & drink. Excellent food, huge portions & lots to choose from, all at very good prices. Friendly staff. Can definitely recommend.

Great place for food friendly staff

Lovely food came nice and hot had a pie so much i could just eat it my wife had lamb shank cooked perfectly great staff freindly local couldnt ask for more

Lovely food, quick, professional, friendly service. Lovely village pub, wish I could pick it up and bring it to our village!!!

Excellent good food all ways busy that says it all !!!

Seems to be unfairly underrated. Staff friendly and swift. Food generous and wholesome and reliable. Plenty to choose from and value for money no orders after 9pm . Crumble and custard not always apple. Lol

Visited for sunday carvery. Previously regular visitors but after today will not return. Waited at bar 12 minutes, only us there on arrival, multiple bar girls passed us with drinks, not one of them spoke or acknowledged we were there. Finally got served, soft drinks were flat and coke had an inch thick layer of froth to the point it looked like Guinness. Exchanged these for 2 warm cordial. No apology. Were told our table number and left to navigate our own way around the restaurant until we found our spot. Nearly tripped on the rippled carpet. 10 minutes later no one had been to our table so we ushered the girl over. A further 10 minutes and we were invited up to the counter where we waited again for meat to be delivered. Took the time to explain to the owner the issues with the drinks, wasnt interested. Said the Pepsi is always rubbish but declared the lemonade was fine and we must be mistaken unless the post mix had just been changed and they hadn't pulled the soda through. Still no apology. Moved on to the veg counter, tripped on the upturned bath mat and was lucky not to end up face first in a vat of gravy. Meat and gravy were delicious, the rest, average at best. Didnt risk desert. A further 10 minutes waiting to pay and we made our escape. Spoiled a nice afternoon.

Called in on Saturday on the way to a Rugby game at Sedgefield , A lovely old country pub , We each had a lovely meal, freshly made and nice and hot , We will definitely be back.

My wife and I called in for a late lunch on our way to an event in Bishop Auckland.. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome by the staff and the locals. Both ordered Gammon with a side of onion rings, food was outstanding, perfectly cooked and plentiful. In all honesty we couldn't manage it all but worth every penny, will definitely return.

Was in here a couple of weeks ago for lunch, with a large walking group, and was told by an unpleasant woman to take our small dog out of the bar near the, almost empty, eating area! Fair do; dogs are allowed, or not, in eating establishments at the owner’s discretion, but she could have asked nicely? She then tried to claim that it is illegal for dogs to be in food serving areas! Which is untrue; dogs are only illegal in food preparation areas. We had one pint and left, without ordering any food!I am writing this in a lovely small cafe. When asked if it was okay to bring the dog in, the owner looked surprised. She smiled and said, ”Of course!” and didn’t get arrested. That’s how you do customer service…

The service quality of the food and amount and the prices are low good value for money well done will visit soon x

Very friendly and helpful staff. Good and tasty food. Going back tonight.👌

Very nice pub lovely food pleasant friendly staff

great food once again. need to take care with kids meals... try some different type of fish fingers not the rubbish cheap stuff

Had lunch again in the Cross Keys. Service was cheerful and helpful, and the pub is 'dog friendly'. There was a nice dark ale on tap. The menu has a wide range of pub food, but the most startling thing is the value for money and the size of the portions! Food was very tasty, but in the end we had to admit we were beaten, and couldn't eat it all. Very good value.

Lovely old pub with great food and home made chips

Amazing food, great price and the staff were fantastic. Thank you very much for a lovely meal and a great night