The Dirty Duck in North Down

Fabulous selection for all our dietary requirements. Service staff excellent. Portions huge. Fish fresh. All meals served really hot. Amazing views from restaurant. Will absolutely return again.

I hate to read negative reviews about this lovely place. I have been going for years. The staff are always friendly, polite and welcoming. The mushrooms on toasted sourdough are invariably wonderful. The Dirty Duck is our favourite, reliably good, place to call in to for a glass of wine and a snack. Ignore the complainers!

Lovely location although a little hard to find a parking space due to walkers parking and perhaps people parking and taking the train into Belfast City Centre etc. Dirty duck serves a different menu from most other restaurants. I had the duck wrap. Absolutely gorgeous. My friends choose the open prawn and the ceasar salad. Great portions. One of my friends is elderly and needs a walking aid. On arrival a member of staff noticed her coming in and she immediately came over to help her to her seat and made sure she was comfortable. The same happened when we were leaving. Such a lovely member of staff. Thank you Dirty Duck for a very enjoyable lunch and for the way you treat your customers.

I hoped to have really enjoyed this experience but it was just ok. Came on a lovely sunny day so expected to wait on a table which I did but not as long as I thought. Once getting my table I sat for 20 minutes waiting on someone to take my drink order. I felt invisible as it was only me at the table and not a waiter came by to take an order so I took myself up to the bar to which I was told I am not allowed I need to wait. The girl came over straight after I made them aware I wanted to order, I also had to get my own menu from the bar as no one offered me one. I told her I’m ready to order food as soon as she brought my drinks as I was not waiting another 20 minutes to order. My food came out in alright time around 10 minutes as soon as I received it I noticed a hair on my fries so again I had to call a waiter. I did get new fries brought to me but I had to wait again. The steak was overcooked, I asked for medium and got a well done steak. My total bill came to £50 which is absolutely ridiculous as I wasted 2 hours here and had more hassle than anything. Wouldn’t recommend coming here.

Lovely little pub/ restaurant. Friendly staff. Great food menu. Food was spot on. Will return

Hearty food and friendly helpful staff. Busy Monday night so probably worth booking. Nice setting on a warm evening sunset

A nice resistant in an absolutely gorgeous environment. A great view from the upstairs window of the water, very tranquil. The chips were crispy yet fluffy. Burger had plenty of flavour however I did find the chicken a bit tough to chew. Other than that, great place.

Nice location. Drinks all good. Food - good choice on menu but poor quality. If you want good food, try Fontana or Noble in Holywood.

Lovely lunch outside ..brought our dog and the sun was out Niall had fabulous monk fish and I had a very good breaded chicken burger ..great guy served a lovely time will be back soon 🙏

Went here for a few drinks to meet up with a group of friends for a birthday. Extremely rude staff who made us feel very unwelcome and uncomfortable in the outdoor bar where we were sitting. Very very unpleasant experience. Although staff in the main bar were nice and welcoming, outside staff were not. Will definitely not be back.

Lovely upstairs view. Excellent Guinness

We were on a tight turn around but food was able to be cooked and we were seated fed and leaving within 45mins which was perfect for us. Food had lots of flavour and staff were very helpful

While the food was delicious, the views spectacular and the service excellent, it strikes me as strange that they can't supply mushrooms or a 'oven roasted tomato' with a steak meal when you tell them you are dairy and gluten intolerant. Surely a little bit of oil and a frying pan would be available in a commercial kitchen. So I am guessing they just couldn't be bother accommodating food intolerance requirements fully.

Love it and highly recommended. Great menu, fab food and lovely staff. Only thing that could be improved is having a vegan option for dessert

This was our first visit to the Dirty Duck and it will be our last. When my partner put his hand up to let the server know we wanted to order, he was told ‘I was coming to you, I have other tables to serve’ - very rude and unwelcoming. I ordered the Chicken Burger but nowhere did it mention that it was fried in herbs (rosemary or mixed herbs). I cannot stand the smell or taste of herbs but managed to eat half the burger as I’m diabetic and needed food. The chips were inedible, shrivelled and black in parts. When the server came to remove the plate I wasn’t even asked why I did not eat the food. £23 for a meal which was hardly touched. My partner’s fish was ok.

First time here unreal food! Really nice! Definitely will be visiting again!

Great food with wonderful views. Book ahead as it's always busy

A great meal at the dirty duck. Excellent location

Great staff and good selection of beers. But very overpriced and tired decor in the public bar.

Fantastic food. Really good portions

Fresh fish chips and mushy peas with tarter sauce

Great place to grab a Guinness after a brisk walk. Nice atmosphere, warm and welcoming.

A great pub for food on the shore. .The food is excellent - a great range of dishes all served very promptly, real fire and great music. The staff are lovely.

Food delicious, good value for money and staff friendly and efficient, excellent service. Lovely view too 😊

you can't get better food than here also they have a great selection of beer and real ales. I highly recommend to try the scampi

Every establishment should have an Andy. So kind and accommodating - he made our visit memorable!

Great food, great portion sizes and very helpful and friendly staff

Great for lunch, in a good location, and food and service always good.

Delicious meal chosen from an extensive menu. Relaxed comfy seating areas with friendly staff. I need to go back more often.

Nice and quiet Staff friendly Perfect for dinner

Lovely views from upstairs window. Steaks were OK. Good drink selection. Sat for a drink outside after and good atmosphere. Have sat inside with family before and nice and cosy in Winter. Would definitely be back

Excellent spot for food and drinks, I went here for a work do and I really enjoyed my time

Had a super meal of an extensive menu with lots of choice for all tastes. Very friendly and attentive staff making the experience more than just about the food.

Absolutely lovely. Perfect for a quick bite popping in, a big meal and a quick coffee or pint. Warm and welcoming, lovely atmosphere, lovely staff.

Didn't stay as 'dog friendly ' meant being outside for food in January!

Very rude staff - would not recommend. Having since been asked to email the company directly with feedback, they continued on the same path of rudeness by not responding - so would reiterate original review that this company does not care about its customers.

I loved this super nice place facing the sea! Very good beers and other drinks. Nice atmosphere to spend with friends.

Party of 7, of us, called in after visiting the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Had to wait for seating as very busy. Once seated attended to very quickly with menus and drinks. Varied menu for all tastes. Food took awhile to come but well worth the wait with all commenting on how good it was. Would certainly recommend for a meal but would suggest booking in advance.

Fantastic food, and really great service. Highly recommended for large or smaller groups

I visited the Dirty Duck with friends for a Christmas dinner. All commented on the excellent portion sizes, the food was delicious, and there was a good choice of options on the menu that catered for all tastes. The staff were friendly and engaging with us. The price was also reasonable too. I would recommend booking a table to always ensure you are not disappointed.

Amazing food … Guinness was the best

I have dined here many times and will be back many times more in the future. Well done Dirty Duck.

Crazy big portions of very tasty grub and very friendly staff

God knows how many calories in that burger, but it was soooo tasty..

Cosy atmosphere and great views over Belfast Lough.

This restaurant is safe enough for you to go there alone and the staf is nice and kind and the food and drinks are great and you even have an amazing view of the Belfast lough and you can even see and hear the planes flying in or out of george best Belfast City Airport and you can also see and hear the boats and ships going in or out of the bellfast port

Lovely pub a short train train ride out of Belfast. The food was amazing and the pub has a good selection of beers and a cozy atmosphere with a real fire. Would recommend giving it a try.

Havent eat there yet, but its a doggy friendly place! Great atmosphere! Beautiful views. :)

Never had a bad meal in the dirty duck. Highly recommended for food and Beer.

Great pub with good prices, and a lovely view of the coastline—very convenient by train as well

Great service, good food what more can you ask for 👍

Food was amazing about £20a head for food but it was amazing

Crab Claws washed down with proper ale. What's not to like ...

Good food selection. Reasonably prices. Good service.

Great night, called in on the off-chance for a quick drink and bite to eat but ended up spending the whole evening here, a Tuesday quiz night helped

Beautiful fresh veg, fresh flaky fish....champ was delicious!

We have been there several times with friends. Although we always reserved a table in advance and asked...we never got a table by the window. When we arrived and saw that there were many empty tables by the windows, we were not allowed to sit there either. While we were in the restaurant, no one came to take a seat. The food is highly objectionable. Critically substandard quality and quantity. A small piece of fish with a pile of rice and 2 slices of dry bread!??...what is this?? Long wait for food and I could go on and on. I'm sorry this place is a huge disappointment. ...

Still a beautiful pub with fantastic grub. Good Guinness and a great view of the ships coming and going to the docks 👌

Lovely atmosphere and a great view of Belfast Lough. Good service, fair prices and phenomenal food. The fish and chips are literally the best I've ever had and I go out of my way to visit here any time I'm in Northern Ireland.

The food & ambience are always good there!

Food was 100% atmosphere was the company I was with. Couldn't buy a smile from the staff

Great wheelchair access and disability awareness from staff

Best to make reservations but they were able to seat us in an odd spot, wonderful seafood and friendly fare.

The food was excellent, easily the most impressed I have been with any restaurant or pub in years. Good food and damn near perfect execution from the chef. Great location, great views & a very well thought out menu. Well played you dirty ducks. More like mighty ducks!

Food very good. Large portions. Staff very helpful and friendly

Family favourite for a Sunday dinner out.

Food not good value for money. Menu hasn't changed mych in 20 years. The place smells like it could do with a good clean. Friendly and helpful staff.

Lovely seaside pub for good beer, nice people, and lovely views!

Great food and drinks. Perfect location for post meal walk

This venue was hyped and had won numerous awards for it's food, however our experience was not reflective of that. 2 of our party had to send back our food, which was well presented, as it was cold inside. Replacements arrived and these were hot and the food was very tasty, however first impressions count. The decor was starting to feel a little lived in, but again clean and tidy. The view from our table was fantastic. One dessert was also colder than expected however this was not sent back and our post member are most of it. Overall portions were of a good size and the food when presented correctly was tasty. Not sure we were as blown away as we were promised. No concession to a fragmented dining experience was not reflected in the billing.

Great food and a fantastic view. Genuine UK pub feel and food

Very disappointed with this venue. Was there with 4 others for dinner. The place itself is tired and in need of a referb, the toilets are the same. Whilst the menu looked good, the food was not. I ordered scampi and asked if it was proper prawns, 'yes' was the answer. What I was served was a plate of batter and I really did try to the find prawns within. The chips were frozen and tasteless despite being covered in garlic. The meal cost £23 for very poor quality food. I would have returned the plate, if I had have been there with my husband. I left with indigestion and never again will we eat or recommend the Dirty Duck.

My friend and I had 3 starters (coz we couldn't decide) between us and it was ample for our meal. Excellent food, brilliant service. Thanks, ducks!!

Great place for a pint and a sunset

Peri peri chicken was ordinary chicken with a dip. I asked for pepper and the waitress came along with a pepper grinder. I told her nothing was coming out and she just smiled and walked away. Garlic potatoes didn't have a garlic flavour. Very disappointing experience.

Been here twice recently & food was lovely. Beautiful location. Service good. Would definitely recommend.

Been here twice in three days. First visit was with a large group and very busy. Service was slow, however food was good. 2nd visit was table of 4. Very fast service and excellent food.

Great place for a meal and a drink. Food was delicious ( large portions)and reasonably priced. Attentive staff and lovely views.

Ok. Nice setting, good beer choices, so so food

Pre holiday meal, called in on short notice. Was found a table quickly with fantastic views across the lough. The food was brilliant, and the service excellent. Highly recommended.

Most of the muscles didn’t open and the wheaten bread was hard

Love the views from the 1st floor.

Wonderful venue, service was impeccable, worth a visit should you be in the area

We visited on a Saturday afternoon, it was busy but we didn't have to wait for a table. The food and service were great.

Lovely spot , would recommend booking if having food to get the best window seat

Ordered scampi at £23 ... served a decent portion , but cold . Advised the serving staff and got an apology , but still got charged full amount . Ivebee

First at dirty duck would go back would recommend this bar restaurant

Great food and views from the restaurant.

Great place super staff and food. Hard to get parked sometimes.

Really good taste food and a viticulture view of the sea. They had cute little duck paintings on the wall and the toilets were really well kept which I know a lot places don’t so very happy about that

Great place with lovely views across the Lough. Staff are very welcoming and it is family friendly

Just outstanding! The Dirty Duck was recommended to us by our cab driver who picked us up from the airport, and it didn't disappoint. Everyone was really friendly, and everything - the welcome, the food, the drink, the view and the atmosphere were all fantastic. If we hadn't had a day's travel, and if we weren't a forkful away from a food coma, we'd have stayed until closing time! We'd been in Holywood for less than six hours, but The Dirty Duck had already got us saying that we'd like to come back again.

The champ had four scallions in it and the onion gravy had one piece of onion in it. It only was in my meal, in a group of ten. Everyone else seems to have enjoyed it

On 07/08//4, my brother & I went over to The Dirty Duck Alehouse, in Holywood for a meal. When we got there, the staff offered us a drink & showed us the menu & also told us what the meal of the day was. We had a look at the menu & then, ordered our meal. The staff are very helpful & friendly. The Dirty Duck Alehouse is on The Esplanade, just off The Bangor Road & has an excellent view over Belfast Lough & the mountains on the other side of Belfast Lough. It’s well worth a visit if, you’re thinking of having a meal on your own or with your friends etc. Prices are also very good & I would recommend it if you’re looking for a good restaurant in The Holywood area. Stephen Acton.

Great pub, great food, great atmosphere, food was excellent 👍🏻

Lovely sunny day on the deck overlooking the water. Food was delicious and service was top notch 👌

Really very good quality first class thanks for your help with menu

Got a starter, was massive. Couldn't finish my main had to get doggie bag.. Great sea view from upstairs. Lovely fod and relaxing place.

Yes very good had a meal which was good quality then walked down the seafront a very enjoyable experience all round

Went on a Sunday,table booked for 5,was seated at the window,lovely view. Ordered the 10oz steak,chips,peppered sauce ect,partner got scampi and chips.this was an awesome meal.the steak was beautiful, the scampi was the best I have ever had,and I have eaten a lot of scampi from different places.also you get a lot of pieces of scampi, not like other places you get a handful for a dear price.the meal was a 10/10.first time their, will definitely be back,well done the dirty duck.