The Jolly Fisherman Pub in Northumberland

We have eaten here several times for lunch in bar and really enjoyed it. However, dinner was a little disappointing. The food was very tasty; great mussels, but a some dishes were overpriced. The service was fine, but felt rushed. We were done within an hour - for a bill of £100 I would expect it to be more relaxed. Got the feeling the staff wanted to finish the service quickly. Its a nice space, but the view is the real asset so would suggest lunch is better value and overall a better experience.

Lovely seafood menu. Specials were excellent. Best pub restaurant we have been to.

Delicious food and great menu. A treat for the family on the last night of our holiday. (2 adults,12yr, 9yr) Shared 2 starters 4 mains and shared 2 puddings. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. 10/10

Amazing good in an amazing restaurant, very helpful and friendly staff. I will be back.

Really pleased we could get a table as we knew how popular the pub was especially as we were celebrating a special occasion. Food was great with a lot of choice, very attentive waitress. Thank you

Excellent food, good atmosphere, easy to book, efficient staff and prompt service. Drinks expensive.

Great seafood in a great location reasonably priced for the quality. Service slow but they were very busy however had they been faster between courses they would have (a) sold more to our party and(b) had the table back to re use so taking additional revenue - which shows investment in staff on busy days always pays back in profit

We all had a Sunday roast. Thankfully we didn’t have a starter as the main was a good portion. Really good quality and a good choice of beers. Bustley ambience but not so loud we couldn’t hear one another. We sat in the bar with our dogs. Best to book a table as its busy.

Sadly no vegetarian Sunday lunch option available so choices limited to egg salad for my partner so I guess no vegan meals offered at all Really disappointed will not be going back unless they offer a choice for vegan or vegetarian

Beautiful setting, we were given a window seat in the restaurant with outstanding sea views. Fabulous food in a fantastic restaurant

Great food, service and atmosphere as always - that's why we keep going back!

Went out of season, but it was still busy with a cosy feel and great surroundings. The crab soup was out of this world. It was our anniversary and the team were very obliging. Would happily return.

No problem with Open Table app and definitely beneficial to book, as the place is popular especially on a very good day weatherwise. Downside was the food - nothing great and pricey for what you got. Having decided to eat al fresco in the “highly rated” beer garden, “the kitchen” decree that they would not serve the Fish pie outside was perplexing, as other hot food was! Maybe it is not that luxurious a fish pie when seen in daylight……I will never know!

fabulous- thought we may be late was hard to let them know via phone - but all good - back again in Nov

Enjoyed an enjoyable lunch watching a wild sea. The crab sandwich was delicious with no skimping on the filling. The crayfish sandwich was again filled to the brim. The chips were really nice having been cooked in beef dripping. The service was good but did have to wait for quite a while waiting for someone to take our order.

Always worth a visit,booked for the first time on open table.we arrived early and no problem changing meal time. Welcoming of dogs as well Had the fisherman's and ploughman's platter,delicious and fresh

Always enjoy our visit, but disappointed with our lunch. We chose their famous crab sandwich with a portion of beef dripping chips. Plenty of crab, but for us too much thick bread. The salad accompaniment was barely a tablespoon,but the most disappointing part of our lunch was the chips. Certainly they didn't meet their description, appeared to be re-heated so very dry, few "whole chips" mainly chip "scraps". Yes this restaurant bar is in a fab location, but you can enjoy much better cuisine in other local places.

Service was friendly and it appeared the staff enjoyed working there. Food (both fish dishes) was exceptional and beautifully presented. We throughly recommend a visit.

Another lovely experience! Thank you for looking after us and the guide dogs!

Excellent crab soup Also If you arrive before noon out of season, you might find a precious parking space!

Good food, lovely views. The fish board was excellent.

Fab food, good selection of main courses, service friendly but not over the top.

Enjoyable dining. Lovely food, staff friendly and helpful. Although a busy Sunday lunchtime did not feel hurried. Menu just enough choice and variety and value for all.

2nd visit for us this weekend ! Fantastic food both meals …… lovely cosy atmosphere , dogs welcome just perfect for us ! We will be visiting again soon 😊

Lovely service, wide choice and excellent food. Cosy after a autumn walk along to dunstanburgh.

Can’t recommend the Jolly fish board enough. It’s my go to always.

Excellent Sunday lunch at the Jolly Fisherman. A lovely roast with plenty of tasty vegetables, and at a reasonable price. The service was excellent and the location is pretty spectacular! We would definitely return when in Northumberland.

Cosy relaxed atmosphere. Excellent food and friendly efficient service. Good value for the quality of food. The Rioja was excellent!

Gorgeous food with plenty of non seafood options as well as thecvery fresh and tasty seafood options. Views are amazing too.

Excellent as always. Lovely food in a beautiful location served by wonderful friendly staff.

The restaurant was very nice however the table we were given was very small for 4 of us (we booked about a month ago) and the calamari was clearly frozen / processed. Otherwise we had a very enjoyable evening and the food was good.

Superb food and great Service. The Jolly Fisherman was highly recommended by friends and fully lived up to its reputation!

Not so good. This had been booked for many weeks, we were met by a snooty man who avoided the nice window tables and placed us in a cramped corner with just a side view. The waitress was perfectly nice and helpful. The moules were very average, a couple off, the juice watery and lacking any depth or creaminess or even oniony texture. The crab filling in a dull open sandwich was reddish, lacking any white meat, and had 4 pieces of cress. Asking for a coffee to finish outside was more than they could manage, insisting that we settle up first for the food, then make another request, which we then had to carry outside in takeaway plastic, only to see the same waiter bringing food and drink outside for other guests. Generally then unwelcoming, off-putting, obstructive, and disappointing -- and for that reason, we did not bother to go to their sister restaurant at The Woodman's Arms in Whickham although booked for a few days later, as we did not wish to receive any more discourtesy

Another most enjoyable evening at the Jolly Fisherman . Our food was excellent and reasonably priced. This was our second visit to the Jolly and we were not disappointed. We will be back. Thank you.

Lovely atmosphere, food absolutely gorgeous. Would definitely return!

Fantastic we both had the jolly fishboard which we ve had before , absolutely brilliant got a cosy table in the corner near the open fire . Had our spaniel with us but he's quiet so he sat under the table ! Book a table as it's popular and gets busy food and service 5 star

Absolutely 1st class service and food, great ambience. The chowder and lobster were the best I’ve had. Will definitely be back

The Jolly Fisherman was excellent from every aspect. Food, service ambience and the staff welcoming and looked after us well. Over many years of coming to. Craster and the Jolly it’s difficult to find fault. There is not another place in the village so no real comparison or competition. Thank you Jolly we thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

The food was amazing, with a selection from oysters, haddock Scottish eggs, the crab soup was exceptional, so was the mussels, fish pie and lobster. Service was good very professional and attentive staff. Excellent experience would strongly recommend anyone who likes fish and seafood to give it a try, thank you for an amazing experience.

Delicious fish, spectacular view. We stopped for beer in the garden after a long walk last year and thought the menu looked good. Came back this year and it was worth the trip.

Great food, reasonably priced. Friendly and helpful staff.

Unique location with fantastic sea view. Excellent food, the emphasis being on seafood, & well presented by friendly & helpful staff. Also a great bar if you just want a drink & maybe a snack & everything at a reasonable price. Would certainly recommend.

The Jolly Fishboard for two was a special treat/reward 😀 for celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary! Plenty of tasty treats on offer and all were delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely return again. The staff were all very attentive and we didn’t have to wait long for table service.

Husband had crab soup - fabulous I had soup of the day - just as good Fish Pie and cod loin were absolutely amazing. Lots of dogs in bar area but all very well behaved. Including ours. Parking is a bit of a problem.

Dog seating area could do with a refurb but overall a very pleasant evening; good food and beer. Would recommend.

We dined here with friends. Loved the crab soup, the fish pie and the fish board. All delicious. Lovely inside, with big glass windows overlooking the sea. Service and ambience all good. Highly recommend.

Stressful waiting for a table with poor bar service. Request for a window table wasn’t followed so I had to request it again. Once were finally seated the table service was great, menu good. Fish platter lacked imagination but I enjoyed it, could have added samphire. Not brilliant value for money and no Argentinian Malbec … in fact not a South America wine in sight! My sister really enjoyed her fish pie. I wouldn’t go again but can see why it’s so popular. Music was awful.

We really enjoyed our meal with you this evening. The staff were very friendly, efficient and helpful. The food was absolutely delicious. Crab soup in particular was excellent. I had fish platter which was amazing while others had crab quiche and mussels. An unusual suggestion, but it was a shame smaller portions of the main course were not offered.

Good food, good service at a reasonable price point. A crab salad of exceptional quality after excellent oysters all washed down with a nice glass of wine! A very pleasant experience.

We come here every year as it's the only place to get a really nicely cooked Craster kipper! I had the scampi special and it was delicious!

Excellent location with sea views. Staff very friendly. Food superb with a large menu to choose from. Priced accordingly.

Four of us enjoyed the food and the view over the harbour. Staff are attentive and helpful. We are repeat visitors and highly recommend the experience but be aware this place is popular and gets very busy, advance booking is essential and even so you may have to wait for your table to be ready.

Great food and great view! Staff at the bar a little slow to serve resulting in customers waiting a while for drinks/to pay

Always amazing …..the food is so tasty and well presented. Just love everything on the menu. Great ambiance and staff very attentive.

Nice place. Good food. Good menu and friendly service. Good view.....

Great food in a busy pub so booking essential! Service was good too; efficient and friendly even though they were busy.

Staff and service was excellent!! Lovely atmosphere but menu could have more explanation.

Absolutely love eating here. The food is fabulous, the service friendly and efficient, the ambience perfect.

no one to greet you when you first go in girls who serve are very good the food was ok

The Jolly Fisherman is a victim of its popularity. And overpriced. We were were seated in a corner and had two of their celebrated Crab Sandwiches. Food quality was good, service good too. But the sheer busyness detracted from it being a memorable occasion. We are not likely to return.

Fantastic fresh fish. Excellent service. Helpful and friendly staff in a picture perfect setting on a beautiful sunny September day. Definitely returning to here.

Booking a table was easy and efficient. Though the pub was jam-packed when our party of five arrived our table was ready. Service good and efficient. Food and drinks excellent. All fresh and tasty. Would visit again - many more times. Happy to recommend.

It’s a while since I visited a pub that had no vegetarian options on the menu. I realise that this is primarily a fish establishment but not everyone visiting Craster eats fish. Not really vegetarian friendly, even the chips are cooked in beef dripping. I did manage to get a ham and cheese toastie minus the ham but was still charged the full price. Come on Jolly Fisherman I’m sure you could add a couple of veggie options that won’t spoil your menu.

Delighted that the food was as good as last visit in 2021, pub was busy but staff were attentive and friendly and our online booking saved disappointment as we’d have struggled for a table otherwise You get what you pay for here and it’s bloody good!!!

Booked a table and so pleased we did as was very busy. Service was excellent husband had the scampi I had the moulles frites they were amazing. Recommend here but definitely book a table.

Worth the price for a special evening. My son had the lamb cannon and said it was the best meal he had ever had

We thoroughly enjoyed our oysters and shared seafood platter lunch. The service was very good and friendly. We plan to return in May on our return to Northumbria.

Our second visit to this pub. Very busy but helpful staff who were friendly and approachable. Pub has a busy atmosphere which is good because it shows popularity and pre booking is essential. Menu was ok but nothing outstanding. The area is excellent for fish dishes as its a place where fresh fish is easier to obtain so we had a lamb dish for a change. A competent pub roast lamb dish but nothing different from any other pub roast. Didn't have the wow factor that we experienced previously.

We had a lovely table in the restaurant . The sun was out and the sky was a deep blue. Balcony doors open . Service was smashing. The ladies were so pleasant and the young lad who brought our food was a delight!! Beautiful moules mariniere and then a delicious roast pork dinner. Our Chablis was perfect too! Great atmosphere and very busy.

We had outstanding Sunday Roast and Fish of the Day in great surroundings in the upstairs restaurant. The staff were friendly and efficient and the meal was good value for money. We recommend booking in advance to secure your table. We have been here several times on our trips to the North East and this place continues to be an excellent choice of venue.

Beautiful setting and delicious food. We will definitely come here again!

Love The jolly fisherman but the food that came was a joke we ordered the Chouder and it came in a cup!!! A cup. The artisan bread was normal sliced loaf. Bar staff were rude especially the blond behind the bar who served everyone else but me. Then when I asked to put it on my table tab; she asked was I sure that I was sat on a table as though I was a scammer. Gone down hill in service and food.

Excellent meal at this restaurant following a recommendation from friends. Great outlook, very good choice of food. Friendly atmosphere.

The Fishboard was very nice, but at least half of the mussel shells were empty, which was unfortunate. My husband had the fish pie, which, whilst it was OK, would have been better with less cheese on top. A sprinkle would have been fine, but it was quite a thick layer, which overpowered the mashed potato. The staff and service were excellent and I would recommend it. Booking a table is definitely advisable as it's very popular.

Wonderful location and food. The service was a little slow considering it was early evening

Just a wonderful pub in Craster with a great menu and lovely staff. Setting is special

We arrived on time and after a wait at the bar after staff had seen us and carried on we were shown to our awaiting table. Drinks order was taken and food order quickly followed. The crab soup had a skin to it, I wonder how long that was sitting under the lamp in the kitchen. Mains were fine no issues with them but the prices are excessive for what you get. We are from Nottingham and dine out at decent venues that don't charge this much. As others say it's a captive market, but soon that market will dwindle off then what? On paying the bill I asked for the service charge to be removed. (As we prefer to leave a cash tip that we know will go direct to our table server not the owner.) The look on the barmaids face was a picture of absolute disgust, she shouldn't play poker. Smile and say no problem sir, but no the complete opposite (for the manager she was Eastern European). That attitude has made us really think on coming back as we will now give another local venue our money. The location and view is amazing, but that's it's only draw, the service and price is there to exploit that from visitors. Apparently the locals all go up to the Cottage Inn, I wonder why?

The venue has the location without a doubt, the views are amazing. However, the pub has gone from a friendly local to a posh pub with expensive prices just to extract extra money from tourists. It's a conveyor belt with no real interaction from the staff, it's like visiting a busy restaurant where they just serve and take your money. The food is very good don't get me wrong but the prices attached are top end. If the service matched then fine, but it doesn't. No locals propping up the bar as they used to they all go up to the Cottage Inn, tells you want you need to know!

Always a pleasure : make sure you book to be certain of a spot : walk to dunstanburgh castle first then relax with a beer or wine looking at the harbour

Specialising in seafood, a window table affords wonderful views of the evening sea whilst enjoying excellent seafood dishes. Relaxed meal but booking essential as the restaurant has gained a well deserved reputation. Can’t comment on their lunch experience as we dined in the evening but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Lovely Pub restaurant, offering fabulous seaviews from the restaurant.... Had an outdoor terrace on the seafront and a few tables in front of the pub.. Busy friendly place , lovely staff make you feel welcome. Lovely menu selection, cater for Gluten Free, and the staff advise which items contain any Gluten which is very helpful. The seafood was amazing, so fresh and tasty, very attentive staff ... Good value for money.

First time eaten after visiting several times. Really good food , service and comfort. Will be back with friends.

Stunning food and service view amazing watching the sea. We walked from Beadnell 8 miles and saw many seals which was wonderful

We arrived went straight to the bar. One server emptying the dishwasher saw us arrive, no acknowledgement she saw us. The other drinking lager and faffing with some papers. The dishwasher person finished and promptly went to serve someone that just turned up. Eventually the lager drinker looks over takes our name shows us to our table which is not ready. We stand whilst he cleans spraying the disinfectant all over the table (including the cutlery in the cup in the middle of the table). No smiles no welcome. We all had the house ‘steak’ burger, which I think was actually bought in and so dense like a supermarket burger. So poor quality which in my mind is not value for money. In fact on reflection I found the menu boring and old fashioned. Been going to this pub off and on for 16 years. We haven’t been for a while. It’s had its ups and downs but now I think the staff(owner)??? don’t care about how you feel as long as long as the money keeps rolling in, largely from tourists no doubt. No fish and chips on the menu instead you have to get it from a van outside (which wasn’t open). What is the business plan and vision of this pub??? Oh and the skate plate and baskets of chips, yawn, yawn, Unimaginative owner, staff, food.

Local sourced fresh food it was amazing, had the Fisherman’s platter for 2 … everything delicious 😋..staff attentive and helpful.

A very pleasant evening , great food and good beer, served by hood staff.

We had a lovely time at The Jolly Fisherman. We eat here every time we visit the area. The food is great - really fresh seafood - and the staff are kind and attentive.

Friendly and timely service, good food and drink. One of our favourite lunch locations.

Great service in a beautiful setting. Food is lovely and well cooked however… It could just do with a bigger menu. They used to fo a nice steak for example. The ‘from the field’ choice is defo reduced from what it was.

If you are looking for some of the best sea food in the area that’s cooked to perfection, then look no further. If you prefer a meat rather than fish, again, look no further. A great restaurant in a sublime location. Do book before hand as it’s understandably popular.

The restaurant has stunning views of the sea and Dunstanburgh castle. The food is delicious and there is a great selection available. The service is good and I look forward to eating here again. It is often busy so I recommend booking in advance.

Our 3rd visit to the Jolly Fisherman and each and every time thoroughly enjoyable I would advise to book well in advance and when doing so request a Sea View table.

Great menu, great service, great fun, will go back

Absolutely amazing food and lovely friendly service. We are already planning our next visit

A very pleasant evening indeed. Food was excellent if a little pricey and service was perfect. Thankyou

A very pleasant experience. An interesting menu, good choice of drinks, quality food. Served in a relaxed but efficient manner

Absolutely outstanding in every way! So good I want to book for this week but it’s unfortunately showing fully booked! Could not fault !

Amazing place. Beautiful little town Craster. Food amazing, great service. Can’t wait to go back. Would recommend to others and already have.

Outstanding quality of food and scenery was amazing too

Lovely location for this bistro. Expansive menu offering pub classics to fresh local seafood. Nicely chosen drinks list too. Bustling atmosphere in the bar and a serene ambiance in the restaurant staring at the sea rolling in.