The Lookout in County Durham

Staff super friendly, food delicious and atmosphere is great. We had our dogs and baby and was so welcoming with great views.

Great place to eat. Scones are the best in the North East. Servis is top class. we were well served by Chelsea this time, but all the girls are great

A super place for a snack or coffee, all the young ladies serving are very pleasant and friendly with nothing a trouble to them. The home-made scones are a delight.

Never been in here before so pleased we did. Very bad weather but inside was warm and inviting. Ordered lunch and drinks, the food came quickly with friendly service. Reasonably priced and tasty panini. Will definitely go back if in the area again.

Had a day out in Seaham and went to the Lookout for a coffee in the morning when we got there. The coffees were so nice and the cakes looked so good we went back in the afternoon for coffee and cake. The coffee was excellent again and the cakes were yummy. Lovely staff especially Chelsea who was really friendly and made us feel so welcome. Cant wait to go back on our next visit to Seaham.

Flavoursome and scrumptious bacon sandwich in a brioche bun..we were not expecting the brioche. Cappuccino coffee was among the best. Storm raging outside, inside a warm welcome and warming food. This cafe is to be featured in Jermain Defoe's forthcoming autobiography - favourably so !

Dropped in for a warm drink during the storm. Friendly and attentive service, red hot coffee (perhaps take care!). Well sized drinks at a reasonable price. Despite the storm a decent view from the outside as we left. Car Park at the marina currently free which is a bonus for a visit to The Lookout. Would come back if in the area!

My wife and I had lunch here whilst out on a dog walk. We sat outside on the veranda, with the dogs. We ordered two teas, a panini and a crab sandwich, with a portion of chips. Quite reasonably priced but ordinary food. Nice location with nice view but could do a bit more with the food, which is what you go for. Very ordinary.

Nice to sit on a sunny day and look at the view and listen to the birds. Spent happy half hour there.

Cracking place for breakfast. The muffins are superb. The view amazing and the staff very helpful!!!!!!

We popped into this cafe as it was starting to rain. We're so glad we did - it's our new favourite cafe in Seaham. It was too rainy to sit outside but we'll be back when the weather is better because the views are fabulous. The drinks were nice as were the scones and toasted teacakes.

Seats available so I queued but when I got to front of the queue to order, all seats taken, with people who hadn’t ordered taking all the seats. I asked their policy on this and was rudely asked by the lady in charge what I expected her to do about it.I pointed out that as I was by myself, I couldn’t be keeping a table and in the queue at the same time. No alternative given so had to leave.

Occasionally I meet friends here and without fail, the staff are lovely, and the food and drink always consistently good. In the winter the cafe is lovely and cosy and in the summer it’s delightful sitting outside overlooking the beach. A special place

Went back to see if it was any better than the last time, and unfortunately it wasn't it was a really great place before but it's gone down hill, with bad tasting coffee and they don't do their lovely ginger loaf anymore, it looks like the cakes are pre wrapped and not much choice.

Called here today and initially sat outside but too windy and busy for my young one so sat inside ,a few tables in here and floor was a bit messy and some tables weren’t cleared but plenty of young staff available,a decent menu and prices as got plenty but like other reviewer said my cappuccino was poor wouldn’t get again otherwise filled us up and happy.

The initial smell is like a greasy spoon, the egg muffin looked like a dogs dinner and now want to vomit. The cakes were served on a dinner plates.

Visited The Lookout today while strolling around the harbour, we sat outside in the sun and had breakfast rolls followed by tea and cake, everything was really fresh and tasty, we would highly recommend the blueberry cake. There was a lovely ‘pop up stall’ inside too selling sea glass, the lady gave our children a free ‘treasure hunt’ book which they loved. It is well worth a visit!

We have been for some food today, it was too cold to sit outside so we went inside. There were about 28 people inside and it was very humid and no air to breathe. I asked if they could open the door or the window as it was too hot and was no air circulation (covid!!) The waitress said she had to ask the boss first. Then she opened the door just to close it after 5 minutes! I did ask again to get some air in but she just stacked some high chairs next to the door and locked it. Not a very nice experience, especially when it is advised everywhere to let the air in and keep the area ventilated due to the pandemic. Not to mention that the aircon was not working as well so there was literally no air to breathe. Won’t be coming back.

Better half and I agreed that this was the best coffee we had since our last holiday in Italy. Friendly and welcoming young team who were highly efficient. Good selection of yummy cakes at very reasonable price. Would not hesitate to recommend.

Visited here yesterday with hubby. Staff were all lovely and seem to be just one big happy family which makes the atmosphere great. Delicious scones with black forest mocha. Highly recommended- and the Christmas decorations are lovely too.

There was ample parking nearby. This was followed by a walk to the harbour in very rough weather then a climb upstairs to the restaurant. We found a table for six the went to the counter to place orders. Orders for coffee and a cake were delivered to our table. Two friends ordered roast potato and dressing because there was a power cut where they lived. I noticed that when a table was vacated staff quickly sprayed disinfectant on the table followed by wiping it clean and dry. All agreed the food and service were first class. Apparently the toilets are downstairs. One person with a walking frame gained access to the restaurant.

Food was very beautiful I had cheese savoury sandwich on brown my wife had ham and cheese panini. Food was amazing and staff where so welcoming and helpful.

I curiously visited this coastal establishment during our second Seaham excursion with my vagabond companion Bob & found the staff & idyllic lighthouse harbour view equally welcoming. I ordered a cappuccino, bacon bun & chips from the menu for about £7 but found the bacon...

On the wall of this place it says (I think) Great food,Great prices and great views.What it does not mention is great staff. A lovely location serving great food and drinks.

Excellent food and service.we had delicious paninni with salad and chips followed by an amazing slice of Jaffa cake, prosecco and coffee.Lovely selection to choose from and very fast and friendly service from Shamiso and lovely staff .The Lookout is now our " go to...

Went with my friend today and it was.class!! The staff were fab and so friendly. I felt really welcome! Gorgeous coffee and yummy brekky muffin! So cheap as well

Had 3 Cappuccinos, a Blueberry Muffin and a Caramel Shortbread here with my Mum and Sister here after walking the Puppy here. The view, atmosphere and servers were nice but the Coffee wasn’t very strong for me. But the Caramel Shortbread and Blueberry Muffin was...

Only coffee today but service was great. Chai latte was a bit too sweet but i still enjoyed the experience. Will return many more times ftom jow on

Not Covid secure. When we arrived the table was dirty, we asked for it to be cleaned but no one came to clean, we put the tray over the split drink in the end. We noticed that when another table left the glasses were removed...

Nice cafe and good prices but lots of very young staff. It was really worrying that one member of staff was not wearing a mask as she moved between tables and got VERY close to customers as she chatted. She was lovely and friendly but...

Been coming for a few weeks always lovely, not so good today. Bacon sandwich was cold, but made me a fresh one.

Visited Seaham today and having had a lovely lunch here on our last visit last year we decided to get a take away from here today. Sadly we were very disappointed. We both ordered a panini costing £5.75 each and they were both tough and...

Friendly little cafe. Had nice lunch and a coffee Reasonably priced. Great view of the harbour but especially for me, the lighthouse

Very relaxing place with lots of yummy snacks (especially the waiters). The view is lovely! Especially if you’re looking behind the counter. The cakes looked delicious, but the only cake I wanted was the waiter ‘Aaron’s. 5/5 would definitely recommend if you’re single.

The Lookout has always been a favourite place for a coffee and meeting place with friends. However, the last couple of visits would indicate that things ain’t what they used to be. Too few staff and bacon sandwiches that were heading towards being inedible. Bacon...

The Lookout is a really popular spot, particularly at the weekend . If you’re a dog lover there are always some lovely pooches to say hello to if you sit outside. There’s plenty on the menu but I love the toast - thick bread with...

Even though it was a cold day my husband and I enjoyed a lovely coffee sitting outside and enjoying the sun and the interesting views. The cafes are all pet friendly in this block so if you don't like dogs then it may be a problem. The staff were very pleasant and friendly and we will visit again and try some of the snacks and cakes available as they looked delicious!

One of our favourite places to stop for coffee and a treat. You certainly cannot fault the view! Everyone is always friendly and pleasant and there is a relaxed friendly feel of welcome. Great coffee and delicious cakes. Personally, I would happily just eat the delicious toast!!

What a lovely spot to sit and enjoy the final afternoon of sunshine in 2019. I enjoyed a sandwich and large flat white, looking out over the piers. Their outside seating area is perfect for sunny afternoons, whatever the weather.

Back again can not fault the look out, we had coffee and lemon cake absolutely gorgeous , Mark and staff brilliant

A lovely spot to enjoy a cuppa with some beautiful homemade cakes, pastries and sandwiches, whilst looking out over the beach and sea. Really friendly staff, a lovely spot to chill out

First visit to this cafe and wont be the last, infact already planning our next visit.Food very reasonable prices, quick service, were very accommodating with food order and even had soya milk, well impressed. Didnt wait too long for food which was lovely and very filling. Sat outside overlooking the harbour on a sunny afternoon.Loads of choice of condiments.No toilets (but sone public ones on adjacent building on ground floor not far away).Looking forward to our next visit with other family members.

The ‘Lookout’ at Seaham Harbour is a excellent cafe and meeting place overlooking the harbour. The food is great, the atmosphere fantastic, and the staff are friendly and professional. Frequently visited by the Seaham Photography Group and artists, to name a few, the panoramic views are are outstanding. Highly recommended :)

Tuna melt was fine, tea ok (but grey in colour though?), almond sponge/bakewell was a nice sweet treat. Pleasant view across the harbour and out to sea.

Family here from New Zealand called in for coffee and a cheese scone absolutely delicious, cafe so clean , Mark and staff brilliant and helpful

Found it by accident and found it to be lovely, the views are excellent and we loved the outdoor area. Indoors was funky too. Carrot cake and tea nice and not overpriced at all. I liked that it wasn’t overly busy so plenty of choice in where to sit etc but you could tell if you lived local it would be a fab place to meet friends for a good old catch up.

Popped in today with family for a coffee. The coffee is amazing and washed down the huge yummy gin cake portion. The manager is very friendly and has very happy staff. We sat inside, but there's a large balcony with views of the harbour. Will definitely be visiting more often!

Perfect place to relax and enjoy delicious food overlooking the marina and pier. We had melt in the mouth,Pink Gin Cake and a glass of Prosecco .perfect for light meals. Fast and friendly service by manager,Shamiso.

Called in at this cafe on my first visit to Seaham. It's located in the harbour and is definitely worth the short walk from the main stretch. It's dog friendly and is superbly located overlooking the harbour. We had a lovely cup of coffee and a slice of homemade cake which was reasonably priced. The weather was lovely which helped and the young lady serving was friendly and polite which always makes a difference. Will definitely return here soon.

The complex has parking and a great area to hangout after you have done the high street. The view is amazing and It's a dog friendly area. There is a public toilet.

Lovely place with good views over the harbour. Our dog was welcome too. Very friendly service, food was nice & fresh.

Beautiful little place on the harbour with views of the sea , marina and the lighthouse. Staff are very polite and helpful.

Had coffees here. Great location looking out over the harbour provided weather good. You can go inside and its doggie friendly. Can't comment on food, as didn't eat. It's not plush just basic. Free parking too.

Had heard good things so decided to call in for a quick lunch with our dog. Arrived around 12.15 and the sandwich choice was limited, opted for a bacon roll at £3.50, basic white bap with tough bacon. Overall I think the cafe is in a nice location but overpriced and not a great selection to eat and nothing that I would consider healthy, no sign of any salads. The cakes looked nice enough. £5.95 for a jacket potato is expensive in my opinion. The trays were dirty too. I don’t think I would go back.

Nice little cafe with great views of the harbour and sea and coast beyond. Located on first floor and a very good place to enjoy a coffee. Only negative was a starling crapped on my jumper but I can’t hold that against the restaurant.

Despite it blowing a gale it was very sheltered and pleasant to sit out on the balcony and look out to sea. We had a cappuccino and fruit scone which was nice. Staff were friendly. Very dog friendly too, There was a lift for customers with mobility issues.

My wife and I usually go to The Lookout for our lunch on a Saturday. We love the staff, the food, and the views.

Go every week nice and friendly staff always busy prices not cheap but it has a lift which helps when you have a pushchair.

After my visit in October 2018 in which I reviewed this cafe, I decided to try a second visit. Unfortunately, it certainly wasn’t of the standard of my first visit which surprised me as I was last there only just over a month ago.

I visited on 16th of October 2018, this was my first visit to this little gem, everything about this venue is impressive.

Nice cafe with fantastic sea views, good selection of snacks and nice coffee, can get very busy in good weather.

Nice place to sit and enjoy the view but thats about it. Small menu with no vegan options and the coffea bland.

We visited on a rainy day so unfortunately couldn't sit outside and enjoy the lovely views. The cafe does have a fabulous location with amazing views out over the harbour and lighthouse. Unfortunately, the cakes didn't taste as good as they looked and we were a bit disappointed. The staff were friendly and I'm sure it would be lovely having a drink outside on a sunny day but We found the food to be average. I would still return if the weather was good.

Stopped by for tea and cookies whilst exploring the harbour - great spot with lovely views and reasonably priced refreshments (public toilets downstairs - very clean!)

Have not been to The Lookout for a while so went with family on a Sunday morning. My husband decided to have a bacon sandwich. The bacon was full of fat and the top of the bun was in pieces. The sandwich should never have been served like that. I think the owner of The Lookout should take note and address the comments that have been made on other reviews also.

Came here with some friends who travelled down from Scotland and the view is so beautiful! Great value for money, too. The only reason I haven't given it 5/5 is because there was quite a lot of bird poop outside around the tables which should have been cleaned up. Other than that, a lovely little gem in with a stunning view... the perfect place to relax with a drink and a good book on a warm Summer's day.

Stopped here for a tea and coffee. Tea was tasteless, coffee okay. Teacake was pleasant enough. I only gave a 3 star review as the views are really nice. Service is seriously lacking, they need to up their customer service skills. Would not go back I'm afraid.

Nice pot of tea only £1.75 upstairs outside seating overlooking the sea with lovely views. This is a nice walk down to the marina with a steep bank so if a problem walking there is a car park at the bottom

Wonderful coffee and cakes and fantastic views of the lighthouse and harbour.

Unfortunately the only food I could eat was chips. I am dairy intolerant & there was nothing else available, however the chips were very nice & the rest of our party enjoyed their sandwiches & panini. The cafe is dog friendly & a member of staff re-filled the dog bowl & brought it over to our dogs. There was soya milk available, for which I was very grateful. The staff were very friendly & the atmosphere very relaxed. We certainly enjoyed our visit.

I’ve had coffee at this cafe a number of times as it has a great outlook. However, I will not be using it again after taking friends for a light lunch. Things did not get off to a good start with the dirty and smelly drinks tray. The food eventually was delivered - the cheese and onion paninis were all devoid of cheese. All salad was past its best with clear signs of oxidation. And my plate was dirty. I refused to eat my meal or accept a replacement. A food poising outbreak waiting to happen

As a regular visitor to seaham's beaches , we have been regular visitors to the lookout. A big plus is the fact it is dog friendly and with their beautiful views its a winner, winner, They do a lovely coffee, their cakes and sandwiches are top draw too, and on a sunny day theres nothing better than a bucket of corona on the balcony. Last couple of weeks we have popped in for a Sunday full English breakfast, it is excellent value and delivers on many levels, however guys I can't understand your insistence on only offering scrambled eggs, surely cooking any variety of eggs to order is simple enough to do and its not a time consuming job.

Fantastic seafront views and great home cooking. Loved the soup a wonderful rolls, peaceful surroundings a lovely break to the day.

Loved the vibe of the Lookout Cafe. Great views over the marina and a lovely choice of food and drinks. The mocha was amazing and the choice of desserts was top notch. There’s also free parking and easy access to the beach. Well worth a visit.

Great location, friendly staff, and dog friendly. Food choice is a bit limited, mainly baguettes etc, cake selection is not great, but food is always fresh. There is also a generous loyalty card. Sitting on the balcony on a nice day is a great pleasure.

Busy Sunday morning due to the sunshine at the lovely Lookout .

Go in to this place regular as we live in Seaham good friendly staff and great views of the harbour worth a visit.

Went into the Lookout for a coffee after taking the dog for a run on the beach. As the inside was quiet at that time of the morning the dog was allowed inside normally during busier periods they are allowed on the terrace outside. Coffee...

Situated at the Seaham Harbour marine this cafe is aptly named, occupying as it does, an elevated position looking out to sea. Having ordered a cheese scone I wad expecting something pleasant but not outstanding. How wrong could I be! This wad with out doubt...

Second time we have visited as a group of cyclists. Been made welcome both visits. We all had breakfast which was very tasty and we'll presented. Because we had to wait just a few minutes longer for the food to be cooked the staff brought us a second coffee out and didn't charge us. All in all a very pleasant place to eat. 10 out of 10 folks. Keep up the good work.

Had a great walk from the twin centre down into the marina and have a coffee at this venue. Great...

Having grown up in the area my husband and I now get back there a few times a year and...

After seeing ‘The Lookout’ in the Living North Food Guide and we were heading to Seaham for a couple of...

What a disappointment when we went to what used to be a favourite of ours. The food now displayed on...

I visited for the first time today and to be honest I hadn't heard of the cafe and came across...

This was the second time in a week that we visited The Lookout.This time we took my elderly mother in the wheelchair. Good and free parking at the bottom carpark with easy access to the marina area also wheelchair friendly, There is a lift for the disable at the back of the building which opens on to the deck at The Lookout cafe. The food, coffee and meals were served hot and were tasty. The view at the time was from the Whitburn headland in the north to Saltburn by the Sea in the south.

I recently visited on a Sunday brunch time and there was not enough staff and they ran out of crockery so food served in polystyrene boxes n cups My jacket potato sent back as cold Views are lovely and this is the first time I've been disappointed

Coffee and scones just go hand and hand. They don’t get any better than this place! Service above 100%! You can even peruse the art on the wall or the pop up jewellery. Sit in or outside on the balcony.

We often cycle to Seaham & stop off at the Lookout, there's a bike rack of sorts to lock your bike up, a lift & they accept dogs. Food is always very nice & if you get there before 10am you get free Tea or Coffee with any food!

Might seem odd reviewing a cafe without even eating there but here goes. I emailed The Lookout on Thursday 5 October asking if the cafe was wheelchair accessible as I wanted to take my elderly mother there at the weekend. They have an email on their home page - 'any queries, suggestions or thoughts about The Lookout we'd love to hear them, whatever they may be'. I never received a reply. No worries I thought as I found out later that they had a lift to the seating area.We went there today, Sunday, to find the lift out of order and gates to it locked. So a wasted journey. Sorry guys but if you can't be bothered to respond to a genuine request, especially when it is about a facility that is broken, then your customer service leaves a lot to be desired and you aren't worthy of my custom. Judging by other recent reviews this isn't the only thing you aren't very good at. No second chances as far as I am concerned.

Ordered a large Latte and large Cappuccino. No large cups so they had to be served in take away cups. A café that doesn't have enough large cups to meet the needs ? Apart from that the coffee was extremely bitter and certainly not worth £2.60. There are plenty of alternatives nearby to by pass Outlook for the future.

We ordered baked potato with tuna, sweet corn etc. After 12 minutes the waitress came over to say that baked potato takes 20 minutes and offered us a complementary cup of tea. This was very disappointing to hear, I replied that if we had been told that when we ordered we would have chosen something else. After 25 minutes our meals arrived, nice salad, lots of tuna, potatoes appeared to be standard microwaved. Also, whilst eating our meal the tin plate it was served on kept moving on the wooden table, not ideal, very annoying. I did bring this observation to the waiters attention.

This place seemed busy but not sure why. The food and service were just average. The tables weren't very clean and the staff seemed unable to cope on the day we visited.

This cafe has the best position in Seaham for the spectacular views. However you wouldnt want to sit and eat outside to enjoy the view as there are bird droppings everywhere. The tables and chairs were covered in it and some of it wasnt new so I dont think much attempt is made to keep them clean. We took our friends who were visiting from Cornwall and they were disgusted. The food (only sandwiches) took far too long to be served too and our drinks were finished before it arrived. There are so many lovely cafes/restaurants in Seaham now so it needs to up its game.

Enjoyed chips in a tin mug and scampi, granddaughter slightly dissappointed as it said a bucket of chips so she was expecting a much larger portion and not a white enamel mug. The scampi was abit over priced considering its frozen whitby scampi that I get from the supermarket but overall we enjoyed it.Friendly staff. Good view on a nice day.

Tried this cafe on a recent visit to Seaham .First impressions were not great, it could have been a bit tidier and it took a while to locate the menus, but once I had sorted that out the the Panini and accompanying salad and coleslaw I had seemed freshly prepared and very nice.The staff were very pleasant. I sat inside at a window seat with pleasant views. On a better day a seat on the outside veranda would have been my choice.

This place has a great location and it is very pleasant to sit out with a drink overlooking the sea and harbour.We only had tea, coffee and ice cream but all were fine.The service was ok.Overall impression was that without the location and views this would be nothing special, but if you want to sit out with a drink on a warm afternoon, then this is the place to be.

Usually love it at the Lookout and today we did partially.Nice breakfast , nice staff , good atmosphere.But can the outside not be cleaned once in a while ? I know bird poo by the sea is an occupational hazard but this was dried on the chairs , all over the tables , stinking .

good food lovley area to while away an hour or two over coffee and food what more would you want whilst looking out over the sea and sitting in the sun.Disabled lift is an asset to.

My grandson had cake which seemed well past it's edible date the staff messed the order up and just to make my first visit complete the seating area including seats were covered in bird droppings. What a disgrace for visiting customers