The Otter and Fish in Darlington

Was amazing food and service I reallly enjoyed the fish and chips . Would really recommend to anyone it was stunning food and service

A great place to eat. I was there as part of a birthday party. Great food, brilliant atmosphere made special by wonderful staff who couldn't do enough and made a lovely day even more special. Update... This review was written about a year ago. In recent times the excellent owners have since sold the business. The new owners lasted about 4 months before closing the restaurant. I never visited after the previous owners left as it was more a sreak house than a restaurant with a more varied menu and now it is closed.

Had a 3 course meal off the lunch special menu. Tasty food, promptly served by friendly staff. Comfortable surroundings. Felt it was good value for money.

Food and staff are first class, nothing too much trouble lovely relaxed atmosphere...10/10!!

Three weeks ago a friend and I went to the otter& fish for lunch. I made it very clear that I was coeliac and I chose a gluten free meal, the meal was very nice but 2 hours later I was very very ill, I had been given gluten.I spoke to the owner who after a long conversation offered a free meal , I declined so he offered a refund and said he would email the company he gets his deserts from and let me know the outcome. Since then I have heard nothing nor had a refund. I will not be going there again and anyone with coeliacs I would ask them to think twice .

No fault of the two young staff as there had only been working them one week. We had pre-order our meals 5 days before going , it was a party for steven people . The food was not open to sanded . Chicken was fatty in the green Thai curry , Fish had loads of skin on it ,hardly no fish . some meal order were wrong . some meal didn't even come out . will not be return back.

Consider our meals were pre-ordered took the meal planning five days before the food was not up to standard chicken in Thai curry was fatty. The fish was loads of black skin on it. Meals over price for what you got one member of the family after we’d asked for chicken fajitas came out with vegetable fajitas took them away asked again then came back out with another plate vegetable fajitas eventually got it right third time and got chicken fajitas. before this mistake, we were told kitchen was closed so reopened again for this mistake Forgot two meals had to ask for them two young members of staff in only considering it was a party of 17 N. Alta fairs because they were very apologetic and did the best of the best they could, consider they’d only worked for The otter and Fish for one week Tables weren’t set out very well to the point that one table people could’ve had their back to us so we moved the small table so we could all talk around each other will not be returning

Came here on Father’s Day , we got the platter dinner and it was absolutely amazing . Easy enough to fill 2 adults and 2-3 children . Everything tasted wonderful . Food came very fast and waitresses were very polite

Excellent food and super friendly staff. Perfect Sunday dinner. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting a great pub dinner.

Had lunch here today great food and good value only negative was the price of the drinks £3.45 for half a orange and lemonade

Thank you for a great lunch. Food was delicious, served promptly and portions were large. We'll be back again.

We called in for an evening meal - main course only . Extremely disappointed in the sharing fish platter at nearly £70, we’ve had so much better at a cheaper price, what a dismal array, where’s the crab, scallops, large king prawn, no salad or samphire provided and no slaw only 1 singular small pot of chipped wedges with 4 chips each ? When it arrived our immediate impression was ‘is that it’ ! What we had was tasty - yes but not anywhere near enough for two to dine for the price paid, we left hungry and cheated ! Another of our diners had the pork chop, very dry meal no gravy/jus provided, swapped their new potatoes for chips and was charged an extra £2 for the privilege- that’s greedy as you only provide a small amount in a pot, other establishments aren’t so frugal with their portions. Nice girls waited on us but forgetful service provided, we had to prompt. Clean immaculate premises. We won’t be returning ! In reply to your response- for £70 you should be providing that sort of seafood and sides for that price not scampi and 8 tempura prawns, some mussels, small portion of salmon and sea bass, one bowl of chips to share, I’m quite aware you have to make a profit but that’s extortionate !

We waited 90 minutes for our food and it looked as if my pork chop had been standing under the grill for the entire time. Front of house staff were doing their best but the place was understaffed. One of the worst meals I have ever had in a restaurant. Never again

Very sad after a good previous visit. Party of 8. Wrong items after pre ordering, Parts of meals missing (plated up wrong), advised that items on menu were labeled incorrectly only when we asked for confirmation, which was awful as the birthday girl had chosen pub because of a wrongly listed item Could have been a disaster! Then had sweets served with off cream. One member of party sick when home.

Me and my husband went for lunch on 5th May For our Sunday lunch We haven't been since New owners Very disappointing. Beef was stringy.veg were well undercooked. All I ate was yorkshire pud and roasties. My husband normally eats any meat but was disappointed with the beef as well.lamb was very fatty we had portioned pigs in blankets which looked enimic When they came with the bill the young server asked if everything was okay. We said it was very disappointing .no one came to see us about what we had said Prices have gone up and quality of food has definitely gone down When we emailed the following still waiting a response

Great service. Did not try food.

Tasty food, incredible gluten free options, and really attentive/friendly servers despite our many questions.

Food was fantastic, a nice relaxed atmosphere. The clients i took with me were super impressed. Thank you.

First time in a while here for a meal. Friendly staff with good service but didn't rush you to make meal choices. Usually pretty good at getting photos but missed this time. Just mains - Thai Green Chicken curry, which was amazing, and pork steak with garlic mushroom and skinny fries (gluten-free option). Then we shared a gluten free Salted caramel brownie.

Lovely surroundings and the food was delicious. The chips are amazing. Friendly staff and a huge menu.

Sunday lunch - arrived early and shown to seat promptly. There were 2 types of beef; roast lamb and chicken (think there was also a vegetarian option) for traditional Sunday lunch (also other menu options). Served with vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. We ordered mashed potato as a side. Arrived promptly, with roast pot, parsnip and carrot on plate, swede and broccoli as the side veg and mashed potato as ordered. There were no serving spoons and when we asked for mint sauce, again no spoon to serve, had to request. The lamb was quite thick and I had to ask for a steak knife to cut through it. The mash looked grey and looked and tasted more like reconstituted rather than fresh creamy mash. The staff were polite but lacked basic training, they were not paying enough attention to each table and I had to attract their attention by calling across to them. The desserts were good, particularly the sticky toffee pudding.

1st time visit today definitely will be back excellent lunch excellent beer.excellent service from Debbie....Great pub to pop in for a quick pint or have a meal plus it's dog friendly win win

Fantastic steaks cooked to perfection. Great desserts and wine to. No complaints. My daughter had the fajitas which were very nice to. Will definitely be going again.

We’ve been to this pub twice now - one on the last day of the old ownership and on Easter Sunday under the new ownership. Both times were excellent! Delicious food (served on warm plates!), reasonably priced, great service and lovely atmosphere. Will definitely be back and would 💯 recommend!

Not sure if ownership has changed but we eat here every 2-3 months as we live 25 miles away but our friend lives nearby. Today, we visited and I’ve never seen it so empty but when I looked at the menu I suspected I know why. The prices have rocketed. 8 Oz sirloin £28.50 and it only came with chips and onion rings, our friend had a small piece of sea bass £18.50 with a few potatoes no veg. Desserts £8 each a glass of white wine £8.80. 2 courses for 2 of us, 1 wine 1 soft drink £75.15. Quality was ok but it’s pub food at fine dining prices. Looking for somewhere else for our next visit. Shame it’s been spoiled by greed.

Under new ownership and they’ve changed the menu, possibly now part of a chain. Been to the otter and fish lots of times since moving to the area and have never been disappointed, until now. It’s still a lovely pub and the staff are all still great but the menu left me struggling, gone are the garlic mushroom starter and even the iconic parmo, I ended up with a burger, which was nice enough but nothing I’d rush back to have again. Please new owners, reconsider the menu options, if not the reintroduction of the 2 or 3 course weeknight deal

Lovely place, pleasant staff but sadly that's where it ends.since changed management the menu as changed (and increased in price) and less choice.only two waitresses on which meant a 40 minute wait for drinks n nearly an hour for food.sadly I would not return because of the change in menu choice and lack of staff such a shame as it was a fantastic restaurant before it changed management.need more waitresses and more bar staff as my husband nearly walked out after waiting so long! I really don't like leaving negative feedback but I feel I need to be honest.if u don't mind waiting ages for drinks and food and you don't mind a limited menu then this is the place to go. staff must be a credit to them as they work extremely hard but bring back previous management!

Absolutely gorgeous Sunday lunch , meats and vegatables all perfectly cooked and amazing portions xx Staff all wonderful as well xx

I had high expectations having followed the takeover on the business Facebook page. I booked lunch for my friend and I. I’ve recently had to adapt my diet for health reasons so based on this I chose a vegetable heavy dish with no sauce or deep friend elements. I added chicken. I ordered the roasted butternut squash with goats cheese and cous cous. Adding chicken for £2 for extra protein. What arrived was a plate of buttered baby potatoes, with some cherry tomatoes, about a tablespoon of butternut squash and a large chicken breast on top, no goats cheese at all. I highlighted this to my lovely server, who is always friendly and professional. She brought the information to the chef who simply said “they apologise but the menu changed”. The manager was made aware too. Not an offer of a free drink, a percentage off the bill or an apology for getting a completely wrong dish. So very disappointed as we were excited to have a new lease of life to the pub / restaurant. Not enticed to return.

Me and my husband came for dinner 15/3/24 first time ever. Was greeted by a lovely young lady, was more than happy to give us a table as we hadn't made a reservation. Service was excellent from start to finish. Food was beautifully presented and tasted amazing. Place its self is very decorated and tasteful. Will definitely be back to try more dishes, keep up the good work.

The good reviews were why we booked. We didn’t realised that they had recently reopened under new management. Upon arrival staff were fairly indifferent to our presence and not particularly welcoming. This didn’t really improve throughout the visit. It felt like they would prefer we weren’t there. Staff weren’t attentive and service was very slow. The food was reasonable but nothing special for the prices they are charging and there were mistakes with our order that we did asked to be rectified as we had already waited a long time for food to come out. One of our party have contacted the pub directly and the manager, who was present on the day, said that the slow service was due to them adapting to a new menu and systems after recently reopening. Had this been communicated on the day, we would have been more understanding but the staff barely spoke to us other than to take our order. The manager also offered to take care of us personally if we were to return. I’m all for second chances but won’t be returning in a hurry.

Visited the new otter and fish with high expectations. Very disappointed prices have gone up and quality down. I had the Thai green curry which was wishy washy and tasteless. It was returned to the kitchen the waitress just said I’ll tell the chef. I was offered an alternative but my friends were already eating so I declined the offer as my friends would have been finished before a replacement would arrive at the table. The manager did. Not come to apologise nor did the chef. So when I returned home I emailed the manager to receive an apology and as a gesture of apology I was offered 20% off 1 main meal when we returned, not even an offer of a complimentary drink. 20% of a main course would probably equate to £4 or £5 definitely no incentive enough for us to return again. We are a group of friends who dined here every 6 weeks or so but not again. Such a shame the new management does not match the last management

Gorgeous food, and atmosphere. Great staff and portions. Thank you all again can’t wait to go back.

We managed to secure a table at the last minute so were thankful. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. The food is good; we had the beef and it was served pink. The mackerel starter was amazing which we shared. The only comment I would make is that the staff take no interest in the customer and it almost seemed a chore to serve us; no eye contact or conversation apart from the usual 'do you want drink/any sauces', etc. We were there for the food and it was great.

Went for Sunday lunch with wife and two kids, the food was tasty but I must say I had my Sunday lunch and was still hungry, the veg was expected to be shared between two and this was also skimped on, I paid an extra £2.50 for lamb which was cooked well but it was only two small slices. At nearly £90 for 2 adults and 2 kids this was definitely not good value for money, because of this reason I won’t be visiting again, such a shame as the place was nicely decorated and the staff where welcoming and friendly

We were the only people in the restaurant for lunch (Thursday luchtime), so the atmosphere suffered a little. The food and service were top notch though, at very reasonable prices. This place definitely deserves more patrons.

We pre-booked our table for 5:30 as we were staying at a nearby hotel and wanted to eat out. I last ate here in 2016. It was excellent. Very friendly table waitress service. Both the meals we had were very tasty and even better that it was 2 courses for £20.

Lunched at the O&F two weeks ago. Apart from the couple seated at the next table, we were the only customers. My friends chose fish & chips from the menu, whilst I had the mild chicken curry, which was virtually tasteless and the portion of rice very stingy. We all had a dessert, mine being the fruit crumble and custard. The waitress was polite and attentive - which I would expect with only 5 customers! The strict closing time of 2 pm is ridiculous in this day and age, and we felt rushed to vacate. Unfortunately, I spent the whole of that evening vomiting, for which I obviously blame the food. I was the only one of our group to eat differently from the others - they were okay but I wasn’t. Had I not had this experience, I would have been loathe to return to the Otter & Fish - it has a boring ambience and lacks warmth and welcome.

Very helpful service and food arrived promptly and hot. Value for money.

We chose the Otter & Fish for a family get together meal over the Christmas period. There were 10 of us and we pre booked from the December menu. The table was well situated and although the dining areas were busy we could all manage to talk to each other. We were all very pleased with our food choices, most of us had 3 courses. The pork fillet was a highlight and plenty of vegetables were included. The speed of service was good and we all had a great evening. Thank you Richard and the team.

Lovely night except for the man behind the bar. He was so rude.

As always, excellent food and lovely staff. Always a warm welcome, but just a shame they don't have draught beer!

Visited on Saturday evening with my family, having never been before. Certainly did not disappoint. Excellent food, tasty and piping hot . Myself I had the Christmas menu and loved it. Service was very good and nothing a trouble even though it was very busy. Will definitely be back. Thank you for an excellent evening

Just been for Sunday lunch all that dinner needed was seasoning to elevate it. Staff were nice,

Good food in a refurbished dinning area

Wonderful atmosphere and lovely staff. The food was really good and we had a great night. I thoroughly recommend the almond slice for dessert, delicious! We had one fussy eater but the staff weee very accommodating and really looked after them .

Went family as three of them had birthdays all around three weeks in October. Service good, pleasant staff, attentive. The food was very enjoyable. The ambience was relaxed and friendly.

13 of us came together for a family celebration. We were in the private section with a long table. It was lovely. Everyone ordered different starters, main meal and desserts. Food was amazing, service was fantastic. We all had a really lovely time. Big thank you to all the staff who made it happen xxx

Entry to car park is just wide enough between roadside houses.Excellent meal and service attentive with efficient food delivery. The whole evening meral was flawless.

Marvellous restaurant we visited today, passing through the area, very pleasant village and found this gem! We were accommodated even though hadn’t booked , but I imagine normally you may need to because the food and service was fabulous ! I had the breaded chicken...

Again it was a fantastic experience from food to staff.They are very welcoming and nothing too much trouble.Food was all good, no complaint from start to finish.Staff are all a credit to the restaurant.Would highly recommend.Dont waste money going anywhere else.once you have been here...

Fantastic service and food as usual. Group of 9 for an 80th birthday. They put up banners, brought dessert with birthday candle, and took a group photo for us without us even asking. Personal attention was spot on. Fish batter best I’ve ever tasted. Veggie...

Brilliant service and amazing food. We both opted for parmos and safe to say there some of the best we’ve tasted! Would definitely reccomend

Had a 3 course meal here for my Birthday and what a treat it was! The food was amazing and the staff were so friendly and even brought me a candle in my desert. I highly recommend

Fantastic food and service. Food intolerances and vegetarians well catered for. Great menu with amzing range of dishes available. Staff are really helpful. Thoroughly enjoyed our evening.

Lovely restaurant, food was amazing and the staff were very good. Would recommend and will be back to try more from the menu.

Visited today for lunch today, 19th September, Myself and wife also 4 other family members Food and service was very good Thank you Rich and Jan for making us welcome Derek Moody

Booked for Sunday lunch to celebrate my parents golden wedding, from booking to paying, the staff were helpful & friendly. Loved the extra touches, decorating the table area and the special drinks! Food was delicious, served quickly & the portion sizes were great. Would definitely recommend. Thank you so much, we'll be back!

Been a few times, never been disappointed . Good size portions and staff are lovely

I'm so glad we booked as this great place gets very busy. We went for an evening meal mid week, and the food was lovely. Would definitely return, and I definitely recommend it. I pushed the boat out and had a desert, and wished i hadn't as it was just too much, but still lovely.

This restaurant does NOT overlook the river, so the advertising is misleading - the very small outdoor area is between the road and the car park, and it was closed anyway awaiting cleaning. The inside area is very smart and nice and the staff were...

Took my mam out for a birthday meal here, the place was beautifully presented very spacious. The meal had a great selection and everything sounds so nice it was hard to choose. All the staff were very welcoming and polite. The food was amazing from...

Delious meal 😋 staff Excellent very attentive definitely go back x

We called in for Sunday lunch. They offer a two course meal for £20 or three courses for £24. We were shown to a table on arrival but it was sticky to the touch. We were then told they had no beef leaving limited options...

We had the most fabulous meal here. 12 ladies on a golfing break for the weekend, we spent the Saturday evening here. The service, food and atmosphere was fab. Big shout out to Carly our waitress who kept our glasses topped up and our food...

Great menu with something for everyone, food was lovely and the service was extremely efficient and friendly, everything at a fair price. Restaurant has a modern but homely feel and plenty room between tables so no elbow bashing, can’t fault it!

Very pleasant surroundings, staff polite. Quick service, food ok but a little disappointed as not cheap!! Probably give it a miss.

Fantastic restaurant, great selection of home cooked food, service second to none, lovely spacious interior with modern come country look, perfect!

Great food helpfull and pleasant staff

There is an extensive menu with friendly staff. The portions were ample. The sizzlers looked lovely and next time I think I would try one of those.

Ate her a good few times and again today 25th June, Once again the menu was varied and a choice from a Ala crate menu and the Lunch menu or a mixture of both. We went Al a crate and what we order was excellent cooked how we like it and just the right amount of portions. Service was excellent and the price was reasonable. Would and will be going there again as soon as I get a window of opportunity.

Midweek night out - loved it. Main course, desert, coffee and wine for under £30 a head.....great.

Good menu, competitive prices, and good service.

Not as good as home cooked food

We held our daughter's 30th birthday celebratory lunch here. The venue was perfect, the staff had put some birthday banners up and the room looked fantastic, thank you. The manageress and the waitresses were so helpful and bent over backwards to help make this meal special. The food, as expected, was exceptional. The range of meals that were served looked and smelt fantastic. The vegetables were cooked to perfection. The meal was a total success. We would go back by ourselves for Sunday lunch because of the great experience we have had. Thank you to the Otter and Fish for a lovely, memorable meal. We will be back.

Nice Sunday lunch,gravy bit thick for my liking.Good choice on menu .

We had 2 of our party who were both Gluten and Dairy intolerant, we phoned ahead to check that the pub could handle their needs, it was no problem. The staff are delightful. Children’s portions too, food good. What’s not to like. Thank you ladies you made the whole experience a real treat.

Went for Sunday lunch, nice food for a good price! The real stars though were the staff who were incredibly accommodating to our various dietary requirements, polite, and friendly. It was a very busy service but they remained nothing but delightful throughout.

Could not fault anything - food and service both excellent

Really great place for early bird menu that honestly goes way beyond early bird normal timings. Food is lovely and always served piping hot. Also 2 cocktails £10. Can't go wrong!

We went for restaurant week. I had goats cheese for my starter which was honestly incredible a full slab of cheese, balsamic onions, salad, glaze and toasted bread For main course I had a chicken parmesan. It was nice. The homemade chips were good, the parmesan was nice and very filling. Everything was lovely My pudding was fruits of the forest cheesecake of the day and it was not good at all. The cheese was sour and salty, the fruits were tart too so the whole thing together made my jaw hurt. But the rest of the food was lovely and the staff were Brill. Great venue I would come back and just not have the cheese cake

Really lovely food, and super service.

Always a pleasure to visit, never had a bad meal there yet.. tried the 'specials' this time, excellent, wasn't disappointed..! 👏👏☺️

Food quality idlsnt as good as it used to be, as well as the friendliness of staff. Although not rude just didn't seem like they wanted to be there on that night

Lovely place. I visited with 6 others and it was a good experience and very enjoyable evening. The ONLY thing that's not fantastic is parking: we arrived it two cars and neither of us could get in the car park that belongs to the place - we had to park round the corner outside some houses. This wasn't a big deal (the walk was only 1 min) but it's annoying all the same. Their car park is rather oddly laid out, which isn't helping matters, but as I say, there is parking (or places to park anyway) just round the corner, so it's not a massive issue - not for me anyway. The food was very nice indeed. Everyone enjoyed it, and three of the group were French and couldn't speak English, so the fact that they enjoyed their food is actually amazing! Service was fast, polite and very good. The ladies serving us were all very good. It's a small but we'll run place. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. I would recommend this venue to anyone looking for a quiet and fun meal with family or friends. If however, you're wanting a loud, lavish, evening of drinking, shouting, singing and being daft, this is NOT the place for you.

One of our favorite places to eat when we visit the area. Sunday Roast is excellent. Always feel like it’s good value, cozy and comfortable and staff and Owners are lovely and welcoming.

Lunch time meeting with family so it was quiet. Food was good, staff polite and friendly. Would go again.

Lovely food Bar staff very friendly Download and lady very friendly and polite

Excellent place… friendly staff and fresh fish

We were with our son and partner, who are both vegans. The staff couldn't be more helpful in ensuring that we all had a fab time. Thank you and Merry Christmas

Excellent venue. Food delicious and catered for a couple of our friends who are vegan. Staff lovely and friendly, couldn't do enough for us. Definitely made my 70th birthday extra special, many thanks.

Large group from work 17 in total. Pre ordered Christmas menu. All delicious and excellent value for money.

Was a bit disappointed to be honest for what we paid.

We came for our Christmas meal and despite big numbers the food and service was perfect. Nothing was too much trouble - absolutely exceptional

Great place for food the eservice was very good

Lovely place,friendly staff ,great food. Warm welcome on arrival. Highly recommended.

great service and the food is top quality. Friendly staff. If you havent been there, go and try it. A variety of good wine served as well.

Good food/ service reasonable prices

Lovely food, friendly to service, great options for people with dietary requirements.

Our family had a wonderful 40th birthday celebration meal in warm, cosy and welcoming surroundings. The landlord and landlady are so friendly and accommodating, along with super service from staff. We absolutely recommend the Otter and Fish!