The Poachers in County Durham

A lovely Tuesday afternoon treat for Mrs Wilsons birthday, Very large portions, Mrs Wilson took half her dinner home. Make a great cold-warmed-up for tomorrow's dinner

First time I have been was in pressed with the menu there was so much to choose from, plenty of gluten free options which was good, really enjoyed my food, went on a Friday so was busy I hadn't booked but their was only two of us so wasn't a problem but it probably would be best to book. Staff were nice, will be going back.

So I have not been in a while and was a bit put off due to a number of things. Well it's turned itself around and back to a really good pub. Worth a visit. But would recommend mid week to avoid que and not being able to get a table.

Food is unreal, service was good. Young lady was helpful and friendly. Homemade chips are the best around. Serving size is very generous.

Me and my family visited here on Saturday afternoon for a family meal after a visit to fire and ice festival in Durham.We sat down to an extensive menu which was a difficult choice as there is lots to chose from.choose We ordered catch of the day, classic burger and pulled pork paramo which we all thoroughly enjoyed with chips and salad.. We now have our favourite pub/restaurant says my daughter and will visit frequently.

Opinion has reduced. Even a year ago would have said fab. However quite lax now. Have to wait ages to b seated! Maybe lack of staff. Twice recently found hair in food. So jury is out. Wouldn't have had these issues in the past. Pick the game up slightly and actually check food before released from kitchen and rating may go up!

70th Birthday and everything went perfect, even down to the cake and candles. Nothing was too much for the staff,even though it was the Sunday lunchtime busy period. A Big Thank You!!

Great service and excellent meals 🤩

Mixed grill was a great size, my only disappointment was my chips were well undercooked and still tasted of raw potato... otherwise it would of been great, absolutely loved my chicken starter in some kind of soy sauce & chilli... stunning

There is a varied menu for all tastes, food was delicious,

Mixed grill was a great size, my only disappointment was my chips were well undercooked and still tasted of raw potato... otherwise it would of been great, absolutely loved my chicken starter in some kind of soy sauce & chilli... stunning

There is a varied menu for all tastes, food was delicious,

Can't beat a good parmo and home mad chips What ever she had give me PTSD Desert was 10/10

The food was as always delicious. To be honest there was too much. The staff are friendly and the service was excellent. I booked online and it was so easy. Atmosphere was good with a comfortable dining room. Happily recommended here 😃😃

Popped in mid week. Oh my goodness, the thick cut roast beef, sweet carrots, creamy mash and crisp beans, topped with a rich gravy and served in a giant Yorkshire Pudding! I'm drooling just thinking about it...

Wouldn’t recommend, went as a group of us and I got the hot shot parmo, ate a quarter and realised the chicken was pink, had an awful bad stomach all night after leaving and 2 others from the group who also had chicken were unwell too. Didn’t complain as felt uncomfortable however wanted to put a warning out to others to be careful if getting chicken.

This was our second visit and once again the food was delicious, well cooked and generously portioned. Unfortunately we were very disappointed with the service. The staff seemed like they didn’t really want to be there, dropping the drinks down onto the end of the table and not handing them out. Dropping each plate down too. We were kept waiting for a long time between courses and weren’t ever asked if we wanted more drinks. It wasn’t that busy either. None of the staff smiled and one even had muddy Converse boots on. Lovely pub but no customer service

Lovely pub meal and even has trains going past which if you have young children can keep them entertained while waiting for food. Very nice food & freindly staff

Called in on spec. The table was readily available (Monday evening), the service was good, and the food was excellent. I had seafood jambalaya. It was delicious. It was quite busy for a Monday evening, which speaks volumes of the quality.

Marked down slightly as there was a large party of women in who were really noisy. But that's life! Service was prompt and friendly. Food was delicious. I had belly pork with black pudding bon bons, chips and veg. My partner had the steak and Guinness pie with chips and veg. Both huge portions, and my better half had to help me with mine! Couldn't fit a dessert in, or even a coffee. Lots of light bites on the menu too, but even they were quite substantial. We will be back.

Very enjoyable Sunday lunch with great food and service

Now ya talking for food 1st class.

Gone completely downhill. The Poachers has been a consistently great pub for the past decade with good portion sizes, fresh food, and quick service. However this evening we waiting an hour for our food, the ‘sizzling crispy beef’ was served non-sizzling and completely tasteless. Mac n cheese was tasteless and looked like it came from a tin. The veg was stale and cold. Very disappointed and such a shame.

amazing food and staff were lovely

Amazing food, proper homemade chips that taste delicious….excellent service especially from the younger waitresses and waiter’s which is rare. We have ate in the restaurant and the outside area now and both lovely. We ordered from the “Lite Bite” menu the portions were huge and delicious. Very good value.

Decent food at a decent price. Highly recommended

Gone totally downhill. Used to have best food around. Ordered belly pork which was a lump of fat, not one bit crispy and was basically inedible. Mentioned it to staff and was met with an awkward silence. Will not be going back.

Just had Sunday Lunch at the pochers pocket the food was delicious staff very pleasant service was great they was 9 of us and everyone clear they plates thanks to all the staff for making a great experience

Absolutely fabulous place to eat here.Came last Saturday for my sister in laws 80th birthday and we had a great time. Food was amazing love it here and everything we are up in Durham we come to the poachers. The staff are so lovely well recommend it xx

Went there for afternoon meal with family. I had cornbeef pie, and the rest of my family had the lite meal. All I can say is if they were lite meals, god knows how big the main meals are. The staff were really nice and really enjoyed the place my family and I travelled up from carleton near poulton-le-fylde and if yor passing through well worth the visit

As ever the plates were piled high but the quality of the cooking is poor. Corned beef pie was an unrecognisable goo. We keep going back expecting things to have improved but this was definitely the last time.

Visited on 2nd April due to it being recommended, the food was beautiful, but the staff were unprofessional and rude especially the manager! I rang following day to share my problem and was basically given the cold shoulder by this extremely defensive woman, who instead of trying to get customers to return she vehemently backed her totally poorly trained staff. On 4 occasions we were approached asking if we were all done while we were still clearly eating!!! on the 4th attempt I stopped eating and let them take my plate away. I'll NEVER set foot in the place again, and certainly won't recommend it to anyone.... God forbid. ps Owners reply is a load of utter made up nonsense, feel free to read other similar reviews, stick to macdonalds folks if you're wise 🤣

Excellent food, the portions are enormous. Everything cooked fresh.

We met friends who live in the Durham area, they had arranged to meet us at The Poachers for tea...we are so glad they did as we had a lovely meal here. Food was of generous amounts, very tasty and would highly recommend eating here. I had the Buttermilk Chicken burger it was delicious. I would like to add how tasty the chips were, the best I have had in a while. My son had a Yorkshire pudding wrap and that was lovely too, he ate it all!! Lovely setting inside too and staff were very smiley and friendly. Will be dining there again when we are next in the area x

Enormous portions , red hot and fresh

Waited and waited and waited for a table , ended up over one and a half hours later to actually get seated. Standing in the doorway, with no seating for alot of people. Absolute chaos. Definitely my last visit to this restaurant/pub

Always have a fantastic meal at The Poachers. Staff are friendly and attentive. Generous portions of good, home-cooked food. 10/10, would recommend.

Used to love the poachers but it has definitely gone down hill, the food quality is poor and lacking flavour although you do get a large portion id rather have had quality over quantity, also food missing from order that they tried to charge for. The service wasn't great all staff seemed like everything was just a bother for them also took 3 times for them to get a glass of water right 🙈. Also not child friendly, had to feed our 1.5 year old on our knees as the childseat was so low comparison to the table the plate of food was just sat at nose hight and the childseat did not have an option for a tray to be clipped on for him to eat his food and no childs cutlery either so was just a total nightmare and not enjoyable at all for us it's such a shame, willnot be returning.

Very good food, well cooked, presented very good, staff excellent. Will be returning.

Great food and serving staff. I had the mixed grill; it was huge but absolutely delicious. We'll definitely be back.

First time going and was wonderful. Staff were lovely and polite and the food was outstanding. Very cheap I will definitely be back

Visited to Poachers while visiting family. Food was excellent and well priced. Portions were superb as well. Excellent value for money

We haven’t been here for a while , family commitments so was very pleased the food , staff especially hadn’t changed . The chips were on another level . So freshly cooked .lovely taste , no complaints at all . Husband got Bao Buns and he said they were delicious, I got hot beef baguette , with out the baguette, as I couldn’t have eaten the tasty beef with mushrooms and onion gravy if I had had bread . Top class . Staff were as always were exceptional. Checking we were enjoying the food not just once but definitely more than twice . The staff are young but they can’t half move fast . Abbi who is the boss is a delight , knows peoples names and even some of the drinks they like . Highly recommended , you don’t have to spend a fortune to get delicious meals . Go to the Poachers at Metal Bridge. X

Excellent food, served by pleasant waitresses.

Told only allowed 1hr 30 mins to eat said table was booked for 4.45 , ordered food husband got classic burger came out greedy with thick bacon o it he couldn’t chew , I got hot beef baguette with mushroom and onions came out raw part baked baguette never been in oven and cold sliced beef with hot gravy poured over making the raw baguette soggy very disappointed won’t be going back , 3 other diners came in and they told them the same thing 1 hr 30 mins the pub was empty and know other diners came in as we where in car park leaving at 5 pm

Food was outstanding brilliant customer service chilled atmosphere 👌

Wouldn’t go back paid £40 for 2 meals & sent 3/4 of it back once i found veins in my chicken & was chewy staff very ignorant weren’t intrested

Nice food, good parking. Portions are quite large. The philly steak and beef baguette were from the 'light bites' and the burger and chips defeated my usually empty legged son.

The service was great, staff are friendly and helpful. The menu is great, I found it difficult to choose! I got the belly pork with peppercorn sauce, it was perfectly cooked and so tasty. Generous portion sizes. I look forward to visiting again.

Beautiful food, highly recommend

Beautiful food. Huge portions. Friendly staff

Always a good home cooked meal here. Service good - nice atmosphere Visit regularly as it’s reasonably priced although prices have increased of late as have everywhere.

Went to the Poachers for an extended family meal 8 people. Very enjoyable, friendly staff & good food. Waiting time was a longer than I would’ve liked however, they were extremely busy & good atmosphere.

Sorry guys but the food was not great . The katsu curry had stodgy overcooked rice and the curry sauce was far too thick and had a skin forming as soon as it arrived at my table . Large portions , yes but the meals need a few tweeks to improve the quality and flavour. My friends also had similar comments regarding the pork belly main course and the black pudding starter . I won’t be going back .

Boxing day meal....food excellent, staff accommodating, polite and helpful. Very recommended.

We got our 6:30 table late and then had to wait over an hour for our food. It was boiling hot sat between two radiators in the back room. When I got up to complain about the long wait we were told by a very rude server that they had a big table in that is why they were behind. So I asked why they booked us all at the same time and her reply was that they did not know who would be in when they booked us! It didn’t even make sense. First and last time we will go there! I see other reviews about the same problem. Remember server - you are a service industry and our hard earned cash pay your wages - be CIVIL! A polite apology for the long wait would have gone a long way!!

Having been here quite often in the past , thought we would go again . Absolutely Disgraceful, waited 45 minutes to be seated , hardly any staff , and the one of the staff female young dark hair was so Rude that more than one customer commented on her attitude. Then had to wait yet another 40 mins for food to be served . By this time we couldn't wait to get out of the place . Will be a long time before I return. Was just pure chaos , nobody seemed to know what the other was doing .

We got our 6:30 table late and then had to wait over an hour for our food. It was boiling hot sat between two radiators in the back room. When I got up to complain about the long wait we were told by a very rude server that they had a big table in that is why they were behind. So I asked why they booked us all at the same time and her reply was that they did not know who would be in when they booked us! It didn’t even make sense. First and last time we will go there! I see other reviews about the same problem. Remember server - you are a service industry and our hard earned cash pay your wages - be CIVIL! A polite apology for the long wait would have gone a long way!!

Always a great experience when we visit, great food, great drinks and great staff.

Always good food service and company

One of my favourite places to eat at. The food is amazing and I personally love the Parmos that they serve here and they are always happy to help and serve any requests deviating from the menu slightly. It's not overly expensive and I find it quite competitive in price. I'll be back in there again soon.

The food was delicious - compliments to the chefs - portion size was amazing too and I can eat 🙂 - will definitely be back

We chose here for a festive meal out of about 6 options mistakenly. The food was disappointing, the pineapple upside down cake as an example was plain dry sponge with a tinned pineapple slice on top. Nothing festive about the meal the other places all had crackers, Christmas decs etc which would have been a very nice feature. And to top it off the minute we put down our dessert spoon a member of staff asked us if we could leave and sit at the bar as they had another table to sit down ! Wouldn’t return

Amazing home cooked food! We have visited several times and always fantastic. Service is always quick no matter how busy. If you’re looking for some home cooked delish food this is your place!

Excellent service , excellent food , unbearable prices .

Good food excellent service definitely worth a visit.

I had Sunday lunch here today with family for the third time and the food was absolutely delicious as always! Beef was very tender and everything was cooked perfectly. The food didn't take long to come out either. Lovely cosy pub with excellent service from very hard working attentive staff! Can't fault it.

We had an excellent experience yesterday when we called at this very popular pub for lunch. Staff were great, the food was delicious. We can highly recommend it and we'll be back next time we are up this way.

I didn’t even know this pub existed until a few weeks ago so me and my partner decided to give it a try. We booked in advance but we went on the Monday the schools went back so was very quiet didn’t need to book. We had our drinks order taken as soon as we got to the table and our food order not long after. We ordered a starter which came in around 10 minutes piping hot and super tasty. As soon as we had finished and our plates were taken away they brought out our mains which were also absolutely boiling throughout and don’t get me started on the HUGE bowl of chips we got. Everything was just beautiful, so fresh and tasty. We were in and out in just short of an hour, booked to come back and bring the family. Hope it’s just as good next time!

Lovely lunch, large portions, good value for money. Lovely atmosphere. Family owned, friendly efficient staff. My partner is gluten free, just inform staff and they are able to adjust most dishes as all home cooked on premises.

Went for Sunday dinner, excellent all round. Food, service, setting, would recommend. Booking essential, turned several couples away whilst we were sat.

Food was delicious and the portions are sizeable. Always room for desert though which was fantastic

Nothing to complain about but a bit expensive

Beautiful place food and service

Lovely food, large portions, excellent value for money, I'll definitely be returning in the future

Great service, delicious food (fairly long wait for food but it was half term & at peak time so understandable), decor could do with an update, but still worth a visit.

Fantastic meal out with friends. Staff were very friendly, food was really nice with massive portions! And it was all very reasonably priced too. I'll definitely go again.

If your within 30 miles of DL6 5LQ near Coxhoe on the A1 then this restaurant is well worth a visit. Bit like the Tardis inside! we were worried when we saw the number of cars and what appeared to be a small village pub turned out to be spacious inside with lots of welcoming and nicely styled separate areas inside. The wide menu choice and quality of dishes was great- we had chicken & duck dishes which were excellent. .....the fries were good but you might want to ask for less! Staff & service were also excellent. Altho' very busy Saturday lunch time we did not have to wait long.

Lovely Sunday lunch and great service

The Poachers in Metal Bridge is an absolute gem! This pub offers a delightful experience for both food and drink enthusiasts and train enthusiasts alike. The atmosphere is cozy, the service is impeccable, and the food is simply delectable. Sitting by the window with a delicious meal in hand while watching trains pass by is a unique and enchanting experience. I can't recommend The Poachers enough for a perfect blend of great food and captivating entertainment. A solid 5-star pub!

This place used to serve great food. I went with my partner for lunch. We paid £17 for burger and £1 5 for hot dog. Burger and hot dog were nice. Coleslaw used to be homemade and creamy. Now it's cheap lumpy bulk brought and horrible. Chips used to be fresh cut and cooked and brown and tasty. The ones we got and everyone else looking at their plates were again bulk buy cheap chips full of hard ends and white and greasy and tasted awful. Their prices have gone up yet standards have gone down. It's a shame as we won't be going back now. I did complain about chips as we didn't eat them . The waitress said she would tell the chef. That was that nothing even done. They must get loads of complaints now as the standard of certain foods are not good enough. Telling the chef obviously makes no difference. Such a shame

Made to feel welcome, outstanding food, plenty of it too and polite, attantive service

When you ask for a medium steak does not mean the chops raw. Chips had a glimpse at the fryer. Staff hovering waiting to take away plates. This was a quiet night . Best give it a miss next time.

Great food really big portions & great service 5*

Never had a bad meal. Enough said.

Place was looking VERY tired. Freezing cold, minimal staff, Will not be in a hurry to return, shame, one of our favourite places.

Very disappointed, I have been to poachers a fair few times and always enjoyed but not today my sister and I took my mam for her birthday. My whole meal was cold, my sister got sizzling beef which was disgraceful for nearly £20 she got 8 scratty little pieces of beef on a huge bed of peppers and onions (I wish I'd taken a photo) my mam did enjoy hers which is good. I was going to complain but I was asked not to. Won't be returning

The best food places in town. Great service by the waiters and lovely food.

Beautiful food and far too many nice things to try. Will take a good few visits to work through all the lovely menu. Lovely friendly staff

Fantastic little place lived here since I was little and have never been there. We have been twice now and both times the food was fantastic the portions are good prices are good too all in all 4 stars from me

Just come home from The Poachers from Sunday Lunch,absolutely fantastic food ,atmosphere and the staff were very attentive,not over bearing,proffesional and very helpful we had a great time and Im sure we will be back again soon.

Meal and drinks for 2 were approx 18 - £25. Now similar £40 +.Beer prices big increase. Sorry won't be there every week now. Hard Times for all !

Really nice Sunday lunch, Friendly staff

Family gathering 15 of us food was excellent as was the service everyone ate at the same time kept coming and serving drinks spot on

We used to come here a lot but the last visit wasn’t great my meal came out later than everyone else’s (they had almost finished) and the pasta was undercooked and the small amount of chicken was chewy like rubber. The service was slow and with a bill of almost £100 for a family of 4 I just feel there’s better places to go to now sadly

Really good all round pud and food is great.

Lovely home cooked food - chips are amazing 😁

Beautiful food, great value for money, im chocka block ❤️

Found this while on a drive about on a hot day. We just had drink and sat in a little courtyard. I’d definitely recommend this for sitting in the sun drinking. And I was fine because they had alcohol free

Went with friends on their friends recommendation and from start to finish the whole experience was a delight. Spacious character pub with first class service. The menu was extensive and varied. The prices were very reasonable and the portions generous. Absolutely everything was brilliant and we will return again soon.