The Potted Lobster in Northumberland

On holiday in the area and heard a lot about the potted lobster - wish we hadn’t!!! So over rated, and SO expensive!!! One bottle of wine we saw was £50 - the previous restaurant we had been to it was £36. Food was no more than very average - far better options and far better value to be had! Avoid

Our second visit, the first being back in 2021. Last visit we were really impressed, this time we were a bit disappointed. Food came too quickly given how busy it was and had the feeling of being preprepared. Given the price they charge, that’s unacceptable. Yes fish is expensive, but £36 for a small bit of halibut, some salad and chips is ridiculous. Likewise the starter. Can’t fault the staff who were friendly and efficient and dealt well with a woman who had an extremely annoying barky, aggressive dog.

We came for lunch during a short holiday and had some of the best fish we have ever had. It is a pricier option but totally worth it. The fish is fresh and the portions are really generous. We shared the potted lobster starter which was small but delicious. Then had two mains which were totally different but equally as delicious. Came to about £100 including our drinks which felt really fair. The staff were also very welcoming, especially in getting us a bigger table so we could fit the pram in! It’s a must visit when coming to Bamburgh!

This place is simply too expensive for what is delivered. There’s nothing wrong with the food per se, but the prices are astronomical. We ate the leek tart, as a starter and it was £12. It was fine, but didn’t deliver the impact we were expecting for the price. It wasn’t made fresh, and the side salad was dripping in bog standard vinaigrette. Not inedible, but nothing special. I had the salt and chilli squid with ‘Asian slaw’. I was expecting flavours of coriander, lemongrass, lime, mint; all what I would consider pan-Asian flavours. When the dish arrived I could see straight away it was not to be! Instead of what I’ve described there was a fairly ordinary looking salad, swimming in a pool of (what tasted like) supermarket hoi-sin sauce. Really too much and overly sweet. The squid itself was well cooked but a very sparse portion for £16. Other dishes included lobster, at almost £60 (market price apparently) which was competent but came with bought in chips. No flavour to chips, they were semi-stale. We had higher hopes, I’m afraid. The service and atmosphere were perfectly fine, no issues there. Staff were efficient and friendly. I’m afraid for us, holidaymakers willing to spend money, this restaurant doesn’t represent good value. I enjoy eating out, but I hate feeling ripped off…and I’m sorry to say, that’s how dining at ‘The Potted Lobster’ felt. Save yourself the bother and go to the local butcher/pie shop a few doors down. They were doing a roaring trade and I can see why!

Fantastic food. We were a table of four and all chose differently. Not one of us were disappointed. Soft shell crab starter was delicious. The silver hake special was the best fish I have ever eaten. I was sad to read that not everyone has reviewed this restaurant positively on Trip Advisor. My experience was exceptional. High price point but - for me - worth every penny.

It can’t get better. From character, to staff and to the fabulous menu, everything is yummy. But the elephant in the room is the outstanding quality of the ingredients and the care and attention that goes into the cooking.

We had visited a number of years back and it was a real delight to return. I had a starter of the potted lobster - how could you not!? - and it was delicious. A medley of seafood potted up. Think potted shrimp but on another level. For main, I went for the mussels. Perfection. Exactly how they should be served. Elsewhere others enjoyed everything - my father said the fish and chips was the best he has had (he is in his 70s. He has a frame of reference). My mother enjoyed the halibut and raves about the leek and potato soup. Others enjoyed lobster and a cod special. Two quibbles: a kid’s sundae was wonderful but pricey. Also I’d add one more option to the kid’s menu - something like a chicken breast or a burger. Two minor quibbles though. This is a perfect restaurant in a great setting which consistently knocks out sensational seafood in a relaxed setting

2nd visit here and it did not disappoint. friendly quaint bistro , amazing daily specials .. Lobster was to die for ... cooked to perfection .. Portion sizes are generous beware !!

Wow what a meal, absolutely delicious! Definitely recommend visiting this place. A lovely little place and dog friendly too!

Delicious food in a lovely restaurant. Crab salad was delightful, so was the lobster. Chowder was perfect as was the signature starter potted lobster. A great selection of wines too. A real treat and a great way to start our short break in Northumberland. ❤️👍🙌🙏

We enjoyed a wonderful meal on Easter Saturday. The restaurant was busy, the staff welcoming and friendly. Service excellent. We had oysters and squid to start and then shared the hot and cold seafood platter. We could definitely have skipped the starters based on the size of the platter! All delicious. There was a power cut in the town which sadly for other diners meant they couldn’t finish their meals as the kitchen had to close. We especially felt for the ladies on the next table who were celebrating a birthday and only managed to get their starters. Hopefully they managed to go back to finish their meal another day. Icing on the cake for us - it’s dog friendly. We’ll be back!

We arrived aroused by anticipation and somewhat exhausted from our long walk, on Good Friday (when OLASJC was taken from us). We were welcomed most warmly and it must be said all of the very busy front of house staff we encountered - and especially our server - were courteous, friendly and accommodating. A little on the gaff. It’s fairly compact (but not tight) and bright and modern with some intriguing seafood themed art on the walls. I think the establishment was popularised by a former double act of presenters / cooks and I had to book well ahead. It was also a glorious bank holiday which meant Bamburgh was stuffed full of humanity and hounds. There were two extensive specials boards. One for starters and one for mains. Then there’s the menu you see online too. I remarked that it’s my experience you’re lucky if you see one or two menu items that really grab your attention. I think I would have gladly went for 80% of everything on offer which actually made it a challenge to finalise our order. I went for a ‘cup’ of haddock chowder with brown bread (rich, smokey and well seasoned) followed by Hake with linguine a crab crust (Hake was cooked perfectly and enhanced by the crab, but wasn’t overwhelmed by my linguine which lacked substance and in my view was a minuteoverdone). My pal matched my chowder but bolted on a soft shell crab for starter (which he enjoyed but he was a tad disappointed it arrived battered as he thought it didn’t say so on the menu) and went for traditional fish with chips and homemade mushy pea for mains (very well thought of - and looked perfect) We split a delightful bottle of Chardonnay. We were both impressed by the quality and quantity of the food. There’s clearly imagination and skill in the kitchen. And there’s defo something there for everyone. We didn’t do the PL justice as we were knackered from a very long walk and that along with an earlier light luncheon, upset our appetites. We both left a bit of our mains but were clear with the staff that this was our doing, not theirs. We were happy to leave a nice gratuity and I’m going to come back with my mam for a treat.

Probably the best Halibut I’ve ever tasted. Shell fish platter was as good as it gets. good choice of wine and not over priced.

We visited The Potted Lobster with a well-behaved dog at the weekend. Although local, I hadn't made it to this restaurant before! The menu is impressive and after I thought I had decided, we were greeted with an exceptional specials board as well. The staff were professional and lovely, the service was exceptional and quick - even though it was very busy. The food did not disappoint and the portions were a great size. I couldn't decide between lobster and steak, so opted for both! My friend had a whole lobster and both of our meals were outstanding! I'm already planning my next trip! Simply put, the best seafood I've ever had! Thank you.

We were in need of a special treat, so we went to the Potted Lobster in Bamburgh. What a great decision that was. Beautiful food, great selection of wines and excellent service. You couldn’t ask for more.

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. We are visiting Bamburgh for an Easter break. We booked in advance after reading other good reviews. We have just got home after a truly amazing meal. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful….the food was out of this world and the restaurant was cosy and warm.

Booked for a birthday treat. First visit. We were looking forward to some lovely fresh seafood. We were really disappointed. We were sat so close yo the couple next to us, that we may as well have shared a table. My partner had the fish chowder starter which he said was nice. For our mains, i had fish goujons- they had no flavour or texture. The chips were poor, some hard and some soggy. The tartar sauce was good. My partner had the fish pie which was padded out with indiscriminate white fish and lots of mashed potato. I had dessert. Sticky toffee pudding. Very small portion. Whole experience lasted 90 minutes. The whole experience was decidedly average. Bill came to £80 which included one glass of wine and a bottle of sparkling water.

A wonderful friendly restaurant with a great atmosphere! Staff were very good and service was excellent. A great choice of specialist local seafood and plenty of choice of wines/beers/ciders and spirits. It is a dog friendly restaurant too! I had the smoothest parfait to start followed by a wonderful pan fried Seabass. I didn’t have room for any of the delicious sounding sweet treats. Not a cheap eat but quality and service warrant paying that little bit more! Would highly recommend!

Situated a stone's throw away from the magnificent Bamburgh Castle, location is what initially drew my attention to this restaurant. However, what will bring me back is the food. The core menu is fairly small but there were multiple starters and mains on the specials board so choice shouldn't be an issue. We had the lamb and half lobster (with garlic & parsley) and both were excellent. Service was prompt and friendly. Price was at the high end of what we would usually pay but in line with the quality of ingredients and how the dishes were cooked. I would strongly recommend the Potted Lobster for anyone in the area.

Saw this establishment on the "hairy bikers" and decided to go to bamburgh to try. We arrived around 5.30 in the evening only to be asked "have you booked" we were not aware that we had to. The young waitress said that they had no tables but if we only wanted mains she would try to help, to which she did, only to be scorned at by a manager who instructed her to serve customers that were all ready seated. At which point she shrugged her shoulders and walked away.

A lovely village, a beautiful castle, we were hungry and after reading reviews visited potted lobster for lunch, large lemon Haddock, mmmmmmmmm freshly made, excellent fish white and meaty, pea purée excellent, tartare sauce creamy and excellent, chips hot and fresh, service excellent and this...

So good we visited on consecutive nights ! The squid was best we had ever tasted. Mains were delicious. We visited with our dog who was made to feel welcome. Staff were very attentive . Best meal out we have had for a long time.

We went for lunch on a recommendation from a friend. All I can say is you will not be disappointed. We shared a few starters so we could taste more dishes. So we had clam chowder, scallops & muscles all of which were excellent. The...

Booked as an early evening meal(5.30) as we had a toddler in our party of 6. Extensive menu with plenty of interesting fish specials for both starters and mains. All our food dishes cooked to perfection. Best cooked scallops I have had and the chunky...

Lovely, warm atmosphere. The food was fabulous. Yes you may think it’s expensive but the taste is worth every penny. I had scallops with belly pork to start and the pork just melted in your mouth. Monk fish tail and Hake for mains were beautiful,...

We've never been here before but always heard good things and it did not disappoint. The staff could not have been more welcoming and polite and we were seated straight away. I had the lamb shoulder with mash which was amazing, huge portion and delicious!...

We have been here many times but the last time we had to ask to move as the table next to us had the most foul smelling dogs - two of them - that even put their noses on our table and touched my husbands...

Visited the potted lobster with my sister as a treat on the last day of our holiday. I'm a massive sea food lover. So I had a whole lobster, poached with garlic mayo and new potatoes, expensive, but really worth it! My sister had sirloin...

After having eaten here over the last 5 years tonight’s experience came as a disappointment. The gentleman seemingly in charge was attentive at first until he realised that only one of us was drinking alcohol and the other water. His interest in us immediately stopped....

I can honestly say this is one of the worst meals I’ve had for some time. I don’t like leaving bad reviews but to be honest I was insulted to be served food like this and it’s not cheap. I’m of the opinion that offer...

Staff so friendly lovely atmosphere Food absolutely gorgeous wish lived nearer Recommend Don't normally write a review but so good

Had a beautiful meal at this restaurant with my daughter, she had mussels, fish pie for main and jammy dodger for desert. I had a bowl of smoked haddock chowder, double cooked lamb shoulder and ice cream for pudding We attended with my daughter’s dog....

Fabulous restaurant with amazing food, great service and atmosphere. The seafood is beautiful with wonderful presentation. A definite must when in Bamburgh.

Came here for a special celebration meal and chose lunchtime as booking was quite some weeks in advance. Had chosen this restaurant on recommendation and then further after reading many seemingly positive reviews… resultantly, so looking forward to eating here and enjoying some of the...

We had the £10 fish and chip Winter special offer. It was scrumptious. Huge, beautifully cooked fish, tasty crunchy chips, lovely peas, possibly cooked in stock, not sure what they had done bit they were yummy, and lovely tartare sauce. Excellent and lovely friendly efficient...

Great food, company & service! Staying with friends we visited the Potted Lobster for the second time. It was as good as our first! Around the table we had fresh oysters, longoustines, soup, prawn cocktail & scallops to start and Brill & halibut for mains...

We had a lovely afternoon here, it was a very quiet rainy January day, however the restaurant was warm and cosy. Two of us had the fish and chip winter special, great value and such a big portion, two shared the sea food platter which...

Having read one or two reviews that found it disappointing, we were slightly apprehensive. However, we both had an excellent meal, with very good service, and good tasty food. We would certainly visit again if in that area

We visited The Potted Lobster today as a family of 4 for lunch. Lovely dog friendly restaurant with attentive staff and absolutely delicious food! We all had starters and mains. I had Potted Lobster as a starter which was really tasty and Cod with Chorizo...

Visited today for birthday, staff very attentive menu looked good. I chose the pan fried cod with wild mushroom sauce, dauphinoise potatoes and veg however when it arrived the sauce was chorizo jam. I looked at the specials board again and saw the sauce had...

Our experience at The Potted Lobster was excellent. The menu was sleek, but with a range of choices. They also offer a number of specials for starter and main courses. The cod special was absolutely delicious and a decent portion size. The other dishes chosen...

Lunch for two. Beautiful restaurant. Almost the staff were very engaging and friendly. The atmosphere is relaxed. We both had starters and mains from the specials board. With courses were absolutely beautiful. I'd thoroughly recommend this restaurant

Exceptional food. Friendly service and knowledgable staff giving wine recommendations. Appropriately priced for the standard of experience. A real treat!

Lovely service - staff pleasant and helpful Good menu but, as is inevitable when basing menus on local fish catches, as we were there a number of items were deleted. Excellent food: all enjoyed, but pricey Pleasant space though quite crowded and noisy with a...

Booked to go to this restaurant as very near where we were staying in Bamburgh. The service was good and the food was excellent had a double baked cheese soufflé to start and my husband had mussels both very fresh and tasty. Had hake and...

Great food,very pleasant and attentive staff. We had the potted lobster and smoked haddock chowder to start.(a cup of chowder is enough). Then Halibut with skinny fries with lobster and truffle mayo and the pan fried Hake with a crab crust. All excellent! We shall...

Had a lovely meal here on Wednesday 22 November with my husband. This was the second time we have eaten here and this was by far the better occasion. I ordered the halibut with the lobster truffle mayonnaise and it was the tastiest piece of...

The 4th time we’ve visited TPL and we were not let down. Staff were all very friendly. Starters of mussels and salt chilli squid were excellent (only slight complaint was there were quite.l a few unopened mussels). Mains of hake with chorizo linguine was delicious...

Had to book 2 weeks in advance for Saturday lunch. Was really looking forward to a much hyped experience. Didn't start well as we were seated next to the toilets door and the toilets were smelly. Should have left then! The seafood chowder was a...

Excellent food and service as always. Such a great atmosphere. The staff are exceptionally friendly and love the fact that dogs are so welcome. Other customers were positively annoying and the staff handled them So well.

got a booking for lunch during a busy bank holiday. forgot to mention taking the dog at advance time of booking so he was not welcome on the day and we had to leave him at the cottage, ordered the children the fisherman’s platter and it was nice with prawns smoked salmon crusty bread but a cheese that’s not cheddar so kids were not hugely familiar not fans of it! the half lobster had very little meat but salad and fries were nice enough and the specials board featuring salt and chilli monkfish noodles was tasty but fish was deep fried in batter which was unexpected. plenty other good reviews tho so maybe we just picked wrong dishes on the day/ or personal preference. staff were lovely and a friendly welcome and service. good adhering to social distancing and hygiene.

Excellent food and great service. Staff very helpful, very efficient service. Would definitely recommend and would definitely visit if in the area again.

The choice and range of dishes is very good and the portion size is also generous. Some excellent squid, lobster and crab with some good value wine. The service was always attentive and efficient and you just knew that the produce was so fresh in a basic but entirely appropriate venue. It would be a challenge for anyone not to enjoy this experience.

Excellent food and great service at The Potted Lobster - highly recommended. Langoustines from the specials board and the lobster in garlic butter were both delicious, so if you enjoy fresh local seafood that’s well cooked and served with a smile this is definitely somewhere you should visit.

An amazing experience for seafood lovers, we visited on busy August bank holiday Sunday. Managed to book online the day before. There weren’t many slots available so we were happy to accept late lunch booking. On arrival we were seated straight away even though we arrived 20 minutes early. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The lobster, scallops, crab salad and mussels were beautifully cooked and presented. One of our teenage sons who doesn’t like seafood enjoyed chowder and sirloin steak very much.Visiting the restaurant has made our stay in Northumberland even more memorable.

My self and 8 friends dined at the potted lobster and it was lovely the food we chose was delicious and the service from the hardworking staff was 5 star this place is a gem .

I’ll start by saying this place was an absolute nightmare to book. I tried continuously calling two weeks before our arrival to see if I could book a table but the phone always rang out and emails bounced back with an automated reply. They’re clearly extremely busy but it doesn’t excuse ignoring the phone for two weeks and annoying a lot of potential customers! We finally did get a table for lunch and whilst the food was nice I wouldn’t say it was worth all the hype. It was also very expensive for what it was. Also despite being full it really lacked atmosphere and I wasn’t sure if this was down to Covid measures or if this was just how it always was. Anyway, I’d say there’s probably lots of places in and around Bamburgh that serve just as nice food for cheaper and will happily answer the phone to take a booking in advance!

Great food, lots of space. Huge range of fish dishes, the signature potted lobster was lovely. All the dishes were huge portions and well presented. Desserts were good too. There are a few meat dishes for those who don’t like fish. Not a cheap meal out but really good quality, well cooked food! You will need to book well in advance, always busy!

So pleased we visited, the smoked haddock chowder was one of the best I have tasted. I had the lobster which was gorgeous and husband had the crab salad which was also fab.

A great little restaurant in Bamburgh - we visited twice during our holiday. Service excellent and food fresh and well presented - the fish was fresh and excellently cooked. Some Reviews have complained about COVID precautions - in my view the restaurant is trying its best and makes a real effort to ensure their clients are kept safe but enjoy a near normal dining experience. They make a real effort to allow time between sittings but not always easy to move customers along. The biggest challenge is getting through on the telephone to make a booking - I am glad I persisted. We will be visiting again later this year on our next visit to the area.

We had been looking forward to our last night dinner after a week on the Northumberland coast. When we arrived our table wasn’t ready and we were asked to wait outside and order drinks - but no one came to take our order. We felt that the food was over priced, the lobster was disappointing and the service was slow and poor. There didn’t seem to be anyone in overall charge.We would not recommend as there are other restaurants in Bamburgh which were better value for money and had great food and service.

We’ve dined at The Potted Lobster a few times over the last couple of years, as we holiday in the area frequently. Another excellent meal. Husband had scallops with boudin noir to start - lovely. I had the signature Potted Lobster. Our teenage kids enjoyed their starters - in particular the Chowder (“epic”). Kids had grilled Lobster for main - cooked to perfection. I had chunky cod, hubby had halibut. Both cooked with delicious sauces.The staff were excellent. All working really hard to deliver the new way of dining. I’m getting a little weary of reading reviews, where people are picking up issues where things are not running smoothly. It won’t be smooth for a while. So we either have to accept it and work with the hard working hospitality sector trying to get back on its feet, or alternatively don’t dine out. Let’s please be patient.

We were recommended this restaurant and was really looking forward to it. Must say staff were very good, friendly but did not spot problems. Starter of squid really good, crispy crab ok nothing special. I had waited for months to have mussels again and so so disappointed. The chef must have cooked them and chucked them in the bowl without even looking. I had so many unopened mussels and so many broken shells I was very concerned, half way down the bowl and the mussels had such long beards it really put me off. I would of thought a restaurant of this standard would of checked this. Yes it was busy but that is not an excuse. Glad of the government £20 off as would have felt ripped off. My partner does not like complaining as you really should not have to but I would rather the staff see when a bowl goes back with so many unopened they might have asked.

A great seafood experience at the Potted Lobster.Lovely ambience, a warm welcome from lovely staff, fantastic menu and wine list.The seafood platter for two was a particular winner and be sure to check out the daily fish specials.We will be back, thank you.

Excellent! What a beautiful food. Very good place a must visit in the area. Book well in advance as it is popular and gets all booked up.

Family of four visited one weekend in August. Booking in advance system was straightforward. Menu choices lovely and plenty of specials on offer too. Waiting staff were delightful, happy to help and ultra efficient.

Having visited several times the meal and service this week was the worse we have ever had. Ordered the monkfish (2 separate people’s servings) which when arrived was undercooked, rubbery and cold. The 2 kids meals were served 5 mins after the adult meals, which any parent knows then means does not make for a pleasant experience! The veg that came with it was cold and inadequate. Waiters obviously overheard our comments and never asked whether the meal was ok / enjoyed. This is very disappointing as on all previous visits we have really enjoyed the food. Hopefully just a blip but won’t personally won’t rush back!

We visited with anther couple the night after a very disappointing meal in Beadnell,What a difference ! Smiling knowledgeable staff helped us to choose a lovely selection of seafood which we all shared. Lindisfarne Oysters and mussels ,followed by Chowder and Lobster thermidor ,beautifully presented great tastes.Glass of picpoul complemented it all.Very fairly priced made even better with Boris's £10 discount each.

Enjoyed a meal here last week, would recommend booking in advance. Food was outstanding, particularly the potted lobster starter and halibut from the specials. Service excellent. Drinks menu extensive. Dog friendly area available. Felt very safe - well spaced tables and cleanliness spot on. Can't wait to visit again next August!

We ate at The Potted Lobster last night. A delightful evening eating in the evening sun. The staff were friendly knowledgeable and efficient. The meal was superb - The grilled lobster was absolutely delicious. To guarantee a table phone a few days in advance to book.

My husband and I ate here for the 1st time on Friday evening. The restaurant has a dog friendly area and we were met by friendly staff members. Our meal was beautiful....cannot say more really!! Make sure to book well in advance as they are very busy!

Visited to celebrate a family birthday and it was excellent. Good choice on the menu and specials board, and the food was fresh, creative, and delicious. Staff were all friendly and attentive. This our second visit and would definitely recommend it.Read a few recent reviews on here criticising their 'covid procedures' . It was fine. Man if you're so paranoid about going to a restaurant, then don't go. But don't drag down a good business's rating because of your personal feelings about this.

Heard lots of great reviews and Would love to eat here but.....,we have visited the North East twice over the last months. No one ever answers the phone or even bothers to reply to messages to book a table - we eventually gave up and found lots of alternative, amazing places to eat in the area

Visited here on the 4th August, and we thought the food was superb. We both had the mussels, between us we had the shoulder of local lamb and the half a lobster, followed by creme brulee each. We had a bottle of pinot to share and 2 baileys (it was the eve of our 25th Wedding Anniversary). With the Eat out to help out our bill came to £91.95 which we thought was fantastic value for the quality of food. There was a lot of cheaper options too, so could have been a lot cheaper.The place was not crowded inside when we visited which I am pleased about after seeing some of the recent reviews. The waitress was very friendly. If I came to Bamburgh again, I would definitely re-book, well worth the visit.

Nice surroundings, pleasant staff but some of the food didn’t live up to the hype. Cup of chowder ordered but soup of the day arrived instead. Small issue and I’m sure they would have resolved it without a problem (I wasn’t the one eating it, so nothing aaa said). The oysters were very fresh, but poorly cleaned on the outside and didn’t arrive with any shallots and vinegar and the seasonal greens were unseasoned. On a positive note, the crab salad and potted lobster were lovely. Overall, it was fine.

Excellent food but not covid compliant. We had booked a table but decided to sit outside as inside looked crowded. Presented with un laminated menus and cutlery set down with no covering. Specials board situated behind seated diners necessitating a trip inside to have a look. Only one member of front of house staff had a cloth mask on, no visors. I know it is difficult to operate a small restaurant but better measures need to be in place and staff need to wear protective visors and masks as it is impossible to maintain social distancing.

We went in for lunch intending to have oysters followed by lobster. Another table had the seafood platter and we asked what it included. Both the things we wanted were included along with lots of other local seafood.It proved an excellent choice. Very good value with a great range of tastes.

Good food and friendly service but recommend that the restaurant reviews its procedures around Covid-19. There is hand sanitiser going - but it’s a small restaurant and probably too many tables packed in - felt too close to other diners especially those seated near the door.People walk in to book or to be seated and end up standing too close to seated diners, sometimes having quite long conversations with staff right next to you. there’s a notice up asking diners to stay seated but then a specials board behind a table of diners that the waiter recommended going to look at. Only one member of staff was wearing a mask and zero attempt at physical distancing between staff - often 3 standing shoulder to shoulder behind the bar because of lack of space - in such a small space masks are surely needed. This casual lack of attention to protecting staff and customers was a shame - as the food was good.Would go again - loved that it was so dog friendly - but perhaps will wait to visit until post pandemic. Overall, left feeling a little uneasy hence just 3 stars.

The Potted Lobster is a real favourite of my family and friends and we are so happy it managed to keep going during lock down! Six of us had lunch last weekend and enjoyed a delicious meal (the food standard as always been very high). The only disappointment was that none of the staff were wearing protective masks or the plastic faceshields. I noticed that servers in the Castle Inn and the Lord Crewe were all wearing these shields and it made me uncomfortable that the Potted Lobster haven't adopted this rule, especially as it is a small space with limited outside seating. Being able to go to restaurants again is a huge exciting part of slowly going back to normal life but I will not do it if I don't feel safe. I have already told my parents to avoid the PL in the near future as they are in their 70s and at risk. We love this restaurant so please please reconsider your policy on face coverings.

Awesome seafood. Great meal today, great selection with lots of choice, good wine list too. Would recommend.

Booked well in advance and looking forward to our visit, as reviews mostly good.The soup starter was delicious, couldn't be faulted, however the mains were a disappointment, Cod on mash, ok, nothing special, but Cold ! Hardly surprising as The plates were cold, why serve hot food on cold plates ? Halibut was amazing but served again on cold plates and the chips with it were like overcooked scratchings,with no potato in them. We were not happy with lack of social distancing, staff much too close, no masks, lack of cleaning down.

Wow! What a find! We thoroughly enjoyed our food that we had here. We were perfectly socially distanced. The star of the trip was the food. It was reasonably priced and good to see local produce being served. The service was good and they team were very friendly accommodating us. It was easy to book a table. Definitely worth booking to eat here. We will be back.

We dropped in without a reservation on 17th and asked for a table for lunch, which was sorted promptly We both had the sea bass from the specials board and both thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so we decided to come back for dinner When we were settling the bill I asked if we could book for dinner and all they could offer was tonight ( 22nd) at 6.15, so we took it . I also asked if the fish could be filleted in the kitchen ( I am not keen on my food looking at me!) and was told no problem This evening we expected to be in the main restaurant area and disappointingly were given a table in the entrance area . I tried unsuccessfully to move it but they were adamant it could not be doneNevertheless the sea bass was excellent again and perfectly filleted ( next time I will go for the full fish without it’s head)My wife had the chowder as a starter which she felt had too much potato, but she always compares chowder to her favourite in Nova ScotiaI felt the lunchtime service was better than tonight and would definitely have given that meal five stars but I felt tonight fell a little short. I cannot give 4.5 so I’m afraid it is 4. On our first visit I felt valued, tonight more of an also ranThis is certainly the best restaurant in the town and they know it and charge accordingly The danger is that if they do not value their customers they may lose their prestigious position which would be a real shame

It took us quite awhile to get a booking but it was very worthwhile waiting, the reason for the delay in getting back to me with a time etc was said to be that they are extremely busy.The service was excellent, the food was excellent and the general ambiance was excellent.

We didn't book and went on spec, only managed to get a seat outside, which was cool and breezy, but it didn't ruin the experience, the food and service were excellent. Great food and fair pricing. Can't ask for much more - unless they cam do something about the weather.

Very disappointing experience. The Service was poor and the staff very unattentive and almost unfriendly. We both had lobster and there was very little of it. I had cheese to finish but had no idea what cheese it was as no explanation.We were so surprised after reading the reviews but hopefully this was just a blip. We left hungry and disappointed.

Lovely lunch at The Potted Lobster. We couldn’t settle on one dish so as this was our first visit we went for the platter to sample everything! Had to take some of it home, it’s huge for two - smoked salmon on eggs for the following breakfast. Kid friendly menu, sausages for the one that won’t eat fish. Staff were friendly and the service was good. Would definitely recommend if you’re a fish lover.

We dinner at the Potted Lobster during in our weeks stay in Bamburgh. The highlight of both meals was most definitely the scallops and black pudding started - generous and delicious. My son had the fish and chips and destroyed it ! As you would expect the lobster was excellent. Great wine and lovely service - definitely worth a visit.

A bit spartan but, on the whole, good food. There is nowhere else in this area delivering such a lovely menu so it’s Hobson’s Choice really. My only grouch was that it was slightly overcooked. But the choice is fab so well worth a visit. Good wine list too - chateau ordinaire up to Sancerre and Laurent Perrier pink champagne. Go for it.

Amazingly delicious fish restaurant which we have treated ourselves to twice this week during our stay in Bamburgh. My husband had the chilli squid and Asian slaw on both occasions which was fabulous. The lobster in garlic butter is a must. The welcome is lovely and friendly. Treat yourselves, you won’t be disappointed.

In a period of chaos, a few nights in North Northumbria have helped to recalibrate and two nights at the Potted Lobster have really helped. This is what a good, local restaurant should be about - high quality, locally sourced food served imaginatively with the star of the show being the local fish.Across our two visits we sampled the seafood platter (absolutely huge, with a mixture of both cold and hot food), sea bass with pea and crab risotto (rich, creamy, luxurious) and halibut with lobster truffle mayo (simply exquisite). Our only regret is that we didn’t eat there all five nights to try everything on the menu, although in many respects the seafood platter helped us do that.This is a lovely restaurant, with keen, attentive, knowledgeable waiting staff serving amazing seafood (primarily). What a place!

Last nights meal was amazing. Great fresh local produce cooked brilliantly. Couldn’t have been better. Langoustines just melted in the mouth. Risotto was delicious with sea bass. Show casing the best of Northumberland produce.

date of visit: 17/3/20, yes in the middle of the current situation! Our first visit to the potted lobster, and so glad we went,, very well cooked food, tremendous menu to choose from tool, lovely service, so we highly recommend....even in these doom & gloom times, please visit, you won't be disappointed.

Had a lovely evening at The Potted Lobster. My starter of salt and chilli squid was sooooo tasty. For main I had lobster Thermidor and my partner had lobster with garlic and lemon sauce. Both lovely but I dipped my chips in the garlic sauce and wow, absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to go back

Considering out of season, the menu was fantastic and had to visit later in week to try more, if you like your fish a must

We visited here for lunch while out walking along the beautiful Bamburgh beach, booking is a must as a couple of people were turned away.There is a large area where you can eat with dogs, it was very dog friendly. There is a separate area for those without dogs.The food was delicious, I had the potted lobster and my Husband mussels for starter, they were both beautiful and well presented. Our main courses were haddock and chips, cod goujons and chips, once again really tasty and a large portion. The service was perfect, attentive but not pushy and very friendly. The decor is lovely. Will certainly be back here.

Having visited bamburgh on many occasions it’s the first time we have tried the potted lobster we weren’t disappointed.The food and service were excellent well worth treating yourself when visiting bamburgh the added bonus it was dog friendly.We will defiantly be back in early April

Very helpful serving staff quickly removed the crisps scattered beneath our dinner table. (Whoever set the table surely should have noticed these left-overs from previous customers).Scallops and boudin noir starter was delicious whilst the fish chowder, albeit very tasty with al dente vegetables, had a disappointing absence of fish. Twice cooked shoulder of lamb main was both generous and excellent but the crab and pea risotto accompanying the main turbot was under-seasoned and bland; the turbot was perfectly cooked.The creme brulee was faultless but a "warm" chocolate brownie, whilst exceptionally good, was not at all warm, so the very good vanilla ice-cream provided no contrast and did not, could not, melt.All in all, nearly excellent but just not quite.

Ate here on Saturday night. Dog friendly area and also separate one We had potted lobster and Shetland mussels to start and both were delicious A sirloin steak cooked to perfection and home cooked haddock and chips to follow Excellent meal and very good service Would recommend highly

Great food, lots of fresh fish on specials board, cod, plaice, bream, hake, monkfish and scallops. The a la carte menu had lobster, fish and chips and plenty of non fish choices. Would definitely go again. Probably have to book a table for evenings as even full in February.