Wetherspoons the William Stead in Darlington

If I could put zero stars I would. Went for drinks and a meal with my girlfriend who went to the bar to order for us. Both meals came with free drinks but the barmaid made a mistake and didn't get one of the free drinks with the food that my gf had already paid for. After my gf had made the staff member who called herself the manager aware that one of the free drinks hadn't been added she told her that she had already agreed to the transaction and if we wanted a drink with it we would have to pay for it. Obviously this made my gf embarrassed and she came to get me to sort it out but I got exactly the same treatment and she repeated the same thing to me that we had already agreed to it and if we wanted the drink now we would have to pay. Things got heated as the girl was like the character out of little Britain basically saying computer says no! How she has the audacity to call herself the manager I will never know, she is an embarrassment to the chain and should not be working there. I for one will never go to William stead again after going there for years.

Awful service at the bar it took so long to get served very poor indeed will not be coming back and the lady at the bar wasn't at all friendly.

Arctic air conditioning asked staff to temper the AC blowing very cold air over us hardly conducive off a relaxed meal, told its either on or off been here many times before it's never blown this much cold air, been fobbed off by staff, AC is adjustable it's not on or off totally poor meal environment far too cold and blowing over us

Started my day being ignored at the bar. I know I am little but I am not invisible. Two chicken tika masala with rice (nice),plane nan(ok) and 2 each x 1week old poppadoms (horrible). Ordered a side of 12 onion rings Only 10 in the bowl...not happy as all were little ones and 2 missing .

Breakfast at The William Stead was our quarry. We were in search of bacon, cylindrical pork products, hash browns, beans, toast, eggs and coffee so endless that a caffeine induced headache was almost inevitable. And do you know what, the Steadster didn't disappoint in any way. There was bacon, yes. It wasn't cooked until crispy, but it was there nonetheless. Cylindrical porkiness was certainly on the plate, I can attest to that, in all it's blandness. There it stood, the breakfast flood barrier holding back the baked bean river threatening to unleash sauce upon the toast. It was fight made all the easier by the slight microwave skin encrusting the beans like wax on Edam cheese. The poached eggs were good, runny yolk is always a bonus. It was a perfectly acceptable way to start the day on a budget and we were very happy with what was served. The pub was comfortable enough and as a Wetherspoons entry was a reasonable addition. I did leave with a cracking caffeine headache too.

Overall the drinks were good and the bar staff were friendly enough, the problem is the breakfast. Whichever muppet was working in the kitchen that day decided it would be a good idea to put a handful of Red onion in the middle of a pancake stack. It made the whole thing taste vile. I emailed head office who are as much use as a chocolate teapot

Called with a family group to eat. Food cold service was very slow. Complained about food but had to complain a second time as nobody seemed to bothered. Could understand if the pub was busy but it was pretty much empty. Some staff surlyand borderline rude. Definitely one to avoid.

Always done Right, I have yet to fault the food or drink at this Spoons. The staff are dutifully attentive and sincere. Fast and efficient service and cleanliness for customer turn around. A credit to Tim's team, truly appreciated 👍.

We frequently eat here and the food has always been excellent, except tonight. I have never had such a horrible steak. Asked for a med rare sirloin. Got a flat, overcooked piece of gristle. Enjoyed the side salad. At least it was fresh. Our son ordered a pizza. They didn't even cut it and the knife was so blunt, he ended up breaking pieces off with his fork. I will think twice before going to the Stead again.

This is a great place to come to for food, we were served real quick which is good. Our food was delicious and the staff are really friendly and helpful, would certainly come here again when in the area. Thanks guys

Was doubtful about eating here after reading the reviews but really enjoyed it. Pub was very busy but we found a seat and ordered on the app. Drinks came really quickly and the food not that long after. I had lasagne and chips and my husband had ham, eggs and chips and no complaints at all. Ok not gourmet style food but it was tasty and not expensive. Happily go there again.

went for a meal before bus back home what a big mistake we got a pizza and a chicken bucket,the pizza was under cooked the dough was like rubber there was hardly anything on it so bland tha chicken was lovely but the chips were only luke warm do yourself a favour and use tanners lovely in there

Service and value for money at this Spoons were awful .Terrible WIfi so unable to order via App .The worst Spoons locally by a mile .Go to the others .Wont be back.

I am 16 years old and me and two my friends ,also 16, went in for dinner at 5:30 on a Wednesday night when we were asked to leav. They informed us that management had said if we had no proof of being 18 or over we had to go .i replied saying we were only ordering food not drinks ,in belief that they thought we were trying to get served. However i was then told I must be accompanied by an adult after 4pm if I wanted to oder food. This had baffled me as it dose not only not comply with government regulations but it also contradicts themselves as I have been in after 4pm multiple occasions in the last few months.

Not a lot to say, standard Wetherspoons experience but the more ‘upmarket’ of the 2 pubs in the town. Have been a few times when visiting friends in the area and it’s always good for a great range of beer on tap and atmosphere is ok. Food is nothing remarkable, but it’s not ‘The Ivy’ so for the price it’s acceptable.

Well this was a fantastic breakfast cooked to perfection with everything you could ask for including free refills with coffee and quick service from staff

Nice decent food,pleasant staff 🙂 i stayed at mercure hotel which is very nearby William Stead pub.

I love this pub, great food, attentive service. Specially would like to mention james and matt for friendly, courteous and fast service.Best in town, would recommend to everyone... great vibes. Keep up the good work.

I always feel ripped off when I have breakfast in here. I never get what I order. The customer service is not the best either. But it is cheap. Say no more……

Lovely atmosphere and decor, class pints and cocktail jug for the missus. Made up for our so called ‘Italian’ last week. The kids loved their froot shoot and fish and chip. Me pizza wus lush and me missus loved her food. Can’t wait to go again next week for me fry up and a pint wen the kids are at school with the ladsssssssssss. UTB🔴⚪️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿💪🏻🐶👍🍺MINT🍳🍺

My daughter has chronic pain issues and whilst we were on our way to the train station her knee went. Whilst we tried to get there show got pale and was looking faint. I got her in and sat with leg elevated. Ashley and Alison behind the bar for is a warm compress and were polite, professional and a god damned credit to the place. Outstanding work all round.

It's a while since we've been to the William Stead so I was looking forward to going. Sadly, one of the worst meals I've ever had. After a very long wait at the bar ( despite the place being almost empty) my husband ordered steak & chips for himself & a small vegetable pizza for me. The food arrived very quickly (which I'm always dubious about) & the pizza was dreadful, lukewarm, soggy & with barely any topping, a couple of bits of dried out mushroom & courgette. The tomato base tasted awful & subsequently I left most of it. My husband said his steak was "ok" but again, his chips were lukewarm. Add to this the fact that the table didn't look terribly clean & we were constantly attacked by flies. I couldn't wait to get out of the place & I won't be returning any time soon. Won't be recommending it to anyone either!!

Usually breakfasts are tasty and good value ours today was barely cooked raw hashbrowns and bacon fatty and not cooked enough disappointed.

Come here at least once a fortnight usually have nothing to complain about but never have I been asked for ID after already speaking to a member of staff about the pitchers m. I went back to table and ordered through the app, for the drinks to appear and be asked for ID! (I’m 30) Why not question my age and ask for ID when I first spoke! This women definitely didn’t have great customer service.

Food wasn’t hot, looked reheated. Wouldn’t have fed my rabbit the lettuce that was produced on our plates (photo to follow) bad stomachs all around. Never stepping foot in the place again. When we complained we where told the kitchen would take the lettuce off the menu for the day… people sat next to us had the exact same problem.

Tried to visit a couple of times but was always too busy to get a decent seat. Hit lucky Sunday evening as it was much quieter. However the meal was disappointing. I had the chicken madras. Didn’t have a very long wait for it to...

Been to this pub many times for drinks / food , sometimes it’s ok, sometimes good,occasionally dire… Today was the latter. Couple of drinks …fine.Ultimate burger for hubby, Christmas cheesy burger for me. Both burgers served stone cold…chips slightly warm. Taken back to staff…came back,...

I visited The William Stead during the past week with a colleague for afternoon drinks. The upstairs restaurant was very busy serving families, college students with meals and other people just meeting up for a drink and chat. The person we recognised as a hard...

Over the 3 nights in Darlington we chose to eat at this Wetherspoons only the once, big mistake! We wished we had gone there the 3 nights running! I had a skinny chicken burger and my other half had the ultimate burger. We are regulars...

Popped in here earlier this week, a bit dark, normal cheap drink clientel , was thinking of eating but put off by large number of unfinished plates being collected and food disposed of. Not sure if its a darlington thing but tattoos seem obligitory. Wont...

Very poor, we’re going off Wetherspoons breakfasts. Had the two poached egg dishes. All four eggs were totally hard. We asked why this was in a virtually deserted restaurant and were told they come in cooked and are just put in the microwave!! Well maybe...

One of the best Wetherspoons I've been in the William stead in Darlington they service was fantastic, fast friendly and catered to everyone's needs with a lovely warm smile.. I will definitely be coming back again

Hardly a soul in the place, orderedon the app as per COVID guide lines, waited 25 minutes while our drinks sat on a tray on the bar. One drink was vile, asked for a replacement, for that drink to then sit on a tray for...

We were visiting Darlington and, of course, had to find a Wetherspoon pub. We had the Mediterranean Vegetarian Lasagne served with a bowl of salad, at a cost of £7.95 each including a drink and shared a small portion of chips at £1.05. It was...

Called in Saturday evening, got a table straight away even though it was pretty busy. Ordered 3 plates which came really quickly and were really tasty. During our stay our drinks orders were always served quickly with little wait time. Great to see a busy...

I went to this pub during a visit to Darlington, I just had a drink as it was quite busy. There was a good selection of drinks at reasonable prices. There is also an upstairs bar, recommended.

Great table service, using the app.. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Very professional and safe.. Such an improvement from August.. 😊

Visited here for breakfast, done everything through the app fast and efficient, staff were observed regularly sanitizing so no complaints here.

Ordered breakfast at 11, used the app to make it easy, breakfast came out and the only thing warm was the deep fried hash browns - asked for new but they ran out, the only plus side is i got a full refund.

Arrived in restaurant to a clean and very well set up floor space, served by a lovely lady (Debbie) whom was well presented and polite, food arrived hot. Really nice to be back, always find it a pleasure coming here.

popped in for a couple of drinks was a nice place to drink lots of choice as always with weatherspoons the place was buzzing the food was leaving the kitchen at a pace looked nice beers was tasty as always

Visited here with a few friends and ordered using the app. Service was amazing!! My drinks were there within 2 minutes and my food was excellent. Well worth the visit

William steads is the best wetherspoons in the county by far. The staff are attentive helpful friendly and take a real pride in their work. If I could give six stars I would.

with the nice staff and service i cannot say the same about the food!!! clearly the Williams Stead’s food service has dropped since everything 50% off?? my steak which i asked for rare was well over done, gravely and grainy, overall horrible, my friends cake was rock hard at the edges, and my brownie had a hair in it!! come one stead’s...

My brother who is 22, with downs syndrome was asked to leave as he could not produce a 'driving license' for buying a pint of shandy, resulting in him feeling embarrassed and upset. Think you need to get some kind of training in place for all members of staff instead of being ignorant and uneducated, will not be visiting again.

Large groups of youths.. Very loud and swapping tables all the time and kept knocking the dividing screens. One table had 12 round it.. Staff did ask them to tone it down but no mention about the numbers. When I voiced my opinion a staff member said there was noting they could do!! Yes you can you can ask them to leave.. Will not be returning as no concern for social distancing. Very disappointed.

Food and drink was ok....however lots of young uns , NO social distancing whatsoever ....!!!! VERY uncomfortable atmosphere !! Will NOT be returning anytime soon !!!!! 😢😢😢😢☹️😢☹️☹️☹️😢☹️☹️

Tim Martin, hang your head in shame. Absolutely shocking. Dirty tables not cleared, or sanitised. Names, contact details for tracing - non-existent. Social distancing - they didn't know what is was. This pub is back to once was pre-outbreak. Best breeding ground for second Covid spike...

Accidentally spilt ice on the table so moved tables for the bar man to come over and fling blue roll and a cloth over us telling us to go clean it, bar maid come past we stopped her to ask a question and she said your stood here wasting my time And walked off. Manager then come over and was being lovely explaining his situation which was appreciated.

Had the large breakfast and it was worth the money. Bacon was under cooked for me but still edible. Ordered via the app and the food came quickly. Staff were very pleasant. Had to empty my own table though on arrival.

We use this pub regularly, however food is VERY hit and miss. Often served cold and has to be sent back. Management don’t seem to care. Kitchen staff must have no pride in what they do !!

Been before and had no complaints. This time we were disappointed as although the service was very good and still great drinks prices, there are issues that need addressing. Firstly one of the coffee machines was out of service as it was waiting to be cleaned and the whole area dirty and untidy. Although it wasn't really busy, a lot of tables had not been cleared and cleaned and the chair seat coverings were filthy and stained. Such a pity as this is the better of the 2 Spoons in town.

Typical pub atmosphere, BUT the meal was awful - quite the worst steak I have EVER had to try and eat, It was like stringy rubber and not that hot. My wife's meal although tastewise was ok but only luke warm. I will not be going back there................

Went at 10am ordered bacon bun and coffee. Waited ages get served as only 1 person on. No spoons for coffee area which was also a mess after lots complaints and a que waiting for a spoon 10mins later we were given a dessert spoon....yep 1 for 4 people!!The tables were dirty and it was cleaned after bacon buns arrived after asking. Food was like warm. The place was dirty on tables and carpets and we were not impressed so left. We will not be returning and wouldn't recommend.

we visited here on Saturday aftervnoon before going back to our hotel to get ready to go to a show at the Hippodrome and ordered food I had sirloin steak (medium) and chips hubby had mixed grill. My steak arrived ( well done) hubby's food was just piled on top of each other but it was hot and edible and it is weatherspoons so you're not expecting 5*. The following morning we went back to have breakfast before setting off home now I know I said we didn't expect 5* but if this review was based on breakfast alone it would be a zero * everything was cold on the plate, traditional breakfast, the very loud music coming from the kitchen every time the door opend must have been putting the staff off hearing the microwave ping as that is the only reason I could assume it was cold, definately will not be going back for food.

Well maintained , really busy , cheap drinks , reasonable food, just what you would expect from this chain, staff working flat out to keep queues down.....

This is exactly as you would expect if you've been in any other Wetherspoons - cheap. It's a bit difficult to go beyond that - surly, overworked, minimum-wage staff, dubious quality beer, and the standard menu... Good for breakfast, otherwise just so-so. Sadly another example of WS remaining on the bottom rung in terms of quality... 3 stars is a compliment...

Pretty good beer on here and food was decent aswell had burger which was good value. would recommend

Needed to grab a quick bite before the cinema, opted for the British beef chilli which was £4.99 came with rice, crisp tortillas & sour cream, arrived really quickly & hit the mark, enjoyed it, loved the draught Kopperberg too!

Whatever your purpose of your visit to Darlington or to this Restaurant. Pleasure, Business or socially related. This is conveniently located within 1 minute walk into the Town Centre. Wi-Fi access via the cloud, very strong constant connection. The Menu is fantastic for what it is. It's diversified and caters well for a range of people. Coffee is well priced refillable @ £1:34 although once I was charged £1:35 (accidentally) I'm sure.! Most of the staff are polite & Courteous. Belongs to the JD Weatherspoons group, however looks more Aesthetically pleasing interior and exterior than most you have probably visited in the past.! Remember, Your visiting a weatherspoons and consider this before writing reviews berating staff members and the menu selection. If you want high end presentation then maybe you should be in the RITZ.... 4 Hour train journey, you get my point! Keep up the good work & look forward to my next visit. Does tend to get very busy in the afternoon stroke evening, so if you wanted to dine out for any other reason IE romantically this is NOT the place to take your future Mrs!

Went in here to meet my friends friend and stayed for lunch nice clean friendly place and priced not bad

We have eaten at lots of Weatherspoons all over England over the last 20 years.

I won't go anywhere else for breakfast. They have lots of choice at great prices, and it got even better a while ago when they started offering black pudding as well.

Nice spacious atmosphere, and the drinks are nice and cheap. Food was average, but prices are cheap, which makes up for it. Good for pre drinks and meet ups with pals. Staff are also pleasant and helpful

Staff were friendly food came out far to quick within 5 mins same as the week before and the fòod was poor then so came back this week to see if thier was any improovement on food but thier wasnt eggs looked as though they had been cooked left and reheated in microwave same as sausages then obsviously left on side for server to collect as was stone cold when it arrived at my table hash brown was cooked on outside frozen in center and bacon had obviously been reheated in microwave it was dehydrated and rubbery just awfull cold frozen rubbery textured food no improovement within a week would defo avoid

Yes its a Wetherspoon pub so everyone is familiar with the menu and good value drinks. We came here early Saturday evening and there was a group of lads having a good time and not upsetting anyone except for the noise, so we moved upstairs.What a delight, the seating seemed more comfortable, you could look out to the shops and it was a completely different atmosphere upstairs. The barman was friendly. If you need the full range of beers you need to go downstairs, but its worth it.

Hi we like going to weather-spoons been for breakfast many times and it has always been good

clean. toilets upstairs well looked after. seating up and down area. good clean food. service is very good.prices that we could all afford

Great value for food and drinks. Quick service and friendly staff. Food was very nice and piping hot.

Whist visiting Darlington for 2 nights we stopped for our tea here . Friendly staff lovely setting and generous portions. We keep going back to Wetherspoon as it fit our budget and quality never fails . Keep up the good work

I decided to call in here with my children during the school hols before a bit of retail therapy.

Came here last night really cheap drink we had a great night we enjoyed that much we were one of the last out as closing came enjoying the night did not no where time went

We didn't eat here but met for drinks, service was ok, bar maid friendly enough. Large pub, decent decor.

Decided to eat here as we wanted a cheap and cheerful, we were meeting with friends coming from overseas. We have had really bad experiences with cold food(that should be hot) served here previously but really wanted to give the place another chance. Yes it was a saturday during the school holidays but we were 2 couples(at the same table) that ordered seperately with 30 seconds of each other. Our guests got their food within 15 minutes. After 40 minutes and chasing it we were told our food was just coming out. 40 mins for chicken and ribs and a chicken wrap..... why can't your chef get it right,? And given the look of my salad I think that sat on the pass for 40 mins and you plainly forgot our order!!!shrivelled salad.. .. not at all will I eat here again and will most certainly not recommend.. only gave 1 star as I can't give 0...

Popped in for breakfast. Well cooked, very pleasant staff, clean and tidy. Most definitely worth a visit. Exceptional value. Good disabled access

Luke warm breakfasts and no cutlery offered for me. Bacon looked liked it had been around the world. Later tried a pint but again not impressed.

We knew Wetherspoons give good value so tried this Darlington pub.

Generally a nice place but It was highly disappointing to find one guy serving on the upstairs bar having to run up and down the stairs whilst there is a queue of people at the bar. Reasonably priced meal though and very tasty just such a shame that there is not more staff to cope with what was a heavy demand on that particular afternoon

Up and down experiences with jdw, most are up some are down but this is definitely an up. No kids sat on the bar, good food, clean and tidy, beer great food to die for. Make the William Stead the benchmark for all jdw’s and the world will be a happier place. Great staff. Best we have been in.

Very clean .and food as expected .nice and big .ladies toilets could have done with a good deodorise .

I've been Drinking in Wetherspoons pubs all over the country for over 12 years .. we have two in our town .. one is a proper boozers boozer .. the other is slightly more rounded . The first one does cater to Real ale lovers more and the William Steads is more family and food orientated. With a lot of a younger crowd .. and more a group type environment . This is not to say it's perfect .. Even though i and my friends are pretty muck known faces . And try to be polite and courteous .. it's sometimes not reciprocated . . The staff on a whole are very young . But this is a small quibble .. and to be fair .. it does get very busy . So all in all . If you want some reasonably priced drinks .. it's a good pub

I must complement all the staff for their very hard work, here. I especially appreciate both Amy and Debbie's taking the time to pass the time of day with their customers, especially if I nip in for an afternoon coffee. The food here seem to be very popular too, as it is served quickly, always piping hot (as it should be) and relatively inexpensive. MANY THANKS, Kevin

The larger was nice and cold it has an outside seating area the staff were friendly and the pub was clean

Call in weekly for breakfast, can't complain, generally quick service, decent coffee and breakfast at a good price.

This pub is slightly better than the average Whetherspoons. But the beer and food are still very good value. One large mixed grill, with two sausages, some gammon, a lamb chop and a piece of steak, together with chips, onion rings and an egg, cost just £9.20 and came with a pint of IPA. The food was well cooked and the staff even came around to ask if we had enjoyed our meals, which was a sign of their having confidence in their abilities. I was also offered the chance to try one of the guest beers before buying a pint, which was kind. Upstairs is slightly quieter than downstairs.

On Saturday 13th April a friend and I entered the bar at around 9.30. The three barmaids were congregated around a mobile phone. After a couple of minutes, one asked what we wanted. On ordering two pints, the first was pulled flat. My colleague remarked "London Pints - staff could do with some training". At this the barmaid went off on one saying she had been insulted and did not like our attitude nor being spoken to like that. She finished pulling the pints then went to the bouncers to discuss the situation. When we spoke to them they just shook their heads.

Called in here for a Wetherspoons breakfast. Staff were first class and the food was served promptly and was well cooked and presented. Usual excellent value, a good location and an interesting building. Well worth a visit

Maybe it was full of xmas shoppers and maybe we had a late lunch but it struck me how noisy it was, the food was what you would expect in that kind of a venue, not the best but by no means the worst. All in all ok, you get what you pay for.

Went on Saturday with family while visiting Darlington absolutely filthy did not notice at first as went to the bar to order as we were with our elderly parents. The young couple on the next table were rolling cigs on the table numerous staff passed and saw and did nothing tables absolutely filthy cutlery scarmy food cold only good thing about this place is the lovely staff avoid

We went here yesterday for breakfast as we normally do every couple of weeks

The place was clean and the staff friendly the larger was nice and cold and came in proper glasses,.

We often go here when in Darlington

Again, useless staff, unimpressed with the kitchen, jacket potato served half a shift old. No butter served (unless specifically requested)

Arrived to a very quite morning in The William Stead Wetherspoons, served by a very pleasant young man. 😁 Diligently served with a polite and well mannered demeanour. Served hot vegan breakfasts and hot coffee. Truly appreciate great service Elliot. 💯💯💯💜

Was out shopping Sunday morning with the wife then we decided to call in for breakfast and Coffee., went straight to bar and ordered,plenty of seats and tables,5 minutes later our breakfast arrived, we also got refill cups, drink as much coffee or other hot drinks has you want, all for under £10,not bad, would go back.

Popped in yesterday for a quick early lunch. It was 11:50 and rammed, nearly every table full and so loud. We found one table upstairs that needed clearing and a good clean.

What a cheapskate date night steak to perfection. Pathetic and low life scum. This is laughable saying such things you can get a better steak from chavda smart price in frying steak stupid cnt.

6 of us called for breakfast Sunday morning, served quickly enough as it wasn't particularly busy.

Absolutely delicious we both had sirloin steak and scampi cooked to perfection will definitely be back xxxx

Lunch with friends. Extensive menu. Staff polite and helpful..We enjoy eating in the upstairs restaurant area. Comfortable surroundings.