Zen in County Durham

Awesome food and great atmosphere 👌

Food was divine. Service perfect. We were just too close to the couple on the next table who took 100's of photos with flash throughout the meal.

Whenever we stay at the beautiful Hotel Indigo we just walk around the corner to zen. We have never been disappointed. First class food. Brilliant service. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend 👌

What a fantastic experience from start to Finnish . We received a warm welcome from the manager Sophie and looked after very professionally by savanah. Food was superb and I would definately reccomend the restaurant to anyone . Finally we must mention Kate too who was very chatty and helpful. Don’t believe the negative reviews this place is a gem.

Recommended by a friend, so decided to go. Food was absolutely fantastic, everything is freshly cooked. If there is an incredient you don't like, ask for it to be removed. I had the weeping tiger for my main course with the beef option, beautifully cooked. Staff and service was supurb, could not fault it. Atmosphere is lovely, very relaxing. Parking is on the street but there is plenty, fee is 30P for 30 mins. Pay by phone of there is a machine which takes contactless or cash. I will certainly be returning

The hostess at the gate was so used to saying no tables are available without booking that even though I said we had a booking she said sorry we have no tables available. We had to be repeat ourselves that we had a booking….phew!! We were then offered our table. We had booked it as a treat to me on my birthday of which they took details of when taking the booking. There was no mention, no wishes or no little treat at the end. It was a little disappointing! Once we were at our table the service was quick and friendly. The cocktails were delicious but the food was not up to the mark. The ho fun were dry and the platter seemed reheated.

Ive visited Zeb many times. On this occasion I booked a table for my mother’s 84th birthday using their website. The booking was from 12 until 2. After being caught in traffic and my mother tripping over as we left I called to communicate this. Upon arrival we were greeted by a rude, hard-faced floor manager who told us our table had been given away as we were more than 15 minutes late. Our only option was to sit outside, in November. My mother froze through her birthday meal. Such a shame when businesses forget they are dealing with people in favour of profit and take an unforgiving stance toward their customers. We won’t be coming back.

We were here for an 18th birthday. It was beautiful. I can't recommend Zen highly enough. Polite staff, great food and a lovely atmosphere.

A beautiful relaxed place to have a great meal .... highly recommend it

What a find! Beautiful restaurant with amazing food, everything we ordered was top notch! Loves the taste of Zen starter so you could have a little try of more things. I would recommend that you book as we were very lucky to walk in and get a seat. Can’t wait till our next visit.

Worst experience ever. Sat at a table where the management knew there was a problem with foul stench. The staff later told us they had been out earlier in the day to purchase air fresheners to mask the smell. Apparently the sewers to the rear of the property had been flushed the day before. The manager informed me that this is common occurrence as the Police HQ have problems. We were sat at a table and as soon as we sat down, we could smell a putrid aroma. We asked to be moved but there was only a table outside which could accommodate our party size. The waitress put the incense burner on the mask the smell. When the bill came I told the manager that although the food had been very nice, but the smell kept wafting around the table. He apologised and gave us a discount which to be honest did not recompense the experience. The manager then told us that he had rang a party booked for that table later and explained the problem!! Pity he hadn’t rang us!

Came for a meal for our anniversary, lovely food as usual, very polite staff.

Went to eat here clearly wasn't dress up enough told us there has no room but plenty of empty tables there loss because I certainly won't try again must be doing well to turn away busines Your staff didn't even try to entertain us like I day you most be really busy to turn people away never even said sorry we are busy come back in a hour or two it was a simple no your loss I certainly won't try again

Beware chef loves salt, I ordered the Khua Gling, Southern Thai dry curry, ground chicken, was basically like minced chicken cooked with a really salty stock cube, had zero heat to it. I tried to make it taste better by asking for a satay sauce, but it was no good, couldn't finish it, had the Weeping Tiger, that was nice, also ordered some Salt & Pepper Fries, recommended by the staff, my god, they where like someone was shaking salt on them from a salt shaker, but the lid came off, I literally had one fry and my lips were tingling from the volume salt. Won't be rushing back anytime soon, shame they've been good the last few times.

Fantastic place, amazing food, staff very friendly ❤️❤️❤️

A very nice meal although the curry was very spicy hot. So if you choose something with one chilli icon, it means it's more like 2 or 3. I mentioned this to the waitress and she said she would pass it on. I spoke to a friend the next day and they said exactly the same from their meal there last month. So maybe this is something they should let you know when you order.

Racist , rude and harsh treatment.

The meal was satisfactory, I was not keen on the flavours, as it tasted sweet (but that will be down to personal taste). The staff were pleasant. They had gluten-free options, which was good. My friends enjoyed their meals, and the staff were pleasant.

Lovely meal attentive polite staff definitely worth a visit.

Great food and friendly staff. A nice dog friendly covered area outside.

I tried to make a reservation in person and the lady who apparently owns/manages it is SO RUDE!!! Incredibly vile honestly. She was physically pushing me and just being so disrespectful and nasty, so I left without a reservation. I HIGHLY recommend you take your money to somewhere like Nandon Thai instead for a much better experience. P.S. I don’t know this for sure, but I am black and none of my non-black friends have reported a similar experience so she could be a raging racist also.

Lovely meal at Zen with friends. We’ve been going to Zen for years. It has a special ambience, the food’s always been delicious and the service attentive.

It had been a while since we dined at Zen, and it hadn't changed since the last visit. The food was tasty, well presented and plenty of it. If we had one criticism it would be that we felt rushed , as we were in and out inside of 45 minutes

A great restaurant with amazing food! I recommend booking on busy nights as it is always a popular choice in Durham.

Fabulous Thai food, laid back atmosphere and friendly staff. We will return nest time we have an evening in Durham. Would recommend.

Really lovely family meal here. The food was excellent, the only complaint being the main course portions were too big! Our daughter had pad Thai and it filled her up then the leftovers did me and my husband a meal the next day! Service was excellent, attentive without being in your face. Nice atmosphere on a Wednesday night. All seemed very clean. Good value for money, too.

Celebrated a family birthday at Zen in September. Absolutely fabulous, from the welcome from the staff, the excellence of the food, right through to the relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant itself. We’ve been visiting Zen for a long time for many occasions and celebrations, travelling from outside of Durham to do so. Never been disappointed and the food just keeps getting better. A big thank you to all at Zen for another great experience.

Very disappointed, not a great start, a member of staff knocked a pint of larger over me, very apologetic and replaced the drink , nevertheless, I had to spend five minutes drying my top and had to sit in wet jeans (the toilet dryer was the hands in device). The drinks order was incorrect several times. I would have maybe expected a free drink at least. I didn’t complain, didn’t think I would have to.

Great place for lunch with friends on a bank holiday. Booked for lunch and spoilt for choice with menu. Enjoyable afternoon

Nice atmosphere , great menu and welcoming staff

Have been to this place a few times and the food is always great. The only reason I have marked this down is because of our experience this time. The food service was good, however, we were visiting with kids. The table behind us were incredibly rude about our kids and questioned why we were visiting so late in the evening. Whilst trying to control and calm the situation, the couple continued their tirade and won’t stop.all this time the staff just stood there without intervening or even attempting to calm the couple. I would have expected the staff to at least attempt to calm the situation.

We called in without having booked & were seated straight away. Service was excellent & food was delicious. We both opted for noodle dishes (drunken duck & meatfeast). The portions were very generous.

Brilliant food , atmos etc cannot fault A+++

I love Zen, their food is absolutely amazing. My last encounter though was horrible with one of the servers. I don’t know her name, might have been the manager; a tallish slim blonde lady who was just plain outright rude

I have been a frequent customer of Zen since it opened. Excellent food, good value for money. First class service and friendly atmosphere.

This might be the best green curry I've ever eaten. Simply delicious. Restaurant lives up to its Zen promise.

We visited on Saturday, I've been here before but my friends haven't. The food was absolutely lovely, you don't feel rushed to eat and leave, lovely atmosphere. Will be back soon!

Prawn star starter is a must-have when dining here.

We visited Zen two nights ago arriving just before 20:50. Having checked that the restaurant closes at 21:30, we thought we would ask if it is still okay for us to dine there. As restaurant owners ourselves, we were fully aware that they may say it's too late and had they said that, we would have been absolutely okay. The waitress (who appeared to be the floor manager) seemed hesitant and was not really welcoming, so when she told us to come in, I asked again "is it okay?" And she said yes and walked us to a table in a corner. We sat down at exactly 20:51 where she told us we need to be quick and order by 21:00. She then came back at 20:54 and asked us to place our order. Luckily we had looked over the menu before so we managed to order in the 3 minutes that they allowed. We were served the wrong drink initially. No one asked us if the food was okay. No one asked us if we wanted dessert. We rushed with our food because of the reactions we had received thinking it's late, only to see that the table next to us got their main course at 21:30 (closing time) and had just ordered a new round of drinks. Fortunately for them, the staff were doing a lovely job with their service. Was it because there was 5 of them? Was it because they looked more well off? Was it because they came into the restaurant before us? Who knows! To top it all off, the bill came with an automatic 10% tip... for the lovely lovely service that we did not get. It's such a shame because this could've been a great experience.

Definitely deserves the high score. Flavourful well prepared dishes, generous quantity and a pleasant atmosphere. The service was efficient but slightly lacked warmth. But who cares when the food is this good. The wine choices could be of a better quality. This place will be our regular for the value and high standards. Highly recommended if you are into Southeast Asian cuisines.

One of the nicest restaurants i have visited in a long while. The food here is something else, amazing.

Overpriced food for what it was. A total waste of money, I've had a lot better.

We had booked for my son graduation and it was worth every penny. Chilled relaxed atmosphere, great choice of food. Bottle of Presico, round of drinks, mixed starter boxes , 6 main courses for £36 per person which I considered a steal seeing the food was excellent. To be honest I would go back without hesitation if in the area again. Thanks Zen.

Excellent food and attentive staff at a great location

Booked for a birthday meal , food was absolutely amazing the staff where very friendly and couldn't do more I'd highly recommend and have been back many times since

Loved the green curry and mocktail. Wasn't very fond of the chicken satay and sauce. Good service and nice atmosphere.

First time with this type of food. Not my favourite.

Very nice food and friendly staff. Didn't like they add 10% to your bill as a tip. Even though they say it's voluntary.

The service was friendly, welcoming and attentive without being overly so. The choice of food was very good and when the meals we ordered arrived at the table not only did it look appetising it tasted delicious. Overall a very pleasing dining experience and one we’d happily recommend.

Always a treat to eat here. Excellent menu. Efficient service. Dishes beautifully presented. Tastes fantastic. Highly recommend.

Decorations were so pretty!! A ride range of food and delicious meals!! Starters were astounding and the service was as best as it gets! So lovely and the restaurant was out of the way in a nice spot!! Would visit again!

All of our food was excellent! My wife is Thai and she was very impressed also. The flavours of the dishes were amazing and the presentation was fantastic. The only recommendation that I would make is that some of the staff members could be more friendly and engaging with customers

Amazing as always, fantastic service and food full of flavour and filling. This place never disappoints and remains my favourite place to dine

Fantastic as always, even though i have seen many staff come and go over the years, the food here has always been incredible. The surroundings are also fab, its just a great place to dine in Durham, probably one of the best to be honest,

Tom Yum Gai soup was amazing - spicy from the chilli peppers, acidity from the lemongrass and slight kick from the ginger. Highly recommend, adding noodles to it makes it the perfect amount for a meal on its own!

Refuse to serve for no reason, so poor

Good food nice place decent value

Always a pleasure. Fabulous food, great service always. Everything is taste sensation.

The best orders were green curry, crispy chili beef and big tso’s

My absolute favourite restaurant in Durham. Excellent food, fantastic service, and great atmosphere. Especially the crispy chilli beef and teriyaki are such good dishes.

Lovely Thai food, lots of choice and good service

World class menu. Attentive service.

Going to Zen is such a treat we actually went twice in one week as I couldn’t think of anywhere better to celebrate my birthday. The food is always delicious and the staff attentive. I realised once I’d come home that there was an error in my payment, but even though I had no receipt, it was sorted over the phone in just a few minutes. Great customer care.

Lovely staff, nice decor, and fabulous food. What more can I say.

Some of the best food we have eaten in a long time, not the cheapest but you pay for what you get. Would recommend no problem

I believe this place has some of the best thai flavours outside Thailand. It is set in a lovely building with an asian twist running throughout it. The staff was very friendly and attentive and the portions were huge! The food was cooked perfectly, and the ingredients used made this an even more authentic experience. 5* highly recommend. Look forward to coming back to try the rest of the menu :-)

Food and service excellent Although the chillis in the curry took their toll the next day. I'd say ring Sting but there's nothing he could do about it

Lovely lunch in great restaurant

Robyn is an absolute credit to the business. So kind and so helpful when I was experiencing issues with my food, she put me and my partner at ease immediately. Once sorted, the tropical curry was fantastic, chunks of real lychee and pineapple, and my partner definitely enjoyed the meat feast noodles. Would definitely recommend, great food and even better service.

Wonderful new menu. Great food.

Fantastic Thai restaurant with a cool vibe for diners. Cannot fault service and quality offered .

Very tasty food, portions are very large so don't be tempted to order too much. Service was fairly miserable but the food made up for it.

Great food, great service and a friendly atmosphere.

It’s one of the best Thai restaurants I’ve been to! The food is AMAZING. I had chicken curry and it was awesome. The mocktail was also superb. Will definitely come back next time I’ll be in the area

Absolutely one of the best restaurants I've ever visited. The mixed platter as a starter is heavenly and I'd die for their Singapore Vermicelli. Book in advance; it's more than worth it for the atmosphere, food and service.

Amazing food and cocktails. Will be going again.

Never dissappoints - fantastic for lunch

Excellent! Lovely place that serves delicious Thai food. Service is great staff and very attentive. Highly recommend 👌

Really nice experience. Food was really nice, lots to choose from off the menu. Staff were really helpful and didn’t feel rushed. Price was reasonable.

What an amazing place! We had booked a table outside and were a bit nervous because the forecast temperature wasn't great, but it was well heated and a really nice space! The food was out of this world, the sharing starter was definitely worth the money for a special occasion. We tried a couple of new things and they were so good. Service was brilliant too. Only negative was an extremely wobbly table, nearly lost our drinks a couple of times it was so bad. But that didn't spoil an amazing experience, can't wait to come back.

Probably the best Thai restaurant in the North East. Fantastic gluten free options. You can even take your dog outside in the covered area.

Great food, lovely surroundings, not the cheapest but it is quality

Food was out of this world they take pride in their food Service very friendly would highly recommend this place

Very bad food quality, after eating this I start to vomit and have diarrhea for the whole night.and the milk tea they serve is made by some powder, it sucks!!!!! I am so regret eating here 🙂 🙂 🙂 Lightning protection restaurant...I had vomiting and diarrhea after eating it. The Thai milk I ordered was actually the same as the Xiangpiaopiao fragrant taro milk tea. It tasted the same and had the same straw. There was also a few coconuts in the Xiangpiaopiao milk tea. Do you think I can't drink a mint? I'm drunk too... definitely don't go, it's very expensive and not worth the price at all.

Sadly no photo's, I visited yesterday with some work colleagues for a leaving do. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Everyone was happy with what they ordered. I had Teriyaki Chicken with Egg fried rice and it was lush. Highly recommend, will definitely visit again. Thank you!

Cocktails were amazing ordered the Singapore sling and lotus blossom and they were very nicely decorated. The staff are very friendly service was great. Food was amazing the pad Thai was the best pad Thai I’ve ever tried and generous portion sizes. Will come back !

Everything’s about Zen was absolutely perfect, the food was exceptional and the mocktails were fabulous, we chose to dine outside for the evening and the atmosphere was amazing, the heaters kept us lovely and warm.

First time visiting and will not be the last. We travelled to Durham for a 40th birthday celebration. Booked in advance and got a great table. Service was excellent only beaten by the amazing food. We went for the sharing platter followed by Green Thai curry and Jungle curry. It is very rare that I can honestly say not a single thing could have been better. I would normally take a few photos of the food but in all honesty the food speaks for itself so not required just go and try it :)

Can't fault this venue it's brilliant

I can appreciate the food is really nice as my family enjoyed theirs. However, I have an intolerance to food spices and was told the thai yellow had absolutely no spice to it what so ever. I received the meal, started eating it and my mouth started to tingle so I knew straight away it had spice in it. If I finished the dish I would have been seriously un well! I asked for the manager, and firstly she said did I make anyone aware, I didn’t because all I was asked was if I had any allergies to which I don’t. I then asked the correct questions to the waitress with my intolerance in mind by simply asking is it spicy. To take 10% off the bill, then add gratuity onto the bill of 10% was insulting to be honest however didn’t want to make a scene in front of the family. Guys, sort out the service. If something goes wrong, own it, remove it from the bill! As a business you need to be gaining customers, not loosing them. Will most definitely not return.

Delicious (spicy!) food from a very comprehensive menu, and sophisticated cocktails with thoughtful Far Eastern twists. Brilliant atmosphere with laid back but buoyant ambient music

Excellent lunch. Very good value for such quality. Staff friendly and polite. Attention to detail was obvious at every step. The aromatic crispy duck was superb. Couldn’t fault the visit.

We had booked a table for four, five of us turned up, we were quickly catered to. The food was a little more expensive than what we usually spend on a lunch. The quality and quantity was excellent. This was only our second visit here, we will be coming back.

A lovely restaurant with great food made to high quality, and service was great, soft lighting and comfortable seating

Extremely average overpriced food, shocking service from waiting staff. Never asked for a drink once throughout the meal and sat with empty glasses throughout most of the meal. Asked for water on the table several times and am still waiting for it yet. When we complained about this we were flippantly told by the waiter that the OPTIONAL service charge would be removed from the bill with no apology. The same waiter then laughed at me from a distance when I was complaining to the manager, appalling unprofessionalism. Will never return, there are far better places to eat than here.

Extremely disappointed. Venue looks good but not backed up by the food or service. The food arrived about 5 mins after ordering, a bit quick. Flavours lacking. We were then ignored by staff and then expected a service charge !

Great surroundings ...fantastic service and food with excellent ambience ... highly recommend a visit if in Durham ..

Our favourite restaurant, fantastic food and service as always. Recommend to all great friendly place with great food choices

I’ve been to Zen numerous times over the years and recently 3 times within 10 days. This is one of the best places to eat in the Northeast, the food is always fantastic, staff are friendly and accommodating and the setting and ambiance are perfect. If you haven’t been you need to go.

This would have been a lovely birthday lunch , if the waiter had not tried to withdraw £902 for our meal, which then we had to spend the remainder of our time checking online banking and wait for a report to be ran. Spoilt our whole experience and my birthday out to be honest, mistakes do happen but he never even returned to the table another waitress just came over and asked for payment totally oblivious.