Marsden Grotto in South Shields

Such a beautiful and unique spot! Lovely food, fresh and well presented! Hotel rooms look gorgeous too Erin ever so kindly let me look at them and they are a little bit of luxury! 100% recommendation!

I've given 5 stars because the location is superb. The decor is lovely, lots of seating and lovely views. The staff are friendly and efficient. I visited to have a meal for my birthday. However, if this review was based on that meal it would be 3 stars or less. I was not impressed with the food at all. In fact I think it would be a very busy place if the food was improved. Very quiet for a sunny Friday evening. But I will be going there again for a drink as it's such a beautiful spot.

My boyfriend and I parked down at fairgrounds and walked along the coast line to The Grotto. We were in awe at the pub and the surrounding location and views. We had a drink of beer and wine, and then beer and coffee, which were reasonable priced, and sat back and enjoyed watching the waves crash onto the shore. Inside the pub was very clean and very modern and we had great service. The pub was decorated lovely and it felt wonderful to sit in and admire. We also sat outside as well and enjoyed the fresh air and the sounds of the birds and the waves. It wasn’t very busy either so it was nice and quiet and relaxing. The facilities were all clean and tidy. We will definitely be returning and bring loved ones to enjoy this beautiful pub.

Stopped here for a bite to eat and a drink during a walk along the coast. The entrance is grotty and could do with a good sweep and a mop. First impressions do count! Got the lift down to the restaurant and it is fascinating to see the way it has been integrated with the rock. We decided to sit outside as it was such a beautiful day. This area too could do with a brush to remove the cigarette butts and debris around the tables. I appreciate it does get messy with birds as they are nesting up in the cliffs but it's inexcusable not to make an effort. The tables needed wiping too but the servers just seemed intent on standing around chatting. We shared a crab roll & salt and pepper chips as the prices were steep! The crab roll was quite dry to be honest. It was meant to have brown and white meat with mayonnaise but we could only find a small amount of white meat with a scrap of mayonnaise. Poor value for money. The salt and pepper chips were very nice but very spicy with chillis & it doesn't specify this on the menu! Expensive too for a standard portion. We would not return as they are taking the proverbial with their prices. It is a damn right rip off.

Sunday date with my daughter and the dog didn't disappoint. Being sunday lunchtime on a lovely sunny day, we had to wait of about 40 minutes for food, but staff were very apologetic. The wait didn't actually appear that long as we chatted and enjoyed the view over the beach from the outdoor seatting area. The dog was given a bowl for water that could be filled from the outdoor tap and really fussed over when staff and other visitors passed by. Food was absolutely amazing and the gorgeous and unique setting made it just perfect 👌