The Punch Bowl in County Durham

I popped down here for food today. The value for money was excellent, as was the food. More importantly, the staff and owner were incredibly friendly and welcoming to both myself and my dog, who thoroughly enjoyed her sausage and mash! Definitely going back. I am sorry about the quantity of the photograph, but my dog was having far too much fun with the owners dog to standstill and pose)😂

Advertises on bar and website that it serves food til 6. Had nothing at 3 and barman seemed to take delight in saying no food. Been before and enjoyed it won't be back. Edit to reply Actually very glad you are busy and we were there at 3. The barmaid clearly stated only Mince/Dumplings or Stake and Ale left no meats. We were happy to go with one of the options but then the barman leaned in and said no walkins. Leaving us with drinks and no meal. It's the fact you advertise availability til 6 that's a bit misleading

I was planning to stay in a double bedroom with shared bathroom for one night. The room was clean with clean bedding and towels. The decor was tired with paint coming off the walls, tiny TV and poor lighting. The room had a strange smell, it wasn't obvious what it was first however when I boiled the kettle it became pretty clear what it was. The kettle was filled to the brim with urine. I went downstairs to speak to a staff member who then collected the kettle from the room and walked through the busy bar and into the kitchen with the full kettle. Although the staff member was very apologetic they offered nothing and they still have not replied to booking.com after I raised my concerns. However they were pretty quick at renting the same room out to someone else after I left trying to find alternative accommodation on a Saturday night. I also wonder how much effort they then put into airing the urine steam filled bedroom and cleaning around the kettle space on that busy evening with only a few staff, as well as finding another kettle for the guest who stayed in the same room that night. Based on this experience I would not put my feet through the door again.

Food and staff are amazing, tried the Sunday lunch for the first time and have to say it's best around the beef and turkey melted in your mouth and the turnip and mash was on a different level. We all got a different desert to try and u couldn't pick a winner each one was as good as the next and the portions were very generous, I'd give it a 10/10

Such a fantastic traditional pub, serving excellent home made food, friendly atmosphere and super helpfull staff, highly recommended, dog friendly and the Pork belly is outstanding! Huge suntrap of a beer garden out the back!

Me and my best mate David went in punch bowel pub we had pint before went home for bus 🚌 it was canny night last night 🍻

Sports on the TVs with no-one interested, a "live" singer who was totally out of place and far too loud whilst customers were trying to have a festive night out. In addition to this, no festive menu was offered. More food and drink would have been purchased if they weren't chased out by the totally inappropriate atmosphere. Abysmal.

Called in here today for a meal with my fiancé and it was absolutely perfect. Cosy pub atmosphere, great friendly service and food was 10/10.

The food was gorgeous, really lovely staff.

(Used only as a pub) Staff are exceptionally friendly and kind across the bar and waiting, ended up chatting to the manager and she was fab too. Well decorated and fun pub, lovely place for a drink and beautifully decorated for christmas at this time of year too 🙂👍

Popped in for Tea, Fish & Chips and Chicken Kiev. Stuffed, lovely food, propper chips. Good atmosphere.

7 of us had a meal last Thursday. Different dishes but arrived at the same time and everyone really enjoyed their meals. Competitively priced. Dog friendly. The only downside was the noise from people's voices competing with the TVs and it was music night. The guitarist / singer was really good but was next to our table which made it difficult to have a conversation. Will definitely return but on a quiet night.

Great pub with friendly staff, new management since June ‘23, lovely wood and brick decor, clean loos and best of all excellent quality of food with local produce sourcing at low prices. Apparently a sun trap of a beer garden, but we went at night. All in all, exceptional value.

We had a really lovely Sunday lunch, just the three of us. It was very busy with Remembrance Sunday celebrations, but we were well looked after and the food was delicious.

Brilliant service amazing Sunday lunch ❤

Fantastic place - Fantastic food - Fantastic people … love it

Called in for a breakfast Wow this place has taken pole position in my breakfast league. Service, food , atmosphere were all exceptional. Also very good value for money . Will definatly be returning ,

This was not a pleasant experience. For the purposes of our visit, this really didn't work. Got little to no sleep due to paper thin walls and late night music. Really only needed this accommodation because it was near to the marathon start point... Staff were friendly but would never stay here again. If you are there for the night out and to use it as a base to crash, fine.. but this absolutely didn't work for us

Quite simply the rooms in this pub are totally unsuitable to be sold as accommodation. We experienced loud music playing in bar until midnight with zero sound proofing in rooms above so extremely loud and impossible to sleep. This was followed at 5.30am by very loud conversations through the paper thin walls/ floor and television or radio with no consideration for guests. No idea why there was this level of noise so early from what sounded like quite a few people but if these rooms are to be sold as bedrooms they need to be properly sound proofed. Furthermore no shower gel or shampoo provided in the bathroom. Radiator on full blast in summer so room far too hot.

We have eaten here a few times and always enjoy it. The food is excellent, home cooked and not expensive with a lot of choice and variety.

The rooms are OK, you can hear downstairs didn't stop the kids from dropping off but it is a room above a popular pub! So it's to be expected. They are sound proofing and upgrading the rooms. The staff are all so friendly and helpful. Prices are very reasonable and the pub is clean and impressive. I would absolutely stay again. Food was gorgeous too!

Great meals and good selection of beers....will go again soon

Staff & owners were very accommodating with my last-minute booking and then late arrival, all were very friendly too. Room was very spacious, really comfortable bed & pillows, tea/coffee facilities too. Very clean room and shared bathroom was also spotless. I ate in the restaurant one night, it was DELICIOUS, best meal i've had in ages! Lovely garden out the back too. Great location for exploring surrounding areas.

We booked an overnight stay as we were visiting Beamish Museum, and wanted to spread our visit over 2 days. We arrived at the pub at about 5.30ish, to find a very busy staff at the bar. We were conducted up a set of stairs, given a key and pointed in the direction of our room. Double room. One chair, one desk masquerading as a bedside table. No bedside table on the other side. We went down for a meal at 7.30 , to find that the kitchen closed at 7.00. The staff could only recommend the local kebab shop. Not knowing the area, we weren't feeling intrepid enough to go exploring, so it had to do. Following the end of the footbal, the bar below us errupted into disco music so loud that it made the furniture vibrate. They'd warned that there would some music in the bar, but this was ridiculously loud, and finally ended at 12.30am. After some sleep, we presented ourselves downstairs for breakfast. They only do breakfast on Friday, this was Thursday... We thought we'd booked breakfast, and had paid for it. After speaking to a very apologetic cleaner, we left. Suggestions. Put a welcome sheet in each room with meal availability and times on it, with suggestions for where to find other eateries locally. Make sure that your website is up to date. Double means two. Two seats, two small tables or shelves please. Limit the volume and time of music in the bar under the rooms. We felt that it would be unwise to go down and complain, as there didn't appear to be many staff on duty. Refresh the tired decor in the rooms.

Family out for dinner absolutely amazing food would have liked to have been in restaurant but we were in the bar so was a bit noisy

Once seated at our table, we were forgotten by staff. Had to ask multiple members, multiple times to come and take our order. Then when our starters arrived we had to take them back to the bar ourself as we were left sitting there far too long and an even further wait for food. No apologies given for service or waits.

Top quality pints and food others brought smelt amazing deffo recommend

I was there on Sunday the local tuf guy who likes to threaten women and make little girl,s cry was in you know who you are didn't try the food and won't be going there again

Excellent people and service. Room was run down with faulty shower door. Bed uncomfortable. We're told new owner is upgrading the property

We did. It stay here but came for lovely meal After long day a superb visit for food and drinks We kicked off our evening with some starters, which were nothing short of superb. Each dish was a culinary delight, beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. And when it came time for the main course, we were treated to dishes that were not only impeccably presented but also tasted absolutely delicious. What truly impressed us about The New Punch Bowl is its wide selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Whether you're in the mood for a refreshing cocktail or a comforting mocktail, they have something to suit every taste. But what really sets this place apart is its ability to provide the perfect setting to unwind. The friendly staff, cozy surroundings, and welcoming vibe make it the ideal spot to relax and recharge after a hectic day. Overall, our experience at The New Punch Bowl was nothing short of fantastic. Whether you're looking for a place to enjoy a delicious meal, sip on some drinks, or simply unwind, this pub ticks all the boxes. We'll definitely be making it a regular stop on our list!

Lovey local pub , with excellent homemade food, friendly staff and fab atmosphere

I didn’t stay here but just called in for a quick lunch with my mam as we were passing and it was absolutely lovely. The people are fantastic, the bar and restaurant are nicely decorated and the vibe is nice. The cornbeef pie was MASSIVE, meant to ask what it was made in and my mam thoroughly enjoyed it. I had hot beef sandwich which was also massive and the chips & coleslaw were divine. Came to £19 with the lunch menu deal, well worth it, so much so, we’re back to try the Sunday lunch tomorrow. Highly recommend

Great Service, Great food and atmosphere ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Had a staff meal here over the weekend. Everything from music to laughter was great. Looks like a family run pub and everyone so friendly. Jackie was great with us and our intolerances and gave great service. And it’s a hotel too! Will be back for b&b

Pub was cold. Terrible service. Other people got meals before us, and we waited 45 minutes for food to arrive. Got food and had to ask for cutlery. Vegetables came 10 minutes after we got our food. One dish (curry)was cold, and it had to be sent back. Chips were hard and undercooked despite being triple cooked. Batter on fish was not crispy. Mince had lumps in the size of a meatball. When we complained to the first member of staff, she did not appear to care at all. The manager then came to speak to us, and she was making excuses like having to wash the cutlery herself, and that's why we're not given any. However, the cutlery was at the side of the bar. We will never return to eat here. What a terrible experience.

Superb fresh home cooked food and lovely staff 👌 highly recommended , we now love this pub and will be back

Superb! Unfortunately we only stayed one night, but would love to come back! Lovely location, friendly and helpful staff, and the food…delicious! Huge portions for a more than fair price! Thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you all! We’ve just come back! :) Same lovely experience!