Dil & the Bear — Restaurant in North Tyneside

Not a one for reviews but as a recent father I feel excluded from being able to dine here as I have a pram! Very upset after todays visit! We had been advised to take a walk along the cost with our child and grab a coffee at Dil and the bear with cake by a close friend.

On arrival, with our push chair, there was a number of tables free at the back on the shop. Which would accommodate us. The customers were actually trying to help us by moving their chairs to let us in. However we were told by a man behind the counter we would need to leave the pram at the front door. I explained our child is only 8 weeks only and can not be taken out of the chair he still said no we would not be able to dine with them! He said about the noise in the shop!? And the size of it however no one had a problem with helping us in apart from the staff. There was no health and safety issue and we would not be blocking any doors.

Our child is actually on an oxygen supply (under his pram) which is why he can not come out and sit on our laps without that close by however the staff member was not remotely interested or even bothered their self to say hello when we entered. I would hate to see the way the treat any other customers with disabilities or wheel chairs! Will...

Update - we gave it another go lately (twice in fact) , and it was a good as one might have hoped - the staff are lovely when left to their own devices. Thus take my previous review as just a gentle warning of what may happen if you strike as unlucky as we did.

PREVIOUS REVIEW: As bad an attitude problem I think, as I‘ve ever encountered in any cafe or restaurant. It’s such a shame because it’s a great place with great food, and the staff mostly try hard, but the grand lady herself fundamentally demonstrates dislike and distain of her customers. We’ve been three times and each time left jaw- dropped and twice unfed. Woe betide you if you show up 45 minutes before end of lunch service because 40 minutes later you’ll be told, berated in fact, with no uncertainty that you are the problem, that you aren’t going to be served and that you need to clear your seats. Our nearly 100 year old gran was so hungry when we left and our ‘Can we buy one of your lovely cakes to take with us instead’ was met with an extraordinarily forceful rebuke. Every time I walk past I still feel that sense of confusion and...

I asked before ordering if there were vegan and gluten free options on the menu. I was told, yes, but there isnt; you need to specifically ask for items to be 'left off' your food order to make it vegan. So I did this, but when my food arrived it was neither vegan or GF and when I pointed this out I was told 'Well, I didnt take your order, did I?' and treated with contempt by the waitress, who brought further variations, none of which were Vegan AND GF or matched the ingrediants on the menu. When I asked if the hummus, which had been included in the ingrediants list on the menu, and who my friends who ordered the same as me (but who are not gluten intolerant) was missed off my meal. I was given a flat 'No!' by the waitress condescending to serve me. Until I pointed out that my friends had recieved it, and that she was being rude to me, which she denied. Finally, a pot of hummus was brought to my table and the waitress muttered 'Sorry about that,' before rushing off again. Utterly awful experience and I will never go back. The 1 star is for the...