Grey Horse East Boldon — Restaurant in South Tyneside

Wanted to like the place, but the food was miles below average on my visit. Wednesday is their "burger night", with a burger and a drink for £10, so I thought I'd spring go for the wagyu burger, for an extra £2 for the better beef. What I received was something utterly impossible to discern as quality beef, and was so overdone that I suspect it might even have been cooked much earlier than when I ordered it, and then had sat under a heat lamp till I walked into the bar. I've absolutely had juicier burgers at McDonald's, and it looked like a hockey puck. My dining partner ordered the cheese & brie pie, and while the flavour of the sauce it is was nice, the supposed hot-water crust wasn't crisp at all, and there was so little chicken inside she had to ask the server if that was typical, who then brought her some slices of chicken to add to it. These slices were tender and delicious though, which makes me think they might be able to do roasts well, but I highly doubt I'll ever be back to find out. The bartender was friendly, understanding, and welcoming throughout, mind, and is the sole reason I'm rating it at 2 stars instead of one. I always feel bad for staff that have to defend the crummy policies the bosses put in place, and since this is a corporate pub, I fear the policy is "buy cheap food that we still make a sizeable profit on, even on days when we discount it 50%". Worst meal I'd had in a while, I'm sorry to say. I hope they get their...

What was once a charming neighborhood pub has been transformed - and not for the better. Head office has taken what used to be a cozy, intimate space and plastered it with massive digital advertising screens. These aren't just subtle displays tucked away in corners; they're enormous, attention-demanding screens that dominate nearly every wall. The sheer number of them is overwhelming - no matter where you sit, you'll find yourself surrounded by 3 or 4 glaring displays competing for your attention.

The warm, traditional pub atmosphere that made this place special has been completely shattered. It's as if someone tried to turn a cozy living room into Times Square.

This isn't a city center chain bar where such screens might make sense - it's a neighborhood local. Whoever made this decision has fundamentally misunderstood what makes a local pub work. They've sacrificed the essence of what people come here for - a comfortable, welcoming space to enjoy a pint and good company - in favor of aggressive advertising. It's a perfect example of corporate thinking destroying the authentic character of a beloved local...

Our first time visiting tonight so we didn't know what to expect, but we certainly didn't leave disappointed.

We were welcomed with fantastic service, friendly staff who clearly all work well as a team and get on like a family. We were made to feel like regulars despite it being our inaugural visit.

I had the duck salad to start while my husband had chicken goujons. I was blown away by the duck salad, not something I expected to find in a pub, but it was delicious. My husband might aswell have licked his plate clean, there wasn't a bit left!

For mains I opted for the seabass dish, which was a fantastic choice, full of flavour and plenty of it. My husband (beige eater) asked for a burger with no salad and for once, the wish was granted and there wasn't a shred of lettuce or a sneaky tomato in sight! Very pleasant all round. We couldn't believe it when they said the menu was only 2 days old, the quality was fab!

We stayed for the quirky quiz which was full of laughs and some very different rounds compared to other quizzes we've been to.

We'll be back next week and hope to make a...