Best Casual Restaurants in South Shields

An absolutely exceptional dining experience – quite possibly the best food we’ve ever eaten in a restaurant! We visited The French Quarter last night to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and from start to finish the experience was exquisite. We arrived around 15 minutes early, but the front-of-house team welcomed us warmly and, after a quick clean of our table, had us seated straight away. Our waiter was over almost immediately to offer water, and the service throughout the evening was attentive, friendly and genuinely welcoming. We started with a selection of breads, followed by a fantastic choice of mains: mussels, prawns pil pil, a chicken dish and, the absolute star of the show, the beef bourguignon. Honestly, the beef was incredible. So rich in flavour, beautifully prepared and with meat that quite literally melted in your mouth. It was one of those dishes you wish you could eat all over again. We finished with crème brûlée, which was delicious, and even the little after-dinner chocolates were a lovely touch. The restaurant also made a special effort for Julie’s birthday, bringing out a little candle and a birthday message. Such a thoughtful gesture and very much appreciated. The only slight hiccup was with the wine. We’d chosen what we understood to be the easy-drinking La Benjamin Bordeaux at £12.95, but noticed when settling the bill that we’d been charged approximately £39 for a more expensive version of the wine. It was a little disappointing, although we didn’t raise it on the evening. That aside, the food and service were absolutely outstanding. We actually made a point of complimenting the chefs and telling them that we genuinely thought it was probably the best food we’d ever eaten in a restaurant. A huge thank you to the entire team for making Julie’s birthday so special. A fantastic experience, exceptional food and hospitality to match. We’ll definitely be back!

Great menu choices. Food arrived piping hot. Nothing too much trouble for wait staff. Good ambience. Returning diners would definitely eat there again

Party of 2, we booked very late and were a few minutes late owing to a typically tardy train. On arrival, service was prompt and we were shown to our table in what was a busy (though by no means very loud) restaurant. I had the steak baguette with frites and my sister went for a pasta dish that was surprisngly plentiful given it was from the light mains menu which was apparently excellent. I asked my steak to be done to medium well done and I may as well have asked for perfection because that was what was delivered. I've been a few times now and never had a bad experience, even during peak demand. The setting is great, the food is invariably great, the staff are lovely, and you are not deafened by music. Is it my favourite restaurant in Newcastle? Yes it is.

Great food, great service - enjoyed the sole on the bone - many thanks

Went for footy and a few drinks for my partners birthday, perfect location outside lovely bar staff, brilliant atmosphere