I highly suggest you indulge yourself in some of the delicious, golden, salt and vinegar battered scampi. Truly one of Northern Ireland's finest. read more

Nice group of people working. Patio is great for lunch with a view. Fun seeing all the dogs. read more

The Dirty Duck - Food and drinks - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

Loved the menu the happy staff good fish selection and food all round is good for the price nice and cosy with the open fire been here few times read more

I love the Dirty Duck. Whether you are eating upstairs in the restaurant (Make sure you book as its ALWAYS busy) or down in the bar and soaking up the atmosphere, the food is always amazing and you have great views of Belfast lough with the planes flying in to land and the boats coming in to dock. I was there last night treating my mum to a wee birthday dinner. The menu is varied with a wee bit for everyone whether you like fine dining or good old burgers or sausages and mash. I always go for the seafood as its so fresh and always perfectly cooked. Last night we had the Seafood Sharing platter which is two decent sized spiced Thai fishcakes, Two baby gem lettuce leaves filled with shredded crab and topped with crunchy celery and tomato and a bowl of muscles in a white wine, cream and leak and ham sauce. All amazing, all well seasoned and all worked well together. Plus we shared between 3 and it was perfect in size. For our mains we all got the specials. My mum and I ordered the Plaice with a black pudding crumb, sautéed garlic potato's and fried green beans. Have to say it was amazing, there was a white wine and creamy buttery sauce white brought the whole dish together and the flavours were dancing on my tongue. The other half got the other special which was a sea bass linguine in a pesto style sauce with crab and muscles. It was beautiful as well, fresh tasting and lovely and light. Finally we had our deserts, (See picture) Chocolate whiskey cake with a caramel crumb, sticky toffee pudding and a cheese board. I don't even have to describe these, they tasted as good as they look. The Dirty Duck is always a hit with me and I've never had a bad experience there. The staff are friendly, the food is amazing and reasonably priced and the location is superb. Win, Win, Win! read more

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First of all, thanks Colin for recommending The Dirty Duck! ;) I booked a table for me and my fiance to celebrate our anniversary. I wanted to try a new place, a place not very posh but with something extra. The Dirty Duck seemed to be a perfect spot due to the great location and the panorama. We had a wee walk along the beach before dinner which could have been nice - but of course it started raining! Hail stones at the end of May - welcome to Northern Ireland :))) We were lucky enough to get a table next to the windows, the view was amazing! I know it is nothing special for local people but as someone from a totally landlocked country I like to seize every opportunity just to stare at the sea. Or any kind of "big water" actually. :) I ordered the roast duck breast (medium well) with fondant potato, spring greens, onion puree and shiraz & cherry jus. It was simply perfect. The breast was crispy outside and soft and juicy inside and went really well with all the sides especially the sweet-sourness of the cherries. The Mr went for the battered cod and chips (what else?) and he was satisfied too. For desserts he had the apple crumble which was the best I've ever tasted so far and that's a big word because I am really a fan of apple crumble! I regret not ordering it but going for the cheesecake instead. I was a little bit disappointed as I could not really feel the white chocolate flavour and the slice I got did not look very fresh. I mean I know cheesecakes are obviously not served right from the oven but I wasn't 100% sure it was baked on the day. Anyway, this won't stop me from giving 5 stars because of the mains and the quality of service. Staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. Another extra "well done" goes for the waiters and waitresses' listening skills. Despite my awful "Hunglish" accent they understood everything for the first time and I never had to repeat anything at all :))) read more

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This was my first time in The Dirty Duck and I certainly was not disappointed. The bar/restaurant is set in an idyllic location overlooking to water. We didn't have a table booked but thankfully the waitress was able to accommodate us. Within a few minutes she came back with menus and also made us aware of the specials menu, including the prices. After a long hard decision, I choose the roast pork belly, which came with vegetables, gravy and new potatoes. The presentation was fantastic and it smelt amazing. No word of a lie, It has to be one of the best meals I have never had! I didn't want it to end and when other people were ordering I just wanted to tell them to order the pork! The atmosphere was lovely and perfect for a family dinner for any occasion. The staff where very helpful and informative. One lady in particular, with short blonde hair, from Poland, was amazing. She knew the menu inside out and her communication throughout the restaurant/bar was brilliant. I will certainly be recommending this place to family and friends! read more

The Dirty Duck - It was a hard decision but I finally choose the roast pork belly from the specials menu. - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

Took dad here today as a wee Father's Day treat and everything was perfect! I'd tried the restaurant for the first time a couple of months ago and was equally impressed as I was today. We dined in the upstairs restaurant (and i agree with the other reviews, you NEED to book in advance). We were given a table by the large windows with the great views over Belfast Lough - really worth requesting this when booking. They had a Summer Menu which had loads of choice, so large it spanned onto the back of an A3 sized menu. Lots of lovely seafood options, as well as other meat dishes, some veggie options and Sunday specials. My parents both opted for the Seafood Chowder to start and loved it. My dad commenting one of the best Chowder's he has ever had. I had the crab claws and Portavogie prawns - absolutely delicious! It comes served with some fresh ciabatta to dip in the lovely surrounding garlic butter. Can't recommend this enough! For mains, my parents tried the Seabass served with feta & thyme gnocchi and I had the Monkfish tails & prawn curry, served with pak choi, coconut & coriander rice. Again, outstanding flavours throughout. The portion sizes are quite large too so we were all completely satisfied by the time we finished our mains. But of course..there's ALWAYS room for a little dessert... We decided to share a few mouthfuls each of the Rhubarb & Ginger crumble, served hot with a large dollop of vanilla ice cream and a little custard to the side. Once again - amazing! The staff offer great friendly service and prices are very reasonable for the excellent food quality. Oh and there is cute nautical decor throughout the building, including the quirky toilet seat art - see images below... read more

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Great food with an even greater view. This pub/restaurant suits whatever the occasion. Normally I go here with family or friends for a catch up, but I recently brought friends that were visiting the area and it went down a treat. The menu contains a 'seasonal' section which varies accordingly, meaning that there's always some surprises. In addition the fresh daily specials are always divine. In fact, 9/10 times I go for the fresh fish special. If fish isn't your thing there are plenty pub grub type dishes like burgers, sausage and mash or an amazing venison tagliatelle (a must try). Try and prebook a window table to really soak in the views and impress if that's your aim. read more

Being the charming gentleman that I am I took a fine young lady to The Dirty Duck for a quick shandy on Sunday evening. As everyone in Belfast knows Sunday evenings are generally quite tame affairs but The Dirty Duck in Holywood was bouncing or bobbing perhaps is a better description? As soon as we got in from the cold in to the downstairs lounge I was hit with an angelic voice backed up by an acoustic guitar. The downstairs lounge was also pretty busy, 'regulars' propped up the bar and a few large groups of lads sang drunkenly along with the folk singer. But this was better than other bars where the only sound is tumbleweed whistling by! I haven't eaten in The Dirty Duck for years but I've heard good things. As far as a bar goes it has a friendly welcoming atmosphere and the sea views make it a great spot to sip on a Guinness and wind down after a busy week. read more

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The Dirty Duck could possibly be my favourite place to eat. I've been three times now and I couldn't fault a single thing. The restaurant is upstairs but you can also order food in the bar downstairs. I've tried the fish and chips, the seafood chowder, the crab claws and the seafood platter - every single meal was outstanding and the deserts were delicious. (The sticky toffee pudding is like heaven on a plate) The bar/restaurant looks over Hollywood beach and the views are amazing. If your lucky enough you might even get a seat beside an open fire. The staff are great here - nothing seems like too much hassle for them! Don't take my word for it, check it out! You will not be disappointed! read more

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When is a pub not a pub? When it's the Dirty Duck on the seafront at Holywood, of course! This has always been a good pub for Guinness, atmosphere, views, open fires in winter, beer garden in summer. On top of all of this (who could want more, really?), the Dirty Duck has increasingly upped in game in the pub front stakes over recent year, moving to definite 'gastro pub' statue a while back, officially recognised by a FATE award. The food is great: the downside? Quite a lot of people know this already! It is still worth a visit, though. Here's what I had last time: Nelty's Nachos (the full buhna of nachos with crème fraiche, guacamole, cheddar cheese. I followed this with Portavogie scampi? Chips? Of course! Big, chunky. Homemade ones that you can balance quite a lot of mayo on! Hubby had slow cooked pork sausages in onion gravy with a bacon chop and creamy champ (great value at £7.50, mine tad pricier at £11.50). Desserts? Dear God no! We were stuffed. The Dirty Duck does have desserts and also a slightly more upmarket, upstairs restaurant (more expensive again, mind you, with some mains around £18). The Dirty Duck is on the slightly expensive side of pub grub, but then again, it's on the more upmarket side too, in terms of quality. Also they have the best beer garden for miles in terms of the view and their live music is free. And let's face it; it's the tightness of your jeans and the calorie-police that will limit your meals there, rather than the price! read more

The Dirty Duck - kclose66@gmail.com - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

Dealing with a very large crowd. On a very busy night, the staff made our night very special and did their best to accommodate all of us. The view upstairs is superb. Thankyou. read more

I have yet to be disappointed here and I think that a 3.5 star rating would be fairer but it just is not quite good enough to be considered equal to some of my other 4* reviews. The menu is good and caters for most although it's not extensive and rarely provides anything that isn't a tried and tested safe bet. I can't fault the service at all and the food is always very good but for the reasons mentioned it gets 3* rather than 4*. read more

After a good bracing walk along the shore you are doing yourself a dis-service if you don't pop in to The Dirty Duck for lunch. It isn't the biggest bar in the world, but it is cosy, and I'm a sucker for a pub with a real fire. If you are going for food, there is good space upstairs with stunning views of the lough. Be warned though, if you are thinking of going from Friday to Sunday you better book as it's a popular wee spot. The food itself I'd describe as hearty. My friend went for the scampi and chips and I had the burger, and there were clean plates all round. My only complaint was that we couldn't stay all afternoon as we had the car, but next time we might let the train take the strain as it is a two minute walk from the station. Sounds like a good plan to me. read more

The Duck is worth a trip from the city. It has a great view, great beer and good food. It'll be packed with regulars, but the staff are friendly and welcoming. You can eat upstairs in the restaurant or downstairs in the pub. The food is the same in both. For the nice views of the bay and hills north of Belfast, go upstairs or out into the beer garden (on a nice day of course). There's live music in the bar downstairs on most Friday-Sunday nights. Usually pretty busy, but not overly so. For a table during busier times, book a reservation as you'll be waiting a while if you don't. Try the local beers down in the pub. The bar is quite small, but there's enough seating. Outside, there are some heat lamps under the building, but the seats are usually taken by smokers. Definitely give the dirty duck a try, you won't regret it. read more

It would appear I reviewed the Dirty Duck in 2010 and only gave 4 stars? Well, a lot of time has passed since then and in that time I have visited the Dirty Duck countless times where I have received much better than 4 measly stars! Around the time of my last review I began working not far away, and the Dirty Duck became a regular lunchtime haunt for us. The restaurant is super popular so you couldn't just show up and be guaranteed a table, especially on Friday lunchtimes, so ringing ahead is advisable! They are in an enviable position on the promenade in gorgeous Holywood, and it is a fantastic place to sit outside on a fine day to enjoy your drink and the sea air. Their menu doesn't change. It doesn't need to, you can't change perfection! My number one favourite dish is the Desperate Dan. Sausages, honey glazed bacon chop with creamy champ & gravy, with amazing chilli con carne covered in melted cheese!!! Delicious doesn't even cover it. If you've not been to the Dirty Duck you need to go ASAP! read more

Seriously lovely food. I had a steak and my partner had sea bass. Both were completely delicious, fresh and brilliantly cooked. The staff were lovely and friendly. The only negative thing we could say was that we wanted to sit upstairs. We were told it was fully booked and we couldn't sit there. However the restaurant was completely empty. We ate out meal downstairs in the packed bar. I went back up to check and the restaurant was still empty. Dispute this We'll be back! read more

The Dirty Duck - The best place for food in Holywood. - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

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The Dirty Duck has to be one of the nicest eating establishments that I have ever been to. The name itself makes it an interesting place to visit and the setting , overlooking Belfast lough is spectacular no matter what the weather is like! The pub menu is very good with plenty of choice to appeal to all tastes. The seafood chowder was recommended to me and I heave to say that it was excellent , the sort of cousins that leaves a very satisfying taste that you don't want to spoil! The day we visited the establishment it was cold and stormy and it was so warming to be welcomed by a blazing open fire which added to the relaxing atmosphere. Although it was quite busy there wasn't any long waiting time to be served the staff were friendly and efficient. I certainly look forward to a return trip and maybe when our great British summer eventually comes we will be able to take advantage of the outside area which has splendid views of The Lough! read more

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It's a while since I've been in the Dirty Duck so I'm currently plotting a return. I've only visited 3 times and each time ate downstairs in the bar. On each visit the food has been delectable, with the nachos my favourite dish. It's a warm, cosy, friendly bar and I really want to have a meal in the upstairs restaurant which has amazing views of Belfast Lough. My current plotting involves a full Saturday outing to Dirty Duck for lunch, drinks outside in the beer garden and a Dirty Duck dinner later that evening. Best plan ever! Plus they've great vegetarian options... read more

The Dirty Duck - Enjoying a plate of nachos and some wine on my last trip to The Dirty Duck... - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

Good food, good service and a nice location right by the sea. What's not to love? The Dirty Duck is well known locally for good really tasty pub grub and justifiably so. You can eat downstairs but go upstairs and you'll have a lovely view of Belfast Lough as you eat, but make sure you book as it's always busy. There is a beer garden at the front, again overlooking the Lough, but it is always windy, no matter what the weather is like everywhere else. So, the food. The Dirty Duck Ale House, to give it its full title, is renowned for the seafood chowder and the crab claws. Both are brilliant and I usually find it hard to choose between them. The steaks are also good, as is the battered cod and home made chips. In fact, I think you'll enjoy whatever you choose. I think the deserts are a little too expensive at £5 each, but they are good, especially the sticky toffee pudding, but really, £5? The children's meals are really good value at £4.50 for two courses so that evens up the bill a bit. Ale fans (not me then) will be thrilled to know that the Dirty Duck has its own mini ale festival every September. read more

It may be that I used to work near this place, played a great round of golf after lunch here one afternoon or enjoy the area in general but I really like the Dirty Duck. Its location is nearly perfect, right by the sea and with good parking near by in quiet, Holywood just down the road from busting East Belfast. Not so much a bar, I think of it as more of a place to eat and relax rather than to go for a bit of a booze up. That being said, they do run an ale club and this gets you money off if you join and you can enjoy a host of guest ales throughout the month and even check out the mini festival they have in September. The food I think is brilliant. I can't recommend highly enough the nachos, they're absolutely amazing. Tasty and an intimidatingly large portion. I recently took my girlfriend there for the Nachos and she loved them too. The nachos are good value but the rest of the menu is a little bit pricey so beware of that. Well worth a visit for a bite to eat or a few bevvies over lunch. Its right near the train station so you can leave the car at home. read more

The food wasn't great and noticed people in football shirts being turned away. Bar prices were reasonable though. The barman wasn't too friendly and seemed kind of grumpy and decor wasn't what I had expected either. Nothing wrong with it, but a bit worn-looking. The customers were a nice bunch and friendly too. read more

Favourite eating place. Need to book for a table at the more formal upstairs section. Downstairs can be a bit noisy. Good Irish grub - like champ and sausages! Nice smoking area outside if its warm enough! read more

The Dirty Duck - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

Absolutely first class restaurant, I only wish it was larger downstairs, however being not so massive on the lower floor can be seen as a major advantage as the atmosphere can be electric when there is live music and bands playing. I have dined here probably in excess of 3 figures and never had a bad experience. The food is quite simply amazing, always fresh and delicious. I met my current partner here and 3 years on we are still going strong. Highly highly highly recommended! And please try the seafood chowder, the best I've ever had anywhere in the world :) read more

We were staying north of Belfast but I was so intrigued by the Yelp reviews that we hopped in the car to give it a try. It waa busy, so if you can, make a reservation. But it was well worth the wait. I had the smoked haddock, bacon and pea pasta and it was hands down the best meal I have had on Ireland. The staff was great and you must visit the bathrooms. read more

I have only been to the dirty duck once before and I always meant to go back and today was my first opportunity and while my family and I enjoyed the majority of our experience as in the food was very good and my mum even described her squire smoker which was smoked haddock with champ and broccoli and white wine sauce as heavenly the broccoli was undercooked the cutlery was dirty my girlfriend asked for mayonnaise and when it came it was clear it had been sitting out for quite some time which lead us to question the hygiene in this once award winning establishment, the waitress' face was tripping her as we say in Belfast (sullen) read more

Loved nearly everything about this place. The view was amazing!!!!!! The food was out of this world, the price was brilliant to the only thing that let it down was staff they served the food then vanished not to be seen again until we asked for the bill. But apart from that it was amazing!!! read more

You can get a real good Guinness anywhere in Northern Ireland, and I had a couple here, but this place has the best seafood chowder of the five places I tried it in Northern Ireland. read more

The in-laws visited on May day and with nothing planned I suggested 's€£let's all go to the Maypole fair in Holywood'. Bad decision, the fair was as bad as...it sounded... One shining light was the dirty duck which we found down a street off the main road (we sought refuge from the guff that was being preached/ sold on the main high street. We went for the fish and chips, not very adventurous. The food was delightful, the place was cramped. The fish was seriously good; I'm tempted to say the best I've had but that's a tough call. Definitely worth the visit. Food-on Joe read more

Love the Dirty Duck, particularly the downstairs bar which always has a lovely atmosphere, cosy and welcoming. Upstairs while a little more formal, has gorgeous views and there's also a huge outdoor area for the sunny days - if only we had more of them to use it! Food superb, particularly the seafood for which they are renowned, relatively reasonably priced and excellent service - what more could you want!? read more

I went for dinner with a friend to the Dirty Duck this evening-a Thursday night- and the place was packed! We saw there were no seats left downstairs (the bar area) so we went upstairs (more of a restaurant setting). The waitress told us that because we hadn't booked, we wouldn't be able to get a seat. We thought we might have to leave but decided to wait downstairs until a seat became available there. Lucky enough we were able to get back upstairs about ten minutes later! I'm so glad we did because the views over the water are amazing! I ordered the chilli nachos which was nachos with chilli beef, cheddar cheese, guacamole, creme fraiche, salsa and jalapeños. You can get a small portion for £5 or a larger portion for £8.75. I went for large and glad I did! My friend went for the Portavogie Scampi with chips which cost £13- both very happy with our mains! We were very tempted by dessert and both choose the special cheesecake of the day, Lime & orange served with sorbet! Delicious! What a refreshing way to finish. Our whole bill came to just under £40. A great little bar in a gorgeous setting! read more

The Dirty Duck - Chilli nachos - Pubs Near Me - Holywood, NDN

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I spotted the Dirty Duck on Google Streetview whilst in Holywood, and perceiving that it had a commanding seaside position, decided to trundle over, to kick back with my paper. My expectations were somewhere between low and subterranean, and I couldn't have been more wrong. The Dirty Duck provided me among the most sumptuous and memorable meals of 2012. It's a fish restaurant, and the catch is all local, I was assured. Apparently they're all into sustainable fishing too, which is a great bonus. Large picture windows offer stunning views over the forth, and the cheery staff put me at ease quickly. The food was absolutely delicious. I plumped for a crab claw salad. Despite being a starter it was more like a small main. After and apple pie chased down with a pint of Guinness I was in another realm. Huzzah! read more

I love this place. I've always had a good dinner in both the pub and restaurant. Friendly, relaxed atmosphere and lovely location. The Dirty Duck is a must for anyone in the area or for those having a stroll along the coast. read more

The best thing about the Dirty Duck is the view! It is absolutely marvellous. The food is just as impressive to boot. The pulled pork tacos are certainly worth a try. That is saying something since I am not usually a fan of goats cheese which is what is used in them. I also had the beef chili as I was feeling a little like "some food from home". Turns out it was nothing like home but delicious none the less. Looking forward to trying other dishes here. read more

Went there for the first time. Good food and service friendly, Great view over Belfast Lough. Bar just OK food FAB. will go again.

I was taken here for my birthday, the name had really put me off previously. Had the curried fish which was fabulous. I can honestly say it was the best thing I had tasted in years but was unable to finish it, and I love my food. Service was okay and on a bad day the view was just satisfactory but that's a matter of taste, some people love a choppy water. Would definitely go back. But I think I had the best thing on the menu. read more

went fo dinner 06/10/13. on arrival the waiter who took our order did not write anything down and immediately after leaving our table had to come back and confirm order. Even then he got it wrong and we were brought one starter for two and one main course. after telling them that this was wrong theytook away the main course and left us with the starter and no plates. even at this point no apology was forthcoming. The starter was very good but when they brought the two main courses of scampi it was obvious that they had ignored our request for the scampi to be lightly battered. we decided that to complain again it would just fall on deaf ears . we would rate the meal service and the experience a big 2 and this was just for the starter!!!!! read more

bellybuster meals and great pints in a quiet location. good music at the weekend. take a walk, a pint and a plate. you wont be disappointed!