Golden Lion

Discovered this traditional inn while on a first time sightseeing trip to Barnard Castle. It's ideally located in the marketplace (a parking area when it's not a market day). The inn dates from the 17th century and was apparently built into the castle ditch, which probably explains its quirky layout and why the floor slopes downward from the street entrance! There's a beer garden at the back with a view of the castle. Clean downstairs toilets. Decor is unpretentious, old-world and homely, with a very old fireplace in the front room. Did not have a lot of time, but luckily the pub was fairly quiet and the young lady behind the bar was not only friendly, she was also very helpful. She said she would tell the chef to be quick with my order, and I consequently did not have to wait long for my lunch. They serve the usual classic pub meals, burgers and grills, but I opted for a lighter option of jacket potato with prawns in marie rose sauce, served with a crispy salad. The potato was well cooked and hot, and the prawns were large and tasty. Had a glass of good rose wine to go with my lunch. At just over 11 the meal was not only satisfying but also good value for money.
May 1st, 2023

Sandwiches very poor. Cheap sliced white bread. No idea of club sandwich. Chicken so thin you couldn't taste it.
Apr 28th, 2023

Good food and you can take your dogs in to.
Apr 26th, 2023

The pub itself is ok, but they need to do something with the kitchen staff. The food we ordered was not the same as advertised on the menu. For example Cauliflower Wings on the menu suppose to come with bbq and mayo toppings, crispy onions and lime wedge, what we got was 5 pieces of deep fried cauliflower and that's it. The fries were overcooked and Soup portions were so small that we thought it was a joke.
Apr 24th, 2023

Hungry? Go to Greggs. Soups sre ridiculous in size (apparently what is in the bag), overfried potatoes (I hope my dentist is OK with that). In general really poor quality... Possibly the worst experience eating in a pub. The drinks were fine, the staff was nice
Apr 20th, 2023