The Keys Yarm

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#5 of 34 Restaurants in YarmBar, British, ££ - £££

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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

The Keys Yarm

Review

At a glance

Open until 10:00 PM

See all hours

Website

+44 1642 782534Improve this listing

About

Travellers' Choice

2024

The Keys, Yarm - a traditional gastropub on the scenic cobbled High Street of Yarm, North Yorkshire. Enjoy the relaxed and casual atmosphere in either the restaurant or on the terrace, considered one of the best locations on the High Street with classic views of Yarm's famous viaduct. Savour our delicious classic British and local dishes, cooked using only fresh, locally sourced ingredients and lovingly prepared by our dedicated staff. Or simply unwind in our friendly bar, offering a wide range of beers, lagers, spirits, cocktails, and fine wines. Our restaurant will be open from 9 am with the last booking for food being taken at 8:15 pm Monday - Thursday (serving food until 8:30 pm). On Fridays and Saturdays, our last booking for food will be taken at 9:15 pm (serving food until 9:30 pm). On Sundays, we serve breakfast from 9 am until 11:30 am (last booking 11:15 am) followed by Sunday lunch from 12:30 pm with our last booking at 7:45 pm (serving food until 8 pm).

Features

CUISINES

Bar, British, Contemporary, Pub

Meal types

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, After-hours

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Outdoor Seating

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Television

Wheelchair Accessible

Wine and Beer

Location

65-67 High Street, Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees TS15 9BH England

Save this restaurant

Hours

Suggest an edit

Open until 10:00 PM

Sunday

9:00 - 22:00

Monday

9:00 - 22:00

Tuesday

9:00 - 22:00

Wednesday

9:00 - 22:00

Thursday

9:00 - 22:00

Friday

9:00 - 23:30

Saturday

9:00 - 23:30

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4.2

1,138 reviews

Excellent

705

Good

182

Average

101

Poor

Terrible

Toni C

1 contribution

Superb venue, 5* food and lovely staff would highly recommend!

Jan 2025 • business

I have been to the Keys several times and have always found it warm and inviting. Staff are always friendly and helpful and I have never had a negative experience. On my last visit there were 2 customers sat directly opposite (I think mother and adult daughter) with a small child. The elder patron (mother) ordered her food and then complained loudly and obtusely when her 'made to order' meal didn't arrive in "microwave" time! Honestly I take my hate off to the staff who were so polite whilst this women not only complained but was actually not very nice, at one point removing the small child from their seat and allowing them to throw items across the restaurant citing the fact that they were bored and hungry as an excuse! I honestly don't think there is another industry where this would be tolerated. It is the wait staffs role to be polite, courteous, and accommodating but come on customers play your part too you didn't just spoil your afternoon you spoilt theirs and mine!

Written 26 January 2025

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Katie Wedlake

Hello, We’re so glad you always find The Keys warm and inviting. Our team truly appreciates your recognition of their hard work, especially in challenging situations. We always strive to create a great experience for all our guests, and it means a lot to hear your understanding. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Thanks, The Keys Yarm

Written 3 February 2025

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Getaway629925

Kinross19 contributions

Perfect full English,service atmosphere and price!

Sept 2024 • couples

Great service nice atmosphere fabulous full English Breakfast - top quality local produce and I mean top quality - sausages fabulous as was the bacon black pudding eggs hash browns mushrooms and bread. Where ever they get their produce from I’m going shop there too!!

Written 9 September 2024

James Taylor

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the full English breakfast and appreciated the quality of our local produce. We take great pride in sourcing the best ingredients from local suppliers, and it's fantastic to know you noticed the difference! We hope to welcome you back soon for another great meal and experience!

Written 17 September 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Barry H

Stockton-on-Tees8 contributions

Excellent Venue & Quality Food and Service

Dec 2024 • friends

Booked a table for dinner for a party of 12 people, the service and quality of the food was outstanding. The booking process was very straightforward and handled very efficiently by Kimberley and Elle, nothing was too much trouble. The menu choice was very comprehensive with something for everyone. We were welcomed by staff who showed us to our table in the restaurant area and we didn’t have long to wait before the starters and main courses were served and all piping hot. If you want to dine in pleasant surroundings and are looking for quality food and service then this is the place, thanks Kimberley and her team.

Written 8 December 2024

Katie Wedlake

Hello, Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the food, service, and overall experience. We're glad Kimberley and Elle made the booking process smooth, and that our staff made you feel welcome. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you back soon! Thanks, The Keys

Written 13 December 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

LashJ

3 contributions

Disappointing

Jul 2024 • friends

Really disappointing experience from the get go. We were in the restaurant for 2 hours ordering 2 halloumi’s and 4 salads. 3 of which were stated as bowls. The bowls that turned up after an hour of waiting were mixed leaf salads with ‘croutons’, disgustingly oily fried bread and missing half the ingredients stated on the menu. One of our party was celiac, we didn’t have much faith in the food coming out correct due to the way the order was taken. She received lettuce and halloumi and was charged £15 for it. Got a cheesy garlic bread with no cheese. We complained about the amount of time it took and Inadequate food and were originally were given 10% off the bill. We complained further saying 10% off the bill did not reflect the experience or quality of food that we’d received. As a ‘courtesy’ and just this one time we were given 20% off. Fair enough but it’s not enough to want to go back for food.

Written 5 July 2024

James Taylor

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We sincerely apologize for the disappointing visit you had at The Keys. It's clear that we fell short of our usual high standards, and for that, we are truly sorry. We deeply regret the delay in serving your meals and the quality of the food that was provided. We understand how frustrating it must have been to wait for an hour only to receive dishes that did not meet your expectations, especially with missing ingredients and an unsatisfactory gluten-free option for your celiac friend. At The Keys, we strive to accommodate all dietary needs and provide an exceptional dining experience for all our guests. It's clear from your experience that we need to improve, and we are taking your comments very seriously. Our team is already reviewing the service and kitchen processes to ensure that such issues do not occur again. Once again, we apologize for your disappointing experience and appreciate your feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to restore your faith in The Keys.

Written 9 July 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MrAndMrsPike

Dublin12 contributions

Sunday lunch with family

Sept 2024 • family

We don't often write poor reviews but felt compelled to do so based on what we all thought was a measly offering for a Sunday roast. Four adults, three Beef and a Lamb. The plates arrived with a huge artisan Yorkshire pudding, parsnip and carrot and one medium thick slice of beef. The lamb was chunks rather than a slice but still more of a child's portion of meat. The table veg that followed was a huge mound of steamed red cabbage and greens which were perfect. A gravy boat went down very well but all four of us felt the meagre slice of meat let the plate down and not worth £19.95 by any stretch. On a positive note I had apple crumble which might have been the best crumble pudding I've ever had in a restaurant. A complete but welcome surprise. Service was excellent in contrast to previous reviews and overall a good experience..... Except for that single slice of meat!!!

Written 16 September 2024

James Taylor

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback. We genuinely value all reviews, as they help us identify areas where we can improve and provide the best possible experience for our guests. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the service and found the apple crumble to be one of the best you’ve had! It’s great to know that our dessert and service made a positive impression. However, we're truly sorry to hear that you felt the portion size of the meat in our Sunday roast didn’t meet your expectations. We aim to offer a balanced plate with generous accompaniments like the Yorkshire pudding and seasonal vegetables, but we understand that the portion of beef and lamb could have left you wanting more. Your feedback has been shared with the kitchen team, and we'll be reviewing this to ensure the portion sizes offer the best value for our guests. We hope to welcome you back in the future and give you an even better experience all around. If you do decide to visit us again, we will do our best to ensure everything meets your expectations.

Written 17 September 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chris

Ingleby Barwick108 contributions

Disappointing Food

Jun 2024 • friends

Let me start by saying that the restaurant area and the outside seating is superb and the staff are helpful and accommodating. The food however was disappointing. We chose tempura prawns as the ladies sitting nearby said they were delicious and they looked it. We asked for a house salad as well. We waited a very long time and when the food arrived the prawns looked nothing like the ones served previously and the ‘house salad was really just very limp leaves with one tiny piece of if pepper and a couple of small pieces of cucumber. I complained as almost £5 for this meagre offering seemed extortionate. A member of staff then went and brought another salad which wasn’t much different apart from more leaves. It’s a salad for goodness sake!!!

Written 24 June 2024

James Taylor

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed our restaurant area, outside seating, and found our staff to be helpful and accommodating. However, we are genuinely sorry to learn that the food did not meet your expectations. It’s disappointing to hear that the tempura prawns and house salad were not up to our usual standard. We take all feedback seriously and are committed to providing a consistently high-quality dining experience. Your comments regarding the portion and presentation of the salad and prawns have been noted and will be addressed with our kitchen team to ensure improvements are made. We understand how frustrating it must have been to wait a long time for your food and then be dissatisfied with it. Your feedback helps us identify areas for improvement, and we will strive to do better in the future. Thank you again for your feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you better in the future.

Written 28 June 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

louisa

Newcastle upon Tyne3 contributions

Disappointing

Jul 2024 • family

Was very excited to come here and hate to write a bad review. Staff were super friendly, we all ordered halloumi gyros. However, the gyros came without most of the ingredients and veg on the menu, it was supposed to come with tomato and cucumber but only had 3 pieces of halloumi and sauce (and the garlic sauce from the side was missing). It came with a 'side salad' which was just plain dry leaves without any dressing or toppings. Had the potential to be really nice but seems the chefs didn't bother to add half the ingredients - and for £15 a portion! sadly won't be eating here again

Written 29 July 2024

James Taylor

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sincerely sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, especially as you were excited to visit us. While we are pleased to hear that our staff made a positive impression, it's clear that the meal itself fell short. We apologize for the incomplete gyros and the side salad you received. This does not reflect the standard we strive to uphold. Please know that we take your comments very seriously and will be addressing this issue with our kitchen team to ensure that all dishes are prepared to the full specification listed on our menu. Your experience is certainly not what we intend for our guests, and we regret that it affected your visit with us. If you decide to give us another chance, we would love the opportunity to make it right. Please reach out to us directly, and we will ensure your next meal is perfect. Thank you again for your valuable feedback.

Written 2 August 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Popsr111

Warwickshire24 contributions

Bang average

Jun 2024 • friends

Would describe the keys as more of a pub than a restaurant. Whilst it was busy and did have a relatively good atmosphere, there are many areas that require improvement. The food we ordered took over an hour and 15 minutes to arrive (we had chased up the waitressing staff on a number of occasions) meals were tasty but basic. One meal was missing ingredients, but given how late the meals had arrived we decided not to make a fuss. We ordered, two white wines asking for the same as our first order, however on arrival they were completely different, clearly from different bottles. We did raise these concerns and the waitress did give us 20% off our final bill, however sadly we will not returning to the keys for food anytime soon.

Written 30 June 2024

James Taylor

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed the atmosphere at The Keys, but we're truly sorry for the areas where we fell short during your visit. We sincerely apologize for the long wait time for your meals. As you mentioned we were really busy during your visit and this lead to longer than usual wait times on food and understand how frustrating this must have been. Additionally, we regret that one of your meals was missing ingredients and that the wines you received were not consistent with your initial order. Your experience highlights areas that need immediate attention and improvement, and we are taking your comments seriously. We're pleased that our waitress was able to offer a discount to acknowledge the inconveniences you faced, but we understand this did not fully make up for your overall experience. We are committed to improving our service and food quality to ensure that such issues do not recur. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we strive to enhance our guests' experiences. We hope you might consider giving us another chance in the future to demonstrate the improvements we will make.

Written 2 July 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Debsredhead

Middlesbrough26 contributions

Really poor experience

Jun 2024 • couples

Just had lunch in the lovely garden of this pub. Nice menu, ordered skewers and a chicken caesar salad. After waiting 45 minutes we enquired where the food was (it wasn't busy) and were told apologetically they were backed up but it was just being plated up. Several tables got their food who had arrived after us. 10 minutes later still no food, and my lunch hour up, we asked for a refund and made to leave. The lady refunded me, was very apologetic and nice. Just then the food came so she asked if we would stay for it. We were hungry so we agreed. The chicken skewers were barely warm, had obviously been stood for a while and the salad was missing croutons and the poached egg. Very very poor all round. Will absolutely not be back to eat. Shame as a nice setting.

Written 26 June 2024

James Taylor

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent visit to The Keys. We sincerely apologise for the disappointing experience you had during your lunch with us. We are sorry to hear about the delay in receiving your food and the quality issues with your meal. This does not reflect the standard of service and food quality we strive to provide. As I’m sure you will appreciate our garden is extremely popular on very hot days and as a result this can lead to a longer wait time than usual on food. We understand how frustrating this must have been, especially during your lunch hour. Your comments regarding the temperature of the skewers and the missing ingredients in the chicken Caesar salad have been noted and will be addressed with our kitchen staff to prevent such occurrences in the future. Ensuring our customers receive their meals promptly and to the highest standard is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and patience shown by agreeing to stay and eat the food despite the delays. It's unfortunate that we did not meet your expectations, and for that, we truly apologise. We value your feedback and will use it to improve our service. Should you decide to give us another chance, we would love the opportunity to make it up to you.

Written 27 June 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

DT66

Little Sutton466 contributions

Disappointed in food and service. Not a relaxing experience.

Dec 2024 • family

We have always eaten here every time we visit family nearby. Food and service usually excellent. It’s very busy due to a large function being held at rear and upstairs of venue. Starters of Soup, mushrooms and Chicken Croquettes, in fairness starters were nice. Staff frantically running around as very busy. Several times walking passed our table where we had empty glasses. Too busy to stop at our table. My wife was still eating her starter and the waitress brought over the main courses and placed on table. When she returned with the side dishes we did explain that we had not fully finished our starters and she apologised. Maybe kitchen told her to take mains out without checking if we were ready. Roast pork was very dry, veg slightly undercooked. Gravy like water. Again felt very rushed. Was not a relaxing family meal. We spoke to a senior member of staff about the experience and she did apologise and discounted the bill. Some of the younger inexperienced staff could do with more training. Hopefully next time we visit it will be less chaotic.

Written 9 December 2024

Katie Wedlake

Hello, Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologise for the experience you had during your visit. At The Keys, we take great pride in training our staff to the highest standards, and it's clear there was a miscommunication between our kitchen and front-of-house team on this occasion. We truly value your feedback and would like to make it right. We will send a private message to discuss this further. We hope to welcome you back soon and provide the excellent service and dining experience you deserve. Thanks, The Keys.

Written 16 December 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Roger S

Dalton-on-Tees36 contributions

Absolute gem!

Nov 2024 • couples

An absolute gem of a find! We'd walked into one pub we've been to several times, and waited for nearly 5 minutes but neither the barman/manager or the waitress acknowledged us, so we thought we'd spend our money elsewhere - and what a great decision that turned out to be. From the moment we were welcomed as we entered, to the last few minutes chatting with the manager (Jake?) at the end, we new we had made the right choice. The place looks great - lovely decor, and very clean. The way Lewis greeted us when we walked in, checked on us now and then, and chatted to us was perfect. Not too much, but enough to make you feel welcomed and valued. The food was excellent - we opted for the tea time menu which was great value - three courses for £20. The regular menu had a good variety to choose from as well, with prices reasonable. Overall a great experience - we will definitely be returning, and can't recommend it enough. Well done Lewis!

Written 6 November 2024

Lesley N

44 contributions

Disappointing

May 2023 • none

We have been going here twice a month since we moved here 2 years ago and Ive always left good reviews but the food is now is going downhill yet more expensive. Ive always enjoyed the halloumi wrap as it was really filling with a lovely salad and tasty chips. I ordered it today and the once lovely salad is now a handful of dry green leaves with no dressing, peppers or onions. The chips which were always lovely were undercooked and a much smaller amount and the sandwich was smaller with hardly any peppers and burned and the chef had put the burned side down which felt quite sneaky. I understand restaurants are feeling the pinch but you should either put prices up or serve slightly smaller portions but not put prices up and serve inferior and smaller portions. The other 2 meals we ordered also had a dry salad and undercooked chips. Along with the now very expensive drinks Im afraid we wont be returning, which is a shame as Ive always said what good value and great food it was.

Written 29 May 2023

Natalie Witterick

Hello Lesley I want to personally apologise for the disappointing experience you had during your most recent visit to The Keys. I am sorry that we fell short of your expectations considering the support you have shown us over the past few years. I would like to address your specific concerns regarding the food quality and portion size, as a restaurant we take pride in delivering exceptional service and even better food, so I am genuinely sorry that the halloumi wrap did not live up to its usual standard. This is not the experience we provide, and I understand the disappointment you must have felt. Your continued custom matters to all of us at The Keys, and it saddens me that you may not return due to this experience. I would like to invite you to reach out to us directly to see if there is anything else we can do to make it right and exceed your expectations once again. I really hope we have the privilege of welcoming you back into our restaurant soon, and once again please feel free to reach out to us directly if there is anything else we can do for you. Apologies, and warm regards, Natalie – The Keys

Written 8 June 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Robyn G

Middlesbrough1 contribution

Avoid if you have allergies!!

Nov 2024 • family

We had Sunday lunch as a family and I notified the waitress that my son has allergies (milk and egg). She asked the kitchen whether he could have certain things to which they said no. I then asked her to ask the kitchen if there is ANYTHING which he can have and she said the kitchen had said there is nothing he can have as it is a Sunday and the menu is limited. The waitress then asked if I had brought him anything in my bag for him as they could not give him anything. I was shocked to hear that a busy restaurant kitchen was not able to cater for allergies. Disappointed and certainly won’t be back.

Written 12 November 2024

KAREn P

Stockton-on-Tees10 contributions

Very long wait for food !

Mar 2025 • friends

We arrived and informed food is 45 minute wait , after an 90 minutes we had to ask where the food was and finally received our food which was nice but not hot . Asked for the bill and received the wrong one only to find someone else had been given our bill and had to wait to sort it out , if we hadn’t been honest the restaurant would have lost £90 !! Not enough staff to cover the demand sadly .

Written 11 March 2025

Emms S

1 contribution

No food available despite been able to book a table in the restaurant!

Mar 2023 • none

After eating here in December and vowing never to return due to the poor customer service we decided to try again and booked a table on line for food in the restaurant, the booking was for 5.45. When we arrived we were told they had stopped serving food and they were trying to see what they could do. We were seated at our table which was set with four menus that said food was been served until 6pm. The waiter came back and said they stop taking food orders at 530 and there was nothing they could do. We queried why we were able to book a table at 545 in the restaurant were given a menu that said food orders from 12.30-6 pm yet we couldn’t order food. There was no real answer and certainly no apology. For us to get there after booking to be told they’d stopped serving was hugely disappointing. We then asked about the £20 booking fee we were charged and they said they would log it that we’d had an accident and so we probably would nt get charged. The customer service was appalling. We will never eat here again. The place has changed and not for the better.

Written 26 March 2023

Natalie Witterick

Dear Emma Thank you for sharing your feedback about your recent experience at The Keys restaurant. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment you faced due to the unavailability of food despite booking a table via our website. We understand you had previously visited us in December and had a negative experience with our customer service and we deeply regret that we did not meet your expectations once again during your most recent visit, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused. The miscommunication regarding the food is truly regrettable and unfortunately, you should not have been able to book a table at that time via our website as the last orders are at 5:30 pm despite serving food until 6 pm. We apologise for any confusion as this should have not occurred however, since your feedback we have reviewed our website and changes have been made to avoid this happening in the future. Staff at The Keys always strive to deliver excellent customer service and we apologise for the lack of a clear explanation regarding the situation. We appreciate your feedback and as previously mentioned changes have been made to the website to avoid this happening in the future. We truly regret that your experience did not meet your expectations on both occasions your feedback is valuable to us, and we have already made the necessary changes to avoid this happening in the future. Warm regards The Keys.

Written 19 May 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.