Restaurant is tucked down stairs off the Main Street so easy to miss if you don’t know but definitely worth a visit Lovely meal to celebrate a family birthday. We had booked asking for a table in a quiet area and they gave us a...lovely booth table. Everyone enjoyed their meals; one wanted the duck cooked medium rather than blush - no problem.More

We booked to come here as a meal to celebrate our anniversary and what a gem we found. We arrived on Time, to find Gary as the perfect host He told us we were the only people booked in and directed us to a fantastic...table, really comfy and like the restaurant very cosy. The menu and the wine list were exceptional and the choices were difficult, but we chose the Cote du Rhone Wine, which was exceptional. Menu wise I chose the Korean Cucumber salad, as I have a sesame allergy, the chef made a different dressing for me and oh wow! It really packed a punch, all the flavours were there married up with this amazing chilli dressing. My husband had the king prawns and the were stunning, the Asian flavours on the prawns made them sing. Mains we chose the Sirloin Steak and that also didn't disappoint. The steak was thick and flavoursome, cooked perfectly medium rare. The chips were proper chips and were fluffy inside and crisp outside, really perfect. The peppercorn sauce lacked pepper, but it tasted nice. My only regret? I couldn't finish it! Gary was the prefect host, friendly, chatty, hospitable but knew when to walk away. If we were local, we'd be regulars. This is a hidden gem of a placeMore

Very disappointed with this restaurant. The menu was not what was advertised online. We were given a set menu and we had no choice from what was online. I ordered the slow cooked beef but was given cold pulled beef which was compacted to look...like a solid piece of beef. The brownie was tough and chewy. I have a feeling this place only have a set menu but don't tell you. I felt trapped into staying to eat because I booked it in advance. Definitely wont be going back.More

I’m really reluctant to write a good review about No 17, why, because more people will go and it will be more difficult to get a table! 😊 Gary the host, is wonderful…helpful, friendly but not intrusive. The food was lovely, fresh, hot and tasty....One downer was my starter…soup, carrot and parsnip which was a little bland. My partner had moules mariniere and said it was AMAZING!More

Lovely intimate basement restaurant with a warm welcome from host Gary who together with Lucy and her colleague provided friendly and attentive service throughout the evening. The food was excellent from my wonderful fish chowder starter to my superb belly pork mains. There were 8...of us in total and we all enjoyed our 3 courses (some shared). Highly recommend.More

Small restaurant in the heart of Durham that stands up well to the competition. Six starters and seven mains all tempting. Soup and Moules good. Chicken ballotine and slow roasted pork belly followed. Wine list under revision. What was unusual was their help with allergies....For example any dish on the menu could be made gluten free if required. The quality of cooking and service were high.More

Quite a small restaurant, with only 8 tables, but a good cosy atmosphere. Front of house service by Gary was excellent with prompt, efficient and friendly service. The food was excellent too and well priced. The moules marinere (rope grown in Shetland - the very...best you can get) were absolute perfection - plump, tender and juicy. The Thai red curried prawns and monkfish were also really good. The wine list is short but within it there should be something for everyone, and again the wines are well priced at £24 for a good Picpoul de Pinet and £33 for a quality Albariño. Overall, can’t fault this place. Everything is just right and it works. We can certainly recommend it.More

We tried out 17 as it sounded good from the reviews and we weren't disappointed. The setting is cosy but as we went early we had the place to ourselves. The food was excellent along with good service, and at a reasonable price. We had...the slow cooked beef for mains and it was excellent, but be sure to ask for extra jus to really make the meat sing. One thing to note is that tips cannot be paid on a card, so be sure to take some cash.More

We were looking for somewhere special that would showcase local food. Good start with a friendly and attentive waiter. Bottle of Malbec was plonk you can get in any supermarket. Special chasseur had a pretty awful vinegar taste to it. Beef was ok. Vegetables limited...and watery.More

We haven’t eaten here before but we weren’t disappointed. The meal was first class and the gentleman who served us was very attentive and caring, to the extent we brought a tear to his eye. 😊

Wanted to visit this restaurant for a while and went with family on saturday night but was so disappointed. I’m a chef and a real foodie so really like fresh and interesting flavours, which unfortunately I did not get. My starter of king prawns with...chilli butter was 4 prawns sitting on white bread! I expected prawns floating in hot melted chilli oil that I could dip my bread into — but I tasted no chilli and didn’t see any butter. I had monkfish and prawn curry for mains which was adequate but lacking flavour. My sister had the ‘beef’ which was brisket and well cooked but she said didn’t really stand out. Such a shame as was expecting better having read other reviews. I won’t returnMore

Restaurant 17 turned out to be the perfect place for my small family reunion. The room was intimate, the menu comprehensive for carnivore me and my veggie cousins. And we all agreed on a mid-range Malbec from the smart wine list. As someone hard of...hearing, for me the best feature was the gentle vibe. Not sure of the right phrase, but the layout is quirky-sophisticated from the unobtrusive entrance leading downstairs to a sense of other rooms not opened or seen mid-winter, but it was intriguing. And from the looks of the other diners, this must be one of Durham’s serious date friendly venues. Our greeter was also our server, wine steward and table busser; he did them all well. Overall, a pleasant choice at a friendly price. It deserves its reputation.More