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The Drunken Duck, Durham
Durham
DH1 1RG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Drunken Duck
This pub is now called the Drunken Duck. It was one of few open beyond 11pm on Saturday evening. A couple of bouncers on the door allowed me in without a reservation and directed me to a seat.
Unfortunately, they don't currently have any real ales or cider, having previously been known for its cider. Instead, the keg selection was Guinness, Orchard Thieves, Amstel, Birra Moretti, Fosters, Camden Pale & Helles, John Smith's & Rekorderlig.
The bar is on a slightly lower level than the entrance. There are further areas beyond the bar, which I couldn't venture to. But the pub was certainly quite busy with a typical late night younger crowd. Not really my kind of pub. But at least it was open and the atmosphere is lively.
On 4th August 2020
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The John Duck
Reasonable pub which had Titanic Plum Porter on draft.Probably worth a revisit.
On 5th January 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The John Duck
The John Duck is just down from the Big Jug.
Once inside the bar is to the front right and down a few steps,the seating here is normal tables and chairs,this room extends to the rear where there are more steps down to a pool table on the left side and some bench seating and normal tables and chairs.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Firebrick Pagan Queen which was a nice drink,the other beers were Jennings Cumberland and Hobgoblin.
There was a TV to the rear showing the Everton v Arsenal game.
I thought this was a decent enough pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 19/3/2016
On 24th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The John Duck
Long multi-tiered alehouse, not long converted from Castle Hotel. Enter to a seating area, down a couple of steps to the main bar then down again to an area with a pool table. Down another to a basic area which hosts the best seat in the house a huge high-backed regal thing (from Egypt, according to the barman) with a cast iron and rivet table (presumably reclaimed scrap?) and it looks wonderful, making up for the lack of real character elsewhere. A decked rear garden lies beyond with a lovely leafy vista. Student-oriented, there’s lots of screens for sports and live music advertised. Seven pumps with five ales, a bit of a dull selection - 2x Wychwood, Cameron's Castle Eden, Marstons EPA and Cumberland Corby Blonde, the latter of which was in good nick. Two ciders from Gwent-y-Ddraig available. Friendly locals and plenty of chat when we were all stuck inside during a biblical downpour (which also saw plenty of water entering the bar area via the ceiling…). Not the most exciting place for ale or decorative ambiance but worth a look on a crawl.
On 11th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The John Duck
The place looked promising but the ale range across a number of pumps was rather pedestrian. It didn't help that this is a rather large pub which lacked customers on a miserable Monday evening. No atmosphere at all, Bundesliga Fussball was showing to no one in particular while a couple of bored younger blokes smashed pool balls around. The beer range was Deuchers IPA, Hobgoblin, Marston's Help for Heroes, Caledonian Spring Ale plus ciders Old Rosie and a Welsh one called something Dragon.
One wall had a montage to the brewing process, little else of interest on display apart from a couple of brewery mirrors.
Some unusual seating including some sort of throne arrangement contained within a metal riveted thing.
The beer mat collection on display suggests I was unlucky but you take what you find, disappointing. Outdoor seating to the rear overlooking the City.
On 4th June 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The John Duck
Not sure what it was like in its previous incarnation, but the interior now has the semi-rusticated look one would expect from a self-styled 'alehouse'. Thin, split-level layout, leading to a rear decking balcony overlooking the city centre. Rather off-putting door staff on a Saturday night, but I suppose that this is inevitable given its location. Counted nine traditional handpulls plus a special Hobgoblin pump, and opted for the 'house' John Duck produced by the Durham Brewey (£2.95). Overall, I could see its potential but would probably choose a quieter time for my next visit.
On 3rd February 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The John Duck
This pub has made a complete transformation to what it was. You wouldn't have ventured in here a couple of months ago when it was the Castle Hotel. The front of the pub is quite narrow and then it opens out at the back with lots of seating and a sun terrace. Staff and locals friendly and chatty. Eight ales and two ciders on handpump. I went for the Wylam Magick, Wylam Gold Tankard and also their John Duck ale. Will defo return.
On 13th August 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]