Dirty Duck
Quick info
About Dirty Duck
Dirty Duck is an 18th-century pub on Waterside in Stratford Upon Avon, beside the River Avon, and it was formerly known as The Black Swan. Actors favour the pub, and it stood in as the "Mucky Mallard" in the Shakespeare and Hathaway TV series. The menu draws on dishes from around the world, and the Sunday roast comes with lamb rump or turkey. Inside, the building has several rooms and an atrium, and food and drink orders go through a QR code. Tables are walk-in, and a free one is hard to find on sunny Sundays. There is no separate car park, but street parking is available outside.
Good to know
“18th-century pub (formerly known as The Black Swan) popular with actors and serving a global menu.”
- ReservationsWalk-in only
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention beer garden, sunday roast, historic building and pimm's.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention beer garden, sunday roast, historic building and pimm's.
Customer Review Summary
The garden and outdoor seating draw the most mentions, with diners describing the beer garden, covered patio and atrium as peaceful and a lovely place to sit with a drink. Food comes next, led by the sausages and mash with its spectacular gravy, along with a Sunday roast of lamb rump and turkey, tasty nachos and a beef pie. A few note the food arrived quickly, and others praise the Pimm's and the selection of draught beers. Staff are described as friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu, even when the pub is very busy. The complaints are narrower. One reviewer found the service slow and says staff never mentioned the garden, so they ended up at a sidewalk table next to a bin while garden tables sat free. Another had to leave early because a saw was running during building works next door.
Customer Review Summary
The garden and outdoor seating draw the most mentions, with diners describing the beer garden, covered patio and atrium as peaceful and a lovely place to sit with a drink. Food comes next, led by the sausages and mash with its spectacular gravy, along with a Sunday roast of lamb rump and turkey, tasty nachos and a beef pie. A few note the food arrived quickly, and others praise the Pimm's and the selection of draught beers. Staff are described as friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu, even when the pub is very busy. The complaints are narrower. One reviewer found the service slow and says staff never mentioned the garden, so they ended up at a sidewalk table next to a bin while garden tables sat free. Another had to leave early because a saw was running during building works next door.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Nice historical pub with great food and atmosphere. The pub has an obvious wow factor thanks to its history, but it's also a lovely spot to sit out front, relax, and watch the world go by. The service was good, our food arrived quickly, and the nachos were tasty. Unfortunately, we had to leave sooner than planned because of building works next door. It felt like someone had decided the perfect accompaniment to a quiet pint in a historic pub was a stihl saw solo performance.”
- Google user
“A busy little pub with beer garden alongside River Avon. Hard to get a walk in table on a sunny Sunday in July but snagged one on the covered patio. Lots of steep stairs at the entry and steps throughout the building so not accessible. No separate parking but street parking available outside. No salad options mostly hot food and shares. Good flavour. Service prompt, friendly and helpful. Used QR code to order food and drinks.”
- Google user
“Called in as pub used as the mucky mallard in the shakespeare and hathaway tv series. Lovely place to sit and have a drink plus it's got a good beer garden. Didn't eat there but food looked delicious and good portions.”
- Google user
“I went there for lunch. I loved the location and the beef pie, but I wasn't as pleased with the service or pricing. The service was slow and when I asked the staff where I could sit, they didn't tell me anything about the lovely garden even though there were some available tables at it. We ended up sitting at a table on the sidewalk next to a bin when we could've eaten in the beautiful garden.”
- Google user
“Myself and my partner came for Sunday lunch on 26th July. It was the nicest Sunday roast we’ve had in a long time (in a pub!). I had the lamb rump and my partner had turkey. Both cooked and presented really well. Even though it was very busy, the team were very friendly and attentive. We took advantage of the £3 Peroni offer too. All in all, a great visit and we would not hesitate to recommend and return again next time we visit Stratford.”
Location
Bars near Dirty Duck
- The Golden Bee4.05,1050.1 miWheelchair accessibleOutdoor seatingGood for kids
uncleared tables, order by qr code, cold or frozen breakfast
- Garrick4.42,6450.2 mi
steak and ale pie, beef and raclette pie, vegan apple blackberry crumble
- 0.3 mi
dressed crab, sticky toffee dessert, scotch egg starter
| Place | Rating | Distance | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dirty Duck | 4.43,480 | — | beer garden, sunday roast, historic building |
| The Golden BeeWheelchair accessible · Outdoor seating · Good for kids | 4.05,105 | 0.1 mi | uncleared tables, order by qr code, cold or frozen breakfast |
| Garrick | 4.42,645 | 0.2 mi | steak and ale pie, beef and raclette pie, vegan apple blackberry crumble |
| The Red Lion, A Heartwood Inn | 4.5361 | 0.3 mi | dressed crab, sticky toffee dessert, scotch egg starter |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
Similar Bars nearby
More to explore in Stratford Upon Avon
Places in Stratford Upon Avon
See all places in Stratford Upon AvonRestaurants
5 places in Stratford Upon Avon