Dirty Duck

Great food, good prices, friendly staff. I’ve been there yesterday for lunch with my boyfriend and a friend of mine. It’s a nice pub on the waterfront, with plenty of space. We had a pulled pork sandwich, a burger with fries and a jacked potato with cheddar cheese for my friend, who is a vegetarian. The food was very good, but the surprise was the dessert: an amazing chocolate fudge cake, with vanilla ice cream. It also had a layer of toffee… fantastic! We spent 10 pounds each.

Beautiful area, and the interior of this restaurant is lovely and fun. Not the cheapest, but also not ridiculously expensive either. You have to park yourself at a table, and then order your food at the bar to be brought to you, which is a bit inconvenient at times. However, the employees are gracious and nice, and the food is wonderfully presented (read: is both delicious and picture-​worthy). Overall, dining here is a great experience that I wouldn’t mind repeating several times over.

I read in a travel guide for Stratford Upon Avon that all the actors went here, and another review below says they met Ian Mckellan in this bar so I was INSTANTLY sold– EVEN if i didn’t really know the actors in the play I went to see.
It’s not as grimy as the name makes out, it’s actually quite posh with a lit up porch with fairylights, and it was low beamed and cosy inside, the perfect february pub afternoon and evening! We actually stopped here before the show and after the show because it was such a lovely little pub. The drinks selection isn’t big though. Surprisingly not that busy– i was expecting it to be rammed because it was a full audience.
And yes, we did see one of the actors from the play but honestly, it’s not difficult to catch any of them, the town is small and the pub is down the road from the RSC.

My food was a bit late because of technical difficulties, however the staff was very professional and offered a refund. A great place for days when the sun is out to enjoy good food or a few pints. Comfortable sitting both inside and out. Check it out!

The bartender was a quick server. I am a fan of the selection and choice. It is a bit pricey relative to some of the other bars around the area. It is really close to the theater. It is good to come here after the plays. Good for large groups and the young 20s to mid 20s age range.

The Dirty Duck was my favorite pub on my first visit to Stratford-​Upon-​Avon, and at this point I think I’m ready to call it my favorite pub in all of England.
It’s just so damn good.
The atmosphere is pitch perfect; laid back and casual, but with fast and friendly service. You’d think a whole kitchen jumps into action every time somebody orders a plate of bangers n’ mash.
They have a set menu available during the week with mains for £5.95 (with a starter or dessert for £7.95) so you can grab a pint and a hot meal for less than £9. Further, they have a chili burrito on this very menu that is so irrationally good I’ve started to judge myself for not having discovered it earlier in life.
And then there’s the Dirty Mallard. As fine a cask ale as you’re ever like to taste, brewed just for the Dirty Duck, and less than £3 a pint.

Sweet place to hang out with actors from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre after the show! Great atmosphere.

Been here 4 times — always great. Usually get to town for Shakespeare’s birthday every few years & always stop in at the Dirty Duck. Friendly atmosphere, yummy munchies & great drinks. Easy walk back to every B&B I’ve stayed at.

Beautiful pub on the river Avon… The selection of ales isn’t great, but the atmosphere is wonderful, and it’s a great place to grab a pint or meal before or after a show at the nearby Royal Shakespeare Theatre. (And if you go after a show, chances are good you’ll run into some of the actors!)

Absolutely awful. Service was neglectful and forgot two of our hours. Food was mediocre at best and overall a poor experience

Stopped in quite late on Sunday afternoon, so not crowded at all. Great location, overlooking the Avon and a 2 minute walk from the RSC. A number of food offerings including three Sunday roast choices, but we decided to opt for a chicken & mushroom and a beef & ale pie, which were both good. Shared a stick toffee pudding which was quite tasty. Very enjoyable time!

Hier geht’s nach dem Theater hin: Ein echt gemütliches Pub knappe 100m den Avon runter. Eine gute Auswahl an lokalen Ciders und Ales gibt es hier und wirklich anständiges Essen alles zu normalen Preisen und in Gesellschaft der Schauspieler, die gerne nach der Aufführung hier noch reinschauen.

Quiet riverside location, perfect traditional English pub, good value, great selection of beer and amazingly high quality food. Nachos were the greatest ive had outside the states followed by a lush lamb shank. Set with an open fire and river views youve got a perfect sunday lunch.

Perhaps the most famous pub in the world, the Dirty Duck — just down the road from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Swan Theatre first opened its doors in the 18^th century and has, since the early 1880s, been the favourite watering hole of actors preforming at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (most notably Laurence Olivier, Paul Robeson, Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole and Peggy Ashcroft), which, when renamed the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1961, became the home of the RSC.
Consequently the pub is a great place to be after a show.
The original name of the pub was The Black Swan (still is if you come at it from the south), renamed the Dirty Duck by the American GIs and US airmen stationed in and around Stratford during World War II.
These days the pub has a growing reputation for staging its own theatrical, musical and literary events.
Run superbly by Sam (15 years now) with a great team of bar and restaurant staff who always give you a great welcome, busy or not.
The food is excellent, as is the choice of beers and wines.

What a beautiful pub. I’d go as far to say I think I found the nicest pub in the whole of Stratford Upon Avon… its called the Dirty Duck on one side and on the other side its called The Black Swan…(how cool is that) this is the pub apparently that all the RSC actors drink at after performances. and it has headshots of lots of the actors who have been with the RSC. Oh and the food is great too!!!

Let me just start by saying I don’t have too much experience with alcohol. This is the first pub I experienced, and it surprised me because it was so classy and quiet. It’s a relatively small and cramped area, with a few tables outdoors and several indoors. But there is an upstairs area I have yet to venture to.
On the occasion that there is a line, it goes by quickly. The waiting/​ordering area is extremely narrow, but the bartenders are efficient (and extremely good-​looking).
The ciders:
–When the bartender says pear, he actually means cloudberry. But don’t mind it, because it actually does taste like heaven. It’s like a sweeter, lighter apple cider.
–Strawberry-​lime is the best. Two or three times that I asked for it, the bartender said that they ran out, but all of those times, I spotted one or two remaining bottles in the back of the chiller, so make sure to point it out to them if you see it, or else you’ll see someone else with it afterward! This is sweeter than cloudberry, I think, but tastes even more like fruit juice. You actually really taste the strawberry, which is great if you’re having, say, a whiskey shot beforehand.
Pimms:
It’s so pretty and fruity! Pimms is, apparently, a hard liquor. A glass of this drink consists of ¹⁄₃ Pimms and ²⁄₃ lemonade, with bits of strawberry, cucumber, and lemon/​lime. Sometimes, the bartender will put only cucumber, only lemon, or only strawberry. I suppose it depends on how much of what they have left at the time you order. In terms of enjoyability (not a real word but should be), I would say the Pimms and ciders are about equivalent. I suggest try both – at the same time, if you’d like! Pimms is actually 30-​something percent alcohol, I think, but since there’s so much lemonade, having that drink and cider shouldn’t effect too strong of a buzz…
Rum and coke:
I just don’t like rum. But this is a relatively cheap drink (just around 3 pounds, whereas ciders are about 4.25 and Pimms 4.50).
Shots:
–I was told that the house whiskey is one of the smoothest there is. The first time I tried it, it was dreadful. But every subsequent time only got better. I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I agree that it is smooth. Good to chase with cider and/​or Pimms!
–Vodka shots, I refuse to do, but sometimes they really (over)fill your glass! Once, my friend got one and was able to split it into almost two shots. Generous servings are always great.
Often, actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company across the street head to the Dirty Duck after their performance, so it’s easy to meet English celebrities there. They have all been personable and friendly, willing to talk with students about Shakespeare and show. This doesn’t just add to the DD experience – it is PART of the DD experience.
I miss this place already.

Easily the best pub I have ever been because I got meet and talk to most of the actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company after their performance.
I enjoyed the atmosphere. Crowded and lively. Actors and actresses are rather friendly from the plays and willing to talk to you. The drinks are excellent too!
It is right next to the river so has a beautiful view! I absolutely loved it.

Dirty Duck Pub is a great place to enjoy traditional British food!
The beautiful pub is situation near the River Avon and is a lovely place to eat indoors as well as outdoors. The inside of the pub is very pretty with lots of pictures and drawings of ducks. It was very cozy and rustic.
I ordered a bangers n mash and absolutely loved it. The sausages were perfectly cooked and the mash was creamy and had the exact amount of seasoning. We don’t get bangers n mash in Calfornia (not British bangers at least) and I was over the moon to have such delicious bangers!
I highly recommend this place if you are touring Stratford Upon Avon. The only complaint that I do have is that the wait time is quite long. Our food took 45 minutes to be served! It was well worth the wait though and I would eat here again if I am ever lucky enough to come back to Stratford.
Dirty Duck is a winner!

Right next to the Royal Shakespeare Theater, so immediately after the play we headed over here. Apparently, the actors tend to frequent this place after their show.
There’s a rear garden that’s open in the morning, but barely any lights at night. The front terrace is awesome too to lounge around as theater goers pass by.
They have an actor’s bar too, a little area full of autographed pictures of Royal Shakespeare Company luminaries going back decades. We got to be extras in one of those Shakespeare movies.
The place feels old, but awesome nonetheless… I think it’s older than the United States!

I spent a month in between Stratford-​Upon-​Avon and London studying Shakespeare. Yep, it was a dream come true for this English nut. The Dirty Duck was absolutely my favorite place to hang with friends. It is authentic Stratford at its very best. The place itself is old as God probably, which is awesome. There is every drink a body could want, and you rub elbows with the actors of the Royal Shakespeare Company (the bar is across the street a ways from the theater), who come to relax after shows. Sadly my memories are fading… a swinging sign with a duck, cobblestone sidewalks and slate stairs, leading to a good natured old bartender, red walls, massive wooden tables… and just a general feeling that while time has changed the best things have remained the same in Stratford. Because it is home to the bard, gotta close with him:
«They were red-​hot with drinking;
So full of valour that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet.»
William Shakespeare, «The Tempest»

My friends and I spent the day in Stratford being shown around by someone who is actually from Stratford. And he knows all about Stratford (I quizzed him to no end on Shakespeare facts and he passed with flying colors) so I believe him when he tells me Dirty Duck is the most famous bar in Stratford. And check it out for yourself by looking at all the pictures of famous people on the walls.
I’m guessing that all of these famous people have enjoyed the same mulled wine that I had at Dirty Duck. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical of hot wine, but I liked it… a lot! If it’s good enough for the famous people it’s good enough for me…