Best Pubs in South Shields

South Shields has a pub scene that will surprise anyone who has not explored it properly. The town has a genuine mix — CAMRA award winners, historic interiors, Jarrow Brewery's tap house, and seafront spots where you can watch the waves with a pint. Here are the best pubs in South Shields.

The Steamboat

The Steamboat at 27 Mill Dam is the jewel in South Shields' pub crown. A multi-award-winning real ale pub in the historic Mill Dam conservation area, it has seven ever-changing cask ales and ciders on handpump, sourced from independent and microbrewers across the country. It is a regular CAMRA Pub of the Year winner at local level, and the ship-themed interior gives it genuine character.

The pub hosts a weekly music jam every Tuesday and a monthly folk night, plus regular beer festivals. The crowd is friendly, the landlady is a known champion of real ale, and the atmosphere is exactly what a good pub should be.

Best for: Multi-award-winning CAMRA Pub of the Year — seven handpumps of ever-changing cask ale in a ship-themed Mill Dam setting.

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The Stags Head

The Stags Head at 45 Fowler Street dates from 1897 and is listed on CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors — a distinction held by fewer than 300 pubs in the entire country. The building is Grade II listed, and it shows: colourful entrance tilework, a wide acid-etched bay window, and an attractive alcove back bar in the small downstairs room.

The pub has two bars, one above the other. It is compact, traditional, and utterly unspoilt. If you care about pub heritage, this is essential.

Best for: One of fewer than 300 pubs on CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors — Grade II listed and dating from 1897.

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The Maltings

The Maltings at 9 Claypath Lane is the tap house for Jarrow Brewery, whose original brew plant remains on the ground floor. The first-floor bar serves six Jarrow Brewery beers alongside a rotating selection of guest ales — up to fifteen at any time — plus Belgian bottled beers and real ciders.

The pub also houses a well-regarded Thai restaurant, making it a strong choice for a meal-and-pint combination. Opening hours are afternoons and evenings, so plan accordingly.

Best for: Jarrow Brewery's tap house with up to fifteen guest ales, Belgian bottles, and a Thai restaurant upstairs.

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The Bamburgh

The Bamburgh at 175 Bamburgh Avenue is a Greene King pub a stone's throw from the coast and the finishing point of the Great North Run. It is a bigger, more modern venue than the real ale pubs listed above — think pub grub, sport on nine screens, pool tables, and weekly quizzes.

The Bamburgh is also dog-friendly, with water bowls and treats available, making it a natural post-walk stop after a stroll along The Leas coastal path.

Best for: Dog-friendly Greene King pub near the coast — a reliable post-walk stop with pub grub and sport on big screens.

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The Sand Dancer

The Sand Dancer at 2 Sea Road is right on the beach at Sandhaven — one of the best pub locations in the North East. It serves a wide range of food with a bias towards seafood, alongside a full drinks list and regular live music.

The Sand Dancer is dog-friendly (they even have a dog treats menu) and has a beer garden overlooking the sea. On a sunny day, there are few better places to sit with a pint.

Best for: Right on Sandhaven Beach with a dog treats menu and a beer garden overlooking the sea — arguably the best pub location in South Shields.

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The Pub Crawl

If you want to do South Shields properly in one evening, start at The Steamboat at Mill Dam for the real ale, walk up to The Stags Head on Fowler Street for the history, then head to The Maltings on Claypath Lane for a Jarrow Brewery pint and Thai food. That is three very different pubs within easy walking distance — and a proper introduction to what the town has to offer.

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Looking for more? See our guides to restaurants and coffee shops in South Shields.