Gifted *We were kindly invited along to in return for this review*
We were kindly invited along to see how family friendly Stack Seaburn actually is. Lots of people I have spoken to are under the impression it is more for adults and more of a bar/drinking location, but honestly, it is so much more than this.
*Please note we visited when restrictions were still in place, so please check with the venue how they are working things before your visit. Currently you can pre book a table HERE or walk in, however if it is busy, you have to wait outside until there's space for you. You have to either use Track & Trace app or fill in a form and you can either use the W8R app or you can ask for a physical menu. We used the physical menu as it was easier for the kids to see what they could have.
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Woofs 'N' Scruffs
We first took Iris into the fantastic Woofs 'N' Scruffs, not only is a a pet shop, it also hosts 3 well equipped, self service doggy baths, I think these are a fantastic idea for anyone who has a dog that won't go in the bath, have walked along the beach and has sand everywhere or is just a little smelly. The Stations are a decent size and fit all 5 of us plus Iris into the room, Mark showed us how to use the facilities and it is pretty simple really. Pop your apron on, get the dog to walk up the little steps (easier said than done) into the bath, there's a divider to stop the dog getting out and a lead attached to the wall. You just turn on the shower, wet the dog, still using the shower you select which shampoo you want, turn the knob and then shampoo the dog using the same shower head.
We asked the boys to give her a good scrub, then they rinsed her, which they found hilarious as she soaked them! Once you have finished washing you can then go on to drying them, using the towels provided to get some of the water off, then you can move onto the dryer. You just keep the dog in the bath whilst drying. Now Iris does not like being dried with a dryer, in fact she bites the hoover and the dryer looked like a giant hoover pipe! So that was interesting! Once she was almost dry we sprayed some of the doggy perfume on her and that was it. 3 days later she still smells nice, which is a surprise as her favourite pastime is rolling in the dirt and eating strawberries off the planters! The boys really enjoyed getting involved in the washing process, its usually me that washes the dogs and the boys run when they see a soggy doggy that has just escaped the bath. We will be using the self service baths from now on and letting the boys get involved with it. It is so much easier to use and saves your back too as it is standing height.
The baths cost £10 for 30 minutes, which I think is a good price for what you get. (A nice clean dog that cant escape!)
We took a look in the pet shop Mark has put together and it is fantastic, good prices too. We purchased a new harness for Iris and Mark kindly gifted us some doggy treats for Iris to try. The treats are all natural. Summer did pinch the chicken foot and enjoyed it and Iris demolished the treats so we will be back for more as I am always on the look out for more natural products for the dogs, especially for Summer who is coming up to 8 years old now. They have a range of toys, foods, treats, leads, collars. They even have doggy Ice Cream. I honestly love this business and think it is a fantastic addition to the seafront, we will be regulars from now on.
Woofs N Scruffs also host the Sunday morning Seaburn dog walk, which offers doggy owners the chance to socialise. To find out more take a look HERE
Once we had finished In Woofs N Scruffs we headed into the main hub of Stack Seaburn.
Stack Seaburn
Stack Seaburn is a great hub for socialising, going from a family friendly atmosphere during the day to adults only later in the evening. In my opinion it is a great addition to the seafront, and in all honesty when they said it was shipping containers on top of one another, I wasn't impressed, but it actually looks pretty good and brings something different to Sunderland. Inside the venue is not what I expected, I'm not sure what it was I expected but I was pleasantly surprised. It is welcoming and you are made to feel welcome by the staff. Even your dog is made to feel welcome.
Upon arrival we were greeted by a member of staff who took some details for track and trace and then took us to our table, we were than greeted by another member of staff who was lovely. We took a look at the menus and decided what to order and within 30 minutes (if not quicker) of ordering we had all of our food, which we thought was fab. I would like to point out that if you do not smoke, ask to be seated upstairs which is a no smoking zone as we were seated downstairs and literally everyone around us was smoking and, as non smokers, it wasn't the best. This was the only issue we found. Everything else was spot on. The table space is huge and you get plenty of room. Obviously, when it is packed you will probably have to share the tables with other people,, so bare this in mind for the non smokers. Although right now it is limited to your own bubbles, so I am not 100% sure how it will all be once restrictions are gone. Each table come with a heater too which will be handy once the weather gets colder. You are welcome to bring your dogs into the Stack and when a staff member sees you have a dog, they bring a bowl of water over for them which I thought was a great idea. Please note dogs are not permitted in the venue after 9pm
We took a look at the menus and really wanted to get a mix of things so we could try some of the different offerings and this is what we ordered:
Holy Duck, Open 11am - 10pm Full Menu HERE
Duck & Cover Loaded Fries - Crispy duck, hoisin sauce, spring onions, mayo, sesame seeds. £7.50 In all honesty, these were my favourite. Absolutely delicious, packed full of flavour and you get plenty for the money.
Chapos Tacos Mexican street food, Open 11am - 9pm Full Menu HERE
Loaded Nachos - We went for the Pork carnitas and the Chicken Pastor £8
You can choose any toppings, with salsa, garnish and can add extra cheese
I try not to read into other peoples opinions too much and I did see a few people previously mentioning the portions were tiny, Now I am not being rude, but they clearly hadn't been here. You got a mountain of toppings and loads of nachos. Really tasty too.
Zza Pizzeria, Open Mon/Thurs 11am/10pm, Fri/Sat 11am/11pm Full Menu HERE
Elliot and Toby shared a large Meat Feast with Pepperoni, Sausage, Ham, Chicken & Mozzarella. £8.50 and had fries each which were £3 each. Elliot is pizza mad and if it is an option on a menu, he will always go for pizza.
He said it was absolutely delicious and would go back again. Toby enjoyed his half too although he would have preferred a bit more cheese.
Boojie Burger, open 11am/10pm Full Menu HERE
Adam chose a Katsu Chicken, Double chicken burger, layered with Katsu sauce, topped with spring onions & chillies and served with a Katsu Dip pot. £8 plus fries at £3
Adam loved it, it is different to the standard burgers you get these days and we had a dip of the sauce, it was very tasty. The only thing to point out here is, it was extremely difficult to get out of the food box and it is messy too.
Acropolis, open 11am/9pm Full Menu HERE
Dirty Greek, loaded fries, chicken gyros, tzatziki, chilli and signature sauce. £10 each
we ordered two for everyone to share ( should have just ordered one because you get loads!)
As we don't drink alcohol, we all just had Coke Zero to drink which was tastefully served with a glass and a slice of Lime.
For other food options you also have Longhorns, Downey's fish and chips, Healthy Thaim, So Smooth Co, Little Cakes by the Sea, Yolo Café & Kitchen. For those who like a drink with there food you have a wide range of bars to choose from such as: The Gin Cabinet, Hephouse13, Barley & Me, Heineken and Yolo cocktail and wine bar.
You can also find a wide range of entertainment here currently planned, take a look at what is on HERE
The whole experience was great, food was amazing, the ordering process was absolutely great and service was super quick.
I think we will definitely be going back and trying more of the food, although we will be requesting seats in the no smoking area.
The Game Cabin
Once we were finished stuffing our faces, the boys had been invited along to try out The Game Cabin, a small gaming arena, full of personality. You can play on a range of consoles such as PS4, VR, XBOX available on a by the hour or for parties.
I really like the Game Cabin, the play time you can choose from is 1 hour, 1.5 hour, 2 hours. I like this idea as a parent, we have limits on gaming times in the house and if my child was going to the seafront I wouldn't want them sitting behind a screen all day. Prices start from £6. The cabin is small but the way the paint work has been done makes it seem bigger and the boys really enjoyed it here, they were made to feel welcome and even had a drink and some sweets. ( You can purchase drinks and sweets here if you want them ) We left the boys to play for an hour and took Iris onto the beach to have a run ( Make sure you know the areas you are allowed to take dogs onto the beach, it is clearly marked with signs up on too) Once we headed back for the boys they were more than happy with the experience and said it was great.
You can easily make a full day out of visiting. You can start by having some breakfast, take a walk along the pier and watch the dolphins, collect shells on the beach, head into Stack Seaburn for some food, if you have a dog take them into Woofs n Scruffs, if gaming is your thing spend an hour playing some video games whilst you grab a coffee and relax to the sound of the waves.
Important info
Opening Hours are Sunday/Thursday 10am/12pm Fri/Sat 10am/1am
Click and collect is available at various vendors please check each one as times vary
Dogs are welcome until 9pm ( not sure who would take there dog out drinking with them but hey its need to know info)
Covid restrictions are still in place as I write this article (16/07/21)
Pre booking is available. You can not pre book for the day of your visit.
Walk in is available but you may have to wait if it is busy.
Smoking is permitted in the outdoor section (plaza) so if you have kids I would suggest asking for a table upstairs.
Fully accessible with a lift on the premises
Toilet facilities
Dog Bowls available at no cost
Dogs to be kept on a lead and be mindful of others.
Smart casual dress code on an evening/ no dress code during the day
No age limits although come 8pm those under 18 will need to leave the premises as it is a licenced venue.
You can order on the app or ask for a menu but please note the physical menu did not include all of the vendors.