Durano Lounge

As others have pointed out, lovely location marred by terrible service. A QR code is required to order, which usually isn't an issue, but due to the location there's no signal, so you have to use their WiFi, which also usually isn't an issue, but you have to register to use it, requiring a social media account or loads of mandatory personal info, cookies agreements, spam agreements, prompts for pre-service tips and limited payment options. The whole experience feels very impersonal and with the amount of info exchanged and boxes to tick, leaves you feeling like you're being scammed on a dodgy website. Owners should probably be running an ad agency, not serving food, as at no point has the purpose of a lounge/cafe been considered, or the service and experience that goes with it. Food arrived fast and was nice, if a little overpriced and overcomplicated, coffee was poor and tasted like it had been topped up with cold tapwater. There's plenty reasons why this scores much lower than it's neighbours. It does have a gluten free menu, which is always nice to see.

I approached Durano Lounge with tempered expectations, having read about the chaos reported since its opening. Sadly, even those low expectations weren’t met. The location itself is appealing, set in the old Toy Museum of Tynemouth, and the availability of separate vegan and gluten-free menus is a positive. However, the experience was marred by significant issues. Queues stretched out of the door just to secure a table, followed by another wait for service. Staff seemed to be doing their best, but the system in place simply couldn’t handle the sheer volume of customers. It was chaotic, and it showed. While the menu offers a good variety of vegan options, the execution leaves much to be desired. The food appeared pre-prepared and reheated - completely unacceptable at these prices. Add-ons, like £2.20 for vegan bacon, are extortionate. Worse still, it was forgotten and denied despite clear proof on the app. Several other items from our order were also missing. Drinks were another disappointment, with glasses encrusted with food residue only noticeable after drinking partway. Sweet potato fries are an outright joke - £4.20 for a pitiful portion served in a small sauce container that even my toddler could hold in one hand. Paying in advance, including tips, is standard here, but tipping before service feels presumptuous. I would have reclaimed it had I not wanted to avoid more hassle after an already exhausting experience. The tip in advance is really ridiculous - especially when the service that follows is not acceptable. The venue is spacious, dog-friendly, and visually appealing, but these positives are overshadowed by poor organisation, overstretched staff, and an inability to cope with demand. At these prices, this is utterly unacceptable. Even as a dog-friendly person, I feel it is a bit of a free-for-all. Even if the food and service improves, I wouldn't recommend this place as somewhere to go without a dog for breakfast or lunch - as the amount of dogs everywhere is fine for me but I imagine it is very disturbing and uncomfortable for others. The amount of people that left dogs unattended and clearly stressed/anxious/overwhelmed rather than leave with them is not fine and was disturbing and uncomfortable for me to see. Overall, the experience was overwhelming for both staff and customers. It’s not working, and for the prices charged, it's unacceptable.