Boathouse Restaurant in Christchurch

Had a great lunch at the Boathouse Saturday, food was excellent and service excellent to . It has a great atmosphere and staff very helpful.

Unfailingly popular location and an animated ambience overlooking the river Stour. We’ve eaten well there (fish) a few years back Always pricey but it’s offering now seems to be relying on past reputations. We had bland Moules Mariniere in a milky sauce devoid of the essential white wine - awful. A boringly formulaic Mezze board confirms they are just churning out plates of dull food with no style or flavour. One of our party very sensibly asked for the cheeseburger - they got that right I thought , which speaks volumes.

Very disappointed with our evening at the Boathouse. Visited before and remember it all being very good and enjoyable. Not this time however. Really poor service. Our waitress really didn’t care or give us any proper service. Food was mediocre and not particularly tasty plus it wasn’t very warm. We weren’t offered the pudding menus and eventually had to ask. And again the same for additional drinks. At 7.30pm the waitress told us they needed the table back at 8pm which were knew and understood but at 7.45pm they started moving tables about and adding other table to our small table for 2 to make a 6. As mentioned we were still sat at our table drinking etc. really poor service so we drank the rest of our drinks and left. We won’t be in a rush to visit this place again and spend our hard earned money.

Outstanding food and service 10/10 Best restaurant in Christchurch I have never given a review of 10/10 so this is a first. Il begin by saying that the food and service we experienced was outstanding. Quick report then! Food ordered Pork crackling & calamari Specials (Sea bream with samphire and parameter potatoes) Moules with French fries Bread board Pavlova with raspberries and pistachio ice cream Wine Pecorino white Best calamari I’ve ever eaten, and once bitten into was like butter!! Service was exceptional and they couldn’t do enough for us even when the restaurant was full. Compliments to the manager and all the staff who know hospitality Inside out Can’t wait to come back

We called in for a breakfast on a weekend morning and they were very good to seat us all, 6 and a pushchair . A nice table and a great vibe. All the staff were very attentive and friendly too. The atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming. We all ordered a breakfast and drinks. The Full English was “warm” and really just mediocre. Bacon was very tough too. .

Very friendly, great food and helpful staff My wife is currently in a wheelchair and the staff were really helpful and considerate ( the accessible loo was very good too )

In Christchurch for the day, we caught the Boathouse's first Sunday Roasts of the season (but only served up until 6pm). Booked in advance, we and our two dogs were welcomed into the Veranda. Views out across the river. Meals were delicious and service friendly. Couldn't resist the Affogato which was sublime! Live background music was pleasingly unobtrusive.

Absolutely fabulous private event which we hosted in the Chandelier Bar - the room was fantastic, the food was amazing and the bar service was wonderful! Definitely recommend this venue for any occasion. Thanks to Abi, Meg and Jake for making the evening so special :-)

Excellent service and fantastic food. The whole sea bass from the specials board was especially tasty. All members of our group would return and recommend this restaurant.

Fantastic food, service and atmosphere. At least half the food was available gluten free or could be amended to a gf option. The staff were well known on allergies and dietary restrictions which was reassuring. Additionally plenty of vegan and vegetarian options that tasted brilliantly. Overall a fantastic dining experience and one of the best I’ve had as someone with coeliac and nut allergies. Definitely recommend to others and will be dining here again!

We were staying in Christchurch for a few days & discovered not many places open in a Monday evening. The menu did look pricey, but the situation of the restaurant possibly dictates that. We had a few dishes to share for starters & then 2 mains priced at just over £20 - the food was delicious & good value for money. Staff were all lovely & the place was quite busy, given that it was a Monday.

Visited the Boathouse twice over a two week period. The position, decor and overall vibe is great but I am afraid it really is the service that lets this place down. Staff seem more absorbed in themselves and each other with a few of them being actually very rude. Drinks and food are good, and the menu is extensive which is what drew us back a second time- but we won’t go again.

This was our 3rd visit. First time was ok, second quite bad and this time absolutely terrible. The service and food were awful. We waited a longtime to be seated despite booking and then our party had to ask 3 times for a highchair! 3 times! We then waited and waited and waited for our drinks! Which was ridiculous as there seemed to be more staff than guests! Two of our party had fish and chips, how a chef, that should take pride in their work, could send out such mediocre fish. Chips and fish were thrown onto the plate, no peas or parsley a ridiculously large pot of tartare sauce. It was embarrassing! The duck on my pizza was dry and chewy. Im sure it was days old! The calamari was rank and mushy. Kids cheesy pasta looked like spaghetti mixed with Philadelphia. The other two kids pizzas were ok but nothing special. All in all an inedible disappointment. We will not be returning.

Second time I’ve written a review for this place, last one was very good, this time - superb !!!! Love the fact that they are dog friendly so we took the pup along and sat on the veranda. Cocktails, starters mains and dessert were all excellent. Staff were very attentive and minimal waiting times between courses. Beautiful outlook to the rear over the green and quay. Really top notch all round. An excellent dining experience.

Awful service, they didn't even ask if the food was okay, which it was not. I've been going to this venue for years and was really disappointed today.

Visited here for breakfast. We had eggs Benedict and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs on sourdough, the pea sprouts on both finished the meals off well. Couldn’t fault the food or the service. Thank you for an enjoyable experience!

An excellent evening out on 24th October, with very good food and excellent service. Thanks to all the servers who looked after us so well, in particular the young lady with dark hair who dealt with our chaotic ordering!

The food here was delightful, customer service was amazing, one waitress called Lara was so lovely and helpful all night! Will definitely be coming back 😁

We were a party of 8 on a busy Saturday night . We were put on a lovely round table so chatting was much easier and every one of us had a fabulous delicious meal with excellent service. Atmosphere was buzzy and friendly and lovely location right by the river.

A very good restaurant offering good food at sensible prices.We visited for a lunch and again the next day for dinner and have no complaints.

First time here after several years. It has grown in size, and the atmosphere is great. The food on offer was varied and our choices were very tasty and well-presented. Special shout-out to our server, Jasmin, who was friendly, helpful and efficient.

The server was lovely ,smiley and polite ,she took our order for drinks then gave us 10 mins to place our order she was lovely HOWEVER, 20 mins in no drinks,we waited another 5 mins before I lost the will and told them to cancel out order ,it would have been quicker to go to the bar and get the drinks myself,but the lovely server had already ordered them NEVER AGAIN

Absolutely fabulous diner in a great location, really lovely staff and great menu. Service was friendly and efficient as well. Definitely worth a visit , book ahead gets busy .

The Boathouse used to be our go to around 6/7 years ago. We decided to take a break as standards slipped and staff were quite rude and entitled. We came back in August with 4 children in tow. Couldn’t fault the service and food was fantastic. A bit annoying that you still have to play ‘guess the waiting staff’!! But, still, I look forward to our next visit!!

We visited the restaurant on a summers evening for a large family dinner during the week out of school holidays. So the restaurant wasn't busy and allowed us excellent seating on the outside deck area. Staff were accommodating and friendly. The pub was also dog friendly which is what we required. Lager was refreshing on a summers eve and the view as well as the attractiveness of the venue itself was pleasing. I had the fish and chips which was nice enough but not outstanding. Another family member commended how nice his burger was. I would recommend this restaurant / bar if you want somewhere to drink with nice views / ambiance. I would expect parking to be tight on a busy day. Lovely experience

2 excellent visits in the last 2 weeks. Consistently good, lovely staff, friendly, attentive and efficient. Delicious food. We had dressed crabs, prawn tacos, poke bowls, mussels, squid, all really fresh and very well prepared and presented. Lovely relaxed atmosphere too. We will definitely visit more often.

We met for brunch for a family birthday. The staff were friendly and we weren’t kept waiting. I think it was very strange how casually dressed they were though. The food was very disappointing. I had the full English which was dreadful. It was just churned out with the worst quality ingredients. If you think that people won’t notice then, they will. We are local and had been looking forward to this for a long time. We won’t be back. I don’t care how ‘busy’ you are…. It’s your business!

We visited here looking for something nice for lunch. This restaurant is situated in a lovely area overlooking a river with beautiful boats and lots of swans and ducks: a nice place to enjoy a good meal. The menu is extensive and the establishment is clean, modern and well kept. Service was average and food was tasty however nothing to blow the tastebuds. I say that this is a good restaurant to have a meal in the area however I wouldn’t necessarily rush back needless to say that it was a sufficient meal.

Incredible food, great service and a wide selection to choose from. If you want a nice place to enjoy a nice meal then come here.

Been here several times never disappointed. Jade W is a great server, friendly and helpful, she is a credit to your business

This was my first visit and definitely won't be my last. The staff were amazing, especially our waitress Ella. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I didn't realise how large the outside area is. After our lunch, we sat outside for a few hours where there was...

A wonderful location close to the river, and Abbey. We all enjoyed tea's coffee and cakes in comfortable chairs outside in the awning. Very light and bright. The staff are very enthusiastic and smiley, we like that.

Very rude and very unfriendly staff , just went for a morning drink ordered coffee and a vanilla milk shake , when it came it was caramel and vanilla which was terrible just a load of piped cream and not much else ask them to...

Thought this would be a lovely spot for a coffee with a fab view of the Quay with my son. We ordered a couple of vanilla lattes from the bar and sat on the terrace. When my son took a sip of his coffee he...

Our food was terrible, just thrown on a board and served by disinterested waitresses. For a sharing platter, it was awful, my visiting friend and I were really hungry and that so called sharing platter was not enough for one person, never mind two. I...

Wonderful birthday breakfast. There were 14 of us and they could not have done more for us. We got there early to set up balloons etc and they were happy to help. All the breakfasts came at the same time and were yummy and hot....

Went expecting a nice meal in a stylish setting but unfortunately the place was far too noisy and chaotic for us. Seemed to be full of the local well heeled youth showing off. Decent food but not the atmosphere we were expecting.

Arrived at the reservation time of 1pm, very quickly given a menu and order taken, drinks within minutes we both ordered the Bass , a simple meal with a few potatoes and a little salad, other tables started to fill, orders taken and soon brought...

Our first visit to this rather special restaurant by the river stour- a stunning setting. Parking is easy in the nearby church parking lot using the Park & Pay App . I enjoyed a substantial starter of tempura cod with salad in two thin wraps....

An amazing setting with the young staff trying very hard but sadly it lacks good management. We waited an hour for our food to arrive for dinner and we were then told they no longer had that dish so we had to order again. Drinks...

Great place with superb food, a wide range of ages and all the beautiful ppl. Our server was probably the best I have ever experienced in all my years. She was so friendly and super helpful. All the staff are but she was amazing and...

Only stopped for a drink in the sun so sat outside with our dog - as had many others. Dog bowls and snacks provided. Beautiful setting and lovely place. Enjoyed our first visit and hope to return for food.

Beautiful location on a sunny day. Although busy the service was good and the food was excellent. My husband really enjoyed his Diábola pizza, said it tasted authentically Italian and I loved my calamari and prawns pil pil. We will be back!

The restaurant doesn’t really know what it is. I thinks it’s trying to cater for everything which I understand as it was exceptionally busy. However we found the experience utter chaos. It was so loud we couldn’t hold a conversation. We didn’t really know who...

Visited here for a meal, the restaurant was very busy, glad that we booked a table Great service, very nice food, the atmosphere was great, we were served by a young waitress I managed to get her name as her service was excellent. thank you...

Very enjoyable evening. Staff are very attentive and friendly. Food was excellent and good value. Our only negative was a large party next to us who made a lot of noise enjoying themselves. We would certainly return if in the area.

Lovely venue. We ate dinner, 4 adults a baby and a dog and the restaurant were very accommodating, although we were seated out in the far corner of the marquee, which was a bit musty. Service was good and the food and drinks were very...

Beautiful place with lovely food. Our favorite place in christchurch. We especially love the chilled sofa areas out the back

Stopped for brekkie on way home from our new forest holiday. Great breakfast and friendly staff, good views across the quay. I had eggs Benedict and hubby had the avocado and eggs. Both were great!

A beautiful relaxing restaurant. One of our favourite places to visit. The best mojitos ever. Great service from the young lady Daisy, very attentive and our glasses were never empty. My only critic would be to have more options for vegans. Thank you to the...

The Boathouse has always been a firm favourite of hours whenever we’ve visited Christchurch. But since our last visit around 18 months ago, it’s turned from a nice, relaxing dinner venue to an overcrowded drinking venue. If you under 25 and looking for a great...

5* again. Visiting this restaurant is always a treat. We were fortunate to secure a table for today, Sunday April 2nd ‘23 to celebrate a birthday and wedding anniversary at lunchtime. The food was exceptional, thank you to chef and the team for creating superb...

We visited here for an informal birthday lunch for my husband as we were visiting the area. The service was friendly and efficient and the food was delicious. We would return though the reason that I marked down was that there are some areas that...

Took my mum for Mother’s Day lunch. Service was friendly mussels were lovely and my mums calamari starter was very good. Only downside was the scallop starter I swayed between deciding and wish I hadn’t had the scallops. They were supposed to have crab with...

A thoroughly enjoyable lunch en route to Bournemouth for a family gathering. We hadn't booked ahead but the team were very willing to find us a table. A lovely menu choice - the mussels were excellent as was the sharing platter and the staff very...

We visited for lunch on a rainy Monday in March with my very elderly, frail Dad. He walks with a rollator and the staff moved furniture to make sure he could get through, he was unaware due to his dementia but my Mum & I...

Personally, I would highly recommend the Boathouse for any special occasion, be it a romantic Valentine's Day dinner or an anniversary celebration. The restaurant's ambiance is truly unparalleled, with a warm and inviting interior that is elegantly decorated with vintage nautical touches. The Boathouse also...

Interesting and varied menu offered in a great relaxed ambience. Staff are welcoming and cheerfully efficient and cope with a clientele of young to old effortlessly. Lots of seafood and fish choices but steaks and pizzas etc too. Buzzing vibe on early weekday evenings makes...

We came here for my Mother in laws 103 birthday! Born and bred in Christchurch, she remembered the Boat House as a small house on the harbour, We had an fabulous time, so did she with the attention and friendliness from the restaurant staff, who...

second time here, menu is large with good choices - the pasta to start is excellent! food was taste and service was very good. great atmosphere. will go again

We booked this venue for NYE as some friends were down, we called up to double check the dress code and was told that we would not be allowed in unless we were in “black tie” however upon arrival we were greeted with a room...

This restaurant is in a lovely location, it serves a good variety of excellent food at a very reasonable price. The staff were friendly, efficient, and helpful. One of our party had a query re an ingredient in one dish and this was answered in...

Time and time again this place proves its worth. The staff and the food are fantastic. You cannot appeal to all quirky tastes and there is always the pedantic customer that you cannot please, but the atmosphere and space for all types of customers makes...

Disappointing breakfast today. We have used the Boathouse regularly for a number of years and todays visit was a real disappointment. We ordered quickly, lots of staff around. We originally sat outside, but there was a terrible smell, which we were informed was damp as...

Had breakfast with my son this morning, great place, breakfast was so so. The waitress on the other hand was something else. Tall, slim, green top denim jeans. Nice outfit but the face put everything downwards.She was so miserable, no smile, limited communication. After finishing...

Lovely atmosphere and staff beautiful location,,food is good little bit pricey, but streaky bacon on the full English breakfast that’s a no for me !

Order your drinks outside in the little boho shack. All good, but no prices advertised. Nine quid for a little plastic beaker of prosecco. Even the waiter was embarrassed.

Lovely environment for a family meal. Good choice of wine and good mixed menu. Staff very pleasant and attentive to our large group.

Another lovely meal. Always my go to place when visiting Christchurch. Recommend the steak. Lovely welcome and friendly staff

Came here with a friend for breakfast and were sat in a really nice spot. We ordered a cappuccino and a large orange juice before getting the food menu and then realised when it came that the orange juice was priced at £7! As a...

Lovely Restaurant this. A nice sunny day, good food ,nice waitresses dressed sparingly What not to like. The food was good as well

Come here regularly but today, Saturday, seemed a little shambolic. We were only having drinks but ordered a bowl of chips to share. Waited 20 minutes for the smallest portion of chips ever. Waitress spilled wine over my guest and although she was apologetic it...

Lovely time with the wife and kids. Service is great even as it was so busy. Staff friendly and engaged and nothing was too much trouble. Look forward to visiting the weekend.

I visited the Boathouse today for lunch. This delightful restaurant overlooks the harbour in Christchurch in the shadow of ths Priory. A warm welcome then shown to a table on the terrace. I ordered Calamari as a starter which is everything it should be. Delicious....

Serving staff don’t seem to know whats going on. Servers where friendly and did try. Not their fault simply a lack of or poor management. Food terrible had no taste, poor food choice for dietary requirements. I don’t like leaving bad reviews but I’m also...

Having frequented this place on a number of occasions I can't really fault it. I've never had anything to complain about - it's just good food, reasonably priced and nothing fancy. Good all round.

Just had a really nice evening at The Boathouse….the perfect setting and we had a table in the window, perfect for the lovely weather we are enjoying at present. Nice young staff very friendly and efficient….I had Lobster certainly not the best…it was only a...

We were shown to a table in the baking sun, which was scorching hot to touch, it hurt to sit down. Started off with a drinks order, 25 minutes later we had to ask to order our food, even though the waitress taking the drinks...

A last minute decision to eat lunch here as our trip to Mudeford Sandbank had to be abandoned due to high winds. Despite being busy we were found an outside table, it was moved to enable one seat to be in the sun, the other...

Came here for my daughters birthday. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was good and tasty, was a very lovely lunch

Covid is now over and restrictions have gone, wish someone would tell The Boathouse! Ushered to a seat with plastics sheets all around you. Dog hairs on the tables and chairs add a nice touch if you're not a dog owner and want to immerse...

Great atmosphere, great food in general and lovely location. However we would not return due to the fact that the kids fish and chips was full of larger bones which is a choking hazard. They did replace the meal and the next meal provided was...

Not eaten here before but had heard good things. Obviously busy as they only had seating available at their sofa booths. Nice vibe on arrival but the sofa booths are not great for eating a meal as very low seats. Plus you feel like you’re...

Relaxed and sunny, met with friends for lunch. We had not booked, but we’re shown to a lovely sofa table, which was fine as we planned a bottle of wine and pizza lunch. Low table would be difficult for a ‘knife and fork’ meal but...

I ordered from the little silver trailer which is part of the boathouse and you can sit on benches outside next to it. I ordered a ham and cheese panini and it was really hot when it came out, it was chewy and tasted like...

The location is perfect, near the church, green , harbour and bandstand. The view is great, the decor modern, the staff efficient, menu interesting, prices average and fayre tasty! Recommended!

Been to the Boathouse on a number of occasions and went there for breakfast one Sunday in late May. The service was ok although the staff seemed more interested in another table - all seemed very friendly but they need to remember there is more...

I've been to and reviewed this place before and it never disappoints. My latest visit with my partner for lunch on a lovely sunny day was just perfect. Our waitress Honey was wonderful and couldn't have done more to make our time here most enjoyable....

Very nice seafood, of course, but plenty for other tastes too. Mut book ahead, always busy even on a Monday when we went. Friendly staff, good price, will be back

We recently celebrated our Golden Wedding with a surprise Afternoon tea Party given by our family at the Chandelier Room which overlooks Christchurch Harbour. The whole afternoon went beautifully...the venue was perfect( just remember the stairs ,as no lift) and the staff were top notch...

what my review Is about! I’ve booked a table for seven people and five of us I turned up early or two sons who are running late turn up and was refused entry before even opening their mouths which I don’t agree with! We was...

7 of us had lunch, I had pre-booked the table and we were seated efficiently. There were a lot of waitresses/servers albeit a number of them didn’t seem to be doing much and the bar tender kept ringing going the bell for orders to be...

Busy pub /restaurant even on a Sunday night. Great atmosphere. Staff friendly and gave great service. We had two different pizzas which were both excellent. Great menu choice with some different choices to the usual pub menu.

Really nice setting, nice seating area with very friendly staff who made us feel welcome. Breakfast was great. Good pork & leek sausages. Quite expensive but worth it for the lovely setting

After a long day, dog and I made to feel very welcome and relaxed. The monkfish was superb and she enjoyed her sausages ( later than planned so hadn’t brought dog food )

We arrived around 2140 we found a table outside there was around 8of of us mixed there was a lady outside that was constantly swearing so we decided to move inside the rest of our party turned up again mixed they were refused entry as...

We was planning on having a wedding reception here, paid a deposit, sent out invitations, after plenty of missed communications, turning up at the boat house 2 times for a meeting which we had confirmed the night before, no one was there to meet us?...

A huge thank you to Lily , Simon and the team for all their hardwork. 36 guests, multiple dietary requirements all catered for. We had tapas which were delicious. Lovely Bar, own bar and toilets included above the restaurant The outlook over the Quay stunning.

Excellent food, drinks and really good service, we haven’t been here for a few years because the food wasn’t good on the last visit but now it was delicious, very busy but cant fault anything, cant wait to go back

Staying in Bournemouth for a midweek break and visited Mudeford beach in the morning. Looking for somewhere to stop on the way back and stopped at Christchurch Quay - what a beautiful location with sea views, green space and places to visit. Fed-up with standard...