Dedham Boathouse in Colchester

Only lasted 20 mins as manager was rude to us and then got a parking fine for waiting! Appealed decision and it got rejected. Seems to be going downhill.

Great food and lovely location. Lots of good menu options for brunch and at reasonable prices. Good place to catch up with friends

Had a very enjoyable lunch here yesterday (16th Oct). Received a friendly welcome at the door and offered a table inside or out. We settled for indoors. My wife was delighted to see crab salad on the menu. I opted for the fish and chips. It’s a limited menu but that’s often better as it tends to mean that the meal is cooked fresh instead of being warmed up in a microwave. My wife went and placed the order. She is allergic to onion and the staff were very accommodating. The food arrived very quickly and mine was piping hot. My wife thoroughly her crab salad. All the staff we met were very friendly and efficient. We will return.

Pretty awful. More like a 'canteen' than restaurant. Service bad they 'forgot' one meal. Waiting staff - there was a lot of them - very young (16ish) and badly trained. Food mediocre. Won't be returning

Pre walk lunch beside the river on a cold but sunny autumn day. I am gluten intolerant and could not see much that I thought I could eat but the chef made me a delicious open sandwich of hummus and crispy potatoes which I have to say was absolutely delicious and you wouldn’t have known it was gluten free. I also shared a portion of fries with my friend. They only have one fried so this would not be suitable for anyone either coeliacs disease but as I’m intolerant rather than coeliac we had them. These too were fabulous. This and crispy with a little salt but not oily at all My friend had the prawn open sandwich We have her. Here many times and as before, our experience today means we will be back again

Considering how expensive the meals are we were very dissapointed in the menu on offer.it was mainly Burger & chips for a whopping £16.50+ .for the kids you could have chips OR beans with your sausage.Basic menu at restaurant prices.As if a few beans cost much to add !! Also you have to queue up for your food with 1 person taking orders.the Queue of people then were squashed into our table as they queued up.so we could not eat in peace. Then we hired 2 boats £25 each .so another whopping £50 and only for 1 hour. Absolutely awful.such a lovely location but terrible set up & monstrously greedy prices! Avoid!!!!

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!! We went there with my family for lunch. I ordered a salmon quiche and it was UNBEARABLY HOT, IT BURNED MY TOUNGE. I know that food is good when it's hot but this quiche WAS MINIMUM 200 DEGREES. WHEN I CUT A PIECE IT WASN'T STEAMING BUT WHEN I TOOK A BITE I WAS BURNED. THEN CAME THE SHOCKING PART, WE ASKED FOR THE MANAGER BECAUSE MY TOUNGE WAS EXTREMLY RED, BUT HE LAUGHED AT US! HOW DARE HE!! THEY DIDN'T EVEN SAY SORRY! I CAN'T EAT FOR A WEEK NOW. If my child would of ordered this meal, we would need go to the hospital with a burning injury!! I'm so disappointed and defenetly not recommend this restaurant for anyone especially for families. THEY DON'T RESPECT THEIR COSTUMERS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S NOT HOSPITALITY IN 2024!

Really disappointed again. Had to wait nearly two hours for our breakfast that eventually arrived at lunchtime. No one came to tell us there would be a wait for food and when we asked where our food was - after one hour- we were told it would be the next one out and nothing after another 20 minutes. I won’t be going back.

I enjoyed a lovely birthday and Mother’s Day lunch at The Boatyard with my parents. Unfortunately it was pouring down so we couldn’t sit outside, but the restaurant is nicely presented inside, so we didn’t mind at all. I ordered the ploughman’s, which was very generously portioned, and my parents both enjoyed their dishes. Service was very good. I look forward to returning in better weather!

Great visit. We had a boatyard burger and a ploughman’s. Generous portions that we were able to share with our two year old. Both great quality and very tasty. Although it was very busy the wait wasn’t long especially when you take into consideration how many customers they had to serve. I’d rather wait for freshly cooked homemade food here in a beautiful setting than be served quick microwaveable meals like lesser quality establishments do. Staff were helpful, polite and attentive. We also went on a boat which was great fun. Our young daughter loved it. Well done boatyard team. We can’t wait to come back!

Extremely disappointing. Indifferent food and poor service after very long wait. Could/should be a goldmine as great location but it so isn’t.

Visited for lunch today with friends and had an absolutely amazing time. We placed our order and drinks came out super quickly & they were of a very high quality including some of the cocktails! Food also came out in good time… I had the fish finger open sandwich and it did not disappoint- was clearly fresh and made to order. On top of all of this, service was superb and staff very efficient and kind. We sat outside which meant we had a perfect view of the river- a lovely dining experience. We will definitely be returning 😊

The owners of this restaurant should be ashamed of the way customers are treated. Had a serious problem there and no one apologised or offered a refund for food we did not eat. The rudeness was so bad. I have never encountered anything like it before. I certainly will never return and advise anyone going there to be wary.

What a disappointment! Had to sit outside despite the large number of empty “reserved” seats inside. Ordered drinks which arrived promptly and were nice but upon ordering food and more drinks the experience went down hill! Waited over 45 mins before we asked how long it would be only to be told the kitchen was busy which is fine but we had only ordered 3 small breakfast items which I’m sure could of been done whilst the big orders were cooking?! The 2nd round of drinks came along with the slice of cake but the cold sausage roll came with the hot food and was warm? After we had finished we were asked how everything was - I don’t think the chap really wanted my answer but once again we were told they weee busy! Last time we came we didn’t have a great experience but we thought we would try again and we wish we hadn’t bothered! It’s a lovely spot and could be a gold mine but needs to do better to get repeat customers. It wasn’t even that busy as the weather wasn’t great so I’d hate to see how they cope when it’s really hot and busy!

Scenic setting in beautiful Constable countryside and a charming converted boatyard. Wonderful home cooked food. Friendly helpful staff.

Lovely restaurant in a beautiful setting overlooking the river. We requested a table inside which was fine and it was fairly quiet. All the outside tables were occupied for our entire visit so overall it was quite busy. The food was good but they do not offer a table service. You order and pay for food at the till and here the service is very very slow. This to me lets this restaurant down. It would be much more efficient to operate a waiter service which would speed everything up. Queuing for at least 15 minutes was a drag. We were lucky to get get parking spaces in our visit.

As a family we decided to visit the Boatyard as it’s sits in a beautiful setting by the river. On arrival we were very impressed with what we saw & there was a delightful selection of savoury & sweet treats. On finding a table & making our selection I went up to the counter to place our order. This is where things went down hill!! I placed my order & the polite young lady reread my order back to me. When our lunch was brought out it all looked lovely & the young man asked if we were waiting on anything else in which I replied yes & told him what we were missing & he went back to the kitchen to check. On his return he had our docket with our order on minus the three items we were awaiting, he said the other items obviously hadn’t been ordered or paid for & said we would have to return to counter to reorder. I sat for a moment & discussed with my husband what we had paid & it was clear we did not have what we ordered so I returned to the counter to request a copy of the till receipt which hopefully would prove our order. What I am presuming was the manager then told me to take a seat & he would find our receipt. A few minutes later he returned with our receipt in hand & what he said was a complimentary scone to apologise for the mistake which proved we had paid for the other items. However the scone was actually one of the items we were missing along a couple of cakes. To sum always get a receipt as we have seen other reviews of missing items that have been charged for so this clearly is not a one off!!

What should have been a lovely lunch out turned into a disaster! We ordered our food together with drinks. One of the drinks, a double G&T (£11.20)had no gin, on mentioning this we were told that we had only been charged for a tonic. We then asked to see the bill as it was rather expensive and it turned out the gin was on there, also had to ask for a slice of lemon. Regarding the food, the cheese and ham croissant had the option to be warmed, but on delivery to the table we found that it had been cremated, it is questionable as to why it was even sent out from the kitchen. An additional dish we ordered at the same time as our mains never showed up so we requested a refund on the croissant & missing dish. The hardest thing to get right was my partners burger, which was actually excellent. It showed the absolute hit and miss way the place is run. Young girls with no training and no manager in sight, if only the quality of service and food was as high as the prices, all would be good. In a nutshell, nice food if you’re lucky or burnt/no food if you’re unlucky, a nice spot with plenty of customers, but unfortunately run like a ship with no Captain

Breakfast is served until 1130. Lunch is from 1200 We queued up at 1120, got to the front of the queue at 1140 and were told we were too late for breakfast but too early for lunch. But they wouldn’t take the lunch order and put it to one side until 1200, so we joined the back of the queue and started again. Luckily getting to the front very close to 12 🤣 Our children started bickering during the 40 min queue wait. I told them off, this lasted less than a minute and a lady on a table nearby said rather obviously, ‘let’s have coffee somewhere else’ because of it. Someone else complained because a dog quietly whimpered whilst its owner was in the queue.🤪 We saw many people leave before ordering , due to the queue. There are few toilets, so yet another queue to join 😜 The river bank was full of people and no where to launch a paddle board unless you lifted it over people eating their lunch 🤣🤣🤣 The food at the restaurant was really nice though, and the staff were polite and chatty. If you want good food, have the time to wait, love a queue, and need a laugh… grab a table and watch the farce.

We visited the Boatyard for lunch after a couple of hours rowing! We were able to walk in and find an outside table. We visited on a sunny Monday lunchtime during the summer holidays. There were plenty of tables available inside (although, some reserved) but it was quite busy outside. We found a table with a great view of the river and people having fun playing in the water! We ordered the croque monsieur, the burger and quiche and salad. We didn’t have to wait too long for the food to be served and what we received were really nice big portions and a lovely meal. Overall a lovely meal and we would happily return!

We popped in for a cuppa… decided everyone looked so good we ordered brunch… absolutely superb food and wonderful staff.

Extremely disappointing, went for lunch, restaurant appeared to be staffed by youngsters with not a lot of idea how to co-ordinate things, there were 4 of us on one table, but we ordered per couple, the couple who ordered first waited last for their meals, and when it came it wasnt correct. The ploughmans lunch was really poor, fatty ham, fatty sausage roll, tasteless homemade piccalilli and hugely overpriced, would not recommend

Beautiful location but unfortunately they have a very poor understanding of how to provide gluten free food so I would advise coeliacs to stay away. I had to explain twice that chips cooked in the same oil as batter were not gluten free (despite them using that legally protected term on their menu). Despite that intervention and a lot more questions and clarifications, I must have still been given gluten in the dishes I ordered as I had a really bad reaction after dining there.

Beautiful spot for lunch overlooking the river. The food & drink was good & arrived promptly. Staff were friendly & polite. However I used the facilities before leaving & was disappointed to see that the maintenance & cleanliness was somewhat lacking. Bearing in mind that this was the disabled cubicle, the seat was loose & the tap had the handle missing, making it very hard for anyone with limited grip to use. Attention to this is badly needed.

The surroundings were beautiful, we checked the menu online before we booked my sister’s birthday lunch and it looked good. When we got there the menu was totally different we were told this was because it was half term and the menu gets changed for speed to get people in and out. There was not a lot of choice in fact I ended up with a children’s meal as everything had either been sold out or I didn’t like it. I’m not a fussy eater I might add. Also didn’t like the fact you could have dogs in the restaurant my husband is allergic to dogs and cats so much so he carries an epipen this we were not aware of at booking. We also heard another family complaining about the dogs in there.

We have used this restaurant in the past, it is a beautiful setting and used to be a lovely place for lunch. It has changed name so we can only assume it has new owners. We visited on a Sunday lunchtime, we had reserved a table. When we arrived we were informed there was a 45 minute wait for food. It was very busy - they were serving people who seemed to randomly appear from the river bank and boats. There was no waiter/waitress to take orders, we had to join a long queue at the till to order our food and pay in advance. This took 30 minutes and once we reached the front of the queue we were informed most of the menu was unavailable. The food then took at least 45 minutes to arrive. The Ploughmans was OK. The avocado and poached egg wasn't anything special. The fish finger sandwich was mostly batter it was difficult to find the fish and it was cold, I had asked for granary bread but it came on white bread as they had run out of granary. Nobody came to check that this was OK for me, it was just handed to me. We asked for some chips when we saw the size of the portions and were told we couldn't have any as we hadn't paid for them when we ordered. They then said we could have complimentary chips because we had waited so long but these never arrived. It seems to me that these people do not have a clue what they are doing. They need to make up their minds and decide whether they are a cafe for the river visitors or a restaurant where you can reserve a table and have a decent meal. At the moment they are doing neither very well. We were very disappointed and we will not be going back.

Only the deli counter open. The food looked tired and dry, but worst of all, had lots of flies in the cabinet. Food was all uncovered. I cannot review the taste, we left as we didn’t want to eat food crawling in flies. 🥺

Visited here for lunch after a long paddleboard trip up the river from Manningtree. Lovely views and an excellent ploughman's. My paddle had broken on the journey down. The man I assume to be the manager/owner went out of his way to get me some tape to make a temporary fix, and gave me the rest of the roll. Just in case it was needed on the way back. We did make it home, and we will be back.

Great location. Food below average Service very below average Uninspiring menu. More interested in quick turnaround than seated customers. Customers being told that they shut at 4 that’s not the kitchen closing it’s they shut. If that’s the case why take bookings for a table at 3pm.

Awww I felt for the staff today after one young lady who worked there being left in tears. They were all super busy. But we had lovely tasty food. Well done to all the staff

Lovely setting, beautiful food and lovely staff. Nothing too much. Food was fresh and clearly homemade, can’t wait to go back.

No Sunday roasts now but doesnt say that anywhere. Uninspiring menu. Wasted journey of an hour to get there.

Exceptional meal with friendly staff and lovely views of the river. Will definitely return as soon as possible.

A group of us had lunch there on a wet winter Monday and it was cosy and welcoming. All the food choices looked delicious and my bean soup was very tasty and plentiful. I chose to have a cheese scone with it rather than bread...

Wonderful Sunday roast for two. Beef was excellent and left feeling nice and full. Warm and welcoming atmosphere and pleasant staff - did not feel rushed! Will definitely be returning. Car park with lots of space also a plus.

There is a nice big car park. We had booked a table for 12 which was in a slightly raised position, comfortable chairs, and a pleasant and warm environment. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. Some of us had pre- ordered our meals and...

2 substantial slices of Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding and vegetables £16.00 delicious. Staff very friendly, a good experience. Will visit again 😃

I can highly recommend this lovely place to eat. We hadn’t booked and was welcomed by the lovely staff who couldn’t do enough for.us. The food was fresh home cooked and delicious. We sat in a clean, warm cosy environment. What a perfect way to...

The food is delicious, a lovely seating area near the boats, overlooking lovely fields. Service was excellent, would visit again and highly recommend the boatyard at dedham essex

A Thankyou Sunday lunch for friends . Good atmosphere, warm wood burning stove, 2 lamb,1 beef and 1 vegetarian Sunday lunches ordered. As a man who loves his food and has had many disappointing occasions over the years I can say today was superb, good...

I was part of a group of ladies wh enjoyed a lovely lunch in the boathouse. The staff coped well with all of the different menu choices and individual payments . The food was delicious . Unfortunately I left my jacket but upon contacting the...

Visited “the Kitchen” today (Sunday) with my partner and our dogs and pleased to see the sign out side, walk ins welcome and dog friendly a good start.!!. Plenty of people eating outside and the food smelt lovely. It’s order and pay inside. My partner...

Came here for lunch and the food was lovely. Good prices. Staff are friendly and a credit to the team. Dogs are welcome. Would visit again.

Lovely brunch, with lots of GF options and oat milk. My only gripe is on their board they say open 9 to 4, this is incorrect as you can’t order from the menu after 3pm. Lovely setting and tasty food.

1st into the restaurant but last to have our order taken, appalling service, ordered a glass of wine, it never arrived! Half jokingly I said to the waitress “have we done something to upset you?” She said “No, why?” I pointed out that we were...

Went for Sunday lunch and was told over phone no Sunday roasts during summer. However vegetarian/vegan choices available. Sat outside on a beautiful day. On looking at menu all that was on offer was salads and hummus and chips. Hardly Sunday dinner. Very disappointed. The...

Have visited here a few time and have never been in the restaurant. However, I wish to review the boat hire which I feel is a great experience. A few people got in as a 6, a lot got in as a 4 but I...

Lovely breakfast, every item on the plate was delicious! Best hash brown I’ve ever had. It was sunny, so we sat outside, it’s absolutely beautiful and great for people watching (lots of kayaks/ paddle boarders etc). Coffees and iced coffees were great. Lovely staff and...

Great brunch, really good value and relaxed atmosphere. Lovely view onto the river. Would recommend for brunch and coffee. Didn’t try the cakes but looked like a lovely selection to choose from.

Perfect place for a weekend breakfast / brunch. We liked the informal relaxed setting, and we were allowed to take our dog in with us. Breakfast and coffee was delicious and the staff were friendly and helpful. We will definitely be returning.

I was taken by my sons to the Boathouse for a surprise lunch and I enjoyed the whole experience. The food was delicious, perfectly seasoned….even my 7 year old grandson said he would give the roast pork, 500 out of 10! The staff were attentive...

Called in a couple of times over the last few weeks, both times the service is very good , meal selection a little limited but OK, Deli counter very good. Price is quite high but portion size makes up for this. Lovely place to eat...

The setting is beautiful, although we visited on a very warm day and it was very busy, both at the restaurant and the surrounding area.

Staff were not very happy and we’re quite rude made us feel like we were not welcome - served our food to other people even tho they took our order and the other people had just walked in - my 9 year old said are...

Nice place to stop for a coffee and cake break sitting outside in the sunny weather by the river. Good quality and value for money.

Firstly this setting for the restaurant is stunning right on the riverbank! The staff here went above and beyond helping me organise a baby shower. Letting me decorate and just bring so welcoming on arrival. The food was delicious and the staff were so helpful...

Lovely setting, good food, but unsatisfactory experience. Breakfast menu was very limited and even though I asked for a dietary choice, I failed to receive it. Lack of toast with the meal was disappointing. Cobwebs on the light fittings over the food display was off-putting....

What was a fantastic restaurant is now a slightly up market cafe. Setting still lovely but not a place I would return to or recomend anymore.

Visited here on a trip to Dedham. Was clearly struggling with staff as a whole section of tables weren’t being used and the staff working looked more than rushed off their feet. Managed to get a table and service throughout was good. No option when...

A lovely spot for brunch/lunch after a row on the Stour. The food was generally very good quality. Only small gripe on the food front is I’d say the bacon for the bacon rolls may have been sitting cooked and warmed for a while -...

The boathouse was our lunch stop on a trip deeper into Suffolk and we shared an excellent seafood platter. Everything was daisy-fresh and the service was welcoming and friendly. Very nice place.

We had lunch here today. The staff are very friendly and service was good. The food was really nice and reasonably priced. The setting is beautiful and we enjoyed watching the families having fun on and in the river. We will definitely be going back and would highly recommend that you give this place a try

Beautiful surroundings, even the Spencer Chuchill grand house, visible on the hill. Superb food, light, breezy service. I spoke to Mr Cameron Marshall, a trained chef under Christophe de Tew, Paris.Especially under Covid, he has attempted to bring originality and jest to his menu. I would like him to revert to his L'Escoffier training. First class

We visited on a Friday evening in July, six in our party, and had the most delicious food and excellent service. We weren't rushed and we took our coffees after our food to the outside seating at the river side to finish what was a very pleasant and enjoyable evening with the family. Thankyou.

First things first - the service is not fantastic, so don’t expect to be well treated or feel special.Covid Alert - there was no table service - we had to go to the counter to order. I didn’t think that that was appropriate as you are in very close proximity to a lot of other diners, all queuing. It was a bit odd.But now the important stuff. Unfortunately I visited the site twice and twice I was sick afterwards. I had nausea both times I visited the place. The first time (about two weeks ago) was for an evening celebration - I had a mushroom dish. The other was today - I had a fish cake dish.My baby had a runny tummy straight away today - while still in the restaurant, and by runny I mean completely runny.I mentioned to my family that I had felt sick after visiting the place two weeks earlier, but I couldn’t be sure whether I had actually eaten something bad there or caught a bug somewhere. But feeling sick right now, again, after visiting the place earlier today, cannot be a coincidence. It is a shame really, but I think that I will now not be confident to eat here again nor will I be able to recommend the place.Feeling sick right now!

4 of us were really impressed here. Very welcoming with really good service and food. Well priced overall. We even returned after our walk and enjoyed drinks and snacks. Thank you.

Lovely location, excellent staff, comfy seating and spacing aswell as superb food. Can’t fault this place. A real treat and good value for money whether it’s main meal or coffees and cakes - so much choice - loved it

Weather was great, wedding was great, and complimented by the great afternoon/evening function held here at the Boathouse. The staff were excellent, nothing was too much trouble, and the food was superb. COVID restrictions were managed superlatively.

Popped in for lunch on a hot June day. Lovely to sit outside and admire the river views. Really friendly staff, evidenced by how they looked after some frail elderly visitors. Our lunches (crayfish, smoked salmon) were fabulous, with an equally enjoyable cream tea to finish.

Very generous portion of food friendly staff, dog friendly and lovely setting, we dropped in spur of the moment and will come again - lovely place

We visited over a busy weekend for lunch as we were passing through the area and doing a local walk - it was incredibly busy but the staff did so well to keep things moving. Had the chicken katsu salad, along with some snacks like scotch eggs - all tasty and exactly what we needed after a long walk! The waiters were so lovely to our dog too, fetching water as it was a very hot day. No problems at all with the service (although it seems like they are doing a new format so maybe the other recent reviews are a product of teething problems).

My wife and I went for breakfast today. Entered the building,checked in as requested and waited to be seated...... and waited. Eventually I went forward to try and attract attention.....and waited. After some while I was noticed and taken to be seated. We were told to order from the bar when ready but had to ask for menus - very limited choice. Coffee came out first with cutlery. When breakfast came had to request a clean fork as one had remains of egg on. Also had to ask for condiments. The food itself was satisfactory and we would have like a second coffee. However no one came to see if we would like anything else and by this time we had lost our patience and went elsewhere. Our purpose apart from the breakfast was to review this venue for a regular weekly group breakfast but alas we are still looking.

The Boathouse used to be a really nice restaurant in a great setting with a menu of quality food. The service was run with military precision by a manager who know what they were doing. Not now, the place is run by teenagers with no management in sight. The menu is so dumbed down it is a very poor cafe menu. The wait for service - 30 minutes to take a drinks order and then another 20 minutes to serve it - is appalling. We were so excited at the news that the Kitchen had got the contract to run the new Felixstowe visitor centre, but after this experience let's hope the people running the group go back to the drawing board and provide what made the Boathouse a great place to go to.

Was looking forward to visiting The Boathouse. I appreciate it was Bank Holiday Monday and they were very busy.After 40 minutes our order was taken. We ordered cold dishes so expected we would get our meals quickly. After a hour we gave up. Waiting staff were very apologetic but there was no senior member of staff to give them guidance and direction. When you see the people in front of you in the queue to get in paying their bill and you have only just received your drinks it is not good.Many takeaway orders were going out so guess we were not a priority. We will visit again, mid week this time and hopefully have a different experience.

I have to echo the review from a customer posted today. After standing for an hour in full sun this lunchtime waiting to get in we eventually had to give up and leave. When we arrived there were only 2 couples and a family of 4 in front of us and plenty of empty tables so there should have been no reason for any significant wait. As per the other review, there did not appear to be a 'manger' organising the staff team or looking after the existing customers or potential customers. For those of us queuing in at least 25c heat and full sun there wasn't even an acknowledgement we were there, let alone an update as to how long we should expect to wait.The consensus amongst those waiting was - at least if you let us take a seat and order a drink on the understanding that it would be an hour before a food order could be taken we could have made that decision and felt much more welcome and comfortable whilst we waited. If that was not possible (& I don't know why not) then perhaps having a member of staff tasked to check the queue and manage expectations on a regular basis would have been helpful. Also, how about moving the queue to the right hand side of the door so that the majority of the queue would be in the shade of the tree?We tried telephoning the restaurant to discuss this matter as I believe that this is kinder to establishments and gives them an opportunity to act on any feedback - unfortunately, nobody was available to take my call.

2 hours from arriving at the door until receiving our food. We were told 10 mins until your table is ready, 1 hour later, we were seated. It was not busy but understaffed. However, no customer service whatsoever. Then no logic to when you placed your order as to when you received your food. No cutlery brought with the food. Missing drinks when brought out. Half the food order didn't arrive. 2 guests had finished their food before the others were anywhere near served. Staff had no hospitality skills and were surly. The food was excellent, however.

lovely friendly customer service Great menu choice sweet or savoury Home cooked quality food Local produce Good selection for everyone

Had lunch at Boathouse today food was excellent quality homemade quiche with roasted new potatoes and salad. My husband had the scotch egg ploughman's, again homemade even the piccalilli. Staff were excellent and the owner/manager was extremely friendly and helpful. You are asked to check in via app or write details before entering, plenty of hand sanitizer inside and outside the property. We will definitely be returning.

My wife and I enjoyed superb soup and coffee for lunch by the River Stour (beware of falling conkers!) - good value - great location.

We have been twice before in the past month and queued for a Lunch brought to the tables.The food on this occasion was about 10 prawns, 2 small pieces of smoked mackerel, 4 minute smoked sardines and a slice of smoked salmon And a few leaves, a dollop of Marie rose and mayonnaise . £13.90. A complete rip off. We had exactly the same platter on both previous occasions and they were much better value.It seems as if the overwhelming trade that the Boathouse now has has resulted in turning the customers over. Very sad because we had previously been about 6 times per year when it was a proper restaurant and enjoyed a quality experience. Not now!There was a sign mentioning collecting customers details for Covid precaution But no evidence of being required to give details and I did not see anyone providing them.The wait area for collecting drinks was extremely overcrowded due to their inability to cope with the volume of orders in a safe way. The anti bacterial hand wash which was prevalent a couple of weeks ago was reduced to one dispenser which was not in the drinks collect area. All in all a shambolic rip off of an experience. Such a shame!

Came here specifically to get a boat for rowing down to Flatford Mill. Very friendly and careful staff. Enjoyed a very nice 2 hour trip to Flatford Mill and back. We purchased a delicious coffee and delicious "gooey" cake to replenish our energy. Lovely area outside to relax. Perfect spot!

We had a perfect morning hiring a boat to row up the river to Flatford Mill and back. It was quite idyllic (for me the passenger) admiring the beautiful views from the river on a warm and sunny autumn day. The guy who issued our boat was really helpful and personable. Then we had a light lunch - ploughman’s for my husband and flatbread with falafel salad for me. Highly recommended.

Had a lovely lunch here by the water. Peaceful and scenic, Great food and great location. You can work off your food with a walk to Flatford Mill afterwards. Beautiful countryside here.

Lovely restaurant in an ideal setting. Had a row before dinner. Food was delicious. Staff were friendly and attentive. Perfect date night and nothing to complain about. Just lovely!

We visited the Boathouse to take advantage of the Eat out to help out Scheme for lunch having visited there several times previously for dinner. The food, albeit served in takeaway containers for safety, was really lovely and well prepared. Extremely good value, would thoroughly recommend even at full price.

Empty when we arrived & whilst awaiting service at counter the place filled up with everyone grabbing tables before going to counter so we were left without a seat! Cream & jam fruit scone was yummy although a whole one would’ve been better than the half they serve for the price of it Wooden cutlery & plates not great ( probably Covid19 restrictions)

Absolutely fantastic way to spend an evening. Cannot recommend this enough Row and Dine is worth every penny and value for money The staff are all very friendly Immaculate restaurant, food above and beyond expected. Their car park isn’t open at the moment but there is a pay and display directly across the road or some visitors were parking along the road. Definitely add this to your list of places to visit

I’m not convinced The Boathouse’s Covid queuing system actually helps. When we’ve been in the past it was table service. Now one queues to order food and it’s the same queue for the toilets as for the boat hire. The thought of joining the queue again put us off ordering coffee- so a revenue opportunity missed. Tables weren’t wiped between use - well they were brushed off by hand- but not cleaned like other places are most certainly doing. The food was good - but the experience wasn’t - hence 3 stars

Such a wonderful afternoon activity, although we waited for about an hour for a boat we just embrace the surroundings and enjoyed an ice cream in the sunshine. The boats were easy to steer, and we covered a fair distance during our 1 hour time slot. Only improvement could be a few rowing tips from the staff, the oars kept jumping from their holders and the foot rest kept falling out but otherwise a fantastic afternoon.

Came here today to celebrate our wedding anniversary for cream tea. Left disappointed. Scone and tiffin cake stale and obviously not fresh. Service ordinary. Complaint about staleness met with complacency. Can't recommend.

After a walk along river bank stopped for lunch ,very nice interesting menue lots of choice and at reasonable prices, sat outside where tables very clean and being constantly wiped plenty of hand gel although did notice it was non alcoholic so used my own, our luches were delicious and very well presented served by a very pleasant young lady a very nice way to spend an hour or so, was not asked to give name and contact number for track and trace which I found very strange in these present circumstances

Beautiful setting. We had a breakfast bap the bread was really nice and the sausage was a good quality coffee was nice and staff friendly and willing to help. A nice start to the day watching the activity on the water

Had a really nice Sunday lunch. Lovely riverside location, staff were lovely and food was great.We both had 3 courses and owing to ample portions, it was too much. I enjoyed Pate to start, very rich, beautifully smooth. I followed with Vegan Burger and this is where I should have stopped. Eating partner had Moules followed by Pasta. Essential to book during summer months I would imagine as it’s a superb location adjacent to river and superb walks just outside pretty Dedham,

We went for a quiz night on 20th Feb which was a great night. We had a 7 course taster menu which was excellent & good portion sizes. Vegetarians & gluten free all catered for. We just missed out on 3rd place which was a shame. Good prizes & all in all an excellent evening. Will be back for the next one for sure!!

Food average and very expensive.One of our party had Thai green prawn curry and counted four prawns!I had a rich chocolate tart for dessert which was £7.50,it tasted awful,so bitter,so not worth that price.Service not the best either.Would not bother going back or recommend

Had a meal at the Boathouse last night. Pleasant surroundings, staff attentive and friendly. Service good. Food a bit “posh” but fine. Not the biggest portions for the price but it’s that “ sort of place “. Most enjoyable overall.

Had our works Christmas meal at the Boathouse in January,(work too busy in December). Excellent food and service. All food hot and delicious even with our party size of 17. The ambiance was very comfortable and the surroundings inviting. Would definitely like to go again in the day light to enjoy the view of the river. Thoroughly recommend.

Came here to meet up with long lost relatives who were en route from Norfolk to the South coast. Excellent venue with pleasant atmosphere and delightful surroundings.Food came quickly and was thoroughly enjoyed by all; followed by a tea and coffee in the informal sitting area.Perfect.

Had lunch yesterday and it was perfect. Our second visit here and food , service and atmosphere were great. Would highly recommend for lunch. Will be back to try dinner menu very soon. An ideal setting for a perfect meal.

Came here for out anniversary Sunday January 19th . For Sunday roast. We did not book. So took a chance. They were full up which is understandable. The manager told us to come back and he have a table forcusb@3 o’clock. He even reserved roast beef for us . As that is what we wanted. The food was fab. Service good. Generous portions. On our plate. Full to the brim. The roast veg was gorgeous. Meat tender. The gravy was soo tasty.. I can’t understand why people saying poor food or service .