Smithys Marina Bar in South Derbyshire

The bouncer stoped my mum by the door when we was going into the pub and then chased my cousin into the pub cause I didn’t realise kids couldn’t go in past 8:30 and then grabbed her arm and dragged her out screaming at her and then when we got outside he was being all nice to my mum saying like ohh sorry kids aren’t allowed in past 8:30 and left marks on her arm and if he had grabbed her any harder he would of broke the skin . Terrible experience, a family pub shouldn’t have “bouncers” doing that to children disgraceful . This man was about 40-50 and was wearing a black and white striped shirt and jeans .

Absolutely gorgeous food served very hot and fresh probably the hottest and fresh meal I’ve eaten out in months friendly welcoming staff and great prices

Lovely 3 day stay. Pitch size great. Lotion next to marina fabulous. Cavery at The Boat House amazing. Shower nice and hot. You have to purchase tokens to use them, £2.00 for 10 minutes.

I wouldn’t bother stepping foot in this pub if you have children!! We stayed on camp site and used this pub over the 3 days spending £100’s on food and drink and the last night it came apparent that rude remarks were being said about our 1 year old boy… ( O that’s screaming baby is back again) the owner also came over to our table to remind us children needed to leave by 8.30pm in the middle of our meal! We felt very unwelcome just because we had a baby. It’s a shame we won’t now be returning to the camp site as we have stayed a few times and always enjoy it!

Stopped at the site and this lovely bar was on it lovely fresh food great service friendly atmosphere group singers on has a kids area had a great time the landlord was helpful and it was nice he engaged with us even though he was busy we will be back we would recommend the caravan site shardlow marina Derbyshire

Just had a Sunday dinner here and I must say that it's lovely one of the best I've had in a while would definitely recommend very good

Nothing to say,just very clique , got starred at when went there (probably the "regulars"), narrow minded straight "audience", very judgemental by the way they look at you if you not"fitting in" type of looks... never going there,we prefer to go to other lovely pubs in Shardlow,where the staff are really friendly accepting all sorts of guests,unlike the Boathouse. Food it's also a categorically No-No.

Actually called the boat house now. Friendly bar staff and great food, had a full English brekkie which was served very promptly by bubbly waitress with bright orange hair. Evening meal I chose pizza and my friend had the Boathouse burger, both excellent by the same waitress, hope she had a break! even though they were busy. We’ll come again. Thank you.

Great beee, the Bass is excellent. Really friendly staff and the food looks great. The live music nights are fabulous

We’ve been going to this pub for 15 years and have always been welcomed . However this new clown that took over is clearly anti- children. His poor partner was so embarrassed by his behaviour when our two year old grandaughter was sitting in the chair playing Pipo with an elderly gentleman and she screamed with laughter! THe landlord got out of his chair he’d been sitting in all day came over and said we can’t have that in here! It’s called fun and lovely to see children interacting with the older generation! You should be ashamed of yourself you have spoilt the history of that pub. We will never step foot in their again… just carry on sitting in your chair drinking pints all day and leave everyone else to do the work!

We called at Shardlow as we’d heard it was beautiful & wanted to explore it for ourselves. Upon arrival we noticed the sign to park behind and we did so accordingly. My Mother walked over to the cafe to use a refuse bin and was accosted by a member of staff who was very abrupt. After a short walk around the marina we got back to our car only to be accosted by another member of staff claiming he had just seen us get out of another vehicle parked in his car park. He was extremely rude and refused to believe us even though we then proceeded to get into our own car as he was speaking to us. Do not recommend visiting this place unless you are happy to be treated badly and spoken to rudely. We were considering using the cafe for a drink as we have a long drive ahead but decided against it.

It’s now the boathouse and it’s brilliant, the staff are fab , the new owners are lovely , the menu is brill really good prices! The homemade pizza is the best pizza I’ve ever had ( and I’ve eaten pizza in Italy ! ) Highly recommend the place now my favourite in shardlow !!

Went to smithys it’s a lovely area outside especially if you have kids, there’s a few bits for them. Set in a lovely area overlooking the marina. Food looked lovely but we only went for a drink. The guy who runs it was a little mardy but I guess it was a hot busy summers day

Visited Smithys whilst stopping on the Campsite next door. What a fab atmosphere and music. There was no live music the weekend we stayed but the music playing in the bar was great. Didn't eat here but the food that came to neighbouring tables looked really nice and big portions. Staff were fab and very hard working. Very dog friendly too which is always a bonus when camping with to crazy 4 legged friends!! Will definitely be returning.

Visited here when staying locally on canal for Download festival. The bar was busy but staff were great. We had a tuna mayo sandwich & chips which came with salad & was excellent. We went back on Saturday night & there was a band on. Great atmosphere. Would definitely go back if visiting the area again.

Adam makes all feel welcome and the staff are friendly. The location helps - local and safe for the kids... roll on another summer at Smithys

Stayed on campsite over Easter weekend. Went in bar Thursday night shut at 9pm turning people away. No food on rest of weekend except pizza and sandwiches. Guess what no sandwiches. No entertainment on any night but supposed to be a band on Sunday afternoon....

Now open again and another great night. Good real ales, also Pizza's and sandwiches available. Great to be with my local friends.

We called in for drinks as we were staying at the marina and had family coming to see us. There is a play area for the kids which is great if it is warm enough to sit outside.

Called in for drinks when we were staying on the Marina campsite. It was a windy afternoon in September so it pretty quiet. Unfortunately they don’t have Punk on tap any longer.

Myself and friends were in situ on the marina camping and caravaning for the bank holiday, there was always entertainment and something to eat, drink and be merry at this place! Owners/managers and all staff are polite and hard working however watching a member of...

Camped at the marina for the weekend so had a few drinks on the Saturday afternoon with a chip butty to soak up the ale 😂 then on the Sunday afternoon we ate Sunday carvery which was very nice, good value £.8.95 for medium size...

Booked a table for a Birthday. We arrived on time only to be told that there was no menu that evening only pizza or Bar B Q. Why except a booking then? Disgusted !!!!

We’ve been coming here for 7years now ... I think this says everything 😂 Sadly the Bar for this weekend has been closed - It did not take away from our lovely weekend though One thing that is ALWAYS guaranteed is this place attracts lovely...

Went as part of a party of thirty. The meals were pre booked so the chef knew what was wanted. The meal was booked for 6. 30 and finally arrived at 7.45. There were two very young children in the party which they were aware...

Not been in ages For a meal so as it was busy ordered a take away Id seen others that had ordered with a glorious big fish on the next table I opened the take away box thinking it would be the same size and...

Came here starving hungry after riding the horse. I had a Cumberland sausage and blue cheese baguette which was really good. Decent sausage not usual cheap frozen catering rubbish. Baguette was warm crispy and fresh. The club sandwich was huge and again very fresh and...

I've only ever been when a band has been playing, reasonably priced drinks, very good atmosphere, standard dance floor, bar and tables, lovely beer garden with a place for the kids to play. only thing i have ate at the pub was pizza which was just you're average pizza nothing special but certainly not bad at all and i would definitely order again next time i go. I even got given a 20p off each pint loyalty card for being 'friends of the band' which was playing the first time i went, i think this is a brilliant incentive for regular customers or band members and their friends, landlord is very nice and polite and will have go out of his way to make sure you're having a good night and have a conversation with you. This pub is usually packed on nights when a band or some form of entertainment is on which is by no means a bad thing... it points out just how popular the place is, however i would advise arriving early to ensure you get a table or a seat at the bar.

Fabulous weekend place to go in the evenings when there are live bands on. Just check the website for details great staff and atmosphere

Called in hoping to stay on the campsite. Turned out the booking in office had closed. That aside this charming Irish themed pub was a delight to stop at for a quick drink. Staff and locals was friendly. Stage all set ready for a turn...

Love it here! Brilliant staff, excellent friendly service and atmosphere. Food to die for! Gaz is the best chef for miles around! It’s a home from home. ❤️

This is a lovely bar to visit, especially if you have dogs. You can walk your dogs around the Marina and then go into the bar for drinks and food. Adam and all his staff are very awelcoming to humans and dogs alike. there is...

Stayed at caravan park for few days went in for food and a drink very friendly staff food was great very dog friendly

What a little gem! Had been to a canal festival in Leicestershire and decided to take a store from route home for a bite to eat. Thought about the clock in Shardlow but as we entered saw the sign for Smithys and thought we would give it a try. Didn't expect a great deal from this little insignificant spot but just shows you should never judge a book by its cover. Nice well kept Ale. Ordered food which was hot, Quick, and very very tasty. Staff were friendly, polite, and offered a warm welcome. Our only problem was that we were unable to stay longer, but this place is definitely up for a revisit when we have more time.

Don't get me wrong the pork we had was lush but accompanied by five small sweat roast potatoes and a bit of salad, my man was still hungry and so was I wich never happenes with me as I don't eat much, quite expensive for what you get, nice place though and great for kids and dogs, I will return but only for drinks, if you want value for money and want to be full visit the Shakespeare.

We use Shardlow Marina Caravan Park on a regular basis for weekends away - probably about 6 times a year.Smithys is on the park and is a great place for a drink and you can get food here too.The food experience can be a bit sketchy depending on when you go and who is cooking it - when it's good it's nice - but we have had it not so good.The beer is always nice and in the summer it's great to sit at the tables outside - you can eat outside too if you wish.There are live bands on at the weekends that are always popular and that does get very busy - more of a rock venue on those nights than anything else - but good if that's your taste.Overall it a good place to go but can be a bit overrated - it's a pub with food on a caravan park - consider it like that and it's a great place.We eat and drink there every time we go and on average it's worth a visit.

We came here for a family birthday celebratory meal in May and we had a lovely evening. We brought our dog as we had seen it was dog friendly. It definitely was. We had a lovely meal; everyone was very pleased with their food. We went on a night when there was entertainment on and it was rather loud and not too tuneful shall we say, but that's not the pubs fault but it was a shame we couldn't hear ourselves talk.

Came to Smithys while staying at the camp site. What a great pub! Very friendly and very very dog friendly! Got a craft tap too. We didn't eat here but we definitely will next time, and we will be back!All my reviews are based on genuine first hand experience, if this has been helpful to you please give me a helpful vote, thank you

We came to Shardlow Marina campsite and Smithys is on site.This pub is great, the staff are very friendly, and so is the boss, you always get served pretty quick even when it's busy, they all make you feel so welcome.The food is lovely with an all you can eat breakfast on offer as well, very nice.Live bands every weekend is brilliant, there is always something going on and it's such a lovely place with the marina in view as well.

This bar is very busy and seems to be popular with locals as well as those visiting or staying at Shardlow Marina. That is understandable as it is well placed to allow dog walkers, families playing or people meeting all to do their own thing. The bar is well stocked (even had quite a rare gin that I love so I was well impressed) and the food is very good. You can eat in or out so has an atmosphere to suit most people. There is live music every Friday and Saturday and then on some other evenings too.

This lovely bar with fresh food never fails to impress me after a lovely walk with the dog around the local area. The smell of fresh breakfasts from the bar this morning was overwhelming and looked fantastic. Highly recommended.

We are regular visitors to this bar but felt i had to write another glowing review for the service and quality of food we received at the weekend. It was my birthday meal and seven of us sat down for a meal. We had 3 different meals from the menu, all arriving together and piping hot. Two bottles of Prosecco had been put in the fridge for us in the morning and the chef had made me a chocolate birthday cake which was absolutely delicious. Two words: Firecracker Mash - FIRECRACKER MASH. I've never tasted anything so heavenly in my life. Rib Eye Steak and Firecracker Mash. The brilliant, talented chef, Gary, at Smithy's is back and he's outstanding! Never had a bad meal from him and I'm sure Adam should pay him more :-) Thanks all for a brilliant night. Dogs welcome, our dog is always made welcome and Adam (the owner) knows her name, but not ours!

Recently moved to the area and wanted to find an open mic night. What a great choice at Smithy's.Very friendly owner who welcomes everyone. A full night of music.Ranging from solo singers to bands. Really enjoyed and will definitely go again

Had many great nights at smthys not had many meals but what I have had has always been great. Fantastic atmosphere ,great bands staff always on the ball and credit due to the boss Adam Smith he treats all customers as if he has known them ages and will do his best to help. Not been for a while but cannot wait to return.

Can't believe how friendly this place is ,only stopped to read boards outside,was too cold too sit outside,never thought that dogs would be allowed in,owner came out and invited us in ,had a lovely cup of coffee and was made very welcome ,very friendly staff looked at menu and food was very reasonable,will definitely be returning for food and too watch one of the live bands .

This is a great little dog friendly bar with a good range of drinks and freshly prepared to food to satisfy most peoples appetites especially after a nice walk around the cane or Marina. We will be back again.

This lovely little pub situated in the Marina at Shardlow serves good honest food, nothing too fancy but all freshly prepared and lots of nice drinks at the bar to wash it down with. Dog friendly and child friendly and excellent service. Recommended

Drinks dear food cold meat in my pie very tough Service fragmented one of our friends meal was 10/15 minutes after us Staff did not check if our meals were ok

What a lovely way to spend a Sunday lunch-time after a half with friends and their dogs. this dog friendly Marina bar/restaurant provides a good menu of freshly prepared nice food, nothing fancy but all good food and beers ciders and other drinks to accompany. Dogs are welcome inside and there is seating outside for the nice weather which we had today. a good family friendly place to come for a couple of hours. Recommended.

About 8 of us called in for a quick bite beside the river on a warm Sunday afternoon. We ate outside all eating different things from the reasonable menu. It has the feel of being at a caravan site on the east coast but unfortunately the deep fried chips etc. Let's it down a little. Quite expensive for what there is so will not be rushing back

Me my wife and our children was here for a wedding reception and had a brilliant time everyone was friendly, they have a park for the kids and plenty of space to play. Can't wait to visit again.

In this place tonight . Nice atmosphere with open mic night . On the other hand, this place promotes good food, but not a good advert with the dirty looking scrote backwards and forwards from the kitchen delivering food in between cigarette breaks. Not a good look smithy. Get your act together. Also is there anywhere you could put your dog to stop it charging around the bar all night. It's just not on

Been here a few times now,all ways luck forward to going, situated on the Shardlow marina site theres a lovely views over all the canal boats! The selection of beers and spirits is ace, and the grub on offer is awesome, loads to choose from and all fresh cooked. They have make your own pizzas now that are only £7.99 ( i think ) and are brill! The bar has regular live music on, so need to check there facebook or web page to see whats going on, really looking forward to our next visit!

Excellent food ...very busy. ..14 of us at least 10 different mains chosen.. all served at the same all hot no issues. ..would of liked to of seem sweet potato fries on the menu as alternative to chips but those trying to be good were offered jacket potatoes as alternative. .Sweet menu limited. .Back room lacks a little atmosphere..That said main room a little dark to eat in ...Overall a nice pub meal

Amazing night with friends.The band that played were amazing such a lovely happy atmosphere in Smithy's bar. A big thankyou to the band I danced most of the night. Caroline x

Wow, been here a few times and I am very pleased with the food and atmosphere and service!!! Food is served fresh and chef really knows how to cook, great menu and great ale, good mix of clientele, cosmopolitan, can not praise food anymore highly, steaks, calamari, hunters chicken, sausage and made all lip smakingly great, wife choice and great place...

We were in there on Saturday night and there was an absolutely fantastic band on. They were called Big Steve and The Bo's. They had everyone up on their feet dancing and the honly tonk piano was brilliant. It was completely free and we kept lubricated with a drop of very well kept beer. I had no idea this place existed and will certainly seek it out in future. First class entertainment!

A nice meal despite the beef being under cooked and yorkies very flat. All in all 8 out of 10. As always cauliflower cheese in with the veg should be illegal! ! ! It should be a vegetarian option.

Decided with friends to take advantage of a free day we had & go round the pubs in Shardlow.After a few drinks we decided to go to The Marina & Smithy's for food as we had heard good things.We ordered a margherita pizza & garlic bread for the children, 2 lamb burgers for the men, 1 Halloumi salad & 1 pulled pork nachos.What can I say it was excellent & so glad we went, waitress was lovely & helpful will definitely go back.

Had a lovely Sunday lunch with my grand daughter, who is 17. I had. Lamb dinner and she had burger etc. everything was beautifully presented and hot. The staff were friendly and the whole place has a holiday feel to it. I understand that there various live music events held there and offers on the food. I shall be going again. Ps. Someone I know had her wedding reception here, and says it was excellent.

The food here is good, but I get the feeling, once it's gone it's gone. I think it is best to book for fear of being turned away. They have themed nights like steak nights with a bottle of wine etc plus live entertainment. We went last bank holiday, the band came on at 4pm so we stayed & enjoyed another bottle of wine, but the band finished at 6.50 & bang! Where did everybody go? It was heaving but everyone went as soon as the band stopped. If another act followed or music carried on I'm certain they would have had three more hours of booming trade?

So. We've been at this site a few times (caravaners) its a lovely site. We love the area and ales on offer. The food however is a different story. We had pizza in the summer. Lovely. However, on two occasions now (hence review) WITH children. WE HAVE BEEN REFUSED FOOD. Once, after travelling down and setting up the Caravan we came 15 mins before food is advertised as available. Only to be refused, apparently that is "served by time" and not ordered by. Tonight was a similar story. Arrived 7.30 pm after promising the children the lovely pizzas all day. Tried to order and was advised. If you havent prebooked a table you werent getting food. There were plenty of free tables and people arrived after us and ordered food. However we hadnt reserved a table. Now unless you come every week - how on earth are we meant to know this information? No signs anywhere. If your kitchen cannot accomodate a full restaurant and walk in trade then im sorry you shouldn't be serving food. Twice now we've been dissapointed. The food being served around us looks great :-( this review could avoid misfortunes for others.

We went on the camp site on the marina so to find a pub/restaurant at the side of the camp site was a bonus, we went in on a Friday night and ordered our meal my friend and myself had the pork meal for 2 to share when it came the their was a ham hock, pork sausages, belly pork, new potatoes, salad it was cooked to perfection fabulous, my husband had homemade pizza and chips , my friends husband had homemade burger and chips both said that there food was also very good and the price was also very reasonable and live music was a bonus then not far to walk home being on the camp site.

Always a friendly welcome at smithys. The chef is brilliant. Food is always very tasty and beautifully presented. Steak nightis a must, 2 rumps and a bottle ofwine for £20. Staff are mostly friendly and efficient. They have some great live music. Situated inshardlow marina, All in all a good night out and A great place to visit.

Food was disappointing beef v undercooked and chewy, lamb chewy too, roasties, hardly roasted, tasted like they were frozen not home cooked v little veg and by the time it came out our dinners were going cold. Not impressed won't be going back, and even though I'm a dog lover don't think she should be running around begging for scraps.

Heard about this place frrom friends and decided to give it a try. We opted for the pizza menu and to take them away. The pizza's were ready quickly and were excellent. The quality of the cheese and other toppings stood out from others we have had elsewhere. The base was not too thick and it wasn't soggy. The place was very busy but the service was excellent and very welcoming. I was given a selection of their menus to take away.It is on our list to return.

We have been visiting this establishment for many years both for the food and the entertainment and have to say the current owners have made this an excellent place to visit. The food is very well presented, piping hot and all freshly prepared. There is a good choice to pick from and we have tried most things on the menu and can't fault any of them. The decor has improved and the place always feels clean and welcoming.

My husband and I went for a meal last night at Smith'ys Marina Bar. It was their 2 for £20 steak night. We had two rump steaks, cooked to perfection, lovely and tender, homemade chips to die for with lovely baby mushrooms a lovely tomato salad garnish and grilled tomato drizzled with a basil and olive oil dressing. It was all so tasty and we got a free bottle of wine included. What is there not to like. After our meal we were treated to their band jam night with two bands which were really great.The service was faultless too. Nothing was too much trouble.Will definately be going again.

Been here alot over the years just changed hands again recently had sunday lunch there meal was very good but service wasn't up to the price you pay no spoon in the veg had to ask for condiments no cutlery a little poor for a premium price not good

Went with friends for a drink and a bite to eat. We were not disappointed.All 4 of us had very nicely cooked rib eye steaks. Steph and Jaz made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in and the band that were on made the whole evening very enjoyable.we will be returning!

Wonderful dining experience , very friendly staff - great chef - a master of his craft !! Thanks for making us all so welcome , the wave bye was nice too !!!

Smithys is an interesting mix. Essentially it is the old Marina Restaurant, and little more than a campsite bar/restaurant. But here's the thing, the food is really very good.Don't go for a romantic meal for two, or for peace and quiet. Don't go for the decor or the surroundings. But sit yourself down and enjoy the fabulous Thai fishcakes or steak and chips. The quality of the ingredients and the portion sizes are excellent. Other folk equally seemed to be enjoying tasty looking fare. I've eaten enough appalling expensive food in Derby to know that it's a struggle to have a decent, good value, meal out. Well struggle no further my friends, go to this place. After all, I'd rather spend my money on wonderful food than the surroundings.

Who is Adam Smith, mention his name at Smithys and grown women faint and big strong men buckle at the knees. Apparently he is the owner but is it a bar/restaurant or a temple of worship. On the plus side the food is excellent and sensibly priced. On the downside on a Friday night we were not sure wether we were eating in a disco or an amusement arcade similar to those in Skegness. The waiting on staff all of whom are very polite need more training the arrival of your meal and cutlery never seem to coincide and always appear to be a panic. A good game to play while waiting for your meal is to guess how many times the singer who is from Newcastle but lives locally uses the phrase " bonny lad " so everyone is aware of his origins. It is worth a visit due to the quality of the food if you can get passed the surroundings.

If you landed here with your touring caravan for a weekend then you would think that you'd hit the jackpot - and you'd be right! We went as a group of lads on a Friday night - they serve good beer, they've got pleasant staff that give as good as they get, the food was fab and plenty of it (I had steak - nom nom!) .... and the toilets were clean! They had live entertainment on when we went and that was ok - we all thought that the 'testing one two - testing one two, one two, one two' was the best thing he played all night but there you go (it also seemed to be the ONLY thing he played all night) - still, it's definitely a good place to spend the night!

We have had lunch at smithys a couple of times . They serve lovely well presented food . The burgers are excellent and home made . Great selection of main courses and fresh home made pizzas all delicious !

Well we have just returned from a Christening celebration at this venue. My husband was the vicar at this service and he was invited to join the family at Smithys. The service was so bad food was poor and cold and the wait for food once ordered too long (90 minute). When we complained about the long wait the staff behind the bar were rude and we were told that we had come too early. We tried to tell them that we had come early so that pre drinks could be bought before the designated meal time of 1 o'clock. The real problem was that they are not able to cater for our group. If the owner is able to read this comment he should look at his management skills and not promise when asked to cater on this scale (21 adults - 5children) and look to train the staff on service skills. To add insult to injury when we were eventually served the waitress spilt the gravy on the back of my husbands suit without an apology and just walked away.Other people were also waiting 2hrs for these meals when we left needless to say we will not return.

Just had best Sunday dinner ever at Smithys Bar. Served by the lush Calum and delectable Paris. Never used to rate this place when a carvery. But know served plated and waited,hot and fresh, cooked to perfection. Well done Chef Garry and all the staff.

We visited in our Motorhome for the weekend and not wanting to venture far went into Smithys, it was busy and dogs were allowed in on leads so we took our boys Ben and Hogan.Drinks are a little pricey (£3.20 a pint of lager).We ordered a steak and chips and ribeye steak meal, the salad and vegetables were very nice we found the steaks a little lacking, small to say the least and a bit pricey for what they were.Just down the road there are other eating places we tried Dog and Duck following night and got a ribeye steak twice the size for half the price and just as good if not a tad better.I don't think we will be calling again.

Excellent food and service- best steak I've had for a long time will def be back . Highly recommended!