The Boat House Brasserie in West Lancashire

Not good, Firstly the was a cat sat at our table. When we arrived.. apparently it wonders in when it feels like. Had 2 normal and 1 veggie breakfast.. very small. It was cold. Wrong bread on every plate.. wasn't asked if we enjoyed or if every thing was OK with our meals. Veggie sausage is actually veggies not meat substitute which in my opinion does not go with breakfast items. Very thin slice of halloumi.. wasn't worth putting on the plate. My tea and coffee went cold as lady forgot to bring my oat milk. Feel robbed of our hard earned money. Have been here in the past and it was lovely but unfortunately will not go again.

If your in the area make your way to the boat house.Fabulous breakfast , Lunch or a coffee and a cake.The Sunday Roast beef is to die for.You will not be disappointed.

Great food, lovely staff in a peaceful beautiful environment. We can't wait to return. We went for a family breakfast for the first time and will return asap.

Have visited several times May, June and this month. I have waited to review this restaurant to make sure the standards were upheld, I'm very pleased to say they have exceeded my expectations. Every meal, starters and main course have delivered on quality, quantity and superb value for money. To finish your meal, if you have room, the cakes and sweets are quite simply the last word in luxury. Congratulations to one and all for preparing and serving this highest standard of food. See you soon.

Beautiful food, outstanding service. Thanks for a lovely afternoon at your beautiful place. My sister and I loved it! Thanks Janet for your warm and attentive service. We will be back for sure!

My wife and I visited for Sunday lunch day the food and staff amazing always helpful and polite. The food is fresh and perfectly cooked. We'll done everyone. We will be back again. Thank you

Beautiful food, attentive staff. We popped in last minute in hope of getting a table for tea and cake and they managed to fit us in thankfully. Had a salad here and that also was lovely. Will be back in the near future

If you have not yet been, why not? My husband and I along with our friend are fairly frequent visitors who travel from Bolton . We love this place plenty of choice on the menu for even fussy folks like me! Always busy so I would recommend booking at any time but especially during warmer weather. The have brightly painted huts where you can eat outside. Very popular in good weather. Food is always consistent and staff are always willing to help with special requests. I have had a stroke and have trouble swallowing certain foods. I cannot eat crusts and lots of other things. I cannot use a knife and fork and sometimes need more time to decide on my meal. I am always treated with dignity and given time and never made to feel different. Last week as we were leaving I asked our waitress her name it was Janet!.She has served us a lot. Immediately Janet asked me if something was wrong when I explained I wanted to thank her. Janet was surprised. It made me feel sad as she explained that people are quick to complain but not to compliment. I think that is wrong. Well Janet I did thank you and do so again here. Janet I appreciate how comfortable you make me feel. Janet I very much doubt that anyone could complain about you. You are a delight to be served by. Before you leave check out the fridge. The cakes are utterly delicious and we never leave without some! Last week before we ate I asked for a strawberry tart to be put to one side as the week previous when we were leaving all the tarts had gone. Jean our friend was gutted so we made sure it didn't happen again! Lovely food ,and staff. We have never had a bad meal here.Does not disappoint. Thank you all. Cath, John and Jean

What is there to say about this little gem of a place . Lovely , friendly staff , great service and fabulous food . I had Pork Stroganoff which was absolutely fantastic , The cakes and desserts are amazing and I would say don’t miss to eat here .

My wife and I visited on New year’s day for late lunch. We were greeted with a warm welcome and seated at our table by a lovely and kind waitress. This lady could not have been more helpful. I ordered a sizzler plate of beef and chicken. My wife had pork stroganoff. Not only well presented but the meat was so tender melted in our mouth, full of flavour. Thank you chef. The cafe/restaurant is a little hidden gem. Amazing and well worth a visit 11/10. Thank you for the experience and delicious food. We will definitely be coming back.

My Wife and I have visited for lunch several times and the food is consistently excellent, and the staff are very friendly and attentive. The Boat House has a very warm and welcoming feel about it. During my most recent visit I was a bit too animated and knocked over a glass of wine. The staff immediately helped me clean up and gave me another glass of wine complimentary. I would rate the whole experience as excellent. Only challenge has others have said is leaving room for the fabulous sweets.

Great place that gets busy due to the fantastic food & helpful staff. The food was so nice. Make sure you leave room for the selection of cakes they have on offer. I would recommend & definitely go back again.

Excellent location with a wide and varying menu to choose from at very reasonable prices. Breakfasts are a ‘must’. Have visited on many occasions and have sampled breakfasts, light lunches and yes have delved into the wide range of cakes available😘 whether you dine inside or outside on the terrace or in the unique cabins, service and quality of foods and drinks is fantastic - well worth a visit👍

Fabulous food and great place to eat and drink. Never disappoints. Cakes are to die for Walk along the canal or visit Rufford Old Hall to walk the calories off

Wanted to take my friend for birthday surprise as part of her day. Stopped off for coffee, first time here. Liked it so much, booked to return for lunch. Place is a little jem. Coffee was really good and fresh. Extensive lunch menu, and food nicely prepared, VERY fresh and tasty. Great selection of cakes, they are to die for. Restaurant very clean and tidy. Staff very attentive and very presentable in their appearance. Sat inside for coffee, but later returned for lunch were we were seated outide in one of their many little huts overlooking the canal, which was very enjoyable and pleasant. Definitely returning soon with other friends for breakfast. Reasonably priced also. IT'S A MUST.

Very nice brasserie, been coming here for many years and never wrote a review as most people only have negative things to say. Lovely staff, very nice menu something for everyone. Lovely daily selections of fresh cakes. Daily soups, lovely homemade sandwiches! We will continue to come to this little gem of a place for years to come! Keep doing what your doing!

Went for Lunch and we had drinks and sandwiches. Wasn't at all nice. The website makes it look amazing, so modern and appealing but when you walk in it's like a cafe in a market. Awful ! Definitely not a brasserie. My tea was in a very large catering silver tea pot that would have served 20 cups but only 1 cheap tasting tea bag. Cheap Cafe type cup and saucer. The sandwiches looked unappetising as I could have made better my self at home. It said homemade coleslaw but it wasn't. It was like Asda smart cheap watery coleslaw. The bread was nothing special, thought it would be different maybe homemade crafted artisan but it wasn't. Probably just supermarket bread. The salad looked sad so overall very disappointing and not enjoyable. I can say the staff are very nice and friendly and the service great. This place will probably suit certain types of people but certainly not for us. Will not be returning and would not recommend.

My wife a vegetarian doesn't eat eggs (there was no vegan choice of breakfast) so ordered mushrooms on toast thinking they would be grilled or fried. I don't know if they had been boiled or microwaved or even tinned, but they were tough, chewy and inedible. Fortunately beans came with my breakfast which I'm not keen on so was able to offer her these to have with her toast. Surely it can't be that hard to grill some fresh mushrooms, they are grown locally! On the plus side, the flapjack which we took away was lovely.

Fantastic service. Our waitress was Janet. She couldn't do enough for us. Food was exceptional. We came from Derbyshire to visit friends.in Lancashire and were so impressed. We will certainly return to the boathouse on our next visit.

We had a booking today at 1:30 for 4 people the place was heaving because it being a sunny day we couldn’t even notify anybody that we had arrived due to this, a lady shouted from behind the counter (hello sorry we will be with you asap) so we waited and felt bad for the waiting on staff as they where rushing about trying to make way for customers coming in, they seemed to be very understaffed. We eventually ordered our food and our drinks hadn’t even arrived yet, it was a very stressful and chaotic experience! The ladies did a great job, still friendly despite the madness. I wouldn’t like to see what this place is like in the height of summer.

We love this place and go often as we live on the marina next door. The cakes are the best around and are huge! We’ve had take away Sunday dinners and have eaten breakfasts inside too. It’s always busy and although that’s great for them, it’s not always good for us as we prefer it a little quieter. That’s personal preference . It’s run very well, lots of staff and it’s organised. There are seating booths outside where you can sit with your dog which is great . The drinks are very expensive and so is the food but it’s good. The only down side is that even though you’re a regular customer they don’t treat you as one as they are too busy to converse or ask how you are. It takes 10 seconds to ask. I just feel that when it’s busy they want you in and out. Saying that we would still go as we really enjoy the food and it’s walking distance. I’d highly recommend the cakes .

We are frequent visitors to The Boat House Brasserie. However, it is COLD. We shall not visit again until warm weather arrives or they put thermostat up.

We have eaten here many times & the food is delicious but on our visit today, on a cold, damp day at the end of November, there was no heat in the building. We sat with our coats on throughout lunch, as did other customers. I know energy costs have rocketed but just a little background heat to take the chill off would have been appreciated. We all wore thermals & jumpers under our coats but we sat there freezing cold in the cafe, making our lunch experience very unpleasant. We did ask if the heating was on but the waitress evaded the question, just saying it was a cold day & more bodies were needed in the cafe! We moved on to nearby Cedar Farm which was lovely & warm for our second cup of coffee. I’m afraid we won’t be returning to the marina until the warmer weather.

You know a place is good when there is a queue and the car park is full - which is the case here, so I am glad I booked in advance. We sat in a greenhouse, the benches are not the most comfortable but it just adds to the ambience. The staff are very helpful and friendly and the outdoor space makes it work well in most weathers. Food wise the mushroom stroganoff was superb and very filling, the gammon excellent, and the sandwiches were fresh and had plenty filling. Great place to go after being locked up for months!

Not seen my wife's nephew since they moved to Rufford just over 2 years ago.Went for lunch with them today.We had booked and were shown to our table very quickly. Food and drinks ordered. Both arrived in a reasonable time.I had the roast beef baguette, it was delicious. My wife's nephew always has fish and chips and said it wasn't the best but certainly in his top 5The ladies had wraps and both were happy with their food.Service was friendly and efficient. Bad reviews about this on here must have been on a bad day.We would go again and enjoyed our visit this time.

We booked an outside “potting shed” which we were told wasn’t available because food was slow coming out of the kitchen, and the people before us were still in it after 2hrs. Then we found out why, service was terrible, we waited an hour for the food to arrive. When it did the roast dinner was cold, with a Yorkshire pudding hard as a rock. Not the best roast dinner but definitely the most expensive. Chips were hard. Not a successful visit.

We popped into the Boat House after visiting Southport having visited previously when going out with friends on their canal boat. There's been a number of improvements outside with quite nice 'personal' summer houses available for small groups. Inside is much the same. We decided to have a drink and cake and I'm afraid my eyes got the better of me and I had a slice of Coffee Renoir. Sadly it didn't live up to expectations- it didn't taste much of coffee and consisted predominantly of cream, so much so that I had to leave a fair amount. Before setting off home I went to the loo and whilst the toilet area was quite clean, the hand drier didn't work (why do so many hand driers fail?)

This was my first time visiting the boathouse after the restrictions had been lifted! I had fillet steak baguette special with blue cheese and caramelised onion gravy it came with chunky chips, side salad and coleslaw! I can eat and this fillet me right up, so I opted for a cake to take home, caramel apple crumple… now this is where my review changed from great to amazing!Can’t wait for my return… soon! Service as well may I add I think was second to none, table service now due to Covid and ran smoothly for what seemed through everyone in a full restaurant area.

First return after lockdown. Been many times . ALWAYS amazing food, ALWAYS fantastic staff FRIENDLY approachable hard working owner. I was worried that the incredible quality of food may have dipped because of covid and close down.Actually , some how Its EVEN better !!! Piping hot , delicious food , NOT expensive for the quality, served by helpful friendly staff. Four of us. Beef Roast, Steak Pie and 2 ROAST TRIO ..... all agreed 5 star !!!! The Roast Trio is a new addition. Amazing.. Melt in the mouth chicken, succulent ham and the most tender tasty beef. THANK YOU all at boathouse ,,, its a delight to visit.... keep up the good work. I have seen the negative comments and quite frankly Im shocked. The restrictions WERE adhered to, Expensive ????? really ????? For the quality of the meal its incredibly cheap . How much to buy a joint of beef, top quality chicken and ham joint to cook at home!!! The comments re the owner ARE TOTALLY untrue. We have been going for years. She speaks to many of the customers always friendly always helpful always considerate an absolute delight to talk to ! and damned hard working Too!If you dont believe me...... DO VISIT. Its always busy .... because its always good.Go for the TRIO,,,,, its amazing !The place is so nice..... I proposed to my fiancee there ! The staff and customers were fab !... See you soon Boathouse Cant wait x

We have visited here twice now and really so disappointed each time which is such a shame because the location is gorgeous and the cakes amazing! Firstly, gluten free options as stated above is massively misleading. If you want a tray bake you’re sorted but the hot savoury food is shocking. Our daughter was offered a sandwich thins ‘sandwich’ which came with some chips, this was £9.95. The meal was not a meal and really disappointing especially as it was a case of she got what they gave her there are zero options. Secondly, wow the staff are rude. They are insanely busy which normally I’d be happy about but not a chance of safe Covid regulations being followed even the menus are not wiped down. They ask about track and trace but nothing is followed up and if you ask any questions or need any help with the menu etc be prepared to be shouted at. Sad experience all round because there are aspects that are lovely.

I don't normally write reviews but I feel compelled to do so in this instance. Firstly, the Boathouse Brasserie is in a beautiful spot (main reason for going here) and I frequent this café quite often. The food is average, nothing special but nothing to note of any great concern, the prices are far too high for a café in my opinion, but it always seems busy so it might be that I'm behind the times with the modern price range of a bacon sandwich or slice of cake. On Tuesday this week, I went to the boathouse with my wife, and I was completely taken back by the fact I was surrounded by people from different households, all happily flouting the Tier 3 restrictions with which the majority of us in Lancashire are keeping too. I was genuinely shocked that the managers are not policing this to keep the surrounding community safe. They would probably say that they are unable to police this, however, another establishment around the corner, is doing just that, and doing it pretty well. I think the management need to take some responsibility for the community that surrounds their business and enforce this, in order to keep people safe. I won't be returning to this establishment until I feel it is safe to do so. Having read some of the previous comments, it's clear I am not the only one who feels the Boathouse isn't playing its part in keeping people safe. I've felt so strongly about this that I have made the local authority and police aware.

My husband and I had a lovely lunch here today. We were seated outside and the staff were quick to clean the table we were at and made every effort to ensure they are as covid safe as possible. I had a vegetarian ‘downunder’ wrap and my husband had a chicken tikka baguette - he was pleasantly surprised as the chicken tikka was hot. Both came with salad and he had chips as well - very very generous portions! It is in a beautiful setting. The only reason I didnt give 5 stars was because there is only 1 female toilet so socially distanced queuing meant i felt I was intruding on others space who were trying to eat inside - not sure what could be done about this.

Very disappointed after previous visits. Expensive cakes @£4.50 and concerned how COVID safe it is in view of recent regulations. Sitting at outside table and then asked to move to another. No attempt to clean table or wipe down the laminated menus (2 of which were on floor under the table. Contrary to a previous review answer, salt and pepper on table and not been cleaned in a while!Twice asked how we comply with Track and Trace and told they would ‘bring us one’ whatever that means. Still waiting and never saw anyone asked for track and trace details. Several people entered from outside to use toilet etc and without masks - never challenged by any staff.

My boyfriend and I visited the Boat House on Monday for a lunch date, and we had the best experience. I have been twice before with friends, and both times there was impeccable service, amazing food and lovely staff. When my boyfriend and I came on Monday, they made space for us in the particular place we wanted to sit, I had the most delicious salad I’ve ever had (the Salmon and Prawn Salad, 10/10 recommend) finished with a huge slab of millionaires shortbread (it was hard to choose with the amazing selection of cakes available). As we left, a waitress paid us both a compliment which absolutely made my week. Beautiful venue, 5* food, and the sweetest staff. Will be back very soon.

Have to say, a bit disappointed with our visit. The outside huts look good and all outside tables have a lovely view overlooking the canal boats.The toilets are very disappointing. The hand dryer in the single sit down only mens toilet didn't work - if it did it was very weak.Burger and bun huge! One of those 'too large to be practical. The French fries were not hot - overall a disappointing choice.The wraps were a better choice.Deserts again - portions far to big. Scone HUGE. So overall not a fan of the food nor the toilets.Staff very efficient and very thorough with the cleaning.

My friends and I had booked one of the huts but due to the weather, they were too hot for us to go in so a table had been reserved outside. It was extremely busy and we had to queue outside quite a while. We all had cake and tea. My Victoria sandwich was very light and my friend said her lemon meringue was one of the nicest she’s had. My other friends said their cakes were a bit bland. We have been here many times before and will return when it’s a bit cooler.

Excellent quality food, good portion sizes and amazing deserts. Lots of tables outside and in, you need to queue at the counter to order and pay. It’s been very busy whenever we’ve visited but the service has been efficient.

I would like to say how impressed I was with my first visit after lockdown restrictions were lifted in July. All regulations were followed tables were well distanced outside from other tables. I went to order inside and the floor was marked out for distance purposes. I saw a box with used menus which made me confident that they were obeying all rules. Staff very friendly working under such difficult circumstances. The food was fantastic and cakes out of this world. I can only say that whatever measures owners put in place they can not do anything about customers who will not obey the rules. I had to ask customers to move out of the way when leavening the building after ordering even when there were clear markings on the floor saying DOWN STAND there so don't criticise the owners for others selfish attitude.

Been to this spot a few times before lock down and was very impressed. Took our dog for a walk around the marina this Sunday just gone (26th July) and was very happy with how well the new regulations (due to COVID-19) were managed and implemented even with it being very busy!! Great Sunday roast, the gravy was amazing! All staff happy and helpful. Keep up the great work! We will definitely see you soon!!

Decided to have a drive up to The Boat House Brasserie for lunch after enduring months of lockdown. On arrival it was noticeable that indoor was more spacious and the outdoor setup had been improved significantly. The food was absolutely top notch as usual and service superb. A really nice lunch and glad to be back!

Called on Sunday. Very busy. We regularly visit here but noticed many additional tables outside definitely meaning they are serving even more people than pre-covid. Appear to be trying to make as much money as possible following lockdown but we weren't happy with the set up. Given a table which still has plastic menu (not disposable), salt and pepper pot already on table and then we had to join a huge queue to order food in which no one could possibly social distance even 1 metre. This queue then went inside the bistro with everyone very close.We decided to leave and wont be returning. Restaurants need to consider carefully holding too many people as the more people they cram in the more chance of being closed due to covid. Cannot recommend at this time

Our first visit to the Boathouse Brassiere and our first time eating out post-lockdown. Staff were fantastic - very friendly, despite all the new restrictions. They were thoroughly cleaning down tables and menus. There was a good system in place for seating groups arriving and the greenhouses outside are fantastic! Being able to sit outside (yet protected from the elements) made us feel very comfortable and safe. Staff were working extremely hard to keep everything clean and distanced as well as offering excellent customer service. Very many thanks to them for making our first outing post-lockdown a stress-free experience.

Oh my, oh my, oh my! This place is just great. Clean, with polite and happy staff and fantastic coffee. The cakes are amazing. You have got to try the honey flapjack..........this is no ordinary flapjack, it is sooooooo gooey and tastes like fudge! To absolutely die for. The coffees were large and hot and the atmosphere was tranqil and friendly. Lots of people eating and enjoying the food which looked substantial and lovely. We just popped in on the way past and we will definitely be returning for more goodies another time.

Came here 14th February with my girlfriend for lunch . I had beef Stilton carmalised onion baguette was really good . Good service . Really busy , turned a lot of ppl away was lucky to get a table 😃

Lovely place, great selection of cakes/desserts or mains. flat white was very tasty, friendly staff, good service, nice atmosphere full of families

My husband and I are vegans and the menu doesn’t really cater but don’t let this put you off. On speaking to the chef he explained they had tried a specific menu and had no take up. He then went on to offer us a number of vegan options. We all had the chick pea and veg curry which was amazing. Great food and great customer service.

Xmas meal really good as always Mitchell the manage got really pleasant staff good service always happy to follow through onthe service .can’t really ,anymore it’s always pleasure going 😀

Visited The Boat House Brasserie on a cold and wet General Election Day. The place was very Christmassy and most tables were reserved. Even so, the great staff food is a table. The food as always was amazing. You could have a 3 course Christmas dinner, but we went for the Festive Baguette Special. It was absolutely superb, a full Christmas dinner on a baguette with fries, salad and coleslaw. Overall a lovely lunch.

The overall ambiance of this brasserie is fairly good. Not exactly cosy but clean, not noisy and ok for lunch or a snack. Having eaten here on a few occasions, both indoors and outdoors, during good weather, I have always found the food to be excellent. I would be happy to recommend it to others.

Late lunch visit with family . We all chose the fish pie which was excellent . Plenty of fish and prawns in a delicious cheesy sauce with mashed potato and it came with fresh vegetables ! Huge portion that was so delicious that we all had to finish it but didn’t need any supper later that day .

Visited The Boat House Brasserie on Saturday for lunch. The food was excellent. I had the Fillet Steak in Peppercorn Sauce Baguette which was superb. My wife had the Salmon Fillet Jacket Potatoe, which was also superb.

Lovely atmosphere with some intriguing artwork on the walls. Easy parking right outside with a view over the marina. We managed 3 cups of tea each out of the large teapot.

We went for a walk along the Rufford canal and visited here as we have done numerous times.

Good food served quick efficient and pleasant staff food buitfull Plenty on. the plate 😀 Place was busy service brilliant Some new cakes on well worth it

Went here for a change had the chicken sandwich and a side order of chips, absolutely beautiful and do filling would definitely recommend

1st Sunday of the month its now .. Sunday lunch trip. 20 miles from home in southport.

Wanted somewhere to have a drink and a catch up with my friend. We had exhausted the cafe at nearby Rufford Old Hall, so came here. The cakes are enormous, unusual flavours and reasonably priced. I had a piece of granola which was also enormous and delicious. I took some of it home with me.

We come here all the time. The food and staff are remarkable. Today, I had the Boathouse Ultimate American Burger and it seriously was the best burger I’ve ever had! Absolutely delicious! We will be back xx

Fabulous place to eat, if you fancy a coffee and a cake, your choice of cakes is fabulous. If it's a hot meal your looking for it's all here to from a home cooked breakfast to fresh salad choices with a twist. Sunday lunch is one of the best you can get......if you want to be certain of getting a table then book as the Boat house gets very busy!

Tucked away by the canal, a popular venue for coffee and cakes - or lunch. Good display of cakes, comprehensive menu. Good coffee.

Decided to drive out and try on a Wednesday lunchtime. Arrived at noon, and it looked fairly quiet. However, when we looked for a table about half of them were empty, but had Reserved signs on for 12.30. So we went elsewhere.

came here with my friend last wednesday, she and her husband come here often, we arrived at 12.30pm but had to wait til we could get a car space as it was full, the WI were there so made it very busy, but WOW the food was fab, the cakes looked amazing too especially the scones with cream and strawberries, sadly I was full from my main but next time I will drive the scones. For my main I had the fish finger butty with fries and salad it was lovely and very tasty. As I don't live local i won't be visiting again until next year, but I will recommend to my friends that live close by in Parbold and Ainsdale.

We called in here for a bite to eat last week, pleasant staff, nice surroundings and good food at a reasonable price, we will call again!

Came here with my girlfriend for lunch , I had the duck wrap my partner had the fillet beef chill baguette both very good and excellent value . See u soon

We have visited here before and the breakfast was nice. This time however not so much, we ordered salmon on scrambled eggs with spinach and smashed avocado. The toast was very soggy due to the spinach being very wet, the salmon too wasn’t very nice, hard and curled on the edges. We sent the food bk and received a refund.

Really great spot for lunch with a great range of sandwiches and full meals / specials. Was a bit of a busy day so there was a little bit of a queue to order and wait for the food but was worth the wait. Excellent quality food.

Called for Lunch with my wife and the we found the place and the food excellent. The staff are very friendly and very pleasant, we ordered our food and service was excellent.

Went in here for fathers day with a party of 11. Look, i know they are busy but it should not affect the food quality. My daughter ordered cheese pie. When it came back the top was burned only to reveal a dried blob of cheese beneath. One of my granddaughters had a 99p pizza for

Came here for lunch with my girlfriend sat outside . Had the beef baguette with onions and Stilton was lovely my partner had the duck wrap . Only gripe waited about 45 mins for food but didn’t mind to much as was sat in the sun ☀️

Very pleasant place on the marina. Good choice of cakes but I had a sausage barm and a latte. Sausages very tasty but not impressed with the barm. Good coffee.

We visited as a family over the Easter weekend. The staff were friendly and happy, and there was a great atmosphere. We had sandwiches which were made fresh with a gorgeous side salad and coleslaw. We had a massive piece of carrot cake for dessert which was big enough to share, the size of a door stop with yummy pistachio coating. We would definitely recommend and visit again when in the area.

This is the third time coming and the food and service is as perfect as the first time we were here.

Fantastic place to relax after eating the most amazing cakes. I recommend them all especially the toffee apple pie. All staff are so friendly and service is fantastic. Good selection of food on the menu we ate just working our way through the menu 😆

Second visit and we love it the food and cakes are amazing. I love the location on nice days you can sit out front and you can walk down the canal such a lovely day out! The staff are always lovely one of the staff always stands out but didn't catch her name. One little touch I love is they sell food for dogs chicken skins and treats etc... couldn't recommend more.

Nipped in on my break for a vanilla slice, I was astonished by the size and weight of them. The filling was just custard no hint of vanilla at all. And all I could taste was the sickly sweet icing on the vanilla. After a couple bites I then binned the rest was very disappointed as I was looking forward to it all day.

We have been several times for lunch and never once been disappointed. The food is excellent in every way, good produce, well cooked and tastiest. All locally produced. The deserts are fabulous, not cheap but well worth the price and a large portion.

2 nd time this week must book for table very busy staff very good polite manager very good makes all feel welcome food comes out very hot very quick and very tasty

Staff welcoming, warm and really friendly.

Tucked away by the canal this seems a popular venue for coffee and cakes or lunch. Good display of cakes, comprehensive menu. Good coffee.

Went today Christmas Eve and had the Christmas menu .

We had an excellent Xmas meal here.Choice of dishes and everything spot on.

Been here a few times recently in the day, and always fully enjoyed our visits as the staff are always very friendly, and the food on our last few visits this year has just been getting better and better, from the meals on the boards to the cakes out front. We found out that they was doing some night shifts over the Christmas period, and decided to see what they can offer at night time.... and boy did they deliver!! From starter to main the food was amazing, well presented and very tasty!! Fast and piping hot, great menu something for everyone, we left very happy and hope to see them do more like this as they clearly have the staff capable to offer more! Great little place, best food in the area!

We arrived at 6:15 for our table at 6:30 and where happily seated by our waitress. We then had our drinks order taken and looked through this wonderful menu, which I found hard to choose between mains and starters alike! I opted for homemade pate, and the turkey in the end tradition doesn’t end! But others in our party had different dishes all amazed by the quality. The food is exquisite and staff helpful and friendly! Let’s hope the evenings continue as it’s our favourite place to eat! Plus plenty to offer in terms of dessert and drink, something for everyone.

Been coming here years and it’s always been blighted by the middle aged Lycra brigade but from this mornings experience it seems this delightful eatery has become the local clubhouse for cycle groups. 15 cyclists descending at 945 and immediately ruined the lovely peaceful atmosphere and some how managed to spread themselves over nearly half of the dining area! No respect for other diners, putting their helmets on the table, clicking around with those ridiculous shoes, and laughing and shouting across the room regaling everyone how well they had all managed the last hill! So this place remains amazing for great food but be prepared to enjoy it in the local cyclists clubhouse, with all the associated noise, mud, sweat and very male banter! Think Army barrack canteen for those who have served!

I decided to treat myself to lunch out one Thursday and what a treat it was.The food was excellent and the service and staff were great, very welcoming.Will definitely be back.

Visited the Boat House Brasserie with my wife for breakfast.

Lovely warm welcome from the staff a good varied menu - yes it is a little bit pricey for a cafe - and spotless toilets which is always a good thing

A little gem, welcoming atmosphere, lovely food always a pleasure to go with family or on my own. In a beautiful location always a hit every time we visit.

We were 4 adults, each ordering a different meal, and we were all very happy with our choices. Helpings are generous, so you may have to take dessert home, for later.

Came here for lunch on the 8th November with my girlfriend. Great lunch menu , I had the beef caramelised onion and Stilton baguette my girlfriend had the minted lamb baguette both were outstanding. We also got a side portion of chips which were really good . Lovely service . We will be back soon

Dog friendly, a lovely place to stop for either a drink or a meal after a walk along the canal. Plenty of outdoor seating overlooking the marina. Exceptionally friendly and helpful staff (one young lady immediately got a bowl of water for our dog - didn't need to be asked). We had coffee and cakes which were delicious. The meals that were being served looked extremely tasty and good value for money. When we are next in the area will certainly visit again but this time for a meal

The boathouse brasserie is well worth a visit. We both opted for the hot lamb baguette which came with a lovely side salad and very creamy coleslaw. The baguette had the right balance of being soft and crusty and there was lots of extremely tender minty lamb. We shared a bowl of obviously homemade chips (crispy outside, fluffy inside; so moreish!) and the lady serving us wasn't kidding when she said they were large side portions. I was full after but my husband had spotted the amazing selection of homemade cakes and chose what can only be described as a doorstop size piece of lemon meringue. We will definitely be returning to this cosy, friendly brasserie.

Had a birthday Sunday breakfast at the boathouse. Opens at 09.30, we arrived just after 10am, it was packed out. This said we quickly got a table in this very popular place. Cyclists, walkers and families are the clientele and this makes for a homely & friendly atmosphere.

Great service with a smile for 10 of us, even though I had changed final numbers twice!

Always enjoy our meals here .In fact we've booked for Xmas Eve.

Have visited this place at least 2 dozen times. My friends told me the food was not as good. Must be honest they were right the portions have reduced drastically. What a shame I will joining my friends and not be returning

The Boatman's Bistro is located just outside the village of Rufford overlooking the Marina (although you can't see the marina from the inside seating). The inside is very clean and well laid out, the welcome was very friendly and the service very quick. I always use the state of the toilets in any eatery as an indication of how good it is but the gents at the Boatman's were spotless (although as you stand at the toilet you have a large hand dryer pressing into your side!) My only complaint would be prices- the cheapest sandwich was £5.50 with most costing £6.50 plus and the cheapest baked potatoes came in at just under £7

The catering is and always has been of the best quality. The owner and staff are most welcoming. Regular visits are guaranteed to be more than satisfactory wether it is for coffee and cake, evening meal or for set lunch

Visited numerous times. Good menu. Specials board also available. Little overpriced in my opinion. Cakes offered are from Costco.

We've popped in here a couple of times in the past, but living almost an hour away, it is hardly local.