The Boat Inn in South Staffordshire

DELICIOUS! I never leave reviews, but this place deserves one. Food is stunning and prices are so reasonable for the quality of food you get. I highly reccomend this place and we will be coming again.

One of the quieter pubs in Penkridge but I like it friendly staff and good beer.

Lovely food, friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Prices are reasonable and would definitely recommend.

Made very welcome good food and beer

First time visiting here and definitely won't be the last. Food was plentiful and delicious. Prices are very competitive and staff are very friendly and welcoming. The big bonus of it being dog friendly. Would recommend.

Lovely inn with a good variety of very reasonably priced dishes. The food was delicious and was finished off with a huge cup of good coffee. I couldn't fault any of it. The service was very good and the staff and clientele very friendly. Good selection of bar drinks.

Visited this lovely pub for a drink last night. We were welcomed at the entrance by the staff. The smell of the food was so good then we decided to eat something. Ordered the Chicken goujons as a starter to share. Half an hour later we got our starter it was completely burnt and had no taste. We know the pub seems busy on a Friday night but again we waited another 20 minutes for our mains. My sea bass was completely burnt again and the new potatoes didn't even taste good. Sorry this isn't the right pub to eat at. We definitely won't be back.

Below average, the food was pretty much all microwaved! The gravy wasn’t good, no flavour peas, were hard. (Some people like hard peas) kids ate all there tea, so no complaints from them. Could hear the chef singing and listening to his own music and then the pub music playing another tune. Ps chef can’t sing. Pub was pretty empty, looks like it could have a lot of potential! Shame the food isnt as fresh as it could be. Wouldn’t return.

We were having a send off for our daughter who's moving to Australia and this lovely pub and it's staff were the only 1 out of 3 we tried in Penkridge that actually made us (all 20 ish) feel welcome and let us enjoy the evening. So well done and Thank-you

16:50 Arrived at the pub, got a table and went to the bar. Waited while ‘obvious’ regulars were being served first.. by the time the staff got to us it was too late to put any food order through it was 17:03… I mean really 3 minutes which really wasn’t our fault. Food smelled and looked delicious, however as they refused to take the order we will never know. Recently moved to Penkridge and didn’t know the food order cut off point.

Food was excellent. Friendly staff will definitely be going back again.

Visiting the area September 27th had a lovely canal walk and popped in for a pint or two the staff were lovely Tia and so was Sudip made us feel at home hope to see you soon Steve and Michele from Bedfordshire

Just brilliant. outstanding pub grub..

A warm, welcoming experience from start to finish. Table staff were excellent. Extremely accommodating of an elderly guest with particular needs. The meals arrived hot and tasty. Highly recommended.

Not been there for 10yrs! it was lovely food yummy 😋

Food was lovely, steak and ale pie was superb! Cask beer was in good condition. The staff behind the bar were doing well although one more might have helped, but you never know how busy your going to be.

At last a proper canal side pub! Dog friendly. Helpful staff. Great food. Good beer. Friendly locals. My wife and I ate here and I can confirm the steak and ale pie is amazing the best for a long time. My wife has a sweet and sour chicken sizzler which was also good. The portions are generous so unfortunately no room for dessert! Don’t believe the bad chip reviews there’s nothing wrong with skin on fries. We also left our car overnight by arrangement and the staff were very helpful. Try it you won’t be disapointed. Ps good moorings if you are arriving by boat. .

Beautiful food and friendly staff

"Just" a pub in a small town but great food and incredibly friendly staff. We took our two big dogs and and staff fussed over them. Very attentive and friendly. On top of that our lunch was exceptionally good. I had a burger. "Just" a burger but delicious, juicy and tasty with great hot fries. My wife had a full breakfast for lunch which she enjoyed as well. A couple of pints of Guiness and a cider and we were well rewarded after a day on the canal.

We go here most Thursdays for a catch up with friends as its just amazing food, great service, reasonably priced, cosy and can even take the dog

Firstly - nice young lady who attempted to serve us in the boat tonight - thank you However ….. Absolutely shocking food - been here a few times in the past! Chips tasted of fish and where I challenged management on it - he could give no reason - so I can only say …. clearly using very very dirty oil! The management has changed recently and you can tell - sticky tables and floors - swearing from a large group in the bar who were clearly well the worse for ware - no issues having fun and a good time but swearing and singing football songs when trying to have some food - is clearly not ideal. Upon taking to the “team leader” he could not give any reasons as to why such a poor experience and struggled to justify why he had not dealt with the issues. Would I return - absolutely not - shame as this used to be a nice go to place to go - never mind there are others in the area.

Nice small pub with a beer garden which appears to be a converted part of the carpark. The lamb shank was good and the menu reasonably extensive. Sports TV available.

Good, friendly, service honest food at a reasonable price - now that inflation has pushed up so much.

Food was average garlic bread was awful hard as concrete lasagne was far too cheesy. The staff were lovely but there was hardly anyone in so no atmosphere at all. The Car Park is tucked away needs better signage to know they are there hidden away. Don't think we would go back anytime soon.

Called in today as we were waiting for a kids party nearby to finish. So glad we chose The Boat Inn. Ribeye and chips was perfect. The wife had a jd sizzler. She said it was really nice. Pudding, key lime pie, really nice. Great service. Great food, reasonable prices. Would recommend.

Popped in here tonight with my husband & it's really lovely. The food & service was great. Definitely recommend.

Was okay very fair priced but the vegetables with my cottage pie was Cold and the apple pie was a bit soggy other then that the staff were lovely and polite and caterer to all our needs! 🙂

What a great pub. I had the ‘Lamb Tagine Special’ which was gorgeous. The staff were so friendly and helpful with lovely smiles on their faces. Passing through but will certainly remember this place. Thanks. 🤩 xx

A very cozy restaurant. A young, nice, polite lady took the order. The portions are large and excellent. I can only recommend it!

Didn’t stop to eat as I already felt a bit poorly. The outside was very untidy with overflowing bins. Not a nice start. Then once inside, it’s smelled awful. Like stale cooking smells in an old cafe. Couldn’t face eating there . The smell stuck to our clothes when we were only there a couple of minutes. Definitely won’t try again. The waitress was very pleasant tho. She deserves a better place to work.

Great stopover with our motorhome. Great food (the Sunday roast was awesome) and a lovely walk along the canal watching the boats in the lock and tunnel. A very warm welcome at the pub. Will definitely come again.

We ate on Tuesday lunchtime which is two for the price of one on mains, so excellent value! The servers were friendly and it's a nice place to sit for a while. My ribs were good and I'd recommend. My wife's lamb lacked flavor and mash needed seasoning. They'd run out of cask ales too, which is always disappointing.

Staying near overnight. Been here before and the Sunday dinner was great then. Today it was fantastic! We nipped in around 11:45 to book a table for 13:30, when we got there, the staff went above and beyond to make our visit perfect. Everyone was really engaging, polite and smiley! We were made to feel extremely welcome. We ordered from the lunchtime menu and decided to have the Roast Beef, and Turkey Sunday lunches. The presentation was great, the food tasted absolutely lovely and importantly it didn’t leave us feeling absolutely stuffed! There are other options for the Sunday lunch that I am sure will leave you as full as you want, if it is as nice as ours today, you will love it. Tactically leaving room for a desert we chose the apple pie and ice cream and cherry crumble and cream! Again, they were both beautifully prepared and tasted as good as they look! Wine nice, John Smiths very nice! We would eat here again 100%. Thanks to everyone involved, made our Sunday afternoon perfect. (The last pic of a cleared plate pretty much says it all!)

Our pre-booked party of six arrived at 1215hrs for lunch; we were warmly welcomed and seated in a window table. There was a full menu and a specials menu with a choice of 2-3 courses; all very reasonable priced. The food was tasty and well-presented, and really excellent value. Our only criticism was that the chicken was a little tough, and did not seem to have been cooked in the korma sauce. The deserts were all first class, especially the cheesecake. My own dessert, described simply as "vanilla", turned out to be a sundae with 3 flavours of ice cream and a fresh strawberry. Staff were friendly and efficient, and overall a most impressive venue. There is a large car park, with access via an adjacent side road. Highly recommended.

Lovely welcome as we arrived, great choice of food on offer. Good sized portions, I had the belly pork which was delicious. Outside terrace where you can watch the boats meander passed .

Popped in for a meal with wife and dog immediately welcomed in ,offered tab for meal and drinks fur baby given treats and own water.meal was lovely and plenty of it. Definitely value for money.

Never been before so me and my husband thought we would go out for our evening meal last night. The waitress’s were very polite and professional Drinks were ok as drinks would be. The food was disgusting I order lasagne which consisted of pasta cheese sauce bearly any mince no bolognese sauce the worst lasagne ever which I left also came with salad which was just lettuce? and garlic bread which looked like a child’s portion all on different plates ? My husband had giant Yorkshire pudding with sausage etc there was nothing giant about it looked like something from a supermarket freezer ? Told the waitress who said we could have 10% off or a free drink my bill was still £30 with having a free drink. Absolutely shocking.

Beautiful location friendly staff. One of the loveliest roasts I've ever had. We shall definitely return . What a gem of a place. If you haven't been I highly recommend it . Right on the canal aswell

Just returned from Sunday lunch, what a fantastic meal all round. Very attentive service, nothing too much trouble, delivered in a professional manner. Portion size was just right, hot, tasty, well cooked and at a reasonable price. Would highly recommend and will definitely be back. Great atmosphere and very welcoming from start to finish. 10/10

A real gem near the canal, with plenty of outside sitting area. Friendly staff, great food and selection, reasonably priced and would highly recommend EXCELLENT 👌

Lovely pub and the food tasted ok, but way overpriced for what you get, I had seafood tortellini, £13 for 10 Rana packet tortellini, a dozen cold water prawns and a bit of sauce, good job I was not that hungry, £13 lasagne was in a small bowl and came with a salad consisting 1 small lettuce leaf and 2 small pieces of garlic bread that would make 1 normal piece, I eat at a lot of pubs and can say the meals are priced about 25% over other similar pubs, but from my first and last experience definitely not worth the bump lacking in both quantity and quality

Very comfortable. Pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff excellent service and foodv

Had a lovely afternoon lunch was amazing thank you keep up the good work 🤣🤣

Very enjoyable time. Service from staff was excellent, Rebecca was really polite and accommodating. Food was delicious.

Amazing location, Service from our waitress was friendly knowledgable & professional especially from Becky who made our visit extra comfortable & memorable nothing was to much trouble really made our Sunday special. Will highly recommend & will return, bonus dogs are welcome. Toilets clean. Food needs improving to match service & menu requires further info on dishes that is only a slight negative. Keep up the good work staff & thank you again Becky.

Gave 2 stars as the staff front of house were nice. Had Sunday lunch regrettably at the Boat. The food was awful. Only fish and chips were reasonable. The Sunday roast was bad. The beef was tough and seemed processed. Mash potatoes had obviously been near something that had set on fire in the oven, they tasted smokey. The whole rear area of the pub smelt smokey too! Roasted pots barely cooked. Ordered side of pigs in blankets. 80% had no colour, were barely cooked and were swimming in oil. We didn't complain at the time as we were catching up with people so didn't want the meet up to be all about the food. The table next to us also complained and sent food back. Apparently there's 2 chefs there we were told by someone. One is good the other terrible. I guess we sadly got the bad chef. It would be advisable for the kitchen to shut instead of serving bad food like that.

A great dog friendly local pub. Locals and boaters having lunch. Chef came out to check diners were enjoying the food Clean and great ambience. Staff were so nice and friendly. Loved it. Great canal side pub.

Rudest staff member. Spoken to like a child. Didn't eat as the lady was so rude.

A really nice pub food looked delicious, just popped in for a drink

Have been there for lunch the last two weeks. The food is wonderful. All made fresh by the very talented chef. His soups are the best I have ever tasted, very good value for money too and generous portions for a lite lunchtime menu. We will be returning again very soon

I'll start with the positive, staff were nice. Two of us had the gammon roast which I can only explain as tasted like cardboard, mash, roast potatoes and Yorkshire tasted like cardboard, gammon was average and the veg wasn't to bad but the rest I couldn't eat. It was either all microwaved or left sitting for a long time. One of us had the belly pork and he enjoyed his. Two kids meals, nuggets and pizza, they also didn't think it was great and never finished their meal. When asked if everything was ok I said not really, it tastes like a microwave meal, he asked if he could get me anything and I declined because obviously I don't want anything else if the rest didn't taste great, no apology from the staff. I wouldn't return and definitely don't recommend eating here. Drinks were ok.

Omg the food is brill been a few times and this place never fails to give loverly tasty food. The staff are so nice and friendly always had a good service from them

Lovely family meal out. Not been in a couple of years, and we were pleasantly surprised. Sudip was a charming host, along with all friendly staff members, and we thought the menu choices were great, and good value for money.

Great food Great service and very welcoming. 👍👍

Thank you to lovely team at The Boat Inn for the super-warm welcome and excellent service as part of our canal barge holiday. We had a delicious meal in beautifully cosy, contemporary surroundings, right next to the canal in a stunning location. The manager and staff couldn't have been friendlier and we really enjoyed our evening there. Highly recommended!

If I'm honest - beautiful location - sidcup the waiter / manger was a nice guy. Food was terrible. We all had the mixed roast's - no veg - what was of it like the 1 potato and ball of stuffing was dry / stale. The meat was no good either very dry and chewy. Tasteless with watery gravy. 3 out of 10. Lovely pub tho would go back for a drink but not food. We nor go to the Littleton. Thought we try somewere different. Just been honest if you want a top roast dinner, unfortunately this is not the place. Also pub was empty - literally. We booked for 2 clock.

Popped in for an unplanned lunch and found the meals to be on a 2-4-1 offer. The mains were exceptional - steaming hot and wonderfully cooked. Service, as always, was excellent. Highly recommend.

Only stayed for a drink but the menu options looked nice. If your into steak they do some whoppers.

The Boat Inn in Stafford is a delightful establishment that perfectly captures the essence of a traditional British pub. Nestled in a scenic location near the canal, it offers a charming and relaxing environment for both locals and visitors. The interior of The Boat Inn is warm and inviting, featuring classic pub decor that creates a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. The combination of wooden beams, snug seating areas, and tasteful decor makes it an ideal place to unwind with friends or family. The menu is impressive, offering a wide range of dishes that cater to various tastes and preferences. From traditional pub classics like fish and chips and hearty pies to more contemporary options, the food is consistently well-prepared and flavorful. The Sunday roast is a particular highlight, known for its generous portions and delicious, home-cooked quality. The bar is well-stocked with a variety of ales, beers, wines, and spirits. The selection of local and regional brews is commendable, providing a great opportunity to sample some of the best drinks the area has to offer. Service at The Boat Inn is friendly and efficient, with staff members who are attentive and eager to ensure a pleasant dining experience. Even during busy times, they manage to maintain a high standard of service. One of the standout features of The Boat Inn is its outdoor seating area. Overlooking the tranquil canal, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a meal or a drink during the warmer months. The picturesque views and serene setting add an extra layer of charm to the experience. Overall, The Boat Inn in Stafford is a fantastic pub that offers excellent food, a wide selection of drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick drink or enjoying a leisurely meal, it’s a place that delivers on all fronts. Highly recommended for anyone in the area.

Although the food was good it lacked in other departments. Service, waiter and waitresses reaching over us to serve food. Lack of cutlery, we had to ask for cutlery after every course. Dessert menu on a little board only 4 choices of which the one I wanted Apple crumble was not available at 6.30 pm

Walked down the canal to have a drink in this pub young girl behind the bar was lovely but when the shift changed older blonde lady came on stood at the bar waiting to be served and she was far to interested in telling the locals about her new job to be bothered to come and serves us so we got our coats and left to go to an other lovely local pub

Following a walk around Penkridge 13 of us went to The Boat Inn for drinks. We then decided to have meals, 11.95 for 2 courses was too good to miss. We chose from the Light Bite menu, the portions were very generous, the food delicious. The staff were so friendly and helpful. We would definitely go to this pub again.

Came here late April 2024. Stopped for a couple of drinks on a walk with my freind. The staff were reallu freindly and welcoming, the beer garden overlooks the canal so great to watch the world go by! The food looked and smelt amazing (we did not eat here). A bit quiet but, then again it reminds you of a village and pub that time forgot perfect, certainly will return and try the food next time!

Stopped of here on spec for lunch mid-week. Food and service were excelent watched a number of boats pass on the nearby canal whilst eating before taking a short stroll. Highly recommended. Parking is off Haling Road

beautiful atmosphere, lovely place for a good meal, love the fact it is dog friendly, staff are sweet 💕

First time having a meal in The Boat this evening. Food was excellent, service was great. Cannot recommend enough

Great place for food n drink. Very welcoming and helpful team.

Excellent meal and service, great value for money. Definitely recommend

Great lunch after a morning on the canal. Well priced. Delicious food and excellent staff

We had dinner at The Boat Inn this evening,  and the main course was lovely. I had the honey beef sizzler, while my wife had the chilli chicken sizzler. Sadly, this was let down slightly when it came to the dessert. We ordered one cherry crumble with custard, and another with ice cream. Both options were on the menu, so we hadn't asked for anything special. Some time later though, the waitress brought out one crumble with both ice cream and custard. In any other pub, that would have been a special order, so why on earth they thought that's what we ordered is beyond me. We told the waitress what we'd ordered, and she took it away with an apology. The waiter simply brought it back minus the ice cream. So I then asked for a spoon so I could actually eat it, as that wasn't forthcoming. The waitress brought me a soup spoon and a knife wrapped in a napkin. Not ideal, but I didn't want my dessert going cold so I got on with it. When the waiter came to apologise about the wait, we asked for dessert spoons, so we got yet another apology. Just a couple of minutes after I received my dessert, the waitress brought out a lasagne with garlic bread for my wife. "Er, no that's not for us. We're still waiting for my wife's cherry crumble". Which she did finally receive after I'd finished mine. No shortage of apologies from the waiter and waitress, but these were very basic, and some would say quite comical service errors. While we were eating our main course, the table immediately behind ours had 3 young lads, and my wife noticed one of them start vaping. My wife watched him like a hawk to see if he'd do it again. He did, but another customer shouted at them from across the room for him to stop. He did, and just a few minutes later, they all left. They really weren't any trouble, but customers shouldn't have to police the clearly signed "no smoking or vaping" rule designed for the health and comfort of everybody. No member of staff challenged them for vaping, even though there are signs on all doors saying no smoking or vaping. If that wasn't enough, when we were about to pay for our meal, I noticed another young guy vaping, but this time he was sat at the bar, chatting to the bar maid. I asked the waiter to point out the no vaping signs to him. I also suggested that the barmaid should have told him. The waiter passed this onto the barmaid. It struck me that there were no responsible "adults" on duty, only very young or new bar staff, who clearly require additional training.

Lovely Sunday afternoon lunch, good portion sizes and home cooked food Dog friendly also which is great, lovely staff too, will definitely be returning

Very disappointed we was a party of 12,we had pre-book our meals the week before, when we arrived had to wait for our table, didn't know we had booked our meals as bought meun, meals came out all different times,one meal had to go back as the lamb shank was still frozen in the middle and cold.all in all we will not return, not good when it was for a birthday and spend alot of money.none of the staff asked if our meals were ok,we will not be returning.

Nice friendly pun that seves good food ar reasonable prices.

This pub is a Fantastic hidden gem !!! amazing food !! Amazing service !! Javed -the chef and his team served my family a superb meal!! . Really couldn’t have done more for us and personally came out to check if our food was ok- well, Javed et al - it was brilliant all round - thank you so much!!! I would not hesitate to recommend this pub restaurant- great portions and beautifully cooked and presented ! Wow! 🤩

Our Family loved the food .. Very nice.. Thank you

Very friendly pub with outstanding food and service. Will definitely be returning.

Service slow and rude staff making customers at the bar wait,my father snapped at by one member of staff after making a comment about a customer walking out because he was ignored

A lovely local pub by the canal run by friendly staff and good pub grub

Fantastic Sunday lunch. Great portion size and value for money. Food served hot too which makes a change from some places who serve barely warm food. Lovely location and we are as impressed as ever. Thanks from Sue and Kerry

First time eating here, but won't be the last. The food was really great.

Visited after long time. Happy to be here. Food quality is definitely better than before. Good atmosphere, busy compare to other places in town.

Staff incredibly helpful when a party of disabled people arrived with very short notice. Food orders arrived quickly and everyone was pleased with the quality of meals. Staff could not do enough. Only downside was there was no toilet suitable for the disabled.

Called in at the boat after penkridge market very friendly staff I had 3 course off the light bites menu the food was lovely and a good atmosphere would definitely go again.

Popped in for a quick drink. Decided to have Sunday lunch and wow it did not disappoint. Husband had the beef and I had the gammon. Lots of meat and everything was delicious. We will be back!!

Very nice atmosphere, Amazing service , Amazing food & quantity plus Quality. I will definitely come again & again here. Best food in Penkridge. Keep it up.❣️

The best home cooked food in Penkridge

Can not fault, exceptional food, great staff a brilliant visit

Been going for the last three weeks on a Thursday the food is outstanding, and the staff are great

We had a wonderful date night at the boat. Amazing comfortable and warm atmosphere. We will definitely return.

Mother’s Day menu. Waste of money. Starters veg soup, very salty and the bread roll had seen better days, although prawn starter was ok. I pre ordered pork for main, gammon came out. I said it’s not what I ordered and the waitress said “ it’s still pork isn’t it “ so ended up with turkey which was dry and tasteless. Roast veg was barely roasted. Peas were like bullets. Puddings crumble and custard that’s if you can call it that(see photo)Very disappointed. Also had cheesecake this was ok. Quite cold in the pub so wasn’t very comfortable.

Went for mothers day yesterday set menu 25 pound a head were straight away seated in passage way by kitchen i even asked them on the phone we didnt want to be seated there as we had been seated there last twice visiting they did move us as pub wasnt busy starter was ok small bowl of soup, before we had finished starters they brought ours mains out and had to take them back no one came and asked if we needed any more drinks we had to ask for extra cutlery the staff werent very good at all puddings came out custard was awfull seemed like it had been stood for ages put deserts down on table walked away 5 mins later we had to ask for spoons service was not good at all and wasnt worth 25 pound wont rush to go back the nicest lady was a short dark haired lady there was a lady with grey hair who was very abrupt i think they need to get new staff in to survive

Mother’s Day lunch today terrible 😞 ordered pork got gammon . Asked waitress who sarcastically said thats the same as pork it’s what we call it . A few said the same we heard them . So apparently there is no difference between pork and gammon . 61 and never knew that 🤣 pudding terrible .

Very poor Sunday lunch! The vegetarian beef option turned out to be 2 beef style burgers! Not something you really want on a Sunday lunch. The portions were small, very little veg, the "roast" potatoes didn't appear to have been properly roasted and we're a strange brown colour and it was all topped off with lumpy gravy. The staff weren't particularly welcoming, we felt like we were interrupting their chatting. Would not recommend.

First time I have visited The Boat Inn and it won't be the last! I had Pâté to start followed by a Sunday Roast (mixed meat) - they were both absolutely delicious. We had our little dog with us, so sat in the bar area, which was very clean and nicely decorated. The staff are all very friendly and can't do enough for you. I only wish I'd had space for dessert, as they had a great selection which all sounded very nice. Can't wait to return!

Fabulous meal tonight! Becky is a wonderful asset to the pub. Ayesha is wonderful also, both very helpful, very welcoming ! The food is fantastic ! Great portions, hot and delicious we will be back

A lovely pub by the canal with a small selection of real ales. Friendly, chatty staff, but were not knowledgeable about the real ales they had

Nice food and beer 🍺 and great staff, great motorhome stopover

Really excellent meal in a great traditional pub. Lovely staff too!!! 100% recommend!

Went on a Saturday afternoon and had good time

Couldn't tell you how good the food and drinks were as after walking into a very quiet pub on a Saturday evening we were totally ignored when trying to order. Ended up walking out and eating elsewhere.