The Boat Inn in South Staffordshire - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

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.

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.

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 👌

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 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

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!

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.

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 💕

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

The best home cooked food in Penkridge

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!!

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!

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.

Went on a Saturday afternoon and had good time

Great to be able to take our dog (box of frogs collie) into the pub and sit at a normal table and not just pushed into corner. The food was great although my husband could have eaten twice the amount of black pudding mash. Great service and so very friendly. Would recommend this establishment for anyone who is looking for some good quality food and be able to take the dog too.

Pub inside is ok but nothing special. Food wasn’t nice after all. I had a fish and it was undercooked and sizzling beef wasn’t what we expected so had to handled it back.

Steak was extremely good. Well presented, cooked to my requirement medium rare, superb quality meat. Chips and salad also very tasty. Thank you. Enjoyed the experience. Will come again soon.

Excellent pub, great food, delicious ales, a warm welcome by management and locals, dog friendly. 10 out of 10.

Fantastic Sunday roast. Highly recommend this pub. Will be returning soon 👍

We met freinds here last night for dinner our first time we will certainly be back food was superb nice staff great atmosphere 😀 👍

Visited here with a group of friends for the Sunday dinner, and it did not disappoint. Drinks order taken promptly, and then the waitress came back for the food order. I ordered the turkey roast, and it came with all the trimmings and was piping hot. The pensioners in the group ordered the childrens beef dinner, which was plenty for their smaller appetites. For dessert, I ordered the homemade cheesecake as I'd had this previously, even though it wasn't advertised. All desserts came with a choice of cream, custard, or ice cream. Highly recommended place for a meal out.

Had a lovely birthday meal there for 4 people 😋. You can even take your dog 🐕 😉

The main meal was great but when we wanted a pubbing there had very little left

A pub that is family friendly that we come back too very often especially for the tomahawk steak! 10/10

Came to the Boat for my sons birthday lovely food and great service. Thank you .

A lovely meal and meet up with a friend - fully enjoyed by us both. Many thanks to you all.

Beautiful food, lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. Will definitely come again we both had a fantastic time.

Went with my partner and 3 small children, place was basically empty but I kinda prefer that, the waitress was an absolute star. She made sure my family were comfortable and got my daughter some toys she was brilliant! However, we ordered food, they forgot my daughters food and garlic bread so we had to wait as I won't eat if my toddler isn't eating, partner ordered the ribs which tasted like they were 20 years old, I ordered the vegan lasagne absolutely perfect I've got to admit it was fabulous, however when my daughters dinner finally arrived the gravy tasted so sour and odd that I assumed it was alcoholic gravy due to the taste. She did not eat (my other children are babies so didn't order anything for them) half way through our meal I decided I would have a drink which is a rare occurrence and sent my partner to order a cocktail however we were told the waitress had finished her shift and at 7:30pm the only two people behind the bar were not cocktail trained? So no drink however I was a bit baffled as the instructions were on a laminated piece of paper on the bar? Honestly I probably won't be going back and will not bring my family back

It was my 1st time and it certainly won't be my last

Went to this pub for lunch, our first visit for many years. The menu descriptions were a little unclear – we wanted to know if the liver and onions came with chips or anything as nothing was mentioned on the menu. The waitress said “you can have chips if you want to” which didn’t really answer our question as to whether or not they were included in the price and then, after asking to have chips with it, when the food arrived they were missing. The waitress seemed somewhat out of her depth. Possibly she was new into the job? If not she was in need of more training. After being told the chips had been forgotten on the liver and onions, she stood there for a few moments looking confused then, without a word just picked up the plate and disappeared back to the kitchen, returning some moments later with the plate which now had a bucket of chips on top. No apology, nothing. We later saw her do a complete circle of the room with 2 meals for someone, seeming unsure which table she should be taking them to, until another staff member stepped in and told her. We were out of sight of the bar and so had to go and remind them that we had ordered desserts as they didn’t come back to take our plates. So, while the food was very nice, the service could have been a little more efficient. Will visit again when, hopefully, things will run a little more smoothly.

Brilliant manager meant that this couldn’t be anything less than 5 star. There was a minor problem with my order and the young waitress was quite confused and a little abrupt but the manager sorted everything efficiently and with a smile. Well done and thanks

Nice food and friendly staff And very dog friendly

Lovely food, great value. Nicely decorated cosy pub. Dog friendly.

Me and my husband had dinner here today with my parents. The pub is beautiful inside and all the staff were so so lovely and attentive. The food was unbelievably good. My husband and I had a burger, mom had pork belly and dad had the beef Sunday roast and everyone was super happy with their food. Delicious! Will definitely be coming back!! X

Such a great pub, with good grub. Will be coming back here again 💯

Sunday roast was epic! Fantastic food and hearty portions. Will definitely be back!

What a lovely pub with great food awesome service and a wonderful atmosphere 😀 really enjoyed our meal, thank you!

I needed a dog friendly place to eat to meet family with their doggies. The boat in was more than happy to help, they even have a doggie menu. As there was 11 of us we pre-ordered and the food was ampul portions and everyone thoroughly enjoyed. I also had the cheese cake which was 😋. Staff friendly and helpful and all in all really enjoyed our afternoon. Thank you.

Wow just had the best food at The Boat in Penkridge Lovely pub and very busy so that says a lot about it straight away. Staff are very friendly and service excellent Ordered burgers and honestly can say this is one of the best home made burger we’ve had so fully recommend. We have eaten here a few times and always choose something different from the menu and I can say we’ve never been disappointed Also would recommend the crispy belly pork or sizzling platter Value for money excellent so 100% for food Also has large outside space would be great with band playing outside in summer

Food and service were 100% great atmosphere and superb location. We will definitely be back. Thank you.

A lovely warm and welcoming family and dog friendly pub, staff were brilliant and took our order quickly. Food arrived quickly and was lovely. Good value for money and one of the nicest meals we have had while we've been out on this boat trip. We ll definitely visit again when passing through.

Went for Sunday lunch with the family. Most of us ordered roast dinners, they were all piping hit and very generous portions. One member of our group opted for the larger Roast dinner but couldn't eat it all we had to take some home for the dog! Staff were friendly and accommodating. Would definitely return.

What a great pub, popped in there for a pub lunch, nice welcome, great food and good value as the light lunch is 2 courses for under a tenner! Also a good pint of Guinness to set you up for a walk along the canal Happy to recommend!

Went to the Boat with 8 family members last night for a family meal, previous visits have always been a good experience, last night however was a disaster from start to finish, double booked the table to start with, got seated and went to bar for drinks order, service very slow, sever was looking through the spirits for a merlot wine?? Had to inform him what he should be looking for, starters Andy mains ordered, 40 minutes later starters arrived and were nice, mains arrived 30 minutes later, except one that had apparently been crossed off the list, food was not good, steaks overcooked, chicken over cooked, one member had a mixed grill but had to leave all of the meat near enough, complained about the standard and was told we could have complimentary sweets, 4 of the party ordered the preferred sweet to be told it was unavailable, chose again from the limited sweet menu, sweets came 40 minutes later, this ended up being a 3 hour visit which should have been half of that, in truth the time taken was not the biggest issue as we were talking and spending time as a family, service was abysmal from start to finish, food was very poor apart from the starters, will certainly not be visiting again…

First class great food ,staff and atmosphere. Will soon return we need these canalside treasures. Give it a try you'll be surprised.

We visited the boat yesterday for a meal. We had seen it advertised a lot on Facebook and the menu looked really good with lots of choices. The food was good I had a stake which was nice. The service was good the staff were very friendly and attentive. But then this singer came on just when we were about half way through our meals. The music was very loud and he was not a very good singer. Had to cringe a bit when he tried to get the high notes. We finished our meals quickly and left another couple also did the same. It was a shame as the food was good and at a fair price. I would go back again but NOT if he was singing

First time we've been food fantastic great flavours

Food is very good and a good selection too. Staff very friendly and helpful. Sadly two different groups of workers visited (3pm) and they didnt know how to speak without swearing. It spoiled the visit. The manager was apologetic and said she is working to address this. Would I visit again ? Most definitely.