The Boathouse in Cambridge - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

If there was an award for the worst pub experience, this place would take the gold. The atmosphere was as lively as a funeral, only somehow more depressing. The beer was warm, flat, and tasted like disappointment in a glass. The food? Imagine soggy cardboard, but with less flavor. The waitress couldn’t speak a word of English, so ordering felt like playing charades with someone who didn’t care—and the staff were unbelievably rude. They acted like we were an inconvenience just by existing. Even the chairs felt like they were designed to make you suffer. Honestly, if you’re thinking of visiting this pub, don’t. Just don’t. A night in with stale bread would be a better time.

This place would win for the worst service. The staff were rude, making us feel unwelcome, and even made cruel comments about a disabled child in our group. The bartender looked annoyed pouring warm, flat beer. Ordering was a hassle, and the food tasted like something out of human centipede!!

Lovely pub with nice beer garden particularly in the summer down to the river

I sat outside in a spot with a beautiful view, but the atmosphere was spoiled by some irritating noise. I ordered fish and chips, but the experience was disappointing. The fish was broken in half and tasted bland, as did the mushy peas. Although the view was lovely, unfortunately, I won't be coming back.

Elva was incredible a lovely server

If in Cambridge, you must stop here for lunch or dinner. This place is near the park, and the year overlooks the scenic view of the water. The food was impeccable 👌🏾 the drinks seemed a bit water down to me. The service was great. It wasn’t too busy. Convenient location. Again, the food was delicious! Their fish and chips might have been the best I had so far in England. It was perfectly cooked, the batter was crispy but not heavy and beautifully golden. My families food were also tasty. The tomato soup lacked a bit of seasoning though, but was still great. The fried squid was delicious and seasoned to perfection, did need to be more crispier, but it was perfect with the hot peppers l! I will return, it was definitely worth checking this spot out!

Great food and a great to sit outside to watch the river on the stepped seating area. small car park but reasonable rate Cambridge

Absolutely the best steak I've ever had in a green king pub or any pub,now I think of it. Absolutely perfectly cooked, delicious food all round, lovely staff and great atmosphere. Will definitely come again and highly recommend, thank you ever so much

Very limited menu, visited at lunchtime, gluten free was not on the menu, I asked the person behind the bar if the halloumi fries were battered, she said they weren’t, however they were deep fried but arrived cold, and the rocket that came with it was more like 2 day old grass clippings. My husband ordered chips, there were about 10 and cost £5, 50pence per chip! They weren’t even nice chips. The place has gone downhill in a big way, and despite the location on the river bank, we won’t be going back.

I have never been to this restaurant and especially I have never been to Cambridge before. Somehow their parking fine collection keep chasing my money because I parked at their space. I have contacted the restaurant but no response.

Always slow and dirty. Cheap food if you want to poo

Pretty decent turkey roast dinner . Very good sized kids portions . Beef was a bit chewy but turkey really tasty . Burger looked good aswell . Busy friendly venue riverside . Well priced 😁

6pm. 11 people in front of me at the bar waiting to be served. One person behind the bar. Similar over the last month, when I’ve visited many time. Unacceptable staffing levels.

We booked a table for three in the web site. It was at 20:45 the only bookable and last service before kitchen close 21:00. We arrived 10 minutes before, surprisingly the place was quite empty. They were surprised by our booking and and we were told that there is no more service at this hour. Not trustable WebSite and very disappointing service.

Visited as a couple on few occasions. Location of the pub is very good and convenient. A lot of street parking around plus they have their car park as well. Pub is located at the river which is super during the sunny warm weather. Good place to chill with a drink Service is very kind, friendly and caring. My hubby’s favourite dish are nachos which in our opinion is their signature dish as they make their own nachos. Drinks are a little bit pricey. Glass of pinot Grigio £7.49 which is like everywhere but sparkling water £4.50 and a pint of beer around £6. Dogs friendly place with a watering station which is great. As a downfall I would say are their garden tables. When we were sitting at one, one slat of the table broke and fell below. Plenty of spider webs on the fences and garden deco. This is a very nice place and we like coming back

£40 for two dinners and drinks, server Bonnie was outstanding, polite and friendly, thank you to her for her professionalism about dietary requirements

Throughout the years I have regularly frequented the boathouse with both family and friends. The staff are lovely, the food nice and it's got a great outdoor space with views over the park. However, I recently received a letter from the britania parking group (their car parking) for an alleged fine from 2020. 2020...4 years ago. Absolutely ludicrous that the boathouse are harassing their patrons. I'm absolutely outraged that after years of being a loyal customer they would do such a thing. I will not be back and neither will my friends and family. What an absolute shame.

Hen Party, we had a good time, food and drink was good. The manager was also nice and friendly with us. Thank you

Luke warm soup, tough and dry Hunters chicken, flaccid and soggy salad that was inedible. A 20 minute queue to get drinks. Waitress was sullen and unhelpful. Nice view of the river outside but we won't ever be visiting again.

This is a great place to have drinks and a meal. It's right next to the canal and had an excellent beer garden out back. The food and service are pretty good, and you can order on the app - but make sure you choose the correct Boathouse (Greene King has multiple and you might order to the wrong location accidentally). My pal and I usually have 2 beers and 2 mains and it's about £35-45 for everything. I fly down to Stansted for work in Norwich often and love coming here on the way back to the airport. Highly recommend.

They have a great location. Atmosphere is good. Staff are friendly and helpful. Unfortunately food just ok nothing more.

It's five stars all round from me. The Sunday roast was huge and very tasty. We had lamb shanks and the meat just fell off the bone, the roast potatoes were lovely and crispy and we were impressed with the selection of accompaniments served; cauliflower cheese, garden peas, carrots, honey roasted parsnips, roast potatoes and stuffing... Phew, we came away well and truly stuffed ☺️

The first time, I've been here, and it's the last. Definitely don't recommend it here. I ordered the roast beef dinner, so disappointed. The beef was more like a cheap piece of steak over cooked and tough! They advert their roast beef is served pink!!! Roast potatoes were frozen one, no taste or crispy! Yorkshire pudding was flat. Money wasted

The Pie very very delicious and the fish & chips delicious. I will return here to eat again

Very slow service, the order was placed and paid for through the app and it takes more than 40 minutes and it is still not ready. The staff is overwhelmed and does not have sufficient capacity to serve. A shame because it is a nice place, but such poor service makes it totally unviable.

Had two wonderful meals here. The food was great! If you want a refreshing beverage, try a strawberry woo woo

Amazing atmosphere. Out for the England game. Brilliant staff.

Lovely food and service, jack was so helpful with my brothers birthday and sang for us and helped with cake - Thankyou jack!

Came to the boathouse for lunch with my parents and my partners parents. The staff were unwelcoming and very rude with my whole party. Booked 2 tables of 4 (2 of these being children) and asked if possible to be sat together, they messaged me beforehand and said this is not possible and we will be will be treated as completely separate booking, to which i replied i was happy to be treated as separate bookings as we would be ordering separately anyways but would like to be sat near eachother, to which i did not get a response When we arrived at the boathouse we was immediately greeted with a rude staff member stating that he had already messaged me to which i said i know and i understand and he was not accommodating or helpful at all. We was then seated across from each other which was ok, however there was a table of 6 and a 2 that was not in use so we requested to be moved to that table, to be told very bluntly that no we cannot as we are only allowed to sit at our tables as they was “fully booked” for lunch. This was definitely not the case as the whole period of time we was there (1pm-3:30pm) no other tables were seated around us and the table we requested to be sat on was not used. Alongside this our food took ages to come out, we 3 ordered starters between the 8 of us which took 45 minutes to come out and then our mains took a further 30 minutes to come out afterwards. While waiting for mains we spoke to a staff member and she was not apologetic for our wait and just stated that it would be out in a minute. We will not be returning due to the unwelcoming atmosphere and rude staff members and have advised friends on my experience, which is a shame because the food was tasty and if had a different experience with staff we would consider returning another time.

Lovely pub with a lovely outside dining area. Food was excellent and service was good. Can recommend the spritz selection all 4 was very refreshing

Great find on a chilly wet evening. Very friendly staff and locals. We had our favourite choice of lamb shank and a bottle of house red.

terrible customer service and tasteless food

If you are looking for a place with bad customer service and bad food, look no further! A great pub to recommend to someone you don’t like 😌 The one good thing about the boathouse is the outdoor seating area, so it may be less bad if you’re just going for drinks.

Spot is nice, by the river. Not quite enough view of the water from where I was (second tier outside - fence has panelling so can't see through). Also they said they were full and front door was locked but I managed to get in by chatting up the guys guarding the carpark, no fault of their own and I was in and out pretty quick so no harm done - lovely lads. Place was almost empty once got inside but they said they had bookings so who knows. I'll go again, lady on the bar could of served me faster but I'm Hella impatient so that's prolly me.

We was a group of 6 and was tended to hand over fist with the biggest smiles you could imagine. Amazing service amazing staff great prices. Will return!

It's a great standard Greene King pub with a riverside decking area. If you know Greene king pubs you'll know what you'll get here.

We came here for a drink as a group after being at pride, but ended up staying for the rest of the evening as the atmosphere was great. The staff were friendly, especially Flavio who was super friendly and smiley. Would definitely return 👍🏻

Really lovely evening. Food was delicious and service was excellent. We were made to feel really welcome and our request for a special table was remembered from our booking.

We visited this pub one evening on our way back to the hotel. There was a very good atmosphere. There were various singers and musicians performing, all of which were very good. I enjoyed a glass of wine and my partner enjoyed a pint of Guinness. The staff were very friendly.

I used to think Boathouse is a really nice pub, I hadn’t been there for a while. Then I decided to go with some friends. What a disappointment it was! The food was mediocre (and this is a compliment!). Where do I start from? The size was unbelievable small and it looked like it was from the kids menu. It now makes me wonder, how small the kids portions are 🤔! As for the quality, a solid 5/10. Best thing was the tartar sauce! Honestly, it was awful. Our table was dirty from the last customers and I asked for it to be cleaned. I am still waiting 🤣. Luckily, I had some wipes with me and did it myself. Really nice views of the river but very poor food and service. If you believe this review has been helpful, please don’t forget to press the 👍 button. Thank you

My husband, baby and dog ate last night. The service and food were faultless. Everybody worked so hard and made a fuss of our baby and dog. Flavio and the team were fantastic and they run a very tight ship/boat 😄 Thank you.

Not the best selection of beers but the friendliest pub I found in Cambridge. Really enjoyed the mixed grill 👍🏻

ordered two sunday roasts here. both came with missing items, no yorkshire puddings which i then asked for after, and no cauliflower cheese which never arrived. beef was described as to be served “pink” but mine came as tough as shoe leather. pigs in blankets with no bacon on, very dry stuffing and very little gravy. peas were still cold and the only good thing was the carrots! overall a palatable but very disappointing meal! the chef clearly has no care for the food they’re putting out. the member of staff serving us also looked very unhappy. lovely location it’s just a shame they’re not utilising it better to provide good service and good food.

The space is ok and the patio overlooking the river is for summer. It's all average.

Absolutely amazing. Good food, the staff was lovely, super helpful and kind. Everything was clean and tidy. Food came quickly. 10 out of 10

Lovely food very good service today friendly staff

The Boathouse is a regular haunt of my parents and I went on the recommendation of them, the staff were really good and very attentive. The choice of food was very good as this is one of Greene King pubs with the enhanced menu.

Lovely family meal by the rubber, really reasonable pricing and welcoming staff. We'll be back 😊

I can see why this pub is popular. Good food, great service and a nice beer selection. On Sunday they even have Yorkshire pudding. Free wifi too.

Pleasant and airy inside with small staggered area at the rear, next to the river Cam. There were too few staff serving and so a queue formed at the bar. Food was nice. Small carpark available. Unfortunately the wrong side of the river, so doesn't appear to benefit from park visitors easily.

Cannot fault the Boathouse. It is clean and tidy, good food and good service. Beautiful location right next to the river. Great decor.

Awesome food and drink with excellent, unrushed service, perfect food suggestions and beautiful ambience. lovely restaurant!

Great service from the minute we walked through the door. Food was lush and reasonably priced

Our first time in Cambridge and wandered into The Boathouse because it was close to our accommodation. Great choice. A really good pub environment with Favio and his team going out of their way to make our time there enjoyable and memorable. The Boathouse also has a great outdoor area overlooking the river. Anyway, got to go, drinks and nibbles at The Boathouse are waiting.

Really good quality food at a sensible price which is hard to come by these days…staff friendly even when busy and under pressure. Thanks

A weekend trip to The Fellows, Hilton Hotel we had only booked food at the hotel for one night. We came across The Boathouse on Google & we were not disappointed. Staff explained they had a busy evening (large groups) but as a family of four we were served drinks and food in a timely manner. Food was delicious and reasonably priced, service excellent!

Loved this place amazing view out back awsome deals

Lovely food as always. A regular here. Great atmosphere and a lovely service from Jack working tirelessly to ensure we have a good evening

My experience was as above Very happy

Very nice and professional staff. The food was also good. We usually go there with friends to hang out and have fun.

Jack and Holly were great with their service. Making sure you were comfortable And informative on what was available

Great welcome and service, from Jack and all the hardworking team. Thanks!

Love it here! Especially the free hats :)

The staff were really attentive will definitely return

I wasn’t very sure on this pub as I’ve heard mixed reviews.. i came to the pub as it was recommended by a friend… Ordered a steak and was talked into doubling up which was a great choice. The extra stars are left for our waitress Holly, as much as I saw her rushing around she made us a priority and was absolutely amazing. Beautiful scenery. If the pub sees this you are very lucky… iv worked in many pubs before and she is an asset! Will definitely return again :)))

Lovely food, very reasonably priced. Friendly staff

Always pop in for a pint when in town. I usually sit outside but it was too cold. Lovely environment with reasonably priced food and booze.

All I can say is this beautiful old classic pub is simply fantastic excellent service and well kept ales and very welcoming and flavio the landlord is an excellent chap!! Recommend highly!!

Friendly staff, nice place to relax, food could be better but probably pretty good value for money

Come here regularly food is always amazing the katsu is to die for. Staff always friendly and kind, service with a smile.

God I wish I could give 0s to all of these. I went here on New year's day and we waited 1 hour for our food. When we got up to ask for our money back, we noticed that the ticket hadn't been touched. We went as soon as it opened so we were the second lit of customers in the entire pub/ restaurant. And yet, we wasted our time. Shame on this place. Never go here. Horrible. We were treated badly, even my friends hate this place, shame on this place. Disappointed is an understatement. This place failed so much. Never going here again. Good job, you have lost a loyal customer.

Food was really good, we had a lovely time. Service was wonderful. Some dishes were better than others but definitely a great experience.

Friendly workers and delicious food.

Lovely meal, friendly service, nice riverside pub with a decent menu with variety.

Lovely food, good quality and price.

Staff were great and overall experience was fantastic. Thank you.

popped in for a bit to eat after doing the last minute Christmas shopping with a group of girls we were served by jack who found us a table and made sure are glasses were always full will defo be returning as we had lovely service and food

Dropped in for lunch mid December. Table for 6 quickly found for us. Miserable day outside but we were fortunate to have Jack as our waiter. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he made the children laugh with his jokes. He definitely cheered our day up. Thank you

Came in with group of friends for drinks. First visit here. Was looked after very well by chap called Jack, Very attentive Will definitely be back for food next time !

Very nice service! Really kind. The Food is awsome and well-cooked. Drinks are lovely and cheep. Overall a super experiance here! Had 3 drinks, starter, main, dessert, for around 50 !

J'adore vraiment cette endroit, le cadre, l'ambiance et les plats.

Open mic night!!! Jack unreal and the gent hosting was great! Couldn’t recommend more

I was served by Hannah. I was a relatively difficult customer and from the moment I walked in she was kind and welcoming. She helped explain the procedure for ordering food, served me a fantastic pint, and delivered fantastic table service.

Slow to bring food out, waited well over an hour, not particularly great when it arrived as pretty basic pub grub that used to cost £5 but now seems to have ramped up to £15

The lady from the bar with low English ,is awful, she needs to have some proper training for customer service.

Booked for a Christmas meet up with a group of friends. Staff (Emma and Co) were very friendly and tentative from the moment we arrived. We had the Festive Fayre menu. Portions were generous, food was good and price was very reasonable for 2 or 3 courses...just an enjoyable atmosphere all round. Would definitely come back and would recommend for larger groups, plenty of space.

Had a lovely reception by the staff. Got our own drinks from the bar. Food was not great visually ( Mushroom Wellington) taste was reasonable good though. Atmosphere was nice. Bathroom was OK.

Jack is amazing ! The boat house is fantastic

Jack is awesome 😎 holly is also amazing see to our drink requirements expertly...falveo runs a amazing team and had a great evening

Bonnie is lovely had a great eve

Best night ever thanks to Jack, 10/10 best barman the world has ever seen

Had a great night at the boat house, Jack was exceptionally brilliant. Definitely coming here again.

Had a great night at the boat house Jack was amazing

Good value festive menu. Would come back next year!

Wow! What a great meal i’ve just had. It has to be one of the best i’ve ever had. Jack served us and he did an exceptional job with the serving. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I will definitely visit again!

Jack served us this week and he was exceptionally helpful and polite. Food was great and was a great atmosphere. He is an asset to the team, will go again.

Just had a fantastic meal here at the boathouse. The staff and the atmosphere were amazing, Jack was polite and made us all smile a true professional

As well as it it being a good local pub for a casual drink, we booked it out for the company Christmas where we were greeted with great hospitality along with a good selection of beers and food.

Stylish pub on the river cam with a wide selection of drinks and decent prices for the area. Very friendly staff, would visit this pub again when in the area

First night we popped in for a drink we were greeted by a lovely chap called Jack. He couldnt be more welcoming. We looked at the food menu, and decided to go back the following night for food. Once again Jack and his team met us with a warm welcome. Food was outstanding and Jack was so attentive making sure we had everything we needed. Great service, great food and very reasonable. We were a group of four. Thank you Jack.