The Boathouse Kitchen and Bar in Suffolk Coastal

First and last time.. thought it looked great so went 1st May bank holiday. Restaurant was obviously busy but managed to get a table and were given menus to take with us. Having chosen what we wanted we placed the order at the bar and were informed food is taking 30mins not bad we thought considering it’s busy. So we ordered drinks and waited. Two and half hours later food still hasn’t arrived and despite going to ask how long the food would be we were told 5 mins well 10 mins later still no food at which point we left telling them that we weren’t even going to pay for the drinks we had . Conclusion stay clear!

Lovely staff (really lovely) but unforgivably slow. No main courses for 2 hours after we arrived.. Kids going crazy. Adults no happier! Restaurant emptied - still no sign of our food. Poor management? Under staffed? Whatever the reason, it was very frustrating. Saved a little by lovely, friendly staff!

Excellent food. Menu changes regularly.

The food is good although the decision to move to a tapas only menu makes no business sense to me. The service is poor and miserable and has been every time we've visited. I would be willing to return if the original menu format was restored as the food used to be delightful but the combination of tapas only and poor service just doesn't cut it for me. There is so much high quality competition in Woodbridge and unless there are radical changes, I won't be going back. March 2024 Update: Same meh service and a dull menu with 3 different types of burger for mains but not much else.

This was our first visit to The Boathouse. The food was excellent, the service was great and the ambiance was great. Will definitely go back. Highly recommend.

Friendly and relaxed venue. Great views of Tide Mill and river. Food - £15 for 2 courses ( for OAPs). A pleasant way to pass a few hours for those not in a hurry. Hope to return in the summer.

I found this place lost December for the first time and absolutely love it.. Amazing location with fabulous views over the water and Mill. The atmosphere and interiors are really welcoming and the Lemon Drizzle Cake was spot on. Great service and looking forward to going back for a meal soon with family..... When we visit Woodbridge this place is a must place to stop..

Fantastic food, was all cooked fresh, great selection on the menu, coffee is the best in woodbridge by far, beautiful freshly baked cakes made by the chef! They are very busy and do there best to help you as soon as they can! But yeah coffee was amazing so much faster and flavour!! And the beef ragu was to die for! So much flavour in every bite, amd the cake was so so so moist! Will be returning thank you for a lovely afternoon.

I cannot fault service the we received (and it was a busy Saturday), I was very impressed. Also the food was excellent. Will definitely visit again, highly recommend.

I went to the boathouse with some friends for my birthday. We arrived and the team were immediately very welcoming and wished me a happy birthday. On the table was a birthday card written from the Boathouse themselves which was a lovely touch. They were quick to ask if we wanted any drinks. The food was really lovely and we didn't wait long for it. There was a good mix of vegan and vegetarian options as well. I received a personalised dessert and they sang happy birthday to me. I thought the service was excellent , the staff were friendly and food was delicious. I would highly reccomend a visit.

We had a fantastic experience at the boathouse last night. Staff were wonderful and made such an effort to make the birthday girl feel special. They even presented her with a birthday card and a personalised dessert which was so incredibly thoughtful. They were so polite and attentive. Food was delicious and beautifully presented. We will definitely be coming again and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a great place to eat.

We chose boathouse as the restaurant to celebrate our friends birthday dinner and we are so glad we did! It feels so rare to actually get proper friendly and professional service so we were all delighted with the service we received, as it was exactly that! The food was also so delicious and we can’t wait to come back again soon!

We had a fantastic experience at the boathouse last night. Staff were wonderful and made such an effort to make the birthday girl feel special. They even presented her with a birthday card and a personalised dessert which was so incredibly thoughtful. They were so polite and attentive. Food was delicious and beautifully presented. We will definitely be coming again and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a great place to eat.

Awful coffee tasted of nothing Cake dry Service not great and over charged but got money back they took it from the tips glass Appauling place tables sticky an unpleasant hour didn’t want to drink the coffee Americana and cappacino were tasteless

The food was NOT worth the price that we paid for it what we had supposed to be a sandwich/baguette was one piece of toast with cheese and onion & the other one was the same with a rubbery piece of steak. The children's menu was very pricey for over salted chips & 4 chicken nuggets & a scoop of ice cream with a drink for £15 & ours was £20. The waitress we had was very unsociable and it wasn't very busy and it took them over an hour to cook our food

Could do with a wider drinks selection, but very pleasant night out.

Food and service were good, BUT the ventilation from the kitchen was terrible and all the smells came into the main dining area. After spending there 1h my hair and clothes smelt really intensely of oil, grease and smoke. It was also generally too cold.

Great spot to sit with a cosy coffee and watch the sun set

Cold wet day so we were only people in restaurant. Food good. Service friendly

What a great find! Stopped off in Woodbridge on our travels, for a ‘light’ lunch. View of the estuary, friendly and efficient staff, comfortable ambience AND absolutely marvellous food. Halloumi Fries with sour cream and Lamb Kofta, Flat Bread, Pickled Cucumber and Dip. Every mouthful was so tasty. All washed down with a Boathouse Marsden Pint. Nothing could have been better. Well Done Chef.

lovely bar, great food and an amazing location. You can sit outside and watch the river or eat inside. Nice range of food and drink.

We were greeted by a friendly member of staff who directed us to a table for two. Several of the larger tables were reserved in this popular restaurant by the waterfront with views over the River Deben and the historic Tide Mill. My sister and I chose food from the Wisers Years *Over 65s* menu as we could have a main and dessert for £12.00. We had the chicken goujons, fries and mixed salad leaves which was delicious. Then a yummy brioche bread and butter pudding with pouring cream. Good value in this busy venue with prompt and friendly service.

As an ex-flight attendant, l have travelled all over the world and eaten in best of restaurants everywhere and l can tell you The Boathouse Woodbridge is in my top 5 for quality of meal, atmosphere and staff friendliness. The place was recommended to us last year and after one mouthful, it became my favourite new place to come to for any special occasion. No contest! The atmosphere once you go in is relax, warm and cosy with its industrial rustic chic decor, its dimmed lights and upcycled furniture. We were welcome warmly by a friendly staff who spoke French (my mother tongue) and then Emma, the owner who recognised me from a previous conversation with felt lovely. Once seated, the service was prompt but not rushed and there again full of genuine smiles. After making our choice from the exciting menu of tapas and burgers, we were served our selection of drinks. My girls (16 and 18) who are both vegetarian could not wait to try their spicy halloumi tacos. My husband and l shared tapas style dishes, some moules marinière ( mussels in garlic and cream sauce) , fried aubergines, shredded courgettes in tomatoes sauce. Our meal was then brought to the table in a colourful display of deliciousness. Then, it was time to eat, absolute heaven in every mouthful ! The chef and his team are incredible, delivering excellent meals cooked with local produces. The menu changes slightly regularly and l have tried different tapas every time but cannot fault one. My all family thoroughly enjoyed their dinner and still had room for desserts. The Chocolate Brownie with Dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream was simply divine and my husband loved his bread and butter pudding. I only wish l had taken more photos of our dishes as they looked delicious. Our family evening out was a success thanks to Emma and her amazing team! Thank you so much! I cannot wait to come again soon!

Perfect location on the quay overlooking the Tide Mill. Food and service was excellent.

Second visit in a fortnight, breakfast on the first trip and dinner this evening. It's bloody good really bloody good.

Me and my daughter went for lunch last week and the food was out of this world, the chef Ellie Meikle is amazing at what she does vest and can't recommend The Bosthouse enough. Also the service was amazing and all the staff are very friendly..

We visited as a large group of 17 on a Friday evening . The Boathouse team looked after us really well , food was tasty and good quality , and bar one minor delay , all served quickly. The team were attentive and we all...

This was the best meal I have had in the three weeks I have been back in the UK. Between four of us, we had five different dishes and each dish had its own wonderful flavour and it was clear that all the food was...

We had a warm welcome from Steph as soon as we arrived at the Boathouse. The food, prepared by Ellie, the chef, was superb throughout and Steph and Diego, who served us, were attentive and friendly, so the ambiance was perfect. Now we know how...

First impressions count for a lot. We looked forward to going to The Boathouse. What a disappointment. The table we were shown to was incredibly sticky. Not just sticky from cleaning products, but sticky to the point that my jumper, wine glass, everything was sticking...

My partner and I visited for lunch with my best friend as we love tapas and have been twice before, while holidaying in the area. It never disappoints...Ellie and Emma who i believe are one of the waitresses and chef are to be applauded. Food...

Great view of the river deben and the tide mill. Great place to watch the boat activities, Staff are all very friendly and welcoming. Coffee is always good

Emma , Ellie and the team looked after us so well letting us host our wedding party at the amazing Boathouse venue. The buffet food the guys in the kitchen produced was just right, catering for all needs and was complimented all evening by our...

The staff are welcoming and friendly. We were seated without a wait and offered menus and asked our drink order. Our food order was taken efficiently and our drinks came quickly. The atmosphere is great for both inside and outside dining. Wonderful glasswares for various...

Just dropped in for an impromptu lunch and we’re very glad we did. Good choice of food items and an excellent attitude to service. I had no room left for the “self serve” soft ice cream, but soooooooo tempting.

Very expensive for a basic menu Service very slow Good job we checked the bill as we had been charged twice for our drinks with no apology

Very disappointing, placed an order for three coffees and a tea and two sausage rolls and piece of cake, they came and checked the order twice in twenty minuets, then two of the coffees and the tea and no food turned up. when we asked...

Editing this review after the appalling experience we had recently here. £6.40 for a lemonade. Really... I know Woodbridge is expensive but London is cheaper than this place.

Popped in for 2 coffees, cheese scone and caesar salad lunch. All delicious and service from the young waiters was exceptional. Such a bonus

Friendly staff,.lovely wine and cheeses

Service not good . 25 mins to get drinks . 1.30 before food arrived . Only were given olives when asked what was the hold up . Not told it was going to be awhile . Was told they were busy but it wasn’t full . Very disappointed.

Nice views, with service by young, friendly and totally inept staff. Waited an hour and quarter for our lunch, chased it up and were lied to. (We could see it being cooked and had clearly been forgotten, with many customers being served before us who came in after us). Food was ok when it eventually arrived.

Just had a great lunch with Red Hatters ladies group .Great place to eat and drink .Lovely staff nothing too much trouble .Can't wait to return for the prawn salad x Yum !!!

Couldn’t be better, amazing setting, service and food, special thanks to Ellie (chef) for putting up with this fussy gluten intolerant!

Great views over the river. Very friendly helpful staff. Delicious food. Near the longship museum. Beautiful Woodbridge.

A lovely restaurant in a beautiful setting. Staff were really friendly, the food was amazing and the wine was delicious. Highly recommend. We had the tapas and they were good size portions. We will definitely be back.

Was really looking forward to lunch at The Boathouse this week. Had heard great reports. Sadly, lunch menu was really disappointing and could not find anything I wanted to eat. Went and had a pizza across the yard instead. Perhaps dinner is better, but it...

Brilliant views of the river Deben. The tapas dishes were full of flavour, but the star of the show is the frickle burger. the frickle is a deep fried pickle 🥒🥒 Boom.

Lovely food and excellent service too. Beautiful setting beside the river in Woodbridge. Friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Definitely recommend going there, we will again when we are next in the area. Paul

No gluten free bread, but you can order any sandwich and ask for it to come with no bread and they give you Extra salad...we loved it and presentation was beautiful..

Not having much luck on 2 previous occasions we decided to try again. This time we managed to get a nice table, lovely fish platter to share and a couple glasses of wine. The service was good and staff very helpful. Will defo try again.

While this is in a great location the service we received was pretty poor. To get 3 drinks took about 15 mins and even then the prices were horrific. Also to get any drink we wanted in the menu was an issue as they were out of stock. Added to that the drinks then had to be remade (the syrup had run out in the lemonade nothing major) but the reaction to my asking (from the senior member of staff) was as if I'd made a major complaint. It was resolved but just left a bad experience unfortunately.

Such a disappointment as this is a lovely location but the place clearly has issues. Visited an a Saturday afternoon in summer to find the bar so badly stocked . No straight tonic available , very poor gin selections and half the cocktails advertised not...

Nice staff and venue. However I was slightly disappointed at having to prompt twice to get our drinks ordered. The main issue is the smell of cooking oil or something inside the restaurant, my clothes stank of it when we got home.

Chose Prawn & Avocado salad £14 - ran out of avocado so just prawn mayo & 5 pieces of lettuce and a tomato which seemed expensive for that - also chose 1/2 pint shell on prawns - but it came as 6 king prawns with...

If you can, sit outside and soak up the view of the river. The service was very friendly and the food really good. We had three plates for £25 which was plenty for a light lunch.

Chose venue for location near Tidemill and sat outside under cover. Thought we’d ordered pork belly main but received crispy pork belly salad. Unremarkable. Coffee to follow was fine. Service was professional.

Beautiful restaurant on the Riverside. Nice service and food

What a sad experience. We went in at 11.15am for a cup of coffee. I stood at the bar and waited to be served. The lad making the coffee had a few to do, and apologised for the delay. The manager/owner went by a couple...

I was sceptical when my friends suggested the Boathouse. I am a bit of a food snob (I’m told) and my experience of ‘tapas style’ menus is tainted in that they usually promise mouth watering descriptions, not generally matched by the food that appears (which...

Beautiful lunch, friendly service and dogs are allowed 😊

Recently visited The Boathouse Kitchen for lunch. On our previous visit the restaurant had been busy and had a much better atmosphere. This time it was much quieter and seemed to be missing something. That said the food was excellent. Flatbread and dips to start. All very tasty and large enough portion to share. A couple of the group had the small plates, chicken skewers the best of the bunch. Specials for the day were sea bass and chicken, both excellent, well cooked lots of flavour. Sticky toffee pudding for dessert was superb. Loads of caramel sauce. Service was a little slow considering things weren’t busy and that needs improving

Just popped in for a drink and didn't try the food this time, but will next time .

Popped into The Boathouse Kitchen and Bar for a snack at lunch time. Had a small dog with us and we were made very welcome. The service was excellent and the staff very friendly. The baguettes we had were very tasty the accompanying Sauvignon Blanc...

Loved girls brunch great staff great cocktails great food.

A group of friends and I had arranged a few drinks in Woodbridge and stopped at the boathouse for some food. Everyone there was very impressed with what was served and there wasn't anything left to waste. I've been personally now a few times and...

Had a lovely meal with a selection of tapas and the food was incredible. The cocktails were also really tasty, we will definitely back! Lovely place to eat and drink and with great views!

Last time we ate here a couple of years ago the food was just average. Things have changed for the better and the food was great (big portions & tasty) and the service was excellent.

Poor ventilation which unfortunately ruined the evening

Loved the coffee and cake here looking out towards the River Deben.

We had the best meal last night at The Boathouse, to celebrate a special birthday! There were 5 of us, and we shared 5 tapas as a starter - Smoked ham and cheddar croquettes, Confit duck leg bonbons, Chicken satay skewers, Tempura cauliflower, and the Seared sweet chilli beef. All were excellent and it was very difficult to choose a favourite (mine was the bonbons). I had the maple bacon burger, which was meaty and delicious, and I tried the sea bass with celeriac steak special. The celeriac was a revelation - just gorgeous! The sea bass was perfectly cooked too. The service was spot on, very attentive and friendly. Altogether a wonderful dining experience. Try it!

We had the best meal last night at The Boathouse, to celebrate a special birthday! There were 5 of us, and we shared 5 tapas as a starter - Smoked ham and cheddar croquettes, Confit duck leg bonbons, Chicken satay skewers, Tempura cauliflower, and the...

Rare evening where we've managed to get a babysitter so came down to try the Xmas menu. Really good, nice atmosphere, friendly attentive staff. Cocktails were great and food was fantastic. Definitely on a par with the better Woodbridge restaurants. Hope they continue the full restaurant menu in the new year as the chef is extremely talented and the location deserves a decent restaurant.

Christmas party - great choice of food which was all delicious. Service was excellent too.

We shared a wonderful world tour of dishes, each exquisite and bursting with flavour: spicy, tangy, delicate. Such fresh ingredients and all beautifully presented. Great setting and helpful staff.

Got a nice welcome and service throughout was excellent, food tasty not too pricey. Positioned next to the river and in a pleasant square.

Stopped in for lunch. Small plates and cocktails. Tasty.

I visited The Boathouse on Saturday 1st October. The welcome, and the service were outstanding. And the food was delicious and fantastic value. We were allowed to enjoy our meal at our leisure with just the right amount of attentiveness.

The Boathouse is one of my favourite places to visit very relaxing with a great atmosphere and stunning view of the river Deben . Emma the manager always makes you feel very welcome and the staff too. Today I had the special Mussels in white...

Nice setting, nice menu but overall lazy service, apart from the Portugese guy who is excellent and seems to be the only staff member who understands customer service.

Great location and view. Very disappointed with the service after waiting for 15 mins we had to get up to request a menu , we ordered a bottle of wine when it arrived it was not the rose wine we ordered , there was no explanation or apology, we then ordered a different bottle once again wrong one ! When they did eventually take our food order we were told only certain amount of food available as they close for the next 2 days ! The food arrived - no plates or cutlery which we had to ask for once again. The food was good but expensive for what you get. We left quite quickly after the DJ started playing loud music not appropriate to the vibe of the setting . I was visiting from Sussex and took my friends for lunch they will not returning.

Very tasty Tapas, we had the seafood taco, king prawns and pork belly, plus a huge portion of fries. A bit more than a light lunch !

Great food, scenic views and superb service. Can't complain at the choice of drinks either, highly recommended 👌

Great menu, well worth a visit if you are bored with normal pub food.

Brilliant location. But that's all its got. Poor service and food was terrible. Tiny portions but extremely expensive. Honestly, even if they cut the price by 50%, I'll not eat there again. Complete rip-off.

A 'small plates' restaurant. Kind of good at £25 for 3 small plates to share, which were all very nice, but personally I always feel bit hard done by in such places. One is not leaving feeling full and the ingredient cost for the restaurant is pretty low and return quite high for what you actually get. Never mind. Good luck to them. As I said it was all very tasty. If you want something snacky with a cocktail this will be a good choice for you.

Looked great from the outside, cant give more stars as we were told no walks ins despite all the empty tables. Should put a sign outside to say bookings only.

Came here for dinner with friends. What a lovely venue. Was very busy, but the team were brilliant, and the food was fantastic. We will definitely be back.

Went on Friday evening, as a party of 4. Was very disappointed there was only tapas on the menu. We ordered 6 tapas having been told by a staff member that would be plenty for 4 people. Unfortunately that was not the case, we ended up needing 9 tapas and 2 sides in addition to 2 flatbread appetisers, to satisfy us. The quality of the tapas was very good, but was very expensive for the quantity received. The cocktails were very disappointing also, the mojito didn’t taste like a mojito! No sugar & not enough Bacardi.

Went here on a Thursday night with 2 friends. Firstly had no idea their conventional menu on Internet is not available- only tapas. These are £25 for 3 so quite expensive as a meal. One friend was late arriving and we were then informed that orders had to be made by 8.00! The tapas came very quickly so, although I understand some would be pre prepared, not much freshness or care there? Three desserts available- had the meringue which was just some crumbled meringue with some coulis. Again not very impressive. 3 tapas, 2 desserts, 2 large wines and a sangria came to well over a hundred pounds! On a plus side the staff were lovely but this was a Thursday night and not many customers and I can see why.

Went for breakfast. I had poached egg and ham on crumpets and it was so good! will definitely be going back.

Amazing food, great service, friendly staff and a wonderful atmosphere. What’s not to like. Prices are very keen too

Fantastic location. We walked in and were given menus when we asked. We took around ten minutes to decide what we wanted to order only to be then told they were not serving walk ins food? Why give us menus? It would have been fine had they told us this from the start but it seems a distinct lack of communication between staff. They were not even that busy. The food looked great from what we could see and the location is lovely with great views of the tide mill and river. We left feeling disappointed as I'd been hoping to eat here for a while. Definitely recommend booking!

Very pleasant. Good food, friendly service, great location.

Hi....Having visited this bar earlier in the year we were impressed by the environment. however, we visited recently and we couldn't believe the decline in standards. the interior was scruffy at best with dirty tables and staff oblivious to what was required for new customers. The building itself wasn't finished, it needs a ceiling yes a ceiling, all the fittings are visible especially the air con system.....dreadful. We sat outside having ordered a coffee and a lager.....how does a coffee get delivered before a lager ?. When the lager came it was 3/4 full which I sent back to fill. The waitress said she hadn't poured it which I accepted by she should have seen it wasn't full.... Overall......a bar that is in prime position being close to the museum and other food and drink outlets but missing a trick....get someone in who knows how to run a bar.....

What a wonderful location right on the waters edge of the river Deben, with the warm sun shining as a bonus we felt like we where in an exotic European destination. The food was wonderful and with a very sensitive Vegan amongst our party, the menu accommodated her diet perfectly. The restaurant manager was extremely accommodating making our special family birthday celebration so perfect. Even thinking outside the box to quickly make a special bowl of nibbles for an extremely hungry grand child who could not wait to start eating to overcome her hunger !! Thank you Boat House we highly recommend this restaurant .

Super food. Menu is largely tapas choices. Loads of flavours and a great experience.

Lovely small plates/tapas, friendly helpful staff and beautiful location!

Absolutely fabulous, staff very attentive, food had so much flavour and presentation exquisite. Would definitely recommend a visit if you in Woodbridge. I will going back very soon.

Just popped in on the off chance of a table for a light lunch. They managed to fit us in even though they were very busy. Had a little wait but was made aware of that and grateful to get a table. We had the tapas between 12 - 2pm which was fabulous. The main meals being served around us look lovely and lots of cleared plates. Will definately be visiting again soon. Thank you chefs and staff at the Boathouse kitchen.