The Boathouse Restaurant in North Down

Our seventeen-member family reunion in Bangor ended with a celebration of my wife's birthday and my daughter's wedding anniversary at the Boathouse. We were also celebrating the end of a highly enjoyable week in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The experience at the Boathouse fit the...

We went to The Boat House last Thursday for dinner with family & future In laws from England. Why did we choose here? Well we have been before under the previous owners and then the new owners and we loved it. It is by far...

The Boathouse sits in a sea of tarmac, surrounded by cars, the old building marooned in the 1980s by the redevelopment of Bangor marina. The council could have abandoned it to a store for litter pickers and waste bins but they didn't and it's been...

Superb food.Great attention to us as guests. Very knowledgeable about the finer details of the food and alcohol. Such a great experience. We felt very special. It was a lovely evening. Don't be fooled by the exterior - although a little tricky on a wet...

Not sure where to start the food, service atmosphere where all outstanding. Can't find a fault. The dining area is relatively small so you may need to book before you go.

Bought a voucher and had an amazing evening here. The whole experience was wonderful from the atmosphere is the cosy restaurant, the super friendly and efficient staff and the food was on another level. Worth saving up for a special occasion.

My sister and I dined at this restaurant while visiting Bangor. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing. It was an incredible experience. The host was informative and friendly without being invasive. The food was out of this world and the wine was equally...

As a chef my self I had to see what all the talk was about a new head chef at the boat house. Food staff brilliant well worth the visit well done son keep it up brilliant

Excellent and personally attentive service. Great atmosphere and ambience. Recommended for a special treat.

We had an excellent dinner here - the five course tasting meno with matched wines. The service was perfect and the food was excellent. We could not fault it and would definitely return.

In 2009, we had a meal at the Marina Villa Hotel in Fowey, Cornwall where a young Nathan Outlaw was building his now stellar reputation. It was very good. Last night at the Boat House we enjoyed a meal based on the tasting menu with...

Great food- different to the local menus. Love the more experimental touches. Attentive staff. Lovely location. Happy to recommend.

The restaurant is a beautifully quaint renovated boathouse right on the harbour. When we walked in, the waiter asked if we had a reservation and seemed to know our booking name before we even spoke! He led us downstairs where we were able to choose...

A wonderful experience. Our first visit under new ownership but concerns about consistency of reputation very quickly put to bed . The new menu , fixed price and a la Carte are exceptional value , with several inclusive amuse bouche courses , of superb quality...

Just home from an Amazing meal at the Boathouse. We left it too long to go back once it went under new owners but we will return v v soon. Extremely well priced for incredible food & service. It is as well priced as going...

Five course tasting menu with additional elements and wine. The whole thing was a joy: relaxed, perfectly timed dishes, flawless wine pairing which really enhanced the whole food 'journey' and friendly, attentive, discreet and knowledgeable service. Individual portions may look small, to NI folk, but...

Looking for a suitable venue to entertain my house guests I booked a table for three for a saturday evening.We were greeted on arrival and placed in the capable hands of Johnaton who for the rest of the evening was there to guide us through...

Amazing Food, Amazing Wine and fantastic staff. Went here for the 5 course tasting menu with paired wines. Each and every course was delicious and the food and wine was explained as it arrived. This is not just going out for dinner, it's a culinary...

This was a lovely experience. It is certainly the place to visit for a special occasion. The food was of an excellent standard but would point out that the prices are not what you would wish for a regular Saturday meal out but excellent for...

This was the first time we've been since the glorious period under the ownership of the Castell brothers and we were, I admit, apprehensive. Thankfully we were not to be disappointed. The Boathouse remains a little pearl in the Bangor seafront restaurant scene and it...

Out for a surprise evening meal with my husband and I was absolutely delighted with his choice. Great food and excellent service at a very reasonable price. We had the special meal with wine pairings and rated it so highly our son has now booked...

The service was excellent, very professional and obliging. The food was fine dining at its best. We had the wine pairing and were surprised. If you date, leave the meal selection to the chef. He is excellent and the flavours and textures were married with...

We haven't eaten in the Boathouse for some time but took the opportunity of a Wowcher 5 course tasting menu deal, to visit in the dark January days.It was a great evening,food was exceptional and the matchings of food and wine were very good.Front of...

Last night my boyfriend and I visited the Boathouse to try the tasting menu which I booked via a Living Social deal. David and Jonathan were welcoming and helpful from the very beginning and the service was second to none. We had a fantastic evening...

The Boathouse have always put on an outstanding tasting menu for me and my party when we’ve been meat eaters / no special dietary requirements .... that makes for a great restaurant! What makes for an outstanding restaurant however is when they have to cater...

My partner & I had the 5 course vegan tasting menu with (vegan) wine pairings last night & it was absolutely OUTSTANDING. Honestly cannot recommend it enough, it was completely out of this world. The food, the wine & the level of service was second...

What a superb night out. Food was brilliant, with option suited to all our varied tastes. Great inputs from the staff made for a well informed night out. Wine choices were really suited to the food. First rate night out, a real dining experience

Lovely food, made special by Johnathens wine tasting expertise! Excellent experience and highly recommend!

Absolutely wonderful evening with the love of my life - Willie, you know who you are. Very filling meal. Portions here are very large. Could hardly walk afterwards. Staff very attentive. Perfectly trained to interrupt at just the wrong moment. The descriptions of the plates...

Attended for an engagement dinner and had the 7 course tasting menu and cru wine pairings. All dishes and wines were delicious and paired brilliantly with each other. Staff were friendly, attentive and were extremely knowledgeable regarding the origins of the food and wines. The...

My husband and I were lucky enough to get an excellent 50% off voucher on Groupon .. and had a lovely joint birthday celebration here earlier this month with the tasting menu. Food was epic, wine parings sensational and we got to try some new...

Excellent meal at the Boathouse. Perfect and delicious tasting menu with excellent wine pairing. 7 courses each with a variety of local ingredients, perfectly cooked and presented. Jonathan had an excellent knowledge of wine and matched the food perfectly. Overall service was outstanding, the atmosphere...

We visited The Boat House for my partners birthday and were totally blown away by the amazing food and excellent service. Jonathan was a delight with his knowledge and recommendations. This taster menu is not to be missed and the wine is paired to perfection....

Excellent variety of local produce, beautifully cooked and very well presented. Jonathan was very knowledgable and attentive matching our food preferences with some superb wines.

Excellent meal last night, we were a table of six and the tasting menu with wine pairing was a real experience! 7 courses each one with local ingredients and totally sublime. Both food and service were outstanding, the atmosphere is relaxed and intimate. The staff...

The tasting menu with wine pairing was excellent. Beautifully presented, flavoursome food with high quality wines. Attentive service. Lovely ambience. And plenty of time to enjoy (over 3 hours from start to finish!). A wonderful experience for a special occasion.

Our group of four enjoyed a wonderful dinner last Sunday evening. The friendly reception, very attentive service and superb food and drinks made this a meal to remember. Our host ensured we managed to get back to the station in time for the last train...

A delightful and atmospheric little restaurant in the old harbourmaster’s Office. The tasting menu was fabulous, as was the wine pairing and we had a wonderful evening to start our short break in Northern Ireland. Look forward to returning.

The boat house is such a lovely place to go, we had a delicious tasting menu with some great wines. The service was extremely good and attentive

First time we have tried the taster menu - just wonderful. So often a meal out can be over too soon - this gave us a really lovely evening. It was just perfect in every way - delicious food, great atmosphere and friendly attentive service....

We had a perfect and delicious tasting menu, with the premium wine arrangement. Every dish was amazingly good and the supporting wines were sublime. Beautiful variated menu with everything in it what you would expect from a good restaurant. Nice amuse, and 5 very variated...

My husband and I were treated to the 7 course taster menu as a gift. It was a fabulous experience. We are not very adventurous eaters but really enjoyed the experience of foods we would never usually order. Everything we ate looked and tasted great....

We visited here for a Birthday treat and sampled an exquisite selection of top quality dishes from the taster menu. Particular highlights included symptoms crab caught by Noel, to die for foie gras, and miniature Veda that melted in the mouth. The place is beautifully...

We had such a fabulous night at the Boat House - the tasting menu and accompanying wines were fantastic - far better that other Michelin starred type establishments I have visited! The food was all local and tasted amazing. The guys were funny, attentive and...

beautiful food well thought out with wines to match, great service, staff can't so enough for you, lovely setting

Booked the Boat House for some friends of mine and they were utterly amazing! They couldn’t have done enough for me or my friends and made the whole experience so special. Spectacular value for money when you compare that level of service with what you...

We spotted this place whilst strolling by, & so glad that we stopped to check out the menu & then book ourselves in for the evening dinner. It looks small from the outside, but once you get inside its like Dr Who's tardis. The food...

This is Excellent food. We dropped in and were lucky enough to grand a table. You really should book though. Luck is bound to be against you otherwise. Enjoy.

Great atmosphere. Fabulous fresh food and Jonathon a most fantastic host. Tasting menu with wines, but only 5 courses this time, there is a wonderful 7 course too. Watermelon and crab, cake this was a delicious combination followed by wood pigeon, this is a favourite...

What an amazing find! My husband and I went to the boathouse for dinner on Friday we opted for the tasting 5 course menu paired with wines and followed with a cheese board. It was exceptional!I cleared every plate! Not only was the food amazing...

I was very excited to try The Boat House, having heard lots of good things about it. We chose a 7 course tasting menu with wine pairings. David is fabulous at his job, I very much enjoyed hearing about the provenance of the food and...

Love this restaurant for its atmosphere and great food . We had a lovely time with great people and very attentive staff. Will be back just for the mussels

Small restaurant with lovely ambience. Couldn't fault anything, from the location to the service. Jonathan the sommelier was excellent, explaining the food and the accompanying wines, also providing a little background to the wine producers themselves and the actual location of the vineyard which gave...

The food is absolute deslicious. We had the daily menu starting with a seafood ravioli. Then Stone Bass for the Lady, and a Duo of the Lamb for me. As a dessert we had a Chocolate-Rasperry variations and a selection of Irish chees.... As well...

The event was great. Food amazing and very entertaining. I would definitely attend another event here and stay across the street at the Salty Dog 😉

Visited for the first time on 15th Dec, expected it to be busy but very very intimate. We went for the tasting menu with the wine tasting and what an experience it was. The staff were lovely and very well versed on the food and...

I enjoyed the most amazing meal here. It was a Dining experience, of Michelin star quality, in a cosy relaxed atmosphere. Presentation was beautiful and imaginative. Great choice. Lots of fresh fish. Fresh Mackerel, caught in the Bay that day, was stunning. The lemon dessert...

We took a party of eight people for the tasting menu with tasting wines. The whole experience was amazing. Service, food and wine were of an extremely high standard. I would strongly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to return.

Went here with my wife and a friend food was excellent as usual. Service excellent, i have been to Ox in belfast as well and can say i preferred the boat house as we did not have to have the taster menu but were able...

Well priced for an exquisite meal and incredible service. The staff are so friendly and give you so much attention. Great detail and information provided about each dish as well. A must go restaurant for anyone!

The Boat House has changed little since it was taken over from the original owners. It still delivers top-class fine dining in a cosy dining space. Serving staff are always very attentive and knowledgeable. If you choose the wine tasting, you will make your meal...

Seven us ladies enjoyed wonderful food here. Very friendly staff who certainly have a great knowledge of where the food is sourced. Beautiful little resturant. With plenty of parking beside it.

Great food, great wait staff, great atmosphere, great everything! You simply must go and try a tasting menu. The people who work here care a great deal about your experience and make you feel special.

I was recently treated to Sunday lunch as a birthday treat, and what a treat! The small intimate dining room is cosy and comfortable and definitely makes you feel welcome from the start. Our waiter had amazing knowledge of every ingredient in each dish and...

It was a windy night and we were seeking shelter as well as some fare to balance the inclement nature outside - and the Restaurant managed this most famously...

We had a wonderful experience at the boathouse. Having just found a voucher given as a gift (Issued before the change of ownership of which we were unaware), we were unsure whether it would be honoured. We were pleasantly surprised to be offered half the...

Our meal in the boathouse was for a wedding anniversary celebertaion and we also stayed overnght in the Salty Dog. We had the 5 course tasting menu with paired wines. The staff asked if we had any preferencnes (my wife does not eat game or...

The boat house has been on my dining "to do" list for quite some time it was an obvious choice as a birthday treat. We opted for the tasting menu, I was driving but my companion had the wine pairing with it to follow her...

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon in The Boathouse Dining yesterday. We both opted for the 5 Course Tasting Menu with the Grand Cru Wine Flight and we were blown away by the thought and consideration that went with pairing each course. David,...

We had a wonderful evening in the Boat House last Saturday night. The food was exquisite, offering the best of local and artisan produce from entrees to mains to cheeseboard, the ambience delightful, and the staff engaging and attentive. It was an experience that stays...

When the food is as good as it is here and the cooking skills so well honed, which they undoubtedly are, it might seem odd to instead single out the front of house staff, but they are indeed fabulous. Johnny, David and Rebecca brought every...

We had a great evening sampling the 5 course tasting menu with pairing wines. Every dish was extremely tasty with the wine complimenting it perfectly, the service was great and it was a lovely way to celebrate a special birthday.

Fantastic meal in fantastic surroundings, with even better service by David, couldn't fault anything, amazingly we had the restaurant to ourselves on a Sunday afternoon this must be the best kept secret in N.Ireland, it is supposed to be three courses £75 for two people...

We had a fabulous meal this evening with impeccable service. I rarely post reviews but felt compelled to, as it is so nice to have such a great experience in Bangor. Will be back soon for the tasting menu!

Service, food, decor makes for a fabulous night out ! Welcome with a big smile and the thought we were long lost friends. Old lifeboat station dating back to around 1850 Had the great pleasure of sampling the 5 course menu, wonderfully presented, in fact...

My partner and I had dinner here on a very quiet Wednesday. We chose the tasting menu with complimentary wines and enjoyed one of the best meals we've had this summer. I could not recommend it more and hope you have the same great experience...

My wife and i decided to try the tasting menu, i had the wine with it. There were seven courses and only one was disappointing (charcuterie) the others were excellent. Portions were small but we were expecting that with a tasting menu. There was some...

Had a lovely meal out at The Boat House recently. The waiting staff were very knowledgable about the locally sourced produce and wine list. The food was delicious and exceptionally presented with close attention to detail. Would highly recommend the tasting menu as a special...

I've only been the once and I will try it again.The night we went four of us had the tasting menu it was beautifully presented and good but too small to get a proper taste of each course, the wine poured with each course was well matched in most cases but again not enough.We all left feeling hungry and sober which has never happened to me on a wine tasting menu before.

Visited today for lunch. Opted for the 7 course tasting menu. Service was excellent, with very knowledgable and helpful staff. The waiter was able to advise us on choosing a wine that we would like and was able to tell us about each dish, where...

My husband and I celebrated our Wedding Anniversary in the Boat House on Saturday and had a great evening. The dining room was cosy and comfortable and after taking advice from the very helpful and professional staff we opted for the five course Taster menu...

My cousin and I visited the Boat House on Saturday for lunch and it was excellent. We were given advice, space and great hospitality by the manager who made us fell very welcome. The amuse bouche was amazing, the butters for the homemade breads beautiful,...

Friday evening dinner for 2 was very enjoyable. Food was very tasty, and more than expected, and location was a surprise - it looks small from the outside, but there are different " decks", and the dining area has plenty of room. We went for...

On Saturday evening we had a great meal at the boat house restaurant. . This is the first time we have been to the boat house since it changed ownership but it won't be the last. Friends had recommended the tasting menu so we chose...

Enjoyed a lovely lunch today. We were a little dubious to try this place as we heard that it was owned by the same folks as the Salty Dog, which has been less than optimal in our recent experience, however it was a pleasant surprise....

This restaurant immediately promises to be different. It's a former harbour masters office and exudes a bygone charm. The staff are just great and shared their knowledge and enthusiasm for their menu. They take great pride in locally sourced food and interesting stories about their...

This is a small intimate restaurant. The menu was interesting with local provenance. The wine menu was varied. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience on a Friday evening. The service was attentive but not over powering. The food was exquisite and well presented . It was...

Fantastic!! An adventure in food!. Would definitely recommend and return to the Boat House Restaurant.

Lovely restaurant,staff attentive,descriptions of food a bit over the top for me.Seven course taster menu bought as birthday gift . Waiter was to advise re up coming courses as I am not a great meat lover.However he omitted to do this and I was presented...

Had the most beautiful dinning experience here last night, both the food and service was of the highest standard. Friendly, comfortable atmosphere and those little extra touches go a long way! Great value for money as well! Thank you to David and the team, outstanding!!

Every bit as good as it was under the previous management! First class service by David. Lovely cosy set up. Delicious, beautifully presented food. A few unusual and stunning 'extras'. Wonderful wines. Not cheap but worth every penny. Excellent value Table d'hote menu available. Highly...

We have been promising to come to The Boathouse for almost a year and finally booked a table.Having eaten in many "fine dining" restaurants over the years we generally find ourselves at one of two extremes : either a total let down or an absolute triumph. The Boathouse was very much a triumph.Whilst sadly quiet on our lunchtime visit, we fully got the atmosphere. The service was excellent, the food amazing. Menus are short - either a 3 course or a 7 course tasting, both available with a wine pairing. The wine list is quite extensive and approaching pricey, but value exists.We opted for the 3 course menu. The restaurant unlike many others,took time to understand and cater for allergies. A bread roll with olive oil was clearly made on the premises and regrettably rare. It was superb along with the fruity olive oil ( instead of butter ).My wife's fish soup was rich and pungent with beautiful garlic and huge sweet prawns. It came with Comte and a wonderful aloli; my goats' curd with beetroot and raspberry astonishingly good.We both ordered brill as a main. The initial impression was the portion is a bit small,but once we got into it,it was just about perfect in every way : fresh,perfectly judged and huge in every flavour. We didn't need any more.A wonderful cheese ( with homemade compotes and breads/crackers ) course finished a 10 out of 10 lunch.Having eaten in another,local,Michelin starred restaurant on a few occasions I can easily say The Boathouse out points it on every level. I would extend this to say this was one if the very best "fine dining " experiences we have ever enjoyed and easy to see why it has won so many awards including 3 AA Rosettes.Try it soon as you will be one day disappointed if you don't.

Saddened to read in today's Belfast Telegraph that this fine establishment is to close in October to give Joery a break.. here's hoping he will find it in his heart to return with batteries recharged

Disappointed, poor food and expensiveService were okayDont go!Dont go !dont go!:(BAD EXPERIENCE

Nice little place, great food and service. Our visit for a business lunch was perfect. Unfortunately a lot of its customers are punching above their weight, attracts a lot of "wanna be" social climbers.

Its hard to give a rating for a restaurant when on the one hand the food and wine were OK BUT we were overcharged and to date there has been no response to my e-mail to them. It says quite clearly on their website that to celebrate being 50th out of the top 100 restaurants in the UK by The Sunday Times couples dining on Thursdays as well as other nights would only be charged £50, well we were charged £75 it not a lot but it is irritating. Obviously the bill went up with wines and puddings etc but also the potatoes and veg costs extra and they are essential if you are to feel pleasantly satisfied with quantities. We travelled over 70 miles round trip to this restaurant and it was pretty much the worst food at the highest prices we encountered on our holiday. So don't be misled by their website and their smiling faces, they overcharge and do not reply to your emails.

Fantastically friendly and cosy restuarant. Have eaten both lunch, which is surprisingly cheap and dinner which is amazing value..... £35 for the 3 courses served last night is an absolute steal!!! Laid back professional staff who know their stuff and great chefs. The best around!!

Can't say enough great things about this restaurant, I've been a few times and it never fails to impress. Went for the ala carte menu which is very reasonably priced and great value for money. The starter of smoked copeland island scallops was beautiful which was complemented perfectly with apple and black garlic oil. Then we decided to split a main course of guinea fowl between us as a second starter. So glad we did as it was one of the nicest dishes I've ever tasted, the guinea fowl was cooked to perfection and the wild mushroom pizza was superb, I could have had the wild mushroom pizza as a dish on it's own!! Then onto the main course of pressed pork belly with chorizo bolognese, I've never tasted pork belly so full of flavour and tender, it literally fell apart as soon as you put your knife and fork to it. Deserts were shared, cheeseboard and the valrhona chocolate tart which were both amazing, the cheese was a great mix of mild and strong and the chocolate tart was really rich. All of this was had with a bottle of chateau mirambeau which was a beautiful bottle of wine. Service was fantastic as usual and the waitress really looked after us with the attentiveness of a professional server. Can't wait to go back!!

Extraordinary food beautifully presented with skill and real talent. Ten out of ten for food, service and fun and a well deserved review to the hardworking owners. Lovely

Run by two Dutch brothers, chef Joery Castel, and co-owner Jasper, this is far and away one of the best restaurants now in Northern Ireland and worthy of at least one Michelin star, as good as that. Situated right on the shoreline and not surprisingly majoring on fish dishes, Joery uses locally caught or grown produce, including just-caught lobster and locally gathered samphire. This guy works wonders in his kitchen and his reputation is growing. Its fine dining with no airs and graces and easy on the pocket, too, for what you get.. from a three-course menu for £35 to a seven-course lobster tasting menu for just £50, in addition to a very reasonable a la carte.Food heaven.