The Old Boathouse in Northumberland

Was nice fish & chips. Next time I will try something more adventurous seafood wise.x

On a trip to Newcastle to visit my brother, we went to this restaurant on his recommendation. We chose to have lunch there because the food is very good and because Amble is in a convenient location for those visiting the Northumberland coast. The place is small and welcoming, and from our internal table we could enjoy a view of the port which the restaurant overlooks. We ordered the mixed fish platter, recommended for two people, but three of us ate our fill. The bill, including drinks, was around £120, but every pound was well spent on the quality of the food.

A really nice fish restaurant on the quay. it offers a very wide selection of sea foods to the customer. Slection of beers is limited but the wines are broadly based.

Served on cold plates, order messed up. Tasted ok but overpriced for what it was

Delicious pizza and nice staff.

Been twice , never again. Give Benefit of doubt about slow service at first visit , second visit they served drinks but they completely forgot the food. Asked for bill and had to tell them to remove cost for food as it had never come, no apology. Then tried to charge me for 3 drinks as I had ordered a double macchiato coffee, had to show them the menu to show it was 20p more for a double and that they should not be charging for 2 single macchiato. What got me is place was not even busy - god knows what it's like when it is.

Fantastic seafood - the sharing platter was delicious.

Great meal here and amazing gluten free fish and chips

We came for lunch & had a range of dishes which were ALL absolutely outstanding! Even the kids fish and chips got praised as the best fish our 7 year old has ever eaten! So good we came back again the next day!

Lovely seafood. Interesting view. Staff were helpful, efficient and friendly. 2 bottles of very acceptable wine. Great portion of langoustines, Rick Stein take note!

I ordered 2 Americano coffees, & a piece of caramel shortbread. Coffee was tasteless & weak, but more importantly the caramel shortbread was inedible as it tasted like it had been sprayed with some sort of cleaning fluid. I took it back to the guy that served me and he said he'd speak to the manager. 10 mins later he the guy came over and handed me the cost of the shortbread and said we buy those in so it must have come from the suppliers? Didn't even offer an apology. Best avoid the place. Cost was £10.45. Refunded £2.90

I love this restaurant. Great ambience. However, my scone was rather disappointing as it was a bit dry. Staff are lovely and so is the coffee.

Lovely place with friendly helpful staff.

Nice location bit slow on service

Great service , we were attended to very well . Food good generally but not exceptional, pricey but the view was amazing from our table by the widow.

Cosy small restaurant with a good selection of cakes :)! Huge fan of the cheesecake!!

Beautiful place right on the pier. Servers was amazing and they said we could get our fish without the heads. Would definitely look at the special menu as all the fish options were of the special menu. Would come back again.

Unfortunately the overall experience was ruined just because of the manager service. We ordered the "famous seafood platter" (£89) just because we wanted to try the north east lobster. When it came it was totally freezing, which really surprised us. It was tasteless, like eating gum/wood. After asking the staff it turned up that they don't have any local ones and brought them from Canada (obviously frozen for a long time). We just got offered free drinks (pint and a half) and the manager didn't even approach to the table, sending the waitress back and forth few times. Service was great (not the manager), and the rest of the platter was ok.

First time their,food excellent. Will be back when we are in the areai.

Brilliant service, quality food and choice.Fine wine and beer, highly recommended

Lovely here. Staff are do friendly, great views of the harbour.

Very good food, friendly staff, lovely setting. I would recommend.

We booked for a good friends birthday as a surprise. Martin, Ruth and the team Looked after them and made the day extra special with fantastic service and as always exquisite food topped of with a bottle of bubbly 🍾. The birthday boy said it was the best meal and surprise he’d ever had. Well done team and thank you so much for helping us with the surprise.

Amazing fish beautiful venue but very slow service

Brilliant view. Food was slightly disappointing.

This certainly isn't a bad place to come and visit, got a lovely view if you're sat by the window. We aren't drinkers but they seemed to have a lot on offer. We've eaten at other places since being here and have come to the conclusion that this place is just a bit over priced. We ate similar meals that were just better in other places, for sometimes up to £10 less! If you're going to charge £15 for a soft shell crab starter, you better hope it has some flavour. And £28 for a bland seafood steamer really stung. One server was lush, the rest seemed uninterested and certainly weren't that keen.

My partner and I shared a lovely meal here while visiting Amble. The staff were friendly and accommodating, the food was delicious and plentiful. The atmosphere was relaxed. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience and will be back very shortly.

Possibly one of the best meals I've ever had. The fish was perfectly cooked, and delicious. For dessert, I had the gin soaked autumn fruit with a ginger crumble and mascarpone, which was absolutely amazing. I wish I could have the recipe!

We visited 'the old boathouse' on a rather wet and windy Wednesday night. The staff were extremely welcoming and offered us suggestions on a variety of dishes. We chose the pictured 'fishfood platter', it was very filling with a great variety of fish served for £89. I would recommend you pay this place a visit as it is a good little restaurant.

We love this place, great food nice staff.When ever we go up we go in . Some times we say we will pop in just for a drink , then say that looks good and order 😂🤣

Our first time at the Boathouse. A freezing, cold day but warm and welcoming inside. Enjoyed our lunch very much.

Great food good atmosphere definitely go again

Lovely fresh fish. Friendly staff. Couldn't fault the place, it was early evening so very quiet. Will go later next time

We were a big family group and The Old Boat House catered for everyone really well. The sharing platter was a triumph for fish and sea food lovers.

Such a cozy, wonderful place to eat. My other half and I went on a last minute Sunday dinner date here and it was such a great experience. Honestly, some of the best seafood and crab I’ve had in my 33 years on earth. The local gin we had was great too. Phenomenal service as well. 10000/10

Some lovely seafood here, really fresh.. slightly lacking in seasoning in my opinion.. but would come back to try other things! Scallops looked to die for

Waited less time for surgery on the NHS. Starters returned due to being inedible. The squid hadn't been prepped, the membrane hadn't been removed which meant it was chewy. Scallops came cold. Chowder was basically veg and cream. To top it off, it was also a little pricy.

Cosy, friendly place with great food reasonably priced.

Really nice food and super friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Excellent service, great food and really good view and they allow dogs.

The sister restaurant to the Fish Shack. Great food, served promptly by friendly staff. View over the harbour is very good. Top marks

We arrived as a party of 7 plus a toddler without a reservation and, though the place was very busy, staff were able to accommodate us, with surprising speed. The food, with an emphasis on seafood, though not exclusively, was off I high standard. I had the Cullen Skunk and my preference would have been to have large lumps of fish in a broth, most of the dish looked like it had been blended, then two or three lumps of haddock added, a bit disappointing really. The rest of the party were delighted with their choices; steamed seafood, hake, a real variety, all cooked to perfection! I don't know what they pay their staff, but they really need to hold on to them, they added to the experience. Despite working flat out they were friendly, helpful and kept the toddler in the party very amused. The setting and location are both excellent and I will definitely be back if I'm ever in the area again. I cannot recommend The Old Boathouse highly enough.

Spent a very enjoyable houat the Boathouse on Monday afternoon a delicious scone with jam and cream and a cold glass of wine .

A lovely space- making for the anticipation of a good evening. However we had a disappointing experience. Some of the food was so poor that it went back. The person serving continuously justified that it was right to charge for the dish in question. We left feeling very disappointed and not listened to.

Stopped here for an afternoon brew and a bottle of lager. Very nice location and staff were friendly and full of smiles. Dogs welcome, which is always a bonus. The menus looked tasty and prices online with other restaurants we have seen locally. A good choice of seafood available. I would definitely return and would probably stay for more than a drink second time around.

Lovely informal restaurant. Dog friendly. Great seafood, my husband had fish & chips and I chose a steamed shellfish pot. Highly recommended. Friendly service.

Amazing menu for seafood. All very well cooked and tasty. The plates were huge. The staff very pleasant. Seating in the bar area is dog friendly.

You have to eat here! Simply fantastic, we had the Fish Platter, everything was cooked to perfection, the wine is great and the service was fantastic. One of the best meals I have ever eaten.

Excellent! An amazing range of perfectly cooked delicious fish. Great table service from Claire and her team. We take all our well traveled foodie friends there when visiting us, and they are always overflowing with compliments.

Always a great meal served here. 👍

Delicious food. Hake green curry advertised with basmati rice, came with plain old long grain. Such a shame. More sauce required next time please.

Rustic setting with good menu options on the specials board. Nice view of the harbour from where we were seated, which adds to the experience. Everything was fresh and tasty.

Wonderful family lunch in this cafe. We walked in without a reservation as 12 people and a dog but were seated and served with genuine warmth. The fish and chips and the squid starter were fantastic and I would go out of my way to come back to Amble for this. The cakes looked amazing in the window, and like the other food, didn’t disappoint! Make sure you pop into the pod shops around the cafe, especially Edie Pebble!

Had the chowder on recommendation . Very disappointing not much taste and packed with vegetables . Won't go back

Fantastic food, service, and atmosphere. A must place to visit when in Amble.

This was a birthday meal for my daughter at this waterside restaurant, I had a slight mix up with my order that was rectified without fuss and tasted really good. Dog friendly

What an amazing experience we had! Treating ourself to the fish platter was definitely worth it and is highly recommended. Yes it’s £45 but it’s amazing value including lobster 🦞 and Lindisfarne oysters. The service was fantastic and the optional service charge was worth it. Suffice to say any visit to Amble must include a visit to The Old Boat House ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Busy busy busy...Great food well worth the wait.

Fabulous sea food restaurant. Worth the money.

Overpriced and over rated. Food bland

Very disappointing. The staff need training in customer service as does the manageress. On arrival the bar was a huge mess of glasses on arrival. Had to wait for drinks order. We had booked some days before so they were expecting a large birthday party of 7, one child, on a special occasion. The wait time for food was over an hour! The wait time for drinks and repeat drinks too long. The food was unremarkable and very expensive for the quality and presentation. Two steaks not cooked as asked. My fish chowder should be named carrot and celery chowder, There was barely a flake of fish in it. Waitress did a very fast table check after serving by which time I had not realised how disappointing my chowder was and ditto for the steak eaters. At the end of the meal, the waitress who removed my plate asked Yeah me had there been something wrong to which I replied it was awful and disappointing and I had never had chowder like it made mainly from Carrot and celery. She said she would pass this on and I assumed she would tell the chef and all rest immediately. Clearly, she did not. We asked for the bill, Astonishingly they had added 10% service charge and also left on my “carrot“ chowder. Not wanting to make a scene or embarrass the bill paying birthday guy I waited until my party had left and then asked to speak to the manageress. In front of other dining customers, she argued with me! She was unpleasant and unprofessional. She blamed me for not having highlighted my dissatisfaction with the meal And was quite confrontational in front of other diners. She eventually said she would refund the chowder by which time it was far too late To repair the damage done. I left. None of us will ever return to the old boathouse in Amble. And we would never recommend this place. There are some awful reviews buried in amongst some of the better reviews nearer the top. The bad reviews should be put up first. Very disappointing when you’re looking forward to something and it’s a special occasion and by the way that was not even acknowledged. Bad and bad.

Had a lovely lunch date today with my partner recovering from been in hospital lush little twist is the starlings that sing to you and are always near

Waited an hour between starters and main courses, had to remind them. Other diners later in and served before us. Rather expensive. Tip added to bill which we removed.

We have had a really nice meal at the Old Boat House, the food was delicious and very tasty, nice portions, nice atmosphere and very good service, lovely staff!

Absolutely rubbish chips were soggy and tasteless 10%service charge added A very dissapointed experience don't bother

Lovely food but the young staff could use some customer service training.

Our experience was deeply disappointing; having looked forward to our visit and told our guests (from the USA) how lovely it would be. Our last visit, a few years before, had stayed with us. We have even recommended it to numerous others in the interim. Our booking, made the previous day, in person, had been lost, so we could only eat outside. It was too hot, we had to keep moving seats for the one in the shade. Granted it must have been a long, busy day - however, whilst the staff were pleasant enough and the service adequate, the food was a massive let down. Starters were decent but mains bland, largely underseasoned - and mine arrived lukewarm. Underwhelmed just about sums it up. Overall, very sad to have to write this and say we are unlikely to return or recommend.

Good selection of seafood dishes and a plant based menu for the awkward people.

We stopped to eat during a day out, the service was friendly and attentive which was excellent as the place was rammed with diners, they have an excellent specials board and a equally good main menu, I opted for the fish and chips, it was well cooked and hot 10 out of 10 for taste as well, the portion size was generous I couldn't fi ish it, which is a shame as I really enjoyed it, the drinks selection was great, everything from beer to tea, also they have a great range of non alcoholic beers which I am a fan of.... all in all it was a pleasant experience and one we will return to.

Nice view from outdoor seating looking into the water. We visited on a sunny Saturday afternoon so the area was busy and so was the restaurant so it wasn’t a quiet relaxing meal. Quite expensive but the food was worth it. Mussels were delicious. Nicest lunch I have had in a long time.

A lovely quayside location with a decent selection of fresh fish and seafood dishes. Staff are excellent and chatty which adds to the experience. The fish and chips were beautiful! The town is a working fishing port that is in transition so there are lots of little pop up businesses on the quay. The food isn't cheap but it is value for money and compares well to more well known fishing towns like Whitby.

Food was delicious. Staff very friendly. But service was a bit slow as they were busy

Excellent sea food. Location right on the harbour side.

Popped in in spec on a Friday lunchtime. We’re offered seats in side or out given some menus and told that they would be back to take our orders. We found a perfect spot outside looking on to the harbour and adequate time to check the menus. Someone came over as promised took our orders and we waited approx 15 mins for food. I had the chowder with extra mussels and a cheese scone. It was delicious. My only query is that I asked for the small portion and it was huge so beware if you are ordering. Great value for money though. My partner got the haddock and chips which he rated on a par to our favourite restaurant in Whitby. The haddock was described as fresh and the chips delicious. The food was excellent and we stayed around for a good 20 mins people watching and letting our food digest. Not once did we feel rushed to move even though there were a steady stream of customers coming in and out. We’ve at at their sister restaurant the fish shack before to be honest this is our preferred venue purely for the views. We will definite back.

Varied menu. Sat outside on a sunny day. BUT Discretionary 10% automatically added to bill☹️

Like a previous reviewer. we were offered brusque service bordering on the unpleasant. With three or four tables free, we were told 'you can't sit there' when we sat at a table where we could have our pushchair to the side of the table. We left.

Jul'24 - standards dropping. Haddock overcooked & dry- panacotta like rubber - chocolate ice cream included lumps of fudge. Specials board includes many repeats. Scallops with pork belly not good try with chorizo or blabk pudding for a change. Aug'23 - Back again - 3 starters & 2 mains vg but Scallops with Cauliflower was a disappointment as Cauli was chunks of raw cold cauli lying in a puddle of vinaigrette - should have been cooked or marinated - unpleasant texture - Scallops also a little on the small side - does the chef taste his food??? Previous visit - Used to be superb but standards have fallen a little post covid.

Very nice fish restaurant. Service was friendly and the food came quickly. Everything was fine

Really tasty plate of fish and chips with home made tartare sauce. Service was excellent from a lovely smiley young lady. Will certainly be back

Huge portions of Haddock and Boston chips. Lovely food, great friendly staff and a view to die for. A must visit.

Great food and location -good weather made visit memorable

Lovely views, good service and food. Just the whole Lobster Thermidor was very mashy and lacked flavour and lobster meat.

Lovely fresh seafood, fab views and very friendly staff

Sat outside and whilst the food was OK the company we kept wasn't the best. Birds. The cheeky sods would come within feet to you on the table and the bird poo was everywhere. Inside the restaurant looked amazing. Service was okish they brought my beer after everyone else had finished.

Excellent. Fantastic fish dishes and ambience. They managed my dairy intolerance with ease, changing sauces without any hassle.

Absolutely stunning food, best squid I have ever eaten. The choices on the menu were so varied, looking around the restaurant, I would have been happy with anything! Highly recommend!

Fantastic... Food, service and location. Highly, highly recommend

Wonderful restaurant, we got the seafood platter and it was fantastic!

Had a wonderful meal at The Old Boathouse. We had a table outside in the sunshine. The seafood is fabulous, and there is a great specials menu. Lovely place right by the waters edge.

Wonderful food and service but if you take dogs with you you’re better to sit outside as it’s tight in the bar area.

The Food here is absolutely amazing, I've been coming to this area for years yet it's the first time I've been to this restaurant. I now wish I had visited years ago as I will certainly be returning.

Great food in a very good location. Will definately visit again.

I really liked this place, didn’t eat but the menu looked good. Great to sit on a lovely evening with a drink and watch the sunset. Friendly staff and good selection of drinks available

An odd experience. The a board advertises coffee and scones among other things but at 11.45am on a chilly Thursday our group of four were told by the woman who greeted us that we could only sit inside (almost empty) if we were having lunch (it was still morning!) We headed to the (completely empty) 6 or 7 outside tables that are shielded by screens from the wind, but no "You can't sit there, I'm cleaning them." The only other tables were exposed to the elements so we left and went somewhere else. Perhaps she didn't like how we looked.

Delicious lunch, generous portions, carefully prepared.

Amazing location on the harbour front with great views of the Coquet estuary. Food was delicious. Wine all French and a bit on the pricey side. A nice crisp New Zealand Sauvignon blanc would have been much preferred.

Excellent. Would like to go back again when it's a sunnier day to sit outside. Definitely recommend

Just a light lunch but very tasty

Very disappointed with our meal here. The staff were very nice and offered a table inside with our dog however, we chose to sit outside in the covered decking area. Our first impression of the menu was that it was expensive and didn't match the tied fixture and fittings. My vegetarian chic pea curry was undercooked and it was more like eating a runny curry sauce pored over slightly heated chic pea and kale. All very crunchy. The promised roast potatoes were just fried cubes of mash. My wife's magarita pizza was fine but a little over loaded with cheese. The local ale called Adder was just a bit to fizzy for my liking but maybe that's a northern thing.

Great food lovely views appalling service