Waterfront Restaurant and Bar in Harborough

When we arrived on Easter Sunday, we had booked a table 2 days in advance. The first staff member I encountered walked straight past me when I said "Excuse me". So I went to the bar, where I had to wait for them to get off their phones. I then said "Excuse me" again. The staff member started to deal with me, then answered the phone. Then who I thought was the manager, started to deal with me. But was then interrupted by another customer. So I was sort of gazumped and had to wait for the first staff member to come off the phone. Eventually we were shown to our table, where the paper menus were thrown onto the table by this staff member then he just walked off without a word (I was hoping the food wouldn't end up thrown onto the table too!) The waitress who dealt with us mostly was obviously bored of doing her job. The other two who occasionally served us were really nice. We ordered 3 carvery's for us and a friend and two hamburgers for our two teenage children.The buns on the hamburgers were stone cold. The carvery's were excellent as were the team that served them. We hadn't ordered desserts yet and a woman (who I assumed was the managers wife) came to add another table to ours claiming that this was for the next lot of customers. We understood this to mean that we needed to eat up and get out. She took our dessert and coffee orders. My cappucino was cold. Eventually I went to go and pay and the "manager" didn't know who I was, nor which table I was at. I gave my name and thought that this would be enough to find out which table we had booked. A younger staff member then told him the table number. I paid him by card, he took the receipts and gave them to me, then turned his back on me. No thank you. No have a nice day, nothing. The bored waitress who dealt with us had the manners to say thank you as we left. All in all disappointing. I thought that the managers (husband and wife?) needed to be a bit more courteous as we didn't feel welcome. Can't fault the carvery nor the staff serving, probably the only good thing from our experience there. I think they need to come back down to earth and learn some of the basics of customer service. Although I'm originally from the UK I have been based in France for the last 28 years, where staff members in restaurants say "Hello" and then "Have a nice day" when you leave as a matter of course. Even in restaurant chains. Those "small" gestures go a hell of a long way!

By the water’s edge, where calm meets plate, I found a dish that sealed my fate. Prawns kissed with spice, a lemon crown, Linguine twirls in golden brown. Tomatoes charred with smoky grace, A touch of heat, a slow-paced pace. Each bite—a breeze from coastal shore, A symphony I’ll crave once more. But more than food, the vibe was right— Warm smiles and service pure delight. The staff were kind, the welcome real, The kind of place that makes you feel. So if you’re near, don’t miss this gem, The Waterfront—I’ll say again: Amazing food, by calm canal— A spot I’d recommend to all.

Love this place. Management and staff are so inviting and amenable. Nothing is too much trouble.

Great little place, especially sat outside as we did in the sunshine. Food was OK but the prices a little steep, and the bread portion we were presented should have gone back, it was pathetic and insulting.

The waterfront is a beautiful place to come and celebrate and we were there (all 6 of us) for mothers day. We were 15 minutes early and the lovely lady who came to welcome us was polite and was happy to quickly clear the table that was going to be ours while we waited a short time at the bar. Our booking was at 3.45pm and it was pleasantly busy. We sat and studied the menu. We could only have the mothers day menu but I knew this when I booked. We didn't wait too long to be served. The burgers my teenage children were served were a little pink but they ate most of it, I understand that can be how it's served but maybe a warning on the menu would have been good 😊 our carverys were nice, I did eat most if it. The cheesecake was okay, small and a light taste. I would say it's a nice place to go but quite pricey for the food quality. I would go for the cocktails if going out as my daughter and I had one and they were nice, but almost 10 pounds each is damaging to the bank balance 🤣 friendly staff which was nice. May have my next special occasion somewhere a little cheaper though. Also not much parking sonic you go and its a nice day maybe park somewhere else and have a lovely walk. Seeing the narrowboats was good, I live on one so I like to see others ❤️

Quite average food/experience for the price. Not great value at all.

Great place to eat, really good service, and a lovely view of the boats,

Just visited the waterfront today (Mother’s Day) myself, wife and two children was shown a small table with three seats placed at the table we waited for another seat to be bought to us but that never happened had to get on ourselves, after ordering food (two kids meals and two carveries) and drinks the children’s food arrived before even receiving our drinks, after a while of waiting to be told to go collect our meals the children had finished eating finally someone arrived at our table to ask if we wanted our desserts!! Would have been nice to eat our dinner first, we decided to just leave at this point due to the lack of service. We will not be returning in the future

Fantastic food and service, will definitely be coming back

Keep going back with my friends, the food is very nice, so are the staff, very friendly and service is fast. Very nice pub. 👌

We booked the upstairs gin bar for a private family function, it was amazing from start to finish, the communication was excellent and our family had a wonderful night at the Waterfront Krzysztof and his team did an amazing job The food was excellent and piping hot … the gin bar loft venue is perfect for any family function with privacy from the rest of the restaurant as you have your own Bar and rest rooms

First time in having been here. Great food, Great staff Nice to over look the canel boats Will definitely return

Fantastic place. Excellent food and brilliant service. Had a really good night.

Venue chosen as a mid point for friends meeting for a celebratory birthday venue travelling from different directions....as we all said on leaving - it was absolutely perfect! We'd booked a pod to enhance our visit and can honestly say we were looked after so well from the minute we arrived! Even though it was beautifully decorated already we were able to personalise for our use and every member of staff was amazing - so helpful, always checking on us with a smile - even gave us our own private bell to ring them on😂 Food was wonderful - so tasty and well presented. The afternoon went way too quickly, but we all definitely agreed we would meet there again!

I would have rated the food more highly if the portion sizes had been more generous, and if there were more vegetables with our meals. My new potatoes were also slightly under cooked. The flavours were good though. We had the kofta Kenyans and the chicken supreme.

We had dinner in an igloo!! Family night out and we had a lovely time. The setting is outstanding and the food was delicious. All the staff were so friendly, kind and accommodating, they certainly made the evening special. Thank you!!

Has gone downhill in recent years unfortunately. Used to be much better.

It's OK. Great location by the wharf, but feels more like a cafe in a garden centre than a restaurant or bar. A little overpriced for what they offer too. Food looked good, drinks OK, but really nothing special. Out of the 4 drinks we had, 3 had mistakes. Notvreally OK when yiu are paying premium prices. If they dimmed the lights a little, got rid of the fake plants, and the staff were a little more interested in their jobs, this place could be awesome. Another thing to note, and definily lost them a star, is that they moved a table to right in front of a fire exit sign, blocking access to the exit. When this was pointed out, they said they would just move it over slightly, and it would be fine, even though it would still block the exit.

After an average meal for the price our bill automaticlly included a service charge. We asked for this to be removed preferring to make our own decisions on tips. Reading previous comments on this service charge I am not even sure if this actually goes to the staff. Looks like a sneaky way to charge more than the advertised price.

I ordered vegetarian breakfast. I got served full English breakfast. At least learn to listen.

We have been to this restaurant many times and been very happy. We went last night for their Valentines set meal having ordered Beef Wellington at additional cost. I should have read the description closer as it was not fillet beef and chef had included watercress that had made for just a mush and soggy pastry. and the meat was tasteless. Looking again at the menu it says Traditional British Beef covered with flaky pastry, so what we were given was what was described, but not Beef Wellington. Again, should have read that it only came with chips, no vegetables. The other courses were as described but again not as expected. The Appetiser was just 1 slice of bread each and a blob of dukkha butter. The Entre sharing platter was again 1 slice of bread, a small pile of two types of meat a few olives and a small pile of pickle. Everything was served on small plates, I assume to make it look more. To their credit they did take off the additional charges and the automatically added service charge which we appreciated why I have given 2 stars instead of 1 Sad that they are clearly cutting corners, it's not how we remember them when there wss a basket of breads and we often required a doggy bag for the main course due quantities. The quality was also of a different league. Will not be returning anytime soon.

Lovely location and friendly staff.

Good food and really good vibes in the igloo

Very enjoyable meal. Excellent food and attentive service. We will visit again.

Family Sunday lunch celebrating my wife's Mother's 80th birthday. We took our own cake and they were brilliant in letting us cut it and provide plates, the staff went above and beyond to make this a lovely experience for all. The carvery was excellent, we all had a fantastic time, Thank you all.

New Years Eve with Rod! wow what a great night. Thanks to Kristov and his team for a great new years eve party, food excellent, service excellent, atmosphere excellent, our family from Scotland were blown away please do again next year and we will bring all our family and friends Phil&Karen

Dropped in for a light late lunch on Saturday 4th. Shared some padron peppers and chicken pops, we both had soup. It was great. We will return.

Visited on New Year's Eve for the Rod Stewart Tribute event. Entertainment was great, food was superb and the staff were excellent. The place was cosy and warm full booked but plenty of room (everyone ended up dancing!) Great atmosphere...

The team hosted our wedding party in their upstairs space in November with a hot buffet. A very positive experience with good feedback from our guests. The setting was great and we were able to personalise the decorations to add to the occasion.

Waited 15min for the menus only. Left without ordering. Poor service indeed!

Friendly staff, excellent food and a great atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Nicest place in Harborough. Lovely people.

This is a great place to go before or after a walk along the canal. It is just a lovely place to visit if you want a fantastic meal for a genuinely good price in a very warm and friendly atmosphere. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Market Harborough and looking for a place to enjoy a meal with friends and family

Visited for the first time today for a family get together. The carvery was ample and delicious, the only thing that would have improved it would have been the use of giant plates. The desserts were delicious and artistic, a delight. Staff/service were friendly and efficient, a credit to the restaurant. Would go there again.

Beautiful restaurant with excellent food and good selection of drinks. Lovely staff and good customer service. We were well looked after even though it got busy later. Would definitely visit again. Highly recommend visiting and dining here .

Attending a drag night at the waterfront and it was an absolutely brilliant night. From the food, cocktails, service and particularly the Drag Act. Definitely would recommend. Thanks Waterfront!

Although a lovely location, Only 1 main course vegetarian option isn’t good enough in this day and age. Not even a vegetarian or vegan burger option. Zero vegan options for main when I went too.

A little gem of a restaurant in a gorgeous setting. Being very popular with the locals points to good value for money, a well balanced menu and not 'over the top' prices. Having sampled several of the dishes over a 12 month period, I can understand why it has a good reputation. My friend and I take lunch, so I cannot comment on the evening service, but if it is anything like lunchtime you need to arrive early or book your table. Staff are friendly and helpful, the meals are well cooked and delivered hot to your table. There is a good variety of dishes. Well worth a visit.

Very nice lunch excellent food, really friendly helpful staff. Nice relaxed atmosphere.

First visit to waterfront and we were very impressed

Booked 6.30pm on a Tuesday evening. No problem booking. Mains A rump steak Came in 2 very small pieces looked as if it had been manipulated to increase surface area but failed. Top dollar for poor quality Rump I’m afraid. Tuna steak Looked like it came from a freezer bad with a lot of other Tuna Steaks. Chewy is not an under statement. We had started with both of us having the soup of the day. We did get told what it was but if you had tasting you would k ow what it tasted of. So to summarise this place is like trying to book an audience with the pope during summer but seriously cannot see the attraction. Market Harborough has far better to offer. Don’t be a captive audience. 😎

Great location, nice lively ambience, attentive staff. Food was nice rather than outstanding. Not the best in town, but we’d come again.

This place has potential but falls short. The food we received was overcooked, and the staff’s loud conversations made the atmosphere feel more like a pub than a restaurant. The only redeeming quality is the excellent location, which earns it an extra star.

Previously we have had an enjoyable lunch here. This time the restaurant was near empty. food was OK, service was poor and disinterested. Going through the motions. Seems to be living on its location

Went for lunch with the family, good menu choices and reasonable prices.

Had dinner in a transparent heated pod adjacent to narrow boats, a different experience. Food was good, staff called via a button and a Bluetooth speaker also provided so that you can listen to your own music. Although there are four seats it is quite cosy.

Great beef pie with carrot puree and red wine gravy. Very tasty. Good crisp pastry. Good size portion. Very well presented.

Table booked for two. On arrival we felt as though the restaurant was over booked. And we were fitted in. It was very noisy (they told us it would be)where we were going to sit. It was half an hour before we had our drinks ,think we were forgotten,as a second member of staff came to take our order.!!! We were on the verge of leaving the restaurant. We have been there many times and guess our previous visits were more enjoyable.

Very sadly we ended up walking out today,, we sat outside, I went in to place an order, went to the bar,, waitress stood there,,, no greeting whatsoever,, when I eventually spoke she said its table service, I said ok we are sat outside,, she stated they were a bit busy but she would be there soon,, sat outside for 15 minutes,, she came out saw us sitting there went back in and still no service!! We decided to leave,,, the restaurant was NOT busy at that point.

Beautiful place, Not much people, suitable for relaxation.

Closed early as few customers that night

I had a wonderful time here celebrating a birthday with family and friends.

Had a beautiful meal on the last night of our narrowboat holiday. Seabass with crab sauce cooked to perfection!

Very cute place doesn't feel like your in the uk lovely clean waterfront

Great venue whether or not you are on a canal boat. Nice menu, not chap, but good value.

Stopped here for a drink. Did not eat here. I felt it was overpriced, and they did not get the drinks order right. Very busy, but nice to sit and see the boats.

Went for lunch, wife ordered the Sea Bass, allegedly pan fried, skin was not cooked yet the flesh side was overcooked, the sauce lacked both body and flavour samphire garnish was very sparse and accompanied by three boiled potatoes. I had the koftas which were good accompanied by Mediterranean vegetables and couscous, the koftas were good the vegetables were few, and the couscous could have been twined with the Gobi Desert, it was so dry.

Our midweek lunch out was supposed to be a treat but, sadly, this was no treat. The sea bass had not been cooked long enough on the skin side but too long on the flesh, so the skin was flabby and inedible and the flesh had a hard crust to it. The “creamy” sauce was watery and lacking in flavour, and the tiny quantity of samphire was so thin that it had neither taste nor texture. The lamb koftas were acceptable but the accompanying couscous was dry and the small quantity of yogurt dressing was insufficient to moisten the dish. Both dishes were under-seasoned and, at these prices, we found the overall quality very disappointing. At no point were we asked if we were happy with our meals but my husband mentioned our disappointments when he paid the bill. The only response was that his comments would be “fed back”, and only when returning home did we realise that a service charge had been added to the bill. Had he noticed this sooner, he would most certainly have asked for its removal.

I could not think of one item that I enjoyed. Roast potatoes were soft and oily as were the parsnips.Other elements of the carvery were equally disappointing. We ate at around 1.30 so maybe the food had been on display for too long. Not a very enjoyable experience.

Friendly service, wonderful location (especially in summer), parking a little limited. Food was excellent and delivery was fast. It is however in my opinion overpriced. Well recommended

Great food, drink, service and vista

Had a pot of tea at the end of a cycle ride along the canal. Very relaxing. Good service. Didn't eat but the food looked very nice.

Excellent lunch. Interesting setting with narrow boats on the move.

What a lovely place to watch canal life go by. Cocktails made to order by the gentless of souls. Try his margarita made the traditional way

Totally recommend a visit.great food ,service and it is dog friendly inside

Popped in for a quick drink before going to a restaurant in town. Nice spot for a summer drink but no real ales. Had to make do with a pint of Neck oil.

Staff are lovely but the food is overpriced and there's not a great deal of choice.

The teriyaki beef is more like beef jerky. When I politely mentioned it was inedible to the manager, she stomped off into the kitchen and then announced in a loud voice to the restaurant “I asked the chef and that’s how it is”. I called her back and said I didn’t appreciate her rudeness and she continued to shout. She said she didn’t care about reviews because people would still go there. I paid the bill less the teriyaki and left.

Moored up for the last night of our narrow boating holiday at Union Wharf and our mooring was only 6 feet away from The Waterfront pub. Despite being busy we able to find a table. We both had the Turkish kebabs with couscous and it was lovely. The staff were friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. Would definitely recommend.

Haven't been here for a while. The menu felt smaller and more expensive than we remembered. Food service was average and mostly nice however tuna steaks were chewy. After we had finished eating no one came to offer any more drinks and all waiting staff were stood chatting at the bar. Was very difficult to get their attention!

Haven't been here for a while. The menu felt smaller and more expensive than we remembered. Food service was average and mostly nice however tuna steaks were chewy. After we had finished eating no one came to offer any more drinks and all waiting staff were stood chatting at the bar. Was very difficult to get their attention!

Lovely carvery as always, had run out of crackling, though we went at 3:30 so it's to be expected really

Beautiful place for a walk, delicious food, wonderful atmosphere, you don't feel like going out, one problem is parking the car, I recommend it, it's worth it

We came here for a Sunday roast and were blown away by the quality. The whole meal was excellent and cooked to perfection. I haven't any pics of the food because we devoured it. 30/7/24. Still cannot fault it. Food and atmosphere is perfect.

Staff couldn't do enough for you, lovely relaxing atmosphere. Will definitely return.

Delicious food, had a great experience.

Lovely meal here tonight on a sunny evening. Sea bass was very nice. Crab sauce could be thicker and with more flavour. I suggest serving with some bread. My bugbear is dogs. As someone with a severe allergy to canines I find it incredible that dogs are allowed in eating establishments. The incessant yapping of one pooch was not good if a child carried on like that a responsible parent would deal with him/her but it seems dog owners aren’t bothered by a sniffing yapping animal wandering around on an extendable lead. I’m sure you have a dog loving clientele who walk their dogs along the canal but not everyone appreciates eating around animals. Staff are your biggest plus, fabulous customer service.

Pub food on the canal with a perfect sunset

We had our wedding reception here and all I can say is WOW! Krzysztof, Eniko & the team pulled out all the stops to make it a truly amazing day. The food was perfect, the service was second to none, the whole team worked tirelessly all day & night to make it a magical memory for us.

Very good ambience. Good food and service to with it.

Great Sunday carvery. Wonderful staff

It is a great place to sit in the sunshine and watch the Marina activity - so nice that have yet to sit inside.

We had Christmas lunch here, it was faultless, fantastic food, fantastic service and a great atmosphere. Well done to the kitchen staff, and the whole team. Definitely worth a visit to their Sunday carvery.

What a lovely place. Staff are all very friendly. Venue is clean and welcoming. Highly recommended.

A super restaurant right on the edge of the canal. The menu is extensive and catering for all tastes. The food is beautifully presented with an excellent combination of flavours. Lovely atmosphere and super views of the canal and wharf. Staff are friendly and helpful with table service.

Always a nice setting and dog friendly outside.

Had Thai salad which consisted of a few peppers, some thin slices of corn, mange tout and raw green beans with noodles topped with soy sauce and coriander. Bland unappealing, would have been better warm. Sitting outside was pleasing and made up for the poor food. Service okay.

Menu not much varied selection need to improve menu compared to other restaurants. At 22.03 asked to leave as they were closing won’t be rushing back!

The service and food were poor will not go back there again

Took familly from Australia here due to its reputation. Pork belly not crispy, 5 prices of scampi for scampi, uncooked king prawns, no table service for drinks, no water offered at the table. Would not be going back as all the food was sub par at best. It's a shame because we went last year and it easily would have been 5 stars. Shame to see a place slip so much

Food over priced got order wrong twice service slow not be going back, shame as location beautiful

A very disappointing Sunday lunch. However, we visited this pub on a weekday previously with a friend’s family and everything was lovely. Staff attentive and nothing was too much trouble for them. The food was tasty and the service was excellent. May be just an off day. Will give it another try for Sunday lunch before I write them off.

Lovely bar and right by the water

I think that this is a great place to eat. Especially recommend the Sunday Carvery

Superb food, nice atmosphere a little like being in the Med when eating outside in the sun of an evening. Sharpen your waiting staff a little with timings and attention to detail and I'd have given you 5 stars.

Not a great atmosphere but ok.

Nice views of the marina and canal boats, only had a sweet and coffee both very nice but just a little expensive for the area and clientele in that vicinity.

We recently celebrated an 85th Birthday with 40 members of our family at The Waterfront. It was absolutely perfect! We had exclusive use of the upstairs room, with its own bar and toilet facilities. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the delicious and generous servings of food and lots of the guests commented on the attentive service and relaxed/comfortable ambience. My particular thanks must also go to Eniko for dealing with the event in a very professional manner, from start to finish enduring the whole day ran seamlessly and was one, we shall all remember. Thank you to the whole Waterfront Team.

We celebrated our wedding anniversary with our kids and the staff made it one to remember. We booked an igloo, so had gorgeous views across the water, the food was delicious and the staff could not have been more attentive. Will definitely be booking again.

Lovely lunch with 3 generations excellent food and wonderful service