The Boat House

British, Burgers, Steak·
££££
·

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
British, Burgers, Steak
Ambience
Cool, Lively
Food Occasions
All day dining, Sunday roast
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating, Waterside
Special Features
Vegan options, Vegetarian options
Food Hygiene Rating

About

Situated on the banks of the River Medway in Strood, Kent, The Boat House has firmly established itself as a beloved destination for locals and passers by alike. This delightful British joint not only provides breathtaking views of the rolling countryside and the meandering river, but also offers a quiet spot for those seeking an idyllic escape.

When it comes to culinary delights, The Boat House doesn't disappoint. The menu showcases a great selection of dishes that cater to diverse tastes. From freshly caught seafood dishes that celebrate the region's maritime heritage to succulent steaks cooked to perfection, there's something to satisfy every palate. The chefs take pride in sourcing local ingredients to craft dishes that burst with flavour, ensuring a memorable dining experience.

Start your meal with a crayfish cocktail or button mushrooms cooked in a creamy garlic sauce, grilled with cheddar cheese and served with toasted ciabatta. Then, head onto the captain’s fish pie, made with tender chunks of smoked cod, salmon and Alaska pollock in a creamy mature cheddar cheese and spinach sauce and topped with buttery mashed potato and a ciabatta crumb, served with seasonal vegetables and parsley sauce.

There's plenty of variety on the menu, including Japanese chicken fillets coated in panko golden breadcrumbs, on a bed of steamed rice covered with katsu curry sauce and topped with spring onion, and a full rack of pork loin ribs marinated and cooked on our grill in a smoky BBQ sauce, served with corn on the cob, homemade slaw and chips.


To sweeten the deal, The Boat House regularly features special promotions and offerings. Whether it's a midweek lunch deal, a seafood extravaganza, or a Sunday roast, served up endless carvery style, that rivals even the best homemade meals, and curry Wednesdays, there's always something tempting on the horizon.


FAQs

Do you need to book a table?

Yes, we recommend that you book a table with us before visiting.

Helpful? 0

Do you have outdoor seating?

Yes, you can enjoy dinner and drinks whilst overlooking the river.

Helpful? 0

Location

8 Canal Road, Rochester, Kent, ME2 4DR

01634 719949 01634 719949

Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon 12:00-22:30
Tue 12:00-22:00
Wed 12:00-22:00
Thu 12:00-22:00
Fri 12:00-22:00
Sat 12:00-22:30
Sun 12:00-22:00

Reviews

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3 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Maureen C

28 January 2024   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 3
Service 4
Atmosphere 3
Value 4

Good value for money. Food could be hotter but good choice and quality. 

Anon

06 December 2021  
Total Disarray and Dishonesty. Need to Learn Customer Service.

I booked 2 booths in the pub area at The Boat House in person on Wednesday 1st Dec for a little celebration for my son’s 18th the following Saturday 4th Dec. The person who I booked with seemed really accommodating, telling me he would be working on the day of my booking and everything I needed would be no problem on the day, even said we could play our own Spotify playlists on their computer and that we could eat at our tables. I then arranged for friends and family to celebrate there with us.

We arrived on Saturday to be told we don’t have a booking and that all tables were booked to others and there was a private ‘surprise’ party for the manager.

We were treated with total contempt after being virtually told that we are liars and that we had not made a booking by a member of staff who seemed to take joy in telling us we had no place at the venue. I could have chosen a myriad of venues, but chose this one as it looked nice, was very local and had great reviews, so I have zero reason to lie about making a booking and then put effort into arranging our night with family and friends. We have since been told we were lying about our booking by the manager and friends of the venue. I even went to the effort to have a hamper and balloons brought in for our tables, therefore lying about making a booking is not conducive to any of this. The place isn’t so spectacularly wonderful that we just “had” to be there at any cost. But our plans were made and changing them/finding a new venue last minute would have been a nightmare given a Christmas festival going on that same day/night locally. And it also would have taken the shine off my son’s 18th, something he was really excited about.

There was no acceptance of responsibility and the actual person that took my booking made a wry and sarcastic apology, totally belittling our situation at his incompetence. We were practically laughed out of the building. I was clearly enraged, unacceptable behaviour on my part given the circumstances, but fuelled by staff who should have the customer service know how to diffuse and accommodate their error. Instead they were totally defensive and obstinate.

Apparently there is a booking process, none of which was explained to me when I went in person to book some space for our celebration, which was perhaps the first error from an inept representative of this business. If I had been told that bookings for the pub had a process, naturally I would have followed that, after all my intention was to secure a venue for something special. There was no misunderstanding on my part. I made a booking in person and was not advised, guided, instructed to do anything else to secure it. No deposit was taken, no deposit was requested. I would have gladly paid anything that needed paying. In fact I did ask if I could pay in advance to have bottles of Prosecco waiting on our tables, I was told there was no need, it could all be sorted on the day. There was no indication given of other bookings or events at this venue on the day.

Since my post on social media about our experience (which is totally within my rights to do), we (members of my party) have since been bullied by an army of keyboard soldiers with some kind of misguided loyalty to the venue. None of whom were there on the night (including the manager). They may well love the place and have had great experiences there, we did not; so I’m going to make that public knowledge, especially given the venue made no effort to accommodate us after their error.

A staff member at this venue made a clear and obvious error of judgement when initially dealing with me. The ramifications of which have now become personal, so it doesn’t stop here until some accountability is made clear and a sincere apology is made. Ball is in your court Boat House (and friends)

Anon

23 September 2021   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 4
Value 5
Boathouse

This was my 2nd visit to the boathouse and I cannot fault the service and value for the money there food portions are very generous 

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