The Boat Inn

Excellent country pub with good food and very good beer. The location is superlative, right on the River Dee in Wales. The village is very pretty and I’ve been impressed with the welcoming staff in the cosy bar and dining area. Food isn’t the finest you will find in some gastro pubs, but perfectly acceptable for the price, not sure I’d agree with some of the harsher reviews found here… I don’t expect incredible food in a pub. I go there for the setting and ambiance of a pub with mates and family for good beer and comfort food.
I love the open fires in the bar when you walk in, of course I’ve only visited in Jan & March, so it will be different in the summer! The atmosphere is perfect after a chilly walk on the Welsh hills.
Having lived in the US for the latter half of my life, I appreciate a good country pub and allways visit such places like The Boat Inn on my annual trips to visit family in the UK.

Love this country pub. Great food, great location. Portions sizes are on the larger side too so what is not to love. I had the pork belly which came with potato & mustard mash. Had thought I’d be envious of my husband’s beef Wellington but mine was so good I forgot to try his. Kids food is probably for older kids rather than toddlers. my daughter got half a fish & plenty of handcut chips plus peas (she loved the peas & I ate everything else!) Somehow I managed to fit in a shared sticky toffee which I’m glad I left room for.

What a secret little haven The Boat Inn is! It’s only about 10 minutes from our house, but we literally stumbled across it on one of our daily jaunts around the countryside. And what a lucky day for us! Charming snug of a place, the open fires, low ceilings and original beams transport you back to a simpler time. The staff is wonderfully warm and welcoming, with excellent food to back it up. A combination of traditional pub food and higher-​end «gastro-​pub» fare, you really can’t go wrong here. And the portions are impressive– beware if you’re ordering a starter and main. You may not have room for their excellent desserts!
Ample seating inside and out– can’t wait for warmer weather to sit outside at the picnic tables alongside the River Dee. The best inside seating is in the original building as opposed to the more modern conservatory (though it depends on your taste). Bookings are not necessary, but if you want a seat by the fire, definitely call ahead!

The Boat is afloat !!
Nestled right up alongside the River Dee and recently reopened, the Boat has lost none of its charm or ambiance. I like the fact that they support the community around the area by buying their Beer and Produce locally whenever possible.
Records date an Alehouse here right back to the 13^th century and the interior décor reflects how the building has grown through the centuries. Lots of Oak beams and stone floors add buckets of character. You can choose one of the quiet corners for privacy or park up in one of the larger open areas and banter away or, weather permitting, take a table outside.
Called in for lunch the other day and the menu, although not extensive, has everything for feeding all tastes from a wake-​up morning coffee (open at 11am) to a refreshing pint of ale and home baked pie, or spend an easy evening with a fondue and some warm torn bread washed down with a pint of locally brewed traditional free house Cask Ale. They also have an excellent choice of Wines should you fancy a change. Once you have had your fill then ease down that food and drink by taking a riverside country walk! The scenery is stunning.
The great thing about ‘The Boat’ is that is a place for all seasons. When the weather is warm you can sit alongside the river and watch folk fishing for Trout, Salmon and Eel and may even catch a glimpse of the Otters who live on the opposite bank. When colder weather arrives you walk through the door to be welcomed by open log fires, and feel like you are home. Turning up here on a snowy Winters afternoon is a Dickensian delight.
Word of warning — double check your directions before you set out as the Boat Inn is off the beaten track at the end of a long winding lane.
… Maybe it should be called The One Way Inn?

Tried the Boat again as news of new owners has filtered thro’. What a transformation since my last visit — nice people, excellent food and service — nothing was too much trouble. Just what thisplace needed. Highly recomended.

The new owners have made such a difference,
food brilliant and not expensive.
Worth a visit.

I visited the Boat for Sunday lunch. To begin with, the staff are extremely rude– did not want to be there or certainly did not want to have customers. My soup was cold. The waitress came with my main meal while my soup was still on the table. I am not a complainer but gently informed her about the soup. My dinner was also cold so had to be warmed up. My husband asked for his steak rare and RARE was an understatment. It was inedible. When i complained about the food/​service, i was confronted by the chef– requesting me to leave!
I decided not to leave this and telephoned the owners the following day. Again, extremely rude and i got told ‘you didn’t pay-what’s the problem !. I was politely tryng to tell him that his staff were ruining the ambiviance of this reputable pub. I now know where they get their rudeness from. I will give this pub another month– max ! due to the poor running/​managemnent– which is such a shame !.

The Boat is not closed — it is well and truly open for business, serving great food and drink in the un-​rivalled location of Erbistock, why not pay us a visit?

Lovely location for this pub that is owned by the same guy as Pastarazzi in chester. Just like pastarazzi the food is rediculously overpriced for what it is. People seem to love both of these restaurants but I found the food tremendously overpriced considering it wasn’t very nice at all.
It is a shame about the food because the pubs location is stunning. To get to it you have to go down some really rural country lanes. The pub is located by a river in a very pretty building.
The last time I went there was for a farmers market. This was also quite disapointing as there was only about 8 stalls. However, did buy soem really nice fudge and it was a lovely day so we had a drink by the river.