The Boaters Inn

Riverside bar with outside beer garden, pretty views.Comfortable seating, Good menu, friendly service. The steak sandwich was delicious.

Have been coming for Sunday roasts for years and it’s still a favourite! They do the best vegan Sunday roast, which has a delicious vegan wellington, vegan gravy and all the trimmings. Beautiful setting as well and they’ve done up the outside area recently so there’s way more seating

Purely based on the meal just had. I've been coming to the Boaters for years for drinks and this was the first time I've eaten here and I was so disappointed. £15.20 for a plain caesar salad which is literally big chunks of lettuce, cold green beans and asparagus, hard avocado and tasteless dressing. I added prawns for 4.50 which were nice but £19.70 for a really sub bar meal is shocking. Both me and my nan left most of it. Really bad and I think I'll just stick to drinks again!

We had a really tasty meal served by a very friendly efficient professional team. A simple burger can often be overcooked but mine was a perfect medium rare and absolutely delicious. A memorable occasion for the family

10/10 Location, Service, Food quality, Presentation
9/10 Decor
7/10 Parking
7/10 Prices (acceptable considering location though)

Thoroughly excellent Sunday lunch. I would recommend booking first because its very popular. I had fish pie, devilled whitebait starter. My wife had the vegan burger and my son had the Thai soup. Everyone was very satisfied.

This venue is at its best in the Spring/Summer time with the outside area open. The view of the Thames is incredible. Its a place to bring family or friends for lunch/dinner or just to have a lazy prosecco afternoon with your mates.

There isn't any parking but there are spaces among various nearby roads. I would recommend getting an uber or bus here anyway.

Highly recommended.

24th July 2022 addendum :

Unfortunately since my original glowing review I have had to add some extra detail about an experience my wife had yesterday.

Every time in the past when we have ordered the soup for my 5 year old we have received bread and butter with it. Yesterday they didn't receive any bread with the soup, so they asked the waiter to bring it.
At the end they realised they were charged £5 for the two slices of bread. They enquired about this and were told that bread and butter is an extra to be paid for.

This has left my wife's experience a bit marred now. She felt it lessened the experience and the place and felt a bit, well, cheap.

I would have thought bread and butter should automatically come with soup in a super nice venue such as Boaters. If necessary have it included as part of the price.

£5 isn't much money to a lot of people who live in the Kingston and Richmond area (to some it is though). To us it wasn't the price - it was the experience.

If I was the manager, I would have given the 2 slices of bread and butter complimentarily and mentioned that normally its charged for (even though numerous times in the past it wasn't), hence my wife's not unreasonable assumption that it *was* included in the menu price.
That would have left the customer with a fab experience and huge goodwill.

As it is now, I have to take 1 star off what was originally a 5 star recommendation. I still highly recommend visiting boaters - you certainly won't regret it.

Just remember that if you want 2 slices of bread with your soup that you'll pay £5 for it.

Came here for a Sunday lunch, atmosphere outside by the water on the sunny day is great, family and welcoming. Food was tasty and roast well sized. Took a bit of time to be served as they were busy. Drink options good. Price a little on high side but overall a good experience

Booked the Boaters for a work Christmas meal and couldn't have been happier with the evening. Staff were friendly, attentive, and accommodating. The food was excellent and the table had been decorated beautifully with crackers! We booked on a Tuesday evening and there was a quiz going on the other side of the pub but this didn't disturb us at all.

Was recommended to try The Boaters. A very hidden gem (hard to spot in the dark)
Would be a lovely spot in the summer, right on the river.
Friendly staff. Good choice of menu.
Had chicken and ham hock pie which was very good and husband had Fish, chips etc.( Even ate all the batter as it was light and non greasy.)
The only gripe I have is that both meals were served on very cold plates and restaurant area could have done with more heating. Otherwise would have rated it a five.