Last weekend since my husband was on-call, we decided to go out for lunch instead of dinner. The odds were better that he wouldn't get called at lunch. I knew just what I was in the mood for, the fried catfish at Boathouse Rotisserie and Raw Bar. We arrived on a Saturday at 12:15. We were offered outdoor or indoor seating. I get cold very easily, so I wasn't sure about outside, but the hostess assured me that it was warm enough out there. It was, the heaters they had running kept it nice and toasty warm out there and the view was beautiful and relaxing. One of the specials was catfish tacos, which sounded wonderful, but I still had my eyes on the fried catfish. I had the fried catfish once before and it is the stuff dreams are made of. The catfish is lightly breaded in cornmeal. So light that it doesn't even feel like breading, it feels like it's part of the catfish, and completely allows the catfish to shine. As much as I love the catfish, I love the olive fries just as much. They are skin on fries, fried in olive oil, and they are amazing. Perfectly crisp and oh so flavorful. The cole slaw that comes with the meal is also unusual, the cabbage is thinly sliced and I believe that I picked up some sesame oil in the dressing. The cocktail sauce had fresh grated horseradish on top and even the bread was from a country loaf with nice big holes and a nice chewy crust. Every single part of this meal was wonderful! There is so much to love about this restaurant from the food to the view. The wait staff is very attentive and I love that they leave a water carafe at your table.
(5)
Lyn G.
Fabulous food, cooling ice shavings spraying over the outside patio, great decor and amazing olive fries makes this restaurant a winner. Very busy but worth the wait.
(5)
Amy D.
Oh i love raw oysters on the half shell and these were PHENOMENAL. now this may be because I am from California but there "standard" oyster is from Chesapeake bay, i have never had them from there but they are AMAZING so meaty and delicious. The boyfriend got the steak which he loved and he is very judgey on steaks. I got fish tacos they were very basic but they still get 4 stars for those Oysters!
(4)
Cheryl R.
Great food, great views! The shrimp are big and tasty, the brisket was wonderful. The fries are good too! The nachos! We had pork nachos first and they were great! The service was good too. Overall it's a great place to eat!
(5)
Dara T.
Our third trip here and food is always amazing however service this time was Less than desirable. Girl served us that had no idea how to serve people , not understanding the wine menu which is a big part of eating here( ie-sips bar) and upon wanting to try a bottle of $110 bottle wine suggested buying a sip versus bringing a sip . Honestly u need to understand your company. Then upon taking our order she was more interested or at least acted more interested in other tables that's she was being given rather than what we were ordering! However she did get the order correct! ! But this environment s all about the ambiance around you and so service has always been top notch it not this time. We will not let that stop us as food and seating with the river view is amazing!
(3)
Jeannie M.
Everytime we come to Chattanooga, I notice all the cars in the parking lot as in passed by. True, this restaurant sits on the river and has gorgeous views... But I just had a feeling that this was more than that. Perhaps a locals' tried and true favorite. My husband and I already had dinner plans arranged with someone elsewhere so we decided to just come for a drink and appetizer. How I wish we could have stayed for dinner!!! It was a beautiful day and watching the sun sink on the water was a good and magical thing after a stressful day (and we were even sitting inside). We ordered the grilled calamari and there are no words!!! Lots of garlic and butter and greens and onions and feta cheese. SCRUMPTIOUS!! Btw... I like calamari. But I don't like fried calamari. So this was a wonderful and pleasant treat!! We may come back tomorrow for dinner!
(5)
Christina K.
While in TN, SO and I decided to stop by for a drink at a nice waterfront restaurant. Yelp brought us to the Boathouse and after a 25 min. wait, we were shown a table on the patio. Unfortunately, the table had a beautiful view of the parking lot, not so much of the river. The funny thing is, that while waiting for our table of 2, another customer and her grandson walks through, is greeted, told that the wait time was also 25 min. and then promptly shown to a table. I seriously was about to jump on the hostess about this, but I decided that I was grouchy from being in a car ride and just needed a strong drink to calm my nerves. We went through the menu and decided on just drinks and apps since we weren't terribly hungry. The waitress was young, and didn't seem very well trained. She informed us that the squid was not being served that day since "they weren't really all that great". Oh, wow... well, when you ask for honesty what do you expect right? So, I decided on the fire roasted oysters. We had passed by a full bar on the way to the table so I asked for a drink menu. Nothing too out of the ordinary right? But our server gave me the weirdest look and said, well, um... you can just ask for a drink and we can see if we know how to make it. That, my friend, does not conjure up confidence in your bartender and is a sure sign to just stick to anything bottled. The oysters were not the best I've ever had. They were not cleaned thoroughly and at one point thought that I had bitten into a pearl, but when I checked, it was just dirt and grit. Booo... After paying the tab, we both agreed that if not for their prime location along the river, this restaurant probably wouldn't still be around.
(2)
Michele W.
If you are just here for the atmosphere then it's a good place to sit by the river. Otherwise the service is horrible and the food is mediocre. I ordered the caipirinha to drink and got a 6 oz glass 3/4 full of limes which left me with 2 oz maybe of drink. When I asked the waitress if this was the norm, she said yes and offered no replacement. We ended up having to get our own napkins and silverware and water.
(2)
Greg C.
I had a good business dinner tonight at boathouse. The Oysters were fresh and tasted as good as Florida last week. I would recommend the smoked okra and Cuban cole slaw as sides. Good service and nice basic drink selection. I was surprised when my guest ordered gentlemen jack and coke they did not have GJ. Not a deal breaker but every tn restaurant should have that. Both of us only had seafood but the bbq smelled great. Overall a good experience.
(4)
Jordan S.
It's honestly an okay place. Not the worst. But certainly not the best. Here's why. They have issues when it comes to seating people. Major issues. They almost never seem to sit people, whether you have a big group or a small group, very efficiently. If you know the people working there? You have a seat within 10 minutes. Maybe. If you don't know the people people working there? You have a seat within 25 minutes if you're lucky. Now for the food. It's good don't get me wrong. But not all of it is good. And it's definitely overpriced for the quality and quantity that you get. An appetizer of guacamole is $10.50. For chips and guacamole?? An appetizer portion of clam chowder is $10.95. Really?? Okay. Let's move onto an entree. I've gone multiple times. Each time I tried to get something different. I went for one of their Shrimp Po-Boy's with "Pink Sauce on Crispy French Bread". I put it in quotation marks because the waitress didn't tell me what it was other than it was pink....which is concerning. My bread wasn't crispy. All of this for $14.95. The staff was also a little flighty. Took forever for them to refill my drink. Which not a big deal.....but I was thirsty for half of my meal because she never returned after I got my food. It's not the only place that does seafood in Chattanooga. But it has a great view. And it has okay food. I wouldn't turn down eating there if someone was paying. But it wouldn't be my first, second, or third choice to go for seafood in Chattanooga.
(2)
Jamie S.
Love this place. The view is awesome and the food is too. The queso dip for the appetizer is great. I recommend the New Orleans style BBQ shrimp with grilled chibotta bread.
(4)
Malcolm B.
Who knew you could get fresh seafood from the gulf, right on the Tennessee River. I had the BBQ shrimp, and was very satisfied with the savory juices and large shrimp. For dessert I had the ice cream sundae. Excellent way to top of the meal. This was my second visit, I also came here years ago as a child. Would recommend to anyone!
(5)
Allie L.
I have no clue why it stays busy except for the lack of restaurants on the water. The food is mediocre at best. Prices are a bit high for the quality. The ambience is noisy.
(3)
Steve B.
We have been going to the Boathouse since it opened....never have had to complain. I understand there can be a problem in any restaurant occasionally but the managers ALWAYS try to remedy any complaint immediately. I was not surprised that some are dissatisfied because some folks cannot be satisfied. My wife and I love great food and travel to get it but I would put the Boathouse up against anyone!!
(5)
Umama K.
I am so impressed with Boathouse variety of seafood. Everything from the decor, unique wine dispensers to the phenomenal view of the river. My parents are very picky eaters but they devoured their plate and mine with the flavors and choices presented here! The service we received from our waitress was phenomenal! I'm definitely coming back!
(5)
Camp H.
Ok much better. Chicken tortilla soup and stuffed poblano won me over. Like that big gay hating German, I will be back. Bartender Marisa was very cool and definitely was better than my last server experience hear. In and out in 30 min wasn't bad either...
(5)
george b.
We were downtown in Chattanooga on Saturday and we desired to eat viewing the river..we have never been to the Boathouse and heard various remarks about it and mainly good....it was a little after 1:00 in the afternoon so the place was not that busy....we were told by the girl that tables outside were all taken and we would be next outside...(she then gave us a notification devise).after about 15 minutes we noticed a second couple going outside who were seemingly friends of the hostess....I went up to her and ask about us and she stated OH....I forgot about you....sorry....we then left and went to Jeffersons downtown....maybe next time we will have better luck if there is a next time...
(1)
Gayle M.
We found Boathouse on yelp and decided to give it a try. Our food was amazing, our waitress Zwas exceptional. With that being said I can not express how disappointed and appalled we were by the General Manager that actually stood out on restaurant floor and berated some young waitress. I have worked in customer service for 30 plus years and had up to 90 employees and this kind of behavior is completely unprofessional and wrong on every level.
(4)
Jason G.
Literally the best food in Chattanooga. No seriously...There is a reason there is a wait almost every day. For the quality of the food and service the menu is extremely affordable. Grilled oysters, grilled squid, voodoo chicken, tortilla soup, Cuban sandwich, fried mushrooms.... I mean I could recite the menu by heart but it's just that good. Get the margarita and thank me later (it's half price on Tuesdays). The view from the deck is worth the visit almost just by itself.
(5)
Danielle L.
Gorgeous atmosphere! Food is overpriced and nothing special. Upon being seated, the server asked if we would like to try a half priced drink. I was charged full price for the drink, and the manager refused to negotiate when I pointed out the mistake. I would not return to this restaurant.
(2)
Kristin L.
I did not have high expectations, but had a great meal here. The roasted oysters were the best I've ever had. The wedge salad had two full slices of thick smoky bacon. Love the wine tasting system, really fun to get tastes of higher end wines. Service was good.
(4)
Stephanie G.
The food was amazing. I ordered the chicken chimichanga and it was sooo great. Another really good thing on the menu is thw catfish. Don't sleep on this fresh fish. Its sooo great!!
(5)
Randal M.
OMG! Best brisket I've had in a very very long time. Quick service. Calamari was very tasty. Wood fired shrimp also very good. Definitely will come back here.
Boathouse is the epitome of ambiance, great seafood, and excellent service. A friend and I visited last night and sat out on the deck area overlooking the river. The sun had just set behind the mountain, and the river was calm and serene as the clouds and colors swirled above it. We watched an otter swim by as fish jumped and played around. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable and suggested 1/2 price oysters on the half shell. We had been wanting oysters, so took advantage of the price cut. They were fresh, chilled on ice, big, and juicy. We both decided to have fish for dinner. I ordered the wood grilled salmon and my friend ordered trout almondine. The salmon was perfectly wood flavored and served with a ginger cream sauce and their famous voodoo sauce (which is a red pepper based sauce - vinegary, hot, sweet, all at the same time). The trout was perfectly flavored as well. We both ordered fried okra which is split long, cornmeal battered, and fried to a perfect crisp. Everything is al a carte, so be aware of that before you visit. Boathouse is not a cheap date, but it's worth every penny you spend. Other dishes I've had that I recommend would be the clam chowder, the voodoo chicken, the pulled pork - really everything is fabulous. If you've never been - it's worth at least a visit. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jeff C.
Good food, crappy service. Every time. 5:15 on a Tuesday and they tried to sit a party of five (with two children) at a four top in the middle of the floor. Are you kidding me?!?!? Only 1/3 of the tables were being used at the time. Similar to previous experiences where food and appetizers came out at the same time. Not sure we will come back.
(2)
Thomas C.
I was here for lunch after a business meeting in town. We sat at the bar and had simple, yet hearty meals. I don't know if that is why my quality of food and level of service far exceeds what most of the reviews seem to say but it did. Live with it. Our bartender/waitress was warm and welcoming. She made helpful suggestions and even had a hand in preparing our food. I had El Scorcho and it would be hard to recommend it more highly. It was simple, hearty, overflowing with seafood and had that incredible taste that only comes from letting all the flavors blend together. Simultaneously it hearkened back to my father's family's low country boils as well as east coast stews from my mom's family. I will definitely be back to visit the Boathouse next time I am in Chattanooga.
This is one of my local favorite places to eat every chance I get. I love the fried oysters, they are so fluffy and lightly breaded. I always try to go on Mondays for the raw oysters at half price. Those roasted oysters are amazing also. I don't always eat oysters, the wood grilled fish is so tasty. I would move closer to the beach for great seafood but this is 2nd best and of course way better than red lobster any day.
(5)
Chris G.
This business seems quite popular, as it always is crowded, but I've never really cared for it. The location overlooking the river is it's one redeeming virtue. Otherwise, parking is usually scarce, service is poor, food is sub-par, and it is not really close to much of anything else interesting.
(2)
Alex D.
So, we used to frequent the Boathouse often when we lived in Chattanooga. Our experiences were mostly good, but in order to give a totally honest review of the place, some considerations need to be explained: Food - 4 stars if you want a casual raw bar experience. Oyster quality is excellent, and I have never had a dud or tasted anything less than delicious here. Service - 2-4 stars, depending on the night and who your server is... This greatly varied throughout my 8 year experience with this place. Wish I could give it a solid grade, but the waitstaff was entirely too variable for me to sign off on one grade. As a real example of bad service here, I can attest to watching one of our friends have his and his wife's order completely ignored for an entire hour while we were sitting outside, and then having them cancel it, only to be presented with a bill at the end. They were a little disappointed with that. Ambience - How could you go wrong being on the Tennessee River? Totally awesome, wether or not you sit inside or on the deck? One more bonus... they serve Caipirinhas. I am fairly certain that this is the only place in town where they even know what that drink is. The Caipirinhas are well made and are actually a good value, but make sure you only have one. They are strong! Will definitely be back!
(3)
Briana P.
Went to this place on Saturday night for dinner while in Chattanooga. the food would probably rate four stars: we had raw oysters for appetizer, which were excellent, and my brisket plate and olive fries were good. My wife got El Scorcho, a seafood stew which came from the raw bar instead of the kitchen. As noted in some of the other reviews, this dish comes out much later than other dishes, so I was almost done with my dinner before she even got hers. If it was really fantastic, it would be worth the wait, but the dish was only so-so. The seafood was fresh, but the broth was kind of thin and not very flavorful. Also, the bread that came with it was nothing special, just regular cold white bread. We're used to garlic bread or some other toasted, flavorful bread with this kind of dish. The major downer was the wait - we arrived around 6:15 and didn't get seated until a little after 7:00. Even after we were seated, it took a long time for the waitress to take our order. There is a nice view of the river, but I'm not sure why it was so packed. I might go back for happy hour, but probably not dinner.
(3)
Pokey B.
On our last night visiting Nooga, my wife, myself and kids, 16, 9, & 7 ate here. We love seafood and this was the place for us. Our 16 doesn't as much and he got the Filet Mignon sandwich....I snuck a bite...delicious with a large serving of onion rings and fries. The oysters were awesome...the seafood stew was fantastic, and the shrimp were huge and fresh. One issue...no kids menu? Huh? It's a family type place for sure. Huh? They did make the kids some cheese quesadillas...but they need a kids menu. The wine was over priced at $9 a glass for a typical $6 glass wine. But the view of the river, excellent food and service made it worth the stop.
(4)
Donna A.
Claim chowder was really good. I wanted the trout, but they were out so settled for tilapia , my husband got the shellfish stew. Both dishes were really good. Make sure to try the caipirinha...
(3)
Sarah H.
As we were reading the reviews for this place it was crazy to see so many great reviews followed by terrible reviews! I have to say it's because their food is all or nothing! It really depends on what you get! To start we got the calamari appetizer to split between 4 of us. It was just OK, I've had way better at Carrabbas. It was not a very big portion either, it was just enough for a tasting. Our waiter said it was big enough for us all to share, I think not! Oh and like another reviewer said, we didn't have enough cocktail sauce! But when we asked for more they brought it right away. My husband got the BBQ shrimp which was actually pretty good. But to get only 6 shrimp with broth and 5 pieces of thinly sliced bread for $20 is a little pricey. I got the Voo doo chicken based on reviews I read and I wanted to try something different. Well no where does it say the chicken is fried! It was 3 1/2 pieces of fried dark meat chunks! The rice and beans were bland and the 2 sauces that came with it were not very good. Needless to say I returned my meal and asked for the chicken quesadillas. They were more palatable than the Voo doo chicken but nothing special. The chicken tasted like canned chicken! The guacamole paste was very salty and I don't know what the other sauce was suppose to be! It tasted like tomatoes that had been sitting in a jar of pennies! It was nasty! But I was hungry and I wasn't about to send another meal back in fear of what I would end up with. The other couple we were with got the fried oysters and they looked and tasted like something you would get in the frozen section of the grocery store. And way over priced! We were still hungry and dissatisfied with our meals so we wanted to get dessert...sweets fix everthing right?? Well, we got the key lime pie and it had such a thin crust and tasted like cool whip with chunks of key lime and green food coloring. It was just Ok as well. Service started off well but then quickly got bad and that started before I complained about my meal. It took about 15 min just to get our checks! Oh and let me not forget we asked to split the appetizer on our checks and the waiter put both the split appetizers on ONE check and added fries and a drink on the other check which was incorrect! What?? It was only about a $2 difference so we just went with it. Atmosphere is very outdated, needs modernized. They have some weird ice falling from the ceiling into the bar area. So to sum it up, if you dare to try this place I would ask the staff what their recommendations are. The BBQ shrimp was good but over priced. There's a lot of items on the menu. If they would shorten the list of items they could focus more on the dishes and make them all good instead of only a few. This place would benefit from HELLS KITCHEN NIGHTMARE! It has great potential because of its location. I'm giving it 3 stars because of the BBQ shrimp.
(3)
Linda R.
Ate here while vacationing in Chattanooga, great restaurant!!! Food was delicious, I had the veggie panini, so yummy and my husband ordered the quesidilla, both were so fresh and tasty!! Great view, great food & great ambiance!! Not many places have waterfront views but this place does!! We sat outside and they have misters that keep you cool, an added bonus ;)
(5)
Trish B.
Great view of the river! Nice ambiance for a casual dinner - love their feta appetizer and California salad with roasted chicken. Delish!
(5)
Rachel B.
Oysters and view were both amazing!!! We waited at the bar while waiting on our table which was also fun and nice!
(5)
Judy B.
Terrible and rude servers. From the hostess, to the bartender, to the waitresses. Very arrogant and not customer friendly. That's to bad seeing that the owner claims in his website to offer great benefits, training, etc. in order to have and keep the best servers around. Hmmmmmm.....I would definitely question that.
(2)
Daniel E.
My wife, three children and i all ate at the Boathouse Rotisserie restaurant on our last day in Chattanooga for Memorial Day Weekend. This was our first time visiting. We started off with the oysters on the half shell and then we all had the El Scorcho Shellfish Stew. it was phenomenal. Filling, Tasty, Beautiful view of the water and our server, Omar, was very attentive, polite and gave us incredible service. The next time we go to Tennessee, we will DEFINITELY make another trip there. IT was a perfect experience. Kudos.
(5)
Richard B.
Excellent meal.... One of the best clam chowders I've had. Cream based, but it's all about the clams and clam flavor. The Oysters were fresh, chilled and succulent. The Fire Roasted Oysters were also special. Great flavor from the fire roasting and the Juicy flavor of the Oyster wasn't lost in the cheese and bacon. Margaritas were delicious. Only reason I didn't give it five stars was the raw clams. They were very tasty, but on the small side. I prefer a nice Top Neck with a little meat to them. These were more of a steaming size. We went on a Wednesday night in December and there was a nice crowd there but it wasn't packed. We were seated right away. I suspect some of the poorer reviews might have come on nights when the place was packed... Our waiter and service were great. He said they can have hour waits or longer, especially when the weather is nice. So my suggestion is to try this mid week... Everyone else in our party of four enjoyed their meals as well.... It is definitely on my list for a return visit when we are back in the area....
(4)
Jay D.
Excellent food! Oysters were fresh and flavorful, the tilapia with black beans and rice is wonderful from the aroma to the taste! Service was sub-par but because of the food, I gave it 5 stars.
(5)
Greg W.
Excellent! Family favorite. Lotta Garlic Chicken, Spit Fired Chicken, and of course the housemade guacamole. Can't beat the view either.
(5)
Leto Z.
Parking is tough. Friday night especially Thankfully I had one after 10 minutes of driving around. I'm writing to let you know that I had a pleasurable experience at this restaurant but my food wasn't the best. I recall my past experiences were above average but something just wasn't hitting the spot. Enjoyed the Chicken Quesadilla but my entree which was the full Salmon came with French Fries was not good.
(3)
Jay S.
I was visiting from New Hampshire to see a friend that has just moved to Cleveland , he knows I like good food so suggested the Boathouse , we arrived about 6:30 on Friday 5/23/14 it was very busy so we had to wait for an outside table , we went into the bar and we're greeted by a very friendly bartender , we had two Lawton Rita's that we're great , then our table on the deck became available ! It was perfect ,the sun was setting and the river was beautiful ! We had the Guacamole ,and the Poblano Stuffed Pepper for apps , they were both beyond excellent !!!! Then we had Voodo Chicken and the Trout Almondine again excellent !!!! This was a great dinning experience !!! The View ,The service and the Food were excellent and I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was " we had 3 Lawton Rita's each " my friend already knows when I come back to visit ,we are going to the Boathouse !
(5)
Melissa B.
Stopped on our way through and had a fantastic lunch that did not take long at all. Great smell of wood smoked everything from outside. Had the made to order clam chowder - out of this world. My husband had the steak sandwich which was also incredible. Sides are great. Service was wonderful and the view and atmosphere is so relaxing. Highly recommended!
(5)
Jeff C.
Guess I'm a sucker. I read lots of bad reviews and still went here anyway. Food was actually OK but service was terrible as lots of others said (the worst reviews I saw were on my phone's GPS system). Clearly this place gets by on tourists who want a view (which honestly isn't spectacular) who don't know any better and even though most won't return they get enough tourists to where it doesn't matter. Uncaring and/or incompetent owners are the only way to explain a place that consistently gets bad reviews and takes no action to fix it. In our case they forgot our appetizer took 15 minutes to bring my toddler aged daughter's drinks then brought my wife and my entrees a good 10 minutes before our daughters (even then only after we asked). We specifically asked at the time our entrees were dropped off to have our appetizer canceled and yet when they brought the check it was still on the ticket (adding another 10 minutes to our visit while they redid it). Had they been crazy busy or had the server been apologetic or tried to make it up to us it wouldn't have been a big deal. Neither was the case; just terrible service from a place that apparently prides itself on it. As I said the food was actually decent if a tad overpriced but with service this bad it's not worth going into detail over. Oh, and as others have complained, there is not a children's menu and the cheapest entree is about 9 bucks. We were lucky that we have 2 daughters who could split 1 item, but I'd be even more irritated if I just had 1 kid and had to shell out that much for their meal.
(1)
Scott H.
If you are looking for a very limited selection of food that tastes just ok but at an exorbitant price...this is the place for you. We went on Friday Night, 3/23/2012. The service was mediocre, the food was not very good. First, they have no kids menu so parents please keep that in mind. We ended up ordering my 6 year old son a cheese quesadilla. It came out with next to no cheese at all and the food runner spilled hot sauce on 1 of the 4 that he got. The guy did not even apologize or anything. My wife ordered clam chowder and it was very runny. It had pretty good flavor but had very few potatoes and was way too runny. We ended up going with a few appetizers rather than entrees. We got fried calamari...this was the highlight of the meal. Pretty good but they did not give enough cocktail sauce with it. I asked for more and of course, the waitress never brought it to the table. We had pork nachos with feta cheese. This was pretty good but not great. We had an order of onion rings that were not very good at all. Basically, the view was ok on the river (not great by any means as there is really not much to look at to be perfectly honest. When the bill came it was $63. Had it been $23 it would have been worth it. However, at $63, they are lucky I even gave it 2 stars.....but hey, I am feeling kind of generous tonight. At the end of the day, I guess the takeaway for anyone reading this review is I definitely do not recommend this place and I would never go back. The food was not terrible but was nowhere near being worth the price. Also, for a "seafood" restaurant the selection was so limited. No crab legs, no lobster, a limited selection of fish etc... I cannot believe so many people gave this place a good review.
(2)
Tara R.
I don't get it, haters. The Boathouse is great. I see many reviewers complaining about service. Over the course of several visits, I had one bad service experience (the waitress wasn't rude so much as she was an airhead). Honestly, this is a pretty standard experience at every Chattanooga restaurant I frequent so it just isn't that deep. I suspect that visitors expect more from the Boathouse because of its prime riverfront location and lovely view. I wonder if customers go in expecting an upscale establishment. The Boathouse is actually quite laid back and that's one of the things I love about it. The food is mostly very good and reasonably priced. The Lotta Lotta Garlic chicken platter is one of my favorite entrees. I tend to visit during happy hour, when they offer excellent drink specials, tasty $2 tacos and sliders, and $2.50 off oysters and appetizers. It usually isn't too crazy busy at that time, which may explain why the service has been fine. Grab a seat on the deck if it's warm, but the atmosphere inside is also quite pleasant. I dig their touristy postcard themed murals of local attractions.
(4)
V K.
Great trout almondine and margaritas and fried foods. Crowded and hot. Prices are extremely reasonable.
(4)
Troy T.
Love, Love, Love the Boathouse ! It's been a regular spot for me when cruising into Chattanooga. When you walk in, there is a hostess ready to greet you in a typical seafood styled old boat / pier house meets wood roasted ambiance. They have a rectangle bar with ice dropping from the ceiling into a ice container and a small area that is reserved for my favorite - SHUCKING oysters. The wood fire roasted smell permeates throughout the place. They have a huge dinning area with and outside sitting area that wraps 180 degrees around the sides and back of the building w/ gives you amazing views of the Tennessee river and parts of downtown Chattanooga. Most times I belly up to the bar and get a wedge salad, raw oysters and of course wood fire roasted oysters with garlic butter, asiago cheese and bacon.... YEAH, I said bacon! So, of course today was no different and I had the same thing. You cant ask for better staff, who are friendly and answer any question on the menu. I have always asked how long the bartender has been with the restaurant and like always, more than 5 years is typical. Not one time has it been less that 5 years and some as long as the 10 years that the restaurant has been open. I love that and you can see the happiness in their faces when they talk about it. If you get the chance, I reccommend you pop in....
(4)
Mina C.
Love this place. Try Fried Calamari and Wood Grilled Squid. Great Happy Hour deal as well.
(5)
Ryan W.
Horrible service. The food was less than spectacular and the waitress chewed out my father-in-law for asking for a spoon too many times. Who brings soup without a freaking spoon anyways? Absolutely uncalled for and couldn't believe it was so pricey to get treated like crap on a Sunday afternoon.
(1)
Lincoln F.
Grabbed Lunch here today, and was quite impressed! The heaters on the porch made for a great outdoor dining experience even in the middle of January! I got the grilled shrimp, they were quite good and the olive fries are great! Would recommend!
(5)
Bob Q.
Don't confuse atmosphere with quality food. The facilities are really nice, right on the river with fantastic view of the water. The food however did not measure up. I ordered fried catfish and was served 8 or so small fish squares. Tasted like it came from a big bag of frozen fish pieces. Not very good. The cole slaw had a funky taste. Didn't eat it. The fries were plentiful and good as they were used to cover the fish nuggets. This place may have better things on the menu but this was a let down
(1)
Claire A.
Perhaps I like the boathouse because I come from some landlocked town with no good seafood but the atmosphere is fun and the food always tastes fresh. This seafood shack has excellent po'boys and you can add any number of sides. I prefer the wood grilled whole okra. I rarely find a restaurant that cooks okra that way. The prices are moderate and there's ample parking. On a sunny day you can sit on the patio and look out over the water. Being November, we were stuck inside but it was still enjoyable.
(4)
cliff m.
Went here on a work night around 5PM. Already the place was packed with a waiting line and parking was a hassle. View was nice. Had the grilled salmon which was burnt and tough on the outside and undercooked inside. Obviously they were in a hurry. Came with rough cut raw cabbage with this bizarre, oily, hot sauce which was just awful. Wait staff was competent, but rather hurried. Not exactly the kind of place for a quiet relaxing dinner. Kudos on the key lime pie though, it was quite good. I might try this place again, but if they can't grill a salmon steak correctly, that's pretty sad.
(2)
Pete W.
Pros: Unimaginably good oysters for Chattanooga, TN. Who would have thought? Nice atmosphere, friendly waitstaff and a good view. It's a great place for a casual dinner. Cons: The food is probably 3 stars as it's unimpressive.
(4)
Ann J.
Boy the reviews on this one are all over the map. I have probably been to the Boathouse 6-7 times and have not experienced bad service. The only snafu is when I order one of the Scorcho dishes .... it always comes out later than my dinner companion's dishes ... but they always have explained ahead that it would. Why they don't just hold back the other orders and deliver them all at the same time, I'm not sure. That's not a terribly classy way to serve. However, I love the Scorcho and it's wonderful broth. Can't get enough of their delicious, chewy bread to soak up the juices. So I wait an extra few minutes while everyone else already has their meal. Ideal, no. The calamari has been a good choice every time. Love their key lime pie. My husband has ordered the chowder and you have to understand that it isn't New England style. It is Boathouse style and we think it's delicious. Fresh clams make it happen. My book club decided to do our holiday get-together there and we were wondering how that would work out (they don't take a reservation). There were 8 of us. I wasn't thrilled with the tables they were pushing together for us in a heavily trafficed part of the large dining room. When I asked if we could have a better spot, they offered us a table in a nice, cozy room to the back. Service was very attentive that evening. It was perfect and a grand time was had by all.
(4)
Susan M.
I'm from Atlanta, GA and whenever I take a trip to Chattanooga, the first place I go is to Boathouse. I love sitting outside and enjoying the view while eating. You won't find a better atmosphere or ambience in Chattanooga. Some of the food dishes might be a little overpriced but from 2-6 they have great deals so I always go between those times. The hot legs are a must! Delicious and at $.60 you really can't go wrong. I ordered the feta cheese dip expecting it to be a creamy dip but was surprised when they brought the "dip" to the table and it was just cubes of feta cheese in a bowl with some oil. The service has been a bit slow before (9 out of 10 times service is great) but I go for the great food and views. I'm never in a rush while I'm there so waiting a few extra minutes isn't an issue. I was torn between 4 and 5 stars for this place but I figured if I make an hour long drive just to eat at boathouse then it must be 5 stars.
(5)
Hillary H.
I had such a fun time at this restaurant! I will definitely be going back the next time I am in Chattanooga. I was visiting Chattanooga on a girl's weekend with two of my best friends. We chose The Boat House for our Saturday night meal and WOW what a great pick! The restaurant was bustling and busy and there was a short wait, but it flew by with drinks at the bar. The bartenders were friendly and knew their stuff, and I would highly recommend their margarita!! We were seated by a window with an amazing view of the river. For an appetizer, we got the onion rings which were crispy, delicious, and came with an amazing dipping sauce that we couldn't get enough of! One of my friends got the salad with salmon, and she loved it. I tried her salmon and it was fresh and well seasoned. I ordered the wood-fired grilled tilapia and it was delicious! Smokey and buttery, it came with rice and black beans, and some of the best salsa I have tasted in Tennessee. My other friend got the fried shrimp, which came with delicious tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, AND a heaping pile of seriously good french fries. We were all happy with our choices. Despite being SO full, we couldn't pass up dessert and treated ourselves to the key lime pie at the end which was phenomenal!! Refreshing and light. Overall, a great experience. Wonderfully friendly staff, satisfying food, and a one-of-a-kind view. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Carol Ann M.
First time and we are locals... Sat at the bar, the bartender was obviously experienced and very good to us. Had a few beverages before food. We asked her opinion on appetizers, she recommended queso and salsa, it was a good choice... I just ordered a chicken sandwich and a side salad (which had delicious dressing) and my date had a garlic chicken dish, which I thought was over priced but all in all it was very delicious and we will be back. (I realize it is a seafood place but I am allergic to shell fish or I would have ordered differently)
(5)
Dennis A.
First Impressions: After struggling a bit to find a parking spot, we opted for an outside seat, which required some wait due to the nice weather. Our seat had a great view of the TN River and we watched a very nice sunset as the night progressed. The menu has a fair number of options, all very reasonably priced for what I thought was a very nice location. Food Impressions: I had the Voodoo chicken and enjoyed it quite a bit. It was very tasty, and the hot dipping sauce made it fantastic. My black beans and rice were remarkably flavorless, though. The other folks at my table had mixed reactions to their food: One enjoyed their catfish, while another gave it a 'meh'. A fourth guest felt the garlic chicken was an unusually small portion of chicken (one breast), but I thought it had plenty of sides to balance it. The key lime pie was quite good and everyone enjoyed it. Final thoughts: Lots of mixed reviews here, particularly regarding service, which I agree was not extraordinary by any means. The food was decent and I think the quality was on par with the price. They definitely would benefit from a better beer selection.
(3)
Jin K.
Pros: The seating outside has an awesome view of the river. It's nice and breezy and I could sit out there forever. The host at the door was very friendly when we called to see if a reservation was needed and when he greeted us at the door. The waitress was adequate but she did get busy. Cons: The food was very mediocre except the raw oysters. They were very good and fresh. My friend got the fried oysters, salmon salad and I got the shrimp po boy. All of the dishes were very bland. The shrimps were a good size for the po boy but didn't really taste like anything. I had to ask for extra cocktail sauce to pour over it. I would probably go back for the atmosphere only if I got to sit outside on a nice day. And I would probably only order from the raw bar.
(3)
Andrew K.
The atmosphere here is great! You walk in and you've got a good load of flat screens with sports playing inside. You have loads of windows facing the river with a great view. And some good food to boot. I enjoyed the brisket sandwich - really liked how the bbq sauce is served on the side so i'm not left with a mess of soggy bread. Brisket was pretty good and so was the sauce. Fries were good too. Service was nice. There was a bit of a wait at the weekday lunch rush - so plan ahead! It's a little on the expensive side as opposed to the cheaper end, but still - all in all - definitely a winner - will be back.
(4)
Anastacia B.
Whenevers I am in Chattanooga I like to stop on in the Boathouse for some specific items. I discovered their guacamole is insanely perfect. They bring it out and it's layers of avocado, finely chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, minced cilantro, minced jalapeños, and quartered limes. You mix it up yourself at the table. The avocados are always perfectly ripe. I also always get a margarita. They're super good. And to go along with it I ordered the shrimp Po' Boy. The shrimp are HUGE and fried in a light batter. There's to many to fit on the sanwhich and fit your mouth around it. If you can get here for happy hour you are golden- everything is generally half price and you can get smaller portions. We did have a really disappointing experience- my friend was trying to order lunch for her 5 year old son. There is no kids menu and the waitress ended up steering her into the large order of the shrimp dinner. WAYYYYY to much food for a little kid and it was twenty some dollars. Really tacky if you ask me. Our meals came in around $12. Yikes.
(4)
Tiffany J.
Came straight to Boathouse from Nashville on a weekend getaway in Chattanooga. We requested a table outside with great views of the river. There were fans on the patio so it wasn't unbearably hot (went in July). The servers were very friendly and responsive. We wanted to sample a lot of different options and thankfully got there in time for lunch, so we ordered all the small sandwiches on their lunch menu. The catfish taco was by far the best (and some of the best catfish I have ever had). Their guacamole was really good and the chips seemed homemade and were awesome. The chicken salad sandwich was ok, not my favorite. Great BBQ - pork and brisket. The shrimp po'boy was delicious. We also had some of the legs, the voodoo was great and I would recommend if you like soy sauce. The bbq leg was also really good with thick bbq sauce.
(4)
Kelly M.
Food Great, Great Atmosphere, although the service lacks a lot to be desired. this place could SO be 5 stars if the waiters were not yawning (at 7-8pm) and understood the need to appear to want to please the customer.
(4)
Anne L.
Nice ambiance. Had a wonderful lunch with my bff from college. Wish we had sat on the deck but it was crowded. Wanted to have some oysters but wasn't to sure of the freshness. I am use to places that open them at the bar. These were in a cooler. Drinks were great. The view was great.
(3)
Krista S.
Great views of the Tennessee River and good food. My favorite is the Voodoo Chicken. It's always so tasty. The rice and beans are okay, but the chicken is wonderful. It's a great place to have a leisurely meal.
(4)
Amy T.
Visited Chattanooga for the weekend with another couple and our kids, and they recommend this restaurant. From the look of the place, I had really high expectations. There was a wait, so we put our names on the list and headed to the bar to grab a drink. First, the bartender didn't know how to make a Malibu Bay Breeze! C'mon man! This is like bartending 101. After my husband told him how to make it, it wasn't bad. A little heavy on the Malibu, which I prefer anyways :) As I looked over the menu, had a two big gripes: 1) all of the entrees come with "Olive Fries", which from my understanding is french fries fried in olive oil. I guess that's OK if I had wanted fried shrimp, or fried fish. Now, what I really wanted was a piece of grilled fish and a baked potato, but they didn't have a baked potato on the menu. It was like grilled vegetables, or Olive Fries. Disappointing. I ended up with a pretty good piece of grilled salmon and french fries. Just a weird combo to me even though it tasted good. 2) No kids menu! We ordered our son the chicken quesadilla appetizer as his meal. It was very good, but way too big of a portion for a young child. The redeeming factor, and the reason I give 3 stars and not 2, are the raw oysters. Very, very good and fresh!
(3)
Anthony A.
The wife and I set a course for a dining experience from Huntsville on a whim, and we found a pearl of a place on the bank of the Tennessee River in The Boathouse. A forty minute wait on a Saturday nite was well worth it. Service was friendly and professional which always makes or breaks a great experience. After placing our order, we had fun taking in the sites of the nautical themed dining room, making the 15 min period between order and entree a delight. Highly recommend the feta, olive oil, and caramelized garlic dip and bread. Portions were satisfying. Food was well prepared. Thank you to The Boathouse for an enjoyable dining experience.
(4)
Dawn P.
I have been to the Boathouse many times and never wrote a review before as my mother always told me, if you don't have anything nice to day, don't say anything. But my visit last night was finally moving towards a positive experiance. On previous visits the food was overpriced and blah, in a nutshell. My DH's father wanted to go for a nice dinner and since it's been a long time I went with an open mind. I want to state I would give it 4 stars for the food, but the wait staff, ambiance and food presentation lowered it... They don't take reservations, but they will let you call ahead. When we got there we only waited 5 minutes tops and were seated. The waitress was extremely pleasant and at first was there for us. We asked for a few minutes so that we can look over the menu and that's where it all started to go wrong. When the waitress finally came back I ordered their specialty drink Caipirinha, which for $7.50 came in a rock glass filled with ice and very little drink. To top it off the glass was sticky and I had to wrap a napkin around it to hold it. I finally got a glass of water with lemon. We ordered the mussels which are served with a white wine sauce of garlic, butter and pernod. $13 (maybe 12 mussels, way overpriced) It came with a basket of bread, which normally I would dip into the sauce, but they were so heavy handed with the pernod it wasn't enjoyable. I went to use the pepper and the pepper grinder had a liquid in it and I had to ask for another. (which by the way took 2 people and 20 minutes) Dinner was mediocre at best. I got the wood grilled Tilapia which was to be served with Arugale, red onion and white rice and beans. The Tilipia did have a wonderful smoky flavor but it was put on top of the arugala and there was some heavy oil over everything which made the arugala inedible. Also the red onions wasn't there. Instead it was a huge chunk of nasty white onion. The red beans bland. There was some sort of dressing in two cups that I didnt use due to the horrible taste. My DH got the fried oysters and olive oil fried potato's. Now that was amazing (and it should be for $18.95) My Dh's father got the Salmon which he replaced the olive oil fries with a baked sweet potato and it was good. He was the only one who cleaned his plate clean. NO dessert as it was just too noisy in there. Overall the food was overpriced, but for seafood it was better than some of the local places. That said they need to watch how they plate the food and stop being heavy handed on oils. Would I go back? Not for dinner. I think this place would get 5 stars if it was only a "bar" type atmosphere. If you sit outside you are right on the Tennessee River. Go for drinks and appetizers and you will have an amazing experiance. For a full dinner? eh....
(3)
Leeann M.
I've always been disappointed here. After trying for several years for this place to get-it-right with me, it just falls short on service, fare and atmosphere. Getting into the restaurant itself feels like a circus. But if you make it past there, the seafood is all right. Nothing better than Red Lobster - and I hate that I just compared something to Red Lobster - the shame!! I feel like this place has always had so much potential, but has just never lived up to the hype. These days, it's become a scene I'm not interested in. Here's to hoping maybe one day Boathouse will crack the code.
(2)
Katie P.
This place is amazeballs!! Seriously, it's so good it's going to haunt me. My parents have been stopping here for the last several years on their way to, and home from, vacation. This year I flew down and joined them and drove back up to Chicago with them. This place is worth every bit of praise and then-some! We started with the stuffed poblano based on the reviews on Yelp and tips on Foursquare. We also got the wood grilled calamari. The pepper was good, but the calamari easily claimed a spot in the top five best things I've ever eaten in my entire life. I can't even being to properly describe how good it was. I also got the chicken sandwich and it was perfect! The view is spectacular and the service was pretty darn good! I didn't think I'd be all that impressed after hearing my parents talk about the place for the last five years or so but it completely lived up to the hype.
(5)
Cliff C.
Wife and I hit the Boathouse as a drive by. Our meals were very good. They did a very speedy recovery to my wife's salad with grilled salmon which was burned beyond.....even smelled bad. One of the best recoveries I have experienced. Salad with lump crabmeat was excellent! Wait staff was friendly, though at times just a bit on the slow side. Menu is interesting, though a bit disappointing to a seafood lover. I was expecting to see a wider selection of fish. Prices are commensurate with the quality. Would definitely recommend.
(4)
Marianne D. W.
I've been here several times on visits from California and the high rating is a combination of sitting on the outside deck in great weather right on the Tennessee River and enjoying nice food. Not amazing food, but consistently good when we come here for lunch. Two of the best things are the grilled string beans (nicely salted and more wilted than crisp but very good. Get them as a side to share with your iced tea or beer before your food comes) and the white lightning chili with chicken and white beans. (Nicely spicy and only about $6 for a bowl.) The portobello mushroom is a favorite of my TN friend. It comes piled high with goodies and sits in a creamy sauce. The fries are crispy crunchy and greasy in a surprisingly good way. You can also get a sweet potato cooked in ash (?) that was creamy inside and comes with brown sugar and butter to mix in. It can get busy but if the outside deck is open it's worth the wait. Oh, and if you sit at the oval bar, you can watch the ice cubes drop down a tube from the ceiling into the container in the center of the bar. Maybe it's more interesting if you've had a few drinks.
(4)
Tom G.
Best shrimp in town
(4)
Matthew B.
The view and and atmosphere on the deck make the restaurant tolerable to pleasant for an occasional visit. The poblano pepper is good, but most of the food is nothing special yet non-offending, stuff like quesadillas and rotisserie chicken. The wait can also be a bit long to get a table if you are waiting for the deck at dinner, and they do not take reservations.
(4)
Debbie S.
Outstanding . . . Food, atmosphere and view. Everyone in our party of six raved about their food. Great service! The manager took the time to give us the highlights of the menu and our server was helpful in answering our questions. Next time we're in town we'll be sure to visit.
(5)
Alan L.
Heard some good things about the Boat House, decided to give it a try. Place was a lot noisier than I would have imagined. Food was average, not bad, not great. Since they specialized in seafood, I expected a little bit more, but i guess I'm spoiled since I'm from Florida. Was definitely disappointed in the portion size. Left feeling still hungry.
(3)
Gwen K.
We've been here twice, and have loved it both times. Great food and service, and beautiful view of the river. You can walk along the river after your meal - lovely place!
(5)
Robert P.
Went to dinner there on a Wednesday night. Place was not crowded at all so we didn't have a problem getting a table, which I've heard can be a serious problem on weekends. First problem, we sat at our table for twenty minutes before anyone showed up to bring us water or take our drink order. Then it was another twenty minutes before they came back with our drinks and to take our food order. No explanation, no "sorry we're understaffed tonight", nothing. Looking at the menu I was surprised that there was not a whole heck of a lot of seafood options for a seafood place. Raw oysters, fried shrimp and two grilled fish entrees seemed to be about it. I ordered the Grilled Talapia with a side order of the Wood Grilled Green Beans. I could not tell if either of them were grilled or not because both were completely swimming in oil. There was so much oil on the plate you really could not taste the fish at all and the green beans were soaked and mushy. Pretty much the entire plate was just gross. Overall, this place does not live up anywhere close to the hype, the service was terrible and the food is NOT worth it at all. I won't be going back.
(1)
Richard P.
Shrimp po boy was good but I have to wonder how a restaurant cannot have a kids menu.
(3)
Zach G.
Only need 1 reason for me to go to this place: Poblano Pepper Grilled & Stuffed with Rotisserie Chicken, Queso & Feta Cheese Topped with Avocado & Chips. Yes Please.
(5)
Renee H.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of enjoying two dining experiences at the Boathouse. The first visit was a large group of people and we shared numerous appetizers, shrimp dishes, oysters, mini Po-Boys among us. There was nothing I didn't really, really like. I did find my favorites though, and the next time we went I had an order of the fried mushrooms all to myself (I couldn't get enough of them!) and a full size Shrimp Po-Boy. Even compared to a Po-Boy I had in New Orleans, it was the best ever! Highly recommend this place!
(5)
M P.
Oysters, baby!! Lots and lots of oysters!!! Lovely ambiance right by the river with a backdrop of a giant map painting... It's really nice!!! Too bad it's a little out there, otherwise I'd go more often!!
(4)
cat w.
Very nice restaurant. The view is lovely right on the river and both the service and food were excellent
(4)
Esther K.
I drove up to Chatt from Atlanta to spend the day and because I always have to have seafood when there's a coastline involved, I yelped and found Boathouse. The outdoor seating is nice. The tables weren't too close to each other, as tables often are at places with outside seating. The sweet tea is great. It toes the line between super sweet and way too sweet. And the fried oysters, oh boy, delicious. The breading isn't too heavy, just crunchy enough to provide a good contrast with the texture of the oysters. The fried oysters come with olive oil fries, but I wasn't in a fry-like mood, so I substituted island slaw, and I wish I hadn't done that. The slaw is weird. It tasted to me like cabbage with lemon juice. Nothing fantastic. I was able to make it palatable by topping it with tartar sauce, but still, I'd suggest avoiding it. Overall, good food, good prices, good atmosphere. I wouldn't hesitate to come back next time I'm in the area.
(4)
JD L.
Amazing atmosphere, food, & service. I recommend the Voodoo Chicken - it is on the bone, though - and the oysters - both raw & fried. The Wood-Grilled Salmon wasn't the best - a little too fishy - but the dipping sauces served with it made up for it.
(5)
Bradley C.
I started eating at The Boathouse 3 years ago. Initially it was pretty good food and I reccomended it to many people. Lately the food quality has dropped off greatly. Olive oil fries used to be crispy and tasted great, now they are floppy and mushy, every time. Fried oyster po' boy is hardly edible anymore. Soggy oysters and soggy bread. Only thing good about the place anymore is the view. Service is marginal. Was disappointed to hear recently about the attitude of one of the general partners to a customer's complaint/question. Will not go back and will not reccomend to friends anymore.
(1)
Zach L.
Great Sunday Brunch! Had salmon bisque and chicken sandwich item which is not the correct name of the dish. Both had so much flavor and was one of a kind. Great place. Will be back again
(5)
Deric C.
Eh. i'm allergic to peanuts so i was pretty disappointed to find out that they use peanut oil exclusively. on nearly everything. even down to the "wood-fire green beans" ... somehow peanut oil found it's way in. i tried to order the veggie panini but apparently the stuff they put in it is pre-mixed (do mushrooms really need peanut oil on them? really.) you would think after asking for a few different items the waitress would've attemped to find me something besides a salad to order, but perhaps the kitchen is just that contaminated. so food wise, my review is based on two things. the 3 beers i had and a wedge salad (well three things, the third being a nice buzz at the end of the meal). the 3 beers were Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale (bottle, not draft). they really should remove the Extra from it, it wasn't that extra. but it was pretty decent (better then the Big River IPA i had the night before). nice that they had a full bar, but i'd have appreciated a better "on tap" selection. the wedge salad was my only food item and was definitely below par. I'm glad that the bleu cheese had crumbled bleu cheese chunks in it, but the lettuce hadn't been dried very well, so it made it very watery. the buzz however was very excellent. 3 beers go a long way if you only have half a salad. if you aren't allergic to peanuts though, this place is probably pretty good. everyone in my group raved about their food, the atmosphere is rather nice (+1 for the ice shooting from the ceiling down into the bar area) and i'm sure the view was pretty good (though at night it was hard to see and they had to close the outside patio due to the storm coming in).
(2)
Jeff K.
Great place to kick back at the bar for beer & oysters. The menu is different than I expected. Great raw bar & good selection of brew on tap. Full bar. Ask your server about kids menu, picky kids may go hungry. Good size portions.
(3)
Jonathan B.
Go Here! Don't think twice! Killer rotisserie and super raw-bar! Don't waste your time or money anywhere else! I've been to Chattanooga 3 times, always for business. The first time I was here I didn't have a lot of time to really care about where I ate....ended up at Chili's. The second time I was here, I ended up at some other local downtown joint. Had a beer and asked the bartender where he'd go if he didn't have to work the bar....he sent me the Boathouse. It was a Monday night and I was ecstatic to dive into freshly delivered raw oysters. Great, awesome, beautiful oysters. Bartenders were very attentive and personable, and it was a great experience. Right on the river, dry-ice packed beer taps (no lie, they were frozen....best draft beers around!!!) This was my third night in Chattanooga and after checking out a few other places and not being certain, knew that I'd have a good time at the Boathouse. The Steelers were playing for the AFC, so I started with a Sweetwater Geogia Brown, a bowl of the Salmon Bisque (their soups are all prepared fresh...you've gotta try the soups!!), and they had a 1/2 bbq chicken on special....phenomenal. The Steelers won, the beer was cold, and my dinner was outstanding. Love this place. Wish I lived in Chattanooga!
(5)
Tyler P.
I was in town from Florida for my mothers birthday. The oysters and shrimp were top notch. The shrimp were so big it took 3 bites to get them down. The oysters were very fresh and cheaper than my neck of the woods. I had the trout and it was above average. We were treated with a beautiful sunset on the river. Chattanooga doesnt know how good they have it with the Boathouse Restaurant.
(5)
Sara Z.
Ridiculously unnecessary long wait for a mere 5 people, or as this restaurant calls it "a large party." We were told five tables ahead of us when we walked in, about an hour later we still had not been set after the others ahead of us were starting to leave. When I finally got a bit peeved about it I was told they were going to talk with a manager. Mysteriously a table appeared. Funny though, on our way to the table we past a five seater and 3 tables that could have easily sat 5 people. We never would have waited an hour had they told of us their issue with seating such "large parties" from the get go. As you can figure out, I dont like waiting such a long time and for no apparent reason. We would have definitely left and found another establishment on this Wednesday evening. Food was okay. The manager obviously knew there was an "issue" an apology would have been nice. Please management don't comment here on Yelp how unfortunate this was, you had your opportunity while we sat in your restaurant for almost 2 hours.
(2)
Charles F.
I didn't think I would like it as much as I did as the menu is pretty heavily full of plates with everything on them deep fried, but I was really nicely surprised by the tilapia which had some wonderful flavor (a very tasty sauce) and came with a solid rice pilaf. There is a nice view of the river and the country club. Parking, at lunchtime, was really awful (but that's the sign of a place people like - no parking left). Overall I wavered between three and four stars but the place feels old and the heaps of fried food sent me to a three.
(3)
Chattanooga Property Shop R.
The boathouse patio has the best view of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. On gorgeous days, it can get packed, but it is always worth the wait! Pair the gorgeous view with their table side guacamole and a Lawton margarita, and you have a perfect day!
(4)
Stephanie T.
Love the space and the location right on the river. The queso and salsa appetizer is fabulous. I couldn't decide if I liked the green or red salsa the best. I could just eat chips and salsa and be perfectly happy. I was craving a Bloody Mary so got one of those...it wasn't anything extraordinary, but it was a decent one. Had the biggest stalk of celery I've ever seen in the glass though. LOL. I ordered their Clam Chowder bowl and a wedge salad. The wedge salad was very good, with 2 thick slices of local bacon on it, still sizzling. The green onions had been grilled and had a wonderful smoky, grilled flavor. Great touch. The Clam Chowder was a bit different. First off they say they make it to order...I'm a tad confused by that as you really need chowder to simmer and cook for awhile to get all those flavors to merge. So basically they had the cream stock and then added just 4-5 clams, still in the shell, in to the soup. There were only a few small bites of potato as well. it comes in a gigantic size bowl that makes it seem as though there is a lot of soup, though it's mostly just bowl. That was ok because I didn't finish it. Those 4-5 clams were very fishy tasting. It was quite off putting. And because they didn't get to cook into the chowder for awhile, they just seemed like an afterthought. I basically paid $10.95, that's right $10.95 for a bowl of cream soup with a few clams thrown in. They only serve it with oyster crackers as well, so I asked for bread. Not sure what happened but I felt sick to my stomach a couple of hours later. I would gladly go and have the appetizer and the wedge salad anytime, but cannot recommend the Clam Chowder. Though I can see how that's a money maker for them. HUGE profit margin.
(3)
Frank M.
This should have negative stars. Number one they had a very blatant Heath code violation! Pipes above bar were raining fluids. Post eating my meal which tasted pretty ok, not the best, I had nausea, chills and later diarrhea that was so painful I thought I was gonna die Bottom line don't eat here unless you can eat fecal material and salmonella!!
(1)
Mark D.
Real good mojito's and a couple other cocktails. Only ordered from the raw bar for us. It was OK but not much better. Had oysters; nothing special and the clam chowder. Great view and a fun place. Go again? Probably not but I was a tourist in Chattanooga anyway.
(3)
Sungjae J.
I wanted to have some drinks and food by the river while I was visiting and came here.. most of the customers here were middle aged or seniors so it's not a restaurant for the young crowd. we waited for like 15-20mins I think before someone walks in and asks what the wait was...and it was very obvious that the customer knew the staff. Couple of more comments back and forth and on the way they to be seated.. I guess its about who you know here and it is like that at other places too so I'm not raising hell but that was not cool. just got couple of drinks and got some appetizers nice view... meh.. won't be returning..
(2)
Matthew R.
Meh. The steamed clams were good. Queso was a joke. Fire roasted oysters had potential, but needed some more depth. Decent view and glad we tried it.
(3)
Kim S.
This place was great! Just what we were hoping for! For the river being such a beautiful attraction in this town, it is darn difficult to find a decent restaurant that is actually ON the river. We had a party of 5 including a 10 year old. We all had no problem finding plenty of appealing options on the menu. We requested a table on the back deck with a view of the river, and though the place was pretty full, we were seated promptly. The hostesses were helpful and friendly. Our server was also friendly and warm and promptly showed up to take our drink orders. It was happy hour, so the grown-ups started off with some drinks. Delicious margaritas, and tasty, fresh beer on tap! The Capairina was over the top though. The sugar cane alcohol has a flavor like moonshine and was way too gnarly for me! We got guacamole to start off, and it was impressively good! It comes chunky, which means you get to mash it up yourself. A huge pet peeve of mine is being served avos that are less than perfect. These were absolutely perfect and the combo of tomatoes, onions and cilantro was right on the mark!! So good. I also had to try the grilled okra. Granted, I love okra, but I'd never had it grilled, and this dish was super good! Our server, though busy, was attentive throughout the meal, and we never wanted for anything. Drinks were always refilled before they were empty, and our food all arrived in perfect timing without a hitch. I had the barbecued pork sandwich, and it was great! Tender, house-smoked pork, with a well made bbq sauce served on the side. The meat had a delicious smoky flavor that I loved. The fries were also great... crispy without being greasy. Everyone at the table really enjoyed everything they ordered! All was delicious! Though the place was crowded the noise level was just fine for holding family conversation and there was plenty of room to move. Our server was friendly, prompt and got everything correct! The view was lovely... we enjoyed a colorful and bright sunset! This is a great place! I'd recommend it to anyone headed to Chattanooga who wants a spot on the river with great food!
(4)
ElizaBeth W.
Delicious! I loved the atmosphere of this place and the menu looked great. I decided to go with the wood spit roasted chicken sandwich served with olive fries. So good! Everyone in my party was very pleased with what they got. I would definitely eat here again and recommend it to anyone.
(4)
Daniel T.
My expectation was simply to have some margaritas on the river. My experience was so much more. The smell of the wood-fired grill and rotisserie is enough to get you salivating upon entering. They have a happy hour from 4 to 6 everyday. During this time the margaritas were $5 and very good! They have a small menu of items for $2 to $3 including mini sandwiches such as brisket, pork, shrimp po boy, and more. In addition the regular appetizer menu is discounted ($2.50 off). The wood-fired oysters with garlic butter are incredible. I had two orders. We also had a poblano pepper stuffed with chicken, queso and feta topped with avocado and served with chips. The mini "Havana", their take on a Cuban sandwich was excellent as was the brisket sandwich mini. The chicken salad mini was good if not really that interesting. The salsa was just the right amount of spicy and the chips were crisp and warm. The service was spot-on. Because we were there early enough for happy hour we stuck with the specials for our food and drinks. In all the four of us had 10 drinks and lots of food and our bill came to $100 plus tip. We were ecstatic. Even though this is about two hours from my house I will return and I look forward to eating my way through the menu.
(5)
Maria D.
Was in Chattanooga on business and a colleague suggested the Boathouse. Good prices, overlooks the river, the food was amazing, (definitely coming back) and the service was great!
(5)
Robert S.
I've only been personally disappointed by the food at this place one time (out of one total number of visits, though), but I thought this other story is worth sharing and alerting everyone to. Especially if you are dining with young children, check into the service that this man received.. chattarati.com/2009/06/2…
(1)
John T.
The view of the river is outstanding. If it is cool enough I would say dine on the back deck. The food is good and the beer is could. This place stays packed at supper so go early if you don't want to wait.
(5)
Dennis H.
2 stars because we had dinner there. If you're going for drinks/happy hour and want to enjoy a nice view and a cold beer, this is the place for you. For dinner, it was overpriced and average to below average seafood. Nice service and atmosphere, but 2 stars due to the very average food being overpriced.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pam G.
Last weekend since my husband was on-call, we decided to go out for lunch instead of dinner. The odds were better that he wouldn't get called at lunch. I knew just what I was in the mood for, the fried catfish at Boathouse Rotisserie and Raw Bar. We arrived on a Saturday at 12:15. We were offered outdoor or indoor seating. I get cold very easily, so I wasn't sure about outside, but the hostess assured me that it was warm enough out there. It was, the heaters they had running kept it nice and toasty warm out there and the view was beautiful and relaxing. One of the specials was catfish tacos, which sounded wonderful, but I still had my eyes on the fried catfish. I had the fried catfish once before and it is the stuff dreams are made of. The catfish is lightly breaded in cornmeal. So light that it doesn't even feel like breading, it feels like it's part of the catfish, and completely allows the catfish to shine. As much as I love the catfish, I love the olive fries just as much. They are skin on fries, fried in olive oil, and they are amazing. Perfectly crisp and oh so flavorful. The cole slaw that comes with the meal is also unusual, the cabbage is thinly sliced and I believe that I picked up some sesame oil in the dressing. The cocktail sauce had fresh grated horseradish on top and even the bread was from a country loaf with nice big holes and a nice chewy crust. Every single part of this meal was wonderful! There is so much to love about this restaurant from the food to the view. The wait staff is very attentive and I love that they leave a water carafe at your table.
(5)Lyn G.
Fabulous food, cooling ice shavings spraying over the outside patio, great decor and amazing olive fries makes this restaurant a winner. Very busy but worth the wait.
(5)Amy D.
Oh i love raw oysters on the half shell and these were PHENOMENAL. now this may be because I am from California but there "standard" oyster is from Chesapeake bay, i have never had them from there but they are AMAZING so meaty and delicious. The boyfriend got the steak which he loved and he is very judgey on steaks. I got fish tacos they were very basic but they still get 4 stars for those Oysters!
(4)Cheryl R.
Great food, great views! The shrimp are big and tasty, the brisket was wonderful. The fries are good too! The nachos! We had pork nachos first and they were great! The service was good too. Overall it's a great place to eat!
(5)Dara T.
Our third trip here and food is always amazing however service this time was Less than desirable. Girl served us that had no idea how to serve people , not understanding the wine menu which is a big part of eating here( ie-sips bar) and upon wanting to try a bottle of $110 bottle wine suggested buying a sip versus bringing a sip . Honestly u need to understand your company. Then upon taking our order she was more interested or at least acted more interested in other tables that's she was being given rather than what we were ordering! However she did get the order correct! ! But this environment s all about the ambiance around you and so service has always been top notch it not this time. We will not let that stop us as food and seating with the river view is amazing!
(3)Jeannie M.
Everytime we come to Chattanooga, I notice all the cars in the parking lot as in passed by. True, this restaurant sits on the river and has gorgeous views... But I just had a feeling that this was more than that. Perhaps a locals' tried and true favorite. My husband and I already had dinner plans arranged with someone elsewhere so we decided to just come for a drink and appetizer. How I wish we could have stayed for dinner!!! It was a beautiful day and watching the sun sink on the water was a good and magical thing after a stressful day (and we were even sitting inside). We ordered the grilled calamari and there are no words!!! Lots of garlic and butter and greens and onions and feta cheese. SCRUMPTIOUS!! Btw... I like calamari. But I don't like fried calamari. So this was a wonderful and pleasant treat!! We may come back tomorrow for dinner!
(5)Christina K.
While in TN, SO and I decided to stop by for a drink at a nice waterfront restaurant. Yelp brought us to the Boathouse and after a 25 min. wait, we were shown a table on the patio. Unfortunately, the table had a beautiful view of the parking lot, not so much of the river. The funny thing is, that while waiting for our table of 2, another customer and her grandson walks through, is greeted, told that the wait time was also 25 min. and then promptly shown to a table. I seriously was about to jump on the hostess about this, but I decided that I was grouchy from being in a car ride and just needed a strong drink to calm my nerves. We went through the menu and decided on just drinks and apps since we weren't terribly hungry. The waitress was young, and didn't seem very well trained. She informed us that the squid was not being served that day since "they weren't really all that great". Oh, wow... well, when you ask for honesty what do you expect right? So, I decided on the fire roasted oysters. We had passed by a full bar on the way to the table so I asked for a drink menu. Nothing too out of the ordinary right? But our server gave me the weirdest look and said, well, um... you can just ask for a drink and we can see if we know how to make it. That, my friend, does not conjure up confidence in your bartender and is a sure sign to just stick to anything bottled. The oysters were not the best I've ever had. They were not cleaned thoroughly and at one point thought that I had bitten into a pearl, but when I checked, it was just dirt and grit. Booo... After paying the tab, we both agreed that if not for their prime location along the river, this restaurant probably wouldn't still be around.
(2)Michele W.
If you are just here for the atmosphere then it's a good place to sit by the river. Otherwise the service is horrible and the food is mediocre. I ordered the caipirinha to drink and got a 6 oz glass 3/4 full of limes which left me with 2 oz maybe of drink. When I asked the waitress if this was the norm, she said yes and offered no replacement. We ended up having to get our own napkins and silverware and water.
(2)Greg C.
I had a good business dinner tonight at boathouse. The Oysters were fresh and tasted as good as Florida last week. I would recommend the smoked okra and Cuban cole slaw as sides. Good service and nice basic drink selection. I was surprised when my guest ordered gentlemen jack and coke they did not have GJ. Not a deal breaker but every tn restaurant should have that. Both of us only had seafood but the bbq smelled great. Overall a good experience.
(4)Jordan S.
It's honestly an okay place. Not the worst. But certainly not the best. Here's why. They have issues when it comes to seating people. Major issues. They almost never seem to sit people, whether you have a big group or a small group, very efficiently. If you know the people working there? You have a seat within 10 minutes. Maybe. If you don't know the people people working there? You have a seat within 25 minutes if you're lucky. Now for the food. It's good don't get me wrong. But not all of it is good. And it's definitely overpriced for the quality and quantity that you get. An appetizer of guacamole is $10.50. For chips and guacamole?? An appetizer portion of clam chowder is $10.95. Really?? Okay. Let's move onto an entree. I've gone multiple times. Each time I tried to get something different. I went for one of their Shrimp Po-Boy's with "Pink Sauce on Crispy French Bread". I put it in quotation marks because the waitress didn't tell me what it was other than it was pink....which is concerning. My bread wasn't crispy. All of this for $14.95. The staff was also a little flighty. Took forever for them to refill my drink. Which not a big deal.....but I was thirsty for half of my meal because she never returned after I got my food. It's not the only place that does seafood in Chattanooga. But it has a great view. And it has okay food. I wouldn't turn down eating there if someone was paying. But it wouldn't be my first, second, or third choice to go for seafood in Chattanooga.
(2)Jamie S.
Love this place. The view is awesome and the food is too. The queso dip for the appetizer is great. I recommend the New Orleans style BBQ shrimp with grilled chibotta bread.
(4)Malcolm B.
Who knew you could get fresh seafood from the gulf, right on the Tennessee River. I had the BBQ shrimp, and was very satisfied with the savory juices and large shrimp. For dessert I had the ice cream sundae. Excellent way to top of the meal. This was my second visit, I also came here years ago as a child. Would recommend to anyone!
(5)Allie L.
I have no clue why it stays busy except for the lack of restaurants on the water. The food is mediocre at best. Prices are a bit high for the quality. The ambience is noisy.
(3)Steve B.
We have been going to the Boathouse since it opened....never have had to complain. I understand there can be a problem in any restaurant occasionally but the managers ALWAYS try to remedy any complaint immediately. I was not surprised that some are dissatisfied because some folks cannot be satisfied. My wife and I love great food and travel to get it but I would put the Boathouse up against anyone!!
(5)Umama K.
I am so impressed with Boathouse variety of seafood. Everything from the decor, unique wine dispensers to the phenomenal view of the river. My parents are very picky eaters but they devoured their plate and mine with the flavors and choices presented here! The service we received from our waitress was phenomenal! I'm definitely coming back!
(5)Camp H.
Ok much better. Chicken tortilla soup and stuffed poblano won me over. Like that big gay hating German, I will be back. Bartender Marisa was very cool and definitely was better than my last server experience hear. In and out in 30 min wasn't bad either...
(5)george b.
We were downtown in Chattanooga on Saturday and we desired to eat viewing the river..we have never been to the Boathouse and heard various remarks about it and mainly good....it was a little after 1:00 in the afternoon so the place was not that busy....we were told by the girl that tables outside were all taken and we would be next outside...(she then gave us a notification devise).after about 15 minutes we noticed a second couple going outside who were seemingly friends of the hostess....I went up to her and ask about us and she stated OH....I forgot about you....sorry....we then left and went to Jeffersons downtown....maybe next time we will have better luck if there is a next time...
(1)Gayle M.
We found Boathouse on yelp and decided to give it a try. Our food was amazing, our waitress Zwas exceptional. With that being said I can not express how disappointed and appalled we were by the General Manager that actually stood out on restaurant floor and berated some young waitress. I have worked in customer service for 30 plus years and had up to 90 employees and this kind of behavior is completely unprofessional and wrong on every level.
(4)Jason G.
Literally the best food in Chattanooga. No seriously...There is a reason there is a wait almost every day. For the quality of the food and service the menu is extremely affordable. Grilled oysters, grilled squid, voodoo chicken, tortilla soup, Cuban sandwich, fried mushrooms.... I mean I could recite the menu by heart but it's just that good. Get the margarita and thank me later (it's half price on Tuesdays). The view from the deck is worth the visit almost just by itself.
(5)Danielle L.
Gorgeous atmosphere! Food is overpriced and nothing special. Upon being seated, the server asked if we would like to try a half priced drink. I was charged full price for the drink, and the manager refused to negotiate when I pointed out the mistake. I would not return to this restaurant.
(2)Kristin L.
I did not have high expectations, but had a great meal here. The roasted oysters were the best I've ever had. The wedge salad had two full slices of thick smoky bacon. Love the wine tasting system, really fun to get tastes of higher end wines. Service was good.
(4)Stephanie G.
The food was amazing. I ordered the chicken chimichanga and it was sooo great. Another really good thing on the menu is thw catfish. Don't sleep on this fresh fish. Its sooo great!!
(5)Randal M.
OMG! Best brisket I've had in a very very long time. Quick service. Calamari was very tasty. Wood fired shrimp also very good. Definitely will come back here.
(5)Mark S.
If you want the short version of why this restaurant isn't the most pleasant place to dine here you go, TOO MUCH OIL IN THEIR FOOD! If you want to learn more read on. Ambiance: Well you pay for the view of the river, so you know the ambiance is spot on. Service: Hit or miss really. Have had a great waiter at this place and a not so good waitress. So just because you are paying the view premium doesn't always mean you get the personality to match........... But really this review is ALL about the food: Made to order guacamole: Best thing on the menu but the chips tasted bitter, like they were fried in old OIL (sensing a theme yet?). Guacamole is essentially diced avocado, cilantro, red onion, tomato, and jalapeños. Lime served on the side. Nothing you can't do at home. Grilled squid with olive oil, arugula, feta, roasted garlic, roasted garlic, lemon served with grilled ciabatta slices. Squid was good, feta was in a small pile all on its own in one corner of the plate, arugala sautéed. Red pepper flakes in the mix. I do not kid you when I tell you there was somewhere between a third of a cup to a half cup of olive OIL in this dish. I tipped the plate to watch the OIL settle on top of the "lemon". Matagorda fire roasted oysters: Pretty much your standard char grilled oyster with garlic butter and chives served with these small pieces of ciabatta. No OIL in this dish. Grilled okra: Grilled a little too much to the "mushy" state instead of have that crisp pop I personally enjoy in green vegetables. Coated in a heavy layer of OIL. So much so that there was quite a bit of oil upon the serving plate. Raw Oysters: Not the freshest oysters on the planet, but no Oil so that was good. Island Slaw: Nothing fancy here folks, sounds fantastic but it is merely a small bowl of coarsely sliced cabbage with lemon, soy and a hefty helping of sesame OIL. Summary: Great place to view the Tennessee river and look towards downtown. Could take or leave the food. I think they need to sub out existing oil for a higher grade of olive oil and use LESS and I might return. Better places to eat in this town. People must think that premium views and an expensive looking restaurant somehow equates to good food.
(2)Ginger T.
Boathouse is the epitome of ambiance, great seafood, and excellent service. A friend and I visited last night and sat out on the deck area overlooking the river. The sun had just set behind the mountain, and the river was calm and serene as the clouds and colors swirled above it. We watched an otter swim by as fish jumped and played around. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable and suggested 1/2 price oysters on the half shell. We had been wanting oysters, so took advantage of the price cut. They were fresh, chilled on ice, big, and juicy. We both decided to have fish for dinner. I ordered the wood grilled salmon and my friend ordered trout almondine. The salmon was perfectly wood flavored and served with a ginger cream sauce and their famous voodoo sauce (which is a red pepper based sauce - vinegary, hot, sweet, all at the same time). The trout was perfectly flavored as well. We both ordered fried okra which is split long, cornmeal battered, and fried to a perfect crisp. Everything is al a carte, so be aware of that before you visit. Boathouse is not a cheap date, but it's worth every penny you spend. Other dishes I've had that I recommend would be the clam chowder, the voodoo chicken, the pulled pork - really everything is fabulous. If you've never been - it's worth at least a visit. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Jeff C.
Good food, crappy service. Every time. 5:15 on a Tuesday and they tried to sit a party of five (with two children) at a four top in the middle of the floor. Are you kidding me?!?!? Only 1/3 of the tables were being used at the time. Similar to previous experiences where food and appetizers came out at the same time. Not sure we will come back.
(2)Thomas C.
I was here for lunch after a business meeting in town. We sat at the bar and had simple, yet hearty meals. I don't know if that is why my quality of food and level of service far exceeds what most of the reviews seem to say but it did. Live with it. Our bartender/waitress was warm and welcoming. She made helpful suggestions and even had a hand in preparing our food. I had El Scorcho and it would be hard to recommend it more highly. It was simple, hearty, overflowing with seafood and had that incredible taste that only comes from letting all the flavors blend together. Simultaneously it hearkened back to my father's family's low country boils as well as east coast stews from my mom's family. I will definitely be back to visit the Boathouse next time I am in Chattanooga.
(4)Donna B.
I have been dying to try this place ever since my in-laws moved to Chattanooga 5 years ago. Very disappointed. My arugula squid salad was the strangest salad I have ever had, the whole thing seemed to be sautéed, including the romain lettuce. Should have gone with my gut and ordered a fried oyster po boy, pretty hard to screw that up. The website says good for kids. That is a joke as there is no children's menu and my 3 and 5 year olds were given glasses to drink from as the place had no plastic cups. Trust me, I understand wanting an adult dining experience, see above ages of my darling children but don't say you are kid friendly, that is a lie. There are soooo many other wonderful places to eat in town, we will not be going back. Yes, the river view is awesome but that is all.
(1)Daniel B.
This is one of my local favorite places to eat every chance I get. I love the fried oysters, they are so fluffy and lightly breaded. I always try to go on Mondays for the raw oysters at half price. Those roasted oysters are amazing also. I don't always eat oysters, the wood grilled fish is so tasty. I would move closer to the beach for great seafood but this is 2nd best and of course way better than red lobster any day.
(5)Chris G.
This business seems quite popular, as it always is crowded, but I've never really cared for it. The location overlooking the river is it's one redeeming virtue. Otherwise, parking is usually scarce, service is poor, food is sub-par, and it is not really close to much of anything else interesting.
(2)Alex D.
So, we used to frequent the Boathouse often when we lived in Chattanooga. Our experiences were mostly good, but in order to give a totally honest review of the place, some considerations need to be explained: Food - 4 stars if you want a casual raw bar experience. Oyster quality is excellent, and I have never had a dud or tasted anything less than delicious here. Service - 2-4 stars, depending on the night and who your server is... This greatly varied throughout my 8 year experience with this place. Wish I could give it a solid grade, but the waitstaff was entirely too variable for me to sign off on one grade. As a real example of bad service here, I can attest to watching one of our friends have his and his wife's order completely ignored for an entire hour while we were sitting outside, and then having them cancel it, only to be presented with a bill at the end. They were a little disappointed with that. Ambience - How could you go wrong being on the Tennessee River? Totally awesome, wether or not you sit inside or on the deck? One more bonus... they serve Caipirinhas. I am fairly certain that this is the only place in town where they even know what that drink is. The Caipirinhas are well made and are actually a good value, but make sure you only have one. They are strong! Will definitely be back!
(3)Briana P.
Went to this place on Saturday night for dinner while in Chattanooga. the food would probably rate four stars: we had raw oysters for appetizer, which were excellent, and my brisket plate and olive fries were good. My wife got El Scorcho, a seafood stew which came from the raw bar instead of the kitchen. As noted in some of the other reviews, this dish comes out much later than other dishes, so I was almost done with my dinner before she even got hers. If it was really fantastic, it would be worth the wait, but the dish was only so-so. The seafood was fresh, but the broth was kind of thin and not very flavorful. Also, the bread that came with it was nothing special, just regular cold white bread. We're used to garlic bread or some other toasted, flavorful bread with this kind of dish. The major downer was the wait - we arrived around 6:15 and didn't get seated until a little after 7:00. Even after we were seated, it took a long time for the waitress to take our order. There is a nice view of the river, but I'm not sure why it was so packed. I might go back for happy hour, but probably not dinner.
(3)Pokey B.
On our last night visiting Nooga, my wife, myself and kids, 16, 9, & 7 ate here. We love seafood and this was the place for us. Our 16 doesn't as much and he got the Filet Mignon sandwich....I snuck a bite...delicious with a large serving of onion rings and fries. The oysters were awesome...the seafood stew was fantastic, and the shrimp were huge and fresh. One issue...no kids menu? Huh? It's a family type place for sure. Huh? They did make the kids some cheese quesadillas...but they need a kids menu. The wine was over priced at $9 a glass for a typical $6 glass wine. But the view of the river, excellent food and service made it worth the stop.
(4)Donna A.
Claim chowder was really good. I wanted the trout, but they were out so settled for tilapia , my husband got the shellfish stew. Both dishes were really good. Make sure to try the caipirinha...
(3)Sarah H.
As we were reading the reviews for this place it was crazy to see so many great reviews followed by terrible reviews! I have to say it's because their food is all or nothing! It really depends on what you get! To start we got the calamari appetizer to split between 4 of us. It was just OK, I've had way better at Carrabbas. It was not a very big portion either, it was just enough for a tasting. Our waiter said it was big enough for us all to share, I think not! Oh and like another reviewer said, we didn't have enough cocktail sauce! But when we asked for more they brought it right away. My husband got the BBQ shrimp which was actually pretty good. But to get only 6 shrimp with broth and 5 pieces of thinly sliced bread for $20 is a little pricey. I got the Voo doo chicken based on reviews I read and I wanted to try something different. Well no where does it say the chicken is fried! It was 3 1/2 pieces of fried dark meat chunks! The rice and beans were bland and the 2 sauces that came with it were not very good. Needless to say I returned my meal and asked for the chicken quesadillas. They were more palatable than the Voo doo chicken but nothing special. The chicken tasted like canned chicken! The guacamole paste was very salty and I don't know what the other sauce was suppose to be! It tasted like tomatoes that had been sitting in a jar of pennies! It was nasty! But I was hungry and I wasn't about to send another meal back in fear of what I would end up with. The other couple we were with got the fried oysters and they looked and tasted like something you would get in the frozen section of the grocery store. And way over priced! We were still hungry and dissatisfied with our meals so we wanted to get dessert...sweets fix everthing right?? Well, we got the key lime pie and it had such a thin crust and tasted like cool whip with chunks of key lime and green food coloring. It was just Ok as well. Service started off well but then quickly got bad and that started before I complained about my meal. It took about 15 min just to get our checks! Oh and let me not forget we asked to split the appetizer on our checks and the waiter put both the split appetizers on ONE check and added fries and a drink on the other check which was incorrect! What?? It was only about a $2 difference so we just went with it. Atmosphere is very outdated, needs modernized. They have some weird ice falling from the ceiling into the bar area. So to sum it up, if you dare to try this place I would ask the staff what their recommendations are. The BBQ shrimp was good but over priced. There's a lot of items on the menu. If they would shorten the list of items they could focus more on the dishes and make them all good instead of only a few. This place would benefit from HELLS KITCHEN NIGHTMARE! It has great potential because of its location. I'm giving it 3 stars because of the BBQ shrimp.
(3)Linda R.
Ate here while vacationing in Chattanooga, great restaurant!!! Food was delicious, I had the veggie panini, so yummy and my husband ordered the quesidilla, both were so fresh and tasty!! Great view, great food & great ambiance!! Not many places have waterfront views but this place does!! We sat outside and they have misters that keep you cool, an added bonus ;)
(5)Trish B.
Great view of the river! Nice ambiance for a casual dinner - love their feta appetizer and California salad with roasted chicken. Delish!
(5)Rachel B.
Oysters and view were both amazing!!! We waited at the bar while waiting on our table which was also fun and nice!
(5)Judy B.
Terrible and rude servers. From the hostess, to the bartender, to the waitresses. Very arrogant and not customer friendly. That's to bad seeing that the owner claims in his website to offer great benefits, training, etc. in order to have and keep the best servers around. Hmmmmmm.....I would definitely question that.
(2)Daniel E.
My wife, three children and i all ate at the Boathouse Rotisserie restaurant on our last day in Chattanooga for Memorial Day Weekend. This was our first time visiting. We started off with the oysters on the half shell and then we all had the El Scorcho Shellfish Stew. it was phenomenal. Filling, Tasty, Beautiful view of the water and our server, Omar, was very attentive, polite and gave us incredible service. The next time we go to Tennessee, we will DEFINITELY make another trip there. IT was a perfect experience. Kudos.
(5)Richard B.
Excellent meal.... One of the best clam chowders I've had. Cream based, but it's all about the clams and clam flavor. The Oysters were fresh, chilled and succulent. The Fire Roasted Oysters were also special. Great flavor from the fire roasting and the Juicy flavor of the Oyster wasn't lost in the cheese and bacon. Margaritas were delicious. Only reason I didn't give it five stars was the raw clams. They were very tasty, but on the small side. I prefer a nice Top Neck with a little meat to them. These were more of a steaming size. We went on a Wednesday night in December and there was a nice crowd there but it wasn't packed. We were seated right away. I suspect some of the poorer reviews might have come on nights when the place was packed... Our waiter and service were great. He said they can have hour waits or longer, especially when the weather is nice. So my suggestion is to try this mid week... Everyone else in our party of four enjoyed their meals as well.... It is definitely on my list for a return visit when we are back in the area....
(4)Jay D.
Excellent food! Oysters were fresh and flavorful, the tilapia with black beans and rice is wonderful from the aroma to the taste! Service was sub-par but because of the food, I gave it 5 stars.
(5)Greg W.
Excellent! Family favorite. Lotta Garlic Chicken, Spit Fired Chicken, and of course the housemade guacamole. Can't beat the view either.
(5)Leto Z.
Parking is tough. Friday night especially Thankfully I had one after 10 minutes of driving around. I'm writing to let you know that I had a pleasurable experience at this restaurant but my food wasn't the best. I recall my past experiences were above average but something just wasn't hitting the spot. Enjoyed the Chicken Quesadilla but my entree which was the full Salmon came with French Fries was not good.
(3)Jay S.
I was visiting from New Hampshire to see a friend that has just moved to Cleveland , he knows I like good food so suggested the Boathouse , we arrived about 6:30 on Friday 5/23/14 it was very busy so we had to wait for an outside table , we went into the bar and we're greeted by a very friendly bartender , we had two Lawton Rita's that we're great , then our table on the deck became available ! It was perfect ,the sun was setting and the river was beautiful ! We had the Guacamole ,and the Poblano Stuffed Pepper for apps , they were both beyond excellent !!!! Then we had Voodo Chicken and the Trout Almondine again excellent !!!! This was a great dinning experience !!! The View ,The service and the Food were excellent and I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was " we had 3 Lawton Rita's each " my friend already knows when I come back to visit ,we are going to the Boathouse !
(5)Melissa B.
Stopped on our way through and had a fantastic lunch that did not take long at all. Great smell of wood smoked everything from outside. Had the made to order clam chowder - out of this world. My husband had the steak sandwich which was also incredible. Sides are great. Service was wonderful and the view and atmosphere is so relaxing. Highly recommended!
(5)Jeff C.
Guess I'm a sucker. I read lots of bad reviews and still went here anyway. Food was actually OK but service was terrible as lots of others said (the worst reviews I saw were on my phone's GPS system). Clearly this place gets by on tourists who want a view (which honestly isn't spectacular) who don't know any better and even though most won't return they get enough tourists to where it doesn't matter. Uncaring and/or incompetent owners are the only way to explain a place that consistently gets bad reviews and takes no action to fix it. In our case they forgot our appetizer took 15 minutes to bring my toddler aged daughter's drinks then brought my wife and my entrees a good 10 minutes before our daughters (even then only after we asked). We specifically asked at the time our entrees were dropped off to have our appetizer canceled and yet when they brought the check it was still on the ticket (adding another 10 minutes to our visit while they redid it). Had they been crazy busy or had the server been apologetic or tried to make it up to us it wouldn't have been a big deal. Neither was the case; just terrible service from a place that apparently prides itself on it. As I said the food was actually decent if a tad overpriced but with service this bad it's not worth going into detail over. Oh, and as others have complained, there is not a children's menu and the cheapest entree is about 9 bucks. We were lucky that we have 2 daughters who could split 1 item, but I'd be even more irritated if I just had 1 kid and had to shell out that much for their meal.
(1)Scott H.
If you are looking for a very limited selection of food that tastes just ok but at an exorbitant price...this is the place for you. We went on Friday Night, 3/23/2012. The service was mediocre, the food was not very good. First, they have no kids menu so parents please keep that in mind. We ended up ordering my 6 year old son a cheese quesadilla. It came out with next to no cheese at all and the food runner spilled hot sauce on 1 of the 4 that he got. The guy did not even apologize or anything. My wife ordered clam chowder and it was very runny. It had pretty good flavor but had very few potatoes and was way too runny. We ended up going with a few appetizers rather than entrees. We got fried calamari...this was the highlight of the meal. Pretty good but they did not give enough cocktail sauce with it. I asked for more and of course, the waitress never brought it to the table. We had pork nachos with feta cheese. This was pretty good but not great. We had an order of onion rings that were not very good at all. Basically, the view was ok on the river (not great by any means as there is really not much to look at to be perfectly honest. When the bill came it was $63. Had it been $23 it would have been worth it. However, at $63, they are lucky I even gave it 2 stars.....but hey, I am feeling kind of generous tonight. At the end of the day, I guess the takeaway for anyone reading this review is I definitely do not recommend this place and I would never go back. The food was not terrible but was nowhere near being worth the price. Also, for a "seafood" restaurant the selection was so limited. No crab legs, no lobster, a limited selection of fish etc... I cannot believe so many people gave this place a good review.
(2)Tara R.
I don't get it, haters. The Boathouse is great. I see many reviewers complaining about service. Over the course of several visits, I had one bad service experience (the waitress wasn't rude so much as she was an airhead). Honestly, this is a pretty standard experience at every Chattanooga restaurant I frequent so it just isn't that deep. I suspect that visitors expect more from the Boathouse because of its prime riverfront location and lovely view. I wonder if customers go in expecting an upscale establishment. The Boathouse is actually quite laid back and that's one of the things I love about it. The food is mostly very good and reasonably priced. The Lotta Lotta Garlic chicken platter is one of my favorite entrees. I tend to visit during happy hour, when they offer excellent drink specials, tasty $2 tacos and sliders, and $2.50 off oysters and appetizers. It usually isn't too crazy busy at that time, which may explain why the service has been fine. Grab a seat on the deck if it's warm, but the atmosphere inside is also quite pleasant. I dig their touristy postcard themed murals of local attractions.
(4)V K.
Great trout almondine and margaritas and fried foods. Crowded and hot. Prices are extremely reasonable.
(4)Troy T.
Love, Love, Love the Boathouse ! It's been a regular spot for me when cruising into Chattanooga. When you walk in, there is a hostess ready to greet you in a typical seafood styled old boat / pier house meets wood roasted ambiance. They have a rectangle bar with ice dropping from the ceiling into a ice container and a small area that is reserved for my favorite - SHUCKING oysters. The wood fire roasted smell permeates throughout the place. They have a huge dinning area with and outside sitting area that wraps 180 degrees around the sides and back of the building w/ gives you amazing views of the Tennessee river and parts of downtown Chattanooga. Most times I belly up to the bar and get a wedge salad, raw oysters and of course wood fire roasted oysters with garlic butter, asiago cheese and bacon.... YEAH, I said bacon! So, of course today was no different and I had the same thing. You cant ask for better staff, who are friendly and answer any question on the menu. I have always asked how long the bartender has been with the restaurant and like always, more than 5 years is typical. Not one time has it been less that 5 years and some as long as the 10 years that the restaurant has been open. I love that and you can see the happiness in their faces when they talk about it. If you get the chance, I reccommend you pop in....
(4)Mina C.
Love this place. Try Fried Calamari and Wood Grilled Squid. Great Happy Hour deal as well.
(5)Ryan W.
Horrible service. The food was less than spectacular and the waitress chewed out my father-in-law for asking for a spoon too many times. Who brings soup without a freaking spoon anyways? Absolutely uncalled for and couldn't believe it was so pricey to get treated like crap on a Sunday afternoon.
(1)Lincoln F.
Grabbed Lunch here today, and was quite impressed! The heaters on the porch made for a great outdoor dining experience even in the middle of January! I got the grilled shrimp, they were quite good and the olive fries are great! Would recommend!
(5)Bob Q.
Don't confuse atmosphere with quality food. The facilities are really nice, right on the river with fantastic view of the water. The food however did not measure up. I ordered fried catfish and was served 8 or so small fish squares. Tasted like it came from a big bag of frozen fish pieces. Not very good. The cole slaw had a funky taste. Didn't eat it. The fries were plentiful and good as they were used to cover the fish nuggets. This place may have better things on the menu but this was a let down
(1)Claire A.
Perhaps I like the boathouse because I come from some landlocked town with no good seafood but the atmosphere is fun and the food always tastes fresh. This seafood shack has excellent po'boys and you can add any number of sides. I prefer the wood grilled whole okra. I rarely find a restaurant that cooks okra that way. The prices are moderate and there's ample parking. On a sunny day you can sit on the patio and look out over the water. Being November, we were stuck inside but it was still enjoyable.
(4)cliff m.
Went here on a work night around 5PM. Already the place was packed with a waiting line and parking was a hassle. View was nice. Had the grilled salmon which was burnt and tough on the outside and undercooked inside. Obviously they were in a hurry. Came with rough cut raw cabbage with this bizarre, oily, hot sauce which was just awful. Wait staff was competent, but rather hurried. Not exactly the kind of place for a quiet relaxing dinner. Kudos on the key lime pie though, it was quite good. I might try this place again, but if they can't grill a salmon steak correctly, that's pretty sad.
(2)Pete W.
Pros: Unimaginably good oysters for Chattanooga, TN. Who would have thought? Nice atmosphere, friendly waitstaff and a good view. It's a great place for a casual dinner. Cons: The food is probably 3 stars as it's unimpressive.
(4)Ann J.
Boy the reviews on this one are all over the map. I have probably been to the Boathouse 6-7 times and have not experienced bad service. The only snafu is when I order one of the Scorcho dishes .... it always comes out later than my dinner companion's dishes ... but they always have explained ahead that it would. Why they don't just hold back the other orders and deliver them all at the same time, I'm not sure. That's not a terribly classy way to serve. However, I love the Scorcho and it's wonderful broth. Can't get enough of their delicious, chewy bread to soak up the juices. So I wait an extra few minutes while everyone else already has their meal. Ideal, no. The calamari has been a good choice every time. Love their key lime pie. My husband has ordered the chowder and you have to understand that it isn't New England style. It is Boathouse style and we think it's delicious. Fresh clams make it happen. My book club decided to do our holiday get-together there and we were wondering how that would work out (they don't take a reservation). There were 8 of us. I wasn't thrilled with the tables they were pushing together for us in a heavily trafficed part of the large dining room. When I asked if we could have a better spot, they offered us a table in a nice, cozy room to the back. Service was very attentive that evening. It was perfect and a grand time was had by all.
(4)Susan M.
I'm from Atlanta, GA and whenever I take a trip to Chattanooga, the first place I go is to Boathouse. I love sitting outside and enjoying the view while eating. You won't find a better atmosphere or ambience in Chattanooga. Some of the food dishes might be a little overpriced but from 2-6 they have great deals so I always go between those times. The hot legs are a must! Delicious and at $.60 you really can't go wrong. I ordered the feta cheese dip expecting it to be a creamy dip but was surprised when they brought the "dip" to the table and it was just cubes of feta cheese in a bowl with some oil. The service has been a bit slow before (9 out of 10 times service is great) but I go for the great food and views. I'm never in a rush while I'm there so waiting a few extra minutes isn't an issue. I was torn between 4 and 5 stars for this place but I figured if I make an hour long drive just to eat at boathouse then it must be 5 stars.
(5)Hillary H.
I had such a fun time at this restaurant! I will definitely be going back the next time I am in Chattanooga. I was visiting Chattanooga on a girl's weekend with two of my best friends. We chose The Boat House for our Saturday night meal and WOW what a great pick! The restaurant was bustling and busy and there was a short wait, but it flew by with drinks at the bar. The bartenders were friendly and knew their stuff, and I would highly recommend their margarita!! We were seated by a window with an amazing view of the river. For an appetizer, we got the onion rings which were crispy, delicious, and came with an amazing dipping sauce that we couldn't get enough of! One of my friends got the salad with salmon, and she loved it. I tried her salmon and it was fresh and well seasoned. I ordered the wood-fired grilled tilapia and it was delicious! Smokey and buttery, it came with rice and black beans, and some of the best salsa I have tasted in Tennessee. My other friend got the fried shrimp, which came with delicious tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, AND a heaping pile of seriously good french fries. We were all happy with our choices. Despite being SO full, we couldn't pass up dessert and treated ourselves to the key lime pie at the end which was phenomenal!! Refreshing and light. Overall, a great experience. Wonderfully friendly staff, satisfying food, and a one-of-a-kind view. I will definitely be back.
(5)Carol Ann M.
First time and we are locals... Sat at the bar, the bartender was obviously experienced and very good to us. Had a few beverages before food. We asked her opinion on appetizers, she recommended queso and salsa, it was a good choice... I just ordered a chicken sandwich and a side salad (which had delicious dressing) and my date had a garlic chicken dish, which I thought was over priced but all in all it was very delicious and we will be back. (I realize it is a seafood place but I am allergic to shell fish or I would have ordered differently)
(5)Dennis A.
First Impressions: After struggling a bit to find a parking spot, we opted for an outside seat, which required some wait due to the nice weather. Our seat had a great view of the TN River and we watched a very nice sunset as the night progressed. The menu has a fair number of options, all very reasonably priced for what I thought was a very nice location. Food Impressions: I had the Voodoo chicken and enjoyed it quite a bit. It was very tasty, and the hot dipping sauce made it fantastic. My black beans and rice were remarkably flavorless, though. The other folks at my table had mixed reactions to their food: One enjoyed their catfish, while another gave it a 'meh'. A fourth guest felt the garlic chicken was an unusually small portion of chicken (one breast), but I thought it had plenty of sides to balance it. The key lime pie was quite good and everyone enjoyed it. Final thoughts: Lots of mixed reviews here, particularly regarding service, which I agree was not extraordinary by any means. The food was decent and I think the quality was on par with the price. They definitely would benefit from a better beer selection.
(3)Jin K.
Pros: The seating outside has an awesome view of the river. It's nice and breezy and I could sit out there forever. The host at the door was very friendly when we called to see if a reservation was needed and when he greeted us at the door. The waitress was adequate but she did get busy. Cons: The food was very mediocre except the raw oysters. They were very good and fresh. My friend got the fried oysters, salmon salad and I got the shrimp po boy. All of the dishes were very bland. The shrimps were a good size for the po boy but didn't really taste like anything. I had to ask for extra cocktail sauce to pour over it. I would probably go back for the atmosphere only if I got to sit outside on a nice day. And I would probably only order from the raw bar.
(3)Andrew K.
The atmosphere here is great! You walk in and you've got a good load of flat screens with sports playing inside. You have loads of windows facing the river with a great view. And some good food to boot. I enjoyed the brisket sandwich - really liked how the bbq sauce is served on the side so i'm not left with a mess of soggy bread. Brisket was pretty good and so was the sauce. Fries were good too. Service was nice. There was a bit of a wait at the weekday lunch rush - so plan ahead! It's a little on the expensive side as opposed to the cheaper end, but still - all in all - definitely a winner - will be back.
(4)Anastacia B.
Whenevers I am in Chattanooga I like to stop on in the Boathouse for some specific items. I discovered their guacamole is insanely perfect. They bring it out and it's layers of avocado, finely chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, minced cilantro, minced jalapeños, and quartered limes. You mix it up yourself at the table. The avocados are always perfectly ripe. I also always get a margarita. They're super good. And to go along with it I ordered the shrimp Po' Boy. The shrimp are HUGE and fried in a light batter. There's to many to fit on the sanwhich and fit your mouth around it. If you can get here for happy hour you are golden- everything is generally half price and you can get smaller portions. We did have a really disappointing experience- my friend was trying to order lunch for her 5 year old son. There is no kids menu and the waitress ended up steering her into the large order of the shrimp dinner. WAYYYYY to much food for a little kid and it was twenty some dollars. Really tacky if you ask me. Our meals came in around $12. Yikes.
(4)Tiffany J.
Came straight to Boathouse from Nashville on a weekend getaway in Chattanooga. We requested a table outside with great views of the river. There were fans on the patio so it wasn't unbearably hot (went in July). The servers were very friendly and responsive. We wanted to sample a lot of different options and thankfully got there in time for lunch, so we ordered all the small sandwiches on their lunch menu. The catfish taco was by far the best (and some of the best catfish I have ever had). Their guacamole was really good and the chips seemed homemade and were awesome. The chicken salad sandwich was ok, not my favorite. Great BBQ - pork and brisket. The shrimp po'boy was delicious. We also had some of the legs, the voodoo was great and I would recommend if you like soy sauce. The bbq leg was also really good with thick bbq sauce.
(4)Kelly M.
Food Great, Great Atmosphere, although the service lacks a lot to be desired. this place could SO be 5 stars if the waiters were not yawning (at 7-8pm) and understood the need to appear to want to please the customer.
(4)Anne L.
Nice ambiance. Had a wonderful lunch with my bff from college. Wish we had sat on the deck but it was crowded. Wanted to have some oysters but wasn't to sure of the freshness. I am use to places that open them at the bar. These were in a cooler. Drinks were great. The view was great.
(3)Krista S.
Great views of the Tennessee River and good food. My favorite is the Voodoo Chicken. It's always so tasty. The rice and beans are okay, but the chicken is wonderful. It's a great place to have a leisurely meal.
(4)Amy T.
Visited Chattanooga for the weekend with another couple and our kids, and they recommend this restaurant. From the look of the place, I had really high expectations. There was a wait, so we put our names on the list and headed to the bar to grab a drink. First, the bartender didn't know how to make a Malibu Bay Breeze! C'mon man! This is like bartending 101. After my husband told him how to make it, it wasn't bad. A little heavy on the Malibu, which I prefer anyways :) As I looked over the menu, had a two big gripes: 1) all of the entrees come with "Olive Fries", which from my understanding is french fries fried in olive oil. I guess that's OK if I had wanted fried shrimp, or fried fish. Now, what I really wanted was a piece of grilled fish and a baked potato, but they didn't have a baked potato on the menu. It was like grilled vegetables, or Olive Fries. Disappointing. I ended up with a pretty good piece of grilled salmon and french fries. Just a weird combo to me even though it tasted good. 2) No kids menu! We ordered our son the chicken quesadilla appetizer as his meal. It was very good, but way too big of a portion for a young child. The redeeming factor, and the reason I give 3 stars and not 2, are the raw oysters. Very, very good and fresh!
(3)Anthony A.
The wife and I set a course for a dining experience from Huntsville on a whim, and we found a pearl of a place on the bank of the Tennessee River in The Boathouse. A forty minute wait on a Saturday nite was well worth it. Service was friendly and professional which always makes or breaks a great experience. After placing our order, we had fun taking in the sites of the nautical themed dining room, making the 15 min period between order and entree a delight. Highly recommend the feta, olive oil, and caramelized garlic dip and bread. Portions were satisfying. Food was well prepared. Thank you to The Boathouse for an enjoyable dining experience.
(4)Dawn P.
I have been to the Boathouse many times and never wrote a review before as my mother always told me, if you don't have anything nice to day, don't say anything. But my visit last night was finally moving towards a positive experiance. On previous visits the food was overpriced and blah, in a nutshell. My DH's father wanted to go for a nice dinner and since it's been a long time I went with an open mind. I want to state I would give it 4 stars for the food, but the wait staff, ambiance and food presentation lowered it... They don't take reservations, but they will let you call ahead. When we got there we only waited 5 minutes tops and were seated. The waitress was extremely pleasant and at first was there for us. We asked for a few minutes so that we can look over the menu and that's where it all started to go wrong. When the waitress finally came back I ordered their specialty drink Caipirinha, which for $7.50 came in a rock glass filled with ice and very little drink. To top it off the glass was sticky and I had to wrap a napkin around it to hold it. I finally got a glass of water with lemon. We ordered the mussels which are served with a white wine sauce of garlic, butter and pernod. $13 (maybe 12 mussels, way overpriced) It came with a basket of bread, which normally I would dip into the sauce, but they were so heavy handed with the pernod it wasn't enjoyable. I went to use the pepper and the pepper grinder had a liquid in it and I had to ask for another. (which by the way took 2 people and 20 minutes) Dinner was mediocre at best. I got the wood grilled Tilapia which was to be served with Arugale, red onion and white rice and beans. The Tilipia did have a wonderful smoky flavor but it was put on top of the arugala and there was some heavy oil over everything which made the arugala inedible. Also the red onions wasn't there. Instead it was a huge chunk of nasty white onion. The red beans bland. There was some sort of dressing in two cups that I didnt use due to the horrible taste. My DH got the fried oysters and olive oil fried potato's. Now that was amazing (and it should be for $18.95) My Dh's father got the Salmon which he replaced the olive oil fries with a baked sweet potato and it was good. He was the only one who cleaned his plate clean. NO dessert as it was just too noisy in there. Overall the food was overpriced, but for seafood it was better than some of the local places. That said they need to watch how they plate the food and stop being heavy handed on oils. Would I go back? Not for dinner. I think this place would get 5 stars if it was only a "bar" type atmosphere. If you sit outside you are right on the Tennessee River. Go for drinks and appetizers and you will have an amazing experiance. For a full dinner? eh....
(3)Leeann M.
I've always been disappointed here. After trying for several years for this place to get-it-right with me, it just falls short on service, fare and atmosphere. Getting into the restaurant itself feels like a circus. But if you make it past there, the seafood is all right. Nothing better than Red Lobster - and I hate that I just compared something to Red Lobster - the shame!! I feel like this place has always had so much potential, but has just never lived up to the hype. These days, it's become a scene I'm not interested in. Here's to hoping maybe one day Boathouse will crack the code.
(2)Katie P.
This place is amazeballs!! Seriously, it's so good it's going to haunt me. My parents have been stopping here for the last several years on their way to, and home from, vacation. This year I flew down and joined them and drove back up to Chicago with them. This place is worth every bit of praise and then-some! We started with the stuffed poblano based on the reviews on Yelp and tips on Foursquare. We also got the wood grilled calamari. The pepper was good, but the calamari easily claimed a spot in the top five best things I've ever eaten in my entire life. I can't even being to properly describe how good it was. I also got the chicken sandwich and it was perfect! The view is spectacular and the service was pretty darn good! I didn't think I'd be all that impressed after hearing my parents talk about the place for the last five years or so but it completely lived up to the hype.
(5)Cliff C.
Wife and I hit the Boathouse as a drive by. Our meals were very good. They did a very speedy recovery to my wife's salad with grilled salmon which was burned beyond.....even smelled bad. One of the best recoveries I have experienced. Salad with lump crabmeat was excellent! Wait staff was friendly, though at times just a bit on the slow side. Menu is interesting, though a bit disappointing to a seafood lover. I was expecting to see a wider selection of fish. Prices are commensurate with the quality. Would definitely recommend.
(4)Marianne D. W.
I've been here several times on visits from California and the high rating is a combination of sitting on the outside deck in great weather right on the Tennessee River and enjoying nice food. Not amazing food, but consistently good when we come here for lunch. Two of the best things are the grilled string beans (nicely salted and more wilted than crisp but very good. Get them as a side to share with your iced tea or beer before your food comes) and the white lightning chili with chicken and white beans. (Nicely spicy and only about $6 for a bowl.) The portobello mushroom is a favorite of my TN friend. It comes piled high with goodies and sits in a creamy sauce. The fries are crispy crunchy and greasy in a surprisingly good way. You can also get a sweet potato cooked in ash (?) that was creamy inside and comes with brown sugar and butter to mix in. It can get busy but if the outside deck is open it's worth the wait. Oh, and if you sit at the oval bar, you can watch the ice cubes drop down a tube from the ceiling into the container in the center of the bar. Maybe it's more interesting if you've had a few drinks.
(4)Tom G.
Best shrimp in town
(4)Matthew B.
The view and and atmosphere on the deck make the restaurant tolerable to pleasant for an occasional visit. The poblano pepper is good, but most of the food is nothing special yet non-offending, stuff like quesadillas and rotisserie chicken. The wait can also be a bit long to get a table if you are waiting for the deck at dinner, and they do not take reservations.
(4)Debbie S.
Outstanding . . . Food, atmosphere and view. Everyone in our party of six raved about their food. Great service! The manager took the time to give us the highlights of the menu and our server was helpful in answering our questions. Next time we're in town we'll be sure to visit.
(5)Alan L.
Heard some good things about the Boat House, decided to give it a try. Place was a lot noisier than I would have imagined. Food was average, not bad, not great. Since they specialized in seafood, I expected a little bit more, but i guess I'm spoiled since I'm from Florida. Was definitely disappointed in the portion size. Left feeling still hungry.
(3)Gwen K.
We've been here twice, and have loved it both times. Great food and service, and beautiful view of the river. You can walk along the river after your meal - lovely place!
(5)Robert P.
Went to dinner there on a Wednesday night. Place was not crowded at all so we didn't have a problem getting a table, which I've heard can be a serious problem on weekends. First problem, we sat at our table for twenty minutes before anyone showed up to bring us water or take our drink order. Then it was another twenty minutes before they came back with our drinks and to take our food order. No explanation, no "sorry we're understaffed tonight", nothing. Looking at the menu I was surprised that there was not a whole heck of a lot of seafood options for a seafood place. Raw oysters, fried shrimp and two grilled fish entrees seemed to be about it. I ordered the Grilled Talapia with a side order of the Wood Grilled Green Beans. I could not tell if either of them were grilled or not because both were completely swimming in oil. There was so much oil on the plate you really could not taste the fish at all and the green beans were soaked and mushy. Pretty much the entire plate was just gross. Overall, this place does not live up anywhere close to the hype, the service was terrible and the food is NOT worth it at all. I won't be going back.
(1)Richard P.
Shrimp po boy was good but I have to wonder how a restaurant cannot have a kids menu.
(3)Zach G.
Only need 1 reason for me to go to this place: Poblano Pepper Grilled & Stuffed with Rotisserie Chicken, Queso & Feta Cheese Topped with Avocado & Chips. Yes Please.
(5)Renee H.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of enjoying two dining experiences at the Boathouse. The first visit was a large group of people and we shared numerous appetizers, shrimp dishes, oysters, mini Po-Boys among us. There was nothing I didn't really, really like. I did find my favorites though, and the next time we went I had an order of the fried mushrooms all to myself (I couldn't get enough of them!) and a full size Shrimp Po-Boy. Even compared to a Po-Boy I had in New Orleans, it was the best ever! Highly recommend this place!
(5)M P.
Oysters, baby!! Lots and lots of oysters!!! Lovely ambiance right by the river with a backdrop of a giant map painting... It's really nice!!! Too bad it's a little out there, otherwise I'd go more often!!
(4)cat w.
Very nice restaurant. The view is lovely right on the river and both the service and food were excellent
(4)Esther K.
I drove up to Chatt from Atlanta to spend the day and because I always have to have seafood when there's a coastline involved, I yelped and found Boathouse. The outdoor seating is nice. The tables weren't too close to each other, as tables often are at places with outside seating. The sweet tea is great. It toes the line between super sweet and way too sweet. And the fried oysters, oh boy, delicious. The breading isn't too heavy, just crunchy enough to provide a good contrast with the texture of the oysters. The fried oysters come with olive oil fries, but I wasn't in a fry-like mood, so I substituted island slaw, and I wish I hadn't done that. The slaw is weird. It tasted to me like cabbage with lemon juice. Nothing fantastic. I was able to make it palatable by topping it with tartar sauce, but still, I'd suggest avoiding it. Overall, good food, good prices, good atmosphere. I wouldn't hesitate to come back next time I'm in the area.
(4)JD L.
Amazing atmosphere, food, & service. I recommend the Voodoo Chicken - it is on the bone, though - and the oysters - both raw & fried. The Wood-Grilled Salmon wasn't the best - a little too fishy - but the dipping sauces served with it made up for it.
(5)Bradley C.
I started eating at The Boathouse 3 years ago. Initially it was pretty good food and I reccomended it to many people. Lately the food quality has dropped off greatly. Olive oil fries used to be crispy and tasted great, now they are floppy and mushy, every time. Fried oyster po' boy is hardly edible anymore. Soggy oysters and soggy bread. Only thing good about the place anymore is the view. Service is marginal. Was disappointed to hear recently about the attitude of one of the general partners to a customer's complaint/question. Will not go back and will not reccomend to friends anymore.
(1)Zach L.
Great Sunday Brunch! Had salmon bisque and chicken sandwich item which is not the correct name of the dish. Both had so much flavor and was one of a kind. Great place. Will be back again
(5)Deric C.
Eh. i'm allergic to peanuts so i was pretty disappointed to find out that they use peanut oil exclusively. on nearly everything. even down to the "wood-fire green beans" ... somehow peanut oil found it's way in. i tried to order the veggie panini but apparently the stuff they put in it is pre-mixed (do mushrooms really need peanut oil on them? really.) you would think after asking for a few different items the waitress would've attemped to find me something besides a salad to order, but perhaps the kitchen is just that contaminated. so food wise, my review is based on two things. the 3 beers i had and a wedge salad (well three things, the third being a nice buzz at the end of the meal). the 3 beers were Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale (bottle, not draft). they really should remove the Extra from it, it wasn't that extra. but it was pretty decent (better then the Big River IPA i had the night before). nice that they had a full bar, but i'd have appreciated a better "on tap" selection. the wedge salad was my only food item and was definitely below par. I'm glad that the bleu cheese had crumbled bleu cheese chunks in it, but the lettuce hadn't been dried very well, so it made it very watery. the buzz however was very excellent. 3 beers go a long way if you only have half a salad. if you aren't allergic to peanuts though, this place is probably pretty good. everyone in my group raved about their food, the atmosphere is rather nice (+1 for the ice shooting from the ceiling down into the bar area) and i'm sure the view was pretty good (though at night it was hard to see and they had to close the outside patio due to the storm coming in).
(2)Jeff K.
Great place to kick back at the bar for beer & oysters. The menu is different than I expected. Great raw bar & good selection of brew on tap. Full bar. Ask your server about kids menu, picky kids may go hungry. Good size portions.
(3)Jonathan B.
Go Here! Don't think twice! Killer rotisserie and super raw-bar! Don't waste your time or money anywhere else! I've been to Chattanooga 3 times, always for business. The first time I was here I didn't have a lot of time to really care about where I ate....ended up at Chili's. The second time I was here, I ended up at some other local downtown joint. Had a beer and asked the bartender where he'd go if he didn't have to work the bar....he sent me the Boathouse. It was a Monday night and I was ecstatic to dive into freshly delivered raw oysters. Great, awesome, beautiful oysters. Bartenders were very attentive and personable, and it was a great experience. Right on the river, dry-ice packed beer taps (no lie, they were frozen....best draft beers around!!!) This was my third night in Chattanooga and after checking out a few other places and not being certain, knew that I'd have a good time at the Boathouse. The Steelers were playing for the AFC, so I started with a Sweetwater Geogia Brown, a bowl of the Salmon Bisque (their soups are all prepared fresh...you've gotta try the soups!!), and they had a 1/2 bbq chicken on special....phenomenal. The Steelers won, the beer was cold, and my dinner was outstanding. Love this place. Wish I lived in Chattanooga!
(5)Tyler P.
I was in town from Florida for my mothers birthday. The oysters and shrimp were top notch. The shrimp were so big it took 3 bites to get them down. The oysters were very fresh and cheaper than my neck of the woods. I had the trout and it was above average. We were treated with a beautiful sunset on the river. Chattanooga doesnt know how good they have it with the Boathouse Restaurant.
(5)Sara Z.
Ridiculously unnecessary long wait for a mere 5 people, or as this restaurant calls it "a large party." We were told five tables ahead of us when we walked in, about an hour later we still had not been set after the others ahead of us were starting to leave. When I finally got a bit peeved about it I was told they were going to talk with a manager. Mysteriously a table appeared. Funny though, on our way to the table we past a five seater and 3 tables that could have easily sat 5 people. We never would have waited an hour had they told of us their issue with seating such "large parties" from the get go. As you can figure out, I dont like waiting such a long time and for no apparent reason. We would have definitely left and found another establishment on this Wednesday evening. Food was okay. The manager obviously knew there was an "issue" an apology would have been nice. Please management don't comment here on Yelp how unfortunate this was, you had your opportunity while we sat in your restaurant for almost 2 hours.
(2)Charles F.
I didn't think I would like it as much as I did as the menu is pretty heavily full of plates with everything on them deep fried, but I was really nicely surprised by the tilapia which had some wonderful flavor (a very tasty sauce) and came with a solid rice pilaf. There is a nice view of the river and the country club. Parking, at lunchtime, was really awful (but that's the sign of a place people like - no parking left). Overall I wavered between three and four stars but the place feels old and the heaps of fried food sent me to a three.
(3)Chattanooga Property Shop R.
The boathouse patio has the best view of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. On gorgeous days, it can get packed, but it is always worth the wait! Pair the gorgeous view with their table side guacamole and a Lawton margarita, and you have a perfect day!
(4)Stephanie T.
Love the space and the location right on the river. The queso and salsa appetizer is fabulous. I couldn't decide if I liked the green or red salsa the best. I could just eat chips and salsa and be perfectly happy. I was craving a Bloody Mary so got one of those...it wasn't anything extraordinary, but it was a decent one. Had the biggest stalk of celery I've ever seen in the glass though. LOL. I ordered their Clam Chowder bowl and a wedge salad. The wedge salad was very good, with 2 thick slices of local bacon on it, still sizzling. The green onions had been grilled and had a wonderful smoky, grilled flavor. Great touch. The Clam Chowder was a bit different. First off they say they make it to order...I'm a tad confused by that as you really need chowder to simmer and cook for awhile to get all those flavors to merge. So basically they had the cream stock and then added just 4-5 clams, still in the shell, in to the soup. There were only a few small bites of potato as well. it comes in a gigantic size bowl that makes it seem as though there is a lot of soup, though it's mostly just bowl. That was ok because I didn't finish it. Those 4-5 clams were very fishy tasting. It was quite off putting. And because they didn't get to cook into the chowder for awhile, they just seemed like an afterthought. I basically paid $10.95, that's right $10.95 for a bowl of cream soup with a few clams thrown in. They only serve it with oyster crackers as well, so I asked for bread. Not sure what happened but I felt sick to my stomach a couple of hours later. I would gladly go and have the appetizer and the wedge salad anytime, but cannot recommend the Clam Chowder. Though I can see how that's a money maker for them. HUGE profit margin.
(3)Frank M.
This should have negative stars. Number one they had a very blatant Heath code violation! Pipes above bar were raining fluids. Post eating my meal which tasted pretty ok, not the best, I had nausea, chills and later diarrhea that was so painful I thought I was gonna die Bottom line don't eat here unless you can eat fecal material and salmonella!!
(1)Mark D.
Real good mojito's and a couple other cocktails. Only ordered from the raw bar for us. It was OK but not much better. Had oysters; nothing special and the clam chowder. Great view and a fun place. Go again? Probably not but I was a tourist in Chattanooga anyway.
(3)Sungjae J.
I wanted to have some drinks and food by the river while I was visiting and came here.. most of the customers here were middle aged or seniors so it's not a restaurant for the young crowd. we waited for like 15-20mins I think before someone walks in and asks what the wait was...and it was very obvious that the customer knew the staff. Couple of more comments back and forth and on the way they to be seated.. I guess its about who you know here and it is like that at other places too so I'm not raising hell but that was not cool. just got couple of drinks and got some appetizers nice view... meh.. won't be returning..
(2)Matthew R.
Meh. The steamed clams were good. Queso was a joke. Fire roasted oysters had potential, but needed some more depth. Decent view and glad we tried it.
(3)Kim S.
This place was great! Just what we were hoping for! For the river being such a beautiful attraction in this town, it is darn difficult to find a decent restaurant that is actually ON the river. We had a party of 5 including a 10 year old. We all had no problem finding plenty of appealing options on the menu. We requested a table on the back deck with a view of the river, and though the place was pretty full, we were seated promptly. The hostesses were helpful and friendly. Our server was also friendly and warm and promptly showed up to take our drink orders. It was happy hour, so the grown-ups started off with some drinks. Delicious margaritas, and tasty, fresh beer on tap! The Capairina was over the top though. The sugar cane alcohol has a flavor like moonshine and was way too gnarly for me! We got guacamole to start off, and it was impressively good! It comes chunky, which means you get to mash it up yourself. A huge pet peeve of mine is being served avos that are less than perfect. These were absolutely perfect and the combo of tomatoes, onions and cilantro was right on the mark!! So good. I also had to try the grilled okra. Granted, I love okra, but I'd never had it grilled, and this dish was super good! Our server, though busy, was attentive throughout the meal, and we never wanted for anything. Drinks were always refilled before they were empty, and our food all arrived in perfect timing without a hitch. I had the barbecued pork sandwich, and it was great! Tender, house-smoked pork, with a well made bbq sauce served on the side. The meat had a delicious smoky flavor that I loved. The fries were also great... crispy without being greasy. Everyone at the table really enjoyed everything they ordered! All was delicious! Though the place was crowded the noise level was just fine for holding family conversation and there was plenty of room to move. Our server was friendly, prompt and got everything correct! The view was lovely... we enjoyed a colorful and bright sunset! This is a great place! I'd recommend it to anyone headed to Chattanooga who wants a spot on the river with great food!
(4)ElizaBeth W.
Delicious! I loved the atmosphere of this place and the menu looked great. I decided to go with the wood spit roasted chicken sandwich served with olive fries. So good! Everyone in my party was very pleased with what they got. I would definitely eat here again and recommend it to anyone.
(4)Daniel T.
My expectation was simply to have some margaritas on the river. My experience was so much more. The smell of the wood-fired grill and rotisserie is enough to get you salivating upon entering. They have a happy hour from 4 to 6 everyday. During this time the margaritas were $5 and very good! They have a small menu of items for $2 to $3 including mini sandwiches such as brisket, pork, shrimp po boy, and more. In addition the regular appetizer menu is discounted ($2.50 off). The wood-fired oysters with garlic butter are incredible. I had two orders. We also had a poblano pepper stuffed with chicken, queso and feta topped with avocado and served with chips. The mini "Havana", their take on a Cuban sandwich was excellent as was the brisket sandwich mini. The chicken salad mini was good if not really that interesting. The salsa was just the right amount of spicy and the chips were crisp and warm. The service was spot-on. Because we were there early enough for happy hour we stuck with the specials for our food and drinks. In all the four of us had 10 drinks and lots of food and our bill came to $100 plus tip. We were ecstatic. Even though this is about two hours from my house I will return and I look forward to eating my way through the menu.
(5)Maria D.
Was in Chattanooga on business and a colleague suggested the Boathouse. Good prices, overlooks the river, the food was amazing, (definitely coming back) and the service was great!
(5)Robert S.
I've only been personally disappointed by the food at this place one time (out of one total number of visits, though), but I thought this other story is worth sharing and alerting everyone to. Especially if you are dining with young children, check into the service that this man received.. chattarati.com/2009/06/2…
(1)John T.
The view of the river is outstanding. If it is cool enough I would say dine on the back deck. The food is good and the beer is could. This place stays packed at supper so go early if you don't want to wait.
(5)Dennis H.
2 stars because we had dinner there. If you're going for drinks/happy hour and want to enjoy a nice view and a cold beer, this is the place for you. For dinner, it was overpriced and average to below average seafood. Nice service and atmosphere, but 2 stars due to the very average food being overpriced.
(2)