Boat House — Restaurant in South Oxfordshire

Nice setting and ok food prices but Shame about the smoking and service.

We visited on a Sunday, when we arrived it was cricket on the telly and there were quite a few drinkers there however this all cleared out about 10 mins after the match ended.

My wife brought a round of two very expensive ciders and a couple of diet cokes totaling around £15 to our table outside. I went back into the restaurant to collect a jug of table water. The bar staff told me he would bring one out to me which never arrived.

The reason we wanted to eat at the restaurant was for the view of the river. Unfortunately, there were no non-smoking areas with that view or even outside so we had to move inside.

I went back to the bar to inform the bar staff we had moved inside out of the smoke, to order our food and remind them we were still waiting for our water.

We waited a further 20 mins before an older waiter asked if we were waiting for food, I told him we were and we also still wanted the water. He returned quickly with a jug. A further 20 mins and our food was served.

The food was of ok standard but nothing special and I remember the onion rings were soggy not crispy.

I couldn't see any reason why our food took so long to serve, the place was not busy as most of the inside cleared very quickly after the sport ended and I felt put out to have to move inside.

To add insult to injury, when I visited the gents, the urinals flushed while I was using it, causing it to overflow and spilling...

A Surprise Riverside Gem – With a Dog Spa and a Parking Plot Twist!

We stumbled upon the Boat House Pub in Wallingford -on-Thames quite by accident — and what a lovely detour it turned out to be!

Perched right beside the Thames, it’s the sort of place that makes you want to order a long drink, lean back, and pretend you're the captain of one of the boats gently cruising past. The wildlife was entertaining, the drinks chilled, and our meal was exactly what you'd hope for on a lazy riverside afternoon.

So enchanted were we, we came back for breakfast the next morning — which says it all really.

Now, here’s the twist: not only is this place friendly to humans, but it’s basically a 5-star spa for dogs. We’re talking blankets, bowls of fresh water, and an apparently unlimited supply of dog treats. Frankly, we were tempted to bark just to get in on the pampering.

One thing to watch out for: do not assume there’s parking right outside unless you enjoy deciphering a jungle of “PRIVATE - NO TURNING - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED” signs. But fear not — a substantial public car park nearby offers free parking for the first hour and overnight on weekends, which totally adds to the charm and ease of the visit once you find it.

In short: delightful food, scenic riverside vibes, dogs treated like royalty, and even the parking turns out friendlier than first impressions suggest....

My partner and booked in here this evening to celebrate our 6 year anniversary in the place we met. On arriving and seeing the new refurb I was instantly wowed by the new ambience and decor. It’s beautiful and perfect in keeping of the riverside location. It wasn’t overly packed but still busy to give a lovely atmosphere. Unbeknown to us Monday night holds a quiz night which we decided to join in with. We ordered and paid for our meals with ease using the app option. We spoke to a member of staff to ask to join the quiz, and quickly received our game packs ready for some fun. The quiz master was fabulous, entertaining and had some great questions. The food arrived after about 40 mins which considering how busy it seemed, i didn’t feel was bad at all. The food arrived well presented, piping hot and delicious. A good hearty pub grub meal :) the quiz was so enjoyable, and totally made our evening fun and memorable. A special recognition to the lovely and full of life staff member Megan, who even though off duty was the most pleasant and friendly staff member I’ve ever met, she made us feel wholly welcome and definitely inspired us to return again for the quiz night and dinner ( or any other future engagements) :) so, well done everyone at the boat house for making a special night for us absolutely...