Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant — Restaurant in Holland

After a perfect day trip, my wife and i wanted to end it with this restaurant after all the great reviews. Now my wife has disabilities and requires a medical service animal to accompany her at all times. She also trains them. We both come from the service industry, and my wife actually manages a restaurant currently. That being said, respectfully, I let the hostess know that my wife had a service animal. The hostess looked over and as one should, she accessed the animal quietly for obvious signs that it could be a fake. Understandably so. After her assessment she said it's no problem at all and went to gather menus to seat us. Now the manager who was on the phone with his back turned to us, whipped around after hearing "service animal" after he could finish the call and immediately and aggressively attacked me about the dog without even looking at her and my wife. As a manager, common sense dictates that one should have the decency to at least look at the handler and animal for outward signs that it could be a fake before throwing out a question that sounds like an accusation. Any rational manager can clearly look and see the expensive custom leather harness with speciality stabilizing handles that are measured to fit my wife and only my wife. To look for behavior and other signs to make a judgement before just attacking aggressively with questions, the wrong questions. Now, as a man I will defend my wife til the day I die. The manager whipped around and asked "what condition is the dog trained for?" In which I responded "it's none of your business." The way this manager came at me caught me so off guard that I was unable at the time to properly process and explain why the question he asked was wrong. Why the way he addressed us was wrong. And I reacted. What this manager did was against federal law, a HIPAA violation and a violation of my wife's rights under the A.D.A. Now, what he should have ask is "What task is the dog trained for". But he didn't. He said condition. Eventually I did just tell him the condition to get him to be quiet and to leave us alone because we just wanted to sit down and eat after a long but perfect day. A manager should not continually bait and engage with any customer in such a matter especially one with disabilities. Just because I told you one of them doesn't mean that was all there was. Finally a hostess led us away. She was very nice and we were very nice to her. We sat down, never saw a server. We discussed whether to stay or leave. After about 5 minutes the manager came back for round 2 and asked what my problem was. Why would anyone in their right mind do that? Why would you come back to engage in more confrontation with a customer who was willing to drop several hundred dollars in your establishment. We weren't acting out. We weren't being loud. We weren't unkind to any hostess or server not that we had a server. I could understand if we were being those things then of course step in to intervene. But to just come over to make an already sensitive situation worse? We went back and forth for quite some time before I finally just told him to call the cops on us if we were such a problem. All we wanted was to sit down and enjoy a meal. The manager said ok walked away and told the servers not to serve us. After 5 minutes no one showed up and my wife's dog alerted to an oncoming episode so we walked out. Before I left I asked Cory, the manager if he called the cops and he said no. So basically it was a lot of talk all because the manager asked the incorrect Federally allowed question. Could I have responded in a nicer way? Probably. I'm sure this manager is not used to people talking to him the way he tried to speak to me. I get people try and bring fake service animals with them. Trust that we know all too well. But this didn't have to go this way. We should have just been allowed to sit down and enjoy our meal. But no, the manager had an agenda from the second he heard "service animal" and my wife had to suffer medical consequences due to...

Reconsider your dinner here if you’re on a short trip. Dinner wasted approximately 2.5 - 3 hours of our night. Extremely upset.

Traveling from out of state and visited the restaurant twice in one day.

First time was during lunch. No wait for a table. Server was really sweet. Service slowed quite a bit by the end of the meal, but we didn’t mind because the food was great compared to everything else I had in Michigan. I would give it a 4-Star.

However, everything crashed and burned when we visited at dinner. The management not being helpful was part of the reason for the overall low rating.

We arrived around 6PM and was informed the wait will be about 1.25 hours. We agreed and put our names down. Got drinks at the bar and waited outdoors. Drinks were good, atmosphere was good, we happily waited. 40mins later our table was ready. Nice! It took less than the estimated 1.25 hours!

Little did we know the long wait had just begun. We sat down and the checkbook from the previous table here was still on the table. The tip was terrible. We thought they were bad customers, but it turns out they were generous considering the service we had received.

The table next to us sat down less than a minute after us. They got waters and the server stopped by two to three times and we still weren’t assisted. The neighbors ordered and thats when our server showed up. We ordered right away - 2 entrees, no adjustments, no drinks.

The long wait continues. The table behind us sat down long after us and they got their food! The elderly neighbors are halfway through their entrees! Thats when I looked for a manager. Of course that’s when the food finally comes out - when you complain. I told the manager of the lapse in service and to get me the box and check right now because I know the server will not get back to us. Unfortunately I was correct. Server failed to take my card that was left on the table to take even after I told him we’re ready. We finished our food, boxed it up, took the payment up front to find someone else to help. I guess since we walked away without paying that’s when we really mattered because the server followed right behind to pay us at the front.

I’m a restaurant manager myself. Over an hour wait on service & food on top of a long seating wait is not acceptable. When a guest tells you of the wait maybe help...

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Lovely Lakeside Experience at Boatwerks

📍 Location & Ambience

Perched right on the shores of Lake Macatawa, Boatwerks delivers a beautiful waterfront dining experience—especially during summer evenings. The restaurant’s design, blending industrial exposed beams and brick with garage-style doors that open onto the patio, creates an inviting and photogenic backdrop . Outdoor seating feels breezy and relaxed, ideal for a casual dinner or sunset cocktails .

🍽️ Food & Drink

The menu leans New American, with standout dishes like locally sourced Lake perch, prime rib specials, and creative options like shrimp tacos, BBQ‑rubbed salmon, and mushroom bao buns . A recent diner praised:

“Buddha Bowl – flavors melted together. Boyfriend got the walleye and it was delicious also. The crème brûlée was an amazing way to round out the meal.” 

Cocktail lovers can sip refreshing options like the Boatwerks Mule, and there’s a solid local beer and wine lineup .

👍 Highlights • Stunning lake views—perfect for sunset dinners or breezy summer nights . • Fresh and varied menu—great seafood, steaks, vegetarian bowls, and creative handhelds . • Warm, friendly staff, with multiple reviewers noting attentive servers like Hannah and Aliyah . • Seasonal live music on the patio adds to the vibrant summer vibe .

⚠️ Areas to Improve • Service during peak times sometimes runs thin—guests mention servers being stretched, especially outside . • Mixed feedback on consistency and pricing—some found appetizers or cocktails “just OK” and desserts pricey . • Happy hour limitations—some diners noted that discounts only apply to certain seating areas .

🌟 Final Verdict

Boatwerks offers one of Holland’s most scenic and enjoyable dining experiences, with varied and flavorful dishes served in a lively lakeside setting. I’d give it four stars because while the food and service are mostly strong, occasional inconsistencies in timing and quality—and slightly steep prices—hold it just shy of perfection. Still, it’s a go-to for a relaxed evening out, especially with a view.

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Would I return? Absolutely—for a summer night by the water with good company, standout seafood, and a crafted cocktail in hand. Just be prepared for a busy patio and maybe snagging a reservation or waiting for...