Boat House Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Key West

I wasn’t going to post this review since the manager comped most of my meal but the bartender (ERIN) continued to mock me with her coworkers and laugh around the bar, even after I spoke with a manager.

I’m celebrating a big day. It’s August in the keys and I’m a local. We are dead so specials for locals usually are all over town. When I walked in ERIN asked me from two feet away how I was doing, without ever making eye contact. She seemed busy even though the bar was kind of empty. It was minutes before happy hour. And again, it’s August in the keys. I asked if they were going to be doing any locals specials ( I was going to say “in September” but ERIN cut me off) and very rudely let me know they “only have happy hour”

I asked again, will you be having specials for locals in September, and ERIN repeated we only have happy hour and you didn’t order anything from the happy hour menu”

I was asking about September, next month. When all restaurants have local specials.

Very rushed and carrying silverware in her hand … ME: I’m so excited I can only afford this meal every six months BARTENDER ERIN: BLANK STARE, clearly annoyed I making up her time with chatter. ME: ok. I’m ready to order I know what I want. Bartender ERIN: blank stare. AGAIN, still. Very impatiently waiting. I order my food. Erin goes away and never comes back. My food comes and it’s not quite what it used to be. Much smaller. All my fish thrown on top of my mashed potatoes. My food was dropped to me by a food runner who never said a word. I waited patiently for ERIN to check on me so I could ask her for a side plate, and some extra dressing.

I finally gained her attention and asked her for a side plate, which was basically flung at me as she continued to walk by never once making eye city tact or asking if I need anything. Never once asked if I want another drink, I’m trying to get her attention to ask for a side plate was quite a challenge. She’s checking on the drinks of people around me but never makes eye contact with me, clearly annoyed that I asked about locals specials.

At this point, I asked for a to go container and a manger. ERIN has turned my happy day j to a bad experience. As I waited for the manager, I can see and hear ERIN mocking and laughing at me and my complaint. Still, never coming over to see if I need anything. Never offering an apology for the extreme rudeness.

The bartender has two jobs. Mix drinks efficiently, and be friendly.

I have never experienced a bartender with such rudeness, and quite frankly, she literally ruined my meal and evening.

The locals in this town are going to be your bread and butter in the slow months, best to be nice to them

I used to love the boathouse, but I don’t think I’ll be going there again and they don’t seem to like locals there so I don’t suggest anyone else go there either and if you do make sure by all means you avoid ERIN. She has no time for you. A smile and a little personality goes a long way.

I will give credit to the extremely nice manager who offered me a discount, however, having to sit there and eat my food and watch this bartender joke and laugh at my complaint… I used to love boathouse, but I don’t think as a local I’ll...

I usually travel alone for vacation and have had plenty of experiences dining alone at busy restaurants where I was welcomed warmly and served well by staff. However, the waitress who came to my table clearly didn’t want to take my order, let alone interact with me for that matter. She seemed to be in a bad mood, there was no smile or any kind of greeting and coldly asked if I was ordering or needed more time. I first ordered a drink, and when she came back with the drink I ordered my food. The food came out in 15 minutes and was good, but 10-15 minutes later when I was only halfway done with my food she brusquely put the check right next to my dinner plate and said “Here you go.” I had only been seated for around 35 minutes total at that point. The restaurant wasn’t even that busy or crowded - roughly a third of the tables in my area were empty. Normally waiters and waitresses give customers more time before they give you the check, and the usually say something like “No rush, just putting it here for whenever you are ready.” They also usually don’t slam the check right next to your plate if there is space on the table, they put it further away from your plate. I felt really rushed and was starting to feel really angry, but I wanted to finish my food and drink before leaving. She came back 5 minutes later and tried to take the check and realized there was no card nor cash, and asked if I was ready to pay. I told her no (I was going to pay after I had finished eating), and she left without an apology. I have never felt more rushed nor disrespected at a restaurant before. I put down my credit card shortly after because I didn’t want to stay much longer. I normally tip 20-30%, but I was really dissatisfied and upset with the service and tipped 17%, which I regret looking back because the service really wasn’t worth tipping at all. I understand that waiters and waitresses are human and that they might be having a hard day or dislike certain customers at first glance (did I look like I was not going to tip much or something?), but there’s a bare minimum level of professionalism that needs to be maintained. The food was decent, but I wouldn’t...

My wife and I were hoping to get a good dinner in a waterfront setting, so we looked up reviews and decided upon The Boathouse. Entering, we were quite impressed by the decor and quaint atmosphere. I ordered the prime rib, and my wife ordered the Ahi Caesar salad. I’m sorry to say, we were both sorely disappointed. The prime rib was flavorless, and extremely tough. Each bite was like chewing a piece of shoe leather. Granted, this could have been because it was a bit later in the evening and I could have been served a cut that had been sitting a while, but you expect, as well you should, to receive quality fare when paying good money. This was certainly not the case. I also ordered a Caesar salad, and found the dressing to be unlike any Caesar dressing I have ever had, and I do not mean in a good way. Now, on to my wife’s dinner. First off, when ordering, my wife asked the waitress if the salad came with tomatoes, and stated if it did, she didn’t want them. She was assured that it would come with no tomatoes. When the plate was brought and placed before her, it was absolutely covered with halved cherry tomatoes. Not a huge deal. I love good tomatoes, so I picked them off and placed them on my plate. I almost gagged when I tasted the first one. It was literally, the most foul cherry tomato I have ever had in my life, and I had to spit it out into a napkin. Obviously, the cook doesn’t bother to sample the daily produce prior to using it on the dishes going out to the customers. As for the ahi, my wife found it completely flavorless. We asked for a container in which to take it home after she choked down one piece, but actually threw it into the first garbage bin we came across after leaving the restaurant. When you pay good, hard earned money for food on vacation, you expect at the very minimum, mediocre food. This was nowhere close to even mediocre. I take no pleasure whatsoever in writing a review as critical as this, but hate to see good, hard working people pay high prices for sub standard food. They deserve so much better. WE, deserved so...