Reviews & Ratings for The Boathouse Cafe

07/07/11

The Worst Service Ever

by Dvaccaro

The waiter was soooo rude and he added a 15% gratuity for party of 2 without telling us. I overlooked it and tipped an additional $13 on a $60 check. The waiter ended up receiving a $22 dollar tip for horrible service and the second I signed the check he picked it up from the table while we were still finishing our glass of wine so he new what he was doing. I feel ripped off and violated by the waiter and he was soooo rude it's really upsetting. I tried to call the restaurant and it goes straight to voicemail that is full. I am guessing it full of complaints from customers that have been ripped off and violated. Read your itemized bill very carefully if you ever go there.

07/06/11

Bryan Kalman organized an amazing event at the Boathouse!

by fein

Bryan Kalman organized our Corporate Outing in June at the Boathouse and it was a terrific success. We had followed hom from Tavern on the Green and was delighted not only with him but the service at the Boathouse. The room and views were spectacular, and the personalized service Bryan Kalman offered us to make each detail come through was remarkable. Cant wait to do it again in June 2012!

05/26/09

Fantastic Brunch

by BrunchGirl

I always enjoy coming to the Boathouse for Saturday or Sunday brunch in the summertime. Although you can't make a reservation, to grab a glass of champagne at the bar while waiting, sitting right on the water makes it worth it. The menu is great and the food is always delicious. I try to get here as often as possible and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a wonderful brunch place in great weather

• Pros: Great Menu
• Cons: Always so busy

09/26/08

Enjoy a lovely lunch at the cafe!

by aerogal619

We were seated at a table right on the water outside and had a beautiful view of the pond. I really enjoy fine dining when I?m on vacation and the Boathouse did not disappoint. I shared the Lump Crab Cake, with marinated cucumbers and caper remoulade. I?ve never tasted a crab cake so flavorful yet so light in texture! It was wonderful. We also shared the Pan Roasted halibut, with braised leeks, sunchoke and crab sauce. It was worth the $27 and was still a healthy portion to share. We shared a sauvignon blanc and a bottle of flat water to top off a lovely lunch! We got there just as the restaurant opened, so the waiters were all triple sat. This was not smart, it was hard for them to catch up with each table and service was slow.

• Pros: great view, calm setting
• Cons: service is pretentious and unfriendly

09/14/08

Great View Horrible Food and Service

by searchcity

On a beautiful day to be able to sit overlooking the lake while eating brunch is wonderful. But you would be better off bringing your own food and sitting on the grass, rather than eating here. We were seated promptly on a Saturday for seven people which was surprising. NO ONE came over to us for over five minutes which was unbelieveable. We kept asking men walking by to fill our water glasses. I finally had to grab a man's arm and request water. The waiter came over and took our orders. FIVE minutes later he came over to me and asked, "Did you order the chcken paillard'? Is he kidding? When are food came, six people got what they ordered, one did not, The waiter said he would bring the correct order but the person took what he got, not wishing to make a scene. HORRIBLE SERVICE. The food was NOT good. My dish came out with a salad with no dressing. It never should have left the kitchen that way. No one liked their food so it was a huge embarssement, causing us to apologize for bringing them to The Boat House. While the owners run Bryant and Cooper and River Bay flawlessly we cannot figure out why they are failing at The Boat House.

• Pros: The View
• Cons: Service Food

07/21/08

Worst Service I Experienced in my Entire Life !!!!

by chaelm9

This restaurant provided the worst service that I ever experienced in my entire life. Every staff member acted as if they were doing me a major favor by allowing me to eat there. I had to beg to get in. Then, I had to beg to get the waiter to notice me long enough to take my order. The worst came when I told the waiter (who looked like he hadn't brushed his hair in a month) that my girlfriend is fatally allergic to walnuts and he assured me that there was no walnuts in the muffins. The, my girlfriend took a bite and pulled out a huge walnut !!!. Then, when I alerted the manager that their waiter doesn't give a sh*t and is opening the restaurant up to a l*wsuit, he simply laughed it off. The only way I will go back there is if I had a baseball bat so that I can cr*ck that guy over his f*cking scull !!!!

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Service

05/27/08

the best hidden gem in all of manhattan

by trueabundance

I love this restaurant and it is my favorite place to take tourists visiting the city. Such a romantic view of the boat pond and great items to choose from. Perfect.

Editorial Review by Marcella Veneziale

by Contributor

This charming cafe sits in the midst of Central Park and serves more casual fare than its dressed-up sister restaurant.

06/25/07

A Dream Come True

by miss_foodie

A must for any New Yorker or vistor. The Boathouse is located along the Northeastern side of the lake in the middle of the Central Park. The calmness or the water and the trees that surround this restaurant helps one to relax and appreciate life. The food is slightly above average as is the service. It's more of a recreational experience than one of fine cuisine.

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Weekends are swamped

06/24/07

great views, mediocre food, ultra-long wait

by puccidimar

I've lived in New York for 25 years. I planned a Sunday brunch with two lady friends. How could you lose - great location and nice views. Too bad the food was mediocre at best. It was not worth the one hour and a half hour wait. (They don't take reservations.) This definitely falls under the category of a tourist trap. With so many restaurants to chose from, why endure the pain of a bad experience? Never again.

• Pros: views
• Cons: long wait, mediocre food