please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
recent refurb and lots of fights in and around the place... nice
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Carebear u need to get out more
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A recent refurb, new manager and friendly bar staff are all most welcome. Good range of real ales including the excellent Doom Bar. Food slightly overpriced but all in all a nice place to while away some time by the riverside.
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what can I say about this pub!
1. horrible atmosphere
2. shit food
3. poor customer service
4. staff have bad attitude
i will never ever go there again!!
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Re-opened, and apart from blinds at the windows and a lick of paint, doesn't look radically different (unless I missed something).
On visit earlier this week, i have to say excellent bar service and superb pint of Tim Taylors. And with the dappled sunlight reflecting off the river into the bar, it felt as near contentment as a man can ask!!
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I think the station distances may be calculated on postcode or by straight line distance. Geographically Hampton Wick probably is nearer, but as you say it's across the river. Kingston is certainly more convenient.
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HAMPTON WICK IS NOT THE NEAREST TRAIN STATION - UNLESS YOU CAN SWIM - GO TO KINGSTON (When the pub reopens)
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Closing for renovation, though we're promised it will open again as a pub.
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On recent visits I have been impressed with this pub. Nice atmosphere.
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Couldn't get served as bar staff were costumer side of the counter.Only 3 bar stalls 2 taken by said staff, only 1 Kronanburg glass in pub, bought 4 of the same rounds and got 2 different prices. Will most definatly not be going back again.
anonymous - 25 Jun 2007 15:55 |
Lovely pub in a lovely location. Problem is, there are lots of kids down with their parents and others who are trying to be 'upper-middle' class. I like it mid-week when none of this is apperent. Jazz is good to on a Sunday too.
There should be beer gardens where parents are not allowed to bring there annoying kids. We have to put up with not smoking from next week so the law should give us a family free beer garden in Kingston!!!
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It isn't that close to the noisy centre. This is the place where Kingston does proper riverside, not just a slice of the town centre that happens to have a river next to it, as is the case further south. Four ales including a revolving guest beer. Do yourself a favour and walk or bike along the riverside path to this pub.
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Nice and quiet location by the river Thames, although very close to the noisy centre of Kingston. We had lunch outside in the sunshine, ordered Angus King burgers and got huge portions of quality food. Also the Bombardier and the Greene King IPA bitters were good.
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This pub was OK on a Tuesday lunchtime in February. Nothing unusual in the way of beers (Adnam's, GK, Bombardier(?)). The Abbott Ale I had was fairly good - not very good or excellent, but drinkable. Fairly expensive at £2.95 a pint. Food was OK - I had the Aberdeen Angus burger at £7 a throw. Again not cheap, but the burger itself was tasty and well-cooked, the chips were fresh and more than I could eat. The service was friendly enough and quick, although there were not many people in there. The place was comfortable and clean throughout, including the gents toilet.
Fairly popular with families and kids if today is anything to go by - but it is half-term. They now have signs saying how far you can take glasses outside - which is a bit of a shame as in the summer there are some nice places to sit nearby outside beyond the pub's sitting area (which as a previous reviewer says is mainly under trees on the opposite side of the pub from the river.
Nonetheless a pretty decent place to stop for a pint, if you can cope with the prices.
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Seems that yet another new manager has arrived. Needs to get some more bar staff - only one on and he didn't understand what a light and bitter was and completely ignored a piece of half chewed lemon lying on the bar for half an hour. Not bad selection of real ales though but a bit pricey. Sign says no smoking at the bar but plenty of people were and nobody said anything. Will give it another go.
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Had no idea that this is now a gay pub, are you sure?
Anyway, this place relys on its location too much, last time I went I had to clear my own table and there did seem to be some dispute about the beer quality (I stuck to a Kronenbourg to be safe). The staff, while good looking and friendly, wern't the best to be honest. It most likely filters down from the management. I will use this pub again, though, I just hope it improves...
anonymous - 2 Sep 2006 13:41 |
Good size pub, with lots of beer choices. Decent food and River Thames views. Sometimes you can get eyeballed by King Louis IV lookalike before he bowls off for another pint of 'Stell'
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that's bad news. I spent some great times there, while i was still living in london. nicely located directly be the river. never the best maintained pub in the world but at that time still okay.
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This place could be great, but it's being let down by the surly staff (or at least the fella who seems to be the landlord...) and the poor beer quality. We went there for the afternoon last Friday (pretty much a once a year visit...) and, yes, the TEA is flat, lifeless and - I hope it was just my imagination - a bit... erm... watery... The Kronenbourg didn't taste as strong as it usually does either. As I say, it may be just my poor taste buds or my wild imagination.
Other than that, sometimes this place is great, but sometimes it's very poor. Bit of a shame really.
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At first glance, this looked like an excellent river-side pub with a large selection of real ales. But I ordered a pint of T.E.A. - it turned out to be so flat and tired that I left half of it. I won't hurry back. What's the problem - lines not getting cleaned properly?
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I realise I am flying in the face of previous contributors but I thought The Boaters was a massive disappointment.
Effectively in the grounds of a public park, it has the air of a zoo-cafeteria. Scruffy, dirty, uncared for, with disinterested staff to match. The loos (particularly the ladies, I am reliably informed) were reminiscent of recreation ground toilets.
The riverside location is great but even that is wasted. Too many outside tables are underneath big trees with no view, as not enough are actually on the river's edge, which I would think is the whole point.
I accept that without a fence, the outside tables and patio area are at the mercy of the local oiks, but there must be something that could be done. Shabbiness is not a sign of character, it is a sign of a lack of care. Won't be back.
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This place is much better than its pretentious, overpriced counterparts further down the river at Charter Quay, notably Ha Ha Bar.
The location is great and their family & dog-friendly policy provides a welcoming atmosphere.
The food, though not award winning, is always of a high standard and has a fresh and homely feel to it. There is no actual menu, just what is written on the board which is limiting. It is however accompanied by a decent selction of beers. The service can be hit or miss (some of the waitresses think they are God's Gift) but overall this places makes a refreshing change to the other characterless bars close by.
anonymous - 7 May 2006 18:18 |
Good enough! Came here on foot having had enough of the Anglers up the River in Teddington.
Took our beers and laid out on the decking/moorings.
Not sure on the rules of wandering up the Bank with alcoholic drinks but no one seemed bothered.
Hint: If you do choose to lie in the sun with your drink on the decking by the water, beware of teenage scrotes at the helm of daddy's launch, motoring way too quickly setting up large bow waves. Wandering back to the bar with wet trousers is a trifle embarassing.
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The management at this pub has changed recently, as has the chef, and it's much improved. They are really child and dog friendly, so it's a great place to stop by the river for a few drinks.
anonymous - 12 Apr 2006 16:49 |
Good selection of cask ales and fancy lagers too. Fire for cold evenings, on the river and in a park for summer. My experience of food has always been very good. Jazz is very good too. Nice place for a quiet drink by the river on a weekday evening.
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yeah, good pub to drop by on a warm summer day and sit by the river. beer has been good generally. nice to sit on the grass with friends if you don't mind the odd gang of little rascals knocking your pint over with their football... 7/10.
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Lovely location, which meant I kept trying the place out but TERRIBLE food and service which stopped me going back.
Beer average, I only went there because of the handy and beautiful location, but each time was more and more disappointed. On the last occasion, I even took the food back as it was only half cooked, and the cook was so rude it was unreal, showing me that they don't care, so I never went back. Having worked as a chef (and not in a pub!), I'm wary of possible cowboys to return!
Avoid the food but ok if you fancy a drink, and are easily pleased!
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Always a good pub to drop into while walking along the river on the way home. The location is good, i.e. in a small park and right on the river, and there is always a good range of beers on. I always try a new beer if I can and have always had a good pint. The food is OK too.
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It says something about a pub when a member of staff responds to a complaint by saying the customer is wrong.
Even if you did clean the pipes, you were serving three different beers that night that had gone off.
We paid you £15 for the privilege of having six pints of unpleasant beer - not disgusting and undrinkable, but disappointing, smelly and definitely off.
Try checking the age of the beers your suppliers sell you. Find out how they store them before delivering them to you. Try checking whether your staff actually do clean the pipes. Check the temperature the beer is stored at. And just try tasting them every day to see if they're off, so we don't have to.
Clearly your beer isn't always off - I had a perfect pint of something like London Pride or Youngs Bitter one afternoon in June. But I'm not going to risk wasting money with you again - which is a pity, because I like the riverside location.
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I work at this pub and have to say that the comment about the ales going off is pants as i know they are changed regularly and the lines are cleaned through every time we connect a new barrel.
The toilets are rough to that i'd admit but then women apparently don't know how to use bins or the flush facility on our toilets, never mind breaking the toilet seats EVERY day in Summer!!
Overall it is a lovely pub with a great atmosphere and the jazz is fab. If you like jazz anyway. And if you think its expensive go to Richmond..you'll get less change.
anonymous - 25 Aug 2005 18:56 |
Visited Friday night.
Had three different beers - all were going off and tasted vaguely unpleasant. An Eccleshall Brewery Blonde was vinegary; the Brakespeares smelled of sulphur and tasted metallic; the Spitfire tasted metallic and watery.
I'm not fussy and I don't have particularly sensitive taste buds, but I can tell when beer is going bad. And at £2.60 a pint, pubs like Boaters should be ashamed of themselves for serving this rubbish.
Maybe it's the summer heat (though it's not that hot at the moment).
Apart from the beer, the pub's in a wonderful location by the river. Though you do get parents coming here to get blotto while their 12 year-old shaven-headed kids run around in gangs, screaming.
Still, I could ignore that if they served beer that wasn't smelly and unpleasant.
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Great summer pub! I love the Jazz on sundays although this is really popular so it can get busy (but this can only be a good thing). The food is pretty good and quite reasonably priced.
The great thing about this pub is being able to take your drinks out onto the big common behind the pub when the weather is good.
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A really nice pub for the summer, I like to come hear in the summer and just chill out by the river.
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Didn't even know this place existed until this afternoon. Food wasn't bad but had better. Spent the afternoon on the balcony in the sun which was pleasant (if a little bloody cold for this time of year, but that's not the pub's fault!) Great for people-watching, very lovely location but feel it's more of an afternoon pub than anything else.
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Great location, friendly staff, cosy feel (despite what it looks like from the outside) - open fires and a fuggish feel in the winter. OK ale, lousy food.
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We encountered the bizarre table reserving as well, and it wasn't even Jazz night.After sitting at a table for a couple of hours a waitress came over and told us that we'd have to move in 15 minutes as the table was reserved.There was no reserved sign on the table, it was Sunday afternoon, and the pub wasn't even that busy, it seemed that one of the regulars just wanted the best table in the house.As it happened we were about to leave anyway otherwise we would have asked to speak to the manager.Perhaps they should remember that they are a pub, not a restaurant, and the idea of managing a pub is to make all your customers feel welcome.
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i was at the pub that night and these people who were insulted? ignored the manager completely and ripped a poster off the wall on the way out (mature!)i'm a regular jazz fan and the pub is great!!
anonymous - 20 Feb 2005 21:09 |
Had a terrible experience in this pub. Our group sat for 90 mins at an unreserved table, drinking, and then when the jazz concert began the manager kicked us out claiming the table was reserved. He even accused us of removing a reserved notice, which we hadn't. It's not as if the people who claimed to have booked it were eating or anything. It was clearly his fault yet he treated us like dirt. I've never been so insulted.
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Nice location, decent beer, nice pub. Simple as that.
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Nice location but bad beer.
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Great boozer, I come here whenever I get the chance. Fine totty on the Jazz evenings, and great when the fire is on when it's cold. If you don't like this place, you must have an underdeveloped sense of nice.
Paul - 11 Nov 2004 19:49 |
I go here a lot in the Summer and spend most of my time outside as the location by the river and gardens is great.
Hencole - 5 Nov 2004 14:05 |
Have read a lot of bad comments on this site.
All i can say is pay it another visit as it's a really nice pub with good affordable food and drinks.
The staff are very friendly and plenty of them when it's really busy(all i can say is if your complaining about service on a really busy day in The Boaters then you have never worked in a pub).
Cozy in the Winter and Great in the Summer.
Gillian - 15 Oct 2004 10:44 |
Great pub, used to be my local! But I moved and supprisingly don't miss it, yes- cool spot on the river (especially in the summer) not bad selection of beers, OK priced BUT terrible food, how can you ruin a simple bar meal??? Seasoning, dressing and care - 3 simple things missing. Come on people lets raise the bar on food standards
Douglas Winstone - 12 Oct 2004 15:38 |
Boaters is a decent pub, the beer is good and the food is not bad at all - I took my picky mum there for lunch so it must be OK. I have never had to wait long for drinks, even at its busiest. The location is wonderful. The best thing about it, however, is the Sunday night jazz organised by Simon Carter. You get the cream of London's jazz scene playing their backsides off for nothing and the music they play is mindblowing. For this reason alone, Boaters is the crown jewel of Kingston.
Geoff Peel - 9 Jun 2004 12:35 |
This pub could be fantastic. The location is great and the staff friendly but the pub needs spucing up (loos and entrance in particular - those rubbish bins are an eyesore!)Come on owners - time to give your pub some much needed TLC!
Claire - 3 Jun 2004 12:45 |
Absolutely soulless inside, open plan and brightly lit, it feels like it should be in the middle of a council estate, not in such a picturesque riverside site.Bar understaffed resulting in long wait for drinks.That said, it's a great pub for sitting outside in the summertime and watching the locals coming and going in their boats.
Simon - 19 Apr 2004 12:05 |
great location, lovely beer, awful decor and even worse food. The potential is there - PLease let someone with some vision run what could be an absolute gold mine!
Paul Cummings - 2 Feb 2004 15:16 |
Nice pub, great in the summer...maybe it's the fact it's in a park on the river that makes it nice, not so sure in the winter though.
Rob - 31 Dec 2003 17:17 |
Went there on Christmas Eve, as I have done for the last five years, the service was appauling. Really gone down hill since I last visited. Which is disappointing as it was one of my favourites.
Mike - 27 Dec 2003 20:08 |
lovely riverside pub with friendly staff and excellent locals good atmosphere and the perfect place for a quiet drink in the winter or a more lively night on aparty night just had a 70's night and it was a great laugh!!!
john - 1 Dec 2003 12:14 |
Very well located and drinking outside is nice enough, but the pub itself is a joke. About as attractive as a Debenhams cafe.
Good for: being close to where I work.
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Just had a so called beer festival - quite honestly it was crap - warm beer - staff didn't know wot was on - this was not a festival by any streth of the imagination - next time go to the Willoughby Arms 15 mins away and enjoy beer served at right temperature
quizman - 10 Nov 2003 23:40 |
Just the perfect place to be on a wintery Sunday afternoon, by the river and then enjoy some jazz in the evening.
Even better in summer when you can drink your beer lying on the grass.
elizabeth - 22 Oct 2003 15:28 |
Nice pub to sit byt he river and while away a summers day..the food is appalling though
nicky - 15 Jun 2003 14:53 |
As this has a huge park next to it along the river you can have a BBQ grab a beer and sit in the sun a laze the day away. Nice pub in the winter as well. Just wish it was little bit closer to Kingston as I always seem to have to drive to it.
Mike - 19 Mar 2003 13:29 |
Improved a lot - friendly staff, decent beer and a great place to go in the summer. In the words of John Thompson... the jazz on sunday is "great". Hoegaarden on draught which is always a bonus.
Angus - 19 Mar 2003 12:50 |
At the moment, the Boaters is closed for a refurbishment. It will be re-opening on the 30th of March (Mothers' Day).
For bookings on Mothers' Day, phone Gary on 0208 541 4672
David - 11 Mar 2003 12:35 |
Nothing beats a nice pint overlooking the lazy Thames roll past.
No blues on tuesdays anymore, but a pepsi now costs less than a pint.
David - 5 Mar 2003 16:06 |
The management has changed since all these comments were made. It is now back to the same team that used to run it 5/6 years ago, and is slowly returning to it's best. The current landlords won the brewery landlords of the year last year and are the youngest couple ever to do so.
The jazz is still great on Sundays the food and staff are better now than last year. Everything is looking up, expect a good summer at the boaters.
Jarak - 28 Feb 2003 10:41 |
Great location and great potential... but not much of a place. On the river, it can't help but get custom. A missed chance.
Devious Dave - 30 Oct 2002 14:34 |
slow staff, too expenisve!! how can you charge more for a coke that a beer!?!
Anon - 16 Oct 2002 00:53 |
A lovely pub in a really beautiful riverside location. Sunday night is an established Jazz night (free) all year round.
Loz - 8 Aug 2002 20:25 |
