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Boater, Bath

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user reviews of the Boater, Bath

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Incredibly rude staff. We left pretty shocked at their unnecessarily abrasive and dismissive attitudes. I would never go back. Food was about Wetherspoons quality or below
owenp - 28 May 2023 12:55
Agree with the last post stopped going in there 6 mounths ago got verbal abuse from the bar maid ( i would call her something else ). left drink on the bar and walked out without paying. This pub is TOXIC. Should be boarded up and left to rot.YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED DO NOT ENTER .Horible place.
yerblock - 17 Jan 2013 21:04
The place is a total dump and inexplicably expensive. Beer garden may be big but that's all it's got going for it. It's almost completely enclosed by buildings, filty and and is actually a concrete creche for the legions of underage drikers. Upstairs is dirty, smelly and unwelcoming. Not sure if he's still there but the landlord Carl (small, dark/balding fella who's chewing a wasp) is one of the most unfriendly in Bath. Needs to be overhauled. Fast.
umbongo82 - 16 Jan 2013 11:53
come back Louisa I miss you so much xxxx
yerblock - 6 Aug 2012 18:36
Iwill be glad when the pub is decorated as its turning into a right dump at present come on fullers pull your finger out
yerblock - 6 Aug 2012 17:51
Popped in last week and paid an eye-watering �3.60 for a pint of Thatchers Gold in what isn't exactly Baths most prestigious pub.

The sun was shining so I sat in what they claim is "the largest beer garden in Bath city centre". It isn't so much a garden, more like a large tarmaced area filled with row upon row of picnic tables and a raised area with a dozen tables and chairs. I got a limited view of Pultney Bridge and the weir but the weather was nice so I made the most of it.
mattbeer - 14 Apr 2012 12:26
comments circa 2004, i was one of those underage drinkers. and those were good days. I'm sorry we intruded the land of the �5 deal.

pint glass half filled with lager
bottle of breezer/VS/VK/alcocrotch
Sourz
Something else
toastboaster - 17 Nov 2011 20:29
On first impressions when entering from street level off Pultney Bridge, this seems to be a traditional and pleasant but unremarkable pub. Investigate the narrow staircase near the entrance however, and you come first to a cellar bar before going on further to what I�m sure is Bath�s biggest beer garden.

The top bar as mentioned is a fairly traditional affair, with a long bar on the left, carpet on the floors and plenty of Bath Rugby photos on the walls. There were three plasma�s dotted around showing the rugby, although somehow this didn�t seem too intrusive.

The downstairs cellar bar has quite a different feel with an unusual tiled brick floor and an arched brick vaulted ceiling. There is a further bar counter here. Down a few steps at the other end and you come to a large terraced beer garden that leads down to a walkway adjacent to the weir. It�s a pleasant spot when the sun�s out, although unfortunately the view of the river and weir isn�t quite as good as it could be. It gets packed on sunny days and there is a projector screen which shows big sporting matches. This covered area in the corner looks as though it could also be used for bands on occasions, although whether this is actually the case I�m not sure.

Beers on this occasion were Courage Best, 6X, Gem and Bombadier. Ciders were Blackthorn and Gaymer�s Pear.
Blackthorn - 26 Apr 2011 14:14
Large pub very close to the Rec (rugby ground). Great place to watch sport and it has an outside area for warm days. Food Ok but pretty standard fare. Perfect location if you're in Bath to watch rugby.
KingEdward - 1 Apr 2011 08:59
Strange mix of students and rugby fans. Was rammed with Ulstermen before and after the game on Saturday but remarkably quick to be served. The Gem was okay, but had better elsewhere earlier in the day.
alecstewart - 27 Jan 2010 20:36
Great pub for a Saturday night out, normally buzzing downstairs. Cheap shots and alcopops aswell!
JLS1908 - 9 Jan 2009 15:42
Pretty uninteresting range of beers, the Gem was OK, but nothing special. Sitting in the garden is quite pleasant, but I can't really find anything else much to recommend this place as there are far better Pubs in Bath. Of an evening, it is popular with younger drinkers, so I felt like a real fossil after 8 pm. Sorry, it is just not my type of place!
Dylanwing - 4 Jan 2009 14:59
Nice pub with good beer but food is a bit pedestrian.
BobOs - 12 Aug 2008 21:52
Beer garden/car park is ok for the summer. Wadworth 6X and Bath Ales Gem on tap. Strange mixture of locals and students and rugby supporters. Also drunk rugby players causing mayhem.

Last time a went was in May the day after Bath won the European Challene Cup. Most of the Bath team were in there and I passed Matt Stevens (what an ape!) on the stairs. They were all plastered and making the pub a very unpleasant environment! Dancing on tables etc. Okay so they had a right to celebrate but trying to pick a fight with me wasn't a good idea! Why are all rugby players (and supporters) idiots after drinking half a shandy!?
mattbeer - 10 Aug 2008 18:18
Decent pub. Cosy bar. Good beer. As others have said, rather sterile basement bar, and rather annoyingly they didn't have sound on when I was last there. Great garden for the summer, tho' can get crowded (and large no of steps to negotiate if a bit merry).
MrBlue - 5 Jun 2008 14:46
Dose anyone Have a good picture of this pubs garden? x
magicmushroom_123 - 15 Apr 2008 20:53
Was down in Bath for the weekend and as it was a surprise weekend arranged by the wife and she did not tell me where we were going, was unable to utilise beerintheevening to research decent watering holes before coming down.
So after a Sunday morning of walking around the Royal Crescent and the Assembly rooms and then back across town to the Grand Parade to ogle at Pulteney Bridge I was about ready for a beer and had spotted the Rummer. Unfortunately the wife spotted the Girlie boutique shops on Pulteney Bridge so across we went. However, the great Beer God was smiling and next to one particular boutique was the Boater. Not only that, but on the TV , plainly visible from outside, was the Saracens v Bath game just about to start and the realisation that I could overcome the disappointment us not being back home to watch the game live at Vicarage Road , by being able to watch it on the box at the home of the opposition and surrounded by the opposition.
So after some negotiation with the other half, which involved me funding the purchase of another top to go along with the other 3000 blouses she has already, in we went.
As for the pub itself Mr_Knowsit�s report is fairly spot on. It is on three levels, pool room upstairs which I did not venture into, nice wooden local�s style mid level with traditional bar area with alcoves and lots of Bath Rugby memorabilia ( and on this occasion lots of Bath supporters ) and now since the smoking ban, not smoky at all. And then a downstairs cellar bar , which was quite the opposite d�cor, being very bright and a bit sterile, more resembling a wine bar rather than a pub bar. I can understand why this is popular with the students.
Being Sunday, the food on offer was traditional Sunday Roast which all looked really good and large. Unfortunately, but the time we had concluded that the Sarries were up for this encounter and we would stay to watch it , they had run out of roasts, probably not accounting for the 1.30PM rugby kick off when they were calculating the number of spuds needed.. .
This meant we just had to drink more bitters, which were Wadsworths 6X, CW Bombardier and a local brew which I have now forgotten the name of. All were good and very drinkable, and the two ladies behind the bar were polite and efficient.
And all this rounded off by a hard fought Saracen�s victory. Have to say we didn�t experience and animosity from the local Bath supporters, even when getting excited when Sarries crossed the try line. But then again this is the Gentleman�s game, and we weren�t from Bristol.

Gann - 28 Jan 2008 17:03
Great pub for 6X. Can get busy on rubgy days. Excellent beer garden/carpark (!) in the summer which is right next to Pultney Bridge. Nice!
mattbeer - 12 Feb 2007 22:47
Upstairs for old-man-pub style.
Downstairs for student style.
No idea what their beers like as I always seem to be lured into drinking one/two/ten of those interestingly flavoured shots.
Oh once I was there someone puked blood onto the mens loos infront of me! maybe he was a Bristol rugby fan?....5/10
lg06111985 - 13 Jul 2006 22:16
nice beer garden in the summer but that really is about it. Unfortunately full of under age drinkers who cant hold their top deck. The inside of the pub is cramped and pokey and the phrase 'a bit of a hole' sums it up nicely
big_dog - 16 May 2006 15:46
This pub has so much going for it. Good beer, occasionally good staff and a nice location.

Sadly let down on match days by being the pub of choice for Bath's mose arrogant fans. If, like me, you are from Bristol, stay away from this pub on Saturday's when Bath rugby club are at home. These people will make your life hell despite the fact that Bristol is a better rugby club. Go to this pub during the week instead.
BigPete - 15 Mar 2006 11:33
the pub hasn't changed at all, but with the students away it was blatantly obvious how many illegal drinkers there were in here - and they were all hooray-henrys as well to make it worse.

sort it out guys - get the bouncers to do their jobs..
TheGP - 20 Sep 2005 21:08
Despite having doormen there are huge quantities of dubiously aged (u18) teens in the cellar bar and beer garden - Otherwise a good pub.
mike2004 - 18 Sep 2005 16:06
Can not believe why they are complaing about service Karl and co always do there best I am not a local but always have a great welcome. Chears
jack3 - 10 Apr 2005 00:14
Totally agree with previous comments about under-age (or, at least, those who can't handle their ale) customers during the summer.

It is also expensive for no particular reason and very pokey inside. Beer garden is large and accomodating, unless it is full of screaming adolescents knocking back vodka.
mdma - 23 Dec 2004 22:18
Have to agree with Tony here, that whilst I like the pub, the staff leave a lot to be desired with their ideas about "Service"
TheGP - 25 Nov 2004 14:39
This pub can be very intimidating on match days. I am a Bristol supporter, and although there's the local rivalry and it can get a bit out of hand at times, I was insulted by the bar staff here, which doesn't exactly make me want to come back again.
Tony Bryant - 9 Nov 2004 11:09
awesome pub, good atmosphere especially when bath are playing at the rec...
Terry - 22 Sep 2004 19:49
Poor pub, great beer garden.(For Bath - Which has so few) Attracts the under-aged in summer and can get very hormonal. The beer isn't superb, it isn't cheap and the plastic glasses aren't ideal.
anonymous - 20 Aug 2004 12:51
Excellent pub, big beer garden, great vibes.
TheGP - 10 Aug 2004 15:03
I like this pub it's staff are great and the Manager Carl is very helpful. I visit this pub on Rugby days when I come up from Southampton.
Colin - 20 Apr 2004 21:05
Good in the summer as it has a huge beer garden. Tends to be a little cramped otherwise.
Mark - 4 Mar 2004 16:02
Cheap and cheerful :)
Sophie - 3 Feb 2004 15:20

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