Rockcliffe Boathouse Restaurant & Marina in Ottawa

Very nice marina. Very good value for money. Excellent atmosphere.

No service. Waited a long time. Had to walk out.

Went to fill up with diesel, courteous service

Killer location. Food, not so much. Lets just say I was glad to be home within an hour of eating ...

Great place to hang out by the water. Try it out. Parking: Parking at the moment is approximately 4.00 and hour. Food : 3/5 |

Did not mind paying hefty for the ok food, but parking showed the charge as $5, we stayed for less than an hour, my credit card sms came 10 min later as $20! If this not theft, am not sure what to name it. Go figure

First time at your facility to have cocktails and appetizers. Somewhat surprised that we had to pay for parking. Even more surprised that our parking fee upon leaving was $9.00 but we got charged $20 on our credit card. We will definitely be following up with the parking facility but we also will definitely not be back. Not a good experience.

Food is great! Service is efficient and friendly and it s so nice to be right on the water and see the boats go by.

We had to pay $4/hour fee for parking! And once we left after 2 hours it showed $8 on the screen but my credit card was charged $20!!! Really unacceptable Never go back again

The View is amazing,i liked the live music even it was Thursday

Sad chicken burger for the price. They were missing a few items we wanted on the menu

Nice staff. But dear, No draft. Dishes not available. Ordinary food.

Expensive, price of a good restaurant. Ordinary kitchen. No draft beer.

One of my fave spots in Ottawa... Unassuming, low-key, great view of the river, dog-friendly. Steve and the team are clearly working hard to up their game. A little gem!

Great little restaurant with yummy food and fabulous views. Kid-friendliness: A few classic kids dishes like chicken fingers and burgers. Food : 5/5 |

Awesome place to enjoy nice sunny day in Ottawa

Great spot by the water lively atmosphere on the weekends. They have to charge for parking now because if they don t, the lot gets filled up by people getting picked up by friends with boats, leaving no space for restaurant clients or members. The concrete docks are a massive improvement over the old setup.

Love love LOVE this spot. One of Ottawas little gems. They have been renovating and every improvement just makes it better.

Great view of the Ottawa River.

Food was good and location beside water was very pleasant

This is a great spot to take in views of the Ottawa River. Super friendly service, parking, washrooms, amazing views. This was our bike ride rest spot for today, perfect.

For many years my wife and I have enjoyed sunsets on the water with a light supper and a beer. Yesterday the smoky sunset created a quiet, relaxed atmosphere, but the view soon disappeared behind two large party boats, the quiet peace was shattered by a barking dog, and the volume of the raucous music was cranked up. All restaurants are having to increase their prices, but these were completely disproportionate compared to others that we frequent which serve pub fare - especially in light of the Boathouses very limited choice menu. We chose fish and chips - but coleslaw was not even available and the service was perfunctory at best. Although the parking area has been much improved, we were surprised to be greeted by a paid parking gate; (however, they did waive our fee). We can no longer recommend the Boathouse to our friends for lazy summer evenings. Too bad, as successful restaurants rely on word of mouth and repeat patrons.

Let me summarize the experience. Two poutines, one onion ring and one Corona. 51$. Was this worth 51$? Not. At. All. Not going there again. There is a limit to encourage local businesses .

Beautiful weather, nice view close to water, cold , life is good.

My recent visit to this riverside restaurant left me with a lingering sense of disappointment. Despite its picturesque location by the river, the overall experience was marred by several shortcomings that overshadowed its one redeeming feature. To begin with, the food was a major letdown. It seemed as though every dish suffered from the same affliction: over-fried. The flavors were overshadowed by an overwhelming greasiness that made each bite less enjoyable. It was disheartening to see such potential squandered by poor execution in the kitchen. Adding insult to injury, my order was messed up not once, but twice. Simple requests were misunderstood, resulting in a frustrating game of back-and-forth with the waitstaff. Its disheartening when a restaurant fails to get the basics right, undermining the entire dining experience. To make matters worse, the parking machine was out of order, leading to a cumbersome and time-consuming process. This inconvenience only added to the growing list of frustrations encountered throughout the evening. However, amidst this disappointing affair, the restaurants location along the river stood as a lone saving grace. The serene waters and gentle breeze provided a serene backdrop, momentarily distracting from the cascade of disappointments. The sunset is amazing here. Regrettably, the scenic view alone cannot compensate for the subpar food, repeated order mistakes, and malfunctioning parking machine. It is disheartening to witness such potential squandered by a lack of attention to detail. The restaurants management would benefit from a serious reevaluation of their operations and a renewed commitment to providing a quality experience. Until then, I would caution against visiting this establishment, as the allure of a beautiful riverside cannot compensate for a lackluster dining experience.

Jew is great!!!sorry the food isvery bad, no vegetarian options and all a grassy and unhealthy. O couple of better salad or sandwich will fix the problem Parking: Ok Food : 1/5 |

Great views right on the river. Slow service but food was good.

With the new parking charges this restaurant has lost its attraction as a place to drop by for a burger and a beer by the water

Been regular customer for years, but like others before said, it has become a disappointing place. Too bad, because it is such a unique place. Yes, it got nicely renovated, but the music is loud (why?) and the food unedible. Besides the pricey food, we now have to pay for parking, and mine was not waived, even though I asked. I kind of miss the beautiful oasis this used to be: the floating bar/restaurant by the river. I will give it one more chance, even though decided not to go there anymore.

Would live to see more places like this one in the city.

The only good thing about this restaurant is its location. The slope you drive down to this restaurants location needs paving badly, big holes. Dont go down with a classic car!! Why cant they pave it? Paid 9.00$ to park on a Sunday!! Waited nearly 1 hour for our food and only received it after someone chased down the server, after which it conveniently started coming out. I ordered fish and chips, the chips were cold. One of our party members had chicken fingers, which only contained 4 small fried chicken pieces. The food is nothing to be excited about. The server also forgot an entire round of drinks that we ordered and did not come around to check on us once the food came out or offer water for almost 30 minutes, until once again, someone walked up to her and asked. Getting our bills to leave required the same process as well. The restaurant had only about 10 tables and did not seem overly busy. No compensation was offered despite us voicing our concerns to the server multiple times. We also witnessed others complaining and walking out. I was severely disappointed booking my birthday celebration here and we ended up leaving as soon as we could get the bill, but would have stayed longer and had more drinks had the service been at least adequate. Please, its Sunday. People come out and eat, pls have enough staff!! The restaurant is only open a few months of the year!! This is the Nations Capital!! Very sad.

A nice little place not far from Ottawa to relax.

Impeccable service with new staff (Sat. July 22 Lunch time). Menu improved. Escargot is back!! Removed earlier critical review. Back to being my favorite spot on the water.

Having a cold beer by the water , life is good .

Always have a good time here , I wish they had televisions . The food is typical deep fried bad food. Eating by The water and drinks in a relaxed environment is nice

So sad to see all the bad reviews on Business. I worked there for 10 years when Shirley Kent and Bernie owned it for over 25 years. Please know I am not being bais in saying that everyone who worked there and customers were all very happy. Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enjoyed himself there. One of our frequent customers. There was no parking fees,food alot cheaper and service was always the best. Shirley didnt have to make it mandatory for customers to give tip. Customers were always happy with service and tipped well. Servers and cooks worked together. If server was really busy and cook had time they would help out server deliver food etc. To tell the truth even people who docked their boats there would lend a hand. We were like a huge family there. I pray that things change there and it doesnt close. If I win the lottery I would consider buying it and bring it back to The Good Old Days. Shirley and Bernie bought it off the original owners. Parking: Way too much

Seated ourselves after being quickly greeted by a server as she rushed by. The restaurant was at maybe 70% capacity. We waited 30 minutes and werent seen once by staff. We left and wont return. Food : 2/5 |

Great experience

Nice place at the Ottawa river, went once, good food and good service.

A nice place but with forgettable overpriced food, and that now has the gall to charge for parking $4/hr while being nowhere near downtown. Save your money for the chip trucks. This place only exists because of rich yacht owners.

Great spot on the water for a quick bite. Super friendly service with amazing views. The food (I had fish tacos) can definitely be better.

Great place to have lunch by the water

Never book at this place. They canceled my reservation 2 hours before my wifes birthday

Improved menu, and the service seems mush better than last summer.. lovely spot

I never eaten here

( June 2022 update) Really nice place to sit on and by the water. No other marina in the Ottawa offers the same access nor view. The access to parking is tricky as it is often overlooked with its hidden driveway next to a lookout point and half covered display facing west. ( hence if coming from east, you only see look out gazebo and not the signage). It is a steep and sharp turn descend to the parking. But once you get there, plenty of parking. Need to walk thru small floating bridge to get to restaurant. My favorite spots are thé 3 natural wood bar stands with stools right on the floating platform. This year they added roof covers extending to 2 of the tables. Here you have view to opening of a Gatineau river, rue saint Jacques across river and Ottawa river. There is also a water taxi runs between Victoria and thanksgiving. $5 to cross river or more if you want to get to Hull ( history museum) or Mill pub ( war museum) The only problem I have is that not only they increase their price significantly, the food was not as good as before. We ordered poutine with pull porc , it lacks hot sauce and pull porc was cold. Same the for the nachos. A lot of chips but except the top bit, it was all code when we had it. Overpriced $16 for a semi cold small nacho plate. And drinks as well . Not the same causal place as before. Need to watch your pocket now. ( hence 4 stars).

Very interesting location, lovely view. Service was good. They really need proper menus, but that was my only complaint, I would definitely go again.

Nice place to have lunch with a beer. Parking: Its not easy to see the entrance and watch yourself when going down, because the slope is steep and at 90, so lets not see if you drive in the other direction. Parking is quite large.

Lovely hidden gem in Ottawa for good food and drinks. Their fish and chips is world class

Not bad, great views, could use a greater selection of beers and have them on tap.

Great location, definitely go when its warm out

The worst takeout food Ive had in a long time. We ordered simple food - burgers, fries, poutine. The thin hamburger patties were scorched black, the skinny fries were soggy and greasy, the poutine was cold. The restaurant didnt appear to be busy, yet we waited over 30 mins for the junk food. At close to $20 per plate, the quality needs improving! The only reason for any stars is the setting, on the river.

Great burgers and service, very convenient pulling up with my boat :)

Best hidden gem in Ottawa! Patio dining on the Ottawa River with the best sunsets in town

Food was better than expected, a little pricey though. Lovely scenery and there were ducklings waddling amongst the tables. Its a fun place to have lunch on a nice day.

Nice place to unwind in a summer afternoon.

Pretty average food, pretty high prices. My plate had a spiderweb and a dead spider on it. At the end We asked for the bill, waited around 30 minutes.In the end we had to go inside and insist on paying.

I love this location and the ambiance!

Nachos (chiken)were great! Wheelchair accessibility: My mother like the handycap parking but hi saw a waitress arrive in the parking and take the closest customer parking that hi did not like that!

The view is amazing. Food is good. We ordered fish and ships and pesto chicken sandwich. Make sure to use insect repellant before you come!

Used to be Ottawas best kept secret but this establishment is being discovered big time. Regular pub fare and reasonably priced beer (5 beer bucket for $30.). This marina offers water taxi to other destinations on the Ottawa River. A feel good destination in a town that had turned its back on the river. Well done.

My server forgot my order and I waited over an hour with no food. Once i asked about my order she responded by blaming the kitchen and wasnt answering in a respectful manner.

Strawberry Diaquaris were great for hot day!

Floating Ottawa Riverside patio

Ignore the bad review I have been there 3 times and have had a good experience every time

Amazing food! Great service. Always welcoming and willing to help :) They also have gas and diesel fuel now!

Nice ambience good for relaxing and having a drink by the water also has great views was my impression several years ago but now feels rundown lack of upkeep found bugs in my drink and as a bartender I know it was from the back of the house not from my being outside. I honestly cannot believe how much this place has fallen #covidsnotanexcuse

Fun atmosphere on a floating deck riverside restaurant.

Cold beers and food was served fast

Inviting. Good service and beautiful view of the river. Winding and poorly maintained road - even dangerous.

Love this place...so near the water on a floating deck having cold drinks and good food. Seats in the sun and lots of shaded seats under the cover. Friendly efficient service is a nice bonus.

Nice place. Nice setting on floating docks. Good poutine. Drinks were cold, washrooms were clean and stocked. Service was OK.

very nice place

This restaurant has such a cool location and offers a locals culture, with a very cool patio right, like RIGHT, on the water. Unfortunately, the food and drinks were disappointing quality. The chicken on my salad was evidently cooked over a day ago, and looked/tasted stale. My drink was served in a plastic cup and I could have sworn there was very very little alcohol in it. The salad also contained a copious amount of iceberg lettuce that overwhelmed the other toppings. I think its also important to note that none of the other staff or guests were masked during my entire visit, and no screening questions were asked. I was really looking forward to going here, and I see the potential for an incredible quality business, unfortunately, this just isnt anywhere near impressive.

The place is awesome. Staff is great. I wish the kiychen would make better food though.

Decent boathouse/marina food. Nothing luxurious. Order at the counter, pick up tray and carry to your table. When youre done you clean off your plate and leave it in a bin...cafeteria style and efficient. The food is good but nothing special. Youre there for the atmosphere, to watch the boats, enjoy the water views, etc. Have had the chicken finger platter and you can swap fries for salad if you want, fish and chips (haddock) is about $21. Upgrade to a poutine for $3. Drinks are $6-10. Sangria isnt great. Would recommend that you stick with the beers.

Amazing place and people.

This is a place to have a drink and a bite to eat by the water. Food is not fancy but is quite good.

Good food, good drinks, good location! Its really pleasant

The process of ordering food and drink is a waste of the customers time. No waitress comes for your order, food is received via a beeper. But it is a pain that you cant run a tab - multiple requests for food or drink mean multiple uses of a debit or credit card which might mean additional s/c from you bank. In our case we made three separate orders (drinks, apps and main course). I hope they bring back wait staff as covid retreats.

You cant eat as close to the water as there... A good chicken wrap with poutine made with homemade fries...mmmm

Here the amount of tip was obligatory and it was automatically calculated in moment of paying. I think the amount of tip must be arbitrary.

Good, but drinks are expensive

It was nice to sit outside next to the water and have lunch

Great view. Good food. Fast service.

Good food but tip is being forces on customer ! Not cool

Loved the place that my friends have a boat at. Had a blast and considering it itnine if the rare places if actual in the water dining/drinking. It is recommended.. ended. Rece try changed ownership and it is for the better. Constant upgrades that are appreciated.

Great location and view. Food is simple but not bad. The ordering system is terriblly inefficient and slow though.

Very fast and amazing as usual! friendly staff and always love looking at the boats. Always a favourite to come to! Merci!

Nice setting, nothing more than that.

The view and atmosphere are prime. Great spot to grab brunch, dinner, and/or drinks

I m surprise that Tavern on the Falls always has a line up and packed compared to this boathouse resto that is always quiet. Probably because it is a bit more secluded. Amazing setup! There is also a cute blonde dog belonging to the staff that patrols the quai occasionally. The staff is very friendly. One of the best scenery in Ottawa No beers on tap, but decent assortment of bottle beers to choose from. There is also a bike rack if coming on bike from Sussex. No reservation needed.

Dont eat FRIES

Been here before and the place was wonderful. Great view and delicious food. Tried calling a few times over the last couple weeks and was looking into seeing what the hours were during covid. No answer. If anyone knows and could advise that would be great

My main concern coming to this location was the complete disregard for proper Covid procedures in a post pandemic world. You have sanitizer when you walk in but thats about it. No masks on any of the staff, all cutlery, condiments and napkins are all self serve you just reach into a communal bin. Interact was used 3-4 times no cleaning done. Whos knows if it was wiped down all day. I couldnt see any cleaning products either. Tables were still dirty for what would be considered a slow night in the service industry. Customers were moving other people trays out of the way to get a seat. People smoking inside the dining area as well was a nice touch. Questionable food for the most part x2 Fish and Chips with 2 bottled beers was $60 and change. Just reheated boxed food. The view was nice... Im not sensitive to these social distancing things usually, but after looking around you just felt like it was dirty. Almost anywhere else in Ottawa you see restaurants labeling tables sanitized, wearing masks, cleaning hot spots for contact, servers being diligent with cleaning. Not here though, take some pride in your business.

Great place to bike to and enjoy the view. Pub food (not gluten free but my family enjoyed the hot wings) and good margarita on the rocks. Enjoyed the French speaking (though they spoke English too) as we moved here from BC last year so it feels like were somewhere exotic when we hear French still.

The location is great and food was okay. My only major concern was that they dont have strong measures in place to ensure physical distancing at the counter. I know they cant control their clients, but they can change the way they work to help physical distancing (service at the table would help a lot).

Stopped by yesterday for first time and was surprised to see no masks My wife and I were the only one No social distancing We just lefted I live close by so will come back to take a look next week and if its the same we will never come back or at least till they find a vaccine Too bad nice spot Will be glad to post another review if things changes

Best place to have a beer on the water

Nice place to view scenery and hang out with friends.

I found this place when I was looking for somewhere to go for lunch with a friend. It was fantastic! The view of the river is excellent, the staff was friendly, the fish and chips were delicious. I came back a week later and will be returning again!

On the water. Great location, nice staff.

Amazing service, kind staff, great experience. Kid friendly which is always a plus. Highly recommend visiting here and having a meal.

Dont come here bad service rude waitress low quantity food. Took literally 2min for it to be ready and it was cold. Burger bun was literally store bought food barely worth 50 cents

Nice place great fast service bilingual staff

Nice spot by the river. Refreshing up after pedaling along the Ottawa River pathway. Just a bar menu, burgers, fries, nachos, but it nice to have a break and enjoy the view. The fish sandwich was ok.

Great place, great view, great service. One of the few places you can enjoy during a pandemic.

Great spot right along the river

Visited Rockliffe Boathouse yesterday evening for the first time with a friend. What a disappointment, from the staff and from the health perspective. None of the 4 staff members serving at the main bar and in the kitchen were wearing a mask. One of the staff members taking my order was so intoxicated that she cant understand me...what a shame! Im so concerned now that Im planning to be tested tomorrow. This place should be closed immediately.

The Rockcliffe Boat House has been and will always be a little hidden Gem. Great food, fun drinks and the only floating restaurant in the city and beyond. The staff are the greatest.

Very nice view. Beer is a little pricey. Its much nicer when there was service available, but still a beautiful place to stop for a drink.

The view is impeccable! We regret that we only found the place in fall or we would come here more often, such a great get away during the pandemic

The view at the restaurant is fantastic. The food is very good and the staffs is friendly and eager to pleased the customer. The only bad point is the access to the restaurant . In few words it a very high slope with a 90 degree turn in the middle partially made of cruss stone and asphalt. Just wide enough for one car to pass... With a motorcycle dont thing to go down the hill if you just start driving it

Awesome experience

Great view!

I have never left a review before this one, but went for dinner there tonight and waited over 1hr to get our food, couldn t get the waitress to return to the table to get some drinks, when the food did arrive it was cold and was not good at all. I also had some kids with us, which we had sleeping for 45 min thinking we would be able to eat in some peace and quite for us and the other guests. Unfortunately that did not happen. I do not recommend this restaurant I will not be back

Great place to sit by the water and have something to drink and eat. Fries were amazing and the fish burger was ok. Staff was very friendly but prices a bit steep but then again this restaurant is on the water.

Great spot. Gracious staff.Good food the viw is fantastic.

Truly terrible. This place has such an amazing location - right by the water - and they blow the possibility of making this a great place. The food was deep-fried foods for the most part, and not very good either. I ordered a drink and it was wrong, the person I was with was disappointed in the very limited selection of (quality) beers. The server never came to check on food or ask if we wanted another drink. I had to get up and ask for my bill, and the waitress actually FORGOT we were her table, after having served us for 45 mins. Are you my table ? oh yea. Real smooth. No music, no ambiance, only the sound of speedboats passing by to ruin an otherwise scenic location. Would I go back? Definitely not under any circumstances.

Great location and staff are friendly but the food is pricey and not good quality. The portions are not adequate for the price. They were also out of items when we arrived like shrimp, club sandwiches and fajitas. I mean come on!

Was a great place, wont go back because the owners are no longer in the service industry. One of our guest had a gluten allergy, we asked for grilled chicken ceasar salad without croutons and they were not willing to make the most minor change. Too bad because we were regulars and love the atmosphere.

Great food and atmosphere. Great stoping point on water.

Ill be back ,soon

Great staff !! Friendly service !! Always stop in when out on the water !!

Great place to relax with friends and eat by the river!

Very good lunch

The views here are perfect. I love watching the boats go by. I got the fried zucchini and poutine and they were good.

The food was good and the service was amazing !

Loooove the view.. one of a kind in Ottawa.. food is good.. service is ok.

Read the reviews prior to visiting. I can honestly say, it is worth the steep descent to the parking lot where we managed to get a spot. We all ordered the fish n chips. 2 haddock filets with tartar sauce and gravy for the fries. Service was efficient and despite the strong winds we enjoyed the spectacular view and the visiting ducks.

Very very casual. People can park their boats/water ski-doo and come in for a light meal with the basics: fresh salads, hamburgers, hot dogs, fajitas. The service is very friendly.

Great spot, but the service is always slow there.

Poor service. We waited at least 7mins before someone came around to ask us for how many. Then after being seated we waited another 15 mins before someone finally came around to ask if we had been served. Food is getting over priced. Drinks are definitely over priced. The only good thing is the view during the summer months.

Lovely view on the river good food and service - could use draft beers

Delicious fried clams by the water.

A hidden gem. A place to enjoy sunsets

Verry good but pricy $$ The view is amazing

Food was good

Very cool atmosphere. Sadly they do not make ANY alterations to their menu items.

Lovely outdoor restaurant and bar on the river in Rockcliffe Park at Ottawa Marina, lots of boats, good food, good service.

We were totally thrilled to find this place. Great food, good variety on the menu, and relaxing atmosphere. Obviously not a place to go if you want white tablecloths and/or you are in a hurry. Totally happy and will definitely return.

The food was not very good, the french fries were soft, soggy and cold. The smoked meat sandwich was toasted. Overall I didnt enjoy the meal. I would not return to the boat house. Not recommend it.

Beautiful setting, good food.

Excellent location. Come here only for the location and not the prices or the food quality

Staff is the best.

Very good food at good prices, great service. Getting a table is hit-and-miss. We got a table on our first visit immediately, and waited 30 minutes for a table on our second visit

You have to go with their menu no adding or asking to remove anything from the menu They dont serve fresh chicken on the club sandwiches

Staff was rude, fries where not so good and expensive

Always like this place. Good food and a beautiful open space on the water.

Nice view on Ottawa river, you eat and drinf while you can enjoy the beautiful weather and view of Gatineau side. You can have company of ducks as well, it s busy on weekends