Service: Great, friendly and checked back often. Vibe: Good - we sat in the bar area and it is pretty old school, but clean Food: Great - the best chicken fried steak I can remember in many years. Breading was well-seasoned, crispy from start to finish, did not fall off the meat, and was not over thick. Potatoes were also excellent. Could be because everything is fried in beef tallow. Gravy - finally one worth eating, and it did not sog out the breading at all. read more

Boatyard Pub - Chicken fried steak. House-made corned beef hash in back (both were excellent) - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

We were here for a girls trip. We stayed on a boat and came here to eat for breakfast, dinner and just for the drinks. The atmosphere was great, it was decorated for St Patty's day. Our bartender, waitresses and waiters were all very friendly. Food came out quick and delicious. I highly recommend. read more

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Like the ambiance, the regular music and the tropical drink selection... BUT service is spotty at best even when you sit at the bar and some of the prices even for happy hour items are way too much for what you get. Oh and having to pay for parking fri, sat and sun is ridiculous. It's why I only go on Mon. - Thu. read more

Despite our previous positive experiences, our recent visit to this restaurant was disappointing. The shrimp tacos were like cabbage tacos with minimal shrimp, and the $27.00 price for two tacos and a cup of cold chowder was excessive. The sauce was diluted, and the clam chowder and fries were cold. Our waiter was courteous but rushed us, diminishing our dining experience. The restaurant seemed to be trying to be fine dining with the prices, but cutting corners in every aspect, including staff, ingredients, and portion sizes diminished the effort. I'm giving two stars, mostly for past experience and the potential for improvement. read more

Went to Boathouse Pub on a Wednesday night for their steak and lobster special. It was absolutely delicious. It was so festive with all the Christmas decorations and they had live music. it was packed and they had a lot of employees working and the service was great. I can't wait to go back. read more

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The server was great, ambiance is beautiful however food needs improvement! This use to be my favorite place to come weekly, however fish n chips came out cold then asked them about it. Kitchen refried my fish to then make fish over cooked and super greasy! Fries were still cold . How I knew they were still my food as my bit in fry and fish was still there. Food tasted horrible after that. Tuna on fire for the price is served so small and no worth price. So disappointed! read more

Been here several times always a nice spot to relax. Great food, service, live music.

Great Place in Ventura Harbor Village! The fried halibut, cod and bay scallops were very good, but the cioppino (seafood stew) was the best I've had - delicious and very plentiful. Not great for views - it's in an interior courtyard - but very nice outdoor seating, and live music that was also very good. Even the kid's cheeseburger was great quality. A bit on the expensive side, but worth every penny! read more

Nice location; servers very pleasant. They had a small ensemble playing, so very festive. I ordered ahi tacos - the meat was not seared, it was tough and overcooked. The sauces and salad were nice, but I wound not order that again. Overall was very pricey and disappointing food, but fun place for a beer with friends. read more

Awesome overall experience. Cool location, right in the harbor. We got right in even though it was extremely busy. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. The food was amazing and fairly priced. Highly recommend! read more

Delicious food. services could have been better. Drinks were delicious. I will be back for Wednesday night lobster and steak

Not great. I've never had fish tacos with breaded sea bass. It was wet and mushy. I thought it would have been grilled. The crab Parmesan dip was ok. Would have been better if they had toasted the bread lightly and served the dip bubbling hot. I think it was re-warmed. Really old service staff, I guess normal for Ventura but not a hip hang out. Service was slow and we were one of only two tables in the joint. read more

We really enjoy the fish & chips, as well as the clam chowder. The service is excellent! The drinks are always on point. They recently remolded and the place looks great. This isn't the cheapest place to eat, but considering the quality, you'll definitely get your money's worth. read more

Boatyard Pub - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Many year coming here. Used to be a great experience. We got there early. No one in line at the Hostess station. Few in the restaurant. The new "management woman" apparently needs to go take some customer service training. Walked up to the hostess station, asked if we could sit at a table in the bar area making sure it was not reserved. She said she did not understand so I asked her to follow me to the table we wanted for 5 people. It seated 6. She then admonished me that I needed to go to the Hostess station in Front where the Hostess was standing. All I had done is ask a simple question, "are you able to help us" as I walked to the side of the station with no one in line. It went downhill from there. God forbid you spend hundreds of dollars at a table and have the audacity to move to the bar area where there is music b/c you cannot hear it from the back areas at all anymore. I thought I was back in Catholic School with this newer manager. The amount of rules to go have a good time far outweigh any possible thing this place could offer. Others around us reported the same and said they would never be back. Some have also been going for years. Let alone not getting a waiter at the table for almost 1/2 hr. But we were fearful of going to the bar to get a drink in the meantime. We probably would have gotten our knuckles smacked with a ruler. I quit Catholic School for a reason. Do not need it at a Restaurant we used to love. I hope other post as well. Silence is not Golden. This management needs to get a clue and only by great patrons leaving will they learn. read more

Courtney !! Courtney !!! Courtney !!! My wife took me to the Boatyard Pub for Father's Day breakfast. It was the first time that we had been there to eat, food was good, but our waitress Courtney was OUTSTANDING !! read more

If you have more than 2 dogs they won't serve you. It doesn't matter how well behaved or well trained your dogs are. This is the only place in the whole harbor with this restriction. Every other place has a pet policy where dogs need to stay close, not bug others, not be aggressive, not beg, not eat off humans plates, not sit on owners lap or on any furniture... normal stuff. The number of dogs won't prevent biting, behavior does. If the owner has a badly behaved dog then they should not be seated because issues like aggression are not based on if you only have 1 or 2 dogs but on the dogs themselves. Limiting how many dogs are allowed at a table doesn't prevent biting. My dogs have NEVER bitten anyone nor would they and they have zero aggression. This pet policy is unlike any other policy anywhere I have ever been. There are places that say zero pets allowed and that's okay. It's better to not allow any dogs if they are afraid of dogs having issues. Now I wasn't accused of having badly behaved dogs just too many because they have this new pet policy of only 2 dogs because they had an issue with someone completely different having an aggressive dog, not us. This pet policy won't remove the problem of aggressive dogs. It's better to say no pets on the patio at all or reserve the right to kick out badly behaved dogs if they don't follow normal pet rules. I'm very upset read more

Tried this restaurant for the first time and we will definitely go back. Excellent service and delicious food! We ate on the patio and it was lovely; the only thing missing was a view of the water. Their clam chowder is fantastic! Lots of clams. Highly recommend! read more

This place is horrible. We went for Clam Chowder Day and everything about it was bad. The hostess asked a question about seating, then walked away without waiting for an answer. She took us all the way to the back to a crappy table even though there were lots of empty tables because we went between lunch and dinner.. The server was rude and almost never available (even for water) so we finally had to ask someone else for help. The food (aside from the chowder) was disgusting. We had a lot left and didn't even take any of it home. This past weekend, my partner's son said he was going and we told him it was bad. He went anyway, then called to tell us how terrible it was. He said they had to send back food and he paid $160 for two and would never go back. read more

Two of us went to the Boatyard Pub on a Friday 8/22/25, during happy hour, which was between 3-6pm. We wanted to sit outside, but you must sit inside for happy hour. We sat near a window, because the decor is kind of dark inside. The service was great! We were greeted and seated right away. At first we even had two servers and ended up with four waters! Since the table for two was small, we pointed it out and they removed two waters and one waiter! The remaining waiter was attentive, but not overly. The happy hour menu was appealing because it was not your usual sliders, and fries fare. We ordered three dishes. Shrimp, Brussel sprouts, and Ganja rolls that were very generous serving. The first two items were very tasty, but we didn't care for the Ganja Rolls. As for drinks, we ordered an old fashion and a cucumber mojito. Both were tasty and seemed to have an average amount of alcohol. The old fashioned wasn't made quite correctly. It had cubes of ice instead of the one large cube that is typical for this drink. We had five items which came out to $10 each. With the tip, it was about $30 per person. We aren't big eaters or drinkers, so for us this was dinner. We even had a small amount left over to take home. Towards the end, a band came that played some nice jazz. By then we were finished though. However, we sat on the benches outside and could hear it fine, plus it still allowed for conversation. If you want to linger for the band, maybe come closer to 5pm. All and all, it was a nice experience sitting by the harbor, and we would go here again! read more

Boatyard Pub - This is their happy hour flyer - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

We came in for dinner on Thursday night. Great happy hour prices and live music. The bartender was pretty busy so service was a little slow but she was working it! Clam chowder and ahi bowl were excellent. The Caesar could have had more dress but still tasty. Breakfast has always been good when we are there in the mornings. We love the remodel. Looks great! read more

After a disappointing dinner at another restaurant nearby (ehem brophy bros), I really enjoyed lunch here the next day. We got the fish tacos and also the poke entree. The poke was delicious, it came with a large portion of sticky white rice, coleslaw, poke tuna and a delicious sauce. The fish tacos were also delicious. It didn't look like much from the outside, but the food here was delicious and probably my favorite restaurant in the village at the moment. Service was good as well. read more

Probably a 4.5*. we hadn't eaten there for years but we heard that they won the clam chowder competition and also we wanted to try their 29.95 lobster and filet Wednesday special. We didn't let our expectations get out of hand for the food special (lobster and filet for the masses???) and we are clam chowder aficionados (we make the best ever and have tried and ranked dozens). And afterall, Boatyard for us is a haven of live music--not food. The place was really decked out for the holiday's. They have upgraded their indoor/outdoor section so that it doesn't seem like an addon for overflow anymore. Very pleasant host and friendly/competent waitress who reminded us that happy hour was over in 30 minutes. We ordered HH drinks and a cup of the best clam chowder (except for our homemade) that we have had in Ventura County--it was full of clams to the last bite, just a few potatoes, mild bacon flavor, just enough cream-perfect consistency and NOT too salty. The filet and lobster (available Wed 4-8pm) came out hot, lots of salad, delicious rice w/ carrots. The lobster tail was medium size, good flavor but mine was kind of mushy--not great but what do you wand for $30 (my wife said her lobster was not mushy). The fillet was superb--good size, cooked perfectly as requested, no fat or grizzle, flavorful and so tender you could almost cut it with a fork. Surprisingly lots of food for $29--next time we will share one, but the leftover fillet quesadillas that we make tonight may change my mind. Nice job boatyard read more

nice bar, good soft jazz band on Sunday afternoon, but horrible service & exorbitant prices. supposedly dog friendly... but not very . make you tied them to wall on very short leash read more

We enjoyed our food, the service was attentive, and the dog-friendly patio was appreciated. Only giving it one star because we don't understand how a restaurant in 2025 is still using the ridiculous term "Freedom fries" instead of French fries or, geez I don't know, maybe just fries? I mean seriously?!? That was a silly political statement 23 years ago and certainly hasn't aged well. Definitely makes us hesitant to spend our money here again, which is sad since we live in Ventura & have brought visitors here. read more

Boatyard Pub - Menu complete with "Freedom fries" - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Definitely not dog friendly anymore. We have been patronizing this place for a decade. It has always been one of our favorites. However, today, I wasn't treated like an honored guest. Instead, we were ordered to a certain table and told that our dog must be chained to the wall. An extremely short lead of just a few feet was anchored into the wall . Our dog wouldn't have even been able to lie down a the servers tone was authoritative and loud. She probably stated that she is telling us the rules! Ours is a support Animal to boot ! He's 100 pounds and the short lead that we were to tether him to that it wouldn't have allowed him even to lie down underneath. It was very upsetting since we've been there with this dog with a quick calculation about 100 times. ! About $6500 in revenue with this dog. They apparently had three dog bites in a week and we were treated like the ones that were responsible for that. We won't go back. Even though we're locals, and we have been regularly going there to enjoy the food one that has served us and we're friendly to us over the years jumped on the bandwagon to say they were the ones that were bit! This is total over reaction. Those that had dogs that bite are the ones that are responsible and liable I think you better change your website from offering a dog friendly patio to that you want to insult your patrons and treat them poorly. You've lost what you should think of as a valued customer, but it's clear that you do not. read more

Very fresh seafood, delicious teriyaki chicken and steak kabobs, attentive service, fun music. We love going there!

Visiting Ventura from long beach on the way to santa barbara and me and my family decided to stop by this place for some lunch. almost immediately after walking in the energy was already off, the front desk was super rude and very condescending, which i let slide because i've worked in customer service before so i know how it is, but as understanding as i was they were just so mean. whatever, we sat down and the server was super nice i feel bad i don't remember her name but she was amazing. the food was eh, we ordered the garlic fries which tasted like spray paint and the chicken skewers which were cold and chewy so im hoping they weren't raw. My sons both ordered the fish and chips and the batter was raw and uncooked so i told my server and didn't want to make a big deal so we just paid the bill and left. on the drive home to santa barbara my husband called and spoke to a manager, also don't remember her name, but it was a woman and she was even worse than the front desk! she spoke to us as if we didn't know what we were talking about and if we were children. waiters are 10/10 but the front desk/management were 0/10. please do better! read more

We have gone to Boatyard 3 times in the past 6 months after taking 10 years or so off. The clam chowder is as good as any. Yesterday I tried the Wednesday lobster and filet special and was pleasantly surprised. If you have not been there in a while, try it again. Better food, better service and much cleaner. read more

First time trying this place.. Great atmosphere, location, delicious food (we were all satisfied) and the drinks were strong!! read more

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I came here during the discounted chowder event with my mom to try it out at a few places and to check out the menus at some new places! It was busy and full of older folks so I was hoping for the best, but honestly the woman working at the hostess stand (tall slender dirty blonde woman probably in her 60's) on Feb 25th at about 1:30-2pm. Was probably the rudest host I've experienced in a very long time. The people in front of me she seated super quickly, but then when I came up she was quick to ignore me and handle whatever else she had going on, until it was almost awkward standing there. Mind you I was a restaurant manager for 14 years and have worked at many different types of places. So I'm not snobby and am usually understanding, because I know how this industry can get. When she finally asked what she could help me with I let her know I was there for the chowder event and wanted to place an order to go, she quickly said. "Well they (the servers) are super busy right now, so I don't know if you want to place an order online it may be faster. So when I asked her how I would go about doing that (because every place had a different process or programs they use) she quickly shot a look at me and said I don't know you just type in on google with an attitude; (like okay, that's common sense, but that's not what I was asking clearly). So then I let her know, you know what i would like someone to take my order, and still with an attitude she said well it will still be a long time before someone can come take it. Which I replied, you know what it's fine, I will wait here until they do (because now I was irritated, by how curt and rude she was about it) and I turned around to sit down. There was another blonde lady sitting and waiting as well and we both locked eyes basically saying "yeah, you seen and heard how rude and dismissive she was as well". During this time many older folks came in and ironically she was quick to seat them and get them what was needed, but after a very polite Asian woman shortly appeared at the register to pick up her To go, she was very rude to her as well. The woman next to me and I chatted a bit about it awhile we were waiting. We both ordered just one small cup of soup and it took them close to 45 min to help both of us. She almost made it seem like we were bothering her; which I have no problem ever taking my money elsewhere in this economy. I love seafood, but now I was going to sit and wait because I was irritated and wanted to prove a point I couldn't be waved off just because she felt like it. It was so bad it almost felt racially charged which is hard and very embarrassing to say because I never want to be (that person) and always want to have a clear mind of being open and understanding. I could tell they couldn't handle the volume but honestly something still didn't feel right, because the other woman that came in to get it was ironically Asian (so another minority) as well. Both of us well spoken and patient, but both basically being dismissed but helped. When every other person that walked in and was helped immediately was older or retired and of the same decent (Caucasian). It's hard to point out these things, but the facts still remain the facts. When I finally had my order brought out by her, she said oh you're the one that ordered online right. I said no remember you had someone come up and take my order? So then she checked with the waitress to see if I paid before handing me the bag. Which I get it, but still felt uncomfortable and off with the entire interaction. The soup was alright, but because of how poor the service it might as well taste like cardboard, if I could give them no stars I would. I will probably never set foot in this place again, and I'll be sure to let others know how my experience was so that they don't have to feel even a tenth how uncomfortable this entire situation was for me from start to finish. This definitely won't be a place that will be circulated for lunch, or business lunches or dinner within our network. Which is sad because they obviously wanted the foot traffic and more clientele because of the event. Goodluck, I hope someone else can have a more positive experience than I obviously had. Godbless you guys! read more

DELISH NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER SOURDOUGH BOWL!!! My favorite soup is definitely clam chowder and we sample it everywhere we can! Best of the best in the USA for us, has gotta be Sail Loft in Boston, MA. But locally in our neck of the woods of Ventura County where would you go for yummy New England chowdah? Our fam's local fave is here at Boatyard Pub in the Ventura Harbor! Easy to get to and parking is only a challenge on the weekends. Friendly and helpful staff. Inside is a dark wood with lots of windows, gives the impression we are aboard a clipper ship without all the rocking! No seasickness here so we can enjoy the food! Let's eat :) GARLIC PARMESAN FREEDOM FRIES: Yummy appetizer! REAL garlic is used here and you could smell it when it landed on our table. Mmmmm! The fries are plentiful and the thick version... Crispy outside, fluffy inside. Definitely shareable. Now that we know they prepare this well, we will ask for extra garlic next time! lol My table kept trying to hoard all the garlic on each one's fries :/ NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER: (Sourdough Bread Bowl Option) THIS is, imho, BEST IN Ventura County FOR SURE! You can tell there was a lot of effort to create this! Not just some watered down version overwhelmed with potatoes, no sir-ee! Perfectly creamy soup with lots of chunky clam pieces that aren't chewy at all. The soup is absolutely flavorful as well. Then there's the Sourdough Bowl they use here. It is light and fluffy, not dense in any sense, yet still able to hold the magic concoction without ending being all sogged up. Truly palate pleasing! SPINNAKER HOT CRAB DIP: We got the large size to share and it comes piping hot to the table. Lots of pieces of bread to pile ample amounts of dip on each one. Dip is thick and filled with a whole latta crab chunks. Also quite flavorful. Love the browning over the top. Definitely something to repeat order on every visit. CALAMARI & CHIPS: Pretty big basket of stuff! The fried calamari is prepared just how our family likes it. Crisp batter and cooked enough that it isn't chewy in any sense. Plentiful amount of both fries and calamari. Cocktail sauce has a nice tartness to it. This did not last long lol BOATYARD PUB FISH & CHIPS: 4 pieces of cod. Good sized pieces of fish inside a crispy batter. Nothing soggy like Great Britain's version here! Comes with Cole slaw too. VERY EASY RECOMMENDATION! There are a few options for seafood in The Ventura Harbor, but this one is the one we keep coming back to! Yummy stuff our family enjoys every time! Nom NOM! :) read more

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Good food diverse menu Happy hour deals Love the ahi tacos Service is good Live music in the bar read more

We just had one of the best meals EVER! Husband had extremely yummy Scallops and Prawns dinner, I had a fanTAStic Poke Bowl Extraordinare with the extras... All had excellent flavors, attention to detail, each item was a huge step above 'regular'. Staff was super attentive and on point. Courtney was great and Andreas, too! I really enjoyed the space between tables on the 'outdoor patio'. We didn't feel like we were forced to listen to the people next to us, and our loud voices didn't seem to bother anyone (‍). It was a Bluegrass Jam night so the music was a fun, added extra. This is a great place to bring visitors or have a celebration dinner. We plan to make the Boatyard Pub a fixture from now forward! read more

Our first time here and the fish and chips were pretty good. I expected them to be just a bit better, but certainly can't complain! Staff was friendly, our server seemed to put more focus on the regulars behind us (we are not from the area), but I highly recommend it! Inside is fairly small and didn't look like anything too special, but the food and people were great! read more

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Great place to go to eat and you can bring your pup. Great mixed drinks as well as good food.

Awesome spot!! Julz is an excellent bartender! Took great care of us! Great recommendations and suggestions. Just a pleasure to have her take care of us. Food is top notch!! We'll definitely be back!! The service alone would bring us back!!!! read more

Had dinner at boatyard and was disappointed with my dinner. I have dined here before and food was good. I had the broiled b halibut, I do not think it was broiled. It was moist and bland like it was microwaved. My wife had the cod, it did not seem much better. It was a disappointing meal. I would have sent it back but we were with friends and did not want to ruin their evening. Mel, Ventura. read more

So the wife and I came down to Ventura for a Friend's Wedding and the atmosphere here is beautiful. Got a great view of the water while eating lunch. The service was wonderful and the staff was very friendly! I got a Fish Taco, and Clam Chowder. My wife got the Oysters Rockefeller and the Clam Chowder. Talk about really good comfort food. The next time I come to Ventura, I'm gonna make sure that I stop by this place again. So well worth the price that you pay. read more

Boatyard Pub absolutely blew us away and set a new standard for what a perfect night out should feel like. Sherman H was one of the best servers we've ever had. From the moment we arrived, everything came together for a truly feel-good, unforgettable experience. Despite it being a busy Friday night, the service was lightning fast, genuinely friendly, and incredibly attentive--our server was on top of everything without ever being intrusive. The live music on the patio created the perfect atmosphere--fun, relaxed, and vibrant without overpowering conversation. The food? Next level. The clam chowder was rich, comforting, and easily one of the best we've ever had. The poke bowl was insanely fresh and flavorful--do yourself a favor and ask for extra spicy mayo and fire sauce. Absolute game changer. And the wonton shell tacos? Straight up to-die-for. Crispy, creative, and unforgettable. My drink was never even close to empty thanks to the outstanding service, which just elevated the entire experience even more. Every detail was dialed in--food, service, vibe, and energy. 15/10 recommend. This is the kind of place that makes you immediately start planning your next visit before you even leave. Boatyard Pub is a must-go. Sherman, you made this happen!! read more

Such a vibe! Very local spot. Came for lunch during the week so didn't try their cocktails but they all looked very good. People were here really just enjoying life. Service was good and their patio is pup friendly which is a big plus for me. Food was great. Mom had a shrimp taco (they are big) and I got the tofu poke bowl which was huge!!! Can't wait to come back on a weekend to really take advantage of this awesome spot. read more

Boatyard Pub - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California