They are closing for renovations AFTER THIS Sunday, 9-30-25, So stop in While you have a chance. We each got something different. My family really enjoyed the sweet potato fries. The Reuben sandwich was a fav as well. Unique flavor. My Mom who is in her 80s wanted to go out on a boat...so whoaknowsa we may be back again If It's not raining. I'm almost ready to try one of those standing board things. I've been several times over the years, & Glad to hear that the same family that's on the interior GIANT stone fireplace is donating MILLIONs to the re-model. I hope that means the fireplace will remain. Lots of ducks, a heron & a white goose visited on the water while we were there. Came home with my own souvenir as they are selling quite a bit before they close. I saw the sale items on their Facebook page. The staff was VERY helpful, & You can pick up items for sale from 9-4. read more

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From Chicago, first time at The Boathouse. Here are some thots: --For $25 we rented a paddle boat. --Tornado came within 100 feet of the building. Staff did a nice job getting people to a safe place. --They comped our food since electricity was out. Classy. --My wife and daughter shared a turkey club sandwich. Loved it! --I ordered a smash burger, and it came in one of those red and white striped disposable food boats, and my expectations dropped off a cliff : ) --However... I was pleasantly surprised by my burger. Cooked nicely, generous toppings. --Fries were ok, nothing to write home about. --Service was friendly. Recommended. read more

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Very pleasantly surprised by how good the food was at the boathouse! The cauliflower with the tempura batter was crisp to perfection, the impossible burger was smashed so it was also crispy on the edges, and the smoked salmon croissant had a very hearty piece of fish on it. We sat outside on a very hot STL summer day but every table had a fan next to it. We also brought our dogs and they had bowls of water. We also paddle boarded beforehand with the dogs which was a great activity, even with our two dogs. Will definitely be back! read more

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Do not go here for thr food. While it seems and feels like it would. Be 3.5 maybe 4 stars for food, it sadly disappoints. Food was bland, little flavor. I got thr salmon, which was dry and had not flavor added to it and nothing on the table to really add anything to it. Brussels sprouts were okay, could have been cooked some more, and they are all crushed as well not left as balls. And that's it. Your paying for the place which is a nice setting. So 2.5 goes to 3. Waiters are nice though it did take some time to be waited on and thr people saw us and another two parties behind us read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

The main issue with this place is the service. Getting seated was a hassle, ordering took a bit too long, and we were often kept waiting. Food came out about 30 minutes after placing an order for sandwiches and sides. The views of the lake and people on the pedal boats are the main draw. After our food arrived, a turkey club side of potato salad and turkey club on a croissant with mac n cheese. The vibes were much higher. It was a good meal and overall enjoyable. I would still return but on a day where timing wasn't the issue. read more

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Stopped by for weekday lunch. Although it was busy, we were seated right away. I noticed that other reviewers mentioned poor service, but this was not our experience. Our server T was very prompt, friendly, and attentive. The food fell short. I got the BBQ tacos with portobello mushrooms and sweet potato fries. Both the tacos and the sweet potato fries were lukewarm to cold. The tacos have meat (or mushrooms for veggie option), slaw, and guacamole. They were very drippy from the slaw topping. The tortillas seemed too big for the meager amount of filling. The sweet potato fries seemed less than fresh and a little too salty. The view can't be beat! We loved sitting outside and overlooking the water. In short, I will not be rushing back here for the food. read more

Food was excellent. Service was slow, but they appeared to be under staffed for a busy afternoon. Like most of the patrons, we dined inside due to the extreme heat. Will return when the weather is milder to enjoy the patio and lake view. Salad with pears, chicken and pecans is my favorite. read more

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The Boathouse at Forest Park: where you can sip a cocktail, eat a burger, and question your life choices mid-paddle boat. The setting? Gorgeous. Ducks glide by like they own the place (they do), and you feel vaguely like royalty dining on a patio by the water. The food? Solid--nothing groundbreaking, but it hits the spot after accidentally rowing yourself in circles for 45 minutes. The vibe is so laid-back you'll start to wonder if anyone is actually running the place. Is that guy a manager or just really confident in his khakis? Hard to say. But somehow, it all works. The drinks are strong, the staff is friendly, and the people-watching is pure gold. Come for the vibes, stay because you can't steer the boat back to the dock. read more

If you're in Forest park, the boathouse is a good place to stop. The food is nothing special but it is tasty.. but it does have the best patio! read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - Buffalo Cauliflower - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Im so shocked the reviews for this restaurant are so high. I got the Brussel sprouts and a burger and the food was not even remotely pleasant. I could only taste the salt on the Brussel sprouts because they must have dumped a bucket full of salt on those poor veggies. The patty on the burger was burnt and dry. The ambiance is quite nice though, especially if you sit outside next to the water. read more

The boathouse is a Forest Park must do, I was feeling a little adventurous and wanted to try the paddle boats. This is a place for both young and old to sit on the dock of the bay and watch people paddle boat, eat, drink and be merry and you'll also see lots of ducks that'll float right on the side of your paddle boat with you. The staff was nice they helped me onto and off the boat and gave me directions on how to paddle, and steer the boat and how far to go out. Once my ride was over I was hot and couldn't leave without getting the rum punch, and the waitress knew just how to make it, it looked good and tasted even better. read more

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The last time I reviewed the Boathouse was in 2011 and a lot has changed since then. I still don't think this is the best place to get a meal, but it's not terrible either. I think most people go here for the views and to relax, which is a good idea. If you ant to order food, just know it's going to be basic and it likely won't excite you in any way. My friends and I went the other night and had a nice night out. Our server was Denise and she as super friendly and was working so hard to make sure all of her customers had what we needed. My friends and I all ordered drinks when we sat down and while it did take some time for them to get out to the table, it was okay because we were hanging out and watching the paddleboat and the ducks. I did not want to drink from the can of beer because the top looked a little gross, so I asked for a cup to pour it in. Can't go wrong with a cold beer on a sunny afternoon. When we were ready to order food, Denise took good care of us. I asked about the chicken salad and she let me know how it was made. I was not too excited about the recipe, but I also didn't have much else on the menu that I wanted to try so I went with the chicken salad sandwich and ordered a side of sweet potato fries. Our food came out quickly and I found it strange that we had everything served on paper products (so much trash). If dining inside or on the patio, I would think they would provide dishes for customers, but that wasn't the case. The sweet potato fries were good. The sandwich was fine - I was hungry and the chicken salad was chilled to it was a nice temperature. But the flavor was just dull and I wish I had other seasonings to add, but it was just a simple recipe with celery mayo and a little salt/pepper - nothing too fancy. My friends said their meals were okay too. Again, nothing that we were going to obsess over, but at least it was edible and filling. In addition to our server running food out, there was also another server who was calling out names because I guess others ordered at the kiosk (?) for outside seating. I may look to see what that's about next time. Overall, this spot is great for the scenery, activities and drinks. I just don't know if the menu catches my eye enough for me to want to return. Denise was great though and I will definitely go back just to see her again! read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - Chicken salad with sweet potato fries - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Love the outdoor seatings next to the waters but does have indoor seating as well. Had duck food too if you wanted to feed them. Able to bring dogs too! Service was good and fast. Had the Bloody Mary and boneless chicken wings which comes either bbq sauce. Boyfriend got the boathouse smash burger which came with sweet potato waffle fries which was super crunchy! Loved everything we got. Will come back again when I'm in the area read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Not going to lie, I'm a little sad because they got rid of my favorite menu item since the last time I visited, which was the pesto and asiago gnocchi! But thank goodness their Municipal Margarita is still absolute perfection just like I remember it. I feel like their menu changes every time I go. I recently visited on a Monday night around 7 PM. I always love sitting outside with gorgeous views of the water. Our server was very attentive and friendly. After seeing that their menu no longer offers my gnocchi, I decided to try one of their salads instead. However, an employee came out shortly after placing our order and said they were out of the salad. So after looking over the menu again, I settled on a turkey sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries. The turkey sandwich was very plain and nothing special. The sweet potato fries on the other hand were spectacular. However, I didn't appreciate getting charged for two orders of them! If I hadn't been in a rush to make it to the Muny, I would've said something to my server, but I didn't feel like waiting for the correction over a $5 mistake. My partner had fried fish. He said it was decent but he'll probably stick to a sandwich next time. Overall, I would love to see a little more consistency here for future visits! read more

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I love the boathouse! Mainly for the views and live music, not so much for the food or drinks, but they still get 4 stars from me for having a memorable atmosphere that keeps me coming back. The food is fine if you know what you're getting, pretty standard American grub and saucy items. You can't customize much here (can't get sauce on the side for BBQ stuff, sorry if you're GF!) but their burgers are really really good, so that helps them out. I was excited about the ahi tuna salad but it ended up being pretty bland and basic, not what I was hoping it would be. The drinks are very basic mixed drinks and they didn't have Aperol, which made my little basic B heart flutter in sadness. My hope is they do more proteins that are freshly grilled (chicken breast, veggie burgers, veggie kabobs) and lean into that fresh grilled vibe to match their location. That would take their food to next level and be wonderful. OH and for the love, please offer some type of charcuterie board to-go! It would be so nice to be able to grab this to take in the park or on a boat. read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - Ahi tuna salad - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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This place was hopping for a Thursday afternoon. Probably due to the beautiful weather!! We stopped in before an event at the History Museum. The Blueberry Margarita was good. Salad was nothing special and the Buffalo Cauliflower bites were good. Now, I will go back to try other options and take advantage of the paddle boats etc. I bet this place gets busy on the weekends!!! read more

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With summer approaching, I'm thrilled to add Boathouse back into my regular lineup of patio bars and restaurants. Its casual atmosphere and central location in Forest Park makes it the perfect place to hang out after a bike ride, tennis match or visit to the zoo. Boathouse features a full menu and a variety of alcoholic (domestic and local) and non-alcoholic beverages. Food and drinks can be enjoyed in the indoor dining area or on the outdoor patio overlooking the paddle boat dock. Ordering is made easy and convenient with counter service. Additional perks include dedicated parking and live music on weekends. Overall, I am looking forward to many summer afternoons and evenings at Boathouse! read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - Exterior - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Located in Forest Park , right next to the Paddle boats. Patio seating, not heated! Casual dining, relaxed atmosphere. We did have a wait, but time went quickly as we walked around the premises waiting for our call. Paddle boats , ducks, and a lake makes a beautiful scenery. Sonja was friendly and attentive. I ordered boneless chicken and fries and a hurricane frozen drink. Drink was a 10 strong and refreshing, food a 5/10. Overall a nice reasonably price meal in forest park to dine. read more

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I love that this table-service restaurant is located in the heart of Forest Park. It is convenient if you are enjoying the park. There is dedicated parking, and the view of the dock and paddle-boat sized lake is lovely. There is inside and outdoor seating. Outdoor seating is preferred, and a premium if the weather is right. On our visit it was a little chilly so we sat indoors. Still not bad because there is a center fireplace for ambiance. We enjoyed a nice lunch before checking out the nearby museum of art. The menu is pretty standard American fare; burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads, and salads. I wasn't wowed by the menu, but it's a safe option that everyone should be able to work with. I had the bratwurst and sauerkraut, but don't see it on the pictures that are available on Yelp. It was pretty good, and it felt like the perfect choice for an afternoon lunch in the park. My four star rating is more about location and convenience than the food, but I would go back. I appreciate that this is much more than you might find in most public parks. read more

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The patty melt is divine. It's two smashed beef patties with caramelized onions and provolone, layered between two slices of marble rye. Thick and juicy and wonderful. We had a good time at Boathouse, but you should probably know a few things. First, this restaurant gets extremely busy. It's located in Forest Park, a popular St. Louis park, so it's always hopping. They have patio seating, which overlooks the lake, and which, if you choose this seating over the regular indoor restaurant seating, might get you seated quicker. I don't know why, but that's the way they function here. However, patio seating means you don't have a designated server, and you will need to order at the outdoor bar. The outdoor bar is located outside (of course) and around the corner from where all of the tables are located. After you order, they will bring you your food, calling out your name as they look upon the tables, hoping they spot you. This food-ordering system was fine for me and my family, but for people looking for a typical restaurant experience, you might want to opt to sit inside. The parking lot is small. Depending on the day and time you visit, expect to circle a few times before either finding a precious parking space or giving up and parking on the street. There's lots of street parking around Forest Park. If you sit on the patio, which overlooks the lake, you'll see lots of water fowl. Boathouse has a little bird food dispenser near the bar, so it would be in your best interest to send someone to get a cupful of pellets to throw into the water for the ducks (and fish) that visit. It's like dinner and a show. Also, if you sit on the patio and they're busy, expect to wait a bit. We waited at least 30 minutes from the time we ordered until we got our food. The music they were playing on the patio was very good: a few deep cuts and also well-known favorites. I don't know who picks the music here, but I see you and appreciate your effort. They have a kids' menu here, and fresh fruit is an option, just FYI. Basically, if you're visiting during the warmer weather months, bring some patience. read more

The outdoor seating area provide option for table service and no table service where you would just order at the bar and bring it back to your table yourself. Tons of wildlife (ducks, turtle, hummingbird, etc.) to see while you relax to live music that starts at 530p and watch the paddle boats go around in the lake. Fried mushroom $8.50 - Nicely breaded, paired well with the horseradish sauce. Parking in the lot may be a challenge, but you can find street parking within walking distance. .|\---/| | o_o | .\_^_/..2023 read more

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Came here on a Tuesday with some friends and chose to sit inside. I believe they had patio seating outside as well. Didn't get a picture of the appetizers but we got the fried mushrooms which were delish! We also got the hot honey pretzels which didn't seem anything like pretzels (seemed more like a fried pimento cheese bite dipped in some kind of "pretzel" batter but wasn't doughy like a pretzel... that came with a side of hot honey). Still pretty good and our waitress gave us a heads up that it's not really what it seems on the menu. Got the ahi tuna salad which was yummy, I was just surprised by the amount of wonton chips it came with haha but it was good. I'm not sure if there was only one waitress working though bc she seemed to be busy hopping from table to table. So we didn't get rounded on as much as we would've liked for water refills and such but we know she tried her best, I think it was just the circumstance. read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - ahi tuna salad - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Back in St. Louis and made time in my beloved Forest Park for another sunset drink at The Boathouse. Wine. Good company. Gorgeous sunsets. Seriously, what's not to love?! I still haven't ordered food so I can't vouch for that. :) read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - White goose comes to say hello. - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Absolutely gorgeous views and a wonderful atmosphere inside! My friend's chicken salad was great as was my Portobello sandwich however our brussels sprouts were inedible. Super bummer because I wanted to have the fries, but I thought to myself "hey fatty let's make a better life decision" only to not even get to eat them. Lesson learned! read more

Very nice after the Art museum, good food, nice fire place on a cold day. St Louis tradition! read more

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We took Daisy ( the dog) for lunch at the boathouse. There was a twenty minute wait if we wanted to sit under the covering. No wait if you just wanted to sit under an umbrella. We choose the latter. If you do that you have to place your own order and bring it to your table when they call out your name. He choose a salad and I got the tuna fish on a crossient. The food was delicious as Daisy kept a keen eye out for ducks. Would I come back here? Yes, if you see me there, stop by and say hello. read more

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Excellent tasting food and service. Love the view of the lake. Next time we'll eat outdoors so we can view the lake. The boathouse also has paddle boats to rent out and enjoy paddling around the laje. read more

Sat down. It was not crowded. Waited 20 minutes. Nobody came to bring water or even to say "hey, we are slammed, we'll be with you as soon as we can." I have no idea who our server was. The table next to us gave up and went and got their own drinks from the walk up bar. Eventually we just left. Such a fun location, but it seems like they have serious problems with service. Didn't even get to try the food, so can't comment on that! read more

Busy, busy day at the Boathouse! Yet we still got great service and honestly, quicker than I would have expected it to be. The food was SO good! Highly suggest the brisket toasted ravs!!! Fries were really good too! We sat outside. It was a little cold (50 degrees with a stupid amount of wind) but worth it to be on a patio finally. Inside seemed cramped anyway really! Nice to see the pond there. So pretty and relaxing to look at! read more

I haven't tried the restaurant just the kayak rentals. One "attendant" in particular was super rude as I tried unsuccessfully to get my kayak out from the docking area. Upon my return he decided to continue to play with a soccer ball totally ignoring me as I tried to position the kayak in the docking area to get out. Kid (with "Afro" ) just looks up from his soccer ball but makes zero indication he's going to help me (a senior woman) out of the kayak. Another attendant (nice white kid) runs over apologizing and gets me out. Crappy "service" from the usual suspects - wonder why he ignored me...... (no, I know why......) Will call out this racist behavior next time. Works both ways read more

I love the ambiance of the boathouse. The food was good, cocktails enjoyable, wait times are terrible. Please open a bar where you can order drinks only and a separate line for people that want food with more than one person working the counter. Beautiful day but it's not slammed. They just needs better workflow and more people. I don't want to spend half an hour waiting in line to order 2 drinks. read more

I hadn't been here in years, but had lunch recently with a large group after a volunteer day in Forest Park. We sat on the self-serve side and though it took a while to get through the line to order, I was impressed with how speedily our food came out. Everyone had large portions - I took half of my burger home for another entire meal! I thought the fries were great. The only thing that could use some improvement was the state of the patio. Unsure how old the patio is and I'm sure it would be pricey to replace, but it had rained the day before and there were large/deep puddles of standing water in large divets along the area we sat. Clearly people were avoiding that space but to seat around 12 people together, that's where we had to go. We all know standing water leads to mosquitos and we were pretty bit up by the end of lunch. It's such an amazing space otherwise but would love to see that patio get a little TLC. read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - Patty melt & fries - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Went to Boathouse after the zoo. Ordered pulled pork sandwich with fries. It was delicious. And I like sweet bbq sauce. Warm fireplace by table was perfect. Thank you read more

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I went here for a baby shower for a dear friend. Full disclosure, she has the coolest mom/sisters team. Even without that...a very solid event space with a very pleasantly minimal blank slate. The water is right behind and not in Feb you can Jair walk out totally a paddle boat...my literal dreams. Showers often have rubber food...NOT SO. Simple but perfectly executed brunch staples. Fancy Bloody Mary (bacon, olive, salted rim..the whole garnish), mimosas and wine. The coffee was actually drinkable. Cloth table cloths and napkins that felt starched which I am a sucker for. Plenty of parking both in the lot and on the street. I will be back to eat at the normal restaurant sometime. read more

In all the years, hadn't been to the Boathouse! Not even to rent a paddeboat (and still didn't do that!). Visited on a Tuesday for late lunch. Wasn't crowded at all with plenty of available seating for social distancing. My daughter ordered the chicken salad with fries. I opted for the turkey club with chips. We both ordered a drink too and asked for ice waters. After paying, I told the cashier I would come back to get the ice waters. No sooner had I got a table did the cashier bring waters to me. How nice! Chicken sandwich lacked "something" according to my daughter (seasoning?). My sandwich was good. Chips weren't too salty. Drinks were okay. My rum and Diet Coke was heavy on the Diet Coke. Parking is right out front. I did get a little turned around trying to find my way through Forest Park to find the Boathouse. I bet I've driven past thousands of times and never realized it. Overall, I'm really glad we had the chance to go and was a great stay-cay-vacation option for me. read more

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Horrible! Had lunch on a weekday (Thursday). Clearly understaffed today. Server was Heatherbelle Issues; Seated by host, but nobody came to the table to greet us with water, order drinks or anything. We waited 20 minutes. I had to go find a server. Server mentioned they were short-staffed. She was clearly stressed out. Naturally, the food took a long time. Toasted ravioli was like chewing on leather. They got one of our entree orders wrong. I ordered the roasted turkey sandwich on pretzel bun. It was absolutely appalling taste wise. To help save time, I gave the credit card to the food runner that brought us our food asking him to give it to the server to run the bill. Knowing if I didn't do that we'd be waiting probably another 20+ minutes for our server to come by our table to get the credit card. She was clearly upset that we did that and scolded us for not giving her the credit card because now she doesn't know who had it when in fact they only had one food runner working the entire restaurant that had it that was instructed to give it to her. This place is definitely overrated. Don't waste your time. Don't waste your money other than enjoying the beautiful view utilizing the pedal boats. read more

Had breakfast here. The setting by the water is nice, the prices are reasonable, and the service was friendly. The food was just okay though, would only recommend eating here if it's a perfect day and you want the view. read more

We've eaten here a few times and the food is ok but nothing too special. I got the smoked salmon croissant sandwich and it was good. 2 large chunks of fish and a cream cheese dressing that all wanted desperately to escape the bounds of the sandwich. The gumbo was ok too, but should have been a bit spicier and more seasoned. My wife got the brisket and it was so greasy it was unappetizing to look at. Won't get that again. She liked the Mac and cheese a lot. Very creamy read more

Great service, not great food. Wonderful setting. Large portions. Fair prices. Out of several items.

The big perk of this place is the view. You can enjoy the sight of Forest Park wildlife and families of paddle-boaters while having a bite and a drink. We came for lunch and we're served under the covered patio. If I had known ahead of time that the uncovered tables in the sun were available for ordering at the counter, we may have sat there (where it was warmer)! Anyway, the service was fine even though it was busy and I was impressed with how big and pescatarian friendly the menu was for a place that can lean on the view and location. Since the food was good, the prices are reasonable and the location is gorgeous, I will be back! read more

The Boathouse at Forest Park - Salmon croissant and potato salad - New American Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri