The Boat Inn

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#6 of 18 Restaurants in Penkridge££ - £££, Bar, British, Vegetarian friendly

+44 1785 715170+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

12:00 - 23:00

Tue

12:00 - 23:30

Wed

12:00 - 23:30

Thu

12:00 - 23:30

Fri

12:00 - 0:00

Sat

12:00 - 0:00

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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

360 reviews

#6 of 18 Restaurants in Penkridge

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, British, Bar, Pub, Gastropub, Vegetarian friendly

“Great pub for narrow boat crew to have a good pint and tasty food.”

“My wife and I ate here and I can confirm the steak and ale pie is amazing the...”

“My home made cheese and bacon burger was delicious and the wife really enjoye...”

“Me and my daughter had the Boat burger, it was HUGE.”

Location and contact

Cannock Road, Penkridge ST19 5DT England

+44 1785 715170

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Does this restaurant have live music

Yes

Unsure

Details

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About

Situated on the Cannock Road in Penkridge by the banks of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, The Boat is a traditional and lively pub serving real ales & delicious homemade food. We are a family friendly pub with real ales and a menu of freshly prepared homemade food. We have a popular traditional Sunday lunch, with a choice of 2 succulent roasts. Regular events include Tuesday Night - Burger and Quiz Night, with the chance to win a £100. Wednesday Night - Pie Night and Acoustic Lounge, Open Mic Night (relaxed free and easy) Thursday Night - Steak Night Saturday - Live Music most weekends Sunday - Sunday Lunch Specials Lunchtime Chef Specials - Tue-Fri (See Chef specials board for details). We also show live football matches on most nights on our two large screens - and major event games on the giant screen. Mostly though, we aim to provide great service, great beers and wines and great food in a nice atmosphere... Pop in and say hello - we'd love to see you.

PRICE RANGE

£3.00 – £9.00

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub, Gastropub

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music

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4.0

360 reviews

Excellent

187

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Jackie Stubbs

Derby2 contributions

20:00

Aug 2020 • couples

From a very long day out in Wales, on the way back I was searching for dog friendly pubs that do food. Phoned and booked a table for 8pm. We didn’t know it was an Indian. But me and my partner had both spoke of having an Indian but knew with having our puppy with us a curry was out of the question. But what a lovely surprise. We was welcomed in, due to current situation with Covid-19, we was asked to fill out names and numbers and sanitize our hands. We was then shown the one way system. Plenty of staff all where very helpful we was shown to our table and someone came over to take our order. The venue was heaving with people eating and having a social night out. If you was after a quiet meal this isn’t the venue, but suited me and my partner. Outside lots of young people was enjoying the summer evening. Our food was to a good standard and came out promptly. My rice was the mushroom rice. Maybe a little more mushroom. I am not keen on the spices like cinnamon etc being in the rice. But all chefs jabs their own take on things. I would say we have had better, but we have had a lot worse. This place is a 50 minute drive from our home. I won’t be taking myself all the way out for a meal. But if I found myself in the vicinity again I would certainly return. The menus also had other franchise in Tamworth and a couple of other places. I would happily try the other ones out also.

Written 16 August 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John and karen

2 contributions

Freindly pub

Nov 2019 • none

From the minute we went in the door everybody (staff and customers) were very freindly. Choice of beer is excellent and kept well. The food was served quickly, piping hot and delicious. Would recommend this pub to all

Written 4 January 2020

Dave R

Dartford24 contributions

Warm welcome, great food and excellent value.

Feb 2023 • friends

We visited The Boat with friends on a Wednesday evening. The welcome was warm, the serving staff very friendly and efficient, and the food was great quality and quantity. Add to this the fact that on the Wednesday that we visited the pub was doing a special 2 for 1 on main courses and I find it hard to believe that there is any better available in the area. The public areas and toilets were spotless. I will definitely visit again the next time we are in the area and would recommend this venue to anyone looking for a place to eat and drink.

Written 22 February 2023

ShellB. 1982

Penkridge36 contributions

Horrible.

Jul 2020 • none

Ordered our first takeaway, heard mixed reviews but had an open mind. Delivered on time and food was hot.. That was sadly the only positive. Firstly there were items missing from the order, tried to call repeatedly to inform the restaurant but they didn’t answer the phone. The egg fried rice was the blandest I’ve ever tasted. The chicken jalfrezi tasted of sour raw spices with zero depth of any real flavour expected with a good curry. The mixed grill was vile, the meat tasted of stale fat, we actually spat it out. Genuinely one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted. In this climate I take no pleasure in writing such a bad review, sadly though I feel it’s only fair that people have access to honest informative information before they part with their hard earned cash. Our opinion would be to avoid.

Written 14 July 2020

Lynn R

2 contributions

Terrible!!!

Oct 2022 • family

We were in yesterday, family of four and a baby. First of all my daughter had to wipe the highchair clean before she could put the baby in (staff just sitting talking) and the food was absolutely awful. My daughter asked for a cheese and potato pie off the lunch menu and she got melted cheese in a dish with a pastry topper no potatoes in there just cheese , not sure who's in the kitchen but they definitely do not know what they are doing. No cutlery brought to the table without us having to ask and the other three meals were dried up with cheap horrible chips and limp salad. Table was just left with the plates on as we sat talking and nobody asked how our meals were !! We were in there a couple of months back and we couldn't fault it but after yesterday we won't be eating there again.

Written 3 October 2022

BFTB

Penkridge4 contributions

indian takeaway after reviewing menu on facebook

Apr 2020 • none

ordered this meal as it stated it was an indian takeaway, not very good and its the first keema naan that i have ever had where donner meat was used in it. It was expensive compared to our usual Indian Takeaway the san am balti house in cannock. I rang to express my constructive criticism and was told we are not an indian we are a punjabi restaurant! i informed them that it maybe worth putting that on the menu as currently the menu states "Indian". We will not be using again

Written 22 May 2020

Lisa A

1 contribution

Not good

Jun 2023 • family

Went out for our Sunday lunch, nice place, went in sat at a table asked what time served food until young lad said Five,, ordered food from another man behind bar, 1 gammon dinner, 1 beef dinner and Surf and Turf, and side order coleslaw paid 42.00 somthing pound, didn't ask how wanted Steak ,I had to tell him medium please, waited not too long, for food to come, came out with beef dinner and they said turkey dinner said no asked for gammon went off came back said no it is gammon, and then bought Surf and Turf with rock hard well done Steak, not what ordered, so I went up bar and they directed me to Manageress eho was serving someone else. So wanted Five mins to speak to her she then asked what wanted to do and I said just take it away please. I said don't want it she did say can replace it but as I said to her by time new meal comes out others would be eaten. After about ten mins I went up again and said I want my money back got meal she came over after a while and gave me £16.00 pound back I I was on way out and then realised I had paid for coleslaw not alot but didn't feel happy with service, way really dealt with would not go there again, as staff don't know what time serve until and communication is not 100%

Written 25 June 2023

Claire P

2 contributions

Poor meal

Mar 2024 • couples

Young lady on the bar was as helpful as she could be, food service was awful and so was the meal partner asked for a rare steak which took 25 mins to come out when it came was more than well done very tough an chewy. Represented a frying steak nothing like rump it was as skinny as a piece of shoe leather. When mentioned to bar staff who came to ask if meal was ok it was half way through the meal at which point she said would you like a discount or a fresh steak partner chose the discount as we would then not have time to wait another 25 mins for an over cooked steak when the bill arrived to be given a poxy £1.40 discount was almost an insult and had we known we’d of been aswell to wait for a steak that would possibly of been edible, peas with the scampi were like bullets. As a result we will not be returning extremely disappointed after the meal we had 2 weeks ago which was delightful shame really

Written 7 March 2024

Sal

Penkridge1 contribution

Great to have decent Punjabi food in Penkridge.

Jul 2020 • none

I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but having ordered a few curries the other week I was very pleasantly surprised. Being half Pakistani, I tend to be more critical of the curries around here. The local area isn't exactly awash with good quality ones (unless you prefer your curry swimming in grease and tasteless) so my expectations weren't great. But as I said, I was pleasantly surprised. It was simple to taste the difference between each curry for a start. And each dish was cooked in a way that was much more authentic than anything I've had locally. The price was also reasonable. I certainly don't mind paying a bit more if it tastes good! If you order expecting a Bengali takeaway, you won't get it. This is a little more authentic, Punjabi style curry. Will be ordering again.

Written 8 August 2020

Penkridge1 contribution

Yes yes yes best burgers

Oct 2023 • couples

Wow just had the best food at The Boat in Penkridge Lovely pub and very busy so that says a lot about it straight away. Staff are very friendly and service excellent Ordered burgers and honestly can say this is one of the best home made burger we’ve had so fully recommend. We have eaten here a few times and always choose something different from the menu and I can say we’ve never been disappointed Also would recommend the crispy belly pork or sizzling platter Value for money excellent so 100% for food Also has large outside space would be great with band playing outside in summer

Written 27 October 2023

ShaznDave_12

Cannock20 contributions

Inedible food

Nov 2021 • none

Popped in for lunch, ordered food. Shepherds pie was a special so I got that. When it arrived the mash hadn’t been cooked, a splatter of cheese, again not cooked or grilled. I tried the pie and the minced lamb was just swimming in oil. Completely disgusting. Nobody asked us if everything was ok with our meals. I had to complain at the bar. Offered to change it but that meal put me off eating anything from that kitchen. Not even a free drink to apologise 😱

Written 13 November 2021

zoemrst

Walsall89 contributions

Amazing food❤️

Dec 2023 • friends

What a great find on a cold day after visiting the market. Food amazing Staff were friendly and attentive. Clean and well presented facilities. We had the Lite Bites menu 2 Courses for 9.95 and wow home cooked lots of it. Ladies had tea and i have to say a pot of tea each that holds 3 cups and beautifully presented £2.00 per person. Will definitely be going back and recommend everyone to go there.

Written 6 December 2023

Linda P

Stafford5 contributions

What a turn round

Aug 2020 • family

After the troubles The Boat has had over the last few months, the new manger Alex (ginge) has turned it round, not only does he keep a good ale, he certainly knows how to cook a tasty burger. Lovely to see families and couples enjoying live music, relaxed, contented in a safe environment. Well done Alex and Team, looking forward to the refurbishment in October. Good to see the boat with a heart again. Thankyou for the respect You give to neighbours who live near. Keep up the good work. Off for another pint of that nectar x

Written 31 August 2020

SFord

26 contributions

Very poor, no customer service 0/10

Aug 2023 • family

During a trip to Penkridge the 4 of us found the Boat Inn, arriving for lunch. The chap on the bar was quite unwelcoming, but we discovered we could sit wherever there was a free table. No welcome, no menus. Eventually we fetched a menu from by the door. The menu advertised online was not available, but the set lunch menu looked good. The chap on the bar said he’d be with us soon to take our order. 30 minutes later after a few prompts, no one came to our table. A couple of members of staff wandered past but looked disinterested and certainly showed no interest in our custom so we got up and left. Shame, as we were about to place 4x the three course lunch and buy drinks at c£60-80, but with zero customer service and other things planned that day, we didn’t want to wait forever to get ordered and served. Great to see a business in the current cost of living crisis so thriving (it was almost deserted) that they don’t need our hard earned cash. Shame, we’d looked forward to a nice traditional pub lunch. Shame the Boat Inn Penkridge weren’t interested in our custom. We spent our hard earned cash elsewhere, and will never return to such a poor, disinterested and badly run pub again.

Written 31 August 2023

kevin b

Telford43 contributions

Top Nosh

Jan 2023 • none

Went 2-4-1 Wednesday night 3 of us Great welcome wanted something not on menu Sizzler replace peppers with mushrooms told no problem and was not disappointed. Other meals steak sizzler in jack denials and honey (Wow still dribbling lol) and one chicken pulled pork n bacon. Food was 100% service second to none and hospitality could not expect any better A 34 mile round trip well worth it

Written 27 January 2023

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