Visiting Matlock and Matlock Bath for my birthday, we planned to visit Scarthin books in the afternoon and saw the Boat Inn as being well reviewed. We were welcomed warmly, provided with menus and our orders were taken quickly. Unfortunately the quality of the food...could only be described as poor. The fish on the ‘fish burger’ was very thin, heavily battered, and clearly not fresh. There was also nothing else on there and was presented on one of the terrible catering bread cakes that was almost inedible. I am sure we were asked what peas we wanted but it was only afterwards that I realised that there weren’t any on either plate! My chips were the steak-cut frozen type that were very dry - the type I hoped had been confined to the late 1980s. The scampi was ok but who can get frozen scampi wrong and the jacket was fine too really although it had no butter. We were asked how our meals were half way through and it was clear from our response that we were extremely under whelmed but the waitress left anyway. On paying we were not asked about our meals although I did say that we were very dissatisfied with the quality of our food anyway. No real response other than a slight apology on leaving. £33 bill for what can only be described as a poor meal on my birthday. Genuinely perplexed as to how the other reviewers rate this place so highly.More

Great “proper”pub,set in a beautiful small village just off the beaten track.The staff are friendly,welcoming and very efficient.The meal we had was first class and served very quickly.My one disappointment was the mixed grill wasn’t available,but to me that only goes to prove its popularity...and my second choice of ribeye was excellent.There’s a great choice at the bar,and I have to say the Old Perculiar I had was the best pint of beer I’ve had in a long time.All in all a first class experience.More

This pub is a little gem cosy friendly very welcoming food great I had the 2 x 4oz burger with bacon and cheese gorgeous best part it was a proper flowered bap fantastic would highly recommend.

It really is difficult to find any fault with this pub. Like the book shop up the road it is a place where there is a rip in the space-time fabric. With its mysteriously timeless atmosphere and nautical decor, it’s a surprise when you step...back out into the sunlight to find that you are on the edge of a mill pond in England’s most inland county and not somewhere like Staithes or Port Isaac. We came in for a drink, and but for the fact that we’d had a large and late breakfast would have had lunch as the menu and what was being served to the other tables looked and smelt so enticing. There is a lovely garden at the back on the bank of the pond with good views of this very picturesque village. We’ll certainly be back.More

Absolutely love this place! Your only a stranger once! A few pints and your everyone's friend! The owners are just fabulous the landlady is makes u feel at home and her husband in the kitchen is such a lovely daddy! Highly recommend any time of...the day! Great music on weekends! And lovely locals if your traveling alone! Don't be shy pop in.... beautiful spot by the pond to sit in the summerMore

We have visited The Boat on 2 occassions both on a Wednesday night which is steak night. The steak is absolutely delicious and so so reasonable but even better are the staff. Everyone of them are polite, very obliging and accommodating. We shall definitely be...visiting many more times👌More

Absolutely LOVE the boat inn, a fantastic welcoming proper pub! The staff are wonderful and very accommodating, especially towards our dog too, they even provide a water bowl outside for them! We love the live music they put on at the weekend showcasing amazing local...music, can even have a little dance too! The food is also brilliant, especially their Sunday dinners and their pies!! Cannot get a better local pub!More

What a gem of a place, lovely selection of ale, the steak pie was amazing, staff couldn’t do enough to make it a great lunch out. Would not hesitate to recommend this place.

We have been regularly coming here for years, and always feel we are valued customers. The Boat is a fantastic traditional village pub, who welcome soggy bottoms and muddy paws!! Great food and drinks, with a friendly and relaxing vibe. Great job Lorraine and team...🥰More

I would give this 0 starts if I could, we didn’t even stay longer than 5 minutes as we were made to feel that unwelcome. The whole place was eery vibes but we thought we could give it a chance. At first we were told...where we were allowed to sit although the place was empty and there were no reservations. When the woman sat us we thought we was going to fall through the wooden chairs clearly made in the 1800s. We were also greeted with the most passive aggressive woman who served us. They call themselves dog friendly however she was quick to rudely guide us to the door where it was more acceptable to give our dogs water in the pouring rain. We were then told the presence of our dogs made some customers feel too uncomfortable to order and eat food baring in mind our dogs had done absolutely nothing but breathe since walking in the place. This was more the customers being purposefully rude probably due the being dropped on the head as children throwing off their ability to treat people with human decency in adulthood however the staff didn’t see issue with this lack of human decency. You best bet we cancelled our drinks order immediately as we couldn’t bear to stay in a place that made us feel so unwelcome. We are absolutely disgusted. Go to the Greyhound at the bottom of the road instead this little pub is NOT worth the stress and quite frankly the owners are giving me the impression that they would be happier if they had no business coming through the doors.More

Well yesterday after visiting Matlock Bath which had well over a dozen fish and chip shops, many ammusement arcades etc which was far too tacky so we decided to go to Cromford for a proper lunch meal . We found the Boat Inn and it...looked a nice place. We ordered and looked forward to a nice meal. My meal we really nice, I had a Steak and Ale pie which was possibly the very best I have ever had. My Wife ordered a Chicken Tika and she was far from happy, She told me that the chicken was so very hard , so I tried it and it seriously was! (Myself I prefer a tough meat but this was far too hard even for me) We are both well into our 70s and I can only recollect one the occasion when she has sent a meal back but this was the second ever. The waitress was very nice and told us that they buy the food in and a replacement might be similar, so, my wife ordered a different meal. The trouble was that by the time my wife received her meal, I had finished mine which totally defeated the idea of a lunch meal together. This totally spoilt the day for a couple of OAP who had just ventured out after seriously locking away for Covid. I do think the Boat Inn could have offered some kind of compensation but this was not offered. Had it beed we would have felt a little better, but the first lunch out after cover was spoiled and it left a bitter taste . I must stress that my meal was really nice and the waitress was very good . But we wanted a meal together on not one at a time. Seriously dissapointedMore

A great find on our holidays. Delicious food with generous portions. Best lasagne I’ve had for a long time. Good cosy atmosphere and dog friendly