Michelle W.
Yelp
In short, the Boathouse offers good views, good food, but okay value. If you have a special occasion, then I would recommend paying a visit at around sunset for exquisite views of Kits Beach while dining.
Since it was Lobster Fest, I was recommended to try a Steak and Lobster combo. I chose the Lobster Thermidor Topped with the 7 oz. Angus Beef Sirloin (~$40?), and opted to make it a 3-course meal for an additional $10. To my knowledge, all meals come with complimentary sourdough bread, which is a nice touch and a good way to get your appetite going.
LOBSTER BISQUE: This was my least favourite part of my course. Any lobster flavour whatsoever was masked by butter. The portion was also incredibly small. My sister was able to switch to the Seafood Chowder (which is offered as a 3-course meal option on the regular menu), and her soup was substantially larger and brimming with different types of seafood. It also tasted delicious and made me instantly regret my choice.
LOBSTER THERMIDOR TOPPED AND ANGUS BEEF SIRLOIN: I will admit this was tasty, but my favourite part of the dish was surprisingly the grilled Brussels sprouts. Its texture and char was sublime. Like the bisque, the lobster thermidor was also quite buttery and I do wish there were more lobster chunks to balance this out. (In total, I counted only two pieces.) The steak itself was slightly over medium rare, but had a generously-seasoned crust. Aside from the brussels sprouts, the perfect bite would be to cut a piece of steak, top it with some lobster thermidor and a dollop of mashed potatoes.
MOCHA ICE CREAM PIE: While I wished the portions for the bisque and lobster/steak were larger, this dessert quickly silenced me by its massive size. Given that it is part of a $10 add-on, I would say you get the most value here because a piece like this would probably cost you $8.98 alone elsewhere. Moreover, it's substantially bigger than the other option of creme brulee. In terms of taste, I would say the mocha really does ring through. The soft texture of the ice cream is also complemented by the coffee bean crust and bits of coffee bean throughout the ice cream itself.
Finally, the service! As requested, we were given a window seat but unfortunately given the lunch menu instead of the dinner menu. Our waiter was apologetic for that despite it not being his mistake. He was quite frequent with water refills and asked us whether we would like freshly cracked pepper on our food. When we asked for more bread and it was not ready yet, he told us he would let us know later; he ended up delivering on his promise even after we were nearly done our main course.
For what it's worth, I did enjoy my meal at the Boathouse and I was incredibly full afterwards. However, I do think you're paying more for the experience rather than the food itself. If it helps though, you can cut down on your bill by 20% by purchasing a gift card at Costco instead.