The Boathouse at Short Pump Town Center

Clean spacious restaurant. Most of our food was cooked to near perfection. However, our calamari was way over cooked and came out rubbery. Also, my shrimp were also slightly rubbery. Nevertheless, that didn’t ruin our meal and we would still recommend this restaurant . The salmon had a nice sear yet still flaky and moist. The crab cakes were not over stuffed with bread crumbs like many other places, instead they were generous portions of lump crab. Our mussel appetizers was presented with plump mussels.

My husband and I ate here for lunch and had some of the best food we’ve had in a long time. Our server Callie was fantastic! She made sure we had everything we needed, and was able to make excellent recommendations for side pairings with our meal. She checked in frequently so we never had to worry about flagging her down if we needed something. My husband and I don’t drink alcohol, and Callie was able to recommend a “fauxjito” that perfectly complemented my meal! We absolutely will come here again!

Visited on a Thursday evening. The ambiance was great, but overall the experience was a bit mediocre. When our drinks arrived, there was an insect (maybe a fruit fly) in one of them, which was disappointing. We ordered the Chilled Seafood Tray — the oysters were fresh and tasty, though a little grainy. The highlight of the meal was the Boathouse Wedge Salad, which was crisp and flavorful, and helped balance out the seafood taste and aroma. Good atmosphere, but service and attention to detail could definitely be improved.

It was our first time at The Boathouse. The atmosphere was nice & inviting. We were seated by the window which was great for people watching. The food was delicious!! I highly recommend the Oysters Rockefeller and the crab cakes.

Had a great experience here for Valentine’s Day. We had a reservation and were seated promptly . We had a drink special which was delicious. The Rockefeller oysters were my favorite. I did not enjoy the broiled seafood combination it was bland. The mash potatoes didn’t have flavor. The crab dip was very good.! Will be returning . Calamari was a hit too.

I had the pleasure of being served by Jessica during my recent visit to The Boat House in Short Pump, VA, and I must say she made my dining experience truly exceptional. From the moment we were seated, Jessica greeted us with a warm smile and a friendly demeanor that instantly made us feel welcome. She was attentive without being intrusive, checking in on us at just the right moments and ensuring we had everything we needed. Jessica was knowledgeable about the menu and offered great recommendations, which helped us make our choices. Her enthusiasm for the dishes was infectious, making it even more enjoyable to try the specials of the day. Not only was her service top-notch, but she also handled a busy section with grace and efficiency. It was clear that she genuinely cares about her customers and takes pride in her work. Overall, Jessica exemplifies what great service should be, and I will definitely be returning to The Boat House, hoping to be served by her again. Highly recommended!

Made reservations for both Mothers day and then Father's day. Great Brunch buffet. The Shrimp and grits were great. Service was really good. Jessica was friendly and took care of us.

While in the area for business we came here as a small group for a business dinner. The staff was great, very helpful and friendly. The setting is nice, open kitchen concept with a couple different dining room areas and it was comfy and not too loud. The menu was really the only issue, it’s really basic, especially for a place that appears to be a seafood joint. They had such a poor selection of seafood, that one of the guys who came and is normally someone who only eats seafood ordered a filet! The filet did look pretty good. My entrée was their broiled seafood platter, which was decent. The scallops on it were fresh and cooked perfectly. For starters we got their big seafood tower and it was loaded with some nice, fresh options. Even the lobster on it was great. The shrimp was outstanding! So, they do an amazing jon preparing food here, for sure! Their starter salad was excellent too. Save room for dessert, as they have some of the most amazing bread pudding! Another issue I had was that they offered some decent wine selections, but they serve red wine from a white glass. Otherwise, the dinner went great and the food also was great. Service provided by Lucy, our server was outstanding! I’d recommend stopping in, just check the menu first to make sure they have what you’re seeking.

We just moved to Virginia and had to try out the famous Boathouse. The food was amazing! We shared a crab and artichoke dip, enjoyed the broiled seafood plate, and dove into an amazing pizookie! That and the bottle of Boathouse white wine made our evening. What really stood out was the service. Our server, Tanner, was amazingly attentive. He brought us our drinks, he served us our wine, and checked on us the whole night as we sat and talked. He really made us feel welcome and we'll be back soon!

I cannot in good conscience recommend the boathouse. Not only was service slow, despite it being relatively empty. But the food quality was poor. The appetizer were good but that's where it ended. I had a Caesar salad and crab cake. The crab cake was filled with pieces of shell and the lettuce in the salad smelt and tasted rotten. It was so fishy and truly off putting. The bang bang tacos were good and the wedge was comparable to a side salad so it was really small for the cost. I hope it was just an off day but I really don't see any of us returning or saying much positive.

Great Easter brunch! excellent service (Callie) and everything was delicious. Loved the mimosas and the carrots (I know, right?)

I had a great experience here at the boathouse in short pump. I had the boathouse seafood combo. It was amazing. 10/10000 And our servers name was Tanner. He was also awesome.

Amazing meal and really enjoyed the raw seafood platter. We also took advantage of the three course meal special and everything was great: Thanks to Callie for taking great care of our table for my Dad's birthday!

Tanner was an amazing server. He was very knowledgeable about the menu. He refilled all of our drinks before we had to ask. Thank you!

While in the area for business we came here as a small group for a business dinner. The staff was great, very helpful and friendly. The setting is nice, open kitchen concept with a couple different dining room areas and it was comfy and not too loud. The menu was really the only issue, it's really basic, especially for a place that appears to be a seafood joint. They had such a poor selection of seafood, that one of the guys who came and is normally someone who only eats seafood ordered a filet! The filet did look pretty good. My entrée was their broiled seafood platter, which was decent. The scallops on it were fresh and cooked perfectly. For starters we got their big seafood tower and it was loaded with some nice, fresh options. Even the lobster on it was great. The shrimp was outstanding! So, they do an amazing jon preparing food here, for sure! Their starter salad was excellent too. Save room for dessert, as they have some of the most amazing bread pudding! Another issue I had was that they offered some decent wine selections, but they serve red wine from a white glass. Otherwise, the dinner went great and the food also was great. Service provided by Lucy, our server was outstanding! I'd recommend stopping in, just check the menu first to make sure they have what you're seeking.

Had such an awesome time at brunch with my girlfriends. Our server Lucy was so amazing and sweet. I got the Chesapeake omelette and pineapple mimosas. Both were amazing. My girls and I are going to add this to our brunch rotation, we will make sure to ask for Lucy everytime.

What an amazing experience! We stopped by the Boathouse at Short Pump for small plates after shopping. We had the pleasure of being served by Lauren (a jewel)! Her enthusiasm and recommendations were epic! We'll come again for the crab dip and the calamari, and we want Lauren to serve us! Stop by if/when you can.

Walked in and tried the three-course dinner. Got seated immediately on a Saturday evening. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere. The three-course dinner is available from 4:30-6pm excluding holidays. Tried the Christmas cookie which is a drink made of Bailey's, amaretto, vanilla vodka, & cinnamon. It was good! For starter, I got the New England clam chowder which was okay. My entree was Atlantic salmon. It was hearty and good. For dessert, I got creme brulee and my friend got bread pudding. The creme brulee was delicious! Bread pudding was not as soft as I was expecting. Service was fine. Overall, would give it a 4/5.

I stopped in for a drink and a little lunch while shopping at the mall. Hailey at the bar was so friendly and gave a great recommendation on the oysters. I tried the three kinds they had available. They were very fresh and delicious. My only complaint was lots of shell pieces were broken in the oysters. It made them a little hard to eat.

Cute swanky restaurant! My parents were very impressed with their crab cake sandwiches and the amount of food and taste of the fried shrimp! I had the lobster stuffed flounder (pictured) which was decent as well! The bread service was delicious but you do have to pay for each order. I'd definitely go back and try some other options!

The Boathouse is a great place to treat yourself to something special or to get together with friends. The atmosphere is modern and clean; and seating is adequately spaced, so you don't feel cramped or crowded. The food is over-the-top good. There are a good number of options on the menu and they're always willing to customize things to your liking. The wait staff is always friendly and helpful. They engage with you but aren't bothersome or annoying. I've been there for Sunday Brunch and we all had a great time. It was my birthday and I was presented with a birthday card that was signed by the staff. In addition to brunch, the happy hour is a great way to enjoy yourself and save a few bucks. So many great choices on their happy hour menu, it can be difficult to make up your mind. This is the type restaurant that you'll leave with a smile on your face.

I just recently came to The Boathouse at the Short Pump location for a bachelorette party. Our server Tanner was great and handled our large party with ease. I ordered the wedge salad with filet as well as the Brussels sprouts for appetizer. Everything was delicious.

Overall Taste & Cost I was so satisfied with this place. Everything we ordered was soooo delicious. I was craving fried calamari and fried oysters, so I was pleased to see both on the menu. I must say they both met my high expectations! For my main course I ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon with a side of potatoes and asparagus. I finished off my meal with a delicious Zookie (chocolate chip cookie with ice cream on top). I can honestly say the experience and food cost were worth the menu price. My only drawback is the extra fees charged on the tab. That's disrespectful! But overall I will be back for a third time! Location & Aesthetic The customer service matched the beautiful interior. We were greeted as soon as we entered the building. The ladies taking care of us that evening were pleasant and very attentive. We didn't have to ask for much, because they took care of everything before hand. I would definitely recommend this place if you willing to pay the price associated with it. Highly Recommended

The food, as I've come to expect, was fantastic! Our server Katie was amazing. So gracious, and helpful. We will be back!

What a wonderful Easter buffet! Food was absolutely divine. The wait staff are lovely especially Tanner.

Beautiful atmosphere and a great menu for seafood lovers. The menu fell short for people who do not eat chicken or seafood.

We had brunch at The Boathouse Sunday We had called a week ahead for four people! . I have worked in restaurants for many years, and I know how chaotic a brunch service can be . The waitress and the other staff were attentive and enjoyable. The food was outstanding, and timely even with our huge group. Jared made great suggestions and everyone was happy and full when we left. That was the last thing that our family did together, my son was leaving to go home after our brunch, and it was really the perfect place to spend time together! Thank you so much The ambiance is awesome! I loved the onsite cooking. This place can be very ex!

our servers Hayley and Kelsey were amazing! brought my dad for fathers day brunch. the smells, staff, the food and vibe were ON POINT! always love coming to any boathouse location!

Food and service were wonderful! Tanner and Lauren were friendly and provided great service!

Our experience was so unpleasant that I did something I've never done before: I contacted the restaurant the next day and politely offered to speak to the manager to offer some feedback, making clear I wasn't asking for any type of compensation, but I never heard back. So here's a warning if you're thinking of going to this restaurant: skip it. I've worked service jobs, and I have close family who've spent their entire careers front of house in the restaurant business, so I try really hard to be a decent customer. I understand that sometimes things go wrong, and that's just the way it is and in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. However, what happened at The Boathouse the night I was there was unacceptable. The food is nothing special but the service was just terrible (with the exception of one very nice server who tried to help us, even though we weren't her table). They may have been understaffed, or just poorly trained, but it's not worth spending your money there. Nothing huge went wrong, but it was like a constant cascade of little things, the kind of things where if one or two happened you'd just ignore it. But it was a constant barrage of mistakes, which made for a pretty miserable experience. I won't bother going into detail because no one wants to read that much, but I can tell you that pretty much everything went wrong that could have gone wrong from the moment we walked in, even though the restaurant was nearly empty (that should have been my first clue): issues at the host stand, poor seating, inattentive service (to put it kindly), orders gotten wrong, food served either too quickly or way too late, dirty dishes never cleared, etc. I might have spoken up in the moment, particularly when my dessert was dropped in front of me while my guests were still eating their entrees (and about 30 minutes before they even got the opportunity to order dessert), but I knew that would make them very uncomfortable, so I just stayed quiet. While this was the worst restaurant experience I've had in recent memory, normally I would just shake it off or forget about it and move on, but after we left, I got upset at how bad the experience actually was. All of these issues could have easily been avoided, but it really seems like whoever is managing the restaurant just doesn't care, and that attitude certainly got passed on to some of the staff. If you want to dine out, you have plenty of other options in the area, so I'd pick any one of those, if I were you.

The service was good, and the vibe was really nice. It felt like a great place to try. The prices were slightly higher, but I found it acceptable. However, I had a piece of paper in my clam chowder....but the flavor was good until I tasted the paper....haha. The staff and manager was nice about it, but still a memorable experience. On the bright side, my friend's chips with the burger was pretty tasty with the old bay seasoning!

Wonderful. Jessica was a delight. Extremely professional and friendly. The food was amazing I will be back this weekend with my family.

We had Tanner as our server and the experience was amazing. The food was GREAT!!!!!! The service was great as well!! Thanks for making our friend's birthday dinner a dinner to remember.

Review is based on Bar Services during HH. I've come to their happy hour specials twice now. The bar is pretty spacious and just a place to grab a quick bite and drink with your friends in town. If you're an oyster lover like my friends and me, this is the place to get $1 oysters during their HH (from 4 pm to 6 pm). I didn't know that they had this type of special going on until my friend had mentioned it. I'm so glad that we got to finally try it and will be returning to get our oyster fix. The bar service may be slow depending on how crowded it may be that night. Our times will make us come back so that says something! haha. Oh, I did want to also let you know that at the bar they will automatically charge a 20% gratitude tip when you pay - anything else you select is additional on top. Other than that....GET IN MY BELLY! haha

We came here with a large party at 18 on a very busy Wednesday night. Our group was very diverse and thankfully the restaurant had lots of items on the menu that weren't able to accommodate the most stringent of dietary restrictions and are most difficult picky eater. Our server Lucy was fantastic. Super friendly, outgoing, quick and even though the entire restaurant was completely fall, we felt like we were her number one priority. our food was delivered pretty close to the same time. The food was hot and delicious, the oysters, cold and salty, and the drinks nice and strong. Highly Recommend!

Just left from this place of business really upset, due to the staff ignoring my partner and I. Customers that came in after us was acknowledge before us. We sat at our table and waited but no one ever came over to our table to greet us. All of the servers walking by looking us in our eyes and kept walking! Don't come here!!!!!!

Went for the Mother's Day brunch, it was spectacular and our server Katie was also excellent. French press coffee was the perfect addition.

our dinner on a Saturday night was a disappointment. the rockfish "fresh catch" was adequately prepared, but served haphazardly with a half dozen marble-sized potatoes and a like number of limp grilled asparagus. there was nothing enticing about the dish, and the rockfish portion was about 3-4 ounces, the size of a deck of cards. the French fries served with the fried shrimp were the best part of that meal. The shrimp was heavily battered and overcooked, the Cole slaw was tasteless. The most attractive part of the meal was the server, only one week in the job but earnest and just-right attentive. Oversll, not a good value our restaurant dollars.

Beautiful restaurant with a family-friendly and relaxed vibe. My date and I enjoyed two orders of the Rockefeller oysters for starters. For an entree, I enjoyed the shrimp tacos while she had a Caesar salad with salmon. Fresh and well-seasoned seafood, I'll be back for sure. Although our server was not very attentive, we enjoyed our visit.

The crab and artichoke dip was amazing! It had lumps of crab and lumps of artichoke that was the perfect portion for 2 people for an appetizer. The bread that came w/ the dip was drizzled w/ olive oil & had garlic & was great. I appreciated how the appetizer didn't make you feel heavy like other crab dips I've had. The Caesar salad was good, the dressing was light yet it still was very flavorful and the crab was super fresh. The shrimp tacos were extremely fresh as well, the avocado was perfectly ripe, they were overall a good thickness which prevented it from being soggy / spilling out. The truffle fries were crispy. Good portions & quick service. The place was beautiful inside not to mention the gorgeous shopping center outside of it.

I like the decor here. The woods are rich, the windows are big, the seating is intimate. Unlike its sister location it's not on the water so you don't have the water views but you do have the conscience to go shopping or burn of your meal by taking a stroll in the mall after dinner. The menu is seafood focused and tastes ok. Nothing spectacular. Overall I like the vibe and the convenience of this location.

Tanner was the best. He served with a smile and made us very comfortable. He loved our experience

The food was excellent, the place was very clean, and the waitstaff was friendly. What kept me from giving them 4 stars was the speed of the service and the accuracy of the order. We all ordered appetizers. Only one person in our party ordered an app that wasn't hot. She ordered a Wedge Salad with extra dressing on the side. All the appetizers took longer than what I consider normal to arrive at the table, and hers didn't arrive until 10 minutes after all the others. When it did arrive, they didn't bring extra dressing. That should be a quick fix, nope, 4 to 5 minutes for the extra dressing to arrive. By the time she got her appetizer we had all finished ours. She's a lady and not a fast eater so her main course arrived before she was halfway done her salad. As I stated in the opening, the food quality was very good but the service has big room for improvement especially because they add a 20% tip to the bill. Food - 4 Stars Ambiance - 4 Stars Service and accuracy - 1 Star

Kelsey was amazing! She was very attentive and checked on us multiple times. It was a nice environment and food taste amazing:)

The filet mignon and crab cake were amazing. Our server Tanner was great and attentive.

We went in very hungry and as a result we ate like it. The food was very good while the service was just as great. The ambiance had a feeling of a wonderful after work spot or a great place for a phenomenal meal. Definitely worth going back.

This review is based upon the price point that includes a 20% added gratuity which "guarantees a professional wage for our employees". This was both printed in the menu and told to us by the greeter who seated us but as we are being charged an automatic fee, you must expect that the service will also be rated on a professional standard. I personally tried the filet mignon, chicken picatta, the heirloom tomatoes and burrata (normally one of my favorites), and arugula blueberry salad. Everything that we had was nice. The chicken picatta was not overpowered by the capers, the shrimp scampi need salt but had a bit too much lemon (feedback from another member of our party, and the burrata was a bit old and not too creamy. This combined with the improper salting of the tomatoes resulted in a very flat dish. So with this fact both the tomatoes and picatta needed salt (could be personal preference) combined with the fact that I had to stand up and walk up to the kitchen myself to get a salt shaker myself as our waiter did not return for a bit results in -1 star. The second star was removed because while our bill did come with a charge for coffee that was ordered, the coffee itself never arrived. While the waitress apologized, we could not understand how this happened as they were using electronic devices to enter the order as we spoke it, and she verbally confirm the order for coffee.

We came by on a Sunday afternoon, at 3pm. It was not busy at all. We placed our orders but our drinks came about 20mins later. And our food, which is crab & artichoke dip and brussels sprout came about 50mins later. We were not impressed with the way how our server was very slow and laid back in checking on us and every time we asked about our food, we were told it should be ready in 5mins. Well, too many '5mins' gone by and almost an hour later then we were served with our finger food. By now, we already decided to go elsewhere to grab dinner. It's very disappointing and I won't recommend this place. It is ashamed that this restaurant did not hold their reputation. It's definitely spiraled down. Hence poor service will result in poor review!

We were greeted with a clean and inviting atmosphere. The clam chowder at this boathouse is the best I've had. It is well seasoned with many bits of clam and potatoes cut small. You get a spoonful of all ingredients with each bite. The homemade potato chips are crispy and tasty. I would liked the cod to have been crispier but it was tasty. The lettuce and two slices of tomatoes were fresh. I remembered I'd gotten the blackberry martini before and it is still delicious. We were there to celebrate a friend's birthday. She enjoyed her chowder, cod, fries and drinks. The meal was topped off with a little cake and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I will return

Food was excellent but service was slow and I had to keep looking for the waitress but could be only that specific waitress. Ambiance was calm.

In Richmond visiting my son and decided to try this place . Food was delicious and the service was excellent. Not fan of 20% tip added into your check but it is what it is !

On December 6, 2023, my husband and I took two of our closest frineds to the Boathouse at Short Pump for a pre-holiday dinner. Rick and I had been to the Boathouse many times and had always found it to be expensive, but to consistently have good food, wine, and service. Boy, were we in for a rude awakening this time! So, here's a list of the most annoying things that happened that night. Bear in mind that our bill was about $460, including the new "20% service fee" which they charge in lieu of a tip. Prior to this visit, I was all for this new system, because it eliminates inconsistent tipping and allows servers to receive a reliable living wage. This new system is plastered all over the Boathouse site on Open Table and when you make your reservations, the policy is also plastered all over the confirmation email and text. Then, when you get to the restaurant, the servers also make a big point of telling you about it in front of your guests. But that's not the biggest problem with it. When you take the decisions on whether and how much to tip away from the customers, any incentive for the server to render good or better service evaporates. That's what happened to us. Our server was either smothering us, trying to speed us along, or disappeared entirely. Reasonable requests for additional salad dressing, a second cocktail, a glass of wine with the entrees, or other routine items were seriously delayed or not acted upon. It's not like the place was packed that evening. It was seriously dead. Now, about the food. It was expensive and meh, except for the appetizers and the Caesar salad. The crab/artichoke dip with baguette slices drizzled with olive oil was to die for, as well as the lightly battered calimari and aioli. Out of this world! BUT! I ordered the grilled seafood combo entree, which I think was the most expensive meal on the menu at $45 (remember my husband and I are hosting). I expected a pretty nice spread of crabcake, scallops, and shrimp, all lightly grilled with mashed potatoes and asparagus. What I got was one 2 1/2 inch crabcake (not jumbo lump), three blackened (not lightly grilled), two shrimp, four pieces of asparagus (they were good), and some mashed potatoes that were stale and unappetizing. Our female friend ordered a burger. The server asked her how she wanted it cooked. She said medium. It came to her well-done. She said it was tasteless. Nothing was said about all burgers having to be cooked well-done. My husband ordered shrimp and grits. There was a very thin layer of grits with 6 or 8 shrimp lying in it, and the gravy was overpowering - dominating the whole dish. Rick said he couldn't even taste the shrimp. The other friend ordered shrimp tacos. Apparently, they were satisfactory, but his wife asked to eat one of the three tacos because her burger was inedible, so her husband only got to eat two, and there were no sides with the tacos. Rick and I were so embarrassed to have brought our friends in for such an expensive mediocre meal and poor service. We won't make the mistake again.

I like to visit this location for convenience. It's in the mall so you can shop then enjoy happy hour or dinner afterwards. It's clean and cozy inside. The service is good and prompt. The food is delicious as usual. I've been for Easter brunch, happy hour, and dinner.

wife and I did lunch there today and will never again order their salads. Can't believe there was an additional $32 up charge for three medium sized scallops on top each salad! Five customers in the entire restaurant, but we waited a combined 50 minutes to have a waiter take our order and bring our check afterwards.

Food was very good. Service from Tanner was awesome. Solid option in the area. Thanks!

So be warned they charge a 20% gratuity on every check and according to my server the restaurant doesn't pass it on to the server! Food was good but slow.

Service by Megan was excelled. Friendly team member and was also will to chat on the side about what she liked and what she would recommend. The blueberry salad was excellent, but the wedge salad needed some help. Lacked dressing and taste. Needs more blue cheese and blue cheese crumbles. Hush puppies 10/10. Steak was ok for a chain restaurant but the fish was excellent. Dessert member passed on as CheeseCake Factory is around the corner to go!