The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing

🌅🍽️ The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing was the perfect send-off to my Virginia trip. Waterfront views, sunset magic, amazing service, and food that totally delivered. And bonus: it’s only about 15 minutes from the airport, making it an elite “last meal before your flight” spot. We arrived around 3 PM during the lunch-to-dinner transition and the staff was so accommodating. We started with the crab and artichoke dip, which was a great warm-up while we waited for the dinner menu. Even though they don’t have a full coffee menu, they offered a French press, which felt unexpectedly fancy and very appreciated. For entrées, we had the fried shrimp and I went for the burger with every side upgrade imaginable: bacon clam chowder, truffle fries, and a tossed salad. My eyes were absolutely bigger than my stomach, but I loved every bite. I do wish the clam chowder had a little more clam it leaned more toward baked potato soup with bacon (which, to be fair, is still a win). It was freezing outside, so they kindly seated us near a window so we could still soak in the sunset views. And the real star of the experience? Our waitress, Trinity. So warm, so personable, and just genuinely lovely. Service like that makes a meal unforgettable. Between the views, the flexibility, and the hospitality, this place is a must. I’d 100% come back on my next Virginia trip.

Great food and view for the entire family. I was there for travel on business and to celebrate my birthday. We had a wonderful and peaceful brunch. The food was delicious and presented lovely!! I enjoyed the environment and atmosphere. Our waitress was very kind and made the experience lovely for our family. We had the mimosa bar, crab Benedict, calamari, steak n eggs and brulee!! I grew up having wonderful chefs in my family and enjoy traveling, so I was pleasantly surprised with the high quality of the food. Additionally the water view of the river and the boat dock reminds me of being on my parents lake. Thank you again for all of those whom waited on us and assisted with my birthday Brunch. Lastly, we enjoyed the rooftop and utilized the James River views for our photo shoot!! I regularly visit the James River when I am in this city. My only concern was parking, but that is normal near water venues in that area.

I came here over a decade ago, and have been wanting to come back. My family and I had and early dinner after a cold walk around Maymont. We all chose from the 3 course option which had a soup or salad. All of opted for the clam chowder, which we all agreed had a generous amount of clams and not filled w just potatoes. Our party of 6 ordered 2 chilled seafood tray. We opted for this one instead of the tower because the increased amount for just lobster didn't make sense to us. But we devoured the trays of clams, oysters, mussels, cocktail shrimp and smoked salmon. I personally think the smoked salmon was best paired w the Focaccia bread basket that we ordered. We also ordered oysters Rockefeller. This wasn't the best I've had, but I'd give it at least a 3/5. I ordered the crab cake and fried shrimp, which came w fries and coleslaw (I was pleasantly surprised w the taste of this!) And for dessert I chose the bread pudding which came w a scoop of vanilla ice cream and 2 caramelized slices of banana. It wasn't too sweet and the portion was large enough for me to enjoy more than a few bites and take the rest home. My mom opted for the creme Brulee which was also not too sweet.. im not gonna lie, I may have helped her finish her dessert 🤣🤣. One of my cousins ordered the salmon mashed potatoes and asparagus. The fish filet was a hearty portion. He said the potatoes were tasty and the asparagus was cooked well and tender without being soggy. Our party of 6 was sat at a booth next to the window which gave us a pretty view of the river. It made me very happy to enjoy the sunset there. If I could come here weekly, I would.

We came to Richmond for the afternoon and found this place. Ceecee was our server and was exceptional! The food was delicious!! Everything we got was great, food was hot, and it had great flavor. The view was beautiful and the atmosphere was welcoming. We would definitely come back.

We came for brunch and to celebrate a friend's birthday with her two little children, and her mom in from LA. The Shrimp & Grits and Eggs Benedict were fantastic, and the seafood tower was stellar! I feel that we may have run Cee Cee a lot, but she was so patient with our group and her interactions with the children were more than most would have ever done. She helped make our celebration go smoothly, and she even helping us with a family photo. Thanks Cee Cee! You're the best! We can't wait to come back! Reservations for brunch are suggested because it can be busy. Give yourself time to park and bring your camera for the beautiful view!

Came here for the first time for my grandma's birthday, had an amazing experience. The waiter was awesome, very attentive and accommodating. The atmosphere was very good as well! We went around noon on a Sunday, it was quite, not too busy, and had a chill feeling. The food was amazing, I ordered the shrimp and grits (highly recommend) cheesy grits with; shrimp, chunks of sausage, I had the scrambled eggs with cheese, and the sauce was the money maker. Overall, fantastic experience.

Hosted our wedding reception at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing in October and they made it so easy. We are based across the country so weren't able to see the space or make decisions in-person, but our coordinator Alli gave us so much confidence and we trusted her. She gave us advice about seating arrangements, table arrangements, food, and coordinated with all the vendors so things were seamless. I loved that they do so much in-house (food, bar, tables, linens, etc.) so we didn't have to hire out additional vendors beyond the cake, florist and DJ. We did fly out for a group tasting night to pick the menu, which was nice because you're seated with strangers and can get outside opinions on the food. Alli did a great job communicating with us in the months leading up, and then was there on the day of to make sure everything went smoothly. While I'm not planning to get married again, I would definitely host another event there.

Celebrated my sister's birthday at The Boathouse, and it was very nice. Our waitress, Sincere, was the best! She was very attentive to our dining needs. She made great recommendations for food choices and the pork chop dinner with collard greens and mashed potatoes did not disappoint! It was delicious. 😋

Date night was wonderful thanks to Thomas at Rockets Landing! He was very kind, attentive, and helpful! Dinner was great!

Took my parents to the boathouse when they were visiting Richmond and they absolutely loved it. It was a great way to show them the river while also enjoying a great meal. The waffle was by far the best brunch item of everything we ordered. The staff were so friendly and attentive. I would definitely go back to try their dinner The views are beautiful and the prices for brunch were quite affordable

Valentines Day Fail! Out of Salmon, out of Filet, butternut squash risotto. The menu is abbreviated for lunch and then the selection of entrees is low. I guess this is not t the spot for special lunches.... View is always enjoyable. Waitress is nice.... Come for dinner only

Good? Dante and Cris! Very good explanations of the dishes and options. Customer service was ON POINT. Blood orange whiskey sour was excellent! Hush puppies were tasty and satisfying. Room for improvement? Fish and chips & Bread pudding. Fish was not seasoned but the breading was excellent. Coleslaw was okay. Bread pudding not a fan due to the dryness and loads of candied pecans. But, I would come back for Dante and Cris' service!

What a beautiful restaurant! I must return during the day to really enjoy the view. It was a Saturday night during my visit. Service was exceptional! Malbec was my drink of the evening. There was only 1 on the menu. It was tasty, I ordered 2. For starters, we opted for the clam chowder. It was very tasty, very chowder-like, instead of soupy - which I like. It featured bacon, I could taste the clams but it really, really tasted more like loaded baked potato soup. The bacon, onions and clams overpowered the clams, maybe it needed more. Still! I'd order it again! For my entree I went with the broiled seafood platter (crab cake, scallops and shrimp) with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Highly recommend! Perfect amount of one bay, lemon, butter, just scrumptious! Noted that it was not a lump crab cake, more so backfin but I'm a fan of backfin crab cakes so no complaints. Plus, it was such a nice size! My friend went with the shrimp tacos. They were delicious!!! I'd gladly order those again also. Zero complaints. Date night, girls night, large party friendly! Highly recommend!

This review will be on the service, food, and ambiance of a rehearsal dinner we had at their site. The party was heavy hors d'oeuvres with an open bar. It was held in a party room with a beautiful deck that overlooked the James River. The food was fantastic. Fried Oysters, deviled eggs, ham biscuits, pulled pork pot, and Chesapeake chicken pots. They also had grilled vegetables, cheeses, and fruits. They kept the food fresh and hot. The bartenders were great and made nice cocktails. Overall great party experience by The Boathouse.

So let's start with the positive: love the views and the location. The interior is bright with terrific sights of the river. And then there's the meal. When you have to wait over 70 minutes for food, it better be amazing. It's not. This felt very standard fare. The fries were the frozen type and not very flavorful. The rockfish with rice? The fish was kinda chewy and the rice just lacking anything special. My dining companion did enjoy the crab cake sandwich. But clearly this place is aiming for something more. And it just missed the mark. The kitchen on a Tuesday night has to do better than just letting customers wait over an hour for so so food. Disappointed.

The Boathouse in Richmond is the perfect spot for lunch on a beautiful day. Nestled by the water on the river, it offers a calming and relaxing ambiance. There's not a bad seat in the restaurant, whether you're inside with the big windows, outside by the bar under complete shade, or on the patio. Our server was attentive and offered great recommendations for lunch. The food was tasty and flavorful. While the crabcake wasn't a traditional Maryland crabcake, its unique preparation was very enjoyable. The highlight of the meal was my favorite dessert, the cookie palooza, which did not disappoint. After your meal, be sure to take a walk by the river to walk off the food or visit Belle Isle for some fun in the river to keep cool in the sun.

I loved the scenery and how nice everyone was. I enjoyed the happy hour menu this time and I was able to get everything. I loved the Rockefeller oyster, and peel and eat shrimp. The drinks were good prices for happy hour and the ambience was very nice. I will be back

I went to the rockets landing location for a birthday brunch this past week and it was great! The server CeeCee was great! She was very friendly and very accommodating to the table! We started with the special which was a sweet and savory fried pickle. It was the best fried pickles I've ever had. I went on to have biscuit and gravy and a Bloody Mary and both were delicious! The food there is good and the views are even better!

Sam at the Bar. Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food and service was amazing! Sam was an exceptional server!! Ambiance was classic. Thank you!

Came here for dinner which was recommended by a coworker. The service was a little slow because there was only one server for our half of the restaurant. Boathouse crab cakes - the crab cakes were very good. They were crispy on the outside and fell apart enough to see there was actually crab meat on the inside. I subbed the mash for spinach but the spinach was a bit salty. The asparagus was a bit burnt but overall this dish was pretty good. If it weren't for the vegetable quality, I would've easily given this spot more stars.

My husband and I were in Richmond and it was a beautiful day out so we made a last minute reservation. We ate outside. Beautiful view. Food was excellent. Sam, our server was excellent. Service was fantastic!! The fried shrimp dish was so good. And that Classic Zookie dessert is heaven. Their spicy mussels are underwhelming! Don't waste your money. Brussel sprouts were great.

If I could leave 0 stars I would! We had a party of 14 for a 50th birthday celebration! We were assigned two servers, which in the beginning seemed fair. As the evening went on drinks, appetizers and entrées were ordered. About midway through several of us never received drinks that we ordered and our entrées took extremely long. I understand with a large party this can't happen however I feel another server should have been there to assist and they should have done better when the food was finally served as a couple of our meals were served Cool not hot or warm. At the end of the evening we started asking for to go boxes as well as our checks. I lied to you not, it took them seven times to bring me my correct check and at that point it still was not right. The one thing that was wrong on my check was I paid for the birthday girl and she had two lemon drops both with Tito's. If you look at the receipt, there was one lemon drop with Tito's and one charged without. I did not feel like going back-and-forth with the server again, so I decided to just pay it even though it was shorting the establishment two dollars. Myself and the birthday girl both ordered simply salmon. I had Riesling wine and she had her two martinis. This is all in the receipt. She sat at the end of the table and I sat three seats away from her. My receipt shows I paid for people sitting at seats six, eight, and 10. How is that possible if I only paid for myself and one other person? There was an option to pay via QR code on the paper receipt they gave everyone or you could pay directly to the server. A few of us paid online with the QR code the others paid the servers directly. At this point, the servers, both of them were very rude and kept walking around asking if people had paid because they were still showing several of us had not. I began to get frustrated because I had to explain to them. I paid online which you can see in my screenshot receipt, as well as a few other people. One server came over to me 15 minutes later and told me they were able to see that my payment went through so they apologize. 20 minutes later while we are still waiting on them to bring the cake out that we had asked for 30 minutes prior, the other server came over to me and asked me if I paid yet. I explained to them that this is my third time telling you I had already paid and I received my receipt online showing it was approved as the money was taken out my bank account. Five minutes later, the manager comes over to ask me what was the problem with paying my bill! I explained to her that there was no problem because my bill has been paid. She walked away with an attitude. I even explained to them that the first six receipts they gave me were incorrect so I had to walk them through what I actually ordered for the seventh time and at that point as I stated earlier, it was still wrong because the establishment was missing out on two dollars lol. I walked to the bathroom and overheard both of the servers talking junk about our table. They were being very rude and condescending. Both of them were white, and the entire party of 14 were all blacks, the language they used to describe us was very unprofessional and very uncalled for! I have never felt so disrespected in my life! We were so frustrated with the service that we received, as well as the disappointment in how the food tasted. We decided to cut the cake and take slices in to go containers rather than eating there because we were ready to leave. Once we cut the cake and we're walking out, the server said under her breath you all are not welcome here anymore. I turned around and asked her to repeat what she said and she said I still had not paid my bill so we were not welcome there anymore. I decided to walk away and not cause a scene, but that was very disrespectful and very uncalled for. I hope whoever is reading this gets this to the proper attention because the boathouse at Rocket's Landing in Richmond Virginia will never again get my money and nobody else's money if I have anything to do with it. I live in Florida and we have so many great restaurants and I have never been treated with this type of disrespect in my life!

This place is not what it used to be. Pros- I found a parking spot and we were seated on time. That is the end of the pros. Cons- Food was a little below average to average. The service was horrific!! And dont forget the mandatory 20% gratuity. I think that means that they can do what little they want. Some examples- drinks from the bar were very slow. About 15-20 min for a wine and bourbon on ice. We went the last half of the meal with no water on the table. Waiter never came by to ask or fill that up. My wife ordered a shrimp and crabcake dinner. It came out with no crabcake... had to get up and hunt the waiter down. Then we had to ask for our checks twice(second time i got up to ask him) and the bills still came to us wrong. We fixed it amongst ourselves as the 4 of us just wanted out. It will be a long time before I go back.

Food was really good. I got a three course meal. Everything came out in great time atmosphere was really nice.

First of all, the servers are so nice and attentive. I heard one of them describe a fellow patron as "the girl in the really pretty dress" (which is so nice and refreshing). Good happy hour deals - $1 oysters, 5$ select starters, $10 select appetizers. Drinks were made well! Not too busy (got there after 4) and pretty view with ample seating. The oysters were lack luster compared to other oyster happy hours in the area- lots of broken shells and some we truly didn't even eat because they looked so poor (see photo). Saving Grace? Horseradish is legit hot, which is nice. Truffle fries are pretty substantial.

Definitely recommend this restaurant. It has a relaxed vibe with nice furnishings and soft rock music playing (although it was a bit loud). The service is excellent - CeeCee was so pleasant and checked back several times to see how I was doing. Nice menu selection in various price points to suit everyone. I had the crab cake sandwich with a nice glass of the Boathouse Chardonnay Viognier blend (Williamsburg Winery), followed up with crème brûlée for desert. Ample portion sizes, nice table setting, soft cloth napkins, and clean restrooms. This elevated restaurant has a relaxing view of the James River which adds to the charm. Stop by soon and experience this delightful dining choice!

Good service, upscale decor and vibe, great view and location, delicious calamari, nice cocktails, but main dish (broiled seafood combination) is just average. Our waiter was attentive and quite friendly. The main dishes for our group all came at the same time.

We have dined at the Boathouse over the years and today we had lunch with some family & friends. Today the food and service was far superior than our past visits. Brianne was a perfect server!!

My server Sam was amazing! Extremely polite and knowledgeable about the menu! He was quick and the order was correct. He made recommendations. I will come again and I hope Sam is there! The view of this restaurant is breathtaking! Great ambiance and lighting at night!

Went here on a Wednesday for happy hour - the 1 dollar oysters after going to a winery! The view was nice as always. It doesn't seem to be as busy as before but it was still good! we got 1 dozen of Rockefeller and 2 dozen raw . Definitely a great place to go and get a little treat !

Thomas was great! and the food was even better! beautiful scenery as well the service was great and the ambiance was absolutely beautiful

Booo! Loud Hot - no AC Expensive for mediocre quality Limited parking Careless staff and crap for skills Boo!! At least the Short Pump location can create an experience to return to Gone are the days when this was what was strived for Holy shit they have the doors open and it is 90 outside OMG Miserable

Incredible place to dine! Went here for my birthday and my waiter Sam, big shoutout, made my celebration with family even better! Incredible food, great vibe, and incredible staff.

We had a great time at the Boathouse Rocketts Landing! The food was delicious - we ordered Shrimp & Grits, Fried Shrimp, Clam Chowder and Wedge Salad. Our waiter, Sam (music student) was great! I hope he gets a free dinner out of this review! All the staff was very welcoming and friendly. They worked well as a team. We'd love to see the outside bubbles next winter! The sunset was beautiful to watch as we ate. Thank you!

We just came by for a drink but Briana was the most gracious server. Very kind and personable. Beautiful view on a nice day.

Sam was excellent! Very attentive server with a great demeanor. Food and drink were excellent!

Sam I AM had wonderful service and food was great. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food was great! Service was a little slow to start after being seated, but once Dante introduced himself as our waiter for the night we were set! Went to celebrate our 5 year anniversary, shared this with Dante, and within a few minutes he sent over a complimentary champagne toast! Took great care of us this evening and even added in a complimentary dessert. Only downside - no fans outdoors. We know it's August in VA which means heat and humidity and that's obviously something they can't control. We went at 6:30 to try to beat the heat but it cooled after sunset. Dante made sure to keep the ice water coming, though. Earned every penny of that 20% auto-gratuity! Beautiful view of the James, highly recommend making that reservation, and highly recommend Dante.

Alexis, Excellent Bartender! She makes the best cocktails (lemon drops)! Must try the old-fashioned

I went here for happy hour - they had reasonable specials considering the normal prices of drinks & food is on the $$$ side. I really enjoyed the sea ghost it was pretty strong too. The hush puppies are alright, but I'd probably choose another appetizer next time. The view of the river is definitely lovely, but you really have to work for service especially if you aren't sitting inside at a table. I went here with a group which worked out but I'd never recommend it as a go to place as a #1 pick for a group happy hour spot.

Had a nice dinner at the Boathouse last night (except for those really loud drunks at the bar). Went out with my monthly ladies dinner club and this month's choice was the Boathouse. It was easy to get a parking spot and easy to get a table. Nice menu and beautiful view of the Richmond skyline coming to life at night. Most of my dining companions wanted something with crab cakes. I decided on two apps for my dinner - fried oysters and roasted Brussels. Both were well prepared and delicious. Everyone seemed happy with their dining selections. Chef came out at one point to say hello, which was very nice. Sent out an 'amuse bouche' for our table to enjoy. Because there is so much glass (exterior walls) it can get a bit loud since there is not a lot to absorb noise. So that is why I could hear what the drunks at the bar (opposite side of the restaurant, btw) were saying better than the ladies at my own table. Bonus points in that you can paid your tab right at the table. No one walks off with your card, which is how pretty much all restaurants work in Europe. Not sure why the US always seems to lag behind in bank card security. Good food, good service. But perhaps management could help keep rowdiness at the bar to a minimum should it occur (you would not think it would be that kind of place). But I will wait to go back in the warm weather when I can sit outside.

Sam is the best waiter! The food is great, service is grea. Good overall experience.

Fantastic anniversary dinner! Had the clam chowder, filet, and halibut. We had great service from Asya!

Great location and view of the river! I got the crab cakes while here, I'm from Maryland and I am a crab cake snob but they were pretty good! Our waitress was not the best she came to our table maybe twice and needed a refill for about 15 minutes. Overall a good experience! Idk how eager I am to return but it was nice!

A solid experience all around. Didn't have a big wow factor, but it was an honest example of a classic med-high quality seafood/steak spot. The service was strong. We had a waiter plus his trainee, both were college age and attentive. Was great for our toddler, and above all else, the approachability to quality ratio is what makes this an easy 4 stars. The kids fingers and fruit was awesome. The menu had activities and crayons. Crab dip was ok. Crab cakes were excellent with generous lumps of crab. Oysters were fresh. Steak was meh. Jumbo shrimp were awesome. Brussels were good. Potatoes were nice. Bar sitch was a lacking a bit. They do well to keep the choices limited and pretty much deliver across the board.

The is has been a favorite for years, especially for happy hour. While the food is still good, the drinks leave a bit to be desired. The huge issue today was the service. They were unusually busy. We were sitting at the bar and had to flag down the bartenders constantly for drinks. After the second round, I gave up on getting anything else. The crowd was loud and rowdy. My hope is this was an anomaly and not the way things are headed. Management needs to get a handle on this immediately.

We came for my brother-in-law's birthday dinner & Sam was our server. Sam was fantastic & the food & drinks were amazing! Perfect atmosphere for the occasion.

The food was outstanding and the service was better. Thomas took amazing care of us! He took the time to talk to us about the area and everything else. I will be back'

Happy hour here is great. The sea ghost is the strongest drink they have and costs about $8 on happy hour (normally $18). Can't go wrong with the dollar oysters. Love the view as well. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because I've had very slow service on two different occasions.

We were here to celebrate a special occasion and everything was delicious. The service was excellent and we loved Badhan. Very friendly and attentive to our group. He made our evening even more special and memorable. We also appreciated the warm welcome from the hostesses at the front desk. We will definitely come back again!

Lunch 9-8-24 Clam Chowder was very good. Fried Oysters are delicious. Caesar salad was very good. Kailey was our server. She was very helpful with recommendations since it was our stop in our way south. Service was great.

Great food, great location. And Sam was a fantastic waiter! Highly recommend the bread pudding.

Sam was amazing this weekend! Made our time wonderful and was very attentive ! Had a great time

Amazing service from dante m, dante b, and brandi! the brussels sprouts are so delish and the drinks taste so fresh! the view is unbeatable

First time at Boathouse for Brunch. Brought out of of town guests. Outdoor location overlooking the river was awesome. Inside looks very nice as well. Service from Cat was impeccable. Love the individual coffee press! And blueberry ricotta pancakes smothered in lemon curd- highly recommend! Omlettes were kinda weak and small. Also I asked for ham to be added to my omlette and was given 2 little strips on top. Our big gripe was the home fries. Zero seasoning, cold and shriveled. Seemed like they were probably frozen from a bag. Definitely this restaurant could do better!

Food was amazing and our waiter Dam was outstanding! Attentive and sweet. Fish and chupes were great and the quinoa salad rocked!