What it's like
The Boathouse & Riverside Rooms is the River Dee pub and inn at The Groves, useful for riverside drinks, pub food, Sunday roasts, bedrooms, families, dogs and Chester wall-walk plans.
The Boathouse sits right on The Groves, which means the river does a lot of the heavy lifting. Terrace tables, the floating beer garden and boats moving past give it one of Chester's easiest visitor settings.
It is a JW Lees pub with rooms, so the offer is broad: breakfast, lunch, dinner, roasts, cask ale, rooms and practical group use. It is not the place to pretend you have discovered a tiny backstreet local. It is much more obvious than that, and often useful because of it.
Worth knowing
The Boathouse is not subtle. It is a riverside pub with rooms in one of Chester's easiest locations. Go when that solves the day, and do not overcomplicate it.
Plan your visit
- Address
- The Groves, Chester CH1 1SD.
- Hours
- Currently listed as open daily from 10:00, closing later Monday-Saturday and earlier Sunday. Food service is listed from 12:00-21:00 Monday-Saturday and 12:00-20:00 Sunday.
- Breakfast
- Breakfast is listed in the morning, with different weekday and weekend timings. Check direct if you are not staying.
- Food
- Pub classics, seasonal dishes, prix fixe options and Sunday roasts are the sensible lane.
- Drinks
- JW Lees cask ales, lager, wine and pub drinks rather than a cocktail-bar plan.
- Kids and dogs
- Currently listed as child-friendly and dog-friendly.
- Outdoor seating
- Outdoor seating and the riverside beer garden are major reasons to go, but weather and crowds decide the actual experience.
- Access and parking
- Accessible entrance, toilets and parking are listed, with several parking options nearby. Check direct if access or parking is the deciding factor.
How to use it
- Book for Sunday lunch, sunny weekends and groups.
- Use it after a river walk, walls walk or Grosvenor Park loop.
- Go for the view and practical pub food rather than a delicate restaurant meal.
- Check room availability separately if you are treating it as accommodation.
What's on and practical notes
The useful extras are offers, rooms and private-hire options rather than a regular live-events programme. Check direct for current offers before building a plan around them.
No checked TTDC event listings for this place right now. Check its own listings before building a visit around an event.
Nearby plan
Nearby pubs and bars
Nearby attractions
FAQ
What is The Boathouse Chester best for?
Riverside drinks, pub food, Sunday roasts, rooms, family meals, dogs and River Dee walks.
Where is The Boathouse Chester?
It is at The Groves, beside the River Dee and below the city walls.
Does The Boathouse Chester have outdoor seating?
Yes. Outdoor seating and the riverside beer garden are major reasons to go, especially in decent weather.
Is The Boathouse Chester dog-friendly?
Yes, it is currently listed as dog-friendly.
Should you book The Boathouse Chester?
Yes for Sunday lunch, sunny weekends, groups and rooms.
Nearby alternatives and add-ons.
The Moorings The Moorings is a Groves-side riverside cafe and eatery for breakfast, brunch, cake, families and Dee views after a walk or boat trip. 
Grosvenor Park Grosvenor Park is Chester's main city-centre park, useful for kids, picnics, quiet pauses and a free break from the streets. 
Queens Park Bridge Queens Park Bridge is the footbridge over the Dee to Handbridge, useful for a walk, photos and a free riverside link from The Groves.