I went to Bethany Boathouse for dinner with some friends after a day trip to Bethany beach. At the front entrance there is a outdoor kiddie park with a pirate ship. On the right there is a bar where you can seat yourself and you can also wait for a sit-down table. Initially we were told it would be 30 minutes but got seated within 5 minutes. I'm assuming a table freed up sooner than expected. We sat down and our waitress was prompt and friendly. The place has indoor seating and outdoor seating. They have live music nearly everday and have special events on their calendar for the month. All 9 of us sat near the water fountain that they have and listened to a live band which was fun. I ordered a bloody mary which tasted as if it was a pre-packaged drink and had too much ice. For the entree I ordered a Crab salad which had a small lump of crab and all lettuce for $16 which I thought was pricey. All the foods come out in either a plastic basket or paper plate to fit the casual atmosphere of the place. The waitress was very helpful and was honest about our orders. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant but with the casual atmosphere, I would recommend getting their tacos. I tried my boyfriend's pork tacos and it was delicious. I would definitely come here again to try something different next time. read more

Bethany Boathouse - Entrance - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Such a fun place to get orange crushes and listen to live music I had so much fun here with my boyfriend. It's more of a chill talk to people and listen to music bar vs a club dancing vibe but I was totally okay with that :) read more

Bethany Boathouse - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

Semi-generous two star...... Clam strip appetizer at $16, fair to middle serving size & extremely chewy!!!! Would never again...... Full rack of ribs were tasty, sauce was tasty & tangy, but we're not all that warm....... The waffle fries were great!!! Wife had the grouper tacos. They're soft shells which I would expect but not warmed whatsoever, which they say they never warm. With the cold coleslaw on it, it was basically a cold taco. It was a very cold day so not all that good. If it was a hot summer day it would have been great. On this day, a warmed shell would have be appreciated. read more

Want to thank Kayla for her great service and recommendations. We had closed out our tab with our original waiter but we're in need of a to go box. Kayla was very helpful not only in getting us what we needed but providing us with added drink recommendations and helping our table even tough it was not her zone. Thank you for going above and beyond for your customers read more

Back again another year. This place was better in the past but has gone down. I'm not sure if they got a new chef but the food is mediocre at best. Tuna is dry as the Sahara desert and the lb of crabs is also over cooked. With that being said the bar tenders and wait staff could not have been nicer. The water we had was just adorable and super friendly, helpful and ready to help out in any way needed. This place has gone down down down hill just like it's partner the cottage cafe. Good for drinks read more

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What a great addition in Bethany beach. Casual dining with open air layout, deck, gazebo and live music too! Great for groups and families. Lots of cocktails, beer and wine to choose from. Cool decor of boat hanging from the ceiling. We came to watch a band called Decades 80s and had the best time! There is a small area to dance and the open air made us feel a little safe with crowds around. Service staff were nice and prompt too. Check this place out! read more

The drinks weren't bad for $9 But we had the chicken nachos, fish tacos and a cheeseburger and all of it was not worth the cost. I'm pretty sure the chicken in the nachos was the frozen grilled Tyson's chicken too. I won't even continue describing the food because it was not many ingredients to present but nothing special, my child could have made a better meal. I haven't been disappointed with a meal for a long time but I could have made better at home. We won't be going here ever again. I know there's a pandemic and maybe this place has gone down there since that happened. Maybe my post will help for the future. read more

You definitely walk in and at first think, another commercial beach-like establishment. It was the middle of the weekday, hot as blazes out, but you first notice the view. Surrounded by parcels of water, and gazebos, and just OPEN. Everything is open and inviting - perfect for the eastern shore selection of fish, seafood and more. We were a group of 8, and within minutes, service was with us, accommodating, and following up the whole visit. The food was exactly what I imagine when I think of an east coast menu, fresh, salty, as if you just walked in off the beach and wanted the freshest they had to offer. Even lingering afterwards, you sensed the level of comfortable everyone was feeling, and the whole aura of the establishment sets that tone. GREAT way to get the feel of the east coast, the beaches, the ability to slow it down and take in what is around you, while satisfying your palette with the best the east coast has to offer. read more

Bethany Boathouse - Adding the crab cake sandwich and fries - that takes care of the largest appetite craving for fresh at The Boat House. - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

Great little spot, was hesitant to try it because it was in a parking lot of a chain pharmacy store, but there was a nice breeze there was a little retention pond they built a deck over, I was pleasantly surprised, good people, we just had drinks, will go back for dinner, cool spot though read more

Bethany Boathouse - Deck bar over a retention pond - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

This place is great!!! Friendly staff and the drink portions are large! Great to sit by the water and enjoy food and drinks. Also a nice spot to watch sports and have food. Owned by the same owner as cottage cafe I believe ( across the street ). Would recommend both!!! Also tried a few of the crushes (pictured here) and they're VERY good! Takeout crush specials too. read more

Bethany Boathouse - View from our seats - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Best late night drink spot in town. I like their grapefruit crushes. Pictured is the sesame ahi tuna on wonton chips & Buffalo rockfish tacos. read more

Bethany Boathouse - ahi tuna - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Some of the worst customer service I've ever had! We've been here before and the drinks are ok, the food is below average, but the atmosphere is nice and my daughter likes to play on the boat. We went again today and there were A TON of open tables, but we were told we would have to wait because their iPad wasn't working. The ordering system was working fine, it was only the system to seat people. Instead of having customers sit down and then figuring out the glitch, they shut down anyone from entering. I feel bad for the wait staff that is losing money because the hostesses couldn't figure out how to use a paper and pencil to record which tables were being sat. And the four women who couldn't figure this out were extremely rude! read more

Let the buyer beware. The staff will hand you happy hour menus, and you will see happy hour specials posted on the walls near the hightops in the bar area, but THOSE DON"T APPLY TO YOU UNLESS YOU SIT AT THE BAR. The wait staff will not tell you that unless you ask, and its not on the signage. They will let you say the words "I want to order this off the happy hour menu" but not tell you that you are not getting that price until your bill comes, and you exclaim "WTF!?!" Its classic bait-and-switch. You have been warned. read more

**REVIEW BASED ON PRE COVID EXPERIENCE** Came here for dinner with few of my girlfriends for a bachelorette. It was little difficult to find since the sign is not clear and blends in with the outside of the building. There is private parking lot with ample amount of parking spaces. It was a busy Saturday evening but they have seats outside while you wait as well as a play area for kids. We sat outside on the patio area - really cute little place and patio with the view of a small lake and rustic decor gave off great ambiance. Service was great, live band, our server got two free shots for the bride and was very attentive despite the crowd. I ordered following items and everything was good, great proportion size and reasonable food prices. -- Beyond Burger Sandwich -- Spinach Artichoke Dip -- Chips & Dip with Queso P.S. wish they had more vegetarian options. read more

This place is perfect. Great place to watch a game, have drinks with friends, great food and there's a playground for the kids. Strong recommend! read more

Came here over the weekend on Sunday evening with a large group - 12 people. We did call ahead seating when we were about to head out the door, and checked in when we arrived and were told the wait was 30 minutes. Without doing call ahead the wait was 45-60 minutes. We were seated within 15 minutes and our group split into two tables. We were seated right on the water next to the live music and were worried it was going to be too loud, but it was not at all! The loud music was a male/female duo playing on their guitars and we thoroughly enjoyed the music. As the sun was setting it got pretty hot, but they eventually lowered sun panels and it was much better. The watermelon slushy drink was so good and refreshing! In regard to food, the fish and chips was the hit of our group. And the waffle fries - OMG they were the best and they are heavy with portions so we took a few boxes home and they're even good warmed up! Everything else we got was decent. My only complaint is that the food took very long to get, and when we asked the server she said it was because we got appetizers so they can't put in the food until after the apps are done. Being a server in the past that is definitely something I understand, but for a big group like that they should make an exception because the wait for dinner was far too long. read more

We went all appetizers and they were delicious... tuna sushi, crab dip, giant pretzel, crab claws (a lot for only $5!) The wines on tap were really good too - Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir Rainmaker Super kid friendly and my daughter loved ordering from the kids menu The live band was very good too read more

Pretty cool place, food was good, drinks were good, service was great! Would go back again

Everyone in my family enjoyed their meals at this casual restaurant. I thought the prices were reasonable (for the beach), and the portions were generous. My grouper tacos were excellent, and my mom couldn't stop raving about her tropical shrimp salad. It was crowded, so I'd suggest going early to ensure getting a table. read more

Bethany Boathouse - Grouper tacos - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

Meh. The best part about this place was that they could seat 11 of us without much warning. Otherwise the drinks were average and the food was also average. The best thing I had was the steamed shrimp with old bay. Those were fantastic! But the crab cake sandwich was tiny and the fries it came with were good, but they definitely did not give enough to warrant $2 extra. It was all way too expensive for what you got. read more

This place was a slop. My friends and I wanted to go out for a drink and we thought it looked good. Man we're we wrong. The appetizers took 40 minutes and were clos then after appetizers it took another hour to get our food and it was cold. Service was slow, food was not very good, do not go here. read more

Came here for lunch on a weekend getaway. First time here. Loved the ambiance and the fact we could sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. The restaurant is accommodating to younger children and have a good selection to choose from for meals and beverages. I ordered the lump crab salad and it was good. My husband ordered fish tacos. They were not cooked in the middle so he did not finish the meal. We told management and they were apologetic, offered us a new meal but he declined (he lost his appetite after that). They ended up taking his meal off the tab. With the excellent service and overall good lunch food, I would recommend this place if you're looking for a casual American fare restaurant. read more

We came here the first night it was open for the season. Everything wasn't up and running yet, but for it to be the first night - they were doing pretty good. I think my favorite dish we had was the half pineapple salad. I was pretty underwhelmed by their tacos, but my dining partner enjoyed everything. The place was definitely busy and seemingly a local's favorite watering hole. Why the 3 star rating? Service. Service was just...awkward. Our server was awkward. He was cool, but seemed a bit off. I don't know, but that was enough to dampen the experience. Cute space, but watch out for weird service. read more

Bethany Boathouse - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Tricia & Scott were excellent! Tricia made us delicious Bourbon Crushes- the tropical version of an Old Fashioned, aka my favorite. Tried: (ALL crushes have fresh squeezed fruit!! ) Pineapple Crush: A little fruity/ sweet for me, but it was still delicious. Bourbon Crush: My favorite. Dad's favorite. Light, hint of Bourbon, refreshing. Lemon Crush: Most refreshing, if you like lemon. Not at all like lemonade. Not too sweet, fresh lemon. This was on special our 2nd day so we all tried it and loved it. Chicken Nachos: might be the favorite. Tons of guac, sour cream, chicken, queso. Fresh chips, deish. Also had the spinach dip on visit 2, also great. Crab Cakes really good, also really good and fresh tartar sauce (just the right amount of pickle!) All in all, a great spot to visit, day or night. read more

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Service is top notch. Food is questionable... Ordering crab legs were quite tasteful for my family, with two pounds worth at $10. As not a seafood eater myself, options were to typical bar food which I tried the pork tacos and not at all impressed. Also had the house "margarita" which was quite weak. But if you're up for crab legs, definitely go here. Anything else, look elsewhere. read more

Bethany Boathouse - Pork tacos... Not all that. - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

Atmosphere and location is great. Service and food not so much for the prices! Ordered the nachos and asked for the jalapeños on the side as I don't do spicy foods. Nachos came out with not only jalapeños in the nachos, but we got a lovely extra side of them too. Went to order the shrimp tacos and asked them to add cheese to it, after I had requested the aioli on the side (since I'm not a fan of spicy foods). Was told I cannot do more than one substitution because the kitchen would not be able to accommodate (LOL) and would mess it up. Beer was flat. Very obvious language barrier as I tried asking two waitresses what oil they fry in (I have an allergy) and no one understood what I was asking. Overall just a really unpleasant experience. Will not be returning. read more

Shrimp salad sandwich or shrimp soup with bread? Lmk. Cuz that's exactly what I got tonight. In addition to an extremely sub par cheesesteak, the shrimp salad sandwich was basically water and mayo on bread with some dispersed shrimp. Disappointing for sure given the scene read more

Bethany Boathouse - Shrimp salad sandwich - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

The service and atmosphere are all fine, but the food is basically just sub-par bar food. Nachos are what you'd expect from any dive bar and the ahi tacos were freezing cold and tasted like coleslaw. read more

Love this place and we come back every year when we are at the beach. Order the shrimp basket and the crush margarita (they squeeze a fresh orange into it!) read more

Cute establishment Nice environment... Waited over an hour... which is OK it's a Saturday night at the beach. The food was mediocre I don't think we will be back read more

Bethany Boathouse - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Unimpressed by the menu. The aesthetic is fun the drinks are good. Hot spot for tourists read more

Pleasant atmosphere on a summer evening. Service was excellent. Live music (solo guitarist/singer) was a nice addition. The downfall was the food. Those in our party had the ahi tuna tacos, half rack of ribs and crab cake sandwich. Ribs were tough and dry, crab cake bland and tuna tacos had some wet sauce on them that did not compliment tuna. I suggest Boat House for drinks before you get dinner elsewhere. read more

Really good crabcakes. Waffle fries seasoned nicely. Crab legs appetizer great for group sharing. Not the cheapest, maybe, but portions were good, at least, so you could do worse. read more

I'm an ocean city local who doesn't get the chance to venture up to Bethany very often, but I was extremely underwhelmed by the boathouse. My first interaction was with a bartender who presented my friend and I with menus and gave us drinks immediately as we sat down; as she should've given most of the barstools we're empty. The reason I mention this however, is because my friend and I are both 21 and look to be so as well, yet neither of us were carded before being served. If the boathouse monitors their reviews I sincerely hope they train their staff to do this before one day serving a cadet. After the great start it was all down hill. Our original bartender turned her full attention to the service bar which had some very inefficient systems that could be improved upon. The other bartender that was there never acknowledged us even though we had two empty beer cans in front of us the majority of our visit and quite frankly did not serve many other people either. we could also see a floor manager standing in the server station not doing anything to assist the situation either. Finally a bartender from a different bar came over to bail out the floundering bar we were sitting at. We each got a burger that came with a cheese dipping sauce which we were assured was made in house and when we tried to specify meat temperatures we were told they didn't do that. Low and behold our burgers came out like two dry hockey pucks and the cheese sauce was a congealed good service product out of a can. Overall the service and the food were not nearly up to par with what I'd expect given their location, prices, and competition. The atmosphere was nice though I would try to get there later in the evening to avoid families with young children. One last point I'd like to make as well was that they had a stack of fruit sitting in the dining room unrefrigerated in plain view of the public. This place needs a revamp if they want to impress any locals and not simply rely on weekly tourists for business. read more

Twenty employees standing around doing nothing and nobody can help my server out with getting out drink order. We are slowly dying of thirst and hunger... So the food showed up. These are the worst fish tacos. My buddy got 6 waffle fries for $2 So I think somebody read this review while I was there because a person who was not my server asked "how was everything" and was concerned about my fish tacos... Well I am not concerned about returning, but for the next person, replace half of those pickled red onions with raw ones and if you are going to use tuna, don't cook it until it looks like chicken. read more

Bethany Boathouse - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Solid 4 stars. Great food, great atmosphere, amazing service. A few tiny complaints: had trouble seating a large (14) party, they managed but it was tight. Not so on top of refilling waters, though they were definitely on top of our alcoholic drink orders. Ahi tuna app was incredible, fish tacos were very good. Fish n chips were great (waffle fries!) but only two pieces of fish, they were a pretty good size though. Overall great spot to grab a beer and a bite with friends/family. Would definitely go back again read more

Bethany Boathouse - Drink specials as of 7/18 - Bars Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

They couldn't care less about the customers. They just want your money. Won't let you remove things like pico de gallo from tacos. Manager doesn't care just says that's what the owner wants because the kitchen doesn't speak English. Horrible. read more

I really enjoyed this place..the ahi tuna tacos, nachos and salmon were great, along with the crush drinks. They had live music which made for a nice outdoor dining experience..I'd definitely come back. read more

A nice place to kick back and enjoy an outdoor type bar ambience with great service and the food also hits the spot. We stopped for some drinks after enjoying the shore beaches. The fish and chips platter with waffle fries was a hit for me. Although the Ruby Red Crush helped it all go down smoothly. The staff is super friendly. Stacy walked by and chatted with us for a bit and made us feel right at home. Lexi, our server made sure to keep and eye on us and made sure the meal and drinks were just right. If you're on the Coastal Hwy and happen to be in Bethany Beach make this a stop to fill your tank and worry about your car's tank later. read more

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I ordered a half rack of ribs, received a full rack. Pointed out to the server who proceeded to ask for half a rack back after I started eating. It was fine bc I wasn't going to eat it all or pay for it ($11 difference) but I'd love to know what they did with the other half rack. I'm sure threw it in the trash. It was an jerk move-I'm sure from a jerk manager who was trying to make a point. I wouldn't go again. read more