After hiking for days in the BWCA, we decided to hike back to Ely for some beer and found this place. Besides waking up to the sound of loons I'm the serenity of the Boundary Waters, this was the next best thing. Came in for some beer and left satisfied with the Blueberry Blonde Ale and the Peanutbutter Chocolate Stout. I thought the latter tasted like a porter but I actually happen to like both stouts and porters and thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend the Blueberry Blonde Ale on hot days as it's light, crisp, and refreshing. The "hint of blueberry" is actually about a couple ounces of actual blueberry. Awesome aroma and finish to this Blonde Ale. Ordered the Mushroom Swiss burger and it had good flavors. They don't skimp on the cheese and the fries that came with it were amazing. The 1/3 lb patty really shines in this one. The Motorboat Burger was even better. Lot of smoky flavors with the bacon, garlic mayo, onions, and cheddar cheese topped on an honest burger patty. The Gunsmoke Burger was the best. Similar to the Motorboat but with smoked Gouda cheese and brisket. There was just so much aroma to this one I think my senses were overwhelmed. There's one major flaw with this burger though - you're going to want to eat it even when you're not hungry. Also tried the Van Eyck (Dark Belgian Strong Ale) and left impressed enough for a growler fill - a 64ounce plastic growler to take back into the BWCA as glass bottles are banned. read more

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We had dinner here after a long drive up to Ely from the Chicago area. They did have some of their own beers available, but cocktail list looked more interesting. I had a bourbon cherry sour which was good and not too sweet. We started with some cheese curds which were quite good and not greasy. I had the brisket sandwich for my entree; the brisket was tender and flavorful and the bread was fresh. The sandwich came with the BBQ macaroni salad. Our server asked if I wanted to substitute a different side, and seemed surprised when I said no. Well, if I ever find my way back up to Ely, I would go with a different side. It wasn't bad, but it was standard mayonnaise macaroni salad with a bit of spice. Service was good and we noted they did offer plastic growlers for going out on the water; if only we didn't have portages to do...a plastic mug of beer would have been a nice addition to dehydrated camp food! read more

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We were here on a busy afternoon-we got our drinks right away, and the food came out fast for as busy as they were. The meals were all delicious, my IPA was tasty as well. The bar staff never quit moving (or smiling) the entire time we were there. Great food-Excellent Service! Would definitely stop next trip to Ely read more

Last time we ate there 4/7/23 we got food poisoning. I called the next day and talked to the lead/supervisor to let her know and asked for the owner to contact me for a possible refund. I never heard from him. read more

The food was good for being the only bar open past 8pm in town. The service was a little overwhelmed by the amount of people wearing crocks and carhertt stocking caps. There was live music, and a kind people, over all a great place to grab dinner read more

Friendly staff. Excellent food. Wonderful place all around. In town for a week on the boundary waters and ate here twice, beginning and end. Perfect bookends to the week. Had a Reuben and the Motorboat burger. Others in my group got the Cuban, which was massive, and the Smokehouse. All good. read more

Tuesday night in Ely. The worst Ely bar/dining experience we've had. We sat at the bar. Bartender was not friendly or attentive. I ordered the blueberry blond ale, which was room temperature. The bartender took my wife's order but not mine. I had to ask him to add a burger to the order so I could eat too. My order never came. Asked for her check and cashed out and left. They charged was $42 for her drink, an app and her dinner. I grabbed two chicken sandwiches and a coke at Holiday gas station for $5 on the way home, far better experience. To whomever replies to these reviews from The Boathouse. It appears you like to debate your reviews rather then use them as an opportunity to improve. This might be part of the issue. read more

Best burger in town!!! We come to Ely once a year while camping nearby, and stop at the Boathouse every year. The Gunsmoke burger is to die for! It's my husband's favorite burger ever and I'm fully convinced he would drive 4 hours to eat one, when we're not on vacation. I read reviews that service was slow but we got our table and drinks right away and food shortly after. Very happy with service. Could not recommend this place enough! read more

Very disappointed upon opening my takeout salad. The tomatoes and lettuce were not fresh and the ratio of lettuce to toppings was noticeable. It looked like there was about a teaspoon of cheese on it and expected a fuller salad for $15. Not my first time with this experience. read more

Great craft made quality beers. The food is above bar food. It's a busy place for tourists, campers, and outfitters from the local area. Thanks read more

Great restaurant, they are a little short staffed in the front of house, but their kitchen makes high quality food, fast, and they're able to keep up with demand. When we first arrived, the line was out the door, but after not even 15 minutes of waiting, we were sitting down and getting our drink orders taken. When our orders were put in, it took no time at all for our food to come out, and the quality of the food was astounding. Great experience overall, my family left satisfied and happy. read more

Thankful for the opportunity to be employed at this amazing restaurant! We were given two days off over this busy holiday season to spend time with our family and enjoy an AWESOME employee Christmas Party. Thank you to the owners for showing your appreciation towards your staff. Us enployees truly appreciate this! read more

I am sorry to say that we were NOT impressed. The restaurant was nice and clean, agreed. The menu was certainly adequate; however our server made a few faux pas - 1st was his comment when we asked for sauce for the chicken strips, the response was "that sauce is usually for the duck wings" .. even though it was listed as choice of sauces on the menu for the chicken strips. Let's also remember that the customer is always right, so the correct response should have been "of course, I will get that for you." 2nd was the choice of music to set the mood. Call me a racist if you want, but hip hop with "nigga this nigga that" is not appropriate for family meal time in a restaurant billed as a boathouse. 3rd (on a lesser note), why would you not bring any silverware whatsoever, especially when my side item was slaw with my fish and chips. It's unfortunate that my first impression of the restaurant was "one and done" .. but I have no choice. The only bright spot that I can offer was that the choices of ale were outstanding ! read more

Nice, casual restaurant for dinner or lunch. Plenty of food--my husband got the steak bites and cheese curds (2 appetizers) and they filled him up great for dinner. The beer was good and the food was delicious! Close to everything in town so it was great to walk there and go for a walk on the Mesabi Trail afterwards. read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - Poutine with brisket and bacon - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Got in there when it was slow and had the servers all to myself. I got to see what friendly people they were. All the beers on tap were made in house. I went with the steak bites and they were fantastic. Went great with the Maple 14 whiskey. read more

Nice rotating beer menu with a couple of year round regulars. The bartenders and waitstaff are for the most part excellent. The beer is quality. The food menu is pretty limited in the realm of plant based options but, the few options they do offer are decent. read more

Great place for groups or families. The food and service were both better than expected. We stopped in after a morning at the wolf center, and noticed many others rolling in off the snowmobile trails. Plenty of helmet and coat hooks -- rare even in a MN restaurant. read more

Was not impressed. Our waitress was rude and not attentive, and our chicken sandwich was nearly inedible it was so chewy and rubbery.

Excellent service, prompt delivery of food. Nice ambiance all around. Would recommend to anyone wanting a beer.

Dear Abby, Your review was way out of line. I was here when that all went down. Of course you can't sit your toddler at the bar!!! This place is great! Friendly service, great food, and a milk stout that makes you think you died and went to Valhalla. Skol! read more

Excellent service and the food quality and flavor never disappoints. This is by far our favorite restaurant within 50 miles. If you haven't tried the food or craft beer please do!!! It's all so amazing. read more

Very nice wait staff and food was excellent. I would also highly recommend the "Blueberry Blonde" beer. Will definitely eat here again read more

11/10 fantastic service amazing and quality food came in with a party of 23 and the food took almost no time to come out. Great restraunt

Not only did the staff loudly complain in front of us about other patrons, they also told us that all the other restaurants in town were closed that day (this past Friday) due to having "brown water," which was complete bull, because after we walked out we had a fabulous meal at a different establishment a few blocks away! Boathouse should consider not hiring liars and witches. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but it failed to deliver on all fronts. First, the food: totally uninspired, which I can accept from a brew pub...but frozen, then fried or burnt? Ick. I feel like an old Prince song when I say, I guess I should have known...when they didn't ask how I wanted the burger cooked...but I'm pretty sure it came straight out of a chest freezer. Whatever you do, steer clear of the gunboats...unless of course you like partially cooked wild rice and mushy jalapeños. They were so gross, when we sent them back the waitress said, "oh are those raw?" Second, the wait time: we play a friendly family game of "guess how long till our food arrives" when we take the kids out to restaurants. It kills time and makes waiting fun...except when the wait exceeds 30 minutes for some burgers and fries. Even the kids joked that this was the longest wait we've ever had. Lastly, family friendliness: in person they seem totally cool with families, but there are signs all over, including a huge bold footer on their menu that say, "kids must stay in their seats at the table at all times." Really? I've got good kids who have been to restaurants all over the country, so no big deal, but it puts off this vibe of "kids not welcome here," which I don't dig. All in all, a sad little place in a magnificent little town. C'mon Ely, you can do better. read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - Burnt to a crisp burger - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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Food was good and reasonably priced. Despite being understaffed (who isn't nowadays) the wait staff was friendly and quick. A nice, bright gastropub. read more

We decided to eat here for dinner since this place brews its own beer. The nice waiter let us have some samplers but we finally decided on the blueberry beer. It had 6-8 blue berries floating in the beer which was a pleasant surprise. I ordered the sportsman's appetizer which had fish and chips with 3 fried duck drumsticks (even better than fried chicken). My wife had the fish sandwich was really good too. She also had some backed Mexican rice with beans and hot sauce. By the end, it was nice to wash down our food with some beer. Hands down, the liveliness atmosphere and you can buy/bring your growler for their beer. read more

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Great staff, a really awesome Reuben and onion rings-- the only downside is that I (a southerner) couldn't order sweet tea! They also have really yummy takeout pizza. Choose this place for date night in Ely! We sat on the dinner side, which was quiet, but the bar side looked a little more happening. Take your pick! read more

We ended up here on both Sunday and Monday because the town kind of rolls up the streets on Sunday nights and we couldn't find anything else open at 8 PM and on Mondays, a number of restaurants in town are closed. Fortunately, the food is excellent. We had cheese curds which were great (not greasy at all), and I got a beef and cheddar sandwich for dinner. The fries are crispy and the sandwich was fantastic. My husband got a Randal which was a variation on a Reuben. He liked it and the BBQ mac as well. One of our friends was with us and I've seen that guy return more plates of food than I ever thought possible. He said that the walleye fish & chips was one of the best he ever had. (I damn near fell off my chair!) The second night I tried the peanut butter burger. Not enough peanut butter! It's kind of supposed to melt all over the bacon and the burger and be a sloppy mess but this was much easier to eat. The bacon was fantastic - thick sliced and yummy. I believe the burgers are only cooked one way (rather than to order), and I was happy that they were on the medium to well done side. My husband orders things rare and he didn't complain about it being burnt, so that's a plus. They have four house brews currently and Hubby tried the IIPA. First he said it was flat but really hoppy (he loves hoppy beers) and then he ordered a second one. I asked him why order a second flat beer and he said it was so hoppy he couldn't pass it up. I got a Dorothy Molson Root Beer and it was really good. We'll have to go see her museum while on this trip. She sounds like a pretty cool lady. They have both restaurant and bar seating and a nice selection of apps and sandwiches. The kid's menu got the stamp of approval from our chicken-loving little dude. You might need to wait for a table to be cleaned and the service isn't over-the-top friendly, but it was a great meal and I'm happy to see that they're doing well. read more

Great service. This is the place for the locals. We were treated fairly and food was good. read more

I stopped into the Boathouse for a late lunch. First things first, the restauant is divided into two separate sections: the bar side and the restaurant side. When customers first enter, they are on more of the bar side, which when I came in made the place look closed: lights were off, tables cleared and nobody around. I had to venture into the other room to even be sure they were open. Hopefully, the owners will read up their reviews on YELP and start opening that side. As soon as I did walk into the other section, I was greeted immediately. The server was friendly and brought me a water and menu immediately. She also explained the specials. Since it is a Brewpub, I asked about their beer selection. They only had three on tap: Blueberry Blonde, a Porter and one other that I'm forgetting at the moment. The Blueberry Blonde was great; it had a light bite, reminded me of a wheat beer like Blue Moon but with a distinct blueberry flavor. I also ordered their special, a roast beef and swiss sandwhich and their "buffalo fries". The sandwhich was good and toasted, crispy on the outside but could have used a little more cheese; the fries were really good too but weren't quite what I was expecting. If they advertise them as buffalo flavor, I'd either expect them to make them spicier or serve with buffalo sauce or ranch. Overall, the place was pretty good and I will definitely go back. However, it is a lot more like a diner than a brewpub and they need to upgrade if they want to create that type of reputation. read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - Todays special: roast beef and Swiss with buffalo fries, pretty basic - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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The Boathouse has been on my brewery hit list for over a year and I finally had a chance to get up to Ely to taste their brews. I was going up the Boundary waters and wanted to take a growler with us. We ordered a flight of beer and the two that were good to my palate was the oatmeal stout and the blueberry blonde. Which ironically enough the blueberries were ripe in the BWCA. I took a growler of the oatmeal stout as it was filling as well as tasty. It tasted even better after paddling & portaging all day! Edit: I forgot to add that the BWCA growler is a plastic jug that is allowable in the BWCA area and not the glass ones. You have to ask for them specifically when ordering. read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - the flight - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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Bartenders are rude and don't really care or want you there. Used to be a regular stop for me. Not anymore 3rd time same crap. Sad because I loved it there and recommended it to everyone. Not anymore. read more

It has been a couple of years since our last visit, so we wondered how they are doing - short answer is they're doing good! It was pretty much the only place in town open for lunch on a Monday afternoon, but the wait was short despite less seating to allow a little distancing. The service was great, the beer options are appealing and the food (party of five - we had burgers, beer bratwurst, house salad and onion rings) and all were good. Definitely recommend if you want a casual meal and a good beer. read more

Waitress was rude and our steak sandwiches were full of gristle. We will not be back!! The steakhouse is the place to go!!

This place was super cool. Seemed to have a great vib to it. Many travelers in and out. Our server was super cool. She was a sassy gal who made have dinner there super fun. I well not hesitate to be back again if the USFS seems my Helicopter to Ely, MN again. Keep to the strong work Boathouse Brewpub read more

Service was not good. Very indifferent to guests and server did not come back to check on table. Seemed annoyed we asked for a fork. Overpriced For quantity and quality of food. Out of lemonade, out of Sprite. After a 13-hour drive, a nice, cold beer sounded great. Went to the bar and after waiting for the two bartenders to stop dancing to a song, I was matter-of-factly told, "No. Im waiting on my guests." Keep in mind this is a brewpub. There were two of them waiting a 1/2 capacity bar and they couldn't take the time to pour one beer. The food, after a very long wait, was mixed. The burger was good, but the Walleye sandwich and Walleye fish&chips were both very poorly cooked with no flavor. came here last year and it was great. great food; great service. This year the word I would use is "sucked." I've traveled the world and eaten at so many places - I've NEVER been denied beverage service at the bar, especially one that brews their own craft beer. 10 days on the water later, we stopped at the Ely Steakhouse. Great hometown service and great food! read more

Service was very friendly. Atmosphere was nice. All the food we ordered was delicious. We had the cheese curds, captain's salad, Cuban, and bacon patty melt. We would definitely recommend this restaurant if you are in the area. read more

Seriously? All burgers are well done Not possible to ask for medium rare because (get this) "they're hand pattied" What does this have to do with how a burger is cooked? Not a good introduction to this place read more

We had a great time at a beer-pairing dinner! The food was awesome for the beer pairing, and I'm looking forward to getting back to try some of their regular menu and more of the beers BREWED RIGHT THERE at the Boathouse! It's great to find a place with great food, but great beer AND great food really sets this pub apart from others! read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - Beer-pairing dinner! Here's the main course: roasted duck paired with a Belgian quadrupel ale. It was fantastic! - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota