We've eaten here on previous trips to Ely, and the food was fine. Tonight, we sat down in the restaurant area and were ignored for about 10 minutes. We picked up and moved to the bar side, where we remained ignored for another ten minutes. We then drove to the Dairy Queen on the other end of town and our food was delivered about the same time we finished pouring our sodas. Their food may be good, but it doesn't matter if they never serve it to you. read more

This was just as good as the first time! Amazing food with a fun atmosphere! They clearly work their butts off here and do it with a good attitude! Unfortunately, their busy day meant they were out of Blueberry Blonde but I can't let that even drop a star....it was just too good!!! read more

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Brian puts a unique spin on each dish that makes it a step above any other restaurant. I love the Smokestack chicken sandwich and the Motorboat burger. read more

Awesome burgers and love the BBQ Mac salad.

I have been to this place about once a year for the last three years. Props to being a brew pub on the iron range. I would really like you to consider these couple issues: the beer cold be quite a bit colder. I tried three different ones today and was not impressed, though I wanted to be. Not warm but not cold... Next thing is that the beer was not super carbonated so I mean that it could have been less flat.... Just consider what I've said and look into these matters because I want you guys to be successful and have great beer... Unfortunately the best beer I had today was the guest tap Upper Hand brewery Still not super cold but tasted better and had more carbonation. If it were my place I would try to utilize the stage by having live music more often than not. Look into it.... read more

20 minutes of servers avoiding eye contact. Waved one down for service and he said he'd be back, never did come back. On the second wave he said he'd be back after putting someone else's order in. Fool me once... If you want to eat, just go somewhere else. read more

Food was decent but overpriced. Our food took an hour to get to us (we had chicken bits and cheese curds) granted they were busy. The waitress we had also had to tend the bar so she was very busy which I understand. However we overheard another waitress complain about a table being there to long when they had been a larger group of 10 and there to watch the football game. We thought it was rude of her to complain about it openly on the floor to other customers. Wonder what she said about us after we left. read more

Blueberry blonde excellent lunchtime beer. Ate Gunsmoke wiith gouda mac & cheese. Excellent! Great personable service. Food came quick and hot. We'll come back next time we're up to visit Ely, MN read more

My husband and I are very into the craft brewery scene around Duluth/Superior and have wanted to check out the Boathouse for a few years, but it's 2 hours north of us. We decided to take a day trip up that way today. So worth the drive!! 1st, the brews...The blueberry blonde, delicious! Even had fresh blueberries floating in it. Yum! Tried the 1160 Porter Golden Ale too, also very, very good! The food was also really good. I had the Randall, a take on the Reuben but with bacon and a horseradish sauce. Yum! The sour cream fries were also yummy! Hubby had the special, the brisket burger with sour cream fries. He said it was really good too! Totally worth the trip up to the edge of the Boundary Waters to check out this gem! Even took home a growler of blueberry blonde, which we're enjoying with some fresh blueberries thrown in! read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - Blueberry Blonde Ale...with fresh blueberries! - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Love the food here. Awesome time, attentive service! No complaints from our party of five who dined in. Delicious appetizers and entrees.

If you like a great burger and beer and don't mind spending much more than you should, come here. The staff is always friendly and helpful no matter how busy they are. The best advantage for the Boathouse is their wood fired pizza however, this is seasonal only (fall/winter). Wine selection is not good but the in-house micro- brew is also a draw. read more

We visited this restaurant on a recent trip to Ely. The service and food were both good. It was busy on a Friday night, but we only had to wait 5-10 minutes for a table. It has a nice family atmosphere on the restaurant side. I tried the house salad and smoked Gouda Mac n cheese. The Mac n cheese was awesome! The ranch dressing was also excellent, the best in town of the restaurants we tried. read more

Best food and all Ely and the service was amazing. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone. I wish they would stay open later. We would get off of work @ 1900 from the airport and drive to town before 2000. read more

we had a party of 9, and it took 2 hours to get our food out on the table. our poor waitress seemed like she was very overwhelmed with things that were happening. our fries came out cold, and our food seemed like it was microwaved for 30 seconds. we didn't have our drinks refilled a lot, and was hardly checked on. i was going to recommend just not going if you are a big group, but 3 other tables, one being a bigger group as well, seemed to get their food before us, even when we arrived and ordered before them. read more

We had the October fest specials. They were beyond delicious. The staff was attentive and helpful. Will definitely be back.

We were camping in the area, and looked for a place to eat in Ely. It was Monday, in Sept., and not much was open. The Boathouse looked good, and was extremely busy, with groups of people waiting to be seated. The first thing we noticed is that they don't take names for seating, so we stood, with the "crowd" near the door. We tried to wait in the bar, but were told that wasn't allowed, because they "couldn't keep track of people". The menu looked good, and we finally got seated. The menu item that bothered all of us was something that asked patrons to "buy a round for the kitchen staff for $14". We thought that was kinda rude and self serving. Two of us had the fish & chips, which were ok, the fries were very good, but the fish was dry and overcooked (deepfried). The Pattymelt was reported as good, as was a burger, which were actually cooled as ordered (medium). Service was ok, but could have been more prompt. The waitress spent time clearing tables and talking to "locals", rather than waiting on us, as she could have. Prices were a bit on the high side. It wasn't horrible, but we probably wouldn't go back. Fix the patrons-waiting system and allow bar-waiting (and spending more $$) would help. read more

Our first stop during our weekend in Ely, and we walked out incredibly disappointed. The service was friendly and quick, but both the food and the beer were huge letdowns. If you're going to have the only brewpub in town, you should also have the best beer! I ordered the walleye sandwich. I received a gigantic portion of greasy, mushy, deep-fried fish that was overflowing a stale hoagie bun. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it was frozen. My husband's beer battered chicken sandwich was slightly better, but still left something to be desired. The beer wasn't terrible, but none of it was outstanding. The best of the flight was the Oatmeal Stout which had a nice rich malty base, notes of coffee and chocolate, and a smooth feel. We had intended to bring growlers home with us, but after a flight and a pint, couldn't find anything worth the extra effort. read more

We went there with our elderly father , there was 11 of us on vacation after getting him out of truck with his walker barely got to a spot where he could sit down waiting on a table to open up . One server was trying to accommodate us with a table that opened up, told us to stand there near table while he cleaned it off , Manager walked up very rude told us to go wait out in lobby that we was in way !!! We won't be returning very rude approach to running a business!!! I own a restaurant and would never treat customers in such a way !! I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to no one !!! read more

The food was delicious, they brew their own beer (also fantastic) and the service was wonderful. We have two young boys who can be wild and the waitress was amazing with them and us and made us feel so welcome. Highly recommend it. read more

The walleye fish fry was amazing but they were having some major problems with there tap lines this day. If your lines are not clean or your gasses are not right you shouldn't be serving beer. I was really excited to try some of there beer so I ordered one anyway even though I could clearly tell something was up. They had multiple glasses sitting under the rap handles and were mixing the beer to add carbonation or head, major no no. I would absolutely come back here for the fish but everything else was just ok or less than that. read more

This is probably my 1st negative review on Yelp. Thought out the years you would think I would learn... During the summer, if it's overcast DO NOT go here especially if you've got more then 4 people. Service is horrible- consistently. In fact this time my wife and sister in law cleared our own tables after 30 min. What really annoyed us this time is the server(s) didn't seem to care. On a positive note the food has always been good and the blueberry blonde beer never disappoints. Also- when it's just the wife and I which we sit at the bar the service is great, so it seems to be dinning room issue. read more

This rating is purely on service, since I never did get any food - I sat at a single seat at the bar, and watched others get served without even acknowledging me. I finally asked for a menu and the bartender gave me one while walking by without even a friendly hello or saying I'll be back... I waited close to ten minutes watching others get their order taken, but no one ever coming to take my order. I wanted to order lunch. I finally just left and went elsewhere. I guess solo diners just don't matter??? read more

Great food and service. Had a black bean burger and fries; hit the spot after a few days in the BWCA. The D20 Critical Ale was a winner too; would love to know the story behind it. read more

The food is great .... it's unfortunate that the service is horrible and the servers are biased ... out of towners beware!

Don't know about the food. We sat down and 20 minutes later walked out because we hadn't gotten a menu or a glass of water. They we very under staffed and busy. The two waiting staff did everything except cook. They should have a hostess to seat customers and give them water and a menu. And a busboy to clear tables. The people next to us walked out too. They showed up at the steak House where we went for lunch. read more

My first BWCA trip - and after we came off the water, we explored Ely. This place was good - I had the walleye grilled cheese (I do not like fish, aside from walleye) and yummmmm. Beers were good, too. read more

So good!! Stopped in here for a late night bite to eat after two nights of camping. The portions are generous and the food is delicious! The bartender was very friendly and gave excellent recommendations! We had the walleye grilled cheese and the smoked stack chicken sandwich read more

Food and service is really good. Walleye sandwich is off the charts. Staff is friendly and professional. Nice small town pub atmosphere. A really good place to grab a nice meal for lunch or late night sandwich. read more

Great food! We had read reviews that the service was slow but our food came fairly fast, as our server was on top of it. We did noticed the other lady that was a server was not on top of things so it depends on who your server is but overall we would definitely come back. read more

If you remember this place as a relaxed spot to kick back for some tasty craft beer and a bite to eat, be warned that things have changed for the worse. On my last visit, even bar seating required getting on a list. The young guy who was taking down names was friendly and at least tried to be helpful. On the other hand, the guy who calls the names is, to be charitable, overwhelmed and at his wit's end. On my last visit, I put my name on the list for a party of three. I was told 45-60 minutes and maybe longer. Okay, understandable. It was clearly busy. My party and I decided we could safely spend 30 minutes grabbing a beer a few doors down. I returned in exactly 30 minutes and found that our names had already been called and crossed off the list. The young guy taking names attempted to accommodate us by seating us at the bar but the guy calling the names just said to him, without even looking at me, "it's a list not a reservation system" and walked away. I realize a lot of places are understaffed right now. It's understandable to have a wait for a table, slow service, and/or a slow kitchen. What's not understandable is rude and unprofessional behavior. read more

Stopped here for lunch and loved it! The walleye sandwich is huge and tastes fabulous. The accompanying slaw is delicious too! Also tried the Brisket Dip sandwich which was probably the best brisket we have had outside of Texas. Seriously, one of the better sandwiches we have tried! Yum!!! Quenched our thirst with the Blueberry Blonde and the Entry Point Ale. Highly recommend both. The Entry Point Ale was light and flavorful. Heck, even left with a growler of it! Will definitely be back the next time we are in the area. read more

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

Always a favorite when I'm up in Ely. We always frequent the bar side of things because of the atmosphere, and overall vibe over the restaurant. Great beer, and tequila (Casamigos) if that's your thing. Growlers to go both glass and plastic if heading into BWCA. You can't miss the duck wings! (Not to be confused with Duck Tails...awooo oo!) read more

My daughter and I always stop here on our way "up North" to camp. Beer isn't of interest to us, although I understand it's their specialty, but I'd give my right arm for a coleslaw recipe. Just sayin'. read more

You're in Ely and about to eat out of a backpack for the week - make this your last meal before heading out of town. Ribeye Sandwich - the meat wouldn't fit on the hogie bun. Same with the Walleye Sandwich - huge portions and taste to match. We didn't even get into the great brews listed on the wall! read more

We went to Boathouse Pub and Restaurant in Ely, MN. Overall, we all give it a B-. Some good, some bad. Jodi had Nachos Grande that looked like a school science fair project...very greasy, and the lettuce was all wilted. KayMarie had the "Motorboat" burger that she said was very good. Jonathan had kids mini tacos..he says "It was burnt and gross." They did look like hockey pucks cut in half. Christopher had fish sticks, about which he says, "These are the best fish sticks I ever had." I had the ribeye steak which was really good. Along with it, I had cheesy broccoli, which was stone cold, and a side of chipotle rice ("WHERE'S THE RICE?") It was like 2 tablespoons. I'm not asking for a heaping mound, but throw some more on! Also, now this is funny...this place is a micro brewery, and the waitress was not knowledgeable of the beers they brew. And, she asked if I wanted more water. Why not ask if i wanted another beer. I would have had another. And, not until we were leaving did the waitress ask the rest of the family if they wanted refills...(sigh) we may give it one more try http://familyfriendlyoutings.blogspot.com/ read more

Don't be fooled by the exterior of Boathouse. We almost turned around and left while walking up to the front door, but to our surprise... it was very nice once inside. I really enjoyed the menu. Rather than overwhelming you with every menu option under the sun, which no one can do well, it provides cleverly conceived appetizers, burgers and sandwiches that it does very well. It also brews it own beer selections, plus offers both a restaurant side for families, along with a bar side with pool & darts, if your interested in playing a few games. The only reason I couldn't give it five stars was due to the food taking quite a while to arrive, despite the restaurant not being very busy. The prices were good and the service was great though. Give it a try! read more

Pathetic service. The waitress are very rude and not at all flexible. Pathetic food and highly unhygienic. Please think before you eat. Take care guys. read more

We came here for the beer. We tried a flight and although it was ok, there weren't any that were memorable. The esb was pretty good and the stout was also good. We heard the chili is fabulous but we didn't try any as we weren't hungry. If we are in the area again maybe we will stop and try the chili but we won't make a special trip here for the beer again. The workers were friendly and personable and the atmosphere was comfortable so it still was an enjoyable stop. read more

Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant - Flight. - Brewpubs Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

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Stopped in for an early dinner as a party of 3 adults, 6 kids (ages 9-13). Sarah Mavis was our server. She appropriately followed social distancing guidelines and placed our kids a solid 6' away from our table. Sarah Mavis also understood that parents always wait to attend to their own needs, putting their children first. Sarah Mavis catered to us parents, making us feel very special, by delivering our food one minute prior to the kids. I will take this opportunity to say the food was delicious. She also recommend a near-by ice cream shop we could send the kids to so we could drink more beer. Sarah Mavis gave excellent descriptions of the draft beer, spot on in what she didn't recommend (of, course, I didn't listen, and soon learned I should have). Sarah Mavis seemed very well versed in wines as well, including having the knowledge of what inventories the local liquor stores presently had. Sarah Mavis cannot read minds, however. She failed to deliver us the extra napkins (drinking 4+ beer makes me clumsy) that I didn't ask for. I guess I can let that go. We enjoyed her humor. F off, Mavis! And enjoy the glass of wine you are presently drinking from your deck! We will be back to antagonize you on our next trip to Ely! read more

The service and food were both excellent. I had the fish and chips with the broccoli slaw. The walleye in the fish and chips was fresh and seasoned perfectly. The slaw was excellent. The service was quick and friendly. I will definitely return when I am in Ely in the spring. read more