The Boat House - Newton

For an appetizer, we ordered the garlic steamed clams. They were plump and tender, and the garlic broth was absolutely delicious. For my lunch, I had the honey mustard salad with grilled chicken, while my wife opted for the salmon burger with sweet potato fries. I'm usually not a fan of arugula because it can be a bit bitter, but the arugula included in my salad and my wife's salmon burger was surprisingly delightful. Both of our meals were satisfying, and the sweet potato fries had a perfect crispy exterior, melting in your mouth inside—definitely cooked to perfection. The patio area is lush with a variety of flowers, and we even spotted butterflies flitting around, enjoying their own nectar feasts. I would definitely stop by for dinner again before the summer ends.

I've visited this restaurant twice and dined on the patio both times. A friend from Yelp mentioned that the patio isn't always open, so I recommend calling ahead to confirm its availability and making a reservation. The service was excellent! I was curious about how efficient it would be since the servers have to run up and down stairs to bring drinks and food, but they handled it well. The wine pours were generous, which I really appreciated! The food was quite good overall; the steamed clams were fantastic and a great deal at 12 for $9! My soft-shell crab with spinach was tasty but a bit too salty. My husband's scallops were enjoyable as well, but they could have used a better sear, and the mustard sauce didn't really complement them; they were also salty. Overall, I think this is a nice spot for drinks, but you might want to manage your expectations regarding the food.

This is a must-visit if you're in the area and looking to enjoy a meal outdoors. You have the option to sit on the porch or the patio by the lake, and both areas are charming, offering a refreshing alternative to dining indoors. As always, the food is delicious and full of flavor. The drinks are well-prepared—not too strong, but just right. It’s the perfect place to relax with friends while savoring a great meal and drinks!

FROM 5 STARS TO O IF WE COULD! This is an updated review to my previous 5 star rating. We made reservations for my in-law 's 50th Anniversary two months ago for next weekend for 21 people. Invitations were sent out, RSVP 's received and everything was all set for this joyous occasion at 2pm. Today, one of the servers who has become our very good friend (from us going there so much) texted us to see if we could move the party to 4pm because they booked a Repass 2 days ago for 85 people. We explained that this was not possible. People commited to the time on the invitation. Kathy, the owner, then called and would not budge on keeping our original time. How do you do this to someone you have booked already? She basically bumped us out because of a bigger party. This is terrrible business practice. She has no clue how to run a business. How do you treat people like this, let alone regulars who keep you in business during the off season ? It is shameful as we really loved this place. This was our go to place for weekends, birthdays, anniversaries, Father 's/Mothers Day, holiday dinners, etc. We hope the party of 85 makes up for all of the years ahead and thousands of dollars we would have continued to spend at your establishment. Stillwater is a small town and word travels fast. Once your reputation as a business in a town like this spreads negatively, it is never good. We will be back one day... when it is under new ownership.

If you 're looking for a restaurant with an owner who has the customer service skills of a fly swatter, this is the restaurant for you! Do you want to be embarrassed? Berated in front of all the guests? Made to feel like YOU 'RE the weirdo who doesn 't want to sit 3 ' away from a stranger during COVID? THIS IS THE RESTAURANT FOR YOU! I called to make reservations a few days in advance. I had a lengthy conversation with the hostess about what time to come to ensure we would be seated on the patio. The patio is very beautiful, the tables are well situated and spaced apart for COVID. We settled on a 7pm reservation because later reservations (8pm) would be seated on the deck. I informed the hostess that I wasn 't comfortable with the spacing of the deck seating (approx 3 ' between chairs of different tables). I 'm part of the vulnerable population and need to play it safe. Great we are in agreement and I look forward to taking my family out for a nice dinner in a few days. We arrive on Sunday for our reservation, only to be informed we were specifically slated for the deck. I was beginning to politely tell the hostess that we had reserved patio, when the owner came out guns blazing. She got right in our faces, with her mask off, screaming I PUT YOU ON THE DECK. YOU ARE GOING TO FREEZE TO DEATH WHEN IT GETS DARK AND YOU WILL BE EATING IN THE PITCH BLACK . THE DECK IS BETTER FOR YOU I HAVE YOU ON THE DECK YOU 'RE GOING TO FREEZE TO DEATH *we have at least an hour until sunset mind you* At this point, I 'm embarrassed and shocked. I agree to take a look at the deck to see if the tables were more spaced out than I remembered seeing a few weeks prior. Nope. Everyone in my party agreed it was way too tight a space. We insisted on sitting on the patio. I have never been treated so rudely by an owner, she never apologized. She could have handled it so much better by explaining her concerns with the patio. I 'd like to add that we in fact, did not freeze to death. And we were able to see our food, considering we came an HOUR BEFORE SUNSET. As for the food I wasn 't coming here for the food. I was coming for the pretty patio and outdoor eating in a fairly remote location with my family. The food is overpriced for what it is a protein with a paltry vegetable, potato and a salad or soup. Your standard mediocre Italian restaurant type of meal (just not Italian). Luckily, the wait staff was no where near as rude as their boss and were extremely friendly and polite. That 's the only reason for my extra star. So again, if you 're into rude ownership and mediocre food, treat yourself to a dinner at the boathouse. But be careful because you might FREEZE TO DEATH! May the odds be ever in your favor.