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Hours
Sun
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Mon
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Tue
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Wed
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Thu
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Fri
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sat
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travelers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
PRICE RANGE
$0.00 – $37.00
CUISINES
Seafood, Mediterranean, European, Healthy
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Details
About
Situated right on the water's edge and next to the statue of St. Andrew in the fishermen's area of the bay, The Boat House Restaurant is ably run by Joseph Attard and his wife Rose. It has established itself as a must visit restaurant when visiting Gozo by Maltese and foreigners alike. The location enjoys the warm sunshine on winter afternoons and romantic sunsets. The choice of starters and main courses is endless. On top of that, there are the 'Specialities of the Day'. The fish display is a clear statement about the freshness of the daily catch. All items on the menu are prepared with ingredients of the highest quality. The selection of in-house desserts is tempting. The Wine List includes a large variety of local and foreign wines to please all wine lovers. Service is professional, fast and efficient but not rushed. Open for late lunches. The opening hours listed on this page are valid from 1st April up to 31st October. More detailed opening hours on website or facebook page.
PRICE RANGE
$0.00 – $37.00
CUISINES
Seafood, Mediterranean, European, Healthy
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Cash Only, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront
Contribute
4.5
2,614 reviews
Excellent
1,752
Very good
597
Average
181
Poor
59
Terrible
25
Croiala
Sliema82 contributions
Jul 2020 • none
I have eaten here on 4 previous occasions and I know that the owner, Rosi, takes great pride in managing this restaurant, ensuring that good food and service are its key features. I was not disappointed and even though I had not booked, she found me a table outside, despite the restaurant being very busy, in fact full! This was Saturday so I recommend you book at weekends to avoid disappointments.
The service throughout was first class, professional yet friendly. We had Brie Cheese in Parma Ham, Calamari Fritti cooked perfectly which many other restaurants cannot do; Garganelli al Filetto and Rib Eye Steak - Aberdeen Black Angus. What flavours!!
Cannot remember the sweet or wine, just the Aperol Spritz but a quality experience act not easy to follow. Try and you will not be disappointed!
Written July 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Louis,
Thank you for your regular visits and taking the time submitting your feedback for our Restaurant. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed our hospitality and the entire experience!
Your feedback fuels the team with energy to continue creating great experiences for our guests. We look forward welcoming you back to The Boathouse Restaurant Xlendi.
Written July 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nerik98
Iklin282 contributions
Oct 2020 • family
As me and my grandma visited Xlendi earlier today, we decided to give a try to The Boathouse, a popular restaurant in the village where we had tried to eat in the past, but did not manage due to the large numbers of customers on a daily basis.
We were seated immediately by Jeff, who later on took our orders and explained any enquiries we had about the ingredients of the food. We ordered one Polipo alla Xlendi and one Boathouse Calamari Special (grilled calamari with sweet chili sauce), and mixed our sides of fries, baked potatoes, salad and cooked vegetables of the day.
The food was amazing, and we couldn't expect it differently, with this restaurant being an institution in Xlendi. I particularly enjoyed the fish being cooked perfectly and the portions: well plated and with substance.
Throughout the service, the staff was attentive and came to ask how was our food and if we were enjoying our time there. Will definitely give it another try. Keep it up
Written October 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Esteemed Client,
Thank you for your positive review. It’s great to know that you and your grandmother enjoyed your dining experience with us and it is wonderful to read that you felt well cared for by our team members. Please be assured that I will share your kind words with the entire team and in the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you back to The Boathouse Restaurant Xlendi very soon.
Written October 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephanie H
London2 contributions
Sep 2021 • family
Whatever the reason for your visit to Gozo, The Boathouse is a must.
Situated in Xlendi, which I must say is just the perfect setting for any meal. We had prebooked as we know just how popular it is.
We began with the calamari fritti and mussels. The calamari is tender with a crispy coating and fresh as always. The mussels are fresh, perfectly cooked and in a broth which I would of loved to mop up at the end with some traditional Maltese bread.
For main course we ordered the fillet steak and Garganelli Al Filetto.
The steak was asked to be cooked medium but did end up being more on the rare side as you got into the middle of it. However, this did not take away from the taste of the meat, fresh, tender, juicy, with a delicious peppercorn sauce, potatoes and vegetables. Handy hint ; the vegetables will be served more of the raw side of Al dente so if you like your veg fully cooked, request this at the time of ordering. I decided to go for something new... Garganelli Al Filetto, which to me is now translated as the best pasta dish I have ever tasted.
Chunks of beef fillet in a rich sauce with fresh pasta,tomato and parmesan. Sounds quite simple right? Wrong, the taste was unlike anything I had ever tried before.
Of course we had to squeeze in dessert, the view, atmosphere and service means you never want to leave and will risk popping open the button on your shorts to stay. Lemon cheesecake and mint chocolate mousse. Both delicious but the mouse was on the heavier side whereas the cheesecake was light and fresh.
Overall, one of my favourite places to eat because of the outstanding quality and unrivalled service from the team. I hope to be back before I travel home.
See you soon :)
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Ms Stephanieh315,
Thanks so much for the nice and detailed review, so pleased that you enjoyed such a great visit with us, the team were so happy to read this review when we shared this with them and we cannot wait to welcome you again soon.
Written September 10, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
scarke
1027 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
This restaurant is normally one of our favourites and we would go a few times within 2/3 weeks. This year of course with Covid we did not get to arrive on Gozo until late July. We booked the table a week in advance and were therefore disappointed to be given a table at the side of the restaurant, not where we would normally be seated. But it was fine. Lots of staff all busy. We ordered main course inc ribs, pasta and calamari. We ordered a nice bottle of white wine which was nice and cold.
To our surprise our main courses were delivered to our table in ten minutes. We were quite taken aback as normally it would take 30 minutes. Not sure if the ribs are just heated up as they couldn't possibly be cooked in 10 minutes.
We left feeling rather disappointed, perhaps it was a bad night. Hope so.
Written August 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you for being regular satisfied visitors to our restaurant. We are sorry that on your last visit we were unable to provide you with a table on the seaside of our restaurant, but this year because of the current restrictions, the number of tables at the restaurant were reduced due to the distancing requirements. With regards to the speed that food was served at, we would like to explain that for every lunch/dinner session, we prepare a number of portions of ribs that are slow cooked. There is no preheating involved. The ribs are simply ready to be served. Rest assured that our food is freshly cooked and we have a very efficient well staffed kitchen. So yes, we should have given you more time and for this shortcoming we sincerely apologize and we promise that we will learn from this experience to continue improving on our high standards.We thank you for your feedback and hope to see you again soon.
Written August 31, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Richard Z
Island of Malta18 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
Recently we went to the boathouse and i wrote on this page that the food was disappointing, and today i received a message directly from the owner apologizing and even offering a full refund.
I had to decline his offer as it was not my intention to receive a refund, i wrote what i wrote as it was true and it’s a shame for an owner to have that kind of food coming out of the kitchen after all the good work he did in all the years before.
This wasn’t my first time at the Boathouse and after the nice gesture from the owner i will be going back l
Once again thank you Mr Attard.
Written August 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly H
4 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
Hello ,
As your already aware I have left your restaurant very disappointed this evening. I believe I have already sooken to the manager and recieved little satisfaction . In summary the starters were bland and tasteless , main seafood special was cold and undercooked . No starters for children and refusal to do a simple garlic bread for them . I have been in the restaurant for 1 hour 45 mins and left to dine elsewhere unfortunately. This is such a disappointment to see such poor standards as we have visisted you many times over the years . You have charged me €86.70 for this inconvenience also
Written August 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Mr Heads,
We are very disappointed by your actions. We did indeed reply to your email within 24 hours and we did so because we do have an efficient customer service. We gave you the benefit of doubt and offered you a full refund of the amount you paid. Notwithstanding this you still felt it was appropriate to publish your negative review and you failed to publish the last sentence in your email "I will extend you the opportunity to refund this amount within 24hrs before I post my reviews." For reasons known only to yourself, you did not mention our reply and our offer. While we do our utmost to offer the best product possible all the time, we are all human and occasionally there will be situations where we make mistakes and fall short of expectations. However, we also expect reviews to be fair and to show the full story. Once again we appreciate your feedback and we will use this experience to continue improving our product. By the way the offer for a full refund is still on the table.
Written August 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Scott W
Illinois5 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
Last Monday, after hearing so much about the boathouse, I made the decision to go. Unfortunately, what a terrible letdown! I went to a different restaurant on the island and ran into a former employee there. I asked a few questions and the person  did advise me to visit and taste the food there, but also warned me against leaving any tips because the owners keep them to themselves. I had to do some more asking here and there before I visited and it turned out that this was true. The fact that the waiters don't receive their tips is a clear sign of how selfish and self-centered the owners are.
I strongly advise everyone who visits to avoid leaving any tips because you are already paying ridiculous prices for average quality meals. There, I received the best service I've ever experienced. Anyway, there was one waiter with a strong voice who was a little rude to the other employees and customers. Although he was shouting in his native language I couldn't understand what he was saying, but he was undoubtedly being very aggressive. Anyways A big shoutout to the waiting staff working there.
So we shared some mussels and beef tartare. Given that the beef color was already excessively dark, the tartare did not appear to be fresh at all. Although the mussels were passable, they were not worth 15 euros. As a main course, we got ribeye and lamb shank. Although the ribeye was well grilled, the meat's quality fell short of what one could expect from a restaurant to this standard. It is unacceptable to pay 29 euros for meat of that quality. Although the lamb shank was very excellent, paying 26 euros for just one seems excessive.
Because of how overrated the restaurant's name is, I won't suggest it to anyone. Giving tips is a "BIG NO NO"!
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
josephroseattard
Dear Scott W, thank you for visiting The Boathouse Restaurant. I was very impressed by how much interest you have taken in the operations of my restaurant. I thank you for giving "a big shoutout to the waiting staff working there" because that shows that our staff is happy to be working at this restaurant. If they are being underpaid or unhappy, they have many options where to work but my restaurant has very good staff retention. Our employees come from different countries and different backgrounds and they are all treated well and looked after. And we employ Gozitans too. We are one big family. Working in a restaurant is not just about money, but it is a combination of many variables all of which we take into consideration to provide a long-term stable employment. The prices for the items mentioned are all listed on the menu and on the website and they are no different from other restaurants similar to ours. Once again we thank you for visiting our restaurant and giving feedback on your experience. We take feedback very seriously and will be looking at the areas that in your opinion can be improved.
Written August 6, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tourist266796
1 contribution
Oct 2020 • friends
Impeccable service!! They adhere 100 per cent to Covid regulations, sanitizers on each table, their tables are distanced as should be, they clean the chairs as well after each client sitting, above all genuine delicious food. The menu is varied. We really enjoyed our meal, very well done to all.
Written October 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Esteemed Client,
Thanks for your comments and for having selected our restaurant. We are extremely glad that you did like our food. We are happy that you enjoyed your dining experience and we hope to have you back soon.
Written October 12, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melchior V
3 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
I cannot understand how people tend to go to these restaurants the second time. Service was great nothing to complain infact very good service.
However food was hopeless. Mixed shellfish propably opened a packet from the freezer, the prawns in the platter tasted of water. Cannot really describe the fish cakes. Tuna Tartara had more tomatoes and onions than tuna. Fried Calamari weren't that bad infact we had two portions. Then we decided to share a Spaghetti Seafood. Total disaster...... Probably pasta was cooked at 10am and i think mixed too much water with the sauce. Simply no taste. And to close off even white wine not even cold apparantly too much opening the fridge. Thanks but will stay a step back as not even worth 20euro the food i ate.
Written August 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you for visiting our restaurant and for taking your time to review your experience. We are very disappointed that we have not met your expectations with regards to most of the food served. It is very difficult for us to understand why you did not complain about the food while it was being served and then you felt comfortable finding fault in everything during your review. We have checked with staff on duty at your table and they confirmed that at no time did you pass any negative comments about the food that was being served to your table. We can assure you that the ingredients used in our dishes are of the highest quality. Our seafood is delivered daily to our restaurant and we can assure that it does have enough time to lose its taste between delivery, cooking and serving to our customers. Our kitchen staff are very experienced and do their utmost to serve the best food possible notwithstanding the pressure they have during the service. Certain observations you make are hilarious to say the least! Do you think that we boil a truckload of spaghetti at 10 am to serve for the whole day? We serve fresh pasta and it is cooked by order. And not even the wine temperature escaped your criticism? We have been in this business for three decades and while everybody is human and can make mistakes, it is highly unlikely that all mistakes in one day happen to be on the same table without anyone making a formal complaint there and then. While we appreciate feedback, we expect that reviews are fair and genuine. Our reputation was earned over many years and people return to our restaurant for the second and more times because we have many satisfied customers who whenever they have a problem with their food or drinks, they let us know and we do everything possible to make up for our shortcomings. Once again thank you for visiting our restaurant and if you have the pleasure to communicate with us directly for further clarification, please contact us on tbhgcustomercare@gmail.com
Written August 20, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ramona Debono
1 contribution
Dec 2020 • none
Staff is very friendly and courteous; which usually sets the mood for the dining experience to come. And they did not disappoint!
We ordered their signature Trio di Calamari, the Fish Cakes and the Cozze, all to share and we couldn't have ordered anything better! All these dishes were so tasty and flavourful... not to mention their warm bread!
Seeing our small table for all of the dishes, the staff did not hesitate to give us an extra table for us to eat comfortably and we really appreciated that! Moreover, the waitress was very attentive and sensed that we needed more bread to indulge in the sauces which was left after we devoured the cozze! Heaven!
We dined very comfortably considering the bad weather there was!! Even though this restaurant is situated in Xlendi bay, this place is very cosy so don't get discouraged if weather is bad or cold. I would recommend this place 100% Keep it up and will definitely pay you a visit as soon we're back in Gozo (hopefully very soon)
Written December 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Esteemed Client,
We thank you for finding the time to write such a nice review. Your feedback is important to us and we are very happy you had such a great time at The Boathouse Restaurant Xlendi. Please be assured that we will share your kind words with the entire team and in the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you back to our restaurant.
Written December 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Annija P
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • couples
We had the best time ever at this restaurant. All food was beyond fantastic, we tried several dishes that we had never tried before and were always a little scared to try (such as beef tartare). This place filled us with confidence to try and we are so happy we did. From the 4 dishes we tried each one was absolutely perfect and even the side dishes and dips for the bread were fantastic. We will definitely be visiting again when we are on this beautiful island of Gozo! Thanks to the waiters and restaurant manager for the wonderful service, always with a smile, the place was jam packed yet we felt that we were really cared for.
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Esteemed Client,
Thank you for your wonderful review. I am thrilled to read your words of appreciation. I will share your feedback with the entire team who were delighted to have you dine with us. In the meantime, I do hope to have the pleasure to welcome you back to The Boathouse Restaurant Xlendi very soon.
Written August 2, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chouskikou
Dublin151 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
Beautiful harbour side restaurant. We visited at lunchtime and enjoyed two delicious dishes. I had the rabbit and my wife had the rack of pork. Including sides, there was enough food here to feed four people. Service was excellent and we really enjoyed our brief visit (except for my wife slipping onto her bum descending the very steep pathway at the other side of the harbour). Including drinks (4) we paid €55 which was a little more expensive than what we were paying in other Malta restaurants but it was a really lovely experience.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Chouskikou,
Thanks for your comments and for having selected our restaurant. We are extremely glad that you did like our food, view, and service. We are happy that you enjoyed your lunch experience and we hope to have you back soon.
Written March 5, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
9Danielle4
Lancashire47 contributions
Oct 2021 • family
Our favourite meal so far on Gozo. Staff were all very friendly and attentive, excellent service. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. I was particularly impressed with the wide range of vegetarian and vegan options. The cocktails are delicious, even the non-alcoholic ones. There is also a very wide range of delicious desserts. We had the Spinach and Ricotta Canelloni, walnut chicken and bbq chicken, all came with a lovely selection of potatoes, vegetables, chips and salad. For dessert we had a chocolate cake and cheesecake. Both delicious! We have already booked again to come back another night!
Written October 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Esteemed Client,
Thanks for your comments, photos and for having selected our restaurant and for pre booking again. We are extremely glad that you did like our food, service and our staff members. We are happy that you enjoyed your dining experience and we are looking forward to have you back.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melanie L
Naxxar124 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
We were a group of 5 on a one-week holiday in Gozo and ate at various restaurants (including Tmun) but the Boathouse was our absolute favourite. The food tastes so fresh and is presented beautifully. We shared several starters including the salmon carpaccio (which comes with little balsamic vinegar pearls - incredible!), beef tartare and creamy burrata. The mains were equally tasty, everyone still raves about the food. We had prawns, sword fish, salmon and tagliata. My tagliata was cooked to absolute perfection (medium rare). What made this visit even more enjoyable was the service. Food is important but it's not everything, the service needs to match it and it did. The staff was knowledge and the perfect mix of attentive whilst leaving our group to talk and enjoy the meal. I can't wait to come back.
Written July 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Melanie L,
We are so delighted that you were totally satisfied with our service and food. Thank you for your wonderful review. It sounds like you truly enjoyed your visit and made the most of your dining experience with us which gives us great pleasure. Look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.
Written July 7, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jivers88
Berkshire18 contributions
Sep 2021 • couples
Came here to have dinner after a day of travelling around Gozo..
We had the mussels and calamari for starters and it was amazing.
We opted to have sea bass which we chose ourself fresh
Food and service was brilliant here, our favourite place we had eaten at so far, thank you
Written September 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AttardJ
Dear Esteemed Client,
Thank you very much for your kind and positive feedback. We appreciate such a review. We hope to see you soon! Wishing you an amazing day ahead.
Written September 6, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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