Rather than spending £40 you would be better buying a pot noodle miles better and I’m not joking , I don’t know how they exist
Anita Vistartas (Tia)
Avoid, avoid, avoid... Unless you want to waste your money. My husband and I had the starter platter for 2. The prawn toast was nice but the rest was rubbish. It stated seaweed on the platter but there was about a teaspoon full and then it was mixed with lettuce.Our food came out in dribs and drabs... My husband had finished his food and I was still waiting for mine. The sweet and sour chicken balls were over fried, dry and hard and the sauce was straight from the fridge.We had salt and chilli chips but they were refried and dry.There was another couple there that left their food and refused to pay.I have to be honest and say that this was the worst Chinese I have ever eaten in my life. Avoid at all costs
Deborah Himlin
Had a takeaway last week because our usual restaurant was closed big mistake the food was un edible and went in the bin I phoned the restaurant to tell them and his reply was what do you want me to do about it won't be going back
Tom Williams
I must say when I first visited this restaurant a mere 35 years ago I thought it was heaven, I visited 5 year later on our 5th anniversary and thought it had gone down. Now looking at reviews and all I see is rubbish, do not go there, just as well trip advisor is about these days as I am visiting Windermere next month and will not be visiting here.
tia Desmier
Avoid, avoid, avoid... Unless you want to waste your money. My husband and I had the starter platter for 2. The prawn toast was nice but the rest was rubbish. It stated seaweed on the platter but there was about a teaspoon full and then it was mixed with lettuce.
Eamonhuang
I'll keep coming back to this restaurant when I visit the area every time. The service is excellent. Very very quick service and the food is very nice. I recommend this place and I can't believe that anyone would give it a negative feedback on tripadvisor. Please go and try. I promise you will not be disappointed.
brassmonkey858
The staff seemed extremely condescending which I had to overlook but the food was incredibly bland and we ended up leaving most and going elsewhere. Didn't bother complaining as I doubt they'd have been bothered.
christine_mackintosh
Just finished our meal took 45 mins from start to finish. Restaurant was empty when we arrived and we should have turned around and walked out straight away. The waiter had no customer service skills whats so ever. My husband visited the toilets and he said that they were absolutely disgusting. When he returned he could not finish his meal and subsequently neither could I.Spoke to the waiter about this but he gave no response as if he could understand. Would not recommend.
Alan Clues
A really good Cantonese house food was excellent and the staff first class
Jim R
Visited with my wife, we ordered from the specials menu. Started with hot and sour soup which was passable then duck and pancakes which were ok. Our main courses left a lot to be desired. The rice was cold, the sweet and sour pork could have been a packet of pork scratchings tipped into a very bland sauce and the szechuan chicken was also tasteless. Don't think we'll be back there anytime soon.
We've used The China Boat 2 or 3 times (for takeaways) over the last 3 or 4 years and it has been decent, but having been again last Saturday, it's not very good now. Again we got a takeaway but I wouldn't want to eat in - the restaurant is very dreary and has no atmosphere at all. The staff have ZERO customer service skills, and struggle to understand English, making communicating quite difficult. Their wifi was down apparently meaning we couldn't pay by card, only cash, and we discovered they had missed something off our order (though not our bill) once we arrived back at our lodge with the food. The food itself was pretty bland and tasteless this time, and generally seemed poor quality. The restaurant appeared fairly busy with Chinese tourists, but we won't be using The China Boat on our future visits to Bowness.
Austin B
We have been to this restaurant on several previous visits to the lake district. Unfortunately it has gone down hill. The food was still excellent and the staff friendly and polite but the toilets were absolutely disgusting and in urgent need of refurbishment
Gerard Kolstein
Ok, the food was not very bad. We have had worse sometimes. But my God, don't go to the toilet. A hygiene sticker is stuck on the frontdoor, no idea where that was bought.
Swati Kochhar
Pathetic! Horrible food . And worse , the rudest servers . I told the lady if. Our allergy and she said ‘ what can I do’ when I have my feedback on the meal she said ‘ ok fine ‘.
lindarX7430LO
Went for meal as always liked takeaway food while on holiday here. But read in reviews after visit its been taken over and that explains a lot...it's not good. Chicken was tough and lack of sauce which was pretty tasteless. Decor and furniture shabby. Intermittent annoying noise like someone drilling thro wall next door, very strange! We won't be back.
Rather than spending £40 you would be better buying a pot noodle miles better and I’m not joking , I don’t know how they exist
Avoid, avoid, avoid... Unless you want to waste your money. My husband and I had the starter platter for 2. The prawn toast was nice but the rest was rubbish. It stated seaweed on the platter but there was about a teaspoon full and then it was mixed with lettuce.Our food came out in dribs and drabs... My husband had finished his food and I was still waiting for mine. The sweet and sour chicken balls were over fried, dry and hard and the sauce was straight from the fridge.We had salt and chilli chips but they were refried and dry.There was another couple there that left their food and refused to pay.I have to be honest and say that this was the worst Chinese I have ever eaten in my life. Avoid at all costs
Had a takeaway last week because our usual restaurant was closed big mistake the food was un edible and went in the bin I phoned the restaurant to tell them and his reply was what do you want me to do about it won't be going back
I must say when I first visited this restaurant a mere 35 years ago I thought it was heaven, I visited 5 year later on our 5th anniversary and thought it had gone down. Now looking at reviews and all I see is rubbish, do not go there, just as well trip advisor is about these days as I am visiting Windermere next month and will not be visiting here.
Avoid, avoid, avoid... Unless you want to waste your money. My husband and I had the starter platter for 2. The prawn toast was nice but the rest was rubbish. It stated seaweed on the platter but there was about a teaspoon full and then it was mixed with lettuce.
I'll keep coming back to this restaurant when I visit the area every time. The service is excellent. Very very quick service and the food is very nice. I recommend this place and I can't believe that anyone would give it a negative feedback on tripadvisor. Please go and try. I promise you will not be disappointed.
The staff seemed extremely condescending which I had to overlook but the food was incredibly bland and we ended up leaving most and going elsewhere. Didn't bother complaining as I doubt they'd have been bothered.
Just finished our meal took 45 mins from start to finish. Restaurant was empty when we arrived and we should have turned around and walked out straight away. The waiter had no customer service skills whats so ever. My husband visited the toilets and he said that they were absolutely disgusting. When he returned he could not finish his meal and subsequently neither could I.Spoke to the waiter about this but he gave no response as if he could understand. Would not recommend.
A really good Cantonese house food was excellent and the staff first class
Visited with my wife, we ordered from the specials menu. Started with hot and sour soup which was passable then duck and pancakes which were ok. Our main courses left a lot to be desired. The rice was cold, the sweet and sour pork could have been a packet of pork scratchings tipped into a very bland sauce and the szechuan chicken was also tasteless. Don't think we'll be back there anytime soon.
Restaurantji Recommends
We've used The China Boat 2 or 3 times (for takeaways) over the last 3 or 4 years and it has been decent, but having been again last Saturday, it's not very good now. Again we got a takeaway but I wouldn't want to eat in - the restaurant is very dreary and has no atmosphere at all. The staff have ZERO customer service skills, and struggle to understand English, making communicating quite difficult. Their wifi was down apparently meaning we couldn't pay by card, only cash, and we discovered they had missed something off our order (though not our bill) once we arrived back at our lodge with the food. The food itself was pretty bland and tasteless this time, and generally seemed poor quality. The restaurant appeared fairly busy with Chinese tourists, but we won't be using The China Boat on our future visits to Bowness.
We have been to this restaurant on several previous visits to the lake district. Unfortunately it has gone down hill. The food was still excellent and the staff friendly and polite but the toilets were absolutely disgusting and in urgent need of refurbishment
Ok, the food was not very bad. We have had worse sometimes. But my God, don't go to the toilet. A hygiene sticker is stuck on the frontdoor, no idea where that was bought.
Pathetic! Horrible food . And worse , the rudest servers . I told the lady if. Our allergy and she said ‘ what can I do’ when I have my feedback on the meal she said ‘ ok fine ‘.
Went for meal as always liked takeaway food while on holiday here. But read in reviews after visit its been taken over and that explains a lot...it's not good. Chicken was tough and lack of sauce which was pretty tasteless. Decor and furniture shabby. Intermittent annoying noise like someone drilling thro wall next door, very strange! We won't be back.