please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Firstly, let's talk about the view... Any pub with tables outside and the fantastic views across the Helford River is going to have something going for it.. This pub is seriously tucked away, not easy to get to by road, and even then you need to park high above and walk down. We stopped around midday on a Monday morning, and only had coffees, but beer was Proper Job and Tribute. The coffee wasn't overly warm and 3 coffees and a Danish pastry were over £11. I would definitely return, although I do have a nagging doubt it would be ridiculously busy in summer and frequented by clientele I wouldn't necessarily like... (The London stockbroker / Range Rover brigade)..
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Large open-plan pub where it''s impossible to ignore the views of the river Helford. Fortunately, there are plenty of tables outside. Quite a smart clientele many of whom seemed to be on their way to/from the nearby gardens. Had a little wait at the bar as the pub was busy. St Austell''s Tribute, Proper Job and Cornish Best were on sale - I tried the last-named as I haven''t seen it anywhere else. Rather nice place I thought but then I went to the pub over the water...
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What a lovely place to sit outside on a warm summers day with a beer. We walked 12 miles of the costal path and finished it off with a couple of Cornish Rattler ciders and a pint of Proper Job.
Really good beer selection and lovely location by the Helford River. I'd advise walking there or taking the Helford ferry, I wouldn't want to drive it on a dark night!
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Haven't got much to add to the reviews already here.
The pub is hidden away down tiny little roads in a very nice location but be aware you have to park in a car park at the top of a steep hill and walk down to get to it. There are tables outside and the inside is dark with big heavy tables and a long bar which has been divided by brick arches into a silly little bar that means only one person gets served at a time which in turns causes queues.
The food was expensive even for Cornwall - my steak and chips was �17 or �18 (it was very good but not fantastic) and if you don't like fish the choices were limited. I think there were 4 or 5 fish options but only the steak and a cottage pie were non fish choices.
When I decided I wanted to pay I went to a girl who was fussing with a credit card payment machine by the door the food came from. I stood right in front of her whilst she pressed various buttons for a full minute and she didn't acknowledge my presence or say 'I'll be with you in a mo' at all the whole time I was there then she just turned around and went off which was rude. Oh well. Ho hum.
Anyway the pub is good but expensive. The view is nice but difficult to get to. I had a nice enough stay but I'm not desperate to return.
I thought it was okay. If you particularly like nice views you'll probably love it
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Don't go on a Monday lunchtime. We walked from Falmouth by the coastal path and were looking forward to a nice pint or two plus lunch. When we got there we were told that the Pub is closed on Mondays! I will leave it to readers to imagine what we thought of the Pub!!
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And they came from London...they changed everything...AND...THANK GOD for that!!! TheFerryboat has always been a place with lost potential, the place neer lived up to its location until last year. OK! OK! it did take the new owner some time to get it right! But blimmey have they got it right now! Popped in this summer hearing various reports... some good some bad. Mostly bad... (Local Chinese whispers spread like wild fire around here!) My first visit was a big improvement on the previous management but was still far away from what I would want from such a beautiful spot...but oh my...they ve come a long way since my first visit. What was a cold place has now become warm and seductive, what was expensive is now cheaper than the best of falmouth restaurants. Their Pub food excels the Trengilly's, their prices are cheaper than the Red Lion (and the quality too, by far...) service is good and the staff knowledgeable and friendly, the drinks haven't changed much but the atmosphere has improved 10 folds. I know that the natural and popular thing thing to do is to hate and crticise everything that's new or changing in our part of the country butI think it is time we all realised that there is a wind of change upon our shore....for the better.... and the Ferryboat is leading the way....! Stein is not far behind...
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A fantastic place. The comments below really don't do it justice. The changes have been radical that is true, but this was always a terrible pub, with awful food and indifferent service. The new owners have come a long way since their somewhat hit and miss opening and have really started to embrace the local community and listen to what was expected of them. The menu, which was expensive and uninspiring at first is now offering loads of pub classic dishes at great prices and the portions are huge. Visited in January on a friday night with 6 friends and we had a fantastic time. Staff was friendly and we were stuffed by the end. the location is of course unbelievable. As locals, we will spread the word that this pub has come a long way since their fragile debut and is now becoming one of the best places around the Falmouth area. They have even decided to show old classic films and show the rugby and football! if that's not making progress, I don't know what is!!!
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What a rip-off this place now is. It used to be a really nice pub, but has been completely ruined by a pretentious re-vamp. A tiny, unspectacular and not very well presented goats cheese salad cost �6.50. One of us asked for the beef and ale pie without the advertised "oysters on the side". They still wanted to charge the full �12.50, even though they were saving at least �4 worth of oysters (at their price of �2 per oyster). Oh, and don't expect any vegetables with the pie.
Never again!
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I've given a 5 purely for the location. The new owners have taken all the atmosphere from the place, horrible music played outside - I'd rather listen to the natural sounds. Food is very expensive and if you don't like fish, you're a bit scuppered. I had the steak which at �14.95 was nice, but I didn't have anything as garnish on my plate, just steak and chips!. I feel the new owners have made an error, people really want good food, at sensible prices. Or are they catering to the wealthy, yachty holiday crowd, in which case, good luck to them throughout the winter!
I might go again for a drink (when I've saved up)
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I was disposed to write a rant about how the new owners have turned this lovely old pub into a rubbish copy of a London "Gastro" pub, and killed the memories of all of us that revisit it, by road or boat. All of the features you fondly remember from the last few decades are gone. But I can't be bothered. I can sum it up very simply.
THEY'VE ABSOLUTELY RUINED IT.
What a shame. I popped in yesterday and I'm absolutely gutted.
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Superb setting, good real ale, good quality food and excellent service. However, the price of the food was extortionate for a pub with no near competition, choice of 4 main course fish dishes �12.95 to �17.95! We opted for the cheaper scampi and chips (which is effectively a basket meal) which still cost over �10. A selection of good Cornish pasties priced at about �5 would have gone down well. We didn't leave a tip!
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Caught a bus to visit this pub in August, and had quite a walk down to it, but what a fabulous location. Really enjoyed sitting outside with a couple of good ales, and also spent some time on the beach by the river. Couldn't eat there as we had the treck back up for the bus to face, but it did look good.
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Excellent position on the Helford river which is a hive of marine activity. There are plenty of tables outside on two levels above the beach and jetty. Inside is fairly spartan, the slate floor and bare tables clearly aimed to cater for the summer tourist trade. There are a few marine artifacts on the walls and a separate games room to one side with a takeaway food servery.
The long bar area opposite the front door is unfortunately spoiled by having three archways built on it. The brickwork for these takes up about half the available serving space and the arches on the left and right are rendered pretty much redundant for serving by difficult access and insufficient (but otherwise cheerful and friendly) staff. The small central arch area is all that remains for attending to the numerous emmets, who are reduced to forming an line, dissecting the pub and trailing back out of the door onto the steps outside.
The beer is great - three pumps serving the St Austell range and bottled St Austell ales to take away. Food is about par for the tourist trade, and a little on the pricey side. Evening entertainment includes live music, quiz and poker nights, each once a week.
Worth a visit on a sunny day for the beer and the view. It would be a lot more welcoming (and pub-like) if the bar was redesigned for serving over the full width and the cafeteria style queueing was eliminated.
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A shame; such a shame. The menu on offer in the evening was a poor lunch menu at best and the specials board was hidden out the back. I had a Gammon steak which was a very salty bacon lump in disguise and the food was not professional. There were no adults and nothing my party had was that good. Such a shame, the bureger in the afternoon was 10/10. The evening? 4/10. will not eat there in the eve again and will pass my thoughts onto anyone that asks
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Stopped off here a couple of times - it seems quite a decent pub in a lovely setting. The Shipwright Arms on the otherside of the river is, I'd say, a better pub
blamm - 26 Jan 2007 12:08 |
Just as you would expect from the drive to a pub for a cheap dinner brigade (see below).
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We inched the car through the narrowest of lanes (didn't know there was a wider route!! D'oh) and traversed down the steep slope to get there on a mild, clear sky evening in February this year.
What a fabulous location! Literally on the beach/riverbank.
Staff couldn't have been more welcoming. Food was lovely (massive portions). They do special 'meals for 4' which looked great - massive bowl of curry - unfortunatley there was just the two of us though!
Think the place had just been done up - felt really fresh.
Didn't experience any of the issues the other reviewers did - perhaps we got lucky?
We would definitly return though! Give it a go!
(Steep climb back to carpark was compensated for by the incredible starry skies!)
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Would be fabulous if it wasn't for the fact that it closes at lunchtimes, opens late on Sundays and food stops almost before it starts...beers are great, situation is spectacular, staff couldn't care less... think the school report would be "must try harder"
anonymous - 13 Mar 2006 16:32 |
This is one of those pubs that is firmly in the "could be great if only" category. Overly twee and poor service from the staff added to the overall disappointing experience. Something that really sticks in my mind is all the "Do Not" notices plastered everywhere.
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