Mark’s Score 8.6
This restaurant is in the middle of nowhere. However, it is near the Robinson Neck Preserve. I had been hiking in the preserve all morning, giving me an opportunity to have lunch at Boats. I had heard many good things about this restaurant so I was looking forward to my meal.
The restaurant gets its name from the fact that it is located in the old Harrington General Store in Chapel Cove, which is situated between the town marina (boats) and the town volunteer fire company (hose). The building dates from 1917 and has been the cultural center of the town for over 100 years. The restaurant retained many of the buildings original features when it opened in the early 2020s. Boats serves traditional Chesapeake seafood and American comfort food, including their famous corn bread. Being on the bay side of the peninsula, crab and oysters are a central focus of the menu.
I had been battling bugs on the Robinson Neck Preserve for most of the morning, so I was down a pint of blood, and I had worked up a hearty appetite. I was ready to eat. You have to pass Boats & Hose on the drive back to Cambridge and I pulled up to their front door at exactly 11:55 (they open at noon). Even though this restaurant is in the middle of nowhere, and it was a weekday, there was a small crowd waiting at the door.
As promised, they opened precisely at noon. Both the exterior and interior of the building retained a turn of the century general store atmosphere. Having not eaten here before, I thought the décor charming. I sat at the bar, as I usually do when I am alone, given the rush of customers (who were sitting at tables), I hoped I would get better service. However, on this day, the bartender was all alone, waiting on both the bar and the dining area. But I had done my homework, so I knew what I wanted and ordered as soon as I sat down; a cup of cream of crab soup and the flounder sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. Their cream of crab soup had excellent reviews on Google, so I was looking forward to it.
In spite of being short-staffed, the food arrived very quickly, but oddly they brought both the starter and main at the same time, so I had to decide which I would eat first and which I would eat cold. I ate the soup first. The soup was creamy, with a generous portion of crab. The fish was delicately breaded and perfectly cooked, but by the time I got to it, both the fish and mac and cheese had unfortunately gone cold.
I had a perfectly acceptable lunch and a pleasant experience. But the hype about this restaurant was so over the top, I left slightly disappointed. I would happily eat here again, but I do not know if I would make a special trip to eat there.
What else is there to do in Cambridge?
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