Review The Boathouse Shelly Beach - Manly

Great location and nice atmosphere. We arrived just in time before closing to still get a drink. We had to wait for quite a bit. But BOY was it worth the wait. We had the best cocktail in our 5 months in Sydney so far. The Bloody Gin + Ginger was both fruity and punchy. Bubbly from Ginger beer and delicious because of its Mescal infusion. Amazing!

On a bright and sunny day you can't beat a meal at a nice cafe/restaurant, and The Boathouse didn't disappoint. This place is located on Shelly Beach near Manly, so the location is great. The restaurant is dog friendly, and offers "in app" ordering and in person ordering. The food and drinks came out quickly, and the portion sizes were great. I'd like to return soon.

Ducked in after a stunning walk to The Boathouse Shelley Beach for their signature Bloody Mary… and needless to say it was bloody good! It’s got such a great ambience, tasty menu, and a pretty dang good drinks menu too. The location is also just so amazing - meters from the beach. This venue doesn’t have an all day kitchen (but snacks are always available!), so if you’re after a big feed, check your times. I had a care free relaxing time sipping my drink as the sun was descending in the sky, enjoying the gentle lap of the water… just perfect!

Great location. I visited on one of the rare days it was not busy (because it was a rainy day). Service was some of the best I've had. We had a small issue with the dish and the waiter was exceptionally responsive and proactive at resolving the issue. Food was good and if you think it's slightly more expensive than normal cafes... Don't worry it's worth it. This place holds its own regarding food and the location and atmosphere are just bonuses.

This place was excellent for having a meal, especially after I snorkeled at Cabbage Tree Bay. The service was excellent and the food tasted delicious. However, it was a little pricey and the portion was a little too big for me. Nonetheless, I still recommend this area as a good place for lunch.

Lovely restaurant at Shelly Bay. It’s the sister restaurant of The Boathouse in Balmoral Bay in Mosman, and the decor and menu are the same winning concept. There are options for takeaway, dining inside or dining Al fresco overlooking the Bay. The fish dishes are excellent, as are the burgers and veggie platters. This is a kid-friendly place with smaller portions. Watch-out: on weekends you’ll need to wait up to 30 mins to secure a table (no reservations) and then line up (another 10-15mins) to order at the counter (no table ordering).

2/2/22 Back again for breakfast, dining in this time Another fantastic and value for money experience 1/1/22 Stopped by for a New Year’s Day beach breakfast Brilliant location Only surpassed by the service and quality of food Fresh, generous and value for money Must try the avo and tomato with a poached egg on toast Will be back

What an incredible location! And the food and beverages were outstanding. Best of all was Bollinger by the glass - a very rare treat

Nice to go for a coffee after a long walk. This is a very busy cafe so be prepared to wait for a table. Its a first come, first serve basis and can be quite stressful getting a table. It is popular for mothers groups so expect a lot of prams and children etc. The food is always consistent swell as the service. Its pricey but what you would expect for a place on the water. I would go there very few months, its not a place I rush back to due to set up with tables but am happy to go when mentioned.

Always nice to walk around from Manly Beach and have breakfast in this beautiful place! The venue is casual with flowers and lots of seating.

Amazing! Beautiful walk to the Boathouse followed by an amazing breakfast. Fit out, staff, food and coffee all exceptional. They even have daily newspapers to read.

Terrible customer services, terrible overpriced food quality. Took 30 mins + for our food to arrive, after multiple other tables which ordered before us got their order first. This please clearly cannot handle a busy day, avoid at all costs.

Definitely deserves a stop if you are in Manly, especially if you are close to Shelly Beach. Good for a quick coffee / snack, proper brunch, or a day of chilling by the beach with a beer in your hand. There are so many things I loved about this place:<br/>1. The clean, relaxed, beach-house design. What is authenticity? Was it the little boat house that began as a place to store boats, that gradually evolved to include a simple and convenient location to eat and other leisure facilities? Was it the first restaurant away from the waters that tried to emulate the boat house, and cater to a crowd who find themselves in an urban jungle but needed a little escape? Was it the restaurant that eventually brought the boat house concept back to the beach side, this time infused with inspirations from around the world, from the Peruvian ceviche, the British fish-and-chips, the American burger, to Cantonese-style dimsum platters? With a globally influenced menu, decor faintly reminiscent of the Hamptons style, at its core, this place is about enjoying the simple pleasure of being by the sea.<br/>2. The ordering system and the service. Ordering at the counter then having the food brought to you meant that the service was fast and efficient. The staff was friendly and gave great recommendations.<br/>3. The presentation and taste of the food. The iced coffee came in a cute glass bottle, and the latte was served on a wooden tray with the coffee and the milk in separate containers. The ceviche was really fresh and had a hint of sesame oil, which balanced its acidity. As expected, the portion of the ceviche was quite small and probably serves better as a shared appetizer than a main.

A great brunch place for a date. There are indoor and outdoor seatings in this cute little cafe on Shelley beach. It has a beautiful view. The dory burger was recommended by the waitor. And he was right! It was delicious! The chips were so soft inside. Usually I stay low on the carbs but I couldnt help myself with this meal. The green salad was also recommended by the waitor. If had a refreshing zetiness to it. Honestly one of the best salads ive tried. <br/><br/>Will definitely come back for more!

Great View, try to get a table outside, it's quite a walk after you get down from the ferry, food is excellent, especially tea, I had a peppermint tea, it was very refreshing.

Great location. Nice wine by the glass. Food underwhelming though. Flathead and chips was mostly luke warm chips and two quite small, over battered fillets

Nice and large dining area. Menu had a lot of options. Very expensive though, not the best value.<br/>The menus are on the wall, no hand held options which was a bit inconvenient. They had no kombucha on tap the day we were there was also a shame, but the flavours sounded great- nettle, ginger, or lime.

It does look like a lovely place to get married (as I know sometimes happens) and what a glorious place to have coffee or lunch next to the lovely Shelly Beach. A beautiful open and airy space. We had coffee, two of their freshly made juices and a muffin and a brioche with figs, all of which were perfectly acceptable, though they lost the coffee order and there was some wait on that. The food, as it went by, looked good: I'd be willing to come back and try it.

Gorgeous lunch spot with views of Shelly Beach. <br/>There is not a lot of parking around, so why not enjoy the walk from Manly to the Boathouse and enjoy the reward of delicious food and setting when you arrive. A particularly great spot for summer, with fresh juices and a very light and open styled cafe. <br/><br/>It gets very busy on the weekend (not surprising) so make sure you give yourself additional waiting time - although, this is not usually too long. <br/><br/>The coffee is delicious and I particularly liked the option of buying some fresh flowers on the way out, what better way to finish off a delicious brunch right on the beach?

The location of this light filled café – right on Shelley Beach – alone make it seductive during a Sydney Summer. Such a great spot to have a coffee, breakfast, and read the paper, alone or while the (not so) Small People busy themselves in the sand and sea.  With the plants, fresh flowers, framed prints and big lampshades, it’s a spot on beachside casual feel, and one that you wish was your own dining or living room to spend all day.

Great food, Great View, Nice walk from the ferry. Fish and Chips are on the large size, share with a lighter dish with someone else or they can do half serves.

Amazing location, child friendly, but very average food/menu... My bacon flatbread was ok, but was expecting a little bit more for $21. They do have kid smoothies which our bub really loved.

This place was okay but not anything spectacular. It has a stunning location and the service was quick and friendly.<br/><br/>We had Bacon and Roll and Veggie Bowl with Salmon for main. The food is fresh and tasty and the size of the portions was generous. The dishes are classic. <br/><br/>[-]<br/>You have to find a table for yourself and there are people that hoping you'll leave soon all the time.

Drinks were surprisingly good. I would go there again. Had the market fish--nice accompaniments. Partner had fish and chips. Chips were delicious (fish not bad either) and the tartar sauce was better than most. Also very clean bathrooms.

The Boathouse at Shelly Beach is a hidden gem just a short walk around the point at Manly Beach and if you didn't know about it you probably wouldn't see it. The interior design is just as enamouring as the view, with huge vases full of fresh flowers, chandeliers made of oyster shells and other strange seaside delights. It's just like being in a very glorified boat shed which fits the branding completely. <br/><br/>It's a fairly simple menu which you'll find on chalkboards around the cafe. It's not table service so it's best to head to the counter first and read the menu and choose while you're in the line. You have your classics like fruit salad with coyo, toasts with spreads, poached or fried eggs and then a couple of Boathouse specials. There is the Whale Beach Muesli which is a personal favourite. I love their nutty home made muesli, full of yummy nuts like pistachios and walnuts, plus coconut chips and sultanas. The accompanying poached pear was yummy but slightly hard and under done. <br/><br/>Another delicious dish is the Croissant French Toast with mascarpone, fresh berries and caramel. Plenty of syrup and yummy crispy and crunchy croissant.<br/><br/>Other notable menu items are the Green Eggs and Ham which I've loved since the Boathouse started. Lovely poached eggs with grilled leg ham, roast tomato and basil pesto, it's wonderfully green and I fully support pesto as a part of breakfast! Also if you're feeling like a big veggie hit then the Raw Green Veggie Bowl will hit the spot. It's a massive plate of kale, zucchini, poached eggs and avocado but you can add smoked salmon if you feel inclined. <br/><br/> If you're instead wanting to stay on the beach but need a snack they have a kiosk which is an idea I love! Set up your towel then head over to the front of the cafe and there's a couple of food options and delicious smoothies. We had the Beer Battered Flathead with chips, Boathouse tartare and lemon which we shared and couldn't finish. It was a massive serve which is a theme at the Boathouse, so even though the prices are slightly higher you still get a really good feed! <br/><br/>Overall some people complain that's it's overpriced but seriously you get what you pay for with huge servings and a stunning location. Plus, you're on Sydney's Northern Beaches...what do you expect?? I love it, always satisfied and find it really yummy and a great place to come and enjoy a good meal.

The food is excellent, the setting is dreamy, easily my favourite cafe in the area. Perfect on a cracker day, has a bar with good Bloody Mary's for breakfast. No table service though, but the service is fast.

What a joke!! So arrogant of the owners to expect their customers to have to line up for 20mins to simply order a coffee and then wait 15 more mins for it to arrive. Sydney cafe arrogance on steroids! <br/><br/>

Went for a run from Q-Station to Shelley Beach and had breakfast at The boathouse. I wasn’t sure what to expect because of the mixed reviews. The place was buzzing and very busy on Sunday morning, the interior/decoration is really nice and beachy. We got a table out the front, which was lovely and in the sun. Service was friendly. There is no table service. All meat is free range! We had banana bread and bacon and egg roll. Both were good. It might be a bit expensive as other reviewers say, but I suppose you also pay for the prime location. I would definitely go again!

The interior of this place is delightful. I love the botanicals they use, just stunning. Sadly we think the food is very expensive here. It's good food but it costs.

Watched this place being renovated for many months on my daily dog walk and knew it was going to be something special. Casually elegant, your heart rate will decrease as soon as you are here. So many places to sit....inside, outside, at the bar, or big long communal tables. All decisions are good! Most portions are large enough to share. I choose the Tuna Cracker with a side order of avocado. Fresh and not too big! If you have the fish and chips for lunch you probably won't require dinner. Location at Shelly Beach is awesome but for me the interiors win me over every time.

What a gorgeous restaurant. Nestled amongst the trees of Shelly Beach it has a bit of a Hamptons vibe. I only went to the kiosk for lunch but was really happy. The lady behind the counter was so lovely. I ordered the super salad, a mix of kale, quinoa, sweet potato, pomegranate and labne. All of the flavours worked so well together. It was quite a good serving size but still over priced. Beautiful spot to enjoy a drink.

I came here for lunch with my sister for my birthday, the food was good a little bit expensive, for that price I expected to be table service meaning the waiter taking our orders and organising seating, it's very busy and the customer service is not the best the staff ain't rude by all means, <br/><br/>The food was to die for I highly recommend it, I would love to try it again, <br/><br/>We had poached chicken with salad. <br/>Then we also had the trout, it was very filling we ended up getting a take away container for the salad, u won't be disappointed with the quality of food here, the Bloody Mary had a little too much Worcestershire sauce. We then shared a caramel milk shake I wouldn't of been able to have a full one to my self as it's very creamy it was amazing!!!!

Great location but not the nicest atmosphere:<br/>- noisy, busy, you have to find a table for yourself and people hover over you while you eat hoping you'll leave soon. Some assistance and optimisation would help with that <br/>- you spent forever in the queue to order (again, more counters or better service)<br/>- coffee was meh<br/><br/>Location is beautiful but restaurant had nothing to do with that, it was nice even when it was an old 'Kiosk' at the same spot<br/>

Brilliant breakfast and service in a great location. Well worth the effort to find a parking spot nearby. A really enjoyable start to the day.

Awesome location, great vibes, and even better service. <br/><br/>As an overall experience it was good enough, but unfortunately the food by its self was a little lacklustre. Fish was a touch on the oily side and burger was good, just not great. <br/><br/>Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area even if it's just to admire the view.

I love this place for its atmosphere smoothies and some of the breakfast items. I like taking friends from interstate here as it is a bit of a tourist hotspot. Menu is a little bit boring especially coming from Melbourne.

Shelly Beach is just a beautiful location and the new mob running The Boathouse in what was the once famed Le Kiosk have done a wonderful job with creating a decor which treats the old building in which it is located very fittingly. Sitting and looking north over the ocean and up the coast a little is a very relaxing backdrop to enjoy a very nice meal.<br/><br/>Ordering and paying is via a window near the kitchen but food is then delivered to your table. Service is friendly an efficient. On this occasion we visited for breakfast on a Sunday and whilst it was a little busy there was no issue grabbing a seat near the window.<br/><br/>The food is fresh and tasty and the size of the portions was more than enough to fill us up, even when quite hungry. The dishes are somewhat based on the classics but there is enough imagination to make them a little different. It's not cheap but then it's nowhere near break the bank prices. Taking into account the gorgeous location, the classy fit-out, the quality of the service as well as a little bit of creativity in the dishes, it is reasonably priced.<br/><br/>A lovely spot and well worth a visit.

Delightful seaside venue offering a laid back, beach house vibe. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and you simply order at the counter and find yourself a table. <br/><br/>Although it was busy the Sunday we visited, we didn't have any trouble finding a sunny corner nook by the window. Unfortunately,<br/>we'd just missed the breakfast service so settled for coffee and fries. Had a serious case of food envy, when checking out the breakfast plates on the neighbouring tables. Will have to return!<br/>

I cant fault this chain of delectable seaside eateries. Take an idyllic walk past Shelley Beach to one of the best avocado and tomato toasts in the world!

Nice setting but the burger was awful. Dry, bland, over cooked meat and stale bun. Very overpriced for what you get. A badly spent $70. Will not be going back.

An example of well operated venues, every Boathouse restaurant cater high standard food and drinks with fresh ingredients. We had a lazy Sunday breakfast with the Fruit Platter for entree, Bacon and Roll and Veggie Bowl with Salmon for main, delicious! To finish of we had a takeaway coffee for the walk home. We always end up at The Boathouse when in Balmoral or Manly.

My friend always makes me come here. Gorgeous location but unfortunately i never get to eat here and just have an average coffee or juice due to the lack of vegan options. on my first visit, i reviewed the menu before coming and assumed i could have the coconut yoghurt menu option but unfortunately i was told it had gelatine in it (which is totally unnecessary). I was offered the avo on toast without feta but its simply too basic to justify the price<br/> seriously beautiful venue which makes me wish there was a vegan option so that i could eat rather than order coffee/juice every time.

Came here with a group of 8 for lunch. Beautiful outlook, nicely decorated and fantastic food! They even gave us complimentary desserts!<br/>Would definitely recommend it.

Beautiful venue, beautiful view, beautiful coffee! Grabbed a takeaway coffee and sat on Shelly Beach. Staff were friendly. Perfect start to my day.

The fish and chips were average at best, and overpriced. Probably frozen & defrosted poorly. The staff are friendly, and the location is great, buy no one on our table enjoyed the food. There was also a massive pot plant in the middle of our table which split out group into two.

Intentionally came to Shelly beach for the Boathouse lunch. <br/>Very pretty restaurant in the boathouse group. You order and pay at the counter and have to find a seat. There is plenty of room and decor is beachy and pretty. I ordered the burger which was nice if not bland. A massive serving of watery ketchup on the side didn't improve it much but salt did. All in all a cute spot for lunch if your in the area..

Regardless of it maybe the busiest day of the year was fabulous! We had to squeeze around a table however it wasn't uncomfortable. I couldn't guess how many covers they did (1000s?) but the food was quick and delicious. The Boathouse salad was perfect! Great set up so we didn't have to wait for drinks either. A destination yes, but 💯 worth it!

The Boathouse on Shelly Beach is gorgeous - that's undeniable. Even the food is pretty.<br/><br/>But it is such a struggle to even get food! The place is understandably always going to be busy, but surely there is a better way to address this than forcing people to queue up for a single till that can take up to half an hour? For the prices they charge you get a stressful and frustrating dining experience where half the time at least one member of your table has to be stuck in a queue. The waiters that are on the floor have a surly attitude and appear to be more interested in gossiping amongst themselves and swearing under their breath. Food is ok - looks amazing and flavour wise ok. Just ruined by the experience.<br/><br/>Save yourself time and unpleasantness and just have a BBQ at Shelly if you must, or try the Bower restaurant instead.

I have been to the Boathouse in Shelly Beach before for dinner (which they recently discontinued) and today I am here to have a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast while enjoying the beautiful view of Shelly Beach. Coffee and Milkshake. The caffeine hit is so need this morning and the rich crèma just wakes up every cell in my body. The milkshake is oh so sensuous with its rich creamy flavour with the sweetness of the strawberry mix intertwined to deliver a delicious tasting experience.

The perfect setting for a Friday long lunch and a wine with a girlfriend. Gorgeous ocean views and a chic atmosphere. Especially if you can get a seat in the garden. <br/>We waited about 15mins for a table on Friday, I can imagine it would get much busier than this on the weekends. Defiantly worth the wait though. No table service, provides quick turn around of food. <br/>Both ordering the The Boathouse Salad, I went with trout on the side. Defiantly worth the extra $7 for trout… Beautiful, fresh large portion.

Very nice venue, on the water with fresh seafood, delicious food and friendly staff. A bit busy but all good places are! Great for drinks and pizza too!

The Boathouse Shelly Beach is owned by the Boathouse Group – these people know how to do high-end beautiful coastal venues. You may have heard of The Boathouse Balmoral Beach, The Boathouse Palm Beach, Moby Dick’s Whale Beach, yep, same people. They have taken over the venue where Le Kiosk used to be and have done their thing with the venue and the attached takeaway venue attachment where I used to grab a coffee and the occasional bacon and egg roll. They have more blended the venues together with a sitting area and bar in between them and the place looks fantastic. I do want to get to a lunch meal at The Boathouse section but for my morning I was grabbing some takeaway and sitting on the grass in front of the beach, so this is The Shelly Beach Kiosk aka The Boathouse Kiosk Shelly Beach.

Fish pie is worth to try, I love the their chips!!! Super crunchy and absolutely delicious! <br/><br/>They serve the fish pie very special, this is big enough to be shared with 2 people! <br/><br/>

My new favourite in Manly. Great vibe, interiors, staff and food. Although you have to line up to order, and you need to wait for a table it is so totally worth it.  The gardens are amazing so make sure you check them out!!

The Spring<br/>Salad with Duck is super healthy (beets, baby carrots, celeriac, greens) while<br/>being a little naughty at the same time. <br/>Duck leg was crispy, juicy and succulent.  Generous serving enough for two as a share. Great location and gorgeous view on sunset.

I may just be nostalgic, but the Boathouse is nowhere near as good as the rustic old Kiosk. Boathouse is a wannabee pretender. The food is pretentious - especially the $22 sardine and flatbread dish - the serving is pretentious - everything on not-so-clean wooden boards, and even the decor is pretentious. A big, big let down.

Very cool place. Staff are excellent, food great. New favourite for the area. Can't wait for summer for beers up on the top deck. <br/><br/>The decor is very very nice.

Came here on a beautiful sunny winter's morning.<br/>Beautiful location and venue - the decor is 'beach house' theme which works very well. There is more space than the Balmoral venue, and although there is still no table reservation system (at least not for breakfast/lunch), the open layout somehow makes the atmosphere with people 'prowling' for tables seem slightly less aggressive. Still not a fan of this system though.<br/>Another plus is that they have a separate counter for take-away vs dine-in ordering - making an option for take away and sitting on the grass/beach an appealing alternative for those who don't want to hunt for a table.<br/>We ordered a bacon & egg roll and coffee from the t/a counter and it was absolutely delightful. Waited about 10 minutes which is to be expected for a cafe this busy, and well worth the wait.

I've been to The Boathouse at Palm Beach and the upmarket beach cafe works in this intimate and relaxed environment. Unfortunately the scale of the new Shelly Beach venue doesn't work. The site is too large when coupled with the system of queuing up (20mins in my case) and ordering your food from a small hatch with a single till. I wouldn't have minded if the food had been amazing but it was very disappointing. I ordered the school prawns and whitebait. The prawns were limp not crisp and the accompanying Harrissa sauce lacked flavour.<br/><br/>All-in-all not a great dining experience. Maybe once the initial crowds have died down and the staff are not so rushed it might be worth another visit, but there are far better places to eat in Manly.

Their casual dining “beach style” themes certainly are a favourite of mine. The difference with Shelly Beach is that these guys to dinner, take reservations and its table service at night (I so don’t like the whole scramble for a table thing). The view at night of the lights of the city, the sand of the beach and the soft splashes of the waters of Shelly Beach make for the perfect dinner location.

The Boathouse Shelly Beach offers a quintessential venue for any occasion with stunning ocean views and a chic atmosphere. Pop in for coffee, a freshly squeezed juice and daily baked goodies whilst soaking up the sunshine. The Boathouse Kiosk is also a great option for those who prefer to take away and enjoy a picnic on the beach.