This has been one of my all-time favorite Boise restaurants long before the James Beard nomination, and honestly, the nomination just confirmed what locals already knew. The second you walk through the lobby doors, it feels like you've been transported into a cozy French bistro somewhere far away from Idaho. The lighting, the warmth, the pacing -- everything feels intentional without being stuffy. And every single time we've gone, we've been greeted so warmly. What I appreciate most is that they don't constantly reinvent the menu because they genuinely don't need to. We only come about twice a year, partly because it feels special, and partly because they execute so consistently that it's become one of our "always worth it" places. The cocktails are excellent, but the duck rillette is the thing I actively think about between visits. If you've never really connected with French food before, order that. Seriously. It's rich, comforting, salty in the best way, and one of those dishes where everybody at the table goes quiet for a second. For years I always ordered the fish beurre blanc because I loved it so much I couldn't convince myself to branch out. Then I finally tried the cioppino and honestly... it completely ruined other cioppinos for me. Little Pearl's version doesn't even come close for me personally. The broth had actual depth and richness instead of just tasting like tomato soup with seafood dropped in. Also, Michael is one of those rare servers who somehow makes every dinner feel relaxed and taken care of without hovering. Consistently wonderful service every visit. One more local tip: this is one of the best places to eat before a show at the Morrison Center. If you tell them you have a performance to get to, they are incredibly good at pacing the meal so you're not stressed or rushing out the door. read more

Went to Avery with close friends we like to explore new restaurants with, and this one really stands out. The place really leans into a French feel. Marble, an old style bar, and a classic brasserie vibe that feels like a little slice of France dropped into downtown Boise. We started with cocktails, which were solid, and there is a well thought out wine list. The oysters on the half shell were excellent. Very fresh and high quality. We shared a spring salad with a light vinaigrette that was nice. For mains, my wife had the lamb ragu pasta which was outstanding. I went with the beef bourguignon and it reminded me of a dish I had in Paris. Rich, balanced, and really done right. A friend had the steak frites and said it was great. One thing to know, they are not big on substitutions. The dishes are built the way the chef intends, especially with the sauces and salad dressings. You will not find ranch here. It actually led to a funny moment at our table with my friend, but fair enough given the concept of the place. Service was strong. Our waitress was friendly, knowledgeable, and gave great recommendations. We sat at the long tables near the bar, which I would recommend if you want a little more space. The main dining room looked nice but the tables seemed a bit tighter. It's a small dining area even if you count it all. Overall, great atmosphere, great food, and a unique experience for Boise. We will be back. read more

See all

We stopped in for lunch and sat at the bar and had an absolutely wonderful experience. Caitlyn (apologies if I'm misspelling her name) was an awesome bartender - friendly, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable about both the drinks and the food. She made great recommendations and genuinely elevated the experience. One thing that has to be called out: the Bloody Mary was the best Bloody Mary I've ever had, no exaggeration. I'm very picky about my Bloodys, and this one was perfectly balanced and absolutely outstanding. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was great, and the service was top-notch. Everything just clicked. 10/10 - we will definitely be back. read more

Came here for a date night and we were not disappointed! Food was amazing, and everything was well-balanced. Our server was also wonderful and made really great recommendations. The wagyu onglet was a standout and a definite must-have. read more

See all

I was on the fence between 3 and 4 stars here because of the negligent and inattentive execution of the cassoulet. The beans were semi raw, the sausage and pork belly past their expiration dates, while the duck was fine again. The cassoulet is the ultimate test for a French restaurant and also, ordering this dish bears the highest risk of disappointment because it's typically cooked once and then reheated and reheated and ....invariably resulting in old, dry, tasteless meats of questionable suitability for human consumption. In this cassoulet I also noted the beans were still undercooked when they should be ready to pop so soft. But enough about this low point. It's possible other dishes are worth the 4 stars here. I very much enjoyed the endive-pear salad and the tripple-cooked French fries. One of only two places I encountered on my trip that actually celebrated the Idaho potato with special dishes like this. Service could not have been better and I would rate the ambiance as maybe 70% cozy, given the semi- colder temperature ceiling lamps, although the dining room is rather dimly lit. As my last note, they do not have cozy booths. There are only semi booths along long benches and it squeezes guest into close proximity that perhaps shouldn't be given the....uhm....large spectrum of patrons I observed. read more

Avery Restaurant - Cassoulet with a side of triple cooked French fries. - French Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

On the first floor of a circa 1920 building that was a couple of years ago renovated and crafted into a boutique style hotel and restaurant with design details reminiscent of its' original timeframe. The chef here is a talented one and his menu leans old school, of the era, European. The food is top notch with the associated prices one expects for on the cusp of fine dining European menu and well trained, friendly service staff. They are open for lunch (11-2) and dinner (starting 5p) on weekday and brunch (starting 9a) and dinner on weekends. For dinner service as cost planning, I'd say $70ish /pp with tax is doable before tip if ordering appetizer, main, maybe sharing a side and having dessert without libations. (Service here is 30% tip worthy territory.) They have a full bar so if ordering cocktails, plan accordingly for increased price. DISCLOSING A PINCH OF DISCOMFORT: The Avery's promo materials say this about their chef: ""Cal Elliott is a Michelin-Star chef..." This makes me go "hmmm..." in the way of not so much. At one time this chef worked in a Michelin starred restaurant in a big city; NYC, I think. But Michelin stars are awarded to and stay with the restaurant, not the chef who was leading the kitchen. I have also seen comments along the lines of "...come to the Avery to enjoy Michelin star food". Again, it is not this restaurant that has been awarded the star. That this talented chef, who has been a Beard nominee a couple of times, including semifinalist nominee for his Boise work - those nominations do remain with chef - creates great food is a true thing. So is the fact that he once led a kitchen at a Michelin starred eatery. But The Avery restaurant has not earned Michelin recognition in any way and so it does not serve "Michelin star food". I'm going to chalk this up to the people writing the promo material and press materials not knowing better, not that they are attempting to mislead diners who don't know better. Okay then. THE SPACE - as in limited - IS THE RUB: The only drawback I can name for this restaurant is that the small sort of up-end cafe look tables are too small and the seating is so close together that one almost feels like a sardine in the proverbial can. See Robert K's 3 star review and I say "ditto" to his space criticisms. It makes it a "I can recommend it for you to try but I won't return" kind of place. If this was based on comfort of space alone, it would be 3 stars but they get so many other things right. EATS & $$$: Open for lunch and dinner weekdays and brunch and dinner on weekends. Preparing oneself for prices at dinner service, you know like if you were treating your friend to a birthday dinner or taking a date can be helpful. To that end: DINNNER: Appetizers (maybe 6'ish) run from $11 (green salad) to $23 for seafood in ceviche style. Mains (also maybe 6'ish) run from house made ravioli with seasonal treatments ($26) to a duo of beef (filet and short ribs) $54 but when lamb is on the menu it always gets my attention and as example lamb ragout here is $38. Sides, a handful, in the mode of what one might expect at a steakhouse of that day at $11'ish each. As I remember a handful of desserts with in the $12 range. The lavender creme brulee gets the buzz but I don't enjoy the floral flavor and when they have sticky toffee pudding on that menu, save room! LIBATIONS: Full bar, spendy but expert craft cocktails, good wine options. Up the bill depending on what you order. LUNCH: (11 - 2) on Weekdays with prices from $11 to $25'ish and some items that would work as brunch-time choice. I think they call that section of the lunch menu "Late Risers" and that is very clever. HAPPY HOUR: 3 - 5 weekdays, I think, some discounts on libations. AND MORE: Tiner's Alley is a casual sort of pub style place with more limited hours open at the back of the building. As you walk from front to Tiner's (which you can also get to off the back alley but I don't recommend it) you'll see the working kitchen on both sides. ACCESSIBILILTY: Level in from sidewalk into building. The dining room set up has only a couple of tables that could be used by diners using wheelchairs and the people dining with them. Side note: The ADA is 35 years old this month, which is also Disability Pride month, and they ought to do better for seating. There are some standard height seats alongside the wall in the bar. PARKING: In downtown Boise is a bear on street. But they have added valet service here to park for you in a local garage. Valet service is free at lunch. (But tip them, of course.) BONUS: They have a chef's table option and I don't know where it is in the restaurant but I hear it accommodates up to 20 guests and the chef will work with you to plan a menu if you have an event there. All ou planning grad, engagement, wedding, birthday special events take note. read more

Avery Restaurant - Avery Restaurant in The Avery Hotel. Yelp reviews for restaurant all seem to be under the hotel banner and not listed separately. - French Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Good luck getting any service and definitely don't expect to get your check without begging.

We chose The Avery for a Valentine's Day dinner with family and friends visiting from out of town, hoping for a memorable evening. It was a four-course fixed menu offering. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by slow service--after a prompt seating for a 5 PM reservation, it took over 30 minutes to place our order, and more than 3 hours for the meal to finish, including more than an hour wait between the second and third course. Despite telling our server we had limited childcare, the pacing never improved, and half our party had to leave before the main course and dessert arrived. While our server was friendly, attentiveness was lacking; drinks took over 20 minutes and there were long stretches with no check-ins. Food quality was inconsistent--Beef Duo and Seafood Cioppino were good, but the lobster bisque was watered down, ravioli served cold, and the chocolate torte dry. I did speak to the manager, and she kindly comped half our bill, hence why this was a 2 star review and not one; however, the automatic 25% gratuity for a party of six was disappointing given the frustrating experience and service. Overall, we left frustrated and regretted choosing The Avery for our one night out together. read more

Late Evening at the Avery...... was pleased to be served by Dwayne; Class personified! Skillful Presentation of Menu and Wine List, attentive but not overbearing, impressed with his ability to read the date, filled water but left us alone to get to know each other, yet was available when I tapped my glass, he brought my refill. I HIGHLY Recommend, the Avery and ask to be served by Dwayne !!! read more

Bad experience for our anniversary. Scheduled 7:45 reservations the night before Valentines, which forced us into a prix fixe meal. No issues with that, but we weren't seated until after 8:45. Still held out hope for a decent experience, but we didn't get our main course until well after 10:15, even though we moved through each course at a decent pace (because we were hungry!). We ended up just asking for our dessert to go. Never ate the dessert - stayed at the Avery hotel and forgot to put in the fridge. That part is obviously on me. Real bummer for a set price of $115/person and final bill of $300+ with drinks. We don't normally complain. We still took care of wait staff with a regular tip. To get a simple 'sorry for the wait,' and then charge us full price for that type of experience is pretty crazy. I guess I should've complained, but I know a lot of this is outside of individual employee control. I was bummed because I wanted to check out Tiner's Alley after, but my wife was too tired and it was pretty close to closing time at 11:00 by the time we were wrapping up - from a 7:45 reservation. Maybe it's different on a regular night? My ravioli and beef duo were pretty good. I imagine the dessert was probably good. It's possible that our attitude had an impact on our view of the food. Bartender was nice - spent an hour+ with her waiting for a table. read more

Fantastic service and dinner. My husband loved the boeuf bourgbourguin and my lamb ragout melted in my mouth. The pasta in the ragout was perfect. Our waiter Bob was delightful and really made the experience great. We will definitely make this restaurant a favorite. Thank you. read more

Took a group of 10 to The Avery Hotel & Restaurant and I gotta say it was impeccable! The service the drinks the food. The dessert all perfection!!! I haven't had a meal this good in forever!! Chef Cal knows what he is doing! Plus we ended the evening with a tour of the hotel, so adorable and well done. I'm booking a staycation asap. 10 out of 10 highly recommended. read more

See all

Duane/Dwayne was an awesome server. I had 1/2 dozen oysters and they were great with the mignonette. And that's where the positive feedback ends, unfortunately. We chose The Avery because they've recently added a Niçoise salad to their menu, n I LOVE Niçoise salad. However I didn't want the Niçoise salad I got. The tuna has been marinated n then coated in harissa before it was cooked, so it was mushy and spicy. The salad portion was frise, and there were two small slivers of grilled new potato, half a boiled egg that was also spicy, blanched haricot verts and a TON of minced Kalamata olives. The strangest Niçoise salad I've ever had and NOT good. Hubs got the halibut, which was a thick cut prepared piccata-style with a lemon/butter sauce, capers and mashed potatoes. Would've been good but the halibut was overcooked n dry. We were just very disappointed overall. read more

Is Avery the same as Stardust? The meal we enjoyed at the Stardust was beyond comparison. Lobster bisque with a bunch of lobster in it. What a concept. Strong drinks professional service. Thank you!!! Excellence like this is rare!!! read more

Great food, service could have been much better. This restaurant was recommended by my customer so I planned a dinner for the six of us at the Avery restaurant. It was a decent ambience and typical of a Brasserie. However, our waitress had a huge attitude. She knew she was getting an automatic 25% because we were a group of six. She barely acknowledged us and it seemed that each time she came to our table, we were bothering her. All of the food was very good. But she made our experience less than it could have been if she had even bothered to be polite. She handed me the bill and didn't even acknowledge or thank us for coming into the restaurant. All of us noticed her terrible attitude. Highly recommend the food but would consider not returning if that server was there. read more

Fun European vibe! Casual seating but still felt like an elevated experience. Loved that they had a sommelier available too. Great service and food! We got the crispy artichoke salad, the beef 2 ways and the cassoulet. Would highly recommend them all! read more

Service, food and experience was incredible. Our bartender Kaitlyn truly made the experience extra special with delicious cocktails and a friendly conversation. read more

It was surprisingly good. I had sole, other members of the party had clam chowder (excellent), soup and pork ("pork duo"). It's in an old hotel that was nicely refurbished. Not inexpensive, but we plan to go back. Glad we went. read more

Small main restaurant BUT GREAT FOOD AND SERVICE! Go early 5pm. Spend time in Tiner's Alley for drinks. Avery AWESOME Entrées. Don't expect big entrées, but what you get is so tasty you don't need quantity. presentation is first class! Delicious entrées, unique, and desserts are worth getting! Had a wonderful dinner, great value will definitely return ! Even got to park upfront on a Saturday night they also offer free ballet parking! One of the best gems in downtown Boise! read more

The food was so amazing, it was on another level. The experience was elevated and it felt like a dinner from the movies. The service was amazing and I gotta say, the halibut was off the charts, it was perfectly cooked and my girlfriend got the raviolis and they were perfectly done. I would totally go back again a 1000 times over read more

We took our friends as an engagement celebration. The food was good but nothing to rave about. The seating was a bit uncomfortable with super tiny chairs. They had nowhere to put my friends or my purse. Which with the small seating made it hard to put in between our laps. I had heard great things about this place but while food was good I wouldn't come back to celebrate another occasion. read more

RE: Tiner's Alley - We just had our first time at this bar and by happenstance ran into some friends and their friends once inside. Of course, we said hello and introduced ourselves to our friend's friends and, while doing so, the server kindly came over to ask if we wanted to order drinks--which we did. Subsequent to this, we proceeded to the bar to grab our drinks--which weren't yet made--and close out, but the server informed us that, since we were "with" a group, our drinks would be added to the group's tab. We relayed that we were only ordering drinks for ourselves, separate from the group we happened to run into, and he said he'd have to ask the manager before splitting a fifteen-person bill. He asks the manager, brunette with bangs, who then yells, "if they said 'hello,' to someone, they have to be on their tab--no exceptions." Without pause, we cancelled our drinks and told them we hadn't come into the establishment to go through the task of splitting a bill and a 30% service charge with a group of people we only partly knew and weren't with. The server was extremely kind and obviously cornered by management--which is a shame--but as a result, we won't be back. read more