This was my first time visiting. We had reservations that we made 2 weeks in advanced. It's a very popular restaurant so I definitely recommend getting a reservation weeks ahead. We were sat outside with a beautiful view of the lake. We ordered the oysters for our appetizer. The most popular appetizer is the tables use guacamole, but I wasn't that interested. They make it at your table. The oysters were delicious. I could've ate 10 more of them! Served with lemon, cocktail sauce and a relish. I didn't care for the relish but the cocktail sauce was so good. For my drinks I ordered the lemon drop and the spicy margarita. The lemon drop was a little funny cause the cup was made of ice. Cool experience but I didn't necessarily care for it lol. For our entrees, we ordered the New York with zucchini fries and the rack of ribs with mashed potatoes. The ribs were delicious with the bbq sauce on the side. And it was $45 which is such a steal! The steak had a chimichurri sauce and it was so good. Our steak was cooked to perfection. For dessert, we ordered the crème brulee which was to die for. It was perfect. We waddled out of there with our belly's full. read more

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Our waiter was so friendly and helpful, the drinks were delicious and fun, food was incredible. Went for a work trip will Definitely be back read more

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Last night, was incredible and I'm so glad I was able to come and experience their dinner service. Luckily, we had called to make a reservation the day prior. I'm glad we did because it was quite busy when we arrived. We were seated right away. Our waitress was quick to get our drink order. We each started with a glass of Malbec and half a dozen oysters. The restaurant is gorgeous and had an upscale vibe. They kept our waters full and removed things as soon as we were finished. Everyone was friendly and ready to offer assistance. For dinner, I had the filet served on a hot rock, I chose the broccoli with chili flakes as my side and my friend had the NY steak also served on a hot rock with the risotto. The steaks were huge and cooked perfectly. I had a second glass of wine and my friend ordered a margarita called the heat. We both were way too full to have dessert. After dinner, we moved to the bar. I remembered Eric from our last visit. He is friendly and made us each the heat margarita. I thoroughly enjoyed everything and now I'm looking forward to visiting, Coa Del Mar. read more

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Table side guacamole tasted amazing! I opted in for their special that night and got a hot rock blue cheese crusted rib eye, it was cooked to perfection and the hot rock flames were definitely fun! The atmosphere was beautiful read more

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I've heard this place described as rainforest cafe meets five star dining. Hard to disagree with that assessment. Everything on the menu sounded appetizing to Jimi. Went to the bathroom three times while I was there, world record? Nothing to do with the food, it's a Jimi issue. Bathrooms lacked some clear signage to indicate which one is which but Jimi guessed right. The attire of the patrons ranged from senior prom to Party at the Park in Gilbert AZ and everything in between. There was a narrow passageway between two booths Jimi had to use to get to and from his table and let's just say the passage way got more narrow the more food was consumed. It was kinda like the hot gates in the movie 300. 5 stars read more

Lively, with some cool, eclectic decor. They have electronic/house music playing, but it's not super loud and fits the vibe. Open seating in the lounge area so got a seat right away about 8pm on a Saturday evening. It was about an hour wait for the patio area. Our server Angela was great, she gave good recommendation, helped with pairings, and checked in often. I loved how they give complimentary sparkling water. The octopus was tender and slightly charred, and delicious when dipped with the chimichuri and aoli sauce. I really appreciate how they brought appetizer plates then fresh entree sharing plates with fresh utinsils. The crispy onions were a little cold, but the rest of the sides were good. Sides that come with the meal are individually sized. You can also get some freshly chopped jalapeños on request. The hot stone steak was a really cool flame presentation and was seasoned to perfection. Ordered medium rare, and came out just a little on the rare side, allowing more time to cook on the stone after the server dropped it off. read more

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My husband and I went in about a month ago now, and its taking me this long to write this review as I was hoping the restraunt would hold themselves accountable. We never go out to these types of restaurants but our 15th anniversary called for something extra special. We ordered the cowboy ribeye 2 sides and shared, later that night were so sick like almost hospital status sick, we reached out to the restraunt left a review, 3 days later my husband was called by the manager wanting to know what about the experience, the entire interaction was off, my husband was almost being bullied or intimidated while trying to explain the situation, he then said he would send a gift card and next time when we come in he wants to discuss this more, almost like we were lying.. welp 2 weeks go by....no gift card...husband calls back asks gor scott the manager he spoke with thinking maybe he got the address wrong, girl answers says yes scott is working and she will go get him. Comes back says actually its his day off, can he call you tomorrow? That was over a week ago,at this point a high end restraunt that should hold themselves to higher standard not only made us extremely sick, but also seem to truly not care. Like I said we dont do this very often, but I do know we won't be referring or choosing to visit this establishment any time soon. read more

Excellent Ambiance, awesome food and even better desserts. A must go to for happy hour or special occasions. Steak on a hot ruck is out of this world. read more

Barbacoa Grill - Lemon Lavender Tart with raspberry ice cream - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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We have been to Barbacoa many times, we love the food and ambiance, however this time I want to give a shoutout to our server Tim! We came in with a group of 10, we were loud, ready for drinks and food, he was so pumped up and just happy to serve. He had such a good attitude, really a pleasure to have for our evening! 10/10 recommend this restaurant, and if all the servers were as cheerful as Tim you'll have a good time!! read more

Barbacoa Grill - Great service! - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Went here for my birthday and had such a good time! You get free cotton candy for your bday! They have an excellent dirty martini as well! Get the hot rock of course!! read more

Barbacoa Grill - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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This restaurant was recommended to me, coming from out of town, and it has easily surpassed all my expectations. The ambiance is very lively, with eclectic decor, and service was on point. Our waitress was very attentive, always checking in with us and even offering pairing recommendations with our intended palette and entree. We started with the octopus appetizer and then had the bone in ribeye over the hot stone as our main appetizer...and boy they were OUTSTANDING! Cooked to absolute perfection and both were tender. I asked for the coconut rice on the side, which was delicious, however the size of the sides were a little disappointing - especially if I were to pay for it separately...$9 for just a small palm size portion. However, I am overall very pleased with my experience here for a date night and would absolutely be back next time I'm in town! Highly recommend! read more

Barbacoa Grill - Onion crisps, ribeye, mashed potatoes, and coconut rice - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I have to say, This was a fantastic place! the location is right on a lake where people can fish and enjoy.. If you get or request a table with lake view, it's worth it. This is a large restaurant. You can either dress up or down, great for people who love hearing people laugh, talk and enjoy their meal. waiters and waitresses everywhere ensuring that everyone is enjoying their dinner. The alcoholic drinks were good. we went for happy hour. You can get any drink ($15 or less) for a buy one get one free. The drink you pick is required to be the same for the free one as well. The drinks are not very strong but still tasty. we got the fried artichoke appetizer and it was great! Decent amount of food service with a creamy lightly sweet sauce to dip. We ordered was the Hot rock 10 oz filet mignon, a side of mashed potatoes and a cognac sauce (boozy brown gravy) that they light on fire and pour on your steak... It is fantastic! I highly recommend it. Our waiters and waitresses were super nice. Here is why it's a 4 star and not a 5 star. My mom called ahead and made a reservation for a patio table with a good view of the lake. We got there and they tried to seat us inside, in a back room with no view of the lake and with no windows. My mom mentioned it and the woman tried to accommodate.. however she sat our party at a tall table right next to the bar and we had someone in our party that is handicapped and was not going to be able to sit at a tall table. My mom mentioned it and the manager came over. He was nice but it seemed like he was not too happy with us wanting a different table. This is the second time my mother has made a reservation and had the same thing happen. This time we couldn't just ignore it since our friend who is handicapped was having pain in her leg from the tall chair. Despite how the manager may have felt, he was pleasant and helped us figure it out. They let us sit outside at a low table and it was a fantastic location. If we make a reservation next time and everything goes well I would be willing to change my stars to a 5. It really was a good experience once the seating issue was resolved. read more

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I have no idea why this place has four stars????? We went to dinner there to night, my first time as my wife and I were invited by our neighbors. Let me give you a run down. 1st, the decor is over the top, great atmosphere and the staff is over the top friendly and attentive. The drinks at the bar are fantastic and the happy hour is off the hook. We had eight people in our party and our wait person ( Ashland) was on top of everything from her knowledge of the menu and the dinner specials to dessert. What was so impressing was our dinner all came out with eight waiters serving us. The Duck was incredibly delicious, cooked to perfection. To the flaming filet mignon with the cognac reduction sauce, Yum Yum. To the filet mignon beef tips fettuccine, which was so incredible to the kids having a small pepperoni pizza and nachos. Everything was over the top, if you eat there and only give this place four stars you have missed something, this is a five star restaurant all day long. Wish I would've discovered this place a year ago, but I'm glad that I found it now . Our hat is off to the Whole staff at this restaurant they made our evening absolutely unforgettable read more

My wife picked this place for her birthday dinner. We got there just in time to take full advantage of the happy hour deal, buy one drink, get one free. She ordered the special they had that day, the California Sea Bass, and I picked the Scallops they came as four large ones. The scallops were great. The Sea Bass was quite good. Now the service there is first class. With sitting outside, viewing the lake, and enjoying a good meal, it was a good evening. Although my wife was not a fan of the bday cotton candy she got. She would have enjoyed something different. read more

Barbacoa Grill - View from outside. - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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Great service, a busy happy hour with custom drinks and delicious appetizers, and unique upscale dining.

One of my favorite restaurants for special occasions and to impress guests. Always greeted by lovely ladies and escort us to our table. The servers and assistant are always excellent. The menu is very good and prices are reasonable. We arrived during happy hour and loved our food and drinks. A must go read more

Loud and lots of 30 something's waiting to be seen on a Friday night. My husband's food came out 20 minutes after mine. He liked his after it arrived, but I was so so on my way overdressed salad. Not good. Weird they don't have badly needed salt and pepper for you at the table but you have to flag down a person a few times throughout your meal with a crazy oversized gigantic 4' ridiculous pepper grinder for your food. Then we had to order salt to be delivered to our table. Anyway the mixed drinks were really nice at the bar and they really know what they are doing with their cocktails. Sadly it did not translate to the dinner table. Ambiance is ok. Eclectic. Kind of a centralized very large hanging demonic sculpture in the middle of the bar area with snake heads coming out. We won't go back but checked it off our list. read more

Service was phenomenal. They brought out a cotton candy tower with a brownie in the center. The presentation was on the steak was exceptional. Ambience was lovely. read more

Had heard so many good things about this place and came before Abe army flight the next day. It was bustling and we didn't have a reservation but they were able to seat us by the bar. We ordered the table side guacamole which was phenomenal. I ordered an amazing seafood pasta (seafood mixto) and my friends had steak and Ciopinno. The food here is like Mexican Italian fusion and it's so fun! The scallops and shrimp were perfectly prepared and the service was exceptional! We enjoyed every bite! The ambiance was great for the bar and the restaurant also looked nice with ample seating! read more

Barbacoa Grill - Seafood Mixto - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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A lot has changed in the last nine years, and each time I came back here, I liked it more and more! Maybe I was poor student at the time I went 9 years ago and gave it not enough credit. This place is a vibe. The service is now really great! The food is top notch , and one of my favorite places in Boise every time I come to visit! Great for drinks, great for dinner, great for patio! It's a great restaurant for the growing city! And I'll Happily go back again and again! Cheers! read more

This place is indescribable. So much history and randomness and extra but also, fascinating?? From the decor to the menu! Highly recommend trying to get a table facing the lake, beautiful! The table side guac is a must. Devon made ours, and he was exceptional. Elyzabeth H was our waitress, and she was so sweet and attentive. The entire staff is top notch when it comes to customer service. I do wish I would've been told when something cost extra (like being offered the ice glass but not being told it'd cost more) or had happy hour explaining a little better (I don't think it was clear it's buy one, get one for the SAME drink, not the same priced drink). However, everything else was so great that I'm not knocking them. This place is an experience versus just a place to eat! read more

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The food and Ambiance were amazing. They are very busy so the Service can be a little slow, but overall it is one of my favorite places to go. read more

went for our 44th anniversary and our daughter & SIL 4th. Kelsey (Kelci?) was our main server, and she was just a delight! One of the best we've had at a nice restaurant. The calamari with 4 sauces was very good! As were the the Kumamatos (a bit overpriced). Everyone had steaks except me. They loved them on the hot rock, which is very, very hot! They comped us dessert for our double anniversary, a Glowing Cotton Candy and some hazelnut/cinnamon drink thingy! All in all a lovely evening, and thanks again to Kelsey! read more

Best restaurant in Boise! Fantastic food, service and happy hours. Try their hot rock filet and cosmo! Also, hibachi wings are super delicious read more

Food amazing! Service amazing! Ambiance incredible. It's like an eating experience. Our go to when treating friends!

This place is overrated and expensive. The food is nothing to write home about :/ It is very loud.

My pork chop was raw, and it took over an hour for our food to get there... not great, especially for the price.

Visiting from out of town, many many people told us to come visit Barbacoa. My girlfriends and I came for dinner on a Friday night for a 9pm reservation. We did the table side guac, and I had the duck quesadillas and the tuna tartare. Both were delicious. The quesadilla was much bigger than I was expecting from the appetizer menu, but I was thoroughly stuffed by the end. For dessert I had the flourless chocolate cake, which was so rich and decadent. I think my friends thought their meals were maybe worthy of three stars, but I thought our waitstaff was very helpful and the visit was very very nice. read more

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Great food, very friendly and attentive staff and fun ambiance. We had an anniversary dinner there and it went really well. read more

Barbacoa Grill - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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Cool vibes. Tasty food. Excellent service. Private room was well decorated. Spiral staircase to the room may be a bit dangerous if you had a bit much to drink or have height issues. read more

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This is a very large well decorated restaurant with two bars. The energy is lively and warm. I sat at the bar in front of the pizza oven. The staff was incredibly charming and entertaining. Eric ,the bartender, recommended "this and that "plate. I really enjoyed the mole sauce and the pork tamale. truly the only thing I can complain about was maybe I would like more sauce. It was an amazing dish with lots of variety. I also had their s'mores dessert, which was a very fun and decadent interactive experience and I highly recommend it. I will be going back and next time I'm trying the duck. read more

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Jillian was an absolute doll taking care of us 5 girls tonight! She was giving the best recommendations for drinks and food for the evening! She has been so patient and open to all our festivies! We can't wait to come back and see her! read more

Granted we came here without a reservation, but looking on Resy it was wide open. When we came in, we were asked if we had a reservation and when we said no, the hostess, who was sitting idly with 4 other young women, pointed to the bar area and said, "there is open seating up there," and handed us menus. The menu didn't have many of the options listed online. The music was blaring heavy metal anthems. There was a table of 4 rather drunk women making about of noise. There was a single server attempting to take care of about 30 tables. I walked through the rest of the restaurant. There is an area with an enormous picture window and beautiful view onto the river, carpeted, and playing elegant music. That didn't seem to be available to us. So we left and went to The Wylder. It was awesome! read more

Unbelievable decor and fabulous food. Everything is amazing! Our favorite upscale restaurant in the Treasure Valley!

Everything is excellent at Barbacoa . Food is superb, service is outstanding and ambiance is like no other restaurant in Boise!

Before I give my review, I just want to give a mini PSA for readers to take any Yelp review with a grain of salt (including mine). Don't necessarily rely on these reviews too much that they make you unwilling to try a potentially really good establishment. Why am I giving this disclaimer? The most recent review here before mine is from a person who gave a one star review -- fair enough, everyone has different experiences. Upon looking further into that person's Yelp profile, I saw that out of the 17 reviews they've written, 8 were one star, 3 were two stars, and the remaining 6 were five stars. That's important context because they seem like someone who's either gonna be really unhappy with a place, or really happy with a place. But in their case, they seem to be more likely to write reviews when they're particularly unhappy. Now on to my actual review of Barbacoa. My rating considers not just the food, but the service. Food-wise, pretty solid options. My husband got the table side guacamole, which he really enjoyed and said it's the best guacamole he's had (and he's eaten A LOT of guacamole in his life). He also got the rib eye (which was served on hot rock). The temp on the ribeye cook was perfectly medium rare, but not as seasoned as we probably would have liked. The peppercorn cognac sauce that it came with definitely made it taste much better though. He also got the salad (with chipotle ranch) as a side, which he enjoyed. I got the "hot rock" filet, and it was delicious. It's really difficult to properly season filet mignon especially because of its thickness, but Barbacoa nailed it. It didn't need the cognac sauce, but I did put just a bit to try it, and it was good. I got the herbed shoestring fries as a side, which were okay -- they were a bit soggy, and the flavor was just okay. I also had a huckleberry mojito, which was recommended by one of our servers. It was really good especially because in not much of a drinker. It had a good amount of sweetness and fruitiness which I like in drinks. For dessert, we got the coffee and doughnuts. The coffee was basically a sweetened milk poured over espresso ice. Very interesting concept, which we actually want to try at home, but definitely tasted better when consumed last -- once the ice has melted a bit. The doughnuts were creme-filled bunuelos and mini churros which were really light and tender. For the churros though, I would have preferred more cinnamon sugar since the churros were thicker. The bunuelos had just the right amount of sweetness, even with the creme. Our servers were great -- polite and occasionally checked in on us. A lady (which I assumed was a lead or a manager), also checked in on us, which was nice. The place itself looked really unique and interesting, especially the bathrooms. May not be everyone's cup of tea decor-wise, but at least the place had personality. We paid about $200 including tip, which may sound pricey for some. We knew what to expect because we looked at the menu ahead of time. It's not something we'd pay for all the time, but I think it's a solid option for special occasions or the occasional date night. We'll definitely go here again at some point to try other things on the menu. read more

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Barbacoa staff and management went above and beyond for a Make-A-Wish child, truly making the dining experience amazing for the entire family. So very accommodating, you can tell Barbacoa really cares about their community, a fantastic business. Thank you, Marco and Piper, for being awesome waitstaff and making a great night for the family! read more

One of the best servers I have had in an awhile!! Emerson!!!! You rocked! Made the experience one we won't forget! You have craft...SALES! She has a craft at being able to sell! She went thru the dessert menu and I wanted them all. She explained everything in such great detail. The food was fantastic and the restaurant vibe on point! Highly recommend!! read more

Barbacoa Grill - Glowing cotton candy with a mini brownie inside! - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I love the ambience in this place more than anything! I love it's loud and lively, but not too loud so you can still carry an easy conversation. The servers and every staff member are always friendly and attentive. The drink specials for happy hour are the best around. read more

Our server, Tim, was incredible. He was friendly, personable, and put up with my sons' bickering. He never made us feel pressured to leave after eating, even though we stayed for just over 3 hours. The food was incredible as well - the custom guacamole was devoured very quickly, and everyone was quite satisfied with their food, except my mother's friend, whose steak was a little too rare. The manager personally came out to deliver her new one, which was perfect. I liked the screens with the painting process videos. read more