I went to Epi's tonight on a solo night out, and it was absolutely lovely. I called at 6:25 and they got me in for a reservation at 7:00pm. It was a quant restaurant in an old house, but they made it work with the space they have - created a nice, welcoming, comfy restaurant out of it! The food: delicious. If it was supposed to be a hot dish, it was fresh and hot. If it was a refreshing dish, like the salad, it was cold, yet flavorful! The fries? Tasted like my parent's homemade "cut up potato and throw them in boiling oil" fresh. The lamb chops I got were made to order/you could choose how rare or done it was prepared - great details honestly. The person who waited on me/served me was so great...their name was Teagan, and they even gave me other suggestions of places in Boise if I was interested. Great restaurant, good humans work there and treat the customers so well! read more

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Delicious food and experience! They have a unique menu with much seafood, steak and other delicious options. I got the cod made 2 ways. It came with a soup, salad, bread, and sides of fries and rice. The soup was a flavorful cream of mushroom and it came with a slight kick since they had put red pepper flakes in it. This balanced the creaminess and umami flavor from the dish. The salad was fresh and then the bread came! Very soft and crunchy on the exterior. The cod came in 2 ways. You can choose one way or the other or both. I got both and it came with pimento and peppers on top and the other was baked in a white butter sauce. Very well cooked! Delicious. The cod was flaky and moist. It was perfect! Staff are so nice and attentive. I think the ambiance is comfortable. read more

Epi's A Basque Restaurant - Cod Fish Cod Fish - Basque Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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It has been 10 years since we last ate at Epi's. Something has dramatically changed and we do not enjoy it. They are living off of someone else's reputation. That said, looks like it is permanently off the list for us. Bland, Bland, Bland food coming out if the kitchen. No seasoning on anything - Appetizers, soup, main dishes or sides. The lamb was without ANY taste. The pork was terribly under seasoned and dry. Prices do not reflect a value. Any restaurant on the Basque Block or Ansots (6th and Main) beats this alleged "Basque" food. Customer service was outstanding. read more

Absolutely amazing food! Such a gem. Food: 5/5. I have to start off by saying every single thing that we tasted was delicious! The wine (one red and one white) that was suggested by our waitress, Teagan, was crisp and delightful. For appetizers we had the croquetas (a must have) and chorizo. The chorizo comes with pimentos that make a perfect pair. Entrees also come with a salad and a choice of soup. We tried both of the soups and my favorite was the shrimp rice soup of the day. For our entrees we got the scallop special and lamb loin chops. Wow! Every bite was outstanding and melted in my mouth. Absolutely delicious! Service: 5/5. Teagan was such a great waitress! We were immediately greeted and she was very attentive. She also gave amazing recommendations and answered our questions. Food came out in great timing. Atmosphere: 5/5. This quaint restaurant is very cozy and homey. I loved the jazz music playing and it was a peaceful setting for a date night. Parking can be a bit hard to find if the main lot behind the restaurant is full. Kid friendly: 2/5. I did notice high chairs, and there is a kids menu that include spaghetti, chicken tenders or a sandwich, however I would not necessarily suggest this for children. Older children would be fine but I don't think I'd bring my toddlers here. I can't wait to go back to try all the other delicious food at this establishment. No wonder it has been around for so long! read more

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The Good: :: it's a local business with a very rich history and has been around for a long long time. this place is OG, y'all :: the vibe is OG AF. it is awesome. the furniture, the furnishings, the ambiance...it is awesome. you kind of feel like you've stepped back in time to simpler days, when neighbors knew each other, when you'd run into people you know here all the time, where meals were a place where you gathered to catch up, hear the latest stories and gossip, and not have a phone in sight. come here to disconnect, catch up with family and friends, eat a delicious meal, and say hi to the staff who work here bc you're regulars. that's the kind of OG vibe that you get when you come here :: food is very filling and tasty...you won't go wrong with any selection! :: service was very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable The Bad: :: none The Ugly: :: none Would I go back? Definitely yes! The food and the vibe are both fantastic. I love how they keep things old school and haven't touched on a formula that clearly is working for them and has been working for them for years now. This place is IN. read more

Epi's is an absolute gem! From the moment we sat down, every course was unforgettable. We started with the croquettes and calamari both perfectly crisp, flavorful, and the ideal start to a Basque feast. The red bean soup and cream of shrimp that followed were rich, comforting, and layered with flavor. Then came the palate cleanser: a fresh, vibrant salad topped with the best dressing light, bright, and refreshing. For dinner, we enjoyed the sizzling garlic shrimp, served in the most luxurious blend of butter, garlic, lemon, and parsley. Every bite was perfection. The citrus-crusted halibut with creamy lobster sauce was equally divine delicate, bright, and indulgent all at once. Add in the family-style sides of rosemary roasted potatoes and fried green beans, and the entire meal felt warm, abundant, and thoughtfully crafted. Dessert was the perfect finish: the pumpkin cheesecake with decadent caramel sauce silky, rich, and the perfect sweet ending to an exceptional meal. Epi's delivers an unforgettable dining experience from start to finish. Highly, highly recommend! read more

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We had a family dinner with 8 of us. Our waiter, Caleb, greeted us and asked if we were celebrating a special occasion. He was fun, made great recommendations was attentive throughout the evening. Our group had drinks and appetizers that were hot and simply delicious. We chose various entrees and they were cooked to perfection. We finished off with cheesecake for dessert. Caleb brought our bill and said, "don't add a tip, the gratuity is included." Caleb we added some more to your tip, because you were that good! read more

I was excited to celebrate my husband's birthday here, we really wanted to love it. We LOVE the Basque food in Boise and expected similar quality. Sadly it's not even comparable. Service was awesome! Food reminded me of cafeteria food? Red bean soup seemed like Campbells with beans added. My husband ordered the ink fish dish and it was barely warm, meatballs were dry. Sides {mashed potatoes, peas} seemed like they were previously frozen and from a package. Bread seemed like cheap grocery store bread, seasoning was lacking and presentation was underwhelming. It's not a cheap place and while they give you a lot of volume {soup, salad, bread, entree, sides} the quality did not justify the price. I was very surprised by the hype and don't intend to go back. So sad! read more

This place never disappoint each bite is like a getting a huge warm HUG, everything is fresh and delicious! read more

Epi's A Basque Restaurant - Sizzling shrimp scampi best I've ever had! - Basque Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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This is a lovely little restaurant with truly exceptional food and outstanding service. It's very small and fills up quickly but is not too loud. I've had the chicken and the shrimp and was not disappointed in either dish on either visit. It's a three course meal and there is far more food than you can hold which is really a shame because you want to eat it all plus the appetizer plus dessert! Almost forgot the croquettes which are so good I could eat them as a meal themselves. read more

Always such good food!!!! Staff is great. Service is fairly quick. This is definitely our top basque food restaurant. If you can get the lamb roast, do it!! read more

Food was very good and the ambiance was nice too. Had Caesar salad that was one of the best I've had. The burrito was HUGE. We were in a rush so they expedited the service for us. Definitely recommend it. read more

My husband and I absolutely love Epi's! Making reservations is pretty straightforward (you text their number from the website) and we always get quick responses. Their parking lot can fill up fast during peak times, but there's a good amount of street parking too. The service is always quick and friendly! Our favorite appetizer is the Ham Croquets! My husband loves the Beef Tongue here. Beef tongue is a highly underrated ingredient and we encourage you to try this dish if you haven't yet! All in all, Epi's is a wonderful place for a date night or to bring friends and family from out of town. read more

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Great food, service and staff! Cute little old downtown house conversion on Main Street. read more

100% 5 Star! My only disappointment is that I have lived here for 2 years and just discovered this awesome restaurant. The restaurant is located right outside of downtown Meridian, Idaho. It's inside an older possibly historic home. Inside is very quaint and super clean and great decor. From the minute you walk in till leaving the service is amazing! like most Basque places there was a unique item accompanying your meal that comes with soup, salad and freshly made bread. For starters we had the ham croquettes so delicious! For dinner I had the rib eye and my wife had the halibut. Both were served with rice and shareable side of hand cut french fries. I can't say enough on how good this food was. My steak was perfectly cooked and had amazing flavors. I snuck a bite of my wife's halibut with a lobster sauce it was also so delicious! This is a must visit place and we will for sure be back! read more

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You simply can't beat quality food and extraordinary service. The welcoming dining area is like being at home and the greeting upon arrival is unequaled. The overall experience is a treat to your dining expectations. read more

I hate being a bad sport to such a legendary institution but I was not impressed. The server was great. The food was mediocre. Every dish (from the pork chop to the shrimp and the fish) was way overcooked and soaked in butter. The only thing I really enjoyed was the light salad that came with the meal. The location was nice and felt like a home cooked meal just not happy with the meal itself. Wish it would have been better. Not sure if I will try again because of the price and presentation unfortunately. read more

The food is absolutely delicious. Our server was friendly and informative. The atmosphere is very quaint and friendly. Did I say the food was amazing? read more

A Boise Tradition for Us! Epi's is an absolute gem, and our recent dinner there confirmed--yet again--why it's a must on our annual April trip to Boise. This was our fourth time dining here, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. We kicked things off with the Croquetas, which are non-negotiable at this point--crispy, creamy, and packed with flavor. The shrimp and rice soup was perfectly spiced and soul-warming. Our entrées came with fried green beans that were so delicious we could've eaten a plate of them alone. I stuck with my favorite, the Sizzling Garlic Shrimp--served in the most incredible butter sauce that's made even better with the warm bread on the table (pro tip: dip everything in it). My husband had the Filet Medallions in a brandy peppercorn sauce, which were just as phenomenal--tender, rich, and full of flavor. We wrapped it all up with their classic Gateau Basque for dessert. Light, not overly sweet, and the perfect ending. Huge thanks to our server, Kaden, who was an absolute superstar each time we've come. Already counting down the days until our next visit. Epi's, you've got our hearts (and our appetites)! read more

I was excited to try EPI's Basque Restaurant in Meridian based on my other experiences with Basque restaurants in Reno (Louie's Basques Corner) and the Star in Elko along with the reviews of EPI's. Our experience tonight was highly disappointing. I ordered the Lamb Chops because it is a traditional Basque favorite and is usually quite delicious. The 3 Lamb Chops that were served tonight were very fatty and tough (disappointing) in addition the plate of fries served were hard and cold and it was evident that had been sitting for awhile. I asked the server to bring some fresh ones and they did. The restaurant was not overly crowded or busy so being busy is not a legitimate reason. EPI's is not inexpensive and both my wife and I were disappointed with the food...we will not return. Our first time there was not good and a restaurant only has one chance to make a good impression and EPI's failed miserably! read more

Just ok, mostly because they really short changed me on the gravy for the lamb, which was supposed to be a wine reduced, flavorful concoction and instead was a cheap plain brown gravy of the sort you see on salisbury steak, and was barely warmed up, not hot. Everything else was quite good, the lamb itself, baked fish in a wonderous white cream sauce, red bean soup, salad, bread, red wine all were quite good. Service was crisp and friendly, ambiance in an old house was reminiscent of basque houses of old. If you go there just skip any red meats with gravy. read more

Great food great service. The rib eye was like butter. The waitress was so attentive and great personality. The chef has always said hello when u show up or when you leave. Very professional. read more

I had long wanted to go to Epi's based on its reputation and so I chose it to celebrate my birthday. Restaurant was full for early seating around 5 pm (reservations are clearly a must) and we were seated upon arrival. Ambience was homey and friendly. Starting with the highlights: + their calamari appetizer was the best that we have eaten in a long time--maybe ever! We both truly enjoyed it! + the mushroom soup was superb! My wife and I would have been very satisfied with a meal consisting solely of that delicious dish! It was simply to die for! + the lamb stew was great! Broth was flavorful, plenty of lamb that was cooked very nicely, and tasty tomatoes. I loved it! + leg of lamb was good and I would give it 4 stars. Meanwhile, my wife liked it better than I did -- whereas I preferred the stewed lamb. Given the forgoing, I would have awarded 5 stars and ended this review. However... - the salad was so-so with romaine lettuce, 1 cherry tomato, and a few carrot slivers. The dressing was rather bland. - the side dishes were roasted green peppers and a rice pilaf with veggies which included green peppers. I was disappointed with the lack of flavor in both sides. Portion sizes were good and we didn't save room for dessert. Service was prompt and personable. Water and bread were refilled efficiently. Perhaps my expectations were too high; after all, Epi's is rated the top restaurant in Meridian. Given the prices charged, I think a 4 star rating is merited based on the overall experience. read more

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We've been to Epi's several time & have never been disappointed. Best Basque food in Idaho.

You might have driven past this location many times and not even realized it, that's what happened to me! Epi's is a quaint restaurant on Main St and the restaurant is easy to miss as it's exterior is that of a house. This creates a very close knit dining area and adds to the dining experience. All of the tables are relatively close together and there is a family feel to the dinner. This was my first time having basque food and I absolutely loved it. Our server told us that a big part of basque cuisine is garlic, parsley, and salt; all of which I'm a huge fan of! The dinner started off with our choice of soup. The clam chowder was the best clam chowder I've ever had (and I've been to San Francisco). It was that good! They also serve warm bread and butter. Next they bring out their house salad, which is tossed in a delicious vinaigrette of sorts. Following that we got our entrees. I got the ribeye steak in the garlic marinade, while my husband got the lamb chops. I definitely tasted the basque flavor on my steak with the garlic marinade, it was delicious! Each entree comes with two preselected sides. The sides for our meal were homemade French fries and a rice dish almost like paella. This was such a great experience and I would love to come back! read more

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What a treat!!! If there is only time for ONE MEAL in Boise, Idaho, this is the place!!! Located inside a cute and intimate house. Service was very friendly and attentive. But the best part was the unique and flavorful BASQUE food. No time to travel to Pamplona, Spain? No problem, come to Idaho! I had the hand cut halibut filet. Fresh halibut in a unique "citrus crust" and topped with lobster sauce. Meals come with both soup and salad! I had the shrimp and rice soup, reminded me of a good chowder and had a little spice to it which I loved. Salad had a nice citrus dressing. Meal also came with potatoes and string beans (fresh and also breaded and deep fried). I was stuffed but HAD to have dessert! Ordered the "Gateau Basque" which is a citrus flavored pudding cake. Loved the raspberry sauce they put on it and would ask for extra sauce next time. Can't recommend this gem enough!!! read more

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The food was excellent. We sat if the front porch which is a private room. The service was excellent too.

It's been six years since my last review, so time to refresh. We've been to Epi's quite a few times in the last six years, although not in 2020, of course. It has always been fantastic, albeit a treat due to the cost. Once the restaurant reopened after the sale and then the extended closure, we had gotten out of the habit of going, but renewed our relationship with them on our anniversary this summer 2021. We got our favorites of course, ham croquettes, ink fish, and so on. It was a great meal and nice service. We love basque food and Epi's always delivers. On this evening, we did discuss how the meal didn't have the same panache that it always has had in the past - there didn't seem as much care put into the preparation. The croquettes were "nice", but didn't have the same ham to potato blend as before. The inkfish was "nice", but didn't have quite the same spicing. Maybe we were comparing the meal with good memories, and we both discussed that, but given we felt the same, we went with "not as much care" as before. Still it was wonderful, though I decided our need for this conversation cost them a star in my mind. Still highly recommended for Basque food. read more

I had a gift certificate for Epi's and wanted to take my wife and mother in law for a Mother's Day dinner. Sadly my gift certificate has expired (I'd completely forgotten about it, my fault). I called and talked to the owner who refused to honor it. Despite it being federal law that gift certificates cannot expire for 5 years, he refused claiming that applies to "gift cards only". This place received $150 for a gift certificate and refuse to honor that money. I get that missing the date is completely on me, but for the owner to refuse is pretty messed up. It's not like I was trying to redeem an expired coupon for a free meal. They received the money for it. Was looking forward to eating here. Too bad I won't be now. read more

First time ever here, and it's such a cute home like ambiance. You walk in, and it feels like you are in your grandmother's house, and it smells so good. Tips for this place call ahead and make a reservation. It's a small place, and you need a reservation. We didn't have one but they were so nice they took us in and we were able to enjoy our meal before the next reservation arrived. Service is friendly and very knowledgeable about the food. My husband had the lamb in a bed of mashed potatoes I had the Fillet Medallions so tender, so juicy the meat was really effortless to chew. The rice was so good, so much flavor. We had croquetas for appetizers so good and soft in the inside. The bread was delicious. The bean soup was very good. I hove no complaints. The chefs did an amazing job presenting the food. We took our dessert to go since the table we were at had a reservation. The dessert was so yummy and sweet I had the flan. My husband had the apple bread pudding. I definitely suggest that you try this place, but don't forget to make a reservation first. read more

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This is a hard yes all the way around. The setting, the staff, the menu... everything. The croquettes were life altering. The chorizo and the peppers that it came with were perfect. The red bean soup wasnt too special, but it wasnt offensive for a course in the long meal. The salad was so refreshing and impeccably dressed. The halibut is seriously epic, they have clearly mastered the texture of this fish. The porkchop special was nicely done, although for being advertised as pimento yada yada they didnt give much pimento. Nice tight selection, including beverages. read more

Such magnificent and delicious food every single time. A Boise area staple. If you're from out of town, put this on your list. If you're a local and haven't been, you're missing out and I feel sorry for you. My husband and I had a fantastic experience at Epi's a couple weeks ago. It had been some time since last visiting here and I was looking forward to returning, with high expectations that were greatly surpassed. We began our dinner with a serving of excellent Ham Croquetas (thickened bechamel with jamon serrano, crumbled and fried golden, $16.00). I probably could have eaten two more plates of these and called it good. We loved them! They were perfectly crunchy and the filling was so creamy. There wasn't too much ham but just enough you still noticed it. You HAVE to get these. Entrees are served with soup, salad, bread and two pre-selected side dishes. Both soups were great! My husband selected a Red Bean (I think?) tomato based soup and I the clam chowder. So much goodies in both, especially in the chowder. The salads were a little sad looking, a few leaves and shredded carrots that I could have done without. At least it was fresh! I ate mine without dressing so at most it was a palate cleanser for me. I chose a lighter fare of Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb (hand carved boneless leg of lamb served with a burgundy sauce, $27.00, $34.00 for a regular portion) with a side of wild rice. It was nothing like I had ever had before. The lamb was tender like butter and the sauce exquisite. The rice was a great side and it paired well with the sauce, too. As much as I liked my dish, the winner of the evening was my husband's, the Halibut Filet (hand cut halibut, citrus crusted, topped with lobster cream sauce, $41.00). Holy cannoli, whatever was in the cream sauce was ADDICTING. I kept swiping bites from my husband's plate when I could. The halibut itself was excellent a hundred times over. It was some of the best food I'd eat in Boise in a long, long time. read more

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Been our favorite place for over twenty years. Bringing close friends this Friday for a birthday celebration.

This is an all time favorite! Maybe because I have been coming here since they have opened or maybe because I'm Basque or both. Since I moved away 11 years ago I always try to dine here on my trips back, just brings so many memories of home. Ok so maybe I'm a bit biased. This place is a family owned icon. It's not trendy and definitely not hip. It is fresh food you would find in any traditional basque meal. I can't ever pass up the ham croquettes. Warm and just yum! Every meal comes with fresh bread, soup of your choice and salad and two sides. The two sides are vegetable rice and french fries. Tip, ask for two sides of rice and skip the fries. The vegetable rice with vegetables and pimentos are so flavorful. Second tip, they serve an amazing lamb shank only on Friday and Saturday the last weekend of the month. If you can go then, it's worth it. We had the roasted leg of lamb and it too was amazing. Great for couple or date night or small parties. Not necessarily kid friendly and I'm totally OK with that. See ya next visit Epis! read more

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Very comfortable homey atmosphere. Excellent friendly service. Food was prepared by knowledgeable chef(s).... Definitely not schlock cookery here. Enjoyed it. Memorable. I'll be back. read more

Epi's is the true Basque experience! Our family has been going here for family dinners for years! We are 4th generation Basque Idahoans, and we know we will always see other Basque friends and family every time we have dinner there! The food is 5 star, and so is the service! Everything on the menu is absolutely delicious! You can not go wrong, no matter what you choose to dine on, and you will be extremely satisfied with the experience! read more

This place can do much better! I ordered the beef tongue dish; a couple thin slices of tongue drowned in marinara sauce, served with a soup, a house salad straight out of a bag and French fried, and priced like a steak. Disappointed. read more

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This restaurant is really fantastic. I came here with a large group so I got to try numerous options. Starting with the appetizers, the chorizo and mushrooms were solid. The chorizo had an interesting sauce that was unique as far as my dining experiences have been. The portion size for the mushrooms was generous. The calamari was absolutely scrumptious and came with a really good orange dipping sauce. And the croquetas  were out of this world. Regarding entrees, they were out of the ink fish, so I went with the daily special of scallops in some kind of lemon garlic cream sauce. It came with sundries tomatoes, mashed potatoes, sauteed peasant and a choice of red bean or creamy rice soup. The creamy rice soup was like a spicy clam chowder, just delicious. I wasn't overly fond of the red bean soup, but that's not really my type of soup to begin with. The peas were good, and the mashed potatoes were decent too, though I would have preferred something like rice or breakfast potatoes to absorb the sauce from the entree. The scallops and the sauce were divine. Other things I managed to nibble on were lamb legs, which didn't quite do it for me, but the other person loved. Lambchops were great. And though I didn't try it, my friend enjoyed his ox(or was it pork) tongue. I hope to try more options in the future. I heard the halibut is wonderful. For desserts, we got the caramel bread pudding and some cake type thing that had a raspberry sauce on it. Both hit the spot. Great service all around too, though it seemed like they could use another waiter.  We were in no hurry so sitting around and having a slow meal was fine.  Though this place is pricey, if you want to have a full meal and enjoy some amazing food, you won't leave unsatisfied. Great first experience with Basque food for me. read more

Can't understand the enthusiasm OK - quaint elderly restaurant with pretty average food Raves over totally mediocre salad and bread! Understand a family charm for some But are these 'cultural' rose tinted evals? Are seniors bussed in for a treat? Expensive for what it is - is my view read more

This place is awesome but every time I call for a reservation, they're doing something offsite