Was recommended to come here by the fine folks at the mode lounge. Super friendly, very attentive…read more I even asked for a beer to go with the cocktail I had and it worked well. Everyone sitting at the bar was friendly too. Places like this help my move to the treasure Valley and go swimmingly. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone under any circumstance in downtown Boise

Amazing Wednesday night ! Live local musicians. Open mic . Talented and raw and unfiltered! Singing…read morefrom the soul ! The saloon is small but great drinks !

A speak easy in Boise! I was intrigued! The whole experience was so fun to share with a group of…read morefriends! We stood in the alley and knocked on the door. A small window in the door opened and we had to provide a password to gain entry. (Initially our large group had to reserve 3 time slots and we would be seated separately.) I was in the first group. We were let into a small area with floor to ceiling bookcases. Of course there was a book that once pulled, opened a secret door to the bar within. The ambiance was dim lighting and groups of comfortable seating areas. The waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the drinks on the menu. I started with a mocktail that could be made vegan by omitting the egg white. Beautifully presented with a flower design. It was sweet and it was tart. The second drink I got was a cocktail that was smooth with a perfect amount of sweet. My friends got cocktails in their unique glasses. When our next group came through, they were led into a room. After a while, one friend came out to say hello to us. The waiter noticed that we knew each other and told my group to follow him. The room was dimly lit and was furnished with comfortable armchairs and couches. Our third group was able to join us in the room and we were able to mingle seated or standing. The different drinks that were ordered were so cool. A smoky bubble was set on top of a cone shaped glass that resembled an ice cream cone. I had a couple of friends that ordered gin drinks and they were served in a bathtub complete with rubber ducky! This was such a fun and special way to celebrate a friend's birthday! The service was superb!

I've been to several speakeasies around the USA and Gatsby should be the standard of what a…read morespeakeasy should be. No really! Imagine yourself walking through the 8th St promenade in downtown Boise. It's hustling and bustling with people and restaurants that are packed. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you see an alley. It's kinda dark, maybe a little unsettling at first. You see a steel door with a small panel at the top of the door. No door handles but a green lit old stagecoach light, a small wooden sign hanging g just beyond the door with a key on it. Hmmm, strange. In faded sharpie letters it says Knock knock on the metal door, so you knock twice. The panel on the door slides open and they ask for the password. Whoa!!!! Luckily you called ahead to make reservations so they whispered it to you. You give the password and door opens to a tiny little library with a couple of shelves full of books. The hosts welcomes you and you stare at the bookshelf knowing it isn't just a bookshelf but a door. You try pulling on different books guessing which is the right one but after a minute the hostess shows you and you enter a beautiful brick walled 1920s decorated room with seats and dim lights and no windows whatsoever. The artwork is prohibition-era themed. Heck, there's even a stack of wooden barrels that supposedly hold spirits. That is exactly the speakeasy experience you are looking for. We were seated in the boiler room, a private area which had beautiful wooden lockers with glass doors all lit up and full of booze. Books line the wall and there is an old fireplace covered with candles that have melted wax all over the mantle. In the corner is a poker table. Really the perfect vibe for a speakeasy. Glance at the menu and notice their tang of cheaper to very rare and unique spirits, some costing hundreds of dollars for a shot. Whisky, vodka, rum, gin, scotch, bourbon, you name it. But also check out their cocktails. They can even make mocktails if you don't want alcohol. Not only are the drinks unique but so is their presentation. The glades used I've never seen. Some drinks have a printed pattern on them, others come with dry ice that quickly evaporates or a cool smoked filled bubble. The whole experience was just amazing. This is a do not miss opportunity if you like drinks and cool, unique experiences. They even have another room in the back called the Garrison Room which looks like a mineshaft. I just love the thought put into this place. And when you are done, you exit through a nondescript door and exits to a patio area of another restaurant and back out to the promenade. Just a wow experience! So glad I did it.

I was fortunate and excited to participate in Relay for Rescue on Saturday, August 1, an annual…read moreevent to raise money for 5 different animal rescue organizations in the Treasure Valley. From 2-5pm, 4 teams of 20-60 adults participated in a scavenger hunt searching for clues at 6 different downtown Boise bars. We didn't just run in and out--we did spend money at the venues, and most of them understood that this was a good opportunity to increase their visibility and build goodwill for their establishment. This is an excerpt from the post-event communication: "Thank you...to the participating venues who graciously allowed our participants to invade their venues to complete the scavenger hunt: 10 Barrel Brewing, Barbarian Downtown Beer Bar, Cactus Bar, Hap Hap Lounge, Liquid Lounge, Shrine Social Club." It was very disconcerting when the lead bartender at Cactus Lounge was remarkably rude and uncooperative with participants. Not only did he refuse to accommodate a simple request for handwriting the total of a bill on the receipt ("I don't have time--I have customers to serve [there were perhaps 6 other patrons in the bar, none of whom were actually waiting for service at the time]), he immediately blocked another employee, who also did not have anyone waiting for service, from participating. It would have taken less time for him to handwrite the total than it took to for him to be actively obstructive. I have no idea what his motive was in being uncooperative, however, that behaviour significantly diminishes my interest in going to Cactus Bar in the future. The staff at the other 5 venues were awesome, despite being busier than that bartender at Cactus Bar. I encourage considering supporting the more hospitable establishments in downtown Boise.

If you're from California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, this bar is probably the most overrated place…read morein downtown Boise. I promise you if you saved your money and went to other places like the Mode lounge and little Pearl you're way better off. This place does not deserve your money I'm new to the area and was drawn to this bar because of its strong social media presence. I made a point to stop in after work on a Monday because I was genuinely interested in checking it out. When I walked in, the bartender acknowledged me, took my order, and served my drink promptly. Unfortunately, that's where the service essentially ended. The bartender seemed far more interested in chatting with a group of fellow industry friends about local gossip than engaging with customers. I mentioned that I was new to the area and that it was my first time visiting, but there didn't seem to be any interest in continuing the conversation or making me feel welcome. It left a pretty poor first impression. I had actually been looking forward to potentially making this a regular stop and bringing friends with me, but based on this experience I'm not likely to return. To top it off, I wasn't even acknowledged when I left, which made it feel like new customers simply aren't a priority here. That's disappointing, because I had hoped to find a new local spot to support.

We had a good time here, the staff was engaging, the food was decent (average bar food), and the…read moreambiance was like a standard neighborhood bar with a "wee bit of the blarney." The food is slightly lacking vs. other Irish pubs I've frequented, but it's still good. There's the way I grew up expecting these dishes to be prepared, and there's the simplified version they serve. They make some odd choices sometimes, like taking on St. Patrick's Day by just saying, "We'll just let patrons fight it out for seating," and serving corned beef and cabbage cafeteria-style. If you are out for a night of drinks and some pub food, this place is fun and generally doesn't disappoint. Enjoy a parting glass with friends and Éirinn go Brách.

My wife came here with her work friends and had a great time, so I was inspired to come visit with…read moremy daughter and my Mom, and then later with my wife. Here's where I think the Harp excels: Live music nights. Come have some beers and enjoy the live music. 9/10 BSU or college football nights. Come have some beers, maybe play some pool, and have a good time. 8/10 Here's where I think the Harp needs some help I understand that everything is homemade / made to order/made from scratch. I totally understand, but the gaps in service are just too long. In the three times I have visited, I have had to wait for food or drinks. I do appreciate the apology and the comp of the beer, but I believe what is lacking is the awareness of your customers. If you see that the pint is half-full, check in and ask if they want another. If there's a delay in the food order, bring some peanuts. It's called being on top of your customers and then distracting them. For now, I would not recommend eating or snacking here, the wait is simply too long, and there are not sufficient available snacks while you're having a drink. Does this mean I won't be back? No. It just means I'm going under the right circumstances, like live music and enjoy a pint of Smithwick's

Stopped in while visiting for Christmas. We had the best time and Sarah was amazing. Definitely my…read morekind of place. I'll be back for sure.

I came here after grabbing a bite to eat at Boise fry co. I grabbed a margarita and it was just…read moreokay. Nothing special. Overall I love the aesthetics and recommend checking it out if in the area for a drink. They do have weekly events. Also beer pong

Stopped by on a Tuesday afternoon to catch a movie ! Popcorn is free and is served during showtime…read more! Movie changes every Tuesday and comes with a movie trivia before it plays ! Such a fun and cute date night place ! Loved the vibes and the seasonal shot was amazing ! Slushies are strong and delicious so be careful ! Service was fast and good !

Evoking an English pub, I'm happy to say that if you are a fan of the Avery, you will love this…read moreplace too. Their Shepard's pie is made with lamb and just melts in your mouth. Covered in pillowy mash and a delicate browning on top, this will make you question if Costco's Shepard pie should even have the same name. They share the same drink menu so great for happy hour. Also enjoyed their scotch egg which was fried well. I plan to come back again for their HH burger and it's nice to see their full cocktail menu offered on both sides of the house. Just check their HH hours as it can show up as 3-5 in some places and 4-6 pm on weekdays. As of this review, it's 4-6 pm. It's definitely a darker pub but that just evokes the mood. They have lovely vintage artifacts around and their bar is 100 years old. Just ask the staff to learn about the historical artifacts.

Tiner's Alley might be one of my new hangouts! Great happy hour with $10 hamburgers,$3 french…read morefries, and drink specials,including $7 wine and $10 Margaritas. Claire was friendly, attentive, and helped with recommendations during our first time in. My friend loved her cucumber mocktail. And the dark chocolate gelato was delicious. It's one of the cooler places to play pool. I can't bring myself back to Mulligan's again. It's Tiner's Alley pool table from now on.

We are visiting Boise this weekend and found this gem. I love the vibes here and the drinks were…read moreamazing!!

We tried to go to the Gatsby but....they didn't answer Totally bummed until my niece led us across…read morethe street to 8 Horses Lounge WOW, just WOW!!! I've eaten at Fork numerous times and no idea this little jewel was within arms reach. Excellent cocktails and mocktails. Super comfy seating and just the right lightning. Our waitress made excellent recommendations and we all loved our drinks. This will be our go to from now on Well done!