Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Refuge

    3.7 (147 reviews)
    ModerateNew American, Bars
    Open 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    The Refuge Photos

    THE REFUGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - The Refuge

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    a glass of a drink with a lemon garnish
    Wendy K.

    My husband and I actually ended up eating here almost everyday five days in a row! It was next door to our hotel. We were there for my father in laws funeral... Each day we walked over for either lunch or dinner: the service was amazing (kind, perfect, on point), the food was WOW yummy, and the bartending was needed and sheer perfection! There was a sense this place was a locals hangout too. Friendly, upbeat, TVs and pool table. Onion rings and tots are a fav. The burgers and patty melt--classics. And you HAVE to get the cheesecake or chocolate hot fridge cake for dessert... splurge, it's worth it!

    Chicken wings

    See all

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marnie B.
    212
    76
    37

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Terrible service and mediocre food. I witnessed the staff mistreat an elderly patron, which was disgraceful.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Really enjoyed The refuge. I had the lamb cheese steak sandwich. It was very tender and sweet.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark J.
    1
    143
    4

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bob T.
    0
    37
    0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lena
    0
    1
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Deb F.
    0
    24
    7

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan C.
    36
    3
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Logan C.
    17
    42
    27

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ed W.
    68
    187
    26

    2 years ago

    This is one of my local spots in Boise. The chicken wings are in my Top 2 in Boise. Service is great and the people are super friendly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Very busy, great food, friendly efficient staff. This is a Sports bar so many TV's all around.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    We love this place! Great food and drinks, friendly staff, welcoming and fun atmosphere. Highly recommend!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of LeeAnn C.
    288
    506
    799

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jaime L.
    147
    12
    10

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Refuge

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for New American 8,128 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The James Kitchen and Bar - Ceaser salad

    The James Kitchen and Bar

    4.3(108 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    Service 5 stars Ambiance 5 stars…read moreFood 4 stars ... The James burger, best burger I've ever had. Only complaint is half way through it I found a hair under the second half on my plate so didn't come from me. Wish I never saw it! Will go back, stuff happens, but ruined my 5 star experience for sure.

    I want to give this place another Star, I really do but I don't know that it's deserved!?…read more I will start by saying this place is right up my alley! A great upstairs bar, patio space outside, lots of whiskey and Bourbon and other great things. I will say the one Star drop was just the very very average to below average food! I have been here a couple of times, good cocktails! Came in one night to watch a Bball game and have some dinner. I have been on a quest of the best Fish & Chips in Boise and figured from the feel of this place it might just hit a little something! I was, well disappointed I guess is the best way to say it. Fish & Chips were OK, very OK, but cold or at least not real warm! I get it, kitchen is downstairs and it has to come up but that is something they should be good at. This was not a very busy night and I don't think that had much to do with anything! I will come back for the patio, might even have a bite here again but I don't think I would order the Fish & Chips again, just wouldn't be worth it! Great location, patio but very average and not very warm food! KT

    Photos
    The James Kitchen and Bar
    The James Kitchen and Bar - Pep pizza with olives

    Pep pizza with olives

    The James Kitchen and Bar - Gorgonzola fries with sauce on the side

    See all

    Gorgonzola fries with sauce on the side

    Barbacoa Grill - Coulotte Steak & Cajun Shrimp cognac sauce set ablaze

    Barbacoa Grill

    4.2(1.7k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$

    What a good resturant. My husband and i came here on a Saturday date night. Place was packed, but…read morewe had a reservation so we got seated right away. The resturant has a great ambiance with a pond with outdoor or indoor seating. My husband an i ordered 2 appetizers, one was a jalepno stuffed with a pull beef marinated in an awesome sauce and a flat bread, both were delish. For our entres we both ordered the Hot Rock Filet. It was served with a cognac sauce that was a perfect match. We split a bake potato and wild mushrooms. Dessert was peach cobbler pie and i was full but managed to eat a few bites.

    My wife and I decided to go to Barbacoa for dinner and man are we glad we did…read more The place was hopping on a Saturday night and after experiencing the delicious food and excellent service I understand why. We started with the stuffed chili appetizer that was packed full of the most tender beef and had a cilantro cream sauce to die for. We both had the "hot rock" filet with cognac cream sauce which was spectacular. The filets were perfectly cooked and the sauce was so good, I wanted it on everything. We ended the night with a fresh baked peach cobbler that was the perfect end to a great experience. On top of all of that, the decor was beautiful and the service was friendly, attentive and prompt. Barbacoa is definitely at the top tier of restaurants in the treasure valley and could very well be the best. We cannot wait to come back.

    Photos
    Barbacoa Grill - Hot stone fire presentation

    Hot stone fire presentation

    Barbacoa Grill - Table Side Guacamole

    Table Side Guacamole

    Barbacoa Grill - Wine chiller ice with flowers, leaves and berries

    See all

    Wine chiller ice with flowers, leaves and berries

    The Wylder - Crispy Brussel sprouts

    The Wylder

    4.6(756 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    The Wylder is one of Boise's best restaurants. In my opinion, I prefer the bronco add fresh basil…read moreover the honey badger. The honey badger is fine. It's just not as good as the bronco in my opinion. I could eat that mushroom toast every single day it's that good. And as you can see the butterscotch budino, although it looks so simple, it taste incredible. Every time I go here, I leave happy. They don't take reservations so if it's busy, there will be a wait often. If you're open to sitting outside, you will get seated fast faster. This restaurant is right up there with Percy for me!

    I had such a great experience here while traveling! Yesterday I noticed the online wait time was…read moreabout an hour and a half, so I ended up eating somewhere else. Today I decided to order ahead, but I accidentally scheduled my pickup an hour later than I intended because my laptop was set to a different time zone. I called the restaurant, explained what happened, and they were incredibly kind and accommodating. Even though the restaurant was absolutely packed when I arrived, they were able to get my order ready much earlier than originally scheduled. I really appreciated them going out of their way to help me. The food was fantastic! The Honey Badger pizza was delicious, the Everynight salad was even better. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and worth every bite. Between the outstanding customer service and the excellent food, this place definitely earned five stars. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll absolutely be coming here again!

    Photos
    The Wylder - Restaurant

    Restaurant

    The Wylder - Mushroom toast

    Mushroom toast

    The Wylder - Delightful root beer!

    See all

    Delightful root beer!

    Ram Restaurant & Brewery

    Ram Restaurant & Brewery

    2.9(272 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    My wife and I brought our daughter here for lunch today, Sunday, at about 1:30…read more First off, it's downtown and yet they have a large, free parking lot, so I loved that. Second, and I doubt this is the case during football season, the place was not busy at all. The inside is dark wood, tables and booths. I liked the ambience, I kind of pub feel. However, it was a beautiful day, so we sat on the patio, and this was nice. Our young male server, and I apologize because I did not get his name, but he had dark hair and a beard, did an excellent job of taking care of us. My daughter and I had the Red Eye(?) IPA, which we both enjoyed. She had the shrimp bowl, my wife had the French dip, and I got the Pacific-something seafood melt. My daughter really liked her choice. My wife said that, while there was plenty of meat on her sandwich, she has had French dip sandwiches elsewhere with more flavor. Likewise, my crab, shrimp, and artichoke sandwich was not as flavorful as I would have liked, and mine was served kind of open-faced. When I put it together ingredients were falling out as I ate it. So, I was not that impressed with my choice. My wife and I liked the fries, hers the sweet potato, mine the regular. Crispy and well-seasoned. My sandwich was $22, and my wife and daughter's entrees were $19. With two beers and a soda, the bill came to over $100 including the tip. So, not inexpensive. I'm not sure we would drive from Star to this location again, based on the food and prices.

    Used to come here all the time when I worked in Boise. Watched football and a few beers. After 15…read moreyears it's pretty much the same. Surprisingly bright for all the dark wood. The beers are pretty good but the food is, meh! One thing I can say is good are the nachos with blackened chicken. We ordered those and two beers. Their Clearwater Kolsch is excellent. The service was adequate but slow. I think they were under staffed or disorganized. Neither is good.

    Photos
    Ram Restaurant & Brewery
    Ram Restaurant & Brewery
    Ram Restaurant & Brewery

    See all

    Pengilly's Saloon - Pengilly's Bar

    Pengilly's Saloon

    3.9(73 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $

    Pengilly's Saloon is, without a doubt, a Boise treasure. Located in the heart of the Old Boise…read moreHistoric District, walking through the doors truly feels like taking a step back in time. It is no wonder Esquire Magazine once called this spot "the one true classic in Boise." The atmosphere is steeped in history, featuring a stunning 114-year-old hardwood Brunswick bar and a beautiful turn-of-the-century National Cash Register. From the vintage cigarette machine by the door to the classic pool table, every corner of the saloon radiates character and charm. The history here is fascinating--it originally served as a grocery store before transitioning into the Stockman's Pastime Bar in the 70s, eventually becoming the Pengilly's we know and love in 1976. That legacy is felt in the soul of the building. The service is consistently excellent. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, making every visit a great experience. Whether I'm ordering a Sex on the Beach or sticking to a Shirley Temple when I'm the designated driver, the drinks are always spot on. My fiancé usually goes for a double Jack and Coke, and we always have a fantastic time soaking in the live music performed by talented local artists. If you are looking for an authentic, historic, and lively spot in Boise with a warm atmosphere and great vibes, Pengilly's Saloon is the place to be. We can't recommend it enough!

    Ambiance of this place was fantastic. At first we were hesitant as we didn't know what the crowd…read morewould look like. Come to find out, it's all ages! The band that played was amazing and the servers were great at checking up on us for drinks. Lovely place to meet people and dance with live music. Would definitely return if I come back to visit Boise in the future.

    Photos
    Pengilly's Saloon
    Pengilly's Saloon
    Pengilly's Saloon - The bar itself was made in the late 1800's.

    See all

    The bar itself was made in the late 1800's.

    The Refuge - newamerican - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...