We've been to Barbacoa a few times, and each time the food and atmosphere were delightful. Specifically, this review is for the private event we had this month. We had a small wedding, and opted to have dinner at a restaurant instead of a more traditional reception. Barbacoa was not our first pick, but I'm so glad the first restaurant didn't pan out. Due to a vehicle breakdown, my wedding started late, so our group was late to our reservation. We called ahead to let Barbacoa know, and they graciously sat our guests as they arrived, providing the guacamole starter from our menu and drinks. Once our whole party arrived, the menu flowed seamlessly from appetizer to salad to entree to dessert. Our group of 19 was served courses at the same time, letting us all eat together, but we weren't rushed from one course to the next (despite our late arrival). The staff waited for everyone to finish one course before bringing out the next. We reserved the upstairs Ocean room. The room was beautiful and removed from the bustle of the rest of the restaurant giving us an intimate setting with our closest people. Two minor hiccups were solved quickly. First, our tables were in two rows, not allowing my husband and I to face our guests. Our hostess worked with us to quickly rearrange two tables to give us a U shaped seating. The music was quite loud as well, but was turned down promptly when I asked. Neither were very big deals, but I appreciate Barbacoa being receptive and accommodating for our group. Overall the food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was intimate and exactly what we were looking for, and the staff was professional, friendly, and well coordinated. read more

Horrible service...went for my bday. Food came out only after complaining. Waited very an hour. Over priced for horrible service.

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

See all

Amazing restaurant! Good service and great food. Our party had a wide variety of selections from all over the menu. ALL were delicious. This was my first time in Boise and wow, did we choose right! read more

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

See all

The cowboy Ribeye & Ribs were delicious plus the guacamole bar was on point. Shout out to Darren & Ella they were fantastic servers.

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

A year ago, it would have been a solid 4.5 stars. The last time we went, a couple of months ago, was when a friend visited Boise like he did last year, and he was just as disappointed as we were. The food was mediocre at best, the service was fine, but prices had gone up with no improvement in quality. The only thing it has over some fine restaurants is the location and the view of the lake, but that's not enough to make you want to come back. read more

Arrived at 6p. Ordered drinks and meals right away. Food came out quickly. Food was good. I felt sorry for our waitress. She had to run 8 tables. They were understaffed. So understandably delayed trips to our table. She was very polite though. I spoke to a young Manager with long groomed mustache. He looked barely 18. I'm sure he was older than that. When I explained my frustration about the service being delayed, he began to make excuses and want to argue the point. Kid has a lot to learn about customer service. We ordered and finished our food in 50 minutes. Took another hour for the desert to come and the bill. Which I asked for when we ordered the desert because we were strapped for time. I spend about $5000 a year at this restaurant and unfortunately will not be going back. read more

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

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

See all

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

See all

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

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

Not just a meal, an experience! The ribeye is great, service is top notch. The ambiance is white table cloth, meets high end party. We have been here several times over the years and never been disappointed. 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

See all

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

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

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

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

See all

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

See all

We absolutely love Barbacoa! The atmosphere is always relaxed, upscale, and welcoming. The food is consistently excellent--especially the steaks--and the salads are amazing. Tonight my husband ordered the sea bass and said it was phenomenal. It's one of our favorite places for a great meal and a special night out. read more

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

See all

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

See all

My 2026 review is 3.5 stars My review two years ago would be 4.5 out of 5. Not the place it used to be. The service "used" to be incredible and the food was consistently good. Since the owner died along with the ownership opening up numerous other restaurant concepts, I feel the ball has been dropped on what was once my favorite Boise restaurant. Not as good of service, food quality varies and prices have increased like every other restaurant. I don't mind paying a little more, but I do expect consistently good service and food quality, and I feel both have lacked that lately. I still go occasionally but not nearly as much. read more

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

We sat in the bar area for a late dinner (10pm) after driving 6 hours as part of our road trip. This was our first time there and we went based on Yelp reviews. The food was good (4 stars) although it did take a LONG time for the food to come out. I had a salad with chicken. My son had a steak. Nothing really exciting to say about it other than it would good. Not amazing, not "meh." The service was very good. She was there pretty much whenever we needed her and she checked in on us a lot. The ambiance was good. They put a lot of thought into the details of the place. If you look at the ceiling in the bar area, you can see a face of a woman (I attached a photo). Again, we were passing through since we were travelling, so this was just a stop for a meal. It was good enough, but if we were back in the area, we would try another place as I am sure there is somewhere that we would love instead of just like. I usually have something really strong to say about a place and I just don't about this one...I'd say keep looking... read more

Barbacoa Grill - Ceiling in bar - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

The food was delightful! They have wood fired stoves for pizza and a full kitchen. Seafood pasta was my order for the evening and it was perfect. It was so large of a portion, I wish I had someone with me to share it with. Service was fast and smiling. The bartender served me as I was sitting at the bar top and got to enjoy the view of the pizza oven and the chit chat at the bar top. It is a romantic restaurant for a date or a special location for a birthday party. I highly recommend this place. read more

Barbacoa Grill - Great Pizza Oven. - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Ate dinner here Friday night. Glad I did so! Really pretty restaurant, with an amazing view out back before the sun went down. And, one of the hosts found me a seat as a single near the bar, although the restaurant was very crowded and people were waiting. Thanks! Herradura ultra, one ice cube, and a lime, to start. I had the mixed grill with spinach substituted for the coconut rice. Excellent dish! Scallops, shrimp, and fish were grilled perfectly, with a slight char. Nice presentation too. My server, Terica (see photo), added to an already great meal. She was very engaging, and was nice enough to suggest fresh in a fruit for dessert, as the other desserts were too sugar-filled for my healthy eating orientation. Delicious meal. Great venue! read more

See all

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

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

Been here twice. Reservations are better on Friday -Sundays. We sat outside both times and it's beautiful facing the lake. Both times were in May-June so weather in BOISE is perfect! Food was great! Tomahawk was their special and it was huge. Good for two or even three , depending on hunger. Great taste. read more

See all

Sorry I think it's overpriced for what it is. I enjoyed the people I was with. The restaurant is beautiful. My ribeye was gristly and flavorless and I would expect better for $70. Drinks were fantastic and the service was great. read more

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

After living in the area for almost 4 years and traveling here well beyond that- we finally made it to Barbacoa. I wish I hadn't resisted for so long. This is probably the nicest restaurant in Boise and is 100% the best when it comes to service, flavor and over all experience. It's definitely a splurge- but it's one I didn't regret nearly as much as other "fine dining" restaurants in the Treasure Valley. Everything was well seasoned, nicely flavored and you will not leave hungry or annoyed that you spent $60 for processed cheese as an "upgrade." If you have the budget for it, and want a special experience - make the reservation early and treat yourself. I sure as hell will be back. read more

One of our friends recommended this place. Wow! It is packed even on a Monday night! We made reservations. We started with the habanero tequila ribs . Meat fell off the bone, nice crust but the texture of the meat was a bit dry. My fiancé loved it though. The pineapple coleslaw was very refreshing and the sauce was tangy but not spicy. Overall a great start. The octopus with chimichurri sauce was amazing! The octopus was so tender and the sauce has a nice kick to it. We ordered rib eye with hot rock. They flambé the steak served in a hot rock. The steak came quite rare so we left it in the rock for some time. The steak was very fatty ; almost 1/2 was all fat. The rock didn't really cook the steak so by the end of the meal, pieces of steak was still rare. Definitely a great presentation, but next time I would order without the hot rock. We told the waiter about the issue with the steak and he graciously agreed with us. He asked management to take a portion off the bill off. We also ordered onion rings and asparagus for sides. This is definitely a one of a kind restaurant! read more

See all

Always a pleasure to dine there during the warm weather Great food, surroundings and stellar service read more

The food and service were next level and my whole party enjoys this place a lot the prices are a little bit higher, but you're paying for the service and the great servers and staff that they have here. The bar tenders were super helpful and the servers were great I would definitely come back here every single time I pass through or come to Boise. read more

Barbacoa Grill - Cowboy Rib Eye - Steakhouses Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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

Had a wonders dinner for our anniversary. Our server,Andrew, was great. The grill octopus is fantastic. read more

See all