I was fortunate and excited to participate in Relay for Rescue on Saturday, August 1, an annual event 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. read more

If you're from California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, this bar is probably the most overrated place in 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. read more

Manager just responded seven months later about new bathrooms. They weren't there at the time. Maybe that's true. But the weird transphobic vibe his security guy threw at us (none of us are trans) kind of transcends new bathrooms. Do better. Your bar was awesome until one of our friends had diarrhea. read more

Needed a within walking distance dicey place - plus was open at 10:30..granted I was one of two customers on a rainy day but drink was good, well poured and priced..my type of place. read more

Great service and delicious drinks. Had ample happy dad for my friends and I which is our favorite! Great atmosphere to enjoy our night with our parents as well. read more

Cactus Bar - Happy Dad Drinks and Photo Booth Pictures. - Dive Bars Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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This poor place has so much potential. And honestly it IS busy on the weekends. You'd think they were more popular by the "brother sister TikTok" act but sadly no. There is ONE decent weekday bartender here. The rest are just BAD. I'm going to keep trying to be a regular here but damn do most of the bartenders here make it impossible. Not even just the rude behavior stuff. It's straight up BAD service. Tonight we were basically ignored then the chick acted like we were a hassle for wanting drinks or our check and we just waited foreverrrrrr. I want to raise the stars here but it's honestly worth less right now. read more

We enjoyed some happy dads last night with old friends and new ones at cactus. The service was incredibly nice and friendly, the music was great, games were fun, and atmosphere overall was very enjoyable. read more

Cactus Bar - Bar area - Dive Bars Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I'm from Hollywood California and I know how to party , This place is lit!!! The drinks are cheap the girls are very attractive the bartenders are very cool I had drink and beer all night for $3 each so you know I was feeling pretty good at the end of the night. I recommend coming here the age range is welcoming to every age :) so have fun guys read more

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My boyfriend and I were kicked out immediately after using the restroom with no explanation. And rudely by back of staff. Gentlemen in the front were kind enough to explain that two different genders arent allowed in the restroom at once, really appreciate them for an explanation. It would be understandable if it's mens vs women's or a sign outside of the outdoor restrooms. however there were neither. I have been in the restroom with a guy friend before and other groups of girls but have never been kicked out. I was also in the middle of using the restroom and they were banging on the door and it hadn't even been a minute. Please do better. read more

Very friendly staff. The new vibe and outside area is a great new addition! They upgraded to taking cards now best dive bar in Boise.

Great bar! I was on a girls trip and we would've walked past it but the doorman (Mike Lane?) convinced us to give it a shot. And shots we did! Had the best time! Great crowd and drinks. If I'm ever in the area again I'll definitely swing by! read more

Ty and brandon gave us wonderful service and incredible tasting drinks. very reasonable price. I do recommend

I'm a big fan of dive bars but this is to far, even for me. Cash only, which sucks. Drinks were ok but they had a lot of cheep liquor, which always disturbs me. And I'm pretty sure it's just a front for something since we were the only ones in there - which did not surprise them...they actually seemed kinda shocked when we walked in...:never a good sign. read more

Best fucking place to get soused on cheap drinks. My friends and I always begin our night at 8th & Main, and this is stop number one. $2 cranberry and vodkas? I'll take 4. Just don't use the bathrooms here. You'll want 4 more drinks to forget how disgusting it is. Nonetheless 5 stars because I have great memories here (well, out of the ones I can remember) and because I don't have to blow too much coin. I miss this place and all the other bars in DT Boise so either wear a damn mask or stay home. It ain't that hard. We'd all like to party again soon. :) read more

This is one of the finest Dives in Boise. Stiff drinks, great atmosphere and an awesome smokers patio. I don't smoke but the vibe and conversations out there priceless. Jack is always in a great mood and keeps everyone topped off and laughing. The other bartenders are great as well. Sometimes there are a few oddballs (guests) but that's part of the allure. No food to speak of but there's always a great tap list. Not sure if the pool table is still up and running (Fuck you COVID-19) but there is usually one. edit: there are dart boards now where the pool table used to be. read more

Cactus Bar - Cactus Bar signage outside. - Dive Bars Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Ty is a legend. He helped fix my neurotic mind. Good prices, good people, can't recommended enough

Cactus, I think, has cleaned up quite a bit. This bar was the last bar I would go to after a night of bar hopping. This is also a pretty old bar; my father has brought me here a couple of times and we ran into one of his old friends. I remember how trashy it was because I noticed how nice it looks inside when I came in recently. I really liked the guy behind the bar; he was really nice. I noticed that there are phone chargers at the tables and this is super nice if you are out for a night on the town and your phone is about to die. If there were any dive bars to suggest, it would be Cactus. read more

KEN IS AMAAAAAZING!!! For starters he was a top notch server and a total gentleman. Not only that once we left he left he came to our rescue and found my girlfriends phone but also found my friends smokes. He was so nice and amazing and super professional. The music was great, the drinks were awesome and came fast, but Ken is our A+ winner for tonight thankyou for being so amazing read more

Cash only sucks. More than anything we, my wife and I, might have been older than the typical crowd. It's just drinks and for that they get 3/5 stars. Worth dropping in to check out the shot of the day. read more

First time on this app, barback of six years. Just wanted to have a couple drinks and play some darts. I had some bad food not even due to being too drunk and the dude at the door did not treat me or my mom(who was visiting) intimidated us to leave. Great place Cactus is a staple of Boise. But, these door guys aren't worth their salt in any means and can't handle actual issues. They nit pick, they have nothing better to do. read more

My son & I had a little less than an hour to get somewhere so decided to stop into what I've read is thee dive bar that all the locals hang out at. It was 2pm on a Saturday so I didn't expect much of a crowd which there wasn't but a handful of friendly local folks. The bar area wasn't intimidating and brightly lit. Wesley the bartender was super friendly, talkative and welcoming. He made me a new drink he had just named Citrus Heights which was sweet, citrusy and refreshing. As I made conversation with Ty (one of the friendly locals) Wesley made my son his first Jack & Coke as he just turned 21 last month. I'm giving this bar 5 stars as I would definitely return to enjoy Wesley's new creations & not be charged $14/ drink at other places when the quality is just as good. Great location & people too. read more

I was very disappointed with the service and professionalism of this establishment. The bartender behaved quite inappropriately and was very disrespectful when my boyfriend and I asked for a soda after he had given us some strong drinks. The drinks weren't a problem, and we did not go about it as such; We were polite and friendly, I was quite taken aback with his snarky remarks and outlandish behavior over a request of a soft drink. We will not be going back. 10 out of 10 would not recommend. read more

I really like cactus! They have nice cheap drinks and an awesome patio area out back. I love that they allow dogs and I find myself gravitating towards Cactus whenever I'm downtown. They always have water available and pretty nice staff. Keep in mind this bar is *cash only*, and there is an ATM outside the front door if needed. The reason for four stars is for a couple things. The place would definitely be considered a 'dive bar' which I enjoy as it sets a nice laid-back atmosphere. However, that doesn't mean the bathrooms need to be disgusting and borderline unusable. Additionally, while some of the staff is really nice (Specifically Griffin) some of the other bartenders seem constantly annoyed, kind of rude, and stand-offish. I can imagine they get some rude belligerent customers who possibly don't tip well since the drinks are so cheap, but when it's part of their job, they could be a little more kind. I don't want to say they are 'mean' but I do notice the same people being consistently less friendly than other bar staff. read more

Love this place! Super cheap drinks and great staff! Had a great experience with one of the bouncers named Tanner he was so great and I will definitely be coming back and hope Tanner is working!! read more

I've been a fan of Cactus for a while! Attracted by its atmosphere and usually pretty good service and cheap drinks. However, my most recent visit left me extremely appalled and disappointed. On this occasion, we walked up to the bar and were immediately met with an attitude from Lexi. I had an unpleasant interaction with her, while my friend had gone to a different bartender (Skyler), so after being treated very poorly, I walked over to my friend.  Lexi then ran across the bar to tell the bartender to not serve us. My friend asked why and What she did wrong. Skyler and Lexi then displayed an astonishing lack of professionalism and courtesy. Their behavior towards my party was not only rude but escalated to them using inappropriate language and cussing us out as we were walking trying to remove ourselves from the situation. I would absolutely admit if I had done or said something that could have caused them to act this way, but I was very confused, along with multiple other customers who were not even apart of our group. I also prefer to give people grace in stressful situations, as I have worked in customer service for a long time. It was St. Patty's day (but they were NOT busy). The bouncers were very nice to give us these two bartenders names, and were calm with us and assured us we did nothing wrong and that this issue would be brought to managements attention, so we appreciate them! I am writing this review to make sure it actually is brought to the attention of management. I didn't catch their names amongst the mess of us leaving, but this experience has tarnished my view of Cactus bar. A place I once held in high regard. It's disheartening to see such a decline in customer service standards, and I hope the management takes this feedback seriously to ensure no other patrons have to endure what we had to. read more

I like this bar. From homebums to hipsters, you will see them all here. A $20 bill and you will get yourself a buzz. It's not often that I remember leaving this bar. Good times. :) read more

Walked in and a gentleman bought me a drink. Bartender had the poise kick out someone who had been previously 86'd from every bar in town while pouring stiff great drink, great service read more

Staff is rude. Bartender rude as well. You get what you pay for I suppose. Anyways I once had a very bad experience with one of the bartenders. He was so rude because me and my friend helped ourselves to some lemons on the counter. He acted as if it was going to be taken off his paycheck. read more

We went here and they were using these stamps and then when we went to redeem it they told us it wasn't valid. Sounds like these guys are to cheap to even buy a stamp let alone honor a voucher that they are passing out. read more

Cactus Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Next time i need to fight or drag a little plus size ass home i can depend on the place cash only thing i can say sucks to pack and i hope you get a chance to punch the ass hole trying to take your money. Get a little action in your life I just know i am not going to be same after i got home read more

CASH ONLY - Great place for a cheap drink and a very dive bar atmosphere. Nothing fancy here. read more

I have been to the Cactus Bar multiple times and have had varying experiences. First off this place is the definition of dive bar. They have 1 pool table and the drinks are strong and cheap. The outdoor area is good and a nice place to have a smoke which is harder and harder to find nowadays. My recent visit to the cactus bar was less than acceptable. We were in a group of 6 that planned on spending a fair amount of money. Halfway through the visit they came and removed the chairs from helf of our party. Apparently on weekends they remove all the chairs from the bar and move the pool table into a corner. Rather than stand up the entire time we chose to go somewhere else. I do not recommend going here on the weekends. read more

My friends and I usually always start off our nights here because of the cheap/strong drinks. The outside area is nice, and so are the free water and snacks. I have always loved coming here but last weekend I had a bad experience with one of the bartenders. I ordered 4 lemon drop shots and she told me those were gross and she'd make me tigers blood shots instead. I told her no thanks, I want to stick with what I ordered. She told me those were too hard to make and she wasn't going to make them. I responded telling her that I know they take a little more effort but I'm a waitress and I'll give her a really good tip. She said "No I'm not making those, you can go somewhere else" in a rude way. I understand that this is a dive bar, but as someone who works at a bar myself, I would never talk to a customer that way. If I have the ingredients to make a drink, I will always make it, especially if the guest is sympathetic and tells me they will give me a great tip. read more

I used to live in Tucson and there is nothing Southwestern about this bar but I love it! Who doesn't love where they name a drink after you and you aren't even a regular? The bartenders are amazingly friendly or maybe their heavy pours just make me think they are friendly. Either way, it works. Only downside is the bar is very smoky. I always hear people complain about the bathroom but it's no worse than any other bar in the area, yet includes a full length mirror! (Does that sound shallow?) This is the type of bar you go w/ good friends, get way effed up and then laugh about the good times for days. read more

I used to work here ages ago....oh how I love the cactus. All the bartenders I worked with are long gone but the cactus will always be a staple of downtown boise! read more

I've always been a fan of hole in the wall kind of places. The drinks are stiff, the crowd is rowdy and mostly relaxed. People watching head quarters for a sure. I would never recommend going to this place on the weekends, it gets crowed and people get dumb quick. Personally I've always preferred coming to the Cactus on a lovely Sunday afternoon or a mid day drink through out the week. read more

Very smokey - low key older people bar scene. We only went inside because we had a mexican theme party going on. We did not stay. read more

The last time I was in, I saw that the toilet in the men's room had been ripped out. I chuckled and figured it pretty much adds to the overall trashiness of the bar. However the Cactus serves as a valuable piece to the downtown night scene. It's THE place where you go to get trashed before you head out to the other bars or nightclubs. This is not a destination bar. If you want loud and smoky and unpretentious and want to stick around longer to play pool or whatever, head to Mulligans. I only get vodka cranberries there because they're consistently strong. They used to be $2.75 and were down to $2 on the last Friday night I went. You can get a great buzz on two drinks for $6 (tip your bartender!) and be fairly set for the night and not need to worry about paying for drinks at the next bar/club you go to. If the bar is packed, your clothes WILL reek of cigarette smoke after you leave there. You can run to the back patio as soon as you get your drinks to minimize it, but you won't be able to completely avoid it. read more

Fun dive bar with great prices. Enjoyed the atmosphere. No food only potato chips. The outside area is good. It was hot and they have misters to cool you down. They have pool and cornhole. read more

Went to the Catus bar last night and in 30 seconds we was accused of having fake ID bc we are Afro America and from oot.The Security guard/bouncer tried to take our ID. we were not pushy about coming in..All he had to say was your id looks "fake" and it failed our id test. So we can't let you in. But instead the security/bouncer looked at id and says its fake and im keeping it..taking the LAW into his own hands. He then went inside and handed our ID to the owner...for what?? The owner begins to talk in front of bar customers, then the customers engage in conversion and try to embarrass us like we were suppose to answer their questions. We weren't trying to stay we were trying to leave all we wanted was our ID back, but instead of just giving back the ID the customers are asking wha?t is it fake? Unbelievable saw a lot of ignorance last night. Judging and racist attacks. Mine you we all had different ids.. Get educated..I'm in the business and the way the owner handled it was unprofessional. I do not recommend coming to this bar it's just not worth it. Great way to end our last night after working in Boise. read more