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.

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.

The service was top notch along with the ambiance. Loved our cozy corner as we chatted it up after…read morea long day. The drinks were tasty. The crab dip was salty, and the Brussels sprouts were perfectly fried.

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 !

Great little bar. Friendly Staff! Tuesday night karaoke with a really fun DJ.! Really small and…read morecozy.

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

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.

What a cool spot! I have to give shout outs to our mixologist server first, Ali (sp) and Mac, just…read morewow! One of my co-workers loves espresso martinis and Amsterdam is known for them. She said the drink was pretty great. I had an old fashioned and a whiskey sour, both top notch cocktails. They have a wonderful liquor selection, notable drink list, and friendly service. I was impressed, and did I mention happy hour? 1/2 price drinks 4-7 w-f...awesome!

Great ambience and drinks but whats up with their bad music?…read more --Amsterdam lounge --crappy 2010s hiphop Where's the europop edm? Nobody was dancing the music was so bad , but you cant talk either cuz it's so loud, so the lounging was just awkward. 5/5 ambience. Get ur music together and its perfect

Great bar... specializes in whiskey but they have everything that you could want...Brian is a great…read morebartender! Boise is full of amazing bars!

I really enjoyed this pub, I've only been twice but the drinks are great. I loved the bartender, I…read moredidn't get her name but she is from Washington state and has a remarkable memory lol far better than mine. The place is hard to describe but the open air front and the seating is very cool. I took pics in the ladies room to send to friends because I liked it and the pool table was a nice feature. A must visit when pub crawling!

It was hap-hap-happening on a Wednesday night at the Hap Hap Lounge, complete with an energetic DJ…read morespinning tunes from all decades. My drink was strong but I fell for the name: Honky Tonk Angel. Friends enjoyed their Negroni and mocktail. I did not expect to be dancing, but it was too fun to resist.

Cute, funky little spot with a really creative drink menu. I had their Day of the Dead drink…read morespecial, which I can basically describe as an ice-cold hot chocolate cocktail, it had a great, warm heat to it and tasted so decadent. My other girlfriends also ordered cocktails, and we had some of the dips to nibble on (the hummus and the French onion dip). I wish it came with crackers or bread instead of corn chips, but oh well. Our waitress was super nice and answered all of our questions and made recommendations for us.

I decided to try this place for a drink and a little relaxation. Instead, after over twenty minutes…read morewaiting for someone to take my order I was finally pissed-off, not relaxed. I left with an angry remark to the waitperson who earlier gave the impression that she would be taking my order. Don't go here unless you don't mind being ignored!

This is a nice little gem tucked into the Riverside Hotel. It can be quite nice when you've ended a…read morelong travel day and don't really want to sit outside in the weather (or the heat of summer). It is pretty small, but that wasn't a problem any time I stopped by. The best part is the live music. It really is nice to stop and sit for awhile to listen to the music and sip on some local beers. You can order from their small bar food menu; but you can also order regular food from the nearby restaurant menu. When I visited they did not have a lot of help but as I mentioned it wasn't a large place, one person can cover the entire floor without much problem. If you want a new experience, the creme brulee cheesecake is absolutely amazing!