Was very excited to try Basque food being a life long foodie. It turned out to be the worst dinning experience ever. The service was slow and there were only 3 other tables. Fish was sitting in a1/2 inch of oil with some dried herbs supposed to be a Verdi sauce. The egg that was on top was supposed to be poached but was fried. My daughter and I both sent back our entrees and were afraid to try anything else. Ate salads and left hungry. They offered us a free dessert didn't bother. Also was the dirtiest place, everything on the table was sticky, curtains were filthy, floor, restroom, you name it and it was dirty. 0 stars
(1)
Patty K.
We were going to go to another basque place, in Meridian, but when we called to get directions, we were informed that they were closed for a private party. So the very friendly and helpful lady recommended Leku Ona. Since we were eating so early, the place was nearly empty. This was a good thing for us. I had my 1 and 4 year old kids with me. We ordered the family style dinner for two, and there was more than enough food for my mom, myself, and the 2 kids. The food was amazing! First you get soup, salad and basque bread. Then a lightly fried fish appetizer, and fench fries. for our entrees, we ordered the lamb stew and roasted chicken. Everything was delicious! I can't wait to go back! We also stayed at the hotel attached to the building. It was quiet and cozy. I loved the whole Basque experience!
(4)
alex n.
I've only been here a handful of times. There's some real winners on this menu. The leg of lamb in wine sauce is amazing. As is the BLT AND Pork sandwich, mmm. Actually it seems like the lunch sandwich menu is where its at. Once had some service issues, and I didn't care for the tongue dish (I prefer the other place for that.) I like the bar. Overall, a great place. A great place to take out-of-towners if they want some local flair.
(4)
L B.
When I go to Boise, I want to eat Basque food. Luck would have it that my hotel was just across the street from the Basque district. So obviously I did just that. Leku Ona was just what I was looking for. The dinning room was nearly empty, and the food was delicious. I ordered the Filet Mignon with mushrooms, green beans, and mashed potatoes. It came with a seriously big salad, a large bowl of soup and warm bread to dip in the tasty juices of my dish. The rub on the filet was so savory and like nothing I'd tasted before.The filet was so tender I really could have cut it with my fork. Couple the good food with an attentive server and you have a great mix. You could say I was in heaven.
(4)
Paul W.
What a great basque restaurant. We had a dinner party for 5 in Boise, and thought the basque restaurant would be a good idea. It was! We ordered the family style dinner for 3 instead of 5. We were served plenty of food. and was it good! We had the lamb stew, and tongue for the main. To start a had the cut meat and cheese platter, followed by soup, and then salad, and then the main course. With a good spanish wine, Tempranillo variety, all of us really enjoy the dinner here.
(5)
Pickled B.
Great service for a table of 13 on the patio. Very nice & clean atmosphere ... A little over salted to some peoples tastes .. But everyone left happy and very full. Portions are quite ample! Would go again if in the area!
(5)
Lydia G.
Good salad and soup. Entrees were almost entirely inedible out of the five dinners our table ordered. Everything was dried out but soaked in alcohol that I think was meant to rehydrate the bad food or something because it seemed like it wasn't really cooked off and had a heavy bad taste. Being used to eating food cooked in good wines and other alcohols, I am not really certain what direction they were going here. Expense added real insult to what was already a very disgusting meal. Too bad because ambience and wait staff were very good.
(1)
Emily S.
They have a really friendly old-school bar. Smoking-friendly, people- friendly. Locals offered me their leftover soup( it was practically a pot with a ton leftover). Talk about Boise hospitality! Good peppers, take-it-or-leave-it chorizo. You can get better, less greasy stuff.
(3)
Rebekah S.
Went here with my family from the Basque region in France. They said the food was *almost* as good as the real thing. It was quite good food, honestly. I think if you have never had Basque food in the region, you would not know there was something better out there. I'd go back as long as I'm in America. The service was a little spotty. It looked like there was only one server there, and she had to ask us what we ordered when she brought out the food. Also, when we ordered coffee, she made it sound like she would "have to go make another pot," as if that was something special or unexpected. A little slow as well. (We needed another plate, took about 5 min after asking, while waiting with food hot on the table - dying - for us to get another plate, even though there were empty tables all around us.)
(4)
Liliana V.
Went with high expectations for our dinner and unfortunately came away greatly disappointed. On a scale of 1/10 their food was 4 and their service was a 3. Servers never filled our glasses. They also had outside heaters that didn't even work. Waitstaff was hard to find and she never asked if we wanted dessert. The sauces overwhelm the food. Later that evening my family complained about stomach cramps. Overall we wouldn't recommend this and would never eat their again.
(1)
mundovore m.
This place is too expensive for what it is. If you want good Basque food I suggest going to Epi's.
(3)
Tom W.
First the staff was very friendly and enjoyable. The draft beer menu is small with no local craft beers on tap. The drinks are reasonably priced and house Cab was great at $4 a glass. The soup, salad, and appetizers were very good. However the recommended bone-in rib steak at $27 was very disappointing...tasty but thin with a lot of fat. Can't speak to the rest of menu but I would avoid the steak. If you are a cigar smoker, the bar is a great place to enjoy one with a shot of Irish.
(3)
Dana C.
I enjoyed a traditional basque cocktail and learned a bit about the drinking preferences of local basque men. Fun.
(4)
Brent T.
Delicious food. Tons and tons of meat if you order family style. We were there for a rehearsal dinner, and they did a wonderful job.
(4)
Laura D.
I stayed at their adjacent inn during a recent business trip. I have never had a more terrible night at an inn in my life. The rooms are right next to 2 bars which have live music and outdoor patios. My room had the added benefit of being located over the dumpsters where bar patrons retired to throw up - loudly. I ran the bathoom fan, aircon, and wore noise cancelling earphones in an attempt to get a little sleep. Windows are not double-paned and ear plugs were not provided (although the manager agreed that providing them might be a good idea for future guests.) As I tossed and turned I comforted myself that at least I wasn't trying to sleep sitting up on an airplane. When I called to complain the manager said he was sorry but didn't offer any compensation or even a coupon for a discount at the restaurant.
(1)
Waynele Y.
I would actually give this place 3.5 stars. Their appetizers were amazing! We ordered practially one of each thing they had on the menu, and it was all so good. The leek pancake was probably my favorite. I also had the best chicken noodle soup ever at this restaurant. The dinner entrees however paled in comparison to their small dishes. Maybe I didn't order their best dish, but the halibut was just OK to me--nothing special.
(3)
Michael M.
Leku ona? Leku onena! Had a fabulous meal here, served by great waitstaff. I had never been able to find the squid in its own ink in the U.S. like you get in the Basque Country. Here it was served with some rice on the side, and abundant sauce. I tried some of my buddy's codfish, which was battered and fried, with red peppers on the side and it was delicious. I liked the lentils so much that I had three helpings, and then took some home with me. They have a great bar, and can serve libations ranging from local craft brews to the sort of before, after and during dinner drinks that you're used to in the Basque Country. I can't wait to come back.
(5)
Brian F.
This restaurant deserves 4.5 stars, which is about as high as I usually ever go. Food and service are superb! You will love the freshness and quality of their food. So much to offer. I'd like to encourage the staff to study how the standard "set up" menu is done in Basque restaurants in northern Nevada and Bakersfield, California, with their appreciable Basque restaurants and people, and consider the same. Family style bowl of beans, soup, bowl of hot salsa (all go into your bowl together in this order), and plenty of hot French bread and butter to start. Then a big tossed garden salad with Italian or oil/vinegar dressing, cottage cheese, pickled tongue, and basque hard cheeses. All washed down with wine or beer. Then your entrees, with endless French fries like only Basque make them. This restaurant is different, but quite delicious! The lamb stew and cod entrees were very good here. Garlic chicken is good, but different than other Basque restaurants in the West. Pears poached in Cabernet over rice pudding was terrific dessert. This restaurant is terrific, I recommend it, and cannot wait until my next trip to Boise to explore more of the menu.
(4)
Joe H.
Man this place was expensive and the food and service was flat. They were out of several menu items and beer/liquor. Not to mention no air conditioning. Pass on this place.
(2)
A R.
Most of the food was very good. I was a little shocked when the family meal showed up with a giant plate of french fries. The meat and cheese platter was excellent. The red bean soup was excellent. The paella was excellent. The pork loin was so dry. The cod and beef steak were very good.
(4)
Reed M.
What an enjoyable evening. Our first time eating basque food and with the help of the manager, we sampled our way through the menu. My favorites were the bean and chorizo soup, the lamb stew, and the paella. The food and service were both excellent.
(5)
Greg T.
Basque food. Big portions. Beef tongue was amazingly tender. Chorizo and bean soup was good. I had lamb chops ordered rare- they were extra extra rare/raw on the inside. Combined with the wet dog smell that typically accompanies lamb, it initiated my gag reflex. they gladly threw it back on the burner for a little bit longer. I should give this place another shot
(3)
Christina A.
We had such an amazing dinner, the food is wonderful and our server was attentive and so sweet! The restaurant itself is a gem, it's beautiful and cozy. If you haven't been here yet it's a definite must try, you will love this place!
(5)
Stephanie L.
The food was good but the service sucked. I won't be coming back. Very rude when I just asked if I could have some more water.
(1)
Nancy C.
Food is average at best and pretty overpriced. I ordered the half roasted chicken, which was actually two pieces of really overcooked chicken thighs. Paella was nothing remotely close to a paella. My husband's fillet was seasoned and cooked well and the mashed potatoes were alright. Croquetas were decent. I expect much better food for the $20-$30 per entree price point, however. Their drink specials on the other hand - $5 for a ginormous pitcher of premium beer, $1 mimosa, $2 sangria and $3 bloody mary. The sangria was pretty good for 2 bucks, didn't try the mimosa or bloody mary so can't give you much there. We'll probably go back for drink specials but getting food here just makes zero sense. I'd rather go to Fork for better food and ambiance for those prices.
(3)
Sarah B.
Came here with my family for a late dinner. My mother had suggested this restaurant to me a while back and we decided to take the time off to check it out. Our server Trisha was absolutely amazing, she made sure that our food was delicious. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to all of my friends! Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Justin H.
Came here for a birthday party last night, so I'm really reviewing the service and the few cocktails / appetizers I ate. Ashley, our server, was awesome. At some point, the birthday boy had enjoyed himself a little too much and I think he spilled a drink on her. She was totally magnanimous about it, saying there was no problem. She provided great service, speedy drink delivery, gave cool recommendations and, again, was super friendly. A fun, cheap little cocktail called the gin kass was what most of us enjoyed. Fizzy, vaguely tasted of gin and with a slight citrus presence. They made a passable manhattan with, I assume, well bourbon. They also had some fun little appetizers, basically fried stuff, croquetas, calamari and onion rings, with a big bowl of fry sauce or something similar in the middle. The calamari was totally unassuming, but had great flavor. I think I'm finally convinced to come in and have a meal. Great job with the rowdy crowd, leku ona.
(4)
John S.
I came for lunch and had the Tuesday special, Arkume: a sandwich with sliced leg of lamb, Swiss cheese and a lamb au jus. The sandwich was very tasty and the au jus had a lot of flavor. Served with a chorizo-red bean soup that was also very good. Service was friendly and attentive and the dishes were brought quickly, perfect for lunch.
(5)
Katie K.
Terrible service and the food wasn't too great either. The clam chowder was the only thing that was good about this place.
(2)
Teresa L.
Boise is known for having a large Basque population and hosting a huge Basque festival every five years or so. That being said, I am not sure that there is a Basque chef in the kitchen at Leku Ona. Let me start by saying that nobody in our party had ever been here before, it was a spur of the moment decision. Our party of seven (it was a business dinner for my husband's company that was hosting an out-of-town client) wandered down the Basque block after Alive After 5 last Wednesday evening planning on going to Bar Gernika. Bar Gernika was crowded to the brim and the group still wanted Basque food, so we kept going until we found Leku Ona. The restaurant was fairly empty with scattering of occupied tables on the patio. We went in and the hostess stand was empty. We had to wait for them to realize that there were seven people standing in the foyer. After another few minutes, we were seated outside. We waited ten minutes for waters and menus. When the waitress came back to take our order, we ordered two orders of croquettas for an appetizer, four orders of meatballs, one lamb shank, one lamb meatloaf (that was supposed to have a choice of roasted or mashed potatoes-no choice was given), and one beef tongue. All seven of us ordered salad to which the waitress remarked that 'they'd probably run out of salad then'. Croquettas: $8.75/order (2 orders). They came out about twenty minutes later. They weren't terrible, but they definitely weren't great either. Sort of bland with very little sauce. One member found a piece of chicken back bone in his. Twenty minutes after that we were brought two plates of salad served 'family style'. The kitchen couldn't be bothered to make each of us a separate salad and what they did serve us was barely enough to feed four people, let alone seven. After the salad, the wait for the entrees was interminably long for the obvious lack of customers in the restaurant. Twenty-five minutes later we were brought our dinners. The meatballs, lamb shank, and beef tongue all appeared to be (overly) coated in the exact same sauce, so while I didn't taste all of the dishes, I am pretty sure that I tasted all of the dishes. Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes: $17.50/plate (4 orders). Visually they were small and uneven in size, drowning in vats of gravy and overcooked mixed vegetables. The mashed potatoes were dry, so good thing there was a lot of gravy to rescue them. Comments from my fellow diners were that each meatball seemed to be a different texture? Beef Tongue with Mashed Potatoes: $18.95/plate (1 order). Thin slices of chewy beef tongue drenched in same gravy/veggie mess as the meatballs. I tasted this one (as my husband had ordered it) and the gravy was over-reduced and salty. Husband said that the beef tongue didn't seem to be properly cleaned and had 'flaps of skin' all over it. Lamb Meatloaf with No Choice of Potatoes: $19.75/plate (1 order). Meatloaf is supposed to be moist, tender, and flavorful...this was not. It was coated in ketchup (that they called homemade tomato sauce?) and was crunchy and tough like a hockey puck. It seemed that they had sliced it into half inch slices and then seared it to a crisp in a hot skillet and then used a squirt bottle to put 'decorative' designs of ketchup on it. The green beans were over-salted and the potatoes were cold with little flavor. Not that I was missing anything with the potatoes as I had tasted the mashed potatoes and they weren't good either. Lamb Shank: $25.95/plate (1 order). This was really the only appealing dish on the table, even drowning in the same sauce as everything else. The lamb flaked off the bone clean and the diner said it was good and well seasoned. We weren't well-acquainted enough for me to taste his dish though. All in all, this restaurant would be a good candidate for Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares; I'm not sure what's going on in that kitchen, but the quality of the food did NOT match the prices that they were charging for it. It almost felt like the chef had given up. If you're going to serve something that bad, it might be better to close the restaurant rather than try and cram in a few more guests to use up the last of your ingredients. I've eaten at a lot of restaurants in Boise and can honestly say that this is one of the worst meals I've ever had downtown. (Maybe even the worst.) If my husbands' company hadn't paid for the meal, the manager would have gotten a piece of my mind the next day. For what was spent, I could have made lamb meatloaf and mash for a party of twelve and still had enough to pay for alcoholic beverages for everybody. If you want some Basque food and an ice cold beer, try Bar Gernika down the street. The spicy lamb grinder and croquettas will wash away all doubt that Boise CAN and DOES serve good Basque!
(1)
Melanie S.
My friends (locals) wanted to take my husband and I who were visiting Boise, out to a traditional Basque restaurant. They chose Leku Ona for a Saturday evening out. Once at the restaurant, we ordered drinks and then our meal. The order consisted of: meatballs, chicken, lamb shank and prawns. The meatballs were cold in the center. The lamb shank was cold and tough (it did not fall off the bone). There weren't many prawns for the cost and the 1/2 order of chicken consisted of 2 dried out thighs only. After we ate, we explained to the waitress our dining experience in a non confrontational manner- we just wanted to give them feedback. She said she would go back and see what she could do for us. She came back stated that they would comp any dessert or coffee drink we wanted. We ordered 2 poached pears and one coffee drink (one person declined to order anything). Another server came to the table to explain they didn't have the poached pears prepared - would we like ice cream sundaes instead? Really? You didn't have enough pears made for a Saturday night? Well, at that point we settled the bill and left. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone; moreover, buyers beware, as you may not get what you think you ordered (1/2 order of chicken = 2 chicken thighs).
(1)
Marina G.
The food is amazing here. From Asparagus appetizer, chicken wild rice soup, seafood soup to the best I have ever tried Stuffed Squid with squid ink. You won't regret if you decide to eat here. Service is slow a little bit, but tasty food covers everything
(5)
Blah B.
Condescending service - blah-whatever-good enough food. I was extremely excited to try a Basque restaurant in Boise on their Spanish block, as I was (am) uber familiar with the Reno Basque scene. So, on this whirlwind buying trip to Boise, I decided to try Leku Ona, as I'd seen tons of patrons exiting in good spirits during the lunch rush. We were seated in the bar area (unbeknownst to my companion ad I) - but when I told our server I'd left my ID in my car in Utah, we were told we would have to move. I get it, liquor laws -- so, after being led into a separate room, at another table we sat. My boyfriend ordered a kalimotxo, and together we decided on what to get for lunch (some croquettas and paella). I, noticeably, took a sip of the very missed kalimotxo, even though I'd been shamed and forced to sit in the kid's section. The waitress approached the table - "Don't drink his drink," talking to me, the novice who'd forgotten the ID. Amicably, my boyfriend moved his drink to his side of the table. With the drink 1/4 of the way gone, the waitress reproached. "My manager doesn't feel comfortable with you having the drink at your table." Somewhat astonished as she took the drink and left the table, I said, "Okay, that's fine, as long as you take it off our bill." I understand that there are rules of life, I'll be 30 soon, just like the person I was with is. We've had plenty of experience and we get it--in states where you are treated like children, you can't drink without your ID, and let's put an emphasis on these small-time, aimless human inhabited joints in the mid/mountain west (like Boise). After she took the drink, we could hear the simpleton server and her manager (eager to utilize their only experience of authority) talking smack about us within earshot of our table. "She said 'if you take this off our bill--but like, we can't take it off if they already drank it.'" Okay, so, you win. We got a drink without an ID, someone well above age took a taste, and you take it away, because, duuuuh, you're so smart and are in charge and win, and you will MAKE US pay for it. Seriously, we only drank 1/4 of the extremely inexpensive to make beverage. But, after we got our mediocre/forgettable food, I apologized for not playing by the rules and for putting the server in an uncomfortable position, explained we were in Boise for a day and I'd left my wallet and no one cared -- and in the end, we tipped 20%. We paid for the drink that no one got to drink, the food that was meh, and the service the most condescending service of all time. Bravo, Leku Ona. At least you have that.
(1)
KC H.
Good food, great service, large portions. They have rooftop dining for smoking and over 21. Restaurant below is family friendly. They make their own fresh ciabatta rolls!
(5)
Patrick L.
What a disappointment this place was. We have lived in Boise a few years now. I was warned that the Basque restaurant in Meridian is much much better. I waited to the last minute to get Valentine's day reservations and this was the only place available and I really did want to check it out. First off, the building / location is great! The staff were polite. We were sat upstairs and we noticed right away that the place was half empty--on a very busy night. My wife ordered a ribeye and I ordered scallops. She got the clam chowder and I got the bean/chorizo soup. The soup came out lukewarm. It was like they took it from the walk-in and put it in a steam well without heating it up first. The salad was OK. And the bread was good. We also got croquettes which were so so at best (Bar Gernika down the block has much better one's). My scallops were OK but not great. My wife ordered her steak mid-rare but it came out mid-well. Steak's get overcooked all the time but for the price, even the cut of the meat seemed wrong. It seemed more like a ribeye you would get at Applebee's and not a "fine dining" restaurant. I doubt we will be back.
(2)
Jeff K.
Out of all the basque options in Boise..this is my least favorite. If you have to get your basque on, this is still a good place to do that at. The mushrooms and the croquettes are really tasty. The service was a 50/50 experience. Some were there to push food others acted like we were more of a hassle. I've been there 3 times and each experience was the same pretty good food, strange service. Then again the other basque establishments (Epi's--best service ever, Bar Gernika--not always the friendliest but they bust their asses on being fast, attentive & getting your food out to you, and The Basque Market--they have an easier system that allows you eating while you're waiting on other tapas items). I definitely say try it out just for their tasty Croquettes alone.
(3)
Andrew H.
Must say, this was a moderate disappointment given the Basque population in Boise and its location on the basket block. Food was mostly fried. Marinara may have been from a can. Croquettes are better at Bar Guernika and Epi's.
(1)
Marina G.
In short: huge portions, good food, terrible service. Food: Among the three of us, we had appetizers, salad, soup, and entrees. We started with the crab croquettes, which are divine. I do not recommend the ham, beef, and chicken croquettes as they were mostly flavorless. Next were our salad (not the freshest) and two kinds of soup. Both the seafood and red bean soup were delicious. A warning: they are served in giant bowls that could easily feed an entire football team. By the time our entrees came, we were stuffed. Entrees: One of us had the Lamb Stew, which made the diner quite happy. It had big chunks of lamb and potatoes with a delicious broth. Another entree, the lamb meatballs, were very tender and "yummy" as well. Only the third dish of our group, the Rotisserie Chicken, was kind of dry, but it came with well-seasoned paella but dry roasted potatoes (not recommended). The service was slow, and it appeared that the staff was very overwhelmed that night. This could have been due to the extra folks in the Basque Block that night who came for the Basque wedding taking place at the same time (it happened to be the wedding of Bar Gernika's owner). I'd suggest skipping appetizers since the portions were so big and came with filling soup and salad.
(3)
Walter B.
I love Basque food. I've eaten at Bar Gernika and Barbacoa's in Boise, Benji's in Bakersfield, CA, Ormachea's in Winnemucca, NV, the Noriega Hotel in Bakersfied, CA and Epi's in Meridian, ID. I used to eat at the Ranch Club in Garden City, ID before they went out of business. So I thought I'd give this place a try. This was by far the most disappointing Basque restaurant experience I've had. We ordered the Family Style meal which includes: 1. Red bean/chorizo soup 2. Salad 3. Battered Cod 4. Paella 5. Entree with French Fries. Drinks came pretty quick. Then it took a little while for the soup. Then we finished the soup. Chit chatted awhile. Then that awkward moment when everybody at the table knows it's been too long but nobody wants to say it. Then an even more ridiculous amount of time passed. Did they forget us? Did the server quit? At one point we did hear someone ask a busboy if he could help prepare 34 orders of ice cream for the downstairs party. Finally the server slapped the salad on the table without breaking stride as she raced back downstairs. Hmmm. OK. That was kinda' weird. So we ate the salad. Then... then... then... Nothing... Wow. We checked watches. It was 9:00. An hour and a half and we are only at step 2 of a 5 course meal. I got up to go the restroom and find the manager. When I got back to our table, the entrees were sitting there. Number 5 in the order of food but there was no #3Cod or #4 Paella. Up comes the manager. "What's the problem here? How can we fix this?" To her credit, the manager was very professional, apologetic and accommodating. We explained about the 1.5 hr wait. "I'm so sorry. This is unacceptable." She offered a free bottle of wine or desert in addition to comping our meal. We declined these offers because we weren't looking for a free meal; just a good one. But the manager insisted our meal was on the house and that was a pretty cool thing to do. We cancelled the Paella and the Cod. I ordered the pork loin and fries but what I got was 2 Pork Chops with grilled red potatoes. They were lukewarm and dry. Clearly they'd been sitting for awhile after they were ready to serve. Same with the pimento peppers. They were almost cold. The other dinner guest who ordered the meatballs and french fries got meatballs and mashed potatoes. The meatballs were also lukewarm/cold. So was the gravy. Our other dinner guest ordered Lamb Shank. She too said the lamb shank was lukewarm and dry. We all took a few bites and decided we'd had enough. This food wasn't totally awful. It was just "meh." Maybe it seemed more terrible because we had to wait so long. We left. We didn't pay. We didn't tip. I've never been comped a meal for bad service. I very rarely skip a tip to send a message. I walked out of this place with zero regrets for not paying or tipping. I get the whole Basque concept of taking your time for a meal and enjoying the experience and the company. But this was unacceptable. If you read the other reviews for this restaurant, the customer service thing is weird here. It's uncomfortable waiting that long. There is something wrong at this restaurant and they need to fix it. This isn't entirely on the server. It's the whole restaurant, owner and managers included. It's how they run this place. For the record, I put Epi's in Meridian at the top of the Basque restaurant list. It also takes awhile to be served at Epi's but that's because you KNOW they are making your order with care and it is 100% worth the wait. The food and service are incredible. There might be good food waiting to be served in a timely manner at Leku Ona but tonight there wasn't.
(1)
Lanny b.
We went there last night for Jaialdi. This is NOT fine dining! We were served a special menu and on PAPER PLATES with packaged plastic ware. I understand they were concerned with turnover of tables. It appears they were not concerned with the diners experience and developing return customers. The food was bland and mediocre. My Luka Summer Salad was a Costco bag salad with chicken on top. Dressing was salad oil and wine vinegar...no spices, no flavor. I have to say my husbands roasted red peppers were amazing. They only served wine in bottles.....missed sale. I felt bad for the server.....but it was as if she was brought in for the night and wasn't really very good. She did find my husband a steak knife....hard to cut meat with a plastic knife! Instead of dumbing down the dinning experience this would have been a great opportunity to do a special menu, show off great service and fine dinning. It would have been a win....I would have spent more $$ and you would have gained loyal customers. NOT.
(1)
Ivan E.
I am from Basque Country living in CA and trust me this is the worst basque restaurant ever! Stay away from this place if you want to eat real basque food.
(1)
Christopher B.
Had a most wonderful lunch at my favorite basque restaurant in town. The service was great, the salted cod was to die for. Can't wait till I get back in the Boise area. Mil esker!!!!
(5)
Colin O.
It's a cute location and the staff was nice. However, the food was wayyyyy too salty and left all of our stomachs feeling queazy into the next day. The clam chowder was the only tasty dish.
(2)
Carol F.
Glad we are here. I know Bar Gernika gets better reviews but don't pass this place up. Beef tongue was tender and delicious. Paella was good and chicken was super tender. If you are in Boise check this place out. Service was excellent and wine list is as well. I am from San Diego, so take this next comment as you please, but it is so cheap to eat here. Definite value for your dollar.
(4)
Suz H.
Awful food, cold and hard. Could have used pork chops as Frisbees. Service was slow. Way too much bad, cold food. I'm Scandinavian and I could've made a better Basque meal!
(1)
Her And I.
Basque food. We love it. And while this was not the best Basque restaurant we've ever eaten at (think Reno or even Carson city) it was certainly more charming, better atmosphere and a quaint building with far more character than one would expect. And the service was fantastic! We had two adult full menu selections which included more than enough food for us.
(4)
Mike P.
Waiter trying to hard, bug on curtain, 4th dish came out late and too salty....should I say more?
(2)
Doug R.
Went here 2 nights ago on a friend's recommendation (a native Basque) since I was there on business. Maybe my expectations were high due to that. Ambience was (shall I say) "stale"? Nothing special - no music and the carpets were in dire need of a cleaning. I will say the service was spot-on. The young man waiting made definate recommendations and picked a delightful Basque wine for us. The Meat/Cheese platter didn't look anywhere close to the website picture. House Salad was uninspiring, but, I did enjoy the Red Bean/Chorizo soup. Hearty and could be a meal in itself on a cold day. Onto the main's: Wife's Lamb Meatloaf had good flavor but was waaay oversalted. My Hake in Verde Sauce was more of a poached fish in a garlic/butter/wine - also salty. Not horrible, mind you - just not what I was expecting. My friend's Tongue was a different dish. Decent flavor, but, again overly-salty. 4 Peep's/Appetizer/Dinners and 2 bottles of modestly-priced wine came to $200 after the tip. I really wanted to give the place 4 Stars, but, just couldn't bring myself to do it. If I lived in/near Boise, I'd definitely give it another go, but, for a first impression, it only registered "Average" with me. I hope I caught them on a bad night.
(3)
David F.
I cajorled a co-worker in coming here for lunch when Spain played Germany in the World Cup. Let me tell you, this was the place to be to watch that game. I wasn't sure if people with Basque heritage would be rooting for Spain or Germany. It just goes to show you, a people of a certain ethnicity are not monolithic in their political beliefs. I pondered this while enjoying a BLT that had a pork loin in it. Let me tell you something else, it was like a refined, porcine version of the KFC Double-Down, i.e. just a little too much pig. Oh hell there is never too much pig, what am I saying. Bring on the umami! The service during this crazy lost afternoon was outstanding. Any restaurant that can surf tsunamis like a Spanish World Cup semi-final like that is sure to do well on any given day.
(4)
John B.
This is a charming restaurant with a Basque menu. The flavors are fairly authentic, but seemed toned down compared to the meals I've had in Basque country. I'm puzzled that this is considered expensive as it most certainly is not. I suppose there are things you could order that cost more, but it very reasonably priced. The bar upstairs has happy hour with $3 well drinks. Come on. I ate there with a friend and we thought we'd sample some thigns and ordered 3 appetizers. They were all good, but not great. The croquettes were tasty, though not overly so and included over a dozen quarter sized round croquettes for about $5. The leek pie was nice, tho mild. The seafood soup was oddly lacking flavor. The server was so charming and endearing we wanted to bottle her. I'd recommend eating here, but just temper your expectations as to the intensity of flavor.
(3)
DeathandFood H.
I was super excited to try Basque food in one of the few places in the USA with a large Basque community but the food here was over fried, over salted and overpriced. The French Spouse has eaten Basque food many times in Europe and felt it missed the whole point of being having fresh from the farm and sea ingredients and a rather more skilled hand at seasoning. The crab cakes they serve here are nothing like authentic crab fritters in Basque county. It's interesting to see what traditions have been kept and what have been changed to appeal to a rural American palate. Both the asparagus and the artichoke in the asparagus & artichoke dish tasted and looked like they came from a can which there is no need for when both are in season right now. I also agree it wasn't even close to cooking from the Basque region of Spain but I did like they had tripe and beef tongue on the menu and my tongue was cooked well but unfortunately the brown gravy was far too salty and I couldn't finish the dish. The nice part about Leku Ona was there are several patio areas and it's nice to eat outside on a warm summer evening. The service was amateur but super friendly and our server tried to be helpful. With prices in the 20's for entrees I expect fine dining service and food neither of which were present.
(2)
Todd C.
I've been to Leku Ona twice since moving to the Boise area, and I've got to admit that I'm a fan. I wonder why more aren't. Not from judging by the number and ratings of other reviewers, which are many and high, rather from the fact that there seem to have been a lot of empty seats each time I visited - although that could be attributable to the time of day of either visit, which was close to lunchtime. Maybe it hops better in the evening. I don't know. All I know is that the service was excellent and the food was great! Leku Ona sits at the head - or foot, maybe, dependent on point of view - of Boise's Basque Block, at the corner across from the Basque Center and the block's Basque Museum and Cultural Center, showcasing items and exhibits detailing the history of the Basque people in the United States and that of their origin in Europe. A beautiful and fascinating museum, it offers tours of the Basque Block and insight into everyday life of the people. Up a block - on the other side of the street - is the famous Bar Gernika, a long-time Boise attraction featured on The Food Network's "Diner's, Drive-Ins, And Dives". It is evidently always tough to get into - and for apparent good reason - making it the block's number one "go-to" place for a meal. We had turn around and find someplace else, somewhat crestfallen, having had Basque food in mind, that afternoon. And we were starving. We'd entered the block from the opposite end of the street, up across from the Basque Center, walking right past Leku Ona, which sits in a beautiful old building, with outdoor dining tables and what appeared to be a lot of space inside. We kind of weren't sure if it was open, but we noted the sign in the window assuring us that it was, so we crossed the street and sat down at one of the outdoor tables. A friendly server soon appeared with menus and took our order for drinks and we browsed the offerings, mouths watering. I ordered the paella, as did my sister; my brother-in-law the lamb stew while their son decided to "experience something new" with a cheeseburger with bacon and Swiss cheese. The server brought our soup - red bean with chorizo - and bread. These were wonderful. "I see you're enjoying lunch!" a lady announced from behind. It was the tour director from the museum, across the street. "This is my sister's place," she confided to us of Leku Ona. My brother-in-law confessed that we'd first tried to get into Bar Gernika. "It's 'tongue' day, today," she explained. Each Saturday, Bar Gernika serves its well-known beef tongue in tomato and pepper sauce with onion and garlic with roasted garlic bread. "And," as its menu says, "a large napkin." Until the place runs out. "Enjoy!" she joyfully bade as she went her way. We did. The Paella was excellent. "This is about the best stew of any kind I've ever had in my life!" my brother-in-law raved, urging the rest of us to try some. And, my nephew's cheeseburger? This kid is the pickiest kid I've ever met. He turns his nose up to everything. Even burgers are tough to pass his scrutiny. He loved it. They make their own buns for their burgers at Leku Ona. It was huge. Really, everything they served us came in quantity. It was a lot of food. Good food. The boy's fries earned the raised eyebrows of pleasure one hopes to see when trying to please a finicky kid: crisp and hot. And, as I said, in quantity. He couldn't finish his meal. "I need a box!" he exclaimed, worried we'd leave the rest behind. "I'll have it for later!" Normally, if he doesn't finish a meal, he doesn't care what happens to what's left. My sister and brother-in-law needed take-home boxes, too. They fed us well. I didn't need a box. I ate every last bite. A few months later, on an outing, we decided to give Bar Gernika another shot. Unfortunately, it was just as busy as the last time we tried to get in. "Unfortunately" isn't necessarily the right word. We were set on Basque, again, so we marched down to Leku Ona - this time, because of the weather, electing to dine indoors. Again, not too many people there. Only another couple of booths occupied. But, no matter. The service was still good and the server was super-pleasant. I'd been hankering for a chorizo-and-pepper sandwich, so I ordered one, coming with roasted red peppers and bacon on an in-house-baked roll. Had to have their fries, had to have the red bean and chorizo soup. My sister had paella, again, while my brother-in-law wanted the Albondigak: meatballs in brown sauce with peas and a side of fries as well. Oh, man. So good. The lunch menu is different from the dinner menu; one of these days, we'll get over there to try the latter. I have no doubt in my mind that it'll be worth it. I'll update accordingly. By the way; the place inside looks great. Very clean. A nice-looking bar, too. Just, for some reason (Bar Gernika) not a lot of lunchtime patrons. If you're in the area, remind yourself that Leku Ona's there, also.
(5)
Ward W.
Meh. Came here on a Wednesday night. After a while, the only ones in the restaurant. The good: the croquettes were excellent, as was the red-bean chirizo soup. The bad: The wife's seafood salad had rubbery scallops and lots of shrimp (probably as a low-cost substitute for more scallops). My Hake was overdone and completely under-seasoned -- a shame, because you could tell it was a nice piece of fish just clumsily prepared. The dinner salad that came with it was a comic mixture of partitioned ingredients that looked like it came out some kind of Ron Popeil ktichen slicer. Finally, the service, while often earnest, was amateurish and clumsy, and, about halfway through the meal -- remember we are the only ones there -- vanished completely. So...have to say it was an uneven and disappointing way to cap our 25th wedding anniversary. Almost gave them two stars. Hope they can do better in the future.
(3)
Mila G.
The food here is amazing! Order the croquettes, we couldn't put them down! Big food portions, which was delicious, but hard for out-of-town tourists to take home with us. Nice staff, we bought the cheapest items on the menu and still paid $30.
(4)
Dan S.
Absolutely delicious food. The prices are a bit high, but you get what you pay for with large portions of great food. The lamb chops and the rainbow trout are both phenomenal. The croquettes are not quite as good as Bar Gernika, but still fantastic as an appetizer and the red bean-chorizo soup is outstanding. The only real drawback is that the drinks are pretty watered-down. Overall, though, Leku Ona is a great dining experience.
(4)
Loralee P.
We went here on our voyage through the Basque street on our first night that we moved to Boise. We had already ate food at Bar Gernika so we went to the bar in Leku Ona. I HATE smoke, I really hate, hate smoke, but we did not want to sit down at a table. I was so surprised that it is still legal to smoke in a place where food is served. Welcome to Idaho. We went right on the menu to look what foods they had imported from Spain. We found a meat/cheese plate and knew it was what we wanted. We wanted to know what jamon/chorizo they used. The bar tenders had 0 idea about the menu and so they had the cook come up to talk with us. He was SO nice. He told us they had chorizo from Spain but they don't use it normally because people think it's too strong, but that he would put it on our plate for us. Yay! We got our plate and it was excellent. Oh when you haven't had food from home in a long time, it's a real treat to let it sit on your tongue. My husband got some kalimoxo, but it wasn't mixed in the "right" proportion, so he says. The best thing about our trip was the manager. He was the first American-Basque that we met in Boise and his father is from the Basque Country. He even gave us the name of a person who imports products. We are going to go back as soon as possible to try the actual food, and I will update. Just wish more Basque people worked there!
(4)
Justin R.
Service was horrble, in that he did not offer bread. We were the only party there and he came back 20 minutes later. However trying the basque food was a fun experience. Really good lamb and beef, soup was somewhat blah needed a little more kick. However I am a fan of spice.
(3)
Connie H.
My husband and I had a gathering with dear friends we had not seen in a long while. We had the basement room reserved. The staff was excellent - so very nice to all of us. The food was also excellent - hors d'oeuvres for all. Tapenade, calamari, mini crab cakes, and more. Of course the conversations and reconnections were my favorite - but the comfortable space with excellent food and wonderful staff made it all that much more special.
(5)
Rudy F.
When I was a student in Spain, I had little money and so didn't travel much. Unfortunately, I never went to the Basque Country, but was eager to try Basque cuisine in Boise, the Basque Capital of America. We started with croquetas, both meat (beef, chicken) and crab. They tasted like the croquetas in the area where I studied, pretty authentic, but nothing spectacular. We also had the leek pie appetizer, which was very yummy - like a leek quiche served with a white butter cream sauce. My mom had the trout with bacon & almonds - the fish could have been fresher, but the dish was OK. I had the Basque specialty of beef tongue in tomato sauce. The tongue is sliced thinly, breaded & fried, then put into a tomato-based sauce with peas and carrots. Very different, quite good, maybe a bit much for people who aren't used to beef ongue. For dessert, my mom got the chocolate pie, which was good but not Basque. I got the pears poached in sweetened red wine (kind of like pear sangria) served with Spanish rice pudding. By themselves, the flavor of the wine pears was too strong, but with the rice pudding, the whole dish was very yummy. Our server was great, clearly experienced in the restaurant biz, but unfortunately new to the restaurant and therefore unfamiliar with most of the dishes. Minor quibble aside, she did a great job. The prices were reasonable, and the food pretty good. I would definitely go back to Leku Ona again if I ever make it back to Boise.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Tammy J.
Was very excited to try Basque food being a life long foodie. It turned out to be the worst dinning experience ever. The service was slow and there were only 3 other tables. Fish was sitting in a1/2 inch of oil with some dried herbs supposed to be a Verdi sauce. The egg that was on top was supposed to be poached but was fried. My daughter and I both sent back our entrees and were afraid to try anything else. Ate salads and left hungry. They offered us a free dessert didn't bother. Also was the dirtiest place, everything on the table was sticky, curtains were filthy, floor, restroom, you name it and it was dirty. 0 stars
(1)Patty K.
We were going to go to another basque place, in Meridian, but when we called to get directions, we were informed that they were closed for a private party. So the very friendly and helpful lady recommended Leku Ona. Since we were eating so early, the place was nearly empty. This was a good thing for us. I had my 1 and 4 year old kids with me. We ordered the family style dinner for two, and there was more than enough food for my mom, myself, and the 2 kids. The food was amazing! First you get soup, salad and basque bread. Then a lightly fried fish appetizer, and fench fries. for our entrees, we ordered the lamb stew and roasted chicken. Everything was delicious! I can't wait to go back! We also stayed at the hotel attached to the building. It was quiet and cozy. I loved the whole Basque experience!
(4)alex n.
I've only been here a handful of times. There's some real winners on this menu. The leg of lamb in wine sauce is amazing. As is the BLT AND Pork sandwich, mmm. Actually it seems like the lunch sandwich menu is where its at. Once had some service issues, and I didn't care for the tongue dish (I prefer the other place for that.) I like the bar. Overall, a great place. A great place to take out-of-towners if they want some local flair.
(4)L B.
When I go to Boise, I want to eat Basque food. Luck would have it that my hotel was just across the street from the Basque district. So obviously I did just that. Leku Ona was just what I was looking for. The dinning room was nearly empty, and the food was delicious. I ordered the Filet Mignon with mushrooms, green beans, and mashed potatoes. It came with a seriously big salad, a large bowl of soup and warm bread to dip in the tasty juices of my dish. The rub on the filet was so savory and like nothing I'd tasted before.The filet was so tender I really could have cut it with my fork. Couple the good food with an attentive server and you have a great mix. You could say I was in heaven.
(4)Paul W.
What a great basque restaurant. We had a dinner party for 5 in Boise, and thought the basque restaurant would be a good idea. It was! We ordered the family style dinner for 3 instead of 5. We were served plenty of food. and was it good! We had the lamb stew, and tongue for the main. To start a had the cut meat and cheese platter, followed by soup, and then salad, and then the main course. With a good spanish wine, Tempranillo variety, all of us really enjoy the dinner here.
(5)Pickled B.
Great service for a table of 13 on the patio. Very nice & clean atmosphere ... A little over salted to some peoples tastes .. But everyone left happy and very full. Portions are quite ample! Would go again if in the area!
(5)Lydia G.
Good salad and soup. Entrees were almost entirely inedible out of the five dinners our table ordered. Everything was dried out but soaked in alcohol that I think was meant to rehydrate the bad food or something because it seemed like it wasn't really cooked off and had a heavy bad taste. Being used to eating food cooked in good wines and other alcohols, I am not really certain what direction they were going here. Expense added real insult to what was already a very disgusting meal. Too bad because ambience and wait staff were very good.
(1)Emily S.
They have a really friendly old-school bar. Smoking-friendly, people- friendly. Locals offered me their leftover soup( it was practically a pot with a ton leftover). Talk about Boise hospitality! Good peppers, take-it-or-leave-it chorizo. You can get better, less greasy stuff.
(3)Rebekah S.
Went here with my family from the Basque region in France. They said the food was *almost* as good as the real thing. It was quite good food, honestly. I think if you have never had Basque food in the region, you would not know there was something better out there. I'd go back as long as I'm in America. The service was a little spotty. It looked like there was only one server there, and she had to ask us what we ordered when she brought out the food. Also, when we ordered coffee, she made it sound like she would "have to go make another pot," as if that was something special or unexpected. A little slow as well. (We needed another plate, took about 5 min after asking, while waiting with food hot on the table - dying - for us to get another plate, even though there were empty tables all around us.)
(4)Liliana V.
Went with high expectations for our dinner and unfortunately came away greatly disappointed. On a scale of 1/10 their food was 4 and their service was a 3. Servers never filled our glasses. They also had outside heaters that didn't even work. Waitstaff was hard to find and she never asked if we wanted dessert. The sauces overwhelm the food. Later that evening my family complained about stomach cramps. Overall we wouldn't recommend this and would never eat their again.
(1)mundovore m.
This place is too expensive for what it is. If you want good Basque food I suggest going to Epi's.
(3)Tom W.
First the staff was very friendly and enjoyable. The draft beer menu is small with no local craft beers on tap. The drinks are reasonably priced and house Cab was great at $4 a glass. The soup, salad, and appetizers were very good. However the recommended bone-in rib steak at $27 was very disappointing...tasty but thin with a lot of fat. Can't speak to the rest of menu but I would avoid the steak. If you are a cigar smoker, the bar is a great place to enjoy one with a shot of Irish.
(3)Dana C.
I enjoyed a traditional basque cocktail and learned a bit about the drinking preferences of local basque men. Fun.
(4)Brent T.
Delicious food. Tons and tons of meat if you order family style. We were there for a rehearsal dinner, and they did a wonderful job.
(4)Laura D.
I stayed at their adjacent inn during a recent business trip. I have never had a more terrible night at an inn in my life. The rooms are right next to 2 bars which have live music and outdoor patios. My room had the added benefit of being located over the dumpsters where bar patrons retired to throw up - loudly. I ran the bathoom fan, aircon, and wore noise cancelling earphones in an attempt to get a little sleep. Windows are not double-paned and ear plugs were not provided (although the manager agreed that providing them might be a good idea for future guests.) As I tossed and turned I comforted myself that at least I wasn't trying to sleep sitting up on an airplane. When I called to complain the manager said he was sorry but didn't offer any compensation or even a coupon for a discount at the restaurant.
(1)Waynele Y.
I would actually give this place 3.5 stars. Their appetizers were amazing! We ordered practially one of each thing they had on the menu, and it was all so good. The leek pancake was probably my favorite. I also had the best chicken noodle soup ever at this restaurant. The dinner entrees however paled in comparison to their small dishes. Maybe I didn't order their best dish, but the halibut was just OK to me--nothing special.
(3)Michael M.
Leku ona? Leku onena! Had a fabulous meal here, served by great waitstaff. I had never been able to find the squid in its own ink in the U.S. like you get in the Basque Country. Here it was served with some rice on the side, and abundant sauce. I tried some of my buddy's codfish, which was battered and fried, with red peppers on the side and it was delicious. I liked the lentils so much that I had three helpings, and then took some home with me. They have a great bar, and can serve libations ranging from local craft brews to the sort of before, after and during dinner drinks that you're used to in the Basque Country. I can't wait to come back.
(5)Brian F.
This restaurant deserves 4.5 stars, which is about as high as I usually ever go. Food and service are superb! You will love the freshness and quality of their food. So much to offer. I'd like to encourage the staff to study how the standard "set up" menu is done in Basque restaurants in northern Nevada and Bakersfield, California, with their appreciable Basque restaurants and people, and consider the same. Family style bowl of beans, soup, bowl of hot salsa (all go into your bowl together in this order), and plenty of hot French bread and butter to start. Then a big tossed garden salad with Italian or oil/vinegar dressing, cottage cheese, pickled tongue, and basque hard cheeses. All washed down with wine or beer. Then your entrees, with endless French fries like only Basque make them. This restaurant is different, but quite delicious! The lamb stew and cod entrees were very good here. Garlic chicken is good, but different than other Basque restaurants in the West. Pears poached in Cabernet over rice pudding was terrific dessert. This restaurant is terrific, I recommend it, and cannot wait until my next trip to Boise to explore more of the menu.
(4)Joe H.
Man this place was expensive and the food and service was flat. They were out of several menu items and beer/liquor. Not to mention no air conditioning. Pass on this place.
(2)A R.
Most of the food was very good. I was a little shocked when the family meal showed up with a giant plate of french fries. The meat and cheese platter was excellent. The red bean soup was excellent. The paella was excellent. The pork loin was so dry. The cod and beef steak were very good.
(4)Reed M.
What an enjoyable evening. Our first time eating basque food and with the help of the manager, we sampled our way through the menu. My favorites were the bean and chorizo soup, the lamb stew, and the paella. The food and service were both excellent.
(5)Greg T.
Basque food. Big portions. Beef tongue was amazingly tender. Chorizo and bean soup was good. I had lamb chops ordered rare- they were extra extra rare/raw on the inside. Combined with the wet dog smell that typically accompanies lamb, it initiated my gag reflex. they gladly threw it back on the burner for a little bit longer. I should give this place another shot
(3)Christina A.
We had such an amazing dinner, the food is wonderful and our server was attentive and so sweet! The restaurant itself is a gem, it's beautiful and cozy. If you haven't been here yet it's a definite must try, you will love this place!
(5)Stephanie L.
The food was good but the service sucked. I won't be coming back. Very rude when I just asked if I could have some more water.
(1)Nancy C.
Food is average at best and pretty overpriced. I ordered the half roasted chicken, which was actually two pieces of really overcooked chicken thighs. Paella was nothing remotely close to a paella. My husband's fillet was seasoned and cooked well and the mashed potatoes were alright. Croquetas were decent. I expect much better food for the $20-$30 per entree price point, however. Their drink specials on the other hand - $5 for a ginormous pitcher of premium beer, $1 mimosa, $2 sangria and $3 bloody mary. The sangria was pretty good for 2 bucks, didn't try the mimosa or bloody mary so can't give you much there. We'll probably go back for drink specials but getting food here just makes zero sense. I'd rather go to Fork for better food and ambiance for those prices.
(3)Sarah B.
Came here with my family for a late dinner. My mother had suggested this restaurant to me a while back and we decided to take the time off to check it out. Our server Trisha was absolutely amazing, she made sure that our food was delicious. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to all of my friends! Can't wait to come back!
(5)Justin H.
Came here for a birthday party last night, so I'm really reviewing the service and the few cocktails / appetizers I ate. Ashley, our server, was awesome. At some point, the birthday boy had enjoyed himself a little too much and I think he spilled a drink on her. She was totally magnanimous about it, saying there was no problem. She provided great service, speedy drink delivery, gave cool recommendations and, again, was super friendly. A fun, cheap little cocktail called the gin kass was what most of us enjoyed. Fizzy, vaguely tasted of gin and with a slight citrus presence. They made a passable manhattan with, I assume, well bourbon. They also had some fun little appetizers, basically fried stuff, croquetas, calamari and onion rings, with a big bowl of fry sauce or something similar in the middle. The calamari was totally unassuming, but had great flavor. I think I'm finally convinced to come in and have a meal. Great job with the rowdy crowd, leku ona.
(4)John S.
I came for lunch and had the Tuesday special, Arkume: a sandwich with sliced leg of lamb, Swiss cheese and a lamb au jus. The sandwich was very tasty and the au jus had a lot of flavor. Served with a chorizo-red bean soup that was also very good. Service was friendly and attentive and the dishes were brought quickly, perfect for lunch.
(5)Katie K.
Terrible service and the food wasn't too great either. The clam chowder was the only thing that was good about this place.
(2)Teresa L.
Boise is known for having a large Basque population and hosting a huge Basque festival every five years or so. That being said, I am not sure that there is a Basque chef in the kitchen at Leku Ona. Let me start by saying that nobody in our party had ever been here before, it was a spur of the moment decision. Our party of seven (it was a business dinner for my husband's company that was hosting an out-of-town client) wandered down the Basque block after Alive After 5 last Wednesday evening planning on going to Bar Gernika. Bar Gernika was crowded to the brim and the group still wanted Basque food, so we kept going until we found Leku Ona. The restaurant was fairly empty with scattering of occupied tables on the patio. We went in and the hostess stand was empty. We had to wait for them to realize that there were seven people standing in the foyer. After another few minutes, we were seated outside. We waited ten minutes for waters and menus. When the waitress came back to take our order, we ordered two orders of croquettas for an appetizer, four orders of meatballs, one lamb shank, one lamb meatloaf (that was supposed to have a choice of roasted or mashed potatoes-no choice was given), and one beef tongue. All seven of us ordered salad to which the waitress remarked that 'they'd probably run out of salad then'. Croquettas: $8.75/order (2 orders). They came out about twenty minutes later. They weren't terrible, but they definitely weren't great either. Sort of bland with very little sauce. One member found a piece of chicken back bone in his. Twenty minutes after that we were brought two plates of salad served 'family style'. The kitchen couldn't be bothered to make each of us a separate salad and what they did serve us was barely enough to feed four people, let alone seven. After the salad, the wait for the entrees was interminably long for the obvious lack of customers in the restaurant. Twenty-five minutes later we were brought our dinners. The meatballs, lamb shank, and beef tongue all appeared to be (overly) coated in the exact same sauce, so while I didn't taste all of the dishes, I am pretty sure that I tasted all of the dishes. Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes: $17.50/plate (4 orders). Visually they were small and uneven in size, drowning in vats of gravy and overcooked mixed vegetables. The mashed potatoes were dry, so good thing there was a lot of gravy to rescue them. Comments from my fellow diners were that each meatball seemed to be a different texture? Beef Tongue with Mashed Potatoes: $18.95/plate (1 order). Thin slices of chewy beef tongue drenched in same gravy/veggie mess as the meatballs. I tasted this one (as my husband had ordered it) and the gravy was over-reduced and salty. Husband said that the beef tongue didn't seem to be properly cleaned and had 'flaps of skin' all over it. Lamb Meatloaf with No Choice of Potatoes: $19.75/plate (1 order). Meatloaf is supposed to be moist, tender, and flavorful...this was not. It was coated in ketchup (that they called homemade tomato sauce?) and was crunchy and tough like a hockey puck. It seemed that they had sliced it into half inch slices and then seared it to a crisp in a hot skillet and then used a squirt bottle to put 'decorative' designs of ketchup on it. The green beans were over-salted and the potatoes were cold with little flavor. Not that I was missing anything with the potatoes as I had tasted the mashed potatoes and they weren't good either. Lamb Shank: $25.95/plate (1 order). This was really the only appealing dish on the table, even drowning in the same sauce as everything else. The lamb flaked off the bone clean and the diner said it was good and well seasoned. We weren't well-acquainted enough for me to taste his dish though. All in all, this restaurant would be a good candidate for Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares; I'm not sure what's going on in that kitchen, but the quality of the food did NOT match the prices that they were charging for it. It almost felt like the chef had given up. If you're going to serve something that bad, it might be better to close the restaurant rather than try and cram in a few more guests to use up the last of your ingredients. I've eaten at a lot of restaurants in Boise and can honestly say that this is one of the worst meals I've ever had downtown. (Maybe even the worst.) If my husbands' company hadn't paid for the meal, the manager would have gotten a piece of my mind the next day. For what was spent, I could have made lamb meatloaf and mash for a party of twelve and still had enough to pay for alcoholic beverages for everybody. If you want some Basque food and an ice cold beer, try Bar Gernika down the street. The spicy lamb grinder and croquettas will wash away all doubt that Boise CAN and DOES serve good Basque!
(1)Melanie S.
My friends (locals) wanted to take my husband and I who were visiting Boise, out to a traditional Basque restaurant. They chose Leku Ona for a Saturday evening out. Once at the restaurant, we ordered drinks and then our meal. The order consisted of: meatballs, chicken, lamb shank and prawns. The meatballs were cold in the center. The lamb shank was cold and tough (it did not fall off the bone). There weren't many prawns for the cost and the 1/2 order of chicken consisted of 2 dried out thighs only. After we ate, we explained to the waitress our dining experience in a non confrontational manner- we just wanted to give them feedback. She said she would go back and see what she could do for us. She came back stated that they would comp any dessert or coffee drink we wanted. We ordered 2 poached pears and one coffee drink (one person declined to order anything). Another server came to the table to explain they didn't have the poached pears prepared - would we like ice cream sundaes instead? Really? You didn't have enough pears made for a Saturday night? Well, at that point we settled the bill and left. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone; moreover, buyers beware, as you may not get what you think you ordered (1/2 order of chicken = 2 chicken thighs).
(1)Marina G.
The food is amazing here. From Asparagus appetizer, chicken wild rice soup, seafood soup to the best I have ever tried Stuffed Squid with squid ink. You won't regret if you decide to eat here. Service is slow a little bit, but tasty food covers everything
(5)Blah B.
Condescending service - blah-whatever-good enough food. I was extremely excited to try a Basque restaurant in Boise on their Spanish block, as I was (am) uber familiar with the Reno Basque scene. So, on this whirlwind buying trip to Boise, I decided to try Leku Ona, as I'd seen tons of patrons exiting in good spirits during the lunch rush. We were seated in the bar area (unbeknownst to my companion ad I) - but when I told our server I'd left my ID in my car in Utah, we were told we would have to move. I get it, liquor laws -- so, after being led into a separate room, at another table we sat. My boyfriend ordered a kalimotxo, and together we decided on what to get for lunch (some croquettas and paella). I, noticeably, took a sip of the very missed kalimotxo, even though I'd been shamed and forced to sit in the kid's section. The waitress approached the table - "Don't drink his drink," talking to me, the novice who'd forgotten the ID. Amicably, my boyfriend moved his drink to his side of the table. With the drink 1/4 of the way gone, the waitress reproached. "My manager doesn't feel comfortable with you having the drink at your table." Somewhat astonished as she took the drink and left the table, I said, "Okay, that's fine, as long as you take it off our bill." I understand that there are rules of life, I'll be 30 soon, just like the person I was with is. We've had plenty of experience and we get it--in states where you are treated like children, you can't drink without your ID, and let's put an emphasis on these small-time, aimless human inhabited joints in the mid/mountain west (like Boise). After she took the drink, we could hear the simpleton server and her manager (eager to utilize their only experience of authority) talking smack about us within earshot of our table. "She said 'if you take this off our bill--but like, we can't take it off if they already drank it.'" Okay, so, you win. We got a drink without an ID, someone well above age took a taste, and you take it away, because, duuuuh, you're so smart and are in charge and win, and you will MAKE US pay for it. Seriously, we only drank 1/4 of the extremely inexpensive to make beverage. But, after we got our mediocre/forgettable food, I apologized for not playing by the rules and for putting the server in an uncomfortable position, explained we were in Boise for a day and I'd left my wallet and no one cared -- and in the end, we tipped 20%. We paid for the drink that no one got to drink, the food that was meh, and the service the most condescending service of all time. Bravo, Leku Ona. At least you have that.
(1)KC H.
Good food, great service, large portions. They have rooftop dining for smoking and over 21. Restaurant below is family friendly. They make their own fresh ciabatta rolls!
(5)Patrick L.
What a disappointment this place was. We have lived in Boise a few years now. I was warned that the Basque restaurant in Meridian is much much better. I waited to the last minute to get Valentine's day reservations and this was the only place available and I really did want to check it out. First off, the building / location is great! The staff were polite. We were sat upstairs and we noticed right away that the place was half empty--on a very busy night. My wife ordered a ribeye and I ordered scallops. She got the clam chowder and I got the bean/chorizo soup. The soup came out lukewarm. It was like they took it from the walk-in and put it in a steam well without heating it up first. The salad was OK. And the bread was good. We also got croquettes which were so so at best (Bar Gernika down the block has much better one's). My scallops were OK but not great. My wife ordered her steak mid-rare but it came out mid-well. Steak's get overcooked all the time but for the price, even the cut of the meat seemed wrong. It seemed more like a ribeye you would get at Applebee's and not a "fine dining" restaurant. I doubt we will be back.
(2)Jeff K.
Out of all the basque options in Boise..this is my least favorite. If you have to get your basque on, this is still a good place to do that at. The mushrooms and the croquettes are really tasty. The service was a 50/50 experience. Some were there to push food others acted like we were more of a hassle. I've been there 3 times and each experience was the same pretty good food, strange service. Then again the other basque establishments (Epi's--best service ever, Bar Gernika--not always the friendliest but they bust their asses on being fast, attentive & getting your food out to you, and The Basque Market--they have an easier system that allows you eating while you're waiting on other tapas items). I definitely say try it out just for their tasty Croquettes alone.
(3)Andrew H.
Must say, this was a moderate disappointment given the Basque population in Boise and its location on the basket block. Food was mostly fried. Marinara may have been from a can. Croquettes are better at Bar Guernika and Epi's.
(1)Marina G.
In short: huge portions, good food, terrible service. Food: Among the three of us, we had appetizers, salad, soup, and entrees. We started with the crab croquettes, which are divine. I do not recommend the ham, beef, and chicken croquettes as they were mostly flavorless. Next were our salad (not the freshest) and two kinds of soup. Both the seafood and red bean soup were delicious. A warning: they are served in giant bowls that could easily feed an entire football team. By the time our entrees came, we were stuffed. Entrees: One of us had the Lamb Stew, which made the diner quite happy. It had big chunks of lamb and potatoes with a delicious broth. Another entree, the lamb meatballs, were very tender and "yummy" as well. Only the third dish of our group, the Rotisserie Chicken, was kind of dry, but it came with well-seasoned paella but dry roasted potatoes (not recommended). The service was slow, and it appeared that the staff was very overwhelmed that night. This could have been due to the extra folks in the Basque Block that night who came for the Basque wedding taking place at the same time (it happened to be the wedding of Bar Gernika's owner). I'd suggest skipping appetizers since the portions were so big and came with filling soup and salad.
(3)Walter B.
I love Basque food. I've eaten at Bar Gernika and Barbacoa's in Boise, Benji's in Bakersfield, CA, Ormachea's in Winnemucca, NV, the Noriega Hotel in Bakersfied, CA and Epi's in Meridian, ID. I used to eat at the Ranch Club in Garden City, ID before they went out of business. So I thought I'd give this place a try. This was by far the most disappointing Basque restaurant experience I've had. We ordered the Family Style meal which includes: 1. Red bean/chorizo soup 2. Salad 3. Battered Cod 4. Paella 5. Entree with French Fries. Drinks came pretty quick. Then it took a little while for the soup. Then we finished the soup. Chit chatted awhile. Then that awkward moment when everybody at the table knows it's been too long but nobody wants to say it. Then an even more ridiculous amount of time passed. Did they forget us? Did the server quit? At one point we did hear someone ask a busboy if he could help prepare 34 orders of ice cream for the downstairs party. Finally the server slapped the salad on the table without breaking stride as she raced back downstairs. Hmmm. OK. That was kinda' weird. So we ate the salad. Then... then... then... Nothing... Wow. We checked watches. It was 9:00. An hour and a half and we are only at step 2 of a 5 course meal. I got up to go the restroom and find the manager. When I got back to our table, the entrees were sitting there. Number 5 in the order of food but there was no #3Cod or #4 Paella. Up comes the manager. "What's the problem here? How can we fix this?" To her credit, the manager was very professional, apologetic and accommodating. We explained about the 1.5 hr wait. "I'm so sorry. This is unacceptable." She offered a free bottle of wine or desert in addition to comping our meal. We declined these offers because we weren't looking for a free meal; just a good one. But the manager insisted our meal was on the house and that was a pretty cool thing to do. We cancelled the Paella and the Cod. I ordered the pork loin and fries but what I got was 2 Pork Chops with grilled red potatoes. They were lukewarm and dry. Clearly they'd been sitting for awhile after they were ready to serve. Same with the pimento peppers. They were almost cold. The other dinner guest who ordered the meatballs and french fries got meatballs and mashed potatoes. The meatballs were also lukewarm/cold. So was the gravy. Our other dinner guest ordered Lamb Shank. She too said the lamb shank was lukewarm and dry. We all took a few bites and decided we'd had enough. This food wasn't totally awful. It was just "meh." Maybe it seemed more terrible because we had to wait so long. We left. We didn't pay. We didn't tip. I've never been comped a meal for bad service. I very rarely skip a tip to send a message. I walked out of this place with zero regrets for not paying or tipping. I get the whole Basque concept of taking your time for a meal and enjoying the experience and the company. But this was unacceptable. If you read the other reviews for this restaurant, the customer service thing is weird here. It's uncomfortable waiting that long. There is something wrong at this restaurant and they need to fix it. This isn't entirely on the server. It's the whole restaurant, owner and managers included. It's how they run this place. For the record, I put Epi's in Meridian at the top of the Basque restaurant list. It also takes awhile to be served at Epi's but that's because you KNOW they are making your order with care and it is 100% worth the wait. The food and service are incredible. There might be good food waiting to be served in a timely manner at Leku Ona but tonight there wasn't.
(1)Lanny b.
We went there last night for Jaialdi. This is NOT fine dining! We were served a special menu and on PAPER PLATES with packaged plastic ware. I understand they were concerned with turnover of tables. It appears they were not concerned with the diners experience and developing return customers. The food was bland and mediocre. My Luka Summer Salad was a Costco bag salad with chicken on top. Dressing was salad oil and wine vinegar...no spices, no flavor. I have to say my husbands roasted red peppers were amazing. They only served wine in bottles.....missed sale. I felt bad for the server.....but it was as if she was brought in for the night and wasn't really very good. She did find my husband a steak knife....hard to cut meat with a plastic knife! Instead of dumbing down the dinning experience this would have been a great opportunity to do a special menu, show off great service and fine dinning. It would have been a win....I would have spent more $$ and you would have gained loyal customers. NOT.
(1)Ivan E.
I am from Basque Country living in CA and trust me this is the worst basque restaurant ever! Stay away from this place if you want to eat real basque food.
(1)Christopher B.
Had a most wonderful lunch at my favorite basque restaurant in town. The service was great, the salted cod was to die for. Can't wait till I get back in the Boise area. Mil esker!!!!
(5)Colin O.
It's a cute location and the staff was nice. However, the food was wayyyyy too salty and left all of our stomachs feeling queazy into the next day. The clam chowder was the only tasty dish.
(2)Carol F.
Glad we are here. I know Bar Gernika gets better reviews but don't pass this place up. Beef tongue was tender and delicious. Paella was good and chicken was super tender. If you are in Boise check this place out. Service was excellent and wine list is as well. I am from San Diego, so take this next comment as you please, but it is so cheap to eat here. Definite value for your dollar.
(4)Suz H.
Awful food, cold and hard. Could have used pork chops as Frisbees. Service was slow. Way too much bad, cold food. I'm Scandinavian and I could've made a better Basque meal!
(1)Her And I.
Basque food. We love it. And while this was not the best Basque restaurant we've ever eaten at (think Reno or even Carson city) it was certainly more charming, better atmosphere and a quaint building with far more character than one would expect. And the service was fantastic! We had two adult full menu selections which included more than enough food for us.
(4)Mike P.
Waiter trying to hard, bug on curtain, 4th dish came out late and too salty....should I say more?
(2)Doug R.
Went here 2 nights ago on a friend's recommendation (a native Basque) since I was there on business. Maybe my expectations were high due to that. Ambience was (shall I say) "stale"? Nothing special - no music and the carpets were in dire need of a cleaning. I will say the service was spot-on. The young man waiting made definate recommendations and picked a delightful Basque wine for us. The Meat/Cheese platter didn't look anywhere close to the website picture. House Salad was uninspiring, but, I did enjoy the Red Bean/Chorizo soup. Hearty and could be a meal in itself on a cold day. Onto the main's: Wife's Lamb Meatloaf had good flavor but was waaay oversalted. My Hake in Verde Sauce was more of a poached fish in a garlic/butter/wine - also salty. Not horrible, mind you - just not what I was expecting. My friend's Tongue was a different dish. Decent flavor, but, again overly-salty. 4 Peep's/Appetizer/Dinners and 2 bottles of modestly-priced wine came to $200 after the tip. I really wanted to give the place 4 Stars, but, just couldn't bring myself to do it. If I lived in/near Boise, I'd definitely give it another go, but, for a first impression, it only registered "Average" with me. I hope I caught them on a bad night.
(3)David F.
I cajorled a co-worker in coming here for lunch when Spain played Germany in the World Cup. Let me tell you, this was the place to be to watch that game. I wasn't sure if people with Basque heritage would be rooting for Spain or Germany. It just goes to show you, a people of a certain ethnicity are not monolithic in their political beliefs. I pondered this while enjoying a BLT that had a pork loin in it. Let me tell you something else, it was like a refined, porcine version of the KFC Double-Down, i.e. just a little too much pig. Oh hell there is never too much pig, what am I saying. Bring on the umami! The service during this crazy lost afternoon was outstanding. Any restaurant that can surf tsunamis like a Spanish World Cup semi-final like that is sure to do well on any given day.
(4)John B.
This is a charming restaurant with a Basque menu. The flavors are fairly authentic, but seemed toned down compared to the meals I've had in Basque country. I'm puzzled that this is considered expensive as it most certainly is not. I suppose there are things you could order that cost more, but it very reasonably priced. The bar upstairs has happy hour with $3 well drinks. Come on. I ate there with a friend and we thought we'd sample some thigns and ordered 3 appetizers. They were all good, but not great. The croquettes were tasty, though not overly so and included over a dozen quarter sized round croquettes for about $5. The leek pie was nice, tho mild. The seafood soup was oddly lacking flavor. The server was so charming and endearing we wanted to bottle her. I'd recommend eating here, but just temper your expectations as to the intensity of flavor.
(3)DeathandFood H.
I was super excited to try Basque food in one of the few places in the USA with a large Basque community but the food here was over fried, over salted and overpriced. The French Spouse has eaten Basque food many times in Europe and felt it missed the whole point of being having fresh from the farm and sea ingredients and a rather more skilled hand at seasoning. The crab cakes they serve here are nothing like authentic crab fritters in Basque county. It's interesting to see what traditions have been kept and what have been changed to appeal to a rural American palate. Both the asparagus and the artichoke in the asparagus & artichoke dish tasted and looked like they came from a can which there is no need for when both are in season right now. I also agree it wasn't even close to cooking from the Basque region of Spain but I did like they had tripe and beef tongue on the menu and my tongue was cooked well but unfortunately the brown gravy was far too salty and I couldn't finish the dish. The nice part about Leku Ona was there are several patio areas and it's nice to eat outside on a warm summer evening. The service was amateur but super friendly and our server tried to be helpful. With prices in the 20's for entrees I expect fine dining service and food neither of which were present.
(2)Todd C.
I've been to Leku Ona twice since moving to the Boise area, and I've got to admit that I'm a fan. I wonder why more aren't. Not from judging by the number and ratings of other reviewers, which are many and high, rather from the fact that there seem to have been a lot of empty seats each time I visited - although that could be attributable to the time of day of either visit, which was close to lunchtime. Maybe it hops better in the evening. I don't know. All I know is that the service was excellent and the food was great! Leku Ona sits at the head - or foot, maybe, dependent on point of view - of Boise's Basque Block, at the corner across from the Basque Center and the block's Basque Museum and Cultural Center, showcasing items and exhibits detailing the history of the Basque people in the United States and that of their origin in Europe. A beautiful and fascinating museum, it offers tours of the Basque Block and insight into everyday life of the people. Up a block - on the other side of the street - is the famous Bar Gernika, a long-time Boise attraction featured on The Food Network's "Diner's, Drive-Ins, And Dives". It is evidently always tough to get into - and for apparent good reason - making it the block's number one "go-to" place for a meal. We had turn around and find someplace else, somewhat crestfallen, having had Basque food in mind, that afternoon. And we were starving. We'd entered the block from the opposite end of the street, up across from the Basque Center, walking right past Leku Ona, which sits in a beautiful old building, with outdoor dining tables and what appeared to be a lot of space inside. We kind of weren't sure if it was open, but we noted the sign in the window assuring us that it was, so we crossed the street and sat down at one of the outdoor tables. A friendly server soon appeared with menus and took our order for drinks and we browsed the offerings, mouths watering. I ordered the paella, as did my sister; my brother-in-law the lamb stew while their son decided to "experience something new" with a cheeseburger with bacon and Swiss cheese. The server brought our soup - red bean with chorizo - and bread. These were wonderful. "I see you're enjoying lunch!" a lady announced from behind. It was the tour director from the museum, across the street. "This is my sister's place," she confided to us of Leku Ona. My brother-in-law confessed that we'd first tried to get into Bar Gernika. "It's 'tongue' day, today," she explained. Each Saturday, Bar Gernika serves its well-known beef tongue in tomato and pepper sauce with onion and garlic with roasted garlic bread. "And," as its menu says, "a large napkin." Until the place runs out. "Enjoy!" she joyfully bade as she went her way. We did. The Paella was excellent. "This is about the best stew of any kind I've ever had in my life!" my brother-in-law raved, urging the rest of us to try some. And, my nephew's cheeseburger? This kid is the pickiest kid I've ever met. He turns his nose up to everything. Even burgers are tough to pass his scrutiny. He loved it. They make their own buns for their burgers at Leku Ona. It was huge. Really, everything they served us came in quantity. It was a lot of food. Good food. The boy's fries earned the raised eyebrows of pleasure one hopes to see when trying to please a finicky kid: crisp and hot. And, as I said, in quantity. He couldn't finish his meal. "I need a box!" he exclaimed, worried we'd leave the rest behind. "I'll have it for later!" Normally, if he doesn't finish a meal, he doesn't care what happens to what's left. My sister and brother-in-law needed take-home boxes, too. They fed us well. I didn't need a box. I ate every last bite. A few months later, on an outing, we decided to give Bar Gernika another shot. Unfortunately, it was just as busy as the last time we tried to get in. "Unfortunately" isn't necessarily the right word. We were set on Basque, again, so we marched down to Leku Ona - this time, because of the weather, electing to dine indoors. Again, not too many people there. Only another couple of booths occupied. But, no matter. The service was still good and the server was super-pleasant. I'd been hankering for a chorizo-and-pepper sandwich, so I ordered one, coming with roasted red peppers and bacon on an in-house-baked roll. Had to have their fries, had to have the red bean and chorizo soup. My sister had paella, again, while my brother-in-law wanted the Albondigak: meatballs in brown sauce with peas and a side of fries as well. Oh, man. So good. The lunch menu is different from the dinner menu; one of these days, we'll get over there to try the latter. I have no doubt in my mind that it'll be worth it. I'll update accordingly. By the way; the place inside looks great. Very clean. A nice-looking bar, too. Just, for some reason (Bar Gernika) not a lot of lunchtime patrons. If you're in the area, remind yourself that Leku Ona's there, also.
(5)Ward W.
Meh. Came here on a Wednesday night. After a while, the only ones in the restaurant. The good: the croquettes were excellent, as was the red-bean chirizo soup. The bad: The wife's seafood salad had rubbery scallops and lots of shrimp (probably as a low-cost substitute for more scallops). My Hake was overdone and completely under-seasoned -- a shame, because you could tell it was a nice piece of fish just clumsily prepared. The dinner salad that came with it was a comic mixture of partitioned ingredients that looked like it came out some kind of Ron Popeil ktichen slicer. Finally, the service, while often earnest, was amateurish and clumsy, and, about halfway through the meal -- remember we are the only ones there -- vanished completely. So...have to say it was an uneven and disappointing way to cap our 25th wedding anniversary. Almost gave them two stars. Hope they can do better in the future.
(3)Mila G.
The food here is amazing! Order the croquettes, we couldn't put them down! Big food portions, which was delicious, but hard for out-of-town tourists to take home with us. Nice staff, we bought the cheapest items on the menu and still paid $30.
(4)Dan S.
Absolutely delicious food. The prices are a bit high, but you get what you pay for with large portions of great food. The lamb chops and the rainbow trout are both phenomenal. The croquettes are not quite as good as Bar Gernika, but still fantastic as an appetizer and the red bean-chorizo soup is outstanding. The only real drawback is that the drinks are pretty watered-down. Overall, though, Leku Ona is a great dining experience.
(4)Loralee P.
We went here on our voyage through the Basque street on our first night that we moved to Boise. We had already ate food at Bar Gernika so we went to the bar in Leku Ona. I HATE smoke, I really hate, hate smoke, but we did not want to sit down at a table. I was so surprised that it is still legal to smoke in a place where food is served. Welcome to Idaho. We went right on the menu to look what foods they had imported from Spain. We found a meat/cheese plate and knew it was what we wanted. We wanted to know what jamon/chorizo they used. The bar tenders had 0 idea about the menu and so they had the cook come up to talk with us. He was SO nice. He told us they had chorizo from Spain but they don't use it normally because people think it's too strong, but that he would put it on our plate for us. Yay! We got our plate and it was excellent. Oh when you haven't had food from home in a long time, it's a real treat to let it sit on your tongue. My husband got some kalimoxo, but it wasn't mixed in the "right" proportion, so he says. The best thing about our trip was the manager. He was the first American-Basque that we met in Boise and his father is from the Basque Country. He even gave us the name of a person who imports products. We are going to go back as soon as possible to try the actual food, and I will update. Just wish more Basque people worked there!
(4)Justin R.
Service was horrble, in that he did not offer bread. We were the only party there and he came back 20 minutes later. However trying the basque food was a fun experience. Really good lamb and beef, soup was somewhat blah needed a little more kick. However I am a fan of spice.
(3)Connie H.
My husband and I had a gathering with dear friends we had not seen in a long while. We had the basement room reserved. The staff was excellent - so very nice to all of us. The food was also excellent - hors d'oeuvres for all. Tapenade, calamari, mini crab cakes, and more. Of course the conversations and reconnections were my favorite - but the comfortable space with excellent food and wonderful staff made it all that much more special.
(5)Rudy F.
When I was a student in Spain, I had little money and so didn't travel much. Unfortunately, I never went to the Basque Country, but was eager to try Basque cuisine in Boise, the Basque Capital of America. We started with croquetas, both meat (beef, chicken) and crab. They tasted like the croquetas in the area where I studied, pretty authentic, but nothing spectacular. We also had the leek pie appetizer, which was very yummy - like a leek quiche served with a white butter cream sauce. My mom had the trout with bacon & almonds - the fish could have been fresher, but the dish was OK. I had the Basque specialty of beef tongue in tomato sauce. The tongue is sliced thinly, breaded & fried, then put into a tomato-based sauce with peas and carrots. Very different, quite good, maybe a bit much for people who aren't used to beef ongue. For dessert, my mom got the chocolate pie, which was good but not Basque. I got the pears poached in sweetened red wine (kind of like pear sangria) served with Spanish rice pudding. By themselves, the flavor of the wine pears was too strong, but with the rice pudding, the whole dish was very yummy. Our server was great, clearly experienced in the restaurant biz, but unfortunately new to the restaurant and therefore unfamiliar with most of the dishes. Minor quibble aside, she did a great job. The prices were reasonable, and the food pretty good. I would definitely go back to Leku Ona again if I ever make it back to Boise.
(4)