Attended a reception at Solid. The wait staff were fantastic. Very friendly and attentive. The had a nice buffet of pulled pork sliders, vegetables, fruit, spinach artichoke dip and... I would highly recommend this place!!
The drinks are reasonably priced and the service is good. They do cheap out on meals. My shrimp and grits was grits and a little bit of shrimp. But it was tasty.
(4)
Katie M.
Sat down on the patio on a Monday night, it took 20 minutes for us to wave down a waiter to get menus. . . Another 20 minutes goes by, we weren't even acknowledged or offered water. There were maybe 10 occupied tables, so it wasn't that busy. After waiting almost an hour, we decided to take our business elsewhere, since they obviously didn't want ours. Save your time, go somewhere else.
(1)
Armani D.
If the most negative review here lately is from a smoker upset she can't smoke anymore in the balcony, then this is my kind of place. As a non-smoker, I was able to appreciate this friendly gem. I did not feel the staff was rude at all, enjoyed my meal, was immediately attended to, and BONUS: Latin Salsa dance lessons on Wednesday nights for 5.00 bucks! Had a blast!!
(4)
Jeremy L.
One of our favorite places!. Everything is good. I've had the amazing chicken and waffles, my surprisingly favorite street tacos, a few of the burgers, the steak salad, wings, BLT, corned beef and cabbage special during St Patricks Day and more. The only thing I've had that I didn't care for was the french dip. They use a cheap tasting hoagie roll. Everything else including the atmosphere, drinks, and live music is great! Patio seating during warmer weather with live music is perfect for our date nights. Good people watching too. I don't know what it is about the street tacos. It's something that took me awhile to try because I had so many favorites on the menu already, Now its my new favorite. They aren't just tacos, they are just tasty awesomeness. The chips they come with are crazy good as well. Try it, I don't think you will be disappointed.
(5)
Bill H.
Great place for the money spent. Love the salsa latin dance club there on Wednesday's!
(4)
Cara S.
Another mediocre local restaurant. The air conditioner was on even though it's only around 20° outside. A vent was directly under our table and the server asked us if we wanted her to cover it with a tray . Weird. My husband and I had a very awkward dining experience with this server. She interrupted us several times while we were eating asking us if we were finished. No.... Clearly we were not. We gave no indication that we were finished. She also asked my husband if he was finished with his whiskey when it was only half gone. It's unlikely that we will return. Is Boise's palate so ignorant that there must only be "New Traditional" restaurants? To me, new traditional is just a fancy way of saying, over-priced bar food.
(2)
Deano G.
This place used to be okay, but when you are sitting at the bar and it takes 15 minutes for the bartender to ask what you want to drink.... Wow, what a complete failure... I was even going to stay for dinner, but since we had such bad service we decided to go to a place that would serve us and even ask if we wanted menus & not focus on the locals.... shame on you solid!
(1)
Sarah E.
Solid is my favorite restaurant in Boise. They have an interesting menu, several options (worth trying) for vegetarians, which is rare in Boise. I really like their Grecian Mushroom salad. The Black Bean Focaccia Burger is also a favorite and their sweet potato fries are awesome (try them with the honey mustard). Their specials are worth hearing, unlike most restaurants in the area. The Happy Hour is great and they always have good IPAs on draft (Hippie Shake, Dagger Falls). My omnivore better half also agrees that Solid is a great place to eat.
(5)
Ryan K.
Brie is a bartender who entrances the soul and allows an imagination to run wild. Her intuitive drink cocktails will transform your night from a Wednesday to an eye opening expressway to the world of modern cocktails. Her magical sense of trend setting tastes will take you from downtown Boise to the destination of your choice. Her personality will win you over if their is any question left in your mind. If you find yourself downtown, this is the atmosphere to melt away.
(5)
Brianne M.
Pretty standard college bar, went on a saturday and it was pretty slow, beer selections were good and atmosphere was alright. Possible the smallest tvs ever so it was pretty hard to watch the game.
(3)
Virginia D.
Local wine & a few vegan food options-- just gotta make a few subs (the waitstaff is very accommodating). Outdoor patio is great people watching & perfect for warm nights. Great 10pm to midnight happy hour
(4)
Tena J.
We had our office holiday party at Solid. Appetizers were artichoke dip and the wine and cheese plates, then we had the Solid salmon, ribeyes and the chicken cordon bleu for dinner. Everything was delicous and perfectly timed! Skyla was a rock star and by dinner, knew everyone's names, drinks and what we had ordered for dinner (sent to the restaurant the week before). After dinner, we all moved over to Liquid for a hilarious comedy show. The night was a huge success. Thank you Skyla, Jeremy, Liz and Brooke, and to everyone working behind the scenes. You were fantastic!
(5)
Michael F.
Had dinner here last week. I had the The doc Hudson - beef patty, fried egg, ham, caramelized onions, with cheddar and swiss. This burger was awesome and the sweet potato fries were amazing too. Mike our waiter was great and on the spot. Highly recommend solid. PS they also has a peanut butter cheese cake that was to die for.
(5)
Karen M.
This place is right around the corner from the Hampton Inn downtown which is where I was staying during my visit. Friendly service and the food was great. I got a burger...I think it was called the Full Monty? It was great. The Nachos were good too. Delicious native beers and a warm dining room made for an overall great experience.
(5)
Neal S.
Awesome fish and chips, really good pulled pork sandwich. Make sure to get the sweet potato fries!
(4)
Andy M.
We stumbled in here before some sort of event thingy we were going to to actually get some food, and the the full course thing with drinks, appetizers, and entrees. We started with drinks and what I'll call "roasted cheese curd with an exotic foreign sounding name I can't remember" which we really liked. Everything was pretty good and well prepared. I wish the menu had more options, that's what would stop us from coming back here again. I really do appreciate restaurateurs who work on doing a few things well, but they may have taken it to an extreme.
(4)
Margaret R.
Deconstructed cobb salad? This trend has gone way too far. If you are going to deconstruct something make it different and unique not ingredients slopped on a plate, and give me some ripe tomatoes for God sakes! Also, refund a person if they send it back. I realize I just glanced at the menu, saw Cobb salad, and ordered it, but when I try to send it back please at least try to accommodate me in some way.
(1)
Brian M.
Dinner after a movie. Food was great, service was very friendly and helpful Good visit
(4)
James S.
So this review is long over due. I was in Boise for a friends wedding last year near the end of summer. I picked my wife from the airport (different flights) and headed to get some food. Saw this place earlier as I was at PF Chang's across the street. We go in just after lunch service. A few other people are at the bar (find out later they are previous employees) so we post up there. Decide to try some local beer and enjoyed it. Nothing spectacular but tasty. Then comes the arrogant/rude bartender "Cash". As we're looking over the menu, a cute girl walks in inquiring about a job. She states that she recently graduated from bar-tending school and immediately this douche throws his hands in the air and mocks this poor girl and says "Ooooooo bartending school and rolls his eyes". Not cool to treat someone in this manner in front of guests. Eventually the girl walks out and he continues his arrogant attitude on us. My wife ask fir an ice water and he says "No!". Obviously we knew he was joking but he continues with the joke with a strait face to the point where it was awkward (plus my wife was beyond thirsty as she just got off of a plane!) We somewhat joked back only because our food had yet to come out and I didn't want to be the complaining customer. Really can't remember what we ordered but it obviously did not make an impression. At the same time all of this was going on, two owners were tasting beer at the bar as well. Which is totally cool as it was in between shifts. Sucks that they let this guy run this bar as they are really nice people. It must be because this douche is the "best bar manager all over the world!" from Australia to England to the U.S.!
(2)
Jenny R.
It's been a long time since I'd been to Solid so I was excited to go back. I remember a few dishes that were amaz-balls. So we get there on a Friday night about 8:00. It's not exactly busy but there's customers. Takes 5 minutes for a hostess to show up & seat us. We sit for close to 10 min before we get a server. He doesn't want to answer a simple question about beers. Doesn't even tell me there's a list until I ask. Is super condescending & leaves before I can order. That whole interaction lasts 10 seconds tops. So he leaves all annoyed & doesn't come back. 10 min later we leave. Waste of time & energy to just grab a bite & drink. Solid. Great food. Horrible service.
(1)
Taylor A.
Very good menu options for everyone. Service is typically slow. Nice selection of beers, always rotating selecion, but over priced for what you get if its not their beer happy hour. Stick to the table seating, have had a few rude experiences from the bar staff.
(2)
Adriana K.
Live music, outdoor seating, an extensive menu - this place is perfect for downtown Boise! Great beer menu - the orange blossom beer was a-mazing- and the handcrafted ice cubes in the cucumber cocktail was perfect for a hot summer afternoon. The foccacia is house made and to die for - and plenty of options for those avoiding gluten. Fast and friendly service - just not enough time to try everything that sounded so delicious on their menu!!
(5)
Alex N.
Yes this place is delicious. Yes this place is charming. Yes this place has a great bartender and tap list. In fact this whole place is pretty goddamned amazing. I sat down at the bar and there was a gaggle of googly-eyed gals groaning gregariously about something or another and this obviously had the bartendeers main attention, despite this fact and the fact that I don't have a big ol' pair of fake tits I still received very good service. He helped me decide on a samich, the defibrillator, which is a burger with....wait for it.... deep fried bacon, guacamoles and deliciousness served with fries (sweet tater and regular!!). One of the best sandwiches I've ever put in my mouthhole. The prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality of food and decor and if I am ever lucky enough to haunt the clean streets of Boise again I will definitely be making a foray back into Solid.
(5)
Rennie H.
We stopped in for a week day lunch. First indication that it might have not been the best choice should have been the fact that only two tables were occupied in the middle of lunch hour. I had the Montecristo sandwich and my wife had the fish and chips. The Montecristo was done tempura style which obviously works better in theory than in practice. Both dishes were a bit oily and the batter on the fish and chips outweighed the fish. The waiter/bartender was a bit overzealous in his desire to engage us in conversation, interrupting our meal no less than five times. Overall I would not recommend having lunch here. A sentiment obviously shared by many of the locals as the place was near empty.
(2)
Steph K.
I am in town this week for a business meeting and just got back from dinner there with my co workers. It was a wonderful night! The staff was knowledgeable and attentive, always making sure that our drinks were full. One of my favorite things is the ice cold water with slices of cucumber, it is so refreshing! And our server always made sure our glasses were full. For dinner, I got the rib eye with the Gorgonzola cream sauce with potatoes au gratin and mixed veggies. The steak was cooked perfectly and the cream sauce was filled with flavor. I have been to Boise numerous times for business meetings and have been to Solid twice, and have enjoyed myself both times. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area!
(4)
Tim F.
We came in after dinner at another restaurant. 5 of us in for drinks. They have some pretty different drinks on the menu which are cool to try. The drinks were fine, but one friend ordered a martini with extra olives. We got the bill and we were charged for "xtra" olives!!! Really???? That part didn't make sense. Okay place, but probably won't be back.
(2)
Martha M.
Pass! Rude and inattentive staff, especially the gentleman with the dark long hair behind the bar with the accent. There are better places that represent Boise. Boiseans have zero tolerance for places who treat guests in the manner this place does. Good luck with business. Word-of-mouth travels like wild fire.
(1)
Gloria C.
one visit only, may that be the only one. Will update should we happen to return. And, since the place was chosen by a friend for an event, I mentioned my impressions of the food. He said prior visits had been excellent for food quality and drinks. However tonight he noticed his food was not very good and his drinks were poorly mixed. Minuses: Blueberry mojito. Hubs said was too much mint, however I think the major issue was the inferior quality of rum. No blueberry flavor, just nasty booze and strong mint. 'Well' drinks for happy hours usually aren't this bad. Hubs got a long island, then a black opal. I thought both were pretty bad, mostly related to alcohol quality. He thought they were acceptable. Unlike others, I found the cucumber in the water to be too strong, but I do admit being too picky. So I picked it out. plusses: Servers nice, attentive to our large party, flexible for seating needs. I like the idea of a 2nd happy hour from 10pm-midnight, though our drink prices didn't actually seem to reflect this ($7.50 for a blueberry mojito of crap?). For food we got the nacho platter with chicken, was quite nice. The chicken was dry and unseasoned, but the chips were crisp and the dish had obviously hit the broiler and was well-stocked with toppings. The guacamole seemed fairly fresh and good, the salsa was ok. It did get cold at the end of the plate of course, but the plate didn't start out super hot. Just a matter of restaurant's preference, though I prefer the super hot plate and food saying warm longer. *might* try again. The food we ordered wasn't bad, but the drinks were just so bad. The patio seating will be a draw later, if no intent to drink.
(2)
Mike S.
Oh, holy shit, try the salmon. The calamari was bready and greasy and nasty, and they TOTALLY made up for it with the salmon over asparagus risotto. Now, it's important to note: I loathe risotto; I wanted a second helping of this one. It's that good. My buddy ordered something and said it was good, but I don't remember what. I don't remember because every sense in my body was focused on this salmon. I tuned out the music, I tuned out the tranny on whom my buddy was hitting, I tuned out the bartender, I tuned out the trivia game in the background - this salmon was all-focusing, all-consuming. Try. The. Salmon.
(4)
MC B.
Three of us were vacationing in Boise and stopped in Solid for a late lunch. It is a modern, bright and attractive restaurant. Our son ordered a french dip, which he enjoyed and my husband and I split a club sandwich, since it was a later than usual lunch, which was delicious. There was only other one other occupied table. I was not pleased when we were assessed a split plate charge. I really have a problem with that as some of us cannot eat as much as others. We had planned to return later in our Boise visit but I was so annoyed with the split plate charge that we went to the restaurant next door (Bonefish) the following night.
(3)
Christopher S.
Great service! Food was good! Fresh cut fries! Local beers on tap. Good service! Lost a star for not having some domestics on tap or pitchers. We were in a group so getting a couple pitchers would have been enough. Even though they didn't have these options the micros were great! Serving water with a cucumber slice was also refreshing and different from just your plain lemon slice.
(4)
Patty B.
I really wanted to like this place because of the cool vibe and location but because of the service and the food, I cannot. My husband and I both ordered the chicken and waffles because his co- worker suggested the place and the dish but it turned out to be a very bad choice. The fried chicken was pretty much burnt. It was so bland that we needed some hot sauce to add even a little bit of flavor. The waffle was really dense, hard, and also burnt. I couldn't even eat more than a quarter of it. Other people's food actually looked good and they have cucumber water that I found very refreshing.
(1)
Tony M.
Sooooooo good!! Good food even better service it's so great when you get amazing service these days.... It's so rare!
(5)
Christina R.
Gravy for days! I was referring to the FANFUDGINGTASTIC chicken & waffles I had here for an after-the-bars-breakfast/5thmeal. I've actually eaten here for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for drinks and appetizers. The service has honestly been hit or miss for me, but what keeps me coming back is the high-quality food and interesting menu that is totally Boise. Happy hour prices are super affordable ($3-4 large glasses of malbec?!). This was always a first option for a happy hour gathering with friends. Great patio if you can find a seat!
(4)
A D.
Give a 4 star rating for the happy hour mainly. I can't speak much to their regular lunch/dinner menu because I usually just swing by after work for drinks and bar food. Good: - Very friendly staff (The bartender Matt is amazing, he makes a mean gimlet!) - Great alcohol selection (Only bar I've ever found that serves Broker's gin) - Fried pickles are great - Cheap prices (at least during happy hour) - Clean, well-decorated environment (often have live music) Bad: - Food is good, not ohmygosh great. - ? Worth checking out! They have a stand up comedy place right next door that can provide some good entertainment too I've heard.
(4)
Sandy H.
Went to Solid on a Sunday afternoon for lunch with my husband, mother-in-law and 2 1/2 year old. The food was good, basically what I expected from the menu and nothing to rave about. Each of us adults had sandwiches with fries or salads. The portions are large; we all had food left over. On food alone, I would have rated this restaurant a 3 star. What really set Solid apart is the service. Our server was very sensitive to the fact that we had a child. He made a point to bring drinks for all of us immediately - a kids cup for our child - and took the initiative to put our daughter's order in before the rest of the group. He also was prompt in getting us our check so we could get out the door quickly. THANK YOU! I don't know if they really want to develop a reputation for being "kid-friendly", but I know I'll be back with my child.
(4)
Anne S.
Thank goodnesss I am in good company with you posters that were UNIMPRESSED with the food at this place. I had the salmon, with asparagus risotto. Salmon way undercooked, I had to eat around the edges, and gave the rest to my dog. The risotto, way overcooked, it was literally malt-o-meal. The specialty drink menu had items that were convoluted with too many flavors. I had a mint-grapefruit concoction, was looking forward to the mint, all I got was spiked ocean spray ruby red with one sad mint leaf floating atop. Way to disguise yourself as fine dining Solid, get a grip .. money back puh lease!
(2)
Matty S.
Based upon reviews went to Solid with friends. Food was OK. It was early and they were out of the Cuban sandwich, bummer...I made the mistake of getting the Fish & chips. Fish was old and dry with a burnt crust. I saw another plate go to a different table and it looked the same, burnt to a crispy black. Friends had sandwiches which they liked. I would have given it 2 stars but the drink special was very good and the beer selection is great. At the end of the meal my wife asked for a box to keep her meal. When we got home, found that only a part of her meal had been placed in the box. Service so-so. On our first visit, we were turned away since we did not have a reservation. But there is an empty room of tables being unused? So strongly suggest a reservation for dinner.
(3)
Matt B.
Good, standard American food; nachos are great! Staff is very friendly, happy hour is great, and the outdoor balcony is one of the best in downtown.
(4)
Sarah B.
This is a 3 1/2. I want to give this place a 4, but need just a bit more kick with the food - the menu selection is excellent, but I didn't wake up the next day thinking it was the most amazing food I'd ever had - EVER. Their tap beer selection is fabulous for locals and micros. The next time I want a beer and apps or a beer and desert I will definitely think of this place as a go-to. The service was excellent and the prices very reasonable. And I do love the atmosphere/decor - it is spot on as a place where you just want to stay for a while. There was also a great WTF moment as we left around 11pm that has nothing to do with the restaurant itself: just then a doctor in scrubs walked in, a rugby player walked in, and a guy in full tux coattails walked in. I felt so unexciting in just jeans and a t-shirt at that moment.
(3)
April O.
I loved this place! I had the Gyro and clam chowder. The cucumbers in the water was a nice touch. Good service
(5)
L. C.
Don't ask me why, but I didn't really want to like Solid (the dumb name??) but I have to admit that my food was yummy, the waitstaff was knowledgeable and accomodating and the live music was pleasant but not intrusive. My companion wasn't fond of his shrimp and grits, but that's not surprising so far from the South, and he'll order something else next time. I had the sweet potato enchiladas and found a lively combination of tastes on my plate. We'll be back.
(4)
Derrick E.
During our stay in Boise, we've pretty much hit up most of the 3-4 star Yelp joints within walking distance from The Grove Hotel (where we were stayin'). Its late Sunday morning, some of the fam members that were up, got together in the lobby & opted looking for a place to have brunch. Walkin' around we decide on Solid. Sure! We're here & they're open. It was just before noon & BoDo was just barely stirring about after a night of denting kegs...so that being said, we were the first customers as Solid had just unlocked their doors. We had to push a few of tables together to accommodate our party of 9 adults & 2 kidlets. Our waitress with the pixie cut was nice & immediately served up glasses of cucumber water, which I haven't had in quite awhile & found it refreshing. Our drink & food orders were taken & there were a few moments in between that I was really focused on my tasty Bloody Mary & anxiously waiting for my Pulled Pork sandwich. Not all dishes reached the table at the same time...if I had to guesstimate how long it was from the first plate set down before ALL orders were in front of everyone (not including the scrumptious orders of Spinach/Artichoke dip), it was about 5 minutes...again, probably because we were the first patrons of the morning & Solid had to get everything rollin' in the kitchen. My Pulled Pork sandwich was very good in taste, but I usually prefer the pork a little more "shredded" as some of it wasn't & had to pull the meat away in mid bite. The fluffy challa bread pairing with the succulent pork made this sandwich a hit. I wish they served up a larger portion of slaw than in the 2-3 oz ramekin, but make up for it by filling the rest of the plate with enough fries to feed 2-3 people at your table. Solid's sweet potato fries are delicious & because we were the first customers in the house, served fresh & hot out the fryer! Other than that? It was all good in the hood in BoDo! It was a solid 4 stars for Solid but 1/2 star was subtracted for consistantly "shooing" flies from the table. Sorry...I'm not rounding up. Thanks for readin'. Eat well my Yelp friends...another deez® review. Enjoy.
(3)
Mizz S.
I've had lunch here, and it was good. I had a BLT with sweet potato fries, which I enjoyed. The tomato wasn't stellar, but what do you expect in January? The fries more than made up for it. One of my friends had a steak salad that looked delicious. Friendly, attentive service. What else can I say? Solid is solid.
(4)
Angie S.
We went for lunch. 4 adults, I had the Cubano, the others had fish tacos, the gyro, and the prime dip. All were excellent! Very good beer selection as well.
(5)
Dan C.
I eat here regularly, as well as at many other restaurants in the valley. The "Solid Salmon" dish here is quite possibly the best not just currently in Boise, but that any restaurant in Boise has EVER done. I'm not a finicky eater, but am very conscious of what it takes to make great food, being an experienced cook myself. I can see when that effort is being made and when it is successful. This dish is a perfectly balanced plate: an excellent fresh salmon filet cooked perfectly every time I've had it; a thoughtful and expertly executed asparagus risotto; and freshly roasted seasonal veggies from local sources. Paired with a crisp local pale ale or maybe an SRV AVA White Pinot Noir, this meal is tough to beat anywhere at any price. Personal beef: It's upsetting to see reviewers give a place 1 star after one experience that probably wasn't that awful. I realize there are exceptions, but I've eaten here many times and never had less than what I would rate a 3-star experience here, and I have NEVER seen anyone else at nearby tables have what I would consider a 1-star experience. A 1-star review is unfairly harmful to a restaurant's reputation, and rarely an honest reflection on your experience. Be realistic rather than reactionary; be informative rather than make a ridiculous attempt at being entertaining. Perhaps if restaurants got to review you as a customer... ? What would they rate you? Maybe there should be a system where if you're a bad customer with a history of service conflicts and unrealistic expectations, you don't get to eat at the higher-rated restaurants?
(4)
Ray C.
A Solid 1 star. I convinced my husband that we should go here tonight for happy hour and some food before we go and see a movie at the Flicks. We get to the bar at the end of happy hour. It's pretty empty, the dining side is deserted. We sit at the bar and I order a beer, 1/2 price due to happy hour. The husband has allergies and can't do beer or wine. He clearly asks for a margarita, and is inquiring about the price of 100% agave tequila, for his margarita. She quotes $4.50 for the drink. She then proceeds to pour the tequila on the rocks in a salted glass. Things are looking good. The price is good, the tequila is decent and the service is prompt. She sets the glass in front of the hubby, but it's only naked tequila. He says, "I ordered a margarita". She says "Ok, I'll fix it". She makes the margarita, no problem, all smiles, sets it down and says ok. Problem solved, things are looking good, again, for Solid. We drink our drinks, I get a menu because we weren't offered one. We think about food, and then the bartender comes back. She doesn't ask us if we want something to eat, she has come to tell us that if my husband wants to continue to drink his drink, he now has to pay $7.50 because she had to shake it with some mix. She can take it back if he no longer wants to pay the additional $3.00. WTF? We were going to order food, I thought she may be coming back to ask if I had any menu questions or wanted to order! It was her fault, not ours, that there was a miss quote/ understanding. The drink has already been served and is being consumed! I have worked in the service industry for a really long time. She should have owned her mistake and told us next time the price would be $7.50. We would have tipped her the difference. I also would have ordered food. I really wanted to return my beer and just leave. I also wanted to tell the 2 managers hanging out about our experience. I didn't do either. I drank my beer, paid, and left. I didn't leave a tip, I haven't done that more than twice in my 30 years, but tonight it felt good. That girl clearly should not be in the service industry.
(1)
chris b.
We have been twice now. I am sure if you have a few drinks in you this food works... if not, it is not so good. The food is bar food masquerading as restaurant food. The food is bland and dry.. the drinks are decent, but decent drinks do not make for a good restaurant.
(2)
J B.
I do not like to give a one star on anything unless I feel the owner of the business to reevaluate their business plan. I ate there twice in the last two weeks and have been disappointed both times. I really believe that the late night restaurant industry in downtown needs a great breakfast joint. Now.. the first time I ate there I tried the artichoke dip. The flavor was not that tasty and the bread that was served with it was hard as rock. Later in the night it gave me a really bad stomach ache. All my friends claimed that it was probably from too much drinking. Being sold on the idea that I might have just had one two many cocktails I decide to give it one more go around before I wrote this review. This time I decided to try the fried chicken and waffles. With a sausage patty and bacon on the side. The waffle was delicious, but cooking a waffle right takes the talents of a four year old. Now the Chicken was unbreaded. Literally a chicken breast thrown into a fryer. It might have started with some breading but by the time it reached me it looked horrible. It was flavorless and chewy, it was like eating rubber. My friend and I were laughing on how you could not even tare it in half. I don't think my dog would have enjoyed this dry, untended piece of concrete. The bacon was over cooked so it two was extremely hard, It tasted like it was precooked and reheated . And the sausage patty was the most disappointed part. It was something that was flavored like sausage. I have never experience a sausage patty that had such little texture. Like it was once a liquid at one point and molded back into sausage. ... My friend did enjoy his biscuits and gravy. But Its probably because the gravy came out of a can. I am not sure about that so don't quote me. Anyways I wish this place well cause they are new. We really need a good late night breakfast joint And hope that this will help the owner define his restaurant with higher standards and quality food. Now one more good thing to say the service has been excellent both times I have been there . And they carry a variety of local brews I think I counted 11 on tap.
(3)
Amos D.
We did happy hour next door at Liquid (same owners) and they provide food from Solid. We had the fried pickle spears---which are the closest I have come to heaven since I ate them in Seattle, Wa. Don't ever take them off the menu! YUM!!!
(4)
Shaun B.
I give this place two stars instead of one primarily because I know the owners from being a frequent patron of their sister business, Liquid, the alley based bar in BoDo, downtown Boise. They are quite friendly, seem to sincerely care about being a business of integrity and accountability. The servers and bartenders are friendly as well, and seem dedicated to delivering exceptional service, however their food is not up to par, as of now (May 2010). I had their fish and chips, substituted onion rings for fries. Now I understand that businesses these days are opting for low cost, cheaply made ingredients in opposition to fresh, "from scratch" options, but their onion rings tasted and appeared identical to the soggy mess that are IHOP's onion rings. Their fish was awful, overcooked, and inedible. The fish was tough and chewy, and just did not please any part of the palette. I took it back and it was worse the second time around. The highlight of the meal was the ranch and tartar dipping sauces, maybe because it came straight from the store bought bottle as opposed to making it on site. I do wish their business well, as it is a good concept for that area of downtown. Their late night breakfast is better, however, I believe as a restaurant manager myself they could pay more attention to the culinary side of their operation to restore that aforementioned integrity and accountability to that side of their business. Best wishes Solid, but I'm gonna stay away for a while.
(2)
Willa C.
I have been here about 5 times now and kept meaning to Yelp... however, like many Yelpers, I only remembered to actually post once I had a bad experience. Not good on my part, I know... however, it goes to show the nature of word of mouth business. Before this review I would have rated them as a three star kind of joint. The food is decent, the staff has been hit and miss regarding friendliness, but the drinks are a good price and they have an ample happy hour. None of this has changed and perhaps in the future I will return... probably not, but things have been known to happen. I originally came here for my search for the best burger in Boise for late night drinkers. For some reason, I often find myself out around 11 to midnight hoping for an amazing blue cheese burger with onion rings. I had the food from their sister bar, Liquid, during Liquid Laughs one night and it was tasty, so I figured that it would be a good shot for a burger filled with yum. With that in mind, I am a smoker. With the nice weather, I have a hankering to drink and smoke and eat and I know how Boise is, so I called ahead. "Yes, you can smoke on the patio" was met with my reply of, "Brilliant! See you soon!" So we headed over and got a spot on the patio, being told that there was only one patio that we could smoke on. Had a burger and some fries and was happy. About a month ago I went in with some friends and again, they said we could smoke on the patio. I have been in and around a few other times and people have smoked on the patio. So, imagine my surprise last night when we showed up last night and were told we couldn't. Not that the rules had changed, but rather, no, you can't smoke. Then the same lady that had talked to us while smoking last time... I think she brought the ashtray even, but I could be wrong, came and told us for a second time that no, unfortunately that we couldn't smoke. They weren't mean or anything, but they didn't seem concerned that we would leave either, so we decided to leave and go across the alley. A simple, I am really sorry for the inconvenience or something. The problem I have with this is not that we couldn't smoke. Laws change. Management changes. Whatever. However, when you are expecting one thing and then something else happens, it is a let down. Rather than being, "I am really sorry, we can't allow smoking..." it was more like... "No, you can't smoke... " with a hint of "duh!" that bothered me. It was all so non-chalant, "too bad you got to smoke here before and now you can't, sucks for you kind of attitude that I could have lived without". We went back across the street and I saw our original waitress clearing our table and I went back over there (I was still in the alley) and I told her about the woman that was just out being the one last time that said we could smoke, but she clearly didn't care. Okay, cool. I'm not cool enough for them or something. They weren't mean or rude, they just really didn't seem to care. Whatever. Wait, yeah, I don't think I will be back at all. Do I need to go and spend 70 bucks on drinks and dinner to be given an attitude? Nope. I can do that elsewhere. And it has been about 60 - 70 dollars every time for 3 people to have 2 drinks and dinner. That is pretty pricey for bar food, but I was more paying for the ambiance, a place to drink and be comfortable. On the plus side, the burgers there are pretty good. Not as good as Fuddruckers, better than Red Robin and the Tilted Kilt. About the same as the place across the alley, Ha Penny. So, I will continue to go across the way where the service is nice, it's less pretentious, and the drinks flow for the same price. I'm shocked, I didn't know the economy was so good that you don't have to bother with being courteous?
(2)
Stu S.
Boise deserves better, and has better, much better. On a brief trip here with my best friend, we caught up with a shady lady from my mucky past and asked her out for lunch on a Monday afternoon. I've almost never had a great food experience in a restaurant/bar that is stone cold empty at 12:30, the darned lunch hour, and come back for a 2nd try. What makes any restaurant empty at peak hours? They're doing something wrong or they picked a location like the middle of the Mojave desert where the closest thing to life is a mutant buzzard begging for bones. We'd actually taken the time the day before to run into Solid, grab a menu and decide with a little info whether to take our gal pal there. So let me say that I've finally found burger hell...I review burgers because I can and it's my passion, besides my lover. My best buddy ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad and it looked good and he smiled all the way through it. our gal pal ordered a chicken wrap with regular fries, they both opted for a glass of house white while I got a foul tasting diet coke. I ordered their namesake burger with cheese and fries. What in the world happened between the sweet waitress taking our order and what she brought me from the kitchen...The positive thing about the plate she place in front of me was the mountain of fries while the rest of the plate looked like a blueprint for the last meal for Osama Bin Laden...it was ugly, cold, overcooked, dry, flavorless and the nearly invisible slice of Swiss that resembled dehydrated mustard. The Kaiser Roll was a looker, but tasted like Wonder bread in Palm Springs for spring break. As you can see, Solid is the first really negative review I've written in many a moon, and I hate writing a crumby review for anyone, but this place has a special place in my heart, the bottom of the burger barrel, and should quit pretending they have a clue what this sacred food even is. The unforgivable for this writer is crappy fixings, and they scored a total zero which saddens me because they said farewell and I never even got to know them.
(1)
Kevin B.
Solid has a great staff very quick and accommodating. They rescued us from a failure at ha' penny before a show at the knitting factory. Good food good people. I'm never disappointed .
(4)
Kyle C.
I usually hit up Solid before I go to either the Knitting Factory or Liquid. Solid is my pregame because, well, it's solid. A great variety of taps and they are no strangers to the whiskey. I needed a tune up before I went and saw J Boog at the Knit so I got a Laughing Dog that was in excess of 8% ABV and a Jack Daniel's side car. The wait staff was well dressed and classy. In and out and on with the night. Often times they have live music on the deck; a solo artist with an acoustic guitar. You can enjoy the tunes while you eat and drink or just while you walk by. I am quite fond of this place.
(4)
Dishorn H.
Great location and a nice find. They had a really scenic outdoor space and I was surprised by the live music. The waiting staff was also quite personable and had a great understanding of the menu items. The food there was very creative and I found my burger to be very well made. They also have the options for sweet potato fries which is always a win in my book. Their creme brulee was creamy and freshly made. I guess the only criticism I really had was that a few of the cocktails weren't that well made. I had one of their signature drinks and it came out kind of sake and overly sweet. Overall however it was a great experience and I would recommend it.
(4)
Mikey K.
It was nice to sit outside on the deck, underneath the misters. The food was decent, but I felt it to be overpriced considering the quality and portion. It has vegan options and good beers. I had a seasonal brew from Portland. The service was good and the servers were very friendly. There are plenty of TVs if you want to watch a game, and sitting on the deck is great people-watching.
(3)
Kara T.
This places deserves at least 4 stars. Love the live music on the patio! Great choices for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. I had the GF and Vegetarian Sweet Potato Enchiladas. They were very good and slightly spicy.
(4)
Bruce S.
Sat for 10 minutes no service. 2 wait staff walked past. Not one to wait for additional bad service. Left. Great downtown area. A lot of other choices. I'd look elsewhere
(1)
Julia L.
Solid is one of my favorite places to eat downtown. It's very casual with lots of seating and a creative menu. The risotto bites, and grilled halloumi are ridiculously good. The burgers and salads are also a safe bet, very fresh ingredients. You can see live music here on the patio and that's really cool. I was here today and our waitress was great! If you haven't, definitely check it out.. Also I love the cucumber slices in the water!
(4)
Monique W.
Food was excellent!!! Between the 5 of us we got the chicken quesadilla, slightly spicey and delish, risotto bites(not enough given. Ate them so fast!) pear Gorgonzola pizza( oh my goodness get this!!) and the hummus. Delicious!!! All of these items were awesome. Drinks were good and the service was top notch. Our server was super friendly!!! Brad was everything you want in a server!!! Love him!!! Will come again and ask for him!
(5)
Thomas Q.
Always great. Best late night breakfast in Boise. Great chicken fried steak. Emily is cool!
(5)
Marissa L.
Great food! My girlfriend and I ordered the risotto bites, some sort of bread thing with 3 different dips- SO good. Also ordered the portobello sandwich which was delicious. Would definitely return
(4)
Idaho Travelers S.
Great drinks and appys! The service was outstanding, the food was great, and the atmosphere was relaxing. We visited during the late afternoon for drinks and appys during a staycation in downtown Boise. We ordered simple.... nachos, risotto bites, and drinks. The food, while simple, was flavorful, very fresh and presented very well. Our server was fun and quirky.... he is also a stand-up comic at this restaurant's other "half", which is Liquid Laughs. He was friendly and attentive. We will return to this restaurant.
(5)
Brett M.
I've teetered between a 3 or 4 star based on my last visit. Solid is a great spot downtown in a really good area. The ambiance is cool and laid back. Waitstaff are very helpful with excellent service. I would highly recommend the shrimp and grits which rival dishes I've had in Louisiana. The others in my party had good experiences with the steak. Sweet Potato Enchiladas and sandwiches were good, yet not as good as we had hoped.
(3)
Samantha R.
The food never disappoints and the service is great. I love the lunch options and the prices are reasonable. Great for a business or casual lunch.
(5)
Rebecca H.
We were visiting for a conference and this place was within walking distance of the Grove. The wait staff, while friendly, recommended the risotto bites so we tried them...they were terrible. The fried coating combined with the starchy risotto made for a weird texture. It would have been one thing if the risotto was good, but it was lacking flavor which made the dish very unsatisfying. We also ordered the hummus, but it too had an odd texture, like cold bean dip... Overall, while the service and atmosphere was pleasant, the food we ordered was not good. If I am ever in Boise again I may give them another try and order what other Yelpers suggest.
(2)
lizzie c.
Food was good, drinks were good, and since we had just moved to town our server introduced us to fry sauce and gave us discounted tickets to the comedy show at Liquid.
(4)
Sabrina L.
First of all, can I just say this place makes the best nachos in Boise. Hands down! Their drinks are great, the lighting and ambiance of the place is very cool. If you go in the summer, they sometimes have live music playing on the deck, which is cool. And it's not that distracting, annoying live music that you sometimes run into, which is nice. The cocktails are decent, but a tad overpriced for the quality. The food more than makes up for it, though. This place is great for a date night or just a fun night out with friends. Definitely recommend.
(5)
Thea J.
I love this place! There hours are fantastic, when ever we are down town late in the evening after a show or fun night out this is a must stopping point before going home, great cock-tails & food. Really a great atmosphere and lots of fun!
(4)
Maile K.
Stopped by there today 3/21/15 on a bike ride around Boise. Brad was our waiter and he was amazing. He suggested a lemon drop with 44 North vodka and it was incredible. I also sampled several local beers and Brad was accomodating and knowledgeable. We at the quesadilla and bread sampler. Both were brought on stone plates and the presentatio of both was beautiful The music was playing and the deck was a great place to sit. The musician was very good and made for a great atmoshpere. I loved it.
(5)
Nick T.
Menu has changed and there are some things on there menu that don't really tell you why is in them we could not even get a napkin
(2)
Martha M.
Pass! Rude and inattentive staff, especially the gentleman with the dark long hair behind the bar with the accent. There are better places that represent Boise. Boiseans have zero tolerance for places who treat guests in the manner this place does. Good luck with business. Word-of-mouth travels like wild fire.
(1)
Patty B.
I really wanted to like this place because of the cool vibe and location but because of the service and the food, I cannot. My husband and I both ordered the chicken and waffles because his co- worker suggested the place and the dish but it turned out to be a very bad choice. The fried chicken was pretty much burnt. It was so bland that we needed some hot sauce to add even a little bit of flavor. The waffle was really dense, hard, and also burnt. I couldn't even eat more than a quarter of it. Other people's food actually looked good and they have cucumber water that I found very refreshing.
(1)
James S.
So this review is long over due. I was in Boise for a friends wedding last year near the end of summer. I picked my wife from the airport (different flights) and headed to get some food. Saw this place earlier as I was at PF Chang's across the street. We go in just after lunch service. A few other people are at the bar (find out later they are previous employees) so we post up there. Decide to try some local beer and enjoyed it. Nothing spectacular but tasty. Then comes the arrogant/rude bartender "Cash". As we're looking over the menu, a cute girl walks in inquiring about a job. She states that she recently graduated from bar-tending school and immediately this douche throws his hands in the air and mocks this poor girl and says "Ooooooo bartending school and rolls his eyes". Not cool to treat someone in this manner in front of guests. Eventually the girl walks out and he continues his arrogant attitude on us. My wife ask fir an ice water and he says "No!". Obviously we knew he was joking but he continues with the joke with a strait face to the point where it was awkward (plus my wife was beyond thirsty as she just got off of a plane!) We somewhat joked back only because our food had yet to come out and I didn't want to be the complaining customer. Really can't remember what we ordered but it obviously did not make an impression. At the same time all of this was going on, two owners were tasting beer at the bar as well. Which is totally cool as it was in between shifts. Sucks that they let this guy run this bar as they are really nice people. It must be because this douche is the "best bar manager all over the world!" from Australia to England to the U.S.!
(2)
Jenny R.
It's been a long time since I'd been to Solid so I was excited to go back. I remember a few dishes that were amaz-balls. So we get there on a Friday night about 8:00. It's not exactly busy but there's customers. Takes 5 minutes for a hostess to show up & seat us. We sit for close to 10 min before we get a server. He doesn't want to answer a simple question about beers. Doesn't even tell me there's a list until I ask. Is super condescending & leaves before I can order. That whole interaction lasts 10 seconds tops. So he leaves all annoyed & doesn't come back. 10 min later we leave. Waste of time & energy to just grab a bite & drink. Solid. Great food. Horrible service.
(1)
Taylor A.
Very good menu options for everyone. Service is typically slow. Nice selection of beers, always rotating selecion, but over priced for what you get if its not their beer happy hour. Stick to the table seating, have had a few rude experiences from the bar staff.
(2)
Adriana K.
Live music, outdoor seating, an extensive menu - this place is perfect for downtown Boise! Great beer menu - the orange blossom beer was a-mazing- and the handcrafted ice cubes in the cucumber cocktail was perfect for a hot summer afternoon. The foccacia is house made and to die for - and plenty of options for those avoiding gluten. Fast and friendly service - just not enough time to try everything that sounded so delicious on their menu!!
(5)
Alex N.
Yes this place is delicious. Yes this place is charming. Yes this place has a great bartender and tap list. In fact this whole place is pretty goddamned amazing. I sat down at the bar and there was a gaggle of googly-eyed gals groaning gregariously about something or another and this obviously had the bartendeers main attention, despite this fact and the fact that I don't have a big ol' pair of fake tits I still received very good service. He helped me decide on a samich, the defibrillator, which is a burger with....wait for it.... deep fried bacon, guacamoles and deliciousness served with fries (sweet tater and regular!!). One of the best sandwiches I've ever put in my mouthhole. The prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality of food and decor and if I am ever lucky enough to haunt the clean streets of Boise again I will definitely be making a foray back into Solid.
(5)
Rennie H.
We stopped in for a week day lunch. First indication that it might have not been the best choice should have been the fact that only two tables were occupied in the middle of lunch hour. I had the Montecristo sandwich and my wife had the fish and chips. The Montecristo was done tempura style which obviously works better in theory than in practice. Both dishes were a bit oily and the batter on the fish and chips outweighed the fish. The waiter/bartender was a bit overzealous in his desire to engage us in conversation, interrupting our meal no less than five times. Overall I would not recommend having lunch here. A sentiment obviously shared by many of the locals as the place was near empty.
(2)
Steph K.
I am in town this week for a business meeting and just got back from dinner there with my co workers. It was a wonderful night! The staff was knowledgeable and attentive, always making sure that our drinks were full. One of my favorite things is the ice cold water with slices of cucumber, it is so refreshing! And our server always made sure our glasses were full. For dinner, I got the rib eye with the Gorgonzola cream sauce with potatoes au gratin and mixed veggies. The steak was cooked perfectly and the cream sauce was filled with flavor. I have been to Boise numerous times for business meetings and have been to Solid twice, and have enjoyed myself both times. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area!
(4)
Tim F.
We came in after dinner at another restaurant. 5 of us in for drinks. They have some pretty different drinks on the menu which are cool to try. The drinks were fine, but one friend ordered a martini with extra olives. We got the bill and we were charged for "xtra" olives!!! Really???? That part didn't make sense. Okay place, but probably won't be back.
(2)
Gloria C.
one visit only, may that be the only one. Will update should we happen to return. And, since the place was chosen by a friend for an event, I mentioned my impressions of the food. He said prior visits had been excellent for food quality and drinks. However tonight he noticed his food was not very good and his drinks were poorly mixed. Minuses: Blueberry mojito. Hubs said was too much mint, however I think the major issue was the inferior quality of rum. No blueberry flavor, just nasty booze and strong mint. 'Well' drinks for happy hours usually aren't this bad. Hubs got a long island, then a black opal. I thought both were pretty bad, mostly related to alcohol quality. He thought they were acceptable. Unlike others, I found the cucumber in the water to be too strong, but I do admit being too picky. So I picked it out. plusses: Servers nice, attentive to our large party, flexible for seating needs. I like the idea of a 2nd happy hour from 10pm-midnight, though our drink prices didn't actually seem to reflect this ($7.50 for a blueberry mojito of crap?). For food we got the nacho platter with chicken, was quite nice. The chicken was dry and unseasoned, but the chips were crisp and the dish had obviously hit the broiler and was well-stocked with toppings. The guacamole seemed fairly fresh and good, the salsa was ok. It did get cold at the end of the plate of course, but the plate didn't start out super hot. Just a matter of restaurant's preference, though I prefer the super hot plate and food saying warm longer. *might* try again. The food we ordered wasn't bad, but the drinks were just so bad. The patio seating will be a draw later, if no intent to drink.
(2)
Mike S.
Oh, holy shit, try the salmon. The calamari was bready and greasy and nasty, and they TOTALLY made up for it with the salmon over asparagus risotto. Now, it's important to note: I loathe risotto; I wanted a second helping of this one. It's that good. My buddy ordered something and said it was good, but I don't remember what. I don't remember because every sense in my body was focused on this salmon. I tuned out the music, I tuned out the tranny on whom my buddy was hitting, I tuned out the bartender, I tuned out the trivia game in the background - this salmon was all-focusing, all-consuming. Try. The. Salmon.
(4)
MC B.
Three of us were vacationing in Boise and stopped in Solid for a late lunch. It is a modern, bright and attractive restaurant. Our son ordered a french dip, which he enjoyed and my husband and I split a club sandwich, since it was a later than usual lunch, which was delicious. There was only other one other occupied table. I was not pleased when we were assessed a split plate charge. I really have a problem with that as some of us cannot eat as much as others. We had planned to return later in our Boise visit but I was so annoyed with the split plate charge that we went to the restaurant next door (Bonefish) the following night.
(3)
Christopher S.
Great service! Food was good! Fresh cut fries! Local beers on tap. Good service! Lost a star for not having some domestics on tap or pitchers. We were in a group so getting a couple pitchers would have been enough. Even though they didn't have these options the micros were great! Serving water with a cucumber slice was also refreshing and different from just your plain lemon slice.
(4)
Tony M.
Sooooooo good!! Good food even better service it's so great when you get amazing service these days.... It's so rare!
(5)
Christina R.
Gravy for days! I was referring to the FANFUDGINGTASTIC chicken & waffles I had here for an after-the-bars-breakfast/5thmeal. I've actually eaten here for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for drinks and appetizers. The service has honestly been hit or miss for me, but what keeps me coming back is the high-quality food and interesting menu that is totally Boise. Happy hour prices are super affordable ($3-4 large glasses of malbec?!). This was always a first option for a happy hour gathering with friends. Great patio if you can find a seat!
(4)
A D.
Give a 4 star rating for the happy hour mainly. I can't speak much to their regular lunch/dinner menu because I usually just swing by after work for drinks and bar food. Good: - Very friendly staff (The bartender Matt is amazing, he makes a mean gimlet!) - Great alcohol selection (Only bar I've ever found that serves Broker's gin) - Fried pickles are great - Cheap prices (at least during happy hour) - Clean, well-decorated environment (often have live music) Bad: - Food is good, not ohmygosh great. - ? Worth checking out! They have a stand up comedy place right next door that can provide some good entertainment too I've heard.
(4)
Sandy H.
Went to Solid on a Sunday afternoon for lunch with my husband, mother-in-law and 2 1/2 year old. The food was good, basically what I expected from the menu and nothing to rave about. Each of us adults had sandwiches with fries or salads. The portions are large; we all had food left over. On food alone, I would have rated this restaurant a 3 star. What really set Solid apart is the service. Our server was very sensitive to the fact that we had a child. He made a point to bring drinks for all of us immediately - a kids cup for our child - and took the initiative to put our daughter's order in before the rest of the group. He also was prompt in getting us our check so we could get out the door quickly. THANK YOU! I don't know if they really want to develop a reputation for being "kid-friendly", but I know I'll be back with my child.
(4)
Anne S.
Thank goodnesss I am in good company with you posters that were UNIMPRESSED with the food at this place. I had the salmon, with asparagus risotto. Salmon way undercooked, I had to eat around the edges, and gave the rest to my dog. The risotto, way overcooked, it was literally malt-o-meal. The specialty drink menu had items that were convoluted with too many flavors. I had a mint-grapefruit concoction, was looking forward to the mint, all I got was spiked ocean spray ruby red with one sad mint leaf floating atop. Way to disguise yourself as fine dining Solid, get a grip .. money back puh lease!
(2)
Matty S.
Based upon reviews went to Solid with friends. Food was OK. It was early and they were out of the Cuban sandwich, bummer...I made the mistake of getting the Fish & chips. Fish was old and dry with a burnt crust. I saw another plate go to a different table and it looked the same, burnt to a crispy black. Friends had sandwiches which they liked. I would have given it 2 stars but the drink special was very good and the beer selection is great. At the end of the meal my wife asked for a box to keep her meal. When we got home, found that only a part of her meal had been placed in the box. Service so-so. On our first visit, we were turned away since we did not have a reservation. But there is an empty room of tables being unused? So strongly suggest a reservation for dinner.
(3)
Matt B.
Good, standard American food; nachos are great! Staff is very friendly, happy hour is great, and the outdoor balcony is one of the best in downtown.
(4)
Sarah B.
This is a 3 1/2. I want to give this place a 4, but need just a bit more kick with the food - the menu selection is excellent, but I didn't wake up the next day thinking it was the most amazing food I'd ever had - EVER. Their tap beer selection is fabulous for locals and micros. The next time I want a beer and apps or a beer and desert I will definitely think of this place as a go-to. The service was excellent and the prices very reasonable. And I do love the atmosphere/decor - it is spot on as a place where you just want to stay for a while. There was also a great WTF moment as we left around 11pm that has nothing to do with the restaurant itself: just then a doctor in scrubs walked in, a rugby player walked in, and a guy in full tux coattails walked in. I felt so unexciting in just jeans and a t-shirt at that moment.
(3)
April O.
I loved this place! I had the Gyro and clam chowder. The cucumbers in the water was a nice touch. Good service
(5)
L. C.
Don't ask me why, but I didn't really want to like Solid (the dumb name??) but I have to admit that my food was yummy, the waitstaff was knowledgeable and accomodating and the live music was pleasant but not intrusive. My companion wasn't fond of his shrimp and grits, but that's not surprising so far from the South, and he'll order something else next time. I had the sweet potato enchiladas and found a lively combination of tastes on my plate. We'll be back.
(4)
Derrick E.
During our stay in Boise, we've pretty much hit up most of the 3-4 star Yelp joints within walking distance from The Grove Hotel (where we were stayin'). Its late Sunday morning, some of the fam members that were up, got together in the lobby & opted looking for a place to have brunch. Walkin' around we decide on Solid. Sure! We're here & they're open. It was just before noon & BoDo was just barely stirring about after a night of denting kegs...so that being said, we were the first customers as Solid had just unlocked their doors. We had to push a few of tables together to accommodate our party of 9 adults & 2 kidlets. Our waitress with the pixie cut was nice & immediately served up glasses of cucumber water, which I haven't had in quite awhile & found it refreshing. Our drink & food orders were taken & there were a few moments in between that I was really focused on my tasty Bloody Mary & anxiously waiting for my Pulled Pork sandwich. Not all dishes reached the table at the same time...if I had to guesstimate how long it was from the first plate set down before ALL orders were in front of everyone (not including the scrumptious orders of Spinach/Artichoke dip), it was about 5 minutes...again, probably because we were the first patrons of the morning & Solid had to get everything rollin' in the kitchen. My Pulled Pork sandwich was very good in taste, but I usually prefer the pork a little more "shredded" as some of it wasn't & had to pull the meat away in mid bite. The fluffy challa bread pairing with the succulent pork made this sandwich a hit. I wish they served up a larger portion of slaw than in the 2-3 oz ramekin, but make up for it by filling the rest of the plate with enough fries to feed 2-3 people at your table. Solid's sweet potato fries are delicious & because we were the first customers in the house, served fresh & hot out the fryer! Other than that? It was all good in the hood in BoDo! It was a solid 4 stars for Solid but 1/2 star was subtracted for consistantly "shooing" flies from the table. Sorry...I'm not rounding up. Thanks for readin'. Eat well my Yelp friends...another deez® review. Enjoy.
(3)
Idaho Travelers S.
Great drinks and appys! The service was outstanding, the food was great, and the atmosphere was relaxing. We visited during the late afternoon for drinks and appys during a staycation in downtown Boise. We ordered simple.... nachos, risotto bites, and drinks. The food, while simple, was flavorful, very fresh and presented very well. Our server was fun and quirky.... he is also a stand-up comic at this restaurant's other "half", which is Liquid Laughs. He was friendly and attentive. We will return to this restaurant.
(5)
Brett M.
I've teetered between a 3 or 4 star based on my last visit. Solid is a great spot downtown in a really good area. The ambiance is cool and laid back. Waitstaff are very helpful with excellent service. I would highly recommend the shrimp and grits which rival dishes I've had in Louisiana. The others in my party had good experiences with the steak. Sweet Potato Enchiladas and sandwiches were good, yet not as good as we had hoped.
(3)
Stu S.
Boise deserves better, and has better, much better. On a brief trip here with my best friend, we caught up with a shady lady from my mucky past and asked her out for lunch on a Monday afternoon. I've almost never had a great food experience in a restaurant/bar that is stone cold empty at 12:30, the darned lunch hour, and come back for a 2nd try. What makes any restaurant empty at peak hours? They're doing something wrong or they picked a location like the middle of the Mojave desert where the closest thing to life is a mutant buzzard begging for bones. We'd actually taken the time the day before to run into Solid, grab a menu and decide with a little info whether to take our gal pal there. So let me say that I've finally found burger hell...I review burgers because I can and it's my passion, besides my lover. My best buddy ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad and it looked good and he smiled all the way through it. our gal pal ordered a chicken wrap with regular fries, they both opted for a glass of house white while I got a foul tasting diet coke. I ordered their namesake burger with cheese and fries. What in the world happened between the sweet waitress taking our order and what she brought me from the kitchen...The positive thing about the plate she place in front of me was the mountain of fries while the rest of the plate looked like a blueprint for the last meal for Osama Bin Laden...it was ugly, cold, overcooked, dry, flavorless and the nearly invisible slice of Swiss that resembled dehydrated mustard. The Kaiser Roll was a looker, but tasted like Wonder bread in Palm Springs for spring break. As you can see, Solid is the first really negative review I've written in many a moon, and I hate writing a crumby review for anyone, but this place has a special place in my heart, the bottom of the burger barrel, and should quit pretending they have a clue what this sacred food even is. The unforgivable for this writer is crappy fixings, and they scored a total zero which saddens me because they said farewell and I never even got to know them.
(1)
Kevin B.
Solid has a great staff very quick and accommodating. They rescued us from a failure at ha' penny before a show at the knitting factory. Good food good people. I'm never disappointed .
(4)
Samantha R.
The food never disappoints and the service is great. I love the lunch options and the prices are reasonable. Great for a business or casual lunch.
(5)
Rebecca H.
We were visiting for a conference and this place was within walking distance of the Grove. The wait staff, while friendly, recommended the risotto bites so we tried them...they were terrible. The fried coating combined with the starchy risotto made for a weird texture. It would have been one thing if the risotto was good, but it was lacking flavor which made the dish very unsatisfying. We also ordered the hummus, but it too had an odd texture, like cold bean dip... Overall, while the service and atmosphere was pleasant, the food we ordered was not good. If I am ever in Boise again I may give them another try and order what other Yelpers suggest.
(2)
lizzie c.
Food was good, drinks were good, and since we had just moved to town our server introduced us to fry sauce and gave us discounted tickets to the comedy show at Liquid.
(4)
Ray C.
A Solid 1 star. I convinced my husband that we should go here tonight for happy hour and some food before we go and see a movie at the Flicks. We get to the bar at the end of happy hour. It's pretty empty, the dining side is deserted. We sit at the bar and I order a beer, 1/2 price due to happy hour. The husband has allergies and can't do beer or wine. He clearly asks for a margarita, and is inquiring about the price of 100% agave tequila, for his margarita. She quotes $4.50 for the drink. She then proceeds to pour the tequila on the rocks in a salted glass. Things are looking good. The price is good, the tequila is decent and the service is prompt. She sets the glass in front of the hubby, but it's only naked tequila. He says, "I ordered a margarita". She says "Ok, I'll fix it". She makes the margarita, no problem, all smiles, sets it down and says ok. Problem solved, things are looking good, again, for Solid. We drink our drinks, I get a menu because we weren't offered one. We think about food, and then the bartender comes back. She doesn't ask us if we want something to eat, she has come to tell us that if my husband wants to continue to drink his drink, he now has to pay $7.50 because she had to shake it with some mix. She can take it back if he no longer wants to pay the additional $3.00. WTF? We were going to order food, I thought she may be coming back to ask if I had any menu questions or wanted to order! It was her fault, not ours, that there was a miss quote/ understanding. The drink has already been served and is being consumed! I have worked in the service industry for a really long time. She should have owned her mistake and told us next time the price would be $7.50. We would have tipped her the difference. I also would have ordered food. I really wanted to return my beer and just leave. I also wanted to tell the 2 managers hanging out about our experience. I didn't do either. I drank my beer, paid, and left. I didn't leave a tip, I haven't done that more than twice in my 30 years, but tonight it felt good. That girl clearly should not be in the service industry.
(1)
chris b.
We have been twice now. I am sure if you have a few drinks in you this food works... if not, it is not so good. The food is bar food masquerading as restaurant food. The food is bland and dry.. the drinks are decent, but decent drinks do not make for a good restaurant.
(2)
Monique W.
Food was excellent!!! Between the 5 of us we got the chicken quesadilla, slightly spicey and delish, risotto bites(not enough given. Ate them so fast!) pear Gorgonzola pizza( oh my goodness get this!!) and the hummus. Delicious!!! All of these items were awesome. Drinks were good and the service was top notch. Our server was super friendly!!! Brad was everything you want in a server!!! Love him!!! Will come again and ask for him!
(5)
Thomas Q.
Always great. Best late night breakfast in Boise. Great chicken fried steak. Emily is cool!
(5)
Marissa L.
Great food! My girlfriend and I ordered the risotto bites, some sort of bread thing with 3 different dips- SO good. Also ordered the portobello sandwich which was delicious. Would definitely return
(4)
J B.
I do not like to give a one star on anything unless I feel the owner of the business to reevaluate their business plan. I ate there twice in the last two weeks and have been disappointed both times. I really believe that the late night restaurant industry in downtown needs a great breakfast joint. Now.. the first time I ate there I tried the artichoke dip. The flavor was not that tasty and the bread that was served with it was hard as rock. Later in the night it gave me a really bad stomach ache. All my friends claimed that it was probably from too much drinking. Being sold on the idea that I might have just had one two many cocktails I decide to give it one more go around before I wrote this review. This time I decided to try the fried chicken and waffles. With a sausage patty and bacon on the side. The waffle was delicious, but cooking a waffle right takes the talents of a four year old. Now the Chicken was unbreaded. Literally a chicken breast thrown into a fryer. It might have started with some breading but by the time it reached me it looked horrible. It was flavorless and chewy, it was like eating rubber. My friend and I were laughing on how you could not even tare it in half. I don't think my dog would have enjoyed this dry, untended piece of concrete. The bacon was over cooked so it two was extremely hard, It tasted like it was precooked and reheated . And the sausage patty was the most disappointed part. It was something that was flavored like sausage. I have never experience a sausage patty that had such little texture. Like it was once a liquid at one point and molded back into sausage. ... My friend did enjoy his biscuits and gravy. But Its probably because the gravy came out of a can. I am not sure about that so don't quote me. Anyways I wish this place well cause they are new. We really need a good late night breakfast joint And hope that this will help the owner define his restaurant with higher standards and quality food. Now one more good thing to say the service has been excellent both times I have been there . And they carry a variety of local brews I think I counted 11 on tap.
(3)
Amos D.
We did happy hour next door at Liquid (same owners) and they provide food from Solid. We had the fried pickle spears---which are the closest I have come to heaven since I ate them in Seattle, Wa. Don't ever take them off the menu! YUM!!!
(4)
Sabrina L.
First of all, can I just say this place makes the best nachos in Boise. Hands down! Their drinks are great, the lighting and ambiance of the place is very cool. If you go in the summer, they sometimes have live music playing on the deck, which is cool. And it's not that distracting, annoying live music that you sometimes run into, which is nice. The cocktails are decent, but a tad overpriced for the quality. The food more than makes up for it, though. This place is great for a date night or just a fun night out with friends. Definitely recommend.
(5)
Thea J.
I love this place! There hours are fantastic, when ever we are down town late in the evening after a show or fun night out this is a must stopping point before going home, great cock-tails & food. Really a great atmosphere and lots of fun!
(4)
Shaun B.
I give this place two stars instead of one primarily because I know the owners from being a frequent patron of their sister business, Liquid, the alley based bar in BoDo, downtown Boise. They are quite friendly, seem to sincerely care about being a business of integrity and accountability. The servers and bartenders are friendly as well, and seem dedicated to delivering exceptional service, however their food is not up to par, as of now (May 2010). I had their fish and chips, substituted onion rings for fries. Now I understand that businesses these days are opting for low cost, cheaply made ingredients in opposition to fresh, "from scratch" options, but their onion rings tasted and appeared identical to the soggy mess that are IHOP's onion rings. Their fish was awful, overcooked, and inedible. The fish was tough and chewy, and just did not please any part of the palette. I took it back and it was worse the second time around. The highlight of the meal was the ranch and tartar dipping sauces, maybe because it came straight from the store bought bottle as opposed to making it on site. I do wish their business well, as it is a good concept for that area of downtown. Their late night breakfast is better, however, I believe as a restaurant manager myself they could pay more attention to the culinary side of their operation to restore that aforementioned integrity and accountability to that side of their business. Best wishes Solid, but I'm gonna stay away for a while.
(2)
Dishorn H.
Great location and a nice find. They had a really scenic outdoor space and I was surprised by the live music. The waiting staff was also quite personable and had a great understanding of the menu items. The food there was very creative and I found my burger to be very well made. They also have the options for sweet potato fries which is always a win in my book. Their creme brulee was creamy and freshly made. I guess the only criticism I really had was that a few of the cocktails weren't that well made. I had one of their signature drinks and it came out kind of sake and overly sweet. Overall however it was a great experience and I would recommend it.
(4)
Mikey K.
It was nice to sit outside on the deck, underneath the misters. The food was decent, but I felt it to be overpriced considering the quality and portion. It has vegan options and good beers. I had a seasonal brew from Portland. The service was good and the servers were very friendly. There are plenty of TVs if you want to watch a game, and sitting on the deck is great people-watching.
(3)
Kara T.
This places deserves at least 4 stars. Love the live music on the patio! Great choices for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. I had the GF and Vegetarian Sweet Potato Enchiladas. They were very good and slightly spicy.
(4)
Bruce S.
Sat for 10 minutes no service. 2 wait staff walked past. Not one to wait for additional bad service. Left. Great downtown area. A lot of other choices. I'd look elsewhere
(1)
Maile K.
Stopped by there today 3/21/15 on a bike ride around Boise. Brad was our waiter and he was amazing. He suggested a lemon drop with 44 North vodka and it was incredible. I also sampled several local beers and Brad was accomodating and knowledgeable. We at the quesadilla and bread sampler. Both were brought on stone plates and the presentatio of both was beautiful The music was playing and the deck was a great place to sit. The musician was very good and made for a great atmoshpere. I loved it.
(5)
Nick T.
Menu has changed and there are some things on there menu that don't really tell you why is in them we could not even get a napkin
(2)
Brigid F.
Attended a reception at Solid. The wait staff were fantastic. Very friendly and attentive. The had a nice buffet of pulled pork sliders, vegetables, fruit, spinach artichoke dip and... I would highly recommend this place!!
The drinks are reasonably priced and the service is good. They do cheap out on meals. My shrimp and grits was grits and a little bit of shrimp. But it was tasty.
(4)
Katie M.
Sat down on the patio on a Monday night, it took 20 minutes for us to wave down a waiter to get menus. . . Another 20 minutes goes by, we weren't even acknowledged or offered water. There were maybe 10 occupied tables, so it wasn't that busy. After waiting almost an hour, we decided to take our business elsewhere, since they obviously didn't want ours. Save your time, go somewhere else.
(1)
Armani D.
If the most negative review here lately is from a smoker upset she can't smoke anymore in the balcony, then this is my kind of place. As a non-smoker, I was able to appreciate this friendly gem. I did not feel the staff was rude at all, enjoyed my meal, was immediately attended to, and BONUS: Latin Salsa dance lessons on Wednesday nights for 5.00 bucks! Had a blast!!
(4)
Jeremy L.
One of our favorite places!. Everything is good. I've had the amazing chicken and waffles, my surprisingly favorite street tacos, a few of the burgers, the steak salad, wings, BLT, corned beef and cabbage special during St Patricks Day and more. The only thing I've had that I didn't care for was the french dip. They use a cheap tasting hoagie roll. Everything else including the atmosphere, drinks, and live music is great! Patio seating during warmer weather with live music is perfect for our date nights. Good people watching too. I don't know what it is about the street tacos. It's something that took me awhile to try because I had so many favorites on the menu already, Now its my new favorite. They aren't just tacos, they are just tasty awesomeness. The chips they come with are crazy good as well. Try it, I don't think you will be disappointed.
(5)
Bill H.
Great place for the money spent. Love the salsa latin dance club there on Wednesday's!
(4)
Cara S.
Another mediocre local restaurant. The air conditioner was on even though it's only around 20° outside. A vent was directly under our table and the server asked us if we wanted her to cover it with a tray . Weird. My husband and I had a very awkward dining experience with this server. She interrupted us several times while we were eating asking us if we were finished. No.... Clearly we were not. We gave no indication that we were finished. She also asked my husband if he was finished with his whiskey when it was only half gone. It's unlikely that we will return. Is Boise's palate so ignorant that there must only be "New Traditional" restaurants? To me, new traditional is just a fancy way of saying, over-priced bar food.
(2)
Deano G.
This place used to be okay, but when you are sitting at the bar and it takes 15 minutes for the bartender to ask what you want to drink.... Wow, what a complete failure... I was even going to stay for dinner, but since we had such bad service we decided to go to a place that would serve us and even ask if we wanted menus & not focus on the locals.... shame on you solid!
(1)
Tena J.
We had our office holiday party at Solid. Appetizers were artichoke dip and the wine and cheese plates, then we had the Solid salmon, ribeyes and the chicken cordon bleu for dinner. Everything was delicous and perfectly timed! Skyla was a rock star and by dinner, knew everyone's names, drinks and what we had ordered for dinner (sent to the restaurant the week before). After dinner, we all moved over to Liquid for a hilarious comedy show. The night was a huge success. Thank you Skyla, Jeremy, Liz and Brooke, and to everyone working behind the scenes. You were fantastic!
(5)
Michael F.
Had dinner here last week. I had the The doc Hudson - beef patty, fried egg, ham, caramelized onions, with cheddar and swiss. This burger was awesome and the sweet potato fries were amazing too. Mike our waiter was great and on the spot. Highly recommend solid. PS they also has a peanut butter cheese cake that was to die for.
(5)
Sarah E.
Solid is my favorite restaurant in Boise. They have an interesting menu, several options (worth trying) for vegetarians, which is rare in Boise. I really like their Grecian Mushroom salad. The Black Bean Focaccia Burger is also a favorite and their sweet potato fries are awesome (try them with the honey mustard). Their specials are worth hearing, unlike most restaurants in the area. The Happy Hour is great and they always have good IPAs on draft (Hippie Shake, Dagger Falls). My omnivore better half also agrees that Solid is a great place to eat.
(5)
Ryan K.
Brie is a bartender who entrances the soul and allows an imagination to run wild. Her intuitive drink cocktails will transform your night from a Wednesday to an eye opening expressway to the world of modern cocktails. Her magical sense of trend setting tastes will take you from downtown Boise to the destination of your choice. Her personality will win you over if their is any question left in your mind. If you find yourself downtown, this is the atmosphere to melt away.
(5)
Brianne M.
Pretty standard college bar, went on a saturday and it was pretty slow, beer selections were good and atmosphere was alright. Possible the smallest tvs ever so it was pretty hard to watch the game.
(3)
Virginia D.
Local wine & a few vegan food options-- just gotta make a few subs (the waitstaff is very accommodating). Outdoor patio is great people watching & perfect for warm nights. Great 10pm to midnight happy hour
(4)
Karen M.
This place is right around the corner from the Hampton Inn downtown which is where I was staying during my visit. Friendly service and the food was great. I got a burger...I think it was called the Full Monty? It was great. The Nachos were good too. Delicious native beers and a warm dining room made for an overall great experience.
(5)
Neal S.
Awesome fish and chips, really good pulled pork sandwich. Make sure to get the sweet potato fries!
(4)
Andy M.
We stumbled in here before some sort of event thingy we were going to to actually get some food, and the the full course thing with drinks, appetizers, and entrees. We started with drinks and what I'll call "roasted cheese curd with an exotic foreign sounding name I can't remember" which we really liked. Everything was pretty good and well prepared. I wish the menu had more options, that's what would stop us from coming back here again. I really do appreciate restaurateurs who work on doing a few things well, but they may have taken it to an extreme.
(4)
Margaret R.
Deconstructed cobb salad? This trend has gone way too far. If you are going to deconstruct something make it different and unique not ingredients slopped on a plate, and give me some ripe tomatoes for God sakes! Also, refund a person if they send it back. I realize I just glanced at the menu, saw Cobb salad, and ordered it, but when I try to send it back please at least try to accommodate me in some way.
(1)
Brian M.
Dinner after a movie. Food was great, service was very friendly and helpful Good visit
(4)
Dan C.
I eat here regularly, as well as at many other restaurants in the valley. The "Solid Salmon" dish here is quite possibly the best not just currently in Boise, but that any restaurant in Boise has EVER done. I'm not a finicky eater, but am very conscious of what it takes to make great food, being an experienced cook myself. I can see when that effort is being made and when it is successful. This dish is a perfectly balanced plate: an excellent fresh salmon filet cooked perfectly every time I've had it; a thoughtful and expertly executed asparagus risotto; and freshly roasted seasonal veggies from local sources. Paired with a crisp local pale ale or maybe an SRV AVA White Pinot Noir, this meal is tough to beat anywhere at any price. Personal beef: It's upsetting to see reviewers give a place 1 star after one experience that probably wasn't that awful. I realize there are exceptions, but I've eaten here many times and never had less than what I would rate a 3-star experience here, and I have NEVER seen anyone else at nearby tables have what I would consider a 1-star experience. A 1-star review is unfairly harmful to a restaurant's reputation, and rarely an honest reflection on your experience. Be realistic rather than reactionary; be informative rather than make a ridiculous attempt at being entertaining. Perhaps if restaurants got to review you as a customer... ? What would they rate you? Maybe there should be a system where if you're a bad customer with a history of service conflicts and unrealistic expectations, you don't get to eat at the higher-rated restaurants?
(4)
Mizz S.
I've had lunch here, and it was good. I had a BLT with sweet potato fries, which I enjoyed. The tomato wasn't stellar, but what do you expect in January? The fries more than made up for it. One of my friends had a steak salad that looked delicious. Friendly, attentive service. What else can I say? Solid is solid.
(4)
Angie S.
We went for lunch. 4 adults, I had the Cubano, the others had fish tacos, the gyro, and the prime dip. All were excellent! Very good beer selection as well.
(5)
Kyle C.
I usually hit up Solid before I go to either the Knitting Factory or Liquid. Solid is my pregame because, well, it's solid. A great variety of taps and they are no strangers to the whiskey. I needed a tune up before I went and saw J Boog at the Knit so I got a Laughing Dog that was in excess of 8% ABV and a Jack Daniel's side car. The wait staff was well dressed and classy. In and out and on with the night. Often times they have live music on the deck; a solo artist with an acoustic guitar. You can enjoy the tunes while you eat and drink or just while you walk by. I am quite fond of this place.
(4)
Julia L.
Solid is one of my favorite places to eat downtown. It's very casual with lots of seating and a creative menu. The risotto bites, and grilled halloumi are ridiculously good. The burgers and salads are also a safe bet, very fresh ingredients. You can see live music here on the patio and that's really cool. I was here today and our waitress was great! If you haven't, definitely check it out.. Also I love the cucumber slices in the water!
(4)
Willa C.
I have been here about 5 times now and kept meaning to Yelp... however, like many Yelpers, I only remembered to actually post once I had a bad experience. Not good on my part, I know... however, it goes to show the nature of word of mouth business. Before this review I would have rated them as a three star kind of joint. The food is decent, the staff has been hit and miss regarding friendliness, but the drinks are a good price and they have an ample happy hour. None of this has changed and perhaps in the future I will return... probably not, but things have been known to happen. I originally came here for my search for the best burger in Boise for late night drinkers. For some reason, I often find myself out around 11 to midnight hoping for an amazing blue cheese burger with onion rings. I had the food from their sister bar, Liquid, during Liquid Laughs one night and it was tasty, so I figured that it would be a good shot for a burger filled with yum. With that in mind, I am a smoker. With the nice weather, I have a hankering to drink and smoke and eat and I know how Boise is, so I called ahead. "Yes, you can smoke on the patio" was met with my reply of, "Brilliant! See you soon!" So we headed over and got a spot on the patio, being told that there was only one patio that we could smoke on. Had a burger and some fries and was happy. About a month ago I went in with some friends and again, they said we could smoke on the patio. I have been in and around a few other times and people have smoked on the patio. So, imagine my surprise last night when we showed up last night and were told we couldn't. Not that the rules had changed, but rather, no, you can't smoke. Then the same lady that had talked to us while smoking last time... I think she brought the ashtray even, but I could be wrong, came and told us for a second time that no, unfortunately that we couldn't smoke. They weren't mean or anything, but they didn't seem concerned that we would leave either, so we decided to leave and go across the alley. A simple, I am really sorry for the inconvenience or something. The problem I have with this is not that we couldn't smoke. Laws change. Management changes. Whatever. However, when you are expecting one thing and then something else happens, it is a let down. Rather than being, "I am really sorry, we can't allow smoking..." it was more like... "No, you can't smoke... " with a hint of "duh!" that bothered me. It was all so non-chalant, "too bad you got to smoke here before and now you can't, sucks for you kind of attitude that I could have lived without". We went back across the street and I saw our original waitress clearing our table and I went back over there (I was still in the alley) and I told her about the woman that was just out being the one last time that said we could smoke, but she clearly didn't care. Okay, cool. I'm not cool enough for them or something. They weren't mean or rude, they just really didn't seem to care. Whatever. Wait, yeah, I don't think I will be back at all. Do I need to go and spend 70 bucks on drinks and dinner to be given an attitude? Nope. I can do that elsewhere. And it has been about 60 - 70 dollars every time for 3 people to have 2 drinks and dinner. That is pretty pricey for bar food, but I was more paying for the ambiance, a place to drink and be comfortable. On the plus side, the burgers there are pretty good. Not as good as Fuddruckers, better than Red Robin and the Tilted Kilt. About the same as the place across the alley, Ha Penny. So, I will continue to go across the way where the service is nice, it's less pretentious, and the drinks flow for the same price. I'm shocked, I didn't know the economy was so good that you don't have to bother with being courteous?
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 : Average Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Brigid F.
Attended a reception at Solid. The wait staff were fantastic. Very friendly and attentive. The had a nice buffet of pulled pork sliders, vegetables, fruit, spinach artichoke dip and... I would highly recommend this place!!
(5)Zach N.
This is mine and my fiancés go to spot. Great service and awesome food. The atmosphere is very laid back and chill. Summer time you can eat outside and listen to someone singing. It's a perfect place to have a date night.
(5)Danielle H.
The drinks are reasonably priced and the service is good. They do cheap out on meals. My shrimp and grits was grits and a little bit of shrimp. But it was tasty.
(4)Katie M.
Sat down on the patio on a Monday night, it took 20 minutes for us to wave down a waiter to get menus. . . Another 20 minutes goes by, we weren't even acknowledged or offered water. There were maybe 10 occupied tables, so it wasn't that busy. After waiting almost an hour, we decided to take our business elsewhere, since they obviously didn't want ours. Save your time, go somewhere else.
(1)Armani D.
If the most negative review here lately is from a smoker upset she can't smoke anymore in the balcony, then this is my kind of place. As a non-smoker, I was able to appreciate this friendly gem. I did not feel the staff was rude at all, enjoyed my meal, was immediately attended to, and BONUS: Latin Salsa dance lessons on Wednesday nights for 5.00 bucks! Had a blast!!
(4)Jeremy L.
One of our favorite places!. Everything is good. I've had the amazing chicken and waffles, my surprisingly favorite street tacos, a few of the burgers, the steak salad, wings, BLT, corned beef and cabbage special during St Patricks Day and more. The only thing I've had that I didn't care for was the french dip. They use a cheap tasting hoagie roll. Everything else including the atmosphere, drinks, and live music is great! Patio seating during warmer weather with live music is perfect for our date nights. Good people watching too. I don't know what it is about the street tacos. It's something that took me awhile to try because I had so many favorites on the menu already, Now its my new favorite. They aren't just tacos, they are just tasty awesomeness. The chips they come with are crazy good as well. Try it, I don't think you will be disappointed.
(5)Bill H.
Great place for the money spent. Love the salsa latin dance club there on Wednesday's!
(4)Cara S.
Another mediocre local restaurant. The air conditioner was on even though it's only around 20° outside. A vent was directly under our table and the server asked us if we wanted her to cover it with a tray . Weird. My husband and I had a very awkward dining experience with this server. She interrupted us several times while we were eating asking us if we were finished. No.... Clearly we were not. We gave no indication that we were finished. She also asked my husband if he was finished with his whiskey when it was only half gone. It's unlikely that we will return. Is Boise's palate so ignorant that there must only be "New Traditional" restaurants? To me, new traditional is just a fancy way of saying, over-priced bar food.
(2)Deano G.
This place used to be okay, but when you are sitting at the bar and it takes 15 minutes for the bartender to ask what you want to drink.... Wow, what a complete failure... I was even going to stay for dinner, but since we had such bad service we decided to go to a place that would serve us and even ask if we wanted menus & not focus on the locals.... shame on you solid!
(1)Sarah E.
Solid is my favorite restaurant in Boise. They have an interesting menu, several options (worth trying) for vegetarians, which is rare in Boise. I really like their Grecian Mushroom salad. The Black Bean Focaccia Burger is also a favorite and their sweet potato fries are awesome (try them with the honey mustard). Their specials are worth hearing, unlike most restaurants in the area. The Happy Hour is great and they always have good IPAs on draft (Hippie Shake, Dagger Falls). My omnivore better half also agrees that Solid is a great place to eat.
(5)Ryan K.
Brie is a bartender who entrances the soul and allows an imagination to run wild. Her intuitive drink cocktails will transform your night from a Wednesday to an eye opening expressway to the world of modern cocktails. Her magical sense of trend setting tastes will take you from downtown Boise to the destination of your choice. Her personality will win you over if their is any question left in your mind. If you find yourself downtown, this is the atmosphere to melt away.
(5)Brianne M.
Pretty standard college bar, went on a saturday and it was pretty slow, beer selections were good and atmosphere was alright. Possible the smallest tvs ever so it was pretty hard to watch the game.
(3)Virginia D.
Local wine & a few vegan food options-- just gotta make a few subs (the waitstaff is very accommodating). Outdoor patio is great people watching & perfect for warm nights. Great 10pm to midnight happy hour
(4)Tena J.
We had our office holiday party at Solid. Appetizers were artichoke dip and the wine and cheese plates, then we had the Solid salmon, ribeyes and the chicken cordon bleu for dinner. Everything was delicous and perfectly timed! Skyla was a rock star and by dinner, knew everyone's names, drinks and what we had ordered for dinner (sent to the restaurant the week before). After dinner, we all moved over to Liquid for a hilarious comedy show. The night was a huge success. Thank you Skyla, Jeremy, Liz and Brooke, and to everyone working behind the scenes. You were fantastic!
(5)Michael F.
Had dinner here last week. I had the The doc Hudson - beef patty, fried egg, ham, caramelized onions, with cheddar and swiss. This burger was awesome and the sweet potato fries were amazing too. Mike our waiter was great and on the spot. Highly recommend solid. PS they also has a peanut butter cheese cake that was to die for.
(5)Karen M.
This place is right around the corner from the Hampton Inn downtown which is where I was staying during my visit. Friendly service and the food was great. I got a burger...I think it was called the Full Monty? It was great. The Nachos were good too. Delicious native beers and a warm dining room made for an overall great experience.
(5)Neal S.
Awesome fish and chips, really good pulled pork sandwich. Make sure to get the sweet potato fries!
(4)Andy M.
We stumbled in here before some sort of event thingy we were going to to actually get some food, and the the full course thing with drinks, appetizers, and entrees. We started with drinks and what I'll call "roasted cheese curd with an exotic foreign sounding name I can't remember" which we really liked. Everything was pretty good and well prepared. I wish the menu had more options, that's what would stop us from coming back here again. I really do appreciate restaurateurs who work on doing a few things well, but they may have taken it to an extreme.
(4)Margaret R.
Deconstructed cobb salad? This trend has gone way too far. If you are going to deconstruct something make it different and unique not ingredients slopped on a plate, and give me some ripe tomatoes for God sakes! Also, refund a person if they send it back. I realize I just glanced at the menu, saw Cobb salad, and ordered it, but when I try to send it back please at least try to accommodate me in some way.
(1)Brian M.
Dinner after a movie. Food was great, service was very friendly and helpful Good visit
(4)James S.
So this review is long over due. I was in Boise for a friends wedding last year near the end of summer. I picked my wife from the airport (different flights) and headed to get some food. Saw this place earlier as I was at PF Chang's across the street. We go in just after lunch service. A few other people are at the bar (find out later they are previous employees) so we post up there. Decide to try some local beer and enjoyed it. Nothing spectacular but tasty. Then comes the arrogant/rude bartender "Cash". As we're looking over the menu, a cute girl walks in inquiring about a job. She states that she recently graduated from bar-tending school and immediately this douche throws his hands in the air and mocks this poor girl and says "Ooooooo bartending school and rolls his eyes". Not cool to treat someone in this manner in front of guests. Eventually the girl walks out and he continues his arrogant attitude on us. My wife ask fir an ice water and he says "No!". Obviously we knew he was joking but he continues with the joke with a strait face to the point where it was awkward (plus my wife was beyond thirsty as she just got off of a plane!) We somewhat joked back only because our food had yet to come out and I didn't want to be the complaining customer. Really can't remember what we ordered but it obviously did not make an impression. At the same time all of this was going on, two owners were tasting beer at the bar as well. Which is totally cool as it was in between shifts. Sucks that they let this guy run this bar as they are really nice people. It must be because this douche is the "best bar manager all over the world!" from Australia to England to the U.S.!
(2)Jenny R.
It's been a long time since I'd been to Solid so I was excited to go back. I remember a few dishes that were amaz-balls. So we get there on a Friday night about 8:00. It's not exactly busy but there's customers. Takes 5 minutes for a hostess to show up & seat us. We sit for close to 10 min before we get a server. He doesn't want to answer a simple question about beers. Doesn't even tell me there's a list until I ask. Is super condescending & leaves before I can order. That whole interaction lasts 10 seconds tops. So he leaves all annoyed & doesn't come back. 10 min later we leave. Waste of time & energy to just grab a bite & drink. Solid. Great food. Horrible service.
(1)Taylor A.
Very good menu options for everyone. Service is typically slow. Nice selection of beers, always rotating selecion, but over priced for what you get if its not their beer happy hour. Stick to the table seating, have had a few rude experiences from the bar staff.
(2)Adriana K.
Live music, outdoor seating, an extensive menu - this place is perfect for downtown Boise! Great beer menu - the orange blossom beer was a-mazing- and the handcrafted ice cubes in the cucumber cocktail was perfect for a hot summer afternoon. The foccacia is house made and to die for - and plenty of options for those avoiding gluten. Fast and friendly service - just not enough time to try everything that sounded so delicious on their menu!!
(5)Alex N.
Yes this place is delicious. Yes this place is charming. Yes this place has a great bartender and tap list. In fact this whole place is pretty goddamned amazing. I sat down at the bar and there was a gaggle of googly-eyed gals groaning gregariously about something or another and this obviously had the bartendeers main attention, despite this fact and the fact that I don't have a big ol' pair of fake tits I still received very good service. He helped me decide on a samich, the defibrillator, which is a burger with....wait for it.... deep fried bacon, guacamoles and deliciousness served with fries (sweet tater and regular!!). One of the best sandwiches I've ever put in my mouthhole. The prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality of food and decor and if I am ever lucky enough to haunt the clean streets of Boise again I will definitely be making a foray back into Solid.
(5)Rennie H.
We stopped in for a week day lunch. First indication that it might have not been the best choice should have been the fact that only two tables were occupied in the middle of lunch hour. I had the Montecristo sandwich and my wife had the fish and chips. The Montecristo was done tempura style which obviously works better in theory than in practice. Both dishes were a bit oily and the batter on the fish and chips outweighed the fish. The waiter/bartender was a bit overzealous in his desire to engage us in conversation, interrupting our meal no less than five times. Overall I would not recommend having lunch here. A sentiment obviously shared by many of the locals as the place was near empty.
(2)Steph K.
I am in town this week for a business meeting and just got back from dinner there with my co workers. It was a wonderful night! The staff was knowledgeable and attentive, always making sure that our drinks were full. One of my favorite things is the ice cold water with slices of cucumber, it is so refreshing! And our server always made sure our glasses were full. For dinner, I got the rib eye with the Gorgonzola cream sauce with potatoes au gratin and mixed veggies. The steak was cooked perfectly and the cream sauce was filled with flavor. I have been to Boise numerous times for business meetings and have been to Solid twice, and have enjoyed myself both times. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area!
(4)Tim F.
We came in after dinner at another restaurant. 5 of us in for drinks. They have some pretty different drinks on the menu which are cool to try. The drinks were fine, but one friend ordered a martini with extra olives. We got the bill and we were charged for "xtra" olives!!! Really???? That part didn't make sense. Okay place, but probably won't be back.
(2)Martha M.
Pass! Rude and inattentive staff, especially the gentleman with the dark long hair behind the bar with the accent. There are better places that represent Boise. Boiseans have zero tolerance for places who treat guests in the manner this place does. Good luck with business. Word-of-mouth travels like wild fire.
(1)Gloria C.
one visit only, may that be the only one. Will update should we happen to return. And, since the place was chosen by a friend for an event, I mentioned my impressions of the food. He said prior visits had been excellent for food quality and drinks. However tonight he noticed his food was not very good and his drinks were poorly mixed. Minuses: Blueberry mojito. Hubs said was too much mint, however I think the major issue was the inferior quality of rum. No blueberry flavor, just nasty booze and strong mint. 'Well' drinks for happy hours usually aren't this bad. Hubs got a long island, then a black opal. I thought both were pretty bad, mostly related to alcohol quality. He thought they were acceptable. Unlike others, I found the cucumber in the water to be too strong, but I do admit being too picky. So I picked it out. plusses: Servers nice, attentive to our large party, flexible for seating needs. I like the idea of a 2nd happy hour from 10pm-midnight, though our drink prices didn't actually seem to reflect this ($7.50 for a blueberry mojito of crap?). For food we got the nacho platter with chicken, was quite nice. The chicken was dry and unseasoned, but the chips were crisp and the dish had obviously hit the broiler and was well-stocked with toppings. The guacamole seemed fairly fresh and good, the salsa was ok. It did get cold at the end of the plate of course, but the plate didn't start out super hot. Just a matter of restaurant's preference, though I prefer the super hot plate and food saying warm longer. *might* try again. The food we ordered wasn't bad, but the drinks were just so bad. The patio seating will be a draw later, if no intent to drink.
(2)Mike S.
Oh, holy shit, try the salmon. The calamari was bready and greasy and nasty, and they TOTALLY made up for it with the salmon over asparagus risotto. Now, it's important to note: I loathe risotto; I wanted a second helping of this one. It's that good. My buddy ordered something and said it was good, but I don't remember what. I don't remember because every sense in my body was focused on this salmon. I tuned out the music, I tuned out the tranny on whom my buddy was hitting, I tuned out the bartender, I tuned out the trivia game in the background - this salmon was all-focusing, all-consuming. Try. The. Salmon.
(4)MC B.
Three of us were vacationing in Boise and stopped in Solid for a late lunch. It is a modern, bright and attractive restaurant. Our son ordered a french dip, which he enjoyed and my husband and I split a club sandwich, since it was a later than usual lunch, which was delicious. There was only other one other occupied table. I was not pleased when we were assessed a split plate charge. I really have a problem with that as some of us cannot eat as much as others. We had planned to return later in our Boise visit but I was so annoyed with the split plate charge that we went to the restaurant next door (Bonefish) the following night.
(3)Christopher S.
Great service! Food was good! Fresh cut fries! Local beers on tap. Good service! Lost a star for not having some domestics on tap or pitchers. We were in a group so getting a couple pitchers would have been enough. Even though they didn't have these options the micros were great! Serving water with a cucumber slice was also refreshing and different from just your plain lemon slice.
(4)Patty B.
I really wanted to like this place because of the cool vibe and location but because of the service and the food, I cannot. My husband and I both ordered the chicken and waffles because his co- worker suggested the place and the dish but it turned out to be a very bad choice. The fried chicken was pretty much burnt. It was so bland that we needed some hot sauce to add even a little bit of flavor. The waffle was really dense, hard, and also burnt. I couldn't even eat more than a quarter of it. Other people's food actually looked good and they have cucumber water that I found very refreshing.
(1)Tony M.
Sooooooo good!! Good food even better service it's so great when you get amazing service these days.... It's so rare!
(5)Christina R.
Gravy for days! I was referring to the FANFUDGINGTASTIC chicken & waffles I had here for an after-the-bars-breakfast/5thmeal. I've actually eaten here for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for drinks and appetizers. The service has honestly been hit or miss for me, but what keeps me coming back is the high-quality food and interesting menu that is totally Boise. Happy hour prices are super affordable ($3-4 large glasses of malbec?!). This was always a first option for a happy hour gathering with friends. Great patio if you can find a seat!
(4)A D.
Give a 4 star rating for the happy hour mainly. I can't speak much to their regular lunch/dinner menu because I usually just swing by after work for drinks and bar food. Good: - Very friendly staff (The bartender Matt is amazing, he makes a mean gimlet!) - Great alcohol selection (Only bar I've ever found that serves Broker's gin) - Fried pickles are great - Cheap prices (at least during happy hour) - Clean, well-decorated environment (often have live music) Bad: - Food is good, not ohmygosh great. - ? Worth checking out! They have a stand up comedy place right next door that can provide some good entertainment too I've heard.
(4)Sandy H.
Went to Solid on a Sunday afternoon for lunch with my husband, mother-in-law and 2 1/2 year old. The food was good, basically what I expected from the menu and nothing to rave about. Each of us adults had sandwiches with fries or salads. The portions are large; we all had food left over. On food alone, I would have rated this restaurant a 3 star. What really set Solid apart is the service. Our server was very sensitive to the fact that we had a child. He made a point to bring drinks for all of us immediately - a kids cup for our child - and took the initiative to put our daughter's order in before the rest of the group. He also was prompt in getting us our check so we could get out the door quickly. THANK YOU! I don't know if they really want to develop a reputation for being "kid-friendly", but I know I'll be back with my child.
(4)Anne S.
Thank goodnesss I am in good company with you posters that were UNIMPRESSED with the food at this place. I had the salmon, with asparagus risotto. Salmon way undercooked, I had to eat around the edges, and gave the rest to my dog. The risotto, way overcooked, it was literally malt-o-meal. The specialty drink menu had items that were convoluted with too many flavors. I had a mint-grapefruit concoction, was looking forward to the mint, all I got was spiked ocean spray ruby red with one sad mint leaf floating atop. Way to disguise yourself as fine dining Solid, get a grip .. money back puh lease!
(2)Matty S.
Based upon reviews went to Solid with friends. Food was OK. It was early and they were out of the Cuban sandwich, bummer...I made the mistake of getting the Fish & chips. Fish was old and dry with a burnt crust. I saw another plate go to a different table and it looked the same, burnt to a crispy black. Friends had sandwiches which they liked. I would have given it 2 stars but the drink special was very good and the beer selection is great. At the end of the meal my wife asked for a box to keep her meal. When we got home, found that only a part of her meal had been placed in the box. Service so-so. On our first visit, we were turned away since we did not have a reservation. But there is an empty room of tables being unused? So strongly suggest a reservation for dinner.
(3)Matt B.
Good, standard American food; nachos are great! Staff is very friendly, happy hour is great, and the outdoor balcony is one of the best in downtown.
(4)Sarah B.
This is a 3 1/2. I want to give this place a 4, but need just a bit more kick with the food - the menu selection is excellent, but I didn't wake up the next day thinking it was the most amazing food I'd ever had - EVER. Their tap beer selection is fabulous for locals and micros. The next time I want a beer and apps or a beer and desert I will definitely think of this place as a go-to. The service was excellent and the prices very reasonable. And I do love the atmosphere/decor - it is spot on as a place where you just want to stay for a while. There was also a great WTF moment as we left around 11pm that has nothing to do with the restaurant itself: just then a doctor in scrubs walked in, a rugby player walked in, and a guy in full tux coattails walked in. I felt so unexciting in just jeans and a t-shirt at that moment.
(3)April O.
I loved this place! I had the Gyro and clam chowder. The cucumbers in the water was a nice touch. Good service
(5)L. C.
Don't ask me why, but I didn't really want to like Solid (the dumb name??) but I have to admit that my food was yummy, the waitstaff was knowledgeable and accomodating and the live music was pleasant but not intrusive. My companion wasn't fond of his shrimp and grits, but that's not surprising so far from the South, and he'll order something else next time. I had the sweet potato enchiladas and found a lively combination of tastes on my plate. We'll be back.
(4)Derrick E.
During our stay in Boise, we've pretty much hit up most of the 3-4 star Yelp joints within walking distance from The Grove Hotel (where we were stayin'). Its late Sunday morning, some of the fam members that were up, got together in the lobby & opted looking for a place to have brunch. Walkin' around we decide on Solid. Sure! We're here & they're open. It was just before noon & BoDo was just barely stirring about after a night of denting kegs...so that being said, we were the first customers as Solid had just unlocked their doors. We had to push a few of tables together to accommodate our party of 9 adults & 2 kidlets. Our waitress with the pixie cut was nice & immediately served up glasses of cucumber water, which I haven't had in quite awhile & found it refreshing. Our drink & food orders were taken & there were a few moments in between that I was really focused on my tasty Bloody Mary & anxiously waiting for my Pulled Pork sandwich. Not all dishes reached the table at the same time...if I had to guesstimate how long it was from the first plate set down before ALL orders were in front of everyone (not including the scrumptious orders of Spinach/Artichoke dip), it was about 5 minutes...again, probably because we were the first patrons of the morning & Solid had to get everything rollin' in the kitchen. My Pulled Pork sandwich was very good in taste, but I usually prefer the pork a little more "shredded" as some of it wasn't & had to pull the meat away in mid bite. The fluffy challa bread pairing with the succulent pork made this sandwich a hit. I wish they served up a larger portion of slaw than in the 2-3 oz ramekin, but make up for it by filling the rest of the plate with enough fries to feed 2-3 people at your table. Solid's sweet potato fries are delicious & because we were the first customers in the house, served fresh & hot out the fryer! Other than that? It was all good in the hood in BoDo! It was a solid 4 stars for Solid but 1/2 star was subtracted for consistantly "shooing" flies from the table. Sorry...I'm not rounding up. Thanks for readin'. Eat well my Yelp friends...another deez® review. Enjoy.
(3)Mizz S.
I've had lunch here, and it was good. I had a BLT with sweet potato fries, which I enjoyed. The tomato wasn't stellar, but what do you expect in January? The fries more than made up for it. One of my friends had a steak salad that looked delicious. Friendly, attentive service. What else can I say? Solid is solid.
(4)Angie S.
We went for lunch. 4 adults, I had the Cubano, the others had fish tacos, the gyro, and the prime dip. All were excellent! Very good beer selection as well.
(5)Dan C.
I eat here regularly, as well as at many other restaurants in the valley. The "Solid Salmon" dish here is quite possibly the best not just currently in Boise, but that any restaurant in Boise has EVER done. I'm not a finicky eater, but am very conscious of what it takes to make great food, being an experienced cook myself. I can see when that effort is being made and when it is successful. This dish is a perfectly balanced plate: an excellent fresh salmon filet cooked perfectly every time I've had it; a thoughtful and expertly executed asparagus risotto; and freshly roasted seasonal veggies from local sources. Paired with a crisp local pale ale or maybe an SRV AVA White Pinot Noir, this meal is tough to beat anywhere at any price. Personal beef: It's upsetting to see reviewers give a place 1 star after one experience that probably wasn't that awful. I realize there are exceptions, but I've eaten here many times and never had less than what I would rate a 3-star experience here, and I have NEVER seen anyone else at nearby tables have what I would consider a 1-star experience. A 1-star review is unfairly harmful to a restaurant's reputation, and rarely an honest reflection on your experience. Be realistic rather than reactionary; be informative rather than make a ridiculous attempt at being entertaining. Perhaps if restaurants got to review you as a customer... ? What would they rate you? Maybe there should be a system where if you're a bad customer with a history of service conflicts and unrealistic expectations, you don't get to eat at the higher-rated restaurants?
(4)Ray C.
A Solid 1 star. I convinced my husband that we should go here tonight for happy hour and some food before we go and see a movie at the Flicks. We get to the bar at the end of happy hour. It's pretty empty, the dining side is deserted. We sit at the bar and I order a beer, 1/2 price due to happy hour. The husband has allergies and can't do beer or wine. He clearly asks for a margarita, and is inquiring about the price of 100% agave tequila, for his margarita. She quotes $4.50 for the drink. She then proceeds to pour the tequila on the rocks in a salted glass. Things are looking good. The price is good, the tequila is decent and the service is prompt. She sets the glass in front of the hubby, but it's only naked tequila. He says, "I ordered a margarita". She says "Ok, I'll fix it". She makes the margarita, no problem, all smiles, sets it down and says ok. Problem solved, things are looking good, again, for Solid. We drink our drinks, I get a menu because we weren't offered one. We think about food, and then the bartender comes back. She doesn't ask us if we want something to eat, she has come to tell us that if my husband wants to continue to drink his drink, he now has to pay $7.50 because she had to shake it with some mix. She can take it back if he no longer wants to pay the additional $3.00. WTF? We were going to order food, I thought she may be coming back to ask if I had any menu questions or wanted to order! It was her fault, not ours, that there was a miss quote/ understanding. The drink has already been served and is being consumed! I have worked in the service industry for a really long time. She should have owned her mistake and told us next time the price would be $7.50. We would have tipped her the difference. I also would have ordered food. I really wanted to return my beer and just leave. I also wanted to tell the 2 managers hanging out about our experience. I didn't do either. I drank my beer, paid, and left. I didn't leave a tip, I haven't done that more than twice in my 30 years, but tonight it felt good. That girl clearly should not be in the service industry.
(1)chris b.
We have been twice now. I am sure if you have a few drinks in you this food works... if not, it is not so good. The food is bar food masquerading as restaurant food. The food is bland and dry.. the drinks are decent, but decent drinks do not make for a good restaurant.
(2)J B.
I do not like to give a one star on anything unless I feel the owner of the business to reevaluate their business plan. I ate there twice in the last two weeks and have been disappointed both times. I really believe that the late night restaurant industry in downtown needs a great breakfast joint. Now.. the first time I ate there I tried the artichoke dip. The flavor was not that tasty and the bread that was served with it was hard as rock. Later in the night it gave me a really bad stomach ache. All my friends claimed that it was probably from too much drinking. Being sold on the idea that I might have just had one two many cocktails I decide to give it one more go around before I wrote this review. This time I decided to try the fried chicken and waffles. With a sausage patty and bacon on the side. The waffle was delicious, but cooking a waffle right takes the talents of a four year old. Now the Chicken was unbreaded. Literally a chicken breast thrown into a fryer. It might have started with some breading but by the time it reached me it looked horrible. It was flavorless and chewy, it was like eating rubber. My friend and I were laughing on how you could not even tare it in half. I don't think my dog would have enjoyed this dry, untended piece of concrete. The bacon was over cooked so it two was extremely hard, It tasted like it was precooked and reheated . And the sausage patty was the most disappointed part. It was something that was flavored like sausage. I have never experience a sausage patty that had such little texture. Like it was once a liquid at one point and molded back into sausage. ... My friend did enjoy his biscuits and gravy. But Its probably because the gravy came out of a can. I am not sure about that so don't quote me. Anyways I wish this place well cause they are new. We really need a good late night breakfast joint And hope that this will help the owner define his restaurant with higher standards and quality food. Now one more good thing to say the service has been excellent both times I have been there . And they carry a variety of local brews I think I counted 11 on tap.
(3)Amos D.
We did happy hour next door at Liquid (same owners) and they provide food from Solid. We had the fried pickle spears---which are the closest I have come to heaven since I ate them in Seattle, Wa. Don't ever take them off the menu! YUM!!!
(4)Shaun B.
I give this place two stars instead of one primarily because I know the owners from being a frequent patron of their sister business, Liquid, the alley based bar in BoDo, downtown Boise. They are quite friendly, seem to sincerely care about being a business of integrity and accountability. The servers and bartenders are friendly as well, and seem dedicated to delivering exceptional service, however their food is not up to par, as of now (May 2010). I had their fish and chips, substituted onion rings for fries. Now I understand that businesses these days are opting for low cost, cheaply made ingredients in opposition to fresh, "from scratch" options, but their onion rings tasted and appeared identical to the soggy mess that are IHOP's onion rings. Their fish was awful, overcooked, and inedible. The fish was tough and chewy, and just did not please any part of the palette. I took it back and it was worse the second time around. The highlight of the meal was the ranch and tartar dipping sauces, maybe because it came straight from the store bought bottle as opposed to making it on site. I do wish their business well, as it is a good concept for that area of downtown. Their late night breakfast is better, however, I believe as a restaurant manager myself they could pay more attention to the culinary side of their operation to restore that aforementioned integrity and accountability to that side of their business. Best wishes Solid, but I'm gonna stay away for a while.
(2)Willa C.
I have been here about 5 times now and kept meaning to Yelp... however, like many Yelpers, I only remembered to actually post once I had a bad experience. Not good on my part, I know... however, it goes to show the nature of word of mouth business. Before this review I would have rated them as a three star kind of joint. The food is decent, the staff has been hit and miss regarding friendliness, but the drinks are a good price and they have an ample happy hour. None of this has changed and perhaps in the future I will return... probably not, but things have been known to happen. I originally came here for my search for the best burger in Boise for late night drinkers. For some reason, I often find myself out around 11 to midnight hoping for an amazing blue cheese burger with onion rings. I had the food from their sister bar, Liquid, during Liquid Laughs one night and it was tasty, so I figured that it would be a good shot for a burger filled with yum. With that in mind, I am a smoker. With the nice weather, I have a hankering to drink and smoke and eat and I know how Boise is, so I called ahead. "Yes, you can smoke on the patio" was met with my reply of, "Brilliant! See you soon!" So we headed over and got a spot on the patio, being told that there was only one patio that we could smoke on. Had a burger and some fries and was happy. About a month ago I went in with some friends and again, they said we could smoke on the patio. I have been in and around a few other times and people have smoked on the patio. So, imagine my surprise last night when we showed up last night and were told we couldn't. Not that the rules had changed, but rather, no, you can't smoke. Then the same lady that had talked to us while smoking last time... I think she brought the ashtray even, but I could be wrong, came and told us for a second time that no, unfortunately that we couldn't smoke. They weren't mean or anything, but they didn't seem concerned that we would leave either, so we decided to leave and go across the alley. A simple, I am really sorry for the inconvenience or something. The problem I have with this is not that we couldn't smoke. Laws change. Management changes. Whatever. However, when you are expecting one thing and then something else happens, it is a let down. Rather than being, "I am really sorry, we can't allow smoking..." it was more like... "No, you can't smoke... " with a hint of "duh!" that bothered me. It was all so non-chalant, "too bad you got to smoke here before and now you can't, sucks for you kind of attitude that I could have lived without". We went back across the street and I saw our original waitress clearing our table and I went back over there (I was still in the alley) and I told her about the woman that was just out being the one last time that said we could smoke, but she clearly didn't care. Okay, cool. I'm not cool enough for them or something. They weren't mean or rude, they just really didn't seem to care. Whatever. Wait, yeah, I don't think I will be back at all. Do I need to go and spend 70 bucks on drinks and dinner to be given an attitude? Nope. I can do that elsewhere. And it has been about 60 - 70 dollars every time for 3 people to have 2 drinks and dinner. That is pretty pricey for bar food, but I was more paying for the ambiance, a place to drink and be comfortable. On the plus side, the burgers there are pretty good. Not as good as Fuddruckers, better than Red Robin and the Tilted Kilt. About the same as the place across the alley, Ha Penny. So, I will continue to go across the way where the service is nice, it's less pretentious, and the drinks flow for the same price. I'm shocked, I didn't know the economy was so good that you don't have to bother with being courteous?
(2)Stu S.
Boise deserves better, and has better, much better. On a brief trip here with my best friend, we caught up with a shady lady from my mucky past and asked her out for lunch on a Monday afternoon. I've almost never had a great food experience in a restaurant/bar that is stone cold empty at 12:30, the darned lunch hour, and come back for a 2nd try. What makes any restaurant empty at peak hours? They're doing something wrong or they picked a location like the middle of the Mojave desert where the closest thing to life is a mutant buzzard begging for bones. We'd actually taken the time the day before to run into Solid, grab a menu and decide with a little info whether to take our gal pal there. So let me say that I've finally found burger hell...I review burgers because I can and it's my passion, besides my lover. My best buddy ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad and it looked good and he smiled all the way through it. our gal pal ordered a chicken wrap with regular fries, they both opted for a glass of house white while I got a foul tasting diet coke. I ordered their namesake burger with cheese and fries. What in the world happened between the sweet waitress taking our order and what she brought me from the kitchen...The positive thing about the plate she place in front of me was the mountain of fries while the rest of the plate looked like a blueprint for the last meal for Osama Bin Laden...it was ugly, cold, overcooked, dry, flavorless and the nearly invisible slice of Swiss that resembled dehydrated mustard. The Kaiser Roll was a looker, but tasted like Wonder bread in Palm Springs for spring break. As you can see, Solid is the first really negative review I've written in many a moon, and I hate writing a crumby review for anyone, but this place has a special place in my heart, the bottom of the burger barrel, and should quit pretending they have a clue what this sacred food even is. The unforgivable for this writer is crappy fixings, and they scored a total zero which saddens me because they said farewell and I never even got to know them.
(1)Kevin B.
Solid has a great staff very quick and accommodating. They rescued us from a failure at ha' penny before a show at the knitting factory. Good food good people. I'm never disappointed .
(4)Kyle C.
I usually hit up Solid before I go to either the Knitting Factory or Liquid. Solid is my pregame because, well, it's solid. A great variety of taps and they are no strangers to the whiskey. I needed a tune up before I went and saw J Boog at the Knit so I got a Laughing Dog that was in excess of 8% ABV and a Jack Daniel's side car. The wait staff was well dressed and classy. In and out and on with the night. Often times they have live music on the deck; a solo artist with an acoustic guitar. You can enjoy the tunes while you eat and drink or just while you walk by. I am quite fond of this place.
(4)Dishorn H.
Great location and a nice find. They had a really scenic outdoor space and I was surprised by the live music. The waiting staff was also quite personable and had a great understanding of the menu items. The food there was very creative and I found my burger to be very well made. They also have the options for sweet potato fries which is always a win in my book. Their creme brulee was creamy and freshly made. I guess the only criticism I really had was that a few of the cocktails weren't that well made. I had one of their signature drinks and it came out kind of sake and overly sweet. Overall however it was a great experience and I would recommend it.
(4)Mikey K.
It was nice to sit outside on the deck, underneath the misters. The food was decent, but I felt it to be overpriced considering the quality and portion. It has vegan options and good beers. I had a seasonal brew from Portland. The service was good and the servers were very friendly. There are plenty of TVs if you want to watch a game, and sitting on the deck is great people-watching.
(3)Kara T.
This places deserves at least 4 stars. Love the live music on the patio! Great choices for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. I had the GF and Vegetarian Sweet Potato Enchiladas. They were very good and slightly spicy.
(4)Bruce S.
Sat for 10 minutes no service. 2 wait staff walked past. Not one to wait for additional bad service. Left. Great downtown area. A lot of other choices. I'd look elsewhere
(1)Julia L.
Solid is one of my favorite places to eat downtown. It's very casual with lots of seating and a creative menu. The risotto bites, and grilled halloumi are ridiculously good. The burgers and salads are also a safe bet, very fresh ingredients. You can see live music here on the patio and that's really cool. I was here today and our waitress was great! If you haven't, definitely check it out.. Also I love the cucumber slices in the water!
(4)Monique W.
Food was excellent!!! Between the 5 of us we got the chicken quesadilla, slightly spicey and delish, risotto bites(not enough given. Ate them so fast!) pear Gorgonzola pizza( oh my goodness get this!!) and the hummus. Delicious!!! All of these items were awesome. Drinks were good and the service was top notch. Our server was super friendly!!! Brad was everything you want in a server!!! Love him!!! Will come again and ask for him!
(5)Thomas Q.
Always great. Best late night breakfast in Boise. Great chicken fried steak. Emily is cool!
(5)Marissa L.
Great food! My girlfriend and I ordered the risotto bites, some sort of bread thing with 3 different dips- SO good. Also ordered the portobello sandwich which was delicious. Would definitely return
(4)Idaho Travelers S.
Great drinks and appys! The service was outstanding, the food was great, and the atmosphere was relaxing. We visited during the late afternoon for drinks and appys during a staycation in downtown Boise. We ordered simple.... nachos, risotto bites, and drinks. The food, while simple, was flavorful, very fresh and presented very well. Our server was fun and quirky.... he is also a stand-up comic at this restaurant's other "half", which is Liquid Laughs. He was friendly and attentive. We will return to this restaurant.
(5)Brett M.
I've teetered between a 3 or 4 star based on my last visit. Solid is a great spot downtown in a really good area. The ambiance is cool and laid back. Waitstaff are very helpful with excellent service. I would highly recommend the shrimp and grits which rival dishes I've had in Louisiana. The others in my party had good experiences with the steak. Sweet Potato Enchiladas and sandwiches were good, yet not as good as we had hoped.
(3)Samantha R.
The food never disappoints and the service is great. I love the lunch options and the prices are reasonable. Great for a business or casual lunch.
(5)Rebecca H.
We were visiting for a conference and this place was within walking distance of the Grove. The wait staff, while friendly, recommended the risotto bites so we tried them...they were terrible. The fried coating combined with the starchy risotto made for a weird texture. It would have been one thing if the risotto was good, but it was lacking flavor which made the dish very unsatisfying. We also ordered the hummus, but it too had an odd texture, like cold bean dip... Overall, while the service and atmosphere was pleasant, the food we ordered was not good. If I am ever in Boise again I may give them another try and order what other Yelpers suggest.
(2)lizzie c.
Food was good, drinks were good, and since we had just moved to town our server introduced us to fry sauce and gave us discounted tickets to the comedy show at Liquid.
(4)Sabrina L.
First of all, can I just say this place makes the best nachos in Boise. Hands down! Their drinks are great, the lighting and ambiance of the place is very cool. If you go in the summer, they sometimes have live music playing on the deck, which is cool. And it's not that distracting, annoying live music that you sometimes run into, which is nice. The cocktails are decent, but a tad overpriced for the quality. The food more than makes up for it, though. This place is great for a date night or just a fun night out with friends. Definitely recommend.
(5)Thea J.
I love this place! There hours are fantastic, when ever we are down town late in the evening after a show or fun night out this is a must stopping point before going home, great cock-tails & food. Really a great atmosphere and lots of fun!
(4)Maile K.
Stopped by there today 3/21/15 on a bike ride around Boise. Brad was our waiter and he was amazing. He suggested a lemon drop with 44 North vodka and it was incredible. I also sampled several local beers and Brad was accomodating and knowledgeable. We at the quesadilla and bread sampler. Both were brought on stone plates and the presentatio of both was beautiful The music was playing and the deck was a great place to sit. The musician was very good and made for a great atmoshpere. I loved it.
(5)Nick T.
Menu has changed and there are some things on there menu that don't really tell you why is in them we could not even get a napkin
(2)Martha M.
Pass! Rude and inattentive staff, especially the gentleman with the dark long hair behind the bar with the accent. There are better places that represent Boise. Boiseans have zero tolerance for places who treat guests in the manner this place does. Good luck with business. Word-of-mouth travels like wild fire.
(1)Patty B.
I really wanted to like this place because of the cool vibe and location but because of the service and the food, I cannot. My husband and I both ordered the chicken and waffles because his co- worker suggested the place and the dish but it turned out to be a very bad choice. The fried chicken was pretty much burnt. It was so bland that we needed some hot sauce to add even a little bit of flavor. The waffle was really dense, hard, and also burnt. I couldn't even eat more than a quarter of it. Other people's food actually looked good and they have cucumber water that I found very refreshing.
(1)James S.
So this review is long over due. I was in Boise for a friends wedding last year near the end of summer. I picked my wife from the airport (different flights) and headed to get some food. Saw this place earlier as I was at PF Chang's across the street. We go in just after lunch service. A few other people are at the bar (find out later they are previous employees) so we post up there. Decide to try some local beer and enjoyed it. Nothing spectacular but tasty. Then comes the arrogant/rude bartender "Cash". As we're looking over the menu, a cute girl walks in inquiring about a job. She states that she recently graduated from bar-tending school and immediately this douche throws his hands in the air and mocks this poor girl and says "Ooooooo bartending school and rolls his eyes". Not cool to treat someone in this manner in front of guests. Eventually the girl walks out and he continues his arrogant attitude on us. My wife ask fir an ice water and he says "No!". Obviously we knew he was joking but he continues with the joke with a strait face to the point where it was awkward (plus my wife was beyond thirsty as she just got off of a plane!) We somewhat joked back only because our food had yet to come out and I didn't want to be the complaining customer. Really can't remember what we ordered but it obviously did not make an impression. At the same time all of this was going on, two owners were tasting beer at the bar as well. Which is totally cool as it was in between shifts. Sucks that they let this guy run this bar as they are really nice people. It must be because this douche is the "best bar manager all over the world!" from Australia to England to the U.S.!
(2)Jenny R.
It's been a long time since I'd been to Solid so I was excited to go back. I remember a few dishes that were amaz-balls. So we get there on a Friday night about 8:00. It's not exactly busy but there's customers. Takes 5 minutes for a hostess to show up & seat us. We sit for close to 10 min before we get a server. He doesn't want to answer a simple question about beers. Doesn't even tell me there's a list until I ask. Is super condescending & leaves before I can order. That whole interaction lasts 10 seconds tops. So he leaves all annoyed & doesn't come back. 10 min later we leave. Waste of time & energy to just grab a bite & drink. Solid. Great food. Horrible service.
(1)Taylor A.
Very good menu options for everyone. Service is typically slow. Nice selection of beers, always rotating selecion, but over priced for what you get if its not their beer happy hour. Stick to the table seating, have had a few rude experiences from the bar staff.
(2)Adriana K.
Live music, outdoor seating, an extensive menu - this place is perfect for downtown Boise! Great beer menu - the orange blossom beer was a-mazing- and the handcrafted ice cubes in the cucumber cocktail was perfect for a hot summer afternoon. The foccacia is house made and to die for - and plenty of options for those avoiding gluten. Fast and friendly service - just not enough time to try everything that sounded so delicious on their menu!!
(5)Alex N.
Yes this place is delicious. Yes this place is charming. Yes this place has a great bartender and tap list. In fact this whole place is pretty goddamned amazing. I sat down at the bar and there was a gaggle of googly-eyed gals groaning gregariously about something or another and this obviously had the bartendeers main attention, despite this fact and the fact that I don't have a big ol' pair of fake tits I still received very good service. He helped me decide on a samich, the defibrillator, which is a burger with....wait for it.... deep fried bacon, guacamoles and deliciousness served with fries (sweet tater and regular!!). One of the best sandwiches I've ever put in my mouthhole. The prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality of food and decor and if I am ever lucky enough to haunt the clean streets of Boise again I will definitely be making a foray back into Solid.
(5)Rennie H.
We stopped in for a week day lunch. First indication that it might have not been the best choice should have been the fact that only two tables were occupied in the middle of lunch hour. I had the Montecristo sandwich and my wife had the fish and chips. The Montecristo was done tempura style which obviously works better in theory than in practice. Both dishes were a bit oily and the batter on the fish and chips outweighed the fish. The waiter/bartender was a bit overzealous in his desire to engage us in conversation, interrupting our meal no less than five times. Overall I would not recommend having lunch here. A sentiment obviously shared by many of the locals as the place was near empty.
(2)Steph K.
I am in town this week for a business meeting and just got back from dinner there with my co workers. It was a wonderful night! The staff was knowledgeable and attentive, always making sure that our drinks were full. One of my favorite things is the ice cold water with slices of cucumber, it is so refreshing! And our server always made sure our glasses were full. For dinner, I got the rib eye with the Gorgonzola cream sauce with potatoes au gratin and mixed veggies. The steak was cooked perfectly and the cream sauce was filled with flavor. I have been to Boise numerous times for business meetings and have been to Solid twice, and have enjoyed myself both times. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area!
(4)Tim F.
We came in after dinner at another restaurant. 5 of us in for drinks. They have some pretty different drinks on the menu which are cool to try. The drinks were fine, but one friend ordered a martini with extra olives. We got the bill and we were charged for "xtra" olives!!! Really???? That part didn't make sense. Okay place, but probably won't be back.
(2)Gloria C.
one visit only, may that be the only one. Will update should we happen to return. And, since the place was chosen by a friend for an event, I mentioned my impressions of the food. He said prior visits had been excellent for food quality and drinks. However tonight he noticed his food was not very good and his drinks were poorly mixed. Minuses: Blueberry mojito. Hubs said was too much mint, however I think the major issue was the inferior quality of rum. No blueberry flavor, just nasty booze and strong mint. 'Well' drinks for happy hours usually aren't this bad. Hubs got a long island, then a black opal. I thought both were pretty bad, mostly related to alcohol quality. He thought they were acceptable. Unlike others, I found the cucumber in the water to be too strong, but I do admit being too picky. So I picked it out. plusses: Servers nice, attentive to our large party, flexible for seating needs. I like the idea of a 2nd happy hour from 10pm-midnight, though our drink prices didn't actually seem to reflect this ($7.50 for a blueberry mojito of crap?). For food we got the nacho platter with chicken, was quite nice. The chicken was dry and unseasoned, but the chips were crisp and the dish had obviously hit the broiler and was well-stocked with toppings. The guacamole seemed fairly fresh and good, the salsa was ok. It did get cold at the end of the plate of course, but the plate didn't start out super hot. Just a matter of restaurant's preference, though I prefer the super hot plate and food saying warm longer. *might* try again. The food we ordered wasn't bad, but the drinks were just so bad. The patio seating will be a draw later, if no intent to drink.
(2)Mike S.
Oh, holy shit, try the salmon. The calamari was bready and greasy and nasty, and they TOTALLY made up for it with the salmon over asparagus risotto. Now, it's important to note: I loathe risotto; I wanted a second helping of this one. It's that good. My buddy ordered something and said it was good, but I don't remember what. I don't remember because every sense in my body was focused on this salmon. I tuned out the music, I tuned out the tranny on whom my buddy was hitting, I tuned out the bartender, I tuned out the trivia game in the background - this salmon was all-focusing, all-consuming. Try. The. Salmon.
(4)MC B.
Three of us were vacationing in Boise and stopped in Solid for a late lunch. It is a modern, bright and attractive restaurant. Our son ordered a french dip, which he enjoyed and my husband and I split a club sandwich, since it was a later than usual lunch, which was delicious. There was only other one other occupied table. I was not pleased when we were assessed a split plate charge. I really have a problem with that as some of us cannot eat as much as others. We had planned to return later in our Boise visit but I was so annoyed with the split plate charge that we went to the restaurant next door (Bonefish) the following night.
(3)Christopher S.
Great service! Food was good! Fresh cut fries! Local beers on tap. Good service! Lost a star for not having some domestics on tap or pitchers. We were in a group so getting a couple pitchers would have been enough. Even though they didn't have these options the micros were great! Serving water with a cucumber slice was also refreshing and different from just your plain lemon slice.
(4)Tony M.
Sooooooo good!! Good food even better service it's so great when you get amazing service these days.... It's so rare!
(5)Christina R.
Gravy for days! I was referring to the FANFUDGINGTASTIC chicken & waffles I had here for an after-the-bars-breakfast/5thmeal. I've actually eaten here for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for drinks and appetizers. The service has honestly been hit or miss for me, but what keeps me coming back is the high-quality food and interesting menu that is totally Boise. Happy hour prices are super affordable ($3-4 large glasses of malbec?!). This was always a first option for a happy hour gathering with friends. Great patio if you can find a seat!
(4)A D.
Give a 4 star rating for the happy hour mainly. I can't speak much to their regular lunch/dinner menu because I usually just swing by after work for drinks and bar food. Good: - Very friendly staff (The bartender Matt is amazing, he makes a mean gimlet!) - Great alcohol selection (Only bar I've ever found that serves Broker's gin) - Fried pickles are great - Cheap prices (at least during happy hour) - Clean, well-decorated environment (often have live music) Bad: - Food is good, not ohmygosh great. - ? Worth checking out! They have a stand up comedy place right next door that can provide some good entertainment too I've heard.
(4)Sandy H.
Went to Solid on a Sunday afternoon for lunch with my husband, mother-in-law and 2 1/2 year old. The food was good, basically what I expected from the menu and nothing to rave about. Each of us adults had sandwiches with fries or salads. The portions are large; we all had food left over. On food alone, I would have rated this restaurant a 3 star. What really set Solid apart is the service. Our server was very sensitive to the fact that we had a child. He made a point to bring drinks for all of us immediately - a kids cup for our child - and took the initiative to put our daughter's order in before the rest of the group. He also was prompt in getting us our check so we could get out the door quickly. THANK YOU! I don't know if they really want to develop a reputation for being "kid-friendly", but I know I'll be back with my child.
(4)Anne S.
Thank goodnesss I am in good company with you posters that were UNIMPRESSED with the food at this place. I had the salmon, with asparagus risotto. Salmon way undercooked, I had to eat around the edges, and gave the rest to my dog. The risotto, way overcooked, it was literally malt-o-meal. The specialty drink menu had items that were convoluted with too many flavors. I had a mint-grapefruit concoction, was looking forward to the mint, all I got was spiked ocean spray ruby red with one sad mint leaf floating atop. Way to disguise yourself as fine dining Solid, get a grip .. money back puh lease!
(2)Matty S.
Based upon reviews went to Solid with friends. Food was OK. It was early and they were out of the Cuban sandwich, bummer...I made the mistake of getting the Fish & chips. Fish was old and dry with a burnt crust. I saw another plate go to a different table and it looked the same, burnt to a crispy black. Friends had sandwiches which they liked. I would have given it 2 stars but the drink special was very good and the beer selection is great. At the end of the meal my wife asked for a box to keep her meal. When we got home, found that only a part of her meal had been placed in the box. Service so-so. On our first visit, we were turned away since we did not have a reservation. But there is an empty room of tables being unused? So strongly suggest a reservation for dinner.
(3)Matt B.
Good, standard American food; nachos are great! Staff is very friendly, happy hour is great, and the outdoor balcony is one of the best in downtown.
(4)Sarah B.
This is a 3 1/2. I want to give this place a 4, but need just a bit more kick with the food - the menu selection is excellent, but I didn't wake up the next day thinking it was the most amazing food I'd ever had - EVER. Their tap beer selection is fabulous for locals and micros. The next time I want a beer and apps or a beer and desert I will definitely think of this place as a go-to. The service was excellent and the prices very reasonable. And I do love the atmosphere/decor - it is spot on as a place where you just want to stay for a while. There was also a great WTF moment as we left around 11pm that has nothing to do with the restaurant itself: just then a doctor in scrubs walked in, a rugby player walked in, and a guy in full tux coattails walked in. I felt so unexciting in just jeans and a t-shirt at that moment.
(3)April O.
I loved this place! I had the Gyro and clam chowder. The cucumbers in the water was a nice touch. Good service
(5)L. C.
Don't ask me why, but I didn't really want to like Solid (the dumb name??) but I have to admit that my food was yummy, the waitstaff was knowledgeable and accomodating and the live music was pleasant but not intrusive. My companion wasn't fond of his shrimp and grits, but that's not surprising so far from the South, and he'll order something else next time. I had the sweet potato enchiladas and found a lively combination of tastes on my plate. We'll be back.
(4)Derrick E.
During our stay in Boise, we've pretty much hit up most of the 3-4 star Yelp joints within walking distance from The Grove Hotel (where we were stayin'). Its late Sunday morning, some of the fam members that were up, got together in the lobby & opted looking for a place to have brunch. Walkin' around we decide on Solid. Sure! We're here & they're open. It was just before noon & BoDo was just barely stirring about after a night of denting kegs...so that being said, we were the first customers as Solid had just unlocked their doors. We had to push a few of tables together to accommodate our party of 9 adults & 2 kidlets. Our waitress with the pixie cut was nice & immediately served up glasses of cucumber water, which I haven't had in quite awhile & found it refreshing. Our drink & food orders were taken & there were a few moments in between that I was really focused on my tasty Bloody Mary & anxiously waiting for my Pulled Pork sandwich. Not all dishes reached the table at the same time...if I had to guesstimate how long it was from the first plate set down before ALL orders were in front of everyone (not including the scrumptious orders of Spinach/Artichoke dip), it was about 5 minutes...again, probably because we were the first patrons of the morning & Solid had to get everything rollin' in the kitchen. My Pulled Pork sandwich was very good in taste, but I usually prefer the pork a little more "shredded" as some of it wasn't & had to pull the meat away in mid bite. The fluffy challa bread pairing with the succulent pork made this sandwich a hit. I wish they served up a larger portion of slaw than in the 2-3 oz ramekin, but make up for it by filling the rest of the plate with enough fries to feed 2-3 people at your table. Solid's sweet potato fries are delicious & because we were the first customers in the house, served fresh & hot out the fryer! Other than that? It was all good in the hood in BoDo! It was a solid 4 stars for Solid but 1/2 star was subtracted for consistantly "shooing" flies from the table. Sorry...I'm not rounding up. Thanks for readin'. Eat well my Yelp friends...another deez® review. Enjoy.
(3)Idaho Travelers S.
Great drinks and appys! The service was outstanding, the food was great, and the atmosphere was relaxing. We visited during the late afternoon for drinks and appys during a staycation in downtown Boise. We ordered simple.... nachos, risotto bites, and drinks. The food, while simple, was flavorful, very fresh and presented very well. Our server was fun and quirky.... he is also a stand-up comic at this restaurant's other "half", which is Liquid Laughs. He was friendly and attentive. We will return to this restaurant.
(5)Brett M.
I've teetered between a 3 or 4 star based on my last visit. Solid is a great spot downtown in a really good area. The ambiance is cool and laid back. Waitstaff are very helpful with excellent service. I would highly recommend the shrimp and grits which rival dishes I've had in Louisiana. The others in my party had good experiences with the steak. Sweet Potato Enchiladas and sandwiches were good, yet not as good as we had hoped.
(3)Stu S.
Boise deserves better, and has better, much better. On a brief trip here with my best friend, we caught up with a shady lady from my mucky past and asked her out for lunch on a Monday afternoon. I've almost never had a great food experience in a restaurant/bar that is stone cold empty at 12:30, the darned lunch hour, and come back for a 2nd try. What makes any restaurant empty at peak hours? They're doing something wrong or they picked a location like the middle of the Mojave desert where the closest thing to life is a mutant buzzard begging for bones. We'd actually taken the time the day before to run into Solid, grab a menu and decide with a little info whether to take our gal pal there. So let me say that I've finally found burger hell...I review burgers because I can and it's my passion, besides my lover. My best buddy ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad and it looked good and he smiled all the way through it. our gal pal ordered a chicken wrap with regular fries, they both opted for a glass of house white while I got a foul tasting diet coke. I ordered their namesake burger with cheese and fries. What in the world happened between the sweet waitress taking our order and what she brought me from the kitchen...The positive thing about the plate she place in front of me was the mountain of fries while the rest of the plate looked like a blueprint for the last meal for Osama Bin Laden...it was ugly, cold, overcooked, dry, flavorless and the nearly invisible slice of Swiss that resembled dehydrated mustard. The Kaiser Roll was a looker, but tasted like Wonder bread in Palm Springs for spring break. As you can see, Solid is the first really negative review I've written in many a moon, and I hate writing a crumby review for anyone, but this place has a special place in my heart, the bottom of the burger barrel, and should quit pretending they have a clue what this sacred food even is. The unforgivable for this writer is crappy fixings, and they scored a total zero which saddens me because they said farewell and I never even got to know them.
(1)Kevin B.
Solid has a great staff very quick and accommodating. They rescued us from a failure at ha' penny before a show at the knitting factory. Good food good people. I'm never disappointed .
(4)Samantha R.
The food never disappoints and the service is great. I love the lunch options and the prices are reasonable. Great for a business or casual lunch.
(5)Rebecca H.
We were visiting for a conference and this place was within walking distance of the Grove. The wait staff, while friendly, recommended the risotto bites so we tried them...they were terrible. The fried coating combined with the starchy risotto made for a weird texture. It would have been one thing if the risotto was good, but it was lacking flavor which made the dish very unsatisfying. We also ordered the hummus, but it too had an odd texture, like cold bean dip... Overall, while the service and atmosphere was pleasant, the food we ordered was not good. If I am ever in Boise again I may give them another try and order what other Yelpers suggest.
(2)lizzie c.
Food was good, drinks were good, and since we had just moved to town our server introduced us to fry sauce and gave us discounted tickets to the comedy show at Liquid.
(4)Ray C.
A Solid 1 star. I convinced my husband that we should go here tonight for happy hour and some food before we go and see a movie at the Flicks. We get to the bar at the end of happy hour. It's pretty empty, the dining side is deserted. We sit at the bar and I order a beer, 1/2 price due to happy hour. The husband has allergies and can't do beer or wine. He clearly asks for a margarita, and is inquiring about the price of 100% agave tequila, for his margarita. She quotes $4.50 for the drink. She then proceeds to pour the tequila on the rocks in a salted glass. Things are looking good. The price is good, the tequila is decent and the service is prompt. She sets the glass in front of the hubby, but it's only naked tequila. He says, "I ordered a margarita". She says "Ok, I'll fix it". She makes the margarita, no problem, all smiles, sets it down and says ok. Problem solved, things are looking good, again, for Solid. We drink our drinks, I get a menu because we weren't offered one. We think about food, and then the bartender comes back. She doesn't ask us if we want something to eat, she has come to tell us that if my husband wants to continue to drink his drink, he now has to pay $7.50 because she had to shake it with some mix. She can take it back if he no longer wants to pay the additional $3.00. WTF? We were going to order food, I thought she may be coming back to ask if I had any menu questions or wanted to order! It was her fault, not ours, that there was a miss quote/ understanding. The drink has already been served and is being consumed! I have worked in the service industry for a really long time. She should have owned her mistake and told us next time the price would be $7.50. We would have tipped her the difference. I also would have ordered food. I really wanted to return my beer and just leave. I also wanted to tell the 2 managers hanging out about our experience. I didn't do either. I drank my beer, paid, and left. I didn't leave a tip, I haven't done that more than twice in my 30 years, but tonight it felt good. That girl clearly should not be in the service industry.
(1)chris b.
We have been twice now. I am sure if you have a few drinks in you this food works... if not, it is not so good. The food is bar food masquerading as restaurant food. The food is bland and dry.. the drinks are decent, but decent drinks do not make for a good restaurant.
(2)Monique W.
Food was excellent!!! Between the 5 of us we got the chicken quesadilla, slightly spicey and delish, risotto bites(not enough given. Ate them so fast!) pear Gorgonzola pizza( oh my goodness get this!!) and the hummus. Delicious!!! All of these items were awesome. Drinks were good and the service was top notch. Our server was super friendly!!! Brad was everything you want in a server!!! Love him!!! Will come again and ask for him!
(5)Thomas Q.
Always great. Best late night breakfast in Boise. Great chicken fried steak. Emily is cool!
(5)Marissa L.
Great food! My girlfriend and I ordered the risotto bites, some sort of bread thing with 3 different dips- SO good. Also ordered the portobello sandwich which was delicious. Would definitely return
(4)J B.
I do not like to give a one star on anything unless I feel the owner of the business to reevaluate their business plan. I ate there twice in the last two weeks and have been disappointed both times. I really believe that the late night restaurant industry in downtown needs a great breakfast joint. Now.. the first time I ate there I tried the artichoke dip. The flavor was not that tasty and the bread that was served with it was hard as rock. Later in the night it gave me a really bad stomach ache. All my friends claimed that it was probably from too much drinking. Being sold on the idea that I might have just had one two many cocktails I decide to give it one more go around before I wrote this review. This time I decided to try the fried chicken and waffles. With a sausage patty and bacon on the side. The waffle was delicious, but cooking a waffle right takes the talents of a four year old. Now the Chicken was unbreaded. Literally a chicken breast thrown into a fryer. It might have started with some breading but by the time it reached me it looked horrible. It was flavorless and chewy, it was like eating rubber. My friend and I were laughing on how you could not even tare it in half. I don't think my dog would have enjoyed this dry, untended piece of concrete. The bacon was over cooked so it two was extremely hard, It tasted like it was precooked and reheated . And the sausage patty was the most disappointed part. It was something that was flavored like sausage. I have never experience a sausage patty that had such little texture. Like it was once a liquid at one point and molded back into sausage. ... My friend did enjoy his biscuits and gravy. But Its probably because the gravy came out of a can. I am not sure about that so don't quote me. Anyways I wish this place well cause they are new. We really need a good late night breakfast joint And hope that this will help the owner define his restaurant with higher standards and quality food. Now one more good thing to say the service has been excellent both times I have been there . And they carry a variety of local brews I think I counted 11 on tap.
(3)Amos D.
We did happy hour next door at Liquid (same owners) and they provide food from Solid. We had the fried pickle spears---which are the closest I have come to heaven since I ate them in Seattle, Wa. Don't ever take them off the menu! YUM!!!
(4)Sabrina L.
First of all, can I just say this place makes the best nachos in Boise. Hands down! Their drinks are great, the lighting and ambiance of the place is very cool. If you go in the summer, they sometimes have live music playing on the deck, which is cool. And it's not that distracting, annoying live music that you sometimes run into, which is nice. The cocktails are decent, but a tad overpriced for the quality. The food more than makes up for it, though. This place is great for a date night or just a fun night out with friends. Definitely recommend.
(5)Thea J.
I love this place! There hours are fantastic, when ever we are down town late in the evening after a show or fun night out this is a must stopping point before going home, great cock-tails & food. Really a great atmosphere and lots of fun!
(4)Shaun B.
I give this place two stars instead of one primarily because I know the owners from being a frequent patron of their sister business, Liquid, the alley based bar in BoDo, downtown Boise. They are quite friendly, seem to sincerely care about being a business of integrity and accountability. The servers and bartenders are friendly as well, and seem dedicated to delivering exceptional service, however their food is not up to par, as of now (May 2010). I had their fish and chips, substituted onion rings for fries. Now I understand that businesses these days are opting for low cost, cheaply made ingredients in opposition to fresh, "from scratch" options, but their onion rings tasted and appeared identical to the soggy mess that are IHOP's onion rings. Their fish was awful, overcooked, and inedible. The fish was tough and chewy, and just did not please any part of the palette. I took it back and it was worse the second time around. The highlight of the meal was the ranch and tartar dipping sauces, maybe because it came straight from the store bought bottle as opposed to making it on site. I do wish their business well, as it is a good concept for that area of downtown. Their late night breakfast is better, however, I believe as a restaurant manager myself they could pay more attention to the culinary side of their operation to restore that aforementioned integrity and accountability to that side of their business. Best wishes Solid, but I'm gonna stay away for a while.
(2)Dishorn H.
Great location and a nice find. They had a really scenic outdoor space and I was surprised by the live music. The waiting staff was also quite personable and had a great understanding of the menu items. The food there was very creative and I found my burger to be very well made. They also have the options for sweet potato fries which is always a win in my book. Their creme brulee was creamy and freshly made. I guess the only criticism I really had was that a few of the cocktails weren't that well made. I had one of their signature drinks and it came out kind of sake and overly sweet. Overall however it was a great experience and I would recommend it.
(4)Mikey K.
It was nice to sit outside on the deck, underneath the misters. The food was decent, but I felt it to be overpriced considering the quality and portion. It has vegan options and good beers. I had a seasonal brew from Portland. The service was good and the servers were very friendly. There are plenty of TVs if you want to watch a game, and sitting on the deck is great people-watching.
(3)Kara T.
This places deserves at least 4 stars. Love the live music on the patio! Great choices for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. I had the GF and Vegetarian Sweet Potato Enchiladas. They were very good and slightly spicy.
(4)Bruce S.
Sat for 10 minutes no service. 2 wait staff walked past. Not one to wait for additional bad service. Left. Great downtown area. A lot of other choices. I'd look elsewhere
(1)Maile K.
Stopped by there today 3/21/15 on a bike ride around Boise. Brad was our waiter and he was amazing. He suggested a lemon drop with 44 North vodka and it was incredible. I also sampled several local beers and Brad was accomodating and knowledgeable. We at the quesadilla and bread sampler. Both were brought on stone plates and the presentatio of both was beautiful The music was playing and the deck was a great place to sit. The musician was very good and made for a great atmoshpere. I loved it.
(5)Nick T.
Menu has changed and there are some things on there menu that don't really tell you why is in them we could not even get a napkin
(2)Brigid F.
Attended a reception at Solid. The wait staff were fantastic. Very friendly and attentive. The had a nice buffet of pulled pork sliders, vegetables, fruit, spinach artichoke dip and... I would highly recommend this place!!
(5)Zach N.
This is mine and my fiancés go to spot. Great service and awesome food. The atmosphere is very laid back and chill. Summer time you can eat outside and listen to someone singing. It's a perfect place to have a date night.
(5)Danielle H.
The drinks are reasonably priced and the service is good. They do cheap out on meals. My shrimp and grits was grits and a little bit of shrimp. But it was tasty.
(4)Katie M.
Sat down on the patio on a Monday night, it took 20 minutes for us to wave down a waiter to get menus. . . Another 20 minutes goes by, we weren't even acknowledged or offered water. There were maybe 10 occupied tables, so it wasn't that busy. After waiting almost an hour, we decided to take our business elsewhere, since they obviously didn't want ours. Save your time, go somewhere else.
(1)Armani D.
If the most negative review here lately is from a smoker upset she can't smoke anymore in the balcony, then this is my kind of place. As a non-smoker, I was able to appreciate this friendly gem. I did not feel the staff was rude at all, enjoyed my meal, was immediately attended to, and BONUS: Latin Salsa dance lessons on Wednesday nights for 5.00 bucks! Had a blast!!
(4)Jeremy L.
One of our favorite places!. Everything is good. I've had the amazing chicken and waffles, my surprisingly favorite street tacos, a few of the burgers, the steak salad, wings, BLT, corned beef and cabbage special during St Patricks Day and more. The only thing I've had that I didn't care for was the french dip. They use a cheap tasting hoagie roll. Everything else including the atmosphere, drinks, and live music is great! Patio seating during warmer weather with live music is perfect for our date nights. Good people watching too. I don't know what it is about the street tacos. It's something that took me awhile to try because I had so many favorites on the menu already, Now its my new favorite. They aren't just tacos, they are just tasty awesomeness. The chips they come with are crazy good as well. Try it, I don't think you will be disappointed.
(5)Bill H.
Great place for the money spent. Love the salsa latin dance club there on Wednesday's!
(4)Cara S.
Another mediocre local restaurant. The air conditioner was on even though it's only around 20° outside. A vent was directly under our table and the server asked us if we wanted her to cover it with a tray . Weird. My husband and I had a very awkward dining experience with this server. She interrupted us several times while we were eating asking us if we were finished. No.... Clearly we were not. We gave no indication that we were finished. She also asked my husband if he was finished with his whiskey when it was only half gone. It's unlikely that we will return. Is Boise's palate so ignorant that there must only be "New Traditional" restaurants? To me, new traditional is just a fancy way of saying, over-priced bar food.
(2)Deano G.
This place used to be okay, but when you are sitting at the bar and it takes 15 minutes for the bartender to ask what you want to drink.... Wow, what a complete failure... I was even going to stay for dinner, but since we had such bad service we decided to go to a place that would serve us and even ask if we wanted menus & not focus on the locals.... shame on you solid!
(1)Tena J.
We had our office holiday party at Solid. Appetizers were artichoke dip and the wine and cheese plates, then we had the Solid salmon, ribeyes and the chicken cordon bleu for dinner. Everything was delicous and perfectly timed! Skyla was a rock star and by dinner, knew everyone's names, drinks and what we had ordered for dinner (sent to the restaurant the week before). After dinner, we all moved over to Liquid for a hilarious comedy show. The night was a huge success. Thank you Skyla, Jeremy, Liz and Brooke, and to everyone working behind the scenes. You were fantastic!
(5)Michael F.
Had dinner here last week. I had the The doc Hudson - beef patty, fried egg, ham, caramelized onions, with cheddar and swiss. This burger was awesome and the sweet potato fries were amazing too. Mike our waiter was great and on the spot. Highly recommend solid. PS they also has a peanut butter cheese cake that was to die for.
(5)Sarah E.
Solid is my favorite restaurant in Boise. They have an interesting menu, several options (worth trying) for vegetarians, which is rare in Boise. I really like their Grecian Mushroom salad. The Black Bean Focaccia Burger is also a favorite and their sweet potato fries are awesome (try them with the honey mustard). Their specials are worth hearing, unlike most restaurants in the area. The Happy Hour is great and they always have good IPAs on draft (Hippie Shake, Dagger Falls). My omnivore better half also agrees that Solid is a great place to eat.
(5)Ryan K.
Brie is a bartender who entrances the soul and allows an imagination to run wild. Her intuitive drink cocktails will transform your night from a Wednesday to an eye opening expressway to the world of modern cocktails. Her magical sense of trend setting tastes will take you from downtown Boise to the destination of your choice. Her personality will win you over if their is any question left in your mind. If you find yourself downtown, this is the atmosphere to melt away.
(5)Brianne M.
Pretty standard college bar, went on a saturday and it was pretty slow, beer selections were good and atmosphere was alright. Possible the smallest tvs ever so it was pretty hard to watch the game.
(3)Virginia D.
Local wine & a few vegan food options-- just gotta make a few subs (the waitstaff is very accommodating). Outdoor patio is great people watching & perfect for warm nights. Great 10pm to midnight happy hour
(4)Karen M.
This place is right around the corner from the Hampton Inn downtown which is where I was staying during my visit. Friendly service and the food was great. I got a burger...I think it was called the Full Monty? It was great. The Nachos were good too. Delicious native beers and a warm dining room made for an overall great experience.
(5)Neal S.
Awesome fish and chips, really good pulled pork sandwich. Make sure to get the sweet potato fries!
(4)Andy M.
We stumbled in here before some sort of event thingy we were going to to actually get some food, and the the full course thing with drinks, appetizers, and entrees. We started with drinks and what I'll call "roasted cheese curd with an exotic foreign sounding name I can't remember" which we really liked. Everything was pretty good and well prepared. I wish the menu had more options, that's what would stop us from coming back here again. I really do appreciate restaurateurs who work on doing a few things well, but they may have taken it to an extreme.
(4)Margaret R.
Deconstructed cobb salad? This trend has gone way too far. If you are going to deconstruct something make it different and unique not ingredients slopped on a plate, and give me some ripe tomatoes for God sakes! Also, refund a person if they send it back. I realize I just glanced at the menu, saw Cobb salad, and ordered it, but when I try to send it back please at least try to accommodate me in some way.
(1)Brian M.
Dinner after a movie. Food was great, service was very friendly and helpful Good visit
(4)Dan C.
I eat here regularly, as well as at many other restaurants in the valley. The "Solid Salmon" dish here is quite possibly the best not just currently in Boise, but that any restaurant in Boise has EVER done. I'm not a finicky eater, but am very conscious of what it takes to make great food, being an experienced cook myself. I can see when that effort is being made and when it is successful. This dish is a perfectly balanced plate: an excellent fresh salmon filet cooked perfectly every time I've had it; a thoughtful and expertly executed asparagus risotto; and freshly roasted seasonal veggies from local sources. Paired with a crisp local pale ale or maybe an SRV AVA White Pinot Noir, this meal is tough to beat anywhere at any price. Personal beef: It's upsetting to see reviewers give a place 1 star after one experience that probably wasn't that awful. I realize there are exceptions, but I've eaten here many times and never had less than what I would rate a 3-star experience here, and I have NEVER seen anyone else at nearby tables have what I would consider a 1-star experience. A 1-star review is unfairly harmful to a restaurant's reputation, and rarely an honest reflection on your experience. Be realistic rather than reactionary; be informative rather than make a ridiculous attempt at being entertaining. Perhaps if restaurants got to review you as a customer... ? What would they rate you? Maybe there should be a system where if you're a bad customer with a history of service conflicts and unrealistic expectations, you don't get to eat at the higher-rated restaurants?
(4)Mizz S.
I've had lunch here, and it was good. I had a BLT with sweet potato fries, which I enjoyed. The tomato wasn't stellar, but what do you expect in January? The fries more than made up for it. One of my friends had a steak salad that looked delicious. Friendly, attentive service. What else can I say? Solid is solid.
(4)Angie S.
We went for lunch. 4 adults, I had the Cubano, the others had fish tacos, the gyro, and the prime dip. All were excellent! Very good beer selection as well.
(5)Kyle C.
I usually hit up Solid before I go to either the Knitting Factory or Liquid. Solid is my pregame because, well, it's solid. A great variety of taps and they are no strangers to the whiskey. I needed a tune up before I went and saw J Boog at the Knit so I got a Laughing Dog that was in excess of 8% ABV and a Jack Daniel's side car. The wait staff was well dressed and classy. In and out and on with the night. Often times they have live music on the deck; a solo artist with an acoustic guitar. You can enjoy the tunes while you eat and drink or just while you walk by. I am quite fond of this place.
(4)Julia L.
Solid is one of my favorite places to eat downtown. It's very casual with lots of seating and a creative menu. The risotto bites, and grilled halloumi are ridiculously good. The burgers and salads are also a safe bet, very fresh ingredients. You can see live music here on the patio and that's really cool. I was here today and our waitress was great! If you haven't, definitely check it out.. Also I love the cucumber slices in the water!
(4)Willa C.
I have been here about 5 times now and kept meaning to Yelp... however, like many Yelpers, I only remembered to actually post once I had a bad experience. Not good on my part, I know... however, it goes to show the nature of word of mouth business. Before this review I would have rated them as a three star kind of joint. The food is decent, the staff has been hit and miss regarding friendliness, but the drinks are a good price and they have an ample happy hour. None of this has changed and perhaps in the future I will return... probably not, but things have been known to happen. I originally came here for my search for the best burger in Boise for late night drinkers. For some reason, I often find myself out around 11 to midnight hoping for an amazing blue cheese burger with onion rings. I had the food from their sister bar, Liquid, during Liquid Laughs one night and it was tasty, so I figured that it would be a good shot for a burger filled with yum. With that in mind, I am a smoker. With the nice weather, I have a hankering to drink and smoke and eat and I know how Boise is, so I called ahead. "Yes, you can smoke on the patio" was met with my reply of, "Brilliant! See you soon!" So we headed over and got a spot on the patio, being told that there was only one patio that we could smoke on. Had a burger and some fries and was happy. About a month ago I went in with some friends and again, they said we could smoke on the patio. I have been in and around a few other times and people have smoked on the patio. So, imagine my surprise last night when we showed up last night and were told we couldn't. Not that the rules had changed, but rather, no, you can't smoke. Then the same lady that had talked to us while smoking last time... I think she brought the ashtray even, but I could be wrong, came and told us for a second time that no, unfortunately that we couldn't smoke. They weren't mean or anything, but they didn't seem concerned that we would leave either, so we decided to leave and go across the alley. A simple, I am really sorry for the inconvenience or something. The problem I have with this is not that we couldn't smoke. Laws change. Management changes. Whatever. However, when you are expecting one thing and then something else happens, it is a let down. Rather than being, "I am really sorry, we can't allow smoking..." it was more like... "No, you can't smoke... " with a hint of "duh!" that bothered me. It was all so non-chalant, "too bad you got to smoke here before and now you can't, sucks for you kind of attitude that I could have lived without". We went back across the street and I saw our original waitress clearing our table and I went back over there (I was still in the alley) and I told her about the woman that was just out being the one last time that said we could smoke, but she clearly didn't care. Okay, cool. I'm not cool enough for them or something. They weren't mean or rude, they just really didn't seem to care. Whatever. Wait, yeah, I don't think I will be back at all. Do I need to go and spend 70 bucks on drinks and dinner to be given an attitude? Nope. I can do that elsewhere. And it has been about 60 - 70 dollars every time for 3 people to have 2 drinks and dinner. That is pretty pricey for bar food, but I was more paying for the ambiance, a place to drink and be comfortable. On the plus side, the burgers there are pretty good. Not as good as Fuddruckers, better than Red Robin and the Tilted Kilt. About the same as the place across the alley, Ha Penny. So, I will continue to go across the way where the service is nice, it's less pretentious, and the drinks flow for the same price. I'm shocked, I didn't know the economy was so good that you don't have to bother with being courteous?
(2)