AMANO

VERDICT: I highly recommend this place as a full experience! Take the time to enjoy their incredible offerings-- milling through drinks, apps, main course, and dessert. FOOD: If food were music, this food sways with the gravitas of an artist's soul poured into the melody and harmonies weaving about. Take the time to enjoy the full experience. This establishment takes your order as a whole and delivers it as courses, so that you can get lost in conversation with your company. The offerings are elevated above their traditional counterparts through both paying homage to the flavors and characteristics, but with twists and expert execution. The esquites, for instance, is blackened over charcoal, with a butter cream sauce, cilantro and other spices. While it touches on the elote off-cob, it soars above in the small (but significant notes, like using a butter cream instead of butter cuts water content and produces a crisper product). The offerings of unique elements like cactus ear with cremosa(?) were such an experience. It shared the flavors of a bell pepper, but contained floral notes and notes pablano. The sear on the pepper and cheese increased the complexity. Every bite was top-notch flavors. Their cocktails were works-of-art, from presentation to flavor. Their flavors spanned entire spectrums of notes and flavors, from spicy-to-sweet-to-aromatic. There were many options for Zero Proof cocktails. SERVICE: Anywhere the service can make the crumbs disappear, your cups stay full, and roll out your food in courses perfectly timed deserves more than 5 stars, but I'm limited. Jonah rocked his job with a charismatic panache and attentiveness that enhances the experience. Leave 2 hours for the full experience. ATMOSPHERE: Bustling, yet trendy. Beautiful and yet comfortable. Music didn't contain words, so it doesn't disrupt conversation, though was a touch loud. We weren't rushed but rather milled through our courses over the course of 2 hr 10 min! The time just passed on by as we lost ourselves in conversation and delectable foods and drinks.

We went to Amano for Cinco de Mayo and to celebrate my best friend's birthday. We made a reservation, which I highly recommend you do. Otherwise, there can be quite a wait. Parking in Indian Creek Plaza was difficult, so plan extra time in case parking is troublesome. The food here was delicious! We had the carne asada platter and got to eat cactus! Which was interesting. They make their own tortillas in-house. And the Tres leches Cake is the best in Canyon County - they infuse it with lavender. The atmosphere is bougie and upscale. They took a Polaroid for my friend as a birthday momento, and the service was impeccable. I highly recommend Amano if you're looking for upscale fine-dining Mexican food. Their mole is absolutely divine.

Overall, we had a fun time here and would be great for special celebrations. For taco dish would recommend: carne asada. We also had the fish tacos which were good, but the carne asada were exceptional. Perfectly cooked and ingredients complemented well. For non-taco would recommend: short-rib tatemada, though the other dishes looked really good too and I would try many of the other dishes too. For the short rib tatemada, I really enjoyed the meat itself, it was tender and full of flavor. The sauces off to the side were excellent. It’s served with small tortillas that you can build your own tacos with. The pickled onions went perfectly with it in the tacos. For an appetizer, we got the equites, which was an awesome bowl of corn, but rather small portion. About the size of a traditional side at a BBQ restaurant for one person, if that’s a good visual. I would recommend it, but probably only feeds two people realistically and I wish it was larger for the $13. It does not come with chips, which cost about $4, so make sure to get those too. They were excellent, but I would have anticipated it to be included realistically. I would recommend getting two baskets of chips just cause they were so tasty. The horchata was a nice drink to finish the meal with. Very sweet and cardamom/cinnamon-y. Would recommend that as well, but save it for the end of the meal as a small dessert :). It was about $4 think. Our waiter (Erik) did a great job explaining the dishes, and was patient enough to do it twice or expand on his explanations. It was fun to hear the process of the cooking and how they use traditional methods from him. This place is expensive, but is worth the value for something like a special occasion. We spent about $180 on three people and left full and happy. We would probably try to go about once a year. 5 star - Need to go! Would go out of way to come.

So this is a difficult review as this place is high on the list of places to go for high end food and service. Main meal of carne asada was amazing! 5 stars meat cooked with skill and plate so balanced. Cocktails were good but no prices. Turned out they were $23 each! This is dumb. I can understand paying $15 per so definitely not worth that ticket price. 2 stars App was meh. Small portion, we got the corn and sad to say I can make much better at home and there was no love in it at all. I either you wow me with the food to justify the price or you at least make the portions bigger if you are gonna phone it in. 1 star Service was good. Friendly staff however it took a very long time to get our food. From app to main course was around 35/45 min. In all half the food was worth the price. Drinks are WAY overpriced. It's a once a year date night location in my opinion. With the prices you can't serve mid food at all. A lot of other options of restaurants I can go where nothing misses.

Upon the suggestion of my brother, I went to Amano's new downtown Caldwell location of this award winning restaurant (2023 James Beard Award). They open at 5:00pm for dinner only. You can make on-line reservations thru the website. I didn't want to wait an hour, so I went as a walk-in and immediately scored a outdoor patio table. First impressions: Amano deserves its Award. The staff is welcoming and the atmosphere is vibrant. Patio area feels secluded, and the music is a pleasurable listen. My server, Isaiah, was very helpful to explain the varied menu choices. I wasn't disappointed with his suggestions for El Cadillac (traditional Margarita), Tiradito (hors d'eurve), Short Rib Tatemada, and, for dessert, a very generous slice of Lavendar Tres Leches. I was in epicurean heaven!

Our experience was top notch from the minute we walked in until we left. Sam was our server and was seriously on top of everything. Our drink glasses were never empty, the good recommendations were spot on. Can't wait to go back!!

The new location is great and has a great vibe. Service is generally okay but the wait staff is not attentive once the place starts getting busy... you get forgotten about. We waited about 15-20 minutes for the server to ask us if we wanted desert after we were done eating so we just ended up getting the check. Dinner reservation was at 4:15 and we were done a little after 6:30 pm and that was because of the slow service. The table across from us sat down just after we did and they didn't start eating until we were almost done with our meal. Additionally, I was looking forward to the quarter chicken plate but when they brought it out it was still raw in the center so I opted to get a faster dish since it took quite awhile to get our first dish. I must say the corn tortilla and rice was good. Drinks were good as well but very expensive for what you get. I expect more for the price regarding service. Overall, the food is good and tasty when prepared properly. May give the place another try to see if service has improved in the future. I hear they may open a speak easy type of place upstairs which would be great.

Outstanding, we had dinner last Friday night. Fantastic service from Sumi. She knew the menu, ingredients, and preparation. We both ordered the carne asada plate. The beef was seasoned perfectly, and cooked med-rare. The accompanying peppers were delicious. The surprise hit was the cooked-to-order tortillas served hot. We had a great time, we will be back.

The ambiance and atmosphere was inviting and the decor was elegant. We came in with a party of 8 @ 645pm and was sat in a nice, secluded area. Ashley was our waitress, and she was very informative with the menu. It took a while for our party to navigate and decide on what to order, I ordered the guacamole and homemade tostadas for an appetizer, which came out fast and they were delicious. The silverware was rather "interesting". You will have to see for yourself, but they were rather odd given the environment and they were hard to handle with food. When our dinner entrees came out, my entree of tacos was missing. There was no explanation of what or why, and after 15 min they finally showed up. Was given no apology and there was no offer to rectify or remedy the delay. I was charged the full price of $35. Other than water, our beverages were never offered, nor refilled. My iced tea was only filled with water in the same glass. The homemade tortillas were abundant and kept coming to the table, even after we had finished our meals. One couple in our party was celebrating their wedding anniversary, and it was nice to share a complimentary dessert of the lavender thres letches. They brought out a rather generous portion for all to share. Overall, the experience was ok. There was the disappointment of my entree taking so long with no apology or manager coming over to check, nor any offer to make the mistake right. The lack of attention to our drink refills or offer to refill them was also a letdown in service. The highlight of the night was the hot towels.... a nice way to finish off the night. I will suggest the short ribs as my sample had me wishing I had ordered that instead of the overpriced carne asada tacos. For less than half the price, Mesa Tacos has better tacos hands down. Most of the food on the menu is nothing more special than Mesa, Matador, or Dos Caminos. Ling Cod is also the fish of choice on the menu, as opposed to halibut. For the prices charged, I would expect a higher rated fish. The bill for 2 people with 20% gratuity was $143.00.... we had guacamole, short ribs, tacos, iced tea and diet coke. For that, I'd rather spend my money at an established 5 star like Barbacoa. My overall rating: 3.5 Stars Atmosphere: 5 Stars Food: 3 Stars Service: 3 Stars Tacos Price/Value: 2.5 Stars Short Ribs Price/Value 4 Stars In closing, given the overall experience, I most likely would not return unless I was craving the short ribs.... and if I did, I'll probably just order take out service there. Amano is not ready to play high end restaurant right now, but maybe they will get there soon.

My family and I have been going to Amano for a while now, and we decided to go there today because they moved to a different location and we missed a few important occasions. Unlike most Mexican restaurants, Amano is the sort of restaurant reserved for celebrations and occasions. Everything is made from scratch in the restaurant, and they do a consistently extraordinary job. It has an excellent chef who understands flavor, so trust that everything is on your plate for a reason. I hate guacamole, so when I saw it on my plate of carne asada, I was about to ignore it, but I decided to try just a tiny bit. It was even better than usual. The servers are always kind, and the place is always clean. Their new location feels more private with plants acting almost like a wall between groups of tables. Overall, Amano is an excellent restaurant.

We were visiting family in Idaho and while we were traveling I saw that Chef Salvador won a James Beard award for his culinary talent. I read the article and went immediately to see about reservations which I was successfully able to secure the next day for our last meal in Idaho. There were 5 of us dining and Isaiah was our server. He was fabulous, friendly, and knowledgeable. Lots of staff to help with water, small asks, so you never feel unattended. We had the guacamole, the street corn apps to start which were both awesome. The guacamole had fresh herbs in it which was a really nice punch of fresh. I shared the conchinita pibil tacos with my guy - delicious! The order is usually 3 so we added a 4th and it was perfect! Slightly small, if I was starving it wouldn't have been enough food. We also shared the two desserts, the lavender tres leches cake was wow! Really delicious experience. Excellent cocktails. I did try the La Playa which was a seasonal option with mezcal since their specialty is mezcal and masa. Didn't disappoint!

Ok- I know they just won a James Beard and that's HUGE for Idaho- BUT- I think there are other places out here with better chefs and less pretentious staff. I think James Beard awards do involve a little politics so to speak, so keep that in mind too. I went when it was in the old location, so maybe things have changed but it was not good enough for me to return. There's better places for Mexican food (and drinks) even in our area at much better prices. Maybe I was there on an off night or ordered wrong or something, but it did not live up to the hype for me.

Truly amazing! 100 stars! Actually Amano is the only one restaurant in all valley where owners know what real food is. Everything is fresh, right amount of spices, the herbs are perfectly fresh... I liked everything we ordered here. The staff is very friendly and professional. Very very nice place! We were here twice already and we will come more! And by the way I am not a fan of Mexican food:)))

Was visiting family in Caldwell when we somehow discovered this place on Re-Opening weekend! In a geographical area that's unfortunately lacking good restaurants, we were relieved to find Amano. The food was high quality, authentic, and delicious. The decor was very modern, as was the dining ware. The cocktail list was large. We loved the jalapeño Gorditas! My husband got fish tacos that were also spicy. Warning that when they say spicy, they mean spicy! I got a steak taco. I was surprised that the quality of steak was as if we were at a steak house, but in my taco! The waiter was nice and explained things well. I would come expecting a longer wait for food since it's all homemade to order. I'd also warn people that it is pricy. If we were locals we'd probably only come for a birthday or a promotion. The quality of the food does thankfully reflect the price but it would be a special occasion place for us.

Been wanting to come here for the longest . Idaho has been on my bucket lists and we finally decided to fly up ! Amano was such an amazing food experience! As you walk in they staff members open the door for you and welcoming you in . We had an amazing server named Sam C . He was such a nice gentleman and very knowledgeable about the menu and he gave out the best recommendations. Overall we had a great experience and loved talking to Sam and our food ) I will definitely need to come back again ! I honestly wish I had space for dessert !

I heard about this place through a friend and the pictures she posted of the drinks looked good and the food too. We went for my girlfriends 40th birthday and they were all so confused about the menu they wanted me to translate since I'm Latina but the menu is so small and the drinks were actually good the food wasn't bad it did have some good flavor but I don't think this place was for me. My friends did not like it either. The service is good the assistant to the service was excellent he was very nice and had a great attitude. The place was a bit dark it's super busy and a bit tight. I was told that their old pace was better. The guacamole had more leaves than avocado and it was spicy

My boyfriend brought me here for my 21st birthday and it was such a great experience! I definitely will be back, the drinks are unreal. Our waiter was also exceptional and even wrote me a note wishing me a happy birthday!! Highly recommend

The food is so rich in flavor and the chef just won a James beard award. Definitely take your date here, it'll be one they won't forget

experience for sure! Do not let the humble exterior of this gem fool you! When you step inside Amano is 100% an experience in fine, authentic modern Mexican cuisine! And our server, Eric, was topic notch! He started by asking our allergies and preferences and guided us through the menu based on those. He was incredibly knowledgeable and a prefect balance of being attentive while allowing us to just enjoy our meal. We ordered our first round of drinks La Pina and El Cadillac which were so refreshing on a HOT Idaho night! We opted to skip the starters and head straight to the mains with L.A. Birria Tacos and Short Rib Tatemada. The Short Rib was the recommendation of Eric and I am soooo glad I took as risk and ordered it. I am not typically a rib lover and let me tell you this was one of the most incredible dishes I have EVER eaten! I also order La Rebanadita and it was INCREDIBLE! What an absolute pleasure it was to enjoy this gem in little Caldwell, Idaho! From start to finish this was an A+ experience. Can't wait to come back and next time I will make sure I have enough room to try the Tres Leches that Eric spoke so highly of! Added perk.... Supporting a local immigrant who dreamed big and has achieved such great success! James Beard Award was so well deserved Mr. Alamilla! Can't wait for my next trip to Amano!

Excellent food, amazing drinks, incredible service, and the bartender, Gonzalo, was a wizard. 10/10 recommend!

10/10. A couple of girlfriends and I came in for a Friday night and really loved everything. Our server was great and had detailed recommendations for us - maybe even too much detail! My friend and I were not drinking so we were stoked to see the zero proof cocktail menu, and my 3rd friend indulged in the wine list. We started with the corn appetizer and guac which were both so tasty. For entrees we shared the Baja fish tacos - amazing, the short ribs - amazing, and the birria tacos were not our favorite but still cleaned our plates. The decor and vibes inside are so cool! I'd love to come back for some mezcal next time.

Never fails to impress! So authentic and fresh, we always leave happy and full. The portions are great, options for meat lovers and vegetarian, and phenomenal cocktails. The servers are always super nice and attentive. Parking can be tricky, make a reservation, and bring a sweater in the winter (it's always cold inside).

We went back to Amano tonight for a proper sit down experience, but we chose to sit at the bar. We like the boys at the bar. They are all so accommodating, conversational, and pleasant...full of smiles. We were there for dinner, and low lighting created a lovely ambiance. I ordered a movktail and squash blossom quesadilla that was creamy and with this essence of sweet squash. It was a beautiful combo with the dark roasted salsa, which added a lot of depth to the meal. As weird as this might sound, I was quite taken with the tortilla. It was soft, chewy, a little puffy, and I could really taste the masa. Best tortilla I've ever eaten. House-made, of course! My husband ordered a molé meat dish that melted in his mouth. It melted in mine too! I've never tasted anything like it before. It was served with this charred sun choke side with a sweet cream sauce that I kind wanted to drink and dip everything in! One thing I would like to mention is the spice level. Most things on the menu are pretty spicy. Even when they say it's only a little spicy, it will be spicier than you think. The guacamole was a bit too spicy for me, but it's also delicious, so...? Fantastic food, beautiful ambiance, and impeccable service. What more could you ask for?

This was an unexpected pleasure. Having never been to Amano before I had zero expectations or knowledge of the restaurant beforehand. That said Amano will now be going into my favorite restaurant rotation. The fish tacos were maybe the best I've ever had. They are as good as the best Mexican beach tacos anywhere. The staff were absolutely engaging, and friendly, and kind, and attentive. Our waitress was so sweet and amazing. We were on the patio, but the inside looked amazing as well. The attention to detail in all aspects made this such a great experience. We live in Boise, but Amano isn't far enough away to keep us from coming back repeatedly. .

Everything here is delicious and homemade! Definitely on the pricey side, but worth a try. The ambiance and decor is on point. Started with chips and guac + salsa. I had the carne asada tacos and the flavor was so good. Especially with the homemade tortillas. Topped with guac and salsa. Homemade horchata was one of the best I've had. Didn't have an alcoholic drink so can't speak for the taste but the presentation of my friends was beautiful. Very enjoyable experience all around. Staff were kind.

Muy bueno. Happened upon this place thru yelp reviews only to discover that the chef is a recent James beard winner! Everything was amazing, but was blown away by the el macho margarita!

Our server was fantastic and so was the food. We ordered an appetizer as well as two entrees and we will certainly be back!

When I saw how expensive this place was, I was a bit skeptical when looking for authentic Hispanic cuisines. I like to get the most value for the buck kind of deal, and to be honest, this was a good deal. Each dish averaged around $20-30 but the portion size makes it worth it. We got the birria, carne asada tacos, and chips & salsa flight to try out different sauces - it was amazing. The tacos were crisp and the flavor was mesquite enough but not too smoky to the point it was burnt. The staff was amazing in checking up on us and letting us know what each entree was and answering any questions about the history of the restaurant. Great service, great food. Oh yeah, they have a happy hour right before closing as well - so definitely take advantage of that.

Setting is beautiful unique and very non Idaho which was a welcome surprise. Menu was creative delicious and beautifully presented . Service was top notch . Definitely worth a visit for a special outing .

Congrats to Chef for his James beard award. He s really deserved it. This restaurant is very top notch and above the expectations for Idahoans. From the warmed welcomed Hostess team to our server, Ashley. Everything is amazing and wonderful. We had a really great time . Theirs new location is very beautiful decorating, huge bar, nice selection of cocktails and Mezcal. Food are amazing ! Smokey meat with his signature lava rock cooking style, tender, and juicy meat, also, big hand for the fresh made tortillas . It is enjoy seeking a lady making them from your table. Lavender cake and Corn pudding dessert are completed our experience. Worth the trip to Caldwell. Will be back.

Food tasted amazing! Tried a pina colada mocktail! Soo delicious!! Very knowledgeable and friendly staff! Definitely listen to their recommendations on spice level! They don't play with how spicy their food is. The vibe in this restaurant makes you feel like you're at a resort! Recommend the deserts! All of them.

The food, service, and patio dining atmosphere were stellar! The food I can't say enough about. If you want distinctive Mexican gourmet cuisine with original combinations of flavor while still reflecting regional recipes, this is the place! It is truly amazing food from a creative chef. Drinks are inventive and unusual. Our server, Ben, was outstanding and you should ask to be seated in his area. He was exactly what you want in a server but also a good human who wanted his table to have a fun evening! He made excellent suggestions. Patio is very nice and shaded. We had a wonderful evening with our friends!

Amano is hands down one of the best dining experiences I've had in Idaho. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere feels both modern and warm great for a date night or a special night out with friends. You can tell there's real care and intention behind everything, from the décor to the service. The food was incredible. I ordered the carne asada tacos and the baja Cali fish tacos both were packed with flavor and came with fresh, house-made tortillas that made a huge difference. The cocktails were equally impressive well-balanced and refreshing, not overly sweet. You can tell they use quality ingredients across the board. It's definitely a bit more upscale than your usual taco spot, but worth every penny. Chef Salvador Alamilla has built something special here. If you're in the area or even if you're not it's worth making the trip to Caldwell. Highly recommend.

Food 9/10 drink 10/10 service 10/10 Great place for very good quality Mexican food. They keep the food fairly basic but yet packed with amazing flavor. First time going I got the fish tacos which were fantastic and the second time got the carne asada. I'd recommend the fish tacos. The restraint is very easy to have a great dinner date and conversation. We went when it was packed on a Saturday night but was able to get to a seat at the bar. We weee able to hold conversations all night.

Literally one of the best meals I have had in a long time! If you are in the area eat here! Period end of story! I'm still thinking about the food two weeks later! Great service, great food...pricey for Mexican but also completely worth it!!!

I'm trying hard not to be too effusive but I'll just come right out and say: This ranks as one of the best dining experiences in recent memory. It's that good. Where to start...the drinks. My watermelon infused La Rebanadita packed so much flavor in a cocktail. But the apple infused, egg white whipped drink afterwards was over the top excellent. The steak tartare tostada was understated while sublime. The esquite however was worth a visit all by itself. Rich roasted goodness offset by smoky flavors. As our expectations continued to rise, the Sonore Carna Asada tacos delivered brilliantly. Forget any carna asada you've ever had - these were filet bites of heaven. So much complex flavors in a relatively simple dish. We left room for dessert and were on the verge of getting the tres leches but the description of the Pudin de Maiz was too interesting to ignore. Layers of flavor in each spoonful- caramel, a custard like pudding, and crunchy sweet pistachio topping. Yes, the bill was healthy but considering four cocktails, two smaller plates and one entree plate, plus dessert, I had zero regrets signing the bill. Only after I headed home and googled the restaurant did I learn of its national accolades. To think we stumbled on this place in a small Idaho suburb completed by accident. What a find, and I'm already coming up with excuses to make the 450 mile trip back to sample the rest of the menu. Service, btw, was exemplary. We sat at the bar and our server not only knew the menu intimately, he mixed up a sample drink he'd been working on just for our enjoyment. Well done, Team Amano!!!

All there is to say from the beginning to the end of our dining experience, is WOW! The ambience, service and food were absolutely amazing!

This review is for Happy Hour. AMANO has a brand new happy hour as of September 2024, first hour of opening and last hour before closing. Specials on drinks, and a small selection of very accessibly priced food. Tacos $5/$6, Bean & Cheese Burrito $10. The potato taco was SPICY. But exceedingly delicious and flavorful. The carnitas taco had pickled onion and lots of flavor. The burrito was small and not anything too special, but the fresh tortilla (I think they make all their tortillas) definitely stood out. Small portions, but compared to their regular prices this was a great affordable option- especially for us middle class folks. I would recommend calling to see if they're still offering this same deal, they are known to change things up frequently!

Hell Yes the food was great I recommend you to try it. I have visited this restaurant three times in one month and I must say each time I come I am so satisfied with their food. I recommend them to anyone to try if you're a Italian food lover.

Amano is a lovely Mexican restaurant! I made reservations here for a nice night out with my husband and me about a week in advance. The service was attentive, friendly, and fast. We ordered the Guacamole con Hierbas as our appetizer, the L.A. Birria Tacos and Mole Coloradito as the entrées, and the Lavender Tres Leches Cake as dessert. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner from beginning to end! The Guacamole con Hierbas was super fresh and had a good herb-y punch. I liked the L.A. Birria Tacos but have had better in San Diego. The Mole Coloradito tasted unique as most mole do. The color might throw you off if you're unfamiliar with mole, but I promise your taste buds will go on an interesting ride! The Lavender Tres Leches Cake was delicious! Fun fact: our waitress said that the owner's grandma likes to watch telenovelas while she frosts the cakes. Loved that honestly! All in all, I recommend checking out Amano! Great good, great service, and great vibes!

Wow! Great Mexican food in Caldwell! Historic old bank building with beautiful ceiling and beams. Service was spot-in. Quick and attentive. Guacamole was fresh and spicy with fresh cilantro on top. Chips fresh and hot, right out of the fryer. Carne asada portion was good and wonderfully flavored, a bit smoky. Fresh tortillas with it too. Birria tacos were great. The chili relleno was non-traditional but incredible. Great flavor and more of a broth style delivery. Seasonal dessert that was a flat fried dough with a delicious sweet sauce and whipped cream. Very unique and different, in a good way. Will repeat without a doubt!

This was our first visit to Amano after reading many great reviews. The restaurant is located in a former bank building and has been transformed into a beautiful space with high, industrial ceilings and an amazing bar area. The service we received was outstanding and the cocktails were delicious but given the limited menu selections we were underwhelmed. Our party of 4 adults chose to start with fresh guacamole and chips which were tasty. The entrees we chose included Carne Asada steak, fish tacos, carne asada tacos and braised beef tacos. Sides of rice and beans were an extra cost. The hot towels provided at the end were a pleasant surprise. Everything was very good but for $260 we were not blown away.

Went there this evening and was so disappointed! I was here a little over a year ago and it was amazing. I ordered the fish tacos and they had so much breading that you could barely taste the fish and the breading was soaking with oil... I ended up trying to scrape the majority of it off.They changed their chips and guacamole and that's mostly what I was looking forward to, they aren't nearly as good as they were before. Honestly, I don't know if I'll be back again.

A rare opportunity took us to Caldwell to try Alamo. Located in the historic part of Caldwell, the ambience inside was incredible - the 30' ceilings, the foliage, and all the windows. Wonderful We shared the Esquites (like Mexican sweet corn elevated) I had fish tacos and my spouse had the chili relleno (sp) The cod in the tacos melted in my mouth like butter. I had the habaneros on the side as the heat was plenty in the sauce without the actual peppers. The chili rellano, however, confused us. The pepper was stuffed with cheese and spices and deep fried crispy .... And served in broth. It was mush on mush on mush. Why would you put something crispy in liquid? Flavor was lacking but the texture was so off putting it didn't matter. Was so sad about that. Kinda ruined the experience. One drink, one appetizer and two entrees for one Ben Franklin. It was worth a try though

The service is impeccable, the waitstaff are everywhere We came for happy hour steak tartara tostada it was spicy and scrumptious the cervesas were tall and cold. The restaurant is amazing looking inside very high class. We will be back for dinner sometime soon!

Food was a 10 Server knowledge was an 11 Bar drink was an 11 Price we were charged for virgin versions of the bar drinks...$17! To charge the SAME price for a NA drink as the price I paid for my Mezcal drink is legit crazy. As much as I liked the experience overall, I probably wouldn't return just for that alone.

We have been wanting to try this place for quite some time, but have been skeptical with wanting to spend that much money in a place we may not enjoy. I will start by saying was the price we paid worth it tonight? No I would say it was not. As far as the food it was all good, but not amazing as some would suggest. It's more "fancy" Mexican food, but not a lot to choose from. The menu is very tiny as far as food, but a lot more alcohol to choose from if that's your interest. For us it wasn't. Our service was not great. We had to repeatedly ask for items we had ordered and had a few just taken off the bill, because we never received them. When our food came out the food runners seemed to just hand off plates and not specify if one had a modification so we knew who it went to. When we asked they seemed very confused. I would like to give this place another chance, because may this was just an off night.

Well deserved accolades for Amano keep coming. As in being named among 50 restaurants in the entire US about which NYTimes food writers are most excited in the list published today (9/19/23)! (Link to the NYT page at the end of this review update tome.) This is astounding but it is also not surprising. At least for my husband and me who discovered Amano the month it opened in 2019 and told everyone we knew about it as the best Mexican cuisine in all of Idaho and among the best of any we had enjoyed anywhere. Open only four years and the Chef / Owner Sal Alamilla, has already been a two time James Beard nominee for Best Chef Mountain States, and a finalist this year! And over time, with Sal and Co-Owner and wife Becca Alamilla both at the helm, Amano became in our view the most exciting restaurant for food, hospitality and the ambiance created of all people being welcome. (Also a great bar for creative libations.) Amano became the reason to travel to downtown Caldwell and as Amano has grown in reputation it has helped the downtown too. Now this NYTimes nod for Amano! Many congratulations to Sal and Becca and the Amano team. PS - Sal's mom's mole coloradito is still the best mole I have had anywhere and I eat it wherever it is on a menu! ;-) https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/dining/best-restaurants-america.html#amano "The chef Salvador Alamilla, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Rebecca, was born in the Mexican state Michoacan and raised in Orange County, Calif. He brings the spirit of both of those places to the menu. The corn is nixtamalized and made into tortillas in house (by Mr. Alamilla's aunts), and dishes like the tartare tostada and chile Colorado are well complemented by a cocktail of mezcal, ancho verde and coconut. In a nod to Southern California, the L.A. Birria Tacos have a particularly rich consommé. The short rib with mole negro is a dark, rich monumental piece of meat, and afterward, it may be difficult to face the dulce de leche adorned with burnt-corn husk cream, but it's the right decision. BRIAN GALLAGHER"

Quick update on a prior review... I was so excited to learn that many of their signature cocktails can be made as MOCKTAILS!!! The bartender gave great recommendations. I tried the Paloma. It was so refreshing!! These bartenders truly craft each cocktail, so even without the alcohol, there was complex layered flavors. It was perfection with the spicy herb guacamole.

First time visitor to Amano. This place was level setting and should be used as the basis to judge all Latin American inspired restaurants in Boise. First the ambiance was spot on. Clean, upscale and professional. We had reservations for 7 on a Friday and were seated upstairs. Service was immediate, attentive, and pleasant. We ordered happy hour cocktails and a set of 5 appetizers from ceviche to guac. Food was all homemade and genuinely unique. This is not a corner Mexican restaurant that plops down some stale chips and Pace picante sauce in front of you. Dinner was fantastic with a set of three of the best and most unique carne asada tacos I have ever had. Look, Boise you need to get mentored by this place and the owners. I think several restaurants in Boise proper should go there and learn something useful about operating a successful and great restaurant.

The L.A. Birria was better than 95% of actual birria in LA. Really delicious spot. Spice level on the carnitas taco was no joke, but delicious.

Our first time eating here so we decided to try some appetizers. They were amazing. Had ceviche and the salmon and grilled pineapple. So fresh and healthy. We passed on the fancy cocktails since we had to drive but they all sound delicious. Can't wait to return for a special meal. The food came quick and our server was adorable. She even showed us the tasting room.

Great food and great ambiance. Great service. Place on Saturday night was humming. The Carne Asada tacos were magnificent

A bit overpriced for what the restaurant is. Let me be clear: the food and service are great. They're just not in the price range they charge. For example: $20 drinks. Simple, 3-ingredient well, menu drinks are $20. Fine. Drinks are expensive what else? $40 for 3 small steak tacos. On small tortillas served with NO sides. That's excessive. $78 slow cooked short rib. These are just too expensive for the food they are! Likewise, the service isn't good enough to command these prices. Our server was great, very nice guy. BUT not for the level of pricing they have. Their service is a nice Olive Garden, not a Daniel's Broiler or Ruth's Chris.

This place was Incredible! We had the quesadilla as appetizer, which was unique and made from scratch! The tacos and the tres leche lavender cake was to die for! Nice ambiance and service as well.

The moment I walked in the doors I could smell that this was going to be a good night. To start the night off we met our amazing server Ragnar and he recommended some lovely drink options, we stated with a very tasty shot chased with hazelnuts. The second drink was life changing and I will be dreaming of it for years to come- the La Rebanadita. Their appetizer was on point. To finish we got 2 types of tacos, the Cochinita and Birria both highly recommended!! While you enjoy your food you are surrounded by beautiful plants and ambient music. You will not leave disappointed, I highly recommend.

This place is amazing and worth the drive to it. If you're in the area it's an absolute must. Everything that landed on the table was either amazing or above amazing. You'll be happy here.