Bittercreek Alehouse

Bittercreek Alehouse gets shocking stellar reviews. But it's just not a great restaurant. It's located in a popular tourist area and it's relatively easy to find a table. But the food is quite a letdown. The poutine features a very heavy gravy that is too overpowering, not to mention lacking the authenticity of a good Canadian poutine. The only redeeming quality were the cheese curds. The fries were tasteless and extremely disappointing for a region that prides themselves on potatoes. And while the burgers are incredibly creative, they lack quality.

Dropped into Bittercreek Alehouse for a cheeseburger and it was fantastic! Perfect cook on the burger, toasted bun, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion fresh, clean, and crisp. This burger was delicious. Solid beer / wine / cocktail selections and overall cleanliness was on point (Read outdoor tables were clean / not sticky, and I always appreciate a cloth napkin). Stopped here for drinks twice and lunch once. I mention this because I would really like to foot-stomp the 10-star customer service. Our water Samuel was welcoming, courteous and took exceptional care of us during lunch. Also, during our other evening ‘hydrating’ stops, the rest of the staff was also extremely friendly and welcoming across the board. Holding doors, quickly grabbing condiments, transferring a check to the bar without asking us to close out and reopen our tab (hate that), not rushing customers – just an overall great experience. Definitely recommend. Thank you, Samuel, Gretchen and the overall Bittercreek team! See you soon.

I stopped by Bittercreek for a weekday lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere—lots of seating options both inside and out. We grabbed a spot on the patio, which was perfect for a little people-watching and enjoying the sunshine. I ordered the cobb salad and was impressed by how flavorful everything was. The portion was more than generous, with plenty of fresh toppings and a nice balance of ingredients. My friend had the chicken sandwich, which also looked hearty and well-prepared. Service was friendly and our server checked in on us a couple of times, but it did take about 35 minutes for our food to come out. That felt a bit long, especially since we just had salads and sandwiches. Still, the staff’s positive attitude made up for the wait. Overall, Bittercreek is a solid spot if you’re not in a huge rush—good food, friendly faces, and a comfortable spot to relax. I’d definitely come back, maybe with a bit more time to spare.

Man. This place hit the spot. Good food. Good beer. Raucous atmosphere. Don’t come for a quiet evening alone—and watch out for the tiger. We went on a busy day and waited as you’d expect. The food was hot, though, so it was fine. Lots of wild beers to try and the ones you already know and love. Head in if you can. So many worse places to eat than this gem!

Loved the food and service! The poutine is a must try! We came in and asked our waiter to pick us a good beer flight and OMG: all options were amazing! We ended up returning to this place for a second time in one evening!

Someone recommended this establishment and I’m glad I took their advice. Great beer selection, well-poured cocktails and the food was especially good. A great poutine that hit the spot after a long work day…

Cody was right there whenever we needed him, and always with a smile, friendly joke or pun that made the experience that much better. The food and drinks are amazing! We visited two days in a row and were lucky enough to find seats outside on benches under cover. The selections are huge so it might take time to make your way through the options, but just about everything is worth it.

We went to the Bitter Creek Alehouse on Valentine's day. It was an unusually cool day in Boise. However, the alehouse we're still busy. We tried the fish and chips, the poutine, cheese curds and the salmon. Everyone enjoyed their meals. The poutine was exceptionally good.  I would recommend ordering the poutine as your side.; if you don't want a full portion it's worth the extra money.  I have walked by the Alehouse, many times in the summer and it's always busy.  While we did not have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor seating. I would recommend doing it in the summer, so that you can watch the people going by.

We had the absolute BEST experience at Bittercreek Alehouse yesterday! My sister's fiancé had planned to propose over the weekend, but things didn't work out, so yesterday morning I scrambled to find somewhere downtown Boise that could take 18 people for a last-minute celebration. After striking out with several places, I called Bittercreek and explained the situation. The host was amazing and immediately connected me with their events person, who helped make it happen. When we arrived after the proposal, the table was set up beautifully, and the whole staff seemed genuinely excited for my sister and her new fiancé. Our server (I believe her name was Lexis) did an incredible job managing our large group, on top of her other tables, without missing a beat. She was friendly, attentive, and made sure everyone had what they needed. The food, drinks, and atmosphere were fantastic, but what really made it special was the warmth and kindness from the entire team. They turned a stressful, last-minute plan into a celebration we'll remember forever. 10/10 recommend Bittercreek Alehouse!

Bittercreek Alehouse gets shocking stellar reviews. But it's just not a great restaurant. It's located in a popular tourist area and it's relatively easy to find a table. But the food is quite a letdown. The poutine features a very heavy gravy that is too overpowering, not to mention lacking the authenticity of a good Canadian poutine. The only redeeming quality were the cheese curds. The fries were tasteless and extremely disappointing for a region that prides themselves on potatoes. And while the burgers are incredibly creative, they lack quality.

Food was fantastic and I loved the vibe. Our waiter was slow and I had to ask him several times for Splenda for my iced tea. That said, we'll be back. The alfresco dining experience was fabulous, even on a warmer day. I'll bet the evening experience is amazing. The menu is wonderful. They locally source all of their products which I love!!

I'm not necessarily a trendy Craft Brew guy. I know what I like and usually it's not what is super popular at most Brew Pubs I have been to. These folks made it easy for me to try some Beers I and up quite pleased to be enjoying! See the photos for a list. I like a chewy beer with some heft to it, yeah they got some of that here! They also have some super well executed menu choices too. When you walk into a place that is really hopping' on a Tuesday you expect it to be good but this went even further! Some standout items for me were the Pretzel appetizer. Hot soft and perfectly paired with some light and zippy mustard that was a perfect match for my beer choices. The Crispy Fish Tacos were also excellent, but them beans.... They call them Drunken Black beans. I like Black Beans when they are done right. Most spots try to use them as a Vegan item which means no animal fat- means no flavor! Sorry thems facts! Not here! They were Superb! The highlight of the meal! Yes because it's the simple things done properly! Will definitely be back around.

Bittercreek was.. bittersweet. The Good: mostly friendly service, great beers on tap, good music playlist over speaker, nice patio with open windows, and open seating. The grilled cheese and tomato soup was solid. The Bad: We sat quickly thanks to the open seating, but the service is slow. Also, while I did mention the service was friendly above, that applied to the female servers. There was one male server/greeter who was extra spicy with people. It was close to last call, and he was turning down a lot of folks from sitting down or ordering a drink. Yet others had just sat down and were still going to get their order taken soon. My wife and I had been at our table for about 20 minutes before last call, yet later he came by saying "Didn't I tell you it was last call and to not sit down?". Sorry sir, you have me mistaken with another white guy that you turned down. The Terrible: The strawberry rhubarb pie is a complete disaster. It literally tastes like a frozen pie from the grocery store that they took out and defrosted before serving. It's cold. The filling tastes like unfrozen strawberry puree, and the crust is completely hard. The pie is also mentioned in two places, but they don't list it the same way. On the dessert menu, it mentions the pie with an almond cookie on top. But on the full food menu, the pie doesn't mention the cookie. I'll save you time and tell you that it does not come with a cookie on top. Overall, had I came on a night with quicker servers, and didn't order the pie, this probably would have been a win in my book, but unfortunately, it was very mid.

First thing I noticed was The comfortable seating. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and seem like every employee had a smile on their face. I had a flight of beers. Loved the variety to choose from. But I came for one item that I had been told about. And so I ordered the butterscotch beignets for my dessert. The beignets are soft and pillowy with a slight Chrispness to the outside. They're dusted heavily with powdered sugar but what really brings it to heavenly levels is the warm butterscotch dipping sauce. Rich and salty and buttery. It's a huge order and you should definitely share. Or at least that's what a nice person would do. I took mine home, so I guess I'm not that nice.

The location is on a walking street only so it took us some time to find it as we were visiting the area. They have an amazing patio that was large enough we could park our stroller while we had lunch. The cheese curds are a MUST GET! We got two different sandwiches, both were amazing but the French dip really stood out to me. The side salad was good but their fries are amazing!

Wonderful family lunch at the bittercreek alehouse! I was visiting from Phoenix, my dad, brother, and his girlfriend from Japan, to see my aunt in Boise. This was a perfect intro to them of what an American dining would look like. I had to order cheese curds!! I got fish tacos and they were so yummy. Everyone in our table loved the meal. The server was very friendly as well. Next time we are back in Boise, I'd love to come again!

Bittercreek Alehouse is a gem--hands down one of our favorite spots in Boise. We ordered the black bean and sweet potato burger, fish and chips, Caesar salad, and fried Ballard curds, and every single bite was spot-on. The veggie burger was seriously impressive--flavorful, hearty, and satisfying without trying too hard to imitate meat. The cod in the fish and chips was beautifully cooked and full of flavor, and the coleslaw on the side was a refreshing surprise: crisp, tangy, and--blessedly--free of that usual sugary dressing so many places lean on. Even the small details felt thoughtful and balanced. The fried cheese curds were golden, gooey, and addictive, and the Caesar salad was fresh with just the right bite of anchovy. Everything came out hot, well-plated, and perfectly paced. Our server was kind and attentive, checking in on us regularly and always with a warm, genuine attitude. When we asked for Tabasco and malt vinegar, she brought them without hesitation, along with a few other sauce options--just another example of the thoughtful service that makes this place shine. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy with a lively energy that doesn't overwhelm. Bittercreek hits that sweet spot between casual comfort and elevated pub fare--and they do it with consistency and care. We'll absolutely be back.

I come to this place every time when visiting Boise, great food/drink, and location! They have a great variety of food for you to try, and nice beer to taste. The service is great, and the staff are very helpful. Highly recommended!

I'd say the Bittercreek Alehouse is very average in terms of food and beer. I wouldn't say the food makes me want to rush back. Had the Cayenne Chicken Sandwich. Was edible but not great. My wife had the BLT. We sat outside. Half the table was in the hot sun for a while. The service was painfully slow. Had to keep asking other team members to ask our waitress to come by. Didn't love it and didn't completely hate it. Will try somewhere else next time I'm downtown.

Amazing food! We ordered to go from the bar; bartender was excellent! After I ordered the bacon Mac-n- cheese I second guessed myself because I thought it would be salty, but I was wrong. The smoked Gouda was amazing. $20 bratwurst but no regrets especially since came with the most delicious potato salad. Don't expect traditional potato salad here. Highly recommend this place!

Really cool bar, with lots of character. Gretchen helped me out, and had an excellent recommendation of the Chicken Club. The sandwich was really good, ingredients are all sourced locally. Great beer selection too. Excellent and attentive service from everyone at the bar. I will be back on my next trip through Boise.

Macaroni & Cheese really no more to say. There is out door seating and in door although for some reason there's a lot of flies outside and around the area. Nice first meal for being in Boise. Definitely recommend

Dropped into Bittercreek Alehouse for a cheeseburger and it was fantastic! Perfect cook on the burger, toasted bun, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion fresh, clean, and crisp. This burger was delicious. Solid beer / wine / cocktail selections and overall cleanliness was on point (Read outdoor tables were clean / not sticky, and I always appreciate a cloth napkin). Stopped here for drinks twice and lunch once. I mention this because I would really like to foot-stomp the 10-star customer service. Our waiter Samuel was welcoming, courteous and took exceptional care of us during lunch. Also, during our other evening 'hydrating' stops, the rest of the staff was also extremely friendly and welcoming across the board. Holding doors, quickly grabbing condiments, transferring a check to the bar without asking us to close out and reopen our tab (hate that), not rushing customers - just an overall great experience. Definitely recommend. Thank you, Samuel, Gretchen and the overall Bittercreek team! See you soon.

I took my wife and daughter downtown for dinner and we stopped at Bittercreek Alehouse to eat -- we noticed the friendly atmosphere from the sideway, which was appealing. The drink and food selection is good and reasonably priced. Everything was prepared properly, and the food was delicious (we ordered a salad, a BLT sandwich, and a chicken sandwich). Of special note, Katy (our server) did an excellent job -- she was patient with our many questions about the menu, refilled the soft drinks quickly (without us having to ask), and smiled the whole time. And let's not forget the atmosphere -- good music, lots of cool things to look at, and a crowd that seemed to be enjoying themselves.

1st time in Boise and got to try the Poutine and fries. The potatoes soup was delicious and the fries are fantastic and sweet. My kid love the poutine and he ate it all, it is definitely his favorite now. The HH drinks are also great. The place is fun and cozy with great staff. We had a wonderful time here and the service is also fantastic. The menu is huge but easy to navigate and quick turnaround. If we're here again, we will definitely come back this place for more good time and good foods.

Love this place. The ambiance is really cool and hipster. The wait staff were really nice and attentive. The food took a little while to come out but it was really good! We are traveling but would recommend others check this spot out!

This review is mostly about by the TERRIBLE service we received. Which is a huge bummer, because the food was pretty good. We sat down and ordered within 5 minutes -- off to a great start. And that's it. After every single table around us sat (and several sat after us), got their drinks, water refreshed, checked on by the server, AND received their food we were still sitting there. 30 minutes later, she came over to tell us "your food should be our shortly." No apology, no nothing. She said she'd refill our waters, but didn't. Our food finally came out and it was actually pretty good. The Mac & Cheese was really good, Grilled Chicken Sandwich had a well cooked piece of chicken on it, and the fish tacos were just average. Every other table was offered a fan (or two) to help keep the flies/bugs away, but not us. Needless to say, super disappointing because this could have been a really good experience overall.

Loved it all! Ambiance is wonderful. Lots of dark wood, old black & white pictures. Had the wedge salad which was excellent. Husband had fish and chips, great! Highly recommend

Ambiance and service was great. Food was ok. Trout salad and fish and chips...fish was under cooked. But their potato leek soup and local IPA were great!!

We stopped in for lunch at Bittercreek Alehouse midweek and although it was busy we were able to grab a high top table on the patio. I like that you can grab your own table. There are plenty of beer and non beer options for those of us who don't drink beer. We ordered the poutine for an appetizer which was tasty. My husband ordered the fish tacos. Unfortunately they were over fried and he couldn't taste the fish at all. That was a big disappointment. I ordered the BLT which the bacon was good and crispy but it was just a plain sandwich with not much to it. It was saved by the "saloon sauce" which was a spicy, yummy addition to the sandwich. I ordered a side Caesar salad which was refreshing. Overall the food was somewhat disappointing but our server was attentive and super friendly. I wish I remembered his name as he did a great job. We were never left waiting and enjoyed his service. We didn't go inside at all but the patio is a great spot to enjoy the nice weather and people watching.

To be honest, aside from the heat in the restaurant, this had to be one of the better most relaxing dinners we had while visiting Boise. We sat at the bar and even though the place was packed, we were the only two up there and I know we showered before going out‍ but the attention we got was unbelievable . The lamb burger, the hamburger and the cheese curds, all amazing. I already said it, the girls behind the bar were busting their a--, but still made time for us. If you haven't been, you have to go. I'm sure the locals will hate this review to draw more people there.

Friendly, diverse menu for pub food. Relaxed atmosphere with a staff that knows their stuff. Beer is the draw here. Get the pretzel to share to start.

Tried Alehouse at the last minute on a Friday evening. We snagged a small table for 2 amidst the busy crowd. Our waitress got us going with drinks. Their beer menu is large, offering some Oktoberfest beers as well. It took quite awhile for our food to arrive, so expect to wait on busy evenings. We ordered the lamb burger, trying Borge the Greek salad & fries on the side. The lamb burger was good. I thought the fries and Greek salad were excellent and they exceeded my expectations. We'll make our way back again soon.

I love the burger and hummus and pita here at bitter Creek!!! It also had a great patio and the service is really good!!!

Friendly staff, nice ambience, and decent prices. Good place to grab a happy hour beer (3pm - 6pm)

Hmmm, weird vibe here for some reason! This is a really nice spot in an even better city with a great downtown vibe! This place was a disappointment though when it came to actually ordering food! I did the fish tacos and I have to say they were lackluster! Just dull, not much flavor and really nothing to write home about, or a review I guess...not bad but not good...just blah! Service at the bar was a little odd too, just odd... Very good spot though. I would come back to meet some people for drinks, great patio, great inside area...I would probably try the food again but with low expectations! That's just me I guess. KT

What's not to love about bittercreek? We've been here so many times I've lost count. We've tried nearly everything on the menu over the last few years and it has never disappointed. Some favorites are definitely their French dip sandwich, burgers, and their poutine was killer. The wait is usually short, servers are quick and friendly even when it seems busy! The room is usually a little crowded but that's the typical pub/alehouse setting I'm used to. 10/10 recommend - great spot downtown & close to so many fun spots in walking distance after a good meal.

Came here around 5:30 on a Saturday night with my wife and adult daughter. We found parking in a small, paid lot. $2 per 30 minutes, a little steep. We walked over to N 8th St, which is now closed to car traffic. There are two restaurants right next to each other. The hosts at on the patio were for the other establishment. We entered Bittercreek and found that you seat yourself. The place still had a fair number of empty tables. Though there are misters on the patio, we sat inside. By the time we left, the place was packed. While our young female server was nice, I did not find her service to be above average. She took a while to take our drink order (granted, we asked for some time) and, once our food was delivered, did not return to our table for some time, though she did refill our water glasses at the very end. My wife had a salad with chicken that she really liked. Our daughter had a burger and fries. I tasted the burger. Flavorful, juicy, cheese melted just right. I had the Reuben with fries. The fries were good, though I prefer them a little more crispy. The Reuben was just OK. The corned beef was a little dry. The bread was dry as well. I would have liked it to be toasted but a little softer. Still, a good sandwich. I finished it. Bittercreek Alehouse has a nice selection of beers. I had the Pfriem, a nice citrisy IPA. A very popular restaurant, I'm sure we will be returning.

Had planned on sitting on the patio enjoying happy hour and dinner @ Bittercreek Alehouse. Had a great seat on the patio, not too busy, but waited 10 minutes and not one of the 5-6 servers on the patio paid any attention. Each walked by 2-3 times. Well, on to the next place where I know they have a great service and food!

Our waiter was very very friendly. Cant quite remember his name but he was memorable (in a good way!) Had great knowledge on the beer menu and the overall menu as well. I ordered the Smoked Trout Salad. This salad wasn't my favorite. Smoked trout had great flavor but overall salad was lacking. I think the dressing may have been the issue. Just threw off the whole salad for me. Thought about asking for a different dressing but ended up just sticking with it. My gal pal got the Apple Walnut Salad and loved it! I have heard great things about this salad. I would come back another time and try something else. Very lively 6pm. Seat yourself and luckily snagged a table. Loud but to be expected on a busy night downtown!

Fabulous! Our food was great, burger, fries and salad! Also, the beer choices were excellent and the stout I had was great! We were treated graciously and certainly felt appreciated, in particular, Aspen and Scott were so friendly and helpful in making our choices....greek salad was great and our hamburger was one of the best I've had in a long time

Not to be dramatic, but this was one of the best French dips (aka The Beef Focaccia) I've ever had. The bread was from ACME, so you know it's good. Light and fluffy, with a white cheese. The rosemary au jus sounds like it could be too strong, but the rosemary was barely noticeable in a good way. Their beer selection was also amazing. I had two of the orange creamsicle sour beers. They also had some awesome non-alcoholic selections as well.

First off service was top notch. It is a little confusing because they share a patio with the Restaurant next to them. I gave the server two options, fish tacos or the Focaccia "French Dip" and asked her to surprise me. The Focaccia was excellent! Wonderful flavors nicely cooked. But the stand out for me was their barrel aged stout list. This restaurant has the largest selection of bourbon barrel aged stouts I have ever seen. They have better selection than BevMo and Wines and More combined. They are not cheap but if you like barrel aged stouts this is the place for you! The decor and ambience matches what i expected before i arrived, a touch of rustic, with a very relaxed vibe. Pleasant music at a volume, outside that allows for a pleasant conversation. I completely recommend this place!

We decided to come here since it has many reviews on yelp. First of all it's self seated and you have to find a server to clean your table or just do it yourself since it will take forever! We decided to find a place to seat on the patio because inside the restaurant smells so gross. The food was not fresh and definitely microwaved. Cold saggy froze and dry burger

Stopped here for dinner on a recent roadtrip. Great food, great beer, great service, great vibe. Will be back next time we are in town!

Extremely disappointed. The service unfortunately was a huge part of the problem. There were 5 of us that came to celebrate Mother's Day and my Daughters College Graduation. It was our last night in Boise. Michelle, our waitress, was nice at first but then we quickly realized everything took a turn. We ordered two salads a burger and a steak Medium Rare. We waited almost an hour for our food and we didn't say anything. The place was not busy but it looked as if they only had one waitress. We dealt with the wait but as soon as the food arrived the steak was cold in which it couldn't be eaten. We had to wait another 15 min for our waitress to check on us so we could let her know about the steak. No apology from the waitress just a simple statement I can get you another but it's going to be awhile. This is a kitchen problem not me. Is what she states. It's a Medium Rare steak remember. So after another 30 min the three of us were done eating our salads and burger and we had to ask to have our steak in a to go box which you could see on her face she was annoyed. Normally the steak has butter and seasoning on top of it which you can see in the attached pictures there was nothing. Just a thrown in a box piece of meat. She proceeds to give us the check with again no apology or can I get you a dessert comp or anything. Just a $110 check for a meal we didn't even get to eat together. We eat out all the time, my Fiancé is a pilot and I'm a FA so this wasn't a money issue this was an issue where there was zero empathy as paying customers that choose to come here over any of the other restaurants and we didn't even get to eat together After receiving the check we were so disappointed that we asked to speak to the Manager. Scotty came up heard us out and he took the Steak off. To be honest a genuine apology would have meant more to us than taking the $40 off the bill. Anyways, I'm super bummed this is the way we had to end our trip on Mother's Day and my Daughters College Graduation but it is what it is. I really hope someone looks into this so it doesn't happen to future customers. Below is a picture of the meat they threw in the box.

The Bittercreek Alehouse POUTINE is the best this side of Quebec! The atmosphere is great, indoors and outdoors on the patio. The menu entres and appetizer selection, along with drinks & taps is excellent...I return everytime I go near downtown Boise!

Best Brewhouse & Restaurant in downtown Boise! You can't go wrong with Desert Mountain grass fed/grass finished beef, absolutely delicious! My style of dining for the great variety they've got going on!

It was our first time to Boise and we came across Bittercreek. Our daughter wanted to try Poutine for the first time and it did not disappoint. It was amazing. Our food was awesome and the service was great. I didn't care for my mushroom Swiss burger. It had a tomato-harissa jam on it and it was not a good flavor. The classic poutine was absolutely wonderful, highly recommend trying it! We can't wait to go back

From the outside, it looks like a nice place with good atmosphere, but the chairs were wobbly, the service was friendly but slow, and the food was mid at best. Came here with a large group, and tried the pretzel, fries, burgers and tacos. Nothing was amazing.

So this was a fun find for me on a quick trip to Boise. Really great space to watch a game (big bar area) and there is an extensive beer menu that covers all the bases. The food menu is great, with a lot of different specialties. I went with the Beer Focaccia and it was awesome. Had the beer pretzel for an app, didn't disappoint. Service was excellent and attentive. Definitely a win win here!

Stopped by here based on the high Yelp reviews. I ordered one of the popular items... smoked trout salad. Yum! It came with tender greens, pickled onions , egg, abs smoked trout. The salad was perfectly lightly dressed in a vinaigrette. Simply perfect and refreshing!

I've loved this restaurant for years. Tonight we were excited to enjoy a meal. Disappointed. Food was nothing we have enjoyed in the past. Ambiance is tired. Our chairs were wobbly and I noticed that nothing has been upgraded in years. Which should not matter. But it does.

I have been going to Bitter Creek since shortly after they opened. That was a long time ago! I don't live in Idaho anymore, but I still go every time I pass through Boise, and they never disappoint. I recently stopped in and had a delicious Cobb salad and some very good beer. The service is great, even when they are busy. Check it out!

Great beer selection and tasty fish tacos. What else could a boy on a work trip want when he arrives in Boise?

Stopped here for a light dinner and drinks from the suggestion of a former coworker while visiting from out of state. Really great atmosphere and huge beer menu! Plenty of liquid options for non beer drinkers as well We ate pretty light as we had a late lunch, salads and soups which were fine, but the beer cheese pretzel was definitely notable and delicious. Really enjoyed our visit here, all the beers were truly great!

I was in the area for Labor Day weekend and randomly walked onto this patio. I don't know if I ate at Bittercreek or Red Feather, but I guess it was Bittercreek. There were not many items on the menu that I would usually eat. I got the Turkey Swiss sandwich and a Mimosa, which cost $28 for my lunch. Staff was friendly. It was a fine meal. If back in the area I would probably come back and hopefully see a Red Feather menu.