Barbacoa

www.barbacoa-boise.com
276 W Bobwhite Court


Time: 4-6 daily; 9:30-11 Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
Special: 2 for 1 drinks
Rating: 2.5 martinis
Smoking: outside
Other mentions: outside seating, bike racks, full menu

I had only been to Barbacoa once and that was for lunch about a year ago, so I thought it was time to try out their happy hour. We arrived right at 4 to get things started. Like usual, we cozied up to the bar. We were informed that most any drink is included in the 2 for 1 deal except the list of drinks on the cocktail menu in front of us. Most of those were the fancy drinks that we rarely order anyway, so no loss on our parts. We were much later informed that those drinks are discounted during happy hour, though.

With drinks in front of us, we decided to check out the appetizer menu. It offered a variety of options including mini tacos, pizzas, and tableside guacamole. I’ve heard great things about their guacamole but since I’m allergic to avocados, that was not an option. So we went with our normal standby of nachos. The nachos are available regular ($9) or with topping options (add $3): chicken, barbacoa beef, shrimp, or crab. We went with the barbacoa beef. When the dish came out, it was huge. We could only eat about half the order it was so big, and rather tasty.

It seemed that about every half hour, the lights kept getting dimmed until it was really quite dark in the bar. Sure, it can add a bit of ambiance but too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing. Another oddity, the restrooms are not marked well and I had to ask someone which was the women’s. It would be nice to make that just a bit more obvious. A big bonus for the establishment- they have a bike rack, always a huge plus for happy hour attendance.

My friend and I enjoyed Barbacoa but we weren’t wowed by it. The drinks are expensive ($5.50 for well drinks) so happy hour is the only time you may see us there. Granted they do use higher end liquor, such as Smirnoff for vodka instead of Komchatka, but still pricey. The food prices seemed reasonable for what was served. The décor is pleasant and different from other restaurants in the area.