‘What a sad day!’ These 38 restaurants closed in the Boise area in 2023
With new restaurants materializing seemingly every week, the Treasure Valley brimmed with dining energy in 2023.
But dozens of places closed, too.
Here is a list of shuttered restaurants, in loose chronological order. A few are temporary. But the vast majority? Gone forever.
Know of other notable closures? Or have a related news tip? Message mdeeds@idahostatesman.com.
Eddie’s Diner
A familiar sight along State Street in Boise since 1999, Eddie’s, 3095 W. Lake Harbor Lane, closed “until further notice” at the start of the year. But it was more like a rebrand for the ’50s-themed diner. Candido “Candy” Garcia — a former cook at the other, still-open Eddie’s Restaurant, 7067 W. Overland Road — jumped ship to reopen Eddie’s on State in April. Now it’s named after him: Candy’s Caffe.
Gangnam Korean Cuisine
Gangnam Korean Cuisine, 303 N. Orchard St., shuttered at the end of January. No reason was provided. Focusing on traditional dishes, the restaurant’s husband-and-wife owners had launched the concept in 2015. They previously had operated Wasabi, a sushi joint, in the same space.
The Flats 16
A new year meant new plans again for The Flats 16, a restaurant and event center at 3705 Idaho 16 in Eagle. It shuttered after changing hands for the second time in less than two years, then returned to action in March rebranded as 1st Miracle. The revamped operation offers a more upscale restaurant menu and a newly added boutique. The grassy, 5-acre site has a long history of concerts, weddings and picnics. Previous iterations included Crooked Fence Brewing Co., Woodriver Cellars and The Winery at Eagle Knoll.
Baskin-Robbins
Precisely when Baskin-Robbins closed at 4740 W. State St. is a slight mystery. (Was it last year? We didn’t notice until weeks into 2023, so we’re including it here.) Either way, the shop had been a dessert oasis on State Street for as long as many Boiseans remember. (Mentions go back to 1998 in Idaho Statesman archives.) Despite Baskin-Robbins’ shutdown at that location, cold treats weren’t gone for long. Stella’s Ice Cream, a growing Idaho brand, quickly took over the vacant spot at Collister Shopping Center.
Caldwell Airport Cafe
The Caldwell Airport Cafe was a casualty of progress. The city of Caldwell decided to redevelop an area that included the old farmhouse that housed the longtime restaurant. The locally owned cafe served its final meals Feb. 19, according to a heartfelt goodbye on its Facebook page.
State Street Kitchen & Drinkery
Previously known as the Dutch Goose, this updated concept at 3515 W. State. St. was launched in 2021 serving “upscale pub fare with a foodie twist.” Its demise marked the end of an era for the landmark bar and restaurant building. The property’s Spokane-based owners had a different vision for the future. “I think the restaurant business is getting tougher and tougher,” co-owner Matt Goodwin told the Idaho Statesman. Apartments have been proposed at the site “that I think will be a great addition to the neighborhood,” he explained.
Edge Brewing Co.
After three years, Edge Brewing Co. pulled the plug on its downtown Boise pub at 205 N. 10th St., informing patrons that the space would be available for event rentals instead. “The past two years with COVID and staffing struggles have been a challenge and a strain on our business,” Edge wrote on Facebook. “This means we have had to make the difficult decision to pivot our business model.” Edge Brewing continues to operate its original brewery at 525 N. Steelhead Way.
Texas de Brazil
When this chain restaurant opened in 2019 at The Village at Meridian, customers were ready to feast. “This place is beautiful!” a Yelp reviewer wrote, adding that “the meat was delicious and the quality was fabulous!” Less than four years later? The Brazilian-style steakhouse at 3525 E. Longwing Lane became history.
Naked Fins
After nearly five years, this lone spin-off of the Lucky Fins restaurant brand called it quits at 1120 S. Broadway Ave. in Boise. Naked Fins served poke dishes in a fast-casual setting. The operators soon renovated the kitchen and reopened the spot as Zen Baja, again serving bowls, sushi rolls and tacos — but aiming for a higher food-quality level.
Even Stevens
Known for sandwiches (and charitable donations), this downtown Boise restaurant was evicted at 815 W. Bannock St. Opened in 2016, the artisan sandwich shop was part of a Utah-based chain that has struggled in recent years. Even Stevens’ parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2019, according to previous Statesman reporting. Nara Ramen plans to open soon in the former Even Stevens spot.
Tiki Teriyaki Burger Time
Drive-thru restaurant Tiki Teriyaki Burger Time, 1273 S. Orchard St., closed in May after a five-year run. A note posted on the windows explained the sudden turn of events. “We had every expectation that our lease would be renewed as set forth in our contract,” it read in part. “However, instead of receiving a new lease, we were give a Termination of Lease notice giving us only 30 days to wind down our family business and vacate the property.” The building had been part of the community’s fabric since the 1960s. Past incarnations included Burger Time, Patty’s Burger Time, the Chow Now and the Beehive.
TGI Fridays
Global brand TGI Fridays closed its Nampa location at the end of June at 16225 N. Marketplace Blvd. It marked the franchise chain’s exit from Idaho. “In 15 years, we have been a part of your birthdays, first dates, engagements, and anniversaries,” the Nampa location posted on Facebook, “and we have loved turning our guests into our friends. We will miss you!” Founded in 1965, TGI Fridays is “the world’s first casual bar and grill,” it claimed in a recent press release.
Alchemist Outpost
The local Alchemist Coffee brand launched a cafe and pub at Cartwright Ranch in Hidden Springs, but it was short-lived. The doors closed at 11801 N. 23rd St. at the end of June. The space didn’t remain dark long, though. Rib Shack Barbecue of Eagle recently opened an expansion location there with a menu that includes pizzas.
The Hideaway Bar & Grill
After a negative experience on the reality-TV show “Bar Rescue” in March, local watering hole The Hideaway said goodbye to Meridian months later. Red Fort Cuisine of India, an Indian chain based in Utah, has taken over the building at 1510 S. Celebration Ave. Reviews so far are excellent.
Gaston’s Bakery
With more than a dozen food-and-drink vendors in one space, change is bound to happen at The Warehouse Food Hall, 370 S. 8th St. in downtown Boise. Gaston’s Bakery exited the Warehouse over the summer — after just over a year — to focus on its main bakery operation at 3651 W. Overland Road, general manager Zoe Everett said. The Overland bakery is “doing great” and plans to expand in the next couple of years. “We’re looking for a much larger space,” Everett explained via email. Next up for the former Gaston’s spot at the Warehouse Food Hall? Burritos — from longtime Idaho chain KB’s.
Capitol Cellars
After opening in 2015, fine-dining destination Capitol Cellars closed at 110 S. 5th St. in downtown Boise’s Belgravia Building. Known for its dedication to wine — and for menu items named after Idaho political figures — the family-owned restaurant said goodbye at the end of July.
Lucky Fins
Part of a regional chain, seafood restaurant Lucky Fins closed after a decade at 801 W. Main St. — a prime downtown spot on The Grove plaza. (Remember when it was the Brick Oven Beanery, Boise OGs?) The space soon was reinvented with a “boards and bottles” concept: Acero. People are loving the new place. Another Lucky Fins, which opened in 2011, still operates in Meridian.
Clucks Nashville Hot Chicken
When Meraki Greek Street Food closed in downtown Boise in 2022, the restaurant space didn’t stay dark for long. Fledgling local brand Clucks Nashville Hot Chicken quickly took over at 345 S. 8th St. in the BoDo district. Nestled between Five Guys and P.F. Chang’s, Clucks installed an eye-catching sign and looked promising. But over the summer, Clucks posted a notice indicating it had closed temporarily. The closure wound up being permanent.
Carl’s Jr.
A chain restaurant going dark isn’t normally stop-the-presses news, but this large, standalone building at 4999 W. Glenwood St. had been a familiar sight for, like, ever. Carl’s Jr. anchored the Glenwood City Centre complex in Garden City for at least 17 years — maybe 20? Idaho Statesman archives track it back as far as 2006. The building was constructed in 2003, according to a real estate listing. Now it’s closed.
Alchemist Plant Pub
When Alchemist Plant Pub opened in March, there was a palpable buzz about the latest vegan concept in downtown Boise. But in August, Alchemist abruptly closed as a vegan restaurant and pub at 620 W. Idaho St. Commenters on Alchemist’s Instagram page quickly expressed disappointment. “What a sad day!” wrote one. “I loved everything I tried the few times I was able to go.” The space soon reopened as an Alchemist Coffee cafe under the same ownership.
Sweeto Burrito
Opened in 2020, this Mexican-wrestling-themed restaurant in Meridian went down for the count in 2023. A regional fast-casual chain, Sweeto Burrito continues to operate stores in Idaho Falls, and in Orem and Woods Cross, Utah. Next up for the spot at 3110 W. Quintale Drive? The Chicken Shanty.
Sizzler
The Sizzler restaurant chain is nothing but a memory in greater Boise. The lone remaining Treasure Valley restaurant at 3380 N. Eagle Road in Meridian closed in September — after 17 years. Sadly, it didn’t come as a total shock. Calling the operation “unsustainable,” its local licensees already had closed the Nampa location — open since 1977 — in late 2022. In 2019, they shuttered their Boise restaurant, which had been on Cole Road for more than 30 years.
Crave Delivery
Meridian startup Crave Delivery ceased to exist in 2023. Launched in 2020, Crave Delivery served the Boise area with food prepared at a large ghost-kitchen collective at Ten Mile Crossing. Restaurant brands at Crave had ranged from chains such as MrBeast Burger and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to locals including Lemon Tree Co. and Meraki Greek Street Food. On a related note, Crave Delivery should not be confused with Crave Kitchen and Bar, which is going strong in Eagle.
Zeppole Bakery and Cafe
Zeppole Baking Co. shuttered its familiar spot nestled on the popular 8th Street restaurant corridor in Boise — but it’s temporary. Owner Charles Alpers said the target to reopen at 215 N. 8th St. is soon — in January 2024. Meanwhile, Zeppole’s location at 2345 S. Apple St. remains open. “We are currently focusing on the continued growth of our wholesale business, including markets outside of the Treasure Valley,” Alpers said via email.
SEA Crab House
Roughly three months after it opened on the second floor of the Zions Bank building at 800 W. Main St., SEA Crab House permanently shuttered in downtown Boise. The Bend, Oregon-based brand specializes in Cajun-style seafood boils with a Southeast Asian twist. “The location did not support the concept,” SEA Crab House said in a Facebook message. Local restaurant Moon’s Kitchen Cafe is taking over the Zions Bank building space.
Clucks Nashville Hot Chicken
After debuting in Meridian in fall of 2021, then expanding to downtown Boise in 2022, this Idaho chain vanished in 2023. The first to go was the expansion store in the BoDo district of downtown Boise — mentioned earlier this article. Then Clucks’ original location at 3223 E. Louise Drive in Meridian (near Buffalo Wild Wings in the Portico at Meridian Center) followed suit. If you check online, the Clucks website lives on — a ghostly reminder of the brand.
Fort Street Station
A “public house” opened in 2017 near the Boise Co-op, Fort Street Station is no more. New restaurant Bistro D’Helene took over the spot at 808 W. Fort St. Its “French-esque menu takes inspiration from the heart of France,” according to Bistro D’Helene’s website, “and melds it with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.”
Little Pearl Oyster Bar
After a three-year run, Little Pearl Oyster Bar closed in October to take a “creative break,” co-owner and chef Cal Elliott said. Over the summer, Elliott had opened the four-story Avery Hotel and Brasserie, 1010 Main St., where he is founder and executive chef. Little Pearl Oyster Bar will reopen with a freshly overhauled menu, he told the Statesman — and may or may not have the same name. Meanwhile, the eatery remains available for private events. Next door — on the south side of the Main + Marketplace escalator — the restaurant’s alcohol-focused sister concept, Little Pearl Bar, is still open at 132 N. 8th St.
Devil’s Den
A rebrand of now-defunct Ramapong, Devil’s Den, 204 N. Capitol Blvd., opened in 2021 before shuttering in October this year. Technically, the tropical-themed destination in downtown Boise’s Adelmann building was a bar. But its small kitchen offered food, too: ramen, wings and sliders. Devil’s Den quickly was replaced by Liga, an international sports bar that previously operated upstairs on the corner of Idaho Street and Capitol Boulevard.
Alchemist Coffee
Local chain Alchemist Coffee’s last day at 28 E. Plaza Drive in Eagle was Oct. 8. After a year and a half of business, Alchemist sold the location to Bend, Oregon-based Kevista Coffee. “They have exciting plans to rebrand the cafe and bring new energy to the space,” Alchemist told customers.
Holy Cow Idaho
Longtime Idahoans still remember the building as Buster’s in Eagle, but Holy Cow Idaho took it over in 2022. Roughly one year later, Holy Cow pulled the plug on the expansion restaurant at at 1396 E. State St. Acknowledging that “it’s a tough business,” owner Dylan Hutter said that Holy Cow’s numbers were not adding up at the new location. “Obviously we had high hopes for Eagle,” he wrote in a text message. “But ultimately we are not hitting our sales goals.” The original Holy Cow location in Nampa remains open.
Frondescence
Shortly after two new vegan restaurants sprouted up in downtown Boise, the bloom suddenly was off. Frondescence, 103 N. 10th St., closed, following the lead of Alchemist Plant Pub. Frondescence’s owner commented on Instagram that, “Boise just isn’t ready for what I have to offer.” The closures mean there’s only one purely vegan restaurant left downtown: High Note Cafe, 225 N. 5th St. Alchemist has since reopened as a coffee destination. Meanwhile, the former Frondescence spot is now Don & Charly’s, a sandwich shop that also serves salads and charcuterie.
Piedaho
Piedaho was the second bakery-oriented operation to leave The Warehouse Food Hall in 2023. It opened in March before shuttering later in the year. Based in Hailey, Piedaho ships prebaked pies.
Moon’s Kitchen Cafe
When the historic Union Block building in downtown Boise was condemned for structural concerns in early November, two longtime restaurants were casualties: Moon’s Kitchen Cafe and Mai Thai. But the closure won’t last long for Moon’s. The iconic downtown diner has moved from 712 W. Idaho St., where it served breakfast and lunch for 15 years. It’s on track to reopen soon — Jan. 1, tentatively — at 800 W. Main St., suite 230. That’s the second-floor restaurant space in the Zions Bank building that previously held SEA Crab House. Started in 1955 as a sandwich operation in the back of a gun-and-tackle shop downtown, Moon’s opened on Bannock Street in 1961 before moving to the Union Block building in 2008.
Mai Thai
Unlike Moon’s Kitchen, Mai Thai is serving food again. But not from its shuttered restaurant and bar at 750 W. Idaho St. Instead, the locally owned outfit has resumed takeout and delivery from 2900 W. Excursion Lane in Meridian — the former Crave Delivery building. Mai Thai also has launched a fresh concept, Uncle Chai Bento Kitchen, using the same space. Vietnamese restaurant Pho Tay, which closed in Boise in 2022, also is sharing the ghost kitchen. Customers can order from all three restaurants using the website unclechaibento.com. (Mai Thai launched Dec. 19; Uncle Chai launches Dec. 22; Pho Tay next week.) As for Mai Thai’s downtown Boise spot? Owner Billy Pothikamjorn doesn’t expect to reopen it for months, he said, as the Union Block building owner and city work through the situation.
Guang Zhou
When it comes to Chinese food in the Treasure Valley, consensus tends to be that it’s not exactly mind-blowing. Still, there are unassuming favorites. Places that are affordable. Crowd-pleasing. Maybe even special. Guang Zhou, 7609 W. Overland Road, arguably was one of those for years — but no more. The local restaurant at the Boise Spectrum was sold and closed, Guang Zhou posted on Facebook. “Thank you everyone for your patronage ... The location has new owners and will become a different restaurant soon. We are so sorry for the sad news.”
The Chicken Shanty
After opening a Boise food-cart drive-thru at 6219 W. Overland Road in July, The Chicken Shanty is flying the coop — to Meridian. The Boise location closed in late 2023. The Chicken Shanty will open a corporate store in the former Sweeto Burrito restaurant space near the intersection of 10 Mile and McMillan roads early next year, according to founder Tyson Miltenberger. Boise city requirements “became too much,” he explained in a text message. “We were having a really hard time with the city letting us have a drive-thru.” Founded in 2020, the Oregon-based chain sells what it calls “premium craft chicken.”
Gandolfo’s New York Deli
After the Treasure Valley’s last Taco Johns closed in 2020 at 1410 W. McMillan Road in Meridian, Gandolfo’s New York Deli took over the space. But that sandwich shop recently shuttered, too — temporarily. It won’t be dark for long, according to a post from Gandolfo’s Facebook page. “It’s under new ownership,” Gandolfo’s wrote, “and we’re giving it a bit of a facelift before reopening in mid/late January.” In the meantime, Treasure Valley customers can get their fix at 755 S. Vanguard Way in Meridian or at the new store at 712 Arthur St. in Caldwell, which opened in May.
