The Reef is a new tropical restaurant in downtown Boise, with Latin, Caribbean and Polynesian cuisines mixed together, and furnishings from Indonesia. The restaurant has an outdoor patio, a stage, and reportedly--tikis.
Visited The Reef September 2019 during a weekday. When you first walk in, the tiki bar looks great but was a bit empty. The hostess sat me outside on the patio with a bar outdoors. The food was decent (large portions) and the drinks were so-so. The waitstaff was nice, a bit slow, but nice. Mostly college kids at the bar. I went back inside to introduce myself and talk about Tiki Oasis to the manager but he had no idea about T.O. but let me take a picture on the bar.
We chose to go here on a Wednesday evening....when there was not a live band performing.
The place is slightly charming.
Initially we were offered menus and glasses of water, but then ignored for a little too long, causing us to wonder if we'd ever order.
The bartender/waiter was surprised when I asked whether the "Pineapple Mai Tai had orgeat in it......and once we got past what that word was and how it's pronounced, he said he'd add that to my drink.
Moments later our drinks were on the table, as if they were fountain drinks instantly poured from a dispenser......they tasted better than the speed at which they were dispensed.
When asked about the fortunately barely audible music, our server said that the place used to play exotica when it first opened, but the staff couldn't stand it (so move on to another place to work!).
We shared a generous plate of nachos which were done well.
Our second drinks also came out rapidly, as if they had already been made.............they were ok.
We purchased the brown signature tiki mug as a souvenir of our trip to Boise.
Visited The Reef September 2019 during a weekday. When you first walk in, the tiki bar looks great but was a bit empty. The hostess sat me outside on the patio with a bar outdoors. The food was decent (large portions) and the drinks were so-so. The waitstaff was nice, a bit slow, but nice. Mostly college kids at the bar. I went back inside to introduce myself and talk about Tiki Oasis to the manager but he had no idea about T.O. but let me take a picture on the bar.
We chose to go here on a Wednesday evening....when there was not a live band performing.
The place is slightly charming.
Initially we were offered menus and glasses of water, but then ignored for a little too long, causing us to wonder if we'd ever order.
The bartender/waiter was surprised when I asked whether the "Pineapple Mai Tai had orgeat in it......and once we got past what that word was and how it's pronounced, he said he'd add that to my drink.
Moments later our drinks were on the table, as if they were fountain drinks instantly poured from a dispenser......they tasted better than the speed at which they were dispensed.
When asked about the fortunately barely audible music, our server said that the place used to play exotica when it first opened, but the staff couldn't stand it (so move on to another place to work!).
We shared a generous plate of nachos which were done well.
Our second drinks also came out rapidly, as if they had already been made.............they were ok.
We purchased the brown signature tiki mug as a souvenir of our trip to Boise.
I am from Boise, ID and this place definitely DOES NOT satisfy the need for a good tiki bar here. The atmosphere is fine (I guess) and the staff is okay (mostly college kids) but the drinks are not great - way too sweet and lazily made. Every time. Count on it. The food is decent though and is the only reason why I return every so often. Their pupu platters are tasty and usually well-presented and I like their coconut chicken. But, honestly, I'd love to see a good tiki bar come into Boise that really knows how to do a tiki place right... Maybe someday...
If you're mainly looking for a good drink, go to Press & Pony. They obviously don't have the tiki atmosphere but they make THE BEST cocktails in town, including tiki drinks!
My family and I visited on 6/24/18 on our way back from a week in Yellowstone. The entryway features a tiki and you go up the stairway that is stands guard over. Keep your eyes open for wall art as you travel up the stairs. They gave us a choice between patio and indoor dining, we chose the latter, of course.
The interior had plenty of bamboo in use and a thatch-roofed bar area. There is also wall-art throughout the main area including several pieces by Shag. Music was modern, club-style. I shared a Scorpion with my wife which was a bit sweet, had pineapple juice, rum and gin as the main components. It was ample and served in a traditional bowl complete with flames. My second drink was a Mai Tai which was overly sweet for my taste and used Torani with J. Wray.
We ordered the Mondo Pu Pu Platter which was enough for a meal for two. The crab rangoon was a bit different, but tasty. All of the other items were good as well.
Unfortunately, they do not offer any mugs or glassware for sale anymore, so I had to walk away empty-handed.
Stopped here for lunch (and a mai tai) on a road trip- a lovely oasis for weary travelers! Though there's sports screens, they were dwarfed by the bamboo-filled decor and good cheer from the staff.
Food: 3/5
Drinks: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5