The Lively

505 W Bannock St, Boise
(208) 209-5503

Recent Reviews

Zack Ward

Best wagyu steak in town! Octopus app worth every penny!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Wagyu

Andrew Aczel

One of the best restaurants in Boise. Great food and friendly staff, even if you just wanna get some drinks and desserts their bar is great for that but their restaurant is romantic and all for the food is high quality.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Coffee and Donuts, Wagyu, Basque Cheesecake

TeriB

In a word, underwhelmed. After reading many reviews about dishes being too salty, I would have expected a lighter hand on the salt. But both dishes we ate were much too salty to enjoy (pan roasted sea bass and wagyu culotte). The waiter was efficient but never smiled - maybe he had something going on - and he didn't seem like he really wanted to be there. Decor and atmosphere were nice. Music was at just the right volute for conversation which we appreciated. Probably won't return.

Massimiliano Moro (Max)

I recently had a delightful meal at The Lively. The food was absolutely fantastic! The dishes were beautifully prepared, and the flavors were outstanding. I particularly enjoyed the Swardfish, which was rich in flavor and balanced.However, I do have a small piece of feedback regarding the service. While the staff were friendly and attentive, they seemed a little over-eager at times. Plates were cleared quite quickly, even when one guest was still eating. Additionally, we were frequently asked if everything was alright, which felt slightly disruptive to the conversation.It would be fantastic if the service could strike a balance between attentive and allowing guests to enjoy their meal at their own pace.Overall, I had a very positive experience at The Lively and would definitely recommend it for the amazing food. With a slight adjustment to the service style, I believe it could be an even more enjoyable experience for everyone.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Coffee and Donuts

MaxM

I recently had a delightful meal at The Lively. The food was absolutely fantastic! The dishes were beautifully prepared, and the flavors were outstanding. I particularly enjoyed the Swardfish, which was rich in flavor and balanced. However, I do have a small piece of feedback regarding the service. While the staff were friendly and attentive, they seemed a little over-eager at times. Plates were cleared quite quickly, even when one guest was still eating. Additionally, we were frequently asked if everything was alright, which felt slightly disruptive to the conversation. It would be fantastic if the service could strike a balance between attentive and allowing guests to enjoy their meal at their own pace. Overall, I had a very positive experience at The Lively and would definitely recommend it for the amazing food. With a slight adjustment to the service style, I believe it could be an even more enjoyable experience for everyone.

Katrina Y

This is a skip for me. The regular margarita was average and $20. The swordfish was rubbery. The tartar was waaayy to heavy on the cilantro to the point that my friend didn't partake past the first bite. The server was nice, and the vibe is cool, but it's overpriced for the average/less than average offering. You'd be better off going to Fork.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4

Tyson Anderson

Came in and told the bartender (Spencer) that I wanted something sweet and light, he made the perfect cocktail! One I’ve never tried before and it was delicious. Will be back soon.

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

LateValentinesDate

Overall - fantastic. The service was top notch with an incredibly informative and kind waiter, the ambiance was wonderful and it felt both intimate but not isolated, and the food was excellent. I had a Snake River Farms culotte that was perfectly cooked while my date had a trout bucatini that she loved. I also ordered a cocktail that is honestly one of the best whiskey based cocktails I've ever had in Boise or elsewhere. The only two negatives that I would highlight would be that I had anticipated the root vegetable side that came with the culotte to be a bit more substantive - not much, just a tiny bit more. And my date had hoped that her bucatini would have had a bit more trout with it. Otherwise the portions were near perfect and the kitchen did an extremely good job and providing a wonderful meal. My date also ordered a slice of basque cheesecake and it was everything you'd hope for with a basque cheesecake. So far, The Lively is our new favorite place to spend a date night and we look forward to returning.

Krystal

An excellent celebratory dinner for 2. We tried the octopus, shared salad, agnolotti, wagyu, 2 cocktails, and basque cheesecake. Everything was yummy and had great service that made me feel special.

And I'm talking by a mile, the best food experience we've had in Boise. And honestly one of the best meals out I've had in three years. Perfect execution of food, plating, and design, all flawless. And the service was outstanding (Thanks Tim). Sommelier was excellent with a wonderful wine list of eclectic selections. Ambience was very well done. I really don't understand how every review, magazine, and website is not raving and talking about this restaurant. They are simply on another tier of anything being done in this city, of the likes of San Francisco, New York, or LA. 

Me and my partner dont go out much so Valentines day was supposed to be that classic fancy dinner date; the Lively provided just that and more with outstanding and dependable service, hot, fresh and impeccably prepared food (I had the swordfish) and the cocktails were delicious. The atmosphere had a low light and quiet, living room feel. It reminded me of being at my home but with a luxurious note. I'll definitely be attending again.

LKaylor

We had a wonderful time at The Lively for our Valentine's Day Celebration. We usually forget about Valentine's but managed to snag a reservation for The Lively and it did not disappoint. It really is one of our most favorite places to celebrate with dinner or have a cocktail after work or meet friends for dessert.

This was my wife's and my second time at The Lively and it was fantastic. The food is incredible. Lots of flavors that I've never tried together before however, that's not saying much since I am born and raised here in Boise.

Kathy Dietrich

The food and atmosphere were fabulous. Our waiter was very attentive and pleasant.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

vitaliy y

Got really bad food poisoning called the restaurant and left a message no one even called back to apologize.

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