This ping-pong bar got bounced. A new bar hooks Boise with tropical fish, drinks instead.

When RamaPong opened in 2019, it created a buzz in downtown Boise.

A bar dishing up hot bowls of ramen and hot games of ping-pong?

Genius, right?

Two years later, the basement hangout at 204 N. Capitol Blvd. has been rebranded as Devil’s Den, a tiki-themed destination serving tropical drinks and, yes, ramen.

The ping-pong battles? Arguments over illegal serves? Gone.

RamaPong isn’t closed, exactly. It still exists as a kitchen in the back, with a simplified menu of three ramen bowls and four appetizers.

But Devil’s Den is the new underground tiki god, relegating RamaPong to food-only status in the back.

“It was a concept that didn’t gain enough traction for us,” explains Brad Walker, CEO of Boise Fry Company, which owns RamaPong and Devil’s Den. “On paper, it looked great. In the real world ... it just didn’t pan out the way we wanted it to.”

Devil’s Den was conceived as a pandemic escape, Walker says, an alternate universe of unique craft cocktails and island vibes. The transition, which began in late 2020, will continue over the next several weeks. Devil’s Den still needs to acquire its key marketing tool: a 60- to 80-gallon fish tank, which will be showcased behind the bartender.

Happy hour will include a fish-feeding ritual, Walker says. Another idea? At last call, “we feed the fish, and everybody gets a house shot for free,” he says, “We’re trying to make this event at the end of the night, where people are rushing to get to Devil’s Den, because we’re feeding the fish.

“We’ll put as many tropical fish in there as we can. Let’s say a fish dies — we want to have a memorial for the fish. Just being silly. But that kind of establishes some regulars and involves them.”

Devil’s Den is open 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday — “maybe a little later on weekends,” Walker says. The plan is to expand service to seven days a week eventually.

Meanwhile, RamaPong’s steaming noodles are available at Devil’s Den, or for delivery through Door Dash (starting at 11 a.m.) or for carryout at ramapong.com (also at 11 a.m.). And down the road inside Devil’s Den? “We definitely want to do a quick-service-style lunch, eventually,” Walker adds.

In the end, it’s hard to argue with the Devil’s Den concept — even if you do miss having a room of ping-pong tables rather than traditional ones.

“That was fun and that was cool,” Walker agrees. “But a table that has food and drinks on it, with the limited space that we have — especially with limited capacities — just makes business sense, right?”