‘Harsh reality’ in 2021: Here are 26 Boise-area restaurants that closed this year

Boise’s vibrant restaurant scene kept growing in 2021.

Fresh faces such as The Lively and R&R BBQ opened downtown. West in Meridian, new hot spots such as Il Sugo Italian Kitchen and Land Ocean rolled out the red carpet.

But many restaurants struggled, too. Rising costs, employee shortages and supply-chain challenges were among the pitfalls plaguing the industry.

Below, in loose chronological order, is a list of Treasure Valley restaurants, bars and breweries that shuttered in 2021. Most were permanent. Some were temporary. A few reinvented themselves by changing names and concepts.

Know of other notable closures? Have a news tip? Email mdeeds@idahostatesman.com.

Doc’s Lodge

A small bar at 1108 W. Front St., Doc’s Lodge closed around the end of February. Then, in December, the former Doc’s reopened as Manfred’s Pub. It doesn’t have a liquor license like Doc’s did, but it serves beer, wine, pub snacks and food from nearby Manfred’s Kitchen. Previously Doc’s Bar (and before that, The Locker Room and Lucky Dog Tavern), the space was opened as Doc’s Lodge in May 2018.

Crescent Bar and Grill

A longtime Boise watering hole, the locally famous Crescent “No Lawyers” Bar and Grill closed in early 2021. Owners Butch and Jody Morrison sold the 8,600-square-foot sports bar at 5500 W. Franklin Road to owners based in Spokane. Two new restaurants now are in the space. The first, a gastropub called Crescent Public House, opened in December. The other, an unnamed breakfast and brunch destination, will open in 2022.

The Original Sunrise Cafe: State

Open since the early 1990s, the Original Sunrise Cafe at 7135 W. State St. was supposedly closed temporarily on Dec. 6, 2020, because of the pandemic. Owner Boomer Godsill had intended to reopen it after a three- or four-month pause. But in March, he decided to shutter the family-style diner near the intersection of Glenwood and State streets and transform it into Huck House Brunchette. The new concept opened in late spring.

Loose Screw Beer Co.

Loose Screw Beer Co. shut down its small Garden City tasting room in March, choosing to focus on its newly opened Meridian taproom at 1511 W. McMillan Road instead. Launched at the start of 2020, Loose Screw had replaced Bella Brewing in a spot tucked behind Cobby’s sandwich shop. Before that, the space had opened in 2014 as Haff Brewing.

Kyoto Japanese Steak House

In March, Kyoto Japanese Steak House said goodbye to customers during a final day serving teppanyaki-style steak and sushi rolls. The Boise restaurant at 6002 W. Fairview Ave. was closed so that owners Vincent and Le Wang, who took it over in 2001, could retire. The good news? Kyoto is being reopened by the folks behind RiceWorks Asian Street Food in Meridian and Kuna. Keeping the Kyoto name, the new ownership plans only minor changes to the menu. “The good news is, we will be ready to announce an opening date next month if all goes well,” Kyoto posted Dec. 15 on its Facebook page.

RamaPong (bar)

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. (Sorry, no ping-pong tables.) RamaPong continues to exist, but only as a kitchen serving ramen in the rear.

Mad Mac

Fortunately, this closure was temporary. Like other hospitality businesses, Mad Mac struggled to hire this spring. So, “with a heavy heart,” the counter-service restaurant closed for several months at 7709 W. Overland Road. Still slinging macaroni and cheese, Mad Mac focused on its food truck instead. When food truck season ended, Mad Mac reopened its brick-and-mortar restaurant in November with limited hours.

Union Block Bar & Eatery

Tucked into what used to be part of now-defunct Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, Union Block Bar & Eatery opened in late December 2020 at 730 W. Idaho St. Using the kitchen of sister operation Mai Thai next door, the experiment was brief. Union Block Bar & Eatery closed in June and was put up for sale.

Chapala Mexican Restaurant

When it comes to Mexican dining, no Idaho restaurant chain is better known than Chapala, which was founded in 1989 in Hailey. But at the end of June, Chapala Mexican Restaurant closed its Garden City location — known as Chapala #5 — at 5697 W. Glenwood St. Why? A shortage of workers, Chapala owner Margarito Marin said. The restaurant had opened in 2002. Chapala now has four locations in Ada and Canyon counties — at 1469 S. Vinell Way and 1201 S. Vista Ave. in Boise, and at 2117 12th Ave. Road and 525 Caldwell Blvd. in Nampa.

Taco John’s

After decades serving Taco Bravos and Potato Oles in Elmore County, the Taco John’s franchise restaurant at 495 N. Main St. in Mountain Home closed July 7. That leaves two Taco John’s restaurants in the entire state of Idaho — one in Twin Falls, one in Grangeville. Boise fans of the Wyoming-based chain can only dream of a Taco John’s in Idaho’s capital city.

Eight Twelve Main

A downtown Caldwell brewpub, Eight Twelve Main — at 812 Main St. — closed at the end of July. The burger, beer and bourbon destination lasted about a year and a half. Loyal customers expressed disappointment on social media by replying with comments ranging from “I’m crushed …” to “Where am I going to go to get the best burger ever?” Fortunately, fans have something to look forward to. On Facebook, Eight Twelve Main revealed a fresh vision for the future: “… We have plans to open a food truck park on the corner of 5th & Main next spring. Thanks again for your support!”

Grit American Cuisine

Shortly after it opened, the Idaho Statesman hailed Grit American Cuisine in Eagle as one of “the top new Valley restaurants of 2015,” applauding its all-day menu of “America’s regional cuisines, ranging from New York City to Nashville to the French Quarter of New Orleans.” But the restaurant shut down in March 2021 at 360 S. Eagle Road before new ownership took over, reopened it briefly with a revamped menu, then shut it down permanently in summer. A new “Greek-inspired adventure” is planned, according to a message posted on the door after the closure. A Caldwell Grit continues to operate in Canyon County.

The Original Sunrise Cafe: Overland

The second location of the Treasure Valley chain to close in 2021, the Original Sunrise Cafe at 4218 W. Overland Road had a four-year run of breakfast and lunch service. Owner Boomer Godsill decided to shutter the family-style diner in August and plans to revive it as a new concept, Blue Bench Brunchette. Sunrise Cafes continue to operate at 6767 W. Fairview Ave. in Boise, in Meridian at 805 W. Main St. and 2032 E. Overland Road; and in Middleton at 200 E. Main St.

Mr. Wok (and Vons Chicken)

After a seven-year run, Korean restaurant Mr. Wok closed on the Boise Bench at 650 S. Vista Ave. In 2019, the restaurant also had become an outlet for Vons Chicken, a franchise chain. Vons also is gone. (You still can find Korean fried chicken — and its partner, cold beer — at Han’s Chimaek, 1716 S. Broadway Ave.) A new sushi-fueled restaurant has opened in the former Mr. Wok building: Yanaki Japanese Restaurant and Asian Cuisine.

Taqueria El Torito

Opened on Dec. 12, 2016, Taqueria El Torito was the brick-and-mortar evolution of a food truck that had been a familiar sight in Garden City for more than a decade. Located near the corner of State and Collister streets in Boise — next door to New Garden Chinese Restaurant — El Torito specialized in authentic and affordable tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortas and more. But after a run of nearly five years, the restaurant at 4628 W. State St. posted signs informing customers it would “officially retire on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.”

The Egg Factory (Boise locations)

Local chain The Egg Factory closed both its Boise locations in October at 8061 W. Fairview Ave. and 6882 W. State St. The Egg Factory in Nampa is still open, dishing up breakfast and lunch at 820 W. Caldwell Blvd. Its hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week. The first Egg Factory opened in Boise in 2008, in the Shopko Plaza at Milwaukee Street. The Nampa store and second Boise location soon followed. The family-friendly Egg Factory is known for mixing hearty, home-style breakfast basics with touches of creative flair.

il Sugo/Main Street Deli

When il Sugo Italian Kitchen opened in Meridian this summer, owner and chef Grant Rosendahl temporarily shuttered il Sugo in downtown Boise — along with Main Street Deli, which shares the space at 904 W. Main St. Months later? They’re still dark while the Meridian restaurant thrives. Rosendahl’s goal is to reopen in downtown Boise, but it won’t be in 2021, he said. In a November update, Rosendahl indicated that he was negotiating with his Florida-based landlord about renovations to improve the building.

Good Burger

Launched in 2018, the Idaho-based Good Burger chain quickly grew, even expanding to Utah. But over a 12-month span, it closed two restaurants in Boise: its flagship store downtown at 1003 W. Main St. in late 2020 (now Sid’s Garage); and on Oct. 15 of this year, its operation at 7610 W. State St. The reason for the latter? “Staffing,” company CEO Nicholas Jones said in an email. In the Boise area, you still can visit Good Burger at the Boise Towne Square mall food court, at Chow Public Market at the Boise Spectrum and at 3143 E. Magic View Drive in Meridian. Two locations are open in Utah.

Mérité Bake Shop

One year after saying hello to the Boise area, an acclaimed California chef’s bakery brand said goodbye. Mérité Bake Shop, started by former James Beard Award finalist Lincoln Carson, closed at Crave Delivery, a 16-suite ghost-kitchen complex at Ten Mile Crossing in Meridian. Boise Pie Co. took over its space — and Mérité’s former role as the dessert provider at Crave. Boise Pie Co. also has a brick-and-mortar location at 1216 N. Orchard St. in Boise.

Firenza Pizza

Firenza Pizza, 999 W. Main St., closed in Boise at the start of November. Perched on the southeast corner of One Capital Center, it was the only Idaho location for the Virginia-based fast-casual chain. Firenza opened downtown in 2018 with a build-your-own, assembly-line model. Pizzas were quickly baked in an open-flame, stone-hearth oven. Thanking customers on Facebook, the local franchisee explained that “the harsh reality is that downtown Boise is still not back to prepandemic activity, and with the workforce challenges, supply-chain issues and fractures in our economy, we have come to accept the outcome.”

Bella Aquila

An Eagle restaurant known for Italian fine dining, Bella Aquila shuttered after a final day Dec. 4. The locally owned eatery at 775 S. Rivershore Lane was known for its views along the Boise River and Greenbelt. Opened in early 2009, Bella Aquila fell victim to COVID-19 business challenges. Owners Chad and Amy Cooper shared the news on Bella Aquila’s Facebook page “with a heavy heart and much sadness,” Amy Cooper wrote. “It has been a wonderful nearly 13 years,” she said, “but the conditions of operating a restaurant during a pandemic have become unbearable, so it’s time for us to move on.”

Eddie’s Diner

A familiar sight on State Street in Boise, the 1950s-themed Eddie’s Diner no longer is serving all-day breakfast, hamburgers and milkshakes. The family-owned restaurant at 3095 W. Lake Harbor Lane shuttered indefinitely because of a lack of employees, according to a note on the door. The restaurant posted the news on Facebook on Nov. 29, indicating it had gone dark until further notice. “We really appreciate the 22 years of support!” Eddie’s wrote. “Please visit our other location during this closure.” Eddie’s Restaurant, which has been around even longer at 7067 W. Overland Road, remains open.

Hugo’s Deli

After a 13-year run, Hugo’s Deli, 950 E. Fairview Ave. in Meridian, announced that it would close Dec. 23. Located on the corner of a strip-mall building, the restaurant previously had reduced its hours and days of operation. “To continue to provide quality service to our customers,” Hugo’s posted on Facebook, “we will be consolidating our staff and resources to our 6233 N. Linder location in Meridian, Idaho.” Known for sandwiches, chicken and “deli fries,” the family-owned Hugo’s chain was founded in 1980 at Five Mile and Overland roads in Boise. Along with the Linder location, a Hugo’s Deli at 10599 W. Overland Road remains open.

Crave Delivery

A ghost-kitchen collective in Meridian, Crave Delivery expanded to Boise in late September with a second brick-and-mortar location at 1030 S. Broadway Ave. But within months, Crave pulled the plug and transitioned those operations back to the flagship Meridian complex, which remains open. The former Crave space in Boise now produces food for The James, a whiskey-focused cocktail bar recently opened above it. Launched last year, Crave Delivery in Meridian features 17 food-and-drink brands inside a 15,000-square-foot facility at Ten Mile Crossing. Using the Crave Delivery app, customers are allowed to mix-and-match orders from all the menus for a single $4.99 delivery fee.

This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 4:00 AM.