Board games and snacks for 2 under $25? We tried out this homey Boise pub
The bustling chatter of family discourse, hand-painted murals of nostalgic gaming icons and cozy seating arrangements welcome you to a pub at the corner of Vista Ave. and Overland Road in downtown Boise.
Chits and Chats is a pay-by-the hour board game cafe.
An Idaho Statesman reader suggested checking out the family-operated pub for On a Budget, our community-driven series focused on affordable hangouts and cheap eats in the Boise area.
“Give Chits and Chats a try,” Statesman reader Sam Leggett wrote in an email. “(It has) board games, 10 tap handles and great food.”
Reporters Carolyn Komatsoulis and Hali Smith recently visited the small business to give it a try.
Here’s what we did for less than $25:
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What is Boise’s board game cafe like?
At 2500 West Overland Road in downtown Boise, you can find a gray cube-like building bursting to life with colorful mural work.
The standalone business provides a free parking lot and a sweet wraparound bench in front where you can wait for friends and family members for a competitive or cozy game night.
Once inside, guests will find a collection of well-matched, eclectic seating arrangements.
You’ll also find a rustic bar top where you’re greeted and cared for by owners Brett Miller and Kailie Legget. Chill music played as sunlight poured in through the windows on our recent Wednesday afternoon trip.
The Boise board game pub is open from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 3 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. on the weekends.
To be clear, Carolyn is the right demographic for this type of place. She had strong opinions on several of the games that she spotted walking in.
In college, one of Carolyn’s favorite places was a board game cafe a short walk from campus. She has fond memories of that small, cozy and intimate building, the light fading away as she and her friends tried different games. So she had high expectations for Chits and Chats.
Hali saw the vibrant colors and thriving plants around the storefront as trophies of the time and attention the owners have put into creating a welcoming environment where people can enjoy a game or several with their friends.
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What games are available at Chits and Chats?
Chill music played as sunlight poured in through the windows on our recent Wednesday afternoon trip to Chits and Chats.
We arrived right when the pub opened, so it was just us and the owners as we played through Codenames: Duet, a two-person version of the original game. However, a Dungeons and Dragons group was expected later that evening.
Learning to play a new game with a doting mother checking in gave Hali a sense of tender, homey comfort.
There were tables of all sizes and even a tucked-away room designated specifically for tabletop role-playing games such as the ever-popular Dungeons & Dragons.
As a dungeon master, Hali felt the room was 100% a dream come to life. The sight of a Pathfinder rule book nearby made them feel right at home.
Not only was the space open to tabletop games and Magic: The Gathering players, but there was also a list for people looking to join in groups.
A well-organized game library sat in the back next to the bar taps, with a large assortment of options tucked away— categorized, labeled and color coded.
The games, piled high on shelves and tables, actually had an organization system, something Carolyn was not used to but was quite happy about.
The words “party games,” “party-adjacent,” “two-player” and “dexterity games” were written on green duct tape with arrows pointing to their respective stacks.
Among the shelves sat some popular favorites including Scattergories, Sequence and Hues and Cues.
Are there snacks at Chits and Chats?
Yes, of course. As well as taps that rotate through locally sourced beers, ciders and nonalcoholic delights such as root beer.
The menu offers a plethora of “Sam Wiches” and shareable platters. All items on the menu can be made vegan or gluten-free upon request.
Options include the Ameri-trash grilled cheese sandwich, featuring American cheese and ketchup on white bread for just $8.
You can also opt for the “grown-up” version of this sandwich, which comes with Tillamook cheddar cheese and housemade tomato jam on sourdough bread, for $1.50 more.
Choose from the Kimchi grilled Spam sandwich, featuring cheddar, kimchi and sriracha mayo on sourdough, or its “German cousin,” the Sauerkraut, which swaps out Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and curry ketchup. The sandwiches cost $12 each.
For $10.50, you can order a BLT stacked with arugula, candied bacon, housemade pesto and tomato jam.
There’s also the Chicken Sammy for $13, topped with Swiss and mozzarella cheeses as well as Buffalo-style mayo, pickles, housemade pesto and lemon caper aioli.
Are there vegetarian options on the menu?
For $10.50, you can order The Peachy, featuring mozzarella cheese, arugula pesto, stone-ground mustard and housemade peach-and-basil jam on whole wheat bread.
The Veggie sandwich has seasonal vegetables with housemade hummus and pesto for $10.
G-Dad’s Famous PB&J is a classic peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich with apricot jam for $7.
What’s easy to share?
The shareable side of the menu includes two party-sized game platters for $10.50.
The Trading in the Mediterranean is a vegan snack plate with housemade hummus surrounded with pickles, olives, kale chips and toasted pita bread.
You can also opt for an Odin-style charcuterie board that’s decked with Lil’ Smokies sausages, cheese cubes, chips, lemon caper aioli, pickles and olives.
The Musub-I-daho is a Hawaiian-inspired snack with a visionary Idahoan twist for $7. Grilled spam, traditionally served on rice cakes, is settled onto crispy hash browns, wrapped with nori and served with a side of spicy sriracha mayo.
Lighter munchies are available as well, including seasoned kale chips served with lemon caper aioli for $7, homemade Chex mix for $5 and gourmet popcorn for $3.50.
The final item on the menu is a fresh housemade dessert that you just have to ask about. It costs $3.
The married couple that owns the business was friendly, making sure we had everything we needed.
Leggett plopped down cookie dough on a sheet pan — a treat we got to enjoy later, with salt sprinkled on top of melty chocolate chips.
How was the food?
Chits and Chats’ take on spam musubi confused Carolyn at first because her boyfriend is a bit of a spam musubi connoisseur. However, it wasn’t bad.
The shareable musubi dish with an Idaho twist was something Hali had never tried before, but it was a satisfyingly savory game night snack.
Hali, with their constantly nagging sweet tooth, was more info the freshly baked cookie, which was ooey and gooey in all the right places.
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How much did we spend — and what did we get?
Carolyn spent $5 on an hour of gameplay at Chits and Chats.
We shared a double order for $7 of musubi and a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie, the dessert of the day, for $3.
Hali ordered a Diet Coke for $5 to wash it all down, while Carolyn opted for ice water.
Is Chits and Chats affordable?
In total, we spent $20 at Chits and Chats before tax and tip. That’s $5 under budget on an outing for two.
Chits and Chats is definitely an affordable local and family-friendly business. You can bring your friends, family or even a date here without breaking the bank.
Where’s the next stop for On a Budget?
Where should we go next for the Idaho Statesman’s On a Budget series?
Send your suggestions for budget-friendly food, drinks and fun in the Boise area by emailing hali.smith@idahostatesman.com or by filling out the form below.
