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A new, hip steakhouse is getting ready to open its doors in Downtown Boise.

Late last year, Scott Slater and Todd Ketlinski, the team behind Eagle’s Spitfire Tacos + Tequila, announced the purchase of Richard’s, with plans to upgrade the space to a new, fine dining concept called Hemlock.

Renovations are complete, and Hemlock will open on May 6 at 500 S Capitol Blvd on the first floor of the Inn at 500.

“It’s a neighborhood steakhouse, a place you can go to not just on holidays and anniversaries,” Slater said. “It’s a place that you can come to happy hour a few times a week and still go home and have dinner afterwards, or somewhere you can be a regular and come here and be comfortable. And I don’t think that is here in Boise right now.”

With a redesigned space, traditional yet creative menu, and unique cocktails, Hemlock will add to the growing number of steakhouse options in Boise.

Slater’s goal with Hemlock was to create a hip, cool steakhouse with high-end service and food, and a comfortable feel where people can relax.

“For me, hip is comfortable, and I’m not comfortable in a stuffy restaurant. We’re going to have a high degree of service here, but we’re also going to have a relaxed environment,” he said.

Richard’s former dining room received a complete upgrade, with the center wall taken down and replaced by more modern and open wood slats. There are abstract murals featuring hemlock trees by Sector Seventeen, moody wallpaper, cozy booths, and glass light fixtures from Boise Art Glass.

The bar has also been expanded to include the former private dining room, nearly doubling its size. It features a larger oval bar, wood accents, and a piano in the corner, which will play “anything but jazz.”

“We’ll do some Post Malone, we’ll do ‘Wonderwall’ from Oasis, we’ll do REO Speedwagon, some Biggie Smalls, (but) no Billy Joel ‘Piano Man,’” said Slater.

Slater said that although Hemlock has all the makings of a traditional steak house, they wanted to be creative with the menu.

“Our sides and appetizers are a little off script. We’re still doing carrots, broccolini, we’re doing mashed potatoes. We’re doing all that, but we took it to the edge of creativity,” he said. “Our cream corn is not a typical cream corn. It’s a little bit sweeter than most. We have a turbinado sugar on top that we glaze. It’s like a crème brûlée, but underneath, instead of custard, is cream corn.”

Starters include a chicken-fried lobster tail and a Brontosaurus Bone, a giant, 10-inch rib bone Hasselbacked with potatoes. One of the sides will be a giant tableside baked potato for two, with topping options including five types of butter, four kinds of cheese, lobster, and even caviar.

The menu will consistently feature six steaks, including options from Snake River Farms and Riverbend Ranch in Idaho Falls. Steak flights will also be available when your table wants to try a few different cuts, including in-house aged specialty steaks, paired with butter and sauce flights.

For vegetarians and vegans, there are also some good options. Slater said the lion’s mane mushroom steak “one of the best things on the menu.”

Prices at Hemlock are in line with the elevated menu options. Steaks start at $60, starters range from $10 to $55, and sides are $15 to $20.

Hemlock’s rotating dessert menu will be created by in-house pastry chef Danielle Major.

“We’re going to be doing it in four different categories. We’ll have a decadent, a chocolate, a fruit and cream, and a balance which is on the lower sweet side,” Slater said. “We’re going to take the handcuffs off, and let the chef do anything she wants within those four categories. And then we’ll have a dessert cocktail.”

For drink at Hemlock, the cocktails are the star, and there are focused wine and beer options. According to Slater, “each of the cocktails is named after a species, plant, or animal that thrives in Idaho.”

Because Hemlock is located inside Inn at 500, it will also offer breakfast and lunch daily. Limited menus will feature options like ricotta pancakes, house-cured bacon, and breakfast burritos for breakfast, and “Boise’s Best Burger” will be on the lunch menu.

“I had 13 burger restaurants,” Slater said. “So there are a lot of burgers in Boise, but I’m calling it Boise’s Best Burger on the menu, which is pretty pretentious, but it’s on there nonetheless.”

Additionally, Hemlock will offer a happy hour Monday to Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

BoiseDev Eats had the chance to try some selections from the menu during a staff test dinner. Everything was prepared exceptionally, and the sides and appetizers featured elevated, yet unexpected flavor profiles, like an almond morita salsa on the charred broccolini that brought a fun kick, and the spiced batter on the chicken-fried lobster. The prime filet mignon was cooked to perfection, and the Monarch cocktail featured ginger and turmeric that was balanced with citrus.

Several BoiseDev readers emailed after our initial story, asking, “Isn’t hemlock a poisonous weed?”

Slater said the restaurant’s name came from the Idaho native tree, rather than the poisonous weed, but he also liked the tie-in to the hemlock plant made famous by Socrates.

“Hemlock is a tree native to northern Idaho. The indigenous people used it for medicine and sustenance, and it sounded cool,” he said. “And the poison aspect of it, there’s a cool story behind it too. With Socrates, he chose to poison himself with hemlock instead of giving up his beliefs. He chose to die on his own accord.”

With Hemlock, Slater is excited to be part of “the Renaissance happening right now” in Boise’s food scene.

“We’re a smaller space than everybody, so we have a little bit more opportunity to be more specific and go off script a little bit, because we don’t need to please everybody,” he said. “So we’re going to try and push the limits a little bit.”

A Seattle restaurant group is set to bring flaming swords of steak and dishes made tableside to a high-profile location in Downtown Boise.

Fire & Vine Hospitality plans to open an El Gaucho restaurant. According to CEO Chad Mackay, they have been looking to expand to Boise since 2019.

“We came (to Boise) in 2021 and just started looking around, seeing what’s happening. Obviously, Boise was super hot, but we noticed some spots that we were interested in,” Mackay said. “My wife actually wrote down one of the spots. We went into the bar and sat in there, and I was like, ‘This would make a perfect El Gaucho.’”

That building was the former Western Proper, which closed last year. After a remodel, it will reopen late this fall as El Gaucho at 610 W. Idaho St.

The Boise restaurant will be Fire & Vine’s sixth El Gaucho. The company specializes in elevated and experiential dining and currently operates ten restaurants in Washington and Oregon, as well as a winery in Walla Walla. El Gaucho is its signature concept.

El Gaucho specializes in celebratory and experiential dining, exclusively serving dinner.

“Our purpose is ‘we revel and celebrate life.’ El Gaucho is a steakhouse, but it’s also a form of entertainment,” he said. “It’s really not just a traditional steakhouse. There’s a lot of action and activity going on, where the guest is the star.”

That experiential idea includes tableside Caesar salads, a flaming sword brochette of tenderloin, and chateaubriand, a center-cut tenderloin served tableside. For dessert, El Gaucho’s signature dishes include two types of tableside flambés: bananas foster and cherries jubilee.

The cornerstone of the menu is steak and seafood, serving dry-aged Prime Angus Beef from Niman Ranch. The Boise El Gaucho will also look to source some beef from a local ranch and other key ingredients from local farmers.

Every El Gaucho has a custom charcoal grill, with a dramatic wall of flames that can be seen from the dining room, where all steaks and chops are cooked. The restaurants offer an extensive wine menu, focusing on Pacific Northwest vintages, a wide range of price points, and 20 to 30 by-the-glass options.

For cocktails, El Gaucho features a broad, premium cocktail menu and a brown liquor program to complement a planned cigar room.

“I love custom cocktail programs, but they need to be fast,” he said. “It’s not a program where the bartender is going to sit there and make a cocktail for six minutes. I can’t stand that, I just want my drink, make a good one.”

Mackay said they will have a few tableside and smoked cocktail options as well.

El Gaucho enters a competitive and growing market for high-end dining focused on steak in the Downtown Boise area. It will compete against established players like Chandlers, Barbacoa, and Brickyard, as well as chains like Ruth’s Chris and newer offerings from Corso Italian Steak and Hemlock.

Prices in other markets show steaks starting at $47 and going up to $165 for chateaubriand, a dish for two. All El Gaucho locations also host a daily happy hour in the bar area.

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El Gaucho has a long history in Seattle. Mackay’s father, Paul Mackay, worked at the original restaurant in Downtown Seattle, which was open from 1953 to 1985. Paul then opened his first location in 1996.

Some of El Gaucho’s locations are in historic buildings and have large footprints, similar to its planned location on Idaho Street, which is more than 10,000 square feet.

“We want to honor the building,” Mackay said. “We’re going to transform it, but there are some great bones there.”

Several of the building’s historic elements, like the Art Deco façade and exposed brick walls, will remain unchanged and be part of the restaurant’s aesthetic.

Fire & Vine plans to divide the space into three main areas: a 116-seat dining room and open kitchen, the cigar room, and a large private dining room.

From the main entry, the hostess stand will be to the right, along with the entry to the cigar room, which will be a separate, ventilated space. Mackay said the cigar rooms are “a place of respite.”

Before entering the main dining room, there will be a large, oval racetrack bar, with low seating in the front featuring a built-in fire table.

The main dining area will be flanked by the open kitchen and a raised booth area along the east and north walls.

“We’ve really concentrated the dining, the kitchen, and the bar to create interaction and activity,” he said. “It’s super important that you can see the kitchen, you can see the bar, and you can see the dining room, and the flambé, as we think that creates fun dining, not fine dining.”

Off the kitchen, there will be a cooler where they will dry age steaks on site.

Private dining is also a central offering. Mackay said the plans include a large private dining room at the front, accommodating up to 78 guests, two mid-size private dining rooms for 16 to 18 guests located at the back of the main dining area, and a “closing room” featuring a round table for up to 10 guests.

The building has an interesting past. It popped up in about 1930 as the first home of Twentieth Century Lanes. Over time, it became an archery range, the long-time home of Capitol Lithograph, and finally a restaurant space. The first restaurant was Old Spaghetti Factory, open from 2007 to 2013. The building then remained vacant for six years until Western Proper opened in 2021. It was rebranded to House of Western and then split into three different concepts before closing in October 2024.

Mackay said they plan to open in late Fall 2025 and are looking forward to joining the lively Boise food scene.

“We’re just adding to the party that’s already here,” Mackay said. “I’ve been everywhere. There are so many great places. There are a lot of great chef-driven restaurants. This is a guest-driven restaurant. Yes, we have awesome chefs, but the guest is the star at our table.”

As is tradition, a beautiful fireworks display will launch from Ann Morrison Park on the 4th of July.

Spend the evening at the park and enjoy the free fireworks show synced to music on 107.1 Hank FM. Fireworks are scheduled to fill the sky starting around 10:15 p.m. (dusk) on the 4th of July, but festivities in Ann Morrison Park begin at 6 p.m.

Food and drink vendors will be on site with concessions available for purchase throughout the evening. This year's food trucks feature a variety of fresh fusion foods, sweet treats and summertime classics. Beer and wine will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.

While enjoying a picnic in the park, cool off in the Ann Morrison Park interactive fountain as the water feature displays red, white and blue lights.

Ann Morrison Park will be closed to vehicles all day on Friday, July 4, 2025 but people who plan to watch the fireworks are still welcome to ride-share, walk or ride a bike into the park throughout the day.

Parking

Parking is not available in Ann Morrison Park on Friday, July 4. Security will be at park entrances to divert traffic from coming into the park.

ADA parking is offered for individuals with accessibility placards. Please use the Ann Morrison Drive entrance to park near the softball fields.

Additional parking locations for the fireworks celebration include:

Vehicles must be parked legally within Julia Davis Park, Kathryn Albertson Park, Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park, and at the Boise Depot. Towing will be delayed at these locations until 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 5.

Food & Drink Vendors

Food and drink vendors will open at 6 p.m. with concessions available throughout the evening. Drinks and alcoholic beverages are available from Parrilla Grill for those 21 and older.

*This list of vendors is subject to change.

Floating the River

Anyone planning to float on the Fourth of July holiday will need to plan ahead since Ann Morrison Park will be closed to vehicle traffic all day. Please make plans to carpool and park at Barber Park (limited parking for a fee, get there early) and take the shuttle back after your float. Shuttles from Ann Morrison Park to Barber Park will run from noon to 7 p.m. There is no parking in Ann Morrison Park all day on Friday, July 4.

Find more information about floating the river on the official Float the Boise website, www.FloatTheBoise.org.

What is the best internet provider in Boise?

Our CNET experts found that T-Mobile is the best internet provider in Boise for most households, thanks to its affordability, reliable speeds and high customer satisfaction. With limited options in the Boise area, T-Mobile stands out with competitive pricing and speeds that meet the needs of most households. Plans start at $50 per month but eligible mobile customers can get coverage for as low as $35 per month.

Beyond T-Mobile, there are a few other providers that may be worth considering. If you are after affordable plans, Sparklight starts at $42 per month for 100Mbps, which is the most affordable plan in the area. CTC Telecom’s Wilderness Wireless plan is another budget-friendly option at $49 a month, making it the second most affordable in the region. Mobile internet from Verizon can also be a cost-effective alternative, offering stable pricing without fluctuating introductory rates. Prices start at $50 but you can get a $15 discount when you bundle with an eligible phone plan.

For those seeking the fastest speeds, Quantum Fiber’s 8-gig plan is the top choice, although it’s only available in select areas. Quantum Fiber also offers a 3-gig and 2-gig plan, Quantum Fiber and Sparklight offer 1-gig plans citywide but Quantum Fiber stands out with symmetrical upload and download speeds.

Customer satisfaction plays a key role in CNET’s ranking, with T-Mobile earning the highest marks, further cementing its position as Boise’s best overall internet provider.

Best internet in Boise, Idaho

Other available internet providers in Boise

Cheap internet options in Boise

Most of the internet options in Boise start around $50 per month. The cheapest internet plan in town is $42 monthly from Sparklight with 100Mbps download speed. The best value for speed in Boise is Quantum Fiber, whose 1-gigabit plan is a monthly fixed price of $75 and is currently priced for life in the Boise market.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

How to find internet deals and promotions in Boise

The best internet deals and top promotions in Boise depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Boise internet providers, such as Sparklight and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing for a limited time. Others, including Quantum Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Boise broadband?

Boise didn't distinguish itself too well among the top 100 cities in the US, per Ookla's most recent speed test data. Boise's median download speed was just shy of 188Mbps, which was good for 83rd place. That's not great but it's better than the 141Mbps that Idaho scored as a state. Overall, the results you'll see at home will vary based on your location, equipment, internet connection type and network congestion. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

What are the fastest internet plans in Boise?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Boise

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

The answers to those questions are often layered and complex, but the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What's the final word on internet providers in Boise?

Boise has a good range of internet providers, meeting lots of different customer preferences. You can opt for a cheap wireless plan or go all in on a top-of-the-line fiber plan. Either way, you're likely to find reliable, fast service for your home in the metro area.

2025 Income Guidelines

Boise City Median Income for a household of four is $108,800.

*Households that pay more than 30% of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities. (reference: www.hud.gov)

As of January 1, 2025, the passbook savings rate is 0.45%.

When determining household eligibility for HUD-assisted programs, net assets must be considered in the income calculation. If a household’s asset(s) exceed the threshold established by HUD[1], the income calculation must include the greater of the actual income from the asset(s) or a percentage of the value of the asset(s), based on the passbook savings rate. The passbook savings rate represents the interest an asset would earn in a typical savings account.

[1] The Family Asset Threshold established by HUD in 24 CFR 5.609(b)(3) is $51,600 as of 1/1/2025.

The City is implementing the HOTMA Final Rule as of 1/1/2025. Asset thresholds and the passbook savings rate used by the City will align with the HOTMA guidelines. More information can be found on HUD's website.