The Modern Hotel and Bar

My friend booked this place site unseen because we were going to a concert at Century Link. As it turned out my friend couldn’t go. They were happy to change the booking to my name without issue. We drove to Boise from Seattle, were running really far behind and was happy to see a very friendly face behind the counter.
The beds and pillows were so soft and comfy — no hint of bleach smell like you get in most places. I loved the stand up shower with dual heads. Only complaints were very little counter space in the bathroom and no full length mirror.
We didn’t get a chance to try out the complimentary breakfast — we were exhausted and over slept. The books in the room said that they were serving brunch on Fridays but unfortunately that was incorrect. The woman at the counter said she was going to get it corrected right away.
I highly recommend staying here for the beds alone. If you have kids, probably not a good place but you can take advantage of the adjoining doors between the two rooms. Definitely a grown up hotel with grown up amenities.

While visiting a friend in Boise, she said this place was her favorite place to eat. I can see why.
We went for dinner. We started with cocktails, a Duplex for me, a delicious combination of Carpano sweet and Dolin dry vermouths, Regan’s orange bitters with soda water and orange twist garnish. Yummy! My friend had the Long Weekend, Cruzan light rum, lemon, pineapple, cucumber, mint and soda water in a tall glass. Light green in a tall glass, it looked tasty.
We then moved on appetizers. We had radishes and butter (infused with chives, chervil and bronze fennel) with salt. I was a bit surprised that the radishes were raw. It was tasty and had an appealing look. We also ordered deviled eggs which were just OK.
I ordered rockfish, black chickpeas, garlic scapes, peas on a bed of roasted beet purée. OMG! The rockfish was cooked perfectly, the outside crispy and inside hot and flaky. The combo of chickpeas, peas on the roasted beet purée was a great mix.
My friend had the gnocchi with morels, kale, green garlic pesto and cherve. She didn’t share any, but did say it was the perfect comfort food.
We finished with butterscotch pudding which was so delicious it only with great effort I didn’t order another one.
Service was attentive without being smothering. This place is a gem.

This place is awesome. They have thought of every detail. The prices are really low for food and drink and the staff was super friendly. Huge bath towels amazing bed and pillows. Yep this is the place to stay.

A great place to stay. Clean modern rooms, comfortable beds and a very friendly staff. They have bikes you can use and a delicious continental breakfast. I loved the modern/​hipstery vibe. We stayed in room 117 right next to the bar/​patio area. It looked like a great place to sit back and enjoy a drink with those fire pits on. I’d recommend this as a place to stay while in Boise

If you took The Modern Hotel and plopped into the middle of Cochella you would have dozens of happy hipsters because this place is the coolest. From their own in-​room curated film festival to the modern furnishing, the bike borrowing program to the cool bar/​restaurant The Modern had everything I could want in a hotel room. They even have a music festival that takes place there I believe.
It definitely used to be an old style hotel so the rooms have the quirky doors that open right up to the parking lot, but it wasn’t loud or disruptive to my stay there. I loved the bed, the amenities, and the friendliness of the staff here. If you find yourself in the Boise area I would easily recommend The Modern as your place of temporary residency.

This place had a cool vibe, we stayed the night here while driving through. We got there in time to enjoy their happy hour in the outside seating area. The happy hour includes $ 6 cocktails, $ 3.50 well drinks, $ 1 off beers and $ 2 off wine. It was very busy but we got good service and took advantage of the $ 6 cocktails. I had the Paisley Gilmore and it was smooth and refreshing and not too skimpy on the alcohol. I had the pork noodles which were pretty good but slightly under seasoned. My husband got their special which was a mushroom ravioli which was also pretty good but again little light on the salt.
Now for the room, it was a very basic room though nicely designed and it should be noted only the suites come with a refrigerator unless previously requested. There’s an outside entrance to the rooms in the front then a back exit from the rooms that opens into a hallway. The hallway had a sickly perfumy smell like cheap carpet cleaner, it was quite off putting. The bathroom in the room was very modern and clean. The beds were comfortable as were the pillows. There was quite a bit of noise coming from the street then in the morning from the hallway from the housekeepers. The location is about a 10 minute walk to downtown Boise which was nice.

Restaurant/​Bar: I have been coming to the Modern for meals and cocktails for two years now and have thoroughly enjoyed both the service from the bar and the quality of food that comes from the kitchen. Outstanding breakfast (weekends) and unique dinner meals that change with the seasons. There is a great outdoor space that is delightful especially when the fire pit is lit at night. Employees like Sam (outstanding bartender that makes magical drinks), CiCi and Tiffany make this a special local place for me. Highly recommend!

I stayed here for 2 nights in February 2016. The staff are all so gracious and helpful. The rooms are clean but no so quiet from other patrons opening and shutting their doors. The food is outstanding! I had the Roasted Kale salad and butterscotch pudding the first night — amazing! And the 2^nd night I had the Smoked Trout salad, Boullabaisse with salmon, spot prawns and sable fish-​my taste buds were in heaven! I definitely recommend both the Hotel and the Restaurant! I’ll be back!

Note: Review for the Restaurant/​Bar only!
Came here the other night to meet a friend for a much needed catch-​up date. Our schedules have unfortunately been completely opposite one another’s, and it had been nearly 2 months since we’ve had a face to face encounter. The Modern was the perfect location for our evening and I can’t believe that it took me so long to find it.
My friend was already seated and sipping on an adult beverage when I arrived. Our server approached as I sat down, greeted me and offered to give me a few minutes before I made any decisions. A quick glance at the drink menu told me that I was in cocktail heaven, and I was having a hard time deciding. When our server returned, she was able to guide me right where I needed to be, and I actually ended up getting what my friend had, which was not on the menu and is only available seasonally. The Layover. Holy delicious-​ness Batman. The combination of the smooth bourbon and the sugared rim was delightful, and the side of maple pecans was a great touch. If I didn’t have to work at 7:30 the next morning, I easily could have had a few.
Onto the food! We were both pretty dang hungry and were celebrating my friend’s recent job successes, and so we splurged a bit. We started off with the Brussels Sprouts app and then also ended up getting the Seared Halloumi. The sprouts were cooked just right, though we didn’t get any of the bleu cheese flavor until we dug pretty deep, and the halloumi paired remarkably well with the chutney it was served with. For our mains, she got the Beef Bourguignon and I had the Sablefish. I appreciated the fish option on the menu as that is one of my main protein sources, but hers was the definite winner. It was just shy of stew-​like, the meat so tender. And it was particularly good on a cold wintery night. Finally, since we just couldn’t say no to dessert, we shared the Plum-​Frangipane Tart, which I still can’t pronounce correctly. It too was delicious, and served warm with a side of vanilla ice cream. A fine finish.
We lingered for a few hours, never feeling rushed, and our server was ever attentive without being intrusive. She even let us taste a few other cocktail options so that the next time we were there, we could have a back up should The Layover not be available. Hint: The John Michael will probably be my next choice, though her description of their Old Fashioned also sounded wonderful. All in all, a wonderful evening with good friends, good food and good drink. What more can a girl ask for?

I have dined at this restaurant /​bar on multiple trips to Boise, but finally had the chance to stay for 1-​night on a recent road trip.
First things first — they allow pets. Yup. For a small fee, that is: $ 20 for the first Fido and $ 10 for each additional friend. The room was pretty small but we appreciated that the vicinity was four-​legged friendly, with 1^st floor rooms having drive-​up access (for easy unloading of the kennels, bags, etc) and the restaurant patio being pet friendly. Our hotel room had a California-​modern feel with minimalist décor and a shower that was nearly as big as the bed. Necessities were provided and of good quality, but for our expectation at that price range, the room was bare. Another thing noted by many Unilocalers is that there is no thermostat in the individual rooms. This may be in part due to the efforts of the hotel to minimize heating and cooling costs, but consequently lacks the homey touch.
Equally important was the restaurant/​bar. I had fond [drunken] memories from dining here on Boise trips past and was eagerly anticipating my return. Those memories did not disappoint. All of the dishes were unique, fresh, and flavorful. Some we enjoyed more than others — the potato leek soup, for example was the best we’d ever had, while the Welsh Rarebit was something too unusual for our taste buds, but our mistake for ordering. Also make sure so save room for desert. We brought the fresh tartlet (served with ice cream) back to our room to enjoy in front of the TV from the comfort of our bed. Don’t forget to try the hand crafted cocktails (if you’re into that sort of thing). They have a menu full of house specialties — including the Pimm’s Cup, which I can highly recommend. Phew, we’re not in Utah anymore!
In conclusion, while it was fine to stay at The Modern for a quick night in Boise, for a longer stay [with pets] I would opt to reside at the Hotel Monaco and peddle over to enjoy dinner in the Modern’s restaurant and bar.

I have been here a few times and have found food, service, and drinks to be at a steady ⁴⁄₅ star. The deviled eggs are a definite and any drink you order will be delightful. I am often told if I do not enjoy my drink, they will replace it with something that works better for me. If you want a relaxed evening plan on just staying here. The atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming! I miss the macaroni and cheese but I have faith it will be back! TO-​DIE-​FOR! The only negative is I think prices are a bit high. Definitely worth a try. The patio is a gem with fire and coziness!

The Modern Bar & Restaurant — four stars.
The Modern Hotel — three stars.
Ok, the hotel:
You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. This hotel (a former Motel 6) is still a concrete Motel 6 dressed up. The bed was comfy, as were the pillows, so price depending, this is a great deal. I believe they offer complimentary cruiser bikes and downtown Boise is literally a 5 – 7 minute walk, so location wise it’s also on point.
But, I found the rooms sad. No art adorned walls, digital television with limited channels, not a lot of natural light and if I did decide to leave the curtains open, the entire street would see me. Walls were thin, I could hear pretty much any noise outside, including the maids vacuuming at 9am and the doors didn’t close well, but the internet was strong.
The complimentary breakfast highlight was the coffee and fresh juice. Food wise it was also a little sad: Chobani yogurt and meh looking bagels with butter, a block of cream cheese or jam. Add some fresh fruit into the mix and then we’d be talking.
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The restaurant was good, albeit a tad bit over priced. Those corn fritters, tho. They were almost like corn beignets. So good, that we had them two nights in a row. My dining companion enjoyed her gnocchi and the lamb kofta was good, but again the price didn’t quite live up to the hype. Drinks were nice and strong and a fairly local and inexpensive beer list.
Overall, not a bad option in Boise especially when I’m not aware of the competition. I would stay here again if options were limited.

The Modern Hotel Bar is one of Boise’s quirky and best kept secrets. It is surprising to me but I’ve met people who have lived in Boise for years and are completely unaware about this great little spot.
Tucked away just outside of the main down town bar area The Modern is a fantastic place to meet a few friends for some well-​crafted cocktails. The interior is on the small side with an upscale feel and very friendly bar tenders who are happy to trade jokes with you if they aren’t slammed. There is also an outdoor seating area with a fire that is a great place to hang out when the weather cooperates. The restrooms have 45 rpm record players which is a fun touch.
The food is surprisingly good, I highly recommend the mac n cheese as it is probably the best I have had, ever! The cocktails are definitely the main attraction here, but there is a decent selection of beer as well.

Truly exceptional. Exceeded all expectations. Words fail me.
And words NEVER fail me.
Reduced to sentence fragments.
Holy crap, this place is amazing.
Warm, congenial service.
Quirky, contemporary décor.
In-​room film festival (a channel devoted to short films from independent film-​makers. During my stay it was Basque language films. OMG. Yes. YES!!)
Monday night campfire stories?! Where local writers and poets read their work around the campfire. Holy shit, are you for real?! Are you reading this Angelenos?! Can you comprehend how über-​cool this is?! This is like a multiple orgasmic Nirvana, right here.
Food and cocktails that would be the envy of any bar or eatery in Soho. When was the last time you drank a cocktail with wild hyssop in it? Hyssop they fricken hand picked in the wild with their bare hands. Or the bare hands of Chuck Norris. Whatever.
I mean, take a look at some of these cocktails and tell me that you don’t want to start hitchhiking to Boise post haste.
Celery and Smoke
Chimayo Blanco tequila, lime, celery juice, agave nectar, Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal.
The final Say
Fernet Branca, lime, Green Chartreuse, Luxardo Maraschino.
Pentatonic
Depaz amber rhum agricole, Angostura bitters, Krogstad aquavit, Del Maguey Vida mezcal, demerara, grapefruit peel.
Due Dilligence
Ransom Old Tom Gin, Averna Amaro, giant hyssop.
And the food. A TAD pricey given the portions, but that’s a minor qualm considering the quality. As in: Best food I had while in Boise. Hands down.
Amazingly affordable. I’d pay $ 250/​night for a room half the size in aforementioned Soho. But this is Boise, you say. Yeah, and whatever that means to you, you are wrong, wrong, wrong. It’s places like this that will set the standard for what a city will become. The Modern dares to dream not about what is, but about what could be. Let’s just hope that not too many Californians like me realize that Boise in on the cusp of greatness; only to flood here in droves and ruin it all. They really should shoot invasive species like me crossing their border on sight. Except, it’s not in their blood. They’re just too goddamned NICE.
Overheard:
«We really shouldn’t tell you how much we love Boise, because, well, you’ll just move here and price us out of the market. But we can’t help ourselves. We really love Boise, and we want to share this love with outsiders.»
Is this some sort of Narnia, pre-​White Witch?
Boise + 10 years = Austin
Austin + 10 years = San Francisco
San Francisco + 10 years = Pray for a 9.0 earthquake to make the place more like Boise 20 years ago.

The Modern Hotel and Bar tried but didn’t quite succeed, unfortunately.
I recently stayed at the Modern Hotel while in Boise for a friend’s graduation, and was thoroughly disappointed. From the pictures on their website, the hotel looks like a cute and MODERN boutique hotel in the middle of downtown Boise. Upon arrival, I discovered that the exterior of the hotel is modern but the inside of the rooms is not.
This place is like a remodeled motel. PERIOD. It appears that they are in the middle of renovations because the bathrooms are very nice (although the sink is a pain to use) but the actual sleeping area is not. The paint was not fresh nor was the carpet. My room also had a strong perfume odor from the cleaning materials used to clean the room.
I reserved a room with a balcony because I thought this would give me a view of the garden, but instead I was stuck looking at a beat up storefront across from the hotel.
All that being said, every staff member was nice, the continental breakfast was wonderful, and parking was easy. The complimentary shuttle to and from the airport was a bonus and easy to fetch.
During checkout, I found out that they have complimentary bike rentals! How cute!
Overall, I like what this hotel has to offer but I would not choose this hotel again because the rooms weren’t extremely comfortable.

I heard tales of The Modern as if it was a secret little place, like a hidden gem in Boise. Well I don’t know if was indeed a secret or not, but I’m here to get the word out now. I’ve been to the Modern a few times on a few different missions. At night, the bar is dimly lit and intimate. For a sunny brunch on the patio it was very choice. They don’t shy away from the coffee refills too! And daddy like’s the coffee. I haven’t had beets since they were forced upon me in my youth, but I tried them with tomatoes, toast, and Parmesan cheese. It was quite delectable.
I’d like to reference for a moment the tiny record player in the bathroom. I enjoyed this touch of class. I don’t know how you would find time to spin some wax unless you were planning spending time serious time in there. Not that you would, but you could!
The staff is friendly, the outdoor patio is great in the summer. The taps keep it interesting and the bar is fully stocked. Tell your friends. Hit up The Modern.

After an ill fated trip here with a large group, I decided to give this place a try sans large group.
What a difference.
Sat outdoors on their amazing fire bedazzled patio. Our server approached immediately and took our drink order. Their cocktail menu is inventive and unique. I ordered their Rattlesnake Cocktail while my friend enjoyed a glass of red from their wine list. My cocktail was perfectly mixed and lovely (if you have any affection at all for the green fairy – try this cocktail. The absinthe isn’t overwhelming, but just the loveliest of hints).
We ordered their bleu cheese brussels sprouts and sesame toast to start. The toast was awesome. The brussels sprouts had an amazing flavor but I’d have fancied them cooked a bit longer.
For my entrée, I ordered their gnocchi. My people! Some of the best gnocchi of my life! Amazing. Flavorful. Perfect.
The service was perfectly on point throughout.
I would definitely and without hesitation recommend this place for intimate, small group dining.
Get to it!

Quick update about my most recent stay at The Modern:
Accidentally left my brand new pair of glasses in my room. Called the hotel the very next day and they shipped them back to me within 2 business days.
It’s been my experience that forgetting something in a hotel room means you’ll never see that item again. Not so much in Boise, they’re genuinely nice, honest people.
Thanks to the gals at the front desk! I’m officially four-​eyed again.

What a great experience at The Modern Hotel and Bar!
THE AMBIANCE:
I came to Boise, Idaho, on a one night/​one day business trip. I was greeted at the front desk by Joshua who told me he used to live in California and moved back to Boise because he loved it. Joshua was super nice and welcoming. I grabbed a key and went upstairs to leave my belongings before I started my night. My room had a queen bed and was super modern as their name says. To see the room’s amenities and décor, check out the photographs. It was super clean and nice. The shower was huge. The room came with an iron, ironing board, table stand, big hair dryer, and a full-​body mirror. They also had a cabinet, Vegas-​style, where you can grab a snack, a drink, or even a hat for purchase.
THE BAR:
I started my night by going downstairs to check out their bar, which is next to the lobby. The area is very nice with some table seating and bar seating. It is not a big space but a good amount of people fit comfortably. I tried the Pimm’s Cup ($ 8): Pimms No. 1, lemon, ginger beer, cucumber spear. Tall. It was really good. My bartender was Sam, who has a large beard. Thanks for the great drink, Sam!
MORNING BREAKFAST:
The Modern offers free continental breakfast for its guests. I grabbed a cranberry bagel and toasted it, jam, cream cheese, honey, Chobani vanilla greek yogurt, and a glass of freshly-​squeezed orange juice. They also had freshly-​squeezed grapefruit juice. Breakfast was divine. Everything was flavorful and fresh. Loved it.
THE SERVICE:
Joshua handed me a map of Boise, which was helpful. Michael and Paulie assisted me the second day with breakfast/​taxi/​accommodations. I needed to get around on a taxi and the ladies called me one and scheduled my shuttle service for the ride back to the airport. I want to give a huge thank you to all the staff at The Modern. They were super friendly, knew their stuff, and made my stay beyond enjoyable.
THE TIPS:
Free shuttle service to and from the airport in a white shuttle bus that says «Express» on it. Do not get duped by the taxi drivers into believing you do not have a shuttle to take you to your hotel!!! I almost fell for it and luckily I made a call to The Modern and Joshua told me I had free shuttle service. Take advantage of this!
~Thank you, The Modern Hotel and Bar~
Highly recommend!

This hotel is fantastic! I was lucky enough to stay here recently and had a really lovely (albeit short) stay. The staff at the hotel front desk was extremely kind and they offered great suggestions for the restaurant/​bar attached.
From an online perspective, what drew me to this hotel most was the price. It’s extremely affordable! But in person it gets better. The room I had was really cute, really clean, and had some mid century modern flair with some hyper modern finishes and amenities. I was really impressed with the shampoo/​conditioner dispenser in the shower. Hard to explain but I’d love that set up for my own home! The actual products themselves were high quality as well.
Things I like in a hotel that this hotel had:
–Free WIFI
–Full length mirror
–Full size hairdryer in room
–Shampoo AND conditioner, not a combo
–Soft, clean towels
–Comfy mattress, lots of pillows
Was sad that it wasn’t a little closer to other downtown amenities but they make up for that by having a great restaurant/​bar attached. You don’t have to go far for food.
I also loved the courtyard though during wet winter months it’s not as usable. Still made for some super sleek ambience!
I don’t know how often I’ll be in Boise but I don’t plan on staying anywhere else when I visit. This hotel pretty much has it all.