Popular Downtown Boise Restaurant Closes Doors For Good After 16 Years

We’re a little bit over two weeks into 2024 and at least one Downtown Boise restaurant is hanging up their aprons. 

More than 25 businesses on our list of businesses that closed last year were restaurants and seven of them were in Downtown Boise. Some were franchises that never really took off. Others were locally owned businesses that closed for reasons like a death in the family, needing a creative break or because the concept just wasn’t the right fit for one reason or another.

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As self proclaimed foodies, we’re very much hoping that isn’t the same trend in 2024 but one of the first business closures of the year is another restaurant in Downtown Boise. On Monday, a Facebook user posted in the Boise Bench Dwellers group: 

For anyone who loved going to Bonesfish [sic] Grill. We closed our doors for good today sadly.

As soon as we saw the news, we picked up the phone and called Bonefish Grill. Their phone number was still active and an employee did pick up the phone. When we asked if what we had seen on Facebook was true, they dejectedly confirmed “Yes, it’s true. Yesterday was our last day.” 

In a follow-up post in BBD, the former employee who originally posted about the closure indicated that the restaurant's lease was up and the property management was raising their rent significantly. Bonefish Grill thought they had a deal worked out that everyone could live with, but it allegedly fell apart.

Another BIG Loss in BoDo

The closure leaves another large vacancy in BoDo. The spot formerly occupied by Ha’Penny Bridge Irish Pub is still listed for lease. After Ha’Penny closed, DeLuca’s moved in in late 2020. The concept lasted until June 2022 before it briefly became BoDo Barrelhouse. That location only lasted a few weeks before the restaurant permanently closed. 

Hawkins Companies hasn’t added the Bonefish Grill suite at 8th Street & Broad for lease yet, but the site plan shows that the restaurant is 5,277 square feet. 

According to the Idaho Press, Boise's Bonefish Grill opened in April 2008, meaning the restaurant is closing just short of their 16th anniversary. Bonefish Grill is part of the "Bloomin' Brands" group that also operates Outback, Carrabba's Italian Grill and Fleming's Prime Steak House & Wine Bar restaurants across the country.