These Boise bars crushed the most liquor in the past year. The new #1 is — in Meridian?
For the past decade, no Boise bar or restaurant has purchased more liquor — or spent more doing it — than Barbacoa, a stylish steak-and-cocktail mecca at 276 W. Bobwhite Court.
But things just changed.
When it comes to sheer quantity of bottles bought, there’s a new Treasure Valley champion, according to Idaho State Liquor Division data for fiscal year 2024, which ended June 30.
And it’s in Meridian.
The Frontier Club and the Roosevelt — two watering holes sharing a liquor license and big patio on East Broadway Avenue — bought a total of 25,184 bottles.
That’s a new Boise-area record.
Barbacoa was a few thousand behind with 21,943 bottles. That’s still a jaw-dropping number. But it’s not No. 1.
By studying the Liquor Division’s annual sales report — and seeing how much hard alcohol was purchased by area bars — we can turn around and surmise approximately how much these businesses sold. (We’re talking booze only, not beer, wine or seltzer. The Liquor Division doesn’t handle those.)
Crowning the Frontier Club/Roosevelt as the Treasure Valley’s new liquor lord comes with an asterisk. After all, Barbacoa is a single operation, while the Frontier Club and Roosevelt are separate concepts with back-and-forth foot traffic. But that’s how the Liquor Division sorts the numbers when a liquor license is shared.
So hats off — and bottoms up — to Meridian.
Ryan Steinbroner, owner of the Frontier/Roosevelt, says he knew his Meridian nightspots might have a shot at edging Barbacoa out of its perennial top slot. “There’s just a lot of people out here,” Steinbroner says.
But he isn’t ready to formally accept the Boise-area booze trophy.
Barbacoa “is still the kings of the valley, as far as I’m concerned,” Steinbroner says.
After all, Barbacoa still spent more on liquor than any other bar or restaurant in greater Boise: $563,579. The Frontier/Roosevelt doled out $543,881. (In other words, Meridian’s crowd drank a little bit cheaper booze overall.)
Either way, Barbacoa and the Frontier/Roosevelt are in their own league. Check out the top 10 rankings below, and you’ll see that everyone else in the Boise market trails significantly.
Bottles purchased
Here are the top 10 bars and restaurants in the Treasure Valley ranked by number of bottles of liquor purchased at state liquor stores in fiscal 2024:
1. Frontier Club/Roosevelt, Meridian: 25,184
2. Barbacoa, Boise: 21,943
3. Bardenay, Boise: 19,172
4. StrangeLove/Dirty Little Roddy’s, Boise: 14,595
5. The Riverside Hotel/Ling & Louie’s, Garden City: 14,240
6. Hannah’s, Boise: 12,139
7. Silly Birch/Whiskey Bar, Boise: 11,860
8. Mulligans Bar & Eatery/The Olympic, Boise: 11,669
9. Yard House, Meridian: 10,827
10. Crave Kitchen & Bar, Eagle: 10,379
Honorable mention: Grove Hotel/Idaho Central Arena, Boise: 10,219
Dollars spent
These are the top 10 bars and restaurants in the Treasure Valley ranked by dollars spent at state liquor stores in fiscal 2024.
1. Barbacoa, Boise: $563,579
2. Frontier Club/Roosevelt, Meridian: $543,881
3. The Riverside Hotel/Ling & Louie’s, Garden City: $314,454
4. StrangeLove/Dirty Little Roddy’s, Boise: $309,295
5. Chandlers Steakhouse, Boise: $277,176
6. Crave Kitchen & Bar, Eagle: $273,284
7. Bittercreek Alehouse/Diablo & Sons/Red Feather Lounge, Boise: $260,304
8. Grove Hotel/Idaho Central Arena, Boise: $257,620
9. Silly Birch/Whiskey Bar, Boise: $257,122
10. The Mode Lounge, Boise: $253,697
Honorable mention: Yard House, Meridian: $241,329
Statewide champ
Before we get too crazy, Boise, let’s hold off on those celebratory tequila shots. Because the places actually selling the most booze in Idaho are nowhere close to the City of Trees.
Resort towns plow through the hard stuff.
The Coeur d’Alene Resort and Conference Center purchased 29,935 bottles for $759,477 — both state highs. And Sun Valley Resort spent $740,077 on 24,333 bottles.
That puts Barbacoa at third place overall for dollars spent, and fifth for bottles purchased. The Frontier/Roosevelt finishes at second place in the state for bottles purchased and fourth for dollars spent.
Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley — part of a casino — is also a major force. It bought the fourth-highest number of bottles in Idaho: 23,607 of them, at the fifth-highest dollar amount, $355,093.
