Willow Creek Grill

Recommends

Boiseresident

Joined 5 years ago

Bring your out-of-town guests for good Northwest Bistro fare, stay away from the new sushi offerings, service inconsistant. When ever we entertain out-of-towners, we bring them to this place. It says Northwest, right down to the furnishings. From the beer offerings to the menu items, very typical-'bistro like' Northwest fare. The willow-sticks (yam/sweet potato fries) are addictive. The Salmon is always good. You cannot go wrong with the steak--yum. The calamari, tuna or clams are tasty. I tried a couple of sandwiches and they did not disappoint, although the slaw as not that great. The veggie side dishes looks hand cut and tastes fresh--not from a bag of premixed frozen veggies. The iced tea--oh my gawd (better than any sweet tea from the south and trust me, I am the expert on iced tea). The iced tea is some floral/herbal mix and it is delicious. However on a recent visit, with an 'out of town' guest, we noticed the sushi offerings and decided to have the spider roll as an appetizer--YUCK! The rice was not properly cooked (mushy with bits of under cooked rice) and lacked flavor. Stick the main menu and you won't be disappointed. I would have to both agree and disagree with the comments on the service. On some visits, the service was awesome. On my Dad's first visit to Boise, we went from the airport to this place. The waiter offered my dad (from the south) a tasting of beers and was super personable. I did not catch his name, but he sported a blond pony tail and was 'Boise friendly', very nice. We know southern hospitatity and even my dad was impressed. I cannot say that about many restaurants in Boise. On another occasion, I ate there for lunch once with my husband and had the worse service ever! The waitress seemed suddenly hostile and did everything in her power to avoid us as much as possible. Other occasions, the service was good, great or awful, different with each visit. So the service is inconsistant. The food is consistant earns my recommendation. Definitely worth a try

Doesn't Recommend

Bodecia1959

Joined 5 years ago

Don't visit Willow Creek after 6:00 pm. If you like good food and terrible service, visit Willow Creek after 6:00 pm. I've been there twice for dinner or appetizers and drinks and both times the wait staff ignored our table. The first time, we were literally standing on our chairs and waiving menus trying to catch someone's eye. The second time, we had to ask to have our waitress sent to our table after we had been there 15 minutes, and after dinner, when the bill was paid, we remained and talked for almost an hour and no one came back around to see if we would like more water, another round of drinks or coffee. Both times 3-4 of the servers were huddled behind the bar discussing personal affairs. I have no first hand knowledge, but my friends tell me the bad service does not extend to lunch, so I would suggest if you want to try this restaurant, be sure to visit it during the day. The food is phenomenal, but the bad service in the evenings does not even come close to making up for it.

Recommends

badnewsbear2007

Joined 6 years ago

Great food, atmosphere and customer service--Avoid busy periods. The menu options are great--well-price and moderately proportioned. Perfect if you're looking for a quick sit-down lunch (I recommend the Reuben sandwich and soups). The wait staff is quick and very friendly. One word of caution, sitting outside is great when the weather is nice, but beware of the flies which are guaranteed to buzz around your food during the whole meal. I would definitely recommend this place for a satisfying yet affordable meal...just sit inside!