Tavern At Bown Crossing

I live in Columbia village so trying to dine somewhere near is hard so my fiancé and I usually go to Bown Crossing. We’ve been here a few times and I’ve taken friends as well in hopes that my opinion would change. The food is okay. But the service is horrible. I have been three times in the last few weeks and everytime the hostess is rude when I ask to be sat in a booth even when it is dead there. The servers are horrible. All three times they have been less than accommodating. It takes more than 20 minutes to just get an order in. And when I try to order something that’s off the lunch menu for dinner they come up with an excuse to why they can’t do it. I love their grilled cheese off the lunch menu. It’s bread, cheese and tomatoes. All of those items are on the line considering the dinner menu has burgers and a club. They say they can’t make it because they don’t have the makings for it. It’s a grilled cheese! What if I were to bring in kids and they want a grilled cheese? I am astonished with the fact that they refuse to accommodate me with making something that requires a few ingredients. And everytime I have asked they have been rude regarding it. In my opinion they are just after your money and they want you to order an expensive dish. I have given this restaurant three «second chances» to change my mind and everytime I find the same problem. Rude service, long waits to order food and nasty attitudes. I won’t be dining here again after giving them multiple times to change my opinion. I will definitely tell others of this as well.
Don’t dine here unless you want to deal with less than accommodating service and nasty attitudes.

For being called the Tavern it was disappointing that in the bar you can only sit at the bar. All of the two person tables in the «bar» are reserved for dining.

Worst Sushi On The Planet. Tried it twice. Horrible both times. Bottomless mimosas brunch is killer on the tavern side.

We’ve tried this restaurant several times since it opened. We’ve tried outside, inside, just drinks, dinner, & lunch. It could be great, but for now they’ve lost my business. I find their food over priced for what you get. Food is ok, but it’s not on par with other fine dining establishments with similar price point. However my least favorite part is the vibe of the staff, from the hostess to the bar it feels like I’m at a private club and I wasn’t invited.

Such a mix of great and disappointing! We walked into a darkly lit (just a few lumens more please) restaurant. The atmosphere is quiet, refined, and yet laid back. The music… would be more fitting for a softcore porn movie, I should be able to push music into the background, not possible, mildly distracting. As for attire, one could feel fine in a hoodie or dressed up for an evening out. After observing the atmosphere I was stopped dead in my tracks by the hostess, she had the most unwelcoming look on her face. My girlfriend asked for a table for two, the hostess sneered when we didn’t have a reservation, almost walked out. We were seated immediately near the sushi bar, our server immediately asked us for our drink order. We ordered moscow mules made with huckleberry 44 north vodka. The first place that does it way better than I can do at home! We ordered the kung pao calamari as an appetizer, the most amazing calamari I have had in a while! Perfectly cooked, perfect amount of sauce, excellent mixture of spices in the sauce. We then ordered the Bleu cheese burger and a grilled chicken sandwich that had roasted red pepper, prosciutto. Both sandwiches were amazing! Perfect balance of flavors. Unfortunately while enjoying ourselves, the waitress took one of our drinks still halfway full (it was dark enough you couldn’t see the level, but still)! She also took forever to process our check, she was trying very hard but was considerably lacking in proper training. Also, for the price, I do expect to get more than eight fries with my hamburger. They are potatoes and we are in the potato state. We will be back but definitely no rush.

Service is acceptable, food isn’t good. Absolutely overpriced for how poorly executed the unfocused menu is.

I was disappointed with the attitude of the hostess from the beginning and it made my lunch taste quite bland after that. When I walked in, after going along with my roommate as he had recommended we get lunch in the area, we were greeted by a lady who spoke in a demeaning tone. I was in proper attire for such place, pants, sweater, boots but she looked me up and down and acknowledge my roommate by asking «how can I help you?» in a what are you doing here tone. We ordered some cocktails, which to my taste were a bit dull. The food was quick and the best part were the fries. Most likely I won’t be going there again, not if I’m paying.

Servers were accommodating. Did not eat just had some wine with a friend to pass a couple of hours. The environment is louder so any intimate conversation is difficult. I would have to go back to comment on food.

Went for the first time tonight, actually found it just by checking Unilocal in the area we were in. Atmosphere was very beautiful and the food was excellent. Service was timely and very polite. No complaints what so ever. This place was great!

I stop by for lunch after the lunch crowd had cleared. Was seated immediately. My waitress came to my table presented three menus almost immediately. She politely told me of the lunch specials; halibut fish and chips and some other thing I don’t remember.
I ordered the grilled Reuben sandwich because I am a big Reuben sandwich fan. Although there were only two or three other tables at the time the service seemed fairly quick in the mail came out OK. My Ruben appeared to be a little light in the meat department at first glance along with the smallish order of fries. The menu said I could order more so I was not concerned. I ordered blue cheese dressing on the side to get my fries in and begin to eat my Ruben.
The bread was delicious the dipping mustard sauce was a nice touch. I quickly found there was plenty of meat and cheese and sauerkraut on the Ruben. I finished my sandwich in my fries and waited for my second order of fries. As I was about to get up to leave by six fries side order showed up. OK maybe there was seven or eight if you put the small pieces together to make one fry.
Three stars because of the price relative to value relative to quality. Bottom line with the tip drinking water I got out of there for 15 bucks. For lunch. A Reuben sandwich with fries for $ 15.

Seriously, Tavern. Weak mimosa pour in the trendy big glass. Ben, don’t be offended by my surprise at the small pour.

Wait staff must not have much training. The table next to us was told about the evening special, had bread with their entrée, and a pepper mill was brought to them. We received none of that. I ordered the chicken and shrimp scampi. Not worth the money. Very bland. My salad came after my entrée as well. Not impressed with our experience.

The service here is EXTREMELY slow. Work Lunches turn into 1.5hr occasions when you don’t have the time. Dinner is the same.

Came in with a group of 6 adults! Out of all of us only 1 person was impressed. They way the food was prepared was not how we asked. Medium well came out just medium. Just not very impressed with the food at all. They did great seating is quickly, and with the service.

Was not impressed with the food! Asked for a well done Top Sirloin got a medium done steak. Brother had a lamb rack, and same thing wasnt prepared like it was ordered. I would not come back. Presentation of the food was great. The interior was nice as well.

I have eaten here a few times now, and I agree with other comments about it being hit-​or-​miss.
On my last visit, I ordered the salmon buger (actually, a salmon fillet on a bun with lemon aoli dressing). This was a hit with me, and not terribly over-​priced at $ 14. I thought the yam side was also nice (and a nice change from the usual choices).
It was very dark in the restaurant. Good thing the server came by and lit a candle at our table. Or maybe this is a good thing if you don’t look like a super model anymore or belong on the cover of GQ. I never did anyway, even in the best of lighting.
Our server was nice and friendly, and kudos for that. It was wrong, however, for her to mention a «special» and not mention the price! Maybe it was an oversight, or maybe it was because when we asked we found out that the special was $ 34 but… this is not cool. Unless you like ordering from menus without prices. Maybe you do but I assure you, I do not.
So overall, still a little pricey (and a little dicey… had to get a rhyme in there), but i’ll likely roll the dice again and see what I get. Maybe i’ll wait for the warmer weather and patio seating (and as a bonus i’ll be able to see who I’m dining with)! This is also probably a great place to go just for drinks but again, probably a little on the pricey side.

I love how friendly the surrounded environment is. Therefore I would love to come here visiting (the candy store and the side walk) However the last couple dinning experience I had lowered my expectation and it discouraged me for coming visit here agin. Similar to R H’s comments.

So, I’m only giving 2 stars because I’ve tried this restaurant 3 times now and it has consistent problems:
1– wait staff is slow to my table & not good about checking back. This had happened every time!
2– ask for the check and it takes forever to get it, every time.
3– the food is only average & too expensive for bland!

I truly think three stars is very appropriate; the place was okay. Maybe a better, hyphenated descriptor would be «hit-​or-​miss.» We’ve had some good and some bad here. For example, the first time we ate here, we had California rolls that were out-​of-​this-​world. During that visit, I asked a waiter about their steaks. He told me they were easily the best in town, maybe the state, better than Chandler’s, and launched into some prepared speech about the quality of meat, aging process, preparation, etc.
When we returned, I got a big, fat ribeye. I don’t believe the menu said it came with sauce, but when it arrived at the table it was covered in some kind of burgundy-​esque sauce. And it needed the sauce, as the steak was a little overdone (asked for medium rare) and truly not that flavorful. It was also too salty (maybe the sauce, maybe the way they seasoned the steak). Wifey had some salad with salmon and, like most salmon dishes in the area, it was overly fishy.
Chandler’s is better. Tavern is over-​priced. But it’s still okay! I’d probably just stick to drinks (again, expensive) and appetizers. The rooftop seating has an excellent view of the hills.

Stopped in for a business meal, left unimpressed. Sushi was mediocre at best, and sushi menu did not offer alot in terms or variety of nigiri. Menu was spread too thin; what kind of place would serve sushi side by side with nachos? Messaging is inconsistent, as is the service. The ahi tuna over my salad was mangled and sliced along the grain, making it tough.
PROTIP: The one redeeming factor here was the nachos. For the price, there are much better options in Boise.