Saint Lawrence Gridiron - Smoked Meats & BBQ in Boise — Restaurant in Boise

This was the single worst restaurant experience I've ever had. I took my Grandfather for lunch there one Sunday, and we were the only table seated in the whole restaurant. The waiter brought us to the back. When he took our orders, I asked for what options were gluten free (because I have Celiac disease), and he said that I could have certain things, but nothing from the fryer because it's shared with breaded items. I specified clearly that I wouldn't be able to eat the fried things, since it was an allergy, and asked for an eggs benedict on lettuce. He brought out the food, set it on the table, and walked off without a word, and my plate was covered in fried potatoes. I waited for him to check on us so I could ask that it be remade, and it took so long that by the time he checked on his ONLY table, my husband and grandfather had finished eating already. I told him I was really sorry, and apologized if I wasn't clear in ordering, but I couldn't eat the food from the fryer because of the allergy. He silently took my plate, walked into the kitchen, and came back in about 45 seconds with obvious scrape marks on the hollandaise sauce. He'd just scraped the potatoes off and brought it back to me. I wasn't able to eat any of the food, and I paid $60 to watch my family eat while I sat there hungry.

I called the restaurant the next morning to let the manager know, because at the very least their wait staff should be able to avoid putting allergens on a plate when someone specifies they have an allergy, and the manager's response was "I don't know what you expect me to do about that. I know the waiter you're talking about, he doesn't work here anymore," and that was it.

It was the most miserable service I've ever gotten at any restaurant ever, and I have actively recommended all of my family and friends never go to St Lawrence Gridiron. Boise has plenty of awesome restaurants that will actually serve what you ordered, treat you with basic courtesy, and give you something that you can eat. This isn't...

1/15/2019: I am happy to say SLG has aged well. Recently sold to two employees, brothers Chris and Corey, Saint Lawrence Gridiron has kept the quality high, while maintaining its unique character. Hell, it MAY be even better than it was. Or is it that it has inherited new enthusiasm? It's a crapshoot there. I'm splitting hairs.

The food? --always top notch. Its kitchen is actually heavy on the X-chromosomes, and I think that is awesome. And, ALL the kitchen staff, x, y and z chromosomes are damn good. I can't say I have ever had even a marginal meal, and I've been frequenting SLG for, what? 4 years now?

It's our go-to for us after city hall gigs (volunteer there), and I have even hosted a Metallica roadie --old friend of a friend from NYC, DJ Uncle Mike-- for supper at SLG when they breezed through Boise last year.

Staff is enthusiastic, sincere and the bar is always a show. Everyone gives a tinkers damn (the phrase is apt and survives the last review) about what they do and how it's done. Very glad it made such a smooth transition. Great food, excellent people.

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Old review: Spot-on fabulous place to eat and drink. Or, drink and maybe eat. This is my go-to for reliable eats and top-notch cocktails. Brian Garrett has carved out a successful presence in a town chock-full of competition. Still has the original poutine I crave --I discovered this dish on his food truck years ago-- which is crazy-delicious and served as a work of art. The wife loves the Bleu Brisket sandwich. Damn, everything the kitchen makes is delicious and well-presented. Of course if the place is bustling the wait can be longer. They do the best they can. Barkeeps are all resourceful and give a tinker's damn about quality, consistency and presentation. Unless you are in a rush to grab a bite and go (maybe Taco Bell would be your solution) then Saint Lawrence Gridiron --and look that up, its an actual THING-- is a fail-safe treat. You...

Ahh. Saint Lawrence Gridiron. Fantastic drinks, phenomenal food, the best service. What can I say that hasn’t already been said? We love this place.

We walked by this place for 3 years. It always looked busy and we always wondered about it, but we were always already headed somewhere else. We finally decided to make SLG the pinnacle stop, and that first experience made me so sad that we didn’t give it a go sooner. We’ve visited twice now and the second visit was just as great as the first.

Libations: I’m a huge fan of the “Up Not Down”. I hear it’s a seasonal drink, but I’m hopeful that if I order it enough times before it’s time to rotate, maybe, just maybe, they’ll keep it on as a regular. My husband is an Old Fashioned man. I took a sip of his drink. Can confirm- smooth as a dolphin’s back.

Food: Meat is MUAH chef’s kiss The beef ribs are so tender and flavorful. The meat seems to literally melt as goes in my mouth. The sides are great, too. Never thought much about collard greens until now. Also, something called “hoppin’ john’s”. See photos for more. Whatever it was, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please do yourself a kindness and order the Louisiana dry rub wings. Who knew that a dry rub could compete with its’ saucier siblings? Not me.

Finally, the service. I think it’s important to talk about service because, for me, employees can make or break an experience (I wish it wasn’t so). Luckily, the people here MAKE the experience!!! Everyone is welcoming and kind. Our waitress, both times, has been Rhiannon, and we love her. Rhiannon is polite, patient, and extremely knowledgeable about both the food and the drinks. She’s also really funny. You’ve secured yourself a fun evening if you decide to pop by while she is working.

Have you been curious about Saint Lawrence Gridiron? Get off the sidewalk and give them a try. Hopefully, your experience...