For those unfamiliar with the area, Boise can be a bit of a surprise, the picturesque mountain setting a perfect backdrop to a drinking tour or two through the city. The Boise dive bar scene lives up to its surroundings, a handful of gems found across the small but vibrant city core.

Maybe most indicative of Boise’s dive bar vibe is Little Dutch Garden, a dive bar built around a sprawling back yard home to horseshoes and a “BYOM” fire pit where visitors can bring-their-own-meats for grill and (maybe) sharing. One the opposite end of the ubran spectrum, Navajo Room sits in the middle of a strip mall in the city’s Central Rim district, a multi-color, icon of a sign over the front door. Resembling a wooden shack outside, the vibe is surprisingly cozy inside thanks to a working fireplace and plush, red bench seating.

No discussion of Boise dive bars is complete without mentioning Cactus Bar, of course, the downtown Boise dive bar that frequently shows up on lists of the best dive bar in each state. Cactus Bar dates back to 1936, likely qualifying it as a city institution, the pricing here notoriously affordable.

Few cities offer the beauty of Boise’s mountain-adjacent location, making drinking and exploring the city a pleasure. The spots listed below serve as just the starting point for a beer-soaked tour through Boise’s impressive patchwork of city neighborhoods.