Capitol Bar Now Open on State Street
State Street is now home to a new watering hole, Capitol Bar, which took over the former Shotsies space at 6100 W. State Street. Capitol Bar opened quietly at the end of June and features a prominent stainless steel bar, a smattering of inside tables and a small, fenced patio strung with cafe lights.
Capitol Bar offers a selection of 14 beers on tap—everything from Bud Light and Blue Moon to Sockeye’s Galena Gold and Cascade Lakes’ Hopsmack IPA. The spot also features a healthy wine list, with Proletariat wines on draft and bottles that range from Matua Sauvignon Blanc ($8 glass, $30 bottle) to Lyric Pinot Noir ($15 glass, $52 bottle).
“We’ve had a lot of requests for local wines and beers so we’re going to get more of those,” said Bar Manager Francine Hopper, who relocated to Boise from Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband to run the space. “We’ve got a lot of the breweries coming in and visiting with us.”
In addition to beer and wine, Capitol Bar also has a small-but-focused cocktail menu that celebrates the classics—everything from Gin Martinis to Manhattans to Mint Juleps. And the best part is the price: It’s $4 for wells, $5 for calls and $6+ for premium spirits. I ordered a lovely George Dickel Rye Manhattan for $5 (then promptly ordered another) and my buddy ordered a Tanqueray Negroni for $6.
Capitol Bar currently offers a selection of free bar snacks, like chili lime peanuts and white cheddar popcorn, but also plans to get their kitchen operating soon.
“Our cook is starting next week to get the bar menu up-and-running, so it’ll be a week or two until we start serving food,” said Hopper. “It’s a limited kitchen so it's going to be sandwiches and more appetizers, salads and nachos.”
Hopper and her husband hope to host a number of events at the space and are in the process of planning a grand opening party.
“We’ll do an official opening probably the first weekend of August and have our food and maybe have some music,” said Hopper.
Here's a look at Capitol Bar's current menus:
