The Flicks: A Relaxed Night Out in Downtown Boise
The Flicks is an independent, family-owned cinema in downtown Boise that has been open since 1984, and it is one of the most consistently well-reviewed evening-out spots in the Treasure Valley: a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice winner with a 4.6-star average and a 96 percent recommendation rate on Facebook. It pairs four screens of curated independent, foreign, and art films with a full cafe, a fireplace lobby, a garden patio, and beer and wine, all at prices well below a typical night out. It is this week's night-out pick, whether the plan is a date, a catch-up with friends, or a solo movie night.
What makes it special
Carole and Rick Skinner opened The Flicks in September 1984 with a single screen, and it has grown into a four-screen house (192, 96, 58, and 42 seats) still run as an independent, family-owned cinema. The programming is the draw: curated independent, foreign, and art films mixed with the best of the Hollywood releases, on screens small enough that every seat is a good one. And the ritual around the movie is half the appeal. The lobby is Rick's Cafe Americain, named after the club in Casablanca, with a fireplace, a garden patio with a fountain, a full espresso bar, house-made food, and beer and wine, so you can eat, drink, and watch a film without leaving the building.
What to see and order
- Plan the evening around a showtime and eat in the cafe first: the chicken and spinach lasagna, the grilled paninis, or the burgers, including the Beyond Burger
- Baked brie with French bread, served with sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pine nuts, and garlic, one of the most-ordered plates in the house
- A glass of wine with the movie, or a beer, plus a warm chocolate chip cookie for dessert from the espresso bar
- A Caesar, House, or Greek salad for a lighter meal before the show
What it costs
Tickets are a bargain next to most nights out: general admission is $10, bargain matinees before 6pm are $8, and students, seniors 65 and up, children, and active military pay $8 anytime, with a 10-movie punch card at $75 and an annual pass at $295. Cafe items run about $10 to $12, with the panini and the lasagna at $10.25 and the baked brie at $11.50, and wine by the glass runs $5.50 to $7. A full evening of dinner, drinks, and a film lands comfortably near $30 per person, and a matinee with a cookie can stay well under $20.
Plan your visit
The Flicks is at 646 West Fulton Street in downtown Boise, a short walk from the rest of the city's restaurants and bars. Call the cinema at (208) 342-4222 or visit theflicksboise.com for showtimes, the current cafe menu, and hours, and look for the patio to be open when the weather is good. And if you are out looking at acreage in Boise or Eagle, a film and a glass of wine here is a fine way to end the day.
The Treasure Valley Acreage Homes Team
Two acreage agents at MORE Realty, serving Boise, Pocatello, Twin Falls, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Questions about acreage? Call us, we answer our own phone.