The Curb Bar & Grill reopened its dining room Tuesday, months after a fire tore through a kitchen wall and forced the Meridian staple to close its indoor operations. Owner Robby Truax says customers can once again belly up to the bar, even though the kitchen itself remains under construction.
The Curb describes itself as a family-owned business that has operated in Meridian since 2010, with a menu of Southwestern-style pub food and a sports-bar atmosphere built around big-screen TVs. Its business history also highlights a dog-friendly patio and mobile bar and catering services, offerings that extend the restaurant’s role beyond indoor dining.
The fire broke out in August, described on social media at the time as devastating, according to the Idaho Statesman. During the closure that followed, The Curb served drinks outdoors only on its patio while crews addressed the smoke and water damage that Truax said was what really hurt the bar. The fire itself started in a kitchen wall, and the resulting smoke and water damage required a temporary closure for cleanup and repairs.
That timeline lines up with earlier reporting on the blaze. The Meridian Fire Department said the bar, located at 1760 South Meridian Road, had sustained significant damage and was expected to stay closed for an extended period, per the Idaho Statesman's earlier coverage of the fire. At the time, the cause of the fire was still under investigation, the fire department reported.
Fire investigations are also part of the Meridian Fire Department’s prevention work: the city says investigators determine a fire’s origin and cause and use that information to guide inspections and public education. The department’s 2025 annual report counts 33 fire investigations and says Meridian established year-round, 24-hour on-call investigation coverage that year.
Drinks Are Flowing, But the Kitchen Isn't Ready
Even with the dining room back open, The Curb still doesn't have a working kitchen, so customers are being asked to bring their own food while that work continues. Truax has said the bar plans to bring its food menu back in early December if repairs stay on schedule, and in the meantime The Curb plans to offer free appetizers about twice a week, possibly including taco Tuesdays and meatballs on Sundays.
Truax acknowledged the lack of a kitchen menu is costing the bar some business. He said customers are leaving because The Curb does not yet have food, even as he described the reopening itself as a relief, saying it felt great to sit at the bar and greet everyone again.
The partial reopening tracks with earlier local radio reporting on the bar's recovery. According to 1035KISSFMBoise.com, the kitchen was still very much under construction even as the bar began pouring drinks again, and the station reported customers were being told to bring something from home or order food to The Curb while repairs continued. The same outlet noted the restaurant had held a rally to raise funds for staff who were left without work during the shutdown.
Neighboring Businesses Avoided the Worst of the Damage
The fire's reach extended beyond The Curb's own walls. Neighboring businesses Lovejoy Ice Cream and Red Pavilion sustained only minor smoke damage and were able to reopen immediately, 1035KISSFMBoise.com reported separately.
The Curb, which first opened in 2010, is now running on a modified schedule as it works back toward full service. The bar is open Mondays through Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., with weekend hours running 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Closing times can shift depending on what football games are airing on television.
