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|---|---|---|
| Establishment | The Dutch Goose |  |
| Category | Pubs & Taverns | |
| Cover charge | None | |
| # of bars | 1 | |
| Happy hour | Weekly specials - look for the table-top flyer or ask the staff. | |
| Food Served | Yes | |
| Booze on tap | Full bar, good beer selection. | |
| Amenities | 2 pool tables, 2 foosball tables, 3 sets of horseshoe pits, darts, 2 video games, 8 TVs, jukebox, change machine | |
| Live music or DJ | N/A | |
| Dance floor | N/A | |
| Average age range | 35-65 | |
| Women to men ratio | 1:3 on an average night | |
| Hook-up potential | Better than at the DMV. | |
| Added bonus | Great deck with seating out back. | |
| Hours | Mon.-Thu. 11 am - 12 am Fri. - Sat. 11 am - 2 am Sun. 11 am - 12 am |
|
| Location | 3515 W. State St. | |
| Contact | (208) 342-8887 | |
| Parking | Large parking lot right outside the door. | |
Ballsley's Experience
The Dutch Goose is one of those head scratchers you sometimes find that defies any real description. It's not really a restaurant but it serves really good food, and from the outside it looks like a dive bar but it's really pretty nice inside.
I've chosen to classify it as a really good neighborhood pub. They keep normal pub hours, and this not-so-little non-smoking establishment serves up what many consider to be some of the best clams and finger steaks in the valley. Now, I'm not going to say one way or another, but I'd like to see the Goose throw down against Ha' Penny's two-pound bowl of steamed clams and Lindy's finger steaks. The winner of those grudge matches would really have something to brag about.
From the outside, you really expect this place to be just another personality challenged dive bar with a disgruntled barkeep and a bouncer named Bubba. Once inside though, you'll find a good-sized place with lots of places to park it for a bit and even more stuff to keep you entertained. After having a cold one, downing some grub, and watching part of the game, you can keep the fun going by playing pool, darts, foosball, video games, or pinball. And that's just inside. If you're feeling like a smoke or just want to take in the cool evening breeze, you can move to the fenced back patio where you'll find a few horseshoe pits. In fact, if you're really into tossing the lead U's then you should probably check out the horseshoe tournament/grudge match between the Dutch Goose and McCleary's Pub, which is just a bit further down State Street.
Every time I've been in the Goose, they've been fairly busy; it doesn't matter if it's a Friday or a Wednesday night. That's what happens you run a decent place.
Of course, not everyone always agrees with me, which usually means they're from IOWA - Idiots Out Walking Around. But, the steady stream of customers indicates that the general masses find this a pretty good place to hang out.
The other day I found myself in a small crowd and casually mentioned my plans to go to the Goose that evening. One fellow gets this highly disgusted look on his pinched, weasel-like face and says, "The Dutch Goose?!? That place is awful! I paid $15.75 for a bucket of clams that were improperly cooked. They were full of sand and just gross. I will never go back there."
Point taken. Now, everyone who knows me knows I'm not a big seafood person, but it struck me funny that he was complaining about sand when he was eating a creature that lives in sand.
Looking at him, I asked, "Where are you from, bub?"
Giving me a slightly confused look, he said, "I'm from Des Moines, Iowa."
Go figure.
No Iowans were hurt during the writing of this article. They were just mightily confused.
