Charlie B's

After talking with several Missula locals, Charlie B was always mentioned as a must see dive bar, and they were right. It got all the fixings, slightly bad smell, but not in a bad way. Over curious patronse, but not in a bad way. Strong drinks, this is in a good way. Very tight slots, but you know this before you say down, you were warned by the curious locals who were still trying to figure out why we were here and if we might be the Law? Many, many pictures of long ago patrons posted on the wall.

Charlie B’s is a fantastic spot, whether you’re in the mood for a cold beer or a strong cocktail. The bartenders are friendly and attentive, making every visit enjoyable. The attached restaurant, Dinosaur Café, serves up some excellent dishes, but the real hidden gem is Tabby’s Take and Bake. Their thin-crust pizza is outstanding—perfectly crispy with just the right amount of sauce. While you’ll need to place your order in advance and pick it up on Sunday, trust me, it’s absolutely worth the wait!

The best little spot for a quick drink! It’s a busy place frequently but worth it. If you ever get a chance to meet Charlie himself, he is a very kind and special man!

Great atmosphere for a classic cozy dive bar to feel right at home with friends. Grab a beer or a couple. Appreciate the photos along the wall and the easy going feel.

This place is the perfect old crusty floors bar that still manages to feel clean, safe, warm and cozy. Great drinks. Even better drink prices. So the Plonk next door is pretty to look at but you only chat with who you came with. Charlie B's atmosphere has every walk life in it with one thing in common..... They're all laid back wanting to talk and have a good time share moment and I laugh together. Really isn't that what a good bar is about bringing people together over a drink? Charlie B's has it all college kids to the seasoned, older, been here forever crowd. The drinks are good and the food in the back at dinosaur Cafe is the best Cajun food you'll find this far from Louisiana. You got to try this place all of it. Soak it in take pictures remember every little detail cuz I promise you it'll be some of your fond memories later in life. 👍👍👍 Charlie B's thank you for doing it right. ❤️

I love Charlie B's. It has been a standard "go-to" for decades. Good food, good service, and a unique taste of local culture!

So good. Great service. Huge portions. 6 pieces with fries 10.00 Cup of the best clam chowder with Daily's bacon. 4.00 Bowl 5.00 Server and bartender very friendly and helpful.

This old dive bar is as quirky as the weird double-asparagus, lemon+lime garnished bloody marys. Heads up, cash only.

Great spot in Missoula, don't miss Dino cafe in the back. Get the catfish po boy! Enjoy

What an amazing place with an owner who has a heart of gold. I went there for last Thanksgiving, as well as this Thanksgiving dinner and loved every bit of it. The workers are so happy to give, and the owner is just exuberant in his heart to care for people . There is a poster on the wall talking about how Charlie received a humanitarian award, how truly appropriate this is. The food fantastic atmospheres fantastic everything about it is wonderful.

Great dive bar. The food at the dino cafe inside is delicious. This is a great " hole in the wall" type bar. Lots of locals a d local atmosphere

Cool place recommended to me by a local. The bartender was great and the drinks were cheap. Nice draft beer selection which is common in this part of the country. Dino's in the back makes some excellent food. I had the Gumbolaya (a mix of gumbo and jambalaya) and it was outstanding. A big bowl for $7. Or you can get a cup for $5 if you're not as hungry. Bread on the side. On a side note I was just passing through town and unwittingly failed to pay for my parking spot on the street. I got a ticket but it was "forgiven" because it was my first offense. Who does that? It was awesome. Montana rocks!

Missoula, Montana --- "Charlie B's" is bar 345 of "666 Bars of 2017" & a repeat bar from my #DUSA2016 tour ... no exterior sign, "Charlie B's" is just KNOWN by it's reputation ... my #2 favorite bar in Missoula, "Charlie B's" features Lee Nye's black & white pictures of Missoula residents/customers of customers of the past, with only a few still alive ... "Gunsmoke" on the TV was a nice change from blah sports, sports, sports ... customers "Larry" & "Leslie" greeted me with "Charlie B's" trivia & made me feel quite welcome ... day 115 "DUSA 2017" (Discover USA) day 168 "666 Bars of 2017" / bar 345 #RunAwayBill #WorldsLongestBarCrawl #666BarsUSA #DUSA2017 06.17.17

Arguably the best bar in the entire state of Montana. Stiff drinks, great beer selection, pool tables, and the Dino cafe in back serves up some damn good bar grub. And, if you're in town for the holidays, their free Thanksgiving buffet has become an annual favorite for locals. It does get crowded on weekends, so if you don't like the crowds, stop by on a weeknight.

The iconic Lee Nye photos of now-mostly passed-on regulars were fixtures at Charlie's previous local landmark dive, "Connie's Lounge" on the 100 block of W. Pine, currently site of The Meagher Bar. Before that, they used to hang at the old Eddies Club....which is now Charlie B's! Very cool. Mr. Baumgartner is one of the all-around most authentically Missoulian locals one could meet, of the generation of artists & musicians and young businesspeople that made for a very peaceful vibe. I'm too young to have personally known Eddies Club (other than vicarously and later in recently published old 8mm video), but Charlie B's has the same peaceful vibe that Connie's had 'back in the day' of redneck hippies & hippie rednecks circa 1969-79. Charlie B's gets crowded and loud at peak times. But there's never been a problem I can recall as far as expeditious bar service no matter how busy it gets. Good eclectic mix of customers, all adult ages, all backgrounds; mostly working class, student, outdoorspersons. A very good place for an Irish Republican (dating myself again ... who knows that term any more?), or anyone else, to be on St. Patrick's Day. Dinosaur Cafe food is prompt, delicious and fairly priced. Decent range of selections on tap; well-stocked bar; good pours; fairly priced.

Waited for about 15 minutes to get a beer but it was impossible. Everyone at the bar was shouting at the bartender for more drinks and it was just never going to happen. The place is clearly doing really well, but forget it if you're looking for somewhere that can actually pour you a drink unless you're ready to scream at the bartender. Too many places downtown that can do better

Okay, it's been awhile, but yelp wasn't around when me and my friends were hanging at Charlie B's. What I do recall is the railroad, the highway, and the mountains below the stars on more than one exuberant night, and if you don't know what I'm talking about you don't belong there.

Wow. Teeny little dark haired bartender wanted some action from the college puppies and won't wait on the average customer. Hadn't even had a drink there and literally no interaction. She told me to leave because I asked the person behind me to wait their turn. Doesn't this place let rugby players dance on the bar with their pants off? Must have been a rugby player behind me.

Good old school bar. Been here 40 + years. It's a Spokane staple. Love Shirley and love this bar.

For a dive bar, this place is as good as it gets. The bartenders are all super friendly and knowledgeable, and the bar features a solid collection of beers on tap. The bar itself has a unique curve to it, allowing for anyone sitting anywhere to see the length of the bar and and attractive single patrons that might be sitting alone. There's a pool table and several keno machines, if you feel like winning some money. There's also a cool cafe in the back, called the Dinosaur Cafe, that features excellent Cajun food along with the traditional bar fare. It's open until 11, so you can eat late. If you want to experience Missoula, head on in to Charlie's.

It ain't pretty but it has a friendly hometown feel! I had the best Mississippi pot roast I've ever eaten!!! Food is good and the people are great! We will definitely stop in again next time we are in Missoula!

Walked in on the recommendation of a bartender of another bar in town. There is no exterior sign soyou need to know it's there. We opened the door and it was clearly a local watering hole filled with interesting people. We sat at the bar and immediately wondered if we had taken someone's usual seat, but as the bar filled up we were welcomed by a number of locals who were excited to have us join them and made us feel at home right away. Everyone was buying rounds for one another, and finally had to refuse a round from the owner so we could make it to the airport in time for our flight home. A real treasure. Can't wait to make it back so we can buy the a round for our new friends. Make sure you check this out if you're in town!

We are cracking up at the ambience and clientele! It's our kind of five bar! The pictures adorning the walls are of past barflies-ALL MALE! We decided to order food in the back of the bar. We ordered pozole soup & walleye & fries. Our friends also had the wings. Everything was excellent and the cook was helpful with our ordering. We would definitely come here again!

I miss Charlie's. 20 years ago I loved it. I love the six (six!) rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom that is covered in graffiti. I love the bartender, that when I ordered a vodka soda last summer (after having not been there in years and never meeting her before) said, single tall? ..how did you know? (Oh yeah, anyone who orders a double is hasn't been here before and doesn't know your hand). The photos on the wall, the fixtures at the bar. The dinosaur cafe! Best? Maybe, but still some damn fine Cajun food. Charlie's, you hold a dark, and very fine place in my heart.

A crowded place with cheap beer and plenty of locals. I had read about the place in Esquire's List of Best Bars in America and it was a pretty cool place. A small kitchen in the back, a few Keno machines, and pictures of old time customers on the wall.

Charlie's can be described in many different ways, by many different people- it's a hippy bar. It's a local's bar. It's an artist's bar. It's a cowboy bar. It's a Dive Bar. It's a place where the out-of-town celebrities show up. And even though many of these descriptions may be conflict with one another - they are all right in the description. Me, I always thought of Charlie's as being a recreation center for adults. Where almost every walk of life can and does walk through the front door, be it for a game of pool, to meet up with friends, or have a burger and a beer. The faces may change; But Charlie's will always have a welcoming friendly vibe, beckoning to anyone and everyone looking for an evening full of good times, and good memories.

Great little dive bar in Missoula. If you're not careful, you'll walk right past it, so keep your eyes peeled. Not too much to say here. A fun place to drink some beers and hang out. They've got a kitchen with a pretty extensive menu of sandwiches and whatnot. I didn't try anything to eat, but it all looked and smelled pretty good.

Had an excellent St. Pattys day here. We ate. We drank. We danced around. The corned beef and fixings were totally, like, bodacious. No PBR draft, but get Budweiser in a pitcher for each person. Now you don't have to wait for service again for a bit!

Charlie B's. One of Missoula's finest memories, and mine also. Old timers took over the day time and as the day wore on the younger crowd would take over and it got very noisy with the sound of music and the louder the patrons got with the drinks taking over the noise controls. Charlie was one of the good old boys that knew the art of making people cheerful and a bit tipsy. I met some of my best friends there and miss them all. Turned 70 last year but still cherish the memories. Sam O.

This is an awesome bar! Friendly staff & good service! Hoping to get my picture on the wall one of these days

Got a recommendation from a friend/local to check out Charlie's Bar. Great local dive bar filled with local characters. Good atmosphere, decent drinks Glad I stopped in for a drink!

Esquire Magazine: 15 Bars Every Man Should Drink In Before He Dies These are the places that every man should visit, whether in Tokyo or your backyard, and whether it was that Lincoln that drank there or Al Capone. Charlie B's, Missoula, Montana The best bar in one of America's best bar towns. http://www.esquire.com/features/best-bars-in-america/best-bars-world-0610#slide-6

Definitely a dive, but an absolutely fantastic place to hang out for a beer. The female bartender was one of the hardest working individuals I've ever seen in my life. Bout' burnt a hole in the floor running around.

The minute you open the door and look in you'll know you're in the right place to have a great drink. What a great mix of bar patrons and if you're lucky enough to have Mel bartending that day/night you're experience will be even better. Can't remember if they had a jukebox or not but, it won't matter because if Mel is working her song selections will better than yours guaranteed.

Charlie did the catering for my wedding, and it was perfect! Plus, he's such a nice guy to work with, we were all so happy with our experience. Also, the Dino cafe in Charlie's Bar is awesome!

This is one of the most solid places in Missoula. Cheap beer, good Cajun / Southern foods for sale in the back at the Dino...lots of locales, nothing chintzy, nothing glittery...just happy nice people and a comfy place to have a beer. Oh and they like to watch baseballs games on quiet (there's a TV here or there). One of the best bars in Missoula without a doubt.

Hands down the best food in town!! Hearty, flavorful and cheap! Would recommend any soup, the Tennessee, or the rueben, but you really can't go wrong.

If you're reading a review about Charlie B's you must be from out of town. This is a locals' bar with good brews and a good selection of liquor. The bartenders are friendly and good with their pours and Charlie is a fantastic guy. The first time I ever came to Charlie B's he bought the entire bar a round of drinks (I'm not making any promises for you). Also, the kitchen has a good selection of very tasty food that's much better than your average bar fair. If you're stopping in Missoula and want to have a truly local taste while you scan the endless black & white photos of old patrons on the walls, then come here. And leave Charlie a huge tip for god's sake. He deserves it.

When I was in college at the University of Montana Charlie's intimidated me with its uber local patrons and pretty raucous atmosphere. As I got a little more comfortable in Missoula, it became the only place I would ever go. From the smoke to the strong drinks and really friendly bartenders, Charlies is the spot to get hammered and then wander back down across the bridge towards home. This place truly is "At the corner of Space and Time".

Five stars for a dive bar! This place was the friendliest bar in my drunken TBT/Yonder escapade in Missoula. I kept coming back. Cheap, stiff drinks. Decent beer on tap selection. And the two girls tending bar both nights were funny and very amiable. Score!

I can't think of many places that are better to throw back a beer. Damn it, this place rocks and I'm never in Missoula. The black and white photos that line the walls makes this place stellar in itself. This was a stop while I was backpacking Montana, and I felt right at home in this place. Friendly, local, beer. Need I say more.

I find myself in Missoula at least twice a year. When I'm doing an overnight i must stop here for at least one drink. They have the best pours in town and the crowd that frequents Charlie's are my kind of people. Bukowski would have loved this joint.

A few weeks ago during one of the surprise electrical storms that I so love in Missoula, I had this sudden urge to go to Charlie's for a cheap beer. So I put on my rainboots (yes, I have rainboots) and walked to Charlie's in the rain. Love this place. Cheap beer, cheap drinks, fast service . . . and who doesn't love a good dive bar? The best part was that I am new to Missoula, and I don't know many people here. A painter came up to me to chat almost as soon as I sat down-- and soon I had five new friends with which to drink beer. A woman at the bar asked me if I was ok and said, "This is a man's bar, honey-- we women have to stick together!" Awesome experience. I've been back at night when there is a younger crowd-- also fun. I have yet to eat a the cafe, but their specials on the blackboard outside always sound delicious.

Loved visiting this bar while in Missoula. We liked it so much that we went back on more than one evening. Casual, unassuming, solid service from the bartenders, and a good mix of people covering a wide variety of ages. It's an easy place to hang out. Every city needs a place like Charlie B.'s. We also enjoyed some really good gumbo from the Dinosaur Cafe there.

Regal Historic Establishment! Stupid strong drinks...Great bartenders...And some of the most interesting "Characters" in Missoula! Maybe you'll luck out and run in to the "Captain"...He's a sight to see that's fo sho! LOL!

Nobody ever gets cut off. You can be passed out, drooling on the counter and bartenders will keep lining up the drinks. If you want to watch lives get ruined then you should definitely stop in. It's a great local spot where a little town with big substance issues puts on a great show.

Posting a bit of nostalgia. Haven't been here since 2000 but loved this place. Brought the owners of the Dino Cafe as much Old Style as I could fit in my vehicle on a hot tip from a friend that moved to Montana. The guys at the Dino fed me for most of a week in return. The bar is great, my kind of clientele. When I make it back to Missoula this will be my first stop, and then off to my buddy's house.

Great inexpensive steak dinner in Missoula. It's a dive bar that's been here forever, Dinosaur Cafe in the back serves up great food, Gumbo, Creole Stew, yum.

Awesome Cajun food outta the back and great dive bar. Recommend the catfish poughboy and jambalaya.

Another standby during my UofM days in the '80s. Do they still have Thursday import nights?

Love this place! We stop in every time we are in Missoula. If you love cajun food the Dinosaur Cafe will not disappoint!

Had to check this place out since Complex magazine named it one of the best dives in America. It didn't disappoint. Service was prompt and friendly and there were clearly a lot of locals there. Not as "divey" as I was expecting, but that was probably a good thing. Felt like a local hanging out in this place

Good, drink, interesting folk and tasty food (DINO!!)

I lived in Missoula for 12 years,Charlies was my second home. I left in 2002 and long to be back there and @ Charlies, its a good place to not only meet friends and what ever else the universe lets drift through the door. Miss the Sunday breakfasts and the absolute wonderful collections of Micro brews.Live in Asheville NC now and it has been crowned as "Beer city USA" But Missoula to me will always hold that title and Charlie's will always be the Castle in which those cold frosty brews shall be served best. The Dinosaur cafe has some of the best food in town and that for sure shall be missed till I get back to school there in 2014 and get to enjoy a quick lunch.Well hope to raise a glass there soon enough with ya'll. Shag

What is there to say? Your parents would not be proud to know you hang out here. Two drinks and you'll be under the table- for less than $10! It's by far the stiffest pour in town. The pictures of (now mostly dead) loyal patrons are a sobering reminder of how you could end up looking if you continue to frequent this place. But it's always packed, and you'll always know someone sitting at the bar. The girls behind the bar are fast and friendly, and if Charlie is there drinks are often on him. Combined with the unbeatable food coming out of the tiny Dinosaur Cafe window in the back, it's a heady way to spend an evening. Almost always a place we end up with out of town guests because it's just so Missoula. You won't see designer handbags or overdressed yuppies in here, it's still a sanctuary for those of us who increasingly hate what has become of our town. I LOVE that the survey down below is asking me if they have coat check!!! Hahahaha.

I frequently travel to Missoula, Not once in the past six years have I failed to visit Charlie's. And the Dinosaur Cafe is he best Cajun food is the best. Charlie's is 200 miles, Seattle 290 from home. Spokane has no Cajun Food. But be prepared, this bar is a step back in time. I think they built the town around it. Very friendly in a cozy place

Stopped in here from a 3rd party recommendation when I asked where the best dive was in town. I was not disappointed. Sadly I only got to come in on a Wednesday night and missed the weekend crowd due to travel plans, but this place is fun. The bar wraps all the way down the length of the main room. Service was very fast for looking so busy, every seat at the bar was full and there were random groups from every walk of life standing around having fun, and I mean EVERY walk of life. College kids to very old folks and everywhere in between. There are no hard looks from the locals, everyone smiles, and the vibe is just upbeat small-town feel, which was great. It's a bit hard to find your first time but I think thats part of the fun. They have a pool table and a cool little food spot in the back that seemed to have an extensive menu, I did not try the food so I won't include it in my review. As far as finding the best spot with a Missoula feel, this city boy was not disappointed. Hope to be back someday.