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    James Bar

    4.0 (184 reviews)
    ModerateBars, American

    James Bar Photos

    Business Info

    JAMES BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - James Bar

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    Chicken fried bison breakfast :-)
    Tom B.

    Outstanding! Best ceasar in town and the chicken fried bison burger layered in tots and cheese and a fried egg is the BOMB! Mmmmm

    Spicy garlic fries

    Missoulas most underrated hidden gem! Such a cute and cozy space, with many TVs if you're trying to watch sports. Great food at super reasonable prices. Had Caesar salad, fries, burgers and beers and didn't break the bank. Will definitely be making this a regular date night spot.

    Lamb Slider
    Heath J.

    I stopped in here for dinner when I was in town for work. The lamb slider stole the show for me. The Mac & Cheese was good but nothing to rave about compared to what we make at home.

    Montana Lamb Burger.
    Lisa W.

    Whenever I'm craving a delicious and juicy bison burger, I come here! In fact, that is the only thing I ever order because I love it so much. James Bar is a well-known restaurant/bar in downtown Missoula. You can almost always expect the place to be packed full of people, especially on the weekends because their food is THAT good! They use all locally raised meat and their prices are ridiculously inexpensive for the quality you get. I have never been disappointed in their food. Their service however, well let's just say I knocked a star off for their service. The waiters and waitresses are not always on top of things. You should never have to ask to have your drink refilled, but you do here. We had to ask for our bill on our last visit there, and it took the waitress 10 minutes to bring it back to us.....then another 10 minutes to return our card to us. I understand the restaurant is usually pretty busy, but they definitely could use some improvement when it comes to service. Other than that, this is definitely a place I would recommend trying if you are new to Missoula, or even just visiting.

    Chanterelle hedgehog mushrooms sautéed in white wine with goat cheese on crostini!
    Paige A.

    Great place to wander into on a snowy Missoula evening. Romantically rustic and hip. The chanterelle hedgehog mushrooms cooked in white wine served on crostini with goat cheese definitely stole the show for me! I think it was a special, we ordered as an appetizer to share with the table. So flavorful and tasty! I easily could've ordered as my entree and been happy. I ordered the burger made with Montana beef and Gorgonzola. Bun was fresh and meat was tender. Can't believe this was my first Gorgonzola burger, very good. It was served with house made potato chips- they were ok. My parents ordered the bison stew and fish and chips. My dad seemed to enjoy the stew as he demolished it without sharing a bite. Seemed like a steal of a deal at $7! Large bowl with 4-5 slices of French bread. My mom's fish (cod) was A-Ok in my opinion. The fries were very tasty. Loved their menu filled with local influences. Our service was good. Music increased in volume and lights dimmed as evening progressed and they transformed into more of a bar scene than a restaurant. I plan to return to try out some more of their unique offerings next time I'm in town.

    8 oz. Sirloin with peppercorn sauce and James Fries
    Mike W.

    James Bar was a perfect stop on an unusually cold Missoula evening. The restaurant was packed but they sat us right down. The staff was friendly and the table next to us was clearly a first date - phenomenal conversation but I don't think there will be a round two. I really liked the staff and the food was great. Who can complain about steak and fries for $20 - only in Montana. Fries were great and the beers were cold.

    Everything is amazing!! I highly recommend

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    14 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Great food, great deck, great ambiance, friendly and efficient waitresses. It is my favorite place in Missoula.

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    11 years ago

    Food is wonderful and the staff is very friendly. This is a great place to hang with friends or make some new ones.

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    16 years ago

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    18 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Great place, great atmosphere! Excellent customer service. Do yourself a favor and try their famous sweet potato tots!

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Ordered bbq pork nachos. It was eh. Not much meat or toppings. Mostly chips.

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    11 years ago

    So the food is amazing not a single complaint the Service could be better. We will be back the aidenator burger is killer

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    10 years ago

    James bar has a great atmosphere, lots of beers and tasty menu.

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    10 years ago

    Great food by chef Noel Mills, good wine list and friendly service! All at a reasonable price and comfortable atmosphere!!

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    8 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    13 years ago

    You lost me as a regular customer when you stopped serving martinis in the traditional martini glass. Shame on you!

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Great place to stop in for a drink and antipasto plate. The staff is very friendly and accommodating to any special requests.

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Good food, love that I can hop between Als and here. I miss the shrimp diablo though, and all the unusual sliders they used to have.

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    Page 4 of 5

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    When I went to order I felt rushed as the manager or owner wouldn't stop staring at me. The menu…read morewas small, like on a wall on a 9x12 inch paper small. I ordered a an OG cheeseburger with cheese, onions, ketchup and mustard. The guy got mad at me, I could litter see the frustration on his face and I had to apologize and tell him it was my first time there. He picked something else off the menu for me and said it was a better choice. I payed $15.00 for a burger and fries. The burger was small. Maybe 3 inches across and the fries were stale and hard like they had been sitting under a heat lamp forever. The atmosphere presented as a luxury well put together restaurant but they provided fast food service and takeout. Didn't know whether I was at Macdonald's or a fine dining restaurant. Also I could probably get a burger quarter pounder and fries from Macdonald's and have more for then what I got at this place. Also the burger was so greasy it was dripping in it. It wasn't even five minutes after eating before I was rushing home feeling sick from the food. I will never recommend this place to anyone ever. If you go there bring something for your stomach cause you will need it afterwards.

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    James Bar - bars - Updated September 2026

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