Jessica was our waitress You can see railroad cars go by in the store front windows. Passing through town on the way to Yellowstone Saturday night, not knowing Missoula is a college town, we could not figure out why a half dozen insanely hot women were passing our table (near the entrance). Most of the customers were out on a date or having girls' night out. We previewed the menu from the website. The strength of the cellphone signal was weak but the items in the menu were with the wait. Various kinds of burgers and an extensive drink list caught our eye. We skipped because we are on a road trip. Service was attentive; this one particular cook was another story. My husbands bison burger (medium) landed in my Aidenator set up. When I worked at Denny's tee cook smoked so I was not too surprised. I have no other glitch to report. She gave us a compliment dessert to make up for it. Check this place out. read more

James Bar - Bars Near Me - Missoula, Montana

The truffle fries are SO good. I dream of them daily. Honestly tho.... just go for dinner. The lunch just isn't as good. read more

Very cool Missoula hangout with inexpensive, yet tasty food and good drinks. I came here on a Thursday evening, and the place was packed. We ordered some the Antipasto Plate, Rasta Rings, and a Falafel plate for starters. We ended up canceling the falafel because they had run out of pita. Ran out of pita? C'mon, man, like go to the grocery store and pick some more up. The waitress asked if we wanted to substitute with a baguette, which is a really ridiculous suggestion. Can you imagine eating falafel and hummus on a baguette? Anyway, minus one star for that. We ended up ordering the Diablo Shrimp instead, and it was quite tasty - spicy shrimp served on top of toasted baguette slices. Everything else was also spot on. The Rasta Rings are onion rings with a very distinct seasoning, and the antipasto plate is well, meat and cheese, which is good with me. I had fish and chips for my main, and they were excellent. Very nice fries serves with malt vinegar and flaky white fish battered and deep fried. The sliders are amazing. They've got five different types, and the lamb slider I think is the best. I had a moscow mule for my drink, and it was very good. All together, James Bar is a very cool place to grab a bite and drink in Missoula. read more

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This was recommended to us and we were not disappointed. Bison sliders, lamb sandwiches and excellent fries!! Great atmosphere and service.

This restaurant for brunch was perfect. Food, service was fantastic and the prices were very affordable. I highly recommend this restaurant for brunch as I haven't had lunch or dinner yet. read more

We had dinner @ James Bar. It was just ok. My $13 elk burger was not big or juicy. It was the approximate size of a Mickey D's single cheeseburger. It was not very flavorful either, but it was ok. My girlfriend's $9 Gouda mac n cheese was a very small portion & she said it was relatively lacking in flavor. However I've had great food @ James Bar in the past. The environment is wonderful & the staff was friendly. read more

This place was awesome!!! We are from out of town! I had the kale Caesar which was delicious! The dressing was perfection! My boyfriend had the brunchineator ( not exactly sure how it's spelled haha) burger! Cooked exactly how he likes and was very juicy! Kurry was out bartender/server and his service was above 5 stars! So personable and friendly. Made wonderful suggestions and made our experience perfect at James Bar! Highly recommend! read more

James Bar - Kale Caesar Salad - Bars Near Me - Missoula, Montana

First time out in a while since Covid started and I'm glad we picked this place. Quick service, amazing food, and a beautiful outside patio section. Quinoa cakes were our absolute favorite, but the truffle fries were amazing as well. Chicken club and the lamb sliders were terrific. The dips, were awesome and the middle one (spicy feta) is my absolute favorite. Server was quick to fill up our water and sodas. Thanks for an amazing meal! Will be back! read more

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James Bar is a nice boutique restaurant with an amazing playlist! I was there on a Monday for the $5 double Effen Vodka & $5 Well Martini specials. I enjoyed the Bison Slider, the Mini Stan Slider, the Spicy Garlic Fries, & the Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese. Everything exceeded my expectations & tastes amazing! A special shout out to the Bartenders, Madeline & Lee! Super helpful & amazing hospitality & personalities. Definitely recommended if in Missoula. read more

I had a burger and it did not disappoint. The establishment is nice but it was quite noisy when I went. The customer service was great and the food was too. I would definitely recommend going here. read more

Went just before the kitchen closed, took recommendations of Steak bites and Truffle fries...did not disappoint. Absolutely delicious! Hip, Modern and Swanky in the middle of Missoula. I will be back!! read more

Yelpsop's Fables "The lithesome lizard" Two professors, one musician, and a photographer walk into a bar. After surveying the landscape, they seat themselves at a table next to an elegant gas-lit fireplace, above which is hung an antlered stag's head, and upon whose mantlepiece rests a women's soccer team trophy awarded in 2010 to the James Bar Beavers. The lithesome lizard, perched as he was high above them on the wall, halfway between the oversized portraits of a still-living Janis Joplin and an as-yet-unwrinkled Keith Richards, remained silent and undetected in the hip yet casual stillness of a slow Tuesday drinking night at this most ultrachic of watering holes in downtown Missoula. The lizard watched, as he so often did, as the new arrivals scanned the menus placed before them by an attractively blond and attentively tuned hostess. He smiled knowingly when three of them ordered Moscow Mules, a double order of sweet potato tots, and an elk slider. "Those ones," he thought to himself, "have been here before. They know what they want." The fourth member of the party, the lizard noticed, seemed less familiar with his surroundings. He stared wide-eyed at the row upon row of bottles behind the mirrored bar, he inspected the women's soccer trophy, he gazed at the pictures and read the menus carefully. For a brief moment, the lizard even felt the man's eyes fall upon him - or perhaps not - for it was dark and almost 10 pm and the kitchen was about to close so ordering food took priority. The lizard leaned a little into the open space to listen as the man ordered sunchoke chips from the specials menu and a Scottish Mule, which came with Hendrick's gin and tasted of ginger beer, mint, and cucumber, and was served in clear, thick-cut glass, not the gleaming copper mugs in which the Moscow Mules duly arrived. "Hmmm .... " mused the lizard, "this is interesting: a variation on the same old, same old. Cucumber gin, sunchokes, and not even a bison slider to go alongside. I have not seen this here before." For the lithesome lizard, the continuous change of pace at the James Bar was inherently interesting; the endless parade of people who came and went kept him alert and animated, even during the dark hours of a cold autumn's night. As he warmed himself by the rising column of heat from the fireplace, the lizard smiled, silently, and stayed as motionless as only reptiles like him know how to do, while the humans below talked, laughed, ate, drank, and gesticulated incessantly, as is their wont - here, at the James Bar, and in the wider world beyond. Moral: You can learn a lot from a lizard. read more

Missoula is back! After 3+ years of being overrun with homeless to vacant due to Covid...downtown is vibrant, safe and happening....midweek. I wanted to retrace my faves from 3 years ago, and started at a restaurant bar (Pan***). As a single woman, I felt completely ignored at the bar. Staff was more interested in talking to the workers than to welcome a stranger sitting at the bar. Had a drink and Decided to venture down to a dive bar I remembered with a fun menu. The Janes. I was surprised to walk in and see a while new vibe. Almost looked fancy???? I almost walked out(it was 6 pm, and not too busy). Amazing, friendly bartender named Lee gave that look and smile of "sit down and you are our guest." Blown away by the menu($16 ahi salad that has sushi grade ahi and would be $30 plus I my home state) and free pour (non measured) good wines for under 10. A full glass! From 5-7 it appears to be couples and families. I would suppose a college crowd comes in later. For these prices!!! And the service! Wow. This is a must. read more

Delicious!! You must try the sweet potato tots..no matter what. They were so great, I couldn't stop popping those lil guys into my mouth! The decor is adorable, and it's definitely one of the nicest spots I found in Missoula. I sat at the bar to enjoy my dinner and the two bartenders were super friendly and helpful. The bartender told me of lots of great weekday specials - mostly including meat though, so not my cup of tea. (Luckily for me they had a delicious veggie sandwich!) If you're in town, I'd highly recommend grabbing a bite or a bevvy here ;] read more

James bar has a good atmosphere. But the drinks are over priced. I don't want to go too in detail about the food, but I'll give you an example. My last time in, I had their famous sliders. Nevermind the fact I'm paying $4 for a 'slider'. Or the fact the food service is slow (which I don't believe the wait staff is at fault for). The Elk and beef sliders were way over cooked (black on the outside, dry in the middle). The bison was charcol on the outside and almost raw in the middle, and the lamb was actually close to a medium well but still had a layer of charcol on the outside. So I won't go there again. Nor will I suggest it to friends. Again, the only good aspect of this restraunt/bar is the atmosphere. read more

I could not have been happier with my decision to eat here!! While visiting Missoula on business, I desperately wanted a bison burger while in town. Locals pointed me here. It exceeded my expectations. Had a bison burger with locally cured meat, green chiles, and jack cheese. Side order of sweet potato tots and a local IPA to wash it down. Every component was amazing! Bartender was friendly and engaging, atmosphere was better than many of the bars nearby, and the Hunter S Thompson love on the walls of the joint was the cherry on top. Highly recommend coming here if you're in the area! read more

Beautiful and modern indoor space with a patio for outdoor dining. The menu is eclectic and everything is delicious and not too expensive. The cocktail menu is incredible - you can't go wrong! Will be returning, especially as the weather warms up. read more

I've had several great burgers and only one less than stellar burger. I know chef's change, but consistency seems to be pretty good. Wish they had an option for adding another patty to the burger... read more

Very cool vibe in this place. Bison stew and various sliders are awesome. Wish they had a bigger selection of local beers, but they did have a good bar. read more

I've heard they have great food--what is it, $5 for a beer and a burger if you go at the right time? I've never gone. Shame on me. Great atmosphere for little ol' Missoula. Pay particular attention to the spot-on decor details (Velocity deer head over the fireplace $400 +). Funny thing is that this place is literally right next door (Trying to find the bathroom? Be careful!) to Al and Vic's--mostly a dive bar that makes up for everything the James Bar lacks. Oh yeah, that would be a strong drink for under $7. And sometimes it sucks when you're having cocktails with friends in heels when you're ambushed by frats there for the $2 PBR tall-boys. read more

James Bar is arguably my favorite bar in town. It's classy and slightly expensive so it attracts more of the older, working crowd in there and it is not overrun by college kids. Another bonus is that the food is amazing here. Everything from the sliders to the burgers. You cannot go wrong. Try ordering a Mac N' Q sandwich, which is pulled pork with Mac & Cheese! They also have a 2 for 1 Grey Goose drinks special on Thursday for $5 which is a steal!! read more

James Bar - Bars Near Me - Missoula, Montana

Great wine bar with a wonderful staff get some truffle fries or anything from the delicious menu!!

Order the sweet potato tots and a margarita on the rocks...YUM. Best margarita and fried snack food in town...no contest. There isn't a ton of seating, so if you go at a busy time you have to either watch like a hawk for a table to open or go to Al and Vics next door (which serves the same margaritas and food as they share a kitchen and liquor license). James Bar is a must stop for late afternoon cocktails with your girlfriends or after dinner drinks with your significant other. read more

Good beers, cool atmosphere / decor, and above average food. Lots of good things to say, nothing fantastic. Sweet potato tots and sliders and fries are worth getting too. The normal fries were fantastic, but only got a couple of them myself. read more

This is probably the best place in Missoula for a classy - but not fancy - evening. The atmosphere is comfortable but has an energetic vibe. The bar itself is coated with copper, which looks and feels totally cool. The bartenders are friendly and can offer you suggestions on drinks and food alike. There's also a large wine selection; probably the best downtown outside of Plonk's. If you sit at a table, the service is quick and polite. There's several different levels and subsections in the seating area, so you can either be secluded in a corner or in front of the TVs behind the bar. Soups are excellent; so are the BLTs for lunch. read more

Terrible and rude! We called ahead to see if we could sit outside WITH OUR DOGS. Yes, we asked if we could bring our dogs onto their patio and were assured dogs were fine. When we showed up, several patrons patted our dogs. Then the staff came out and asked if they were service dogs. Then they demanded to see paper work. When we told them that we called ahead, they blamed the staff. Ultimately, we were kicked out for health code violations. No apology. No attempt to serve us with out the dogs. No accommodations. Just plain sent packing. The kicker: as we left, several smokers were sitting directly outside the door with beers! Hipocracy at its finest! read more

Definitely one of my favorites. Feels like a big city bar/lounge. Absolutely Beautiful decor and ambiance, super friendly and competent staff, AMAZING food for a bar.. more like a high priced bistro but without the high price. The drinks are great, bartenders super friendly and have no problem recommending something after asking a few questions to get a feel for your preferred flavor profile. Since it's a little spendier, it's definitely more of a late 20's and up professional crowd. A HUGE draw for me. There are plenty of divey college bars in Missoula. This one is high class. One of my go-to fav's! read more

As a Canadian, the poutine was honestly pretty bad Like I had a hard time eating it But the atmosphere was nice, and the fries themselves were good! My boyfriend really enjoyed his lamb burger read more

I love it here! Nice staff, great atmosphere, and the food is sooo good. The outdoor seating is a good option for warm days.

Delicious food. Run specials on local offerings and seasonal items. Particular fan of the kale Caesar salad and green chili bison burger. Delicious sliders and nice casual atmosphere. Moscow mules seem to be the drink of choice at the moment. We have only had wine and their mulled cider though. We had an avalanche search and rescue dog with us once and it was too cold to leave her in the car (a -20 snap) and they were super nice about our party having her tucked under out seats. read more

I like this place, draws a pretty big crowd so if you don't want to wait go early. The food is pretty good, it's definitely a loud bar atmosphere kinda hard to have a conversation sometimes. They know how to make great cocktails that a lot of the other bars around town don't know how to make. Great beer selection. The food is similar to a lot of other downtown restaurants in quality and selection. I think it's more fun with a group of friends than for going on a date. Service is always friendly and attentive no matter how busy they are. read more

Awesome atmosphere and one of the best places in Missoula for dinner and drinks. Extensive bar, good Montana beer selection, and Bison, Lamb, Idaho catfish and more on the menu. Food has been perfect every time, although the cole slaw with my fish and chips was way to vinegary - the waitress said she would notify the kitchen staff immediately. This is a great place to take a date for dinner! read more

So it was small business Saturday and a bit cold so we ladies sought out James Bar for something warm in our tummies. The special was a Ruben with chips and beautiful marbles bread. The chips were made in house and were good but would have been better served warm. The bison stew was great with the Moose Drool Ale, I had a cup of that with a Bison Slider which was tasty, could have used little more aioli, but quite tasty. There were other menu items I am looking forward to going back to check them out ! Cheers! read more

James Bar - Cup of Bison Stew and Bison Slider - Bars Near Me - Missoula, Montana

Bad service! I was literally sitting in the front of the restaurant but it took the staff 5 minutes to recognize my presence. I went elsewhere. There are many other places locals recommend that actually care about non-locals. Go there instead. read more

The food was great- the wait staff very attentive- my daughter left something at the restaurant and when we called who ever answered was very rude- not sure we will ever go back back and I would not recommend read more

Layover in Missoula and found James Bar. Solid happy hour options with good beer choices. Excellent green chili bison burger and house made garlic chili fries. Best of all was the service. Waiter was informed and happy to talk about menu items and make beer recommendations. Will definitely be back based on this first time experience. read more

Decent place and has improved since the remodel. Food is great and Noel the head chef does an excellent job. Service fluctuates from being really good to awful. And not a fan of the owner's behavior towards certain customers after witnessing it several times over the years. Hence the 3 stars. read more

Great and efficient service. Food and drinks came very fast. I ordered their steak and frites. Steak was cooked perfectly and fries were tasty. Would definitely visit again if I was in the area. read more

Another place I like to hit when I get a chance, the food and service is always on point. The atmosphere and vibe is good!!!!

Came here to watch football and have a drink on Sunday. Laid back and relaxing, amazing wine pours, good vibes. I consider myself a French fry connoisseur, seriously top 2 French fry I've ever had! Skin on, perfectly fired, salty...Add malt vinegar and these babies are perfect. read more