It's been a staple of Billings as long as I've been here. Cheap drinks mixed strong. No fucking around. We were a serious people. We wanted to get seriously drunk. The back half of the small bar was filled with people who totally "Had my back", but that sort of stuff doesn't matter to me. So I went up to the new machine replacing the juke box and we discussed what we were into and what we were gonna pick and stuff. I really don't think we even chatted 45 seconds. So I went back to the bar with my drink. About1-2 minutes later a good old boy who wasn't older than his early twenties and came to the Rainbow, with his girlfriend for a nice date. And he comes up beside me and insinuates I'm not a real man until I put a cigarette out on my bar skin through a dollar bill. I did so. Calmly. Then he looked at the dollar bill and said it didn't count because a little bit of Washington's portrait is still kind of visible. So I made a more concentrated effort and really did a number on that bill. I got all of Washington out this time. I have two cute scars. The kid was dressed all western like and he had a brand new Cowboy hat on. He would have been eaten alive in front of his girl had it gone down that way. It would have been fun to watch. read more

If you are an 8th grade drop out addicted to meth who enjoys ear drum popping meth music & trading your snap card to other patrons who are the same for booze this is your place. That said drinks are strong but expect to get shived. Better when Tiny Pertz ran it! Yes, I'm old school read more

It's just a good old bar. It's not a gay bar. It's not a dive bar. It's not a sports bar. It's just a bar. It's filled with regulars. It's a place to go to and drink and talk with your friends. read more

If you're a dude and it's even a little busy, good luck getting served. Music ear blasting. Bartenders look you in the eye and ignore you. Fun place. For a masochist. read more

Best bar in Billings by far! They're open all hours 8am -2am. So if you need your hangover cure they are ready for you with their amazing bloody Mary's! Family owned since 1935 Billings oldest and best bar! read more

My gay entourage was very disappointed... With seven state-of-the-art high frequency Gaydars working together, in tandem, we quickly deteremined this wasn't actually a gay and lesbian bar, despite the name "Rainbow". Rainbow is just a typical dive where the patrons looked depressed and little creepy... We left after 10 minutes. read more

Rainbow Bar - a neon sign for a bar - Bars Near Me - Billings, Montana

See all

Who needs selection? This place rocks. You feel like your stepping into the 80s. Inaudible music, too much makeup, greasy stringy hair and dark cloths. Add to that a creepy dark room that could pass as a mortuary. Do bring a friend. read more

Death Metal tee-shirt wearing bartenders + lots of slots + STRONG drinks + interesting/cool vibe + cool architecture/history of the building + NOT a gay bar = a fun hole in the wall bar, perfect for a night of drinking close to our hotel! ha :) read more

While visiting my wife's family for the holidays, we assumed this was a gay bar and headed over. We are pretty sure it's not actually a gay bar, but the drinks were strong, the bartenders were nice and we felt completely comfortable. Thanks Rainbow! read more

With a name like "The Rainbow", you'd think it was a gay bar. Definitely not, but it's actually quite decent. Guy bartender for the night was really nice and made me feel comfortable. Jukebox music is decent. Locals seem to be friendly or into their own business which I like coming from an area where the locals know everyone's business. Drinks were a great price and and plentiful. Only had tap, but the guy mixed 2 and they turned out delicious! Hoping to be able to visit again with the same service! read more

Glad I found this gem. It's a perfect dive bar, meaning cheap strong drinks but! A relaxing non threatening vibe and very fun people! Also the original 30's Tin ceiling is neat! read more

The ole 'Bow lives in infamy for any Billings resident, or anyone that has stumbled into it on their way through town. I loved it for the stiff, cheap drinks. I would NEVER go in there alone. Anyhow, I always got tanked off about two or three drinks. I could barely stand after the second one night. That was the first time my cat watched me puke into the toilet with that oh so curious look after my friend dropped me off at home. I wish I could say that was the last time. I was never there before all the upgrades, but this place is definitely still a dive. Always a good standby if you need a story, are really bored, or need to get really really f***ed up and fast. read more

Used to be a dive bar, but they've upgraded everything. They've even got those new-fangled toilets that you don't need to flush. In the Rainbow! I swear. I was ambivalent about the upgrades until I went in on a Saturday morning and saw the same cast of old regulars. First visit to the Rainbow, six years ago: I walked in with a cowboy from Eastern Montana at 11:00 P.M. on a Tuesday. Why the heck were we going to a gay bar? (It's not a gay bar). We'd been drinking since 5:00 and I was still wearing a suit - we were both quite drunk. Several of the patrons got nervous, two or three made a rush for the back door, leaving their drinks behind. I asked the bartender what was going on, he told me that they thought I was the new probation officer in town. Nice. I kind of liked the Rainbow better before they cleaned it up, but they've still got nice bartenders and good, stiff drinks, a regular clientele that's a bit rough around the edges, and $1 Kokanee beer on tap. Not bad, not bad at all. read more

Why did they name this bar rainbow bar? There was definitely nothing rainbow about this bar. The drinks are definitely strong. Stronger than I like my gin and tonics, but hey I'll take it. The bartender mentioned there not being any fruit, I didn't get it the first time. So I asked if they had any lime, and he said I meant it when I said there wasn't any fruit in this bar. Like a previous yelper mentioned, I probably wouldn't step in there alone. Cheap and strong. What's more to like? Our first round: 1 G&T, 2 beers=$8! Love the rainbow bar! Will definitely be back! read more

This place is my Jam!!! Katie the new bartender is fucking fabulous! Foxy 2! Plus the drinks are amazeballs!

You don't go the Rainbow to drink beer. You could do that at far finer establishments accross Billings. You go the Rainbow to drink ridculously strong mixed drinks and meet random "MMA fighters" and burgeoning B-rated porn filmakers. Or so I hear. These drinks are strong and I'm speaking as a seasoned drinker. I can handle three or four G&T's a night and still stand and generally interact with my companions. After TWO drinks at the Rainbow I was struggling to standup straight in my flipflops. This bar is not for the feint of heart. read more

This is a bar, not an art room serving wine and craft brews, discussing the finer points of cheesy metalwork and other nonsense. This is the place you go to get a stiff drink, listen to some Scorpions and get a jag on. read more

No, no, no. This is the scariest bar ever!! Drunks out front cat calling and the inside is not any better than it was in the 70s If you want a fast DRUNK then they do serve STRONG drinks! read more

The Rainbow was a place I was scared to go in, but as other reviewers noted, it got a facelift a few years ago and has been attracting a younger crowd. I've only been in it over the Holidays when I come back to the Magic, Tragic City to visit the folks and friends. There does seem to be some of the rough n tumble regulars, but temepered with folks in town for the season. Recently we ended up there after starting at the un-remodeled Western Bar... right after arriving there seemed to be a ruckus between bartenders, with one of them storming out. And then some drunken, cussing woman barging her way in.. we asked the bouncer why he let her in.. "I know her.. I like to know who I'm gonna have problems with.." Stiff drinks, not that many beers on tap. The one I ordered had been broken that night. One of those newer wall mounted digital jukeboxes was playing loud, metal-esque rock. Its a good thing last call came around before the Miles Davis songs came on that my pal Keith had plugged in. read more

This bar is the WORST bar to attend in town!! The customer service was SO bad! My friend needed help, and she asked for it while he was making a drink, and he literally said to her "Are you blind? I'm busy." We stood there shocked at the pure and utter rudeness from the bartender, and then he was like "What do you so desperately need help with that it can't wait?" And we explained our scenario, and then he wouldn't give us help, and started mocking us to the other customers, ALL while he was in front of us. It was SO UNCALLED FOR, and absolutely disgusting. 10/10 WOULD NOT recommend coming here. read more

This is my favorite bar in the historic district of Billings those whom are into Day drinking! The best time to go is Monday , Tuesday daytime and also Friday daytime that's when Dick is working he's the best goddamn bartender in town! It's chill and relaxed mostly but you bet your ass you have the opportunity to experience and Witness some memorable situations ! The best place in the most comfortable location for me to drink in town and I've lived here my whole life!Don't be sacred! Go to the Bow get you a sipper of Jagermeister! Which is about 4 Shots and enjoy your time you can't drink all day unless you start in the morning last time I checked if you're not a regular you can't drink like the people who are regulars at the rainbow you'll be blacked out drunk up and blackout in 2 hours it's fun to watch those type of people come in and out read more

The Rainbow is one cool place.. it was the 1st bar that I went to in Billings. The drinks are stiff and the crowd is always great for people watching. I've left The Rainbow many a time stumbling and even ended up on some girls couch in the morning. It's definitely a drinkers bar. It seems to have sort of a hard edge to it but really everyone is friendly and respectful. It's sort of a neighborhood bar or at least it has that feeling. A lot of locals and people of all walks of life go. read more

NOT a gay bar as stated by YELP. But if you want a good stiff drink for cheap & rock out to a great sound system on the digital juke box with friends then this is your joint in downtown Billings. read more

This is probably the best people watching bar in Billings. There is guaranteed to be at least 2 hobos in there at all times. I've seen a hobo who looks like a muppet in there get carried out by EMTs. I've seen a girl in a rainbow bright costume. The Rainbow is a loud and drunken good time, but don't go in there wearing your finest outfit asking for a martini. Also, it's cash only. read more

A scuzzy dive bar that makes stiff drinks. The creepiest of crowds in billings. Shuffleboard table covered at night. So you get a narrow bar with creepers spilling on themselves. And a few keno machines and newer bathrooms at least. No food nor would I eat a bag of peanuts from here. And not a gay bar despite the name for out of town people. The loft is the only one I've heard of. read more

We went to Rainbow bar after a concert on a Monday night in July and there were not a lot of people there, mostly locals. But after 20 minutes and 3 times of attempting to get the bartenders attention had failed we walked out of this bar. . We had money and willing to spend it but apparently our money wasn't good enough for this bar. We went across the street to a bar called Railyard Ale House it was really nice and the drinks were great. Rainbow was awful I would say Railyard was a better choice and more beer selection. read more

If you're looking for creepers and outlaws, you've come to the right place. This place is old school Montana Ave before they cleaned the place up. Cheap beer, it's kinda fun, but keep your head on a swivel. read more

My friend and I stopped to have a drink here after dinner down town. A couple of drunks, maybe homeless, came in and bothered us. The bartender finally kicked them out. Over the hour we were there the bartender had to kick several more people out. He was drinking shots with customers and messed up our second drink order on our second and last round. The juke box kept freezing up and we lost our money we put into it. It seems like a rough place and we won't go back. The outside is very rundown and only the RAI is lit up on the main sign. The inside is nice and the large bars tools are the most comfy I have ever sat on. read more

This place rocks !!! Where else could you see a bartender 1 who is 7 foot tall and black working with bartender 2 who is sporting iron cross tattoos.... This place has a "bad name" but pretty mellow for the most part. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely blood and teeth on the floor at times but it's not Disney Land.... read more

Great bar with an interesting mix of patrons. "Clean" the barkeep is an attentive, professional guy.

Definitely a dive bar. A family of four could get drunk on $10 in this place. The patrons are a little rough. Use the buddy system.

Rainbow Bar, what can I say, a must visit in Downtown Billings. It is pretty much your definition of a dive, hole in the wall bar. Long and narrow, most of the seating consists of bar stools, but a few tables can be found scattered on the side and in back. Definitely a place where the locals meet. If you are going with friends to check it out, I would recommend going before 10 on a weekend night. After that it's usually filled with the college age crowd and hard rock/metal will be blaring at all times from the jukebox. The drinks are cheap and strong. If you are out for the night, this should be your first stop. A regular drink will have as much booze as a double anywhere else, buyer beware. This place is cash only and don't expect any garnishes with your drink, they don't carry any fruits (limes, lemons, oranges) for your drink. There is an ATM near the jukebox. When it gets busy it can get difficult to get a drink and get the bartenders attention, don't be surprised to see a fight break out late on weekend nights, usually not a mild crowd at all. My suggestion, get there early, order a $1 PBR on tap, a stiff mixed drink and move on before it gets rowdy and packed. read more

These reviews had me rolling on the floor laughing. Between the scared, the gays and the judgemental. This is a great bar with great staff. Have got to know all them real close. Sketchy people will always walk into a bar. Servers will ignore you because you are either very rude or they are having a heart to heart with a customer. These guys give to shits about tips, they care about clientel. They want people to come back and it works. I've gotten discounted and free drinks and also home cooked meals. Definitely not a bar for the faint of heart "easily offended pussies". Rainbow is THE bar to go to in billings. read more

Good bar to travel through, certainly not to stay at all night because you will end up sicker then a dog who ate chocolate. Cheap, stiff drinks but werid people. I mean, werid people. I certainly would not come here without the company of a few guys. read more

I've heard about this bar since I got into town, half the people I talked to told me to go to this bar and half told me not to. All of them assured me it wasn't a gay bar(who cares). I was told this was the place get geared up for a night out, the cheapest and stiffest drinks in town. People warned me that it was a rough, blue collar bar and that there was a possibility that I may get into a fight. Well seeing as I'm working in a refinery locally, I figured I could slip in here unnoticed. Well, this place was awesome. I had 3 vodka tonics and I was just about hammered. And the prices were great. The crowd was young with a few old workers sprinkled in. Long bar with some tables scattered about and a few video poker machines in the back. All drinks served in plastic cups(fine by me). I go to a lot of dive bars and this was not frightening in the least. Great party environment, this may become my favorite bar in Billings! read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS I wish I could give this place 0 stars, I was kicked in the head by man dancing on the bar and nothing was done. The bartender was drunk and taking shots and the other patrons are a nightmare. The management cursed me out when I complained. Nothing would make me happier than to see this place shut down. And the bartender threw ice cubes at the patrons. read more