Missoula's oldest (and roughest) bar
I was wandering around old downtown, looking up and around, bumping into things when I walked by this run-down building. I could tell there was a story there. I walked inside and saw many of the homeless men that were earlier also wandering around town, pretty rough looking bunch inside, a man and woman were arguing loudly at one table, drunk, in my opinion. Two or three groups were seated at the big tables. I guess they are allowed in here without judgment.
To the right was a long worn wooden bar, I was told the story about it being chain-sawed in half back in the early 50‘s, and moved by the regulars from another location, just down the block, drinks still on the bar as it was moved. The bar was opened in 1883, hasn’t closed since.
I took one picture of the old menu inside, the cook yelled at me to not take any pictures. I asked him why, was Jimmy Hoffa was in there? He didn’t think I was funny…
Past the bar is an open kitchen with stools, like an old diner. It’s food is greasy and tasty, I was told.
A popular dish is the J.J.’s Chicken fried steak, they have reportedly served up over 207,000 of them to date.
Gambling is alive and well here, live Poker every night, starts at 8:00 P.M. and lasts until it stops. The longest remembered game was over 39 hours.
Video gaming is in the back, around 15 old machines, half of them won’t take your bills. To get change, and collect on your tickets, you have to walk the gauntlet of homeless and drunks.
Not a place I would recommend taking the little lady…unless she is packing.