Entry No. 14 — the Missoula file — filed under: ritual-music
Union Club Bar & Grill
A genuinely historic downtown bar tied to a 100-plus-year lineage. The original 1896 Union Hall (on land donated by copper magnate Marcus Daly) burned in 1911, and the present brick building opened in 1917. The bar earned one of Missoula's inaugural Legacy Business Awards in 2019 for over a century of service. It's cheap drinks, pool tables, gaming machines, karaoke, and weekend local bands rather than a polished cocktail program. In 2025 Esquire named it one of the best bars in America, which is its own kind of hidden-in-plain-sight badge.
The story
Copper magnate Marcus Daly donated the dirt under 208 East Main Street back in the 1890s to give Missoula's working class a proper Union Hall. That original 1896 wood-framed building caught fire and burned to the ground in 1911, but the brick structure erected in its place in 1917 hasn't flinched since. While the rest of downtown modernizes around it, the Union Club stays anchored to its roots, earning one of the city's inaugural Legacy Business Awards in 2019 for over a century of continuous service.
You didn't hear it from us, but national glossy magazines usually ruin local institutions when they discover them. In 2025, Esquire unexpectedly placed this unvarnished watering hole on its list of the best bars in America—a strange badge of honor for a spot built on cheap pours, gaming machines, and pool tables rather than smoked bitters. Thankfully, the place remains thoroughly un-gentrified: a big, straightforward room where locals have voted the dance floor the best in town for nearly two decades.
What it's like
Stepping inside feels like entering a genuine neighborhood refuge that completely ignores modern bar trends. You’ll find a broad floor anchored by pool tables, glowing video poker machines, and a bar that pours stiff, cheap drinks without a drop of pretense. If you arrive on a Friday or Saturday night around 9 PM, expect a crowded dance floor and local live bands with zero cover charge. Weeknights dial down the noise for trivia nights hosted by DJ Carlos, late-night karaoke, or an quiet afternoon game of pool.
The move: Shoot pool over cheap drinks and stick around for a local band or karaoke in one of the few Missoula bars Esquire actually ranked.
📍 Before you go Working-class neighborhood-bar atmosphere, not a craft-cocktail den; live music and karaoke are concentrated on weekend nights.
- 📍 Missoula (Downtown)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 208 E Main St, Missoula, MT 59802
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Charlie B's (Dinosaur Cafe) — Walk two blocks west to keep the historic dive crawl going beneath Charlie B's famous wall of local black-and-white portraits.
- The Grotto — Trade the wide-open dance floor at the Union Club for a subterranean hideaway hidden down a concrete staircase off The Old Post's back patio.
- Double Front Cafe Basement Bar — Head south to pair your pool game with legendary fried chicken in a historic 1909 basement bar.
- Unseen Missoula: Screams & Spirits — Follow up a drink at Missoula's century-old labor brick house with an after-dark walking tour of downtown's underground history.
Good to know
Does the Union Club charge a cover for live music?
No. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights starting around 9 PM has no cover charge.
What kind of drinks should I order here?
Stick to the basics. It is a working-class dive bar built on affordable draft beers, simple shot-and-a-beer combos, and straightforward well drinks—not craft cocktails.
What are the bar's regular hours?
The Union Club is open daily from 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM, though it is always wise to confirm hours before heading out.
How old is the current building?
The original 1896 Union Hall burned down in 1911. The current brick building opened in 1917 and has operated on East Main Street ever since.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · z100missoula.com · historicmt.org · missouladowntown.com · Facebook · Instagram
last checked: 2026-06-24