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Club Charles
Categories: Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Restaurants American (New) Dive Bars, American (New)
1724 N Charles StBaltimore, MD 21201
Neighborhood: Station North
(410) 727-8815
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 2 am
Sun 6 pm - 12 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
31 reviews for Club Charles
Review Highlights
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the jukebox."
(in 9 reviews)
"a fine selection of cute bartenders, who were both very..."
(in 9 reviews)
"...street or you just came to hang out the atmosphere is very..."
(in 4 reviews)
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31 reviews in English
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Review from Kurt I.
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really liked this place. Great atmosphere, good selection of suds, a cute bartender, but no natty bo? Wha? Isn't this Baltimore? Get some if your finest cheap beer on tap please.
That is all. -
Review from Jacqueline S.
Minneapolis, MN
1/13/2012
Solid jukebox, relatively diverse crowd (albeit still consistently young adults with beards and lefty political perspectives) and well-priced drinks.
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Review from Melody C.
7/22/2011
The first time I was introduced to Club Charles I was very intoxicated, so I loved it. Dark and creepy with red walls. Right up my alley ;) This is all I recall, and I kept this memory with me for a while.
I just recently went back to grab a couple drinks with my boyfriend. I was kind of disappointed. Despite its local fame, I don't really see the big draw. Still cool atmosphere, but the drinks weren't cheap (kinda seemed they should've been), the bar stools were falling apart, and the crowd was just local hipsters. As described everywhere, they're pretentious. Don't expect random conversations with strangers to start or to make any new friends. And where the hell were these trapeze artists I hear about?! That would've sold it for me I think. The bartender chick was cute and friendly. We got a couple beverages and left. I'd go back with a group, but eh, I could take it or leave it.Listed in: Maryland bars
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Review from Jonathan G.
Nottingham, MD
6/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like Club Charles, I really do. The inside is dark, the feeling is seedy but hipster-y, and I've been there more often while John Waters was having a drink than when he wasn't. The beer selection is slightly above average, and the service is great, and it's a good hangout before or after a flick at The Charles.
That said, the food menu isn't really anything worthwhile, and I feel like I've tried quite a few things. The hours also leave a lot to be desired - I've walked across the street from the movies for a beer, and they've been closed, and this was around 4 or 4:30pm.
It's definitely a place everyone who lives in Baltimore should visit, and the atmosphere is fantastic - a good mix of all kinds of personalities and styles. -
Review from Rachel E.
Centreville, VA
7/26/2011
I'm basically just going to copy and paste my review for 'The Depot' for 'Club Charles', just changing a few keywords because my review is almost exactly the same. Yay, it's review mad libs.
I think I've been here maybe 3 times and only once did I have a semi-decent time with the aide of excessive amounts of alcohol. I don't necessarily blame the entire bar for that but still. The first time someone invited me I approached the door and almost turned around and ran all the way back to my car. In retrospect I wish I had. I recall the drinks got me drunk, but I really don't go out just to drink. I drink so I can socialize more easily and feel less awkward when I dance and this not a place to dance. Maybe if you were alone or there were 5 other people here, which was the case I believe every time I went here. I've honestly had bedrooms that were bigger than this entire bar, not that bars need to be big. Baltimore nightlife really sucks, there are douche clubs (Power Plant area) and um... places to get drunk at. I guess this is a place to get drunk at?
It has a lonely, heartbreak hotel, dive bar that has been lost in time vibe to it which I suppose could be appealing...
The people are usually clannish, not speaking to anyone but the people they came with, and goat help you if you're single, everyone is too busy being up their own donkey to talk to anyone new. It sounds asinine but this place feels so sad, I even feel like slitting my wrists just reminiscing about it. The decor is dark and twisted which I actually liked and I don't really recall the music they played since I was talking to my "friend" the whole time. Oh, this was years ago by the way when I went here. -
Review from Rachel F.
Baltimore, MD
1/26/2011
Dive bar, Shmive Bar.
Club Charles, or "Club Chuck" as I like to say, makes frequent appearances in my weekly bar rotation. Not because the drinks are cheap-ish (even thought I can never figure out the deals or promos for the day), or because there is surprisingly good food (try their pizza or nachos), but because of one, glowing, life force tucked away inside the bar. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the jukebox. Whether it's Fleetwood Mac, my favorite Baltimore band, or an artist I'm not cool enough to know about yet, it's there.Listed in: Best Place to be a Hipster
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Review from Adam J. K.
Baltimore, MD
1/24/2011
A pretty standard staple, Club Charles is an easy place to go to on any given night. Cheap drinks (though a recent price increase and the end of "Two for Tuesdays" are both regrettable), great environment, and a fun jukebox (though many selections are "off-limits" because the band is probably sitting at the other end of the bar).
I just caught a bit of a review of the food, but I have to disagree. Club Charles serves options from the (no longer operating) Zodiac next door, and I've never had anything I didn't like there. The "Poor Man's Stew" is a solid, hearty stew, with a giant hunk of jalepeno cornbread served on the side. The spinach dip is great (as are the chips it comes with), and I've enjoyed their pizza as well, though it's definitely "bar" pizza, and nothing to get ecstatic about.
The bartenders are all total sweethearts, and someone said something about them all being cute -- true. Sometimes it can get crowded and hard to keep everyone happy, but they generally do a good job, keeping drinks coming and feeding the jukebox with dollar bills when it's slow earlier in the night.
The atmosphere is always dark, cozy, and a little cheesy, but just wait until the holidays! Halloween decorations are NOT TO BE MISSED, but don't worry, they'll leave them up for weeks. Christmas decorations are less impressive, but only by comparison.
As for the crowd, it can vary but is generally fun and welcoming. Lots of creative types around (thanks to it's location in the "Station North Arts District") but usually that just means beards and asymmetrical haircuts with bangs... two things that I find completely appealing. -
Review from Caitlin D.
Baltimore, MD
9/23/2011
I love Club Charles. As bars go, when I moved to Baltimore, this is where I wanted to be. It isn't pretentious or intimidating, it's okay to sit alone or with a large group. Chances are you'll run into some interesting people, the bar staff is friendly, knowledgeable and fast. I mean, it's Club Charles. What more could you want? Dark red lighting, comfy leather booths, and good music pumping out of the jukebox all night.
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Review from Tony M.
Baltimore, MD
7/20/2011
And in conclusion....
I really used to love Club Charles. It is the only decent bar in town with Tom Waits in the jukebox, the Bar Staff is always pretty cool, and I have had tons of good times. I only say I used to love it, because it got a little too hipster for me. And if there is one thing that ruins a good time it's a stinky hipster. Not all hipsters, just the annoying ones, or the ones who refuse to use deodorant. Which equates to around 72% of all known hipsters.
The food at Club Charles in the past was pretty amazing for a divey bar. The Zodiac (R.I.P.) was my favorite restaurant in Baltimore until it closed down a few years ago. In my opinion it was because of bad management. Numerous times when going to see movies at the Charles Theater, I had to walk up to the door of Zodiac and try to open it, because you could never tell if it was open or not. This restaurant management 101. They can blame the city fro having the street torn up for 2 years all they want, but even when the street was fine, you could never tell if the place was open. It's a real shame because it was a great restaurant.
Anyway... Club Charles uses the same kitchen and last time I was there, the same cooks as Zodiac did. The pizza is fantastic.
I am giving Club Charles 5 stars because if it is what you are looking for, it is a great bar, and if you have never been to it, it is a must see for the city. -
Review from Peter F.
Brooklyn, NY
12/4/2010
Maybe I don't understand this word "gastropub" that I hear tossed around by foodie sorts. Maybe this is how they're supposed to work- high prices, iffy-at-best food, and awful service. But wow, was this place a letdown!
I went here for food, which I guess is frowned upon, even though their website makes a big deal about the non-booze element of this place. When I got there and asked the bartender/waitress (only one, who looked to be about 22 and really unhappy to be there), where I should sit if I were to get food, she responded as if she didn't work there and didn't know why I was asking her. A long time later, we get menus.
Menus read "ask about our specials" and "ask about our homemade deserts". Being the enthusiastic out of towner I am, I asked about both and got this response from the ray of sunshine that was our server:
"Uhhhh...some kind of turkey...thing. And we don't do vegan desserts anymore."
Ooook. I looked for a cheap item on the not-so-cheap menu, and got the vegan chili with cornbread, which arrived barely warm with nachos instead of cornbread, and no warning about the switch. My date got the spinach and artichoke dip, which was reportedly mediocre at best.
We asked for the check, and she came by the the table with paper, but held on to the paper and said "Oh..yer total is $18.95" and walked away. I'm no food service expert, but I thought it was pretty customary to like... see your bill. Maybe even get it face down for discretion. Not here. I followed her back to the bar, asked if I could pay by credit card, and did.
$20 for a soup and an apetizer, both kinda bland, from a dive bar with some seriously bad service. The only thing saving this place from a one star rating was the decor (kinda nice!) and the hipster eyecandy (I can't help myself) that arrived later. But wow. Serious diappointment. -
Review from blahbla h.
Pasadena, CA
4/21/2011
Club Chuck is the coolest bar I went to in Baltimore. I don't live in Baltimore, so I'm probably not the greatest reviewer. However, I have fond memories from visiting friends there.
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Review from Michelle K.
Brooklyn, NY
11/4/2009
You know what, Baltimore bars are not bad at all. Baltimore food sucks, but you can't really rip on the bar scene aside from the 1:30 last call.
I used to live right by here, so I'd come here all the time. Now I live in Hampden, and I still come here all the time. (Not a fan of Hampden bars and the affectations of Rocket to Venus or Golden West. ESPECIALLY not a fan of their prices.)
Club Charles is awesome on Sunday nights when it's dead and it's still awesome when it's completely packed on a Friday night with a show at the Zodiac next door.
The bartenders are always so nice and friendly despite the crowds hovering at every end of the bar waiting for a drink or their tab, so I will drink a mixed drink that's sometimes a little too strong. Next time I'll order a $3 Yuengling off the draft. And most of the times they have total babes working behind the bar.
The barback with glasses is totally awesome dude too.
Also, Sunday nights are "Shipwreck Sundays" so it's $2 Red Stripes and $3 rum drinks.
The only downfall is that it's so dark and red inside that you can't really tell who's a girl or a guy. I like it though, because I think the darkness lends itself to the attitude of not-giving-a-shit. I don't see why all these "artsy" pretentious assholes bother some of the other reviewers when you can't really see or hear them anyway.
Either way it's the bar atmosphere I prefer the most, especially in comparison to Brewer's or Dionysis or anything in Hampden. -
Review from Kristin S.
Baltimore, MD
2/2/2010
I would like to get a shirt made that just says "Club Chuck" on it and wear it 24/7. And when people would ask me about the meaning of my shirt, I would say that it's to pay homage to one of the best, most understated bars in Baltimore.
You might be saying to yourself: dude, come on. This place looks creepy on the outside and there's a good chance I'll get robbed on North Avenue. And what do I say to that? If you're thinking about that, you don't understand this bar. It's not supposed to be glamorous, it's not supposed to be trendy. It has character and with great bartenders and prices to boot, you should just savor the ambiance. Club Chuck has trapeze artists, for Christ's sake. +50 right there!
This bar isn't for everyone but for those regulars and understanding folks out there, you know how cool this place is. Think of it like a 'Cheers'--- except everyone might not know your name and yeah, you might get jumped out on North Ave. But psshhh, details. -
Review from Bria D.
12/27/2008
Ah, Club Charles. You and your trapeze delivered some of the few bright spots of my Baltimorean tenure. I'd come visit you on a Friday night, cram myself into your teeming throngs, be bathed in red lighting, order a Manhattan, and listen to music that I'd actually want to hear.
There were times when I'd go by and the crowd would be completely dead (once in the heat of summer when your air conditioner was broken, but other times unexplained). The barstaff seemed friendly but I never really got the opportunity to befriend them because Baltimore's version of hipster boys were all throwing their nonchalant fervor into trying to woo them at once. I can't recommend Club Charles as a non-stop all the time extravaganza of fun. But it's head and shoulders above most of the local competition. -
Review from K Sera S.
1/25/2008
A dive in the best sense of the word. Retro without being kitschy, unpretentious yet hip, Club Charles is a Baltimore institution. And I love the fact that I have to get buzzed in. It makes me feel edgy and seedy! (Yep, I'm just that much of a dork.)
Come February 2nd, it'll be smoke-free (as will all bars in B'more), which I have to say will kind of spoil it for me. It's not so much that I'll miss smoking, it's more that I'll miss the vaguely noir touch of a low-hanging fog of second-hand smoke that gave it that, "Yep, this is a dive" feel. I'll get over it! Great place for a pre- or after-movie drink. Interesting Yelp from Christie S. about the influx of art-crowd.... -
Review from Mark M.
Astoria, NY
12/20/2010
This was one of my favorite places in Baltimore when I lived there. Good tunes, good crowd, good vibe, strong drinks, cute waitstaff, dark corners and cozy booths (great for making out with random strangers). All that and a trapeze act. It's pretty much the perfect bar.
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Review from Lauren G.
9/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's hard for me to really find a problem with this place. It's a good bar. Don't know about the food (never had it) but the drinks are strong and cheap, so what more can you ask for?
Listed in: I like to drink beer
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Review from Elizabeth B.
Baltimore, MD
4/6/2010
Either the drinks here are stupid cheap, or our bartender last Thursday knocked AT LEAST a round off our tab. Whichever one is true, it made a fan of me.
I've since decided that the Charles is what The Depot sorta used to be, and still wishes really hard it was. Only nicer. And with cuter bartenders. She gave us advice on tattoos, and she made us really strong and really yummy Red Apple Ketel One martinis.
It was a quiet night, even once the hour grew late enough for a crowd. And there was some terrible thumpy music happening a couple doors down, but it's a great chill place to hang out.
The only thing it's missing is a decent dance night, though the jukebox had some seriously awesome old stuff on it, once people started to feed it.
Oh, and be careful if you duck outside for a cigarette or breath of fresh air, you're likely to get hit up for change by a random possibly drunk homeless woman who will totally yell at you if you don't give her the ten in your wallet. Not that I know from experience or anything. -
Review from Judy C.
New York, NY
2/13/2009
Love love love the place! Nice drinks...good crowd (yes, I'm a little hipster-esque)...great music...awesome decor! The bartender is also very friendly. I guess with the loss of Zodiac (for food...RIP), Club Charles now serves food (although I haven't tried it yet).
If I were to go hang out at a bar, then I'd definitely consider Club Charles first. -
Review from Sarah F.
Brooklyn, NY
7/11/2007 1 photo
I can't believe there is only one review for Club Chuck! This one of the best bars in Baltimore. It is has a very cool atmosphere (very art deco, 1930's black & red furniture, lots of murals), friendly bartenders, and good drinks.
Don't be suprised if you see John Waters here, this place is a Baltimore staple. Barry Levinson actually filmed scenes for his 1999 movie "Liberty Heights" in this bar.
And if you get hungry just walk next door to Zodiac, the food is awesome and cheap too -
Review from Bradley M.
North Pole, AK
3/12/2008
From 1995-2000, when i lived in Baltimore, this was by FAR my favorite bar to hang at. So please note I haven't been there for some time, so if there have been any major changes or a decline in quality I do not know of it.
They have(had?) a fine selection of cute bartenders, who were both very skilled and extremely friendly.
The atmosphere is warm and lounge like, it was always a very comfortable place to be.
They also have (had?) a great jukebox.
I hope this place is as good as the many memories my friends and I have shared there! -
Review from Deon R.
Baltimore, MD
1/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This bar is great as far as location since I don't have to go too far from home and then its surrounded by a lot of other places you can eat and find amusement at(Charles Theatre). Besides location its a great bar to chill and socialize. Weather its after a play or movie across the street or you just came to hang out the atmosphere is very comfortable, dim, yet cheerful. I've also enjoyed great customer service from the bartenders as they are so nice. Food is ok too when you don't want to drink on an empty stomach. Drink specials through out the week can tend to give you a favorite night to come through, but on just about any night there are fun, interesting crowd of people to greet you.
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Review from Natalie F.
Silver Spring, MD
4/9/2008
Pretty cool place to get a drink and hang out before going to the Depot for an 80's dance party. Don't be surprised if no one talks to you though because they are pretentious art assholes.
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Review from Takaki K.
Arlington, VA
1/21/2007
They have a very nice atmosphere inside that I don't just want to call it dive. Eclectic, decadent, hip, dive, each of these words describes part of its feel. I may as well give up categorizing it because the bartender in a mistress dress did tricks on the swing over the bar. Duh. I like this place. It's across from the movie theater so it's a good place to get a drink when waiting for the show time and the pretentious tapas place is full.
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Review from sidney m.
Baltimore, MD
12/14/2008
The homebase for Baltimore's dirty hipsters. Be prepared to encounter attitude. Preferred clothing is either an all black ensemble, or subtly paint spattered t-shirt and jeans to display that you are an aspiring artist. NPR listening, republican hating, bisexual posing, slumming it former suburbanites at their finest. Very good jukebox, and good reliable bartenders. How it will survive after the smoking ban is anyone's guess. Overall, quite amusing.
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Review from Christie S.
Baltimore, MD
9/11/2007
I wish Club Charles were more of a dive. I think I would like it more. I like the fact that they have a lot of indie bands and 70's punk on the juke box, but the crowd can be way to pretentious and hipster for me. I want drunks and tweaked out people from Club Charles like it used to be. Now the drafts are a dollar more than they used to be and artsy wannabes make up most of the population who frequent this bar. Ugggh. And they are probably all vegetarian. Last time I was there this asshole at the bar with a flock of seagulls/fall out boy haircut, girls jeans, and a hello kitty tattoo kept elbowing me. It's all I could do from setting his greasy do on fire. And they just keep getting worse. I am giving it four stars because well, I keep going there for some reason. I try only to go when there are no art openings at that metro art place. Because then, the crowd is truly insufferable.
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Review from Mo A.
1/28/2010
Great bar with low priced drinks and a great atmosphere. The jukebox needs some work, but the space is great for group socialiIng and debaucherous libation. It is often my first stop after getting off the train since it is so close to Penn Station.
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Review from Lee M.
Baltimore, MD
7/29/2008
A little too expensive, considering its pretty much a hole-in-the-wall, but it has its charm. Good music, comfortable booths, and a "unique" crowd make it worth coming back to but I could do without the neo-beatnick hipster doofi that somethimes plague the front bar.
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Review from Mike C.
Napa, CA
9/27/2008
If you are sick of Baltimore and would like to pretend you are somewhere else, in the afternoon Club Charles is a nice escape. Unlike most other "dive" bars in Baltimore it does not reek of an unknown organic mixture and the label "where smart people meet" confuses most of the general population long enough for you to get a few good drinking hours in before they find you.
The jukebox is a good example of why its not good to trust a scenesters taste in drinking music. As you scroll from cherry-poppin-daddies to cliche hip-hop/hair metal mixes past terrible comps from current and past bartenders, through the ever-worn best of's Queen, VU, Pulp, Stones, and come to a panel that says "Vampire Weekend," its clear that creating a good jukebox is more than lights, bubbles and a reliance on what everyone else is listening to. Yet I still give it my money and pretend the draft beers are cold enough while I wait for the best duck entree in the city to keep me company.
The bars high ceilings and dark atmosphere make it easy to breathe and drink.... and breathe.... and drink. -
Review from Scott K.
Baltimore, MD
3/2/2010
Good times! Nough said. Party it up and drink losers. Ha! Ha!
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Review from Mike W.
Baltimore, MD
5/3/2010
It's where you go for drinks before/after a movie at the Charles Theater if you don't want to pay a million dollars at tapas teatro. They have a captive audience yet the drinks are still reasonable cheap. The juke box is great and I'm told the food isn't half bad either. Though, if it's the same as the old Zodiac restaurant next store, it's fair to middling and reasonable for the price.
