James Bar — Restaurant in Missoula

Got sick from this "special" a couple weeks ago. Going back to place a bad review because it's just so outrageous. +$23 for this meal, undercooked pork made me violently I'll 17 hours after eating it. Woke up puking.

I've managed restaurants and have been a cook for 15+ years. I never would place this low of a review because of this but this needs to be taken seriously. Aside from me getting sick from eating just the pork.

Look at this plate and tell me you wouldn't send it back? I tried, only to get my drink comped and was old I don't understand how food cost works and how they have "CoGs" to meet. She was using the terminology wrong when trying to cover up an aggregious dining decision that wasnt even hers. Yes the cook should have temped my pork. But what I see is a cascade of bad decisions. No way in hell does a pile of wet rice-a-roni a skewer of cheap meat and a slice of a tomato cost +$20.

I missed work the next day due to a cooks incompetence, I overpayed due to an owners greed, I was gas lit about being upset not wanting to pay for the meal I didn't even take a bite of yet. If only I didn't I wouldn't have got sick. And they lost a customer and a lot of others because of this same exact plate. Check reddit out, this is not an isolated incident.

On behalf of the workers I'm sorry for...

I used to love going to the James bar for the decor, friendly waitress, and refreshing beverages. That all changed when I decided to bring 5 friends, who had not been there before, to try out some drinks and the service was horrible. The drinks were terrible, and no one could drink them, so I asked the bartender if they could add something to make it better. The bar tender was a complete jerk and kept shouting at me "what do you want?!". Well Adam, I would tell you if I knew what was wrong with the drinks and if you would stop shouting at me. Then, they messed up my bill and gave me another tables bill. Just when I thought the service could not get worse the bartender threw the correct bill at me and said "here".

I called the next day to complain not only for the horrible service but because I was charged twice. Guess who answers the phone! He wouldn't let me talk to anyone else and then made a rude comment about my friends. So that was nice.

I have had some pretty bad service before but never have I not left a tip for someone. Adam, did not receive a tip. He was rude, abrupt and just a pompous jerk. Needless to say my friends were appalled and we will not be going back. I will miss the James Bar but dealing with A-holes...

Dear James Bar,

I know staffing has been historically bad in Missoula. I know the pandemic has made dining experiences considerably fraught. And while I’m grateful for the fun, local-yet-slightly-upscale ambiance you create, your food has become all but inedible.

I understand why your prices have increased over the past year or so, but it doesn’t make any sense to charge 16 dollars for a burger (No fries) if you are neither going to cook it to order (my medium rare was dry to the literal point of crumbling) nor serve it on a fresh bun (I’d reckon my bun was at least a week old).

To the same end, if you’re going to charge 8 clams for a modest portion of fries (truffle-essenced, not truffle), it seems right to at least aim not to burn each of them. Every fry.

I came to your spot looking for a little solace—a simple beer and burger. I found nothing but ambivalence.

The place has got potential but no gumption, I guess. To folks looking for a nice date night in Missoula, go virtually anywhere else. I might recommend Flippers—a little seedier but burgers (fries included) are reliably moist.

Down with capital. Down with service standards. But down with gouged-up yuppie prices for...