I love Charlie's for its sincerity! the first time I went there, I came early to get some line dancing lessons in. Learned a wonderful dance, and got several drinks. It was a good night! It has become a Thursday night thing now, not that regularly but frequent enough. I am still amazed and awed by the two-steppers and line dancers! There are some fantastic dancers who go to Charlie's and can be slightly intimidating. I am not a very big fan of country western music so I have to reserve a star. My rec is go early on a Thursday night, two for one drinks, and learn a line dance. You can meet lots of men on the floor that way. read more

I have mixed feelings about this place.. Its very clean, spacious, and hosts tons of fun activities.. The other patrons were very open and friendly as well which was nice. . However, I do have to say that this place is VERY frugal on their mixed drinks.. I ordered a gin and tonic and to my disappointment all I could taste was tonic, no gin...Long story short, no accommodation was made. In fact, the bartender was incredibly rude about it.. At the time I thought no big deal, i'll just head over to another bartender for my next drink. Same thing. The mixed drinks here just plain suck, in comparison to other gay bars in the area.. Stick to the beer. Also, there were drunk girls EVERYWHERE having drama scenes, which gets very annoying to listen to.. Overall, I will probably be back.. The music was fun, the dancing was fun, and besides the whole drink, or lack-thereof, and drama scenes, I had a great time and will most likely be returning.. read more

The eclectic crowd and positive vibe of this bar make it a must stop for locals and visitors. Make no mistake though, this is a gay man's country bar. They cater to country music fans, then late night crowds when the cowboys fizzle out. I've had a lot of people tell me, and I agree, they play the best Country music of any gay OR straight bar in town. Usually the higher energy stuff. If you can't handle country music, the bar is almost always high-energy dance after midnight and has after-hours till 4am Fri / Sat nights. PARKING The parking lot is newly paved & monitored under video surveillance 24/7. Security walks the parking lot at night during business hours. In many years of going here, I've never had any problems with any of my vehicles being broken into. DRINKS / BARTENDERS This is a drinking man's bar. Most of the bartenders like watching people get drunk as long as they can keep it under control. To accomplish this, the drinks are usually strong but being friendly, polite, and tipping decently usually goes a long way. Leaving a $2 tip for $20 in shots/drinks will surely get you a weak pour the next round. I've found that if you're nice and respectful to the bartenders here, they will make you feel like a High-Roller. DANCE FLOOR The dance floor is relatively small for a country bar this size. That means if a line dance song comes on and you don't know the dance, the DJ will remind you to get off the dance floor so you're not in the way. When the dance music starts, the tight dance floor makes for a fun, uninhibited evening that is even more fun if the bartenders did their job. [wink, wink] PURSES This is a semi-dive bar and can attract the usual dive-bar antics. Purses are limited to the size of a typical bank cash bag to keep people from sneaking in their own booze or anything else you shouldn't have in a bar. The manager knows the door guy is doing his job when he doesn't see any medium/large purses in the bar. The door guy wants his job so it won't do you any good to argue with him. Also, nobody wants your huge purse banging against them all night - please leave that diaper bag in Scottsdale. read more

Great place to have fun but when the bartenders treats you like shit you don't want to go back. Ivan the bartender thinks he's doing a favor to the customers by serving them. If he hates his job he should look for another. Horrible customer service and attitude . My first drink of the night said he wouldn't serve me anymore because of my attitude which I had none. I had just gotten there and ordered several drinks. If this is the kind of service people get I don't know why they would go back. read more

Sunday afternoon before heading back to the airport was great. Jack & I met some really nice guys. Good mix of people and the tacos were good and cheap. Fun place! read more

I love the gay community becuse of there exceptions over everything like rupaul always says love over everything so I found sanctuary with my people but I was discriminated over my need to have my meds like every sick person theres exceptions but for me there was none I was kicked out like a vilen for being who I am I feel apart from the living who have a great time poisoning there body by partying because I dont take part I'm singled out for my dependency on my meds and ive never been so disappointed I will never come back they are awful and don't repercent whats right read more

Charlie's believed in gay cowboys before gay cowboys were cool. My first impressions of Charlies years ago was that this was where all the hot guys were on a Saturday night. Many straight girls have been saddened just a little bit watching two strapping young gentlemen in tight jeans and a body fitting white t-shirt do the two step more than just a bit closer than one normally does the two step. Charlies doesn't care who you are or what you look like, as long as you're comfortable with yourself and you're ready to have a good time. Their outdoor area has always been one of the best in the valley, but with their recent changes, due in part to light rail, it's getting even better. And with their daily drink specials, there is always something to look forward to waiting for you - even if it's not Mr. Right. And if you aren't into the country music so much, come for after hours until 4am. This is THE spot where all the other bars funnel after last call. Expect a packed dance floor and lots of dance/techno music from 1am-4am. read more

Charlie's + Me = Fun fun time! I've heard some other girls have had issues with not so friendly people there and that some people make comments toward women, but I have never had that problem...nor would I care if I did hear anything, because it would far outweigh the sweeties I HAVE met there. I know my boys would have my back! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the drag shows. I'm not even going to say who my favorites are, because lots of them are absolutely wonderful, and have such sweet personalities to boot. In all actuality I feel like I get stared at more by other females than anything else...and I got hit on by some cute gay boys. Teehee! They sure know how to make a gal feel purty. The bartenders make awesome drinks including massively tasty midori sours...and fair warning - the jello shots are secretly deadly! Those suckers sneak up on you. The chicken crisps are yummy whether you are drunk or not! The only negatives are what some others have pointed out already - the purse restriction and the music that doesn't kick up the beat until after 12 or 1. However, since I never carry a purse with me into any club and I'm too busy watching the drag shows to care what's going on inside (besides which, you can't blame a country-western bar for playing that type of music....), these negatives really don't exist for me anyway. I've had a blast every time I go, and I can't wait until Halloween! read more

For my 150th review I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate it by reviewing (what I consider) a Phoenix landmark. My most recent visits were for the pre-Halloween party with a Rocky Horror theme and on Saturday for the Witches Ball. I absolutely love the sistah's in drag with the raunchy commentary between sets. However, it does irritate me that purses bigger than a clutch are not allowed into Charlie's. Where are the diva's supposed to keep their make-up!? The bar is spacious and there are enough people to go around so you don't feel tied to the same group all night long if you are looking to meet anyone new. But what I thought was most important was the drinks and the prices. I ordered a rum an Coke and watched as the bartender filled the glass with rum, then splashed some Coke on top and only charged me $4. I was in shock. And every drink after that always came filled to the brim with liquor and splashed with something else. read more

CHARLIES TACO STAND!!!!! Charlies is one of the original Gay Bars in Phx. It is a great place to dance and hang with friends, great drink prices and they have a fun after hours. What I really love about Charlies is the taco stand outside. They are so addicting and will keep you coming back for more. Amazing prices on the food, great flavor on the tacos, burritos, quesadillas etc. They have great horchata too! The people that work the stand are the sweetest people. The guy in the trailer that chops the asada is a real cutie! I just go to Charlies sometimes just for the tacos. They are open really late and if you are out in down or midtown Phoenix I demand you to check them out. read more

I'm giving Charlie's 5 stars for their taco truck! Best authentic street tacos I've had in Arizona. They're only a dollar a piece! I'm not a fan of country music but the drinks are strong and cheap. Tip: the tacos are only available on the weekends. read more

First time here visiting from California just wanted to say thanks to the bar staff it was a Tuesday night very good drink specials 2for1. Thanks for the entertainment with karaoke night you all did an amazing job and had a very pleasant and memorable night! read more

Gay cowboys, rambunctious line dancing, and $5 pitchers of beer. I really don't know what else I could ask for! It's a good place to drink copious amounts and channel your inner dancing queen without judgement. (Trust me, regardless of what you're doing/wearing, you CANNOT compete with that 6'2" drag queen grinding against the mirror.) As a woman, I like going to a bar where I don't have to worry about drunk losers trying to hit on me. If you like country music, get here before midnight. Otherwise, club music starts at 12 and that's when the top 40s playlist will start going...think Lady Gaga, Beyonce, etc. Just be prepared. It's a loud, big, gay bar, and the men here are brave. People rip off their shirts and start getting pretty wild on the dance floor. If you can handle that, you'll have a good time. read more

It had been awhile since I'd been out and about, but I still remember great music and thoughtful spaces. This is not it. However, I knew what I was getting into; I lowered my expectations considerably and realized this is an unpretentious, friendly bar -albeit a little grimy and run-down. I may be inclined to bring some friends along if you are a wallflower; you certainly have to make your own fun. After 2a.m. the bar stops serving alcohol and will take your drink if you have not finished it, which is odd that they give a last call. The first time I grabbed a last drink thinking I could nurse it, instead I was asked to give it back just 10 minutes after it was purchased (what the phunk?) read more

Stopped in relatively early on a Friday night to enjoy $1 drinks till 9 PM. Charlie's was pretty empty, which everyone kept saying was unusual, but I don't typically enjoy large crowds so I was fine with just a handful of people around. Everyone working there were nice and friendly. Drinks were strong. I love the outdoor seating area - there's covered areas, areas that look like bleachers, regular tables, and areas to stand. There's also a volleyball area which looks pretty fun. Inside was an amazing dance floor that was just getting started when we left. I could see that being an awesome time. Overall I had a nice time. I would stop in again when it isn't super busy. read more

This was my first time at a "country" bar, and gosh darn it, I had knee slapping, hoe-down of a good-time! We went on a Friday night and the place was packed. They have one of the biggest parking lots I've ever seen at a gay club, and it was completely full by 11PM (best try to park on one of the side streets off of 7th Ave. (I think that's the name of the street). This was probably the best mix of gays I've ever seen at a bar...older, younger, country, preppy, butch, queens and everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. I believe they serve your beer in a mini-pitcher, the outdoor area is GIANORMOUS, and there is a little take-out window in the outdoor area which serves Mexican food from the trailer in the parking lot. Now, one needs to prepare to hear country music...it's just something that's going to happen, but if you're their with good people and you're having a good time, why not! Also, they have line dancing inside on the dance floor. The bartenders are attractive in that rugged tough guy sort of way and they seemed fairly nice. All-in-all Charlie's was a hoot and I would go back if I was ever back in Phoenix. Also...I hear this place is very much the "after hours" hang out all nights of the week. read more

I love Charlie's. Maybe because I'm not a gay man looking for a hookup, because yeah, I get what some guys are saying about the dudes there, but then again who knows what my taste in men would be like if I were a gay man? But, I digress. I know a lot of guys (yes, gay ones) that frequent Charlie's on the regular, so maybe it's a different experience when you're hanging with regulars, but I LOVE it here. Good drinks, good people, lots of fun. I've never had the issue some girls complain about regarding gay guys not wanting women there, but hey, I'm 5'11", maybe they thought I was a guy. I think the gentlemen here have a right to not really enjoy a bunch of straight women coming in ("OMG! LOOK! GAY MEN! EVERYWHERE! IT'S MY BACHELORETTE PARTYYY! OMG DRAG SHOW! OMG YOU ARE LIKE SOOO BEAUTIFUL, I WOULD NEVER KNOW YOU'RE A MAN!") and taking over the place when it is a GAY BAR, for men. Don't intrude on peoples' boundaries and you should have an excellent time. read more

My friends and I came here for girls night after hearing High Heels and Halos show was a must see. We had SO MUCH FUN! The host was fabulous and so hilarious! The bar itself was clean, the staff was friendly and the drinks were generously poured and cheap! read more

Friday and Saturday night, 7-9, 75 cent domestic bottles! Hello, can I buy the next round! Great place, smoking patio and cold beer (be sure to order from front bar). Crowd is pretty mixed and allot of fun. Though why, gawd, why did they put dividers between the urinals.. come on now, it is a gay bar for Pete's sake! read more

Charlie's is like my version of Cheers. Inevitably, I end up here way too often (the check-ins don't lie). It's pretty rare that I don't have a great time, but sometimes weird nights happen. They seemingly have drink specials any time I'm not there, but even not on special their drinks are stupid affordable. You also seem to get a decent pour for your buck unlike some places around town. They also host a slew of special events of varying themes and levels of debauchery. Plus, where else can you see drag queens and line dancing all in the same night? Take a lesson from me and be careful with the super happy hour on Sunday afternoons... read more

I was visiting from LA on a corporate business trip and decided to visit Charlie's since I've always heard how fun and amazing the atmosphere was. I have to say the patrons, the atmosphere was amazing and it was overall a good time. But when it came to the staff these are the most rudest bar tenders I have ever encountered. My credit card got declined because I was from out of state and it was a fraud feature on my account that prevented my transaction from going through. The bar tender didn't realize and handed me a pen and paper to sign and gave me the drinks. I also didn't realize it had been declined and signed and walked away. About an hour later the bar tender confronted me on the dance floor by shoving my shoulder and proceed to talk loudly that I owed him $16.50. I apologized and said that I was intoxicated and I didn't realize it was declined and handed him another card. He took the card and walked away and I paid for the drinks. He came back to have me sign for the new transaction and because of how rude he was I put a 0 in the tips section and that set him off. He got into my face and told me I have to leave and was being kicked out of the bar and that this was the second time I have done this (mind you this was my first time ever visiting this place). That is not how you treat customers or talk to paying patrons over a simple misunderstanding. The night before our bar tender would barely even speak to us!! Honestly the worst customer service I have ever experienced and will never be returning. I felt like I was bullied, humiliated and made a fool out of over a simple mistake not only on my part but the bar tenders for not paying attention. read more

I am gonna give this place 5 stars because it is what its supposed to be. They also have cheap drinks and they pour them pretty dang good. The staff is very friendly. This is the kind of place everyone ends up at on Friday and Saturday nights. Its a country bar and they play country music, but at about 1pm they place top 40 music. This place is busy on Thursdays (2 for 1), Fridays, Saturdays and definitely the place to be Sunday during the day and at night. This is by far the busiest gay bar in phoenix and when can get pretty packed when there is a special holiday or event. Even for the size it is. This place gets super packed for Halloween and the gay rodeo. Definitely a place to check out. read more

If you think you partners fine grab him where the sun dont shine. Clap you hands and stomp you feet move you buns on down to Charlie's, it's sweet. Hey at least there is a consistant crowd at charlies, unlike many of the other gay bars in phx. so they are doing something right. They have great drink specials and it's right off the light rail. Don't forget to grab some tasty mexican food from outback by the vollayball court. it's delish. read more

A little dank on the decor but I don't think they were trying to be another Amsterdam. Quite the opposite. The bartenders have always been nice to me and the place, while they could hire a new DJ (Not you DJ Tsunami! You know how to mix!) the music tends to be overbearing if you get there too early. The drinks are not that expensive. Undie Monday's where your drink is half off (tho I could go without seeing some of the old guys in their stuffs) Tuesday is 2-4-1 Thursday is 2-4-1 This place mainly gets a 5 star from me because of the friendly attitude. I do know chicks don't get as much friendliness as the guys but hell! This is my review and I have a weiner! This place is good if you aren't looking to show off your douchebag fauxhawk, ed hardy (or afflicition) clothes, and be clickish. You go here to mingle. read more

Can't really complain nor say anything too bad about this place. It's ok but I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends.

Went to Phoenix to go to my first Spring Training and felt that I didn't want to be too butch, so I came here before my baseball weekend officially started. So glad I did because I had so much fun here! First of all, this is the anti-West Hollywood of gay bars/clubs. There are no pretentious WeHo vibes and the guys aren't anywhere nearly as manicured, which leads to me being a very happy patron. Not only are they not manicured, they were surprisingly good looking. Also, everyone is super nice and approachable. Music was great and the drinks were cheap. I can't wait for my next visit to Phoenix, so I can stop by and have a drink here. read more

This review is based on my experience at Charlie's for years 2012 - 2013. Being a straight female, it was kind of weird hanging out at a gay bar at first. I didn't necessarily feel unwelcome at Charlie's, but the fact that they charge a cover for women only kind of says something. I was always with a group of pals, and we had a lot of fun. I will say that the drinks are very strong, and the prices aren't bad. I haven't been back in a while, but would return if given the opportunity. read more

Fun time! I always enjoy Sunday fundays. The 3-4-1 specials are amazing. I'd recommend this bar to most of my friends. I also love the taco they serve. This place is a must go for music fun drinks and food! What more can you ask for! read more

Charlie's - Phoenix - Gay Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

BRING CASH!! The first time I went to Charlie's, I went to buy a pitcher of beer and the bartender gave me my card back and embarrassingly told me my card was declined. Over and over. It wasn't right, but finally my friend bought it for me. I wake up to check my account with how much I've spent, because we went to more than one bar that night, and saw that Charlie's charged me 25.00??? After telling me my card was declined and being rude and obnoxiously loud about letting me know and everyone around me that my card is getting declined?? Anyways, we had a fun night, we went on a Weekend so it was busy and fun and the patio was HUGE! The drag show sucks there, they just walk around lip syncing, kissing people and taking dollar bills. Nothing amazing. The music on the patio never disappoints, I loooove the patio vibe and they always accommodate for the weather. So I decided (while already tipsy) that we'd go again even though I said I never would AND GUESS WHAT! This time my card "went through" and I started a tab but only bought a pitcher, checked my account.... 20.00's charged!!!! Are they tipping themselves? Like wtf??? So done. I don't even write reviews but after this shit I'm so fucking done, I got yelp like 5 minutes ago just for this damn review Fuck Charlie's. Or bring cash. read more

Was there last night and had a good time. I learned several things: 1. Charlie's has a cover charge of $3 if you get there after a certain time, I believe this starts at midnight or 1 am. I got there after 1 am and the place was packed, absolutely packed. 2. Yes, in Phoenix, some bars can stay open until 4 am (gasp!). Yes, I know, it blew me away as well. 3. The little Mexican food place attached to Charlie's serves really good food late night, but now I understand why they can't sell water or soda through the inside window to Charlie's customers. That's because Charlie's wants to charge patrons $2.50 for a bottle of water than the Mexican restaurant sells for $1 outside. Other than that, I had a good time. read more

I had to download Yelp! so that I could write this review. First time in Arizona and wanted to check out this bar with my wife and her cousin. We check it out and there is alot of people there, mostly men. We go inside get a drink and just hang out. About 15 minutes later all the people there started leaving so we asked the bartender what was going on. He goes on to tell us that they were going to a rodeo and that if we wanted to, we could go too. You had to be there to get the sting of the shade he threw with that remark. We stay there and finish our drinks and decide to get change so that we could play pool. Pool table was 75 cents, pretty damn good!!! We put our 75 in and oh, oh no fucking balls coming out. Yo, I am a lesbian but I was so heart broken to not see balls. Anyways, my wife decides to go and tell the bartender that we would just take a refund for the 75 cents. Well, she kinda didn't get a chance to tell him because he kept walking past her. Now, it's not like he was busy because EVERYONE that was in there had left. The only people there were the staff, me, my wife, her cousin and ONE customer. After a bit of him passing her by she just says "hey we'll take a refund" (that's where the kind of told him for a refund comes from) I then just tell her let's go it's just 75 cents....they probably need it more! Definitely not coming here ever again. Honestly, I liked the place but the people in it? Yeah not so much... read more

So I was thrilled that Charlie's was able to reopen. Haven't been in a minute so I called to check and see if they had the taco truck back as well. Whoever answered the phone was so incredibly rude.. just wanted to check and see if the taco truck was still open. Barely responded and hung up. Wtf Charlie's!? read more

Had a fabulous time at Charlie's, meeting friends from college and making new friends there! I did find it odd for a dance lesson to be going on during peak hours. Must be a Southwest thing. Over here on the East...dance lessons are Mondays and Wednesdays at 5pm. Some of the bar areas could use a renovation and expanded instead of looking like it used to be a janitor closet. With all the dancing going on, it got a bit hot in there. Nice to have a covered outdoor patio to hang out...if you can handle the cigarette smokes all around. Overall, I had a good time with friends at Charlie's! read more

My friend and I called in advance about a drag show, and we asked specifically how old we had to be to get in to watch. The man on the phone specifically told us we could get in at 18, yet when we went all the way there they told us it was 21 and acted very sassy towards us. This place can't even get their basics right. read more

I waited for 40 mins for a drink. Racist bar tender. So I got in the line to order a drink and he told me he will be right with me. Went to serve the guy right next to me (who had just arrived). Then like 5 more people who arrive after be before asking me what I wanted. Edit: updating to 2 stars cause after waiting 40 mins for a dink. I went to the outside bar and the bar tender was really cool. read more

First time here last night celebrating a friends bday had a blast we watched the drag show and did some dancing. Drank plenty of well served drinks and ate some tacos I'm straight but I loved it there and did not experience any negativity or bad service read more

Nice setting place good staff and very friendly. Typical gay place for relaxation and meeting new interesting people. read more

Fun place, incredible drink special!!! The staff is great, the place is big...you don't feel cramped like a lot of clubs. The crowd is fun. I didn't try it, but the word and the long lines somewhat proof it....the taco truck is supposed to be the bomb. Been to Denver and Chicago...this is my fav. read more

Charlie's - Phoenix - Charlie's in Phoenix sign - Gay Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

See all

I love Charlie's. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I will repeat how much I love Charlie's. The drink specials are awesome. I don't come here for the liquor, though. I come here to have a couple cold beers and dance. The small pitchers on Sunday are just right for the end of my weekend. The best part about this place is the crowd. There is no pretension, just a bunch of regular guys and girls there to have a good time. Everyone is friendly and I've never had a bad experience. I've been to the Charlie's in Vegas as well and had just as wonderful a time. If you ever come across Charlie's wherever you may be, go in and say hi! You'll be glad you did. Now, ride 'em, cowboy. read more

The best gay bar in Phoenix no matter what the locals say. If you are visiting, look no where else. Great dance floor and live atmosphere. read more

Charlie's - Phoenix - Wanna play a game? Halloween 2014 - Gay Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona