This is my place to go watch a game and grab a beer. You can't go wrong with 2 dollar pitchers on sundays. Also the fishbowls really get you going. One of those is a perfect pre-game kicker to get you going for the rest of the night. Also the crowd gets really packed on weekends. If you want a vibrant young crowd this is the place to go
(5)
Evan D.
I don't know who Charley is, but let me tell you a story about Jessica. She was a waitress, but to me, she was much more. I ordered a wrap, and they were out of wraps. Cause for concern, right? No, not at all. Not with Captain Jessica. She recommended the onion roll and it really made my night. From that point on, I felt like nothing could stop me. If I could enjoy a meal without what I originally wanted, what couldn't I do? Go back to school? learn a new language? Who knows. Anyway, later on in the night a buddy asked me where I went to dinner. Hears how the conversation went: Him: where did you go for dinner Me: Charley's Him: good time Charley's? Me: more like GREAT time Charley's
(5)
Kristen C.
I've been going to GTC's for several years now and it's always been a fun place to hang out. Like many places on South U it is crowded with the youngest of college children, but after a fish bowl, meh who cares. It's a fun place with good drinks, nice employees, trivia, and the nachos are my favorite nachos in town and are easily made into a vegetarian feast! I've recently been finding coupons to GTC's, which is exciting because I'm 30 now and love me a good coupon!
(4)
Ashley L.
Rated #14 on the best college bars in the US! I love Charley's. They have one of the most extensive shooters lists I've seen, yummy fishbowls and decent bar food, all for good prices. Friday and Saturday nights are super packed so if you don't go early, you won't be able to get a table. There are almost always lines those nights too. Depending on the bouncer, they can be lax or strict with fake IDs. Great outdoor seating during nice weather, usually packed too.
(4)
Tim T.
Hasn't changed much since the early '90's. the sticks are fantastic for the late crowd. If you are adventurous, ask for a Screaming Viking (aka: a Green Beret). The capper for a glorious night.
(4)
Sarah W.
Good Times taste like nostalgia and pepperoni styx. When I was a student at Michigan, it always seemed like the best thing Charley's had going for it was the insanely long shooter list. They have cornered the market on disgusting potables you only consume on your 21st birthday. (But they also have a decent beer list and the ingredients for cocktails that won't make you throw up) The food seemed markedly better on a recent return. Stick with the "bar food" - the pepperoni styx are stellar, the salads will just make you sad that you didn't order more pepperoni styx.
(3)
Alice C.
Me: Where's the bathroom? Brother: Hmm. I feel like I should know. I puked in it the last time I was here. This pretty much sums it up. I was put off by waiting in line (how do kids do this in a Michigan winter???) and then the clownshow of a crowd once we got in, but there's a solution for that--a 64 oz. Mason jar of Long Island. Known as the Fish Bowl, there are a handful of variations on Long Islands--all delicious and guaranteed to make you forget your sorrows, whether it be a hard midterm, or the fact that your old self waited in a long ass line to relive college. If that doesn't do the trick, Charley's Mind Erasers are fantastic. I would write more about it, but I guess it did its job...
(4)
Grant G.
We went here for lunch during the Art Fair, so it was, of course, packed. However, despite how busy the restaurant was, we were still seated in a very timely manner. Our server was helpful and friendly, and the food was awesome! Overall, if you're in the area and are looking for a decent, quality meal, Charley's is the place!
(5)
Dan R.
The food for a bar is actually really good. I do think they could probably shorten the menu by about 50% and not lose too much appeal, but that is just a matter of personal opinion. Drinks are pretty cheap too, but the place can get extremely crowded at peak times making it difficult to order drinks or maneuver around the bar. All in all this is a great place to meet up for drinks or lunch, especially when the weather is warm.
(4)
Erin B.
This place is great for undergrads--only. The drinks are watered down, the beer is substandard, the environment is loud and incredibly crowded, and the service is poor. Avoid this place.
(1)
Cathy W.
One of my most favorite places to eat in Ann Arbor. They have the BEST drink/shot menu!! They have these Pepperoni Stix that are incredible!! I also suggest the fried mac-n-cheese and the jalapeno poppers (they are made with cream cheese and are to die for). Your visit won't be complete unless you try one of their famous drinks/shooters!!!
(4)
Nelson L.
An Ann Arbor institution, Charley's has lasted this long for a reason. Between their inexpensive drink specials and their awesome food, this is the place to catch the games. Probably the biggest reason I love Charley's is the Stix Mix which is their cheese and pepperoni bread mix and it's incredible. If you're in town, definitely check out Charleys
(4)
Shane M.
Decent food and drinks at reasonable prices, nothing exceptional that I have experienced. Can be a popular undergrad bar
(3)
Rachellen S.
I loveeeee this bar!! I go to Charley's every weekend. And this is why..... 1. The bar is a ton of fun if you want to meet new people. Everyone is very social and people don't just stick with their group of friends like other bars. 2. Fishbowls are a cost effective way to get smashed (I mean we are college students). 3. It's always crowded because it's so popular. The service might be slow but does it really matter when your having a good time. 4. If you want to have a chill night sitting at a table or the patio it is fun too. Just go early so you can get a table. 5. The staff is friendly and waitresses are willing to split checks even for big parties. Yes I understand that it isn't the classiest bar in Ann Arbor but it's a college town and this is exactly what college students are looking for...it isn't Main street, it's South U. The $3 shots of the night are always a yummy cheap option. It's never a dull night at Charleys! It's just the best South U bar.
(5)
Kathryn L.
Charley's is one of my favorite college memories! As for meals, I've tried most of their menu, and my two favorites are by far the pepperoni cheese bread (basically a greasy Stromboli-esque appetizer) and the burger (good, simple, delicious hamburger)! As for nights out on the town, Charley's always seems to be the first bar to fill up, so it's tough to find a table. The great thing is that people here are friendly and are usually willing to share their table, welcome new joiners to partake in their drinking games, etc. The bartenders and servers here are great! But again if you go on a Saturday night when they're slammed don't expect the service to be as good as a Monday night when they're not so busy.
(4)
Kevin S.
1 hour wait for this place. Could NOT believe we waited so long for this place. The food was cold and we literally waited one hour for our food and the waitress said no you didnt...you only waited 30 minutes. I'm not saying I will never go back but it will be a long time before I do.
(1)
Meredith F.
Sometimes I feel like Charley's is overrated. It seems like the place that everyone goes, but they don't have the best drink specials and you can't even dance there. However, I love karaoke on Tuesdays and summer is a much better time to go to this bar. It's nice to be able to sit and chat with your friends sometimes, and you can always run into people you know here. But like I said, I love to dance when I go out, and there's no room for that here. Some other upsides to Charley's are the patio, the huge fishbowls, and the biggest variety of shots I've ever seen at a bar. They also have some good food options (the fried macaroni and cheese is my fave), and pretty awesome ranch. :)
(3)
Eric M.
What happened? My recent visit to Good Time Charley's was like meeting up with that ex from college and realizing they've changed, and not for the better. First off, the layout is crazy. Entrance is now right at the bar with some seating on the sides. We came during the summer so it was pretty dead, which I would think equates to faster service. We still waited a bit for our server to come up. I'm sad to see that most of the frozen drinks are gone, but the selection of cocktails is still large. I went with the 64oz Long Island Iced Tea and will say it was nice and strong at a good price. The biggest problem with Charley's is that they don't care about their customers. The music, which is blasted, is played from one of the staff members' iPod and they don't have a jukebox or take requests. So you better like the music that the bartender likes. I also came with a group of six and we spent over $100. One us wasn't brought a drink one time, no big deal, and actually it worked out b/c he actually wanted to try a different one. When the bill came we were charged for both, again not a huge problem but we wanted to get it taken care of. The second we bring it up we're called liars and the server throws our bill on our table with the adjusted amount. More like Shitty Time Charley's.
(2)
Andrew K.
The other reviews are pretty spot on as the food is generally good and the atmosphere is as college-y as you can get. I am here to talk about the one thing that seems to have not been reviewed: the Thursday special. The scene can get quite packed with drunken Greeks, but if that's not to your fancy, definitely go for the Thursday special. This time every week from 5-10PM is the $3 burger & fries special. This comes with a half-pound burger (you can add toppings for small prices) and a half-pound of fries for, $3...that's right, 300 pennies (you can finally empty out the piggy bank for a pound of food!). The burger is always well cooked and juicy, and the fries are crispy and have good potato-like flavor. The meal is worth way more than $3. By the way, the line will be out the door during this time but it's totally worth every minute of waiting. The restaurant is an overall 3 1/2 *s.
(3)
Joshua M.
This place would get five stars easily if it was easy to get into the place on a weekend/Friday. I'm a huge fan of their gigantic Long Island Iced Teas. They come in old pickle jars and taste fantastic. One will get you drunk... Two will get you arrested. Their Pepperoni Styx (lol Mr. Roboto) are awesome too. Get them from the bar menu after the main kitchen is closed, and you won't be disappointed... So long as you don't get stuck waiting in line, Charley's is an Ann Arbor STAPLE. GO THERE.
(4)
mariah c.
This place has never really been my scene. The patio is lively, and the drinks are cheap -- so it's popular with the college crowd, and I understand why. It's also sorta unique that they offer up about a million different kinds of shots. I admit I've been here a time or two for a few doses o' alcohol before heading to the sober shows down at the Half-Ass (aka Halfway Inn) down the block. I met someone for lunch here the other week and was pleasantly surprised that it was a decent place for a mid-day meal. The servers were all really nice, the buffalo chicken wrap was tasty enough, but the best thing? They make their own potato chips! I never would have expected that, but for someone who loves taters as much as me (mmm... starchy!), that's a big bonus! I'm not about ready to join the undergrad mob on a night here, but GTC is perfectly a-ok, and the kind staff and fresh chips are appreciated pluses!
(3)
Carlos O.
Service can be slow however not a bad place to hangout. Not too crazy about the food.
(3)
Justin D.
This is a great place to go for drinks. They have lots of different mixed drinked, which are all good. It's not really a place for beer though.
(4)
Adam D.
Charley's is a great place to drink beer outside on a warm day. The food is so-so, the service is usually disappointing, and the bouncers are often a bit rude. If you're around 21-24, this place is loads of fun, but Charley's might not appeal to a person in their mid to late 20's who is not inclined to jockey for mediocre drinks at a college bar. BUT, on a late April or early May evening, chilling on the patio with a brew before REALLY going out is quite nice.
(3)
Rodrigo H.
Me and my friends ended up in this bar to see the final of the Euro Uefa final ( Spain vs Italy), never again, every thing went well till the OWNER or responsable of this bar decided to turn the channel right after after the match was over, people complained and he petrended nothing happen , 50 people went to his bar to see this game and he ignored what people wanted to see. it really pissed me off enough just to sign up on yelp and tell every one about this bar.
(1)
Paul W.
There's nothing better than their amazing Count Twists .... Dunk 'em and grub.
(4)
Michael C.
GT Charley's is THE place to go on the Eastside. I mean, what else is there? Rick's? Forget about Rick and go with Charley! I like that GTC can roll up pretty good food with an awesome atmosphere and THE best drink menu around. Other places have cement floors and dollar beers. If that's you're thing, then go somewhere else. If you're looking for something special, then come here! I've had all of their burgers and they're all great. I've never been able to finish one - they're like Fudrucker's portions! - but have never felt bad about having to bring the next day's lunch home with me. I'd suggest trying some of the spicier stuff they do. And definitely check out the "Shooters" menu, either to order or just laugh at some of the drink names. My favorites are "Piss behind the urinal wall" (just for comedic value) and the Armageddon (for consumption value!). This menu is huge - there has to be a couple hundred different kinds of drinks on there, so you can assured that the bartenders here are top notch! Also, peek at the Long Island Ice Tea and the Margarita menus. They have a dozen and a half of them, and they are so tasty. Honestly I don't know why there's all the lukewarm reviews of GTC. I've been to just about every bar in town, and for the price, atmosphere, and the expertise of the bartenders, very few places in Ann Arbor can stand up to GTC.
(5)
Justin G.
Long islands were great, especially when they are doing them on drink specials and the giant plate of pizza sticks was the best thing there. Overall, a good place to go for an adult meal while still on campus. Also, the best place for outdoor seating while having a drink.
(3)
Rebecca W.
Yesterday, Charley seems to have gotten up on the right side of the bed, and indeed provided a Good Time for one and all. -We knew we wanted to sit outside (which automatically raises the rating by half a star) and one of our party called ahead to see if we could make a reservation. Couldn't, but the hostess was friendly, on top of things, and let us know that things were slow and it should be no problem getting a seat. -Same member of our party was the first to arrive, and reports that when she and some others did, the staff was fawning--"We know you! You were here last week!" Um....what? And the week before, and the week before....but OK, we'll take it. -When I arrived, confirmed that the on-top-of-it, cheery hosts were in place. Excellent. -Server Nicole L. was wonderful....checked in on us often, brought us everything we needed--including change for a $20 when she was already in trouble with the bartender for bugging him for change. Even had a cute (and pragmatic) sense of humor: one of us asked for a "giant" glass of water, and she brought him his own pitcher with a straw in it. He drank the whole thing. -I always forget that I love Charley's onion rings, but I do. -Every week at least one of us orders a club sandwich. This week, I don't know why, that thing looked SO GOOD. Extra golden toasty bread and nice presentation (in a pile of onion rings) -The only downside was the mysterious horrifying smell that kept wafting through. I don't think the smell was coming FROM Charley's, but it was in Charley's airspace. Yuck. However, after eating on the GTC patio weekly all of last summer, I can safely say that this was an isolated incident....one that we hope will not be repeated. Charley's, you're stepping it up, and we appreciate it. Thanks!
(4)
Sarah M.
I couldn't stand this place when the old management ran it, but since the guys from BTB took over, they have redeemed themselves. I've been out of college for a couple years now, and Charley's SUCKED before I graduated (mainly because of the staff), but now I always find myself coming back to Charley's when I'm in AA for drinks with friends. The people at the door are friendly, the bartenders actually smile, and the waiters are attentive. We usually pregame before going there, since the drinks are kind of expensive, but sometimes we still end up getting drunk enough to end up at Rick's at the end of the night. And that's saying something. The line is usually worth it, and moves pretty quickly. Plus, they serve beer in line. No other bar does that. Karaoke on Tuesdays is always a laugh and a blast. The food is also pretty good. I really like their chicken fingers and their fries, and I had one of their wraps that was really good. If you've got friends in town and don't have a car, this is one of the best places to take your friends to eat.
(4)
dan c.
used to drink here alone before i dropped out of mich. plenty of mediocre looking girls in pushup bras who think chicago is a cosmopolitan city, don't know what a passport is, likely go down on the first date (if you play football), and drive daddy's lex #atleastthebeerischeap
(2)
Stacy W.
Went to Charley's yesterday for lunch. I got the Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich and it was SO delicious. It came with a macaroni salad and lots of fries. It was reasonably priced for the amount of food that came with it. Also, our server was nice.
(5)
Tyler B.
Location must mean everything in restaurants, because other than its position on the corner of South U and Church, there's little justifying Charlie's existence. The food is awful. About once a year I get tricked into eating here and in the 14 years I've been in A2, I've never enjoyed a meal at Charlies. Its disguised as upscale bar food, but it tastes like failure. The drinks are obscenely overpriced. Over the years I've ran into a decent happy hour special or two, but never one good enough to justify coming back again for it. The crowd generally seems to be composed of people who met at a study group and don't know each other, but decided to go have a drink after their cram session anyway, at which point they realize they have nothing to say to each other. Oh yeah, that and two groups of drunken assholes who think they are hilarious. Guess what? They aren't, despite this place being a colossal joke.
(1)
Julie C.
This is one of my go-to bars in Ann Arbor. It's a great place for a more relaxed get-together, rather than a get crazy wasted/dance on tables sort of night (I'd recommend The Blue Lep + Rick's combo for that). There's karaoke Tuesdays and trivia Wednesdays. Also, you have to get an ecto cooler fishbowl if you're ever here!
(4)
Kyle W.
Bar of choice for the majority of college students at U of M. You can't go wrong with this place because the food is also VERY good. The burgers and fries are great and the pepperoni stix are awesome and good to share among a group of friends. Charley's is always busy at night and if you can get a table consider yourself lucky. The atmosphere is great and I always run into people I know there even though I don't go often. The best value is going to be the "fish bowl" which is a really large container of long island (they have multiple flavors if you don't like the original). You are good for the night with this or you can share with friends. I would recommend going around 9pm so you can get a table and enjoy the full experience at GTC. Also not a bad place to go for lunch or watch a sports game.
(4)
Jason P.
This place was really chill and full of characters. We walked in and waited at the bar for a table. There was a guy who was about 60 sitting there in a flanel shirt, suspenders and these thick glasses. He was doing the word jumble and sat there with a tall glass full of ice, a bottle of bud and a small glass of grenadine. Then the fun started. He poured the bud into the glass full of ice and started to drink it. I immediately grabbed my mich friend and asked her if that is how they roll in AA. It was disturbing. Then we got the table and more madness. They have this cheesy bread with amazing sauce. It was heart attack city, but tasted great. The next morning though your stomach might not thank you. I also had a veggie wrap with fries. Yes, I eat a lot, I get it. We tried to watch the baseball there, which was cool as they had a lot of screens with HD service. The table next to us was full of fratastic individuals who kept pounding on the tables, perhaps in some sort of hazing or bonding ritual. They got kicked out shortly after for puking somewhere. Good times! Smoke free also won some points here
(3)
Parisa K.
Charley's is good stuff. The honest truth is that if Charley's was located anywhere else than on campus during my undergrad years, I would probably never really like a place like this. It's got a large food menu, with some really good items, but the best things are greasy and heavy and more fun to eat when also drinking lots. It's got a large drink menu, and larger shot menu, but if it weren't for being an undergrad, I know wouldn't really appreciate all the drinks this place has to offer. But none of these ifs really matter. The fact is, I feel in love with Charley's, as do most Wolverines, for many reasons. Some reasons I've already said, some I probably couldn't put into words, and I'm sure there are reasons I don't even know about that contribute to my love of this place. There's nothing like getting a group of friends and heading to Charley's for drinks, maybe some food, and more drinks. It's got a good atmosphere, and it's in the best location. Anything you could want is within feet of you when you leave this place... that's really something. I'm sure it helped Charley's that Mitch's decided to shut down shortly after my friends and I turned 21, and stayed closed til after graduation, and that our friends worked at Charley's, so we always saw familiar faces. But still, Charley's just has an appeal. Now I have to admit that since I've graduated, I've only been back a handful of times. While it's not at all the same, the nostalgia always kicks in. I think we each all had our 21st birthday dinners at this place, oh the memories. Plus it's the kind of place where you can chill with your friends, so quality bonding time happens at Charley's, the kind of bonding you can't do on the sweaty dance floor of a club.
(3)
Jonathan S.
Charlie's is definitely the epitome of an Ann Arbor college bar, with top-of-the-line weekly events that keep the place packed even during the week. Being more of a clubber than a bar-goer, I really don't like how this place is super well-lit; I feel like I'm in class instead of at a bar. Definitely a place to have good conversations with people, but if you want to dance, I'd go somewhere else.
(2)
Lisa W.
Most memorable time? It was after an MSU v. UM football game (MSU lost), and my MSU buddy hit his head continually on their glass trim and then got swiped out by a bouncer. Prior to that we were being rowdy, doing jagerbombs and guzzling drinks and beers. It's tired and cliche to say "I'm not a fan of this scene", but I won't hate on Charley's too much because a friend of mine is a bartender here and she's cute. Jodi will pour you a mean drink, I know it. I did love this place when I was an undergrad, I will admit. It was in a great location and when I was drunk, all of the food tasted good to me. Even my mom liked it, and she never gets wasted. When in doubt, just order the cheese fries. Simple, easy, tastes great with a drink special. It's a place you outgrow, however, and then you venture out into the weird world of... the other side of State Street! Gasp.
(3)
Stewert B.
Great food, good deals on drinks, and the best bar in A2! Get there early, lines can be long at night.
(5)
Nathan T.
Charley's is awesome! This is the first place I came after moving to Ann Arbor from California. Great drink specials and OK food.
(3)
Melanie A.
One of my friends who has visited Ann Arbor once or twice, accidentally called this place "Sorry Charley's". She actually thought that was the name of the restaurant! I could not stop laughing!... but I thought it was a suitable name for this place. The food is not good. However, I suppose it might be a good place to go out with a group of friends for drinks. I hope it is true that the owners of Big Ten Burrito are buying Good Time Charley's. There is hope.
(2)
Andy Y.
Avocado Chicken Sandwich w/ fries and a Guinness Draft on a warm day. Enough said.
(4)
Frank M.
It's a trashy college bar, that's really all there is to it. It can be nice to sit out on the patio and I do like their quite large long islands, but other than that there's really no reason to go here. You'll spend the whole night surrounded by douche bags eating mediocre food and drinking cheap, shitty beer. If that's what you want in a bar, by all means go to Charley's. If you want a good bar go to Ashley's, ABC, Jolly Pumpkin, or Conor's.
(2)
Ray L.
This place is more like 4 stars but I think the old people bias is bringing down the rating way too much. Had lots of great times here in my undergrad (2002-2006) If you're actually an undergrad and are looking to hang out the atmosphere is fun. Celebrated many friends' birthdays here. Lots fun b-day freebies here. Great memories.
(4)
Mae S.
SOON TO CHANGE IDENTITIES. The stars are given on spec that the many lovers of Big 10 Burrito are right. Details according to today's Ann Arbor News: "The owners of popular burrito chain BTB are buying Good Time Charley's on South University Avenue and plan to re-open the first floor restaurant by Easter and turn the second floor into a Mexican cantina. "Good Time Charley's, a restaurant/nightclub that's been in business since 1979 at the corner of South University and Church Street, closed somewhat unexpectedly in late December. "Business partners Adam Lowenstein and Justin Herrick will spend nearly $500,000 to buy and renovate Good Time Charley's and build BTB Cantina on the second floor. The pair own two BTB Burrito stores - formerly known as Big Ten Burrito - in Ann Arbor and one in East Lansing. "
(5)
Justin S.
It's the standard University of Michigan bar. I would have given them 4 stars, but they increased the price of their fishbowls to $10.75 and are no longer under 10 dollars. But they've also opened an outside bar so you can drink while you wait to drink. I'm so torn.
(3)
Haroun K.
I don't think Charley's is a bad time at all! In fact, Charley's has one of the best late night drink specials in town: really cheap pitchers of beer, long islands, and margaritas. It was my favorite place to go drinking with a large group because of the many long tables. The food isn't great, but is not abysmal. The most complaints from my crowd seem to concern the service. We always got stuck in this one really spacey waitress's section, and people went berserk. She even overcharged my credit card once. But she was really cute, and after a few margaritas, everything was perfect.
(4)
David M.
Have had many fun times at Charley's through my first year here in A2. The New Years party was amazing, but I think that was mostly because of the great company I had. The food at that time left something to be desired, probably because they were overwhelmed, but on a normal occasion the pepperoni stix are to die for. The varieties of "fishbowls" - long islands in large pickle jars, are numerous and you'll have to come back several times to try them all. One of these will get your night started perfectly, by the way.
(4)
Julie O.
We met a friend here for lunch while we were in Ann Arbor. She is a student at Michigan and this is her go-to place when guests come to town. GTC is not fancy, but in a college town, there is not a whole lot of need for fancy. We started with a sampler because we were starved and it had artichoke dip among the offerings. Our server did not balk when we asked for all the dressings rather than just pick one. The flatbread was very good. Burgers and chicken sandwiches were not gourmet but they were tasty. The 1/2 pound of fries was crazy but they were good and cooked to perfection. Service was not the fastest but we were never neglected and our food came out hot.
(3)
Tony C.
The bread "stix" are awesome! And the food is OK. The service though, especially on a Friday night was poor. Was seat yourself. Picked our table and waited 15 minutes for a server. Took another 35 minutes for the food to arrive. Was it because we weren't drinking and that's why the service was poor? No idea. They do have a large drink menu.
(3)
Kitty L.
This place used to be so popular when I was in school at Mich back in the day. I went back there Wednesday night, and it sucks. The "cheese twists", the house special per the waiter, are horrible. It looks horrible and tastes like $hit. I had a veggie muffulata and it was probably the ugliest dish I've ever seen in my life. It was some pita-looking bread that someone messily ripped open (not cut given the uneven surface) that they threw some frozen veggies that had been blanched in hot water/steam. Topped off with a little bit of mozzarella cheese. Ick. It looked like something I made at home with leftover food. To top off the whole experience, I think my waiter was stoned or something. I was there with 2 of my coworkers. One of them asked for steamed veggies instead of fries (he got fries) and the other requested a garden salad (never came). A second round of beers never arrived. But he did come back and say "Oh, I forgot to give you the ketchup" !? The highlight of the horrid evening was the 200 pound lady in the next booth who was complaining to her girlfriend about catching her boyfriend in bed with her best friend and how she wanted to try having a peni$ for a day?! I've been out of undergrad too long. The only person who enjoyed our trip was probably our waiter. Since, we were on business, we left a 20% tip anyway.
(1)
Erik H.
Went here this evening with my father and girlfriend. I had the ground beef nachos which were "ok". My father got the ground beef wet burrito which he said was the best he has had in years. My girlfriend got the chicken wrapito. She said the wrap was good but the homemade potato chips that came with it were delicious. Overall definitely recommended.
(4)
Inez L.
Alright, they need to expand this place because with the amount of people that want in, there is not enough room at all. I've only eaten there a couple times, and it was decent and the service was good. I went in there another time when it was slower and it was awful service! But it was just that one time, and I've been there since and it has been better. If you go at the right time, their drink specials are great.
(3)
Marlarissa M.
As far as food is concerned, Good Time Charley's is a good place to go for a good burger or sandwich. Their fries are awesome, too.
(3)
Jason P.
Haven't been back here in a few years, but I remember the atmosphere being one of the typical. The bar in the middle was a great twist to this place, and you couldn't beat the 5 buck long island's, they sure know how to pour them!
(3)
Sophia G.
Good service and good food. The wait can be a little long around lunch time.
(3)
Aaron B.
If you are a frat boy type (e.g. actual fraternity member, sorority member, law school student, business school student, preppy self-important douche, etc.) then you'll probably like Good Time Charley's. It's rather cheap for Ann Arbor, but still overpriced considering how bad it is. I had two gin and tonics and i think that if I hadn't eaten in days I might have gotten buzz from the second one. Stick with water or soda (or beer if you have a strong stomach -- although I think that whatever drink you order it has a high water concentration). This is probably another one of those "Ann Arbor institutions" that is just plain terrible but people don't know better. Lot's of undergrads there, so maybe this is the first bar they've every been allowed to drink in and ... I don't know, just don't go there.
(1)
Dave M.
My friends and I gave this place many a nickname, but the most popular was "Bad Time Charley's"
(1)
Kelly G.
just visiting for the night and we had lots of fun w the extensive shooters list, def something for every type of drinker/drunk out there!
(4)
Victor S.
Pretty typical college bar. They do have some good drinks, like the Hawaiian, but there's nothing too special about the place.
(3)
kate s.
good time charley's has the best "count twist" cheesesticks, i don't care what anyone else says!!! i had a roommate who worked here and brought them home along with the twist sauce (which tasted like ketchup mixed with mayo to me) and i am certain it is the sole cause of my 10 pound weight gain that year. this was also the place to go for your 21st birthday as they have a kajillion crazy-sounding (and disgusting-tasting) shots that everyone has to buy you and you are forced to drink. we used to go and just get count twists and mashed potatoes (hey....college kids are cheap, what do you expect?). the waiters were always rude but we barely tipped anyway, so who can blame them? they also used to have a blended alcoholic drink called Mr. Misty that tasted like candy and should not be available to aforementioned college kids, lest they start acting like idiots and throwing food. ahhhh....back in the day.
(4)
Tim K.
Make no mistake, this is the quintessential college bar, but that isn't a bad thing. The bartenders are friendly (just be patient when they're being slammed), and the drinks are fairly priced. I highly recommend the Timbo Slice! If you happen to be around when I am, maybe I'll buy you one!
(5)
Allison O.
Charley's fits the bill for the term "college bar". If you're 25 or older, you can feel a little out of place :) The food here isn't anything to write home about. They have a huge selection of drinks, but outside of the beer most of them are too sugary. Service here isn't that fantastic. Was with some friends on the outdoor patio last night to have a few drinks. It took about 20 min for us to get our drinks after ordering. I know the place is busy on weekends, but waiting more than 10 min is a little ridiculous. There are better bars on South U.
(2)
Anuj A.
Pros: Great atmosphere, expansive shooter/fishbowl selection Cons: Poor service, pricey, meh food I went Saturday March 21 around 8pm. The seating was about 85% full, but we were able to quickly get a table. Ambient atmosphere with a lot of TVs showing sports. Once we sat down in our group of 7, we waited 10 mins for a the waitress to come by. She gave our whole group one menu, and then we in return asked for more. She then came back about 5 mins later with only one more menu! I got the South U Jaywalker Burger. It was messy (but I expected that) but tasted overly greasy and fell apart. The caesar salad side was doused in dressing, which defeated the purpose of the salad. Half of our table needed cutlery with their food, yet they did not acknowledge to bring napkins or cutlery, and had to wait a couple minutes to get some before just getting up and finding where they held them. Finally when we were waiting for a box to take food home, the server came back three times and each time she acknowledged she forgot the box, but continued to serve other tables. Eventually we just got up and found the boxes. In summary my experience would've been better if the service was up to par, as we spent half the dinner waiting for the waitress to return with simple items. I will probably go back because it is a college hotspot, but I was disappointed in my experience.
(2)
Priya R.
Get the nacho's for food and obviously get a fishbowl. ALWAYS GET A FISHBOWL. always. The fishbowls are what makes this my favorite college bar in Ann Arbor. Purple rain or California Beach party are among my favorites. But I have yet to order a fishbowl I didn't like. It's crowded at times but Charleys is just the place to go for daytime or nighttime shenanigans.
(4)
Sofie T.
I have been here three times. It's usually one of the busier bars in the area, which I don't understand. The fishbowls are delicious, however the service has been terrible for me every time. The first two times it was very busy, but the bartenders were extremely rude to me. I was waiting patiently to order a drink, I hadn't said anything to the bartender yet, and she very rudely exclaimed "you're going to have to wait!" The second time I was standing at the bar for at least 10 minutes, and the bartender did not even acknowledged my presence when we made eye contact. The third time it was not busy but it took at least 30 minutes to get the check after I'd asked for it. The waitress was cleaning up tables instead of checking up.
(3)
Jackie K.
I've never had more watered down drinks. We bought three rounds of shots and I felt more sober after than I did when we started. Pretty sure we just paid $41 for water.
(1)
Emily M.
An Ann Arbor classic. Nothing is great about the food but the drink menu keeps it interesting! If you're looking for something fruity and strong with an outdoor patio, this is the place to go! Service is just okay...tends to be pretty busy most of the time. One of my favorite long islands is the "purple rain"!
(4)
Reese S.
They were out of a lot of ingredients. We wanted to order a fishbowl and it took us 4 tries until there was a drink that they had the ingredients in stock.
(3)
Naveen N.
Food is average but the drinks are good. Nice place to go to with a large group of friends for drinks on the weekend.
(4)
Tina C.
I give this place 4 stars because it hits close to home. I recently graduated from Michigan and if I want to go to a bar with my friends when I visit, Charleys is the place to go. It is honestly your typical college bar..dirty bathrooms, dirty floors, not enough table space, loud, obnoxious, some rude and busy wait staff, but what more can you expect? I usually always order their fishbowl (Ecto Cooler is my favorite, but it is pretty sweet), and sometimes their shots. I have tried a variety of their shots, including Jagerbomb and liquid cocaine (gross, but gets you buzzed quickly). Their food is also pretty good for a bar. They have really juicy burgers (and they have $1 burger specials from 5-9PM on Thursdays), and their fries are generally fresh and fat. I'm never disappointed at their portion sizes. Overall, I recommend you try out this bar if you are a visitor, or just recently moved to Ann Arbor. It is pretty "frat-y," but remember you are in a college bar with a whole bunch of college students. After 10pm it is 21+ only and Sunday nights is karaoke nights. Fun to watch drunk people sing their hearts out.
(4)
Albert T.
Terrible service. Sat down for over fifteen minutes without anyone coming over to take my order.
(1)
Sarah M.
Normally I wouldn't write a review of a bar scene fixture like Charley's. That said the other night I had a really good experience with the bartender Billy. I ordered a drink and the cup had a hole in it. He immediately replaced the cup and then gave me a free drink. He also gave my boyfriend two free shots. Excellent service for a college bar! Also, if you haven't been here before, the food is nothing great but you must get a Fishbowl. You'll be drunk after one, but they're delicious.
(4)
Christie R.
This is an ok spot. It fills up quite a bit during the weekend. First time here I loved my fishbowl. Second time I felt ripped off. My fishbowl felt like it had close to nothing of alcohol. I've heard from people who worked there that they don't put the right amount on drinks in order to have extra to give away to friends. Really sucked last couple of times. Won't be buying fishbowls here again.
(3)
Margaret N.
Went here before heading to a UMich. football game. Ordered nachos for an appetizer and there was a piece of hair in my salsa and ketchup stains on my plate....nacho chips were stale... Service was nice and I liked how they put descriptions of every mixed drink and shot on their menu.... Ordered the chicken, bacon, avocado sandwich and fries and that was yummy! Great place for drinking, but not so much for food...
(2)
Lauren T.
I was there a couple of weeks ago celebrating a friend's graduation from UMich. Crowded wouldn't even begin to describe the place. People (myself and my friends included) scrambled for tables and chairs as soon as they opened up. Once we managed to outnumber another group waiting for a table we ordered fish bowls and some appetizers. Service was pretty quick. The food was typical bar fare, nothing to brag about but no complaints. I did enjoy the fish bowl at first but once the load of ice began to melt it quickly became pretty watered down. This place wouldn't be my first stop if and when I return to Ann Arbor but it served its purpose as far as drinks and a quick bite to eat.
(3)
Amy B.
Assigning a star rating to Charley's is almost as hard as staying sober there. As a graduate student, I loved this place. Cheap, potent Long Island Ice Teas competed with cheap pitchers of shitty beer for space on my table. Even after seeing many friends get sick after a meal at Charley's, I'd eventually fall prey to the chicken nachos. From what I can remember, they are awesome during a Long Island Ice Tea haze. At some point, Charley's introduced the fishbowl sized Long Island, also super cheap. This was a bad idea for all involved, and yet I loved it. Charley's was pretty much a five star when I was in grad school. As a working professional, I am too effing old for this place. One star, and four Advil.
(3)
Clementine C.
LOVE this place and miss it so much, here's why: 1 - MENU is BIG and everything is customizable and delicious 2 - STAFF: most of the people I worked with are recently gone, but everyone is fun and awesome and you should tip them a lot 3 - SPECIALS: karaoke, happy hour, $4 burgers, sunday funday.... there is much more 4 - DRINKS: I find myself telling bartenders to make my favorite shots/cocktails straight from the Charley's menu all of the time; the Danger Dane is a SERIOUS alcoholic beverage for those of us with a high tolerance cons: none, stop it
(5)
Anna S.
Imagine me making a Homer Simpson drool face so pronounced that my drool is seeping out of your laptop screen, onto your keyboard and fingers. (Mm, hello.) That is how I feel about the Count Twists here. On a recent car trip from Albion to Flint, I made my husband drive half an hour out of our way just so I could indulge. The rest of the menu? Ho hum. No matter what you order--salad, nachos, whatever--it will taste as if assembled from Giant Food's aisle of deli meats and canned beans. They put all their genius into their count twists. But they alone are worth the visit.
(3)
N P.
Another campus institution in my mind. Have been here countless times throughout my Ann Arbor life for the restaurant side not the drinks part of it. Basically 90% of the time I had the count twists with ranch. Cheesy with sesame seeds and delicious. Terrible for you but I was hooked on them lol. I don't eat like that any more and the choices that I'm left with like a veggie burger or a tray of vegetables with ranch ($5) aren't as appealing. They do have a spinach and artichoke burger-like item on the menu that is vegetarian so I'll have to try that. Again, it is nice to see a place like this at least try to have some vegetarian or healthy options. I will still miss my count twists but that's just part of getting older and wiser lol!
(4)
Patrick T.
Good drinks with funny names. The outdoor patio is pretty nice when it's warm out. Nice selection of long island iced tea based drinks, and you can get it in a huge mason jar.
(3)
Jessica W.
Oh, Charley's. In the short time since I arrived in the Great Midwest, Charley's has made its mark on my Ann Arbor experience. It epitomizes the S. University bar scene, meaning essentially that: a) it is full of mostly undergrads, clad in their Greek apparel or DayGlo UM gear, b) you'll need to wait at least 15 minutes to get the attention of someone at the bar, and c) your chances of getting a table after 10 are smaller than your odds of winning the lottery. Makes Main Street's bars all the more appealing. The fishbowls are something to marvel at. I tried the Ecto Cooler, which looks like some form of nuclear waste, and finished it in less than 15 minutes. For something that large, I expected to at least get a decent buzz, but it turns out they're 90% ice. At least I stayed hydrated.
(2)
Ryan B.
The check comes 10 times faster than any of the drinks. Not a fan! Sure, this place was pumpin on a Friday night, and a perfect energy level to celebrate a friend's 21st bday party, but the service was AWEFUL! Two bartenders were making drinks for THE WHOLE BAR, making my friends have to wait 10-15 minutes to get 4 shots. In a town of aspiring bartenders, it's time to hire some more help, Charley. Plus, with 6 ppl, our waitress "assumed" we would all be paying on 1 bill, and was not willing to split it up. And yes, the bill came instantly, unlike any of the drinks. Have to say, this is the bottom of my bar list. Will I go back? Only if friends want to go. I recommend going down the street to Blue Lep instead.
(2)
Kelly E.
Charley's is the epitome of the South U bar scene. It's crowded, but it's cheap. I've never braved the fishbowl, but the long island variety seems to be a great deal. If you are not an undergrad - get there early, leave early. It becomes a sweaty, standing-room only mass of 20 year olds. And, to their credit - it's a college bar! They don't want us there at 1:00am. We've all been in their shoes, wishing the grad students would get away from the bar. Essentially, Charley's is a good place for happy hour. And, they participate in FlockTag, which I appreciate.
(3)
Lauren L.
I hated GTC when I was an undergrad, and I hate it just as much now that I am a grad student. On nights we had friends who knew (or were dating) the bartenders/bouncers, we got in easily and got lots of free, quick drinks. If you try and come here without being friends with somebody, they will treat you worse than dirt. Prepare to wait about 1,000 years while the bartenders ignore you to your face. When you finally do get a drink, it will not be strong, and it will send you into pre-diabetic coma. There's no true dance area, so forget about doing anything but sitting and looking around the room because you can't hear your friends. The bad music they play, they play LOUDLY. The only part I like is the outdoor patio area, but Michigan winters ensure that this is not usable most of the year. There are a lot of great places to party and go dancing in Ann Arbor. Study Lounge, Necto (trashy, but fun), Habana on salsa night - its all good. Save yourself from the pain of Charley's and go somewhere else without the weird cliquey who-knows-who thing they have going on.
(2)
Melissah L.
Charley's is great-- IF you are a college student, preferably in the Greek system, and need a place to sit down for drinks with friends for the night (otherwise, I would probably pass). I happen to be all of the above, and I love Charley's! The food is nothing to marvel at, it's typical bar food (meaning, nothing impressive), but the drink menu is very extensive. Their signature drink is the fishbowl-- a 64 oz mason jar of pretty much any drink you can imagine. My favorite is the Ecto Cooler (it's like grown-up Kool-Aid-- a completely artificial looking color and so sweet that it hurts). The shot list is very impressive- there are probably over 100 different shots you can try. There is even a section of gross combinations for those celebrating their 21st birthdays (and have mean friends). Go at least once if you are a UMich student....just do it.
(4)
Emily F.
Friendly staff and bartender. Patrons were friendly and easy to spark up a conversation with. Its definitely more of a college bar with a large list of fancy shots and 80 cent wells on Tuesday. They have a 64 oz mason jar you can fill with a liquor drink (no beer) of your choice. I like that they have a variety of beers, not just the basic Miller Lite, Bud Lite and Killians. It has a dive-y look to it, but the bathrooms are nice!
(3)
Eric B.
Why does anyone go to Charley's? It's right there. Sure they have good specials on pitchers and drinking massive amounts of juice of of a 64 oz mason jar is cool i guess but Good Time Charleys seriously has the worst service on south u and probably in Ann Arbor. At least once a week I'd come with a decently large group (6-8 people) to eat and drink. With a crew that big, our tab was almost always a few hundred dollars and almost always, there were serious orders with our bill. Now, a normal waiter/waitress would recognize that she'd get a nice tip from such a large group if she was apologetic of her error and sorted it out humanely. But each time, the charleys waitstaff, when we would finally get their attention, would act with disgust when we requested that they fix the bill, which would sometimes be 50% overcharged.
(2)
Maya B.
Haiku #45 Undergrad Heaven Along with Rick's and Blue Lep Save yourself and run! Let's get things straight--if you are an undergrad student at U of M, you might just like this place. Hell, you might love this place. But if you are over 21 and actually like to drink good tasting beer and alcohol, this probably isn't the place for you. On top of that, it's always too crowded, the service is typically mad slow, and the drinks are weak....my suggestions for going out: try anywhere West of State Street and you'll be fine! (PS: they don't have live music of a DJ ever, and there is no space to dance...that said, trivia night is actually a good time)
(1)
Matt D.
Charley's is your typical college-town bar. During the day they serve surprisingly good food (get the pizza styx) and at night they are a full fledged bar. The weeknight specials are always a hit especially the Thursday night special where you can get a burger, fries, and a coke for $5. The drinks are competitively priced especially if you can get one of their pitchers of domestic beer on special. The classic drinks Charley' s is famous for are the fishbowl mixed drinks. You can get them in all sorts of flavors and they come in cool colors. Each one is pretty stiff though so be careful not to overindulge! The atmosphere is very loud unless the weather is nice and you are outside. You will find that this is the bar many people go to for their 21st birthday so there are always a lot of loud, drunk people wandering about. Go to karaoke on Tuesday nights! It is a blast!!
(4)
Daron D.
When it comes to drinks at a good price and drink choice, GTC might be one of the best in the area. You can get pitchers of beer, long islands (at least 9 different flavors), shooter, etc for cheap, if you go there, you must try at least one big fishbowl, and Tuesday night karaoke here is probably the best in the area. The only reason why i give it 3 stars is the food. Outside of the fries, pepperoni styx, and Philly sandwich, the food here is not good to me (although i will admit this is a good place to go to for your birthday because they do give you a free meal). All in all, a god place to go to.
(3)
Laura C.
I reeeeally enjoyed their giant outdoor patio a few times this summer and fall. We just had drinks, and they were well-priced! People on the patio were super nice and the vibe there was really good. Check it out to watch a game or enjoy a night drinking outside!
(4)
Kevin M.
Not like this place needs another review, but since I'm well past the age of their demographic, I figured it might help someone. Like many of these college bars, the lavish reviews are made by people who have fond memories of hanging out with their friends, and have little to do with the bar itself. It's been many years, but this place hasn't changed much... average in just about every way. Depending on what you order, the food is maybe even a little above average. The service is hit or miss, depends on how busy it is. The interior is dated and dumpy, and while I know what I'm in for when I come to a place like this, they should probably sink a few bucks in to cleaning it up just a little. A coat of paint and removal of the stained ceiling tiles would go a long way. Full disclaimer: Your experience will be directly or inversely proportioned to what's going on in the bar that day. If it's crowed and full of students, don't expect any kind of service. The biggest lesson of this place might be that students at a decent college don't necessarily behave any better than those at a community college. Two stars seems to low- it's not a BAD place- 3-stars seems to imply I'd favor this to some extent over a some of the other places in the area.. and I don't. Split the difference. 2.5 stars seems right.
(2)
Peggah G.
I am not a big drinker so I can't say much about the alcoholic beverages. I love the stix mix or whatever they call it. It's so good. The service isn't always the greatest, but the company always is :) Their happy hour specials are priced wonderfully and their food is really good.
(4)
Krista A.
This is a loud and crowded bar, but it's a great place to go for awesome drink specials. Check out their late night menu...it's insane! This is a fun place to go for a drink and to people-watch, but unless you're 21, it's likely not a place you would want to hang out all the time or for an entire night.
(3)
Kathleen C.
If I overlook the guy that threw up on the people next to me, this place was...interesting. It's definitely a dive-y college bar, which is expected as it's located on the U of M campus, but it welcomed us "slightly older than college folks" as well. They have wine...it is in individual containers and is $5. It's not great, but hey, it's not that crappy either. The beer comes in huge glasses (which apparently caused the vomiting next to us) and you can also get a nice large ball jar of some mystery beverage. It's not dirty, which is a plus and has a pretty big bar and the staff is helpful. I even saw them turning away some underage kids. Overall, if I have to visit a dive bar on campus, this spot was pretty good. The drinks were cheap, it was relatively clean and service was good. An interesting spot to visit in campus (p.s. there are some better spots for those of us who don't like getting barfed on, but even so, this spot was fun).
(3)
Javier G.
$4 for 1/2 lb of fries + burger + fountain drink on Thursday nights?? How can you go wrong? Fries tasted pretty good too!
(5)
Beck E.
I've been going to Charley's for four years now and will probably continue to go for as long as I am in Ann Arbor. Just went there this afternoon for the happy hour, and it would appear that all of the prices just went up by about a dollar. :( Boo. At least they put the veggie plate back on the appetizers menu. Unfortunately, the ones I got today were in baaaad shape. They were dry and looked as though they had been sitting out on the counter all day, and all of the grape tomatoes were wrinkly. The burgers are pretty tasty and so are the nachos. The pub fries are also really good. The sloppy joe's there is tasteless/bland, but it might have been taken off the menu. Their attempt at Vietnamese "bánh mì" (which they misspell every time it appears on the menu...) is pathetic and they shouldn't have bothered--the pickled vegetables they use range from either too salty to eat or too sweet. If you plan on getting dessert, ask your server at the beginning of the meal if any are even available. It took me 3.5 years before I successfully ordered a milkshake because they never had ice cream on hand. A few visits ago, none of the desserts was available except for milkshakes. 3 stars because the waitstaff is friendly. [Edit: 01/21/12] It's probably time to update some of the info in this review. GTC has since removed the travesty of a sandwich that was their "bahn mi" [sic] and any instances of "Vietnamese-inspired" pickled vegetables *gag* from the menu. Pub menu items *are* still a dollar off during happy hour (yay!), and they have been better about having ice cream on hand. I'm thinking 3.5 stars now. [Edit: 10/23/13] They recently revamped the menu because there is a new "chef," and most of the prices went up! Sorry, but the burger & fries are not worth $9.99! It is really hard top ignore the obvious price-gouging going on in Ann Arbor since the advent of all the luxury student housing.
(3)
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Address :1140 S University Ave
Ann Arbor, MI, 48104
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Yes Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Majid A.
This is my place to go watch a game and grab a beer. You can't go wrong with 2 dollar pitchers on sundays. Also the fishbowls really get you going. One of those is a perfect pre-game kicker to get you going for the rest of the night. Also the crowd gets really packed on weekends. If you want a vibrant young crowd this is the place to go
(5)Evan D.
I don't know who Charley is, but let me tell you a story about Jessica. She was a waitress, but to me, she was much more. I ordered a wrap, and they were out of wraps. Cause for concern, right? No, not at all. Not with Captain Jessica. She recommended the onion roll and it really made my night. From that point on, I felt like nothing could stop me. If I could enjoy a meal without what I originally wanted, what couldn't I do? Go back to school? learn a new language? Who knows. Anyway, later on in the night a buddy asked me where I went to dinner. Hears how the conversation went: Him: where did you go for dinner Me: Charley's Him: good time Charley's? Me: more like GREAT time Charley's
(5)Kristen C.
I've been going to GTC's for several years now and it's always been a fun place to hang out. Like many places on South U it is crowded with the youngest of college children, but after a fish bowl, meh who cares. It's a fun place with good drinks, nice employees, trivia, and the nachos are my favorite nachos in town and are easily made into a vegetarian feast! I've recently been finding coupons to GTC's, which is exciting because I'm 30 now and love me a good coupon!
(4)Ashley L.
Rated #14 on the best college bars in the US! I love Charley's. They have one of the most extensive shooters lists I've seen, yummy fishbowls and decent bar food, all for good prices. Friday and Saturday nights are super packed so if you don't go early, you won't be able to get a table. There are almost always lines those nights too. Depending on the bouncer, they can be lax or strict with fake IDs. Great outdoor seating during nice weather, usually packed too.
(4)Tim T.
Hasn't changed much since the early '90's. the sticks are fantastic for the late crowd. If you are adventurous, ask for a Screaming Viking (aka: a Green Beret). The capper for a glorious night.
(4)Sarah W.
Good Times taste like nostalgia and pepperoni styx. When I was a student at Michigan, it always seemed like the best thing Charley's had going for it was the insanely long shooter list. They have cornered the market on disgusting potables you only consume on your 21st birthday. (But they also have a decent beer list and the ingredients for cocktails that won't make you throw up) The food seemed markedly better on a recent return. Stick with the "bar food" - the pepperoni styx are stellar, the salads will just make you sad that you didn't order more pepperoni styx.
(3)Alice C.
Me: Where's the bathroom? Brother: Hmm. I feel like I should know. I puked in it the last time I was here. This pretty much sums it up. I was put off by waiting in line (how do kids do this in a Michigan winter???) and then the clownshow of a crowd once we got in, but there's a solution for that--a 64 oz. Mason jar of Long Island. Known as the Fish Bowl, there are a handful of variations on Long Islands--all delicious and guaranteed to make you forget your sorrows, whether it be a hard midterm, or the fact that your old self waited in a long ass line to relive college. If that doesn't do the trick, Charley's Mind Erasers are fantastic. I would write more about it, but I guess it did its job...
(4)Grant G.
We went here for lunch during the Art Fair, so it was, of course, packed. However, despite how busy the restaurant was, we were still seated in a very timely manner. Our server was helpful and friendly, and the food was awesome! Overall, if you're in the area and are looking for a decent, quality meal, Charley's is the place!
(5)Dan R.
The food for a bar is actually really good. I do think they could probably shorten the menu by about 50% and not lose too much appeal, but that is just a matter of personal opinion. Drinks are pretty cheap too, but the place can get extremely crowded at peak times making it difficult to order drinks or maneuver around the bar. All in all this is a great place to meet up for drinks or lunch, especially when the weather is warm.
(4)Erin B.
This place is great for undergrads--only. The drinks are watered down, the beer is substandard, the environment is loud and incredibly crowded, and the service is poor. Avoid this place.
(1)Cathy W.
One of my most favorite places to eat in Ann Arbor. They have the BEST drink/shot menu!! They have these Pepperoni Stix that are incredible!! I also suggest the fried mac-n-cheese and the jalapeno poppers (they are made with cream cheese and are to die for). Your visit won't be complete unless you try one of their famous drinks/shooters!!!
(4)Nelson L.
An Ann Arbor institution, Charley's has lasted this long for a reason. Between their inexpensive drink specials and their awesome food, this is the place to catch the games. Probably the biggest reason I love Charley's is the Stix Mix which is their cheese and pepperoni bread mix and it's incredible. If you're in town, definitely check out Charleys
(4)Shane M.
Decent food and drinks at reasonable prices, nothing exceptional that I have experienced. Can be a popular undergrad bar
(3)Rachellen S.
I loveeeee this bar!! I go to Charley's every weekend. And this is why..... 1. The bar is a ton of fun if you want to meet new people. Everyone is very social and people don't just stick with their group of friends like other bars. 2. Fishbowls are a cost effective way to get smashed (I mean we are college students). 3. It's always crowded because it's so popular. The service might be slow but does it really matter when your having a good time. 4. If you want to have a chill night sitting at a table or the patio it is fun too. Just go early so you can get a table. 5. The staff is friendly and waitresses are willing to split checks even for big parties. Yes I understand that it isn't the classiest bar in Ann Arbor but it's a college town and this is exactly what college students are looking for...it isn't Main street, it's South U. The $3 shots of the night are always a yummy cheap option. It's never a dull night at Charleys! It's just the best South U bar.
(5)Kathryn L.
Charley's is one of my favorite college memories! As for meals, I've tried most of their menu, and my two favorites are by far the pepperoni cheese bread (basically a greasy Stromboli-esque appetizer) and the burger (good, simple, delicious hamburger)! As for nights out on the town, Charley's always seems to be the first bar to fill up, so it's tough to find a table. The great thing is that people here are friendly and are usually willing to share their table, welcome new joiners to partake in their drinking games, etc. The bartenders and servers here are great! But again if you go on a Saturday night when they're slammed don't expect the service to be as good as a Monday night when they're not so busy.
(4)Kevin S.
1 hour wait for this place. Could NOT believe we waited so long for this place. The food was cold and we literally waited one hour for our food and the waitress said no you didnt...you only waited 30 minutes. I'm not saying I will never go back but it will be a long time before I do.
(1)Meredith F.
Sometimes I feel like Charley's is overrated. It seems like the place that everyone goes, but they don't have the best drink specials and you can't even dance there. However, I love karaoke on Tuesdays and summer is a much better time to go to this bar. It's nice to be able to sit and chat with your friends sometimes, and you can always run into people you know here. But like I said, I love to dance when I go out, and there's no room for that here. Some other upsides to Charley's are the patio, the huge fishbowls, and the biggest variety of shots I've ever seen at a bar. They also have some good food options (the fried macaroni and cheese is my fave), and pretty awesome ranch. :)
(3)Eric M.
What happened? My recent visit to Good Time Charley's was like meeting up with that ex from college and realizing they've changed, and not for the better. First off, the layout is crazy. Entrance is now right at the bar with some seating on the sides. We came during the summer so it was pretty dead, which I would think equates to faster service. We still waited a bit for our server to come up. I'm sad to see that most of the frozen drinks are gone, but the selection of cocktails is still large. I went with the 64oz Long Island Iced Tea and will say it was nice and strong at a good price. The biggest problem with Charley's is that they don't care about their customers. The music, which is blasted, is played from one of the staff members' iPod and they don't have a jukebox or take requests. So you better like the music that the bartender likes. I also came with a group of six and we spent over $100. One us wasn't brought a drink one time, no big deal, and actually it worked out b/c he actually wanted to try a different one. When the bill came we were charged for both, again not a huge problem but we wanted to get it taken care of. The second we bring it up we're called liars and the server throws our bill on our table with the adjusted amount. More like Shitty Time Charley's.
(2)Andrew K.
The other reviews are pretty spot on as the food is generally good and the atmosphere is as college-y as you can get. I am here to talk about the one thing that seems to have not been reviewed: the Thursday special. The scene can get quite packed with drunken Greeks, but if that's not to your fancy, definitely go for the Thursday special. This time every week from 5-10PM is the $3 burger & fries special. This comes with a half-pound burger (you can add toppings for small prices) and a half-pound of fries for, $3...that's right, 300 pennies (you can finally empty out the piggy bank for a pound of food!). The burger is always well cooked and juicy, and the fries are crispy and have good potato-like flavor. The meal is worth way more than $3. By the way, the line will be out the door during this time but it's totally worth every minute of waiting. The restaurant is an overall 3 1/2 *s.
(3)Joshua M.
This place would get five stars easily if it was easy to get into the place on a weekend/Friday. I'm a huge fan of their gigantic Long Island Iced Teas. They come in old pickle jars and taste fantastic. One will get you drunk... Two will get you arrested. Their Pepperoni Styx (lol Mr. Roboto) are awesome too. Get them from the bar menu after the main kitchen is closed, and you won't be disappointed... So long as you don't get stuck waiting in line, Charley's is an Ann Arbor STAPLE. GO THERE.
(4)mariah c.
This place has never really been my scene. The patio is lively, and the drinks are cheap -- so it's popular with the college crowd, and I understand why. It's also sorta unique that they offer up about a million different kinds of shots. I admit I've been here a time or two for a few doses o' alcohol before heading to the sober shows down at the Half-Ass (aka Halfway Inn) down the block. I met someone for lunch here the other week and was pleasantly surprised that it was a decent place for a mid-day meal. The servers were all really nice, the buffalo chicken wrap was tasty enough, but the best thing? They make their own potato chips! I never would have expected that, but for someone who loves taters as much as me (mmm... starchy!), that's a big bonus! I'm not about ready to join the undergrad mob on a night here, but GTC is perfectly a-ok, and the kind staff and fresh chips are appreciated pluses!
(3)Carlos O.
Service can be slow however not a bad place to hangout. Not too crazy about the food.
(3)Justin D.
This is a great place to go for drinks. They have lots of different mixed drinked, which are all good. It's not really a place for beer though.
(4)Adam D.
Charley's is a great place to drink beer outside on a warm day. The food is so-so, the service is usually disappointing, and the bouncers are often a bit rude. If you're around 21-24, this place is loads of fun, but Charley's might not appeal to a person in their mid to late 20's who is not inclined to jockey for mediocre drinks at a college bar. BUT, on a late April or early May evening, chilling on the patio with a brew before REALLY going out is quite nice.
(3)Rodrigo H.
Me and my friends ended up in this bar to see the final of the Euro Uefa final ( Spain vs Italy), never again, every thing went well till the OWNER or responsable of this bar decided to turn the channel right after after the match was over, people complained and he petrended nothing happen , 50 people went to his bar to see this game and he ignored what people wanted to see. it really pissed me off enough just to sign up on yelp and tell every one about this bar.
(1)Paul W.
There's nothing better than their amazing Count Twists .... Dunk 'em and grub.
(4)Michael C.
GT Charley's is THE place to go on the Eastside. I mean, what else is there? Rick's? Forget about Rick and go with Charley! I like that GTC can roll up pretty good food with an awesome atmosphere and THE best drink menu around. Other places have cement floors and dollar beers. If that's you're thing, then go somewhere else. If you're looking for something special, then come here! I've had all of their burgers and they're all great. I've never been able to finish one - they're like Fudrucker's portions! - but have never felt bad about having to bring the next day's lunch home with me. I'd suggest trying some of the spicier stuff they do. And definitely check out the "Shooters" menu, either to order or just laugh at some of the drink names. My favorites are "Piss behind the urinal wall" (just for comedic value) and the Armageddon (for consumption value!). This menu is huge - there has to be a couple hundred different kinds of drinks on there, so you can assured that the bartenders here are top notch! Also, peek at the Long Island Ice Tea and the Margarita menus. They have a dozen and a half of them, and they are so tasty. Honestly I don't know why there's all the lukewarm reviews of GTC. I've been to just about every bar in town, and for the price, atmosphere, and the expertise of the bartenders, very few places in Ann Arbor can stand up to GTC.
(5)Justin G.
Long islands were great, especially when they are doing them on drink specials and the giant plate of pizza sticks was the best thing there. Overall, a good place to go for an adult meal while still on campus. Also, the best place for outdoor seating while having a drink.
(3)Rebecca W.
Yesterday, Charley seems to have gotten up on the right side of the bed, and indeed provided a Good Time for one and all. -We knew we wanted to sit outside (which automatically raises the rating by half a star) and one of our party called ahead to see if we could make a reservation. Couldn't, but the hostess was friendly, on top of things, and let us know that things were slow and it should be no problem getting a seat. -Same member of our party was the first to arrive, and reports that when she and some others did, the staff was fawning--"We know you! You were here last week!" Um....what? And the week before, and the week before....but OK, we'll take it. -When I arrived, confirmed that the on-top-of-it, cheery hosts were in place. Excellent. -Server Nicole L. was wonderful....checked in on us often, brought us everything we needed--including change for a $20 when she was already in trouble with the bartender for bugging him for change. Even had a cute (and pragmatic) sense of humor: one of us asked for a "giant" glass of water, and she brought him his own pitcher with a straw in it. He drank the whole thing. -I always forget that I love Charley's onion rings, but I do. -Every week at least one of us orders a club sandwich. This week, I don't know why, that thing looked SO GOOD. Extra golden toasty bread and nice presentation (in a pile of onion rings) -The only downside was the mysterious horrifying smell that kept wafting through. I don't think the smell was coming FROM Charley's, but it was in Charley's airspace. Yuck. However, after eating on the GTC patio weekly all of last summer, I can safely say that this was an isolated incident....one that we hope will not be repeated. Charley's, you're stepping it up, and we appreciate it. Thanks!
(4)Sarah M.
I couldn't stand this place when the old management ran it, but since the guys from BTB took over, they have redeemed themselves. I've been out of college for a couple years now, and Charley's SUCKED before I graduated (mainly because of the staff), but now I always find myself coming back to Charley's when I'm in AA for drinks with friends. The people at the door are friendly, the bartenders actually smile, and the waiters are attentive. We usually pregame before going there, since the drinks are kind of expensive, but sometimes we still end up getting drunk enough to end up at Rick's at the end of the night. And that's saying something. The line is usually worth it, and moves pretty quickly. Plus, they serve beer in line. No other bar does that. Karaoke on Tuesdays is always a laugh and a blast. The food is also pretty good. I really like their chicken fingers and their fries, and I had one of their wraps that was really good. If you've got friends in town and don't have a car, this is one of the best places to take your friends to eat.
(4)dan c.
used to drink here alone before i dropped out of mich. plenty of mediocre looking girls in pushup bras who think chicago is a cosmopolitan city, don't know what a passport is, likely go down on the first date (if you play football), and drive daddy's lex #atleastthebeerischeap
(2)Stacy W.
Went to Charley's yesterday for lunch. I got the Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich and it was SO delicious. It came with a macaroni salad and lots of fries. It was reasonably priced for the amount of food that came with it. Also, our server was nice.
(5)Tyler B.
Location must mean everything in restaurants, because other than its position on the corner of South U and Church, there's little justifying Charlie's existence. The food is awful. About once a year I get tricked into eating here and in the 14 years I've been in A2, I've never enjoyed a meal at Charlies. Its disguised as upscale bar food, but it tastes like failure. The drinks are obscenely overpriced. Over the years I've ran into a decent happy hour special or two, but never one good enough to justify coming back again for it. The crowd generally seems to be composed of people who met at a study group and don't know each other, but decided to go have a drink after their cram session anyway, at which point they realize they have nothing to say to each other. Oh yeah, that and two groups of drunken assholes who think they are hilarious. Guess what? They aren't, despite this place being a colossal joke.
(1)Julie C.
This is one of my go-to bars in Ann Arbor. It's a great place for a more relaxed get-together, rather than a get crazy wasted/dance on tables sort of night (I'd recommend The Blue Lep + Rick's combo for that). There's karaoke Tuesdays and trivia Wednesdays. Also, you have to get an ecto cooler fishbowl if you're ever here!
(4)Kyle W.
Bar of choice for the majority of college students at U of M. You can't go wrong with this place because the food is also VERY good. The burgers and fries are great and the pepperoni stix are awesome and good to share among a group of friends. Charley's is always busy at night and if you can get a table consider yourself lucky. The atmosphere is great and I always run into people I know there even though I don't go often. The best value is going to be the "fish bowl" which is a really large container of long island (they have multiple flavors if you don't like the original). You are good for the night with this or you can share with friends. I would recommend going around 9pm so you can get a table and enjoy the full experience at GTC. Also not a bad place to go for lunch or watch a sports game.
(4)Jason P.
This place was really chill and full of characters. We walked in and waited at the bar for a table. There was a guy who was about 60 sitting there in a flanel shirt, suspenders and these thick glasses. He was doing the word jumble and sat there with a tall glass full of ice, a bottle of bud and a small glass of grenadine. Then the fun started. He poured the bud into the glass full of ice and started to drink it. I immediately grabbed my mich friend and asked her if that is how they roll in AA. It was disturbing. Then we got the table and more madness. They have this cheesy bread with amazing sauce. It was heart attack city, but tasted great. The next morning though your stomach might not thank you. I also had a veggie wrap with fries. Yes, I eat a lot, I get it. We tried to watch the baseball there, which was cool as they had a lot of screens with HD service. The table next to us was full of fratastic individuals who kept pounding on the tables, perhaps in some sort of hazing or bonding ritual. They got kicked out shortly after for puking somewhere. Good times! Smoke free also won some points here
(3)Parisa K.
Charley's is good stuff. The honest truth is that if Charley's was located anywhere else than on campus during my undergrad years, I would probably never really like a place like this. It's got a large food menu, with some really good items, but the best things are greasy and heavy and more fun to eat when also drinking lots. It's got a large drink menu, and larger shot menu, but if it weren't for being an undergrad, I know wouldn't really appreciate all the drinks this place has to offer. But none of these ifs really matter. The fact is, I feel in love with Charley's, as do most Wolverines, for many reasons. Some reasons I've already said, some I probably couldn't put into words, and I'm sure there are reasons I don't even know about that contribute to my love of this place. There's nothing like getting a group of friends and heading to Charley's for drinks, maybe some food, and more drinks. It's got a good atmosphere, and it's in the best location. Anything you could want is within feet of you when you leave this place... that's really something. I'm sure it helped Charley's that Mitch's decided to shut down shortly after my friends and I turned 21, and stayed closed til after graduation, and that our friends worked at Charley's, so we always saw familiar faces. But still, Charley's just has an appeal. Now I have to admit that since I've graduated, I've only been back a handful of times. While it's not at all the same, the nostalgia always kicks in. I think we each all had our 21st birthday dinners at this place, oh the memories. Plus it's the kind of place where you can chill with your friends, so quality bonding time happens at Charley's, the kind of bonding you can't do on the sweaty dance floor of a club.
(3)Jonathan S.
Charlie's is definitely the epitome of an Ann Arbor college bar, with top-of-the-line weekly events that keep the place packed even during the week. Being more of a clubber than a bar-goer, I really don't like how this place is super well-lit; I feel like I'm in class instead of at a bar. Definitely a place to have good conversations with people, but if you want to dance, I'd go somewhere else.
(2)Lisa W.
Most memorable time? It was after an MSU v. UM football game (MSU lost), and my MSU buddy hit his head continually on their glass trim and then got swiped out by a bouncer. Prior to that we were being rowdy, doing jagerbombs and guzzling drinks and beers. It's tired and cliche to say "I'm not a fan of this scene", but I won't hate on Charley's too much because a friend of mine is a bartender here and she's cute. Jodi will pour you a mean drink, I know it. I did love this place when I was an undergrad, I will admit. It was in a great location and when I was drunk, all of the food tasted good to me. Even my mom liked it, and she never gets wasted. When in doubt, just order the cheese fries. Simple, easy, tastes great with a drink special. It's a place you outgrow, however, and then you venture out into the weird world of... the other side of State Street! Gasp.
(3)Stewert B.
Great food, good deals on drinks, and the best bar in A2! Get there early, lines can be long at night.
(5)Nathan T.
Charley's is awesome! This is the first place I came after moving to Ann Arbor from California. Great drink specials and OK food.
(3)Melanie A.
One of my friends who has visited Ann Arbor once or twice, accidentally called this place "Sorry Charley's". She actually thought that was the name of the restaurant! I could not stop laughing!... but I thought it was a suitable name for this place. The food is not good. However, I suppose it might be a good place to go out with a group of friends for drinks. I hope it is true that the owners of Big Ten Burrito are buying Good Time Charley's. There is hope.
(2)Andy Y.
Avocado Chicken Sandwich w/ fries and a Guinness Draft on a warm day. Enough said.
(4)Frank M.
It's a trashy college bar, that's really all there is to it. It can be nice to sit out on the patio and I do like their quite large long islands, but other than that there's really no reason to go here. You'll spend the whole night surrounded by douche bags eating mediocre food and drinking cheap, shitty beer. If that's what you want in a bar, by all means go to Charley's. If you want a good bar go to Ashley's, ABC, Jolly Pumpkin, or Conor's.
(2)Ray L.
This place is more like 4 stars but I think the old people bias is bringing down the rating way too much. Had lots of great times here in my undergrad (2002-2006) If you're actually an undergrad and are looking to hang out the atmosphere is fun. Celebrated many friends' birthdays here. Lots fun b-day freebies here. Great memories.
(4)Mae S.
SOON TO CHANGE IDENTITIES. The stars are given on spec that the many lovers of Big 10 Burrito are right. Details according to today's Ann Arbor News: "The owners of popular burrito chain BTB are buying Good Time Charley's on South University Avenue and plan to re-open the first floor restaurant by Easter and turn the second floor into a Mexican cantina. "Good Time Charley's, a restaurant/nightclub that's been in business since 1979 at the corner of South University and Church Street, closed somewhat unexpectedly in late December. "Business partners Adam Lowenstein and Justin Herrick will spend nearly $500,000 to buy and renovate Good Time Charley's and build BTB Cantina on the second floor. The pair own two BTB Burrito stores - formerly known as Big Ten Burrito - in Ann Arbor and one in East Lansing. "
(5)Justin S.
It's the standard University of Michigan bar. I would have given them 4 stars, but they increased the price of their fishbowls to $10.75 and are no longer under 10 dollars. But they've also opened an outside bar so you can drink while you wait to drink. I'm so torn.
(3)Haroun K.
I don't think Charley's is a bad time at all! In fact, Charley's has one of the best late night drink specials in town: really cheap pitchers of beer, long islands, and margaritas. It was my favorite place to go drinking with a large group because of the many long tables. The food isn't great, but is not abysmal. The most complaints from my crowd seem to concern the service. We always got stuck in this one really spacey waitress's section, and people went berserk. She even overcharged my credit card once. But she was really cute, and after a few margaritas, everything was perfect.
(4)David M.
Have had many fun times at Charley's through my first year here in A2. The New Years party was amazing, but I think that was mostly because of the great company I had. The food at that time left something to be desired, probably because they were overwhelmed, but on a normal occasion the pepperoni stix are to die for. The varieties of "fishbowls" - long islands in large pickle jars, are numerous and you'll have to come back several times to try them all. One of these will get your night started perfectly, by the way.
(4)Julie O.
We met a friend here for lunch while we were in Ann Arbor. She is a student at Michigan and this is her go-to place when guests come to town. GTC is not fancy, but in a college town, there is not a whole lot of need for fancy. We started with a sampler because we were starved and it had artichoke dip among the offerings. Our server did not balk when we asked for all the dressings rather than just pick one. The flatbread was very good. Burgers and chicken sandwiches were not gourmet but they were tasty. The 1/2 pound of fries was crazy but they were good and cooked to perfection. Service was not the fastest but we were never neglected and our food came out hot.
(3)Tony C.
The bread "stix" are awesome! And the food is OK. The service though, especially on a Friday night was poor. Was seat yourself. Picked our table and waited 15 minutes for a server. Took another 35 minutes for the food to arrive. Was it because we weren't drinking and that's why the service was poor? No idea. They do have a large drink menu.
(3)Kitty L.
This place used to be so popular when I was in school at Mich back in the day. I went back there Wednesday night, and it sucks. The "cheese twists", the house special per the waiter, are horrible. It looks horrible and tastes like $hit. I had a veggie muffulata and it was probably the ugliest dish I've ever seen in my life. It was some pita-looking bread that someone messily ripped open (not cut given the uneven surface) that they threw some frozen veggies that had been blanched in hot water/steam. Topped off with a little bit of mozzarella cheese. Ick. It looked like something I made at home with leftover food. To top off the whole experience, I think my waiter was stoned or something. I was there with 2 of my coworkers. One of them asked for steamed veggies instead of fries (he got fries) and the other requested a garden salad (never came). A second round of beers never arrived. But he did come back and say "Oh, I forgot to give you the ketchup" !? The highlight of the horrid evening was the 200 pound lady in the next booth who was complaining to her girlfriend about catching her boyfriend in bed with her best friend and how she wanted to try having a peni$ for a day?! I've been out of undergrad too long. The only person who enjoyed our trip was probably our waiter. Since, we were on business, we left a 20% tip anyway.
(1)Erik H.
Went here this evening with my father and girlfriend. I had the ground beef nachos which were "ok". My father got the ground beef wet burrito which he said was the best he has had in years. My girlfriend got the chicken wrapito. She said the wrap was good but the homemade potato chips that came with it were delicious. Overall definitely recommended.
(4)Inez L.
Alright, they need to expand this place because with the amount of people that want in, there is not enough room at all. I've only eaten there a couple times, and it was decent and the service was good. I went in there another time when it was slower and it was awful service! But it was just that one time, and I've been there since and it has been better. If you go at the right time, their drink specials are great.
(3)Marlarissa M.
As far as food is concerned, Good Time Charley's is a good place to go for a good burger or sandwich. Their fries are awesome, too.
(3)Jason P.
Haven't been back here in a few years, but I remember the atmosphere being one of the typical. The bar in the middle was a great twist to this place, and you couldn't beat the 5 buck long island's, they sure know how to pour them!
(3)Sophia G.
Good service and good food. The wait can be a little long around lunch time.
(3)Aaron B.
If you are a frat boy type (e.g. actual fraternity member, sorority member, law school student, business school student, preppy self-important douche, etc.) then you'll probably like Good Time Charley's. It's rather cheap for Ann Arbor, but still overpriced considering how bad it is. I had two gin and tonics and i think that if I hadn't eaten in days I might have gotten buzz from the second one. Stick with water or soda (or beer if you have a strong stomach -- although I think that whatever drink you order it has a high water concentration). This is probably another one of those "Ann Arbor institutions" that is just plain terrible but people don't know better. Lot's of undergrads there, so maybe this is the first bar they've every been allowed to drink in and ... I don't know, just don't go there.
(1)Dave M.
My friends and I gave this place many a nickname, but the most popular was "Bad Time Charley's"
(1)Kelly G.
just visiting for the night and we had lots of fun w the extensive shooters list, def something for every type of drinker/drunk out there!
(4)Victor S.
Pretty typical college bar. They do have some good drinks, like the Hawaiian, but there's nothing too special about the place.
(3)kate s.
good time charley's has the best "count twist" cheesesticks, i don't care what anyone else says!!! i had a roommate who worked here and brought them home along with the twist sauce (which tasted like ketchup mixed with mayo to me) and i am certain it is the sole cause of my 10 pound weight gain that year. this was also the place to go for your 21st birthday as they have a kajillion crazy-sounding (and disgusting-tasting) shots that everyone has to buy you and you are forced to drink. we used to go and just get count twists and mashed potatoes (hey....college kids are cheap, what do you expect?). the waiters were always rude but we barely tipped anyway, so who can blame them? they also used to have a blended alcoholic drink called Mr. Misty that tasted like candy and should not be available to aforementioned college kids, lest they start acting like idiots and throwing food. ahhhh....back in the day.
(4)Tim K.
Make no mistake, this is the quintessential college bar, but that isn't a bad thing. The bartenders are friendly (just be patient when they're being slammed), and the drinks are fairly priced. I highly recommend the Timbo Slice! If you happen to be around when I am, maybe I'll buy you one!
(5)Allison O.
Charley's fits the bill for the term "college bar". If you're 25 or older, you can feel a little out of place :) The food here isn't anything to write home about. They have a huge selection of drinks, but outside of the beer most of them are too sugary. Service here isn't that fantastic. Was with some friends on the outdoor patio last night to have a few drinks. It took about 20 min for us to get our drinks after ordering. I know the place is busy on weekends, but waiting more than 10 min is a little ridiculous. There are better bars on South U.
(2)Anuj A.
Pros: Great atmosphere, expansive shooter/fishbowl selection Cons: Poor service, pricey, meh food I went Saturday March 21 around 8pm. The seating was about 85% full, but we were able to quickly get a table. Ambient atmosphere with a lot of TVs showing sports. Once we sat down in our group of 7, we waited 10 mins for a the waitress to come by. She gave our whole group one menu, and then we in return asked for more. She then came back about 5 mins later with only one more menu! I got the South U Jaywalker Burger. It was messy (but I expected that) but tasted overly greasy and fell apart. The caesar salad side was doused in dressing, which defeated the purpose of the salad. Half of our table needed cutlery with their food, yet they did not acknowledge to bring napkins or cutlery, and had to wait a couple minutes to get some before just getting up and finding where they held them. Finally when we were waiting for a box to take food home, the server came back three times and each time she acknowledged she forgot the box, but continued to serve other tables. Eventually we just got up and found the boxes. In summary my experience would've been better if the service was up to par, as we spent half the dinner waiting for the waitress to return with simple items. I will probably go back because it is a college hotspot, but I was disappointed in my experience.
(2)Priya R.
Get the nacho's for food and obviously get a fishbowl. ALWAYS GET A FISHBOWL. always. The fishbowls are what makes this my favorite college bar in Ann Arbor. Purple rain or California Beach party are among my favorites. But I have yet to order a fishbowl I didn't like. It's crowded at times but Charleys is just the place to go for daytime or nighttime shenanigans.
(4)Sofie T.
I have been here three times. It's usually one of the busier bars in the area, which I don't understand. The fishbowls are delicious, however the service has been terrible for me every time. The first two times it was very busy, but the bartenders were extremely rude to me. I was waiting patiently to order a drink, I hadn't said anything to the bartender yet, and she very rudely exclaimed "you're going to have to wait!" The second time I was standing at the bar for at least 10 minutes, and the bartender did not even acknowledged my presence when we made eye contact. The third time it was not busy but it took at least 30 minutes to get the check after I'd asked for it. The waitress was cleaning up tables instead of checking up.
(3)Jackie K.
I've never had more watered down drinks. We bought three rounds of shots and I felt more sober after than I did when we started. Pretty sure we just paid $41 for water.
(1)Emily M.
An Ann Arbor classic. Nothing is great about the food but the drink menu keeps it interesting! If you're looking for something fruity and strong with an outdoor patio, this is the place to go! Service is just okay...tends to be pretty busy most of the time. One of my favorite long islands is the "purple rain"!
(4)Reese S.
They were out of a lot of ingredients. We wanted to order a fishbowl and it took us 4 tries until there was a drink that they had the ingredients in stock.
(3)Naveen N.
Food is average but the drinks are good. Nice place to go to with a large group of friends for drinks on the weekend.
(4)Tina C.
I give this place 4 stars because it hits close to home. I recently graduated from Michigan and if I want to go to a bar with my friends when I visit, Charleys is the place to go. It is honestly your typical college bar..dirty bathrooms, dirty floors, not enough table space, loud, obnoxious, some rude and busy wait staff, but what more can you expect? I usually always order their fishbowl (Ecto Cooler is my favorite, but it is pretty sweet), and sometimes their shots. I have tried a variety of their shots, including Jagerbomb and liquid cocaine (gross, but gets you buzzed quickly). Their food is also pretty good for a bar. They have really juicy burgers (and they have $1 burger specials from 5-9PM on Thursdays), and their fries are generally fresh and fat. I'm never disappointed at their portion sizes. Overall, I recommend you try out this bar if you are a visitor, or just recently moved to Ann Arbor. It is pretty "frat-y," but remember you are in a college bar with a whole bunch of college students. After 10pm it is 21+ only and Sunday nights is karaoke nights. Fun to watch drunk people sing their hearts out.
(4)Albert T.
Terrible service. Sat down for over fifteen minutes without anyone coming over to take my order.
(1)Sarah M.
Normally I wouldn't write a review of a bar scene fixture like Charley's. That said the other night I had a really good experience with the bartender Billy. I ordered a drink and the cup had a hole in it. He immediately replaced the cup and then gave me a free drink. He also gave my boyfriend two free shots. Excellent service for a college bar! Also, if you haven't been here before, the food is nothing great but you must get a Fishbowl. You'll be drunk after one, but they're delicious.
(4)Christie R.
This is an ok spot. It fills up quite a bit during the weekend. First time here I loved my fishbowl. Second time I felt ripped off. My fishbowl felt like it had close to nothing of alcohol. I've heard from people who worked there that they don't put the right amount on drinks in order to have extra to give away to friends. Really sucked last couple of times. Won't be buying fishbowls here again.
(3)Margaret N.
Went here before heading to a UMich. football game. Ordered nachos for an appetizer and there was a piece of hair in my salsa and ketchup stains on my plate....nacho chips were stale... Service was nice and I liked how they put descriptions of every mixed drink and shot on their menu.... Ordered the chicken, bacon, avocado sandwich and fries and that was yummy! Great place for drinking, but not so much for food...
(2)Lauren T.
I was there a couple of weeks ago celebrating a friend's graduation from UMich. Crowded wouldn't even begin to describe the place. People (myself and my friends included) scrambled for tables and chairs as soon as they opened up. Once we managed to outnumber another group waiting for a table we ordered fish bowls and some appetizers. Service was pretty quick. The food was typical bar fare, nothing to brag about but no complaints. I did enjoy the fish bowl at first but once the load of ice began to melt it quickly became pretty watered down. This place wouldn't be my first stop if and when I return to Ann Arbor but it served its purpose as far as drinks and a quick bite to eat.
(3)Amy B.
Assigning a star rating to Charley's is almost as hard as staying sober there. As a graduate student, I loved this place. Cheap, potent Long Island Ice Teas competed with cheap pitchers of shitty beer for space on my table. Even after seeing many friends get sick after a meal at Charley's, I'd eventually fall prey to the chicken nachos. From what I can remember, they are awesome during a Long Island Ice Tea haze. At some point, Charley's introduced the fishbowl sized Long Island, also super cheap. This was a bad idea for all involved, and yet I loved it. Charley's was pretty much a five star when I was in grad school. As a working professional, I am too effing old for this place. One star, and four Advil.
(3)Clementine C.
LOVE this place and miss it so much, here's why: 1 - MENU is BIG and everything is customizable and delicious 2 - STAFF: most of the people I worked with are recently gone, but everyone is fun and awesome and you should tip them a lot 3 - SPECIALS: karaoke, happy hour, $4 burgers, sunday funday.... there is much more 4 - DRINKS: I find myself telling bartenders to make my favorite shots/cocktails straight from the Charley's menu all of the time; the Danger Dane is a SERIOUS alcoholic beverage for those of us with a high tolerance cons: none, stop it
(5)Anna S.
Imagine me making a Homer Simpson drool face so pronounced that my drool is seeping out of your laptop screen, onto your keyboard and fingers. (Mm, hello.) That is how I feel about the Count Twists here. On a recent car trip from Albion to Flint, I made my husband drive half an hour out of our way just so I could indulge. The rest of the menu? Ho hum. No matter what you order--salad, nachos, whatever--it will taste as if assembled from Giant Food's aisle of deli meats and canned beans. They put all their genius into their count twists. But they alone are worth the visit.
(3)N P.
Another campus institution in my mind. Have been here countless times throughout my Ann Arbor life for the restaurant side not the drinks part of it. Basically 90% of the time I had the count twists with ranch. Cheesy with sesame seeds and delicious. Terrible for you but I was hooked on them lol. I don't eat like that any more and the choices that I'm left with like a veggie burger or a tray of vegetables with ranch ($5) aren't as appealing. They do have a spinach and artichoke burger-like item on the menu that is vegetarian so I'll have to try that. Again, it is nice to see a place like this at least try to have some vegetarian or healthy options. I will still miss my count twists but that's just part of getting older and wiser lol!
(4)Patrick T.
Good drinks with funny names. The outdoor patio is pretty nice when it's warm out. Nice selection of long island iced tea based drinks, and you can get it in a huge mason jar.
(3)Jessica W.
Oh, Charley's. In the short time since I arrived in the Great Midwest, Charley's has made its mark on my Ann Arbor experience. It epitomizes the S. University bar scene, meaning essentially that: a) it is full of mostly undergrads, clad in their Greek apparel or DayGlo UM gear, b) you'll need to wait at least 15 minutes to get the attention of someone at the bar, and c) your chances of getting a table after 10 are smaller than your odds of winning the lottery. Makes Main Street's bars all the more appealing. The fishbowls are something to marvel at. I tried the Ecto Cooler, which looks like some form of nuclear waste, and finished it in less than 15 minutes. For something that large, I expected to at least get a decent buzz, but it turns out they're 90% ice. At least I stayed hydrated.
(2)Ryan B.
The check comes 10 times faster than any of the drinks. Not a fan! Sure, this place was pumpin on a Friday night, and a perfect energy level to celebrate a friend's 21st bday party, but the service was AWEFUL! Two bartenders were making drinks for THE WHOLE BAR, making my friends have to wait 10-15 minutes to get 4 shots. In a town of aspiring bartenders, it's time to hire some more help, Charley. Plus, with 6 ppl, our waitress "assumed" we would all be paying on 1 bill, and was not willing to split it up. And yes, the bill came instantly, unlike any of the drinks. Have to say, this is the bottom of my bar list. Will I go back? Only if friends want to go. I recommend going down the street to Blue Lep instead.
(2)Kelly E.
Charley's is the epitome of the South U bar scene. It's crowded, but it's cheap. I've never braved the fishbowl, but the long island variety seems to be a great deal. If you are not an undergrad - get there early, leave early. It becomes a sweaty, standing-room only mass of 20 year olds. And, to their credit - it's a college bar! They don't want us there at 1:00am. We've all been in their shoes, wishing the grad students would get away from the bar. Essentially, Charley's is a good place for happy hour. And, they participate in FlockTag, which I appreciate.
(3)Lauren L.
I hated GTC when I was an undergrad, and I hate it just as much now that I am a grad student. On nights we had friends who knew (or were dating) the bartenders/bouncers, we got in easily and got lots of free, quick drinks. If you try and come here without being friends with somebody, they will treat you worse than dirt. Prepare to wait about 1,000 years while the bartenders ignore you to your face. When you finally do get a drink, it will not be strong, and it will send you into pre-diabetic coma. There's no true dance area, so forget about doing anything but sitting and looking around the room because you can't hear your friends. The bad music they play, they play LOUDLY. The only part I like is the outdoor patio area, but Michigan winters ensure that this is not usable most of the year. There are a lot of great places to party and go dancing in Ann Arbor. Study Lounge, Necto (trashy, but fun), Habana on salsa night - its all good. Save yourself from the pain of Charley's and go somewhere else without the weird cliquey who-knows-who thing they have going on.
(2)Melissah L.
Charley's is great-- IF you are a college student, preferably in the Greek system, and need a place to sit down for drinks with friends for the night (otherwise, I would probably pass). I happen to be all of the above, and I love Charley's! The food is nothing to marvel at, it's typical bar food (meaning, nothing impressive), but the drink menu is very extensive. Their signature drink is the fishbowl-- a 64 oz mason jar of pretty much any drink you can imagine. My favorite is the Ecto Cooler (it's like grown-up Kool-Aid-- a completely artificial looking color and so sweet that it hurts). The shot list is very impressive- there are probably over 100 different shots you can try. There is even a section of gross combinations for those celebrating their 21st birthdays (and have mean friends). Go at least once if you are a UMich student....just do it.
(4)Emily F.
Friendly staff and bartender. Patrons were friendly and easy to spark up a conversation with. Its definitely more of a college bar with a large list of fancy shots and 80 cent wells on Tuesday. They have a 64 oz mason jar you can fill with a liquor drink (no beer) of your choice. I like that they have a variety of beers, not just the basic Miller Lite, Bud Lite and Killians. It has a dive-y look to it, but the bathrooms are nice!
(3)Eric B.
Why does anyone go to Charley's? It's right there. Sure they have good specials on pitchers and drinking massive amounts of juice of of a 64 oz mason jar is cool i guess but Good Time Charleys seriously has the worst service on south u and probably in Ann Arbor. At least once a week I'd come with a decently large group (6-8 people) to eat and drink. With a crew that big, our tab was almost always a few hundred dollars and almost always, there were serious orders with our bill. Now, a normal waiter/waitress would recognize that she'd get a nice tip from such a large group if she was apologetic of her error and sorted it out humanely. But each time, the charleys waitstaff, when we would finally get their attention, would act with disgust when we requested that they fix the bill, which would sometimes be 50% overcharged.
(2)Maya B.
Haiku #45 Undergrad Heaven Along with Rick's and Blue Lep Save yourself and run! Let's get things straight--if you are an undergrad student at U of M, you might just like this place. Hell, you might love this place. But if you are over 21 and actually like to drink good tasting beer and alcohol, this probably isn't the place for you. On top of that, it's always too crowded, the service is typically mad slow, and the drinks are weak....my suggestions for going out: try anywhere West of State Street and you'll be fine! (PS: they don't have live music of a DJ ever, and there is no space to dance...that said, trivia night is actually a good time)
(1)Matt D.
Charley's is your typical college-town bar. During the day they serve surprisingly good food (get the pizza styx) and at night they are a full fledged bar. The weeknight specials are always a hit especially the Thursday night special where you can get a burger, fries, and a coke for $5. The drinks are competitively priced especially if you can get one of their pitchers of domestic beer on special. The classic drinks Charley' s is famous for are the fishbowl mixed drinks. You can get them in all sorts of flavors and they come in cool colors. Each one is pretty stiff though so be careful not to overindulge! The atmosphere is very loud unless the weather is nice and you are outside. You will find that this is the bar many people go to for their 21st birthday so there are always a lot of loud, drunk people wandering about. Go to karaoke on Tuesday nights! It is a blast!!
(4)Daron D.
When it comes to drinks at a good price and drink choice, GTC might be one of the best in the area. You can get pitchers of beer, long islands (at least 9 different flavors), shooter, etc for cheap, if you go there, you must try at least one big fishbowl, and Tuesday night karaoke here is probably the best in the area. The only reason why i give it 3 stars is the food. Outside of the fries, pepperoni styx, and Philly sandwich, the food here is not good to me (although i will admit this is a good place to go to for your birthday because they do give you a free meal). All in all, a god place to go to.
(3)Laura C.
I reeeeally enjoyed their giant outdoor patio a few times this summer and fall. We just had drinks, and they were well-priced! People on the patio were super nice and the vibe there was really good. Check it out to watch a game or enjoy a night drinking outside!
(4)Kevin M.
Not like this place needs another review, but since I'm well past the age of their demographic, I figured it might help someone. Like many of these college bars, the lavish reviews are made by people who have fond memories of hanging out with their friends, and have little to do with the bar itself. It's been many years, but this place hasn't changed much... average in just about every way. Depending on what you order, the food is maybe even a little above average. The service is hit or miss, depends on how busy it is. The interior is dated and dumpy, and while I know what I'm in for when I come to a place like this, they should probably sink a few bucks in to cleaning it up just a little. A coat of paint and removal of the stained ceiling tiles would go a long way. Full disclaimer: Your experience will be directly or inversely proportioned to what's going on in the bar that day. If it's crowed and full of students, don't expect any kind of service. The biggest lesson of this place might be that students at a decent college don't necessarily behave any better than those at a community college. Two stars seems to low- it's not a BAD place- 3-stars seems to imply I'd favor this to some extent over a some of the other places in the area.. and I don't. Split the difference. 2.5 stars seems right.
(2)Peggah G.
I am not a big drinker so I can't say much about the alcoholic beverages. I love the stix mix or whatever they call it. It's so good. The service isn't always the greatest, but the company always is :) Their happy hour specials are priced wonderfully and their food is really good.
(4)Krista A.
This is a loud and crowded bar, but it's a great place to go for awesome drink specials. Check out their late night menu...it's insane! This is a fun place to go for a drink and to people-watch, but unless you're 21, it's likely not a place you would want to hang out all the time or for an entire night.
(3)Kathleen C.
If I overlook the guy that threw up on the people next to me, this place was...interesting. It's definitely a dive-y college bar, which is expected as it's located on the U of M campus, but it welcomed us "slightly older than college folks" as well. They have wine...it is in individual containers and is $5. It's not great, but hey, it's not that crappy either. The beer comes in huge glasses (which apparently caused the vomiting next to us) and you can also get a nice large ball jar of some mystery beverage. It's not dirty, which is a plus and has a pretty big bar and the staff is helpful. I even saw them turning away some underage kids. Overall, if I have to visit a dive bar on campus, this spot was pretty good. The drinks were cheap, it was relatively clean and service was good. An interesting spot to visit in campus (p.s. there are some better spots for those of us who don't like getting barfed on, but even so, this spot was fun).
(3)Javier G.
$4 for 1/2 lb of fries + burger + fountain drink on Thursday nights?? How can you go wrong? Fries tasted pretty good too!
(5)Beck E.
I've been going to Charley's for four years now and will probably continue to go for as long as I am in Ann Arbor. Just went there this afternoon for the happy hour, and it would appear that all of the prices just went up by about a dollar. :( Boo. At least they put the veggie plate back on the appetizers menu. Unfortunately, the ones I got today were in baaaad shape. They were dry and looked as though they had been sitting out on the counter all day, and all of the grape tomatoes were wrinkly. The burgers are pretty tasty and so are the nachos. The pub fries are also really good. The sloppy joe's there is tasteless/bland, but it might have been taken off the menu. Their attempt at Vietnamese "bánh mì" (which they misspell every time it appears on the menu...) is pathetic and they shouldn't have bothered--the pickled vegetables they use range from either too salty to eat or too sweet. If you plan on getting dessert, ask your server at the beginning of the meal if any are even available. It took me 3.5 years before I successfully ordered a milkshake because they never had ice cream on hand. A few visits ago, none of the desserts was available except for milkshakes. 3 stars because the waitstaff is friendly. [Edit: 01/21/12] It's probably time to update some of the info in this review. GTC has since removed the travesty of a sandwich that was their "bahn mi" [sic] and any instances of "Vietnamese-inspired" pickled vegetables *gag* from the menu. Pub menu items *are* still a dollar off during happy hour (yay!), and they have been better about having ice cream on hand. I'm thinking 3.5 stars now. [Edit: 10/23/13] They recently revamped the menu because there is a new "chef," and most of the prices went up! Sorry, but the burger & fries are not worth $9.99! It is really hard top ignore the obvious price-gouging going on in Ann Arbor since the advent of all the luxury student housing.
(3)