Charlies Bar

Typical neighborhood bar. However, as soon as you enter the odor of urine from the restrooms hits you in the face. Only a few tables to sit at. Their specialty is jumbo prawns. You get one pound of them (6-8 shrimp). Of course, they don't tell you that the heads and tails are still on them, and they are simply steamed with no seasoning. They were very messy to peel, and devein. The shocker was the bill -- $56 for two 1lb orders. We felt we needed a bath after eating them. No wash towels were offered. The ambiance was good with all the old memorbilia hanging on the walls and ceiling. This would be the only attraction back to the restaurant, and hopefully, they would freshen up the odors.

What a great fun place. We always stop here after our trip to Baby Beach. Can be hard to find but worth it. We had cold beer, calamari and conch fritters we all split. Calamari here is not fried but sautaed in light clear wine sauce with veggies. We go here every year for just this reason. Great as always. Also the memerabial covering every square inch of walls and ceiling space is ever growing and changing. What a great place!!

Landmark restaurant is now only for a visit for a beer. Food was very disapointing from the last trip and the shrimp is nothing like it use to be in taste or SIZE. Unique spot, friendly enough srvice, but way to much money for the food. It looks like the place I have been going to over the last 12 years, but it is not the same!

This is one place you have to stop by and visit while in Aruba. The environment is great. You can spend hours reading and looking over all of the things left from people all over the world hung up on the wall. To our surprise lunch was VERY good. Really it’s a full dinner (salad, bread, fry’s and entrée). The wife and I both ordered the catch of the day (grilled mahi mahi). DELICIOUS!!!! Wife usually does not finish meals very often and I was hoping this was the case once again but to my DISAPPOINTMENT she ate the entire dish. Bad for me good for her. The price with 5 drinks and lunch (really dinner) and tip was right around $80 US dollars. Restaurant reviews say they take American Express but they didn’t when asked.

EXCELLENT SHRIMP AND GREAT HONEYMOON HOT SAUCE. EACH TIME I GO OR SOMEONE I KNOW GOES TO ARUBA, I ASK THEM TO BRING HOME CHARLIE'S GREAT HONEYMOON HOT SAUCE.. THE EMPLOYEE'S/BARTENDERS ARE ALWAYS SO FRIENDLY THAT I LOOK FOWARD TO RETURNING YEAR AFTER YEAR. ALWAYS WORTH THE TRIP !!!!!!

During our first trip to Aruba in 2007, we read about Charlie's Bar & Restaurant and it seemed to be one of those don't-miss-this kind of places. So we gave it a shot and made a trip down to Baby Beach and followed it up by dinner at Charlie's in San Nicholas. I had the Churrasco (Latin Lover's Steak) and my wife had the Shrimp Scampi. It was one of the best meals of our lives. So, now in 2010, we found ourselves returning to Aruba again finally and knew we had to head down to Charlie's again. We were very concerned that our dinner may have been a one-hit-wonder; however, I again had the Churrasco Steak and my wife had the Shrimp Scampi, and it was great. I have had plenty of steaks in my time... sirloins, t-bones, prime rib, porterhouse, and filet mignon. And I can honestly say that Charlie's Churrasco Steak is one of the most unique, flavorful, juicy, and best-tasting steaks that I have ever eaten. Keep in mind, this place is very low-key. People send things from all over the world and they end up on the walls. It is a Bar with a Bar-atmosphere and just so happens to have delicious food and customer-friendly service. These guys operate like your friendly community "bar-next-door". In my opinion, this is one of the hidden gems of Aruba and you just have to pay a visit. For the price and quality of the food, you will not regret the 30-minute trip. We have decided to end our 2010 trip by returning there again for an encore meal. I'm sure another review will follow!

This is really not the place to find a great meal on the island. The food was steep for a light lunch, which is not an option. We wanted something small but the only options on the menu were full course meals, complete with Salad. After all that the bill was also expensive with a tab of $140 for 5 people.
The atmosphere was the best part, there is a lot of neat items that people have left, but in reality it is just other people's junk.
Overall, you would be better off sticking to the main parts of town if you are going to pay that kind of price for a lunch. I will not be going back.

We love going to Charlies. Andi is a hoot! The seafood chowder is a meal! Really, it comes with a salad and white rice and then the soup is seved in a huge bowl. We always get this when our group of 8 make the trip to Charlies.This is not the place for kids. I doubt they want to see your kids in there anyway. It is a bit pricey but well worth it if you are willing to get a bit crazy! Tell Andi that Tom & Phyllis from Syracuse, NY sent you.

An Aruba trip is not complete without lunch and an afternoon at Charlie's Bar. Little high priced but the food is good (steak sandwich with hot honeymoon sauce is our favorite) and the service at the bar is great. It's just a fun way to spend the afternoon having a few cold Balashis on tap on your way back from Baby Beach.

We dropped in on our way back to the Hi-rise after a fun day at Baby Beach. We had the steamed shrimp and some beers. We had such a good meal and enjoyed the bar that we brought the kids back with us the next week. The shrimp make this a must stop when down in San Nicholas.

Typically one goes to Charlie's bar in San Nicolas for the ambiance and good cold beer. My last visit to Charlie's my wife and I dined. She had the steamed shrimp and I had the Tenderloin. For the price and the ambiance of the place it was very good. Bear in mind - you don't go to Charlie's expecting a gourmet meal. You do get what you should expect. Great atmosphere, friendly bar staff and history.

We were on our way to baby beach, were hungry and made a pit stop, funky little bar, the Balashi and Amstel bright nice and cold, food was tasty, my good wife peeled my shrimp(head still attached). Bring something with you to leave there. take some pictures,it is ashame about St Nicholas really turning into a ghost town, hope they can bring it back.

Had two lunches here on our most recent trip. Disappointed in the first lunch because we were not able to get the steak sandwich and opted for a steak burrito instead which was just okay. Second lunch though we arrived early enough for the steak sandwich with (hot) honeymoon sauce which is our favorite!

It's a very casual place with alot of interesting items at the bar and on the walls from customers over the years. We always sit at the bar so we can chat with the same bartenders we see every year (they're always alot of fun!)

We went here for lunch, the prices were good value, the food great, simple and honest (i have been a chef for 27 years). give it a go i think you will like it.

If you stop by St. NIcolas, you must stop and visit Charlie's. Try the shrimp and drink a cold brew or two and enjoy a great ciban cigar at the best price on the island. ($20) The gents are always ready to strike up a coversation and can help with some of the cool things to do on this side of the island.

If your interested..check out "hokker Holler" while your there.......wohoooo!!

It's a "Do Not Miss" spot!

mark in louisiana

We make a stop here every year - it's tradition to go to Charlie's Bar for a few (many!) cold Balashi's on tap and a steak sandwich with hot Honeymoon Sauce. We always sit at the bar, have alot of fun with the bartenders, and look around at all the "new" stuff hanging from the walls.

We stopped here after having been to baby beach and we really loved it here. Maybe it's because we Dutch are more used to what we call 'brown pubs' (bruine kroegjes) but we could have spent hours just sitting there and checking out everything that's hanging there. The toilets were simple but clean enough and also on that tiny spot there was a lot to look at (and laugh about).
The crew was relaxed, pleasant and served us very well, and we also had the famous shrimps-of-the-house which we enjoyed VERY MUCH!!! They served it with some hot kind of sauce which was also great (better if mixed with some mayonaise).
So YES, maybe it's not so new to us, this kind of bar, but we loved it.

Made a second trip after a twenty year hiatus. Unfortunately, it was the worse meal we've had on the island.

We stopped for lunch. Had the shrimp, which was fine ... if a little too much garlic. The kids couldn't get a burger (they don't have them), so they got the steak sandwich. It was really tough and couldn't be eaten as a sandwich.... they had to cut it with a knife to have any chance of eating it.

The bill was over $70 for a four person lunch.

Next trip to Aruba ... we'll pass on Charlie's.

You know, if you are traveling around the island and want a cold beer....I'd recommend stopping @ Charlie's! My wife and I spent several hours there on e afternoon talking to and taking pictures with Charlie (third generation I believe). I also had the shrimp dish and it was excellent, but I thought a bit pricier than it need to be.

Lastly, be sure to bring something to leave behind. The walls @ Charlie's are covered with all kinds of stuff and I mean ALL kinds, bras, hats, business cards, pictures, boots, etc, etc, etc.......you name it!...and you'll see it there!!.....HAVE FUN!!

Love Charlie's Bar!!

We had the steak special for lunch - tender, big, and inexpensive!!

Great place to experience - even if you just stop on your way back from Baby Beach for a few beers!!

WE usually drop into Charlies on our way to Baby Beach every time we visit Aruba.

Last visit was on Mar 29/04 -- both had the signature shrimp dish - one shelled, the other sauteed - 2 Balashi drafts and 2 glasses wine. Bill came to $71 -- a little steep I think for a charming lack of service sophistication and ambiance.

We stop at Charlie's Bar every year on our way to Rodger's Beach for a few cold Balashi's on tap and a chat with the friendly bartenders.

This year we grabbed a bite to eat and split the steak sandwich which comes with fries and "honeymoon sauce" (a great HOT sauce!)

The bartenders were as friendly as ever. This year we remembered to bring one of our old license plates for the bar so that we could leave our "mark" (even got our picture taken behind the bar this time.)

Everyone says you NEED to visit this place if you're in San Nicholas. We decided to stop in on our way back from Baby Beach and try it. Glad we tried it, but wouldn't recommend it.

This place is a tourist trap - the shrimp (specialty of the house) is good but way overpriced for lunch. With 2 beers, 2 sodas and 2 shrimp specials the bill was over $50 (service not included, or so they told us). They did not and would not provide an itemized bill (strange no?). The atmosphere is neat, if you like to look at a bunch of junk. The waiter even took our picture behind the bar (wow).

The smell of the refinery doing its refining was not a pleasant smell during our lunch either.

I left my business card on the wall (with all the other junk) and you should too if you spend this much money for a mediocre lunch.

Skip Baby Beach (the refinery backdrop isn't scenic) and the snorkeling is not even close to the best on Aruba. More importantly, skip Charlie's Bar.

Note, the beaches at Malmok or Arashi are much more scenic and better for snorkeling.