Can You Believe It’s Been 7 Years Since This Maine Bar Closed?

The towns of Central Maine are filled with memorable bars and restaurants.  They are places to reconnect with old friends and a place to make new friends.

Some of these establishments, like Silver Street Tavern in Waterville, have been around for years.  Others, like State Lunch in Augusta, have only been around for a few years.

Of course, for various reasons, we have seen some of our favorite bars and restaurants close permanently.

Even though many of the most iconic bars in Central Maine have been closed for years, the good times we had visiting them are still fresh in our memories.

Charlamagne’s in downtown Augusta is a great example.

Located at 228 Water Street in Augusta, the hole-in-the-wall bar was an important part of Central Maine’s live music scene for many years.  In addition to an open mic night and karaoke, the bar regularly featured performances by local acts like The Court Jesters, Tom Morin, and Double Entendre.

The bartenders served up everything from beers to wine and specialty martinis.  The menu was loaded with great snack foods and light fare, including French onion soup, chicken wings, loaded potato skins, salads, and specialty pizzas.

Charlamagne’s had that perfect neighborhood bar feel.  It was a great place to meet your coworkers for a post-work drink, it was a great place to play some bar trivia with your friends, a place to have a beer while checking out some local musicians, and the perfect place to do a karaoke duet of “The One That I Want” with your special someone.

Charlamagne’s closed in March of 2017.  In a post on the Facebook page, which is still active as of the time of this article's writing, the owner explains she was closing because of a family tragedy.

The spot that Charlamagne’s occupied on Water Street remained in use as a restaurant and bar space.

Charlamagne’s was quickly replaced by Circa 1885, a cocktail bar with a chill vibe.  The owner of Circa, who had moved to Maine from Georgia, created a casual establishment that served upscale cocktails.

A few years later, the spot was taken over by the Raging Bull Saloon.  The country-themed bar featured beer, creative cocktails, and lots of live music.

In 2021, it was announced that the Raging Bull would be rebranded as the Whiskey Kitchen.  While the motif has not changed, the establishment is now focusing more on the food service and less on the nightlife aspect.  That being said, the place does still feature some amazing live music, karaoke, and DJs.  Check out their Facebook page to see what they have going on in the next few weeks.

You can continue this walk down memory lane by checking out the Charlamagne’s Facebook page.