Fork in the Road: Sandwiches keep customers craving more at Charlie’s

HAVENSVILLE, Kan. (WIBW) - We take a drive north of Saint Marys, up Highway 63, to Charlie’s in Havensville for this week’s Fork in the Road.

When you want to go off the beaten path, Charlie’s Bar and Grill at 321 Commercial St. in Havensville is perfect for the ambiance. The restaurant is housed in a building over a century old and was originally built as a bank, however, when owner Dona Flowers was growing up, she said it was a post office and on her bucket list was owning a bar and grill. So came the birth of Charlie’s in 2013.

“I do still have the original vault,” Flowers said. “There was never a lot of money stored in it, like $1.30 or something. It was mainly used to hold titles and deeds. We just made it as kind of a storage area.”

Flowers noted that her burgers are made with ground beef from the Onaga grocery store.

“I do some Phillies, steak Phillies, corn beef Philly, I do Reubens - I have had people from all over say those are the best darn Reubens,” Flowers said.

However, the number one bestseller - is chicken bacon ranch.

“Our number one best seller is the chicken bacon ranch and it just sells like hotcakes,” Flowers said. “I toast a hoagie bun, it’s a chicken patty that I grill up, then you put - I would call it the magic cheese that we put on it.”

She said the sandwich is finished with a couple of slices of bacon and ranch across it. She also boasted the Shrimp Po’ Boy, a hoagie bun toasted, fried with shrimp and seasoned with “Slap Your Mama” seasoning. Roumelade sauce and lettuce are added for final touches.

“I tried the Po’ Boys everywhere I go and I pretty much like mine the best so far,” Flowers added.

Flowers said she knows Charlie’s is well off the beaten path, but it is well worth the effort.

“Just the home cooking taste of it, it’s like going to grandma’s house,” said Terry Tannahill, a customer from Nebraska.

And when you visit Charlie’s be sure to ask where they got the name, you’ll never guess where it came from.

Charlie’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, however, you can see their full schedule HERE.

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