Ricolinostat, Gemcitabine Hydrochloride, and Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Histological or cytologic confirmation of unresectable or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (intrahepatic, hilar, extrahepatic bile duct) * Measurable disease * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0, 1 or 2 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1200/mm\^3 * Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3 * Total bilirubin \< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), If patient has known Gilbert's syndrome, direct bilirubin \< 2.0 x ULN * Aspartate transaminase (AST) =\< 5 x ULN * Alkaline phosphatase =\< 5 x ULN * Creatinine =\< 1.5 x ULN * Negative pregnancy test done =\< 7 days prior to registration, for women of childbearing potential only * Ability to complete a patient medication diary by themselves or with assistance * Provide informed written consent * Willingness to return to enrolling institution for follow-up (during the active monitoring phase of the study) * Willingness to provide tissue and blood samples for correlative research purposes * Life expectancy \>= 3 months * Prior embolization, chemoembolization, or radiofrequency ablation permitted if \>= 4 weeks from registration and evidence of new tumor growth is present Exclusion Criteria: * Any of the following * Pregnant women * Nursing women * Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception * Co-morbid systemic illnesses or other severe concurrent disease which, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriat…