"While pricey, the food was definitely worth it if you're going to splurge. Everything was cooked to perfection and I honestly wished I had another stomach so I could eat more. It was pretty noisy even without every table taken on a Tuesday night so I can imagine the weekend would be very loud. Service was great and the menu was interesting. Would definitely go back for a special occasion!"
Dined on 5/21/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, special occasion
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"Char raises the bar for finer dining in Red Bank. A beautiful restaurant with excellent food and service. Happy to finally have a legit steakhouse in the area."
Dined on 5/20/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list, special occasion
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"Char is a beautifully decorated restaurant . However, if you're hoping to have a great steak and conversation I would suggest you go elsewhere. From the moment we entered the noise level was deafening . Our 8:00 table was more like 8:30 and normally we would pass the time at the bar but it was 4 deep and one would need a pole vault in order to get close enough to order a drink. Our server and wait staff were attentive and knowledgeable. My filet Mignon was cooked perfectly as were the fish entrees of my dining companions. A manageable wine list of nicely priced wines was offered .The cappuccinos were great but the brownie dessert disappointed with a very dry brownie."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene
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"Hot atmosphere, sexy crowd, energetic bar; right on par with a trendy NYC restaurant. Prices are comparable to a NY steakhouse, maybe a bit less. The food was amazing! There were four of us, and we each loved everything we ordered - not a single complaint a out the food. Hopefully time will work out the kinks with the poor management. Went on a Saturday with 8:15 reservations but did not get seated until after 9. Management makes no apologies, does not offer drinks while you wait, does not show any indication that they care about their frustrated guests. The hostess and wait staff however were very pleasant and welcoming. The top knotch food made up for the poor experience with management."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: good for groups, vibrant bar scene, hot spot, special occasion
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"still good, but slipping down. Corkage fee increased from $25 to $35, trying to force diners to buy from the restaurant wine list, with 150% markup (2009 Altamura cab can be bought at Bottle King for $69, listed at Char for $170). These kinds of markups should only come with a sommelier, proper storage, proper wine glasses, et al but they do not. My son ordered steak medium rare came out medium well. garlic mashed potatoes were cold and lacked flavor, sent them back to reheat. east coast oysters were on the small side. crab cake was good. order a Macallan 12 year single malt scotch "neat", came out in a glass full of house diluting the flavor."
Dined on 5/17/2013
Special Features: good for groups, vibrant bar scene
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"The food was great-a little pricey but willing to pay it for such a good meal-our server was nice but seemed inexperienced-we wanted to add bleu cheese to a salad and he kept going back to the menu for other salad options-didn't see this as a big deal and should have been an easy accommodation."
Dined on 5/14/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"The food was good, but should have been better considering the price. The ambience was very nice. Their side dishes were ok, not memorable (could barely find the cheese in the mac & cheese). Service was so-so. Waitress barely paid attention to us. But she paid a lot of attention to the tables of obvious 'regulars' who were only drinking, not eating. She stood talking to them while we were trying to flag someone else down to order a bottle of wine, since our dinner had come out but our glasses were empty. The sommelier was more attentive and kept asking if we were ok. I don't feel the need to go back with so many other good restaurants in town."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot
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"I have dined at the other location in Raritan and the food was much better than this newest venture in Red Bank. The filet I had here was very dry and the bernaise too thick and cold - the scalloped potatoes were tasteless - my firend had strip steak also not good - we actually had neighboring table ask us if we knew a GOOD steak house in area as they were also disappointed."
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene
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"Char does not disappoint. The appearance of the restaurant is classy and similar to what you might find in a Manhattan establishment. The menu contains great selections. The prices are a little on the high side which may limit visits here to special occasions, but comparable to something you may find in nearby Fair Haven or Manhattan. The Food is EXCELLENT. Being a new establishment the wait staff is still getting their feet wet. Waiter got side order wrong. They didnt come around as often as we would have liked for water/drink refills, bread, etc but they were very professional, friendly and attentive otherwise. If you have the chance - try it out. Better than most other places in the area (if not all)."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: special occasion
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"The staff was not attentive to the customer's needs. The wrong steak was brought to me. I ordered a 12 oz filet mignon and a staff person brought a NY strip steak. It's not my first steak house visit. When I told him the order was wrong, he insisted that is the steak I ordered. I thought the customer was always right! When the waitress appeared she apoligized for the mistake. It took another 5 minutes for the correct cut to appear. So I cut into the filet mignon expecting the piece to explode with flavors in my mouth and nothing. The meat was blah and tasteless. Management never visited the table to ask how the meal was. I didn't get a complimentary drink for my troubles. I'll travel to NYC for a better steak next time."
Dined on 5/09/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot
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"Pierre was an awesome server who is well versed with all menu items and the wine list. His suggestions and attention was over the top and exceeded our expectations."
Dined on 5/09/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"A definite local bar scene with an uptown flair. Steak was very good. Potatoes au gratin were a bit undercooked. I would recommend this restaurant and go again."
Dined on 5/09/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot
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"Char red bank is good but the one in raritan is just so much better. The food is a little batter at raritan and the layout is better too. Red bank will do well cause char is a brand that they made people want to go to. Hip place awesome look to red bank. But in my case raritan will be my place a always."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, notable wine list, hot spot, special occasion
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"We live in town & have been waiting for Char to open. This town needed a new steak house. We were very please with the food & service. A great addition to Red Bank. Try it out!"
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, hot spot, special occasion
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"We were a group of 8 on a Friday night. The service was impeccable and the food, above average for sure but not exceptional. I would recommend the seafood tower for anyone wanting a light meal. That with a salad is perfect. My husband said that his tuna was average though."
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: good for groups, vibrant bar scene, notable wine list, hot spot, special occasion, kid-friendly
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"Two out of four steaks were over done. We spent $600 for 4 people. The food should be outstanding but it was not. A good steak should not need a steak sauce. We did not get the sauces we ordered. If the steak does need a sauce we should be able to get A1. That was not an option. If they work on the quality of food like they did the atmosphere it round be great."
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot, special occasion
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"Wish it was better. Steak advertised charred at 1800 degrees. Ordered medium rare. Got medium and not very charred. Escargot app is a rare sight. But, under cooked. Char that too! Too much nutmeg in creamed spinach. Great waitress - too often service is not good in monmouth county. Char tries and it shows. Overall a great addition to Red Bank. I'll be back because I sense they care about the food they serve."
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: good for groups, vibrant bar scene, late-night find, notable wine list, special occasion
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"Char is visually beautiful with a vibrant Saturday night bar scene. Noise level upstairs is quite high. We sat downstairs but took a tour and the upstairs was gorgeous but noisy.Food,sadly, is what I've come to expect in Monmouth County, overpriced mediocrity lacking any evidence of passion. Escargot were about a 5 on a scale of 1-10, had much better, had much worse.Salads decent. My petite filet mignon came on a plate with no adornments, just the round piece of dry meat and a roasted piece of garlic, no presentation. My husband's steak was grizzly and loaded with fat. Others had cod and said it was good. Sides expensive and served family style. Desserts just okay. NYC prices and vibe with lots of visual appeal but below par mediocre food."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, good for groups, late-night find, hot spot
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"Ordered a medium cook steak and the steak was very well done. Will probably order sea food on my next visit. Premier Steak restaruant is work in progress and trust the cook will improve.
Great environment for dinner."
Dined on 04/26/2013
2012
Special Features: vibrant bar scene
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"Our first time here, and such a delight! Service was perfect, from the water, to the bread, to the meals, and the wine. Management made sure all was well. My crab cake dish with French green beans could not have been better! My husband's 12 oz. filet was done to perfection for his taste. The prices were a bit higher than we expected, but well worth it. We will be back!"
Dined on 04/27/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"So thrilled to have this restaurant open in Red Bank - one of our new favorite places to go. Food and service was excellent and definitely reminded us of some of the more famous New York steak houses/lounge."
Dined on 04/24/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion, hot spot
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"We enjoyed our first time at Char so much that we returned with friends for a second time. How disappointing. The waiter got my husband's drink wrong twice. His steak was full of gristle. The waiter was slow and forgetful. If you can't remember an order then write it down!"
Dined on 04/12/2013
2009
Special Features: neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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"Surprised my boyfriend for our 3 year anniversary & had a car bring us here because he's been wanting to go. The hostesses were super nice, given that I called them like 5x trying to get everything JUST RIGHT! Our waitress was great too, and surprised us both with an after dinner shot of Patron since neither of us had room for dessert! I've seen other reviews where people complained about the quality vs price of the food.....I couldn't disagree more. The food was EXCELLENT & our total bill was not outrageous AT ALL. I LOVED Char and can't wait to go back! P.S. The CRABCAKES are AMAZING :)"
Dined on 04/19/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Thought it was good but maybe they still need to work out a few kinks. They need coasters or napkins for drinks at table. Water all over from glasses "sweating". Food was good although I felt Filet was dry. But it wasn't overlooked....just not as juicy & tender as I would've liked for the price paid. Very expensive...."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2013
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"This was my second time dining at Char. I brought a friend who had not been there before and who adores steak. Our server was fabulous, my food was great but my friends steak was overcooked. They took it back and brought him a replacement right away. Great selection of food and wine, definitely a place to be seen in Red Bank but it is a little noisy and sometimes difficult to carry on a conversation. I was disappointed that I had requested a quiet table off to the side suitable for conversation but was seated in the busiest most traveled area of the restaurant. Very nice establishment though and the food was amazing. I will be back but maybe at a slower time."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, special occasion, hot spot
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"At this price point, a restaurant needs to deliver. CHAR Steakhouse did not. The kitchen was extremely slow. When our steaks arrived, they we not cooked properly. That's a pretty serious problem in a steakhouse. We both ordered medium; my husband's was rare and mine was well-done. The waiter offered to have them recooked but since we waited so long to get them, we were afraid to send them back. Fillets and mashed potatoes were tasteless. Green beans were perfectly cooked and tasty. There are tons of managers roaming the restaurant, but they don't appear to check in with guests and see how their meals are going. A manager never visited our table - even though our waiter knew we were unhappy."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot
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"Busy evening for a Tuesday which made the wait time for our appetizer to be more than 40 minutes; however, server was apologetic and explained. Could have offered complementary coffee or something as prices were very high considering this is Central New Jersey location. Food was excellent, portion sizes very good and wine exceptional. Would certainly come back for a special occasion but price makes it prohibitive for anything else."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"We went to Char Red Bank to celebrate a birthday. The atmosphere is really cool and trendy with flame lamps outside and deep yellows and oranges throughout the interior. The service staff was fantastic - very knowledgeable about the food and wine list, attentive, and proper with the perfect amount of friendliness. Pierre in particular was one of the best waiters we've had in a long time and really made our dinner special. Do read the descriptions of the steak cooking temperatures, as they cook more to temperature rather than color (the way a true 'charred' steak should be prepared). Also make sure to save room for the chocolate mousse cake for the table to share."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"Their 2nd location. Went on Sunday evening for burgers and sliders. Terrific. Can't wait to go back another night for a steak."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2005
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Our night at this restaurant was wonderful. Our waitress efficient and caring. The dinner was made to order and it was the maitre de who picked up on the jalapeño's that were not suppose to be on the French fries! Overall, we had a great time and everything was fantastic."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2013
Special Features: hot spot
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"The steak was delicious and the sides really stood out. Would highly recommend the lobster mac and cheese and sauteed onions! Great ambiance and service!"
Dined on 04/12/2013
2011
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion, hot spot
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"The greeting staff was a bit stuck up. However, our waiter Michael was awesome! The decor is very well done. The drinks were VERY good, but the food was just OK. Escargots came with a coating of bread crumbs which was useless. The onion soup was good. I ordered my steak very rare and it came medium to medium well, so I had to send it back. The potatoes au gratin were not unctuous enough, but the sautéed spinach was very good. Dessert was outrageous. We had the Sunday. Overall, it was an OK experience, not worth the price, with some hits and misses"
Dined on 04/05/2013
2005
Special Features: vibrant bar scene
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"The food was very good (oysters, Caesar salad, steaks, crème brulee)but the atmosphere was disappointing. We were in the downstairs dining room off the bar. The tables were very close together and the noise level was deafening (despite of or in addition to the splashing water feature?). We had been told that the restaurant was very spacious so if you go try the upstairs. With NY prices I would have expected thick, starched white table cloths typical of NY steakhouses. The staff was attentive and there was a lot of servers but they need a little more training or experience (e.g., where a bread plate goes). Right now the place is a novelty because there are no steakhouses around, but they will have to get more polish to stay around."
Dined on 04/03/2013
2006
Special Features: hot spot
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"The food was delicious and the atmosphere is very open and beautiful. The bartender was very friendly and the dining waiter very knowledgeable and efficient."
Dined on 04/03/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, special occasion
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"Great food, ambiance , and bar. Definitely will return again in the near future. Cowboy steak and surf n turf were outstanding. Lobster mc n cheese was dynamite."
Dined on 04/02/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, special occasion, hot spot
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"For a steakhouse, Char in Red Bank was a disappointment (again). This was our third visit as a party of four for dinner since they opened just a few weeks ago. On each occasion, one of our steak entrees came out too well done. We assumed that they were working out the kinks, but after nearly a month in operation, they should have perfected getting the temperature of steaks right. The apps and side dishes such as escargot, stuffed mushrooms, asparagus, spinach were all fine. After dinner, we usually just go for coffee or cappuccino, but the one time we ordered dessert (the bourbon pecan bread pudding), we were totally let down. Really dry and bland. Char's ambience IS really nice and they have a very decent wine list."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2007
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot
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"Our first time at Char. Went with the family and on a Sunday too as they were booked out Saturday and Sunday. Our food was outstanding and my steak was cooked to perfection. The service was a little intense but I put that down to server nerves and not being open for that long. The atmosphere was very lively which was great for what we wanted that night but given it was a Sunday I'm not sure you'd go there for a romantic date. The decor and interior design is definately worth a vist as well. Very cool. Perfect for groups although I could see you easily getting past $100 per person with a good steak, adding a few bottle's of wine and splitting the bill. It would be worth it though and we'll definately be going back."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, kid-friendly, late-night find, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"I was very happy with my experience at Char. The food was great and the place is just awesome! I think they need to work out the kinks as far as reservations and seatings go, but overall, it was great. A bit pricey, but worth it."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, special occasion, hot spot
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"Food was great but our server was a little to attentive. Taking plates from in front of diners when not everyone at the table was finished, offered to take our order 10 minutes after we sat down. Felt they were trying to rush us."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2005
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, good for groups, notable wine list, hot spot
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"Was very excited to eat at Char after hearing from so many people how good thier steaks were from the other restaurant. I was not disappointed at all .... steak was extremely good, service was excellent and the overall look of the place was fantastic. I would definitely recommend this to others. However, I will warn others to plan on paying a little more.
My only complaint was that they got the food out way too fast. Our entrees came out 15 seconds (not exaggerating) after our appetizers were cleared from the table. The whole dining experience lasted only 1 hour and 20 minutes. Next time I hope it's not as fast."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2011
Special Features: special occasion, hot spot
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