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Charles Street Dinner House
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Charles Street Dinner House
17 reviews in English
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Review from A S.
Mariposa, CA
10/16/2011
Definitely a 5-star restauant for Mariposa standards. Sure, it might not stand out in the Bay Area, but that's not what we're talking about.
My wife and I recently had dinner here to spend a gift certificate we'd been holding onto for over a year. Don't know why it took so long!
My wife is a pretty harsh critic and agreed with me that it was the best meal we've had in Mariposa (we live in town and have eaten pretty much everywhere). She almosty screamed when she took her first sip of the French Onion soup; it was that good. She had a fish dish for her main and really liked it. I had the NY steak and came out perfectly med-rare. Seems like other reviewers have had trouble getting steaks made to order, but mine was delicious. Accompaniying baked potato and veggies were all cooked to perfection and well-seasoned.
I had a glass of decent local red wine with dinner, and we finished with a slice of cheesecake and one of the chocolatey/coffee concoctions that was on the menu. Dessert was mouth-watering in every way, and the espresso was well-made.
The service was really good, if maybe a little on the slow side. I might have gotten fidgety if I had wanted to eat and dash, but the kid was at the sitter's, so we casually made our way through the meal for about an hour and a half.
The bill came to about $100. A little pricey for me, since I live in town, but Charles Street kicks Savoury's butt and we'll definitely go back when we want to treat ourselves. -
Review from wolf c.
Fremont, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Overpriced and very ordinary fare.
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Review from Mark K.
Raleigh, NC
10/21/2011
Over-rated & over-priced. Food was average at best. Service was ok. Wine by the glass was basically limited to Paul Mason. At least beer was offered in a frosted mug. If this is the best Mariposa has to offer, eat in.
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Review from david s.
Fremont, CA
8/21/2011
I travel through Mariposa about twice a year on the way to Yosemite.
So it goes like this: Sometimes a Server can save a restaurant. Not this time.
Our Server " Erica" was good and so was the Hostess "Amy" and our Busser " Acacia"
The food was not good....and Waaaaay-over-priced !
If I can just tell you four things, you can make an intelligent judgement of this restaurant without reading further.
1. They serve Rack-of-Lamb with a "Mint Sauce".
2. They have "Chablis" on the Wine List
3. They serve "Lime Sherbet".
4. The Clam Chowder is served again on Saturday night.
When going to a new place or to one that I haven't been to in a while, I always order "Safe". How 'bout a burger?
I ordered their Signature burger. It was not good.
It contained 2 small tomato slices, a corner piece cut off the red onion, and 3 tiny pieces of spring mix, each about a half-inch in size and a burger in 3 pieces that appeared to have been dropped on the floor in the kitchen before being placed on the soggy bun.
Oh, the fries were fair. The Clam Chowder, i sent back. The salad was good untill I realized that they had thrown green bell peppers into the mix. Yuck !
We won't be going back.
If a restaurant that sells a Signature burger for $14 dollars, can't get that right, no, can't make it Spectacular, then why would I order a sirloin steak for $32 bucks, ever.
I do not recommend Charles Street Dinner House in Mariposa, CA.
I wish that I had eaten at Happy Burger down the street. At least I know that they make what-they-make, pretty well, and have great Chocolate Shakes.
One more thought. Charles Street locks the front door at 9pm sharp on a Saturday night.
Probably a good thing for the 20 or so unsuspecting Italian tourists who tried to get in while I was leaving.
I heard in town that the Charles Street Owners ex-wife recently opened a restaurant down the street. Do you think she left him cause he wouldn't change.......the Menu? -
Review from Stan W.
4/10/2011
This place has been a staple of the Mariposa community for years and I've never been disappointed. The warm and friendly decor matches the personality of Mariposa. I had a steak with a little bit of bleu cheese and it was juicy and incredibly flavorful. If you happen to be going through Mariposa on your way to Yosemite this is a must stop.
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Review from Dave S.
Oceanside, CA
3/20/2011 2 photos
Our dinners of pasta and steak of the $22.75 specials honored between 5 pm - 7 pm were excellent. The special is a 3 course meal include dessert. A chef bought the restaurant some time back and turned it into a gem in this small town!
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Review from Christopher R.
Philadelphia, PA
6/4/2009
I guess Zhi Q. beat me to singing the praises of Charles Street Dinner House. I hate you, Zhi Q. I hate you so much.
Well, as much as I despise him, he at least hit all the major points I would like to have hit if only I had fulfilled my rightful destiny to score a First here. To review:
- The service is phenomenal. I am pretty sure I have not felt as well looked after as a customer, even at the fanciest of the schmanziest of restaurants, in quite a while. If they ever decide to stop making food, the staff here could give lessons on friendly, attentive service.
- The preposterous glass goblets for the beer. I am at a loss for words.
- The complimentary New England clam chowder was some of the best I've had at a place neither known for its soups nor its seafood.
- The Fire Grilled NY Steak, medium rare, I ordered was a bit tough but I had been forewarned on the subject. The bleu cheese it was topped off with could use some more robust flavor but I'll let that pass. The vegetables which accompanied the meat were well-seasoned and tender. All in all, a rather good choice of entree.
- The apple pie with vanilla ice cream and rum sauce, came in a ridiculously large serving which I nonetheless devoured. The pie itself had good filling, just the right amount of cinnamon, and was set off well against the rum sauce. The pie crust was buttery and flaky, too.
Can I say this is THE place to go for dinner in Mariposa? The consensus of the townfolk was to go to Savoury's but I never went so I can't make the comparison. What I can tell you, though, is that you will not be disappointed by Charles Street Dinner House. -
Review from Zhi Q.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2009
My first First! w00t! And quite a gem to have found!
We found ourselves in Mariposa as a base of operations for both white water rafting and hiking in Yosemite. We just so happened to walk by this place. Well, Mariposa is a place where you don't so much 'walk around' as 'turn around', seeing as how the town is about a mile in end to end.
From the moment we walked in, the staff and owners were nothing but extremely friendly and hospitable. We were never at a loss for anything we could want. The atmosphere was quaint and comfortable, like any casual dining establishment you would find, but the food was anything but!
First of all, our beers came in ceremonial, frosted drinking goblets. Like literally, think some of those false chalices from the end of Last Crusade, but made of glass. And frosted. And filled with beer instead of the water that kills you. This amused me to no end.
The owner then brought us some complimentary soups, and both the French Onion and Clam Chowder were right up my alley: big flavors, done really well. The chowder especially, not too dense, but still full of intense goodness.
I had the New York Strip, and my friends had other steak dishes, along with the burger and the Honey Roasted Chicken. The side dishes for all the entrees were amazing. My baked potato was simple, just some sour cream, butter, and fresh chives, but it was delicious. Grilled veggies made me want to eat veggies. The steak itself, was only OK, but I was willing to overlook it as the one blemish on an otherwise amazing meal. My friend's burger was gone within about 15 seconds, and I wanted to try the chicken even after having eaten a whole meal. That's how good they both looked.
Now, on account of the steak, the primary protein of the meal, was a bit of a downer, I was going to mark this review down, but then dessert changed my mind entirely! The Hot Apple Pie with Rum Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream was so good I finished my friend's after eating my dessert, the Mocha Ice Cream Pie, which hands down, the best dessert I've had in months. A perfect blend of crunchy bits of mocha, crumbly crust, velvety soft ice cream, and perfectly sweet indulgence. Also, all the desserts were huge! I literally had a quarter of the ice cream pie. It covered an entire plate, and then had whipped cream and chocolate sauce heaped on it. I was so thankful to be on vacation, because I'm sure I ate about 10,000 calories at this meal.
The prices were quite reasonable, and the fact we found this place in a town the size of Mariposa? The entire experience was the very definition of 'a pleasant surprise.' Five stars. -
Review from Daniel M.
10/14/2009
Don't Do It.
I have microwaved better French Onion soups from the freezer section at Costco. I ordered a NY Strip Steak ($28) prepared rare. It came out medium, tough, dry, and with one end of it charred slightly.
Service was good, but the food was extremely overpriced for the quality. If you do not mind paying fine-dining prices for Ponderosa quality, give it a try. Otherwise, you may want to consider the Burger King up the road... It is just that disappointing.Listed in: One Star Wonders.
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Review from Wayne L.
Millbrae, CA
1/20/2010
Oooo. The food was basic...basically good and a very reasonable price to boot. This was one of those unsuspecting places that's probably a local's favorite. The previous reviews were spot on.
On the dinner special was crab cakes and pork chops. The pork chops were moist and tasty. The soup was tasty and hearty.
Service was excellent and attentive. -
Review from Tim W.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
It was good...after a long drive we end up eating here. I order the NY Strip steak and wow that was yummy. Price aint too bad considering we were eating good food.
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Review from Rebecca A.
San Francisco, CA
4/3/2011
We saw this place during a recent visit to Yosemite and decided to give it a try. I am so glad we did! The food was excellent, the best I've had since moving to the U.S. 6 months ago. The service was great too and the place had a lovely homely feel. I'd go back in a shot!
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Review from John G.
Millbrae, CA
6/13/2010
This is about as close to fine dining as your going to get in Mariposa. It's ok. Nothing spectacular. Just a basic dinner house.
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Review from A M.
Capitola, CA
5/22/2011
This place is a local favorite but the food quality does not justify the price. We ordered all the signature dishes. Burger was tasteless. The sea bass was so small that it disappeared in few bites. Fish n chips was ok. The pork chops were rubbery. The sides were pretty good especially the polenta. The desert was ok. The chef forgot to add the rum sauce. We had to remind him about the sauce with the apple pie. Espresso was ok but no sugar cubes. The bill came to a whopping $160 and the dining experience was anything but fine. I would miss it without any regrets next time.
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Review from Anthony D.
Marina, CA
3/13/2011
We've decided to give this place a try after initially being sent over to Savory's on the recommendation of our Hotel Clerk. We decided that this place seemed little more comfortable and not so stuffy (Unlike Savory's) They have a nice variety of choices on their menu, but everyone in my party chose from the Chef's menu (which gives you a soup or salad, a choice of five entrees, and a parfait for dessert). We all choose the Ranch Steak for our entrees. The soup choices were French Onion soup and another that I can't remember. We all got the salad with our choice of dressing. Average bag salad with tomato. Nothing special. The garlic bread that is complimentary was damn good though. The Ranch Steaks were all cooked to order perfectly. The weird thing about the meal was that all came with season vegetables but the sides were all "Chef's Accompaniment". One plate had three cheese raviolis, another a baked potato, and the other two had three halves of a boiled potato? The guy who got the three raviolis felt cheated. The steaks were seasoned well and tasted very good. The parfaits were either strawberry or raspberry. Everyone was satisfied. All in all a great exprience for touristy type eating. The service was great and always attentive. Will hit this place again on our next trip to Yosemite.
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Review from Chris K.
Citrus Heights, CA
3/21/2011
Good Food Great service, friendly place to relax. Yosemite bound or returning enjoy a nice place to relax
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Review from Shaun T.
San Francisco, CA
6/29/2009
We went here for dinner after a long day at Yosemite. Or I should say that we went here for the apple pie with rum sauce (the dinner was just a necessary hurdle before the dessert).
My wife's uncle was raving about the apple pie all day and it still exceeded our expectations. It was pretty much as Chistopher R. described in his review. It was excellent. The crust was buttery and flaky. Two scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream and the delicious rum sauce on top. I shared one piece with my wife because we were already full from the entrees.
It seems that the chef chooses a different free appetizer to send out to each table. Our table got stuffed mushrooms and home-made tortilla chips. A nearby table got a large salad to share.
I would definitely recommend this place for anyone driving through Mariposa on their way home from Yosemite. The entrees were great. The presentation was nice. And the service was excellent.
