On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Loading...
Okay, I know why Charley's is a 5-star restaurant. It's because there's no 4.8 star rating. Seriously, it's close to perfect. The salad was just what I wanted. The filet was cooked perfectly. The baked potato was loaded, as requested. The wine was really good. The wine/gorgonzola sauce was delicious but unnecessary because the filet was so good. The entire meal was so good that I was focusing on the things that weren't perfect. It's not really fair, but when you're really good, imperfections stand out.
The server took my order and then took so long to bring the salad that people who were seated after me and ordered after me were almost finished with their salad before my guy showed up with my salad. This would have been less annoying if I hadn't been watching him standing in the back talking to someone else while the table next to me was happily munching away. After that, service was flawless. And there were olives in the salad. I like olives but my wife wouldn't have been happy about that.
The carpet is getting old. Really, for me to notice carpet is just so unusual that it must really be time to replace it. Maybe they're waiting until the summer when all the tourists are gone.
And at the table next to me was a German (I think) couple at the end of their vacation. When the waitress brought them the check, she said that Charley's added the service charge to their check. Nobody did that on my check. European tourists are notorious for tipping like they were at home (in other words, way less than we do) and I can see where this gets old for the servers, but it was weird watching the diners at the next table get treated differently than I was because they were foreign.
So, none of these things were really big problems. I'll come back on my next trip. And I'll look forward to it. Really, Charley's is very, very good. 4.8 stars.
I will give a good solid flag waving high 4 stars this time. If the experience I had had the other night had been my first, there never would have been a negative review. Though there was still little bit of a problem with what medium+ entails (perhaps a meat cooking refresher & tasting for the staff should be on the docket), this evening was 110% above the first. And the steak was good. The Lobster Bisque is good. The poatoes au poivre are INSANE good. And the Dessert tray was a nice way to end it. :-)
Maybe it was an off night when I came here because this place does have some good reviews....But… Read more »
This is one of the best steakhouses I have ever been to in my entire life.
And I live in Manhattan where there are plenty of famous steakhouses.
And as part of my job I often have to eat at the best restaurants in whatever city I happen to be in.
And I could go on and on and on with a long review incorporating 4,879 different reasons as to why Charley's is amazingly special but there's really no point.
BOTTOM LINE: If you should find yourself in Orlando, this is a "must eat at" establishment.
I was in town for a work related trade show and my boss and I had been thinking about a nice steak dinner to cap off a great trip. One colleague told us about charley's so we took a chance and took the colleague.
Once we walked in the place was packed and steaks a blazing on the open view fire pit, so far so good.
After a small wait we were shown our table, our waiter was also waiting on 2 tables of 8 each who were crazy loud and flowing wine like no one's biz. The service was just inept, 1 hour for salads, another hour for the completely wrong orders, screwed each order, Three of us felt like walking out but I talked them out of it. We waited another hour for correct steaks and in those past 2 hours never saw our waiter once, his Mgr. took over and really saved the night, I guess.
I'm sure there's a Morton's or at least a ruth's Chris in that mickey mouse town. Sorry Charlie.....Can I have those 3 hours of my life back!
The steak is very good, not the best in town but very good!!!
The service is good but it felt like the waiter was a robot, he decorated everything and every new table we had to listen to the same speech over and over again... kinda boring!!!
They have a nice wine list, and the steak is very good!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best steak house I've ever been to to-date!
First off, the staff is extremely knowledgable and very friendly. I was eating solo since I traveled alone on this business trip - but I had plenty of conversation to keep me occupied.
My waiter, Steven, presented the different types of beef available. I'm a filet mignon gal, but he had me wishing for a 50 oz Porterhouse. I was a little more realistic and had the 24 oz. Perfect! He knew I was a filet fan, so he presented the tender side first, but reminded me that the other side was all about flavor.
Fabulous! Tender, melt in your mouth goodness. I forgot how good that bone was. LOL! I had it with the Port Wine Gorgonzola sauce. Also very good.
Definitely a fan.
Service was impeccable. Our server, Jaxxon, truly took pride in his job and in the food.
We got the Summer of '69 special which was a remarkable bargain for the cost. Wife and I each got the 24 oz. Ribeye grilled to perfection.
The attention to detail here was outstanding. Even re-folding napkins when wife and daughter went to the restroom.
I had the filet which was delish and melts in your mouth! The salad and smashed potatoes are also very good...somewhat pricey but its definitely worth it.
Best steaks out there, better than Ruth Chris and all the rest. I usually have the bone in strip, but I;ve heard the Filet is on point. Try the garlic mash potatos to go with the steak. The service is on point.
My friends and I decided to go to Charleys Steakhouse in Orlando because someone read that it was the number one steakhouse in the city or something. If that is true... I would suggest not eating steak in Orlando. When I first walked in I saw a 50 oz porterhouse steak displayed in a glass display case, and it was more like a T-Bone...there was at most half an inch of meat on the filet side. Who were they trying to fool? That's how things began. It took us 20 minutes to get our water and not everyone got it on the server's first try. We had to ask a few times for everyone to get served water! Then, the pan fried calamari we ordered as an appetizer came out disgusting and soggy. Our salad basically had no dressing (by the way they only offer the watered down vinagerette dressing, no ranch or bluecheese) and they did not have horseradish for the steak. Have you ever had to ask for a refill on your coke 3 times before getting it? Oh yeah, it happened at our table! On the other hand the desert was pretty good and the waiter was extremely nice. He noticed that it was my friends birthday and brought out a large birthday cake slice and had his crew sing happy birthday! I thought that things were actually turning this horrible experience around for the better. Its better late than never. Unfortunately, the waiter was either new or incompetent without good reason. Our waiter, John, brought us tickets that showed us what we owed with the automatic 17% gratuity added. Did he deserve it? No... but like I said, I was feeling pretty good after my awesome desert, so whatever. I gave the guy my credit card and got a bill that didn't match the ticket. He tried to charge me more! Not just me either. Everyone's bill was messed up. We waited about 20 minutes for him to print out new tickets. We shared our dining experience with the manager on duty, Darcy, but she seemed unsympothetic to our concerns. She listened politily, but the look in her eyes expressed what she thought. We were just tourists and she had to hear us out because it was her job. Thanks Darcy. Most places at least discount your ticket or try something to ensure the customer's satisfaction. We weren't looking for a free meal, even a sincere apology would have been appreciated. To sum things up, Charleys has disgusting overpriced food and horrible customer service. Unless you want to put a damper on your vacation and squander 2 hours of your life, stay away! Outback or Longhorn even McDonald's would be a better alternative to this dump.
Definitely one of the best steakhouses I have ever been to. I love their meat, it is so tender that you really don't need to use a knife all that much. They age their steaks four to six weeks to give them their unique flavor.
They have won a few awards over time and have been rated on several top ten lists as one of the best steakhouses in America.
So check this place out... they do have two other locations so its easy to get to.
Amazing steaks -- if not the best steak I've ever had. The side dishes, etc are absolutely delicious.
Warning though... The interior of this place is very cheesy. I definitely needs a refresh. Its just old and feels kinda grimey. I won't take a star away just because the food was too good.
If you like great steaks and are willing to put up with a 3 star decor, this place is the TOPS.
Enjoy!
Definately eat here if you want a great atmosphere, incredible steak, and an impressive wine selection. I love this place! If you get a steak, which you should, be sure to spend the $$ for one of their delicious steak toppings. I enjoy the Gargonzola Wine topping. Definately check this out for a date night or even if you just want a good meal with friends.
Orlando, FL
Category: Italian
Orlando, FL
Category: Seafood
Orlando, FL
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Winter Park
Category: American (New)
Orlando, FL
Category: American (New)
Some of my favorite dining destinations in…
