03/25/08

Chicken Parmesian...Yum!

by behringer

Tonight I was impressed! The service was right on. When asked if a booth was OK, I expressed that I would like to read the paper and I was shown to a nice, well lit table. My food came in exactly the time it probably took to prepare it. The plate was full edge to edge and garnished with care. I like the bread that comes with this meal, fresh and warm. I also like that the butter that comes with the bread can actually be spread on it (unlike the frozen hunk of lard that some restaurants provide). My water glass was kept full throughout the meal. I was invited for desert, but I was too full. The bill arrived promptly and the receipt as well. I had not eaten at Charlie?s for some time until recently. Both times have been positive experiences. If you haven't been for a while, or never have, I encourage you to visit.

Enjoy!

I dined @ 6:30 pm on a Tuesday.

• Pros: All around improvement
• Cons: Temtation to over-eat

12/12/07

Avoid Charlie's on Broadway like it was the plague. It's not the same. It's dead. they hire psych cases.

by handy77

I used to enjoy coming here in the 80s and 90s. I even had a friend who bartended there.Today I went in this morning simply looking for an old friend who lives in the neighborhood who used to hang out there. OK. That said: I've NEVER ( pardon the caps, but i mean it) been treated so rudely in my whole life. This tall mixed race young man with curly dark hair looked at me as I explained to him precisely what I wanted to know. I asked him if the back room was open and that I was simply looking for a friend. I did not ask to use the bathroom or anything else..--for the record, I'm also NOT a transient. I make about 70K a year--He kept addressing me as though I had asked to use the bathroom and telling me repeatedly "we are open for paying customers". Over and over. So I took it to mean the back was open. He prevented me from going in the back and kept holding his arm out to "usher" me out, like a bouncer would. This is in the MORNING, for God's sake!.....He even followed me onto the sidewalk saying I should use my friend's bathroom..I did not want to use a bathroom!...I think Charlie's hires the mentally ill now. I advise anyone to stay away from this terribly managed business. Rude!!!!!

• Pros: They wouldn't give me a chance to decide this question because of the overbearing rudeness
• Cons: Rude, psychiatrically impaired employees

09/14/07

This classic hangout has it all without putting on airs

by celticdawg

This hangout has it all. The food is still reasonably priced to cheap, the staff are friendly without being stuffy or pretentious. I don't think you beat the ambience here. The food is generally American standard fare, and everyone I know has found it to be consistently good.

I try to go to Charlies once a month at least. I have invited my family there, and they loved it. I have loved it since I first walked into the place in the early 90s. I usually have breakfast, but dinners and lunches are consistently good too.

Even my dad, who is a chain restaurant traditionalist(Dennys, Sharis) loves the place!

• Pros: Parking, service, ambience,
• Cons: if you don't like popular breakfast spots, this may not be the place for you

This all-American Broadway classic supplies everything from late-night drinks to early-morning breakfast.

by Contributor

In Short
A longstanding institution on constantly changing Capitol Hill, this dimly lit restaurant provides plenty of privacy and comfort. Oversized breakfasts, gussied-up diner sandwiches and traditional American entrees are the focus, but every course has vegetarian options. The bar at the back is one of the most relaxed, hype-free drinking spots in the neighborhood, while the booths lining the walls accommodate giggling kids as well as hungry hipsters.

03/21/07

Great place to gather with friends

by amadio

This is a great place for groups, the food is a good notch better than your local Cafe, or greasy spoon, but could really be classified as either. The menu offers a lot for different tastes, but the only items I can highly recommend is the Blackened Chicken Alfredo , and Charlie's is the home of my favorite dish in all of Seattle, the Cajun Chicken pasta. This dish alone brings me to Charlies once a month on average, it has great heat, is mouth wateringly savory and the tomato base just smoothes it all out.

• Pros: Cajun Chicken Pasta, Blackened Chicken
• Cons: Seating can take a while

12/15/06

Fabulous Broadway Hangout!

by buddhasgirl

I always love visiting Seattle and always make time for Charlie's. It is definately not a gormet establishment, but the drinks are great, food is deliciously greasy, and crowd is always wonderfully eccentric. The switch to non-smoking makes it even better, as the haze of a Friday or Saturday night could be a little overwhelming. It's a great place to meet for drinks after work, the happy hour is extremely affordable, and I will continue to be a fan!

• Pros: parking, location, price
• Cons: not for kids

07/19/06

Overrated

by eatingme

Pretty much a really nice Sharies. Thats really about it. Not bad food or service but overall jsut average, try broadway grill.

• Pros: reliable, and predictable
• Cons: just average

07/07/06

Maybe just an "off" night?

by seattlesteph

I regret to write a bad review on a local grill, but this needs to be told. The third time I went to Charlie's, I received some of the worst service I had ever received at any restaurant (including fast food) ever. We were seated semi out-of-sight of where the waiters / waitresses would notice us. The host seated us, and a guy in white (presumably a bus-boy) promptly brought us some water (Thank you!). We waited about 15 minutes before our waitress appeared. Another waiter had passed by our table several times and did not acknowledge our presence. Hey, I understand, we weren't seated at a table of yours dude, but at least you could have noted to our waitress that she had been seated! When our waitress arrived, her face was completely emotionless. I got the feeling that she wasn't even notified that we were there. Anyway, we ordered some drinks and appetizers, and food. The drinks came 10 minutes later, the appetizers 20 minutes later, and the food 20 minutes after that. The "fried cheese" that I had ordered in the past, arrived and a few sticks were hollow. Pretty gross there. The food was mediocre at best.

We ate at the restaurant at about 8:00-9:30pm on a Sunday. By the end of the meal. I was begging to go home. Our food was finished, I had stacked all of our dishes neatly on the table for easy pick-up. 20 minutes went by and no sign of the waitress. Finally, the other waiter near our table stopped and asked if we were ready to go. I said yes and handed him a credit card. We never saw our waitress again.

Anyway, I loved the fried cheese and my burger the first time I went here, but this trip left a horrible taste in my mouth. I might give it a try again, but I wont sit in the same table where I was sat last time. It's a bad luck table...

• Pros: The host was nice!
• Cons: The booths are uncomfortable, food was mediocre, service was terrible.

10/20/05

User review by noff72

by noff72

I went for happy hour after work. Sure you do not always get the same quality of food at happy hour, but then again, all restaurants should serve at least decent food all the time to entice the people to come back. Charlie's certainly did not entice me to come back.

I had the Cajun Chicken Strips. They were served cold and tasted like something dumped out of a Costco frozen food bag. I had the chicken quasadilla; not any better than my average chef skills whip up in the kitchen each day. The french fries were soggy.

Nonetheless, the happy hour prices were good but I have to say the only time I would recommend this place is at 2AM after you go out drinking and everything you eat tastes good.

• Pros: Good Happy Hour Price
• Cons: Greasy, Served Cold, Poor Taste

10/11/05

Charlie's is still a great place!

by GothabillyGirl

Reading other reviews, I had to stick up for this Broadway staple. I agree that sometimes it's an off night there with a rowdy crowd, a too-bored waiter or some other mishap but overall, I've found the food to be consistantly good (some of the best Monte Christo sandwichs, fish and chips, fried mozzerella, hot fudge sundaes in town) and the waitstaff is almost always friendly and attentive.

In the bar, Happy hour deals are great although the back room (as expected) is highly smoke-filled. The drinks (ask for the call liquor) are strong and keep coming and the happy hour menu food is really outstanding (tempura veggies and fried cheese are amazing)

While I wouldn't say this place hasn't seen better days with it's decor, I would always recommend it as a great place for brunch, happy hour drinks, dinner or a late night snack.

• Pros: Food Selection, Reasonable Prices, Parking Lot
• Cons: A bit smokey