Honestly extremely disappointing. My friends and I were looking for a nice place for dinner and found this one had no wait time compared to everywhere else (we'd later find out this was for good reason). Upon getting seated, we were told that all they were serving was tacos and burritos more than an hour after they were scheduled to close at 9:30PM. Since we were desperate and hungry we decided to take a risk - that not only didn't pay off but left us in debt and culinary bankruptcy. We ordered five burritos (1 carne asada and 4 quesabirria - one without guac). Once we received our food, the shock in our faces upon seeing the sorry excuse for Mexican food. Visiting socal, we assumed Mexican food would be top tier but the standards at this location were on the floor. Sad mush of ingredients amateurishly wrapped in hard tortilla. Our quesabirria without guacamole was served 30 minutes after all the four other orders (which after inspection literally all five didn't even have guacamole to begin with even tho the menu stated otherwise). We told our waiter, Benjamin G, about the forgotten order to which he curtly said it was being made still (the same burrito with one less ingredient??). After 15 minutes he updated with the chef is finally making it. Next 15 minutes we were presented with two separate orders of the missing food which means staff communication is not a forte here. Our friend didn't even receive an acknowledgment or apology for the whole ordeal to add insult to injury. Everything was served on paper plates that had been soaked through with moisture halfway into our meal. We were also informed that the bar allegedly was a full bar that they can make anything in. That too was a disappointment when we asked for a Melon Ball or Midori Sour. Go to Coney Island West and Palm Restaurant across the street instead. 10x better for half the price. read more

Catalina Charlie's - Sad non-authentic Quesabirria burrito. - Bars Near Me - Avalon, California

Tasty bison burger. Good fries. Poutine was pretty good, but not great. Service was a bit slow, but very friendly

Great food and drinks, and very responsive to the needs and desires of their clientele. Thank you!

Just open in Avalon with Avalon bay right across the street. Full bar and great restaurant. Expect great service and a up close view of the beach and all the people. We will be back for sure. read more

Catalina Charlie's - Current Menu - Bars Near Me - Avalon, California

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Honestly was not expecting much as there seemed to he only one employee (not counting the cooks). I thought service would be slow because he was seating/greeting people, taking orders, serving, AND making drinks behind the bar. But he did an amazing job!! He was so attentive and extremely efficient. Honestly I was most impressed by him and his work ethic/organization. I wish I got his name but I'm sure if you've been, you know him. He has a tattoo wrapped around his left arm. Besides the service, the food was pretty good as well. I got the Al Pastor Bowl and it was really tasty and filling. Both of the salsa options were also great. For four of us we paid around $90 which is pretty good for being on Catalina Island. Would definitely recommend! read more

My family recently used Catalina Charlie's for catering a luncheon at my mother's funeral service. We were very pleased with the professional and friendly service Catalina Charlie's provided from the planning of the menu up to the day of the event. The taco bar and the variety of dessert bars we chose were a perfect choice. There was something for everybody and the food was delicious. Catalina Charlie's took the entire burden off of our shoulders. They were there for the set up and serving of the food, and clean-up. All done in a professional manner and with friendly and smiling faces. Special thanks to Melissa, Natalie and Meghan for making this a stress-free day. We would highly recommend Catalina Charlie's for your catering event. read more

Stumbled upon this place during my trip and loved it! The whole staff was super attentive and welcoming. The chicken sandwich and waffle fries were super yummy! Drinks were fast and tasty. Ryan was amazing! Would definitely come back next time I'm visiting! Highly recommend to anyone vacationing here. read more

The service at this restaurant was outstanding, with friendly and attentive staff who went out of their way to ensure a pleasant dining experience. Unfortunately, the food left much to be desired. Despite the excellent service, the dishes were poorly prepared and lacked flavor, making it a disappointing meal overall. I got the birria grilled cheese and it was very disgusting and the sauce was ever watered down. The burger tasted like it was frozen. read more

Catalina Charlie's - Bars Near Me - Avalon, California

Tri tip dip is amazing. You can taste the smoke in it as well as some spicy horseradish aioli. The waffle fries were a great surprise as well. The staff is very welcoming and friendly. read more

Catalina Charlie's - Tri tip dip - Bars Near Me - Avalon, California

Waitress and tortilla chips were the best thing about this place. Everything was stale, old & disgusting..

Went here summer of 2023. Everything was absolutely delicious! First, we had the poutine: rich, savory, and excellent. I wanted more, but had to save room for the main course- Second, I had a buffalo burger. The burger was cooked perfectly, and the cheese and toppings used were out of this world. Extremely savory, and some of the best food I've had at Catalina (or anywhere, honestly), and me and my wife have been to the island at least 10 times. This place is awesome. The wait can be long (you cannot rush perfection), but honestly, the food is so worth it. All of the restaurants owned in this chain -- pancake cottage, cafe metropole, scoops, and the airport in the sky restaurant -- are absolutely necessary visits. read more

Just recently dined here with some friends and had an ok lunch. Pros- 1-staff is outstanding. Great kids are servers here and know a lot about the island and chat with you just enough. They're super attentive and friendly. 2-the open air space. Love that you can dine inside but still enjoy the atmosphere around. 3- shared kitchen with the restaurant next door so the menus is a little all over the place (poutine and taquitos?!) but that made for a better experience for us as we had varying cravings. I got the taquitos which were light and crisp on the outside and fluffy and warm inside. My husband got the poutine and he really enjoyed it though the portion could've been a tad smaller. Cons- THE RESTROOM HERE IS ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS. I understand that it's extremely expensive to open, and upkeep a business-especially a restaurant- but there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for these restrooms to be so nasty. There is carpet- CARPET! That is holding all of the sins of the past. I can't believe it passed health. The fixtures- especially the toilets are so old I can't believe they still work. My friend actually got sick from the sight. Not to mention the walls and the counters and the lack of paper products (no toilet paper or towels anywhere to be found). For this reason alone I cannot recommend this place- it makes me worry what state the kitchen is in if this passes as OK for customers & staff. Instead of spending the dollars on art and fancy facade the owners REALLY need to take a hard look at overall quality which includes the restrooms as it can truly make or break an experience. read more

The Elote Dip is amaaaazing! You know when you want a delicious Elote Corn on the cob but you don't want the mess? Problem solved. Sit at the window looking out to the water and try it. You'll be happy you did! And while you're at it try the Catalina Island Buffalo Milk cocktail.... You're welcome! read more

The food was good but we believed we left our credit card there and staff was barely responsive to our request to check. There was a response that it could be in s safe off property, the manager had to check..we'll call you (but they didn't). This response was given a few times. I felt there could have been more responsibility and help. Luckily the credit card company makes it easy to lock your card. read more

Such a huge difference from pervious visits! It's so clean, light and airy in there! The food is great and the service is top notch. A definite must try read more

Seating was fairly quick but took a while to come to table for our drinks/orders. Overall, was okay but left wanting a lot more. Unfortunately there are more serious cons than pros. These cons can be easily fixed though. Pros: -Seating was quick and not busy location -Ambience was decent with a full bar and TVs -Presentation of food was good -Seemingly good selections of food for their menu -Chicken Sandwich was 7/10 with the spice and coleslaw -The Elote was 7/10 (needs more salt though) Cons: -Service took a while to take our order (staff seemingly overwhelmed) !!-Bathroom is disgusting and outdated (literal poop water with other reports of similar conditions over a month ago) -Shrimp Po Boy was 3/10 because it was just battered tasteless shrimp with yellowed tomatoes and lettuce (needs seasoning and sauce like spicy mayo or chipotle) -Burger was 5/10 just your run of the mill burger but was semi charred when it came out for us (could use more ingredients or sauce to make it more tasteful) -Corn bread was 2/10 because it physically could not be cut with a knife or fork and has to ripped. Seems to have been sitting out for a while before it was served. -Ran out of Tri Tip (possibly due to popularity?) but was just disappointed, nothing serious there. Overall very hopeful for this place and would love to return when things are improved (the bathroom!) Lots of potential and some good dishes on the menu. read more

Horrible.. my bison burger was pitifully thrown together. It was dry with a piece of lettuce. The buns were also stiff and poor quality. The fries were burnt to a crisp. Don't come here. Go anywhere else. $22 burger was just BAD read more

Service good but the food was disgusting. We were so hungry and looking forwarded to eating a nice juicy burger. When I got it the sauce was missing inside the burger. The hamburger had a weird taste like it had been frozen. My friend ordered the birria grilled cheese and that was gross. They had no chicken. What restaurant has no chicken. They also didn't have the elote dip or the elote salad. Don't waste you money here. read more

I absolutely loved this place and the people that worked there. I was traveling alone and got to my hotel and my blood sugar was low with some anxiety. It was between lunch and dinner on a Wednesday and Catalina Charlie's came up and it was right by my hotel. Everything is centralized and walkable in Avalon but it was right by my hotel. I'm glad I ended up here as my first stop. The manager/bartender was so kind despite they'd be closing in an hour for some work on the restaurant. I had a great drink and their deviled eggs which was exactly what I needed. We also had a great conversation and I learned a lot about the island and the locals and it was just the best way to start my trip. After I checked out of my hotel, my anxiety went high and my blood sugar dipped and that was the first place I thought as I knew I could do some of their deviled eggs. I saw the same awesome manager from before but the bartender at the time was also lovely and made a great drink that was one of their specials. I could have sat outside on their little patio both times overlooking the ocean, but the bar was a great spot both times. Thanks for being awesome and making a solo traveler feel comfortable with some great food and drinks. Already planning my next trip and can't wait to visit again. read more

Food looks great but they are always closed. All the hours online will say they are open and we go to try it and they're closed. Not hard to fix your hours or atleast post them outside. Disappointing read more

Came with a big group since I'm the only vegan I saw they had soyrizo tacos. Food was okay. Drinks were good. Overall mediocre experience. Took forever for everything to come and was served on paper plates and foil for to go boxes ... read more

The bartender was extremely friendly and welcoming! great ambiance, food & drinks!! stop by here when you arrive to island for a great appetizer & drink! read more

Don't get the Mexican food here, we got a couple plates here and they were god awful, the "hot salsa" was sweet the rice was dry and cold. The meats were both dry and completely bland. The service was slow, we had empty cups the whole meal and the place was practically empty. Food was so bad that we got up after only a few bites, had to pay at the front desk after flagging a sever down and left, 58$ for two people, the worst restaurant on the island, went to mi casita and it was 10/10. read more

Stopped for lunch Excellent waffle fries Tri tip and elote salad both really good Xxxx read more

Very friendly service and good food! Not too busy when we were here but nice atmosphere in general. Food took ages though to come out.

Really long wait and it wasn't even busy. The servers should let you know it's going to take over an hour to get your food.

Excellent food and service. Had both lunch and dinner. View of the harbor. Full bar. Will definitely return when back on the island.

Literally never open at the right times. Very unreliable when it comes to food in Avalon. Would not recommend

Ambiance gives a really good vibe! Newly opened restaurant at the center of Avalon! Great quality service overall. Very accommodating and friendly staff. Food were amazing! Menu were not overwhelming. Best we've had in Catalina during our stay! Highly recommended! read more

Just visited about an hour ago. The kitchen was very slow to get the food out. The drinks were great, but the restroom was filthy and had no toilet paper at all! It really changed my attitude about the entire place. This place could be five stars but the management needs to get with it. read more

The food is delicious, a nice variety and high quality. The chicken wings, potato taquitos, elote corn queso dip--all wonderful. Hamburgers, salads were also great. Service was friendly and hard working. read more

Food was great. Not sure why it was so empty on a Saturday night for dinner but everything we had (party of 10) was good. The Shrimp Po Boy was better than expected. The shrimp had a light and crispy batter. The pretzel bites were yummy also! Getting our cocktails was a little slow especially when no one was at the bar. read more

So happy with our dinner. Newly opened, great service, clean. And Yummy food! We will be back to Catalina and hitting this place!

Everything from the staff to the food was amazing. By far the best place I've eaten in Avalon.

Food was good. Service was awesome. One of the best experiences I've had at a restaurant in a while.

Great service, very attentive and helpful. Simple menu and really clean establishment. Fun people watching from the beach facing seating!

We got the fried chicken sandwich and the bison burger and both were delicious. Quick, easy, fast. Service was also super friendly and attentive to the perfect degree. Quiet ambiance, calm and casual after a long day at the beach. Would recommend! read more

the food was great and the service was excellen!! The ambiance was wonderful....the prices were reasonable