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    Char-Kol

    3.5 (293 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Char-Kol Photos

    CHAR-KOL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Trendy
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Char-Kol

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    I had the dry aged New York strip with chimmichuri sauce
    Lori M.

    Our experience was just ok. Nothing to rave about. Service was super slow, for us anyway. Food was okay. Steaks were decent-- mashed potatoes were delicious. Brussel sprouts were very sweet. They were recommended so we got them but we were only able to eat a little bit. I get Caesar salad and use that to gauge the restaurant-- it had capers and was not that great. Music needs to change and soften -- it was loud, and the same EDM type beats and songs over and over. We were seated upstairs close to the window and it was super hot as the sun went down and the sun glared in our faces. Not sure we'll go back.

    Bread pudding
    Amy S.

    Really beautiful restaurant and we had a super friendly server. The restaurant itself was a bit chilly inside, but it might be because it was brutally cold outside and they have such high ceilings the heating system couldn't keep up. Other than that, we began with a warm crusty bread basket, the truffle bites (yum!), the arugula salad (fresh and seasoned well), and for entrees we split the special dry aged strip steak ( very tasty and came with a killer sauce... but was cooked medium well and not medium as asked), with a side of velvety mashed potatoes and the scallops and risotto (very well seasoned and tasty but also slightly overcooked). We finished with a warm gooey bread pudding. This is also a BYOB which is nice! Overall, great place for a date with tasty food and generous portions.

    Tammie D.

    Second time around and service was amazing thanks to Dannie. Food also didn't disappoint either. Let me tell you if you have been thinking of paying a visit please go. Pork Chop was so juicy, flavorful and tender. Short rib gnocchi was delicious. Roasted clams are amazing and Brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly. It was the Sunday after Christmas so the decorations were still up and the place looked very festive.

    Jennifer N.

    Char-Kol in Freehold is such a vibe The moment you walk in, the stunning ambience grabs you -- warm, moody, Instagram-worthy from every angle. And the food? Absolutely unforgettable. Attentive service and management From the wood-fired pepperoni + hot honey pizza to the short rib truffle gnocchi, skirt steak, and halibut, every dish was thoughtfully crafted and packed with flavor. Even the sides and dessert hit every note. If you're looking for the perfect Friday night dinner spot, Char-Kol is it.

    View from above
    Antwaun W.

    Our group of 20 had a great evening celebrating at Char-Kol. A BYOB steakhouse in downtown Freehold. The restaurant itself is beautiful with a loft/balcony style 2nd floor dining space and an enclosed, heated 2nd floor patio. Valet is $11. There is also paid parking directly behind and across from the restaurant (About $2.50 an hour) As stated above, this is a BYOB establishment which also allowed spirits such as whiskey and tequila. Our server Keelan was very accommodating and patient throughout the entire night. Service, decor, ambience and atmosphere were all above par. But the real star of the night was the food. Here's what I tried: House Made Ricotta - Excellent. A mound of whipped ricotta, surrounded by sliced baguettes for dipping. You can taste the touch of honey. Charred Octopus - Seasoned really well and garnished with fried eggplant. Tender but just a little dry. Fresh Mozz Pizza - Slightly larger than a bar pie. Very fresh. Soft dough. Good pizza. Spicy Vodka Rigatoni - Great pasta and huge burrata in the center. I was so eager to taste it that I didn't even get a photo. Brussels Sprouts - 10/10. Delicious! Seasoned and cooked to perfection. The restaurant was very accommodating for our large party. The heated patio was ok for our celebration, but if/when I return I would sit in the main dining room. Temperature is better controlled and we can enjoy the music (There are no speakers on the heated patio). You should definitely give Char-Kol a try!!

    Dry aged cowboy ribeye
    Alivia D.

    Char-Kol has been quite popular on social media since its opening so I was looking forward to dining here on a date night with my husband. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the food and turned off by the overall ambiance. The greatest feature of Char-Kol is the gorgeous interior, which has potential for hosting a fine dining experience, but the restaurant had fallen way short of my expectations. 5:30 reservations on a Sunday - I was surprised to see so many tables with children dining in. Some were in baseball uniforms, there was also a toddler wandering the dining area... just weird vibes for an "upscale" steakhouse. I definitely appreciate family-friendly dining options, but it didn't make for an ideal environment for date night. I almost felt silly for dressing up, especially after seeing the very dressed down host and even more dressed down... manager? There was a man wearing a hoodie, jeans and sneakers, who was hanging out in the kitchen, bringing food out to tables, and clearing plates. I was genuinely in shock to see an employee wear such a casual outfit in the restaurant, especially someone who I believed to be in management? I also caught a server drinking wine with one of their tables. This made me audibly let out a "WTF." Our server was nice, but my husband and I had to see if either of us fully understood what he said after each time he talked to us. As soon as we sat down, he let us know that it was super busy over the weekend so they were out of the tomahawk steak for 2 and about to run out of the tomahawk steak for 1 so we need to let him know if we wanted that so special arrangements could be made? Something like that. I went with the dry aged cowboy ribeye, which tasted as unappetizing as it looked. No flavor whatsoever, and their famous "char" just tasted burnt. It was served with a tasteless black pepper bourbon sauce and roasted garlic. For $79 I was expecting some flavor. I would even go as far as saying it was one of the worst steaks I've had in my life. Prior to the steak I had their roasted middle neck clams as an appetizer, which was accompanied by a hair right on top of one. I removed the hair and went about my business (you can judge me if you'd like) so I can't say how they would've handled the situation. But hair or no hair, I wouldn't recommend the clams. I thought it would be served with the lemon shallot butter on the side, but only came with lemon slices. Definitely was not impressed. The best thing we ordered was the side of Brussels sprouts (these were actually delicious). I was between a 2- and 3- star rating for Char-Kol, but honestly couldn't find a reason to bump it up other than that I WANTED to love this place. I definitely get the vibe of "anything goes" here. Between the sloppily dressed staff and wine-drinking servers, I could see why patrons don't take this place seriously either. On our way out, a family of 5 was being sat, all of whom were wearing sweatpants. Yes, sweatpants. Hard pass on returning.

    Ashley B.

    We were at Artemis Brewery next door and decided to order from Charkol since they partner with them for small bites delivered to the brewery. My husband got the burger, I got the margherita pizza, and we shared the jalapeño poppers. After tax and tip, our total came to $62, which felt a bit pricey for what we got. I'm keeping in mind that there was a baby shower happening at Charkol when we ordered, which may have affected the quality and service. Our food took about 35 minutes to arrive, but luckily, we were keeping busy with a game of Uno. My husband really enjoyed his burger, especially the bacon jam, but his fries were unevenly seasoned--some were way too salty, while others had no seasoning at all. It seemed like they just sprinkled salt on top instead of tossing them properly. As for my margherita pizza, they forgot the basil, even though it's listed on the menu. The sauce was concentrated in the center instead of being spread evenly, which made the cheese slide off every time I picked up a slice. That said, the crust had a nice char and was thin but still chewy. The server also mentioned he would come back with plates for us but he never returned. Thankfully, the brewery had extra paper plates. Overall, I was underwhelmed, but given the circumstances, I'm willing to give them another shot. My husband and I plan to return for a proper dine-in experience to see if it's better than takeout.

    Bacon appetizer

    What a vibe walking into Charkol. Beautifully decorated, staff is extremely attentive and food is delicious. It is just what Freehold needed.

    Lawrence C.

    We went there around 7:30pm on a Sunday and stayed till past closing. Our server Jeff was amazing! So much fun, cracking jokes with us all night, super welcoming. He was amazing. Gave us so many recommendations and was honest about what they had available and not due to the busy weekend but all good! All the servers even one named Fabian came and he was so caring, everyone made us feel welcomed. We were so loud and enjoying ourselves we stayed past closing but staff did not kick us out but told us to enjoy our time. The food amazing, pricey but it was such large portions easy enough to share! It's BYOB too and was just a really fun night thanks to the amazing staff.

    Short rib gnocchi
    Ashley S.

    We had a great time at Char-kol. Our server, Christine, was very attentive and made sure we were good for the entire stay. The look and feel of the restaurant was perfect for date night. And the food was just as good as it looks. Note: it is a BYOB establishment and all food (apps/dinner) must be ordered at once, but still come out at different times.

    Peanut butter chocolate dessert
    Mel K.

    We had reservations for dinner , been wanting to check this restaurant out as I've heard nothing but good things about it ! The staff were very friendly, and helpful when deciding to order ! We were doing a low key gender reveal and the staff was very accommodating and creative in helping us with this special moment ! I ordered seafood tagliatelle, but with no sausage! Honestly it was very good, the flavors were cooked to perfection ! We also order Mac and cheese which was very good ! The bread they brought out for the table was ehh I didn't really care for it felt like it was kinda hard and burnt for me to eat! I love the atmosphere very relaxing and such a good vibe ! The prices were fair , and not as expensive as I thought it was gonna be ! I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area !

    Wedge salad
    Patricia Z.

    Place has a great vibe, large space with an upstairs and an outside room. Food was ok. And service was ok. It was busy. It is a byob steakhouse. Valet is $11. Small menu. Tomahawk for 2 was ok. I would change the side. Not the best I had. You're paying a lot of money for a tomahawk for two people and you are giving fries as a side? lol and the filet mignon was very dry. Would probably go back because everyone has an off night. The spicy vodka rigatoni with Burrata was good

    New York Strip
    James F.

    I've been wanting to try Char-Kol for quite some time. I really it was a pleasant experience. The ambiance is great, a real rustic but modern feel. Located right off Main Street it is easily accessible with parking near by. Food: quite good. The burrata app was fantastic and I don't normally like burrata. We also got the oysters but they didn't serve it with the normal fixings you'd get (horseradish, etc) there was a lemon and tobacco, that was about it. For entrees I got the New York strip. Cooked perfectly and tasty. Wish it had a bit more salt but nothing to complain about really. Lobster Mac was good but pricey for the little lobster we got. The garlic mash was tasty. But the Brussel sprouts were fantastic. Pros: food was quite good and tasty, BYOB, easy to get to, was not hard to get a reservation on a Thursday. Cons: very pricy. I thought the wait staff could have been friendlier and more attentive. That is why this is a four star and not a five star.

    Porterhouse for2

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    1 year ago

    NY strip was overcooked. Sides were on the small side. Much better and cheaper options around in NJ ...prob won't be back

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Char-Kol

    Do they up charge or charge a fee when paying with a Credit Card?

    Yes they do, unfortunately like most restaurants these days

    If they don't serve alcohol, is it BYOB?

    Yes byob

    What's the seating arrangement?

    There’s both an upstairs as well as a downstairs. We were seated in a very tight space downstairs where we were actually unable ( as adults) to move chairs and get up without hitting either a wall or someone seated behind us.… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The Freehold truck came down to the Hamilton Mall parking lot area between the Macy's and main mall…read moreentrance for Valentine's Day 2025. I had been wanting to catch them on one of the other many Fridays they announced being in our area and finally made it. I did not use there app to pre-order. I decided to make my way to the mall and grab a lunch/dinner and one of the blue berry Maine Root soda. S to go with it. I ordered the Lobster Grilled cheese (which I was pleased to see came with tater tots even though I did not realize that from the menu description). And the Maine roll. The service was rather quick. This was in part to: there not being any line to wait, the use of the credit card for payment, and the kind cashier taking the orders and dispensing them once they were ready. The wait time for the food was about within 10 of placing the order. Maybe less. The grilled cheese was luxurious. The chunks of lobster meat and the quantity of gooey cheese were the right ratio to my taste. The tater tots were crunchy. I decided to add my own Mike's Hot honey to switch up the flavor a bit. But, there really is no need. Later that evening, I took my cold Maine roll out of the fridge and this was equally well stuffed and flavorful. I would definitely consider making the splurge again. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. The wind was brisk so not the best for hanging around to enjoy the meal outside if you'd bring a folding chair. Still, worth the round trip ride to grab what turned out to be my lunch and dinner for the day. Thanks to the @Cousins Maine Lobster -Freehold for adding our area to their culinary rounds.

    Recently visited this food truck at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets. We ordered the Maine Lobster…read moreRoll. With tax it was over $27. This "Roll" is small. It wasn't worth that amount of money. I asked to have it cut in half so that I could share it and they said they weren't allowed to and I see why. All this fancy packing and boxing for what was an OK sandwich.

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    I had heard about this food truck on my local fb page the past few years and I never made it out…read morethere, they recently moved down the street from me (now in a store front -at the Citgo in Pennington near the circle) so since being so close I had to try. We weren't disappointed. My husband and I tried the recommended cheesesteak and general tsos wings. Very good. The staff there were all Very nice and welcoming. There's parking on the side as well as the entrance. There's chairs for waiting but you can call ahead. The prices were good and every item includes fries. I will be back to try more recommended items. Happy to have a new yummy food place near by! Also-side note having lived nearby and never been a customer of the citgo I took note of their gas prices and store items and I too will be back for them as well. I always get gas by my job but I'll be going there too.

    I called and asked what the address was. I was told by the male who answered the phone to Google…read moreit. I was shocked. So I read the address that was on Instagram to confirm, and he said that's it. I decided to support another business, but my friend convinced me to try this spot because the food is good. I wasn't sure if it was a food truck or a brick-and-mortar. As I pulled up I saw it was a gas station. Once I entered, I explained the bad customer service I received over the phone. After going back and forth with the owner about how rude the telephone conversation was. Remember, I asked what is the address. I never asked for directions. I decided at that moment after a 30-minute drive to not order anything for myself. My sister ordered naked wings with fries. The order was $13. I tried the wings, and they were fried without seasoning. The garlic sauce was watery...it wasn't thick. The fries weren't crispy. The entire experience made me sick to my stomach. So many officers recommend this place. Save your money & your gas. The customer service is trash. Waste of time!!! I ended up at a different restaurant where I spent $50, and the chicken was seasoned to perfection. Bad customer service ruins businesses! This was the first and last time I will ever come to this gas station. Disgusted!!!! As you can see two different sets of info. So yes! WHAT IS YOUR ADDRESS?

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    Perla Oyster Bar - A dozen mixed oysters

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    4.6(28 reviews)
    31.7 mi

    Another amazing meal at Perla last night! We couldn't stop talking about how lucky we are to have…read morethis amazing restaurant just 10 mins down the road from us. The food is so creative, fresh, and delicious, the service is attentive and knowledgeable and consistent (not the norm in the suburbs), and we love the ambiance. It was a gorgeous night to sit outside, but we opted for our favorite - bar seats to watch the action. It's hard to find this level of consistency and creativity even in NYC, but to have it right here in Maplewood is so wonderful. So many restaurants in the suburbs rely on frozen, pre-made items from large restaurant supply chains that finding innovative cooking completely from scratch is a real challenge. In a sea of mediocre restaurants, Perla lives up to its name: a true gem! We have been so impressed by the daily specials this summer. We started out with a scallop crudo with yuzu, jalapeno, and shallots that is my favorite crudo right now. We followed that with the new shrimp tostada and I'm only sorry we didn't order two. Later in our meal, I spied a couple at the other end of the bar who did it right: the wife took one bite and immediately ordered a second one so that she wouldn't have to share. This is the second time we've had the tomato salad with olives, shiso, and white balsamic and I can't get over the flavor combination - it's so unexpected and addictive. We can't pass up the broiled oysters with garlic butter, Calabrian chili, and crispy shallots - a dish I was obsessed with the moment I tried it at a pop-up event before the restaurant even existed. Then we had the broiled branzino with lemon, capers, and a watercress salad - again, the only mistake was not ordering two! We were actually down the shore yesterday, but came home because we were craving this dish. We finished off our meal with anchovy toast, which our favorite dessert paired with a crisp Txakolina. It's four pieces of toasted baguette with a generous spread of really good butter topped with one piece of salt-cured anchovy and one boqueron (a pickled anchovy). I can't recommend this dish highly enough, it is perfectly balanced! We love a BYOB, but it is such a luxury that we can order right from our phones at the restaurant from a local wine shop (Lum's Cellars). It's a curated list that has some really fantastic options that all go so well with the cuisine. We started with an Alberiño and then ordered the Txakolina. No notes! We can't wait for our next meal at Perla.

    Went today for an early Sunday lunch; lobster rolls were excellent (I believe only offered on…read moreSundays), potato and chorizo dish also very good. BYOB, but they are also affiliated with a local liquor store if you forget to bring something that will bring you a bottle after ordering it online (however a very limited selection of wines) Service was attentive, friendly and personable. I'll definitely be back.

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    Charbroiled oysters

    Char-Kol - steak - Updated September 2026

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