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    Char-Kol

    3.5 (294 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 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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    Reviews With Photos

    Priyanka P.

    I went to dinner here with my family and it was a great experience! The service was great, the food was delicious and the vibe inside was amazing! The decor was stunning and it felt very upscale. We tried the grilled octopus, whipped ricotta, Cacio e Pepe, and a pizza (I forget which one though)... but it was all good!

    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

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    2 years ago

    Great service, great food! Will deff be back the hostess Mo was extremely accommodating and made our night!!!

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    2 years ago

    Food was fantastic! Our waitress, Kelly was so sweet and attentive. Steak was cooked to perfection. Definitely going back

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    Page 5 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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    Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine

    Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine

    4.5(100 reviews)
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    When my boyfriend and I decided to try out Marmara we weren't expecting anything as great as it…read morewas... It's in a fricking mall! We've been there once every week for the last month...... I've enjoyed the Branzini very much ( fillet it to avoid bones) Their balloon bread is amazing with the Tapenade they serve. We always get their hummus. And their grape leaves. The Shephards salad which Is mostly tomato &cucumbers w a flavorful dressing (we put on side) .. there's just something about using their balloon bread to scoop up your salad and dips... Yep, we always get a second order of the bread... It's very light and thin and doesn't feel as gluttonous. Everybody is very courteous... It's like going to a restaurant in the city... A belly like dancer surprised us on a Friday night which was fun. I don't really wanna recommend this too much because I don't want it to get so busy that I can't get in when I want to lol but seriously it's a really great experience. They do have wine, but we bring our own and they are happy to fill a glass! Enjoy

    The food is delicious, 10/10. I've been here about 5 times and have never had a bad meal…read more The service on the other hand is very slow. Consistently. It takes about 30 minutes to get your food and even longer to get a check after the fact. Which is crazy because my table was only one out of 3 other tables in the restaurant. A 20% tip is automatically applied to your bill, and then still asked if you want to tip ON TOP OF THE FACT so pay attention to your bill! Part of me thinks the reason the service isn't as good is because they know they're automatically getting that tip, but another part of me hopes that isn't the case. Ambiance is nice, very beautiful and great place for pictures.

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    American Hotel - Boutique hotel, banquets, restaurant and bar

    American Hotel

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    0.1 mi
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    Our family originally went to a restaurant two doors down from The Standard, but we were so…read moredisappointed that we decided to leave. Since we had parked right next to The Standard, we chose to give it a try for lunch--and it was the best decision we've made in a long time. The hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas, creating such a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant itself was just as lovely. We were a party of five, including a 14-month-old baby, and our waitress could not have been more accommodating. Another great convenience is that the hotel also has parking available in the back. I only wish I had taken photos! We started with appetizers--crispy calamari, mussels, and chicken wing lollipops. For our entrées, we ordered the French Dip sandwich, the Carnegie Reuben, and two Standard burgers. We also asked for a kids' pasta. Expecting the usual penne, we were surprised when angel-hair pasta arrived. Our little girl had never tried it before, so we requested a substitution. Although our waitress explained that angel hair was the only pasta they typically have, she returned moments later to let us know the chef was going to get penne just for us. That level of service truly stood out. The food was amazing, and the service was exceptional. We enjoyed our visit so much that we are even considering hosting a family wedding and a baptism here. Highly recommend The Standard American Hotel!

    Absolute horrible experience here. The sound was unbearable and had to check out after 5 minutes…read more They refused a refund and told me that the hotel would be quiet at 1130 while I was checking in at 930pm! Even though I'm working 8 blocks away the next morning I ended up driving home to Brooklyn 90 minutes away only to do the drive back in the morning because the situation was so bad. Unfortunately the manager Joanne and her staff did absolutely nothing to make this right as it was a non refundable room. What a joke.

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    Cuzin's Seafood Clam Bar - Nice grill Marks.

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    4.2(921 reviews)
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    The ambiance inside is so much vibrant and better than what you see from the outside. Big indoor…read morearea with a nice bar and lots of tables. Service was good with the waiter always checking in and on top of things. Food was amazing! Seafood tower with oysters, clams and shrimp was the favorite of the table, very fresh and flavorful seafood. The whole table (party of 6) had fish and one order of lobster tails, and everyone left very happy with their dishes. From the filets to the whole fish, everything was very good and tasty. Would come back any time

    Our third time visiting, this time as a group of 8. Food is good overall, service remains…read morehorrendous. Our waiter did not come to take our order until a good 35-40 minutes after sitting, not a huge deal but a notable delay. What irritated me during dinner was we were asked if we'd like dessert while 2 people were still eating their meals, followed by the check immediately arriving- no etiquette. While paying and wrapping up the staff were directed to clear the table, this was obvious. For full drinks to be removed without asking is unacceptable. It was as if we weren't even sitting there the manner they were clearing. Again it was obvious the direction of the manager, they needed the table. Try being efficient to start instead of creating a rush at the end if overbooked and delayed. It's classier than putting a check on a table with people eating and rudely clearing drinks. Will not be returning. There is better up the road with real management and service.

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    Lemon Mediterranean Restaurant - Grilled Chicken Kabob

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    4.3(536 reviews)
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    Six of us enjoyed a terrific dinner recently. Service was exemplary and the overall theme is casual…read moreand friendly. We started an order of Mussels with a lime and cilantro sauce, Shrimp Torte (artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, shitake mushrooms, capers and green olives - in a white wine sauce topped with feta cheese), along with Octopus. Everything was terrific! Entrees consisted of a huge Cioppino consisting of shrimp, mussels, clams, wild cod, escargot, octopus and crab legs in a shrimp tarragon sauce over spanish risotto - way too big to finish! Branzino with oven roasted tomatoes over yellow corn risotto. Pistacio encrusted wild salmon with fingerling potatoes and butternut squash. Chargrilled Rack of Lamb with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. To finish off a terrific dinner we ordered the Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Torte, Hazelnut Baclava and Banana Foster. As a remeinder, Lemon is BYOB.

    Came here with one of my gfs last night. Restaurant is right off rt9. Inside is cozy, decor is…read morenice, we got seated fast. Our waiter was attentive and very nice. For apps we ordered hummus and peaches with a sweet sauce and blue cheese. Both were pretty good - the pita bread along with the hummus was served nice and warm! The peaches were ok, there was a weird tasted afterwards. Like a processed taste. I couldn't put my finger on it. After 2 bites I was good. I ordered the Moroccan chicken for my entree. It was pretty good. Flavor was there, wish it came with more couscous. Now, the pricing of the dishes I don't really agree with. I know of other Mediterranean restaurants that offer really awesome dishes and the portions are bigger for a lesser price.

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    Char-Kol - steak - Updated September 2026

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