I've been wanting to check out The Charles because I love a good oyster happy hour, and when I heard their oysters were only $1 each, I knew I had to go. It's conveniently located right off the street. Parking is a little limited out front, but if you park around the back it's not bad at all. The restaurant itself is beautiful, very classy, very clean, and well put together. They have a bar area, a main dining space, and even outdoor seating. I ordered the raw oysters (of course) and they were fresh and good. They are on the smaller side, but for $1 each, you honestly can't beat it. I also tried one of their mocktails.They have a great variety and a solid lunch menu to go along with it. Service was amazing! The bartenders were classy, attentive, and just as polished as the restaurant's overall vibe. Overall, I would highly recommend T read more

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Our group enjoyed brunch today and it was a welcome experience. Staff were friendly and professional and definitely enhanced our experience. The Charles has a wonderfully appointed interior which never disappoints. I had the chicken and waffles and they were done nicely. I hoped for a bit more flavor on the chicken but also enjoyed that they used chicken thighs instead of a dryer piece of chicken. A nice spot with decent food and atmosphere. read more

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Marie's Diner had a long wait so I decided to try the Charles as they served brunch today on President's Day. Less than a mile away, I walked in and saw that it was a nicely designed and classy restaurant with a bar room that was separate from the main dining area. Decided on their 2-eggs breakfast with some coffee and an appetizer of Brussels sprouts. All very good, although the biscuit that came was a little too overcooked and hard to my liking. But everything else was delicious and the sprouts were a nice way to start my meal. Although I was full, I heard their carrot cake was good. I decided to get it to go. Glad I did because the slice was enormous. A few days later I'm still snacking on that same slice. Overall, lovely place to get breakfast, especially if the diner nearby is too crowded. Beautiful interior and great service sealed the deal. read more

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This was my first visit to The Charles! Very nice ambiance and atmosphere. Our server was very nice, sorry I can't remember her name. We had a large party of 15 on Easter. Anyways, the food was very good. I had lampchops, mashed potatoes, broccolini. A little disappointed the broccoli nice was cold, and the lamp chop could have used a little more flavor. The mashed potatoes was definitely on point with taste. I did have the crab dip and calamari for appetizers and both were very tasty. I recommend trying them. Overall, I had a great experience. I will definitely recommend and will be returning. read more

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Unfortunately, our experience at The Charles was extremely disappointing. My friend and I dined here on Saturday night, and we both ordered the halibut. Within hours, we each became very sick with what appeared to be food poisoning. Since we both ate the same entrée and experienced the same symptoms, we felt it was important to notify the restaurant. I sent an email to The Charles to make them aware of what happened, hoping they would at least acknowledge our experience and investigate the issue. Unfortunately, I never received a response, which was just as disappointing as the illness itself. I understand that restaurants can't always prevent every issue, but how they respond when customers report a serious food safety concern speaks volumes. A simple acknowledgment, apology, or follow-up would have gone a long way. I hope management takes reports like this seriously and improves both their food safety practices and their customer service. Based on this experience and the lack of communication afterward, I can't recommend dining here. read more

I had never been here for heard of this place before. I needed a couple of drinks and one of my friends told me to meet her here. This was our first experience! Everything was good... now I probably wouldn't order the "chargrilled oysters" I am a suckered for the Down South version, but anywho. I was full off the Brussels Sprouts, nachos, and the couple of oysters that we didn't need to order anything else. Although I wanted to order a taco. Everything looked amazing as I watched other food coming out. I would go back. Our waiters were great and the customer service was too. read more

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Back at The Charles--crab croquettes, lamb chops, short ribs & carrot cake. Service is always great, Caroline is the sweetest read more

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Have been wanting to try here for some time and finally stopped. Was here for brunch and tried a peach Bellini, crab cake sandwich with a side ceasar salad. Everything tasted amazing! Service was great - super sweet hostess and our server was a doll and very attentive. We sat outside and it was lovely. Cant wait to go back! read more

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This was my third time to visit the Charles and I have never been disappointed. The food was great and priced right. I only wish they served a filet or tenderloin steak. However, this is still a super great restaurant with a great atmosphere. Our Server was Ella who did a great job and was super friendly. Visit, enjoy the food and service you will not be disappointed. read more

Service was a lot slower than the last time, we had to ask the host who our service was after we waited 15 minutes or longer. The food was excellent as always except the risotto, it was too mushy and some grains were not cooked but the Brussels Sprouts, Crabs Croquets; and Apple Mule were the BEST i ever had. read more

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Passed by this spot a few times and today was a good day to swing in. There's plenty of space and seating. Dine in the back or grab a seat at the bar. We were seated quickly and our waitress was friendly throughout our experience. It's 5 o'clock somewhere so why not start with some spirits and drinks. You can't go wrong with an old fashioned. Food, the steak and eggs and the shrimp and grits both great choices. The steak was cooked to the perfect temperature sitting on eggs and home fries. The shrimp and grits perfect ratio, with an amazing sauce. read more

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Our experience at The Charles is always amazing! We love it here. When we talk about dinner plans the first words out of our children's mouths' are almost always "The Charles!" In a child's chant. I attribute this to the attentive staff who always make them feel special and are cognizant of our needs. The staff are friendly, warm, and create a true sense of human connection. The atmosphere (bar area) is clean, inviting, and has a relaxed vibe. I have tried almost everything on the menu and my go too is the short ribs, but the chicken piccata is very flavorful and scrumptious. My reviews are based on my opinion and perspective. While I read other reviews to get an idea of atmosphere ambience, they do not influence my perspective. In my opinion, if you want a great experience and a good evening out, you can't go wrong with The Charles. read more

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Food is delicious, I ordered steak medium rare and it was perfectly cooked. I got a whiskey flight and it was very good. The ambiance is dark and romantic. Will return. read more

Traveled out of Town for our anniversary and was looking for a fine dining restaurant to enjoy our special evening. Drove from Colonial Beach, VA for this evening celebration. Made a reservation for a Wednesday dinner and made a comment of our special night. There is off street parking in a so so lot on side and in back of building. Was greeted immediately at door and seated promptly. Looking at menu online and reading reviews I thought this was going to be a more intimate dining experience. Sorry to saw nothing romantic about this place at all even with my note during reservation. Stephanie greeted us with water and asked if there were questions about menu or if we wanted something else to drink and gave us a few more minutes to review menu. I decided to start with a bowl of Cream of Crab soup and ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio. My wife ordered the Duck Breast and I ordered the Pan Seared Rockfish. The presentation of soup was different as a bowl with a small clump of greens and crab meat was served, then the server poured the creamy soup base in circular motion around greens to float them. Soup had good flavor with small portions of crab and the wilted greens. Then came our main dishes. The duck was present on top of diced sweet potato and swiss chard with a glaze over top. The rockfish was presented over polenta with side of roasted tomato, zucchini, sweet potato. Both plates had good portions of protein and vegetable. As we were full from our meals, we ordered one cheesecake to go. The attire for this location is all over place. We saw ladys walk in with leggins', customers wearing everyday tee shirts and hoodies, the hostess wore very faded blue jeans and tennis shoes. Website pictures present a different idea of restaurant. Now the service was good from Stephanie and food presentation and flavor was good. The value of meal/service is right on. read more

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04/05/25 Wife and I stopped in for a late lunch early dinner, they have outside tables, a dining room and a bar area we sat at the bar. There were a couple of bartenders they gave us water and menus pretty quick, and took our drink orders I had the old fashion with house bourbon. We looked over the menu everything looked really good, we decided on the kale salad to start and cheese burgers with fried for a meal. The salad was excellent as well was the cheese burgers. The guy that fixed my old fashion did a great job their house bourbon was really good. How ever there was one issue that we didn't care for, the guy bartending was constantly running his hands through his hair. He would start making a drink out ice in the shaker run his hand threw his hair pour all the liquors in the shatter for a drink pour it in a glass then run his hands threw his hair. Even when he wasn't doing anything just standing behind the bar he would have to run his hands in his hair. He never washed them after putting his hand through his hair. If you can't keep your hair out of his face he needs to put on a hair net or tie his hair in a pony tail. He's a really nice guy great to talk with but even while talking with him he's putting his hand through his hair. Hopefully someone stops him. We ordered dessert to take home, we had the chefs cheesecake with a cherry topping. I had it later in the evening the cheesecake had a very good gram cracker crust and the cheese was very creamy the cherries were excellent they weren't out of a can. Would have given 5 stars except for the bartender running his hands through his hair constantly. Looking forward to returning to try something different. read more

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3 stars for the service but 4 for the food. We came for lunch after sending our kids off for the first day of school. On Mondays all burger meals are $12 so i went with the Pub and added extra pickles and asked for no cheese and a salad as the side. The burger is a double patty smash burger but these patties weren't thin at all. Not a good or bad thing depending on what you prefer but if you like the crunchy bits that come with a smash burger you won't get that here. We got there at opening so I was a bit surprised at how long it took our food to come out. It was around 25mins (we all got burgers) and I know this because I was on my lunch break and had to get back to work. My burger came out with cheese which was a bummer because it messes with my digestion and skin but I was so pressed for time I couldn't risk sending it back. I will say the cheese was melted perfectly and the burger was very well seasoned. The salad was also good. We chose to sit outside and the weather was perfect that day. My homegirl said the service is usually better so I could see myself coming back for sure. read more

This is a great spot with GREAT GOOD AND VIBES. A must visit!!!!! Five star everyone will enjoy read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - Great food - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

It was our first time visiting The Charles. My wife and I had a 7pm RSVP and they seated us early. The ambience, use of space as a coffee shop/country store and spirits tasting we both loved. We ordered crab dip for our appetizer and my wife had an espresso martini while I had an old fashion. While waiting for our food there was a "hiccup" of sorts in the dining area and our server along with the manager came by to ensure us that our experience was great none the less. For our entrees I ordered the short rib and my wife the lamb chops. My wife's food came first and I was later told they were out of short ribs. I was disappointed they were out but selected the steak and shrimp as an alternative. Everything was delicious and we'll definitely be coming back in the future. The manager was attentive, the staff was polite and prompt. 10 out of 10! Thank you all for the experience! read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - Steak and Shrimp combination. Not shown are the Brussel sprouts we ordered which were also delicious. - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

The tacos were delicious!! The service was good, polite employees We sat outside and it was very nice read more

This was my first time I came to this restaurant. I was here for a private event but I sat at the bar until the party arrived. The Happy Hour menu was great and the food and drinks on the HH menu was everything! The parking is right in from but make sure to get there early. I would definitely be there again! read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

We visited from a late breakfast and sat in the bar section, which was empty other than us. They do also have a dinning room section, as well as a patio section; and I think the in and out of the patio section has caused quite a few flies to make it inside. We had the breakfast plate and the biscuits & sausage gravy. The only thing I really liked was the cheddar biscuits. Afterwards we walked over to The Market, which was amazing, and we got a small discount from there for dinning at The Charles first. The Market at The Charles is really what keeps me coming back! read more

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I came in for a quick lunch and was pleasantly surprised by the decor. It's very inviting and the space is larger than I expected. I sat at the bar per usual. I enjoyed this Expresso Martini it was so good. That's why the restaurant got the 4 stars. The salmon salad was good but nothing special. If I go back I want to try the salmon burger. The description seem like has a mix of flavors that I would enjoy. And I definitely would get the Expresso martini read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - Expresso martini - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

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Food good place clean awesome staff bathroom clean, price not average best kept secret but also my 1st time here. I wood come back !!!! Nice bar area with nice TV real cozy and comfortable!! read more

Was invited here by friends on a late Saturday night, unaware of this tucked away pocket of LaPlata, MD. * Food was well-seasoned (have to order before 10p from the official menu or you're stuck with the bar/late night menu). * Drinks mixed well * Ambiance was perfect between the dim lighting, music, and heat on perfect temperature. * And service was great as the server was attentive, remembering every order from 6 people without writing it down. Will be returning soon! read more

We came to the The Charles for a birthday dinner, the food was great and the service was amazing. I would absolutely recommend this place for dinner read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - cake pops - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

My wife and I went here for the first time today for brunch. We have lived in the area for 2 years and have never heard of this place before. After our experience today, we definitely wish we would have heard about this place sooner. The restaurant is definitely bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. The ambiance and atmosphere is really nice on the inside. Our waiter was excellent! She was very friendly, attentive, patient, and constantly made sure we had everything we needed. My wife and I both had a Peach Bellini which was really good and was only $7 each. I had the Cream of Crab Soup and it was delicious! For entrees, both my wife and I had the Hanger Steak & Eggs. We both had a medium cooked steak and our eggs were scrambled with cheese. This entree also came with breakfast potatoes. The entree itself was really good. The potatoes and eggs were really good and the sauce from the steak made the combination of both really flavorful. The steak itself was pretty good but could've been better as it was a little tough. Overall it was still good! This is a great overall brunch spot and I definitely wish we would have found this sooner. Everything was good and very well priced. The ambiance is really nice and the service was excellent! We will definitely be back! read more

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Three of us visited and ate at The Charles on a Saturday evening at 7:30pm. It was not busy at all and we had a reservation. Atmosphere/Vibe: clean, medium loudness, modern, cozy and not too bright Service: hmm. Service was ok. Our waitress was very nice but she barely came around. It took a while for us to actually get our food order in and receive our check. Food came out at a reasonable amount of time though. Food: collectively as a group honestly it was mediocre. The food holds a high price tag which comes with high quality/taste expectations but it really wasn't adding up. The chicken was OK and had flavor but it was soggy with the prosciutto under it and green beans in a very liquidy sauce. It would have paired well with some sort of mashed potatoes or polenta even. The other chicken dish on the menu (chicken paillard) apparently was supposed to be formally removed from the menu so I couldn't order it. The pasta was nothing special and they were out of mussels. The braised short rib was good but it definitely wasn't worth $30. Overall: The Charles sounds likes a fancy place and a place that you think would get more attention on a Saturday night but it was very short of that. We felt as though this is due a mix of the food quality and service. The establishment really should lower their prices if they are going to push mediocre food. Also, why are sides $7 each?? Thats crazy read more

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I would give 3 1/2 but not 4 stars. First, some (Cream of Crab, Lamb Chops and Carrots) of the menu items were unavailable. Secondly, I ordered the Braised Short Ribs which were supposed to come with carrots so I had to substitute for Brussel sprouts, which were very good. However, instead of getting the mashed potatoes that it was supposed to have, I got grilled (bland) potatoes which needed some seasoning. The Short Ribs were also very tasty. Thirdly, the Mrs. ordered the Shrimp and grits that were good, but not great. Maybe like the potatoes, it needed a little bit more seasoning. Lastly, the whole menu was limited and the choices seemed lacking. read more

Decided to check this place out for Valentine's Day, my husband made a reservation. We arrived 5minutes before and the host told us the waitress for our section was getting ready if we could just wait at the couch a few minutes??? Fine. We watched two couples walk in and get seated immediately. Then another couple got sat at the waiting couch with us and asked our reservation time. We were 15 minutes ahead of them and it had been 15 minutes since we had been sat to wait. That couple then got seated and said "sorry guys", no worries not y'all's fault at all but that was sweet. My husband did check in with the hostess multiple times but we continued to watch people be seated. Finally 20minutes later we were offered the packed high top area or the "wine room" we chose the wine room only to pass through the dining room that had ample open tables. Only to go sit in a beer fridge section and have wine shelves behind us where a waitress even looked past us to search for a wine she needed without saying a word but definitely intruding personal space. Ambiance in that area was a zero and the morale of the other guests with the "pleasure" of sitting in that room was zero. Food was good. But logistics were awful. read more

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The braised short ribs meat falls off and melts in your mouth and is also flavorful and saucy with a hint of sweet. The glazed carrots could have benefited by cooking for longer as they were still a bit too hard. The Brussels sprouts had the sweet and slightly spicy kick from the sauce, so it was savory; it was a bit dry and could have been tossed around a bit more. The steak frites was cooked perfectly at medium and the fries were nicely fried. While I wouldn't drive out of my way to get this, if you're in the area and wanting a hearty dinner, this is a very good option. They were open until 10 PM on a Monday which is a rarity in the area. read more

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I was really disappointed with my experience at The Charles. While the Stoli was good, the burger was enjoyable, and our server was great, friendly and attentive. The overall experience was overshadowed by a serious issue. My guest found a rubber band in her lamb chops meal, which is completely unacceptable and raises major concerns about food safety and quality control. Unfortunately, that alone ruined what could have been a much better visit. I hope management takes this seriously and addresses their kitchen practices. read more

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It wasn't as good as we had hoped. The crab cakes were a bit spicy and was rather expensive for the amount received. The fries were cold and dry with little to know flavor. In essence were disappointed. read more

This place is a gem of Southern MD! The service staff was attentive and welcoming, from their recommendations to the quick delivery of menu items and timely table clearing. Now, on to the food!! The chicken lettuce wraps--let me put it plainly--my boyfriend said he's likely to sneak over on Monday night football for their $12 burgers and lettuce wraps. I ordered the Caesar salad, which instantly became my favorite; there is no other comparison in this area--you can take my word for it. The house-made brioche croutons will dare you to ask your waitperson to bring some on the side, lol. Their drinks were well-balanced and served in tall glasses. Our waiter never consistently refreshed our water. The braised short rib was cooked well, and the reduction was beautiful, pairing nicely with the mash. My only criticism is that the carrots, while buttery, were a bit lackluster in comparison to the rest of our orders. For my entree, I chose the pan-seared scallops at the bartender's recommendation and she did not disappoint. The scallops were cooked perfectly and were friendly and buttery, but the risotto was the secret weapon. Creamy and soft, it had pumpkin seeds and cranberries/craisins that SET IT OFF! I will have to try that in my kitchen, Chef; well played, sir... well played. I found myself forking through the risotto, looking for those surprise ingredients. Finally, we sat on their velvet benches in the corner of the dining room. Although we were clearly in the eyes of all the other guests, it felt a bit more private and intimate, which we appreciated since my boyfriend and I were celebrating an anniversary. The ambiance is warm and modern, with deep greens and blues supported by gold and black accents. Candlelit tables contribute to the warmth in the room, making it romantic and cozy! If you've gotten this far in my write-up, here's the overall scores: Location - 8/10 (I live in Waldorf, and this place is a reasonable distance considering the quality of food and service. Located off of Main Street in La Plata isn't too far for us) Food - 9/10 (We thought to pull a point for those carrots, but if anyone asks, the carrots won't change my report of "everything we had was great!" Service - 10/10 (Attentive and welcoming; shoutout to Ricardo [hope I remembered that right] and the female bartender for guiding us to the perfect selections based on our inputs) Ambiance - 8/10 (My partner reminded me that we did have to soapbox a fruit fly or two now and then in our cozy corner, but we didn't make an issue because it was clear it was only our area and others were not experiencing the same problem) THIS IS A MUST TRY RESTAURANT - please show them some love. read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - Braised Short Rib The short rib was cooked perfectly and pairs nicely with their mashed potatoes. - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

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The food was okay. The crab cakes were mediocre. They ran out of my original order. The short ribs and brussel sprouts were delicious. They wrapped my leftovers in foil like we were at a cookout until I complained. Horrible! This was not a cookout! read more

We went on 9/16 and it was delicious! Our server Nathan was so kind and friendly! He chose my meal and dessert lol because I couldn't decide. The meal he chose was the short ribs and it was 10/10!!! So grateful I let him decide. The carrot cake, pumpkin cheesecake, and crème brûlée were also 10/10!!! I forgot to take a picture of our appetizers, but we got the cauliflower fritters which needed salt I think, and the king pao Brussel sprouts. The Brussel sprouts are so yummy!!! Definitely go here and enjoy! My mom shared that the last time she was here the interior wasn't open and airy, but this time it was gorgeous!!! They have these wonderful green velvet barstools and lots of gold accents. There is so much cool artwork. Totally love the new interior she said. read more

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I just visited The Charles restaurant on the raving reviews from yelp. I must admit they did not disappoint! The recommendation was that the short ribs were good so I tried them. They were excellent! The service was a bit slow but the manager Millian made up for the mishaps. I will definitely come back! read more

The food was fresh and prepared very well. The staff is super friendly. It feels upscale but it's in a small town and the staff solidify the small town feel. read more

The Charles Restaurant & Bar - Braised Short Rib was 10/10 Crab Cakes - Double 10/10 Laplata burger *I think* - New American Near Me - La Plata, Maryland

((for some reason, my pics didn't show up the first time...)) __ I eat. @f.hux I thrift. @DCthriftish read more

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We were seated promptly. Unfortunately, the area of seating is wide open and loud like a concert. If you plan on have a conversation be sure to use your phone. The clientele is not what should reflect the area. A supposed classy style restaurant with loud and obnoxious clientele. This was our first dinner visit as we have been here before for brunch. The waiter took forever to tend to us. My Caesar salad was so bland but the short ribs were good. Unfortunately the side of mashed potatoes were barely warm. I was able to slightly fill my stomach with the four miniature carrots which were halfway cooked Luckily my wife's meal was palatable. She was not impressed with the wait staff's inattentiveness and the loud atmosphere. Due to the patrons and their outbursts, we won't be back. read more

Everything about our service, Food, drinks and atmosphere was PERFECTION!!! I love it here! Bey and Charlie were the absolute best!!! Definitely coming back and asking for them directly. Talking to them felt lIke talking my friends. Absolutely a 5 star experience!! read more