The Charles Restaurant & Bar

5 stars for the vibe, 3 stars for food and service. For a locally sourced restaurant, you would think they would have more meatless and dairy free options that doesn't include engineered meat (beyond burger). They had a menu special once that was their version of meatless ramen...it was delivered cold to my table and had no seasoning/flavor. The brussel sprouts and hummus plate are good. Salads are ok but order two if you want to actual have a meal-sized salad. Overall, the vibe is great. The service could be better - the staff is not overly friendly but I'm starting to think that's just Maryland people in general.
Thanks for reading! ✌🏾

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 3

I absolutely love it here. Been in La Plata, MD for 1 year so Idk everything that's around, but I absolutely love that I found The Charles. Great food. Great drinks. Great service. Chito (bartender) made the best drinks. This is my spot!

Also.... try the Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts. TRUST ME!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Went on taco tuesday. Nice atmosphere. Tasty food. Staff was genuine and customer service was awesome!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Service was very slow. Our server did tell us the bar was backed up so we knew that going in. However, it took 15 minutes to get the mimosa carafe we ordered. Served at room temperature, in a plastic carafe. One of our water glasses had lipstick on it. We started with a piece of quiche that was cold in the middle. The crust was very soggy. They were also out of several menu items. We asked our server for a recommendation and she said she only works there on the weekends so she wasn't sure what to recommend. We ended up leaving and going to a different restaurant.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 2

Feels like a “D. C. dining experience” in Charles County, MD.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

My husband and I made reservations in advance for Valentine’s Day at The Charles Restaurant and were really looking forward to a special night. We arrived before our reservation time but still had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated. Once seated, we were told that several menu items were unavailable, including lamb, braised short rib, tenderloin, mussels, etc.

We ordered calamari, drinks, and our entrées. After a long wait, the drinks and calamari finally came out. Then after waiting more than 1 1/2 hours for our main courses, we were told they had run out of the roasted chicken, brussel sprouts, and mashed potatoes (which we had ordered since the menu was already limited). At that point, we decided to cancel our order.

We paid for the drinks and appetizer and went home to cook so we could enjoy what was left of our Valentine’s Day. Very disappointing experience, especially for a day that requires proper planning.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

We had Valentine’s Day reservations for our family and were seated promptly upon arrival. After our drinks were brought out, our daughter’s orange juice was served in a glass, so my husband tried to get the waitress’s attention to ask if a cup with a lid was available. After waiting several minutes, he was finally able to speak with her, but she seemed visibly annoyed and responded, ‘I have two other tables I’m serving, do you mind waiting,’ before walking away. At that point, we decided to leave rather than continue the experience, as the interaction felt unwelcoming and disappointing.

Service: 1

Sat at table for 30 minutes and ignored by multiple servers. Asked and was told someone would be coming but nobody came for 30 minutes. Other people came later and were served first.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

This place is a hidden gem; I arguably want to keep its secret. The food; atmosphere as well as service was exceptional. I do not even know how many times I passed this place; but decided to take my mother and there for lunch. From the moment I walked in I was thinking wow I have been missing out. The decor and servers were phenomenal. The menu had a lot of delicious options for reasonable prices. We opt for cream of crab soup, crab dip, crab cake sandwich, tomato basil soup and kale salad. It was so good we had to get the desert ; apple crumble. This was some the best food we have had in our area in a long time. We will be back and I cannot believe it took me so long to check them out.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Since being introduced to The Charles, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of enjoying not only the food and live music, but also the incredible staff who make the entire experience even more enjoyable. I’ve consistently received the best service—Summer always goes above and beyond, and Zach makes outstanding drinks every time.

I’ve truly enjoyed the service every single visit. The experience is so personable; as regular patrons, Summer knows our drinks before we even order because of the rapport she’s built with us and her attention to detail. That kind of service can’t be replicated. It’s what keeps us coming back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The only problem I had, was being seated by the kitchen door. There were way to many two seated tables near the kitchen.

This place is a gem. The menu selection is nice, service was AMAZING and the food delicious. I will be back!!

I went for my birthday dinner with my family last night and it was nice. The food was GOOD and the service was sweet.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

We had an overall pleasant experience, but it's definitely not a “date night” place. The dining room is very loud and austere. The hostess/manager was over the top gracious, and removed an item from our check because the temp was not to order (without our asking). Crab cake was delicious, as were the Brussels sprouts. We will go back again when the weather allows for outdoor seating.

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!