Charley's Steakhouse

If you have worked to take out your spouse/family/friend..go somewhere else...This place is for those who's company pays the bill! Place is noisey and one gets the feeelin of eating with others as the tables are very close. Food is OVERPRICED and the wait staff is in a hurry to turn the table over. I made the mistake twice: Food was not cooked properly, and hecks it's only steak and seafood. No real sauces, food is BLAND and did I mention OVERPRICED! I eat out 4 days a week and honestly there are many better choices than this place.

from all the reviews its kinda hard to give a unbias opinion about them!

Six different steaks, of varying cut and how well cook; qll taste like ham. What a waste. Pretty good looking meat. Again. All taste like ham. Not beef. HAM.

I have eaten here about a dozen times over the years - Charley's has a reputation for great steaks. This is well deserved as I have never had a bad meal here. However for what should be a 5star restaurant - it has a more casual dress code and the service equates to more of what you would find at Chillis or Applebees. Still the prices for a restaurant with no view seem kinda high to me. If I am going to spend 100.00 for 2 people - I am going to pick a waterfront restaurant with a nice view. Better place for a business lunch with a client.

I love a good steak...this was by far the best I have had.could not disagree with the negative reviews more. It is pricey but so worth it.

We were seated by the windows out front. The area smelled musty and dirty. The bathrooms were dirty. The room was very loud. Most of the patrons were dressed ultra casual and made me feel like I was a pub, rather than a "top of the line" steakhouse. Jeans and t-shirts! Waiter was friendly, but not personable. Not very attentive. Although the appetizer was good (new crab cakes w/mango salsa) everything else was a dissapointment, as far as I was concerned. (I guess the bread was good.) Salad was so-so. My filet had fat and grizzle on one entire side. The smoke flavor was overwhelming. Even the asparagus was smoked. Yuck. Desserts were average at best. To top it off, the bill was $100 more than our estimation. Dinner for four (three ordered the "special" - one ordered a steak w/no sides) three iced-teas and two appetizers came to $250. A bit much for no alcohol. I won't go back.

We asked the watress to have out steaks cooded well done. She states ok. They were all bloody when we got them... Please, don't waste you money. go somewhere else. we paid 178.00 with tip.

If your looking for great steaks don't go here. Overpriced. Ruth's Chris is a little more expensive yet a whole lot better.

We had reservations at 6 p.m. on Sunday and were seated immediately. Our waiter was prompt and friendly,suggesting drinks to start with. He made a suggestion of a house special appetizer we did not see on the menu. After he described it we decideed to order it and enjoy a beverage. This was a huge mistake. When the bill came this appetizer was $66.95!! Ridiculous and nothing special. We wondered why he did not mention the price of this plate. We had much of his attention until the room began to fill with a few more customers. Once our food arrived we did not see him. I must say 4 out of 5 dishes were amazing in taste, presentation and how well they were cooked. My "Kansas" steak was a disappointment in that after I removed the thick layer of fat it was cooked rare and not medium like I ordered. By the time our waiter came to the table the rest of our party was almost done eating. I asked him to remove my steak. The (female) manager came to see about our meal and offered to"re-do" my s... Read more

An absolute rip-off. We live in Tampa, and have enjoyed Berns steakhouse a number of times and came to Charleys just on a whim to compare. We were a party of four and were offered a "appetizer sampling platter," which turned out to be over $110! The salads that came with the steaks were nothing but iceberg lettuce and some sauce. The service was good at 6pm, but declined into misery after the poor girl got swamped after 7. $500 for four people (wine not included) + mediocre meal = DO NOT GO HERE!

we were there last might and last week. i am playing tour guide of tampa to 2 of my friends from reno. they are gone now but said they had "researched" tampa hot spots and mentioned this site, so i had to see for my self. they liked charleys best so i have to give them props from reno. i have a 5 year history and i must say that sometimes i find a new favorite hangout but it seems i gravitate back to charleys when i really want to hang it all on the line. i always meet cool people and cant help but smile when i leave. the food is as it always was and the service is very cool (relaxed) but very solid. i like it because no matter what i'm doing i can always break off and show up and charleys.

we were there last night and i heard a table say they were going to post a review on citysearch. we only caught the last half of their troubles but i just have to say they were not there to have a good time. i always have fun and a great steak so i was just curious what she was going to say. i don't see her post so if she does, let me say her party was apparently comparing everything to other restaurants. when i want french/vietnamese, i go to restaurant bt. when i want italian, i go to donatello's. my point is, she wanted charleys to be what it is not and was blind to what they do great. she wanted a kids menu. charleys is not kid friendly. she wanted a quiet table even though she reserved a table in the bar lounge; charleys bar is loud. i guess i had a great time because i know what to expect and i come when i want to have a charleys night out. i wanted to say something to her but decided she would tell us all about how she was disappointed. when i read the reviews from years past o... Read more

I came to the restaurant with a party of eight and not a one of us was impressed. I had started with the beefsteak tomato salad, which was far from pleasurable. The tomatoes were not even close to being ripe. The filet I order medium rare came out charred on the outside and closer to medium well then even medium. Another guest ordered their filet with a bufferfly cut, medium and the oscar topping. The oscar topping was the only thing done right. A few of the guest had ordered sodas to drink but the soda machine broke down around mid-point through the meals. These individuals switched to water but were still charged for the sodas. We all agreed we have had better meals at Outback for a third the price. If you are going to spend this amount of money - I recommend Shula's, Ruth's Crist, or Fleming's. These are all far superior to Charlie's.

Our food arrived way undercooked even though it took an hour from our arrival to entree on our table. Our waitress Lisa was not where to be found; finally got another waiter to help us. Lisa claimed we had gotten there too early and it takes time for the grill to warm up. Really??!! You'd think they could get someone to turn the grills on early. When she brought our dinners back; they were still not cooked to our requirements. But since we had been there over 90 minutes; we lived with it. However, my husband was ill when we got home for his under cooked tuna. Total time spent on just dinner, no appretizers, no dessert: 2 hours. My steak was far from the best I've ever had. It was big, but big is not always best. Wonder how many hormones they use to get such large cuts of meat???

Charley,s use to be great...but since they sold out to "Talk of The Town" group they have gone from the top to the bottom.If you haven't been in a couple of years don't bother..the only thing that is the same is the location...if you do, don't worry about the wait...there isn't any...this same group managed to ruin another one of my favorite places "Fishbones" in Orlando...shame on"Talkof theTown"

First, we waited for an hour and a half to be seated when we had a reservation beforehand. The restaurant mismanaged and overbooked that day. Second, the services were terrible and not professional at all for the price and level of this kind of fine dinning place. We felt like we were in the bar and the waiters selectively chatting with customers they like. We had to ask for a glass of water 3 times over 20 minutes. The waiters did not spend time with us to explain the menu and recommend dishes. At the end, we were holding two take-out boxes and the waiters didn't even offer a bag. Finally, the T-Bone steak I had was overly flavored. Too salty that I could not taste much of the meat itself. They may have an excuse that they were extremely busy on that day; nevertheless, a fine dinning restaurant like Charley's should keep constant good quality at all time if they are to open the door and charge the same high price every day.

first, let me say i have young children and this is a night for adult dinning. leave your kids with a friend. our last dinner was what made me want to write a review ( even three days later ). we were stuck in traffic near the stadium and we decided to upgrade our lifestyle from wasting time in traffic to a warm and engaging meal with friends. we arrived on a tuesday at 5:30 to find the gm carl parker opening the front door for us and after we had not been seated immediately he walked over to fix the problem (no reservations) we were in our seats shortly there after were we learned from our server who he was. the dinning room was full of others dinners who were obviously very happy and were not afraid to enjoy themselves. this made me want a nice glass of wine to take the traffic off. my husband and our guests were pleased with the service not just from our primary guy but all of those who came to the table. even the staff who were serving the tables around us seemed to make themselves... Read more

i read the reviews, i've dined and wined at the best tampa has to offer and i say if you want have a new definition for a good eat then charleys is the only steakhouse in town. tampa has many very good "places to eat"; charleys will give you great time. i have been to this restaurant 20 plus times and have met the most interesting people in town. their staff has more charisma than the guests at other places. i always meet people from everywhere, miami, atl, chicago, orlando, even costa rica. maybey these are the same people i meet at other tampa high end restaurants but they sure are more open and friendly when at charleys. my last visit was very telling. i showed up after a day in orlando and called my buddy to join me. he did and after an hour at the bar "andre is cool" we saw two more friends and got a table. andre is one of the bar tenders. we ordered this sample app and a bottle of white. then came the beef, raw that is; " i can never get enough of big raw steaks in front of me ... Read more

Overpriced, particularly for drinks and wine. $10.95 for a glass of merlot, $3.00 for a small side of bernaisse sauce? Most of the cuts of beef are too large for the average person to dine on comfortably. An ala carte menu means extras add up quickly. It's a shame that such a nice looking restaurant, with great potential for romantic atmosphere, chooses to allow small children (whom parents allow to run around loose with no request from the staff to cease such behavior) and requires no dress code for adults. You can expect to have someone in shorts and a tank top (male) seated next to you while you are paying "big city" prices. It appears the majority of restaurant owners don't seem to have the guts to chuck the "casual beach" atmosphere in Tampa and present a truly adult dining experience. Oh and don't be surprised if you leave with the odor of the pit used for grilling in your clothes.

I have had better steaks at Longhorn and Outback. One of the most mediocre meals I have ever experienced. Steaks come to table, and waiter asks us to cut into the steaks to make sure they were done as we had asks. TACKY!! And that was protocol for the waiters because they asked every table when they received their steaks. Do they not trust their chefs? When I ask for a medium steak at a steakhouse, why should the waiter ask me to check the steak? So, I cut into my porterhouse and it looks like it is cooked medium as I asked. Well, the steak was incredibly tough, but I didn't complain. The salad was made with iceberg (the crappiest of all the lettuces). So, my dad cuts into his steak, which he ordered medium, and saw a tiny bit of pink in the center of the fattest part of the steak, and proceeds to tell the waiter that it is not cooked medium. The waiter then shines a candlelight on the steak, and says that it is indeed medium. Let it be known that my father knows his steak.... Read more

We were in town for the Falcons vs Bucs game and the Marriott Hotel suggested Charley's. I've never seen such fast service in a downtown resturant. Valet fast, seating was immediate and service was excellent. The waiter seen that we were from ATLANTA and he gave us a nice rundown of the establishment awards and cooking technique. He also did the steak demonstration explaining the different types of steaks. I've been to tons of Steak Houses and I can only remember 1 or 2 that did a demonstration like Charley's. The GATOR was ok, didn't expect to get good gator in a Steak House. Between the 4 of us we had Shrimp, Pork Chops and 2 Kansas City Strip w/Bone. Along with the steamed broc. and mashed potatoes. We must say that the food was very good. Price wasn't as bad as I expected for 3 adults and one teenager. I can't forget the salad and bread. This is a must Steak House if your in Tampa. Ruth Chris, Don Shula and the rest can wait... Not kid friendly menu... I will be b... Read more

This place has incredible steak! It also has it all from, romantic fine dining and a very classy atmosphere, and the best wine cellar I have ever seen. Great place for that special time with a loved one! We really love their Au Gratin Potatoes and the asparagus is always perfectly cooked!! They have Valet Parking for your convenience. We would highly recommend this restaurant as it is one of our favorites.

This is the best tasing steak in Tampa. Makes Ruth and Bern's meat taste like Ponderosa. The lady before me who had a bad time here was obviously a little bit uptight and should have made a reservation to get in the cigar room. I picture her a bit like the Ted Knight's wife in Caddyshack...

After various endorsements and recommendations from different sources, we went to Charley's to check out what the hype was all about. From the moment we arrived (waiting for valet where our car was left running unattended so that the only valet guy could pick up another car) until the time we left (where we stood waiting in a thick cloud of cigarette smoke right next to the No Smoking sign), our experience was an extreme let down. We were seated in what appeared to be the loudest, most crowded section of the restaurant. There were kids screaming and people talking so loud that you could barely hear what the waiter was saying. The table had a nice butcher paper on top of the white table cloth (we were waiting for somebody to hand us some crayons so we could start doodling on the table!) Talk about high end restaurant for ya! Next highlight of the evening, one of the busboys who was clearing a table nearby was apparently gravitationally challenged as he ended up spilling someone's l... Read more

Excellent choice for Special Occasion or Business Dinner, if you are careful this could even be a regular place to eat dinner. Recommend the Cigar room, only three private booths so make a reservation. The Garden room is also nice, just a bit more crowded. The Wait Staff was exceptional, Donny even gave us a tour of the restaurant while we were waiting for our appetizer. Two Filet Mignon Oscar, two Cocktails, two shared sides, appetizer, salad and bread, no wine or desert (to full). About $180.00. Dining room manager checked on us (Chella) and there were two waiters per table in addition to the other support staff. Pace of service was crisp but not rushed. Private Wine Cellar seating for 16 is available, $1500.00 minimum check. Noise level was very low and no screaming children while we were there. Would highly recommend!!

My family and I came here for my 13th birthday last month and it was easily the best steak I have or will ever have. The service was exceptional as the waitress was extremely nice. The T-Bone steak is absolutely exceptional, and the desserts are to die for. If you ever are in the area and want a good steak, this is the place for you.

This is one of the best Steak restaurants in the area. It is a little pricey - but the food is more than worth it. I've never gone there and...

My husband took me to here to celebrate a new job. He frequently takes clients here for wining and dining and this was his favorite restaurant. Not impressed. At these prices, there are many restaurants in South Tampa that can offer great food, More Polished Service and Better ambience. I spent my two-hour meal seated next to a wooden sculpture that had an 8x11inch dusty spider web floating in the AC breeze. Food was safe steakhouse. Nothing spectacular or innovative in cooking or presentation. I felt the service was sloppy almost casual, reflecting the dress of the waiters. Upon leaving, I mentioned this to the Manager. He brushed me off saying that they are a very busy restaurant and sometimes miss things like cleaning. That attitude might (barely) be acceptable at suburban Sports Bar but not at places where our dinner for two was $150.

I've enjoyed prime steakhouses all over the US and Charlie's is one of the best. Steaks are always cooked to perfection. I love reading reviews where the person mentions that he/she suffered through a poorly cooked steak. It happens at EVERY steakhouse because people have different expectations as to how a steak should be cooked. Communicate your expectations with your server- and if it comes out wrong anyway, ASK FOR A NEW STEAK!!!. I have never had to do this at Charlie's although I'll bet they would be accomodating if asked. I like my steaks cool/cold in the middle and warm on the outside, and they have hit the head on the nail all 4 times. The bartenders are friendly and the service is excellent. Bern's is a great steakhouse experience, but Charlie's has great steaks!!! Try the Porterhouse. It's pretty sizable, but there is no better steak at Charlie's.

If you are looking for a nice high class restaruant Charleys is great. It's on a higher price scale but the steak is the best I've ever had....

My husband and I were very unhappy with our visit here and we will never go again. Even though we had a reservation we had to wait for a long time for our table. Then we were seated in the bar area. Paper on the table. Service was so slow on this visit we didn't even get our drinks. Took forever to get the waiter to come to our table. We didn't even stay to order. Paid for our drinks and left. Won't recommend to anybody.

7 Reasons to eat here: 1. I did not have to wait. 2. Professional staff. 3. Knowledgable servers. 4. Incredible food (try the gator appetizer and NY strip steak) 5. Nice beer and wine selection - they serve Boddingtons beer 6. Good, quality food 7. Great Value

Charley's has the best beef fillet I've ever tasted. The seating is jammed in similiar to Berns. I prefer Burn's overall based on ambiance, kitchen tour, wine cellar tour, and dessert room.

their steaks are goods, but they have no fresh garlic in kitchen, although they claim to make their garlic smashed potatoes with butter and garlic. a conversation with one of their managers revealed that side dish is a pre-fab, which they buy in packages.

This is the best restaurant in town hands down. The bar is awesome and all the bartenders are very friendly. They also have a great fish tank in one of their main halls. And if you can swing it ask about their private rooms none better.

I went to Charley's for the first time and was very impressed by the steak. I know there are two camps of people in Tampa who argue between Charley's and Bern's being the best...I must say that I still think Bern's is the best overall. I did love my steak at Charley's but there are not as many options and everything is a la carte. The service was impecable but I suppose overall dining experience didn't quite measure up to Bern's. I would still highly recommend Charley's. Yum.

I have taken many a client to Charley's and have never been disapointed. It is a great steak and a wonderful atmosphere. One of Tampa's top steaks!

This was the most wonderful meal I have ever ate. The service was great and everyone was graceous. I will always come to Charley's everytime I am in Tampa. Thank You for everything that you do. Your a 10 in my book.

One of the finest dining experiences I've ever had. Mortons, Shula's, Ruths Chriss, Berns are all good.....BUT.....Charleys is the best of them all!!

The Scene From its energetic valets to the beveled private dining room, Charley's caters to a big crowd of locals accustomed to being pampered. Typical of its emphasis on personal service is the row of private lockers in the foyer for those who entertain regularly and want to keep their favorite vintage handy. The building is new, but its warren of separate dining rooms, done in rich wood paneling, are lit by big windows framing a colorful profusion of blooms outside. The Food The restaurant's signature is its huge, wood-burning grill, which leaves a distinctive flavor on the meat, but produces a less crusty exterior than a gas grill. The steaks are fine, but the side dishes are more interesting: an appetizer featuring a portabella mushroom stuffed with creamy spinach filling, and a calorific version of peanut butter pie for dessert.

After reading every review I decided to take my wife to dinner at Charley's. We order the portabella mushroom appetizer that was very good. My wife ordered the small filet with asparagus and I ordered the 20oz filet with the 10oz lobster and augratin potatos. My order finally came after what seemed like an hour,my lobster was dry as a bone, sent it back. Steak was burned on the outside and too rare on inside, it had like a crispy burnt glaze over it. I cut that off and cut pieces from the outside portions of the filet, this was good . Potatoes disappointing , weren't sliced but big hard chunks in a bland sauce. After another hour the other lobster came. Manager deducted the lobster from my check . My wife's steak was perfect for her but the asparagus was under cooked.

was very impressed with the food and service. steak was done perfect. time was given between courses. Hate to sit to a good meal and be rushed, and not able to enjoy. would like to have seen a mixed menu of both al carte and complete meals. would not take small children, or very large groups. Feel it is not really romantic, table to close. Would recommend this to anyone looking for a good steak.

I have visited many steak houses around the world and Charlies has, hands down, the BEST steak. The seafood is really good too for a steak house. The service is outstanding but you better make your reservations in advance. Tampa Loves Charlies.

Charley's is like a steak place you'd see Perry Mason and Della Street frequenting. It is outstanding.. great steaks, great service, and a cool place to hang out. Loved it all.

This was exactly as adverised!! One of the 10 Best Steakhouses in America! The food and service was excellent and the atmosphere was relaxed, it was elegent yet casual. The steaks just melt in your mouth.

This is hands down the all around best steak spot, burns is unique because of their food control, but Charleys is a better restaurant overall.

I first discovered Charley's about 5 years ago and still find it to be one of the most complete dining experiences. The steaks are so delicious and the atmosphere is very diverse. You can have a romantic dinner for two or invite all your friends to join you in a booth in the bar for martini's and appetizers. The wine list is wonderful, as well as the staff. It is also a great place to entertain clients. I always refused to eat veal...until I had it at Charley's, it melts in your mouth!

Charley's offers really great steaks and fresh seafood grilled in plain view over a wood fire, at reasonable prices, with a great atmosphere and without the pretension of it's peers. All steaks are aged, corn-fed, USDA Prime from Greely, Colorado. My favorite is the NY Strip, which sells for about $25 and includes a nice salad. Sides like Garlic Mashed Potatoes are about $4 extra, but one order usually serves 3-4 guests. Very reasonable and the very best steak you will EVER eat! Hand down, my favorite restaurant!

I've never had a more satisfying steak (and lobster) than at Charley's. Everyting from the server to what he served was spectacular. Friendly, smiling staff. Super menu. Mouth-watering food. Decent prices, considering the quality. Our table wasn't ready when we arrived, so we were treated to top-shelf drinks in the bar while we waited. Everything was done to make our experience one we wanted to repeat...and WE WILL!

Best steak, Best wine, what else is there? Oh yeah, The potatoes Au Gratin!