Legit. Worth the drive. Attitude, ambiance, a stripped down model, great sauces, and (of course) great barbecue. We're always curious about destination restaurants that "go hard" and got that swag. From the second you pull in, park, and see the carbonite freezer, you know you're in for an experience. Barbecue doesn't need all the bells and whistles. Simple trays, picnic tables, and some basic choices. Dad ordered the pulled pork sandwich and loved how tender the pork was. I got the sampler and enjoyed literally every cut. Unsurprisingly, the brisket was m'fave. Ribs were a close second. And yes, I did enjoy dunking the perfectly seasoned wings into the spicy sauce. GREAT smoky afterbite/taste with each cut and the sauces (try them all) complement the smoke well. And they have a pizza oven? We're intrigued. We look forward to our next Kessel Run, barbecue detour, and sampler platter. read more

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Went in to get dinner tonight. The line was long. The staff was rude to multiple people while we waited in line: Ended up leaving without eating due to the rude staff. read more

The ribs were dry The pizza was just ok The Cole slaw was not good (at least in my husband's opinion). The pulled pork was good The brisket was not great No fries It was just not our cup of tea but our son and DIL love it soooooooo read more

At a 4 way stop, in the middle of nowhere Michigan sits a house that has been transformed into a BBQ joint. I feel like American Char should be a new Anthem by Michigan rocker Kid Rock but this house serves up the best BBQ in Michigan! When you pull up, you see the wood and smoker's in the back. There is a porch with tables as well. I love it when a BBQ joint has a sampler and I get to try everything. It comes with ribs, pulled pork, wings, brisket, pulled chicken, and slaw. I added mac and cheese, beans, and cornbread. If I had to pick only one meat that I would have to eat again from American Char, hands down it was the pulled pork. This pork was perfection and some of the best pulled pork I've ever had. It was tender, juicy, and seasoned extremely well. My next choice would be the ribs as they had an excellent rub and they were meaty. I believe the brisket would have been better but they gave me the end of it with too much bark. The wings and chicken were good too but not as good as the aforementioned meats. The sides were elite as well. The slaw was diced fine and was creamy and sweet. The cornbread was moist. The mac and cheese was solid. The cashier recommended the beans to me as they were thick and tomatoey. I'm a sauce-aholic. There are 8 different sauces and I couldn't get enough of all of them. There is a photo I posted with a description of them so I won't go into detail about them. The one thing I believe American Char and most of the Midwest can improve on is their sweet tea. They got the most important part right and that was brewing the tea in-house. But look I'm from Alabama and I can't understand for the life of me how most of the Midwest gets away with calling unsweet tea "sweet tea." I did compare the sweet and unsweet. There was a sliver of difference, but if I was anywhere in the South, the sweet tea would be unsweet tea. If you are going to make sweet tea, make sweet tea - don't just sweeten a gallon of unsweet tea with anything less than a cup and a half of sugar. And don't tell me to add a sugar packet to it...you have to add sugar in the brewing process. Sorry...rant over! I will be making another trip to American Char in the future. This is the best BBQ I've had in Michigan and among the best in the Midwest. read more

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Very low-key diner kind of ambiance. The food is outstanding! Service was fun and friendly.

Great casual experience. Very good meats, excellent sides. The beans, cole slaw and Mac and cheese were definite stand-outs. Good value, good food. Will definitely return. read more

Food was great amazing! Chicken wings were awesome and the brisket was juicy. Pull pork was great. Sides of potato salad and mac and cheese were great. Just wished for a lighter side like salad or greens. read more

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American Char is frequently on our dinner rotation! Our favorite is the woodfired pizza (Lucky 13 and the 75 Impala). The BBQ of course is delicious. We've gone here A LOT because we live in the area. There can be some variation in quality. Mostly amazing, occasionally disappointed with a cut that wasn't as good as last time. Same with the pizza. Sometimes the pizzas are rushed when they are busy and can be a little soggy. Most of the time, everything is perfect and absolutely delicious. read more

An old Western Saloon atmosphere in this small bump in the road village brings some big Bbq tastes. I ordered the Char Sampler ($28). This includes a tasting of Ribs, Wings, Brisket, Pulled Pork, and Pulled Chicken. It also included the sides pickles and Pickled Slaw. Everything was very pure tasting. Meaning you could taste the high quality meat in every bite. Everything is seasoned, but lightly. This lets the meat speak for itself. The portion size is generous, which makes this a great value. I also ordered a large side of Pork and Beans ($5), because I love bbq baked beans. I kinda consider myself a connoisseur of Baked Beans. Sadly I found myself not liking them. I didn't hate them, but I didn't finish them. It's possible it's because they are vinegar based, so that may be your thing. I also got myself some Cornbread ($3), which should come with a sampler. That being said it was excellent. Moist and very flavorful. The person I was with ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($8) and some cornbread. She loved the sandwich and the cornbread. The only other slightly negative thing is the bbq sauce are only okay at best. I tried the Kansas City sauce and it was acceptable, I used it, but I didn't take any home for my leftovers. The person I was with tried the Carolina Mustard and wasn't a fan. The service is with a smile and tries to be efficient. They need a little work, but it's not by any means bad. Overall a 4 star review. Would I return? Absolutely, it's excellent bbq. If your in the area or are making the rounds of West Michigan bbq this should definitely be a stop. read more

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There's not much in the town of Drenth, but it's worth a drive for some good BBQ! My husband and I did the Char Sampler which included a sampling of all the meats available along with pickles, slaw and a couple tortilla shells. We added on mashed potatoes and cornbread. It was delicious and we had quite a bit leftover. The staff were friendly. Atmosphere is casual and they offer indoor and outdoor seating. If you are on the area I recommend stopping in. You won't be disappointed! read more

American Char - Chat Sampler with large mashed potatoes and corn bread - Barbeque Near Me - Zeeland, Michigan

We have driven past for years and always wanted to try it but we were always there on Sunday or Monday when they were closed. Finally figured it out and went on a Saturday night and not disappointed. Just a fun place to eat in the middle of nowhere which is pretty cool in unusual. I told the owner 'it's the best restaurant in Drenthe which he replied is the only one! But it's a gem. Great BBQ in the middle of nowhere is how I would describe it. Well worth the trip if u want tasty fall off the bone chicken and ribs. Best pulled chicken I ever had. Loved the many varieties of sauces to try. Just a lovely place surrounded by fields and nature. Fun and friendly staff and owner. Just go.. read more

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Love this place! One day, we randomly drove by and I bookmarked it to try. I am pleased to report that this place is excellent. Love the small town vibes. This place is surrounded by residential homes and farms. This is one of the best bbq places in west MI. The brisket was cooked to perfection. I love the charred ends and the sauces were delicious. The chicken was seasoned perfectly and the ribs were fall off the bone slap happy good. We will definitely be back for more! read more

American Char - Sampler - Barbeque Near Me - Zeeland, Michigan

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It was our first time here- no one welcomed us or explained the process- obviously we were able to figure it out. I don't think we had any interaction with staff except for the young man behind the register. We ordered the sampler. When the food came, it was tasty. The wings were delicious, along with the ribs. To us, it would make more sense for it to be served with cornbread instead of tortillas. And we asked for all the sauces to try- and they were all pretty good. We will most likely be back. read more

Such a disappointment We picked up brisket to go Tasted more like very burnt ends Dry Burned No moisture left Had to put butter on it to make it edible read more

Amazing wings and Mac and cheese. 15 and Mac was big enough for 2 people and not too expensive.

What a difference a month makes. In April I dined in and had the best baby back ribs I had ever had. Smokey flavor, firm meat from smoking, and not greasy or fatty. Saturday I did take out and found the ribs to be greasy, fatty, and no flavor. It was if they found the worst cut, didn't trim any fat, parboiled it to death, and then threw it on a hot grill to char it up a little. I will go back but dine in so that I see what I am getting. read more

What a small town delight! They have amazing food, smoked to perfection. Great BBQ!

This place is great! The owner is hands on, and super friendly...The food is true BBQ, with your choice of amazing sauces made in house. The service is top notch, the ambiance is rustic, clean, and you can dine inside or outside. I will be a regular here, and I totally recommend it to you read more

Best barbecue we have found.. we got takeout. It was the best 20 minute drive for dinner we have found. The staff is accommodating and friendly and the food is great. Highly recommend. read more

Five stars for wings alone! Chef Len runs this little gem in Drenthe, and he does 'cue and cones. He's got the biggest chicken wings I've ever seen, and he smokes them beautifully. Never too tough, always juicy, always meaty. Limited seating is available, but you can also call ahead and order your 'cue to go. And ask about their catering platters. I can't get Len's wings as often as I'd like because it's a little out of the way. But American Char's wings are my favorite in all of Ottawa County. read more

It's a little out here to get to, but the place is legit. I got the Char Sampler and it was so good! The brisket is pretty sensational. They have tons of bbq sauce options representing like 8 different states. I ate everything. The prices were reasonable and the staff was nice. read more

You know the food is going to be good when there is a line to order and the parking lot smells like amazing smoked meat. This place is so popular and the food is so good, that you just might miss out. We've gone before and they're out of something which is bad for us but good for them. The chicken wings are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The brisket has a perfect smoke ring, is tender and flavorful. The smoked pulled chicken, pulled pork and ribs are also top notch. They have multiple sauce options for you to choose from that are all made in house. I can't say enough about their homemade pickles! We were disappointed because we had ordered $100 in smoked meats and they didn't want to sell us an entire side of pickles (only the small amount that came with our meat is all we could get). After trying to cancel our order, the owner came out and apologized and gave us a large container of pickles. They do make their own pickles which the supply is limited of course, but we really wanted pickles to go with the large amount of meat we had just ordered. They also serve ice cream and make their own waffle cones and waffle bowls. There are plenty of seats inside as well as outdoor seating. You may have to wait for a table but I promise you will be glad you waited! read more

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Sometimes when you leave a restaurant you've eaten at for the first time, your thoughts are the you cannot wait to come back. That its how we felt after eating at American Char. From our perspective, American Char is located almost "in the middle of nowhere" approximately 35 miles from us in a small town. You can see farmland everywhere you look. Restaurant is somewhat small seating maybe 25-30 people. I knew this was a a serious barbecue place after seeing the smokers outside. These things aren't "toys" you see at other places. A picture is below. Menu is standard barbecue with baby back ribs, brisket, pork and chicken. Outstanding sides such as Mac and cheese, cornbread, slaw are also available. I had the brisket sandwich and my wife ordered the brisket plate. We also ordered a 1/4 order of ribs to sample along with slaw and cornbread. After one bite I was hooked. WOW! Brisket was tender with a wonderful smoked flavor. There are six different sauces to choose from. We particularly enjoyed the Kansas City and Carolina sauces. The ribs were meaty and very flavorful. We loved the sides and the cornbread was about as good a cornbread as I've ever had. Cornbread like ribs is a very personal thing. Some like it sweet, some don't. American Char's cornbread is light and sweet and if everything else wasn't so great and filling, I would have likely ordered more and not shared it. You place your order at the counter and your food is brought to your table. Service is quick and very friendly. After one visit, I can truly call this place great! Can't wait to come back. read more

American Char - Barbeque Near Me - Zeeland, Michigan

I thought I had found the place for bbq but I struck out again with this place... high reviews meant didly squat. We ordered the char sampler...29 per plate and it was definitely charred....the chicken breast and ribs were like eating jeky... actually was more dehydrated...extremely dry. Brisket was also very dry and it only helped a tad if you got a piece with some fat to cut it... not that great of help though. The only item that was worth eating is the smoked wings. We love bbq and this was so disappointing. We spent over 100 bucks for 3 people and this is definitely a one and done. Whoever is the pitmaster really needs to find a new vocation. Also don't order the key lime pie..overpriced for a mediocre desert that was perhaps all of 3 bites for 5 bucks. Go at your I you are looking or a jerky joint. read more

The food is always good. The restaurant is cool. Just like every place now a days something's a little pricey.

Good is just so so. Pretty dry. And way way overpriced.The service is just okay. And I don't think I would go back.

SO good. Service was great, I got my food very quickly, great bbq sauce variety, the food was so great. I'm also very surprised that it was as inexpensive it was for how good it was. read more

American Char - Barbeque Near Me - Zeeland, Michigan

Legit the best bbq on the area. Hate that it's in the sticks. If it was in Holland I'd eat here weekly.

Wow. What a random thing that this incredible BBQ spot is hidden in rural West Michigan. You know you've arrived to a great BBQ location when the minute you step out of the can smell what you're about to order. This phenomen is called "Parking Lot Smell". And American Char has great parking lot smell. They had a special of brisket tacos which had an incredible slaw on top. Would absolutely order again. The pork and beans I order as a side wasn't anything to write home about. But the tacos made up for it all. The wings we ordered were Char spiced. They were incredible. Different than other chicken wings I've had but whatever they used to spice those wings, needs to be in my pantry. Fantastic. Lastly, you have to talk about the sauces. For a shop of this size I was ecstatic to see that they had such a wide variety of sauces. We tried just about all of them and I couldn't pick and absolute favorite. Loved the Alabama sauce. Can't wait to have those spiced wings again. read more

Food-Great! Service-Top notch! Ambiance-Very clean! The inside seating area is cozy and there's outdoor seating as well...it's a nice place! They have many delicious choices of delectable meats, sides and lots of yummy bbq sauces to choose from! read more

American Char didn't disappoint. I have been waiting to stop here for a bit and seeing it is literally only 7 miles from my house Friday looked like the day. As always, I had to try a little bit of everything. The pork was spectacular, it was like velvet and the taste was near perfect. The wings had a perfectly smoked balance and were very meaty. The brisket was not the best I've had but it was good. I always laugh when I hear people complain about brisket being too fatty, fat = flavor, this brisket had flavor for sure. I thought it was good but it didn't take the smoke well or something. The ribs were pretty as a picture. They were smoked by God I assume. If I had to make one critique it would be they weren't the meatiest but that hardly diminished them. Sides were good, I prefer my coleslaw more coursing cut but the beans were smoked yumminess. THE PICKLES WERE AWESOME!! read more

American Char - This is what delicious looks like - Barbeque Near Me - Zeeland, Michigan

Stopped in while passing through and it definitely it the spot ! My husband and I both had the brisket and pulled pork meals (sauces are delicious and they have a variety) we had Mac n cheese, potato salad, and beans as our sides. Everything was delicious . read more

American Char exceeded expectations! Great little BBQ spot that is now top of my list when I want solid BBQ. The smoked wings were the best bite. Brisket from the point was flavorful and not overly smoked. Pulled pork was moist and tasty. Ribs were a solid effort as well as the smoked chicken. The coleslaw and pickles were the perfect compliment as well as the corn bread. White Alabama, Texas heat and Carolina Gold sauces were all very good. The key lime pie for the last few bites was fantastic! read more

Delicious ribs! My boyfriend thought they didn't even need sauce but the sauce options are awesome! Also really enjoyed the Mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. The staff was super friendly and helpful. Would recommend! read more

American Char - Full slab of ribs with side of Mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. - Barbeque Near Me - Zeeland, Michigan

Went out to get some BBQ and ended up writing a letter to the owner and not eating BBQ. Dear Sir: I was at your restaurant for the first time today around 515. I was looking for some BBQ and placed an order. Prior to getting to placing my order , I walk up the back steps and there were people sitting at a picnic table within 2 feet of the stairs . A lady and her child were waiting to use your restrooms blocking the hallway to the casher and she did not have a mask on. No customers, except me, in the whole restaurant had masks on Not those waiting to place an order or those sitting down. Social distancing was not being practiced nor was seating arranged to accommodate the rules. What turned me off was when I looked back into your kitchen and saw that none of your staff was wearing masks. I asked the cashier if I could speak to the manager or the owner. He finally brought a young gal who came from the back and put on her mask to talk to me. I asked her why the kitchen staff did not have their masks on, she said it was too hot to wear a mask. Apparently your staff does not know the regulations or even care about the regulations to ensure the safety of the public that they serve. Added info: "Much of that will happen behind the scenes. Among the biggest visual changes will be the limited capacity, as restaurants are required to limit capacity to 50% and to space tables so they adhere to 6-foot social distancing requirements between groups. Some restaurants have installed plexiglass separators. Servers and restaurant staff in the dining room are required to wear a face covering, as are all employees in the kitchen and other food prep areas. Buffets and self-serve drink stations or salad bars must remain closed. Waiting areas will also be closed." As an owner operator I expected you to provide a safe experience at your restaurant. I did not get it so I cancelled and got a refund. I hope you review your operations and make the appropriate changes so all may have a safe experience at your restaurant. With over 1000 cases and 50 dead from the virus in Ottawa County the community expects nothing less. thank you. Still no reply from owner to my email read more

This is a go to BBQ place in West Michigan. When you pull in parking lot, the aroma draws you in. Brisket is the best. And they have a great variety of sauces if you need them. Brisket doesn't need any sauce. Solid as is!! read more

The atmosphere was so peasant. With a nice lighted patio. We ate inside - it was February - and it was not fancy at all but comfortable and clean. I got the sample platter of pulled pork and brisket and smashed potatoes and slaw. The meats were terrific. Not fatty but flavorful. I liked the brisket best but I usually do. The potatoes were chunky and yummy. I really liked the variety of sauces. The two I picked were unusual and very tasty - added to the flavor of the meat nicely. They also serve pizza, which looked delicious. read more

Great BBQ! Sides were good too. First time we've been there, and the entire family loved it.

Service was okay, prices a little high but flavor was good. Out a ways which is nice to get out of the hustle.

The food was horrible, it was super dry! The Mac and cheese was not cheesy at all. They gave me the end of the ribs which was like a brick. All this costed $36 which in my opinion was way overpriced for bad food. You would have better food if your a beginner smoking your own food. read more