A friend and I came to Char Bar for a 6pm weekday dinner. There were 3 other parties in the place. We tried to sit at one of the 4-tops and were asked to move to a 2-top because the restaurant would be so busy. The smaller tables were in the noisiest areas, but we moved -- there was plenty of room elsewhere the whole time we were there. The stonework in the restaurant was nice though the stark lighting made it a not very welcoming atmosphere. The menu looked good and we were drawn in by the fact that it was kosher. When our food came, though, we were very disappointed. I ordered medium-rare steak on my salad, and it came medium-well. The steak was grisly and the vegetables were cut very large and were woody. My friend had the burger with pastrami and wasn't impressed. We ordered a piece of chocolate cake for dinner but it was so sugary and goopy that we couldn't eat it. At least the server was polite when we asked that it be removed from our bill -- and, as another commentor noted, she didn't seem surprised by the request. read more

I'm pretty surprised about the negative reviews. I took family of mine here twice and everyone was quite pleased. Both the service and food were great and the portions are a nice size too. Even my father, who is an excellent chef, was impressed. We will be back! read more

The old Eli's was such an insult to the idea of quality kosher food that it almost felt antisemitic. Their new incarnation as Char Bar, however, is legitimately pretty great! Had the steak burger tonight, and the things they did right (tasty thin sliced beef, flavorful bun, nicely seasoned fries) greatly outweighed the negatives (lettuce and tomato generically added on for no reason, mushrooms just okay, service is slow and the joint is clearly understaffed). Looking forward to coming back, and even bringing a few goyim with me. read more

So in case you are wondering if you should spend your money here - DONT! My husband & I were looking for a place to eat with our daughter around 11:30am. He walked in & asked if they were open since no body was in there eating. There were 2 ladies in there. He said "excuse me what time do you open?" One lady looked up & pointed to the other lady to answer. The second lady didn't even look up to acknowledge him & said "not yet". Really?? How nasty could you be? Obviously they could care less about being polite or friendly to customers so we gladly spent our money elsewhere. read more

I used Charbar for catering a recent office lunch and it was incredible. These are the best sandwiches I have had outside of New York. I will definitely be back. read more

On a trip to the DC area, my friend and myself stopped in for a bite to eat. We were all amazed. The service and food was so phenomenal we went back literally 5 more times that week. To bad there not in the NYC. Can't wait to go back again. read more

I would like to give a tums up on the new design . they did some nice detail job with the stone work and it's a very welcoming feeling . The food was pretty much OK overall but was pricey for the sandwich with french fries. I would still go over there again! read more

I was in DC for the day-- and honestly this was one of the highlights of my trip!! I could barely choose what to order because everything on the menu sounded so good. The food came quickly and was delicious. We don't have any good kosher delis in Miami, this was a really nice treat for me....I would definitely go back on my next visit to DC :) read more

What a shame. This place benefits from being the only kosher game in town and this is why monopolies inevitably lead to sloth, mismanagement and inefficiently. The food was not bad, but way overpriced - sometimes almost twice as expensive as one would expect. The service is horrible; not because of the waitstaff who are perfectly pleasant but they are way understaffed. It suffers from really poor management and the low expectations of a kosher clientele that ultimately just feels happy to have a place to eat out. When the place opened, the service was much better. It really needs help. Too bad. read more

My family and I went to Char Bar for the first time this Sunday and I have to say we were disappointed. We had the server, Emilina who was very absent from our table and cold mannered. On top of that, she brought my sister the wrong order of wings. she asked for barbeque Emelina gave her buffalo and when she explained to Emelina that this was not her order, she insisted on it. She said "no, you ordered buffalo." She responded with "no, I ordered barbeque wings." The service was greatly dissapointing as our waitress did not exhibit good customer service skills. We ordered appetizers, entrees and desserts and our finished plates were not taken away after in a timely manner. In regards to the food, the ribs were excellent although, the mashes potatoes had no flavor. Also, the rib eye steak was very tough and had a lot of extra fat trimmings on it. And the side salads looked like tbey just came out of a bag. Presentation matter when serving food, especially for the price. It cost us 45 dollars a plate, we spent over 200 dollars here and for the quality we received it was not worth it. Overall, the service very poor and the food was okay, depending on what you get. I beleive that, a new wait staff would be beneficial to the restaurant. I wish I could have liked it more. read more

Char Bar's monopoly on downtown kosher dining needs competition. Cooking at the restaurant at a recent visit was indifferent (at best) and downright awful at worst. Service is more or less friendly, but disorganized, with different people coming the to table (when beckoned) and orders not taken with complete accuracy. The staff appears as consumed with chatting among themselves than with serving customers. A burger was not cooked as ordered; the beef ribs, advertised as meat "falling of the bone" were served, well, incinerated, and the meat could be sawed off the bone, with a bit of elbow grease. The ceviche was surprising good, considering the indifferent quality of other food served. Char Bar is also not inexpensive, perhaps reflecting its DC West End location, but I've eaten far better food for far less money. Overall, the restaurant smacks of indifference and amateurish execution. We won't go back unless we've no choice (with family or friends who must eat kosher food). Char Bar - can you do better? read more

The only kosher restaurant we could find in the District. Big portions, but the food isn't all that memorable. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. (And, seriously, $3 for a Lipton tea bag? Sheesh!) read more

Horrible service. It took 3 minutes for someone to come up and greet me. I sat down at 4, however it wasn't until 4:18 until4:32 until someone stopped by and bothered to ask me if I'd like a drink let alone take my order. I arrived in the middle of the day so it was definitely not busy. Food was okay but I I will not be back. read more

Many of the reviews are ridiculous. This is a kosher place. It is expensive, but not overpriced for kosher. If you do not keep kosher, you can probably do better elsewhere. If you do keep kosher, this is a lovely place. I had an amazing corned beef sandwich and glass of Malbec. Yummy! read more

Went in on a weekday with a large group for lunch. Service was fine and helpful. I ordered the sliders platter, which came with two burgers, three pulled brisket sliders, and onion rings. The burgers were overcooked and dry, but the brisket sliders and onion rings were very good. The whole platter ran me $25, which I felt was overpriced for lunch although it was filling. However, if you keep kosher and want to eat out in DC this is a good option. read more

Great service excellent food , we came back 3 time during our stay in DC . Kids friendly

Visited Char Bar with several colleagues on a business trip. Good service and good food. I am a returning customer and have always had a good experience here. The restaurant was too warm on this visit. They had their first hot and humid day for the season. I expect that as the Summer approaches their AC will kick in. read more

I would really give two stars at best but am giving three because it is the only kosher restaurant within the are we were staying. That said, I could have lived without it until I got back home Monday morning. We had the edamame, sliders, hummus plate, bbq wings, chicken tacos and California burger. The buns for the sliders were rock hard and looked old, my kids only ate the meat. There was nothing note worthy. The service was good and the owner is nice but the food really needs help. read more

Char Bar is one of the few full-service kosher meat restaurants in DC. As a result, while the food is good, the menu is more than a little acclectic. Dishes include a range of items from ceviche (on the menu as an appetizer) to steak and ribs. The prices are similarly wide ranging as well. This is a perfect spot to go for a kosher meat meal downtown. read more

I've eaten at/taken out from Eli's for years. I finally found the Char Bar by Googling "Eli's" whose page informed me of the new name & location. I ordered a corned beef on rye to take back to my office (about 4 blocks away). It was $16.50 which seemed a bit stiff, but when I got back I realized it had a full serving of warm, tender (almost said "buttery" but it's Kosher after all) beef. One issue is the home-made chips that were in the same box. Because the corned beef had been heated, the chips were floppy by the time I got back to my desk. Another small issue, I didn't ask for the bread to be toasted, but it was. Next time (and there will be many "next times" I'll specify non-toasted. read more

If you're looking for a kosher restaurant in the DC area- congratulations, you've found the best one. As a Jewish woman, I always find myself looking for kosher food that's more than lox and bagels, but at Char Bar, I had brisket nachos with guacamole, they're special house made edamame tossed in a delicious teriyaki dressing, a delicious caesar salad, and wrapped up my meal with lava cakes. I had my expectations set for a normal kosher meal, but of course my meal exceeded those. I highly recommend Char Bar if you're looking for a nice kosher family meal, or if kosher doesn't apply to you, a regular meal! read more

Rude service! When placing an order was quickly told to just do it online. When I called to verify order would be delivered on time, I was spoken to very rudely. They clearly do not want to talk to customers. If you are that busy, hire someone with customer service skills to field the calls. If its just because you are all so rude, shame on you. read more

The food: All of us had hamburgers, and I thought they were good. Putting bottles of ketchup and mustard on the table would be an improvement over the small ramekin of ketchup. As others have noted, the entrees seem overpriced; $12 for a basic hamburger isn't bad, but $20 for three tacos seems high. Service: This is where improvement is needed. The four adults and 2 infants in our party were placed at a table where there wasn't space for us to sit. We ended up adding a 2-person table to the end to make it work, but other tables were available nearby. The restaurant only had 2 high chairs, and the other was in use (at the adjacent table-- maybe they wanted to keep the kids together?). A changing table in the bathroom would also be useful. I finished my meal and was feeding small pieces to my daughter, and the waitress tried to take away my plate TWICE even though others at the table were still eating. Also, she brought the check before we were done. We felt like we were being rushed out the door, which we didn't understand since the infants were being very well behaved (no crying, minimal mess). When a nearby table was bussed, it looked like the staff didn't change the placemats. It's possible I simply missed it, but it's something to look out for. read more

First 5 minutes here and our waitress messed up the drink order. I'm tryna be nice but she's making this difficult. Food is not bad though. I'd eat here without bringing my kids. read more

Passover dinner ; not too many option out there so we stopped by. Packed ! Slow unprofessional service... ordered 6 burgers , some medium some well done. All came well done... ordered coleslaw salad, never got it, no tap water just bottled, over priced for the overall experience. Soup was nice but 9$? I guess with the 2 options in DC, one cant be picky but still. read more

Terrible confusion placing and order. They didn't deliver it, as agreed to. Then they told me I'd have to call someone else to find out where the order was delivered to instead of taking care of the customer themselves. Never again will they see a dime from us at our next event. If the order ever shows up I'll give more stars in this review. read more

After calling the restaurant ahead of time to find out if they were able to accommodate people in a wheelchair who cannot walk stairs and being told the affirmative, I drove the 1.5 hours down to come and have a lovely meal. Upon entering, I was confronted by a sea of people just carousing and chatting at the tables with empty plates in front of them and being told that the only available seats were one step up. Those tables were empty. If we wanted to wait for the ground-level tables, those tables would be ready in about an hour. Well, after driving my father in a car for an hour, then putting him in his chair to get to the restaurant, I didn't really feel like letting him wait another hour while the Chevra talked story. I really didn't feel like trying to personally lift the 180 pound cancer patient from his chair by myself having already noticed how helpful your staff is. Having worked in both kosher and non-kosher establishments in LA, Detroit, Atlanta, and Baltimore, I am here to tell you, the old notion of "forget customer service, they have nowhere else to eat" just doesn't work for me. I would sooner starve than give my money to you. All I can do at this point is just spread the word about your amazing lack of compassion and thoughtlessness and just hope someone asks me what I think of your establishment before they go there. Just pathetic. read more

What a treat! Coming down from New York to do the tourist thing in DC and stopped here for lunch. This place has all the positives of a kosher restaurant and none of the negatives. For example, the area was spacious, quiet, stylish and clean. We didn't feel crammed in. We found the staff to be nice and fast despite the restaurant being fairly full. Finally the food was really good. The hamburgers and chicken tenders were flavorful. Loved the fries. Apple pie was great and my kids raved about the cookies. You could tell there was a lot of attention to detail from the menu ingredients to the decor. It was a nice relaxing vibe that got us ready for an afternoon of sightseeing. read more

I am visiting from out of town so I don't know how this place usually is. I was not told where to sit when I walked in so I sat at the bar. Servers practically ignored me at the bar area, I had to remind them I needed a glass of water, check just sat there with my card forever, waiter did not introduce herself and only checked in when I flagged for help after waiting over 15 minutes with no service at each step of the meal. Food was good though. However when I asked for a doggy bag they made me pack it myself which was fine but still not good with the rest of my experience. read more

I have gone to Char Bar at least 5 times and am always pleased. The food is great and the owner is a pleasure to deal with it.

When in DC from New York/Jersey area the choices for places get diluted quickly. Most cases your just saying to yourself " well at least it was kosher". Char bar pretty much might be the only guys in town, but they do appreciate your business. They show by giving great service, at reasonable prices and great portions. I've also had the pleasure of having their food served at Simchas and general events. It has been outstanding every time and Kasharus is taken serious. Its better then many of NYC/Lakewood places. Thanks! read more

Excellent food, great atmosphere and fantastic service. We started with Buffalo chicken thighs that were perfectly sauced and spiced. We also had tempura chicken tenders that were crispy and juicy served with a delicious dipping sauce. For our meals, we had rib eyes and prime rib steaks grilled to medium rare perfection. We also enjoyed rib sliders, Caesar salad, deli sandwiches and salads. The meal was finished with slices of chocolate mousse cake. The service was friendly and our food was served with good speed, while allowing us to enjoy each of our courses. read more

I visited Char Bar with my in-laws and the experience was nice. Coming from New York, the prices look reasonable - but then, we're comparing to New York... :) We reserved the small private room (we had a party of 10) off to the side and it was ready the second we came in, which was great. They had cutlery and napkins and water on the table, and someone came to take our order promptly. Thing is, it took them quite a while to bring the food. Yes, the place was hopping, but it was at least thirty-five minutes and we were staarving. When they did bring it, it was in three shifts but pretty much in rapid succession. My sister-in-law had to send back her burger because it was cold. My uncle-in-law ordered crispy chicken tenders for his little girl and while they were good (I took a little bite) my hands were covered with oil when I finished the piece. I ordered the Western burger (grilled pastrami, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions) and it came with a delicious pickle and thick-cut fries on the side. I asked them to sub in some wheat bread for that egg bun because I can't stand those things, which I did (and they even toasted it) but I asked explicitly for medium doneness, nothing above, and my burger was extremely well done. However, I was so starving I didn't bother sending it back. The mushrooms and onions were a little cold and they had no salt on them!! The fries were okay but honestly I'd rather they bought some cajun fries and deep-fried them; they have flavor and are fun to eat. They did provide ketchup, though I should've asked for some mayo with the burger as well. The portion size was good; the burger was half a pound and I was super full at the end of the night, which is good for a 7 month pregnant woman. For dessert we had pecan pie (I didn't try it) and apple pie, which was yummy and warm. read more

Went to Char Bar during an intermediate day during Passover and was so glad to find a way to eat out. Ordered the Shem Tov salad, which was supposed to have avocado, mango, greens, and marinated steak. No sign of avocado, though, and a teeny, tiny piece of alledged mango (actually, it seemed to be a cooked, canned peach slice). The "greens" were HUGE, uncut pieces of lettuce, which should have been cut in bite sizes before being served. This restaurant needs to work on presentation. However, the service was excellent. read more

Visited on 9/27/15 around 4:00pm. The restaurant was not open, contrary to information posted here and on the menu on the door. No note mentioning a closing; the door was simply locked. Would have loved to eat here but it wasn't open. :/ read more

We had a brisket nachos appetizer special that were unique and fabulous. My wife at 1.5 of her fantastic beef rib sliders that were huge (5 of them) with an incredible amount of onion rings. I had a brisket and pastrami sandwich that was delicious. My son had the lamb burger with fries that was also delicious. Service was attentive and we were served quickly. read more

I took a nonkosher friend for a light dinner. We were extremely satisfied. We shared a lentil soup. It was tasty and the lentils were, in his words, "perfect, not mushy." I had the edemame and Buffalo chicken wings. Both were very good. They fry the edemame, which imparts a surprising flavor through the skin. They then add a sweet soy sauce that is addicting. The wings were tangy and spicy. He had the lamb burger with onion rings. He said both were quite tasty, although he ordered them medium rare and got them medium. Overall we were very happy. read more

Char Bar is one of the few kosher restaurants in DC - fortunately it's also good. There's plenty of seating, and most days it's open pretty late. This is a meat kosher restaurant (as opposed to dairy), and the vegetarian options are pretty limited beyond salads, so do know that before going in. Our group started with the "Nice Little Salad," which was your typical basic small salad. Not great, not bad, just OK. Now what WAS good were the brisket tacos. It's as if your bubbe tried her had at Mexican cuisine. The brisket was tender, juicy, and coated in a tangy BBQ sauce. The tacos also included pico de gallo and an above-average guacamole, and the three tacos will certainly fill you up. And for a non-Latin restaurant, the rice and beans on the side were really tasty (and I tend to be picky about my arroz y habichuelas). Yes, the dishes are a little pricey, but they are all 100% kosher, and the service is quick. If you're looking for a non-catered kosher meal in DC, can't do better than Char Bar. read more

Last night with a group of friends I ordered a veggie burger. Besides being served last after all of us waited for 45 min for food, the food was served cold. My burger was served hardly cooked. I took the plate back to kitchen area after waiting for my waiter for more than 10 minutes. The chef came out and told me to "shove the food up my 'ss" and then he threw the plate across the room. The manager never spoke to me to apologize nor the chef. After a friend told the manager about the incident and all our complaints, he compted our meal. It was a horrible experience. It's very sad that they don't have any competition in the kosher market in Washington. I don't recommend anyone ever go there. read more

Celebrating our 27th anniversary we wanted to go somewhere new and special. When we walked in tonight I thought wow, the place looks great, it smells really good and I couldn't wait to eat. I am going to be fair but brutally honest here. We started with the Loaded Potato Appetizer and the Beet & Asparagus Salad. The potato has a nice presentation with a topping of Israeli Salad seasoned well including and some avocado which was a nice touch. A little spicy which is a great add to a potato. The potato was brought out under cooked (hard) and it was burnt during prep. Overall ok but should have been a home run. The beet and asparagus salad was a very nice surprise. I wouldn't necessarily, for that matter ever, put beets and asparagus together but it really works. Excellent and frankly the highlight of the meal as it went downhill fast from there. For our mains we ordered The Lamar, a California Burger and off the menu Grilled Chicken Cutlets. I'll start with my main which was the California Burger. I'm old school when it comes to red meat so when I saw grilled mango and avocado slices I had to stop and think for a second then I said let's go for it. If the Chef has the guts to put that on a menu I am willing to try it. It didn't work and here is why. Nice bun and a good start. Pop the top and I'm looking at a unripe stale slice of a beefsteak tomato and poor excuse for lettuce. If you are going to slap a piece of lettuce on a bun use a leafy option like red or green leaf or even romaine not iceberg. Talk to your mashgiach (kosher supervisor) and figure out how to check and clean the leafy lettuce so you can use it. Ok I kicked them both to the side and dug in. My medium cooked burger tasted dry usually the result when the grill cook presses down on the burgers when they are cooking which forces out the natural juices. That is a big no no. The color was perfect but the taste was dry and bland. I liked the mushrooms and onions, the flavor and sauce were good. The avocado was sliced nice but not laid out on the bun properly, it was simply clumped on top of everything else. I was really looking forward to the mango which I think the idea is great but a small suggestion - figure out how to prep it properly first. The mango on my burger was burnt and not cooked. The sides were home fries and a pickle. The home fries were tasteless and overcooked and the pickle sucked which is silly since they are so easy to make homemade. We went off menu needing a gluten free option so we ordered grilled chicken cutlets. A little pricey especially with bland rice and an ok baked potato. The chicken cutlets were not overcooked but not anything special either in taste or presentation. We could have ordered this anywhere. The Lamar is a nice idea so when it came out and was completely dry/ overcooked we sent it back. We rarely ever do that as our tolerance is pretty high but dried out grilled chicken breast is awful at home let alone at a restaurant. When the new waitress (after we sent the 1st piece back our waitress switched out on us) brought out the replacement I took one look at it on the plate and said uh-oh spaghetti oh. Dry as an Arizona summer. This is important, I worked in food and in restaurants and anyone who has will tell you mistakes happen, sometimes it just isn't your night. What separates the forgettable from the really good places is owning the mistake. After the first grilled chicken breast was sent back that should have triggered two things. First a follow up during the meal asking how is everything second a visit from the manager or owner if on premises. When the kitchen blows a main the waitstaff and management have to own it and stand behind their product and place. Neither happened, that is not a good sign. I was taken aback when i go the bill. I have no issue paying a good price for a good meal. What I don't like to see is the gratuity added into my bill. 15%, not bad right. If I have a party of 8,10,12+ sure it is acceptable and standard. When we have an intimate meal for three people then no. I ignored the bill printout that also included a place to add a tip in addition to the gratuity already added. I know what tips are and I am generally a very generous diner, very generous. In this instance where we obviously had an issue with the kitchen, they switched waitresses and there was zero follow up after the kitchen problems I think it is frankly chutzpah to add in the 15% gratuity into my bill. Honestly if anyone would have shown any concern, a little professionalism, I probably would have left 25-30% because that is what I do. Management needs to keep an eye on the grill master and needs to train the waitstaff better. To be fair we asked the 2nd waitress to take back the second grilled chicken Lamar (uneaten) and not bill us for it, she did. Not sure if they carry desert, coffee or tea because nobody bothered to ask. Great potential but not there yet. It has to start at the top read more