Another fantastic meal! The tuna tartare currently in the menu was spectacular! The calamari too. The menu changes but one thing remains the same the budino for dessert. It's so creamy and delicious. This place is a great byob in the burbs. One of our favorites! Check it out, it's worth the ride! read more

This place is the go-to for dinner date night with my best friend. I don't actually live in the area, but this is always where she takes me when I come for a visit, and it never disappoints! Recently we had a reservation and were running a little late, but the hostess was very understanding and accommodating in changing our reservation time. The rest of the staff is always very friendly and efficient. I really love that Charcoal is byob. The large windows overlooking the water paired with a pretty legit Playlist in the background is a cozy and appreciated touch. As for the food, the pasta dishes are always outstanding and we'll usually split our entrées and try as many things as we can. (The fried chicken and the steak with chimichurri were also excellent). It's very hard to save room for dessert, but it's always worth it for the doughnuts! Always. Worth. It. I'm not even the type to typically order dessert out, but this is the exception. Always save room for the doughnuts for dessert with a cappuccino. read more

Fantastic food and great service. Can't wait to go back! Octopus with ham hock grits were especially awesome.

Amazing food! Definite must visit who is in town visiting. BYOB and dine to the most flavorful entree and decadent desserts. Met the chefs and they are very gracious and kind! read more

We had my daughter and son-in-law's rehearsal dinner here last week and it was awesome. The pasta and pork chops were fantastic !!

Rudest place we have ever been to. We walked out after the hostess and cashier first chatted with a customer who was leaving and then with each other as we stood there waiting to be seated. read more

The eggplant starter was incredible, griggstown chicken, Cantaloupe cucumber salad, and my VIP the budino dessert. Words can't describe the favors. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite from start to finish. We enjoy all of our special occasions here and have never been let down. I. Want. more. If you are looking for delicious, creative, well thought out dishes, EAT HERE. I forgot to mention that I have celiac disease and everything I ate was gluten free!!!:) read more

My husband and I had lunch today at Charcoal's. He had a yummy cream of onion and celery soup that had a delicious base, and lacked the gummy cornstarch or flour base. It was fantastic and flavorful. He absolutely LOVED his lobster roll, so I was surprised to read the review that bombed it. I had an absolutely perfect burger, and it appeared to be freshly made. We loved the service and gazing at the river. Our only fault was it could have been a larger menu. read more

My date and I really enjoyed our experience at Charcoal. We had the grilled romaine and macaroni and cheese for a first course. The grilled romaine was a nice change to the everyday salad adding a bitter char taste to the greens. This with the lemon confit and caesar dressing made for a great dish. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and delicious. We both ordered the steak and eggs entre, cooked exactly med. rare and well seasoned with coarse salt. It was so much fun to have the sauce for the steak drool out of its little fried vessels. For dessert we shared the cheesecake with kiwi sorbet, caramelized apple rounds, and melt in your mouth toffee dust. This dessert was amazing! The tartness of the kiwi complemented the sweetness of the apples and toffee perfectly. We really enjoyed the asymmetrical dinner plates and cute pot the macaroni and cheese came in, as well. Service was great; the servers had good energy and were very positive with us. This restaurant was a refreshing experience compared to the others in the area. We appreciated the attention to detail with all the dishes and can't wait to frequent Charcoal often! read more

One of our favorite restaurants. The menu is very creative, fresh and inspired. Anytime we bring friends we always leave with new fans. It is always at treat. The staff takes pride in their knowledge of the menu and are not afraid to express their favorites. read more

Tried Charcoal for the first time last week. The location is great and we had a table looking out over the river. The waitress was great - very friendly, knowledgable & attentive. We ordered quite a bit & shared. The squash soup was a little blah for me but everything else was great. I really enjoyed the squid ink pasta with calamari & the halibut. Will definitely return. read more

I love Charcoal for breakfast and lunch. The view is beautiful! They have an amazing (and healthy) Kale salad that I always order. Dinner is good too, but limited. We live just down the canal and love to walk there, and would go more often for dinner if they had offerings other than "fancy meals". We would love to see simpler fare from Tuesday-Thursday with offerings that were less fussy (Kale salad, sandwiches, soup, maybe even a good hamburger etc. and more organic offerings too!). Sum-sum: worth a visit because it's the only place in the whole area (Yardley, Morrisville, Newtown) that is remotely healthy. read more

Great food. But what really keeps me going back is the waitresses and management.extremely pleased with there friendliness and customer service is exceptional...... read more

Great food and service with a casual setting. Prices are not everyday for dinner, but it's a nice treat every now and then. The menu is fairly specific (few appetizers, pastas, entrees, desserts) are atypical, so if you're looking for an expansive list of choices or if you consider Olive Garden adventurous, you should probably look elsewhere. Also the servings are what they should be for one person, not the typical 2-3 per plate that they are at most restaurants. Can't wait to go back! read more

This restaurant is an absolute delight. My husband and I took a friend for her birthday and enjoyed it so much we went back for a date night. It was just as good as the first time. Everything we ordered was not only delicious but also creative. It's such a treat to be able to enjoy this type of restaurant and not have to drive into a major city. The views of the Delaware river and friendly staff round out the incredible dining experience. Did I mention it's also a BYOB? Bottom line is that it's not pretentious and the quality of the food is superb. I highly recommend it for a small intimate dinner or for a large group. read more

the most unique food combinations (dinner) in the Bucks county/Princeton area. This place is a must for foodies. BYOB is a plus as menu a bit pricey but so worth every bite!! read more

I have eaten at Charcoal at least two dozen times, dinners, lunches and Sunday Brunches, and always loved it. Yesterday, I brought a client (my go-to place in Yardley) for a business lunch and was horrified by how much it's changed. At one time, this place was fabulous. It has changed dramatically. We both ordered the walnut chicken salad. It was awful. The chicken was cut into huge chunks that were old and tasteless. The pears and apples were old and the salad itself was so bland, it was awful. The wait staff is ok although our waiter asked us if we wanted desert, and when we said yes, bring us a menu, he came back and told us that the restaurant was completely 'out of desert'. NOTHING FOR DESERT. Really? So we both ordered cappuccino's. They were awful. The cups were all foam and milk. No coffee in the cappuccino. (or so little that you couldn't taste coffee at all). And they had the nerve to charge $4 a cup. I was so embarrassed that I brought a client here having raved about the restaurant, that I didn't send anything back. But I did have to apologize to the client for mis-leading her into thinking this was a quality place. WHAT HAPPENED GUYS? Are the brothers gone? It's time to sell this to someone who cares about the quality of their food. read more

Only been for breakfast and its amazing. Large portions and it tastes so good. Service is also great

I love this place -- friendly and quick service and a beautiful view. A great place for breakfast and lunch.

My wife and I enjoyed dinner there for the second time tonight. We are partners in a Doylestown Restaurant and are always trying out how the newer establishments are doing. In the case of Charcoal, they are doing quite well! The menu was interesting and the small and large plates we had were great. My wife had the Stone Fruit-tomato salad and I had the Barnegat Scallops to start and we shared both, which were very well prepared. This was followed by our large plate selection of Salmon for her and the Wild Halibut for me, both shared and both impressive! We had a nice Chardonnay along As it is a BYO and that complimented the offerings nicely. The wait staff was attentive and we never had to wait more than a few minutes to have our water refilled or questions answered. This place is worth the trip if you like a place that's more upscale like a sophisticated downtown Philly or NY Manhattan establishment but don't want to do the traveling. We also enjoyed the tremendous view of the River that has to be one of the best in the region, since the owners raised the whole building after one of the recent floods. Overall, a Gem of Yardley in Bucks County. J & J read more

This review is just for breakfast. I have eaten breakfast here maybe 100 times and 90 times have been excellent. The quality of the food slipped for a bit about a year ago but seems to be back to where it was when I first started frequenting this place in 2010. Service is generally fast and friendly. When it gets busy, service can slip greatly, as it did on my last visit with a male server I had never seen before, but generally it's quite good. The food is very dependable and delicious and cooked to perfection. I appreciate the variety of breakfast offerings and the great kids menu. The price is fair for what you get and the view of the Delaware is just fantastic. I plan to be a regular here as long as they are open, which I hope is forever. This is a definite gem in an area lacking in great restaurants. read more

First time there for a special birthday with my husband and friends. The best salmon I have had in a long time out and the chocolate dessert was to die for!!!! BYOB. Beautiful view of the Delaware River! read more

well, cant agree with the other good reviews. didnt really find this place to our liking. menu was limited with elaborate additions--maybe I am just too selective. There were only 2 items on the dinner menu I could eat for one reason or another. VERY expensive...didnt realize they changed from a hometime casual burger joint to an exclusive "french'themed river watching eatery. Food wasnt really seasoned well...bland. dont think I will return. unsure how the other mealtimes are there....would expect more of the same... read more

I wrote a review of Charcoal years ago, the first time we ate there and we've been back over a dozen times in the years since. But this latest visit merits a new one. I think most people go to restaurants for the food, the company, the service and the ambience. Charcoal delivered 5-star food last night and we came with friends we've cherished for almost 20 years, so the company was even better than the food. But the service and ambience of this place remains a barrier to fully enjoying everything else. First, we get seated at the table we requested--with the sun shining in our faces for more than half an hour. How complicated is it for them to get some easy to open and close shades for that time of day? Second, there's nothing on the floor or walls to muffle the noise level of music, talking, kitchen activity, etc. ricocheting off the bank of windows looking out at the Delaware. Third, they play background music at far too high a volume level; even if they had on classic music it would have been too loud and they barely lowered it even after we asked our waitress three times to do so, in part because we had a speaker right above our table. Finally, we can't blame her for not getting the volume down but when four patrons order an eclectic mix of 20+ small serving portions off the menu--common sense dictates they will want/need separate plates, serving spoons, etc. for each course. We had to ask three times for that as well plus no salt and pepper shakers on the table and when the candle on our table went out, no replacement. Then around 9, suddenly the overhead lights were turned on or up, I couldn't tell which but jarring, like seeing what's on your plate is an after-thought. Great food goes a long, long way, and Charcoal still deserves 5 stars for that--their menu is always fresh, interesting and well presented. But the folks running this place (who are also the ones working in the kitchen) don't appear to get that ambience and service ensure that great food stays great--before, during and after the meal. They've had years to address all of these issues and done nothing. This suggests that they are willing to ignore everything else (and hope patrons will as well) based on what comes out of the kitchen. And I suspect now that we're not the only customers as a result who won't be back again, at least not until they learn to get the details beyond what's on the menu right. read more

Had dinner there last night and was highly disappointed as the menu is not the one that can be viewed online. It is now priced up there with fine dining as far as pricing and the choices are very limited. My friends ordered scallops and there were four of them- that's it! No vegetable, salad, only bread. I had a burger w/ bleu cheese and a small cup of sweet potato fries for $16. We ordered sweet potato fries to munch while we waited and they came quickly but to get the rest of the food took another 40 minutes. When I asked why it was taking so long I was told that the fries were the appetizer and they don't place the order for the entree until the appetizer is done. Also, they said a large party had come in and the kitchen got really busy (this is my problem how?). All in all I was very disappointed and will not return. When recounting this story to a friend today she had the same concerns and we agreed that, while the location is lovely, it is not the kind of place where one would expect an upscale, limited and expensive menu. read more

great place to eat for breakfast and lunch.cheeseburgers are to die for. great friendly waiting staff.reasonably priced for breakfast and lunch.have not eaten dinner here yet. would recommend this place...try the burgers read more

Charcoal BYOB has been on my list for a while, and it met every expectation. We enjoyed delicious, skillfully-prepared and innovative dishes using the best ingredients. Almost everything is made in-house, including the bread, pasta and desserts. My husband and I ordered two small plates each and shared everything, then were too stuffed for dessert. The chefs kindly sent out two donuts in celebration of our anniversary - we managed to savor one and save the other for the next morning. Truly wonderful food without the slightest bit of pretentiousness that often comes with that caliber of cooking. We can't wait to go back. The staff members were kind and professional, and our server was able to answer every question we had about the menu. The atmosphere is clean and spare, not intimate but relaxed and casual, with a lovely view of the Delaware - we hope to go back with a small group of friends next time. It's a joy to have this restaurant nearby. read more

Charcoal has emerged as a stellar dining experience, adding much to the Yardley-Newtown landscape. I've read some of the other reviews, and while concerns about a limited menu may be valid, the chefs have mastered what they offer. We sat at the counter to enjoy a different ambiance, and it was a good idea. Not only were we able to interact with the entire wait and kitchen staff, but it was a more intimate experience by enabling us to ask all sorts of questions about the food. I enjoyed the most succulent, perfectly prepared (three days sous vide) short rib I've ever tasted. It melted in my mouth, along with the (very lightly) horseradish flavored mash potatoes and caper juice infused Swiss chard. Other diners have mentioned the bread. It's simply delicious, with a hearty crust and soft center, and the whipped Vermont butter is perfect. We went decadent for dessert, savoring the out-of-this-world cinnamon donuts with caramel/coffee sauce. Speaking of coffee, Charcoal's is excellent. It's not the least expensive restaurant in the area (about $100 for two), but it's a BYO, and that allows us to kick the evening up a notch if we desire. This is a kitchen that knows how to please, and we'll be back soon. read more

We finally dined at Charcoal after living in Yardley 3 years. While we did enjoy the lovely view of the river, the overall experience was very bad. The menu is VERY limited and they charge you for bread. The food was okay, nothing to write home about. The worst part was the horrible attitude of the owner's wife. The party sitting next to us brought champagne and the waitress accidentally sprayed my husband with their champagne. It took her awhile to bring him a towel to wipe up. My husband suggested that they pay to clean his pants. The waitress was dumbfounded. The owner's wife then came to our table and VERY curtly said "bring us the bill and we will pay for it" and stormed away. My husband could observe her very animated nasty response to the kitchen staff. He motioned several times for her to come over and she refused. When our bill was finally brought over, there was no itemized bill, just a total that seemed extremely high for the meal we had. Before we paid the bill, we asked again to speak with the owner's wife. She was extremely rude to us. We explained that we understood it was not the waitresses fault (we tipped her over 20%) but our concern was with HER nasty behavior and attitude. She continued to roll her eyes at us and argue that we are the only people who ever commented that she had a negative attitude. Clearly she has not heard of the adage "The customer is always right". We will never go there again and will tell everyone we know about her horrible attitude and behavior. read more