Charcoal does some things well. I'll second much of the favorable reviews that start with the Fried Chicken. Whether visiting for lunch or for dinner, Charcoal does great fried chicken. Each version has got a great exterior crunch and interior that is not dry. Neither version comes on the bone. The lunch version is seasoned well with a Korean glaze and is the better value. Either version is a star and a must try if visiting Charcoal. I've also tried a special seafood taco on another occasion which was not good. In fact that is one of the major reasons that Charcoal isn't higher rated. The exterior taco was supposed to be crunchy, and it was definitely rigid but it lacked a crunch and seemed a little stale. There was a good amount of seafood in the taco but it definitely needed accompaniments or seasoning to perfect. The onions rings were pretty good. Definitely a good side item to order and share. The service can lag at times which is a little annoying during the lunch hours, plan accordingly if arriving for lunch. read more

Food was pretty good. Atmosphere was also good. Wish they had a liquor license - with a group of 4 or more, it is just a hassle to bring your own drinks. read more

Our favorite spot for a local fancy dinner or early breakfast! I always get the Yardley hot chicken and the donut dessert. For breakfast, everything's good - pancakes, eggs...can't go wrong! read more

Great view of the river and the ambiance was perfect. I went with a group of 10 and it felt like the staff did a great job accommodating! A few things to order (it they have available) Fresh bread! Absolutely worth it Fried octopus (it is not raw)- most people aren't adventurous but just try it because it was the best I have ever had. I ordered the bacon pasta dish (the name I forget) but it was amazing! My wife ordered the duck and that was amazing in flavor as well! Overall you won't be disappointed! read more

Charcoal - Great location and experience. The food was on point and I would highly recommend their homemade bread and octopus! - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

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Local brunch place that serves dinner as well. Extremely affordable and immeasurable attention to detail. I ordered bacon well done, and usually it comes rubbery. This time at charcoal , it was cooked to exact perfection, no rubber at all. And the stuffed French toast was delicious, blueberry paste and cream cheese filling. Not to mention the over the top customer service, felt like family. 5 stars and highly recommended. read more

Charcoal - Stuffed French toast, bacon - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

One of the best we have been in since moving to Bucks County. Relaxing atmosphere, the food shows originality in the mixes of spices and flavors . We had the apple crisp salad - a nice mix of tart, crunchy and sweet. The duck breast entree was tender and flavorful. The ink pasta with scallops had a nice bit of pepperyness and just enough cream in the sauce. No room for dessert alas! Our server was simply perfect We will be back. read more

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We had such a great experience dinner here at the first time trying. Food is incredible well prepared, just like homemade dish. Cozy atmosphere, can't imagine how nice gonna be at brunch with the Delaware River view. Will definitely come back and try other dishes read more

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Great dinner. It was my first time here and everything was delicious. The view was nice, the tables were distanced, I felt very safe. Our server was lovely, she was attentive and very helpful. The food was wonderful. Each dish was better than the last. We had the shrimp appetizer, Kung pao brussel sprouts and the homemade bread to start. My husband and dad had the chicken and I had the octopus and the ricotta dumplings. Everything was so good. Octopus was tender and juicy. Both my husband and dad raved about the chicken. We finished the meal off with the donuts, which were delicious- as promised. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Came here for lunch. We arrived at 1:45 and were told kitchen closes at 2 so we would have to order quickly. Ordered the prime rib cheesesteak and Korean bbq sandwich. Both were very good. Bread was supersoft and both were flavorful. I also ordered a cappuccino which wasn't very good. Service was very good(I even asked for an extra shot for the cappuccino and they gave it to me) and very prompt. Views of the river make it an ideal place. Place is byob. read more

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Arrived at 9 am on a Sunday for a breakfast with 12 folks. Found out from the hostess that they don't take reservations. One of our friends planned the meal so not much we could do except wait. No problem as we were meeting dear friends from Denver who had moved away a year ago. About 30 mins later we were seated at a long table for 12. The ambiance is very nice. We were on the second floor overlooking the Delaware and NJ shoreline. Very wide open and airy feeling. There is a small bar for service as well. This is a byob. Our server arrived promptly and was efficient and courteous. There was a breakfast menu and a brunch menu on offer. Basic breakfast choices. I had a custom omelet, bell peppers, feta cheese and a side order of bacon, ordered nuclear. I like bacon crisp and have taken to ordering it this way so there is no confusion. We all got our coffees and teas in good order and servers were available for refills and whatever else we needed. We also had a small toast with a bottle of Chimay Blue, matching glasses were brought out for all. Food came timely and was served in two batches. All was in order. One of us had to ask for his tea bag, apparently hot water was served with no tea. A minor issue. My bacon was as ordered. The omelet was great. I heard no complaints from any of the group. We did not feel rushed at any point. We enjoyed the meal and had a very good time. We would return. Just be mindful that no reservations are taken and you may have to wait a while. Nancy & Mark. read more

Most innovative and consistently amazing food in area. Always a treat. Love breakfast/brunch/lunch but dinner is sublime.

Husband and I went for brunch on Valentine's Day. The food was delicious and the view of the water was lovely. This place has a nice vibe and we'll definitely be back again. read more

Charcoal - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

The food was good, the waiter was friendly however the hostess was extremely rude. She did not greet us when we arrived or left. She was also rude over the phone. We told the manager before we left as feedback. I then received a message on instagram from the owners daughter. Overall unprofessional behavior and attitude. Would avoid. read more

Wow. The fried chicken with the lemon pepper caramel glaze was stooooooooopid good. The grilled Octopus with pickled pineapple was perfectly sweet and crunchy. Finished it all off with a homemade doughnut Constantly rotating their menu with unique and delicious dishes you can't go wrong here. My first time here while I'm visiting from California it gives some restaurants in San Francisco and run for their money. Perfect portions and prices. Well done chef(s). Well done. Big shout out to our server Melissa. Incredible service read more

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Today was our first time giving Charcoal a try. We went for lunch and they were packed. We waited about 20 minutes for a seat which was approximately what the hostess estimated. We were seated along the windows with a view of the Delaware river and we were greeted by our waitress promptly and she took our drink order. We ordered a burger with Swiss cheese and mushrooms and a Chicken salad sandwich on multigrain toast. The first thing I noticed was the great view of the river and how good the food smelled. We noticed people at neighboring tables getting entrees like French toast and waffles with chicken and wondering if we should have ordered that. Our lunch came out hot, plated well and delicious. The burger was juicy and cooked exactly to order and the fries were salted to perfection. My wife said that the chicken salad was delicious and also how much she enjoyed the fries. The ambiance is casual and the staff was efficient. This was our first time at Charcoal but it won't be our last. We are looking forward to giving them a try for dinner and breakfast. read more

Charcoal - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

By far, one of the best places to eat in the Yardley/Newtown/Langhorne area. Their seasonal pumpkin pancakes are the BEST I have ever tasted, and there are several other delish breakfast options. But don't overlook dinner - the food is so delicious and meticulously prepared. I love the special additions they have each week: homemade donuts, new types of pasta, etc. The river view from the restaurant in the fall is lovely. Truly my favorite read more

Charcoal - Pumpkin pancakes! - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

This is one of the very few restaurants whose bread is worth paying for. Which you will do if you want it. We did and loved it. Being a sourdough home baker I recognized the skill of the baker and the quality of the ingredients and care with which it was handled and baked. Delicious and highly recommend. High hydration dough makes light, airy interior and the crust was perfect. Our meals were delicious and well prepared. Hangar steak, Nashville chicken, Rye radiatore pasta and a sea shell pasta in an adult version of Mac and cheese. All were well received and the portions were generous. The Brussels sprouts (?) Caesar was delicious and unique, very large portion enough to share easily. Do not miss the cinnamon sugar donuts with caramel sauce which are prepared when ordered. Plenty for four adults to share which we did. I would definitely go back. Only minor suggestion is; add home made onion rings to your menu maybe as an app. Food cost would be low and profit high, if you can manage it. read more

Food was great and portions were just write . Service was good and fast. The place was clean and view was very nice. Will definitely go back even when their parking sucks as had to park at the next block and walk back. read more

There is the view of the Delaware, which is great. And then there's the food, which is not. Visited Charcoal for the 5th and final time. I cannot address the dinner menu, but the breakfast and lunch offerings are lackluster: under seasoned and ho-hum with minimal presentation. Underdone hash browns with their egg dishes. Entree salads that have been disappointing. And a lame "cheesesteak" Nothing creative here. It's always busy, but I will say, the service has been prompt and friendly. Too bad they don't have anything special to bring to their customers. read more

Big city quality in a small city vibe. Everything from the shaved Brussels Caesar to the steak to the bread(!!) to the pastas we're exquisite. BYOB makes the slightly high prices ($30/dish) a bit easier to digest. I will be back. read more

I come here almost every time I'm in the area visiting family, as I grew up in Yardley but have lived primarily on the West Coast for the past 13 years. I really want to like it here, but every time I come here I leave feeling very dissatisfied. Honestly, at this point the only reason I ever eat here is because my mom and sister like it and I'm just happy to spend time with them when I visit. I've been here for both breakfast and lunch but not dinner. I've had a variety of foods - hamburgers, salads w/ protein added, turkey club, eggs and toast, and sweet potato fries. Aside from the sweet potato fries, nothing has been all that great and for most of it I could make much better at home. Hamburgers have been dry and overcooked, the turkey club was not fresh shaved turkey (it's just lunch meat), any protein I've gotten on my salad has been overcooked, and the eggs have been overcooked - are you noticing a theme here? Most of the time, I barely eat my food, if at all. The quality of food is really not worth the price. The two worst experiences I've had here have been on special occasions. The first was a large family group lunch for relatives that came to visit for the day while I was back in the area. They forgot some people's orders and other people's orders were put in wrong or they got the complete wrong order. The waitress barely checked on us, so it took quite some time to address the issues. We were there for two hours. While we took the time to catch up which was nice, it was just a ridiculous service experience. The second truly horrible experience was a breakfast I had with my mom for her birthday. The hostess gave preferential seating to a single person that walked in the door right after us - seating him at the only open window seat that we had just requested. My mom wanted to come here specifically for the window seating so that we could see the river but also because of their supposedly amazing donuts. On a Tuesday morning they said they ran out because of the weekend rush and haven't had time to make more. Um, come again?? It's late morning on a Tuesday. The two reasons we came here, and both fails were just baffling. The only redeeming qualities for this place for me are the cleanliness of the restaurant, the cleanliness of the bathrooms, and the fact that people I know like it here and I like to see them happy. I also appreciate the BYOB aspect, because even a bad meal can be at least slightly redeemed with some wine. read more

After a few consistent meals we hit a bad experience. Sadly with probably the easiest food to prepare too.... huge disappointment. A simple salad with grilled chicken. The chicken cubes tasted like cold, rubber, blend if bad chicken and tofu but worse. and I like both items independently of one another. Was informed that Charcoal doesn't make their own grilled chicken they charge $4 to add to your salad; pre-packed that they warm up. Crazy as my portion was fridge cold. Combine that with gut wrenching acidic coffee... time to go elsewhere. Sadly our server, whose name I'll spare to protect their job, is always a delight and awesome. In this situation this server removed them charge for the grilled chicken add on. [Thank you server]. read more

Yardley hot chicken. Donuts. You'll thank me later. (Delicious for brunch and for dinner. Menu changes often based on what's seasonal and the food really is creative and delicious! We love this place and the fact that it's BYOB is even better!) read more

I've been waiting for so long to try this restaurant. We alway pass it on River Road on our way to NJ. It was not at all what I expected. The interior is small but very nicely decorated with an open floor seating area. It is BYOB so a favorite for locals. I was expecting a very large selection of entrees however the menu was very limited. There were probably four pasta dishes which can be ordered as a small plate or entree size and four other entrees (one steak one chicken one salmon and one striped bass). I had a the chicken noodle dish which was very good. The server called it Chicken Marsala which was confusing because that wasn't what it was referred to as on the menu. I would say it was better than Chicken Marsala. My husband had a soft shell crab pasta dish which he said was okay. Everyone else really liked their dinner. The waitstaff was very pleasant and helpful. And the view of the river is exceptional. FYI The acoustics in the restaurant is pretty bad because of the open dining which didn't bother us but may bother others. I would love to try this restaurant for breakfast. read more

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We met friends for dinner at Charcoal, our first time there. It was a pleasant place to hang for a few hours - tables spaced nicely, good lighting, and not noisy. I did find the chairs to be quite hard and unforgiving for a long evening though. But the food was delicious, comfort foods with a modern spin. Generous portions, hot, attractive and flavorful. I especially enjoyed the Brussel sprouts Cesar salad. Nice service too. We look forward to returning in the daytime so we can enjoy the river view. read more

Came here for my job's holiday lunch and this place was so cute. The vibe of the restaurant was great and there was so much beautiful and unique decor. The view from the restaurant (we sat right next to the window) was so beautiful! It overlooked the river and I couldn't stop staring. Even the light fixtures were great. I ordered the avocado toast and eggs with a side of home fries. We all know home fries are a hit or miss... this order was absolutely amazing. The whole order was amazing. My co workers ordered French toast which looked yummy. They also ordered pork roll and bacon which was made exactly the way they liked it. The staff was super friendly and made our visit that much more special. I would definitely come back! read more

Charcoal - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

Another great find. We were heading home one Saturday evening and wanted to find a place to go out for dinner - used yelp to find this local place and glad we did. Food was hot and delicious and service was great. We will definitely be back read more

We were boating on the river and thought that would be a good place to get a takeout. We had dined there previously and my memory was that the food is good. Not sure what happened this time as we got the dishes they recommended: Brussels sprouts appetizer and steak and fried chicken for main courses. I wouldn't say they were bad but definitely not gourmet nearly $40 dish. The ingredients were good but it lacked execution. read more

I started visiting Charcoal when it was also, "Steaks and Things," about 30 years ago. In those days I lived on the Delaware River in Trenton, and came over to Yardley for an out of the way weekend breakfast/brunch. It was a great place for a romantic wake up after a long night before. Two massive floods and major grief later, a small riverside café has transformed into a full second story restaurant with an eastern wall of glass overlooking the river that when at peace is serenely beautiful, but when raised to anger is as dangerous as an angry rhino. Sitting here today over a large white cup of java after an absence of more than a decade, I marveled at how light and airy this loft felt. If you've spent time at the shore in a reverse living stilted home, you know the tree house sensation. I was here for breakfast, and ordered the Brioche French Toast. The room was not full, and I shared the space with various knots of people engaged in friendly conversation. Being alone, I spoke with my server, Mary Anne, who was a natural salesperson for the establishment. She updated me on ownership and changing cuisine, and even handed me a dinner menu to take with, hoping I would return to try some of the Small, Large, and Pasta Plates. Although the environment and dinner menu are 5 Star worthy, the French Toast while good, exhibited a mistake often made by shops attempting the "Thick" approach to this dish. The Brioche was generously sliced, but not left in the egg mix long enough to allow it to penetrate to the center, leaving the middle a bit dry. Too, the grill was not hot enough to caramelize the surface nooks and crannies to give it the light crunchiness and moist center that separates the good French Toast from the great. Looking around I noted some beautiful omelets and fresh fruit cups that hold promise. I will come back to check them out sometime soon. read more

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I stand by my first experience here. Halloween dinner was even better than several months ago. Pastas are unique and delectable. I may have to return for a full portion of linguine and shrimp Fra Diavlo. Even though bread is an additional charge, just get it. Best fried chicken dish I've ever tasted in fine dining(?). Perfect and large portion of duck. BUDINO, insanely good. Hannah was a great server, and was spot on with her advice. It seems that not everyone in the Yelpiverse gives these chefs their props. This just illustrates the concept that Yelp is a starting point, individual results may vary. My visit here resulted in a top 3 dinner of the year., and I will be looking for any excuse to return. 5 trust your own tastebuds Yelps read more

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I think prior reviews are pretty accurate descriptions of Charcoal in general, so I'll stick to the main reason for my review - the DarbyBurger. I have to say, these guys are on their game. The Darby is billed as Cajun, with bacon, BBQ sauce, and pepper jack cheese. It was served up perfectly medium rare, with crisp bacon ans a side of mixed SP/REG fries. Big, juicy, grilled flavor. It was a messy, delicious, serving of carnivorous delight. Wimpy would gladly pay you Tuesday for a Charcoal burger today. Burgerlicious rating = 7.0 read more

While I do not frequent this establishment very often, when I do, it is a pure delight. My parents are here almost once a week so I live vicariously through them in between visits. I remember when I was in high school it was a greasy spoon diner known as Charcoal, Steak and Things. Now it is the gem of Yardley borough serving classy food in creative ways. My review will be based upon the Kitchen Tasting I enjoyed this past December 2011, but I think it will give any reader some insight on the abilities and creativity of the chefs here. I have posted pictures to accompany this review. First Course: Oyster: cherry, leek. Before this tasting I had never had an oyster before. I know, I know, it took me this long, but what a way to experience my first one! We were presented with an oyster bathing in it's own juices, covered in thinly sliced leek and a cherry foam on top. Unfortunately my experience was dominated by the flavor of the leek, but there was a subtle presence of the cherry foam and the oyster just melted away. Impressive presentation. Second Course: Scallop: lentil, grapefruit, frisee. The scallop was cooked perfectly and paired well with the lentil. I've never had lentil outside of soup so it was nice to experience it's true taste on it's own. Paired with the scallop and frisee, there were many layers of textures ranging from soft and mushy to crisp crunch. I should have asked the chef at the time, but I was left wondering what the purpose of the grapefruit was. Possibly to cleanse the pallet after eating the scallop? Third Course: Woodcock: polenta, cherry, sprout leaves. Yes, I looked up a picture of a Woodcock right after I ate this course! It looked like a cross between a woodpecker and a pigeon. Found year round in the southeast, breeding in the northeast, this particular bird was from New York. It's flavor was gamey, the breast not as gamey as the thigh. Along with the creamy polenta and the bittersweet dried cherry, this was a unique course. I preferred the flavor of the breast to the thigh greatly. Fourth Course: Trio of Duck. I'm sorry to those that disapprove, but duck is GOOD! We were presented with a thick cut of duck breast with a tasty layer of fat on top, a full duck heart and deep fried duck tongue. I was surprised that the heart was pretty tender and almost tasted like a cut of filet mignon. The tongue were like crispy little fried clams. It was exotic without tasting as such. I was really impressed with how it was presented as well. Fifth Course: Hanger Steak: turnip, red wine, broccoli rabe. Hanger Steak, a.k.a. Butcher's Steak presents itself almost like a flank steak in it's look and texture but offers great flavor. We were given a generous portion of steak atop turnip puree and red wine reduction. Topped with broccoli rabe and pepper flakes, this was the course more familiar to my taste buds and eyes. After the adventure of the first four courses, this was a treat to finish the savory dishes. Sixth Course: Pliable Chocolate: black sesame, meringue. First off, look at the picture I posted and how they presented this dish. It was awesome! I was never a big fan of sesame but when paired with chocolate, it really redefined the flavor for me. There was this sesame 'dust' that just disappeared in your mouth, creamy toasted meringue, black sesame ice cream and chocolate ganache. If you can attend a tasting here, I highly recommend it as it really exposes you to things you may never order on your own. You don't know what your going to eat until you arrive so there is a lot of excitement involved. The chef presents each dish with a little explanation and will answer any questions you have. The staff here is really friendly and the view overlooking the Delaware River just adds to the already pleasant ambiance. Awesome job done by this place! read more

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In a small town like Yardley it is very hard to find restaurants that are innovative and doing some really edgy things. Charcoal is one such place. This place is what I would expect to find in Williamsburg. Brooklyn. The menu set up in two ways - smaller tasting plates and then larger dinner plates. I opted to try a few of the tasting plates and I was blown away. I started with the oysters and although they were dressed up (I prefer my oysters naked) the flavors danced in my mouth. The strawberry watermelon gazpacho with shrimp was the best gazpacho I have eaten since being in Spain 5 years ago. The shrimp was actually freezed dried and then crumbled on top. The hand made pasta was peppery and creamy and the cobia crudite was velvety and lush on my tongue. Other dishes at the table included the grilled octopus and the veal shank. Their menu changes depending on the season and I can not wait to see what the start of fall will bring. Menu was well priced for the quality of the food as well as the presentation. I wish these guys the best of luck. read more

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I always love a restaurant with a view. Charcoal has it all. A great view, great food and good service. And be sure to save room for dessert. The donut holes with caramel sauce are incredibly delicious! read more

The chef-owners are dedicated to providing each customer with an outstanding and creative culinary experience...both in taste and presentation. Clearly great attention to detail has been lavished on each dish. This is our third visit to CHARCOAL. Two dinners and 1 breakfast thus far, and we intend to continue experiencing the amazing and unique cuisine. CHARCOAL has become easily our favorite restaurant when we can make it down to Yardley. (We don't live nearby, sadly). The short ribs with parsnip puree was tender, intense and had a bit of a kick to it, thanks to the Calabrian peppers. The duck breast served over Angliotti pasta (all homemade pasta here, folks!) was sublime. Rich slices, crispy skin, perfectly prepared. Also, the chefs enjoy being playful with many of their dishes. For example, the dessert list, while short, is filled with dishes which are reminiscent of one's childhood, but re-imagined in an upscale, more adult and sophisticated way. Soft serve ice-creams are seasonally flavored and luscious. Recently one new dessert was a funnel cake, but underneath it was served with a rich cream and berries. Amazingly simple, yet elevated to a new level of deliciousness. A chocolate mousse is served with sugared walnuts and sea salt...again, a familiar dessert we all know comes with a new enhanced twist. Oh, and I cannot forget to mention the bread baked there. Served as an appetizer with soft butter, it is worth the $5 for those 4 thick, crusty slices. It is a must here. In addition, you cannot beat the lovely view of the Delaware as you dine. Ask for a window seat, if possible. They try to accommodate when they can. It's always a great delight to savor a visit to CHARCOAL. Looking forward to many. many more! read more

Exceptional food, menu offerings and amazing service! Don't skip the sourdough bread or the donuts for dessert... We love Charcoal. read more

A solid breakfast every time. Had the blueberry pistachio packages today-heavy but delicious. Make sure you remember to BYO.

C-BYOB we give you credit for being food artisans, but as business owners you have A LOT to learn. The photo I am posting is for the New Years 4-course set menu. Notice that it does not mention "tasting menu". Only when we received a reminder phone call about our reservation and when we were seated did the word "tasting" get mentioned. How you can justify $60 pp on a meager portion, tasting menu is beyond my comprehension. Also, @ $60 one would expect tax & gratuity included. I was afraid to order coffee with my dessert because it might cause me to default on my mortgage! We've been to C-BYOB 3x for lunch/breakfast and 1x for dinner prior to tonight. We were very disappointed in the lack of ambiance tonight! What happened to the white table cloths and dimmed lights? The gouged wood table tops for lunch is suitable to that cuisine, but hardly for finer dining. Here we thought we were going to give our visiting daughter a special dining experience, but instead... meh. read more

Charcoal - $60 "tasting" menu - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

This is a hidden gem in Bucks Co. right on the river! Food is outrageously delicious every single time. It has become our "special celebrations" spot! Could not live this restaurant more! read more

I have heard about Charcoal as well as have read some reviews so we decided to give it a try. It's located near the Delaware River not far from the center of Yardley. The restaurant is located on the second floor of the building. There are wood floors throughout. There is a bank of Windows that look out into the Delaware River. There are other tables throughout as well. The food was very good. However, be aware that there is a limited menu. There were 4/5 appetizer choices. The octopus looked excellent but my wife is not a fan so we ordered fried calamari with a spicy Aioli sauce. It was excellent. The calamari were nicely fried but not rubbery. The pastas are all homemade. There were four fresh pastas choices that evening. The entrees for the evening were steak, chicken and tile fish. I opted for the tilefish with potatoes and onions made with fresh lime. At first the fish appeared to need some seasoning. However, I realized that I needed to mix everything to get the lime dressing from the bottom of the bowl. Once that happened it didn't need any other seasoning. By the way, bread is served as an appetizer with Vermont maple butter for $5.00. I don't need the bread but it puts me off to pay for it. That being said, the meal was excellent. The servers were very good and answered all of our question. I would definitely recommend Charcoal and its s BYOB. Fb X My wife settled on s smoked pasta with a squash bolognese sauce. It too was very good read more

Charcoal - Smoked squash pasta Bolognese - New American Near Me - Yardley, Pennsylvania

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