Excellent breakfast, including my western omelette. We also had dinner here and everyone raved about the fish chowder

Lunch - Great food (bowl of clam chowder - LOTS of clams - and fried clams entree with French fries and onion rings), efficient service, simple ambiance. Large portions at reasonable prices. Charlie's does breakfast menu until 11:45, then lunch and dinner. Seating at counter or tables. Got the sense that this is where locals eat. read more

Lobster roll was so good, no celery and stuffed with lobster. Haddock sandwich was also good and tasted fresh. Only reason I give four stars is because the fries were not good and it seems hard to mess up fries but I could be wrong. Overall very good and will come back when we're in the area! read more

Good reliable seaside diner. One of few places fish cheeks are regularly available. Chowder is good and BLT is excellent. Always clean and friendly and bright. read more

This one was a completely Yelp inspired choice and it was great. Our waitress was the classic diner waitress that I love. A little bit older and very friendly. On a Wenesday there was a good mix of high school kids just out of school, business people and tourists. The lobster roll was huge and had just the right amount of mayo. The fried clams(my co-diner actually thought they were better than Farnums, her previous favorite). I'm heading here right off the airplane next time I visit Gloucester. read more

Absolutely the best breakfast I have ever eaten. We were sent here from the kind folks at another local fare for the breakfast and it was beyond amazing. Service was attentive and thoughtful and again felt so welcome read more

I'd come back here again. Nothing fancy but good food and friendly service. Clam chowder may not have been the absolute best overall but let me tell ya, more clams in that chowder than any other chowder ever. Had a great steak bomb too! Worth the trip for sure read more

Typical no frills townie restaurant. I'm used to places like these from growing up, so I didn't expect the food to be very good. . I almost didn't come but since most of the yelp reviews were good I decided to try it. Yeah, I was totally right. I got the fish and chips and the fish (cod) was tough, almost mealy in texture. Maybe they use frozen cod that's been in the freezer for months? The fries weren't bad, I'd give them a 6 out of 10. The cole slaw was really good, but since the fish was so gross my meal was a bummer. The service was excellent though read more

I just had the best burguer off my life today

Perfectly cooked clam strips! So delicious and has power while we don't! #localseason read more

Charlie's Place - Seafood Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

When you cater to Senior Citizens the food doesn't really need to have any taste. I guess that's why they are still in business. Because it's definitely not because of Taste, Portions, Quality, Service, Cleanliness, Atmosphere or anything else for that matter. Tried both lunch and breakfast there. Each time food and service were poor at best. Maybe I'll try back in 40 years... read more

We had high hopes for this dinner but a long wait and food that was tasteless disappointed us. The wait staff was nice but $75 for a dinner for 3 was a bit much. The fried scallops didn't have a taste and they were out of fried clam straps. One of us ordered the coconut shrimp which was the highlight. read more

Food here was really good. I had a grilled chicken sandwich and it was delicious. They also have good chocolate cake here. The service is fast and friendly! Will definitely be back! read more

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Simply a hometown masterpiece. Nothing less then a creation by God himself; I go into withdrawal from not eating here in over a week. Everything is incredibly exceptional. The iced tea is crisp and homemade, one of the best on the Cape. The haddock dinner is incredible. On Mondays you get 4-5 decently sized pieces of haddock (one of the most legitimate, as well, lots of places serve cod under haddock's name) with fries and some great Cole slaw, all for the price of $7.99! What an incredible steal! My favorite dish for when I'm not in the mood for fish or calamari (which is also exceptional) is the cheesesteak! The meat is fresh with a generous amount of cheese all served on a buttered and toasted bun! It's served with a generous mountain of fries as well! Truly a treat. Everything is delicious. Everything. They have an assortment of pastries, pies and cakes on the bar table, real 50s American diner style. Being from Gloucester, it's the most legitimate service and food there is. Avoid the bloody Causeway, Beauport and all the other tourist traps, which are just money traps, go to Charlie's. The best restaurant in Gloucester. read more

We had a nice lunch this week. Take out and sat out in the sun. Children's grilled cheese was a hit and the clam dinner was enough for two

The buffalo chicken dinner is great .. comes with fries, and a side of cole slaw, and choice of dipping sauce ( blue cheese or honey mustard). Definitely worth a try. read more

We have patronized Charlie's Place for our twice-annual Gloucester visit for years. What stands out is their efforts in constant improvement in food and service. Service staff always presents their best hospitality, even that improves over time. Food service has always been the best -- very little wait time normally. Food portions are at least ample, and quality is to be appreciated. Patronage appears to be largely locals, for a down-home feel to the business. Pricing is what one might expect for the menu, reasonable in any case. read more

You cannot go wrong. Good food, decent price, and it is the only place I will pay for apple pie

I was here on a Thursday night on my day off. The service was so friendly. The fried haddock was light and perfectly cooked and a large portion for the price. The New England Grape Nut custard was really good (it was the first time I had tried it but I heard others ordering it). I wil l be back! read more

Simple diner and friendly staff. Prices are quite high for what you get (don't get the overpriced lobster roll!). Was overcharged last time I was in and when I pointed it out, I was told they would fix it -- but didn't entirely do so. Food was decent, though. I'd rate as solid but not terrific. read more

Great spot for a quick breakfast or lunch. Food comes out fast and if you're a return customer they remember your order. Great for locals and visitors alike. read more

Went to Charlie's for lunch --- easy parking, ample space even for our group of 5. Clearly enjoyed by locals. Menu was expansive and lots of specials. The Gloucester Fish Sandwich was superb!!! Super fresh haddock and perfect bun and tartar sauce. The special pesto caprese panini was excellent. Onion rings are fabulous. Great service and best of all --- great value. Also had the haddock chowder and lobster bisque. Both really good. Will return to try other options and probably for breakfast too! read more

Visited July 13th, 2017: Cute little diner type place - nothing fancy but nice, and clean. The waitresses were very friendly and attentive. We had bowls of fish chowder and split a clam roll. The clam roll was delicious, nice and hot with served with hot french fries. The fish chowder was awesome loaded with fish and potatoes - my only complaint about the chowder was that it was not served piping hot - it was luke warm - and the broth was a little thin as well - they could add a little flour or cornstarch to it to thicken it. Other than that we really enjoyed it with the oyster crackers they served it with. Service was quick as well. read more

Charlie's Place - Fish Chowder - tell them you would like it HOT! - Seafood Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

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Pretty bad overall. Cheap so you get what you pay for. I was with my Cohort, "Little Horse" on this day. He seemed to enjoy his meal as did I but the experience could have been better. This place was disgusting at one time but since the rebuild after the fire the interior is better. Here are my thoughts: THey brought us coffee cups at the start of the meal. Each cup was diffferent and mine had a nice nick on the bottom. While that's not a big deal it does make a first impression and tells me that the owner is too cheap to at least get all matching cups. When they poured my coffee there was a nice slick of oil (grease) on the top. "Little Horse" compared it to the Exxon Valdez spill. Seriously he wasn't that far off. I ordered 3 eggs scrambled which was cooked as I Iiked. I also had the banana pancakes which were just so-so. Looks like the owner cheaped out on the bananas too... At the end of the meal I told "Little Horse" that I will not be back. There are better breakfasts elsewhere. read more

It's a simple and cheap family restaurant. Go here instead of Friendly's. What to expect: Good seafood, quick service, reasonable prices What not to expect: Romantic atmosphere, upscale style, adventurous menu items. read more

Avoid! Avoid! Avoid! Unless you feel that $40 is a reasonable price to pay for a mediocre meal followed by 24 hours of diarrhea. Got the fried clams. They were soggy, tasted like old oil, and were undercooked. Nonetheless, I foolishly ate them because I didn't want to go hungry. Big mistake. A few hours later, the cramps started. I'll spare you the details, but will share that there's a silver lining to this story: despite eating a plate of deep fried food, my net caloric intake was likely close to zero. read more

Meh is the right word for Charlie's Place. I hadn't been in several years (not a fan of 'everything is fried' or as Charlie's calls it- lunch) but my boyfriend's brother is visiting and we needed a new breakfast place to take him to so I gave it another shot. I am sorry I did. First, the waitresses are so rude and unfriendly now. Wow. We sat down, and I made eye contact at least 5 times with three waitresses and it still took almost 15 minutes for us to receive a menu and place settings. I wanted to leave, but the brother felt that would be rude. Our silverware was haphazardly thrown down, and the waitress was just so unfriendly. Yeah, I realize it's busy but you can at least act like you want to be there serving us since it is your job and all. Two stars for the food. It was very good and a great price. We weren't offered any refills on our coffee or water though, and by this time the place had emptied out so I attribute it entirely to just crappy service. No thank you, just handed the bill. The waitress didn't even attempt to be nice. Worst service I've had in forever. I'm never going to Charlie's again. I have no idea what the "regulars" see in this place. Gross lunch and dinner fried meals, and horrible service. No thanks! read more

As a vegetarian, I was reluctant to try Charlies. It's not their fault - they are a seafood/meatnpotatos kind of place. But still... That being said, my S.O. is a HUGE fan of Charlies and their Thousand Island Panini Burger. (Gets it w/ chocolate milk - ew!!) I ordered the veggie and cheese wrap and - YUM! Messy, but really good. Sandwiches come w/ pickles and fries, or you can opt for Sweet Potato Fries o $1.25 extra. But what really stands out about Charlies is the service. The first time there, I orded a side salad instead of fries and was pretty dissapointed when I got iceburg lettuce and a tomato. So this time, I ordered a side salad and whispered to the server (If you threw a few cukes on that, it would be awesome.) When the plate came out, it had cukes carefully place in a wide grin. But they even topped that. The server offered us dinner rolls even though we only ordered sandwiches. Of course my S.O. said yes and joked "wow, you're really making this a romantic day out. Where's the drippy candles?" At which point another server grabbed a birthday candle, lit it and stuck it in his dinner rool. How great is that? For a quick, no-frills but happy experience, you just can't go wrong with Charlies. read more

Charlie's is the best place in Gloucester for savory breakfast meals! Hands down! And we have tried them all. For example, the bagel, egg, and cheese sandwich was heavenly good. They took the bagel and slathered it in butter and grilled it. The scrambled eggs were perfectly seasoned and cooked just right, the bacon was also just right (not too flaccid and not too crispy), and the melted cheese was creamy and dreamy! So, so good!! (If you prefer sweet breakfasts, head to Two Sisters on Washington Avenue. If one of you only prefers sweet and the other only savory - breakfast at the Atlantis Inn on Atlantic Avenue is your best bet. It comes in at a close second in both sweet and savory categories - plus the beautiful view!!) As for lunch, we have been for the fried native shrimp baskets during the shrimp season (usually December through March or so). You get quite a lot of these sweet, tender, fried bites of heaven. The issue is that they are quite greasy. But, Charlie's is one of the few places that serves the native Gulf of Maine shrimp. Yum!! read more

consistently have delicious meals here. the haddock and the clam chowder are always good...Caesar salad is made fresh to order.always split 3-4 ways. Crab BLT is great. Their grape nut pudding is outstanding. The staff is always friendly and the service is quick. I'm a regular here for sure! read more

Never been disappointed in all the years I've been going there. Great food, fair prices, friendly service. My only "complaint" is that I can only get there in the summertime. read more

For a standard quick serve restaurant the food was fast, hot, and priced well. I got the "cheek" special which was fried cod cheeks with slaw and fries. The food came up super fast and piping hot, and the batter was great on the cod cheeks light and crispy. Would highly recommend here, especially after some whale watching! read more

Came here after a day of apple picking last fall - super cute mom and pop, no thrills place. I got the haddock chowder, fried pickles, and fish and chips - all were better than average but the fried stuff was definitely fried using the same batter, which was a little weird but ok I guess. I wasn't expecting much with the fried pickles - just craving them. The haddock chowder was awesome though, and I would definitely come back just for that again. read more

EDIT: as of January 2009 they are once again open! Unfortunately, Charlie's place is a shell now. It burned down a few months ago. They are, however, rebuilding. I'll write a better review later, when they're open again. But they have amazing, cheap breakfast and great fried seafood (some available in smaller portions which is good for me, who eats like 3 fried clams and is done). I hope they reopen soon. read more

Don't bother. First time visitor today (and last time); simple ham and cheese sandwich and they only got half the order right. Portion was small and overpriced. Tasted just ok. Staff was unfriendly/unhelpful. read more

Charlie's Does Fish Right! I stopped by for lunch today and was able to get my order in before the lunch crowd arrived. Charlie's has a very loyal breakfast and lunch clientele and is known for their fish. It is on the smallish side with 50 or so seats that all fill up at lunch. I ordered the fish and chips dinner and was served a warm roll while I waited - nice touch. The fish and chips were accompanied by a small container of ok coleslaw - nothing outstanding but also not offensive and the 'chips' were food-service fries that could have used some more time in the fryer. The fish was wonderfully breaded, cooked to perfection, and plentiful. I saw several 'small' orders of fried clams come out of the kitchen and they looked divine. I cannot imagine how big the large order must be as the small was huge. As the restaurant filled up it got really loud as hard surfaces abound. Service was good and they know their regulars. I'm looking forward to returning for breakfast sometime and trying out their fish cakes. And fried cheeks :) read more

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This is a 'no frills' kind of place close to Good Harbor beach. Their chowda's really good and will keep you going on a cool, off-season day. If you want an old school lobster roll at a good price you should give 'em a try. They're family friendly and a stop at the ice cream place next door makes for a nice two-fer after a day at the beach. read more

Came in today after some great surf for some clam chowder. Great chowder at a great price. Service was wonderful and incredibly fast, giving me time to get out for a few more waves. Thanks Charlie's Place! read more

My wife and I were hoping for a nice New England Seafood Platter and New England Clam Chowder. What we got was a mushy mess of a dinner and and no plastic ware with which to eat this messy takeout dinner. The chowder was the worst I've ever had at a restaurant. We didn't expect this from a New England restaurant. Everything was undercooked including the fries which were buried under what seemed a container of fried batter with little seafood within. This is a picture of the "huge seafood platter" "plenty to be shared by two". Not. We ate here after reading the positive reviews. Don't believe them. You'll be glad you spent your money elsewhere. These folks need to take a trip to the Buffalo, NY area to see what quality food really is. Much much better New England Clam Chowder in Western NY. Oh, and I got plenty of attitude when I called to complain about there being no utensils with our take-out. Bad business! read more

Charlie's Place - Seafood Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Exactly what we needed today - quick, inexpensive, good for families on the way to the beach. Wait staff was a little surly, but also exactly what you'd expect from a diner atmosphere. Husband's lobster roll was excellent - large serving of fresh lobster with a bit of mayo and nothing else. Onion rings were very good. Chicken kabob salad was my choice. Chicken was tender and flavorful. Veggies in the salad were plain and uninspired, but crisp and fresh. Would definitely go back any time we're in Gloucester or Rockport. read more