Charlies of Bay Head

Charlie's was absolutely fantastic! After taking in all the festive holiday displays, we took the elevator to the dining room, which was also beautifully decorated! Our waiter Mike was wonderful and very helpful with the menu. Food was excellent...salmon, mahi mahi, pork chop and braised short rib...eye appealing and delicious! Ended with the apple tart and gooey cake! Yum! Highly recommend and am looking forward to visiting again in the warmer months.

What a great experience we had tonight! The Christmas decorations are breathtaking! This was our first time and will not be our last. The service was great. Everyone is so friendly down to the valet guys. Our dinner was delicious. My filet was cooked perfectly. The tuna tartar was fresh and delicious. The lamb chops were safly a little overcooked. We shared the arugula salad. Hubbie had the short ribs over polenta , He enjoyed it very much. We shared The pistachio sundae. Delicious!! My husband had a cappuccino which was hot and steamy, just the way he likes it. Most times its barely warm. The cocktails were very good. Fantastic meal to celebrate the upcoming holidays!

The braised short ribs were exquisitely tender and the mashed potatoes were amazing. The egg roll appetizer was also very good. Not really a cheap restaurant but you get what you pay for.

The exceptional drinks, food, and atmosphere created a truly revitalizing experience. Despite being fully booked in the midst of July, the staff generously accommodated my date and me, making us feel valued with only a brief 10-minute wait.

Might be the best restaurant in the Jersey Shore area! Great combo of choices, prices reasonable for the high quality options, and the atmosphere was impeccable for New Years. Highly recommend this spot for anyone in the area.

Had a fabulous time at Charlie’s. Everything was perfect. Weather, ambience, meal, wait staff and most of all my husband. It’s decorated with the nicest pumpkins which really adds to the fun. We look forward to going back soon

Just a really good experience. It was beautifully decorated for the holidays. Service & food are excellent. My 3rd time there, 1st time at holidays.

Charlie’s is nothing short of amazing, the staff, the food, drinks, ambience. Brunch is a must! All seasons are full of great decor but Christmas is a show stopper

Started the New Year at Charlie's of Bay Head! Celebrated birthday! Restaurant beautifully decorated for the holidays indoors and outdoors! On the first level there were awesome picture worthy winter scenes! Cocktails were superb! Cuisine was masterfully prepared and presented! My favorite was the Whipped feta!! So flavorful! Our Server Joshua was great! Thank you for a great dining experience. Will definitely return!! Highly recommend making reservations! There is seating at the bar. Parking across the street.

We have been going to Charley's for 4 years now for our family birthday dinner. Our first year we had 11 people, our second year we had 13. Our third year was at Charley's of lincroft which had opened about 6 months earlier. That year we had 14 people. Everyone liked Bayhead more than Lincroft, so this year we were going back to Bayhead. I called about 65 days before the date we wanted and was told to call back at 60 days out. So I called on the 7th of October for the 7th of December. When I called they said it wasn't 60 days so call back in 2 days after 4pm. I called at 4:30 that day and was told they had nothing available. I called within a half hour of the beginning of the day reservations were available and was told rudely that they had nothing for me. No explanations, no offering us two tables no doing anything at all, not even an explanation. When I started to ask about it the person I was speaking to said there was nothing. No apology, no explanation and no offer of any kind. I didn't even get the chance to ask for a manager. No kudos for Charley's!

We enjoyed a really nice birthday celebration brunch this past weekend. We had great service, delicious food and a nice cozy atmosphere. Adult beverages are excellent here. Sorry mine was so good i never got a photo! The bartenders know how to make a great drink! Nice touch by Charlie's to give the birthday boy a birthday a hand-written birthday card upon arrival! There were also appetizers ... fried goat cheese & arugula salad... was OK, the goat cheese was a little small ball and dressing was tasty and not too heavy. The shrimp cocktail is amazing, especially the dipping sauces that come with it- atomic cocktail and brandy mayo. Brunch entrees were all family approved ! The Asian Salad with salmon, pancakes ... my husband loved them... i enjoyed the salmon entree and my son licked his plate clean with the corned beef short rib skillet. Only sad thing was that it was a gorgeous day and they didn't have the outside terrace open. I also dislike sitting near the kitchen as it's very noisy and you hear a lot of banging pots and pans. Other than that, it's a beautiful restaurant and the food, drinks and service were excellent. I'm excited for the off-season! And I must say that the Blueberry Bread Pudding dessert was absolutely incredible. Don't miss it !

Had our annual Christmas dinner at Charlie's and of course everything was delicious. Arrived early so had a drink at the bar 1st and had an Noreastern Tini so yummy. I admired the decorations as always and was so excited to see the gingerbread house downstairs on display verse being upstairs. We normally sit upstairs but there was a holiday party for a company there. I had the BRAISED SHORT RIB PAPPARDELLE and it was very delicious. Everyone else enjoy their food as well.

Absolutely incredible. The food was fantastic. The service was on point. This place is beautiful.

I had an excellent dining experience at Charlie's if Bayhead. This restaurant came so highly recommended and I'm glad to have finally tried it. I found reservations for a Friday night on Resy. They're generally booked up and I can see why! I noted that my group of 4 was going to be celebrating a birthday. Upon arrival, we were greeted and seated quickly. They left a little birthday card for the birthday boy which was such a thoughtful touch. Everything that we ordered was phenomenal. We split the deviled egg and arancini appetizers. For entrees I had the crab cakes and my group ordered the scallops, steak au poivre, salad. Everyone really enjoyed their entrees. Our sever was extremely attentive and kept the drinks flowing. To wrap up we had the doughnuts and key lime pie. I will definitely be back!

This review is just for the Christmas decor plus a drink at the bar and not for the restaurant or food. We were going down to the area for a party and I knew we had to stop at Charlie's for a drink because of the Christmas decorations. We arrived around 3:30 and were lucky enough to get a spot in front. We went up the stairs to the entrance, you also could take the elevator underneath. The underneath is decorated so beautifully and a great spot for pictures. Kids would love it down there, I was really surprised by how nice it was. When we went upstairs, the inside was fully decorated. One of the best Christmas bars I have been to. The place was so busy. We weren't able to get a seat at the bar, it was 2-3 people deep. The bartenders were still very attentive and served us our drinks quickly. He brought the drinks around and handed them to us which I really appreciated. The cocktail I had was really good, they had a lot of Christmas themed ones. They also have an extensive beer list. We will be back for dinner or lunch! This is a must do if you are in the area.

I visited Charlie's of Bay Head and the aesthetic was beautiful. It's a very beautiful restaurant. The food was good. The menu has many seafood and American food options. There is a large drink menu. I had a crab cakes sandwich and it was delicious. When it comes to the service...I found this to be one of the colder restaurants I've been to. The hostess barely greeted me when I came in and no one was very warm or welcoming. Our waiter was attentive but not at all enthusiastic to serve or share specials. Normally upscale restaurants like this have very warm enthusiastic service so I was surprised. Other than that it was great.

Upscale bar area & dining room. Food & drinks are tasty. Host & servers are very friendly & knowledgeable.

Classy spot. Came for a dinner in the private wine room and enjoyed it. The charcuterie was delicious. The calamari was high quality and you know that because it had the tentacles not just the rings. The calamari were fried just right. Enjoyed the filet mignon as well. Everything about this place works. The setting is beautiful and service is good. There is valet parking too. Must try when in the area!

I went to this restaurant for my birthday last month and it was overall very nice. The food and ambiance is nice. It looks beautiful inside and it's on the water so you have great views. I ordered a lobster roll and although it wasn't the greatest, it was definitely satisfying. My only complaint is that the staff wasn't the nicest. They weren't that friendly and it made me and my friends feel a little uncomfortable.

Parking outside we knew this restaurant would have a great view and good vibe. We set outside downstairs and had a great view of the water. Our waitress was young but so sweet. We arrived Sunday for brunch. We wanted a pizza on the lunch menu and the staff was so accommodating that they made the pizza for us. And it was delicious the sauce tasted as it was prepared in Italy. We also had oysters which were phenomenal. A house Bloody Mary with shrimp, bacon blue cheese olives was to die for. The bartender clearly knew what they were doing. We also ordered a burger with an egg and it was cooked to perfection. I will definitely be returning!!

We have come here for dinner and for reserved parties. Both times the food has been pretty good and service has been incredible. The views are great as well! Definitely a must try and reservations are needed.

As many other's here, I am not one to write a bad review but my most recent experience has warranted one. I am a local and have gone to Charlie's since they opened in 2017. After the handful of times I have been here for dinners, drinks, events -- This is my last. Each time, I have been greeted by rude hostesses. They do not show a care for customers who have made a reservation and give no explanation or apologies when you are forced to wait inordinately long. When questioned they retort with attitude. At this point, I can only conclude that they have been trained this way. They ruin what could otherwise be a really nice dining experience.

Food was delicious, friendly waiter and beautiful outdoor space, service was also great ! Would definitely go back

This restaurant is so delicious. The ambiance, the food and service is very good. Sunday brunch offers a large variety of choices and the dinners are delicious.

intimate ambiance and spectacular seafood. we got the lobster arancini and scallops entree. it was so fresh and delicious. they have an excellent cocktail menu. it gets busy especially on weekends so reservations are recommended. it's a great spot for a date night and has a nice water front view

Restaurant has beautiful ambiance and peaceful outdoor dining patio that overlooks the Twilight lake. The menu consists of standard American fare with many fresh seafood choices. I had the Margherita pizza while my companion had the seared Ahi tuna. Both dishes were outstanding. The pizza was cooked in a high temp oven with just the right amount of char on the crust. The cheese was fresh buffalo mozzarella with basil and crushed tomatoes. The ahi tuna had the right amount of pink in the center and was juicy and flavorful. The surrounding garden veggies were very fresh as well. A perfect dining experience with great service.

we received a gift card for Christmas last year and finally had a chance to go the following December when they had such amazing beautiful decorations. The service was amazing. It was pretty packed and we were checked on regularly, had our wine poured each time and didn't have long waits on things. The food was delicious and great size portions. It is a very pricey place but definitely a perfect place for a date night. They did have children there but I preferred not to bring mine here as it was nice to have the quiet enjoyable moment in a beautiful fancy classy place! Would go back to enjoy the views during the summer.

Probably one of the best restaurants in Bay Head. Arrived at 8:30 pm, no reservations and found seating at the bar. Ambiance- crowded, loud, but manageable. Five stars for the food - ordered the crab cake appetizer-excellent! Pan roasted halibut with lemon risotto was really delicious/ the kitchen split the portion for us and the portion was very generous- 5 stars! Dessert was the bread pudding with vanilla ice cream- divine! The entire meal was perfectly executed, great service, I cannot wait to return!

Amazing food and a great atmosphere. Friendly curious service. Looming forward to going back on my next trip down!

Beautiful restaurant and bar. Service was excellent. Good was well presented and delicious. Prices about what we expected for a white table cloth restaurant in the area.

Fantastic!!! Price is so reasonable I almost wanted to stay here overnight for no reason except we have to get to lacrosse event. I love Bay Head!! Super clean n safe and my kind of lad back beach community. Have to get the fried goat cheese arugula salad!!

Great atmosphere, excellent service and nice variety on menu. Yummy cocktails! Only drawback is difficulty getting a reservation!!!

We have been here several times and always enjoy our experience. We like to sit upstairs because it is more quiet than the main level where the bar is. You can walk on an outside deck which has beautiful views. Nice place to take a picture. Our server, Kerry was friendly and attentive. Our food was plentiful and delicious! Loved my cucumber martini!

You have to go to Charlies especially during the Holidays/Christmas. The drinks, food and decorations are amazing. The Halibut is always amazing and the whipped Riccotta. Highly Recommend.

I've been to Charlie's a few times and have really enjoyed every visit. The food, ambiance and service are wonderful. During our recent visit, my husband and I tried the sweet and spicy calamari to start. It was crispy and the accompanying 5 spice aioli took it to another level of deliciousness. For our entrees, my husband ordered the seared tuna which he loved. I opted for the crab capellini which was light but packed with flavor. Don't skip dessert! The cookie skillet is perfection. They have a nice wine list and cocktail selection. Reservations are a must and can be hard to come by, but a visit is absolutely worth it!

Just enjoyed another fantastic meal...the Christmas decorations were beyond beautiful...but most of all we had the best server....Kelli!!....she was pleasant, helpful and just a joy! She even remembered serving me when I was there in the summer...knew where we sat! Needless to say...love this place!

We came here for my partner's birthday dinner, and it was divine. I loved seeing her happy while looking out at the beautiful lake. Our server was awesome--very respectful and intuitive about when to approach our table. She was aware it was her birthday and added special touches and arrangements that went above and beyond. Stellar service! The food was really good. Although a bit pricey, it was worth it for such an upscale establishment. Everything was in order; the tables and cutlery were gorgeous, and there was a great selection of dishes. Nothing was bad. I loved it here and would definitely recommend it for an upscale, special occasion. Additionally, if you're not looking for fine dining, there's a nice bar with plenty of seating, separated from the dining hall. Highly recommended!

Charlie's of Bayhead has been on my "to try" list for a while, so when a friend suggested it for dinner, I jumped at the chance (& the reservation, as they are tough to get in season!) what a beautiful restaurant! We started with cocktails at the bar (yes, they do have a liquor license!) and then we're seated in the back with a view of the water. I would've been happy to sit outside despite the fact that it was a bit chilly-the view and the space our back are really great. We started with the shrimp appetizer, yum! Two of us had the lamb, which was prepared perfectly, one of us had the chicken-A+, and my husband had the pork chop and was thrilled with it. A reservation is definitely needed here, and there is valet parking available. Do try Charlie's! It's GREAT!

More of an upscale restaurant with a beautiful patio. You have to check out the ground floor if that section is still closed off. Tried their lobster roll both ways - warm with butter and cold with mayo. the warm style made the lobster kind of chewy and rubbery. The cold style was better and I swear they added something else to it that made the flavor good! The brussel sprouts were very good and I would highly recommend it. I also tried a couple of their signature cocktails but was not very impressed.

We had an amazing early Valentine's Day. The food and bar service was superb, we had the special which was swordfish with sausage risotto and asparagus, also the rib eye with peppercorn sauce and potatoes. We took home the key lime pie which was delicious. Our server was kind and very attentive. 10/10

My 17 year old daughter took me here for Mother's Day and carefully reviewed places. We arrived at 1118 for our 1115 outdoor reservation which was "just seated". We waited about 5 minutes before they figured out the seating and they ended up putting us in the breezeway downstairs which was not what was reserved. I must say-Food and beverages were top notch! Service was good until I looked around and saw each table had roses given to them. I told my daughter I'd leave a 20% tip if the waitress came with a rose and 15% if she didn't. Waitress didn't give us a rose and despite the $300+ spent, there weren't any black or brown people around so we felt there may have been some correlation to the whole debacle. While the food was good- I'd rather not patron this type of establishment going forward. They need to diversify their workplace.

First, let me start by saying I LOVE this restaurant. The food and the ambiance are incredible. The issue I have had twice is with the staff. I normally do not write reviews but the past two experiences I have had here deserve a review. I came here in July to celebrate my friends surprise birthday lunch. I came inside before everyone got there, said hello to the host and told her I had some balloons, cupcakes and things and asked if she'd be able to hold onto them for me before the reservation. She stared at me like I was crazy and said "uh, sure." As if it was an inconvenience. I then asked if any bus boy or staff member would be able to help me grab the stuff from my car that was parked in the front, since I would have to take atleast 3 trips because I was by myself. The host has no idea what to say, looks at a male manager and asks "can someone help her?" The older male manager says "No, no staff is available right now". (The restaurant was empty) I said oh ok. After my second trip up the stairs he says to me "We have an elevator, if that helps." Like seriously? I used to work in a restaurant for years and the staff I worked with would drop anything to help customers. I guess this place isn't like that. This put such a bad taste in my mouth. Fast forward to now, October. My birthday is next month. I call up to see if there is a open reservation for 11 people on a Saturday. The host who had no interest in helping me and must have been a teenager, told me there is not 1 available reservation that Saturday. I was so disappointed and said okay. I look on Resy.... (The largest reservation you can make on Resy is for 8 people) There was lunch and dinner reservations for 8 people AVAILABLE. How are all these time slots available for 8 people but not 11?! I then look for 7 people, 6 people, etc, and plenty of reservations were available. It was not making sense. I call back and finally speak to someone who knew what they were talking about. They have 1 available spot at 5:00pm, so I take it. The next day, I realized I have 2 more people. I was NERVOUS to even call back because of how difficult it is to speak to these hosts!!!! So I call, she tells me "no we cannot accommodate that for you." So I canceled my birthday dinner here, and I'll go somewhere that would be happy to take my reservation. I love this restaurant so much. I wonder if the owners know how the staff treats guests. It's a shame! And I see a review from 5 days ago with a similar experience. It must happen often. They're missing out on business because the hosts just tell people no.

I am giving this 5 stars because it is an excellent place to eat for tiny shore town. Charlie's is a bit loud for me and I have seen celebrities here which is reason for me not to go. The food is very good, drinks are very good, service is always good. This place is packed too often. We can walk here which is priceless for us.

Lovely evening with 3 friends. Decor was tasteful, noise level was reasonable, service was a bit slow, wait staff was friendly & knowledgeable. I had two appetizers, the Asian salad was excellent and elevated, however the lolly-pop lamb chops were very over cooked. No pink in site, rather blah and tasteless. A pity, because lamb is a meat I love. Total bummer.

Seated at the bar and warmly greeted by AJ the bartender. We placed our drink order and perused the menu. I ordered their cheeseburger cooked to order delicious as were the accompanying French fries. My wife enjoyed her chicken sandwich. An espresso with anisette ended a perfect lunch. Service and food excellent

I usually refrain from writing negative reviews, but today's experience compelled me to share my disappointment. We had made a reservation for 6:45 pm and arrived promptly at 6:30 pm. Despite being assured that we would be notified when our table was ready, we found ourselves waiting past our reservation time. Observing others being promptly seated while we waited by the front added to our frustration. After 20 minutes, the manager apologized for the delay, attributing it to an overbooking issue. While we understood the situation, the prolonged wait tested our patience. Finally, at 7:15 pm, we were escorted to our table by a young staff member. Attempting to engage in conversation, I expressed my concern about the wait, only to be met with indifference. The lack of acknowledgment left me feeling disregarded and disrespected. While I sympathize with challenges in managing reservations and seating, it's essential to maintain professionalism and courtesy towards customers. The dismissive attitude displayed by the staff member was disappointing and marred an otherwise potentially enjoyable dining experience.

I have driven by Charlie's many times and finally tried it! Everything we had was delicious, from the oysters to the dessert cocktails. The sever was knowledgeable and very friendly. It was a bit cold to sit outside so just indoor seating, which was super roomy and I didn't feel like we were on top of other parties. Highly recommended and definitely will be going back soon.

Half of the reason I go to Charlie's is because of the ambiance, no matter the season, the ambiance gets a 10/10. The space is inviting with it's cozy-chic vibes and views of the water with options for outdoor seating when the weather is nice. At Christmas time it is beautifully decorated- great place to meet with friends/family around the holiday season. As for food and drinks, I always leave satisfied. You can taste the high-quality ingredients which is big for me. The craft-cocktails are fresh and yummy and the wine list is extensive. The servers are knowledgeable making decisions easier. No complaints here!

Hosts greeted us with an attitude, then were given dirty menus. When we sat at our table waited for a while before anyone came. Server was friendly but forgot our second drink order completely. Food was mediocre. Burrata salad was hot, arugula wilted, plate was piping hot. Was most likely held under the heat lamp too long, or came straight from dish to the line. Shrimp salad was under seasoned and the dressing was store bought. Milanese had zero seasoning on it and the chop was too thick, it ate chewy and dry. Salad on top with watercress made no sense. A restaurant with prices like this should be held to higher standards all around. Disappointing.

Amazing food and service. Lunch is a great option if you can't get a reso for dinner. I will be back!

What a nice dining experience. The food, the service (Our server was Ellen) and the entire experience was very nice. Everyone of the staff is as pleasant as can be. This will be one of our go to places.

we were The other day 5 of us went to lunch to celebrate a friend's birthday. They put us outside which I requested but we were seated right next to where they dump the used dishes and it smelled like a dumpster so they moved us. I ordered a BLT. I was expecting a beautiful sandwich. What I got was two piece of white bread toast with bacon that was coated in something sweet, very little mayo, scant tomato, and a little avocado. The bacon was cold and hard and not very good at all. To me, a BLT should have a nice slice of a beef stake tomato, some crispy lettuce, fresh smoked bacon and a good schmear of mayo. It fell really short. It cost $14.00 and I did not enjoy it at all and I didn't finish it. I know Charlie's can do better than this.

I really love Charlie's for the ambiance and everyone is quite kind. It's situated in such a lovely town and I always have a good time here. However, I was disappointed the last time I was at Charlie's. Previously I thought their seafood pasta and flounder francaise were exquisite. The last time I went, my friend and I split those exact two dishes but this time, my fish felt chewy (as though it had been sitting under a heat lamp for a long time), and was not seasoned very well. We were in a group and I wasn't comfortable sending it back, but I'm hoping to give Charlie's another try and have a better experience next time!

Fabulous place good food beautiful bar lots of ambience! And great service will be back!

Charlie's of bay head is a top contender for one of the best meals I've had in a long time. For apps we had the shrimp cocktail and tuna crispy rice. The tuna was the star of the meal and was better than some of the best sushi restaurants I've been to. For entrees we had the filet mignon and halibut. Both 5/5 and perfectly cooked. Service was awesome as well. Price wasn't TOO bad considering the quality of the food, service, and ambiance. I can't wait to go back.

I have been to Bayhead several times this year to visit family and I always go to Charlie's for happy hour. It's a great bar and restaurant. The service is top notch. The bartenders really take good care of us. The patrons were all very nice. Welcomed us warmly. If you are looking for an upscale hangout in Bayhead... then Charlie's is the place. Great hangout. FYI... this place is very popular and recommend reservations for dinner and if you are going to the bar you might need to wait awhile especially in the summer. Will be back!

Never disappointed. Best in the area for some upscale dining. First time trying the fried green tomatoes and they were delicious - will be getting again!