The Charcoal Group's history dates back to 1955 when Del and Ortha Wideman purchased a 42 seat eatery called the Charcoal Pit. Having no previous restaurant experience, they quickly achieved success through value, service and commitment to quality.
we went for a friend's birthday dinner. her and her bf love the place. they talk about it all the time. i have heard mixed reviews about the place.
going online and checking out menu didn't look too appealing to me. regular food with a high price and over stuffed with "expensive" words for simple ingredients
i had a glass of the Chardonnay from usa. excellent should have order 1.2 liter. i shared the sicilian mussel except made not spicy (don't like spicy food). the broth has aromatic and delightful. nice tomatoes, olives and onion broth. mussels were plump and tasty. the table bread was amazing. i usually steer away from bread because it is dry and garbage. but this was warm, soft and fluffy in the middle with a slight chew and crispy on outside.
i ordered the shrimp and scallop carciofi (fettucine) made without cream and with tomato instead. the pasta was cooked perfectly, scallops a bit fishy, shrimps were poached perfectly. a bit too much tomato but im a bigger fan of cooked pasta perfect el dente.
people sitting around me ordered veggie gnocchi (she loved it), short rib gnocchi (he wolfed it down and wanted more), prosciutto fuselli (she said pasta was amazing too slow portion and prosciutto tasted like bacon, pork chop dinner (thought it was amazing), smoked chicken el la vodka (he said was ok).
food was good better than i expected. a bit over priced but it was a friend's birthday.
I really expected more from this restaurant since other friends have been there and recommended it.
The atmosphere was extremely noisy and our food, although beautifully presented, was disappointing. The appetizers and deserts were great, however the steak was tough.
The drinks are extremely expensive and chintzy on the size.
This is one of my favourite restaurant in KW.
I have been there multiple times and I think they deserve a good rating.
Food:
Their short rib gnocchi is a MUST and their coffee is so good!!! :D
Bone Marrow is amazing but if you're on a budget, i recommend the Duck Wings, you get more and you feel fuller!
Service:
Not to mention their service is impeccable!
I can guarantee you all that you will not regret this.
On your way out, don't forget to take their sweet treats (minty chocolate).
They had us at the "make your own caesar" bar. Aside from that the food was delicious. Best pizza I've ever had! Our server was knowledgable, friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is beautiful. We will definitely be back.
The Bauer Kitchen looks pretty but don't be fooled by the gorgeous interior - it may resemble an up-scale establishment but this is merely a thin veneer disguising an otherwise sub-par establishment.
The restaurant strives to achieve a semblance of ambiance and it does manage to do just that. The decoration is gorgeous with incredible brick and woodwork. The bar is stocked with a perfect mix of liquors, including some decent upper shelf selections and is supported by a decent menu of fashionable cocktails and old favourites.
The staff, however, is another story. The hostess barely acknowledged us, speaking very little and wearing a frown that could stop a clock. Our server was brusque, rather snippy and carried on as though we were bothering him; we certainly were not made to feel welcome. Unfortunately, even though the restaurant's appearance is top notch, the overall atmosphere suffers considerably at the hands of its staff.
We had a party of six visit for a work lunch and none of us were satisfied with our food, especially at the prices this diner is charging.
The server was brutally honest and we should've clued in that something was wrong when we enquired about the special and stated that it wasn't that good - that "none of the meat dishes are flavourful". By the end, some picked through the remains of the plain, tasteless fare whilst others expressed disbelief that their food had been so bland.
Being new to the restaurant, I erred on the side of caution ordered the "Bauer Butcher Burger, reckoning that it would be rather difficult to mess up a simple burger. Alas, I was wrong. The server's warning proved true - the burger was poorly done - unseasoned beef with tasteless toppings served on a slightly stale bun and a side of cold french fries.
To be quite frank, if the meal hadn't been expensed by our VP and I had been there alone, I would've sent the meal back; being in the company of co-workers and an executive, however, I chose not to make a scene so as not to diminish the moment as we were presenting an award.
I will not return because to be frank, if I am to pay prices such as this restaurant charges, I will go to another restaurant where I know I am going to get quality food and service for my money.
I do not recommend the Bauer Kitchen and give it a thumbs down - there are other up-scale restaurants in the area that do a much better job at, well, just about everything.
Went to this restaurant for the first time for dinner and absolutely loved the food, service, and decor. It was wonderful. Wine pairings are expensive, but really worth it!
This was our first time at this beautiful restaurant. Place was clean and the service was very friendly and professional. We found the food was not really up to the standard of the restaurant; portions could have been bigger for the price, the size of the Salmon was very small for 26 dollars and Veg. Risotto was bland; the cheese plate was good dessert though.
If you are looking for a nice and clean place for a romantic dinner, this is the place but keep in mind it's not gonna be cheap.
I arrived with a group 7;00 pm on Friday. I didn;t order any appetizers. There was a very long prolonged time between order the apps and main entree. Never ordered my entree til 8:30. Granted it was busy but there were small groups than ours that came and left before we even got our food. The server was no where to be seen. Food was good when it was received small portions.
Went there for a work lunch. We had reservations so we were seated quickly. It was busy but the service was good.
Free refills on Ice Tea (but watered down) and pop.
The sandwich was basically bread with a few pieces of smoked salmon. The amount of cream cheese was so inadequate that it was almost impossible to swallow. You need some creaminess in a sandwich... Absolutely the most disgusting thing I have ever had in a restaurant.
It is a shame because the service was above average... unfortunately with a restaurant, I can take bad service but not bad food....
I went here to celebrate my boyfriend's promotion and it instantly became one of my go-tos for special occasions (I'm a poor student or else I'd go more often).
The great:
Service - very friendly with a sense of humour
Atmosphere - I'd say 40% intimate, 60% lively and bustling (which is why I recommend it for groups)
Wine list
The good:
Food - wasn't the best but still above expectations
The not-so-good:
The menu is not very vegetarian-friendly
Hard to find
The food was great. The service was excellent. The prices were fair value. My wife said it was the best anniversary ever. What else can one ask for? You must try the Bauer Tart. Yum, yum.
The music was a bit loud which made it difficult for old folks like us to hear the server.
There was 7 of us at The Bauer Kitchen & we enjoyed the food tremendously. I had the Mussels, Ceaser Salad, Short Rib Gnocci & Strawberry Shortcake for desert. I really loved the Short Rib Gnocci especially. Everything was great. My family mostly had the beef tenderloin & steak. My husband had the Duck & really liked it. I did find it a little tightly packed - tables to close together & also my mother-in-law complained that she found it very noisy. All in all a delicous experience & would definitely go back
The food alone is going to make The Bauer Kitchen a success
We were seated in a corner banquette right next to the kitchen which was a little awkward, and the couple sitting next to us was an arms length away. We were asked if we wanted to move but then i took a look around and realized there wasnt any intimate seating anywere. The restaurant is fairly small and it looks like they did what they could to fit as many tables in as possible so dont expect an intimate setting here. The server we had was very straight to the point, took our orders checked on us once, brought the bill. She never offered my date parmesan cheese for his pasta and she never asked us if we wanted to see a dessert menu, she just brought it over. She was very nice but just very straight to the point which i didnt enjoy. Our cod cakes were fantastic! a generous portion of 3 crisp cakes nestled on top a delicious lemon aioli sauce and topped with sprouts and watercrees i think. It was delicous im definately gonna order that again. I had the Brie stuffed chicken which was served with a leek cream sauce veges and mashed potatoes. My chicken was a little dry but the brie and cream sauce disguised it very well. Im not sure if im going to order that one again. My date got the Short rib gnocchi and it was very good and satisfying. The sauce and short ribs were divine, but the gnocchi was a little oddly shaped. They were all shaped and sized differently he even had one piece that was 2-3 inches big and he had to cut it. I found this a little odd. I just never seen gnocchi like that. There are alot of good dessert options here, we had the Strawberry angel cheesecake which was delish and a good sized portion for 2. and again our server never told us what the "tart feature of the day" is. I had to ask. which annoyed me. And she never asked me if i wanted coffe or tea to go along with my dessert either. (I know people dont always have to be reminded and asked but in the restaurant business these little add-ons are crutial to business)
All in all we had a nice experience and we will definately visit again. There are alot of great innovative menu choices on there that we just cant pass it up.
The Bauer Kitchen has really capitalised on the Bauer loft community. Having a wonderful meal on the patio backing on to the beautiful Bauer lofts and the courtyard is a fantastic way to spend a late afternoon on a beautiful day. Kim was fantastic as she always is, and her personality really makes you want to come back. The design is very industrial-chic as they have used materials from the original Bauer factory yet the designer has captured a fantastic atmosphere amongst the historical materials. The wonderful Americano style food is hearty, tasty and designed beautifully.
Check this place out and experience the best that the Charcoal group has to offer!
