Allow me to begin by stating the Charthouse has been a family favorite for an age. My wedding was held on their lovely grounds. For better or worse, the Charthouse came under new management/ownership a few years ago and I believe that has led to its decline.\r
\r
The Patio: For the last year the outdoor patio has been chronically understaffed. Without fail, the service starts out cheerfully promising, then degrades into a slow, chaotic experience. Our most recent visit lasted almost 2 hours... for burgers and wraps. Our waitress took almost 20 minutes to get drinking water on the table. Our orders weren't taken for 40 minutes. After well over an hour when the food finally was ready, our child's mac-n-cheese was left in the kitchen and it took another 10 minutes to retrieve it. (She's very patient for 3-1/2, but was about at the end of her rope and our food was getting cold.) We felt like we were a constant imposition on the waitstaff, but we couldn't seem to get anything with our first request (including drink refills, silverware, etc...). Sadly, this over-stretching of the staff (which results in poor service) seems to be the norm now rather than the exception.\r
\r
The dining room: The decor remains the same as it's been for 20 years -- a classy, upscale dining room. Unfortunately, the menu, which once was rich with a wide palate of offerings, has been reduced to just a few selections under each heading. There is virtually nothing in the way of dish descriptions - ie: one will need to ask what type of pasta/rice/veggies will be served with each dish. (This led to 2 of our 4 party members being disappointed with their meals.) Our wholely unspectacular meal (pastas and steaks) totaled over $120 for four, and that did not include any specialty beverages. Service in the dining room, while (again) slow, was superior to the patio.\r
\r
With service waning and an over-priced, over-simplified menu, I can no longer recommend the Charthouse for enjoyable dining.
Pros: Lovely grounds (great for strolling), classy ambiance
Cons: Slow (and frequently) poor service, unspectacular food for the price
more