Charcoal

On a gorgeously sunny Friday evening last mid-July (14, 2023), BFF and I met up in Edmonds to enjoy dinner at Charcoal for one of our regular catch-ups. I was coming from dropping off my 13yo daughter with her dad (my ex-hubby) who lives nearby so it was convenient for me and she may have been en route to a slumber party at her then-boyfriends a ferry ride away so I think it worked out great for both of us! I suggested Charcoal since I have tried pretty much everywhere in that main Edmonds CBD but not yet this.The space is open & industrial looking- with high ceilings, polished concrete floors, exposed ducting and a lot of wood with plants and greens to soften things.FOOD:We split the Burrata Salad ($16) and a Dungeness Crab Pasta ($36) and greatly enjoyed the big huge portion of yummy creamy goodness carbs that arrived. I no longer recall what type of pasta noodle was presented (and since Charcoal refreshes its menu at least seasonally, their online menu is an unavailable resource) but it looked very similar to fettuccini. We strained to finish 1/2 of it between us and then boxed the rest as leftovers. But NOT before we ordered MORE carbs- the house baguette ($5) because a good bottom-of-the-plate pasta sauce cannot be left behind!!DRINKS:We both started with the French Bishop ($13; brokers london dry gin, house mulled rosé syrup, aperol, lemon, cava) and I am not a big fan of gin but this was good. Not too gin-y. BFF's second drink was the Tango with Frieda ($14; mezcal verdes amaras, house blackberry thyme syrup, st. george spiced pear liqueur, lime) which looking at the description now, I think I'd like to try next time! My second drink was a glass of sparkling rose ($13; Cleto Chiarli Brut de Noir from Emilia-Romagna, Italy)Serivce gerat, ambiance great, food tasty... Two Thumbs Up!

In shortGreat cocktails & ambiance, food is solid for the most part. Decent entry into the competition for your special-occasion dining dollar in the south county.In longWe've been excited to try this place since even before it opened--the buzz has been really good. It's right downtown, which, in Edmonds, means parking will be a pain on Saturday nights (until maybe 8:00, when everyone around here goes home). It's in a corner suite on a hill, which means it has a bit of a daylight-basement effect since the streets are rising around it. But the high ceilings and 2 full walls of windows make it feel bright and airy. Lots of nice art up (there's a full gallery next door) and modern light fixtures brighten the space further.Service is relaxed but on point. They seem to staff just-right--a host, a tender, a couple servers, maybe one expo on the floor, for about 40 diners max. We scoured the menu a couple times beforehand, in delighted anticipation. This was my pick for my birthday dinner with family. It didn't even occur to us until we were leaving that the menu does NOT heavily emphasize grilled and smoked things, despite the name of the joint.What we did leave wondering was whether at least one of us should have ordered a steak. Friends have raved about the steaks here, and they're certainly the most-expensive menu items. We poked around the other parts of the menu, with kinda-average results. AsparagusAppetizer, with romesco, herbed goat cheese, and toasted nuts. We got 4 spears with tips, & 12-15 short spears under those (tips removed). Asparagus, coming into season now, is $2.99/lb at the grocery store. This was $18 for about 3-4oz of greens. I might get this again but only at HH prices.Bone marrowDecent portion, cooked rarer than I've had marrow elsewhere. The crostini were crunchy-hard, like croutons. Bacon jam on top, along with thin slices of onion. I think I prefer mustard and chewy bread with marrow. Thankfully, more and more menus feature marrow these days.Mushroom tagliatelleVery successful dish. Rich creamy sauce, chewy noodles, bright fresh peas adding some sweetness. Duck breastPerfectly cooked breast, just juicy enough to add flavor to the sauce underneath but none of the oiliness or greasiness that often threatens a serving of duck. The potatoes were a little too sweet, maybe due to the tart cherries, which were definitely too sweet for me. Kale was pretty good.Clams fritesSolid bowl of clams, great flavor and crispness on the fries. Cocktails4 for $61 before tip. Great value given the level of quality--these were all expertly made. Highlight(s) of the evening.Hemingway #2--bright and refreshing, visually beautiful. Tango with Frida--tangy and smoky, looked just like the Hemingway except a different shade of color.Dirty martini--not the biggest challenge for their talented bartender, but perfectly done.Smoke Wagon--rich, savory/seasoned, light sweetness and smoke. In the end, we'd come back for HH. The prices here set a level of expectation that's a little beyond what's on the plate, especially given that several places even in the Edmonds Bowl are dialed in on above-average (up to great) food. We liked most of the experience an awful lot, and none of it was disappointing, just needed cleanup in the details here and there.

The service at Charcoal is superb. The waitress knew what was on the plates when she was explaining to us. The food is super delicious. Even though it is expensive but I think it was worth it.

A cute little spot in Edmonds!Parking was easy on the street. Cool decor and ambiance. A bit noisy but tolerable. Drinks here are amazing and quite unique...one ordered at our table had duck fat, surprisingly tasty in a cocktail. The Walworth Rd was my favorite drink. Our server was attentive and very kind.Started with the Brussels sprouts and baguette. Both were okay for starters. 3/4 at our table had to get the squid ink spaghetti. It was pretty good. Not something I'm dying to go out just to eat again, but good. Overall would definitely come back. A great spot for date night, double date night, or a group!

Had a good date night at Charcoal in Edmonds. Good service and the food was delicious.

Went for mothers day. The service was the highlight. Our waitress did a great job and was always checking on us. Ambiance was good. Drinks were flavorful and had a great variety. I ordered the halibut and it was a bit dry. Wouldn't recommend it. The scallops were delicious and the duck was the best thing ordered at the table, it was cooked well and had a lot of flavor. Every desert we got was spot on. It was pricy and I wouldn't recommend, only thing I was disappointed with was the halibut.

Went here for the first time after many great recommendations! Our server was great! Ambiance great! Food pretty good. Steak was a bit over cooked. Vegetables were very over seasoned/salted. Potatoes were French fries. The crab gnocchi was amazing!

Delicious food. Such a variety. Incredible service from the staff. So close to the waterfront it was very chill and relaxing.

We've been here a couple of times now for dinner with some friends who are regulars. Service has been great and the food is even better. The menu is somewhat limited but changes regularly which is nice. We've come here for dinner a couple of times now and enjoyed everything we've ordered. We came here last weekend and were seated promptly (I definitely recommend making a reservation because this place gets packed). Our waitress was great and attentive without being overbearing. We all ordered a cocktail to start and they came out quickly. My husband and I ordered a side of fries to share as a starter and then split the duck breast and pork chop. Their fries are insanely good. They're super crispy and delicious. You can also order them as truffle fries if you want. The duck is delicious and pairs well with the puree and reduction. We've ordered it a couple of times now and it's been perfectly cooked both times. The surprise stand out was the pork chop. I'm not a huge pork fan but I loved this. The flavor was incredible and it wasn't dry at all like pork can be. I highly recommend ordering this. For dessert I got the s'mores parfait which is yummy and not overly sweet. My husband got the coffee crème brûlée which he enjoyed.

Stopped in recently with my sister for a light bite after a day outside. I've always loved this place, and it's one I never hesitate to take friends or family for a special occasion or just a casual good meal. The restaurant itself is lovely, with high ceilings and big windows and well-spaced tables as well as a long bar. It feels light and airy, but still manages to create space for intimate conversation or date nights.We had several small plates and each was excellent: Bone Marrow; burrata; grilled asparagus; and one off the specials page, pork belly lettuce cups. Each dish was excellent, with wonderful depth of flavor. Even a simple dish like grilled asparagus was elevated, with the ancho and citrus romesco adding incredible fresh spiciness and tartness. We each had cocktails (I had their take on a Moscow Mule, which was delightfully refreshing on a warm evening).Dessert was a Sumac Strawberry Tart; lovely tart lemon curd and sweet Sumac strawberries topped with dragonfruit meringue. As always, our server was excellent; helpful and engaging without being overbearing or intrusive. We were able to enjoy our meal without feeling either rushed or neglected.Charcoal is not cheap (few restaurants in Edmonds are), but it is excellent value for the elevated overall dining experience; excellently prepared food, excellent service, and always reliable. Definitely worth a splurge.