Chart House

Came here for happy hour with a couple friends and had a great time. The staff is all handsome and attentive. I enjoyed a delicious pomegranate martini for only $ 7 and all sorts of tapas dishes such as prime rib sliders, spicy shrimp, and salt+pepper chicken. Yum!

I love the location — right at the water as it supposed to be. Breathtaking view of the bay, all these beautiful houses, gorgeous yachts cruising along, boats and water taxi. So peaceful and quiet. I prefer the terrace of course if the weather allows you to get a table there.
I wanted first and foremost the Rockefeller Oysters, they were out of them.
They were out of lobster and shrimp rolls and scallops too. What can I say… So we ended up with Kim Chee Calamari, which were not lightly fried as they promised, but too much for me and too much breaded. What vegetables there were I have no idea — because you could feel only the breading. Snapper Hemingway which was parmesan encrusted topped with crab meat and lemon shallot butter — that one was really sapid and dainty. Savory Shrimp Scampi with black pepper fettuccini and light garlic butter — I was afraid that would be too much spicy. But I asked our waiter and he said that it wasn’t spicy, it was savory and he was right. It was delicious.
For dessert they always recommend hot chocolate lava cake which is supposed to be ordered 30 min in advance. But we took apple crisp with ice cream and it was pretty good.
Wine list is literally a list and is on the back of the food menu. Typical selection for this kind of establishment.
Service was good. It’s not waiter’s fault that they were out of almost half of the menu, but we found something good from what was left to enjoy.

Terrible service. Over 2 hours !! Asked for a manager that never showed up. Poorly run. It’s a shame, beautiful location and restaurant. Don’t waste your time or money. Food is good but not good enough for the rest of the problems you have to put up with.

Nice view of the waterway. Snapper was good and the crab lump and mango. Appetizers were better than the meal. Green beans were cold and almost raw. Mashed potatoes were kind of cold and not as tasteful add I would have wanted. The snapper was very tastey though.

Had a great lunch here, dinner can be pricey. The food was fabulous, you must try the coconut shrimp. Calamari appetizer looked awesome. The signature lava cake is worth it, feeds 2 – 3. Super chocolate. Brad was a fabulous server, extremely attentive. Had some other things that weren’t that great like the French dip. Crab cake was OK but it wasn’t the Chesapeake Bay. Location on the water is really romantic. Have seen the other reviews about bad service and high prices. Dinner is definitely at least double the lunch price and it’s likely more crowded. Hard to find, but complimentary valet.

The worst service and the worst ahi tuna I have ever had. The fish was the quality of a cheap steak. The waitress spill out wine around the glasses and could not have been more inept. The balance of my party states thatcher food was
marginal but my tuna went back. I am left hungry and dissatisfied on Valentine’s Day

I am so tired of S Florida waterfront restaurants that rely only on their location and view to attract customers. Then they give you mediocre (at best in this case!), ridiculously overpriced food. It’s insulting. And yet people (me included) continue to go on a gorgeous winter day of 70 to sit on the water and watch boats go by.
Our server Brad was extremely competent and nice. No problem there. The humus trio plate app was fine– just ok. The Caesar salad did come with the requested anchovies at no extra charge, as it should be (hear that Brio???). But my $ 34 lunch portion of Mahi was so small– which was fine as it was overcooked– that it was truly insulting. Like you’ve just bent over, and, you know… My brother’s Snapper Hemingway, on the other hand, was raw inside. He sent it back with no replacement because it had taken quite a while and disappointed him too much. I think that was $ 28. Insane! Fish looked as if either frozen or cheap cut– and having read Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain many years ago, it probably was because this was a Sunday, not a recommended restaurant day. The manager came over and was very kind. The staff isn’t the problem. Except the chef!!! And the owners. Shame on them all.

Great food beautiful place take lots of time to watch the yachts go by gorgeous night

The service is terrible. We went on a Tuesday for lunch and there were probably 5 other tables occupied, but the service was sooo slow. The food is okay, nothing to brag about. We ordered the hummus and it was pretty good. I had the ahi tuna salad and it was bland. The best part of the meal was the chocolate lava cake– it was amazing. The outside area was closed for renovation so men kept coming in and out of the restaurant. Overall not a great experience, just average. I probably won’t be back.

Went with a couple of our friends and well lets just say at least the conversation was good. It is very nice inside. Not too loud like most places in Fort Lauderdale. Our two friends ordered salads thinking they were dinner salads and they were huge, defiantly not a side dinner salad, maybe a table salad or lunch. They both seemed OK with them. The bread was just OK nothing special there. I ordered the short rib with burgundy wine demi glaze and garlic mashed potato, my husband order the swordfish encrusted in crab, our one friend order the rib eye and the last order was mahi mahi with purple sweet potato. I loved mine and went on about it. When I got home I realized I was the only one raving so I checked with everyone else and they were all underwhelmed. Our bill was over $ 200.00, with only 2 glasses of wine, and everyone said it was just OK, nothing special, they had higher expectations, could have been made better at home. So sad We won’t be back. I gave it a two because I loved mine and the waiter was decent. The view is beautiful however there was no seating outside, large party of 100 filled that space.

I really enjoy going to the Chart House for brunch. My review is based just on brunch as I’m vegetarian and this is basically the best food option for me. Outside seating during the winter months is fun and comfortable. The food here is above average in quality and the service is friendly but sometimes spotty. You will either get quick service or you will get somewhat slow service. Brunch menu is somewhat small but there is sure to be something there for everyone. Ice tea is phenomenal. I can just sit there and drink a pitcher down. Valet is recommended here and is complimentary. A great waterside option in Ft. Lauderdale and basically the only Chart House in the area now that Miami closed down.

Enjoyed lobster bisque, coconut shrimp (was just ok) & Ahi tuna tacos while my husband enjoyed prime rib (super salty around the edges). The bread seemed a bit stale but the second basket was warm and fresh. The fried plantain strips accompanying the Ahi tuna were also stale. Always a lovely ambiance as I’ve been coming here for years. Unfortunately our waiter wasn’t very well versed and ran to ask questions every time we asked him something about the menu. Overall a beautiful Dec night outdoors, an ok meal and an ok experience.

11÷14÷15. Dinner
We tried a different restaurant for dinner while we were in Fort Lauderdale. Chart House is high on the list but to my dismay it falls short of my expectation, especially when we had just dined the night before at Shooters with a similar menu.
I do commend the hostess and server further excellent service. Hostess was so thoughtful to offer black linen for my dark pants. Server Rich was professional.
Bread service was one of the best I’ve had. The little basket has two heavenly corn muffins and some poppy seed rolls. Corn muffin is savory.
*Chopped Salad ($ 8) is stale. The greens and palms are old and have a refrigerator smell. It doesn’t look good either. I am a bit shocked.
*Lobster Bisque ($ 9.5) is stellar. Every spoonful has bits of lobster to it and it’s got that spiced zesty flavor. Perfect!
*Savory Shrimp Scampi ($ 28) tastes better than it looks. Six pieces of shrimps with a pesto fettuccini. It hits the spot. The shrimps crisp and fresh. But they really need to work on the presentation if they charge $ 28.
*Fresh Swordfish ($ 29) is ordered just simply grilled with olive oil, no sauce or anything. The fish is good, cooked medium and juicy. But that rice mixture that comes with it looks like something you get, pre-​cooked, sat on a steam table, in Chinatown. Very bland.
*Key Lime Pie ($ 7) is what it is. Not bad.
Overall the food tastes alright, not living up to my expectation. The presentation is very mediocre, doesn’t live up to the décor of the restaurant. It’s supposed to be a high-​end restaurant but they don’t even make the effort to garnish your plate and make it pretty.
If I haven’t eaten at Shooters down the street, Chart House would get 4-​star do the excellent service, fine décor, and the fresh fish. But that I have eaten at Shooters, which serve better food, Chart House is downgraded to 3-​star upon comparison.

Chart House is a national chain that has a reputation for being a rather country-​clubby type restaurant that caters to the well heeled although despite serving up good comestibles I’m often reminded that the crowd would be well placed in a sequel to the Bushwood Country Club set satire in Caddyshack.
Fort Lauderdale’s Chart House doesn’t have the stately mansion-​type appearance that exudes privacy (and privation) as its sister restaurant in Miami-​Dade (ensconced so comfortably among the beautiful vista that is Coconut Grove and that stunning view of Key Biscayne); no the Lauderdale version is a little more lived in, shoulder rubbing, more inviting, and definitely appealing with a pretty cool baby blue, turquoise and lime green retro 60’s interior. The staff couldn’t be more helpful but it’s clear from the get go they are more comfortable with reservations, and probably fill up quickly that way (note: it’s very easy to go on their website and secure the city you’re in and then make a simple reservation through Open Table).
Apparently happy hours differ by location as well; and here the Fort Lauderdale Chart House truly shines! Running till 8 PM they have quite a gamut of appetizers in a $ 5 – 7 range and drinks also sporting an economic edge (the $ 7 pomegranate martini’s with a sugared iced rim are decadent and delish).
I was running into an old pal I hadn’t seen in 35 years so conversation between us was as much catching up as well as niceties — which is to say I wasn’t jumping into (too deep) conversations regarding race, religion and politics — but we had a wonderful time and I made some of her current long term buddies, including another lady who hails from our home town. Due to foreseen circumstances (a/​k/​a my finances) I didn’t stay for dinner (having checked out the menu online to do so would have put a substantial dent in my nonexistent budget — but I could see returning for a splurge).
So why the 3 stars? My only caveat (which I hope changes on a return visit) is service that is almost glacially slow… I’m sure you can visually watch the climate change (at least seasonally) in between drink orders — I settled for ordering two at a time so I didn’t go thirsty (so OK, I drink, therefore I am). But they seem a bit understaffed in the Lounge area where the fantastic happy hour prices are offered — a situation they might want to ameliorate.

I have never been here before and the bar is clean and inviting and the air conditioning is just beautiful and feels fantastic because it’s a hot August afternoon. Dana was my bartender she twisted my arm into ordering a mango mojito… It is fantastic best of all she had the greatest attitude because I was dressed like a freak because our YEE is right across the street so I figured to kill a few moments and not spend any time waiting in the heat and have something cold to drink that was what I had planned and it turned out fantastic definitely a spot I want to revisit

This location used to be Charlie’s Crab for many years, it was outdated and seemed to cater to an older clientele. Chart House is a chain restaurant, once they opened at this location they remodeled the entire restaurant, it is now modern and fresh offering a great menu and a gorgeous intercoastal water view. The restaurant is large, with indoor and outdoor seating. Valet is complimentary and there is also a parking garage and several metered spots across the street.
They have a specialty drinks menu, a gorgeous bar and a great happy hour special with discounted beers, Martinis cocktails and appetizers. Service is very attentive but the food is slow to come out. The menu is mostly seafood although they offer options for everyone.

Come for a nice spot on the Intercoastal Waterway. The views are great and they have plenty of fans and misters on the patio to keep you cool. Oh, and if you’re into poorly paced service, slightly grey ahi tuna, empty water glasses, and a lukewarm cup of cappuccino, they have that too.
Too many nice places in this area to waste your time and money here. Sorry.

Great value for happy hour. Drinks are $ 7 or less. Appetizers are discounted also. You can sit inside or outside. The side patio doesn’t offer much of a view because you are back from the water. However, they have comfortable couches and it is easy to have a conversation.
Valet is complimentary. Or there is metered garage parking across the street. Our server was excellent and handled 20 different orders/​checks. The inside bar had a guy singing and playing guitar so it was loud. When dining here you get the waterfront seats.
Overall, the happy hour is a great value and runs 5−8pm!

3.5 stars. This is a nice place for a special dinner. You can come by land or by sea. I went on Saturday night and no reservations were needed. The restaurant was busy but there were plenty of tables available inside and out. The place to sit is outside on the intercoastal. It’s very relaxing watching the yachts and fishing boats go by. They brought over a heater as the night was a bit chilly.
The service was very good as to be expected. The lobster bisque was probably the best part of my meal. It was seasoned perfectly and had chunks of lobster. The scallops main course was very good but the scallops were a little undercooked. I would have liked them with a thin crust on the outside. The soufflé was a disappointment. It was like eating a meringue pie. We ordered the chocolate soufflé but the only thing chocolate about it is the sauce you pour on top. I really think the only ingredient was egg whites. They should have advertised egg white pie with choice of chocolate, vanilla or raspberry sauce. But then again, no one would want to pay $ 15 for that.

All of the sudden I’ve become a chain slut.
No, not whips and chains but chain restaurants.
I’ve come to this chart house a few times for their happy hour because it’s literally in my back yard and I’ve never had much of a complaint but I generally don’t get excited about places that exist in every city.
It has a nice view of the water with plenty of outside seating but generally if I’m going out to eat it’s not really in my wheelhouse and guests don’t come all this way to eat at a chain.
Then the other day I decided I wanted a formal lunch. A well made salad and a cup of soup. I couldn’t decide between the soups so I was thrilled by their «best of». I was shocked on how good all 3 were. And they were individually presented well and not just a simple ladle of all 3. Then I had their kale salad which has apparently become a culinary cliché but hey, I’ve already broken my rule of eating at chains so the whole foody experience is out the window and it was actually delish.
The prices for lunch are a steal and sometimes at 2 in the afternoon you want formal service with the view of passing by yachts.