Character's brunch is very worth going to. The day-to-day specials, like burger and beer Tuesday, are a great incentive. This is pub-fare with a creative twist, true to the progressive Lancaster art scene. While the establishment itself is small, the ambience is cute, clean, & cozy, and the bar is extensive. The covered patio is perfect for the spring, summer, and fall!
*** Our waiter was not familiar with the contents of a Bellini, but the bartender was eager to research and make the drink.
I've lived in Lancaster for quite awhile, but had never eaten here. Â I should have kept it that way.
My boyfriend was visiting from out of town and I thought it would be fun to try somewhere new within walking distance. Â
There is zero ambiance when you walk in - that should have been our first clue to turn around an go to DipCo for burger night. Â The bartender was inattentive, even though the bar was practically empty. Â After our drink at the bar, we had to stand up and awkwardly mill around the bar before the bartender finished looking at pictures on her cell phone with some other girls at the bar. Â She called the waitress over and we were shown to our seat on the "patio" which was nearly pitch black (but much better than sitting in the bar area where an over-served party was being obnoxiously loud). Â No one bothered to light our table candle so I had to borrow a few from nearby empty tables just to have some lighting. Â We both ordered burgers - one turkey and one beef - and after 45 minutes (in a nearly empty restaurant) they finally arrived. Â The burger was honestly pretty tasty, but came with no mayo, mustard or any kind of spread. Â Just the sauteed mushrooms (that cost extra) and LTO. Â Fries were decent.
Cold atmosphere, inattentive bartender, helpful waitress, looong wait, decent food (if you don't mind being nickel and dimed for toppings).
What a waste of a few hours.
I expected more from this place. First, my friend said Thursdays were crab legs night. Not anymore. Our entrees were not great at all. My pasta du jour was way over cooked. My friends' crab cake sandwich was tiny. Honesty the only good thing was the olive bread they serve you as an app. Too bad, seems like a nice family type place.
Review Source:Since the restaurant has had new ownership it's really not the place it once was. They've raised the prices, bait and switch on specials and really don't give customers the excellent service they'd become accustomed too. Such a disappointment. Food is good, but not the value it once was.
One plus is that they are dog-friendly on the patio. Patio is nice except in the summer when they seem to neglect maintaining the space.
I really love their big,fresh salads and their grass-fed beef burgers.
The food taste great and is REAL food. I don't feel like my chicken on my salad is pre-grilled reheated chicken strip nuggets. It's a real piece of grilled chicken, fresh off the grill. The vegetables are so fresh and the lettuces are crisp.
They have delicious sweet potato fries. You'll want to never eat a regular fry, again. It's a small spot and nice hideaway joint. It gets busy and all the tables are full, but you don't have the crowding of Annie Bailey's or Marion Courtroom. It's so much more relaxed than that.
My major complaint about this place is when I walked in the door I could smell the bathroom. Sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go so I bucked up and went in the ladies. And they had a note on the door that the door did not lock. Awesome. My husband stood guard and wow, it was unpleasant to spend even a brief amount of time in that bathroom. I understand maybe they couldn't get the door lock fixed right away but the stench? Surely there could have been something done about it.
But the rest of the place looked clean and we were hungry.
The food was decent. Nothing I would lose my mind over but it was solid. I had a turkey burger and my husband had a french bread sandwich. The side salad that came with my burger was very good. I'm being picky, but the server spilled my dressing all over my bun and it was soggy.
The place was empty except for another couple. The service was ok and the food came out quickly but our server never returned to see if we needed anything else. She also was obviously smoking because when she did finally come back she smelled like cigarette smoke and perfume.
Not sure I would return to this place. Like I said, the food is good but the rest of the place needs work.
Best place in Lancaster to get casual food and limited "signature" entrees that are distinct, innovative, and always fresh.
Special orders are not a problem
Portions adequate to large
Service is friendly and efficient.
Great selection of beverages... Not cheap but wickedly made.
Our friends and family's go to place .... Never been disappointed.
Re: bad reviews listed below... The customer is not always right... Perhaps you weren't as pleasant and reasonable as your review... So it would not be a surprise if you got a taste of your own medicine...
Also, never been in the place when it wasn't on a "wait"
So I loved this place...
I always find it remarkable why new owners change a really good establishment especially when from the customer's point of view this restaurant was /is what they wanted.
Did they think they could do it better?
Did they not "buy" the concept and the regular clientele when they purchased Character's why have they worked so hard to alienate the regulars...
A few observations
Staff comes and goes... I get that and can live with new faces. What I can not get past is the new price structure. I don't mind spending 10 bucks for a burger... But $4 for fries... Get a grip. Since when is fries is a 4 buck upgrade over chips especially when the chips costs are similar
So a burger that used to be $10 tops with fries when george and gary ran this establishment just got a 40% increase...
Used to go 1 -2 times a month... Will never return unless forced
Heard it got better so I tried again. No real disappointments and the menu has changed to be a bit more reasonable .
Good draft beer selection
Service was efficient
Does lack the vibe  it once had .. Will return at a much later date
Much has been spoken and written about the change of ownership at Characters. For my dining companions and I, the food is still good and the staff still pleasant. The three of us ate at the bar. Our drinks were served promptly. Two of us started with the Caesar salad which was as it should be served with anchovies. For my taste, the dressing could have been a bit more garlicy but, aiming for the palette of the "average" diner, it was just right. Each of us had the crab cakes. One is sufficient unless you have a HUGE appetite! It was full of lump crab meat with little filler and broiled to perfection. Our server, Laurie, was friendly and attentive. We're all looking forward to going back and trying other items on the menu.
Review Source:Prior to it changing owners 5/11, we loved this place. Great food, great service. We just went for the first time with the new owners and doubt we'll return. Food quality was generally fine (though my husband was turned off by the fish sandwich because it had a very fishy smell... disconcerting) but prices were entirely too high for both the entrees and sandwiches. Guacamole & chips for $10? Burger for $12 and fries were $4 extra? Entrees $18-29- higher than one would expect for this type of restaurant. I suppose what really ruined the night was the service. Hopefully this was a rare problem but we won't return to find out. We waited about 10 minutes to get our iced teas (and the beer we didn't order) then yet another 15 minutes to place our order. Altogether we were there for 2 hours and did not linger. A favorite dining location is now off the list. Disapointing.
Review Source:We go here regularly. Â They have amazing burgers made from locally raised organic beef. Â The primary menu is basically sandwiches, soups, and salads, not too exciting other than the burgers, but they typically have a specials menu with 8 or 10 items on it that will knock your socks off. Â The wait staff is fun, the atmosphere is a bit boisterous at times so maybe not the place to take grand-mamah. Â I always run into people I know there...the clientele is a who's who of Lancaster City. Â Best of all...you can bring your dog if you're willing to sit on the screened porch, and if you're a dog lover...you are.
Review Source:We came here a few months ago, based on the Yelp reviews. I loved the location and the service was great. The food was just OK though. Maybe it was an off night, but I got the special and didn't really enjoy it. Â My husband got a roast beef sandwich and wasn't impressed. We are definitely going to give it another chance because we liked everything else about the place.
Review Source:I am local to the area and have dined at Characters on numerous occasions. Â Great food that is very fresh, nice mini wine carafes, great cozy atmosphere. Â Definitely could use more vegetarian options, but there are a few.
But to be fair to complainers, there is a bit of a snobby attitude sometimes. Â On one visit I ordered my typical veggie sandwich, and while eating it discovered a long cotton string intertwined within. Â It was partially in my mouth and I had to pull it out and it was wrapped all up in my sandwich. Â It kind of reminded me of something that would tie up meat or something. (?) Â No idea why it would have been in there. Â I was kind of grossed out, and quietly informed our server. Â He took it away without comment. Â Asked me if I wanted something else. Â I was hungry even if somewhat repulsed, so I asked for another sandwich. Â I was charged in full. Â At no point in time was I offered any explanation or apology. Â I didn't say anything because I was too surprised.
I have been there since and my food has been good. Â But just felt like mentioning that there does exist a "holier than thou" attitude at Characters.
I'm a big fan of this place. I interned at an office just down the hall from Character's. That's right, they have an entrance in an office building aside from the main entrance by the parking lot. This was literally 12 feet from my office's restroom. Imagine being able to step out and have a shot with your friends in the same amount of time it takes to wash your hands. Not that it happened, not that I would ever do anything like that, no, never. Also, something else that didn't happen was my supervisor taking a group of us down the hall and treating us to lunch and drinks on Thirsty Thursday. Never happened, nope, never, but if it did happen I'd have to find someway to write about in a review. Right?
Anyway, I like the atmosphere a lot. It's a typical dim pub inside, but in the summers there is outdoor seating. The food is very good, and it's always a great place to drop in for a drink. I've had the turkey burger there a few times, it's good, not spectacular, but still. The first time I ordered it they did have to check if they still had any and I overheard the cook say they had one in the back of the freezer from a while ago. I could have gone without hearing that. It is definitely a place frequented by the downtown Lancaster work crowds around lunch and happy hour. I suggest you stop by.
Character's is a small restaurant, and is often on a wait so be prepared especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Â However, you will find that grabbing a drink at the bar while waiting will make the time go by very quickly. Â As for Michael V & Barbara C, I watched the entire episode which you experienced at Characters (on the evening of Oct 1, as it was a First Friday in downtown Lancaster) - you wolfed the entire remade burger down with no problems, and definitely expected to then get some freebies taken off your bill. Â Additionally, Barbara then proceeded to chase down the owner in an attempt to get something taken off the check- definitely not the story you are falsely attempting to portray!
As for Kevin B - the crabcakes are not, nor have ever been, an appetizer. Â Character's has always served the crabcakes as an entree, and while any other menu item is available to be shared, Character's policy has always and will always be that the double crabcake entree is not available to be split (as 1 crabcake is sold for $16, and 2 are sold for $26). Â If two people would each like a cracake, they must each order the single crabcake entree. Â Perhaps is Kevin B hadn't gotten so bent out of shape over a logical policy then perhaps he would have enjoyed the fabulous all crab, no filler crabcakes that so many Character's fans know are some of the best in Lancaster!
First timers - A friend and I found this place walking around Lancaster Friday night - decided to sit at the bar for drinks and a bite to eat.  Tried to order a crabcake appetizer...but the bartender forbid us from doing this  - we each had to order our own appetizer. No sharing of appetizers?  Rather Odd.  Perhaps the food is good but I'll never know.  I give a 1 rating for the stupidity of this "house rule".  Needless to say I wont go back or recommend this place.
Review Source:Great restaurant, really really good drinks and simple and delicious food! Â This after at least a dozen visits over the last 6 months.
Michael V and his girlfriend Barbara C's scathing 1 star reviews below, amidst unanimous 5 star reviews, sound suspicious at best, Michael's being rambling and mostly senseless. Â First they both have different stories and contradict each other. Â Second, if your burger was undercooked, you sent it back, and it was returned still undercooked, and in some strange state (the same piece was cut out, indicating they brought back the same burger?) why in the world would you just eat it rather then sending it back again?? Â Makes no sense, and indicates you were happy with the new burger, ate it, and therefore you should have payed in full for it. Â The restaurant took the first burger away and Characters rectified by returning a burger which was apparently to your satisfaction since you ate it. Â Lastly, you dined their on "November 1" but you posted your review on October 15? Â Your story just sounds bogus.
My family is in the restaurant business locally, not related to Characters at all and frankly I don't even know who runs Characters, but they are good in my experience. Â Every now and then we get some jokers who eat their meals, then complain about it after they've finished in hopes of getting a freebie. Â Nope we don't play that game. Â If something is unsatisfactory with your meal, you must tell the restaurant. Â It sounds like you had a chip on your shoulders from the start which escalated the situation. Â Quite trying to rip off hard working restauranteurs by looking for some kind of compensation for a meal that you finished and therefore found to be satisfactory. Â
Characters manager is right, if people try it they will love it. Â Sorry you had a bad experience but something smells fishy.
On November 1, a group accompanied me to Character's Pub for dinner. One person ordered dessert, two of ordered hamburgers, and another ordered a chicken meal.
The problem began when we ordered our hamburgers medium and they came out rare. Our server, Amy, was not very attentive to the table and we had to get the busboy to take the hamburger back to the kitchen to cook it right. When Amy did walk by the table we stopped her and told her that we had the hamburger returned to the kitchen for further cooking and she kind of shrugged it off and said, "Ok" then walked away.
Later, she returned with the hamburger and placed it on the table and left. Now when we first got the hamburger we cut a small portion of it off to see that it was rare and placed it back on the plate; but when the hamburger came back that piece was missing, the hamburger was cut in half, and another slice of cheese was placed on top to hold the two halves together. This was unsatisfactory and when Amy came back to check on us she asked how everything was and we stated that the food was "ok" and she walked away.
After we were done eating she came back to give us our checks and left. Upon looking at the check there was no compensation for the improperly prepared hamburger. Now we were not asking to get a full refund, but maybe have a coffee taken off or a small percentage taken off the total bill. When Amy came back to collect the checks we questioned her about the bill and she took it to see what to do.
A couple minutes later the hostess came over and asked if anyone told us that we would be compensated for the hamburger and we said no but most restaurants would either acknowledge that they undercooked the food or provide a small token of courtesy off the bill; she then walked away.
Couple minutes went by and Amy came back and stated that she could not take anything off the bill because we ate the meal. I was appalled at her lack of concern or customer service in the matter. My girlfriend stood up to go talk to the manager and Amy stated, "Do you want to speak to the manager?" "Yes!" "I wouldn't if I was you!" And she walked away. My girlfriend proceeded to the front to talk to the manager.
She came back after a couple minutes and was in complete disbelief. She stated that she was argued with and told that she was wrong. She stated that when the manager came up to her he said that he did not want to hear it, even before she opened her mouth. He stated that the food was properly cooked and that she was being unreasonable. My girlfriend said that she had a hard time getting any words in and that he would not listen to what she had to say. I stood up to take the bill to the front and stood there as the host and other wait staff walked around me to do their duties.
Finally, one of the wait staff came up to me and asked if I was ready to pay and said yes. She said, "are you with that woman up front?" I said, "yes" with a puzzled look on my face and she proceeded to ring me up. She handed me the bill and walked away to work behind the bar. I opened the bill and she charged me $79.79 and my bill was only $47.85. I went over to the bar and held open the check and she came over and asked what was wrong. I showed her the mistake and that my bill was in there. Amy came over and asked what was wrong and I showed her and she grabbed the checks and said that they needed to credit my card and recharge the bill.
After several minutes of waiting she handed me the corrected check and a refund receipt, that she hand wrote the refund amount of $79.79, on it.
I walked back and signed the amount and we started to leave. Another bus boy (actually a larger gentleman) came over to clean the table and with a smart tone said, "have a good night!" My girlfriend stated that we would not be coming back and he said "Great!" I said, "excuse me? We will be telling our friends about the bad service here." To which he said, "Great! We welcome it because those people will come to see how bad we truly are! Have a good night!" We left! Needless to say the whole evening was ruined because of such bad service and hospitality.
We should have left earlier, but decided to stay since we ordered the food and ate our meals. We were not trying to be unreasonable but just wanted some customer service or acknowledgement that our food was improperly cooked.
The menu doesn't look like much but, it's tremendous. Â Sandwiches and burgers are perfect. Â Seriously, the burger and turkey burger are on par with any "gourmet" burger on the food network. Â Their dinner specials are equally appetizing and the portions will fill even the hungriest Lancastrian (for those of you not from around here, think state fair sized individuals). Â The only thing bigger than the food portions are the drinks. Â Order a Manhattan and a sidecar comes out for you to top off as you drink. Â Even the salads are great!
Review Source:Food mediocre, burger was rare not medium. Waitress didn't check on us after food served and had to get bus boy. When I told her the food was under-cooked, she could care less. Burger returned still undercooked but slightly better and barely suitably. No appoligy or offer of any kind was made to smooth over food although it was obvious it was barely sufucient. When check came it was asked if "something could be done to assist with the cost of the burger and she was rude assuming I wanted it free. She could have simply not charged for my coffee to make amends. One of my friends credit card didn't go through and instead of her discreatly walking to her side of the table, leaning over to tell her that, she held up the card and loudly stated it as declined to my friend. (Bank error). I was so shocked at the rudeness I got up to talk to the manager. He was even more rude than the waitress and agrued that the burger was cooked perfectly. In all my years, I've never had such rude service anywhere. I rarely send food back and I generally give 20% of a tip. She got a big fat zero. Avoid this place at all costs. There is enough competition in  Lancaster to eat elsewhere and avoid being treated as if your patronage was meaningless in this economy. I teach customer service for a living and Characters is nothing but full with hateful rude characters! Save your money and show them good service is what brings people back.  PS, food was mediocre.
Review Source:One of my favorite restaurants of all time.
I am completely stumped as to why there has only been one review about Character's so far??? It is always busy and it always pleases me.
Situated on the alley behind Queen Street in downtown Lancaster, Characters has a perfect location. There is always easy parking nearby.
You usually want to arrive pretty early in the evening, because otherwise there will be a wait for a table.
Before I go any further, please let me state my first reason for LOVING this establishment - they have awesomely strong MARTINIS! Maybe I'm used to cities that water down their drinks and charge $10.00 a pop, but here, you spend around $6.00 and get an excellent martini, plus the SHAKER WITH THE LEFTOVERS!!! ... um AMAZING!
The service is always superb and overly friendly. They treat you like family. The menu is not that big, but whatever you get will please you. From the appetizers, (spinach dip is a meal within itself), salads, vegetarian sandwiches, and meaty sandwiches you will be pleased. They also serve up a pretty little basket of a variety of bread before your food comes.
Such a fun, underestimated Lancaster bar!
Character's Pub has been since it opened and continues to be one of the best places to have a nice, casual dinner and a cocktail.
Hidden in the middle of the block lies one of Lancaster's best places for food and drink. Â Character's Pub maintains a small menu but every item on it is stellar. Â The desserts rival that of many of the restaurants perceived as the county's very best. Â An interesting bar and skilled bartenders serve great cocktails. Â The real key to Character's though are the servers who are friendly and attentive.
I could go on about Character's for hours. Â Their organic burger is amazing.
If you don't mind a short menu (mostly sandwiches, salads and burgers) but want each item prepared with top shelf ingredients and service that rivals any in Lancaster, Character's Pub is well worth seeking out.
Character's will continue to be on my short of list of favorite places to go for me for a long time.
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