Charbono's

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  Arrived at Charbono's for a large work dinner.  I think there were 15 people in our party.  We were seated at a comfortable table in the center of one of the dining rooms.  The room was pleasantly lit and there was plenty of room around us even though we occupied a good portion of the room.  
  
  Started with a local Indianapolis brew, Sun King Wee Mac.  It was a dark, kind of nutty beer.  It was a good tasting beer, but I normally do not like dark beers.  I followed this up with a Bells Two Hearted Ale and a Sun King Sunlight Cream Ale.  This 2nd Sun King was light and quite refreshing.   - Our most approachable beer, Sunlight has a smooth malt profile and a crisp, clean finish.
  
  We had ordered a variety of appetizers for our large party, but 5 minutes later the server returned to offer us a appetizer sampler platter.  She pulled the ultimate upsell.  She said it easily serve 12 people so we were all in for it.  We failed to ask the price until after it arrived...$100.  But I must say, it was a great sampler.  This was not your typical appetizer sampler.  It was huge (that's what she said).  It was full order size portions of shrimp cocktail, spinach artichoke dip, jumbo lump crab cakes, calamari, seared tuna and probably some other stuff that I did not see because it was consumed by the other end of the table before it made its way to me.   Every item that I had on this sampler was delicious.  The calamari, in particular, was superb...fried to a perfect, golden crisp.  The shrimp were huge and tender.
  
  My entree, Verona Salmon at $18.99 was good.  The salmon was almost on the overcooked side but the bed of bacon & jalepeno hashbrowns that it was laying on top of made up for it.  The portion size was perfect, not too much, not too little.  This was a good choice for me.  
  
  Thanks Charbono's for a nice evening out with co-workers.

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  Posted on 02.06.13 Michael S.

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  This is the preferred restaurant of my company's owner and, consequently, a frequent dining selection when I'm in town. The food is superb, the service is excellent and the wine list is fantastic. My only qualm is their strip mall location.

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  Posted on 01.25.13 Ryan Z.

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  Went there Sunday after Church.  I had the breakfast buffet which was very good but slightly on the pricey side.  It is all you can eat so go hungry and eat as much as you can.  My wife had the Linguine Charbono which she gets every time we go there.  She says it's very good.   The service is always good.  Our favorite dessert is the Creme Brulee.

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  Posted on 01.09.13 Chris D.

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  Top notch quality here - Wish I could eat here every night!
  The best most tender steaks in town...right in line with St Elmos who in my opinion has the best steaks in the USA!

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  Posted on 01.05.13 Mark S.

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  Stumbled upon this place near the Indianapolis airport. What luck, it was fantastic. Good food, atmosphere and the best service I've ever had from a server named Wendy.

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  Posted on 11.23.12 Les P.

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  We were in the Avon area and we were craving fried calamari. Went here on a whim... it was pretty busy at 7PM on a Friday night, but we were seated immediately. Ordered calamari as an appetizer - it was delicious and the spicy red chili aioli was really good. We had the Scallop entree and the Chicken Scaloppini. The scallops were cooked perfectly and were on a bed of delicious caramelized onion risotto. The Chicken Scaloppini was SO good - the prosciutto sherry cream sauce is what made it. The server suggested changing from bleu cheese mashed potatoes to garlic mashed potatoes for the Chicken Scaloppini, and   it was pure comfort food.
  
  Service was excellent. I was disappointed with a 5 oz pour for my glass of red wine, and to me, it seemed even less than 5 oz. I mentioned this to my waiter, and he said he'll see what he can do. He came back with another 5 ounces of wine and poured it in my glass. That type of over-the-top service made me an extremely happy customer. Definitely a great place for a nice dinner - very comparable in price to the nearby chain restaurants, but much better food.

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  Posted on 10.10.12 Chris C.

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  I went here on a suggestion from the front desk staff at my hotel when I told them I was tired of the usual fare from the chain restaurants.  I was about to head to an Applebee's, Longhorn, etc. and I am sure glad that he suggested this place.
  
  The atmosphere is very relaxed with a nice water feature in the middle of the dining area which would help to drown out some of the conversation from adjacent tables (no pun intended).  It was fairly slow when I was there (somewhat early on a Tuesday) so I had most of the place to myself.  Service was fast, friendly and attentive.
  
  Like most people have commented on, the menu has a lot of great options.  I settled on the Fettuccine Charbono and was not disappointed.  It was LOADED with shrimp and a couple of perfectly cooked scallops, all served hot and quickly after the order was put in.
  
  Their bread was also surprisingly good - fluffy and warm and with an interesting and delicious oil.
  
  I will be back in the area very frequently for business and I can definitely see myself coming here regularly.

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  Posted on 08.28.12 CJ R.

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  Not sure how I feel about this place.  I thought it was an Italian restaurant, but they didn't have spaghetti and meatballs.  I ordered fettuccine and chicken.  My food did not really taste like anything.  The bread and dipping sauce they had was really good though.  The service was good, except the server kept asking me to hand her things.  I thought it was her job to pick them up?  I don't want to be rude or insensitive, but it wasn't like she couldn't reach them.  I have never had that happen before when something was not clearly out of reach.  It struck me as odd, however besides that she was great.  I was dinning with my grandparents who are not the easiest to please, but she was more than happy to answer their questions and let us take all the time we needed to order, which was a while.

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  Posted on 07.31.12 Lyliana H.

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  Been dining here for several years. Probably the finest dining found in Avon.
  A Cunningham Group restaurant (Stone Creek, Boulder Creek, Mesh on Mass, Bru Burger Bar.)
  Interior atmosphere - nice lighting, dim & moody - granite archways separating areas of the restaurant - stucco walls - lots of stained glass & wrought iron decorations - a stylish fountain - sexy bar area.
  Menu consisting of wonderful wood fired pizzas and pastas in thick spicy sauces.
  Steaks, seafood, salads, sandwiches plus much more.
  Great full bar including a nice selection of wine and beer plus some local beer on draft. Great service even though this place is always busy!

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  Posted on 03.02.12 Libbie V.

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  Here I am a skeptical out-of-towner in Indianapolis for business. Looking for a nice dinner without the hub-bub of Super Bowl. The hotel recommends Charbono's.  From the cheery hostess Alyssa to our incredible server, Sam, I really don't know what I liked more - the service and personality of the staff or the food!  great selection, great flavors and not your 'run of the mill' restaurant. Try the crab meat Mac and cheese or cashew shrimp. We only wish we had room for dessert. Great jib, friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere. Loved it!

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  Posted on 02.02.12 Jane M.

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  Pleased to inform past yelpers that your reviews must have been read by the establishment because the waitress was very attentive sometimes overly attentive.  Our waitress was super friendly and more than happy to advise us on the menu.  I must say I highly recommend the strawberry pecan salad!!!!!  Even in the dead of winter with strawberries out of season this salad was delish!

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  Posted on 01.06.12 Donna P.

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  Creative menu, great staff, and always on the edge.
  
  If you are looking for typical mom and pop Italian food from the old Country, this place will spin your hat.  Charbono's doesn't rely upon garlic, basil, and tomatoes to cover up bad pasta entrees.  Instead, they are very unique in their interpretation on the comfort food with a kick from the Country shaped like a boot.
  
  Good variety of starters, salads, and wood-fired pizzas.  I'm a big fan of the Iceberg Wedge salad, the Margarita pizza, Chicken Velvet soup combination before I get the Chicken Scaloppini.  
  
  Portions are fairly sized and the menu is varied enough for all tastes.  There are even many American favorites and steak features on this menu.  Charbono's practices the art of transforming your meal into an experience.

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  Posted on 01.02.12 Douglas H.

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  Visiting the area and ate here based on yelp reviews. The reviews were on target. The food was delicious, meals made to order so omitting ingredients was no problem. The wait staff very attentive and friendly but not overly so. The decor was interesting and pleasant.   Would definitely eat here again when in town.

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  Posted on 08.30.11 Sue C.

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  Visited Charbono's on a Saturday evening with some friends.  
  
  First off, girls, their floor is slick.  I had on boots with about a 3-inch heel and could barely get traction.  A fat girl in heels in risky enough, but couple that with a slick ass floor and it's a huge liability (pun intended).
  
  I can't even remember our appetizers, so I guess that tells you something right there.
  
  I had pulled pork w/ mashed potatoes that had jalapenos and corn in them.  The pulled pork was good and, turns out, you can't go wrong spiking your mashed potatoes with jalapeno.  I felt like the portion size and price were right on.  
  
  Our table also had ribs with a fruity barbecue sauce.  These were deemed to be "okay."  We also had a steak that was on the small side for the price.  It wasn't anything special, a little overcooked.  Lastly, we had a portion of chicken parmesan that was dreadfully overcooked.  Pounded thin and cooked to super dark brown is never a good idea.  
  
  No one really came by to see how we were doing, so we just kind of lived with it.   Once a manager or someone who wasn't our server came by, we mentioned it.  It wasn't a "I want a free meal because this was overcooked, but I ate it anyway" situation.  Just a simple courtesy.  A lil,  "Hey, just FYI, this chicken parm was a little overcooked."  I remember the woman talking to us about "telling chef" about it.  She referred to "chef" many times and it made me laugh.  I think "cook" might have been a better term here.  We weren't exactly enjoying chef driven food.
  
  It was okay.  We haven't been back, but I'm not saying we'll never go back.  There's a bit of a feel like they are just a little too enamored with their restaurant and their food.

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  Posted on 07.18.11 Jen F.

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  Love the crabcakes and bread

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  Posted on 04.21.11 Jackie B.

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  Decent place in Avon for some slightly Mediterranean, mostly American Contemporary fare.  Came for lunch with coworkers, it was bustling.  The interior is nicely decorated, it has a sort of lodge feel, beams and bricks...not sure how that goes with the Italian-ish menu, but it is comfortable and also lends a more upscale feeling to the restaurant.  
  The food is good, I had a steak salad and the steak was prepared the way that I wanted and not overdone.  The service was a little lax, our server was a little bit flaky, but nice.  Overall decent, I would go again and see if I liked it better.  From the other reviews, it seems to fluctuate on quality and service so it might be a crapshoot whether or not you will have a good experience here.

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  Posted on 03.30.11 Janet S.

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  The Margarita Pizza has definitely changed.  Maybe because they some how ran out of basil that night, but I doubt it.  It really wasn't enjoyable at all.  I was offered a side of pesto to add additional flavor, but that didn't help at all.  What was still good is the French Onion Soup, which never fails.  (The price did get bumped for a bowl up to $5.99, though not shown on the menu.) My cousin had the Linguini Charbono, which she said was good.  (I didn't get to try as she had a sore throat.)

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  Posted on 03.15.11 Patricia N.

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  Went here for lunch with some co-workers last Wed and had a great meal.  The warm bread started things off on a tasty note and my Cuban sandwich was delicious and coked to perfection.  This was a nice change of pace for the usual chain places along

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  Posted on 11.20.10 Chris W.

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  Great restaraunt! We have eaten here on many occasions. Service has always been great and food delicious. Very nice atmosphere for a date as well. I usually get a steak and my wife always gets a pasta dish. Also love the bread and dipping oil!

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  Posted on 10.12.10 Matthew W.

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  I had a really good meal with the family there. Seems to be owned by the same company as Stone Creek Dining, decor is quite similar. Pizza was pretty good, calamari appetizer was tasty as well. Wife had a rustic mushroom pasta dish that she enjoyed very much. The price was very reasonable, better than I expected. Seemed cheaper than the Stone Creek menu.
  
  I'd definitely recommend.

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  Posted on 08.24.10 Nathan G.

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  Charbono's is fabulous. Excellent decor, great service, super food. I've never had a bad experience. I've had steak, pasta and seafood... it's all very good. Even their pizzas are pretty good. This is a great place for a date or to take a business meeting. A little pricey but this is a great experience, local-owned and worth the money. I wouldn't call this Italian... more like Classic American with some Mediterranean influences.

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  Posted on 05.17.10 Troy M.

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  Never had a bad meal here- and I agree - the bread and dipping oil is really good.  I've tried the Bistro Steak salad, the Bourbon St. pasta dish, the Applewood Chicken salad, the Iceberg wedge and the French onion soup-- all delicious and the service is quick.  I also like that they have a bar area so you don't have to be seated next to unruly children...
  
  This place is great and I love that it's not a chain restaurant.
  
  They carry decent wines and the service is usually very fast.
  
  Say NO to chains and let's support local businesses!

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  Posted on 04.15.10 Valerie G.

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  Wonderful atmosphere and great food!
   It can sometimes be difficult to find great food in Indianapolis!  But never at Charbono's, Stone Creek, or Boulder Creek!
   Their entrees are always inventive and delicious.  The best part about the menu is that you can change the entrees to meet your needs.  They cook everything to order, nothing is "premade" and run through a warmer!  The bread is delicious.  The wine selection is excellent.  The specials are always changing, giving even the regulars a chance to be surprised.
   It is the kind of place you can sit and really enjoy a meal between a small or large group of friends.  This would be a great, romantic spot for a date!  There is something for everyone on their menu!  I just took my mother there when she was visiting and we received great service.  I was even able to use a coupon, which helped with the prices.  Honestly though, the food is worth full price!
   If you go to Charbonos, you won't regret it.

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  Posted on 12.21.09 Ashley C.

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  Our entrees were decent.  Nothing to call home about.
  
  Really good atmosphere.  Front area is a bit drafty in the winter.
  
  Good wine selection.  Great bread and dipping oil.
  
  Good service, though our waitress broke our wine bottle cork inside the bottle.
  
  Prices weren't unreasonable, but a bit pricey for the quality of food we received.
  
  Probably one of the better venues in the surrounding area, but I likely won't visit again the next time I'm in town.
  
  Food isn't as "Italian" as one might be led to believe.

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  Posted on 12.10.09 Jonathan E.

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  The food here is delicious.  The staff is always extremely friendly and professional.  This is a great place to go out if you are wanting to eat nice Italian.  I really like the pizzas here.  
  
  The best thing here is the bread with dipping sauce... I don't know what is in it, but it is delightful.
  
  The owner of Charbono's also owns Boulder Creek in Brownsburg and Stone Creek in Plainfield (Metropolis).  I think the menus are similar at all 3 locations.

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  Posted on 04.22.09 Chad B.

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