Disgusting!! We had a Livingsocial voucher for $40, we went in on a tuesday evening. We sat in the bar area which had 2 other people and 10 empty tables, and the dining room was empty as well which doesn't surprise me at all. I ordered the Alfredo Cabenaro, it was gross for $15.99 and had no meat on it! I expected it to taste great for that price! The sauce tasted like it was from a jar! It was just nasty! I ate one 5% of it and asked for a to go box because I didn't want to complaine to the nice waitress. My husband ordered the prime rib medium rare for $28.99 and it came out well done, dry and looked like it was sitting there for a day and they just heated it up. His garlic mash potatoes had no garlic in them and they were so dry! It's close to where we live but we are never coming back! Very big disappointment! If they're going to charge this much for food, the least they could do is have quality ingredients! The service was good but the chef should definitely be replaced or this place will not make it, especially with the ridiculous prices they have!
Review Source:We went here for dinner because we stayed at a hotel close by for comic con. Â When we walked in, I really wanted to go somewhere else. Â The place is sort of a bar and it wasn't what i wanted to dine in after a long day. Â I ordered the new york steak. Â It was pretty good. Â The meat was very tender and the seasoning was good. The price was a little high for a bar/restaurant environment.
Review Source:Ate here on a Friday evening about 745pm and found the place fairly busy but nothing crazy really. I was seated quickly and already knew what I was going to be getting from my review of the menu online. I also had a livingsocial deal of $40 to use up so this was gonna be a nice big meal!
I got the 6 oz congac fillet with sauteed mushrooms and onions, dinner spinach salad with added chicken, side of seasoned asparagus and then the normal entree side of baked tater and green beans. A hefty meal indeed but recall folks, I am a competitive eater after all.....this is how I dine! Pictures of all of these are in the photos section so do check them out for full effect.
Everything was pretty average or a bit better then average accept the congac fillet.....this was AWESOME! The fillet was cooked perfect, for me thats medium rare. The mushrooms and onions with congac sauce come out bubbly hot on a skillet and you can just smell the deep sweetness of the sauce topping! I even used my potato which I like plain myself.....to chop up and soak up every last drop of the sauce from the skillet!
My whole meal was $46 without a drink but I paid a whopping $6 after the livingsocial deal was applied to not a bad price at all! Granted not a price I would pay for in full without a deal like this but I did and so there I was and I was satisfied with everything in this case.
My waitress was helpful, kind and patient with my specific order needs, kept my water full, got my check promptly when asked and kept a close eye on me during my whole dining ordeal. Overall this place was a positive and delicious experience. Again for the price of what I got without the deal I doubt I would come back to pay that much but hey, you be the judge and go try them out yourself!
Service was great, food not so much. Â It's funny cuz this place could really use bar rescue since it has so much potential. Funny enough they were watching Spike on tv when I was there and Bar Rescue came on...and I believe I heard staff commenting on how they need that lol. I love that show, and this place has all the things going on inside that Bar Rescue loves. Over complicated menu, no cohesive theme, plenty of passer bys of potential customers due to location. I hope they get an application in soon.
I'd probably go here for a drink though, bar looks good.
Decided on this place because it was open til 2am.  It was in a very weird location in la mesa. The parking seemed kinda sketch cause it was in the back.  It is  a bar/restaurant/karaoke.  It was super roomy and big. When my boyfriend and I went in there was only one person sitting at the bar.  The restaurant section was closed but we were still able to order anything off the menu and sit around the bar area.
I had the new york strip with the cognac and mushroom sauce. Â I am so glad the server/bartender recommended the sauce because my steak would have been super dry. I ask for medium rare and the steak was medium well. Â It was soooo tough to cut through. Â The twice baked potatoes were good though along with the bread.
My boyfriend had the ribs and it was super dry as well. It looked old like it was from the day before. They barely put sauce on it. Â The veggies were blah. Â
Overall, I think this place is good for drinking and listening to music cause the food was not worth a second trip.
+1 They remodeled the bar looks quite nice.
+1 Cheap drinks
+1 Lives up to the cougar den reputation still.
-1 Walking in it wasn't quite the same glory it had when I came a few times 2 years ago.
Tables unattended were very messy and no one cleaned them through out the entire time my friend and I was there.
-1 There was a very foul miasma inside and drove me nuts, I'm beyond puzzled why no one tried to figure out if it was a spill or so.
okay...there are cougars...then flat out Dragon-slaying (How old are these ladies and why are they out here at the bar age 55+?) I did not expect too see a handful of dragons, scary...very scary lol.
I'd come back if I was in the area, but my recent visit was a little bit of a turnoff...please keep the night somewhat clean!
Not my kind of place. The wait staff was top notch, but the food was not good. Burger was overcooked and my girlfriends steak was very plain and bland. The stuffed mushrooms and the drink from the bar were the best things we ate. The place seemed to only have people over 50 inside besides us.
Review Source:I came to the Charcoal House for the Tuesday Prime Rib. Â I chose the 16 oz cut! Â Wow is all I have to say about that piece of meat. Â It was great! Â Mary Jane was our waitress, she was attentive and professional. Â I am definitely coming back for BEEF! Â I really enjoyed the option of double vegetables instead of a starch.
Review Source:Same bad food & lame service as their sister restaurant Jamacha Junction in El Cajon. I took my mom here for a birthday lunch. Our server said she didn't know how to open a bottle of wine. I did it for her right at our table. I didn't really mind, but really?? Our server otherwise was adequate. If you sell wine, please educate your staff. This place is much cleaner than the old "Wrinkle Room" as it was affectionately called with the old owners.
Review Source:Last day for brunch!
Not kidding, because we unknowingly came on the last day they were planning to serve brunch. The brunch cost $9.95, and when we arrived, we were told that they would not have the food laid out, but rather made to order because they did not have all the ingredients to set up their regular brunch. We were given a oral list of items, that we could order unlimited for the said price. It was kinda strange, but workable.
We settled for a variety of foods including:
Mini Fruit bowls (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charcoal-house-restaurant-la-mesa?select=0Eqjt54KPklmWTsly9ltyQ#0NviSqF-V1Q03l1bvqh0kg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) okay
Biscuits and Gravy (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charcoal-house-restaurant-la-mesa?select=0Eqjt54KPklmWTsly9ltyQ#OWCIaplNZxSeCyFzvqK1VA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) not that good, very generic
Salad (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charcoal-house-restaurant-la-mesa?select=0Eqjt54KPklmWTsly9ltyQ#xK-Dn_bQ7DcznwdBvwMbTQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) Yummy!
Scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charcoal-house-restaurant-la-mesa?select=0Eqjt54KPklmWTsly9ltyQ#l2h9wvDYirp2rrtOCZ5avw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) Okay, bacon was the best part.
French Toast, bacon, and house potatoes (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charcoal-house-restaurant-la-mesa?select=0Eqjt54KPklmWTsly9ltyQ#0Eqjt54KPklmWTsly9ltyQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) Good.
Pancakes were very good!
The scrambled eggs lacked seasoning and the bacon was good, but some of the strips were limp and some was perfectly crispy. The pancakes and salad were the best part of the meal I thought.
The service was good, but upon arrival the place had a very strong scent of bleach. I mean I like to eat at a clean place, but that took some getting use too. Eventually the scent was aired out. Â Our server was great. She was very apologetic about the brunch mix up and did what she could to make us comfortable and make up for the lack of brunch items.
Overall the food was okay, but very simple. I would say a 2.5 stars, because I have to honestly say, I have had better, and with the mishap with brunch, well enough said; but once again, kudos to our server that did her best to make it happen with what she had. She deserves a raise!
I would recommend they update their on-line menu and website because it still says they serve brunch at 10 am., but no more as of today....
I have a memory of going to this restaurant when I was in my late teens, with the parents of a guy I was dating.  I had my first lobster tail there.  My impression at the time, was that Charcoal House was one of the finest restaurants in town, catering to those who could afford luxury, excellent wine / cocktails, and superb food  while tucked away in a cozy dark booth.
Okay, maybe that style of dining is not as popular as it once was, but hearing that they had just undergone a renovation, I looked forward to dinner on an early Saturday evening.
There were daily specials posted boldly across the front of the restaurant, I presumed to encourage customers to return now that the renovation was complete. The first thing I noticed about the dining room, was the ceramic tile flooring.  While it may be more practical for clean-up it unfortunately  brings to mind a much less elegant atmosphere, like a taco shop.  Acoustics and room ambiance suffer for this decision as well, because the cacophony of a half empty dining room was so overwhelming, we could barely hear the conversation at our own table.  I have been in cafeterias that were not as loud.
Now for the bad news:  We each ordered one of the Saturday steak specials, (at 15.99) a  filet minion, NY  and a  Rib eye, cooked medium rare, salads, mashed potatoes, with the standard  rubbery green beans they come with.  Choosing to downgrade the quality of dining could not have been better accomplished than with a basket of small square chunks of something called  "flat bread"  and small plastic cups of salad dressing (more befitting tartar sauce in a fish and chips joint) which transformed a garden salad into a Caesar salad. Â
The steaks arrived bleeding into our mashed potatoes, which makes me wonder what rare means. Â Our waiter, Firman (sp) dutifully returned them and was at our service whenever we told him what we next desired. The steaks came back tougher, but not totally over-done, but the thrill was gone. Â Hearing that a refill on our ice tea went past the time we were done, he took beverages off of our tab. Â A small, yet meaningful gesture, in my opinion.
If Charcoal House is suffering from a bad economy and cares to be regarded more like a Sizzler Steak House, so be it. Â The prices need to no longer reflect what was once a statement of luxury. Â More than one person has commented that without better management, a years old dining tradition may soon go under.
Six of us went to dinner last night (Thursday night) for their grand re-opening. We went specifically for the $9.99 prime rib because their prime rib is advertised as the best prime rib in town. We put our name in at 6:45 and they said it would be about an hour wait (we expected that because of the price and the grand re-opening - the place was packed!) Â It was exactly an hour - no problem as we had drinks at on the grassy patio area.
Most of us had our liquor on the rocks or wine, so we had no problem with our drinks. Â One of the girls had a whiskey sour and said it was the worst she ever had so they exchanged it for Belevedere on the rocks. The drink prices were very reasonable compared to other restaurants.
When we were seated, menus were thrown at us and we did not see a waitress again for 25 minutes. No water, 2 out of 6 of us had utensils and no drink orders. Â We flagged our waitress down 2 times and were told "I'll be there in just a minute". Â She told us she had 4 tables but they were making her cut up stuff in the kitchen. We felt sorry for the poor girl!
We finally got our awful bread and drinks about 40 minutes later, then our salads about 20 minutes later. We asked to see a manager. When the manager came over all she did was make excuses! Its the grand -reopening, we are really busy, we borrowed staff from our other restaurant, etc.... When people ask to see the manager, they are generally very unhappy. Â It's the manager's job to make them happy - NOT make excuses. Instead of saying "what can I do to make this right"? or "I'll go check on your dinners myself right now", we get a litany of excuses??? Maybe, comp us a dessert? I am sorry, she was a poor excuse for a manager!
We all finally got our prime rib dinners about 1 1/4 hours after sitting at the table. Â The best I can say is that is was okay. Â It was the thinnest cut of prime rib we had ever been served, the garlic mashed were good and the veggies left alot to be desired.
Sitting at our vantage point in the dining room, it was very easy to spot the problem! Â Also on the menu was $2.99 for cheeseburger and fries and a salad. Â There were tables of 6-8-10 people all having the $2.99 special. Â This is what was bogging the kitchen down! Â You have a table of 10 eating for $30.00 plus when you could have had that table spending $100 for the prime rib. Â Cut the $2.99 special off at 4:00. Â Very bad planning!
Overall, 5 out of 6 of us will never go back again because of the lack of organization and bad management!
I went for the first time last saturday and was so very disappointed. Â The place was overcrowded, the bar staff, less than friendly unless you were a woman, and the drinks were not mixed well. Â I give them an extra star for the heavy handed alcohol pour but it was almost too strong. Â Karaoke is fun but disorganized and you cannot hear yourself think over the piped in tunes. Â Definitely not a place I will return to any time soon.
Review Source:Okay...a review about A RESTAURANT.
All these people writing reviews of the restaurant crowd that hangs out in front area. I go to EAT there.This place is a "gem in the rough." Im sure not many local people eat there due to daily amphetamine habits/ lack of teetth per capita in the region,l but who doesn't like to "people-watch?"
Tuesday's $12.00 /$16.00 prime rib dinner rocks.
Good service and food.
That is my review, since all I do is eat there.
You go to Charcoal House to hang-out and not eat?...really???
So first of all talk about outstanding service!
Me and my friend just left this place. Â I took her here for her belated birthday tonight. Â It was an amazing restaurant. Â The food was fantastic and the drinks were killer! Best of all we had an amazing server. Â I think his name was Fermin. Â He went over the menu with us and described all the items that they had to offer. Â He also recommended a great Mexican Martini to us! He was more than nice and made our time at Charcoal house great.
IF you go to charcoal house try to ask for Fermin to be your server!
Carnivore's rejoice - Saturday's Steak Specials are right on! Â Got the NY Steak (10 oz), and a friend got the Filet (8 oz) - both were delicious, cooked as we liked them, and cost a reasonable 16 bucks (woohoo!). Â Mines came with veggies and garlic mashed potatos - creamy and very delicious. Â Our server was very attentive and friendly. Â I did get an appetizer - Shrimptini: Tempura Shrimp and cocktail sauce - honestly, it too was pretty good, though I do think the price was a bit too high (~$12 smackaroos) - but since i didn't get a cocktail, i figured it was a wash. Â
Note to all - Saturday is Karaoke night in the bar, with live lounge music. Â We decided to eat in the back where it was much quieter (and which reminded me of old school mobster dinner joints, in a good way).
3 1/2 stars. Went on steak night (Saturday) and had a very generous portion of ribeye for only 16 bucks (normally 25). The steak was cooked correctly, was good and very large portion. The twice baked potato was a bit disappointing - it was small, actually they only give you half a potato. However, I'd rather been disappointed in the potato vs. the steak so I was ok with it since the whole plate was only 16 bucks. The girlfriend got the lobster which was at the high end of the market price $50+ bucks! and she wasn't impressed. However, I wouldn't have recommended getting the lobster  in a joint like this but ohhh..well - you live you learn.
I would go back for the steak especially on Saturday's when they have the good deals.
The Phoenix IS rising --- went last night around 7:30pm., we both had macadamia encrusted Halibut --- it IS to die for . . . moist, THICK, very fresh, scrumptious topping . . . . garlic mashed potatoes also yummy. Very satisfying without the "beef" hangover.
the House is presently offering some terrific "lost leaders" with weekday specials. Â We'll be back soon. Fine, attentive service. Â Next time, we'll try some cow.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Flamesa.patch.com%2Farticles%2Fcharcoal-house-goes-dark-eviction-notice-closes-longtime-mainstay-for-steak&s=4a88a6b2ed4fc12a1e3b00b589c7a7844252930cb0db12f647dd375edd495a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://lamesa.patch.com/…</a>
I would have given 5 stars if for only food and service. One star missing simply for lack of my decor. Clean and neat, however, absolutely.
A year ago I would not have paid $1 for the lousy food I received here. NOT NOW! At my table we had, and all shared, macadamia nut encrusted halibut, an incredible porterhouse steak, and generous, tender chicken fried steak. The salads were crisp and cold. The steaks were char-flavored, tender and juicy. The fish was large and tasty. Because we were celebrating my father's birthday, there was an incredible apple cobbler with ice cream to top things off.
When the quality of the food combines with the friendliness of the staff, as it does at "The New" Charcoal House, it's destined for greatness. Thank you for making my Dad's birthday an affordable and memorable experience!
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT!
I can't imagine how bad the old management must have been for this to be an improvement.
Seriously. Â This was our first visit here, and had no experience at all with what Charcoal House used to be, and we weren't exactly sure what to expect. Â From the Yelp reviews, we expected karaoke and old folks and charcoal grilled meat. Â Beyond that, we had two very open minds pulling into the parking lot.
The first thing we noticed was that the front door had no indication that it was the entrance. Â No "Entrance" or "Welcome" or "Dining Room" signage whatsoever. Â My wife commented that she wondered if there was supposed to be a little sliding window that would open to a pair of eyes demanding to hear the passwoid. Â
Through the door, we walked into the sports bar and lounge, complete with very loud music from the juke box. Â Not a good sign. Â
My wife's first comment wasn't even about the edibles, but the potables. Â After a single sip, she noted that the water had a very chlorinated taste. Â We also both had decaf coffees, and it had a bitter flavor, like it was made from instant grounds and not fresh brewed.
Now to the food.
The caesar salads were... meh. Â appropriately sized for dinner and side proportions. Â But not a whole lot of flavor to them. Â Not even a hint of anchovy in the dressing. Â
But the biggest WTF moment came when they brought out the bread. Â For a moment, we thought the basket was empty. Â After opening it, we found what appeared to be a single piece of bread that had been cut into four, 2-bite pieces. Â
My wife had a dinner-sized Caesar salad with chicken strips on it, and the chicken had been cut so thin before cooking that, when it finally made it to the salad, it was pretty dried out. Â
I went with the steak bites, which is a ribeye steak cut into cubes and served with au jus and horseradish. Â This very much lived up to the expectation of char-grilled flavor, but unfortunately, they went waaaaaaaaay overboard with the au jus. Â They served it in a small dipping cup, but also poured it over the steak cubes. Â And kept on pouring, until it left every single piece of meat at least half submerged in sauce. Â There was so much that it had sloshed out of the plate and onto the charger upon which it was served. Â It took what could have been a very good dish and turned it into something I won't recommend. Â Even the horseradish seemed to be straight from a can, not fresh.
There were certainly plenty of AARP-eligble patrons, but that didn't really affect me one way or the other.
In the end, my wife and I probably won't be back to Charcoal House again unless we hear about some major changes in their quality, organization, and overall management.
I came here with my family a few days ago because I had bought a $25 gift certificate for $2 on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a>. As soon as I walked in with my husband and 2 small girls (under age 8), I realized that it was not only a restaurant but a bar too. It smelled like one too. Where they sat us we could not see the people at the bar but we could hear all the cursing from over there.
I ordered the chicken parmesan which was a "house favorite". Â It was served on a bed of angel hair pasta and marinara sauce. It tasted as though the marinara sauce came from a can. Im usually not that picky with Italian food cause its my favorite but i did not like it. The chicken was just ok. I could've done much better at home. Food is definitely not worth going back for, especially if that was a specialty of theirs. And I don't recommend you take small children, unless you want them to learn a few curse words. My husband had the country fried steak. That was just ok too, mashed potatoes were good. I definitely wont be going back.
I gave 2 stars only cause the service was good. Our waitress was really nice, which was the only pleasant experience there.
Although I was starving, I could not eat because the "eating mood" was nonexistent. I was here for my friend's 21st birthday at 8:30pm on a Friday night. Charcoal House was swarming with predators both male and female. The inability to eat resulted in my inability to drink because of the empty stomach which inhibited the potential threshold for properly celebrating my friend's 21st festivities. In comparison to the cougars, I felt weak, vulnerable, and outnumbered.
This group I saw within the Charcoal House seriously intimated me. The walls inside are painted red, creating an illusion of splattered blood IMO. Grenades (this noun is useful in this 'situation', ha! omgosh, i need to stop) were everywhere wearing SUPER tight skirts and shirts revealing way too much flap-overflow. If a fold of your skin folds over your tank top, then it doesn't fit. Just cause it zips, it doesn't mean it fits. This vision was accompanied by the smell of cheap perfume fused with alcohol-sweat odor caused by people dancing to music that was so loud that I had to scream at my table in order to be heard. Unfortunately, my appetite was completely lost after hearing a woman vocalize a mating call to the tempo of an 80's hit.
Inside, this particular class of women created unbearable tension as they took over the pool table while incorrectly lip-synching to almost every song that was sung. Our table was located next to the inferno's playground. The cougars would position themselves as freely as they wanted, even if their pool sticks were jabbing us in the back of our heads. These women were ruthless. I wanted to seek out a tranquilizer gun, aim, fire, then find the nearest exit and gtfo. The food served at this point is not worth the time or money to enjoy while a club-like environment ensues around you. This place is definitely NOT kid-friendly at this time because The Charcoal House is not a restaurant on Friday nights - it's a den. I'm lucky that I made it out alive.
Dear Wrinkle Room,
You need some help. I dont know how else to say this, so Ill just be honest with you.
Your bartenders are not the friendliest I have ever encountered. Your bathrooms are also, not the cleanest I have used as well.
There was some sort of flooding in the "restaurant" section, and you had to remove all of the carpet, and now its just concrete. I dont like it.
Lastly, the crowd. I like your nickname, I think is funny. I like seeing old people get drunk, and freak in the dance floor, thats even funnier. However... and this is a big however, I hate the ghetto thugs, and white trash a holes that come here and think they own the place. It ruins the mood when massive fights break out.
You should establish a dress code no metal mulisha, or do rags.
Im sorry if I hurt your feelings, but i needed to be honest. I hope we can still be friends.
Whoever dubbed this place 'The Wrinkle Room' has a special place in my heart. This place is COUGAR CENTRAL. But not Desperate Housewives kind of cougar, think more like Hulk Hogans ex wife kind of cougar.
Never been here to eat only to drink, and I have had some memorable experiences, to say the least. My first time coming here, I was pretty scared. Mid 40 to late 50 year old women running around, dressed like AND acting like flirty high school girls.
The womens bathroom was a scary experience. I won't elaborate on it, I'll let you use your imagination.
I really come here for the karaoke, even though I get dirty looks from people if I sing anything that isn't country, which is always.
Last time I was here there was a 'special' on Bloody Marys for some reason. $3 for a tasty Bloody Mary. Good deal.
I had a gift certificate from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a>, so that's the only reason why I went here. Thank God I had a coupon, because if I paid full-price for what I got, I would be totally ticked.
My husband and I went Saturday night and didn't know what to expect since it was our first time there. I had my mind made up that I wanted prime rib, but the waitress told me they just ran out of prime rib. There was only one other table in there, so how do you run out of prime rib on a Saturday night with no customers? Nothing else really looked good since I had my heart set on prime rib, but I got $19.99 La Costa Shrimp - shrimp stuffed with crab, wrapped in bacon and served with a cream sauce. I ordered the twice baked potato as my side dish, and unfortunately, my potato was the best part of my meal.
My husband's $18.00 rib eye steak was not very good - comparable to a steak from Applebee's. My shrimp were fishy, not sure if that was the shrimp or the crab stuffing. Some of the bacon was fully-cooked, some of it was soft and soggy. The "cream sauce" on the shrimp was in fact, gravy. A white, boring, tasteless gravy.
I do have to say that the chicken tortilla soup was delicious and so was the twice baked potato. Both of our main courses were not good.
After dinner, we went to the bar and watched karaoke. It's obvious people don't come here to eat, they come to the bar for a reason - it was nice in there, fun too. Drinks were reasonably priced and made well.
I would never come back to this place for dinner, but if I was in the area and nothing else was around, I might stop in at the bar.
The Wrinkle Room!!!
Its one of those places you have to experience for yourself. On any given night you never know what to expect. Cheap drink and older women. If you want a drink and a show this is the place to go. People of all ages and all walk of life gather here for a good time and that's part of the fun. Watching a women in her 70's dancing with someone in their mid twenties. Grandpa checking out the younger girls. Someone drunk white parents that cant dance. This place is a sociology experiment gone wrong.
Every now and then I stop by for the prime rib bites. A health portion of precut prime rib on a platter. A perfect fat kid meal.....I don't even need to cut it. All this for 7 or 8 dollars.
$7.99 for melt-in-your-mouth Prime Rib? Â Yes! Â
No, not the dinner, but an appetizer with enough chunks of meat on the plate to constitute a dinner, and a couple of perfectly seasoned and flavored pieces of garlic bread to go with it. Â I had enough to share a few bites with others so they could see how good it was and still make up for my lack of dinner and get totally full myself. Â I would order this again in a minute.
The La Mesa Lunch Bunch group chose this place to come to for our second evening event. Â It was a good choice. Â Some of the Karaoke singers were so good I forgot it was amateur music and thought I was listening to a hired live band. Â It was a bit loud for talking to anyone who wasn't sitting right next to you, and you had to talk pretty loud even then, but not ear-splittingly uncomfortable.
I asked the waitress if they had any purple drinks and she recommended the grape vodka. Â Not my usual cup of tea but in this case it was quite good, grape vodka with seven up or something. Â Very refreshing. Â I had three of them with no after-effects the next day.
The service could have been a little better. Â The waitress didn't really come around after we got our initial drinks, but when I turned around and looked there was a bar not far from us so people just went up and ordered directly. Â The waitress was very nice, though. Â Just overwhelmed by the number of people, maybe.
Charcoal House can't take credit for the wonderful company I was in but I'll mention it anyway because it was part of why I had such a nice time. Â JC, our organizer, Â Tina C. and Pattie C., Warren, Tina's old boss, Ben (or is he your new one?), Ron the Rev, did I leave anybody out? Â Let me know, I can edit. Â Anyway, a good time was had by all!
Hey this place may not be for everyone but for me it's a place close enough that I can pick up Pattie C and drive to within minutes. Â Cover is free, everyone is there to have a good time, not pretentious, and plenty of dancing.
What more can I say...The Wrinkle Room has ironed out some of those creases and they've done it without the use of botox.
My previous opinion of the Charcoal House wasn't changed by my second visit. Â CH is a broken down restaurant and karaoke bar posing as a night spot. Â If you like loud raucous bars, bad karaoke singers, a greasy atmosphere, and worn out bar deco lighting you'll like CH. Â
I'm sure certain kinds of people like CH and since there aren't a lot of night spots in East County it's easy to understand why people go there. Â Since I don't live in the area I would return only under protest. Â
Positives are that it has one pool table, one electronic game and an endless supply of karaoke songs. Â The drinks appear to be reasonably priced. Â I have no idea what the food is like although I noticed that the dining area has nothing but booth seating. Â
The cougar factor cited in other reviews is hugely overstated. Â Maybe I wasn't there the right night? Â I noticed a few women over 40 but the majority of people were in their 20s and 30s. Â One surprise factor was the number of short petite women. Â I'm a tall guy and I notice these things. Â CH seems to attract a disproportionate number of short women. Â I have no idea why. Â Maybe they grown them shorter in East County? Â
One star is being generous. Â It's just not my kind of place. Â There much nicer classier places in SD that don't have all the issues this place does.
Caution: This is not a food review. Rather, its a review on a karaoke bar in La Mesa with frequent "cougar" sightings.
First...the patrons. The average age has to be 48 - ranging from 21 to mid-70s! That's were the name "wrinkle room" comes from...i hope. Eclectic might be to soft of a word...one of the other YELPers said bizarre; i say somewhere in between. You'll get some lifted truck El Cajoners, wanna be rock stars, hip hop heads (which confuses me), older married couples, OLDer men who are high on viagra (pretty gross and hysterical at the same time), interesting selection of Cougars, this sweet looking older woman who may be the mascot (I'll come back to her), and then you'll get a few really good looking girls who look like they dressed up to go clubbing downtown but somehow ended up here!
Picture being in the middle of this crowd, throw in fair priced alcohol, karaoke...and you got yourself a good night! Every one of my times here has been WAY different...from crazy all nighters to a mellow billiard night...but every time has been good.
If you're up for some people watching, you won't be disappointed! I come here to throw a few beers back and just watch people have a good time (which sometimes means horrible karaoke!) I think they have karaoke Thurs-Sat.
One last comment, but very much worth it. The older woman mascot. I don't even know how to comprehend who or what she is. Has to be at least 70, pure white hair, and I've seen her EVERY time i have stopped in. She always wears some solid bright color (last night was turquoise), a flowing dress, kind of gypsy like, and always has the same dance moves. She waddles back and forth with a huge uncomfortable grin, and does the same motion with her hand, lol. I can't really explain it...its almost worth coming out just to see her.
Marwan doesn't lie.
PLEASE NOTE: THE PIECE OF MEAT PICTURED IS NOT FROM THE CHARCOAL HOUSE!!!!
My first mistake was reading all the previous reviews and not paying attention to what people were really writing about. MY BAD! I thought their combined enthusiasm meant that the restaurant was a good place to eat...MY BADx2
If you read the reviews of the Charcoal House they are mostly for the funky, fun, loud, very entertaining bar that is attached to the restaurant. When you enter from the back parking lot, if you hang a left, you're in funville (aka Wrinkle Room) complete with a karaoke machine. If you hang a right, then you are taking your chances with food whose recipes and cooks are clearly left over from the late 60's.
Last night my husband and I had a strong hankerin' for a steak.
We live out near the Viejas Casino and our mistake was either not making the trip into town to the Butcher Shop or going a little northeast to the Barona Ranchhouse, either way I checked the reviews on Yelp and off we went.
First of all, I should have trusted my gut feeling when not only did I NOT note any smoke, charcoal or broiling smells wafting from the building, the Restaurant smelled like an old, stinky rag. Lots of red vinyl in there and someone should know that if you don't use a very clean rag rinsed out in a little bleach you're going to get a sour smell all over the place.
Anyhow, the server (didn't catch her name, no name tag) was friendly, efficient and available so of course I am not stupid enough to "shoot the messenger" we still left her a good tip, not her fault that food sucked butt.
The menu seemed impressive and we settled on two Porterhouse steaks, one w/a baked potato and one w/ a stuffed potato. There was some good garlic bread, fresh and soft, a complimentary salad plate of cold veggies and ranch dressing and a decent mixed salad w/ great croutons ruined by the most watery blue cheese dressing you have ever tasted.
We didn't wait too long and were happy to observe that even though there are lots of folks of the silver haired variety on the side of the bar, there was a nice mixed crowd in the restaurant.
But then...... here came the steaks and I wanted to cry. My husband first of all is a typical male of the old school who when he is hungry will eat no matter what and won't send back food no matter what. He's afraid if he does, either the staff will spit on his next plate or it will take forever and he will starve sitting at the table while he waits. I AM NOT KIDDING!
I learned a long time ago to just go with the flow but that doesn't mean I can't warn anyone else right? My husband had the Porterhouse with the baked potato and as God is my witness (thank you Scarlett!) the two plastic cups that come with a potatoes that traditionally have the sour cream and butter were bigger than the potato itself. Are you kidding me?
Potatoes are so incredibly cheap, giving your customers a nice big , well cooked potato many times will make up for a less than perfect piece of meat. But here's the killer....that beautiful piece of Porterhouse steak looked as though it had been cooked in a George Foreman grill!!
True, it had grill marks but the meat itself was very white, the fat on the edge of the steak was white and cold and gristley. You all know that even though the fat is not good for you when a steak is done right on the grill, even the fat is tempting, almost too tempting to pass up.
At first I couldn't figure out why my steak looked like an albino zebra and then on the way out to the car, I realized that I could smell any smoke, grilling, nothing mouthwatering at all. If you restaurant is called the "Charcoal House" shouldn't it smell at least as good as Burger King does?
Nope, I would bet good money unless I am shown otherwise that there is not grilling going on at the old Charcoal house and that's a sad thing because we are the kind of people that eat out once or twice a week without fail and if we like  a place will stick with it no matter what.
If you want good steak...go somewhere else....
Three words............
The Wrinkle Room!
East Counties finest and hey I am not poking fun I am actually an east county broad myself so please don't take offense.
Great place to go to be entertained, there is dancing, stiff drinks and karaoke so what's not to love.
It does get crowed so it's best to go early and I would advise steering clear of the restaurant and just visit the bar.
PS - if you ever got caught in a tidal wave or hurricane with most of the lady patrons you definitely wouldn't be lacking in flotation devices.
I finally checked the Charcoal House out with some friends the other night and was pleasantly surprised. Â The good old Wrinkle Room was rocking out with the most diverse group I have ever seen in an establishment like this in SD. Â The cougar ratio was certainly high, and one of my buddies got his junk pawed at, which was hilarious given our state of mind. Â
The drinks were reasonably priced also. Â I like the cheesy retro decor and the karaoke was one of the better ones I've seen. Â The dance floor was pretty packed and fun. Â As diverse a group as it was, everyone was in a great mood and friendly, ie: no punks throwing hard looks or bitches with attitude. Â Certainly not the place to go dancing, but when that shitty, when in Rome... Â Some excellent people watching available in this place. Â
The strangest thing about my evening at Charcoal House is that I honest to God drank a spiked drink! Â I have to admit that I can put down a LARGE amount of alcohol in an evening. Â This night I really didn't drink much, but was amazed at how inebriated I felt. Â Then my head was seriously swimming a few times and it actually crossed my mind... Â Did some crazy ass cougar slip me something?!?! Â Got home, passed out and the next day woke up with the absolute gnarliest hangover of my life. Â I work nights, so I slept most of that day, woke up still hurting, then worked 10 hours with a horrible pain in my temples and behind my eyes. Â The next day I STILL felt a little crappy. Â
I have never experienced anything like this in my life and I've been on a few benders in my day, so I think I was a victim! Â I need to have a good cry and hold my knees while rocking back and forth in the shower for a few hours... Â Oh well, it won't stop me from going back to this place with the right group, but I think I'll keep a better eye on my drink next time out.
we rode our Motorcycles here and the patio has plenty of secure parking for bikes so that was cool. but I heard some guy say the car parking is scarce, maybe because the place was packed.
This place reminds of Coco beach in Carlsbad with the dimly lit high back red  booths. this looks like a good place for a date. the food menu looked very reasonably priced I had the Steak Strips, they were really good.I don't  know about the drink prices because my buddy picked up the tab.
The crowd was mixed and the karaoke was funny to watch. I will most likely be back ,it was a nice ride here.
Oh, The Wrinkle Room.
This place is like going to a random wedding reception: there's a weird and varied crowd tearing up the dance floor, and 90 year olds are using their "cute grandpa factor" to dance with 30 year olds.
I like this place because it's great for people watching.
The karaoke scene here is very competitive. It seems as though the regulars practice all week just for their moment to shine to an upbeat Tina Turner jam.
Lots of country karaoke, and guys with cowboy hats to match.
The karaoke host INSISTS on singing backup, which is hilarious, and he also has a strict "NO SLOW SONGS ALLOWED" policy.
Once, he let us get away with singing "Leader of the Pack," until he realized there was a slow part to it and the song is about a bad-ass that gets killed in a motorcycle crash.
We may or may not have been booed off stage and stripped of our mics.
Anyway, fun place if you feel like people watching and getting your ass grabbed by someone's skeevie gramps.
Good drinks, fair prices.
I got talked into coming to the "Wrinkle Room" for a girls night out. Â Okay, it was really a night for the Cougars to run free if you must know. Â One of the ladies heard, from a younger man, that the younger men come here when they go out hunting for cougar so away we went. Â Even though I'm married, I don't get out much and I'm pretty game for anything anyway. Â We knew they had karaoke and we knew there would be costumes. Â What could be better?
Well I'll tell you.....The only thing better than coming here to watch the 40 and over crowd sing Karaoke is to come here around Halloween for costume party night. Â I have never seen an old lady wear a french maid costume but I have now. Â There was one guy dressed like a "cereal killer" with various cereal boxes affixed to his zip-up jumpsuit, who declared that if it weren't for these darn boxes, he could hold me close while we danced and really "feel me." Â I'll bet that's not all I'd feel, if you know what I mean. Â
I do have to admit, however, I had fun. Â It couldn't have been all the alcohol to numb where I was and what I was doing. Â NAH! Â The music was good and yes, the Karaoke was fun to watch. Â I might have even belted out a tune myself. Â Hey, when in Rome! Â The people watching was definitely the best part. Â If you live out east, you haven't lived until you've spent an evening at the Wrinkle Room.
P.S. Â The appetizers were good. Â Don't know about the real food but we had the prime rib bits, among other things, and they were great.
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