C&W Steakhouse — Restaurant in Charlotte

I review when a place is exceptional or very poor (both would be my opinion)

I will not return for another visit. We were a party of 4. Two couples. Overall the food is very bland and lacked seasoning. Nothing made me say “mmm this is really good.”

It was an “okay” experience. I say this because the manager did ask for and accept the feedback we provided and provided an accommodation on the check for the problems and a complimentary dessert. This was appreciated and why I gave 3 stars for service, otherwise it would be 1 star.

The Good: Nice place and atmosphere although it was busy so a little “tight” between tables. I’m okay with that. Timing between courses was good although food did not come out at the same time for all of us. It was nicely timed and there was no unusually long wait. the Duck was good according to my friend. the 8oz filet was good and cooked to correct temp (med rare).

The “Okay” portions were fine for the most part except where I mention it in the “bad” below. appetizers were a bit on the smaller side so really not shareable. Salads were just okay. Wedge was just okay and Ceasar you can’t mess up. Nothing I would want again or that would set them apart. bang bang shrimp had no bang. It was basic fried shrimp and the small drizzle of sauce did not have much pop either. Tasted good but not what you’d expect. Scallops. Good not great. Had something on them that had no flavor. Again no seasoning. The most tasteful thing on my plate was the smashed new potatoes.

The Poor/Bad part of the experience server was marginal at best. Really did not have command of the menu. At a higher-end steak place you’d expect some help/recommendations or even a bit of a “sales pitch” on the menu. He was a bit hard to understand. A lot of even mid level places will ask if you’ve ever been there and then explain the menu a bit with some of their favs. Clearly there is a lack of training etc for their servers. the bread. 4 people we received 4 very small crostini’s (one bite size) that were a bit like stale bread and a small bowl of oil to dip. No seasoning in the oil. Bland and no taste. Reorders more bread. 4 more pieces and this time the oil came with something green sprinkled on it - some sort of herb. Again no flavor - but there is clearly no consistency or quality control. My opinion it should be the same every time. We added some salt and pepper to get some flavor but not nothing to write home about. Steaks - as noted above the med rare filet was decent but not super flavorful. Had no type of streak sauce or additions to make that steak anything pre then I’d cook at home. At least nothing was offered and upon asking the server said they didn’t really have anything. Steaks. Second filet steak was ordered butterflied and well done. It can out the same diameter as the 8oz steak but half the thickness 4-5 oz at best. I can find this steak at Harris Teeter for $10. $60 steak it was not. And even though it was thin (I’m talking 1/2” max) it was pink in the middle.

The steaks at Outback are much more flavorful and 1/3 the price. last not least. AuGratin potatoes was a “shareable” side for I think $12. Literally had 6-8 thinly sliced potato slices covered by what seemed like a pound of cheese. Asked for a replacement. Less potatoes and even more cheese on it. Awful.

Summary I would not recommend this place to my family or friends. They need: better recipes or a better head chef. quality control. training for the servers. Hey I know help is hard to get but a top price steak place where a server should be getting large tips when a meal for one can be close to $100 needs to do better.

I’m glad I did not order the $150...

C&W has a fair amount of reviews and a solid reputation as one of Charlotte’s top date spots, so my husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary here. We didn’t need the $$$$ and enjoy perusing less inflated venues. I went in with an open mind, but unfortunately, the overall experience fell flat.

The greeting at the door was pleasant enough—an older woman, well-kept, polite. My husband had mentioned our anniversary when making the reservation, which I didn’t love — it almost felt like being there for an anniversary placed us in a category of diners who weren’t expected to appreciate the depth of the menu or wine list—an unfortunate stigma that can make guests feel dismissed.

Our server, Bridgette, was a disappointment. She wasn’t rude, but she was lackluster and unacquainted with… She never mentioned specials, gave minimal detail when asked about the menu, and lacked the kind of presence you expect at a steakhouse of this price point.

I had been looking forward to a well-made Old Fashioned, but her bourbon knowledge — just knowing what they had to offer— was a 1/10. When I asked about their small selection and the cherries they use, the answers were aloof. For $23, I don’t mind paying if the cocktail is excellent, but this one was flat, not muddled, and poorly executed.

At that point, I am grateful I started with wine. I love when higher-end restaurants guide pairings thoughtfully, but when I mentioned I was leaning toward a Cabernet, Bridgette instantly assumed I wanted the least expensive option on the menu (Justin). I was taken aback. Being familiar with a fair amount of options on their list, I ordered Caymus—only to l realize she had defaulted me to the single-glass pour of the blend, without even offering the chance to consider the $200 bottle. That assumption spoke volumes.

The food itself was hit or miss. My filet was fine—nothing remarkable, and could have used more seasoning to shine. My husband’s strip, ordered rare, was the gristliest, toughest cut he’s ever had. The ceviche was underwhelming: underripe avocado and brick-hard tostones. The she-crab soup was the low point. The tableside pour was unnecessary flair that only highlighted the fact that the crab tasted canned. Overly salty, heavy on sherry and spice—it was borderline inedible.

To give credit where due: the Parmesan mashed potato side was “good”, and the wedge salad—while basic—was acceptable. But for the reputation and price point, the overall menu execution was uninspired.

As someone who has worked as a private chef and has eaten across the country, I don’t need fireworks at every meal. I can enjoy Texas Roadhouse for what it is and leave satisfied. But when I pay C&W prices, while low in comparison to some of the Charlotte Standard, I expect a higher standard—better training from staff, more thoughtful wine and cocktail programs, and food that delivers something memorable.

Instead, our experience felt rushed, inattentive, and underwhelming. The steakhouse world is competitive, and when you have your pick in Charlotte, I’d recommend trying other options before...

We dined here for our anniversary. Overall it was a very poor experience. The printed dress code and prices given the illusion of a higher end "fine dining" experience. This was not.

The brussel sprouts were great, we recommend them. Bread service was croutons with pre made oil/balsamic mixture. My wife ordered the summer salad and filet. The salad was supposed to come with balsamic dressing however, it was lacking the balsamic and only covered in oil. Her filet was poorly cooked and lacked any seasoning. They did baste it with butter and rosemary as those flavors were present. The temperature requested was mid rare. Most of the steak was medium to well with the very middle being mid rare. Just barely. I had the pork chop. The tomato cream sauce was unappetizing to look at. I'm betting it was on the stove too long and broke. Looked more like vomit than sauce. Flavor was good, I will give them that.

The chop was mostly fat but correctly cooked. The mashed potatoes had that "spooned a 20 min before service" gloss look. The service was lack luster. l've had better service at chick fil a. Dress code is listed as business casual. Typically this means polos at a minimum. This restaurant it means jorts and a Viking jersey.

We left this review on OpenTable too. We dined at two other restaurants in the area and the other reviews were immediately posted to OpenTable. This restaurant is “promoted” in OpenTable. Unlike the other restaurants reviewed on OpenTable, the review for this restaurant has not been posted for some reason.

Overall I...