American Char — Restaurant in Zeeland Charter Township

American Char really lived up to its name this time—we got a bag full of charred meat.

The order:

• 1/2 lb brisket • 1/2 pulled pork • 1/4 ribs • 2 sides • 1 corn bread

no. of diners: 3 Price: ~$50

The “brisket” was actually just the carbonized fat cap of the brisket. Really inedible.

The ribs were actually jerky and boasted that classic American BBQ “chip off the bone” tender. Can’t wait to tell my dentist about it. It was like trying to clean a bbq grill with your teeth.

Thats what is in the picture.

The pulled pork was decent at best, but really the sauce carried most of the flavor. It was the least dry thing we ordered, but wasn’t anything to write home about.

If you were to describe the sides as a European country during WW2, they would definitely be Switzerland—that is, totally neutral. Not Allied, not Axis, and not really participating to be honest. Very “mid” as the kids would say.

Speaking of the kids, the employees working there were friendly and did their job.

American Char is great if you’re a dog whose owners couldn’t stomach the hunks of dried meat.

Seriously though, I don’t know why this place dropped off so hard. We’ve gone in the past and it was a totally different experience. Maybe they’re cutting corners to save expenses. Maybe they’re just reheating old, precooked meat. I kinda lean towards that, because the window at the back gives a very telling view of the kitchen, where it’s easy to see that nothing is really being cooked.

We did come about 1.5 hrs before they closed, so perhaps it just wasn’t as fresh. Or maybe this was a lame April Fools day prank and we just didn’t get the punchline. Either way, it was a...

An old Western Saloon atmosphere in this small bump in the road village brings some big Bbq tastes.

I ordered the Char Sampler ($28). This includes a tasting of Ribs, Wings, Brisket, Pulled Pork, and Pulled Chicken. It also included the sides pickles and Pickled Slaw. Everything was very pure tasting. Meaning you could taste the high quality meat in every bite. Everything is seasoned, but lightly. This lets the meat speak for itself. The portion size is generous, which makes this a great value. I also ordered a large side of Pork and Beans ($5), because I love bbq baked beans. I kinda consider myself a connoisseur of Baked Beans. Sadly I found myself not liking them. I didn't hate them, but I didn't finish them. It's possible it's because they are vinegar based, so that may be your thing. I also got myself some Cornbread ($3), which should come with a sampler. That being said it was excellent. Moist and very flavorful. The person I was with ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($8) and some cornbread. She loved the sandwich and the cornbread. The only other slightly negative thing is the bbq sauce are only okay at best. I tried the Kansas City sauce and it was acceptable, I used it, but I didn't take any home for my leftovers. The person I was with tried the Carolina Mustard and wasn't a fan.

The service is with a smile and tries to be efficient. They need a little work, but it's not by any means bad.

Overall a 4 star review. Would I return? Absolutely, it's excellent bbq. If your in the area or are making the rounds of West Michigan bbq this should...

This place is a little haul off 131, but if you have time, it's worth the detour. Hubby and I both had combo dinners, which give you 2 meats and 2 sides. The chopped brisket was a tad bit dry, but still really tasty. The pulled pork was perfectly tender and juicy.

We liked the slaw. It's tangy, but not too mayo-based or too vinegar-based. Good flavor. Hubby had potato for his other side and liked it a lot. I had mac and cheese and was a bit disappointed to find it was made with a cheese sauce rather than real cheese, but it wasn't terrible. It would be nice if they offered a premium mac-and-cheese option for those who wouldn't mind paying a little more to upgrade from their basic option.

Pros: You can choose your own sauces, and they have a nice variety out for you to try. We much prefer places that have sauces out for the customers to sample and try over places that make you pick at the counter. Experimentation is part of the fun of eating bbq!

Cons: Their sauce and soda stations are right behind the ordering spot, so when they get busy, people waiting in line are flowing into the sauce/soda area, creating clog. They really should move those stations. Another con is that their sauce containers are plastic. That's fine if you need something sturdy to go, but for in-house, it would be great to see them offer little paper cups to reduce plastic going into the trash.

We'll road trip here again in the summer so we can try some other menu items and follow up with one of their ice cream cones. If they had a premium mac-and-cheese option, I'd give...