Charlie Martin's

“I had a fantastic experience at Charlie Martin’s. The happy hour menu is one of the best deals around — great drinks, fresh oysters, and plenty of options that make it easy to stay awhile. The raw bar really stands out, with everything tasting incredibly fresh and well prepared. What truly makes the place special is the atmosphere created by the bar staff. Everyone behind the bar was friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, making the experience feel personal instead of rushed. You can tell the team enjoys what they do. A big part of that energy comes from owner Glen, who is very present and engaged with guests throughout the night. It’s always a good sign when an owner is actively involved, checking in, talking with customers, and helping create such a warm, lively environment. If you’re looking for a spot in Chicago with a great happy hour, top-notch raw bar, and exceptional hospitality, Charlie Martin’s is definitely worth visiting.”

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Exceptional Dining & Truly Welcoming Ownership Charlie Martins is an absolute gem. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, elevated, and inviting. The ownership and staff were incredibly friendly—genuine hospitality that makes you feel like part of the family. The food was phenomenal. Every dish had depth and balance, with bold, refined flavors that really stand out. The steak tartare was one of the best I’ve had—fresh, perfectly seasoned, and beautifully presented. The chicken entrée was cooked to perfection with rich, comforting layers of flavor. And the burger? Truly outstanding—juicy, flavorful, and crafted with real attention to detail. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys great food, great people, and a memorable dining experience. We’ll definitely be coming back.”

“Absolutely love this spot! The vibe is perfect for a dinner out cozy, and clean . Service is excellent . Staff are super friendly, especially the bartenders had a great conversation with them, really welcoming. Highly recommend the beef tartare it’s flavorful and well-balanced. Also, don’t miss the seafood tower the oyster are super fresh and go perfectly with the sauces. Finished off with the cheesecake and texture so smooth, it melts in my mouth. Highly recommend .I will back”

“Had a lovely dinner here with my mom, it was very nice atmosphere even though we had a regular reservation I believe they sat us at the bar which the bartender was very cute and very friendly so definitely didn’t mind but normally would like to sit in the dining room if I have a reservation. Again, I don’t know for sure if I had a reservation, but I’m about 80% positive that I did. Regardless, my mom said she wasn’t too hungry and I didn’t have a huge appetite myself but one thing I love is seafood and they actually have really affordable lil seafood options so I was able to get some crab and lobster and it was all fairly inexpensive for how much you would typically pay for that kind of seafood. Also, got the super finally mashed potatoes with aus jus holy crap they were delicious! Definitely don’t regret it at all. And send to finish the meal off we decided to try their banana pudding and two scoops of gelato one was some of the best pistachio gelato I’ve ever had in my life and the other was a cherry flavor, which was also quite good, but definitely the star of the show was the pistachio gelato 100% recommend that! Just see if you go get ready for like a low-key relaxed vibe it’s dim but not too dark and it’s really nice. The bar is pretty and definitely take advantage of the good deals and the amazing gelato lol!”

“In the heart of River North, Charlie Martin’s is a relatively new spot that brands itself as an American restaurant with supper club vibes. Slightly curious about the concept, we came on a weekend night only to quickly realize that both our patience and appetite were in for a long evening. I'll start out with some slight positives. The steak tartare was decent. The crab cake, while slightly undersalted, was pure crab with no filler. The octopus had good flavors but was so overcooked it turned rubbery. That said, things quickly went downhill from there. They somehow ran out of whipped potatoes and New York strips by 8 p.m. on a weekend night, which is wild. There was an uncomfortably long wait before the mains arrived. My filet was tender and cooked right but lacked salt. To make matters worse, the au poivre sauce came with a hair floating in it. I notified my server, who just said “okay,” whisked it away, and returned with a new cup of sauce as if that would fix anything. Truly an unforgettable night for the wrong reasons.”