Charley's Steak House

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Family Legacy Built on Fire and Beef

Charley's Steak House carries a name with real history behind it. The restaurant is named after Charley Woodsby, co-founder of Red Lobster and the driving force behind Talk of the Town Restaurant Group. After selling Red Lobster to General Mills in 1970, Charley and his son Ron Woodsby channeled their hospitality experience into building a steakhouse with a precise, uncompromising approach to beef — one that has held firm for over four decades.

The Celebration location, led by Operating Partner Jennifer Connell, is one of three Florida outposts, each committed to the same exacting standards that have earned Charley's a place in the Top Ten Steakhouses and Seafood Houses in America.

The Method That Makes the Difference

What separates Charley's from a standard steakhouse is a process that begins long before anything reaches the grill. Only three-year-old USDA Prime and Choice Angus Steers are selected. The beef is aged on-site for four to six weeks, hand-cut daily by managers, and seasoned for 30 hours before cooking. It then goes over a custom-built open pit burning at 1,200 degrees, fueled by a combination of Florida citrus and oak wood — a pairing the kitchen has refined over 40 years. The citrus wood imparts a mellow smoke that works equally well with steak and seafood, while the oak burns hot and even.

No hormones are added to the beef. The seafood is sourced fresh and sustainable. These aren't marketing claims — they're the operating philosophy.

What's on the Plate

The Celebration menu reads as a serious steakhouse should. Classic cuts include center-cut Filet Mignon in three sizes, a 50 oz Porterhouse, a Bone-In Kansas City Strip, and 21-day prime dry-aged options — Bone-In Strip, Bone-In Ribeye, and Porterhouse. For those who want something exceptional, the Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye for Two arrives carved tableside with a choice of truffle or garlic butter.

Seafood holds its own alongside the beef. Wild Alaskan Halibut, Cedar Plank Faroe Island Salmon, broiled Australian Lobster Tail, and the "1974 Original Fried Shrimp" — a hand-breaded colossal Gulf shrimp recipe that dates back to the restaurant's founding year — all appear as proper entrées. The Colossal Seafood Tower, featuring the freshest shellfish of the season, is the table centerpiece for larger gatherings.

Starters lean into both land and sea: tableside Steak Tartare, Cedar Plank Crab Cakes with pineapple-mango salsa, Bacon Wrapped Diver Scallops, and Gulf Coast Oysters on the Half Shell all make an appearance.

Wine, Private Dining, and the Bigger Picture

The wine program earned Charley's a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — recognition that reflects the care put into a list designed to stand up to serious cuts of beef and fresh seafood alike.

For groups, Charley's offers several private and semi-private dining rooms, along with catering for off-site events. The special events team brings the same 40-plus years of experience to business dinners, social occasions, and celebrations of all sizes.