In the former Frankie Bones space (where Daugherty's American Kitchen and Drink enjoyed a brief stint) is CharBar No. 7,a small chain based out of Charlotte,which will soon have five restaurants. As for the rest of the name, well, the restaurant fires their meats under a broiler and yes, they do have a bar.

CharBar doesn’t differ so much from previous tenants in terms of cuisine; steak is the glue holding the menu together for all three.

When I hear the word chain, I automatically assume the inside will look Applebee’s-esque. However, CharBar’s interior was an inviting surprise. The overall ambiance lends itself more to an upscale atmosphere than most chains. The walls are lined with pickled and whitewashed woods and the booths, chairs and stools are covered in cognac leather.

While televisions abound, the volume is muted and the displays are integrated into the decor. Mostly, you forget about the televisions, though a glance around the room will reveal the detached sports fan nodding his head to conversation while actually focused with glassy eyes on SportsCenter (though he’s seen the same reel 12 times that same day).

You won’t find a list of local farms on the menu or the name of the cow I was preparing to eat (as if that softens the blow). Yet, a table tent listing CharBar's weekly specials pointed to Monday as a local-ingredient day, perhaps a halfhearted attempt at sourcing local, but it's something.

Beer, delightfully, is all local and regional. CB7 has 16 draft lines, all filled with local craft beer offerings. In fact, the 37-long bottle list proved to be mostly local, regional and craft. Whether this is the case at all CharBars I’m unsure, but I think it’s safe to say the restaurant research

ed area demographics before planning the beverage program.

A 20-ounce pour of summertime-worthy New Belgium Heavy Melon and a New York sour from the cocktail menu for my wife assured us that at least the bar knew what they were doing.

And, while CB7’s main focus is on steaks and burgers, there are plenty of salads (including a build your own option), a few other sandwiches and a small offering of fish, chicken and ribs.

Skipping the typically out-of-focus appetizer menu, we ordered a wedge salad full of bacon, creamy blue cheese dressing and a generous amount of blue cheese crumbles.

From there we went right to entrees. My wife picked the 8-ounce filet of ribeye. Served on a cast-iron sizzle plate with underlying wooden trivet, the only thing that saved the Sizzler feeling was its contemporary shape.

We ordered the steak at a medium temperature and found it bordering on medium-rare. It was seasoned nicely and, though grill marks were evident on the topside, the bottom of the steak against the sizzle plate that offered a nicely seared crust. If the steak had been flipped, it would have been ideal.

With several sides to choose from, we elected the mushroom risotto. Served in a tiny cast-iron pan, the dish was tasty, but not risotto-like in texture. If it had been called cheesy rice, it would be a home run with its copious amounts of melting Parmesan and nicely seasoned sauteed mushrooms.

On the side of the plate was a piece of thick Texas toast in all it’s ye’ old steakhouse glory. It was toasted, golden and glistening with loads of butter and garlic. It’s a throwback item for sure; the type of thing that is incredibly easy to prepare, the sort of item you shamefully try to hide the pleasure in which you devour it. But its powers are too strong, you’re sold and it will take all the restraint you can muster not to order another piece.

While my wife polished off her steak, I sat facing my Smokehouse Burger, one of eight burger varieties at CharBar. A thick, nicely seared and well-seasoned burger sat on a sturdy toasted and buttered bun. In the words of the Black Crowes, it was a little bit hard to handle, piled high with lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheddar and crispy-fried onion straws. The press and bite method was crucial in keeping me from breaking out the knife and fork and completely embarrassing myself.

On the side were fries, which were okay, but had me questioning if they were hand cut in-house. Altogether, it was not a bad burger and one I’d go back for if in the neighborhood, but not necessarily worth a trip across town.

Overall, the steak fared better than the burger, and the whole experience was more enjoyable than expected. CharBar strikes a balance between a casual burger joint and a high-end steakhouse. The prices are reasonable, the service was decent and nothing of the experience screamed, “chain”. And, considering it is a chain, I suppose this makes it a fairly successful one.

The restaurant:  CharBar No. 7, 2 Gerber Road (Gerber Village), 828-277-3470, www.charbar7.com.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-midnight.

Atmosphere:  While the amount of televisions may initially make you think sports bar, the attention to detail and choice of materials makes the space feel current, polished and higher end than a wing and beer joint.

Dish to try:  Keep it traditional. Begin with a wedge salad and order up a steak. The baked potato appears to be a safe bet while the mushroom risotto will arrive as a tasty dish but don’t expect textbook texture.

Beverage notes:  Beer, wine, house cocktails and full bar. Local brews abound. Order up a 20-ounce pour from a choice of 16 draft options.

The bottom line:  Yes it’s a chain, but a small North Carolina-based one. CB7 seems better planned than most other small chains. Okay, the appetizer menu does read a little, well chainy, and don’t expect Hickory Nut Gap beef, but the menu also isn’t flooded with a ridiculous amount of options. It focuses on steaks and burgers and just a few other items. The interior is nicer than average and the Texas toast garlic bread, as much as you try to resist, will make you tip more than normal.

Matthew DeRobertis is a chef, instructor and gastronomically obsessed writer who'd rather eat than sleep. Contact him at ChefDeRoWrites@gmail.com .