I recently checked out Al's Burger Shack, and it's a great casual spot to grab a quick bite! The Southern Village location offers both indoor and outdoor seating--we sat outside on a nice day, and it was the perfect relaxed setting. I ordered the Shroom & Swiss burger (beef patty, Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, roasted garlic aioli). It was solid--cooked to order and reasonably priced. Service was fast and friendly, and they brought the food right to our table. That said, it didn't quite wow me. The bun wasn't toasted, and overall it felt like a pretty standard burger without anything especially memorable. Still a reliable option if you're craving something classic! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Shroom & Swiss - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Stopped in for a kids meal for $8.00. A hotdog, sweet potato fries and a drink is doable. Easy to get to, walked here from the movies. AL's is always busy and we didn't have to wait too long. Plenty of parking if driving by. read more

Al's Burger Shack - Hot dog - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Quality burger/sandwich and fries place! I actually got their turkey burger to switch it up this time and it was pretty good! I would probably prefer the normal hamburger patty, but still enjoyed the other. They also have grilled chicken and a black bean burgers. Their sweet potato fries are SO GOOD. They are salty with a little sugar sweetness. I do wish a side (fries of some sort) came with the burgers, but you do have to order them separate. In total my meal was $16.50 before tax, which I feel is pricey for a burger and fries- but they taste good so it's fine. The staff is friendly and nice. They have indoor (pretty limited) and outdoor seating which is great for a new sunny day. Overall this is a great place for a quicker meal! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Turkey burger and Sweet Potato Fries - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

| Overview: + Award-winning Bobo Chili Cheeseburger is 1 of the best burgers you can find in Triangle NC. + Patty size looks back to the larger size compared to my last visit in downtown Chapel Hill 2 years ago. + Medium-cooked patties in my burger were perfectly-cooked. + They bring your order to your table. + Option to add fried egg to your burger is nice to have. - Sides are not exciting. (No cajun or garlic fries) - Limited burger options in menu - Drink cup is too small. - Ambiance is so-so. | Review: It's been a long time since I've been to 1 of the 2 Al's Burger Shack in Chapel Hill. Since then, UNC graduates Charlie Farris & Jason Kesler bought the Shacks from original owner, Al Bowers. A new location also opened in Leland just a few months ago. The last time I went, which was about 2-3 years ago, was a disappointing experience as I noticed that the patty size was smaller than what they served when I first visited around 2018. I remember Covid days made it harder for this burger business as I was required to order via phone or website when I was already there in person. Thankfully, the size of the patties in my latest order was just fine, which I thought was a good sign that the Shack is now in good hands. I had to order the award-winning Al's famous Bobo Chili Cheeseburger ($9.95), and I added extra patty ($4+) & fried egg ($1+). With the fountain drink and no sides, total came up to be $19.60. I've tried Al's sides before: crinkle fries and sweet potato fries, but I haven't tried cheese fries here before. The Shack offers options to add chili, or bacon for $1.50 each; fries also come with your choice of 1 of the 6 House - Made Dippin' Sauces (I don't remember seeing that in my previous visits). Anyways, I didn't order any sides because crinkle fries are not exciting; if they have Cajun or Garlic fries, I'd definitely add a side. It took about 12 minutes for my burger to arrive. There's a few toothpicks to keep the thick burger together. The two patties and fried egg were well-assembled along with the American cheese, house-made chili, slaw, onions, and mustard. The patties were perfectly-spiced, Medium, and every bite was satisfyingly juicy. Some pieces of the fried egg fell, with the yoke dripping, but the whole burger wasn't soggy at all. I scooped up the tiny bits of egg that fell on my small plate. The combination of chili, onions, mustard, and slow make Bobo's flavor unique. This is not your typical Cook Out Style burger (which also has chili and slaw); it's elevated, and of course, about $4-$5 more expensive with just 1 patty compared to Cook Out's 2-patty (albeit, smaller sized patties) burger. My latest visit was not a bad casual dining experience. There's a soda machine, sweet tea & unsweetened tea. The drink I got was quite small but I was able to refill my sweet + unsweet tea. Al's also offers beer and I'm sure the burgers would go well with it. I also noticed that the milkshares here are now called "Maple View Farm Milkshakes", so it's nice to see that a local dairy farm is teaming up with a local burger spot. Ambiance here is alright for a casual spot; not very spacious, with just a few tables inside and the small outdoor area. I was able to find a seat though, but I can imagine that this place can be packed in peak hours. Parking might also be an issue as the Shack shares spaces with other surrounding businesses nearby, including a fresh market close to it. Was the 2-patty + fried egg Bobo Chili Cheeseburger with drink & no side worth $19.60? I can say I'm somewhat satisfied, but not to the point that I'd crave to return here often. For a similar price, I can get 2-patty Bacon Cheeseburger with drink & Cajun fries in Five Guys but that burger is greasier, so each has their own pros & cons. Like Five Guys though, Al's Burger Shack's menu is quite limited. There are only 5 different kinds of burgers to choose from, and the few non-burger options are not exciting. Nonetheless, if you're craving for a well-crafted Chili Cheeseburger with delicious patties, that might be a good enough reason to visit Al's Burger Shack. | Overall Score: 3.8/5 read more

Al's Burger Shack - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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My fiancé and I got lunch here today, we both ordered our burgers rare. Mine came out rare as intended (it was yummy). However the cashier marked my fiancés as medium rare on the ticket and the burger she received was cooked to medium-well. We know it was marked incorrectly because they came and showed us the ticket. I asked kindly for a replacement burger for her and within a very short period of time they gave her a burger that was cold and raw in the middle. When the new burger was given to her the server seemed agitated about the ordeal. Now my fiancé is sick to her stomach and throwing up. This feels intentional by the staff. read more

Al's Burger Shack - Raw Burger - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Yummy burger joint! I really love the outdoor seating they have here! My girlfriend and I ordered the Mookie and Shroom Swiss along with the garlic aioli and it was DELISH. Tender, juicy, and bouncy beef patty and the sauce was a great touch. I do wish it was a teeny bit more salted, but that is just my preference. Crinkle cut fries were a perfect crunch and paired well with the burgers. Highly recommend giving AL's a try! I think I'm going to try the Sriracha aioli and milkshakes here next time! They looked super delicious too! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Mookie and Shroom and Swiss - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Came here and I've been wanting to try it for a while and it was pretty good! I've heard a lot of good reviews and overall I would say it was worth it. Nothing spectacular but a good decent hamburger. read more

Al's Burger Shack - Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

These have to be the best burgers we have had since moving to North Carolina! The burgers were cooked and seasoned perfectly, the potato bun was toasted and fluffy, and the toppings were all fresh. Their dipping sauces were also all soooo good! The crinkle fries were crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. The service was fast and friendly! read more

Visited Al's mid-afternoon as just a little snack. We were all from out of town staying in Chapel Hill for the evening. Beers were had until everyone arrived then we each got a hot dog and shared one of each of their side items (tater tots, fries, and sweet potato fries) with two of each of their sauces. We're sauce people, ok? The hot dogs were good: split and griddled, placed in a toasted bun and topped with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. For me there was a touch too much slaw. I like slaw, but it was kinda the only thing you could taste in each bite. We enjoyed all of the sides and it truly made a great sampling plate for our group of four. Our favorite sauces were Al's Sauce and their Ranch. Our least favorite was their BBQ. It just had a strange aftertaste. Service was good. We chose this location because it didn't look like the Franklin St. location had much covered seating and it was a rainy day. I'd return to try other menu items! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Hot dogs, sides, and sauces - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Took ages for a single burger, and it's just not worth the time and cost unfortunately. The couple next to use were also complaining "it's taken 45 mins for two burgers and two shakes" and they only had the shakes so they were still waiting on burgers. Probably won't go to Al's at any location, just not worth it read more

Placed order through Toast for 2-classic burgers and sweet potato fries at 7:45pm, delivery quoted as 45 minutes, requested email updates. Authorized $43 visa payment. Waited till 9:00pm, called restaurant, closed. Called back Monday a.m. checked Visa card balance, no debit. Have not talked with rep since. Moral-do not do business with Toast! Jimj read more

This is the second review I have done for Al's, but my experience there continues to exceed expectation. The manager - Heather - is always caring and attentive and the entire staff is always careful to address my gluten-free needs. The food is consistently fresh and tasty... the gluten free buns are the best I've had anywhere and their creative burger combinations always have me struggling to decide. My favorites are the Ellieand the Mookie. This friendly neighborhood burger stop is simply the best for casual family dining!! read more

Best burgers and fries around. Kids love it too. If you want to go nuts then try their milkshakes too.

My friend was craving sweet potato fries, so we visited Al's Burger Shack. Long story short, great burger, but the fries could use some improvement. Food: I got the Mookie. Thoroughly enjoyed the thick, juicy burger patty cooked t medium. The bread was soft, potato bun I believe, but tasted like a brioche. Blue marble cheese, bacon-onion jam, and aioli a delicious combo. Able to add tomatoes, and presumably other standard fixings. The sweet potato fries, unfortunately, were found wanting. They were on the cool side, so looked and tasted like they've been sitting around. Bit too much cinnamon sugar on top, which I tapped off. They recommended a special sauce that isn't on the menu that the fries are usually pair with, which was a frothy, thinner concoction. Surprisingly worked, but difficult to describe the taste. A pro is that the fries portion was large! The space: normal table seating, bar stool seating along the walls, and outside seating. Casual. Plenty of free parking. Service: Wait in line to order, self-seating. Friendly, didn't have to wait long even on Friday night. Tl;dr: Great burger, casual spot, wish the sweet potato fries are fresher! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Grabbed dinner here after picking up Tar Heel Ten Miler packets. Perfect pre-race food! We sat outside at one of the picnic tables on a nice evening. Food was delivered to us in a reasonable time and everything was correct. I ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich on a gluten free bun and husband and I split an order of sweet potato fries and an order of crinkle fries. Both fries were delicious. The sandwich was a good portion of chicken cooked perfectly and I really appreciate that they have gluten free buns. Beer prices seemed reasonable but I did not indulge due to race. Thanks Al's -- PRed -- so if I ever do another race in CH this is the place I will eat again!!! read more

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Al's Burger Shack has been around for a while. When they first appeared they earned an award for best new business, so after all these years I gave Al's a shot, and the disappointment was pretty strong. Atmosphere? Small dining area, few booths and one table were jammed together, mediocre country music was blasting. Food was, at best, average. Any small town diner offers a better burger WITH complimentary sides at a lower price. Service was OK, although the person selling the food showed about as much enthusiasm for the job as I show for getting a colonoscopy. Would I go again? Not even if it was free. Life is too short for mediocre food. read more

Located in a plaza with easy access to parking! There was plenty of outdoor seating and the food came fast. I got the Bobo Chili Cheeseburger because the menu had a quote saying it was the best burger ever. I think it's a pretty good burger but I didn't taste too many strong flavors and it felt lumped together, so I don't think I'll get it again. I also got half and half fries and tried sweet potato fries and tater tots. The tater tots were crispy and flavorful! I'll have to try one of the more standard burgers next time! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Half n Half Fries, Bobo Chili Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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$30 for 2 burgers , 2 fountain sodas and fries don't even come with the burgers. Had to reorder for the fries. Burgers were average at best, definitely not worth the price. I don't understand all the positive reviews; this place had Five Guys prices, but not on par with the taste. Sorry, wanted it to be good . read more

Been to Al's on Franklin so I figured I'd give this location a try. Setup is the same (counter order/find a table) and so is the menu, but this location has the benefit of a newer building and more seating. Turkey burger was probably one of the best patties I've ever had! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Turkey burger and totts! - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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We love Al's! Great service, prompt and cheerful. Wonderful rosemary fries, perfectly prepared hot dogs, cheerful and attentive management. We love the lively atmosphere and family orientation. read more

Yummy!!!!!!! Classic burger, cooked medium, sweet potato fries and iced tea. This is my favorite burger place in the United States. read more

Al's Burger Shack - Classic burger, sweet potato fries - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Yum, the burgers were juicy, seasoned, and the buns the perfect consistency. The service was counter service. There is only counter seating and two big tables for groups inside. Picnic tables outside. The bathroom was clean. read more

30 min wait for food and no seating. Order wasn't right either. Was not worth it for a burger.

When you want a burger -- this is a great spot. It's not large, but those $9+ burgers hit the spot. Today there was 4 of us, all requiring different degrees of medium, medium well, well, etc. All were made to perfection. And the service was quick! There are options to sit inside or outside. Today it was cold so we sat inside. The fries! Not sure of the seasoning -- but they were good, hot, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Just how I like them. My 2nd visit didn't disappoint. In the words of The Terminator, "I'll be back!" read more

Al's Burger Shack is a good option for when you are in Chapel Hill. You order at the counter then find a place to sit. It is smaller inside so be prepared to sit outside or order takeout. It was the classic burger for my husband and the mookie burger with a beer for me and we split a side of small fries. We both liked what we ordered. read more

Al's in Southern Village has the best hot dogs we have ever tasted and the crinkle fries are great with extra seasoning. The service is fast and we come here often. The manager does a good job of managing the tables and the staff. read more

Fast and friendly service. Burgers cooked to your specifications. Very tasty. I'd go back again.

First visit and I now understand why Al's was voted best burger in the US! They use NC pasture raised beef, local ingredients for toppings, and cook the burger to order. The staff is super friendly, the menu offers so many choices, and the food comes out quickly. We tried the "Classic" to keep it simple and it knocked it out of the park! Just enough toppings to enjoy them, but not so much to overshadow the taste of the burger which was juicy and very flavorful. The pickles tasted homemade, the cheese was thick, delicious fresh tomato, lightly shredded lettuce, fresh red onion and Al sauce, which is their version of special sauce, but much better. The crinkle fries were fried a little too crisp for me, but I loved the sea salt basil seasoning on them. You don't even need catsup they're so good! It's hard for any place to live up to the hype, but in this case Al's really does! read more

Al's Burger Shack - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Hands down my TOP and FAVORITE burger joint in the Triangle. I don't know why I waited so long to eat here. I've had the other location a few days prior and decided to try this location. I really like the spaciousness of this particular location. There were a lot more seating indoor and outdoor. The parking was a lot better too. I would say that this location is more family friendly. The other one is more of a hang out spot. I was the first customer to arrive on a Saturday morning around 11:00 a.m. The team were ready to serve me. A shout out to management! The young people working here really knows how to serve and help their customers. It's hard to find nowadays. The burger and fries were freshly made. It was delicious. I want to eat another one right now. The burger was a perfect size. The order of fries was huge for a small. I can't wait to return! read more

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Burgers here and soo good and very reasonably priced. Whenever we are craving a burger this the THE place to go in chapel hill area. We love the MOOKIE burger the most. They also have good fries. Highly recommend read more

Stopped by for a quick bite on Sunday after roaming the area a bit. I like that you order and then all of the seating is outdoors. They have a covered area with heat lamps, which is great on cold days. My daughter ordered the veggie burger with sweet potatoes, black beans, and rolled oats. I thought that it was a great looking patty, the rolled oats as the binder was a unique choice as well. She thought it was great. I stuck with a basic bacon cheeseburger hold the bun, because Carbs lol. It was the size of a hockey puck, but it was still delicious and I'm a fan of the shredded romaine that they use, instead of basic iceberg. The bacon was nice and crispy, not burnt, or old tasting like some places. Overall, it served its purpose of a quick afternoon pick me up. I would stop in again to try other things, if in the area. read more

Al's Burger Shack - Burgers Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Trip Advisor voted Al's Burger Shack the best burger in NC and I can see why! These burgers... there's just no words. Al's is a burger experience! Everything on the menu is carefully crafted into wonderful, creative burger creations. I've tried several, but I think the Kenny J is my favorite. Tons of bacon, grilled onions, melty pimento cheese and signature Shack Q Sauce. These burgers are hearty, messy and downright incredible. They don't have a huge seating area, especially if it's raining, as most of the seating is outside at this location. The Franklin Street location is more covered. We lucked up, because it was a great day to enjoy outside! They had several local and domestic beer options. Their rosemary crinkle fries are simply fantastic! So crunchy, and just enough rosemary. I will say, the service isn't as friendly as some, but the food is still a 10/10 no matter what read more

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Al's burger shack a great burger, fantastic fries. One day I am getting the 12 pack of burgers!

I didn't appreciate the manager trying to pressure me to leave because a family wanted the booth I was dining at. Mind you, I had been there for less than an hour and there were plenty of tables available outside. There was another booth being occupied by a couple that had been there for the same amount of time yet the manager chose to single me out specifically. When I politely declined to leave she returned to loudly say "I don't know what she's going to do," to the family, obviously intending for me to hear her as well. I found it rude and unnecessary. Use assigned seating if you want to reserve booths for large parties. I paid to sit in that establishment and enjoy my food the same as that family and I don't appreciate that I was being expected to interrupt my own dining experience to accommodate them. I highly doubt she would've been pressuring them to leave if I was the one waiting for a table. This is no way to treat someone supporting your business. read more

Ice cold turkey burger, hard as a rock, and burnt. Was ignored for about 10 minutes when I came in. Only 2 women ahead of me and they were together. The person behind the counter was just talking w him ignoring all other guests. Bad service and food. Such a shame I was looking forward to this. read more

Great service and wonderful food best hot dogs and fries in this area also wonderful place to just hangout and chill with friends because it's right next to the Lumina theater read more

This spot was really good. The burgers were big and they had very interesting options. The fry's were okay but tasted really good with there signature sauce. They had outdoor seating which was nice. We did call to see if they were open and they told us to come in. Once we had drove 40 minutes we called again to place our order so it would be ready when we arrived and they told us there was an hour wait due to a catering event which was frustrating but we just ended up going to a different location. Over all pretty good but the customer service could be better. read more

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We spent the 4th of July visiting some friends in Chapel Hill and pretty much the only thing I cared about was getting a burger at Al's. My buddy told me that it was voted best burger in America by Trip Advisor. My fat ass can barely resist a crappy burger so it goes without saying I needed to go to Al's. This trip was almost an unmitigated disaster. My friend had planned on taking me to Als on July 5th and while celebrating the 4th at the town square I actually got to meet Al. Yes that AL, the owner of the freaking place. I told him how excited I was to check his place out tomorrow and he let me know that they would be closed for the holiday. WTF!!! I told him that I was running over there now since they were about to close and the dude actually called the restaurant and told them to wait for me! What a guy!!! Once I got there my happiness was quickly diminished as I saw there was only a limited menu available for the 4th. I spoke to a lovely employee named Emma and told her how bummed I was to not be able to try the famous Bobo Chili Cheeseburger. She looked at me and said "if you keep it on the DL, I will go back there and make you one". Are you freaking kidding me??? Is this place staffed by saints???? A couple of minutes later Emma brought me my little miracle - the second coming of Jesus Christ on a plate. Maybe it was all I went through to get this burger but it was absolute heavenly. The patty was tender and succulent and the chili, onions, and cheese went perfectly cradled in the pillowy soft bun. Between the burger and mixed fries I was singing Hallelujah all the way back to the square. I got to see Al again and thanked him for his hospitality and his awesome staff. If that wasn't enough, the guy had his staff bring over some spicy fried shrimp that he was piloting for another restaurant for me to try. WOW! Thanks Al and Emma for an amazing burger!! Can't wait until I'm back to stuff my face again. read more

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Stopped by the Southern Village location and got the burger of the month, Doctor Doctor. OMG, so good. One of the best burgers I've ever had. read more

Burgers are just decent, but the hotdog is pretty darn good. Beers are reasonably priced service is solid. The only negative is that the front desk workers still wear m a s k s. And it's so silly because nobody else does including the cooks. Hot dog - 5.0 Tater tots - 3.0 (nothing special just frozen tater tots) Burgers - 4.0 (good but not great) We will definitely come back for the hotdogs! The relish/onion topping is tremendous read more