Great service old school diner look but food is below average McDonald's without the flare but better service

Wonderful quick burger spot that didn't disappoint. I know folks love household names like Five Guys for the free toppings but if you're looking for a great product I urge you guys give char grill and snoopys a try. I went to chargrill for the first time and they have an old school ordering set up where you write your order slide it through a window and wait for them to call your number. 2 burgers and 2 fries for about $20 is what it should be and these burgers aren't small and they are flavorful. I wish I can customize my burger I'm not sure if I just didn't know how to do it but next time I will see what I can do toppings wise. Great place and if you don't believe me go around lunch time and watch the amount of people you see just sitting in their cars enjoying their food. That's the vibe at char grill and I love it honestly read more

Really quick and pretty friendly service. This place was hopping on a late Saturday afternoon. The food is cooked to order and perfectly charred, like, PERFECTLY. It was exactly the way you want a burger to taste. The hot dogs are something special. Made with chili and onions*chef kiss*. They don't have real seating just a couple of picnic tables but most people take to go or eat in their cars. We can't wait to go back. read more

Many fond memories of this place. I make sure I go back whenever I am in Raleigh. The burgers are flame, grilled, piping hot, and also so wonderful. You can smell the flames of deliciousness from Glenwood Avenue. It's got parking, which is a rarity for Hillsborough Street, the service is quick and friendly, and the burgers are so good. I nearly sprained my ankle to get one. Not much seating other than two metal picnic tables, but it is cool because you can witness the massive transformation. The city is undergoing. Enjoy this one while you still can folks, there's talk in the news about it being torn down. read more

Delicious burgers can't beat the taste! Highly recommended and cheap. I've eaten there many times the food is delicious!

Food is amazing and service is great have been going here since I was a child amazing fries drink's burgers and apple pies are all amazing I also love the old school style of ordering definitely try this place out read more

Always ask when unsure! Interesting way of ordering and great if you know exactly what you want. I made the mistake of assuming the charburger and the hamburger steak were the same thing, doh! Still a delicious error, burger was fresh and juicy and the apple turnover was crispy and delicious. Will not make the same mistake next time! read more

Char-Grill - Cheeseburger extra meat and apple turnover - Burgers Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Char Grill is a classic! The food was quick and tasted good. Service was good. You order the food and pick it up at a window, there is no seating other than outdoors. My only qualm is that it's not the best area and there was a good amount of people wandering around the area and near the abandoned building next door. read more

One of the best burgers in Raleigh. Once you figure out the ordering, you will be impressed by the food. The half pound burger is a must. The food is great fresh and tasty. By far the best burger in Raleigh!! read more

Char-Grill - Half pound burger - Burgers Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Well, hey y'all. Jamie Dubya and I finally arrived in Raleigh from the Left Coast pert near midnight, and we was starvin' 'cause all we had was a squeeze tube of hummus and a few crackers on the plane ride over. Sho'nuff, pickin's were awfully slim for us after we checked into our room at the Red Roof. Even the night clerk there was catching some winks while he was checkin' us in. I found word about Char-Grill not on Yelp but on Roadfood.com where they identify all the greasy spoons you may want to stop at as you travel the highways and byways in this great land of ours, the good ole U.S. of A. It didn't take us more than fifteen minutes to get there, and what we saw was a very retro-lookin' drive-in, completely empty of customers like something out of "The Twilight Zone". I mean the original, black-and-white Rod Serling version where the gremlin was chewing on William Shatner's airplane wing. It turns out Char-Grill was born in 1960 at this very location, so I wasn't that far off. The current owners, Mahlon Aycock and Ryon Wilder, have had it since 1975, and you can tell they don't mess around with a formula that works for them. It's quite an eccentric albeit self-protective ordering system out here. You take one of their long forms, check off what you want and slip it through a window slot and down a chute where the cook takes it and starts making your order. I ordered their classic, the $7.99 1/2-lb. Hamburger Steak Burger with Cheese that comes with Fries and a Medium Drink. Flames were shooting up to the ceiling as he was grilling my order (photo: http://bit.ly/1QN9mtd). Jamie got all domestic on me and ordered a two-fer - the $2.89 Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich served on a hamburger bun and the $2.09 Grilled Cheese on an English muffin bun (photo: http://bit.ly/1ETF0SW). Both were homespun good for fast-food options. Mine hit the spot at the midnight hour. Certainly meaty enough and not overly greasy since there are ridges on their grill to let the fat flow out. It was slathered big time in mayo which acted like glue for the mounds of lettuce epoxied to the sesame seed bun (photo: http://bit.ly/1Ajn78C). Oh I get it, that was the slaw. Nothing like a $1.39 Deep-Fried Apple Pie to finish the meal (photo: http://bit.ly/1EEMyH8). We were eating at one of the red picnic tables when it started to rain in a torrential downpour. We waited for it to lighten up as they were fixin' to close the place for the night. Welcome to North Carolina, y'all! FOOD - 4 stars...it's all in the grillin'...burger is like a deluxe version of a Whopper AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...well, it's a drive-in so it depends on your own nostalgia...mine included A&W drive-ins so I was at home SERVICE - 4 stars...actually quite friendly through the window TOTAL - 4 stars...not sure if this is the best burger in those parts but for a midnight craving, it works in a pinch read more

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Change your business hours. They close at 11 but stop taking orders at 10:45. I get it but if you close at this time let me order food 15 minutes before you close. Not cool. Food is good just change your hours or at least say you stop serving at a certain time. The Open sign was still on when I tried to order. But the employees looked very unhappy. Show some enthusiasm. It's a easy job. Simple menu, nothing too intricate. Restaurant is stressful but damn read more

Disappointing and will not be going back. every table was dirty. the food was not cooked to order. paid extra for cheese and bacon on chicken sandwich. no cheese and the bacon was not done. Others with me got cheeseburgers and not good. :( unfortunate. read more

As long as you get a large burger you are ok. The smaller burgers barely will up the bun. Don't get the chicken filet that comes in frozen and heated up. sometimes they don't get it heated up long enough and it is rubbery and raw like. read more

Visiting Raleigh for the first time, ran across this place exploring downtown. We were attracted by the old school drive in look of the place. While not a drive in it didn't disappoint. Cool way to order by filling out a slip of paper with what you want and sliding it through the window. You get to watch the cooks make your order on the grill and the food was good. Burgers were juicy with great fresh grilled flavor. Fries were basic crinkle cut but fresh, hot, and not too salty. Not a dine in place with limited outdoor seating but would not hesitate to go here again next time I'm in town. read more

Great comfort food. My main staple when downtown. Great service and friendly staff. The burgers are great, great Carolina Packers hotdogs. The apple pies are a definite on a cold day. read more

Overall: Beyond overrated. So I came here with a meat eating friend who hated their signature burger. Vegetarian/vegan: I ate some very below average fries and that was basically the only option. Not eve veggie burger on the menu. read more

Quality burger joint with an true old fashioned feel. The burger patty was very large. They don't appear to skimp on the 1/2 like a lot of places. Not the best burger but it was very good. The fries were fresh and good as well. Everything from the patty to the fries were cooked fresh to order. read more

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The new Apple pie is pretty bad. Loved the old one. It was fried, flaky and always great. This was doughy, heavy and didn't taste too good. If you are going to cut corners then I will be cutting my visits. read more

I can't add much more than what's already been said about this Raleigh instution. I like to call ahead and place my order; who likes to wait in line? The burgers are high quality beef and very favorful, top it off with a milk shake...then go jog a few miles...it's the no guilt way to do Char-Grill. Pick up a groovy Char-Grill Tee Shirt, it's cool to be seen wearing a 57 Chevy from the Char-Grill! read more

Char-Grill's a solid late dining option. It opens until 2 AM and it serves burgers, hot dogs, fries, milk shakes, etc. Hot Dogs & Char-Burgers're only 2+ bucks a pop. Everything's made fresh right in front of you & they're quite tasty for a fast food joint. It reminds me of Checkers, where a lot of people mostly get the food to go but they also have limited seating if you choose to dine in. I highly suggest getting onion & chilli for the optional toppings; Their chilli's delicious! However, their fries aren't very good since they're very salty... Overall - 3 1/2 stars read more

Raleigh, N.C. This place is actually a lifesaver, on some level depending on your desperation. It's midnight downtown, you haven't had dinner and you're hungry. The smell emitting from Char-Grill is mouth watering. The burger is actually quite good, especially if enhanced by bacon. Compared to others though, it is average. Did not see lettuce or tomato or pickles on the check list, and that's what I got, none. The bun is typical store bought variety mush. Thank you Char-Grill for being open late. Average does not mean bad. read more

A little dry. I forgot to ask for mustard, given that the order sheet only had mayo as an option (for the 1/2 lb or 1/4 lb burger meal). My fault, but a bit confusing that neither mustard or ketchup was available for a check mark. Otherwise, the burger is large and very tasty. It has that distinctive grilled taste. I've been here a lot of times, way back in the 80s when I lived here and every other time I've visited since. The seasoned fries are good too. The tea was weak, possibly because it was getting late in the day. read more

Sometimes, you find yourself in a food mecca and starved at a weird hour. These times are fortuitous. Other times, you find yourself in Raleigh. After deciding that I've had enough MSG for a lifetime at Shanghai Express, I decided to look elsewhere to answer the call of the beast. Yelp suggested Char-Grill, so Char-Grill it was. Similar to places like Which Wich, place your order by checking the items that you want on slips of paper that feature all of their menu selections. I ordered a half pound hamburger steak with all the toppings, fries, and a drink. I was satisfied with what I thought would be a moderate price until I noticed the fact that every single topping is an upcharge. I'm not surprised that things like cheese and bacon cost extra, but lettuce also? Are you kidding me? They feature these ghost upcharges on the opposite side of the menu where you're almost certain to not look. This is frankly only a step above not advertising these upcharges at all. They should also list these upcharges on the order slips, but that would be too honest of a practice. Fortunately, the burger was very good. Even with the limited and decidedly non-premium nature of the toppings, I enjoyed the taste of my burger. The fries didn't quite measure up to the burger. While the portion is very good, the taste was not. I must be psychic because I requested salt and pepper before tasting a fry. Sadly, the cashier disregarded my request. I thought something that simple would be easily obliged, so I didn't double check that she put it in the bag. Sucks to suck. 3.25 stars - had the cashier not ignored my request, I would've likely given this place 4 stars. I am not happy about their somewhat deceptive menu, but I've experienced worse. Char-Grill features a great burger, sub par fries, and average service. It is a great choice for late night, and a passable choice otherwise. read more

It was good. Nothing great. Nothing bad. I had heard about it as a special place. It was worth getting food there once to say I did. Parking lot is tight. read more

Went with a buddy late night. He was thoroughly unimpressed with his small burger. I got the halfpounder and was STOKED. Took a little while, but that's GOOD, that means they're freshly preparing YOUR burger. Very nice crust on the outside of the patty. Good charcoaly flavor. Moist and hot, what more can you ask for? Oh, a little $3 pulled pork sammich with coleslaw!! That little bastard was maybe even better than the burger!! read more

Food is very good. However, it is currently 10:45 PM and they refuse to serve us. When we arrived we were told that they were done serving even though we had over 15 min left to order food. Only warning - do not come here if you think you can get late night food. They'll close down on you - just go to cookout. They're not actually available for late night food. read more

Just go, trust me. 100x better than fast food while being just as fast and cheap. It is not your normal ordering process. You have some paperwork to fill out. Relatively simple though. I always good the quarter pounder and some fries. Never fails, great every time. I am actually happy that I don't have one of these in my home town as I try and watch what I eat these days. read more

Even though I have lived in Raleigh for the past 5 years I had never had a chance to try Char Grill for myself. I finally decided to go and try it and I was not disappointed! I really wish I had gone sooner, it's a really good place to get some quick, good, and pretty affordable food. I tried their grilled chicken sandwich and fries. The sandwich was really juicy and had a good amount of toppings, and the fries were perfectly salty and crunchy. I will definitely be going back, really solid fast food shop! read more

Char-Grill - Burgers Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I'm getting out of the gym and this little guy with red horns and a tail pops up on my shoulder. "Great workout, you deserve a treat! You deserve some Char-Grill..." And I'll confess, I've got no willpower when it comes to their cheeseburgers and dogs. Five blocks and five minutes later I'm at Char-Grill putting my order in. And we're not just talking a cheeseburger, but one slathered with chili-product, ohmigosh. Talk about undoing all that exercise. And you know what, it all tastes even better after working out! What can I say, I've got my vices and unfortunately Char-Grill is one of them. And it's too darn close to my gym, mea culpa... read more

Maybe it's because I've been on a low carb diet. Maybe it's because I hadn't eaten much all day. Maybe it's because of the company I was with. Or maybe it's just darn good. 5 stars. I had the 1/2 pound burger. *Per usual, feel free to judge away. I can handle it. I have lost 8.5 lbs this month, and I think I earned a treat today. Also, I had fries. I finished the entire thing. And some beer. And that's the truth. Pblbblblblblblb. read more

I am 62 years old and have been going to Char-Grill all my life best hamburgers and fries in all of Raleigh and everything on the menu is great my wife and I Probably visit at least 20 times a year don't change anything I don't mind waiting to have my burger cooked fresh Thank you read more

Two staff members rolled their eyes when I asked for sauces. No "have a good night," nothing. Also, it states on Yelp and Google that they are open until 12am yet they were turning away customers at 11:30 and turned the lights out at 11:45 when we were still eating outside. Very obvious they don't have a lot of pride in what they do. read more

Where it all began. I love this place as much for the burgers as I do for the nostalgia of visiting it dozens of times while I attended NC State and enjoying a good cheap meal with friends. Hamburger Steak Sandwich is the only way to go. And get a milk shake instead of a soda. Might as well live life to the fullest. read more

This place is a large is a reason why Raleigh will never be seen as a true foodie spot. I love supporting local business, but this stuff is bad and unremarkable. I understand it's "history" in the city but c'mon guys... really? Kudos for having that "off the grill" taste concept going except the burgers are extremely bland. Like no flavor at all. I could grill better burgers and I'm no griller. Burger King has a better taste than this. These burgers remind me of the burgers you're served for lunch in elementary school. Sure it is cheap and I love that but let's stop giving this place the title of one of the best burger places in the city. Also do they sit on the burgers before they hand it over? It always looks so crushed. I love nostalgia but let's be honest about this place. Only upside was that the staff was nice. read more

There is something great about going to a place that you know has been doing the same thing for over 50 years. The original Char-Grill has character and gets the nostalgia juices flowing. There are very few frills here and they stick to what they know. You are going to eat your meal in your car or at one of the few picnic tables that are located around the side of the building. Honestly, every time that I end up at this original location is because I have made a failed attempt to go to Roast Grill down the street (that place is never open! But that is a different story entirely). Anyways, I never regret my decision. The only thing that I've ever ordered from here is the 1/2 pound Hamburger Steak Combo. There is no reason to stray from something that is so good. The hamburger itself is huge and very filling. I would recommend adding Chili to top it off. I still haven't tried the hot dog, but if the chili is any indication, I'm sure they are delicious. The fries are also a must. This is a nice change of pace from standard fast food places. This is a piece of Raleigh history and that alone is a reason to visit. They also now offer Cheerwine. When Roast Grill is inevitably closed, come down the street to Char-Grill. read more

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Review from 12 months ago has expired...a terrible experience tonight with the food and insulted by the staff to add to it. They don't deserve the '1' star. read more

Char-Grill - Would u eat this burger? After the first bite he returned it only to be insulted. The remake wasn't much better. - Burgers Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Service they got my food out before almost everybody 9/10. Ambiance 3.5/10 kinda creepy at night. Food 8/10. Fries were 100/10

Great Burgers, Hot Dogs and Pork BBQ! Highly recommended. Oh and don't forget to try the fries and cole slaw #yummy #eatingwithchefsean read more

Great burgers. It's a cool operating place, should def go to for a quick bit if in town.

The Hamburger Steak Sandwich is the best burger. Hands down! If you love that charcoal broiled taste,, nice & crispy fries and an old fashioned milkshake, this is the place for you. They also use snow ice in their sodas. If you don't like shakes, they have Pepsi and Cheerwine on tap. I love this place! read more