Just finished enjoying take out. Had a medium rare burger which was actually medium rare and lovely. I read a post from a previous customer that stated that they had a real medium rare burger there. Thanks!! My wife had grilled chicken and Italian wedding soup that pleased her quite well. We will visit again every time we are in Wilmington area! read more

Full disclosure: The Charcoal Pit was founded by my step-grandfather Marty Sloan and his brothers. I didn't know him very well as he died when I was about 9 and I grew up in Louisiana. The last time I stepped foot in the restaurant, I was about 8. So this was a chance for me to experience it 35 years later as an adult and on my own terms. I work remotely in Austin, TX for a company based in Baltimore. Since we were having an on-site, and I arrived early, I figured I'd take a day trip to Delaware for some tax free shopping and to see if the old restaurant was still good. The parking lot has seen better days, but it's serviceable. The restaurant shows its age like a well-earned patina. I ordered the fried clams, which were tender and enjoyable, not over-battered. I also had the double cheeseburger, which was flavorful and definitely tasted charcoal broiled. A solid burger, not nearly as greasy as some newer places. I also had a vanilla malt that was rich and satisfying. I couldn't finish it. :) The fact that the restaurant is still going to strong is a testament to the work and love the owners who took it over from my pop-pop put into it. While it was a bit of a nostalgia trip for me, I was also legit hungry and wanted a solid meal. I'm glad the old pit was still there to deliver. I'll be back next time I'm in Baltimore for work. -Geoff "Bear" Sloan read more

Charcoal Pit - Clam strips appetizer - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

One of our favorites was completely awful tonight. We visit here once or twice a month. All the regular servers were not there. Very strange? Food was good! This Review is All about the worse than awful service tonight. Party of three and we Waited over 25 minutes just to order. Waitress was walking by our table, people who came in after us were already eating and done. We were in there for over 90 minutes! To make matters worse, Even our Dessert was wrong. Ordered funnel cake fries... waitress brought out a hot fudge sundae. Response was "oh that's right". Again, over an hour and a half.... We could sit no longer! Tables around us with this server were also sitting and waiting. I Had to walk to find waitress to request the bill. Terrible experience! read more

Service has been really poor lately. Was there 3 times in the last couple of months. Very disorganized staff. Won't be returning.

Have been going here for decades. Never had an experience like I had tonight. Waited to be seated for 5 full minutes and despite there being at least 10 employees standing around no one approached us. I finally got someone to seat us. We waited much longer than usual for our food and I was disappointed that after all these years they changed their fries ... and not for the better! The couple behind us got up and left when after 10 minutes no one came to wait on them. It's not like there wasn't enough waitstaff. It was like no one cared. This was always a favorite place you could count on but what a disappointment. Won't be back. read more

Service was awesome! It was our first time since some updates the restaurant looks great! Charcoal pit always brings you back to your childhood. read more

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So, I was at Charcoal pit waiting to be seated, and I see the most disgusting thing ever. I wish I was lying, I see a worker spit on a table. Foaming at the mouth, white, spit. And he uses this spit to clean the table. I wish I was lying, it was the most diabolical thing I've seen. I will never be stepping foot into Charcoal Pit ever again. It was outright atrocious, and it's lovely to see how unhygienic they are!! read more

I absolutely loved the physical restaurant. Genuine 1950s restaurant that still has that feel and is maintained fairly well. However, the food was a big let down. I also observed some bad hygiene practices by staff. read more

Are here as a late dinner before hitting the road back towards home. My wife got the pulled pork sandwich, and I got chicken strips and fries. The fries are a pretty large portion and we could have split it. The chicken was reasonably decent and not dried out. We thought about getting a shake because they looked really good, but we'll save that for next time we're in the area. read more

I've probably driven past here many times when I used to live in the area and never went in. Recently I heard the morning radio talk show hosts talking about Charcoal Pit, and how it had been voted Best Burger in Delaware in a 2021 Food and Wine article. They also told stories about how Joe Biden has been visiting since his high school days, and still does. Given I would be in the area I had to try it, and I am glad I did. When you first walk in, it looks like a run of the mill diner, maybe even a bit more run down than your average one. Its ok, just wait till you food arrives. Its good, really good. I had the Summit Burger. It was big, fresh, and I ate every bite. The chocolate milkshake I washed it down was a classic and hit the spot. The prices are here are very good, ranging from $7-12 for a burger and fries, depending on how big you want to go. If anything seems a little pricey on the menu, rest assured you will get a serving size worthy of the price tag. Check this place out. Eat well, and you just might see the President. read more

Charcoal Pit - Summit Burger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

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A solid local eatery that's a step back in time. Classic eats like burgers, fries and shakes in a time capsule hard to come by in today's modern world. Had the Kennet Square burger with fries and ate it all. The haddock fish sandwich is also solid as well as the chili dogs. read more

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Trying to get in and out wasn't the best idea when it comes to a Saturday night. My daughter and I came in, for takeout. We only wanted milkshakes and ended up waiting 20 minutes... - - - - - More recently my bestie and I went for a late weeknight snack. The burgers were mediocre at best. The waitress completely forgot her soup. We didn't leave hungry but we weren't satisfied. At least it didn't cost an arm and a leg. The waitress was nice. Although, she focused more on her closing duties than helping her customers. Probably won't go back. read more

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As always, the BEST burger and fries! Everything about the Pit is so good and has been since I was a little girl. We especially love their shakes. The only problem we have is with a lady there that wears a head scarf. She has been mean and rude to us each time we go in. We recently went in to order to go and she wouldn't speak to us. We finally ordered and she tossed our receipt to us and walked away. We try to avoid her when we are there. read more

Food was good as usual, service HORRIBLE!!! Lady with a scarf did not acknowledge me or another customer that came behind me. When she finally went to wait on any of us she overlooked my daughter and I. I had to speak up to get service. She got my order wrong and purposely gave the other customer his food first! As much as I love their milkshakes and burgers.... I won't be back as long as she is there. read more

The food was really good, john and I both got burgers and they were really delicious. Crispy fries and onion rings. We felt like we were in a date in the 1950s. Our server was very sweet. I would definitely go back for a fun and nostalgic meal! read more

Good good, good service, very clean table, seats, and silverware. Good value in overall. I'll come back.

Charcoal pit is definitely one of those places that you already know what you're getting before you go. With that being said, I usually stick to their crab cake sandwich (which is surprisingly good) and the milkshakes. Today I decided to be adventurous and order a brownie sundae through door dash instead of the usual milkshake. For some reason, unlike every other restaurant they actually warmed up my brownie and put it in the styrofoam container with the ice cream and whipped cream on top so by the time it got to me it was a soupy mess. Not the biggest deal but it did ruin my dessert. Besides that, if you're ever in the mood for a good malt shake this is the place to go! read more

Charcoal Pit - Crab Cake Sandwich - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

The Charcoal pit is my favorite place for burgers and fries. They have great ice cream sundaes too!

The food was awful. Super dry burgers. Service was awful. Fries were cold. Restaurant was kind dirty. read more

I got the Char Dog special. The hot Dogs and chili were great. The fries were a little salty but very tasty. read more

Charcoal Pit - I got the Char Dog Special. Hot dogs and chili were great. The fries were a little salty but very good. - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

Received the worst customer service of my life. Establishment decided to close more than 30 minutes early because "they weren't busy" so when I called to order an ice cream sundae, I was hung up on twice, yelled at by two different employees and one decided to treat me as though I was a personal acquaintance when he waved me off, walked away while I was was talking and cursed in my presence. The person that hung up on me said "you sounded like a kid on the phone." Wrong I'm a 40 plus year old woman that has supported this establishment for more than 25 years. Sadly, I will not be returning or recommending this establishment going forward. read more

We ate there tonight and had mixed emotions. I ordered the black and blue burger which was not very good. It was greasy, some of the bacon was over cooked and some under cooked and the blue cheese kind of emulsified on top of the burger patty. The worst part was, there were two shrimp tails on my plate and I didn't order anything with shrimp on it. Now, I have to say my husband did enjoy his pulled bbq pork sandwich, therefore,it wasn't a total loss but I don't see me going back. read more

Solid take out option for burgers and a shakes. Confusing online ordering process so we just call in our order. Pit special with cheese offers a tasty burger and plenty of fries. Always consistent and on point. Chicken fingers seem a bit pricey, but family members always seem to enjoy them. We order with "double fries" which is way more fries than a single person could/should eat. Milkshakes are as expected, which is to say tasty. read more

Step into a little history and a whole lot of good food. Food, service and a roadside restaurant from 1956 makes for a great stop! Whether you're looking for good ole burger or a steak, you'll find it grilled to perfection at Charcoal Pit. Take a step back in time and checkout their photo wall. It's a piece of Americana hiding in plain view. read more

This place is dump. Its filthy. The food is marginal at best. It disgusts me that the owners are apparently resting on the laurels earned in the distant past. read more

The milkshakes were awesome, Sally, there was no claw machine. Very disappointed of them not including elementary & middle school. The staff did not really care. read more

A Delaware staple. Between the burgers, fries, milkshakes, and the classic diner decor, stepping into Charcoal Pit always feels a bit like stepping back into time. You won't find anything too diverse on the menu outside of your typical burger and sundae pairings, so don't expect any vegan or dietary restrictions to be catered to. For the picky eaters or the health-conscious, your options may be limited, but for the rest of us - prepare to go all out with a hand dipped milkshake, a cheeseburger with the works, and a side of nachos or fries to top it all off. Or, if you're feeling particularly adventurous (and in need of a serious sugar rush), consider opting for The Kitchen Sink - featuring twenty scoops of ice cream, all the toppings, and of course a ton of whipped cream and cherries to finish the sundae off. Charcoal Pit may not be anything close to fine dining, but it is a Delaware institution, and if you're in the market for burgers and shakes, it manages to hit the spot. read more

I've lived in Delaware for 50 years, close to the restaurant for half that time, but yesterday was my first time eating at The Charcoal Pit. I had a burger, onion rings, and a Oreo milkshake. The burger and the milkshake were quite good. I didn't care for the flavor of the onion rings. Not sure what type of oil they were using but the flavor overwhelmed the onion. Our experience with the kitchen staff was great. Unfortunately our server was terrible. She took our order and that was the last we saw of her until she took our payment. She didn't deliver the food, check to see how it was (our order was incorrect but the kitchen staff fixed it), or refill our drinks. She didn't smile once and aside of taking our order, didn't say a word. She put the check down, walked away, and didn't come back for it for about 10 minutes. While the food was good, the service was poor enough that I won't be going back. read more

This place is consistent with its food and service. Very kid friendly and relaxed atmosphere when you want something a little better than fast food and don't mind waiting a few minutes for the food to be fired up on the grill. This place is one of our usual options when it's a casual family dinner night out. Kids always love the milkshakes, kids meals and fries and the possibility of running into one of their friends too. read more

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I want to love Charcoal Pit, but it's just got too many minor flaws. The vintage setting is awesome, but the seats are tiny. Not a problem if you're here on a date, but the tiny booths are not great if you have a kid in high chair (especially if it's busy). The vintage building also means you should expect unpleasant drafts during cold months. Service is inconsistent--never unfriendly, but I've had slow service even when the place was empty late in the evening. Once we were seated near the (somewhat smelly) restroom despite there being plenty of open tables. Despite all this, the burgers are great and have that "old-timey" kind of taste. Kids' meals get it done, and the onion rings are fabulous. Desserts are ok, but there are vastly better ice cream offerings in the area (Sweet Lucy's, Sweet Nel's). Definitely worth a stop in, but I wouldn't make the Pit a usual. read more

Very delicious ribs. Excellent service and a well fed family of 5 . Everyone left happy.

This has been a landmark on 202 in Wilmington for decades. I can give it 4 stars based on the service primarily. The food was good diner quality and served hot and fast. It was clean and the ice cream dessert was tasty! read more

This place was made famous by President Obama's visit. While I did not get to sit in the same seat the Obama sat in, we were led to a booth next to the window. Food is your average american fare. Nothing overly fantastic but nothing to complain about as well. Food: I ordered the Cheese burger with extra lettuce and tomatoes. Bun seemed like it could have come from Walmart with sesame added and the meat the same, but they did make it extra yummy. Price: Average prices: $10 for burgers and fries. Atmosphere: If you come from a large town, this place definitely puts the country style theme in for you, with the 50s-60s style diner. The diner makes it seems like at night they even clear out a couple of tables to make a small dance floor (probably not true). read more

Charcoal Pit - Deluxe burger. - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

Well, after five years I'm deciding to do reviews again. I was on a roll with reviews on Yelp, but life changes put a stop to it. Now I'm finally back!!! With that being said enough about me, and he's my first review in years. I love this burger place. I moved to Maryland in 2014, and this was a place I was craving to go. I heard that previously President Obama and Vice President Biden had been there. I wanted to try the burger, and that's what I did. The burger was probably the best I've ever had in my life. It was juicy and just the right size. I love their shakes as well. The staff is very friendly, and they even have a jukebox. I love the vibe at this place and I would definitely recommend this burger joint. I promise you will thank me later. read more

Charcoal Pit - Pit Deluxe Burger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

This was a Highlander Sundae that I got tonight - what a major disappointment! It was served in a lg thin paper cup. What was supposed to be 4 scoops of vanilla icecream with "gobs" of hot fudge, banana spears and wet nuts was at most 3 skimpy scoops of vanilla icecream, a single tablespoon (if that) of hot fudge, 3 unripe thin round slices of banana and 2 nut pieces and a acant cloud of whipped cream and a cherry for $6.75... have always gone here in the past for late night cravings. NEVER AGAIN. read more

Charcoal Pit - This was the Highlander Sundae I received tonight - HUGE disappointment! - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

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The flood was good, but when ordering online they gave us a wrong shake, missed an order of onion rings, and messed up the toppings on a couple of the burgers. Very nice staff read more

Trend has been downhill for quite a while. We're going less and less. Tonight, Soggy fries and raw burger. Ordering by phone is super tedious too. read more

Went back, after being away from the area for a number of years. Food is still just as good as ever. None of the good things have changed. My burger was better than the cheesesteak. Great cheesesteaks about thirty miles away in South Philly, but not so great here. There is one central jukebox now, as the table jukeboxes remain but are not functional. It played continuous fifties music but the music was not too loud,. Once again, consumed more sugar than I should have. The chocolate milkshake I had was outstanding and excellent. They always give the whole canister with a glass. Close to perfect shake. Burgers were juicy and great, as well as the French fries. Will stop at Charcoal Pit every time I pass through Wilmington, for the rest of my life. Counted 23 variations of the ice cream sundae. This place is worth going out of your way to visit. Prices are quite low here. More detail was in my original review of 11-7-11. read more

Stopped for lunch. Almost empty at 2pm. Ten minutes before a waitress appeared. Almost ten minutes more to bring a perfectly cooked plain hamburger with an ice cold bun, French fries and a small soft drink to the table. Thankfully the food was really good and you can't go wrong with a soft drink. It's a week before Thanksgiving and call me a party pooper, but non-stop Christmas music added nothing to my lunch experience. Can't we let Thanksgiving pass in peace before Christmas starts? If you're not in a hurry, this is the place you'd want to come to. read more

A great local institution that everyone should visit at least once! Also. Make sure you get a milkshake or a soda float!