I miss this spot so so so much We've moved from Charlotte, but this used to be my SPOT. Penguin is…read moretruly a Charlotte staple. Hands down one of the top burgers in the city--no question. The happy hour is amazing and actually goes into the evening (a rare win), plus they have specials every single day. You really can't go wrong. Their tenders are also great, but honestly... go for the burgers. And if you can, grab a seat at the bar--that's where it's at. The vibes, the food, the consistency... unmatched. Charlotte friends, don't ever take Penguin for granted. I'll be dreaming about it from afar

BEST FRIED PICKLES of my life!! With ranch on the side (chefs kiss)…read more Server who took my order was incredible!! Burger was okay, kinda mid. I feel like I needed more on it. A little more flavor. Not bad but not the best. Do with that what you will.

Excellent food every time. Service is usually very good. My last visit was an exception though,…read morewait staff was slow to refill the drinks and bring the checks at the end.

2nd time visiting from California and second time at Pinky's! It's a must when we come to town!…read more Delicious pimp'n fries - tried it with veggie chili but next time I'll try bacon. Serving size was good for sharing. Fried pickles with ranch were the perfect blend of crispy, crunchy, salty and tangy. Ranch was good too. Got the build your own pterodactyl burger with pimento cheese and pepper jack and substituted on Texas toast. Heaven! Also tried the velvet Elvis which is an interesting blend of peanut butter, honey, banana, cream cheese and bacon.. surprisingly good despite our initial hesitation. Service was amazing all around, attentive & quick. Parking lot is small but extra parking was plentiful in the dirt lot a short walk next door. The decor is fun and eclectic - inside was not huge but there was a lot of patio seating on a perfect night. We'll be back again next time we visit North Carolina!

Drove all the way here. Had called ahead to make sure they would still be open and was told the…read morekitchen didn't close early. Got here at 848 and was told they close the kitchen at 845 nightly. Why not tell the customer this on the phone if this is the policy? Extremely unprofessional. Shame on Diamond Restaurant.

We came in on a Sunday, and we were greeted and told to sit anywhere…read more When we sat, I found it hard to get into the seats and was offered another table that we were able to sit easy. She ordered the porkchops with fried okra. I order the gravy fries as an appetizer, and a big block burger with the standard lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. The gravy fries came out so hot you can see the steam coming from them. The fries were fresh and the gravy was a good brown gravy. A definite reorder, if you ever go get it with cheese. The burger patty was huge, like the old home made thick patty. Juicy and it held it's own against the bun and condiments. The only downside is that the bun and condiments seem to disintegrate while eating the burger. The staff was attentive and very quick with our refills. A must go if you want big burger patties.

Most experiences with Dish are fantastic but this one fell a little short. One entree ordered was…read morefried chicken which was fried breast filet which caught us off guard as usually when fried chicken is on a menu it's on the bone. The chicken was juicy but lacked flavor and we asked the waitress for seasoning so it could be added at the table. The salmon cakes were ok but again lacked some flavor. I did enjoy the butter beans (after a few shakes of salt were added). Staff were fantastic and the service was quick. I'll still come back and continue to make my way through the menu

Dish has been a staple for this Charlotte native, however today was an ultimate disappointment. The…read morefood was as bland as canned food. It wasn't worth the headache of asking for a refund, rather this purchase served as a reminder to go elsewhere. Fried green tomatoes, sliced thin and greasy! Veggie plate with lima beans in a cream sauce, eww. Lentil meatloaf, seasonings were not invited to this dish at all. What happened to the chefs from 2016-2018 era??

I've been to this and other Bad Daddy's so many times I cannot believe I've never written a review…read more The restaurant is pretty much a "restaurant in a sports bar" setting. In earlier visits I always gotten a burger and my wife, a burger or a salad of some type. There are many burger varieties on the menu or you can "create your own" using a provided list of available ingredients and toppings. They have also introduced a "smash burgerI". I much prefer a big hunk of meat rare or medium rare which you cannot achieve when you order smash burgers. What ever I've ordered in the past was cooked perfectly and tasted great (which is why I keep coming back when in a Bad Daddy's market). For the last few visits, I've gravitated to "Kim's Honey Chicken" which is a wonderfully flavored spiced honey and jalapeño ranch sandwich. Probably my favorite chicken sandwich anywhere except for when I'm in Nashville. My wife has enjoyed the perfectly cooked burgers but has lately done the "build your own" salad". Much like the burgers, there is a list of things you would expect and a lot that you wouldn't expect to choose from when ordering as salad. Service is always great as well.

It was definitively a BAD burger - tasted like a defrosted burger from the supermarket. The sweet…read morepotato fries were undercooked. The hand cut fries were good. Wouldn't try again

Located inside the lively Optimist Hall, Harriet's Hamburgers is a great stop if you're craving a…read moresimple, well-executed smash burger. Optimist Hall itself is a very food-centric, upscale food hall with a ton of vendors, so the atmosphere is energetic and fun. Seating can be a little challenging during peak dinner hours since so many people are grabbing food from different spots, but when the weather is nice there's plenty of outdoor seating. Harriet's keeps their burger formula refreshingly simple. It's a classic smash burger done right--made to order with a straightforward menu that doesn't overcomplicate things. There's usually a line, but it moves pretty quickly, and the burgers come out hot and fresh. One of the best parts of eating here is the flexibility of the food hall experience. While you're waiting, you can grab a craft beer, a glass of wine, or even browse for dessert from one of the other vendors. Insider tip: Come with a group if you can. It's a great place to share fries and let everyone explore different vendors around the hall. Parking is fairly easy with the nearby garage, which makes the whole experience even more convenient. Overall, Harriet's is a fun, delicious stop for a smash burger, especially if you're already enjoying the energy of Optimist Hall.

After seeing Harriet's Hamburgers all over TikTok being crowned "the best burger in Charlotte," I…read morehad to see what the hype was about. I live super close to Optimist Hall, so it's been on my radar for a while. This particular night I wasn't feeling great, so I DoorDashed instead of dining in. I ordered the Royale with crispy fries and let me just say... I get it. The burger was genuinely impressive. The quality of the beef stood out immediately. Juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The meat to bun ratio was spot on, which is crucial. Nothing worse than a bread heavy burger. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh, the build was balanced, and even after delivery, everything held up beautifully. So far I've tried two burger spots in Charlotte, and this one takes the top spot. I'm not ready to declare it the best in the entire city just yet because my burger tour is ongoing, but right now it's leading the race. I'll definitely be going to Optimist Hall soon to try it fresh off the grill and experience the service and atmosphere firsthand. Expect an update. But based on this first round alone, Harriet's is absolutely worth the order. Burger lovers, this one deserves a try.

We came for the crab ragoon dip and because of the huge menu variety and we loved everything! Great…read moreservice from the host to the waiters! Everyone was so helpful and friendly! Great atmosphere, I loved celebrating my birthday there!! Thank you Cowfish for such a great time! Sushi: Riggs R & R

Expect this place to be overpriced…read more However the sushi was pretty good, just not worth the price tag. Our favorite is the crab rangoon dip! Such a different take on the dish itself! If you eat here, most definitely recommend asking to sit on the patio, it was gorgeous!

Despite being one of our staple restaurants for decades, we haven't been back in a long while…read more(mostly due to the distance factor)...and when we did, I was quite disappointed. First of all, they're no longer open for dinner...but just open for for lunch. Luckily, business still seemed good for lunch...as it was a packed house! However, there were some changes (for the worse). First of all, one of the hallmarks of Lupie's was the loud, overhead music. Granted, I didn't always love the music selection (as many tended to be Rockabilly), but music was part of what made Lupie's a fun place to be. Well, this time around, we could barely hear the music from where we were seated (downstairs). The vibe has completely changed from its "Heyday". Once a hipster hangout, the place has become a casual family spot now...with many older folks as well. I guess this may explain the reduction of music. *SIGH* Then the service. First of all, Lupie's has never been the place for sweet, friendly hospitality or anything like that. In fact, the service was always quite swift...but the waiters here have always been competent. Well, this time, it was altogether different. This older guy that showed us to the table was also our waiter. Again, we didn't expect any friendliness...and that wasn't the issue. What was the issue?? He was running around like crazy, sweating the whole time! It was obvious they were short staffed, and I get that...but because he was near hyperventilating (literally running and sweating!), it made me (and surely others?) quite anxious throughout. Definitely NOT a relaxing dining with all of that going on. Plus, I couldn't even get his attention for iced tea refill. At one point, I had to raise my voice to get his attention to order dessert...and he basically snapped back at me. Then as if that wasn't rude enough, hear me out on this! When I finally placed the order ("Kuchen", this peach cobbler dessert), he rushed that back to us WITH HIS THUMB INSIDE THE LITTLE BOWL...NOT ONLY TOUCHING THE FOOD, BUT SMEARING THE WHIPPED CREAM WITH IT. it was disgusting!! I thought about asking him to bring us another one...but decided to scoop out one third of the dessert off instead. I mean, how crude of a service was that?!? Beyond gross! Thank God, the foods still tasted the same...well, almost. I had my usual Texas Chili Mac...and while the meat still tasted good, it was a tad more salty than usual. Also, they no longer use the thicker noodles...a big letdown as far as I'm concerned.. Portions have decreased over the years as well...which was fine actually. The pricing was still quite friendly. As much as I love (LOVED!) Lupie's over the past 3-4 decades, I just can't ignore this. You do not stick your finger into your guest's foods! How repulsive is that?!?!?!? I hate to do this, but for once, our experience merited 1 star, but considering our long history with Lupie's, I'm being generous with 2 stars. I mean, FINGER INTO OUR FOODS....and not even being aware of doing it because of all the rushing about so manically?!? I call this REALLY BAD SERVICE. I'm seriously hoping that things change for the better again. I mean, I hope the management reads this, and informs the staff members not to touch the customers' foods, for one. Also, it would make for a nicer dining experience if the waiter didn't run around sweating so much. Of course, the place could definitely use another waiter or a hostess...as that may prevent all the manic running around (?!?). I seriously hope to upgrade this review the next time...if the place is still open, that is. I'm just wondering if they're in the process of closing down altogether, given the lesser hours. Honestly, as much as I appreciated this restaurant for decades, I can't deal with the running around sweating, barking and "FINGER-IN-YOUR-FOOD" service. We may give this place at one more try in the future (if open)...but if I see this type of repulsive service again, I vow never to return.

Lupie's Café has been serving up homestyle comfort food for over 36 years, and it's easy to see why…read moreit's still going strong. From the outside, the building gives off pure dive diner energy with faded paint, a crooked sign, and the kind of place your dad probably grabbed lunch at in the '90s. Inside, the vibe is no-frills. Crinkled paper menus printed in black and white, booths that have seen better days, and a focus on food, not aesthetics. They're known for chili: Texas, Cincinnati, Southern, and Vegetarian...and yes, you can sample all four. The Cincinnati style had that Greek cinnamon-tomato flair (not my favorite). Southern was mellow. Texas brought the heat. I ended up mixing the Texas and Southern to balance things out. That combo got ladled over a massive bed of mac and cheese, then topped with a mountain of shredded cheddar and a scoop of sour cream. I skipped the raw onions and got a slice of cornbread on the side, which was a bit dry for me. Service was top-tier. Genuinely friendly and tag-teamed by servers who kept things moving. One of them looked like Jack Black, which he admitted he's heard before. The menu is affordable and portions are huge. Every table around me looked like Thanksgiving. This might not be a weekly stop for me, but I'm glad I finally made it. Lupie's is a nostalgic, no-BS staple that's earned its long-standing reputation.

One of the best salmon dinners I've had. It was cooked exactly like I requested and was paired with…read moreroasted tomatoes and cauliflower with a miso vinaigrette. If you're traveling through Charlotte NC, and staying at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown-check out Coastal Kitchen and Bar!

Met a friend for lunch. Atmosphere is nice with soft music in the background. Service was really…read moregood. We all had salads. Salads were large and everyone really enjoyed their meal. The blue wedge salad with chicken was very tasty. The chicken had a lot of flavor and moist.

I've heard about Pinky's for several years, but I've never been visited. It was a very pleasant…read morevisit and I will be back. The customer service was good. The workers are very friendly and very attentive to what we needed. If I needed something, I did not have to wait for a long period of time for them to bring it to the table which I greatly appreciated. I ordered two fish tacos, which came with a side of black beans as well as the crab hush puppies. All of the food was very good and fresh! The fish tacos were very, very big and I liked the coleslaw and sauce that was on the top. It added a nice texture to the tacos. The fish was very crispy and it was well balanced throughout the taco. I only finished one of the tacos while I was there because they were that big! The black beans tasted like they had some type of neckbones or something smoky in it, but there was no meat in them at all. Delicioso!! My only gripe is that the side of black beans was very small. Nonetheless, it is something that I would go back for. The crab hush puppies were very good. The hush puppies were not dry, but they were moist and the crab melted in very nicely with the hush puppy mixture. I ordered eight and I promise you that I could eat a whole 12 or 16 of them by myself lol My guest ordered a patio margarita which was about seven dollars and said it was good and boozy. The drinks are standard pricing ranging from about $6-18. Overall, I'm very pleased that I finally tried this place.

DO NOT GO HERE!!!! Such unprofessional management…read more I ordered a cocktail which tasted sour and downright awful... After telling the manager I didnt want it fixed nor want a replacement - they still charged me for it! Wouldn't take it off the bill! I took one sip! Horrendous. I felt as though the entire staff was snarky and condescending to me the entire time. I don't know why this has such high reviews... the food and drinks are disgusting. Go somewhere else!!! Please!!!