Located inside the lively Optimist Hall, Harriet's Hamburgers is a great stop if you're craving a simple, 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. read more

See all

After seeing Harriet's Hamburgers all over TikTok being crowned "the best burger in Charlotte," I had 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. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - The Royale and Crispy Fries - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Grabbed the Royale for a quick bite. It's a solid smashburger for the price--good crisp on the patties and the sauce is tasty, but it's nothing life-changing. It hits the spot if you want something greasy and casual, but don't expect a gourmet experience. Service: It's in a food hall, so service is pretty much non-existent aside from the girl at the counter taking your order. She was fine, efficient enough to get the line moving. Ambiance: Typical food hall vibes. It's loud, busy, and you're fighting for a table, so it's definitely an "eat and go" kind of place rather than somewhere you hang out. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - The Royale - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Harriet's has been a steady go-to since I've been going to Optimist. They are consistent & efficient with their delivery, I always know what to expect. It's counter service so you walk up to order & wait for your name to be called (just like all other vendors at OH). There's plenty of seating throughout the Food Hall as well as outdoors. The OG Burger is delicious! Smash style double patties with melted cheese, simple sauce & onions, sometimes I leave the pickles on. The Jucy Lucy from the secret menu is also fantastic if you are a cheese lover. The fries are some of my favorite. They are simple, salted & great with just ketchup. Everything I have ever had from Harriet's, I have enjoyed. While it can be pricey, it hasn't stopped me from going. If you're a burger enthusiast, I recommend this spot! read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would pay so much for a mundane burger. I tried it and I don't understand choosing to pay double for a meh meal when there are other options. I'll go to Ace or Bad Daddies for a better burger if I'm going to spend this kind of money anyway. I really don't get the hype here. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers are top notch. Hands down some of the best burgers in Charlotte! They are always hot and fresh and I've never had an issue with an order being messed up. The staff is always helpful and kind. The location at Optimist Hall requires you to order and you can get it to go or on a tray to stay in eat. An easy hack is to order ahead of time online so that you can just grab an go. You can also order right through UberEats for easy delivery. Optimist Hall itself is very lively and full of seating inside and out. Don't forget to order their delicious fries with your burger. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The taste of the burger is AMAZING. Extremely good down to the very last bite. Certainly wouldn't be good to go every week. But it's worth it every other month. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Product - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Fast friendly place at Optimis Hall. Great burgers and fries at a great price. Staff are friendly and helpful. Restaurant is clean and nicely decorated with nostalgic decor read more

One of the best burger spots in charlotte. Great FFs, house made sodas, and house made sauce. The simple sauce is my favorite. I get the OG with extra cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato, no onions. Really nice service here, they are quick and polite. Can be busy but you can place an order online. Don't skimp on getting sauces and a black cherry drink! I always get mine cut in 1/2 bc it's easier to eat. There's 90 mins of free parking at optimist hall but you have to register your car don't forget. Gets extremely busy on the weekends read more

See all

This place was surprisingly good, I'm not a huge burger fan but this was my favorite thing at optimist hall so far. I love all the sauce options and the food quality was better than expected. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

I finally made it to Optimist Park to try Harriet's. FYI, this is not the place to be if you're eating healthy or clean. This visit was about comfort food. I played it safe and just tried the cheeseburger and fries. I ended up munching on the fries in the car. I'm not sure why, but the taste of the food gave me a sense of nostalgia. I observed how the staff worked while I waited for my order. The orders were coming in and everyone seemed to work well together. I don't remember his name, but one gentleman was extra bubbly and engaging with me and others. I'm due for a return visit read more

See all

Great service. Got our food fast. The OG was much better than the royale. Fries are on point. Not super easy to find and the sauce on the royale took it from a 4 to 3 stars for me. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Finally got a chance to try Harriet's Hamburgers. Actually, after never going in all the years I lived in Charlotte, I went twice in one week which is a testament to how good the burger is. I don't go to Optimist Hall often but I always noticed Harriet's. They're right next to the entrance by the parking lot and there is usually a healthy line of people waiting to order. Service is good, their area is clean and they churn the burgers out in pretty timely fashion so the wait isn't too long. The first time I tried them, I grabbed my burger (with fries and some kind of cola) and found an empty bench seat. The burger meat was great, the fries good, and I really like their different sauces. However, I didn't love the bun both times I tried them. And the cola (it's not Pepsi or Coke) was just okay. But that didn't deter me from going twice and won't be a deterrent in the future. read more

Harriet's lives up to their tagline "hot and fast," with juicy, crispy patties. My go to order is the OG. Everything about this burger is perfection. I also enjoy the craft sodas and recommend mixing the black cherry and cola. I recommend ordering on Toast if it's busy time of day so you don't have to wait in line (plus rewards). My order has never been more than 10 minutes and usually is ready in less than 5. The staff is friendly and helpful. Optimist offers free parking for 90 minutes and does this automatically when you drive in and out if you've registered before. Good seating options throughout inside and out. Different times of day / of the week are busier than others for seating. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burger! - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Okay, I'm going to admit that it took convincing to get me to try Harriet's. I mean, I'm at Optimist Hall, I have all of these incredible options, why would I choose a burger? Because there's something magic in this burger that makes it different than any burger I've ever tasted! I don't know what it is, but I would like to bottle its essence and hold it close on a bad day. This is getting weird, but this burger is the real deal. Just try it, you'll get what I'm talking about. read more

See all

We chose this burger joint out of all the options at Optimist Hall because we saw someone had their fries and they looked fresh cut and yummy; they were! They are a smashed style patty and the buns are fresh and soft. The kids meal was a lot of food but the pull tab "gambling style" toy was weird. I didn't want to go back to the line to wait for the yo-yo I "won" (just put it in the box folks). Their system is great and efficient and the wait staff was especially friendly which was refreshing read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Kid's meal - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This was my first time trying Harriet's Hamburgers. I was excited to try it after seeing the hype of it on social media. I went to the location at Optimist Hall so the space was clean, there was plentiful seating, and a casual yet modern vibe. Although we had minimal interaction, the staff was friendly, my food was prepared in a timely manner without error. I ordered the, "OG" Hamburger ($9.95, plus .50 cent each for lettuce and tomato) which came with double patty, buttery Parkerhouse bun, house-made crinkled cut pickles, marinated ribbon red onions, with Chef Brian's simple sauce. The burger was bigger than I thought it was going to be and very tasty. I definitely was impressed. read more

I had a simple, no-stress experience here. The space was tidy, and the staff remained polite and efficient. The service itself felt consistent from start to finish. read more

I've finally tried Harriet's Hamburgers and wow this is one of my favorite burgers in the city. This food stall in Optimist Hall is a throwback to the classic fast food joints of old. Their menu is small and simple, but it can be because they do it so well. I got their OG burger which comes with two smash Pattie's, American cheese, as well as their specialty sauce. I can't stress how good this burger was enough! Also worth noting is that they seem to make their own sodas in house and their cherry cola was phenomenal! Overall despite being fairly new this place is already a classic in my mind. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Harriet's is one of my favorite burgers in CLT. Fast casual restaurant with very nice staff and a fun vibe. The perfectly toasted bun, smashed patties, and white American cheese make a perfect burger. Their sauces really put it over the top. The Simple Sauce on the burger is delicious and I like to dip my fries into the garlic aioli. Their craft soda is also great and tastes similar to Coke products. I would definitely give Harriet's a try if you love a great burger! read more

See all

Now I feel a little silly reviewing this place because I didn't try a burger. But I did try the fries which were crispy and delicious. I also ordered their frose'. This was the best drink that I had in the entire place all day. The flavor was immaculate and it was super cold and yummy. If you just go to Harriet's hamburgers for this drink and fries, it is worth it. So I'm guessing the burgers are worth it as well and I look forward to trying one next time. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Frose' - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I was in the mood for a burger and I started to go to my favorite burger joint but thought I'd try a local spot. Harriet's came up as on my way home and had great Yelp reviews. It's located in Optimist Hall which is a really cool food hall with both indoor and outdoor space. It was easy to order and service was friendly. I ordered take out the OG with bacon and side of fries with a recommended dipping sauce. Everything came up to $18. I was underwhelmed, there was something ...bitter about the burger and the fries were too salty and I didn't enjoy the seasoning they put on it. Maybe it's just my taste. I say try it out for yourself - it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the burger joint for me. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - OG burger with bacon, fries, and garlic aoili sauce on the side. - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Oh wow! Just wow. The service was quick- the burger is phenomenal, crispy edges, sauce was surprisingly good, pickles taste homemade and the fries were crispy and hot. Highly recommend!! read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - The Royale - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Great little option hidden in optimus hall. They have newly opened a freestanding restaurant as well. Quick ordering, quit service all around. Nice employees and several dipping options for fries.its a little loud so sometimes its hard to understand what the employees are asking, but otherwise recommend for a good burger. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I ordered the Royale with cheese with bacon and extra cheese, it was literally the best burger I have ever had in my life. I'm going to be ordering again tomorrow because I just absolutely love this food. If I could give him 10 stars, I'd give them 10 stars. read more

Harriet's is our go to for burgers. Hands down. I really like the sauces they offer for the fries too, the rosemary garlic aioli is my favorite. read more

Good burger place. Food was very tasty. Order your food then find a spot in Optimist hall to eat. Optimist hall is hard to find parking and charges after 90 minutes. If you do not pay you get a fine. Optimist hall is hard to find a table. It's very crowded and lots of restaurants with people looking for tables. There are indoor and outdoor tables but when it's bad weather no one sits outside so you lose a good number of tables. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Royale - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We've been following Harriet's on IG and finally got a chance to try it! There is no ambiance for the spot itself however it was in a food hall that was beautiful. The service was quick in ordering and picking up our food. The burger was like no other. It was juicy and well portioned. Very much worth the money. Will definitely be back. read more

My absolute favorite burger is from Harriet's! I didn't want to try it at first because it looked so plain & simple. I like the works on my burger or the opportunity to customize it with various toppings but decided to try them and I am elated I did. It is a simple but wonderfully executed burger. I didn't need the works to make this burger delicious. It was seasoned beautifully, a buttery brioche bun, with their sauce and it is easily, dare I say, the best burger in Charlotte. The wait can be long at times but worth the wait. Staff is great and friendly as well. read more

Located inside a Food Hall. Kind of loud and busy spot, on the weekend at least. Staff were very nice and efficient. Food is cooked to order. Burger was good, there was only one option. Fries were hot and crispy. read more

See all

Smaller than the bun, nothing like it looks in the pictures I see online Smaller than the bun, nothing like it looks in the pictures I see online read more

Back for our almost bi-weekly visit to Harriet's. This time it's to give major props to the manager, Jay! He is one of the most pleasant people I've interacted with. He knows his regulars by name and speaks to all customers with kindness and respect. I stood behind a first-time customer tonight and witnessed him personally answer every single question she asked with detail. He is so knowledgeable about his company and just makes every visit pleasant. Thank you, Jay!! You make our visits even better! read more

See all

Buns were ice cold and partiers were premade. The cheese was still intact and cold. $30 for 2 burgers and fries ...do better guys 3/9/2025 read more

Been on my radar for sometime but never got around to driving into NE Charlotte DT to give them try. Dropped Susan off at Charlotte Douglas to catch a flight to Pittsburgh around 6:30am but flight was delayed for almost two hours due to electrical problems. Finally got corrected and she was on her way and landed a around noon. Safely on the ground and time to think about lunch. One reason for not trying Harriet's before was that Susan in not a Burger Fan. I am and this was the perfect time to give them a try. It's not that long a drive into Downtown Charlotte from Denver (about 25 minutes) but traffic can be a bear particularly on the day after Christmas. Harriet's Burger is one of a number of food counters within Optimist Hall. Optimist Hall is an old, repurposed Textile Mill that was probably built in the early 1900's.. One of the attractions is the Food Court which has a myriad of vendors with permanent or semi-permanent locations. For some, this is the beginning of the transition from Food Cart or Food Truck to a Brick and Morter location. Still, it is a lot of cuisines to try in a relatively concentrated area. Parking is a bear and limited but it's free for the first 90 minutes and I hope I checked in right otherwise it's a 20 dollar fine. You go around to the side and up the stairs to the outside Patio and then turn right into the Food Court, turn left to the end of the corridor and then turn right and they are the third station on the left. Nice shades of Green, Yellow and White made for a very attractive decor. Menu is very limited, but a limited menu done right is far superior to an expansive menu where everything is mediocre at best. They pride themselves of using Fresh Ingredients which is a plus. I ordered the Hamburger with Cheese (note it's not called a Cheeseburger) along with the Crispy Fries. Placed my order and gave my phone number and last name so I could be sent a text alert but for some reason it did not go through so the young server who took my order waved me back over. The food court at Optimist Hall has a common dining are for the food court and at this time and place, there was nowhere to sit and eat my meal. Went back to the car and returned home and ate it there. I gave it a 4 rating for the following reasons. 1) Not a fan of their special Sauce Maybe if I had order Mustard as additional condiment would have helped. 2) Like my Burgers with Tomatoes and that is not an option. 3). The Crispy Fries with a good balance of saltiness were still not crispy, oily and very limp. It's a very good burger and worth trying but I hesitate to call it the best in Charlotte. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Front Counter - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Simply the best smash burger and fries you can get anywhere near Charlotte... plain and simple and delicious. Too bad only location near me is in the overcrowded optimist hall... probably good for my health that it's an inconvenience haha read more

I like coming here and each time I come I try a different restaurant Harriet hamburger made my list of good food, fast and friendly service! The manager was also very nice. my hamburger was so delicious, juicy and tender. I ate half of it and see the other half so I could eat it at home while watching a good movie. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - The "OG" Burger with Fries! - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

got it doordashed, food comes well packaged and everything stayed fresh, got OG hamburger, that and the fries were excellent. their craft sodas are on point too read more

The Aesthetic: Old-school feeling, hip burger stand with counter service, friendly workers, and a limited menu with a few staple items. The Price: This spot is the average cost of a good burger in Charlotte, but you get higher quality meat for what you pay. The burgers are hefty and full of hormone-free beef, so the value is higher than many other burger joints in Charlotte. The Parking: There is plentiful parking all around Optimist Hall, but you will be circling around looking for a close spot on a busy night. The parking is free for the first hour and a half then $5 an hour. My Order: The cheeseburger and fries. It's a simple order, but it's just one of those places with a very small, laid-back menu. They do the classics right. The Conclusion: If you love a good burger, this is one of the best in Charlotte. If you love cheese, the cheeseburger is dripping with it, and you need it in your mouth. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

This hamburger joint was one of the highlights of my recent Charlotte trip. It's located inside Optimist Hall, a spacious food hall with plenty of seating inside. Although there were a lot of people in line when I went, service goes by pretty quick. They give you one of those pagers that beeps when your food is ready so you can walk around whole waiting. The servers/cashiers are also very friendly. The burgers themselves are amazing. Just a simple burger with cheese and pickles but well seasoned, some crispy bits on the outside, good bun to meat ratio. The fries are crispy and soft on the inside, also well seasoned. Highly recommend stopping by here if you're ever in the area. read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Harriet's food stall - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

One of the best burgers I've had in Charlotte! The meat was so flavorful and juicy. I loved that it had two thin patties. The cheese paired really well with the burger as well. I like that they had a few sauce options for your fries. I tried the special sauce and the aioli. Both were amazing! read more

Harriet's Hamburgers - Burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina