Always on the hunt for a good burger, my search brought me here. This place definitely qualifies as a hidden gem because if you do not live in the immediate area, odds are you never heard of this place. Luckily, Yelp puts in some work for you and finds you these places with a little bit of searching. Nickel Sandwich Grill is located right off I10 in the Fifth Ward area. It is a tiny restaurant that can easily be mistaken for a house honestly. Parking is limited and there is no inside seating. They just have an outdoor, covered patio and it can get pretty toasty up in there during the summer months. Customer service was ok. Just order at the window and wait for your order. It looked like this place did alot of to go orders. Now for a place that sounds like a deli, they got a nice variety of options on their menu. They of course have sandwiches, but they also have chicken tenders, baked potatoes, burgers, bbq plates and seafood. I came for the burger and it was very good. This burger was more of the homecooked burger that I crave. Nothing super fancy or crazy, just a properly cooked, charbroiled burger with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions. It was delicious and very comforting. The fries were hand cut, cooked, and seasoned to perfection. My son got chicken tenders and fries and really enjoyed it as well. It is a little out of the way, but I would come here again if in the area. read more

Nice little spot for some to go junk food. Fried catfish, chicken and fries were tasty. Not impressed with the lukewarm encounter with the unfriendly woman at the window. Zero points for southern hospitality. read more

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Only thing that saved them from getting a 1 star, was the burger. Fish dinner absolutely horrible. Best burger I've ever eaten so with this being said this restaurant gets a 9 for the quality, taste and presentation. Omg . Whoever is smoking those burgers need to be slapped right away but keep him safe. lol read more

The definition of a hole-in-the-wall gem, Nickel is a blink and you'll miss it locale that seems to enjoy going under the radar. Consider this their coming out party. I walked up to the order window and was greeted with a smile by the sweetest lady whom welcomed me when I told her it was my first time. I asked her what she recommended and she gave me her own order: a Nickel burger + bacon with mustard and mayo with an order of fries. If it was good enough for her, it was good enough for me, I ordered it. While nothing out of the ordinary in presentation, the devil is in the details of this homestyle burger: a soft bun, romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, thinly sliced onion, a few pickles and a nice sized patty. It was like the best version of a burger you could get at a family cookout but with a side of perfectly seasoned fries to accompany it. I'll be back for both the tasty (& reasonably priced) burger combo and for the excellently comforting customer service. PS, the rest of their menu looks amazing too, will update as I try more! read more

I ordered the rib plate and my ribs were burnt and dry, the potato salad was to chunky, the beans were okay, but I tried to patronize neighbor businesses, I don't think I'll be back here any time soon!!!!! read more

The service was good, but the food is a bit of a letdown. The beef brisket sandwich I ordered was served on two pieces of plain white bread. By the second or third bite it was soggy and falling apart. read more

Really good soul food and it's fast and very good made with love by black business owners

I ordered the fish sandwich and pork chop sandwich. The pork chop is smoked with an awesome taste. Love the fish sandwich. Both are always great. When read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Smoked pork chop sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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What immediately impressed me was that there were several members of the HFD there. So I figured this must be a wonderful place to eat. I ordered the quarter barbecue dark meat with two sides link and lemonade link to potato salad and the dirty rice and the lemonade were very good exceptional. I was disappointed with the chicken. The meat was dry tough to eat, and the skin was almost black, but the sauce was great pretty good barbecue sauce. This was just my experience here and I will go again because on any given day any given chef any given staff, the experience will be different. The dining, the interior dining room and the exterior dining rooms were full. The parking lot was limited, but there were additional parking spaces on the street when you're thinking of barbecue think of the nickel sandwich grill read more

My first two times trying this place it was good but the third time it was disgusting maybe they were having a bad day but I won't be returning read more

I recommend this business if you're over in the Glenn Harbor area or anywhere near the fifth ward 3rd ward it's a good barbecue place. It's got some good Cajun food. It's usually pretty fast and there's a steady stream of customers. It's reasonably priced and I feel like the food is delicious. I go there probably once a week for a chopped beef sandwich, they have gotten to me by name, and that's rare in this world anywhere in the business of food or restaurants. If you're looking for fried fish hamburgers, some Cajun food great barbecue. It's a one stop shopping and it's a good place to grab some food. It's very good. read more

the customer service from the lady at the window (she also answers the phone) is HORRIBLE !! She needs to be fired she always has an attitude she doesn't listen and she hangs up the phone in peoples face . I eat here every once in a blue moon because of her nasty attitude. I won't be back before I catch a case ! read more

Might be the 1st time in my life I didn't finish a burger...wayyyyy too much liquid smoke flavor, so it builds up on ya. It was actually a delicious big juicy burger up to the point where I just couldn't take the smoke flavor anymore. I will definitely try again if I could get without liquid smoke in the meat. Had the fries & they were just ok, thick but too soggy and cobbler was tasty, but way too small a portion for $4. I will hit them up again soon to try more things on the menu! read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Menu as of 6.26.20 - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Went there and asked for a six piece wing and when I got my food they have broken three wings in half and they tell you that it's drumettes for $11 with some soggy fries worst chicken ever no seasoning could not stand to eat it read more

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Say what you want about the exterior and it's surroundings. We purchased the Catfish PoBoy, Beef Brisket Sandwich & Peach Cobbler. They were YUMMY. read more

Nice little hamburger shop. Feels good to support a home grown local business. Great custom service.

Today was my 2nd visit to the Nickel. I been in trainings nearby for the past 3 days, so of course rather than eating the salad I brought with me, I just had to come to this greasy spoon--especially after eating here the first time. The Nickel is a hole in the wall, pass your food through a small window sort of joint, complete with the lady in the window acting like my auntie who I know loves me but acts like I'm getting on her nerves when I talk to her. Day 1 - Fish sandwich (which turned out to technically be a poboy) + fries. Day 2 - 6-piece wings + fries. The food here is delicious, but I've got to start eating my homemade food, Auntie, so I may not see you again this week. Sorry... The rest of you though! Skip the national chains and get your arse to the Nickel! read more

The burger that they have to offer here at The Nickel Sandwich Grill is one of those burgers that tasted like it had been cooked at one of your neighbor's backyard BBQ party. What you get for $5.75 is a huge burger that will sure to fill you up for the rest of the day with a smoky flavor that totally adds to the home-cooked feel. For an extra couple of bucks, you get a delicious side order of fries. I really enjoyed my burger because of the smokiness although I did think that it was a little bit overcooked (too dry) for me. I totally forgot to ask if they would have cooked my burger to medium (my preference) instead of well done. I personally think I would have enjoyed my burger a little bit more had it been cooked medium. I thoroughly enjoyed the fries because they were awesomely delicious. However, I do enjoy my fries crispy and the fries that they had to offer here were the soggy kind. And, just like the burger, if they had offered crispy fries instead of soggy fries, I would have enjoyed them more. Their lemonade was pretty damn good too! As everyone else has mentioned, this place is totally unassuming. You place your order through a tiny window facing the parking lot. There is a small enclosed dining area next to the building, but there is no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan. I would assume that it could get pretty warm in there in the summertime. However, during my dining experience here, it looked like most people who came here ordered to go. The burger that you get for the price that you pay is totally worth the money. If you're looking for a burger that tastes like it was cooked in your own backyard, then this is definitely a place you should pay a visit. read more

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I had the catfish, shrimp, fries, and a drink. The catfish was hot and fresh. The lemonade was great. Very delicious.

I most def will be back! The poboy was delicious all the way through!! Every bite!! The boudain was smoky and cooked to perfection! read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Shrimp Po Boy and Smoked Boudin link - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was excited about eating here. The prices were kinda high, but if the food is good o don't mind. On the outside the burger looked awesome. The inside of my burger was bleeds red. The fries were good. I will try again. read more

I come here often on my lunch break....I usually get the shrimp and fish poboy( really good) but never again this cheese steak was off the chain!!! I'm full but I can eat another just because read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Cheese steak & fries - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place has always been a staple in 5th ward, but coming here since COVID-19, they have went above and beyond! Their employees are extremely nice and helpful, even through these hard times they have a smile on their faces. Not to mention, the food is still as good as it was before! Whether you live in the area, or not, make it your business to stop by! You won't be disappointed! P.S. Their Chef Salad is my favorite! read more

As soon as I pulled up, one of my favourite songs was playing, "Caribbean Queen" by Billy Ocean... I just knew I was at the right spot, also the fact that this place doesn't look like much from the outside, so you know the food gonna be home-cooked. I ordered the nickel burger with a lemonade, usually I don't order a lemonade since I know most of them are made with Countrytime and I get tired of that same ole taste. Luckily, the lemonade here is homemade, with lemon juice and sugar. Yes, it was tasty and refreshing. Now the burger, let me tell you, I haven't had a good burger like that in years. The burger had such a smoked flavour to it, with seasonings through and through as I chewed. The meat was thick and cooked throughout. No burnt ends either. Every mouth full was delightful and I was so glad there wasn't any inedible pieces like I get from them chained restaurants. It was topped with purple onions, dill pickles, tomatoes, mayo, and lettuce. I added mustard for that kick. I'm so happy I didn't get fries as the burger filled me up. Next time and there will be another time for me, I'll get a fries and cheesesteak sandwich. To conclude, the parking lot was cramped, though good for smaller compact cars. The lady at the order counter wasn't so friendly. She didn't seem too enthusiastic about serving customers nor did she leave a polite first impression. She was mostly nonchalant and felt as if I was speaking to a box. I cannot say the customer service was excellent because obviously it lacked. The eating area near the backside was a nice touch and definitely felt like I was at a restaurant in Mississippi. I got a little nostalgic which made me happy. So despite the customer service, this place made me joyful and I'll definitely stop by again especially when I'm looking for true home-cooked burgers. read more

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Best deals on town. Homemade fries and best chicken tenders I ever had. Needs no sauce as it's well seasoned. Can't beat 2 piece catfish l, 2 pc tenders, fries and a drink under 12$. It's also conveniently off the interstate but ducked off read more

There is no indoor seating, just an enclosed patio with some fans running, and a picnic table next to that, which is uncovered. I guess this restaurant isn't designed for dine in. Their hours are kind of short on Saturdays too, closing at 5pm. After parking in the small parking lot, and figuring out that the door on the right was the entrance to order in the air conditioned air, I ordered a Nickel burger with cheese, and made it a combo by adding homemade fries and a soft drink. Nickel burger - unique tasting because it is smoky and seasoned, about 1/2 lb, fresh ground beef, ordered medium rare, skipped the cheese since they only have american, this burger hit the spot Fries - fresh cut, seasoned also, these were really good too Soft drink - came in a Styrofoam Togo cup, I ordered strawberry Overall, I probably wouldn't come on a hot or a rainy day, but if you're looking for a good burger east of downtown, during daylight, this is a good choice. read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Side window to outdoor patio - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I lucked out in finding this place as it's not in an area of town I frequent. Yelp led me here as I was passing by and all I can say is thanks Yelp! It has a small parking lot that can handle 5-6 cars at a time. Other than that it's street parking. The restaurant has a walk up window for outdoor orders or you can go inside and order in the small indoor space. There is a screened in porch with another order window to the building. That is the only seating option. I went into their bathroom and was impressed as to how clean it was. I asked one of the employees what to order since they offer burgers, BBQ and fried seafood. He recommended the Smokey (also called Nickel) burger with a side of their homemade fries. With a drink and tax it was $8.34. The food arrived about ten minutes later as I sat in the screened in porch which is nice and well kept. The burger was excellent. I understand why they call it smoky. They cook it on a grill and really infuse a good smoke flavor in the patty. The ingredients of the burger are also first class I.e. Bun, lettuce, tomato, etc. The homemade fries were excellent too. Quality home cut and cooked fries. I was impressed with this meal. I have to rate this meal a 5. But I must come back to try something else because I don't like giving 5's for one visit. Next time I will do the BBQ or seafood. If it is as good as the burger I will raise the score. The burger and fries are a 5. 2nd visit was BBQ chicken half with beans and potato salad. Chicken was a little dry but smoked well (3). Beans were ranch style and good (3.5) and potato salad was a (4). 3rd visit was a special they had for $7.75 that consisted of 2 chicken tenders, 2 fried tilapia filets, fries and a drink. I added a side of baked beans for $2 more. The chicken and fish were very good (4). The tenders had a nice chicken flavor (what would you expect?). The fish were fried in a good batter that enhanced the taste. Like I said I liked both. The beans were ranch style and kind of pasty but ok (3). The fries tonight we're good but only a (3.5). I believe that's because I ate them last and they were under the fish and chicken and maybe absorbed some of their grease. Counter service was very friendly. 4th visit was for a sliced brisket sandwich and dirty rice. The sandwich is served on Texas Toast and the sliced brisket was served in large slices and then topped with sauce. The sandwich became messy and hard to hold on to as the bread became wet. My brisket had a little more fat on it than I like however I thought it was good and filling (3). The dirty rice was an ample serving and had a nice smoky flavor to it (3.5). Service here is always friendly and their iced tea is very good (4). read more

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The Nickel salads never let me down! This is friebd chicken on top of lettuce tomatoes pickles onions cucumbers and bacon bits. Will eat off of this for 2 to 3 days. read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Fried Chicken Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food was AMAZING!! The service was GREAT!!! Toliver was so friendly, like a big brother taking care of you!

I don't remember how I heard about the Nickel, but I knew that I wanted to go there on my next visit to Houston. This neighborhood joint in the 5th ward serves lots of comfort food. I got the 2 fillet catfish dinner with dirty rice and greens. Yumm! My only disappointment was that they don't offer unsweetened ice tea. I was the only person eating at one of their tables; everybody else got takeout. read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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3rd ward meets 5th ward! Yates meets Wheatley! As a native 3rd wardian( yeah I just made that damn word up, so what lol) I have this innate hate for anything 5th ward(except for Burt's meat market) or Wheatley, but I think the Nickel Sandwich Grill just changed my mind. Positive: Local small black business serving up all kinds of food to feed your stomach.The menu range from BBQ, fried fish, and chicken to club sandwiches. On my first visit here, I went for their hamburger and fries, and man I was in for a surprise. Fresh, hand cut fries lightly seasoned tasted pretty good although I prefer my fries a little be more crunchy.The burger was easily a 5 out of 5. It was one of those grilled, smoke flavored hamburger you get from your favorite Uncle Lee Roy(who's dressed in table cloth short set, with open toe Stacy Adams sandals, drinking a Busch light lmao) working the pit at the family BBQ. Every bite was a juicy smokey bite, but I think a grill sourdough bun would have took this hamburger over the top. It's now up there as on of my favorites and if I'm in the area, I will definitely stop by. 5th ward has earn a 3rd ward customer for life.. read more

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My first visit was a great experience. I was provided with great customer service and information about the menu and current specials. I decided try the Nickel Burger. Based on the order I didn't need to change anything about the burger. When I received it it grilled fresh and not over cooked or burnt. It was huge as expected and delicious. I didnt put it down nor did I need a side. read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Nickel burger - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Best wings in the city Mane!!!!! Went there at the recommendation of former coworkers....they did not steer me wrong, man I'm missing Houston already. read more

A comment people will make about me is that I call an excessive amount of attention to myself at times. Johnnie Cochran is one of the few lawyers I will admit to not only liking but respecting. When you are an advocate for other people, especially historically underrepresented and disenfranchised communities, you have to speak loud even if your voice shakes. If you're not comfortable in your own skin you will never convince a jury or a judge to see anything your way. I got comfortable in my own skin early on so my flair for the dramatic had plenty of time to *jazz hands* proliferate. Relevancy: this business is located in the Fifth Ward, also known as the "Bloody Nickel" for Houstonians who are not Newstonians. This has always been known as a rough neighborhood with "tough customers" as they are known in the Ivory Tower parlance. As always the music sets the stage for the experience, as most of my reviews demonstrate whether it is my ROTD for Cuisine India (Dan the Automator) or the long-since-closed Chief Cajun's Snack Shack (Owl City). So imagine if you will me, in a suit, leaving the courthouse, driving through the East End and the Bloody Nickel with the gentlesir's victory mixtape from DJ Grind booming. Out of time (October 2012) and out of place. From my law enforcement experience I probably look like the kind of person that was so out of place in this area that I must be there buying [reads smudged writing on palm] Many Jawas. Several trusted yelpers had previously reviewed this joint. Belly G. had given her four stars just a few weeks ago; Jeremy T. gave four stars nearly a year ago; Maria W. had obtained the ROTD nearly a year ago; and Mike M. was the ringleader having given four stars on a review nearly two years ago. Shawn S. had skipped the burger and gone for the salad, so slightly different in terms of relatability but he gave this joint a perfect five stars. To get high marks from that many different yelpers that think for themselves means that there was something special about this place and I aimed to find out exactly what was what. The parking lot is quite small with street parking close. The order window outside is sandwiched among the three chalkboards. There was one man waiting for his order and another at the window ordering as I parked and stepped up. It took about five minutes for the window to slide open and let me place my order. The woman taking the order was a kind old woman - definitely a different customer service approach than we received from the legendary Thelma's in Third Ward (before it closed) where they were rude for kitsch. Following Belly G.'s review I asked the nice old woman if I could get my burger medium. She let me know that it's already done as it is and there's no way to customize it for beautiful ol' me - so they smoke them in batches and keep them warm with a heat lamp it sounds like, since other competitors will do whatever I want as they make an exaggerated point about cooking things fresh for me rather than just giving whatever they got in the back. Juxtapose this with how my order took extra time - it took about ten minutes for the order to come out - since the kind old lady let me know that they were making a fresh batch of fries just for me. I must look like I am a bossy bitch about my [Samwise Gamgee voice] potatoes, whether they are in vodka or freedom fry format, and she was right about that. These fries were fantastic in one word or less. They are very similar to the Petrol Station style fries with the thick potato cut, very light salting, and beautifully deep flavor. These fries make you wanna call your bail bondsman, his mama, and her neighbor to let them know how delicious these fries are. Finally we pull up on the Nickel Burger. The flavor is YUGE, like Chief Cajun Snack Shack and then Old Fashion used to do. These patties got some work put in on them to make them taste like this. This is a no-frills, no aioli, no gourmet whatever. So since it stands by itself without all of that other dressing the meat either comes right or it does not - lettuce, tomato, a Shania Twain-sized helping of mayo, and sad shavings of red onion cannot mask much. So it is fortunate the patty is gorgeous, smoky, and highly flavorful. It is a bit rigid owing to its very well-doneness (and likely sat under a heat lamp for a bit since they were made in batches) but this is offset with the squishy of the huge mayo portion, the tomato, and the lettuce. The bun itself soaks it all up and gets soggy fast which is fine, but structural integrity on the old gal does not hold, captain. $7.62 very (!) well spent for a take-out lunch to help support a locally owned biz in a neighborhood like this. For an inexpensive lunch come git you some. This burger + fries combo is affordable and the flavors were off of the gentlesir's charts in terms of expectations after obtaining ROTDs for fellow burger purveyors Sparkle, Champ, Elevation, Bubba's, Old Fashion, and Lankford. read more

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Love the salads from here and the boudain balls were fire as well my second time here and the staff was nice and friendly and wait time was not long at all I'll be back again read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Boudain balls - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I tried this place for the first time today and i must say it's pretty delicious def a 10/10 only issue is with the woman at the window she's definitely NOT friendly and it seems as if she doesn't know how to smile read more

Cooked to order. Very delicious. Wish it was some spicy wings hahaha. The meat falls off the bones!!! read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - 6 wing chicken with drink and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I visited Nickel Sandwich Grill with a few other yelpers as part of an unofficial Yelp event (so much fun). I felt that it was fitting to order the nickel burger and I added a side of potato salad and some of their tea. I ordered at the window and sat in a small patio attached to the building. The burger was given to me in a paper bag and I was definitely not expecting it to be so big! The beef pattie was the perfect amount of thickness and it had a great smokey flavor. Usually when I have a larger pattie I often feel as though I'm sacrificing flavor and juiciness but that was not the case here. I felt like my burger had been smoked for hours although I definitely did not wait that long for it. The potato salad also pretty good and like many, I am picky about my potato salad. Lastly, the sweet tea was so yummy! It almost tasted like an Arnold Palmer which I really enjoyed since I like a slight lemon flavor. I hate when I get sweet tea and it tastes like an afterthought or dirty water haha. Whenever I'm in fifth ward I will absolutely HAVE to stop by here again! read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Chicken salad - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great staff and service. Black owned family restaurant. The catfish and shrimp dinner is the bum. They have really great salads too.

So lucky to have found this place. Their fish po boy is bomb, the batter is light and gives a perfect crunch. Paired it with a side of fries, which are homemade and seasoned to perfection. The staff is super sweet too! read more

Nickel Sandwich Grill - Fish po boy with fries - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas