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    Penguin Drive In

    3.9 (200 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Penguin Drive In Takeout or Delivery

    Penguin Drive In Photos

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    PENGUIN DRIVE IN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise

    Recommended Reviews - Penguin Drive In

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    Reviews With Photos

    Elizabeth S.

    "Neon winking like, "Yes, we knew you'd come," Penguin Drive-In out here flirting with my tum, Fried shrimp so crisp I almost fell to my knees-- But I could NOT say no to those donuts, omg, hot, fresh, vanilla-glazed please!" Let me first say... I was so surprised by the quality of this 'bar food' that I wished I had more time in Charlotte so I could share another meal at Penguin Drive In. Let me next say.... it's not a damn drive in. lol That was crazy but I didn't care because 1. it was cold and 2. the food was so good! Let me now say.... The food items we had in our private group of Queens U students consisted of: -Fried shrimp with some kinda mango salsa on top -Avocado boats w/manga salsa on top -Cheese burgers -Cheesesteaks -Salmon -Chocolate/Raspberry cake -Hot, fresh, mini donuts w/vanilla glaze I cannot tell you how impressed I was. The shrimp were fried perfectly and they were HUGE. So good! Didn't have the avocado boats b/c I'm from Florida and I'm eating avocados damn near everyday. Cheese burgers were so good I was shocked! Pickles and everything! Oh! They had fried pickles! How could I forget?! The mini cheesesteaks were phenomenal considering they weren't full sized. The salmon was acceptable - not over cooked and that goes a long way in my book. lol But them damn donuts!!!!! Talk about not being able to resist a food item!!!!!!!! (Yes all the exclamation points are necessary!) They were good I think about them at least three times a week now. They were kinda like the "donuts" you can get at some thai restaurants for desert that are really just fried biscuit dough. But these were round balls (more like donut holes) but they were so good I didn't feel right calling them donut holes. They were better than most places' whole donuts. So yes, I loved the food here. Service was great. Ambiance was nice and comfortable. Huge booths. Go there and eat well. Another review giving it to you straight no chaser from The Hungry Poet, Enjoy! -Lizz

    Paige D.

    I sat at the bar to grab a quick lunch right when Penguin opened. It was quiet and had an interesting layout. Overall prices are fair and the staff is friendly. Specifically I interacted with Vinny the bartender who was very friendly and attentive. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak. While this was delicious it was MESSY! The queso gets everywhere so keep that in mind when ordering. There aren't many vegetarian options here so I would avoid if you are. There were decent drink choices. I personally enjoyed their Kolsch on tap.

    The smallest portion in the world for $20
    Elizabeth R.

    I have been on the hunt for the best burger in Charlotte. It's a tough job-really. This one is the closest I have found so far along with the great crunch of the fries. However, the drawback? $20 for this amount of food is robbery. Old school interior.

    Mike S.

    I have never been to the original Penguin Drive In I have only heard native Charlottoneans wax poetically about it. Therefore I cannot judge if this new iteration is as good as the original or if it faithfully pays homage. I can say that it is a killer location along East Blvd in the Dilworth neighborhood. Their menu is retro diner focused with burgers, shakes, and hot dogs on the menu, and their burgers seem to be what they are most known for. They have a nice indoor bar area but I think the best place to sit is on the patio out front if weather permits. I really enjoy the vibe here and the burgers are solid. Not sure I'd put the burgers in my top tier of Charlotte status but I haven't had a bad meal and they give you a good bang for your buck. I think this is a great place to go with a group of friends or coworkers to blow off some steam. They also have arcade games which is fun. Overall I'd definitely recommend checking this place out for yourself!

    Shrimp and Avocado Salad
    Andrea T.

    Great experience! Salad was fantastic, service was good. Plenty of parking as well. It's worth a try for sure!

    Turkey Turkey-Nueske Bacon-Avocado Club W/Fries
    Jeff B.

    Service was good. Place was fine and health grade was good. Ordered a turkey club sub and it did the job but nothing spectacular.

    Cute vintage sign
    Stephanie L.

    I stopped by here on a Sunday evening and it was pretty empty. I love the fact that they have plenty of parking considering the location. We walked in and waited for quite a bit to be seated. We weren't greeted warmly by the hostess, and we were seated at a table that was too wobbly, so I opted to switch to the table right next to us which worked out fine. In my opinion this place needs a serious makeover! It gives dark and dingy. They have cute elements but more tacky with mix match chairs, wobbly tables, dark tight spaced bathrooms. IDK.. On the up side they have a free play arcade which I thoughts was cute, but a good bit of the games don't work, so again outdated and in need of upkeep. Our waitress Juliana was sweet as pie, she was very accommodating and hospitable. I ordered the smash burger, the kids meal cheeseburger, and the firecracker shrimp for an appetizer. Honestly, everything was just okay. The smash burger was cooked perfectly, but it was bland... I mentioned this to my waitress when she asked how our meal was and she was extremely apologetic and offered to bring out additional sauce, but I told her no worries after dipping the burger in ketchup it was much better, but I appreciated her willingness to help with my concern. The shrimp was actually better than my burger (tho not great either), I really enjoyed the pairing with the fresh Avocado and veggies, I do wish they had more of the sauce on the shrimp which I'm sure had I asked for that my waitress would have brought it out no problem. I just didn't think to ask for more of the sauce, that's on me. My son said he really enjoyed his burger and fries, but I'm starting to think he'd like any burger! Lol I also ordered the spicy margarita and it was watered down, I did not feel like brining this up tho because I hate to be that person and honestly was over it at this point, I wish I would have switched it out for something else. I don't think we'll be back, but I'm so happy that we got to give them a try.

    Penguin Classic
    C L.

    tried the Penguin Classic with au jus at The Penguin in Charlotte. The burger itself was solid -- a nice balance between the meat and the bun, though I personally would have liked it to lean a little more on the "meaty" side, as it felt a bit light in protein. The au jus was a pleasant surprise, pairing really well with the horseradish aioli and adding some depth of flavor. Fries on the side rounded it out nicely. Overall, a satisfying burger experience -- I'd give it 35 minutes of my time any day.

    Firecracker Shrimp
    Kevin H.

    Penguin Drive In Charlotte, NC Food: The Philly Cheese Stake was good however the aju was really special, truffle fries were delicious crispy on the outside and tender inside. The Spicy Shrimp could of had more bang, bang sauce however was a really tasty dish. Service: Exceptional customer service, from the greeting at the door to the friendly waitress we had the pleasure of having. Ambiance: A very clean and orderly establishment with fun decor and a spacious dining area, booth and table seating.

    The remains of a burger
    Tebbe D.

    Stopped by the penguin with my friend before we went to a Charlotte Carolina Panthers football game on a Sunday morning. I had a breakfast burrito with shaved steak in it with avocados on top and wonderfully prepared queso and it was delicious. My friend Dave had a Smashburger, but she's giving double thumbs up on him. This was a highly anticipated and well worth the effort. Breakfast extravaganza only probably had no cream for the coffee.

    Nashville Hot Chicken Wrap w/French Fries
    Erika O.

    I haven't had food from the Penguin in years... and it did not disappoint! I ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken Wrap with truffle fries, and my husband ordered the fish sandwich and fries. Both were amazing. Loved the flavor and heat of the chicken. Will definitely be back for more.

    Bang Bangin Shrimp
    Carolyn L.

    Stopped by for lunch since I worked a block away. Today was really nice to sit in their patio area. The staffs were all nice and friendly. Lizzy was our waitress and she was great. However it's the food that got the 3 stars: Bang bang Shrimps was a 4/5. It was pretty good. Have a kick. The fish sandwich was a 2/5. It's supposed to have coleslaw. I'm just eating plain veggies cut like coleslaw. But nothing else too it. Fish was ok. Everything was sooo plain. I wasn't sure what I make of it.. I didn't finish the sandwich.. I asked for the potatoes salad as a side. Again this didn't like taste anything. It was a little off. You can see they may have add Mayo. But no celery. No seasoning etc. I had to sent it back and ask for just plain fries. Maybe I'll come back to say the drinks menu. But not anytime soon.

    Wrap
    Ellie M.

    The Penguin is a good spot for food and cocktails in Dilworth. They have super good food and a great patio for outdoor dining. Both times I have gone, it has been a bit slow service and I had a reservation and had to wait 45 minutes for a table outside. There is a great bar located inside with good cocktails. I will definitely be returning to the Penguin!

    Milkshake

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    Ask the Community - Penguin Drive In

    JackBeagle's - Charlotte

    JackBeagle's - Charlotte

    3.8(117 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    We were looking for a place to eat before skipping town that could accommodate a small group (6…read moreadults and a baby) and a dog. We went across the street and they didn't allow dogs on the patio so a quick Yelp search led us to Jack Beagles. With a dog in the name, I figured it would be dog friendly and I was right... it's event dog friendly inside which was great since we had the baby and it was hot out. They were happy to seat us in the dining room and since breakfast was about to end and lunch was about to start, we had the option of both. Some ordered breakfast and a few of us order the tenders because our server said it was one of the most popular items. I don't normally go for tenders at a new place, but they had garlic parm which drew me in. They were pretty great and served with waffle fries. My buddy got this massive burger that I was eyeing as well and I had a little bit of food envy when it came out. It was called The Big Bear and was sporting 2 Patties, 2 X Bacon, 2 x White American Cheese, Pickled Jalapeno, and Chipotle Aioli. I would definitely try that next time. Only odd thing was that when the burger came out, my buddy asked for a knife other than a butter knife to cut it since it was so big. Instead of offering to bring it to the kitchen to cut it, she came out from the back to say they don't have any steak knives and the only sharp ones are with the cook. No big deal, but a little odd. Anyway, we had a great lunch before hitting the road that accommodated all of our needs.

    First let me say.. I LOVE the Noda location, service is always friendly and wonderful. But if you…read moreare black, stay clear of this one. I come here because I live in the neighborhood but I noticed how unwelcoming the attendant at this one is. SHE WILL NOT SPEAK TO YOU, just stare. Very odd! I see from the reviews that I'm not the only one who experiences this. I'm super friendly and polite so it's ridiculous. Just go to Noda and they will take care of you, actually speak and provide efficient service!

    Photos
    JackBeagle's - Charlotte
    JackBeagle's - Charlotte - Botz burger - pimento cheese and bacon

    Botz burger - pimento cheese and bacon

    JackBeagle's - Charlotte - Beverage: draft water & canned cider

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    Beverage: draft water & canned cider

    Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar and Ribs - Patio Seating

    Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar and Ribs

    3.6(876 reviews)
    9.2 miUniversity City
    $$

    Sophia was amazing and she checked on us multiple times throughout the dinner. I highly recommend…read moreher as a waitress 10 out of 10.

    We stopped in for lunch while in the University area location. There is ample parking here on a…read moreSaturday, but it fills up very quickly with the amount of restaurants here. Luckily we snagged a spot and walked over to the lake area. We were seated quickly and our server took drink orders and gave us a chance to review the large menu. There is lots to choose from but, we decided on shrimp tacos. We tried the chipotle tacos and the grilled shrimp tacos. Both were very good. You get a choice of sides, and we tried the Mexican street corn salad and the Mac and cheese. I wasn't a huge fan of the corn salad. It was served cold, but I wasn't really a fan of the taste. The Mac and cheese looked creamy and gooey and was told it was really good. Next time I will order a different side. The atmosphere here is bright and lively with a nice view of the water where you can take paddle boat rides. People love to walk over here, so it is nice to have an open view. The restaurant has a tiki bar vibe and has surfing theme throughout the place. Really fun and relaxing. This is a great stop if you are in the area, expect to circle the lot a bit on the weekends, but the food and atmosphere are great here. We will definitely return to Boardwalk Billy's.

    Photos
    Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar and Ribs - House Smoked BBQ

    House Smoked BBQ

    Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar and Ribs - Friendly Staff

    Friendly Staff

    Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar and Ribs - Burger, fries, fingers

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    Burger, fries, fingers

    Whiskey Warehouse - Sunset over Whiskey Warehouse

    Whiskey Warehouse

    3.5(593 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$
    Rooftop seating
    Sports on TV

    Whiskey Warehouse has an excellent ambiance and menu. I came with a friend for Sunday brunch and…read moreenjoyed so many different dishes. We started with the deviled eggs, which were not too creamy and very well spiced. We then ordered cranberry mimosas, a chicken and waffle, an a veggie omelet. The cranberry mimosas were so fun because we got to make them ourselves! The chicken and waffle was ok- I requested gravy on the side but it certainly needed the sauce. The waffle was a little dry and the chicken was average. The veggie omelet was excellent and I enjoyed the fillings. I'm not a potato fan, but my friend enjoyed the potatoes. The biscuit was standard too but complemented the veggie omelet well. I'd say the star of the show were the fried French toast sticks- they were hot, sweet, and hit the spot perfectly. If I came back to Whiskey Warehouse, I'd choose the deviled eggs, French toast sticks, and mimosas.

    First off, there are no beers on tap. They were out of the first two bottled craft beers I ordered…read more Got the mushroom Swiss burger, medium, with curly fries. The burger came out well done, cold and dry meat with somewhat cooked red onions and very few mushrooms. The bun was super greasy and very dense. The whole thing was flavorless. The fries were soggy and some were raw. Few hours later and I have food poisoning. I would not recommend eating here.

    Photos
    Whiskey Warehouse - Interior

    Interior

    Whiskey Warehouse - Rooftop bar

    Rooftop bar

    Whiskey Warehouse - Spicy teriyaki wings

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    Spicy teriyaki wings

    Penguin Drive In - burgers - Updated May 2026

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