A Classic Done Right at Zack's Char-grill. Sometimes the best meals are the simplest ones, and Zack's Chargrill in Smithfield proves this perfectly. My wife and I stopped in for what we thought would be a quick bite, but ended up with something much more satisfying. The menu isn't fancy - just good, honest burgers and fries - but the execution is spot-on. My wife ordered a double cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, while I went full Carolina style with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions. Both burgers were cooked exactly right, with that perfect char-grilled flavor you can only get from doing things the traditional way. What really struck me was how this meal brought back memories of old-school burger joints where quality ingredients and proper technique mattered more than gimmicks. The fries were crispy and hot, the perfect complement to these substantial burgers. If you find yourself in Smithfield and craving a burger that tastes like it should, you really can't go wrong with Zack's Char-grill. It's old-time goodness served fresh, and sometimes that's exactly what you need. Sorry about the photos. Phone screen went blank and couldn't see what I was aiming at. :-) read more

Can't say enough good about this place. Wife and I had lunch there yesterday and like always, it's never disappointing. This is an ole time lay back luncheonette with wood floors, a singing chef, a limited menu but outstanding food and service read more

I recently tried their double burger with fries and it was next level satisfying. The burger arrived hot, juicy with two perfectly seasoned beef patties that were grilled to perfection. I like mine with mustard, chili, and onions, which was placed on my burger without being messy to eat. The bun was soft yet sturdy enough to hold it all without getting soggy. It was so satisfying. The fries were golden, crunchy, and just the right amount of salty. Crinkled, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. The owner was incredibly friendly, and the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. We're so glad we stumbled upon this gem. If we ever find ourselves back in town, we'll definitely be making a return visit. Their burger and fries combo is simply delicious. read more

Always fast friendly and fresh made food. Whole family enjoyed lunch. From burgers, hotdogs, chili cheese fries and BLT's, there is something for everyone. read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - Whole squad enjoyed. Double Cheeseburger for me. - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

Great food and service! Burgers and fries were delicious. This is a great local place in Smithfield NC. read more

This is an amazing burger. Stopped in after being at the nearby hospital all day long and we were starving. I had the double bacon cheese and the wife got a double chili burger. These burgers are absolutely tasty. Every burger is custom made based on your preference The topping were fresh and plentiful. The crinkle cut fries were crispy and hot. Season to perfection. The owner is extremely nice and outgoing! This is the spot to get your next burger. read more

Great food and great people! Double burger with fries is always a great choice. Their chicken salad is delicious too!

Amazing food, great service, good prices. What more can you ask for? One of Smithfield's best.

Take out or dine in, local business thriving. Hot dogs (red), hand pattied burgers, homemade chicken salad. Was a long line when we arrived, but was worth the wait. Owner, and his team of one, has their moves down! Processing orders quickly and efficiently. Pepsi offerings, sweet and unsweetened iced tea. Takes cash or card. Definitely would eat here again. We enjoyed double cheeseburgers, fresh, hot, cooked to perfection. Crinkle fries, yum. They also offer chips, cookies. Simple, local, delicious. read more

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This place is great! I was passing through and found this place. Food was great and the people are amazing. There needs to be more places like this! read more

This was our first visit here. We stopped here on a Saturday afternoon and the place was nearly full. There was a line at the counter to place orders but it moved quickly. We got. Double bacon cheeseburger all the way and a single bacon cheeseburger no tomato, double fries and a drink. The fries were ready by the time we finished ordering so we got those and found a table. By the time we settled in our burgers were delivered. Immediately we could see that this is old school burgers. They looked and smelled delicious. The staff was super friendly and the food was great. Crinkle fries, my favorite were cooked just right. The burgers were cooked to perfection with plenty of crispy bacon. The place was clean and the staff was constantly making the rounds check to be sure everyone was happy. The entire time we were there, there was a line. It was steadily moving and no one had to wait long. They have a simple menu, which I love. More restaurants should stick to a small menu and do it well. Zacks does just that. They have several burgers and hot dogs and some amazing chicken salad and a few soups. Simple menu with excellent execution. We will definitely be returning. read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

Food is always delicious can't go wrong eating here if you want a good burger or hotdog and some fries come on in and the service is always fast and amazing not over priced like other restaurants staff is very friendly read more

If you fit the mold, this place might be great for you. But to be clear, my star rating is for the burger. It's was alright, I see over 4 stars and the burger was pretty small. Nothing really special about it, but better than McDs. I say that cause honestly, I'd rather have a Hardee's thick burger. Crinkle cut fries were decent. But I saw the owner and said 'hry, I saw you guys on Yelp so I stopped in, nice place'. To which he replied 'i don't use or care about yelp' and then the ranting began. Stuck in a 10 minute conversation where it was kind of uncomfortable, ranging from how his customer base is local and so it was near irrelevant to talk about yelp while adding the occasional caveat that 'dont get me wrong, I appreciate your business' but obviously it was a weird angle. Then, without prompting was talking about mask mandates , the protest in Portland and also there and whatever. My stance is usually different people have different opinions and that is cool, but this was a waste of time. I get how in a small community some identify with this, and I do feel like they have a tight bond with the community. And if this is your angle, give it a shot. But if not, I'll tell you I'm not going back for a mediocre burger with super limited selection. read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - a hamburger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

great burger. for real i've tried almost every burger for 50 miles and zack's is hard to beat, low price and friendly service

Who knew this place would be another local hole in the wall gem... Richard and his staff are nice and attentive and always up for fun banter just like the Diner . For a quick burger and chili this place is a must go to while in this area. Just a warning the chili is bottomless... I've come here and love to get a cheeseburger and dip it in the chili. Some may give me looks... but I dont care it's an amazing combo lol Richard also gave me a sample of his chicken salad and that was delicious as well. So this place is another local must see and eat place while in town read more

I apologize for this review not happening sooner. I had no idea this place was even here in Smithfield or I would have been here sooner. We were looking for some lunch and found this place on Yelp - where else would I look? LOL Thank you Yelpers for the photos because the crinkle fres sealed the deal. I LOVE them! Charbroiled burgers? They were delicious. Ill admit they looked a little small at first, but they were so satisfying that it was perfect. The tea was very good also ...and next time I am going to have some of that vegetable beef soup that looked SO delicious. The people working in here as as nice as can be. It is clean in there. I plan on going back soon. Give them a try. read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - Very clean in here! - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

In town for a trial at the Smithfield courthouse. Had lunch the last two days at Zack's. I love this little independent restaurant. It feels like home. The people who run it are so friendly and helpful. The food is excellent. If you like hand pattied hamburgers cooked on a grill and red hot dogs (Johnston County people know what I'm talking about), along with crispy, not soggy crinkle-cut fries, Zack's is the place for you. Thank y'all for your service and your kindness during what has been a difficult trial for us. God bless! read more

We were at the Smithfield Outlets to shop and decided on lunch first. I really wanted to get away from all the chain fast food places surrounding it so where else to look but Yelp to find out where the locals eat! I'd noticed Zack's while at the Chicken Barn across the street on previous trips, and this time a char-grilled burger was what my taste buds wanted. The parking is in the rear and you can enter through the backdoor. There's also a little ice cream place attached to the back end of the building so save room for dessert! It's definitely a place the locals frequent and the people behind the counter seemed to know every one of them. It didn't mater that we were newcomers, we felt as welcome as could be too. We had burgers and my, my, were they ever good!! They look like they're hand formed as the patties are irregular. They were already piled up on the grill as they clearly anticipated a crowd, so our order came up faster than we could get to a table (you order at the counter). I was a little skeptical, but it was a great burger - and cheap!! The fries are crinkle cut and were good too. As we ate the line at the counter got longer and longer as people kept piling in through the back door. It's no wonder why! Don't know if the people working behind the counter are the owners, but they're so friendly and he likes to burst into song frequently. What one, we weren't sure of, but it was entertaining. My only negative is that I don't live close to Smithfield, otherwise I'd be a regular customer! I look forward to returning and hopefully soon! read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - Cheeseburger & fries. - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

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My wife and I stopped in for a quick lunch. Their burgers were great! You can tell it's a popular locals spot and most we're called by their name when they entered. Menu offered several fresh made options, Staff was extremely friendly and welcoming! We will be back. read more

This is good old fashioned country burger joint food. I enjoy coming here for a greasy burger when I am in the area. Super nice staff, cool "divish" atmosphere, and you get the feeling the owner knows just about everyone who comes in. read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - Good stuff - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

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I love this place and everytime I go I'm smiling and satisfied with the food I got. It's like I just left my family cookout where the burgers are amazing read more

Great food, great people who remember and serve. Locally owned. Burgers, French fries, Hot Dogs, homemade chicken salad, homemade soup and great chilli. read more

Today was my first time coming to Zack's Char-Grill after hearing about it for years. I was expecting a expensive overpriced restaurant with burgers but I was proven wrong. Burgers are very cheap and definitely worth the price. I got the double cheeseburger as you can see in the pictures and it is a very good size for lunch. I will be coming back to this restaurant in the future. read more

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Great little place hole in the wall type place. Staff was welcoming and nice, coached us through the order. They knew the names of about everyone in there, so the locals love it. Burgers and fries were fantastic, good hot dog, my wife thought the chicken salad was really good too. Burgers are a bit small, but really cheap too, so get two if you are really hungry and you'll still come out ahead of most other burger places. Would definitely go back. Only downside was that it was bit dirty in the bathroom areas, otherwise a perfect place for a good lunch. read more

We came down to Smithfield to shop at the Outlet Center for New Balance Shoes, unfortunately the store was closed. But all was not lost. Since it was lunch time we decided to try a local place we hadn't been to before. When I searched on Yelp the first place that was listed was Zack's and I read the reviews. At 4.5 stars and a hamburger place it was a no brainer. It was well after lunch so there was no crowd. We were welcomed by the owner, Richard, and also engaged by a customer who walked in behind us. As we were getting ready to place our order there was a gentle kidding from another couple about the food and the management loud enough for Richard to hear, but then they got serious and said get a Burger. And the other customer, who is a retired judge from the area, asked where were from and genuinely made us feel like friends who he saw everyday. Thanks Judge! We ordered the burgers (I had to do a double burger), fries and a drink. We continued talking with the judge, actually Mary did and I was ignored, but I can understand that, while Richard put the burger patties on a very hot flat-top grill. You could hear the meat sizzling an smell the aroma that was building our anticipation. This is a very casual place and while we were sitting, Richard called my name and laid our burgers on the counter for me to pickup. Nothing fancy, just wrapped in the paper, but they were hot. Then a few moments later he said the fries were ready. The curly fries were also hot, obviously cooked just for us and done perfectly. When I took a bite of the burger, I felt the crunch of well cooked meat that you can only get off of a flat-top and with a person that knows what they are doing, and Richard does. My only regret for this experience is that I only ordered one burger! Next time, and yes there will be a next time, I will order two double cheeseburgers. And that will be during the Ham and Yam Festival which is the first weekend of May. And fortunately AFTER my next doctor's check-up. read more

I'm really impressed by the graciousness of the owner. I'm pulling jury duty and walked down to his shop from the courthouse during lunch. After I'd ordered lo and behold, he takes all cards except American Express, and that's all I had. Without any hesitation he said "don't worry about it, pay me back next time your in." I like supporting local business, but even more so I like supporting good people. Not to mention their hotdogs are great and their service is fast. Edit: Moments after writing this review he went around his restaurant and offered free cookies to all of his guests. Such a great homey feel good kinda place. read more

Best burger I've had in a long time! This is a hidden gem. The people were very friendly and aim to please.

Great burgers and all food is really good. Homemade cookies are soft! Love this place. I call ahead and pick it up. Know what you want when you go in. You will be rushed. Don't take it personally. GOTTA ORDER FAST!!!! CASH ONLY!!! read more

This is such an obvious local favorite based on how many people seem to be known on a first name basis by the owner and his staff. I have eaten here a couple times recently and had the burgers and the fries and every time it has been well prepared and tasty. Just good old fashioned chargrilled burgers. Not a fancy place but consistently good food with very friendly service. Th patties are hand formed from fresh beef. Good flavor. I recommend it to anyone wanting to find a good place for lunch in the local area. read more

Very cute little hole in the wall. Food was amazing and very affordable! The owner was very sweet and welcoming.

The service was far worse than bad! I have been living in Smithfield, NC for 4 years and have not had a bad customer experience til today. The man working the register was the whole problem. The food was good enough but I suggest u drive 45 seconds more and eat a Crickets Grill, it's just up the road from this place, the food is just as good and affordable, and I can guarantee the service will be great for every customer! read more

My 17 year old daughter went in to get an application and the manager made comments to her about her jeans and her butt!! He was sitting in a booth with another man as well. I cannot believe that he would have the nerve to speak to a young woman this way. The comment caught her off guard and made her feel disgusted. I will never eat there again and will let everyone we know about this experience. He should be ashamed of himself. read more

Excellent food! Stopped here for lunch before shopping at the outlets. Extremely friendly staff. The owner went out of his way to make us feel welcome. I had a toasted chicken salad sandwich. It was better than my homemade. Shredded chicken with the right amount of mayo! They dropped the fries for us when we ordered. I had homemade chili and cheese added to mine. read more

This is always a stop every time I'm in Smithfield! All of their food is great - burgers, fries, chicken salad...everything! http://muchadoaboutsomethin.blogspot.com/2013/03/fun-lunch-breaks-and-my-first-trip-to.html read more

Great burgers, service and atmosphere. Old timey burgers and fries. Owner chatted with us. Will defiantly be back.

I was in Smithfield on business and was looking for a restaurant exactly like this. I pulled up yelp and look for local favorites and found just what I was looking for. I come from a small town and burgers and hotdogs like these are hard to find since the recent explosion of craft burgers. I got exactly what I was looking for, an old diner style cheeseburger with chili and slaw plus a hot dog to match. The burger was cooked perfectly with a grilled bun, gooey cheese, and excellent white slaw. Service was fast and courteous and overall a great hometown experience. read more

Cheap burgers (a little on the small side) that taste great and are well worth the money. Food was ready in minutes and staff was friendly. read more

Zack’s Char-Grill - Double Bacon Cheeseburger, BLT, and fries from Zack's Char-Grill - Burgers Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

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Hole in the wall with EXCELLENT service, $2.59 for a cheeseburger. They only have American cheese, but the burgers and chili cheese fries are so delicious. Just go, it's worth it! read more

I had to be in Smithfield for jury duty and needed to pick up a late lunch. Given a choice between a local place and a chain - I will go with a local joint. I had seen good reviews of Zack's and when I saw the sign - I had to check it out. Walk in - greeted and welcomed. First thing I noticed was how the owner went back and forth between cooking and his customers. The atmosphere was laid back and comfortable. Even though it seemed like he was having ongoing conversations with the regulars - at no time did I feel excluded or forgotten. I lingered after I was finished and watched him make a point of speaking with anyone and everyone and make an effort to connect with people. Even though I had never been in Zack's before - I could see this becoming a goto spot if was in town. The place says Char-grill so I went with the bacon cheeseburger. When done, he offered me multiple options but I went with an old favorite - chili, slaw, pickles. First bite and I was transported back home to a favorite drive-in. This isn't some overblown foofoo fancy sandwich - it's a down to earth, good tasting, solid beef burger with crunchy bacon (yeah - exactly what I ordered). Fries were crispy and HOT - no stale, soggy potatoes here (a pet peeve of mine). Being full, I turned down the apple turnover and ice cream but you can bet I'll be back. Next time - chicken salad or BLT. I highly recommend anyone stopping in! read more

Me & the wife were out shopping as this is her favorite pastime, just a lil humor! I always check Yelp anytime we go somewhere. We didn't want a chain restaurant so I found Zacks Char-grill! When we walked in the owner greeted us loud & proud, seems like a good guy! The lady in front of us asked where we were from and gave us a lil history. She said they ate there all the time & you could tell most of the patrons did as well. The owner knows everyone by name & he makes his way around to speak with everyone dining in. The lady in front of us actually paid for our meal bcuz she wanted us to know that they had good hospitality! I was stunned, wow thanks ma'am! Now down to the food! All I can say is; the burgers & fries were AWESOME! Just a good ol fashioned atmosphere! If ever in the area & you want a great burger, don't hesitate to stop by! Oh yeah, add BACON, U will not be disappointed! read more