Al's Burger Shack

Overall Thoughts: This is a great burger spot restaurant. They do have sit down tables, but those are outside, so be aware. The staff is super friendly and VERY efficient. I’d give this place a 4.9 out of 5. 1. Restaurant Type: Burger 2. Coke Or Pepsi: Coke 3. Ketchup Type: Heinz 4. Price/Value: Great 5. Atmosphere: Laid Back(family friendly) 6. Food Quality: Great Quality 7. Service: Very Friendly Staff (some of the best I’ve had) 8. Parking: a little bit of a challenge with street parking 9. Must Haves: Any burger will do! The burgers are really big so bring your work boots if you want to take on the double A little about the people! My wife ordered her burger Medium (as did I). Her’s was more medium rare than medium. She ate about half before I made her let me take it back. It was hot outside so she decided she was done. They were going to replace the burger but I declined. The manager chased after us and said he refunded the entire order! He didn’t have to do that…but that attention to customer service will definitely make me come back! It’s the little things that matter!

A hometown classic! The service was awesome and the food was delicious! Service was prompt and the staff was friendly! I’m not sure about handicap accessibility. The restaurant is small but there is an outside patio with a nice amount of seating. Parking is limited but it’s on the bus line. Kid friendly and family approved. Also good for a lunch date or meet up with friends!

I love a good burger. This was way better than good. The Mookie Burger was 10/10 and the tots were amazing. I'm usually not a fan of crinkle cut fries, but, these are different... would definitely order again. They have a nice selection of dipping sauces too. We tried the Garlic Aoli and the Spicy Ranch, both were fantastic. Super friendly staff, great atmosphere, and superior food made this a great experience. We will be back!

Found this great dive just driving thru. So glad we stopped. One of the best burgers I've had in a long time. Atmosphere, outside of downtown Chapel Hill, on a picnic bench, with great food at dusk was perfect.

We hosted our sons wedding rehearsal dinner at Al's. It was wonderful at every level. Highly recommend.

You can never go wrong with the delicious burgers from Al’s burgers. In the photos you have the Mushroom Swiss & Classic with those delicious crispy fries 🤗😋 you can also pick a sauce at no cost 😉 to go with it 😎

We ate at Al’s for the first time today and loved it! Pretty quick service for as busy as they were. Nice picnic seating outside. I got the sweet potato fries, salted instead of sweet, with their spicy ranch and it was great! We will definitely be back for another delicious meal!

JUST WOW... it was like there was a party in my mouth and everyone I ever loved was invited. I'd never been here, but several people have sung Al's praise, and now I taste why. I got a Mookie and my Mom had a Classic. The Mookie was the second best burger I've had in my life only behind the Barry Burger with crispy onion strings added to it from AJ Bombers in Milwaukee. Only reason I say #2 is because I was recently in Chicago, I Drove 100+ miles North just for a burger one afternoon because I was craving the Barry and I hadn't had it in over 10 years since I lived in Milwaukee... It hadn't changed and it literally made me cry it was so good... Nostalgia for the extra point... Burgers are cooked to order and I can't remember the last time I ordered a burger medium rare, that it came out medium rare, so that was an added bonus too because it was exactly the way I cook my own burgers... Just better. Thank you to everyone at Al's, everyone seemed friendly, and everyone always on their A game!

Hands down the best burger I've had in NC. One of the best burgers I've had period! It's a small burger shop with little room inside. Decent amount of seating outdoors. Order your food a pickup at the counter. I ordered the classic Kenny J, and sweet potato fries. Burgers were $10 each. The classic had cheese, tomato, onion, pickles, and their special Al sauce. A classic burger! The Kenny J came with pimento cheese, bacon, grilled onions, and BBQ sauce. The sweet potato fries were nice and crispy. Great but nothing special. Both burgers were excellent! The classic was the better of the two, if I had to pick. A simple, classic cheeseburger with simple toppings. Tastes like a burger from a cookout but elevated. Patties were juicy and tender and perfectly seasoned. Beef was of very high quality. The toppings complimented the burger nicely. I made the 1 hour trek from Raleigh to get some burgers here, and it was well worth it!

Consistency is absolute when it comes to a burger joint. Al's delivers that in spades, and occasionally shakes it up with some new featured burgers and handhelds. The fries are always fresh, and the sprinkling of rosemary really livens them up! Pair it with one of their signature dipping sauces (my favorite is the spicy ranch), or just keep it simple with a handful of ketchup packets on request. I've had most of the burgers here and honestly haven't been disappointed in any of them, though my go-to is the Bobo chili cheeseburger... Carolina Style! The service crew is always on point and moving things quickly, so you're almost guaranteed to get your order in 10-15 minutes or less. Fresh, hot, and bursting with flavor!

After going to the Southern Village location, I wanted to try the Franklin street location and this one was also so good! Nice juicy burger. Good service and lots of seating outside.

Honestly I was very disappointed with the burgers. We drove 50 minutes to try these because I heard great things. Maybe it was an off day but I've had better burgers at McDonald's and I'm not a McDonald's fan

Fun pick up joint just north of campus. Burgers weren't very seasoned. Drink choices were meh, given their location (surrounded by bars and breweries). Would have loved a win here but it was just okay. Service was just okay. Slower than we anticipated. Loved the outdoor patio vibe.

Al's is a great counter-order burger place with a good variety of options for food and a limited beer menu. Service was quick and friendly! Inside there is not much room, but they do have some tables outside. Overall the food was good, but the garlic aioli could have used more garlic taste and the bacon onion jam could've used a bit more caramelizing. I'll be back to try more!

Very disappointed to stop by Als for my favorite milk shake (was probably the best milk shake in town). Als has replaced the hand scooped milk shake for a "mcDonalds" type of machine to make the icecream. The new shake was horrible. I always took friends to Als for the best shake and burger anywhere. That has now changed...might as well go to McDonalds the shake is alot cheaper and tastes better than the sugary mixture now served at Als. Too bad what a loss

What a fantastic establishment! Would highly recommend. We were in Chapel Hill for a short visit and found this place on Yelp. This cute shack has a variety of burgers on potato buns. The burgers are just the right size, moist, and flavorful. We tried the tater tots and sweet potato fries which were both great. There's very limited indoor seating, but they do have have plenty of outdoor seating, some of which is covered up with heating. The prices are very very reasonable, and the staff are very friendly. There is one large restroom which was clean and well kept. I would definitely go back and recommend this place to visitors!

Food and service were impeccable. Had a burger and fries and they hit the spot. Service was quick and everything was fresh.

I came on a Saturday, which meant there was a bit of a lying, but it wasn't too bad. I got the chili burger, and the tater tots. One thing to note about their burgers: they're not large in diameter, but the patty is really thick. That keeps it nice and juicy. I felt like the chili and the slaw were not overpowering, but added a nice tang to the burger. It was just enough to balance the fat of the burger. Overall, very satisfying. They have a nice patio outside, and they'll bring you your order. A pretty good selection of beers, and It definitely feels like a street side burger joint, even though it's downtown.

Just tried Al's for lunch. I had the Kenny J with pimento cheese and bacon and sweet potato fries. Everything was delicious. It's a little pricy for lunch but great meal! Service was excellent and super fast.

Second time in a row that my burger is under cooked. Sorry Al, I love your food but I think you need to hear this, my fries were cold and my burger way under cooked. Please do better!

Very good service and efficient. Burger was juicy and fries were seasoned well. Very good!! Would recommend

Al's Burger Shack was yum. My burger came with bacon, grilled onions, shack Q sauce, and spicy pimento cheese. Look at how nice and melty and ooey gooey this burger looks. She was a gorgeous mess. This type of fry isn't my favorite tbh BUT the sauces made them great. Al's is the type of place that has a lot of house-made dipping sauces. My favorite kind of place!

Delicious burger and fries!! Definitely worth the hour plus round trip worth it!! Will definitely be back if ever in the area again!!

We decided to stop in at Al's before a show at Cat's Cradle. The burgers are actually cooked to medium and are seasoned and delicious. They have crunchy green leaf lettuce and tomato adding to the quality. As far as service, you order at the register and the staff brings your meal to you while calling your name. They have plentiful outdoor seating. Hint: you can order your fries half sweet potato/half regular. Both were mouthwateringly good.

Really delicious burger! From a first look, it seemed quite small, but it was actually the perfect size for me and quite filling! The burger patty is really thick, juicy, and has a ton of flavor. The Al sauce on the burger was a little bit too watery and didn't add much flavor to the burger itself: I prefer a more creamy sauce. But the burger as a whole was amazing and I would definitely come back!!

Burgers were great and I was surprised that they served wine The fries were delicious and my daughter loved the shake

Delicious burgers lots of toppings home style sometimes crowded true "Chapel Hill feel"

Outstanding burger. Fresh lettuce, ripe tomatoes, crunchy onions and seasoned beef all on a tasty roll. Just a really solid, A-grade burger. And the service! I was so impressed when the young man brining out the food offered to cut one of burgers in half for the kids in our group to share, cleared our trays for us and then proceeded to tidy up the outside seating area. Stupendous service for a burger joint.

Best burger and fries in town. The Mookie burger is my favorite. Highly recommend Al's!!

When we walked in, we were greeted by the friendly young woman. Majority of the seating was outside. The menu was a bit much in terms of the layout. When we gathered our order, we placed it and waited for about 10 minutes. The food was delicious! The burgers were cooked to perfection and the fries were ok. The kids meal nuggets were fried a bit hard but my daughter liked them. I'd come back to try another burger.

Probably the worst burger I've had for more than $15. I cannot believe this place has the reputation it does.

An amazing burger place near UNC with very reasonable prices!!! I ordered a Mookie Burger and sweet potato fries on the side. Both tasted sooooo good! The sauce was just right for the fries with its thick and sweet flavor. But it might be a little cold sitting outside, as the seats inside are very limited.

We needed a quick bite to eat in Chapel Hill and thanks to Yelp, we found this burger spot. I'm a burger fanatic so it has to be really good to impress me. I went in with neutral expectations. My husband thought they would be smash burgers and ordered a double. I don't advise that unless you're really hungry because they are sizable burgers. I have to say this spot was delicious. The burgers were seasoned well, cooked perfectly, hot, and the right ratio of condiments. My only complaint was that I love a steamed bun and while their buns were very soft and delicious, I like them warm. Next time we're in Chapel Hill and crave a burger, this will be our go to in the spring and fall!

Found this nice place for outside seating while exploring/walking through chapel hill. Its a nice place to come eat at and learn about the history of the "Shack". Its pet friendly as well, great for dogs! The burger itself wasnt the best I have had around the triad however it left me full and pleased. The fries had a nice perfect amount of pepper seasoning. They had great service and would check on refills for drinks often. The outside seating area was my favorite part!

Delicious burgers, and great atmosphere. The tater tots are plentiful and extra crispy, the sauce selection is 10/10. There's a couple bar stools for inside seating, but the outdoor seating is covered and even has fans. Cute little window for drink refills too!

Perfect burger! I got the Kenny J which has bbq sauce, bacon, grilled onions and the most amazing spicy pimento cheese! The cheese melts slightly and becomes like a sauce that coats the burger, and its heat goes so well with the sweet bbq sauce. Everything comes together perfectlyIt's not a huge messy burger, it's the perfect size. The tater tots were crispy and delish as well.

Best in town. Love the food, service and location. What a lovely place that's always hustling and bustling. Burgers are made to perfection on a soft and warm potato bun. Love the rosemary pepper fries too! Will be back soon!

I am not sure if I was unlucky but the burger was nothing but an average burger. Everyone worked there was super nice and service was not as slow considering the length of line. Sweet potato fries were cold and wilted.. I will give a shot one more time but it was not the best burger in town.

I loved their burgers and fries. Hade a great time. Great service from all the employees.

I'm updating because the chef that had kept the burgers up to the standard that Al had set for the place has left. It's on my route so I'll still go but it's not the same. :(

This is the quintessential college burger spot and it was a treat to come on Friday night. I was visiting some friends from out of town and they suggested we eat at Al's. Definitely was a good idea. The line was a bit long around 7PM but that is because the secret is out. This place is good. The customer service was quick and it can probably be a little bit more clear how they are going to get you a to-go order if you wait outside, but our food made it mostly without us checking. I ordered the Bobo Chili Cheeseburger and the slaw was great as was the burger. I definitely suggest getting a patty added on to make it filling. The crinkle cut fries looked tasty, but I went ahead and ordered the sweet potato fries and didn't look back. The seating outside is limited so if you come during a busy time it is probably best to leave. The location here seems pretty good as well. Couple of bars and a video game spot are nearby!

Overall just OK. Nothing special. Several places in the Triangle with comparable burgers.

Al's Burger Shack does it right. They might not have a menu as extensive as other burger places, or as many sauce options. But the stuff they do have they do it incredibly well. Fundamentals are all locked down here: soft toasted bun, patty done exactly how I ordered it, and crispy fries with a delicate interior. The chili burger was exactly I wanted as a chili fan. The tomato and lettuce kept the bacon cheeseburger both refreshing and savory at the same time. The only critique I can offer is that the fries were very well seasoned, perhaps even a tad bit too much. But this was easily solved with a few shakes of the box. Wonderful place, will be back to try out the other burgers!

The picture says it all. Perfectly cooked handmade patties.. The Kenny J burger had pimento cheese that gave it a nice little kick along with caramelized onions. The Sean Bacon Cheeseburger had bacon, what else needs to be said other than outstanding. Rounding it out with sweet potato fries seasoned with salt and sugar...epic! Best burger on the Hill.

I was excited to try Al's after hearing great things. As others have noted the burgers are in the smaller side. It was pretty crowded for a Friday night with limited seating so I would recommend planning to take these to go unless it's an off hour. We ate outside in the cold . The burgers would good, but knocked off a start for the price. $8 is a bit steep especially considering the size. I would skip the fries next time around as they just had some rosemary on them and otherwise weren't too special. I would come again!

Delicious. Easy pickup of online order. If you don't order ahead, the line/wait can be long.

Friendly staff. Good burgers; the meat was well-seasoned and cooked right. I enjoyed the fries, which were seasoned with salt and rosemary. The fries were crispy but a tad salty. I enjoyed the outdoor area; the place has character. I can see why it is a local favorite.

Visiting town for a wedding. Stopped in for lunch. Small venue with outdoor seating. Friendly staff and clean. Burgers look a tad small but are thick and perfectly cooked with fresh toppings. Ordered a Sean's bacon cheeseburger and it was excellent. Wife had a classic cheeseburger and liked it very much. We shared crinkle fries with no rosemary. Overall a great little burger joint. Dog friendly as well. I'd come again when in town.

Everything you could possibly want in a burger! I don't understand how the patties are so juicy, but I'm glad they are. I wouldn't recommend the Paco- it's good, but the toppings don't add to the experience. I don't think that avocado and a beef patty is a great combination because the avocado is barely present (and the jalepenos weren't spicy at all). But it was still a good burger. My friend and I split a large fries and it was too much for us. But the fries themselves were incredible- they come with rosemary and salt as the default, which I've disliked in the past, but it works really well here. I was pretty confused for the system they were using, but you order in "the shack" and sit outside, where they bring it to you. I'm still unsure as to whether you're supposed to throw away the trash and stack the trays yourself. I'm excited to see how Buns stacks up to this.

There's a reason why Al's is voted number one burger in America! The burger was finger licking good although i will say that it's on the smaller side for the price. But im willing to chalk that up to the "best burger in america" tax lol. The rosemary fries are also bomb!

The burgers are getting a bit smaller but they are still so tasty. Just a great great burger

It had its time in the Sun, but it's not the same as under previous owners. They emulate the prior menu but the quality of the food took an unfortunate dip frankly. I drive from away from Chapel Hill toward Durham for good hamburgers.

We came here on a chillier Friday night, and despite it being only 7:15, there was hardly a line! My husband ordered Sean's bacon cheeseburger, and I decided to branch out and try the Bobo chili burger (after seeing so many amazing pics on Yelp beforehand). The slaw was true to the pictures I'd seen. It added just a hint of creamy flavor to every bite! The chili wasn't messy, so the burger itself was manageable to eat. It reminded me more of sloppy Joe meat- which I love - rather than bean-filled and tomato-heavy chili. We also split a small fry, and together it was enough for the both of us. The bacon cheeseburger, in our opinion, was like any other bacon cheeseburger. It was fine. I recommend trying one of there more "exciting" burgers if you come here. But then again, they call it a classic for a reason! I did have my eye on that one, so I might have to try it next time. We ate outside on their patio -plenty of seating!

This is a hard thing to say and I didn't really want to make it public but there is apparently no way to contact or send a message directly on the website. The fries. What happened. Al's rosemary fries were literally mine and my wife's favorite fries in the world. We have now ordered from Al's 5 times and all 5 times the fries were extremely over-done. We tried to chalk it up to maybe they were busy so we tried again, nope exactly the same. Too crispy, dark brown inedible. Tater tots? Exactly the same. What is the problem is the timer broken? Or is the new owner just screwing up the best thing Al's had? The burgers, are good, but honestly I can get a really god impossible burger from about any place in chapel hill and we don't come to Al's for the burgers, we come for the delicious light fluffy perfectly cooked and seasoned rosemary crinkle cut fries. We will probably be moving on to and maybe try back in a year or so. I can't believe we would be the only ones to have brought this up, if you are feeling the same please leave a review so maybe they do something about it and we can get back to the glory of what the fries used to be. Sorry guys this ain't it, RIP.

The burgers and hot dog I had from Al's Burger Shack in on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill are the best I've tried in the Triangle to date. They were delicious, especially the hot dog (and I love hot dogs). This place is definitely a shack as the space is small and humble, and there's barely any seating inside at/around the counter and open kitchen. They have a covered patio along with picnic tables (some with umbrellas) outside in the parking lot. That's it. As you can probably tell from all the Yelp reviews, this is a popular business. Here's what my wife and I ordered: * Classic Burger (Al's size, $8.45) - NC pasture-raised beef, buttered potato bun, lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, pickle, Al's sauce, American cheese * Kenny J (Al's size, $8.85) - NC pasture-raised beef, buttered potato bun, bacon, grilled onions, Cheerwine BBQ sauce, spicy pimento cheese * Pool Room ($3.75) - grilled all-beef hot dog, buttered hot dog bun, yellow mustard, chili sauce, slaw, chopped onion * Crispy Crinkle-Cut Fries (large, $4.00) - sea salt, rosemary The burgers were really good, certainly better than Buns up the street. We ordered both burgers medium rare (they're cooked medium by default, but I prefer most beef medium rare). We both preferred the Kenny J over the Classic, but the Classic was good too. These were well-made, juicy, and flavorful burgers. The higher quality of the beef patties was something we could taste, both in flavor and texture. The overall combination of ingredients made for very mouthwatering, tasty, and satisfying burgers. While our minds weren't blown nor did we think these burgers were absolutely amazing (hence my four instead of five star rating), they were still quite solid and I recommend this place if you're looking for a good burger in Chapel Hill. "Al size" was a nice, filling size. The patties were thick and substantial and the toppings were fresh and plentiful. The latter was particularly the case with the grilled onions on the Kenny J -- it was overflowing with them (great). The Cheerwine BBQ sauce in the Kenny J was sweet and mild. No Cheerwine flavor, but I don't think that's how it's supposed to work. I think the Cheerwine is supposed to act more as the sugar or sweetening agent in the recipe, rather than a flavor that is supposed to come out of the sauce. "Al's sauce" in the Classic Burger was a yummy, orange, mayo-based sauce in the same vein as McDonald's Big Mac sauce or Shake Shack sauce. I was told by an employee that Al's Sauce is made with mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, and horseradish. Now the Pool Room was fantastic. Five stars. Keep in mind I'm a hot dog guy. I'll often prefer a hot dog over a burger and chili dogs are some of my favorite kinds of hot dogs. The Pool Room is Al's version of the chili dog. Every bite was terrific and gratifying, packed with flavor. It was a standard-sized dog and I should've ordered two. The all-beef frank was served split down the middle and the proportions of ingredients was pretty much perfect. Now I know where to go in Chapel Hill if I want an excellent hot dog. The Crispy Crinkle-Cut Fries were par for the course. Al's differentiates their crinkle-cut fries from other burger joints in a couple ways: (1) As their name states, they are indeed crispy and I think they are crispier than your average crinkle-cut fries. (2) They use rosemary as a seasoning which is a little bit different than other places that simply use salt. The herby taste of the rosemary was noticeable and appetizing. At the end of the day, they're fries and they're fine. We enjoyed our large order with plenty of ketchup. Al's offers about a half-dozen beef burger varieties in addition to turkey, chicken, and vegetarian options (sweet potato and black bean) with a gluten-free bun option. You can also build/customize your own burger. Beef burgers are available in three sizes: (1) Buddy Bite, (2) Al Size, and (3) Big Al. Expect to spend about $6, $9, and $16, respectively, for a burger at each size. They also sell chocolate and vanilla milkshakes (about $6 per shake) and offer a variety of sauces like the aforementioned Al's Sauce that comes on the Classic Burger, Roasted Garlic Aioli, and a "Shack Q BBQ" sauce. If you're wondering, the "Benjyn Sauce" is roasted garlic aioli with Sriracha added (spicy). I ordered and paid online, following the link on Al's website. There was a $1.50 convenience fee (Menufy platform). Ordering was simple and easy. Service was great. My order was ready and waiting for me when I arrived about 20 minutes later. Al's currently has two locations, both in Chapel Hill: (1) This original location which opened in 2013 at the corner of W Franklin and N Graham Streets and (2) a location in Southern Village which opened in 2017. Street parking is available in the immediate vicinity. Some spots are metered while others are free. I parked in the free, marked, loading zone on Graham to pick up my order. Quick and convenient.

This place feels so welcoming and vibey. Love the decor and friendly service. It was a nice patio lunch. We ordered burgers, hot dog, regular fries and sweet potato fries. Burger and hot dog were excellent. The fries have quite a bit of rosemary on them and I just didn't quite care for the seasoning. I shook as much off as possible. I think I would love loved them just lightly salted. The sweet potato fries had a bit too much salt. I was glad I ordered the Al sauce on the side. It's like a thousand island type sauce and I didn't care for it, but I'm sure other people love this. Would definitely go back and adjust my order to fit my taste.

Great burger and fun to sit outside and people watch. Fries were good, milkshake was delicious. We'll be back another time.