Char-Grill

I stopped by Char-Grill today after not having been there in years, and honestly, I was a little lost. Thankfully, Michelle absolutely saved the day. From the moment I walked up to the window, she noticed my confusion and gently guided me over to the paper ordering pads. When I asked why “ketchup” was spelled the way it was on the menu, she didn’t laugh or rush me she actually shared a little history lesson about how it used to be spelled back in the day, which was pretty cool. I had questions about adding lettuce and tomato, and Michelle stayed calm, patient, and walked me through it step by step… then just went ahead and added it for me when she realized I was struggling. She clearly picked up on the fact that I hadn’t done this in a while and made the whole process easy and stress-free. She even handled the payment and made sure I was all set before handing me my food. Before I left, she checked to see if I needed any condiments, which might seem small but it really showed how attentive she was. Customer service like that makes a difference. Michelle turned what could’ve been an awkward experience into a great one, and it’s the reason I’ll be back.

One of the best burgers I’ve had in NC. Very unassuming and delicious sandwich, perfect fries and service. The sweet smell of seasoned meat being grilled in charcoal will make you drool while you wait. Hands down a perfect burger.

I visited Chargrill on Saturday for lunch. I haven’t been in years. I ordered a cheeseburger fries and chocolate milk shake. My food was delicious and reasonably priced. It wasn't clear how to add lettuce,tomato, and pickles on my form. The guy working the window was so polite and added it for me. You can write by cheeseburger L,T and P. I am looking forward to going back again.

This is an ole Raleigh business. If you are from Raleigh you will know this business. If not you need to join the fans of this business. Great food, excellent service. Prices are very reasonable. I recommend the Char-burger and a brownie. Cheerwine or Pepsi both NC products are also available.

I had the steak burger and it reminds me of both the wopper and the burgers from highway 55. There's a strong possibility that these are the best burgers in town. Great food fast.

Johan was so sweet and nice. My mom got the wrong thing on her burger and he remade it perfectly. He was patient and kind…thank you for making our day.

Great place for a good burger and a classic American lunch. Never had any issues the few times I've been here, the staff is always quick to get the food out and kind.

Delicious old school hamburgers & red hot dogs. The hamburger steak sandwich is 10/10.

It's such a good greasy place. Good burgers and fries. Although I wish they had more toppings like jalapeno peppers and mushrooms. Also there should be an option to grill the onions!

1Feb2024: I stopped by this Char-grill location while in the area. I needed a quick bite to eat. Upon entering the parking lot and parking I noticed a staff member jumped up on the counter. When I saw this I immediately circled out of the parking lot. This seems extremely inappropriate to do during business hours while food is being prepared.

I finally visited the famous Char-Grill while at the Ole Raleigh shopping center. Service here was excellent but the food wasn't impressive. I would think with the name " Char-Grill" the hot dogs would be grilled and not similar to that of being boiled. Disappointing. The fries & Cheerwine were excellent but that's all she wrote folks. Nothing to write home about. The

When you order you fill out what you want on the paper order sheets. They typically provide pencils to fill out your order ( there are no erasers). You put your finished order in the spot at the window. They call your name when your order is ready, don't forget to add your name at the top! My go to to get here is their burger with fries and a sweet tea. I do add bacon and sometimes cheese. You can add any toppings to your burger you just have to fill out the boxes for what you want. I like their burgers over their hotdogs. I've tried the apple turnover, nothing terribly special. It's sweet for sure. They share a parking lot with a strip of stores, when their small lot gets filled you can park over by the stores. They do have picnic tables outside to eat and bathrooms around back. It's nice to sit outside here and a burger on a real nice sunny day. This place does get packed almost every day but the sunny days even more packed.

Wonderful. Meat & Cheese & Char & Grill! I love Char-Grill. And I always will! I used to eat at this location every week. Always good!

The first time I went, I was super confused about how to order. A nice customer showed me the pen and pads, and where to put my order down the chute! The burgers, sandwiches, fries and shakes here are really good. But I do not recommend the hot dog- it was almost inedible. The staff are always very friendly. This has quickly become one of my go-to places and I actually prefer it over Cookout, the food feels less greasy.

The food is typically good. However, the issue I have is the amount of condiments used on burgers and hotdogs. Why do you put so much on there? You'll spend the first 5 minutes of your meal wiping off all the excess ketchup. Good burgers but order it plan or prepare for disappointment.

Char-Grill is one of my favorite places. Th food is always delicious. It never disappoints. Service is great. By the burgers are always the star!

The food was excellent but here's the main kicker. I had just left physical therapy. Stop by ordered burger, fries, and a drink and actually didn't have enough but they were so nice to give me my food. I was short like 50 something cents. Went back last weekgot the same thing and left five dollars in the tip box. Awesome I love them.

Dude threw my change at me (literally) with most of it landing on the counter. I still proceeded to put some cash in the tip jar and he couldn't muster up a basic "thanks, thank you", nothing. Save your tips. They don't need or appreciate them.

Came here for lunch today and that is got to be the best burger in town, hands down and I have been coming here even before I met the owner. I eat the full size with everything on it and wife orders a Jr. we both love the french fries and we share the drink. We have been to the other locations too but wife likes this one better. Got our rewards card full now so the next time is on them and that should be before the end of the year

Great char grilled burgers. Self service order on an order form. We walked from home and ate at one of the picnic tables. Chocolate shakes are so thick a straw is useless, must use a spoon to get every drop. Highly recommend!

I have a soft spot for Char Grill. Guys it reminds me of being a teen again, the menu hasn't changed. My kid likes going there so it's just a nice touchstone. Eating outside and talking with friends. That's my nostalgia that make me want to give it a 4 star. Stoped by today to eat more than I should. Here's my one concern, I am new at dining out since we begin living with Covid - why does every other place have cleaned and to be cleaned pens and they are using the same small pencils laid out for everyone to touch. I just worried if they aren't addressing things like this given their elderly clientele I now have concerns dampening my memories.

TLDR: They shorted me an order of Fries. Check your bag before leaving! I ordered online, which has a Combo Option: Burger, Fries, Drink. Added a few other things and a second order of fries. Seems like they aren't used to the online Combo because they only gave me one order of fries. They way the printed order displays is different than the regular slips they use for in-house orders, probably causing confusion with the cooks. The bun for my burger was wet and soggy. Notice how the Yelp rating for this specific Char-Grill location is at least a half star lower than the other locations? There's probably a good reason for that...

An extremely old-school burger place, where you place orders on paper cards with tiny pencils and can watch your food get cooked through the ceiling-high windows. Everything is made to order, so either put it in online or expect to wait a few minutes from whenever you decipher the ticketing system. It's not that complicated -- you just check boxes, and if you want something a little non-standard you can typically write it in and they'll do it. That is, unless you're ordering for a big group, in which case you might be better off submitting multiple tickets, doing it online, or just walking to the register to talk to someone. Anyway, food is a mixed bag: -Confusingly, they have a regular burger (which is small), and then 1/4 (rectangular!) and 1/2 pound (round!) burgers they call "Hamburger Steak" that apparently only come as a combo. I think they're all kinda average, the meat itself has that trademark char-grill flavor but it's always cooked to death, they don't have any interesting toppings, and I think the buns are kinda disappointing. Best move is probably the classic Carolina Style - mustard, onions, and chili, or just get the works and think about how similar it is to a Whopper. -Chicken is modestly sized but is honestly really delicious, I like to add hot sauce (worst case get some Texas Pete packets from them). -The (pork) barbecue is actually very solid, but I imagine it's not made on site -Fries are solid and reliable steak fries, usually salted well but not extraordinary. -Shakes kinda stretch the definition, extremely thick soft-serve with only basic flavors. -I have a soft spot for the apple pies, which are basically deep-fried turnovers and therefore delicious. Anyway it's idiosyncratic old-school burger stuff, so for some people it probably clicks on every level, but most people could find some things they like.

My husband has been here a few times already after a co-worker (highly) recommended it. So we came here for Mother's Day dinner after playing at Laurel Hills playground. Seems like a simple old-fashioned burger joint. Menu is limited to burgers, dogs, grilled chicken sandwich, BBQ sandwich, fries and shakes. To order, you fill out an order slip and put it in a slot. Wait time was not too bad. Might have seemed longer to me because I had an antsy 18 month-old waiting with me. The food was great! My husband and I got burgers and our kids got hot dogs. The burgers were delicious! I didn't try a bite of hotdog- the neon red color kind of took me by surprise but the kids seemed to enjoy them. The fries were hot and crispy! For 4 meals, it was around $25! Not bad! We'll definitely return!!!

Figured I'd try this location again even with my last ratings. Five employees in a very small area, NO masks again. Needless to say, I traveled to Snoopy's instead. They all wear mask there. Management, do you really care about your customers' health ?

FINALLY...after a 12 hour work-day, I made it to the finish line with this Char-grill cheeseburger money. Thanks for the rec @raleighrose! You never lead me astray. The night is young!

Hangout Dinner Right as you walk in you feel like you're in a 1950s burger joint. Pieces of trash roam the floor but it's not too bad. I like it how you can put your customized order on a sheet of paper then they cook it just for you. While you're waiting on your food, you can sit in chairs that reenact the back seat of an old classic car. There are always old people that can fire up a conversation at any moment. The food is always fresh when you start to eat it but I will say, the fries are 50/50. Sometimes they are fried to perfection and other times they are warm and mushy. The service is always great with friendly cashiers. I always get the ¼ pounder with a chocolate milkshake. The milkshake is whipped to perfection and the burger is juicy and warm. Mostly every time I leave satisfied. - by B.

I really enjoy the flavor of Char-Grill burgers. Plus ordering on paper is a creative way to do it.

My wife and I ate here last night after the NCMA movie. I had their half lb cheeseburger and she had their grilled chicken sandwich. They are cooked to order and I must say, they know how to do it right. My burger was cooked perfect and so was Carol's. The fries were delicious too, cooked with fresh oil so delicious. My vanilla shake was really good too.

Local fast-food burger joint. Got a decent lunch crowd on a weekday, and food was served pretty quickly. Got their signature 1/2 pound "steak sandwich" (burger) with fries and medium drink, for around $8.60. The burger was alright. Definitely a big burger, and tastes better than McD's and BK, but I can't really say if it's better than say a 1/3 pound burger from Hardee's. The fries were similar in that they were decent, but nothing stood out about it.

Char-Grill is a Raleigh favorite and is still great food at a great price. This location is convenient and well run. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and don't forget the fries and milkshake!

Great food made to order. I always get the charburger with catchup mustard onion chili and slaw and I am never disappointed. Nice crispy fries and I'm a big fan of their apple turnovers.

I guess, the best way to avoid negative customer service feedback is to NOT offer any customer service. At all. This place is essentially a "burger vending machine" staffed by an unseen battalion of faceless chopped steak craftsmen. Fortunately, the ordering ticket/menu is pretty easy to understand, but when you drop it in the ordering slot cut out of a deeply tinted window, you really wonder what to expect next. After a few minutes of unsure wait on the sidewalk, my name was called, and my burger sack was ready. A little chili cheeseburger resided in the bag next to the most beautiful fries I've ever seen! I scooped up my sammich and paid the partially obscured entity behind the tinted sliding glass window. The burger was very good. The chili topping was clearly canned, and is a 2-star chili at best. The fries were great, though. Perfectly crispy, golden brown British "chip" style fries. Yum. Overall, it's really good, and I will come back. I'd feel better if I didn't feel like they were hiding their kitchen & staff, but I do like the food.

Usually have good customer service. But ordered ahead of 4! 4 people before me. Bags of food. Not a soft drink or a side of fries. Bags of food and I was sitting there waiting for 10 minutes. Worst service I have gotten there. And it will be a very long time I give this place a second chance. 4 people. Not 1. Not 2. 4. I felt like I was invisible.

Love at first smell The beef cooking on the grill is the hardest temptation to resist! Pick your size - steak senior, steak junior or Chargrill Burger - then add your choice of toppings. They'll make it fresh just the way you like it. Complete your order slip & add your name at the top, so you don't have to remember your order# Best burgers, hot dogs & shakes in town...probably the State!

So. Damn. Good! Half pound of quality meat on a thin bun, with the best meat to bun ratio! Mustard and chili only is the way to go. Part of a good burger is good fries to go with it! #nomnomnom

Best burgers in town. If you want inside sit down keep on driving. If you want a good burger and outside eating like the old fast food of yesteryear then give Char Grill a try.

As a Raleigh native I love coming back here when I'm home for the holidays. It's a city staple that hasn't changed much at all since my childhood so the combination of great food and nostalgia is a winning combination. If you're looking for a tasty, classic burger without any frills this is your spot.

We've not visited a Char Grill in quite some time but it was late and we wanted burgers but not McDonalds. I got to CG around 10:15pm and they close at 11pm. They still had 3 employees working. One cleaning inside and the other two cleaning and doing stuff for closing inside. They didn't seem annoyed that I was coming late like some places do. They were helpful and friendly. I ordered Large Shares too and they only had Medium. That stunk because we were sharing. Otherwise everything was great. The burgers and fries were cooked properly and were way better than typical fast food. Don't do fast food often but definitely will go back next time I do.

Really disappointed to find that most food prep staff were not wearing any masks or protective face coverings. Coupled with tight quarters inside and a shoddy inspection record, this is an outbreak waiting to happen. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

NOT WEARING MASKS!!! WTHeck - food prep and not wearing a mask. So incredibly gross. And foolish.

Usually fairly solid here , not so great this visit - the bun was not fresh and fell apart quickly as the burger had way way to much mayo on it. Nothing a few training refreshers can't fix . Frys we're hot and fresh to save the visit . Want to tighten things up here just a bit as football / hockey approach - go pack , go canes !

This is our favorite Char Grill location. The burgers are always cooked the best of any location. Today we didn't have such a great experience. Years ago they always used to toast the buns on grids. They stopped so we started requesting it. Today we bit into our burger and chicken sandwich...buns not toasted like we requested. My husband let them know...their excuse "we're too busy". What a moronic statement. I don't recall noting on my ticket that we were in a hurry and needed our food ASAP. I believe if I am smart enough to request a toasted bun I have sense enough to know it could take longer. They don't need to hold up the person's order behind me to toast my bun. They just move on ahead. We'll go there again at some pint in the future but it won't be any time soon. 4/13/2019-this time charred and burnt over done burgers. If u ask me it was done on purpose since we kindly reminded them of our note on the ticket to toast the bums. If u ask me this business is going down hill since it started franchising. It is no skin off their nose to oblige the customer to a small request. They certainly don't get paid by the volume of burgers they send out the window. This location is now a one star in my opinion.

The few times we have been here they are great! The staff is considerate. The food is great and comes out quickly but smells so amazing like it cooked longer! First time we had the vanilla milkshake and we plan to get it again soon! Creamy and rich milkshake! The fries are fantastic! My girlfriend gets their burger meal deal and loves it. I love their chicken sandwich. I would personally not recommend their apple turnover but my girlfriend thought it was okay. This is a great place to come late at night! Would recommend since we have come back a few times.

Best old fashioned burger in town period. There is nothing else to add. If you want that smell of a charred patty you will have the best burger in town but if your looking for a truffle/quail egg burger, you may want to go else where. Order online to avoid the wait.

It's ok. Seriously, if you are looking for a pretty good flame-broiled burger or hot dogs, fries, and a chocolate ice cream milkshake, this is as good as any place. The ordering process is a bit of a hoot once you catch on to filling out a slip and sliding it inside a slot. Apparently locating said slips and slot under the hanging menu is enough so putting up a sign to explain how it works or not necessary. Funny thing is the order pads and slot are not only NOT labeled, but they sit exactly in front of a sign offering 10 lb bags for $3 (cannot fathom what that is all about). It was a nice day and I finally figured it out so it was fun to watch others struggle the same way I did (kidding!). The only thing I did have an honest-to-goodness issue with was someone had marked a sweet tea on my order sheet (at the bottom where I wouldn't see it. $2 something later I learned my lesson to look very closely at self-filled order blanks in the future.

Sunday, August 26 at around 5PM. Ordered 3 cheeseburgers and 3 french fries. The bread was stale, the burgers were dry, and the french fries were not fresh or hot. This is not characteristic of Char-Grill. Must have been lacking supervision at the time of my visit. Disappointing today.

Just landed in Raleigh for the first time. It is freezing out here ~ something like 35 degrees and snow is forecasted tomorrow. On my way to my hotel, I noticed a hamburger joint that look like one of those mom and pop's diner in Philly. You got me sold. As I drove into the parking lot, I noticed that their are no seats inside. It is actually an enclosed kitchen (think Checker's hamburger chains). Outside there are metal benches. Boy, of course, because of the cold and windchill, no one was sitting outside. However, there was a line of people waiting for their order. When you make an order, there is a pad of paper outside the window, you fill it out, slide it through a "peep" hole, and then wait outside until your name is called. I ordered the 1/2 pound burger, with bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, etc... and, I had the side of french fries and an apple turnover. Being that I haven't eaten for like 8 hours, I was starving. I doved into and devoured my apple turnover first... hey man, I have a sweet tooth. It tastes like the McDonald's apple pie -- note: the fried yummy type and not the yucky baked apple pie (by the way, McD's need to banished all BAKED apple pies -- totally awful tasting). Now, their fries "were" crisp and hot --- very good... Yes, they were munched on and done with after like 2 minutes. Wished it was seasoned though... As for the burger, it tastes pretty good. I think the "grill" brought out great flavor. Nothing like chargrilled and smokey meat. Yum. I would recommend that they do the following: 1. Convert the metal benches to wood (can't imagine sitting outside). 2. Put some type of tent around the bench perimeter to warm and insulate the customers from the wind 3. Put a heating "lamp" outside. Hello, again, it was god freezing... my ears are still in a state of frozen shock. Outside the cold wait outside, I would highly recommend this place. My meal cost less than $10 for a drink, burger, fries, and apple turnover. Enjoy!

If death-by-cholesterol is the order of the day (and let's face it - what drive-in burger place isn't death-by-cholesterol? Freud was right about the death wish ...), then Char-Grill will not disappoint. Ordering by filling out a little slip of paper seems a bit odd at first, but it works pretty darned well (assuming you can find a pencil and you remember your order number). There's always a group of lunch-time locals hanging around this place, and it's fun to go on the motorcycle and eat in the parking lot in the nice weather.

I decided to have some late night fast food after my softball game, and Char-Grill hit the spot. This time I decided to try a burger and a hot dog. I got both the burger and the hot dog with most of the toppings (chili, onions, mustard, slaw, and ketchup/lettuce/tomato--on the burger only). Good stuff. The only way it could have been would be to add some heat to it. The fries are very salty. Your arteries will be instantly clogged. My order seemed to be a little faster than last time, so maybe the hamburger steak sandwiches take a little longer to cook? Check out Char-Grill if you're craving some fast food. You'll spend a little more than the national chains, but it's worth it!

Decent old-school grilled burgers. The Steak burger and Steak Jr are a good value. A better burger than you'd get at a fast food chain for just little more money.

Meh. This place is just meh. First experience was a doozie, we stood in front of the food window staring at the cashier wondering why they wouldn't open the window to take our order. Apparently you have to slide a little slip down the shoot and they'll cook your food. We sat there for about 5 minutes before I knocked on the window to order. The food was not good enough to make we want to go back for an experience like that.

This is for my vegetarians out there, holla! On the matter of the grilled cheese sandwich: it belongs in the book of of culinary disappointments and misdeeds. - One hamburger bun, lightly warmed by placing it on the griddle UPSIDE DOWN - No butter - Barely melted slice of American cheese placed in between. You heard me: I got an INSIDE OUT hamburger bun with a slice of American cheese slapped inside. Fin. At approximately $2.30, I would have preferred to eat 4 packets of Handi-Snacks. Clearly, I was out of my element in coming here. PS - weird ordering system involving paper, pencil, and a slot is great for those days you don't feel like using your voice.

The best burger on the planet. 5 Guys can kiss their ass. Nothing like Char-Grill in Raleigh it's the best.

I feel like a terrible North Carolinian for going this long as a Yelper without reviewing any Char-Grills. So, let's get down and dirty with it: * Very tasty burgers. Give me the hugest one on the menu, and add bacon to it please. I'd get very bored living until I was 80 anyway. Load it up. * Middling fries. There, I said it. The fries are just okay. I'm sorry. * Delicious shakes. There are better burgers in the area. Please, no one come at me with torches and pitchforks, but Five Guys has Char-Grill beat hands down. Cook-Out even gives it a run for its money, especially in the value department. Even still, Char-Grill really hits the spot once in a while.

This place is a bit disorganized, but the burgers are very good. You can smell the deliciousness as you walk up to place your order. I enjoyed my hamburger.

Usually I would give 5 stars. Been going to chargrilled since I was very young. But I just left feeling very un easy. The manager Cynthia was as rude as she could be. They had messed up my order and when I asked for them to fix it nicely she stuck her head out the window and tried to tell me I orders wrong. It's very easy to order here , you Cynthia forgot half my order! I will continue to eat at chargrill just not this location. Also by the way Cynthia... if your going to talk crap about a customer make sure your window in closed!!!!