Char Grill

Ate at the char-grill on Hillsborough Street for the first time on my way back home from Wilmington. This was the first time I had ever filled my my own order slip and then stood there watching my order being cooked in front of me while I waited. When cooked they called my name to come to the pickup window. I paid for my hotdog with chili and slaw and a char burger with chili and slaw and walked over and sat down at one the picnic tables to enjoy my lunch. Good food and unique dining experience, I will be stopping here to eat again when I am passing by Raleigh.

One of my favorite places to grab a good hamburger and fries! And let’s not even get into these apple turnovers! Baby, when I tell you, it hits the spot every time every time

Nestled on Hillsborough, Char-Grill has a nostalgic, cozy atmosphere with its old cinderblock building, vintage painted signs, and the smoky aroma of charcoal-grilled patties. Orders are submitted on menu checks and called out through a loudspeaker when ready, adding to the charm of this classic burger joint. Extras: Good for groups or solo diners, plenty of parking, introvert-friendly, takeout only, quick service, counter ordering

The Caucasian hiy with glasses was rude and impatient. He has very poor customer service skills. Watch out for him as he will be rushing you away from the window. My order was incorrect and when I stepped away to put the partial order in the car and came back, he had my burger sitting on the counter outside the window, and calling other people and handing them their order on top of my order. A young lady handed him back the burger and said, “I don’t know whose burger this is!” Char-Grill owners I have been coming here 30’years and NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE! 😒😒😒

This is the best burger joint in the world! Don’t forget to buy a shirt while you are there!

My husband took me to Char Grill for the first time about ten years ago. He has loved this place since he first moved to Raleigh in the 1980s. Though I am not a fan of charred burgers, I have to say that they are very good. I always get a hotdog with slaw and mustard (and fries) and my husband gets his beloved Char-burger with cheese (and fries). It is delicious. You also can't beat the history of the restaurant itself. Anytime we venture into Raleigh, we always make a stop at Char Grill.

Overall, 4.3 stars for me! The food was super fresh, but it was a little bland for me. I enjoyed the burger but the lettuce was chopped up, so it was kind of weird to eat. The fries were good but just regular fries, nothing too special! The hotdog was good, but still a little bland even with the chili and onions. The service was great though! Very nice people!

I've been to a lot fast food burger joints. This is by far the best fast food restaurant I ever been to as far as a great quality burger is concerned. I order the 1/2 pound steak burger with fries. Everything came out piping hot even the fries were fresh. The Burger tasted like it was made to order and not sitting in a container losing freshness. I'm here at 9pm at night and I'm surprised the food was still great. Usually when it's time to close or near it, the food quality is poor in most cases. Not today. I will be back soon

Absolutely Delicious Cheeseburgers. Go to Char-Grill! You will not be disappointed!

I've been told on several occasions to check out Char-Grill, and I am not sure why. After trying out several grilled burger spots, including In & Out, this spot does not add up to that and falls very short. I ordered the cheeseburger. First, the burger patty is very thin and small and has no flavor at all. Also, in order to have toppings, you have to go through a very complicated system to order them. It shouldn't be complicated to just add mustard and onions, but they make it that way. The one bright light in all of this was the dude who helped me, and I was able to get onions, lettuce, and tomato. Unfortunately, there were no condiments, so the burger was super dry. It shouldn't be this crazy to order a burger! Still with the condiments, I don't think it would've helped the burger much. Maybe yesrs ago these burgers were good, but today it was a big miss and they were not good. I'm not sure if I will return.

This place is super fun and old school. The aroma reminded me of the burger joint down the way from my middle school lol. I will say.. there aren't proper directions on what to do unless you're with someone who knows or someone next to you is kind enough to walk you through it. Make sure you read the paper clearly and select the things you want because it's coming without ketchup if you don't put it lol. When I checked out no one waits in line properly and if you don't force your way to the window to pay people will just keep cutting you, butttt I was just trying to be polite and fair. I guess that doesn't work here. My only thing that is super negative is my hot dog was squished and I ate it at the tables sooooo they were probably in a hurry. He looked like he got stepped on lol. But this place was very good! Glad I got to check it out!

Pretty good chili, slaw dog with mustard and onions. Had a bit too much cole slaw on it. Would order next time without. Fries were ok. Service was great, quick and perfect. Will definitely return but not our top dog in Raleigh.

Had to stop at the Char-Grill passing through Raleigh today. This was my go-to hangover cure when I was at NC State. Good as I remember, even without the hangover

I stopped by here at 7:25pm on a Thursday evening. I found this by looking for fast food and wanted to try something different from the chain restaurants. On arrival, I looked at the menu which consists of burgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs, and bbq. They also have shakes. It reminds me of the Cookout chain, honesty. As I'm writing this review, I'm wishing they sold hushpuppies, lol. You must order via a piece of paper where you notate your choices, something I was completely unaware at first until I saw someone else grab the sheet. I got a double char burger with bacon, fries, and a brownie w/ no nuts. I placed my order at 7:30. Placing your order means putting it into this little slot where a staff member grabs it. You can put your name at the top or simply remember the number at the top. When ready, they will call your name or number via speakers that are a decent volume. They do have two picnic tables outside on the left side of the building. There is no indoor seating. There is a decent amount of parking available around the restaurant. Upon arrival and waiting, I saw they have a 100% sanitation score. My food was ready at 7:40pm. I was told they were out of brownies but I got a cookie instead. My total was $13.13. My fries were fresh and nicely salted. I realized I mean to get a cheese burger vs chat burger when there was no cheese on my burger lol. For some reason, I thought they were different. However, the burger was delicious. It tasted just like a freshly grilled burger, which is my burger weakness!!! The cookie was so soft and delicious! Additionally, it was warm too, which made it a nice snack after I finished my meal. (I will admit that I asked the employee if the cookie was worth the price before I got it.) My only complaint was that I wasn't greeted upon arrival or told what I do. I was standing around for a while looking and no one asked if I needed help or to give me instructions on what I needed to do to order. Overall, I would highly recommend and I would definitely return! The staff i encountered when picking up and paying for my order was friendly.

Great service old school diner look but food is below average McDonald's without the flare but better service

I stopped here in desperation because I was starving and couldn't get to another restaurant downtown due to a protest gathering. I ordered a cheeseburger (forgot to add any toppings to my dismay) and fries. First, in terms of ordering, this is a no-frills 70s style walk-up carry-out situation. You fill out an order form with pencil (no eraser LOL) and slide it through a slot in the window. I was a newbie so I totally neglected to add any toppings to my "cheeseburger only," but the burger was still good (I'm sure it would've been much better with lettuce, tomato, mayo and ketchup). I did ask for ketchup at the window when paying. The fries were really good, fresh from the fryer. My daughter had to use the potty which left much to be desired but, hey, what could I expect? It seemed clean at least. Just needs some updating. I would visit again but would make sure to pay closer attention to my order next time!

I brought my out of town guests to eat some Char-Grill. They loved it. The double burgers and cheese burgers were great. We had some "all the way" and some with slaw and onions... Delish and perfect grill flavor on the beef. The fries were crispy and fresh. My mom loved the thick vanilla shake, too! If you're in town, be sure to check out this burger "staple" in raleigh!! It's a gem, and prices are very fair.

It's awesome and the service is amazing as well ! The milkshakes taste amazing! Definitely would recommend the Zebra milkshake which is half vanilla and half chocolate!

First time trying this location. Came after a hot day at Out! Raleigh. Food came out quickly and was hot. Everything was fresh. Recommend. I had the chargrilled chicken sandwich with mayo, lettuce and onions. Side of fries and iced tea. Yum!

Wonderful quick burger spot that didn't disappoint. I know folks love household names like Five Guys for the free toppings but if you're looking for a great product I urge you guys give char grill and snoopys a try. I went to chargrill for the first time and they have an old school ordering set up where you write your order slide it through a window and wait for them to call your number. 2 burgers and 2 fries for about $20 is what it should be and these burgers aren't small and they are flavorful. I wish I can customize my burger I'm not sure if I just didn't know how to do it but next time I will see what I can do toppings wise. Great place and if you don't believe me go around lunch time and watch the amount of people you see just sitting in their cars enjoying their food. That's the vibe at char grill and I love it honestly

Simple and delicious. I would come back for a quick and inexpensive meal anytime. Try the dessert!

Food is amazing and service is great have been going here since I was a child amazing fries drink's burgers and apple pies are all amazing I also love the old school style of ordering definitely try this place out

Really quick and pretty friendly service. This place was hopping on a late Saturday afternoon. The food is cooked to order and perfectly charred, like, PERFECTLY. It was exactly the way you want a burger to taste. The hot dogs are something special. Made with chili and onions*chef kiss*. They don't have real seating just a couple of picnic tables but most people take to go or eat in their cars. We can't wait to go back.

It feels like a classic experience - a bit of time travel. The food was pretty good. We went more for the novelty after a birthday party nearby than for the food. We both got burgers and fries. You can still order by fax!? I have not seen a fax machine in years upon years. Imagine? On the way home, we actually got stopped by the cops who, accidentally stopped us and then let us go. Due to the hour they perhaps believed we were speeding (we weren't) and perhaps likely drinking (we weren't) but when my partner opened the window they were probably blown away by the amazing fast food smell instead of his expected wine/beer/alcohol smell and realized his horrible mistakes.

Good char burgers and fries at a cheap price, what is not to like. There was limited seating so if you are thinking about coming here and eating here, look to be sitting in your car. You can also do what we did which is go across the street and sit at the 321 Coffee place which has a lot of outdoor seating.

Disappointing and will not be going back. every table was dirty. the food was not cooked to order. paid extra for cheese and bacon on chicken sandwich. no cheese and the bacon was not done. Others with me got cheeseburgers and not good. :( unfortunate.

Char Grill is a classic! The food was quick and tasted good. Service was good. You order the food and pick it up at a window, there is no seating other than outdoors. My only qualm is that it's not the best area and there was a good amount of people wandering around the area and near the abandoned building next door.

Change your business hours. They close at 11 but stop taking orders at 10:45. I get it but if you close at this time let me order food 15 minutes before you close. Not cool. Food is good just change your hours or at least say you stop serving at a certain time. The Open sign was still on when I tried to order. But the employees looked very unhappy. Show some enthusiasm. It's a easy job. Simple menu, nothing too intricate. Restaurant is stressful but damn

Always ask when unsure! Interesting way of ordering and great if you know exactly what you want. I made the mistake of assuming the charburger and the hamburger steak were the same thing, doh! Still a delicious error, burger was fresh and juicy and the apple turnover was crispy and delicious. Will not make the same mistake next time!

As long as you get a large burger you are ok. The smaller burgers barely will up the bun. Don't get the chicken filet that comes in frozen and heated up. sometimes they don't get it heated up long enough and it is rubbery and raw like.

It was good. Nothing great. Nothing bad. I had heard about it as a special place. It was worth getting food there once to say I did. Parking lot is tight.

I had to work on Hillsborough St., so I knew at least one visit to the original Char-Grill would happen! (I went twice). It is an interesting blend of people that come to the original Char-Grill. There's white collar and blue collar workers, former college students that have to eat there again when in the area, young urbanites, and I even spotted a WRAL reporter and photographer dining there. My favorite is the Char Grill Jr, ,with mustard, pickles and chili. It comes with fries. Certainly not the fastest of fast foods places, but waiting for your order name/number is a part of the experience. Delicious food and enjoyable part of being a Raleigh resident.

Visiting Raleigh for the first time, ran across this place exploring downtown. We were attracted by the old school drive in look of the place. While not a drive in it didn't disappoint. Cool way to order by filling out a slip of paper with what you want and sliding it through the window. You get to watch the cooks make your order on the grill and the food was good. Burgers were juicy with great fresh grilled flavor. Fries were basic crinkle cut but fresh, hot, and not too salty. Not a dine in place with limited outdoor seating but would not hesitate to go here again next time I'm in town.

I am 62 years old and have been going to Char-Grill all my life best hamburgers and fries in all of Raleigh and everything on the menu is great my wife and I Probably visit at least 20 times a year don't change anything I don't mind waiting to have my burger cooked fresh Thank you

Service they got my food out before almost everybody 9/10. Ambiance 3.5/10 kinda creepy at night. Food 8/10. Fries were 100/10

One of the best burgers in Raleigh. Once you figure out the ordering, you will be impressed by the food. The half pound burger is a must. The food is great fresh and tasty. By far the best burger in Raleigh!!

Great burgers. It's a cool operating place, should def go to for a quick bit if in town.

Great comfort food. My main staple when downtown. Great service and friendly staff. The burgers are great, great Carolina Packers hotdogs. The apple pies are a definite on a cold day.

The original location is still the best location, and has been since 1960. They've done some franchising over the last few years, but those mostly turn out to be very pale images of this old school, put your order slip in the slot (hate this part of it), eat outside or in your car kind of place! The menu is fairly simple, Charburgers , Hamburger Steak Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, BBQ Sandwich (don't even go there), Fries, Fried Apple Pie, Chicken Sandwich, and even a BLT. But in reality, this is a burger, hot dog, and fries place, and that is the best way to go. The Hot Dog is always a good choice - meaty chili, soft bun, passable Southern style wiener. The Charburger (with or without cheese) is a great diner style burger - on the smallish side, but tasty. The Hamburger Steak comes in a 1/4 or 1/2 lb size, and is served on an oblong bun with sesame seeds - the bun is somewhere between that used on the old Queen Bee Sandwich at Honey's, and that used on the Lotta Burgers served up around Cherryville. And it is a good choice, and the FFs are excellent. Another good thing about this icon, it opens on time!

They served me a burnt burger for 12 dollars. Has made me sick before, they charge for lettuce... used to be good, I've been in Raleigh for forever but every time I go there it seems the quality has gone down.

Food is very good. However, it is currently 10:45 PM and they refuse to serve us. When we arrived we were told that they were done serving even though we had over 15 min left to order food. Only warning - do not come here if you think you can get late night food. They'll close down on you - just go to cookout. They're not actually available for late night food.

The new Apple pie is pretty bad. Loved the old one. It was fried, flaky and always great. This was doughy, heavy and didn't taste too good. If you are going to cut corners then I will be cutting my visits.

Well, hey y'all. Jamie Dubya and I finally arrived in Raleigh from the Left Coast pert near midnight, and we was starvin' 'cause all we had was a squeeze tube of hummus and a few crackers on the plane ride over. Sho'nuff, pickin's were awfully slim for us after we checked into our room at the Red Roof. Even the night clerk there was catching some winks while he was checkin' us in. I found word about Char-Grill not on Yelp but on Roadfood.com where they identify all the greasy spoons you may want to stop at as you travel the highways and byways in this great land of ours, the good ole U.S. of A. It didn't take us more than fifteen minutes to get there, and what we saw was a very retro-lookin' drive-in, completely empty of customers like something out of "The Twilight Zone". I mean the original, black-and-white Rod Serling version where the gremlin was chewing on William Shatner's airplane wing. It turns out Char-Grill was born in 1960 at this very location, so I wasn't that far off. The current owners, Mahlon Aycock and Ryon Wilder, have had it since 1975, and you can tell they don't mess around with a formula that works for them. It's quite an eccentric albeit self-protective ordering system out here. You take one of their long forms, check off what you want and slip it through a window slot and down a chute where the cook takes it and starts making your order. I ordered their classic, the $7.99 1/2-lb. Hamburger Steak Burger with Cheese that comes with Fries and a Medium Drink. Flames were shooting up to the ceiling as he was grilling my order (photo: http://bit.ly/1QN9mtd). Jamie got all domestic on me and ordered a two-fer - the $2.89 Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich served on a hamburger bun and the $2.09 Grilled Cheese on an English muffin bun (photo: http://bit.ly/1ETF0SW). Both were homespun good for fast-food options. Mine hit the spot at the midnight hour. Certainly meaty enough and not overly greasy since there are ridges on their grill to let the fat flow out. It was slathered big time in mayo which acted like glue for the mounds of lettuce epoxied to the sesame seed bun (photo: http://bit.ly/1Ajn78C). Oh I get it, that was the slaw. Nothing like a $1.39 Deep-Fried Apple Pie to finish the meal (photo: http://bit.ly/1EEMyH8). We were eating at one of the red picnic tables when it started to rain in a torrential downpour. We waited for it to lighten up as they were fixin' to close the place for the night. Welcome to North Carolina, y'all! FOOD - 4 stars...it's all in the grillin'...burger is like a deluxe version of a Whopper AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...well, it's a drive-in so it depends on your own nostalgia...mine included A&W drive-ins so I was at home SERVICE - 4 stars...actually quite friendly through the window TOTAL - 4 stars...not sure if this is the best burger in those parts but for a midnight craving, it works in a pinch

Nom nom nom. This is my favorite burger spot! Char grill has a great classic burger and is made right in front of you, fresh to order. They have a few different options & I recommend a milkshake to go with it! The milkshakes are really soft serve ice cream but always hit the spot. Their fries are pretty good too! This is definitely a guilty pleasure. Two people can eat a burger, fries, and share a large milkshake for about $15!

This place is a large is a reason why Raleigh will never be seen as a true foodie spot. I love supporting local business, but this stuff is bad and unremarkable. I understand it's "history" in the city but c'mon guys... really? Kudos for having that "off the grill" taste concept going except the burgers are extremely bland. Like no flavor at all. I could grill better burgers and I'm no griller. Burger King has a better taste than this. These burgers remind me of the burgers you're served for lunch in elementary school. Sure it is cheap and I love that but let's stop giving this place the title of one of the best burger places in the city. Also do they sit on the burgers before they hand it over? It always looks so crushed. I love nostalgia but let's be honest about this place. Only upside was that the staff was nice.

Even though I have lived in Raleigh for the past 5 years I had never had a chance to try Char Grill for myself. I finally decided to go and try it and I was not disappointed! I really wish I had gone sooner, it's a really good place to get some quick, good, and pretty affordable food. I tried their grilled chicken sandwich and fries. The sandwich was really juicy and had a good amount of toppings, and the fries were perfectly salty and crunchy. I will definitely be going back, really solid fast food shop!

Quality burger joint with an true old fashioned feel. The burger patty was very large. They don't appear to skimp on the 1/2 like a lot of places. Not the best burger but it was very good. The fries were fresh and good as well. Everything from the patty to the fries were cooked fresh to order.

Overall: Beyond overrated. So I came here with a meat eating friend who hated their signature burger. Vegetarian/vegan: I ate some very below average fries and that was basically the only option. Not eve veggie burger on the menu.

Raleigh, N.C. This place is actually a lifesaver, on some level depending on your desperation. It's midnight downtown, you haven't had dinner and you're hungry. The smell emitting from Char-Grill is mouth watering. The burger is actually quite good, especially if enhanced by bacon. Compared to others though, it is average. Did not see lettuce or tomato or pickles on the check list, and that's what I got, none. The bun is typical store bought variety mush. Thank you Char-Grill for being open late. Average does not mean bad.

Went with a buddy late night. He was thoroughly unimpressed with his small burger. I got the halfpounder and was STOKED. Took a little while, but that's GOOD, that means they're freshly preparing YOUR burger. Very nice crust on the outside of the patty. Good charcoaly flavor. Moist and hot, what more can you ask for? Oh, a little $3 pulled pork sammich with coleslaw!! That little bastard was maybe even better than the burger!!

Just go, trust me. 100x better than fast food while being just as fast and cheap. It is not your normal ordering process. You have some paperwork to fill out. Relatively simple though. I always good the quarter pounder and some fries. Never fails, great every time. I am actually happy that I don't have one of these in my home town as I try and watch what I eat these days.

The Hamburger Steak Sandwich is the best burger. Hands down! If you love that charcoal broiled taste,, nice & crispy fries and an old fashioned milkshake, this is the place for you. They also use snow ice in their sodas. If you don't like shakes, they have Pepsi and Cheerwine on tap. I love this place!

Great Burgers, Hot Dogs and Pork BBQ! Highly recommended. Oh and don't forget to try the fries and cole slaw #yummy #eatingwithchefsean

Two staff members rolled their eyes when I asked for sauces. No "have a good night," nothing. Also, it states on Yelp and Google that they are open until 12am yet they were turning away customers at 11:30 and turned the lights out at 11:45 when we were still eating outside. Very obvious they don't have a lot of pride in what they do.

Where it all began. I love this place as much for the burgers as I do for the nostalgia of visiting it dozens of times while I attended NC State and enjoying a good cheap meal with friends. Hamburger Steak Sandwich is the only way to go. And get a milk shake instead of a soda. Might as well live life to the fullest.

Review from 12 months ago has expired...a terrible experience tonight with the food and insulted by the staff to add to it. They don't deserve the '1' star.

There is something great about going to a place that you know has been doing the same thing for over 50 years. The original Char-Grill has character and gets the nostalgia juices flowing. There are very few frills here and they stick to what they know. You are going to eat your meal in your car or at one of the few picnic tables that are located around the side of the building. Honestly, every time that I end up at this original location is because I have made a failed attempt to go to Roast Grill down the street (that place is never open! But that is a different story entirely). Anyways, I never regret my decision. The only thing that I've ever ordered from here is the 1/2 pound Hamburger Steak Combo. There is no reason to stray from something that is so good. The hamburger itself is huge and very filling. I would recommend adding Chili to top it off. I still haven't tried the hot dog, but if the chili is any indication, I'm sure they are delicious. The fries are also a must. This is a nice change of pace from standard fast food places. This is a piece of Raleigh history and that alone is a reason to visit. They also now offer Cheerwine. When Roast Grill is inevitably closed, come down the street to Char-Grill.

Maybe it's because I've been on a low carb diet. Maybe it's because I hadn't eaten much all day. Maybe it's because of the company I was with. Or maybe it's just darn good. 5 stars. I had the 1/2 pound burger. *Per usual, feel free to judge away. I can handle it. I have lost 8.5 lbs this month, and I think I earned a treat today. Also, I had fries. I finished the entire thing. And some beer. And that's the truth. Pblbblblblblblb.