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Char-Grill
Rating Details »
Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, Fast Food [Edit]
618 Hillsborough StRaleigh, NC 27603
(919) 821-7636
- Hours:
Mon-Wed. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
12 reviews for Char-Grill
A little dry. I forgot to ask for mustard, given that the order sheet only had mayo as an option (for the 1/2 lb or 1/4 lb burger meal). My fault, but a bit confusing that neither mustard or ketchup was available for a check mark.
Otherwise, the burger is large and very tasty. It has that distinctive grilled taste. I've been here a lot of times, way back in the 80s when I lived here and every other time I've visited since.
The seasoned fries are good too. The tea was weak, possibly because it was getting late in the day.
I can't add much more than what's already been said about this Raleigh instution.
I like to call ahead and place my order; who likes to wait in line?
The burgers are high quality beef and very favorful, top it off with a milk shake...then go jog a few miles...it's the no guilt way to do Char-Grill.
Pick up a groovy Char-Grill Tee Shirt, it's cool to be seen wearing a 57 Chevy from the Char-Grill!
Char Grill is literally the reason I'm not a vegetarian anymore. I was a veggie for 10 years, after I moved to Raleigh I had to drive past the Char-Grill on my way to and from work everyday and eventually gave in to it's wondrous aromas and bought a hamburger.
I hamburger steak junior (1/4 pound hamburger) fries, and a soda will run you just under $6 here and it's well worth it. The food is amazing. In addition to beef, there's hot dogs and chicken options all cooked in front of you, and all great.
Hands down the best hamburgers in the triangle.
Oh man, it's time to steel myself on this one.
Methinks Char-Grill steak burger = Hardee's ThickBurger.
Uninspired meatiness. A little less meat, a little more seasoning, please.
The milkshake is good, if bland. The fries are OK, nothing to write home about. I do appreciate the kitschy layout and ordering.
There is a big sign letting people know they can call ahead, to avoid the 10-20 min wait after placing an order.
And for all the possible haters out there, I do like a great quick burger. See my Cook Out review...
I'm pretty sure that Char-Grill is going to be a State Historic Landmark one day. They've got great burgers, steak sandwiches, and my old personal favorite-- BBQ sandwiches. The milkshakes are also top notch (be sure to bring a spoon).
An interesting innovation that is unique to Char-Grill (at least in my experience) is that you write down your order on little slips of paper (no talking to the employees, except when you pay), and they cook it on the spot. You have to wait a little longer, but who wants something that's been sitting under a heat lamp for fifteen minutes or longer?
I have to agree with Clyde S. that the only bad thing about Char-Grill is the scraping of your bumper as you go in, but the trick is to turn your wheel as you enter (try to enter at an angle instead of straight on), and go really slow.
The Hillsborough St. Char-Grill is a core icon of Raleighwood culture but one that I only hit occasionally.
It was name checked in Sonic Youth's song Chapel Hill and its fans represent the full range of Raleigh's citizenry.
As other reviewers note, the Char-Grill "formula" is very simple and this location has a unique old timey feel that appeals to emerging hipsters and family types alike.
The basic Char-Grill burger with fries is my go-to meal while a close friend swears by the extra cold, extra thick shakes. In fact, during his wife's two pregnancies, Char-Grill shakes were a regular special request!
One unique element is the ordering process that involves filling out and turning in an order form without any interaction with the employees. Once the minor shock passes, enjoy the fact that all power is now in your hands.
The only downer I've found, besides the obvious conflict with my attempts at an extra healthy diet, is that I've never been able to get into the parking lot without scraping my front bumper. If anybody has a suggestion on that one, let me know!
This is one of those Raleigh institutions that you have to be careful with what you say. A wrong word in front of the wrong person could easily see you on the receiving end of one's civic pride, however they express it.
That said, I think a lot of what I like about the Char-Grill is actually its status as a Raleigh institution and not it's goodness as a restaurant. I will still gleefully fill out their little order pad. I will specify that I want one Char-burger (some prefer the steak-burger, but I prefer his smaller friend with chili), an order of fries (which I always designate by writing "yes" on the fries line), and a vanilla shake (thick and still the best reason to hit of the char grill). I will still bound up to the window when they call my name to say my order is ready. I will still eat the burger and fries like they were my first meal in days. I will still, like an idiot, try to drink the shake through a straw before giving up and going spoon.
But when the meal is finished, all I'm left with is "well, that was perfectly acceptable." For a late night run, I actually prefer the Snoopy's next door. And now I feel like I've committed Raleigh blasphemy.
I discovered this burger joint while visiting my then girlfriend, now wife's grandmother.. the hamburgers (aka steak burgers) are awesome... located in a glass booth in the middle of a parking lot of a grocery, strip plaza. You go up write your order on a sheet, send it down the shoot and they call you when its ready, i have been going to this place for many years and its always good......
Great burgers & shakes, wife forced me to go there for shakes during her pregnancy. It is a local landmark.
I'm getting out of the gym and this little guy with red horns and a tail pops up on my shoulder. "Great workout, you deserve a treat! You deserve some Char-Grill..." And I'll confess, I've got no willpower when it comes to their cheeseburgers and dogs. Five blocks and five minutes later I'm at Char-Grill putting my order in. And we're not just talking a cheeseburger, but one slathered with chili-product, ohmigosh. Talk about undoing all that exercise. And you know what, it all tastes even better after working out! What can I say, I've got my vices and unfortunately Char-Grill is one of them. And it's too darn close to my gym, mea culpa...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2007 First to Review
Being a newbie to Raleigh, I didn't realize what an institution Char-Grill was. I happened to… Read more »
Thanks to the glorious, mind-bending technology of mass communication, culture transcends time and place. You might ask, 'what do your crazy ramblings mean, and how did you get in my house?' What I mean is this: Char-Grill is unique in its ability to conjure nostalgia for a time I did not experience except through radio and television, a time before even my parents were born. When I pull up to this iconic Raleigh burger joint, I have the urge to ask Suzie what she's doing for the sock-hop or maybe falsely accuse her father of being a communist whilst sipping on a chocolate malt. While the world has been going about its ever-changing business the Char-Grill has been steadfastly spitting out golden-fried American history for almost 6 decades. Any time I want a burger of superior quality, when no soy-riddled spongy fast-food burger-facsimile will do, I drive over to Char-Grill for immediate and profound satisfaction. It's greasy, it's fast, it's easy; it's quintessentially American.
every time i return home to raleigh - char-grill is a must stop for good fast food fun. burgers are done right and at this particular location - it's like a step back to the 1950's. walk up - order - wait in your car or on the picnic tables - and eat - yummy yummy - great fries too. never fails - basic - simple - classic - try it - it's worth it!
