Charcoal Pit-Wilmington, Delaware

Has anyone ever eaten at Charcoal Pit in Wilmington, Delaware? Their original location is at 2600 Cocord Pike (US 202-5miles North of I-95). They have been selling burgers since 1952. A jukebox at every table. Big quarter pound style burger from charcoal grill, good fries,onion rings and a large ice cream sundae menu. Different Sundaes are named after local high school football teams.

I sometimes stop there when passing through Wilmington. No sales tax either.

Oh yeh, good Malted Milk Shakes too.

Oh, yeah!...
[url='http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=1363']The Charcoal Pit[/url], home of:



and:

Oh yeah!! Hubby and I love The Charcoal Pit! Hubby says it reminds him of the drive-thru at the beginning sequence of The Flintstones...you know the one where Fred gets a rack of dinosaur ribs so big it tips the car?

I remember when we were there last, it was prom season. People actually took their prom dates there. Gowns and tuxes and everything. Guess they weren't too worried about getting ketchup on the rentals and milkshake dribbled in their corsages!

Now why couldn't I have had a prom date that took me to such a high-class establishment?

Meowzart

I have eaten there more times than I could count and also made out in their parking lot when I was a teenager. (The lot was larger and darker then.)

Michael, your photo seems to missing the tiny cup full of sweet red pepper relish for your burger. That's one of the best parts.

I eat there every 6 weeks on average. I love it!!

I'll be in Wilmington for the day on Tuesday the 24th. Any Roadfooders want to join me for a burger???

quote:

Originally posted by RubyRose

I have eaten there more times than I could count and also made out in their parking lot when I was a teenager. (The lot was larger and darker then.)

Michael, your photo seems to missing the tiny cup full of sweet red pepper relish for your burger. That's one of the best parts.

Oh, no! I think I totally missed the relish. Well, it's a great excuse for returning ASAP. Thanks. -- MS

I live a couple blocks from there but alas, will be in meetings all day. Also, give Jake's a try for good burgers and shakes. There are three of them in the area.

Trip postponed to Thursday June 26. How's your schedule then Mike?

Sorry, I'll be out of town from about now to next week. What brings you up this way? Another place you have to go to is Jimmy John's for hot dogs, a little farther north on 202 in PA.

Check out their website: www.charcoalpit.com

Anyone remember the now defunct Farmer in The Dell buger barn that was a few miles away on the Concord Pike?

Hey CheeseWit, how did you find a website? I did a search about a year ago for a Charcoal Pit website and found nothing. I did find a good painting for sale and I made a copy and put it on my kitchen wall.

Thanks for finding the website. It must not have been around for long.

Just went to google.com and typed in "The Charcoal Pit" and found it. Google is pretty good for finding sites...just type in the key words or phrase and it gives you various matches.

quote:

Originally posted by peppertree

Hey CheeseWit, how did you find a website? I did a search about a year ago for a Charcoal Pit website and found nothing. I did find a good painting for sale and I made a copy and put it on my kitchen wall.

Thanks for finding the website. It must not have been around for long.

CheeseWit, every 6 weeks or so? I'm still a Charcoal Pit virgin! Let's go!!!

...and all this time I thought you were an experienced roadfooder!!
We'll go soon. Geez, now I sound like my parents did whenever I asked them to take me to The Charcoal Pit.

quote:

Originally posted by JaneDough

CheeseWit, every 6 weeks or so? I'm still a Charcoal Pit virgin! Let's go!!!

Had lunch at Charcoal Pit on Concord Pike today. 4 oz burger with all the fixins. It was very good. Onion rings decent enough and a good orange freeze. The booth was a tight squeeze.

Hey guys,I was there two weeks ago and got what was in the pictures above. Best part was the malt. Actually I was heading to Jimmy John's but ended up at the CharcoalPit. Turned S on 202 instead of N off of US 1. They fries weren't as good as they used to be. Did they go to a more PC oil?

I'm probably going to Jimmy John's today or tomorrow for lunch. I'm there every couple weeks. Need to get back to Charcoal Pit. Not sure about the oil being used, but I still like their fries.

quote:

Originally posted by oneiron339

Hey guys,I was there two weeks ago and got what was in the pictures above. Best part was the malt. Actually I was heading to Jimmy John's but ended up at the CharcoalPit. Turned S on 202 instead of N off of US 1. They fries weren't as good as they used to be. Did they go to a more PC oil?

My wife and I went to the Charcoal Pit for the first time yesterday.The burgers are truly good, with the charbroiled flavor you just don't find at restaurants anymore. The fries were good, not great- not as good as Five Guys, for example. The condiments were outstanding. The sweet relish is truly superior. My wife ordered her burger with tomato and it was the thickest tomato slice I've ever seenon a restaurant burger. We ate at the original located on 202 north of Wilmington.

To complete the roadfood day we stopped for ice cream on the way home at Longacre's Dairy Bar in Bally Pa (reviewed on this site) excellant ice cream as always.

Wow, Now I know where I'm going to dinner tonight! We've been going there forever and I've never had a bad meal there. My ususal is the 1/2 cheeseburger cooked rare, onion rings, and a triple thick all chocolate shake. (insert Homer Simpson drool here).

I just made it to the Charcoal Pit for the first time about a month ago. It was on a Saturday afternnon and they were packed, but they did a really good job of keeping things moving. I liked everything I had and was particularly impressed by the milkshakes and onion rings. Since I have relatives nearby, I look forward to many return trips.

 

 
Returned to Wilmington, Delaware's Charcoal Pit for lunch this past Sunday. While the place, physically, looked a little worse for wear (and could probably use a good scrubbing), the food (burgers, chicken sandwiches and salads), however, was both reliable and delicious. Better yet, such was topped-off with a midday, shared and simply perfect (vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate sauce, crushed cherries, pineapple, wet walnuts, whipped cream and maraschino cherries) banana split.
 
Not a bad two-mile diversion off of I-95 at all. 
 
 

man thats a GREAT looking place.
it looks inviting and the food would be good.
Charcoal Pit, even the name says eat here.

 I notice the one in the "Fox Run" strip mall in Bear isnt listed any more.I guess I haven't been up that way in 9 or 10 years. I have nothing but compliments for the Charcoal Pit.
 
 

 
This past weekend, we were up in that area, so we stopped at the original Charcoal Pit location (North Wilmington) around 11:15 pm on Friday night.  (They close at 1 am).     The decor screamed "classic roadfood", and  we loved the neon sign outside.  We were really looking forward to their burgers, fries, and shakes.   
 
Now for the bad news.  The food was mediocre at best.   The burgers were rubbery, and the texture seemed like they were from those pre-formed frozen hockey puck style.   We can't confirm they were from frozen, but they sure seemed like it, being so rubbery.    
 
The shakes were very thin.  It would take no effort to drink it through a straw.  It was only a little thicker than plain 'ol milk.  There was a "triple thick" option, but we got the regular.   Maybe one needs to order the "triple thick" to get any semblance of a an actual shake. 
 
The fries were the best item we had, and they were only "okay"....not bad...not great.  Very average. 
 
Maybe by going late, we caught them at a bad time?  But, we arrived there more than 1.5 hours before closing time, so who knows?   The shake certainly could have been an anomaly, and the result of a misstep by an employee.    But, we don't see how the burgers will improve if they do, in fact, use pre-formed frozen hockey pucks.... (which we have not confirmed, but it seemed like they were).   Anyone know?     
 
The place only had a few customers, yet there were lots of staff, ...most if them hanging around waiting for somethng to do.  
 
We hope the food improves, because we'd hate to see a classic place like this go under.  But, as of now, with the mediocre food, and very few customers. it doesn't look promising. 
 
 
Janet and Glenn