Penguin Drive-In - Charlotte, NC

Posted By Michael Stern on April 9, 2008 1:11 PM

Charlotte sources tell me that the Penguin Drive-In began as a place to drink beer (which it still, emphatically, is) and that food was gradually added to the menu in recent years as the neighborhood all around went from scary to chichi. But the meals served here transcend the idea of snacks to munch while drinking. Yes, the fried dill pickles are indeed the sort of dish that make you crave instant beer hydration; they also happen to be quite delicious even if you're drinking water. I dined in the company of esteemed Julia Child biographer Laura Shapiro, who ate her pickles along with a glass of Shiraz – perhaps the first time in history that the fried dill pickle was paired with any wine whatsoever!

The menu is broad, including North Carolina barbecue (bunned along with cole slaw), an ode-to-Elvis peanut butter and banana sandwich, fried bologna and pimiento cheese, a panoply of hot dogs (including a deliciously battered corn dog), and some superb hamburgers. Named to honor the locals' passion for hot cars, the burgers come as a 1/3-pound single (the "small block), two 1/3 pound patties (the "big block") and three on a bun for a pound of meat (the "full blown hemi"). Any burger can be had "all the way," meaning topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, mustard and pickle or "Southern style," the latter including chili, mustard, onions, and cole slaw. Cheese, bacon, and pimiento are optional. The best thing about these big-bore burgers is the meat itself, a thick patty that oozes juice and radiates ultabeef flavor. Amazingly, although they are huge, the condiments copious, and the bun only regulation-size, even the massive hemi is wieldy enough to pick up and eat without significant spillage.

Dining at the Penguin is a gas. Within 90 seconds of entering the boisterous, crowded barroom, a waitress brushing past with an armload of burgers accused me – in a funny way, for all around to hear – of attempting to grab her ass … and, furthermore, she announced, she enjoyed it and hoped I would do it again. I behaved myself for the duration of dinner. That's more than I can say for many Penguin patrons, who come to whoop it up as well as to eat and to drink. While not the place for a romantic tete-a-tete, this delightful dive is a barrel of fun as well as a source of swell hamburgers.

Overall Rating

Onion Rings

Big Block Burger

Fried Dill Pickles

Sweet Potato Fries

Chili Cheese Fries

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Posted By Jim Kearney on November 27, 2011 1:37 PM

I think the Penguin remains a great diner in spite of the bad rap it gets about the new ownership. We were visiting our daughter, who hadn't been to the Penguin in over a year, and she stated that she heard it had gone downhill.

Three out of four of us had just what we wanted: a fried bologna sandwich on Texas toast; a patty melt; a wrap; and a burger. Only the burger disappointed as the roll was stale. The fried pickles, fried onions, and everything else was great.

It's a bit pricier under the new management, but still a pretty good value. We will definitely return next time we're in town.

Overall Rating

Fried Dill Pickles

Fried bologna sandwich

Big Block Burger

Sweet Potato Fries

Onion Rings

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Posted By Tom Lewis on October 27, 2011 3:58 PM

I went for lunch and ordered a cheeseburger and fried pickles. The burger was just warm and dried out, and the cheese was not melted; the fried pickles were swimming in grease and not crisp. I used to order this same meal when I was assigned the Charlotte area a couple of years ago. Doesn't seem like the same place.

The servers were not friendly, appear to not care, and act like they are doing you a favor. The food lukewarm at best and I heard grumblings from the next table. What has happened to this place? I used to have a hard time finding a parking space and had to navigate a waiting line. I should have known when the lot was half-full and it was 12:30 PM.

Overall Rating

iced water

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Posted By Pam Lemeron on June 1, 2010 5:32 PM

I used to live in the Charlotte area, and worked at a local TV affiliate there. We used to head over to the Penguin as often as possible on our dinner breaks, and we'd always, ALWAYS have to have an order of fried pickles. The best in the world, and no one else can come close. The crispy breading is light enouch so that you get the pickle impact, but the snap of the breading lets you know you are eating a work of art. They're salty, but not so much that you feel puffy when you're through eating. Dip them in a little ranch dressing, and wait for your head to explode! They are served up in a nice sized paper tray, and if you're not STARVING you can share them with a friend. Good sized portion, light crispy snap. Good pickle.

Overall Rating

Big Block Burger

Fried Dill Pickles

Banana Pudding

Onion Rings

Chili Cheese Fries

Small block burger

Fried bologna sandwich

Corn Dog

Brunswick Stew

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Posted By Maria Carter on February 13, 2010 9:31 PM

Got into Charlotte really late and headed straight to Penguin having read Michael's prior review (and it was on the way to hotel). Other than a few Mapquest challenges while finding it (not exactly on the main drag) I pulled up and had very high hopes... that were not dashed.

I was immediately impressed with the bar selection. For such a small place, there is a wide variety of not only beers but a hard cider (my selection); and for once I was torn, because the wine menu (for such a "dive") was not to be believed -- so many great choices!

I then ordered the fried pickles, the sweet potato fries (extra-crispy) and the big block burger -- Southern-style (skipped the coleslaw) but added the pimento cheese (rather than the normal cheddar). The pickles were very good, though the batter could've used a little more seasoning. Fries were good, but were elevated to very good by the unanticipated offer of honey mustard for dipping (who'da thunk?). Finally, the burger itself: a thing of beauty, perfectly charred. The chili and the pimento cheese melded together into a delicious, not too drippy - yet still gooey - blend of flavors with just the right proportion of beef to chili to cheese.

A great meal and just what was called for post-flight.

Overall Rating

Big Block Burger

Fried Dill Pickles

Sweet Potato Fries

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