Char-Grill - Raleigh, NC

Posted By Chris Ayers & Amy Briesch on March 21, 2011 12:03 PM

Voted North Carolina’s #1 burger by USA Today, Char-Grill indeed cooks up one of the best non-gourmet burgers we’ve ever had. Though it has now grown into a small chain of eight stores in central North Carolina, we prefer the original, walk-up location on Hillsborough Street in downtown Raleigh. The burgers are, of course, char-grilled and dressed however you like. A distinct smoky taste, reminiscent of a backyard grill, infuses the juicy meat, and adding cheese and chili or bacon seems only natural here. A single patty, the Char-Burger, comes on a traditional round bun, but the larger Hamburger Steak Sandwiches (quarter-pound or half-pound) come on sesame-seed-studded hoagie rolls.

The burgers are king here, but the hot dog should not be ignored. The weiner is steamed then bunned with mustard, chili, and a generous helping of cole slaw. The chili is a fine-grained meat sauce, boldly spiced, which complements the slaw’s cool, textural counterpoint. It’s a more traditional Southern slaw dog than the same down the road at Roast Grill, where the slaw is more coarsely cut—but no less scrumptious than its competitor. Milkshakes are very thick and impossible to slurp through a straw, hence the included spoon. French fries are pre-frozen but work well enough with this classic fare, and for dessert is a no-frills fried apple pie (the rectangular, fast-food variety).

The most charming aspect of Char-Grill is its ordering system: you fill out a food ticket with a mini-golf pencil then place it in the window slot, where it’s literally sucked into a trough (the slight vacuum is due to the kitchen’s air differential) for the cooks to fill as you watch through the window. After your name is called over the loudspeaker, you pick up your food and pay the cashier. Picnic table seating is limited outside, and on busy nights you’ll find most families munching on burgers and fries in their cars. The late hours certainly appeal to the younger crowd, especially those students up the street at North Carolina State University and Meredith College. Char-Grill is open Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m.-midnight; Thursday 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 a.m.; and Sunday 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.

Overall Rating

Char-Burger

Hot Dog

Hamburger Steak Sandwich

Milkshake

Fried Apple Pie

French Fries

4 out of 4 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

No Yes

Posted By steve shank on February 14, 2012 7:12 PM

second best burger i've ever had (sorry, but the juicy lucy from matts bar in minneapolis is not only my favorite burger, it would also be my requested last meal. best anything i've ever had.)

Overall Rating

Char-Burger

Hamburger Steak Sandwich

Hamburger Steak Jr.

Hot Dog

French Fries

Milkshake

Fried Apple Pie

0 out of 0 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

No Yes

Posted By ann peeples on April 7, 2011 8:06 AM

Bob and I were in Raleigh two years ago (his roots are in Greensboro/Raleigh) and we ate at Char Grill at the suggestion of his cousin.

Hot dog with slaw? We wondered, being northerners, where they got that combination. Absolutely fabulous! But here in Wisconsin, coleslaw is purely a side dish. In North Carolina it's a wonderful addition to dogs. Bob's friend Chuck had a burger with cheese, and deemed it one of the best he has had (we have a lot of good burger places here in Milwaukee).

Overall Rating

Hamburger Steak Sandwich

Hamburger Steak Jr.

Char-Burger

Hot Dog

French Fries

2 out of 2 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

No Yes

Posted By Michael Smith on April 6, 2011 9:50 AM

I have eaten at the Char-Grill too many times to count! I have sampled nearly everything on the menu at one time or another. I have visited all of the locations and they are all equally great. My fave is the original Hillsborough Street location but you can't go wrong at any of them.

If you don't think you can handle the Hamburger Steak go for the Steak Jr., which was not listed on Roadfood.com as an item to rate (it is now!) but is usually my pick. It's terrific, about the size of a Big Boy and its rectangular shape makes it look sorta like a hamburger sub.

Newbies take note: you can make a special order. You are not limited to the items on the checklist. For example, I prefer my Steak Jr. with mustard instead of mayo so I scratch it off and write in my choice. The cooks have NEVER gotten it wrong. Man am I hungry. ROAD TRIP TO RALEIGH!

Overall Rating

Char-Burger

Hamburger Steak Sandwich

Hamburger Steak Jr.

Hot Dog

Milkshake

Fried Apple Pie

French Fries

5 out of 5 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

No Yes