Chuck’s
237 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC, 27601
Chuck’s Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Raleigh for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Raleigh for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Raleigh for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
237 S Wilmington St
Raleigh, NC, 27601 - Phone (919) 322-0126
- Website https://www.ac-restaurants.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.
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Jacque L.
Burger was fantastic. Some staff awesome others ok.
(4)Marcy R.
Surprising delicious. Burger was tender, cooked to order and a great combo of flavors and textures. The fries are perfect and come with many choices of dipping sauces. May I be so bold to recommend the malt vinegar aioli to dip those delicious slivers!!!
(4)Anne K.
We hit Chuck's for dinner tonight and, let me tell you, the food was outstanding! I had one of the best veggie burgers I have ever eaten. My husband and my 5-year-old son both gobbled down their burgers too - no leftovers on the plate, not even crumbs. We had the pickle chips, which were delicious. They were sliced razor thin, battered, and fried - and they were served with this amazing home-made ranch dressing with fresh dill. Delish! My son insisted on fries, so we got some of those too. The fries were also wonderful and they were served with a choice of two sauces; I was unimpressed with the Thai chili sauce but the "comeback sauce" was wonderful (horseradish and sriracha - yum!). As a vegetarian, burger places are often very disappointing. (Many restaurants do try . . . they offer to put a Boca patty on their burgers for you, but it's not really so wonderful.) Chuck's vegetarian burger was not a frozen patty or an afterthought on the menu; it was a honest-to-goodness delicious patty made by a real chef. And they will put it on any of their menu items for you - huzzah! I was absolutely delighted with it. The service was also good. Our server was friendly, fast, accurate, and knew everything there was to know about the menu. So, you might be asking yourself why I didn't give this place a 5 . . . and there are a couple of things that were not ideal. There is no kids' menu at all. The dining room was not especially comfortable and it was ridiculously loud. As with all downtown places, parking is very problematic. The menu is teeny-tiny and (I might be wrong about this) I didn't see any spot on the menu where you could build your own burger. Burgers are very personal and people should be able to customize their burger to their own tastes, in my opinion. I won't bring my 5-year-old again, and I won't go back on another busy night when the noise level is so intense - but I will go back to Chuck's again because the food was wonderful. --AnneK
(4)Steve T.
Outrageously good fresh ground beef with original selections of toppings. This is not your everyday burger joint, definitely worth a try. It's more like burgers for foodies. Fries are good but are really elevated by the selection of toppings for them.
(5)Alex W.
Chuck's used to be my favorite burger place. They recently decided to make their large burger with 2 small parties instead on large half pound patty. Now it's not much different from 5 guys or burger fi. The toppings are still great and the fries are great. Its just not as good as it used to be. I'm pretty bummed
(3)Jessica D.
The service here was incredible but even that couldn't make up for the lack of flavor in the food. Was looking forward to an awesome burger and was terribly disappointed
(2)M T.
Tip: Don 't order your burger med. rare. I got food poisoning the night before my conference and ended up on the bathroom floor all night and in bed most the day after. SO disappointed - only ate half my burger too. Not impressed.
(2)Lauryn C.
So that's why everyone was raving about this place! I finally stopped into Chuck's last weekend while I had some company in town. Everyone was craving a burger so it seemed liked the perfect time for a visit not to mention I wanted them to get a taste of Ashley Christensen while they were in town. We put are names on the list and were told it would be about a 20min wait, not a problem. We all squeezed inside because it was freezing (for NC) outside. There isn't much room to stand around in this place and it gets crowded really fast. After seeing many parties leave we knew we would be seated in no time. Let's just say they definitely take there time in this place I think busing the table and seating us would have been the smart thing since there were so many people waiting out in the cold. But they took their time busing every table and placing silverware and menus. I get it this is how they run things but with the limited amount of space and the wait they should have just sat the parties then brought them the menus and silverware it was just taking far too long to be sat. After we arrived at our table we were greeted by are very friendly waiter and placed are order. I love that they serve coke in glass bottles here very cool. I went for the 5 ounce High and Valley with crushed avocado and bacon jam with of course an order of fries. I have to say the fries won the prize here they were fresh and delicious served up with a choice of sauces we ordered the buttermilk herb dressing, malt vinegar aioli, and comeback sauce. All of the sauces made perfect dippers for our fries. The burger was pretty tasty too not the best I've ever had but good. Chuck's is a great casual joint with good food. My friend's really enjoyed it and we all walked out with full bellies.
(4)Hemant B.
Neat small burger joint in downtown area. Been there a few times. Dirty south is my favorite. The burgers look small but will definitely fill you up. Thick cut fries with choice of dippings is worth a try.
(5)Colleen L.
This veggie burger was phenomenal. We (a group of four) went there at lunch time on a weekday. It was pretty busy, but the wait for a table was less than ten minutes. Food and service were great, and I loved the root beer. My only complaint is the level of noise. Granted, we were likely there at one of their most popular hours, but it was very difficult to hear the people at our little table of four. The decor is sleek and modern, but I feel that it could use some more cushioning to soak up some of the sound. Otherwise, it was a great experience, and I plan on bringing more guests with me next time!
(4)Jennifer W.
The food was great (and yes, it's worth saving room for a milkshake at the end!), but the service kind of killed it for me. No one was rude - just inattentive. It's a greasy burger joint, and our table didn't receive waters until we were almost finished with our meals...I felt like spongebob in the infamous dehydration episode. "Some water would be nice...(throat cracks)". We also had the misfortune of being seated after a 15 person party and before the restaurant's pastry chef. It was painfully clear that we were not a priority. Might be persuaded to try it again, but not enthused.
(3)David A.
The atmosphere has a modern and casual feel. It's a very open dining room with good natural light. It's nicer than a sports bar, but not a place where you feel like part of what you're paying for is expensive lighting or fancy decorations. The service is also a step up than what you'd find at most sports bars. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive, which would prove to be very helpful later in the meal. The menu featured an outstanding selection of various burgers with gourmet toppings. The burgers were topped with ingredients such as endive, beets, bacon-onion jam, roasted poblanos, Tennessee-sorghum dijon, crispy tobacco onions and much more. If you get a burger here, go big or go home. Because of my love of all things Southern and my inclination to pick anything on the menu that includes "smoked pork shoulder," I ordered the half-pound Dirty South burger. According to the menu description, it's a 100% chuck patty with smoked pork shoulder, Anson Mills Sea Island red pea chili, crispy tobacco onions, roasted tomato malt vinegar slaw, Ashe County mountain cheddar and yellow mustard. Along with the burger, we ordered a side of fries with espelette aioli, roasted garlic aioli and ketchup for dipping. Prior to the burger's arrival, we ordered the pickle fries as an appetizer. The were lightly fried dill pickle chips that were cooked perfectly and had a great flavor. The batter was just enough to provide a crunch but you still got plenty of the great dill taste from the pickles. They were also served with a buttermilk ranch dressing that was a nice condiment to pair with the dill. The burger was a massive, beefy, tasty mess. The half-pound patty provided that strong meaty flavor and the chili, slaw and mustard were all heaped on to provide a fun burger eating experience that required both hands. I really enjoyed the crunch of the crispy onions and the red pea chili was a unique texture you don't normally find when adding chili to a burger. It's clear how the Carolina-style influences were the inspiration in creating this for the menu. My only complaint would be the lack of the ingredient that stood out most when ordering The Dirty South. I couldn't taste any of the smoked pork shoulder! I don't know if it was overpowered by the chili and beef, or if they only used a very small amount of pork, but I don't think I tasted it in any bite. At least the rest of the ingredients made up for it! The fries were thick wedges of potatoes cooked to a golden brown with plenty of that salty, crispy flavor that makes french fries such a great side with any sandwich. I wasn't a fan of the two different aiolis, but I'm usually pretty simple and prefer to just have ketchup with my fries. Everything about my meal was very good and I'd look forward to trying more things from the Chuck's menu
(4)Alex E.
The fries at Chuck's stand out (ask for them crispy), as do the milkshakes (dark chocolate cake + spike it with bourbon), but the energy here is so lacking. The wait staff seem like zombies -- not offensive but just floating through the restaurant, and it's been that way for years. I used to go weekly but have abandoned in search of a burger place with a better vibe.
(2)X X.
I had the Last Word burger today and it was amazing. The crunchy hazelnuts put the whole thing way over the top. The staff were friendly and helpful. Our server was just the right amount of available without bugging us too much-- which is very much appreciated! My husband and I ate for under $20. You can't beat the quality for that price!
(5)Sam C.
Went for lunch. Everything ala carte. A bit pricey. ...$9 for Burger.... $4 for fries and $2 for tea . My bill with tax was over $16. Yes I got the half pound burger..... then they have the less pricey five ounce burger but I think its like six bucks but like I said its ala carte. Maybe it's just me but when I eat a burger I want the meat not to have any spices in it just let me spice it... I found the beef to be salty. Something else I noticed.... it seems like they squeezed all the juice out of the burger when they were grilling or cooking it however they cook it. That's what I was taught years ago as "killing it" which totally destroys a burger. The tea was very fresh and quite honestly perfect. This place is more than I'm willing to spend for lunch maybe once in awhile but too pricey for me. I don't have a lot of money to waste on lunch every day so I won't be going back anytime soon. I'm not part of the "hip"crowd I guess that can afford to spend all this money on a burger. I wish them well but I can cook a better burger at home that's juicy and full of flavor without adding a ton of spices covering up the taste of meat.
(3)Ashley W.
First off, make sure to turn *over* your menus! I was surprised to find the Fried Chicken Sandwich on the back, so I rebelliously ordered it, along with a side of Fried Pickle Chips off their *secret menu*. The pickle chips aren't listed anywhere, but if you ask your server, he/she will gladly take your order! The Fried Pickle Chips were, dare I say, a little bit of red-headed stepchild. They were sliced long and their breading was crunchy, but too flaky (crumbs kept falling about). Now the taste was what completely puzzled me -- they were Bread and Butter! I've never had this *type* of pickle fried, so I was left dumbfounded in my discovery. The sweetness mixed with the hint of salt from the breading almost reminded me of salt & vinegar chips, but not so bitter, with more sugar and a subtle taste of vinegar. Sadly, they don't fit my "pickle chip" book -- the breading should have been crispier and I'm more of a "dill" pickle girl. As for the Fried Chicken Sandwich, it was absolutely divine! I was happily surprised that the bun was *toasted* and that it was of better quality than the last bun I had on my previous visit! Held together by a wooden spear, clothed in two crisp lettuce slices, and a drizzle of mayo, was the star of the show: a juicy, tender, fried chicken piece. It was too big to be a thigh, so I'm guessing it was a chicken breast? It was, hands-down, the BEST chicken sandwich I've ever had -- putting Chick-fil-A to shame! One bite in, and I could barely muffle out the words, "This is so ****ing GOOD!" I even tasted a hint of honey, along with the buttermilk brine -- I'm guessing they borrow chicken from Beasley's next-door? Let's put it this way, this sandwich tasted better than the fried chicken I've had at Beasley's... :X Service-wise, it started off rocky with the inexperienced hostesses not knowing how to greet us and other waiting patrons, along with the ten minute wait outside for a table that was originally empty when we first arrived. Our server, Josh, was completely awesome and on top of our orders, as well as delivering our extra "to-go" sandwich and burger promptly. I enjoyed giving him a hearty laugh at my unforeseen outburst of excitement at his Fried Pickle Chips revelation. I anticipate others' reactions to the Fried Chicken Sandwich -- all I can say is that my boyfriend inhaled his "to-go" sandwich in less than two minutes, and he ravenously wanted another one!
(4)Britt W.
Food: The big house burger - it was nothing special while juicy the burger didn't have much flavor and the bun was average Wedge salad - everything was very fresh but it lacked bleu cheese crumbles and sorely missed bacon the dressing itself was very mild The spirit animal - although the burger itself was cooked well the toppings made for a very odd taste the bun was again average Fries - pretty good and love that fact that they offer different types of dipping sauce aside from the standard packet of ketchup. The garlic aioli dipping sauce was great and the chili sauce was decent yet it needs to be a bit thicker to be a dipping sauce Service: Staff was friendly and server was accommodating although it took her quite sometime to initially greet us Honestly Ted's Montana is better burger wise.
(3)Jennifer C.
Every time I go to Chuck's the line is out the door & the wait is up to 30 minutes. This is definitely not by mistake! The food here is great! I've had The Dirty South twice & it was very good each time. The burgers are well seasoned & the buns are so soft and warm coming out to the table. The fries are great! Fresh just like I like them. I'm not a big sauce person, but the garlic aioli was very good, although I eventually went back to my good ole' ketchup. Lastly, you have to top off your meal with a shake! I had the apple pie, and minus the scraps of apple hulls in it, very good shake! Thick, creamy, and yummy. Chuck's is great food at a great value! I've been twice & each time I've devoured my food before I've had a chance to take a picture for me review. Guess you'll just have to trust me :)
(5)Mollyann R.
I went to Chuck's for lunch today for the first time. I have been wanting to try it out for awhile and I was craving a good ol' burger, fries, and milkshake - Ashley Christensen style. Really cute place! I loved the cow head decor on the wall and the red chairs and stools. The hosts were very sweet and accommodating. They seated us quickly. My boyfriend and I ordered The High and Valley Burger with added bacon and the Fork and Knife Fries to share. It was plenty of food for both of us. I really enjoyed the Bacon-Onion jam on the burger! Mmmmm mmm! Personally I was not that crazy about the fries but my boyfriend liked them. They are the really thick fries. Adding ketchup helped though. We each ordered a shake to go. He got the Madagascar Malted which was a delicious vanilla shake! I got the Peanut Butter with Chocolate Cake which was also delicious, but I wasn't crazy about the texture of the blended chocolate cake. Overall, snazzy place for a good burger!
(4)Glenn L.
Could be 4 stars, but I found it a little pretentious for a burger place. Burgers were not extraordinary. The toppings were just a little too much. Good fries.
(3)Romin I.
3.5 for me. I'm a standard burger guy so my rating reflects a classic standard burger and I'm judging against SoCal greats. Judging meat, bread, cheese and veggies. If your a speciality burger person maybe you'll like this place better (like having beets or kale in your burger, not me) Meat was decent, kinda peppery nothing to rave about. Think they use a lower fat beef like 85/15. Egg bun. Love it. Tomatoes were very flavorful. Fries needed a bit extra salt. Thick cut and soggy style. The house aioli was delicious!!!! The garlic aioli not so much. Worth a try if you love burgers but definitely wouldn't be on a return list for me.
(3)Rod O.
3 1/2 yelp stars Rare Burger of Ground Beef (Chuck)... Very Good Flavor! Best Part of the Meal and though I have had better (in other Cities) this IS the Most Flavorful in the Triangle I have eaten so far!!! 4 yelp stars for the Burger! Chicken Sandwich (Big Chicken Breast) Tasted OVER-Cooked or maybe just stayed in the Grease too long, good flavor as in about 3 stars, though included too much fat and gristle, I did NOT expect that AND thought the Flavor would be much better and be less oily! Fries... From MY Personal Experience of eating these Fries from my plate AND off the Plate of my eBay Bride who said "Sanny D. was Right, these Fries are Awesome" and we are eating the SAME Fries? Yes we are though I dislike these Very much! 2 yelp stars for the Fries! Sauces - We tasted Five, I enjoyed ONE (enjoyed as in about 3 1/2 stars) the others get about 2 1/2 stars or less including one of them tasted Awful, so bad I told our Server to have someone in the Kitchen taste the Batch in case it had gone wrong! Staff : Greater/Seater - Polite, Efficient, Effective!!! We are waiting to get in : Today Saturday February 1 = 11:30 am we are second in line to be seated... He only gets a slight "break in action" after seating four tables, when I notice he has seated four party's as far apart from each other in the Dinning Room as possible! ! ! Impressive ! ! ! Nice for Guests to have as Much space from others until the place fills completely and it almost does, before Noon! Get Here early or at off peak times! Servers... Excellent 100% ! Polite, Patient, Attentive and Efficient! Not Chatty! Kitchen? Real Busy! Place looks cool, only 3 1/2 stars cool, though looks are always secondary in a Burger place! I would return and hope to... NOTE to: Self : Order for Second Meal ::: 8 oz Burger Rare or slightly closer to Medium Rare, with a Bun ON the Side ! !! !!! NO Ketchup NO Mayo NO Sauce of ANY kind NO Tomato NO Onion NO Cheese NO, No, no... Nothing ! ! ! ! That is why I said Bun ON the Side ! !! !!! Rest of the Meal will be : : Side of : Onion Straws (I'm not sure they allow that, though I'll ask) Order of : Fried Pickles EXTRA Note : : : : Bring a Serrated Knife for making a "clean" CUT through the Burger to show how beautiful without TEARING it u and making a lousy photo for yelp Or BLT minus L and T
(3)Steve A.
Chuck's is really good. They do one thing there and they do it well. If you're looking for a delicious burger with toppings that are a little out of the ordinary, Chuck's is the place to go. Chuck's is one of Ashley Christensen's flagship restaurants, so you know it's going to be good. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a tasty bite downtown because the quality of the food is very high, the service is usually pretty quick and the toppings they put on the burgers is something that is rather unique. For example, my favorite burger there is called the Spirit Animal. It has cream cheese, roasted poblano chilies, roasted tomatoes and crushed tortilla chips. Sounds pretty strange, right? It's awesome! To go along with the burgers, they also serve large cut french fries that are fried to perfection. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the way a fry should be. You get your choice of two house made sauces (along with ketchup) to dip them in. They're all good but my personal favorite is the sweet chilli sauce. They usually have a selection of four or five beers and they also serve milkshakes which are excellent as well. Try Chuck's, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Brian P.
This review is for the person like me who does not have all day to read short stories/reviews. I am very hard to please and to get right to it - Chuck's nailed it! We are from LA and have found Raleigh to have some very good places to eat (except Mexican) but for a place that has a lot lower cost of living - the restaurant value/prices has been disappointing. Chucks has the fairest prices we have found. Took my wife to dinner - had 2 great burgers, fries, salad and a dark beer on tap for under $30. That's on par with 5 guys yet 5 times better. Dirty South burger is great. Fires are fantastic with sauces. Skip the salad and have a beer. Give them a try but make sure you are not in a hurry because word is out that this place is good.
(5)Juliette M.
Best burger and fries in the world!!! The comeback sauce is incredible. Milkshakes are fresh and delicious. My favorite place for a treat!
(5)Austin T.
Friendly, efficient service and a fantastic menu. Lots of creative options. Had a nice salad as a counterpoint to my burger. I didn't go in this state, but just trust me on this: If you are hungover, come here and get a burger and a Blenheim Ginger Ale. It'll cure what ails you.
(5)Melissa B.
Chuck's has the potential to be a 5-star jam on the Mel-Charts... but for now, it's chillin' in 4-ville (saved from 3-ville only by good management). How could this be? Well, it started around 6-ish on a Friday evening. 'Twas the Mister's birthday, and we were meeting some friends to grab a bit before catching Dave Attell down at Goodnights. The folks we were waiting on were a couple and their two little guys (6 and 2 years old). The place looked relatively empty when we got there, but I gave the host a heads up about the rest of our party's impending arrival, since we were on a bit of a timeline. Once the crew was assembled, we headed in and were sat along the wall, on high benches and bar stools. It took a few minutes for a server to head over, but he was nice enough... but seriously confused. We placed drink orders. So begins the... interesting part. Our one buddy is gluten-free... so, he asks if any of the beers are GF. The server says no, and so said buddy orders a glass of wine. In fact, he says which wine he wants... the server repeats it back... and buddy repeats it back again. Right. Bud's wife asks if they have Pellegrino or something like it. Server is confused. She re-words, asking for "fizzy water". Bingo. Alrighty. Server departs, then returns with beers for the Mister and me (which he switched, but NBD). Plastic lid-topped drinks for the kiddies are down. He then sets a beer in front of our buddy. After a beat, our buddy apologizes and reminds him that he needed wine. Server asks, "So, you don't want it?" After being told no, he's then gently reminded of the pregnant lady's need for the fizzy stuff. Third time is the charm, and now we're getting worried about time, but whatevs. Orders are placed - the Mister and I both rolled with the Deep South (I mean, how could one not?), and the burger the buddy ordered escapes me. A simple cheeseburger was ordered for the bud's lady, along with a wedge salad that she was hoping to have asap (the preggo needed some grub, so we felt we should oblige), hot dogs for the lil'ones, and two big ol' orders of fries for the table (after an extended dialogue about the plethora of sauce options). And then we waited. And waited. Other tables came in, including a party bigger than ours to our left... which arrived, ate, and left... and our food had STILL not come. Finally, after I guess our server noticed our delivering the international sign for "I'm really hungry and getting annoyed, but don't want to look like a jerk", he brought along our burgers. Then he came back with the hot dogs and the salad (you know, the one that was supposed to be out before everything else). He stood there staring at us, wondering why we didn't look satisfied. I inquired about out fries. Commence "deer in headlights" mode. No apology... he just scuttles off to "see where they are". It apparently didn't occur to him that I could SEE HIM ENTERING THE DELAYED FRY ORDER. So, this is when I want to be really angry. But the burger. Was. GOOD. Like, really good. Too enjoyable to sully with my piss and vinegar. Fries arrive, hot and fresh. Damned tasty. Almost tasty enough to erase the bad experience... but honestly, it was the Mister's birthday, and this dude kept it from being perfect. I would be more forgiving if the joint were jammed... but it really wasn't, and there was adequate staff on the floor. As he was sitting on the outside, the buddy asked for a manager, and expressed our concerns. It just seemed a shame that the food was top-notch, and these little missteps would take away from an otherwise good experience. Now, this is the part where the manager redeems the whole deal. She was extremely apologetic. No placing any of the blame on things being busy, and no hesitation in wanting to find a way to make things right. She expressed that she wanted to make sure we came back, and offered to nix the latest items (the salad and 2 fry orders) from the bill. The gesture was appreciated for sure. Then, minutes later, she and 2 other servers rolled out with 2 samples of each of their signature shakes (about 1/3 of a large plastic cup of each). She apologized again, and while she now knew that we were in a bit of a rush to roll out (all of this took over an hour and a half), she didn't want us to miss out on the killer shakes. Again, a small gesture that for me, made things way right... particularly since the two little dudes at the table were beyond psyched for the frosty treats. Bottom line: We will be back at Chuck's. That fact should never have been in question, but what can you do? This is why managers exist, and good ones rock.
(4)Kevin F.
Just had Chuck's "Dirty South" Burger today. If this is dirty I don't ever want to be clean again. The burger was fantastic. There was enough chili to where it was falling over the sides but it's consistency kept it from dripping every where. The burger was cooked perfectly and the taste of chili with a little slaw was happiness. I don't know if you can find a better burger place in Raleigh than Chuck's. The food isn't cheap but it's so worth it. If you find yourself on Wilmington St you owe it to yourself to check this place out.
(5)Reese C.
Oh Ashley Christiansen, oh how I love that you are taking over Raleigh and opening restaurants everywhere. Burgers, fried chicken, you name it, you make it. And you make it well. I know this is a great burger joint and I'll get to that, but it must be said that you MUSt save room for the milkshakes. They change from time to time, but the salty peanut butter with banana? Oh my. Just get a milkshake. Do it. Split it if you have to because the food portions here are over the top. Burgers: This is a burger joint and is a fancy pants one at that. Yeah, you can order a basic burger and it's just as delicious, but with options that are offered here why would you? Recently I had the High and valley: avacado, bacon onion jam, and blistered red peppers. Yowzas. I've also loved the The Dirty South which has so much stuff on it, I'm not even sure how to describe it. You don't just get tomaoes, cheese and onions, here you get over the top gourmet toppings. Moving on to the fries. Now, these aren't my FAV types of fries, but the dipping sauce is what makes them so amazing. They are belgian fries (skinny fries) and come with dipping sauces: roasted garlic aioli, malt vinegar, espelette aioli (no clue what that is, but it's GOOD). come here hungry and you will leave stuffed. * NO substitutions here. Ashley C runs a tight ship. ;)
(4)Ethan K.
Great burgers. I had the high and valley burger. Lots of flavor for a good price. Can't beat $7 burgers with that flavor. The fries also come with special dipping sauces. My favorite was the garlic aioli. I also had the comeback sauce. If you like horseradish you'll like the comeback sauce. Great casual atmosphere and a great place to hangout with your mates.
(4)Chris B.
Went to Chucks on a Sunday afternoon and wasn't disappointed. Good burger, better fries, and great rootbeer. The service was good and the place wasn't so busy that we had to wait for a table. I wouldn't call it a great value, but it wasn't expensive
(4)Arable M.
Chuck's has unique burgers and yummy milkshakes. This is one of Ashley Christensen's amazing downtown restaurants- so you know it's going to be a treat!
(4)Dan Y.
Despite the interesting burger combinations, Chuck's offers delicious burgers that taste fresh and absolutely, unbelievably delicious. Chuck's also serves what I consider to be the epitome of fries - not those shameful shoestring fries. To wash down my meal I ordered the dark chocolate cake milkshake which was astounding. The vibe of the restaurant was really cool and one that worked for a simple hang out with a friend and one that I think would be a nice date spot both for Chuck's itself but also for the vibrant area around with other things to do. I will definitely be back!
(4)Chance G.
The menu has a fancy way of describing the mediocre burgers and fried pickles were the worst I ever had with a syrup taste
(1)Jason S.
Great burgers and amazing fries and dipping sauces, try the comeback sauce, it's horseradish heaven!
(4)Erica A.
Good service. Great ambiance! Menu wasn't extensive but didn't need to be. Hubby said it was the best burger he's had and the BLT on sourdough was just okay. Great local brews both alcoholic and non. Nice spot for a quality lunch.
(4)Eric G.
I recently had the opportunity to dine here for lunch - which was also my first time eating here. This place is in a great location and very trendy. Our server was very nice and attentive. The food was just ok. For a place that specializes in burgers I really was not that impressed - it was the equivalent to Char Grill (but of course not at a Char Grill price) Also fries, etc were all an upcharge (everything is a'la carte) which doesn't impress me when I'm paying $10 for a burger. A neat place in a cool location, but I won't be back anytime soon.
(3)Sam Z.
Amazing burgers- all the ones I've had have been great you can't go wrong! Fries don't come with the meal (my only complaint) but get a side order- delicious and big enough to share. If you want to go all out, get one of their shakes soo good!
(4)Diana X.
I stopped by Chuck's while attending the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh (an absolutely incredible festival, by the way!). I didn't know what to expect, since I've never eaten a burger made from 100% chuck. I ordered the Bear in Heaven (6 oz) cooked medium rare, and the smallest order of fries they had with the two sauces being garlic aioli and espelette aioli. The burger was fantastic, and unlike any burger I've experienced before, likely due to the fact that they used chuck. It had a significantly softer texture, and tasted creamier and richer than your typical burger. The toppings were fresh as well. The fries were also excellent and fried to a good, crisp texture, but what really made the difference was the INCREDIBLE espelette aioli sauce. I had no clue what espelette was, but I took the leap anyways because it sounded cool, and what a great decision that was! It had this awesome tangy and creamy flavor to it that's difficult to describe, but a MUST-TRY. Hands down the best french fries sauce I've ever had, and I recommend slathering some of it on your burger too. Overall, I had a great experience here, and my order arrived quickly. I appreciate that they give you two options for the sizes of both burgers and fries. I took the cheaper of both options, with the 6 oz burger (~$6.75) + 1/2 order fries ($2.50) filling enough for me. Come here for some really unique and tasty burgers, and definitely try the espelette aioli for your fries!
(5)Kimberly N.
This place is fantastic. The burgers are top notch, the fries are great, but my favorite thing there is the draught root beer!
(5)Jennifer S.
YUM!! This cute burger joint is definitely hipster...and gives a chill vibe that I could definitely appreciate. It's good if you're just looking for a place to study when you need some background noise, and a place for you to grab a beer or two with some friends. The "little chuck" portions were perfect for my bestie and I to split two burgers!! We wanted to try both the Spirit Animal and the Big House, so this was perfecto! We ordered: 1. Fries with the choice of dipping sauces. You get two picks + ketchup. I LOVVEEDD the garlic aioli..omgomg, so yummmyyy..and the Comeback Sauce was essentially horseradish sauce, which to me is okay, but not my fave. Fries were really greasy, but thicker and more potatoey. hehe. yes. Potato-ey. 2. Big House - I really wasn't a fan of this burger. I know there were tonsssss of reviews on this one, but it was really salty and when it got to us the cheese had coagulated into this overly chewy, melted-hardened-melted cheese mess. Meh! 3. Spirit Animal - Who knew that when you throw cream cheese on ground beef with tomatoes it would make a kick-butt burger?! This burger was so flavorful that it made the Big House seem like eating a salty piece of rubber. I loved the flavor combo and definitely secured a reason why these are gourmet burgers, and not a run of the mill fast food burger! Overall, I'd give Chuck's 3.5 stars, but since there are no halfsies..I"m rounding up. Wheeee!
(4)Paige T.
Cool atmosphere, good beer selection, awesome burgers and Belgian cut fries with a cool selection of homeade dipping sauces. Waiter was very down to earth and the bathrooms awesome Dyson hand dryer was pretty neat too!!
(5)Martha R.
Never had a bad experience here. The food is delicious and the staff is helpful and friendly!
(5)Matthew M.
I am in town for the week due to work and came across this establishment. My wife and I were trying to decide which way to go....Chicken Joint or Chuck. We both wanted a burger and boy are we glad we stepped inside!!! The Dirty South is probably one of the best burgers I have had....UNTIL i tasted what My wife ordered. She had the Last Word...and she literally had no words to say as she ate it. She passed it to me and I immediatly made mental notes so I could attempt to recreate it at home. The sauteed kale and hazlenut vinaigrette made this burger. The crunch from the nuts and the earthy kale flavor was a great combination. The fries could have been seasoned a little more but overall, this place is right up there in the top 10 burger joints and wish we could take them home to Mississippi!
(4)Mao M.
Another hipster place so if that is what you are looking for - you will love. I went with my college age son who just loves burgers. We were both disappointed... Don't get me wrong, they weren't bad but they weren't great either. They were just a burger on a regular bun. It was loud and crowded and food was okay. So my comment I suppose is if you are looking to go someplace because it is "trending" you'll love Chuck's. If you are a mother that wants to take her son out for dinner to catch up on what's going on in his life while enjoying a pleasant meal - maybe not the first choice. Maybe its a great bar that serves food. Not really sure - just know I'm not the demographic
(3)Meredith D.
Ohh man. Bf and I came here before heading to the Band of Horses & My Morning Jacket concert. It was an early Sunday evening around 5:15. A lot of other people had the same idea to eat at Chuck's before the concert, but we made it just before the line started forming for the wait. We had already checked out the menu online and were pretty much ready to order. We decided to get two of the smaller 5 oz. burgers and share them. We went with The High and the Valley and The Last Word. O.M.G. They were both so tasty, but TLW just made my day. It comes with shredded kale, which is so perfectly crispy, and a hazelnut vinaigrette that complements everything so well. While we were full after that, the food was just too good... So bf ordered another burger, The Big House, and I had the Dark Chocolate Cake Milkshake. They seriously must put an actual piece of cake in that thing because it had these great pieces of cake (not to mention it did come with an actual piece on top with syrup) in every sip. Chuck's is definitely high on our list of places to eat in DTR, and now that we are both eating Paleo, we can continue to go here for most of the burgers (sans buns, of course... and sans milkshake!). I was the least impressed with the beer list, but perhaps that's because I wasn't as familiar with the selections. Whatever we did choose was good, though, and it was great for washing down that yummy burger. Also, that wine list looks pretty good, and at $5/glass, I have my eye on the Malbec for next time.
(5)Anne-Marie B.
I hope a one-time experience still qualifies as a credible review, because I'm 100% on board with Chuck's. Whoever decorated this place is an absolute genius. I don't know what it is, it's just perfect. Simple, clean, and something about it makes so much sense with the menu. I'll say, I didn't notice just a regular burger anywhere on their menu, but I imagine they'd make one upon request. My date got a Dirty South, which I'm now wishing I'd tried. It looked fantastic. Also, the malts are basically unbeatable. So good. The thing that really sealed the deal for me was their fries. An order of fries comes with your choice of 3 sauces (of which their list to choose from is extensive). The comeback sauce is one they're known for. It has sriracha and horseradish in it, so of course I was sold, along with some ketchup (duh) and garlic aioli. This Ashley Christensen lady made a good choice in sharing her culinary gifts with downtown Raleigh. Just delightful!!
(5)Dana C.
I'm a pig every time I eat here. There, I said it. The burger topping combos are creative, and rotate just enough so that things never get boring. Thankfully my two favorites - the Spirit Animal and the High and Valley - are always on the the menu. The latter is my favorite...Never thought I'd see the day when I'd turn to a burger with no cheese, but it's just that good (crushed avocado, bacon jam, roasted peppers, shut yo' mouth). There are tons of saucy options for fries. I like to mix the homemade garlic aioli with ketchup and the Comeback Sauce - soooo good. And, to top it off, the milkshakes are scrumptious. You can even split them with a friend (even to go) in order to cut the guilt trip in half. If they bring back the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shake (yes, it is as good as it sounds) I am in there like swimwear.
(5)Brian A.
Was here for lunch on a weekday. Was seated in a timely manner, just a few tables taken at about 11:30ish, but when we left, completely full with people waiting to be seated inside and out. My son started out with a chocolate/caramel shake, it was delicious! But more of a "eat with a spoon" shake ..I had the 5 oz. Last word burger and he had the High and Valley 1/2 pounder . Both EXCELLENT !! We split a large fries, also GREAT! We had the garlic aioli , eplette aioli and just in case ketchup as dipping sauces..Skip the ketchup and use the 1st two..!! Our server was new(and being trained/tailed by a hostess), but was friendly and should work out just fine. HIGHLY recommended if you are in the area.
(5)Lauren R.
Nice atmosphere, little loud at lunch sometimes. I got the "big house burger" best cheese I've had in a while. Nice decor, music, and lighting. I left full and the money was worth it .
(4)mary s.
Delicious gourmet burgers for very affordable prices! I can't remember the exact name of the burger I had but it had kale on it and definitely tasted great. The chicken sandwich here is also really big and yummy - my cousins had it and only had good things to say. The service was very, very fast. The dipping sauces for the fries were great - really stand out amongst other restaurant's dipping sauces. We had the garlic aioli and the sauce with sriracha in it. The only thing I'd say that isnt a glowing recommendation is that the large fry seemed a little small for the price.
(4)Matt G.
Foodie burgers, and good ones. And it's usually a good sign a burger joint is good if you can order medium rare without them batting an eye. Meat is great quality, the topping combos are ridiculously good, fries are flavorful and come with a crazy variety of sauces. I've only had one milkshake there so far, the salty peanut butter roasted banana milkshake, and it was easily the best milkshake I've ever had. Seriously, I was singing that ridiculous "my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard" song in my head for the rest of the day. The service almost always great. I've been once where we had a creepy dude who gave off a kind of hipster vampire serial killer vibe, but usually we get very helpful and attentive servers. Always recommend this place for a hangover remedy or lunch or a casual dinner.
(5)James S.
Chuck's burgers. I'm happy to report that I have finally found a good burger joint! Some place that just makes you say dang.. that was a good burger!! Chuck's will do just that. Inside the restaurant its a little cramped but with room to move. Tables are a little tight, but its passable. The restaurant was clean, and had a nice vibe with antique light bulbs and vintage looking lamps. The service was good, from the time I entered until the time I left. The menu had some interesting items on it, mostly burgers with a chicken sandwich and a veggie burger. Oh and lets not forget the fried bologna sandwich. I'm not up for that, but the burgers are excellent! I got the Bear In Heaven, double patty. Something that didnt have a lot of weird stuff on it. That way I could get a good taste of the burger itself. Some time I might get a burger with beets on it.. but not today. For starters we got the knife and fork fries. This was the bomb. Easily a meal by itself, it was a huge plate of fresh fries with 3 cheeses, chili with beans, lettuce and their own buttermilk herb dressing. This is big enough to share with at least 3 people with no problem. The lettuce was nice and so was the dressing. It all went together well and was darn good, and filling! The burgers were not the biggest things I have ever seen. If your hungry definitely go for the double. They were cooked to order and well prepared. The taste. Oh man. The burger meat had a great taste, and was well seasoned. I enjoyed each and every bite. The cheese and other toppings were high quality and went well together. Definitely one of the best burgers I have had in some time. I also got a regular order of fries with some of their sauces. The "beef booster" mayo was so good.. The fries were well cooked, not greasy and darn tasty. Last but not least was the dark chocolate cake milkshake which was definitely very good. The prices seemed reasonable to me considering the quality and quantity, not to mention the fact that we are in downtown Raleigh, and you could easily spend twice this amount for lunch or dinner anywhere. Double burger was $9. Knife and fork fries $7.50, and I am sure I will have dreams about these. They were all that. Milkshake $5. All in all I enjoyed my visit, and would highly recommend Chuck's for a burger, and fries. If you dont want a burger your in the wrong place. 5 stars.
(5)Ellen H.
Best burger I've ever had. Eaten there for lunch 3 days in a row. Really great service, great fries. You can really tell its quality and fresh.
(5)Amanda R.
I've never had a bad burger here. This is probably my favorite place to eat in Raleigh. I'm never not in the mood for Chuck's. What's more, they've just introduced a delicious Paleo burger (and they don't skimp on the toppings). If you want a good milkshake and are feeling adventurous, get the peanut butter shake with bourbon and a slice of bacon in it. ::drools::
(5)Steven R.
This was a GREAT burger joint! I have zero negative to say, all of us enjoyed our meal and had good service.
(5)Allison L.
Wow, what an awesome burger! We decided to try Chuck's for a late lunch. We walked in and zipped right passed the small "please wait to be seated" sign at the door, eager to check out the chalkboard menu at the back near what we assumed to be the counter to order. A really nice young man, politely re-directed us to take a seat wherever we'd like and he'd bring over some menus. Whoops! We're fumbling! Now we were obviously first-timers. Oh well, we took a table right up front by the window. The decor in this place is awesome. Very modern with a little bit of a retro feel, definitely very trendy. Black, red, white. Exposed brick. Awesome lighting. I was in love already. Checking out the menu, the description of each burger made it super hard to decide what to go with. They all sounded amazing! I decided to go with the 5oz Big House burger cooked medium with fries. I was very excited to see so many unique dipping sauces to choose from for my fries, and even more of a bonus that I could choose 2! Between my husband and I, we tried the sweet chili sauce, beef booster mayo, the"comeback" sauce, and just plain ketchup. The food: wow. My burger was awesome. The 5oz was the perfect size for me. The bun was soft, which I loved, as it absorbed some of the juices from the shallots, meat, and sorghum dijon. The meat was tender, juicy, fresh, and just awesome. I knew we were in for a great meal, but this burger blew me away. The fresh-cut fries were thick, crunchy on the outside, very potato-ey on the inside, just the way I like. The comeback sauce was my favorite, its a little spicy with horseradish as a main component. Throughout the meal our server was very friendly, attentive, and helped us through our first visit with charm. Our check was brought to us on a cute little Chuck's postcard, which I thought was a nice touch. I will definitely be back and I can't wait to try the other burgers!
(5)Kathy Y.
American classics: (cheese)burgers, fries & milkshakes. They've got other stuff but this is where it's at. They have a standard set of burgers and shakes with rotating seasonal items. One of my favorite burgers was a seasonal pineapple burger and favorite shake was salted caramel shake. Absence only makes the tummy fonder (and slimmer!). Also, those fries are dangerous. Like, indescribably delicious. A terrible weakness some might say. I always get them with the garlic aioli, and ketchup.
(5)Ron W.
With all the great burger spots popping up in the Triangle, people have been in sort of a burger nirvana of late and Chuck's is whoa-so-good! Inside it's retro-cool, done up in black and red with the hipster staff we expect from A. Christensen. Looks like you no longer order at the counter, you get some table service love which is great. I ordered up my fave, a 1/2 lb. Dirty South with frites and garlic aioli/chili dipping sauce. And everything was DARN (DAMN) good! Great burger cooked just right and the meat was awesome. Plenty for the sides, I thought the chili was a bit salty but no big deal. And the fries?! Whoa, might be my favorite part of the meal. Natural cut with lots of fluffy potato inside, the perfect foil for the freshly made dipping sauces. Loved it all. At $9 for the burger and $6 for the fries and drink, Chuck's is priced very closely to my fave, Draft. And it puts out a better burger. Only thing I'd really changed is having a sturdier bun that can handle the toppings and sauce properly. So yeah, Chuck's does a mean burger and reminds me of a hybrid between Draft and Buns out in Chapel Hill (dipping sauces). But in the end it's one of a kind and definitely worth a visit. Add in a couple more options for sides and change out some of the specialty flavors and yeah, I'll be in burger nirvana too. So good luck Chuck, not that you're going to need it...
(5)Mark A.
We had a great meal here. 2 burgers, a shrimp burger, and a hot dog for the kid. Everyone is full and happy
(5)Josh P.
I love all the fancy burger places that we have in the Triangle and this one is no exception. It really puts even the fancy chains like Zinburger to shame. The Spirit Animal at Chuck's is one of the best burgers I have ever had. Poblanos and cream cheese are a winning combination for taste. Love it.
(4)Laura H.
Delicious Delicious burgers. They are so tasty! Fries are nice, they offer a few different dips with the fries. I like the garlic aioli one. The inside is basic, clean and comfortable. nicely situated in DTR. A good spot for lunch or dinner. Our waiter was kind of weird. he made alot of strange remarks and starred at us alot. It made us really uncomfortable. We went for dinner and got in without a reservation. It's busy here on Fri/Sat/Sun so maybe make a reservation. We went around the corner to foxes for a drink after.
(4)Chantell L.
Eating at Chucks was like going backwards in human evolution. It was one of the more primal eating experiences I've had in a long while -the meat was pink and there were lots of juicy bits dripping about. The bun didn't do much to keep it all together but who wants to stay neat when you can get elbow deep in animal grease? The negative star is for the $2+ charge I got for adding cheese to my $6 burger. I get it, it's been aged 3 years and is uber fabulous but that kind of high brow action just irks me. It's a slice of cheese on a burger folks! However, when I get the urge to eat like a greasy beast in a semi-pretentious foodie environment, this is where I'm comin! P.S. Service was solid! Shutout to my waitress for always keeping my water glass full!
(4)Chris D.
I went here with my Burger group back on June 10th but have been back with my family multiple times. I took a poll of the group and based on very subjective criteria I scored them in several different categories on a scale of 1 to 10. BUN: 7.0 BEEF: 8.3 CHEESE: 8.0 EXTRAS: 7.3 AMBIANCE: 5.7 ACCURACY: 8.7 SPEED: 6.3 VALUE: 6.0 OVERALL SCORE: 7.6 if I equate the 7.6/10 score to the 5 star rating it becomes 3.8 Stars Hands down, Chuck's probably has maybe the best burgers of any of the places I've been in the triangle! Say what you will about the hipster feel but in the purest sense these are GREAT burgers.
(4)Joanne L.
After sampling many delicious beer at the Lonerider Showdown, my friends and I decided to grab some dinner. I have never been to Chuck's before, but since the reviews seemed promising I suggested the place. It was rather busy when we got there and we were told that the wait was about half an hour (so make a reservation if you plan on coming here for dinner on the weekend!). We waited in the back by the cash register since it was a bit chilly outside and there wasn't too much trouble in doing so. When we were finally seated, we got our water immediately. We decided to split an order of fork and knife fries instead of just adding a side of fries to our own burger. We each got plenty of fries. I really like how meaty the fries are and both of my friends enjoyed the fries too. The red bean chili was good but I couldn't seem to find much cheese. Maybe the cheese was just hiding under the ranch dressing. I got the 5 oz last word burger. I originally asked for half pound, but the server put in an 5 oz order for me which worked out better because I was stuffed! Though I like the nuttiness from the hazelnut, for some reason I found the burger hard to swallow. It wasn't dry per se. The patty was flavorful and and not dry (even though they only do medium and no medium rare. Booo), but I guess the lack of some form of sauce made it a bit hard to swallow. My friends both enjoyed their burgers. One got the dirty south which was a heart attack in buns but looked so darn good and I am sure was worth the heart attack! The other friend got bear in heaven which I would probably describe it as a pretty-looking standard cheese burger. My friend described the place as "hip but not hipster". It's pretty lively in there. There are conversations going on all around, so it could be quite noisy since you have to compete with all the surrounding noises and the background music. It's hip and up beat. The waitstaff is efficient and attentive. Though they are quite busy, my water was still refilled before it reached the bottom of the glass! The burgers are pretty solid, but I would probably try another one when I come back next time. A side note, neither of my two friends use yelp, so I am glad that they trusted me to give Chucks a shot and the night turned out really well. One of them is actually thinking of bringing his gf to try the burger and the shake when she's in town! Go yelp!
(4)Michaella K.
AH-MAY-ZING!! Decided to get the Dirty South burger after reading all the great reviews about it on this good ol' yelp site...and must I say I was NOT disappointed. The only thing I could have done without was the mustard only because I am not a big mustard person unless its honey mustard but other than that it was delicious! Oh and the fresh cut fries were scrumptious!! It wasn't very soggy like some fresh cut fries usually are...it had some crisp to it! I love dipping my fries in any sauce so the variety of different dipping sauces made me very happy haha! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHUCK'S!! Next time I go I will try the shrimp burger!!
(5)Alex K.
My girlfriend and I just went here for lunch. At first, I was under the impression that Chuck's would be like any other burger place I have visited in the past. That was clearly not the case when I bit into my "Dirty South" burger. "The best burger in the world" would not give this burger justice. If you could put the feeling of absolute joy and happiness into a burger, this would be it. Eating that burger was an orgasmic experience, through and through. I am unhappy that I have finished this piece of heaven, and I will continue to dream of the day I can go to Chuck's again. Ok, for some of you that think I am exaggerating, I have never been more honest in my life. I would give my left testicle to eat a burger from Chuck's again. I would sacrifice my first born just to be able TASTE happiness again. Please please PLEASE support this business because without it..........I..........I.........just can't go on....
(5)Tyler U.
Great service, great burgers, and a solid beer selection. And their dipping sauces for their fries...! Love this place!
(5)Filipe T.
This place is really cool! Great burgers and also good drink selection. Pretty laid back atmosphere and great look. The place is packed all the time, they do not take reservations so be ready to wait for a table. However, it is definitely worth it. Try their fries and mayo. Their different dipping sauces are awesome.
(5)Lauren H.
All-in-all, Chuck's is a good restaurant. To be honest, I came here with extremely high expectations and might have been a little disappointed that this was not the best burger I have ever eaten. However, it was still a great meal! My husband, sister in law and I wandered into Chuck's on a busy Friday night. After about a 20 minute wait, we were seated and my husband ordered a German beer we had never heard of before. I also noticed their wine list was priced very reasonably, at $5 a glass for all of their varieties of reds and whites. For my dinner, I ordered the 5 oz Spirit Animal. My husband went with the Dirty South and my sister in law ordered the basic burger with cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo. My husband was a little bothered by the fact that you could not order your burger cooked below medium since the menu said they grind their own meat, but I didn't care about this since I like my burgers medium anyway. We also ordered a side of the Belgian fries to share with the roasted garlic aioli and the sweet chili sauce, recommended by our server. My burger was the perfect size and topped with tortilla dust, cream cheese, poblano peppers and grilled tomatoes. It was a really delicious combination of flavors that I never would have thought to combine. The fries were also very good and I especially liked the roasted garlic aioli sauce. I really like the fact that Chuck's will let you choose two dipping sauces from a substantial list to go with your fries. My husband and sister in law liked their burgers as well. Next time I will definitely try a milkshake but I was too full from my meal to try one on our visit (pineapple upside down cake looked delicious)! I also thought our server was very good - he checked on us just the right amount and also offered us suggestions since this was our first visit. I would surely go back, but I'm not sure I would go out of my way to visit Chuck's - we are fortunate to have a lot of lot of good spots for burgers in our area!
(4)marion j.
Visited on a weekday around noon with a friend. The place wasn't very busy so we were seated immediately. Small menu with burgers, fries, and a chicken sandwich to choose from. Our server told us about the special burger which was not on the menu (goat cheese, fresh basil, fresh oregano). I went for it, along with an order of fries.The fries come with your choice of 3 dipping sauces, along with ketchup. The burger was AMAZING and DELICIOUS! It was honestly the best burger I have ever had. It was cooked perfectly and the richness of the goat cheese was perfect with the tangy herbs, So yummy! The fries were crispy and pretty good but the burger was the star of the show. Prices are reasonable. $5.50 for 5 oz burgers and $9.50 for 8oz. You can get any of the burgers in either size. Unless you are a really big eater, go for the 5oz and share an order of fries with your amigo. Enviro was casual with red steel chairs and plain black tables. Food came fast. Service was great. Drinks were never empty. I don't remember our servers name but she had shoulder length dark curly hair, short, olive skin (very lovely :-). I would definitely recommend this place.
(4)Kent A.
We went here based on Yelp reviews and were not disappointed. It was Saturday afternoon, but not too crowded. The server was very attentive and we recieved our food promptly. The Dirty South (Carolina) burger was great - topped with pulled pork, slaw, chili and fried onions. They have a variety of dipping sauces for the fries. I had the Beer Booster Mayo and loved it.
(4)Dawn C.
I sometimes review vegan restaurants, but this, my friends, is not one of those reviews. This is a review about delicious meat. I have been wanting to go to Ashley Christensen's Chuck for weeks, today was my day. They only serve medium done burgers, which, IMHO, are the most delicious done-ness. Warm, but still juicy - read: bloody. YUM! We went to a late, late lunch/early dinner on a Saturday and practically had the joint to ourselves. I started the table off with a half-pound of fries and the "beef booster" sauce which is a mayo with Worcestershire. On our second round of fries we got the espelette aioli which was way better than the beef booster - flavorful and pinky - yum! The fries were crazy thick cut, a little limp and could have used some more salt. Regardless, we wolfed them down. B got a Avery Root Beer - only drafted for Chuck's - and I got a Amber Ale. Both delish. Our dining companion, Ellen, got a really fantastic looking pumpkin pie shake with roasted on the premise punkins. While this lac-free girl cannot indulge in shakes, B said he would torture me next time by ordering one spiked and enjoying every last drop. There must be a "I drink your milkshake" reference in there somewhere. Then the food rolled out. I got The High and The Valley - a dreamy concoction of avocado, bacon-onion jam and a roasted bell pepper. B got the Dirty South with pork and cheese and honestly too much stuff to list. Ellen got The Big House and she scraped off the onions. My burger was AMAZING! It was so crispy on the outside of the patty and so flavorful. I really relished every bite. I do not order burgers out very often. I never ordered burgers as a child. Really B's burger's are the best ones I've ever eaten. Well...that was before Chuck's. Really good stuff here, Raleigh. I sometimes complain about the quality of the food in Raleigh, but Christensen's restaurants are raising that bar. Good show, chef, good show!
(5)Ryan W.
Really good burgers. I got one cooked to temperature with thyme caramelized onions and fries with a truffle aoli I believe. Really great for the pricepoint.
(4)Cristoball D.
When this food hits your mouth, you feel no pain. If Michael Jordan died, and was reincarnated into a master burger chef he would have likely opened Chuck's. I had the "Dirty South" burger. Toppings include pork shoulder, chili, onions, slaw, and mustard. All the toppings blend together well as to not be overwhelming. The burger was cooked pretty rare and very tender. The fries are also amazing. I recommend splitting an order. I have a big appetite, but had trouble finishing them. The sweet chile dipping sauce was nice change and had a little kick to it. The meal was washed down with a Czechvar lager which was also very good for 3 dollars. I've had a lot of burgers in the triangle and this tops them all.
(5)Alexis M.
Wow. I was craving a burger and boy did I get one! This place is a homerun. Me and my visiting family tried different items from the menu and were all very satisfied. I can't recall exactly what 1/2 lb burger I ordered but it had avocado and sweet roasted peppers with a sweet jam or jelly spread instead of your typical mayonnaise. Delicious. Our family shared a large plate of chili fries that were just as incredible. I'll definitely return to try the other speciatly burgers they offer.
(4)Kelly M.
Yum!!! Finally had me a Chuck's burger!! I have been hearing about the amazingness that is Chuck's for quite some time now, but haven't had the chance to make it over there until now. After a long night of dancing at a concert at the Raleigh Amphitheater, we were starving and looking for some yummy late night eats. We walked in around 11:30 and the place was packed! Very popular, that Chuck's. There were seven of us, and luckily we were able to find seating to accommodate us all. Loved that they have wait service, one up from Bull City in Durham. The service was excellent, very quick which was much appreciated as hungry as I was! They offer their burgers in two sizes, the regular Chuck, and the Little Chuck, a 5 oz burger. My burger was rather plain, American Cheese with lettuce. I am a little bit too picky for their signature burger options. I opted for the smaller burger, as I was getting a side of fries and a milkshake! Yes that is Chuck's specialty. They have the most interesting flavors and they come spiked upon request and for $3 more. I got the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake with rum. It was really good, although surprisingly strong for a shake. The burger was excellent in the juicy, melt in your mouth kind of way. I literally scarfed it down. One downside though, no one asked how we wanted our burgers cooked. Mine was a little red for my liking, and although I still loved it, I will make sure to mention to cook it a little longer next time. The dipping sauces were superb, and the fries were delicious too. One of the best late night meal I have ever had! I love both Chuck's and Bull City Burger. They have enough differences that I cannot decide which one I like better. I think I like the taste of Chuck's burger better, and love the wait service, but they do not serve the amazing beer that Bull City does, and I like their signature burger selections better. Either way, whether in Durham or in Raleigh I now know where I will go when in search of a great burger!
(5)Malcolm R.
Let's just say that a quality burger is my favorite all time food right before a quality steak! I'm a huge carnivore and Chuck's is a satisfying establish to fill my need. I love the recent emergence of the mixture of rustic and unique ingredients with common American staples. As soon as you walk in to Chuck's, you will always be greeted by a kind and polite host. One look at their menu, and you can tell that whoever developed it knows what she is doing. The versatility of the ingredients is astounding. The actual burger is cooked to a nice medium-rare and bursts with flavor, but I am a perfectionist when it comes to the burger. The reason that this place is not getting 5 stars is because of the order in which the ingredients are placed on the burger and the overall quality of the bun. Every burger is absolutely soaking in juices and the burger always falls apart. With the correct topping placement and a sturdier proper bun, this would be perfect. I know i know! I'm picky! But when it comes to a burger, i just have to be!
(4)Jane Y.
We stumbled here after a Yelp PJ party. Needless to say, I was pretty buzzed and in for some grease foodz. I got the high and the valley and my counter-part got the bear in heaven. The portion was what you expected -nothing surprising there. Unfortunately, the burger was also in that realm of average. Maybe it was the hype that left me in disappointment but I just can't justify myself to buy an average burger for $10. The fries on the other hand were superb. I've been thinking about their fries ever since and it reminded me of Pommes Frites in NYC. Very greasy, thick cut belgian fries. Just the way I like it. The aiolis that came with it was also an added bonus and all tasted great! This is a place where you are in the mood for a burger and be fancy at the same time. A girl can wear a nice dress in this restaurant and not be judged. But if you wear your lace dress to cook-out, be prepared to feel uncomfortable. I'd come back for a midnight snack of fries, but probably not for the burger.
(3)Maggie S.
Torn between at 3 or a 4. Settled on a 3 because when I go out to eat it's for the whole experience. Please note that I LOVE the burgers and garlic aioli, but they are very overpriced(unfortunately anything with Ashley Christiansen's name on it is this way :/) and the service does not make up for it. You have to pay extra for fries. Every time I go I feel like the waitress is too good to be serving us. At times it has taken 5-10 min for the waitress to come back to offer to take an order. This is when they're not busy-I wouldn't go peak hrs bc it's always packed- the poor service usually comes because the waitresses are all chatting behind the counter. Also takes a while for checks to be picked up or water refilled. I don't go here anymore unless I'm rEEally craving it or if someone from Raleigh hasn't been here (you win Ashley Christiansen, you win), because it is a place you have to at least taste once, just don't expect a reasonably priced burger or good service.
(3)Ko N.
Went to Chuck's with some carnivores. Wasnt bad, I had the veggie burger. It was quite good. More and more of these burger joints are producing great veggie options. pickle chips were also very good. Fries were good, but 2LBs of fries was in a little cup. i dont get it. Food was actually filling. You pay the price of a typical "burger" joint. Beers were cold. Not really much standing room. if there are no tables, you're standing up with a beer in hand.
(4)N T.
Fries are AWESOME. Get the Kickback sauce and lots of it. Burgers are OK, little pricey for what they are. But those fries...
(4)M B.
Worst lunch in a long time and the service was terrible. I ordered the chicken sandwich and it did not even fill the small bun it was on. I eat lunch out downtown everyday and I will not be coming back to Up-Chucks!
(1)Tim N.
Awesome burgers. I've tried two different types so far and both are great. Try the fries with any of the dipping sauces!
(4)Lisa H.
I don't know why, but I just expected so much more. To begin with the layout of the place is awkward at best. You walk in and there is barely any room for a reception area and my guest and I found it much more comfortable to wait outside on the sidewalk than in the restaurant itself (the door was almost a barrier between the host and us as we checked in occasionally on our few minute wait). After being seated in the middle/back of the restaurant I found myself underwhelmed with the space on the table and the chairs to be completely uncomfortable after a long day. I still felt that it was going to be a positive experience despite the fact that I was repeatedly asking my guest to repeat what was being said and grew frustrated and just gazed at the tv. The menu is limited, which indicated to me that the few options would be packed with flavor given the exciting choices. However when I got my burger I felt that the meat was under seasoned and just was not ready to share anything about the experience. To top it off I ordered a side of fries with the malt vinegar aioli and comeback sauce. I highly recommend the comeback sauce but found all the aioli's at the table lacked the flavor I was hoping for. I would recommend this if you're hungry for a quick bite and there's not a line but if you're looking for something with flavor and a comfortable place to meet with friends this would not be top on my list.
(3)Alex N.
Downtown doesn't exactly have a glut good burger joints, which makes Chuck's such a great idea. They keep the menu short, so the small list of gourmet burgers won't cater to everyone. I love french fries, so the 1/2 pound portion is great and enough for sharing. Among the masses, I'm sure it would be appreciated if they took requests for done-ness. The drink menu is adequate and with wine, will even satisfy those trying to fit a less filling drink in with their burger. 4 stars for being in the right place at the right time. I'm sure there are better burgers elsewhere, but the only other place in downtown is Draft.
(4)Arch S.
Oh. Wow. Finally... I great hamburger joint!!! Man, I can't write the words to satisfy what happened to my mouth when I came into this place. Ashley Christensen, you are a goddess when it comes to food! Simply amazing. At last, a great restaurant on Wilmington! The meat is great, but the TOPPINGS! I couldn't make them at home and now, thanks to your place, I don't have to! Thanks for opening this place. I can't wait to try the Chicken place next door!
(5)Alexander G.
For a quality burger shop this AC joint does not disappoint. I order the spirit animal when I say it had roasted poblano peppers on it. I am a bit of a spicy food fan and I liked it quite a bit. This restaurant can cook the burger to your liking as they grind the 100% chuck patties on site. Yes this does make a difference as with meat freshness counts. Beer selection was a little this but seemed to compliment the menu well. For tables the dinning room is not too big so on days when the TV has something popular it may get noisey. The fries are excellent and might be the twice cooked variety (blanched first and fried after for better flavor and texture). I liked my time there the service was attentive and the price was on par for an AC restaurant and downtown Raleigh. Go here for the food and you will not be disappointed.
(4)Kelly D.
I asked around the The Busy Bee area where would be a good/cheaper place to eat (w/5 year old in tow), and was directed to Chucks for burgers and Belgian fries... yummm. The fries and plethera of sauce/dip choices exceeded my expectations actually, fries were PERFECT if you know your belgian fries! Our waiter suggested the malt vinegar aioli and the sweet chili sauce which were excellent and addictive. I should have gone ahead and asked for a taste of each, I'm sure they would have accommodated. :) Great service, nice crowd, good ambiance. We ordered and split a chicken sandwich which was equally as delicious, especially for those who like their fried chicken REAL, with those yummy extra crunchy bits... the kind of chicken you expect to have with collards. (It was a little out of the ordinary for my daughter, who ate every bit, but said she "wasn't a fan"!?? I ashamedly now realize I've been sheltering her from the goodness of real fried chicken. I'm not a beer connoisseur by any means, but was pretty happy with a decent beer selection and my Anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout. Only one downside: dessert. We decided on the chocolate cake milkshake which I only had to taste once, and just didn't quite get what they were going for. My 5 year old was confused by my declination of more and said "well, i mean, it's a little weird, but i think i like it" :) ... she's not one to turn down a sweet since given so rarely, but even her young little tastebuds knew something was up. (I'll still order it again sans cake next time.) PS... 2nd and 4th monday at The Hive is Bluegrass open jam... and truly a good time! Bring your instruments and don't be afraid to play! ac-restaurants.com/chucks
(4)Kathleen E.
I frequent Chuck's about once a month and this restaurant has yet to fall short of my expectations. You can always expect fresh, interesting, and flavorful burgers, and the most delicious spiked milkshakes on this side of the universe.
(4)Frederic S.
I always enjoy Chuck's burgers with off-the-beaten-path toppings. The beef is fresh and juicy, your choice of 5 or 8 oz patty, served on a quality potato bun. They often have "no bun" specials which are also very good. The Belgian fries are worth the indulgence especially with the excellent dipping sauces. Limited, though delicious, selection of beers on tap complete the meal. Chuck's is an excellent burger experience.
(4)Ashwini J.
Awesome veggie burger in DTR
(5)Cody B.
Greatest hamburger I have ever had! Definitely deserves five stars! Went home happy and full.
(5)Sarah K.
Their milkshakes bring all the boys and the girls to the bar. YUMM-O. The pineapple upside down cake is a winner all the way. Didn't try any burgers because we had just ate and just wanted dessert....by the way, its REALLY hard to find dessert in Raleigh on a Sunday afternoon. I love the decor and the free postcards! I hope this place lasts because it looked pretty high end to just be serving burgers.
(4)Ryan V.
I think the stars aligned on this day. With a long couple of weeks behind us, my fiancée and I walked into Chuck's on a whim (though we'd experienced Beasley's and Fox and knew the restaurant's concept prior to doing so). We were quickly greeted by the host who sat us immediately at a simple table with a view of those meandering along S. Wilmington St. The restaurant has simple décor consisting of white and black walls, floors and fixtures accented by exposed brick and red chairs. There were some large photographs from whom I assume is a local artist hanging on the walls on that day. I'm a huge fan of menus that allow you to get to know the chef and what they are all about vs. creating your own meal. That is why we spend money to eat at someone else's restaurant, right? This menu was just that. It continued Ashley's theme of quality, local and simple yet well thought out food. We decided to split an array of items including the iceberg wedge salad, 2-5 oz burgers (the High and the Valley and the Spirit Animal), the Belgian fries with the Espelette and Roasted Garlic Aioli, and a peanut butter-banana milkshake. The wedge salad arrived quickly and was simple and satisfying. Our server was consistent, attentive and friendly throughout the entire meal. Just as we were finishing the salad our shake, burger and fries were dropped before us. BURGERS: Both burgers (ordered medium) were well cooked and perfectly moist. The flavors meshed extremely well together as each bite was as satisfying as the previous. I loved the cream cheese with the roasted Poblano peppers on the Spirit Animal while the bacon-onion jam made for a perfect burst of flavor on the High and the Valley. The normal burger is a half pound but these smaller burgers were in my mind the right amount especially when you are going all the way with fries and a milkshake. FRIES: Perfectly fried and complimented oh so well by the two aioli. They were well salted and looked picturesque wrapped in parchment and popping out of the tin cup they were contained in. MILKSHAKE: A super satisfying combination of salty and sweet. No complaints. It was even served with two straws and two spoons. Each bite took me back to a 50's diner (never lived in the 50's but I can imagine what it was like). OVERALL: The entire meal was excellent and the only complaint we have was that the AC worked too well. The entire meal cost us $31.25 plus tip which was completely reasonable based on the experience and quality of the food. I will definitely be coming back and recommending it to others looking for a stand out burger and fries restaurant in Raleigh.
(5)Melissa E.
Holy Burger Mecca! Chuck's comes to Raleigh from the same owners as Beasley's Chicken & Honey (next door), Fox's Liquor Bar and and Poole's Diner. If you've been to any of these, then you know Chuck's is going to be a huge success! After several recommendations from friends, we decided to stop in for a quick lunch, before heading out of town for the weekend. We each ordered a pint from their decent beer menu and then scoured the menu for several minutes, finding it tough to decide which mouthwatering burger to order. I decided on the Spirit Animal, while the husband went for the The High and The Valley. I was a bit skeptical about having cream cheese on a burger, but O.M.G, it was amazing. It was overflowing with roasted Poblanos, grilled Tomatoes and Tortilla Dust. I ordered the 5oz (rather then the 8oz) and although I found it very filling and tough to finish, I couldn't stop indulging, as it melted in my mouth. We also shared an order of fries with both the Garlic Aioli and "Comeback Sauce," which was a horseradish based Aioli. Unbelievable!
(5)Lars D.
I love the purity of this place, unashamedly a gourmet burger joint doing one thing, and doing it really well. I have eaten here numerous times, and it has always been not only good, but memorable. Even when they are slammed the service is great and the food is excellent.
(5)Jeff S.
I love the "burger booster" sauce. It's the same as my dad made when I was a kid. Everything here is a little better than other burger places. Service was slow which was surprising because it looked like there were 20+ people working.
(4)Steve T.
Chuck's has a small menu with gourmet burgers, so they really put the emphasis on their burgers. To be honest, it was decent, but not amazing. Just because they use local ingredients and put fancy sauces on a burger doesn't automatically elevate it above other burger joints. And because they call their french fries belgium fries, even though they're pretty much steak fries doesn't make it any better. I ended up getting the most "classic" sounding burger, which was pretty tasty. I came here during dinner, and was expecting a dinner-ish menu, but what I got felt like lunch. It's a pretty cheap eat though, so this would be a hot spot to go during lunch.
(3)Rebecca L.
Although I really like their burgers, I've had 2 bad experiences here, both with the poor service, so I can't say I recommend it. The first time our friend was given a completely flat soft drink. You could see no bubbles and it lacked carbonation, yet the server insisted it was supposed to be like that. The second time they switched mine and my friends cook preference (rare vs medium well) and it took forever for them to come check after we got our food. By the time they did, our other friends were finished with their meals. I wish they would train their servers so that we could come back here!
(2)Gina M.
When I want a burger, Chuck's is the first thing that comes to mind. I've been here a few times and have not left disappointed. There are so many unique burger choices. In addition, you can choose whether you want a single burger or a double burger and if you order fries, there are numerous aioli's and sauces to accommodate them. The fries come with your choice of two sauces and ketchup. They also offer other sandwiches: veggie burger, shrimp burger, and buttermilk fried chicken to name a few. This is the only restaurant I know that serves Blenheim's hot ginger ale. If you like ginger and you like spicy, this is the drink for you. It seems I cannot stop naming all the cool things about Chuck's. The milkshakes are phenomenal, as well! There is an option to have them spiked for an additional charge :). Don't forget to ask about their daily specials and you can get them to go (probably not be spiked ones though). The atmosphere is contemporary-minimalist: decorated with simple black and white with pops of red on the chairs and stools. The size of the establishment is small enough that it gets packed quickly during peak hours.
(4)Jennifer B.
My friend moaned about this place, so the first chance I got, I was running not walking to Chuck's. We went there for lunch. We were greeted by a friendly Host and the server was also lovely and informative. Friend got the Bear in Heaven and I, the Last Word with add crispy tobacco onions. The wasn't sure about hazelnuts on a burger but the nuts added a great crunch. Both burgers were served with amazing belgian fries. We also got some naughty mayo based sauces. While my mind was saying no to the calories, my body was saying yes! I'll certainly be back soon to try some of the other burgers!
(5)Lindsay S.
After so many times walking past Chuck's and wishing that they would take reservations or the line would be shorter, I finally made it to Chuck's for lunch this past Thursday since my friend was able to go put our name on the list and wait. What a really cool burger spot! Flat top seared. 100% chuck burgers. House-ground. High quality and affordable. I had The Big House. The Big House comes with Hook's 3-year cheddar, Tennessee Sorghum-Dijon, and Thyme-Caramelized Shallots. I had a Single Burger ($6.75) sans Shallots plus bacon. The Cheddar was definitely aged perfectly. Really good burger too! My friend and I shared a quarter pound of fries ($2.50). We selected Buttermilk Herb Dressing and Roasted Garlic Aioli, but they accidentally brought us "The Comeback" Sauce instead of the garlic so we got to try three sauces! The Buttermilk Herb Dressing was pretty delish. A lighter kind of ranch, I suppose. Their Comeback sauce had a kick to it! Not the kind I'm used to. And the Garlic Aioli was okay, but not amazing. I had a Mighty Leaf Iced Tea ($2) (sweetened) and the tea flavoring was fantastic! Now about those milkshakes...I need to get a job nearby so that I can try all of their daily milkshakes.
(4)Hannah P.
EXCELLENT fork and knives fries: the combination of the ranch, lettuce, chili, and cheese were spot on. The fries weren't soggy even with the heavy toppings. They were, however, a bit too salty (again with the salt!) - the fries probably didn't need additional salt considering all the salt that would come from the chili and cheese. Perfect for late night munchies! I got the mixed lettuce salad. I've never seen redder tomatoes. Amazing. The portion was pretty large for the price. The wine vinaigrette was verrrry subtle in flavor but I liked it. It kind of helped balance the over-seasoned salad from all the pepper they sprinkled on it. My friend got the southern burger, which was just okay. The meat was nice and juicy, but the beans gave the burger a strange mushy, baby food texture overall. The server was excellent and checked up on us regularly. We came when it was pretty late, though, so there weren't many people.
(4)Amy H.
3.5 rounded down to 3 because of inconsistency in quality. When Chuck's is good, it's very good. They use high quality meat and do creative takes on a standard burger. However, a lot of the cooks don't seem to know how to cook a medium rare burger. This is abig deal to me because how it's cooked affects the taste a lot and if I want to settle for a medium or above burger, I could just grab a fast food one for much cheaper. Player's Retreat definitely beats Chuck's in the burger department even though it's not as trendy. Also, keep in mind that chuck's is not the kind of place where you can just order a standard burger. This isn't a problem for me because I think the creative toppings at Chuck's are one of its strong points but not everyone feels this way so I'm surprised they don't have a basic burger option on the menu. I also have a bit of a gripe about the fries at chuck's. They're hand cut which is nice but often, they're soggy. This makes me very sad because the dipping sauces served with the fries are so good. I wonder how weird id look if I ordered a to go order of sauces to take home and use on fries that are more to my liking? In terms of atmosphere, chucks can feel a bit cramped. It's small and popular. You'll typically have to wait if you come during peak hours and there's not much of an actual waiting area. The small quarters aren't the restaurant's fault but I think they could have a better system in place for those who are waiting. Some restaurants will text you when your table is ready and I think that would be a good thing for Chuck's to adopt so people aren't just hovering awkwardly in the waiting area.
(3)Shaka K.
Not quite the burger destination it used to be for me. The menu changed slightly and one of the things noted is that the burger prices are not listed. There was also a choice for the 5 oz (sm) or the large burger and now they offer 1/4 pound or double. So burgers are smaller but at the same price. I still appreciate the grass fed beef and the gourmet toppings, but the patty seemed juicier before. It used to be special place and now it's just fine.
(3)Mel R.
I did not leave here hungry, that's for sure. Chuck's has a great atmosphere and even better food. Burgers were outstanding and the service was great. Traveled to Raleigh and did the look up for great places to eat, and this place stuck out in my mind as a very unique place and it lived up to the hype I built it up to be in my head. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Jöshua M.
I've had to try Chuck's for a very long time. I saw it on Yelp around a year ago and have been meaning to go ever since. Consequentially, my anticipation was stupidly high, and I should've been ready for a slight let down. I went with the much hyped Dirty South Burger - a burger with chili, slaw, fried onions, and mustard. Pay $6.75 for a 5 ouncer or $9 for a half pounder ( 8 ounces). Half pound for me, of course, because I am who I am. At $9 Ã la carte, Chuck's clearly intends on this to compete with more upper echelon burgers. The meat here is high quality and grounded in-house, so I decided to order my burger medium rare. I'm always hesitant to go below well down for burgers, but #YOLO. No burger is complete without fries and a nice drink. I went with a half order of the regular fries ($2.50). Fries come with up to two special dipping sauces. I went with the garlic aioli and the sweet chili sauce. They also feature a Tabasco aioli, and our server brought me a cup to try after I requested Tabasco sauce. There is no soda fountain here. This upset me briefly, before I remembered that it's time for me to start ordering beers with greasier foods because I'm a big boy now. I decided to try the Hi-Wire Prime Time Pale Ale. The food came at a reasonable time, given that the restaurant was packed. The burger was big, cooked perfectly, and an unfortunate disappointment. While I was delightfully surprised by the quality of the toppings, a good burger starts and ends with the patty. Chuck's meat is just as high quality as they claim, but the patty tasted rather bland. Fortunately, the fries did not disappoint. The fries here are just as good as they claim, and deserve their somewhat pretentious title of "Belgian Hand-cut Fries." These fries were perfectly cut, cooked, and seasoned. Both the garlic and the Tabasco aioli were among the best aiolis that I've tasted. I wanted more fries, but I didn't feel ripped off. I could use a mixture of hops, body, and other buzzwords to describe the beer, but I honestly don't know enough to use them accurately. So, um, the beer was good. Yeah, let's leave it at that. 3.5 stars - I wanted to like Chuck's a whole lot more than I actually did. The relatively high prices, coupled with Chuck's being a sit-down restaurant, makes it reasonable to expect a lot. The patty makes the burger for me, and Chuck's failed to deliver in that aspect. If it's convenient to you, Chuck's may be worth a shot. Otherwise, there's probably better choices both for burgers and for a meal in general.
(4)Virginia H.
Chuck's is very delicious and screams "Raleigh/Local." They specialize in burgers and have hand crafted shakes, fries, fried pickles, ETC. For somewhere so unique and with such a prime piece of real estate in downtown, the pricing here is pretty reasonable. Everything comes a la carte, so be sure to remember to order the fries! Their dipping sauces are great, so be sure to try something out of the box if you usually only use ketchup. Their hand crafted milkshakes ARE AMAZING. We frequently come here and just order a shake to go. I recommend the Madagascar Vanilla. Their flavors change depending on the season so be sure to check the menu. They also have fresh lemonade which is so sweet and good (like the kind you would get at the fair). The only downside is this place is small and does not take reservations so unless you are coming here during an "off" eating time, you will have to wait. Space inside is limited so typically you will find yourself waiting outside. Something to definitely keep in mind depending on the weather.
(4)Marin J.
Ashley Christienson Reataurants are landmark in Raleigh some with bravely executed concepts, creatively designed.Some with homespun comfort foods with an eclectic touch or upwardly hip touch. The Jewel in her crown, Pooles is a great restaurant examples of her style her culinary style. Alas, where the aformentioned restaurants excel, Chuck sinks Salty burger salty grease laden fries left a lingering smell across my lip. Veggie burger superior to they're picas beef. Waitstaff meh, just meh. I can see why there were only two people in the reastaurant. If I had known better, I would have passed on by too! Both my dining companion and I split our meals, and unfortunately shared exceptional sickness that evening that we both could only attribute to our meal as we had not eaten until 2pm that day, and did not eat dinner due to feeling so sick that to describe would be a disservice to anyone reading. I will never, ever, go back again.
(2)Lisa W.
Wanting to see what all the hype is with AC we choose Chuck's to experience her cuisine for the first time. I tend to gravitate toward an interesting mix of food and I found just that with the Bradley Time burger- Roasted beets, blue cheese, red onion, and endive. The 4 oz. patty was cooked as ordered and the combination of ingredients worked well together. The quarter pound of fries for $2.50 was the perfect pairing to my burger and they were outstanding. True to their name and fried twice in the Belgian style. They were lightly salted pillows of potato heaven in my mouth and I would get the same meal again. My husband went with The High and Valley and after exchanging bites I thought his was so-so and he proclaimed me the winner. We also order a helping of their pickle fries that were average and didn't wow anyone at the table. As for the sauces, in which you get two in addition to ketchup with your meal, I liked the comeback sauce (horseradish based) the best with the Espelette aioli , roasted garlic aioli, and sweet chili sauce all being average. One may worry AC is stretching herself thin with all that she is doing but it isn't evident with this place and I look forward to trying her other establishments.
(4)Yvonne C.
You had me at french fries! The burgers here are good but the fries are even better! The place is pretty small, some tables are placed pretty close to surrounding tables, so be aware. I walked in late on a weekend night so was able to get a table right away. Ordered the High and Valley and the smaller serving of fries to split with my boyfriend. The burger's presentation is a bit lackluster to me and didn't hype me up to eat. The burger is good and I would recommend it to my friends, but I think there are better burgers in the Triangle area. The true winner is the french fries! they are large cut, fluffy on the inside crispy on the outside. They come with ketchup and your choice of 2 other sauces, my favorite was the buttermilk herb. We also ordered some spiked milkshakes to accompany our meal, though I was somewhat disappointed by the timing. The milkshakes were brought out towards the end of our meal, and it seems this is on purpose, but I wanted to enjoy more of the milkshake with my real rather than having it as dessert. I had the peanut butter and banana milkshake spiked w/bourbon, try this, it's great! Especially if you're about to go out in Raleigh afterwards!
(4)Angela C.
Went in again tonight for a bite. Fabulous as always!! You really have to try the comeback sauce. Its definitely true to its namesake!!
(4)PJ S.
As another restaurant-child of Chef Ashely Christensen, Chuck's proves worthy to stand amongst it's kinfolk (Poole's, Beasley's H&C). This chic-casual restaurant offers quality burgers at a very respectable price. I had the High and Valley and tried the Bradley Time. We also ordered the Fork and Knife fries. My burger was cooked great, and had a nice sweetness due to the bacon onion jam. The fries were great as well, but were a bit overwhelming for me personally. Overall I enjoyed the burger, but when judging a burger, I always like to try the patty on its own. The patty was a little under-seasoned for me as a whole, and the other ingredients appeared to shine brighter. Still a solid burger, though. A sweet surprise was their Salty Peanut Butter and Roasted Banana milkshake. I highly recommend. 4 stars for Chuck for its great food, price, atmosphere, and dining experience. There is room for "what-if's" and "hmm's," but it was wonderful at its worst.
(4)Stephanie H.
I'm obsessed with the food here. I don't even LIKE burgers, but I often crave Chuck's. The Dirty South is amazing, the fork and knife fries, AMAZING. The peanut butter banana shake is eh, but the peanut butter WITHOUT the banana is YES!! However, the friendliness of the staff could use a bit of help. We were in the other evening with a not so stellar hostess. Party of 6 (with 3 being out of town guests) and a super sassy hostess sort of rubbed all of us wrong, especially after my husband and I have been raving about the food here. It briefly made me consider suggesting we leave and go elsewhere. I have such a hard time giving my money to businesses who don't have friendly and helpful attitudes. The food is spot on.
(4)Jeremy K.
Decent burgers and great pickle fries. Service is slow and seem untrained. Didn't clear empty trays, asked for napkins twice and host took his time to set a table for us. Also, no real kid friendly menu options. The closest thing is a grilled hot dog. Best suited for adults.
(3)Charlie F.
Went here on a Sunday night after a concert. Our party of four was promptly seated. I liked the menu being the placemat. Appreciated the option of two sizes of burgers. One of our party ordered "The Dirty South", one ordered "Bear in Heaven" and two ordered "The Big House". All of us ordered the smaller portion. Had fried pickles as an appetizer for the table. Came to the table hot and crisp with a great dipping sauce. Burgers were brought to the table quickly. Our only complaints were the two "Big House" burgers were ordered medium and appeared to be medium rare. Other than that all liked the taste of their burgers. Fries were excellent as were the options for dipping sauces. Server was good, but not overly friendly.
(4)Lindsay H.
Ashley Christensen does it again... Chuck's is a must-go to for the burger aficionados in Raleigh. Chuck's is casual and quick, but still up to par with the rest of ACs restaurants. The fries and dipping sauces are phenomenal - the sweet chili, garlic mayo, and comeback sauces are delicious! The burgers are cooked to the perfect temperature, and the combinations are innovative and different. I highly recommend the Spirit Animal (cream cheese, crushed tortillas, roasted poblanos, and grilled tomatoes) or the Big House (cheddar, Dijon, and shallots). If you're a less adventurous eater and prefer a more classic burger, get the Bear in Heaven! Chuck's never disappoints and it is definitely the best place right downtown for a burger.
(5)Kent H.
Nice juicy burger, I chose rare, it wasn't dripping in blood, but I can see the rareness in the patties. I had the dirty south and each bite was juicy and mouth watering. The size is just right to bite. The chili beans fell, but the fried onion strings were good. The order of belgian fries was okay, it was a little too soggy in the middle. The horseradish dipping sauce could have been thicker and stronger. The aviator root beer was good.
(4)Courtney N.
So this place is awesome! Honestly I go for the milkshakes and the variety of dips you get with the french fry wedges, yum! I had the Salty Peanut Butter with Roasted Banana milkshake this past weekend. It is so heavenly, I love this thing!!! It is the perfect balance of sweet and salty, with just enough of a reminder that there is banana in it and nice mellow peanut butter thru out. A friend had the Cinnamon Coffee (limited time only) mixed with Dark Chocolate Cake, that one was pretty good too, however, I always go for ole' faithful. OH, you can add alcohol to these milkshakes! angels singing in the background, warm bright lights, the whole 9 yards!!! Well go and enjoy my friends!
(4)Moiz T.
Great burger place. Personally my favorite in Raleigh. I got the Big House Burger and Belgian hand cut fries. The waiter went out of the way and created a milkshake for me. The dark chocolate cake with peanut butter. It was great! Definitely recommend if your looking for a burger joint.
(4)Sally D.
I have never gotten something here I didn't like. The burgers and milkshakes are the best part, but I think you could skip the fries unless you like them thick cut.
(4)Kathryn D.
I was so excited to try Chuck's because my office is next door, and I can always smell the burgers when I'm walking by. Pros: -Awesome location, right next to the Moore Square parking deck which lets you park for free on the weekends. -My burger was really good. I really liked the dipping sauces for the fries, too. -Server was really attentive and friendly. Cons: -No waiting area or bar to take advantage of while waiting. We went here on a chilly night and kept getting hit with blasts of cold air whenever the door opened. Plus, you kind of end up on top of the people who are actually seated which is awkward. -My fiance didn't like the food - thought it tasted like something you could get at a fast food joint. -Our food took FOREVER to come out. Big groups that had been seated and ordered after us were getting their plates before us. (There were only two of us, and we just ordered two burgers and fries.) Our server did apologize for the wait, but it was probably over 40 minutes from the time we ordered to the time the food came out, which isn't okay. I did like the food, so I'm willing to give Chuck's another shot. Hopefully my experience will be better next time!
(3)Cat L.
My husband and I met a couple of friends here for dinner one night last week. We absolutely line Beasley's and Poole's so we were sure chucks wouldn't disappoint. The service was great from the moment we sat down. Our hostess was so friendly and funny. She was also very willing to help us feel our way through the menu with some of the not so usual ingredients & burger toppings. We started off by ordering the fork & knife fries that was tasty & not so guilty. It had a layer of lettuce, cheese, & bean chili & was easiest to eat with fork & knife. The burgers were interesting. I had the big house with caramelized onions & aged cheddar. My husband had the beef version of the Dirty South. & I also tried my friend's last word. The veggie burger also sounds really good & I'll probably try it next time I visit. We also shared shakes which were rich & satisfying.
(5)Lori R.
Consistently great! We had no problem getting in at noon on a Sunday. Love that they have purse holders under the tables. (hostess was kind enough to point that out to me). Food: Burger perfection! This time I ventured out of my Big House comfort zone, and tried the Dirty South. I'm not usually one for chili and slaw on a burger, but it was darn good. Loved the texture the slaw added. Because of all the toppings, the 5 oz size was pretty giant. Husband stayed in his Big House comfort zone with a half-pounder. This burger doesn't have all the giant toppings, so he had no trouble eating the whole thing. Meanwhile we shared the Half Pound Tin Cup of Belgian Fries. Hand-cut and fried to perfection! I don't do fries often, but when I do I want 'em like this, especially with the killer dipping sauces. My favorite is the sweet chili one (it's not sweet though, more vinegary), but the Comeback Sauce (horseradish) and the Garlic Aioli are great as well. Service was spot-on and you can't beat the prices here for the quality and quantity and I love how they now ask how you want your burger cooked.
(5)Jamie K.
The waitstaff was not good. Had to pretty much tell him what to do and was extremely slow at his job. The food was not all that great. I asked for medium and got medium rare. The high and valley burger had no taste or flavor despite its description. The hot dog was good- but not according to my kids. The dirty south burger was flavorful and would recommend along with pickle fries. French fries were good too. Ultimately, I would not recommend and not come back. And there is no kid menu options. Even when I asked if they could just make a grilled cheese. Very disappointing.
(1)Ryan F.
Great food Great service, took the wife here and we had a blast. Milkshakes that are over the top and the burgers can't be touched. I messed my burger up by not getting it med rare like normal, and I ordered it med GO MED RARE!!!!!! The Chef earned the James Beard award in 2014 and the quality of the food shows. We have moved away from NC but next time I am in Raleigh I hope to be able to stop back by.
(4)Ashley B.
My boyfriend and I just finished eating at Chuck's and it was delicious! I got the Big House burger and he got the Dirty South. As soon as he took a bite of his burger he said, "if you want to taste this you better try it now because there won't be any left in a minute." My burger was perfectly cooked and very flavorful, the sauce on the burger added a great flavor. We also got an order of the fries and pickle chips to split. The pickle chips are too die for! The pickles are house made and have such a great and unique flavor. Frying them and eating them with the buttermilk ranch just makes them better. I suggest everyone try these. We will definitely be coming back to try more of these menu items!
(5)Don S.
I used to love Chuck's. Their burgers were typically one of the best. Not this time. This was my first visit to Chuck's in months and i was dismayed to find they no longer have a small and large burger; they have a single or double. The large burger was not a thick juicy burger it was 2 thin, dried over-cooked pattys. It is hard to cook a thin patty to medium. Sorry Chuck's the burger you served me today I can get at any numbers of places in the Triangle, it is no longer special. The fries and the shake were still excellent though!
(3)Susie B.
Fun, casual atmosphere with delicious, quality food that has personality. Both the ambiance and food combine mainstream with a true appreciation of the best of the South. The burgers are great - flavor and texture are superb - this isn't your standard, perfunctory hamburger. The shrimp burger tastes like a Carolina summer!!! Fries are a must! And believe it or not, the mixed green salad may have been my favorite dish, but that's the kind of girl I am. I love a perfect salad!
(4)Yimei W.
Loved the fried pickles and the burgers were really good, and great for the price! At least they already packaged burger options so you don't have to build your own or anything. Portions are generous, really large, FAT fries. Takes a while to get your burger so order quickly and give it about 20 min. Waitress was sharp, seated me quickly and the waiter was great too, knew we had to get out of there and got us our food fast.
(5)Christina L.
This place is awesome. The menu is very limited but I don't really see that as a bad thing. I got the shrimp burger and it was sooooo good I mean really freaking good. They put giant fried shrimp on top of tomato slaw and it was so delicious, a little hard to figure out how to eat but very good non the less. We also got the fries which were also extremely delicious. On top of the great food the prices were very minimal. We got seated fast and served fast overall great experience.
(5)Jill D.
The Dirty South burger was absolutely amazingly delicious, as well as, the pickle fries. Our server was great, I hope he doesn't have to share his tip with the girl who brought our food to the table. She was far from friendly. Other than that, we loved it! We'll definitely be back!
(5)Albert W.
Burger was solid. You can tell that it was quality due to the meat and that it didn't taste it was pre-frozen. You can't go wrong with anything here. What was more interesting to me was the drinks. They had 2 interesting soda -- Blenheim and Aviator Draft Root Beer. Aviator is okay (I like Harry Weinhard better) but the Blenheim spicy.... WOWWWWWWW. It was like wasabi in ginger ale form. It has to be on your must try list. Famous for: Great burgers and local drinks.
(4)Christi S.
What an amazing lunch I had here at Chuck's before I headed back home to SoCal. After much deliberation, I finally decided on the Last Word burger. My taste buds kind of have a short attention span... Lots of times I can't finish a dish because I just get bored with the flavor. But that wasn't the case this time around. There was so much going on with this burger with the juicy meat, delicate kale shreds, tangy vinaigrette dressing, delicious but not too over-powering truffle cheese, and the texture of the crunchy hazelnuts. That being said (I did go nuts over that burger... I finished every last crumb.) my only complaint was regarding the salty peanut butter and roasted banana milkshake. I didn't get any saltiness at all and was hoping there would be chunks of banana in it. It tasted a lot like banana nut bread (which I do like!), but the chunky bananas and a dash of salt would've made it better. If I end up in Raleigh again, I will definitely come back. As a side note, I was jamming to their spectacular music the whole meal. They did a GREAT job with the decor, music selection and overall vibe.
(4)Christine S.
-Cuisine: Burgers, plus: a few Sandwiches, Salads, and Fries -Beverages: Three reds, three whites, one sparkling, Beer; Milkshakes -Recommendations: Bear in the Woods Will's Way, The Dirty South (Carolina), BLT, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Belgian Hand-Cut
(4)Emil C.
Food: They have good burgers here! So good that I had two of them for lunch. For my first burger, I had the Bear in Heaven along with a Dales Pale Ale. It was a traditional burger cooked medium and it was a good burger. Nice and tasty! For my second burger, I ordered The Dirty South also cooked medium with another Dales Pale Ale. Another good burger! Full of favor, like a party in your mouth! I would definitely come back to try the other burgers on the menu. Service: I was seated right away. Service was nice and friendly. My waitress helped me decide on which burgers to try and had to inform me that the only beer on tap working was the Dales Pale Ale. Location: It's located in downtown Raleigh. I came on a Saturday, so I could park in the one of the parking structures for free.
(4)Lindsay K.
This place gives you what you want if you're looking for is a modern burger joint. I had the Last Word with the veggie patty. 1st off how can you go wrong with something that has truffle cheese? Answer: you can't. The hazelnut vinaigrette was out of control good. I'm pretty sure it's main ingredient is some delicious new form of crack. The server was attentive and friendly too. Missing 1 star because the person I came with ordered a burger and it was missing one of the main toppings. But if I'm ever in the area again I'll be back!
(4)Brittany D.
I had the big house and fried pickles. Both were delicious and the service was great. Atmosphere is nice as well.. Casual but nice and a nice view looking out onto people walking on the street.
(5)Jeff F.
I love this place, like seriously love it to the point where I have to restrain myself from coming here more than I do! They have the best burgers in Raleigh, there is no comparison, at all. The fries (and the dipping sauces) are heavenly. And there is always a good selection of beers. Added to all this is that the wait staff is top notch, and the place (including the bathrooms) is spotlessly clean. The prices are reasonable for the quality they serve. The only thing is I wish they were open past 2am, there would be nothing I'd enjoy more than a perfect burger after a night on the town! Seriously, if you like burgers and haven't been here yet, you are missing out!!
(5)Ashley C.
I was surprisingly underwhelmed by the burger and fries that I ordered. I have been looking forward to the day I got to experience the highly praised Chuck's, but I was a bit disappointed with my experience. I ordered the Big House and fries - total cost $9.97. At this price, I anticipated that my taste buds would sing in harmony to the tune of perfectly-balanced flavor and texture. Not so much. The burger was a bit one-note, both in taste and texture. The bun was too soft, bordering on soggy, the patty was completely falling apart, and the shallots were mushy. It desperately cried for more of the sorghum-Dijon mustard that comes on it. The cheese over powered the shallots and mustard for almost the entire burger. I expected it to be sharp, but the flavor profiles of the other ingredients should have been able to stand up to that sharpness, especially when combined with one another. The one bite I had where I could actually taste the mustard, it was decent, but the flavor of the shallots was almost non-existent throughout. The fries seemed to have been overcooked, or cooked in dirty oil - or both. The color of the majority of my portion was unappetizing, and I tossed quite a few that were clearly too overcooked to eat. On the plus side, the portion was HUGE - definitely plenty for at least two people if each combined it with a burger. I got the sweet chili sauce as one of my dipping sauces, which is normally a sauce that is difficult to completely ruin (everywhere does theirs a bit differently, but they are usually generally similar). This sauce tasted like pure apple cider or rice vinegar possibly mixed with a little sugar. You could see the chili flakes, but there was no chili flavor to it, and very little "sweet". It was like dipping my (already overcooked) fries into pure vinegar. Not to mention, it was incredibly runny so very little sauce actually made it to my mouth on each French fry. I understand the concept, and I can see how it could be yummy. Perhaps I caught them on a bad day, perhaps they were unusually busy (hard to believe since they weren't even full inside) or perhaps there was a lazy cook in the kitchen. Whatever the reason, I may (or may not) give them another try, but this was not a great first impression for restaurant owned by a James Beard Award-winning chef. I certainly expected better.
(2)Rosie O.
Day trip to Raleigh for the fair! Thank you yelposphere for helping me choose my lunch time destination today! Laid back atmosphere, good music. Menu is all cooked to order. Prices are very reasonable. They are know for there "Dirty South" which the Mr ordered and the "Bear in Heaven" which I ordered. The dirty south was awesome! Coleslaw and chili on top of the burger was literally everything north Carolina stands for! Cooked perfectly! Fresh cut fries where perfectly seasoned and I love the sweet chili sauce to dip them in! Make this a top stop!
(5)Jon S.
I obviously feel like I had an aberrant experience today at Chuck's based on the other Yelp reviews, so I look forward to coming back in the future and giving them another shot. My colleague suggested Chuck's and has been here multiple times with great experiences - in fact, he loves all the Ashley Christenson restaurants. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and our service was prompt. Our burgers came out quickly. I ordered the Dirty South burger, which comes with chili and pork shoulder. First of all, there was no pork shoulder to be found anywhere on the burger. Secondly, there was so much salt on the burger that it was almost inedible. I took the burger apart and tasted the actual meat part and determined that it was on the burger, so I assume it must be shaken on during the cooking process and the chef was just heavy handed. I only ate about 1/3 of the burger, but the waiter did not ask me if my burger was ok, just took it away. The fries, especially with the wonderfully flavorful comeback sauce, were cooked perfectly. The tea was delicious. I look forward to a better experience the next time.
(2)Eric W.
Visited Raleigh for the first time this week and I wanted to get a taste for how they do burgers. A friend of mine who lives in Raleigh told me that Chuck's was the place to go for a burger. Went into Chuck's at about noon and they appear to to quite a busy lunch for the downtown business people. We were seated right away. After much deliberation I decided on "The Dirty South" burger. The server explained to me that while it was topped with a chili that it was not topped with pork shoulder (as the menu suggests) but rather the pork shoulder is part of the chili. A little confusing, but OK. We also ordered a larger side of fries to split between the two of us, which was plenty to share. My burger arrived, cooked to perfection. Halfway through the burger, however, I realized that the burger didn't have any chili on it. I don't really like to complain once I've eaten the majority of a dish, because it seems a little shady. I did tell the server that my burger didn't come with any chili when she asked if I liked the chili, and she was very surprised. She came back and offered a free milkshake for their mistake, but I told her it wasn't necessary - mistakes happen. That being said, the mistake changed the way the burger tasted and lost its value - $9 for just the burger. So I really wasn't that impressed with the burger because it was covered in mustard and no chili to compliment it. The Belgian-style fries were probably the best french fries I've ever tasted, along with their tasty selection of house-made sauce in which to dip. The fries are super thick and very crispy - great combination. Bottom line: Burger wasn't impressive, but was missing the key ingredient. The fries were great. I would come back here if I'm ever in the area again and give them another try.
(3)Jennifer H.
I was very intrigued by the idea of a burger and spiked milkshake restaurant. I was not the organizer of this gathering but found myself looking up the menu and anticipating a great meal! I ordered the high and valley, a single burger, well done and a small order of fries. The burger was very reasonably priced and tasted pretty good. I was happy with the varies and pleased with the variety of dipping options for the fries. The absolute highlight of the evening was the spiked milkshake-it was heavenly!!! I had spiced rum mixed in with the peanut butter banana milkshake that is on their menu. I llloooovvveeeddd the milk shake! Great atmosphere and good service.
(4)Shannan C.
I came here with a new co-worker for lunch the other day. It was busy but we were promptly seated. I got 'The Dirty South' burger, which is basically a very fancy and very delicious take on a carolina style burger, ie. slaw, chili, onions. Not for the faint of heart. And I got a small side of fries with two different dipping sauces for me and said co-worker to share. The dipping sauces were AWESOME, as was the burger. The service was good. I really can't complain about anything, except the fact that it was a little cold in the restaurant, but who really cares. It was SO good. I'm going to make this my go-to burger spot for lunch. I can't wait to try more of their takes on the hamburger. :-)
(5)Bradford W.
If you ever want to become hooked to burgers and fries like a chronically afflicted heroin addict, then eat here. I know that the Greek Gods on Mt. Olympus don't exist. However, if they did, then I have no doubt they would be dipping their ambrosia in Chuck's beef booster sauce. It's the best. Top it all off with a nice glass bottle cheerwine and you have yourself quite a meal. My only complaint is that they don't have sweet potato fries. I have zero complaints aside from that. Highly recommend it!
(5)Juli G.
Chuck's is by far our favorite burger spot in Raleigh. I love the High and Valley and no matter how hard I try can never replicate the bacon-onion jam at home. We also really enjoy all the dipping sauces for the fries, but the garlic aioli and malt vinegar aioli are our favorites. The kids regularly ask to go to Chuck's!
(5)Dale B.
We tried out Chuck's based on friends' recommendations and their many best-of accolades. We have a brief wait to be seated. This was attributed to both the size of the restaurant and the obvious great patronage. The food was really good but the fries...amazing!!! It's a must try. My daughter was stuffed but could not stop with the fries. We'll be back!
(4)Marcia C.
I made a point of going to Chuck's again when we were visiting from Florida. We had a group of 16, some vegetarian. Menu options were great for all, food was fabulous, and Sophia may be the best waitress ever! I'll be back.
(5)Kristen C.
My husband and I have been on the search for the best burger in Raleigh and Chuck's is currently on the top of the list. My favorite burger is the Bradley Time. My only complaints are that their fries aren't as crunchy as I would like, and the open atmosphere is hard to maintain conversations with larger groups. Order a milkshake; the salty peanut butter with roasted banana will not disappoint!
(4)Jeremy A.
Burger here was incredible, we both got the big house and thought it was great. Cant beat house ground chuck burgers. Dipping sauces for the fries was good and I want to get the fried pickles on the next trip. Not terribly expensive and the service was great as well. Street parking should be available if you go during the week but make sure to park in the garage on hargett and walk if you go on a weekend. Also make sure to check the blackboard for beer selections, they arent listed on a menu and i didnt realize they sold them till I saw them on the board.
(5)Kelly G.
I can't stop ordering the Last Word at Chuck's! Cooked to perfection and topped with sottocenere truffle cheese and shredded dino kale in hazelnut vinaigrette. If you're wondering what sottocenere truffle cheese is, well here's what Wiki says: ...originally from Venice, Italy, made with raw cow's milk and slices of truffles, rubbed with various herbs and spices. Aged in an ash rind to preserve it over a long period without losing flavor. The ash is also used to convey subtle flavors into the cheese, with a variety of spices (cinnamon and nutmeg, among others) mixed with the ash. The quality of the house-ground beef is apparent, and the flavors of the cheese and kale in hazelnut vinaigrette meld together to make a creamy, tangy, heavenly burger dream. The fries come with your choice of six dipping sauces, mayo, and ketchup. The atmosphere is loud and crowded at lunch time, so it's probably not the best place for a business meeting. But if you're in the mood for a gourmet burger, get to Chuck's!
(5)Michael B.
I finally got down to chuck 's after reading lots of reviews about it and yeah this place is pretty good. i will say that the joint was a little smaller then i expected but sometimes less is more. my girlfriend and i decided on take-out and gave the menu a good once over. i decided to go with the "Bear in heaven" burger which had romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Swiss and dukes mayo. i also got a giant bucket of fries with sweet chilli sauce which was great. my girlfriend got the fried bologna sandwich with which she seemed very pleased. Chuck' s in my opinion is definitely one place i wish i would have got around to sooner because the food here is all the its praised to be. I'll be coming back for sure. now the food is a little on the pricey side but trust me it well worth the money.
(4)Ian W.
I have been nothing but impressed by the simple elegance of this family of restaurants. That's what food should be about: getting the basics right before worrying about complex flavor combinations and techniques. A haiku: Fresh beef umami The crunch of fries, inside light Dredged through strange sauces Find your way through the clutter to this gem.
(4)Susan P.
Really 3.5 Stars. Good when you're really hungry and it's slow, but not worth it if there's a wait. Service: Good. Water stayed full. No issues. Food: Alright, but we've had grass fed burgers that were better at a lower price point. The burgers were salty. The fries were more salt than potato. The sweet chili sauce was more sweet than chili. The garlic aioli was pretty good tho. If you order without a bun, the beef patties come on a small bed of greens. Separately ordered side salad carried me through. Atmosphere: It's really loud and crowded when it's full. There really isn't room to wait inside, so expect to stand on the sidewalk.
(3)Laurie V.
My sweet friend brought me here for a belated birthday lunch the other day. It was soooooo yummy. I had the burger with the kale and truffled cheese. Juicy, flavorful, and filling. He made me order the larger burger (although later he admitted he knew I wouldn't finish it, and he knew he would want to eat the rest.....sneaky!) We also had some pickle chips and fries. The best dipping sauce was the one that is a mix of mayo and Worcestershire. The fries were huge and delightful. I was way too full for a milkshake, but I kinda wish I would have had room to try it. We waddled back to my apartment with full tummies. We had to just lie there for a good 15 minutes to let this deliciousness settle. I'm a little surprised this was my first visit here. It certainly won't be my last.
(5)Stephanie B.
There's the age old debate of where to find the Best Burger, and Chuck's is certainly a worthy contender. The local ingredients shine in each sandwich. The fries are ridiculous, plus you get your choice of two (of about ten) dipping sauces, an automatic win in my book. Be prepared to wait outside, so don't go on a rainy night, but otherwise it's sooo worth it. Edited: we went a few months later with my son. Food and service was still awesome, but I was surprised that it wasn't as kid friendly as it seems by the atmosphere- no kids menu, and no diaper changing station. I ordered my 1 year old an adult grilled cheese (still only $4) and while it was certainly delicious by my standards, it was on crusty sourdough and HUGE. Little things, but Chuck's is frequently on lists of family friendly restaurants, so just something to note.
(4)Connor B.
I was very eager to try Chucks after having a fantastic dinner at Beasley's Chicken and Honey which is owned by the same very good chef. While it was not nearly the same caliber as Beasley's, Chucks was a fine eating experience. We walked into the small building for lunch and got in just in time before it filled up. I ordered the High and Valley which had crushed avacado, blistered red peppers, and bacon onion jam. It was a pleasant tasting burger, but I think it could have had a little more flavor besides the party going on. The patty its self was very well seasoned and the bun was soft and fluffy. While it was not the best burger I had ever tried, it was up there. It got better as I ate and the flavors compounded on each other. The burger was good, but the thick cut Belgium frites with dipping sauces were awesome. My favorite dips were the comeback sauce, the sweet chili, and the garlic aioli. I saved some room for dessert and ordered a salty peanut butter bannanna milkshake. Though I could not finish the gigantic shake, it was very tasty. The menu is simple, the food is good, and the service was fast. What more can you ask for from a burger joint?
(4)Danny M.
If you go, you absolutely have to try their milkshakes. $8 for a chocolate cake with baileys shake that was incredible until the last sip. The burger was also a really savory. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 is because the truffle fries were pretty bad.
(4)Kelly D.
There is not much to recommend this place. The burgers were mediocre and the beer selection was horrible. The fries and dipping sauces were quite good but not worth a return trip. They put a lot of different and interesting toppings on the burgers, but all it does is overpower the burger itself - which isn't very good anyway. The burgers aren't especially moist or flavorful, pretty bland actually. The service was just okay - we weren't even offered a beer or wine menu, we had to ask.
(2)Walter M.
Their best burger is called the dirty burger. It tasted slightly above your average burger. Not impressed. The chile and coleslaw is what gives it flavor. The party itself is not taste bud mind blowing.
(3)Brandon S.
Best burger in Raleigh. The house ground burgers are cooked to perfection any way you like. Plus the fresh cut fries and homemade dipping sauces perfectly compliment the meal.
(5)charles m.
Damn. Best burger in Raleigh? By my experience, yes. The Big House. And the fries? Double damn. Crispy, fluffy, not greasy. And a wide range of sauces to dip them in. "Comeback" sauce and malt vinegar aoli were recommended by my server, and I second that recommendation. Now for a milkshake...
(5)Laura A.
Service is great. Food is delicious, very fresh. It's lean and filling. The burgers are exceptional but I keep coming back for the milkshakes. I had the salty peanut butter and roasted banana milkshake. It was interesting at first but then got more and more addictive. My friend had the dark chocolate cake which had cake bites mixed into the milkshake. Also you can add alcohol to the milkshake for extra $3!
(5)John K.
I like restaurants with focus. Chuck's is totally about the burger experience. The sides, the shakes, and all the rest are there to complement a slab of meat on a bun. (Small aside, my wife says their veggie burger is excellent... and is made in their store, not frozen and shipped in!) Your entire meal is ala carte so it might be a touch more spendy that you would expect but for a 'gourmet burger' joint, the prices are in line. I definitely recommend their pickle chips, Bears in Heaven Burger and a specialty shake on the side. Your eyes will tell you that you can handle a half pound burger, shake and a side. Do not listen... go with the five ounce.
(4)Lauren R.
Oh Chuck's. In the typical Ashley Christensen fashion, Chuck's is delicious but slightly infuriating. No reservations, so go early, go late, or be prepared to wait. And Chuck's is very small, so there's not even a bar to sit at as you wait. But, after all of the waiting, the food is quite good! I don't eat beef, but friends who have had Chuck's burgers say they're great. And for a burger joint, Chuck's has great non-beef options, including a veggie burger, a shrimp burger, and fried chicken. I usually go with the shrimp burger, which isn't so much of a burger. The first time I ordered it, I was expecting some type of seafood patty (sort of like a crab cake, but with shrimp). Instead, it's actually just 4 large fried shrimp placed on the bun and cocooned in a delicious vinegar-based slaw. Gets two thumbs up in my book. Chuck's feels sort of rushed, but then again, it's little more than the price of fast food/fast casual (you can easily spend around $20 for dinner for two).
(4)Bob B.
Excellent burgers! I have only been twice, but each time was superb. The milkshakes can be a bit on the sweet side; though, the peanut butter banana is a good balance. I recommend the "Dirty South" burger.
(5)Bryce N'Chandler G.
We visited here on a full Thursday evening. When we walked in, we were escorted to one of the two remaining empty tables and immediately met by our server. He was knowledgeable about the beer and wine selection they had and was able to make a good suggestion based on our tastes. Since we weren't all the hungry, we decided to split the Spirit Animal with the 1/4 # order of fries and selected the comeback sauce and the garlic aioli for our two dips. The Hi-Wire Pale Ale I ordered was very good, and the Wheat Beer in a bottle she ordered was a little strange. Not bad, just different. I ordered our burger rare because in many places I have been, they won't cook it cooler than medium rare anyway. Our server advised that it would actually be cooked that way and be falling apart in our hands, so I changed to medium rare. We were pleased to find that they even cut our burger in half for us, placed each half on its own plate, and set the basket of fries between us. The burger was cooked to order! Perfectly cooked to medium rare.These things may seem trivial, but in our experience, this was exceptional. Rarely have we found a place that asks for cooked temperature for the burger and actually delivers. To end. we had a chocolate milkshake that our server agreed to make "Adult" for us. The burger was well seasoned and the fries were cooked to perfection. The sauces we chose were also very tasty. The milkshake was amazing with the shot of dark run in it. We both agreed that this place is dangerous for us to live so close. The food and service we received was top notch. Ashley Christensen really knows how to create a successful restaurant.
(5)Kelly M.
Chuck's is the BEST when you're craving a burger. They do it right over there. My current favorite is the Dirty South with pork shoulder - so incredibly messy and ridiculously delicious. I've had most of the burgers on their menu and never had one I didn't like, but this one is the winner for me - so many bold flavors going on. Service is always great. This place does get pretty busy so we try to plan accordingly, but I never mind waiting for a burger here. Love the inside of this AC original restaurant - lots of red and silver industrial looking tables and chairs with cement floors and black shiny cow's heads hung on the walls. It's not a huge place but the location is great and if you sit by the window you can watch the foot traffic go down Wilmington Street. We usually order a half pound of the fries to split between two and never end up finishing them. They are long, fat and crispy but soft in the middle and always hot. They come with ketchup and your choice of two sauces - I think we've tried them all but usually go for the comeback sauce. This time we also tried the garlic aioli, which was great. One of my favorite things about this place is they carry Blenheim's hot ginger ale - such a treat!
(5)Gina B.
I don't know why I've never been here. Oh, yeh, I remember now. They don't have gluten-free buns. What's up with that? So, I went anyway, after a Yelp event. Excited to try another one of Ashley C's creations. The menu is small, but inventive. I was surprised the prices were reasonable. There were no $15 burgers. More like $6.75 or so for a 5 oz. Ok, The atmosphere is minimalistic and I mean like white subway tiles and a floor and some chairs and we have ourselves a restaurant. That's it folks. After I got over my disappointment that they STILL don't have gf buns, I was further disappointed that they are the first restaurant I've ever been to that couldn't do a lettuce wrap. Like even Cook Out will do that. Say what? ok... on a bed of lettuce. Whatever, just give me the burger. I did order wine and it game in a small juice glass. Takes all the fun out of alcohol in my opinion. Wine should be celebrated. I'm getting excited just talking about it. Back to my review. Would I go back? Sure. Would I run back. Nahh. It's good, not grand, but the price is fair.
(4)Juan-Carlos A.
This is an excellent restaurant in the Raleigh downtown! I went with my family and the food was delicious. The service is wonderful and the prices very affordable. Typical American food, good beer and wine. The french fries are terrific!!!
(5)Brian L.
Awesome!! The malt vinegar aioli is so good it would be delicious on cardboard but I would recommend it on the Belgian fries! LOL!
(4)Ash R.
I got the spirit animal. The burger completely fell apart in my hands and was overly greasy and underdone (I asked for it mid well and it was red on the inside). The buns got soggy in under 10 seconds, the beef also lacked any sort of seasoning what so ever and in spite of being undercooked still managed to be tough. This was my second trip after they failed me last year and it ended with the same result. For 9 bucks I was pretty disappointed. It's not quite as bad as a fast food burger but I'd rate five guys and bad daddy's ahead of them for sure.
(2)Kimberly F.
This place used to be amazing and we went all the time. We found some other burger places and this got left behind for a few months, when we came back their supposed in house ground meat was being walked through the front door in a zip loc. Pre formed pre cooked patties. They were disgusting and I will never go back. Whoever bought the place out turned it into a bar and the food sucks. Don't waste your time or money. We wondered why it was empty when we got in. Now we know.
(1)M E.
Nice low key place! Food was outstanding, great quality! This is a place I would definitely go again to.
(5)Michael C.
Wasn't bad for what you get for the price, I agree with a lot of the other "3" post. I expected more of something like the "burger bar" in Vegas. Menu was limited and not one burger has bacon for a burger place. The other guy was right the dirty south says "pork shoulder" on the menu but it's supposed to be mixed in the chili???? I asked about a whole grain or wheat bun option and all they have is just a regular $1.99 a pack potato bun. It wasn't bad as far as taste the burger and wedge salad did taste like fresh ingredients but expected much more for place with so much hype around being "the burger place". It's a good place to try for lunch if downtown but nothing to plan ahead and take family to.
(3)Victoria W.
My boyfriend and I are at checks yesterday. The atmosphere was great and the limited menu proves that what they do, they do right. The burgers were great and the fries with aioli were tasty as well. My burger had house made pickles and they were great also. And they have coke in a bottle! The 3 star comes from the assembly of my burger. I had to eat with with a fork because they layered the lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles under the burger. When these items are layered together they naturally are going to slide and from the initial attempt at a first bite, it fell apart. It was messy and I quickly realized there was no way to eat it with my hands. I will eat here again. The messiness did not stop me!
(3)Sloan S.
We had a few friends (guys) from out of town visiting, so when deciding on where to hit up Friday night, Chuck's came to the top of the list. Hello, boys love burgers. We had about an hour wait (due to First Friday), so we walked down to the Busy Bee for cocktails. After about thirty-five minutes, we strolled on back over, only to find out they'd called for us and moved on when we didn't show. I'm not really sure what went on, but they did end up seating us, even though there was a little tension. No matter, it didn't attract away from the food. Once we were seated, all of the guys ordered the "Dirty South," while I had the veggie burger (what a rebel!). I'm assuming they all loved theirs because it became very quiet once our food was brought out and there were no crumbs left on any plates. I thought the veggie burger was delicious, great flavor from the sweet potato and even better when you add the "comeback sauce" to it. Here's the kicker: the burgers are great, but the fries and the accompanying sauces steal the show. You're able to choose whatever kind you like to go with your order, and my boyfriend and I picked the roasted garlic aioli and the comeback sauce. Of course, if you're a garlic fiend like my guy, you'll go nuts for the aioli. I don't even know what the comeback sauce is except that it's aptly named; I literally want to go back to Chuck's to eat more now. Both were really, really good. Limited beer menu and not much space to stand around and wait, hence our mishap while walking down the street for a bit; however, overall it's a great, casual restaurant downtown that isn't as expensive as some of the other Ashley Christensen places. That's a win-win for me.
(4)Samantha B.
Really don't understand the hype of this place, especially after our last visit. Love Ashley Christensen and what she does for DTR but Chuck's is simply sub-par. Inside this restaurant is tiny, albeit chic and hip. Service is SUPER casual and impersonal. Burgers while they have "unique" topping combinations, are set as they come. The menu hasn't changed since they opened and the burgers are not really modifiable and there's no option to build your own. My last visit resulted in our server being really...not on her game. I ordered the Dirty South and asked for the slaw on the side, but it came out on the burger. The kitchen or whomever also ENTIRELY forgot the pork shoulder on my sandwich. It just wasn't there, which is insane. Fries are also not included with anything, and the wrong dipping sauce was brought out with our $4 side of fries. Our server acknowledged the burger error saying "sorry about that!" and made no attempt to rectify the situation or bring me out the missing pork. Really unimpressed. I didn't even bother to ask for my correct dipping aioli since she just didn't care. I've had much better experiences at AC's other restaurants and it's a shame this joint just doesn't deliver.
(3)Harry P.
Great food, came here based upon yelp recommendation and was not disappointed. Highly recommend and if I visit Raleigh again this is a definite stop
(5)Brittany G.
Those fries! What's in those fries!? If you can't tell I was REALLY impressed with the fries (and sauces) from Chucks! They were so full of flavor! The burgers were very good as well, but I would come back just for those magical fries! Something I love about most of Ashley Christensen's restaurants are that they are pretty reasonably priced for how good the quality is. All together my meal was about $13 (a burger and half of the fry tin) which for downtown is a pretty great price considering I could walk across the street and pay $23 for a subpar entree! Next time i'm definately trying the shakes, i've heard great things about them but was too full for it last time!
(5)Mary S.
Food is not good. Leave before you order. The highlight was the wedge and it went downhill from there. We ordered fried pickles, barely ate 2 because they tasted terrible and the waitress did not even inquire about why she would remove an almost untouched plate of food from the table. It was almost like she knew they were horrible and this is what she did on a regular basis. Burgers are a mess to eat and maybe it's me but ii prefer an 8 oz burger in one patty vs. two.. I left over 1/2 my burger on my plate and again, no comment from robot waitress other than asking if I wanted it boxed up. 2 beers-2 wedges-inedible sour fried pickles--2 messy burgers-and tip=$60. There are a lot of restaurant options to explore in downtown Raleigh. Remove Chuck's from your list.
(1)Brendan S.
Anyone who puts this only at 4 stars is CLEARLY a communist. This is one of the 5 best burgers I have had anywhere from Sacramento to Cleveland to Austin, Charleston, SC to Miami. You can't go wrong - whatever mood you're in- but I LOVE the spirit animal. Legend-ARY
(5)Rachel O.
Cliff notes: If you're downtown, it's a solid place to eat. There's a whole lot of hype about Chuck's (spoiler alert: they hype didn't match my experience.) Since the hubbie and I were heading downtown, and we would be there right when they opened, we thought we'd give it a whirl. So when I'm thinking about what to give a restaurant these questions run through my head: 1. Is it convenient to drive to and is it worth the drive? 2. Parking?! 3. How long is the wait? And was the food worth the wait? 4. How does it compare to the other places i like? 5. Can I make it this good or better at home? 6. Is it worth the money? Question 1 and 2: Personally I don't find coming downtown "convenient" b/c of where we live (youngsville) but if we have enough stuff to do downtown, i don't mind going. But personally I wouldn't drive downtown just to eat here. Glad I tried it, but don't really feel a need to go back. As far as parking goes Chuck's is located right beside a huge parking deck, which is free to park in on the weekends, that is a super plus! Question 3: We arrived at Chuck's when the doors opened and were immediately seated. However within 30 mins of being there it had gotten pretty full, and was on the verge of being at 'wait listed for a table' capacity. If I were in the area and need sustenance and there wasn't more than a 20 min wait i might eat here again. But there are some really great other places downtown so it would not be my first pick. Question 4: It's better than any fast food you will get, but not the best I've ever had. I had the chicken sandwich, which was good. It had a nice crunchy outside and the chicken was nice and moist. I'm pretty sure they leave the skin on it evidenced by the globs of fat I had to remove as I ate it, wasn't a fan of that. I asked for the "house pickle relish Tabasco studded aioli" to be on the side, and was really glad I requested that b/c it was gross. My husband and I agreed that it had a fishy/off flavor to it. It was just not good. The fries, for me were spectacular. I love big hunky meaty fries and these were superb. For me they were the best part of the meal. (My hubbie likes anorexic fries, so he was not a fan). I like how they give you 2 options for dipping sauce with your fries, so i went with the roasted garlic aioli, which was fantastic!!! and the buttermilk herd dressing (aka ranch) which was very good as well! We also tried the sweet chili sauce, which reminded me of the stuff you can get at chinese take out. It was good. And I think the malt vinegar aioli.....average. I tried my husband's burger and though, eh, it's average. It wasn't exceptional, but solid and again better than what you would find at fast food. He got the 5 ounce which was about the size of a hockey puck, so if you have a little stomach it will be plenty, but if you're starving when you roll in i'd suggest getting the half pound. Question 5: Hate to say it, but yes, I can do just as well whipping it up myself at the house. (Keep in mind though I love to cook, and cook often. Some might not be as successful in the kitchen so it might be better for some people to eat here rather than attempt it themselves. :D ) Which is another reason, unless i'm with friends, I don't really feel a need to venture back. Sorry Chuck's! Question 6: My meal (b/c we always get water) was about $10 and Mr. O's was $9, so with tax and tip it was about $27. It was good, but i'm not sure it was worth that. :( sorry chuck's! So overall, for me, if i'm downtown and can't think of anywhere else to go, and there isn't a huge wait, Chuck's is solid. I didn't find it holy cow amazing and i think there are a lot of better options for the money, but i think it's worth giving it a try at least once to see what you think!
(3)Heidi Y.
I loved the sauces offered with the fries sooo yummy and different! I also like the "pickle fries"; I always get fried pickles pretty much everywhere I go, these are one of the better groups of fried pickles I have had! I had the veggie burger it was really good definitely different than most veggie burgers- which is what I liked about it! It is not a store bought veggie burger it is made in house! The peanut butter banana milk shake is amazing! But I am gonna tell you it's very filling so best to share! The regular fries are sooooooooooo good! I highly recommend I had a hard time telling myself to stop eating after I felt full! lol
(5)Ashley M.
Chuck's is awesome. I have tried the High and Valley burger and The Big House. The High and Valley, as Josh G. pointed out, leaves you a bit disappointed topping-wise. I too was super stoked for bacon onion jam, which was milder in taste than I had hoped, and the avocado, which was very modestly added to the burger. Even with the disappointment, I'd give this burger 4 stars based off the taste and quality of the meat alone. The High and Valley, on the other hand, is a five star experience for me. The cheddar cheese on that bad boy is sharp and tasty. If you like sharp cheeses, you will love this thing! The shallots and thyme are a brilliant addition. All in all: flavorful, juicy, mouth-wateringly good. Admittedly, both times I've come here I've been dieting for jiu-jitsu competitions, so I've never tried the bun. I did gorge a bit and try a few fries. :) I will say, trying only a few fries was HARD to do, because they are absolutely delicious, and the sauces are a fantastic touch. I need to revisit Chuck's one day and actually try the bun, enjoy a milkshake, and stuff my face further. I will be sure to update my review once that heavenly day happens. :)
(4)Michelle B.
I have to admit that I don't know who Ashley Christensen is so when I was told that I had to check this place out because she owned it, It wasn't impressed. Nope, in fact I went there just because I like a good burger. And, I needed one after the previous night. The wait on a Saturday morning was a little long and they don't really have a good waiting area. I also felt that they were slow to seat us even when a table was available. But, let me get to the good part... The burger! I ordered the blue cheese and beet burger (I forgot the name already) and loved it! I was able to order the smaller burger and it was the perfect size for me. My guy friend wishes he had ordered the larger size so if you've got a big stomach, do yourself a favor and go big on this one. The fries and dipping sauces were the fun part! All of the ones I tried were delicious and every other bite was a new flavor! All in all a good dining experience. I would definitely go back to this place if I lived closer.
(4)Babanashe M.
Woooow. I'm new in town and was down the street and wanted to run out for something to eat before a show. Dude told me they make the best burger I'll ever have. Yessir! Wow. Quite impressed. Burger, fries and a beer was excellent. Clean space, great meat, nice sauces with the fries. Definately coming back and visiting their sister (chicken) joint next door.
(5)Jaimey H.
4 Stars for the Fries Alone!!!! I loved the fries at Chuck's and with the different dipping sauces you can choose from, the possibilities are endless. I opted for the garlic aioli and I also got the malt vinegar aioli. The vinegar aioli was the best I ever had, and as a Marylander (we love our Boardwalk fries with malt vinegar and sea salt) it was a nice new approach to an old way of eating fries. I wasn't too impressed by the burgers, but I was informed that I ordered the wrong burger and I also got it over cooked. So for now this 4-star review will stand until i get the burger the right way.
(4)David V.
Nice variety of burgers to choose from. Thumbs up for providing a smaller, 5 oz option.
(4)Cait H.
Hold me... I had a hard time believing that Chuck's burgers were as good as everyone says until I finally took the plunge. Are the toppings a little "odd" for the average burger fan? Absolutely. But these burgers are far from average. There's something wonderful about seeing a burger option where you don't feel like you have to take something off or substitute. It's a burger miracle! I've had The High and The Valley both times I've visited Chuck's, and I think I'd have a hard time ordering something else. The burger itself is like butter in your mouth, topped with crushed, smooth avocado; salty, savory, amazing BACON ONION JAM; and hidden beneath the patty are delicious blistered red peppers. *Drool* And the fries - oh the fries! I'll admit that I love all potatoes (fried, mashed, au gratin, sweet, roasted), but these are divine. The Belgian fries are thick cut, hot, salty, and beautifully sitting in a paper cone for you to devour. You get your choice of 2 dipping sauces - I highly recommend the sweet chili sauce (kind of a Asian-y option) and the malted vinegar. Jay loves vinegar on his fries and he said Chuck's version was reduced down and almost syrupy. It got an A+ from him. It wasn't too busy either time I visited Chuck's, but I think it's probably a pretty popular late-night spot. If you go into Chuck's with an open mind and an empty stomach - you'll do just fine. Grab me some fries when you go.
(5)Andrew W.
Chuck's has the best burger in Raleigh. Draft comes in a close second. Just as Ashley Christensen probably intended, I love going to Chuck's and then heading down to Fox Liquor Bar for a cocktail. Chuck's isn't a place you hang out at for too long. Even if you were to savor every bite of one of their delicious burgers ("The Dirty South" and "The Spirit Animal" are my favorites), you can only eat a burger for so long. The fries are good, but not amazing. Make sure to try the "comeback sauce" for a creamy, spicy alternative to Heinz ketchup. Chuck's also has a few beers on tap, but I'm more tempted to order a milkshake or all-natural soda. If you're a girl or *ahem* smaller man, you may want to consider ordering your burger as a 5oz "little Chuck". As a tall hungry guy with an even larger appetite, I require the half pound. Chuck's doesn't oversize their burgers (like Draft does), so you ARE actually getting a half pound. The quality of Chuck's burgers is brought down a bit by their potato buns, which are served cold (not toasted or warmed). But, that won't stop me from coming back.
(4)John J.
My girlfriend and I got here at about 630 on a Wednesday night and were sat immediately--Made it right before the crowd! We split two burgers and a tin of fries so we could taste a variety! Burgers are amazing!!
(5)Sean C.
I want a tub of bacon-onion jam to spread on everything. The burgers and fries were great. The prices were low. The service was fast and friendly. I had some issues with the size of the burgers (thought they were on the small side, even the 8 oz. burgers), the buns (did not stand up well) and the policy on doneness (wouldn't serve anything short of medium). Overall, it was a great experience, and not more than a 5-minute wait despite a packed dining room on a Saturday night at prime-time.
(4)Leah W.
I returned again for a birthday dinner on Saturday. Everything was still fantastic - my Big House burger was demolished in no time and I still want to swim in the roasted garlic aioli sauce. Customer service impressed me - the server apologized to us for not coming right over to welcome us and comped our Cokes.
(5)Gary G.
Best burger joint in downtown Raleigh! Fresh ground beef makes such a difference in the quality of the burger. A must stop for a great burger! French fries are off the hook!
(4)Nicki S.
Loves this place...until they said they were going to charge a $10 cake fee for me to eat a cupcake for a birthday in the restaurant. A cake fee. For me to peel the wrapper down, and eat it. Not to provide a fork to eat it with or plate, but to seriously have me eat a cupcake. Burgers are great here, but won't be going back because that level of snobbery is a bit ridiculous.
(2)Candice O.
Chuck's has absolutely great burgers!! We dined in here a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. I had the dirty south (minus the onion rings). It was soooo good. The Belgian Frites were very much like the ones we had in Belgium! I was impressed! I enjoyed the sauces as well. We dropped back by on our way back out of town a few weeks later. It was almost closing time so our To-Go order was a little off. By the time I checked it, realized the error, and called, it was about 10 minutes after closing. I thought maybe they would just promise to fix it next time. No! Instead, the manager came on the phone & offered to correct it and make a new order or refund it and have dinner on them the next time we came back. We chose to have it fixed. She not only had them make us a new order, but refunded, and gave us a gift card for next time. She was extremely nice and apologetic. She kept during us (we stayed parked in our car out front). They stayed well beyond closing to make sure our order was perfect. I'm sure the mistake was a fluke tied to it being closing time, so I have no qualms about that. They more than made up for it. This was totally above and beyond what I expected! They have Nordstrom level customer service. I've never had such awesome effort put forth to make sure I was satisfied from a restaurant. They have totally earned my loyalty!
(5)Robeecats ..
Happened to be going thru Raleigh around lunchtime. Yelpers said this was a good place for burgers and they were not lying. It's right in downtown and easy to find. I was there on a Tuesday around 11:45. Found street parking really close and walked right in and was seated. About 20 minutes later the place was packed so I'm guessing I beat the lunch rush. It's in an old building but everything inside is nice and new and clean and modern. I chose the Dirty South Burger which is basically a burger with chili, slaw, mustard and cheddar. But the chili uses pork shoulder instead of ground beef. It was excellent. They have 2 sizes of burger...8oz and 5 oz. I got the 8oz and I would say it's about the size of a burger you would expect at a restaurant. Fries were thick cut and good. Not great but good. They had dipping sauces as well which I tried 2 of them (Comeback sauce, and Malt Vinegar Aioli) but I mostly ate them with ketchup. For a drink I tried the Aviator Root Beer which was good but very Root Beerish if that makes sense. It's like Barq's on steroids. I had a shake for dessert and had to choose between the peanut butter and banana or the peanut butter and chocolate. I went with PB/chocolate and it was very good. I think if I had them add banana to that it would have been out of this world delicious. All in all, this was a fantastic dining experience. A little on the high end for burger prices but I knew that going in. Definitely going to try and find a reason to go back to Raleigh in the future. I give it 4 Chuck's out of 5.
(4)Evelyn G.
Yummy burger
(4)Lori S.
I've been several times.. Burgers are seasoned deftly and cooked perfectly. The stars of the show are French fries and creative dipping sauces! I love the garlic aeoli and the malt vinegar aeoli ... YUM!
(5)Joan D.
If you want a great burger and fries, you won't go wrong with this choice, YUMMMY! The wait can be long, so plan ahead and go before you are famished and it will be well worth the wait. No dessert though, so just walk next door to Beasley's (also owned by the same owner/chef) and have their banana cream pudding at the bar, that's what we did, you will leave fully contented!
(4)Inez G.
My favorite place to snag a burger downtown! The Big House makes my tummy smile from ear to ear! This burger is just magical - there really are no words to truly express... just eat it and you'll know what I mean! I am also a huge fan of their craft root beer!!! My gosh it's the best combination I've ever experienced. Do not hesitate - if you love burgers - eat here!
(5)Ryan S.
I am a lover of burgers, and this place knows how to do them. I have always opted for the smaller patty choice cooked medium, every time I have had one it has been delicious. Upon my first visit I thought the burgers would require the basics; ketchup, mustard etc. FALSE. When they bring a burger to your table it is ready to eat. The flavor combinations for all the burgers on the menu are carefully crafted and the ingredients are quality. The fries are also an experience in and of themselves, because they are fresh, delicious, crispy and you can choose from several unique dipping sauces. I highly recommend this place it is awesome, and writing this review has made me hungry.
(5)Jon B.
Chuck's is a nice addition to DTR for burger lovers. Like it's neighbor/sister restaurant Beasley's, the menu is pretty straightforward with an interesting selection of burgers, side of fries with a number of sauces to compliment, and a beer/soda/milkshake to wash it all down. On our inaugural outing I got the Dirty South and my girlfriend got the High and the Valley. We split a side of fries with the garlic aioli sauce. I opted for the Aviator root beer while she got a Boylan ginger ale. The burgers were cooked just right and very flavorful. The fries are kind of the love child of your typical hand cut ones and steak fries: hand cut, but nice and big. Everything was really delicious and we said we'd be back. And back we were later that night when we got a hankering for something sweet in between shows at Hopscotch. She got the salty peanut butter shake and I went for the peach cobbler one. Both were tasty and satisfied our craving. The atmosphere has kind of a modern take on a classic burger joint. Like Beasley's it is rather noisy in there once it gets filled up with folks. The lights in front of the menu are also hung a bit low so it's hard to read everything unless you're right up at it without having to move around a bit. While it's not the cheapest burger you'll find ($9 plus an extra $4 for fries), Chuck's is worth price for the quality ingredients and different take on the traditional burger. Don't know if we'll hit it up twice a night each time, but the lady friend and I will definitely be back.
(4)Santana D.
Okay now, the burger I had here was amazing it was fresh and unique, it was the chili and cumin rubbed burger with pica de gallo and fresca cheese. Totally yum!!, but I literally came here to review their fries.....sounds trivial not important, HOWEVER they are the BEST FRIES I HAVE EVER EATEN in my life period......I know everyone says get a milkshake I will and I shall dip the heaven fries in it and literally explode from awesome. Everytime I crave fries now im like "should I go to chucks?" because no other can do.
(4)Jason J.
A dinner with a burger and a beer is generally the quickest way to get me to fall in love with you. Or, anything you put in front of me, really. I dropped into Chucks for lunch, hearing high-praise for their gourmet style burgers, as a party of one thinking that I could get a seat at the bar. Their first and only strike is really that they don't actually have a bar. I understand the hurdles that getting a full liquor license may provide, and wanting the focus to be on gourmet burgers, but I was disappointed to find that there was no bar. I ended up being directed to an open 4-top and kind of felt awkward as just one person taking up the space. However I didn't let it bother me and settled in with an Ichabod Pumpkin ale, and dutifully wiped up all the drool from staring at the menu. I went with the High and the Valley burger, made it a 5oz little chuck, and got a side of fries with the comeback sauce, ketchup, and malt vinegar aioli. The burger itself had a bacon and onion kind of mustard, crushed avocado, and roasted peppers. It was delicious! If slightly undercooked for my taste. The fries were fantastic, and the sauces were really delicious and a great complement to the big-thick style fry they serve. The only thing I was missing was straight up malt vinegar to go on top! Can't wait to drop back into Chuck's again and try more burgers. They aren't the greatest burgers I've ever had (partly because of my burger-style-preference) but oh my they are heavenly! What are you waiting for, go!
(4)Becky F.
I have 9 words for you (with a comma): Salty Peanut Butter with Roasted Banana Milkshake, add Bacon. Heaven. Need I say more?? Well I will, but not a whole lot more. The Burgers were great, my honey got the Bear In Heaven which is the closest you can get to a "regular" burger, and I got the Spirit Animal which was, well it was good, maybe I'm more of a "regular" type burger eater myself. We weren't as impressed with the Fries like so many other Yelpers are, we come from more of the skinny, crispy fry side of town, than the thick cut, skin on, kinda oily fry. I have to agree with Ron W that they could use a sturdier bun. I cut my burger in half and the bottom bun on both sides was practically non existent by the time I got to the end of each, and even the tops became just a reminder of a bun that once was. Overall we were happy with our meal, and we'll be back. Oh, and go to the bathroom! You've got to wash your hands anyway, and they have very cool Dyson Hand Dryers. I'm just sayin'.
(4)Cassie B.
Calling all Vegan rejects! Let me begin by saying I spent some time practicing vegetarianism...and now that I know this place exists, I know I can never be a true vegetarian. I do NOT like ground beef, however, these burgers were off the chain! Our server, Josh, was kind and took time to explain the menu to us. He was also had our food out so fast. We had a leisurely meal of real root beer, fresh squeezed lemonade and the dirty south and the palio (with bun) burgers and a half order fries. We also shared a peanut butter and roasted banana milkshake "romantic" style with two straws. I sound like a cow eating all this food. Okay, poor joke but seriously, although I feel bad for the animals, I feel good for my tummy.
(5)Adam K.
Amazing milkshakes--I recommend the salted peanut butter and roasted banana. "Too cool to be nice to you" service.
(4)Ariel W.
People who give this place less than five stars should not be trusted. My favoritest food in the whole world are burgers and this place definitely has the best. If you're willing to break away from the traditional lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, and ketchup aspect of burgers then you will love this place and the new improved what a burger can be. The spirit animal is my personal favorite and be sure to try the different dipping sauces with your fries.
(5)Steve P.
Fantastic burgers! Outstanding fries! I got the Dirty South and a friend got the Spirit Animal. Both were great. We also got the Fork and Knife Fries which were awesome. That big pile of fries was a meal all by itself. The follow-up service was just a tad slow, but it was a busy Friday night. I will definitely return to try the other burgers! I highly recommend the joint!!
(4)Sara J.
I'm kind of obsessed with Chuck's. I've never been a big fan of burgers, but theirs are so good. They are definitely my favorite burgers in Raleigh, possibly anywhere. However, I should note that I'm the type of burger lover who cares more about the toppings and bun than the actual burger part. My favorite burger is The Big House, with caramelized onions, some fancy mustard, and really good cheddar cheese. The bun is a nice texture and clearly not just straight out of a bag. If you order a burger to split with a friend, they'll cut it in half and put it on separate plates, which is nice. The fries are also great, and my personal favorite sauce is the garlic aoli. I found the sweet chili sauce underwhelming (it's too thin for a dipping sauce). Malt vinegar aoli is pretty good but could be stronger on the vinegar. Generally though I just love the fact that you get a variety of sauces to dip your fries into. I kind of wish they took reservations at least for busy nights, but I usually haven't had a problem getting a table. This tends to be a little less crowded than Beasley's next door. I'd advise not sitting near the windows in the late afternoon though because the sun is super strong.
(5)Peter H.
The burger I had was amazing and inventive. If you want a gourmet burger experience then this is for you. The frites are awesome and the smaller quantity is perfect for one. Larger can be shared. I had the roasted garlic aioli and the espelette aioli, which were both spectacular. I had the ginger ale, which I've dreamed about. The only regret is that I didn't have room for the milkshakes. Note: when I went it filled up quickly. I was glad I got their earlier than the lunch rush,
(4)Billy E.
Choices choices! Finally decided on a Dirty South (Carolina). I went with the 5oz patty and it was filling without the annoying food coma after effects. And the fried pickles. Very tasty!
(3)Adam W.
Burgers. Fries. Beers. Shakes. That's what Chuck's does, and it does them all well. The burgers are taken to the next level by their toppings, which go well beyond the basic ketchup/mustard. The Spirit Animal, mentioned so many times by other reviewers, is the king of the jungle. Burgers are offered in two sizes, most will be satisfied with the small. The fries are a revelation. Long, thick planks of fresh cut potatoes arrive hot and salty, with your choice of dipping sauces. Raleigh is a craft beer town, and Chuck's has a solid selection. The milkshakes are top notch, and offered in interesting flavor combinations. Service is friendly and informal. This is a popular place to dine, so expect a wait during peak hours.
(4)Big D.
Food was great, service was fantastic, and speed of delivery was quick... But, do not come in between 4:30 and 7:00PM without Sun Screen, a Wide Brim Hat, and Sun Glasses! The street side of the dining room is unbearable!
(3)Larry S.
Excellent burgers, crispy fries, and out-of-this-world milkshakes makes Chuck's a must visit. I love the Bear in Heaven burger. As always, I asked the server to ensure that the hamburger is cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and they obliged. The burger tasted great and the toppings were crisp and plentiful. I also ordered the Iceberg Wedge instead of fries. The Wedge is a giant slice of lettuce drizzled with a ranch-like sauce. The sauce is creamy and a bit tart, a nice compliment to the crunchy, crisp lettuce. While I didn't order the Belgian-cut fries, my family members did. They ordered fries with several different types of condiments. The fries were crisp on the outside, hot in the middle, and tasted great with the beef booster mayo. And the milkshakes, man alive! We ordered one of each and none disappointed. My favorite was the Salted Peanut Butter with Roasted Banana. A perfect way to end a delicious meal.
(4)Rick T.
Dirty South and frites were really good but I can't say most flavorful burger in the triangle. Frites were cooked perfectly and comeback and malt vinegar aioli were sublime. Also the root beer on tap was delicious, and they serve Blenheims ginger ale. Try the hot if you dare.
(5)Kyle M.
Best burger I've had in a long time. I ordered the High and Valley. My traveling colleague ordered the Big House. Both of us were very pleased. Thick, juicy, flavorful, cooked just right. Thick cut fries also excellent. Very pleased with this choice, start to finish. Good attentive service. The server was knowledgeable about the menu and the drinks. He recommended and excellent brew to match the burger. We were glad we came in.
(4)Phil G.
While in Raleigh late at night in search of food, we decided to try Chuck's. Being from Durham, it was hard to ignore the comparison between Chuck's and Bull City Burger. Because I am a fan of Bull City Burger I was already holding Chuck's to a high bar. For the most part, Chuck's did deliver. I had the "Bradley-Time" mainly because blue cheese on a burger makes me happy. The burger was cooked perfectly and it was nicely flavored. I can't say that loved the beets on the burger but they were ok. As for the atmosphere, this place usually has a crowd and it's very open and bright. Noise level is a little high but it's what I'd expect from a restaurant like this. Service was good. The server takes your order at the table (unlike Bull City Burger where you have to order at the counter and get a number). Call me lazy, but I think ordering at the table is easier and less stressful :) This is also a good place for food at a somewhat late hour (I think we were there around 10pm on a Saturday).
(4)Ryan V.
The burgers here truly are very good. However, BUYER BEWARE......they tend to cook the meat on the rare side. An order of "medium" is more medium rare.
(4)Anthony G.
The burgers are amazing and the fries are as tasty as Channing Tatum. The staff is cool and it's just a great place for a good burger that goes above and beyond what a burger should be. Lunch is just the time to come and sit. Dinner gets a little crowded but come early and take a walk after wards you'll need it.
(4)Christina G.
After a long day at World Beer Festival, my belly craved some booze-soaking sustenance. 10:30, and Chuck's only had one table available. Popular! In keeping with my Beasley's vs Dame's review, I'll posture this as a Chuck's vs Bull City Burger review... I prefer the atmosphere here. It feels clean & classic. No shared tables, and the bonus of wait service. Instead of a Boylan soda fountain, the sweet drink draw here is the milkshake. I had it on good authority that they're awesome, so I couldn't pass one up. Several to choose from, and I settled on the banana shake with salted peanut butter topping (sans bourbon shot, though you can have one added!). Unfortunately, the shake tasted way more vanilla than banana, so I was disappointed. Although it's pretty hard to stay disappointed with a milkshake of any kind for long. :) I like that Chuck's menu offers burger diversity and innovation. That said, for my first experience, I chose the familiar -- or rather, a fancier version of the familiar: aged cheddar, sorghum-dijon, and thyme-roasted shallots. I appreciate the baby burger option, in 5-oz. It was just the right size for me. And the burger was amazing... mister and I have a lot of meat-free meals, but this reminded me why I'm not vegetarian, and what I would miss if I was. To be honest, we just had Bull City Burger last weekend, so it was fresh in my mind. And I'm going to call it a tie between burgers. They're both excellent; and lucky for us, we can get a great one whether we find ourselves in Durham or Raleigh. Although... If Chuck's started brewing beers like Bull City Burger, then I might have to move to Raleigh.
(4)Kuanyu C.
"I love Chuck Bartowski and I don't know what to do about it." - Season 5, Chuck Okay, so Chuck's may not have a computer geek inadvertently downloaded critical government files into his brain and forced into being secret CIA agent, and partnered up with possibly one of the hottest blonde on TV; what Chuck's does have is a rather simple menu "for your eyes only," and "killer" tasty burgers that makes me question perhaps there is a God and he is a meatatarian like me, because why else could cow be so tasty? Recently the "Fork and Knife fries" has also been added to the menu; it is basically their Belgium Fries and Iceberg salad combined, and overload this messy happiness with bean chili. Caution: you will need that fork and knife. Speaking of government secrets, I do believe, instead of water-boarding, if we start depriving suspects of Chuck's milkshakes (chained them to one side of the table, and leave a SALTY PEANUT BUTTER W/ ROASTED BANANA MILKSHAKE on the far end) we will have more effective interrogations. Quote me on that! P.S. A classy establishment that also serves Jarritos, how cool is that?! P.P.S. Since I don't have easy access to Bull City Burger within walking distance, unlike some of my fellow yelpers, this will have to serve as my fav burger hangout.
(5)Carter D.
If you like the hipster vibe, you'll like Chuck's. If you like the hipster vibe and burgers, you'll love Chuck's. If you are indifferent to the hipster vibe and like burgers, you'll like Chuck's. If you are either indifferent to the hipster vibe and dislike burgers or hate the hipster vibe, then you probably won't like Chuck's. That being said, I'm not a hipster and I LOVE Chuck's. Their burgers are some of the best in Raleigh in my opinion. Their fries are pretty decent as is their beer selection. The only fault I can think of is the size of the menu. Not a lot of selection, but then again, they pretty much only do gourmet burgers.
(4)Michael E.
I've been to Chuck's a few times, but none was as memorable as last nights experience. There comes a time in every food lovin' fans life where you come across a relatively daily if not mundane item and when you bite into an offering from an establishment the food is not only elevated to a whole different level, it is what I affectionately refer to as a "moment". I've tried a few burgers from Chuck's and have had near "moments", but last night - last night was a "moment". Blame it on the Sweetwater tasting I was at previous to coming to dinner, blame it on the Triangle Habanero Ale I enjoyed even prior to that, or go back even further to ascribe it to the Evil Twin Biscotti Break I quaffed. Whatever planets aligned, the Mayan calendar stated that I was going to have a moment with one of the most basic burgers Chuck's offers. When my buddy and I came in we ordered a couple beers, and I went with my old Chuck's standby a 21st Amendment offering. My buddy Mike went with the special of the evening, pimento cheese and pickled jalapenos on a nice juicy pink burger in a potato roll which he stated was the best burger he had ever had. I was torn between the Last Word and the The Big House. I opted for the Big House - Hook's 3 year cheddar, Tennessee Sorghum-Dijon and thyme caramelized shallots. An eccentric play on a cheddar cheese burger with caramelized onions. Midway through my first bite had I seen AC in her establishment I may have forgone propriety and planted a big greasy wet kiss on her cheek. However she was not there, and in all honesty I wouldn't want to chance the prison time for assault or the beating she would dish out while we waited on the cops. Needless to say, I had a Moment with that burger. It was one of those eyes closed, enjoy the flavor times in your life where you are transported through the flavor progression as you chewed. Saltiness from the cheddar and the top crusty of the pan seared meat, sweet fattiness from the deep recesses of the burger with that unctuous deliciousness you only get from med rare beef, add in the sweet and savory from the thyme and caramelized shallots and top it all off with a bit of a kick from the Dijon. Had I not wanted to ruin the first thoughts of the burger, I could have ordered a second one. But, why mess with perfection. Not taking away from the Belgian fries we ordered - I highly recommend the sweet chili and the comeback sauce for your dipping choices. The Heinz is also where it's at. Thick fries with that crisp starchy texture you get from chips. Finally to round out the night, we didn't want to allow our gluttony to end and didn't want a dessert. We spoke to our server - who was on point the entire night, and asked if we could order from Beasley's and have it served at Chuck's. She stated no, but offered their own in house chicken sandwich as an option. Two crispy, heavily and heavenly battered filet/breast loin pieces served nestled in a pillowy potato bun. Now I haven't had Beasley's chicken biscuit, but this chicken sandwich was awesome in and of itself. Watch your back Ashley, if things continue down this path my wife may think I'm cheating on her with you vicariously through your food.
(5)Renee D.
Finally had a chance to try the FAMOUS Chuck's burgers this past weekend. We went during lunch time on a Saturday, there were three of us but we were seated immediately. That alone wants me to credit them with an extra star.... Food: Burgers were really good. I got the burger with the avocado, roasted red peppers and bacon-onion jam. The bacon-onion jam is the reason I chose that particular burger and I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the star of the sandwich. Some bacon/onion flavor but I expected much more taste in that. However, the Belgian Fries? BEST in the area. The Malt Aioli was my dip of choice and it's so rich and indulgent and perfect. Daughter had a strange request that brought tears to the eyes of the other people who happen to love PB at the table but whatever; Chuck's accommodated her request of the Salty PB + Roasted Banana milkshake by not including the PB part. Seriously, best milkshake I've ever had. Real taste, not overly sweet, perfect way to end the meal. The burgers at Tribeca Tavern though? Better than the one I had. Good enough that I'll go back again though.
(4)Ryan L.
Chuck's has a great assortment of eclectic burgers you won't find in the rest of the city. If you are looking for an adventure of your taste buds then you have found the right place. I stopped in the other day for lunch and the place was packed but I was able to get seated right away. I didn't know what to expect being it my first time there but the wait staff was very friendly and went through the menu with me and recommended their favorites. I selected the High and Valley with the crushed Avocados and red peppers. Always like it spicy!! The only down side was the portion size to cost ratio. "where's the Beef" right! Otherwise a great experience. Reccommended yelpers!
(3)Jay M.
Great burger. I Came here from out of town. Where I live we have amazing burgers so this place was up for a challenge. And it passed with flying colors. My cheddar bacon burger was amazing, the lettuce on my burger wasn't so good, but nowhere near a deal breaker. I'd go back of sure, a definite 5 stars. I may even go before I head back home
(5)Yuan F.
I really want to like this place...but I can't. We ordered the burger with avocado (can't remember the name), fork and knife fries and dark chocolate milkshake. The burger was way too salty, by any standard. Fries were good but how can you mess that up with melted cheese and chili? I've heard great things about their milkshakes but mine was merely mediocre. I'd rather go to Bull City in Durham for a good burger.
(2)Andrew M.
My favorite burger in Raleigh for sure. The Last Word is simply divine and I crave the fries and assorted dipping sauces on a weekly basis.
(5)Guy C.
4 of 4 stars (excellent, casual dining). (see explanation of ratings below) Stools are a bit uncomfortable. Keep wanting to try the chicken sandwich, but always get pulled back to beef. Great burgers. About $15 per person, gratuity not included. LOVE their shakes (especially with a shot of bourbon). About my ratings: Only high-priced dining establishments can garner five stars. Until yelp realizes that a fast food joint cannot possibly be ranked equally with a $100 per person place, I need to draw the line somewhere. If we were only talking about the quality and presentation of the food, it would be a different story. But, as we know, yelp's rankings take into account the entire dining experience. Therefore, I divide restaurants into three categories (and I wish yelp would do the same): 1) fast food and "fast-casual", low-priced (no table service). 2) casual, mid-priced dining (table service, average entrée price: $10-$20). 3) fine, high-priced dining (linen napkins, no plastic cups, no TV's in dining room, average entrée priced at more than $20, can vary depending on the city). High-priced dining can earn a max of five stars. Mid-priced dining can earn a max of four stars. Fast food can earn a max of three stars.
(4)Alison D.
Still a 4 after my second try, but probably more solidly a 4 now. My BFF and I split the Bradley and the Spirit Animal, both were amazing. The Spirit Animal was surprising...how could just simple cream cheese and poblano be so good? Trust me, it can! And I've always loved blue cheese and discovered a new love for beets, and together on the burger they were just as expected: solidly good. Probably the only thing that keeps them from being a 5 is the limited beer list, particularly when they are sold out of 2-3 kinds.
(4)Amy L.
Chuck's has the best burgers in Raleigh, hands down. I've yet to try one I don't like, and the smaller burger option is plenty for lunch or dinner. I typically split fries with another person, and the garlic aioli and comeback sauce are my favorites!
(5)Nancy P.
Traveling with my foodie companion and our kiddos yesterday I mentioned Chucks. I read to her their burger description and she was sold. I ordered the last word burger and we decided to split some fries. The burger was delicious and unlike any burger I've had. The meat is so fresh it looks like its going to crumble on the bun but somehow manages to stay together until it reaches your mouth. And then iit just melts like butter. The fries too were thick cut but long. We had three sides to choose from which
(4)Matthew G.
I gotta tell ya, these burgers are great! The toppings deliver so much flavor. The buns are very fresh and make for the ideal grease sponge. The location is central, the ambience is casual and clean, and the menu is limited, meaning that they are focused on doing exactly what they do well... always a good sign. Only a couple mild suggestions: make take-out ordering easier and train your staff better. They act more like inexperienced kids working at the Gap than food service professionals.
(4)Yan T.
Mooooove over, every other burger I've ever had. There's a new king in town. I saw that Chuck's was getting rave reviews from locals and decided to stop it. On a Sunday it was only 1/3 full, refreshing coming from a city where every eatery that gets written up is mobbed by brunch vultures on weekends. The space looks brand new and there are signs that it was designed by savvy consultants. But no matter. The burger choices are all tantalizing. I went with The Dirty South, which adds smoked pork shoulder, red pea chili, crispy tobacco onions, roasted tomato slaw, cheddar, and yellow mustard. It was love at first bite, and I tried to savor the 1/2 pound burger as long as I could. I also ordered the Belgian-style fries, which came with 2 dipping sauces--I did the spicy mayo and red chili. Both amazing, and the quality of the fries was outstanding. Just note that for some reason they don't go below medium in burger preparation. Come on, South, rare's where it's at! They also offer a good selection of local drafts and canned beers.
(5)Heather R.
Hands down, the best veggie burger I have ever had. I was a little weary at first because of the sweet potato but, my goodness, that burger was special. The fries were also delicious and the variety of sauces to choose from were plenty. We went with the comeback sauce and the roasted garlic aioli, both were big on flavor and did not disappoint. Service was outstanding and the wait was not too long. I will physically have to restrain myself from coming to this place every week.
(5)John L.
Really good burgers. Kinda strange hipster vibe. But that means the music was good, the service just didn't seem to care. Not that it mattered because neither of those two things changed the fact the they have awesome burgers a few good beers and its pretty cheap.
(4)David B.
Chuck's is a cool restaurant with lick-your-fingers good burgers. I actually had a fried bologna sandwich, which is a nice addition to their menu. Slathered with Duke's mayo, it was delicious. The only change I would have made to it was the greasiness of the bread. You can obtain a grilled piece of bread without drenching it in liquid shortening. Overall the taste was very good. Fries were crisp and the choice of two sauces was a cool added touch. The house sauce was drinkably good. Give Chuck's a try. I'll revisit it for sure.
(4)Lindy P.
I hadn't heard the best things about Chuck's over the past year, but I must say- it was better than what I've heard. The burgers are ground in-house and cooked to order. Mine had bacon-onion jam on it, and that was quite unique (not my favorite though). I didn't like the atmosphere too much, as the tables were so crowded together & it felt like you were sharing your meal with the folks beside you. I'd go back, but not on a super busy weekend night.
(3)Matt K.
For sure! Eat here. I had a "feature of the day" 8 oz. Cheese Burger and the Malt Vinegar Aioli sauce for my fries. The beef was rubbed with a spicy pepper. The burger had roasted mushrooms and peppers. Make sure you do. You won't regret.
(5)Amy H.
I hate to downgrade Chuck's, but feel it is necessary after the last couple of visits. The burgers also seem to be going down on quality. Still very good, mind you, but not as stellar as before. Maybe they are using a different supplier? Also, on my last visit, we had a group of 6. 2 of my friends arrived early and they refused to give them a table big enough for 6. It was raining out, so they decided to sit at a smaller table and get drinks while they waited. I could understand this if it was busy, but it wasn't enough half full. Once we were all there and ordered, it took a good 45 minutes to get our burgers. It has never taken that long and again, it was NOT busy. I'm not throwing in the towel on this place, but I am less inclined to recommend it to others and I definitely won't be going there if I am in any kind of rush.
(3)Tia S.
I like my burgers medium rare, but since we can't get them served that way in Raleigh (I think this changes before the end of this year), I'll settle for medium. The burger selection here is amazing. You'll waste time fighting with yourself about the menu. Service was very good and the server made really good recommendations. Don't miss the fries and the specialty dipping sauces. They are delicious. Also available are cool beverages like spicy ginger soda. I definitely recommend this place.
(4)Lewis L.
I just had the best burger I've ever had, coupled with great hand-cut fries that were cooked to perfection and some delicious dipping sauces. I had the 5 oz. Big House burger (3-year aged cheddar, Tennessee sorghum-mustard sauce and thyme caramelized shallots), served medium on a soft bun that held everything together but didn't get in the way. The dipping sauces I chose were the roasted garlic aioli and the Comeback Sauce, which the waiter said was a mayo blend with ketchup, sriracha and horseradish. Both were excellent, but I preferred the Comeback Sauce. Service during workday lunch was great and the atmosphere, while bare, was pleasing. It is all geared towards a great burger experience with few distractions. I'll be back!
(5)Ess K.
They suck.. Never eat here.. I tried their buttermilk fried chicken, it was dry, stale & waitress was super rude. One bite and I did spit it out.. I will never come back.. How can you mess up fried chicken ?
(1)Anna S.
those Dutch style (?) fries are the best ive ever had!!! and the shakes left an impression as well. I didnt care for the burger, but im a classic style burger girl... not so adventurous... therefore I wont give less than 5 stars bc everyone else in my party was raving over the burgers (:
(5)Jon A.
All about the meat here. You get your burger and looks small, but meat is thick and outstanding. Great burger. Fries are good and sauces that accompany are great. Fried pickles are ok. A little too thin for my taste. Like paper thin. Can't really taste the pickles. Everything else was great. Shrimp sandwich was awesome as well.
(5)Alex L.
Incredible value. Great prices for such high quality beef. Get some pickle fries with garlic fries while you wait. Wash down with some cheerwine. Gets busy quickly
(4)Jacob C.
Walked by famished with my sister. We thought it looked neat inside, both of us were in the mood for something greasy and rich. When isnt that a burger or pizza?? When I read the menu I was blown away at the creativity of each and every burger. It made my decision so hard. I ended up going wit the Bradley Time which comes with: Roasted beets, Wisconsin buttermilk blue cheese, red onion, endive and banyuls aioli. SAY WHATTTTTTTTT!!! The burger was as amazing as I read it, imagined it and hoped it would be. An explosion of different rich flavors on so many different flavor levels. I scarfed it down, even for as messy as it was. Also the fries are something serious. They are more like wedges, which really plays to the Irish in me. Definitely go with their sriracha dipping sauce for the fries, it could have used more sriracha though. With a nice, clean and modern atmosphere. Super creative menu with great ingredients, and affordability. It might be the best burger place i've ever ate at.
(5)j m.
Chuck's? Check! Honestly I'm not a fan of the atmosphere here -- loud and under-finished -- and the service has been spotty. And given the a la carte menu if you have a beer or split a milkshake it's easy to walk out of here at over $20/head which seems excessive for a burger place. But good golly, the burgers and fries. You know that episode of How I Met Your Mother? This might just be the place. Looking at the burger descriptions you might want to say "too many things going on there" -- but it all comes together in a way that puts "gourmet burger" places like Red Robin to shame. Pick one with an ingredient you would not usually associate with a burger -- like Kale -- and let the magic begin. Have the fries plain; these don't need the extra goop. 5 stars for the burger and fries, 3 stars for everything else.
(4)Arden V.
My wife and kids have been coming here for several months now. The burgers are always great, and there are lots of interesting toppings. My wife, who doesn't even eat meat much any more, always gets a burger. An order of fries is huge and will serve at least two. There are lots of dipping sauces to choose from. The milkshakes are fantastic - make sure to ask what their specials are. The last time in we had pumpkin - yummy. We usually haven't had any trouble getting seated, although Friday and Saturday nights are busy. Love it!
(4)Lauren R.
Can't stop. Won't stop. Chuck's is usually my Monday go-to. While I'm not adventurous enough for anything except the Bear in Heaven (little chuck [5 oz]), they offer a nice variety to please the more daring taste buds, as well as the paleo driven. With friends, you must split the half pound of Belgian fries. You still always have some left-over, but your meal isn't complete without them. The garlic aioli is a staple, I don't care what other dipping sauce you get. I'm usually too full for any else, but rumor on the street is that their roasted banana and peanut butter milkshake is fairly amazing.
(4)Heather B.
100% Chuck Visit: October 30 R-Line Stop: R16 (before 6:30 pm). R17 (after 6:30 pm) It's been about 2 months since Andy and I have had red meat (been following a 'pescatarian' diet) and he had a craving. What to do? Go to Chuck's! We live in downtown Raleigh and the restaurant selection on Sundays is pretty slim so we were happy to discover that Chuck's was open. When we arrived, we were surprised by the small sign in the entrance asking us to 'wait to be seated'. I've read the Yelp reviews and several people mentioned that Chuck's only had counter service. We asked our waitress about it and she said they began table service about a week ago. Chuck's offers seven burger 'combinations'. None of them sounded perfect to me in that they had something included that I didn't care for. I asked the waitress about 'personalizing' the burger and she told me that I could take things off but not add items. I would prefer a little more flexibility in my burger fixings but I could work with it. In addition to the half-pound 100% chuck patty, I was pleased to see that they offered a Little Chuck (5 oz.). Perfect size for me! Also vegetarians are welcome at Chuck's...you may substitute a beef patty for a veggie patty. Yeah! I was psyched about the veggie patty option for future visits to Chuck's. There is also a salad entrée option, the Iceberg Slab Salad with plum tomato, avocado, red onion, buttermilk blue cheese and red wine vinaigrette. I ordered the Little Bear In Heaven minus the mayonnaise. Don't like mayo! Ick! My husband chose The High And The Valley. Unique names. The burgers are served medium and my husband requested well done. We decided to share an order of fries (half pound). A side of fries is available for $2.50. The fries come with ketchup and you can choose another dipping condiment. The majority are flavored aiolis and since I don't do mayo, my choices were limited. So we went for the sweet chili sauce. Lickity split and our burgers arrived. My Little Bear was perfectly cooked, a nice bright pink throughout, and it was very juicy. The roma tomato slices were so fresh, tasted delicious. The house pickles seemed homemade but they had a little bit too much sweetness for me. I prefer dill pickles. No harm, no foul, I just took them off and gave them to Andy. My burger included a generous amount of 'Switzamerican' cheese, no skimping with the cheese. The potato roll was fresh, high quality baked good. I was able to finish my whole burger and was pleasantly full so the 5 oz. patty was just the right size for me. I had room for a few fries, which were light crispy brown and tasted fabulous. I liked the sweet chili sauce too. Andy's burger was well done, just the way he likes it. He really enjoyed his burger. He commented that the bacon-onion jam gave the burger a real smokey flavor. The combination of the avocado and red peppers with the jam was excellent. We didn't have drinks but Chuck's offers 2 red wines, 2 white wines, and a sparkling wine for $5 a glass. The bottles of wine are only $20. Good deal. There are 2 beers. The nonalcoholic options include Jarritos cane sugar sodas and milkshakes. I need to go back and try one of the shakes because they sound delicious. The next time you have a craving for a good burger, check out Chuck's.
(4)John M.
I stopped in here for dinner with my brother on a Thursday night. He had read about this place and wanted to check it out. The place was not busy, but had a hostess working the door. I guess that means that it gets busy from time to time, but obviously not the night we went. Frankly the should have sent the hostess home. The menu is limited and really only has a few burgers. The burgers run from about $6-9 and don't come with any sides. Sides like a salad or fries run $3-5. They were good, but nothing to rave about. Dinner for three ran about $40. It's a little much for a burger joint. They didn't have any local beers on tap which is always a minus for me at a local joint. Honesty though, I'm not surprised since the Busy Bee doesn't really either and I believe these places are partnered. All and all it's a good burger, but too pricey. This place s trendy, but lacks a variety on the menu & local beers. I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Karmilla C.
I gave five starts because they got the best veggie burger I ever had !!!!!!!! So amazing:))highly recommended ! Well I ordered with no cheese inside and it taste amazing!!
(5)Lauren B.
I had friends in town and decided that Saturday lunch at Chuck's would be fun since it's been on my Raleigh Bucket List for awhile. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed. THE GOOD: the delicious dipping sauces for the fries and my salted banana and peanut butter milkshake! THE BAD: the service and wrong orders. Two people in my group received the wrong burgers and another received a well done burger when she ordered medium rare. Even after sending burgers back, one of the burgers was still wrong. We just gave up! I had high hopes for Chuck's but left disappointed and regretting taking out of town friends here for lunch.
(3)Dorothy D.
I ended up coming to Chucks by accident and I'm so happy we stayed here to eat. The decor is very cute yet simplistic. It's kind of hectic in the restaurant due to it being a Saturday night and limited seating however I was able to sit my party of 8 within 20 minutes. I had the Last Word. The burger itself with delicious however I wish I ordered the Carolina Burger. I ate some of my friends and it's to die for. What I really enjoyed was the fries and the various dipping sauces. We were only able to choose two and you get ketchup with it. If you get the fries at Chucks, order the garlic aioli. It was the best sauce they had. I ended up putting some on my burger. What I liked best actually were the shakes. Both adults and kids can enjoy! Normal shakes for the kids and spiked for the adults. The only bad thing about the spiked shake is that you have to drink it before the ice cream melts or else the alcohol will melt all the way to the bottom leaving an unpleasant drink.
(4)Tommy H.
Amazing burgers, great sauces, a bit pricey but well worth the wait. And you will have to wait on a Saturday night! There isn't a lot of room to wait inside the business so be prepared to stand outside when they are REALLY BUSY. Cool place located in the heart of the downtown bar scene. Convenient parking garage located next to it.
(5)Ela P.
LOVE this place- One of my favorites in Raleigh- the staff is great, the menu isnt too large but everything I've tried has been perfect. Fun atmosphere, definitely recommend and will be coming back soon.
(5)Stacie N.
I've been back several more times since this review, and it's true. I'm back here to make this a five-star review. For gourmet burgers in the Triangle, I remain convinced that this is as good as you can get. I say this despite living down the street from one elsewhere in the Triangle. I've now completed the circuit of burgers and tried the veggie burger, plus downsized a few to the Little Chuck (5 oz at $6.75, instead of 8oz at $9). Last Word, Spirit Animal, and Dirty South take the cake for me, but I also thought the Bradley Time as a veggie burger was kind of a masterpiece. Beet-tastic. Rotating special burgers are generally awesome, too, though most days I'd still say the aforementioned Holy Trinity outshine even the specials. I understand that different people have different reasons for loving a place, so here's what I think makes Chuck's the best burger around: Some people are attracted to choice--nearly limitless combinations that you cobble together based on the particular whim you're experiencing that day. This is why Los Comales, Med Deli, Chubby's Tacos, and Bull City Burger are so beloved. You can customize to your heart's content. Folks like that will appreciate knowing that you can still build-a-burger at Chuck's, even though they've removed it from the menu. Other people--like me--are more attracted to a well-curated selection of a talented chef's inspirations. Chef Christensen and the chefs under her have spent inordinate amounts of time working out flavor combinations that are creative, taste good, and work together in the way a seamless unit should. Individual flavors give way to a larger gustatory theme, which becomes bigger than its original parts. I think Chef Christensen is a master of this, and her burgers reflect it. Next time you're eating a burger, think about what you're tasting. Are you tasting all the flavors individually? Or are you getting hints of this and that, with textural variety from the various components, that comes together into something new on your tongue? A symphony shouldn't just be a handful of individual musicians playing at the same time; great food is the same.
(5)Marc C.
Well, I have to be honest. After a fairly mediocre experience at Beasley's and reading some of the previous reviews, I was all set to dislike Chuck's. However, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I much prefer Chuck's atmosphere and seating arrangements when compared to Beasley's. It was just more comfortable. The staff was helpful and ordering at the counter was fairly efficient. Our lunch order came out in just a few minutes. The half pound burgers were excellent. While I didn't get a choice on how to cook it, mine came out a nice juicy medium-rare. I had the Spirit Animal; cream cheese, roasted poblanos, grilled tomatoes, tortilla dust. It was excellent. My friend had the Bear in Heaven which is closest to a "normal" burger; Roma tomato, lettuce, onion, sweet pickle, cheese and mayo. The pickles tasted home made and she enjoyed it. We shared fries and tried both the "Comeback Sauce" and the "Roasted Garlic Aioli" The Comeback Sauce had a great bite to it. I would definitely try it again. All in all, Chuck's was a good experience. I will definitely be back but at the prices they charge, it is a bit out of my price range for an "every day" lunch.
(4)Matthew G.
Went to Chucks due to actually being in Downtown Raleigh, hearing the commotion about it, and convenience to where I was heading afterwords. The decor is a fun take on cattle theme mixed with a bit of an urban feel. Having looked at the menu online and hearing the specials. I decided on the first burger on the list which consists of many things, but most intriguingly, beets. I was the only diner in the place from about 6-6:45 which I thought was odd, but it was the middle of the week. The hostess and server were both genial and the music being played was of the Motown persuasion. I was asked how I would like my burger with the preface that medium was the kitchen's preferred method of prep which I was fine with. The burger was huge and a bit hard to eat on its own and so I sliced it in half. The problem still being that the beets slid around alot. On top of this, who ever constructed the burger, put the beets against the bread which is a no no since the bun gets soggy and falls apart. The meat itself didn't really stand out to me as I've had better flavored patties elsewhere in the triangle, but as a whole it was delightful. The fries to me were.. well fries. I'm not saying the fries weren't tasty but I saw nothing special about them. They aren't shoestring as photos on Yelp will indicate. I did enjoy the dipping sauces I chose which were malt vinegar aioli and sweet red chili sauce. Actually, I enjoyed mixing the two together on occasion. Would I return to Chucks? Of course! Would I go out of my way to do so? Not unless I wanted to try one of those shakes.
(3)Kristen B.
Food was fantastic, but on the pricey side. Burger and fries were great. Loved the decor, very modern and cool. I was there at the very beginning of lunch hour and the noise was deafening. And the place was only half full. We couldn't hear the waiter, or what each other at the table was saying. I can't even imagine how it would be if the place was full. Because of that I'd probably stick to BurgerFi for my pricey burgers. Equally good food and cool decor, but larger restaurant and less noisy.
(4)Brittany F.
Let me just be clear: this is heaven in burger form. The Big House, a big juicy burger with shallots, thyme and wonderfully sharp cheddar is literally a religious experience. The low-cost, low maintenance venue is semi-sterile, but nicely designed. And the fries, oh the fries, are a symphony of deliciousness. The dipping sauces are all incredible, but the green pepper dijion is truly amazing. Bottom line: If you even think you like burgers, you'll like Chuck's. Get ready for your taste buds to be blown away.
(5)Madeline C.
Great TASTING burgers, but also incredibly greasy burgers.... Left my plate covered in a greasy puddle. Guess that makes them "moist", but suffice to say that even after the five ounce burger (the smaller of the two burgers sizes) I had a stomach ache for a few hours. Highly recommend the spiked milkshakes though... They were great, and the atmosphere was good. Can't recommend the burgers though, and that's what the restaurant is all about....
(3)Nicolette S.
Excellent service, delicious food. Four of us had different burgers and fries and one also got the roasted banana milkshake. Everything was terrific, cooked perfect and at a completely reasonable price. We will be back!
(5)Josh H.
The wife and I have wanted to try Chuck's for a while. We were curious, so when my sister came into town, we decided it would be a great opportunity to give it a whirl. I ordered the Dirty South Burger (pretty much a Carolina style burger). This really was a great burger. The flavor and quality of the beef was spot on, the toppings were great, and the bun really brought it all together. We also ordered a side of fries. One of my favorite (and hardest) parts of the Chuck's experience was getting to select the dipping sauces for the fries. We went with garlic aioli and the sweet chili sauce. They were pretty much the opposites of each other, but I liked them both, and found myself alternating dips (but no double dips!) between fries. As much as I enjoyed the food at Chucks (and I will reiterate, it was very tasty), I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the price. I feel that $9 for a burger (with no side) is a little too much, especially when there are so many choices in Raleigh, many with equally tasty burgers. Basically, I feel like this will become a place that I go occasionally, maybe if someone from out of town was coming to visit and wanted to try somewhere unique near some downtown bars.
(3)Luci H.
I've been salivating ever since I heard Chuck's was coming. It was worth the wait. They have a burger called the Spirit Animal. I rest my case. I assumed it would be a lot like Beasley's, but in lieu of wait staff, you order at the counter and seat yourself. Easy enough. Oddly enough, I was told by staff that I couldn't order my burger medium rare, yet the meat was ground in house? Shouldn't that not be the case? Regardless, our burgers had a healthy dose of pink. I had the High and the Valley, while my boyfriend had the Spirit Animal. Both were delicious. We shared an order of frites with a side of roasted garlic aoili which were also excellent. A great addition to downtown Raleigh that's already a favorite.
(4)Sarah O.
Total. Udder (pun intended). Happiness. Hubby is a major burger snob. Last Saturday he insisted we check this place out for lunch, as we were headed to downtown Raleigh to do some exploring. We were surprised at what a small menu they had - and with such risky burger combinations, to boot! But clearly, they have this thing figured out. I had the Bradley Time burger (5oz) which was topped with beets, red onions, buttermilk bleu cheese, endive and banyulis aoli. The only thing I would have changed would be omission of the red onions. They were raw and a lot to handle in this burger overload. Hubby made his own burger with cheddar, bacon-onion jam, and avocado, and he was in some serious burger heaven. I had to keep pinching him to bring him back to earth. The fries are perfection - we got two small orders instead of one large, since each small order comes with a choice of 2 sauces, and we wanted to nibble and taste everything. Our (2 year old) kiddo ended up being the star of the show - the Chuck crew fell in love with him and his dapper style (he was wearing his play hipster glasses and a driving cap and his Run DMC adidas... they kept coming out to visit. It was really cute, and by the end of the lunch, Jack was following the hostess around and helping her sit tables. Super cute. We will totally be back, if not for anything else than to try the boozy milkshakes with our burgers. Seriously?? Love.
(4)Ursa M.
I did it. I went back for the food. I was hankerin for a thick, juicy, soft, flavorful, amazing burger. It seems logical to me that the first place you'd go in DTR is CHUCK'S because they pretty much only serve burgers (and some lone chicken thing). Now, two weeks previous I had the most incredible burger of my life in a small shop in a tiny town in the middle of Nowhere, Georgia. So I've got this as a stable basis for comparison. And I like my burgers PLAIN. Not even a bun (more on that later) --- so I'm truly talking about how the BURGER tastes, not all the crap they put on it. How do I say this..? Chuck's sucks. It may as well be fast food. The first red flag was when the waitress didn't ask me how I well I wanted my burger. I was kind of aghast. Since when do you order a burger in a NICE burger place and not specify how you want it done? Even places like Applebee's ask you how you want your burger done. And how about Ted's Montana Grill*? I stopped her and asked if she wanted to know how well I'd like the burger. She replied that all burgers come out kind of medium with a warm pink center. All the hairs on my neck stood up; I suddenly realized that either all the burgers had been somewhat pre-cooked, or the cook doesn't give a shit about individual orders and they have robots in the kitchen. For $10 a freakin burger? Not cool. The next red flag was how long it took the burgers to come out. It was way too fast. It may seem ridiculous to complain about food coming out too fast, but take it from me: this was TOO FAST and reiterated my thoughts that stuff was pre-cooked, pre-frozen, pre-something. At that point, I pretty much knew not to expect anything wonderful. I ordered the High And Valley(?) burger, the one with avocado and bacon jam, BUT I asked for all the condiments on the side so I could have the actual burger first, and condiments if I wanted them. Here's my description of the burger: 1. It was not thick. It was not McDonald's thin, but it was not $10 thick. It was maybe just under 1/2 inch thick. And perfectly round. And perfectly pressed. 2. It was not juicy. It was, instead, quite dry. It was not crisp, but, instead, it was *hard* around the edges -- the kind of hard that indicates something has been sitting somewhere for a little while; therefore, 3. it was not soft. 4. It was not flavorful, like really good beef normally is, even without S&P or other spices. The meat alone was bland. So... it's chuck, but the chuck of what? 5. It was not amazing. It was disappointing. Additionally, the bacon onion jam stuff was way overly sweet. The avocado couldn't help the burger (I smeared some on, then scraped it off because it just made it worse), and my table mates complained about the suckiness of the buns. I have heard this from other friends who've said the burgers are pretty good at Chuck's but the buns suck, because they are just your run-of-the-mill grocery store buns, even if they are "potato" buns. I can't speak for the bun because I didn't eat it. However, one would think if all you serve are these special burgers with all this fancy stuff on them why the hell would you frame it in a cardboard box? Anyway. I had a small side salad that was actually good in comparison to everything else, but for $3.50, a tiny plate of greens isn't making up for anything here. One of my table mates gave the shakes another try and was again disappointed by the fake-tasting ice cream. So, in summary, go to Chuck's if you want fancy condiments. Tir na Nog is a much better option for burgers and I wish I'd gone there instead; it's right around the corner. Or I would have rather driven to Durham for Ted's. $31 + tip for 2 crappy burgers, 1 order of fries (WHICH ARE AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE), 1 plate of green lettuce and tomato chunks, and 1 crappy $5 milkshake. *For reference, Ted's prices are comparable and the quality is FAR better than Chucks. This is from the Ted's online menu: "Whether you're in the mood for our great-tasting bison or certified angus® beef, your burger is ground fresh in-house throughout the day, hand-crafted, seasoned to perfection and presented on a kaiser, onion, ciabatta or oatie wheat bun. served with fresh-cut fries. NOTE: Burgers and steaks are cooked to order." You get fries and..? Choice of bun.
(1)Casey B.
Chuck's is just ok for me. They only serve burgers and fries, and they usually have 6 or 7 different types of burgers to choose from. There is one regular burger, and the rest have a bunch of crazy toppings. And I mean really different toppings. Like cream cheese, bacon jam and more. I decided to try the regular burger my first time, and it was honestly really bland. The meat itself had almost no flavor. I also ordered the "little" version of the hamburger (a 5oz instead of 8oz). Instead of flattening out the burger to take up the full area of the bun and having a thinner burger, it was almost more like a burger ball in the center of my bun. Really thick and small in circumference. But I liked the fries and the atmosphere is good and the prices aren't bad. So OK for me.
(3)J F.
Yum, yum, yum! The burgers are absolutely amazing. The flavor pairings are excellent. Not the place to go to sit, relax and talk for a long time as the seating is probably purposefully selected to encourage turn and burn but it is still well worth the yummy burgers. We always pick different ones and split to taste test and haven't gone wrong yet.
(5)Rob H.
Stopped by with my kids after we saw the Avengers @ the IMAX. I loved the burgers and special sauces. My kids loved their burgers as well! It was crowded but we did manage to get seated quickly. Seems like a "hipster" place. If you don't have one of those huge earrings in your ear that expands your ear lobes you might seem out of place. But, who cares?!? The food is good and the wait staff were very attentive. Only 4/5 stars because I do wish there were more burger selections. But again, the burgers they do have with the many sauces to choose from for the fries are great. Will be going back!
(4)Lorenzo G.
Went here on a saturday with my girlfriend after searching all over downtown for somewhere to eat in which all the places were closed. When you walk in the atmosphere and lighting are great with friendly wait staff at the front door. I enjoyed selection of music making this a enjoyable place to grab a burger. The food (burgers) are different with non traditional toppings which make the burgers a little pricey in my opinion but that's just me.Which I understand the ingredients being used makes for a pricey burger. Now the fun part has to be the knife and fork fries these damn fries are the best i've had I couldn't get over the amazing chili on these fries. Even if you're not into burgers i suggest going at least for the knife and fork fries and you can thank me later.
(4)Mo' W.
Looooove this place. First visit and it was a success. I went thinking they had bison burgers but the cute waiter, Josh, convinced us to stay. We both had the chicken sand which and it was GLORY! No cheese needed! The fries were so good and the dipping sauces sent them over the top! I will return soon! Once again, our waiter was super nice!
(4)Romin B.
I've been on a search for the best burger in the triangle, and I am so sad to say that Chuck's fell short of my hopes. I went with 3 friends, and together tried what seemed to be the 4 most popular options: High and the Valley, Spirit Animal, The Dirty South and The Big House. And of course, a half pound of fries with comeback sauce and roasted garlic aioli kicked in for good measure. Sounds great, right? Well I just couldn't wrap my head (or taste buds) around the burgers. The Spirit Animal was probably my favorite, with pork and slaw, but I don't see myself wanting to go back even for that. It just felt like an okay burger, and could've used more of the yummy sounding fillings. Some of the flavor combinations of the others just didn't seem to work together or came off too strong for me, which made for a less pleasurable experience. The High and the Valley kicked me in the mouth with too much smokiness and The Big House tasted like charred herbs. I appreciate the idea behind most of the burgers, but somehow the execution just didn't measure up for me. Now for the good. I do like a place that's not afraid to give me a burger less than well done, and if anything, you could say these guys were a bit under. Hell, they were borderline rare. But I'll take that over a gray burger any day (pending quality beef). The fries were really delicious, and the sauces were great as well. The comeback sauce was like a chipotle mayo and the garlic aioli tasted like ranch with a powerful roasted garlic tone. The prices aren't unreasonable for quality ingredients, but considering I didn't love the burgers, I felt kind of gypped. No fountain sodas is also a huge pet peeve of mine. All in all, this was at best a 3 star experience, mostly for the fries. I'm glad I finally got to try the famed Chuck's, but I guess it's just not for me.
(3)Amanda K.
I have been here a few times and have never been disappointed. I always get a veggie burger. The fries and milkshakes are great. Good place to stop for lunch or casual dinner.
(5)Samantha H.
Great food.. We got the BLT, bacon cheeseburger and fries.. Everything was very yummy and filled us up!
(4)Travis L.
Great burgers and fries. The Dirty South is one of the most decadent burgers, and the roasted garlic aioli for the fries is great as well as the comeback sauce. Roasted banana and peanut butter milkshake spiked with bourbon is a must.
(4)Amanda D.
I was sorely unimpressed with the food! My burger meat didn't have much flavor. They only serve Mexican beer with the burgers, which is okay, but more options would be nice. I may have to go back for another review because I really don't want to avoid this place!
(3)Nick F.
Great food and great service. With a unique atmosphere and setting, Chuck's menu is sure to please any burger lover. I also enjoyed unique items like the shrimp sandwich... The mixed greens salad left somethings to be desired, but there's no doubt that we will return next time we are in Raleigh.
(5)John S.
I had the Bradley burger with beats and a chocolate and pretzel milkshake. Both were damn good. Really enjoyed the creative take on flavor combinations. Service was friendly but not especially attentive. I'd go again.
(4)Ha N.
I wasn't very fond of this place. I mean, The burgers aren't bad, and the beef was super beefy and flavorful. With that said, it was underseasoned for me. I like certain things on my burgers, while really hating certain other things on my burger. With limited, pre-set choices, it's really hard for me to pick one. So, after I've picked one, I expect it to kinda blow my mind. It didn't. I think perhaps I was hyped up too much? I know that I kept wanting there to be bolder flavors on that burger. It all sounded so bold, and flavorful, and amazing on the menu, but it didn't live up to its menu descriptions. To be specific, my friends and I got the High and Valley, the Dirty South, and the Big House. We each tried each other's burgers just to get more of an idea of what Chuck's is offering. To be specific, I wanted the slaw to be brighter and more tart. To balance that extra tartness out I expected the pork shoulder to be more succulent/savory and with a little sweetness. I barely tasted the mustard, which I guess I didn't care about in this case. For the High and Valley, I expected the bacon-onion jam to carry the burger's flavors more because I didn't expect the blistered red peppers to be anything other than their sweet selves and the avocado is creamy, but not a seasoning contributor. I'm guessing the patties aren't heavily seasoned, (if at all, as some places would have it) so I wanted the condiments to perform better. I don't know, I was a bit disappointed overall. The fries....hold on a minute while I contain my excitement. Those were amazing fries. I love thick-cut fries, and I love the sauce that we picked, the Comeback Sauce. The skin was crispy enough and the inside was soft and fluffy enough. This is where the waiter came in. He had been awkward and reaching over us, and bored-looking throughout our meal. He barely came back even though we wanted to ask for more sauce. AND, he took away the last 5 or 6 fries without asking us if we were finished. That's not ok, especially since that was our favorite part of the meal. I couldn't believe that just happened. My girlfriend had a fry in hand, too, that she just picked up, so I'm not sure what signaled that we were finished except for his assessment of how finished we were. My girlfriend might just have been pouty, but I was a bit angry. That's just shoddy service. Not convincing enough for me to return.
(3)Stephen B.
I really really wanted to get blown away by the burgers here but they were just ok. If Chucks was in NYC, DC, or ATL I don't think it would compete. I get that it's an AC restaurant but it was a letdown. My wife had the Bradley Time veggie burger. Even though the red onions were overpowering, when she took them off of the burger it was the best veggie burger she had. I had the Dirty South burger. The burger itself was not seasoned and the only thing I tasted was the chili. The fries were ok but the sauces were amazing!
(3)Jett B.
I love the non-meat burger option at Chuck's. It is my favorite in town. Yum. Fries are sometimes not crisp enough, but I still always get them. If you like burgers you should definitely try Chuck's.
(4)John D.
Update: 3/7/2015 I haven't been going to Chucks as often, but I went today and I'm really bummed out. They have switched from a high quality thick burger, to a thinner lower quality patty. I used to love getting a thick 8 oz medium rare burger and really tasting the beef. Now it's so thin it's all surface area. I was a bit confused when I paid as the order said *double*. Now when you get an 8 oz burger it's two smaller patties instead of one thicker high quality patty. It really affects the flavor and taste, as their old thicker burgers had a real steak like quality. Now it tastes just like any other burger. It has a more gristly taste than before, though I hesitate to say it's frozen. This seems to happen to every AC restaurant in town. They start off with a great idea and product and then downgrade it to save money 6months to 1 year in and coast on the name and reputation. I know food costs are up, but if I'm paying 13 bucks for a burger this thin, I might as well go to MoJoes. Very disappointed. The fries were soaked in grease too. I originally gave them 5 stars but I have to take away 2. The burger still has a good flavor but it is in an inferior product for slightly more money. --- Raleigh Times used to have the best burger in town, but unfortunately RTB seems to overcook their burgers to death these days. After slightly tweaking their menu, Chuck's has taken the crown with a vengeance. Now that you can get a slightly smaller burger at a slightly smaller price, and the fries have been paired down a bit in portion, it's pretty much a win-win proposition for any burger enthusiast. Toppings, fancy buns, and sides don't make a burger great. Only the quality of the meat and the cook can make an amazing burger. Chuck's chef obviously knows what they are doing. A little crisp on the outside, a little pink in the middle if you order it Medium. The juice and taste are trapped inside and the center is full of meaty flavor. And it's consistent, unlike other places in town, and that's the best part. The specialty burgers like the Dirty South and the Bear in Heaven are great reworks of classics, while The Spirit Animal, and the High and the Valley are unique plays on flavor that will have you thinking about your meal all week long. I can't get enough of the fries either, and I tend to be picky about them. Crisp with a little give, thick but not too starchy or dry, they taste amazing with the right sauce combo. I suggest the comeback sauce myself. With a 5oz burger and a side of fries only costing 9 dollars plus, You have no excuse not to chow down here, considering an "Angus" burger combo at McDonald's is 7 something. What's another dollar or two for quality?
(3)Josh G.
This is strange, but I really enjoyed this place even though I was a little disappointed with what I got. See, I went with the High and Valley burger. The toppings sounded interesting; bacon-onion jam has to be a winner. In practice, they didn't amount to much. Maybe there wasn't enough, or maybe I was hoping for some . Still, the burger itself was so good, I didn't care. That's right, I was so pleasantly let down, I can't wait to go back.. The atmosphere is really laid back and fun while also being clean and respectable. My only real complaint was our waiter was forgetful and slow. Still, he was such a nice guy, it was difficult to be too bothered by it. I definitely want to come back and give them another shot.
(4)Michael T.
Excellent burgers!! Get the fries with various dipping sauces! 'Nuff Said!
(4)Nick D.
Even though I have given up red-meat, sometimes I break that rule for special occasions and places! This is one of those times! We were out to treat a good friend to lunch and thank her for being one of the greatest people we knew. Chuck's was her choice, and it was a great one! I've given other burger and steak joints a shot about 2x a year, and most are disappointing. However, Chuck's make's a mean burger! Served with fries (extra $, most items are a la carte). I tasted some excellent sweet potato fries with the house sauce, a hamburger cooked medium well with caramelized onions, cheese, lettuce and tomato! On a sunny walkable weekday, this place is not to be skipped for any downtown Raleigh native. Even if you don't eat meat, try their veggie burgers (homemade) instead!
(5)Nayr N.
Great burger joint, menu isn't complicated, burgers are amazing and the fries come with delicious dipping sauces.
(4)C M.
Great burgers and fries! I had the one with kale and hazelnut vinaigrette-different and delicious. Good place for parties of 4 or less.
(5)Mary B.
Seriously the burgers here are fantastic. The milkshakes are great! I love how you get a big metal cup o' fries with unique sauces to dip them in. So so good for when you just NEED a great burger.
(5)Lea C.
As a vegetarian, I don't usually go to burger places. But, this place has one of the best veg burgers I've ever had. And in twenty plus years, I've had a lot. I got the smaller size option of the burger and that was very large. The burger itself has chopped vegetables and lentils among other things. It's covered in this great crunchy crust that adds amazing texture. There are lots of gourmet versions, but I just got the classic lettuce, tomato, pickle (house made!) cheese, and Dukes mayo. Grilled bun! Delicious. Don't skip the French fries, you get to choose from killer dipping options. Also, if you're a lemonade fan, theirs is perfect
(5)Greyson D.
5 stars for what it is-a killer burger joint. I've been twice so far and will say that its the best burger I've had in Raleigh or anywhere for that matter. Both trips I got Dirty South burger and fries. The burger comes out perfectly pink. The fries are the awesome, no ketchup, malt vinegar aioli and "comeback" sauce (horseradish type sauce) is what I would recommend. The burgers & drinks are very reasonably priced. The ambiance is cool and has the downtown feel. Both times I've been it hasn't been very crowded which is good for me. Go check it out.
(5)Don J.
The perfect burger. That is all.
(5)Bruce G.
I had to cajole some friends to occupy Chuck's instead of our typical bar food establishment recently after downtown beer tasting and I am glad I did. Based on some reviews on Blogs and Yelp, Chuck's burgers have been placed on a quite a high pedestal receiving tremendous adulation. Needless to say expectations for me were very high. Chuck's was still bustling on a Saturday evening around 9:00, but the wait was very short for a table. Two buck chuck this isn't (more like nine buck chuck for a full-size burger). I knew it was going to be pricier for the quality though, so I was prepared for the sticker shock. I ordered the "Bear in Heaven" (where do they come up with these names? Bears don't go to heaven). I also ordered the $4 fries (or frites as they called them) to share with the table. The burgers came out in a decent amount of time and they were piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, cheese and a big hunk of the 100% Chuck (sort of resembling a Dagwood sandwich). I ordered my burger medium rare and the extra juicyness of the rare meat caused the bun to be soggy and the burger to fall apart in my hands as I ate it and it got all over my shirt. I believe in the mantra "Eat like no one is watching", so I sloppily ate my fall a-part burger piece-meal (the burger was gone in like 5 minutes, no lie). My friends devoured their burgers with equal voracity, and gave high praise while doing so. As good as the burgers were (and they were damn good), the fries (frites) may have been the star of the show for me. Hot and crispy, salty pieces of potato goodness placed into a paper cup with a myriad of sauces to choose from for dipping. These fries are definitely not the typical French fries which accompany a burger and that, my friends, is a good thing. The décor at Chucks is some-what sparse with red chairs, black overtones and a repetitive number of Steer horns on one wall, with paintings from local artist on the other wall. The bathroom is a onesie (one toilet), so a wait time could be imminent on that front. A Dyson drier greets you after the hand-washing, so that might make a bathroom visit more enticing (coolest driers ever). I would rate their burgers right up there with Bull City Burger, and Only Burger in Durham and Draft in Raleigh. Over-all I am not sure the Chuck's burger was the transcending burger nirvana experience that others have written about, but my first visit was a very satisfying one and definitely encourages and inspires future follow-up visits!
(4)TheTruthTeller CheeseEater D.
I forget the name of my burger but it was a real burger real sirloin or whatever and real cheddar cheese. I'm used to the processed stuff so it was a pleasant shock to my taste buds. We had the pickle chips as an app. They too were not what I expected, served pipping hot with little to no coolness of the pickle. But the sauce they are served with added that cool and is a treat I look forward to when I return to Raliegh. I saved the best for last we went off the grid (menu) and ordered the secret grilled cheese all the kids were getting. Delicious. It was that real cheese I mentioned earlier on think icebox (?) bread. Definitely will return for that one. Unlike other restaurants I've reviewed this place followed thru on the flavors promised....Perhaps they can assist Bon Chon...
(4)J C.
We were downtown in Raleigh last night and saw a line outside a restaurant that was new to us so, believing in the wisdom of crowds, we got in line to eat at Chuck's. Chuck's offers gourmet burgers, fries with unique sauce dips and milk shakes that are absolutely incredible. My burger was: large 8 oz., topped with avocados and grilled pepper jelly. The burger was extremely juicy. So juicy that the bottom section of bun was un-edible. We got a order of fries that were unique ... both crunchy and flavorful. Our shakes were the highlight of the meal. Our table had four different varieties and each were that diners favorite part of the meal. Chuck's is too expensive for the experience. My check for two was over forty five dollars for the meal. My wife and I agree, we'll skip Chuck's for better options in downtown Raleigh.
(2)Alex C.
Hands down the best burger in Raleigh. Sorry Raleigh Times, but I have a new favorite. Or "favorites" plural because every burger I have here seems better than the last! And you can't touch their fries. Split an order with a friend because you will be getting A LOT. I also recommend trying the Aviator Draft Root Beer. Mmmmm, just writing this review is making me hungry...I know where I'm going this weekend. Also a bonus - there's a parking garage right next door for those of you who hate parallel parking downtown.
(5)Kathryn L.
The restaurant itself is well decorated and edgy. But the food did not match the quality of the looks. My friend had he burger special and it was so overloaded with toppings that the bun became soggy and it was nearly impossible to taste the meat. I tried the chicken sandwich that was offered. It was only dark meat, greasy and chewy in places. Not good. However, the fries and sauces offered were delicious. Some of the best I've had. Bottom line: you're paying for the decor, not the food. I ended up spending 20$ for a greasy chicken sandwich and fries. I think I'll stick with Cookout for that. Would still like to try their connected restaurant Beasleys next door though.
(2)Kellie B.
We had a group of 10. We could not sit until our whole party was there, which is understandable as their dining area is very limited. The inside is very industrial like. The service was okay, kind of snooty, like we were taking up his personal time. The menu is limited, but they did allow you to change up your toppings slightly from some of the burgers. Place was pretty pricey for what you got. Did like the variety of dipping sauces for the fries (which were excellent even thou it looked like we got all the scraps off the bottom of the fryer). Food was delicious, however, I don't think we would return. (Visited on 6/20/13).
(3)Andrew M.
For a burger joint I feel this was not inviting. There were 5 of us in a group. We had the blt, 2 dirty souths, and I had the shrimp burger. I did like that the shrimp burger was not a patty, but 4 big pieces of shrimp. However for $10 shrimp, slaw, and 2 buns. It seems that it's a bit over rated. Out of 5 people we gave it a 3.5 rating. So I'd rather go to Raleigh times.
(3)Cindy B.
Burgers, done right! It took over a year to tear me away from the "Times" burger, but it is in very good company. The service is impressive, like a well oiled machine - and with great hot food served fast, the line outside is a no-brainer
(5)Kristie T.
After reading reviews I came in expecting something great from Chucks, and was pretty disappointed. Like the previous reviewer, I like certain things on my burgers and really dislike other things so I wasn't fond of the fact that they didn't have a "build your own" option on their limited menu. Knowing that, I had done my homework by looking at their menu online and had decided I'd go with a BLT. When we arrived at Chucks, their actual menu didn't include many items that were listed online (the BLT being one of them). I decided to go with their Bear in Heaven, a pretty standard burger with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mayo. I wasn't impressed. It dawned on me after ordering that I was never asked how I'd like my burger cooked, which made me a bit uneasy. I would have flagged our waitress down to ask, but she was nowhere to be seen once she took our order. The burger came out medium (which I happen to like) but was lackluster. The meat was okay but not very flavorful, the bun was "meh", the pickles were a cross between dill and bread and butter which I wasn't fond of (and I'm pregnant and have been on a pickle craze as of late), and the tomato was watery and smooshed. I've made way tastier burgers at home. For burgers, Chucks gets 1.5 stars from me. However their chocolate milk shake and fries were pretty spectacular, which is why this review gets 3 stars. The milkshake had bits of brownie-like cake in every sip, and the fries were thick, crispy, and done just right. We came in a group of 6 and it was pretty obvious that our waitress knew she was getting her automatic 18%. Drinks went without refills, we weren't checked up after receiving our food, and when a beer order never came we tried desperately to flag her down for over 5 minutes only to have her look right as us multiple times and walk in the other direction. Overall, Chucks was not anywhere worth the price we paid for the food and service we received. If they could step up their game for their burgers to rival the quality of their shakes and fries, it could POSSIBLY justify the price they charge. As it stands now, I won't be back anytime in the near future.
(3)Johnathan H.
Yes, they have pretty darn good burgers. Yes, the Spirit Animal is concoction pulled from the heavens and blesses you with every bite. Yes, a shake will be worth it, as they have that great "sit down and shut up" quality to them. My only knock is the patty itself. Unremarkable in taste and size. But you won't care. Classic version of the burger, fries and shake with a refreshing twist.
(4)Jeff A.
The burgers are great. The fries are great. I had a peanut butter banana milkshake, and it was one of the best milkshakes I've ever had. Do I need to say more?
(4)Shruti D.
WOW, the veggie burger is sooooo good!!! It is very different, made with lentils. The garlic sauce is really good also with the fries.
(5)Robert L.
Where to start. First off, Damn, that was one good burger. This place is set in an old Piggly Wiggly in downtown Raleigh with really sleek decor that includes a wall of bull heads that greet you as you walk in. We came here on the recommendation of a friend and we weren't disappointed. My wife ordered her burger medium, and I medium-well. Both were cooked perfectly with mine having just a touch of crunch around the edge. Whew. I am quite the "fry connoisseur" and am here to tell you that these were absolutely perfect. They were fried with just the right amount of crunch on the outside and very tender on the inside. And unlike so many other trendy burger joints, these were not doused in some form of Cajun seasoning. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just nice to have a fry be a fry. Additionally, they have a good selection of dipping sauces for you to choose from. You'll get an option of 2 and I highly recommend " the comeback sauce", with just enough horseradish to entertain. The burgers are offered as either a half-pound or 5 oz, which was great for lunch without being too full. These are not your typical burgers, so be ready to be adventurous and quite pleased. If you're in the Raleigh area, it is worth driving downtown to this place for a great lunch or dinner. We will definitely be returning
(4)Red D.
The burgers were awesome and the kids loved the milkshakes. Also the tin cup of fries has various condiments to chose from beyond basic ketchup.
(4)Ken W.
Chuck's is an urban oasis. Visit today. The burgers are sublime and, for the quality, shockingly affordable. The belgian fries are consistently good. The spiked milkshakes are sinful. Ingredients here are hands-down the best quality available. This is Real Food. I have lived in Raleigh for four years. I eat out 3-5 times a week. Chuck's is one of my two favorite restaurants in the triangle. (The other is market restaurant near peace college.) Chuck's makes it easy to forget that you're in the south. The decor is simple, clean, elegant. The servers don't introduce themselves by name, don't tell you they'll be the one helping you out today, and treat you as an equal rather than a superior. The only concessions to regional tastes are the price point and the TV on the wall. There are a lot of four-star reviews... I think this is because Chuck's breaks from local expectations a little bit. This is a five-star joint if I've ever seen one.
(5)Aaron B.
Quite simply, the best burger I've ever had. Were it any better, I might be forced to throw it on the ground and roll in it.
(5)Caroline V.
Love this place! Best burgers! Fresh ingredients. Like the size options.
(5)Catie F.
While the burgers at Chuck's are undoubtedly yummy, for the price that you pay I do not think they are worth it. I would recommend checking out another newish burger place in Durham if you are looking for a high quality burger for a decent price. I wasn't also really a fan of the empty modern feel of the restaurant. I think it comes off as feeling cold rather than trendy.
(3)Kelly H.
I LOVE Chuck's. The burgers and toppings are awesome, the fries are wonderful. It's all good.
(4)Chris S.
I came for lunch, it was about half full but I got seated right away. The hostess greeted me at the door with a smile. I ordered the 1/2 lb Dirty South burger with fries & a draft root beer. The fries come with two dipping sauces, I got sweet chili & comeback sauces. Despite being busy, I got my food within 10 minutes. The burger was good but not the best I've ever had. I'd go back if I was hungry though. The fries were just ok, they were a little too salty for me but the Comeback sauce was pretty good. It had a Southwestern taste to it, which went well with the fries. The Sweet chili sauce was good but not great. The service was very good also. I didn't give it 5 stars only because it didn't live up to the hype that other people had given it.
(4)Kelly B.
Great food! There is the most amazing burgers to be had at Chuck's. the fries are amazing and they offer some very interesting dipping options. For people who prefer vegetarian menus Chuck's offers an amazing veggie burger (we're talking hand formed nothing like the frozen fare offered at many establishments). So head downtown and treat yourself to great food and nice atmosphere with a very efficient staff.
(5)Kris T.
Tried Chuck's for the first time last night. Thankfully, though I arrived hungry, I opted for the 5 oz. "Little Chuck," which, with a side of fries, was incredibly filling. You can sub the beef patty for a veggie burger, which is also available in the smaller portion. My friend ordered the regular sized veggie patty and wasn't able to finish it - but he said it was delicious. My burger was perfectly cooked to medium, pink and succulent throughout. I asked for it "High and the Valley" style, which came with "crushed avocado," bacon-onion jam and blistered red peppers. The avocado was at perfect ripeness, and added a creamy depth to the flavor of the meat. I'll confess that the jam didn't do much for me: it really didn't have much flavor to it, certainly no baconiness that I could detect. And as much as I love red peppers, I felt they could have been a bit more blistered; they were more raw than cooked. I like raw peppers, but they felt more like, I don't know, kind of a distraction from the burger. The bun isn't anything to write home about either, but it held up nicely. I am a freak who prefers to eat everything - even burgers and sandwiches - with a knife and fork - so a bun that can withstand the juiciness of the meat plus the toppings is a must. And the fries were phenomenal. I had mine with a side of vinegar aoli and some hot sauce, which I believe was Texas Pete - awesome. Several of the other burger options sounded good, and I'll definitely go back and give them a try. Chuck's has good beer on draft, a nice, selective wine selection, and really tasty-sounding milkshakes. I can imagine going there with a friend, ordering the half-pound Belgian fries and a milkshake - which you can get spiked! - and going to town. All in all, Chuck's does a great job. If you want it YOUR way, go to Burger King. But if you're willing to try some unique, fairly sophisticated takes on the lowly burger, give it a try.
(3)Amy B.
Tasty burgers by Ashley Christensen's minions in a spartan, hipster atmosphere. These are some f'ing tasty burgers, and in my opinion, a great way to try this lady's food without breaking the bank at Poole's. My husband got the "Dirty South" (burger topped with pulled pork, tomato 'slaw', cheddar cheese and some other tasty stuff), and I got the "High in the Valley" (i've got three words for you: "bacon-onion jam". I will sell my soul for that jam.) Both burgers were pretty outta sight, as were the belgian-style fries, served with your choice of two dipping sauces. We opted for a creamy-spicy one, and the sweet chili. We started out with the iceberg wedge, which was good enough to cross my mind 2 or 3 times in the the week after we hit this place. I'd definitely recommend trying Chuck's. We happened in there later in the evening on a Monday night, so it was dead and quiet. (far preferable to being bathed in a sea of hipsters on a weekend night, but I digress.)
(4)Jeff Z.
These burgers were great. My friend and I were trying to discuss whether Chuck's or Tribeca was better and concluded that they are just two different burgers. But, at least that tells you that these are on par with Tribeca. Just a heads up, I ordered medium-rare and they will only cook medium at a minimum (this is ground in house though). However, my burger came out to what I would consider medium-rare anyways, so I was pleased with that. The fries are also great and the dipping sauces are a great concept and very flavorful, especially when you start mixing and matching. I really enjoyed Chuck's, I just thought after the burger, fries, and a tea that it was just too spendy. I would go back in the future, however, but it is just too much to make a regular spot.
(4)Denise B.
The food here is REALLY good! The only reason that we didn't give this 5 stars is that the service was really slow. The burgers were really awesome! ...along with the beer and milkshakes! Another disappointment was the lack of diet drinks so I was forced to drink beer instead :-)
(4)Avi W.
Pretty good burger! $9 isn't cheap for a burger (fries are extra), but they are delicious, pretty honking big (1/2lb) and options are good. The fries were pretty good, but warm. If they were piping hot out of the fryer, it might have been a very different experience (at least 1 extra star). Choosing 1 side for your fries is fine, but an extra $1 for ketchup? That is asinine (minus 1 star). Overall I enjoyed it. I got the Dirty South which was really good. My wife got a burger that she though had bacon, turned out it was just some kind of bacon jam. Worse was the avocado, which was unripe. Unripe avocado + slimy roasted red bellpeppers is not the most pleasing combo, but again, stripped of the toppings, the burger itself was really delicious and well cooked. Maybe its growing pains. Guys, put some ketchup bottles out, let your avocados ripen, and we'll be back.
(3)Jennifer L.
Service was great here! Let's start by saying that. They were knowledgeable and suggested good offerings. Menu is small (which is nice, allows perfection and consistency) but the burger was wayyyy to rich. We consider ourselves foodies and most of our foodie friends have loved Chuck's but we were.....aaaaaaaaaah. It was ok. It seemed like fine dining burger in causal setting. My husbands on the other hand was dry and overcooked. Very pricey as well. We love Pooles and have yet to try Beasleys, which is next on our list.
(2)Rachel C.
Had a hankering for beef today, so we headed over to Chuck's with the little people for lunch. They had fun checking out the fiberglass cow heads and feeling all "adult" at the high top tables. Love those burgers! The beef was outstanding. I could actually taste it instead of only tasting the toppings. My favorite one out of the 4 we had was the Dirty South - basically an awesome chili cheeseburger. Yum. I had the High and the Valley , with avocado and red peppers, which was also delicious. Kid one had the Last Word, which shocked me-kale on a burger? It rocked though. Kid two had cheeseburger, plain, and scarfed it down. I loved the fries and the aoilis are right on. The kids had milkshakes, of course, and I think they won't be eating anything sweet for about 4 days because the shakes were so full of chocolate goodness. The decor is great and simple, ala Ashley Christensen. Red, white, black, and fiberglass cow head. Gotta love it. This isn't a place you hang around in, but a get in and get out burger joint. I was surprised that the service was just kind of meh. I almost felt like I was bothering the staff when we walked in. Our server also didn't really explain the "fry" situation very well-like if you all want to eat fries, order the half pound as opposed to a side on one burger. I've always considered AC servers to be a cut above other servers, but not so much here. Not enough to keep me away though. I'll be back.
(4)Gary S.
Awesome burgers. Awesome fries. Awesome shakes. .
(4)Sookia S.
The burgers were really yummy, the service was quick and overall it was a good experience.
(4)Caleb E.
So we my fiance, mother, and sis were strolling around Raleigh one afternoon looking for a good spot for lunch. We wandered into Chuck's because a burger sounded like a so-so idea. Wow were we impressed. SPIRIT ANIMAL! Cream cheese, roasted poblano peppers, grilled tomato, and tortilla dust, yes, tortilla dust. What a unique and tasty burger. Not to forget all the unique dipping sauces you can get to accompany their home made fries. SO GOOD! Ashley Christensen needs to open a joint up here in MI!
(5)Tom M.
Great burgers, great fries, and good service. And a bunch of good beer choices too! What's not to like? Recommended.
(4)Naomi D.
Yet another wonderful eatery/concept put into action by Ashley Christenson, the chef from Poole's Diner. I really enjoyed the simplicity of this place- Burgers and fries only. But, very nice quality meat made into creative burgers aside more-delicious-than-usual fries. I had the burger with avocado and bacon jelly and was also curious about the poblano and cream cheese burger. Delicious. My friend got a burger with blue cheese and roasted beets and the taste combination was quite lovely as well. It's worth making a pit stop at this place for the fries alone. I've been wishing a Belgian fry joint would come to Raleigh eventually so I was so happy to see them as THE main-attraction side (actually, it's the only side). I definitely enjoyed the dipping sauce I chose, roasted garlic aioli. However, I was secretely hoping for a Dutch/Indonesian peanut sauce... maybe in the future it will pop up on the menu as this chef likes to switch it up and keep it interesting! Definitely fulfills that red-meat craving. I'll probably scratch that itch again later this week...
(4)Jen M.
My husband and I tried Chuck's when it opened and have returned several times since. We have had pretty much every burger there is and I think my personal favorite is Spirit Animal. They definitely know how to mix and match ingredients to perfection. The fries are awesome and unlike any other fries I've had. I think we have also tried every dipping sauce too....my favorite being roasted garlic aioli. It is always way too much food to have a milkshake, but we heard great things about the peanut butter banana shake so we decided to split that. The server even poured it into two separate glasses for us. It was delicious! I would definitely recommend Chuck's to anyone who enjoys a quality burger with quality ingredients. I should also add that the 5oz Little Chuck is the perfect size. I don't feel guilty eating the whole thing, but I'm always stuffed afterwards too.
(5)Phillip J.
Thank you Christina G. of Durham for the tip on this place. This was quite possibly the best hamburger I've ever had and I've had a lot. The burgers are cooked medium unless you ask for it different. The french fries were fat cut, no coating, all natural and fried just right, with lots of dipping sauces on the side. Milkshakes were outstanding as well. I had the salted banana shake and it was fantastic. The service was very good. There's just nothing but good food going on here. Can't wait to go back and try another one.
(5)Michelle A.
Great hipster vibe. Menu is burgers and one chicken sandwich, but that's all it needs. Wait staff was great and friendly. I had the fried chicken sandwich and it was just awesome. My other guest had burgers and loved them. A bit messy but delicious none the less. The fries were just amazing, thick hand cut. Price is reasonable and will frequent again.
(4)KK W.
I came and ordered the spirit animal burger, and I came back 10 times and ordered the exact same thing. I finally came back and ordered something different-- the high and valley, which was amazing. So I've now been back about 5 times and ordered that too. Totally worth the $9 per burger price tag. I only wish they had a choice of other sides besides fries or salad. The menu is very limited, especially if you're trying to keep it relatively healthy. Nevertheless this place is fantastic!
(5)Julie B.
It used to be 4 or 5 stars.. but as I sit here and eat my veggie burger and french fries, I am compelled to write a review.. I live downtown and have been going here for a while.. we haven't been in a few months... The Bradley Time burger wasn't made according to the menu.. it was missing the red onion and the aioli... the fries are way too overdone and stale.. not happy... still like her other restaurants.. but this one is going down hill...
(2)Kristin A.
The burgers are delicious, fries are hand cut, and beverage selection is decent. I'll be back.
(5)Greg K.
Unbelievable Gourmet burgers! The Dirty South was incredible on every level! The fries with the dipping sauces were a very tasty treat as well! My family and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will definitely be back again soon!
(5)Blair B.
"Now, THAT, was one TASTY burger!" Samuel L. Jackson Went with some friends on our eternal quest to find the world's best burger. We'd been to Draft just a couple days prior on the same trek. I was a little nervous going in b/c I heard Chuck's was another one of Ashley Christianson's restaurant that she shat out and it was riding more on her previous achievements than it's own merit. Well, shoot the f*ckstick that promulgates that BS, because Chuck was the best burger I've ever had... ever. The bread was perfect, the bacon was perfect, the cheese was perfect... but the beef, holy mother of zeus, the beef was juicy, fresh and perfect medium. The fries were meh to be honest. But I capped it off with the caramel/mocha milkshake and DAYUM that was good! I won't to move downtown just so I can frequent this place more often. So good! I dare you to find a better burger in Raleigh - I'll keep looking, but for the time being Chuck's holds the title!
(5)Annette W.
Burgers cooked to order, because the meat is ground in-house; we ordered medium rare--terrific! with a slightly crispy charred outside. We all enjoyed our sandwich ingredient combos. Buns nice & soft. Delicious thick-cut fries with many delicious choices of dips. Apparently homemade thin pickle slices. Two choices of burger sizes. Reasonable prices. Good service even though very busy on Saturday evening. Our only negatives: restaurant is very noisy, & some of the seats have no backs.
(5)Aisha H.
awesome milkshakes! pineapple upside down cake and dark chocolate cake are both great!
(4)Sara M.
Oh my god! I was afraid that being sort of gourmet the focus on the burgers would be lost. No...these burgers are awesome. The wait staff was friendly and everything was absolutely fantastic. I never would have thought I would like a burger with beets on it.
(5)Haley H.
Just delish, great food and ambiance! (The come-back sauce for the fries is a MUST TRY!)
(5)Stephen H.
Awesome burgers. The spirit animal is definitely a burger worth trying. Be sure to order a side of fries as the burgers don't come with anything.
(4)J G.
I have been to Chucks 6 times since it opened, and I love it more each time. The burgers are 9$, but that's not really that bad considering how fancy they are. A burger at Chili's or some other crappy chain would be 10 or 11 (but with fries). I can't recommend the Spirit Animal enough
(5)Bryan C.
I had high hopes for this place and for the most part it pleased..the burger was done just the way I ordered it and the toppings were great, very fresh...the burger could have had a little more flavor but I liked it. The fries...love them a lot and the dipping sauces were great. Would go back and plan to put this place into the lunch routine. Next time I want to try the burger with avocado and bacon jelly...!
(4)sammy r.
Average Burger, Nice staff Need better varieties of burgers
(3)Russell A.
Moo moo mister cow! Chucks, downtown Raleigh is the place for the beef lover in you! I took a lunch trip down to sample their burgers after hearing great things about it. I arrived with a coworker around noon. This seemed like the best time to go. The restaurant was not filled up yet and we were able to get seating immediately. The décor is gives you a feeling like you have walked into a minimalist art piece. Black tables and red chairs everywhere. Very sparse, but not in a bad way at all. The wait staff was there to help us very quickly. They offered us information about the burgers and also any questions about the various sauces for their fries. I order the High and The Valley burger and my lunchmate order the Big House Burger. We both ordered fries on the side. All of Chucks' burgers are half pound, but you can get 5 oz. versions of any of them. For lunch, I would recommend going with the 5 oz. version. It, with the fries, was enough to fill us both up. For the fry's sauce, I got the Sweet Chili sauce and my partner got the Malt Vinegar aioli. The Sweet Chili was amazing. The Malt Vinegar aioli however was a little too mayonnaisey. My lunchmate ended up stop using his aioli and started using my sauce. No problem, because there was plenty to spare. Total on bill was a little over 9 bucks, so for lunch, not a bad price. I look forward to adding Chucks into my regular lunch routine and may even have to make a few night runs so I can look into their milkshakes. The people next to use order one and it looked divine. Based on how quick they finished it, it must have been tasty too.
(4)Larry L.
My wife, son (2yrs old) were originally going to use a coupon to eat at Zydeco, but they are closed Sunday evenings, so we drove around downtown in search of another establishment. After looking over the menu at Beasley's Chicken+Honey next door, we decided to give Chuck's a try. GREAT MOVE, as the food was absolutely AWESOME. My burger was great, my wife's burger was great and my son grubbed on both of our meals. The real highlight were the fries and sauces, which caused us to order an additional order of fries due to their tastiness! I highly recommend Chuck's, and we'll be heading back again soon! Great restaurant!
(5)Michael M.
I won't spend time trying to explain why the burgers at Chuck's Burgers & Freits are excellent. Perhaps a mention of the Holy Grail-like achievement of perfect external char and uniform internal pinkness. Perhaps a word about the masterful combination of ingredients that commingled in Beatle-esque harmony, casting interrogation lights on the efforts of impostors, known to pile edibles between buns, seemingly for its own sake.
(5)Eric B.
WAY overpriced burger. WAY overpriced fries. The burgers are small....good...but very small. They're is no way that anyone can say they are remotely worth the price you pay for them!! And anyone who does has completely fallen for the whole, 'ooohh, it's a cool place downtown and they're trendy because they only serve burgers'. Whatever. I was completely disappointed in this place and I guarantee it won't stay open long. it's one of those places that people will pretend they love because it's trendy, but they won't actually patron because they can't afford it.
(1)Ian B.
Best burger I ever had! Cannot remember the name of my burger. It had bacon, cheese, jalapeños, mayo and was cooked medium rare. The beef was the best part. Absolutely delicious!
(5)Pam G.
We went to Chuck's with high expectations after all of the great Yelp reviews and we were not disappointed. I was glad to hear that they added table service too. We had a very hard time deciding on which burger to order since they all sounded fabulous. Between the 4 of us we got The Dirty South, Bear in Heaven, Spirit Animal and the Big House. We also got an order of the Belgian fries to share. They don't ask how you'd like your burger cooked, but we were all happy with how they came, a little bit pink, juicy and delicious with a nice char on the outside. All four of us were happy with our choice and I think would have been happy with just about any of the options on the menu. I had the 5 oz Spirit Animal and my only mild complaint was that it could use a little sauce of some type. Luckily though we had 3 sauces that came with our fries, and the comeback sauce was the perfect addition. I was happy they had the 5 ounce option since I couldn't even finish that. DH didn't mind finishing up his Big House and then finishing my Spirit Animal as well. He said that between the 2 he preferred the Big House. The fries were absolutely delicious. They were a perfect size and perfectly cooked and tasted great with the comeback sauce. Since there were 4 of use sharing them I had to control myself to keep from eating them all. Next time I think we may need 2 orders for 4 people! The atmosphere is very fast food like. Metal tables and chairs in a big open room. Amy B's description of spartan is a perfect description. I'm not crazy about that personally, but it can be overlooked since the burgers are so good! It would be nice to have a few more wine selections too. It's great that the wines they have are only $20/bottle, but I wouldn't mind paying more for a nicer wine. We will definitely be back !
(4)Craig S.
Okay...one of the best burgers and fries I've had in Raleigh! At the recommendation of the hostess, i tried The Big House burger which includes sorghum infused Dijon mustard, hoop cheddar, and caramelized onions. Spectacular! Loved the fries and the dipping sauces that accompany them. I opted for the comeback sauce and the malt vinegar aioli. Both were delicious. Add in a pint of Abita Draft Root Beer and ta-da....a great lunch! Stop what you are doing and go now!
(5)Steven H.
Very impressed! Went with a few friends and we all had different burgers. I got a 5oz burger, not sure what it was called, but it had blue cheese and beets. We also had an order of fries to split with garlic aioli and sweet chili dipping sauces. The burger was incredibly flavorful, absolutely loved the beets and all other toppings. I was tempted to get the "full size", but 5oz was definitely plenty (and very reasonable at about $6.50 I think) with the fries as well. Fries were delicious as were the sauces. Beers on tap were very reasonably priced (I got a $3 lager that was very good).
(4)Sly G.
Chuck's provides a fantastic burger! The "adult" shakes are superlative. The service was OK - knowledgeable but occasionally absent. But the food more than made up for it.
(5)Andy W.
This is quite possibly the best burger in Raleigh, if not the entire Triangle area. I visited Chuck's probably on the first or second day of operation back in the late summer. I tried The Big House (caramelized onions, dijon, and cheddar) and I was quite impressed. The burger was cooked to a pefect pink, and was juicy. The bread was perfect for how juicy the meat was along with all the toppings, and did not fall apart whatsoever. At the time, the 8oz burger was all that was offered and for $9 it was a premium price, but you definitely got a premium burger. Fast forward six months, little chuck introduction, sides of fries, etc... I returned last month and was curious about giving the little chuck (5oz. burger) a go. When the burger was placed in front of me, it was definitely not little. I got The Big House again, yes that combo is to die for, and was so happy to see that it was just as good, if not better than what I had previous. I was definitely a fan at this point. My friend and I split the fries, which are amazing as well. They are hand cut, thick, and perfectly fried so they are the best combo of crispy on the outside and that perfect potato soft on the inside. All of the dipping sauces are good as well, you cannot go wrong, although I am partial to the roasted garlic aioli. I have also had The High and the Valley (roasted red peppers, avocado, etc) which I didn't think was as flavorful as The Big House, but very good regardless. So a little chuck with fries alone is $9something with tax. You cannot get a better deal on a burger and fries anywhere in town, especially for the toppings and the preparation of the food. At this point, if I was in the mood for the regular chuck, I would definitely be willing to pay for it. It is that good. Now get off the sofa and go. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Denise W.
Was expecting GREAT..just average. My daughter and I had the High and Valley burger...it had a strong taste of added smoke flavor, which was too overpowering. The fries were average as well, the milkshakes were runny...not as flavorful as one would expect. There are much better restaurants who make great hamburgers and are much cheaper. Bottom line --- it is not worth the hype. Five Guys and Tribeca Tavern are much better burgers.
(2)John M.
This place is great
(4)Amy K.
I was severely disappointed. The burger is very finely ground, not quite to paté consistency but certainly more meatloaf-like than burger-like. It had been pressed into a round mold instead of hand-formed. And then the burger came out with no char or sear, as if it had been cooked at far too low a temperature. It seemed almost steamed instead of grilled. It was almost raw and it was severely under-seasoned to boot.
(1)Brett S.
My favorite burger joint by far! I haven't had a disappointing experience here at all. The only thing to work on is crisping the fries up a smidgen. They seem to be a bit greasy and soft. Burgers are cooked to perfection and the toppings elevate the experience to something special.
(5)Stacy T.
We headed down to AC's Chuck's on a whim on a Thursday night at 7 PM after reading about it opening not too long ago. We like a good burger so we wanted to try it. We also love Poole's Diner. When you approach, you know it's Ashley's. Chalk board menus are her thing. Someone else commented on the lights being hung too low to read the menu and we agree. I had to duck around to read the menu. The beers and wine we tried were good. We were unadventurous and had the burger with the most conventional toppings (forgot the name). Fresh ground meat was amazing tasting. Toppings are fresh BUT they overwhelm the burger and fall off. Then, what's the point of the specially created burgers, if you can't enjoy the whole intent of the combination? The bun is the big problem. Bun was mushy and not big enough for the burger and toppings so it was hard to eat. Get the bun right. Decor leaves us cold. The place needs ambiance and doesn't have it. It's too bright, stark, and it could be so much better. It's really loud too. It was empty when we arrived at 7, but more tables were filled by the time we left at 8:30 pm. A large party of 6 arrived at 8 and still had not gotten their food by the time we left at 8:30. So maybe it takes a while to cook 6 gourmet burgers. Maybe we are not fry freaks, because we didn't like the fries. We shared an order. Felt like if each fry was 1/2 the size, they would be terrific. Just a little too big a fry for us. The garlic aeoli was good. And I like a little dip with my fries, so that was a pleasant surprise with the choices of dips for the fries-however, if you want to try more than one, they charge you 1.00 for each additional one. Ketchup is free. We decided we probably won't be back but we might try Beasley's. We love to be drawn downtown for locally owned creative restaurants, so this was a good attempt, but not one that would bring us back unfortunately. Did you see the Shimmer Wall while you were downtown? Don't miss it.
(3)Dave S.
If you like hamburgers, you will love Chuck's. If you like French fries, you will really love Chuck's. Great service, great value. Also a best in town chicken sandwich. A little noisy would be the only negative.
(5)Mitch C.
If you are looking for a gourmet burger joint that's hip, with excellent burgers that are not greasy - this is the place! Went with 3 friends. We all had different burgers and enjoyed them very much. Every item on the burger is fresh and carefully chosen - from the lettuce to the tomatoes, onions or pickles. Belgian fries are superb with lots of awesome choices for dipping sauces. I had an arugula side salad and my friend had an iceberg wedge salad - both good. I also had an excellent Belgian beer. We enjoyed peanut butter shakes afterwards. They were very good, could have used a little more peanut flavor though - it tasted too much like vanilla. Are there better burgers out there? Sure - but for Raleigh, this is darn good. I also thought prices were reasonable for a gourmet burger joint. Fun, trendy decor. It's family friendly - kids will definitely enjoy. I found this restaurant on Yelp and strongly recommend. Waaaaaay better than five guys - which is greasy gunk with a misleading high score on Yelp. This place is the real deal - at least for my friends and I.
(5)Sarah R.
Delicious burgers! The fries and the different dipping sauces are a must! The hostesses were friendly and welcoming! Love the atmosphere, updated and casual!
(4)Julia B.
Great place, never that busy. Can't figure out why. The burgers are big, and totally worth $9 in meat quality and topping creation time. Had the "Fork and Knife fries" and a special bacon burger last night. The fries had enough toppings on them! Nothing worse than getting chili fries and having to eat a bunch of naked ones at the end. Not a problem here. Burger was well cooked and toppings fresh. I also like the "Bear in Heaven." My friends are fans of "The high and valley" and "the dirty south." Their idea of cooked medium is my idea of medium, nice and pink in the middle. If you want them cooked some other way, I suggest talking in shades of pink and brown instead of medium/med-well/well done to get what you want. The lady next to me told the waitress she wished hers was more done. Try the boozy milkshake. I did an espresso/praline one with bourbon. So good. They've also started having more beers available then when they opened.
(4)Caroline S.
Yummy burgers in a trendy and fun atmosphere! A bright, open layout greets you at Chuck's. An Ashley Christensen signature chalkboard menu is at the back, but thankfully they've printed out copies of the menu to pour over at your table. I went for the unlisted special, their take on the patty melt, and enjoyed every bite of it. Opting for the "little" version, a 5 oz. portion of the burger for $6.75 instead of $9 + 1/2 share of their 1/2 lb. order of fries was plenty filling. Sure, I could have made the leaf to the 8oz. version for $9, but it would have been harder to enjoy the thick cut fries with Beef Booster Mayo and Roasted Garlic Aioli. Speaking of sauces, the russian dressing on the side of their patty melt was outstanding, wish I had a bigger burger jut to sop that up! Chuck's doesn't take itself too seriously, only fun and filling foods at reasonable prices. That's why it's so easy to order bottled Mexican Cokes or Cheerwine or to compliment the meal with a Captain Crunch, dark chocolate or bacon milkshake. I could easily see coming back just to get a patty melt and milkshake. Service was fast and overall it's just a fun place to be, you leave with a bit of nostalgia that comes with a good burger, fries and shake and with money in your wallet to spare.
(5)A J.
I'll make this short: amazing. Great vibe, not too loud, fun music. I got the special... something with carmalized onions and some salty Swiss cheese. (Can you guys PLEASE make that a typical thing and not just a special?!) I immediately regretted only getting the small burger and not the big size. Fries were soo tasty, worth the calories. Not a fan of any of the sauces I ordered. Would be fine without any of that, really! We all ordered milkshakes after even though I knew I shouldn't have (I try to eat healthy!) I just knew it would be as good as the food. We got malt, lemon and Hummingbird. All were delicious, but the Hummingbird won, hands down. I came in on a Sunday for lunch (with 2 boys who love to eat- they loved it as well) and the next day at work I was begging coworkers to make the trip downtown for our daily lunch outing. I'll certainly be back. Again and again. Can't wait to check out the other places owned by the same people.
(5)Chris C.
Amazing burgers -- definitely better than we expected. Prices are very low considering the quality. We were in a hurry, so I didn't get a chance to try a shake. Next time...
(5)Carol H.
Well done! Adding to the already crowded burger and beer space was a bold move. This place has destroyed the competition in 4 short weeks. The burgers have a nice crust (not char) which has a different flavor that the rest of the burger. That's where many burger joints fail. The roasted beet burger was great in terms of flavor, the beets are a little slippery- nature of the beast (beet). The Dirty South is amazing. Like other users suggested, the buns are lacking (toasting them would help to maintain their integrity, changing them to a kaiser roll would be a good option). The fries alone are a reason to go. The dipping sauces we tried could and should be amped up- the garlic aioli should be more like the patatas bravas of Spanish fame. That means more garlic! The amlted vinegar sauce was also more mayonnaise, not so much kick. The chocolate milk shake is tdf. Ashley, you kick ass! Maybe you can get more of the red chairs for Beasley's next door.
(4)Liz C.
I've been waiting for this place to open for awhile, since a good burger is one of my favorite foods! I absolutely loved my burger. I would say the only downside is the bun. The bottom just kind of falls apart from all the juices coming out of the burger. It would be nice if the bun was a teensy more substantial, but all in all, by far the best burger in town. I love that they serve it medium. The fries were really great, too. I will definitely be going back there whenever I'm in the mood for a good burger.
(4)J G.
Went to Chuck's for the first time last night. I'm not a frequent burger-eater, but I got the Big House burger in the 5-oz size and it was AMAZING! Probably the best burger I've ever had, and as a bonus I didn't feel gross or over-stuffed after I ate it. Just the right amount. The fries were excellent as well.
(5)Katie G.
Burgers were incredible! Fries with the dipping sauces are delicious! The comeback dipping sauce is awesome! We read other reviews and heard the milkshakes were great so all of us tried one. Sooo good! We will definitely be back!
(5)Michele T.
Chuck's was a truly tasty burger experience. The clean, minimalist style of the restaurant was very appealing, the menu gave us great options, the wait staff were friendly and helpful, the food was fantastic. The quality of the beef, which they grind themselves, was amazing. The fries were the best we've had in a long time. We were concerned that North Carolina won't allow restaurants to prepare burgers medium rare but Chuck's medium was moist and delicious. A must try if you are in Raleigh.
(5)Russ J.
Fast, delicious and the fact that veggie burgers are available makes this good for everyone, kids too
(4)Michael R.
So they now offer 5 oz. burgers for a bit cheaper as well as a smaller side of fries for $2.50. They screwed their heads on right and gave us normal size glasses of water with ice. The food is honestly great. They've also changed to wait service instead of ordering at the counter, which is a downgrade and ups your total bill after tip for no reason. Still a $12 lunch, but food is worth it.
(5)Zuri S.
As someone who just returned to the world of meat after 10 years as a vegetarian, this place made me never want to go back to my old ways. Their burgers are perfectly cooked, and the spiked milkshakes are awesome. They're extremely thick, so go on an absolutely empty stomach. The malt with brandy is a great choice. Service is amazing. My only complaint is the somewhat uncomfortable, backless stools. Beyond that, it's the best choice you can make for a burger in Raleigh.
(4)L B.
solid all around. great burgers, great atmosphere. good beer prices.
(4)Trudy H.
Love this place! Food is fantastic, service is great and the place has a great modern vibe. The Spirit Animal burger (cream cheese, roasted poblano chilis, grilled tomatoes, tortilla dust) is my favoraite!! The fries and sauces are realy good too. Yes, its $9 for the burger, but if you love good food its completely worth it!
(5)