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    Al's Burger Shack

    4.4 (848 reviews)
    InexpensiveBurgers, Hot Dogs
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Al's Burger Shack Takeout or Delivery

    Al's Burger Shack Photos

    Business Info

    AL'S BURGER SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Al's Burger Shack

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    Burger
    Y C.

    I've heard so much about Al's Burger Shack that I had to come and try it out. The place was busy with lots of people sitting inside and outside in round and picnic style tables. You can order in the 'shack' or like I did, outside by the bar. There was no line there. I ordered a burger and fries and a hotdog and fries with a Coke and it was surprisingly very good. You do have to wait a bit for the food, approximately 20 mins. They come around and yell out your name when the food is ready. Be patient and enjoy. Would definitely try again. It sort of reminded me of 'In and Out' only because this place has a following who swear by these burgers.

    Samantha R.

    Great service, great food, and good vibes! I would definitely recommend if you are in the area.

    An Al's Classic Burger and a cold craft beer. There's nothing better!
    Joe P.

    This longtime Chapel Hill institution serves up ridiculously good burgers, hot dogs and fries in a casual Franklin Street setting that's just a short walk from the UNC campus. Al's Classic Hamburger might just be one of the best I've ever tasted -- cooked to perfection and topped with fresh onions, pickles and Al's amazing sauce. Pair it with a side of crinkle fries and a cold draft beer from Al's fantastic selection of North Carolina crafts, and you'll soon be in hamburger heaven. Service was fast and friendly, and despite the tight accommodations at the front counter, there are ample tables out back, both outside and covered. There's also a taproom in a separate building where you can enjoy a burger and cold beer at a booth or table. And there's no dedicated parking, so drivers will have to find a spot on the street or in a nearby public lot. Serving up one of the best burgers I've had in a very long time, Al's is a Chapel Hill experience I'll be looking forward to whenever I'm back in town. HIGHLY recommended!

    2025 Best of Chapel Hill
    Kaylee T.

    Food was delicious! Quick service for a Tuesday afternoon. Outside seating was perfect for the 70 degree weather.

    Sweet Potato Fries, Mr. G (hot dog Carolina style), and Sean's Bacon Cheeseburger
    Dana M.

    Everything we tried here was delicious. The fries also came with a dipping sauce so I chose the ranch which is made in house. The hot dog had a nice snap to it and the burger was very juicy. Very cute vintage decor as well.

    Katie S.

    Hands down my favorite cheeseburger in the Triangle. It's a small space, you walk up to the counter and order, they have daily specials on the board, you pay, and they'll call your name when your order is ready. Everything is cooked to order and it goes pretty quickly. There is outside seating and some bar seating inside. It's low key vibes with high key flavors. The regular cheeseburger is my go to. Their crinkle fries and tots are incredible. I keep meaning to try their shakes - but honestly the cheeseburger is the show stopped imo. 15/10. No notes.

    Bobo Chili Cheeseburger and Crinkle Cut Fries with Siracha aioli sauce
    Hudson L.

    Amazing burger and fries! Burgers are cooked to order and mine was done to perfection (medium rare). Fries were hot with just the right amount of crinkle. Rosemary spread on top was a nice touch too. You walk in and order from a counter and then have your choice of seating either outside or in heated enclosements. Staff was friendly and brings food to your table. Personally, I thought $17 for a burger and fries with no drink was a touch expensive, but the quality of the food outweighs the cost. Definitely come check this place out if you are ever in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area!

    Kenny J (left), Mookie (right)
    Annie W.

    Placed an online order for pickup and it was ready before the estimated time which is always a pleasant surprise. Prices were reasonable and we got the Kenny J and Mookie burgers with 2 orders of fries for just under $30 including tax. The Mookie burger had blue cheese, bacon jam, and a roasted garlic aioli. The Kenny J was topped with bacon, grilled onions and pimento cheese. Both were cooked to a perfect medium and the patties were juicy and flavorful. Their fries are crinkle cut and the portions were generous - they were sprinkled with rosemary which definitely came through as a stand-out aromatic flavor. Plus, the fries come with a choice of dipping sauce - we went with the roasted garlic aioli which was delicious. They have nice vibes with the outdoor seating but limited seating indoors so we chose to takeaway to a local brewery (also for a wider range of drink options). Highly recommend, you simply can't go wrong with a solid burger/fry combo!

    Hamburger
    Kyle R.

    Such a classic Chapel Hill spot. Usually a long line but always worth it. Such juicy flavorful delicious and big burgers. The fries are great as well. Always enjoy a stop at Al's.

    Beer shack annex
    Cliff H.

    Perfectly cooked burger, a little pink on the inside. Fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Perfect balance of pickled. Grilled potato bun. Hot dog huge and split fried witj great texture and mustard, slaw, chili and onions --Carolina style. Fries perfectly crispy. Highly recommend.

    Nashy Smashy and combo Half n Half Fries
    Judy B.

    The burger is so juicy and the bun is always so fresh and soft. Great burgers, fast service, great staff.

    Basic menu

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    2 months ago

    I enjoyed the chili burger, fries, and chocolate shake. Fast, delicious, wonderful service! I will definitely be back!

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    Business owner information

    Photo of William F.

    William F.

    Thanks for the visit and the review, Shannon. The burgers look great!

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    2 years ago

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    William F.

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    8 months ago

    Great burger joint with a delicious twist on the usual stuff. Get multiple sauce for the sweet potato fries.

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    4 months ago

    Great Food, service was great. Fries and burger was amazing. The Store was very clean.

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    Page 1 of 22

    Ask the Community - Al's Burger Shack

    Is there a way to order pickup food from Al's? Clover.com always has it listed as not accepting orders, no one answers the phone number that is listed to call and there is no way to leave a message cause the mailbox is full.

    Call the restaurant. Both locations offer pickup. Also they deliver with DoorDash and Grubhub.

    Is their hot dog "chili" made with pork? In general, is the "chili" made with pork?

    Yes, made with pork.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    We have given Tandem a try a few times over the years. One time the oysters were served frozen…read more They brought us a new platter of a dozen that were better - that was 3 years ago. Lastnight, our family ate dinner there only to get sick from the muscles. 3 of us shared the muscles appetizer, which tasted great, but the three of us that ate the muscles ended up sick for a few hours later that evening and and next morning. Everyone else in the dinner party that had not eaten the muscles was fine. The service staff was over-extended. We had to ask the busing staff to get our waiter so that we could order and later in the meal to refresh our beverages. And finally, our dinner party was seated in the very furtherest back room that features an exit door with a large lit up exit sign over it. The room was not really fit to seat people at that price point. There are no sound buffers in the back room. It is akin to a large storage area with artwork on the wallks. There was no way to hear anyone talking at the table due to the roar of the sound bouncing off the walls. The room should not be used for seating at Tandem's price point. I rarely if ever give a bad review, but last night was really disappointing. My family came from Raleigh to join us and we had come over from Hillsborough. We were treating our parents out to a nice dinner - or at least that was the expectation. Otherwise the food was very good.

    Went out on Thursday night to tandem what a great experience. I ordered the Japanese eggplant with…read morequinoa, with a curry sauce. It was delicious and very tasty. With the quinoa adding a crispy crunch to the dish. Having only done lunch at tandem I was not prepared for the taste and unusual foods on the dinner menu. My wife ordered the 72 hr short ribs they were the most delicious and tasty short ribs I had ever encountered. I usually never order short ribs but I would try these out. Our dinner guest had the rib eye steak for one it was also delicious from our guests response. The service is always great with enough service but never overwhelming. For a night cap we enjoyed a Remy cognac. With there cheesecake and chocolate pudding cake. Both were delicious and very tasty.

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    Carolina Brewery - Carolina On My Mind Burger. $14.50. House-ground beef, pimento cheese, bacon, iceberg, tomato, red onions, house pickles, Carolina Gold BBQ.

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    Went there Saturday for an early lunch or brunch, a nice selection of beers although they were out…read moreof their IPA when we arrived. According to my wife the house Pinot Noir was good, as well as her croissant breakfast sandwich with avocado egg and ham. Tried to get the blackened fish tacos for myself... they were out of fish... I had the steak instead and they were very good. Ordered hush puppies as a side and those came out cold.... I did order a cold salad and fresh. Plenty of TVs to watch in this two stories establishment and they and staff willing to switch to what people wanted to watch. All in all a good place, with a friendly staff and great service from Emerson at the bar. Other than some shortages in the kitchen and on tap, it was a good experience.

    Pretty middle of the road place. I liked the atmosphere--big open area with TVs to watch the game…read moreand open air onto the street. The service was solid--nice young lady from UNC who was very attentive and friendly. The food was meh. The burrito bowl was super salty and blah. The pork sandwich was soggy. The Mac and cheese was bland. The blackened fish tacos had hardly any fish. I'm guessing there are better choices on Franklin.

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    Carolina Brewery - Inside. Lower level at the bar, watching North Carolina vs NC State in the 2024 ACC Tournament championship game on March 16, 2024.

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    Sup Dogs was a big disappointment. We arrived on game day but early enough in the day that they…read morewere steady but not super busy. It was freezing today outside and we were seated by the door. Everything was fine until the hostess propped the door open. They left the door wide open and everyone in the front seating area was miserable. I asked if they could please close it and I was told no. They said the hostess stands by the door on game days. So they really don't care if their customers are comfortable or not. That says a lot. They certainly could've made adjustments given the cold and windy day. But our waitress was kind enough to move us when a table opened up in the back. That was a big relief and much more comfortable. Now to their food. The bacon cheese fries were great but didn't have bacon so we had to get them to bring back to sprinkle on top. The ranch was excellent and we all liked the app. My youngest got a grilled cheese which he enjoyed. My oldest got a burger which he said was okay, but nothing special. But the real disappointment comes in with the hot dogs. My first dog was cold, like unappetizingly cold. The waitress was very nice and took care of it immediately. However, the second dog came out almost immediately. If you like a boiled hot dog that's reheated in a microwave, you'll like their hot dogs. But I want a quality grilled hot dog. We'll stick to our ol' faithful CH burger joint from here on out. And I hope next time your customers are extremely uncomfortable on a freezing day sitting right next to the open door, you exercise some courtesy and close the door next time.

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    We really enjoyed our visit to Queen Burger while in town for a Duke football game. It's in the…read morecutest little part of town and I love that it's fast casual with a very simple menu. The space is a little tight but they do have outdoor seating which worked perfectly for our group. I also loved that they served cocktails in to go cups. The food was outstanding - a melty, crispy edged smash burger with a side of cheese tots, yum! We also got the chicken tenders and fries for our daughter and the bites I tried were delicious. This will definitely be a spot we visit when we want something quick and scrumptious if we are in the area!

    We came here on a early Friday evening before a show a DPAC. Luckily we got there early enough to…read moresnag a table by the window so we could people watch. We both had a classic burger (him with no pickles, me with no special sauce), shared an order of fries, he had an IPA and I got a blackberry mojito for about $40. The good: The fries were amazing (shoestring fries are my favorite)! The amount of pickles they put on it were phenomenal! The drinks we awesome and the vibe was outstanding. The employees were friendly and helpful. And I feel like everything was priced well and appropriately. The not so good: The meat was just meh and the onions were straight up burnt. Not caramelized, burnt. Overall, the burger was decent, just not great like we were hoping. We sat at our table for quite some time and had a few drinks. It was busy but never too crowded. There was a line but it moved quickly. I would reccommend this place to grab a quick bite before a DPAC show!

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    Al's Burger Shack - burgers - Updated June 2026

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