Charcoal Delights is one of my favorite burger joints.I try and go a few times a month. Its a Greek family owned place that's been there like 10,000 years. I think its funny that McDonald's is right across the street. I don't know how that McDonald's stays open. The burgers just taste so much better grilled with charcoal. Period. Really clean and nice staff as well. I highly recommend it. read more

Great cheap food, its nothing special. But if your in the mood for some greasy sloop, then this is it. Awesome gyros. read more

This is my favorite place to get food that is located close to Swedish hospital. The gyro, chicken sandwich, Chicago style hot dog, and burgers are just some of my favorite items. One thing item that can improve is the milkshakes. I was expecting a thicker texture for my milkshake but instead found ice chunks. To sum it up- if you are in the neighborhood and want somewhere to eat besides McDonald's or the swanky neighborhood restaurants Charcoal delights is your best choice! read more

$2.29 for hotdog and fries....complete with neon relish. We usually pick this up for lunch and jump across the street for a large $1 coke from McDonalds. The burgers are charcoal cooked (duh...you're eating at Charcoal Delights) which is a refreshing change from McD's across the street. I love this little local place, stop in or go through the drive thru. read more

Ordered lunch with coworkers today. My chicken kabob sandwich was so small for the price. My sandwich and large coke totaled $12.00 with tip and delivery fee. The chicken and rib dinner my coworkers ordered was also small and should be renamed as a snack. Charcoal Delights need to change it's name to Charcoal Bites if wants to serve tiny portions to customers. smh read more

OK. So Charcoal Delights get one more star today because of their yummy ice cream cones. They are really, really yummy. I tried their gyro again....asked for extra cheese and it tasted like they refrained from giving me my 2 dollar feta cheese. OK, but still not happy. So I am a fan of yummy ice cream cones from Charcoal Delights. The ice cream taste homemade. It is worth the 2 dollars in the Chi-town heat! read more

I was in the mood for a good dose of greasy food and their Grilled Cheese sandwich certainly took care of the craving! Aside from the fact that it was stacked with 3 slices of bread and god knows how many slices of American cheese, this sandwich really reminded me of the homemade grilled cheese sandwiches my mom used to make for me as a kid-and those are good memories. Their prices are very reasonable and I would definitely come back for another ooey gooey cheesey delight. After reading some of the reviews I think I may also give their gyro a try! read more

Charcoal Delights is just crazy. Looking into its menu is like staring into the face of dread Cthulhu-- it is vast and incomprehensible. Burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, gyros, a full breakfast menu with pancakes, omelettes, and much, much more. Plus the homemade baclava in a pan next to the register! It's a lot to deal with. If you're starving and you love meat, it would be hard to go wrong with Charcoal Delights. Also, if you can make it there before 11 for their breakfast menu, you get a TON of food for not much more than you'd pay for breakfast at the McDonald's across the street. read more

The last time I visited Charcoal Delights I had the delicious chicken kebab sandwich with char-grilled meaty chunks of chicken, grilled veggies and yummy tzatziki sauce all on a pita with fries and a drink. My lunchmate had a tasty tuna melt. The first few times I've been to Charcoal Delights, I got the basic 1/4 lb. cheeseburger with fries and a drink. I say basic, but it's not basic like McDonald's or Wendy's is basic. They grill the burger to order and it's perfect every time! And it travels well, too! I've picked up food and headed home with it and it's still warm and tasty even 15 minutes later! This place can get crowded, but the dining room is clean and tables are constantly turning over, so you should be able to eat right away! read more

Great burger and hot dog joint with a good twist. Everything is cooked over charcoal, hence the name! The added char makes everything taste like a picnic. Having a grilled Chicago dog is becoming my standard, so much taste. And for a dog and fries for under 3 bucks you can't beat that deal. As for the rest. The menu is quite extensive from fresh fried chicken, to homemade soup, to gyros, and turkey clubs. Everything is good and well prepared and the service is always top-notch. So, if your hanging in Albany Park and need a good hot dog fix, check this place out. You will be happy you did....Did I mention a awesome dog and fries for under 3 bucks! Oh I did but, still its GREAT! read more

The gyro sandwich was good.Service fast and the food was hot..Will definitely come back soon.Friendly service.

Food is good but expensive, I ordered a four piece chicken dinner wanted to exchange the biscuit for bread and he wanted to charge me two dollars to do that. Don't think I'll be coming back. read more

Been here three times (drive-thru each time) and had a cheeseburger twice and the cheese-steak delight once. The prices are good - slightly higher than some chain fast food, but the food is slightly better. And my drive-thru service was fast enough but I totally get the cranky vibe from the staff. Best item so far: Cheese-steak delight... 4 stars. Worst item: One cheeseburger was a 3-star average. The other one was tough around the edge and overcooked - 1 or 2 stars. Next time I'll take Valerie S' suggestion and try a brat. read more

A classic destination in my neighborhood. Think of all the iconic Chicago fast food: dogs, gyros, Italian beef, etc. Charcoal Delights does it right. First thing to keep in mind, all this stuff really is charcoal grilled. You can watch them do it. McDonalds can have their griddle, this is man cooking over real fire the way God intended. Grilled Chicken, Burgers, Hot Dogs and Sausages are all very tasty. The menu goes on from there. Broasted chicken, fried food, ribs, big Greek salads are just the start. The real star of the whole show is the Gyros. They are the best in the city. Tender and juicy meat slathered in creamy cucumber sauce on top of a freshly toasted pita. They are excelent. CD is a little on the pricey side when it comes to fast food. A value meal can often run $7 or more. There are only a couple of complaints that keep me from scoring Charcoal Delights five stars. The quality of hamburger seems to to have taken a step backwards these last couple of years, the meat is a little more greasy and a little less tasty. Secondly, there is something very wrong with their frozen custard. If you're thinking "Culvers", you'll be sorely dissapointed by theirs. That's my only complaints. I'm probably there at least once a week, almost always for the Gyros. read more

Charcoal Delights is delightful. For one...I love their hot dogs. As far as I'm concerned...the Chicago hot dog is nature's most perfect food...but the little extra char makes these extra tasty! Second...I like their gyros. Other people may like their gyros on pitas that are bigger than a dinner plate...and dripping with sauce...but the ones here are tasty, correctly sized...and have a nice amount of sauce and an abundance of meat instead of oversized pita. And I don't have to change my shirt after eating one! And BROASTED...OMG...I love the broasted potato strips. Mmmm... My husband gets their big burger...and is always impressed that when he asks for medium...he actually GETS medium. Every time. An at least on Wednesday evening...when we go....there's always one server out in the seating area talking to people, making sure everything tastes good...cleaning tables...and getting refills...which is a nice homey touch making CD slightly better than some of the neighboring hot dog joints. They lose a star for needing to crank the heat a little in the winter. There were a few days where it was COLD in their dining room. read more

For a fast food burger, it's way above average. Terrific, actually. What really drives me nuts though is that their buns cannot support the 1/2 lb. burger. They obviously use a very cheap bun that simply falls apart. The fries are tasteless and obviously frozen. Both the chicken breast sandwich and broasted chicken are also terrific. Italian beef and sausage good -- nothing special. They're also stingy with napkins, ketchup and for some unfathomable reason, they serve their Polish on a kaiser roll which is too big for the very good Vienna sausage. It's also just not a good combination. Between the buns for the burgers and the rolls for the Polish, they just can't se to get their bread act together! read more

Amazing food and casual and quick service. The Greek chicken is phenomenal, and the fries are great too.

Growing up, Charcoal Delights has always been awesome! Been going here for years, way back when it was called the "Hot Dog Pit" I hate to say this but it seems the quality of their food has taken a hit. The last 4--5 times here, I have been disappointed. The famous "Charcoal Chicken" sandwich, I kept trying it, but it just seems to have lost some taste, and the bun......they give you now some weird square bun? I was here Sunday.....ordered a chocolate shake. there was NO chocolate flavoring in it at all. did they forget to add chocolate syrup to it? it was a bad shake. should I have said something, yes, but I just let it go. I just feel the food taste & quality has taken a hit lately...............sad to say. read more

Really great drive-through / fast food type restaurant. Very friendly staff with great service and a large selection of food. I have not gone since coronavirus began though. read more

I've been coming here since I was a kid before it was rebuilt into what it is now. Food is Delicious! Charcoal flavor makes a difference. SuperDog delicious. DBL cheese burger delicious. read more

While I've never eaten inside, the drive through is quick, the staff polite...and the food is yummy. HUGE onion rings are the way to go; I also love their grilled cheese & tuna melts. Hits the spot! read more

Went in there for the first time, and the food was amazing, there fried chicken, french fries and cheeseburgers were so good and the staff is so kind we come here all the time and are never disappointed. read more

I used to love this spot. It is great early in the morning before school or whenever you want something quick and fresher than gross McDonald's. BUT they are NOT wearing masks while cooking..... so I won't be eating there anymore. read more

Everything is good. I haven't had a hot dog in ages because everything else is too good. Especially the charcoal chicken sandwich. Fast service, we call ahead. Nice family. I work near the one in DesPlaines and that one is great too. read more

I have been in the north park area for 5 years and I recently discovered this place 2 years ago there food is really good and they are open for breakfast more on the expensive for a hotdog place but the breakfast food is cheaper then Macdonald's which is across the street. read more

AMAZING GYROS!!!!!!!!!!!! They're gyro plate rocks my socks off, especially with extra tzatziki and I'm one happy boy. I've been going to this place since I was a sophomore in high school and I'm still hooked on it. A bit pricey, but definitely worth the extra cash for great food. P.S. They make a great milkshake too read more

Went through the drive through and we ordered a chicken kabob sandwich, cheesesteak sandwich, and fries. When we got home, I opened the chicken kabob sandwich to find they gave me a gyro instead. I am not a fan of gyros at all, so that was the first disappointment of this order. The only redeeming thing here was their pita bread, which was good, so I ate that for dinner. My fiance's cheesesteak sandwich barely had any meat on it and was loaded with veggies and cheese. He also was disappointed, but was happy with the cheese fries. Overall, I was definitely expecting better. read more

I meandered over here during a break from a prenatal class that was being held at the Galter Life Center. I didn't really plan on getting lunch, but an urge hit me, since I like my urges I went with it and went inside. Busy little place, not surprisingly since it was lunch time, you can do counter service or sit down and they will bring it to you. I opted for the grab and go maneuver. I wasn't super hungry, but I spied a chicken kabob dinner and opted for that. Silly me! I guess I didn't specify and ordered the chicken kabob sandwich. Ahh I rolled with my mistake and was fine with it, either one worked really. I munched as I walked back to the center to continue to learn about placentas and the joys of pregnancy, (thank you sweet Jebus I can't give birth! Unless the whole Cosby Show episode becomes real. The one in which men could have kids because of some volcanic spores but really it was a bad nightmare that Cliff was having... didn't see that one huh? Oh well never mind, still don't ever want to get pregnant). The fries were hot and were the wide and flat kind, so not too much crispiness was going on, they were fine, but got tossed, just wasn't in the mood for the whole bag. When I got to open up my kabob sandwich, I was pleasantly surprised. Some okay tastiness was going on here. Some large chunks of chicken, decent, albeit bland, taziki sauce and soft pita. The sandwich passed the test, no upset stomach afterward, but it wasn't the best sandwich I've had. I will say it was an alright place. Not going to be running back, but I might need to get in some runs after eating here to work it off. Unless I need to work off a hangover... read more

Good food. My issue is with the cheap carry out containers these people use. The food was so hot, it left melted indentations on the inside bottom of the styrofoam container. I pray not to wind up with stomach cancer. Will not return here. read more

The scotty hot dog with everything and the gyro are very delicious. My favorite thing on the menu though is the coffee. Surpasses dunkin donuts coffee with cream and sugar by a landslide. Who'd a thunk that? read more

I love it here. I come here at least once a week. It's good food at pretty decent prices, and they have a drive-thru! What more could I ask for after a long day at work?! The food is always hot, and fresh. I've never had anything bad here. They have a huge menu. Their staff is always super nice and seem to actually care about the customers. read more

Never had anything I didn't like from here. It's fast, efficient, and pretty darn cheap. The staff is nice, and well informed, and I've never had to wait in line. read more

Cooking the hot dog on the grill makes a difference. They make well-crafted hot dogs that don't fall apart when you eat them.

The gyros here are the real deal. They're not dry like at so many gyros joints all over the city. The fries can be a little bit on the greasy and bland side, but enough salt fixes that up in a second. Food comes remarkably quickly and is always fresh. It's a great crowd in here, especially considering the location in the no-man's land between Lincoln Square and squeaky-clean North Park University. Watch for the obligatory cops and Streets & San guys, as well as the grizzly-haired, wrinkled man who sits there with his coffee and his beat-up volume of Foucault. read more

We have been coming here for over 15 years, the food is good but we are really disappointed with the quality of packaging at this restaurant. The to-go packing is cheap, and it always causes us a problem to get food home. Tonight my son went through the drive thru and ordered food including a chocolate shake. As he was getting out the car the bottom of the cup gave away and the whole shake fell out of the cup. He spent money for nothing as it all went to waste and even fell on his work uniform. This happened to me a few months ago. As we went through drive thru, they had us move forward to wait for food, as the lady came out and handed me the cup, the cup gave out and the whole shake spilled in the car. The lady ran in to get me some napkins but it wasn't enough as it spilled on the seats all the way down through the floor. I had to ask her to bring me some more. I ended up having to pay to get it cleaned as the next day it smelled of rotten milk, because it penetrated the floor. This is a regular spot for us so we are so disappointed, this is our favorite place in the neighborhood to get a shake but this will definitely keep us away. read more

Charcoal Delights - Cheap to go packaging - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ordered the "Philly cheese-steak sandwich" and it is by far the worst one I have ever had anywhere. The way they prepare is not the traditional method where the meat is shredded into smaller pieces and mixed with the cheese. Here they put two or three solid pieces of meat with cheese on top and if you have onions and green peppers they put very big pieces, like way too big. I think they must have something against chopping? Their preparation method I could forgive them for but what made me throw my sandwich away after two bites was that half the meat was a solid strip of fat that I could not bite through. I actually couldn't force my teeth through the huge strip of fat that ran the length of all the meat or savagely rip off a piece. So they basically sold me garbage. PS. Even my cat wouldn't eat the meat! read more

I opted for a boiga instead of the chicken delight(!) and the charbroiling makes it extra tasty. Crispy fries and an ice cold pink lemonade later I was a happy gal. Kind of reminds me of Olympic Broil at home, but definitely a good place to grab a real burger. read more

OH YUM! I love stopping by here when I'm working up North during the week! Everything on the menu is so good. While I'm a huge fan of their cheeseburgers, salads, hot dogs, and everything else is such a treat! Another plus is that they have a drive thru, that is fairly quick, considering that everything here is made-to-order! read more

This place is straight fire. Great spot for a late night milkshake and fries. And you can get it for the low low. Very reason prices.

Excellent customer service. Workers are so friendly and I felt like they all truly cared about the restaurant. Their burgers are delicious and has a taste that other burgers don't really have. Shakes are good and atmosphere is really warm and welcoming. Definitely coming back. read more