Yummy food and great dranks! Be sure and get THE 'shot' a home bar experience…read more {{*.*}}

Food: 4 Service: 3…read moreAmbiance: 3 Date/Time: 9/28/2025 12:30pm Crowd: full bar, 1/4 full dining room Order: Turkey BLT, Philly sandwich This place is located just behind the gas station on the corner of Lynn and Creedmoor in a little strip mall. The business used to be a food truck only and they moved into this location and used the relatively small place to turn into a sports bar, keeping the "kitchen" parked outside in the food truck since the suite is an end unit. If you're a big sports fan, this place is probably perfect for you. It is set up with the bar to the far left as you enter, with a divider in the middle and then the dining area on the right of the divider....and TVs everywhere you look with signs indicating which game of interest each is tuned to. And, like most sports bars, the noise is set to loud. From the dining area, you can exit out the side to the mostly covered outdoor dining area which is where the food truck is parked, and where you go to place your order (not give it to your server who only brings your drinks) and pay for it. Also where all your condiments and napkins are located. For those of you who are not sports fans, all is not lost as the food is pretty good. Granted it's sports bar oriented but it's really pretty tasty. The turkey BLT is between large slices of toasted and buttered bread with a slightly light serving of turkey. The Philly is on a small hoagie and has some kick to it with all the jalapeños. Standard sandwich orders come with chips but fries are available for an upcharge. Service is, well, again it's a basic sports bar so don't expect sit down restaurant service but the folks are mostly friendly. Bottom line is if you love to sit at a bar, or eat grill food, and watch your favorite team on tv with friends, this place should satisfy you. For those who just want some good grill food, order out or if it's a nice day, sit outside where it's not as noisy.

This food truck comes to our Subdivision often. We ordered…read moretwo hotdogs to go and after waiting a good half an hour I could've made a better hotdog at home. I find it's not worth the price. The owner is super friendly, but you can do better at home.

I needed a quick bite to eat and passed this food truck so DeeVine Dogs it was. I ordered a…read morebrightleaf hot dog topped with mayo, mustard, ketchup and opinions with a ginger lemonade. I also go a few fries to try. The lemonade was a bit too sweet but I liked the hot dog.

It's always great. Love the dogs and burgers but my favorite is the chili cheese friesread more

A friend suggested that I try Cloos', and what great advice that turned out to be. Cloos' brings…read morethe feel of Northern short-order stands, grills, and diners to the NC State area. I had lunch there on Thursday--and liked it so much that I went back again on Friday. Two days in a row. One word of caution: this is a true short-order grill. Everything is freshly made to order, and they are often very busy. You will not get your food as quickly as you would at a fast-food place like McDonald's or Wendy's. If you are in a big hurry, head west on Western Boulevard to McDonald's, Bojangles, Wendy's, or Cook Out--all places I patronize--but they are not the same type of venue. Cloos' Coney Island is a hot dog and classic American comfort food restaurant that has been operating in Raleigh since 1988, with strong ties to the NC State student community and local residents. According to their own signage and social pages, they proudly market themselves as "An Original Detroit Hot Dog Stand, Est. 1988." The restaurant is decorated like a classic diner or luncheonette. White tile gives a clean, bright feel, paired with black checkerboard accents. The décor is reminiscent of original White Castle, White Diamond, and Waffle House locations. There's even a Sopranos-themed pinball machine. Seating includes a lunch counter with round revolving stools and 1950s-style dinette tables and chairs. On Thursday, I ordered a Coney Dog and French fries. With the exception of the Chicago Dog, their hot dogs are 90 percent beef, with the remainder pork products. The Coney Dog is their specialty, served on a steamed bun with chili, mustard, and onions--try it; you'll love it. The fries are excellent--thin, string-style fries like McDonald's used to make years ago. My friend had the Chicago Dog, a Vienna all-beef frank customized with Carolina flair, adding slaw atop their Coney Dog toppings. They have a soda fountain with Coke products, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and both sweet and unsweet tea. As a fun detail, there's a Coca-Cola CLASSIC sign near the fountain--perfectly fitting for a place established in the late '80s. Because they offer both tea and lemonade, they list Arnold Palmers (sweet or unsweet) on the menu. They also offer bottled water and a selection of domestic and premium bottled beers. On Friday, I went alone, sat at the counter, and ordered the Philly Cheesesteak--listed on their menu as one of their signature items, and now I know why. I chose steak with green peppers and onions and added mushrooms for a small extra charge. I don't care for mustard (a Midwest thing) or mayonnaise (a Southern thing) on my cheesesteaks. When I worked in Philadelphia and ate at Pat's and the street carts, I always had ketchup on the bun. At Cloos', I dipped both my cheesesteak and fries into genuine Heinz ketchup from glass bottles--outstanding. I liked the fries so much the day before that I ordered another small order. Growing up in New Jersey, a root beer with a cheesesteak just felt right--even though I rarely drink soda. Some pairings are simply meant to be. The staff are great--nice, patient, and constantly engaging with customers. There's an ongoing conversation about everything, and you can tell they genuinely enjoy their work, their coworkers, and their customers. If you're expecting service with a deep Southern accent, this might not be the place--but the warmth and authenticity more than make up for it. Needless to say, I plan to go back. Two five-star experiences, back-to-back.

I've been loyal fan of Chop since NC Fairgrounds and their food truck. I was surprised to find them…read moreonline DOORDASH and had to order. Fried chicken sandwich combo and BBQ sandwich with baked beans were just as tasty as my previous times indulging on their amazing Q. This spot is high on my list of BBQ reminds me of the way my family taught us over years low and slow.Try u might find a gem at Shell station that Chop Shop has location .

Amazing food, wonderful service! Patty Rocks!!!!! Enjoyed the brisket and the sauce is epic!read more

Very pleased with the attention and care we received. My pup was abused and very nervous. I was…read moreapprehensive about our first visit but things went so smoothly!! From beginning to end our visit was wonderful!

The best hot dogs around! Great selection and outstanding customer service and quality! I stip in…read moreat least once a week and so glad I do. Andy is the nicest guy in the world, its not just a hot dog stand its a great place to eat! Makes you feel like family when your there

I order a hotdog from here excited to try them based on reviews. I paid and waited half my break…read morewhile they prepared the food. When she called my order number, I asked if it was a beef dog and she said no. I said I'm sorry don't eat pork and your menu doesn't mention it either. This lady looked at me and said Oh.. and went to the next customer. No apology or refund offering of anything else on the menu. I didn't eat lunch that day. I ended up giving it away because it was, in fact a $5 hotdog lol. Sooo yes this place gets a 1 from me and I will not be a retuning customer!

Buff-o-lina markets itself as serving "Buffalo classics". I can't speak to that, but they do have a…read morevariety of hot dogs and the chicken wings with at least one of sauces of the namesake "Buffalo". The hotdogs have a snap but are not the red kind -- but they shouldn't be with a food truck with this name. The hotdogs are fine, some of the toppings are generous but are just about right for the size of the hot dog and bun. The cheese fries have the classic glow-in-the-dark cheese of convenience store nachos, but they are served hot. Because I came across this food truck at a brewery, it just right for the atmosphere and as an accompaniment. I can't say I'd actively seek it out again, but I wouldn't avoid it, either. I need to try some of the wings just to say I've experienced the buffalo-wings from a food truck promoting its Buffalo connection.

9.5 years later, I returned to the Roast Grill!…read more Nothing much has changed, and nothing really needs to. A little more Hurricanes gear, which I didn't need, but what can you do. 3 dogs and a coke for $14. Prices may not be the same, but such is life. I ordered all three dogs with mustard, onions, and slaw, and one also had the chili. I have to admit a few splashes of Texas Pete hot sauce took them over the top. The dogs themselves are great quality, none of the mystery meats that some of these other Carolina dogs have. And I'm glad they didn't load the chili on. Maybe this is not legal to say in the south, but I'm just not a fan of a chili dog with so much chili that the whole thing falls apart. The toppings should complement the dog, not overwhelm it. OK, I digress... The service was tremendous. I chatted with the owners about various topics for a good half hour and they were incredibly hospitable. They even gave me a couple of Tootsie rolls. Even though I can't do chocolate, I was glad to take them as a token of hospitality.

I visited the Roast Grill in January after years of looking down on the building from my former…read moreGannett Fleming office at One Glenwood and wondering what was inside this little Raleigh institution. The Roast Grill feels less like a restaurant and more like a preserved piece of mid-20th-century Americana hidden in plain sight along West Street. The narrow counter, wood-paneled walls, neon beer signs, Coca-Cola memorabilia, handwritten notices, old photographs, Hurricanes tributes, and decades of accumulated objects create an atmosphere that simply cannot be manufactured today. The place reminded me a little of Chicago's famous Billy Goat Tavern--especially the feeling of discovering something authentic tucked beneath an increasingly overbuilt urban streetscape. I ordered two hot dogs all the way with mustard, onions, chili, and slaw--absolutely NO ketchup, of course--along with a Coke in a glass bottle. The chili is legendary and reportedly takes up to three days to prepare. Whether that is folklore or fact, it certainly gives the hot dogs a flavor unlike almost anywhere else in Raleigh. One of my favorite details was the mounted goat wearing a red hat beneath the neon beer signs. It somehow fits perfectly within the visual layering and quirky personality of the interior. Even the traditions remain intact. At the end of the meal, every customer receives a Tootsie Roll. Places like the Roast Grill are becoming increasingly rare. It is not just a hot dog stand--it is a living piece of Raleigh history. If interested, you can view my post in "The Architecture of..." Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18Tu51FPtB/

Food Truck Time: Bam Pow Chow @ the Railhawks game…read more I was super excited to try Bam Pow Chow because the menu looked very appetizing. I ordered the Fried Red Tomato Sliders with an avocado sauce and corn relish. This came with 2 sliders for $7, you can add an order of french fries for an additional $2 (if you love waffle fries then you will definitely want to do this). The food tasted great, I would recommend this food truck.

When you hear that a local food truck has a new owner and he's a talented chef who has been at the…read morehelm of some of the areas top restaurants (former Savoy, Glass Half Full, Midtown) you seek them out. We caught up with Bam Pow Chow and chef Marshall Smith at Compass Rose. The menu had four entrees; Angus beef sliders with grilled Provolone, and chimichurri, pulled pork sliders with tangy apples and scallions, the Big Fish sandwich with a lemon dill ranch and cucumbers and fried red tomato sliders with corn relish and avocado sauce. Sides are separate and options include French fries, corn fritters, mac & cheese with bacon, and onion rings. First off, the menu is well priced and the portions are generous. We ordered the Big Fish sandwich and the Angus sliders, and for sides, the corn fritters, French fries and mac & cheese with bacon. The Big Fish sandwich is a large deep fried filet resting on two slider buns. The deep fry reminds me of fish & chips takeaway in the UK, it's crispy and flavorful, but with cucumber slices and dill ranch. The Angus sliders are topped with chimichurri, cooked really well and full of flavor. They were actually described by my daughter as "incredible." The slider buns are worth mentioning. Not run-of-the-mill buns, they are elevated and worth the carbs. The sides are stars too. The French fries are a mix of white potato and sweet potato, fried crispy and dusted with we guess to be garlic and Parmesan(?). The corn fritters...I hesitated ordering them because if fritters are dry, they're terrible. These were the exact opposite of dry. The corn fritters are moist and cake like, and they were served with a spicy mayo for dipping. Finally, the mac & cheese with bacon. This side is more than a side, and the chopped, fresh bacon crowning it takes it to another level. Overall, we enjoyed every bite. High marks from my crew. We can't wait to see how Bam Pow Chow evolves with Smith at the helm. Don't miss out.