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

Such a great idea They have a Food Truck that's hooked up…read moreto a lounge and Bar. You outside to order then you go have a seat and they bring it to you. Nice atmosphere, all game on several TV's. I had the Philly Brisket. Delicious too. My only complaint, there are SO MANY great items on the menu and not enough time to be in town to have more. My daughter had a Meatloaf sandwich and had a bite, scrumptious. I must go and experience it. I'll be back next time I'm in tow.

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 .

When I was new to Eastern/Central NC, I was astonished by a restaurant sign for a Pork BBQ…read moresandwich. Needless to say I was shocked, surprised, dismayed, and disappointed by this vinegary, chopped "mess". Fast forward to today, and I'm totally enamored by the vinegary chopped pork contrasted by creamy, crunchy cole slaw! Also, a few shakes of hot sauce never hurt 'nobody! When in the area, this is a great opportunity to satiate that addiction. We ordered the chopped BBQ plate, smoked chicken thigh, fried chicken sandwich. All very solid options. My least fav side was the cucumber salad, as it was too vinegary and could have benefited from a pinch or two of sugar. The BBQ was tender and flavored with a vinegar base (missing a pronounced smoke flavor). There is also the option to add a tomato/ketchup based BBQ sauce. While this is located in a gas station there are a few high top tables with chairs and we ate there with no issue. There was a steady stream of to go orders, many of which ordered brisket (Thursday special). BBQ: 3.9

Enjoyable but needs more toppings. The sausage was great, but the hot dog felt a bit plain. Adding…read moremore onions and relish would help.

Olsen's catered a great event at Tarboro Brewing Company tonight. Kind service, delicious hot dog…read morewith a huge variety of toppings, and great prices. Would highly recommend!

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/

Great hotdogs and friendly service! Will definitely return and check out the bar next time.read more

Fresh and delicious hot dogs, customer service is 10/10.. Great atmosphere and music . Will be backread more

We recently tried George's and were impressed! We ordered the pizza steak, cheesesteak hoagie, and…read morethe classic cheesesteak, all was packed with flavour and cooked perfectly. You can tell they don't cut corners when it comes to quality. We also got the garlic Parmesan fries and pizza fries, and both were so good it was hard to stop eating them . Everything we tried was absolutely delicious and definitely worth the cost. We'll be back! If you're craving a solid cheesesteak spot, I'd definitely recommend giving them a try.

I've been following this food truck for a while and finally got to try them out at Seven Saturdays…read moreoff of Capital Blvd yesterday. Bright red food trailer behind a truck, George's serves up classic Philly cheesesteaks freshly sliced and made along with beef tallow fries. Get your steak with mozz, provolone or Cooper's sharp, my pizza steak was quite good and nicely seasoned. The fries are excellent, lightly salted and crisp, eat them while they're fresh. Overall George's is doing a nice job and I'd like to see how they evolve. But part of me will always miss the old Anvil's Cheesesteaks that used to sit at the Raleigh-Cary line, sigh. But thank you George for bringing back solid cheesesteaks!

Another delicious meal from Fishin Shrimp. A huge portion of outstanding boiled shrimp plus corn…read moreand red-skin potatoes. The shrimp are enormous. And boiled to perfection in a briney mix. They're crisp to the bite, firm, fresh and delicious, served dusted with Old Bay. The boil also includes 3" corn on the cob and whole red-skin potatoes. The seasoning is perfect. Try. This Truck.

Fishin' Shrimp catered the Friends of the Renaissance Centre event so I did not have a food truck…read moreexperience. We had fried cod; shrimp cocktail; roasted potatoes; pasta salad; coleslaw and a veggie tray to select from. The food was cooked perfectly and delicious. I don't know about the prices as I didn't pay. But I will be on the lookout for the food truck.