Charcoal Pit

I have a booked called Hamburger America in my bathroom. It's a nice read, and it was also my inspiration for a spontaneous trip down to Delaware this weekend.

The Charcoal Pit win for one of the most awkward dining experiences I've ever had. When we first walked in, there was a small area chained off that made us think we had walked in the wrong entrance. The hostess then yelled at us, only half jokingly. We seated ourselves, and our server came over quickly. Everything she said was a statement, like "You want more time" and "You want mayo" instead of asking.

The atmosphere here is pretty traditional 50s diner, and although we were eating a little early (around 5pm) it was oddly almost exclusively populated by senior citizens.

For food, this place is supposed to have excellent ice cream as well as burgers. We were all too full from dinner to try dessert. The prices here are great. We each had a 8 oz cheeseburger, fries, and a drink and it was under $10.

The french fries were pathetically soggy. Our orders were all mixed up. When finally sorted out, I had a medium rare burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and onions. The fixings were good, but the bread was soggy and thin. My burger was cooked well, but I can't say the same for everyone at the table. Its great to bit into a burger and have to dripping juice, but overall meat wasn't anything special. Neither was the burger.

Bottom Line: George Mots, you mislead me on this one. The poor service coupled with an average burger produces less than desired results. I wouldn't go to this place if it was in Philadelphia, and I'm certainly not making a trip out of the state to go here again.