The Old Sharkey’s Grill

1 Reviews on “The Old Sharkey’s Grill”

• FredB

  Just Gets Better & Better. This is the kind of small Southern diner that you wish was right down the street because every time you eat there you wonder why it took so long to come back, and it was no different on our visit there today.The Cheeseburger ($4.19), which is cooked on a flat top grill so that a great outside crust develops, remains one of the very best in the area. It is well sized and loaded with flavor, so much so that we always get it with just mayo and pickles – don’t want to much between you and that flavor.The Onion Rings ($2.99) are also among the very best in the area – in fact, may very well be the best we’ve ever had, and that takes in some onion rings. The Hot Dog (a real bargain at $1.69) has improved each time I’ve tried it, and it is now simply an outstanding Southern style chili dog. The chili is meaty, with great flavor, the bun was fresh, the wiener good, as well.The cooked in house Barbecue (sandwich with a side for $5.99) was very good, admittedly a most pleasant surprise – I had passed on it on previous visits, incorrectly assuming it was a commercially purchased product. The meat is tender, without much smokiness, but is well sauced – and the sauce carries a little heat, which I really liked. The sauce seems a bit of a hybrid – not the strong vinegar hook of Eastern, nor the underlying sweetness of Lexington – but it really works on this pork, enhancing not smothering the taste of the pig.They have daily plate and 2 specials, and they have Fried Chicken (which really looked good) each week day -gotta try that chicken next time, may be with some scalloped potatoes.The folks here are a pure pleasure to be around – friendly, efficient, and funny as hell. Chuck has every right to be proud of his restaurant, his staff, and definitely, his food. We’ll be back.24 Aug, 2014Solid Burgers and Hot Dogs, Great Onion Rings. We revisited this small, locally owned, neighborhood grill for a take-out lunch a while back. Chuck Spring, the owner, had kindly passed on some info on changes in a number of the menu items since our previous visited, and suggested we give them a try, so we did. Good call on our part, even better suggestion on his.The burgers are now hand formed and pre-seasoned in house. What was already a pretty good burger has become an excellent burger – the flavor, the very nice crust from the grill, combine very nicely. And the size of even the regular burger is nice, you can get a pound or better, if you are so inclined.The hot dog is now comprised of an all beef wiener and made in house chili, both nice touches. I prefer chili that has a little more bite (a little more chili powder, small amount of cooked onions, and a healthy splash of prepared mustard), and a few more raw onions, but that is just nitpicking – pretty good dog, and I like the steamed bun.The hand battered Chicken Tenders are good, no, they are very good. The ranch dressing goes well. The hand cut fries we tried were pretty good, but lacked a certain crispness – double frying is not always efficient for small restaurants, but it is the only way to provide crispness in a freshly cut fry..But enough, let’s talk Onion Rings – I like onion rings, onion rings are friends of mine, and believe me, the onion rings here are excellent. These are thin slivers, not broad rings, much like the onion loaf served at the Village Tavern in Winston back in the day. The flavor and the crispness are the defining elements, and they are not greasy – it is worth a trip here just to try these gems.These items are nice, and I’m sure more on the menu are good, as well. This is a small, somewhat worn place, but clean, with very good service, and folks that are interested in producing good food.

  March 2, 2015, 10:05 pm

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