Good food and fast service is a winning combination, which is why Char Grill is always packed.

Their burgers are big. The buns are fresh and large, and they don’t fall into the trap of throwing a mind-bendingly large patty in there and hoping for the best. I’m confident these burgers would pass Bill‘s beef / bun ratio test – to me, it feels like a *balanced* burger, and perfect size for lunch. After eating one, you feel full and satisfied, without wanting to go back to the office and fall asleep on your mouse.

For this review, I went with the Hawaiian burger, a combination of bacon, beef and pineapple that would make an Italian mama hit you with a rolling pin if you put it on a pizza, but goes like a dream on a burger. It was fantastic, an extremely tasty sweet / salty combo. My lunch companion Mr Desmond Nash went with the beef, bacon and avocado, and he reported he was stoked with his selection. There’s a wide variety of burger options, with all yer basics on offer as well as bacon, avocado, chicken, camembert, cranberry, blue cheese to choose from – there’s even an ostrich burger  on the menu.

If burgers aren’t your thing, I can recommend the kebabs, which come in the best wraps around, with all the usual chicken, lamb or beef options. There’s also a wood fired pizza oven, which I haven’t ventured past the burgers and kebabs to try yet. If you’re in the mood to complete your meal, I can highly recommend the chips. My god the chips, they are thin, light and very very tasty. Skip breakfast if you have to.

Char Grill is licensed and open 24 hours, which makes it the perfect venue for pre, during or post responsible alcohol enjoyment. It’s always packed, but like I say, the fast efficient service means you’re never waiting for long. There’s even a 10% discount for Telecom and TVNZ employees – recommended.

Char Grill – cnr Victoria and Hobson Sts. Char Grill on menu mania

Overall rating: 7/10

• Location: 7
• Value: 8
• Service: 9
• Quality: 7
• Environment: 6
• X-Factor: 7