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I am moving to CLT next spring. I cannot wait....little granddaughter....Grams is on her way!!!
Two of my SoCal friends left messages on my machine over the weekend about a restaurant called The Penguin which was reviewed on the food channel.
any info on The Penguin??
Best hamburger I've had in a long time There's more of a drinking crowd at night, but plenty of families or regular folks taking a lunch break during the day. DON'T MISS IT
I am moving to CLT next spring. I cannot wait....little granddaughter....Grams is on her way!!!
Two of my SoCal friends left messages on my machine over the weekend about a restaurant called The Penguin which was reviewed on the food channel.
any info on The Penguin??
yeah. it's loud, crowded elbow-to elbow, it's all 'smoking', service is bad, hard to get in on the evenings, just how I like it. I like penguin fingers and cheezy fries, hot dogs are good, too, all sorts of beer specials.
It's historic, in business, like, since 1920s, all in origional condition.
if it gets too crowded you can go right across the road to Thomas street tavern, they have an outdoor, it's not bad. It there, don't forget to tip the bartender Good or he might get mad.
I love the penguin with all of its chaotic energy!
Dear P.J. Poway
The Penguin is a Charlotte legend. It has adapated, reflected and surived to all of the drastic changes the city went through the decades since the 50's. The Penguin first opened in the chirpi post WWII Era, as a icecream parlour for children, hence the name "The Penguin". A few years later it adapted into a "drive-in" and was a popular hangout place for teenagers during doo woop era of the late 50's and early 60's. When the Plaza area declined in the late 1960's and onwards alot of people stopped going. It was mostly like a "hard around the edges" construction/truck driver kind of crowd as well as the oldtimers who did not whiteflight into the outskirts of the city. Now with the rapid gentrification you see a mesh of the old timers, yuppies, fashionistas, families w/children, gothics, collegiates and urbanities. Since the patrons are so broad, the crowd changes during the business day. During the weekdays, especially during lunch time you see many white collar people who work at the banks. If you go in the early afternoon on a weekend you will see a lot families coming from church and not a hipsters in sight. As it moves toward the evening, the families make room for all of the aforementioned fascinating people. I recommend going around 6ish or 7ish when it's not to crowed yet and you can see how the crowd changes. If you come past 9pm you have to wait for a table and that normally takes like a 40 minute way on fridays/saturdays. And yes as Wades has mentioned the bar section is small and it can get crowed so many people op to grab a bite to eat with their drinks. Since the area is experiencing gentrification, the crime has gone down in the area. You still have to be watchfull but never like paranoidie. It's a great place to experience mid-20th century Americana.
Ani
The Penguin was on the food network last week. It is excellent (I am a northern transplant). You may have to wait and it can be smoky, but the fried pickles are the bombs. They also have veggie burgers and soy dogs.
The Penguin was on the food network last week. It is excellent (I am a northern transplant). You may have to wait and it can be smoky, but the fried pickles are the bombs. They also have veggie burgers and soy dogs.
I'm a big fan of the fried pickles too, then again you could serve me fried shoe leather if there is ranch sauce to dip it in
We currently live in Lake Wylie, but recently purchased a home in Lincolnton. During one of our "get acquainted with Lincolnton" excursions, we stumbled upon the little plaza with Fred's, Big Lots, a latin bakery, and AUNT BESSIE's.
They serve all-you-can-eat fried chicken for $7.95.....daily!
I've been there twice in ten days, and ordered country style steak, mashed potatoes and fried ochra (sp) both times.
It's a large restaurant, with cute little cubicles that provide a cozy feeling. Each has a faux fireplace and mantle, but is decorated differently, like a paneled hunting den with mounted wildlife, a library, a automotive garage-like setting, etc.
The best part, aside from the food, are the framed photos hanging throughout, of local Lincolntonians dating from turn of the century to WWII era, GI's and their gals, 50's-60's, prom photos. Picture your grandma's family pictures, and similar shots are bound to be at Aunt Bessie's.
One of my favorites is actually in Lincolnton at Aunt Bessies, Very good wholesome country cookin. I love the meatloaf or the chicken dumplins made from scratch. Aunt Bessie's (http://www.aunt-bessies.com/ - broken link) ...
OK, due in large part to your recommendation, we went to eat dinner at Aunt Bessie's last night. We are both NC natives who grew up on "home cooking" as is supposed to be served there. We are not picky and never complain, and have a wide variety of dining experience, as we love to go out to eat. I have to say, it was horrible. It was by far one of our worst dining experiences ever.
My roast beef was overcooked, tough, and stringy.
My potato salad was not southern style, had way too much mustard, and tasted terrible. I can only compare it to the cheapest potato salad that comes in huge tubs at places like Food Lion.
The cornbread had way too much salt, was made with eggs to be cake-like, but was still hard and bland, other than the overwhelming saltiness.
My husband called the biscuits little bricks.
They did not even get the sweet tea right! It was weak and not anything you'd want seconds on.
The service was unbelievable neglectful and slow. So, we actually never had to worry about drink refills, getting our whole order, or getting the check until we had been done for quite some time. This with only three other tables utilized while were there. (It was around 7:30, and looking back, we now know WHY nobody was there to eat!)
The bathrooms were scary at best, reminding me of the bathrooms at a truck stop on the interstate. Disgusting.
Finally, the medium amount of smoking going on in the smoking area permeated the entire place. Since it is in the front, that is what you are greeted with as you come in and what your nose/lungs must endure while you pay on your way out.
So, I am thinking the place must have really gone down hill since last you were there. It is unfortunate, as it sounded really good. Like I said, my husband and I are NC natives and grew up eating good home cooking. We were not some snobby couple trying it for the first time. We grew up eating most of the things we were served, except our mothers and grandmothers actually cooked everything really well and it was a treat, not a trial.
We will NEVER go back there, and would never recommend the place to anyone we liked!
Just wanted to offer the feedback before anyone drove too far to check it out.
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There's more of a drinking crowd at night, but plenty of families or regular folks taking a lunch break during the day. DON'T MISS IT 
I love the penguin with all of its chaotic energy!
A few years later it adapted into a "drive-in" and was a popular hangout place for teenagers during doo woop era of the late 50's and early 60's. When the Plaza area declined in the late 1960's and onwards alot of people stopped going. It was mostly like a "hard around the edges" construction/truck driver kind of crowd as well as the oldtimers who did not whiteflight into the outskirts of the city. Now with the rapid gentrification you see a mesh of the old timers, yuppies, fashionistas, families w/children, gothics, collegiates and urbanities. Since the patrons are so broad, the crowd changes during the business day. During the weekdays, especially during lunch time you see many white collar people who work at the banks. If you go in the early afternoon on a weekend you will see a lot families coming from church and not a hipsters in sight. 
Home-Style Restaurant...
