This neighborhood bar has been a Charlotte spot for burgers and PBR for decades

By Jennings Cool

Updated July 14, 2025 11:24 AM

Charlotte’s Classic Eats

As new restaurants open every day in Charlotte, it’s easy to forget about the old standbys, the places that have grown up alongside the Queen City. Our Charlotte’s Classic Eats series highlights the places that you have frequented for years, reminding us why they have stood the test of time.

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Editor’s note: As new restaurants open every day in Charlotte, it’s easy to forget about the old standbys, the places that have grown up alongside the Queen City. Our Charlotte’s Classic Eats series highlights the places that you have frequented for years, reminding us why they have stood the test of time.

Exceptional burgers, PBR bottles, Fireball shots, live music and nothing but good times – Comet Grill has been a local favorite for decades. The divey, eclectic bar and restaurant has stood its ground since 1996 in Dilworth on the corner of Park Road and Ideal Way.

Wanting a fun place to eat delicious food and jam out to live music, John and Jeanie Wicker opened Comet Grill. Realizing they had more fun on the other side of the bar, the couple sold the restaurant in May 2008 to their employee, Tommy Noblett.

“I absolutely fell in love with this place,” Noblett said. “What I loved about it from the get-go is that it was this super small divey bar with good music, but there was still this impact of good food behind it.”

Comet Grill’s wings use locally sourced chicken with a house made dry rub. They are deep fried and served with celery and ranch or bleu cheese dressing ($10/half dozen, $16/dozen, $28/two dozen). Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

Comet Grill sells burgers more than anything else on its menu, with the Comet Classic taking the title of most popular. On Saturdays, the All American Burger and a side is on special for just $6, while specialty burgers like the Comet Classic are $8 with a side. Along with burgers, wings and other items, the bar serves a variety of shots, beers and classic cocktails.

“With Comet, you always know it’s going to be a really fun time with a chill neighborhood vibe. You can’t beat cheap beer and some of the best burgers, buffalo chicken sandwich and fries you can get in Charlotte,” customer Madison Turner told CharlotteFive.

Guests watch as their food is made right next to the bar at Comet Grill. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

Cigarettes on patios

When you approach the restaurant, there’s a chance you’ll smell a combination of cigarette smoke from the patio and something coming off the flat top inside.

The outside patio at Comet Grill. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

Head to the order counter straight ahead through the front door, where you can grab takeout, place an order, or get a drink from the bar.

On the weekend (or even on the weekdays), you’ll see people gathered for drinks, great food and even better times. If you want a full view, grab a seat on the lofted second floor to see the kitchen and bar staff in action.

“We are still an old-school shot and bar place. We sell a lot of Fireball. We sell a lot of Jameson. We sell a lot of PBR and Miller Light,” Noblett said. “People come in here to have a good time.”

Tommy Noblet has owned Comet Grill for 20 years. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

Noblett moved to Charlotte in 2000 after finishing culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston. He was working at the Hilton Hotel Uptown when his restaurant manager introduced him to Comet Grill.

“It really started to evolve after that,” he said.

At age 21, Noblett started working there as a cook, which later evolved to working as a bartender and taking over the general manager position. At age 27, he proudly put on his new hat: owner.

Comet Grill has a cozy interior, with a loft upstairs. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

“I felt like I was at a point in my career where I wanted to do something on my own,” Noblett said. “I have been working in restaurants since I was 12 years old; it’s always been the one thing I have been super involved in.”

The hottest bar in Charlotte

Noblett has made several updates to the restaurant over the years. He’s changed the color scheme, revamped the patio, altered a few recipes and invested in air conditioning. (About 13 years ago, there was a running joke that the Comet was the hottest bar in Charlotte, Noblett said.)

“I put my own spin on it,” he said. “What I didn’t do was take away anything John and Jeanie already established.”

Comet Grill’s bar is filled with bottle caps. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

There is one thing everyone feels when they walk in the door of Comet Grill: welcomed. A majority of its customers are locals who have made the establishment their go-to watering hole – many of whom have watched Noblett grow up as a cook, bartender, manager and now owner. There is a sense of community present within the restaurant’s four walls, from the customers to the employees. Noblett and his team treat everyone the same regardless of how long they have been coming there; for some, that means since 1996.

“I make sure my employees know I have their back through and through, and I want my customers to know the same on a friendship basis,” Noblett said. “Everything revolves around my employees and my customers — we would not be successful without both of those things.”