Bill’s Charcoal Grill has changed, but the grill is still the star

Bill’s Charcoal Grill has changed since last being reviewed in this newspaper more than 25 years ago.

The neighborhood surrounding it has changed, too. It began as a small restaurant where founder Bill Wellshear could apply the skills he learned working in restaurants in Oklahoma, and it offered little more than a few burgers and a chicken sandwich.

Today, the restaurant has new owners, and in addition to the traditional burgers, chicken fried steak and patty melts, it serves a parillada dinner for two and shrimp with chipotle cream sauce.

But it’s the burger that remains the focal point, thanks to the unique combination of Hispanic influence and the grill that gives the restaurant its name.

No matter how many times the restaurant changes hands, you can’t take away the grill. It imparts a deep, smoky flavor into the burger, leaving visible marks on the patty, and it’s unlike the griddled burgers found at most other restaurants in Wichita.

If you want toppings, there’s a self-service bar by the soda fountain that has pickles, onions, jalapenos, lettuce and tomato, but the burger is served sans accoutrements.

That’s not to say you can’t spruce up your burger to make it more interesting – Bill’s was the first restaurant where I had a frankfurter as a burger topping. (Its “special burger” is served with a split hotlink on top.) This exercise in excess combined with the contrast between the firm sausage and tender burger patty is exciting and isn’t found at many restaurants. The fact that you can add avocado and grilled onions on top is almost too much.

Bill’s fries aren’t the same freshly sliced potatoes they once were, but they’re still crisp, fluffy and well-salted.

It may not belong to Bill anymore, but Bill’s Charcoal Grill still offers a standout product among many of Wichita’s legacy burger restaurants. Part of that is thanks to a continued commitment to quality. I like being asked how I’d like my burger cooked, even if I know the third-pound patty is too thin to come close to my desired doneness. Another part is the unique cooking method that helps separate Bill’s from the majority of other Wichita burgers.

The restaurant is well-lighted with high ceilings, an open dining room and a casual atmosphere. Customers pay for their orders, sit down and retrieve their food from the counter when it’s ready. It can take awhile to get your food when it gets busy.

This story was originally published October 21, 2015 at 3:41 PM with the headline "Bill’s Charcoal Grill has changed, but the grill is still the star."