TV Restaurants

Is South 21 Drive-In Still Open? Update (Charlotte, NC)

Open reported

As of September 2026, South 21 Drive-In is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
Yelp ·

Last verified

What the source shows: Yelp's August 2026 listing shows South 21 open with current posted hours and no closure marking.

  • Season / episode Season 21, Episode 17
  • Original air date
  • Address 3101 East Independence Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28205

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What happened after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' 'Hometown Heroes' episode, aired 2014-12-25, featured South 21 Drive-In on East Independence Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina, known for classic burgers and drive-in service. According to Charlottesgotalot.com, the drive-in has served the Charlotte area since 1955. Yelp's listing for South 21 Drive-In at 3101 E Independence Blvd, updated in August 2026 with 158 reviews, lists current hours and a phone number of (704) 377-4509. A separate Yelp page for a South 21 Drive In at a different address, 3631 South Blvd, is marked permanently closed as of a July 2026 update; that listing appears to cover a distinct, earlier South 21 location rather than the East Independence Boulevard restaurant filmed for the show.

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited South 21 Drive-In in the episode titled By Request (aired 2010-02-08), spotlighting the drive-in's classic burger and shake cooking. South 21 Drive-In is a carhop-style drive-in at 3101 East Independence Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina, that has served the area since 1955, taking orders through curbside speakers and delivering food to parked cars. According to Yelp, a listing updated in August 2026 shows South 21 open, with over 150 photos and reviews and no closure marking, and current posted hours that include Tuesday through Saturday service with a Monday closure. The drive-in is known for its Super Boy double burger with scratch-made chili and slaw. No name change, relocation, or new-ownership indicator was found in the material reviewed for this record.

Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Season / episode
Season 21, Episode 17
Original air date
Episode title
Hometown Heroes
What was featured
Charlotte-style hot dogs and burgers at a classic drive-in
Role
Revisit episode
Name on the broadcast
South 21 Drive-In
Season / episode
Season 8, Episode 6
Original air date
Episode title
By Request
What was featured
Classic carhop burgers and milkshakes
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
South 21 Drive-In

Frequently asked questions

Is South 21 Drive-In still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, South 21 Drive-In is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to South 21 Drive-In after Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' 'Hometown Heroes' episode, aired 2014-12-25, featured South 21 Drive-In on East Independence Boulevard in Charlotte, North Carolina, known for classic burgers and drive-in service. As of September 2026, South 21 Drive-In is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is South 21 Drive-In located?

3101 East Independence Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28205. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured South 21 Drive-In?

Season 21, Episode 17 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, first aired December 25, 2014. The episode is titled “Hometown Heroes”.

What do reviews say since Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Yelp's listing for South 21 Drive-In at 3101 E Independence Blvd, updated in August 2026 with 158 reviews, lists current hours and a phone number of (704) 377-4509. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
3101 East Independence Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28205
Venue type
diner
Official website
None found

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