Welcome aboard!!! You know me from abodies. Your question "Is the grill itself black as well?" Are you talking about the aluminum squares, usually called "egg crates"? If that's what you mean they are black, but the front edges of the metal are bare. Most people don't know that! I was told many years ago that they are painted from the back, therefore the front edges don't get paint. If you go back thru all of this post i believe i posted pics of an NOS set. Dave