Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

The food was superb the only reason I’m giving four stars is because I sat without water for a awhile before I was able to get my waiters attention. Plus they had a problem with their system notifying people that their table was ready. They said it would take about 30 mins for us to be seated. It ended up taking an hour. We didn’t get a seat until we went in and asked when we would be up next. The food is the only thing that made up for the wait and our waitress.

Omg. Absolutely fabulous. We will be going back. Happy to see they also have a Greensboro location. Have to try that one as well

If you haven’t been to Dames yet, you’re missing out! One of the best breakfast spots in Durham if you’re in the mood for a southern style chicken and waffle breakfast. Being from the north, I did not understand the fried chicken and waffle combination, but I was soon convinced at how great it tastes after dining at Dames.
One tip is to make sure you get here extra early. The restaurant is very tiny, and extremely popular, so the wait time could be up to an hour or two depending on when you go. The best plan is to wait in line before it opens on the weekend, and you’ll be sure to get seated quick. The good news is that the food comes out fast so people are generally in and out. There’s also bar seating which is comfortable as well.
The service is quick and if you get coffee, it will constantly be refilled which was great since it kept it hot. The food is delicious! I’m sure you can’t go wrong with any waffle or shmear. My favorite item is the quilted buttercup, which is a chicken cutlet sandwiched between two sweet potato waffles with maple-​pecan shmear. So tasty! The chicken tastes fresh and crispy. The waffles are cooked perfectly as well and are soft and flavorful. The shmear is the best part and adds such good flavor to the whole dish. Everything really comes together and tastes amazing.
I would highly recommend Dames if you’re in downtown Durham. This is a fun place to come if you have out of town guests visiting as well who want to try what chicken and waffles really taste like together.

Very basic menu done very well. They know their sweet spot. Chicken and waffles are the anchor dish with many different variations. Super good. Great service.

This place is disgustingly delicious. I mean that in the best way. I ordered the simplest form of chicken and waffles I could find on the menu. I wanted to know what the real thing should taste like, and I was pleased.
I loved it.
The place was packed the first and second time I visited, but the wait was never longer than a few minutes.
This is a warm and friendly place to eat and be near the people you love.

Pros:
1. The waffles are nice and soft, and they have different kinds, like sweet potato. 2. The chicken wasn’t too dry like other places I’ve been too, and it was the right amount of crispy.
3. It’s a lot of food especially with the side included.
4. Their grits are so good!
5. I really enjoy the crayons that they give us to draw on the paper «tablecloth.» Drawing is nicer than trying to hold a conversation
Cons:
1. The line is always so long everytime I come, although I know they can’t control that really. It just means it’s good!

Dame’s Chicken and Waffles is a must-​go to restaurant if you are ever in the triangle area. The wait, however, was not so fun so I definitely recommend reserving if possible. If you are planning to walk-​in, expect to wait up to an hour but trust me, it is well worth it. Some of the side-​dish must-​haves are the mac and cheese, potato salad, the collard greens, and the sweet tea! I’ve heard great things about all the chicken and waffles, but I’ve had the angry roosters as well as the chabo which I can personally testify as delicious. The shmears are all great, but the vanilla-​almond in particular caught my attention. Again, I emphasize the wait because those can be atrocious sometimes, but past that is a great restaurant! Looking forward to my next visit.

By far THE BEST chicken and waffles place in this area – probably of all.
The place is located in the heart of downtown Durham, which is perfect for the beautiful scenery, but you will most likely need to park in a parking deck (free on weekends when there is not an event) a block or so away or if you’re lucky, you might find parallel parking on main st. Either way, it is worth it.
The place is very small and always packed, but they try to get you in as soon as possible. One tip is to go right when they open and you can usually be seated pretty quickly, otherwise there will be a wait (even at dinner time).
I’ve been several times now (at all different times of the day/​night) and everything I have tried is amazing. The waitstaff are by far the most pleasant and responsive staff that I’ve seen in a while. They are always happy to explain anything and make suggestions if it is your first (or even 3^rd time there).
The food is fresh and made to order. They have a list of smears that you can choose from and those are always rich with flavor. The chicken is crisp and juicy. Sidewise, I really love their Mac n cheese, but I have heard their shrimp and grits is to die for.
Definitely add this place on your list of places to go to before you kick the bucket. You won’t regret it.

Earler this week, we ventured to Durham to go to Salt Box, but it was closed on Mondays!
After hemming and hawing about what we wanted instead, we settled for Dame’s. It was a hard call, because both of us were reaaaallllly looking forward to our first choice. But enough about that– this review is for Dame’s. Neither of us had been there for a long time. We ended up just having chicken (no waffles– we weren’t really in the mood for something bready.) Fried chicken was good. Sides were even better. Collard greens and potato salad: both top notch.
I am not sure I’m in a huge hurry to go back, but what they do serve is solid. The chicken meal comes with three legs, and that was very hearty and filling. I took one of mine with me on the plane to eat later.
Fair alternative, just not what we expected to have for lunch.

It’s my third year living in Durham, and I figured it’s about time I pay this place a visit. The idea of chicken and waffle TOGETHER is just so weird to me, but hey, so many people rave about this place… they’ve gotta do something right!
It was a Saturday afternoon, my friend and I booked an appointment at 3:30 but she got stuck in traffic, so I tried to call to cancel but no one picks up the phone (can’t really blame them… I know how busy they are). We finally arrived at roughly 4:35pm, and had to wait only 10 minutes.
Food: I got the Carolina Cockerel and a glass of rose wine. We shared the Chicken Sausage. The Carolina Cockerel has 3 wings, blueberry waffle, and Peach & apricot shmear. Shmear, you ask? Just think of flavored crème butter. The wings were evenly coated in battered and fried until crispy but not dried nor greasy. I like my shmear and my friend’s (strawberry flavor). Love the collard greens side item (it is spicy, so pick something else if you don’t think you can handle the heat). Chicken sausage was good, but nothing too spectacular. Portion was A LOT for me, I could only finish less than half of the waffle and 1.5 wings. I brought the rest to go.
Price: Reasonable. I think my dish was around $ 13.
Ambience: Casual. Not really a place for a romantic date, but I guess you already figured this out. Pretty crowded, so don’t bring 10 shopping bags into the restaurant with you. You won’t have space for them. Also, I would advise against wearing your luxury silk/​cashmere clothings, or coming here before going to a fancy concert… because you WILL SMELL LIKE FRIED FOOD after leaving Dame’s. No way around it.
Service: quite fast despite the crowd.
Biggest con I can think of: HAIR. CHICKEN HAIR. Several. On the fried chicken. Eeek!!!
I had pretty low expectation when I visited the place, and I was a happy camper when I left. Will I go back? Probably will bring my boyfriend back here to introduce him to this, but maybe not a regular stop for me — this is just because I don’t usually eat waffles or fried stuff :).

Make a reservation or expect to wait for a table.
Food: the fried chicken was perfectly seasoned and hot and crispy. Soooo good! The blueberry waffle was disappointing though because it arrived lukewarm and soft, not hot and crispy. The vanilla almond schmear was tasty. The side of Mac and cheese came out hot and gooey. Very good! My husband got wings with a classic waffle and strawberry cream schmear. My sister got a cutlet with sweet potato waffle and maple pecan schmear and candied pecans as her «drizzle.» Their waffles were also lukewarm and soft but their chicken was hot and crispy like mine.
Service: Our server was polite and took the time to explain the menu since it was our first time there. But after serving our food, he never came back to check on us until we asked for the check.
Parking is a pain because it’s limited street parking and you have to move your car after one hour.
I would return if I had guests visiting from out of town since it’s a neat dining experience!

My newly wed daughter and her husband came to town and wanted Chicken & Waffles. They had it for their wedding and can’t get enough. To Dames we go! There are other C&W joints in the area but they’re al different. The 4 wing (Buff Brahman) with the apricot & vanilla schmear was incredible. I loved the flavor of the waffle as well as the seasoning of the chicken. We all left well fed and happy. I would go back, get the chicken cutlets as the wings although tasty were a little messy (grin). Good eats!

I finally made it to Dame’s after hearing such great things. You can make reservations online through their website ahead of time or you can give your name and phone number at the door and they will text you when a table is available. Arriving at 10:30 am (without reservations) on a Saturday morning, I figured the line would be out of the door. Luckily we only waited 30 minutes for a table.
The restaurant is very small and simple. The servers and very nice and knowledgeable.
The food is beyond amazing! I’d highly recommend the Quilted Buttercup and a side of macaroni and cheese!
I can’t wait to go back again soon!

After two delayed planes I arrived to Durham tired and hungry. I decided to take a quick nap before heading out for food. At around 3:30 I walk in to this place because I the menu on the window looked good.
I was quickly given a space at the bar and the girl behind the bar guided me on the menu after finding out it was my first time there. She took her time asking me what I felt like eating (more breakfast like items or more lunch like items?). I finally got the waffles with some scrambled eggs and bacon.
I then realized the place was actually closing! (they close at 4, I think). I felt bad because I have worked in the restaurant industry before and believe me, those late guests can delay the work a lot. But I never not felt welcomed. The servers kept checking on me to make sure I was doing well and enjoying my food. I was very hungry so I ate everything very quickly (I also wanted to not delayed their closing) and overall the experience was great. I will try to stop again when in Durham.

All I can say is WOW!
My hubby and I brought my Grammy here for brunch while she was in town visiting and we made the right choice.
Let me start by saying that my Grammy is the original food critic in the family. Long before I started Unilocaling, she was eating the town and giving her verbal critique to everyone she knows and she’s always spot on. So needless to say, the pressure was on to pick a good place for our first outing since I moved back to the triangle.
We came to Dame’s after hearing about it from tons of people. Every Sunday, I would find myself on Unilocal drooling over pictures of chicken wings, waffles and Mac and cheese. We put it off because the people who lauded their wondrous delicacies also mentioned the «dreaded» pre-​meal wait.
After much contemplation, I attempted to book online and call ahead to make a reservation. Of course, they were already booked up. I was at a crossroads: Keep drooling over the photos or just suck it up and brave the wait to experience *Dame’s.* I chose the latter. Heck! I didn’t want to me the grandkid that takes their foodie Grammy to a bad spot. No sir-​ee! I figured I would roll the dice.
We put our name on the electronic wait list and after 20-​minute basking in the beautiful sunshine, we received an alert by text that our table was ready.
We were seated at a tiny round-​top table built for for two with an extra seat smushed in. After looking around to see there were no other seating options, we scooted around and began to peruse the menu.
Our waitress was very kind with a cool demeanor. She efficiently walked us through the menu while giving shameless plugs for her favorites (which I always love from a server). I trusted her expertise and my «research» and got the Carolina Cockerel with Mac and Cheese (yes, I know… I carb loaded… but I was brainwashed by all of the Unilocal pictures displaying its cheesy goodness and flecks of thyme! …Don’t judge me!) My Grammy got the frizzled fowl with the sautéed squash and onions and hubby got the light brown leghorns with the mean greens and he substituted the maple-​pecan shmear for the chocolate-​hazelnut shmear. To drink, Grammy and I opted for the tropical mimosas and Hubby got the Eagle Sunrise.
Our drinks arrived first and after no more than 10 minutes, our plates arrived. (I think I saw a halo around our waitress’s head and heard the distant sound of angels singing as she glided over with them) Everything was clearly piping hot and beautifully plated.
After a quick grace, we dug right in and started sharing our plates with one another. I was so busy shoveling food in my face that I didn’t even snap a single picture! (I think my fellow Unilocalers have done an awesome job so I’ll direct you to their fine snapshots for reference).
So let’s break it down:
The macaroni and cheese was all that I dreamed it would be and more. It was hot, creamy, herby and most of all cheesy! The macaroni noodles were cooked to the perfect al dente texture. It was tied for first place with the best Mac and cheese I’ve ever had at Eatonville in Washington DC over 5 years ago.
The wings were absolutely heavenly. Crispy on the outside and juicy and flavored to the bone inside. I hate to burst your bubble but this is far better than your granny’s, auntie’s, and (yes) even your momma’s fried chicken. There are clearly fresh herbs here that have hung out with this chicken for a long time. (We both know that auntie only uses lawry’s and old bay and may be some sazón and adobo when she’s feeling creative… and while it is good I can assure you it ain’t like this. But hey! You don’t have to admit it to any of them. Your secret is safe with me! This chicken was so good that even my Grammy tried to coerce our waitress into giving us a hint («Is is brined?!») to no avail, her lips were sealed. And rightfully so!
The waffle was chocked full of fresh blueberries and the batter was wonderfully spiced. The peach-​apricot shmear was an excellent complement to the fresh blueberries.
The mimosa was one of the best I’ve had. And that’s saying a lot. (We don’t even do brunch at a restaurant where there are no mimosas on the menu) This one was awesome. Perfect ratio of (good) champagne to juice They even so far as to serve it with crushed ice. (Dang Dame?! In to the details much!)
Every part of this meal was handcrafted to perfection. No detail in the flavor profile was left unexplored. This is quality soul food at its best. I’m still reeling with excitement, even as I write this review.
As I lay my head down tonight, (just two days after Thanksgiving) I will be giving thanks to the man (or woman) upstairs for Dame and his fabulous chicken and waffles. Please call me if you ever need a taste tester! I will gladly handle that arduous :) task!

Dame’s is a no-​frills place to scarf down some chicken and waffles. Reservations are recommended, as the wait can get a little long (we waited for 20 minutes without a reservation on Friday morning; thankfully there’s a bookstore just a couple stores over).
There really is no ambiance at Dame’s, but I’m here to focus on what they take their pride and joy in. The combinations are overwhelming, but you can actually build your own chicken and waffles combo, too!
I opted for the Quilted Buttercup, a stupid cute name for 2 «mini» (they aren’t mini… they’re pretty normal-​sized) sweet potato waffles and a chicken cutlet with a maple-​pecan schmear. For my side, I ordered the spicy collard greens.
The chicken and waffles combo was good and definitely satisfied any craving of mine, and the greens were a nice reprieve from the heaviness of the main dish. I will say that my dish was just a tad bit soggy when it got to my table, but the flavors helped make up for it.
I also managed to sample my friends’ chicken wings, and I think that they could just sell buckets of that and make a hefty profit. Dame’s makes some excellent fried chicken — crispy skin (I cleaned their plates after they finished, and it still had texture!), great seasonings, just all-​around tasty. I think my meal would have been perfect had I ordered chicken wings/​legs instead of the cutlet.
Dame’s is a solid spot to get your fix for chicken and waffles — it’s an art that’s hard to perfect, and they’re pretty much there.

I visit this resturant everytime Icome home (Durham girl living in DC) l. This is the best chicken and waffle spot ever in NC! My family will typically have a big breakfast there during my stay. We love Dames!!!
I’ve actually recommended it to others from my area who were visiting the area or passing thru. «You just have to stop at Dames!!»
The chicken is so dayum juicy and their smears for the waffles are delish… grits eggs mac, everything is just delicious!
The service is always great and there’s always a line outside waiting for them to open. I’ve gone during the holiday season and my experience has always been
Get to Dames as soon as you can.

Perhaps my disappointment comes from having such high expectations. There’s so much hype around this place.
The service was great. Our waitress was awesome, helpful and everything came out quickly.
On to the food… I LOOOVE chicken and waffles. I order it often and seek out places known for making it well. These just didn’t blow my mind. The drumsticks and the wings were fine, but not nearly on par with some of the great fried chicken I’ve had. The chicken cutlet was actually considerably better, but you don’t typically think of that as the chicken you’d be eating with your waffles. I don’t usually prefer chicken cutlet but if you’re not sure which to order, definitely recommend that.
I got the chocolate hazelnut shmear. It was good, just like Nutella is good. I thought it was a cute concept but nothing mind blowing.
My companion’s shrimp and grits were probably the best meal at the table. Very delicious!
A good spot, but maybe not worth the hype.

Day 3 in Durham and my hankering for southern fried chicken could not be kept at bay any longer. So after getting a morning workout in to ease my guilty conscience, I stopped by for brunch around 11, before the lunch crowd hit.
The place was hopping, more than half the tables already full, Coltrane playing on the music system. I sat at the bar next to a guy dressed in a complete Michael Jordan Tar Heel outfit. The GOAT (pun intended) did go to college in the area after all, I mused, so what if we’re just a couple of miles from UNC’s arch rival Duke.
Perusing the menu I willed myself away from all the amazing chicken and waffle with shmear combos and picked the least loaded meal that I could scratch my southern fried chicken itch with. This happened to be the Ms. E’s Pleez — a 6 oz cutlet (grilled or fried) over grits and eggs — all for $ 8.25.
The meal arrived quickly — but they forgot to get me cheesy grits so I sent it back. It came back a minute later with shredded cheese sprinkled over the butter laden grits they’d given me earlier — seriously?!
Too hungry to send it back again, I mixed in the cheese as best as I could and tasted the grits. Not bad, but I’ve had better. Then I ate one of my eggs — can’t go wrong with sunny side up in my book. The much anticipated chicken was next — one bite and I was in southern fried heaven! The batter was crisped just the right amount — giving a satisfying crunch as I bit into it — with subtle spices coming through with every chew; the chicken underneath juicy as it should be.
Eaten with the chicken, the grits took on a whole different flavor — the combo worked wonderfully. These folks know what they’re doing, I thought, as I abandoned my cutlery and used my fingers to sop up the rest of the grits and eggs with my chicken. Mmmm good!
Now it’s back to healthy eating and exercise, but I’ll be back next time I’m in town, to satisfy my hankering for southern fried chicken!

This place is just too good. Dames introduced me to chicken and waffles which is my be why I love it so much.
I get the chicken wings and the blueberry waffle with peach and apricot smear. It sounds weird, but trust me it is amazing! You should make a reservation in advance though. It gets pretty busy especially on the weekends.