42 Best American Restaurants in Durham

“This place is a true GEM to Durham! I celebrated my birthday here with a group of 17 people and from the initial conversation with the staff they were extremely efficient, professional and accommodating! And the food…the food was incredible! The drinks were made perfectly, the service was top notch and the atmosphere was very accommodating. I 100% recommend this place, no matter the occasion! Thank you all for accommodating my large group and making sure we had an unforgettable evening.“

“Our first time dining here and definitely won’t be our last. Everything was exceptional best fries, delicious beet salad. Great gluten free options. Staff super friendly and efficient. Atmosphere was jazzy cool. Our waiter Ryan was great and made the best Arnold Palmers. 10 stars“

“Absolutely delicious food and amazing service!!! 10 out of 10 !!!“

“Loved the friendly atmosphere and dog friendly“

“Food was good and served quick. Service was outstanding. We sat in the bar area and our server was quick“

“Had very relaxing time with family. The food was enjoyable.“

“Great ppl and great place. I have not eaten here i have attended and event here. The place is very clean and owners are very professional, while at the event I hade ppl ask for info about renting. Keep the good work up guys,good to see a business that cares about community and not just profits. I'll be bck and tell others . Thanks for a great experience.“

“The food is great. Very well managed. I’ll definitely go back!“

“A whole vibe for sure . Loved JJ. Will be back“

“Had a great experience here ! Taylor was a great server , will definitely be back and will be asking for her !!“

“I love Ally 26, the atmosphere is wonderful. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable. The drink selection creative with many great options to choose from.“

“I finally came to Boricua Soul after seeing them on one of the food shows. I brought my mother along and we really enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere along with the food. Mom got the shrimp sandwich with collard greens and mac & cheese while I got the Boricua Bowl with fried chicken. The greens were great and while I’m not really a mac & cheese person, this mac & cheese was hitting on all cylinders. Great down to earth business where the owners are in tune with all who walk through the doors to share their space. The fact they’re located at American Tobacco in downtown Durham right by the Durham Bulls baseball stadium makes it a must stop. Defintely coming back the next time I’m in Durham when I see Mom again.“

“Some of the best wings I have had in a long time! I tried the teriyaki and sweet Thai coconut chili, no peanuts. Delicious!!!“

“First time eating there this morning.I ordered the Grilled Chicken. Sandwich and Onion Rings! ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! THE STAFF WAS AMAZING! NOW I NEED TO TRY THE BREAKFAST“

“They have fire live music! R & B night every Tuesday night, and live jazz every Wednesday. And it’s worth mentioning it that their breakfast selection is top notch as well.“

“We brought my sister for her birthday as she loves afternoon tea. We've been to many afternoon tea places both here and in the UK and have been largely disappointed with the quality in the US. However, this place was different. It was the closest we've come to having an authentic afternoon tea in the US. We loved every item. My sister said the only thing lacking was a charming tea set. The tea settings were a little plain. But that's just preference. The staff were kind and even brought out a little piece of chocolate cake with a happy birthday sign on it. The noise level was low so we had no problem hearing each other. Overall, lovely.“

“OUTSTANDING!!! my family and I were there for the art exhibit and we had dinner there. the food was amazing and the staff was kind and accommodating. Do yourself a favor and spend a little time in this wonderful Cafe you will not be disappointed !!“

“Always friendly service and delicious food at the Amelia Island location!“

“I want to express praise and gratitude to Desmond at the Durham Hotel. I had been calling the rooftop restaurant for a couple of weeks to try and modify a reservation for a birthday party and after five or six attempts, they had not called me back. I eventually called the hotel and Desmond answered and even though it is completely separate and outside of his job responsibilities, he took down all my information and reached out to them on my behalf . Desmond was able to modify my reservation so that I did not have to drive down there an hour each way. He was very professional and I enjoyed talking with him. He is definitely in the right line of work because I felt like I was talking to a friend. Details matter, and Customer Service should still matter. Thank you, Desmond!! Sincerely, William / reservation 9546“

“Absolutely delicious! Wish you had a location in Greensboro,NC !!“

“Good food, great staff, and good comedy on Monday nights.“

“Excellent food and service. Always a pleasure.“

“This place is amazing. We go there a lot and never leave disappointed. Katie is the best server and today a new cook Chris cooked our steak and it was the best filet I have ever had“

“I love a good ribeye, Tony Roma's served me the best, most perfectly cooked, tender ribeye I have EVER eaten in my life! The mashed potatoes and green beans were perfect as well! This was a fantastic meal and our server Vee was fantastic as well. we left miserably full and we will be going back!“

“Just delicious and fantastic staff“

“It’s my first time eating here and I loved the food. I had egg and cheese omelets, home fries, bacon, and a fish patty. It was all very good. The staff were friendly and the I liked the atmosphere of the cafeteria. The only con I can think of is that I live so far away. I stopped by here on the way to a doctor’s appointment and I’m glad I did. I apologize for posting a photo of a partially eaten breakfast but I was enjoying this meal before I thought to take a picture.“

“great food and customer service“

“I have ordered several custom cakes for special occasions and they have all been delicious! I have a gluten and dairy intolerance and they do an amazing job accommodating both and taking the time to discuss with me my options for cake, frosting and filling flavors. The rest of my family (who can eat gluten and dairy) even LOVE these cakes. They say that they can't tell the difference! The chocolate cake is our favorite.“

“I don’t usually choose hot dogs for lunch but yesterday 8/7/25 my co worker recommended we go to the dog house.i was confused but went along with it.first of all let me say service was perfect but also fast.Norma not only was nice but very funny. I never thought placing an order would be so fun! Any ways im not gonna ramble on but for winch and a show i would definitely recommend the dog house on latte road Durham NC. And make sure Norma is there!“

“Updating my review from some years ago! My seniors group visited The Refectory today. I made a reservation and when we arrived, our tables were ready and waiting, well marked and with bright tablecloths. The staff did an amazing job of coordinating their service; dishes were quickly prepared in the kitchen and brought to our table in short order. Everyone including servers and cashiers kept things running smoothly, making sure all our needs were met. We dine out as a group once a month and The Refectory may have been our best outing yet! Highly recommend! Oh- everyone was pleased with their selections and my own shrimp sandwich was especially tasty!

Fresh, healthy, delicious dishes with vegetarian and gluten free options. Friendly and welcoming staff.“

“Looking for lunch one day and thought I would try Cafe Meridian. One time is all it took. My new favorite lunch spot. Everything I have tried is tasty. Tried the Fiesta chicken. Would eat that daily! Yum.“

“I don’t usually choose hot dogs for lunch but yesterday 8/7/25 my co worker recommended we go to the dog house.i was confused but went along with it.first of all let me say service was perfect but also fast.Norma not only was nice but very funny. I never thought placing an order would be so fun! Any ways im not gonna ramble on but for winch and a show i would definitely recommend the dog house on latte road Durham NC. And make sure Norma is there!“

“I had one of those Hawkdogs this past Saturday at our Neighborhood’s Block Party. The hot dog tasted incredible and that chili was out-of-sight. I can’t wait to see what the hamburgers taste like. I will definitely be buying from them again!“

“Atmosphere is awesome and food was good“

“We had a wonderful experience from being greeted to being served beautifully by Daniel. He took extra care and attention to make our evening special. The cheese board was a special scrumptious surprise with different textures and flavors. The steak was beautifully platted and the dessert was a perfect topping.“

“Twinnie’s has quickly become one of my favorite eateries at Duke! I come here at least once a week and it is always a pleasure to see the team. Special shout out to Jack who never fails to make my day! He is so kind, fun to chat with, and full of great recommendations. The food is top notch (cafe style entrées and drinks); seriously everything here is delicious. I’d recommend trying the daily specials or the classic Chicken Pita. Also, the seasonal pumpkin latte is back! I just drank it for the first time today and it won’t be my last. Check out Twinnie’s for good food and good vibes :)“

“Starting off a self-directed food tour here at Bull City and we were the first ones in when they opened at 11:15. This was a great spot to start, get in the vibe and have something to eat. It's friendly and it's relaxed. We sat at the bar and were well served and had a good time.

We started off with the jalapeno poppers which were tasty even if they didn't have much hot to them. Five stuffed jalapeno peppers which were tasty but unspicy. The buttermilk dip on the side is great for cooling down the heat but it wasn't needed today.

It's super that they pour half pint beers which was a real plus when you're just looking for tastes and not a huge meal. The burgers did look tremendous and well presented with a 6 ounce patty, which is a bit more than a third of a pound making for a big meal. Too much for us on this trip today, but I am sure that I'll be back.“

“Yessica is the absolute best! She is so good and attentive and has a really warm spirit. Our server, Jeronimo, gave us the best service. Very accommodating and makes you feel at home. The food is really good. My daughter and I have found our new fave Mexican!! Thanks guys!! We'll see ya tomorrow. 😂“

“Always amazing hot dogs. This particular one is the only one I like to go to. The service is always great and food is hot and made to order. You can get the tailwagger(2 dogs, fries, and a med drink) for $8 and some chamge before tax. I got the bull dog(mustard, chili, and onions), and the ol' yallow(mustard, cheese sauce, and bacon bits). They also sell by the pint, quart and gallon(slaw, brunswick stew, bbq).“

“As someone who’s from Philly and came here for a festival that got cancelled (sadly, F Blue ridge rock fest!!🙄) we came here because we heard it was a good place to watch the eagles game and it definitely delivered !!! The vibes and the great energy made it feel like we were back home and definitely the spot to catch the game. & the food was fantastic as well. If I’d ever be back in the area, I’d for sure come back here for a game & some good food!“

“Stayed at the hotel for the weekend. They warned us at checkin that the dining hadorw limited hours.

The bar was set from 4pm-11pm and the kitchen from 5pm-10pm.

We had gotten in around 9pm and a lot of people were just lounging on the area without food, so we approached the bar to ask for a table to eat, they told us we could sit anywhere, then came right over with a menu and took our drink order.

We ordered the Stuffed Avocado and Cheesecake.

I didn't love the stuffed avocado. It was more like salsa with avocado and sweet potatoes and onions.

Obviously that did not pair well with the cheesecake!

So we ate out veggies, cleared our pallettes with our drinks, and then chowed down on the cheesecake served with ice cream. That was delicious. Nothing out of the ordinary, but fresh and served with two spoons to share.

They were very attentive, keeping the water glasses full and asking if we would like more drinks as we would finish.

Overall, recommended!

Distinguish yourself as a person interested in food or drinks, else you will be assumed to be part of the lounging crowd.“