Quick in and out for lunch. The prime rib sandwich is killer. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Fine
The best dive(ish) bar food in Durham
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fed Fries a Large Portion of Our Fresh-Cut Twice Cooked Fries with Garlic \u0026 Parsley, Fed Burger, Fish \u0026 Chips
Wayword Podcast
I usually really like this place actually, a lot. But today I got the prime rib sandwich and my god… it was an abomination. They somehow managed to sneak an entire block of foul-smelling cheese into it, complete with parchment paper melted right on top like some kind of culinary arts-and-crafts project.
After peeling off the paper and amputating the mystery cheese block from my “sandwich”, I thought, alright, let’s power through this. Big mistake. It tasted exactly as horrifying as it looked. The bread was stale and untoasted, the so-called “prime rib” might as well have been freezer-burned mystery meat, and the onion rings? Let’s just say they were the neglected children of the deep fryer shamefully cooked in an oily hell for the entire day and used for my order I guess, barely together completely burnt chunks….disgusting
By the third bite, not only was I no longer hungry, I was actively concerned I might crap myself. The place is called The Federal, which makes sense now clearly named after the prison where this food is being cooked.
So thanks, guys. You’ve officially lost a customer. And probably given me a new phobia. For anyone thinking of going enjoy the photos I got of my dinner tonight.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 1
Stephen Bee
Our favorite restaurant in Durham .. incredibly delicious food that should cost 3x as much .. awesome service, fantastic beer selection and an overall cool vibe. Fyi the best prime rib sandwich in North Carolina
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Billy Switzer
The kitchen staff is not careful about food allergies. I was exposed to an allergen in spite of it being written on the ticket. I did appreciate having my meal comped, but it's not worth the two-day benedryl hangover.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Derricia Hill
I visited this placed for the first time while visiting Durham. My boyfriend and I ordered nachos for the appetizer and he got the carnitas as an entree and I got the fish tacos. The nachos were good. We didnt care for the cheese used, but the pico on it was pretty tasty and gave it a fresh taste. He really liked the carnitas and so did I! The meat was really well seasoned and melted in your mouth! As for the fish tacos, they were returned due to a stale aftertaste, but the customer service given by the waitress was amazing about it, took care of it immediately, and asked if I wanted to order something else. I got the fed burger as a replacement! The burger was super delicious because it was super juicy and seasoned really well. Plus the size of it is pretty big. The fries were also really good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
FORTITUDE CEO
This was my first—and likely last—experience ordering from this restaurant. Unfortunately, it was an embarrassing situation, as I had arranged lunch for a candidate visiting from Washington State, and this was the meal he selected but was unable to eat. I requested wings with mango habanero sauce on the side, but they arrived extremely, overcooked. The meat was tough and lacked moisture, rendering them nearly inedible.
Food: 1
Steve Gardner
Great place to watch all Nottingham Forest matches during the English Premier League Season with the local Supporters Club, the Triangle Trickies! ⚽
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kasheem Gaddy
Burger place good food
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Janie Smith Gleason
I love this place! The food is always so good, which is surprising given the size and variety of the menu. Comfortable/casual spot with amazing fries, sandos, specials, and drinks. And the folks who work there are so kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fed Fries a Large Portion of Our Fresh-Cut Twice Cooked Fries with Garlic \u0026 Parsley, Burger, Salad, Fish \u0026 Chips, Prime Rib Sandwich
This is a true local treasure. Great food with a vintage College atmosphere. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Warren
The food here is fantastic. We had the Doner wrap and the fish tacos. The Doner wrap was especially good. Even though we sat outside, the service was very prompt and our food came quickly. The only negative was some jerk at the other end of the tables smoking. We were outside but the breeze blew the stench to the rest of the outside tables. Fortunately he paused around the same time that our food arrived. The restaurant was great, though, and I will certainly be going back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Terril
The Federal had been our go to place for years, but sadly the food has gone downhill to the point where we’ll probably not go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Jean
Back in the DAY like 10 years ago, the fed was such a good spot for good food, service, and drinks. Glad I got to experience it! Last I checked in closely, it was exploded in the explosion. Arguably that was the pivot where Durham lots its edge. Anyway I ordered a burger rare, anticipating it would be more done than that, and it came to me medium well.
Bill
Courier here - Jared was really helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!
Quick in and out for lunch. The prime rib sandwich is killer. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The best dive(ish) bar food in Durham
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fed Fries a Large Portion of Our Fresh-Cut Twice Cooked Fries with Garlic \u0026 Parsley, Fed Burger, Fish \u0026 Chips
I usually really like this place actually, a lot. But today I got the prime rib sandwich and my god… it was an abomination. They somehow managed to sneak an entire block of foul-smelling cheese into it, complete with parchment paper melted right on top like some kind of culinary arts-and-crafts project.
After peeling off the paper and amputating the mystery cheese block from my “sandwich”, I thought, alright, let’s power through this. Big mistake. It tasted exactly as horrifying as it looked. The bread was stale and untoasted, the so-called “prime rib” might as well have been freezer-burned mystery meat, and the onion rings? Let’s just say they were the neglected children of the deep fryer shamefully cooked in an oily hell for the entire day and used for my order I guess, barely together completely burnt chunks….disgusting
By the third bite, not only was I no longer hungry, I was actively concerned I might crap myself. The place is called The Federal, which makes sense now clearly named after the prison where this food is being cooked.
So thanks, guys. You’ve officially lost a customer. And probably given me a new phobia. For anyone thinking of going enjoy the photos I got of my dinner tonight.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 1
Our favorite restaurant in Durham .. incredibly delicious food that should cost 3x as much .. awesome service, fantastic beer selection and an overall cool vibe. Fyi the best prime rib sandwich in North Carolina
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The kitchen staff is not careful about food allergies. I was exposed to an allergen in spite of it being written on the ticket. I did appreciate having my meal comped, but it's not worth the two-day benedryl hangover.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
I visited this placed for the first time while visiting Durham. My boyfriend and I ordered nachos for the appetizer and he got the carnitas as an entree and I got the fish tacos. The nachos were good. We didnt care for the cheese used, but the pico on it was pretty tasty and gave it a fresh taste. He really liked the carnitas and so did I! The meat was really well seasoned and melted in your mouth! As for the fish tacos, they were returned due to a stale aftertaste, but the customer service given by the waitress was amazing about it, took care of it immediately, and asked if I wanted to order something else. I got the fed burger as a replacement! The burger was super delicious because it was super juicy and seasoned really well. Plus the size of it is pretty big. The fries were also really good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
This was my first—and likely last—experience ordering from this restaurant. Unfortunately, it was an embarrassing situation, as I had arranged lunch for a candidate visiting from Washington State, and this was the meal he selected but was unable to eat. I requested wings with mango habanero sauce on the side, but they arrived extremely, overcooked. The meat was tough and lacked moisture, rendering them nearly inedible.
Food: 1
Great place to watch all Nottingham Forest matches during the English Premier League Season with the local Supporters Club, the Triangle Trickies! ⚽
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Burger place good food
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
I love this place! The food is always so good, which is surprising given the size and variety of the menu. Comfortable/casual spot with amazing fries, sandos, specials, and drinks. And the folks who work there are so kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fed Fries a Large Portion of Our Fresh-Cut Twice Cooked Fries with Garlic \u0026 Parsley, Burger, Salad, Fish \u0026 Chips, Prime Rib Sandwich
Restaurantji Recommends
This is a true local treasure. Great food with a vintage College atmosphere. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food here is fantastic. We had the Doner wrap and the fish tacos. The Doner wrap was especially good. Even though we sat outside, the service was very prompt and our food came quickly. The only negative was some jerk at the other end of the tables smoking. We were outside but the breeze blew the stench to the rest of the outside tables. Fortunately he paused around the same time that our food arrived. The restaurant was great, though, and I will certainly be going back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Federal had been our go to place for years, but sadly the food has gone downhill to the point where we’ll probably not go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Back in the DAY like 10 years ago, the fed was such a good spot for good food, service, and drinks. Glad I got to experience it! Last I checked in closely, it was exploded in the explosion. Arguably that was the pivot where Durham lots its edge. Anyway I ordered a burger rare, anticipating it would be more done than that, and it came to me medium well.
Courier here - Jared was really helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
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