Big Bad Breakfast - Durham

I liked it. Their menu is strong with both traditional and Cajun-style dishes. The portion were decent sized and the vibe was friendly. No Belgian waffles on the kids’ menu, so my 7-year old polished off the adult size ;) I did really enjoy this place and their biscuits were very tasty (and I’m a bagel and muffin guy!) Strong rec!

We wanted to try somewhere new in Durham to get brunch after the Sunrise Easter Service at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens near the Duke Chapel. The service was wonderful! Ashlea explained the creative creole flair of the menu well and even offered some homemade hot sauce to go with our meal which was really tasty. The decor here is so cute and the food was delicious. I ordered the creole one late with dressed greens. Definitely try the Red Gravy on whatever you get. 🍳

First, let me say the service was not to shabby. But as for the atmosphere, it was cold, not inviting. Seating is extremely hard and uncomfortable. The food is barely adequate. You would think a chicken and waffle is easy, but here they push quanity over quality. It was dry and burnt. The hash cake is under cook. It needs to be thinner so that the middle isn't mushy. Water is filtered but to much product inside so you can take the filtration not good but they have great ICE QUALITY.

Breakfast like this gave me a Big Bad existential crisis; really had me asking the real questions. How can I call myself a man if I can't make flapjacks this fluffy? Will my nursing home be this warm and welcoming when I'm old? The food was great, the service was better, and the selection was exceptional (when's the last time you went to a breakfast spot that serves andouille sausage). Come for breakfast, stay for the crushing reality that your future/current spouse will never make you breakfast in bed that is this good.

We had an awesome experience at Big Bad Breakfast! The food was spot-on — the biscuits are made fresh every day and you can definitely taste it. I had the two egg breakfast with french toast as a side and it was absolutely delicious. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, definitely try the crème brûlée grapefruit. It’s unique, refreshing, and totally worth it. On top of all that, the service was excellent. Our server, Isaiah, was friendly, attentive, and really made us feel welcome. He gave great recommendations and checked in just the right amount. Overall, a great experience and great food — We will definitely be back

Phenomenal experience! I highly recommend the French Toast, Belgian Waffles and Redneck Benny (see pictures!) Everything was perfect, from the fresh squeezed orange juice to the sausage gravy, and everything in between. Service was fast and very courteous. Our server, Gabby, was such a sweet and bubbly presence. The fruit was so ripe and sweet. The in-house made whipped cream, so decadent! Just a charming little place for some very delicious and thoughtful brunch delicacies.

What can I say but AMAZING! Big Bad Breakfast (BBB) was great! This was my first time visiting the restaurant and the food was soooo good. I had the famous Belgium Waffle with fruit (and powdered sugar) YUM 😋. I heard it was a staple in the community and a top notch breakfast spot in Durham NC and a place you MUST visit while in the Bull City. And, let’s just say….BBB you delivered! What also added to this great experience was our AMAZING waitress, Elizabeth. She had SUPERB customer service from the moment we sat down to the moment we were leaving. I will definitely pass the word to family, friends, and coworkers of this special breakfast location in Durham NC. I definitely will be back BBB!

A nice surprise, really good food. Biscuits and gravey, egg over medium spot on. My partney has yogurt, fruit, and granola. Asking for everything separated (what a novel idea, it was like doing a fondue thing a bit of this a bit of that). Friendly service, reasonable prices, nice atmosphere. I could not have been more pleased. So why not 5 stars? To get that, it needs to be epic, like a Michelin stared experience.

I had the Red Benny because I love Eggs Benedict Expectations were exceeded! Service was great. Price was reasonable. Definitely a "DO OVER"

To be fair, I gotta go back. I got there close to closing but they were very accommodating and I had in my opinion the best shrimp & grits in the area so far but I do have others to sample still. This dish was served with grits (you may add cheddar cheese, I did) the tomato-based sauce with shrimp, onions and peppers was a well done presentation, I'd added andouille sausage as well as a biscuit because let's face it, can you really sop it up without some sort of bread?? I used an Arnold Palmer (of course) to wash it all down which itself was perfectly made. Overall it was a very savory dish and while the staff was attentive, I still want to come back while others are there. I'd really like to give them 4.5 stars...! Next time it'll be higher I'm certain...until then.

This is a Hidden Jim in the Durham brunch scene. I was blown away how empty this place was. The food was very delicious and the service was great. Not sure why there weren't more people there. They have a spicy bacon, which was very delicious. We decided to split the huevos rancheros grit bowl because it was big enough. We will definitely be back!

Front greeter was very on point and very friendly. Our server Ashley was super sweet and chefs cooked up our dishes nice and hot with plenty of flavor. Outstanding biscuits that were fluffy and moist. Our Jack Benny was great and I loved the hash cake. Also enjoyed the low country skillet - tasty shrimp and sausage Will definitely come again. Staff did an excellent job!

I had a nice "Creole" omelet here with attentive service. Was it the best omelet ever? Maybe no. Although, as I dug into it, maybe it was! Spicy shrimp in an omelet, alriiiiiiiite. I must admit, as the photo I provide shows, sauced tomato slices are a strange (bordering on insane) side dish. But, frankly, it it helps with the spiciness! I would get the omelet again and probably something different for the side. But I was put on the spot and saw it on the printed menu! Anyway, really good.

The service here was exceptional! My friend and I came for brunch on a Saturday morning, and not only was our waitress super friendly, welcoming, and sweet, but at least 5 other staff members stopped by our table to make sure we were doing good and enjoying our food while we dined in. All of the employees seemed like wonderful people and I'd say service wise - this was an easy 5/5 experience. Food wise, it was good but I do think the portions were a bit small considering the prices. I ordered a skillet which was fine, but nothing special and a bit lacking in flavor. Overall, I would recommend this place for brunch/breakfast, and was very pleased with the service here.

Delicious Big Bad Crumble-biscuit crumble on top of grits,eggs,tomatoe gravy and bacon. So good I had to come back before i went home to NY.

Came here in the mood for an eggs benedict but the flavor was lacking. The sauce didn't have much going for it and was so creamy it was almost nauseating. Maybe the other things on the menu are better. Besides that, it's a solid location and close to campus, close enough that I consider it walkable. No complaints about service, and we were seated very fast. Interior is well lit and bright. The water napkins are awkwardly thin. I won't be back for the eggs benedict but might be back to try something else.

Unexpected amazing experience. I don't frequent the Durham area too much. I come whenever my boyfriend is here for work. I sat at the bar because I had some work to do and plenty of seating was available. I was greeted immediately by the bartender and she grabbed me a water, cappuccino and I did have a mimosa as well. I was torn on what to order so she recommends the Hash Benny. I've worked in the restaurant industry at some brunch spots and would have never recommended a Benny because it's so hit or miss. BUT this was so damn good. Instead of an English muffin, the base is a crispy hash brown about an inch thick. The ham was a little charred and had good caramelization. It was sweet but savory. Probably one of the best brunch bites I've ever had. The team was really nice. It seemed like everyone was enjoying their shifts and also having fun with the guests. After I wrapped up my work and was speaking with the bartender, come to find out she is the director of operations, who would have thought?! But what I really enjoyed most was that she assisted me without adding in the extras of who she was and really seemed to care about my experience. I hope that this restaurant gets the recognition it deserves and when I'm back in the Durham area, I will come by again.

This food is AMAZING!!! The serve was really good. Our server was attentive and make great recommendations. The place has nice pictures and cute quotes on the walls.

Plenty of parking. The wait time wasn't long. Cute bar area. The restaurant is a nice open area & was very clean. The waitress gave plenty of recommendations. We ordered a variety of things. I do not eat beef & pork so this restaurant was very limited on protein choices. A lot of pork. The grits were good. Prices were average.

Came here so excited to see BBB had come to Durham. I'd been to different locations in Mississippi and SC but this one is now the closest one for me. The service was great, we had kind staff! I was disappointed by the food. I ordered the Mother of biscuits which I've had before when I went to the Charleston location. They first made it with American cheese when it is supposed to come with cheddar so I had to send it back. The second one they sent out definitely wasn't as pretty as the first, I unfortunately didn't get a picture to compare the 2. Some aspects of it were good but the sandwich was overpowered by the chicken because it was so over seasoned. I'm glad I had it before coming here or else I don't think I'd consider coming back to BBB. My boyfriend had the pancakes and bacon. He liked the bacon wasn't taken aback by the pancakes. I think because this location is still pretty new maybe that played a factor behind the quality of food but I do hope they improve soon.

The breakfast was very good and the service is good, too. It would recommend this spot to anyone that is by the Duke campus.

Excellent service. The food was very good. Very nice. Bright colors here. I had the scramble was very good. My wife got the avocado toast. She said it was great and no way you could walk away hungry cause it was huge.

Great service! Food was excellent. Loved the shrimp and grits. Only complaint is I wish I had more grits. The steak was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The ambiance was family friendly. The seating was spacious so unlike some some other breakfast spots that are congested. I would definitely recommend

Ate at this location near my apartment twuce, once alone and anorher time with a friend and was impressed with the staff, ownership and food...And the price wasn't bad...Check it out if you get a chance ..

Just left the restaurant waited 30min to be seated, the server took 15 minutes to get our drink had to ask a manager. The food took over an hour we left the restaurant. We left very disappointed. We also felt racially profiled. 3/02/2025

We really enjoyed breakfast here! We ordered a burrito with vegan sausage, a pancake, creole omelet without andouille, breakfast dude drink with vodka, cold brew, and kahlua, and a screwdriver. The omelet was too salty but the tomato gravy helped cut that. The servers were friendly and attentive. There's quite a bit space indoors with booths, tables, and a bar and a few seats outside. I would definitely return to try something else. The prices weren't too expensive either.

Big Bad Breakfast has a lot of hype around it. And after visiting today for brunch, I'd say the hype isn't deserved. The service was bad today but the place was also pretty busy (maybe it was an off-day). The food itself was on the bland side. It wasn't terrible, but for a restaurant that prides itself on being chef-run, it falls flat. Another thing was that it wasn't super clean, but I could've forgotten that and the service if the food at least came close to the hype, which it didn't. Mediocre restaurant overall, but still edible--which is about the best compliment I can give.

"Breakfast and some lunch food on Erwin Road right off Duke's West Campus" Came here for lunch on a Friday with some colleagues. This is the site of the old "Another Broken Egg" cafe, and it seems like the theme was basically retained-- this venue is only open for breakfast and lunch, and is mostly breakfast foods. The venue is bright and airy, though some of the decor was a little odd (like the giant artsy poster that said "LARD"). I think they're still working out some of the kinks on timing/ flow, or maybe they were short-staffed-- we arrived and waited by the door for almost 5 minutes until I finally flagged someone down and asked if we should seat ourselves. The person seemed surprised that no one was up front seating folks. I ordered the "screamin' demon" fried chicken breast sandwich, and others at my table had some of the skillets or the avocado toast. It took a surprisingly long time to get the food (for a breakfast/ lunch place)-- almost 30 minutes. But the good news was the sandwich was quite good, albeit a tiny bit smaller than I had expected. The taste of the ingredients blended in an excellent way, and it was piping hot (temperature). For the side, I got the crispy hash cake, which was two large hashbrowns, and they were delicious. Everyone in my party seemed happy with their scrambles or avocado toast-- many of them didn't even finish their dishes and had leftovers for later. Our server was good on checking on us and refilling waters, too. The price was fair-- not cheap, but not "very high". I confess I was nervous that their menu online didn't have prices-- ha ha. I think the fried chicken breast sandwich with one side was around $15. Yes, more expensive than fast food, but around what one might pay at a sit-down sandwich or burger place for the same. I would have loved the fresh orange juice, but the $6 price was a bit steep. Overall, it was good-- I'd go back, and maybe try some of the breakfast dishes if earlier in the day.

I really loved the food here! We tried the creole omlet, which came with an incredible tomato gravy that tasted like a creamy tomato soup, and the Belgian waffle with spicy bacon added. I highly recommend trying the bruleed grapefruit as a side because it SLAPPEDDD! Not only was the breakfast amazing, but their staff was great - they gave us the best recommendations.

Obsessed! I had the BLT omelette and it was to die for! I was seated fast but service took a bit. Totally worth it tho. Will be coming back!

Big bad breakfast was a good vibe. The chicken was the star of the show, very crispy and seasoned. Tomato gravy was not something I'd typically choose but there was pork in the other gravy, not my style. I used syrup for my biscuit instead. The chicken and waffles very tasty, we did have to request regular syrup as they typically come with molasses syrup which is too thick in my opinion. Quick service brunch and not too much of a crowd. Will make sure to return to try more gems!

SERVICE!!!!!!!!! slow slow slower slow and slow inadequate number of wait staff. should serve real maple syrup

Great spot for a delicious breakfast! Liz, our waitress, was amazing and attentive. Highly recommend the French toast and the eggs were delicious as well! Definitely a new favorite breakfast spot!

Breakfast or lunch all day. I had eggs, chicken sausage, hash, cakes, whole wheat, toast, and green tea. Everything was wonderful. My waitress, jazz, was fantastic.

Another great breakfast at Big Bad Breakfast atmosphere wonderful the waitstaff very attentive food came out hot and delicious as always again this is my best recommendation for breakfast in Durham 0

This is truly a hidden gem in Durham. I've been twice and forgot how amazing the food was the first time. Definitely get the biscuits and tomato gravy! Service left a lot to be desired even though the restaurant has never been full when I've been. There were at max 5 tables and lots of servers but the service was still frustratingly slow. There aren't very many drink options but they were decent. The food was the main highlight and I'll be back for more!

Everything was amazing the drink yes we drank alcohol. The food oh my God so delicious. I've never said to anybody in these just go there and eat, but I'm saying it now the drink was the breakfast dude and delicious. So delicious and you will get definitely a big buzz from it. I had the lunch chicken sandwich, the screaming devil or something like that and it was phenomenal. The potato cakes are to die for my buddy had the redneck Benny with the sausage gravy. It too was amazing and our waitress was also the bartender so she knew what she was doing if you're looking for a great place to come and have brunch this is definitely it just know that it closes at 2:30.

I ordered the 'skillet' and it was tasty and served in a huge bowl - but looks can be deceiving - I soon realized the chef had included about 6-8 half potatoes mixed in with the skillet. When I removed all the potatoes - there wasn't too much eggs and skillet left over!. I felt this was a little disingenuous (sneaky). No one eats that many potatoes. I may go back but I will either not order the skillet or ask the chef to '86' the potatoes. (I presume potatoes are the least expensive ingredient in the recipe.)

Comfy atmosphere with a welcoming greeting at the door. Service was kind, just a bit shaky. Everything eventually made it to the table. We ordered the biscuits and gravy and the breakfast sandwich. The biscuits hit the spot -- crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Our food was great, customer service is excellent here and the ambiance is wonderful. We will be back soon.

Stopped in for a late breakfast after going for a test at Duke Hospital. I was pleasantly surprised. It has that brunch restaurant chain feel that is both good and bad (think Snooze or First Watch), pretty good quality but menu items that sound a little more exciting than they are. My first experience (though almost certainly not my last) at BBB was better, I thought the food was great and the service was earnestly nice. I had the BLT omelette, which I loved, the bacon worked really well, though I don't remember much if any Tomatoes, but still great. I was really impressed with the side of lettuce greens, the dressing was really inspired, a lot more than the soggy lettuce I was expecting. I didn't try anything else (and was also surprised they did not have hot tea available at a breakfast restaurant) but the service, omelette and side salad were definitely five stars.

First time visiting this location. We were seated quickly and the waitress took our beverage order. The restaurant was not busy (as seen in pictures). We both ordered breakfast items from the menu. The menu had very good selections of food items. The food was slow to come out of the kitchen and we didn't receive our plates at the same time. There seemed to be a glitch in getting the food out. Again not busy. The food was good, surprisingly not hot, just warm. I would give a second try just to see if it was an off day.

My husband and I were traveling for medical appointments and he needs to eat breakfast with his medications. The first day we came was just to grab a quick sandwich and we had to leave. We came back the next morning to have a real sit down breakfast. We sat at the bar. The staff is exceptional, very friendly, and everyone seemed to love working there. The food came out quickly. The atmosphere is great with whimsical art work and catchy phrases. The Huevos rancheros grit bowl was phenomenal. If we are ever back in Durham this will be our only breakfast spot.

Food is delicious. We enjoyed the breakfast wrap and the coffee. Service was a little slow but not too bad considering peak weekend time.

This was ok, but definitely chain restaurant quality. I had the eggs benedict--the sauce was super rich but not that tasty. It came on toast instead of an English muffin. The ham was very thick and there was too much of it. If you are looking for a big, not too healthy breakfast, this is a good place. I should have read the description first.

Great food. Happy atmosphere. Robert was delightful as server. Hostess is pure happiness!

Our waitress was wonderful and very good at serving us while making sure we had everything we needed. Food is excellent as always and atmosphere is cozy.

They forgot a lot of our food. Didn't bring us out out drinks in a timely manner. Place was pretty empty and took 1 hour for food and drinks. A guy was cleaning his eye out while holding a plate. Presentation of the food I'll give it .5 stars but the shrimp and grits were decent. I wouldn't recommend to no one. This is my experience.

The food was not cold or old, and they know how to use seasoning. I appreciate that. Our server's name Was Rebecca and she was nice and had a really great smile. She made us feel like we were a priority. This is all people really ask for if they are normal. Ask for Rebecca when you go in.

The service is phenomenal. Constantly smiling and asking if you need something. Actually, this is what service is supposed to be like. The food so very flavorful that I forgot to take a picture of our meal. Five eaters, zero disappointments. Finally, the ambiance is stellar. Perfect amount of natural light without the heat that comes with too much. Living in Canada, I look forward to coming back! Lard Have Mercy!

Isaiah was my server and the food along with his warm personality made my day. i had one of the skillets and it was delicious.

I got the ham and cheese po boy and fresh fruit, my husband got breakfast with a sausage link, best sausage he ever had, and my sandwich was really, really tasty! Service was friendly and helpful, we will be back!

Ok, so this is a first experience there and not sure what happened this morning but they had a modified menu. No seafood, no steak and no omelets. Our waiter I guess decided he would "leave" after taking our order. After eating some of my Mother of all Biscuits I discovered it was raw in the middle. The temperature in the restaurant was hotter than outside. I am guessing it was a really bad day. I may watch but not likely to try this establishment again.

I had a skillet meal. It was ok but a little salty. Other people in our party of 7 enjoyed their meal. The service was great and we went on busy Father's Day.

I've never seen such a disorganized staff in my entire life. The host was mid-meltdown when we came in, the wait staff was visibly frustrated and hanging on by a thread, and this was just 2 steps in the door. They weren't even that busy, but their AC apparently hadn't been working for some time, most of the tables had people who were waiting to be helped or looked like they had been waiting for food for a while, with empty drinks, and annoyed looks. We were going to give it a chance since they are fairly new and having no AC in the summer would be super hard. But then we saw the food coming out, and people were sending it back because it was incorrect. This was about 10 minutes in of us waiting to be asked about drinks. We decided to leave. Too afraid to try again, it sucks because their food options looked good.

Great service, and environment. We had the French toast! It was so good!!!! Deep fried, just the right amount of sweetness and flavor with the freshest fruit. Would definitely order again.

Big skillet breakfast with French toast was divine!!! Great service. Nice & clean. Definitely worth the visit.