The Ugly Duckling

Visited late morning on 1 Jan 2026. Yes, it was busy. The kind host/door greeter had us stand along the wall where we waited for about 15 minutes. I’m not necessarily a chicken-n-waffles fanboy BUT the way the dish looked on another patron’s plate; I had to try it. Yeah, I was not disappointed! Belgium waffle was soft, flavorful with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. The chicken tenders were ‘slap your momma’ good! They were not over breaded with just enough syrup with the right of spiciness (not spicy at all, imo). Check the pic! My wife ordered the Biscuits-n-gravy. She said it was good. Biscuits were just the right amount of softness to her liking. And according to her, sausage gravy was a divine mixture. The proof is in the pudding, customers were steadily flowing in for breakfast. Lol, I should have placed a to-go order, for real. The Ugly Duckling is on the list, for us, when visiting the Dayton area. Get here like yesterday!

OMMMMGGGGG ‼️FIRST OF ALL‼️ The art, the music, the atmosphere in here is so alive and welcoming! It's small in this restaurant but the decore itself is so fun and the vibes are 10/10!!!! I give the food a 4/5 only because the pancakes were thin and soggy... not what we expected but I guess that's their style of pancakes??? I'm not hating too much because everything else was AWESOME!

The Ugly Duckling in Dayton, Ohio, was in full for Sunday brunch. Standing room only, line spilling onto the sidewalk, and a 30-minute wait just to get a table. The place hums with energy: exposed brick, mismatched chairs, and the smell of coffee and fried chicken in the air. It’s not fancy, but it feels lived-in and welcoming. The staff stood out. The hostess managed the crowd with a smile, buzzing numbers without missing a beat. Our server appeared within seconds of us sitting, water glasses filled, menus down, and ready to take orders, no small feat with every table full. Refills came fast, plates cleared quickly, and every interaction was efficient. They earned every tip. Food arrived hot and fast. The breakfast burrito was generously stuffed: fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, tots, melted cheese, all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla that didn’t disintegrate under the weight. The house-made hot sauce was bright fresh tomatoes and a solid jalapeño kick. A side of sour cream balanced the heat perfectly. My wife’s chicken and waffles were textbook, golden, crisp-fried chicken with a light, seasoned crust, tender inside, stacked by two thick waffles with maple syrup. Portions were hearty, flavors on point. The only downside? A couple of nearby customers were very entitled. One complained loudly about the wait to get seated, another demanded a seat from another guest while she waited and insisted she get sat ahead of others because she needed to take her medication, then didn’t like her option of seating available when it was her turn. Classic entitled energy. But the staff? Unfazed. They nodded, and kept moving. No attitude, no drama just professionalism. Prices were fair. Nothing felt overcharged for the quality and quantity. The Ugly Duckling delivers honest, well-executed comfort food in a high-pressure environment and makes it look easy. Definitely worth a return trip.

Eclectic and relaxing, this place makes simple things sensational. I stopped in for something quick and found a new Dayton favorite. Best tots I have had in Dayton, the sauce on the Breakfast Sammy was amazing, and the coffee was warm and wondeful. The absolutely great service from Aliyah made my day. Can't wait to come back.

Service was fast and food was absolutely delicious. I had the Biscuand Gravy Sammy. Amazing, and the tots were spot on perfect. Crunchy and fresh. I got it to go and wished I would ate there. Next I will for sure.

I cannot express how delicious this place is. The service was great. The atmosphere is perfect. The food was absolutely incredible. We got the gluten free waffle Sammy with goat cheese with loaded tots, gravy biscuit sandwich, and kids pancake. Everything was so yummy. I can’t believe it took us this long to try it and can’t wait to try every single thing on the menu. The gluten free and vegan options are perfection! Don’t sleep on this local spot. 10000% worth the visit!

The food was mah.. the service was terrible! Best part of the whole experience was the host! He was super nice and worked circles around what I'm pretty sure was the owner! The owner was supposedly our waitress. She didn't bring silverware, check on us after the food was delivered zero refills till we were waiting on the check. Asked for sugarfree syrup, she said she was out, said okay regular will work. Syrup never came. We gave up and left.

Food is priced high, but the portions are good size.. waited over 10 mins at our table before being helped , then another 10 mins to come back and take our order. Also my lemonade I ordered came in a can.. not a fan of the sausage