39 Best American Restaurants near Durham

“Fantastic and interesting specials, great menu, and a fun and friendly environment. My wife and I dig it, and it's our favorite hot date. Highly recommend bringing a healthy appetite. Try it, and you will go back.Dietary restrictions: Very accommodating for dietary restrictions.“

“My husband and I really enjoyed this Hard Hat location. Really nice atmosphere, and a well curated menu consisting of bar food, sandwiches and entrees. The steak and cheese eggrolls with a spicy aioli dipping sauce were excellent. Looking forward to returning to explore more of the menu.“

“Stopped here yesterday. So glad I did. After reading the reviews was a must . Was greeted with kindness and a smile . Sat . Waitress was friendly! Great for families. Wide selection menu items. Owners greeting young families with young children with donuts . You can feel that they love what they do. Very passionate is nice to see. I ordered the Philly omelette with coffee. In minutes Served hot. Very good . I will be back.“

“Went here for dinner and had a very nice time. The food was great and so was the service. I'll definitely go back again!Parking: Google maps took me only to the entrance of the golf club. The restaurant is beyond that, up a well-lit driveway with a large parking area at the top.“

“Excellent vibe and atmosphere. I've only been solo 2x at the bar.. the Bartenders are awesome. The food is high quality, but over priced for the portion size and my Entree one night was overly salty and the next time I went my vegetable with my Duck breast was salty as well. I appreciate seasoned food. Being a part of the food service business for almost 35 years in various capacities makes me a food snob I suppose. I'll have to try some different items. The Curry- Crab Soup and Maple Dessert was awesome.“

“I go here almost every Sunday and no matter what time it is the staff is always happy to serve you. They are so kind and always want to start a conversation even after two or three times go in they recognize you. and the food is absolutely to die for.“

“OMG! this place is the Bomb! I had the monster Bacon Veggie omelette with the bacon on the side! Friendly staff and a traditional cafe with counter and booth seating where you can watch the Maestro at work! Parking on street and behind the restaurant?“

“Super-clean diner with easy on-off access to the major highways in Meriden. Got a special omelette with ham & tomato mixed into the fresh eggs, mozzarella inside. Delicious! Plentiful home fries fresh off the griddle slightly browned. Toast perfect and coffee really good. Clean bathroom. Very reasonable prices. Check them out you'll be very happy you did!“

“Cool venue and good food. Abysmal service, but it seemed like a randomly very busy Thursday, server seemed like he was doing his best, but it also seemed like he had too many tables. Burrata salad, duck, and Library were all delicious, and the PBJ Old Fashioned was absolutely fantastic!“

“Beyond fun atmosphere and food and drinks were delicious and different. Plus staff actually seems like they LIKE being there...love that feeling... and have been back twice since my wedding dress shopping daughter took us the first time to celebrate finding the dress!“

“Lots to try here, breakfast, dinner and pizza. Tried breakfast here, everything was standard breakfast, nothing really stood out. Did I have everything on the menu, no. One bad thing, not a fan of the French toast at all, no flavor and when cut into, it was white bread through and through, nothing soaked in. It was funky and bad. Dinners here during the week are really cool. Keep in mind it's just a deli and not lots of seating. I had the prime rib with garlic mashed and veg. All were really good at a reasonable price and meals are available to go. I had pizza here twice now cuz I was impressed the first time. Thin crust with pepperoni, was really good . Went back for just a cheese, and I'm seeing some things and would caution the bussiness. There is a difference in thin crust as a style of pizza versus making the biggest profit using the least ingredients . Cheese was sparse as well as sauce. Workers are really nice here, kind of a cheers vibe here , everybody knows your name“

“Great place. I’ll have to make it a point to work it into the calendar more. Beer was excellent. 24 different beers on tap I believe. Burger was great - big and delicious and my wife enjoyed her wrap. Bonus points for the King Diamond and Rob Halford photos on the wall. I didn’t get to check out all the prints. Cool spot. We’ll be back.“

“prices on the menu are not the same as what I was charged; when I politely brought this up with my server I was met with hostility and I heard her and who I assumed to be the manager speaking very loudly and poorly about me; the whole situation made me entirely uncomfortable despite being upcharged 8 dollars that I paid my bill and promptly left after being treated poorly about the discrepancy. The food and atmosphere great, but poor service absolutely-- and I work at a restaurant as a server...“

“Beautiful restaurant with excellent service. The food has been consistently fantastic for as long as I can remember. French Onion Soup and prime rib are must tries. Great salads, and great everything else. Meals come with bread, salad, starch and vegetables. Large bar room and occasional live music.“

“Best Irish Pub Restaurant in the state. Food is outstanding, atmosphere is green, staff is wonderful. Art and MaryEllen do a stand up job, from appetizers, chilli, wings, onion soup. To the entres, sirloin rib tips, to deserts bread pudding. Place is amazing.Parking: No issues“

“Lobster tacos were a fun twist on the lobster roll. They were amazing. We also had the lobster nachos. This place isn't shy about giving you a nice portion of lobster. You'll have to forgive the missing taco as I shoved it in my face before thinking to take a “

“Haven't been here in a long time. Happened to be in area and just had to go. Place is a staple in CT. Went with a double steamed chesse burger LTM ONION & spicy mustard to get my fix. Didn't disappoint either did the cute lady keeping them coming out fast to get you out quick on a work day. I'll be back but just going single chesse burger.“

“Tried Jimmy's Pizza for the first time last night. I was craving a greek style pizza with a thicker crust. My husband went and picked it up and there was a child's birthday party going on and it was utter chaos inside the restaurant with children running around screaming and trying to get into the kitchen. My husband said the staff was doing their best trying to keep the children out of the back but it was pretty crazy. We ordered the meat pizza and it was supposed to be ready just before 6pm. They were running behind and it was another 15-20 minutes before it was ready. I do have to say that the pizza was fantastic. The crust was buttery and light. The sauce was tangy with the perfect amount of cheese and toppings. We will definitely be ordering again. Hopefully next time we will miss the birthday party. LOL.“

“Don't be scared if the lot looks full - there is plenty of space inside. We stopped by for breakfast and had omelettes. The service was fantastic and the food was cooked just right.We plan to add this to our regular breakfast spots to visit.“

“We had a party of 16 peeps for a fishing club banquet, with 3 meat choices for main course which were chicken francaises,stuffed shrimp n fillet sole, and prime rib, all were excellent we had the chicken fran n it was very gd came with broccili,pasta, salads and amazing buttery giant garlic knots! Heard no complaints on any of the entrees, and def recommend Violi's!Parking: Plenty of parking spots at nite in the winters as its part of a golf course ! Was there. 2/25Wheelchair accessibility: Easy wheelchair access and 5 handicap spots are closest to door/entrance!“

“Not sure why but we hadn't been here in years. Last night's dinner was fantastic in terms of the staff, the food, the service, the environment, everything. Definitely will be back on a more regular basis. Cannot recommend the food quality enough.“

“As a born and raised Meriden resident. I like to appreciate steamed cheeseburgers are native to Connecticut and that Kevin has made a successful franchise with respects to Ted's. I used to visit the bar that serve these same burgers I like the new taste the cheese blend. And how the business has grown. the employees are always warm . The location on East main is quick easy and always satisfying“

“Came solo looking for a place I could relax and have a beer with locals. Yea this was it! They had musician Steve McGrath playing he was amazing. I got their signature Winchester burger and it was perfect. Chilled here for a couple hours a couple beers and it just feels like home.“

“This is a small Eatery that you would pass by without even knowing. I've eaten here before and totally forgot about it. The gentleman cooking my food, I assume to be the owner, has a great way of doing business. On this particular day, he did everything himself, and there were a few people eating. He made homemade chicken pot pie in a bowl with a toasted bread topping. It was actually really good.I found it to be a little pricey, but what a great lunch. Something you're not going to get anywhere else“

“We found this restaurant during Covid when we searched for fried chicken. We have ordered delivery from them since then at least two to three times a month. Today we finally got to eat at the restaurant and the food was even better fresh out of the kitchen, the drinks were great. It was so busy, but our server Shaneequa was so good. If you want comfort food try this place out.“

“Some of the best food I had in a while from a chain restaurant at not a wallet shattering price. Very friendly waiter even when I made a mistake in my order. I love the casual but definitely respect attitude they got over there. Would recommend if you're near and hungry.Vegetarian options: Big ol salad bar“

“I've been coming to AJ's for over 20 years. literally every time I have friends from out of town visit me and want to have a drink and some good bar food we go to AJ's. every single one of my out-of-town friends always says this is the best bar food they've ever had in their life. I literally have friends who call me up to come to Meriden just to have food from AJ's. my kids are addicted to the food at AJ's as well . I can honestly say if I ever move out of Connecticut, AJ's is one of the very few restaurants that I would ever truly miss and want to stop by if I come back to Connecticut for a visit. Thanks for hanging in and being so committed to our city. with the type of food and friendliness that AJ's gives they could have been successful any place in Connecticut.“

“We are a group of eight Women golfers that travel each week to play a different course in CT. Get the usual eye rolling looks from the men from parking lot, pro shop to the course and finally the bar. Some men are polite but they are few. Quarry Ridge staff went over the top to make our Tuesday golf experience relaxing and fun. Course was in good shape. Kevin in the pro shop attentive asking questions after our round to see if we had a good time and what were our thoughts about women’s golf. Poor Kevin got a earful I’m afraid. He was such a good sport! The chef came out and checked on our lunch. Talked about his menu. Very enthusiastic. It was a perfect day Tuesday Blue sky, cool temps, Great Golf and being with friends. Thank you to all the staff at Quarry Ridge. You will see us all again. Keep up the great work of making women feel valued in the sport of golf. Kindest Regards, Kathy Mroczka“

“The owners are good friends so we dropped by to say hello, share a few stories and enjoy a beer. They invited us to partake of the buffet that was winding down. The food was excellent. We only stayed a short while because we were distracting them from their duties. They were setting up for karaoke when we left.“

“Don't hesitate entering this old, funky, funny and warm pub! The eclectic tunes match the varied CT and nationwide brews, which in turn complements the hearty meals. If you haven't stopped in since you were dating, you'll probably find your initials still in the table or wall. The friendly bar and the creative kitchen will make you punch in your next visit date into your phone before you leave!“

“Amazing food, relishes out of this world. Got a jar to go. Very friendly bartender and staff. Had steak egg rolls and burnt ends to start, both amazing. Chicken sandwich and burger for dinner - incredibly well cooked and delicious. All their food is made to order by hand and you can tell. We will definitely be back.“

“Love this little local joint. Especially in the warmer months with the live music and sitting outside. The food has always been consistent and top-notch, from dinner to the brunches. Mixed drinks are always on point with many options. The service has always been a pleasure.“

“The atmosphere is really relaxed and upbeat, which is really nice. The staff is kind and helpful in getting your order. They have a little lounge area with art and available seating which is an additional perk. Outside seating is available as well. Inside they have certain things available to buy in a lil cabinet. Very nice, clean, welcoming place.Food-wise, the hash brown is really good and has great flavor. The Western omelette sandwich was great and the caramelized onions added an extra dose of flavor. I would definitely come back to try more food offerings and enjoy the atmosphere“

“This was hands down one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. My special guy's father is friend's with the owner & we brought family visiting from Italy for dinner. This was my first time trying the food, everything was delicious, portions huge. You can order larger, family style meals several days in advance & it's BYOB (love it). I was very surprised by everything as the outside along with the name of the restaurant doesn't remotely sound like an Italian restaurant. I would definitely take the ride just to eat here again.“

“I I have been going to Chris's for 5 years and it's a low lit "old school" pub to hang out with friends for a game of Pool, Darts or just throw back a pint cranking out your favorite music on the TouchTunes jukebox. There are plenty of flatscreen TV's to catch the big games and the "Pittsburgh Steelers" is the Pubs fan favorite as there's is lots of memorabilia throughout the pub. Friday through Sunday evenings are usually busy during football season and there's plenty of space to stretch out. They have a regular pub style lunch that doesn't break the bank with an outstanding and friendly chef that visits the bar for that bit of personal touch unlike other places in the area.“

“Great American casual food.Stopped for a quick lunch on the way down to NY. The lamb harissa burger was fantastic. The patty was super tender, and the flavor was strong. The harissa was mixed in the meat, so it wasn't too strong. The meat was juicy, and it was just great overall. I got the side of tater tots, and they were very enjoyable as well.Nice quick stop if you're in the area.Parking: Huge lot.“

“Great vibes, great food. Also, great service! We walked in on a Monday afternoon sat down right away by the window, such a cute street it's on and the dark wood tavern vibes are very comforting. Everyone was very relaxed and friendly we never had to ask for anything they were on top of everything- extra plates/napkins plenty of water refills. Food was yummy, the Buffalo sauce is *chefs kiss* not too spicy but got a good kick/flavor. I ordered my burger well and I was happy to see it wasn't burnt to a hockey puck, but rather very tender and still juicy. Will be back for sure!“

“I came here for dinner with my girlfriend and had a great experience. I had the mac and pork while she had the boneless wings. The atmosphere is a sports bar feeling so if your really into sports unlike me then this is really the place the you. Also I would like to note that you able to play Keno from the CT lottery here as well. The waitstaff was really friendly and kind along with letting you sit where ever you choose. I would definitely recommend this bar and grill which is right on route 17.“