Before dinner: easy to make reservation and the staff did read my additional comments. It was my boyfriend's birthday and everyone welcomed us with a 'happy birthday.' Super friendly staff. Dinner: Nice setting, very warm + old vibes. Mood lighting. We got a 3 course meal (I got the Dinner at Dusk 3-course meal for $35 and my boyfriend got food off the regular menu. Both turned out to be about the same price so it doesn't really matter too much which you choose). Pre-Course: Amuse-bouche (shown in photo). Very delicious pre-appetizer. We also got bread and butter. The small biscuits were really good and we asked for more! Course 1: I got the Spring Salad which was really yummy and a decent size. I expected it to be smaller. My boyfriend got the shrimp, corn, and bacon chowder which was smaller but since it's creamier it was still filling, especially as an appetizer. Again, delicious. Course 2: I got the Jasmine & Local Honey Steelhead Salmon. OH MY GOODNESS. SO GOOD. BEST SALMON I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE!!! So flavorful and the brussel sprouts were a wonderful addition to the dish. I wasn't a fan of the butter on the salmon but I managed to scrape most of it off. My boyfriend got the Chesapeake Lump Crabcakes. THESE WERE SO WONDERFUL AND FLAVORFUL IT MADE MY SALMON TASTE BLAND. Would HIGHLY recommend. NOTE: The dinner at dusk menu only comes with ONE crabcake but you can get 2 off the regular dinner menu. Honestly, if you get an appetizer you really only need one. Two was a LOT even though it was delicious. Course 3: My meal came with dessert which was very good. Small, but definitely enough. My boyfriend ordered a cappuccino off the dessert menu which was as good as dessert coffee gets. The staff was also really kind and made him a special, complimentary birthday dessert plate with a candle and happy birthday message. Very kind. My birthday was a few days before his and they gave me my OWN complimentary birthday platter too! So we basically had 3 plates of dessert. Very filling meal (too filling lol) and SO WONDERFUL. Really made my boyfriend's birthday (and my belated birthday) special. read more

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This is a review for dinner service: ------ TL;DR If you come with a large group, be prepared to wait. Fancy (good) food, fancy service, pricey check. +FOOD+ -    Tart Lemon Torte (4.5 stars): Loved this dessert. The fresh blackberries dipped in a little lemon curd mixed with a swipe of buttermilk ice cream and lemon torte, topped with micro basil makes the perfect bite of citrus sweet-tartness! Tastes like summer. -    Grilled Lamb Loin (4 stars): Perfectly cooked, tender lamb that paired surprisingly well with the merguez (sausage). This entree is a play of smoky meat and hearty bean flavors. I think I would have preferred a smoother bean mash over the whole bean cassoulet, which was texturally off-putting (the beans were a little hard). Still, overall, a good dish. Visually stunning with the green fava bean puree! -    Artisan Cheeses with dried fruit, peach compote, crackers, crostini (3 stars): We received three cheeses: a truffle cheese, a blue cheese, and a mustard seed cheese. A pretty standard cheese board. Worth the $16? Mmm.... -    Collard Green Spring Roll with latte farms egg, shredded nc pork, policer vinaigrette, pickled mustard seed (2.5 stars): Interesting concept, but not sure one that should be continued. The egg was served on top of a small salad; the whole dish just didn't come together and make sense (flavor and presentation-wise) to me, really. +EXPERIENCE+ Service was slow and not as attentive as usual. Water bottles were slow to be replaced and bread took a long time to be delivered to the table. Additionally, my party did not receive any amuse bouches. Perhaps because we ordered an appetizer? Regardless, I would have liked to receive one, just like all the other tables. Date visited: 5/3/18 read more

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I just received a phone call from my mother. She braved going back to the Fairview after our last abysmal episode there and had to tell me what happened. Apparently they had been waiting our return to make up for the dreadful experience we had. She said it was night and day. She and her guest had such a lovely time she was amazed that it was the same tea room. I don't have any additional details but I can say this...it was on the Fairview. Mom didn't have to pay for any of it. They really went above and beyond in repairing any hurts and it is very appreciated. I just wish I had been there! read more

I really don't know how to rate this place! I SERIOUSLY almost left when I was seated. It's a big place and we arrived early with plenty of tables available. However, the host seated us right behind a group of really LOUD people. We were so CLOSE (also very crowded) to them that I can hear every word of them and I can't talk with my husband at all! It was AWFUL! Then we asked to be reseated. This time, we we're seated in a table a little away from the group. But the whole restaurant was still noisy and made me feel very uncomfortable! Then the service. The people who served our water were very attentive and filled up our water all the time! However, our server was super slow and we needed to wait a LONG time to oder our food! The food was good and it's the only reason I still give it three stars. I ordered the filet mignon and it was cook well! A little chart outside but super tender and juicy inside. My husband ordered the crabcake, which was good but not awesome. The flavor is similar to Thai. It's a good taste, but covers the flavor of crab. My dessert was a combination of three. Tastes good to me, as they are not over sweet. My husband ordered the sweet potato donuts. It was tooooooo much, tooooooo sweet! I probably won't come back again. I saw other reviews also complained about the noise here. It's really not what I expect from an upscale restaurant. read more

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This is a classic Southern brunch. The setting, live piano, and excellent service make this place so special. Of course the food is on point. I think they have the best coffee! This is a 3 course meal with an excellent array of choices. First course was a house made chicken soup and my wife had yogurt parfait. Next, we had the French toast and salmon while kids tore up the pancakes. The desserts were too much!!! We could decided between the cakes, hot clobber, hot breakfast banana cake, and the puddings. read more

We had a birthday dinner for a family member over the weekend and the food and service was incredible Gil was our server and did a marvelous job keeping up with all of us. The manager came by several times to chat and assist in anyway possible. 5 stars for sure. read more

Wow. I struggled to select a time to come to Fairview because they have a lot of great options -- there's a diverse dinner menu, but then there's also a pre-fixe happy hour at a great price. There's lunch, and then, there's a three-course brunch with unlimited dessert buffet. What's a gal to do? It is a friggin' shame that it took me so long to have a proper meal at Fairview, especially since I live just a short drive away. I'd been fortunate to attend one of their media lunches a few years ago when I worked for Yelp. The lunch debuted a redecorated dining area and several delicious seasonal fall recipes. Last weekend, I decided to finally return. And for brunch. The beauty of their brunch is that it's offered Saturday AND Sunday (such a rarity in this area!) and that there are options for traditional brunch items (eg, waffles and omelets) in addition to some of their regular menu. I booked on Open Table. When I arrived, I'd forgotten how to get to the restaurant, but the gentlemen at the front graciously directed us. The inn is stately decorated and the hallway turns opening up into two sumptuous dining areas. We opted to eat inside -- though regretted we didn't choose al fresco, because of the pretty outdoor seating. Our table was across from the doors that lead out to the patio, though, so we had a nice view! Both the hostess and our server were personable, which just got the experience off to a great start. For our first course, we elected the parfait and soup of the day, a spicy andouille. Both were excellent. The parfait was layered with diced fruits at bottom (melons and pineapple), a light yogurt, granola, and topped with fresh berries. A bread basket also accompanied this course, with pairs of bran muffins; cornbread; and yeast rolls, served with whipped butter. As if this wasn't carb heaven enough, our server encouraged us to take early and frequent visits to the dessert buffet -- I happily obliged! I think I hit the dessert table up four times during our meal. The best part about the dessert buffet is that they've portioned everything into manageable bite-size hors d'oeuvres that are perfect for allowing you the stomach space to sample everything, and even manage seconds! And what a dessert bar it is... from the staples (cheesecakes, blondies) to the seasonal (raspberry bars; chocolate covered strawberries), from Southern (bread pudding; peach cobbler) to surprising (cookie dough parfait; butterscotch panna cotta) -- and this only covers about half of what was on offer! This alone makes me want to come back for brunch again and again. Interspersed with my shoveling as much delicious desserts as possible down my throat, our entrees arrived. We both had gone with items that are also available on the dinner menu: the crab cakes and the spring fettuccine. The former were perfect -- lots of chunky crab, light breading, fresh and flavorful. The fettuccine was the only real disappointment from the day. It is a huge serving, but we couldn't detect even a hint of the lemongrass mentioned in the description (which when used in dishes is typically very apparent). It did have fresh veggies and chicken, and a light red pepper broth. But it was, to us, bland and a bit boring. I'd definitely try something more adventurous next time. What, you wonder, aside from the limitless dainty desserts could take this brunch over the top? A live piano player. Keep it classy, Fairview! You've made a fan out of me. read more

I must've gone here at least 15 times ... as a Duke student, I get the privilege of coming here whenever it's a special occasion. Birthdays, special catch-ups, dates, celebrations, visitors - everything happens at the WaDuke. It's really fun to dress up and eat somewhere on fake money (food points). :D I've come here at least once for every possible meal they have: brunch, afternoon tea, happy hour dinner, and regular dinner. Here's a breakdown, from "worst" to best. :) BRUNCH - all-you-can-eat dessert = so good. this depends on the day, but the chocolate covered strawberries are always there. there was this incredible chocolate mousse thing that i had there once, but i've never seen it again. - free, refillable juice. this is way better than it sounds because all the juice is fresh. i always get the pineapple juice and oh my goodness, it is amazing. i love it. - my strategy for eating at the waduke is to eat my appetizer (the waduke clam chowder with shrimp and bacon) and get the entrée to go, so i can eat all the dessert i want. nom nom nom. by now, i've gotten slightly tired of the waduke brunch, but it is actually very good. i've never gotten sweet food (waffles, yogurt, etc) for brunch before. HAPPY HOUR DINNER - the price is excellent. (come here btwn 5:30-6:30pm) - the selection is limited, but you still get some pretty good choices. steak frîtes is good, as is the duck. mmm. - you don't get a choice for the dessert, but the variety is quite satisfactory and there isn't too much, so you don't feel bogged down. AFTERNOON TEA - for the price, this one is the best imo. - very lovely, classy, and enjoyable. excellent with the girls. - this was actually better than the tea i had in london. :( - tea (in teapot) is really good, as are the different layers of tiny nibbles that they offer (light sandwiches, small desserts) - it's all very dainty and wonderful. DINNER - very expensive, but if you have food points (or real money) to spare, this can be very, very good. - artisan cheese plate = AMAZING. i love it! the compôte is excellent, as is the cheese selection. i don't like the roquefort, but i really like the other two cheeses. - quail = really, really good. i've never had quail before and they prepare it excellently. incredible. - i actually split the special entrée (diver sea scallops with lobster & orzo flan) with my roommate and we were both pretty full from it (well, that was in addition to our appetizers). the scallops were amazing. the whole meal was amazing. - we didn't actually realize that "a lot of time had gone by," but they came and apologized for our wait and offered us free desserts. niiice. OVERALL - they're all good, really. just don't go too often cus you won't appreciate it as much otherwise. - all the bread is good. my favorites are the olive bread and the cheesy bread. they'll give you more if you ask, but be careful - you don't want to fill up on bread. - service is courteous and great. read more

What a blast we had at Fairview Dining Room. The staff is so friendly and very accommodating. We were taken very good care of! Our food was just as delicious as we expected. My husband and I split the Duck Confit appetizer and it was such a perfect dish to start with. My husband went for the special, Filet and shrimp, were I had the Orange Glazed Duck breast. Hard to pick which one I liked more because they both were amazing. We already can't wait for our next visit! Great first experience and a must try in Durham! read more

Fairview Dining Room - Duck Confit - New American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Wonderful place to go for afternoon tea! I came here with my boyfriend and it was the perfect ambience. It is a bit pricey~$30 a person for afternoon tea but that gets you your own tea pot and set of delicious pastries-- also they accept food points from Duke students! They have a great variety of teas and the service on hot water refill is spot on. Definitely recommend for Duke students who want to experience something classy. read more

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Fairview is one of the restaurant options in the Washington Duke Inn located on Duke's campus. The hotel itself is very grand and I would recommend getting dressed up. The Duke Inn is what the Carolina Inn hotel is to UNC and is a very classic hotel for alumni, parents, distinguished guests and Duke visitors. The Fairview Dining Room is located in the back of the property and I did have to ask the friendly bellman for directions to get to the restaurant. We dined in the restaurant for Triangle Restaurant Week at the end of January and we ended up going for lunch on a Saturday. I was able to make a reservation on Opentable as well and the host was very friendly in showing us to our table. The restaurant is very opulent with English-style furniture and blue and gold porcelain dishware. There was a beautiful dessert table with floral centerpieces in the middle of the restaurant and this was part of the brunch and lunch menu. Piano music serenaded all the diners and the large windows give everyone a scenic view of the golf course. The Triangle Week menu had soup and salad and sandwich options and I do like how all of the local farms and vendors were listed on the menus to show the farm-to-table relationship. I started with a bowl of tomato soup and I really enjoyed the duck sandwich on Guglhupf's pretzel roll. The dessert was a trio and that was my least favorite part. It looked nice but it just did not appeal to my palette. Maybe it was because I saw the dessert table and the choices and wanted a variety vs. three overly sweet items. The service was fine. We had about 5 different people bring out food and wait on us so it was not consistent. When receiving the bill, the server also wanted us to put the entire amount with tip all together before submitting the credit card. The restaurant was full and I also noticed another restaurant next door (maybe called the View) so there area few options in the hotel. I would come here for a special occasion and was happy that the Fairview participated in the Triangle Restaurant Week so that I could finally check them out. The afternoon tea also looks to be like a special event and something to try. After the meal, it was nice to stroll around the hotel and look at the dignitaries' photos on the walls and walk through a piece of Durham's history. read more

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tl;dr: I came here many times while a student at Duke, mostly because of their acceptance of food points. The food is great - on par with much of the food in Durham. the service is excellent, but the prices are outrageous. Were it not for the need to spend my foodpoints, I likely would not have come so often. The WaDuke manages to leverage the wealthy individuals who stay at their hotel and who are on visit to Duke or who are simply students or faculty. Thus, they manage to charge very much for food that is available downtown for lower prices. The menu is short, often times with few appetizers, many salads, and an adequate variety of entrees (steak, salmon, veg, etc). The salmon is excellent and reasonably priced; the steak is great but at $40 for 12 ounces, it should be of a much higher quality, especially considering how much fresh beef is available in NC farms. Rhe desserts are mostly bland, despite an attempt at diverse and creative offerings - certainly not worth $10. read more

Fairview dining room offers a beautiful view, fantastic service, and decent food. I came here for a Friday lunch and the restaurant was nearly empty, so I had my pick of a patio table directly overlooking the golf course. The waiter was attentive without being overbearingly so, and genuinely cheerful. I ordered the lobster roll which was good, but not great. The lobster meat was flavorful, but the dinner roll tasted store-bought and the lettuce topping looked like an afterthought. For anyone on the fence about Fairview, I recommend trying it at least once, maybe not for the food, but for the ambience. read more

Fairview Dining Room - Lobster roll - New American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I went a few weeks ago with some friends and an alum who was visiting. Since I am part of the generation of Duke students who is still able to spend excess food points at the WaDuke, I come somewhat often when there are special events like birthdays. My party and I were slightly disappointed by the fare that night. My friend described her meal as, "Pork chops were tender but a little too salty, dish as a whole lacked balance and the cavatelli seemed out of place." I felt that the paella rice was a little oddly cooked. We were also not very impressed by the hand pies. For a meal that is this expensive, we would like a bit higher quality food. We miss the honey pine ice cream! read more

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Beautiful restaurant, amazing food. Terrific service. For the bread to the dessert, everything was delicious. We had fresh shrimp cocktail, a delicious salad, and the salmon was amazing. We ate everything on the plate two nights in a row! We were staying at the hotel, and didn't want to go anywhere else to eat. It was just delicious, and a beautiful setting! read more

Excellent dining experience for a Christmas party. The Inn was decorated beautifully. Multiple well dressed Christmas trees! The whole place was inviting & warm. We dined in the Fairview Dining Room. The atmosphere was charming & the service was excellent. Now, on to the food. I had the black bean soup of the day. The beans were puréed with a red sauce likely some tomato sauce/paste. It was good. For an entree, I chose shrimp & grits. The shrimp & grits were paired with collard greens. The greens were not on the side, but in the dish. I thought it was unusual, but it worked. The shrimp were large, plump & full of flavor. The grits were slightly gritty. I know, grits are supposed to be gritty. Not always, I have eaten grits that were smooth & creamy which is my preference. For dessert, I tried & loved the tiramisu cheesecake! Fantastic...creamy & rich just like you want. Overall, great dining experience. I would highly recommend!!! read more

I don't remember how many times I have dined at the fairview restaurant, or simply WaDuke, affectionately called by Duke students, in my past four years at Duke. Probably 30+. The food was great, especially in comparison with all the other on-campus eateries and the best part is that we could use food points there. I went there for Saturday brunch with my then boyfriend or friends every couple of weeks and celebrated some special occasions there as well. The service was always attentive and friendly, and all your needs were well taken care of. I just cannot think of anything negative about this place. One complaint was probably the lack of update on the menu.There were very new items added to the menu throughout the four years I ate there, and I could order without even looking at the menu cause I could literally memorize everything! read more

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Extremely expensive, and I would go as far as to say overpriced, but I come here anyways whenever I have extra food points to spend. Many people will say that the Fairview Restaurant is overrated, and it's easy to be when you're charging that much for dinner. But as a Duke student it is a breath of fresh air to be able to dine gourmet away from the campus eateries that can get old after awhile. Their afternoon tea is also excellent, and consists of bite sized sandwiches, yummy desserts and scones, and decent tea ($25/person). It will fill you up, so don't be deceived by how light on the stomach it might sound. Dinner here is excellent as well, and the staff are extremely professional and courteous. Brunch is overpriced and not worth it however, considering the better and cheaper options downtown (Rue Cler, Vin Rouge, Foster's). Not a place I would go out of my way to try, as Durham has a few other high-end restaurants that are probably better and more interesting, but the food is still fantastic here. read more

Elegant restaurant. Beautiful hotel. Over the top service. Dinner and breakfast there. Would suggest asking for medium rare on fish. Breakfast was amazing. Can't have a better presentation and food. read more

Pros: Great environment for a business meeting or romantic dinner getaway. Duke students can even use their food points here!!! Cons: Some items are definitely better than others; ask your waiter for what's good. Service may be slow when busy Bottom Line: If you are looking for a high-end eating experience look no farther than the Fairview Dining Room. If you go to Duke and want to taste the finer life there is no better place for your food points. One of my dreams since entering college has been to visit my best friend at Duke University and to have a classy night out where we would eat some of the finest food; during my visit to the Fairview Dining Room (or more commonly known as Wah Duke) that dream came true. What is unbelievable to me is that this experience was covered entirely by 'Food Points' or the Duke meal plan where points are treated as cash. Of course you can enjoy this experience regardless of whether you are a Duke student but when overpriced and mediocre food at other eateries on campus is commonplace you should definitely consider coming to Wah Duke for some quality eats. Once I had arrived at the dining room and the attending had took my coat, I was immediately impressed by the room's decor and the ambiance. At one table sat an older couple enjoying each other's company, at another the Dean of the University sat with some business-looking men; this place can accommodate romantic adventures or business ventures. The server was courteous and came exactly at the right time throughout the meal, always making sure our glasses were full and staggering our order so that our next item would arrive as soon as our previous had finished. The soups were complex in their taste. Although I was a little dissatisfied with the amount of bread and cheese in the French onion soup, the broth was packed so much flavors and hints of the red wine base tickled my taste buds. The filet mignon was satisfactory however I was not at all impressed by the accompanied potatoes. The shrimp and grits had an amazing presentation but while the flavor was great I feel that a little too much cheese had been used. Now the crab cakes; my first thought was that they looked pretty good but man that barely begins to describe the personality these succulent cakes possess. These were the single greatest crab cakes I have ever had. Although they seem pricey with 2 costing $32 you will not be disappointed with the amount of crab that they pack in these vehicles of flavor. Moreover the exterior is crispy without being overly fried and you get the slightest taste of smoked gouda as you work your way through the meal. If I could marry these crab cakes I would. Finally if you haven't already stuffed yourself definitely try to have dessert. There is a wide variety of dishes but I definitely recommend the chocolate hazelnut napoleon and the gingerbread soufflé. The way the cool pumpkin pie ice cream balances the warm soufflé is a match made in heaven. Also if you are having doubts about how to eat the hazelnut napoleon just be decisive and stick your fork through the delicacy and you'll hear a satisfying crunch and snap similar to a gourmet kit-kat. All in all I was really happy with my experience. Their menu changes every season so I will definitely be coming back to see what they have in store in the future. read more

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If I have to recommend a meal here, it would be the breakfast option to the side of Fairview Dining room, serving from 7-12 noon. A lot more informal and fun in groups. They offer everything they normally serve at brunch in the form of a buffet for $19; come hungry because there is so. Much. Food. You can also order off the regular brunch menu and take home the leftovers. My personal favorites are the scrambled eggs, the waffles (very cute and small), omelettes, and the homemade granola. read more

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Fairview Dining Room is absolutely AMAZING and worth every single penny! Prices are a bit steep, but this is some of the best food I've ever had and service is always spot on. If you are a Duke student, make sure to save up your food points (or become good friends with someone who does!) and come here for an amazing dinner! This place is the perfect setting for a friend's night out or a date. My favorite things to get at Fairview are the Filet Mignon when I was a meat eater (make sure to get medium rare - YUM- with the Hollandaise sauce) and the crab cakes. These are seriously the best crab cakes I've ever had - and I am a self-proclaimed crab cake expert! The desserts are decadent and made with such care and precision. If you are in Durham, you MUST come here! read more

This was our first time at Fairview, but it will not be our last. We came with good friends who have eaten here often. We started with delicious vodka martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives and followed that with an excellent fried oyster appetizer that we split. She had the salad with shrimp and I had the shrimp and grits. Both were large portions and both were excellent. There was piano music coming from another room so it did not interfere with conversation. Our waiters were friendly, professional and helpful, Valet parking makes this place extra nice. Very enjoyable Saturday night. read more

Very expensive. Food was excellent not outstanding given the cost. Service was very good

Came to this restaurant because it was 1,000 points on OpenTable, but I would come back here time after time. If you come on weekdays before 6:30 PM, you can do the "Dinner at Dusk" special, which is a three-course dinner for $35. These portions weren't any smaller than normal either. I had the summer salad with watermelon and feta then the salmon for the main course. The salmon was recommended to be cooked to medium, and it was cooked perfectly with a seared outer crust. The dessert was a "dessert sampler," but since I'm gluten free, they offered me ice cream or sorbet. To my surprise, the chef improvised and created a gluten free dessert sampler just for me, which was wonderful! Service was attentive and great with recommending menu items and wine. Ambience is romantic since it's darkly lit with old English architecture accents. read more

My boyfriend and I found ourselves at Duke University for an appointment we had planned long before COVID happened, and ended up staying at the Washington Duke Hotel. Our trip fell right around his birthday, so to plan a nice celebratory meal for the two of us. The Fairview could not have made our experience better. Due to few travelers, we practically had the whole dining room to ourselves. The wait staff was very courteous and was taking social distancing and wearing masks very seriously. It felt safe, professional, and clean. We started by ordering a wonderful bottle of Sancerre from the restaurant's impressive wine list. This accompanied our appetizer of traditional shrimp cocktail very well. My S/O had the catch of the day, which was a wonderful grouper special. I had the shrimp and grits, which were the most delicious shrimp and grits I've ever had, sitting on a bed of deliciously creamy grits in a slightly spicy sauce, with a smattering of fresh vegetables on top. It was lovely. Since I had booked this dinner as a special occasion, they provided us with a complimentary slice of birthday carrot cake, which was some of the creamiest, most delicious carrot cake I've ever had the pleasure to eat. I commend the staff at the Fairview for making our experience exceptionally special, despite the current difficult climate of working in the service industry. It truly was a special, world-class meal that I will remember fondly. read more

Came here for lunch during restaurant week. It was a 3-course meal for 15$- such a good deal! I had been here before, for dinner, and had a great time. However this time I was slightly underwhelmed. The food was very mediocre and unmemorable. As an appetizer, I got their Winter Salad, which had way too much olive. It felt like it coated my mouth with a layer of oil- not particularly pleasant. My main course was salmon, which they strangely paired with lentils as the side. This dish was actually pretty tasty, but the presentation was not great at all. The dish was very plain looking and the food looked like it was sliding off the plate and the waiter simply slid it back in place. Finally, the dessert consisted of a cute little take-out box of cookies. Overall the food wasn't the best, but the beautiful restaurant setting and nice ambience made the meal itself quite pleasant. read more

Review is for the breakfast brunch during the week. My omelette was so over salted that it was inedible. Service was inattentive we were never asked if we wanted more coffee and came with a mandatory 19% service charge. I am from now on only going to consider an option for people who are trapped at the hotel and cannot travel to someplace better. I would expect this type of food service combination at a two star hotel buffet on I95, not something as supposedly nice as the Washington Duke. read more

This review applies only to the Fairview Restaurant, not to the excellent and pleasant hotel or to the pleasantly laid-back Bull Durham Bar. The decor here is pleasant, though hardly inspired. The service runs the gamut from country-bumpkin young ladies to fairly expert (usually foreign) waiters. The cuisine is often ambitious (you may read "bizarre" if you want). The problem , it is sadly apparent, is the ingredients. Why? The Fairview is expensive. It caters to a supposedly sophisticated, actually small-town bourgeois, clientele. The South is not without very good materials. But my wife and have sent back so many poor steaks, barely acceptable crab cakes, even disappointing vegetables, that we wont't touch it any more. There's so much better in Durham (and almost nothing more expensive). If you must go here, take your grandmother to Valentine lunch. And, lord, breakfast!--my bumpkin server ushered me in saying, "Have you had an opportunity to be delighted by our breakfast experience before, Sir?" Really! read more

To be honest, I like Fairview because it's on food points for students so at the end of the semester when I have to get rid of them it's nice to eat a quality meal for "free". My favorite part of Fairview is their afternoon tea, from 2:30-4:30. Their selection of teas is big, offering about 10. I've gotten ginger peach and vanilla almond, both of which are fantastic. Last time, I finished two pots of the vanilla almond!!! They serve a three tier finger food tray, explaining what each thing is. Man, does that fill you up! And if it couldn't be more extravagant, they finish with two types of scones with several jams to go with it. High quality. Try to make it to tea! It's a unique experience and a lot of fun! read more

Sometimes I forget that Fairview is there. I think of all the other great things at the WaDuke like the golf course, the bar, and the hotel itself. It's been years since I've dined at Fairview but we decided to go back for New Years Eve for the fixed menu. It was a good reminder of what a great dining experience can be. First of all, the service and the staff are always impeccable. Very attentive to your needs from the minute you walk up to the hostess stand and she checks your coat for you to the entire experience at the table. I would review our specific meal but there is not much point since it was not off the regular menu. Suffice is to say that it was of equally high quality. Fairview puts the FINE back in fine dining. read more

I've been to this place too many places to count: brunch, lunch, dinner, tea, you name it. It is hands down the best place where you can spend your Food Points as a Duke student, and even though I've graduated, I always have a meal here whenever I go back for a visit. Very classy ambiance, with live piano music in the backdrop. I've come here for numerous birthday dinners, and they'll even play "Happy Birthday" to you on the piano, as well as free dessert of your choice. Brunch - 3 course meal! All the appetizers and entrees are great, but make sure you save room for the dessert BUFFET! The best bread basket ever, with assorted rolls, croissants, even mini carrot cake muffins. Dinner - They have a prix-fixe early dinner option for only $25. The best entrees, however, are not included on this menu, so I usually do not opt for this. I would recommend all their menu items except for some Asian noodle option I got once. I can't recall the name, but it was pad thai-esque dish. Tea - What a beautiful way to take some time out of a lazy afternoon and just appreciate delicious tea, delicate finger foods, freshly baked scones, and the company of your tea companions. I think afternoon tea is a great tradition that reminds us to slow down and enjoy the moment. No English accent necessary. Great place for a date or special occasion. read more

Went there for an anniversary dinner. Wife had the shrimp & grits, I had the grilled salmon, both from the dinner at dusk fixed price menu. There was nothing I could find to deduct a star, everything was truly delicious and fresh. Was a fantastic meal, we'll be back there for the Thanksgiving Buffet with the family. The food, ambience, service, all top notch. Well done Washington Duke! read more

Keep in mind, giving this restaurant 5 stars doesn't mean that it's the best restaurant in town, but I definitely would put it into the top 20%. My fiancee and I went for triangle restaurant week. Breakdown of the meal: Decision to come here: It's restaurant week! Time to try a restaurant and splurge at somewhere I wouldn't want to afford otherwise. That being said, I cruised yelp to find the three dollar sign restaurants with a menu that sounded like my mood. (don't want to waste a equally priced meal on a two dollar sign restaurant...). Location: Quite nice. The atmosphere was good with the live piano. The place was not too noisy, not too dark. The wait staff was prompt, very attentive, and polite. First course: We had the potato leek soup, and the risotto cake. Both were very good. The soup was somewhat surprising, not in a good or bad way, but it was creamy without being heavy or rich. The ham that was in it and the roasted potatoes were delicious. The risotto cake was well spiced with saffron, and the greens and especially goat cheese complimented it well. I would suggest the risotto cake definitely. Entree: We had the braised short ribs, and the roasted chicken. My fiancee enjoyed the chicken a lot, was very moist and well flavored. I usually can't bring myself to order chicken at a fancy restaurant though because I think I can make a good chicken myself. Anyway, I was torn between the salmon and the short ribs, but I can't seem to pull myself away from ordering short ribs when I have the chance. They were so good with the roasted veggies, and just melted in your mouth after you could pull away the meat with the lightest touch of your fork. I'd say the sides to the chicken were the best part of that dish. Dessert: A simple sampling of sweets. Very good. Mint cake, small fruit tart, and chocolate mousse in chocolate shell. Tasty, yes. Would it be the thing to bring me to Fairview? No. If I was thinking about it a little more, I would have picked a restaurant week restaurant with specific desserts. Overall, I'd give this restaurant, for the snap shot experience that we received, above an 80%+ and thus five stars. There are more places I'd like to try that I think would be tastier, but the combination of the very good food, the amazing service, and the atmosphere, my fiancee and I were pleased. over and out. read more

Afternoon Tea! One of the local best-kept secrets is the Fairview's full, formal, proper English high tea. They offer this several days a week. From warm scones with clotted cream, lovely tiers of finger sandwiches and sweet treats, pots of different flavored teas (my favorite is the ginger peach), this is the full-on experience you'd get at the Dorchester or the Savoy. It's a delicious, civilized, calm oasis in beautiful surroundings. Highly recommended. read more

Went here for restaurant week and what a bomb. Maybe they weren't prepared for the crowd, but service was snail paced. We had a reservation and were seating after a few minutes but from the time we ordered until the time we actually got our food was nearly and hour and a half. It was a long boring wait. The desserts at the end looked like premade frozen desserts with hard crusts and unappetizing presentations. I expected more from fairview. Not a good first impression read more

This restaurant is definitely on my favorite list. I dined here on a Tuesday evening with a good friend and it wasn't busy but the service was excellent. We were seated right away after the hostess took our coats. The dining room was dimly lit but you could still read the menu. It appeared most of the people seated were businessmen and there were a few families. As we were seated our server brought us a taste from the kitchen and took our drink orders. They have an excellent wine list and opted to try a Malbec I hadn't tasted before. It was amazing! I ordered he sweet potato soup and Chilean sea bass as my entree. My friend ordered the soup de jour which was a white bean, kale, and ham with the ribeye for their entree. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection! I love how everything was plated, the presentation definitely caught my eye. Also I didn't need to add anything to my food, it was seasoned well. I'd like to dine here again but I think I rather be on a date :) read more

I went here for AFTERNOON TEA last weekend when I was at Duke. The Fairview Restaurant has afternoon tea Wednesday-Sunday from 2:30-4:30 pm. You have to make a reservation and seating is every half hour. I am a huge fan of afternoon tea, although usually I like the unique house turned into tea parlor and stay away from afternoon tea in hotels, because it is usually more pricey and lacks the experience that I usually like for afternoon tea. To me, it does not have to be too fancy, but simply a fun and girly thing to enjoy with girlfriends to relax. But Fairview, while in the Washington Duke inn & Golf Club, really met my expectations! It was not too expensive ($20/person) and the ambiance was lovely. While it was not a cozy little house, it was elegant and the view of the golf course was so peaceful. We were met by a hostess who directed us to our seats. Our server was extremely genteel and patient with us asking about the different teas. There was a selection of about 20 teas. I chose the English Rose Tea, which was a black tea and delicious. The food was already chosen for us and included 3 tiers. The first was tea sandwiches and deviled eggs. The second was savory tarts (i.e. mushroom quiche) mixed with a sweet, caramel panna cotta. The last was of course sweets! We took a long time chatting and enjoying the foods and the server was quite patient in checking in on us to refill our hot water as well gauge when to bring out scones. When we were about done with the second tier, he brought freshly baked scones -- pumpkin and red currant. There was one of each for all 3 of us. Of course, there was also Devonshire cream, strawberry jam, and lemon curd. For $20, this was a very good deal and we ended up bringing the entire third tier of sweets back. Our server packed each of our portions separately. I truly enjoyed my time here and I go back to the Durham area would definitely include this on my to-do list. read more

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This is the go-to restaurant of Wa-Duke. It is very southern in its decor, and its setting overlooking the golf course provides a charming ambience for one's dining experience. For attire, expect to see men sporting blazers and ties, and ladies wearing sundresses here. In my opinion, rating it really depends on with whom you are to be enjoying this meal. For families, I would say this is one of the best spots in Durham to dine because there is absolutely no rush at all. The laid-back nature of the Fairview is simply great for conversations. Business and casual get-togethers are also well suited for this restaurant. For dates, the Fairview errs on the romantic side, but there are probably better places for dinner dates. In short, I highly recommend this place. It is a bit pricey, but its laid back demeanor leads to a long enjoyable meal. The food will not leave you dissatisfied. read more

Service was good, but kind of slow at first ... "Crabcake" should be called "Crabpile". The concept of cooking the crab meat together with a binder ( hence, the name cake) did not apply: it was a pile of crab meat lumps that tasted like something, not crab ( too much seasoning - Asian ??). Didn't get the root vegetables, at least could not identify them, and the greens were over cooked. End result: not good. The salad was decent, not special and the dessert disappointing: at 1:30 some of it was gone and not replaced. read more