I did not know this place was here. Just started a new job off of TW Alexander, and looked on yelp for nearby restaurants for lunch. It's a southern thing popped up. I almost didn't go, because I thought this was the downtown Durham restaurant, which is nice, but parking nightmare. Glad I went, though. The food was solid. I had the fired chicken sandwhich and fries the first day, a buffalo chicken wrap the second day, and the smoked chicken wings the third day, yes, 3 in a row. That has to say something, especially for me. All lunch items were pretty spot on, although I like a little more vinegar in my slaw than most. That was remedied by the texas pete on the bar. The service staff were all hands on. If the bartender was not there, the manager or a back of the house person was always checking on me. Very nice staff. As far as the ambiance itself, nice setup. Good sized bar, nice big patio, clean indoor and restrooms... all in all, I could not ding them for anything. I need to go to check out the weekend brunch or dinner menu. I am sure that I will not be disappointed, however, I have been told to get to brunch before noon, as it gets very busy, also a good thing. Cheers. :) read more

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We went to It's a Southern Thing on a Sunday morning around 9:30 and walked right in--no wait, which honestly felt like a small miracle for brunch. Even better surprise: the patio was wide open and dog-friendly. Immediate bonus points. Service was great. She was friendly, attentive, and helpful with recommendations without being overbearing. I had the Shrimp & Grits, which came with plenty of large shrimp and really rich, flavorful grits. Definitely a solid choice. My date ordered the Blackstone Benedict -a sort of ham, poached eggs, and hollandaise, with breakfast potatoes and gluten-free bread. She was genuinely thrilled with it, which is saying something as she is a hollondaise stickler. By the time we were leaving, a line had started to build, so if you're planning a weekend brunch here, I'd recommend getting there on the earlier side. Parking is easy (big lot), and there's a grocery store right next door, which is surprisingly convenient. Overall, just a really easy, enjoyable brunch spot with good food, great service, and a relaxed vibe. We'll be back. read more

I loved the decor and vibes at It's A Southern Thing. The service and food were amazing too! Fried Waffle Balls: Large portion and delicious. The syrup they came with was delicious. Such a great value! Smothered and Covered: This was the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had. They layered it with biscuits on the bottom, then sausage patties, then sausage gravy. This kept the biscuits from getting soggy, genius! The sausage gravy was extremely peppery, but when I ate the biscuits, gravy, and sausage together with the scrambled eggs, everything was perfectly seasoned and balanced. The hash browns were delicious as well! Pete's "Fat Kid" Breakfast Sandwich: My husband liked this unique breakfast sandwich with pulled pork. The sandwich held together nicely and he was able to pick it up (he hates it when he has to eat a sandwich with a fork and knife, so this was a major bonus for him). My husband also did the $14.99 bottomless mimosas. They had a dedicated staff member walking around with a pitcher of mimosa to refill everyone doing bottomless, so his glass was hardly ever empty. I wish I had visited this restaurant sooner, I can't wait to visit again and try something new! read more

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Someone recommended me this place, so i decided to get some lunch. The service was a little slow but i think it was because it was busy but overall good. I tried the catfish N' Grits, the grits were little weird combination but not bad at all, the entire dish was delicious. My friend got the chicken fried steak and i will say that was really good. I will come back and try something else for sure. As always this is my personal opinion. read more

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Met with four friends for lunch and had a great time! Bernard kept glasses full and was there when we needed anything. This was an early Sunday brunch seating, and a table of five was easy for them to handle. You'd think liquor wasn't on the minds of folks at 11 on a Saturday. You'd be wrong. But most of the drinks were very bourbon/whiskey based, so didn't interest me. I was able to find "I Hate Tequila said No Juan Ever" one of the five or six non bourbon drinks. It was añejo tequila, with pomegranate and cranberry with an orange/rosemary syrup. I may have had two. It was tasty! The smashburger was fantastic. The fried okra was a bit overly breaded, but was cooked to perfection. We all had a great time and will probably return. read more

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We came here on a Friday for dinner. It's my first time in Raleigh so I was excited to explore their restaurant scene. The restaurant only had a few tables around 6 when we got there but it started to fill up around 7pm. We started with cocktails to see what they were working with and they delivered! The BlackBerry Betta Have My Money and Happy Gilmore were delicious! You could not taste the alcohol but I know it was there. For an appetizer with shared the fried okra and the fried green tomatoes. Both were excellent. Anytime I have fried okra, I mean really good fried okra, I'm transported back to south Arkansas when my mom made them when I was younger. For entrees, we had the crispy catfish and the Em's Country Patty Melt. I don't recommend the Em's Country Patty Melt because it was advertised as a smash burger but that patty didn't taste like it was made on the grill. I believe that was a pre-made frozen patty and it was not good. The fries, however, were perfect. The crispy catfish was cooked to perfection and the red beans and rice were great and so filling. We did order a second catfish fillet to round out that meal. So good. read more

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I wanted to give this restaurant a great review but can't due to the unexpected outcome. Ill tell you guys my experience and what followed My family and I came here for a celebration brunch honoring my sister who just gained her PhD. We were a large party which was a party of 15. The processor ordering was very organized and not too crazy. A couple of people at the table got bottomless Mimosas which was a good service. Their cups never went empty and they were satisfied. I ordered a Dew Drop, Drop Top which was melon based and so yummy. It was definitely refreshing. Another person at the table had a Back That Razz Up which she said was yummy. That's to say I trust the cocktails to be great. Now the food, I got shrimp and grits which was soooo good and plentiful. I was able to have some for leftovers the next morning. I got my baby son Biscuits and Butter as he's a picky eater and loves bread. the butters were so good. My other son got the Chicken Fried Steak which was also delicious and my sister got the Smoked Wings which were great was well. My nephew got the Flapjack "Charcuterie' Board which was great as well. He almost got the Waffle Scewers which he didn't and im glad he didn't. The food and service was amazing and I was going to come back but one of the people in our party went to visit again and the experience was not good at all She went to visit and had the Fried Waffle Balls as her appetizer. She saw the waitress drop a waffle ball as she had a view of the kitchen. The waitress then put the ball back and proceeded to bring the waffle balls to my aunt. My Aunt then confronted her about it and her reply was " It was only the top". That was not acceptable accountability and very nasty on the waitresses part. This has now tainted my view of this establishment as I thought it would've been a place I would come to visit over and over, but now we know that we are not safe due to the uncleanliness hat one staff member displayed and I unfortunately no longer trust this establishment with my family's safety. :-( read more

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This is a good spot for anyone looking a nice variety of southern dishes for any occasion. It's perfect brunch, lunch, dinner, game day, etc. Their menu is full of options for everyone and there's plenty of seating both indoor and outdoors. The fried green tomatoes were good. The roasted garlic finish and bacon jam was a nice touch. The fried catfish plate was also really good. It's a decent size of catfish, well seasoned and the red beans and white were packed with flavor. There is a sausage in the red beans and rice. I appreciated the nice variety of drinks options. A nice extensive list of cocktails, beer and wine. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. I appreciated that they have a note on the table about gratuity being automatically added to parties of 8 or more so there's no confusion. I'll definitely be back to check out brunch. read more

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Went here for my sis in laws bday brunch. It's in a great location. Our waiter was so friendly, he gave excellent recommendations. Now I am ALWAYS gonna try an appetizer(or 3 lol) wherever I go so I ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes which sat on a bed of pimento chz and served with bacon jam on the side(Soooo good) and their Smoked Wings w/ a side of blue cheese dressing. These appetizers did not disappoint, ended up ordering another round of each. I did wish the tomatoes were bigger though. For our entrees around the table: Chicken Fried Steaks w/ eggs and hash browns, Cajun Salmon Cake Benedict with potatoes, Last B.L.A.T and a build your own. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food. My mom did say the gravy for the Chicken Fried Steak was spicy so she couldn't finish it. Outside of that, it was a good experience and we may be back to try other menu items. read more

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I had been craving smoked wings since I last had them on vacation and It's a Southern Thing certainly lived up to the hype. Every single item was delicious. Not shown is a GF Key Lime Pie. Wish we lived closer so we could go more often. The butter was the all star here. I could and would eat it by the spoonful! Servings were huge! read more

It's A Southern Thing - Smoked wings, potatoes, and green beans! Excellence! - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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It's so nice to have "It's a Southern Thing" location thats not downtown. I've been to both locations and certainly prefer this one. I've come here about 3 times now and it never disappoints. Super clean, plenty of parking, plenty of seating and plenty of food. Each time I come here I get something different, whether it's smothered biscuit or smoked chicken wings. I tend to bring out-of-towners who are visiting to this place, because they are always asking for "authentic southern food". This place certainly fits the bill. Oh and their Jalapeño Brined Fried Chicken sandwich is delish, along with their Pete's "Fat Kid" sandwich! They also have a new outdoor seating which is nice in the spring when you can get some fresh air! And also also, there is trivia night every Thursday at 7pm! Check it out! Great place~ you won't be disappointed!~ read more

It's A Southern Thing - Smothered gravy! - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

More of an upscale "southern" restaurant and certainly not a hole in the wall as it's at the end of a shopping center. Good menu options and friendly staff. Enjoyed the chicken sandwich, full of flavor! I'd visit again and give some other options a try. read more

It's A Southern Thing - Waffle balls - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food was absolutely delicious! My waitress was attentive and the "mimosa guy" was ON IT!!! Very chill place to grab brunch . Will be back ! read more

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My friends and I felt the food was cooked well but a bit on the bland side for our meals. The wings are good(thai chili) but for 3 people it shouldve been more, they have a good ranch dressing The service wasn't bad it was ok & the waitress was attentive but, could have been better. The place looked clean. I would maybe try it again, my friends loved their drinks, I would say try it for yourself & see how you feel read more

We went to this place for lunch a few days ago. They clearly were understaffed as many of the tables had not been bussed (it was 12:30 PM). We were put at a table where half of us were looking directly at a very large sunny window, very uncomfortable to look across the table at your lunchmates and have the sun blasting in your eyes. But there were no other tables available. Took about 10 minutes before someone came by to take our order, in fact, I believe it was the manager because the server seemed confused when he finally arrived and asked who it had been that helped us. In any event, The food was mixed. I had a BLT which was $15 and I expected a heaping sandwich. Instead, it was a very light sandwich with exactly one thin slice of tomato in the whole thing. They put it exactly in the middle of the sandwich so half of it went to one side of the sliced sandwich, half went to the other. Two small pieces of lettuce, three pieces of bacon. Extremely skimpy for $15. The Texas toast was even thin. It came with a side and I chose fried brussels sprouts. Now these were good. What redeemed the whole thing was the banana pudding, which was the best banana pudding in the history of puddings. Nonetheless, poor service and small servings give this three stars. Also, they added 15% to the bill automatically which I hate. Will not return. read more

Came to move our daughter in to NCCU, and found this great recommendation for you all here on yelp. We started with the Okra, fried green tomatoes and the waffle balls. A couple cocktails and I had a bacon bbq smash burger and she enjoyed the fried catfish sandwich. Jill and Bella made the experience even better! read more

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Friendly casual lunch --- one of us had chicken fried steak and the other had a Caesar salad with grilled shrimp. Good food, fast efficient server. We'll be back. read more

Always love It's A Southern Thing for their brunch. The pancake & chicken on a stick are always cooked perfectly and those grits are amazing!! And the bottomless mimosas are a great addition. Service was amazing (especially the lady who does the mimosa refills). It's the brunch spot I invite my friends and family to when they visit. I'm actually starting to prefer this location over the one in Brightleaf read more

It's A Southern Thing - Chicken & Pancake Balls & Grits - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

So tried this place out in Durham since we were there for my husband's surgery at Duke Medical. The place was very clean which was great. The waitress we had was nice, but kinda slow at the same time. My husband had the half chicken with potatoes & green beans, with bbq sauce on the side. He said that the chicken was bland & didn't seem to have any seasoning on it. He says the green beans were not good at all, and I tried the potatoes and they didn't have any seasoning on them either. Now as far as my meal, the chicken was blackened and tender, had a really good flavor, and the macaroni surprised me. It was very flavorful and tasty. I was satisfied with my meal. The ambiance was nice & they had a beautiful bar area. I will say that the floor was very sticky, not sure what that was about. We just wish they had a few more chicken options on the menu. read more

It's A Southern Thing - I forgot the actual name. It's half a chicken with some green beans, and potatoes - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Had a date here and I loved the food! As you can tell I didn't get many photos because I was focused on enjoying the food. We ordered the fried green tomatoes and they were sooo good! Reminded me of my grandmothers house. We also had wings and they were cooked perfectly. The collards were my favorite! Cooked the southern way! I can't wait to try more things from their menu read more

It's A Southern Thing - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food was good, but the service at lunch service on a Thursday was slow. Had to ask for condiments multiple times. My. Sweet tea was never refilled. Not worth the 20 minute drive but if it was closer would try again. read more

Went for lunch. Got the Fried Green Tomatoes, very good. I got the Chicken Fried Steak, also very good. Huge portion that I could not finish, lol. I was torn between that and the Chicken and Waffles Skewers, but after asking the advice of our server I made my decision based on my empty stomach and my greedy spirit My friend got the Fried Catfish Sandwich. Said it was so good he forgot to used the hot sauce! The server and service was great. I don't remember her namebut I remember complimenting her cute frames/glasses. Overall I would definitely go back and try the Waffle and Chicken Skewers, and leave my greedy spirit at home read more

"Exactly what I want from Southern food." Rich, salty, and comforting without being overly fatty. Definitely had cravings for a salad after, but the balance was just right. Hits the spot read more

Apparently my original reviews were removed. I can't find them anywhere. The Durham location is great. Never had a problem there. The Raleigh location, not so much. I ordered over $100 of food to go. As I was waiting, I sat at the bar and ordered the fried green tomatoes. When I got the tab, they AUTOMATICALLY added a 15% tip. I was tipping for the to go order as well and I sat at the bar for about 10 minutes. I asked why and was told it was standard. It is not. I've done this a few times at the Durham location before the Yunis location opened and was never automatically charged. Allow me to tip according to the service received. He did remove it after much back and forth. And his attitude was stinky. I haven't returned since and won't. Not to this location. The fried green tomatoes are a definite hit. The other food was average. No big wows. It's roomy and has plenty of seating. read more

We had my son's wedding rehearsal dinner here. We couldn't have been more pleased. Noelle made all the arrangements so easy. They helped with decorating the tables, the food was excellent and the service was superb! I would highly recommend this place for any special occasions or just to get some great food. read more

I decided to check out this location since it's near my house. I went in the evening with the expectations of just chilling grabbing some food and a drink on a Friday and it was the perfect choice. Bartenders Nick and Cai were excellent. My French 75 was really great! I didn't realize It's a Southern Thing had such a good ceasar salad. Peppery creamy and very flavorful. My smoked wings seemed a bit over fried but I think this may have just been a fluke. They are always so so good. Will be returning ! read more

It's A Southern Thing - Caesar salad - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

It's a Southern Thing has a daytime atmosphere akin to First Watch. Their weekend brunch menu has excellent options. I saw food runners carrying out delicious meals for hungry customers. I expected it to be busy, and it was. I'm fortunate that the three of us were seated within five minutes. I anticipated a wait but there wasn't one. My friends chose the Fat Child Sandwich and the Garden Omelette. I chose the Blackstone Benedict. The eggs were excellent. The grits, collards, bacon, and home-fries were excellent. We only had coffee and water, but I saw servers carrying mimosas and Bloody Marys. There's a full bar available too that might serve up great drinks in the evening; check out other reviews to find out. read more

It's A Southern Thing - Fat Kid Sandwich Garden Omelette Eggs Blackstone - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Very nice restaurant and the food is very good. It is like a twist on all your southern favorites. Plenty of parking. The managers are very enthusiastic and welcoming!! read more

Tried this place on a whim and so glad that we did. They have two locations and this location is fairly new! Great parking area, nice and clean interior, we were sat as soon as we walked in, customer service was superb and the food was amazing. My family and I all tried different dishes and kinda shared, so that we'd be able to get a sample of everything. We had Thai chili chicken wings, hamburger steak with mashed potatoes and green beans, French fries, brussel sprouts, potato wedges, smoked chicken, key lime pie and banana pudding - everything was soooo freakin' good! They do add 15% gratuity to every bill & we ended up spending about $138 for everything we had. Def recommend! Nothing bad to say about this place. read more

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Tried this new location! While their southern food quality remained same with the original location, it looks like many people haven't found this hidden gem, so it's much quieter (and feel spacious here)! Service was so fast! It's my first time trying their drinks and I was quite impressed!!! Their clarified milk punch was delicious and the price was surprisingly low for the quality of the drink. We ended up getting a number of crafted cocktails and they are ranged $10-$13!! They tasted relatively light (in terms of alc content) but tasted awesome nevertheless. Since there aren't many bars in this area of durham yet, I highly recommend this place if you want an affordable yet good drink in southeast durham!! read more

It's A Southern Thing - salmon! - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Came in on a Sunday and was decently busy. We didn't have an extreme wait. Our server was nice and pretty attentive. We come here for the bottomless mimosas but our mimosa fairy was kind of slow and not consistent this time around. The food was good we got the smoked wings and the build your own. If you don't eat pork this might be a hard place to eat at because they don't have non-pork meat options and they cook alot of their food with pork. read more

It was so good that I went back twice in three days on my last trip to the Durham area. For breakfast, my favorite was definitely the bacon jam that came with the fried green tomatoes. They need to jar that! For dinner (not pictured) was the mac & cheese! It was extremely cheesy and gooey, and had the subtlest taste of jalapeño so I would order that again and again. My catfish though was also really good. The servers both were memorable with our server for lunch, being funny and attentive, while our server at dinner was accommodating and quick. read more

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Brand new restaurant but already seems to have all the kinks worked out since this is their second location. Menu is same as the downtown location which is excelent because it means the food is excellent. We arrived during dinner on a Sunday and were immediately set. The host and waiter were extremely friendly. We order the fried green Tomatoes which are always amazing. My entree was the faux Q, which is good for vegan dish. This is a nice chill place to eat and I will def be coming back again, for sure for brunch. read more

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This is a lovely, restaurant located in a shopping center surrounded by apartment buildings. I like to call it the neighborhood restaurant. The drink menu is extensive with daily specials. I don't recall the dish I ordered (pictured) as sit was the special of the day. It was delightful. All in all, I was pleased with my first visit and will visit again when I am in the area. read more

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Food was good. Emily was a great waitress. The place is clean and nicely decorated. I will be back to try the brunch.

Food was amazing and our server was so helpful with picking what to order. Overall excellent experience!

Last night, my family and I visited A Southern Thing in Durham. We were a group of 8, including my wife, son, sister, nephews, father, and stepmother. We initially chose the restaurant under the impression it was Black-owned, but learned upon arrival that it wasn't. Still, we decided to stay and enjoy the evening. From the moment we were seated, the service felt off. Our server, Ashlyn, approached the kids first to take their orders instead of the adults--a small but telling detail. I've worked in food service for 14 years, so I understand the pressures of the job, but I also recognize when service falls short. When Ashlyn came to take our order, she brought out mason jars with courtesy water, but never once offered us the actual drink menu or asked what we'd like to drink. The only reason alcoholic drinks even made it to our table was because my sister specifically asked for one--then my wife decided to order one as well. Otherwise, no drink options were mentioned. For the kids, drinks are included with their meals, but she asked them directly without first consulting the adults. As a result, my son ended up with a grapefruit drink he doesn't even like. When I realized what happened, I gave the drink back and told her it needed to be replaced with sweet tea--explaining that any orders for him should've gone through me or my wife. I also asked for straws shortly after she brought the waters, but she never returned with them. It wasn't until 20 minutes later that the manager brought them immediately after I asked him. During the meal, Ashlyn rarely came by our table, didn't check on us during the meal, and showed very little engagement overall. Meanwhile, we watched her repeatedly and attentively cater to another table outside that appeared to be white guests. The restaurant wasn't busy--just a few tables occupied--so the lack of attentiveness couldn't be blamed on being overwhelmed. To make matters worse, a 20% gratuity was automatically added to each check (we had three), even though the service didn't come close to earning that. When we were finally offered to-go boxes--by the manager, not the server--Ashlyn returned only to ask if we wanted dessert. By that point, we were too frustrated and ready to leave. The food itself was okay--not terrible, but definitely not worth the prices. The drinks were disappointing too; my wife and sister's mimosa-style drinks were served in half-filled glasses. This was one of the worst dining service experiences I've had. I wouldn't recommend this place based on the service alone. And if you do go, request a different server if you're seated with Ashlyn. Respectfully, she did not do her job. read more

We went to it's a southern thing before the John Mulaney show on Friday, October 3 and it was an absolutely phenomenal experience. We were sat quickly and our server Kat, was giving us great recommendations on the menu for drinks and for food and was including nonalcoholic beverages as well. We ended up having the crab dip appetizer which was delicious and my friend had a sweet drink, and I had a savory dirty martini which was fabulous. For dinner my friend had the shrimp and grits and she thought they were absolutely delicious and I had the blackened chicken mac & cheese, which I am so happy I got and it was perfect! I thought the service was phenomenal and we will absolutely be coming back to this establishment for a later date! Another fun fact was that when we went to the John Mulaney show, he himself referenced this restaurant in his stand-up comedy, which was super cool! I couldn't say enough good things about this place and will definitely be back! read more

It's A Southern Thing - Chicken Mac and cheese - Southern Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Coming back from a nice visit from my mom, my husband and I decided to give this place a try. I am glad we did. Although there might have been 3 servers, we were well served. They were Very attentive and quick. The atmosphere was like a modern rustic feel. Now the food. For appetizer we had the crab dip, which was very good and smoked wings with honey bourbon barbecue sauce. The wings were ok. I did like the barbecue sauce. The main dish we shared. Pete-loaf with garlic mash potatoes and fried Brussel sprouts. I really enjoyed this whole dish. My husband added more salt to his mash potatoes and brussel sprouts (he usually adds salt to most things). Maybe the mash potatoes could have more garlic , however it was good just as it was. Overall I had a good experience and would visit here again. read more

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We were pleasantly greeted when we walked in. We were also immediately seated. The vibe was laid back but they were preparing for a live band. The waiter was good aside from the fact that he wouldn't make eye contact with us. He kept our drinks topped off. I started off with nachos. I don't know what I was expecting but the taste was out of this world! The remaining food came out fast and was hot, fresh and good. And the drinks gave a good buzz. I'd come back again. read more

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