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    True Flavors Diner

    4.0 (1k reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

    True Flavors Diner Photos

    Business Info

    TRUE FLAVORS DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - True Flavors Diner

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    The fried chicken biscuit.
    Jim B.

    True Flavors Diner it has been way too long. New remodel new biscuit menu, new schedule. The meal was excellent, I do not know how they could excel the meals in the past but they pulled it off. I ordered the fried chicken biscuit, two fried breasts, egg over easy, and potatoes covered in gravy. It was delicious from the first bit. The mixture just melted in your mouth. All the flavors blending together. I will not wait so long to go back, Wednesday to Friday 8:00am to 2:00pm. The schedule is locked in my memory now.

    Mac n cheese
    Kaylee B.

    This was probably the best breakfast I've ever had. Everything was quality and I wish Iived in the state so I could be a regular. The waffle I had was perfection and the peach French toast my brother got was also perfection. The restaurant makes their own flavored butters and I cannot speak highly enough of our experience. Bacon was perfection, everything was great quality and if we visit again we will definitely be back.

    Jenny D.

    Cute little place- I think they are rebranding away from Lou's because it seems to be one and the same. We went on a Saturday and it was not too busy but a good number of people. Lots of available parking, easy to access. The food was pretty pricey for what it was but my partner loved his fried chicken- really good. I got the waffles and eggs with bacon. Bacon and waffles were really good but the eggs tasted fishy for some reason so I didn't eat them. Biscuits were tasty too Overall, most of the food was pretty good, but for the price it just was pretty expensive so we probably wouldn't be back

    Peach Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes
    Austin H.

    We stopped by True Flavors for Sunday brunch and had a bit of a wait, but honestly, totally worth it. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the quality of both the service and the food matched that vibe perfectly. We arrived a little later into the brunch rush, so they were out of some ingredients, but that just tells me their stuff is fresh and the place is clearly loved by locals (and now by me too). I ordered the peach cinnamon buttermilk pancakes, so good! It came with a thick, juicy slice of ham that hit the spot with some eggs on the side. If I had one tiny wish, it'd be for a little more egg action on the plate. Overall, great spot with a great atmosphere. I'll definitely be back!

    Brown sugar peach butter French toast, sausage, & eggs
    Ashleigh F.

    This restaurant is located in a shopping plaza with shared parking outside. The dining area is kind of small. This is my second time at true flavors. The employees that I engaged with were not personable at all. The original meal that I wanted wasn't available so this time I got the brown sugar peach French toast, with eggs and sausage. It was ok. I would not get it again.

    Kitchen area
    Raul Y.

    Very good food in an inviting and casual atmosphere!! We had the Ultimate biscuits and gravy and the fried chicken and waffles! Both were delicious but we did miss out on the "complimentary" biscuits which we should have beef served while waiting for our order! We will be back! Highly recommended!

    Fish & Grits with 2 Eggs Over Easy. Excellent dish.
    Marissa M.

    I invited a friend to visit True Flavors for brunch this morning with the goal of supporting a minority owned business on Juneteenth. Upon arrival my friend had not made it into the restaurant as yet. The woman who greets patrons at the door asked that I step outside until my friend arrived as they do not seat you until all members of the party are present. This is a very small storefront diner. So I understood how crowded it can get. However, her delivery may not have carried so well with someone else. There was a gentleman in the kitchen, perhaps a head cook, who greeted us pleasantly when my friend arrived. I wish this demeanor had been carried out throughout the dining experience. We were seated and given 1 menu to share. Table settings had been left out and uncovered at the table. I asked our server for dining recommendations. I decided on the hazelnut iced coffee and the Fish & Grits which is served with 2 eggs of your choice. I ordered mine over easy. Mini Biscuits were delivered to the table. I did not enjoy these. Lackluster. My meal arrived and the presentation was spot on. I enjoyed this dish. The green onions and grits were very flavorful. I would compare the cheese grits to Mac & Cheese. it being served in a small skillet was a nice touch. The fish was fried very similar to chicken and was not overly seasoned or salted. I enjoyed my meal, however, the lack of courteous customer service was a big miss for me here and I don't have a reason to return. Often, when I attempt to support local businesses with staff of my own race, they low ball on the service and up charge on the dime. I have to dine where my dollar is appreciated & presence is valued.

    In the bathroom
    Chrissy A.

    Please, please, please check this place out. The biscuits are HUGE, the flavor combinations are crazy inventive, and everything is so so tasty. This place is in an old strip mall. It gets busier as the morning goes on. There is plenty of parking but the close parking goes very quickly. The interior is very small so you may have to wait a bit but it's never been too long for us. Beware...this isn't a great place if your group is bigger than 4. Most of the waitstaff is friendly and helpful. I just really, really loved the chicken chipotle blueberry biscuit. Amazing. I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it!

    pork chop
    Mya R.

    my boyfriend enjoyed his pork chop but I shouldve listened to my server when he told me not to get the chicken biscuit anf gravy. Absolutely nauseating. We also had a side of mac n cheese, not great. this place used to be packed but thr quality of the food was better. idk what happened but I probably won't go back,

    Smokey Carolina Bacon Smash Burger
    Mary L.

    Every thing is amazing. If they serve it you will want to eat it. I've been here multiple times over many years and never EVER been disappointed on any level. The service, the vibe, AND the food are always exceptional. If you ever visit Durham and have the time...GO.

    Strawberry French toast
    Zay M.

    I arrived at 9:32am on a Sunday morning in a party of two. We were seated promptly. The table looks like it was meant to be sideways to fit 4 people which created an unusual distance between us. Our waiter came over at 9:35pm. He didn't introduce himself and stated that he will get us waters and asked if we wanted something else. We received the waters quickly. He returned a couple minutes later to inquire if we had questions about the menu, which we did. I also asked about Debbie Lou's Sandwich shop. He said it used to be separate until COVID. Then, they combined and were doing two separate menus. Now, they combined the menus and switch it up every couple months. At 9:50am, we ordered. I got the strawberry butter French toast with scrambled eggs and bacon. The other party got the cinnamon sugar waffles with bacon and side of cheese grits. At 10:02am, we received the food. Food Quality: 3/5 -At 9:52am, waiter brought over complimentary biscuits. The butter on top was visible and it was paired with a strawberry jam. The biscuits were soft, fluffy, and down right delicious! -Cheesy Grits: You must stir it because the cheese is at the bottom melting. My date stated "it's good grits" -Bacon: The first piece of bacon I tasted was not warm at all and was chewy. Of my 3-4 pieces of bacon, only a small piece was warm and crispy like I expected. This was disappointing. My date's bacon was the perfect temperature and crispiness. The disparity questions consistency. -Eggs: Perfect temperature but lacked seasoning or flavor. I added salt and pepper and it was fine. -French Toast: Very thick. The cream cheese was too much, in my opinion. This was evident when I cut into it and it basically drowned my French toast with the syrup. I was expecting fresh strawberries but it wasn't. It tasted like strawberry crumbs as it was somewhat hard and crunchy. The edges of the French toast were a little over cooked and burnt in some places. The interior of the fresh toast was soft and delicious. -Waffles: My date said the "Cinnamon sugar was perfect." I tasted it and they indeed were flavorful and delicious! Presentation: 5/5 -Well-presented, neat, and appetizing -Whipped cream butter on my French toast was in an excessive amount -There was a green garnish on the eggs, which was in excessive and overpowered the eggs. If there were only a couple Service: 4/5 -Per receipt, our waiter was "Isaiah M." He was friendly and attentive. Outside of not introducing himself (which is a personal pet peeve), the service was great. He attempted to help me decide which entree to get as I was deciding between the strawberry butter French toast and cinnamon roll pancakes. He noted they both were great options and are a consistent menu item even as they rotate out the menu. Ambiance & Cleanliness: 5/5 -The music was great! It was mostly R&B, which is our favorite genre! -On the table, they have sugar, salt, pepper, creamer, and a container of straws. -The place was clean and tidy. Staff went around to clear plates and tables. Value for Money: 4/5 -For the two entrees and side of grits, the total was $41, which isn't bad. -The side of eggs was tiny. It honestly shocked us. My date is allergic to eggs, so I ate his (which they did put on a separate plate) Overall Experience: 4/5 -My date said it was the "Best breakfast place I had in a while." For him, his food and everything was perfect. He disliked they he was unable to substitute the eggs, which he is allergic to. This caused him to give me his eggs and pay for a different side. Total: 25/30 5 star: 29-30 4 star: 24-28 3 star: 19-23 2 star: 14-18 1 star: 6-13

    Chipotle Blueberry Chicken Biscuit
    Bethany K.

    We were so pleasantly surprised and will definitely be back again! We got a little lost trying to find them in the parking lot because it seems they have rebranded from Debbie Lou's to True Flavors Diner a little less than a year ago. What a hidden gem! The inside was tiny but gorgeous and so beautifully decorated. They have an open kitchen so you can see the love going right in. The staff was so friendly. The food is absolutely fantastic and the presentation is stunning. We agreed it was some of the best if not THE BEST biscuits we had ever had. They were perfectly buttery and salty with a nice fluff. The chicken was soooo juicy and crunchy. The blueberry compote and sugary vanilla icing paired with the chipotle was outstanding. It's a large portion and we had leftovers. A must try for sure!

    Complimentary Biscuit Appetizer with Jam Side order of cheese grits served in a skillet

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    29 days ago

    A MUST TRY!!! The menu entices you to try EVERYTHING!!! So tasty and always delicious!

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    3 months ago

    The service was great. It has the best brunch and breakfast menu in the area. We try to get over there whenever we can.

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    Food was really good, a bit expensive but portion size made it worth it. Service was quick. Good experience and a good hidden gem.

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    Page 1 of 27

    Ask the Community - True Flavors Diner

    How dob I order ahead of coming inside?

    Check their website during business hours. https://www.trueflavorsdiner.com/

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Littler

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    Incredible service from the staff + a cozy ambiance (perfected by the unique napkin rings and…read moredishware)! We were pleased with all the items ordered - especially the carrot cavatelli and escarole. We had the early spring 2025 menu to choose from. Entrees were delicious but slightly smaller than expected, which was the only downside. The bill definitely adds up if you have a drink with entrees

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    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar - Waffle Bites, Cheesey Grits

    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar

    4.0(719 reviews)
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    I love this place for consistently tasty food and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Every visit feels…read morerelaxed and welcoming, and the service is always on point. It's one of those spots where you can walk in anytime and know you're going to have a good experience. If you're looking for recommendations, the wings are a must‑try, and pairing them with a Bloody Mary never disappoints.

    So I asked yelp to recommend a place for a birthday dinner. This was the first on the list. So…read moresince I couldn't get a reservation on my birthday to the place I originally wanted to go, we decided to come here. There is plenty of parking on the backside of the building, paid parking out front, and be careful not to park in the apartment spaces on the side...they sounded pretty serious about towing. I had made a reservation but it was probably unnecessary as it was pretty empty when we arrived (it was about 5pm on a Saturday.) The waitress brought a bottle of water to the table and took our drink order. And I know that this place is literally call it's a Southern thing but can I mention how much I dislike drinking out of mason jars? I ordered the chicken n biscuits, my husband got the country hamburger steak plate, my BiL got wings, and my SiL got the crabcakes. We also orders charred jalapeno & sweet corn hushpuppies and frickles as an appetizer. I was VERY excited about my food. Y'all...the only thing that impressed me were the Frickles. Everything else was distinctly underwhelming. I also ordered Blackberry Betta Have My Money which was not that great. My SiL ordered a espresso martini that they said didn't come from a mix but she said it tasted like it was. The bathrooms were very clean. The decor and the vibe were great. Cute even. I really enjoyed that part of it. After dropping off our food, we never saw our waitress again unless we flagged her down for drink refills. It was especially frustrating since there was automatic gratuity added. And since the place wasn't that busy, it felt like she didn't feel the need to earn her automatic tip. Overall I was disappointed in my birthday dinner. I won't be coming back here.

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    Yum! My boyfriend and I split some dishes at the Federal and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. We…read morechose the classic cheeseburger with Swiss cheese and sauce on the side, a cubano, and the fried artichoke salad. Both the cheeseburger and cubano came with hefty servings of French fries fresh out of the fryer. Despite being a little salt heavy, they were flavorful and complimented the sandwiches well. The cubano and burger were both 3/5 for me but I enjoyed both. I'm not a huge meat fan... My boyfriend said they were excellent though! The fried artichoke salad is where I feel like I found my peace. The olives, tomatoes, salad dressing, and all other salad components were awesome. It tasted fresh and the ingredients complimented each other. The fried artichokes were a nice crunch too! I would be back to the Federal for the hot food and good vibes. Service was excellent here as well.

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