NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

  • NC Triangle Dining Food Blog
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Raleigh, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Durham, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Cary, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill
    • Triangle Top Three’s- Bars
  • News
    • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2019 Edition
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
    • Memorable Meals for 2019
    • Memorable Meals for 2018
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics
You are here: Home / Restaurant & Bar Reviews / Durham / First Take: Dain’s Place for Delicious Tots and Burgers…

July 20, 2013 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Dain’s Place for Delicious Tots and Burgers…

Sign at Dain's Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Sign at Dain’s Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Deep, deep in Duke territory lies the fabled bar, Dain’s Place.  I had been here years ago but as a Carolina grad, I tend to shy away from 9th Street for some unknown reason!   But I was checking out the Doughman Race which does an after-party at Dain’s so it was definitely time for a return visit.  As a quintessential college bar deep in downtown Durham, how could I resist?  And I’m glad I was able to make it back…

Tots on fire at Dain's Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Tots on fire at Dain’s Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Dain’s is one of those old-school bars that dishes out a small menu of bar eats along with great beer.  Inside there’s lots of worn, polished woods, small booths and a couple of long high-tops down the center.  Really a classic bar feel and usually the place is packed and busy.  My friend and I grab a seat at the high-top and hang loose with the menus.  Lots of young families and just a boisterous feel to the place, the owner Dain comes in with his new infant, looks like the Doughman post-race has just finished up!  I order up the same meal I did years ago, the famous Tots on Fire and the Defibrilator burger showcased on Man versus Food.  We’re talking about a 1/2 lb. burger with bacon, cheddar, sweet chili and a hot dog on top for good measure!  Well, who wants to live forever?!

Defibrillator burger at Dain's Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Defibrillator burger at Dain’s Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Service here at Dain’s is spot-on, the staff and bartenders are all very cool, friendly and efficient.  That same attitude is reflected in the crowd here, it’s a fun group.  Ten minutes later we get our big bowl of tots covered in cheddar, chili and jalapenos.  Two forks tucked in on top gives us some tools to handle this monster appetizer!  Dain’s tots are awesome!  Super-brown and well-crisped, they make for a great base to all that chili and cheese on top, super-yum…   And the defibrillator burger? A tall, pile of beef, pork and more cheddar on a nice kaiser roll, good stuff.  Probably too much for one human being!

Busy bar at Dain's Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining
Busy bar at Dain’s Place in Durham, NC Triangle Dining

Overall Dain’s Place does a great job at being the type of bar that anyone can feel at home in.  Good beer, a small menu of bad for you but tasty eats along with some friendly people.  It’s really hard to go wrong with that formula!  Still I have to confess that I’d probably prefer to come visit when Duke is out of session!  What can I say but some old habits die hard.  But if anything would lure me back into enemy territory, it would be the tots at Dain’s Place.  They are THAT good…

 

Dain’s Place

754 9th Street

Durham, NC 27705

919.416.8800

 

Dain’s Place’s Menu

Location on Google maps

Save

Last Updated on January 7, 2017

Related

Filed Under: Durham, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Bars and Lounges, Beer - Brewery, Restaurants Near Duke University

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Popular Reviews

Photos: The New Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille in Raleigh!

Chicken Bee, Durham – Offering Amazing Korean Fried Chicken on 9th Street

Hawkers Asian Street Fare in Chapel Hill for a Mind-Bending Taste of Asia

Don’t Miss

  • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
  • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • LuLu Bang Bang, Durham – A Culinary Trip Across Asia for the RTP Crowd
  • Di Fara Pizza Tavern, Cary – An Exceptional Example of Classic NYC Pizza for NC
  • Photos: Sam Jones BBQ Arrives in Raleigh
  • A Look Back at the Triangle Food Scene in the Year of COVID

Connect with NCTD

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NCTD Email Subscription


Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework