DaBaby Just Opened a Chicken & Waffle Restaurant in Charlotte

No Knife Chicken & Waffles is officially open in north Charlotte, serving everything from banana pudding waffles to lobster and grits.

CLT Fork

Sep 9, 2026

Charlotte rapper DaBaby has officially added restaurateur to his résumé.

No Knife Chicken & Waffles opened at 700 Atando Ave. in north Charlotte over Labor Day weekend, drawing hundreds of people for its grand opening.

The hype was real, too. One Charlotte Observer reporter waited three hours to get inside on opening day.

🧇 WHAT'S ON THE MENU?

This isn't just a plain-waffle-and-fried-chicken operation.

The waffle lineup includes banana pudding, birthday cake, blueberry lemon, cookies & cream, peach cobbler, red velvet, strawberry shortcake and sweet potato.

You can add six wings to any waffle for another $10.

Then There's the $45 Waffle

The menu item getting the most attention might be the Soulfood Cornbread Waffle.

It costs $45 and comes topped with collard greens, candied yams and mac & cheese.

Most of the dessert-style waffles cost $25, while the basic Plain Jane is $15.

Chicken isn't the only thing coming out of the kitchen, either.

The menu includes fried fish and grits, lobster and grits, crab fried rice and jerk chicken, birria and seafood-boil egg rolls.

🍗 A FEW PRICES

Plain Jane Waffle: $15
Specialty Waffles: $25
6 Wings: $12
Fried Fish & Grits: $21
Crab Fried Rice: $25
Lobster & Grits: $32
Soulfood Cornbread Waffle: $45

There's a Wellness Side, Too

In a slightly unexpected twist for a restaurant built around fried chicken and dessert-inspired waffles, No Knife also has a health and wellness counter.

WSOC reports that side of the restaurant offers açaí bowls, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, oatmeal bowls and wellness shots.

So theoretically, one person can order a wellness shot while their friend tackles a peach cobbler waffle and six wings.

This Is DaBaby's First Restaurant

No Knife is the Charlotte-raised rapper's first restaurant venture, but the idea didn't exactly come out of nowhere.

DaBaby, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, has spent months sharing cooking videos through his “Cooking with Kirk” content and has been involved in developing the restaurant's menu.

He isn't serving as the restaurant's head chef, but local reporting says he played a significant role in shaping the concept and food.

📍 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

No Knife Chicken & Waffles
700 Atando Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28206

The restaurant's current website lists hours as 7 a.m.–midnight daily.

The Fork Take

Whether a $45 cornbread waffle covered in soul food sounds incredible or slightly unhinged probably depends on the person.

But it's hard to argue with the curiosity surrounding this place.

Hundreds of people showed up for opening day, some waited hours to get inside and the menu has already sparked plenty of conversation online.

And in Charlotte's increasingly crowded brunch scene, being memorable might be half the battle.