Rapper DaBaby turned his viral cooking series into a brick-and-mortar restaurant in North Charlotte. The menu and prices — especially a $45 cornbread waffle loaded with sides — are drawing both long lines and criticism.
No Knife Chicken & Waffles opened Sept. 6 in North Charlotte, converting DaBaby’s ‘Cooking with Kirk’ content into a physical restaurant with strong opening-day demand.
A highlighted menu item, described as a $45 Soul Food Cornbread Waffle, combines a cornbread waffle with collard greens, turkey leg meat, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato soufflé with pecans, and four pieces of fried chicken.
DaBaby defended the pricing on local media and radio, arguing the dish uses homemade Southern recipes and higher-cost ingredients and telling critics, “Waffle House has something for you.”
DaBaby opened No Knife Chicken & Waffles in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday, Sept. 6. The restaurant grew out of his Instagram cooking series where he called himself "No Knife" while preparing Southern dishes. The brick-and-mortar address reported by local coverage is in North Charlotte.
What's on the menu and why it's controversial The menu has generated the most attention for one item: a $45 Soul Food Cornbread Waffle. DaBaby described the dish on local TV and in interviews. He said the waffle is "made out of 100 percent cornbread" and is topped with collard greens, turkey leg meat, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato soufflé with pecans, plus four pieces of fried chicken. He has framed that composition as the reason for the price, saying the dish is "really a $100 waffle."
Opening day drew large crowds and long lines, demonstrating local interest and fan support. At the same time, social media and news coverage picked up complaints about certain price points, particularly the $45 waffle. DaBaby addressed the backlash directly during a promotional run in town. He appeared on Charlotte's Power 98 FM and on the TV show Positively Charlotte to promote the spot and to defend the menu pricing.
In interviews, DaBaby pushed back against critics by contrasting his offering with lower-priced chains. He told people upset about prices, "Waffle House has something for you." He also argued the recipe is homemade and not a cheap mix, saying, "This is no flower and water with this," and listing the components of the waffle to justify its cost.
From social content to real-world restaurant The restaurant is a direct extension of the rapper's social-media cooking segment, which built an audience for his approach to Southern comfort food. Turning that content into a physical location ties the online brand to an in-person dining experience, which can create both immediate demand and heightened scrutiny.
Expect continued attention on customer reactions, reviews, and whether the restaurant adjusts menu items or pricing in response to feedback. Media appearances and local promotion suggest DaBaby plans to keep the spotlight on the restaurant while leaning on the homemade Southern angle he described.
No Knife Chicken & Waffles arrived with clear fan interest and a polarizing price point. The $45 cornbread waffle is the clearest flashpoint: DaBaby defends it as a hearty, homemade Southern dish that goes beyond a basic waffle, while critics see the price as excessive. The coming weeks will show whether demand stabilizes or whether the restaurant pivots based on customer response.
DaBaby opened No Knife Chicken & Waffles in North Charlotte, turning his viral cooking videos into a Southern comfort food restaurant.
DaBaby opened his own chicken and waffles spot, No Knife, but some of the restaurant’s prices have people scratching their heads. Baby getting into the food business feels like a natural transition, as he’s shown fans his passion for cooking over the years. He even started a social media segment where he called himself
DaBaby recently opened a restaurant in Charlotte, NC, and the reviews haven’t exactly been glowing. The rapper is firing back at criticism over his new spot, No Knife Chicken & Waffles, which recently opened its doors in DaBaby’s native Charlotte. After customers made their way to the restaurant and posted pictures of
The rapper pushed back on complaints about prices at his newly opened Charlotte restaurant, No Knife Chicken & Waffles. DaBaby
DaBaby's new No Knife Chicken & Waffles restaurant in his hometown of Charlotte is raising eyebrows over its prices.
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