The Mad Hatter’s

It was10yrs ago when on a whim I ordered a cake for my daughter’s birthday; it was the very first time I had The Best Cake Ever! They really set the bar. While I find the menu options plentiful with great reviews, honestly it’s the Oatmeal that steers me to what is now the other side of town for me. Fresh fruit toppings mixed with nuts & brown sugar in the side is all I need :)

First time here and I had a great experience. They have a lot of food options, including breakfast served all day. I had the breakfast burrito and my boyfriend had the spicy chicken quesadilla. Both were tasty, served quickly, and were the perfect amount of food. The employees are very nice, and they brought my iced latte to our table after I forgot to pick it up from the counter.
Great location, lots of parking – will definitely return!

We always head to Mad Hatter for a meal when we are in Durham. We have probably eaten more than a dozen meals here, and have enjoyed every one. I usually order the Hatter Breakfast, even if it’s lunch time, which is eggs your way, bacon, roasted and seasoned potatoes or toast, and a bit of fresh fruit. The eggs are always properly cookeed, the bacon is meaty and crisp, and potatoes are chunky with crispy outsides and mushy insides (which means just the way I like them). I usually order toast too, which is a terrific sunflower bread sliced and toasted, served with jam and butter. My husband likes the breakfast wrap, and always orders a danish to go with it. The fresh baked goods are outstanding!
Yesterday I tried something new and ordered the goat cheese salad with grilled chicken. It was an excellent salad. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and it came with a piece of foccacia bread on the side. I would recommend it for a flavorful lunch.
This place is the perfect blend of coffee shop, breakfast/​brunch place, and lunch stop. There are outlets to plug in your computer and the table space is sunfilled and relaxed. Order at the counter and grab a seat. You won’t be disappointed.

This review is just for the cake, which makes me want to try out more of their food! I arrived around 8:30pm, right before they closed and decided to just get a slice of lemon cake to go because it was calling to me. Its $ 4.50 per slice, but the slices are pretty large and SO delicious. I’m currently eating it as I type this review. It’s 3 layers of soft vanilla cake sandwiched between fluffy buttercream frosting that literally melts in your mouth and tart lemon curd, which gives it a tangy quality. And it’s topped off by 2 pieces of candied lemon peel. It’s not overly sweet at all so it doesn’t taste like I’m eating straight up sugar. They had a variety of other cakes, cupcakes, and cookies on display as well.
The ambiance is cozy, kind of reminds me of Panera. The workers are friendly.

This is my 10^th year of patronage here; it’s my go-​to when I need to study or meet someone who’s Durham-​based. The coffee is always fantastic. I can always find a seat and a place to charge my computer/​phone. The staff always remembers me, even when it’s been awhile since my last visit.
Is this a foodie destination? No, but it’s a reliable stand-​by, particularly once you find your sweet spot on the menu. My guilty pleasure has always been the breakfast burrito.

Best place to get best quality cake for such a short notice (24 hr). I will definitely make Mad Hatter’s our go-​to bakery for my son’s future birthdays! We ordered the cake with strawberry crème filling. It was amazing.

My wife and I have been coming to Mad Hatter’s for the last 4 years — and loved it. The ambience, the food and the staff were excellent. But alas, things change. For the last number of months, ever since the previous executive chef left, we have been sorely disappointed. While the standard offerings haven’t changed much, Mad Hatter’s no longer has innovative cuisine to offer as «specials» on Sat/​Sun. Whereas they would offer a different omelet, different pancakes, and chef’s special before, now the offering of a «chef’s special» is gone — replaced by another rather staid and standard omelet offering.
We still like the ambience of visiting/​working on computer, etc. but Mad Hatter’s no longer has the innovative cuisine that kept us coming back — they are now losing out to the chefs at Root Cellar in Chapel Hill or Fosters in Durham. Please — please institute some new creative offerings, especially on the weekends!

Delicious food, plenty of space, excellent coffee and good wifi. My needs are few, when it comes to a good place for a meal or just to drop in. Mad Hatter is all these, plus they have quirky art, funky staff, and amazing in-​store baked goods. If you need a menu selection/​recommendation, their version of what I call a BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato) sandwich is possibly my favorite ever. They use a chipotle aioli that I have tried for over a year to replicate at home, unsuccessfully. Really brings out the other favors, and gives it a little kick.
Counter Culture coffee, which should be mandated by City Ordinance, always a fresh pot on. The bar along the south window (facing Main Street) can get a bit toasty on summer afternoons, but they don’t mind you pulling down the shades. Loads of power outlets along there for your electronics.

Great place for coffee, to study, meet a friend for lunch or for breakfast. Loved this place

I finally got a chance to eat here. I ordered crepes with strawberries and crème and a side of turkey sausage. It was just okay.
My friend ordered poached eggs over English muffins with potatoes instead of toast. When her food arrived to the table there was a stack of toast and no potatoes. Why do you need 4 slices of toast with English muffins? I don’t know but she got her potatoes after sending back the toast. Her poached eggs were cooked hard.
The seating is tight. The sun was glaring and the blind was broken so I had to sit in a weird position to avoid it. I don’t know if I’ll ever return for breakfast. I didn’t enjoy my food.

SUMMARY: A staple of Durham life!
FULL STORY: It’s Mad Hatter’s… Can’t count the number of times my friends had a college study sesh here with the best Americanos… the Black & White cake for birthday festivities… a few healthy breakfast options… (the oatmeal!).
And my favorite thing here: the blackberry-​espresso smoothie. Hooked for life, and started making it myself when I moved away. I don’t care about the older building or how many new hipster places sprout up in Durham — Mad Hatter’s is always an essential classic!
Note: They bring food out to the tables, but you pick up coffee yourself.

Whenever I travel to new cities, I like to try explore local coffee shops. I heard about Mad Hatter’s coffee smoothies through a friend. I was not disappointed. I had the mocha smoothie blast. It was the perfect blend. I also tried the blackberry smoothie which tasted so different and original. The service was great. I went back on my last day in Durham for breakfast and another smoothie. The potatoes were my favorite. If I ever return this place is on my list.

A friend of mine took me here when I was in Durham for work. I love the atmosphere of this place. Tons of space to open a laptop and work while surrounded by Windows. The coffee is served in actual mugs which I always think makes it taste better for whatever reason. We ordered a strawberry shortcake and it was huge… I think it was 3 layers and tasted freshly made. I didn’t think the prices were bad at all either. Check it out!

Great place to get breakfast /​brunch and chill/​chat with friends. I got the caramel leche and it was a bit too sweet for me. The breakfast burrito was definitely very filling. Also the vietnamese iced coffee was great too !

Came here with the bestie for breakfast Saturday. I’ve driven by more times than I can count, and I’ve had a cake someone purchased from the bakery, but I’ve never eaten inside.
My bestie had the eggs benedict and a cheese danish, I had the biscuit (scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon) except on a croissant, with an almond croissant on the side.
My friend said the eggs benedict was amazing. She commented on how awesome the hollandaise sauce was, and with the slightly runny centers of the eggs, it made a nice soup for the English muffins to soak in.
She said the cheese danish was good, but nothing spectacular.
This was probably one of the best croissants I had ever had. It was very buttery, flaky, and was full of flavor, so much so that I could eat them plain. The eggs were cooked to perfection, and the bacon was a little crispy, a little squishy, also fantastic. I have no idea what kind of cheese it was, but its tangy flavor didn’t get lost in all the others, but added to the bold complexity of the sandwich.
The almond croissant was not the best, in fact I was a little disappointed. I think they were a little heavy handed with the powdered sugar, and perhaps that took away from the flavor of the pastry.
Either way, I’m sure we will have many more breakfasts here!

Lattes are great, and the space has good potential for studying or working. Unfortunately, the wifi is frequently down, and the staff just doesn’t care. They’re much more focused on unsuccessfully trying to get an FM radio to play something other than static.
Don’t order any baked goods. Cakes are extremely dry. Cookies are bland. Neither is worth the calories.
The staff is weird. They routinely screw up orders and giggle about it. Below is a recent experience. It is funnier most but definitely not atypical.
Me: I’d like a venti latte with skim milk.
Cashier: Venti latte with whole milk.
Me: I’d like skim.
Cashier: Right skim
(Whole milk latte shows up a few minutes later.)
Cashier: That will be $ 5.57.
Me: It used to be $ 4.57.
Cashier: Right, I meant $ 4.57.

Have mostly purchased desserts here over the years, but recently I’ve met a coworker here twice for breakfast/​brunch. Both times we were lucky and got there just before the line got long!
We both had the Eggs Benedict Florentine, she had toast as her side, I had potatoes. It was wonderfully done – no complaints other than the time it took to receive our food.
Next time, I want to try the huevos rancheros. I haven’t had these, but they looked great!
We all got a Christmas cookie to go: this place is best known as a bakery so you’d be remiss if you didn’t order a dessert!

Have mostly purchased desserts here over the years, but recently I’ve met a coworker her twice for breakfast/​brunch. Both times we were lucky and got there just before the line got long!
We both had the Eggs Benedict Florentine, she had toast as her side, I had potatoes. It was wonderfully done – no complaints other than the time it took to receive our food.
Next time, I want to try the hue is rancheros. I haven’t had these, but they looked great!
We all got a Christmas cookie to go: this place is best known as a bakery so you’d be remiss if you didn’t order a dessert!

Mad Hatters fills a niche for casual brunch in Durham, but man is it expensive! It’s $ 10 for their eggs and toast, which is ridiculous to me because it’s not particularly noteworthy. I do recommend their oatmeal, however. Their coffee is good, and the space is normally crowded and loud, but it’s a very casual setting. Overall, it’s an average place with expensive prices, so it’s not my favorite.
I do have to say their cakes look phenomenal, but I haven’t tried them yet!

Very close to East campus so it’s convenient for students but taste is so-​so. They have baked goods so you can get cupcakes and cakes there which they do pretty well. Their dining in food is not the greatest. I mean, they tried. I got salmon with some veggies and there wasn’t much taste. A little bit on the pricier end but it’s a good place to mix it up and grab a quick bite.

Solid offerings of crafted Baked Goods. Enjoyed lite fair here. Prices are set due to the high quality menu ingredients… (My Opinion) it’s a full service establishment where you order at the counter and food is brought to your table. I would like to see better representation of their menu. Or better placement since you have to muster past guest in front of you to get a handheld menu.

Seriously great food. My family and I stopped here on our way to RDU for a quick bite. I had the Avocado BLT, hubs had the Crab Cake sandwich and my stepmom had the Basil and Lime Tofu wrap. ALL were delicious!
The atmosphere is open and college friendly (being near Duke and all). They also had beer and wine along with tea and coffee selections — my kind of place. The pasteries looked amazing, and my we ordered the pecan bar, it was really good.
This will definitely be a stop we make next time we are leaving town!

Went for the baked goods but will be back for the food! I had the BLT and it was to die for. Also the side of the day was potato salad and it was nothing short of amazing.

I am sad to do this… Madhatter’s must have something going on, as the quality has gone completely downhill. We purchased a lemon cake here for guests visiting from overseas and the cake was absolutely tasteless except for the Crisco-​like flavor… Disgusting… Waste of nearly fifty dollars. From now on we are sticking to Guglhupf, as I know they use quality ingredients. I see others have been have quality issues with Madhatter’s recently, so I wonder if there has been a change in ownership, staff, or if they are trying cost saving measures at the sake of taste. So disappointing…

So many memories of our time in Durham. Saturday hang outs, afternoons writing papers, Sunday brunch, promotions, birthday, etc. Mad Hatter holds a special place in my heart and my mind.
Ok, now on to the review. For lunch try the trio salad or Thai chicken wrap. The salad trio is a nice way to sample the salads at a good price. The Thai chicken wrap is tasty but not overly sweet.
I wish I could pick just one breakfast item to recommend, but I can not. The servings are generous and delicious. Carol almost always gets the huevos rancheros while I am more flexible. Crepes-​yummy, oatmeal-​moist and for meat eaters, the bacon and sausage is a go to.
The prices are not cheap, but it is a deal for fresh local grown organic food and fair trade coffee.
I could go on and on, but Mad Hatter is just great!

Wonderful smells from the kitchen matched some of the advice we had received to try Madhatters out. We stopped by on a busy Early Saturday evening. Some warmth from the cashier would have been great, but she was nice enough to respond to my question about the must haves at the restaurant. Fried goat cheese salad was good, dressing could use some work. The Cuban sandwich had a nice flavor profile but would have been nice if the meat and cheese was warm. We received our «clam» chowder after our entrees. Umm first time I have had chowder cold or at least cooler than room temperature. There is potential, but …

*This review is for Mad Hatter’s as a coffee place, NOT as a sweet shop.
I got an iced coffee and was thoroughly underwhelmed, it had almost no flavor. Maybe it was just a bad batch, but I have definitely had Starbucks iced coffees with handedly more bitter complexity. The seating was also decidedly dinery and I prefer coffee places to have a cozy loungy or even divey feel (an only beat up couch is a plus).
I will some food there next time and update the review as needed.

I always come here to study since they have plenty of outlets, free Wifi, seating, and coffee! The food is alright, not amazing by any means, but fills you up with a large portion size that is great for the price. Cookies are a bit dry sometimes; cakes are yummy but a little too sweet for me. Great place to study — I wouldn’t recommend this place if you’re trying to impress a gastrophile (like me) on a date.

This is a go-​to study location. Mad Hatters offers ample seating, free WiFi, a ton of natural light and bottomless mugs of coffee (PS its roasted by Counter Culture!)
The food is good. I haven’t had anything that was so good I feel the need to brag about it here, but it has never been bad.
Smoothies, lattes, and a large selection of bakery items and pastries to choose from as well!
If you plan on going there during the typical brunch hours just a heads up that it does get a little noisy but rest assured, there’s even outdoor seating!

Sugar cookies decorated as flowers, basketballs, and my favorite, a big yellow smiley face, have drawn me to Mad Hatter’s since they were at their old location in Erwin Square. Five stars for the cookies. Unfortunately, after trying their other menu items, I reluctantly have to subtract three stars. The thai chicken salad wrap is huge, mainly filled with slaw and a watery peanut sauce. The hummus sandwich looked promising but ended up being bland.
The real kicker was the cake. Though beautifully frosted, the cakes offer an impressive lack of flavor. The chocolate and vanilla layers of the black and white cake somehow tasted exactly the same: stiff, buttery, and missing their advertised flavors. The frosting, reminiscent of pure Crisco, separated from the cake in chunky pieces when provoked with a fork. The recommended chocolate on chocolate cake was a bit more moist, but still fell flat on the chocolate flavor.
Verdict: meh!!!

The black & white cake was picture perfect, but lacked flavor. I was so excited from the reviews, but there was only a hint of chocolate flavor, and it just tasted like butter.
The cauliflower soup was superb.