Here Are the Best and Worst Waffle Houses in Greater Dallas

The Waffle House evokes particular emotions from people. The simple waffle emporium is a love or hate scenario. Fight, flight or freeze. There's a line of syrup in the sand, and you're on one side or the other: you either do the House or you don't even know how to approach it.

Any hype at the center of the latter is simply that: hype. Certain videos from 3 a.m. make the rounds, living in that "fight" section of our frontal lobe, and people want no part of it. Anthony Bourdain put it best with this famous quote after visiting a Waffle House in an episode of Parts Unknown: 

"It is indeed, marvelous, an irony-free zone where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts; where everybody, regardless of race, creed, color, or degree of inebriation, is welcomed—its warm yellow glow a beacon of hope and salvation, inviting the hungry, the lost, the seriously hammered ... "

Using a complicated algorithm (Yelp and Google reviews) and some social media feedback, we ran stats on about 25 Waffle Houses in and around Dallas. Ratings were combined for a total score: Yelp's five stars plus Google's five would render a perfect score of 10, just like Mary Lou Retton sticking that landing in LA in '84. Alas, no Waffle Houses got a perfect 10. (Boooooo!)

For better or worse (worse), we also queried ChatGPT for the best Waffle Houses in DFW. As proof that we are living in a simulation, the AI program made up Waffle Houses that don't exist, complete with addresses, ratings and specific notes about what people like at each one. These nonexistent spots must have been the best in the previous experiment. But it's good to know the House made the jump, right? We're here for it.

For fun, we also pulled some gems from the reviews, the best of the worst. Things like two-star ratings for the number of missed calls on the house phone.

The Top Five Waffle Houses

5. Oak Cliff

3816 W. Illinois Ave.

This Waffle House in west Oak Cliff, just east of Loop 12, pulls in a solid four stars on Google and 3.3 on Yelp. But here's something to know about Waffle House: Limited seating means limited opportunities for tips. Real estate is king. I once watched a server at the Waffle House in Arlington tell a guy from corporate to get out of her booth while doing his paperwork. He didn't argue. He got up with his binder and stood near a stack of eggs. But here's this review:

"I was refused service because I am one person sitting at the next available table which happens to be a booth, PER THE MANAGER!!! Unknown to the manager I had a $50+ Togo order per MY CHILDREN!!"

To-go orders cannot sit in a four-person booth. That's not being ridiculous, that's being Waffle House.

4. Carrollton

1613 W. Hebron Parkway

This Waffle House on Hebron Parkway got a combined 7.7 from 1,400-ish reviews. Our favorite worst Google review, however, is that they didn't heat the syrup. Wait, heat the syrup? Are we at a resort? That's a violent leap in expectations. A red card in expectations. A lane violation.

"I asked for my syrup heated. I have always asked for heated syrup and had no problem. I was told they don't heat syrup.Ok. I overlooked that. However the music was window rattling loud."

3. Garland

494 W. I-30

This Garland Waffle House perched alongside scenic Interstate 30 smashed a 7.8 rating from about 1,250 reviews. Our favorite one-star review calls out the fact that customers need to place to-go orders at the register.

"I pulled in for a to go order (...) The music was playing and the crew was busy. She [server] mumbled something under her breath at me and pointed. Long story short, she wanted me to get up and stand at the registor 1 foot away to make a order rather than at the bar."

One star. The review ends with "Other than that, the food was great."

2. Irving

2000 E. State Highway 356 (at Loop 12)

Based on almost 1,500 reviews, this quiet little corner Waffle House in Irving sits near a Popeye's, Motel 6 and 7-Eleven. It got a combined score of 7.9. The service is fine. The food is fine. And that's what makes it great. They'll happily make you a pot of decaf at 8 p.m. (Party note: there's not a Waffle House at 2000 E. Irving Blvd, despite what Waze thinks. That's a sim mistake. The restaurant is at 2000 E. State Highway 356, just off Loop 12.)

One Google reviewer noted that they had to send their plate back twice, then, "when I finally got it back my hash browns were burnt."

And this surprised you?

1. Grand Prairie

1100 E. Pioneer Parkway

Props, GP. You did it. You have the best-combined score for a Waffle House (8.2) from more than a thousand reviews.  Customers love the great service and friendly staff.

Our favorite review based on everything but the food took issue with 27 missed calls on the landline. This customer was even bold enough to walk into the restaurant, find the phone and snap a photo (after apparently calling 27 times and not getting an answer). GP goes hard like that. And why is he mad about not getting a bag for his burger? That's conservation.

The 5 Worst Waffle Houses in DFW

5. East Dallas

5111 Ross Ave.

This Waffle House opened in 2016 and is unique because from midnight to 6 a.m. they do only to-go orders from a window, which results in a lot of one-star reviews. Still, 6.6 isn't bad out of a possible 10. One reviewer was disappointed because they "Went there on a Sunday (around 1pm) looking for a quick/cheap brunch." That's another lane violation. And another complained of Pat Benatar's blasting from the jukebox (TouchTunes) at 7:30 a.m. Yeah?

4. Lancaster

1416 N. I-35

This Waffle House is at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Pleasant Run Road. This is about where you start just lightly skimming reviews, afraid of what you might read and not ever be able to unread it. Here the reviews are Jeckyl and Hyde — from most amazing experience ever, to walked out immediately. It's a gamble.

3. Mesquite

1722 Scyene Road

Three Waffle Houses encircle Mesquite, almost like a plot or siege. But coming in third worst with a 6.5 combined score from 1,700 reviews still splits the over/under. This restaurant is just off Interstate 635 at Scyene Road. Again, the reviews are a scatter shoot. A Google reviewer recently wrote that "Cody, Lil Bit, James, and Joe really know how to make a family feel at home!" This customer's medium rare T-bone was perfect and the kids like the place so much, "that my baby girl reached to be picked up." Of course, many others stormed out because the tables were all dirty and they didn't get served for 30 minutes. That's sort of the excitement of walking into a Waffle House, though.

2. Farmers Branch

14951 Marsh Lane

Near the intersection of Belt Line Road and Marsh Lane in Farmers Branch, this Waffle House gets a combined score of 6.3 from more than 1,600 reviews. Sure, there are some problems, but one Google reviewer offers some simple advice:

1. Mesquite

950 E. Cartwright Ave.

Clearly the people of Mesquite have high expectations for their dining establishments, and Waffle House just isn't cutting it. This spot at the far southeast edge of DFW gets a combined 5.5 rating out of a possible 10, good enough for last place. A recent reviewer noted that they hadn't "been here in a while, but it is actually a lot better than what I remember." Maybe things are looking up in Mesquite.

"It's waffle house. The best worst place," writes one Google reviewer, and perhaps it's best to leave it at that.