No Knife Chicken & Waffles, the waffle-and-fried-chicken restaurant rapper DaBaby opened on Atando Avenue this month, just landed a rough report card from health inspectors. A Sept. 18 inspection turned up flies in the kitchen, food stored directly on the floor, and dishwater that never got hot enough to properly sanitize dishes, according to the findings.
Inspectors Flag Multiple Food-Safety Failures
The restaurant, located at 700 Atando Ave. in Charlotte, drew scrutiny after inspectors documented a string of violations during the visit, as reported by Charlotte Alerts News. Hot food was hot-held below the required 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and dishes were being washed in water below 110 degrees, according to the outlet's account of the report. Inspectors also found food stored on the floor and flies throughout the kitchen.
The list of issues didn't stop there. The same report describes an employee drink stored above customer food, dirty dishes stacked as if they were clean, and food debris left on dishware. Clean dishes were also being stacked while still wet — a practice the report notes can lead to mildew and mold buildup over time.
Hygiene Lapses And Storage Concerns
Beyond temperature and cleanliness issues, the inspection also flagged hygiene lapses inside the kitchen. According to the report, one employee wiped dirty gloves on a cloth and kept preparing food, while another turned off a faucet with bare hands rather than using a barrier. The restaurant reportedly also lacked a foot-pedal-activated sink, per the report's findings, and held food past the standard seven-day time-stamp window.
Outside the building, the report noted that a storage shed had items sitting on the floor, and the outdoor dumpster sat on grass instead of a smooth concrete surface. Despite the long list of problems, No Knife Chicken & Waffles still received a final inspection score of 94.50, per the same account.
A Pricey Menu Draws Its Own Debate
The violations land just weeks after the restaurant opened with a menu built around waffles, fried chicken, seafood, soul-food sides and a health-and-wellness bar, according to QCity Metro, which reported the menu leans on 10 waffle varieties. Prices have already sparked conversation among Charlotte diners: as the Charlotte Observer reported, a plain waffle starts at $15, while a version topped with collard greens, candied yams and macaroni and cheese runs $45.
That price debate has already sent some commenters looking elsewhere. The Observer's report noted suggestions for alternatives including Uptown Yolk, The Wafflery and Ten58 Sports Bar & Lounge, with one commenter pointing to a $10.58 six-wing lunch special at Ten58 as a cheaper option nearby.
It remains unclear whether the violations at No Knife Chicken & Waffles have since been corrected or whether any follow-up inspection has taken place.
