I ate immediately prior to my first visit to Smalls. Why? Because Yelp lists Smalls under the category of "burgers" and I was not in the market for a burger. Shame on Yelp for this egregious mislabeling, for it kept me from experiencing the crispy chicken and thyme waffle during my first visit to Smalls.
The chicken and waffle is the best selling item on the menu, and that fact will not surprise you once you try this. Crisp, golden skin on the fried chicken, paired with a thick waffle with butter and some delicious caramel syrup stuff. We also had the heart of romaine salad, roasted brussels sprouts, and fried eggplant with tomato and mozzerella. All delicious.
All beers on tap at Smalls are brewed right here in North Carolina. I was happy to see a couple selections from NoDa (brewed by the brilliant Chad Henderson) on tap during my first visit. Coco Loco and Midnight Madness never fail to please.
The service at Smalls is impeccable. All servers are friendly and knowledgeable. If you are not a fan of trying to talk over really loud, really shitty music, do not visit Smalls during the later evening hours on Friday or Saturday.