Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles

Was greeted when we entered and seated very quickly. The staff that my party encountered was very friendly and tentative. My group was large and we all ordered different items. Unfortunately, myself and 2 others were disappointed with our waffles- they were hard. The rest of the food was great. Justin was our server, Justin did an awesome job! I believe the manager was Sabrina, whom was very welcoming. This establishment is dog-friendly, there were 2 separate tables accompanied by small dogs.

A reunion of sorts from a group dating back to grammar school, this Oak Park establishment is a neighborhood hang out. The place was very comfortable and good decor to the eye. Of course, had to try their chicken & waffles since this is their specialty. And it was very good! The 3 wings was fried perfectly with that southern style fine cornmeal breading. Served to order, it took a bit longer than many other places, but did not mind as the friends I was with had many talks to catch up on! An extra order of grits and soft scramble was a nice surprise and was very tasty. Really enjoyed the food here, the company even more so!!

First time trying this place. Entering the place it was somewhat empty, a few families enjoying dinner, but it felt homey and cozy. The staff was kind. I had 2 orders for take out. One was a Salmon and one was catfish. Getting home I had the strong aroma of the food! It smelled delicious. Did it taste the same as it smelled? YES! my only TWO ISSUES would be that 1. My catfish order was not complete because there was NO CATFISH( really looking forward to this) I was also missing ONE side which was the potato salad. Please check your food when doing take out. Would I return back? Definitely. I hope my order isn’t missing anything when going in person. Thank you for the delicious food!

This place is simply overpriced. The food is mediocre and they only had two servers in the entire place today. Price was $70 with a $10 tip for three people (and one was a kiddie meal) which is too much for a basic breakfast/brunch. Wings are the size of party wings and they give you three. 🙃 They don’t even have maple syrup.

I rarely leave reviews, but this was unacceptable. The food was incredibly disappointing — especially the chicken. The piece on the left was supposed to be a chicken breast, but it was so small and poorly prepared it was almost insulting. This meal doesn’t come close to what a paying customer should expect. They did issue a partial refund, but that doesn’t fix the bigger issue: they’re serving substandard food and hoping people won’t say anything. In times like these, every dollar counts — and places like this shouldn’t be cutting corners and shortchanging customers.

This place is amazing and the food is flavorful and delish. We were greated by the hostess and seated promptly. Our server Amari was wonderful and the gentleman serving water was quick to make sure we had water. The fried chicken was golden brown, juicy and seasoned well. My 11yo gave it 10 stars. The yams were a wonderful blend of flavors and the greens..... 2 thumbs up. The new item on the menu was really good. I would have preferred the veggies on top to be diced up more but good nonetheless. Next time we are back in Chicago, will definitely stop by again.

The food is great but I would not recommend having it delivered! They package the fried chicken horribly. It was saggy with the juice of the greens.

My family and I went there this evening, and we had a great experience! Dairy was our waitress, and she was very attentive and thorough in making sure she got our orders correct. The food came out hot and fresh, and we all enjoyed our meal. Excellent service and a great atmosphere, and I would visit again!

First off I fkn love this restaurant the food is amazing been coming here since this location was opened. I met the owner once one of the coolest people on the planet. BUT I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE this morning around 10am with the person who called herself the manager I didnt get her name but she had on some beat up Jordan 1s Bl gray and red with a baseball cap with a long fuzzy wig underneath, dark skin with all black outfit on. I was waiting in the front for at least 5 minutes she finally came from the back with a attitude saying she spoke when I came in the door which didn't hear but i was still ready to order. She went on to say she could refuse my order and don't have to serve me, I stated I was a loyal customer and that she was messing up the owners business. She proceeded to argue saying she didn't care and I can leave now. So I left but will go back when she is no longer there. Her customer service is very bad idk if she's new but I don't normally see her. She gets the DONKEY OF THE DAY. ST8 CLOWN

My family and I have been to this restaurant many times and always had a great experience. However today Sunday February 2nd was horrible. We got there about 12:40 p.m. and didn't get out food until after 2:30 p.m. we were told it's going to take a little while but if we had known it was going to be over 2 hours we would have left and went somewhere else. The reason we didn't leave is because we were entertaining ourselves with great conversation and time went by until we noticed we didn't have our food. There were other patrons sitting and waiting for their food it was terrible. One thing I can say the waiter was very nice. For whatever reason the food was not nearly as good as it has been in the past. My family and I decided we would never go there again. I almost 3 hour wait for food that was unacceptable. The restaurant has a great atmosphere that's about it as of now.

Great spot! Cute inside, we were able to get a table for two on Sunday a little after noon no problem! Service was a bit slow but we were in and out in a little over an hour! I got the Tonyas choice, which came with two drumsticks and a thigh and one waffle! 1/4 dark lb of meat. I also got gravy on the side and this made the dish! The gravy is addicting! I love how thin the waffle is and the meat was perfect, I loved the crispy pieces! Can't wait to come back!

I had to wait 1 hour and 20 minutes for our food and one couple waited for a hour too. Then 30 minutes later we asked a waiter because no one told us about our food at the booth

my workout and eating very light for breakfast I decided to try this famous place a try from what I heard on an old TV show on PBS or channel 11 called check please. Everybody was ranting about this place so I had to give this a try. I didn't know there are three locations one in Chicago and one in oak Park and I went to the park one they also have one in Nashville Tennessee surprisingly. I was impressed by the services they delivered the chicken and waffles less than 5 minutes after I wash my hands and this number one my food just appeared on the table I ordered Tanya's choice or Tanya's delight. Although I did ask my server how big the pieces were because I was that hungry since I ate a very light breakfast of avocado and no meat. Ambience made me feel like it was bougie if not hip in oak Park. Other than that I would most likely come back here if I'm still here in Chicago and try the other dishes on the menu. I don't know if the one in Martin Luther King drive has the same ambience versus the one that oak Park but I always looked at oak Park Illinois bougie in some ways.otherwise give this place a try. Specially the dessert which was the banana pudding that taste like strawberry shortcake and Miss Diane strawberry banana pudding is the name of that dish. 4 out of 5 stars because I would have thought on the choices of chicken I could have gotten a thigh and a breast versus a thigh and a wing

It was my birthday and I wanted a quiet celebration at home. I selected CHCW as my restaurant choice, my husband picked up our Catfish dinners and what was inside the containers was a great disappointment. We received two pieces of mostly breaded Catfish, a couple of spoonfuls of Macaroni and Cheese, a small piece of cornbread and the blandest greens I've ever gotten from them. It was terrible! This place is NOT cheap, suffice to say, we won't be spending our money at this restaurant ever again, it's gone way downhill.

Went here with brother and our wives. Food was delicious, especially the greens. Dressing was good, but on the cool side temperature-wise. Mac & cheese was on point, along with piece of cornbread. First time here, but definitely not the last!

We had a 45 min wait to be seated, but after we were seated on the right side of the restaurant the lights keep going on and off they said they had someone working on them about 35min late they got them to stay on Yes we had to use our light on our phones to see the menu, But it took 53 minutes to get our cold food and, I don't complain at no Restaurant but this one Right here took Me to a not so good place, Yes we ask for the Manger ! He or She never came to see Us so for SERVICE AND FOOD I RATE THEME ON A SCALE 1. WE were there for my Wife and Nephew Birthday June 19/2023 TERRENCE LINK

So disappointing. Service was good, but the portion sizes were incredibly small. Mac n cheese and red beans and rice were so dry. greens were flavorless, and the $7 peach cobbler was about 3oz of slop. The best thing was the canned candied yams.

Food is amazing. The yams are magical, I can't believe I forgot to order more this last pick up. Greens were on point, Mac and cheese was fire. Home cooking at its finest.

This is yummy place! The sides are delicious. I got the chicken and waffles and a side of fries. The waffle is good and it pairs nice with the chicken. My chicken was cut into to make it cook faster so it wasn't as juicy as I would like. The service was amazing and everyone was really attentive and fun! The decor was cool and I really appreciated the clocks turned to high end shopping streets such as Rodeo drive, Michigan Ave, etc. Great place to go with friends!

Food was so good I had to return the next day for it again!!! not to sure what happened today but the experience was horrible we ordered 2 omelettes ( first time it came to the table it was wrong) we waited patiently for the second time it was also wrong !!Omelettes isn't hard to get wrong apparently the guy cooking today seem to not understand the order!! Long story short we left hungry and disappointed

Went here a few days ago (on a monday) with a friend. Let's just say its not the same as when they first opened, something was off. We were seated immediately cause no crowd, placed our orders and food came out in 2 minutes. Was cold & not fresh. Everything tasted pre made in the back. Me being a chef i know my way around the kitchen. The chicken tasted as if it was sitting out as well as all the other sides. Waffles wasn't great or fresh either.

Came in on a Sunday afternoon which is usually busy for restaurants. When we got in, it was already a packed house, but we beat the rush as far as other guests coming in. The staff was nice, but service could have been a bit more efficient. Once seated, we waited for at least 20 minutes just for the server to take our drink orders. We had enough time to look at the menu that we went ahead and ordered our food as well. We asked for waters all around and was told we would get it, but never did. The food didn't really take too long to prepare, waiting to be seen by our server is was took a while. The food, however was great as it usually is. Really not too many complaints about the food. I ordered The Darnell (2pc catfish with a side) and I had no complaints about it. Restrooms are located in the back of the restaurant, and parking is pretty much all just street parking.

Really nice place for the ones who loves fried chicken and waffles. The employees are really friendly. Service is great! Definitely would recommend to try if you are in the area!

I enjoyed this place visiting my family for my 44th birthday. I enjoyed the dressing and macaroni and cheese the salmon was tender and flavorful.

The food was great. The manager was our server he was such a pleasure. The atmosphere was very inviting .

The service was great the front door server got us seated fast and was very hospitable Our server was efficient our food came out fast and hot it was so delicious Before we ate we were given water and lemons as requested I will be returning and my guest wanted to know when the live bands were coming back??? I would love you see that I have a band suggestion (Aniba Hotep and the Sol Stars) they are Great!!!

we always love this place for fresh malty waffles and crispy fried chicken. the sweet tea tasted a day old, but everything else was very good, including the collard greens and cornbread. good service, but the food is the star here.

I rushed to leave this review. We brought my mother-in-law there today for a celebration. We had the best time! The food was delicious. Our server, Amari (?) was outstanding!! He was extremely personable and super kind to my mother-in-law. The restaurant was beautiful and well taken care of. Parking was easy, at least on a Wednesday. We're already talking about going back.

Everything was delicious. Thank you so much for a great experience. Hope to see you guys soon. Next time I'm trying to catfish and my grits were so hot.

Arrived on 2/18/14 for dine in. Was seated immediately and then left unattended for over 15 mins. Upon being seated was told a waiter would be with us shortly. No one ever came. For being a returning customer, expected a better experience for the price. Highly disappointed.

Pleasant surprise. My brother made me an offer to eat dinner there that I could not refuse, so he, a couple of friends and I stopped there on a Monday night. He and I arrived in advance of the others, so we went in and told then there would be four of us. They offered us a seat in their waiting area until the others arrived. I get the whole "we'll seat you when your whole party is here" thing, but when it's 6:30PM on a Monday night and there are two tables out of about twenty that are in use, bucking the policy isn't the end of the world. After waiting about ten minutes, my brother told them we just wanted to sit down. They acquiesced - the rest of our party came within five minutes. So I look over the menu and decide to go with the standard offering - chicken and waffles. It's called Monique's Love on the menu - just flapjacks and fowl to me though. One chicken breast and one fairly wide but thin waffle, $14.95. I know prices are on the rise, but in my opinion, there are better values to be had. I also ordered a side of cornbread stuffing; that came in at $6.95. Add a lemonade and we're looking at $25 for a dinner with relatively inexpensive ingredients. Dinner was served and overall, it was pretty good. Both the chicken and the waffle had good flavor to it - not "knock your socks off" kinda flavor, but just tasted pretty good. My favorite was the stuffing - great flavor and consistency - not too dry or wet. Our whole party was pretty satisfied with what they had. Two of us had mac and cheese - mixed reviews on that. Our server (missed her name) was nice and friendly and the food came out as it should, so service went well - though they did fail to clear the table when we finished - seems like a fair number of places have that shortfall too. Since the place isn't too far from where I live, I'll come back on occasion when I'm in the mood for something different and will probably opt for takeout. Glad I had the opportunity to check them out.

I'm in chicago for the weekend and was craving some soup food. This spot hit the target. Very good food, good vibe and one of the best Arnold Palmers I've ever had. This spot could take it up a notch by having a available bar and serving alcohol.

I love this place and the ambiance of it. The staff if friendly and accommodating. The food is excellent and I am repeat customer. Now, the only issue that I have is that the collard greens are a little too salty. Other than that I am so happy that I found this restaurant.

Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles is the perfect spot to stop by after enjoying a walk in Columbus Park nearby. We also picked this spot specifically because it is Black-owned (and my husband had a hankering for chicken and waffles). Plus, I've heard this is a favorite of Chance the Rapper, so you can't go wrong! We placed our order online, then we walked around Oak Park until it was ready. We went inside to pick up, and it was ready on time. We decided to eat at home, and we were pleased to see how thoroughly everything had been packaged to ensure it would stay warm for a long time. I appreciated the restaurant taking the extra time to keep that in mind. The portions were big, which we loved! Since I don't eat meat, I ordered all sides, and I was definitely not left disappointed or any less full than my husband.

Ordered thru Chow Now for pickup per menu in chownow I ordered 10 jerk wings as a starter $15.95 then a 2 piece dark..husband goes to pick up food gets back home opened the wings and have never in my life seen wings so tiny and they were Buffalo instead of Jerk...called restaurant and inquired on the flavor and the size the employee Pedro says oh Chow Now put jerk chicken but we don't have that so the Cook substitutes with something similar..uh what??? The customer should make that decision! Then husband mentions size to which Pedro replies those are party wing sized if you want bigger wings you have to order the wings as a side @$3.50 each...excuse me???? For the price of the 10 wings ($15.95) this order was a complete rip off!!! You want to support your people but when you get this crap and in BHM nonetheless you start to question yourself...see attached photos

Chicken was not fried fresh. Was cold on inside. Like it had been sitting for HOURS. Cat fish tasted like Japanese Swai Fish, which is a cheap substitute. Corn bread was cold and stale. Too much sage in dressing. Chicken wings was over cooked. Mac was okay.

Been here many times and the service has always been pretty good. Today we went for my birthday and the food was great and came out fast but the prices have gone up. Bring those prices down and people will return.

I would give zero if that was an option. I ordered a dark chicken meal for pick up with cornbread dressing with a side of cranberry sauce (extra cost). I picked up 35 minutes later. First flag was that the sauce that was extra was not included in my back. Secondly, it was obvious the chicken was not freshly cooked to order but rather was pre-cooked and sitting around waiting for an order. The yams were over sweetened. The cornbread was stale and cold. The dressing was dry and the NO cranberry sauce (despite paying extra) was not there to juice it up. The only pleasant thing about this meal was the collard greens and maybe the mac & cheese which were the only things I ate from the $45 meal! It rest was tossed. Yes, I called the establishment to notify of my extreme disappointment. However, after waiting 12 minutes on hold, I was tole the manager was very busy and unable to speak to me. I found this surprising because when I picked up my food....there were only 1 filled table of customers in the whole establishment. Nevertheless, the young man stated that they would reimburse me for the chicken meal and the missing cranberry sauce. I am still waiting for the reimbursement. Be AWARE. If you dare to try, you should open the containers and check your order prior to leaving the business - this is not cheap food. Never Again.

Had brunch today with 5 friends. The food was not as good as it once was. After dining, we noticed that some of the prices were higher than printed on the menu. After speaking with with our server, we were told that the price difference(s) if there were any were in the small print in the printed menu. Not once did she draw our attention to this fact nor did she mention it. The explanation came when we were reviewing our check. This not acceptable, I am done with this eatery.

Years ago I went to Chicago Home of Chicken a d Waffles in Bronzeville and after the ling line and attitude from the hostess, I left. On my way home from the West Suburbs, I passed by the Oak Park location. No long line and no attitude. Catfish and waffle for me instead of chicken and waffle. Winner. Yams that were sweetened just right. A+. Tasty collard greens. Score. I needed a cigarette afterwards. I don't know what the crowd in the restaurant is like during the day or during most nights. What I do know is the food got me sprung.

These waffles are to die for!! I have honestly never had waffles that were so good in my whole life. The chicken is also amazing, but I do wish the base meal had more chicken with it. I would go a lot more if the price was just a hair lower. I don't always feel completely full after the meal. The atmosphere is amazing and classic R&B. Server remembered me as well and was extremely friendly. I would 100% recommend this place!

Ordered with my coworkers for a take out on May 28. These is what my sides looked like. I was suppose to have red beans and rice.

Was driving past and decided to stop. I'm so glad I did. Everything was fresh and so good. A course I went back already.

The bill was $50 and we left $100 in the checkbook and didn't need change. On our way out the waiter chased us down and asked if we were going to pay. He didn't even check the checkbook before approaching us. They really need to train there employees not to profile there customers. Left a $50 tip and they just assumed we were walking out without paying. This is very upsetting considering the food is always on point.

Mannn this food was soo good! One of the best waffles I've ever had! I had the waffle with the three piece wings and those wings were just as amazing! Perfectly seasoned, perfectly fried. A little pricy but your getting a lot of food. Just walking in from the street you smelled the chicken and you just knew it was going to be awesome!

Let's get straight to the point! Love the decor and the service, but the food was hit and miss. I ordered the chicken wing dinner with Mac n cheese, greens, yams, and cornbread. The cornbread was gritty and tasted old - I honestly thought it was just me but others in my party said the same. The chicken could have stayed in the fryer for another two minutes. It also lacked flavor. The sides were great and I also got some sweet potato pie to go - delish! Would I come back? Probably!

SOUTHERN COMFORTS There's plenty of soul food and food for the soul at this chic restaurant. After seeing massive Sunday crowds at Madison Park Kitchen, Blue Max Coffee, Delia's, and Original Pancake House, my girl and I had to find a backup to our 3rd backup plan. Wouldn't you know it, serendipity stepped in and we found ourselves here. You'd have no idea from driving past, but the inside is actually super legit. From the ornate hanging light fixtures to the alligator skin booths (!!!!) the ambiance was way nicer than I was expecting. It felt like a rich person's living room, and I dug it. One of the great things about food is that it's colorblind; a tasty meal doesn't care if you're black or white or just really really tan. Nichole C and I are definitely not their target clientele base (I was the only white dude in the packed restaurant - this was unmistakable) but at the end of the day we're still paying customers. NC got the 'Aunt Joyce' ($16) which was a 1/4 fried chicken with grits, two eggs, and a waffle. Better still, it was on special when we visited, which meant $1 off. She enjoyed the succulent fried chicken and the grits were tasty, though we were divided on the waffle. We both expected a big, fluffy Belgian-style waffle. What she got was a flat, slightly soggy waffle that was eerily reminiscent of my days eating Eggos while running late for the school bus. It was almost IDENTICAL in taste and texture to an Eggo; quirky but not exactly desirable. My gold coast skillet ($14) was loaded with delicious fried homestyle potatoes, two eggs sunny-side up, spinach, bell peppers, onions, cheddar cheese, and chicken sausage. It came with toast, although the skillet itself was so filling -- and amazingly tasty -- I barely had room for bread. They were also kind enough to hold the mushrooms, which I was very appreciative of. Bread = 4.5 Circuses = 4 Interestingly enough, coffee was free (wooo!) but even simple drinks were expensive ($2 for pop, $3 for sweet tea) and even more alarming, no free refills! When I saw that on the menu, I decided to stick with water, since a few sweet teas would've run me upwards of $5. Yikes! Our server was attentive without being overbearing, waters refilled in a timely manner. Everyone seemed to receive warm greetings and "thank you's!" on their way out except for us. Hmmmm. Hopefully it had nothing to do with the whole 'misfit diner' thing, cuz my pale white ass enjoyed eating here just as much as the rest of the crowd. Recommended!

If I could rate a minus 2 I would, the service was great the food shouldn't be given away much less charged for. The price for this horrible experience I'll not say. I'm embarrassed

I've been here on several occasion but I wasn't writing reviews for yelp at that time. Me and My longtime childhood friends decide to come out and listen to some live jazz music. One of my friends church member plays in the band so we went for the support. It was a pack house on Friday Night but we were immediately seated. I like the fact that it was a mixture crowd of age and culture. It's even BYOB!!!! They supply you with nice wine glass and a bucket of ice to keep your drinks on chill mode. The band interacts with the people and give shouts to the birthday folks or if your celebrating an anniversary. Our server Anton was amazing and very attentive to our needs and wants. He was a polite and friendly young man. Now it's time to review the food: I love me some soul food but when my greens and corn bread came cold. I had an attitude. Come on now. But, my rice and gravy were delicious. But the rest of my food just didn't hit the spot for me. Anton was nice enough to take back our food and bring us some nice warm greens. I give it a 3 Star Review which could of been pump up to a 5 Star review but our food came out cold. The live jazz music is amazing, nicely decorated, comfortable location and warm crowd. The food not so great for this being a Chicken & Waffle Place. Maybe, next time it will be a 5 Star Review.

Came here with my girlfriend over the weekend since there was a little festival going on in the area. Took a bus here because hearing about this place when we were looking up food in the area caught our eye. It looks like a really fancy restaurant at first because it has that over head canopy that goes to the street but it's really nothing fancy at all where you have to dress up. It's a very casual, beautiful vibrant place inside. Staff was tentatively with us during the visit. The food is definitely phenomenal as well and does not disappoint. I would say the prices are reasonable for the most part as well. Definitely a place I would recommend to others and I would come back too.

Fell in love with this place in Chi-Town!!! The ambiance was beautiful, music was great and the staff were friendly. Everything was on point you can't go wrong with anything you order here.

Friendly service. From the Strawberry Lemonade to the dessert everything was perfect. The kids loved the meals they ordered. Everything was made fresh also.

Food was horrible! Chicken dry , cornbread made with Old cornmeal, Mac and cheese bland, candy yams no flavor. Still have bubble guts. When I saw their chef I should have turned around. Not a soul food restaurant.

The atmosphere looks nice. Food was absolutely horrible. Actually un eatable. My egg was rubber (not sure how you mess up a scrambled egg) and my biscuit and gravy order came with dark (mashed potato) gravy. Will never be back. Very disappointed.

Great experience here! I like this one more than the one on King Dr. It's cuter, cleaner, and way more well kept. Came here with my mom for lunch, there was no wait to be seated. We ordered and the food was delicious! I had no complaints. We had a great time catching up and enjoying the place we haven't been to in years.

My daughter and I went to Chicago's Chicken and Waffles today for a Mother's Day brunch mainly because there was no wait time. We both got chicken and waffles and after noticing a large piece of catfish another patron had, we decided to add that to our meal. When we got our food I noticed the piece of fish looked nothing like that the other patron had. I realized after tasting the fish that it was in fact a piece of Swai fish. (A cheaper less flaky fish) When the waiter finally appeared to ask how was the food I told him that we did not get catfish. The waiter argued with me that it was catfish and I told him exactly the kind of fish it was. He asked if I wanted his manager but my daughter did not want me to push the issue. I don't know that I will go back to this establishment due to lack of knowledge and care about customer experience.

Had an Easter breakfast today with a friend!! What a great way to start the day! Pedro the manager is a delight! You are lucky to have him! And our server Hywania... did a great job! My friend and I are both in the restaurant business and we know how hard it is to be away from your families on the holidays! Darnell... we love having your great spot in our neighborhood! Can't wait for you to bring back the live jazz! Happy Easter! Andrea