Ma Lessie's Chicken & Waffles

Great southern food. Took me back in time to my days in Mississippi. Enjoyed deep fried catfish with yam. Mouth watering. Price is reasonable for the quality. Have their own sitting area, which is nice as well Love the people working there.

This is a great southern style chicken and fish eatery in Reading Terminal. It was challenging to select 2 sides from the corn, okra, tomato combination, cabbage, collard greens, candied yams, Mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese has a crispy almost burnt top later that is yummy. The crisp fried chicken is delicious with delicious coating and tender inside. I tried thighs and breasts and they are awesome You wait in line, order, pay first and then get your food. They have 3 tables that are tight fit Accessible venue if the place is not busy. accessible restrooms in central área Paid parking in near by venue that is wheel chair accesible

Visiting from Georgia, nice waitstaff, really easy menu to follow and the food was amazing! Loved the fried chicken and the sides! I got yams and greens and both were yummy! Not too long of a wait and everything was packaged well

Here we go again!!! Love coming to the Reading Terminal for Miller's Pretzels and to try a new spot every visit. Today was Ma Lessie's. The line was long as usua,l hey good things are worth waiting. Ordered the chicken and waffles with Mac&cheese. Chichen was perfectly golden brown seasoned and fried hard as it should be. Mac and cheese has flavor which i think is onion is which give it a bold taste. Waffle were 😋 but missing powdered sugar. While waiting in line a few thoughts were brewing. One I hoped I would get a fresh batch of chicken which I did. Second, wished the serving lady would refill the powdered sugar cup because I seen at least 5 order get done and 4 flakes of powder come out. Lastly, how i would organized the line to have better quicker flow of customers. great spot, great food but over all Philly love!!!! P.S if your getting the whitening let the cook know so he can drop it. If not it is a 15 minute wait.

The line was super long, but it was kinda moving at a good pace. I waited maybe 10 minutes to get to the front. I got fried fish & cabbage. It cost $15. I think $15 for meat & 1 side is a bit steep. Extra sides were $5 a piece. The cabbage was extremely good. I would go back just for the cabbage alone. The fried fish was just ok. It was fried super hard, so it was very crispy & most of the meat was overcooked. The flavor was definitely there though. Idk if I would go back, but I’m glad I tried it.

Came here with expectations because it was my second visit to the market and the queue is always so long at this stall. I was also under the impression that it was black run and that since most of its clientele were blacks, the waffle and chicken would be good. The fried chicken looked good, but realistically didn’t taste as good as it looked. It was crispy, but salty and not much depth in flavours. It also had a burnt taste - prob cause the oil doesn’t get changed as often as it should. Mac and cheese wasn’t spectacular either. I’d describe the food overall as rough. Staff are friendly though and they do their best to keep the queue moving. Food portions are also sizeable and prices are fair - $16 for 3 large chicken pieces, half a waffle and a size of Mac & Cheese. They accept card payment but no contactless or Apple Pay.

If you are not here right at when they open at 1130, you will be waiting in a line. Yes, this is a popular spot indeed. Located inside reading market and is pretty loud and crowded. This review is after we compared to couple other similar restaurants inside the reading market. Fried Chicken: white meat was a little dry, dark meat was not bad, batter and seasoning was tasty Sides: like the yam, collard green was OK, cabbage was better, mac & cheese was everyone’s favorite. Jerked turkey wings: was ok. Service was effective. Good value for the amount of food in one order.

The wait and price are justified. Many patrons have expressed dissatisfaction with the prices and wait times; however, such drawbacks are inherent to the terminal market experience. Ultimately, the experience is what matters. I found it utterly delightful.

Ma Lessie's is alright with me! If you're craving delicious soul food from a Black-owned business, this is the spot. Located inside Reading Terminal Market, it's a must-visit. We stopped by on a weekend, and I'm so glad we did. I had the fried catfish, cabbage, and potato salad -- five stars across the board. My friend had the fried chicken wings, collard greens, and candied yams -- also five stars. The peach molasses tea? Chef's kiss. Everything was cooked to perfection, seasoned just right, and priced reasonably. The collard greens swimming in pot liquor took me straight back to my grandmother's house down South. The chicken and catfish were fried crisp and flavorful, and the yams were sweet and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Pro tip: This is not grab-and-go food. It deserves a proper sit-down! I highly recommend finding a table and chairs first -- you'll want to savor every bite in comfort. My only regret? Not trying the mac and cheese -- but that just gives me the perfect excuse to come back.

Waited over 45 mins only to get skimped Ordered chicken and waffles and asked for breast meat substitution instead of legs and thighs. Mfer gave me one small ass breast piece which i paid extra 2 dollars for. Insane. That plate looked so empty when i opened it So 20 bucks for one piece of chicken some spongey ass eggo waffle and shitty mac and cheese. You can probably source everything they sell at your local supermarket or fried chicken joint. Nothing stellar and it was mid at best. Thanks for rippin me off. Your line system sucks. Orders should be placed at the end of the line and paid for at the register not the other way around

Found this spot located in Reading Terminal Market. It is located next to the Crepe spot (can't remember the name of it) I saw a few review and thought it was worth a visit. I went around 3pm on Tuesday and it was packed. There is a small seating area at the back of the restaurant. Tip: They do not accept cash app, Apple Pay or google pay The menu consist of the normal soul food items. They offer a one entree and side option. After waiting about 35 mins, it my chance to order. I ordered fried Catfish, there was a 10min wait. I order fried whiting, mac&cheese, yams and two chicken wings. Whiting -3/5 could've used more seasoning Mac & cheese -4/5 pretty good Yams- 3.5/5 I prefer my yams sweeter Chicken wings -4/5 tasty I received my food after waiting another 10mins. The service is good. Overall, the service was good and the food was decent. I would recommend checking it out for yourself.

After many visits seeing the long lines, I jumped in today when it was a little shorter than normal. The chicken and waffles were most certainly worth any wait. I thought the chicken was really good. Maybe not best in the city but really good. The waffle surprised me. It was perfect. It definitely wasn't an afterthought. And the Mac and cheese was bursting with cheesy flavor. Got the house made sweet tea. Might be a little overly sweet for my taste. But nothing wrong with it.

If you are not here right at when they open at 1130, you will be waiting in a line. Yes, this is a popular spot indeed. Located inside reading market and is pretty loud and crowded. This review is after we compared to couple other similar restaurants inside the reading market. Fried Chicken: white meat was a little dry, dark meat was not bad, batter and seasoning was tasty Sides: like the yam, collard green was OK, cabbage was better, mac & cheese was everyone's favorite. Jerked turkey wings: was ok. Service was effective. Good value for the amount of food in one order.

Insanely long line for insanely huge portions. Every time I come to RTM, I skip this place because with all the dining options, WHY stand in line for THIS place?!? Now I know why. Aside from the portions being huge, the flavors are on point. The fried catfish was cooked to perfection, the collard greens were tasty, and the mac & cheese had a little something special that made it stand out. All in all, a good choice at RTM with friendly service. I just wish the line moved faster but I get it, it's a tight spot and space for only so many people AND I wish they weren't so cheap with the condiments. I asked for condiments for that huge platter and they only gave me 3 tiny packets of hot sauce.

Quite a different experience for me. Truly, the only reason why I decided to stop at this restaurant after searching for something to eat was because the line was so long. Usually when the line is long, I retreat but this time I didn't. Something felt unique and special so I decided to try that. Me and my partner went here and tried it after waiting in line for 20 min. The food was certainly worth it, though, the chicken and fish were delicious and golden! The macaroni and cheese was creamy and good, the yams were the best, I don't know about the biscuit cause my partner didn't share but I'm going to assume it's good. The collard greens was quite good also. I was scared to order the tea because I thought it was just gonna be packed with sugar. But honestly, it was truly delicious, it was just easy on the tastebuds and you get an abundance of it. So overall a good experience. I know there's chicken spots like these all over America so I wouldn't go back to this one again unless I was in the area. But still a really good spot.

This place had a constant wrapped around line. I was there later in the day and they were sold out of a lot of items already. The chicken I had was tender and the Mac was to die for!

Very nice staff! And loved that you are able to see the food. Clear menu and the chicken was to die for! Also loved the yams- not too sweet, as well as the greens !

The is place has a really long line so the rating is taking into consideration the wait time too (ie, high expectations) I waited about 45 minutes and ordered the classic chicken and waffles which took another 10 minutes to come. The chicken fry was decent but a little dry. The waffle could have been crispier and would have liked the batter to be a little sweeter. Collared greens were delicious. Full leaf and not overly salty

It was good, just not special, especially for that line! Best cabbage I've ever had. Chicken was perfectly crunchy, and could have used extra seasoning. Yams were good. Fail on the waffles. I think they're meant to be savory, as they taste like cornbread waffles versus the light flaky pancake batter-kind. There's a small space for indoor dining, but the claustic space is covered by the incessant line.

Went here for lunch, wife and I ordered 2 legs, 2 wings and Mac & Cheese. Daughter ordered 2 legs and potato salad. When we got the order, we tried to confirm that the entire order was in the one bag given to us. They got upset we even questioned it. Once we found a seat, everything was there but no potato salad. When my daughter went back to let them know, they didn't believe her and wanted the whole order back to prove it. Right we're trying to rip you off of a potato salad!!! Fried chicken was very good... 5 stars.... Mac & Cheese... 3 stars, average.... Customer service 1 star, poor maybe because my daughter is Chinese... who knows..,

The line was pretty long but went quickly and I totally understand. I just got an order of fried catfish. It was well seasoned and flaky. I was kinda mad at myself that is didn't get sides the macaroni and cheese and yams looked pretty good. Next time I will definitely get more. But the catfish is definitely a stunner. You have to try it !

Being from the South I have eaten a lot of chicken and collards. My presumptuous thought when I saw 30 minute line told me this place must be worth the slow march. So the family and I did the 30 minute Philadelphia chicken mosey to the cashier. On this particular day they must have forgotten to add the herbs and spices to the chicken. Had to be a mistake. The greens were descent but lacked that seasoning and a hint of sweet southern cider spice. The staff were northern friendly and they are blessed. Opinions are opinions, and they all differ. Sorry, but not worth the wait on this day.

I frequently work at the convention center in Philadelphia, right across from the Reading Terminal Market. I've explored nearly every food vendor within the market, but Ma Lessies consistently had lines stretching down the corridor. That level of popularity has to mean something special, yet due to my limited time, I never had the opportunity to wait in line--until yesterday. I can tell you now the hype is entirely real; Ma Lessies is nothing short of exceptional. The chicken is remarkably tender inside, boasting a delicious blend of flavors, and comes with a beautiful, crispy exterior. They fry basically everything--chicken, fish, cod, shrimp, and more--and each dish comes with a choice of one side. I've heard people saying that a single side is not enough, but for me, it was more than plenty. For my lunch, I got the chicken breast combo with their Mac and Cheese. Being a mac and cheese enthusiast, I can tell you that it was soooo good. I couldn't resist adding the cornbread to my order, and it lived up to my expectations--it's homemade, by the way, but be aware that it's an additional cost. Ma Lessies takes pride in crafting everything from scratch and preparing each plate to order, so be prepared for a bit of a wait during busy times. Nevertheless, I've learned a local's trick to avoid the long lines (which worked perfectly for me). The place opens at 11 AM, so arrive about 10 minutes early to secure your spot in line and get your food promptly. Despite not being a fan of an 11 AM lunch, the exceptional flavor of the food makes it entirely worthwhile. I'm eagerly looking forward to trying their Chicken and Waffles, which is, essentially, their signature dish.

I walked around Reading Terminal for 15 mins trying to find something to eat. I saw a line for Ma Lessie's and thought since there was a line maybe the food is good. So I joined the line! I stood in line for 30 mins before my order was taken. I ordered fried wings with mac&cheese. Fried catfish with Mac& cheese, side of greens , side of yams, and cornbread. I had to wait an additional 10 mins for the fried wings. Fried wings 9/10, fried catfish 9/10, mac&cheese 7/10, greens 10/10, yams 8/10, and corn bread 10/10. It was great to see how busy this establish was and how well the team worked together. I will definitely order from Ma Lessie's chicken and waffles again.

Everyone comes to Reading Terminal Market for cheesesteak and Amish food that cool. BUT MA LESSIES IS THE TRUTH!!!! The absolute best Fried chicken and fish in the game! The Mac and cheese and greens are also top notch! The staff is friendly and the nice little sitting area next to them is great! Definitely when in Philly stop here for amazing soul food!

Great place to visit if you're in Center City Philly and love fried chicken! The line is long but it's absolutely worth the wait! The sides are amazing as well

Customer service was very good. The chicken with the "chicken & waffles" was good, however the waffle was not good at all. The side of mac & cheese was decent. Not sure if that was a bad batch, but I do not eat the waffles. The best thing was the amazing Me Lessie's tea, which had strawberries, peaches and blueberries in it. It almost reminded me of a tea & kool aid mix. I will be back the next time I'm in Philly to try the turkey wings, yams and menu items. This spot should also be praised for their menu pricing. Nothing in my opinion is overpriced. Especially in today's inflated market.

I've had chicken and waffles at quite a few places but this spot is superior. Even though the line was long it was worth the wait. It moved pretty quickly, the staff seems to have an efficiently system down. I ordered the chicken and waffles plate with baked Mac n cheese. Ooooweeee that was some fire chicken! The crunch, the flavor, the texture was all great. I was worried the chicken would be dry but it was juicy and lovely. The Mac n cheese is some of the best I've ever had. I really want to know what seasoning was used because my taste buds were happy. The strawberry lemonade is very sweet but has a yummy berry flavor and it's pretty large too. They have a seating area next to it which is convenient. If you don't mind the noise of the market and walking traffic you'll appreciate the seating area. I'm so happy I tried this spot during my trip to Philadelphia.

The food gets a 5/5, but the service may be a 2.5 or 3/5. The line wasn't that long, but I waited about 20mins before I got to the counter to order. It's a bit frustrating when you've been standing for 5 hours and will need to stand for 5 more. And it's in the terminal market that's right across from the convention center, so I'm sure that gets them a lot of business. By the time I got my food, my friends grabbed theirs throughout the market and were almost done eating. The staff is very friendly, it's just that the process of ordering drinks/making plates needs to be streamlined so that it doesn't take so long. I would definitely revisit during a time when it's not busy.

really enjoyed my meal. for 14$ this is great value as i was full for hours and didn't even finish my food. waffles were crispy yet super soft and the mac and cheese was wonderful even though normally im not a fan. the chicken is the only thing that wasn't amazing but it was still good, just nothing to write home about. will be back to try the different waffles they offer

This food is AMAZING! The Reading Market is always jam packed because of food like this. Worth the wait!!! #REALSOULFOOD

The food is absolutely amazing. Good authentic soul food. The savory flavor of the Mac and cheese was a unique approach to a soul food staple dish. The chicken was seasoned and fried to perfection. If you want some good soul food like your best cooking auntie or grandma would make? This place has that! The decor is cute as well and they have a small seating area. This is a must try if you are in Philly!

The Fried Chicken and Baked Mac n Cheese are some of the best I've ever had. Ordering the Entree with side is the way to go, and could honestly feed 2+. Quick service and huge portions. Will absolutely come back!

Forget the chicken! The catfish is the bomb! Here in Florida where I live ( but I'm really from Georgia) they coat the dang fish with so much cornmeal you can't even taste the fish. Not here. They either use corn flour or a light breading with a touch of ground cornmeal and flour. Anyway it's to die for! Black eyed peas and rice were also incredible. A little hot sauce and chopped onion and I was in heaven! I'm a simple girl but if you happen to be in Terminal Market, hit this place up. But it's busy !!!!!

Good food, bad service. Expect to wait in short line for 30 to 50 minutes. Food is piled up ready to be placed in a platter but the ordering system takes 5 to 10 minutes to serve each customer. The cashier should not take the order then pass on the order to be made then ring up the order. They would save so much time having the order runner take the orders place them near the cashier and have the cashier just handle transactions!!!!!

Wow is the best way to describe what I tasted from Ma Lessie's Chicken and Waffles. Waffles were delicious and fluffy the chicken was delicious. Tasted so so good.

I had the catfish will the mac and greens and string beans and cornbread and the malessie tea as little cousin would say everything was bus 'n I will be back

This IS very tasty fried chicken in the Reading Terminal Market. I imagine gauging crowd size is difficult from weekend to weekend. So that is my star detraction. A long - very long- line didn't dissuade with the counter workers bellowing about their chicken and waffles. The problem-by the time I ascended to order, my option was limited to fried thighs. All fingers, drums. Breasts etc gone. AND SO WERE WAFFLES. I didn't order waffles but many did and already paid. My fried thighs were good. If I could have ordered what I wanted it would improve. Hey, anything in a styrofoam boat looks less appealing but this was good chicken.

Awfully long wait! When it was finally our turn we had to wait as the staff were busy joking around with each other. It feels like an insult with the 45 minutes in line!

This stand inside Reading Terminal Market gets 5 stars solely for its fried chicken. I ordered the signature chicken and waffles, which comes with 1 leg and 2 thighs, 2 mini waffle rounds, and 1 side. The chicken was seasoned well and fried perfectly, crispy on the outside but hot and juicy on the inside. The waffles were good, but weren't really that hot and didn't feel completely cooked. As a side I ordered the candied yams, and I would also come back for these guys. If you're going to order a drink, they don't always have all of the options on the menu, but the tea that I had was very refreshing. So so good!

You can't go wrong with Ma Lessie's signature dish. The chicken & waffles here are outstanding. Perfectly cooked and seasoned and moist fried chicken that gives you that crunch sound when you bite into it. The waffles are thicker than most but the meal comes with plenty of syrup. You pour it on and the waffles soak it all up. The meal comes with one side, which seems completely unnecessary. But I can't complain about more food. I tried the Mac & cheese, which was good but not quite up to par with the top soul food restaurants. Ma Lessie's is a worthy successor to Kevin Parker's. It does fall short with the Mac & cheese, which was top notch at Kevin Parker's. And the day I went there were no desserts. I don't know why they can't make a deal with a bakery in Reading Terminal to provide desserts if they can't count on wherever they get them from. I will be back to try their other entrees and hopefully get some dessert next time.

I've heard about this place, even visited a few weeks ago, however, it was before 11:00, their opening time... thought this was a place I needed to visit. So, today was the day... over priced, they failed to give me my Strawberry Crunch desert, which I paid for. There wasn't much flavor whatsoever... very disappointing.

I absolutely love this place and don't mind driving a hour and a half to get more. Very good. Sweet tea is the best and they are friendly. I gave them a 4 stars because when you sit to eat they don't have a trash bin.

Sometimes you just need a warm southern meal. When I walked up the line was long but that is just a sign that it you want you're getting something good. Staff were friendly and moved quickly to fill orders. This gave me time to figure out what I was ordering with the guest behind me who was also torn with so many great options. All of the options looked good but I settled on the Chicken wings, Macaroni and cheese, and Sweet Potatoes platter with a side of greens (I mean you have to add a vegetable). Once I got back to my office I dined. I was pleased with all options and plan to go again. I can be a stickler for staying with the items I've tried and liked but I'll for sure share when I try the other options.

Came here for lunch while in town for a conference. During this particular day, Sorority was supporting Black establishments/entrepenuaers in the are for our "Cash Mob" so the wait was long, but worth it. I waited about 1hr 15min. The food was great and the staff were professional and displayed no frustration or attitudes due to large amount of customers. The only recommendation I have and others mentioned as well is a better ordering system. Unsure if they were short staffed but having to wait until you got to the cash register to order was frustrating. But the wait time for your food wasn't bad, once ordered.

The line was extremely long when we arrived in the evening. This was somewhat expected so not the biggest issue. We ordered the catfish with potato salad and mac & cheese, chicken wings with potato salad and mac & cheese and a strawberry tea. The catfish wasn't bland but it could use more flavor and it was dry, chicken wings were pretty good, the potato salad was the best side we ordered and the mac & cheese was a little too garlic flavored but the texture/consistency was on point. We also received corn bread muffins that were dry and a little too sweet. We really wanted to try the candied yams but they ran out. The strawberry tea was really good; we lucked up and got the last tea because they ran out of that as well. In reference to the look of their cook area, it could look cleaner but as busy as they were, I wouldn't judge that much. We paid $52 total and honestly, for that price, the food wasn't worth it. If the total was more around $35-$40 then that would've made more sense. I would give this place a 7/10 on a rating scale.

We waited in line for 55 minutes BUT it was worth it. The employees were amazing! Patience, helpful, knowledgeable, and they had personalities. The food was incredible! I order the baked turkey wing diner with collard greens, the fried chicken dinner with Macaroni and Cheese, a side of candied yams and a sweet tea! Delicious. #HappyEating

The food was delicious! Long lines early in the daytime a little shorter later in the evening

I love me some fried chicken. Nashville, Kentucky, Louisiana, Korean, Filipino. So when we went to Reading Terminal Market and walked by Ma Lessie's, we knew we'd have to try it. Line wrapped around the corner quite a bit, too. Chicken was solid. Crispy and salty. Great texture and crunch, which is hard to nail, but not really juicy or flavorful without the hot sauce. Chicken was better than the fish in my opinion, but neither had us dying to come back. Surprisingly, the fries were the highlight! Freshly made, well seasoned, crispy, golden. Collard greens - not actually spicy. Was hoping for more umami flavor and fixings in it.

The food was good. We had the chicken wings and black eyed peas. Service was ok. Definitely would recommend.

Waited 35 mins for the first chicken inside the Reading Terminal Market in Philly. Well worth the wait, great seasoning with every bite of chicken. Fried really well as the skin was crispy and the inside was juicy and tender. I was too full to try the sides but definitely want to next time. It was piping hot as well.

Preparation and attention to details is important to cooking and everything! The fried chicken, homemade potato salad (Eastern Shore-Style), and collard greens are the best in Center City Philadelphia. With the temporary closing of Sam Kee Duck House this is now my spot in the Reading Market. The fried chicken and potato salad are as good as you will find anywhere!

This place is amazing! The food is consistently delicious and the staff is always friendly. If you're in Philly (Reading Terminal) be sure to stop by.

The fried chicken is the main reason I come here, but the fish is really good too! I've been coming here for years and they almost always have a long line because people love the food

ANDDDDDD IT TASTE AS GREAT AS IT LOOKS!!!! Chicken friend PERFECTLY AND WELL SEASONED!! Yams were so good!! Everyone can't make potato salad, but they nailed it!! Definitely the correct representation of SOUL FOOD!!

Collard greens are full of flavor and chicken wings were seasoned and fried to perfection!

Over priced and just mediocre. The greens were good though. After spending all that time in line, it wasn't worth the wait.