Updated 11/20/21

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I’m a firm believer in ‘variety is the spice of life’, but if there is one thing I order time after time, it is chicken and waffles.  

Many people are fans of this perfect combo of sweet and savory, but few know the origins. You were going to say it was a southern dish, right? You would think it doesn’t get more southern than fried chicken! In reality southerns will claim they have never had the dish until eating it in a big city like NYC on the East Coast or Los Angeles on the West Coast.

Some believe it did begin in the south with African Americans who ate pancakes and fried chicken. Others point to the Pennsylvania Dutch who ate waffles with chicken and gravy on top. It’s quite different from the versions that are now popular, but it may have planted the seed.

New York City, specifically Harlem restaurants, could be who we need to thank. Starting in the 1930s they started serving the dish at jazz and supper clubs. I don’t know what the truth is, but I will always fondly remember Harlem as where I had my first chicken and waffle. Everyone back in my home state of Wisconsin thought I was crazy. The joke is on them, isn’t it though!?

Enough history! We may not agree how it originated, but we can all agree that there isn’t a better combination! That doesn’t mean all chicken and waffles are created equal. I have been eating my way around the city and trying a lot of Atlanta restaurants to find out who really has the best chicken and waffles in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Best Chicken and Waffles in Atlanta

Atlanta Breakfast Club

249 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd NW (Downtown)

Picking the best chicken and waffles in Atlanta is a pretty hard job. As you will see there are different aspects I liked better about each place. I really hate to choose, but if I had to pick my all around favorite for just the chicken and waffle it may have to be Atlanta Breakfast Club. The chicken is well seasoned and the waffle is nice and thick and the perfect texture.

The service and set-up at Atlanta Breakfast Club on the other hand left a bit to be desired. The servers are good, but the wait list system not so much. I’m not the only one who loves the food there. On weekends especially it is very busy and the wait takes hours. One time I put my name on the Yelp wait list at 10am and we were not seated until 2:30pm. We were notified around 2:15pm that our table was ready, but then were standing inside in a crowded lobby for at least 15 minutes before they actually had a table ready.

Overall Atlanta restaurants have been doing a great job with Covid precautions, but Atlanta Breakfast Club had many employees who were not wearing masks and they did not enforce them with diners. They also would not give water in a cup and only sold $3 bottles of water even though employees were walking around with Styrofoam cups.

The food is worth going back for, but I might wait until Covid passes. It is a handy restaurant to include in your 3 day Atlanta itinerary if you are checking out all the main attractions in Atlanta. It is located across the street from the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola and more. Put your name on the waitlist early and visit one of the attractions while you wait.

Home Grown

 968 Memorial Dr SE (Reynoldstown) 

Home Grown serves southern comfort food. It a great neighborhood spot that is one of the best Atlanta breakfast places overall. Located only a couple blocks east of the BeltLine trail it is a the perfect stop when you are out walking around in Atlanta.

The inside has a retro-country diner feel. This past year they converted a portion of their parking lot into outdoor dining with five tables. There can be a bit of a wait for both indoor and outdoor tables, but it has never been more than 30 minutes.

The chicken and waffle are both excellent. I loved the flavor and texture of the chicken. The waffle is a little thinner than some places, but I still found it very good and the meal quite filling. An orange slice on the side is a nice touch too.

Home Grown is one of my favorite chicken and waffle places in Atlanta for the food, atmosphere, service and prices.

Helen’s Hot Chicken

200 Edgewood Ave NE (Downtown)

You don’t need to go to Nashville to chow down on some hot chicken! If you can hear yourself think over the blaring music your taste buds will be sending a message to your brain that the chicken and waffles at Helen’s are delicious. The night club style music didn’t really match the simple interior or improve the meal in any way. Luckily the meal was good enough to make the music slightly more bearable.

I could hardly hear when I was ordering so when asked if I wanted powdered sugar on my waffle I just nodded. When it arrived I was concerned it would be too sugary, but it was perfect. It had a funnel cake taste to it, which I love. Combined with the hot chicken it was the ultimate balance of sweet and spicy. I wavered over my heat level for my chicken. You can get plain, mild, hot or hella. Mild worked for me. It was enough heat to taste it, but not too much so my mouth was on fire. You can also choose between chicken tenders or chicken wings. 

At the current price of $9 it is not only one of the best, but also one of the cheapest chicken and waffles in Atlanta as well. It is located near the historic Sweet Auburn neighborhood where you can visit the Martin Luther King Jr Historic Park and take a MLK Jr walking tour.

Cultivate Food and Coffee

1952 Howell Mill Rd NW Suite 200 (Channing Valley) 

If you are looking for more spicy chicken and waffles in Atlanta, then head north to Cultivate Food and Coffee. Their Nashville hot chicken and waffles tastes very different than Helen’s Hot Chicken or the typical “Nashville heat”. Their Sriracha infused chili oil has an excellent, but more Asian, taste. What it lacks in heat it makes up for in flavor. You can always order it on the side though. Don’t worry, traditional syrup comes with the meal too. The waffle is on the softer side, but not soggy at all and still nice and thick.

Cultivate is a long rectangular restaurant with coffeehouse seating in the front part and restaurant seating in the back. There are also a few different outdoor areas. It really doesn’t matter where you sit because you order everything from the counter and the food taste great from any seat.

In addition to made from scratch foods, Cultivate also roasts their coffee on site. I’m not a coffee drinker so I can’t say for sure, but rumor on the street is that Cultivate is a good place to go for coffee.

Buttermilk Kitchen

4225 Roswell Rd NE (Buckhead)

Buttermilk Kitchen, in Buckhead, is one of the best brunch spots in Atlanta. It’s also known as a top choice for chicken and waffles in Atlanta. The chicken was truly finger licking good. Sometimes with a big piece of chicken the meat can become a bit dry. This wasn’t the case here at all. The waffle was perfect as well. The dish is a little more expensive here compared to other places, but I really can’t find anything wrong with it. The tasty combination is definitely worth it!

It’s nothing new, but the waits are long on the weekends. You’re texted when your table is ready. Despite the number of people eating here every weekend, the staff are quite efficient.

There are a few different locations to park, depending on the day of the week. Make sure to check the sign at the front of the restaurant.

Augie’s Cafe

1540 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd (Westview)

The historic neighborhood of Westview is slowly growing. That means good places to eat like Augie’s Cafe are popping up. I had to try Augie’s just for the chicken and waffles. I wasn’t disappointed!

I told my friends that the waffle tasted like cake and to me that was a good thing! It was so scrumptious and the syrup was tasty too. While the fried chicken wings were very good as well, there wasn’t a whole lot of chicken. I would have liked a bit more chicken. The menu does say wings or thighs. I wasn’t asked, but maybe the thighs would give you a bit more meat? The fresh fruit that came with the chicken and waffles was an added bonus as well. Plus look at that presentation, isn’t it pretty? 

Augie’s is a smaller cafe, but they do take reservations by phone. Price-wise Augie’s is in the middle. You can find cheaper chicken and waffles, but also more expensive.

Bantam & Biddy

1544 Piedmont Ave NE #301 (Piedmont Heights) 

When I saw that Bantam & Biddy served cheddar and bacon waffles I knew I needed to check them out. You can either order a cheddar or a bacon and cheddar waffle. I was debating if the up-charge for the bacon waffle was worth it. I’ll get right to the point, it was! I was prepared for little flecks of bacon, but there were actually pieces of bacon you could taste. It definitely won my vote for the top waffle in the city.

Bantam & Biddy specializes in chicken so you would expect the best, wouldn’t you? While I was surprised that chicken tenders instead of wings came on the waffle I found them quite good. Other people found them a little underwhelming. I wouldn’t say the chicken was my first choice out of all the chicken I have had, but I would happily have it again!

Their covered patio makes for nice outdoor dining and they are only a couple blocks away from Piedmont Park. The waffle especially is very filling so it’s a good idea to take a walk afterwards!

Highland Bistro

701-5 Highland Ave NE (Old Fourth Ward)

Opened at the beginning of the year, Highland Bistro in Old Fourth Ward is a newer restaurant. It isn’t related to Highland Bakery, one of Atlanta’s great breakfast spots, across the street. Unlike many places in Atlanta, there wasn’t any wait here. That’s not to say the food isn’t really good.  

Highland Bistro serves southern comfort food. Chicken and waffles is on the menu of course. It is another place where I liked the waffle more than the chicken. The chicken was really good, but just not my all time favorite. The waffle was one of my favorites though. It is a cornbread waffle with a slightly different taste than your typical waffle.   

The owners are striving to create a neighborhood place where everyone feels welcome. Booths, high top tables, and a bar fill the inside. Outside there is a nice seating area with umbrellas on every table.

South City Kitchen

1144 Crescent Ave NE (Midtown) 

If Bantam and Biddy has the best waffles, then South City Kitchen has the best chicken. Forget the chicken strips or boneless chicken that many other places serve to accompany their waffles. At South City Kitchen the waffle is served with true fried chicken on top. I couldn’t get enough of the chicken, but the malted waffle didn’t impress me. The malt powder in the waffle has a distinct taste that I wasn’t too nuts about.

At the current price of $21 it is on the higher end of the price range and the most expensive on this list. The chicken was definitely worth the higher price range, but I would pass on the waffle again. My dislike of the malted waffle taste is just a personal preference. Other people claim South City Kitchen has the best chicken and waffles in Atlanta so I wouldn’t rule them out. Plus the complimentary basket of cornbread and biscuits made up for the waffle.

South City Kitchen has four locations, with two in Atlanta. The Midtown restaurant is located in an old house which adds a little more southern charm to the dining experience.

Almost the Best Chicken & Waffles in Atlanta

Everyone has different tastes so I always like to include other options. Below are a couple other places I have tried chicken and waffles that didn’t wow me enough to include them as the best, but I still thought they were worth a mention.

Thumbs Up Diner

573 Edgewood Ave SE (Old Fourth Ward)

I really like Thumbs Up Diner and love the casual, diner feel. I have had some good food here and I love all the choices on their menu. It’s nice that you can build your own breakfast.

I liked my chicken and waffles here, it just wouldn’t be my first choice. The waffle was very good, but didn’t have anything special like many of the other places I already mentioned. It was served with chicken strips or smoked chicken wings. I tried the chicken strips and they tasted like typical chicken strips. So maybe it was my fault that I didn’t try the wings.

It was a bonus that the meal came with eggs. It was a small thing and I probably didn’t need even more to eat, but I haven’t found another place where eggs come with the famous duo.

Egg Harbor Cafe

1820 Peachtree Rd NW (Buckhead)

I was really looking forward to trying the chicken and waffles at Egg Harbor Cafe in Buckhead. While they are a chain, their menu description said “soon to be famous fried chicken”. Plus the fried chicken was only available until sold out. When I think about something potentially selling out I have high hopes. There was nothing wrong with the chicken, but it just didn’t wow me. I found the waffle to be on the slightly soggier side.

I wouldn’t rush to return to Egg Harbor Cafe, but I would give them another chance. After all maybe I should have went with one of their numerous egg omelettes or dishes!

More Chicken & Waffles in Atlanta To Try 

I won’t be satisfied knowing which are the best chicken and waffles until I have tried them all, or at least a few more! Here are some Atlanta chicken and waffles places that are on my list that I haven’t been able to try yet.

• D Cafe & Catering (Westview)

• Gocha’s Breakfast Bar (Cascade)

• Ms. Icey’s (Decatur)

• Nana G’s (currently event food truck only in Atlanta & restaurant in Suwanee)

 

Chicken and waffles may not be a southern dish and didn’t originate in Atlanta, but I think some of the best chicken and waffles can be found in Atlanta. Let me know in the comments below if there are any other Atlanta chicken & waffles restaurants that I need to check out.  

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