If it's comfort food you're craving, nothing comes close to the all-American classic that is chicken and waffles. The sweet and savory combination of crispy, juicy fried chicken and perfectly fluffy waffles is hard to beat – so it's no wonder the dish is a soul food favorite that's loved across the US. Whether it's served classic or with a twist, we've found the best version of this popular meal near you.

Click or scroll through our gallery to find the tastiest chicken and waffles America has to offer.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

Five Bar has just five brunch dishes on its menu – and, while they're all excellent, it’s the chicken 'n' waffles that really stands out. The popular dish sees juicy chicken thighs and drumsticks covered in the joint's perfectly crisp batter, then served with honey and walnut waffles, whipped butter, and maple syrup. Diners say it's the best you'll find.

'The American table reimagined' is the tagline of this modern restaurant, which is so much more than just a chicken joint. The chicken with waffles and honey butter is great, but it's the spot's signature dish, the chicken 'n' waffle sandwich, that really gets people talking. Customers love the inventive take on the comforting classic, which sees crispy chicken, bacon, blistered shishito peppers, and brown sugar mayo all sandwiched inside two warm waffles. The dish comes served with a choice of fries or a side salad.

With two locations in the state (plus one in Nevada and one in Texas), Lo-Lo's is the place to go for award-winning chicken and waffles. The Lo-Lo's Hood Classics menu includes all the favorites, from Tre-Tre's (two legs and a waffle) to Lo-Lo's (a Southern-style three-piece plate with two waffles). There's also a good selection of soul food classics, like grits, that can be added to your meal, too.

The Buttered Biscuit has a wide menu, but it's the spot's signature Kickin' Chicken that's become a customer favorite. The spicy fried chicken thigh has the perfect amount of kick, and it's served with a house-made waffle, bacon jam, and syrup, all sprinkled with icing sugar. The dish comes with two eggs of your choice, for a meal that really is comfort food at its finest.

An LA favorite since 1975, Roscoe's now has several locations throughout southern California. Customers flock here for the perfectly fried chicken and the fluffy, sweet, golden waffles, which come doused in butter and syrup. There are several versions of the dish available; all you need to do is pick your chicken – either wings, breast, leg, thigh, half a chicken, or a quarter chicken. You can choose a variety of sides to add to your chicken and waffles too, such as potato salad, candied yams, and mac ’n’ cheese.

Casual Denver joint The Brutal Poodle specializes in live music and serves up a menu of classic dishes with a twist. Fans of heat will love the '2 Step' chicken and waffles, which sees battered chicken breast served atop a jalapeño and Cheddar cornbread waffle and paired with spicy sriracha maple syrup. The dish receives rave reviews from happy customers, who say it's seasoned perfectly.

Praised for its affordable prices, juicy meat, and tasty, thick waffles, former food truck Cheek's now has permanent locations in Manchester and Wallingford. Customers can choose either three wings or three tenders coated in a huge range of sauces, from sweet teriyaki to maple honey, and served with a waffle covered in icing sugar. Cinnamon sugar, whipped cream, and honey butter upgrades are also available.

Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch in three locations across the state, Metro Diner offers fried chicken in many shapes and forms – but it's the chicken and waffle combo with a sweet strawberry twist that keeps customers coming back for more. The dish consists of half a chicken and a Belgian waffle, topped with icing sugar and sweet strawberry butter. The dish is also served with the restaurant's signature sweet and spicy sauce.

One of the hottest spots in Miami Beach, James Beard–nominated Yardbird serves up a menu of classic American comfort food – but it's the chicken and waffles that everyone adores. The fried chicken is made to a family recipe that's been passed down through generations; it sees the poultry marinated for 27 hours to achieve the perfect flavor. The dish is served with honey hot sauce, chilled spiced watermelon, sharp Cheddar waffles, and bourbon maple syrup.

Serving up Southern comfort food since 1939, Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles is a must-visit. Nana's famous chicken-n-waffles consists of three golden fried chicken wings and a choice of waffle; options range from a blueberry offering to an award-winning apple and cinnamon variety. The dish is completed with hot butter syrup and icing sugar. Diners say the waffles are moist and fluffy, and the chicken is extra crispy.

Forty Niner Restaurant was opened in 1947 by two brothers, and it's received rave reviews ever since for its excellent service and delicious food. Customers love the crisp and juicy chicken and soft, fluffy waffles, which come drizzled in syrup. If you want to try something a bit different, order the dish with ube (purple yam) sauce, or upgrade to ube waffles.

Waffle Me Up serves a menu of sweet and savory waffles with delicious toppings – including strawberries, cream and Nutella, and bacon and avocado. Its version of chicken and waffles is a standout dish, with customers saying it's the best they've ever tasted. To make it, a sweet and fluffy waffle is layered with tender golden chicken and sausage gravy. There are some tasty extras available too, such as a onion rings and fried eggs.

Batter & Berries in Chicago serves up a mouthwatering menu of French toast, classic breakfast dishes, and waffles. Its take on chicken and waffles, Cluck-N-Gaufre, is loved by customers. Comprising a sweet potato waffle that's stuffed with bits of fried chicken and topped with a buttermilk fried chicken breast, the dish is served with nutmeg hot sauce and a generous dusting of icing sugar.

A visit to His Place Eatery, a Southern-style restaurant in Indianapolis, will satisfy even the fussiest of chicken and waffle connoisseurs. With four options on the menu (covering all sweet and savory bases), there's something for everyone. The classic version – four crispy chicken wings on a fluffy Belgian waffle – is recommended by customers. Dessert lovers should try the chicken and peach cobbler waffle with vanilla ice cream, or check out the red velvet waffle with chicken and a cream cheese glaze.

Diners rave about the Mimosa chicken and waffles at 1990s hip hop–themed brunch spot Eggs and Jam. Customers say the chicken is juicy and perfectly fried, while the waffle is crisp, soft, and almost marshmallow like. This signature dish is served with a tasty orange Mimosa marmalade syrup, which fans call 'mouthwatering.' Visitors also love the upbeat, fun atmosphere, not to mention the extensive cocktail menu.

While chicken and waffles might not be on Doo-Dah Diner's main menu, it's a regular weekend special that's earned the joint a long list of fans. The dish is a sweet and savory flavor explosion, featuring juicy fried chicken, crispy chocolate-dipped bacon, fluffy waffles, strawberries, and house-made gravy. 

The chicken and waffles at Joella's Hot Chicken is a dish that's loved by diners; they can't get enough of the joint's juicy yet crispy tenders and wings. Customers can choose the level of heat they want for their chicken, from a mild Southern-style spice to an extremely hot 'inferno' coating. The fluffy waffles come with maple syrup or spiked honey, which customers say is extremely flavorful. 

Chic Café Amelie, located in New Orleans' historic French Quarter, serves a chicken and waffles dish on its brunch menu – and it features Cajun roasted chicken and pork sausage gravy. While you can request fried chicken if you prefer, diners say that this more sophisticated version is delicious and packed full of flavor. It comes with syrup on the side, but many think that the perfectly fluffy waffle is sweet enough on its own.

A Hot Suppa specialty, the chicken and waffle plate combines juicy, boneless fried chicken with a buttermilk waffle and generous helpings of local maple syrup. Diners say the dish is delicious in its simplicity, and they praise the service, too. The joint itself is perfect for a late breakfast or brunch, with an array of much-loved classics on the menu.

This chicken and waffle shop has four locations across Maryland – all of which get glowing reviews. The menu is simple; pick your waffle flavor (options include buttermilk, Oreo, chocolate chip, and blueberry), and it'll be served with two fried chicken breast tenders. Visitors adore the juicy meat and the delicious waffle varieties.

Cozy neighborhood joint Brassica has a popular weekend brunch menu featuring classic dishes with a twist, but it's the chicken and waffles plate that really stands out. The waffle batter is made with crème fraîche and cream, and the boneless chicken thighs are marinated in buttermilk and a brine of peppers and pickles. The result is a perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth dish, which is served with flavorful maple syrup and hot sauce.

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken serves up poultry in just about every way imaginable, with many of the dishes, such as the fried chicken tacos and the bánh mì, receiving rave reviews. But it's the chicken and waffles plate, which comes served with lots of syrup and powdered sugar, that remains a customer favorite. The chicken (either tenders or pieces) is juicy and crispy, while the waffles are perfectly fluffy.

Colorful and lively brunch spot The Breakfast Club is loved for its fun atmosphere and delicious breakfast items – including loaded hash browns, omelets, and pancakes – but it's the chicken and waffles that’s by far the most popular dish. Crunchy and juicy breaded chicken is accompanied by a house-made Belgian-style waffle, green onions, maple syrup, and country gravy. 

Small, cozy diner Sugar's Place is easily missed, but you'll want to make sure you find it to experience some of the best chicken and waffles you'll find anywhere. They're described by diners as sweet, salty, soft, and crunchy – in other words, perfect. The tenders are well seasoned, with crispy breading, and the waffles are incredibly fluffy. Happy customers also praise the friendly service.

If you're looking for something a little bit different, head to Chick-In-Waffle, a restaurant that puts a creative spin on chicken and waffles. Here, crispy buttermilk chicken gets drenched in one of eight house-made sauces (such as sriracha-infused maple sauce, and sweet barbecue sauce) before being served in a waffle cone or bubble waffle. A customer favorite is the Asian Chili version, which sees crispy chicken doused in Thai-inspired chili sauce and topped with toasted sesame seeds and pickles.

The perfect place to gorge on Southern comfort food in Montana, Roost Fried Chicken has plenty of mouthwatering options on its menu. However, it's the chicken and waffles dish that wins rave reviews. Keeping it classic, it consists of two juicy fried chicken breasts, a large Belgian-style waffle, and plenty of maple syrup and honey pecan butter.

With three locations in Omaha, Blatt Beer & Table is a casual restaurant specializing in craft beer and pub food. A highly rated customer favorite is the chicken and waffle dish: Southern fried chicken strips on a jalapeño cornbread waffle, drenched in honey-orange butter, black pepper gravy, and maple syrup. Diners say it's simply out of this world.

Hash House A Go Go has several locations in Las Vegas (plus elsewhere in Nevada and in other states), and all of them serve up Andy's World Famous Chicken and Waffles. The chicken is battered with a mix of cornstarch, corn flakes, fresh sage, and spices before being fried to perfection and stacked on top of waffles with smoked bacon and tomatoes. The dish is finished with a hot syrup reduction. Customers rave about the large portion size and superb flavors.

Buzzy bar and kitchen The Friendly Toast has a menu full of creative flavors, and the chicken and waffles is not to be missed. The dish combines a fluffy Belgian waffle with a fried chicken breast coated in Rice Krispies, and it also features bacon and roasted corn. As a finishing touch, it's drizzled with hot honey and chipotle maple sour cream.

Tops Diner is one of the best diners in New Jersey, serving huge portions of classic diner food from the early hours of the morning to very late at night. For breakfast, customers are big fans of the chicken and waffles. A half bird served with a Belgian waffle and hot honey, it's a dish that’s guaranteed to sate your hunger.

Nexus Brewery boasts a menu filled with perfectly spiced, wonderfully comforting New Mexican soul food dishes. In particular, the Southern fried chicken and waffles receives rave reviews. It's cooked fresh to order (the menu warns that the dish could take up to 25 minutes to prepare), but people don't mind waiting when the waffles are so tasty and the chicken is so hot and juicy.

In a city with endless choices, it’s not easy standing out – but Sweet Chick has gained a reputation for serving impeccable fried chicken. With five locations in New York City, this mini-chain is consistently rated very highly for its juicy yet crispy chicken and its deliciously fluffy waffles. You can choose from classic, barbecue, soy honey garlic, Buffalo, Nashville hot, or salted caramel chicken with apple cinnamon, bacon Cheddar, chocolate chip, or vanilla glaze waffles.

You'll be spoiled for choice at Dame's Chicken and Waffle – here, you can customize everything, from your type of chicken and waffle flavor to your 'schmear' and drizzle. There are set dishes on the menu, but why not have some fun and create your own? Options include sweet potato and gingerbread waffles, blueberry, orange honeycomb, and vanilla almond schmears, and honey Dijon, buttermilk ranch, and whiskey cream drizzles. Customers love it.

Self-proclaimed 'funky eating joint' Brew Bird has a menu of fried chicken served in a variety of ways, plus a long list of delicious-sounding cocktails. You'll need to wait for the weekend brunch menu to sample the highly rated chicken and waffles, though. Two crispy chicken tenders are served on a gluten-free waffle with a lip-smacking hot honey drizzle and jalapeño slaw on the side. 

Focusing on all things waffle related, from sandwiches to sweet desserts, Waffle Champion in Oklahoma City is the perfect spot to satisfy your chicken and waffle cravings. You may have to line up and wait, but it'll be worth it. Fans rate the flavorful chicken and absolutely adore the waffles, which are slightly crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside. Customers also love that the joint's chicken and waffles dish is finished with crispy leeks and Tabasco honey.

Portland brunch restaurant Screen Door focuses on Southern soul food and has received countless accolades since it opened in 2006. Now in two locations, it's famous for its incredibly tender fried chicken, which is served with syrup and a mountain of sweet potato waffles. Customers say the place is always extremely busy, but it's worth the wait.

Green Eggs Café serves a less conventional take on chicken and waffles, and it's fantastic. The joint's chicken and waffles Benedict consists of a Southern fried chicken breast, a buttermilk waffle, two poached eggs, and a side of your choice. The dish is finished with both maple syrup and hot Hollandaise sauce, creating an unusual sweet and savory taste. Fans say it's a phenomenal dish with an incredible balance of flavors.

Said to be the best place for breakfast in Rhode Island, the Rhody Hen has legions of fans – and its chicken and waffles is something very special indeed. A light and fluffy waffle is topped with crispy, juicy fried chicken tenders, and customers say the flavors are the perfect combination. The place is always busy; however, diners, who return again and again, say the service is friendly, and the food is well worth waiting for.

The offerings at Johnny D’s Waffles range from steak and eggs to pancakes and skillets, yet it's the chicken and waffles that really stands out. Cooked to perfection, the dish combines a house-made waffle with fried chicken tenders, syrup, butter, and cinnamon sugar. To take the sweet and savory combination even further, upgrade to the 'twisted' version, which comes with a bacon waffle and maple mustard.

You can't beat a classic American diner – and Phillips Avenue Diner, housed in a former Airstream trailer, is just that. Its chicken and waffles is a simple but effective combination of buttermilk chicken tenders and fluffy waffles, served with whipped pecan butter and vanilla-infused maple syrup. Customers return for the dish time and time again.

A small chain originally from Nashville, Hattie B's is the place to go for fried chicken. Seasoned to your liking, from Southern style (with no heat) to fiery Shut The Cluck Up!!!, there's a choice of wings, tenders, or half a chicken. Whatever you pick, it's served with two fluffy Belgian-style waffles and dusted in powdered sugar, with honey butter on the side.

The chicken, bacon, and waffles dish at Maple Leaf, a Canadian diner in the heart of Texas, really is something rather special. The huge plate piles fried chicken breast and crispy bacon on Belgian waffles, and it's served with a generous helping of strawberries, whipped cream, and cream puffs. It's a combination customers keep coming back for.

For a relaxed atmosphere and delicious American comfort food classics, look no further than Provo's Station 22 Cafe. Customers are big fans of the joint's chicken and waffles. To make it, 24-hour brined and fried chicken is paired with warm buttermilk waffles, watermelon, and house-made buttermilk syrup. The chicken is said to be juicy and perfectly crispy.

Sneakers Bistro has been making customers happy with its award-winning menu of family favorites since 1980. Its chicken and waffles dish consists of crispy fried chicken served on a Belgian waffle, and it comes with a fried egg and tasty house-made sausage gravy. Happy customers say the dish is perfectly cooked and full of flavor.

Hair of the Dog Eatery, which has three Virginia locations, serves up satisfying brunch dishes alongside an impressive cocktail list. Chicken and waffles is one of the most-loved items on the menu. The generous serving consists of a bacon-infused waffle, topped with a juicy fried chicken thigh, candied bacon, sausage gravy, and bourbon maple syrup. 

Every breakfast plate is a winner at Fat’s – however, the chicken and waffles dish beats the lot, according to the many satisfied customers who’ve eaten their way through it. Even those who don’t usually love fried chicken make an exception for the crispy, yet wonderfully tender and juicy, stuff served here. 

Chicken and waffles is available on Table 9's weekend brunch menu, and it's among the joint's best dishes. Served with bourbon maple syrup and butter, the chicken is praised for being juicy, with a light, crunchy topping, while the waffle is soft and fluffy. The generous portion sizes and friendly service are also a hit at this popular Morgantown restaurant.

Chicken and waffles is one of Sweet Diner's signature dishes, and it's something truly special. A house-made cornbread waffle is topped with three Memphis-style fried chicken tenders, and the whole thing is finished with warm maple syrup, Memphis hot sauce, and whipped butter. The perfect harmony of sweet, salty, savory, and spicy flavors, customers say it's the best version of the dish they've ever eaten.

Located in a gorgeous historic log cabin, Cafe Genevieve is a firm favorite among locals thanks to its friendly service, excellent food, and daily brunches. The chicken and waffle dish, smothered in pure Vermont maple syrup, is loved by customers, who say the waffle arrives at the table warm and fluffy, the chicken has a perfectly crispy coating, and the generous portion size is almost enough to feed two. 

Now discover the most delicious breakfast sandwich in every state

Last updated by Dominique Ayling.