Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, located on Prospect Ave. downtown in the old Rathskeller spot, is now open. Yes, the menu is built around multiple versions of waffles — nearly two dozen different versions — but the all-day menu also offers plenty of other southern favorites.
Chcek out the full menu here.
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(Original story 11/21/16): It’s been a year and a half since we first reported that Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, a popular soul food restaurant with two locations in Chicago, was planning to open its next location in Downtown Cleveland. Since that time the location, the former Rathskeller bar (1144 Prospect Ave.) near E. Ninth Street, has undergone significant improvements both inside and out.
The good news, says owner Darnell Johnson, is that opening day is just around the bend.
“We’re almost there,” he reports. “Everything is ready inside, we’re just waiting for the final connections from the city. It’s beautiful in here; very contemporary.”
He added that they are hoping to be open by the first of December.
Wife and founder Tonya Johnson, Chicago born and bred, describes her restaurant’s food as “good, Southern-style down-home cooking – basically like your grandmother did,” she says.
Entrees options include chicken wings with fries and barbecue sauce, fried fish dinners, and grilled salmon. Dinners come with cornbread and a choice of Southern-style sides like mac & cheese, yams, collard greens, potato salad, rice and gravy, and Cajun red beans and rice.
In the dessert category there is peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, and funnel cake-style waffles topped with whipped cream and caramel pecan.
The 4,000-square-foot space will accommodate approximately 120 guests in the dining room and at the bar.
“It’s been a challenge, but we believe that Cleveland is a great market for us,” Darnell says. “We think we’re in a great area, and the concept, I feel, is a great niche for the city. It will be the only restaurant where you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner all day long. If you want to come in after the theater and have breakfast in a nice atmosphere, you can have it.”
This article appears in Nov 16-22, 2016.
A Chicago restaurant in Cleveland is no bueno. Get out.
The prices on the menu will take care of that run back home.
When you can get 8 pieces for 8$ at Dave’s on Payne, the gas station on 55th and Chester, the Valero on 79th, or that other place with 6 pieces for 4$. Even Prosperity, Soho, or Mahal’s fancy is only 10-14 bucks. Or Greenhouse, which is amazing. Oh, and we have a Jazz Club on Superior. Did you use a local real estate person? If so props to them.
Did anybody tell them how well Stonetown did with Angies fried chicken, not to mention actual Angie’s? And CC&W are in a dead zone. Somebody’s gonna be the beneficiary. Hope the owner kept title and asked 5 yrs + improvements.
I grew up in South GA. I’d eat dirt before $16 boneless thighs.
But we thank you for your $, Chicago.
Chicago’s Chicken and Waffles in Cleveland,Ohio was awesome yesterday, 12/29/16. The only suggestion I have is to make the words on the menu with a lighter colored background. Background is too dark. Thank you. Will be back.
Menu was so hard to read, I ordered the wrong thing. Service was WAY slow. Took about 90+ minutes for a weekday lunch. Who has that kind of time? I gotta work! Food was OK … but just OK. My chicken was dry and stringy but the waffle was fine. The syrup didn’t taste like real maple syrup. Waiter was polite but remarkably inattentive and difficult to hear because of how quietly he spoke.
My family enjoyed an amazing dinner on Sunday, January 8, 2017 at Chicago’s Chicken and Waffles in Cleveland, Ohio. We had a party of 17 without a reservation and was seated promptly. The staff and food was phenomenal! Love, love, love the atmosphere and decor.
We wasn’t greeted when we walked in the door, even though there were minimally 2 employees within a 10 foot range. Tables are close together, not ideal for a large size person to sit anywhere other than in a booth to avoid the chair be bumped or brushed as others walk by. Service overall needs major improving, 2 things I ordered they were out of but I was only told when they brought out what was available. The waiter didn’t offer to reduce bill, I probably won’t return to this establishment.
Hands down the worst service at a restaurant I have ever received. Dine out a lot, will never go back.
From the time we pulled into the parking lot which is free after 6pm, until we left the restaurant, everything was wonderful. I read the reviews before going, but I am grateful that I have my own mind and will always give new businesses a chance. We had the cat fish which was not greasy, nor did it have a old grease taste. The pieces were hugh! We also had the Mac and cheese and the candied yams, greens and cornbread. We didn’t have any complaints about our food. The waitress was prompt and made sure our drinks were filled. We arrived at 6:05 and were done with dinner, listening to jazz with full comfortable stomached by 7:20pm. The televisions are a nice size with very clear screens and so we watched a little of the Cavs game as well! Awesome atmosphere!! Did I mention we had to get a doggie bag for left overs. I will return and will have my staff join me next time. Great job owners and a kind thank you to your Maitre d Terry Taylor. A pleased customer who will return again!! Welcome to Cleveland!!
This was horrible food and terrible service! Went back a second time giving them a chance to get over the new opening but again horrible! Twice we had the worst so called “waffle” ever. The chicken again was burnt and dry! Our group had to wait and wait for another beverage, needless to say there will not be a 3rd time. Oh and the boxed mac and cheese is a delight over what they served.