Maxine's Chicken & Waffles

Comfort food for some is mashed potatoes or mac n' cheese; for me, it's chicken and waffles.  It all started for me several years ago while visiting friends in LA. We stood in line for The Price is Right, and afterward visited one of the best establishments in West LA, Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles.  Earlier this year, I got another taste of my favorite unconventional dish at Hash House A Go Go in Las Vegas, while there for my bachelor party.  My appetite for this meal is insatiable, & when I heard that Indianapolis had it's own chicken and waffles restaurant, of course my interest was immediately sparked.  I decided that I definitely need to check this place out.

Maxine's House of Chicken and Waffles in Downtown Indianapolis is an eatery

that is dedicated to the food Maxine Redmon made for children and grandchildren over the years.  Her grandchildren chose to honor her, and her famous recipes, by opening Maxine's House of Chicken and Waffles in Downtown Indianapolis.  Sharing her food with the community with the tagline of a "taste of love in every bite;" and I had to see if their statement rang true.

On this food mission, I decided to invite Jacob along (and because we both had the day off) to try these waffles and chicken and see if the hype that I've heard about the restaurant really lives up.  Jacob and I left my house and headed south on Pennsylvania, ended up near Fountain Square, and then after zig-zagging through cross streets near Banker's Life, Jacob's nav. on his phone finally got us to Maxine's.  As we walked in, the delicious smell of fried chicken hit my nostrils, and I knew that this place was indeed going to feel like home...at least for the next hour or so.

The first thing on the menu, both literally and figuratively, was to try the Max Fries.  These are not just your regular run-of-the-mill french fries.  We're talking fries, drenched in cheese sauce, topped with diced tomatoes and chunks of fried chicken.  Jacob and I split this appetizer, and it lasted maybe 5 minutes after it landed on our table.  The only downside to this dish (and literally, I mean only thing wrong) is that the cheese sauce is just a bit too salty, and the chicken and tomato do help to alleviate that just a little bit.  After inhaling the dish, it was time to get the signature dish of Chicken and Waffles.  You have several choices when ordering the waffles, like batter (Strawberry, Sweet Potato, Blueberry, or Plain/Vanilla), and your choice of 3 chicken strips or jumbo wings.  Whatever your choice, you can also get regular butter or peach butter to throw on top of your waffle (the peach butter is money!!!).  

If you're not a fan of chicken or waffles, and maybe want to try some other good home cooking recipes, they are known for other dishes such as Fish n' Grits or Tilapia n' Grits, Chicken Omelet, or Ms. Faye's Salmon Croquet (pan-fried salmon and Texas toast).  These fan favorites are custom made to your liking, and come in at a very reasonable price, with very generous portion sizes.  

Because I had tried other restaurants that are world renowned in the Chicken and Waffles game, I wasn't sure what to expect here.  Maxine's definitely holds it's own in comparison.  In fact, this could be my new favorite place to eat.  Their welcoming environment, amazing staff, and eclectic mix of food is what makes this place a place to try if you haven't yet.  

Maxine's Chicken & Waffles

132 North East Street

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Check out their site and other info on Maxine's here.  

Get out into Downtown Indy, Devour this, and Eat On,

--JG