Kuzzos Chicken & Waffles

I don’t even like waffles, but I looooooooove their waffles. There are no words. The syrup is amazing. The chicken tenders are amazing. The koolaid drinks are amusing. Kuzzo’s rocks! Just know when you go, you WILL have to wait!

Arrived on a Sunday morning at 10:15am…was told there would be a reasonable 25 minute wait for 4 people. We were seated in less than 10 minutes!
Our waitress was kind and patient, and our waters were always full.
3 of us ordered the same thing: The Big Red ($ 12) — excellent. Comes with an enormous amount of food: A fluffy red velvet waffle with powdered sugar and cream cheese topping. The «frosting» was perfectly buttery and not too sweet. Joining a side of bourbon syrup, I would have been content with just this. The Big Red also comes with your choice of 3 wings or tenders. I ordered the tenders. Also comes with a side! I ordered the mac n’ cheese.
The items were fantastic, and the meal was delightful. While busy, our waitress was attentive and the food was delicious. The ranch here is one of the best I’ve had… and I love ranch dressing.
Our waitress was accommodating with everyone’s cards, and even brought us all boxes and bags. We placed a carry out order and it was ready in less than 10 minutes.
Kuzzo’s has it all: Excellent food, high quality service, and reasonably priced. Even if you have to wait, it’s worth it.

Our waitress (I think shanaye) was super nice and welcoming. We loved her! She offered to serve us HER special combination of red/​blue/​yellow koolaid and I’m glad we went along with it because the drinks were so pretty and it was some of the best koolaid ever (thick and sweet — perfect). We got the Lady combo (chicken breast & waffle) and it was definitely a solid choice given that this place has chicken & waffles in its name. We also ordered the Hattie something combo with catfish, yams, Mac n cheese and a side of shrimp and grits. Everything was good (catfish nice and crispy) but there was a lot of butter involved that wasn’t necessary. Overall, I was happy with my meal and we’re def coming back.
Side note: the MUSIC being played in this restaurant was on point. I was jamming the entire time that I was eating.

I’ll definitely be back!!! I was so impressed!!! Food was delicious! I love the atmosphere!

The food is typically good but service sucks. We waited 45 minutes to be seated. It took 11 minutes to be greeted by our server Jazmine, and that was after having to stop other servers «excuse me can you please get the server for this table?» It took 18 minutes to receive our drinks.
Meanwhile, Tia (other server) had taken the orders of 3 other tables that had come in long after us.
Now, we will see how long it takes to receive actual food. I will follow up…

I was here on Christmas Eve, and the place was packed out. I’d brought my grandma for brunch, and my sister and her husband came along also. We had to wait a little for seating, which is fine, because we had a few minutes to window shop along the Avenue of Fashion. Once we were seated, we had prompt service. My brother-​in-​law loved the sweet tea, and my sister said their coffee was good. My grandma got the chicken and waffles, which she said were delicious. I had a biscuit (OMGoodness. So. Delicious.). The greens were okay but not amazing. I’m not a grits girl but the grits had a good flavor balance and were creamy, if you’re into that.
The only major issue (but it’s a major issue for me) was how loud it was. There didn’t seem to be any consideration of acoustics. I couldn’t find a single thing placed in the room that would absorb sound. That’s fine with a few people, but when a room is packed with people and dishes and so forth, it can get deafening. I’d go back, though New Center Eatery is my current favorite for chicken and waffles, and 1917 is my favorite place in the 7 and Livernois corridor.

First let me say, the food was pretty good. The customer service was decent but the wait time was a downer. I ordered the shrimp and grits (I added salt and pepper), Two wings (very flavorful), Mac and chz (yum) and collard greens (delicious)…the shrimp and grits were good but it wasn’t outstanding. There were 4 of us at a table. the waitress proceeded to bring our orders out separately and then we were informed that there would be a wait for the Mac and chz (another ½ hr.) after our food was served. The collard greens were excellent… once the Mac and chz finally arrived, it was great! They don’t have Appetizers, the drinks were good tho. Wait times can be lengthy so you may want to have a snack readily available. Overall, I’ll try it again… better luck next time.

Ever wake up at 11am from a night of drinking and know that your vegan veggie rumble brunch is just not gonna cut it?
Look no further, brunch here will conquer even the mightiest of hangovers!
The wait staff has always been super nice when I’ve gone, the drinks are good, the food is amazing, prices are reasonable… really it just can’t be beat, this place rivals even the best of brunch places in Ferndale.
Favorite thing so far is probably the red velvet waffle

Pros:
Great service. Everyone was friendly and we went on a Saturday morning so it was bumpin’, and all of the servers and hostesses were working hard and had a smile the whole time.
Location. I don’t often get over to this side of town, and I’ve gotta say, the Avenue of Fashion is looking great! I try to patron black-​owned businesses as often as possible, which is seemingly less and less a possibility in mid-​town and downtown, so I think I will be making my way over here more often.
Art. I really dug all of the original art hanging on the wall. The place in general had a great ambiance.
Cons:
Food. Waffles were pretty good. Chicken was pretty good too, but very disproportionate in size. What I mean is, both my partner and I ordered a breast and mine was huge and his was tiny. I mean, it legit did not look like a breast. When he asked our food runner if it was a breast, she assured him it was and didn’t seem to notice the extreme difference in size. Obvi, we don’t want weird franken-​chicken, I just feel like this was obviously a weird piece?
I ordered a side of greens and I was less than impressed. I’d go get the greens from DVS any day, or make my own tbh.
Eggs were meh as well.
Maybe we went on an off day, or perhaps just our orders were a little off. I am not opposed to give them another shot, I think the was enough «good» that happened to warrant a second visit. I live closer to New Center Eatery, so I guess when my chicken and waffles cravings kick in, I’ll go there.

The food is exceptional!!! I don’t know what the previous reviews of unhappiness was about but today as we drove by the long lines were shorter. It must have been our lucky day. I loved the ambiance, the décor, and the music. Shanae was our server. She was professional, she gave excellent customer service, and she gave great recommendations. My hubs & I both got wings, THE red velvet waffle, and Mac and cheese. Everything was awesome! Including the big ass kool aid :) We will return definitely, it’s another one of our Detroit gems.
–The Detroit Doll

The customer service wow’d me just on it’s own!
A friend and I came here on a Sunday late morning. As soon as we walked through the door a host asked if we had been helped and guided us to the host stand to put our name on the list. The wait was only about 25 minutes, if that. While waiting we grabbed a drink at the bar. We noticed many people were ordering the flavored kool-​aid drinks (non-​alcoholic) but we opted for an adult beverage. I have the Kuzzo Collins which was so refreshing. It was sweet, but not stomach ache sweet. Something I could see myself drinking on a hot summer day.
When we were seated we were greeted right away even though it was packed. Our server was attentive and personable. My friend and I both ordered the red velvet waffles with chicken tenders and a side. The side I chose was mac and cheese. Our server told us that was the most popular dish on the menu. For $ 12 I had a massive plate of filling food. The waffle was excellent served with a butter cream frosting like butter. No syrup even needed. Three chicken tenders were served with the waffle and the mac and cheese was cheesy deliciousness! I could have ordered an entrée of just the macaroni and cheese :) I had enough food to take left overs. After we had paid we even had a staff member come by to make sure we didn’t need bags for our take-​outs. It seemed like everyone worked as a team here.
Positive vibe, attentive staff, delicious food and great décor. 5 stars all around!

Finally! Made it here… great food. Not a bad wait time. Service is good and great music playing in the background.
I can’t wait to bring out of town guests! I’ll definitely be back.

Really great food, but be prepared to wait a long time for a table. Service is quite slow as well but the food quality is worth the wait

Soo good. Tia really took care of us. My first time trying chicken and waffles and I wasn’t disappointed. Mac and Cheese = delicious. My BF says he likes it better than Slows. Potatoes = delicious. In a mix with onions and peppers. For desert we had the deep fried Oreos, again yum. For all of the food that we had, I was surprised that the bill wasn’t crazy. Great food and good prices, can’t beat that. Did I mention their delicious lemonade/​Kool-​aid?
I will definitely be going back for more!

You gotta love a place that serves Kool Aid. I am of course all for chicken and waffles. Fatty and carbilicious. Not health food at all. Yay!
By fatty do not think the chicken is greasy, it is not. It is crispy and well seasoned. Dark meat and white meat equally juicy and happy for us. Tender and very nice. My husband was quite pleased and he is picky about his chicken, often it is too salty for him, this was not.
I agree with Natalie that the original waffle is better than the red velvet. Unless you are a die hard red velvet person I would opt for a plain waffle. The red velvet is tasty I just wanted my husband’s after my first swapped bite. They give a good amount of syrup in individual containers but my husband still swiped one of mine.
I got a side of breakfast potatoes, they were not crispy but more like a soft thing. Not bad but not what I prefer. My husband had sweet potatoes (extra juice) and those were pretty fricking delicious. I ate his grits for him and they worked and he liked his eggs with cheese, especially as they just came with cheese so he did not have to even ask for it special. I think overall his breakfast choices won but I still say my wings were the best pieces of chicken. I am a wing fanatic, it is all about wings and breasts for this girl, pretty much in that order.
You can get your drink on well here. They feature the über popular Ghettoblaster which is a great choice. A berry mimosa will also chase away those doldrums. I am debating between a ginger basil lemonade and one of their spicy bloody marys for next time. The women at the next table loved these options. The atmosphere is such that you will chat other people and not feel a whit awkward about it. Very congenial. Everyone we encountered here on staff was super friendly too.
Make a trip over. You will not regret it.

This place has been on my list to try for some time as well. My friend lives close to Kuzzo’s so she frequents it often. She always raves abou the food saying it was her new favorite restaurant. So on a Saturday afternoon, I decided it was time that I finally give it a try. Parking is not the most convenient. They have metered street parking directly in front of the establishment. The restuarant itself is not very large. They have tables and booths on both sides.
For my very first time, I knew I had to get chicken and waffles since that is what they’re known for. I got the waffle and the fried breast. It was delicious! The waffle was larger than what I expected. It was perfectly golden brown and not too sweet with hints of vanilla and cinnamon peeking through. It came with a large dollup of butter on top. The fried chicken breast was moist, tender, and well-​seasoned. My friend opted for the red velvet waffle with fried chicken wings and collard greens. The red velvet waffle was good but I preferred the original waffle. The collard greens were also good, not the best I’ve ever had, but good, nonetheless. My other eating companion had the omelette with ham, tomatoes, and mushrooms, a side of potatoes and wheat toast. She said it was delicious as well.
The service was a little slow and maybe that’s because we went on a Saturday evening. The food was worth the wait. There was only a one-​stall bathroom so you had to wait your turn to use the restroom. It would be nice it they had more restrooms available but that’s a small thing. I also hear the kool-​aide is delcious! There are so many things on the menu that I want to try. I definitely plan on returnig to make my way through the menu.

I loved my meal here.
Got in on a late Friday morning to a packed place, but waited only about 5 minutes with my friend for a spot at the bar. The bartender was super friendly and helpful. Not a huge fan of their $ 10+ cocktails, and refusal to mix things other than their listed cocktails, but I just wanted a big mug of coffee anyway (From Great Lakes — it was excellent!)
the What Up Doe that I ordered came with two gigantic waffles, three pieces of superbly crispy and flavorful chicken, cheesy grits, and two eggs. The waffles were soft and fit with the rest of the meal perfectly, highlighting the contrast of crispy chicken and creamy grits. I only ate a third of what I ordered– the rest was a great second meal later.
My only mistake was not putting the eggs on top of everything else! In my long history of eating breakfasts, I have found that a runny egg on top of everything else is never a bad thing– ask my friends Biscuits and Gravy.
I was very interested in the rest of their menu, including a ton of soul food, and would love to stop in for dinner some time.

So while this place is still growing and learning and has had a lot of attention from the media and TONS of pressure from the community to see it succeed, it of course is far from perfect. However having said that, it still doesn’t negate my experience this morning just because they’re new.
I called at 9:45 to place a carry out order and was put on hold… for 5min. I decided to hang up and call back. When it eventually went through at 10am they took my order and said that I had to pay over the phone first before picking up — fine, no prob. She had to take my card info twice because the computer gave her issues and was asking for my street address and other info. Weird. Anyway I ordered The Big Red which is 1 red velvet waffle with 3 chicken tenders or pieces (I got tenders) 1 side (I got cheesy grits) and bourbon syrup, and I added a side of eggs. My total was $ 20.67 and I was told 20min. The total sounded rather high to me but I had already hung up the phone and decided to just wait till I picked up to see why it was high. I figured maybe they had a $ 5 carry out fee or something.
I walk in at 10:30 and wait in the carry out line in the back by the bathrooms. I expected to just walk in and grab my order and go right? I already paid and ordered unlike the three people before me and the continuous stream of customers off the street behind me for carry out — they all were walk ins. ONE HOUR LATER, I am not over exaggerating, did I finally walk out with my food!
As I was waiting, and waiting, I was getting upset that others were getting their orders before me. I inquired about it and was told my order wasn’t up yet. Another 15, order still not up as again others are getting their orders when they came in after me. I was told the red velvet takes 12min to cook and that since I had two was the reason why. Firstly I called in my order at 10, even if you’re busy you cannot justify a waffle taking an hour. Secondly, I only ordered one waffle. So my order finally comes out (with an extra waffle and no cheesy grits) and when I have to sign I dispute the check due to the extra waffle — hence the extra $ 5 I was wondering about. They apologize and say they’ll take it off but it would be a few minutes (!!!). After trying what voodoo magic they could with the register, and me standing there with growing cold food for 15min they couldnt change the charge.
Now I’ve been a saint this entire time, not being rude or giving attitude. They felt bad, were trying to correct their mistakes, and it could clearly see it. Kudos to them — but I was still furious on the inside and I have no poker face, lol.
FINALLY they just comp the meal and gave me cash back. Several people come and apologize and the manager (I think?) comes and gets involved. So after placing an order at 10am, I finally had it at 11:35 as I walked out. The food was of course cold by the time I got home (just near 8mi and Woodward, so 5min away) and I didn’t get any butter or bourbon syrup, it was regular. BUT it was free in the end.
In summation, the staff is great and they’ll be fine in the future. They know how to correct their errors. Sadly their kitchen staff is clearly slow and unorganized which makes for unacceptable wait times for food. Had I dined in it would have been the same issue — me waiting for an hour for a 12min waffle. I won’t recommend it right now, wait till they’ve been open for a few months then check it out. As for the food, the waffle was good (wish it had icing), but the chicken and grits were nothing spectacular — personally not worth my time. I will go back though, in the summer, and I’m pretty optimistic I’ll be able to update this with a much better experience and review. I really do think they’ll be successful in the long run.

I was super excited about trying Kuzzos! I first heard about it on the news and I immediately loved the back story. If you don’t know the story, Ron Bartell, the owner, is a Detroit native and former NFL player. Anyhow, back to the review…
When we walked in the place was packed! This was two weeks before their official grand opening. The tables and bar area were packed. There were about six people waiting ahead of us. We waited for about 45 minutes before we were able to get a spot at the bar. We probably would have had to wait an hour for a table.
We placed our orders and were quickly given large mason jars of Kool-​Aid and lemonade. You can also order mimosas, wine, Arnold Palmer, or just water. After waiting for about 10 minutes, the waitress told us that they were all out of Sweet Potato and Red Velvet Waffles (Nooooooooo! That’s the only reason I’m giving this place ⁴⁄₅ stars). So I decided to get the Buttermilk Waffles, and she offered to add in pecans. I also ordered chicken tenders and grits.
The food came about 10 minutes from then for a total of a 20 minute wait. Not bad for a new restaurant! When the food came there was ample syrup and butter and the food was hot. When I tell you my mouth was watering that does not do it justice. I couldn’t wait to dive in and Kuzzos did not disappoint! The waffles had hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar! The chicken was crispy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. The grits were seasoned well and had a good consistency. I’m getting hungry just writing about this!
My companions ordered the salmon croquettes and a to-​go order of shrimp and grits. They said it was delicious and I believe them. We also had a side order of mac and cheese that was really good.
March 3, 2015 is their grand opening which will mean extended hours. Currently, they are only open from 8:00 — 2:00pm. The new hours will have them open until 9:00pm during the week and 10:00pm on the weekend. I will be back — and I’ll be prepared to wait because this place is awesome!

My first Chix and waffles experience hails from Roscoe’s in California and their notoriety is so well documented you almost don’t even have to have tried it to believe the hype is real.
Moving to MI I’ve been yearning for chicken and waffles and having had Addison Eatery’s (terrible), this is by far much better by leaps and bounds!
I was told to try New Center Eatery and Honest John’s but never got the chance until Addison Eatery opened. Addison’s has more of a cornmeal breading and it was over fried and therefore dry. The Belgian Waffle was too sour as though the buttermilk itself went sour. Few bites and we tossed it and went to Asian Corned Beef instead.
But this is a review for Kuzzo’s! Kuzzo’s: (noun) term of endearment for one who is a friend or family member. A person of kindred, Culture, race or nation. Let’s just say I was the only Asian chick and wasn’t gonna be sayin’ «Wassup Kuzzo!» to anyone. But in hindsight, the ambiance was so laid back and the patrons all kind and chill for 11am Thursday. Service was polite and quick with a lil’ drink and order snafu but they quickly rectified it.
I got the Trey Deuce ($ 11) which came with 2 waffles and 3 pieces of fried chicken (wing, drum and thigh). I requested all wings b/​c I like more skin and breading than I do meat. I’m pretty sure they’re a buttermilk fried chicken kinda place b/​c the chicken was tender and fried perfectly as it was still juicy. The seasoning was equally perfect and not too salty. If you’ve been to Roscoe’s then you know it’s the thin waffle variety and not Belgian. Kuzzo’s waffle while thin had better seasoning and it’s rumored that that is the only batter that Ron Bartell himself makes. The family recipe has 11 secret spices in it and cinnamon is a dominating one. Not in a snickerdoodle sweet waffle kind of way but very pronounced. And I’m not sure if it’s just generic maple syrup but their maple syrup tasted Grade A to me and not overly sweet.
My partner in crime got a chicken breast and waffle with a side order of hand cut fries and smothered shredded cheese (cures all hangovers) and that’s where the order went wrong. They gave her chicken breast and cheesy fries but no waffle. Within 5 mins, a waffle came out like nothing wrong happened. Later, my girl wanted a refill on her Diet Coke (gross, I know!) but the server refilled it and gave it to the guy next to me (we sat at the bar) which he quickly took a sip not thinking about it. We both quickly laughed at him and he said, «Hmmm, this isn’t my grape Kool aid Huh?» The server was embarrassed but it was all good. We later caught big burly guy Instagramming his food saying, «My Gramma wanted to see what I was eating.» Uh huh. Sure, Kuzzo. ;)
I plan on coming back for the sweet potato waffle as I’m more of a thick Belgian waffle fan (now that I have a waffle maker too that the kind I like!). Red velvet pancake fans and rejoice knowing there’s also a red velvet waffle but I just can’t get on that red poop bandwagon. I also would love to try their shrimp and grits and side dishes which will be more visits to come.
Kuzzo’s is located in The Avenue of Fashion flanked by bead and hair salons. There’s street parking but if you can’t find any, park at Mike’s Market and walk over. The area itself was probably once a lively strip and it appears to be very cute and has potential. Now onto New Center Eatery and Honest Johns!