Gladys Knight’s Signature Chicken & Waffles

I have already done a review, but I’m updating it to include new appetizers that I tried.
The food is delicious! Service was great.
The sweet tea is very good. You will not need a refill because it comes in a 32oz glass.
I love the salmon croquettes, mac & cheese, yams, & collard greens. The cornbread, jerk chicken rolls and collard green and cabbage rolls are good. Everything tasted good. Even though I was stuffed, I could not visit this place without ordering a slice of sweet potato cheesecake Now all I need is a pillow & blanket because now I have the ‘itis’ lol

The wait time here wasn’t too bad, it was only about 15 – 20 minutes. The service was decent. The food, though… Not so sure about that. My friends and I (they’re meat eaters) had the collard green eggrolls, catfish platter, midnight train (they both had this), yams, mac and cheese, house potatoes, and the collard greens. Overall, the waffles were AH-​MAZING! By far the best thing on the menu. The collard green eggrolls… HARD PASS on ordering those again. The yams — ehh, tasted like they were canned or premade. Mac and cheese was kind of dry — nowhere as creamy as advertised — not seasoned at all. The catfish was excellent — i will give them that. Friends said their chicken wasn’t that good — said it was okay at best.
PLUS, there was the glass I was given for my water that definitely had TONS of purple lipstick already imprinted on it… Disgusting.
Not worth all the hype, honestly… One of those places to just go just to say you’ve been.

LOVED IT! It seems like there’s mixed reviews on here about this restaurant, but I always like to form my own opinion about something.
I went here this past Saturday (6−18−16), with my bf and his Mama. We were visiting someone at Emory Hospital so we were able to walk across the street and not have to hunt for a parking space. We arrived at about 3ish and it was already crowded. We had to wait 45mins-​1hr to be seated. When we were seated, our waitress, Marie, was prompt in greeting us, however, we did wait another 35mins for food, which wasn’t a big deal considering how busy they were that day! My food was DELICIOUS! I ordered The Southern Sautee w/​Salmon! OMGG! Finger licking good (so mad that I forgot to take pics of the food). My bf and his Mama ordered both the same dish which was Uncle Ron’s. I tasted some of his chicken and it was DA BOMB! I will mos. def. recommend Gladys Knight’s Restaurant, but I would suggest going maybe during the week when it’s probably not that crowded (I’m assuming).
My only complaint is that the booth we were sitting in had a faint odor that I couldn’t determine the direction in which it was coming, but it was very annoying. They should do a thorough wipe down of the booths occasionally after guests leave. Oh and the health score was a 90! YAAY!
Oh, one more thing that has nothing (well almost nothing) to do with the restaurant. When we were waiting to be seated, in walks a girl with almost nothing on. When I say that the only thing this chick had on was a shirt and some thongs (and I’m not talking about flip-​flops either) that’s all she had on (could actually see all of her Butt, not cheeks, her whole Butt… where they do that at), no exaggeration!!! She mos. def. wouldn’t have eaten at my establishment with that on! I would have told her,(like signs you see in different places of business): «No shirt, No shoes, No Pants (Butt Showing), No Service»! I can’t believe no one said anything to her!

Me my wife and a friend stopped by after we flew in from vacation. The hostess wasn’t very pleasant. I felt like she didn’t even look me in the eyes. Our initial waitress was nice and had a shift change not too long after we got our drinks. Our second waiter was even nicer.
I ordered a breast a thigh and a waffle. The chicken was delicious and flavorful. The only thing that could have been different was It was slightly a bit dry but not too much to bother me. Besides I used a little hot sauce any ways. The waffle was really good. It was Crisp yet still soft.
We actually had just came back from California and visited roscoes. This was a much better experience.
For me the standings go:
1.Tampa Loves chicken and waffle (Tampa, Fl *now closed*)
2. LoLo’s chicken and Waffles
3. Gladys Knights (Atl, GA)
4. Roscoes (Anaheim, CA)

The best in the ATL. The chicken and waffles are off the chain. The flavor of everything is just amazing. Then the gravy I got to dip my wings in is the best. I’m actually out of words to express.

Staff was not energetic, seemed like we were a burden patronizing their business.
They ran out of some of the items we wanted to order by 9:30 pm
The booth we sat in was awkward, and uncomfortable. Table was still dirty as we sat down. Yuck! I had to wipe it down with my wet ones cloth from my purse. Smdh
Food was ok. I took one for the team as I have been here many time back in 2001 – 2003. My best is just had to come here. And she was disappointed. Oh well.
I guess you go here to say you been, no need to come back though. Tons of other amazing places to feel more welcomed and appreciated.
Good luck GKCW

Worst food experience ever.
1. It took an hour for our food to arrive.
2. EVERYONE’S order was wrong.
3. The mac and cheese looked like it had been sitting for a week… and they still served it to us. (Burned, dry, very unappealing)
4. Sent my entire order back… still got charged for it.
5. What was edible… was cold.
6. In an attempt to «make it right»… they gave us 50% off… of food that I didn’t even eat.
Will never… ever. Go back. Ever.

It didn’t really strike me as the kind of restaurant that locals go to, especially since the people in front and in back of us in line were also out-​of-​towners. Oh yeah, there was a line that went along the outside of the building, and a 45-​minute wait to go with it.
Nevertheless, the food and service were fantastic. Our waitress was really friendly and helpful. Absolutely nothing negative to say about her or any of the other staff members. Even those who weren’t directly attending our table smiled and greeted us. True Southern hospitality.
The restaurant does look a little worn out, both inside and out. I think it would benefit from being remodeled, but maybe some people would disagree with updating a classic? We did enjoy seeing all of the photos of celebrities on the wall.
Okay, the food. I hate to be so predictable, but the three of us ordered the «Midnight Train,» a platter which consists of four fried chicken wings and a big waffle. I have no regrets. The chicken was perfectly fried and crispy, and the waffle had a great homestyle taste to it. I also ordered a side of candied yams, which was perfect. Additionally, we started our meal with cornbread. The cornbread was amazing. Soft and sweet, just the way I like it. The only thing that could have made it any better would’ve been a side of honey butter.
If I ever have the pleasure of visiting Atlanta again, I would totally make a return visit.

I will never visit this establishment again! Shrimp and grits um 4 shrimp come on the side of the plate next to the big bowl of bland grainy grits yuck! Lemon pepper wings are greasy and there was barely any lemon pepper on them, French fries were extremely soggy, the mac and cheese tasted like a stick of butter so that definitely got sent back and I tried the black eyed peas and those were worse! My bro in law had the chicken and waffles and he liked it but didn’t finish it all like he usually would so it was sub par smh! Not to mention we had to pick our teeth up off of the table from the overly sweet gallon beverage you’re served! I had lemonade and everyone else had the sweet tea… horrible!
I live in Atlanta and I never wanted to eat at the restaurant because of the reviews but my guests from out of town wanted to give it a shot and damn I should have listened to my gut lol it would have been much happier with quality food!
STAY AWAY! Trust me! The reviews are true

During my first visit to Atlanta, I polled many people who I came across and asked them which restaurants had the best soul food. Pretty much everyone included Gladys Knight Chicken & Waffles in their suggestions. So without even thinking further, I put the Gladys Knight (Downtown location) place on my list of MUST VISIT places since I would only spend three days in the A.
The time came for me to visit the restaurant. I decided to go in the early evening and beat the after-​work crowd. I was happy at finally having the opportunity to visit this iconic restaurant. I walked into the place, check out the surroundings and saw that the restaurant was not too packed with patrons. There were several empty tables. The one thing that hit me immediately was that it seemed like the staff was sad about something. At first glance, I saw that no one working in the restaurant had a smile on their faces or anything close. Additionally, for about 10 – 15 minutes, I waited at the front to be seated. No one ever approached me upon my initial entry, greeted me, nor give me a wait time. That has not happened to me in a minute. However, I still had my mind on the food that came here to eat. Finally, after about 20 minutes, a waitress finally greeted me– WITH A SMILE. She apologized for the long wait and took me to my seat.
While seated, I checked the menu as well as some food photos on Unilocal to help decide what I should order. Little did I know that I would have plenty of time to decide on what to order from the menu. This is because I waited about another 15 minutes before a server finally showed up at my table and asked me what I wanted to drink. The server was apologetic and knew that I had waited a long time. Of course this would not be the last time that I had to wait a long for something here.
I decided to order the smothered chicken with white rice, collard greens and black-​eyed peas. Just the thought of that platter almost made me forget the wait issues that I had experienced up to this point. But then the wait for the food itself was another 20 – 25 minutes. My food finally came and yes, I was very happy at what I saw on my plate. Those who recommended this place did not lie about the food. Everything was cooked to my specifications. The smothered chicken and rice was all-​world. The black-​eyed peas tasted so great, I would have thought that one of my southern relatives cooked them. After all of the waiting issues that I had, the food at least turned out great.
The good food kind of smoothed over the wait issues. I use the words «kind of» cautiously. Of course, had the food not been up to par, my experience at Gladys Knight would have been a total disaster. I will return to Atlanta sooner and not later. I will patronize this particular location again and see if the wait issues are still present.
In a nutshell, if you have the patience and are not dying of hunger, you will not have an issue here since the food is as good as advertised. However, if you cannot wait as I did, then you may not enjoy this place.

We were in town for a wedding (we’re from the West Coast) — and my love for good, belly-​filling Southern soul food is well known. I have my list of favorites when I come to Atlanta, and Gladys Knight’s is now on it, secured as a staple for every future visit.
The Restaurant: while the neighborhood was a touch sketchy and the construction outside was anything but welcoming, once I got inside I completely forgot all that and was instantly impressed. Relaxing, upscale décor instantly put me in the mood for chicken n waffles, some jazz, and enjoying a meal with my wife here. The walls are covered in history — so many celebrities and great musicians — I was tempted to walk around the place like a museum and look at them all.
The Staff: The staff was very friendly, true to Southern hospitality, and welcomed us like family coming over for a visit. They took the time to ask us how we liked the food, liked the restaurant, and to learn a bit about us and where we were from.
The Food: FYI — drooling on my keyboard as I write this. The chicken was moist with excellent seaonings and I found myself wishing i had another belly or two so I could keep eating. The waffles were simple, but well-​cooked and a perfect match in texture and flavor to the chicken.
We left there to catch our flight home — and I got some serious fat-​belly-​shuteye on the flight home (which never happens) — thanks to the tasty deliciousness filling my belly. I will definitely be back here ASAP!

My boyfriend and I was craving for some good southern comfort foods and what want to check out Gladys. We heard they are super busy on Sundays so we visited on a weekday. Make sure you have cash or cards to pay for parking.
We ordered the following to share between us:
House potatoes side 3.5
Salmon croquette 4.00
Two eggs any style 3.25
Midnight train 13.50
Uptown 2.50
The house potatoes sides were good but portion were small. The salmon croquette was a little too dry. The midnight train was good, I love the fried chicken, it was perfectly crispy and juicy. The waffle was also good. The uptown drink was pretty good size, and a perfect blend.
Overall, I would come back to Gladys for their fried chicken.

Disappointed that the resturant has a tiny waiting area to where you have to stand outside while waiting for a seat. On this particular day it was raining so you can imagine how annoyed I was. Wait time wasn’t outrageous (30 – 45 minutes).
Impressive menu to find the items I were interested in were either out or no longer served, outdated menu I guess. I settled with the fried chicken with collard greens and macoroni cheese and my husband had the yams and corn.
All the items were mediocre at best with the exception of the collard greens which were too salty!
I was born and raised in the South so it could be that my expectations were so much higher because I was raised on that type of food or it could simply be that the name sells the resturant and the food really isn’t all that awesome.
Either way a bucket list item was crossed off and glad to be able to tell my experience on the first and last time I ate at Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles!

One of the best places for chicken n’ waffles. Come early because the lines here can get pretty long.
I ended up ordering the Midnight Train to Georgia which is a 3-​piece fried chicken meal with a waffle. The waffle can be a bit more cakey and thick but instead it was paper thin. The hot syrup made the waffle that much better. Their chicken was delicious and had a nice crisp. Their chicken isn’t as meaty as other joints that I’ve been to but it did the job. I paired with a nice sweet tea which was served in a Big Gulp-​type cup; I loved it.
My friend’s sampler dish was on point too. There was a variety of items such as tenders, fried lemon pepper wings, fried wraps, and fried tomatoes. This whole thing was delicious.
Service was great and the portions were pretty good! The prices aren’t that bad either which is always nice.

First of all, it was my first time in ATL so there was no way I would miss eating here. It was the day before Valentine’s. The location is a little small so the wait is nuts. They need a text system to tell you that your table is soon ready. You just have to call every 5 minutes to check. What a waste of time to have someone just answering the phone every 5 seconds (loss of one star). They are building into the next door space so that’s a plus.
The food: meh (loss of one star) My husband said my fried chicken and baked mac is better. The waffles were good. The portions are wonderful size. The peach cobbler is legit!!(One star)
The atmosphere: there was an ATL officer inside to keep people from standing around. That’s a bit… crazy. It was cold. People were trying to stay warm. The restaurant was too small to wait inside. (Loss of one star here alone) the whole experience just to get a table was bonkers.
The staff: the staff seemed very annoyed and overwhelmed. Nobody smiled. My waiter seemed distracted by some girls so he missed one dessert on our order. They get hundreds of celebrities so you would think they are used to the madness but they seemed like frazzled of the traffic.
I’ll try it again I’m sure but maybe a different location. Roscoes beats this place — sorry.

Oh man, I really want to like this place after hearing all about its hype, but the chicken and waffle was disappointingly mediocre. The signature «Midnight Train» is the traditional chicken and waffle dish that comes with five medium-​small wings plus a waffle. The chicken tasted good but the skin was saggy like it’s sitting out (even though I came in almost 30 minutes after it opened) and lacked the crunch that I often associate with fried chicken. Perhaps that was just the fried chicken style in this restaurant, but I definitely know the waffle shouldn’t be this dry.
The bottom line was that the food was not bad but definitely did not live up to the hype. I was glad I didn’t have wait long to this. Although I may consider returning, I think you and I are better off trying out somewhere else especially if there’s a wait.

My friends and I visited Atlanta for the weekend and this was one of the place that we wanted to visit. We’ve heard of the long wait times here. So we decided to avoid this place on Saturday and Sunday and instead dine for a Monday lunch before our flight home.
We called around 11AM to see if we can place reservations. The lady who picked up our call informed us that they do not do reservations. We then asked what is the current wait time, and she said she cannot give that information over the phone.
We arrived around 11:30AM and was told the wait time was 30 – 45 mins. So we waited in a line outside the restaurant. As you wait, you get bothered by so many panhandlers asking for change. We were asked by at least 6 different homeless people for change. At one point the police came by to tell the panhandlers to stop bothering the patrons waiting. I believe the managers called the police to assist.
The wait ended up being longer than stated. After the initial 45 minutes, we followed up and was told another 15 minutes. After that 15 minutes, we followed up again and was told they we’re waiting for a party to leave. We ended up be seated around 12:50PM.
Once seated, I noticed how busy the restaurant was. Our server was very nice. Only complaint was his timeliness. The time it took to acknowledge us once we were seated, time it took to take our drink and food orders, time to get us our check once we requested was all longer than expected.
I ordered the Midnight Train Chicken and Waffles special with a side of Mac and Cheese and a cornbread. Chicken was very good. It had the right amount of salt and spice, very crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The waffle was underwhelming. We had Waffle House the day before, and they produced a very good waffle. That experience might have marred my Gladys Knight waffle experience. The Mac and Cheese was very cheesy. The Cornbread was basic.
Our party of 5 asked for separate checks and each of us had gratuity added to our bill.
I would go back here again. I was not expecting the amount of time used on waiting. Now that I’m more informed, trips here need to be carefully planned.
Pros: Chicken Wings, Mac and Cheese
Cons: Waiting, waiting, and waiting

I went here on a Sunday. The food was pretty good. I tried the omelette which is huge but a friend tried the chicken and waffles and said that was also good. I recommend going here. Also we found out that the parking lot next to the restaurant was free on Sunday’s. I think it’s just about what time you go as the line was extremely long when we left and the place is small

Midnight Train… Delicious. Can’t say anything bad about this place. Our waitress wasn’t that great, but the manager definitely made up for her short comings. Homemade fried chicken and a hot waffle… Cant go wrong. And the peach cobbler, just like ur moms. I advise u to get their early, the line wS wrapped around the building when we left.

Update: As of Feb 8, 2016, this place failed a health inspection. They scored 56.
Original Review: Gladys Knight’s is one of the places I recommend people who visits Atlanta. I feel like Chicken and Waffles are a southern delight and there’s no where better to have it then at a soul food restaurant with the name written all over it.
Here’s the catch, you will have to wait for a table. I have been here about 5 – 7 times and I have to wait 1 – 1.5 hours for a table every single time. Try to go on a weekday of you can. When it’s cold, you might have to wait outside since it’s a fire hazard to stand around the interior door with 50 other people.
I feel that the food is worth the wait. Besides, it’s the experience of being there for first-​timers.
What to eat? My favorite is the Uptown drink which is half lemonade and half sweet tea. For my entrée, I always get the Midnight Train. Four crispy whole wings and a large and fluffy waffle. It’s perfect every single time! The service is always great.

Food was ok but service was horrible from Brandi our waitress. She did not stop by once to refill our drinks or see if we needed anything. This location is small and there is always a long wait. There is $ 7.00 parking which is not validated. Once you enter the establishment, there is a sign on the counter that reads there is free parking behind the building within the red lines. Well don’t you think this signage should be somewhere outside in the parking lot like the parking company has?
Tables are small and I’m a small woman. I literally had to squeeze in between the table and seat. This made the meal uncomfortable. Unkept bathrooms was also a minus.
I wouldn’t go back for mediocre food and horrible service at the price I paid.

Glady’s Knight is an Atlanta classic. I’ve been here several times. Not sure why I’ve never reviewed them before.
We were told 45 minutes to an hour wait. Not surprising, in fact on some occasions the line is out the door.
Once seated we received excellent service.
I ordered a waffle appetizer and my friend ordered buffalo chicken spring rolls. The waffle was not good on this occasion, it was cold and I told the waiter it tasted like an eggo waffle. He offered to have it recooked. The buffalo chicken spring rolls were pretty good. The ranch dressing that accompanied them added a coolness to the spicy flavor.
Our dinner arrived and to my surprise the waffle never made it out. The server apologized and took it off my ticket without me asking. My salmon, Blackened, was scrumptious. So moist, flaky, and tender. The Julienned Vegetables were buttery and crisp. I had never tried squash and carrots julienned and I was impressed. The macaroni was of course to die for, that’s a no brainer. I tasted the rice and gravy from the smothered chicken, superb. My friend was so pleased with his smothered chicken. Overall, we enjoyed the meal. I always come here when a friend comes in from out of town so I will be back.
P. S. get the uptown (sweet tea and lemonade mix), no refills though

The food is good. The atmosphere is loud and the place needs renovated. But the food-​right on point!

I loved this place. I of course had the Chicken and waffles (strawberry waffles)
and a side of Mac and Cheese. The food was very good and the waitress was so nice and had a lot of recommendations since it was my first time there. The half and half was so good too, they call it something else but I cant remember right now. If you are visiting ATL for the first time this should definitely be on one of your «must eat» places list.

The food is just not good. I got the BBQ turkey wings, and it was mostly fat, and appeared that the wings were just boiled and bbq sauce thrown on it. The mac and cheese was actually good. We got the Southern Sampler and the appetizers-​uh, its not that they tasted bad but they didnt seem fresh, they seemed as if they had been microwaved.
My husband got the smothered chicken and he said it was just ridiculously SALTY (and thats crazy because he like alot of salt!!).
The lemonade had to be completely sugar, it was just toooooo sweet.
And lastly the service was incredibly slow, we waited over 45 minutes for our food and the food and appetizers all came at the same time. Never again.

We’ve been to Atlanta numerous times on business and passed this location several times, threatening to take a chance. Chicken &a waffles are so last week to me, however to our surprise they offered so much more. Short wait times for the area and amount of business, friendly staff and hostesses, and the food was awesome! We came in two times today. Lunch & dinner and will be back every time we visit the city.
I give them 5 stars however they had one flaw, the time it takes to get tables cleaned for seating. While 15 – 20 mins is a short wait, they could be faster.

Chicken and waffles never made sense to me when I was younger, but I have grown up. The combination of sweet, salty, (and if you add that dab of hot sauce) spicy speaks to me at the mature age of 28.
I got the Midnight Train which comes with 4 large wings and 1 waffle. It’s kinda hard to mess up fried chicken and a waffle, and Gladys does a decent job. The fried chicken is pretty generic to be honest and, if you eat the waffle alone, it’s more vanilla than generic. The combination of everything tastes good but far from the best chicken and waffles. Sadly, I might have to say this place is dragging onto its reputation rather than actually putting out amazing food. But it’s still a solid meal.
It’s hard to tell someone not to visit supposedly the «best chicken and waffles» in Atlanta, but I am telling you maybe try another place and give them a try!

Every time I visit Atlanta this spot is a must if you want a taste of the «Dirty South». Great service. Excellent food. Beautiful and soulful atmosphere. My only grip is that their portions aren’t as big as I personally would like (I’m greedy lol). Nevertheless, I still feel it’s definitely worth visiting.
Note: There’s normally long lines/​waiting list therefore I suggestion you come on a nice weather day. I actually go on a short walk to view a little of the downtown area while I kill time but don’t go too long and miss your seat! Lol

OKAY! First time here and I got Uncle Ron’s meal. That meal is so good! Chickens are HUGE! And the Mac and Cheese plus the fried Okra are yummy! I love it here. I didn’t finish all my food, but I will be back. OHHHHH not to mention, the drink cups are huge lol. The server is really nice. I didn’t wait to get my food or drink order.
The atmosphere is nice. Really nice. I’m loving the pictures. I just love this place.

Ordered the smothered chicken, my first thought was whoa too expensive. But when it came out and I got to taste it I was pleasantly surprised. Everything I ordered even down to the corn muffin was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this place to any newcomer to the great city of Atlanta!

We decided to check out Gladys Knights before leaving ATL. I read that they had the best chicken and waffles, blah blah blah. We got here around 12:30 PM on a Sunday and put our name on the list. We were told that it would be between 30 – 45 minutes. No problem. As I was waiting I was told that I could not stand up, and would have to either sit down or wait outside. This wouldn’t be an issue if there were seats and it was not 40 degrees outside.
Long story short, you can leave, and are given a number to call to check your place in line, but if you are not there, your table is forfeited. We went back to the car, waited and then came back and were finally seated. This is where the next wait begins. You wait for your server, then your drinks and finally the food arrives. All in all this process took an hour. We got the midnight train and a few other items.
Food was decent, but not worth over a total of a 2 hour wait time.

The squash casserole as a side is DELICIOUS!
The chicken is always extra juicy (I personally would prefer a little extra kick but hot sauce is always an option), the crab cakes were pretty good and their Mac and cheese is perfect. Love this place and the atmosphere is very warm :) free parking in this part of town is a bonus!
Note: FREE parking lot is around the back! Otherwise there is paid parking directly next to the entrance :)

Just a brooklyn girl! Relocating to Atlanta and wanted to know what all the hype was about while visiting this place and ehhh I would say its a bit overrated. First off Im new to this whole Atl lifestyle so everything has been a sight seeing adventure for me. This place is literally like around the corner from the hood (the south hood)…and up the block from the city part of Atl… but anywhoos back to the restaurant… me and my spouse got seated right away… and ordered our meal… Now! The food was not all that ! It was actually dry! C’mon Glady’s …the collard greens was dry! Tasted liked can collard greens.
The mac &cheese (side eye) was not the best the cheese couldn’t even be goverment cheese cause government cheese actually melt… i had very Hi hopes for this place… but I will visit again to try the dessert to see if that would change my mind…
Oh our waiter was good! Always on the lookout if we was good

Came here a couple weeks back when in Atlanta and wanted some Soul food. Yup, this was the place to be. Everything was delicious with big portions including the sweet & lemonade tea. I had the Shrimp & Grits which was excellent. Nothing fancy just plain grits but so good! The peach jam with cinnamon bread was great as well. Had the fried green tomatoes for appetizer. The rest of the party had the wings & waffles & the fried chicken with Yummy Mac & Cheese & Fried Corn.
The service was slow that day so the manager gave us a 20% discount! Thank you!
I def will be back when in town! :)

The most overrated place in Atlanta, bar none.
I came here one evening with my other half and a friend of mine after a night of lounging and partying. Needless to say I was ready to chow down. We got here about 2 am-​ish and the restaurant was at about 40% capacity. After we received our waters and Mary’s favorite, Arnold Palmer, it was time to order our grub.
Before we were able to put our order in we were alerted to the fact that all they had as far as chicken was concerned was wings. How could you be a place that specializes in chicken and only have wings?! After I got over this travesty I decided to order the turkey wings with mac & cheese and cabbage, while Mary chose the Midnight Train with mac & cheese, and my friend Jermaine chose the blackened salmon with lima beans.
We sat there for at least 50 minutes to an hour waiting on our food with no interaction from our server. When our food finally came out it was lukewarm at best. Mary’s wings tasted like Crisco. My bbq turkey wings didn’t taste like bbq turkey wings. Their only point was the fact that they were tender. I couldn’t even find one other good thing to say about them. The mac & cheese was bland, It would be nice if I could actually taste the cheese in it. Letdown isn’t a good enough word to describe the experience.
This was my fourth time. For all of the praise that I have seen this place get I just cannot understand how they continue to be in business and constantly have service comparable to no other place i’ve seen. If your visiting Atlanta cross this restaurant off of your to do list. Thank me later.

Previously this was one of my favorite go to spots when I first moved to Atlanta almost 6 years ago. I’ve seen Michelle Williams (from Destiny’s Child) here. I’ve heard numerous celebrity encounter stories. I’ve also had some great memories here.
This particular night was so bad, though. I got the famous «Midnight Train» (chicken and waffles). My waffle came out and had obviously been sitting for a while because it was room temperature. My chicken was piping hot but apparently had just been refried in some grease because it tasted just like oil. The egg I got on the side was supposed to be scrambled but it was almost burnt.
I was totally disappointed.
I tasted my boyfriend’s dish and he got turkey wings. The wings were tender but the sauce on top of them wasn’t quite bbq sauce like it stated and it tasted, for lack of a better word, nasty. He didn’t like them either. The mac and cheese was just ALRIGHT. eh.
For this to be a famous landmark the food has definitely not been as good as my previous visits. I’m not sure if it was because we came around 230a and they close at 4a but if you can’t keep the food just as good as the first meal of the day then you don’t need to be open late.
Not sure I’d recommend this to visitors or even come back here. There are 3 establishments and I’ve only been to one of the other restaurants, the Stone Crest location (yes, I have a review of there too and it wasn’t good).
Don’t believe the hype. There are numerous places with 5 star service and food in the city.

Came here pretty late after a party one night for some chicken and waffles. I’m really not a huge chicken and waffles fan, but they’re pretty legit here.
I got the Midnight train, which is four jumbo chicken wings and a waffle. The wings are massive and they came out piping hot. Definitely worth a visit!

Chicken and Waffles at its finest. We actually found out about this place during our little city tour. I’m glad we found out about it cause it was so good. Everyone in Atlanta are just so nice and friendly. So we had just had lunch but we had to try this place so we decided to share an order of chicken n waffles. I’m not a wing person. Never have been. So the waiter actually let us get 4 pieces of thigh and 2 waffles. It was like an a la carte order. Oh and an order of candied yams. Wow everything was good. Chicken was so flavorful and juicy and delicious. We actually got the cinnamon pecan waffles and they were full of flavor and nice and hot and fresh. The yams were amazing. Definitely authentic southern food.

I wanted to see what authentic southern soul food was like. I’m all about those «must try» kind of places when I’m out of state, and seeing that this place is a popular Unilocal destination and was featured on Man V. Food, I figured this must be it.
It doesn’t appear to be much on the outside, but once you walk in — Wow. This place has got some ambiance. Everything was clean, polished, and looked great. The deep mahogany, dim lighting, and old school r&b/motown/jazz sounds that filled the room all made for a classy, mellow, hip kind of vibe.
I ordered the Smothered Chicken on rice, collard greens, and fried corn, all which comes with a honey glazed cornbread muffin. I didn’t like the collard greens so my waitress replaced it with their popular mac & cheese at no extra cost. And I just gotta say — Damn!!! Everything tasted so good! The mac & cheese was yummy and gooey, the chicken slathered in gravy was hearty and delicious. Everything about the food here was on point. I was super full after and took some of the sweet cornbread muffins to-​go for the flight back home. Consider me a happy customer. I highly recommend this place. Now I hope I can find a place that’s just as good in Los Angeles…

Let me paint a picture for you. My day started off well. I’d just fit into my skinny jeans and for once the YouTube lessons paid off and my eyelashes were even. I felt confident and as Oprah would say «my best self». Then, I saw a video of a young man eating a Patti Labelle sweet potato pie. My mind drifted to images of smothered chicken, mac & cheese, and bread pudding. That’s where things with wrong. I grabbed a couple of friends and colleagues at a conference I was attending and we walked to the closest Gladys Knight (yes, in GA there’s more than one).
There wasn’t the 30 minute wait the hotel concierge had predicted. Our group of 7 was immediately seated. I ate mac & cheese, smothered chicken, hot cornbread plus fries so I wouldn’t leave any of that amazing gravy on the plate. Honestly, everything was amazing as if my Southern grandmother cooked it. Ok not really, my grandmother was Southern and burned every dish she every cooked. So the dishes were as good as if Patti Labelle or Gladys Knight were my grandmother and personally cooked dinner for me.
Sadly, when we were ready to leave those skinny jeans didn’t fit as well but I was still experiencing wonderful visual imagery. So warning to all that will visit Gladys Knight’s restaurant as well my future self, enjoy the authentic Southern cooking but don’t wear your skinny jeans. Elastic waistband– that’s all I’m saying!

Went with some friends for a Saturday evening dinner, and even with reservations, it was an hour wait outside in the chilly air. The servers were efficient and helpful, and the food was pretty good for the most part. I had three side vegetables and a waffle, and was very pleased with my selection. I might go again if I was going with friends, but this area of town is a bit off my beaten path to make going here a regular thing.
Also, if you are in a group, double-​check your ticket for gratuity. They typically add gratuity for the overall table, so if you ordered a less expensive meal, you still paid the same amount for a more expensive meal. That meant that one of our party was paying 50% gratuity! They don’t like to separate checks, but they were kind enough to do that for us, which made our party happy.

Service was quick and friendly and the mac n cheese was awesome, but that’s about the end of the positive things I have to say about this place.
The fried chicken was bland and the coating was too thick. The chicken wasn’t moist and the waffle were a little under cooked. Greens weren’t too bad.
The lemonade was so sweet we couldn’t even drink it. We ended up ordering a water and putting a spoonful of the lemonade in it to give it some flavor.
Wouldn’t recommend, there are loads of better places out there to check out.

I can finally check this Atlanta institution off my bucket list, and I didn’t even have to wait in line. –Let’s get down to it.
*****
I. FOOD
According to the server, two entrees really stand out: the Midnight Train (their version of chicken and waffles) and Smothered Chicken (chicken topped with gravy over rice). Being a first-​timer, obviously, I had to get their chicken and waffles. (*Note: a flavored waffle can come with either bananas, pecans, or chocolate and will cost $ 1.50 more.) I also asked for their fried green tomatoes.
*Fried Green Tomatoes: I would not recommend these. The batter falls off easily, and they don’t have flavor. The sauce tastes like A Thousand Island Dressing. ($ 6.99)
**Midnight Train: Slightly sweet, A-​OK waffle with four pretty tasty fried chicken wings. (Fried chicken was tasty enough for me to burn the entire insides of my mouth.) I appreciated that they didn’t over fry them, but I do wish they had some sort of kick. –The syrup, which sits on each table, was pretty basic. All-​in-​all, the Midnight Train is a solid meal, but not that quite memorable. ($ 13.50)
II. SERVICE
I came in expecting some transcendent chicken and waffles, and I left blown away by the service. I forget her name, but she kept her cool even though the restaurant got slammed and still managed to call me honey, sugar, sweetie, or darling each time she saw me. I love her.
III. ATMOSPHERE/​DÉCOR
As one would expect, they play 80s and 90s R&B that made me wish I had my girl to dance with. I dig the comfy booths and pics of famous people on the walls, too. And who doesn’t love watching the Classic NBA channel? Jordan, Kukoc, Pippen? Yes. lol. Bathrooms were clean, too.
IV. PRICES
My entire meal fell above $ 20, and I think it was a little over-​priced for the quality and taste of the food. People pay for the novelty, though, and I’m cool with that.
V. OTHER TIDBITS
–Park in the lot to the right of Gladys Night’s. The restaurant rests in a tough part of Downtown (especially on Renaissance Parkway NE), so I would absolutely avoid driving down that road if possible. A security guard holds it down in that lot, and I felt more comfortable leaving my car there than on the street. And DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY TO ANYONE ON THE SIDEWALK! lol. Only give your money to the machine, and put your receipt on the dash. People hustling hard, yo. haha.
–Parking in the lot for a couple hours will cost about $ 7.
–Don’t go during peak hours, in order to avoid the ridiculous long line.
VI. OVERALL
Hmmmm, I might eventually take my girlfriend there, and I think it’s fine to try at least once, but I’ve had much better chicken and waffles in Atlanta. Even at that price point.

This spot is something of a staple yo. That’s for real, and there’s no denying it. You came here, your friends come here, your friends friends come here. Even if you didn’t like it, someone else will because it truly is that good.
Come early, and semi hungry because during prime time hours a line develops. This is indicative of how popular this restaurant is. I like their chicken and waffles here. It’s named, The Midnight Train, partly a play in words from the origins of this dish.
Anyways, I’m not here to give you a history on the chicken and waffles. I’m here to tell you how awesome they are here. You can even get different type of waffles for the gigantic chicken wings that accompanies them. Wash it all down with some Arnold Palmer and life is an amazing event.
You’ll like it here, trust me, as long as you’re not a booshnay type. If you are, then take your booshnay butt to some booshnay restaurant, order yourself a margarita and a well done steak because that’s the classy thing to do.
Now with that being said, enjoy life, enjoy it the way it was suppose to be enjoyed, not because someone who think they know, but doesn’t, dictates the way you should enjoy it.
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