Black-owned restaurant Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles coming to Nashville

Owned by Darnell and Tonya Johnson, the restaurant will be located in East Nashville.

Esther Shittu
Written By Esther Shittu
News Writer
Credit: Tonya Johnson

A chicken and waffles restaurant concept originally birthed in Chicago will open its first Nashville location next year.

Husband and wife duo Tonya and Darnell Johnson owns Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles.

The couple opened their first location in 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.

The path to Nashville began after Darnell Johnson acquired a building in East Nashville.

“I’m into construction rehabbing,” Johnson told What Now. “There was a building that they actually got me down to look at. It was in a very good spot so I bought the building and we’re getting ready to put something nice there.”

One differing factor is that there aren’t many black-owned restaurants in the area, Johnson said. Moreover, the concept is unlike any Nashville has seen before, he said.

“There’s no chicken and waffles,” he said. “Basically, it’s a full-service sit-down restaurant.”

Items on the menu include a special hot chicken, string beans, potatoes, and catfish.

The Johnsons also plan to have live entertainment on the weekends.

“The atmosphere is going to be an upscale atmosphere,” Johnson said. “It’s not going to be just a walk-in restaurant.”

Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles will be at 2521 Gallatin Ave.

“East Nashville is booming,” Johnson said. “It’s one of the hottest areas right now. We’re only about three or four minutes from downtown.”

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