Melly Mell's

I freaked out when I saw Melly Mel's was permanently closed, but then I read on FB that they will be opening in a new location soon. Thank god. This place is great. The location was out of the way, but worth it.

Best chicken and waffles I've ever had. And this is saying a lot, as I used to frequent the famous Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles.

Amazing. The chicken here is perfect; it has a very interesting seasoning like nothing I've had on fried chicken before, and it packs quite a flavor to complement the crunchy, masterfully fried wing.

I also had the catfish which was excellent, along with four sides: baked beans, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese and french fries. Both the beans were plenty tasty, the baked beans especially with their sweet peppery sauce and hamburger bits. The mac and cheese was also good, I recommend mixing it with the beans.

I will say the fries left something to be desired, however they seem an afterthought given the rest of the fare.

Do yourself a favor and find the entrance (it's on the side of the office building) and descend those stairs, this place is a gem.

I don't say this lightly: I just had the best fried chicken, ever. Followed closely by great rib tips, amazing baked beans (with chunks of ground beef), lustrous potato salad, and other [insert positive adjective] sides (FYI, two sides and a drink are included with most menu options).

Melly Mell's is hard to find (Google Navigation got us close enough). Once you arrive you'll notice the entrance is suspect. Go inside. You are here for the food, not a pretty door and facade.

Also, if you are looking for a good deal this place is easy on the pocketbook.

A hard place to find, but well worth the trek. This is my favorite eatery in all of Madison-dom. The owner makes her own freaking caramel for her incredible caramel cake. My husband says "It tastes like Christmas." Carmelle and her family are incredibly friendly and always happy to see new people. Incredible food for the price. We always over tip a lot because we feel so badly that we pay so little for such an amazing meal. The southern style food is perfect. I haven't tried the lasagna yet, but Mama knows how to cook so I know it'll be good! "Where your Mama at!?"