Does not get better than this place. Small local gem vibes. The best chicken, the best flavors, all housemade (including the sauces)... and to top that off, the staff are SO kind! They offer special dishes and innovative eats that you can find advertised in-house or through their socials. If you value consistency, they have a core menu that's available online for pickup orders or delivery. This place is a local legend and for good reason. If you haven't tried them yet, you need to. read more

Ma Lou's is always a 10/10. The food is amazing, the service is great, and the atmosphere is wonderful. I love that you can get any of the sandwiches made with tofu instead of chicken- it is amazing! The lemon pepper sandwich (Lemon Chick) with tofu was INCREDIBLE. I love it so much and could literally eat that every day. I highly suggest all their sandwiches but the lemon chick was especially good! read more

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This little chicken place is amazing. The chicken, baked beans, slaw etc are all hand made and super flavorful. They even make the ice cream for the shakes! The staff is so nice. The place is smaller but there was plenty of seating for our group of 8. We will definitely be back. read more

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Pretty good fried chicken!! We ordered the assortment of fried chicken pieces, sweet potato fries, and a fried chicken sandwich. I loved the drumsticks and they were SLIGHTLY over fried but otherwise had a good crunch and flavor. The sweet potato fries were unfortunately soggy cause we took it to go, but they tasted good! The sandwich was good as well and def very filling. read more

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I have never heard of a Chicken Smashburger before so I had to try it! This one had 2 house ground chicken patties, pickles, smoked onion jam, white cheddar, and garlic aioli. It was delicious! The sweet potato fries were also hot and fresh! Definitely recommend stopping in and giving this unique burger (Or the tenders or biscuit donuts) a try! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Lous Chicken Smash burger and sweet potato fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

WOW!!! If you like fried chicken this is the place to go. Small but nice inside. You can get takeout or stay and eat. They have several chicken sandwich options and some plate options. They also have wings. Order at the counter when you arrive the. Grab a chair. The staff was super friendly and they were all hustling and getting food out. I can't wait to stop again. The Mac n cheese is solid and the chicken sandwich was spectacular. read more

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When in the mood for chicken, we often trek from Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti, home of "The OG"... one of the best chicken sandwiches around! I recommend going with the thigh for added juiciness and flavor - the Gouda and slaw are delicious additions, and offset the spiciness (I normally go for medium heat, although southern style is also great if you don't like spicy, or try Spicy AF if you are daring!). I also love that they have rotating specials, so today I tried the Seoul Sliders - so glad I did! The Gochujang BBQ sauce was very tasty, and loved the contrasting coolness of the cucumber and crunch of the kimchi. The fries are always fresh and hot, cooked perfectly... and love when I can add malt vinegar! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Fresh cut fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

Massively overpriced and terrible service. My food took FOREVER to be ready. Don't bother with this place.

I love to enjoy fried chicken, it is a guilty pleasure of mine knowing it might not be the best for my arteries... but I can't help but RAVE about Ma Lou's! No matter where in the country I have visited, I consistently think about the next time I'll be able to have Ma Lou's. Don't get me wrong, there is great fried chicken elsewhere too - but it just doesn't compare to the texture, juiciness/freshness, and FLAVOR that you'll find here! The service is incredible - you wouldn't expect to find the same folks behind the counter each time you return, and it's great to see it here! The shop is unassuming, something you might think of as fast food - but it's a sleeper if you walk in for the first time. read more

Ma Lou's always comes up as a recommendation for fried chicken in the area where ever you look. They are mainly famous for their chicken sandwiches, but they are also one of the few places in the area (if not the only place) that served bone-in hot fried chicken. Hot Chick Sandwich, Thigh ($12) - This sandwich automatically comes at A.F. spicy level. Any spicy level named A.F. at a restaurant at Nashville will absolutely cause searing pain while eating so I was a bit apprehensive when ordering it. But upon eating a bite, my first thought was "is this it?" When compared to most other places, this chicken would probably be a mild, maybe medium if you're being generous. The spice level notwithstanding, the sandwich is legitimately good. The chicken is fried perfectly, allowing an exterior crunch that doesn't soften from all the other ingredients in the sandwich, and still allows the interior to remain juicy and delicious. Underneath the chicken thigh is a pile of shredded lettuce and a tomato slice (that makes the sandwich healthy, right?) and on top is a melted slice of pepper jack to add some creaminess, and a slice of well rendered bacon for even more of a salty meat explosion. There's "spicy" ranch covering the interior and everything is on a fluffy bun. The ingredients work well together, without any one element overpowering another. Very solid sandwich and a definite recommend. (5/5) Fried Chicken Plate, Medium Spicy ($15) - With my disappointment at the A.F. spice level, I knew medium probably wouldn't be very spicy at all. In this case, this would be a mild for sure and possibly even pass for no heat. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed in this fried chicken, especially with regards to the flavor. Hot chicken should be salty, very spicy, a bit sweet, a bit tangy and very flavorful from the cayenne. This one is just bland in comparison and I feel like it isn't even salted enough. To be fair, the chicken is still fried perfectly - again a very nice crunchy coating, perfectly textured, and with all three pieces of chicken remaining exceptionally juicy. The chicken is served on top of two slices of white bread. The bread is usually used to soak up all the delicious hot oil but in this case there's barely any hot oil to begin with. I have a feeling that the spice mix they use at Ma Lou's is more appropriate for their sandwiches, since it doesn't allow the chicken to overwhelm all of the other flavors. So overall I consider this to be a good fried chicken, but not a good hot fried chicken. (3/5) The plate comes with collard greens and baked beans. The greens are tangy and salty, giving a nice reprieve from the more bland chicken. The baked beans are sweet, tangy, and savory. It's some kind of bean mix, with some black beans and other smaller beans. The beans are cooked until tender and the entire mix is a bit reddish in color - a big departure from most other places that are more brown in color. With all that being said, Ma Lou's serves some solid fried chicken sandwiches and I would not hesitate to recommend them. Just jeep in mind that this is the Midwest and not Nashville, so things are toned down a bit in spice. Bathrooms - Small single unisex room, labelled "the lou" Overall rating of the food this visit: 4/5 read more

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OMG so good! We happened to be Ypsilanti on National Fried Chicken day and I am so glad I found Ma Lou's. We came in not knowing anything about the place, but the cashier was quick with recommendations. We ordered The OG (Southern and medium) along with the WTF fries. Everything was amazing including the homemade hot sauce on the table. And you can't beat the price and quality. Highly recommended. read more

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Chicken was not cooked, still bloody at the wing joint. Parking is very bad, few spots and off alley. Service was fine read more

Was craving comfort food after being sick, so finally gave in and ordered ma Lou's chicken sandwich. Chicken was awful - rubber like texture. One and done. read more

Ma Lou's is a name I've heard on a few occasions in passing. This joint has a reputation for serving what many consider THE BEST fried chicken sandwich in Michigan. That is a type of honor that comes with great pressure and responsibility, so I needed to see if these claims held any merit. I made sure to get the hottest spice level for my sandwich (The Hot Chick) because a friend of mine warned me that I could probably handle it with no major issues. I was very pleased to know this because I found my chicken sandwich to be hot, but not so hot that I needed a cup of milk to save me. In fact I found myself adding hot sauce to it for additional heat. So does this restaurant have the best chicken sandwich in Michigan? I am not sure, but I will say it's my favorite thus far. I did not need any sides with this monster breast. All the ingredients complimented each other and nothing was slipping or sliding out. The lettuce, tomato, pepper jack cheese and jalapeno ranch came together in perfect harmony. The only other places in recent memory I feel could compete with Ma Lou's are Eureka Eatery or Popeyes (I know it's a fast food chain but their spicy chicken sandwich is still amazing). Don't take my word for it, I don't think you'll be disappointed! read more

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I have had two opportunities to try Ma Lou's and both times have enjoyed every last bite. I had the Chicken Parm sandwich and a side of Pimp Puppies. The breading on the chicken parm hoagie was perfectly crisp and the inside was tender and hot. The marinara was chunky and I loved the whole basil and mozzarella melted on it. The side was four roasted sweet corn and corn meal deep fried puppies with creamy pimento dipping sauce. Very filling but sinfully good. We had an order of onion petals, but the puppies far outshined. Last summer, I had The OG, served on a bun with slaw and onion. Again, I noted how delicious and tender the meat was and how the breading was crisp. No tough or fatty chunks you often get when ordering fried chicken. My daughter had the Chicken and Waffles. The portions were generous. You should see how large their chicken tenders are! I will go back to treat my belly again!! read more

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My husband was in Ypsi for work last night and asked if I wanted him to bring home dinner and I immediately said, "MA LOU'S!" Now, historically we've regular old fried chicken but yesterday we decided to do sandwiches. I just wanted straightforward comfort food so I went with the "Basic Chick" and holy moly, that sandwich may have been the best fried chicken sandwich I've ever had? It was so simple but incredibly delicious--fried chicken thigh (you have your choice of thigh or breast, GO FOR THE THIGH), mayo, pickle, and lettuce on a brioche bun. It's no frills but that chicken? OMG. So good. I might have audibly made sounds of pleasure when I took my first bite. And the second...third....until the very last one. My husband went with the "O.G" sandwich--cheddar, smoked gouda, slaw, and pickles on an onion roll. He was equally as pleased with his sandwich as I was with mine. For sides we got the onion petals (great and definitely a sharable portion) and BBQ beans (not really my thing in general but my husband loves 'em) and a banana pudding for dessert. The pudding was also REALLY good. It's a sharable portion if you only want a bite of something sweet but I recommend getting two because it's so good you're going to want to eat it all. I love their fried chicken pieces but I don't know if I could ever go back now that I've had this sandwich. I could eat it every day and twice on Sunday! read more

Called to order. Got the banh mi. Was okay. The bread part was disappointing. I felt like it was a brick.. top and bottom. The add ins with the pickled veggies were... meh? It wasnt bad but didnt blow my mind. I wonder if the regular cole slaw would've been better. Chicken itself was good for sure. So maybe just do the chicken and not the sandwich. Sweet potato was soggy as it was probably sitting there wilting. Corn crumble was also not worth it. Not creamy and it was sweet, guess not expected. Overall, chicken good. Sandwich a no. Also parking is in the back. Take the right immediately after the shop and park in the back. read more

Great wings! Delicious Hot chicken sandwich would've been a 5 if had more pickles on the sandwich. Nothing tasted frozen. Side of fries easily shareable for two. Wish there was a fountain drink option. Will definitely be back! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

By far, the best fried chicken breast I have had from a restaurant - perfect crunch, blended spiced breading, the works. The OG had a little too much going on, granted it tastes great - smoked Gouda slice, cheddar slice, Cole slaw and pickles; I just so happened to enjoy it more deconstructed. For sure next time I'd get chicken tenders or plain filet because it deserves to just be appreciated on its own. Cole slaw as a side would be great too, it has a nice creamy but still crunchy style. Sandwich protein options also include catfish and tofu. You have the option of breast or thigh for chicken-based sandwiches. read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - The O.G. sandwich with chicken breast. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

I'm really disappointed with my latest experience at Ma Lou's. I ordered a sandwich two days ago and yes, I understand two days ago. But I've been sick and didn't have time to open it until today. But when I opened the sandwich, it didn't have any sauce on it at all. And the past several months, I've been ordering 3 sandwiches once a week for my family. Unfortunately, that meant the chicken was quite dry because it was just a piece of chicken breast in a bun. I have the sandwich and the online receipt from ordering via their website for pickup. I was more than willing to take the sandwich and receipt to them to show them that I didn't eat it and what was wrong. But when my brother called for me (sick, no voice) the woman that he spoke with was kind of rude and offered the marinara, but that was it. And normally I would've taken that, but the chicken was really dry give the situation. When he went to the restaurant to talk to her just a few minutes ago, he said she basically just ran into the kitchen and grabbed a sauce and was like OK, Good night, bye. Unfortunately, that just really turns me off from wanting to go back. And that's a shame because I absolutely love their sandwiches and like I said, I ate one once a week. read more

Amazing, budget friendly fried chicken sandwich. Huge piece of chicken for the cost and fills you up. Service is quick and people are friendly. read more

Fired Chicken? What can go wrong? Caution, when you order to go, check your food before you leave! I ordered some chicken & waffles & some brussel sprouts. I'll let the pic speak for itself, but they were burnt to crisps. I tried to eat them, but charring was so bad I could not get the flavor of the brussel sprouts. read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

While ar were visiting family in Michigan we went to lunch at Ma Lou's. The place was all me! Loved the small shop vibe and the decor reminded me of a southern chicken shop like we have in Florida. The lady who waited on us was Shannon and she was AMAZING!!! I had the fish and we others had the fried chicken. We also go the fritters. Great food, it was hot but I really didn't get much fish for what it cost ($15.00). I recommend this spot. So far it's the best food in MI! read more

Had the chicken tenders (medium spice) plate and the side of chicken breast (southern). Tasty and big portions! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

Ma Lou's is pretty good! I've tried both the southern and medium flavored fried chicken and the banh mi sandwich. Southern does not have much flavor, and medium is pretty spicy. I prefer medium over southern. The skin is super crispy, and the meat is always very juicy, tender, and steaming. My only complaint is the lack in depth of flavor and how oily the chicken is (it is always dripping with oil). The banh mi sandwich is not very traditional, but I did enjoy their take on it. You can opt for any of the spice levels on boneless breasts or thighs for the banh mi. Their sides are a great highlight! I've tried the potato salad, fries, cornbread donut, and watermelon salad (seasonal). The potato salad and watermelon salad are by far the best sides. The fries are a bit soggy and too salty, and the cornbread donut was honestly kind of stale. I would recommend coming to Ma Lou's for pretty good fried chicken. I don't think it will blow your mind, but it is definitely a filling and affordable meal. As a plus, their restaurant is super cute; their bathroom has chicken wallpaper! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Banh Mi Sandwich with Medium flavored boneless thighs - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

Superb food - couldn't ask for better. The service was excellent, as well. Judging by the amount of traffic going in and out - others definitely agree. read more

I was brought here by my partner as a small "out of the way" stop on our trip back home. Let's just say this will now be a very intentional stop that is not a convenient distance from home and will be absolutely worth it. Every dish I saw looked awesome! I landed on the Banh Mi, and it was hands down one of the top 5 sandwiches I've ever had. The restaurant is really cute and clean and the turnaround for food was pretty fast: maybe 10 mins for service for a 3-person order. I tend to prefer my food on the saltier side but this sandwich was so perfect and well balanced that I didn't want to do anything to their recipe. Can't include a photo because I was in a trance once I had the first bite. read more

I gave 3 stars for the chicken, let me talk about those. The tender, large white meat moist on the inside crispy on the outside.. perfect! tried the creamed corn it was a miss. We also tried the beans, way over spiced. With our dinners were supposed to be coleslaws none made it into our bag . So for$ 31.50 for 6 chicken tenders. I won't be back. read more

Best chicken sandwich in Michigan. Would recommend to anyone in the area. The service is good too.

Sooooooo good! I've only had Ma Lou's twice but it is so freaking delicious. The chicken is moist (icky word) and the breading is perfectly peppery and not too salty. The pickles on the sandwiches are yummy, as are the buns. Pricey but so worth it. Lots of menu items I still need to try. Need to get back there ASAP. read more

Surprisingly large inside this restaurant. The food was made fresh and the flavor was awesome. Friendly service from the person working today. They do a great job with spice level here. read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Garlic Parm Wings - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

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I hold this space close to my heart, it really puts the soul in soul food for me. I lived New Orleans and my grandfathers side was from the south, so I don't say this lightly. BEST GREENS IVE EVER HAD. Best hush puppies I've had besides my aunt Lynn's. The chicken is unbelievably delicious, I love that I get to choose from thigh or breast for a sandwich. Best potato salad I've ever had. The staff is also incredibly warm and welcoming. There is usually the same nice lady in the front with a beautiful smile and pixie cut. Every time I come to town I gotta treat myself or wish I was treating myself to the incredible MA LOUS!!!! If you ever expand to a new location please come to A2 !!! read more

Yum! Some friends and I ordered out some sandwiches to eat while we were at the bar and they were so good! I got the hot chicken, which was not super hot, but had a kick, which is more than I can say for a lot of places. The chicken itself was fresh fried and juicy, with a crispy but not greasy breading. I also appreciated the bread that was soft and slightly sweet to go with the friedness. The fries were undercooked, but I still ate them because they were hot and came with a delicious garlicky mayo (maybe that was supposed to be for the sweet potato fries, not sure), and that made them good. I was so into enjoying my sandwich that I forgot I wanted to try a bit of everyone else's to compare! Oh well, will just have to come back again. read more

Only been here once. Tried the OG sandwich. The crispness was delightful, the gouda is a nice touch from heaven, the bun's softness compliments the crisp ones of the chicken. It was literally a handful (size), and I have average hands. I like to think I have big hands, but I don't. My wife and I shared it and it satiated both of us. We were just having a botana (snack)/linner. Will be back for you bahn mi and adjust review accordingly. Liked it so much that I ate it all (see pic for reference). They even had Jarritos if you want a sugar high. read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - OG Sandwhich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

I love fried chicken! Any time I can try a new chicken place, I'm in. I tried the 10 piece wings. Half spicy, half dry. I think I liked the dry better. Also had the best sweet sweet potato fries I've ever had. I think they sprinkled liberally with sea salt. Man those are good. The guy at the counter was really friendly. Looked like someone who would be fun to party with. read more

I came in with high expectations and left with an entirely new standard for quality fried chicken. For most places, there's always something that falls short, whether it is the breading, seasoning, tenderness & quantity of the meat, or just how oily it is. I got "The OG" and the "Banh Mi". Not only were they both perfect on all aspects, but even with their enormous portion sizes, there was never any palate fatigue. Will certainly return and be going through the rest of the menu in its entirety! read more

Greater nicely ! Super nice workers! Lots of options for food ! I had a a breast with the medium spicy sauce and for me it was super spicy, I liked the flavor however to much breading, which I like! I also had a leg with no sauce and I think it needed the sauce without it.. it was too plain ! I had the fries and they told me they make them there which they taste fresh ! Biscuit donut was fab ! A few tables not a lot... you order at the cashier which is nice.. Few parking spots in the back .. Little cute restaurant! Want to come back and try more things! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

As a self -proclaimed fried chicken snob, I'm speechless! This place is unbelievable. We got carry out and the food was still hot and perfect when I plated it at home. We relished: fried thigh and breast, mashed potatoes , gravy and Mac and cheese. The fried chicken was a rare occurrence of moist chicken in the crunchiest coating ever. I detected a little cornmeal in the batter, which must have given it the spectacular texture. I usually loathe chicken breast because it's dry, but not this! The gravy was amazing, thick and so flavorful. Any Popeye's fans must try this place! read more

Ma Lou's Fried Chicken - This is the best chicken dinner - Chicken Shop Near Me - Ypsilanti, Michigan

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I've had my eye on Ma Lou's for a long time. Over the years l've come to love the intensity of super spicy foods like Nashville Hot Chicken. When done properly, it's been described to me as "angry spicy" which feels pretty accurate. Like legit Szechuan food, Nashville Hot Chicken has to be treated with respect, eaten slowly in small bites, in order to enjoy it without being overwhelmed by its hot hot heat. In anticipation fo my first The Hot Chick sandwich, is that we're in the midwest. Palates here, I am told, tend to favor the bland. While I was eagerly anticipating the burn by tempting fate and ordering my deep fried chicken thighs "Spicy AF" the heat level let me down. However, that is the only thing bad I have to say about this sandwich. Man, that thing was delicious! So crispy! So juicy! And the smokiness of the bacon played really well with the spice of the chicken. The sandwich wasn't absent of heat, it just didn't bring the pain that I have come to expect from the form. The overstuffed sandwich even held together impressively well. Given its size and the quality of the ingredients, I felt $10 was a fair price to pay for the experience. Maybe it's possible that some of those delicious sandwich elements serve to tame the heat of the chicken itself. So I'm looking forward to going back and trying some simple pieces of fried chicken with the "Spicy AF" treatment, and see if that's true. Should that be the case, I'm sure Ma Lou's will earn that fifth star. But if not, it's still mighty fine fried chicken. The best I've had so far since moving to Ann Arbor. But that's not saying much, since I tend to avoid fried chicken as much as possible. It's terrible for you, so it's best to make it count. Just make sure when you're grabbing your take out to get plenty of napkins. I ate mine in the car and got a little spray of chicken "juice" on the dash. read more

SO SO GOOD! I don't know how good home southern cookin' got to Michigan, but I'm sure glad it's here. I've tried the Nashville hot chicken sandwich. It's the perfect level of spicy and it straddles the line of almost too hot and perfect flavor. I've also had the chicken and waffles. Hell to the Yum! No complaints. Everything was amazing. My husband has tried their regular fried chicken meal and the chicken parm sandy. They also have banana pudding. They get really busy around dinner time, so your best bet is to order around 4-4:30 and pick up when you get off work. read more