Craving chicken and waffles? This place in NE Ocala has you covered.
“Every day is a waffle day” is the motto of the Waffle Shop restaurant, which reopened in a new location in northeast Ocala on Feb. 1.
Erma Crockton drove 15 miles from Silver Spring Shores to the eatery on Northeast Jacksonville Road on a recent morning to get a Red Robin red velvet waffle with vanilla glaze and pecans and a Grits Bowl breakfast with egg, bacon and sausage.
“The food here is great. It tastes like homemade and it’s fresh made to order. This is my third time here,” said Crockton, who operates a business in The Villages.
The eatery has a five star rating and five reviews, according to its Facebook page.
The Waffle Shop is owned by local businessman and Ocala native Marcus Williams, 35, who was working in the restaurant’s kitchen on Monday.
The eatery was launched about six months ago in a service station plaza, but Williams moved the operation to the Jacksonville Road location and plans to add seating for about 25 diners. Takeout or covered outside picnic table dining is currently offered.
He also operates Bleu Gil Construction of Ocala.
When Williams was asked what makes his eatery different from other waffle restaurants in town, he replied: “We specialize in exotic waffles and chicken. (That) sets us apart.”
The Waffle Shop has a menu full of specialty waffles like the Cinnamon Glaze with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and vanilla glaze; Sunday Funday, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel or chocolate syrup, whipped cream and chopped peanuts; and the Camp Fire, with marshmallows, Hershey bites and crushed graham cracker.
The chicken and waffles menu includes tenders, drumettes and whole wing with a waffle.
Tykeriya Pierson stopped by Monday with her daughter Tylynn, 1. The mother and daughter were considering the Strawberry Passion, cheesecake waffle or Fruity Pebbles waffle with the same name cereal and vanilla glaze.
Jennifer Bertino and friend Sean visited the Waffle Shop for the first time on a recent day and tried the chicken tenders and waffle.
“This is the best we’ve had in Ocala and better than the chain waffle restaurants. I like the flavor and the chicken tenders are juicy and the waffle is light and flavorful without syrup,” Bertino said.
The restaurant’s staff includes hostesses Mallory Moton and Bre Goodson. The kitchen crew includes Williams’ mother, Cyntheria Smith; grandmother, Shirley McCants, a former 25-year employee at Pioneer Products in Ocala; and Jabraun Evans.
Much of the restaurant’s fare comes from recipes used in family gatherings and reunions, according to a family member.
Diane Maitland, a cousin to Marcus Williams, described him as a very good worker. David Dobbs with Bleu Gil Construction said Marcus Williams “goes after it” when he has a business goal.
Two workers with Rocket Rooter in Ocala sat in their van after eating st the Waffle Shop recently and one was posting a positive review on social media.
Customer Roberta Gadson decided to try a waffle and chicken drumettes.
Nikki Williams, Marcus Williams’ sister, pitched in to help at the order counter and waited on customers like Clay McCants.
Nikki Williams, 30, works at Beat Stylez Hair Studio in Ocala and operates her own business, Hair Slay by Nikki. She is also a cosmetologist.
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Nikki Williams described her brother as a hard worker.
“It’s in our family blood,” she said.
If you go:
The Waffle Shop, 2507 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala; 352-368-1045; takeout only
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: The Waffle Shop in NE Ocala specializes in chicken and waffles
