Ma Lou's Fried Chicken

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

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.

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!

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.

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!!

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!

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

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.

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.

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 !!!