Comfort food doesn't have to be unsophisticated, and the elegant atmosphere at Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles III has proved it. Amid the dining room's refined decor, hosts usher diners to private tables where they tackle one of 14 variations of the restaurant’s eponymous dish. Whether laden with wings, breast, or gizzards, the crispy waffle discs can be customized with buckwheat or pecans or served Windy City style—with whipped cream and a choice of sundae-inspired toppings. The chefs take their sides seriously, too—soul-food staples abound to frame main courses with mac ‘n’ cheese, collard greens, and Cajun red beans and rice, accompanied by live jazz performances on Friday and Saturday nights.