A couple weeks ago, my family was eating dinner, and my parents were telling my brother and I about a waffle place that they had gone to that also served cocktails. I thought that sounded interesting, and three weeks later I ended up sitting in one of their booths with a plate full of waffles in front of me.

Social Misfits recently opened in downtown Grand Rapids near Van Andel Arena. Walking into the restaurant was surreal. There were animal busts and portraits of scientists and movie stars and dark colors everywhere. My family was seated at a booth by the coffee bar. That’s right; they serve waffles, cocktails, and coffee. I loved the vibe of the place. Everyone was very friendly and low key. The dark blue color of the walls was calming, and all the decor was interesting to look at.

The menu had a variety of options, ranging from breakfast waffles to waffles with mac and cheese to dessert waffles. They also had a coffee menu and an alcohol menu. I spent a long time deciding what waffle I wanted before eventually deciding I needed two and splitting them with my sister.

Peter Parker

The first dish I got was called “Peter Parker.” I admit, it immediately sparked my interest due to it sharing a name with one of my favorite MCU characters; however, after reading the description, I decided it also sounded good. The dish was described as a waffle with cinnamon sugar, vanilla cream, dulce de leche ganache, and coffee cream. Since I was eating dinner, this probably wasn’t the best waffle to get due to its sugary ingredients, but it was delicious anyways.

The waffle was very crispy—almost too much so—but I eventually realized that it was just part of the dish. I could tell that the waffle was fried like a churro. That is the only dish I can think of to relate this waffle to. The crispiness and cinnamon sugar immediately made me think I was eating a churro. The creams that came with the waffle were sitting on the plate like a dipping sauce, not on top of the waffle. I appreciated this because I could enjoy the waffle with or without the cream. The coffee cream had a lot of sweetness, and eating too much made my head hurt, but it was still paired nicely with the waffle.

I have no idea what dulce de leche is, but ganaches made with it are delicious. The ganache was drizzled sparingly over the waffle, and I wish there had been more because I only got a little. The part that I did taste resembled caramel sauce, but with a thinner consistency.

Overall, this waffle was a very good dessert, and I would definitely get it again. The sugar was perfect after my savory waffle.

The Hashtag

This waffle was one of the only ones on the menu that I didn’t immediately decide against. A lot of the other choices were a bit much for me, but this one didn’t sound so bad. It is a waffled potato hash with chicken sausage, fried farm egg, chive, and hot sauce. I was interested in the breakfast theme, since waffles are mainly a breakfast food, so I decided it was the one I wanted.

I usually have an aversion to spicy foods, and this waffle had hot sauce drizzled over it. It was definitely spicy, and I had to drink a lot of water while eating. The sausage had very good flavor, and I love sausage, so that was a good part.

I thought that I was ordering a waffle that came with potatoes, but when it arrived, I didn’t see any potatoes. However, I cut into the waffle, and there they were. It was like they had taken a potato, dipped it into the waffle batter, and cooked it. It was very interesting to eat because it tasted like both waffles and potatoes.

This waffle is something I would get again, but I think I would prefer it without the other toppings.

Chai Latte

Recently I have been obsessed with chai tea lattes. I get one every time I go to Starbucks, and when I try a new coffee place I scour the menu for anything related to chai. I was pleased to discover that I could get a chai latte at Social Misfits, and I ordered it immediately.

I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this drink. I expected to, considering I love chai, but I enjoyed this latte more than any other one I’ve tried.

On top of the drink was a foam dusted with cinnamon. When I had my first sip I couldn’t tell if I was tasting the foam or the coffee, but it was good either way. The cinnamon was very overpowering meaning I got less of the other flavors, but I didn’t mind. The latte was gone in ten minutes, and I begged my parents for another one—unsuccessfully. If I could buy a lifetime supply of that chai latte, I would.

Hot Chocolate

After my parents told me I couldn’t have any more coffee, I moved on to hot chocolate. I don’t usually like hot chocolate, even though I drink it a lot. Something about it doesn’t sit well with me, however this one was different.

Similar to the chai latte, the hot chocolate was topped with a foam, but it was chocolate with cocoa powder sprinkled on top. The drink was very rich, and it made me think of a chocolate ganache. I could also taste the milk despite the high quantity of chocolate.

I’m not sure if I would get it again if I went back, but it definitely topped the other hot chocolates I’ve had.

Korean Chicken and Waffle Skewers

As an appetizer, my family ordered these skewers. They were the first taste I got of the waffles offered at Social Misfits, and they didn’t disappoint. The waffle was one of the best I have ever tasted. The outside was crispy, but the inside was so soft and fluffy. I could eat that waffle every day for breakfast. The waffle came with chicken, and I am not a fan of chicken. I try to avoid it as much as possible, but I tried it; I was not disappointed.

The chicken was fried, so it was nice and crispy when I bit into it. The inside was tender and had lots of flavor. There was a sauce on the chicken that was spicy, which I did not appreciate, but I was able to get over that and focus on the other parts of the meal.

Overall, Social Misfits had a fun environment that made me relaxed. I adored all the food and drinks I tried. I am definitely prepared to go back and try new waffles.