We stopped here on the weekend en route to the Redneck Olympics, AKA the Crash-A-Rama demolition derby near Buffalo (which was awesome and you should go - because school bus figure-8 races!).
We both had the Bootsy Brunch, with bacon baked into the waffle and eggs on top. The food was tasty, cooked well and had a large but not ridiculous serving size. Highly recommended. I also had a very decent, large iced coffee for another 2 bucks. The music was good, old school Michael Jackson for our visit, which was nice.
It only gets three stars rather than four because the place both wasn't as clean as it should have been (all the tables were sticky and the bathroom was a mess) and service was remarkably slow considering the place was half empty when we were there. Entree prices seemed to be just a little high for the area, too, especially considering the divey, basement nature of the place and the cheerfully slackeresque, almost cafeteria level of service.
If I ever find myself in Syracuse again, I'd probably go back, because out of the limited options in the area this one was decent enough and still better than some dumb chain restaurant.
Had a great family breakfast at 12:00 on a Sunday (strawberry/banana covered waffle, buttermilk waffle with chocolate chips for our 9 year-old, and egg sandwich with spinach, tomato, bacon & swiss for my wife). The food was excellent and worth the trip (and hunt) from our hotel.
Required some wandering after Siri dropped us nearby on Marshall Street (Yelp's map is better). Â Crouse is directly across the street from the hospital parking garage -- walk up into the "Campus Plaza" (really a back street/driveway behind Marshall Street's shops).
We were worried it would just be a college student hangout, but the clientele was an ordinary restaurant group, including a few families with young children. The atmosphere was very cool/hip with awesome artwork. They were a little short-handed so the tables needed to be cleaned, but no biggy.
Overall an awesome meal and I would recommend it. I'll be back if I'm ever in Syracuse again!
I went here on Sat. looking for a great waffle to go. I placed an order at the counter, they were out of so many items that I ended up just getting a basic waffle with strawberries on top with a side sausage. The place wasn't packed and I had to get off to work, but I was shocked that it took 45min. to get my waffle! I checked in with the cashiers that seemed more interested in each others personal lives than they did with helping customers. They would tell me "Oh it's coming right up" but I started to realize that they didn't even check up on the order. Finally at 45min. I told them I wanted a refund because I had to leave. Suddenly they gave me my order.
The Waffle was cold and not even very good, the sausage I ordered was so undercooked that I threw it away.
I feel like this place has a great reputation and has lost the need for basic customer service.
This place is cool and fun. Â Everyone is always raving about it so my husband and I decided to try it out- we love waffles.
There is no wait staff there. Â You walk in go to the counter to get a menu and order. Â Then you find a spot to sit and wait for your food to be ready. Â They will call your name, but listen carefully because it is hard to hear when the music is loud.
I know they have some live music events, but we went on a Saturday late afternoon so it was just the music the restaurant played in the background. Â The music was fine, but it was being pulled off of you tube so you had to wait for the songs to load and it skipped every now and then when the computer needed to load.
I got the bootsy brunch and it was really good. Â I loved the waffles with the bacon cooked right in them. Â The eggs were also good but it could have used more cheese. Â My husband got the chicken and waffles. Â He said his was really good and enjoyed the batter they used on the chicken wings.
The place is clearly a college place. Â It is a little dirty but perfect for college kids. Â I wished there was some more staff to keep the tables clean after customers - I shouldn't have to be the person who does the cleaning. Â Also, when you are finished eating you bring your plates and spoons to bins which is fine however the bins and the area is small and dirty.
Overall I would go back there, but I would prefer to bring my food home.
I went here after seeing the establishment featured on the Food Network. The place is definitely funky, and the people are cool. The decor is rough, but it really creates a non-pretentious ambiance. I ordered the Turkey Jive, a waffle made from stuffing with Thanksgiving on top. It was wonderful and everything that I could have hoped. After my "entree," I I had to do desert, so I ordered the brownie waffle with white chocolate sauce. I probably should have stuck with the traditional waffle because the brownie was very dry. Nevertheless, this is a place to go.
Review Source:Get the Bootsy Brunch - Bacon in your waffle! What?! Very delicious and good balance of cheese, egg, and bacon.
We also tried the Mackinac based on Yelp reviews but found it just meh -- couldnt' taste the cheese or the spinach in the waffle. Overall the waffles were fine, but nothing amazing. The pairings can be creative and tasty.
Could be cleaner, but I guess it's a college place. Does this make me old? Love the logo!
I hit this spot up when I was in Syracuse for a wedding. Â Honestly I may have been slightly sucked in by the overall motif than the actual food but the waffles were pretty good. Â The thanksgiving one was a bit less great than I envisioned but all the fruit themed ones were excellent.
Mostly I was completely enamored with the logo. Â It's a waffle on a turntable! Â I even bought a t-shirt. Â Perhaps this isn't the best reason to give a place a 5 star rating but it was Syracuse for gosh's sake. Â I was lucky the place had indoor plumbing.
Was in Syracuse for a business trip in winter 2009 and stopped here with the wife and kid. Â The wife really wanted to go back to "What the Crepe" but it had closed and someone recommended Funk N Waffles which is just down the street. Â
There was not much of a wait, but I see others complaining about it, I think we just went at an off hour. Â If school is out I bet it is quite empty here. Â Everyone enjoyed their waffles, especially kiddo since, face it, what's better than a waffle covered in chocolate?
There's not a huge amount of choices in the area so I would put this in the repertoire if I lived here.
Atmosphere was, well, like every other college hangout you've ever been to.
I debated 3 stars, but if you take it for what it's worth, they do OK.
A cute place with so much character! Playing Loud music and serving waffles! We enjoyed on breakfast here! I just think that things are overpriced here! We had two waffles, one coffee, one tiny egg sandwich and a canned juice and
paid $30! We could have had an extensive breakfast buffet that would include waffles, all types of egg dishes, coffee and juice at our hotel genesee grand and paid the same amount for two adults dining!
There are some chairs in this place that are very dirty and torn they totally need to be re-upholstered!
I came here because a good friend's college buddy runs it, he plays good music, and I had to try it out while I was there. I think we got lucky on the timing because we didn't have to wait very long in line or for our food... but I'm also from DC, where depending on where you go, you may wait forever just to get table service. My Crepe waffle with bananas and nutella was SO good. I was a little put off at first by having nutella on the side but there was enough for all of my waffle and half of my boyfriend's, so that worked out. Only thing I didn't like about the place was the decor. The seats look like they came from strip mall carryout places, the gloss colored walls needed some love and the art was... ok the art was awful. But my food was great and oh yeah, best Iced Coffee I've ever had, which surprised the hell out of me, since it outdid the local cold brew microroasted things I usually get at home. Oh, and for the record, we had breakfast at 10AM before meandering home to DC, and I wasn't hungry for anything until about 8PM. That's a win, in my book.
Review Source:3.5 stars. 4 for the food, 3 for the service, which was poor/awkward enough to prevent a four star review.
I'm not a big fan of the order-then-sit dining style at places that aren't fast food/burger joints, and especially when the place is as busy as Funk 'n Waffles was. We waited on a fairly long line, placed an order, and then had to stalk out a place to sit. We managed to find a sofa sans table, and were ready to make that work when the food came. Fortunately, we were able to grab a table when some other patrons left, making the waffle eating thing a little bit easier. Unfortunately, we were able to grab that table because we waited forever for our meal. In fact, we didn't even have the food by the time we claimed the new space.
After at least a half hour wait, if not more, my dining companion checked on the status of our meal, because it seemed like we'd been skipped. They assured us our food would be ready "soon", and while it did eventually come out, I'm not sure I would choose "soon" as the amount of time we had to wait.
The food was good. Not excellent, not out of this world, but interesting and delicious. I was intrigued by many of the choices, but settled on the Bootsy Brunch: a bacon stuffed waffle with egg and cheese. Bacon stuffed means bacon pieces in the batter, which could have been chewier/greasier and bigger. It could have used more cheese as well. I doused the whole thing in maple syrup, which helped bring the whole dish together.
Also, Wilma D. is right, the restaurant does smell heavenly. That's quite a plus!
Funky place, off the street in a basement. Smells heavenly. Â We decided to visit because my husband is a fan of Guy Fieri and he was here last month. Â It was our first time and lots of yummy choices. They have sweet and savory waffles. Â I ordered the Earth, Wind and Fire, a sweet of course. Honey, bananas and walnuts, nothing wrong with that. Â My husband had the MonteCristo. Egg, ham and swiss. Â It looked really good. Mine was a hit and I was a happy girl and so was my husband.
 Service was great and a bit of wait because it was Parents weekend at SU. I liked the funky and simple decor,
They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Other items in the menu besides the waffles. Â It smelled heavenly and I cant wait to go back and try something else.
Hmm interesting place reminded me of some coffee houses I frequented as a teenage youth in the early 90's. Was near my hotel and felt compelled to visit and glad we did. We split the bacon & brie and something fufu with berries & whipped cream both were quite good. After not caring much for a lot of places we visited in Syracuse this place was a pleasant surprise.
Review Source:Before heading home from Syracuse my friends and I decided we must eat before a torturous 5 hour drive home. Â This place was close to our hotel so we figured why not?! Â Who doesn't love waffles?
Well.. an excruciating half hour later to be served, I rather have passed on the place and just had a bagel for ride home. This place was hipsteresque with funky art work but seriously this place wouldn't stand a chance in Williamsburg or Greenpoint.
I means its cool for Syracuse but I was completely underwhelmed otherwise. My friends weren't happy with their stuffed waffles with bacon and eggs. My waffles and eggs were cold and there was barely any Nutella  on mine. It was hard and if my waffles were warm maybe it would've been easier to spread.
There was ample seating and the place was packed, so they seem to have a good following but I wouldn't step foot in there again.
Went here for the first time today, and I will definitely be back soon. Â The folks behind the counter were charming and very helpful, my Americano was delicious (and in an awesome mug that I kinda wanted to steal), and the waffle I got was marvelously tasty. Â I ended up going for a sweet waffle, but will be trying a savory one on my next trip.
Definitely recommend it!
I freaking love brunch food! I was first introduced to savory waffles here and love it!
I've tried the buckwheat waffle with strawberries and nutella.
I've also had the savory waffle with spinach and salmon. Although, they forgot the sour cream which made the salmon waaay too spicy for my taste. But the spinach waffle was delicious!!
One time I was here, some old guy in a motor cycle outfit decided to hit on me in front of my friends. Creeped me out but was fun to tell afterwards. You'll definitely see sketchy people here but there'll be plenty of other Syracuse students should you ever need help!
Love this place!
Yum. Waffles all day, every day. Sign me up.
This place is down a dirty staircase in a seedy basement looking place on the Syracuse University campus. Usually they have live music on Friday and Saturday nights where you sit on old couches and listen to some jams while stuffing your face with coffee and junk food. Yep, pretty awesome.
I ordered a waffle with strawberries, chocolate chips, and whipped cream. It was delicious- crispy, light and fluffy. My friend had a banana bread type waffle with nuts and blueberries and honey. Both were decadent and great. Also had a delicious cafe au lait.
I can see this being a quality hangover spot for the college crowd, but also a fun alternative for breakfast to spice up life a bit. Definitely a hipster hangout so you'll have that scene going on, but it's a good time and I recommend grabbing a tasty bite here if you're in the area.
Close to Syracuse campus, next to lots of other shops and restaurants. A basement space, which seems creepy but it's not.
Loved how the menu is divided into sweet or savory waffles - combinations are fun and delicious, not the most unique or creative but definitely crowd pleasers. Waffles are big, crispy on the edges, and all the ingredients on top were fresh and tasty!
The coffee was great - even just the regular auto-drip, and we enjoyed the vibe, although you do need to have an ear for funk music or just be in a good mood. The service was so friendly, very personal, we felt like regulars after only being there for five minutes.
Live funk music by the owner's band, Sophistifunk, every Thursday night. Honestly, the whole place seemed like a late-night brilliant idea turned into reality. Loved it.
Waffles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It's weird because this place is kind of located in a sketchy back alley-not exactly enticing. But the food more than makes up for it. And it's a great idea too, who doesn't love waffles?!?! I got waffles with strawberries and blueberries on top since I didn't want to overdo it and it was excellent. The live music is really interesting too-a nice backdrop while you're eating. It's a bit of a hipster hangout spot as you can imagine, but the waffles are still great.
Review Source:Nice to have a nontraditional breakfast place that serves interesting toppings on waffles, although this is much more than a breakfast place. Â On SU campus off Marshall street, the set-up involves dingy basement + used furniture thrown out by students + a stage for shows, somehow, it works. Â
Excellent espresso and lattes. Â Some waffle are better than the others (earth-wind-fire i.e. whole-wheat waffle overloaded with walnuts, banana and honey is decedent; Monte Cristo on the other hand was skimpy on the ham). Â
Semi self-service, you seat yourself, go up to the counter to order and pay, they call your name when the food/drink is ready. Â The staff are super cool and friendly, but service can be slow when busy. Â
Ventilation system needs improving. Â You come out smelling like 2-part grease and 1-part baking powder.
Solid 3.5 stars.
My son and I had to run a gauntlet of homeless guys begging change for coffee on Easter morning to find this breakfast spot that apparently doubles as  local bands stage....really fine waffle and great coffee and it seemed a perfect spot to  have Easter breakfast 3000 miles from home...by the time we left the homeless guys had their malt liquor and seemed as happy as we....if my son chooses Syracuse we'll be back!
Review Source:Ventured out to Funk n Waffles for breakfast before getting ready for the Super Bowl. Â I had the Bacon Brie and Basil waffle and my husband had the Bootsy Brunch waffle.
I really like mine although it was a bit skimpy on the brie. Â The jam that came with it was really tasty (which says alot as I am generally don't care much for jam). Â I little more brie and they would be a solid "4" but I'm going with a "3" because I can't give a 3.5.
My husband's waffle was pretty unique with two eggs and cheese folded inside a waffle. Â Â The brownie waffles looked amazing as did the banana nutella waffles that the folks at the next table had.
We'll put this on the breakfast rotation but not as a regular stop as I don't think our waist lines could take being a "regular" here!
If you're looking for a unique alternative from the traditional diner type breakfasts that are available all around Syracuse, Funk 'n Waffles is a good option.
Located off Marshall street on the SU Hill (underneath Chuck's) the name pretty much sums up everything... a wide variety of waffles with more styles & toppings you can imagine. The menu covers everything from breakfast to dessert. I can definitely see this place as a great late night hangout for when the munchies strike.
The decor is '70's basement chic but it's all part of the ambiance.
The food is good and the service was attentive. We'll definitely return.
I've come here for shows and events much more often than I've come here to eat. However, their chai tea lattes are fabulous (too expensive, but fabulous nonetheless). The brownie waffle sundae is heaven on a plate, but make sure you split it with at least one other person because it's HUGE. I also tried the pulled pork waffle once and it was much better than I expected it would be.
The bacon & brie waffle is on my list of things to try.
Had a really pleasant lunch here. Â Got the feta-spinach-salmon waffle, and it was damn good. Â The atmosphere is relaxed, the employees are super chill.
The portions here are not Central New York portions ($8 gets you one meal of food, not three) but this place blissfully does not really feel like it's in Central New York, either.
Unless you're intensely hungry, this is a good place for breakfast.
I happened to stop at FNW with a few friends on its unofficial opening night during my freshman year, 2006-7 (there was an official celebratory opening around the same time). We got to shooting the shit with the owners, Adam and Kyle, over coffee and tea as they were shutting down. Since then I have never felt anything but eminently welcome and at home in the establishment.
Them gents continued to remember our serendipitous encounter and our names and to keep the love outpouring. Over the years, they diversified their selections into egg sandwiches, different species of coffee, ice-cream, and other delectable comestibles. They staff cool and friendly people, sport fresh and funktastic live music at good prices (Adam works like a dog on the gig list), and keep a regular roundup of diverse music rolling on the loudspeakers. FNW is nice for dates, rocking out, grooving, studying, and chewing. What more can you ask for? This is probably my favorite place in Syracuse.
I've read reviews that complained about the waffle machines being the generic kind you can buy and use at home. Whatever, dude. I don't have a waffle machine and I don't care to buy one, so I'ma let it sliiide.
Besides, The Funk makes waffles it would be too difficult to whip up for yourself. Waffles with bananas and nutella, buckwheat, blueberry and strawberry. Falafel!!?? Plus they're cheap and you can sit there all day, munching on delicious waffles and pretending you're in your friend's parents' basement in the 70s and listen to some James Brown on vinyl and chill for an afternoon. Doesn't that beat making waffles for yourself and eating them alone in your non-70s home?
Also: this waffle den doubles as a concert venue on Friday nights. I went the other week with my boyfriend and some friends to see a relatively unknown but up and coming indie noise band from Canada. The show was cheap and intimate and what with the lure of waffles, the band stayed after the show and we were able to talk to them. That doesn't happen many other places.
Get down with the Funk!
I have eaten here a half dozen, or so, times this summer and I really enjoy this place. Really relaxed atmosphere and laid back attitude from the staff (in a good way). One of the owners was asleep on a couch the last time I was in there. You kind of feel like your just hanging out at someones house.......who you then pay for a cup of coffee.
The variations on grilled cheese sandwiches here are really cool. Just goes to show that something as simple as a grilled cheese, with a little creativity can still be great. The coffee is also really good.
I have yet to try the waffles but I have seen and smelled them and I am looking forward to having one.
One last thing, be careful on those damn stairs.
This is a 5 star concept, but it fails thrill me in practice. Â I had a waffle with pulled pork on it. Â The waffle was soft and a little chewy instead of being crispy like good waffles should be. Â This is probably due to a lack of butter in the batter, but butter is expensive. Â Chewy waffle- minus one star.
 I peaked in the kitchen to see what kind of waffle irons they were using and the looked like the waffle iron that I had at home.  I engaged the employee about this and he confirmed that they were Waring Pro WMK300 irons and they wear them out regularly.  A waffle iron can last between a week and a month at Funk and Waffles and they've thrown out about 50 in two years.  Being bad to the environment- minus one star.
 Like I said, this is a solid concept, but the execution falls short.  I want to like this place, but I can't.  On a side note, they were also out of decaf coffee when I visited.
This is by far my favorite place to hang out. Â The atmosphere is ultimate chill, the coffee and food is good, and they have music shows in the evenings! Â There is always art on the walls, and there are not just tables to sit and eat at, but couches and comfy chairs as well - an aspect of the place that really makes you feel welcome to chiilllll.
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