Maq's — Restaurant in Lowell

There’s something universally comforting about chicken tenders. Whether it’s the golden, crispy crust or the juicy, tender meat inside, they hit all the right notes. And let me tell you, I recently encountered a chicken tenders and slider that were nothing short of phenomenal. From the moment these tenders hit the table, they commanded attention. The exterior was a beautiful shade of golden brown—perfectly crisp without being greasy. The breading was light but substantial enough to give each bite that satisfying crunch. It wasn’t the kind of batter that crumbled into a mess the moment you took a bite; no, this was a delicate yet strong shell that held its own. But let’s talk about the inside, the true test of any good chicken tender. The meat was moist, tender, and flavorful without being salty. Each bite was juicy, yet not a single drop of grease oozed out.

The chicken itself was cooked to perfection, with the meat almost squeaking in your mouth, fresh, succulent, and tender with every chew.

And the seasoning? Got the lemon pepper, It wasn’t so overpowering that it drowned out the natural flavor of the chicken, but it gave just enough character to make you want to savor each bite a little longer.

But if I’m being completely honest, the true magic of these chicken tenders wasn’t just in the seasoning or the sauces, it was in their ability to be both comforting and exciting. They were everything you want from chicken tenders, crispy, juicy, and with just the right amount of flavor to make them irresistible. Every bite was a reminder of why we love food so much: the pure, simple joy of a well-cooked meal.

So, to the chef of this restaurant that made these chicken tenders? Bravo. You've set the bar high, and I won’t soon forget the joy of biting into that crispy, golden perfection. If you're ever in the mood for chicken tenders, make sure you track these down—they're a game-changer.

Fries, were also amazing!! Crunchy from the outside, but soft on the inside.

Final verdict: 10/10. Would dip, bite, and...

Ordered a cheese pizza. Cooked very well, and I was thoroughly impressed by the crispy cheese edge on the pie. Very crunchy with no burning whatsoever. Crust was nice and thick and the crumb structure inside was gorgeous. Very impressed by the quality of ingredients.

My major knock against the pizza was that the flavor of the crust itself was underwhelming. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was missing that savory, buttery flavors that differentiate “pizza” from merely “sauce and cheese on a loaf of bread”. The texture was wonderful, but a little extra salt or oil in the pan could go a long way.

Judging from my own order and the orders of other customers, the price/portion ratio makes ordering from here hard to justify for the nearby college kids, which is a shame given its proximity to campus. Naturally, small businesses operate on different economies of scale than the chain restaurants they compete with, but I don’t think that’s a distinction the average customer factors in when picking a place to eat. The shop’s reputation among the subset of UML students I know is that it’s quality food, but too expensive for what you actually get.

All told, I wish the folks that run this place the best and genuinely hope the restaurant does well, but I can’t say I’ll be coming back too often on a...

Had to check out Maqs after hearing about their grand opening. I’ve never really had Detroit-style pizza before but it looked too good to pass up. Ordered through their website and went with the hot chicken pizza. It said 30 minutes, so I hung out at the restaurant and ended up chatting with the owner, Ross. He’s from Lowell and has been dreaming up this spot for a while—you can tell he went for top-notch everything. The dough takes three days to rise and the chicken is hand battered.

Food came out in about 20 minutes, right before they closed, and it was amazing. The dough was perfect, the sauce rich, the chicken crispy and spicy, and the pickles weirdly tied it all together. I added some Mill City Red (Lowell-made hot sauce) on top and it brought it to another level. Just when I thought I couldn’t be happier, they offered me a milkshake on the house.

A+ food and hospitality. I’ll definitely be back to try more of...