LONG BEACH, CA - After a Yelp reviewer slammed a southern California restaurant for passing off food from a Louisiana-based fast food chain as its own, the owner has embraced the criticism and hailed the pre-made product.

Kimberly Sanchez, the owner of Sweet Dixie Kitchen in Long Beach, California, told ABC News that she proudly stands by her choice to serve fried chicken from Popeye's for the restaurant's chicken and waffles brunch dish.

A Yelp user says he uncovered the fried chicken conspiracy after he saw a waiter bring "two large boxes of Popeye's to the kitchen."

"I wanted to believe that this was just a snack for the workers, but alas it was not. I ordered the chicken and waffles to see whether or not they were serving Popeye's to their customers. I thought the chicken tasted suspiciously like Popeye's," he wrote in the review.

He went on, "I kindly asked our waiter how they cooked their fried chicken. After checking, he admitted that they do in fact use Popeye's."

The user added that his meal was comped by the restaurant.

Sanchez responded to the criticism in her own Yelp post.

"I am owning this," Sanchez told ABC News."I love their chicken. It's the best I've ever had."

Sanchez told ABC News Los Angeles station KABC that she previously reached out to Popeye's for approval but has not heard back.

As for the allegation that she tried to trick customers with the fried chicken, Sanchez said, "Honey, I carried it through the front door."

Customers DeSean Bailey and Stephanie Stephens don't seem to mind. They told ABC News they love the chicken and waffles dish.