I’ve known of Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles since I moved to Southern California. The LA based chain is an institution and no chicken and waffles debate is complete without including Roscoe’s in the mix.

I’ve always wanted to try it, but only did for the first time very recently. After hearing so many stories from Mr. K of his fond memories of visits during his high school years, it was pretty exciting to experience it with him, though he was really worried that it may turn out that it wasn’t as good as he remembered, especially having expanded our palates.

We arrived in the early afternoon and of course there was a wait. Luckily, it was only about 20 minutes. Once inside, I was a little surprised by the dark setting, giving you no indication of whether its day or night outside.

While they are most known for their chicken and waffles, the menu actually has quite a few other options as well.

1. SCOE’S (1/4 Chix prepared southern style, 2 waffles, our own private mix)

This was my choice. You get to choose the chicken pieces you prefer, and I chose drumstick and thigh. The large plate arrived, piled with two oversized waffles and crispy fried chicken. Immediately I knew the waffles wouldn’t be good. They were pale and soggy looking and sure enough, they were too soft for my liking. Waffles should definitely be crisped around the edges. There was also a hint of cinnamon to them that I didn’t care for.

The chicken, on the other hand, turned out much better. Crunchy, well-seasoned, and juicy. I often find fried chicken to be too salty, but this was just right. I thoroughly enjoyed my fried chicken pieces.

2. SCOE’S (1/4 Chix smothered with gravy & onions, 2 waffles, our own mix)

Mr. K went for a similar option but with the addition of gravy and onions. He chose breast and thigh meat. I was very curious to see how the breast meat would turn out since it often gets very dry when fried, but his piece was very moist and enjoyable. I also really liked the gravy as a dipping option, though I didn’t see any onions.

Overall, we had a good experience here. While I’m not quite willing to wait hours in line, I am glad I finally got to experience the famed chicken and waffles from Roscoe’s. And though I didn’t care for the waffles, I did like the chicken. You can view the full menu here.

Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles
(multiple locations)
1514 North Gower Street | Los Angeles, CA. 90028
TEL. (323) 466-7453