Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles

Few restaurants have woven themselves into the fabric of Los Angeles culture quite like Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. With appearances in everything from Rush Hour to Fresh Prince, this wood-paneled, neon-pink-lit diner has been dishing out comfort food since the 1970s. It’s credited with bringing the fried chicken and waffle combination to the West Coast, and decades later, it remains a go-to for anyone craving honest soul food from early morning until midnight.

The menu offers various options including housemade sausage and gravy-smothered giblets, but the star attraction remains the classic Scoe’s Special. The fried chicken arrives glistening from the fryer with a thin, shatteringly crisp crust, while the cinnamon-spiced waffles serve as the perfect vehicle for butter and that distinctively vanilla-forward maple syrup. Pro tip: stick with dark meat for juicier results, and don’t hold back on the Louisiana-style hot sauce for a tangy contrast. The gravy-drenched version brings intense, almost Thanksgiving-like savoriness that calls for strategic sipping between bites.

This is the kind of place where pretense doesn’t exist—just reliable, satisfying food in a no-frills setting that’s remained largely unchanged for five decades. Whether you’re grabbing a late-night bite after a show in Hollywood or settling in for a leisurely weekend lunch, Roscoe’s delivers exactly what you’d expect from a true LA institution.

With multiple locations scattered across the greater Los Angeles area, there’s no need to overthink which one to visit. Simply head to whichever outpost is closest and let the fried chicken and waffles do their thing.