It’s 10 p.m. and as the college parties commence, the fluorescent lights of Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n Waffles shine like a beacon in the dark, guiding the inebriated and hungry into its haven of sweet and spice.
Sweet: The sugary maple syrup over soft, golden-brown waffles.
Spice: Southern-style fried chicken sprinkled with hot sauce.
Since Roscoe’s humble beginnings in 1976, the chain has become internationally known and has been referenced frequently in movies, TV shows and households.
Even Long Beach native Snoop Dogg gives the eatery praise. So when venturing out to our very own Roscoe’s in downtown Long Beach, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement, even if it is my 10th visit.
Stepping into the circular lobby, it’s apparent that people aren’t too worried about the clogging-artery meal awaiting them, either. Friends and families huddle together, staring at the clock as if it were their sworn enemy.
Although the service is a bit slow, the meal is worth the wait.
Many may think chicken and waffles together is grotesque and only good when you’re drunk or hung over, but they’re wrong. It’s the perfect meal when you’re really hungry.
Waffles and chicken, together, is not that crazy when you think about it. It’s just like any other breakfast combination. Sausage with French toast, pancakes and bacon, or even that McDonald’s McGriddle, which combines a variety of meat with cheese and an egg in between two small pancakes.
In order to get the full Roscoe’s experience you should order Scoe’s plate or the larger Herb’s Special. And get a side of the thickest gravy you’ll ever eat and sweet, hearty cornbread while you’re at it.
When the food comes out, I make sure I have my tools ready: fork, knife, Red Rooster Louisiana Hot Sauce, side of gravy and an appetite.
There are many different ways to go about eating this famous combination. Some customers are dippers, dipping their waffles into the gravy, and then shoveling chicken into their mouths right after. Some use the wrap technique by wrapping their chicken with a waffle, then dipping it and eating it like a taco.
Others chose to pick at both the chicken and the waffles with their fork, getting a little bit of both with each mouthful. The latter is recommended for the beginner. But most regulars find a combination of each technique sufficient.
While munching down on a your breakfast-inspired meal, you’ll have time to soak in the Southern hospitality vibe.
Under the glow of the pink neon lights, the restaurant seems as if its had the same decor for the last three decades. Split into two main areas, one room features a colorful mural over the kitchen, depicting black folk enjoying the Long Beach streets in a time when jazz and blues reigned supreme. In the other room, besides the comfortable brown booths, is an oversized, jagged, unlit fireplace. On each side are windows with country drapery featuring small chickens and red-and-white-checkered trim.
The time-warped country décor, the classically simple menu items like grits, greens, mac & cheese, cornbread and the delicious chicken and waffles make Roscoe’s worthy of a few visits.
But fair warning to all you broke students: Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s cheap. After all, it is famous. The best entrées like Scoe’s and Herb’s Special range from $10 to $20.
Now it’s 11 p.m. The mass of people waiting is still impressive. The funky blues music from the adjacent Sea Bird Jazz Club has the impatient customers tapping their feet. They don’t seem too unhappy. And as I roll out of Roscoe’s, stuffed to the max, I already start planning my next visit.
