Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles • 1975

This is the original Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles, founded by Herb Hudson in 1975 on East Broadway in downtown Long Beach, where the soul food pioneer first introduced Southern California to the now-legendary pairing of crispy fried chicken and fluffy waffles. The menu still features signature dishes like Obama's Special—three wings and a waffle that President Obama ordered during his 2011 visit—alongside classics like smothered chicken with gravy, cornbread, and candy yams that taste like homemade Southern cooking. Step inside for perfectly seasoned chicken with a golden crust, towering waffles with butter and syrup, and the kind of soul food that made this Long Beach location the birthplace of an L.A. institution.