13 Aug The Pecking Order of Chicken and Waffles in Contra Costa County

This plate made The Hangout in Pleasant Hill our reporter’s favorite spot for chicken and waffles in CoCo County. Read on for more details and his full top five.

Story and photos by Joe Porrello

Deeply immersed in the depths of batter and fowl, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best chicken and waffles Contra Costa County has to offer.

More importantly, I packed on the extra pounds conducting such treacherous science to keep others from going through the trial and error that I did.

As a foodie and someone who orders chicken and waffles whenever I see it on a menu, I felt honored when tasked with assembling such a record. Destiny, it was.

My roots in the cuisine began at 900 Grayson in Berkeley for leisurely brunches, the Home of Chicken and Waffles in Oakland’s Jack London Square for nightcaps, and lunches at Keith’s Chicken N Waffles in Daly City.

The dish can be found all over San Francisco and the East Bay, but finding it in CoCo County, in particular, can be a bit more challenging. Following my initial research, I thought there might not even be enough options to make such a list, but a little digging did the trick.

A map of The Pulse’s picks for fried chicken and waffles in Contra Costa County. Click the icons for each spot’s name, address and website. The two in Pinole are just a three-minute walk apart, so you’ll have to zoom in to see both. (Map created using Google My Maps by Danielle Parenteau-Decker / The CC Pulse)

But before we dig into said list, let’s quickly take a crash course on the origins of fried poultry, waffles and their marvelous marriage.

According to Simplot Foods, the method of frying chicken dates back to ancient Egypt and Rome, while waffles got their start in ancient Greece. The heavenly combination started with a version featuring pulled chicken and gravy, created by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 17th century.

Later shaped by American soul food in the 1930s, chicken accompanying the waffle became fried and was popularized by the Wells Supper Club in Harlem, N.Y., where jazz musicians like Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr. found the perfect post-performance meal in the hours between dinner and breakfast. Then, Harlem-born Herb Hudson opened Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles in 1975. The restaurant became a symbol in the entertainment business, was visited by Barack Obama during his presidency, and solidified the dish’s prominence and popularity.

Nowadays, new spins on the meal have taken it to the next level as it continues to evolve while captivating people’s taste buds everywhere. And Contra Costa County is certainly no exception.

No. 5) Bubbaloo Café (Richmond)

 

Tucked away in an industrial area of Richmond lies Bubbaloo Café. Predominantly serving nearby workers, as well as families of children attending Benito Juarez Elementary School and Richmond Charter Academy next door, the somewhat hidden locale is only open on weekdays.

Serving a thin American-style waffle with bone-in fried chicken and a side of eggs, this form of the entree is classic and straight to the point. Averagely priced at $16.95, it might not be anything to write home about, but it definitely isn’t anything to complain about either. One great advantage is that their customer base often places to-go orders, leaving you with a quiet and private space all to yourself to enjoy a meal. And if it’s a nice day, you can even walk down the block to Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park pre- or post-meal to take in some great views of the Bay.

Bonus: Pork lumpia; Thai tea sold by the half or whole gallon

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. — Monday through Friday

Address: 1402 Marina Way S Suite B, Richmond, CA 94804

No. 4) Sue’s Place (Pinole)

 

Walking into Sue’s Place — Stationed on a sleepy side street of Pinole’s Old Town — almost feels like going back in time. The dimly lit and relaxing eatery features retro raised stationary spinning red bar seats along with a mural depicting different points in the past, like a vintage circus flier and a poster advertising Challenge butter for 69 cents.

Offering a no-frills rendering of the fare, the boneless fried chicken tenders and light Belgian waffles came out steaming hot and tasted very clean, without lots of infused grease or butter. With not too much seasoning on the chicken, it’s a good iteration of the meal for those who don’t like or can’t have their food too salty. At $14, it is the lowest-priced version of the dish on my list — and saving money always makes food taste better to me. It was also the fastest meal in the catalog, as I was in and out the door in an astonishing 20 minutes, though that may have had something to do with me being unnecessarily hungry and scarfing down my rations.

If you want to make the most of your time or feel less guilty about indulging, it’s conveniently located next to the post office for one to cross an errand off of their to-do list at the same time.

Bonus: “Eiffel Tower Blueberry Waffle” topped with fresh blueberry bourbon maple syrup; ube pancakes

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays (closed Tuesday) and 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekends

Address: 2265 Pear St., Pinole, CA 94564

No. 3) Broderick Roadhouse (Walnut Creek)

 

Centrally located in downtown Walnut Creek, Broderick Roadhouse provides indoor, outdoor and bar seating. The eatery features modernized decor faintly resembling a watering hole from 1893 in the city the restaurant is named after.

A tough choice waits upon your arrival — standard chicken and waffles with a slight twist in the form of bourbon maple syrup for $18, or sweet and spicy Korean-style chicken and waffles topped with sesame seeds for $20. For the sake of curiosity, I went with the latter and was not disappointed. However, a piece or two more of the dark meat poultry wouldn’t have been disappointing either. And you’ll have to plan accordingly, as Broderick only serves chicken and waffles during brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bonus: Fries available to order in eight different style variations; banh mi, gorgonzola mushroom, buffalo, poutine, steak and caramelized onions, garlic, sweet potato, and regular

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Address: 1548 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek, CA 94596

No. 2) Pear Street Bistro (Pinole)

 

In a more elegant setting than usual for our dish of topic, slow instrumental music played softly as I sat below lavish chandeliers that line the ceiling in one of four separate dining areas at Pear Street Bistro. Even on a Monday afternoon, about 15 customers were there, but ample space allowed for plenty of elbow room.

The biggest pro for me is their variations available for the dish, offering both bone-in and boneless fried chicken as well as $16.50 and $24 versions of different portion sizes. The chicken is crispy and juicy; the thick and fluffy waffle, uniquely filled with small pieces of chopped bacon to create a heavenly smoky taste and served with jalapeño butter  — lethal when combined with syrup.

The bistro is situated on the quaint main strip of Old Town Pinole, near a hair salon and massage therapy center.

Bonus: Impossible empanadas and sliders for those looking for vegetarian options, as well as crab cakes with creole Cajun aioli

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Address: 2395 San Pablo Ave., Pinole, CA 94564

No. 1) The Hangout (Pleasant Hill)

 

Nestled into a small shopping center in Pleasant Hill near Diablo Valley College, Carrington College, and College Park High School is The Hangout. With skateboard decks and neon signs hanging from the walls, the restaurant feels very modern and hip. It also provides bar, indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate all preferences. Seeing $13 and $24 dishes sized accordingly, I went with the gluttonous choice and got more chicken than anywhere else included in this list. The poultry is extra crunchy (double-fried, if my connoisseur knowledge is correct) and phenomenal; the Belgian waffle, thick and dense. Since I couldn’t decide, the nice waitress even gave me both regular and spicy maple syrup, the latter of which paired incredibly with fried chicken.

Bonus: Thai tea pancake served with Thai tea sauce; lemon creme anglaise pancake

Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day

Address: 2217 Morello Ave., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523