Ali's Chicken & Waffles

"With a menu that hinges around halal chicken, this popular City Heights spot has a second location in downtown San Diego. Known for its fried chicken tender and waffle combos (don’t miss the coconut syrup), it also serves up breakfast burritos and fried chicken sandwiches." - Ligaya Malones, Candice Woo

"Tucked into the back of a City Heights Donut Star, this takeout-focused spot uses halal chicken as the base of its crowd-pleasing fried chicken. The tasty coconut syrup is a must when ordering fried chicken tenders with a waffle or try the spicy chicken sandwich slicked with Thai chili oil and herbed mayo." - Darlene Horn, Candice Woo

"The first San Diego restaurant for soul food icon Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles is well and truly on its way to Barrio Logan where it’s currently on pace to open by mid-to-late summer. This is the chain’s eighth location and the biggest yet for founder Herb Hudson, who launched his first Roscoe’s in 1975. “My goal is to provide as much employment as I can; the more opportunities I create the more fulfilled I am,” Hudson shared with Eater. “San Diego is one of the best markets in the nation and of course everybody needs a Roscoe’s. The city is beautiful, almost enchanting, the people are laid back and there is a calm and peace about this city; when we were encouraged to bring Roscoe’s here, we came, we saw, and we conquered.” Hudson, who is known for purchasing the land for all of his properties, worked with Coldwell Banker’s Adolfo Moreno to buy the National Avenue site. “After years of anticipation, it’s exciting to see Herb and the Roscoe’s family finally making huge progress in Barrio Logan,” said Moreno. “I look forward to their success and supporting them with this and other projects that we’re looking at for San Diego.” Roscoe’s rep Diane Vara tells Eater that building plans have been approved and the foundation of the 6,000-square-foot restaurant has been laid; the Barrio Logan outpost will have a rooftop dining deck as well as its own parking lot. Though it’ll offer its signature Southern classics, the chain is also planning to roll out new dishes. Fulfilling a longstanding customer request, chicken tenders were recently added to the menu. Vara says that Roscoe’s will continue to expand; the company is currently eyeing properties in Palm Springs as well as Northern California." - Candice Woo

"Tucked inside Donut Star at Fairmount and University Avenues, Ali’s chicken hits the trifecta of craveability: tender (despite being breast meat), flavorful (seasoned with a bit of a kick but not to the point where it burns), and golden (because that also matters, right?). The kitchen, which is halal, has other Southern essentials like mac and cheese and cheesy shrimp and grits and waffles, plus Thai Tea and Ali’s fries, topped with cheese sauce, corn pico, diced chicken and chipotle mayo, because why not? Sauces, 50 cents each, include herb mayo, chipotle mayo, Ali sauce and coconut syrup. That syrup, by the way — it’s transformative." - Roxana Popescu