The best chicken and waffles in Los Angeles

If you opt out of the current water of choice at Bouchon (Voss sparkling), somehow even the tap water tastes better here. But it still begs the question: In a city of affordable and homey plates of chicken and waffles, is $29.75 worth the price? The chicken isn't fried, but arrives roasted with perfectly gold-brown, barely crisp skin, with both a dark thigh and leg, and a boneless breast with wing. Lying next to these pieces is the bacon and chive waffle, sectioned and fanned. Nearby are sauce chasseur (an exceptional light gravy) for the chicken and delicate, pale Grade A maple syrup. The waffle boasts a tender, soft interior that begins slightly sweet before sharpening just a bit as the chives shimmy to the surface. But the first bite of chicken with a drop of sauce and it is over: You are no longer in sunny LA but a farmhouse in the south of France 150 years ago—this is the chicken of your mythical ancestors, a fowl so thrilling that the desire to pick it up with your hands and savor it like a lover becomes overpowering. This dish seduces your basest instincts while demanding you obey thousands of years of evolution—truly the best sort of edible, exquisite torture. $29.75

Photograph: Courtesy Bouchon Bistro

This unassuming, modern spot across the street from the Pantages Theatre is true to its playful name with a dark wood interior, but is saved from stuffiness by a floaty white ceiling and clean lines from tables to pillars. And though the menu says "small plates," these chicken and waffles are no overpriced appetizer. Gaze down upon crisped sage leaves whose scent wafts through the air, scattered atop a flurry of diced butternut squash. Beneath it is toothsome, free-range boneless chicken in a crisp batter that barely holds onto the meat, supported by a waffle that isn't sweet at all, but instead provides a nearly savory, comforting base for the flavors on top. Dipping a bite with all four elements into the real maple syrup? A truly complex, balanced dish. $17

Photograph: Courtesy Wood & Vine

Pann's has been a family affair since it opened in 1958—and it still feels like it, in the best sort of way. In a city where some folks try to be something they're not, it's a pleasure to eat at a place that excels at being precisely what it is: a fabulous '50s holdout, with the ideal dinner chicken and waffles. While you can order the dish in a variety of combinations, the waffle + four wings is the way to go. It arrives with royal splendor, the four wings perched like jewels atop a golden brown Belgian waffle crown. The waffle is barely sweet with a tender, airy, eggy interior (which is quickly sweetened up by the warm, candy-ish syrup). The fried chicken is generously meaty, moist, correctly seasoned and beautifully juicy with a shatteringly crisp breading that just barely clings on. No need for a doggie bag here; eat up and enjoy. $11.75

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

To be fair, you probably think about hamburgers or Burger Week when someone mentions the Oinkster, but it's time to expand your mind (and your schedule), because brunch is now on offer during the weekends at the popular Hollywood location. The Cluckster Chicken and Waffles with fries perfectly straddles your morning munchies and lunch desires by offering the best of both starches. A thin, crisp waffle sprinkled with strawberries sits aside their buttermilk fried chicken, a juicy breast pounded to even thickness and shrouded in a crispy coating that bites back just a bit. Real maple syrup brings it all together; lest you lack carbs, the side of Belgian fries seems excessive upon arrival—until you find yourself idly crunching away at them, smiling like a fool and thinking, "Damn, Oinkster. You got me again." $11.50

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman