Let’s take a minute to talk about heroes. We all have them, right? I’m going to tell y’all one of mine. Be prepared to be deeply moved here. One of my heroes since childhood is… Guy Fieri. That’s right. I idolize that goofy, frosted tipped, hilarious food show host of a man. I have watched Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives for years. Laughed at countless jokes and puns. Drooled over delicious food finds. I have two of the cookbooks. I have even mapped out road trip stops and adventures specifically to hit spots featured on the show. I may be a little bit obsessed. Getting to the point here, I am constantly on the lookout for hole in the wall spots that would be worthy of Guy Fieri’s praise. Being from the South, we have plenty of little Mom-and-Pop places to quell my desires. So naturally, when I moved here I started keeping my eye out for quaint restaurants to add to my list (in case I ever get to meet Guy… hint, hint, nudge, nudge). Very soon after my move, Ian introduced me to a place that takes the cake! Or should I say… waffle?! Get it? Man I’m punny. Move over, Guy. Just kidding… there is room for us both!

We have established that we like breakfast. A lot. One of our favorite breakfast spots in San Diego is a little old school diner in Mission Valley called The Waffle Spot. If you blink, you will miss it. It truly is a hidden gem. It is located inside of The Kings Inn and has been open for about twenty years. As soon as you walk into the lobby, you are instantly whisked back in time to a simpler place. I’ll let you take a guess at what is good at The Waffle Spot. If you guessed the waffles, you would be correct! Their waffles are on another level! They have all the waffle flavors of your wildest dreams. Personal recommendations include the bacon, churro, toasted pecan, and the list goes on. Let’s shine the spotlight on the churro waffle. This is a new one for us, and one that we will order time and time again. This waffle tastes exactly like a churro, but better! It is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Rolled in cinnamon sugar and topped with whipped cream. So. Freaking. Amazing. Life changing. You will never be able to eat a plain Jane churro again.

The waffles are great, but what makes them better? How about fried chicken? Y’all had to know where that was going… come on now. Chicken and waffles. Is there a better pairing? Not even The Dineamic Duo can stand up to chicken and waffles. (Oh man, I think I found our Halloween costume for next year… picture it y’all). We have established our love of fried chicken. I may be exiled from returning to the South for saying this, but The Waffle Spot has some of the best chicken and waffles I have ever had. Their fried chicken is other-worldly. A great fried chicken must have a good crunch on the outside and be moist and tender on the inside. This chicken has the most insane crunch we have ever seen. You can hear it being bitten into from across the room. It is the only time my eating is as loud as Ian’s (sorry babe I love you!). It’s unreal. That first bite transports you to a whole other world of flavor and all you can do is close your eyes and enjoy the ride. Oh and P.S., you can pick whatever flavor waffle you want! We recommend the churro or the toasted pecan. Yummmmmmm. Another good staple they have is the chicken fried steak. In a slight turn from tradition, they use a bacon gravy instead of a sausage one. It works. It really, really works. The hamburger steak is perfectly breaded and crunchy. It’s flavorful and tender and melt in your mouth goodness. And you don’t even have to miss out on the waffles if you get it! They serve it with mini waffles!

You will not leave this place hungry. You will leave The Waffle Spot a little heavier than you were before, but with a full and happy heart. If my words didn’t do it justice, head over to our Instagram page @dineamicduosd for pictures! Just don’t drool on your phone case!