Hash House A Go Go: Conquer the Tower of Fried Chicken and Waffles

Hash House A Go Go, 3628 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Hash House A Go Go

3628 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

I was tired of seeing chicken and waffles on brunch menus until I spotted Andy’s world famous sage fried chicken on Hash House’s menu. Actually, it was listed on the menu as a tower of buttermilk and sage fried chicken on top of fluffy buttermilk waffles with bacon and Vermont maple syrup. I just couldn’t resist.

Freshly squeezed orange juice, Hash House A Go Go, 3628 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

The theme at Hash House is twisted farm food and they really live up to that theme, featuring all sorts of poultry and game meats on their diverse menu.

Our second choice on the menu was the fried chicken benedict with homemade biscuit but we knew that the biscuit would never top what we ate at Pine State Biscuits in Portland so we opted for the tower of waffles and fried chicken.

Tower of buttermilk waffles and Andy’s world famous fried chicken, Hash House A Go Go, 3628 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

We had plenty of time to study the menu as the line up at Hash House was almost down the block. And it was only 10 am in the morning. It was a pleasant wait though as we tanned in the Californian sun, there was a water cooler on hand and lots of chairs and benches outside of the restaurant. Hash House is located right outside of Balboa Park so it’s a great place to grab breakfast before a day at the San Diego Zoo. Funny how some parts of SoCal are so laid back and low tech that their parking meters are literally a metal box with numbered slits that you dump your change into. I’m too used to Vancouver’s pay-by-phone meters and Toronto’s electronic street meters.

We were seated in 30 minutes at Hash House and I loved the make-shift patio in back, it was outdoors but the walls were constructed of tin with a roof on top. It was a bit of a hipster shed, really. But it was nice to have some shade from the sun with the illusion of still dining outdoors.

Bacon stuffed waffles, Hash House A Go Go, 3628 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

We ordered right away and when the plate came, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fluffy waffles were stuffed with bacon. I didn’t remember reading this on the menu but I was impressed. And the bacon was crispy and delicious too even while being sandwiched between the softest, fluffiest and most buttery waffles I’ve had in a while.

The famous fried chicken lived up to its name, the skin was crispy and well-seasoned and the chicken meat was moist and juicy. When we first saw this plate of waffles, we thought we’d have to order a few more sides but we were stuffed full almost immediately. I thought I was bored of the now ubiquitous chicken and waffles combo but Hash House has renewed my love for the sweet and savoury combination and I’ll gladly order it again.

Andy’s world famous fried chicken, Hash House A Go Go, 3628 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Now that I think back, I don’t know how anyone can finish a serving at Hash House by themselves, even the actual plates were larger than life. Many diners left with doggy bags or shared plates like we did. This was definitely a good value and high quality brunch place and tops my list of favourites in San Diego.