After years without Southern food in San Bernardino, I Love Chicken and Waffles fills the void

Demico Sherman, owner of San Bernardino’s five-star Yelp-rated restaurant, I Love Chicken and Waffles, opened to the public on January 13.

Although dine-in is not offered at this time, the restaurant is accepting phone orders and will soon be tapping into delivery services.

“Everything that we offer on our menu is cooked to order. Our chicken and waffles are made with our very own custom seasoning and batter. Also, our homemade peach cobbler, which is made by two of my aunts, has been selling out every day since we opened,” said Sherman.

Other fan favorites include Southern mac and cheese, greens, and double chocolate chip cake; all prepared by Sherman’s wife Kenya Owens and Chef Curtis, who bring over 30 years of professional cooking experience to the restaurant.

“I’m grateful to all of my partners, including my brother Ryan Sherman, Kenya Owens, and my business partner Demetrius Mayo. I was inspired to create a restaurant here in San Bernardino because this is the city I grew up in and there is such a need for authentic Southern food in our city. So many of us have to travel miles away to find this type of food,” continued Sherman.

An alumnus of Cole Elementary, Serrano Middle, and San Gorgonio High School, Sherman is proud to serve the community that has shaped him into the person he is today.

“We initially planned to open the restaurant back in April, but that was all canceled as everything quickly shut down due to the pandemic. We faced a few challenges along the way and we didn’t qualify for any small business relief because our restaurant hadn’t opened yet. It’s such a great feeling to be open,” Sherman said.

One way the restaurant was able to make it through the initial COVID-19 storm was thanks to the owner of the building, Larry Hepburn, who gave the restaurant a break on rent for over four months.

The restaurant celebrated its official ribbon cutting on January 20^th with the Black Chamber of Commerce Inland Empire and Youth Visionaries in attendance.

“We’re looking forward to connecting and serving the community for many years to come. We can’t wait to fulfill our customers’ takeout orders,” concluded Sherman.

The restaurant recommends placing orders by phone 20 minutes before pick up and the full menu can be found on its Facebook page ‘I Love Chicken and Waffles’ and on Instagram @ILoveChickenAndWaffles909.

I Love Chicken and Waffles is located at 1170 East Highland Avenue, San Bernardino. To place an order, call (909) 352-2705.