One of the advantages of being a U of D student is the location of our school. Located on 7 mile and Wyoming, U of D is near many popular attractions such as Downtown Royal Oak, which is 10-15 minutes away, Livernois, also known as the Avenue of Fashion, and Ferndale. The location of our school gives us the opportunity to have fun with friends after school without having to go far. However, today’s spotlight will be on Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles. Kuzzo’s was founded and is owned by Ron Bartell Jr. Bartell grew up watching the show Martin, a show on Fox in the 1990’s, and the show would always spotlight a restaurant named Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. Roscoe’s is located in Long Beach, California and after a few tries, Bartell fell in love with the food. Chicken and waffles are a breakfast platter that is very common in African American families. Bartell’s love for Roscoe’s sparked an idea in his head. Bartell is from the Metro-Detroit area and realized there were no restaurants in the area like Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. This sparked a business idea, and the rest became history.
The restaurant resides on Livernois between 7 Mile and 8 Mile and has remained a family-style chicken and waffles restaurant since 2015. However, the restaurant doesn’t just focus on chicken and waffles. The restaurant is also famous for its infamous mixed Kool-Aid. The main purpose of the restaurant is to give local Detroiters a taste of southern homestyle cooking. The menu varies from chicken to side dishes of collard greens. When entering the restaurant, you immediately gain the family dynamic. With music playing, and people talking and laughing, coming into Kuzzos feels like being right at home. “With Kuzzos being so close to school, it remains tempting on a daily basis to not step in and taste some of the southern hospitality offered in the restaurant” stated Darnell MacArthur ‘25. Kuzzos remains one of the many remarkable landmarks of Detroit not only because of its southern and nostalgic cuisine but for the overall ambiance and family-style eatery.