Willie Mae’s Scotch House was established in 1957 as a bar in New Orleans’ Historic Treme neighborhood. After a year, the bar was moved to it’s current location, which consisted of a bar, a barbershop and beauty salon in the front. In the early 1970’s, the beauty salon closed, which brought on the demand for a restaurant from Willie Mae’s bar customers. The aromas of Mississippi and Louisiana cuisine emanating from the kitchen filled the air and brought on constant demand for delicious food. Their demand was met and the rest is history.

        In 2005, Ms. Willie Mae Seaton was honored with the prestigious James Beard Award for “America’s Classic Restaurant for the Southern Region.” This changed everything; bringing it from a local neighborhood eatery to a nationally recognized restaurant. Unfortunately, just after receiving the award, Hurricane Katrina came and caused severe damage to the restaurant. With the help of the Southern Foodways Alliance and many other organizations, we were able to reopen in 2007. Thus, bringing recognition from the Food Network and the Travel Channel as “America’s Best Fried Chicken.” Today, Kerry Seaton Stewart, Ms. Willie Mae’s great-granddaughter now runs the operation that’s still serving up “America’s Best Fried Chicken."  It is located in New Orleans’ 6th Ward just blocks from the historic Treme Neighborhood and the French Quarter.

        Now that history is expanding to Los Angeles. Willie Mae’s will open a standalone, full-service restaurant right in the thick of Venice this summer, with plans to bring its famous fried bird to the West Coast permanently.