Mia Patel
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain with over 100 locations in four countries. The first Dave's Hot Chicken was opened in 2017 in Los Angeles, California, by four Armenian-American friends inspired by the growing demand for fried chicken in the city. With a simple menu consisting of hot chicken tenders, sliders, or both, customers can choose from seven different spice levels for their chicken. While some locations offer sit-down dining, others appear to be fast food-style outlets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Restaurant | Fast casual |
| Food | Nashville-style hot chicken |
| Menu | Simple, 4 choices of hot chicken tenders, sliders or both |
| Tenders | Served on white bread |
| Sliders | Served on buns with pickles, house-made "kale slaw" and a chipotle mayo sauce known as Dave's Sauce |
| Spice Levels | 7 different levels ranging from "no spice" to "reaper" (which requires the customer to sign a waiver) |
| Founding | 2017 in Los Angeles, California |
| Founders | Armenian-American friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan and Gary Rubenyan |
| Inspiration | In N Out Burger and the growing demand for fried chicken in Los Angeles |
| Number of Locations | Over 100 locations in four countries by mid-2022 |
| Celebrity Investors | Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, Maria Shriver, Michael Strahan and Tom Werner |
| Recent Expansion | Canada, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and upcoming in the UK |
| Customer Reviews | Mixed, with some praising the food while others note unenthusiastic service and higher prices in certain locations |
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What You'll Learn
- Dave's Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant chain with over 100 locations worldwide
- The chain was founded in 2017 by four Armenian-American friends in Los Angeles, California
- The menu is simple, with only four choices: tenders, sliders, or both, with seven spice levels
- The chain has celebrity investors, including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Werner
- Reviews of the restaurant on Tripadvisor are mixed, with some praising the food and others noting unenthusiastic service
Dave's Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant chain with over 100 locations worldwide
The chain's menu is simple, featuring only four choices: chicken tenders, sliders, or a combination of both. Tenders are served on white bread, while sliders are served on buns with pickles, "kale slaw", and a chipotle mayo sauce known as Dave's Sauce. Customers can choose from seven different spice levels for their chicken, ranging from mild to extremely hot.
Dave's Hot Chicken quickly expanded beyond its original location, opening additional restaurants across the United States. By 2022, the chain had established an international presence, with locations in Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The chain has also signed deals to open restaurants in the United Kingdom.
The restaurants have received mixed reviews, with some customers praising the food, while others have criticised the service and atmosphere. Despite this, Dave's Hot Chicken has become a popular destination for those seeking Nashville-style hot chicken, with celebrity investors including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Werner.
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The chain was founded in 2017 by four Armenian-American friends in Los Angeles, California
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. The chain was founded in 2017 by four Armenian-American friends in Los Angeles, California. The four friends, Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan, were inspired by the no-frills approach of In-N-Out Burger and the growing demand for fried chicken in Los Angeles. With just $900, they set up a small shop in a parking lot in East Hollywood. The original location was a simple street food stand with a portable fryer, a few picnic tables, and a limited menu. The stand initially sold only one item: a hot chicken combo plate. Kopushyan, a professional chef trained by renowned restaurateur Thomas Keller, developed the chain's signature hot chicken recipe.
Since its humble beginnings, Dave's Hot Chicken has experienced rapid expansion and now boasts over 100 locations across four countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. The chain's headquarters are in Pasadena, California, and it has gained celebrity investors such as Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, Maria Shriver, Michael Strahan, and Tom Werner. The menu at Dave's Hot Chicken is simple, with only four choices of hot chicken tenders, sliders, or both. Tenders are served on white bread, while sliders are served on buns with pickles, house-made "kale slaw", and a chipotle mayo sauce known as Dave's Sauce. Customers can choose their preferred spice level from seven different options, ranging from "no spice" to "reaper", the hottest level which requires a waiver to be signed.
The chain has received mixed reviews, with some customers praising the food, especially the chicken tenders and sliders, while others have noted unenthusiastic service in some locations. Despite this, Dave's Hot Chicken continues to expand, with plans to open 60 restaurants in the UK as of July 2024. The first of these restaurants was scheduled to open in early 2025.
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The menu is simple, with only four choices: tenders, sliders, or both, with seven spice levels
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. It was founded in 2017 in Los Angeles, California, and has since expanded to over 100 locations across four countries. The chain's menu is simple and consists of only four choices: tenders, sliders, or both. Tenders are served on white bread, while sliders are served on buns with pickles, house-made "kale slaw", and a chipotle mayo sauce known as Dave's Sauce.
The signature hot chicken recipe was developed by professional chef and namesake, Dave Kopushyan, who was trained by renowned restaurateur Thomas Keller. The chicken is served in either tender or slider form, with a choice of seven different spice levels ranging from "no spice" to "reaper" (which requires a waiver to be signed due to its extreme spiciness). This allows customers to customize their orders according to their preference for spice and heat.
The tenders are described by customers as "large and juicy, full of flavour and spiced as hot as you can handle." The sliders are also mentioned as being "lovely and fresh," showcasing the quality and taste that Dave's Hot Chicken strives for. The simplicity of the menu ensures that the focus remains on delivering well-prepared, flavorful chicken with a range of spice levels to cater to different palates.
In addition to their classic tenders and sliders, Dave's Hot Chicken also offers snack-sized sliders, perfect for those looking for a smaller portion or a quick bite. The restaurant caters to a range of dietary preferences, offering a breadless option with just chicken and fries. The chain has also opened several international locations, including in Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, with plans to expand to the UK.
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The chain has celebrity investors, including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Werner
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. It was founded in 2017 in Los Angeles, California, by Armenian-American friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan. The chain's menu is simple, with only four choices: hot chicken tenders, sliders, or both. The tenders are served on white bread, while the sliders come on buns with pickles, "kale slaw", and Dave's Sauce, a chipotle mayo. Customers can choose from seven spice levels, ranging from "no spice" to "reaper", the hottest option which requires a waiver to be signed.
The restaurant's origins are humble. The four founders were inspired by the no-frills approach of In-N-Out Burger and sought to meet the growing demand for fried chicken in Los Angeles. With just $900, they set up a small shop in a parking lot in East Hollywood. The original location was a simple street food stand with a limited menu, offering only a hot chicken combo plate. Kopushyan, a professional chef trained by Thomas Keller, developed the chain's signature hot chicken recipe.
Today, Dave's Hot Chicken has come a long way from its humble beginnings. In June 2025, the chain was acquired by Roark Capital, a private equity firm, in a deal valued at $1 billion. The restaurants have received mixed reviews, with some customers praising the food while others have been less impressed by the service and flavour. Despite this, the chain continues to expand, attracting new customers with its spicy chicken offerings.
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Reviews of the restaurant on Tripadvisor are mixed, with some praising the food and others noting unenthusiastic service
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 2017. The chain has since expanded to over 100 locations across four countries. The restaurant's menu is simple, offering only four choices: hot chicken tenders, sliders, or both. Customers can choose from seven different spice levels for their chicken, ranging from "no spice" to "reaper," which requires a waiver to be signed.
Reviews of the restaurant on Tripadvisor are mixed. Some customers praise the food, particularly the chicken tenders and sliders, which are described as "large and juicy, full of flavour and spiced as hot as you can handle." One reviewer mentioned that they came back twice during their first visit to Las Vegas, specifically for the "lovely fresh spicy chicken sliders and tenders." Another reviewer noted that the chicken was cooked perfectly and that the fries were fresh and crispy.
However, other reviews mention unenthusiastic service from the staff. One customer shared that their first impression of the restaurant was fantastic, but they were disappointed by the service they received. They mentioned that the server let the door slam in their faces as they entered, and the staff appeared unfriendly and unenthusiastic throughout their visit. Another reviewer compared the prices at the Las Vegas location to other Dave's Hot Chicken locations, noting that they were higher, which is common for businesses in the area.
Despite the mixed reviews, Dave's Hot Chicken has become a popular destination for those seeking Nashville-style hot chicken, with celebrity investors like Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Werner backing the chain.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Dave's Hot Chicken is a sit-down restaurant. It started as a small street food stand in Los Angeles, California, but has since expanded to over 100 locations in four countries, including sit-down restaurants in Toronto, Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, and Las Vegas.
Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in May 2017 by Armenian-American friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan. The chain's first location was a small street food stand in a parking lot in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, with a limited menu featuring a hot chicken combo plate. The chain has since expanded to multiple countries and has celebrity investors, including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Werner.
Dave's Hot Chicken serves Nashville-style hot chicken, with a simple menu consisting of four choices: chicken tenders, sliders, or both. Tenders are served on white bread, while sliders are served on buns with pickles, house-made kale slaw, and Dave's Sauce, a chipotle mayo sauce. Customers can choose from seven different spice levels for their chicken, ranging from "no spice" to "reaper," which requires a waiver to be signed.
