
Founded in 2017 in Los Angeles, California, Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. The chain expanded internationally in 2021, and as of 2025, there are over 100 locations in four countries. In 2021, Dave's Hot Chicken expanded into Michigan, among other states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Dave's Hot Chicken restaurants in Michigan | 6 |
| Locations | Dearborn, East Lansing, Howell, Southfield, Troy, and Warren |
| First Michigan location | Dearborn, opened in October 2021 |
| East Lansing address | 194 Albert Ave. |
| Number of staff in East Lansing location | Nearly 100 |
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What You'll Learn

Dave's Hot Chicken opened its first Michigan restaurant in Dearborn in 2021
Dave's Hot Chicken opened its first Michigan restaurant in Dearborn in October 2021. The California-based franchise's first Michigan location was at 22208 Michigan Ave in Dearborn. The restaurant offers Nashville-style hot chicken and is known for its chicken tenders, which are served "as is" or in slider sandwiches. Customers can choose from seven different spice levels for their chicken, ranging from "no spice" to "reaper" (which requires the customer to sign a waiver). The menu is simple, with only three crispy fried chicken tender combos: chicken tenders, chicken tender sliders, or a combo with one of each. The combos are priced at $11.99 to $13.99. Sides include crinkle-cut fries, macaroni and cheese, cheese fries, and "kale slaw."
The original Dave's Hot Chicken was opened in May 2017 by Armenian-American childhood friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan. They started with a small street food stand in Los Angeles, California, with a limited menu and a few picnic tables. The spot became a hit after Eater/LA wrote about their hot chicken. From there, the foursome opened a location in a strip mall featuring interior décor by local street artists. The chain expanded to over 100 locations in four countries by mid-2022 and has celebrity investors including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, Maria Shriver, Michael Strahan, and Tom Werner.
The Dearborn location was the first of several in Michigan, with other locations in East Lansing, Howell, Southfield, Troy, and Warren. The East Lansing shop is on Albert Street near Grove Street in downtown East Lansing, across from the MSU campus. The store is on the street level of a newer mixed-use building next to Beggar's Banquets. The mid-Michigan Dave's Hot Chicken in East Lansing opened in January 2024 and is the state's sixth Dave's Hot Chicken. The restaurant employs nearly 100 staff and is owned by Hot North Chicken LLC, the franchise owner.
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There are 6 Dave's Hot Chicken locations in Michigan
Dave's Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant chain that began in California in 2017. The chain has since expanded to over 100 locations in four countries. In 2021, Dave's Hot Chicken opened its first Michigan location in Dearborn. There are now six Dave's Hot Chicken locations in Michigan. In addition to the Dearborn shop, there are locations in East Lansing, Howell, Southfield, Troy, and Warren. The East Lansing shop is located at 194 Albert Street, near Grove Street in downtown East Lansing, across from the MSU campus. The store is on the street level of a newer mixed-use building next to Beggar's Banquets. The Troy location opened in May 2022 and is the third Dave's Hot Chicken location in Michigan. The restaurant serves Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders, with seven different spice levels ranging from "no spice" to "reaper," which requires a waiver to be signed. The sides include French fries, cheese fries, macaroni and cheese, and "kale slaw."
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The East Lansing shop is on Albert Street near Grove Street
Dave's Hot Chicken has expanded rapidly since its founding in 2017, growing from a single restaurant in Los Angeles to over 100 locations in four countries by mid-2022. The chain opened its first Michigan location in Dearborn in October 2021, with additional restaurants in Howell, Southfield, Troy, and Warren.
In January 2024, Dave's Hot Chicken opened its first restaurant in East Lansing, located at 194 Albert Street, near Grove Street in downtown East Lansing, across from the MSU campus. The East Lansing shop is part of a newer mixed-use building, situated on the street level next to Beggar's Banquets. The dining room is spacious, featuring metal chairs and a street art mural depicting the Sparty head on one of the walls.
The menu at Dave's Hot Chicken offers Nashville-style hot chicken tenders, served as-is or in slider sandwiches with pickles, slaw, and Dave's signature sauce. Customers can choose from seven spice levels, ranging from no spice to reaper, the hottest option. The restaurant also serves crinkle-cut fries, which can be ordered with a dusting of the hot seasoning used on the chicken and a variety of dips.
Dave's Hot Chicken has become a popular franchise, attracting celebrity investors such as Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, Maria Shriver, Michael Strahan, and Tom Werner. The chain's rapid expansion continues, with plans to open more locations in Michigan and across the globe.
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The California-based chain was founded in 2017
Dave's Hot Chicken is a California-based fast-casual restaurant chain that was founded in 2017. The first Dave's Hot Chicken was opened in Los Angeles, California, in May 2017 by Armenian-American childhood friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan. The four friends pooled their resources to set up a small shop, which consisted of a street food stand with a portable fryer and a few picnic tables. The original menu was limited, but it featured the signature hot chicken recipe developed by Kopushyan, a professional chef trained by renowned restaurateur Thomas Keller.
The idea for Dave's Hot Chicken was inspired by the no-frills approach of In N Out Burger and the growing demand for fried chicken in Los Angeles. The founders also drew inspiration from the success of East Hollywood's late-night chicken stands, which gained popularity for their delicious food and street art murals. The original Dave's Hot Chicken location in East Hollywood became a hit after it was featured in a local publication, Eater/LA.
From its humble beginnings as a pop-up stand, Dave's Hot Chicken quickly expanded into a nationwide chain. By 2021, the chain had opened upwards of 30 new locations across the United States, including its first Michigan location in Dearborn. As of 2024, there are six Dave's Hot Chicken locations in Michigan, including East Lansing, Warren, Troy, Southfield, Howell, and Dearborn. The chain has also expanded internationally, with locations in Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The menu at Dave's Hot Chicken is simple yet delicious, featuring crispy fried chicken tenders served with a slice of bread, pickles, and their signature Dave's 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 due to its extreme spiciness. In addition to tenders, they also offer chicken tender sliders, which are served on buns with pickles, kale slaw, and Dave's Sauce. Sides include French fries, cheese fries, macaroni and cheese, and kale slaw.
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The menu features chicken tenders and sliders with 7 spice levels
Dave's Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant chain that serves Nashville-style hot chicken. The menu is simple, featuring chicken tenders and sliders with seven spice levels. The chicken tenders are served "as is" or in slider sandwiches. The spice levels range from "no spice" to "reaper", with the latter being the hottest and requiring a waiver to be signed.
The chicken tenders are first brined, then breaded, fried, and spiced to the customer's preference. They are served with a slice of white bread, pickles, and Dave's signature sauce, which is a chipotle mayo. The tenders can also be ordered in a combo, which includes crinkle-cut fries and a drink. The combo costs $11.99 to $13.99.
The chicken tender sliders are served on buns with pickles, house-made "kale slaw", and Dave's signature sauce. Customers can also add cheese to their sliders for an additional $0.50. Like the tenders, the sliders can be ordered in a combo, which includes one slider and one tender, along with the same sides and a drink.
Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 2017 by Armenian-American childhood friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan. The chain has since expanded to over 100 locations in 30+ states, including Michigan. The first Michigan location opened in Dearborn in October 2021, with subsequent locations in East Lansing, Warren, Troy, Southfield, Howell, and Dearborn.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there is a Dave's Hot Chicken in Dearborn, Michigan.
Dave's Hot Chicken in Michigan is located at 22208 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48124.
The operating hours of Dave's Hot Chicken in Michigan are:
- Monday to Wednesday: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
- Thursday: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
- Friday: 11:00 am - 12:00 am
- Saturday: 11:00 am - 12:00 am
- Sunday: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Dave's Hot Chicken serves Nashville-style hot chicken. The menu consists of 4 choices: hot chicken tenders, sliders, or a combination of both. Sides include French fries, cheese fries, macaroni and cheese, and kale slaw.
The first Dave's Hot Chicken was opened in May 2017 in Los Angeles, California by Armenian-American childhood friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan.










































