Dave's Hot Chicken

Update 01/11/2026 4 stars DHC were courteous and nice on the second visit. The first order was corrected and tried another meal of their menu. Will be back here again. Update: Thank you DHC for the reply. Will reach out to dhc email provided and give it another try. Will be back soon and will update the review accordingly. Original review: 1 Star Ordered 10 pcs chicken nuggets, Fries and a shake. It took 18 minutes to get the order. And when we got home. It was only 6 pcs. They charged us for 10 pcs and sold us 6 pcs. Took too long and didn't get the order right.

Food here is outstanding. I ordered Dave's #3 combo. Which comes with a slider, tender, fries, Dave's sauce and 1 piece of toast. The piece of toast felt a bit disappointing, needs to be replaced with a side. Fries portion feels way too small, needs to be a little more bigger. Milkshakes for a size large are $10. Almost the exact price for ordering a combo. The food here is amazing, but there are some improvements that can be made if I wanted to reconsider coming back here soon.

To start, the food is delicious. My son got sick cause it was too spicy (reaper) but the staff was so nice and helpful. They replaced the meal with a non spice one and gave him a milk shake to help sooth his stomach. Thank you!!!

These are some top tier chicken sandwiches. The fries have a great texture and flavor. They give you a good amount of pickles and extra sauce. It goes great with the honey. But it doesn't really need anything. The shakes are good but not the greatest. The chocolate is way to sweet and the vanilla is regular.

Great customer service im impressed on how nice they are, there food is always good can’t complain, the location is super clean thats always nice, they dont have a lot of space to dine in, but thats not a big deal, over all good place, 100% recommended

Great service, great calm atmosphere, nice employees, and also very helpful. The food smelled and tasted absolutely perfect this time and visit. I will definitely be returning without any doubt in my mind. Thank you to my server Brenda who was also the cashier and front help .. and to the rest of Dave's Hot Chicken for the great experience and the greatest return as of yet. The sauce on the sliders were perfect and exactly how I ordered them. My son and I will always remember this visit all because of the great customer service we received. The visit was overall impressive and just plain perfect. It stood out because the way we were treated like we were wanted finally. And the entire restaurant was nice and calm and also clean and orderly.

Dave’s Hot Chicken doesn’t quite live up to all the hype, though it does have some highlights. The fried chicken is cooked perfectly—crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, just the way it should be. However, the sauce options are limited, and they really should offer more sauce or larger portions to better complement the heat and the chicken. The mac n cheese is underwhelming, looking and tasting more like boxed mac n cheese with extra cheese thrown on top rather than something made in-house. Overall, it’s a decent spot for a chicken fix, but not the mind-blowing experience it’s often made out to be.

Really fun place! Good food. Decor is funny. Service was great, everyone was so nice—Edwyn was very polite and happy. The woman who gave us our food thanked us for waiting even though it was super fast. Food was hot. The mac and cheese was really delicious! The macaroni wasn’t overcooked/mushy. Dave’s sauce is good on everything! Fries were crispy and well seasoned. Even the tenders with no spice were flavorful. The mild had a good light spice, it was enjoyable. Dill pickles were nice and cold and crunchy.

It was our first time at a Dave's, and Martin was so helpful in explaining the menu! I'm allergic to nuts and was able to safely eat here because they had an allergen menu available! The restaurant is very clean and the staff was friendly. We will be back!

I love to eat the loaded fries. Medium heat is good even though I don't handle spiciness very well. I always get extra kale slaw to put on top. The slushie is good but it's a little watered down at this location. I always get a shake. I ask for chocolate ice cream and get it with m&ms. All the staff were super friendly. I ordered inside and it only took about 10-15 minutes for it to be ready. I like their app too. I've been earning a lot of points every time I come here.

I've always loved Daves Hot Chicken and have eaten here at this location multiple times and recommended them to anyone who cares to listen . Unfortunately not anymore .The last time I ate here I was violently ill shortly afterwards. I was vomiting and spent half the night on the toilet. I would not recommend this place anymore .

Great food, good vibes, average service, good price point. Had the #3 combo which come with the sandwich, chicken strip, medium fries and a bucket of sauce. Texas toast also included added a soda for about $17 total. The food is delicious, I got the mild spice, which was not hot at all. I probably could've got medium or hot. I recommend starting with medium with like spice. The vibe here are pretty cool on the wall. The service is just average.

I've been loving on Dave's Hot Chicken for awhile now. Whether we're in sunny warm SD or AZ we've never had a bad meal. An overly spicy one, yes, but that was a rookie mistake! There are multiple heat levels to choose from, ranging from savory to burn the house down. Kale slaw and mac and cheese sides are just as good as their fries, which are never soggy or oversalted. Counter staff is always polite, helpful and patient, and clearly repeat back your order to make sure it's correct. Service is usually pretty quick, although they do get slammed during lunch and dinner rushes. I've had to wait about a half hour for an online order. Ambiance is cool and airy, a bit industrial, and yeah, like everywhere else these days, it's a bit loud due to cement floors and walls, and high ceilings. The industrial vibe is accentuated with spray paint art, and they play a variety of chill but upbeat music.

I heard of Dave's but never had the chance to actually stop on by until this day. Inside is setup as a usual fast food place. The cashier was very patient and chill. We order the 2 sliders with fries. I didn't timed how long it took for our food to come out, but I'm estimating it was 25 mins to 30 mins. I was getting pretty hungry but they were pretty busy as well. Once the food arrived we were pretty excited by the size for the sliders. Thinking of sliders I thought it was going to be the size of the bread rolls, But it was bigger and it was definitely enough for me. The taste was unexpected as well, in a good way. The chicken was crispy and flavorful. I was pleasantly surprised. Their famous sauce was good but really not my thing so I did like it without it. Overall it was good place and somewhat a quick lunch to grab a bite.

This chicken was fire!! I had been wanting to try this place and finally got to see what all the hype is about. The prices are reasonable, the place is clean, the service was good, and I got my order fairly quick considering how busy they were. The only down side is the parking sucks and what a nightmare. It's in a small shopping center and they are next to an In & Out, which is madness with the drive thru line snaking through the parking lot and blocking parking stalls etc. Other than the parking situation the food was good. I would only recommend coming on a weekday before or after the lunch rush. I ordered the #3 - chicken slider, chicken tender, & fries. I love spicy foods, but was unsure exactly how hot their levels of heat were. So I opted for the hot, and I'll just say I could have gone extra hot and maybe even the reaper. The chicken was juicy, fresh, had good flavor, and was filling. I thought 1 slider wouldn't be enough since I was hungry, but I couldn't even finish the fries or the tender. I was pretty stuffed and the chicken tenders were a good size. I'll definitely be coming back and it's worth trying.

Pretty good! The flavor on the chicken kind of tastes like chili bean soup not gonna lie! Still pretty good! The (possibly bbq mustard) sauce mixed with the honey added a really good taste. I preferred the sandwich with the coleslaw over just the chicken strips. The cheese fries were my favorite! Reminded me of when I used to go to my brothers baseball games as a kid, very tasty fries! Good food, great customer service!

Can't believe I haven't had Dave's Hot Chicken until recently! My boyfriend and I got the #3 that comes with 1 tender and 1 slider. The slider is not a smol slider but a regular sized chicken sandwich. I recommend to definitely get a tender to really experience all the flavors of the chicken without the other condiments in the sandwich. The chicken was also very moist and again flavor was on point!

This is a happening location in El Cajon. Call in your order if you want to skip the line and expedite your process. Limited seating but good place for a fresh chicken sandwich. Hearty portions.

I found this place to be not great but just above ok when it comes to cajun style hot chicken. Also the order I placed online wasn't ready when the website said it would be. The website gave me 20 minutes but in the end I had to wait another 15 minutes. The place wasn't even crowded. Although they do seem to mostly do take out orders. This place kind of reminded me of Chick-fil-A in the same sense as the food was very bland and although spicy & hot it lacked overall flavor.

Best chicken sandwich I've ever had! Super crispy and moist. It is no wonder why so many people talk about this place. Was hesitant to try due to it being a chain. The moment we walked in we were greeted by a super friendly employee! She explained how the menu works and her recommendations. Decided to order the mild chicken sandwich and cheese fries. I'm still thinking about the meal I had here and would love to go back soon. The only thing is that it's just a little too far from me!

First and foremost, the customer service here is TOP TIER! Every employee behind the counter was delightful. We ordered two orders of the chicken tenders and the wait time wasn't as long as we expected! The tenders were filling and tasty! The inside was clean and in order. Based solely off the customer service, this place deserves a 5 star! Keep up the great work!

First time trying today and I was not a fan. Portion size, price, service, all were good. The chicken and fries however just tasted oily, like straight up old possibly burnt, degraded fryer oil and lots of seasoning. I know it sounds bad but it's understandable seeing the amount of chicken they push out. I'm sure they filter and swap oil but my batch just wasn't good and I don't think I'll crave this again. For anyone wanting to try this place I say maybe go around opening time for lunch with hopes they've used fresh oil.

My kid loves Dave's Hot Chicken , he wanted Dave's for for dinner tonight, it's been a few months since he's eaten here. Again never disappoints , food good and fresh! Nice size line tonight and customer service still great , food great! Damian L. cool and nice

Server that took our order was very helpful. We ordered the thing. I ordered mild and hubby order medium heat. Very juicy and moist chicken. Very tasty! Very pricy for chicken strips but overall a great meal.

Ryan took our order and he was very efficient and kind. They don't get 5 stars because their shake machine was down.

**Dave's Hot Chicken Review** Dave's Hot Chicken delivers on its promise of fiery flavor and indulgence. Whether you're a spice lover or just looking for a great fried chicken experience, this chain has something for everyone. ### Atmosphere: The vibe at Dave's Hot Chicken is modern, casual, and fun. Most locations feature bright colors, playful murals, and a laid-back, fast-casual dining experience. The energy is upbeat, making it a comfortable spot to grab a quick meal with friends or family. ### Food: The star of the show is, of course, the chicken. Dave's offers tenders or sliders that are crispy on the outside and

This location shares a parking lot with in n out so parking is unbearable. But the service was really good and our cashier was very nice! Inside was also very clean. I ordered a #3 medium. It wasn't too spicy but had a spice flavor. Not a big fan of crinkle cut fries but they were crispy. Tendie was super moist. Sandwich was also good but next time will get just the tendies I think.

Dave's Hot Chicken in El Cajon is located in a tight little cluster of other fast food emporia tucked away in an oddly-angled portion of the outer parking lot of a Home Depot and a nearby hotel---I think it might be a Hampton Inn. Be aware that the parking lot is tricky to navigate, with sharp corners, coupled with the vigilance needed to avoid the constant stream of the snaking of vehicles in line for the adjacent In and Out Burger. The interior of Dave's Hot Chicken is warehouse like, and quite plain, save for the cartoon-like colorful graphics painted on the walls that somewhat serve to cheer up the otherwise somber non-décor. The glass entry door was heavily smudged. Once inside, the dining room, while quite spacious, is oddly furnished with only four tables. Accordingly, I heard several groups comment "I guess we should take the food home to eat", since all four tables were occupied. Daniel took my order. He was exceptionally kind and helpful. That was important, in light of the fact it was my first visit and I needed some recommendations. Brian delivered my food, and he also had a pleasant manner. For dinner, I ordered a chicken sandwich and a chicken tender. I selected "medium" spice, and everything was fine. The pink lemonade was icy and refreshing on a warm early Friday evening.

Came here on a Saturday evening. It was very busy with lots of customers. There's an indoor dining area and some tables outside. I tasted the mild slider. It's much bigger then a traditional slider, more like a chicken sandwich. The spice plus cole slaw adds some really good flavor. The breaded chicken is juicy. The spice adds that extra needed touch. It was really good! My only real complaint, is that it took sOoOoo long to get our order. We waited at LEAST 30 mins or more. So consider ordering ahead (but even pick up had a bit of a wait)...

Food may be good but the wait time is ridiculous. Waited almost 50 minutes for our food that only consisted of 4 sandwiches.

10/10 costumer service. Their "Dave's Not Chicken" option makes me feel so seen as a vegetarian 10/10 Sandwich - you HAVE to try a bite with the honey AND Dave's sauce. it's no joke.

Finally had the opportunity to try out Dave's Hot Chicken and it totally lived up to the hype! The chicken AND fries were both perfectly seasoned with the perfect crisp, the bun was close to an egg bun which is my absolute fav and came with a ton of pickles which is much appreciated for freshness. I also got a side of macaroni which was a little on the soupy side but the flavor was banging. My only complaint is their signature sauce is kind of whatever. I wish they had other dipping options. I'll definitely eat Dave's again in the future but most likely will take it to go so I can have more sauce options at home and a brew since they only have soda to offer.

Dave's Hot Chicken is delicious! Came back last Thursday after a Padres game. Went with the 2 sandwich combo, medium heat. Medium is just enough heat to tingle your lips, but not hot enough to burn your mouth. The 2 sandwich combo is the way to go! The crunch on the batter is out of this world. The chicken is moist and delicious! Really enjoyed my sandwiches. I will be back again for sure! It's one of those foods that you crave and once you devour it, you say, "That hit the spot!". That is Dave's Hot Chicken in a nutshell! Soooo good!

Best chicken in the east county. You have to try their chicken slider with the cheese on it.

Went for the first time while finishing some business in El Cajon. Originally saw a restaurant in Yuma, AZ and made it a point to visit one of these days. I come into the El Cajon one. It was very clean and the people working there were pretty chill. One of then being extra hot and one being the reaper. The people did warn me ahead of time that it was really spicy and said "bad" at the same time when I asked how bad the spice level was. Regardless, I did order them provided I sign a waiver that they were not responsible for any issues. So talking more on food. Chicken was very juicy and delicious. Extra hot wasn't enough of a spice to it for me, but the reaper really kicked me hard. One bite made me sweat a lot and the heat was really high, but it was still delicious. Would easily recommend coming here if you have a itch for some heat, but avoid the reaper if you don't have a very high spice tolerance.

For what it is it is 5 starts. Friendly staff, great food, decent prices and clean. Loved the cauliflower slider so addictive.

It was my first time eating there and gentleman that waited on me was very helpful. He told me about the sauces I can mix together. It was really good. Will eat here again.

Bomb service from Ryan, and fantastic food. Our orders are always correct, and we love coming here!! The reaper slider is my favorite, perfectly brined and seasoned as well.

I had this place on my mind and wanted to try the chicken. Service was amazing, fast , friendly. I love hot chicken and Nashville hot style. I wanted to try the Extra hot and reaper. I ordered the extra hot strip / Reaper sandwich with cheese fries and Mac & cheese. I ate the extra hot to start my journey of heat. I found that it wasn't as hot as I expected when I did my research prior. Then ate the reaper sandwich and was disappointed that I wasn't kicking and screaming. It was the same as extra hot just hot. Flavor wise it was ok and my wife got the mild flavor... She stated it was greasy and oily... Overall, I have to say that it's just regular chicken with a ton of spices! Just ok . I drove in total of 50 mins to try it this place and wasn't impressed, it was just ok. My brother swears on his soul that if you are interested in this place just get "HOT" it's a balance between hot and the right flavor. I would say .... get a milkshake and mix honey with the Dave's sauce to get that sweet flavor with the spicy flavor.

Chicken sandwich was good, I ordered it extra hot and it was actually hot! The order for two sandwiches comes with seasoned fries. Flavors are good, and they give extra sauce too. I would have liked onion on my sandwich, but I'm not sure if they offer that. Only thing was that the place could've used some fresh air, it smelled like old greasy food smell trapped in there. Employees were friendly for a fast food place. Next time I'll check out their other new location near me.

I love chicken amazing customer service free food great food love the chicken bring my family here everyday single day

Wow!. So we are by and large wary and skeptical of restaurants or chains with excessive hype. They seldom live up to the expressed or our on internal expectations. Such is not the case of Dave's. It was simply excellent. This chain primarily has locations in California and Texas (but also many other states) and the menu is pretty straightforward. Fried chicken tenders with you choice of heat either served as is or slider style . The tenders: We chose the "hot" level. The heat for us was hot enough to leave that burn impression but not wipe out the palate. For most unless you like the heat I would try medium and work up. Not sure I would go any higher for us. The tenders were perfectly fired and battered and the batter was well seasoned. The Dave's sauce was nice a nd rich and helped cut the heat. OMG drizzle some of the provided honey on them........... The sliders were the same tenders on rolls with slaw and sauce. They were again excellent with the slaw helping to take the heat and adding a crunch element to the affair. In a cardinal sin I forgot to add cheese so my bad. Fries: wow perfect crinkle fries with great flavor and perfectly crunchy. Pickles: Crunchy and flavorful they added texture and a nice brineyness that again helped offset the richness of the slider All in all it was excellent. The service was friendly and on point The seating is super limited outside is the only issue and parking can be bad as well. But neither takes away how good this place is.

Better than I anticipated, was in the area and I see this place so busy as it is right across the street from Home Depot and today just had to try it out. Great customer service, food came out fresh and flavorful and surprisingly chicken wasn't dry and perfectly juicy. For sure will be back and glad they serve mild!

I'd give this place 4.5 stars if I could. This wasn't on my radar as potential dinner options, but my partner suggested it, it was right there, and I didn't want to play that game where we can't agree on a place for an hour, so I said ok. I got the number 1 with medium seasoning and I actually thought it was pretty good. The seasoning was flavorful, unique, and tasty, and not too spicey hot. For reference, I'm a light weight with spicey hot. Medium La Victoria Red Sauce is my limit. The fries had a good taste and texture and are some of the better fries I have had, and they give you pickles with the meal, which paired well. They also give you a few packets of their custom sauce. I suspect it's some variation of thousand island, and it was also good. My only suggestion is they add a little more salt to the battery they use to bread the chicken. I would go here again and wish there were a Dave's local to me.

The atmosphere in Dave's Hot Chicken was fun and friendly! Ryan at the register was fast and helpful since I was indecisive on what to order! For it being my time, I'll definitely be back!

Off thee hoook !!! Yumm yumm buy your own !!! Beats cane s like a step / fourth failed marriage dad !!!

Delicious chicken. Spicy, juicy and hot. Dave's #1 comes with two oversized chicken strips, crispy fries, pickle slices, two slices of white bread and a cup of Dave's sauce. The side of Mac & Cheese was decent. A very filling meal that left me satisfied and happy. I will be back.

This place is a pretty good spot to get your spicy chicken sandwich. The breading is nice and crunchy and doesn't taste like old oil or over salted like some bad chicken sandwich places. The chicken is still pretty juicy too! I'm a spicy food lover and if you are too, then go straight for the spiciest they got. It's not that spicy. It's somewhere around 5/10. However, if you're not good with spicy then definitely go for something near the mild level. My friends that don't eat spicy foods didn't enjoy the max spicy at all and thought it was way too spicy.

If you're not too familiar with this area, as of December 2, 2022, just be careful of some construction going on around the adjacent streets. I had to make a couple of U-Turns to get into the parking lot. Dined in with my boys, and we ordered the plate that comes with 2 chicken sliders and fries. We also ordered a side of Mac & Cheese. My boys were a fan of the Mac & Cheese, although I didn't have a chance to try it. The sandwiches were filling and we were able to split all the food amongst us. As for service, food took a little bit longer than expected--- maybe because it was Friday night. But overall, the sandwich was tasty. The MEDIUM wasn't that spicy, and had a subtle hint of spice. The extra side of their dipping sauce was perfect for the sandwiches and fries for extra flavor. Overall, would come back.

Stephanie the cashier was awesome! Food is delicious as always. The lobby was clean, what's good music playing in the background.

Oh my! I can handle really hot food, but holy molé! Dave's takes the cake. I chose "hot" from the heat choices never there were two even hotter choices. I thought that would be safe. My smarter half wisely chose "medium." The portions are HUGE & the chicken is amazing. The chicken tenders are like a quarter of a chicken & the sliders are the size of a hamburger with a huge piece of chicken inside. The French fries were really good. The meals were pricey for this type of restaurant, at least in our opinion.

This was my first time at Dave's Hot Chicken! The employees were friendly and helpful but I unfortunately didn't like the food. The wait time was long as well! I prefer Cane's.

Edit: my review had changed from 3 stars to 5. I initially gave 3 stars based off of waiting time-the restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly, and the food is delicious. However, i ended up waiting 20, 20+ minutes for my order before . The manager reached out and want to make things right. On the visit today, it was ensured that my food would arrive much quicker, and it did! It took only 5 or so minutes. Way faster than before. The customer service definitely earned them a 5 star rating. Thanks again!

Ryan is super friendly and quick! Funny dude. Food always good here so stop by! New Graffiti looks tight inside too.

Dave's definitely takes the prize for the best fried chicken I've ever had, the breading is so delicious and flavorful and the chicken is always soft and stays warm for long periods of time, 100% recommended this place for somebody whose craving good fried chicken. Although it does vary from place to place on how long it takes. Inside is very bright and colorful.

Updated review: they no longer offer the 50% military discount which is very upsetting. Now they only offer a free drink or 10% I forget. We really went out of our way because of the discount, but we don't see ourselves driving out there when we can just go to Cane's.

Delicious chicken! I usually go for the two slider deal and ask for a few extra packets of Dave's sauce. The fries taste great with them!