Dave's Hot Chicken

The chicken is fried perfectly—crunch on the outside, still moist inside. The heat builds but doesn’t kill the flavor, which is key. Fries were solid (seasoned well, not soggy), toast buttery and addicting, and the Dave’s sauce ties it all together. Slaw was just OK, kind of an afterthought. What works: – Fast service, even with a crowd – Clean space, solid branding – Chicken actually seasoned through, not just dusted with spice What could improve: – Limited seating in some locations – Slaw and pickles could be fresher – Prices are a little steep for tenders, but the portions are big

Five stars. Highly recommended when you need a quick bite! Serving up a perfectly cooked bit of chicken for El cerrito locals who love chicken sandwiches and sliders, the staff here is very nice and respectful. The employees (especially the ones working tonight Monday September 8th) are great! There should be a tip jar to tip them!

First time Trying it. it's soooo good! The chicken is huge. I never seen a chicken that big. Fries are Yummy!

First time here as I was just visiting in town. Food was fast to come out and staff was very friendly. I got a slider and tender combo both hot. Was kinda heavy on paprika but still oddly sweet. Not my favorite, but I think I'd like it a lot more if got a more mild flavor or even spicier depending on what seasonings they use. The chicken itself was very moist and well made. I'd definitely come by again if in the area.

Pet and Rosario and the rest of their staff are phenomenal. Better chicken than Popeyes and KFC, plus great customer service. If you haven't tried Dave's before, try it here. Open until midnight if you have late night cravings.

I have been eating from Dave's Hot Chicken at least 2 days a week for about 5 months and I have encountered it twice recently. The size of the chickens has been reduced due to company policy. This really reduces the quality. Eating from Dave's Hot Chicken was like a reward system for myself but as I said recently, this reduces the quality of the product and does not make it attractive. The image in my mind that made me eat from here every week disappears and I think why should I eat here when the quality has decreased. I bought 2 sliders and fries and it was a disappointment. It was like a mini slider. I ate it and it was not satisfying at all and I bought another slider. I asked the employees about this and I guess there have been a few changes due to the company service policy but they still gave me my next single slider in a size close to the previous size and it was a kind of consolation. I would like to thank the employees at the El Cerrito branch for their understanding.

I used to love this place. I still remember the first time I tried Dave’s hot chicken and how good it was. But now, things have changed. Quality have dropped, portions got smaller, and it is now way over priced compared to competitors. Service was also slow for no good reason. I remember going to their San Diego locations, and they were PACKED like crazy, yet they always managed to provide good and quick service. Today at this location the service was so slow even though the location was not busy at all.

This place is very clean & nice. Staff is ALWAYS polite & will suggest things off the menu if you ask. I’ve been coming here since their grand opening & it hasn’t changed not one bit. I really enjoy Dave’s Hot Chicken & have shared this place with my family & friends. Keep doing & giving your best, Dave’s Hot Chicken. Ohhh, so sorry, no picture, I took 1 bite & it was over, & DONE❤️

A Good Chicken place. El Cerrito Plaza has two chicken places but Dave's Hot Chicken is the place to dine at. Terrific sandwiches with great spices. I thought eating at Wingstop was the place to eat at but when i tried out Dave's Hot Chicken I was amazed how good the sandwich was. I do like how the inside of Dave's Hot Chicken is. You can dine outside the place but I prefer to eat inside.

Just moved to the area and I'm glad there's Nashville Hot Chicken near me!! This location was great! Lots of parking space, neat and well kept interior and employees are nice. The food was hot and fresh. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and putting honey compliments it. Fries are freshly made and they give extra pickles which I love! I will definitely come back here for my Nashville chicken fix!!

Dave's Hot Chicken was okay overall. The chicken had a powdery coating--almost like the texture of a powdered donut--which wasn't really my preference. The spice level was solid, and I appreciate that they offer a range of heat options. I ordered the tenders, which came with sauce, pickles, and bread. I do wish the bread had been toasted--it would've added a nice touch. The prices are average for the Bay Area, and the restaurant itself was clean and well-maintained, which I appreciated. Overall, it's not bad, but it's not something I'd personally recommend. It's just not for me. Service they looked stressed and tired.

Food and service were fantastic! Be careful ordering hot as it's soooo hot! The staff is really nice and they graciously remade a medium for us. So tasty and crispy - can't wait to return !!!

I don't ever review fast food restaurants. This is an exception. It was just a really nice experience. I've never had Dave's Hot Chicken before and the woman at the register was super friendly and nice helping me pick out something that I would enjoy. She made suggestions and ensured I had plenty of sauces and ketchup and that I tried the honey. The chicken came out hot and crispy (so did the fries). And her recommendations were spot on...especially the honey!! The place was super clean and really just brightened my afternoon.

The kids love this place. I order them a couple of times a month. They are consistent and the quality is good. The crew is friendly and helpful. There is ample room to sit and chill if that is your desire.

I'm not gonna come here and gag you like the Youtubers and TikTokers who scream up and down this Dave chicken is the best best chicken in the whole wide world because it's really not without the sauce you are loss! It is very red and you would think that the red has a kick or some taste to it but no, it's like a bland Red paste but when you dip it in that sauce, everything changes!!! The chicken is tender. The chicken is juicy it just lacks flavor without the sauce if they can fix that they would be straight five star all the way across I'm gonna give them four stars because the restaurant was very clean and nice. The area was nice. The ambience was giving an Old-school retro kind of vibe. I ordered online from outside. I walked in. I was greeted. I told them I was there to pick up an online order. They quickly presented me with my order. It was still fresh and hot. I did kinda wait past my time, but it was still hot and good. I wish I did not get a large shake because the Lucky charm is not all the way through the shake is just on top, which is what the name said, but I just kind of thought that it would be a little in there mixed in like a McFlurry kinda you know but no that's a no it's a big no big no big no LOL But if you're into going around, checking out chicken like I am, you will definitely not be completely disappointed in trying Dave's chicken because the juiciness was there. The tenders was perfect in size. It just NEEDS the sauce. I definitely got full off of one slider. Ate the other slider the next day and since I had that big ol extra $3 sauce I kept it around for other tenders that I purchased from other restaurants so that was a win.

The problem isn't necessarily with this franchise location, it's the food. Imagine the most hyper-palatable, unnaturally radioactively-hued garbage available from modern food science, then prepare it like you would for a rabid stray animal that attacked your pet. Capsaicin can only distract so much from the idea that once, this was a bird that died so you could torture your tastebuds, and that likely deserved better. Nashville would NEVER. Save yourself: pick up whatever flamin' hot carbs your local bodega has on offer, crush 'em up, and coat whatever protein you prefer. You'll thank me.

I love that this Dave's Hot chicken chain is halal certified, and has their certification up. The food is pretty good and a yummy place if you want something spicy and quick. I would say that they have decreased the portion sizes by a lot since they first opened, which is a bummer considering the prices have gone up.... Staff has been helpful Everytime I have been, clean seating.

So overhyped it's ridiculous. The food is served cold, way overpriced for a chicken tender on a cold Hawaiin roll with 3 shreds of cabbage they claim to be coleslaw. You will leave with bubble guts which just shows that they probably don't change their frying oil for days. At least the service was okay, they were sweet at the counter.

It was my first time trying Dave's hot chicken i order the large loaded fries and slider . The service was excellent , the food? In my opinion i felt it was way too salty and way too many spices in the chicken and the fries , the chicken itself was crispy and juicy , but just way too many spices.

Those who follow my reviews know I avoid national chains in favor of locally owned restaurants for the most part, but Dave's Hot Chicken is a locally owned franchise, so I guess it counts. My friend Yasser H. loves Dave's . His spice tolerance is much higher than mine, but Dave's has three spice levels mild and lower, so he told me there would be something for me. Today I tried it for lunch. I ordered online so I didn't have to wait in line, as I had a couple of appointments today at Kaiser Richmond. The website was very easy to navigate. You could choose your dish, the spice level, switch out the sides and opt in if you wanted packets of condiments, plastic utensils, napkins, etc. I really appreciated the latter, as too often I am given utensils and other items I don't expect and don't need or want. I ordered one slider and switched out the fries for coleslaw. Mac and cheese was the other option. Sauce was included and next time I would decline it as I didn't use it. I placed my order after I had done my morning routine so I could go right down and pick it up. When I arrived someone just pulled into the blue space right in front of the restaurant, so I had to pull into a space a few storefronts away. I didn't notice a closer door as I passed and went into the door on the corner. A nice young man held the door open for me. I went to the pick up area and told the young woman behind the counter my name and she gave it to me, asking whether I needed anything else, which I didn't. When I was leaving I saw the other door and another nice young man held it open for me. When I got home I unpacked my food and made my tea. The slider came w/ extra pickles. The chicken was a generous portion. The bun was larger than a traditional slider but smaller than the amount of chicken. The chicken was wonderfully flavorful w/o any spicy heat. The coleslaw had a hint of sweetness, but wasn't drenched in dressing. It was delicious. I will definitely return, maybe even to eat in. It was a delicious lunch for less than $13 including a 20% tip. The box the food came in was heavy paper and recyclable, the inner paper lining going into the compost so it's pretty Earth friendly. If you go to their website and read their story, the quality of what they do, from their website to their food, makes sense. Thanks to Yasser for a great recommendation!!

As others have observed, if you don't order spice level on the chicken it's on the bland side, as they don't season with salt. The flavor is in the spice rub. Great portion of chicken however and the fries are tasty. The service was prompt and courteous.

With all of the "fried chicken" establishments opening up, comparing can get a bit repetitive. With that being said, I prefer Krispy Krunchy. Now that's not to say Dave's is not good because I love Krispy Krunchy. I'm just not a fan of how the chicken is fried. The bun on my slider was cold. I paid around $55 for what you see (chocolate milkshake and 2 small sodas not pictured) and the best part was the fries. The service was decent and the ambiance was great. Love the choice of music being played.

3.5 stars. Ordered via DoorDash. I had medium spicy at the Novato location and thought that wasn't spicy at all so I decided to up it this time to Hot. I got the slider this time with fries and my small vanilla milkshake. The chicken was good texture-wise but unevenly spicy - one corner was HOT and the rest was tolerable. The fries and milkshake were good. The slider looked smaller than what I saw at the other location and there was barely any slaw in it so I was pretty disappointed at the difference.

The flavor of this chicken is off the charts amazing, and the texture... nearly no fat to gnaw through. I got the mild and it didn't sting at all in the mouth. But I still put the honey on it they offered, delish. Dude at the counter was kind and helpful with good eye contact. Food came super quickly. The art on the walls is a whole vibe; love it. I was honestly shocked by how tasty the chicken is here, and I enjoyed eating it with a side of sweet tea.

Very clean location. I was very, very impressed by the service, the ambiance, and most of all, the FOOD!!! I ordered the tender sliders in medium hot. I added honey to it as I read about it on another review. Oh my goodness, it was absolutely delicious I suggest requesting that they add ore sauce to the bread and not a small drizzle on top of the chicken. However, they had a cup of sauce on the side, so it was adequate to add, along with all the extra pickles. I wish they would bring one of these places to my hometown in Solano County. It would be a welcome addition.

Thought it was a ramen night, but Kyoto turned off the lights after we parked in front so it was time to try THE late night food spot, Dave's. We went with mild and that was very flavorful. Complex flavors and not a chance of breaking a sweat. What they call a slider is 2-3 times larger than what I think of as a slider. You can see in the pics that the chicken is much larger than the bun. Unexpected ratio but a great one. Chicken was moist, cooked perfectly. Pickles, slaw, all flavors and textures made it clear why this sandwich chain has taken off. Fries? Delicious, crisp, hot out of the fryer. Special sauce called out to me for fry dipping and I enjoyed that very much. The vibrant paint and upbeat music added to the ambiance. It's a high energy spot. Service was excellent.

Pretty Good Chicken here. The menu is limited which is fine. The chicken tenders are pretty big. Wish I saw them before ordering 3! You can order meals, which includes fries or separate tenders which includes bread and some Dill pickle slices. I opted for ordering three separate tenders with kale slaw. I enjoyed everything. You can dine in, order ahead or order to go. Late hours too! Most nights they close at 11p and I think Friday and Saturday at midnight. Nice addition to the El Cerrito Plaza.

I tried Dave's in Vegas and didn't really like it. Since I saw this was opening up, I wanted to give it a try. I really like this location! I do have to say I am more of a fries person than a sandwich person but I equally enjoyed both! Chicken was crispy and juicy, the other contents in the sandwich wasn't overpowering, and the fries were crispy and well seasoned. For the price of just a slider, it is not that bad. The slider itself does get me full! I am also a fan of pickles but the best combo is their pickles dipped in their sauce. Best taste ever! Service is a bit slow for the day I went (during few days after grand opening) but I totally get it. Vibes are similar to just any fast food place. Now I know that I have a good hot chicken joint to go whenever I want!

I finally got a chance to try this place, and it did not disappoint. Hands down, some of the best chicken I've had. The service was incredibly fast we've done takeout a few times, but next time, we're definitely dining in to check out the vibe.

This might be one of the most unhealthy places to eat. The chicken is coded with I don't know why, but it can't be good for you.

Been here a couple of times and the food is good and consistent. It's never overcrowded and the food is ready fairly quick. I was going to go for the reaper level hot but they wanted me to sign a waiver so I passed. I think I will go for it next time. I usually get the two sliders and fries. The pickles are always crisp and fresh. Good food and service all the way around.

I personally love daves hot chicken and this location is pretty good too. The staff is oka, this lady there could be rude sometimes. Its clean inside and bathrooms are clean too.

Super friendly and patient employees. Confident and well trained. Will definitly be back.

Food: Their tenders are very juicy, served on a slice of bread if you didn't order a slider, and dry seasoned with a 7 tier spicy range from no spice all the way to Reaper. The slider bread is fluffy and sweet, almost like Hawaiian bread, and set on the flat top to get a nice light crisp on the inside. Their fries are crispy and perfectly seasoned with alight cajun style seasoning. Their pickles are also very crunchy and fresh, definitely not the low quality, soggy pickles you get at other fast food places. Their fries come with a simple thousand island style dip, nothing crazy but not bad either. Service: They have standard fast food service, you order up at the register, get your ticket and wait for them to call your number. Nothing special which makes ordering quick and easy. Atmosphere: The inside is busy and vibrant as we went on a Friday night. There is plenty of indoor seating and some outdoor, great for groups. Located in a large plaza with Petco, Ross and other places to get your shopping done. Almost like an outdoor mall of the businesses weren't so spread apart.

Okay so BOOM! This place snuck up on me in the best way! My family and I were in the plaza and couldn't decide on what to eat and I remembered this new place had just opened up not too long ago! We pulled up and checked it out on yelp first! IYKYK lol Once we decided it was worth the try, my husband went in to order. What started as a to-go order turned into a dine-in, and I'm happy it did! The restaurant is so vibrant, CLEAN and inviting! The staff was professional, kind and extremely helpful with recommendations and offering options. While we were there, two staff members were seen cleaning WITH DISINFECTANT!!! WE LOVE TO SEE IT! Now on to the food! I ordered a #4 which is a chicken slider with fries (drink has to be purchased separately). I selected Lite Mild seasoning for the sandwich because I am NOT a hot girl LOL. The sandwich was SOOOO FREAKIN GOOD that I went BACK and ordered an extra slider (judge ya mama LOL)!! My husband ordered a #3 with Medium heat and finished his food 3.7 seconds after sitting down with it! Ahahaha Overall GREAT experience and definitely will be returning!!

Went back today added some Mac and Cheese it looks nothing like the photo on website and way over priced. The container is tiny and it cost over 5 dollars. Service was great clean gender separated restrooms , always a plus.

Delicious chicken!! Love spicy chicken. Service isn't great, they are a little slow and not friendly at all. I stood waiting for about 10 minutes while they were chatting. I finally asked if they were still taking orders and one of the gals looked at me confused. I then asked in Spanish and she walked over to assist me. The wait was long but the food is delicious. Easy parking and they are open late.

I am not a big fan of their chicken. To me it's very dry and they just douse it in the hot powder. Not a fan.

Not bad, not great. Worth a try but not something to rave over. I got the chicken sando which was fresh, and seasoned ok. Nice portions but not for me. Service was good.

We have a new fast-food chicken spot in the area. I always like to go when a restaurant opens in the beginning because I know they will be on their best behavior, and as expected, they were. The staff was friendly, and the food was good. I'll wait to see what it turns into in the next few months; I will remain cautiously optimistic. BB

Came in a Saturday night it was not too busy. We were able to go straight to the register and order. The server behind the register was friendly and helpful. Our food came out pretty quickly. I got the #4 with the one slider and fries. The fries were hot and tasty, the chicken was well seasoned. The sandwich was very good. The pickles were nice and crispy. The restaurant was very clean. My husband and son enjoyed their food. He ordered a top loaded shake. All the M and Ms fell yo the bottom but it was still very good. We will definitely be back.

This location opened up this week so I decided to try Dave's for the first time after many good recommendations from friends who had tried daves' other locations. it was around 10PM so the ambiance was very calm which I did not mind because I know during the day this place is very full. Going In, I was unaware of the menu so I decided to just go with a daves sandwich meal ($14.99) to start off and chose 2 different heat levels (medium, hot). The cashier was a teenager who was very friendly with good service and even talked to me a little about Dave's and how the pickup/ordering process worked which was very helpful as I was very lost coming into this place. He took my order and I of course had to tip him for his amazing service. Once I received the food, I was instantly intrigued into how it would taste because of how delicious it was but once I took my bites into the sandwiches, I was a little bit disappointed. the chicken seemed to be pretty powdery as if they rolled the chicken in powder instead of using sauce to add the spiciness to the chicken. The flavor of each bite though wasn't horrible. I still enjoyed each sandwich and their respective spiciness levels and none were overboard with heat levels which I was very happy of. In terms of rating on the sandwiches I'd rate these a solid 7.5/10 only because like previously stated the chicken did have a big powdery taste to it but maybe it's because it's a new location so they're still getting the hang of it which is understandable. Now onto the fries, I can say these were very delicious 9/10. They were very well cooked and crunchy to my liking instead of being under or over cooked. This was 100% the best part of the meal. They also had a bit of seasoning to them which added that extra wonderful taste that I enjoyed. it was also a decently sized portion which for the price I paid, should be that if not bigger. In conclusion, I would rate this experience a 8/10 because although it was very good, this place is pretty pricey at $15 for a meal with no drink. With drink included this can run you $20 which is a lot in my opinion for a sandwich with fries. Would I come here again? Yes I would, I would have to give this place another try and see if the chicken powdery feeling was a single occasion type occurrence or if it's just how their sandwiches are. Other than that I would recommend this place but beware of the pieces before you come in.

Ernesto always helping me choose the best food combo everytime I come in !!!the service is 10/10

Service was good and fairly quick for being lunch time on a Saturday and only being the 2nd day open. I got the #3- slider and strip with fries. Chicken and fries were cooked nice and crispy. Fries stayed crisp even after the drive home. The issue I had, and that will prevent me from returning , SOOOO SALTY! I do love me some salt but the seasoning on the fries and chicken was way to overpowering . Maybe someone just had a heavy hand as they are just starting out .. And they forgot my pickles, or maybe you have to ask for them? Oh well I can say I tried it.

So when I found out that Dave's Hot Chicken was coming to my area I got excited because I had been hearing alot about this place and I couldn't wait to try it. First thing I wanted to try the slider on the spicy level with fries and then two extra tenders on reaper. I put the order in to go online using the app and when to pick it up. The young kid working behind the counter gave me my order, which I thought would be 2 or 3 bags not just one, and then i left. Half way home something told me to check and yup I was missing food so I had to go all the way back to get my food which luckily they didnt give away to someone else. They offered to remake my food fresh but I didn't feel like waiting. I got a coupon for a free slider. Overall the the chicken was good, the sauce is a hitter. I'm not a big pickle person so I could do without it on the slider but it was still tasty with the soft bun.

I took the family over to the new EC Dave's Hot Chicken to see what all the fuss was about. Wow! What a party atmosphere - this place was hoppin', with a line out the door and people eagerly anticipating their turn to order for either eat in or take out. The line moved quickly, and there were young and friendly faces at the register, eager to please. We ordered and actually found a table in their - very fun - skater art designed dining room. The walls were lively and fun to look at. I would have taken more photos, but the place was so crowded, I didn't want to make people feel uncomfortable as I took pictures of the wallpaper above their head, but something to see when you go. They have the level of heat clearly noted from no heat to "reaper", where they actually make you sign a waiver! We had two tender plates (#1) - all come with fries, pickles and bread with their famous sauce packets. One mild and one lite-mild. One slider plate with reaper - my son is crazy (#4). And lastly, one with a slider and tender in lite-mild with cheese(#3). We were going to order shakes - since they had a promo that they had top loaded shakes with Oreos or M& Ms, but our cashier indicated they didn't have the toppings in, yet. I would have liked to try their slaw and Mac n Cheese, but left it for another trip. ' I have to say I was surprised at how tender and juicy these all breast meat tenders were. They have a thick coating of their flour and spice mix and I was expecting something that was dry that left a weird texture on your palate, but I was wrong. It was all good and there were no complaints at my table. In fact, my boys ate theirs and started looking at my plate for more! Admittedly, these tenders kept their crunch, with no grease factor, the day after - pulled out of the fridge cold. I'm serious. How did they do that??!

Amazing food great service the lady was really nice. Would come back again. The resto is really clean too

Clean and organized service from the fellow employee that helped me. For the first time trying out Daves Hot Chicken, it was unexpectedly better than what I've heard. I've always seen Dave's have long queues on their grand opening so I've always wanted to try it out. The sliders are delicious. The crunch of the crust and tenderness of the nicely cooked chicken is superb. The extra pickles on the side is a good additional topping. The only "complaint" I would have is that the chicken doesn't really fit into the bun, but I don't mind it all that much to be honest. For me, medium wasn't hurting, but it gave a nice heat to the slider. I would probably go for Hot or higher if your spice tolerance is above average. The fries are seasoned and have a delicate crisp. I would say that their seasonings on fries are second to Popeyes, but I would say Dave's price to food quality is better. The sauce isn't all that special since it's practically just mayonnaise and ketchup, but it's a decent condiment. Overall I would definitely come back for more as the prices are much more affordable than most fried chicken fast food branches. It's a great place to open up too since it's in the vicinity of multiple schools. Good job, Dave!

its Daves- its always gonna be good (: your standard issue fast casual spot but better

The food is so delicious !!! Thank you to Ernesto great customer service like always!!!

Pet the store manager is amazing. Great customer service and personality. The food is always good!

Have seen this spot for about a year now, but never attempted to stop in. Friends of ours ordered a couple catering trays a couple weeks ago, and I was BLOWN AWAY. I've stopped in TWICE since eating it at a large family & friend's gathering. #1 - The Chicken is Halal. #1a-c - The Chicken is Halal. #2- The Portions are enormous and PRICED RIGHT! #3- The El Cerrito location is spotless inside with the most friendliest staff! I am truly impressed reading the story of Dave's. Just keep up the business model, stay humble, do right, and watch how your business expand and prosper. We NEED a Dave's in Berkeley, CA !!!!

Based off my experience, the pictures posted here are misleading to what you are actually served. The chicken is juicy but the cuts are strange and have a lot of cartilage. Speaking of the cuts, a $20 chicken "sandwich" meal will get you half a palm of chicken folded between a single slice of bread, a small amount of limp fries, and fountain drink. They pretty much serve chicken hot dogs.

First time here. Service was quick and ordered take out. Got the hot chicken sandwich and it was delicious. Not much veggies but the bun was fluffy and the chicken was super crispy. Spice level isn't that spicy but will order again. The strawberry milkshake was creamy and thick so had to use a spoon, very tasty.

I mean it was ok so more 3.5 than 4. Chicken was good but decent size with small piece of bread all for a pretty penny. People like this place so maybe I'll try it again? We'll see...not a great review, sorry not sorry -ant

Doesn't live up to the hype. I remember seeing this SOCal chicken strip spot get a bunch of hype during the pandemic w long lines so was curious when they opened at EC Plaza. I ordered a 2 piece strip meal and added a strip and it was $19!! For three strips, fries and 3 slices of white bread. Ordered it medium but it wasn't spicy. Chicken and fries were soggy. Tasty but soggy. Not worth the price and didn't live up to the hype. Popeyes is just down San Pablo, go there if you're looking for chicken strips!

This is the third Dave's I've visited (LA and Oakland) and as always, really solid. I got the slider and tender combo with fries (no drink included) which came to 15.42. Spice levels were medium for the tender and hot for the slider which is perfect for me. Both were perfectly spicy without being too spicy for me. I do really like Dave's spice blend and my chicken was cooked perfect, bread and roll were fresh, and the pickles are great. Service was friendly and inside/outside/bathroom all very clean. Will return for sure.