Dave's Hot Chicken

This was our first time having Dave’s Hot Chicken and it did not disappoint. We got different things to try and different heat levels. I thought I had a high heat tolerance and Dave’s confirmed that was a lie. We got the Hot chicken slider and it had a strip on the side and we got that one in medium. The hot was HOT and I was second guessing my life choices. Did I keep picking it up and taking more bites? I sure did because apparently I hate myself 🤦🏻‍♀️ I’ll pay for it later I’m sure. The medium was perfect but still spicy. My husband got the Lite mild and no spice and loved it. My daughter got the mini sliders with no spice and she loved them. The bread is really good as well as their fries. Their Mac and cheese is nothing crazy but it was thick and had good flavor. I wish we had one closer to home because this would be our new chicken spot. The pricing is pretty good for the amount of food you get. We ordered a chocolate shake and they forgot to give it to us so we had to go back. We should have realized it before we left so I’m not docking them for that. It was very busy and the food was ready on time. There is a bunch of parking right by the establishment. The place itself is very small, especially when busy.

The place was packed, which was a good sign. It took a little while to get our food, but it was well worth the wait. I tried the two slider meal. Don’t be confused by the word slider. These are decent sized sandwiches. I was stuffed. Food was great and I’m a big fan of the Dave’s sauce. The staff was very kind and working hard. Seating is very limited, but I think most people take their food to go.

Great customer service by Dulce M she was very helpful and friendly. Environment was busy that goes to show how delicious Dave’s Hot Chicken is. I would say I came in durning dinner. The service was fast and easy.

Angelo catered to me during my visit. He was exceptional! 10/10. Food was fresh. I ordered the reaper thinking it wasn’t going to be spicy but mind you it was HOT! My mouth was on fire. It was a great experience. Only downside was the restaurant is small so there wasn’t much seating availability.

I was so skeptical of out this location due to its high traffic, but they exceeded my expectations. I went on two occasions within the same week and service was excellent. Even though it's busy the staff is very attentive. The first time in placed the order inside the next time online. They are very timely and communicated through the whole process. With my online order I wanted to change the spice level, they made the accomodations and was upfront about the processing time due to the change which I was completely fine with. Even though it was busy and they guy that was helping me went on break, another lady quickly stepped in and kept me up to date on my order. Overall I enjoyed my experience both times. Even though it was a packed house, never judge a book by its cover the Mission Valley location was very timely and efficient all while serving with exceptional customer service all around!

We ordered through uber eats. The delivery just took 10mins and the fries were soggy when it came. I ordered hot chicken sandwich but it wasn’t spicy at all, it’s actually pretty salty. The Kaleslaw was okay, a bit too pricy for the portion. I also ordered the mini chicken sandwich for my daughter and she liked it(this one is not as salty as the hot chicken sandwich). The Dave’s sauce is yummy & i love the extra pickles on the side. I asked for extra ketchup, honey and napkins and they just literally gave 2 pcs of ketchup & 2 pcs of honey. It’s not bad but it wouldn’t be my first choice if I crave for hot chicken sandwich.

Got a new customer !!! Tasty,crunchy and well balanced species. Fries good and the slider as well. Slider could be a bit more moist or kore cole slaw? Waiting is the drag,especially when you are on lunchtime,too long.

The food was as expected, hot and crispy, I ordered a slider and tender. The wait was pretty long as there was only one cashier open. However, the cashier was very friendly and responsive. There usually isn't enough space in the store, so take out is a good option. Sitting outside is recommended as the inside is pretty loud. The decorations in the inside are well designed and the music fit the vibe very well.

Great experience, customer service was excellent. Food was ready within a timely manner. I highly recommend and am definitely coming back soon!

the food Is pretty good I chicken is tender and it is tasty. The service is good too the workers are friendly and nice.

To start off, I would say Dave's Hot Chicken is my favorite chicken shop. I usually go for the Medium Spice Dave's #2: Two sliders w/ Fries. It is the perfect amount of spice where you can still feel it but it does not overpower the taste of the chicken. I have gone to many Dave's locations and by far this is one of the good ones where they give bigger chicken tenders in their sliders than others. That being said, I would recommend ordering online through their app for this location. Because the location is in Mission Valley, it tends to get busy. I have made the mistake multiple times where I think that I would be going at a time where there would not be anyone and then I would be dead wrong. It has gotten to the point where I have waited up to an hour for my food because I ordered it at the register. If you want to come to this location, take my advice and order online.

This place is super tiny inside,. Its not really a Daves a we know it's more like an airport express kinda version. Even without a lot of humans here when I got her, It did not end that way this place was out the door line. Not a great location for the brand but hey. they are doing something right. The staff here is A+ and the are super great. They move like bees. Whats also cool is the customer base really knows what they want to order. it took 52 minutes to get a side of fries standing inside ordering. this is a great opportunity to study efficiency. split the kitchen 1 person do in house orders the others do all the call in.

I stopped by Dave's Hot Chicken to pick up a takeout order and got the Dave's #2 for this particular visit. Everything about the food, the location, and even the friendliness of the staff was perfectly fine, this review isn't about that. My issue came after I retuned back to my hotel room and accidentally dropped one of my sandwiches on the ground. Obviously, that was on me, so I made the drive back to have it remade. When I explained what happened to the front-of-house employee, I even showed them the completely intact sandwich, still warm, with no bites taken out. Despite that, I was told they could only remake it if I had my receipt. While I understand the need for proof of purchase, I thought the sandwich itself was reasonable evidence, but she insisted. So, I went back to my car to see if I still had the receipt. After about ten minutes of searching, I couldn't find it, so I went back inside and asked if I could pull up my bank app to show the transaction. That's when she told me she didn't recognize taking my order and would have to check with a manager to see if they could pull up my order in their system. At that point, the whole interaction just frustrated me so I just left, knowing that I can sometimes have a temper. I wasn't asking them to remake the sandwich with no proof whatsoever, and I even offered to throw out the original one in front of them. I get that restaurants need to follow policies to prevent being taken advantage of, but there's also room for judgment in customer service. I have carpal tunnel, which causes hand tremors, and sometimes I just drop things. I didn't feel the need to explain my medical condition, nor do I think I should have to, for them to show a little understanding. Having worked in the restaurant industry myself, I know the customer isn't always right, but part of conflict resolution is knowing when to be flexible. If a customer comes back with an untouched sandwich and an honest explanation, I'd simply remake it and have them discard the old one, especially since employees can't take it back due to food safety regulations. It's a small gesture that would've gone a long way, and it wouldn't have cost the restaurant much to make it right. Instead, the lack of flexibility and understanding made the whole experience frustrating enough to lose my appetite for Dave's altogether. That said, the Dave's #2 meal comes with two sliders and a side, so it wasn't like I was left without food. But it was the principle of the situation that left me pretty disappointed more than anything else. I'm not going to be petty and give a low rating because my dropped sandwich wasn't their fault, and my order was prepared correctly from the start. However, the way the situation was handled is why I'm leaving a neutral three stars, out of fairness since they technically did nothing wrong in fulfilling my order, but their lack of flexibility was disappointing. I did end up finding the receipt back in my hotel room after digging it out of the trash bin, so I plan to contact customer service at their corporate office to see if they can make it right for me at a different location. I don't want to make this a bigger deal as it is, and have to drive back to the restaurant over one sandwich, but that said, I'll personally be avoiding this particular location. Not out of a grudge, but simply because I'd rather not let my frustration with this experience affect how I view the staff and restaurant as a whole.

I don't know what happened with the mac and cheese today. Was super bummed that it tasted and looked watery... I had ordered doordash from them about a week and a half ago and the mac and cheese was just how I remembered it. It was super crowded on a Saturday night and unfortunately, I saw a customer break the ice machine lever... could still use it but it just looked like a mess in there. Maybe like 30 people in that small indoor space, waiting for food. I would maybe order doordash again or just order at their other location in Clairemont (not crowded and quality is better).

My second time trying Dave's. We ordered a slider and a tender with fries - all mild. The chicken was really moist and well seasoned; the fries crispy! Tbh the food is good, but idk if it's worth the hype ? Personal preference but I got bored of the flavor bc the same seasoning that's on the chicken, is on the fries. And the sauce on the slider is the same sauce they give you for dipping. I went during lunch time so I understand why the service took a while to get food. We dined in and all the tables were nasty and sticky so we wiped it down first.

Love the commercials for Dave's Hot Chicken ! The good and the maybe? Dave's selection is rather limited in variety as you'll see scrolling through the gallery under "menu." Hot chikin' sliders, tenders, fries and salad. Cool and good 'nuf, but give me some sides! Some cooling stuff-maybe some sweet baked beans, honey cornbread or yams to counteract the heat! These chicks are hot-hot! My "hot" tender was too hot for me. The breading is thicker and with all the heat, wow! But wait, once I removed it, the chicken below was yummy! Very juicy, spiced just right! The "medium" tender hit the spot. The Dave's Sauce is great, and you can ask for honey to spill all over the heat. My fries were overly seasoned. My plate came out of the kitchen hot, but someone doesn't care about how it looks-kinda sloppy. I'd love to order Dave's with a glass of beer at happy hour, but it didn't hit my "but again" button for lunch or dinner. Free parking lot Kiosk inside + counter + food delivery. Small interior, crowded counter and wait area but tables outside.

Came here on a weekday evening. It was busy, but the staff was working hard and quick. We also placed our order online while on this way to the location, and it was ready about 5 minutes after we arrived. The family prefers this restaurant when it comes to chicken tender spots. The ability to choose a spice level really gives the chicken that kick of flavor. Light mild is really not spicy at all, but adds flavor. I definitely recommend adding honey to the Dave's Sauce. It is *chefs kiss* the sliders are a hefty size that can satisfy a big appetite. And the fries are well seasoned and crispy. The new Dave's Bites make a good choice for kids too. The downside with this location, parking can be a tight as it's a private lot but shared with multiple businesses. Also, space is very limited with only a couple tables/small counter inside, and a few tables outside.

I had a couple of very good chicken sliders from this Dave's location. Funny story, I order two tenders a la carte, but they gave me two sliders instead. I didn't want the buns, just the tender. At at any rate, I at the sliders potato buns and all. The sliders were tasty indeed. I asked for then mildest they had but they were spicier than expected. Maybe they gave me the wrong order? I liked that the sliders come with pickles and slaw, which go well with the crunchy fried chicken. The chicken was well breaded fried and remained tender on the inside. I really liked that they toast the buns, too. That makes a huge difference with a good fried chicken sandwich. The service was friendly enough. This location offers limited seating inside but more on the side outside patio.

Comfortable place and the food is always great. I wanted to give a huge shout out to Angela. She was very kind and had some of the best hustle and customer service I've seen.

Great fresh chicken and batter Great fries amazing mac & cheese amazing pickles, great sauce best chick, chicken sandwich delivered we've ever had

Decided to check out this new location. Went during a weekday afternoon. There was no wait when I arrived. Barely any indoor seating, like 2 tables and few outdoor tables. There's music playing outside so I couldn't hear my order so I kept having to walk back in and out to check. Food was decent at this location. My friend and I both got the same thing but her chicken was smaller than mines so I'm not sure about the consistency. I usually go to the Mira Mesa one and still think that location is better.

New location in Mission Valley so expect a wait... Nothing too crazy about this chicken joint.. pretty much what you would expect. The do have a vegetarian option which is a Cauliflower sandwich dressed just like the chicken ones. Service wasn't bad for the amount of people that were in line. Small place to eat inside but has outside tables as well.

Came to this location for the first time after craving Dave's! The food was super good as always but I would lay off coming to this specific location for a while since it just opened. There's really not a lot of seating space at all and during a weekend dinner rush, we had to wait around 40 mins for our take out order to be ready. Totally not the employees' fault, but the freshly opened restaurant wait was brutal here. Especially coupled with the lack of space, there was no room at all to move around because everyone is standing inside waiting for their food to be ready. I would come here again, but only once it settles down after a few months. The food is amazing as always so it made it worth it at least.

Super excited I found one close to work, I love this place. Always consistent, flavors on point. Generous portions. Service was fast, ordered online and it was ready when we came to pick up. Definitely mix the sauce with honey, gives your food that extra "WOW"! Service is always great, the staff is nice and helpful.

Food amazing! Service mediocre sometimes rude. Ambiance horrible too small people standing every where. I absolutely love Dave's hot chicken but this location has just failed me not 1 not 2 but three times. The food took 55 minutes and it was not even warm. Had to stand and eat because no seats. It just sucks because when I want hot chicken I love to come here, but I am officially done with this location. Never had a good experience

Dave's came, opened a branch and it's everywhere. It's also now in mission valley. Soft opening was pushed until today from Feb and it's closer than ever. They've got their signature sandwiches that are unbeatable. Hot has been the limit for me. Have a bite and look for fries, gulp down soda but the spice level doesn't leave you that easy. I'm not sure if I'll be frequent to other joints around. Ample seating and cool artwork!

Fun decor inside and outside. The inside is pretty small but they do have seating outside. The place was pretty busy but the girl behind the counter Lila G did an amazing job. She was super nice and patient to every customer she has in front of her and she also was packing up food to be called out. I had the #4 1 Slider with Fries. For being busy they did a good job in getting the food out quickly. The fries and the chicken slide were good. I liked that the bread didn't break because the chicken was so big.

They are always late for pickup orders . And very rude when asked how long. My online order was supposed to be ready at 7:54 PM tonight. I went there at 8:00 PM. The guy ( with yellow earring) working there was rude when I asked how long will the order take ? He replied "I'm too busy to check !". I finally received the order and box had time stamped 7:44PM. I think he deliberately delayed the order.

Yummy sliders and tenders ! There was quite a wait to get our food but worth it . HOT flavor has a kick to it but tolerable

Had a chance to try this brand in Oregon, and hubby was excited to see locations in San Diego. Decided to give this place a go. The yelp ratings were lower for this one than the one in PB. Upon arrival, there was a handful of people waiting, and I did notice 2 stand-alone stations for ordering but wished to be helped at the front. This location is quite small but features an outdoor sitting area and maybe about 3-4 tables inside. I was greeted and then told she would be right with me, however she was both the person who expedited the food, took the orders and dealt with pickup orders, as well as ice cream shake orders. I get that she was busy and the kitchen was hustling getting orders out. It must've been a good 10 orders that were prepared and half set aside for pickup/ubereats before I was able to order, and by that time, a few more people had come in. I get the minimum wage increased. The idea of having the machines to self order is essentially like ordering online. However, for customization is important, I prefer doing this in person. Also, the tipping starts at 18% (yes, for fast food that does not wait the tables) The store was clean. The food is just as good. However, it's customer service for me. She wasn't rude at all, but the vibe was off-putting, and it's sad that it falls on one person's shoulders, especially in a busy location for a new business. Hopefully, they read these reviews. I didn't read the other Yelp reviews before coming because I wanted to go in without any bias. Having something to compare, I feel the Oregon location was more welcoming/inviting, and customer service was not lacking.

Tender tasty chicken with just enough heat. Though their sandwiches and fries are flavorful and tasty, my favorite are Dave's hot bites. I get the medium heat. I love that they serve it with pickles and Dave's hot sauce on a piece of bread. Their chicken also taste awesome with the honey as well. Pickles are the perfect foil for the heat ... Good prices. service can be a little bit slow when there are busy. Usually upon opening at 11 AM, they are a bit slow because they get big orders for lunch.

First things first... Angela took my order and I have to say she is 5 !! I mentioned I had never been to Dave's and asked her for suggestions. She was knowledgeable, quick and excited to help. Customer service pro!!! Dave's is lucky to have her working for them! Now the food.. Angela recommended combo 3 because it includes one tender and one slider. She suggested trying to different levels of hotness so I decide my favorite. It was recommended to mix Dave's sauce with honey. All was yummy & I will be back.

Very tiny place with maybe 2 tables and some outdoor seating. The waiting area to pick up your order is very tight. I've been wanting to try this spot for a while now and am glad I did, but I won't be returning. Prices are fair. But I've had better chicken sandwiches. The slider is a decent size but the flavor of the (mild) chicken itself has an unusual sweet after taste that I wasn't expecting. The mac & cheese is basic. The Dave's sauce is good; I can tell it's just mayo mixed with other things. The fries are surprisingly really good though and were my favorite part of the meal. Plenty of parking.

I tried my first cauliflower Patty at daves hot chicken newest mission valley location. The staff was so friendly and had great food recommendations. They also had a cute blowup sign outside for their new location which was super photogenic. What we had: 1 CAULIFLOWER SLIDER W/ FRIES served with kale slaw, pickles and Dave's sauce 1 TENDER + 1 SLIDER W/ FRIES tender served with sliced bread, pickles and Dave's sauce slider served with kale slaw, pickles and Dave's sauce

I used to love coming to this location till my last visit on 2/17/2025. The employees seemed more focused on blasting music and mingling in the back vs paying attention to the food they're making. I took all four of my children and ordered 5 meals to go. We live 30 minutes away and when we got home super excited to eat we were all very disappointed because our food was WAAAY over seasoned with salt. I called and spoke with manager Angel Flores and he said I would be getting a refund in three business days, It's now 2/25/2025 and still no refund. Its really disappointing because I know how delicious the food can be. Seems to me that the employees don't care about Dave's Hot Chicken and its reputation.

This location is A MILLION times better than the pacific beach location from the food to the wait time. Emiliano was the one who took my order and even recommended stuff that was extremely tasty, the inside of the restaurant was decorated nicely and the ambiance was amazing! Will definitely be back

I came here on a Saturday late night, and it was REALLY busy. I'm sure it's because the location is so new. I waited around 35ish minutes for my food. Not upset about it since there was a long line/previous orders waiting, but it did feel a bit disappointing. There's also VERY limited sitting inside and outside, for how much demand there is, so plan ahead. The Extra Hot sauce was honestly pretty inedible when the food was hot (i have a pretty high spice tolerance so take this as you will). I had to wait till I went home to pat it down with a wet paper towel to get some of that spice off. The hot would have been perfect, in my opinion, and the medium is a solid choice too! I had the strawberry milkshake to combat some of the heat, and that was really yummy! Overall food is pretty good, just make sure you don't go too spicy!

I'm writing this review before I even have my food because as it stands I'm at 15 mins for my Togo order. Along with probably 25 other people. There's more people stuffed in this tiny restaurant than a sardine can. The lady behind the counter looks stressed but also is being very rude at the same time which leaves me less than sympathetic for the situation. After finding my own space to stand by the ice machine I had to snap a pic of how they leave their machines, hopefully the food will be good after all this.

SO HAPPY THEY HAVE A LOCATION IN MISSION VALLEY! Was thrilled to hear Dave's finally came to SD and ecstatic when they opened the location in Mission Valley! The parking lot is so odd, but there are a lot of spaces. The location itself is also small, but I don't care because the chicken is so good! Have been here twice in 2 weeks and I can't wait to come back again and again!

Let me preface this review with the fact that I have only experienced this businesses food through pickup and delivery orders, I have only eaten in store once. The food is not the issue, it's the service. Great chicken sandwich, great mac and cheese. The problem with this place is they will always butcher your order. You will never receive what you actually order from them and most of the time it will be in their favor so you lose money. I cannot clucking tell you how many times I've ordered an M&M or Oreo shake and what shows up is a plain vanilla with literally not a cookie crumble or candy shell piece in sight. And do not get me started on the heat level, and if you order sides, it's a gamble if they make it in the bag or not. If you have time to hold their hand through your order at the store maybe it's worth it, but if you are grub-hubbing or to-go ordering, save yourself the headache and go down the street to In n Out, you'll wait 2x as long but at least your order will be right. God Bless whoever owns this establishment

Excited to have a Dave's closer to home. Now we don't have to drive to Mira Mesa or El Cajon to satisfy our cravings. We ordered the Dave's #2: 2 Sliders w/ Fries. It was good, per usual, but the fries portion seemed less than normal.

It's a great spot to indulge in fried chicken sliders. I sampled the #3 (one tender, one slider, plus fries). My go-to is the Crack Shack in Little Italy, where I cannot compare it to Dave's, but this definitely hit the spot! I'll most likely come back again and try the Not Chicken Slider and Tender option (read: vegan).

Everything was hot and fresh. Excellent customer service, attentive staff with an abundance of condiments and utensils. Place was clean and a friendly atmosphere.

It's our first time visiting Dave's Hot Chicken! I have seen their stores opening up all around San Diego, but haven't gotten the chance to try yet until the new mission valley store opened. I was very surprised by how busy they were on a Friday early evening around 530 pm. There were probably 15 people waiting for their orders. The store is pretty small inside with a few tables, but the outdoor space has about 6 larger tables. Almost all tables were taken when we placed our order. We waited about 15-20 mins for our order, but the food was coming out on a steady pace. We ordered #1 two chicken tenders combo and a side of chicken slider and drink. It's pretty good price for ~$24! My hot chicken slider was great! Spicy but not overpowering. The flavor was great with Cole slaw, pickle, and their sauce. I really enjoyed the slider. The mild chicken tenders are really good too. Juicy and good flavor. Overall, really enjoyed their chicken here! Highly recommend!

BOMB A** CHICKEN!!!! better than popeyes's, KFC, churches.. etc. i'm never buying chicken anywhere else again, this will be my go to place for chicken!! mild & hot levels aren't that crazy spicy, i recommend trying those spice levels if you are open to flavor if not stick to no spice, the chicken was cooked perfectly! the PM fryer/ cook knows what he is doing!!!

Rosco is the man at the front. Place is clean and organize. Food is on point and priced fairly. Chicken sandwiches can be bad but Dave's Hot Chicken is fire! Hit it up and dip in for some chicken.

The place was really busy but service was super courteous. Shoutout to Emily! The food is really good. I tried Dave's #2. medium level of heat and thought I could try hot next time but it was a bit much. Definitely packs a punch. The shakes are really good too. Lots of parking, they have a bathroom, accept cards, etc. definitely worth the visit.

So damn tasty!!! I drive too far to pick up food from here but worth it. Ask for extra sauce, you'll want it.

Sheesh. Expect to wait 45 min to an hour. 6/19/24 16:22hrs This team needs a lot of help with organization and efficiency. Perhaps some specific processes to be put in place.

They finally dropped a vegetarian-friendly option and it is AMAZING. The cauliflower was the perfect texture-- not mushy at all. A little bit on the pricey side (it's actually more expensive than the chicken.)

Really surprised but shouldn't have been based on the line. Chicken was juicy and well seasoned based on your choice. Not small pieces which is great. Prices were decent The wait was pretty long and based on the number of people, could use some more staff to keep the place clean. Tables were sticky and trash overflowing. Still worth it...

Quality food, service was decent. The wait was not too bad on a Friday night. The place could use more indoor seating though. Plenty of outdoor seating but on a cold, frigid night everyone was packed inside waiting for a table to open up.

Hooray for finally having a Dave's in Mission Valley! This location is very friendly and always high-quality! The best chicken around!

I kept seeing the commercial for the cauliflour burger, so I went and got one. It was a slider, not a full sandwich and with fries it was 14.00 The cauliflour sandwich was such a letdown because it was so greasy and thin that the cauliflour was transparent. Each bite was drenched in grease. I really wanted to go to the front counter and ask for a refund, but I didn't because the cashier that took my order was so pleasant, and it was so crowded that it would have been very awkward, so I just called it a loss. It looked very appetizing, and delicious but was p retty disgusting . The store only had two small indoor tables. That's it.

Fun exterior and nice employees (though yelling welcome from the hidden kitchen seems unnecessary). That went out with Coldstone. Food is really "meh." I'd heard so much about Daves, so was excited. The chicken is very moist, but not impressive. Won't be back, but just cuz not my jam....others may like.

Used to be a huge fan of DAVE's, now I'm leaving a 1 star review. This pile of food was sitting at the window when I walked in and ordered a few sliders. Waited for 30 mins at which point someone from the back came out and grabbed some of the boxes from the pile and gave it to me. It was cold to the touch, I specifically checked. They did the same to the 2 other people who had ordered before me. Cold food that had sat in the window for 30 mins. I remember back in the day you could order delivery and it would show up still hot, with extra sauce and honey. Now you order at the store and get cold dog food with nothing else. Crazy how bad this is now. Guess Dave got the big bucks and doesn't care at all anymore.

Helllll yeah baby! New location is in the perfect area! Yes it was grand opening, of course you're going to wait but the food was spot on and the employees were great and extremely personable. I'm happy for Dave's. They started out with $900 in a lot and a fryer and now look at them! I'll always give them my respect because owning a restaurant in San Diego is hard, but owning multiple, is harder. Great job Dave's, I'll be there again!