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    Dave's Hot Chicken

    4.2 (85 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Dave's Hot Chicken Takeout or Delivery

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    DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Mac & Cheese
    Kerri G.

    This chicken gets 12/10 super ultra rating. It was juicy and flavorful with just the right amount of heat. The restaurant in Gainesville is on the newly developed side of town and was easy to find. When we arrived we were promptly greeted and there were many patrons waiting for their orders. As we waited more and more people just kept coming to indulge in this bit of goodness. Inside was pleasantly decorated and workers all seemed thrilled to be there. The pickles are a great added touch. Fries were good and sauce tasty. The macaroni and cheese was a disappointment as it tasted like Kraft directly from the box. It needs a deeper flavor profile. Outside of that bit all else was very well worth it.

    Simone M.

    I wanted to wait at least a few months after the opening of Dave's in Gainesville as I know most people would still be curious about trying out this spot. I went on Friday during UF's homecoming parade so I could avoid the craziness. This is located in the Butler Plaza area adjacent to Whole Foods. I am very familiar with this place as I have previously reviewed the Altamonte Springs location. When I walked in, I loved the interior of Dave's because it's always very bright and colorful. In this location, it was themed around the university with gators, football, and Gainesville in bubble graffiti letters. I ordered the #1 - two tender (1 medium, 1 hot) with fries. The restaurant is pretty clean and the the person at the counter was very friendly and nice. I did take it to go but I waited about 7 minutes for my food. It came out hot and fresh. The tenders are huge, so it's great leftovers for me. The chicken was pretty moist and the tenders were coated in their seasonings very well. The fries were good and were not as hot as I would've liked but I just popped them in the airfryer. Overall, I enjoy eating at Dave's Hot Chicken - very happy to see them in Gainesville. Based on previous reviews, I do hope they continue to work out the kinks and make a great lasting impression on the area.

    Dave's #3 - 1 tender, 1 slider, cheese fries
    Lili T.

    I've been waiting so long to try Dave's Hot Chicken!! Maybe I hyped it up a bit too much in my head. The meal was good but not fantastic. I got Dave's #3 which came with 1 tender, 1 slider, fries, sauce, and pickles. The chicken was a balance between being crisp and crunchy with nice moistness. I was hoping the flavor would slap me in the face, but the flavor was actually kind of mild - a little sweet, a little salty, a little cayenne, nothing more, nothing less. I ordered medium spice but will be getting hot next time. I will also order the tenders alone since I thought the bun and slaw didn't add much to the experience. The sauce was not my favorite. The sweet, tangy mayo didn't pair well with the fries and chicken in my opinion. The pickles were really good, though. The fries were nicely crisp yet soft on the inside but just a tad on the salty side. I really enjoyed them. HOWEVER, I do have beef (or should I say chicken?) with the cheese add on. It was an extra $1.50 to upgrade to cheese fries so I was expecting a blanket of cheese, not just a few sad tiddlywinks of it. The oreo milkshake was just alright. I don't know if their machine was acting up, but it was purely melted soft serve with chunks of oreo on top. It was $7 for a small and absolutely not worth the price. The ketchup packets were adorable. Make sure you grab some to proudly display in your home. The servers and service were great. Not too long of a wait for a soft opening. The ambience is what you would expect for a hip chicken joint, but it was super loud inside. Overall, I would give Dave's a 3.5/5. The flavors fell a little flat for me, but I will be back.

    Dave's #1 2 Tenders w/ Fries
    Nathaniel D.

    Great fast casual chicken restaurant. I got a 3 piece chicken tenders, which came with fries and garlic toast. I was initially disappointed at the price, but didn't realize how filling it was. After receiving my food, I don't know that I could've eaten much more. I got them mild and the seasoning itself on the chicken was delicious without adding much heat. I don't know how exactly to describe, but it's like a thin layer of spices that stick to your finger and are delicious. Definitely would return and recommend it!

    Mild slider with fried and pickles
    Alyssa M.

    The chicken was pretty good and I like that's it's a little different from other chicken places with the spice. I'm a baby when it comes to spice, so I got it mild and that was perfect. The pickles here are really good too, and their fries are amazing! Their sauce is also really good. The service and ambiance were fine, but nothing to write home about. Overall a good choice if you're craving this type of food.

    Dry, burnt chicken and barely any coleslaw. Not pictured is the second slider that looked the same.

    I've eaten here quite a bit and the food is normally delicious and I actually crave it. Yesterday it was awful. I stopped by to get two sliders and fries to-go. I ordered light spice. I didn't taste any spice (no big deal on this part). However, the chicken was dry and burnt. I should have checked it prior to leaving the restaurant, but I never have been given dry, burnt chicken. They put a scant amount of coleslaw on it. (I love the coleslaw so much - as it's one of the main reasons I go there). This was a waste of money for $15-16 and not enjoyable. I submitted a review to the restaurant directly (as I try to give a restaurant a chance to correct something before going to Yelp). I received, from Alexa, the same generic message as I see here on Yelp in response to other complaints. There was no offer to make this right. I spent that money and drove 20 minutes to get there, for barely any coleslaw and dry, burnt chicken. I wasn't going to drive back over there for them to remake it (nor was that even offered to me). I don't plan to go back there since customers are treated this way. I would have given one star for this experience, but I'm trying to be nice since they are usually good. I think the most disturbing part is Alexa not making this right. She could have at least offered to remake the meal. I get that everyone can have an "off day" but at least fix the problem (their burnt food and subsequently a dissatisfied customer) not just send a generic message. What about my $15-16 spent and not being able to enjoy or eat it? I had to toss it.

    A whole lotta chicken
    Shula R.

    Located on Archer, this location has a pretty crowded parking lot and it might be best to park in the lot right across from it. Relatively new to the area, it seemed to be pretty busy and well received when we went. Will be curious to see how this holds up being a bit pricey for quick service in a college town. The chicken itself was very tasty. We tried medium and hot in the tenders and sliders. While they label the paper with stickers if you order a mixed spice level, we weren't sure on one of them if they were actually different or mislabeled. Staff was friendly but they were having a problem with the buzzers or something with some of the orders. Overall if you like Nashville hot style chicken, this place is definitely worth a try.

    Dave's #2 2 Sliders w/ Fries
    Kelli M.

    The ambiance inside is so bright and inviting and the staff is so friendly and quick to address your requests. The ordering line was long, but went fast. The chicken tenders are of good size and so soft and flavorful, you will not be disappointed. Ordered the #1 which comes with two tenders, fries, special pickles, slice of bread, and Dave's sauce. You get to choose your spice level so I got one hot and one reaper. When you order the reaper you have to sign a waiver because it is so hot. I can handle hot food....habaneros are not a problem for me to eat. The hot spice tender flavor was sooo good it made my taste buds happy!! I ate the reaper last cause if it was going to be as hot as I thought it was going to be I wanted my taste buds to actually taste the hot tender. Wooo Weee the reaper is something else it was HOT it tasted like it had ghost pepper and habanero on it. No joke my mouth was on FIRE !!! I could not finish it, even after drinking three cups of Cherry Coke and placing two ice cubes in my mouth....it was that hot!!!! If you try the reaper you might regret yourself and your taste buds will definitely not like you!!! Will definitely be going back.

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    3 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Brett G.

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    3 months ago

    Stopped by DHC Tuesday after work to grab something from their menu. Great sliders and the spice is for real!

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    3 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

    Nice environment. Fair price. Very friendly. Good food. Definitely worth it. Recommend 100!

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    Brett G.

    We aim to impress! Thank you! Come back again soon!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    6 months ago

    Great food. Gio is amazing. The food is consistent Everytime I go. There are more options than just hot

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    Brett G.

    We aim to impress! Thank you! Come back again soon!

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    2 months ago

    Amazing food great service ! Best chicken in town. Great workers and good shakes ! I recommend coming if you pass thru Gainesville

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    2 months ago

    Great service, Giuseppe was fantastic! Food was very good. I will definitely be back.

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Brett G.

    Thanks for sharing Edward! Please visit us again soon!

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Great food and better customer service Luka was great and was very fast took less than 10 minutes to get my food

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    Brett G.

    Boom! Glad you loved it! Thanks for the awesome review!

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    Amazing chicken. Don't go overboard on the spice level or your mouth will catch on fire.

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    10 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    We aim to impress! Thank you! Come back again soon!

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    10 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Excellent chicken and fast service. Staff was great with helping me order, and my food came out hot and fast

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Dave's Hot Chicken

    Review Highlights - Dave's Hot Chicken

    I ordered one slider as extra hot and the other slider I ordered the reaper, which I had to sign a waiver for.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Dave's Hot Chicken - chickenshop - Updated May 2026

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