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Dave's Hot Chicken

3.7 (141 reviews)
Closed • 10:30 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
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Dave's Hot Chicken

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David H.

Tried Dave's Hot Chicken for the first time and I'm hooked. The chicken was super crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and the spice levels are no joke. The sliders are huge and come with pickles and their special sauce, which ties it all together. Fries were crispy and well-seasoned too. Definitely recommend getting the combo. Place was clean, staff was friendly, and the food came out fast. A little pricier than typical fast food, but you get what you pay for -- totally worth it.

Wow this was a lot of food!
Neelab S.

Well well well! This place never disappoints us. Staff are friendly . Food is always aweeeessssoooommme! We just love it! Please keep up the great job you do up!! I love how the inside looks! So local and so welcoming!

AWFUL ENCRUSTED SPICY CHICKEN!
Noelle C.

The moment I stepped into this establishment, I gagged ! The aroma of the spice was unbearable! I was craving naked tenders, and I was served ENCRUSTED heat! I am appalled by the service! My server was incredibly rude and made comments about my wig! The ambience was spicy, and I didn't appreciate it! I wish I could had given it a 0, although that isn't possible. Do not go here!

Montage of images from Dave's Hot Chicken
Ed U.

You don't have to sell me on hot chicken. I first tried it at Hattie B.'s in Nashville where hot chicken started and liked it a lot (review: https://yelp.to/C7-LPOnXAh). There are at least three spots in Downtown Oakland - Hotbird and World Famous Hotboys are the others we've tried - though this is the only one that's part of a local chain. Jamie W and I had been wanting to try it for a while, so we stopped by after a walk around Lake Merritt. It was fairly busy, but we managed to snag a table once we ordered. Jamie didn't hold back and went with Dave's #3, one Tender and one Slider with Fries for $13.49 (photo: https://yelp.to/VvAmgV1gHz). It was quite a portion of food as the tender was a hefty piece of breast with sliced white bread drizzled with their house sauce, while the slider was the same size only with a bun and kale slaw. There were plenty of krinkle fries and pickle chips, so he didn't go home starving. Going with the mild heat level, he liked it and got full pretty quickly. I was no less modest with my order. I went with Dave's #1, two Tenders with Fries for $12.49 (photo: https://yelp.to/3rr4LRpH3H), which seemed just as hefty an order though I had the audacity to try the hot spicy level which numbed me a bit during my meal. I also liked it though honestly I would've gone with a half-portion in hindsight as it was a lot. I also would've liked a dark meat option which is why I like Hotboys a bit more. At least they were friendlier here than at Hotbird where they maintained a more surly attitude. Jamie and I will probably split an order on our next visit. FOOD - 4 stars...hefty portions of satisfying hot chicken, more variety and smaller meal combos would be nice AMBIANCE - 3 stars...typical fast food vibe SERVICE - 3.5 stars...more attentive than we expected TOTAL - 4 stars...good to have hot chicken choices RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

sliders and Mac and cheese
Blu M.

To get straight to the point, Dave's is alright. Nothing great, but nothing awful. I love Nashville Hot Chicken with a passion, and this spot just did not hit the way I hoped. Especially with how popular of a chain this spot is, I was just disappointed! I got their sliders with Mac and cheese and fries to go. The order was made pretty quick which was a plus! I took it back to my place to eat and was pleased when I opened the box! It looked great. However, taking my bite, it was just... meh. The chicken was not that spicy (and I got it hot!!) but at least it had favor. I would amp up the salt levels a bit more if I am being honest (salt enhanced flavor so maybe that's all it lacked?) The size of the sliders was great and I liked the slaw. The chicken was just again, meh. The sauce the food comes with really saves it. The Mac and cheese was decent! It was definitely cheesy, but I wish it had more to it. The noodles were a bit overcooked, but that is honestly expected when I get Mac as a restaurant. Overall not bad. This spot is ok, I would go if I am really hungry and don't have many options. But being in the Bay Area, I would prefer to go somewhere else.

Jashe D.

Came here after a long night the food was tasty . If it's chicken and if it's spicy I'm all in !

Wild and crazy graffiti vibe?
Ted R.

Dave's is all right. Not exactly earthshaking. But pretty OK fast food for the price. I wanted to check it out for myself since this seems to be a growing national chain. There's not even much to tell. It's a funky/wild and crazy brand they're looking to project even though the layout is straight fast food/dining hall. I walked in on a weekday afternoon. No line. The person at the counter was polite and nice enough. I ordered the #4, a slider plus fries for $10.99. Five minutes later, I had my chicken sandwich. I did not go hot, because that's not my bag. The sandwich was pretty good though. Maybe four stars for the price/value. The fries were very weak. Two stars. Split the difference and call it three stars total. Lots of room to sit indoors. Just a couple tables outside. Grand Avenue is a very busy street so it's not exactly, a contemplative outdoor dining experience. Would I go back? Maybe if I was in the neighborhood. But you can get a good pizza slice, a great sandwich or really good Ethiopian food within a one-block radius - so I'm not sure.

The hot spicy chicken tender slider was probably the best thing I've eaten all week
Zeneta B.

Stopped by Dave's Hot Chicken for their free slider event celebrating Drake's birthday. This was my first time trying their chicken because I always thought it was a little pricy for chicken strips but I was seriously impressed. I appreciated how well the staff handled the busy crowd--quick, friendly, and efficient. I ordered the slider with the chicken hot. It was juicy and crispy with just the right kick of spice, and I loved the pickles and slaw for extra crunch. It was a full-sized portion that felt like a real treat, not just a small freebie. The festive vibe and generous service made this event a highlight, and I'll definitely be back for more!

Inside
Sue L.

I am a huge fan of their chicken tenders and sliders, so of course I had to order both! I actually haven't been to this location before so decided to stop by on my way home. Parking is a little tough in the area since it is in the heart of downtown. I ordered online and waited at least 20 minutes before it was ready. Not sure if it was ready before then since I was one out of the two customers there. Turns out my order was underneath the counter. Also, the app didn't indicate that it was ready, but I decided to ask since I felt like it was waiting a long time. The chicken was juicy and tender. I'm a big fan of their chicken rub since it is coated generously and gives a lot of flavor. I went with the mild for the sliders and medium for the tenders since I prefer non-spicy food. Glad they have a location in Oakland now since I normally go to the one in Union City. It is also walking distance from the 19th Bart station.

Regular loaded fries
Maile T.

I was a little underwhelmed with how "loaded" my fries were. Barely any cheese, coleslaw or chicken and lots of fries. I got a medium but it tasted like no heat. The size of the chicken were about the same size of my kids chicken nuggets from chick fil a. I mean it tasted fine but the only thing that was loaded was my disappointment.

Inside
Ebony W.

Went to this location for the first time yesterday and was able to try the loaded fries. Despite how busy their store was due to the black joy parade, they delivered great service! Food was amazing and the wait time was only 10-15, super impressive with the amount of people that were in there. The store was also kept in great shape! Clean enough to sit and eat with no complaints The loaded fries were super good! I was being greedy though lol I should've just got a regular. The large was HUGE!

Nadav M.

I'm sold with the bang for my buck. Been having a little chicken sandwich spree in the Bay Area. I'd say I'm very impressed with Dave's. Went with the mild spice flavour. 2 sliders and some fries. Ordered extra fries for myself and brother. No cheese. Waiting time was aceptable. The sandwiches are a bit on the small side but so good. It does have a slight sweetness to it, it being the coleslaw. Spice mild flavour was nice, ate it comfortably. Fries are fresh and hot; seasoned very well. 2 sliders and a side of fries for around 15usd. The inside is nice and spacious. Been wanting to come back ever since. Public transport is extremely easy in downtown Oakland.

Mini sliders
Daniel H.

I ordered the mini sliders and was very disappointed. They should be called tiny chicken nuggets. It's hard to understand how they charge $7.49 for almost nothing. The box was almost weightless. I would eat it again if it was free but I would never order that again. It was a waste of time and money but I learned my lesson.

Dave's #2 2 Sliders w/ Fries

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Food was good but bread was stale. The chicken, mac & cheese and fries were all good, but the bread was almost hard.

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4 months ago

Bomb sandwich and awesome service from Ariana--Dave's Hot Chicken never misses! Ever!!

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Dave's Hot Chicken Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Dave's Hot Chicken

Is it halal?

Yes it is. There's a certificate on the wall by the menu

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My little family and I tried bb.q chicken for the first time. We had seen a video on IG about it…read moreand since we were in Oakland... why not?! We dined-in. They have a few chairs inside, but most of their seating is outdoor seating. We ate inside. The girl who works the front is so sweet and I was so impressed that she was taking the time to wipe off each canned drink before putting them in the refrigerator!!! We got our food between 10-15 minutes. French fries were so good and crunchy. We got the original spicy chicken, soy garlic and the chicken mayo rice plate with Galbi. My husband was honestly let down with the original spicy chicken. It had a nice crunch but lacked flavor and it wasn't very spicy. The soy garlic chicken, again had a nice crunch, but there was barely any flavor/sauce on them. The chicken Mayo rice plate what is the total opposite, if anything we felt like it had too much sauce/mayo. The portions are nice tho, and the chicken is cooked nicely - just lacked flavor. I'd rate the food itself a 3, and adding another star for the service.

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World Famous Hotboys

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Dave's had amazing customer service, the workers were very polite and respectful as well as the…read morewait time for food wasn't long at all. They all work as one (like a family) and the inside is very calming !

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The Bird

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Lola's Chicken Shack - Signature Chicken Tenders with Chipotle-Mayo Sauce

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