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    Dave's Hot Chicken

    3.7 (196 reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Dave's Hot Chicken Takeout or Delivery

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    DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Angela C.

    Not gonna lie, I'm not usually a chicken tenders girl, but this place converted me. Kid got the tender meal, hubby and I split two sandwiches, and you get to pick your spice level from "totally fine" to "why did I do this." The chicken was so juicy, I was genuinely impressed. Coleslaw on the sandwich adds the perfect crunch. Cute hand-painted decor, though a few tables needed a wipe-down even when it was basically empty, just being honest. Definitely my go-to for a little cheat day treat yourself moment.

    #Dave's #1: 2 Tenders w/ Fries mild
    Casper W.

    Went and ordered food at this location and the customer service from Angie was great but it was extremely busy there and we did not get our food for like almost over 25 minutes which seemed like a long time I think. But we were grateful for the food being hot. I understand if they were understaffed and very busy but the food was good and the fries were hot. Maybe won't come on a Friday evening during these extremely busy time. Don't have anything bad to say about the food it was good. And the place was clean.

    Number 1 combo

    Food is always good here. But the customer service is great. Tony who was working the register was awesome and super friendly. Made sure we got all the sauces we needed and the restaurant was super clean. The Fruit Punch slushy is also top tier, especially on this crazy hot day. Pic of food has been ravaged by my son. Lol

    Dave's lobby

    Update I ordered one slider and fries and got a number one. Then I paid an extra dollar just so that they can give me some buns and slaw. All I paid over $21 for this. I'm upset I didn't just get the tenders switched out or the sandwiches I ordered. .

    Candice M.

    Was really excited to have a chicken place so close to home. I was craving Mac and cheese and spicy chicken, so decided to try it. Ordered online for pick up and the ordering process was simple. I ordered the loaded fries. It came with fries, Mac and cheese, spicy chicken, and ranch. I was happy it had a little bit of everything and the price was decent. When I picked it up the restaurant was clean and fun decor. I got the Dave's sauce and honey to go with my meal. I was excited to try it and was sadly disappointed. It says a lot when the fries tasted better than the chicken. Chicken seasoning and taste was off. Didn't taste spicy just different. Just missed the spot. I would go back for the fries but not the chicken. The sauce wasn't anything special. Maybe would order fries there but won't be going back anytime soon

    The cup
    CritDicks ..

    OK. Not my thing for a spicy CHX sandwich. Their seasoned fries were ok and got boring to eat after just a few dipped in the Dave's Sauce. CHX sandwich appeared to be a very moist and tender CHX tender that didn't really fill the bun. The pickles seemed (and they gave me extra) to not have enough 'perfect' pickling brine flavor. The pickles didn't really add to the sandwich, other than helping to create more sandwich "slippage". The service here was great and very friendly and helpful for those of us that don't know "Dave's". My second time at a Dave's now, and the last time, I didn't quite enjoy the sliced white bread thing that got explained later. Perhaps just a good CHX tender with some kind of Dave's Sauce would sum it up. The whole 'sandwich' didn't quite cut it for me. Been there, done that twice. I won't be consciously going to Dave's again. Just not my thing. CritDicks

    Hot tenders and fries
    Deanna C.

    I love that they still have the cauliflower options in the menu! The tenders were cooked perfectly and so tender n juicy. Usually get these as a sandwich so not sure if they are usually so salty. Still quit good. The Mac n cheese has never been exciting to me. I get it and I enhance it.

    So delicious!  This location is awesome!
    Xee T.

    Angie gave great service at cashier and was very helpful and friendly. Food was as usual reallyyyyyy yummyyyy!!!! Tender and juicy! Ordered # 1 w/ kale slaw and extra hot tender All the staff from this location- thank u for making each of my visit amazing!

    1 hotslider and one chicken sandwich with cheese fries
    Dylan P.

    Best chicken ive ever had. Definitely needed the pickles to tame down the spice cuz wow it was spicy and I got the hot. The sauce they server with it is heaven and the cheese fries were warm and the fries were still crunchy. Service was quick and efficient.

    Stephanie F.

    Food is delicious. Staff is quick and attentive. Atmosphere has great artwork and music.

    Oside!!!
    Allyson D.

    I wouldn't have considered coming here if it weren't for a recommendation by word of mouth. He said he saw a cauliflower sandwich as an option for vegetarians and I half didn't believe him. However, for limited time only, they indeed have "Dave's not chicken" which is made from fresh cauliflower!! Whoo!! Their plates were super great! I was so impressed that their cauliflower "not chicken" was a decent size slice of cauliflower. The fact that there were extra pickles plus extra Dave's sauce was super cool. My partner and I both got the extra hot spice level, and it indeed was a bit hot. Haha! It was super tasty, but it left my lips burning afterward. Thank goodness for soda, honey, and pickles. Their wavy French fries are seasoned well and super good. I love that they use a kale slaw because, hey, I needed some greens today. We would totally come again while they still have cauliflower and order the two slider combo with fries (just regular hot spice level, a side of kale slaw, and a soda. Maybe even a shake! The guy at the cashier was super helpful in helping explain how their menu worked, how spicy their spice level truly was, and asked if we needed anything else. The lady was also helpful in providing assistance when asking for utensils. The indoor seating was comfortable and had very cool murals inside. If you dare, get the spiciest reaper spice level! It's definitely worth trying if you always enjoyed spicy chicken sandwiches at your favorite fast food restaurant. I'm actually bummed that their cauliflower is only limited time (who knows how long???) Because I enjoyed it so much but it will eventually leave. Also, why does cauliflower have to cost $2 extra? It's cheaper at the grocery store than chicken...

    mild Cauli Daves #1 2 Cauli Tenders with Fries Cheese fries

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    1 month ago

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    5 months ago

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

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    12 days ago

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    3 months ago

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

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

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

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    10 months ago

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

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    7 months ago

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    4 months ago

    I absolutely love this location. Bella and staff are very friendly and professional. I highly recommend this location

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 months ago

    After dining at Dave's Oceanside I have to say Able was an amazing person and service worker. We got everything we hoped for and more!

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    9 months ago

    Dave's Hot Chicken can be really spicy but it's with the pain I give it a 9 out of 10

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Dave's Hot Chicken

    I ordered the Mild Seasoning on my Chicken Tender Strip and also the mild seasoning spices on the Chicken Slider. When I took bites of the Chicken Tender Strip it tasted really HOT to me. What kind of spices does Hot Dave's Restaurant use?

    The main spice comes from cayenne pepper and cayenne hot sauce. They also add garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder and smoked paprika for flavor.

    Is this location ever gonna serve mac and cheese?

    I got Mac n cheese here!

    View All 3 Questions

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    Winner, winner, chicken dinner!…read more Over the past few years, several new chicken restaurants have opened around Carlsbad, and I'm very grateful to Yelp for turning me on to this place. BHC Chicken is completely different from many of the others I've tried. Yes, they offer a variety of sauces and flavors, but what really impressed me was their classic fried chicken. I ordered the boneless thigh meal, and it was absolutely delectable. The batter was incredibly light, crispy, and crunchy without being overly hard or heavy, while the chicken inside remained tender and juicy. Best of all, it was thankfully NOT overly salty. The flavor was beautifully balanced and, quite simply, exquisite. I would recommend their fried chicken to any and every chicken aficionado. I also tried the spicy rosé stir-fried rice cakes, which were delicious. They had just the right amount of heat, enough to make them interesting and flavorful without leaving that lingering burn afterward. And then there were the sides! The potato wedges were perfection: nicely cooked outside and wonderfully moist and tender inside. The French fries were also really good. The Bburing cheese balls were DIVINE, delicately flavored, slightly addictive, and just ridiculously yummy. The apple coleslaw was fresh, crisp, and refreshing, and the Bburing chips were another winner. Even the complimentary pickled radish was excellent and paired beautifully with the fried chicken. There are certainly other nearby restaurants selling fried chicken, but for me, BHC Chicken is the clear winner. I am SO glad I discovered this place. Fantastic chicken, excellent sides, interesting Korean specialties, and flavors that don't have to rely on excessive salt to taste good. My new Carlsbad chicken champion!

    BHC is a pretty well known fried chicken spot in Korea and we were blown away by it when we tried…read moreit for the first time in South Korea. It's good to see that they branched out to the US with several locations. 8pc tender Bburinkle - get this flavor which is what they're famous for. It's so flavorful with salty and sweet. It's hard to describe but it's very unique to BHC. I was also very impressed with how big and juicy the tenders were. I'm not a fan of tenders but I actually love them here. The bburinkle cheese balls were so good! Crispy exterior with gooey cheese inside

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    Main Chick Hot Chicken - This is how the sandwich is supposed to look and how it has always looked when I've ordered I the past.

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    •$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Family-owned & operated

    My fellow Yelp friend Shay kept telling me I had to try main chick hot chicken. He raved about it…read moreso I had to take his word and come try it. I'll admit it took me way too long and he kept asking me had I tried it yet? Well, now, finally I can say I have and I was not disappointed. I walked in to an empty store with no one at the counter. They saw me but didn't acknowledge me so I realized I needed to order through the kiosk, which is a bit annoying. I had perused the menu above the counter previously so I knew what I wanted. Ordering through the kiosk was straightforward and easy, but I did have questions and the staff looked too busy, so I didn't ask them. My order came out quickly, and I took it to go. When I left the store, there was a short line of people waiting to order. I imagine they can get very busy. I also saw a sign on the counter after I ordered that there was a lunch special. I will totally come back to try it. When I finally got home and was able to eat my chicken meal, I was surprised at how good it was. It's a bit different than anything I've had. I like the powder? coating on it. It's very flavorful. I got mild and it definitely had a small kick to it. It was super crispy and the chicken inside was tender, hot and juicy. I'm glad that my friend recommended this to me because I might not have tried it on my own. I'll definitely be back. I like the bold flavors. Thanks Shay for the great recommendation..

    Delicious!! Very crispy, juicy and spicy Fries were…read morecrispy and didn't lack seasoning. Everything came out Hot and Fresh. Very polite service.

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    New for me...

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    My 2 piece meal and Ube cheesecake dessert.

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    Stopped in to grab lunch for my friend and I. Initially the pricing shocked me how expensive a…read moremedium sized chicken order was to go, however I understand why. This was multiple meals for me over the next couple of days. I wished there was a little more even coating on the chicken, it seemed like it was thrown on towards the end before going in the box vs each chicken having a chance to be coated by the sauce. Staff was friendly when I did see them working in the front since it was mostly self order and probably everyone was focused in the back prepping food.

    Finally got to try out BB.Q Chicken Vista…read more Located in a strip mall with banks, and other businesses, so there is some parking. Depending on the time of day and if the high school is getting out it can be pretty crowded to get in and out and park. The ambiance is ok, lots of pictures of their food, and a large TV playing people walking around. The place is clean, nice Tile floor, tables look inviting. There are probably 10-12 tables inside and a few outside. The doors were open so it was a little cold in there. They have a rewards program and an an app. You get 7000 points just for signing up. (Basically a free Soda). Joanna was super friendly, nice, and brought all of our food as soon as it was ready. She made sure we were all set. There is a paper menu you can look at, but there also have 3 monitors displaying the large menu. You can wait to talk to someone to order, or you can use the giant iPad to order yourself for takeout or dine in. There are quite a few choices for food. But the star are their wings. You can pick boneless or with bone, and for the qty they offer these sizes - small, medium, or large. They have several flavors to choose from. We tried the soy garlic, and they were delicious. Looking forward to try honey garlic and cheesling next. We tried the cheesling french fries, some kind of cheese powder, that is pretty tasty. Yum. My main course was the chicken fried rice, packed with umami, and very good. Nicely prepared. It was warm, delicious, and hit the spot. We also tried the fried dumplings, they were crispy, crunchy, also tasty. Definitely good food, and friendly service, so I am looking forward to go back to try other items for sure.

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    bb.q Chicken Vista
    bb.q Chicken Vista
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    El Pollo Loco

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    * Please note this is from our meal on May 26. I couldn't find the photo in my phone until now…read morewhich is why this is a delayed post. * Positive: staff is still great! Still love their restaurant decor! Negative: the Mac n cheese just keeps getting more and more runny. This time it was almost void of noodles. My son called it cheese soup. Kids love the Mac n cheese so much here we get two, but this time both were mostly just liquid like watery cheese and a few noodles. Surely someone saw this before hand. Husband and I still ate some of it, it was actually yummy with the flour tortillas, but more as a dipping sauce than Mac n cheese. We had some box Mac n cheese so we made that for the kids which defeated the purpose of ordering out, you order out to avoid cooking :P. Positive: chicken has improved. There for a while it was burnt n so dry. Once the pieces were super yellow and had fatty yellow substance all over the pieces. We laid off the pollo loco for a while. This order the chicken was yummy again, so yay! For the cost I really wish quality would be more consistent. The workers have always been consistently great. Restaurant has always been clean and very cool decor. We stopped wasting money on their salads because they took away the ingredients that made their salads yummy. So I hope to not get the yellow chicken or soup like Mac but truly we just never know what we will get because quality just has not been consistent.

    Love the bean, rice, & cheese burrito! The beans have a little kick to them. The chips are also…read morereally really really good.

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    A hidden deli sandwich spot in the Smart & Final parking lot right off the 78 freeway. Their…read moresandwiches are huge and full of quality meats and cheeses not to mention they are delicious! My family visited here recently and were pleasantly surprised we had never seen it previously. It will be added to our places to stop in when visiting the area. Parking lot is big as it's in a bigger shopping lot. It has 6 or so bench style tables inside to eat at. Several coolers with canned and bottled drinks-a big selection. Racks of chip options right by the checkout. The service was good, they were quick to take our order and greet us upon entering. Checked in on any sandwiches that needed to be wrapped up to go (there weren't though as we all ate our huge sandwiches). Looking toward to going back & trying their potato salad. Thank you for the quality sandwiches!

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    Good Belly Deli - The counter, showing off their fresh bread.

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    Dave's Hot Chicken - chickenshop - Updated September 2026

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