Dave's hot chicken mEnu

Dave’s Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken. It was established in Los Angeles, California, starting with one restaurant in 2017. By 2022, the chain had grown to more than 100 restaurants across four countries. Dave’s Hot Chicken is headquartered in Pasadena, California.

Dave’s Hot Chicken was the first Dave’s Hot Chicken opened in May 2017 by the Armenian-American childhood pals Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan and Gary Rubenyan. The casual way of food influenced them at In N Out Burger and the rising demand for fried chicken from Los Angeles. 

Kopushyan was the brand’s name, a chef professional educated by the restaurateur Thomas Keller at the three-Michelin-star restaurant The French Laundry. Based on his experiences, Kopushyan developed the chain’s signature hot chicken recipe. Four friends came up with $900 to open the small store.

The first location was a small street food stand with an electric fryer that could be moved around, a couple of picnic tables, and a limited menu set up in a parking area in the East Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles. The stand initially sold hot chicken and a combo plate.

After a story in the blog Foodie Los Angeles, the stand’s popularity skyrocketed with lines that often stretched to the length of a block.  At the end of 2018, the stand was shut down, and a restaurant was inaugurated in a strip mall located on Western Avenue. The restaurant’s walls were covered in street art from local artists, a style that has become a well-known characteristic of the restaurant chain.