Los Angeles-based Dave's Hot Chicken has had lines out the door since opening its first San Diego location in Pacific Beach this past spring, so to fill the need, the celebrity-backed hot chicken chain already has 2 more area locations in the works for Mira Mesa & El Cajon.
Originally founded in 2017 as a pop-up in a Los Angeles parking lot by Chef Dave Kopushyan (who trained in Thomas Keller’s Bouchon restaurant), Arman Oganesyan, and brothers Tom and Gary Rubenyan, Dave’s Hot Chicken opened its first brick-and-mortar location in East Hollywood in 2018. Dave's quickly became extremely popular with lines around the block and over 100k followers on Instagram. A second outpost opened in North Hollywood this past September, with a third Dave’s Hot Chicken branch unveiled in Los Angeles' Koreatown earlier this year.
Dave's Hot Chicken recently partnered with the original investor group behind Blaze Pizza to take the concept across the country, including up to 12 total San Diego locations. The investment group behind the franchise development deal includes Bill Phelps, co-founder of the Wetzel’s Pretzels chain who is now CEO of Dave's Hot Chicken, as well as former California First Lady Maria Shriver, actor Samuel L. Jackson, Red Sox owner Tom Werner, movie producer John Davis, and Good Morning America anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan.
Last year, Dave’s Hot Chicken signed a franchise agreement with San Diegans Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali to open a dozen stores in San Diego County over the next few years. The first San Diego outpost of Dave's Hot Chicken unveiled in late May within the 2,000 square-foot expansive corner unit at 1001 Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach that previously housed Country Boy Fried Chicken for a record low one-month in business. The next location is expected to open as early as this Novermber at 10728 Westview Parkway in the Mira Mesa space that last housed a Daphne's. The third San Diego branch will open in early 2021 at 110 Fletcher Parkway, Unit 101, in El Cajon.
Dave’s has an ultra-concise menu of Nashville-style fried chicken tenders and fried chicken sliders (they're really full size sandwich) with spice levels ranging from "No Heat" to "Reaper," which requires a signed waiver. The restaurants also offers a list of sides including fries, kale slaw, and mac n' cheese, as well as a limited beer selection at some locations and soft drinks.
Dave's Hot Chicken recently partnered with the original investor group behind Blaze Pizza to take the concept across the country, including up to 12 total San Diego locations. The investment group behind the franchise development deal includes Bill Phelps, co-founder of the Wetzel’s Pretzels chain who is now CEO of Dave's Hot Chicken, as well as former California First Lady Maria Shriver, actor Samuel L. Jackson, Red Sox owner Tom Werner, movie producer John Davis, and Good Morning America anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan.
Last year, Dave’s Hot Chicken signed a franchise agreement with San Diegans Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali to open a dozen stores in San Diego County over the next few years. The first San Diego outpost of Dave's Hot Chicken unveiled in late May within the 2,000 square-foot expansive corner unit at 1001 Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach that previously housed Country Boy Fried Chicken for a record low one-month in business. The next location is expected to open as early as this Novermber at 10728 Westview Parkway in the Mira Mesa space that last housed a Daphne's. The third San Diego branch will open in early 2021 at 110 Fletcher Parkway, Unit 101, in El Cajon.
Dave’s has an ultra-concise menu of Nashville-style fried chicken tenders and fried chicken sliders (they're really full size sandwich) with spice levels ranging from "No Heat" to "Reaper," which requires a signed waiver. The restaurants also offers a list of sides including fries, kale slaw, and mac n' cheese, as well as a limited beer selection at some locations and soft drinks.
