I got the number 1 lite mild and it was the perfect amount of kick for me as someone who doesn't love super spicy food. 2 tenders with fries was perfectly filling for me. The fires are addicting and their house dipping sauce was better than any fry sauce I've ever had. read more

I have been meaning to try this place for a while, and with the closure of a number of the other hot chicken places in town (it was the latest food craze that is now reaching an equilibrium) it turns out that Dave's has become one of the survivors that I had not gone to. Entering, the place is nice... simple counter service location with seating both inside and out, though the outside seating is pretty close to Archer Road, so not that great. Too much noise from the road to really be enjoyable, sadly. I went for a slider with fries... just wanted to get a taste and not eat too much. The heat level was fair, and for the most part the sandwich was tasty. The fries were also good crinkle cuts. The only complaint I have was that the sandwich could have used some more coleslaw. This is a small national chain, so I do expect quality and customer service to be on par with the rest of the chains, and that is what I got. The product is fair, but nothing really excellent about it. I know of locally owned places that I would rather go to, but I suppose that if I were running around on Archer road and had a hankering for a hot chicken sandwich like this I would be inclined to return. read more

This is a good spot if you're craving spicy chicken tenders. Good, but not great. IMO the chicken tender seasoning can very salty. I like to order the "Hot" flavor, and it's definitely spicy but again - salty. I'm obsessed with the Dave's sauce though. I've dined here a few times and the service and food are also inconsistent. Once I ordered pickup and my fries obviously weren't fresh and were super greasy. Another time, the chicken and fries were fresh. So perhaps it depends on the time of day that you go. Pros: The food is very filling. The first time I visited I ordered Dave's #3 1 Slider & 1 Tender with Fries and could not finish it. The next time I ordered 1 Slider with Fries and this was the perfect amount of food for me. For vegetarian options: Try the cauliflower bites! They were really good and filling. You can also choose your spice level for them. Overall it's a good place to eat if you're close by, but I wouldn't travel from far to dine here. read more

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Tried Dave's Hot Chicken tonight and it definitely lived up to the hype. The fries were crispy and seasoned perfectly, the slider was super flavorful, and the chicken tenders were juicy with just the right amount of heat. The slaw was fresh and balanced everything out really well. Only tiny complaint -- charging $1.50 for a side of ranch feels a little wild but overall the food was worth it and we'd absolutely go back. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Slider, tender, fries, slaw & ranch dip - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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. read more

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Service is slow as molasses. Whether you like the food or not, be prepared to wait. When Cane's opens across the street, this place is in trouble. read more

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. read more

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

This place is OK. I guess my love of super spicy chicken has waned over the years. The tenders are nice and big and they're extremely flavorful. The unique thing about this place is the level of super hot dry rub that's applied to the chicken. Well, it's good. It can be on the pricey side and again I'm just not into spicy chicken that much anymore. read more

Stopped in while on our way thru town and needed a quick bite to eat. We don't have a Dave's Hot Chicken in our area so decided to try it while here. We all ordered a 2 tender meal. I will say the tenders are HUGE so you can split if you are not very hungry. Three of us ordered plain and one had medium sauce. It was hot, but there was little flavor to the chicken. I personally did not care for the fries with the seasoning on them and my fries were not super hot. The kids were not a fan either of the minimum flavor of the chicken. Nothing was bad, but just not our preference. The staff was friendly at the counter and the location was clean and very well lite inside. read more

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. read more

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Just awesome. Chicken is the best around, you can taste the prep they put into it, and they do NOT SKIMP on food/portions. The cheese sauce is a nice little add on. This place is a much better value than chick fil a, especially zaxbys etc. Drinks should come with the combo, that's the reason for 4 stars, plus you can tell they're not using high quality oils for frying. read more

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! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #1 2 Tenders w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Mild slider with fried and pickles - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Overall: My friend and I rated it better than Chick-fil-a and joke that one meal at this place will keep you fed for days. Ambiance: Nothing special about it. Service: Order your food and then you get it from the counter. It comes out pretty fast. Food: It is a lot of food! I think too much bread but my friend didn't think so. I got the tenders basket and she got the double sandwich. The fries were delicious but not all were crispy. Overall, I would come here again. read more

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. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dry, burnt chicken and barely any coleslaw. Not pictured is the second slider that looked the same. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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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. read more

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

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. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #2 2 Sliders w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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

We were new to this place, and our lunch was quite enjoyable. While the prices are a bit high, the serving sizes are generous, and the service was prompt. The cashier even walked us through the entire menu and explained the spice levels. Dave's Hot Chicken is always a winner! The chicken is always crispy, juicy, and bursting with flavor. read more

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

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

This place I went to on a whim although I've been wanting to try it I wasn't going out of of my way but yesterday after coming back from out of town the opportunity presented itself so I definitely took advantage. Dave's hot chicken is on Archer rd next to chilis inside the building where BurgerFi used to be and when I arrived it's set up exactly how burgerfi used to be with the seating in the middle and drink machine off to the side and ordering towards the back of the building (if your coming from the front entrance). The person who greeted me-cashier was very friendly and service felt like five guys to me, a little bit of wait on your food but busy. I got the Dave's not chicken bites which weee the cauliflower bites in the hot level spice flavor and they were pretty good. When I looked in my box, it was like I was getting chicken but cauliflower, they had the slice of bread underneath the cauliflower bites with pickles and I got the combo so crinkled cut fries as well. I took my food to go with little to know sleep I just wanted to eat and be at home relaxing/sleep. The food was good although no chicken but definitely worth trying. I would definitely like to go back and have an in-store experience. I like the ability that you can make the cauliflower and/or chicken to your own spice level. If you like no spice or spice and love chicken or into cauliflower it's a spot worth exploring and checking out! read more

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Not sure what the hype is all about . If this is it then I was left confused. Dry tenders with dry rub. It was so underwhelming. I would go to Orlando or another city to try this again because it was not worth $19 and the drink isn't even included. I downloaded the app and got a free drink. The sauce tasted like mayo ketchup and was so bland. The meal needed something to elevate it because it was just one note. The cheese fries weren't generous on the cheese part. I don't mind the rub situation on the tenders but at least have some seasoning. The pictures are always looking amazing on social media but the real experience just disappoints. I truly can make a better sandwich and tenders at home. At least have a nice signature sauce . I was expecting juice tenders and it was overcooked chicken. For being known for chicken you'd think they would blow it out of the park. read more

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We tried Dave's for the first time in Gainesville while passing through. I have been wanting to try it since first seeing them in Texas. I would say, if you like chicken tenders and the option to get them extremely hot, this is a great place. If you are looking for options, there really aren't any. Tenders are sizable and a variety of heat options from none to Carolina Reaper. Fries are good too. Typical counter service and a fast food atmosphere so probably not good for an evening out. Great place to grab a quick bite of spicy chicken tenders though! read more

Took the family to Daves hot chicken today for the first time. The overall food was delicious, I especially enjoyed the NOT Ckn slider, this is a breaded and fried slice of cauliflower, you have the same "flavor" options as the chicken. The bread was soft, cauliflower cooked to perfection, flavor of the breading was delicious, and the coleslaw on the sandwich was great. I personally did not enjoy the flavor of the dave' sauce (luckily i asked for that to be put on the side, if you are unsure, I recommend doing just that). They said this item is a limited time and I do Hope that changes as it was such a wonderful option. The chicken bites were plentiful, came with a slice of bread and a side of pickles. The fries are crinkle cut with seasonings. You can request ketchup packets. The mac and cheese is very creamy. The restaurant was overall clean. I will say as a side note or "tip" to know, their "combo meal" does not include a drink..... when we were asked by the cashier if we wanted to make our entrees "combos" we assumed this meant fries and a drink, it just means fries.... We of course ordered drinks when we found that out, but I think it might be nice to ask "would you like a drink with that too?" Or something along those lines since most fast food places combo meals include drinks and I feel many would assume combo means "side and drink" read more

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The food was incredibly delicious! We got the sliders and fries with honey and the Dave's sauce--a classic! You definitely need a lot of napkins though because it's messy. The service was very friendly and quick! The ambiance was nice, but I felt like it could be improved with more personalization. Otherwise, great place to get a bite to eat! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Food was delicious. Recommend the slider and tender meal #3! Best way to sample both and big portions. Restaurant was clean and the staff were very friendly. Great place to eat. read more

I forgot to take a picture of anything we ordered. So the prices seemed steep for a slider and fries, but it's not a tiny sandwich, it's pretty big. I added cheese to my fries. I believe it was the number 4. My spice level was mild. Plenty of food. Hubs ordered the slider and a tender. He ordered medium spice and said he would go up a notch next time. The food was hot and fresh and the atmosphere was comfortable. read more

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

This nice restaurant replaced Burger Fi, I was a little sad at first but once I tasted their menu, I was slightly okay lol Today's menu was Dave's #2 2 Sliders w/ Fries with a Frozen Minute Maid Strawberry Lemonade. The establishment was clean and staff were friendly, the service was very good! The sandwiches were very flavorful, and fries were well seasoned. Their sandwiches come with light cole slaw which was top notch. My experience today was 10/10 I will return again. read more

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Chicken is really good , I had the hot chicken and the wife had no spice. Overall the food was quality but pricy just like everything else. The seating area could be better ,the layout seems a bit wasteful. TO be fair they do have outside seating which makes it feel larger. I would recommend there chicken if your looking for that fix and can afford it. read more

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

I was excited to try out Dave's Hot Chicken when it opened in Gainesville a few months ago. Since then I have been back 4-5 times and every visit is a home run. I always get the #3 meal, which includes one chicken tender and one slider with crinkle cut fries. Depending on your bravery, there are different levels of heat. My first trip I attempted the "hot" and it was far too spicy. Since then I have stuck to the "mild" and "medium" which are perfect for me. It should be noted that Dave's chicken gets its flavor and heat from a dry rub seasoning, and while the sauce on the chicken is not wet, the tenders have always been juicy and moist inside. The fries are hot and crispy, the pickles are crunchy, and the Dave's sauce is tangy. I highly recommend eating it there because I feel the fries would lose their crispiness if you wait to go home or get it on a delivery app. I'm a big fan of Dave's Hot Chicken and look forward to my next trip. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - The #3 meal - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

First time here and the cashier was outstanding explaining everything about the food and spice levels . The service was outstanding. The food was great. They have from no spice to reaper flavor chicken. It's a little more money then your other chicken joints. We would come back again. Give it a try for yourself! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Chicken was amazing, fries were not too hard nor too soft. The service was quick and efficient. The lighting and environment was very eye catching. I'd suck it for more chicken. Fries weren't too hard, unlike me after the honey packets. Let me have it Dave's way. Compliments to the chef, if he's in the back, lemme fuck him. read more

Food was amazing. Tenders are perfectly seasoned and the new saucy bites are delicious. Artwork and ambiance was very enjoyable and service very quick! read more

I am a person that can eat any type of spicy food but this place is another level, their chicken is so crispy and tastes great. The only negative thing about this place is long waiting line. read more

Really great food, but what ruined it for me was how unpleasant the staff was, no common courtesy whatsoever. Definitely amazing chicken and food though. read more