Didn't think I would like this place at first when it opened up close to my house. I'm a fan of Angry Chickz. The two definitely aren't comparable IMO. Their hot is kinda mild in comparison, if you like it hot, I would do extra hot. The #4 is my go to, 1 slider with fries. The Dave's sauce is pretty delicious. Service is always quick and friendly! They have a nice patio area if you like to sit outside and eat, and ample indoor seating. There is parking right up front, but I do warn you the parking lot is a huge pain in the you know what. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - #Dave's #1: 2 Tenders w/ Fries mild - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

I ate here Friday night, the food took a long time to be cooked and served. There was a lot of people so I went to eat outside. The food quality was ok, small portions, pricey. In the patio outside there was a small mice that was going around trying to get food. It was gross Would not be coming back read more

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. . read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's lobby - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

My husband and I were beyond impressed with the customer service. A worker named Abel was taking orders making food and killing it! Very busy night and was handling all food and customers with care and a positive attitude! We will definitely always be coming back to this location. We love giving recognition where credit it due. read more

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 read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

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 read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - The cup - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

I recently came here again to try their sliders Soooo small!!! Sad because they looked good in video and pictures I've seen So small, and my whole order was really expensive I was not full after eating here. Their shakes are good but come on now! The sliders were tiny and not even all that good at all. I am not going to be coming back again read more

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. read more

See all

Preface: we came on 4th of July and it was busyyyyyy! The service was rushed, the food was a bit dry and the sauce is not for me. Don't think I will crave Dave's hot chicken anytime soon. Can't leave out their positives: clean packaging , I liked the French fries, and staff was apologetic about wait times. read more

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! read more

See all

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. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - 1 hotslider and one chicken sandwich with cheese fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

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

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

I like the flavor of Dave's hot chicken and I like their fries, but I cannot believe how long it takes to get food at this place. It's fried chicken. It doesn't take that long to cook fried chicken. It took us almost 30 minutes to get our meal. 30 minutes - at a fast food place. read more

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

Went there twice with my husband & we both had generally the same critique overall. This type of chicken at different places is basically the same. It's not very different in cooking method or flavor. The place was so filled with people that u couldn't really have a conversation without it being overheard by the table next to you. A lot going on, a lot of noise a lot of hustle and bustle topped with long wait in line. It was underwhelming unsure if we'll be back. read more

In March 2023, Dave's Hot Chicken came to Oceanside California. Although 2 years have passed, here is my review on this popular spicy chicken chain that has people clucking. Dave's Hot Chicken is a popular chain that specializes in Nashville-style spicy chicken and their Mac n' Cheese. I will never forget the line of people that wrapped around the corner of the building on the opening day of this trendy establishment. I believe they were giving away free chicken. Dave's Hot Chicken is conveniently located on Oceanside Boulevard & College Boulevard, right at the heart of inland Oceanside. Their exterior decoration is rather unique, and they have a beautiful mural on the side of the building, facing the road, that depicts their mascot within the Oceanside surf culture. Their interior has some pretty decent seating options and allows for a view of the street & also highlighting their cute hipster decor, & surf-urban murals. I recall the service being friendly and relatively fast, considering the crowd of people there. I ordered some simple chicken tenders with no heat or spice and that was intentional, so I can taste the flavors of the meat without being overwhelmed by the heat. This was my first time having Nashville-style, hot chicken; and while I'm not entirely sold on them, it was rather tasty. I also enjoyed a small portion of mac & cheese, and that was very flavorful and creamy. Overall, I can understand why it was trending, and that people love the spicy chicken from Dave's Hot Chicken. I can also really appreciate the attention to detail from the marketing team and their desire to blend in with the community using their artwork & the decor. read more

The food is amazing. The service was even better! Ordering in advance would definitely be the way to go the food is worth the wait though. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - mild Cauli Daves #1 2 Cauli Tenders with Fries Cheese fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

The spicy tenders are pretty good. Had the number one and it came with a slice of bread per tender to make myself a mini slider. Their sauce is pretty good. The hot sauce wasn't great on its own, but mixing it with their signature sauce as one of the employees suggested, it gave it a nice kick. Medium was the perfect spice level for me to get a little kick without letting the chicken's natural flavors get lost in the spice. The mac and cheese was decent, I will get the fries next time instead. Service is a bit slow considering the limited menu, but the staff is informative and cool! Located in a plaza with plenty of space for parking. read more

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... read more

See all

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!

Well there are soooo many hot chicken spots these days. Where did they all come from? Tennessee or some sh!t like that, I don't know. But I can say as they are all similar they are all pretty good. Can't really tell if one is better than the other but maybe Dave's Hot Chicken gets the win by an inch. What I can say is, I do like this style of chicken place and the tenders are, well tender. I stay on the cooler side and stick to mild for the flavor and maybe pick it up to a medium. I think hot can be too hot and not that enjoyable to eat. Just my opinion, you do you! lol. The service has been a little slow at this spot the last couple times I came here so the wait was a little long but the food was good when I finally got it. They may be short an employee or something but I don't know. Either way it's worth the wait just don't drink too much soda while you're waiting lol. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - a cup with a sticker on it - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

Big fan of Dave's - I find there is equal amounts of flavor as there is with spice (unlike some other hot chicken places that are all spice and no flavor). However PLEASE try to be consistent on heat levels! I always order Hot and some days it's solid and consistent with other locations and other days it's way spicier which totally ruins the enjoyment. read more

I love this place very much because the chicken, fries, and Texas toast, here are the most delicious things in town, there was excellent service, great ambiance, and I also enjoyed listening to the Song All Star by Smash Mouth. It was so upbeat. read more

See all

I've been to Dave 2 time in my life. Both times disappointed. The best thing there is their French fries. Chicken has no flavor, no taste. Will not return Mini sliders horrible read more

The food was in small portions for the price and it was mid. And we were the only ones waiting for our food and it still took more than 20 minutes. read more

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

The food is fast, fresh, and delicious. The staff are always friendly, efficient, and attentive. The vibe is vibrant and colorful. Jared was very welcoming and helpful. Early or late it's always great! read more

I met my friend Eric at this Dave's Hot Chicken Restaurant tonight at 7 p.m. This restaurant was extremely crowded inside and was a really long line of people waiting to be served at the front counter. I was surprised to see this many customers in line at a restaurant. Usually, I don't see many customers dining inside some restaurants. I only see about 6 people eating inside a restaurant. Most people pick up their orders. I met my friend Eric tonight for dinner at this Dave's Hot Chicken Restaurant. Eric was already inside the restaurant waiting for me. I placed my order with Avery. She was very friendly and she had an awesome personality to me tonight. I ordered the Single Chicken Tender with one slice of white bread, one Chicken Tender with the Slider it includes mild sauce with 3 pickle slices on this slider bun. I also order one side of Macaroni and cheese. The price was $3.49. I also bought one bottle of the Sprite Soft Drink . The price was $3.00. My total order cost was $22.90. Their prices are good. Then Avery asked me what kind is sauce do I want to put on my Chicken Tender Slider and on this Single Chicken Tender. I told Avery I want my sauce mild and not very hot. My friend Eric ordered 3 Chicken Tenders with 2 slices of white bread with a side of pickles and Dave's Signature Mild Sauce and just drank water. My number was 178 and this number was called at 7:30 p.m. to come over to their side counter to pick up my Chicken Tender and my Chicken Slider Sandwich order. One of their employees this really friendly guy really smiled at me and he was packing up my order and placing my order in a black Styrofoam container. He also placed my order in a plastic bag and he added a lot of condiments that was included with my order tonight. Eric received his order the same time my order was ready to go. Then Eric and I sat down and we ate inside this Hot Dave's Restaurant tonight. This restaurant still had a lot of people walking into the front door waiting in a really long line at the front counter to have their orders taken by Avery this younger lady with short black hair wearing eyeglasses. Avery has a very positive and a very friendly attitude to me and all of her customers tonight when she was accepting their orders yesterday. This Dave's Hot Chicken Restaurant is extremely busy last night. I saw 4 younger men eating outside their restaurant. Most of their customers were placing their orders with Avery then these people picked up their orders and took their orders home with them. When Eric and I were eating at this one table, this dining area it was very crowded in this area. i saw about 15 people were sitting down in their Hot Dave's Restaurant dining room area and eating and their meals and these people were really enjoying eating their Chicken Tenders and their Slider Sandwiches. Everyone of their customers that I observed last night were really happy with their food. It was really great for me to see, this crowd of people that are enjoying dining inside and also talking in conversation with their families and their friends last night. It was good for me to see. This was my (first time) eating out at this Hot Dave's Restaurant. I also saw 4 employees working in the back. I noticed 3 guys are preparing the Chicken Tenders in adding these seasoning spices in the (Light Mild, Medium Hot and really Hot Spices) in spreading this seasoning mixture onto these Chicken Slider Sandwiches. Avery this cashier, she was the only person accepting their customers orders last night. Eric and I were involved into our conversation about different restaurants we have eaten out at and we talked about this Yelp Review website. Eric told me he uses Yelp very often to help him make the right decisions on where to eat out at. I believe that Yelp is a great resource for me and several people. I received excellent customer service from Avery. I also ate the light mild and spicy Chicken Tender. The white sliced bread I poured the honey on top of this bread and then I ate this honey and this white bread. It was very delicious. The Chicken Slider Sandwich also has a spicy breaded texture. I chose the (mild spice) and I like eating my Chicken Sandwiches this way. The Sprite was very good too. Avery said to me this Hot Dave's Chicken Restaurant has been in business for about 2 months now. Avery said also said their restaurant is extremely busy with their new customers waiting to place their orders with Avery every day for their Lunch crowd and for their dinner menu. Their Macaroni and Cheese was very creamy and really delicious. These pickle chips tasted like dill pickles and were also tasty. I highly recommend Dave's Hot Chicken Restaurant. read more

See all

I have been to this Dave's four times now. The first experience I had was eating in and I waited over 20 minutes for my order. The chicken was alright and didn't taste as fresh as it could be. The restaurant has a decent sized area for seating inside and outside. The following three times I ordered via the app and the food has been fresher, ready faster, and overall the experience has been better. I recommend downloading their app so you can earn points. I enjoy this Dave's Hot Chicken and I will continue to come back to enjoy their tasty and juicy chicken packed with flavor! I also recommend their cauliflower. It's delicious! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

I've enjoyed the many times I've been here. Angie was the cashier who helped me and was very kind and provided great service. Thank you Angie. It looks like they could use another cook as wait times can be a bit long sometimes during peak hours, for me it wasn't bad at all. I think they have one of the best chicken/chicken sandwiches around (and shakes!) read more

A Masterclass in Time Travel... Backwards So this was maybe the fourth time I've tried to tango with Dave's Hot Chicken in Oceanside, and let me tell you, each time I walk in, I feel like I'm entering a black hole where time slows to a dead crawl and logic no longer applies. Einstein himself couldn't figure out the wormhole of nonsense that is their "food's ready" notification system. They've got this cute little app that's supposed to tell you when your food is ready. "READY FOR PICKUP!" it chirps with the blind confidence of a pathological liar. That message is pure fiction, like a bedtime story told to calm your rumbling stomach before it dies of starvation. You roll up thinking you're minutes from a chicken-fueled climax--and instead, you end up watching your soul slowly disintegrate under the buzzing fluorescent lights while one overworked employee, who clearly missed the part in training called "basic coordination", packages up one order at a time like she's assembling a goddamn Fabergé egg. God bless her, truly, but I've seen DMV lines move faster. I've watched paint dry with more urgency. I could've roasted a whole chicken from scratch in my backyard with a Bic lighter and still been eating before they even opened the bag drawer. By the time your food is handed to you--30 minutes after the app told you it was "hot and ready"--you've aged. You've formed new opinions about life. You've made peace with your enemies. The fries? Cold. The sandwich? Decent, but tastes like the tears of regret and poor time management. Still, somehow, like a toxic ex, I keep going back. Because damn it... that chicken is good. But if you're ordering from here, bring a book. A long one. Like War and Peace... unabridged. 2 stars. One for the chicken, one for the emotional growth I've experienced while waiting. read more

I thought I'd give this place another chance, same story different day; 1 employee up front and 1 cook and maybe one helper on a weekend? Freakishly under staffed, I placed an order, took 45 mins to whip up my complicated order of average chicken; if the guy told me this when I placed my ordered I would have left, the manager or owner must have little to no feel for the opportunity here, we won't be coming back for such garbage service. read more

First time trying Dave's. I had a feeling they'd be busy so I placed my order for pick up online. The ordering process was quick and easy and I was given a pick up time. Got to Dave's a few minutes early, my order was ready. I ordered three slider meals, hot, medium and lite mild. They were all spiced perfectly. The sandwiches are not sliders, they are full size. The chicken is plump and juicy, the fries were tasty and I enjoyed the sauce for both the sandwich and fries. I like that the food is packed as a meal in individual containers so there's no french fry stealing on the drive home! Unfortunately, they use styrofoam containers :( Overall a great first experience! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Slider, extra pickles, sauce and seasoned fries. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

The service was 10/10! Angie is the cutest girl ever she gave me a butt load of dave's sauce! She's the coolest!

4.5 stars. This was a great spicy chicken sandwich. We got the meal with a tender and a slider. We preferred the slider because it tamed the HOT spice. But great flavor! Fries were great and the pickles were a nice addition on the side to help with the spice level as well. Hot was spicy but not too spicy. Just right if you like a kick. Only negative was the napkins are way too thin and you need them because the sandwich is messy! I definitely recommend this place for fried chicken lovers who like it hot! read more

Never heard of Dave's until we saw it pop up in Oceanside but it's so good! They know their spice- even mild has a good kick. Fries are perfectly crispy and well cooked. Chicken is juicy and sandwich is thoroughly enjoyable- not too big! read more

Saw this place open but hadn't been in because the line is always out the door! Finally on a rainy day I was able to satisfy my hot chicken cravings! The counter guy was cool. How did he know it was my first time? I got the plate with two tenders and fries, plus one extra tender. Two would have been plenty, they're large! I'm not afraid of hot, but I don't enjoy painful. I got "hot" which was about the middle level, and it was a good amount of heat. Liked the pickles and sauce that came with; they could leave off the white bread. Reheated the extra in the oven and it was great too - better cut up into chunks for dipping. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

Love this spot so much I've been coming to Dave's for years now and this location had some of my favorite experiences with service and staff! Jerry was a super sweet employee who was so eager to assist with anything we and other customers needed and as always the food was perfect! Thanks!:) read more