This was our first time trying Dave's Hot Chicken the Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach location in San Diego, CA. We are fans of Nashville style chicken sandwiches and Dave's Hot Chicken did not disappoint. We enjoyed the following: *Combo#3, 1 Tender + 1 Slider sandwich with French fries. The slider comes with Kale slaw, pickles and a side of Dave's sauce. Be sure to drizzle a packet of honey to your sandwich it's so delicious!! *Dave's chicken nuggets *Vanilla milkshake Everything we ordered was freshly made and delicious!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]There's indoor and outdoor seating with cool decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The restaurant has a soda fountain with free refills. The customer service was great! Check it out when in the area. Happy Yelping :) read more

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So I was scrolling on TikTok and some influencer was taking about the cauliflower tenders from Dave's. So naturally, I had to drive into PB to try them, and M. came along to have some hot chicken. We had no trouble finding a meter spot on Garnet only a block away. There was even some time left on it. Score! We entered the shop at the SE corner of Garnet & Cass around 7:15pm on Saturday eve, and ordered easily from one of the two user friendly kiosks... great organization, clear photos of the food, and options for spice levels, sauces, add-ons, etc. We were a tad surprised that they automatically tag on a sizeable tip. There is a button to toggle the amount up or down, but it seemed especially strange since we were ordering from a computer, and there were no employees taking orders. I understand that there are folks that would benefit from the tips working in the back, but still, the optics on that are not great. Anyway, we got our water cups and found a spot inside where we sat down to wait. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The dining room was busy and filled with a variety of guests from teenagers, to couples on dates, to families enjoying a fun meal together. Very lively indeed, although the cleanliness of the dining area and tables is somewhat questionable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]In the 30 minutes that we were waiting in the dining room, I did not see any employees leave the kitchen area. Just an observation, but several of the tables turned over while I was there, and they were not sanitized.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Once my name was called, we took our heavy to-go bag, and hustled up the block to our chariot. Upon opening the bags at home 15 minutes later, we discovered to go boxes that were laden with food, 4 packets of Dave's Sauce, and a handful of napkins with amusingly co-opted lyrics, some with a Cali twist..."All Freyez on Me," anyone? The portions are generous and commensurate with the price and popular location. So the food, well, it was honestly fine for what it is. My cauli tenders were large and crispy, but on the greasy side. The batter was mild, and very good, but the greasy flavor was a bit off putting. I could not finish both tenders and fries because they're very filling. I ate a tender and a half and about 1/3 of the crinkle-cut fries. I also got a little concerned about whether the cauliflower tenders are fried in a separate fryer from the chicken, but for now, I will settle for not knowing. M. liked the sliders and he enjoyed the pickles, Hawaiian bun and sauce on them. He couldn't finish all of his fries either, so I guess we have a snack for later. Verdict: (3.5 stars) - Dave's delivers the goods as promised. If you are a fan of this type of casual comfort food, definitely give it a go. They're open late! read more

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This was our first time at this chain restaurant. We both had the single sliders with the mildest heat. Next time- and there will be a next time somewhere, I'll go one step hotter. The chicken was hot and juicy. The fries were crispy. The eclectic wall art was fun. We were greeted promptly and provided with additional information to help us order. read more

Kris is the best great customer service Food was great and fresh Milk shake was bomb read more

Dave's Hot Chicken in PB hit! Not just hype but actual crispy chicken with a good amount of spice. Crinkle cut fries were definitely a plus for me, you don't really see those served anymore. Service was smooth and came out quick. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Outdoor seating with a beach breeze is always a plus.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Good spot to grab something filling after walking around PB. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #2: 2 Sliders w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Small location in PB.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Not enough chairs to go with the table and you it shows they don't care about the cleanliness of the dining area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]While there is a high volume of people coming thru, in my 45 minutes here the trash stayed overflowing and eventually just falling on the floor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food is on par with other locations so good consistency there, but other than being right down the street from the beach this location of the franchise is by far the wor read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Large Top-Loaded Spicy Buffalo Mac - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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10-10-2025 My spouse and I came here right when they opened the door. We were the very first customers to place our order; it took 15 minutes for or food. We had #2 2 Sliders: 1 hot, 1 reaper (must sign a waiver) with fries $14.99 ($12.99 on the menu) and mac & cheese $4.29. I am not a fan of fast food, their chicken however changed my perspective. It was tender, juicy and tasty finger liking good! Mac & cheese, creamy and melts in your mouth delicious! Rating: 3/5 service, due to long wait 5/5 chicken 4/5 overall read more

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I've had good experiences at other Dave's Hot Chickens at other locations but this was not it. The customer service was poor, we were not greeted and the worker looked like they didn't even want to be there. The service was also slow and when I was ordering it seemed like they didn't know what I was ordering. I had to repeat myself multiple times even though it was a combo option. After waiting almost 30 minutes for my order, I opened the box and there was a long hair in it. The kitchen staff all had hair nets but the people working the front did not and looked like they were laughing blaming eachother. They also did not apologize and instead started jokingly accusing eachother of whose it was immediately. They did however give me a new one and the chicken sandwhich itself was great. The food I would give a 4/5 but the service and experience was a 1/5 read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

Still crushin it like the rockstars you are!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]A top 2 late night PB spot.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The chickens is forever goood!! read more

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I've lived here for 6 years and for some reason this is the first time I have tried this! I have been waiting to for a long time. I love spicy chicken sandwiches. You order at the counter or touch screen and then come to the back to wait for your order, I like the screen that shows where you are in the line up. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a little bright and loud but it fits the vibe and decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For the food itself I got the slider and tender meal. I wanted a little of each !! It came with fries and a sauce. I would say it was a lot of food. My fiancé also got a combo and I would say next time we will share fries. We also tried the mozzarella stick. Yum. We only ordered one and that was enough for me. I really liked the breading on the items. It was thin with a little texture. The chicken was moist. It also comes with pickles and a slice a bread with the sauce. Honestly it was a good amount of food for the price. I forgot to take a photo of the food because I was so excited to eat it. I would say if you are around it's worth a try read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Artwork on the wall - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow. Wow. Wow. Kids told me about this place but I was a doubter. Fast food? Ok but, arguably the best hot chicken I've ever had. Fries were top shelf. If I wasn't worried about heart disease I'd eat here ever single day. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken sliders with fries ! - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

I always order Dave's ... the last few times it's been such a mess .. the saucy bites? With all of the money you're making perhaps come up with better packaging ... the honey pours out and ruins everything in the bag along with the fact now the honey is off of the chicken ... if it wasn't for how delicious it all is I'd stop but I'd figure they'd fix the issue ... also, I order the kale salad and this time there were huge pickles in it ... and I'm allergic ... it has never come with pickles ... looks like someone accidentally dropped them in there ... door dash wouldn't refund the order ... anyhow ... maybe put the "saucy bites" in a to-go container that doesn't have holes. Just a thought read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Honey ALL over everything ... EVERY time ... it's ridiculous - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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Worst customer service. I came in for a fundraiser and was greeted with attitude by the young man behind the counter when I tried to scan the QR code. The service was also extremely slow, I waited a long time for my food. I will not be coming to this location again. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

The chicken was very tinder and fresh, and the fries were crispy, loved the fries seasoning. It's my first time so I started with mild- def will come back to try it with little more spice! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance depends on the day/ might- since this one is PB, the younger vibes are all over the place especially after 12 am.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. service is great, and fast. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Order number 1 - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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Terrible, they are horrible people with no good morals didn't give us napkins either. They made me fill up my water cup with water. There was also hair in my food I would upload a photo but idk how. read more

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My son has been raving about Dave's Hot Chicken. We finally got to stop by while visiting CA. The service was so so, the workers were not friendly at all. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The tables were all pretty dirty too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was pretty good. I especially liked the reaper ranch. I probably wouldn't go to this location again. read more

First time having Dave's! I ordered the Dave's #2 $17.87: lite mild, add cheese to sliders and fries. Lisa was very friendly, ensuring we had enough Dave's sauce and hot honey. She also provided extra pickles upon my request! Dave's chicken sliders were definitely quite refreshing with the pickles and the slaw. I definitely enjoyed it! There is seating inside, although tables can get a bit dirty and no one was really cleaning it up. Street parking only. Excited to try other Dave's locations! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Dave's is a colorful place for quick serve hot chicken.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The tenders are large and come with fries, Mac and cheese, or kale slaw. DD, who is a Wingstop fan, liked Dave's chicken better. Service was quick and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The dining room is pretty spacious and decorated with colorful graffiti-type art.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely worth checking out! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - 2pc Dave's #1: 2 Tenders w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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if you like your chicken spicy, I dare you to get the spiciest option. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great late night go to your spot after a night at the bars with friends[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. read more

renalda was so sweet and went above and beyond ! such a great experience! I never know what to get and she helped me out so 'much and was so sweet read more

This was my first time trying Dave's Hot Chicken and the food was pretty good. We placed an order for pickup and everything was hot and ready when we picked up our order. The service was good and I would recommend if you're in the area. read more

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First time here, waited alone in the front for like 6 minutes without anyone greeting me, no problem, they are probably busy. I asked for a rec for food as I was hungry and they recommended the 10 pc vs a slider. I got my food and was short a nugget and one nugget looked like a deep fried piece of chicken skin. I brought it to their attention thinking they would just replace it and they brought the manager over and he told me that is just the way it is. After I stood there for a moment in disbelief I brought up the missing nugget and he was rude to me in front of his staff and said ok fine here take more nuggets now you have more than 10... dude must of been having a bad day. I won't be back though, thanks anyway. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken nugget - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

I tried Dave's hot chicken for the first time earlier this year in LA and absolutely loved it. I was in San Diego last week and saw a Dave's hot chicken on DoorDash and needed to try it to confirm whether or not Dave's is just that good, or if just the one LA location was that good. Thrilled to say, I think Dave's is just that damn good! This location in San Diego delivered crispy and delicious chicken. Last time I tried the mild and thought I could go up one heat level, so I tried medium this time and it was perfection. Love love love Dave's hot chicken!!! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

Ordered the flight of saucy bites with fries. I was very underwhelmed. The flavor was good, but what your get for the price was disappointing. read more

We were a bit hungry following a concert and decided to grab some food. Dave's seemed like the spot so we popped in. We ordered the chicken sliders and went around the corner to wait. It took a lot longer than expected, but the food was fresh and hot. It was super late and it was a young crowd. Interested to see what it looks like during the day. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is genuinely the best place to go for chicken. Customer service is amazing- Jasmine treated us with great kindness! Will go here again

Disappointed in this location. I added cheese to my fries and paid additional for it. They barely added cheese. When I showed the staff they said this is standard and what they are trained on. This place is a rip off, overpriced with a very long wait time. I took my order to go. They didn't place any napkins. I know they are profitable; nothing is less than $13 per meal. They can give away a few napkins. I won't be back since it's obvious that they are stingy. This is not how you run a business. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - I paid extra for cheese. I barely see cheese on my fries. They are very stingy. - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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Dirty Dave's hot chicken. Don't eat at pb location. Sue them if you slip on their oil that is all over the place. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's hot chicken in pacific beach. Don't eat at this location and if you slip outside sue them. Dirty place - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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Oh heck why not burn your tongue off? Visiting in San Diego - heard of this place, kind of famous? Ordered the hottest chicken - thought I was gonna die - hard to taste hahaha made to order hot and fresh can't complain - order came out when stared - [[HIGHLIGHT]]place was a little dirty - tables uncleaned trash full no one in the restaurant it was 2:30pm so no excuse[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] - definitely get what you expect here lol read more

I remember coming here a couple years ago and remembering that there would be a huge line but luckily for me when we walked in we were served right away. We got the #1 meal which was two chicken tenders, w pieces of bread, and fries. We also ordered a side of mac and cheese which all came out to a total of $16.68. The food came out really quick and we got to sit at a table inside. I was absolutely disappointed with the mac and cheese. It was way too watery. With having tasted the mac and cheese first I had low expectations for the chicken and fries. I was absolutely surprised by how tasty the chicken and fries were. They both were seasoned very well and I enjoyed the texture of the fries I thought the chicken was really juicy. I definitely would come back here. Chicken Tender and Fries 4.2/5 Mac and Cheese 2/5 read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Mac and Cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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The ability to pick your spice level "No Spice" all the way to "Reaper" makes it flexible for different tastes. So even if you can't handle a lot of heat, you can still get the experience. Many fans describe the mid-to-high spice levels as "a satisfying kick," with flavor holding up well even when it's spicy. read more

Amazing service thanks to Jasmin she was very helpful and [[HIGHLIGHT]]keeps the restaurant very clean[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]].

Great and welcoming service by Jasmine, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]this restaurant was cleaner than i've seen it in awhile.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

One of my favorite spots in San Diego - Dave's has the best fried chicken I've ever tried. The chicken is good quality and juicy, with more chicken than just fried crust like many other places. The spiciness levels allow you to choose your pain - I recommend medium or even hot if you can handle it! The seasoning can't be beat and the sauce that comes with it might just be the best part. My go to order is the tenders with French fries. Be prepared for quite a wait if you're going late night because the place is packed! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

We were glamping nearby and decided to pick up food from here after setting up our site and being too tired to cook. We got a combo of sliders and tenders, some mild and some spicy. It was all amazing. It was so delicious! The fries were good too and great portions. I don't get the piece of toast because it's just a random piece of toast at the bottom but we really loved our meals. Service was great too, guy at register was really friendly and when we picked up our food they were generous with all the sauces. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

This restaurant needs to improve their costumer service. They are extremely rude and easily made me never EVER go to this restaurant again. I had the worst experience with them. Don't go in there with an old bill because they will take it from you and not even let you look at it to verify if it is real. I work with a company and i find it very unrealistic that i would have gotten a fake bill from them. It was also unreasonable to not even let me look at my money and just say they can't give it back! What a shame read more

Nice Dave's hot chicken in the Mission Bay Area. It was spot on with other locations we've been to. The chicken portions are very large and filling. The spice levels were on point with what we ordered. The kaleslaw is a nice semi healthy side lol. read more

Popped up on this place and it was good enough but I will say with a little more effort in keeping it clean and employees making sure they are practicing cleanliness this spot which I'm sure that makes great money would make more. The food was good but the practices I seen made me sketchy to try it. Having multiple things with gloves and not changing them will never be cool for me, but it was open and late and I ate it and it was hot and good. read more

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Tried this place on a whim and I'm glad that we did. The walls are decorated with their mascot as a firefighter and as a surfer which matches the vibes of the area. You order your food at the front and then grab it when it's ready. As first timers, we got the medium and reaper to get a good feel of their spice blend. While it's not the spiciest/ most flavorful hot chicken I've tried, I found this one to be more palatable and I can see myself enjoying this on a regular basis. The reaper: I initially felt a kick, and then the heat builds up in 2-3 bites. It is spicy, but it's not an entirely painful experience, and I was able to taste the seasonings instead of just spice. It gives more of a sweet heat rather than a savory flavor. Medium spice: This is more of a palate cleanser in case the reaper was too spicy. The overall spice blend is less sweet than the reaper and there is a a tinge of spice. I would get this again if I'm sharing the reaper and medium with someone, but if I were to get one sandwich that satisfies my spicy cravings, I would opt for one spice level up. Their chicken is moist and the crust was just right. The sliders include slaw, pickles, and sauce which all help with the heat levels. Remember to get some extra Dave's sauce to dip your chicken into for a more cooling effect! read more

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Our first time at this location. Nice spot on the way to the beach. Street parking l, but plentiful even on a Saturday! The guy at the register was nice and took our order quickly. We got our food in less than 10 minutes! Everything was fresh and hot! Delicious food! We loved the loaded fries! Tried the Mac cause I wasn't too hungry, it was delicious! read more

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