I'm back, and the evolution is real. My previous visit was... let's just say "inconsistent," but Dave's has clearly undergone a successful rehabilitation. The first thing you notice is the service--it's significantly sharper, faster, and actually attentive this time around. Whatever was gumming up the works before has been cleared out. The decor is also noticeably cleaner and more "dialed-in." It feels like a place that respects the poultry it serves. As for the main event: * The Three-Piece: Perfection. The breading stayed crunchy, and the chicken was juicy enough to require a tactical napkin plan. * The Fries: I went with the Hot Fries, and they didn't disappoint. They have that specific kind of heat that builds just enough to make you respect the spice without ruining your afternoon. It's rare to see a spot actually take the feedback and turn the ship around this effectively. If you haven't been in a while because of the service or the atmosphere, it's time to head back. read more

Inconsistent service compared to other locations I visited the Dave's Hot Chicken location in Santa Rosa today with my two small children. This was our fourth visit to a Dave's Hot Chicken overall, and we have a very simple order we've placed multiple times at other locations without any issues -- the 10 chicken bites meal with fries, splitting the seasoning between mild and medium because each of my children prefers a different spice level. At this location, I was denied multiple times and told that splitting the seasoning on the 10-piece bites was against store policy. However, this has never been a problem at other Dave's Hot Chicken locations we've visited, which made the experience confusing and frustrating -- especially with two kids expecting the same order they've always been able to get. The front register employee even asked the shift lead "Andy" if they could accommodate the request. Unfortunately, the shift lead denied it while standing in the kitchen, even though it seemed like a very simple adjustment that other locations have been willing to make. Because of the lack of flexibility and the inconsistent service compared to other Dave's Hot Chicken locations, I'm giving this location one star for service. I hope management considers allowing reasonable accommodations like this in the future, especially for families with young children and not having a children's meal available. read more

Walking into Dave's Hot Chicken feels like entering instagrams idea of a " fun chicken restaurant (name tbd)" The charm only really comes from the crew behind the counter. They're the ones making sure the chicken is crispy. Is it overpriced? Absolutely. Is it overhyped? Maybe a little. The brand tries way too hard, The chicken tries just enough, The workers are the real MVPs. So, if you want hot chicken, Dave's Hot Chicken is at least a feather in your cap. read more

This was my first time trying Dave's Hot Chicken. We decided to stop by since it was late and there weren't many other places open nearby. They're located in the same plaza as T4. When we arrived, it was pretty empty, and we placed our order using the kiosk. Even so, the food took a while to come out. I ordered the chicken slider + side combo and chose the cheese fries. Unfortunately, the chicken was overly salty and lacked the spice I was expecting. The cheese fries were just okay, nothing particularly memorable. If you're craving a chicken sandwich, I'd personally recommend Hotboys in Novato instead. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #4: 1 Slider with Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I came in during promo days for the complimentary sliders and I'm surprised with how well they managed the rush. The line was practically out the door but they managed to keep the line moving well and the food kept on coming out every few seconds. Then the slider itself was tasty as well with the right amount of spice. I got the hot spice level and I feel that going spicier than that maybe an overkill. Overall, very happy with my visit! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Damn Andy didnt give me any pickles in my order when it clearly shows pickles on the picture. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Mozzarella Sticks Meal - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

This restaurant looks so cool inside great ambience very clean, music is great and the employees are super friendly. I walked in to pick up the GrubHub order and I was greeting, smiles and friendly voices. The food is always consistent in flavorful on the crisis are great ! read more

Had to know what the hype was about this place. Saw their mozzarella sticks on ig and wanted to try it. They were out. So I did the two piece tenders and fries. Just had hot, not reaper level. For me it wasn't hot at all. Chicken was ok. Didn't have the flavors of Popeyes. Overall it was underwhelming. Don't need to try anymore. read more

The only other location I have visited was in Sacramento, and I found the flavor of the extra hot chicken to be delightful. When I visited this location I chose to dial it down a bit and order hot. It was equally tasty, but didn't burn like the next level up... This visit I tried the mac 'n cheese, instead of fries, and found it to be pretty good. Staff are friendly and helpful, although they may be a little short handed. Dining room tables were pretty much all in need of a wipe down when we arrived. I asked for a towel so I could wipe down our table and the staff person promptly got a towel and came out and cleaned our table (although he didn't wipe down any of the other tables). In speaking with the cashier he shared with me that their cauliflower offering is very good in his opinion, and that the Santa Rosa store is the last location left still offering this alternative for vegetarian patrons or those just desiring something a little different. They're a little on the pricey side as there are no combo deals offering a side and drink for a reduced price, but the food is so good I won't hesitate to return. read more

I have been to Dave's all over the country and never had such a bad experience as this location. Firstly, the place is an absolute mess. Tables we're not clean, the floor was covered in trash, and everything felt sticky and looked dusty. The bathrooms were also blocked by two high chairs-- not because the bathrooms were broken, but rather they were dirty with no one to clean them. Sadly, the staff was awful. They lacked any care for customers and made everyone go out the side door starting at 10:08pm when it closes at 11pm. They shut off "open" signs, and made everyone go around the side making it appear that they restaurant was closed when it still had an hour o be open. There were at least 5 staff members, and none of them were even attempting to clean the dirty place. Makes sense why it looks like it does. The workers close the place early to hang out and not even fix the issues they have. Tying in to the closing late, I have never been to a Dave's that doesn't have Mac and cheese. Hopefully it's not connected, but I find it hard to believe that the location was truly out of Mac and cheese. It appears that the staff was trying to close down early and hang out rather than doing their jobs. There wasn't even any music. Overall the worst location I've been to, and Dave's is my favorite. Someone needs to look into the health, care and hygiene of this location asap. read more

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I recently read an article stating Dave's Hot Chicken was rated the best fast food chain in the country, so I was excited to give it a try. Sad to say but I won't be back. First of all the tables were all dirty. The staff needs to wipe down the tables more frequently. The music sounded muffled but also to loud at the same time. Better speakers and a better music choice would help. My two friends ordered their chicken mild while I chose medium. When I tasted their chicken I found there was no difference in spice levels between their chicken and mine. On the positive side, the chicken itself was so moist and tender I couldn't believe it. And the fries were really tasty. read more

*update management contacted me the next day and gave me $15 credit. We ordered the same thing my son's meal had giant pieces of chicken while mine... looked like small chicken strips but my son reluctantly traded one oh my small strip for one of his much larger pieces he had- all good I ordered the food with NO coleslaw and we get it on all the sandwiches and now they are soggy, also the meal is supposed to come with sauce but we got no sauce. I spent $35 for soggy food missing the sauce so I call in and the manager offers me 1 $3 little sandwich. I guess I need to open the box at the counter to see if everything is there and correct- next time I'll try Hot chic read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Asked for no slaw but they piled it on making food soggy- thanks - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Wow! All I kept thinking is how we hadn't tried this sooner?! Spicy food is my weakness. The spiciness just zings in your mouth, a bite of the juicy pickles adds that perfect crunch to everything. I'm prego so this was a satisfied craving fulfilled. Will be sending hubby back for more! read more

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I've been hearing about this place, and I finally went and got Dave's hot chicken. All I can say is I absolutely love it. I only got the medium heat, which I thought was perfect. I love spicy food, but not blazing hot. The medium heat was delicious and spicy just enough. We got the Chicken Tenders half medium heat and mild, and I happily enjoyed both heat versions. It came with Dave's hot chicken sauce, a container full, plus a few individual packets, which were perfect because we had a lot of leftovers, so I took one chicken tender to work the next day, and I was a mighty happy camper! The service was quick enough and Dave's hot chicken was a spicy chicken tender feast! The whole family loved our dinner, It was tangy, crunchy, juicy chicken deliciousness! And if you like mild, and I must say it was just a hint of spice, it is still absolutely delicious! Nice, big, thick white chicken tenders with that yummy crunchy crust. We ordered chicken tenders with white bread, and we put Dave's hot chicken sauce on the bread and it came with a container of pickles. "I have heard all kinds of things about this place, some good, some not so good." All I can say is that my experience with the food was absolutely delicious and spicy. The service was on point, The food was delicious even after driving home 20 minutes later. I will be back Cheers, my friends SYOY 11/26/24 #356 read more

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This place has some amazing chicken! I had the medium 2 piece tender meal. My heat tolerance is not super high and the medium in my opinion was about like a good buffalo wing level. I also loved the pickles the meal came with! And the seasoning on the fries was perfect! I had a side of mac and it was creamy and yummy! I put it on top of my tender for extra yum bites! read more

Food: 4/5 I ordered the one tender slider (flavor: reaper), and it was delicious. The slider has heavy breading, refreshing pickles and kale slaw to pair. I was asked to sign a waiver for the reaper level but did not find it that hot. One of the kind employees remade the slider and added extra of the reaper seasoning which was amazing. Overall, really crispy, juicy chicken which is also flavorful. For my taste, I wish there was just slightly less breading. Service: 5/5 I thought I might catch a shirt or picture finishing the reaper sandwich but the person working there offered a milkshake instead. Very kind and thoughtful. Everyone working seemed upbeat and attentive. Ambiance: 5/5 Lots of seating inside. Nice, relevant music playing. Bathrooms were clean and accessible. read more

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Came right before the dinner rush. The cashier at the front was super helpful and friendly. I'm not from here but by far one of my favorite fried chicken tender joint to come to. Medium spice level has a good enjoyable kick to it. Try it with honey! Military discount also available. Must try. Will be back when ever I'm craving fried chicken. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's Chicken Bites - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The food is amazing. I had low expectations because of some of the reviews, but I came on a slower day, and my chicken sandwich was so juicy, crispy, and had lots of flavors. The service was great! Since it was my first time at daves, they answered all of my questions. The place is very clean with some country music in the background. Will come back again. read more

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[SANTA ROSA] HAS DAVES HOT CHICKEN!!! I love DAVES for the food & service. I ordered to-go, recently. My 'go-to order' is the '#3: 1 Tender & 1 Slider w/ Fries'. Usually ordering a 'Hot' Tender & for the Tender 'Extra Hot' because the bun is sweet & had the kale coleslaw to cool it down. If you don't like the sweet bun of the slider then the Tender comes with a white slice of bread. - Chicken is plump & juicy. - Service is quick & friendly. - Sit inside or outside with a fast food service style. - Perfect for a quick bite! [dining in or out] SPICE LOVERS: Challenge yourself to do the REAPER - it's not that bad, promise ‍ read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Hot Box - Sliders - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I personally love Dave's Hot Chicken but it kind of went downhill today. The food was great, until I noticed that there was a hair in it. I sent it back just get a remake of my slider. All though the waitress was pretty rude. She gave me attitude. When I was redeeming our awards. I realized that the QR code was no longer valid. Someone must've deactivated it or something. It's really hit or miss with this store read more

I like that I can pick how hot my chicken is going to be! The chicken is good and not too dry like other chicken sandwiches I've had. Food comes out fast and is a good spot to go for lunch! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Came to try Dave's not chicken you get to choose your spice level. The not so chicken was very yummy. I didn't realized until I was sitting down you can make any meal into a not so chicken meal. The place is pretty packed. They also have late night midnight-2 am in case you're craving a midnight snack. read more

Never thought I'd give a fast food place 5 stars, but here it is. The staff is friendly and polite, I usually go with the extra spicy with side of Mac n cheese. The chicken has the right kick to it and is always juicy, the Mac n cheese is a must when you visit. read more

Wow the service here is amazing. I've been here a few times and everyone has been so friendly it was a genuine surpise. I even went on drakes birthday for a free sandwich and they still even with a line out the door treated everyone kindly and took the time to take each and every person's order. My go to order is the sandwich combo and I usually get between hot and medium. one time I went and a worker named Michael was kind enough to share a small taste of the reaper when I was curious and I'm so glad he did before I made the mistake of ordering it for fun. this place has been open a while now and I think it has grown to be a santa rosa staple and a reliable option for late night food. Something especially appreciated in Santa rosa where everything closes early! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Not a fan of the flavor Found it lacking. chicken was cooked well nice and juicy fries are decent the seasoning on the fries also lack flavor adding the honey does help the flavor. The Dave's sauce taste pretty good read more

One of the WORST chicken meal experiences I've ever had. The medium spicy was so hot my husband couldn't eat his meal. Very overpriced and just poor quality food. read more

So happy we made the drive out to Santa Rosa to try this place, it was soooo worth it! Ash gave us excellent service. She had asked if we'd been there before & since we hadn't, she took the time to go through the menu with us. My husband & I both ordered the two sliders one hot one medium. I am not exaggerating when I say it was the BEST fried chicken slider I've ever had. The chicken was crispy on the outside & juicy on the inside. Service was not just friendly but also fast, definitely worth the drive & we will be returning! read more

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Good food overpriced asf fasho but I don't like it at all lol I just want to eat it and eat it and eat it all day long lol but I'm hungry so I'm read more

Great service & good food! I love the ambience here. The food is always made super fast. I like that you can choose your spice level. Usually I order the #3 combo with a shake :) If you want a spicy, good quality sandwich -- go here! It's similar to Howlin Rays in Southern CA! read more

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Honestly this place disappointed me so much. I'm a huge fan of spicy and I can eat heavy but I couldn't even finish the food I bought because I started to feel nauseous. Idk if it was seasoning or the grease either way I felt horrible. Again I do not have a weak stomach I eat spicy stuff ALL the time. On another note this location needs to amp up their attitude. The cashier was rude I had to ask if someone could wipe down at least one table because trash and crumbs and sauce were left all over the place on every table. The good thing that came out of this situation was that I made a promise to myself to not give into fried chicken again and eat clean LOL. read more

I love the chicken mini but these's a girl that works here who is very rude I get you want to leave at the end of the day but you don't have to yell at customers as they are walking at saying "bye" and rolling her eyes. read more

I came back from Nashville 2 months ago and had some good fried chicken down south. Was craving chicken so came here to Dave's hot chicken to see what it was all about! To start their menu only has 3 combos: 1. Two piece tender with fries 2. Two sliders with fries. 3. One tender + one slider with fries. They also serve a few sides, milkshakes and soft drinks. Your HOT o meter range from No spice to the Reaper (if you dare!). I ordered number 1 for myself (Med spice) and a number 3 for my hubby (HOT spice). The tenders were soft, juicy on the inside, hot spice level on the outside. Med was perfect for me and I thought it was pretty hot already. I enjoyed the Dave dipping sauce. It worked for both the tenders and fries. They give you ketchup (I only got 2 packs :( and honey on the side). I got a ton of honey packets and tried it out. The honey sweetness actually neutralizes the hotness so if it's too unbearable dip it in honey! I also got 2 strawberry milkshake on the side. Wow! I was full for hours afterwards. Def worth the money and a trip for lunch. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - #3 - Tender and slider combo. HOT spice. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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tl;dr: Legit Nashville hot chicken in Santa Rosa! Santa Rosa has needed a shop like Dave's Hot Chicken for a while -- it's a great option when you want a more premium chicken sandwich that actually has good flavor. We came to check out Dave's Hot Chicken for lunch and weren't disappointed by the huge portions, fresh food, and quick service. We ordered the combo that came with sliders, fries, and coleslaw. We opted for hot, and it was just the right amount of spice -- not too hot, but also not bland! The fries were fresh and crispy; there's nothing more disappointing that getting soggy fries, so I'm glad that Dave's Hot Chicken delivered. This place tends to experience long lines. Fortunately, I came during the week when the lunch rush wasn't too terrible. Tons of parking in the parking lot next to Safeway. If you're in the mood for a fried chicken sandwich, Dave's Hot Chicken should be at the top of your list! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - #2 combo sliders hot spice level - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

So... here is my update... it was Great the First time I had it. It was also great the second time I had it. But! The third time and fourth time... Yikes! Just kidding, it's been great which I why I keep going back, and plan on going again for an extra little treat on my wife's birthday this weekend! How this is still only at 3 1/2 stars I do not understand! I wish it was healthy because I would literally eat this weekly!!! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Combo #2 with cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I've been wanting to try this place for months. I don't live in the area and so I had to plan a visit. Jan 31 was the day. The interior is spacious and clean. Public restrooms, nice counter. They apparently do a good Door Dash business. I ordered 2 tenders with fries. I got one @ medium and the other at hot. When I opened the box, I couldn't tell which was which. There were actually 4 pieces in the box. The appearance looked suspicious. The breading was fine but it looked like a pepper salt was used for the range of heat I asked for. When I took a bite I found the chicken to be quite tender. Decent quality. However, It was so salty I had trouble eating it. Overwhelmingly so. The tender I suspected was medium even had pretty good heat to it. Let that be a warning! Wish I had liked it more.... read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - 2 Tenders w/ Fries. 1 med. & 1 Hot. Can you tell the difference? - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

THEY HAVE THIS IN SOCAL AND IM SO GLAD THEY OPENED ONE UP IN THE NORTH BAY. I drove TWO hours to get here and every bite left a nostalgic memory in my taste buds. They made my friend sign a waiver on receipt for trying to carolina reaper spice lol! read more

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We went on the Monday after opening weekend at 5:30pm. Line was just out the front door which was approximately 25 minutes. not too horrible since the line stretched to the five guys previously. I ordered the medium combo #3 medium and the SO ordered combo #1 reaper. We also got the mac and cheese side to try out. I like my spicy food and I found medium to be perfect for my spice tolerance. The tender was good, but the slider with the pickles and the slaw offered more contrast. I would say the amount of slaw you get in the slider is a bit sad. Could definitely use more slaw. The SO who is a fan of the Korean fire noodles tells me the reaper level spice was on point. The crust was slightly powdery and sticks to your lips so be prepared. Normally crinkle cut fries are my least favorite but they were surprisingly crispy. The Mac and cheese was also surprisingly delicious. I wish they filled the container though. read more

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Rating 3.5/5 Ordered online and it was very easy picking up the order, customer service was very nice. Ordered one chicken tender and one slider, but I'd probably order two sliders next time because the chicken tender was looking a little scarce. I wanted to order a chicken tender for my dog but a single tender is $5.99 which is overpriced In my opinion because you're not guaranteed a big juicy tender. The fries were a little on the soggy side, but the seasoning was alright. I don't really like pickles that much but Dave's pickles are really delicious. Overall flavor is there, however the tenders are hit or miss. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #3 1 Tender & 1 Slider w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Great seems a little extreme. Good seems inferior. Maybe a 4.5 Dave's has been open for over a year. I've been meaning to get there since it opened. I just kind of forgot about it (eating healthier over the past 9 mos has deterred my eating out during a majority of that time). Tonight was my chance. My wife and I had some errands to run in the evening, we both were hungry...so mentioned Dave's and I was like...sure. I completely forgot they existed. I had no idea about their menu. It seemed very simple. The "sliders" are deceiving. I'm used to tiny little burger sliders, so I ordered the #2: 2 Chicken Sliders & Fries. I decided to play it safe and went medium "heat." Those sliders were pretty dang big. Maybe I just can't eat that much as I used to. Yes, I did finish the meal. I'm no quitter. Overall, I was impressed. The chicken was quite tasty. I barely tasted the medium flavoring. I truly enjoyed the added sauce supplied. The crinkle cut fries, while simple were excellent w/ the added sauce (why waste the packets?). It did seem pricey for a meal that didn't include a soft drink. Whatever, no big deal. I don't do this often anymore. Also, the place was clean. Staff was friendly and outgoing. That says a lot, as quite a few places just are dirty nowadays. Dang, I'm starting to sound old. Again, I was impressed. Will I be back. I'd love to say I would, but considering it took me over a year to get here in the first place, we'll see. I would definitely not be opposed. read more

I came into this Dave's twice and I gotta say it was much better the second time around. The first time I came, I feel like it was the grand opening weekend and they had long lines and the fries weren't as good compared to the second time. I like the cheese fries and Dave's sauce. I also ask for extra pickles. I like how Dave's has different spice levels. I got the medium and it was perfect. The fries the second time were super fresh and were crunchy. I got them with cheese and it was really good. I got the combo with a sandwich and a tender/piece of bread. I prefer the sandwich and I think it's cause that bread is better than the "toast" which isn't really toasted. It is pricey in my opinion for the amount of food you get. I think since it's promoted so much on social media. Overall, I give Dave's hot chicken a solid 6.5/10. read more