I was here most recently on Free Slider Day along with a lot of others. My first visit there was a long line to order but this time it was even longer and several people left because of the wait time. My heat level tolerance is not what it used to be. I have tried a Mild & Medium. I think I could tolerate the Hot but that would still be a reach. Their mild is what many others would consider medium. I noticed the last visit that Lite Mild was an option in addition to the No Spice. Because of the wait, I ended up taking mine to go on the most recent visit even though I originally intended to dine in. Even to go the food was excellent! Despite how busy they were the staff remained pleasant and provided a great experience. I love the decor both inside and out. The music is a little on the loud side and could make conversation difficult if you have a larger group dining in. Maybe try the patio seating area instead. I wish it was closer to home, I would probably visit more often. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #3 1 Tender & 1 Slider w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Everything was wrong waited for an hour just for our food was not even given a heads up on the time wait watched mobile orders go continuously out while the store was full of customers also sitting and waiting ridiculous to make your store in customers sit and wait for that long read more

Customer service ? A1! Jaylen F made our first visit very enjoyable. He was so considerate and kind with helping us navigate the menu and flavors. They were pretty busy and he still took his time to make sure every customer was taken great care of. The first thing I noticed about the menu was the prices seemed a little high. However, the portions are much larger than I imagined! We loved the frozen juices. I can definitely see why they are enjoyable after we tried the chicken. I wasn't the biggest fan of the actual chicken tender which I got in no flavor. But the slider that I got in lite mild was good with extra pickles and Dave's sauce! My boyfriend got the hot and as someone who enjoys spice, wasn't too happy with the actual seasoning on the chicken. I'm glad I tried it and maybe if someone suggested it I would try it again. But definitely not my first choice! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Menu - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Very, very slow service. This is not a place to go on a lunch break. Waited over 30 minutes and still not food. The food is great.

The Chicken is good, just know that it can be very spicy based on your selection, they are not joking on the heat. I loved the spicy cheese sticks. The downside was that the place had a long line the whole time we were there. They also had a lot of online orders and at first the cashier told us it would be 30 minutes to get our food but it was less time than that. I would go back for the cheese sticks and chicken fingers. The fries were ok. read more

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I had a really disappointing experience at Dave's Hot Chicken and honestly would like a refund. The time of 7:22 PM was when our order was finally taken -- not when we arrived. There were only two people in front of us in line, so I didn't expect such a long wait. Ordering was quick once we got there, but after that everything went downhill. We couldn't even find a clean table to sit at and had to wipe one down ourselves because the dining room was dirty. It also wasn't very busy, which made the wait even more confusing. What really frustrated me was seeing food sitting at the pickup counter for at least 10-15 minutes without anyone handing it out. My boyfriend went up multiple times to check on our order, and when I finally went up there myself, nobody acknowledged me. I was literally standing there looking at all the food sitting out, and apparently ours was one of those orders. By the time we finally got our food at 7:53 PM it was cold. The mozzarella sticks especially were not good because they clearly weren't fresh or hot anymore. For spending $38 on mozzarella sticks and two mini chicken sandwiches, the experience was honestly ridiculous. Also, the chicken was surprisingly sweet. It was our first time there, so maybe that's how they normally make it, but I ordered the "hot" chicken and it honestly was not hot at all. Between the sweetness and the lack of spice, the flavor was really disappointing and not what I expected. The whole restaurant felt unorganized, dirty, and poorly managed. We will not be coming back, and I would not recommend this location to anyone. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Dave's is a fun new and casual addition to the Vestavia area. I was able to visit Dave's on opening night and again more recently. I agree with other reviews that Sliders are a hearty size, more of a chicken sandwhich. I like that they have a range of spice levels. I do enjoy spicy food and did not think the medium was spicy. Also, I really enjoy their Dave's house sauce. A solid spot for hot chicken craving. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Single Slider - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Good hot food!! Great service by General Manager Scott!!! Appreciate his attitude, hard work, and attention to detail. Cool ambiance! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Loaded Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Unfortunately, the picture of my #1 Dave's combo didn't take. No actual food pic. Sorry! The customer service was very friendly. When I visited Dave's it was busy on a Sunday. It definitely took awhile for my to go order. Once I got home I noticed they gave a an extra tender! The tenders and fries were fresh. My spice level was hot and I'm glad I didn't get anything less spicer. I wish the spice was more saucy if that makes sense. I loved the pickles , I hated the Dave's sauce. I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'd return. The service and the ambiance is cool. There is just better hot chicken options in town that I prefer. read more

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Finally made it to my chicken restaurant! I had heard a lot about Dave's Hot Chicken opening in Vestavia Hills. It occupies the space where IronStone Pizza used to be in the large outdoor shopping center off Montgomery Hwy in the heart of the City Center. DHC is a casual fast food chicken restaurant chain that started in Los Angeles, California in 2017. The chain has now expanded to over 100 locations in four countries in 2022. Plenty of seating with a self service sodas station with tea, the design and aetwork of this restaurant is something to take notice. The bright red (references to hot and spicy) and colorful designs are hard to miss. It's contemporary and spacious high ceiling with large high windows make the restaurant seem even bigger. Right above the ordering counter, look up and you'll find a very cool mural complete with a Dave's Hot chicken version of our Vulcan... it's lit! Seriously, their artwork on the walls should be commended. The menu is as simple as can be. It's all... you guessed it... chicken. Just tenders and boneless wings. You can get a slider, a tender served in a bun with kale slaw, pickles and Dave's sauce or just a tender served with sliced bread, pickles and Dave's sauce. There's also top loaded fries which is their crinkle fries with cheese sauce, pickles, kale slaw and topped with Dave's bites and sauce and Dave's bites (just smaller cuts). Don't forget their top loaded shakes and slushers. I tried the Mountain Berry Blast slusher. It was on par and much needed. I'll explain later. They are known for their famous Dave's sauce which I found to be eerily similar to the Foosackly's sauce. Let me stop here and make an observation that it's called Dave's Hot sauce, but the sauce itself is not spicy. It's a tangy/sweet mayo-based condiment that goes well with chicken tenders. What I wasn't expecting was their kale slaw. It was surprisingly good. The slaw added a nice crunch factor to the slider as well as complimented the flavor. We tried the tender and slider combo. When asked what level of spice for our order, we decided on "Hot". The levels are the following: No Spice Lite Mild Mild Medium Hot Extra Hot Reaper With the first bite, I knew it was going to be a problem. As promised, it was HOT. The tender is coated with a darkish red brown breading. The heat level was cut with the help of the pickles and kale slaw, but I still needed to get a slusher to help put out the fire! The crinkle cut fries were spot on and dipped in Dave's Hot sauce was Yum Yum Yum. I asked one of the workers if people actually ordered Reaper level and she said yes! I could not fathom how you would even eat that. I loved the ambiance and look of the restaurant. The food is on par with large sized tenders cooked to your level or tolerability. I thought the kale slaw and fries were excellent. Welcome to Vestavia, DHC. I'm sure you will stay awhile. read more

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When Dave's first opened, my first thought was another chicken place ? I would drive by their blowup advertisement logo everyday, but never really thought about going. It wasn't until my son visited at Thanksgiving that we all decided to try it. We visited the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It was jammed, but luckily we found a table. I ordered a tender and a slider, and swapped the fries out for mac and cheese. I was excitedly shocked to see that the slider was really a full size, giant chicken sandwich, and I have to say it was absolutely delicious! The kale slaw, and pickles added so much flavor! I ate the whole slider, and could not finish the extra tender and mac and cheese. It was a ton of food, and definitely worth the price, and I have to add that even the leftovers were still really good. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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I really enjoy Dave's Hot Chicken. I liked that slider with hot seasoning. The kale slaw and the pickles make it. It's good when your lips burn and your nose runs. That means it's the right amount of heat. Not just hot but with flavor. I tried the Mac and cheese again. It's still watery and bland. Stick with the kale slaw or the fries (skinny crinkle cut). I wished they had better tea. I like sweet tea with hot chicken. They have that Peak tea stuff. read more

I was pleasantly surprised. I could tell by the outside of the building this was an eccentric, exciting spot. It gives me arcade vibes. The interior is decked out in colorful graffiti type style. This place is packed 24/7. The line was the out door when I arrived Mon a Monday evening. The people working so so kind and fast. HOWEVER. This is Not fast food! Do not be fooled by the Hot Chicken title. Very much freshly fried, and takes time to get your order. The portion sizes are larger than I expected. The crispy chicken was super crisp on outside and tender on the inside. Fresh juicy pickles on the side. The Dave's sauce was 6/10 but still pleasurable. The fries tasted so fresh!! the interior is very clean. They have an outdoor seating option. I'm happy I was able to stop by. read more

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I have been excited to tell yall about this place man (video review coming soon)! I got the chance to go to the grand opening of Dave's Hot Chicken and boy did it live up to the hype! Let's start off with first impressions. The building looks super cool from the outside to the inside. From the dope color skeems to the patterns and art work. Staff was amazing as well. Even though we were in a long line everything moved quickly. Staff was very helpful and whoever that lady manager is was doing her freaking job boy I loved her! Now let's get to some negative before we get to the positive. Something was absolutely wrong with that milkshake machine or the product. It was awful tasting and had a weird stringy like glue consistency. We don't know what it was but we quickly threw them away. We even saw other customers pouring their milkshakes out rinsing the cups and getting soda instead. Hopefully by now they have caught this and fixed the situation. Now the positive. The food itself I don't have anything to say but delicious! The chicken was good and everything went so well with each other. Like man the only thing to me that was just okay was the macaroni and cheese it was just cheese and noodles. It just needed a little salt and pepper and it would have been in there. It was still good though. If you have not been to Dave's yet you need to go now. Also check out my video review on my Facebook page coming out this week! read more

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The food was horrible... I have been to many chicken places in my life and this may be one of the worst tasting fried chicken joints I have ever been too. To say that is quite sad and embarrassing because many people over hype and play into this Dave's hot chicken narrative. Thanks. read more

I've been hearing about this place for a while now and wanted to try it out. First off I will say it's been pretty challenging to find a great chicken spot in the Birmingham area but this is up at the top with the ones I've had so far. Great crisp, solid amount of spice, (mild sauce) and all in all a great experience. 86/100 read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #3 1 Tender & 1 Slider w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Editing to add that the food we received was delicious. Hope they get the kinks worked out. 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon, Reviewing based on speed, unfortunately still sitting here waiting after 30 minutes for an order of tenders and bites and not expecting my food anytime soon based on the people crowded around the pick up area. I've heard the food is good, but don't visit if you want to eat within an hour read more

The ONLY reason I'm giving 5 stars is for Sam. Sam was the kindest, sweetest, employee I have ever encountered. He was so helpful and genuinely AWESOME at his job! He knew the menu well and made sure I could order something appropriately for my little girl with acid reflux. This was our first time visiting, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The food however-- I'll give 2 stars, generously. The chicken wasn't warmed, and it took A LONG time to get out. We waited a long time to finally get our meal, and mine was very sloppy. I was so overwhelmed with my meal and how sloppy it was that I barely ate mine and discarded it. I had ordered the two sliders and fries. I ate part of one and tried to go for the second one and just couldn't. I was overwhelmed with how messy it was thrown together and that it just fell apart when I picked it up. The flavors were kind of conflicting and I wasn't a fan of the overall meal, however I could tell that flavors could have worked together very well... I come from a culinary degree so I'm hard to please, this just is not a place I may not want to visit again. I heard so much hype and almost cried at the table. The fries were good. The Coke products were crisp. The menu was TINY which surprised me because it took SO long to prepare the food. Also, no kid's menu, which was off-putting. I paid almost $20 for my two-year-old. I will not be doing that again. Sam was so worth the visit. He was amazing. I would visit again, only for Sam's impeccable service. He was the best. read more

I ordered food at 2:07 on my lunch break, I didn't get my food until 3:00 only after I had to make a fuss about it. Then after all that, when i finally get my food, its burnt and cold. 0 out of 10 would not recommend. read more

The atmosphere here was very relaxed and casual. A little funky but very fun! Our cashier when we stopped in was fantastic and had our takeout order ready to go, she was great! The food was more filling than we expected and seasoned very well. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Regular size fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Don't go here if your not willing to wait 40 minutes for your food. The inside is really cool do is the food but the wait is just something you cant forget about. read more

Great service! Food was ready in a reasonable time. It was served hot. The fries and sauce were good. The chicken sliders were good. Nothing spectacular but good. If I return, I will go up a spice level. Overall good experience. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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The service at this location was unbelievably slow. It took 45 minutes plus to get my food, which is pretty unacceptable for what's essentially fast food. The restaurant wasn't even packed enough to justify that kind of wait. There was very little communication from the staff about the delay, and customers were just standing around waiting with no updates. When the food finally came out it was good, but honestly the experience of waiting that long took away from it. read more

If DHC has 200,000 fans, we are among them. If it has 200 fans, we are among them. If it has 2 fans, we are them. And if DHC has no fans then we are no more. Lemme tell you something about Dave's. The first bite? Pure bliss. The crunch, the juicy chicken--sensational. And then the spice hits and makes it even better. Lots of places think proper spice is just making the food hot. That's part of it, but Dave's understands the importance of proper flavoring along with the heat. Even when your face is flushed and your eyes are watering you can enjoy the tasty chicken. Dave's Hot Chicken is not just a meal--it's an experience, a challenge, and, frankly, a privilege. 10/10. Idk anything else about Dave but he should run for president. We will tolerate no slander In all seriousness, it's a fun vibe with a cool, artsy aesthetic. Lines and wait times can occasionally get long based on when you go. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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Let me first say the artwork and versatility in the restaurant is eye catching. The staff was very nice and patient, but the food...... left me speechless and not in a good way. The chicken tenders were fried way too hard. They were inedible, and whatever mild dry rub they sprinkle on the tenders had a funky after taste. The Mac and cheese lacked flavor and my daughter ordered a blue slushy (I forgot the flavor) and she ended up throwing it in the trash before we left. We really wanted to like this place and anticipated its opening, but it didn't hit the spot at all. read more

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I haven't heard of Dave's Hot Chicken but I have been seeing the ads and the new building sign so I've been interested to try it! The staff were super friendly and the chicken was really tasty. I got the Dave's Bites and fries. The bites only come in no sauce, medium or hot but their other menu items have more options for heat! I like some heat but not too much and so I got the medium. To me it was just perfect, I could have handled more but it was a perfect balance for those who don't like the fire. The artwork inside was vibrant and funky and there were plenty of places to sit. Tip: ask for extra Dave's sauce! It's a good fry/chicken sauce you'll find at most places. Overall, good experience and tasty chicken! read more

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Dave's was good!!! The line was out the door but it moved fast. Be prepared to wait..it's worth it! I got the hot chicken finger and slider with fries. The chicken was fresh and so good. The star of the show was the slider! The Dave's sauce compliments it very well. The fries with the Dave sauce was perfect. I definitely recommend everyone try it! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Hot Slider and chicken finger - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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We tried this place for the first time yesterday. Overall good experience and would go again. The decor is casual and contemporary, with street-art style murals on the walls and high ceilings that give it a renovated warehouse vibe, despite being located smack in the middle of a suburban strip mall. The menu is simple: chicken tenders, sliders, boneless wings, fries, mac 'n cheese, slaw. You choose your level of spice, and I would say the ratings are pretty accurate (meaning that what they call "hot" actually is hot). What's not accurate is the menu item names. The tenders are not the size of a typical tender, much bigger. The slider is not a slider, it is the size of a regular chicken sandwich. So, for many people, I think the 2 tender meal or the one slider meal will be quite filling (don't be tempted to add a tender and add a slider to each meal as we did, or you might end up with lots of leftovers). But it's all tasty! The seasoning mix has a slight hint of sweet and is flavorful without being too salty, and the chicken is nicely coated and fried without being too greasy. The medium tender is really good and doesn't need a dipping sauce, in my opinion, but they serve it with Dave's sauce (a very typical chicken finger sauce similar to that served in other chicken joints), or you can have ranch. The slider has a really nice kale slaw that is a perfect complement to the hot chicken. The French fries have great seasoning and are perfectly crispy. We also tried the loaded fries, which basically is all the ingredients of a slider with cheese dumped on the fries, and this was tasty but really too much to eat as a side if you already are getting a slider. I would maybe order this again to enjoy as my entree instead of a slider or tender. I wanted to try one of the milkshakes but the machine was down. They have sweet tea and a standard soda fountain. No alcoholic beverages. Service was friendly, no complaints. You order at the counter and receive a buzzer, return to the counter to pick up your food when the buzzer goes off. Dave's has a different flavor from Eugene's and Hattie B's and is a solid addition to the hot chicken scene in Birmingham. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Loaded fries (small) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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I really like Dave's Hot Chicken. I always get the slider combo in Hot. The cole slaw, thick slice pickles, seasoned fries and sauce make this a weekly go to spot. All the employees are super friendly. Love Dave's! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

I have been dying to try Dave's because I see it on TikTok so much, and I was glad they opened a location here! To start out, the fries are really good and crispy and I really like the sauce that comes with everything. I was really bummed though that they only have their sauce and no ranch. This might be a known thing for Dave's, but I did not know this and I was so sad! I got the chicken mild and it was good and had a sweetness to it. The only thing I did not like about the chicken was that it was really salty. The not so great part of this meal was the Mac n cheese. It was such a letdown! It tasted like it had been sitting out for a long time, and it really just tasted like boxed Mac n cheese. I would definitely not recommend that as a side. Overall, good chicken and good fries. I would go back and give it another shot! read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Mac & Cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

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I was pleasantly surprised on the size of the chicken tenders. Felt like it was pretty expensive for a 2 tenders meal but it was plenty of food. The chicken was juicy but the medium wasn't very spicy so level up if you like spice. The team was very friendly but seemed overwhelmed. Think they are still working out some kinks. I got my food to go, but the inside does look fun and look forward to dining on the patio. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Dave's #1 2 Tenders w/ Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

I had very high hopes for this place but it didn't not meet my expectations with the food. I loved the atmosphere and environment... very well done! The wall graffiti is amazing. I arrived shortly after opening and waited about 20 mins in line and another 15 mins for my food. I went to get my drink and most of the selections were not available. The sandwich was just ok and the fries seem to have been sitting. I will say it's a big slider and I could finish the two I had ordered. I will give it another try and hopefully have a better experience. read more

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For a simple menu, they take WAAAAAY too long to make the orders. Haven't even tried the chicken yet, and I know we won't be back. I could go to a sit down, full-service restaurant and get food quicker read more

The wait to receive food has been over an hour both times I've been here. It's ridiculous that fried chicken and fries takes this long. The food is okay, but not nearly worth the wait. read more

Just tried this place for the first time. It wasn't busy at all when I went so it took a minute for someone to come out of the prep area to take my order. No big deal as the young lady was very friendly and helpful. I got the 2 tenders & fries combo- 1 hot, 1 extr hot- and a large vanilla shake. The shake was a bit over priced considering it was just a basic shake with 0 add on's. Got my order and the fries were the standard crinckle cut fries seasoning. The tenders had a nice crispy breading and were tender & juicy. At first I thought they had the hot & xtr hot mislabeled as the hot was pretty spicy. The xtr hot was a bit more then I could handle but I managed to finish it with a packet of honey on top. I can not imagine what a reaper is like. The Dave's sauce was a big disappointment. It's definately a mayo base because that's all I could taste despite it's appearence. read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken tenders, fries, pickles and Dave's sauce - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Incompetent staff. Waited 45 mins after checking in twice and then they gave my order to the wrong person. Then just refunded my money because they were too close to closing time. Completely incompetent. read more

Okay, first time at a new place for the soft open. So here's the good, bad and the ugly. Good - Plenty of friendly employees who are genuinely trying to provide a great first impression. The space is attractive and fun. It feels like you're at a theme park restaurant with colorful artwork and spacious architecture. The chicken was cooked nicely but there was nothing special about it. More on that later. Bad - Given the complex cultural and social rules of various ethnic and religious communities, employees shouldn't be touching customers without asking. A woman who identified herself as the kitchen manager was greeting guests at the door and putting stickers on their bodies without asking. That was a huge turnoff. The space is also exceptionally loud. There are no absorbent surfaces, just concrete floors and hard wall so it's tough to hear yourself think. The employees really pushed "Dave's Sauce" which is a sweet, mayonaise-based sauce with a slight pinkish color. It's fine but nothing special. The ugly - If you put out a sign saying "hot chicken" the stuff should have some spice. I ordered Extra Hot and I would consider it medium at best as it was milder than Tabasco Sauce. It tasted fine but if somebody orders Extra Hot, respect them enough to give it some flavor. There was one flavor hotter than the Extra Hot and that is Reaper. Perhaps it's got some heat but the other hot chicken places in town have nothing to worry about from Dave's. Taste wise, it's a big yawn. read more

The top loaded fries were good, it was a good cheese sauce and really good pickles, the chicken and mozzarella sticks though are terrible, not saucy, dry flavorless seasoning and way too much on it that feels like youre just eating powder read more

Don't go if you don't like a curry flavor or waiting 30-45 min just for 2 fingers and fries. Just go to any other fast food chicken place

Food was amazing, service was very nice and sweet. When we went, it was kinda hot and humid inside. Condiments weren't in plain site and was confusing. (Behind the counter) read more

Dave's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Vestavia Hills, Alabama