A California-based hot chicken sensation makes its Inner Loop debut this week. Dave's Hot Chicken will open its Midtown location (614 Dennis St.) this Friday, November 19 at 11 am.
Founded in 2017 by Dave Kopushyan — a classically trained chef and veteran of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon restaurant — Dave’s serves halal chicken tenders and sandwiches at seven difference spice levels. The menu also includes sides such as kale slaw, mac & cheese, crispy fries, and cheese fries, as well as milkshakes.
Initially opened as a food truck by Kopushyan and three friends, Dave’s has grown to multiple brick and mortar locations across Southern California and a location in west Houston that opened in September. The company counts a number of celebrities among its investors including Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner, actor Samuel L. Jackson, NFL Hall of Famer and broadcaster Michael Strahan, and hip hop superstar Drake.
Earlier this year, Brian Wells of local franchisee Dos Niños Enterprises, LLC told CultureMap that the company has signed leases for locations in Rice Village, Missouri City, Spring, and northeast Houston. A seventh location will open in Webster at 148 El Dorado Blvd, according to a press release from Edge Realty Partners.
"Our founders started Dave’s as a parking lot pop-up restaurant in Hollywood with a portable fryer and picnic tables from their backyards just four short years ago," Bill Phelps, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s CEO, in a statement. "We are ecstatic to be opening our newest restaurant in Houston!"
Dave's Midtown location will be open from Monday-Thursday from 11 am to 11 pm and Friday-Sunday from 11 am to midnight.
Dave's debuts in Midtown this week.
