Dave’s Hot Chicken– named the fastest growing restaurant chain in the U.S. in 2022– has recently opened in Cherry Hill, in the Ellisburg Circle Shopping Center. Dave’s features Nashville-style hot chicken with differing levels of spice– including a Reaper option that requires you sign a waiver to try. The chain has already gained the support of numerous celebrity backers like Samuel L. Jackon, Michael Strahan, and Drake.
Its success story comes from 4 initiatives: Arman Oganesyan, Dave Kopushyan, and brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan. Together, they invested $900 in a pop-up in East Hollywood in 2017. Their promotions on Instagram got people from local areas to try out their food, and a review from EATER/LA created the buzz they needed to take off. They have already opened a vast amount of locations across the country, and internationally in Canada and in the Middle East in Dubai.
Arriving at 7:03 p.m. the aura of Dave’s Hot Chicken struck me particularly. Especially at night, you can easily tell the shining lights of the establishment and the brightly colored walls of the decor inside.
Speaking of, the decor inside has a satisfyingly personalized street-art and graffiti look along its walls, coupled with a concrete floor and wooden tables. I thought the street and almost underground theme of the restaurant was done great; it never felt imposing or too much. In fact, it felt quite the opposite. The dramatic art on the walls goes a long way to evoke the over-the-top and casual personality of the chain. There are even rubber chickens, the mascot in Dave’s logo, hiding inside of the restaurant which got a chuckle out of us.
The place was incredibly busy and full, so naturally there was a long line to wait to order. Service was quick, though, and there were not many moments when I was left idle for too long. Unfortunately, we had some mix-ups where our order was slightly messed up. Still, we were able to get what we ordered after waiting a little while.
The menu for Dave’s is extremely simple with only 4 main options. The 4 main options consist of: 2 chicken tenders, 1 chicken tender and a slider, a slider, and 2 sliders. All of these dishes are served with pickles and their very own ‘Dave’s sauce’. On top of the Reaper spice level, there is also No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, and Extra Hot. The sides are similarly limited in number with there just being options for: fries, cheese fries, mac & cheese, kale slaw, a single slider, or a single tender. This menu is admittedly small, but gets all the essentials. Having the menu in this way makes it easy to decide what you are going to get and the high amount of spice customization of your dish alleviates the bareness of the menu.
My family and I tried the sliders and chicken tenders at spice levels up to Medium. I got a chocolate milkshake with my dish, which was enjoyable but could have used some more of that chocolate taste in it. The fries in every dish were great finger food, and the pickles were flavorfully piquant. As per standard in Nashville, the chicken tenders (when ordered by themselves) are served on a piece of white bread. I tried Lite Mild chicken tenders, which were very big, juicy, and fragrant. The spice was moderate at most; it was not all that noticeable, and felt more like a kick. My family and I do not have great spice tolerance, but going up to Medium was no problem for us. The spice levels feel appropriately named. I also tried the slider with Lite Mild spice, which was delightful. The buns were toasted appropriately with just the right amount of crunch. The chicken tender was of similarly nice quality as it was by itself, only enhanced by a bit of melted cheese on top. The kale slaw and pickle combo made for a sharp and sweet flavor that complemented the dish nicely.
Despite some complications with our order, I was still largely impressed with the affordable Dave’s Hot Chicken and what it has to offer. Ellisburg Circle Shopping Center is already home to many great restaurants and dining areas, and I reckon Dave’s Hot Chicken has joined those restaurants.
