At the bustling corner of Sahara and Fort Apache, a suburban spot already clogged with fast-food and fast-casual favorites, LA transplant Dave’s Hot Chicken opened with a splash at the end of June, coating a former Carl’s Jr. building in colorful graffiti. The drive-thru line has wrapped around the new restaurant and stretched through the parking lot nearly every day since.
Dave’s started out as a pop-up stand in an East Hollywood parking lot, so this hot chicken has paid its dues. The menu is built completely on boneless chicken tenders, eaten as is or in a sizable slider, available at seven different spice levels. The fifth level, “hot,” packs serious sizzle, so consider the future of your mouth before opting for the hottest “reaper” level.
If you’re ready to give it a try, skip the long line, order online at daveshotchicken.com and pick it up inside. Start with the combo #3 ($12), which gives you one tender, one slider, some decent crinkle-cut fries, pickles and a side of aioli-style sauce. The bird is juicy, the coating’s crisp and the flavors are on point. Unless you simply don’t prefer the heavy cayenne notes in Nashville-style hot chicken, it’s hard to make a case for waiting in line at the Chick-fil-A one block north. Dave’s slider—really a full-sized chicken sandwich—is better than any fast-food version I’ve encountered in Las Vegas.
Creamy mac and cheese or kale coleslaw ($3.50) are solid side dishes, although the green chili I sampled on my first visit has apparently disappeared from the menu—not that I was hungry enough to finish it anyway after a spicy fried chicken feast. If you do overheat, cool down with a thick shake ($4-$5).
Las Vegas continues to be a welcome home for quick-serve brands of all stripes, and the westside is happy to add the latest chicken hot spot to the mix.
DAVE’S HOT CHICKEN 9040 W. Sahara Ave., 702-843-5455. Daily, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
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