Dave's Hot Chicken — Restaurant in Vestavia Hills

Just got back from my first visit to Dave's and thought I would leave a review for those of you who are new to Dave's as well!

My wife and I arrived at this Vestavia location on a Friday at about 1:15pm, just one week after its November 8th grand opening. I guess we shouldn't have been surprised to see a huge line inside the store, given all the Internet hype we had seen in recent days. The employees were moving fast but it still took us about 20 minutes to get up to the counter to place our order. While waiting we chatted a bit with customers in front of and behind us; nobody had tried Dave's before and we had a few things to learn.

Kudos to Dave's for doing one thing and doing it well. The only entrees on the menu were chicken: Sliders, Tenders, and Bites. For anyone who thinks of a "slider" as a miniature version of a hamburger, rest assured that Dave's Slider is their large chicken sandwich. My wife and I shared a 2-Slider combo and while the chicken breasts were not as huge as I had been led to believe, they were still larger than your standard Chick-fil-A chicken breast. Tenders are their filets and Bites are their nuggets.

The Sliders all come with kale slaw, pickles, and Dave's sauce. For anyone put off by the word "kale", our slaw was mostly cabbage with just a few flecks of kale for color. The dill pickle slices were large and delicious, and so crave-worthy that I decided to take home the extra slices that were thoughtfully provided on our tray. The Dave's sauce is basically a spicy ranch sauce, quite similar to Milo's Double-O sauce, or the equivalent to mixing a Chick-fil-A Ranch sauce with their Zesty Buffalo.

When ordering, you can specify how hot you want the chicken (and on a two-item meal, the heat level can be different for each item). There are 7 levels of heat: No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot, and Reaper. I don't know if "Reaper" heat comes from actual Carolina Reaper peppers, but it was off-putting enough that I somewhat timidly went with "Medium" while my wife opted for "Lite Mild". Hers had a barely detectable amount of heat; my Medium was a little hotter but not as hot as a Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Next time I will try Hot and go from there. A cheese slice is also an option for Sliders but we didn't try that on this visit.

The fries are quite similar to Milo's; crinkle-cut with a sprinkling of seasoning. Dave's combos come with a single extra cup of Dave's sauce for dipping the fries, and that made for a delicious combination. Cheese fries are also available but we were informed that they were out of cheese sauce today. Mac & Cheese and a cup of Kale Slaw are also available as substitute sides for the fries.

In summary, the chicken, kale slaw, and Dave's sauce made for a very flavorful and complex combination of flavors. The fries with additional Dave's sauce were the perfect accompaniment. My wife was skeptical about this whole experience at first but she really enjoyed that flavor combination as much as I did. Very crave-worthy!

My wife described Dave's as "the marriage of Chick-fil-A and Milo's" and I see her point. Like Chick-fil-A, Dave's has a delicious fried chicken sandwich, and offers seasoned fries that are as tasty as Milo's (both of which I happen to prefer to Chick-fil-A's bland waffle fries). Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich doesn't even need sauce, but Dave's Slider, when combined with the kale slaw and Dave's Sauce is absolutely delicious, albeit in a different way from Chick-fil-A's sandwich.

This Vestavia location suffered a few issues that I hope will get worked out in the days to come. Hopefully it won't be a 20-minute line every time we come. I did download the app to earn points for my meal but it failed to recognize the bar code on my receipt. After placing our order, we were given a pager, which was quite helpful, especially since we had to wait another 20+ minutes to actually receive our food; "fast food" this ain't! In summary, Dave's is well worth a try, but I would avoid Fridays...

Visiting Birmingham for a few days when I was very surprised to see a Dave's Hot Chicken in town. I knew I had to hit it before I left, so I did. As a spice enthusiast, their Reaper tender made my mouth water so I decided to give it a fair shot. Only having one bite of it in their Portland location made me want to give it another try(only bc I was sitting next to heat sensitive people and didn't want to fluster them with the intense aroma of the tender). I got a "Very Hot" #3 and the gentleman serving at the host stand was very nice and respectful towards everyone serving with a smile. His name was Jeremiah, along side him I could only assume was the manager standing over his shoulder acting as if he needed help... Which I found odd. So I went through with the order and by the short time I had to wait for my to-go order to be picked up, Jeremiah helped me with plenty of Dave's delicious sauce and his own spin on it, he told me to add a packet of honey(which he gave me a few of). Very helpful dude was a great guy and I could tell he was there to serve and make sure everything went smoothly for his customers. Now I should mention I was waiting at a table near the front since it was to go, I overheard the manager talking pretty disrespectfully to, I could assume, was Jeremiah Made even myself feel uncomfortable. The manager also had a pretty looming uncomfortable vibe when I walked in that too helpful kinda vibe but I shrugged him off and kept my attention towards Jeremiah. After all I got my food and EVERYTHING WAS SPECTACULAR! Jeremiah's recommendation was delicious, the sandwich and extra size tender was marvelous. Now the Reaper tender... As I said before I am a expert spice enthusiast (or so I thought)(I was warned that this is a very spicy tender) Which I was okay with but that level of spice is very unwarranted This is hotter than any spice challenge I've ever done. It honestly doesn't feel like the California reaper has anything to do with this devil, I got more of an extract taste to it, nothing about it was delectible infact, it was almost inedible, there was no taste, it was only PAIN. AS A SPICE ENTHUSIAST I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS TENDER TO ANYONE. I would advise them to make more of an effort to make just how spicy this tender is bc I did not get that vibe. To wrap all this up, Steer clear of the reaper and go very hot and below... Other than that Great food juicy chicken that's what I got there for Just hope that manager gets over whatever he was going...

Walking into Dave’s Hot Chicken feels like stepping into the beating heart of Nashville-style heat, reimagined for the modern fried chicken lover. From the moment the aroma hits you—crispy, spicy, savory—you know you’re in for something serious.

The chicken is the undisputed star. Perfectly fried to a golden crunch, each bite manages that rare balance of shattering crispiness and juicy tenderness. The spice levels are unapologetically bold, ranging from mild warmth to the daringly named Reaper that challenges even the bravest palate. But this isn’t heat for heat’s sake—the seasoning is layered, smoky, and complex, with just the right amount of kick to keep you chasing the next bite.

The sliders deserve their own spotlight. Served on a soft, buttery bun with kale slaw and a swipe of their signature sauce, they elevate fried chicken into something indulgent yet refined. The pickles add that perfect tang, cutting through the richness like a finishing note in a well-composed song. Pair it with their crinkle-cut fries—crisp, salty, and begging to be dipped in Dave’s creamy sauces—and you have comfort food elevated to an art form.

What makes the experience even better is the vibe: bold neon signs, hip music, and a lively energy that matches the food’s intensity. It’s casual enough for a late-night bite with friends but sharp enough to feel like more than “just” fast food.

In a world where fried chicken joints are everywhere, Dave’s Hot Chicken manages to stand apart. It’s not only about spice—it’s about craft, care, and an experience that lingers long after the last bite. Whether you’re here for a gentle tingle or a fire-breathing challenge, Dave’s delivers...