Dave's Hot Chicken

Dave's Hot Chicken lives up to its name – they're not kidding about the heat! I'm a fan of spicy food, and their "Hot" had enough kick to make my nose run, but it was still delicious. The chicken tenders are juicy, the batter is crispy, and the sauce is flavorful. I also appreciate the simplicity of the menu – you're here to focus on the heat.

The crinkle-cut fries are the perfect side, and the kale slaw provides a nice counterpoint to the chicken. My only complaint is that it can get a bit pricey, especially if you want to cool your mouth off with one of their soft drinks - as that cost extra. Still, if you live for that fiery burn, Dave's Hot Chicken is worth checking out.

Dave's Hot Chicken has earned my top spot as the best fried chicken restaurant I've ever been to. We recently visited their Madison, Wisconsin location during a quick getaway with my two sons and their friends. Despite being a group of seven with complex orders, the staff handled everything flawlessly.

From the moment we stepped through the doors, we were greeted with warm hospitality and attentive service. Dawn, the location manager, and Elizabeth, the shift manager, were exceptional in ensuring our satisfaction. They took the time to explain the different heat levels and menu options, ensuring we made informed choices.

Their recommendations were spot-on, leading us to some of the most flavorful and satisfying fried chicken we've ever tasted.
The chicken was cooked to perfection – crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. The signature hot sauce added a delightful kick without overpowering the chicken's natural flavor. Each bite was an explosion of taste and texture, leaving us wanting more.

The sides, too, were equally impressive. The fries were perfectly seasoned and cooked to golden perfection, while the coleslaw (they call KaleSlaw! as they serve with Kale!) provided a refreshing contrast to the spicy chicken. Our entire group was thoroughly impressed with Dave's Hot Chicken. The food, the service, and the overall dining experience exceeded our expectations. We left feeling satisfied and eager to return for more.

Thank you to Dawn, Elizabeth, and the entire Dave's Hot Chicken team for providing us with an unforgettable culinary experience. We will definitely be spreading the word about your amazing restaurant!

WOW! My first time trying Dave's Hot Chicken, ordered online and arrived with my order hot & ready (no wait) staff is organized & professional & environment is very CLEAN. I was blown away by the quality & taste of the food (miraculous) 10/10 highly recommend.

Took my brother to Dave’s today. It was his first visit and was questioning what level of spice he wanted. We were fortunate enough to have Dawn at the resister to explain the difference between the two spices he was considering and she even made a recommendation. Her guidance was on point as he joined the “Clean Plate Club”. Dawn earned Dave’s a new loyal customer. He talked most of the way home about how good it was and made plans to take his family there for dinner this week. Well done Dawn!

Dave’s Hot Chicken is the place to be!! First time having it and don’t regret it. Me and My significant other got the #2 one Hot and one Medium. The Hot is hot but soooo
Good. The atmosphere was so nice and warm and welcoming!!! Dawn the manager was the freaking best helped us with every question we had. That woman is the best. Thank you Dave’s!!

Dave’s hot chicken on Annamark Dr. delivers amazingly crispy fried chicken with friendly and helpful staff.

Food was out not only fast but hot and fresh, making for a delicious and fast time at Daves.

Ordered the Hot Sliders and Loved them! The perfect amount of spice for me! Can’t imagine what the Reaper Heat tastes like…Kudos to anyone who tries that!! Dawn’s service was wonderful! Fast food with amazing service!! Will definitely be back!!

Dave’s is great fast casual. I would say most times the food I get is great and what I would expect. The people are also super nice. My last visit it was very busy but still good service and not a long wait given how many people were there. Would for sure recommend if you like chicken and like to add some heat to your chicken too.

We were really looking for some halal fried chicken in Madison area and this is a great find. Place is halal certified. Spicy chicken sandwich was really spicy and tasty. We also tried the non-spicy tender for kids and they liked it. Love the cozy environment. Good for family. Ample parking outside.

Dave's Hot Chicken 🔥🐔

My wife and I decided to try Dave's Hot Chicken after a friend of ours recommended it to us.

We went on a Friday night and expected it to be busy, especially since this location has only been open for a little while. Overall we were pleasantly surprised that the wait time to receive our food wasn't too bad, there were quite a few people inside so it looked like the wait would be long but the staff was getting peoples orders out very quickly.

Since the menu is pretty small, that meant we could try a couple of items and get a good sense of the food.

My wife had the slider with a spice level of medium. She couldn't believe how juicy the chicken was and how large of a sandwich she received. For being called a "slider," this was HUGE. Definitely at least the size of a regular chicken sandwich if not bigger. The spice had a good flavor overall and wasn't overpowering, so you could still taste the chicken. My wife got it without the slaw on top, but that would have probably helped cut down on the heat even more.

As someone whose stomach can't tolerate a lot of spice, I tried the tenders and had the "no spice" level. I appreciate that they offered this level as an option for those who love quality chicken but don't want the heat. It also helps make this a more family-friendly restaurant as this would be a good option for kids. We were nervous paying over $10 for just 2 chicken strips, but wow. They were massive and definitely filling. It's not spicy but still tons of flavor in the breading. Also, the crunch the crunch made it all worth it.

If you love seasoned fries, this is the place for you. Their crinkle cut fries are tossed in a coating of seasoning, adding a nice flavor.

The signature Dave's sauce that came with the sandwich and fries was delicious. It helped cut the heat of the sandwich and was also delicious to dip the fries into.

The Mac and cheese was decent, nothing amazing but still a good side. If you like more firm noodles in your pasta, this might not be your cup of tea. But if you just want the creamy, home-style variety, this is certainly one to try.

Overall, we really enjoyed Dave's Hot Chicken, and we'll be back to again for sure.

Best hot chicken sandwich I’ve had. This is more fast casual than fast food…it’s probably about 10 minutes to get your food.

The spice moves from minimal to reaper. The buns, pickles and slaw all work with the special sauce to create something beautiful!

The fries are quite good with a seasoning salt.

I finally made the trip over and I have to say this is the second best chicken I have ever had. (#1 Goes to Mothers Restaurant in New Orleans) The chicken was tender, hot , juicy, and crispy. I ordered the Reaper and Mild to get both ends of the spectrum. Heat for the reaper was on point and full of flavor and heat. The mild was also tasty with an hint of zest and went very well on the slider. Dave’s sauce reminds me of a thousand Island/Western Dressing combination that was very good and the pickles were extra crunchy and fresh. The fries were crispy and hot with the seasoning it was a nice pairing but they’re the same as any other fresh crinkle cut fry from a fast food chain. Also the mac and cheese was nothing special reminded me of country crock you can pick up from the store. The Kale slaw was very fresh and went well with everything! Service was fast and friendly. I will definitely be returning again. A++

Stopped by at around 4:00 p.m. on a Monday which is off hours so the place was nearly empty. Everything was very clean and tidy, including the bathrooms. I was welcomed very kindly by staff when I said it was my first time there. I ordered a combo with a tender and slider with medium Heat and both were absolutely excellent. The macaroni had very tasty and smooth cheese. I brought home a chicken tender which included bread, pickles and sauce, and my partner said it might be the best Fried Chicken she has ever had. I regret not checking out this new place earlier. Will definitely return.

Impressed. We ordered online and the food was ready in about 5min. Pick up was smooth and fast.

The food was pretty good. The mild and hot were not very spicy if you are a spice lover. We also tried the ghost reaper and that one was extremely spicy. So the spice levels do jump up exponentially of you try ghost reaper.

Very good first impression. Clean and inviting, and the servers were kind, outgoing, and even humorous. Nice beverage selections. The chicken was amazingly delicious and huge tenders! They offered varying degrees of heat. Of course, I had to indulge in the hottest they had to offer. Not for the faint of heart! There's something for everyone at Dave's. I walked out of there with two things I didn't have when I walked in: a full stomach and a story to share. Despite all this, there was one thing they couldn't do....make a CHICKEN, out of me! Thank you to you and your team at Dave's Hot Chicken!

Sincerely, Mateo, a.k.a., "El Tragón"

To start, the service was great. We knew what we wanted when we arrived, but Dawn was ready to assist with any questions at any moment. The food was fantastic. Some of the best fried chicken I've had. Crispy yet juicy. The toppings on the sandwiches complement the chicken very well, and so does the sauce and pickles (which were unusually good on their own I might add). The only thing I will say is that as someone with moderate spice tolerance, the medium was barely spicy at all and the hot was right on the edge of too hot to enjoy. I wish that there was a level between medium and hot, as the jump between the two is HUGE. That said, the hot was still fantastic with honey.

I was wary of coming on opening weekend, but I got my food SO fast! It was delicious, the levels of flavor were pretty spot on and I felt fulfilled. I got the #3 and it was the perfect amount of food. The staff were friendly (especially Charlie) and checked on us a couple times throughout our meal. The only bummer is drinks aren’t included in the meal and there’s no ranch…but Dave’s sauce is just as yummy. 5/5 would recommend.

I love Dave's Hot Chicken. The staff was friendly. The restaurant itself was very clean. I absolutely love their tenders! They're huge! If you like spicy hot chicken...come here and be delighted!

Ok so chicken. Generally the protein of weight loss and sadness. Not today my friend! We ended up eating at Dave's hot chicken on a long road trip and I was enticed by the photos and good reviews. We both got a slider and one extra tender between the both of us. It was the perfect amount of food. We got medium heat and next time I will definitely do hot. The food in person looked every bit as impressive as the photos. Large pieces of very moist and tender chicken, crispy breading but not enough to tear up my mouth, and although they were heavily seasoned, the seasoning is so well balanced that I was never once overwhelmed or salted out. The coleslaw was an excellent addition. The fries were good and i appreciated the side of special sauce. Even the pickles were just the right pickles for the meal and the seasoning. The restaurant was busy and clean but service was fast. Thank you!

I had high expectations for Dave’s hot chicken in Madison because I tried it before at another location. All I can say is they did not disappoint it was very flavorful and was not too spicy for me. I recommend the two hot tenders with fries and Dave sauce.