The fifth area branch of Los Angeles' hit Nashville-style fried chicken eatery Dave's Hot Chicken will open this week in San Diego's North County.
Originally founded in 2017 as a pop-up in a Los Angeles parking lot by Chef Dave Kopushyan (who trained in Thomas Keller’s Bouchon restaurant), Arman Oganesyan, and brothers Tom and Gary Rubenyan, Dave’s Hot Chicken opened its first brick-and-mortar location in East Hollywood in 2018. Dave's quickly became extremely popular with lines around the block and well over 100k followers on Instagram. Dave's Hot Chicken now has locations dotted around the United States with franchisees continually expanding the concept around the country.
In late 2019, Dave's Hot Chicken partnered with the original investor group behind Blaze Pizza to expand the brand, including opening up to 12 total San Diego locations. The investment group behind the franchise development deal includes Bill Phelps, co-founder of the Wetzel’s Pretzels chain who is now CEO of Dave's Hot Chicken, as well as former California First Lady Maria Shriver, actor Samuel L. Jackson, Red Sox owner Tom Werner, movie producer John Davis, rapper Drake, and Good Morning America anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan.
Dave’s Hot Chicken signed a franchise agreement with San Diegans Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali to open a dozen stores in San Diego County over the next few years. The first San Diego outpost of Dave's Hot Chicken unveiled in late May within the 2,000 square-foot expansive corner unit at 1001 Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach that previously housed Country Boy Fried Chicken for a record low one-month in business. Locations also opened at 10728 Westview Parkway in the Mira Mesa space that last housed a Daphne's, 110 Fletcher Parkway, Unit 101, in El Cajon, and 1268 E. Auto Parkway in Escondido.
The fifth San Diego County branch of Dave's Hot Chicken will open this week within Rancho Del Oro Gateway Shopping Center in Oceanside. Like other branches, expect an ultra-concise menu of Nashville-style fried chicken tenders and fried chicken sliders (they're really full size sandwich) with spice levels ranging from "No Heat" to "Reaper," which requires a signed waiver. The restaurants also will offer a list of sides including fries, kale slaw, and mac n' cheese, as well as a limited selection of soft drinks.
Dave's Hot Chicken will open on March 10 at 4201 Oceanside Boulevard, Suite A, in San Diego's North County city of Oceanside. For more information, visit daveshotchicken.com.
