Dave’s Hot Chicken Opens in Downtown San Leandro

Just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays, Dave’s Hot Chicken is ready to open at 1495 E. 14^th Street in Downtown San Leandro! This highly anticipated restaurant is opening on Friday, November 18, 2022 with hours Sunday—Thursday, 11AM to 11PM and Friday—Saturday, 11AM to midnight.

Dave’s Hot Chicken was created by best friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, and Tommy and Gary Rubenyan. Dave, a chef trained in Thomas Keller’s (French Laundry) organization set out to create the perfect Nashville-style Hot Chicken. The four friends scrounged up $900 to put a tiny stand in an East Hollywood parking lot. The menu was simple, and the chicken was the star. Sourced and prepared to be the juiciest and most tender chicken imaginable, each piece is topped with Dave’s signature mix of spices ranging from No Spice to “The Reaper.”

Social media buzz made the lines grow and two nights later, Eater/LA showed up to see what the fuss was about. The next morning’s headline read “East Hollywood’s Late Night Chicken Stand Might Blow Your Mind.” Almost instantly, the lines stretched around the block.

A year later, the owners had the money to open a shop in a hip strip-mall with décor by local street artists, where the crowds continued to grow with wait-times of an hour and more. From there, the incredibly craveable “Hot and Spicy” varieties have created a cult following with rave reviews across the U.S. and Canada.

Today, Dave’s Hot Chicken has 87 locations nationwide and over a dozen more preparing to open. The opening of this location completes the development of this multi-restaurant project by Retail West which also includes neighbor Fieldwork Brewing Company on West Juana Avenue. We are happy to welcome Dave’s Hot Chicken to Downtown San Leandro!