Dave's Hot Chicken

Went here after biking and the staff were nice about us letting us keep out bikes inside (it wasnt busy)

Their food has consistently been good every time I try them. The fact that it's also halal is perfect. I also like how they let customers choose the spice level and so for folks like me who like flavor and heat, we don't have to compromise.

I appreciate the service at Rivermark location. I feel catered to and welcomed.

Went with a coworker for lunch. The tenders are fat and juicy and the hot with honey is just perfect.

The atmosphere is amazing all the workers do a phenomenal job especially kayla always come here would not choose another day hot chicken location

Been a while since I've been to a Dave's Hot Chicken but saw they had sort of lightly breaded nuggets so went today. I'll say their tenders are fine but not my style, however the bites were fantastic. Probably one of the best chain chicken I've had in a while. Pricing is pretty decent too for what it is so would go again.

Dave’s Hot Chicken is an amazing spot that delivers bold flavor and perfectly crispy chicken every time. The menu offers just the right level of spice for everyone, from mild to fiery hot. The staff is friendly, fast, and always upbeat. Every bite is juicy, flavorful, and satisfying, making it a must-visit for chicken lovers.

My fav fried chicken place in town. I order one hot box of tenders at least once a week and they always come hot and impeccable. Stuff are generally friendly and helpful.

Dave’s Hot Chicken at Rivermark Plaza is my go-to spot when I’m hungry and need food quickly. I usually get the medium-spiced chicken slider with fries, and sometimes the chicken nuggets with a soda. The chicken is always fresh, juicy, and consistently delicious. The place is clean with plenty of seating, the bathrooms are well-maintained, and the staff are courteous. A big plus is that they serve halal chicken and stay open late at night, which makes it a reliable choice. Overall, a solid spot for flavorful chicken and quick service. 🍗 Quick Tip: Go for the medium-spiced chicken slider with fries—perfect balance of flavor and heat!

I love the art they have on the walls 🙄food was great 👍 🤓

A clean American style fast food joint. Good ambience taking you back to old school american fast food culture. The items on the menu are simple , just friend chicken breast southern style. The chicken pieces are without bone. They come by themselves or as a slider sandwich. They have their magic sauce. The restaurant does what I love to provide a small menu with fresh ingredients and stuck to the basic recipe. Plenty of seating. The restaurant is clean. The location is fantastic inside the river mark plaza. You have ice cream , coffee shop , asian tea and dessert places right next door and you can get a quick grocery at Safeway. They serve the food fast fresh and hot. You will have to wait max five minutes even during peak hours. They just opened last friday. Congratulations to the team. As a fast food joint I give this place 5/5.

The burger was amazing! But unfortunately, when I was on a business trip to San Jose two years ago, I got hit by a smash-and-grab here. My belongings were in the trunk, but they took them by breaking in through the back seat. Stay safe, everyone!

Dave Hot Chicken at Rivermark Plaza in Santa Clara serves up mouthwatering spicy chicken that's worth the wait. The flavors are bold, and the portions are generous. Friendly staff and a cozy atmosphere make dining here a pleasure. Highly recommend trying their hot chicken!

This place waaaass so amazing! The service here has been soooo amazing, it’s like no other! Alex here went above and beyond to make sure that my experience here was superb! I haven’t been to any location or other restaurant where I felt like someone can make my experience so exceptional! The food was amazing and the food came out great! He came multiple times to check and make sure that the meal was good and how everything was. I haven’t been to a place or establishment with this type of service when it comes to a more casual dine in experience.

Dan Kim

Been a while since I've been to a Dave's Hot Chicken but saw they had sort of lightly breaded nuggets so went today. I'll say their tenders are fine but not my style, however the bites were fantastic. Probably one of the best chain chicken I've had in a while. Pricing is pretty decent too for what it is so would go again.

Wilson Roy

Dave’s Hot Chicken is an amazing spot that delivers bold flavor and perfectly crispy chicken every time. The menu offers just the right level of spice for everyone, from mild to fiery hot. The staff is friendly, fast, and always upbeat. Every bite is juicy, flavorful, and satisfying, making it a must-visit for chicken lovers.

Ting

My fav fried chicken place in town. I order one hot box of tenders at least once a week and they always come hot and impeccable. Stuff are generally friendly and helpful.

Zoheb Mujahid

Dave’s Hot Chicken at Rivermark Plaza is my go-to spot when I’m hungry and need food quickly. I usually get the medium-spiced chicken slider with fries, and sometimes the chicken nuggets with a soda. The chicken is always fresh, juicy, and consistently delicious. The place is clean with plenty of seating, the bathrooms are well-maintained, and the staff are courteous. A big plus is that they serve halal chicken and stay open late at night, which makes it a reliable choice. Overall, a solid spot for flavorful chicken and quick service. 🍗 Quick Tip: Go for the medium-spiced chicken slider with fries—perfect balance of flavor and heat!

Tarique Shakil

A clean American style fast food joint. Good ambience taking you back to old school american fast food culture. The items on the menu are simple , just friend chicken breast southern style. The chicken pieces are without bone. They come by themselves or as a slider sandwich. They have their magic sauce. The restaurant does what I love to provide a small menu with fresh ingredients and stuck to the basic recipe. Plenty of seating. The restaurant is clean. The location is fantastic inside the river mark plaza. You have ice cream , coffee shop , asian tea and dessert places right next door and you can get a quick grocery at Safeway. They serve the food fast fresh and hot. You will have to wait max five minutes even during peak hours. They just opened last friday. Congratulations to the team. As a fast food joint I give this place 5/5.

Larry Lee

The burger was amazing! But unfortunately, when I was on a business trip to San Jose two years ago, I got hit by a smash-and-grab here. My belongings were in the trunk, but they took them by breaking in through the back seat. Stay safe, everyone!

Vinay Grover

Dave Hot Chicken at Rivermark Plaza in Santa Clara serves up mouthwatering spicy chicken that's worth the wait. The flavors are bold, and the portions are generous. Friendly staff and a cozy atmosphere make dining here a pleasure. Highly recommend trying their hot chicken!

Nick

This place waaaass so amazing! The service here has been soooo amazing, it’s like no other! Alex here went above and beyond to make sure that my experience here was superb! I haven’t been to any location or other restaurant where I felt like someone can make my experience so exceptional! The food was amazing and the food came out great! He came multiple times to check and make sure that the meal was good and how everything was. I haven’t been to a place or establishment with this type of service when it comes to a more casual dine in experience.

I got one slider mild. The Dave’s sauce and honey was perfect! The portion was fat! I honestly thought it was amazing. I literally could’ve eaten another one! Will go again!

The service was great, I ordered online before coming and it was ready as soon as I arrived. I decided to eat in since I was getting ready to drive home. I got the 4 mini chicken sliders which came with fries and it was great. It was probably the best chicken I've ever had. Fries were perfect too. I usually hate pickles but I gave some a try and it literally makes you feel like Remy from Ratatouille. Overall 10/10 I will definitely be coming back again!!

Just flew in to San Jose from Seattle and needed some eats as the hotel restaurant was under renovation. Ok, quick search turned up the usual fair but then I spotted Dave’s. Hmm I like chicken, I like spicy chicken, let’s go. Well, until now, spicy chicken was Pop Eyes, Chic-fil-a, or Ezells Famous. (Seattle place) Whoa, those are no longer spicy, but much to my delight Dave’s Hot Chicken lives up to their name. This is spicy chicken like it’s meant to be! I ordered the slider, tender meal at level “Hot.” I figured that was a safe bet as there were still 2 levels above that. Hot did not disappoint! Lip smacking, juicy, spicy and tangy all at the same time. Absolutely deliciously fantastic! Add in the pickle slices, crinkly cut fries with Dave’s sauce and this was an outright 5 star treat! My only regret, it will be much too longe before I get to return and enjoy another great meal. Great tunes playing in the dinner room as well. Hey Dave, when you coming to Seattle!?!? You got your number 1 customer ready to go. 😎

Emma Read

The atmosphere is amazing all the workers do a phenomenal job especially kayla always come here would not choose another day hot chicken location

Dave Nichols

Just flew in to San Jose from Seattle and needed some eats as the hotel restaurant was under renovation. Ok, quick search turned up the usual fair but then I spotted Dave’s. Hmm I like chicken, I like spicy chicken, let’s go. Well, until now, spicy chicken was Pop Eyes, Chic-fil-a, or Ezells Famous. (Seattle place) Whoa, those are no longer spicy, but much to my delight Dave’s Hot Chicken lives up to their name. This is spicy chicken like it’s meant to be! I ordered the slider, tender meal at level “Hot.” I figured that was a safe bet as there were still 2 levels above that. Hot did not disappoint! Lip smacking, juicy, spicy and tangy all at the same time. Absolutely deliciously fantastic! Add in the pickle slices, crinkly cut fries with Dave’s sauce and this was an outright 5 star treat! My only regret, it will be much too longe before I get to return and enjoy another great meal. Great tunes playing in the dinner room as well. Hey Dave, when you coming to Seattle!?!? You got your number 1 customer ready to go. 😎

steez

I got one slider mild. The Dave’s sauce and honey was perfect! The portion was fat! I honestly thought it was amazing. I literally could’ve eaten another one! Will go again!

Oli

The service was great, I ordered online before coming and it was ready as soon as I arrived. I decided to eat in since I was getting ready to drive home. I got the 4 mini chicken sliders which came with fries and it was great. It was probably the best chicken I've ever had. Fries were perfect too. I usually hate pickles but I gave some a try and it literally makes you feel like Remy from Ratatouille. Overall 10/10 I will definitely be coming back again!!

Nice location and service was good. Tried Hot and extra hot tenders. It was ok.

+6

I came for all the hype,had the spicy chicken tenders and a sandwich. I’d prefer a bigger bun for my chicken lol but it was overall a good experience. Shout out to all the friendly staff, great customer service.

Delicious. Portions are really big. And create spice level. Restaurant is clean and decorations are tasteful and thematic. The chicken was just the right level of spice. And has options ranging from mild to actually really spicy.

Visiting from Australia. Found this fried chicken burger place. Excellent flavours. Service is great. I had ordered mine as a Medium hot and dint find it 'that' hot (mind you i have an oriental flavour profile) so i inquired with the attendant about it. They updated it to a Hot flavour no questions asked. Ask about thier shakes too when you go there. Great outcome!

Got take out, average hot chicken tenders?? It's super hyped up by someone we know so was expecting something more:00 also quite expensive on ubereats haha this comes down to ~$110... The fries is good though I like the cheese sauce

Ally Cheng

Got take out, average hot chicken tenders?? It's super hyped up by someone we know so was expecting something more:00 also quite expensive on ubereats haha this comes down to ~$110... The fries is good though I like the cheese sauce

Very mediocre Chicken. The chicken itself is dry, the bun is cold. The spice is dull.

Food was whatever. Not good, not terrible. I've had better experiences at other locations

All I could taste was Old Bay! I was hoping for more spicy flavor and sauce. Was really disappointed. The fries were delicious.

Their food is fine, well explained on the menu board, the portions is reasonably priced . They give a ticket to scratch ! surprisingly we got a free frozen drink :) Their problem was with WAITING time is really unnecessary! there is an empty Seats to rest, but why on Friday night there is not enough staff on the evening shift to ease the service, we waited 25 min for 2 orders:( I believe ordering online or through a 3rd party ordering app doesn’t take long waiting! I noticed the staff were handling these orders fast while we were watching/waiting patiently ;( Portions are not impressive! Not equal for same orders at the time ! Lastly!it’s a fast food store! At Swiping the card there are 3 options of tipping ( 15% , 18% , 20) !!!That’s unreasonable! The customer tipping a worker to their job just taking the order ! since there is no table service!

The wide variety of combos make for a filling visit. "Extra Hot" on the menu is not too hot. Definitely oriented to a not-so-spicy inclined customer base. The shake was probably the best part of my visit. Smooth and sweet. Expected more of a saucy kind of hot chicken with the entree, but the kind served here is more of a dry rub kind of spice. Overall it was okay, probably just not for me.

B Lilu

Their food is fine, well explained on the menu board, the portions is reasonably priced . They give a ticket to scratch ! surprisingly we got a free frozen drink :) Their problem was with WAITING time is really unnecessary! there is an empty Seats to rest, but why on Friday night there is not enough staff on the evening shift to ease the service, we waited 25 min for 2 orders:( I believe ordering online or through a 3rd party ordering app doesn’t take long waiting! I noticed the staff were handling these orders fast while we were watching/waiting patiently ;( Portions are not impressive! Not equal for same orders at the time ! Lastly!it’s a fast food store! At Swiping the card there are 3 options of tipping ( 15% , 18% , 20) !!!That’s unreasonable! The customer tipping a worker to their job just taking the order ! since there is no table service!

Ordered online, came to the pick up window. I literally waited like 15 mins, at this point I go in. I asked the guy what time does the window close, he’s like 12. Well I’ve been standing out there for awhile and knocking. Oh I didn’t see you, you weren’t looking or paying attention either. So annoyed and first and last time coming to this location.

Loved the location, restaurant was clean for the most part, outdoor seating I believe functioning restrooms. Not a wide selection of drinks or sauces nonetheless atmosphere was overall unwelcoming. Service was sub par, would I return - definitely not. Recommended by a close friend of mine and I’m so glad we came together, it made up for the unpleasant experience.

I arrived here at 12:47 to pick up an order from a customer through Uber eats I realize that the store was closed and I saw one employee waiting inside by the door with a big bag of Dave's Hot Chicken so I told him that I was here to pick up an order and he said we're closed I said are you sure that's not the customer's begging your hand and he ignored me and took off A lot of us drivers waste our time driving to a restaurant when they are already closed and we're not able to pick up an order that's gas wasted and our time and we don't get paid for it so you might want to check your online order site to change the times of your open and close times

The other reviews are right about the chicken rub being a salt bomb. On the up side, even mild is spicy enough that you won’t notice the salt after a few bites. On the down side, the spiciness is all hot and no flavor. Don’t bother with the cheese. It’s just slices of American cheese. The buns and the fries probably came from the Safeway next door.

Alexandra

Loved the location, restaurant was clean for the most part, outdoor seating I believe functioning restrooms. Not a wide selection of drinks or sauces nonetheless atmosphere was overall unwelcoming. Service was sub par, would I return - definitely not. Recommended by a close friend of mine and I’m so glad we came together, it made up for the unpleasant experience.

Ann Elizaga

I arrived here at 12:47 to pick up an order from a customer through Uber eats I realize that the store was closed and I saw one employee waiting inside by the door with a big bag of Dave's Hot Chicken so I told him that I was here to pick up an order and he said we're closed I said are you sure that's not the customer's begging your hand and he ignored me and took off A lot of us drivers waste our time driving to a restaurant when they are already closed and we're not able to pick up an order that's gas wasted and our time and we don't get paid for it so you might want to check your online order site to change the times of your open and close times

Brandon Fosdick

The other reviews are right about the chicken rub being a salt bomb. On the up side, even mild is spicy enough that you won’t notice the salt after a few bites. On the down side, the spiciness is all hot and no flavor. Don’t bother with the cheese. It’s just slices of American cheese. The buns and the fries probably came from the Safeway next door.

If you want a mouthful of salt with each bite of chicken, this is the place for you. I don't know what these people are thinking, but their medium-spiced chicken is completely inedible. I like salty foods, but this stuff is like eating pure seasoning, which is mostly salt with theirs. And to make matters worse, they overcooked the chicken, and the sliders barely had any coleslaw that might have provided some balance to the amount of salt. Fries were just ok, basically average. Wasted time, money, and trip to their store. Won't be returning.

My first time there today, will be my last time ever! I got the cauliflower sandwich with fries, fries went in the trash, I know they had to be old from yesterday refried or something. The cauliflower was soggy not chirpy and tasteless. Complete waste of $$ and should not have tipped.

Terrible customer service. Their offer doesn’t have an expiration time and the manager refused to honor the discount. Bad customer service.

food is good but management is horrible. they give preferential and favorable treatment towards customers within their culture/heritage. it’s happened many times to me i’m not sure why i keep coming back but that will be the last time!

I used door dash for this store and I had a negative experience. They did NOT include the sauce that I paid extra for. Ultimately I paid ~30$ for one meal without sauce. Then I had to pay an additional 10$ to get the sauce (minimum order amount, service fee, and tip) In total, ~40$ for one meal. This is not worth it.

Faced discrimination while ordering the free slider today. All the staff assumed I have already claimed my reward when I didn't. Not sure why they made such a blatant accusation against me. They refused to claim my free reward

Ordered #2, got #3 instead. Came back to switch, was given the #3 again. Came back again and finally got my #2. The total wait time was ridiculous 24. I love Dave’s hot chicken, but this location is something else lol.

The quality of this location has gone down I believe since losing the senior manager to the new Cottle location. The quality control here is lost. I saw the girl who works the cash register behind the kitchen cooking my food last few times. I think she’s a teenager with little experience my order came out wrong and for what I paid for I feel ripped off. This order was a complete disaster the Large Top Load Fries were in the cardboard box that wasnt half full the fries were not crispy as usual the chicken was overcooked and dried out. It was lacking cheese that is essential for this item. When I ordered a regular sized item at Cottle loction I got the same amount this time around even though I ordered and paid for a Large. Horrible experience ruined the Thursday Night Football Game because I was not even able to share with anyone since the portion was minimized. Worse Dave Hot experience to date and I’ve never had a bad experience since I started going. This use to be my go to Spot.

First of all, I absolutely love Dave’s Hot Chicken — it’s hands down my favorite spot for a cheat meal. I usually eat there once a week, sometimes even twice, because the food is just that good. I typically go to the Union City or San Jose locations, and they’ve always delivered great food and top-notch service. Today, though, I decided to try out a different location and was honestly really disappointed. I placed my usual order, which totaled close to $60. That’s not a small order, and I expect at least decent service for that. But right from the moment I walked in, there was no greeting, no welcome — nothing. The staff felt cold and unapproachable, which already put me off. The worst part? This is the only location I’ve been to where they’re stingy with the sauce. The guy at the counter told me I could only get two sauce packets per order. I even offered to pay for extra, and he said there’s no option to charge for more sauce. I mean, really? What kind of customer experience is that? The sauce is one of the best parts of the meal, and not being able to get more — even when I’m willing to pay — felt ridiculous. On top of that, the food itself was disappointing. I’ve eaten enough Dave’s to know exactly how the heat levels are supposed to taste. I ordered the “Extra Hot” heat level — like I always do — but this time, it tasted milder than even the “Medium” level. It was completely off, and it felt like they just didn’t care to get it right. I left feeling really dissatisfied. Dave’s is known for quality — not just the food but also the service — and this location just didn’t live up to that standard. On the flip side, I have to give a shoutout to the Union City location. The staff there is always friendly, welcoming, and happy to serve. By far the best service and management I’ve experienced at any Dave’s. The manager and area of operations really need to look into this store and help bring it back up to Dave’s standards.

Mondo A

The quality of this location has gone down I believe since losing the senior manager to the new Cottle location. The quality control here is lost. I saw the girl who works the cash register behind the kitchen cooking my food last few times. I think she’s a teenager with little experience my order came out wrong and for what I paid for I feel ripped off. This order was a complete disaster the Large Top Load Fries were in the cardboard box that wasnt half full the fries were not crispy as usual the chicken was overcooked and dried out. It was lacking cheese that is essential for this item. When I ordered a regular sized item at Cottle loction I got the same amount this time around even though I ordered and paid for a Large. Horrible experience ruined the Thursday Night Football Game because I was not even able to share with anyone since the portion was minimized. Worse Dave Hot experience to date and I’ve never had a bad experience since I started going. This use to be my go to Spot.

Rishi

First of all, I absolutely love Dave’s Hot Chicken — it’s hands down my favorite spot for a cheat meal. I usually eat there once a week, sometimes even twice, because the food is just that good. I typically go to the Union City or San Jose locations, and they’ve always delivered great food and top-notch service. Today, though, I decided to try out a different location and was honestly really disappointed. I placed my usual order, which totaled close to $60. That’s not a small order, and I expect at least decent service for that. But right from the moment I walked in, there was no greeting, no welcome — nothing. The staff felt cold and unapproachable, which already put me off. The worst part? This is the only location I’ve been to where they’re stingy with the sauce. The guy at the counter told me I could only get two sauce packets per order. I even offered to pay for extra, and he said there’s no option to charge for more sauce. I mean, really? What kind of customer experience is that? The sauce is one of the best parts of the meal, and not being able to get more — even when I’m willing to pay — felt ridiculous. On top of that, the food itself was disappointing. I’ve eaten enough Dave’s to know exactly how the heat levels are supposed to taste. I ordered the “Extra Hot” heat level — like I always do — but this time, it tasted milder than even the “Medium” level. It was completely off, and it felt like they just didn’t care to get it right. I left feeling really dissatisfied. Dave’s is known for quality — not just the food but also the service — and this location just didn’t live up to that standard. On the flip side, I have to give a shoutout to the Union City location. The staff there is always friendly, welcoming, and happy to serve. By far the best service and management I’ve experienced at any Dave’s. The manager and area of operations really need to look into this store and help bring it back up to Dave’s standards.

Artemii Unisikhin

Ordered #2, got #3 instead. Came back to switch, was given the #3 again. Came back again and finally got my #2. The total wait time was ridiculous 24. I love Dave’s hot chicken, but this location is something else lol.