Popular Chicken Spot Expands To Long Beach Next Month

LONG BEACH, CA — Los Angeles-born Dave's Hot Chicken plans to open 10 new California restaurants by the end of the year, bringing its beloved menu of spicy specialties to eager diners in more corners of the Golden State. That includes a new Long Beach outpost scheduled to open next month.

Now headquartered in Pasadena, the quickly expanding fried chicken chain started in 2017 as a small street food cart in an East Hollywood parking lot. It has since ballooned into an international operation with 200 restaurants in six countries.

Named America's fastest-growing restaurant chain last year, the company has attracted an array of celebrity investors, including superstar rapper Drake, who bought a sizeable stake in 2021. In March, the singer Usher announced a deal to open several locations across Atlanta.

Dave's made its mark with a simple menu of Nashville-style hot chicken tenders, sliders, fries and mac and cheese, earning it a vocal following — particularly among heat-seekers. While all of its fried chicken is available on a scale of milder variations, the chain's most infamous offering is seasoned with the Carolina Reaper pepper and requires diners to sign a waiver.

Newer additions include the "Dave's NOT Chicken" menu, offering plant-based sliders and bites made from cauliflower.

The restaurants slated to open this year join a growing roster of Dave's outposts in California, including around Los Angeles, Orange County and the Bay Area.

Here's where the new California restaurants are opening this year:

• Cathedral City (Just opened)
• Chino Hills (June)
• Long Beach (June)
• Rowland Heights (August)
• Brentwood (August)
• Bakersfield (September)
• Santa Fe Springs (September)
• Redding (Q4)
• Oxnard (Q4)
• Roseville (Q4)