First Look: LA-based Dave’s Hot Chicken brings seven spice levels to first Louisiana location

Upon arrival, guests encounter a booming welcome from workers, blaring upbeat tunes and technicolor graffiti localized with Baton Rouge imagery. Its hottest hot chicken requires signing a waiver. And between bites of Nashville-style tenders and sliders, a claw machine presents the chance at your own branded toy fowl.

Steeped in personality, the fast-growing, popular nationwide chain Dave’s Hot Chicken landed in the Capital City on Friday, June 20, opening in the Arlington Marketplace spot once occupied by concepts like Uno Dos Tacos. It joins a flurry of hot chicken openings in recent years, including homegrown concepts Chicky Sandos, Chicken Wagon, Blazin’ Hot Chicken and the virtual franchise SmackBird Hot Chicken, located inside Cowboy Chicken.

“The culture of Louisiana is amazing. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming,” says Jorge Frausto, regional director of operations with Cluckin Inc., Dave’s Hot Chicken’s biggest franchisee. “The friendliness was on another level. I knew this was the right place to put ourselves.”

The Baton Rouge location is Dave’s first in the state. More locations are planned for Louisiana, Frausto says.

The straightforward menu features four easy-to-order combos built around hot chicken tenders and sliders served with fries, kale slaw, sliced bread and pickles. Cauliflower is available as an alternative to chicken. Additional sides include cheese fries and mac and cheese.

Dave’s sauce, part of every order, is yet another inspiration from the ketchup-mayo sauce canon. You wouldn’t be wrong to spot obvious comparisons to Raising Cane’s.

But there are clear differences, too, especially when it comes to spice. Dave’s is famous for seven different levels, defined as: no spice, lite mild, mild, medium, hot, extra hot and the trademarked “Reaper,” which requires signing a waiver.

Frausto admits he’s more of a “medium” guy, but that the Reaper definitely has its fans. A recent opening in the northeast Atlanta suburb of Buford saw a record number of Reapers sold in one day, Frausto says. We’ll soon see how Baton Rouge compares.

Dave’s started in 2017 as a parking lot pop-up in East Hollywood conceived by three childhood friends with $900 and a portable fryer. A rabid fan following spread with the help of social media, later attracting celebrity investments from Drake, Maria Shriver and Samuel L. Jackson. That helped catapult Dave’s to more than 300 locations around the country, with some international stores as well. Earlier this month, the Atlanta-based private equity firm, Roark Capital, acquired the company for $1 billion.

Behind that meteoric rise and nationwide footprint, each location pledges a hometown feel, Frausto says. Take a close look at the new Baton Rouge restaurant’s graffitied walls, for example. Among the tags are Red Stick references, including neon signage reading “Death Valley’s hottest,” images of the Louisiana State Capitol and Mike the Tiger, and Dave’s signature mouth-agape rubber chicken astride a Spanish Town pink flamingo.

“The whole vibe is to connect people and to use chicken tenders to start a conversation in any community we put ourselves in,” Frausto says.

Rounding out the spicy chicken-centric menu are four flavors of slushies and chocolate, strawberry or vanilla shakes that can be “top-loaded” with crumbled Oreos, M&M’s or Lucky Charms. It’s one way to put out the fire.

Dave’s Hot Chicken is at 640 Arlington Creek Center Drive. The restaurant is open Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight.