Dave's Hot Chicken Introduce
For Californians craving a bite of Nashville's famed fiery flavor, Dave's Hot Chicken in Santa Clara, CA, delivers a bold and accessible experience. Located conveniently within the bustling Rivermark Plaza, this restaurant specializes in bringing the heat with its signature hot chicken tenders and sliders. More than just a typical chicken joint, Dave’s is renowned for its high-quality, juicy chicken, available in seven distinct spice levels to cater to every palate—from those who prefer ‘No Spice’ to the adventurous souls who dare to try the infamous ‘Reaper.’
The establishment is categorized as both a Chicken Restaurant and, significantly for the community, a Halal Restaurant. This certification means that all the chicken served adheres to Halal dietary standards, making it an inclusive and popular choice for a wide range of customers, including families, groups, and college students. The atmosphere is consistently described as casual, with a fun, energetic vibe, making it a great place for a quick bite or a relaxed, seated meal. Dave's Hot Chicken has successfully transformed simple comfort food into a destination experience in the South Bay.
While the restaurant is a destination for dine-in patrons, it is equally popular for quick meals, catering to the busy Silicon Valley lifestyle with efficient takeout and delivery options. The menu, though focused, is comprehensive, featuring not only the classic chicken offerings but also innovative vegetarian alternatives, substantial sides like Mac & Cheese, and fun dessert items such as 'Top-Loaded Shakes.' It's a modern take on American comfort food, designed for enjoyment and convenience.
The Santa Clara location of Dave's Hot Chicken is perfectly positioned at 3948 Rivermark Plaza, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA. Rivermark Plaza is a high-traffic retail and dining center in a prime area of Santa Clara, ensuring excellent visibility and easy access for local residents, workers, and tourists passing through the region. This centralized location places it near residential communities and major employers, making it a reliable spot for lunch and dinner.
A key focus of this location is accessibility, ensuring a comfortable experience for all patrons. The planning and amenities reflect this commitment:
- Parking: Customers benefit from a Free parking lot and the availability of Free street parking, making visits convenient. On-site parking further enhances accessibility.
- Accessibility Features: The restaurant is fully equipped for accessibility, featuring a Wheelchair accessible entrance, Wheelchair accessible parking lot, Wheelchair accessible restroom, and Wheelchair accessible seating.
- Atmosphere: The location boasts a modern, casual, and energetic setting, with the added benefit of a clean Restroom for customer use.
Its position within a popular plaza means it’s surrounded by other shops and services, making it a seamless addition to any local errand or outing. The availability of outdoor seating also provides a pleasant option for dining in the California weather.
Dave's Hot Chicken offers a comprehensive range of services designed for maximum customer convenience, catering to multiple dining preferences and schedules. The service model focuses on being fast-casual while still providing a full dining experience.
- Dine-in and Seating: Indoor seating is available for customers who wish to enjoy their meal in the restaurant's casual, energetic atmosphere, which is welcoming to a diverse crowd, including groups and is LGBTQ+ friendly and a transgender safespace.
- Takeout and Delivery: A core part of their service model, offering quick Takeout and Delivery options, which are especially popular during peak hours and for late-night food runs.
- Dining Hours: Open for both Lunch and Dinner, the restaurant also caters to those seeking Late-night food, often a necessity in the busy Santa Clara region.
- Payment Options: The establishment accepts modern payment methods, including Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments, for quick and easy transactions.
- 'Feed A Crowd' Options: The menu features Hot Boxes, such as the Hot Box - Tenders ($65.49) and Hot Box - Sliders ($89.29), which are ideal for catering for groups, parties, or game-day viewing.
Dave's Hot Chicken distinguishes itself in the competitive California dining scene with several unique offerings that appeal to a wide customer demographic. The focus is on specialized, high-impact flavor and culinary inclusivity.
- Halal Chicken: A major highlight is that all chicken is certified Halal, offering a high-quality, inclusive dining option that is sometimes difficult to find in the fast-casual American segment.
- Seven Levels of Spice: The customization of heat is a signature feature, allowing diners to choose from a scale that ranges from 'No Spice' up to the tongue-numbing 'Reaper,' adding a fun, challenging element to the dining experience. The ‘Hot Box Roulette’ options even play into this heat spectrum for large orders.
- 'Dave's NOT Chicken (Cauli)™' Menu: Catering to diverse diets, the restaurant offers an entire line of vegetarian options centered on cauliflower, including Cauli Sliders and Cauli Tenders. This innovative approach provides a genuinely delicious meat-free alternative that has been praised by customers.
- Signature Sides and Shakes: Beyond the main event, the menu features indulgent sides like creamy Mac & Cheese and flavorful Top Loaded Fries (with cheese sauce, pickles, kale slaw, and chicken bites), and the highly popular Top-Loaded Shakes (featuring additions like Fruity Pebbles and Oreo) which are a fun, must-try dessert.
- Focus on Comfort Food and Quick Bites: The menu is simple and focused (tenders, sliders, fries, slaw, and mac & cheese), ensuring that every item is perfected. It provides satisfying comfort food and quick bites for those on the go.
For current hours, ordering, or general inquiries, you can reach the Dave's Hot Chicken Rivermark Plaza location using the following information:
Address: 3948 Rivermark Plaza, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA
Phone: (669) 319-4384
For California diners in the Santa Clara area, Dave's Hot Chicken offers a compelling package of quality, inclusion, and bold flavor. It is worth choosing for several key reasons that elevate it above standard fast-food fare.
Firstly, the commitment to Halal-certified chicken makes it a top choice for a large segment of the community, guaranteeing a high standard of preparation. You can enjoy the Nashville-style hot chicken, be it the highly popular Dave's #2: 2 Sliders W/ Fries ($20.89) or Dave's #3: 1 Tender & 1 Slider W/ Fries ($19.09), knowing the quality is maintained.
Secondly, the unbeatable variety of spice levels ensures that everyone, from the spice-averse to the heat-seeking veteran, finds their perfect match. It allows for a customized experience that keeps customers coming back to explore the full spectrum of flavor and heat.
Finally, while some customer reviews highlight the occasional waiting time during busy periods, it is important to note that the delay is often due to the fact that their food is generally fried fresh-to-order, not held under heat lamps—a major quality differentiator in the fast-casual space. Furthermore, the availability of online or third-party ordering apps is noted as a fast-track option to bypass potential queues. Choosing Dave's is choosing made-to-order flavor, whether you're dining in, taking out, or ordering in for a Thursday Night Football gathering.
Dave's Hot Chicken Menu
Feed A Crowd
- Hot Box - Tenders $65.49
10 Tenders. Choice of Two Heat Levels (5/Heat Level)
- Hot Box - Sliders $89.29
10 Sliders. Choice of Two Heat Levels (5/Heat Level)
- Box Of Fries $14.29
18 ounces of our awesomely seasoned and perfectly crispy fries!
- Hot Box Roulette- Tenders $65.49
10 tenders (4 mild, 5 medium, 1 Reaper®...are you ready?) **DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN® REAPER® WAIVER By ordering and eating the REAPER®, you acknowledge its extreme heat and potential risks, including injury, property damage, distress, or death. You release and hold Dave's Hot Chicken, its affiliates, and employees harmless from any claims related to consuming the REAPER®, including REAPER ROULETTE®. By ordering, you confirm you are 18+ and legally capable of accepting this waiver. Eat at your own risk!
- Hot Box Roulette- Sliders $89.29
10 sliders (4 mild, 5 medium, 1 Reaper®...are you ready?) **DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN® REAPER® WAIVER By ordering and eating the REAPER®, you acknowledge its extreme heat and potential risks, including injury, property damage, distress, or death. You release and hold Dave's Hot Chicken, its affiliates, and employees harmless from any claims related to consuming the REAPER®, including REAPER ROULETTE®. By ordering, you confirm you are 18+ and legally capable of accepting this waiver. Eat at your own risk!
- Cauli Slider Hot Box $113.09
10 Cauliflower Sliders. Choice of Two Heat Levels (5/Heat Level)
- Cauli Bites Hot Box $35.79
40 pcs. of cauliflower bites served with a slice of bread and side of Dave's sauce.
Meals
- Dave's #1: 2 Tenders W/ Fries $17.89
All tenders are served with sliced bread, pickles and a side of Dave's sauce
- Dave's #2: 2 Sliders W/ Fries $20.89
Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce
- Dave's #3: 1 Tender & 1 Slider W/ Fries $19.09
Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce & all tenders are served with sliced bread, pickles and a side of Dave's sauce.
- Dave's #4: 1 Slider With Fries $13.09
Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce
Dave's NOT Chicken (Cauli)™
- Cauli Daves #1: 2 Cauli Tenders With Fries $20.29
Cauliflower Tenders are served with sliced bread, pickles and a side of Dave's sauce.
- Cauli Dave's #2: 2 Cauli Sliders W/ Fries $23.19
Cauliflower Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce
- Cauli Dave's #3: 1 Cauli Tender & 1 Cauli Slider W/ Fries $21.49
Cauliflower Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce & all Cauli Tenders are served with sliced bread, pickles and a side of Dave's sauce.
- Cauli Daves #4: 1 Cauli Slider With Fries $15.49
Cauliflower Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce
- Single Cauli Tender $9.59
All Cauliflower Tenders are served with sliced bread, pickles, and a side of Dave's sauce
- Single Cauli Slider $11.89
Cauliflower Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce
- 10 Pc. Cauli Tender Bites $9.59
Cauliflower bites served with a slice of bread and side of Dave's sauce
- 10 Pc. Cauli Tender Bites W/ Fries $15.49
Cauliflower bites served with a slice of bread and side of Dave's sauce
Dave's Bites and Top Loaded Fries
- 10pc. Dave's Bites $9.59
White meat chicken tender bites served with a slice of bread, pickles, and side of Dave's sauce.
- 10 Pc. Dave's Bites W/ Fries $13.09
White meat chicken tender bites served with a side of fries, a slice of bread, pickles, and side of Dave's sauce.
- Small Top Loaded Fries $8.39
Fries piled high with cheese sauce, pickles, kale slaw and topped with 3 Dave’s Bites and drizzle of Dave’s sauce.
- Regular Top Loaded Fries $13.09
Fries piled high with cheese sauce, pickles, kale slaw and topped with 6 Dave’s Bites and drizzle of Dave’s sauce.
- Large Top Loaded Fries $19.09
Fries piled high with cheese sauce, pickles, kale slaw and topped with 10 Dave’s Bites and drizzle of Dave’s sauce.
***NEW*** Dave’s Mini Sliders
- Dave’s Mini Sliders $9.59
4 Mini Sliders (sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles, and drizzled with Dave's sauce). Available in No Spice, Medium or Hot
- Dave’s Mini Sliders W/ Fries $13.09
4 Mini Sliders served with fries (sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles, and drizzled with Dave's sauce). Available in No Spice, Medium or Hot
- Hot Box Of Minis $53.59
20 Mini Sliders. Available in No Spice, Medium or Hot.. Choice of Two Heat Levels (10/Heat Level) Serves 5
Sides
- Mac & Cheese $5.49
- Fries $5.19
- Cheese Fries $6.59
- Kale Slaw $5.49
- Side Of Dave's Sauce $0.59
Each combo comes with Dave's sauce, but you can get more!
- Side Of Cheese Sauce $0.59
- Large Dave's Sauce $3.59
- Single Tender $7.19
All tenders are served with sliced bread, pickles, and a side of Dave's sauce
- Single Slider $9.59
Sliders are served on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and drizzled with Dave's sauce
Top-Loaded Shakes
- Small Fruity Pebbles Top Loaded Shake $8.99
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Regular Fruity Pebbles Top Loaded Shake $10.19
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Large Fruity Pebbles Top Loaded Shake $11.29
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Small Oreo Top Loaded Shake $8.99
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Regular Oreo Top Loaded Shake $10.19
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Large Oreo Top Loaded Shake $11.29
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Small M&M Top Loaded Shake $8.99
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Regular M&M Top Loaded Shake $10.19
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
- Large M&M Top Loaded Shake $11.29
Choose your shake flavor: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry.
Shakes
- Vanilla Shake
- Strawberry Shake
- Chocolate Shake
Daves Burstin Beverages
- Burstin’ Mango Slusher $6.79
New! Mango Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of mango.
- Burstin’ Strawberry Slusher $6.79
New! Strawberry Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of strawberry.
- Burstin’ Strawberry Small Shake $8.99
New! Strawberry Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of strawberry.
- Burstin Strawberry Regular Shake $10.19
New! Strawberry Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of strawberry.
- Burstin Strawberry Large Shake $11.29
New! Strawberry Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of strawberry.
- Burstin’ Mango Small Shake $8.99
New! Mango Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of mango.
- Burstin Mango Regular Shake $10.19
New! Mango Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of mango.
- Burstin Mango Large Shake $11.29
New! Mango Bursties! Fruit-flavored, bursting bubbles for a juicy "pop" of mango.
- Side Mango Burster $2.39
- Side Strawberry Burster $2.39
Slushers
- Frozen Minute Maid Strawberry Lemonade $4.39
- Frozen Hi-C Orange LavaBurst $4.39
- Frozen Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch $4.39
- Frozen Powerade Mountain Berry Blast $4.39
- Rocket Creme Slusher $6.79
- Orange Creme Slusher $6.79
- Strawberries And Creme Slusher $6.79
Drinks
- Bottled Water $3.59
- 20 Oz. Coke $3.99
- 20 Oz. Diet Coke $3.99
- 20 Oz. Coke Zero $3.99
- 20 Oz. Sprite $3.99
- 20 Oz. Dr Pepper $3.99
Single Use Items
- Napkin $0.00
- Straw $0.00
Dave's Hot Chicken Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Comfort food
- Late-night food
- Quick bite
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
Crowd
- College students
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Tourists
- Transgender safespace
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
- On-site parking
- Parking
Dave's Hot Chicken Photos










Dave's Hot Chicken Location
Dave's Hot Chicken
3948 Rivermark Plaza, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA
Dave's Hot Chicken Reviews
spicefriessliderpricechicken tenderstipchicken sandwicheschoiceatmospherespicy
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1The 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.
October 02 · Armando ATheir 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 emptySeats 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!
September 06 · B LiluThe 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!!
July 30 · OliFirst 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.
April 13 · RishiLoved 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.
May 26 · Alexandra
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