An Epistle Concerning Dave's Hot Chicken Wherein the food is holy, the price grievous, and the staff sorely afflicted Hearken unto me, O people of appetite and crispy cravings, for I bring tidings of fire and fowl. My daughter, a maiden of sixteen years and much wisdom in the ways of what is trendy and delicious, spake unto me of a place called Dave's Hot Chicken. "Father," saith she, "thou must partake of this chicken, for it is as fire upon the tongue and joy unto the soul." And verily, I did obey, for who canst resist the call of their child--and the promise of seasoned poultry? Upon our arrival, the place did shine with a most modern and rebellious decor--neon lights, murals upon the wall, and music that pulsed like a heartbeat of Nashville's spiciest chicken spirit. It had the air of a temple dedicated to the worship of heat and crunch. And lo, we did order the holy tenders of Dave, and yea, they were brought forth hot and fresh, as though plucked from the fryer of the cherubim themselves. The chicken was crisped to perfection, with spice that did baptize the tongue in both joy and repentance. Each bite did carry flavor enough to make a grown man weep tears of gladness and regret all at once. The fries were seasoned as if with the dust of angels. The sauce--oh the sauce!--was not of this world. 'Twas like dipping thine chicken into the golden rivers of Eden, only with a kick that might have sent Adam back into hiding. Yet alas, my joy was not without tribulation. For when the receipt was handed unto me, I beheld the numbers inscribed thereon and did clutch my chest as though smitten. "What manner of foul hath cost me thus?" I cried. "Are these chickens fed on manna and massaged by Levites?" I glanced to the servants behind the counter, and their faces were blank as scrolls unwritten. No gleam of mirth, no sparkle of passion. Nay, their spirits were burdened, as though they had labored long in the fields of chicken with no rest for their souls. I offered thanks, but was met with silence or the slightest grunt--hardly the joy one expecteth when paying handsomely for fowl dipped in divine spice. And yet, despite the grievous toll upon my purse and the weary-hearted staff, I must needs confess: the food was worth it. For though my wallet did suffer, my tastebuds rejoiced and my daughter beamed with pride, knowing she had led her father to the fiery promised land of poultry. Therefore, I bestow upon Dave's Hot Chicken four stars--not five, for the burden of cost and the drought of cheer among the workers cannot be ignored--but four solid stars forged in the flames of culinary greatness. O Dave, if thou shouldst lighten the price and gladden the faces of thy staff, surely thou wouldst ascend into the heavens of fast food immortality. But even now, thou art mighty amongst the chicken kings of the earth. Thus endeth my epistle. Go ye and try it--but take with thee thine gold and thy patience.

My last visit to Dave's, when I discovered the company had discontinued their "Not Chicken" line, was so distressing that I started regularly searching "Dave's Not Chicken" online in the deranged hope that it might someday make a triumphant return. Well, my desperate search was not in vain. A few weeks ago I saw a post on Reddit that Dave's Not Chicken had returned, and was thrilled to see it back on the menu at this location. Today I was in Lake Mary so I stopped in for my beloved cauliflower slider and delicious fries. This is the best vegetarian fast food option I have ever had and I hope it stays around for a long, long time.

Okay so, we definitely frequent the Altamonte location since we find ourselves over that way a bit more, but this location is great as well. My kids love their chicken! I usually opt for either the mild or medium heat levels, but my one child always gets the hot and he's a fan. Don't sleep on the mac and cheese!! Get extra pickles and Dave's sauce... It's so good.

The decor at this restaurant was so fun!!!! Very funky with all the graffiti! Service here was ON POINT! Everyone was super helpful and friendly. They really anticipated your needs. The tables were clean and plenty of places to sit. I got the one slider with fries, and I don't know if I ever had a juicier chicken! I got the medium, but I can take some heat so I'll probably get the HOT next time. I will be going again!

This chicken joint is fantastic. The portions were large and very tasty. Highly recommend this restaurant. The price is alittle higher than normal but the chicken quality is great

I came in for lunch and had a great experience. This was my first visit to the Lake Mary location and I really liked it. Plus, they have a drive thru, which is a nice option. Chris welcomed me in and assisted me. He even brought the food directly to my table. He had great energy and was very helpful. I got Dave's #1 with two mild tenders. The meal came with white bread, crinkle cut fries, Dave's sauce, and pickles. I added an extra tender. The chicken was juicy, hot, and well seasoned. Mild is still packed with seasoning without being hot. The portion was big and I really enjoyed everything. The dining area is bright with tons of natural light and has fun funky decor. Overall, the food and environment is great. This is a THE place to get some chicken!

I've been wanting to try to place since they opened. It's always popped in the local Lake Mary area with the building art plus I have a weak spot for not only chicken tenders but spicy food! Used the online order process which is super easy placed my order and within five minutes it was up. Food was served hot and ready to go! The young lady at the counter was super kind and asked if I needed any additional sauces. I got one tender in medium and a side of fries. The pickles that are included are delicious I would eat just an entire jar of these. The tender was warm and tender although I wish the medium spice level was more it still had a good flavor with the Dave's sauce. French fries were fresh and well a fry so who doesn't love those! All in all I will go back to try the spicer options. I'm sad I waited so long to try this place until now.

My friend and I went through the drive thru and it was a great experience. It was easy to communicate and our order was taken immediately when we pulled up. We both ordered a #2, medium, which comes with two sliders and fries. It did take a few minutes for our food to come out after we paid, but it was quick enough. We were impressed that our food was still fresh and hot when we arrived home 20 minutes later. Medium is a great heat level because it adds flavor to the chicken and it's not spicy at all. The sauce is the real star of the show, so make sure you ask for extra. It's definitely heavy, so I wouldn't recommend eating it frequently, but it's worth it every once in a while!