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Quick Take:
Dave's Hot Chicken celebrates its soft opening in Springfield ahead of the public launch May 23. The new Springfield location of the Nashville-style hot chicken chain joins the existing Eugene store on the University of Oregon campus. Both locations offer a variety of chicken tenders sliders, loaded fries, and vegetarian options with varying spice levels.
At a soft opening of a new location of Dave’s Hot Chicken, at 1572 Mohawk Blvd. in Springfield, server Vincent Talley was busy taking orders. He said he moved to the Eugene area from El Paso, Texas, about two years ago. He tried Dave’s Hot Chicken for the first time as a full-time student.
“I was blown away by really great chicken,” he said. “So when I saw they were hiring, I wanted to be here to be a part of it.”
Austin Baird was in the dining room with his two children, Finnley, 3, and Ozzie, 2, who admired the colorful graffiti-inspired decor and balloons celebrating the opening. As manager of the Eugene location of Dave’s Hot Chicken, Baird said he “definitely wanted to show some support to them and be here to be a part of this opening.”
His kids are fans.
“They love the food, they love the colors and the ambience,” said Baird. They get the Dave’s Bites — white-meat chicken nuggets served with a slice of bread, pickles, sauce, with optional fries — with no spice.
Customizing the spice level from no spice up to extra hot and “Reaper” hot, made from Carolina Reaper hot peppers, is just one part of the menu’s appeal. The Carolina Reaper, developed by a breeder named Ed Currie, was the hottest chili pepper in the world according to Guinness World Records from 2013 to 2023 before Pepper X, also developed by Currie, surpassed it.
Customers can order one or two tenders or sliders (which are large pieces of chicken on a small, soft potato bun) or one of each, with or without fries; boxes of tenders or sliders to feed a crowd; and vegetarian cauliflower tenders in place of chicken. Fries can be piled high with cheese sauce, pickles, kale slaw, Dave’s bites (chicken or cauliflower), and sauce, in various sizes. Mini sliders are also available. Mac and cheese or kale slaw can be added as sides.
This is the first local Dave’s Hot Chicken location with a drive-through. The other location in Eugene, at 13th and Alder on the University of Oregon campus, is busiest in the fall, when students arrive, and quieter in summer. Baird said the Springfield location is likely to be busier in summer.
The official opening of the new location to the public takes place Friday, May 23.
What is hot chicken?
“Hot chicken” is a style of spicy fried chicken that originated in Nashville, Tennessee, during the Great Depression. The original hot chicken comes from Prince’s in Nashville, and as their story goes, it was born from revenge, when a man named Thornton Prince did something — what that something was is unknown — that angered his woman. She took her emotions to the kitchen, where she delivered Prince a devilishly spicy dish of fried chicken. Instead of punishing him as she planned, Prince asked for more, and later opened a restaurant serving it. Now almost 100 years later, Nashville-style hot chicken can be found just about everywhere.
Traditionally, hot chicken is, well, supposed to be hot, with cooks tossing on a fiery seasoning blend after frying. But not everyone wants that level of spice, so ordering mild won’t get you a scornful look. Even without the heat, the seasonings are flavorful, with a base of paprika, onion, and garlic powder.
According to the company website, Dave’s Hot Chicken got its start in East Hollywood, California, in 2017 when three childhood friends created a late-night hot chicken stand with a couple of folding tables and a fryer. Positive feedback kept the trio going, and they opened their first store in California. Now, there are locations in 34 states, Washington, D.C., and Ontario, Qatar, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia. In Oregon, Dave’s Hot Chicken can be found in Beaverton, Clackamas, Eugene, Portland, Salem, and Tualatin.
Want to go?
Dave’s Hot Chicken
https://daveshotchicken.com
Springfield
1572 Mohawk Blvd.
458-325-0160
Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – midnight
Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Eugene
1285 Alder St.
541-790-2399
Sunday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – midnight
Thursday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
