There’s been rave about Dave’s Hot Chicken lately, but who exactly is Dave?
Dave Kopushyan and his friends, Arman Oganesyan, and Tommy and Gary Rubenyan began with $900 in a parking lot. It was 2017 in East Hollywood when they first brought their chicken to the public with folding tables and a portable fryer.
Farley Elliott, a reporter, praised them through his article “East Hollywood’s New Late Night Hot Chicken Stand Might Blow Your Mind.” After this, they gained further traction for their Nashville-style hot chicken and seven spice levels. Now, they have over 300 locations and investors such as Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Strahan, and Usher. With this many celebrity investors, it must be a good restaurant, right? But what do Sayreville students have to say about it?
“No matter what flavor you get, when you take a bite, it tastes like a spoonful of paprika and chili powder,” junior Aiza Siraj comments. Having visited multiple locations and ordering a variety of flavors, Aiza’s taste buds are well-versed when it comes to Dave’s Hot Chicken. She is an avid critic, claiming that “they always fail to impress me.”
Maybe the trick is to “[mix] the mac and cheese, the chicken, and the fries together,” like Delilah Valoy did this weekend. It was her first time trying Dave’s Hot Chicken, and she claims to enjoy seasoning and flavor. She rates the appearance a 4.1 out of 5, while the taste a 5 out of 5. Delilah says the minor deduction in appearance is because her “mac and cheese looked a little messed up,” but that it was likely due to the DoorDash delivery.
After comparing polar opposites, it’s important to find a middle ground. That middle ground is Malachi Spraulding, who ordered a spicy chicken sandwich and fries. With a rating of 3 out of 5 he says it looked and tasted like a typical spicy chicken sandwich.
Will you be stopping by Dave’s Hot Chicken?
