A fast-casual chain that definitely does not take itself too seriously, except when it comes to the chicken, Dave's Hot Chicken has hit The Choice City.

A chain that has only been around since 2017, Dave's Hot Chicken is taking the country by storm; including a new spot that's just opened in Fort Collins.

Bright colors, beer, cocktails, hot chicken, and... a rubber chicken.

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

I'd heard that a place called Dave's Hot Chicken was headed to Fort Collins. With my name also being Dave, I was sure to keep an eye out for when it would be opening.

94 KIX Country logo
Get our free mobile app

I received an email to check out their pre-opening VIP night on September 13, 2023, the day before they officially opened on Thursday, September 14, 2023. I don't know why I was surprised to see so many people there.

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

HOW DID DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN GET FROM HOLLYWOOD TO FORT COLLINS, COLORADO?

Four guys had this idea to create East Hollywood's best hot chicken tenders. They put together $900 to buy a fryer to get it started. It ballooned, it a great way, right after starting out with just a space in a parking lot.

Six years later, Dave's Hot Chicken is one of the most popular joints around. They have singers Drake, Maria Shriver, and Samuel L. Jackson among their celebrity investors, and a goal of having more than 700 locations, as being "no joke."

"No Joke" seems applicable when you see that logo: It's a rubber chicken.

WHAT'S WITH THE RUBBER CHICKEN AT DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN?

The story goes that on at least one occasion, the Fire marshal did the inspection for a location and found a rubber chicken in the fire extinguisher cabinet. It seems the tradition continues in Fort Collins:

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

Clearly, this is not an official fire extinguisher cabinet, but shows the company's commitment to fun.

WHERE IS DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN IN FORT COLLINS, COLORADO?

They are at 1700 South College, at the corner of College and Parker, just south of Prospect.

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
Google Maps
loading...

Dave's Hot Chicken's menu is pretty simple; Tenders alone or as a slider, in six levels of heat: from "Lite Mild" to "Reaper."

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

They have plenty of seating inside Dave's Hot Chicken in Fort Collins, as well as a big patio out front, to the west.

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

RELATED: IN-N-OUT ANNOUNCES NEXT COLORADO SPOT

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

When it comes to fun, Dave's has this theme of that rubber chicken as being a "space adventurer."

Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...
Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...
Dave's-Hot-Chicken-Fort-Collins-Colorado
TSM/Dave Jensen
loading...

MORE Colorado Dining: This Old School Burger Joint is One of the Best in Colorado

Since 1961, Jim's Burger Haven has been the standard for local smash burger restaurants around Colorado. Home of Colorado's "Original Smash Burger," it's a must-try next time you're in the area. Here's a look around one of Colorado's most famous burger joints.

Try These 25 Local Burger Joints in Northern Colorado

Just because you're craving a burger doesn't mean you can't support local restaurants. Read on to see 25 mouth-watering burger joints in Northern Colorado.

MORE Colorado Dining: The First Colorado Restaurants to Earn Michelin Stars

The Michelin Guide has announced the first Michelin-starred restaurants in the state of Colorado.

More From 94 KIX Country