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Perfecting Hot Fried Chicken: Dave’s Hot Chicken in Fort Collins Hits the Mark

Perfecting Hot Fried Chicken: Dave’s Hot Chicken in Fort Collins Hits the Mark

What started as a small pop-up concept in a parking log in East Hollywood in 2017 has quickly expanded to an international franchise, and there’s a location in Fort Collins.

According to whatnowdenver.com, Franchisees Jason Beld and Marc Rogers made the quest to open a location in Northern Colorado.

In our series of reviews of Northern Colorado Chicken eateries, we are putting Dave’s Hot Chicken to the test.

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Dave’s Hot Chicken, Tender and Slider with fries (Photo by Blaine Howerton)

The location at 1700 S College Avenue, in Fort Collins, is inviting, with a bar and plenty of seating.

The menu is simple. It only has four meal choices.

I ordered the choice with the most variety, Dave’s #3 — One Tender and one slider with fries. The piping hot meal comes with sliced bread, pickles, and Dave’s sauce. The slider comes with kale slaw, pickles, and Dave’s Sauce.

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When you order a Dave’s Hot Chicken meal, you “choose your heat.” I’m a spicy chicken lover, but I also dislike being uncomfortable after my meal. So, I went with “Hot.” I was slightly uncomfortable. But not “unhappy.”

Dave’s Hot Chicken Strawberry Milk Shake (Photo by Blaine Howerton)

I don’t regret ordering what I did, but Hot is Hot! Thankfully, I requested a strawberry milkshake to cool down the heat.

After eating my first Dave’s Hot Chicken, I see what the craze is about! It’s a beautiful fresh chicken meal, served hot! And it’s not tiny. Sliders are usually too small for me. I like a MEAL. This slider was not!

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Dave’s Hot Chicken, Dave’s Sauce (Photo by Blaine Howerton)

A meal for two was $45 with a milkshake. The atmosphere was casual and inviting. I could picture myself sitting on the large patio on a warm day with a beer.

Dave’s Hot Chicken gets an A!

For more information, visit their website at daveshotchicken.com.

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