Dave’s Hot Chicken has been a hit in Baton Rouge since it arrived, and I checked it out to see what all the hype was about. Let’s just say that my feelings weren’t exactly tender.

My first impression was that the restaurant itself had a good atmosphere. There were plenty of people inside enjoying their food so I didn’t have any doubts about the food being good. As soon as I arrived, there was a bit of a line, so I waited a while before I was able to order. 

I got the Dave’s #1 Combo which comes with two chicken tenders, french fries, two slices of bread, a side of pickles and their signature Dave’s sauce, which was a total of $16.22. 

The combos do not come with a drink, but they can be ordered on the side for an additional charge. For the chicken, you are able to choose the spice level. I went with medium for a safe option, but I honestly wish I would have gotten the hot chicken.

After about 25 minutes of waiting, my buzzer finally went off to pick up my food. Once I sat down to eat, it was hot to the touch so I let it cool down for a while before giving it a try.

Long story short, I was not impressed. The chicken was very juicy, but the batter on the outside completely ruined the flavor of the chicken for me. I honestly feel like I would’ve enjoyed the chicken more if it was grilled. 

There was too much powder coating the chicken for my liking. I felt like I was eating chicken that was coated in the powder they put on Taki’s. The flavor of the chicken wasn’t spicy and had a hint of sweetness to it. 

Maybe the lack of flavor could have been because I got medium instead of hot chicken, but regardless the chicken still should’ve had some flavor. It almost makes me think they specialize in seasoning so that the spicy sensation distracts you from how plain the chicken actually is.

I also wasn’t a fan of the size of the tenders. They were double the size I was expecting and too big to even dip in the sauce. The sauce was pretty good and it did help a little with adding some flavor to the chicken. It kind of reminded me of Cane’s sauce without pepper.

The two random slices of white bread was such an unnecessary addition to the meal since there are already options on the menu to get sliders instead of regular tenders.

My favorite part of the meal was the french fries. The fries were amazing which I was really glad about since the rest of the meal was a huge let down. They had a nice crisp and were well-seasoned. 

I was very disappointed by Dave’s Hot Chicken and I would rate it a solid 3/10. I’m not sure if it was a bad day for the kitchen crew, but that first impression was not great. It would not be my first pick for chicken tenders, and I don’t see myself ever going back.