Dave’s Hot Chicken, the Los Angeles-based, celebrity-backed, pop-up turned fast-casual franchise, is opening its second Milwaukee area location at 544 E. Ogden Ave. on Friday, Sept. 30.
Like its other locations, Dave's will offer the brand’s signature menu of Halal-certified Nashville style hot chicken tenders and sliders – available at seven spice levels from “No Spice” to “Reaper” (waiver required – plus sides including kale slaw, mac ‘n cheese and fries.
The franchise is operated by Ron Stokes and Mike Pranke who also operate Roaring Fork Restaurant Group, the parent company of Qdoba Mexican Eats.
The two opened their first Dave's Hot Chicken franchise last January in Menomonee Falls and are expected to open locations in Racine, Kenosha, Green Bay and the Fox Valley moving forward.
Arman Oganesyan, former Bouchon chef Dave Kopushyan and brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, launched the wildly popular Dave’s Hot Chicken concept as a pop-up in 2017. Since then, the brand has made a splash through both rapid expansion and celebrity investment from folks including Drake, former California First Lady Maria Shriver, Red Sox owner Tom Werner, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and Good Morning America anchor and retired NFL player Michael Strahan.
Starting Sept. 30, Dave's Hot Chickdn will be open Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until midnight.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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