The Popular Chicken Chain Restaurant That Became A Go-To Spot For Beer Lovers

If you haven't set foot in a Dave's Hot Chicken restaurant yet, you're missing out. The chain has become popular in recent years for its tasty, Nashville-style hot chicken, crinkle fries, gooey mac and cheese, and casual atmosphere. So much so that it exploded from just a single parking lot pop-up in 2017 to over 300 brick-and-mortar stores by 2025. 

However, it's not just the good eats bringing in fans. For the above-21 crowd, few things are better than washing down bites of hot chicken with an ice-cold beer. While not all Dave's locations serve alcohol, those that do are helping grow the chain into a haven for beer lovers. That's right — consider Dave's the latest addition to the list of fast-casual restaurants that serve alcohol that's shaking up the industry as a result.

Whether or not you can get a beer comes down to local booze laws, of course, as well as whether or not the franchise owners have decided to make alcoholic drinks part of the party. That said, if you're lucky to live by one of the Dave's locations that does serve beer (and, in some cases, wine), you might find a lineup of domestic favorites or crafty local brews to wash down those fiery tenders and sliders. In one instance, a Dave's location even collaborated with a local home-brewer, Time Flies Brewing Co., for a Pale Ale to serve its customers. And if that's not your thing, you can also follow this easy advice to figure out what beer to pair with your next meal — whether you're sipping in the restaurant or picking up a six-pack on the way home with a to-go order.

Even though, at some Dave's Hot Chicken spots, you can cool the spicy chicken heat with an ice-cold beer, not every locale has the same options. And, unfortunately, most Dave's locations don't appear to have their full beverage menus listed online — which means it's even harder to figure out if your specific location serves booze or not. This ultimately means that, if you're not seeing alcohol mentioned anywhere on the website of your local Dave's, you may want to just go ahead and give them a call to ask instead of gambling on a trip there. 

Some people have also taken to asking others on Yelp if their local Dave's sells beer, but these responses may not always be reliable or current. Nonetheless, even if your nearest Dave's location doesn't currently have beer on offer, don't get too discouraged. Some locations have been spotted putting up menus with beer advertised as "coming soon," so it's only a matter of time before yours jumps on the suds bandwagon.

At the end of the day, beer and chicken are a match made in heaven, but you can't control whether or not your nearby Dave's Hot Chicken spot serves it. Fortunately, there are still plenty of options for quenching your thirst on premise. 

According to the franchise's long list of menu items, most Dave's locations serve classic soft drinks from a soda fountain — think cola, lemon-lime, root beer, and more — along with bottled water, because of course you'll need something to cool down that spicy heat. Sweet tea and lemonade are also popular choices for a Southern-style complement (it is Nashville-style hot chicken, after all), and they're often available on tap or in bottles. For a creamy, cooling contrast to the heat, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate milkshakes (plus a few candy-loaded options) are also widely available. 

Finally, Dave's also serves a variety of blended ice and fruit slushers, which can be topped with cream, popping boba, even candy to double as dessert. At the end of the day, though, nothing is stopping you from getting your order to-go and simply enjoying it with your beer of choice at home.