Plaza Midwood hours: Monday-Thursday: 11am-10pm Friday and Saturday: 11am-11pm Sunday: 11am-9pm. Zoom out: Charlotte is undeniably lacking on Nashville-style hot chicken restaurants - despite our relatively close proximity to the Music City - so it’s interesting to see how aggressively this California-based chain is entering the market.

They’re looking for restaurants that are about 2,000 to 2,500 square feet.

The spaces will feel hip, Nicole says.

Locations: The Smiths have their sights set on South End, south Charlotte, Ballantyne and other areas for potential locations.

The duo are experienced restaurant owners in Charlotte, owning and operating 12 (going on 14) Jersey Mike’s for 25 years.

Dave’s also sells chocolate, strawberry and vanilla milkshakes.īackground: Nick and his wife, Nicole, have been hooked on Dave’s Hot Chicken since they tried it in Dallas several months ago.Sides include fries, mac & cheese, kale slaw and cheese fries.There are four combo options to choose from: two tenders ($11.99), two sliders ($13.99), a mix of both ($12.99) or one slider ($9.99).There are seven levels, ranging from the extremely spicy reaper flavor to no spice at all (why would you do that, though?). Menu: The key to ordering at Dave’s is selecting the right spice level. “Munch at your own risk,” our Axios Nashville colleague Adam Tamburin quips.

The one place the Nashville-style fast-casual restaurant isn’t? Nashville.

Its locations all over North America, from Dallas to Denver to Toronto.

Dave’s, which started as a street-food pop-up in a California parking lot, today boasts a cult-like following.

What to expect: Walk into Dave’s and you’re greeted with huge colorful graffiti murals on the walls and loud rock music - a vibe typical of most Dave’s locations.

Dave's hot chicken grand opening