Dave’s Hot Chicken Ready to Serve Hudson Valley Customers

The highly anticipated opening of a popular chicken restaurant is on the way. When can you get your first taste of Dave's Hot Chicken in Poughkeepsie, New York?

In February, without warning, a huge picture of a chicken head was placed on the former Table Talk Diner at 2521 South Rd. in Poughkeepsie. After the diner's closure in 2020, the building briefly became a crab restaurant and then a hot yoga spot. The sign signaled the beginning of a new chapter of the Route 9 location which would soon transform into one of the hottest food franchises in the country.

Dave's Hot Chicken Finally Comes to Poughkeepsie, New York

For those who aren't familiar with Dave's, the restaurant got its start in an abandoned parking lot in California back in 2017. Four entrepreneurs with a love for chicken set up folding chairs and tables and served customers their own recipe for spicy fried chicken.

Now, there are over 200 Dave's Hot Chicken restaurants across the country serving mac and cheese, crinkle cut fries, shakes and the chain's signature chicken in a wide range of heat from mild to the eye-watering "Reaper". Sites like TikTok and YouTube are full of videos from rabid fans who can't seem to get enough of Dave's menu.

Opening Date Announced for Dave's Hot Chicken in Poughkeepsie

Last month, signs began appearing on Route 9 announcing that Dave's Hot Chicken was hiring employees. Open interviews were conducted as the restaurant promised that it was "opening soon". Well, that day has finally arrived, as Dave's is now fully staffed and ready to accept customers.

According to the restaurant's official Instagram account, a "secret" soft opening for Dave's Hot Chicken will take place on Thursday, August 7. Soft openings are used as a trial run for a new business so they can work out the kinks before officially advertising their opening. Many times these events can be invite-only for family and friends, but because it was advertised on the chain's official Instagram account, this dress rehearsal appears to be open to the public.

If you'd rather wait for the official opening, that will take place on Friday, August 8. As experienced at the recent grand opening of Crumbl, just a few miles north of the new Dave's Hot Chicken location, the opening days of a new food establishment can get pretty busy, so expect some lines for at least the next week.