More Nashville hot chicken restaurants near opening in Fort Worth
A blitzkrieg of hot chicken is coming Fort Worth’s way this fall.
California-based Dave’s Hot Chicken and Nashville-based Helen’s Hot Chicken are within days of opening Fort Worth locations, with Ricky’s and a Dallas-area location of legendary Hattie B’s close behind.
Until now, diners seeking Nashville or Memphis hot chicken had to actually go out, drive a few miles and look for it.
Within weeks, it will be on nearly early street corner and strip center, battling for space and business left by other chicken or wing chains:
▪ Dave’s Hot Chicken, which drew 2-hour waiting lines when it opened in Dallas, is close to opening at 4608 Bryant Irvin Road, a former Schlotzsky’s/Cinnabon next door to Rufus Bar & Grill.
Chef Dave Kopushyan, an Armenian American, opened the first Dave’s as a pop-up in 2017 in East Hollywood, California. The company now plans at least 10 Texas locations. It serves sliders and tenders in various spice levels.
▪ Helen’s Hot Chicken, a Nashville spinoff from a soul food restaurant named Helen and John’s, will open its second Texas location after Labor Day at 2812 Horne St., on the corner at Camp Bowie Boulevard and Locke Avenue.
Helen’s serves chicken, tenders, wings, catfish, shrimp and whiting, with thick chicken fillet sandwiches and seafood platters.
Hot chicken-and-waffles is available weekends, with either wings or tenders.
▪ Ricky’s Hot Chicken, a Richardson venture by owner Ricky Tran, will open its second location in Arlington in the Arbrook Oaks shopping center, 3810 S. Cooper St.
Ricky’s serves chicken tenders, wings, legs and sandwiches, plus chicken-and-waffles weekends.
▪ Hattie B’s, the Nashville legend that inspired many chains, is opening in Dallas’ Deep Ellum district at 3000 Main St.
It’s known for chicken dinners, sandwiches and tenders.
They’ll join four major hot chicken restaurants already here: The Cookshack, 500 University Drive, a local company with new locations in Houston and South Texas; Hot Chicks Chicken, 337 Shops Blvd., Willow Park, selling tenders, sandwiches and “boozy slushies”; Red Claws Hot Chicken, 5278 S. Hulen St., a spinoff from an Arlington crab-boil restaurant; and Rule the Roost, a California startup with a pilot location at 6635 Westworth Blvd.
(Gus’s Fried Chicken, 1067 W. Magnolia Ave., is a 50-year Tennessee tradition specializing in Memphis hot chicken tenders and platters, plus chess, pecan and sweet potato pies. It’s cayenne-fried but not quite the same as Nashville-style.)
This story was originally published September 6, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
