An American fried chicken chain backed by several major celebrity investors is preparing to open its first Irish location in Dublin, bringing its popular Nashville-style hot chicken to the capital.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is planning to launch a restaurant on the ground floor of One Central Plaza, the redeveloped former Central Bank headquarters on Dame Street in Dublin city centre. Plans for the new outlet were first submitted to Dublin City Council in December, with the company’s Irish subsidiary recently providing additional information as part of the planning process.
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The move marks a significant step in the brand’s European expansion. Keyana Mohammadi, the company’s UK head of marketing, said the chain had identified Dublin as a key location for growth. She described the Irish capital as one of “Europe’s coolest cities”, adding that the business hopes the restaurant will be the first of several locations across the country.
“The food scene is thriving, so we feel now is the perfect time to land in the Emerald Isle. We are hoping it will be the first of many Irish Dave’s,” she said. “This opening is an important part of our European growth, but it’s also about becoming part of the local community. We’re looking forward to welcoming Dubliners and sharing our take on Nashville-style hot chicken with them.”
The chain has attracted attention globally not only for its spicy fried chicken but also for its high-profile investors. Among those backing the company are Drake, who invested in the brand in 2021, and Hollywood star Samuel L. Jackson.
The company itself has grown rapidly since its humble beginnings. Dave’s Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 as a small pop-up food stand in a Los Angeles parking lot, started by four friends who specialised in Nashville-style hot chicken, a spicy variation of Southern fried chicken. The brand quickly built a cult following in the United States before expanding internationally.
Its rapid growth attracted major investment from private equity firm Roark Capital, which acquired a majority stake in the company in 2025 in a deal reportedly valued at around $1 billion (€860 million). Roark is also known for owning several major restaurant brands, including sandwich giant Subway, which it acquired in 2023.
The European rollout of the brand is being overseen by hospitality group Azzurri Group, which operates a number of well-known restaurant chains. The company has outlined ambitious plans to open around 180 Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants across 10 European countries over the coming years.
The proposed Dublin location would place the chain in one of the capital’s busiest food and retail districts. One Central Plaza, the redeveloped Central Bank building on Dame Street, has become a major commercial hub following an extensive refurbishment that transformed the landmark property into a mixed-use space with offices, restaurants and retail outlets.
If approved, the new restaurant would mark the first Dave’s Hot Chicken outlet in Ireland, introducing Dublin diners to the brand’s signature spicy chicken tenders, sliders and sides that have helped fuel its rapid global expansion.
The company has not yet confirmed an opening date, but if the project moves ahead as planned, Dubliners could soon be lining up to try one of the fastest-growing fried chicken brands in the world.
