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Eater
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Las Vegas — July 25
It's the most pressing question of the weekend: 'Where should I eat?' Here, Eater editors issue tried and true recommendations for places to check out this weekend. For a cult-favorite without the line: Howlin' Ray's For a cult-favorite without the line: Howlin' Ray's. Janna Karel Las Vegas has fully embraced the modern food hall — a new take on the food court model that has replaced buffets with trendy stalls from big-name chefs. The newest, and arguably most exciting, is Via Via inside the Venetian Resort. Among its standout offerings is Howlin' Ray's, the cult-favorite Los Angeles spot known for round-the-block lines and Nashville-style hot chicken fried until golden and craggly. Here, the signature chicken sandwich lives up to the hype — juicy fried chicken with heat levels ranging from a mild zing to mouth-scorchingly hot, layered with slaw, cool pickles, and creamy sauce on a roasted bun. Sides like crunchy fries and indulgent thick banana pudding round out the meal. Best of all: Unlike the LA location, the Vegas outpost is still enough of a sleeper hit that there's no line at all. 3355 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109. — Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For a celebratory brunch: Delilah For a celebratory brunch: Delilah. Janna Karel Delilah is a standout in Vegas nightlife. Dinners here are all glitz and glamour — think beef Wellington, lobster rolls, a live band, and dancers weaving through bronze palm trees. Now, that energy spills into daylight with a newly debuted Saturday brunch that's just as elaborate. The meal starts with pastries and a platter of fresh fruit for the table, followed by shared plates of chicken tenders and waffles with spicy maple syrup, salad, and artfully arranged smoked salmon with edible flowers, capers, and cream cheese for spreading on bagels. Brunch brings dishes like thick-cut brioche French toast with berries and mascarpone, an omelet topped with caviar and served with a fancy hash brown, or heartier options like a burger or steak and eggs. Live music continues through the 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. seatings, and it all wraps up with a tiered selection of miniature desserts. At $150 per person, it's a splurge — but one that makes Saturday feel special. 3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. — Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For comforting dumplings: Xiao Long Dumplings Janna Karel A perfect soup dumpling is the stuff of dreams — soft, pleated dough wrapped around spiced pork and suspended in savory broth. It's exactly what the aptly named Xiao Long Dumplings does best. Baskets arrive under a shroud of steam, ready for the ritual: poke a hole to let the steam escape, slurp the hot broth, and add a few drops of black vinegar before the final bite. This popular Chinatown spot earns its following, with paper menus so tempting you'll want to check nearly every box — from crunchy cucumber salad to umami-rich noodle soups and crisp beef-stuffed pancakes. Just be sure to save room for dessert: the sweet, steamy chocolate bao is comfort in its own right. 4275 Spring Mountain Rd #D101, Las Vegas, NV 89102. — Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Eater Vegas All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Style Blueprint
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Style Blueprint
Lockeland Table's Cult-Favorite Peach Pizza Returns — But Not for Long
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit When Chef Hal Holden-Bache opened Lockeland Table in 2012, it quickly became a darling of the East Nashville dining scene. Now, more than a decade later, it's still one of those rare spots that combines neighborhood charm with culinary excellence — and perhaps nothing captures that spirit better than the restaurant's near-cult-favorite Southern Hawaiian pizza, which is only available for a few weeks each year. 'Many years ago, I think with the help of some current employees at the restaurant, we were just talking one day, and somehow the Southern Hawaiian was born,' Hal recalls. A playful riff on the traditional ham-and-pineapple pizza, this version swaps tropical fruit for something much closer to home — sweet, juicy Tennessee peaches. Thin-sliced, prosciutto-style ham from Bob Woods' The Hammery, in Murfreesboro, adds a salty depth that pairs perfectly with the peaches. 'We use Bob Woods' Tennshootoe-style ham from Murfreesboro, TN,' Hal explains. 'I've always been a big fan of Bob's products and have always used his Tennshootoe in my kitchen. The peach and the ham, with the jalapeño, aged provolone, raw red onion, and then the hot honey afterward — it's just a real solid pizza. It's always been one of my favorite pizzas.' It's not just a fan favorite; it's a bit of a summer ritual. 'It's always a big deal at Lockeland Table when peaches come back in season,' Hal says. The pizza is typically offered for just three to five weeks, and with only a couple of weeks left before local peach season wraps, now's the time to make a reservation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lockeland Table (@lockelandtable) And if you're going all in on peaches, order the peach cobbler with homemade granola for dessert. Of course, no one would fault you for choosing the skillet cookie made with local Olive & Sinclair chocolate, topped with Bravo Gelato. Or the decadent banana foster bread pudding. In true Lockeland Table fashion, every option is a winner. As for the perfect pairing? A crisp glass of prosecco or any light, bubbly cocktail balances the richness of the pizza beautifully. Consider this your official peach-season PSA: Get to Lockeland Table while the Southern Hawaiian is still on the menu. It's not just pizza — it's a celebration of summer, Nashville-style. Book your reservation at Lockeland Table here. ********** Love sandwiches? Check out our 17 favorite local Nashville sandwiches HERE. About the Author Liza Graves As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!
Los Angeles Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
From an L.A. parking lot to a $1 billion deal — the red-hot success story of Dave's Hot Chicken
It started in an East Hollywood parking lot: one small fryer, no permits, a few heat lamps and a tent constantly battered by wind. A trio of friends — all from L.A.'s Armenian community, and all high school dropouts — scraped together $900 in 2017 because they believed that their Nashville-style fried chicken stand was the future. Now Dave's Hot Chicken is worth $1 billion. This year the modern specialist in the decades-old spicy fried chicken style that originated in Nashville became one of L.A.'s most astounding small-business success stories. The chain currently operates about 320 storefronts, with 800 more planned. Dave's Hot Chicken has opened as many as five new locations in a day. ('Oh, we've done that multiple times,' co-founder Arman Oganesyan said casually.) The spiced, craggly, neon-red chicken tenders and sandwiches can now be found in London and Dubai just as easily as in Hollywood and Ladera Heights. And those are now valuable globetrotting chicken tenders. In June private-equity firm Roark Capital acquired the homespun chain, which began with a five-month renegade stint, valuing Dave's at $1 billion. 'Ever since Dave's started it changed my life, but this [deal] gives me a little bit of security,' Oganesyan said. According to Oganesyan, who declined to share the figure of his new net worth, the payout was 'a lot.' 'Let's just say it's starting to look like a phone number,' he said of his bank account. The 33-year-old entrepreneur, born in Armenia, moved to Los Angeles when he was 2 years old and met another Dave's founder, Tommy Rubenyan, in kindergarten. In middle school Dave Kopushyan became another fast friend, and eventually the chef, co-founder and namesake of their company. Until 2017 the thought of owning a restaurant empire — let alone a single restaurant — never crossed Oganesyan's mind. But that year the aspiring actor and standup comedian noticed Nashville hot chicken starting to trend, primarily given the success of Chinatown's Howlin' Ray's, a West Coast beacon of the dish. The fried chicken is typically coated in a mixture of cayenne and paprika that singes the tongue. It was invented by Thornton Prince III, of Nashville's Prince's Hot Chicken. His descendant Kim Prince brought her family's legacy to L.A. in 2017 with her Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw restaurant, Hotville Chicken, but closed it in 2022. She now serves her famous Hotville fried chicken via Dulanville Food Truck, which she runs in collaboration with restaurateur Gregory Dulan. Prince's sparked hot chicken restaurants throughout the country, but it reached a fever pitch in Los Angeles with Howlin' Ray's. Oganesyan knew Kopushyan, a former Bouchon line cook, had the culinary skills to test the waters, but it took a little convincing to get him on board. But after a taste — and witnessing the popularity — Kopushyan had to try to create a recipe of his own. 'Arman brought me to Howlin' Ray's and it blew my mind,' Kopushyan previously told The Times. 'We saw the lines at Howlin' Ray's and we knew it was going to be a good business.' When not working shifts at Echo Park vegetarian restaurant Elf Cafe, Kopushyan toiled in his home kitchen with spice blends for four and a half months, obsessively tinkering with breading, seasoning and frying. The three friends ate it every day, tasting and discussing each batch in Kopushyan's Hollywood apartment. He wanted to steer the pop-up in a cheffier direction, incorporating their own house-made bread and pickles, while Oganesyan wanted something more tailored to his own 'simple palate.' Eventually they found compromise. The recipes, however, remain secret. They scraped together about $900: $315 Oganesyan had saved, $300 from Kopushyan's most recent Elf Cafe paycheck, and another $300 from Rubenyan. When the trio deemed their product ready, Rubenyan's parents spotted an opportunity: Across the street from their East Hollywood flower shop sat a vacant lot. They knew the landlords, who gave the trio their blessing to use the space. The plan was simple: Pop up for roughly a year, then spring for a food truck and slowly grow the operation into a bricks-and-mortar. Things moved at a much faster pace than any of them imagined. Dave's Hot Chicken debuted in May 2017 running Monday to Saturday, informally, in the parking lot. 'If we got shut down, we got shut down, back to square one,' Oganesyan said of the business plan. Fortunately for them, it never happened. As word of mouth spread curious customers lined up for meals that included two tenders with fries, slaw and slices of white bread, nearly identical to what the chain offers today. A few weeks later the team added sandwiches. Eventually they would expand the spice-level offerings from the simple choice of mild or hot to today's seven options ranging from no spice to reaper. 'We always tell people to get hot, because it's not called Dave's Mild Chicken,' Oganesyan said. The chicken — sourced from Wayne Farms — has been halal from day one, not due to religious preferences but to quality, a choice that multiple members involved said contributed to the seamless expansion into the United Arab Emirates. The early days were 'hectic,' according to its owners, who said they were 'working against the elements' with far too many customers than they were prepared for. An early article from Eater LA multiplied the lines overnight, with 60 to 90 guests waiting for at least an hour. Instagram and TikTok fueled the demand, creating more buzz and a flurry of parking-lot imitators across the city. Within a few months, the trio realized they'd need to ride the hot-chicken wave and expand earlier than planned. Rubenyan's brother, Gary, became a partner, allowing them to launch their first restaurant, a corner space in a strip mall on Western Avenue. They invited their friends to scrawl spray-painted phrases and sketches across the walls, an aesthetic now seen in Dave's locations around the world. Soon after launching their first storefront, investors John Davis and Bill Phelps entered the picture. Davis, a prolific movie and TV producer, had his hand in a number of fast-casual restaurants. He'd helped incubate and grow businesses such as Blaze Pizza and Wetzel's Pretzels with his business partner, Phelps. In 2018 the Dave's founders sold half of the company to Davis and Phelps, and tapped the latter as chief executive; the company launched the second Dave's in 2019, quickly followed by a half-dozen more. Franchises spread into San Diego and Orange County, then Canada, across the U.S. and into the United Arab Emirates and London. Lines at openings still routinely wrap around the block, eight years into business. 'I've been doing the restaurant industry since I was 15 years old — I'm 51 years old now, and I've never seen anything like Dave's or the fandom around it,' said Jim Bitticks, Dave's president and chief operating officer. Bitticks joined Dave's after the company's fourth restaurant, and had worked with Phelps and Davis at Blaze Pizza. The companies' franchise and expansion plans, he said, are similar: Roughly 99% of the restaurants should be franchise-owned-and-operated, with a few company-helmed restaurants to staff training teams, which then help open franchise locations around the world. The four founders still own and operate seven locations, including the first restaurant and three others in L.A., plus three in Las Vegas. They see themselves as a kind of In-N-Out for Nashville hot chicken — but with a globe-spanning reach. Within two years of Dave's partnership with Phelps and Davis numerous celebrities signed on as investors, including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson and Maria Shriver. 'It was great, but I emphasized to everybody that celebrities are not going to make or break your brand,' Oganesyan said. 'If your food can't stand on its own two feet, then it doesn't matter if the pope endorses you, nobody's gonna care.' Then in 2025, a breaded-and-fried bombshell: Multi-billion-dollar private equity firm Roark Capital would acquire 70% of the chain's business, a deal valued at $1 billion. The behemoth, Atlanta-based firm currently owns five dozen companies, nearly half of them food-based, including Subway, Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin' Cinnabon and Jimmy John's. Its courtship with Dave's was a long one. Representatives attended the opening of the chain's 15th storefront in 2021, and ever since, they kept in touch. In late 2024 the Dave's founders decided to expand into even more countries and 'nontraditional' spaces such as airports and food courts. After years of interest from Roark Capital they decided, in early 2025, to agree to a deal. Bitticks said that a stipulation of the acquisition was that all executives keep 50% of their equity, keeping them engaged in the future of Dave's Hot Chicken. 'None of us are leaving,' he said. 'We have gotten people saying, 'Oh, they sold, they're going to sell out,'' Bittick said. 'We're really focused on not allowing that to happen. Even though there was a sale and some of the equity changed hands, the whole point is that Roark Capital doesn't want to screw it up, either.' Eventually, Oganesyan said, he might like to start a new company. For now his focus is on Dave's and how far they can build the brand. 'I feel like the sky's the limit right now,' he said. Nearly everything — at least so far — has remained the same at the company. The same management team remains in place. Oganesyan will remain the branding officer, and Kopushyan the chief culinary officer. The founders' hope is that Roark Capital allows for an international expansion with minimal intervention in the existing chain of command. There's also the increase in access. With a network of global food suppliers, the Dave's team aims to secure better vendor pricing and similar scaling perks under the Roark umbrella — though the chicken's sourcing will remain the same. According to Dave's owners the food will not change, and if any new items are added to the menu, they will be closely related to the original dishes. Oganesyan said all employees will be retained. 'For the most part,' Oganesyan said, 'I think we'll continue to run the company the way it is.' After the acquisition, shareholders contributed roughly $60 million of their own profits to start a bonus pool for Dave's employees, including some store managers whom they felt had helped the business grow over the years. Before Dave's, Olivia Mendoza had never tasted Nashville-style hot chicken. The closest she'd come, she said, was Popeye's — not very close at all. But the spicy hot chicken would change her life, turning her into a first-time business owner in less than one year with the company. Along with Bitticks and three others, Mendoza owns and operates Dave's locations in Ontario, Fontana and Chino Hills, and a fourth is set to debut in Claremont this month, with more planned for next year. Could the excitement over Nashville-style hot chicken eventually fizzle out? 'Obviously, there's always things that come and go — a trend — and they die in a few years,' Mendoza said. 'But I feel like this is something that's going to stay because it's not just another brand. I think because of all it has behind it, and all the support that is there, that it will keep us going and growing as well.' The company hopes to bring its neon-red chicken strips farther into the UAE, U.K. and Europe. But to Oganesyan, no matter where Dave's opens and how far his hot chicken empire spreads, Los Angeles will always be the chain's home base. 'We're just so known out here,' he said. 'It's our hometown. It's like a home court advantage out here.'
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Haven Hot Chicken Celebrates Grand Reopening of Norwalk Location with New Look and One-Day-Only Vulgar Chef Collaboration
July 12th reopening to showcase updated restaurant features, enhanced service experiences, along with great food and atmosphere NORWALK, Conn., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Haven Hot Chicken, the award-winning Nashville-style Hot Chicken concept known for crispy, crave-worthy chicken and inclusive hospitality, is excited to announce the Grand Reopening of its Norwalk location (596 Westport Avenue) on Friday, July 12, 2025. To mark the occasion, Haven will debut a fully upgraded store experience and is teaming up for a one-day-only menu collaboration with culinary provocateur, The Vulgar Chef, known for his wildly inventive, no-holds-barred food creations. The refreshed location features upgraded service flow, a revamped interior design, and enhancements focused on speed, efficiency, and in-store hospitality. "This reopening is more than a facelift - it's a full guest experience upgrade," said Jason Sobocinski, President and Co-Founder of Haven Hot Chicken. "Our Norwalk location was due for a little extra love and it's now a space that pushes flavor boundaries and lives up to the craveable, high-energy vibe that defines Haven." Highlights of the Grand Reopening include: A new, modernized interior and streamlined service experience Exclusive, limited-time Vulgar Chef x Haven collab item, only available July 12 Live DJ spinning to keep the party going! A chance for longtime fans and first-timers to reconnect with Haven Hot Chicken Norwalk "We wanted to make it faster, more fun, and the best place to experience what makes our brand so special," Sobocinski continued. "This grand reopening is our way of saying thank you to the Norwalk community and inviting everyone back to see what's new." Event Details: Haven Hot Chicken – Norwalk 596 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT Friday, July 12, 2025 – Doors open at 11AM Limited quantities available – first come, first served About Haven Hot Chicken: Haven Hot Chicken is a rapidly expanding Nashville-style Hot Chicken concept with a mission to satisfy the world's craving for something better and serve the BEST Hot Chicken and Not Chicken its guests have ever had. Founded in 2020, the brand got its start as a pop-up before opening its first brick-and-mortar location. Today, with nine locations across Connecticut and more on the way, Haven continues to grow while delivering legendary flavor and unmatched hospitality. Serving chicken and its "not chicken" vegetarian option ranging from no spice to very spicy, the menu features the epic and signature "THE Sandwich," as well as other featured mains, classic sides and seasonal limited-time offerings. The restaurant's convenient locations offer easy online ordering for pick-up and delivery through both its branded and third-party apps, and extensive catering options. Haven Hot Chicken was featured on Food Network and Guy Fieri's "Best Bite in Town" in 2024 and ultimately named the Best Bite in New Haven. It has received numerous industry accolades, including recognition on the 2024 Inc. 5000 List (No. 160 overall), "20 Fast Casual Brands to Watch," and the QSR "40/40 List." For more information, visit @havenhotchicken on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook or sign up for the company's newsletter at Media Contact Jason Sobocinski, Haven Hot Chicken, 203.671.4120, jason@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Haven Hot Chicken Sign in to access your portfolio
USA Today
08-07-2025
- General
- USA Today
Yelp unveils top 20 chicken sandwich chains: See where Chick-fil-A, Popeyes rank
What's more American than fireworks and cookouts? Fast food, of course. Yelp, for the first time this year, has rounded up the Top 20 fast food chicken sandwich chains to celebrate the country's insatiable appetite for the deep fried, or sometimes grilled entrée. "Move over, burgers – America's love affair with chicken sandwiches is hotter than ever," Yelp said in a press release. "Whether it's a fiery Nashville-style filet, a buttermilk-brined classic, or a saucy chicken finger, these crispy creations have taken center stage on menus across the country." According to data gathered by Yelp, the online directory and review platform, searches for "chicken sandwich" were up 125% in June 2025 compared to June 2019, when "the chicken craze first took off." "Whether you're a fan of fiery heat, crispy crunch, or a secret sauce, these popular bites are winning overfans nationwide," according to Yelp. All of the brands or fast food chains included in this list have more than 100 historical locations, operate in multiple states and have reviews mentioning their chicken sandwiches. With National Fried Chicken Day behind us, there's no better time to check where your go-to fast food spot ranks. See where (and if) your favorite fast-food chain ranked on Yelp's roundup. Map shows top chicken sandwich chains by region 1. Chick-fil-A 2. Dave's Hot Chicken 3. Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers 4. Shake Shack 5. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 6. Habit Burger & Grill 7. Denny's 8. Wingstop 9. McDonald's 10. Zaxby's See which fast food chains failed to crack the Top 10
