At 1001 Garnet Ave in Pacific Beach (92109), Dave's Hot Chicken operates the first San Diego location of the Nashville-style hot chicken chain founded in a Los Angeles parking lot in 2017 by chef Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, and brothers Tom and Gary Rubenyan. Kopushyan trained in Thomas Keller's Bouchon restaurant before channeling his culinary background into a focused menu of hand-breaded chicken tenders and sliders offered at seven spice levels, from No Spice through the Reaper, which requires a signed liability waiver. San Diego franchisees Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali signed a deal to bring a dozen locations to the county, and operator Deryl P. oversees the 2,000-square-foot Pacific Beach flagship. The Garnet Ave shop opened on May 29, 2020, moving into the corner unit that previously housed the short-lived Country Boy Fried Chicken. Late-night hours push to 3 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, serving the crowds near 710 Beach Club and the surrounding Garnet Ave bar scene. All chicken is Halal-certified and prepared fresh to order. Sides include house-made kale slaw, mac and cheese, and crispy French fries. Celebrity investors in the parent company include former California First Lady Maria Shriver, actor Samuel L. Jackson, movie producer John Davis, and Red Sox owner Tom Werner. A perfect 100 out of 100 health score and a 4.8-star Google rating across nearly 3,000 reviews reflect consistent execution at this location. Diners craving a different protein along the same block can head east on Garnet to the fresh sashimi and specialty rolls at PB Sushi. Delivery is available through multiple third-party apps, and the compact counter-service format favors takeout over lingering.