Kopushyan brought culinary credentials<\/a> to the venture, having trained at Thomas Keller\u2019s renowned French Laundry. <\/p>\n Just two days after opening, Dave\u2019s Hot Chicken caught a major break when Eater LA published a review declaring, \u201cEast Hollywood\u2019s New Late Night Hot Chicken Stand Might Blow Your Mind.\u201d Soon afterward, customers were lining up around the block for a taste of the restaurant\u2019s spicy chicken.<\/p>\n Following the coverage that launched the brand into the spotlight, an older brother joined the original trio, and the group soon opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant.<\/p>\n The chain has since expanded across the United States and internationally through franchising, transforming the startup into a billion-dollar business.<\/a><\/p>\n Along the way, Dave\u2019s Hot Chicken attracted celebrity investors<\/a>, including rapper Drake, actor Samuel L. Jackson and singer Usher. Drake has become one of the brand\u2019s most visible ambassadors, promoting the chain through social media posts and birthday chicken giveaways.<\/p>\n True to its name, the menu features jumbo chicken tenders and sliders with spice levels ranging from no spice to the Reaper, the chain\u2019s hottest offering. Customers who want to test their limits must sign a waiver before ordering. Printed on the receipt<\/a>, the warning references bodily injury, emotional distress and even death, making it one of the few fast-food meals that comes with legal paperwork.<\/p>\n In March, Dave\u2019s Hot Chicken announced that its newly launched<\/a> Hot Mozz, a thick-cut breaded and fried mozzarella item, had sold out nationwide just over a week after its debut. The company attributed the demand to strong social media attention, calling it one of the most successful product launches in its history.<\/p>\n The Staten Island Mall location<\/a> will be the chain\u2019s first in the borough and joins several other recent dining additions.<\/p>\n Earlier this summer, Hop Shoppe debuted an outdoor dining concept<\/a> between Barnes & Noble and the freestanding building housing Shake Shack, Chipotle and Kajiken<\/a>, a Japanese noodle concept. Across the street is freshly operating Top Pot. Shima is also new at the mall with an all-you-can eat sushi concept. <\/a><\/p>\n Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings will be among the new dining concepts arriving at the mall. Another incoming concept is slated to replace East Pacific following the restaurant\u2019s closure after 20 years.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Mall\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/WL4MNYHKVBFEZIHEQUAO6RGOUY.jpeg\")
Hop Shoppe’s outdoor dining concept has become a force at the Staten Island Mall, helping transform the shopping center into a growing food destination.(Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)Every restaurant owner\u2019s dream<\/p>\n![\"Mall\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/LFRKJLA6YVCKRIUKAUWSAJA5QU.jpeg\")
Recent additions include Kajiken, a Japanese noodle concept, and, across the street, Top Pot KBBQ & Hot Pot, which opened after a buildout that spanned more than two years.(Advance\/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)Meet you at the Mall<\/p>\n