Dave's Hot Chicken is headed to Katy for the first time, with a $500,000 buildout planned at Texas Heritage Marketplace in west Katy.

A state construction filing registered Tuesday, Sept. 29, lists the Nashville-style hot chicken chain for a 2,100-square-foot space at 1552 Heritage Oak Lane, first reported by My Neighborhood News. Construction is scheduled to begin Nov. 1, with completion projected for Jan. 31, 2027.

Those dates reflect the construction timeline, not a confirmed restaurant opening. Dave's Hot Chicken had not announced a grand opening date on its official location directory as of early October.

The restaurant will join Jersey Mike's Subs and Biscuit Belly in the same building at 1552 Heritage Oak Lane. Biscuit Belly filed separate plans for a 2,800-square-foot, $810,000 buildout in the building, with interior work scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 28 and completion projected for Feb. 12, 2027.

Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 in East Hollywood. Chef Dave Kopushyan and co-founders Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan pooled about $900 and started cooking with portable fryers and folding tables in a parking lot. The company began franchising in 2019 and said in August 2026 that it had sold rights to more than 1,500 franchise locations across the United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

The chain's menu centers on hot chicken tenders, sliders and bites with seven spice levels.

All chicken is halal.

The nearest existing locations are in Missouri City and on Westheimer Road in west Houston. The chain's Texas directory does not list an operating Katy restaurant.

Texas Heritage Marketplace is a $400 million, 165-acre mixed-use development at I-10 and Texas Heritage Parkway, built by Houston-based NewQuest Properties. The project spans more than 750,000 square feet and serves master-planned communities including Cane Island, Cross Creek Ranch, Jordan Ranch and Sunterra, according to My Neighborhood News reporting.

Lowe's opened Sept. 4 at the development, and Target's Katy Heritage store was scheduled to open Sunday, Oct. 11. Sam's Club is under construction with an early 2027 opening targeted. City officials have estimated the development will generate roughly $3 million in annual sales tax revenue for Katy.

"The demand for retail in this high-growth area is immediate so everyone is committed to getting it done as quickly as possible," NewQuest managing director of leasing David Meyers said in Aug. 18 coverage by Covering Katy, describing the development's pace.

As of July, approximately 85% to 90% of the development had been preleased, according to Community Impact. No grand opening date for the Katy Dave's Hot Chicken has been announced.