Baba’s Hot Chicken is planning three more restaurants in California, with Irvine, Roseville and Napa on the list. The Riverside-born chain is joining a state where other fried-chicken brands are also expanding, and its latest plans reach from Orange County to Northern California.
The company named the three California projects in an October 29, 2026, expansion announcement. All three are planned restaurants, not new locations already serving customers. The company did not give street addresses, construction start dates or opening days for any of them.
Where are the three California restaurants going?
Irvine: The chain is planning a flagship restaurant at Irvine’s Great Park. That makes the Orange County project the most prominent of the three named California developments, although the announcement stops short of identifying a specific storefront or grand-opening schedule.
Roseville: Baba’s also plans a restaurant in this Sacramento-area city. The company has not named a shopping center, street address or expected opening month.
Napa: Another location is planned in the North Bay city best known for its surrounding wine country. As with Roseville, the chain has not announced a site or confirmed when customers might be able to order there.
These are three specifically identified California projects. The chain has not said that they represent every California restaurant in its broader development pipeline.
The expansion goes well beyond California
Baba’s says it has 38 restaurant locations under contract across the country. That number refers to planned development, not restaurants that are already open—and it is a nationwide figure rather than a California-only count.
The company named expansion markets in Nevada, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee, along with the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region. In Las Vegas, its first drive-thru restaurant is under construction, a more advanced status than the three California projects described in the same announcement.
The brand initially pursued multi-unit development agreements with franchise operators, giving experienced groups responsibility for expanding across territories. It is now also accepting single-unit franchisees. The company has not identified the operators or ownership arrangements for the Irvine, Roseville and Napa projects individually.
How Baba’s Hot Chicken got started
The chain traces its beginnings to 2019. Founder Mahmoud “Mike” Hemood told the University of California, Riverside School of Business that he first sold chicken sandwiches from his apartment while finishing college. He later built the concept into a restaurant business.
Hemood remains closely associated with the food, while co-founders Ommar Choudhry and Kasem Rasheed oversee franchise growth and operating systems, according to the company. The chain specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken, with sandwiches, tenders and loaded fries among the items featured on its website.
When will the new locations open?
For now, there are no announced opening dates for Irvine, Roseville or Napa. The company says restaurant openings depend on site development, construction and other requirements, so diners should watch for specific addresses and schedules as the projects advance.
The immediate news is a three-city California plan backed by a much larger franchise push. Whether the closest spot lands in Orange County, the Sacramento area or the North Bay first remains to be announced.
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