Hattie B’s
Photograph: Joseph Woodley
Photograph: Joseph Woodley

The 11 best hot chicken spots in Nashville

From authentic classics to innovative takes, Nashville’s hot chicken comes in all shapes and sizes

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Hot chicken has a long (maybe true) history. In the 1930s, a woman revenged her partner for stepping out on her (as they say in the South) by giving him blow-your-head-off spicy chicken, but it backfired when he shock horror loved it. He and the rest of the Prince family made Prince’s hot chicken.

And though you’ll find it all over the place now, it’s a fact that nowhere does hot chicken like Nashville. Getting your hands on fluffy white bread, bone-in chicken, a pickle to cut through the spice is pretty much a right of passage when you’re here, and nowadays it comes in every form you can imagine. Traditional. Extra spicy. Even vegan (you heard us). Here are the best spots for hot chicken in Nashville just remember your glass of milk on the side. 

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Margaret Littman is a writer based in Nashville. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines

Best hot chicken in Nashville

1. Prince’s Hot Chicken

The first, the original, and many believe, the best, Prince’s is where to go if you want the roots of hot chicken. Head to Nolensville Pike on the city’s South side for fried birds six days a week. There’s also a Prince’s food truck stationed inside the Assembly Food Hall at 5th and Broadway. All three are serious about their spices. 

2. Bolton’s Hot Chicken & Fish

After Prince’s, Bolton’s is the next OG hot chicken purveyor, frying it up from Main Street in East Nashville. Bolton’s was opened in the 1980s, shuttered in the 1990s, and reopened in 1997. The authentic, multi-spice options are created with a dry rub. Bolton’s also fries up hot fish, catfish, and sells ribs and wings. There’s also a nice patio to sit and wait for your bird.

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3. Hattie B's Hot Chicken

There’s probably a line outside of Hattie B’s Hot Chicken right now. Purists bemoan the fact that this isn’t the authentic hot chicken experience, but the recipes are delicious—the Shut the Cluck Up spice level is legit—and having a selection of sides, beers, and air conditioning while you wait does not suck.

4. 400 Degrees

One of the few traditionalists in town willing to share recipes, 400 Degrees uses seasoned flour to get started. Spices include cayenne, cumin, paprika, garlic and onion, with different dried peppers—such as habanero or ghost pepper—in the mix depending on the eater’s spiciness preferences. The owner of this Clarksville Pike eatery was a fan of Prince’s growing up—at one point, she ate it daily—and her deep-fried, thicker skin recipe is her take on the classic.

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5. Chauhan Ale & Masala House

Maneet Chauhan came to Nashville to start her restaurant empire after her celebrity turn on TV’s Chopped, bringing her take on Indian cooking to Music City (she now owns four restaurants and is designing jewelry, too). So, it’s no surprise that her flagship eatery Chauhan Ale & Masala House serves hot chicken pakoras, a combination of both traditions, seasoned with chat masala, orange peel, cayenne and more.

6. The Southern V

Nestled in the Buchanan Arts District, The Southern V is one of the city’s most popular vegan restaurants. Its vegan “hot chicken,” made from seitan, provides the same spicy punch as the poultry versions across town. Vegan options of traditional hot chicken sides, such as mac 'n' cheese and green beans, are also available. If you can’t handle the heat, opt for the vegan “fried chicken” instead. 

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7. Slow Burn Hot Chicken

Located in East Nashville’s Cleveland Park neighborhood, Slow Burn serves hot chicken and fish, with several different spice levels so you can get the right burn on your tongue. Slow Burn also sells fish, shrimp, burritos, egg rolls, and even hot chicken doughnuts and apple fritters.

8. Subculture Urban Cuisine and Café

As you might expect at a place that lists “stupid hot” as one of its spice levels, Subculture does things a little different. Among those are some offbeat menu items. Opt for hot chicken served with waffles, in tacos, and even in ramen at this Nolensville Pike eatery. If you opt for your hot chicken on a sandwich, you'll get it on a homemade bun.

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Located in Music Valley near the Gaylord Opryland resort, Scoreboard has a big menu, live music, late-night hours, and a casual, tourist-friendly vibe. In addition to the traditional white-bread-with-a-pickle-prep, options include a hot chicken salad, nuggets, wings, and hot chicken-and-waffles, all available with varying spice levels. While Music Valley isn’t a neighborhood where you tend to see locals hang out, they make an exception for the hot chicken at Scoreboard Bar & Grill.

10. Party Fowl

The name pretty much says it all. It’s a good time here, where your hot chicken can be served with a beer or a frozen alcohol concoction. If you want to mix it up, you can try hot chicken poutine, nachos, po’ boy, or even a hot chicken Cuban sandwich (with chimichurri and buttered bread). Party Fowl is a full service restaurant and bar with the game on big TVs and patios for lazy day drinking.

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