Quick answer
Nashville's iconic hot chicken, a fiery dish served with white bread and pickles, can be found for $10-$18 at the spots recommended by locals on Reddit. Prince's Hot Chicken Shack is the most respected original spot, while Hattie B's is the most popular overall.
- Best overall
- Prince's Hot Chicken
- Top pick
- Prince's Hot Chicken
Top verdicts
- Prince's Hot Chicken: Cooked-to-order — expect a 30+ minute wait even when the line is short.
- Hattie B's Hot Chicken: 60–90 minute weekend lines at Midtown — try the West Nashville or Melrose locations for the same kitchen with much less wait.
- Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish: Tiny dining room, slow line — go for takeaway and eat in your car or on a nearby bench.
The heat comes from an oil or lard-based sauce applied after frying, creating that distinctive red-orange coating. Unlike buffalo wings, the spice is in the coating, not a separate sauce. Most spots offer heat levels from mild to “shut the cluck up” — start at medium your first time.
Area map
All 12 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince's Hot Chicken | the-original | mid | 5814 Nolensville Pk #110, Nashville, TN 37211 |
| 2 | Hattie B's Hot Chicken | hot-chicken | mid | 112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203 |
| 3 | Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish | hot-chicken-&-fish | mid | 624 Main St, Nashville, TN 37206 |
| 4 | Red's Hot Chicken | hot-chicken | mid | 115 27th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203 |
| 5 | 400 Degrees | hot-chicken | mid | 3704 Clarksville Pike, Nashville, TN 37218 |
| 6 | Pepperfire Hot Chicken | modern-hot-chicken | mid | 5104 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209 |
| 7 | Brave Idiot | food-truck | mid | 922 Main St (behind No Quarter), Nashville, TN 37206 |
| 8 | Helen's Hot Chicken | hot-chicken-&-fish | mid | 1801 Jefferson St #101, Nashville, TN 37208 |
| 9 | Party Fowl | modern-hot-chicken | mid | 2031 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 |
| 10 | BJ Hot Chicken | budget-pick | mid | 818 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217 |
| 11 | Moore's Spicy Fried Chicken | budget-pick | mid | 115 Walton Ferry Rd, Hendersonville, TN 37075 |
| 12 | Slow Burn Hot Chicken | modern-hot-chicken | mid | 614 18th Avenue N, Nashville, TN 37203 |
1Prince's Hot Chicken
The OriginalQuick comparison
- Best for
- Hot chicken history pilgrims
- Strengths
- Known for The Original · 5814 Nolensville Pk #110, Nashville, TN 37211
- Price / value
- $10-$18
- Why it made the list
- Thornton Prince's family invented Nashville hot chicken in the 1930s — Prince's is the original, the recipe everyone else builds from. 4.3 stars on 4,300+ reviews. Currently at the Nolensville Pike location after fire and pandemic disruptions.
- What to order
- A quarter chicken at medium with white bread and pickles. Skip 'hot' your first time.
🕐 Opening hours
2Hattie B's Hot Chicken
Hot ChickenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Tourist-friendly hot chicken with full menu
- Strengths
- Known for Hot Chicken · 112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
- Price / value
- $12-$20
- Why it made the list
- Midtown's most popular hot chicken — 4.6 stars on over 13,000 reviews, the version most tourists meet first, with heat levels from 'Southern' (mild) to 'Shut the Cluck Up' (very hot).
- What to order
- Quarter dark at medium with mac and cheese and pimento cheese on the side.
🕐 Opening hours
3Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish
Hot Chicken & FishQuick comparison
- Best for
- Locals' choice for hot fish and chicken
- Strengths
- Known for Hot Chicken & Fish · 624 Main St, Nashville, TN 37206
- Price / value
- $8-$14
- Why it made the list
- East Nashville hot chicken (and fish) since the 1990s — 4.0 stars on 2,400 reviews, one of the smallest and least-touristed serious hot chicken counters in the city.
- What to order
- Hot fish sandwich — Bolton's fish program is the locals' tip.
4Red's Hot Chicken
Hot ChickenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Highest-rated hot chicken in town
- Strengths
- Known for Hot Chicken · 115 27th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203
- Price / value
- $12-$18
- Why it made the list
- Sylvan Park 615 standout — 4.9 stars on 990 reviews, the highest-rated hot chicken on this list. Tighter operation, smaller menu, more consistent execution.
- What to order
- Half chicken at medium with the slaw.
🕐 Opening hours
5400 Degrees
Hot ChickenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Black-owned, recipe-conscious hot chicken
- Strengths
- Known for Hot Chicken · 3704 Clarksville Pike, Nashville, TN 37218
- Price / value
- $8-$14
- Why it made the list
- Aqui Hines's Clarksville Pike shop — 4.3 stars on 503 reviews, named for the heat target and one of the few Black-owned hot chicken shops left in a market increasingly dominated by chains.
- What to order
- Quarter dark at 400 (medium); the shop is named for it.
6Pepperfire Hot Chicken
Modern Hot ChickenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Creative modern hot chicken formats
- Strengths
- Known for Modern Hot Chicken · 5104 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209
- Price / value
- $10-$16
- Why it made the list
- Centennial Boulevard modern shop — 4.4 stars on 1,650 reviews, with creative formats (hot chicken tenders, hot chicken biscuits, hot chicken poutine) that diverge from the classic plate.
- What to order
- The Tender Royale — hot tenders on Texas toast with cheese and slaw.
7Brave Idiot
Food TruckQuick comparison
- Best for
- Capsaicin-free serious-heat tenders
- Strengths
- Known for Food Truck · 922 Main St (behind No Quarter), Nashville, TN 37206
- Price / value
- $10-$16
- Why it made the list
- Main Street food truck behind No Quarter — 4.9 stars on 300 reviews, run by a chef who refuses to use capsaicin extract and instead builds heat from layered fresh peppers. The serious hot-chicken nerd's pick.
- What to order
- Tender plate at the highest heat you can handle — Brave Idiot's heat is flavor-driven, not just punishment.
🕐 Opening hours
8Helen's Hot Chicken
Hot Chicken & FishQuick comparison
- Best for
- Budget Jefferson Street hot chicken
- Strengths
- Known for Hot Chicken & Fish · 1801 Jefferson St #101, Nashville, TN 37208
- Price / value
- $8-$14
- Why it made the list
- Jefferson Street neighborhood shop — 3.9 stars on 1,600 reviews, with a wider hot fish program alongside the chicken and lower prices than the chains.
- What to order
- Hot fish basket with white bread.
🕐 Opening hours
9Party Fowl
Modern Hot ChickenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Hot chicken with a full bar
- Strengths
- Known for Modern Hot Chicken · 2031 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
- Price / value
- $14-$22
- Why it made the list
- Broadway-and-Demonbreun bar with a serious hot chicken program — 4.6 stars on 50 reviews (newer location), full bar, and creative formats like hot-chicken nachos.
- What to order
- Hot chicken nachos and a draft beer.
🕐 Opening hours
10BJ Hot Chicken
Budget PickQuick comparison
- Best for
- Budget locals' pick
- Strengths
- Known for Budget Pick · 818 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217
- Price / value
- $8-$14
- Why it made the list
- Murfreesboro Pike budget shop — 4.4 stars on 1,000+ reviews, hot chicken at $8–$14 with no atmosphere overhead and consistent execution.
- What to order
- Quarter dark plate with white bread and pickles.
11Moore's Spicy Fried Chicken
Budget PickQuick comparison
- Best for
- Suburban Hendersonville alternative
- Strengths
- Known for Budget Pick · 115 Walton Ferry Rd, Hendersonville, TN 37075
- Price / value
- $8-$14
- Why it made the list
- Hendersonville (greater Nashville) outpost — 4.4 stars on 437 reviews, a legitimate hot chicken alternative for travellers with cars who don't want to fight Nashville-proper traffic.
- What to order
- Tender basket with white bread.
🕐 Opening hours
12Slow Burn Hot Chicken
Modern Hot ChickenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Modern slow-build heat profile
- Strengths
- Known for Modern Hot Chicken · 614 18th Avenue N, Nashville, TN 37203
- Price / value
- $8-$14
- Why it made the list
- 18th Avenue North modern shop — 4.4 stars on 24 reviews (newer business), with a slow-build heat program rather than the fast-front cayenne kick of traditional Nashville hot chicken.
- What to order
- Tender plate at medium-hot.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nashville hot chicken?
Nashville hot chicken is bone-in fried chicken coated in a spicy oil-based paste made from cayenne pepper and other spices. Unlike buffalo wings, the heat comes from an oil or lard-based sauce applied after frying, creating a distinctive red-orange coating.
Where was Nashville hot chicken invented?
Prince's Hot Chicken Shack invented Nashville hot chicken in the 1930s. The legend says Thornton Prince's girlfriend made him extra-spicy chicken as revenge, but he loved it and started selling it.
What is the best hot chicken in Nashville?
Prince's is the original and most respected among locals. Hattie B's is the most popular overall with the best atmosphere. Bolton's is the local sleeper pick for the hottest bird. Red's 615 has the highest Google rating at 4.9 stars.
How hot is Nashville hot chicken?
Most spots offer heat levels from mild to 'shut the cluck up.' Medium at Prince's is already very spicy. Start at mild or medium your first time — you can always order hotter next round.
What should I order with hot chicken?
Traditional sides are white bread (to soak up the spice oil), pickles, coleslaw, and crinkle-cut fries. The bread is essential — it absorbs the cayenne oil pooling at the bottom.
Is Hattie B's worth the wait?
The Midtown location can have 60-90 minute waits on weekends. The chicken is excellent but Prince's and Bolton's offer comparable or better hot chicken with shorter waits. Try the Melrose location for fewer crowds.
How much does hot chicken cost in Nashville?
A hot chicken plate (quarter or half bird with sides) costs $10-$18. Sandwiches run $8-$14. Tenders are $10-$16. Budget $12-$20 per person including a drink.
What is the difference between traditional and modern hot chicken?
Traditional Nashville hot chicken, epitomized by <a href="#princes-hot-chicken"><strong>Prince's Hot Chicken</strong></a>, focuses on a dry-rubbed, cayenne-heavy spice blend often applied after frying. Modern interpretations, found at places like <a href="#pepperfire-hot-chicken"><strong>Pepperfire Hot Chicken</strong></a> or <a href="#party-fowl"><strong>Party Fowl</strong></a>, might incorporate different peppers, sauces, or presentation styles, offering creative twists while still honoring the spicy tradition.
Where can I find the spiciest hot chicken in Nashville?
For traditional, extreme heat, <a href="#princes-hot-chicken"><strong>Prince's Hot Chicken</strong></a> is famous for its 'XXX Hot' level that truly tests your limits. Another intense option is the new favorite, <a href="#brave-idiot"><strong>Brave Idiot</strong></a>, which boasts pure pepper heat without capsaicin extract, delivering an incredibly flavorful and potent burn for serious spice enthusiasts.
Are there any vegetarian or non-chicken options at hot chicken restaurants?
While hot chicken is the star, many establishments offer alternatives. Hot fish sandwiches are a popular choice at spots like <a href="#boltons-spicy-chicken-and-fish"><strong>Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish</strong></a> and <a href="#helens-hot-chicken"><strong>Helen's Hot Chicken</strong></a>. Some modern venues might offer plant-based 'chicken' options or a variety of delicious, non-spicy sides that cater to different dietary preferences.
Which hot chicken spots are best for tourists versus locals?
For tourists looking for a quintessential experience, <a href="#hattie-bs-hot-chicken"><strong>Hattie B's Hot Chicken</strong></a> offers accessibility and a vibrant atmosphere, or head to <a href="#princes-hot-chicken"><strong>Prince's Hot Chicken</strong></a> for the original. Locals often frequent places like <a href="#boltons-spicy-chicken-and-fish"><strong>Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish</strong></a>, <a href="#400-degrees"><strong>400 Degrees</strong></a>, or <a href="#bj-hot-chicken"><strong>BJ Hot Chicken</strong></a> for authentic flavors away from the main tourist hubs.
Do I need reservations for Nashville hot chicken restaurants?
Generally, most traditional hot chicken spots operate on a first-come, first-served basis and do not take reservations, especially for quick-service or food truck formats like <a href="#brave-idiot"><strong>Brave Idiot</strong></a>. However, a sit-down restaurant with a bar, like <a href="#party-fowl"><strong>Party Fowl</strong></a>, might offer reservations or be more suitable for larger groups, so it's always best to check their specific policy.
What are the typical side dishes served with hot chicken?
Accompanying your spicy bird are classic Southern comfort foods designed to complement the heat. Expect staples such as creamy coleslaw, rich mac & cheese, savory collard greens, crispy crinkle-cut fries, and often a refreshing potato salad or baked beans. These sides help balance the spice and complete the authentic Nashville hot chicken meal.