Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Nashville Hot Chicken
Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack
The dish that made Nashville famous started with one family. For more than 80 years, the Princes have served the fiery, crispy original, and it’s our pick for the best hot chicken in Nashville.
The Verdict
Why Prince’s Earns the Title
Nashville is full of hot chicken, but there is only one original. Prince’s is widely credited with creating and popularizing the dish, and the family recipe has stayed a closely guarded secret for generations. The chicken is fried to order, coated in a fiery cayenne blend, and served the old-school way on white bread with pickles.
In 2013, the James Beard Foundation named Prince’s an America’s Classic, an honor reserved for beloved, family-owned restaurants that reflect the character of their community. Chefs, food writers, and visitors from around the world still treat a trip to Prince’s as a pilgrimage, and one crispy, fiery bite shows exactly why.
1945
Prince’s Opens Its Doors
80+
Years in the Prince Family
2013
James Beard America’s Classic
XXX
Hottest Heat Level (If You Dare)
What to Order
How to Order Like a Local
The menu is simple on purpose. Here’s what first-timers need to know.
The Original Hot Chicken
Chicken fried to order, coated in the Prince family’s secret spice, and served the traditional way on white bread with pickle slices. This is where it all began.
Choose Your Heat
Heat levels climb all the way to XXX Hot. First-timers should order one level below their usual comfort zone. Medium is spicy for most people.
Seasoned Fries
The perfect sidekick for soaking up the spice. Grab an order of seasoned fries and a cold drink, and you’re ready to take on the heat.
The Story
The Family That Invented Hot Chicken
As the legend goes, Thornton Prince was a notorious ladies’ man. After one late night out, a jilted girlfriend served him fried chicken loaded with hot pepper as payback. The plan backfired: Prince loved it, perfected the recipe with his brothers, and opened a chicken shack near Jefferson Street in North Nashville.
The shack became a late-night favorite of Grand Ole Opry stars and locals alike. In 1980, Thornton’s great-niece, André Prince Jeffries, took over and has guarded the family recipe ever since, while the dish her family created has spread to menus across the country.
“It’s such a source of pride for Nashvillians because it belongs to Nashville.”
Sean Brock, James Beard Award-Winning Chef
Plan Your Visit
Make the Pilgrimage
Prince’s has three Nashville restaurants, plus spots at BNA and GEODIS Park. Purists head to the South Nashville flagship.
The South Shack
5814 Nolensville Pike
Nashville, TN 37211
(615) 810-9388
Mon–Sat: 11 am – 10 pm
Sun: Closed
The family flagship
Assembly Food Hall
5055 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
(629) 895-4688
Sun–Thu: 10:30 am – 10 pm
Fri–Sat: 10:30 am – Midnight
Downtown, steps from Lower Broadway
Tanger Outlets
4060 Cane Ridge Pkwy
Nashville, TN 37013
(615) 339-0600
Mon–Sat: 10 am – 9 pm
Sun: 10 am – 7 pm
Just off I-24 at Century Farms
Ready to Feel the Heat?
Taste the original Nashville hot chicken. Order ahead from the South Shack or find the location nearest you.