"Tiny Space with Big Taste Visit the cinderblock space in East Nashville or the newer joint off 8th Avenue to taste this Nashville treasure at one of the longest-standing hot chicken restaurants in town. Choose the chicken or whitefish served with white bread and pickles, of course."

"Opened in 2012, Hattie B’s is the new kid on the block for hot chicken, Nashville’s most iconic dish. Still, what the restaurant lacks in history it makes up in flavor, proven by the long queues that don’t seem to diminish until the kitchen closes at midnight. The hot chicken, made in the traditional style with a hot cayenne paste, comes in a variety of forms, from wings to dark meat; order the half bird if you want to try a little of everything. Then decide how much you want to crank up the heat, which ranges from mild to “Shut the Cluck Up: Burn Notice.” Half the fun is choosing the sides, which include pimento mac and cheese, Southern greens, baked beans, and extra pickles."

"The Original According to legend, Nashville-style hot chicken began in the 1930s when Thornton Prince's girlfriend dumped cayenne on his fried chicken to get revenge for his cheating ways. But he loved it instead, and eventually opened up a hot chicken shop of his own. The Prince family carries on the tradition today at their simple strip-mall space. Customers place their orders at a kitchen window for varying levels of heat, from mild to extra hot. The spicy paste is applied after the fried chicken comes out of cast-iron skillets, and then the bird is placed on white bread and served with pickles. The addictive combo of tastes has since spawned hot chicken joints and special menu items across Music City and beyond."

"Fried Chicken on Fire Sit at one of the picnic tables under a mostly open-air shed and listen to the blues while you wait for your chicken at this East Nashville spot off Gallatin Road. But if the vibe is no-frills, the spicy Nashville-style hot chicken will have you breathing deep and feeling alive from the fire. This joint offers tenders as well as the more traditional chicken on the bone and serves plates with cooling packets of Marzetti buttermilk ranch."

"A Hot Chicken Fix for the Downtown Crowd As you head away from downtown on 4th Avenue, look closely for this sign or you’ll miss it. And know that the popular downtown chicken joint’s owner stood many a minute in the line at Prince’s (the original Nashville-style hot chicken joint) until she formulated a recipe of her own and opened a place. Though you can choose from varying levels of heat, many folks say it’s the overall hottest in town."

"Nashville's Only Pop-up Hot Chicken Joint More pop-up than restaurant, Atomic Yardbirds Hot Chicken might feel more elusive than others, but catch it if you can. Three restaurant industry pros perfected their take on the Nashville treasure and tied for first place in the 2013 Music City Hot Chicken amateur cook-off. Since then, they’ve taken their bird to the streets. Look for them on the back deck of the 5 Spot in East Nashville on Mondays or check their Facebook page for other events."