The 9 Best Nashville Hot Chicken Restaurants, Ranked 2024

"Hattie B's has perfected the method of hot chicken production, so you’re going to get a consistently cooked bird just about every single time. Locals love to sip an icy-cold glass of haterade when talking about the chain—it’s easy to feel like this is just hot chicken marketed to the masses. But their hot chicken has just the right amount of crispy skin-to-tender meat ratio, and an almost overwhelming number of different spice levels to choose from—the hottest tests even the mightiest tolerance for capsaicin. So yes, it’s a touristy spot with long lines at every location (go to the Melrose one), but you can’t deny good hot chicken when you taste it." - jackie gutierrez jones 2