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Name: Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack
Address: 123 Ewing Dr,Ste 3, Nashville, TN, 37207
Telephone: (615) 226-9442
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.99

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

123 Ewing Dr,Ste 3, Nashville, TN, 37207

(615) 226-9442
Store is closed

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Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack Menu

Main

Breast

Leg

Extra Bread

Extra Pickle

Half Chicken

Whole Chicken

Bake Beans

Potato Salad

Cole Slaw

Slice Of Pie

Cup Of Pickle

Dill Pickle

Ranch Dressing

Healthy Meal suggestions for Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

Main

Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Leg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Extra Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Extra Pickle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Whole Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bake Beans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cole Slaw [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Slice Of Pie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cup Of Pickle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dill Pickle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ranch Dressing [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Mariela C.

So I ended up at Prince Hot Chicken after reading all the hubbub on Yelp! And PS: it was a fantastic idea. I doubt this place has a very high health rating code, which is a fact I could overlook mostly because it felt so genuine and the minute I walked in I knew I was going to be getting some good chicken. Ok so let me describe this place: it's a shack, there are about 5 white pew bench seat booths, and there is a whole in the wall where you order food that will most likely have a woman holding a child taking orders (seriously, how fantastic does that sound?). I ordered a half chicken- hot!, a side of beans and a side of potato salad, that ran me about 14 dollars and then pigged out for about half an hour. The chicken was spicy, fried, and delicious, and though the side portions are small, the black beans were so incredibly good I didn't care. It took forever to get our food, but the place is so gosh darn colorful, that again I didn't really care. It was the most amazing people watching, fantastic fried chicken, ridiculously good beans, and all in all an experience in itself. You have to try it!
(5)
Cameron P.

As I understand, "Hot Chicken" is a gastronomic delight which is unique to Nashville. Hot chicken is skillet fried chicken with plenty of spice, mainly Cayenne pepper I believe. It comes in varying degrees of heat from mild to xtra hot. Typically I like my food nice and hot, but I found that the medium is plenty hot for me. This place is out of the way and in a kinda shady part of town, but definitely well worth visiting. All of the sides I had were great: cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans and exceptional pickles. It was all quite a bargain, all the afore mentioned sides plus a half chicken for under 12 bucks; too much food for two people. If I ever return to Nashville, I will take the time to return to Princes'.
(5)
Emily Y.

Best fried chicken I've ever had. Their sides are good too. Note, however that the "mild" is not really mild. And that you can order the chicken "plain." But the plain, will still taste non-plain. Best to eat it hot and there! However, it's way too temperature-hot to eat there in the summer. Cash only, and even if you call ahead, they won't starting cooking your order until you get there and pay.
(5)
Â¡Pedro E.

I was in Nashville for the very first time a few weeks ago. Before I dropped in, I asked some online friends recommendations for places to eat. At the top of the list was Prince's Hot Chicken Shack. However, they warned me NOT to order the "hot" version. With snow flurries dancing across the city, I braved the weather and traffic and made a beeline from Brentwood to Prince's on the north side of town. I got lost once or twice along the way, but finally found the shack -- tucked into a nondescript strip mall off the main drag. As it turned out, Prince's doesn't open 'til 12noon (actually, about 12:15 on that particular day), and I was half an hour early. I parked my car, got out, and was the second in a line that grew to about 20 frozen people before the doors opened. To make a long story short, I ended up ordering a hot (I'm not going all the way to Prince's freakin' HOT CHICKEN Shack just to order mild!) quarter chicken -- dark -- along with a side of fries. Man o' man -- the best chicken I have had in my life, bar none. For me, "hot" turned out to be perfect. The fries were good and the white bread soaking up all that yummy chicken juice and hot stuff was the icing on this protein-packed cake. If you're in Nashville, then skip the Colonel, Churches, Popeye's, and -- yes -- even the venerated Loveless Cafe. Run -- don't walk -- to Prince's and be prepared for the ultimate chicken experience!
(5)
Peter M.

Hot chicken is maybe the only food that Nashville can claim to do best, and Prince's is the gold standard. Order extra bread and pickles (they'll help cool you down). Medium hot will make you cry, but in a good way. The flavor is deep and unfolding in its complexity ....it's a party in your mouth that you'll never forget.
(5)
Dennis J.

Well prepared fried chicken with a lot of spice in a no-frills kind of place. We stopped by on a Friday evening and waited for about 30 minutes to get our food after we placed our order. I personally had more of the mild than the medium spicy version, and I found it to be just the amount of spice (i.e. not too spicy). The chicken itself is very tender and not too breaded, although it is a touch greasy. I actually liked using the bread to mollify my senses from the spicyness, and I also used the pickles for that purpose as well. It's a solid, classic institution for spicy hot chicken and is worth the visit.
(4)
Kathy H.

Here's what you need to know about Prince's chicken: it's salty, greasy and really hot. And it will make you want to keep shoveling it into your mouth, even as your mouth erupts into flame. I tend to like tingly, rather than burning spice, so I got the mild white quarter. My husband, who eats bags of a St. Louis firestarter called "Old Vienna Red Hot Riplets," got the medium white quarter. We only waited about 20 minutes for our food at about 4 p.m. on a Thursday, and it came out steaming, right from the fryer. My first bite was an out-of-body experience. My nose immediately started running and my eyes watered. My husband had the same experience with his medium chicken. But we inhaled those quarters. We went back and ordered two more quarters - and devoured those. Bottom line, Prince's is not trying to be anything other than what it says it is - a hot chicken shack. It's aim was and is to feed the mostly black folks from the surrounding 'hood. It's not trying to be named to any "best" lists (though it has been). It's not trying to produce food that diners snap pics of and post to social media (though you will undoubtedly see people do this). It's not trying to get fawning TV hosts to do segments (though you can easily find several such segments on YouTube). It is what it is and I thought it was good.
(3)
Jennifer O.

Call ahead to preorder during busy times. Avoid a Rookie mistake: DON'T WASTE YOUR ENERGY ON EATING THE BREAD! It's just filler, and it absorbs all the spicy oils and will put your mouth on fire! The chicken is soooo good you'll be able to finish the Half, so don't be a wuss and order the Quarter! Varied experiences with the spice level. Once I ordered the mild and it was as spicy as I could take, but my most recent mild was pretty, well, mild. I got a chocolate cake from the cake lady, but was NOT a fan -- skip the cakes/pies.
(5)
Margaret L.

Words can not express how ridiculously spicy this chicken is! The flavor is great, and I love spicy everything, but it was way out of my league! I ordered spicy and my husband ordered very spicy because we can usually handle a good amount of spice, but we definitely met our match. We both ate half of what we ordered and downed our drinks as fast as we could... Then we limped out of the restaurant... Defeated... We should have just ordered mild...
(4)
Michael U.

Items Selected: Mild Breast Quarter with Bread and Pickles Medium Leg Quarter with Bread and Pickles Hummingbird Cake Caramel Cake Chess Pie Again granted a two-hour lunch it was with good fortune that family had stuck close to downtown after breakfast, and driving Northwest from Music City Center it would not be long before the car was parked before Prince's Hot Chicken, a restaurant revered by locals and tourists alike for serving some of the best fried bird and boldest spice profiles around. Certainly with its "charms" as relates to location and dÃ©cor, essentially tucked away in a strip-mall with a simple sign and painted glass that could use a fresh coat while the interior features a cash-only window plus a few tables and booths, it should come as no surprise that Prince's is the sort of place prone to comments about questionable cleanliness, but with staff as friendly and attentive as the vast majority of Southern spots the room was actually quite tidy, just a little bit run-down. Chuckling at the broken water fountain, something that almost seems intentional to push $1.50 bottles of water in a space known to offer blistering sauces ranging from mild to 'xxxhot,' it was after only a moment of indecision that an order was placed, and waiting mere moments before our ticket number as called a tray and two plates were soon in hand, a trio of desserts later purchased from an elderly African American woman who brings in her house baked goods every day just prior to noon. Opting to take it easy on spices after the effects of Hot Chicken in Memphis it was with one plate of mild and another of medium that the meal began and first tasting the lightly spiced breast my initial reaction was one of wonder as to how they managed to make the batter so crisp while the flesh was so moist, the next bites of leg and thigh raising the bar even higher with just a light bit of burn tickling the back of the throat and base of the tongue. Amused that my dining partners found even the mild to be a bit too heated for their tongues, and taking the opportunity to gladly finish off the wing as well as saucy bread beneath, it was onward to desserts that we moved and although roughly packed in plastic clamshells for easy portability the flavor of each selection more than made up for any lack of showmanship, the Hummingbird amongst the most pineapple-studded I've sampled to date beneath a lacquer of rich icing while the chess was pleasantly tangy and smooth, a best bite found from the buttery yellow caramel iteration with glistening tan frosting and plenty of sweetness to spare.
(4)
Isela L.

Best chicken ever. We try the Hattie's B chicken yesterday witch is pretty good. But today we came to prince's hot chicken and is unbelievable good, chicken is so crispy outside but tender and juicy inside, is just perfect, we got the Xhot and even when your mouth is on fire, is hard to stop eating cs is damn good. We have a favorite fried chicken restaurant in Memphis Tennessee, called Gus's that we thought was the best chicken ever in the whole world but after trying this one, we r not sure anymore. The place look kinda ruff outside, but the people is very kind .. Love this place
(5)
Brent F.

I read a ton of reviews so that I wouldn't go so hot that I couldn't eat the chicken. I settled on Medium, which was DAMN HOT! I think if you can handle the Hot or Extra Hot, you're dead inside, and should probably reconsider some life poor life decisions you've made along the way. But enough about me judging your shallow existence. Let's talk about Prince's. Yes, it's in a black area of town. If you're intimidated by black people, well I think we've found the origin of your shallow shortcomings. Did you ever see that movie Soul Food? It kind of reminded me of a mixture of that and Coming to America. Prince's is in a strip mall with a clothing store, and a barber shop, and people are hanging out, talking to neighbors and friends. It's a really community-oriented place where the people you pass from the parking lot to the restaurant are going to be really friendly. I was eating it up, and wondering why more people aren't this nice. Stepping through the door was no different. Nice, from the car to the restaurant and back again. What's cool about this place, is that it stems from the way your family used to make fried chicken, in a cast iron skillet, and not industrialized by buying a hoard of giant deep friers. Prince's cooks each order, one at a time, and in a cast iron skillet. THIS is where the wait is explained. It takes a long time to get your chicken. In all I've read, plus my own experience, it's safe to say it's going to take an hour from the time you order until you get your food. Good, Fast, Cheap, pick any two, right? Well Prince's is good and cheap. My son and I went after a Nashville Predator's game, and shared a 1/2 chicken and an order of fries each. Neither of us finished. My son likes heat but was a little gun-shy about going any higher than mild, so they were accommodating enough to split my order in two and gave the breast 1/4 a mild spice, and the leg 1/4 the medium. I'm getting a little ahead of myself though. Ordering was weird, because the whole experience was a little weird (in the best way). When you walk in, make your way to the counter. There, I encountered a very nice woman on her phone. She greeted me with her selection of individually packaged cakes and pies. They all looked great, but I was there for fried chicken, not pie. When the lady realized that I wasn't interested so much in her tasty delights, she told me that if it was chicken i was after, I'd need to speak to the lady in the window. What's weird, is that you have to go behind the counter to order. That's when you get a real snapshot of what's going on. First of all, the woman behind the counter is ridiculously nice. Just beyond there, you see about 10-20 people in the kitchen. Now, if they're individually frying chickens one at a time, why are there so many people there? Remember that community feel I was talking about earlier? These people are just hanging out with their friends, and it's fun! They're all having a good time back there, and the food never stops pumping out of the kitchen. The hardest part about the whole experience is knowing that from this point... it'll be an hour until you eat. There is a steady stream of people in and out, and they're all friendly and chatty. We stood for about 30 minutes, waiting for a table(because there are only 6 of them), and when a couple's order was up, half the booth they were sharing with another couple opened up. We were invited to join them, and we chatted for another 20 minutes before their order was called, and they left to eat at home. We returned the favor and offered another couple to join us while they waited. And then the moment of truth. Our number gets called. We were Number 90. When we ordered, they were calling Number 71, which gives you a sense of the volume they do. And when we open our bags, crispy brown chicken with a shimmer of reddish spice glistens, and the smell works its way through you. Now, it's spicy, so the delicious aroma also wakes up the sinus in a stinging way as well. In my bag, a 1/4 chicken that is a leg and a thigh, seasoned to medium, and a bed of crinkle-fries and two pieces of white bread, topped with a bunch of pickles. The chicken has a really nice crust on it, and it's juicy inside. It tastes delicious, but more that the juicy, or the tasty is the heat. Remember I mentioned that I got medium, but that it also comes in hot and extra hot. Ordering anything over medium is a gastrointestinal gamble that I wouldn't be willing to wager. It's braggadocios to order the hot, and that kind of machismo is just going to punish your toilet when you get home. And really, what did your toilet do to deserve that kind of punishment? Stick with the medium, and get tingly lips and what we call snifflus, but be able to not re-enact the laxative scene from Dumb & Dumber. All in all, it was a great experience, and the food was fantastic. I'm glad I was sufficiently warned about the long wait, and I would absolutely go back to Prince's again
(5)
Kristin M.

Good fried chicken but not great. The spices were good (yes, medium is spicy) but the amount of grease and fat was off putting. It felt like something I didn't want to eat after one bite, with grease dripping down my arms. Fries were below average. The neighborhood and service - completely fine.
(3)
Lee G.

This was a life changing experience. My brother and I visited Nashville this past weekend, and our first stop straight from the airport was Prince's. We arrived just before they opened and were the first to stand in line. As my brother began to sass me for making him line up 20 minutes before the place opened in an empty strip mall, the cars began to arrive. Within a few minutes there was a line of 10 people behind us, and the line only grew as the doors opened and we walked in. As far as decor, the place is a dive. At the same time we weren't there for the atmosphere. I rushed up to the counter, and we put our order in for a whole chicken with medium spice, extra pickles, bread, and coleslaw. From there we took a seat in the window and prepared for a long wait, as from previous reviews it sounded like the food could take a while. Shockingly, our food arrived very quickly and before we knew it, a heaping platter of food was set before us. The pickles, coleslaw, and wonder bread were nothing to write home about, but the chicken....was magical. I don't think I can properly articulate how amazing this chicken was. I literally have never tasted something so good. My expectations were already high from all the hype, and this blew it out of the water. At this point I would be hesitant to ever eat fried chicken again, because I'll never find anything that can compare to the chicken served at Prince's. While in Nashville, I ate some wonderful meals, nothing I had on the trip (and possibly my entire life of eating good food) is even in the same league as this chicken. Eating this chicken should be on everyone's bucket list. Basically, go buy a ticket to Nashville (if your from out of town like me) and go eat there now.
(5)
Ted C.

I've had it before and of course as dismissive of it. I've had other Hot Chicken places as well and thought they too, were all right. After having a debate about what Hot Chicken place to go to one of the Corsair guys said Prince's has to be it. The other places compare their heat levels to Prince's, it was the first and the other options are just there mostly for tourists. Yikes, with all that being said, we went to Prince's. Despite the weather being bad, well, bad for Nashville there was a parking lot full of cars. The line though was hardly long and my friend and I spit the medium. The non-spice lovers got the mild and went at it. Honestly, it was all right. The medium was hot enough but not so much that I had flavor burn out. The chicken was cooked well, moist with the skin being tasty. I'm admitting that it was better than before, but my last experience was eh to begin with.
(3)
G W.

Beware: cash only and they only have tenders available on Thursdays. This place is GREAT. It is indeed the best hot chicken in Nashville. I love Hattie B's so much but this place stole my heart. Those greasy slices of white bread....oh my god. Hattie B's does win when it comes to sides though. Prince's baked beans are SO SWEET. They're like candy beans. Weird. Also, the coleslaw isn't my favorite (but I don't really like coleslaw in general, so). Loved the potato salad though.
(5)
Been B.

Wasn't sure what to expect from Prince's, but we were pleasantly surprised. Hospitality was great and food just as good. I can definitely see why people wait in line because it is authentic fried chicken. Here are the scores: Fried chicken: 8/10 (great flavors and heat) French fries: 7.5/10 (could have been cooked a bit longer to get more of a crunch)
(4)
Chris C.

Outstanding Hot Chicken!! We had mild, medium and hot. All were great. Sides (BBQ beans and coleslaw) seemed store-bought and nothing to write home about. The sides are the only low point. We will definitely return. Tryout my Hattie B's tomorrow for comparison!!
(4)
Atif I.

It's not often that you need to check whether you have enough cash in your wallet AND that you have a getaway car ready. Thanks to Uber, I've become somewhat careless in terms of checking out neighborhood safety before selecting a dining destination. That became apparent to me after eliciting raised eyebrows from the driver dropping me off at Prince's (at 9 pm), with the advice to not venture far from the restaurant on foot. Now, I'm not saying that people dining inside Prince's need to have an elevated concern about their safety at night, but it would be prudent to be cautious and to have mechanized transport on hand as opposed to the blind optimism that running is a great way to burn off all those extra calories.... The yelp reviews are on point about Prince's. It is a shack. It's gritty. The dÃ©cor is, barely, bare bones. The cooling is through an industrial fan that seems to have been there since the Nixon administration. It takes an hour to get served. That said, contrary to other reviews, and yelp friends, I did think that the delivery progression stayed close to the numerical sequence in which the orders were placed. Also, the lady taking my order at the cash register was gracious and patient. And, the fries, rather all the sides, are a waste of calories and stomach space. It's all about the hot chicken. Prince's is THE original. The establishment that led to the sub-genre in fried chicken: Hot chicken, a Nashville specialty. Comparing like with like (hot chicken with hot chicken, extra hot with extra hot) I believe Prince's has an elevated level for the heat index than the competitors (Hattie's B's, Bolton's, 400 degrees). Personally, as one with significant tolerance for spicy food, I thought there is little point to ordering Extra Hot, when the Hot chicken is pretty spicy, without destroying your ability to enjoy the chicken. Prince's deserves its fame. The crust is crispy, and liberally seasoned with a spice mix that isn't limited to hot pepper. The interior is juicy and moist. Just like how it should be. Legend has it that hot chicken was discovered by accident when a lady decided to punish her philandering boyfriend by adding, as revenge, extra pepper to the fried chicken served at breakfast. If that's indeed true, I'm disappointed in my fellow New Yorkers... so much potential for greatness awaits.
(4)
Tim F.

My family and I were visiting from Indianapolis In and we have seen and heard how good it is, so we tried it. To really put into perspective there was not too many people when we were there but the wait was about a hour. The chicken came out hot and was hot to taste but its mediocre at best. Hardly any seasoning but very spicy. I've had better at Popeyes. The fries were good though.
(2)
Angela M.

The staff is super friendly. If you think you can take the heat please by all means you must try the extra hot. I just tried a sample of the hot and my mouth was on fire on the end the medium suited me just fine. Watch out. This place may not look like anything but the chocked is really delicious. Don't judge a book by its cover!!! Very Happy and full
(4)
Trung N.

This place is always listed as a spot you must visit while in Nashville so we figured that we give it a shot. It's located in a strip mall with limited parking. There's an dirty lot next to the plaza but be careful since there are major potholes there. The first thing you notice when you walk in is that there is limited seating here. If you're patient enough something will open up since many people get take out orders. We ordered a whole chicken at medium spice and extra pickles. We assumed that the extra pickles would neutralize the spiciness of the chicken. It took about 30-45 minutes to get our food and by then we found seating. The chicken was crunchy on the outside and moist/tender in the inside. The medium spice was the right amount for our crew since some of the rookies couldn't handle spicy food. The chicken itself was pretty good but nothing amazing. This location is also nowhere close to downtown Nashville so if you're visiting and staying downtown, it's quite the trek to get to. Mix in there the long wait for the food and unpredictability of seating, I think its good but not a must when visiting Nashville.
(3)
Sheri S.

We went there because of DDD, but I was let down. My chicken was overcooked, dry, and the cashier was the most rude...but, only to us "black folk". Yeah, she was black too, but obviously one of those "white people are better cause massa said so" kind of people...I watched her interactions closely too, to be sure she wasn't just this way to "us"...I was unfortunately correct and disgusted. She didn't even greet us with a smile, but she gave every non-black happy assistance. On top of being disappointed with this hot chicken, the cake lady joyfully sucked. We will NEVER return. For anything. She responded to my Facebook posted review, not knowing I took her picture, so I won't forget the first black lady / person that made me feel so unwelcomed in the south. Oh yeah, after over an hour wait for a 15 minute wait to take my money.
(1)
Ryan B.

The chicken is out of this world! Seriously, the only psychedelic chicken I've ever had. I went with the mild and it still burned me up and altered my state of consciousness. Not just hot, but fantastic well rounded flavor and texture. Served simply with white bread and pickles, it's a dream. Ice only had a couple other hot chicken meals in Nashville, but nothing compares to Prince's.
(5)
Shushu C.

Be prepared to wait long hours in a shady place. Bring cash. And entertainment. The wait should be around 2.5 hours. Worth it? Most def! This is legit Nashville styled hot chicken. You won't find it anywhere else and neither will you find it as spicy anywhere else. The way they prepare it is definitely unique and definitely worth a trip. The skin is fried so crispy that it's like chips on top of your chicken. The spiciness will hit you so hard that you might see stars. Just take some precautionary measures like patience, entertainment and something to snack on.
(4)
Paul M.

If you're in Nashville and like chicken, you have to try Princes! The chicken is amazing. Its a small little restaurant in a shopping plaza. We got lucky when we went that the line was short and we found a seat right away, but I've heard it usually has a line out the door which I m not surprised about! This is a must try in Nashville, seriously!!
(5)
Brad M.

How to make a $1M bucks! Steal this recipe, or franchise it... and come to TEXAS! I love hole-in-the-wall joints and this qualifies! In the middle of the strip mall, I'm' so glad we got there early! Because it got packed! Hot Chicken... what don't you get... MEDIUM is as far as most mortals need to go... a few select individuals (Indian yogi fire walkers, dragons, people who eat habaneros raw, people who seek out FIRE food challenges) may go to HOT. Then there is the Extra HOT that I cannot imagine anyone could eat unless you've been on this stuff since you were a toddler! Here's the skinny... when your product is excellent, no need to waste time on frills! Get yourself a piece of pie or cake when you checkout too!!
(5)
Salman S.

Good luck recognizing which shop in the strip. :) Once you enter feels as if you are back in time, ordered some medium spicy chicken with a friend who got wings. Presentation was normal nothing out of this world, but let me now get to the chicken... It was spiced just right, hit every part of the mouth n tongue... Great flavor everywhere. Next time I would get a to go and destroy it at home.
(4)
Kirk H.

The restaurant is NOT in a bad area. I saw that in some reviews. It is industrial but not the hood. Fried chicken is PHENOMENAL! I ordered XXXHot. The cashier said "you sure bout that?" I said "it's an adventure." Took about 5 minutes to get our food at 3:45 pm. All tables were full, we waited 2 minutes and got a table. While it is the hottest fried chicken Ive ever had, it is not the hottest thing Ive ever eaten. Ive had hotter raw chili peppers and Ive had hotter "sauced" wings. The chicken is marinated and then fried. Then after frying they shake on a very hot, dry cayenne pepper. The chcicken is not "wet" though the grease and cayenne do form a paste. It is served on white bread with dill pickles. Yes there was sweat pouring down my face and yes my whole face was tingling but I polished off the 3 wings no prob. It was absolutely delicious. People behind the counter were talking about me ordering the XXXHot, but it is not as bad as the intimidation. Great baked beans, good mayo based slaw. We will be back!
(5)
Matt K.

I'm a dude from Indianapolis with friends and family in Nashville. I get hot chicken at a different place every visit. I've tried Hattie b's and Bolton's and Prince's is still my favorite by a long shot. After 318 reviews there isn't much I am going be able to add here of value. It's delicious. If you're a newcomer to hot chicken, for the love of god, don't order it too spicy or you will damage your intestines. Seriously. I like spicy food, but I bow down before the men and women that can handle to two hottest choices. Also, don't touch your eyes or your face!!!
(5)
Courtney S.

We happened to be in the area one night and wanted to check this place off my list. We thought that 9 pm on a Thursday night wouldn't be that busy. Wrong! We waited 45 minutes to get our order. I had expected a wait, so that part didn't bother me that much. When we finally got our food, we dug right in. The chicken was moist, skin was cooked perfectly, and the sizes were adequate. We are from Texas and love spicy food! We ordered the medium and wish we would have ordered the mild. It's a great flavor, just pretty spicy. Almost too spicy to enjoy. We got a side of fries and pickles. I wish we would have gotten the mild so we could have enjoyed it more. The food loses its appeal after waiting so long. Would come back here.
(3)
Sam U.

By far the best Hot Chicken in Nashville. I've had Hattie B's which is a close 2nd but this place is old school. It's pretty much a hole in the wall but those are always the best places! Will definitely make my way back after I get some good running in! Lol
(4)
Trevor-n-Aliza P.

Absolutely packed at 6pm on a Friday. Waited for about 45 minutes for our order of medium hot chicken breast and fries. The medium was perfect - more than hot enough for lovers of spice. The chicken was nice a crispy and moist on the inside.
(3)
Sarah S.

The OG of Hot Chicken. The mecca. The go to spot. My friend and I liked Prince's so much, we went twice during our 4 day stay in Nashville. Chicken is made to order so even if you stand in line just 5 or 15 minutes, the real wait is waiting for the chicken. On our first trip on a Thursday about 5pm, we waited 45 minutes. On our second trip, after midnight on a Saturday, we waited just over 60 minutes. There was a very nice lady behind us in line to order who could tell we were Prince noobs. She gave us all the lowdown on things including two things I hadn't heard anywhere. They can make the chicken plain! As in no spice! That's just what the doctor ordered for my weak sauce tongue. And... Thursday they do tenders! The tenders order is HUGE and absolutely worth getting if you like your fowl from the boneless farm like me. All their chicken is served over a piece of bread. I suppose it's there to help cut the heat of the chicken. The portion was so huge, I could barely finish half of it. I ordered a side of fries not knowing how big it would be - completely unnecessary. The portion was too big and they weren't all that great. The chicken tenders were so moist and had crispy fall-off-the-meat skin. The second time I went I had the thigh & wing chicken but I honestly preferred the chicken tenders. Not dealing with bones makes me happy. The pie lady is only there during the day! The chocolate pie is so thick and delectable.. It was the best pie I had while in Nashville. The lady working the window was super duper nice and warm. She was only there during the day as it was a different staff altogether at night. We loved Prince's Hot Chicken to the max. My homie had the mild, hot & extra hot (he didn't get to the extra extra hot). He can handle super duper spicy but said the extra hot was just brutal. Mild is best for an enjoyable experience. I'd absolutely go back to Prince's on my next trip to Nashville and get myself another order of plain tenders!
(5)
Shannon S.

Hot! I love spicy, and I was shocked at the spice in the mild. But you better believe it didn't keep me from eating as much chicken as I could. True southern food. Invest in your own drink, though. We shared some beans and fries and they were fine. Nothing to write home about. It's clearly all about the chicken.
(4)
Josh L.

Oh my. So I'm sitting in my car, hunched over a steaming hot bag of fried chicken--and I'm also crying. I'm tearing up from a capsaicin overload and I'm positively giddy the whole way through. And of course, Prince's is far too busy, so I'm enjoying this chicken in private, in the parking lot. Debating fried chicken is deeply contentious, but the fundamentals of Prince's bird are spot on: moist, juicy, with an addictive crunchy skin. Before we even get to the spice, it's clear these folks know how to fry chicken. Hot Chicken allegedly started as a punishment--and having ordered the 'hot' (as opposed to mild, medium, or amazingly, extra hot)--I can understand the origin story. The hot is so incredibly spicy-everything tingles. My lips burned for hours and I wondered why the counter staff thought I was strange to not order a side, a drink, or a dip. Any of those might have cooled off the intense heat of the chicken that had me crying and scared to put my fingers anywhere near my eyes. I love spicy food, but I think the mild is spicy enough. You get to enjoy the magical spicy kick that has made Prince's famous alongside some well cooked chicken. For me, the hot was simply too much to take on its own--but perhaps an order of fries and a dip would have caught the fire in my mouth. It's a Nashville institution--and I'm glad to have seen it firsthand. I can't vouch for crazy lines--on a November evening, I waited a mere 5 minutes for piping hot chicken fresh from the fryer and there was no bloggerati or Instagram mafia hash tagging their grub, just really delicious, well-priced food that more than lives up to the hype.
(5)
Melissa M.

Nashville style HOT chicken. If you are craving some spicy chicken, then this is the place to go. I am use to hot and this place hits the spot. Be aware that this location is not fancy by any means. Overall, a great, affordable find!
(4)
Chris M.

Pretty good chicken. I think I enjoyed both Pepperfire and Hatties Bs more but I would absolutely go back. They did add a dry "rub" on the chicken that was good. The breast 1/4 was dried out. I think they misheard me because I ordered both hot but I'm pretty sure they gave me xxx because my chicken could have peeled skin from your mouth and the other was no where near as hot. Good thing I like spicy but let me tell you, that shit was HOT! Kinda disappointed I didn't like it more as many sources will tell you this is the best. Maybe we just caught them on a off day.
(3)
Candace B.

I really loved the chicken here super tender not over cooked was just right. If you like hot burn your mouth until it hurts get the hot and above...honestly I am not sure who can eat the XXX Hot. We got the Hot and that was really almost too much for me and I like spicy food. When going here expect nothing fancy this place is in a strip mall in the not best part of town. The place is old, kind of dirty...just stay away from the bathroom ladies. But the food is worth the stop some of the best chicken I have had.
(4)
Johanna M.

I did extensive searching looking for other people crazy enough to try XXXhot and only found a few reviews. Despite that, I wanted to try it anyway. As soon as we landed in Nashville at 10pm at night, We were immediately on a mission to score some of this infamous XXXhot chicken (and an order of medium just in case). I called in our order as soon as we landed and Uber'd our way over there (this was around 11pm at night, and the neighborhood isn't that bad). So how was it? Either I got gypped and they didn't give me xxxhot (bag did say XXXhot though) or it really wasn't that bad. I ate the medium first to gauge how the xxxhot would taste, and it was actually a little spicy (probably a little spicier than Popeyes), and thought "if this is spicy, I must be f*cked". However, no water nor cole slaw was required to take down my entire quarter of XXXhot chicken. Did not even sweat. I am thoroughly disappointed. TBH, BWW's blazin wings are hotter (and taste better) and those aren't even that hot. No regrets though.
(3)
Sandra B.

Great chicken! Really moist and spicy! The staff were super nice. The only reason I give it 4 stars is there is no parking, no seating, no waiting area and it is an extensive wait for that delicious stuff!!
(4)
Brandon B.

Great chicken late nite night! Call ahead if you can the wait can get crazy on Saturday nights.. They won't even let you order xxx hot.. Good chicken all around!!
(5)
Daniel E.

Staff is friendly! I understand that hot chicken is salty--but Prince's Xtra Hot rivaled how salty my ex was when I ended things with her. I had a leg quarter--the meat was moist and delicious. The breading was crunchy and the fallout of grease was indicative of this Nashville staple dish. Prince's Xtra Hot doesn't pack as much heat as the comparable second-to-hottest at Hattie B's--the Damn Hot. Prince's serves up the two slices of white bread and two pickle slices with one leg quarter. The quarter was $5 and slaw $2. Therefore, pitted against Hattie B's, Prince's wins at price but not at quality.
(3)
Keith H.

Yet another DDD disappointment. The food is fair, the employees were great, but the service is slow. After seeing on DDD and all the great reviews maybe I was expecting too much. If you're visiting Nashville it's a good local joint to check out. I recommend getting the Mild seasoning it actually has heat and flavor, past that it's just heat. There are other hot chicken joints in Nashville that are better....highly recommend, Big Shacks Hot Stuff.
(3)
Art C.

Damned good. It's just as special as Gus's in Memphis, but different. Much, much spicier for one, a LOT less gentrified for two. This location is shady and it gets shadier at night. And the locals love this chicken as much as the tourists so be prepared to WAIT... and wait and wait. All worth it. Don't order anything but the mild unless you seriously love the heat.
(5)
Brian R.

It's the hole in the wall to hell! You gotta come with some gangsta, or at least not looking like a mark. It was like walking into a rap video. But enough of that. I ordered hot against the warnings of the clerk. It was hot enough to clear my sinuses, but no beads of sweat or tears. It was definitely habanero hot, with some cayenne. Don't t be skurred, though. The chicken came with pickles. What is that about? I guess it's a Southern thing. I had baked beans as well. Nothing special there, tasted a bit like Van DeCamp's with some bacon in it. There weren't a lot of tables, but we got a seat. Live the adventure!
(4)
Autumn F.

The chicken is amazing. The place is cool. Things I wish it had? Information. Such as, your wait will be ______ minutes. And, orders may not be called in the order they were received. These 2 things would cut down on bad reviews and irritated customers. Other than that, love!
(4)
Chet M.

Hey all you out-of-towners, when in Nashville - U MUST STOP HERE TO GET HOT CHICKEN & TO SEE THE PIE LADY Came at high noon on a Tuesday and wait wasn't bad, 20 minutes tops. Sure beats the alternative of chicken made 30 minutes ago or longer, sitting under the lights. Warning tho - you might get shot here but totally worth it to taste a 1/4 chick dark HOT! This is truly a Nashville gem.
(5)
Jeremy J.

This was my first Hot Chicken experience and it was ok. I didnt know what to expect. As many others have said, the place is small and expect to wait a while for your food. I went there and waited for the doors to open. The place only takes cash so make sure you come prepared. I ordered a half chicken with Hot spices and it was almost too hot to be comfortable. I wish I would have ordered the mild because the taste was great, just a bit too hot for my comfort level. The service was great. The lady behind the counter taking orders was very welcoming and made you feel right at home.
(4)
elvis p.

Not worth the wait. Sure, it's hot, but that's all there is to say. The chicken honestly doesn't taste very fresh either.
(2)
Benjamin R.

Simply delicious. This place has a really cool atmosphere, a great price, and sumptuous chicken. I'm a lover of hot foods so I thought I could handle the "hot" chicken--I was wrong. While the cole slaw was equally as good and did something to soothe my scorched mouth, I felt the spice burning my mouth and stomach for hours after the meal. I would recommend first-timers don't go any hotter than a "medium" spiciness. Next time I go I'll get the same order as last time: cole slaw and a dark-meat quarter chicken. Yum! Only four stars because the food didn't quite change my life.
(4)
Sarah G.

Hi. I'm Sarah G. Do you like spicy food? Do you find yourself yearning for bird's eye chili in your scrambled eggs, fried rice, and pork chops? I'm not judging...but do you sometimes nibble on raw jalapeno and serrano because you're feeling a bit peckish? Are you especially hot and bothered by that rare, rogue, disguised super chili that sometimes magically appears in a bunch? And did you scour these reviews along with specialized hot chicken review articles and hipster publications about the Nashville hot chicken scene solely to settle on a heat level prior to your first experience at Prince's? If I'm describing YOU, I have some sage advice to pass along. The medium is NOT HOT. I repeat: the medium is NOT HOT. The mild is really, really NOT HOT. At all. On the heat/spice level: I won't make this a comparative review (i.e. Prince's versus Hattie B's where "shut the cluck up" didn't phase me OR my super heat tolerant dining boo) though I will mention that after scouring most of the reviews for Prince's I'd say the consensus is that medium is "damn hot" and hot is "too hot to consume" and extra hot is "impossible." I didn't try the hot or the extra hot because we were worried not necessarily about the impossibility of consuming the chicken but rather the blurry line of losing the inherent deliciousness of fried chicken in the heat. I regret going with mild and letting my dining boo order medium. I knew he wouldn't have had a problem with hot or extra hot and I should have brought this up. And mild? I guess that's my own fault. Bad form. But the reviews about mild/medium -- extra hot are downright scary, no!? No need to fear the medium if you really do like spice and heat. I rest my case. On the fried chicken itself: Please don't throw a grease soaked piece of white bread at me...but it's just not that amazing. Am I right? Anyone? I won't even mention the sides because they're not worth mentioning but the chicken, though dressed to impress left me feeling like the show was over at the greasy, disappointing intermission. There is a distinct flavor difference between mild and medium that is worth noting. The medium was definitely salty and the pepper tasted more diverse (a greater variety of spices?) and it seems like the pepper really penetrated that crispy skin deep. The mild kinda tasted like seasoning salt. It grew on me but it was average chicken at best. The breast was definitely too dry to call top notch fried chicken. I did suck on that juicy thigh for a while though... I guess it was all okay. I guess. I'd go back...but I'd be going back to see how hot the hot really is (and the extra hot) and not because I think the chicken is amazing. Oh, and I'd go back on a Friday at 1:30 PM when the wait is less than 20 minutes.
(3)
Emily C.

Looking back, it's hard to say if this dumpy fried chicken shack is worth an hour wait. Still, I'm wavering towards saying YES because it's so damn good. Hot chicken is some pretty incredible stuff and definitely a Nashville staple. Even the mild chicken still has a nice spark of heat and tastes AMAZING, especially when smothered with pickles and a dip of ranch to combat the spice. Only downside, Prince's such a dingy spot and not very conducive to waiting alongside dozens of sweaty, impatient customers. Still, I'd go back and do it all over again!
(4)
Andy W.

Princes was fine, but not worth the hype in my opinion. I'm no stranger to dives, so no novelty there. Firstly, it's just not efficient - lines, crowded, nowhere to sit, etc., so the chicken better be worth it, right? On to the chicken: I like hot, so went for the x-hot (second to the XXX hot). Just like Hattie B, it was quite the let down. Definitely hot, but heat achieved by dredging in too much chili powder prior to frying...resulting in burnt chili taste instead of awesome flavor. There is heat, and there is heat carefully crafted and blended with flavor (usually starting with the overnight soak in buttermilk), and Princes unfortunately haven't mastered this. My wife had the Hot, and hers was much better - and didn't look burnt. Sides are nothing to write home about, so it's really all about the chicken...and I'm still looking for the guys who can get it perfect, consistently. I think the best I've had was Gus' in Memphis...not the new franchised Gus', but his old place in Mason TN. The shotgun with the sloping floor, before it burnt down...Gus used to come out with his tray of hot sauces and we would discuss heat and try to wheedle his recipe out of him. Piping hot, perfect blend of heat and flavor. Good times.
(3)
Josh Bruce W.

Legit hot chicken! There's something extra special here, better than Pepperfire. I still haven't tried Bolton's or Hattie B's yet, but Prince's does not disappoint. I got a quarter breast, medium heat. Could have gone without the fries (that come loaded w/ seasoned salt), cause the chicken batter has a similar flavor..and after all the chicken, I couldn't take anything warm or salty. I'll get cole slaw next time. The chess pie was amazing! Also, this is CASH ONLY!
(5)
Mary Beth L.

I'm a fan. A few things to get out of the way first before we talk about the food. Make no mistake, Prince's is as much of an experience as it is a meal. You will wait a long time for your chicken, especially if you are there on a weekend. Don't go there if you have to be somewhere else in the next few hours. Come with friends or your Kindle. Better yet, buy some of the desserts being hawked at the table in front of the order window and eat them while you wait...the sweet potato/pineapple pie is divine. It's a well worn space. Seating is scare. You get the picture. If you have a problem with any of this let me cordially invite you to proceed to the nearest chain chicken restaurant, buy a drumstick and gag yourself on it. Got it? Ok, the chicken. The crust is really something else. You'll dream about the crust. It's substantial and seasoned and really the best part of the experience. I'd hesitate to do take-out (a very popular option) because I'm afraid it would mess up the crust. In terms of heat, I had the mild. My husband had the medium. He is pretty intrepid about heat but wouldn't do the medium again. He seemed to be in a bit of discomfort while eating. You have been forewarned. Sides were good and offer a convenient way to cool the chicken induced fire...appreciated our order of extra pickles. One of the largely unheralded aspects of Prince's is the excellent people watching. You are basically on a cruise with the 30 or so people waiting on their orders. The cross section of customers is great and I thoroughly enjoyed my wait. Excellent, excellent eavesdropping. I can only imagine how much fun it would be during the establishment's late, late weekend hours. Run, don't walk.
(5)
Victor P.

Tip if you are not sure you love spicy food, start with mild and work your way up! First couple of times I had the medium and thought it was hot but tasty. Then by mistake they gave me a hot once. It was a painful experience but some how since then I got addicted and order hot every time I'm in town!
(5)
Starry L.

I visited Prince's Hot Chicken Shack yesterday and it is the best hot chicken in Nashville, TN. On my last visit to Nashville, I visited Hattie's B chicken and the chicken was bland, is overrated and not completely done as compared to Prince's hot chicken which was perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. I know why Prince's is the best ! The restaurant is in an industrial area with other small businesses and there is plenty of parking. The lady that takes your order is very nice and she makes it easy to place your order if you have never visited Prince's. - Our order was ready in 5 minutes and I couldn't wait to dive in. Needless to say, I will return to Prince's and will tell all of my musician friends - PRINCE'S IS THE BEST !
(5)
Amanda U.

We had their medium at the Nashville hot chicken festival. The medium packs a lot of heat and even more flavor. Their fries were also delicious. I wish we had time to go to their actual restaurant for more options!
(5)
Renee B.

Prince's chicken is a Nashville staple. The chicken is really spicy and packed with flavor. The chicken is never disappointing. The sides are okay, but nothing to go out of your way for. It's a must try if you are in the area.
(4)
Tony D.

Just okay, I went here because I had heard that it was GREAT! They said it was the best chicken in Nashville! Well I wanted to be impressed, but me and my other Co worker decided we definitely like Hattie B's much better! But maybe you'll like it better that's we did. Try em both I guess....
(2)
Dan W.

It was a long unorganized wait! But the Chicken was Great! I got the Medium but next time will get the mild. Medium was at the peak of what I could handle! I'll be back!!! I hope I don't have to wait 2 hours next time!!!
(4)
Chris R.

Great chicken. Be ready for a wait. I called ahead and still stood in line for quite a while to get my food. It was well worth the wait.
(4)
Chris J.

First time having hot chicken today. Let me tell you, this is hot stuff. I am not a "spicy food" guy, but this was good. I went with the mild and it still made me sweat! The taste was fantastic. Skip the sides here, they are nothing special. Although I do recommend the cole slaw as a good cooling agent! The food takes a while, but it is worth the wait.
(4)
John M.

My very 1st night in Nashville, for Yelp Spring Break 2014, I got the scoop on the town's signature dish. You see, in TN, I was told, Memphis is the town known for its BBQ & in Nashville it's all about the Hot Chicken. & when it comes to Hot Chicken, Prince's Hot Chicken Shack is the original. Good enough for me. The next afternoon I drove on out to the tiny strip mall building Prince's is located in. Arriving between lunch & dinner time, it wasn't busy & there wasn't a line to order. Service was friendly but also, um, shall we say unique. The characters in this joint had plenty of character. This was the sort of place that easily could've been on an episode of Seinfeld. With the word "shack" in its name, Prince's Hot Chicken Shack is simply & sparsely decorated with a few picnic-style table booths. Ordering is done all the way in the back through a hole in the wall to the kitchen. The menu is similarly simple: various parts of chicken & a few sides. Since it wasn't busy, my order didn't take long. My foray into Nashville's Hot Chicken was in hand & about to begin. *** HOT CHICKEN SHOWDOWN!!! *** Yup, that's right. Lots of folks in Nashville have an opinion on who makes the best Hot Chicken. While there's no real disputing that Prince's is the original, judging from the number of Yelp reviews & numerous mentions during conversations, I'd say that Hattie B's is Nashville's most popular Hot Chicken. Before leaving town, I got to try both. Following is a head-to-head comparison of Prince's vs. Hattie B's. *** COMPARISON *** Both places feature identical menu items, though Hattie B's has a few more items that Prince's does not. I ordered the same exact thing at both places: half chicken, coleslaw & baked beans. For the chicken, both places have 4 levels of spiciness. Only the 2 hottest got my interest. I eat some seriously spicy stuff (can you say over 1 million Scoville?), but this time I took a more measured approach & chose the 2nd hottest level of spiciness. The grand total was a couple $ more for Prince's than Hattie B's. Both orders were taken to go & eaten shortly later back in my room. Both places put their sides into small plastic-lidded styrofoam cups. The serving sizes of the sides, between Prince's & Hattie B's, were close to the same, but Prince's sides looked a little smaller. Hot Chicken - Let me get this out of the way from the get-go. At the same listed level of spiciness on their respective menus, Prince's Hot Chicken was MUCH hotter than Hattie B's Hot Chicken. No contest. Prince's chicken was also moister & more tender inside. The fried shell of Prince's chicken was thin, delicate & crispy. The fried shell of Hattie B's chicken was thicker & crunchier than Prince's. Sides - Both Prince's & Hattie B's baked beans were very similar. Both were good. I'd rate the 2 as being about the same. The cabbage in Prince's coleslaw was snappy & the dressing wasn't heavy while still very flavorful. The cabbage in Hattie B's coleslaw was a little soggier & the dressing was thicker with noticeably a lot of mayonnaise. *** VERDICT *** Overall, for my personal tastes, I'm taking Prince's over Hattie B's. I do love me some truly spicy food & Prince's Hot Chicken brought the heat, big time. I also liked Prince's coleslaw better. I'm not a fan of coleslaws with too much mayonnaise. I'd consider service a wash. Service at Prince's was somewhat disorganized but very friendly & entertainingly quirky. Service at Hattie B's was uptempo, attentive & on the ball. Convenience, however, has to go to Hattie B's. Located not far from downtown, I walked there from my room. Prince's was a drive way out to B.F.E.
(5)
Brian S.

The four of us sit hunched over a faux-marble table just staring down at our respective plates, each housing a juicy, crispy, pickle-topped SPICY chicken of its own. My admittedly weak stomach trembles at the thought. I don't like spicy food. My three friends told me to stop being a baby. My rental car is parked outside in the dimly-lit lot. This doesn't look like the best neighborhood. I'm a 16 hour drive from home. It's around 10:30 at night. The lady behind the counter is wonderful. The dude just kind of hanging out next to her has a foreboding stare but he seems okay, too. I cut the first piece of chicken off, close my eyes and get ready. This is going to hurt. So Good.
(4)
Yolanda T.

This is no joke the best hot chicken!!! I want more right now... Please! No frills place, little bench booths, and there was a small line but its more than worth the wait. I had the pecan pie and it was delicious too. Different person from the hot chicken and it works. Don't be sketched out by the outside appearance, just enjoy!
(5)
Hannah H.

About a 3.5: I was really excited to try out Prince's Hot Chicken Shack when I was in town. This eatery was started by Thornton J. Prince III, who is considered the 'pioneer' in hot fried chicken. Their menu offers quarter breast, quarter leg, whole chicken, wings (only available on the weekends), and sides (bread, pickle, baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw). We had the quarter leg, and you can choose your 'spiciness' level. Let me tell you that Prince does not joke around with their level! We decided to get the Medium-spicy, and I almost had to choke back tears of pain. I think if I were to get Mild, it would been perfect (even Mild has a kick to it). My sister, who has a very high threshold of pain level in terms of spiciness, even stated that it was HOT! :D We also ordered a side (or a cup) of sliced pickles (your standard thinly-sliced burger pickles), which really didn't do much to counteract the heat. I liked the buttered slice of white bread at the bottom that seemed to soak in some of the chicken skin's seasoning and juice - even that bread was too spicy for me to handle! The kind woman at the cashier rang us up and called out our number for our meal when it was ready. This place seemed to be brimming with locals and call-ins, and there are about 8 booths or so for dining in. I think Prince's has a great-tasting chicken, but only if I were to get it Mild the next time! +extremely (overly) spicy +will order Mild! +juicy, crispy, flavorful skin
(4)
David O.

I've lived in Nashville for almost 17 years now, and I FINALLY made it to the world famous Prince's Hot Chicken. (It was even mentioned in an episode of Justified I recently watched!) Holy Hot Chicken Batman. At the suggestion of the Cashier I got the Medium. I'm glad I did because that was some HOT Chicken. My personal complaint, and this IS ENTIRELY PERSONAL, is that the chicken is both hot spicy and hot temperature-wise. You wait a LONG time. (I think we waited 55 minutes for our chicken) because that chicken is being cooked fresh, so when you get it, IT JUST FINISHED COOKING. Based on everything I've heard, and my experiences from my single visit, YOU WILL WAIT. Totally worth it. I heard you can also call ahead, so if you have a time constraint you should consider this option. Also, and most importantly: CASH ONLY. DO BRING CASH.
(4)
Kate S.

They started the Nashville hot chicken movement, and it shows. It is consistently delicious. Success has not gone to their heads. Every order is hot and fresh. The menu is short and sweet as everything on it is good. You haven't had real Nashville hot chicken until you've had Prince's.
(5)
Karen D.

Good chicken in Nashville, friend and I were in town for Yelp Spring Break and Saturday night were on the hunt for Hot Chicken we found Prince's. Boy was it good, fresh hot fried chicken made to order and note it takes time for good chicken, you will wait about 30 minutes for your chicken, but its fresh and hot right out the frier just for you. Stop by when you're in Nashville, mmm good
(4)
Megan S.

OK -- full disclosure on two important things: 1) This chicken is a rich, rich choice. If you're not used to food that's super rich or spicy, you might have an adverse reaction to it. Like I did. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed EVERY BITE. But, uh, I had some eh, stomach issues afterward, so be forewarned. 2) CALL AHEAD if you can. We waited 1.5 HOURS for our small order. But that only speaks to how incredible this place is. Everyone wants some, and they're willing to wait. Honestly, it's an incredible local joint -- worth the wait, worth the stomach issues, worth the burning sensation as it slides down the gullet. Limited menu, for the BETTER. What they do, they do better than I've ever had before. MOIST chicken, crunchy skin, excellent flavor. + Pickles. Loved it. Great sides available too. Get in here, and get ready. It's amazing.
(5)
M J.

Got the half chicken at Mild spice level and it had enough kick to be able to enjoy the taste of the chicken without burning your taste buds or making you sweat. Rating the chicken a 4/5. Wife loved it, it was home made style fried chicken and spiced perfectly. I thought it was great, but not amazing. Atmosphere is friendly, the woman who takes your order is kind and delightful. We ate in, and the rest of the staff was welcoming as well. 5/5 for atmosphere and staff. Overall a 4/5. The wait time is what kills it and doesn't give it a 5/5. I know it takes time to make great food. But 45 min to an hour wait and this business has been open for years, and still no anticipation of orders or demand to speed up the process? (another deep frier in the kitchen or another appliance to somehow someway speed things up) Again a 4/5.
(4)
Kyron C.

Damnn son them some hot wings. But ain't no thang like a chicken wang. Very flavorful wings, more well seasoned than Hattie Bs.
(4)
Jen I.

This place did not disappoint! I had to try it as it was highly recommended on multiple websites. The staff was very nice and helpful - 3 flavors - mild medium and hot- People were right that medium is HOT! Mine was actually a "strong mild" (she said there really is no in between)! Great taste, very crispy, and a large portion! A great place for Hot Chicken!
(5)
S S.

I have been to Tennessee so many times and never heard of hot chicken until a few months ago...Damn I have been missing out! A small local joint , with decor that may have never been updated since it opened lol... I walked in with my sissy and a man waiting for his order, kindly told us to go up to the window of the restaurant to order ...much to my surprise all of the people standing around were waiting for their food ,local folks and new comers . We walked up to the window and ordered the half chicken medium with coleslaw and a breast w wing mild with beans ...and then we waited..and waited and waited lol ...the atmosphere was friendly and pleasant and it helped with the wait, we were given a number and the staff called it after 30 mins ...chicken is made to order. I was handed a greasy bag of goodness...the smell was amazing...and the medium chicken was juicy fire ... such great taste , it was just damn good chicken ... Left my mouth all tingly and the mild was great too! Spicy but no heat ... I will be back!!
(4)
Jeff L.

Sorry Kentucky Colonel and Popeye's, Bojangles, Church's ad Lee's...after eating Prince's (The Original) Nashville hot chicken and Gus' Fried Chicken from Memphis (sadly the Nashville Gus' location is now out of business) my perception of fried chicken has been forever and irrevocably changed because I now know how good it can really be. I could probably do "hot" but I've only gotten medium and it's seriously plenty hot for me. For those who haven't had real "Nashville Hot Chicken", it's sort of like traditional fried chicken meets buffalo wings without the vinegary tang of hot sauce. Greasy, spicy and delicious with almost a butter and cayenne pepper paste applied to the chicken. I'm addicted and now have it once a week for lunch if I can. It's a hole in the wall in a broken down mini strip mall, they only take cash and have a little ordering window so you can't see what's going on in the kitchen (trade secrets). I recommend extra pickles and bread to cool down the heat. And the cold potato salad helps too.
(5)
Jairo R.

Can't get any better than Prince's medium hot breast qt. Like other chicken joints make sure you have plenty of time to spare and make sure to bring cash!!
(5)
Michelle L.

Didn't get to try this recommended spot out, just wanted to warn any newbies to this spot that it takes an hour from the point of order to receive food. Maybe next time we'll call ahead and do take out. Really excited to try it out when I've got the time though!!
(3)
Monica S.

Worth the wait! We messed up our tight schedule for this but we knew it was worth it when we saw the line. Cash only and it's almost like you step back in time when you walk in this place! They sure as HELL do not mess around with spice. My husband cried eating that X-tra hot! Lol but he deserved it!!! My mild had a kick. The fries were okay and the cole slaw left something to be desired but that chicken was right on the money! Went with the recommendation on the ranch and extra pickles! Two thumbs way up!
(4)
Michelle L.

SPICY FRIED CHICKEN. Where have you been my whole life? How could something so simple taste so good? I feel like I've been deprived of good fried chicken growing up in Southern California. If there is one thing the South gets right, it is Spicy Fried Chicken. I have to admit, I was terrified of trying this place because my boyfriend had the extra hot chicken here and let's just say that his digestive system has never been the same ever since. This place is GHETTO. I mean so ghetto that I wouldn't venture here alone. But you know the food has to be something special when people are lining up out the door and crammed into this tiny restaurant like sardines. I had a huge problem with the ordering system here since it was just so crowded and it was hard to tell where the line began and ended. We got to the front somehow and we ordered the Quarter Breast and Wine (Mild), Quarter Leg and Thigh (Medium) with an order of potato salad and baked beans. For drinks, we stuck with some Sweet Tea. The lady working there will give you a number and if you're lucky you will find a seat. But you're going to be waiting awhile so hopefully by the time your food comes out, someone would have left. The chicken here comes with some white bread and pickles. When I first saw that, I couldn't understand why they would serve up white bread with our spicy chicken but it totally works. The white bread is like a sponge that just soaks up all that spicy oil and grease and makes it quite delicious. Probably super bad for you too but you're eating fried chicken in the first place. Anyways, the chicken was delicious. Crunchy skin, moist meat, and spice that built up to perfection in your mouth. I actually think the Medium spice level tastes A LOT better than the mild. I also suggest getting the breast and wing because it seems to be a little big bigger than the leg and thigh. The potato salad and beans were also good but nothing to write home about. I absolutely loved the sweet tea though! It went along perfectly with our meal. Fried Chicken will never be the same for me. This is one shack that you need to visit if you're ever in town. Don't let the crowds and the overall ragged look scare you off because you will walk out full and happy. 5/5
(5)
Manuel C.

I went there after someone recommended to me... I understand is fried chicken , but that's it really needs to be dripping oil? . The area was dirty as well the bathroom, ( I used to wash my hands lol), so my friends saw my expression on the face and asked me what's wrong, I said, well you have to see the bathroom to imagine how the kitchen will look like. Did not eat there I ordered my chicken to go, very disappointment with the cleanliness in the restaurant, I don't recommended if you are a clean freak. Other than that I did no t see anything special in the chicken as far a flavor except that the seasoning of the chicken it spicy, love spicy food.
(1)
Ang R.

Yea. Worth the hype. They are not lying when they say the medium is spicy - it is spicy! I like spicy, medium is all I needed. Served with white bread. Worth the trip. So good. Low key, divy, authentic.
(5)
Alexa M.

Loved it! Worth the drive out! I ordered mild and it was still hot!
(5)
Adam V.

Prince's is a good spot to get authentic Nashville "Hot Chicken." My wife and I decided to drive across town and give this place a go. It was a warm day and it was warm inside as well. The decor and area leave much to be desired. It's not located in a great part of town, there is very little parking in a cramped lot, and no air conditioning. When you enter, the organization of the place is part queue and part chaos. However, don't let the aesthetics/danger deter you from giving them a try. I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into. We walk in and find the line. After a moderate wait, we move into the on-deck circle. Luckily, we hear the couple in front of us order. They both step, up and politely say, "Hot please." The 80 pound lady taking orders asks them if they've ever been there before. They say "no" and she immediately turns to the kitchen--"TWO MEDIUM!" It was hilarious. We also ordered medium when our turn came. We found a seat, which was a miracle. There isn't much seating and it seems that most orders are take-out. After a while, we're called and handed two reddish-colored chickens sitting on a piece of white bread. It's good....and cripplingly hot! Man, is it hot. If you order extra hot, I think you might need to be the devil himself. It will probably give you brain damage. Stick with mild or medium if it's your first rodeo. If not, you may end up like Harry and Lloyd from "Dumb and Dumber" trying to kill the pain with mustard and ketchup. Prince's is the real deal. Give them a shot. The chicken is hot, but it's really good.
(3)
Chris C.

The ORIGINAL Nashville Hot Chicken. The best. There is no other. Two slices of white bread, a crispy fried chicken quarter drippong with red pepper and oil, and pickles all wrapped up in paper and speared through with a toothpick If you haven't tried it before, get the Mild ...... It is only Pretty darned hot. Medium is Hot Hot crap Hot. And Hot is Flamin Freakin Hot Wow maybe i sould eat some bread Hot. Theyre all tasty; but The hot starts to be more about the heat and less about the fried chicken. I dont reccomend Extra Hot.... Thats just overkill. Worth driving there from anywhere. Even better at 3:00am Saturday night.
(5)
Kyle C.

After a lot of hype I finally made my way to Prince's and I wasn't overly impressed. Unless it's Thursday everything is bone-in. And there ain't much meat on them bones. I will have to say the seasoning on the crinkle cut fries is the best thing they got going. Be prepared to wait too.
(3)
Paul S.

Easily the best hot chicken in the country. A lot of the other places in Nashville serve up really good chicken but Prince's is playing in a whole different league.
(5)
Tyler J.

Oh my goodness. Listen, Nashville Hot Chicken is a menu item almost exclusive to the area, and EVERY place claims to be the best. This one though... might actually BE the best. I rolled up with a couple friends, one of which was visiting from out of town and I wanted to give him the authentic Nashville experience. Rumor had it that Prince's was the original and best place for hot chicken, so that's where we went. It's the definition of a hole-in-the-wall. This ain't the place you go when you are looking for hip atmosphere, super trendy lighting, and expensive food that's labeled "artisan" (for no reason other than the guy who made it has a beard). No, my friends - this is a local dive, kept in business solely off of profits from its exceptional product. I ordered the half chicken and a side of fries, and so did my friend. While we waited for 15-20 minutes for our order to be called out, we discussed how hot we thought it would actually be, because we are often skeptical. As heat seekers, we often find that what others consider hot, we consider mild, so you have to understand our skepticism. Anyway, that food came out piping hot and fresh. The chicken was a deep red color, resulting from the cayenne and other seasonings in the breading. Then, we feasted. Oh Lord, we feasted. Prince's hot chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy and delicate on the inside. This stuff is bursting with flavor. And the heat... well, that was some REAL heat! Folks, please heed the warnings - HOT is ACTUALLY HOT... I can't even imagine how intense the EXTRA hot is, as the regular hot got my face and hands to start going numb... in the most awesome way possible. Get some ranch dressing with your order - you'll need it to help smooth out the burn. All in all, Prince's is top-notch. This is not only the best hot chicken I've ever had, but the best fried chicken in general that I've ever had. If you're a heatseeker, try the regular hot for a good balance of serious heat and excellent flavor. I'm sure I'll try Xtra hot one of these days when I'm feeling crazy enough. The hot flavor here is leaps and bounds hotter than Hattie B's. I highly recommend Prince's to just about anyone - ESPECIALLY visitors from out of town. Get away from the tourist traps and try out a REAL Nashville local favorite off the beaten path.
(5)
Donna W.

I'm from California and I when I visit Nashville, I have to rely on recommendation for good local eating. So I saw the reviews for this place and decided to give it a shot. My family and I went there and order two whole chickens and 10 sides. The total was $59 which I thought was rather high especially since the sides are $2 each and about the size of a 1/4 of a cup. Barely enough for one serving. But whatever we heard so much about this place. The cashier said it would take 40 mins so we decide to walk and buy some coke. 40 mins later. Nothing. We were number 47 and they we calling number 52 so I thought maybe there was an error. We asked the cashier and she said they were making our chicken. 1 hour later. Nothing. Kept waiting. 1 hour and 30 mins. We asked the later. Now they were calling number 59. The cashier got snappy and said they were working on the chicken. Almost 2 hours later we got our chicken! I mean the chicken and sides were good but seriously, 2 hours for chicken. Not again. So if you do decide to go here to eat, make she sure to clear your schedule and cancel your appointments because you will be there all damn day
(2)
Kimberly D.

If you don't stop here to eat this chicken, that's on you and you have to live with that for the rest of your stupid life. Sure it's in a dirty little shack in a questionable strip mall, but try to go back to your childhood memories of Aladdin. A diamond in the rough, you see. I have gone to Nashville (from Pittsburgh) JUST FOR THIS CHICKEN. Order all the pickles you can fit into your beautiful little face. Try the cake that's inexplicably being sold by an older gentleman sitting near the counter. If you "like spicy food" and your limits are Tabasco sauce, trust me, order the mild chicken. This food is best enjoyed while sweating it out in your car screaming about how right Mark Maron was when he suggested this place and then proceeding to wonder what happened to his relationship with Moon Unit Zappa because they seemed so cute together.
(5)
Paine B.

You have to like hot food to really enjoy this place. I have been three times and each time I got the 1/4 chicken hot. They do make x hot and xx hot but I am a hot food person and the hot is really hot but still has flavor. The chicken is served fresh and hot on a slice of white bread with seasoned crinkle fries. The first think you notice is the chicken is cooked perfectly. I have never seen chicken cooked that was crisp and still had such a juicy quality (not dry at all). If you eat there, the temperature will be hot when you get your food because they make it when you order. The hot is really hot - it is not the typical restaurant hot. Your scalp will sweat but the flavor is so good! Once you've done all you can with the chicken, the white bread at the bottom has soaked up all the excess hot sauce and crunches off the chicken. This is your desert and it is the best part. I can't recommend this enough if you like hot food. I personally would never order fried chicken normally but this is an experience and the chicken is so much better than you might have experienced elsewhere. I have only been in the day time and this area of town has a reputation of being rough. During the day, the restaurant and surroundings are mostly white collar type people. I know they are open late at night and I can't speak to the atmosphere after dark. The restaurant is sparse and there is usually a line at lunch. Try it!
(5)
Hyatt G.

I don't get it. I think people get kicks out of telling people about how these little hole-in the-wall places are way better than you'd expect. Somehow bad things have turned into good things now: Brand new jeans with holes in them already--that's called ruined. Sour beer--that's called spoiled beer. Slow ass fried chicken place in a shady strip mall--that's called a poorly managed restaurant in a bad location. Save your time and money and go some place else.
(2)
Brandon M.

They lost our order and it took over a half hour to get my chicken. I ordered the xhot chicken and it was extremely spicy. Refreshing after visiting a couple of the knock off hot chicken places. Was worth the wait.
(5)
Christine K.

3 stars just for the rude service I received. Ambiance...it's small, dirty and ridiculously hot. Which is fine with me cause I dined in 'hole in the walls' plenty of times. Just don't expect any AC cause they don't have one. Food, I ordered the breast with medium sauce. The chicken itself was very juicy, and yes, it was spicy! Unfortunately, I ordered the coleslaw...which I'm pretty sure was turning cause when I took that first bite I noticed it was warm and that sour kick hit me in the face with full force. Should've got the beans.... Overall, the chicken holds it's name. I think next time I'm just gonna call in for a to-go order with no sides. BEWARE!!! It's a very LONG wait for your food! 45 mins for mine and the place was empty. I'm assuming cause it's that fresh??
(3)
Lauren H.

So I came here a while back and never reviewed. First impression at 930 pm was the place was SKETCH. Definitely a neighborhood joint. Bring cash. Yes, spicy means spicy. White bread is thrown in more as a means to soak up grease than a side for the tasty, moist chicken. It's counter service and you definitely wind up waiting a bit as it's made to order.
(4)
Randy R.

If you are coming here, you probably already know its legendary reputation. So, I'll limit this review to a few tips for first timers: - Service is SLOW. Not a little slow, but really, really slow. After ordering two quarter chicken meals, I waited 20-30 minutes for my food. In the middle of the afternoon when it wasn't super busy. - The chicken is good, but it is no-joke spicy. We had read the reviews and smartly opted for the mild. Even the mild had a good amount of heat to it. Don't get me wrong, it had great flavor and was quite tasty, but take the warnings about the level of spiciness seriously if you are at all sensitive to it.
(4)
Matthew B.

Finally had the opportunity to try this place and it's worth the 30 minute plus wait as they cook the food as it is ordered. If you like heat, stick to the hot, the xhot will leave you a wet mess. I'm afraid to find out what xxxhot would do to my body. The atmosphere gives rise to sit with people you don't know, which is fun for impromptu conversations with strangers. Don't be afraid to ask to sit with people who have spare seats! Great experience!
(5)
Alejandra M.

Service was mediocre...make sure you take cash...and be prepared to wait 2-3 hours for your chicken. We ordered a whole chicken (medium spicy), 2 thigh pieces and 6 sides for 5 people. The total was $39. After ordering we asked how long the wait was and the cashier said 40-60 min. That seemed a little ridiculous but we were willing to wait for "the best hot chicken in Nashville." After 45 min we went to check on our order and were told that we would have to wait another 40-60 min! Total time we waited for this food was 3 hours!!! The chicken was ok but not worth the 3 hour wait!!! Save your money and don't waste your time. Based on what people said, I think that locals in Nashville have very low standards for good food.
(2)
Michael M.

Filthy disgusting inside and out with rude woman at the counter. Food was ok, surprised I even ate it given the nastiness of the place. Oh and cash only
(2)
Alexander M.

Burn your mouth if you want to... But no all jokes aside this place was definitely good! I visited Nashville this past weekend and prior to even coming my cousin had been telling me about how Nashville is known for it's "hot chicken" so being that I do appreciate hot/spicy food I thought of course I will try it! The set up of the place is.. Well idk if i would go the extreme of saying a "whole in a wall" kind of chicken joint but get let's call a spade a spade.. The area is super suspect compared to the places that I normally eat but hey sometimes you gotta travel to the more "Urban" areas to get great fried chicken right :-) right! So when you pull up good luck finding good parking because it's a hassle for SURE! I was a bit confused on how you order the good because there are really no designated signs pointing to where you order, generally it's a lot of people waiting for their numbers to be called out.. You order your good with whomever is working the front counter and then given a ticket and patiently wait for you're "hot chicken" and I do mean PATIENTLY wait because to be exact it took our food 1hr and 13mins for 2 order of wings and one half a chicken. With my luck they ran out of wings about 10 numbers away from ours being called and a lady from the back came out to announce that if you had wings there will be an additional 15 min wait! Overall the experience was good! Mild is HOT and Medium is on FIRE to the point that I was sweating like crazy trying to finish 3 wings! LAWD!
(4)
Patrick P.

Wings were good, but I've still had better. Service was slow even though I called ahead. It was pricey and the sides weren't as good as the chicken.
(2)
Elizabeth B.

Awesome chicken. We pass through Nashville all the time but never stop. This is worth stopping for. Will definitely stop more often now.
(5)
Rachel S.

Holy balls. I sure hurt the next day, but man was Prince's great as I was eating it. The crispy outside, and the tasty insides - I was a little surprised at the quality of the Prince's half chicken. (This is a LOT of food. It should be shared.. ) No offense to Prince's, but only because of its glorified rep as everyone's favorite hot chicken dive. This was REALLY good chicken. I ordered the medium spiciness, which was a fantastic amount of spice and flavor. After a disappointing visit to what WAS my hot chicken standby (Pepperfire), Prince's has moved back into the lead. I've yet to try 400 Degrees. Maybe after I've successfully detoxed Prince's from my body entirely...
(4)
Joshua C.

I got the mild breast sandwich. The best eating experience in my life. It's gonna be a long wait, it's in a sketchy area but that is all part of it. Don't think you're too good for mild.
(5)
Jeffrey H.

I've been exited to try Nashville hot chicken. This is the first place I tried. The chicken was juicy and the staff very friendly. I ordered the medium heat. My complaint is how salty the rub is. Not sure if all spicy chicken is supposed to be like that. Am going to try a different spot next time and see.
(3)
Paula N.

This was some of the best fried chicken I've ever had in my life, no joke. The batter was light and crispy. I love spicy food and ordered my chicken Medium (I'd read previous reviews about how crazy hot it gets), but wish I'd gone one level up at least to Hot. That being said, Medium still had a nice kick. The chicken itself was juicy and tender. I got one leg which was good enough for me, but could have eaten more it was so yummy. I would have given this place five stars but the wait was ridiculous (ordered at 4pm, waited 1hr 20min), and the sides (coleslaw and beans) were forgettable. Bring a book or magazine! And take your food to go because the few tables aren't easy to snag. But after eating the chicken, I'd gladly wait again. The friendly service and homey atmosphere (lots of checked tablecloths, women selling homemade cake) were also a plus.
(4)
Aja P.

Best chicken in Nashville hands down. We eat here almost once a week. If you want spicy seasoned chicken, this is the best place to go.
(5)
Ryan W.

Amazing food but you should definitely call ahead if you can. They make everything to order, so if it is busy, you could be waiting there for a while. Sadly, we ended up waiting for over an hour for our order, but it was well worth it. Definitely the best fried chicken I have ever had. The reviews are also accurate in that the medium is more than hot enough. Don't think you are a tough guy and get the hot, unless you plan on starting a war with your body. The place is a little hood but it was a nice change of pace to see something other than a bunch of people in cowboy boots and hats line dancing.
(4)
Ruggy J.

Is this a chicken restaurant or a bingo hall? To say this place is a hole in the wall is an understatement. With checkered tablecloths, an old lady selling cakes from a plastic table, and a giant fat dude with a holstered gun sitting outside the front door, it's certainly a memorable experience. They're best known for their fried chicken... But maybe I just caught them on a bad day as I wasn't overly impressed. It was really, really spicy (as in... Too spicy to enjoy), the batter to meat ratio was out of proportion (lots of skin), and it was really over salted. Not sure I'd make an effort to swing by ever in the future... It's definitely in the 'hood, so if you're a Prius driving yuppie, you may be out of your comfort zone a bit.
(3)
Tracey S.

Got off the plane, first stop, Prince's for their Xxx hot chicken, been looking forward to this for over a month. My Tenn friends bet I couldn't handle the xxx hot. The girl that took my order rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue, and decided this white girl from out of town could not handle the Xxx hot, so she served me the med. Not only was it not even hot, it tasted like it had been smothered in Lawrys seasoning, way too salty no heat. Serve what is ordered, you are not my Mother, if its too hot for me that's my problem. Next time I am in Tenn I will go to a hot chicken place that serves their customer what they order. Sorry Prince's you suck
(1)
Pete B.

The 1-Star reviews on here are hilarious!!! Yes, It is ghetto. Yes, it is filthy. Yes, I'm sure the workers have guns strapped to them. (wish I saw this, but didn't.) But how do you complain about the chicken being too hot, when it's called "Hot Chicken"? I ordered the regular hot, and damn, it WAS hot, but it was everything I was hoping for at the same time. We must have hit it at a good time. 4:00PM-ish, as we only waited about 10-15min for our order. We took it back to the hotel which was probably the best decision I made all year. The place really is gross. Disgusting in fact, but thats alright. The hot oil should have killed everything. Bottom Ling: Great Chicken, from a Terrible Locale. Because of the TV hype, it was worth trying to say I have been there.
(3)
Peter P.

It really is a shack. There are only about 10 tables inside. You'll most likely have to wait in line to order at the window. The menu is pretty simple. Whole chicken, half chicken, or quarter chicken. Choose the spiciness level. Sides are basic (cole slaw, fries, etc.) and cost extra. I ordered from the nice lady at the counter and took it "to go" as there were no tables available at 2 PM on a Friday. I ordered the hottest level they offered (I figured I was at a place called the "Hot Chicken Shack" so go all the way). It was too hot even for me. The fry on the bird was good, and they douse it in sauce. Makes for a messy eat. It was tasty though. I just wish I had gotten the regular hot instead of the extra hot.
(3)
Rich M.

There is no better hot chicken.
(5)
Alex O.

Prince's Hot Chicken in Nashville as the real deal. You will wait about an hour with an assortment of Nashville's finest and it is well worth it. Everything you get is good. The chicken is hot and crispy. When in Nashville you got to find this place. It doesn't look like much but don't let that deter you. And they provide they're own security so no chicken scuffles break out.
(5)
Christina S.

Over-rated. First the place is WAY out of the way. Not near anything and in a pretty bad area. Let's be honest. We heard the chicken was a must, so we braved the trek to Prince's and got a medium and a hot chicken breast. It was tasty, but not worth the trip or wait. And the wait - I am not exaggerating when I say we ordered to go at the window in a line of seven. We waited over 30 minutes for to go food. We timed each order and it took about 5 minutes to fill each order ahead of us. Not worth the trouble.
(2)
Virginia P.

It's fried chicken. Of course it's going to be greasy. It's also the best hot chicken in Nashville. Duh there's gonna be a crazy wait. But it is sure as heck worth it. So chicken. Much good. no seating. Who cares? Baked beans, slaw, bread, pickles, medium not mild. Do it. Do it to it.
(5)
Chris M.

You can read any of these reviews and I could not add more to your knowledge -- delicious, spicy as ****, long worthwhile wait, a little dirty hole in the wall just as you would expect and hope for in a fantastic hot chicken joint. So, to differentiate this review I will compare it to my favorite hot chicken joint in Nashville -- Pepperfire (broken in to categories, of course): Chicken itself: Both have delicious, juicy, moist chicken. Unfortunately, I have to pick one and I promise it is just by a hair. Winner: Prince's. Seasoning: There is nothing I hate more than the difference between X-Hot and Hot being more hot sauce and no flavor bump, and both are guilty of this. However, at the lower levels of medium and mild you can taste the flavor and they are both incredible. Ugh this one is the hardest... Winner: Prince's. Add-ons: While the fries are comparable at both the fact that pepperfire offers numerous more sides including potatoes, beans, greens, mac n cheese, etc. Winner: Pepper. The white bread: Prince's is the only place in town that even attempts to kind of but not really toast the bread, allowing it to soak up the all-so-delicious flavors instead of being nasty and soggy at the end of the meal. Winner: Prince's. Service: Hands down Pepperfire has to win this -- they actually answer when you call and you can get your order in ahead of time. The folks at Prince's are very hospitable don't get me wrong, but not answering your phone? Come on. Winner: Pepper. X-Factor: One word, "Peppercheese". If you don't know what I am talking about, you have not lived. When you go to Pepperfire and order the TenderRoyale, this peppercheese is on the bottom of you your chicken and it is heaven. A perfectly seasoned and fried pepper jack grilled cheese sandwich of hidden goodness, eliciting images of fireworks and dancing leprechauns. Seriously. HOT DAMN. Winner: Pepperfire. All in all, even though it is a 3-3 tie, I have to give the winner to Pepperfire given the X-factor (and they are a lot closer to me).
(4)
Matt D.

This is the original here in Nashville. Nashville has become known for "Hot Chicken". I love the story of how Prince's got started and will have to say it is in the top 2 of all the Hot Chicken joints in town. Prince's is the place where Food Network or whatever network went to for their TV spot about Hot Chicken and there is a wonderful video on YouTube about Prince's "The 24 Hour Chicken". LOL I will have to say the wait is always well worth it as they are cooking your food fresh and sometime while you are waiting you can get a table. As a first timer I ordered a Mild for my wife as she likes hot but not too hot. I had the Hot for usual. The levels past that start getting hotter than there is flavor. Heat is fine but with no flavor, why? I don't go past Extra Hot. The Chicken was crispy and wonderfully seasoned. I generally order potato salad to go with my hot chicken to cool me off it it gets to be too much but the Fries here are great. I would highly suggest you get some cake at the end of your meal. The lady sitting in front of where you order is where you get the cake, you will see. The selections are made by the "Cake Lady". I am here to tell you, all homemade and all wonderful. Every self respecting "Hot Chicken" eater must make at least one pilgrimage per year if not per month or week or daily. One of my top 10 Places to eat in Nashville. I know Pepperfire is really good but still love this place.
(5)
Ju L.

Its touristy fame has done nothing to make Prince's look anything different from what the name suggests - the "chicken shack" part, not the "prince" part! It's grungy, situated in a ragged-looking strip mall, and the food is literally dripping with excess grease. There's one of those big industrial fans roaring in the corner because nope, this joint has no air conditioning. Hot chicken, a Nashville specialty, is chicken made with a heavy dusting (or caking, depending on how spicy you get it) of cayenne. I got the medium, which was a pretty good level (as a baseline, I think Sriracha is pretty mild, especially when cold). The chicken was juicy and the spiciness added a great kick without destroying your ability to taste the food. Menu is straightforward. Choose your level of spice, what chicken part you want, and any extras (fries, potato salad, cup of pickles, etc.) It's legitimately cheap eats, especially considering it's fresh made and a tourist attraction. I don't know what's up with their ordering system. You order and pay at the window in the back, and get a ticket number. But the food comes up ridiculously out of order, even though everyone is ordering the same thing. The woman raspily called "47?!!!" about eight times before trying "38!!!!?" An empty table materialized before us early on, which was lucky since we proceeded to wait a half hour for our numbers to be called. This was a Tuesday, 1pm. I was not pleased by the wait but mostly inhaled the chicken. The fries were those pale, limp squiggly ones. You know it's a bad sign when your french fries are absorbing the grease from the chicken. Worth a visit as a tourist? If you have the patience, yes. Can't resist trying something that has its own Wikipedia page! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoâ€¦
(4)
Terry M.

The best hot chicken- hands down! The others are good, but nothing compares to Prince's.
(5)
Harry S.

Their Chicken is great. Waited a hour and 20 minutes for our food without any warning. Place seems quite unsanitary. Hattie B's is faster and less oily.
(3)
Leslie S.

Order one spice level less than what you would normally get. Mild=medium, medium=hot, etc. The flavor of the chicken is worth the 45 minute wait.
(4)
Michele E.

A must try while in Nashville however I'm not sure I would make a second trip. Be prepared some old man is sleeping in a chair watching tv where you order, there is a long line for ordering, it is loud and very few clean tables. It's an experience... We had six people ordering with four mild orders and two medium. We had no idea what was what when we opened the bag as they don't label it. We believe we got more medium that mild because one piece was so hot you couldn't even eat it without sweating and having tears roll down your face. Again, an interesting experience to say you did while in Nashville but I wouldn't experience it again due to the hotness of the food and the overall appearance of the operation.
(4)
Danny N.

This is the real deal. The original hot chicken. Google the story of how it opened. If you aren't able to handle very spicy good start with the mild and work your way up. I thought it'd be funny ordering the extra hot. Then I learned they don't serve free water the hard way as the cooks were laughing at me as I was crying. Now days I go with the medium and it's hot yet easily tolerable for my spice level.
(4)
Mr T.

Prince's is quite literally a shack. With about ten tables, seating is a hassle. The line is long and they fry the chicken order-by-order, so expect anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour to get your food. The chicken, however, is excellent. I didn't try the sides because they look like they come from a huge container from Costco. Mild Chicken Quarter (white meat): Perfectly fried chicken breast and wing. Very, very hot (temperature-wise) when you get it, so let it cool down for at least ten minutes. Mild is plenty hot if you're wanting to actually taste the meat. The white bread on the bottom serves to soak up the juice from the chicken, so save it for last; it's almost better than the chicken. Overall: A
(5)
Dagan B.

Prince's was good and equally hot per level as pepperfire. Hattie B's and pepperfire are equal on chicken itself, Overall i think Pepperfire is the best but Princes is a close second. Pepperfire just has more options like chicken and waffles and the pepperjack deep fried grilled cheese. If u want good chicken none of them are bad though. plus if u wanna make a drug deal or buy a hot pistol it wouldnt be hard to find here lol
(3)
John N.

Fried chicken was just ok. The cake lady got me on a strawberry cake and ate two bites before I threw it out. Extremely artificial and dry. Nice people, nice security. Wouldn't come back.
(2)
Matthew C.

The best as usual. Bolton's is great, Pepperfire is good, Hattie B's is OK, Prince's still reigns as King. Took a co-worker from ATL for his first time and it lived up to the hype. I've had all heat levels and hot is still the beat IMO. Order extra pickles!
(5)
Laura P.

I had heard about their chicken for quite awhile and finally tasted it. It was the best I ever had. Tried someone else's. No comparison. Drive the distance, wait in line and leave wanting more. We went twice. The only place to go
(5)
Jourden V.

You don't come here for the ambiance. Your best bet is to call your order in 45 minutes in advance, and take it with you. They always ask me on the phone if I'm sure I want the medium breast. The medium is perfectly spicy for me, but I can see why some people would find it too hot. The best part, to me, is the bread. When it soaks up all the juice and seasoning from the chicken, it is so crispy and delightful, I can hardly stand it. If you come to Nashville, it's worth a stop to experience something that is perfectly unique to this city.
(4)
Wes B.

If you like speedy customer service, a clean environment, a convenient drive or unlimited water, this is not the place for you. If you like a quirky experience, Nashville history, painfully flavorful chicken and hole-in-the-wall purity, give Prince's a try. Prince's is not my favorite hot chicken in town -- that honor belongs to 400 Degrees. But the North Nashville dive is the original, and it's an institution for its uniqueness as much as for its product. You'll wait 30 minutes for your chicken. You may or may not get a table. But you'll love the peppery product. The chicken comes in four varieties -- mild, medium, hot and very hot. But don't pay attention to that scale. I got the medium and could only finish half my meal due to the exploding heat. There was good flavor, too, though, not just heat for heat's sake. The chicken wasn't as moist as 400 Degrees', but it was still gooey and flaky enough to satisfy me. Other notes: Buy a piece of cake or pie from the lady at the front. She bakes them herself. I had a red velvet chess square, and it served as a welcome mid-meal relief for my ailing tongue. Also, order two waters. They sell them in bottles, not at a soda fountain. When I finished my water, I finished my meal. I could have ordered another water, but I didn't want to stand in a ten-minute line to do so. Finally, bring cash. Somehow I missed the memo that Prince's doesn't accept cards -- when I was informed of this by the sassy-sweet pie lady, someone next to me snickered, "You ain't been here before, have ya?" After ten minutes of traipsing across a blustery Dickerson Pike, I'd procured cash from an ATM and was back for chicken time. Prince's is intimate, unpretentious, diverse and delicious. The pleasure of the chicken was worth the pain inflicted on my tongue and my watch.
(4)
Nickie G.

Of course everyone has heard of Prince's Hot Chicken, so I was pumped when I finally got a chance to go. A "shack" located in a non-descript strip mall, so know what you are looking for and it should be easy to find. The place is going to be PACKED OUT, so also expect this. Tables are available inside but you have to just be wily and snag one. People sit there and hold them for others ordering and whatnot so just be alert for people that seem to be leaving soon. You get in line. You finally get up to the counter and order in the window. Cash only so bring some dolla bills. Then you wait for your number to be called. This will be a long wait, but I already prepared you for that, so just remember it. Use this time to stalk a table. Finally they will call your name. Yes! I got medium because I wasn't sure what to expect and didn't want to get it so hot I couldn't eat it. Comes with white bread and pickles and I got some fries too. So the chicken wasn't as hot as I thought...should have gone with hot. But it was good. I hear that many hot chicken places make it with lard, which tells you that this a'int no diet food. The pickles helped it not be so hot. And the diet Coke helped wash it all down (note: diet coke is in a machine, I don't know if they have fountain drinks but I don't think so...) Overall I thought it was A-OK but my mind wasn't blown and I guess I thought that it wasn't good enough for all the patience and waiting that you have to endure to get it. However, I would definitely go back if others were going....but I want to try the other places and figure out which is my favorite.
(3)
Jonathan Z.

I just developed my new food addiction and I don't know what to do as I live 7 hours away...the hot Prince's chicken. This stuff lives up to its reputation, not to mention that it is still true to its roots...small place that is ugly, slow, cheap food, and the best damn fried chicken you will ever eat. The crispest skin, incredibly flavored, seasoned and spiced, tender, and just plain yum. Medium will be pretty hot for most people (the lady at the front raised her eyebrows at me when I ordered the hot and asked if I was sure) but I have pretty high heat tolerance. I needed to go eat some ice cream afterwards as my mouth was on fire but this place is an experience. As Sean Brock says, keep the toilet paper in the freezer. Cash only, no table service, and about 10 tables so expect to wait as you watch people sweat.
(5)
Jason A.

This is the 265th review of Prince's Hot Chicken Shack. Let's be honest, this is not the kind of place that on the outside you would expect to generate this kind of Yelper love. The essence is simple: if you are in Nashville, go to Prince's. My fiancee is still yammering about how much she misses hot chicken. Not anything else about Nashville. Just the damn hot chicken. Pro tips for those wanting their hot chicken experience: 1. Expect to wait. No, I mean wait. Like really wait. Unless you go on a Tuesday afternoon, you will be waiting 30+ minutes for your food. Sometimes it will be 60+ minutes. Don't worry, the people watching will be worth it. 2. Parking blows. The angle parking lot outside has spots that fit Smart Cars only. If you drive anything larger than a Toyota Tercel, your car is going to be in for a squeeze. 3. The hot chicken is hot, temperature wise, when you get it. Like scalding hot. See #1. You will have been waiting, and be starving. So you will likely burn your hands. It's okay. Those second degree burns will be fixable with a skin graft. 4. Medium is hot. Trust everyone on Yelp. Do not get anything hotter unless you're a psycho and eat jalapenos for breakfast. 5. There will be no tables for you. It's like mall food court on Black Friday. So get your stalk on, and hover over people until they finish their meal.
(5)
Zak W.

Fantastic fried chicken. Definitely recommend not getting anything over medium your first time. The medium seasoning is as hot as most other chicken places hot. Food takes awhile (~30-40m) but it's totally worth it. The staff is super sweet and awesome too!
(5)
Kathryn S.

Dang good fried chicken!! The beans & potato salad were delicious too! Prices were great too!! It was a bit of a wait, but absolutely worth it! I wish I could have some delivered to Oklahoma!!
(5)
Marc C.

The name say's it all. It is definitely a shack and located in a sketchy area. It is definitely not in the touristy part of town. That being said, the food is killer. I had never heard of "hot chicken" until a friend recommended it. What a treat. Hot, spicy fried chicken that was both crispy and moist. Ummmmm It is counter service and the ordering process is a bit odd thanks to a half wall a couple of feet in front of the window. However, once you figure it out, the staff is friendly and efficient. Visit during the day and bring cash, I think you'll enjoy it.
(4)
Jessica Y.

Prince's looks exactly the way I was hoping - beat up, but with a crowd of regulars. Standing in line (well, first we stood in the "cake" line), the lady in front of us overheard our deliberations about what to order. She recommended the "medium" spice level - a nice flavor but not uncomfortable. That's what we went with... and it was... H!O!T! Now, I think I am a person who can deal with spicy food, but holy moly, my mouth was on fire and started salivating intensely. Thank goodness I ordered a side of pickles, although it was only a small help at taming the flames. I'm not sure if we were accidentally given "hot" chicken, because my sister ordered it "medium hot"... but it was crazy. She couldn't even eat more than a couple bites, but I really enjoyed the flavor of it so I kept on eating. The bread beneath the chicken was almost better than the chicken itself. It was buttery and soaked up the chicken juices - so yummy. If I'm back in Nashville, I'd like to order a "mild" and a "medium" to compare the two.
(4)
Charles F.

4.5 There are a few things you need to know to prepare yourself for a trip to Prince's: -Bring extra napkins for reasons that become abundantly apparent as soon as you start eating. -The spice levels are no joke. I eat very spicy food regularly and ordered medium, which was about right. Hot probably would have kicked my ass. -The $1 ranch sauce upgrade is a must. -Don't miss out on this because people on Yelp are calling the neighbourhood 'ghetto'. Plus the doorman has a handgun strapped to his side if you're still worried. -Plan on being within 100 yards of a bathroom at all times the following day. -Nashville hot chicken is essentially a heavily spiced version of fried chicken (lots and lots of cayenne pepper). Anyone who tells you it's something radically different is messing. This is the best fried chicken I've ever eaten. The sides are seemingly store bought, but good nonetheless. I'm also awarding bonus points for friendly staff, great atmosphere and the triptych depicting a chicken, Jesus Christ of Nazareth and Michael Jackson.
(4)
Jerry Y.

Place is very good. Not the best chicken I've had, but close to the top 10. What weighs this place down is the long and uncomfortable wait. I went early fall when the outside temperature was around 80 and was sweating for a good hour waiting on our chicken. If the wait was 15 minutes or less, I'd be a returning customer, but to drive 30 minutes to north of town to wait over an hour for a great, but not mind-blowing, chicken is just not that appealing.
(3)
Jayson C.

Best chicken I've had...ever. I've always had a love for small dingy shacks like these. It's my own inclination that the food will be great. The workers are friendly. There's a sweet old lady in the front selling homemade pastries. I would recommend to try those. But this place is all about the chicken. I'm a Chicagoan and can't help myself from craving for it. Oh how I wish it wasn't hundreds of miles away.
(5)
Janet N.

We had to visit Prince's and Bolton's after reading all the reviews on Yelp to determine for ourselves which one is best! (Something I recommend doing but only if you have a few days in the city.) After visiting Bolton's on New Year's Eve we visited Prince's a few days later before heading to the airport and then home. Prince's is not walking distance from the downtown core. I am not sure if you can take the bus there. We had a car at this point on our trip. At Bolton's I had asked for my fish* hot and the cook told me if I hadn't had hot chicken before he'd only make it mild, so I thought I'd had mild chicken and opted for the medium, while the boyfriend had found Bolton's a bit too spicy and went for mild to be safe. Well, either Bolton's is a lot spicier than Prince's or he had more faith in me than it seemed because what I got at Bolton's was the same level of spiciness as the medium at Prince's. Too bad, I would have loved to try the hot! Just so you know, though. It really is quite hot. We were joined at our table by a couple from Minnesota who said they liked spicy food and had also ordered medium but I felt bad for them because it was obvious it was far too hot. And, just as an extra warning, there's a story framed on the wall about a guy who tried the extra hot. Allegedly the whole place went quiet when he ordered, and when he was driving home afterward his eyes were watering so much that he had to wipe them, getting cayenne in his eyes and almost causing a car accident. You've been warned.) But if you like spicy food, start with the mild and give it a try because it is REALLY good. Fresh, crispy, flavourful and weirdly it goes really well with pickles! (They will come with it, but I ordered extra.) We clocked in at well under twenty dollars for dinner for two. I wouldn't hestiate to come back here if I got the chance. *We had been told to try both the chicken AND the fish at Bolton's, but chicken's where it's at for Prince's.
(4)
DJuan L.

God, I want some just thinking about it. This is my favorite place to get fried chicken. The chicken is hot, yet flavorful. Everytime I come to Nashville, I make it my business to stop here and eat. It interior doesn't give you much to look at, but who cares when you have good, fresh, hot chicken! This place was also on Diner Drive-Ins and Dives!
(5)
Frank K.

More of a tourist attraction than anything. Wait times are absurd. Had the "hot" heat level and felt it for three days. Be warned! The chicken is DELICIOUS but overall you can do better at Hattie B's.
(3)
Richard C.

We who are addicted to hot chicken salute you !!! Prince's is the first and still the best. I ordered the extra hot. When it arrived it was a thing of beauty. Crispy golden skin glowing of the hot spices. Moist and perfectly cooked this is as close to heaven as one can get in Nashville. Then there was the bread beneath the chicken that soaked up all of the goodness. If you have ever wondered what hot chicken is all about - go here first. Don't be chicken !
(5)
Amanda T.

Okay so I read about this place online before I came into Nashville and decided we had to go there. My husband loves hot wings so I figured it would be a hit. No article came close to what we actually experienced. 1. The area looks pretty rough, the tiny parking lot was packed and all of windows, except Prince's, have bars on them. 2. The Shack is literally a shack, it's a total dive with about 7 tables... They are hot commodity and hard to get. 3. There was a short wait to order, a local guy said it was a slow day and usual the lines are out the door. It was a LONG wait for our food, about 30 minutes but it was so worth it!! 4. The food was amazing!! I got the mild and was pleasantly surprised with just enough spice to feel a slight tingle. My husband got Hot and managed to suffer through it but he's hurting now. My father in-law got Medium and said it had good heat and he had some sweat dripping but his stomach isn't hurting from the spice. The potato salad was delicious and helped with the spice! In the end, Prince's Hot Chicken is going on my list of favorites. I will be stopping by when I am in town or passing through.
(5)
Kaelan Y.

Whoever says Pepperfire isn't spicier than here is an idiot. I got a medium at both places, and PF takes the cake as most spiciest. Princes however has more flavor to their chicken. The wait is the same at both places as well. I got the half chicken with fries and slaw, fries were phenomenal but the slaw was a little underwhelming. I will definitely be back for lunch in the future
(4)
Mario M.

The food is good. However the experience is terrible. The wait today was greater than 1.5 hrs. Then they don't tell you how long the wait is until after you pay and once you ask. This is not good for someone just stoping by. The place is dirty, extremely hot and not comfortably setup for a wait so long. There is people standing against the wall and almost elbow to elbow due to the long wait with no space.
(1)
Lakeisha H.

Best hot chicken Nashville has to offer and Bolton's is right up there. Concerning this place be prepared to wait but it is well worth it. Everyone that I have brought thoroughly enjoyed it. You can't call in your order anymore because they're so busy but again I would not let that deter me. Give it a try you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Kristin Marie S.

I finally went to the source and boy was it worth it! My chicken wasn't too hot, hot enough, but not anything that tore me up while eating, after eating, or the next day. We rolled in late on a Wednesday and the strip mall that it's located in was hopping! I would say the entire trip took as long as I anticipated, we were in and out within 45 minutes. I think one of my favorite parts is that they don't mess around with drinks. Pop your dollar into the soda machine and make your selection. The sides were also as I thought, good, not mind-blowing, you are there for the chicken. The crowd was friendly and dedicated. You could tell there were regulars. If you live in Nashville or are traveling through Nashville, Prince's is a must eat!
(4)
Tiffany R.

The best hot chicken in Nashville, PERIOD! I have tried them all and no other compares. The only reason they get 4 stars instead of 5 is because of their horrible wait times and just lack of organization. Every other joint in Nashville even the really horrible ones have features like online ordering and call in. Princes has a phone but I'm not sure why, no one ever answers it. They are the best and they know it, but that place could be making millions if they would just get it together and get rid of the "hole in the wall" mindset. In the meantime, no matter how bad my customer service experience I just have to keep going because the chicken is just that good :)
(4)
Michael L.

Overrated. When I was new to Nashville, I saw this place on TV. Looked good as fuck. When I got there, I ended up with average chikin. Not BAD, but I dont see how this place is such a Nashville staple. If this is the best Nashville's got, something's wrong.
(3)
Matt G.

I love spicy food, but this was on another level. The "hot" was so hot, that I could not enjoy the chicken. I would not go back. The spice is caked on so thick, that it's all you could taste.
(1)
Susannah B.

Prince's is the real deal. You walk in, you go up to the window and order. I definitely don't suggest ordering hot chicken because it's already spicy as we ordered it normal. It only takes a few minutes. We went when it was packed at night so we were lucky to get a table. The old man who was our bus boy was extremely nice and told us he eats here every day. I would too! Except...probably not. It was good chicken. But being from Louisiana I've had much better. Even at a local drive thru chain. But this is the best I've had outside of Louisiana so I give them props for that.
(4)
Joe M.

I loved the food went there because I saw it on food network. When I got there I was shocked at how dirty the place was, but the lines we starting. I talked to a lot of locals, they love it. I ordered 1 med and 1 hot Brest. Ate both of them and I was sweeting. It was good chicken, but this place needs a cleaning. If I had not seen it on TV. I would of never eaten there. stop by but it's a dive with good food visited Sept 2011
(3)
D. K.

Beware: when you order at the counter, you may have a LONG wait ahead of you! We went at 10:00 pm on a Friday night and ended up getting our food at 12:10 am! We had absolutely NO clue it would be that long. That being said, the cole slaw was worth the wait alone! So peppery and delicious. Best cole slaw I have ever had. The fried chicken was really moist and flavorful. The potato salad and baked beans were the perfect sides. Someone said you can call your order in (not sure if that's accurate?), but definitely look into it before you stand around for 2 hours waiting for your number to be called!
(4)
Chris W.

My first Prince's experience: We got there about 8:45, ordered, then waited, and waited, and waited, and waited some more. We finally got our some time between 10:15 and 10:30. Did I mention we waited? Well the chicken was cooked perfectly. It was perfectly crispy and very juicy. Problem was, it was bland. There was no flavor, just HEAT. I like spicy foods, but not foods that exfoliate the inside of your mouth. If it's gonna be hot, there had better be flavor. And that's where Prince's falls short. The heat is there, the chicken is perfectly cooked, but it just doesn't taste like anything but bland chicken mixed with molten lava. I mean, add a little salt to the mix, AT LEAST, folks! Or even better, get on the bandwagon and BRINE the chicken. I get that this place has tradition. I can live with the fact that you have to wait for hours. It's part of the experience. I guess I just expected more from the food itself after hearing so much about it. I'll definitely go give them another try, but my hopes will be much more subdued.
(2)
Erick R.

Amazing hot chicken, the best in Nashville in my opinion. Cash only.
(5)
Franklin A.

Okay...I'm a NE native who lives in Hawaii and has never had HOT Chicken before. But my friends raved about this place and it did not disappoint. Plenty of reviews talk about the chicken and the sides. They're excellent. But also worth mentioning is the selection of homemade desserts available including light and yummy carrot cake and mississippi mud. I purchased the hummingbird cake (a favorite since visiting the Boll Weevil Cafe in Augusta, GA) and it was heavenly! Chicken good! Side good! But don't forget the homemade desserts.
(5)
Andrew K.

Went there with a bachelor party. Yes, the wait can be long but all of the locals were nice and talked to us. We ordered 12 portions of chicken ranging from whole birds to quarters and not a piece was overcooked or dry. As for the spice level there consensus of our group was that the medium was really spicy however there were a couple of cowboys that claimed the hot was fine. (They changed their tune the next morning). Also this was really reasonably priced. I think a quarter dark was $4. The white bread and pickles were a nice touch too. It is in a less than desirable neighborhood but we didn't feel unsafe and we took taxi's there from downtown. The seating area is very small so be prepared to wait for food and a table during high times. Also this is a cash only joint so be prepared.
(4)
Harold C.

I usually come here to stock up on cologne, and since I'm there anyway I pick up chicken. The chicken is way good and HOT. I just felt like the chicken wasn't as meaty as other places I've eaten. -1 Yes, the place could use a dry Swiffer pass -1. But the music is on point +1. And you can't beat the value... 2 pieces, bread, a side, and a drink for under $8? Plus, the burning anus is free!
(4)
Chris H.

Insanely good. Do not miss it. Hot chicken, a Nashville thing, is specialty, is chicken made with a heavy coating of cayenne (which makes the chicken red). We got the hot and I can't imagine getting the extra hot. Really. I am usually a spice killing machine. Despite the spiciness, the flavor was still there, Very simple. Basically fried chicken and fries and some other sides (cole slaw). Chicken comes with white bread. Service is slow, but apparently you can call it in. Expect to wait 30 minutes-1 hour. We walked down the street to get soda to kill time. Not much seating. Be ready to take a table if it opens up or leave with the good. Maybe bring an extra plastic bag. The grease eats through the paper. Honestly, the best fried chicken I have ever had. I would absolutely go back.
(5)
Beatrix T.

Get mild. I'm someone who eats extremely spicy (I can eat habaneros & ghost peppers) and even the medium is too spicy for a fried chicken dish - it just becomes a burning sensation instead of good flavor. It was also VERY GREASY. Gus's is a better choice if you're looking for great fried chicken.
(3)
Babe M.

First off you must know that I love Hot and Spicy. I am partial to anything that is Hot and Spicy and tastes good. Now add those two ingredients to some good old fashion fried chicken and I'm in foodtopia! Prince's has a huge following here in Nashville for their version of Nashville Hot Chicken. This review serves as your official warning of the wait time involved when ordering. If you are not prepared to wait anywhere from 25mins and upwards then Princes is not for you. Oh did I mention that this local favorite is in the hood. That's right I said hood! If you can overcome these two elements then I promise you will not be disappointed! First off once you receive your white bag filled with chicken and bursting with fire and heat you will notice the reddish orange grease stain at the bottom of the bag. This is the run off of all that heat and oil, just be careful of your clothes. As you open the bag your eyes pop from and your sense are awaken from the heat. I mean you almost start sweating this could be from fear of the spice or from the spice itself, lol. Once you sank your mouth into this crazy covered spiced laden piece of chicken you will know why its the crowd favorite. The chicken is down right good and the finishing touch is the bed of oil and spice saturated bread that served as a bed for your great big bird of fire. I mean the heat, the spice and the flavor its all there. Just The only problem is your not there!
(4)
Audrey W.

Absolutely the best fried chicken I've ever had. I've never felt the urge to review any restaurant on yelp before, but prince deserves all the praise for its flavorful juicy meat. Order mild if you think you can handle regular! It was the first meal I had in nashville, and I started looking around trying all the friend chicken places I can find in the area after that. Prince's still by far the best. Coming back to New York, I was excited to know about a fried chicken place inspired by prince, it was the biggest turned down. Hope prince will open a chain in ny soon.:-)
(5)
Thomas P.

5 stars for the chicken. It is by far the best hot chicken in Nashville. This isn't anything like chicken wings. I grew up in Buffalo so I know wings. I love wings. This is something completely different. This is a Nashville institution. If you live here, and you like anything hot, you have to go here. Missing it is like missing Rotiers or Arnolds or the Lovelace biscuits. You can see from the bevy of 1-3 star reviews there there are some warnings, some that have nothing really to do with the food. First, it's hot. I like hot food, really hot food, and the "hot" level is about all I take take, and I suffer for it for at least a day (there are a couple levels above "hot"). But the suffering is worth it. Some of my colleagues get the mild and say it's more than enough for them. Second, it's a small hole-in-the-wall. Hattie B's is nicer inside. Prince's is real. Third, there's a wait. There can be a LONG wait. The first time we ate there years ago my wife and I came on a Friday around dinner time. Big mistake. After ordering I asked someone waiting how long it might be. They looked at my number and said "probably about two hours". She told me just to go home and come back later. I asked if I could call. They said sure, but no one would answer. So I dropped my wife and son off, waited a while, and came back. Now I only go for lunch, and even then the wait can be 30-45 minutes depending on when you arrive. Just don't try to sneak in for a quick one hour lunch.
(5)
Jessica H.

If you have a car and can get here do it. Chicken is delicious if you are a whimp like me get the mild or plain. People who work there are super duper friendly. Neighborhood is a little bit sketchy.
(4)
Anderson M.

I just wrote a review for Pepperfire, so now it's Prince's turn. They are neck and neck in my opinion, and I wholeheartedly give both five stars. Prince's is more established, though, so that may be enough to sway most people who can only choose one! This place is worth the hype in my opinion. We went for lunch and lucked out because we waited only about 15-20 minutes and the usual line hadn't formed. The atmosphere is cool. I think "shack" is appropriate, but, unlike some hot chicken place, you can eat it there. The chicken is possibly the best you'll ever have: succulent, juicy, tender, and, most importantly, extremely spicy. We got extra hot, and it was perfect for people with high heat tolerances like my girlfriend and me. I would recommend medium for most people, though. There's something about the lard-cayenne (and other spices) batter and the way they cook it that really seals the flavor in. Obviously, the outside is the hottest part, but the flavor still permeates somewhat into the meat. You should definitely get leg meat, rather than a breast, just so you can have a higher skin/meat ratio. Some people say Prince's is THE ORIGINAL hot chicken, and I am not sure about this. It is certainly the first FAMOUS hot chicken place. Does anyone remember Mary's? My dad claims they also had hot chicken back in the 70's, but who knows. In any event, this place is a true dining experience, though I'm not sure I'd go there at 2am, and I'm a 210 lb man!
(5)
Renee T.

My first time in Nashville tonight and was told that I had to check out Prince's Hot Chicken. As I sit here in front of my demolished chicken pieces I am contemplating driving back out for more chicken! This stuff is delicious!! It's good that I don't live close or I might develop a problem. The place is a hole in the wall, but that's part of the fun! Everyone there was super friendly. You do have to wait a bit but it was worth every minute. Had I known how amazing this chicken was going to be I would have been terribly impatient. As a lover of very spicy foods I took the plunge and ordered mine hot. They did look at me a little funny and mentioned that even the locals usually order theirs medium. My lips were on fire but I couldn't stop eating! Very pleased with my spice level! If you visit Nashville Prince's is a MUST!!
(5)
Che A.

I can't believe this hasn't caught on as a national phenomenon. Hot chicken is the BEST thing to happen to fried chick'n and spicy food lovers the world over (perhaps with the exception of spicy numbing Szechuan chicken). Got the hot and it was plenty HOT/spiritual. Even cold 2 days later the flavor is much more than just spicy! Make chicken pancakes with the leftovers! Thanks Nashville!
(5)
Lacey M.

I recently traveled to Nashville for the Country Music Association Festival, so naturally we were on the search for amazing food! Our first stop was Prince's Hot Chicken Shack. I had been wanting to try their chicken for quite a while. I am originally from Louisiana and love spicy food, so needless to say, I was excited! The menu at Prince's is small and straight to the point. The fried chicken comes mild, medium, hot and extra hot. You can get white meat, dark meat or both. I love restaurants with small menus because you always know the food will be fresh and flavorful! I wanted a little taste of everything, so I ordered both with medium heat. My friend David ordered the white meat with mild heat. Later I would realize his was a much smarter decision! We waited about 30 minutes for our chicken, which we were more than happy to do. Finally the food came, and before digging in we could tell it was, in fact very fresh. We also got a huge whiff of cayenne pepper. I dove in, thinking it couldn't be that spicy. I very quickly discovered how wrong I was! I usually like it the hotter the better, but this medium chicken was too hot for me. It felt like I could actually breathe fire, like a dragon from a Disney movie. Nevertheless through all the heat, I could still taste the amazingly seasoned fried chicken. This is when I really wished I had ordered the mild. But David, being awesome as always, offered me some of his. It was fantastic! The chicken was spiced just right! Not too hot, just the perfect amount of kick. We also ordered a side of fries which came sprinkled with cayenne pepper. They were lovely, also the perfect amount of spice. As we were leaving, we gave our table to two gentlemen who had planned much better than us. They brought their own beverages...a gallon of chocolate milk! They knew what they were in for. I definitely plan on returning to Prince's the next time I find myself in Nashville. However, I will make sure of two things: One, that I order the mild chicken and two, that I bring myself a gallon of chocolate milk to wash it all down.
(4)
Stacey G.

Ok, This is a tough one. I saw some reviews about the slow service but good things are certainly worth waiting for so I went. I arrived early and when the line started forming I jumped up. #4 baby ! I got this :) Order my food - 1 of each side, beans, coleslaw and potato salad and 2 Chicken legs. To Go. The lady at the register was very nice. This place is Cash Only so don't make that mistake. I watch the food coming out and #2 had a problem with something missing. #3 had a problem with something missing. The gentleman bringing out the food is beginning to get flustered as he tries to fix it. Here comes mine - on plates.. UGH. I am alone and not eating it there, i had said to go but no biggie as everything is there I just need a bag or box and I will take care of it. When I ask gentleman says 1 moment. he brings out 4 more orders looks at me and says 1 moment. As I was waiting I opened the potato salad and took a bite. It was delicious and I put the lid back on. I Also tore off a small bite of chicken and tried that. Also delicious - now I am excited and my food is getting cold so I get eye contact with the gentleman. He takes my food into the back. almost 10 minutes go by with orders coming out, people missing things and bothering the now super flustered young man. then FINALLY he hands me a bag. I bolt for the door and drive back to my hotel to feed people. As I open the bag I realize I do not have my order. Yes I should have checked it there, I know this. I have in my bag a whole chicken, fries and a side of coleslaw. Remember a few lines back I said I tried the food? If I got this bag someone got my already tasted food. SORRY PEOPLE ! The food that I tasted was delicious and 4+ stars. The cleanliness and organization of this location is 1 star. Thats where I came up with the 3. Just make sure to Eat your food there and arrive early....
(3)
Jay G.

Great chicken, especially if you like it hot. They also have mild, if you don't like a lot of heat. They have chicken and they know it. They might be the friendliest, but it doesn't matter because they know once you hit the chicken, you're addicted! A must try for Nashville food spots.
(5)
Tim M.

This week I was treated to 2 great trips to Prince's. The quality of your chicken is worth a short wait. $9 dinner includes breast qtr, soda, and a side. Mild and medium do not seem to have their usual kick on weekends - possibly they are so busy that it is not prepared the exact same way. Regardless, service and quality back to the normal Prince's I first experienced.
(4)
Linda M.

The mild chicken was spicy, and I learned to eat it to die down the taste like with the bread and pickles. It costs $9 for a half chicken which were two separate pieces making it great to eat by 2 people. My brother got fries with seasoning on it, but he said it was typ. fries and good.
(5)
Ozro D.

It's small, crowded, slow, and dirty. In other words - Prince's is exactly what you should be looking for in a hot chicken place. If you want a clean, healthy, and comfortable meal, stop reading now; you'll hate Prince's. The emphasis here is obviously on HOT chicken, and they're not joking around. Your first time, I'd recommend picking a heat level one below what you think you want, because they may surprise you. I tried "hot" once, and I learned why they laughed at me when I placed my order. I've now settled on medium, and it's perfect for me. While the heat may be their gimmick, the chicken holds up without it. It's great fried chicken. And then, of course, there are the fries and the heat/grease-soaked slice of bread at the bottom. Nothing here will disappoint. A few tips: bring cash (cash only), grab a cheap gallon of sweet tea or lemonade to bring in (they don't mind, and you're going to want more than just a 20oz coke), and for the love of all that is holy, don't touch your face.
(5)
Grace T.

This place was located in the shabbier district of Nashville, similar to east St. Louis and parts of Kansas City. My family and I stopped anyway because we were convinced that this local dive was going to be as good as the four stars other Yelpers had given. When we entered, we were met with really... not pretty sights. The place looked dirty enough to house cockroaches... However, we plowed forward anyway toward the back counter where others were ordering. The food itself was okay. It was really, really oily for our tastes. It dripped oil. I liked the seasoning/salt/spice level, but I think some might like it less seasoned. I would say that it wasn't the worst fried chicken I've ever had, but it was far from the best. I would not go back, and I would not recommend this place to others.
(2)
Hilary O.

I heard about this place online and reviews said it was the best chicken in Nashville. I walked into this dump of a building with outdated equipment and when I got to the ordering window, the wait time for 1/2 a chicken was 90 minutes. I don't care how good your chicken is, you will not keep customers when your kitchen is that tiny and it takes 90 freakin minutes for a chicken breast and wing. WTF!!!. I am a restaurant owner and culinary expert and these ghetto ass owners and employees have no idea how to run a business. You just lost 2 customers that were interested as well as everyone I tell not to eat anything that comes out of that nasty kitchen with dirty clumpy fryers.
(1)
Robert P.

I can handle very spicy food so I ordered Spicy. Don't order Spicy. It quickly stopped being enjoyable to eat and I literally shit my pants later that night, like poop in my pants. They did warn me not to try spicy, but I got cocky. I had to come back two weeks later and give it another shot with Medium. Much better experience, but I bet even that would be too much for most people, so try Mild. If you're not from Nashiville, or the South in general, this place is a must visit. The menu is simple and the chicken is fried fresh. Apparently there is usually a long line, but it wasn't too long either time I visited.
(4)
Josh M.

I hate to do this but I have to give 2 stars due to the EXTREME greasy-ness of the chicken. This aint your ordinary fried chicken, this comes with a side of melted lard in the bottom of the bag. I asked the kind lady at the register what should I order for someone who likes a little heat? She insisted on the "xtra hot", so I ordered that for myself and a mild for my wife. Also ordered a side of fries. UHHHH UHHHHH. NEVER AGAIN! From picking the chicken out of the bag and grabbing a fry to try, it was over. I literally started to tear up. I made it about half way through my breast before I admitted defeat. I even ate pickles and white bread slices(I have not had white bread in years.) that came with it to try and calm down the heat. There was no stopping that train. I finished hers and called it a day with a ice cold beer(at home). Its got good flavor as long as you dont go overboard. This place i open such hit and miss hours and it is in an area of town that while standing in line waiting for food, I was warned to not frequent after dark. Most certainly worth the Saturday afternoon trip after 2 before dark trip to check it out. Will I be back? Undecided. I never eat fried food and chicken is not in my normal diet. Only time shall tell.
(2)
Ray L.

I first came here on a late night dinner on a friends suggestion since this is a well known establishment in Nashville and I had a craving for spicy food and fried chicken. I was not disappointed. I ordered a medium hot quarter white meat chicken with fries.It was definitely very spicy, but not so spicy that it would overwhelm the taste of the chicken but enough that I had to use the fries to lessen the heat. Even though the chicken was wet on the outside from the spice coating, it was still very crunchy and the meat was still juicy and dry. On a second visit, I came back and ordered it a step spicier at hot since I got used to it. My overconfidence made me sweat like I had just finished running a trail run on a humid spring day. It's surprising that there's another step up from hot. Despite the sudden increase in heat, it still didn't take away from being able to taste the chicken. The few drawbacks on this place are how crowded the place is due to its existing popularity and parking. The worker are pretty nice but can be a tad bossy. If they don't think you're ready for the hot, you won't be able to order it no matter what. Ordering is quick and easy, but I had to wait over an hour and a half for my food which is normal for Prince's. Parking is very limited and overflow lot is not well paved so beware... especially on rainy days. Food: 4.5 Price: 4 Service: 3.5
(4)
Stacey E.

OMG! They aren't kidding, this is "Smack yer mama!" good chicken (lucky for my mom she was back in Illinois). Don't look around, don't peek into the kitchen, just eat your food son...just eat your food. Passing through Tennessee we found this place on Yelp. It was a couple miles off of our route but we are sure glad we went. It was a little awkward at first, I think most of the people were regulars and knew what was going on. We ordered two mild quarter chickens w/fries to share. THEY PUT PICKLES ON YOUR CHICKEN! and that was OK by me. The chicken is hot, the pickles are hot, and it all tastes great. This place is a dive, a dirty, dirty dive but if you know that the dirty dives have the best food, this won't bother you. Don't pass up this gem. Stop by and get yourself some "smack yer mama" good chicken!
(5)
Victoria E.

I use to eat this however my stomach won't allow it now. Lol It is so freaking good and I love the bread drenched in hot sauce. I know it sounds gross but it's actually good. The parking can sometimes be a headache and u better call in your order or you will be waiting hours. The first time I had it I was thrown off by the pickle on a toothpick in my chicken breast. I never ate chicken with pickles before. You get a nice size chicken breast, a piece of bread, and I normally get fries. This may sound gross but the only way I can eat this chicken is with a tall glass of milk. Lol it calms down the burning sensation... YES! It's that HOT!!!! Many has tried but there is only ONE Prince's HOT chicken.. Lol
(3)
Salman A.

If you're looking for good fried spicy chicken take out, this place is as good as any other and pretty cheap too, half a chicken for 9... CALL ahead and order because it can take 30-60 mind, cash only
(4)
Emily K.

Totally overrated. Went here on a Saturday night and there was a 1.5 hour wait and the medium spice chicken that was served was WAY too spicy and dry.
(1)
Michael N.

I got the extra spicy, just for kicks, and it made me cry. No, seriously. Broke out in a big sweat and tears came out of my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. Fun place. Unique product, and good. Never got why people complain that they have to wait for made to order food. What the hell? And please get over the appearance of the place. It could be a little cleaner, big deal. Just go.
(4)
Hope M.

I was vacationing in Nashville last summer during the Hot Chicken Festival. Now, I eat almost exclusively vegetarian, but every now and then (particularly on vacation) I like to indulge in some juicy, delicious meat. I wasn't sure what to think about Nashville's hot chicken, but Prince's has made me a believer. It looked simple enough - a piece of white bread, some pickles, some Buffalo-looking chicken pieces, a packet of ranch dressing.....*cue hot-chicken-induced delirium. It was soooooo good. I get it now, Nashville.
(5)
Tony J.

We were in the area and after reading all the reviews online, we just had to try. Ended up waiting almost an hour on a late Saturday night to have a take-out order of (hot) half-chicken. The chicken is spicy hot alright, that I agree with 100%. However I just did not find enough good flavor on the chicken besides the heat.
(2)
Birju P.

Steve Harvey Hoodie Award Winner! Good on Y'all. Looking forward to hosting the Awards in Atl this summer. Expecting 150,000 people at the event. Come on down.
(5)
Jamie O.

Wow, awesome chicken. I went against better judgement and ordered the extra hot half chicken. It was hot, but the taste was still enjoyable. I will get hot next time I'm in Nashville. Take cash, they don't take cards.
(4)
Joshua S.

After nearly four years in Nashville, I finally managed to make it to Prince's Hot Chicken a few weeks ago with some friends. I am almost universally impressed. The food. I ordered a breast and some fries. Due to a mistake in our multiple person order, I ended up with medium rather than mild. Luckily, everyone was bluffing when they told me it would be too hot and I should wait and get my mild. If you like hot stuff, it isn't too hot, but it is hot. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The heat permeated into the meat, making it an excellent experience. The breading was the best I've ever had. Cooked properly in some high octane fat, the crispy, salty, heat infused crunch was so good I'm ready to declare it the best fried chicken I've ever had. My fries were also amazing. They had that wonderful, slightly greasy, crunch that is rare outside of diners. They had a little of the seasoning mix on them, reminding me of Old Bay fries back home. I also saw some amazing pies, but our time and money was limited. The experience. Know what you are getting into. This is a a very popular local eatery. Salt of the earth and characters will be encountered. Expect to wait. You will pay cash. The place is filthy. Try to ignore these minor negatives, as the food is worth it. Classic hole-in-the-wall majesty.
(5)
Tom B.

Visited Nashville this past weekend and we decided to see what 'hot chicken' is all about. We asked around and were amazed at how many Nashvillians had no idea what we were talking about. I guess not everyone pays attention to food network, huh? :) Being from Austin, you can pretty much stop anyone you come into contact with and ask about restaurants unique to ATX (salt lick, etc.) and they will have opinions, most likely strong ones. Anyway, we were undeterred by this and used yelp to find some awesome places. Dropped by Prince's around 3PM and it was packed with a lot of people who looked like they had been waiting a long time. - Oh well, since we were there we figured we'd better try it out. Went up to the counter and told the lady we thought we would try one breast hot and one breast extra hot. She looked us up and down and said "I think you should go with the medium" with a very serious look. We decided she probably knows what she is talking about so we went with the medium and damn it was good. - Took at least an hour to get it though and they don't serve booze or anything while you wait (I bet you could BYOB?). Anyway, we sweated it out during our first Nashville medium hot chicken experience and really enjoyed it. I'd definitely buy more of this if we had it in Austin. Side note, we also went to Bolton's and I'd say the food is pretty much the same there without the long wait. - And Bolton's has the best damn collared greens you'll ever have (Prince's didn't have greens). Both hot chicken places were great and worth checking out. And if you make the trip, you'll know more about Nashville's famed cuisine than a lot of nashvillians seem to.
(4)
Doug K.

This is the best fried chicken on earth... I don't care what anyone else says... it IS the best.... I went on a road trip across the country in order to determine the best fried chicken in America... this is it... its better than Willie May's Scotch House in New Orleans, better than Gus' in Memphis, and better than any other fried chicken I've ever had. I'd recommend Mild or Medium if you want to eat it without pain. I have had every variety of spice just to say I've done it, however. Its worth the wait, its worth the drive, and it is an experience just to step through the doors at this place! I'd recommend trying to order by phone before you go, but they don't answer most of the time... its even worth that... GOGOGO!
(5)
Terry J.

The best hot chicken in all of Nashville. Often imitated but never equaled.
(5)
Jeff M.

Being a Yankee from Boston I never understood the allure of fried chicken. I just didn't get it. But when Lonely Planet recommended checking out Prince's Hot Chicken Shack I decided to give it a try despite no local that I talked knowing anything about it. I figured since I am no stranger to spicy curries I should go for the hot (as opposed to mild, medium or extra hot) fried chicken. Even though my nose was running from the heat the chicken was so delicious I kept eating the half bird and even bits of the white sliced bread that soaked up the grease. (I hate wonder bread). If you are ever in the Nashville area you HAVE TO GO to Prince's.
(5)
Kaylon G.

Traveling through Nashville and stopped to give this place a try since it was on a show I had seen on television. The wait was long, so I recommend calling ahead and placing an order if you can. I ordered the medium chicken, and that was spicy enough for me. The chicken was perfectly fried, and the pickles were a good addition, although I probably should have preferred an extra cup to beat the heat of the chicken. The coleslaw and baked beans were average. The people working there were pretty nice, as well as all the hungry customers.
(4)
Noelle T.

I went with co-workers on a Friday for lunch. It DID take two hours and they only take cash but it was worth it. My tips: 1. Go with a crew. It's not in the best hood and the wait is long so bring some fun friends to pass the time. 2. I got mild based upon the reviews but I wanted more heat. I tried my friends hot chicken and it tasted okay to me. Good flavor. I would say that Prince's mild is = to Hooters medium. If you aren't going to eat the skin it doesn't really matter as that is where all the flavor is. 3. Wonder if you can call ahead? Someone should look into this. 4. Bring cash.
(4)
Stephanie Y.

I can't believe I haven't yelped this joint. So I was here May of 2010 and wanted to go somewhere uniquely Nashville. My hosts were like ummm hmmmm Prince's. There was 5 of us and we got into the Outback and left the burbs for some hot fried chicken. My guests were a 40 year old couple and a 3o something couple and me. You can tell they haven't visited too often. We order. I convince the hilarious guy up front to let me order it spicy. We bicker back and forth if I can handle it. We set up at our booth. We wait, wait, wait, wait. The food arrives. Smells like the delicious artery clogger that it is. We feast for a few minutes. Then children run in. Then a grandmother runs in and yells everybody get down they are shooting outside. We hear gunshots. What do we do? HIT THE MOTHER EFFING DECK. Totally felt like an episode of some horrible show they have on USA or TBS but I was so pumped to be in it. My guests were looking a bit scared and I just could not stop laughing. I was at this point coming from Brooklyn where lets face it isn't so gangster anymore but still pretty dangerous to Nashville and am having to hit the floor! This is awesome. No one got hurt too which was why it was so awesome, if I saw dead bodies then this would be like 1 star don't eat here FYI. Nonetheless, we took the rest home and finished that delicious and super friggen hot fried chicken. That summer they opened up a Nashville type hot chicken in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn and I've been - its super trendy and cute and nice but nothing like Prince's. I think the ambiance of the grease and grime everywhere adds to the flavor.
(5)
Jacob W.

Holy crap that was hot. My wife got extra hot and i got the regular hot. Of course first bite in she asked to switch, trying to cool the heat with packets of ranch. I accepted, being a nice guy, but dang i almost couldn't finish it, she ate all the ranch. The flavor was amazing though. Even though I felt the fire there where other flavors that made this dish great. Very crispy and juicy. The fries were soggy and the wait time was high. Other than that I'd highly reccomend this place.
(4)
Tommy S.

Arrived about 130 today with standing room only. The place looks old, and not in the best part of town. We ordered right away and waited about 30 minutes. We ordered 2 med heat breast quarters, 2 160z drinks and shared a fry, 15 bucks even cash only. The food was fresh and hot and spice hot as well. I have never had whatever this type of spice is before but it was killer good. Strange thing is we sweat thru the whole meal but when we were finished, there was no lingering heat. Very good and will return for sure. I would advise to phone in your order to avoid the wait.
(5)
J L.

I don't ever need to eat fried chicken again. I would ask for extra pickles. Medium kicked my butt. Also think about a few shots of pepto in preparation.
(5)
David G.

Ok I read about this place and then heard about it from a friend. So the day after I get to Nashville, Kevin and I head off to this place confident that this can't be that hot. Entering the place it's a simple shop in a strip mall. All sorts of people are sitting in the small dining room enjoying this rather famous chicken. It was crowded but not as crowded as I had read on some reviews so having drove from Mursfreeboro (about a 40 minute trip) on my recommendation of this place, I wondered how good the place was. It wasn't long before the place was packed though and I felt better about my decision to try the place out. What happened when I placed my order should have given me the hint of what we were in store for. At first, Kevin and I figured we would play it safe and just order mild. Just then we noticed a mother asking her little girl what kind of chicken she wanted and when the answer came "hot" Kevin and could not just get mild. I proudly marched up to the window and looking the little lady straight in the eye and in my best Brooklyn attitude I ordered some of our order "hot". The little woman, obviously not impressed with my best Robert Dinero accent, looked at Kevin and I up and down and asked slowly: "are you sure?" rather taken aback by her question, I looked at Kevin and getting a nod of approval, I turned to the lady at the window and said: "absolutely!" this dance went on for a few more verses before she finally looked at me and Kevin and sighed: "alright" After what seemed like an eternity and listening to every ticket being called but mine, we finally got our order and rushed home to enjoy this famous chicken. Long story short....Kevin, Sharon, and I all took bites of the "hot" at about the same time and OMG!!!! I don't mind telling you that this chicken was the hottest chicken I've ever eaten. It took us 2 days to recover. The place does not disappoint but unless you are used to the type of heat they apply to the food out in this part of the country, start with the mild. Price and portions were about right and the staff was very friendly. When I go again, I will be sure to listen to the lady in the window!
(4)
Debbie R.

OK. First things first. You are going to wait a while. Have a seat and get over it. They don't cook it till you order it. REAL chicken takes more than a minute to cook and they are busy. 15 people in line ahead of me just to order. BUT WORTH EVERY MINUTE! WOW! No, really, wow. Some of the best chicken I have ever eaten. I am a very picky person, but this is good stuff. I got the medium, the others got the hot. The medium has got some heat, but it is soooo good. I wish I would have ordered 2. The two fools who got the hot? Crying and sweating while they couldn't wait for the next bite. If you are worried about the neighborhood, just go during daylight hours. It's not in a new strip mall in the "good" part of town. But just go. Good stuff.
(5)
Sophie K.

This is beyond hot chicken. This was a life-changing meal. Three of us split a medium spicy half chicken, side of fries and each got a coleslaw. I don't actually understand how it could be any hotter. The three of us are not wimps and regularly order the hottest things on the menu, request restaurants' secret hot sauces and douse meals at home with as much chili sauce as possible. The three of us ate with tears running down our faces. Don't try to cut the spice with coleslaw or anything else. It gets better if you keep eating.
(5)
Janet Y.

My stomach is still on fire just thinking about the chicken I ate here last week, but oh how delicious it was! I got mild, and my husband says I was glistening as I ate (a.k.a sweating). My husband, who got medium, was straight up dripping with sweat. In his case, glistening would have been a dramatic understatement. Though the place is known for its chicken, we even devoured the sides! The beans and the potato salad were so good! The big plus, we paid no more than $15 for our meal! It is quite an experience though to eat here... the hours are funky, and I'm pretty sure there is no air conditioning inside... just good ole' fans! My husband and I were unsuccessful three times in our attempt to eat here until we finally got the schedule right. Sunday: Closed Monday: Closed Tuesday-Friday: Opens at noon Saturday: Opens at 2 p.m. On Tuesday, we got there half an hour before the place opened and there was already a wait outside. Lessons learned on my trip: come early, bring cash, and prepare to SWEAT!
(4)
Megan C.

The hubs and I were finally able to make it out to Prince's to start the delicious consumption of poultry for Thanksgiving holiday celebration. While the chicken was a great way to give thanks for all good things in our lives, the overall experience was mediocre. We entered the dingy restaurant to be greeted by a large group of people waiting for booths/food. We snaked our way through the hungry horde to place our order at the far wall through a small window. The cashier was friendly enough until she inquired, "Where are you from?" Cursed cold day compelling me to wear my Saints winter hat and making me stick out like a tourist in my own town. We paid in cash, no credit cards accepted, except for at the nearby drink vending machine which courteously took our drink order. Yep, no beer here with your order of hot chicken though I'm pretty sure you could sneak your own adult beverage in without much trouble as we saw two tables with drinks from elsewhere. We then took our place in the hungry horde all longingly staring at the seated patrons with their delicious chicken. We were standing close to a half an hour before a table opened up and ten minutes later we were greeted with our feast minus a side of coleslaw. However, we were too focused on eating our meal and freeing up a table so the next of the hungry horde could take our spot. The chicken was delicious and medium was plenty hot on the spicy scale to raise my hubby's eyebrow, but not enough to make him sweat. The side of beans was okay but portion size was small and kind of one note -all sweet. If a friend were to recommend to me to get Prince's again, I would suggest that we call in our order for take out and enjoy it in a much more comfortable locale or get hot chicken closer to home.
(3)
Scott A.

The chicken was good but it should be after waiting 90 minutes for it after paying. Once we got our food and drove 30 minutes to our hotel we found that half our order was not in the bag and they didn't give us our ranch either. Feel robbed!!!
(1)
John J.

Amazing. Very flavorful, delicious fried chicken. I love spicy food and got the medium, which was pretty hot. I think next time I would get the Hot and sweat it out.
(5)
Ryan C.

I was in Nashville on a business trip and went here because I saw it on man vs food and generally like spicy food. First off it's a dump. I I hadn't seen it on tv I woulda walked right out as soon as I stepped in. I ordered one chicken breast and potato salad and it took About 45 mins to get my order and there's really no place to wait. As for the food it's nothing special. I got my chicken medium as I didn't want to get something too hot for me. Turns out the medium wasn't that spicy. I've had way worse. The skin was way too hard I didn't eat most of it...overcooked. And the spice wasn't evenly distributed. Only positive is they give u big portions. Would never go back...but hey I can say I did it...
(2)
Stephen H.

On a road trip through the South I googled "best fried chicken Nashville" on my phone and Prince's came up on any number of searches. This place is a shack, literally, so I didn't know at the time that it wasn't due to a great SEO campaign. In any case, I was sold. First, it's in the HOOD. Definitely. There is a large man at the front, packing a gun. There is also a large man by the counter, packing a gun. This place does a lot of business, and does it in cash only. Secondly, all those people waiting around in there are not dining in. They are waiting at least 30 minutes for their order. Thirdly, there are three levels of spice, and even "mild" is spicy. I ordered medium and was huffing and puffing all the way through my delicious $8.00 leg and thigh portion (with wonder bread and pickle underneath). My stomach was burning for a good 30 minutes. But it was worth it. Check it out.
(4)
Howard L.

Still the best. I went two weekends ago and waited an hour for my chicken. Yes, it was still worth it. Yes, anyone who says otherwise is just wrong. Best fries. Best chicken. Best white bread in the city. What sort of customer service do you need beyond getting your order taken and your order filled. It's not a restaurant, it's a take out place with a few booths where you can eat. People bashing this place for decor or service have no idea about food.
(5)
Catherine H.

Apparently hot fried chicken is the only thing Nashville can claim as its own in terms of culinary items. I got the mild and survived just fine. Suggest that for newbies. My friend ordered the hot (After being dissuaded from getting the extra-hot, the top level), and was unable to eat the rest of the chicken skin because of the spices. If you're kind of a spicey rockstar, recommend you try the medium first. We also had an amazing chess pie (Southern sweet pie that takes kinda like egg custard) to share; there was a lady there selling her homemade pies. Not sure if she's there all the time. Decor was cheesy and simple.
(4)
Holy-foo' X.

Ok, now THIS is what the heck I'm talkin' about right here. There are many competitors, many imitators. Have I tried 'em all? Heck no, I'm a kid from out of town, although I do make a point to hit as many of these spots as I can, being an unabashed lover of Southern Cuisine as I am. This was indeed some most excellent and SPICY chicken! Great skill in the preparation--- the meat was so tender and juicy, but man the main event to me is that spicy, super spicy exterior---keep it coming!
(5)
Shane L.

Dude. We went to Nashville for a bachelor party and we had heard about this legendary restaurant as being THE place for spicy fried chicken, so of course we had to research it on the internet. We found this video: youtube.com/watch?v=72xXâ€¦ After watching that, we were in, no matter what. It was definitely in a sketchier part of town, which made it even more epic for us. People selling jewelry on hoods of cars, tallboys in brown paper sacks, hardcore rap blaring in the parking lot, you get the picture. We proceed inside and put in our orders and then are told it will be a 1 hour wait. When we heard that we thought it couldn't be that long could it? The place was full, but not that full. Then we realized that the entire parking lot was full of people sitting in their air conditioned cars as they waited upwards of 1 hour for their food. Holy crap, this was the real deal. We saw some other touristy types sitting around looking sweaty (the AC is either not working properly or non-existent). They didn't have their food yet and looked like they had already been there a long time. We waited and waited and waited...and lo and behold, in almost exactly an hour, our food arrived. And we were starving, hot, and ready to get our fried chicken on. I ordered one quarter medium and one quarter EXTRA SPICY. I got the extra spicy to see what all the fuss was about. I ate all sorts of spicy stuff growing up and love all types of chillis, spices, peppers, etc.. I love the smell of napalm in the morning baby! Anyway, I'm gonna have to say the extra spicy was indeed very spicy...not as spicy as I thought...but in a good way. It is a really tasty flavorful spiciness, while at the same time a kick your a** spicy. I think it's easy to make something spicy just to cause someone physical pain. But it takes skill to make something that is that spicy but still actually tastes good...where the spiciness adds to the flavor, not detracts. My extra spicy had a really dry heat, with cayenne pepper/paprika flavors. It was mixed in some kind of vinegar type of hot sauce that was drizzled or coated onto the perfectly fried batter. The chicken was cooked to perfection. It was served on a slice of white bread with a slice of pickle. I got the potato salad as a side. Very tasty as well, and great to cut the hotness. Don't get me wrong it was very spicy. I was sweating the whole time I was eating it, and thank goodness for the fan that was blowing on me, otherwise, I would have needed a shower and a change of clothes. Highly recommended. This place lives up to the hype. It was worth the wait. Now that I am back home in Austin, I crave it even more. One thing that you might try is to see if you can phone in your order. Not sure if that will work, but we thought we noticed them taking orders by phone and then people coming to pick it up.
(5)
Tom C.

So you thought you liked your chicken hot? Well, you need to try Nashville's claim to culinary fame - their hot fried chicken, and apparently Prince's is one of the places that does it the best. The place was crowded, the wait was long, but the chicken was worth the wait. I like spicy hot, but I chickened out and had the medium and I'm glad I did as it was plenty hot enough. My only complaint would be that the chicken was a tad on the dry side, but the locals I went with said that was a exception, perhaps due to the overload of customers. Glad I had a chance to try hot fried chicken and yeah, I'm looking forward to having it again next time I'm in the area.
(4)
Derek K.

The spicy chicken is good. The service is bad. 30 hour wait times on occasion. I can't remember the name of the festival, but this past summer there was a hot chicken festival in Nashville. Princes chicken headed the event. People stood in line for hours in the hot sun waiting to get served. Me, my girlfriend, and a friend were 3 of those people. After about a two hour wait, we were about 5 minutes from being served when people started walking away. Supposedly, Princes ran out of chicken and didn't have the courtesy to let the people who were waiting in line for hours know this. A simple heads up to the people who had been baking in the hot sun for hours would have been nice. Bolton's chicken on 8th Ave has quick service and fair prices. Save your time and go there instead.
(2)
Cecilia P.

This place had awesome fried chicken! I usually come here late at night after the clubs so it gets pretty busy and it takes awhile for the chicken, if you're ordering wings shouldn't be that long. But this place offers some spicy ass fried chicken, I always order mild because mild is already hot enough for me. One time my friends ordered hot, I started eating it like it was okay till I ate the bread which sitting under the chicken and soaked in their sauce, I was dying for water after that. So be aware of the spicy level. But love their chicken!
(4)
Sara S.

OMG!!! THE BEST CHICKEN IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!! Just thinkin' about it makes my mouth water! I usually hate fried chicken, but this place is freakin' awesome!!! The wait is a lil long, usually a minimum of 20-30 mins, but it's worth the wait!! People go there till the last second the place closes!!!! No wonder the wait is long! I think everyone in TN knows about this place, it's like you see the entire state there! LOL! Best bet is to order in advance. THIS PLACE IS TO DIE FOR!!!!! I typically enjoyed the Medium hot chicken!! BELIEVE ME! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!
(5)
Dennis M.

The best spicy chicken...hands down! I was warned about the Hot being pretty spicy, but I took my chances. It was hotter than expected. I'll order extra bread and a side of potato salad next time. The only downside is the wait...45 mins, but it's definitely worth it.
(4)
Marc G.

Prince's Hot Chicken is the best fried chicken I've ever had. I'm drooling just thinking about it now. My girlfriend grew up a bit outside of Nashville, so whenever I travel down with her to see the folks, we always make the hour or so drive to Prince's. This chicken brings the heat so order some extra pickles and bring a big beverage.
(5)
Yifei W.

Best hot chicken around town. But so greasy and a bit of a drive for me. Wait time is ~45 minutes after ordering. Bring a book and make sure you check the opening hours before coming.
(4)
Jay F.

I've been waiting to try Prince's! Finally did. I heard horror stories about wait times and how busy it can be, I went on a Tuesday night around 8 PM, I had my food in 10 minutes, no muss no fuss :) Other times wait times are just the rumored nightmare. I got a leg quarter, mild, potato salad and fries. Spice level was just right, chicken was well cooked, tasty and juicy. Sides were pretty good. Pretty greasy and salty, more so than other hot chicken places around. I'd go there again, but I think Bolton's wins it by a smidgen as far as leg quarters are concerned....I went back again and had the medium tenders.....off the chain delicious! That's as hot as I would go LOL. I saw a sign tenders are only available Thursday through Saturday.....looks like I will be going back Thursday :D
(5)
Theresa W.

Practically THE reason I came to Nashville. Came at about 2pm on Thursday and there was barely a line. Sadly they were out of dark meat. The breast ($5) was huge and came with the wing attached and was ready within 10 minutes. Asking for extra pickles (a bunch of slices in a cup for $1) and extra bread (2 slices for $1) was the best decision I've ever made. Throw that bread under the "medium" aka still super spicy - and I love spicy food - chicken and let it soak up all the lovely spicy grease while you dig into the chicken. The skin is perfectly crisp and full of flavor though when you first bite into it, the spices do have a bit of bitterness. Keep eating and the flavor mellows out and the spices just coat your mouth and lips for hours. The couple of pickle slices that come with the fried chicken was cooked with the chicken and I could eat a whole plate of that alone. Sour, spicy, greasy goodness. There's a few tables but I can imagine it'd be hard to snag a seat during the lunch or dinner rush. The strip mall it's located in had decent parking though. Don't forget it's cash only!
(4)
Hank R.

I love hot chicken and this place is the best I've ever had. At one point, I went 3 nights in a row.
(5)
Jeff K.

First off this place doesn't open till 1:30 pm on Saturday. the location is far away from downtown Nashville and in a horrible neighborhood. i would be very weary of going to this place vs a place like Hattie B's that's close and in a nice area of town.
(1)
J K.

Saw all the great reviews and had to try this. Waste of time. Super long wait with many others that arrived after us getting their orders way ahead of us. Chicken was dry and overcooked. There was also a big fat guy that looked like he was their security guard, walking around with an openly displayed hand gun at this waist.....go figure. Not worth your safety and certainly not worth your time. Those who rave must not know a good fried chicken
(1)
Lyrad V.

I'll preface this review by saying I haven't eaten at other restaurants who's specialty is hot chicken, so I wish I could compare. Unfortunately for me I have significant stomach issues, and my gastroenterologist would not approve of this review and the fact that I couldn't resist at least trying Prince's Hot Chicken. Obviously, I'm noncompliant with my bland diet. Life without rich and spicy foods isn't worth living. So I decided to drag my husband north of town to try this place. I used to do home health in this area and drove by Prince's all the time. The general area, location of the restaurant, and ambience of the place is nothing to speak of. But if you are in search of hot chicken, you really don't care about those other things. We went on a saturday afternoon. There was a line halfway to the door. The white girl in front of us ordered her chicken "hot." The black lady behind the counter looked at her like she had three eyes and said, "Girl, you ever ate here before?" When she said no, the lady looked back at the kitchen and said, "She'll have medium." Needless to say, my husband and I ordered medium. Thirty to 45 minutes after ordering, after finally finding a seat in this hole in the wall and watching about 100 called-in to go orders go out the door, we got our food. Holy crap. If medium is medium, I'd hate to know what hot and extra hot are like. Probably for me like "call an ambulance I'm dying" hot. The chicken was hot (temperature and spiciness) and juicy. I couldn't' quite finish my plate because I would have died for a glass of milk to numb the pain. I could have handled hotter, but I'm not sure about my stomach. One of these days I'm sure I'll try Bolton's, and make my decision on who has the best hot chicken. Until then, I'm glad I've had the chance to experience Prince's, but I probably won't go back just because of the wait and how hot and unclean it was.
(4)
Cher Y.

This is what I consider good fried chicken: Crispy well seasoned skin, rendered of excess fat, and juicy meat while freshly fried and served hot is a hallmark of well made fried chicken. This is what I got here: Medium spiced fried chicken that was overly fried & too crunchy, inconsistent use of spice over the chicken, lots of sodium and salt piled up on random spots. The inside meat was somewhat dry despite the outside dripping with oil. The fries were SALTY.....oh my. The goods news is they do fry it on the spot, so it is served hot and fresh. No alcoholic beverages, and you are limited to drinks with high sugar content. Bottled water available for purchase. Ambience is pretty much a neat little shack, but the drive there is long. Ms Prince does bring a lot of character to the establishment, makes it entertaining to watch as you wait for the food. I had much better fried chicken, so i can't say much here except that I am happy to see what the "hype" is about.... i.e. not much!
(2)
Clay N.

I try and swing by at least every couple of times I'm in town. Always amazing
(5)
Jeannie V.

Oh my god! I want it I want it I want it! Give me more! My stomach is rumbling just thinking about that friggin awesome hot chicken. Eating Prince's Chicken for the first time one year ago was a life-changing experience. Going at 1am, we waited in the lot in a running vehicle "just in case" while the bravest of us went in to order some to-go boxes. Apparently it's the hood, but I didn't seen any hoodlums. It it weren't for my local guide/spaz, I actually wouldn't have thought twice about going in myself. And regardless, I'd take a bullet for this chicken. I crave this almost daily. As I live in MN, I get it almost never. Last time I drove through Nashville, of course I made a point to stop, but it was closed. I cried. Seriously.
(5)
Kerriann K.

Amazing chicken. Order one level less than you think you would want to eat. The medium level actually caused our group to sweat, and they are all hot-eaters. Chicken made to order. Not your typical tourist location or atmosphere, but great food.
(5)
Kim S.

Came here five years ago and couldn't get it off my mind so when planning this trip, prince's was at the number one spot on my list of places this time around. Yes it's a hole in the wall and the wait can be over an hour, but it's the best chicken ever and definately worth the wait!! While I spend most of my time when visiting in the Great Smoky Mountains, I will always fly into Nashville to guarantee a trip to Prince's! There's nothing like it anywhere else so grab a quart of milk to keep your cool and head to Prince's!
(5)
Silvino O.

My first experience in Nashville by suggestion from a friend was everything I hoped for. The place is simple with plenty of local character outside and going in for food. I knew this was going to be a treat. The menu was SUPER simple which was basically how much chicken, mild or medium and choice of a few simple sides. We did 1/4 chicken mild, potato salad and bbq beans. I also topped it off with a sweet tea to keep it authentic :). Chicken (not enough of it!) was well spiced and slightly on the hot side for me. The potato salad was home made and very good. Beans were well done with a good sauce and had slices of bacon in it (drool). I'd definitely go back and highly recommend it to anyone. The only thing that could make it better would be additional southern choices for dinner and desert. Maybe add home made sweet tea vs. bottle.
(4)
Chris S.

Cash Only. The pictures on this page are a good approximation of what you'll get. At 10 pm, our order took about 20 minutes which was faster than advertised. Seating is limited. The chicken was spicy and temperature hot (as were the fries). I got medium and found it more than tolerable. Overall flavor of the chicken was as heard of scrumptious - crispy and juicy. The potato salad was typical fare - more or less good. This is a trip everyone should make sooner or later as a Nashvillian.
(4)
Tiffany S.

Lived in Nashville about 11 years and never tried this until I moved away and came back to visit. Such a shame I've been missing out! It's been 2 weeks and I'm still craving this long distance chicken! I had always heard about it and was glad to try it. I got a mild breast, i Believe, and I really like spicy things. I think I could of did a Medium, but I was playing it safe. The skin is the best part of course and the pickles compliment it perfectly. Got some fries and couldn't finish it with everything else. My chicken was slightly dry, but it was still Very good. Definitely get here early or call it in. Had quite a wait on a Friday afternoon around 1 or 2 with not much seating. Well definitely hit up again whenever in the area!
(4)
Jemina B.

When anyone mentions hot chicken in Nashville, the automatic answer is Prince's. While they may have tasty chicken, it's the ambience that really makes it worth the trip. I went with some friends of mine on a random Wednesday night out to Dickerson Pike - a treat in and of its own. We may or may not have nearly hit a drunken prositute with our car. When that little mini-drama was over, we finally found the iconic place in a seedy little strip mall. Everyone at Prince's was super friendly and helpful in spite of my unfamiliarity with the ordering system. Go up to the window, tell 'em what you want with what sides, and for godssake get a drink (Grape Drink's my fave). Grab a seat, and wait. And wait. But while you're waiting, get a load of the people who are there, too. Better yet, try and eavesdrop on their conversations. Comedic gold. When the young gentleman finally brought our chicken to us dripping with fat and yummy goodness, I also noticed he had plastic bags taped over his shoes. I thought about asking what they were for, but then realized I probably didn't want to know the answer. I'd rather eat my heart attack-inducing chicken with a blissfully ignorant smile on my face, thankyouverymuch.
(4)
Joey H.

I couldn't pass up on trying the original hot chicken, and you probably shouldn't either! Waited about 40 minutes, but it was worth it. And come on guys, it's not THAT ghetto. I've seen worse, although granted I did go during daylight hours. Someone really should empty the fly-ridden garbage cans outside though. Friendly service, but you have to buy your own drinks (or water) from a vending machine. Medium spiciness definitely had a kick. I wouldn't go any higher. Seemed a lot greasier than other chicken places (particularly Bolton's) but that did not detract from the tastiness. Good sides too, although the hot baked beans (temperature wise) did nothing to temper the spiciness from the chicken. Also, a random chinese guy materialized in front of us and asked for help ordering. Last thing I'd have expected at a place like this, but apparently people travel around the world for this chicken.
(4)
Ken K.

not much to add here. it's worth checking out just because you feel like you've walked onto a movie set or back in time. the chicken was yummy, but we ended up waiting nearly 1.5 hours. We went on a Saturday night at 8pm. i woke the next morning craving some hot chicken.
(4)
Benjamin B.

Amazing chicken. Ordered breast hot with fries and ranch. Super hot and delicious! Make sure and bring cash as they do not accept plastic.
(5)
Andrea B.

WARNING: Prince's Hot Chicken is addicting, like deep fried cocaine. It's the best hot chicken in Nashville. I get the medium, which is make your lips tingle but not burn your taste buds right off your tongue. I wouldn't recommend anything hotter than "medium" for your first visit. What Prince's lacks in decor, they make up for in taste. Big, juicy, HOT chicken. Prince's 411: 1. CASH ONLY, they don't accept any credit or debit cards. The good news is $20 can feed 2 people. 2. Drinks: They sell bottled water and have a vending machine in the restaurant. We usually bring a couple bottles of water or soda from home. 3. Be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes, longer if they've just opened or on Saturdays. Chicken is fried when you order it, so if they're busy, it takes awhile to get through all the orders. 4. Yes, the neighborhood is a bit rough; however, I've never felt threatened or in any way not safe at Prince's. This white girl has been there on Saturday evening with my husband and another couple. We were fine. I've been there in the afternoon with 2 senior widow ladies from church. We were fine. EVERYONE has been friendly and patiently waited for their orders. Honestly, noone is there looking for trouble, just chicken. The most recent time I was there was for lunch with the 2 widow ladies from church. Prince's had opened about a half hour earlier, and we were behind all the opening lunch crowd. The few booths available were all full, but one table had only one man at it. He kindly let us sit with him while we waited for a booth to open up.
(5)
Oscar G.

It's a novelty shop in my opinion. I had the HOT CHICKEN! Didn't like the customer service or the wait. The chicken was good I ate it at home. I wish they would do a little better on the upkeep but hey if it ain't broke don't fix. I would go back but I definitely would order ahead.
(3)
Lance D.

WOW I am a spicy kind of guy and they definitely win.
(4)
Wiz W.

The chicken is fabulous, although a little bit too greasy for me. I order extra hot, that's a real extra hot.
(5)
Joe R.

Not an amazingly clean or friendly place but this is some of the best hot chicken I've had. There was a bit of a wait but the food was fresh. I've never broken a sweat like this while eating, but well worth a visit.
(4)
Bo D.

First off, my tolerance for hot food is quite low, so naturally even the medium here is too spicy for me. I don't hold that against the restaurant. However, I do blame them for getting my order wrong, after a really, really long wait. Seriously, I could have driven to Kentucky (as in the state, not KFC), grabbed some chicken there, and driven back in time to pick up my order. Furthermore, this place is a dump and just about impossible to find.
(1)
L.E. S.

I was happy to check this off my list. I'm a Nashville native but moved away 15 years ago and I had never tried or heard of hot chicken while I lived there. Let's just say they don't do hot chicken in LA. They barely do fried chicken other than at a few gimmicky joints, so I was happy to try some hot TN chicken. I went with a friend from grade school who is crazy about Prince's. She claims that Prince's chicken helps her stay employed. Translation: after going to the club on Friday night, she stops at Prince's for her hangover antidote so that she can go into work on Saturday morning. I tried both the medium and mild chicken. Unlike some other reviewers experienced, I did NOT find my chicken to be dry. It was juicy and yummy! I don't normally eat white bread, but it was great and was a very welcome addition to the hot chicken plate. Yes, it's a funky little place. Maybe they have sides or beverages on the day you come, maybe not. My friend recommended said that you always want to check your bag before you leave - that mix ups and omissions are frequent. But she still eats there at least once a week! For me, Prince's was somewhat of a novelty, but I'm glad I tried it. It's not the best food I ever tried, not near the worst, but Prince's has a cool story and I have to say that I would eat hot chicken again and would like to try Prince's competition to be able to make an educated comparison.
(3)
Sherman W.

While Prince's only takes cash and located in the hood, it's worth the drive (and the walk to goto an ATM) The chicken was great and It was HOT! They have 4 options, Mild, Medium, Hot, and Extra Hot. I ordered a Hot Half-chicken. and this shit burned but it still tasted good. After I done eating that bird, I felt like I took a bath and my hair was all wet. Yea, it was hot like that!
(3)
Randee T.

best spicy friend chicken ive ever had. its the only spicy fried chicken that was extremely hot YET you can still taste the flavor. it is the only chicken ive eaten that has caused me to spend 10 minutes every other hour in the bathroom. i got a half chicken of the extra hot variety. when i go back to nashville ill do it again..........just a quarter though lol, i have a feeling its that extra quarter that did it in for every inch of my digestive system. i forgot to mention the half chicken is really more like the size of a whole chicken. they have different types of chicken in TN compared to CA lol
(5)
jonathan f.

Sorry guys - I did not like this place at all. I enjoy good chicken and was willing to try this out. The place is DILAPIDATED and overall kind of nasty. If you only like eating at prim places, this place is not for you. I guess a forewarning is, I don't mind spicy but - this was just too much and it wasn't about it being hot. The chicken tasted like cardboard that had spicy seasoning on it. It was so over-fried that you had to crack off the skin to even try to get to any meat, which apparently, there wasn't that much. The parking sucks and it was not a very inviting atmosphere. I guess there might be some people that thinks there is some allure for it being in the area it is in but not for me. You would think that a place so popular on review sites would make an effort to make their place more appealing.
(1)
Will M.

Perhaps the best fried chicken and worst atmosphere. The recipe was invented when owner wanted to get back at her boyfriend by making him scream in pain from some overly seasoned and hot chicken. Anyways, mild is plenty spicy, and they serve some decent lemon sweet tea. But seriously, call in your order and maybe pay someone to pick it up for you. It's ridiculous that people have to stand in line so long to wait for chicken. I'm not sure how the line cook works, but the wait is too long. I appreciate fresh food, but 45 minutes to cook some chicken is cr8zy. Oh and the parking lot is dirty, and people trying to hustle by selling trinkets. Not exactly a family atmosphere, and the location is in the middle of nowhere. Disclaimer: If you care at all about atmosphere, do not come here
(5)
John J.

Princes use to be the best. Lately their chicken has been hard over cooked and stringy. You think they care? not in the least. with a two hour wait at almost any hour of the day why keep up the quality if you don't even have to! It's still the best in town
(5)
Frank B.

I'm glad that other people enjoy this place, but I definitely won't be back. Gun toting doorman,really? I didn't expect much considering the are but DANG I definitely did not expect that! I'm sure I'm not saying anything new with the crowded space and long lines. However, even my friend who loves spicy food thought that their chicken was just over the top. I got medium and stopped after about wing 3 and decided that this level of spicy was not for me. We even paid for the extra ranch...what a rip off. Any other chicken place gives you more for less money. I was so over lunch time by the time we left.
(1)
David E.

Having only been in Nashville for a few months, I still haven't figured out what the deal is w/ Nashville & Hot Chicken, but I had to try it. Prince's does it right. Fried chicken spots are a lot like BBQ spots...some of the best gems are walk-up counter service in questionable neighborhoods. I knew before I even got my food that I would like this place. The chicken did not disappoint. I got mild seasoning. It was plenty of spice but didn't overpower the chicken. I'm now a repeat customer and make the drive across town everytime I want fried chicken.
(4)
Mike B.

I have been searching for the perfect friend chicken... you know... the fried chicken that Aunt B would make for Sunday supper!? I love fried chicken of all kinds. I heard about Prince's from a coworker and was very excited to give it a try! Now... I love spicy... ALL kinds of spicy. So... to be clear... it wasn't the heat of the chicken that wasn't my favorite... it was the flavor. The chicken itself was very moist and meaty. It was cooked perfectly! I just didn't think the flavor was the best. Don't get me wrong... it was good chicken, it just wasn't great - and I really wanted it to be! The service was good. I agree with another review that Prince's Hot Chicken is partially the experience. I loved the place... tucked away in a strip shopping center that you could pass by and never know there was a chicken place in it! I still have no clue who the people were sitting behind the counter watching TV... but who cares! It's a dive... and I love dives. I just didn't love the chicken. My search for the perfect fried chicken continues...
(3)
Rachel B.

OVERRATED!! First of all, the only seasoning in this chicken is in the skin and the slathering of the hot pepper butter put on the chicken after it comes out the grease. The location is very unsavory and downright scary! Be sure to bring cash. Very greasy from the oil and the additional butter. I've made my own and it was far better. Go for the experience and make you own judgement. I just prefer more flavorful meat instead of only skin. The owner was very nice and I loved hearing his fishing stories!
(3)
Damon T.

This is how it went down. Heard about this place on Adam Richmands show Man vs Food. Was in Nahsville for the weekend, drinking late, went to check this place out. Had to wait for over an hour for the chicken to come out. I passed the time drinking some booze with the 2 gents outside on milk crates. The word ghetofabulous was invented for this joint. I got the hottest version they made (DO NOT DO THIS) they are not messing about! If you like really spicy food then go with the medium. The "HOT" is like food dare hot! (youve been warned) This place was an experience and the chicken was great...I mean really, really good! That being said this is my warning, if your not open minded, if you cant deal with a bit o racism, and if your looking for fine dinning, do not go. Im thick skinned, no nonscensed, and willing to deal with alot to get my munchie on. If you dont meet those qualifications then you may not want to check this place out. You will see what I mean when you show up. If I were you (and im not) I would give it a shot. Seriously....get the medium dude.
(4)
Katherine T.

We were visiting Nashville and had seen this restaurant on Man vs. Food, so thought we would give it a try. It is hands down the best fried chicken I have ever eaten. You do have to wait quite a while for your food, but it is 100% worth it. I got the mild and it was plenty hot. My husband got the medium and said it was almost too hot. It isn't the cleanest of places, which is the only downfall, but I will definitely be going back every trip to Nashville!
(5)
Jared M.

Possibly some of the best fried hot chicken I've ever eaten!
(4)
D D.

Best chicken ever. Once you try it you WILL go back. Thanks Ms. Andre
(5)
Jewel M.

Best chicken in Nashville. We have ordered from this place for small family gatherings and we all love it. Their chicken is amazing. Their "hot" chicken is super spicy. I love it! I break a sweat just thinking about it. Don't believe me, try it yourself. I never thought I would meet a spicy that would give me a run for my money but this one did. Amazing. The regular chicken is great if you don't want to down a bottle of water ever few pieces. The flavor is perfect! Highly recommend it!
(5)
Riley K.

Hint for previous post complaining about having to wait in line to buy extra beverages: they don't sell any drinks!! They have a large soft drink machine near the front of the line. Just excuse yourself and reach in to insert your dollar bill to the machine and you're done.
(5)
Justin R.

Ever since I moved to Nashville a few months ago, I have been hearing about the phenomenon of "Hot Chicken." Funny story, the first time I heard someone talking about how good hot chicken is, I asked them what other kind of chicken was there. I thought they were talking about hot vs cold chicken. Not a type of spicy friend chicken that got its start in Nashville. What do I know? Well, this past weekend, I finally made it out to Prince's to get my hands on some hot chicken. I went into this not knowing what to expect. First thing you need to know is that this place is way out in the middle of nowhere. I took us about 30 minutes to get there. Second, you have to pay in cash. Third, you are going to have to wait. Forth, its some damn hot chicken! We got to princes around 2, placed our orders and waited. And waited. And kept waiting. After sitting there for about thirty minutes, I went up and investigated our order. They said it would be right out. I guess right out means, please wait ten more minutes. I ordered the "hot." Still not sure if that was the best idea to get my feet wet at Prince's. I guess if you're going to do it, just dive in. When it came out, it looked hot and smelled hot. I ordered mine with french fries and extra pickles, thanks food network. Let me tell you, they are not joking around with this stuff. It's HOT. Really, really hot. About five minutes in, I was sweating bullets. But, through all of this pain, the chicken is crispy, moist and delicious. I ate all of my chicken and the majority of the fires I ordered and was stuffed. But, felt like I just accomplished a Man Vs. Food challenge. If you are not into spicy food, keep your distance, because this chicken will cause you some major pain.
(4)
Bill G.

A local friend took myself and some other associates to this place, "for the best fried chicken ever". The place is a local spot, and was very busy. You stand in line and place your order. No bills over $20, and no credit cards. You pay up front, and they give you a ticket, and you go stand till your food is ready. There is a security guard sitting there, and I am pretty sure he was armed. We waited over an hour for our food, 8 half chickens, and 8 french fries. It seemed like if one of the wait staffs friends came in, they took food off our order. I don't know if it is the best fried chicken because after waiting an hour for our food, I would have eaten just about anything. The only reason to go there is if you like spicy food. They have mild, medium, hot, and xtra hot.
(3)
Simone F.

Death by chicken. They're not kidding about the shack part. Add to that on a blistering August afternoon the ac was out so on top of the ferocious heat from the "medium"( yea, I went there as a first-timer but no way was I coming all that way to wimp out on the mild) I think I sweated off about two pounds. I confess to not quite understanding how to eat it--it's on bread but clearly not a sandwich(?) but oh my sweet lord that chicken is deliciously hot, flavorful, and a joy to eat. No, you won't get any frills, and it sure is in a seedy part of town, but well worth the trip and the experience.
(4)
Paul B.

Can Hot Fried Chicken get any better? I seriously doubt it.
(4)
Lyndi S.

It hurts so good! For fourth of July, we decided to deck ourselves out in RW&B and go rock out at the Hot Chicken Festival over in East Nash. It was crazy hot outside, but we began waiting in the ever-growing Prince's Hot Chicken Shack line. And waiting, and waiting. And then it hit. Heat exhaustion. I hadn't even tried the chicken yet before I had to rush out of there before I passed out. Finally, two weeks ago, after much anticipation, we decided to go straight to the source. The Shack itself. We arrived and walked into a modest room with large picnic table style seating, and a small counter-window in the back where all of the orders were taken. We waited in line, and ordered (cash only, people!) ourselves a breast of hot chicken, french fries, and a tall glass of water. A friend and I ordered medium, but boyfriend and another friend ordered hot. We all sat down when a table opened up and waited for our order. I was now in air conditioning, so the 20-30 minutes flew by fairly quickly. And then the moment arrived. I took my first bite and waited for the heat to hit. Holy moly, that chicken was HOT! The pickles, bread, french fries and water could not blanket that kind of heat. We all just about finished our plates and sat there looking at each other with our mouths open and salivating, with absolutely huge smiles on our faces. Everything about Prince's screams mama's homecooked goodness, from the staff, to the locals hanging out inside, to the unpretentious seating and decor. I loved every second I was there, and while I may have cursed the hot chicken gods when the heartburn hit, I would absolutely put myself through that kind of good hurtin' again!
(4)
LaRon D.

I spent the last week in Nashville for a meeting. The very first night I took a taxi to Prince's which cost $40 round-trip. I'll do anything for some good chicken!! I ordered: -a half chicken mild -extra bread -an order of fries -side of coleslaw -a slice of Irene's homemade lemon cake My order was taken to-go. The wait was about 30 minutes and the place was packed. When I got back to the hotel, I sat down with 2 bottles of water and dug in. The chicken was extremely flavorful, skin was very crispy, french fries was amazing and coleslaw was average. My breast was a little dry but the rest was very good a moist. I would definitely go back if I'm ever in Nashville. I like spicy food and the mild was enough to have a good array of spices and flavor. P.S. Don't forget to buy a piece of cake from Irene's homemade Cakes on your way out!
(4)
rusty r.

The sign says "HOT" chicken, and they aren't lying. My buddy ordered the hot, then I ordered the medium. The woman at the counter was like, "Glad you got some sense, boy". Damn! Some dudes in there heard my buddy got the hot, and they were oohin and ahhing and throwin out "dammmmmmmmnnnn"... so you know it's hot when it's hot for the locals. That to say, the chicken was pretty amazing. It pushed the limits of fried chicken. It was extremely tender, fall off the bone. The fried exterior was perfect, the medium spice hot but not debilitating. Since 1945, they've been getting down and dirty with serving the best hot chicken around... so don't expect them to stop now. These places don't exist in a lot of the USA, so if you're around Nashville and want an authentic legit place filled with old school urban ambience and some amazing chicken... you can't miss out on this place!
(5)
Samantha S.

First off - this establishment is absolutely disgusting. I've sat in much nicer restaurants in the slums of Mexico. The inside looks like an animal took a huge dump and the lazy employees that work here just smeared it all over the seats and walls. I was hot and wanted to take off my jacket but was too afraid to sit it down on ANYTHING in this place so I just wore it the entire time. We got our meals fairly quickly and I tried to erase the pictures running through my mind of how they prepared the meal in front of me and I dug in. The chicken was tender and very moist... and it was huge. It lacked flavor big time though. And strangely enough, the fries were awesome. If you feel the need to check this place out - leave your wallet in your glovebox and go on in. Then go to Bolton's the next time you want hot chicken!
(2)
Elvira G.

This time had the hot chicken. Greasy and good. Be forewarned though: the hot is not for the meek or lighthearted. Prepare to sweat.
(5)
Doug O.

Okay, here it is: the good, the bad, and the ugly... First the good: The Chicken! The chicken is great. For a restaurant that is, of course, the most important thing. Which is why I gave it three stars instead of one. The chicken is outstanding; very flavorful and made to order so it's fresh out of the fryer. That means the chicken is always hot and I'm not just talking about the temperature. As a guy who loves spicy food but not so hot that it masks the flavor, I ordered mild and it was excellent; just the right amount of heat to give a good flavor without being overpowering. Now the bad: The service, or should I say lack thereof. Since I'm an out-of-towner, I had never been there before. So, I walked up to the counter which is piled high with home made pies and pastries and waited for someone to take my order. I waited and waited and waited, with lots of people just sitting there looking at me. Finally, an experienced customer came in and walked behind the counter and ordered at the window. Okay, maybe I should have figured it out myself, but if it were my business I'd make sure people knew how to order my food and I would certainly not just sit around and stair at a confused customer. Finally, the ugly: The location and the dirt. The neighborhood is not so hot but it wouldn't stop me from going back. What just may stop me from going back is that the place hasn't been cleaned since the Union troops occupied Nashville. The white painted booths are almost black with filth, the floor is filthy, and you have to love the 1970s mirrored wall with broken glass dangling. Maybe my favorite decoration though is the bail bond advertisement that stairs you in the face as you order the food through the window. Overall, if I lived in the area, I would happily order takeout and eat it elsewhere. As it is, my wife would NEVER eat in a restaurant so dirty. If I ever go back, it'll be alone.
(3)
Zan F.

I thought I could handle heat until I ate here! Prince's made me question any confidence I had in my ability to handle the spicy... My buddy and I went here late one random weeknight. Strangely enough we were the only ones in the place (I tried eating here a few times before but turned away b/c of the lines during busier times). We checked the menu, and the temperature gage and ordered away. Although I've lived in Nashville by this time for about a year, we were still obvious rookies, and I think the kitchen decided to screw w/us. After we ordered we saw some cooks behind the window check us out and start laughing...as my buddy caught this he saw some of the magic behind the scene. He saw some of the giant cast iron skillets they use to fry the chicken (cast iron fried! NICE!), at least that's what we can assume. We foolishly grabbed some sodas from the cooler and sat down to await our unknown fate. My 2 piece meal arrived and it looked as red, hot, and delicious as the pictures show. We dig in and the first bite was excellent...then...the heat hit and hit me hard! By this time I couldn't stop and savor the flavor, I had to finish and finish fast. Nothing on this table could relieve the heat. The bread was underneath the chicken and was absorbing all those delicious, spicy juices. Under all of that were the fries that were dusted in more spicy goodness. The soda...forget about it...again, foolish choice! By this time I've finished my first piece and my face was beet red, and I was sweating a small rain shower. Although the chicken was incredibly moist and delicious, it was equally hot and I had to raise the white flag. The heat didn't take away from the flavor...but it was just too damn hot for me. My buddy was suffering too, but he managed to finish. This is why I say the kitchen was screwing w/us, there's NO WAY the chicken we ate was 'medium' heat. The chicken they served us ranked up there w/the Ghost Chili on the Scoville Scale. Good stuff though, and a Nashville institution! 'Hot Chicken' must be a Nashville thing, I've seen 'spicy chicken' in many other towns before, but nothing matches Nashville's style. I think Lorrie Morgan even tried her luck at a hot chicken place north of Nashville...'Hot Chickens.Com', but I don't think it's open anymore. Anyway, if you're in Nashville this is a must! Good Luck!!!
(4)
Zach G.

The fried chicken is fantastic. Now keep in mind. I had my first experience there yesterday. It took us 2 hours to get our food. Most of our time was spent people watching, so call ahead and pick up your order later. I ordered the breast and leg X HOT. I will not be making that mistake again. Granted I LOVE spicey and hot food, this was just insanely hot. Which impressed me. I seriously think it has ghost peppers in it. I had to drink two glasses of milk with the chicken (we took ours home to eat), to cool down the burning. It's not for the faint at heart, next time I'll try it Medium as to get the good flavor. Definitely worth the wait though. ADDENDUM: lol. This chicken is freaking SUPER HOT. Don't order the X Hot lol. My nephew ate and loved it until that night when he threw up all night because it was super hot and jacked up his stomach...and I quote "My b-hole burned for a week after eating that" - My Nephew. lol
(5)
Matt K.

Prince's has the best fried chicken that I have ever had. I ordered the breast quarter, and I ordered it medium. I can't imagine what the hot or extra hot is like, but the medium is plenty hot for me! Once I started, I couldn't stop until it was all gone. Yes the place is in what some consider a sketchier part of town, but I didn;t have any problems inside or outside of the joint. Also, for the people that are slamming the place for it's appearance, the cleanliness part I understand, but I didn't feel uneasy about eating food from there, but come on now, it's called Prince's Hot Chicken SHACK, what do you expect from a place that call itself a shack! If you want to have the best fried chicken ever, this place is a must!!!
(5)
Brad H.

A singular American experience...not just the outstanding food, but the "decor," the smells, the wait, the crowd, the noise...in the end, this is not the chicken for everyone, but on par with, say, Yellowstone Park, this *is* a restaurant that should be on everyone's bucket list.
(5)
Arnold P.

WOW!! Lips are still on fire and I asked for medium. Told the lady I drove all the way from Indy and I drove 4 hrs to eat here. She said ok, so what you want? Lol one of the best fried chicken spots I've ever been too
(5)
Katya W.

Prince's Hot Chicken is hands down the best hot chicken in Nashville, period! Yes, the chicken is so spicy, but flavorful as well! #1 for me is Prince's #2 400 Degrees #3 Pepperfire and #4 Bolton's!
(5)
Jason S.

Just not as good as some other places. Let me explain. I love hot chicken and fish. I will suffer many things to get it. But at some point the novelty is defeated by the inconvenience. Prince's chicken is good and it is spicy, I just think there are other places in town that do it better, like Bolton's or 400 Degrees. I can say that the people that staff Bolton's are awesome from a customer service standpoint, Prince's has no idea what customer service is. The way all of these guys cook their chicken is one batch at a time, per order, in big old cast iron skillets, so that explains the wait. But at places like 400 Degrees or Bolton's, that means waiting 20-30 minutes, not hours or more, like at Prince's. You have a lot of business, you build capacity, you make more money. Plus, the fact that they got a 59 on their recent health inspection with a healthy dose of mice droppings is kind of a deal breaker for me. You can have a restaurant in a dive, doesn't matter where in town it is, and be clean and sanitary. Unless you don't care because you know people are going to flock to you because a celebrity puts you on Twitter. I give em a generous 3, which really should be a 2, but they do have some good chicken if you can put up with what it takes to get it.
(3)
Susie R.

The chicken is delicious and yes, the shop could be cleaner but it it totally worth the hype. I am not a fan of fried chicken but I am a fan of food done well by people who care. The chicken (breast) was juicy and the crust was crunchy and hot! We got the medium and it was just hot right, we love heat but I can't imagine how I would have dealt with the extra hot. In one way I wish Prince's hot chicken was closer to home, but in another I'm glad it isn't as it would become my hungover/drunk food of choice. Oh, and people say that service is bad but I asked if we could have the food quicker as we were on the way to the airport and it came out in less than 10 minutes. And we made our flight. It was an excellent last meal in Nashville!
(4)
Amanda L.

All I want for Christmas is Prince's fried chicken!!! Visited on a chilly October night around 10pm with my boyfriend and it was all locals pigging out, I knew we would love it. Got it to go back to our hotel room and damn it was delicious. We were obsessed and went back on our last day around noon, def more a 'Guy' whatever his name is from the food show crowd than before. Got it to go and sat at the Willie Nelson general store porch munching on fried chicken before catching our flight. Good times!
(5)
Boon K.

This is my favorite hot chicken ever. It was recommended by the hospital staff so my co-worker and I drove together to trying this hype up chicken. Well first rule when traveling for working, beware of location, such as bail bond signs, etc. It was dark and the neighbor was questionable. The place itself is a hole in the wall with lawn furniture and all they sold was Hot chicken. Wow was the hot chicken hot. It was a dry rub and it was crispy! There was so many favor going on in my mouth and then the shock on hot spice. Worth the crazy drive but next time I am going when the sun is out. FYI, not sure how but the left over chicken were still crispy the next day.
(5)
Corey P.

The best Hot Chicken I have ever had. It's not the nicest place but the chicken is outstanding.
(4)
Lashona M.

Whenever I travel somewhere, I always ask locals what is your town or city known for food wise and that is when I heard about this place. When I attended the Jazz Festival on Jefferson St. this summer a local person told me that you should try it just because it is pretty popular. He said to keep in mind the local drunks have kept it in business for almost 40 years. In my opinion it is for the daredevils! I tried it at the '10 Hot Chicken Festival and it wasn't all that. Too hot and spicy for me and I think I felt it the next day out the other end! Ouch!
(1)
Raymond K.

Definitely enjoyed eating there. Heard about this place from friends. If you love spicy food then it is the place to go.
(5)
Blair S.

I guess I had high expectations for the chicken based on all the buzz. The chicken is OK. It has spice, it also has crunch, but a lot of salt too. I love hot chicken, but I just didn't finish the chicken full of satisfaction. If the extreme salt was scaled back, I might give it four stars.
(3)
Rex H.

Over the years, Prince's has gone from being an obscure tiny dive in a part of town you've never been to before to being a very famous tiny dive in a part of town you've never been to before. If you're visiting Nashville from out of town, the restaurant will not be convenient to any place you are staying or are hanging out. But as you can tell from these reviews, it's going to be worth the expensive cab ride. Another thing you can tell from the reviews that's true: This place is all about the chicken. It comes in three versions: plain, medium and hot. Don't order the hot. I promise. You'll die. The first time I went there (before there were long lines), I asked for the hot. The lady at the window (it's inside, but there's a window into the kitchen where you order) said, "Have you ever eaten here?" When I said "no," she said, "You don't want the hot." I ordered the medium at her insistence. I'm glad I did. Over the years, as my taste buds have withered, I can handle the heat, but I still advise you to get the medium. I haven't been in quite some time, so the reviews about the long lines give me pause. It's certainly a unique experience and I recommend it. But I'm not sure I'd devote several hours of a short trip to Nashville to it. Special link: In September, 2010, Blake Farmer, a reporter for Nashville Public Radio station, WPLN, did this story about Nashville's hot chicken tradition and its growing popularity: wpln.org/?p=20350
(5)
Rob P.

Best fried chicken I have ever had but let me warn you guys about something. Think twice before getting the hot fried chicken(medium is the best), its way too hot to handle. what i like most about the place is they cook they food fresh after order and and the chicken they use is very good. Very tender and juicy like it should be!
(5)
Emily L.

So the boy is continually astonished by my ability to handle spicy hot food. He boasted that he had a place in Nashville that I would not be able to handle. When he order my chicken at Prince's; he told the guy that I needed extra hot. It was hot and tasty but nothing over the top. I found that the tempterure was hotter than the spiciness. The boy ate one piece and was on the toilet for two days. I finished three pieces in the first sitting and the rest of the chicken the next day and love it. It was better cold, cold spicy chicken, mmmmm....so good.
(5)
ZuoBin T.

This was my first stop in Nashville. Although the dÃ©cor of the place is not much to look at, its famous hot chicken deserves all the attention. I have never heard of hot chicken before I started researching for food in Nashville. After a taste of this hot chicken, I wonder why it isn't available more widely in other places. The chicken was fried perfectly and seasoned with a great blend of spices that brings some serious heat.
(4)
David M.

Incredible.! It is Spicey.
(5)
Ken L.

Thanks to Yelp I was lucky enough to find out about this place. At first, I was curious how come this place had such good ratings.... So on my first time trip to Nashville from LA, I sought out this place. Now the hours are a lil funky.... when I found this place it was closed. Not sure why it was closed but is was closed. So I came back 2 days later. And boy I was glad I did. This place is a shack, but it's not run down or anything.... but not a date place either. You come here to get your hot chicken. It's hot as in spicy but not TOO crazy spicy. I was trying to compare it with Arnold's that I had a few days before but it's hard to compare. It's cooked just right and so juicy with the right amount of kick to it. I wanted to order a few more but I knew my arteries didn't want to handle it. If I lived in Nashville.... I'd be coming here A LOT..... and pack on several pounds.... in a week. When I go back to Nashville.... i'm coming back.
(5)
Tara W.

I'm a Nashville native and I do not understand why people still eat at this place. The service is awful. the place is very dirty. The cooks have hair out, waiting to drop and cook in the grease. The spice on the chicken isn't consistent. They are tons of health violations in plain view. There are more hot chicken options in Nashville so why wait who-knows-how-long for a meal anymore? Watch closesly and you'll see them serve some walk-ins before others (ahem!).
(1)
The Yelp-inator W.

This is some of the best fried chicken I have ever had in my life. I got the hot chicken leg quarter. It was really good....heavenly. This is place is kind of run down - no air conditioning - kind of old looking Staff were friendly The wait was not too bad.... The chicken was incredible.
(5)
Brent W.

This is a warning to anyone who wants to eat their awesome hot chicken...and it's not a heat warning...it's a tradition warning!!! If you want to eat this yum, call in a week in advance, show up a day late, and wait a couple hours...and you will get it when it's ready. But really, call ahead by two hours and be patient when you get there. Grannie's cookin jes as fast as she does...baybay!
(4)
Wes D.

HOT DAMN!!! This is the best fried chicken I've ever bought. And since I was born and raised in the South, I've had a lot of fried chicken. I usually don't eat much spicy food. Sweating from the spiciness doesn't jibe with me. I ordered the medium, and I was sweating. My nose was running. When I ran out of water, my eyes watered. But I could NOT put down that chicken! SO good! Plus, everyone was extremely cool and friendly.
(5)
Jiho S.

This is great fried chicken. So I'll get straight to the point. I agree with most posts on yelp. Place is sorta resembles a run down hole in the wall in a strip mall, but I think it adds to the charm. Look, you are not coming for ambience, you are coming here for hot chicken. No more, no less. Yes the neighborhood is not really nice but at the same time I wouldn't call it the ghetto as someone pointed out, but the stores in the strip mall all had bars in their windows, so think what you may. Came during lunch (1pm on a Tuesday). Place is fairly busy. Expect to wait about 20 to 30 minutes for your order. We waited about 30 minutes for ours. Don't expect a seat because there are only like 6 booths (fits 4 to 6 ppl each) and one table with 2 chairs. Grabbing a table is a matter of waiting and first come first serve (and battling it out with whoever else is waiting). We were courteous to let another group grab a table before us when we both bolted for an opening at the same time since we had a later ticket number and our food would come out later anyway. Menu is fairly simple, just fried chicken (quarter, half, full) and sides. Quarter dark is $4 (what a deal!) and white is $5. We opted for the half order of chicken ($9) for each of us (hot flavor), fries, beans and slaw. As other posts say, you get it with a few slices of white bread and sliced pickles. Drinks are sold via a vending machine ($1.50). I went to pick up our order and was surprised of the size. Either they mesed up (hard to believe) our pieces were slightly smaller than they should be (doubtful too) or they were just being super nice to us. Basicall both our half orders had 3 huge pieces - 2 wing/breast combos, and 1 leg/thigh combo. Hm, if you ask me that isn't a half chicken, but a 3/4 chicken. Again, not sure why they gave us so much and doubt this is common practice but a half chicken should get you 2 combo pieces (wing/breast and leg/thigh). Anyways no complaints here but for any normal human being a quarter is plenty of food and we struggled to finish our half. Also the HOT is pretty hot to the point where I found it annoying. The place has no air conditioning and it was 80 degrees outside so we were sweating our balls off. it wasn't unbearably hot, but hot enough where I think I would have preferred to try the medium (and I'm Asian) because I don't enjoy constantly reaching for my drink or eating sides to douse the hotness. Skin is very crisp despite the sauce, but my issue is the hot was so heavily seasoned it was almost bitter to the taste. First bite was great, but towards my 2nd piece I was frankly getting tired of the heavy cayenne seasoning. Fries are plentiful in size (they sprinkle some seasoned salt on it). Cole salw and beans are ok but are served in tiny little paper cups which I don't think is worth it given the price ($2) relative to the chicken. I would have loved to have a side of ranch but they were out (bummer). And remember, CASH ONLY. Next time I'm in town, I'll definitely get the medium, and stick with a quarter chicken.
(4)
Martin G.

More than anything Prince's Hot Chicken is an experience. The reviews that say the medium is hot enough are more than true. I enjoy spicy food, but even my coke bottle had some hot left on it when I took a sip after eating the chicken. So unless you really want to be sweating, get the medium. Besides being super spicy the chicken is awesome. Really good flavor accented by the spiciness rather than defeated by it. It's a small place, and not super clean but it's got a good down home vibe and the experience alone is worth the trip. If you are in Nashville looking for an eating "experience" this should really be on your list...Just like Sam's Sushi.
(4)
Jay B.

I love when my friends know of hidden gems like this. I'm from the south. Yes, Florida is in the south. I went to school in western North Carolina so I have learned over time how good southern food is. I've been out west for so long I felt a little out of touch when my very southern friend told me about Hot Chicken. I can't remember the last time I had fried chicken but it sounded delicious. Now, I love spicy food. Jay likes it spicy. And I'm talking New Mexico spicy. Southern spicy. Not North Dakota spicy. My friend said, this chicken is spicy and that I might be better starting off with the mild. Ha!!!! She did not laugh. She looked at me seriously and said, 'no, this is seriously spicy.' I took her word for it and got the mild. I am so glad I took her advice. That mild was perfection. It was spicy enough. Just the right amount of sweat that was coming off of my forehead. The crispiness of the skin was delicious. And inside was juicy fall off the bone meat. It is the best chicken I've ever eaten. Walking in the for first time can be a little intimidating. People are lined up. There aren't many tables and you may have to wait and you definitely have to be assertive if you are eating in to get a table. It reminded me of the Soup Nazi episode. You need to know what you want, order, pay (cash only!!!) and then keep walking. Except the lady behind the counter is super nice and very patient. Everything you think Southern hospitality should be. And don't worry this place is in the 'hood.' This place has no decor. And who cares with chicken this good. They don't need to put anything on the walls. They don't need nice paint. They just need to keep makin' some of that great chicken.
(5)
L Dante G.

Prince's is the original. Anyone who wants to get some hot chicken needs to first come to Prince's. My brother in law and I usually get extra hot, and boy is it hot. I paid for it for the next 3 days, but no love is lost. I will continue to indulge in some Prince's hot chicken. Oh, be sure to carve out a good amount of time because the wait time at the restaurant can easily get over an hour. Long wait, but well worth it.
(5)
Gertrude T.

I think the "authentic experience" people are looking for influences people's opinion more than the food does. Underwhelming. For Hot Chicken / good food Nashvegas has better venues.
(3)
Safa S.

I saw this restaurant on Man vs Food and I was totally hyped about it. My husband is Indian and eats spicier/hotter food than most. So, when we arrived my husband figured he would try the extra-hot chicken. When the food arrived, I took one bite and that was it. It was horrible! I don't think anyone can really eat that food... It tasted like I was eating chili pepper with a spoon. My husband finished off one piece and had the worst stomach acid/aches ever. I ordered another piece of chicken, regular style this time. It was OK... nothing special, nothing to write home about. The chicken was unusually large... one breast was the size of a regular chicken.
(3)
Beau E.

Somehow after the explosive diarrhea subsided, I'm giving Prince's Chicken four stars. I mean the chicken is amazing. It is hot, delicious, and surprisingly NOT greasy. Approximately four hours after the lunch, however, I paid the price for such a treat. The strip mall where Prince's is located is pretty much a dump. The parking kinds of sucks too. Once you get inside, it is less than impressive. After waiting about 10 minutes to place my order through the little walk-up window, I stood and waited for about 30 more for the food. Yes, stood, because there are only a handful of tables in this place. Luckily there are some folding chairs strewn about. When they called my number, finally, I was STARVING! I got the MEDIUM chicken with potato salad - to go. No way I was eating in this place. By the time I got home the chicken was the perfect temperature, and it somehow was not greasy. Let me tell you, this chicken is ridiculously awesome. It is HOT!!! The chicken is stacked on top of two slices of bread (which soak up the sauces) and have some pickles on top. The potato salad (bright yellow) was some of the best I've ever had. My wife and I agreed it was the best fried chicken that we've ever had. The downside was bad though. It was painful and didn't let up quickly. Be warned!!! Next time I'm getting the MILD!
(4)
Alicia J.

In short: - Almost an hour wait at 6pm is pretty bad - The restaurant is somewhat loud - Hot! Hot! Hot! If you're just spending a day in Nashville or are currently in downtown, it's hard to convince yourself that Prince's Hot Chicken is what you want, because the drive from downtown is a bit long and the wait can be even longer. We got there a few minutes after 6 and didn't get our food before 7. Also, it might not help that the restaurant looks plain, and there are people talking loudly on top of the TV running both in the restaurant and behind the counter. You get a number while you wait so we knew there were roughly 15 people in front of us. To order and collect your food, you have to go to the counter all the way at the end (a few tourists were unaware of that and waited to be seated). Apart from some sides, all you can order is fried chicken, where the only choices you have are pretty hot, tear-inducingly hot, unbearably hot and Man-vs.-Food-like hot. These are labeled as "mild", "medium", "hot" and "very hot" (actually I forgot what the last one really was called). Luckily we got medium after observing another man waiting for his food with a gallon of water, and it was exactly the way we liked it. Certainly these were the best fried chicken we have had so far - it's extraordinarily crispy, the spices actually enhance the taste of the juicy chicken instead of hiding it and the feeling of the spices making me cry was pretty awesome. We got our chicken to go and the smell of the meat was perpetrating throughout the entire car. Bottom line: It's worth the unusually long wait.
(5)
Molly P.

Prince's is good. It isn't the best. Yes they're the original, but others have improved on this hot poultry delicacy. I think the only thing I didn't really like about Prince's was that it was incredibly salty. The saltiness added a sort of unpleasant abrasive burn to the heat. The meat was tender and though also salty, very tasty. The bread appeared to have been buttered prior to becoming the hot chicken grease sponge. As for sides, the fries are almost as hot as the chicken, and delicious.
(3)
Shannon S.

awwwesome
(5)
Janet S.

Finally got there after 8 years. I know legions of folk love this place and the whole concept of hot chicken but I just did not like it. It's great to see small local hole in the wall businesses but this one needed cleaning and a coat of paint on the walls. There are 5 white wooden booths to sit at that desperately need of a coat of paint. I really felt like there was no respect for the patrons, this kind of detail is not hard to take care of. The chicken was dry inside and over fried on the outside. I could have put my tongue in a jar of cayenne and paprika at home and got the same effect without the long drive. Cash only. $5.00 for a piece of chicken on two white pieces of bread. Coke machine is available for that extra sugar rush.
(2)
Vivek S.

This place is FANTASTIC and a must-go location for anyone coming to Nashville. Hot Fried Chicken is Nashville's signature food and no one does it better than Prince's. They offer 4 levels of heat (mild, medium, hot, and extra hot) and I'll admit that I've had all of them because this stuff is addictive. The mild at Prince's is hotter than the "spicy fried chicken" you order at most places. When I take people there, I always suggest first timer's get the HOT to truly experience this delicacy. It comes with white bread and pickles which is awesome because the heat of the fried chicken toasts the bread and soaks up all the spices and grease making it a delicious morsel. If you can't handle the hot, you should go medium, which is my usual order. A great balance between scorching heat and incredible flavor. The chicken comes out perfectly crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy in the middle. Make sure to come with cash because they don't take credit cards here. The wait is sometimes 5 minutes and sometimes 2 hours. But if hot chicken is what you want, Prince's is always worth the wait.
(5)
J R.

A cool Nashville experience, and definitely one I'd recommend for tourists and as a "try it once" for locals, but not probably not somewhere I'll return to -- just because the wait is ridiculous. The chicken is great, yes, but there are too many other good places to eat to justify waiting for two hours for my food. It's definitely in a not-so-great part of town, but there were so many people around and in line that I didn't feel unsafe. It was actually neat to see such a cross-section of the Nashville population all in one place together -- and everyone kind of forms a camaraderie because you are all waiting there for SO, so long. We made friends with everyone else that was waiting outside with us, and everyone cheered for each other each time someone's order number was called. I kind of liked being there just for that reason, actually!
(3)
Caesar R.

Awesome chicken, go with the MILD as other reviewers have stated for your first try at this place. YELP has proven worthy of advice. REALLY AWESOME! The rest of the place needs a big bottle of PURELL. It is also worth the adventure. The GF and I went last night and someone had crashed their car into the next store front which was empty and was some fried fish place (Luckily no one was hurt, but it did cause a stir). Guess they couldn't wait to get some chicken, either.
(5)
Katie S.

Delicious, tender, juicy, crispy, SPICY fried chicken. Despite having read that 'mild' is spicy enough for most people, I ordered mine medium spicy, and received a friendly warning from the proprietor. I went for it anyway, and it is definitely hot, and amazingly good. I didn't care for the cole slaw, but the potato salad side had a dash of curry in it, which was the perfect sweet, creamy zing to accompany the heat of the main dish. Yumm! There is a bit of a wait, but as long as you go in knowing that, it's not a big deal.
(4)
Kendall D.

Here's an exchange between myself, my uncle and a friend when ordering Me: "Well howdy! Good day to you, ma'am! May I please have a half chicken. Hmmm.... Let's see.....what spiciness should I get? I guess I'd like it hot." 50-ish woman behind counter: "You eva' had the hot befo'?" Me: "Well I really like spi--" Woman: "HAVE you ever had the hot befo'?" Me [looking at my shoelaces and in a quiet, defeated voice]: "No, ma'am" Woman: "OK, I'm going to get you the medium. Next." Me: [stupefied] Friend: "Yes, hi. I'll have a quarter chicken, mild." Woman: "Mmmm hmmmm. Good girl. Next" Uncle: "OK, I heard what you said and I know you think I shouldn't be ordering this, but I've made up my mind and there's really no talking me out of it and I know the risk and I really want to try the hot so please, may I please have a half chicken hot?" Woman: [simply shakes head and rolls her eyes in a maternal way and places the ticket on the circular ticket thing] Conclusion: My shirt was completely soaked through with sweat as I experienced the greatest confluence of pleasure and pain in my gastronomic life.
(5)
Gilbert G.

Overhyped because of the Food Network. Small portions of sides. I understand it's supposed to be a dive or hidden gem, but it wouldn't hurt them to clean up a bit as it was very dirty. Chicken was good, and hot does mean hot. I wouldn't recommend anything past medium for newbees
(3)
Amber S.

You don't come to Prince's for the environment, you come to Prince's for the chicken. And the chicken never fails. I always go medium and cool it down with a little ranch and a sweet tea. Perfect lunch!
(5)
Ramon H.

This was a nice little place. I tried the Med Hot chicken for my first time and it was not as hot as I expected from reading other reviews. The chicken was placed on a couple of slices of bred - I assume this is to capture the greasy goodness dripping off the fried chicken. It was a good way of putting away 1000 calories. As previously stated the wait time for the food can be long but I do recommend people try this place. Next time I'm getting the hot...
(3)
Helena S.

Dirty hole in the wall chicken shack (serious, its dirty, I recommending bringing your own hand sanitizer since the chicken is finger lickin good) . Damn good chicken that will make your eyes bleed with spicy delight! Try the Chess Pie for dessert. Be prepared to wait 20-45 minutes for your food.
(5)
John B.

Based on food alone, I can give 4 stars. But the wait is just ridiculous. We got #68 to wait. The number is #53. So we wait very patiently... 53,54,55...62...I'm getting all excited. Then some folks walk in and the guys behind the counter exchange some friendly words with them; now names are being called for the orders instead of the numbers. After the streak of names being called, it goes to #75. I was like "what the...?" I asked what's going on. Because we ordered the whole chicken it takes longer...which doesn't make too much sense because #75 seemed like a lot of chicken (probably big enough for 2 whole chickens). 1 & 1/2 hours pass by and it's at #67. (with #63, #64 skipped...they were pretty pissed). I am trying to be patient because I didn't want to upset the guys behind the counter to delay the food even longer. The guy looks at me and says mine's coming up...still had to wait another 20 minutes to get the fried chicken. I must say this was *the* most ridiculous wait I had to endure for fried chicken. The fried chicken itself was good. Got the mild (per people's recommendation). The skin/batter was crunchy. The heat for mild (which was not that mild) was spicy enough for me (and probably good enough for *most* people). The flavor is more salty and dry heat (think cayenne pepper). I don't know if I like it as much as the Korean spicy fried chicken (e.g., bonchon), which is...different...since it's got slightly wetter, sweeter & spicy sauce (disclaimer: I'm Korean; another disclaimer: I'm not tied to any commercial entities that are involved with Korean fried chicken business). I thought the bread didn't really add anything, but the pickles were strangely delicious with the spice they used. Finally, their potato salad was really good.
(3)
John B.

Been coming to Princes for years. I get the extra hot. Crazy I know, but it is so addictive. I have a feeling of euphoria after I eat it. I have been to EVERY hot chicken place in the Nashville area (up to 8 open currently with one more maybe on the way). Princes is by far the best, but be patient. They are in no hurry and you should not be either. I try to go once a week, but sometimes do not make it. This is a Nashville must and my ratings are always based on the type of place it is and not the Mobil 5 star system. This is my favorite hot chicken place in Nashville with a close follow up by 400 Degrees and then Scoreboards. At 400 Degrees, you can call ahead and they will have it ready for you. Nice people too. Well, enjoy!
(5)
Michelle P.

I would have given 5 stars if the customer service was better. The chicken is great! I am a fan of spicy foods so I always order a leg quarter x hot or just hot. This place is a Nashville prized establishment. You have to be prepared for your visit and less judgemental. I always know that they are going to be rude and make me wait upwards to a hour. I know where it is located so I expect the decor and clientele.
(4)
Phyllis N.

A wholesome family owned it seems inside. I ordered a whole chicken from the menu for take out .The chicken was crunchy and hot n spicy. a tad on the greasy side , but was tasty.
(3)
Erin T.

I'm hot for hot chicken! I was in Nashville at the Opryland for a conference and did a little research on Yelp to see what the 'locals' liked to eat. I discovered hot chicken and it immediately sparked my interest. I like fried chicken and I like spicy food so when I discovered that hot chicken was fried quarter pieces sprinkled with cayenne pepper and topped with sliced pickles on top of slices of white bread, I was in heaven. Prince's is an around the way mom and pop spot in the hood. That's how I knew the chicken would be good. The place was crowded with people waiting on their orders and making conversation. The woman who took my order was real nice and didn't look at me like I was crazy when I ordered the medium. (Apparently even the medium is super spicy, but I can roll with it). When I got back to my hotel room and unwrapped my food, the smell was amazing. The chicken was very moist and the crust was flavored so well. The medium was definitely very spicy but you can't stop eating it lol. I also liked how the cayenne pepper and juices from the chicken soaked into the bread, which was a great compliment to the chicken. I tried another location's hot chicken and Prince's won the battle hands down. If you like fried chicken and don't mind a little spice, check it out!
(5)
CJ B.

Best hot, fried chicken in town! So what if it's not exactly "close to downtown"; it's just a 10 min drive from it, that is totally worth it. Yes, it's not in the most glamorous of outdoor malls, but I'd rather get a fabulous meal in a less-than-luxurious venue, than a crappy meal in a ritzy locale. I did not give it 5 stars because this chicken is in such demand, that the wait was approximately 20-25 min for our order.
(4)
Simon K.

Prince's is like a beautiful flower that smells like a human anus. The chicken is amazing! No argument, but the service is worst than bad. Nothing is more tragic than a resturaunt that makes great food but is served by apathetic and lazy people. The Yelper concensus is that you should visit this place, like going to see Transformers 2 at the theater. But no one ever says "I feel like waiting over an hour for some chicken tonight for supper." This is not a place that you're going to ever regularly visit. It is a BAD business. Go there once and get it out of your system. I propose that we Yelpers try to figure out how they cook their chicken and get some one else w/ a work ethic to open up their own shop in Nashville. C'mon, I post it as a challenge to you foodies out there. This is what my guess is: -Deep fried in vegetable oil However the oil dripped onto the wonderbread comes out orange, which makes me believe that there is chili powder in the oil. Idk. -The paste is something simple: I think it is mostly chili powder. Plus it's old chili powder which would explain some of the reviews saying that the extra hot was bitter. -The coating is dense so it's probably just flour w/ a little bit of corn starch.
(1)
Kristen C.

I have risked my life many a night to come to this beacon of Ghetto Fabulousness for the Extra Hot. And for the Pimp and Ho- watching, which makes the hour and a half wait as enjoyable as watching a movie in which every single character is played by Eddie Murphy. On my last foray, at 2:00am on a Saturday Night, we were approached at our table by a pleasantly drunk man sporting a bandolier of knockoff colognes for sale. My brother comes from Rhode Island several times a year for this stuff, and my foodie boyfriend actually relocated to NashVegas from the SF Bay Area after this chicken first made sweet-sweet -love to his taste buds. (He tries to say it was *me*, but I know better, and I have watched him steadily gain 30 lbs over the past year. I keep threatening to spike his Extra Hot with Lipitor). The chicken is so hot, my brother's glasses fog up on the *inside* while he eats it. He also brings his own pint of milk to cool off his mouth. Prepare to laugh, prepare to wait, prepare to have the hottest chicken you ever wrapped your lips around...and prepare to WASH YOUR HANDS *BEFORE AND AFTER* YOU GO TO THE BATHROOM!
(5)
Dan B.

You kiddin' me? Tennessee has at least TWO places that has orgasm-inducing fried chicken? What else are you guys hiding from me? As other yelpers have noted, this chicken is HOT. Don't underestimate the spiceness. I usually will get chicken hot but tried medium on this one and the medium on this one is hotter than the hottest in most other places. The chicken is sooo flavorful. I don't know how they do it. The outside is crispy and buttery and the inside has soft meat that falls off the bone. Their side dishes are also amazing. Best cole slaw I've had in a longgg time. They are also very good about being flexible with their closing time. We kept ordering food after closing and they didn't seem to mind! Now that's a good place!
(5)
Dave W.

Get it extra hot and your mouth will melt
(5)
Darren B.

I miss this chicken, pickle and white bread! Best chicken in Nashville. Word!
(4)
Retired B.

Super greasy. They give you two slices of sandwich bread to catch the grease. It's also pretty hole-in-the-wall ghetto.
(2)
Marie E.

Best chicken in the world. Be prepared for a long wait, cash only, not the most customer service, never answer the phone, but the chicken is worth all the extra.
(5)
Jason S.

They don't care if you're comfortable or if you have to wait so long you're late getting back to work. All they care about is making the best hot fried chicken in the world.
(4)
Jose B.

I decided I had to try this place after seeing it on Man V. Food. I'm from CA and we don't have hot chicken out west. I had read reviews about this place not being in the best of neighborhoods and they are definitely right about that. We arrived just about sundown and as I drove up I was feeling a bit nervous having the wife and 3 young kids with me. So I parked, left them in the car and ordered 1 white and 2 dark quarters to go with slaw and potato salad. We then drove around for a little bit and the kids were getting hungry so we stopped up the street at Church's and I left the wife and kids there to eat, while I waited at Prince's for the food. The idea was that I would join them in a bit with the chicken from Prince's. So much for that plan. The family was done eating and waited for me to come back because it was almost 2 hours from the time that I ordered that I got the food at Prince's. When you order you get a #. But don't count on orders being fulfilled in numerical order. My # was 38, but they were calling numbers in the 50's and 40's before I got my food. I was waiting with a guy that goes there once in a while and he was positive that people that came AFTER us were getting their food before us. So looks like if you know the people running the joint, you get served before anyone else. Kind of sucks and it doesn't help that these people don't seem to be in any rush to get you your order. Since the family was all done, I just took the chicken back to the our hotel. I ordered the medium for myself and it was dam good. The best chicken I had out in TN. My wife and son thought the mild was too hot for them. I like spicy food, but definitely have my limits. I'm torn about going back again if I go to Nashville because of the wait. I would have given this place 5 stars if the wait and service was better. Don't bother getting the slaw and potato salad, they're not good at all.
(4)
Yonnie B.

I really wanted to like the fried chicken. It's a bright, greasy smelling unpretentious hole in the wall. There's a certificate stuck on the wall from the Tennessee House of Reps certifying that Prince's is the best restaurant in Tennessee. There was a line up before the place even it opened. I was no. 7 in the line and wait time was thirty minutes which I anticipated. Quarter chicken leg medium spicy was frikkin hot. And I'm not ordinarily a spice wimp. Chicken meat was juicy and succulent on the inside. Unfortunately there was far too much batter. And it came out dripping oil. It was crunchy and obviously freshly fried but I couldn't get past all the oil. The bird was served on two slices of bread. The oil oozed onto the bread and managed to render it totally soggy. Olive oil I'm willing to bet it's not. Two stars for the food and one for the cool no bullshit vibe here.
(3)
Keith S.

Best food in the universe. I moved away 2 months ago, and my body is going through withdrawals. I wish they'd overnight me a medium breast with extra pickles!!
(5)
Wayne H.

A Nashville landmark, this restaurant is renowned as the birthplace of "Hot Chicken" a half chicken rubbed in cayenne pepper and other spices so that it creates a thick, crusty layer of spiceness on top of the tender and nonspicy meat underneath. Hot chicken is served with bread and pickles, which help to temper the heat and absorb some of the juice or rub from the chicken. Hot chicken is the single most spicy food item that I have ever consumed, but more importantly, the spices provide a nice contrast to the succulent meat: it is definitely something that should be tried at least once. Princes serves only its signature Hot Chicken, but they are great at it, which is good, since everything else about the place is absolutely terrible (or a part of the experience depending on how you look at it). The space is small, cramped, and located deep in a run-down part of East Nashville in a very nondescript strip mall. The ambiance is nonexistent short of some seats and tables and commemorative plaques. A long wait is assured: there is only one orderer, two fryers, and the chicken is cooked upon ordering. Depending on the time of day, lines may stretch out of the front door and food may take 3 hours to obtain. The best time to visit would be a weeknight. But in the end, the food is in my humble opinion definitely worth the effort. In sum, this is definitely a place to eat if you have a good deal of time in Nashville, or if you are a fan of piquance. Otherwise, get a friend to bring it home for you. One additional note: Princes has several levels of spiciness, from mild to extra spicy. To those of you who have been disappointed in the Scoville scale of supposedly "hot" foods in other restaurants, DO NOT make my mistake of starting with the spiciest level possible. They mean business, and the "mild" is far spicier than the "hot" seen in most other locations.
(4)
Jack W.

Nothing fancy, would best describe Prince's Hot Chicken Shack. Though it has been a staple to many Nashvillians I think the restaurant gets its popularity from the hype. The chicken is cheap and always hot--more ways than one. There always seem to be a line, and the chicken is always greasy. They are pretty genius by placing some bread under the chicken to absorb all the oil though. If you're in the mood for something novelty, then check this place out. BUT if you're looking for great fried chicken I would suggest another restaurant.
(3)
Brien W.

Finally made the trek up Dickerson Pike last week to the Mecca of Nashville hot chicken. Timed it just right, pulled up just as they opened the door and was 10th order. Still took about 40 minutes to get order, medium breast combo w fries. Took to go as seating is limited and being solo in a booth would probably get me a beating. Great flavor throughout and the heat wasn't overbearing or ridiculous, fries and bread served nested against chicken soak up great flavor. They must be using lard or beef tallow to fry this stuff cause it's special. Worth a trip, at least once, staff is down home and very friendly.
(4)
Suede S.

Since moving to Nashville I have been on a mission to find some great local food. Prince's meets the bill. I rolled up around 5 pm on a Friday afternoon and the place was already pretty crowded. I sauntered up to the menu board and surveyed my options. I love spicy food, excessive spice is never and issue so I decided to order the hot fried chicken, slaw, potato salad, and a pepsi. The friendly lady at the counter handed me a number and then I sat down at the table waited for my number to be called out. The chicken came out steaming fresh. It was on top of a couple slices of white bread with pickles. I thought it looked good and so it began. The first bites confirmed the hyped in my mind. The skin was covered in spice and perfectly crispy. The chicken fell right off the bone and greasily melted in my mouth. At first I scoffed, this isn't so hot. I continued to shove more in my mouth. Then it began. My mouth began to burn. It felt tingly all over and I began to feel my sinuses draining, but I couldn't stop eating because it was just so good. The deliciousness was like a drug. No matter how much my mouth burned, my brain kept on screaming feed me more delicious fried chicken. Then my sinuses started to drain. Snot is coming out of my nose like I am a 7 year old. I accidentally wiped under my eye with my hand when I wiped my nose. The spices began to make me cry. So I'm crying and mucus is poring from my face and all I can do is continue to shove chicken in my mouth. At this point I tried to chase it the hot away with Pepsi. Obviously not working. Then I realized "I have slaw! and potato salad!" I began a delicate dance of burning my mouth with the chicken and cooling it down with potato salad to keep myself in the spicy chicken induced nirvana. In the end after I left my mouth burned for another 10 minutes or so. I also promptly called all my friends back home and told them where we were going when they visited me in Nashville. All in all, definitely lived up to the hype. I will be getting the hot again next time. I almost want to punish myself with the extra hot though. I would also definitely making sure you get some sort of creamy side to help with the heat if you are worried.
(5)
Kimberly S.

This place is dirty, the service is terrible, and the staff acts like they're doing you a favor to serve you. I've only ever been at lunch, so maybe it's different for late night dining. There is no A/C and the last time I went the staff was too lazy to take the trash out the night before. We were met by the overwhelming stench of rotting garbage along with the visual of the filthy floors, walls, and tables. Let's put it this way: When I came for the 2nd time I made sure to use the bathroom and wash my hands BEFORE I got there. I did not want to visit the bathroom there again. They only accept cash so I'm assuming they pay off the health inspectors. The food is good, if all you're looking for is greasy fried chicken and french fries. And they do give you a piece of bread to help soak up some of the grease. I would rather pay a bit more and feel like I was eating food from a clean kitchen.
(2)
Jen R.

The chicken was good. The cake that they sell there was amazing. The hour and forty-five minute wait was terrible. If someone comes in who they know they will get your food. We went there at 3PM in the middle of the week.
(2)
Brandon M.

I got the hot leg quarter and it was really good. All chicken is made to order so be prepared to wait, but it is worth it. There are not many options for sides and the fries are...meh, but the chicken makes up for it. The spices they put on the chicken have great flavor and lots of heat. There was not so much sauce that it made the breading soggy, which for me is a big no no. I would say the chicken is a 4.5, The establishment and the way it is setup is odd and it takes about 30 minutes to get your food so I would give that a 3.The sides would get a 3 just because there are not a ton of options and the fries were just ok. They did have some amazing looking pies but I was too full to try one. Maybe next time. I will definitively be going back though.
(4)
Theresa B.

OMW...please, please don't make me go again...talk about bad experiences...where do I begin???...We arrive there at about 5:00 p.m. and wait in line to place out order for 2 regular wings and 1 dark meat...at first the people watching is really quite fun...then it gets irritating...I guess the regulars...or their friends, come through and they pass their orders to them...their orders..that just so happen to be those of us who are waiting orders...arrrgggghhh..My first time here and I'm starving so bad I could chew my arm off...and they're taking care of the who knows...thank God for the smoke shop a few doors down...but not thanking God for the sales that are taking place out in the parking lot......meanwhile back at the ranch...they are paging the same numbers over and over and over...till it's ludicrous...one hour goes by..then two and I'm starting to think what's wrong with this picture??...Believe me when I say this...we got our order 6 (six) hours after we placed it...why we waited 6 hours is still a mystery to us...why they were passing our orders out the back door and frying only one piece of chicken at a time is another huge mystery...I guess we wanted to see what the hype was all about...and now we know...we got home with our orders and (we live 30 minutes away)..the chicken was still hot...I put my wing in my mouth and it was so ridiculously spicy I almost cried...It was awful..we couldn't eat what we waited 6 hours for...OMW...awful...awful..never again...if you don't mind everything around you being HOT!!!..go for it... The reason they got 2 stars is because the were able to hold 3 very intelligent people hostage for 6 hours, to eat inedible chicken..how funny is that??
(2)
David A.

Lips on fire fantastic. This place specializes in the niche that Nashville calls "Hot Chicken." Basically that means coat the skin of the chicken in cayenne pepper and tabasco until it turns red or black and then deep fry it. The meal comes served on bread to catch some of the grease and spices with a pickle. As far as decor goes there is not much to this place. It has chairs and tables and that is it. There are no drinks other than soda and water. Although the suggested drink for hot chicken is milk. The service doesn't really exist other than placing an order, because you order and pick up at a window at the back. The spice of the chicken is what makes this place famous. You can wait as long as an hour and need to be prepared for a wait of at least 30 minutes. Overall the food is what this place is about and it is pretty finger licking good, but have a cup of milk at hand.
(4)
C S.

This place is more than just fried chicken, it is an experience. The restaraunt is a dive, 25 seats or so, order at the window and get a ticket number, 300 lb guy with wearing a track suit and a pistol guarding the cash register and OMFG the best fried chicken I have ever had. The 45 minute to 1 hour wait between ordering and recieving your dinner is just enough time to buy a tallboy from the 7-11 next door and drink it while you wait. My girlfriend has been pestering me at least once a week since June wanting Princes (and we live 3 hours away... she is just going to have to wait till we pass thru there again in April). I reccommend this place for any fan of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, Man v Food, or those who just really want great HOT chicken.
(5)
Kevin A.

Oh my God - this is the best fried chicken I've ever had. I call in my order on the way into Nashville (I stop by on my way to Louisville from Atlanta) so that I don't have to wait long. They fry the chicken to order, so you'll have to wait on it otherwise. You've got to be completely insane to try the hot stuff. It's mind-numbing. (I did it once. I like pretty hot food, but i stick to medium.) If you're not into hot stuff, order the mild and avoid the crust. The meat doesn't absorb much spice, and it'll be the best you've ever tasted. FYI, the chicken is really awesome the next day, too. I think the meat soaks up more of the flavor from the crust. I always get two halves when i go so that I can eat one hot and save one for the next day.
(5)
Vanessa G.

Yes, it is a little scary to get to the place but just keep your wits about it and GO! You will not be disappointed. The clientele is fun to watch and from all walks of life. Don't go if you're in a hurry. The crowds here can be large on a weekend evening. The food is prepared by the order so expect to wait but you will be rewarded with HOT and tasty chicken. I love spicy food and ordered the mild and was more than satisfied with the heat level. If you're in Nashville, you must try this place!
(5)
Gib B.

3 X Hot. first time made me cry; second time medium no cry; third time hot everyone cry. Get two lemonades next time. Think I got the dark meat each time, but will try white meat next. Long waits, colorful people in a neighborhood a far cry from the Vanderbilt side of Nashville.
(5)
Brother Frank R.

Oh god! It burns! You'll be saying this for the next 24-36 hours after eating here. But it is so so so good. The wait can be horrendous, the place is a dump, and god knows I wouldn't hang out in that parking lot for more than 15 seconds. Rookies should stick to mild Master men for the Medium. It took me 48 hours to eat half a bird at hot, and I sweated like a champ and chugged water. Ultra hot? I saw a guy try to eat a quarter of this once. Let's just say I didn't know humans could actually turn those colors. Bring your pepto, breath mints, and doughnut cushion for the spiciest, juciest chicken in town.
(5)
Rob D.

Best fried chicken ever. End of story.
(5)
Paulius N.

as the legend goes hands off genitalia post prince's chicken My first Nashville Hot Chicken experience. OK. I get it. A regional thang. All good there. We sat across a Texas fella who was sweating bullets from a "Medium". and he LOVED it all. So I guess it's all about the "heat" and has become a test of manhood or something. I have to say, everyone there seemed to really be enjoying themselves. A good vibe for sure. The people there are friendly, hardworking folk. The cake lady was downright charming. All good there. But... Let's talk chicken. The batter was an unholy combination of crisp, yet greasy. I have never bitten into a crispy piece of chicken, and had a tablespoon of oil squirt into my mouth. ...When worlds collide, right? The chicken itself was a generic, industrial grade chicken. It could be bumped up 2 grades and the improvement would be huge. And, no, I am not in any way suggesting local, organic blahblahblah. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) Just a better quality chicken. This was school lunch quality at best. As for the heat, I went with medium. It was spicy, but one dimensional. I'll go with Hot or Extra Hot next time. and there will be a "next time". But - no rush... Carry on.
(2)
Chris W.

The best. They serve one thing - CHICKEN - and they do it better than anyone else. Sure, the service is old school and slow (hey, they cook it as fast as they can) but the chicken is the best. I don't think you can win the national "Best Fried Chicken" Hoodie award and have crappy chicken. Beware - this place is a dive, but it's worth every penny and evert second.
(5)
Taylor W.

Wow, where does one start with such an amazing place. Well, if you like hot food, this is, without a doubt, the best fried chicken in the world. But it's so much more than that. It's extremely addictive. As someone that now lives in New York, I can only dream about having that chicken. When my friend drove from Nashville to New York, I paid him 50 bucks to buy a whole chicken and bring it back for me in tupper ware surrounded by ice. It lost a bit of it's heat, but it was still excellent. The point being, I will do a lot to get my hands on this chicken. The first time I went there I wasn't sure what to expect. I love hot food so I ordered the Extra Hot. Then I waited, and I waited, and I waited, and I waited, until finally my chicken was ready. The first bite I had I knew this was no joke. I did my best to finish it, but by the end I couldn't handle the skin anymore. Anyways, I went back several times and ordered the chicken medium. This was perfect. It's still extremely hot, but one can handle it. You still sweat a bit when you eat it and get that spicy food high when you're finished. Lastly, in case it wasn't obvious, the service is hilariously bad and the restaurant itself is not the most beautiful place in the world. But if you know that going in, then no big deal. That wait will be more than worthwhile when you do finally get your chicken. If there were 10 stars, I would give it to Prince's.
(5)
Dan W.

If you haven't been to Prince's, then go. It is one of Nashville's best holes in the wall. An institution. Especially good for late night, to soak up pitchers of indiscriminate beer drinking (elsewhere). Last time I went I had a quarter chicken (breast), medium. Wish I had gotten the mild. More flavor, less distraction. The fries were tasty too. (Prince's by no means has the best fried chicken, but it is unique and worth the trip).
(3)
Will M.

1st off I couldn't believe it was located in a worn down shopping center but it was. The place is dirty and there was a bike and some old bed frames in the corner of the store for some reason...I guess that's common in the south? Regardless, the hot chicken taste great and the fries are good too. It's not an overpowering hot like 911 wings, but it is a nice hot. I ordered the "hot" and was warned by the clerk that I would be in for a suprise. It was more salty than hot but still tasty. If I'm in Nashville again I will return, just not to dine in...
(4)
C C.

The food was steaming hot. You can order mild med or hot I ordered mild my bro-in-law ordered hot and it was hottttt. The place is a dive close your eyes or else you won't eat there. Overall I thought the food was just ok. My husband, sis,and bro-n-law thought it was great. We didn't wait that long.
(4)
MJ Y.

"wowww... noo" 1.5 stars WOW... and i mean a bad-wowwwh I do appreciate their honesty with the "Hot" and "shack" though... Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the hole in the walls, mom and pops... but I'm talking about the food! Oh gosh... where to start... horrible service... or more like no service, *LONNNG wait (more than an hr), dirty dirty... They mean it when they say HOT so keep it to mild or medium even if you like spicy. Fried chicken is extremely oily- and I know thats what fried chicken is suppose to be! but batter is so dense that you're not really tasting the chicken... but just crispy fried starch... chicken is juicy but can't really taste anything. I thought the bread that comes with the chicken was really gross... soaked from the chicken oil I walked out worrying about my next bathroom trip! 1* for food... but gets 2* for the experience... like everyone says... just go once for the experience... but I wont be back! My stomach hurts thinking about this place!
(2)
Peter K.

Thomas Keller isn't above going to Prince's, neither should you. Hands down the best fried chicken in Nashville, perhaps the state for that matter. The medium is hot enough to singe your old flame. Get there early, the lines get long, and for the love of all things fried chicken, be patient.
(5)
Chad R.

Bring your own drink, and don't order the hottest selection. "Mild" is still hot and "Hot" is hot enough.. you've got nothing to prove, cowboy. Don't be in a hurry.. this isn't KFC, this is GOOD food.
(5)
Grant H.

This place is a dump but the chicken is fantastic. The wait on a Friday night was 20 minutes for chicken, which is not bad at all. The chicken arrived hot and fresh and dripping just enough hot sauce and grease into the bread to make it perfect. The spicy level is deceptive, the medium is HOT and the HOT is crazy. I have not ordered Extra Spicy yet, next time!
(5)
Dannen V.

My grandma made two things better than I've ever had anywhere else, peanut butter fudge and fried chicken. As far as I'm concerned Princes is right there with (perhaps even better than) grandmas. Although we live in Austin now my wife and I frequently reminisce longingly about wishing there was a Princes Hot Chicken nearby. Princes was/is our favorite in Nashville without question. The chicken is always great tasting, fresh and NEVER greasy. Many restaurants have an undeserved cult-following/ street-cred/ local-fav but Princes fame rests solidly on their food, not on the testimonials of those wanting to appear 'in-the-know'. As happened to reviewer April B, I too was questioned when I ordered the extra-hot but I just take that as they hadn't seen me there before and wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting in to, which I appreciate. "Hot" and "Extra-Hot" are very different for different people so don't feel lame by ordering medium unless you're sure that more heat is better. The heat is intense, like lip-burning intense, but that's what makes Princes so good: the fantastic flavor of their spices & chicken is never overpowered by the heat. You'll have to wait for your chicken because they make it when you order it; they don't cook a 5lb bag of factory processed chicken every 15 minutes and then leave it sitting around under heat lamps. This ISN'T Popeye's or KFC. This is the best chicken you will eat anywhere. If you like spicy-hot food go to Princes and order extra-hot. If you don't then go to Princes and order the medium or mild. Either way the flavor will bring you back.
(5)
Russell T.

Real. Hot. Chicken. I visited this week for lunch. My first time in Nashville. Pulled up Yelp and sorted by the highest recommendation in my area. This place popped up. When I arrived I was skeptical. The exterior is not much to look at. Neither is the neighborhood. But the ladies that greeted me made me feel at home and helped me order something good. I had the Half breast with fries, medium heat. Excellent. Not healthy by any means...but dang good!
(5)
Ron M.

The chicken and fries are awesome and well priced. The wait is really long. You would think they would have the system of deep frying chicken down to the T. The dinning room is booths, plastic furniture, and not necessarily welcoming. However, it is a neighborhood meeting place. A winner of Steve Harvey's Hoodie Award. Represent.
(4)
Scott G.

2 hour wait was totally worth it. Booya hot...booya. Best ever. I'm now a hot chicken junkie.
(5)
gina v.

not the best fried chicken ever. but definitely the best hot chicken ever. hot heat. hot spice. and fresh fresh fresh. a bit of tingle to the lip, followed by a sniffle or two... and you know what waits at the bottom. day glo orange wonder bread. doughy soft. bit of salt crunch. and for those so in a tiff over the decor: this ain't kenny rogers' roasters. get over yourselves.
(4)
Anne B.

I came here for dinner one night with my fiance. The area is pretty sketchy, especially when it is dark. The seating area inside was fairly small and very crowded and it took a while to get our food. My fiance LOVES spicy things and this chicken was just too hot for him to handle. I got the lowest level of spice and my mouth was on fire. He got the second to highest level of spice and was barely able to finish eating it.
(3)
Edwin A.

Wow. This chicken is the real deal. My wife tried to order it spicy, and she was advised to try the medium first. It was good advice, and I recommend it for anyone trying Prince's for the first time. Even if you love spicy food, the medium doesn't mess around. It's fiery delicious.
(5)
Eric B.

to the girl that thought she was too good to deal with the wait everyone else has to deal with... you knew that going in. if you knew enough to post a review here, then one should hope you knew enough to KNOW that you would wait for a while here. anyway... this place has chicken lovingly prepared by angels. angels that pan fry chicken that derives its spice from what can only be a baptism in capsaicin. now i'm not one for super mega spiciness, so of course there was some serious hesitation in trying this RED ass chicken. also of note, i don't really care much for fried food either. imagine my surprise when i discovered that some of the best chicken on earth is (gasp) FRIED!! i can't pile on enough superlatives to describe the taste of this chicken, but be warned: this shit is HOTTT and i mean savage hot. but the flavor is there in spades. i recommend everyone check this place out, and please don't think you get your food without waiting, because you're not that special. eric b
(5)
Brett P.

Chicken? Five stars!!! Made me sweat under my lower eye lid... but as with most small, family run southern chicken houses, they make everything fresh to order and the wait time can be excrutiating... and with no AC and only 5 tables to sit at, plan for to-go and grab some freshly made red velvet cake on the way out...
(5)
H L.

The fried chicken here is excellent. The customer service is not. We waited over 45 minutes for our food which was only half a chicken and some potato salad. They were completely disorganized and couldn't give us an estimated time; the only retort they had was "there's a pause on the legs". That's all they said over and over again to a stream of angry customers as we all sat waiting while they were goofing off and joking around in the back. Never coming here again but if you must have the chicken call the order in ahead of time.
(2)
Craig s.

First visit, great chicken worth the wait.
(4)
Dan M.

I'm not sure why this place has such rave reviews. My foodie buddy even recommended it years ago before I'd even heard of it on yelp. This place is a ghetto hole in the wall which is perfectly fine, since I've eaten at some amazing little hole in the wall spots, but this one was just not that great. I mean the whole spicy fried chicken thing is novel - I dont think I've seen it anywhere else, so I see the appeal there, but the spiciness is this red paste they put on the chicken which tasted kinda fake. I agree with those who say dont go above medium because then it just tastes kinda nasty and bitter. I love spiciness, so it was kinda cool at first sweatin to the hot chicken with the hot spice, but it lost its novelty pretty quick. They serve the chicken with white (wonder?) bread and pickles to help temper the spice, so good call by those who say extra pickles. There is really nothing else worth mentioning besides the chicken. The fries are standard and the beans were goopy. Some guy came up to us while we were eating with a fake story asking for money adding to the ghettoness. Ultimately, I'm all about the food and the chicken just wasnt that great. It was basic fried chicken with fake spice. Maybe I'm a snobby Californian, but there are plenty of places in Cali with way better fried chicken - like Honey Kettle for example.
(2)
Abby P.

The chicken was fried to perfection. I got hot and my boyfriend got extra hot. The hot was perfect if you like really spicy food, the extra hot was too salty and you could feel the grainy texture of the spices on the outside. the pickles are the perfect combo with the chicken.
(3)
Soccer G.

This place has gotten a lot of attention on food spots. None of them, however, tell you that the chicken (even the mild) is too HOT (spicy) to enjoy, and it's too HOT (temp) to enjoy for 20 minutes.
(1)
Ron S.

I'm an old white guy, and you might think that I'm not the right demographic for Prince's. You would be sooooooo wrong. I have been eating Prince's since the mid-1970's. I started at the old "Chicken Shack" on Charlotte Ave, and run by different family member, but the same wonderful chicken. I have found it is best to eat Immediately. It is so hot from the skillet and spices it stings a little, but 10 minutes later it loses something. And forget about microwave...it changes the whole taste. If you can't get a seat inside, go eat in your car. You will probably sweat and your nose will run, but it is the best chicken I've ever eaten. Oh!.....and this is important....wash your hands before you pee.
(5)
Robert K.

Hands down, some of the best chicken in Nashville. This place is a Nashville institution, having been around for ever. I get a quarter chicken with white meat, and not too hot. Watch it because Princes makes their chicken extremely spicy it akin to eating 10 jalapeÃ±o peppers, seriously you will be breathing fire afterwards. But seriously, this is probably the best chicken that you can get in Nashville, if you can handle the heat! For lunch it is imperative that you get there early, because this place gets dominated by massive crowds of people.
(5)
Wayne H.

We tried the medium and x-hot. The skin was amazingly crispy and we found the medium to be quite spicy already, but really flavorful. The chicken was moist and tender. The x-hot was totally drenched in this spicy paste that made it a bit bitter and masked all the flavor -- not recommended.
(4)
amy k.

I wouldn't care if this chicken literally did induce an orgasm ...I'm not waiting around an hour and a half for take-out. Now, let me make the disclaimer that we did not, in fact, eat the chicken since we left before our order was up (we waited 45 minutes and they had gotten 8---yeah, EIGHT orders out in that time and we had 12 more ahead of us). So, if you want to run the risk of wasting a shitload of your time, go for it. I got better things to do...like check out the other hot chicken shack and hoping they put a little effort into their customer service.
(1)
G.L. T.

Yum....Really Yum!! I ordered the extra hot and it was AWESOME! Will stop by every time I pass through. I even liked the potato salad!
(5)
Sylvia R.

My husband and I were vacationing in Nashville, and tried this place solely based on Yelp reviews. We made the trek to Princes around rush hour (kinda stupid)- cause instead of a 15 minute drive it took around 40. The restaraunt itself isn't much to look @, but that wasn't why we were there! We went on a Wednesday afternoon, so we were the only ones there. We ordered half a chicken with some potato salad, and got our order in about 10 minutes. Word of warning, and contrary to the recommendation of another Yelper- this chicken aint no joke. We got MILD, and this chicken had me crying about a minute after biting into it. My husband, who loves spicy food, couldn't even finish half without giving in to the spicyness. I will say however, that the leftovers were much more tame after being in the fridge for about an hour- not so burn your mouth hot. Wow, though, I couldn't imagine anyone besides a Princes pro really enjoying anything 'hotter'. Overall (and after the fridge), the chicken was simple and good. Probably won't make the trek again, but I'm glad we tried it.
(4)
Von D.

Every time I visit we get our fix here. Im a Princes fried chicken addict.....will toss your salad for Princes!
(5)
Rusty D.

I have a feeling if I'd never visited Mr. Boo's (now closed) in Nashville this would be a 4 star review but there is really no comparison between the flavor at Mr. Boo's and what they're serving at Prince's. I will say the chicken at Prince's is still very tasty and worth a visit. They lose a second star because each of the times I've been here it has been slow and appears disorganized on occasion too.
(3)
Lee K.

I used to go to Prince's regularly for a half-dark hot with extra pickles. It was glorious and terrible. Prince's is a Nashville favorite. Greasy. Other hot chicken places have better quality chicken.
(3)
Ernest P.

Had the chicken, it was all that. Ordered medium, which was spicy enough to make my nose run a bit but not full on tears. Juicy meat too. The wait was not terrible though i did fear for our safety having to wander the block trying to get change for $100 bill that they would not take. Would definitely go back when in Nashville, but will probably bring along a bodyguard.
(4)
Mark G.

Grease, hot spices and lottsa grease all over. Very fatty. Friendly people, though.
(2)
Evan T.

The service set up is a bit strange. You have to go behind what looks like a counter to go to a window. It seemed a little pricey as a "breast" piece was over five bucks, so we decided to order the medium "half chicken" and got it to go, with slaw and beans. When we got the bag, it must have weighed as much as a sack of potatoes. We drove to our hotel twenty minutes away, then had to suffer through horrible check in service. By the time we got to our chicken, somehow it was still steaming hot! Turns out the "half" was two whole breast quarters with wings and a whole leg and thigh quarter. It was incredibly crisp and juicy. The spice had a delicous slow burn. It ruined me for normal chicken forever. The slaw was not good, but the beans were sweet, smokey and awesome. We were so stuffed I wound up eating the third piece for breakfast the next day and it was still crunchy! Amazing.
(5)
matt c.

This place looks cool. Too bad I was broke when my friends decided to go there and I was in the car. I got a coke. Everyone else got big pieces of meaty chicken, red and crispy on the outside and juicy and steamy on the inside, and seasoned french fries and bread and pickles and what not. They said it was spicy but good. I said I wasn't hungry, but I stole a couple of my friend's fries. They were pretty good. I mean, she said I could have some so I guess I didn't steal them eh. Nobody pretty much finished their whole meal, but I wasn't going to be a marty moocher so I just sat there and sniffed all the good smells in. I had some water too. That was good, too. I like how the interior is comfortable and slightly greasy and homemade looking. I felt like I didn't have to worry about messing up the furniture like when I'm at the furniture store or my friend dave's house with all the expensive white modern stuff.
(4)

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Address : 123 Ewing Dr,Ste 3
Nashville, TN, 37207
Phone (615) 226-9442
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No

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Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

123 Ewing Dr,Ste 3, Nashville, TN, 37207

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack Menu

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