Hattie’s B’s for your Nashville Hot Chicken Fix

If you don’t know of the Hot Chicken revolution, you’re missing out on one of the South’s greatest culinary treasures. Hot chicken (spiced-up fried chicken) is a thing in Nashville, Tennessee.

On Sunday & Monday, we were in Nashville, and the originator of hot chicken, Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is closed. So our (my wife Marcela and I) plan of attack in Nashville included visits to Prince’s and Hattie B’s, which now left Hattie B’s as our only one.

We hit up Hattie B’s (5209 Charlotte Pike, Nashville) right when it opens at 11 AM. Our hotel was right around the corner, and by the time we arrived, it was 11:01 AM.

A full minute late, yet there were already almost 60 people lined up to get in. There went that plan.

I remembered there was another location, and we drove over there. At this spot, only five folks in front, and this we could handle.

What to order at Hattie B’s?

Marcela orders small white (breast & wing) chicken & waffles in the mild/medium heat level. Of course, I had to be a little more daring, so I ordered the large white (2 breasts & wing) in the Hot! heat level.

I knew I couldn’t leave Hattie B’s without at least sampling their most intense heat level, so I ordered three chicken tenders in Shut The Cluck Up!!!. We also ordered some sides, pimento mac & cheese, and the red skin potato salad.

I never tasted the waffles, but Marcela seemed to enjoy them immensely, but without a doubt, the hot chicken was the real star. It was crispy on the outside, moist, and flavorful on the inside. Looking back on it, I can say that Hot is the perfect heat level for hot chicken.

That Shut The Cluck Up murdered me. My scalp was sweating, and my mouth was burning.

Luckily, I had the pimento mac & cheese and red skin potato salad to shovel in my mouth to cool the pain off. Both were excellent, by the way.

Hattie B’s Menu

Hattie B's Hot Chicken Menu
Hot Chicken Menu

Hattie B’s Food Pictures

Pimento Mac & Cheese and Potato Salad
Pimento Mac & Cheese and Red Skin Potato Salad
Hot Chicken & Waffles
Small White (Breast & Wing) Chicken & Waffles at a Mild/Medium Heat Level
Large White Meat Hot Chicken
Large White (2 Breasts & Wing) Chicken in Hot Heat Level
Hot Chicken Tenders
3 Chicken Tenders in the Shut The Cluck Up!!! Heat Level

I am now in a current state of infatuation with Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. I plan to write them love letters; if they don’t respond well, I’ll have to make the 13 1/2-hour drive to visit. A year later, I returned and was able to eat one of their phenomenal Hot Chicken Sandwiches.

P.S.: The Banana Pudding is also a perfect palate cleanser.

2 thoughts on “Hattie’s B’s for your Nashville Hot Chicken Fix”

  1. They’ll likely respond – they’re cool that way. I live and work in Nashville, and hit Hattie B’s about 3 times per month (when they opened, it was 3 times per week for quite a while). There are some other places with hot chicken – Bolton’s (easily the hottest in town, by far), 400 Degrees, The Row, etc, but Hattie B’s is hands-down the best. You’ll need to check out the midtown location next time – it’s the original, and most people think it’s a bit better, though I can’t tell any difference myself. Also – make *sure* you ask for the bottle of honey they keep up front – cover your Shut the Cluck Up with honey next time, and it’ll change your life! đŸ™‚

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