Prince's Hot Chicken: The Original Nashville Story and Guide
- Chase Gillmore
- May 23
- 16 min read
Prince's Hot Chicken is the original Nashville hot chicken restaurant, founded in 1945 by James Thornton Prince as the Bar-B-Q Chicken Shack. The recipe traces back even further, to a scorned lover who coated Thornton's fried chicken in cayenne and spices as revenge, only for him to love it and turn it into a business. Today, Prince's Hot Chicken operates multiple locations across Tennessee and beyond, and it remains the gold standard against which every hot chicken restaurant in the country is measured.
TL;DR
Prince's Hot Chicken was founded in Nashville in 1945, making it the original source of the Nashville hot chicken style now copied by chains nationwide.
The restaurant has three active Nashville-area locations: the South Shack at 5814 Nolensville Pike, the Assembly Food Hall at 5055 Broadway Place, and a Tanger Outlets location in Antioch.
The heat scale runs from plain through XXX hot; first-time visitors should order one level below their usual spice tolerance.
The Assembly Food Hall location is the most convenient for tourists staying near Broadway, with shorter lines and downtown walkability.
André Prince Jeffries, great-niece of the founder, took over ownership in 1980 and ran the Ewing Drive location until a 2018 fire closed it permanently.
Prince's inspired the Nashville hot chicken category now found at KFC, Hattie B's, and hundreds of independent restaurants, but the original recipe has never changed.
Nashville tourism is at an all-time high. According to the Nashville Convention and Tourism Corporation, the city welcomed 16.9 million daily and overnight visitors in 2026, generating $11.2 billion in direct spending. With that volume of visitors pouring into Music City every year, the question of where to eat Nashville hot chicken matters more than ever, and Prince's is still the right answer.
This guide covers the full origin story, every current location with addresses and hours, the complete heat scale, what to order on your first visit, how Prince's compares to its most well-known competitor, and practical tips that most tourist guides leave out entirely, including parking specifics, accessibility details, and the best location depending on where you are staying in Nashville in 2026.
What Is the Story of Prince's Hot Chicken?
Prince's Hot Chicken refers to the Nashville restaurant founded in 1945 by James Thornton Prince, widely credited as the originator of the Nashville hot chicken style. The origin story begins with a revenge recipe: a woman who felt wronged by Thornton Prince doused his fried chicken with a heavy cayenne and spice paste intended to punish him. Instead, Thornton loved it, refined the recipe, and turned it into a business. According to the Wikipedia entry for Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, the restaurant operated under several names before settling into the version known today.
Thornton Prince opened what was first called the Bar-B-Q Chicken Shack in Nashville in 1945. The original café sat at 28th Avenue and Jefferson Street, then moved to a location near the Ryman Auditorium in an area historically called Hell's Half Acre. The business eventually landed in East Nashville on Ewing Drive in 1988, and that address, 123 Ewing Drive, became the legendary home most longtime Nashville residents still associate with Prince's.
Ownership passed to André Prince Jeffries, Thornton's great-niece, in 1980. She ran the Ewing Drive location for nearly four decades and became the public face of the Prince's legacy. In 2018, a car crash caused a fire that destroyed the Ewing Drive building. The location never reopened. André Prince Jeffries shifted operations to the South Nashville strip-mall location on Nolensville Pike, which remains the flagship today.
Nashville hot chicken existed as a regional specialty for roughly 70 years before the rest of the country noticed. The dish became a national phenomenon only in the last 15 to 20 years, spawning KFC's seasonal Nashville hot chicken offering, dedicated chains like Hattie B's, and a category of grocery products including Kinder's Nashville hot seasoning. Prince's never chased that expansion aggressively. The recipe stayed the same. The shack stayed small. And that authenticity is a large part of why food writers and first-time visitors alike still treat a Prince's visit as a pilgrimage.
What Happened to Prince's Hot Chicken?
Prince's Hot Chicken is still operating as of 2026, but its original East Nashville location at 123 Ewing Drive closed permanently after a 2018 car crash caused a fire that destroyed the building. The restaurant did not disappear; it relocated and expanded into multiple formats across Nashville and beyond. Understanding what happened to each location helps explain why the restaurant's footprint looks different today than it did a decade ago.
The Ewing Drive fire in 2018 was a significant loss, not just for Prince's but for East Nashville's food identity. That building had been home to the restaurant since 1988, and the neighborhood had grown up around it. After the fire, the South Shack on Nolensville Pike became the primary full-service location. André Prince Jeffries continued operating from that address.
Around the same time, Prince's expanded into the Assembly Food Hall at 5055 Broadway Place, a multi-level food hall at the corner of 5th and Broadway in downtown Nashville. This gave tourists visiting Lower Broadway a convenient, centrally located option without the drive to South Nashville. A Tanger Outlets location in Antioch followed, along with an airport counter at Nashville International Airport (BNA) inside the Gate C/D concourse. Yee Haw Brewery locations in Greenville, South Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee, rounded out the expansion.
The brand remains family-connected and independently operated. It has not become a national franchise in the way that competitors have, which is a deliberate choice. Prince's growth has been careful and focused, preserving the recipe's integrity while making the chicken more accessible to the millions of visitors Nashville now attracts each year.
How Hot Is Prince's Hot Chicken?
Prince's Hot Chicken uses an eight-level heat scale, running from plain through lite mild, mild, medium, hot, X hot, XX hot, and XXX hot. Each level represents a meaningful increase in capsaicin intensity, and the upper three levels are genuinely extreme. Reviewers and food writers consistently advise first-time visitors to order one full level below what they think they can handle. The spice builds after the first few bites in a way that differs from most spicy foods, and the cumulative effect at the higher levels is significant.
Here is a practical breakdown of the heat scale with guidance for different spice tolerances:
Heat Level | Best For | What to Expect |
Plain | Kids, spice-averse guests | No heat, pure fried chicken flavor |
Lite Mild | Very low spice tolerance | Hint of warmth, more flavor than heat |
Mild | Moderate sensitivity | Noticeable but manageable warmth |
Medium | Regular spicy food eaters | Genuine heat that builds; solid starting point for most |
Hot | Confident spice eaters | Intense, lingering burn; most visitors max out here |
X Hot | Experienced heat seekers | Serious heat; face flushing, heavy sweating common |
XX Hot | Very experienced only | Painful for most; not a casual choice |
XXX Hot | Challenge eaters | Extreme; not recommended for flavor, only endurance |
The recommendation for pairing is universal among reviewers: sweet tea and creamy mac and cheese are the most effective heat-management sides on the menu. The sugar in sweet tea helps neutralize capsaicin faster than water. Dairy-based sides like mac and cheese provide similar relief. Avoid the instinct to drink water, which spreads capsaicin rather than neutralizing it.
For families with children, plain and lite mild are entirely appropriate. The fried chicken at those levels is genuinely excellent on its own, with a crispy, well-seasoned crust that does not need heat to be worth ordering. There is no dedicated kids' menu listed, but plain-level tenders are a practical solution for younger guests who want to participate without the burn.
Where Are All the Prince's Hot Chicken Locations?
Prince's Hot Chicken operates at multiple locations across Nashville and the Southeast, each with distinct hours and visitor contexts. The South Shack on Nolensville Pike is the flagship and the most authentic full-service experience. The Assembly Food Hall location at 5th and Broadway is the best option for most tourists. Two additional Tennessee locations, plus outposts in South Carolina and at BNA airport, serve different segments of the fan base. See the Locations page on the official site for the most current details.
South Shack (Flagship Nashville Location)
The South Shack at 5814 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211 is the direct successor to the legendary Ewing Drive location. It operates out of a strip mall in South Nashville, which is not the most glamorous setting, but regulars do not care. The chicken speaks for itself. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., closed Sunday. This is the location to visit if you want the most complete menu, the most authentic atmosphere, and the experience closest to what André Prince Jeffries built. Phone: (615) 810-9388. Parking is free in the strip mall lot. Drive time from Lower Broadway is roughly 15 to 20 minutes by Uber.
Assembly Food Hall (Tourist-Friendly Downtown Location)
The Assembly Food Hall location at 5055 Broadway Place, Nashville, TN 37203 sits inside the multi-level food hall at 5th and Broadway. Hours run Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to midnight. This is the obvious choice for visitors staying near Broadway, and food writers including The Infatuation specifically recommend it for tourists because of shorter lines and its walkable downtown position. The trade-off is a slightly smaller menu compared to the South Shack. Phone: (629) 895-4688.
Tanger Outlets (Antioch Location)
The Tanger Outlets location at 4060 Cane Ridge Parkway, Antioch, TN 37013, just off I-24, operates Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This location is best suited to visitors already making a trip to the outlets rather than a destination visit from downtown.
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
The airport counter at 1 Terminal Drive, Nashville, TN 37214, located at the beginning of the Gate C/D concourse, allows travelers to grab Prince's on the way out of Nashville. Hours vary with airport operations; check BNA's terminal dining listings for current times. This location is a smaller format, but it is a legitimate way to end your Nashville trip on the right note.
Knoxville and Greenville Locations
A Knoxville location operates at 745 North Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917, inside Yee Haw Brewery, open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 11:00 p.m. The Greenville, South Carolina location sits at 307 E McBee Avenue, Greenville, SC 29601, also inside Yee Haw Brewery, with identical hours except for Saturday opening at 10:00 a.m.
Who Has the Best Nashville Hot Chicken in Nashville?
Prince's Hot Chicken holds the undisputed title of the original Nashville hot chicken restaurant, having created the style in 1945. Among the current contenders in Nashville's hot chicken scene, the honest answer is that Prince's and Hattie B's represent two legitimately excellent but meaningfully different experiences, and the better choice depends on what you are looking for.
Prince's is the original, and the recipe has not changed. The chicken has a thick, dense spice paste that clings to the crust, producing an intensely flavored bark rather than just heat. The serving style is traditional: chicken on white bread with pickles. The atmosphere at the South Shack is stripped-down counter service with no pretensions. That combination of authenticity, restraint, and uncompromised heat profile is why food writers consistently treat Prince's as the gold standard.
Hattie B's opened its first location in 2012 and expanded aggressively, becoming the brand most visitors encounter first because of its multiple downtown-adjacent locations and heavy social media presence. Hattie B's is genuinely good. The menu is more extensive, the sauces are dialed in, and the sides program is arguably stronger. But it is a product of the Nashville hot chicken boom, not its origin. If you want to understand what Nashville hot chicken actually is, Prince's is the more informative meal.
For most Nashville visitors in 2026, the practical answer is: go to the Prince's Assembly Food Hall location first to understand the original, then visit Hattie B's if you want a wider menu and a more polished service experience. Skip the debate and eat both. Nashville tourism generated $11.2 billion in visitor spending in 2026 according to Tourism Economics, and a city with that food culture has room for multiple outstanding hot chicken spots.
What Should You Order at Prince's Hot Chicken?
The Prince's menu centers on fried chicken in several formats: tenders, sandwiches, whole pieces, wings, jumbo tenders, chicken salad, and a fried chicken tortilla bowl. For a first visit, the fried chicken sandwich is the most recommended entry point. It delivers the full hot chicken experience in an approachable format, and the bread helps moderate the heat level in a way that eating a piece or tender alone does not.
Specific ordering guidance based on visitor type:
First-time visitor: Order the chicken sandwich at medium heat, paired with mac and cheese and sweet tea. This combination is the most frequently recommended by reviewers for good reason.
Spice enthusiast: Start at hot and reassess. Most visitors who order X hot on the first visit wish they had started one level lower. The heat accumulates with each bite.
Group with kids: Plain or lite mild tenders are excellent and appropriate for younger guests. The Southern-style baked beans with smoked pork are a kid-friendly side that adults will also want.
Side-dish focus: The macaroni and cheese, greens with smoked turkey, and Southern-style baked beans are all regularly cited as standouts. Coleslaw and potato salad round out a traditional plate.
Lighter option: The fried chicken tortilla bowl with tenders, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, peppers, and dressing is a solid choice if you want the flavor profile without the full fried-chicken-on-white-bread format.
One detail most first-timers miss: the Sweet Heat or Kicking Ranch sauce applied as a topping at the Assembly Food Hall location adds a layered flavor dimension that distinguishes the sandwich from a plain application of the spice paste. Ask for it specifically.
See the full Menu page on the official Prince's site for current offerings by location, since the airport and food hall outposts carry a slightly condensed version of the full South Shack menu.
What Are the Practical Details First-Time Visitors Miss?
Prince's Hot Chicken is straightforward to visit, but several practical details make the experience noticeably smoother. The most commonly missed factor is location context: the South Shack on Nolensville Pike is in a strip mall that does not photograph dramatically, and some visitors feel underwhelmed before they taste anything. Lower your aesthetic expectations for the South Shack and raise them for the food. The Assembly Food Hall location offers a much more visually engaging environment, which is why it photographs better and works better for groups who want downtown convenience.
Parking and Accessibility
The South Shack at 5814 Nolensville Pike has free surface parking in the strip mall lot. Spaces are generally available, even during peak lunch hours, though the lot can tighten up on weekend afternoons. The Assembly Food Hall location is accessed from 5th and Broadway in downtown Nashville, with paid parking garages nearby on 5th Avenue and on Korean Veterans Blvd. Street parking near Broadway on weekends is very limited; budget $15 to $25 for a garage if you are driving. The Assembly Food Hall is wheelchair accessible with elevator access between floors. The South Shack has ground-level entry. The TripAdvisor listing for the Assembly location specifically notes wheelchair access and takeout availability. If mobility is a priority, the Assembly Food Hall location is the better choice, with level entry, accessible restrooms, and no stairs required for ordering or seating.
Wait Times by Location
The South Shack on Nolensville Pike tends to move faster at lunch on weekdays. Saturday lunch rushes from noon to 2:00 p.m. can stretch the wait to 20 to 30 minutes. The Assembly Food Hall location in downtown Nashville sees its longest lines on Friday and Saturday evenings, particularly after 7:00 p.m. when Broadway foot traffic is at its peak. Midweek visits to the Assembly location, especially between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., are notably shorter. If you have a group of six or more, consider a midweek visit to either location to avoid coordinating a long wait.
Seasonal Events and Participation
Prince's Hot Chicken has historically participated in Nashville food festivals and cultural events, including events tied to CMA Fest in June, which brings approximately 90,000 people per day to Nashville according to Visit Music City. During major event weekends, the Assembly Food Hall location in particular sees significantly elevated traffic. The Tanger Outlets location in Antioch, just off I-24, is worth considering as a lower-traffic alternative during CMA Fest or major concert weekends at Nissan Stadium when the downtown core is operating at maximum capacity.
Family Considerations and Kid-Friendly Notes
Prince's works well for families with children who eat spicy food at any level, and equally well for families where only the adults want heat. Plain-level chicken is a legitimate, fully flavored product and not a consolation prize. The tortilla bowl format is popular with older kids and teens who want a less messy eating experience than a full piece of chicken on white bread. Neither the South Shack nor the Assembly Food Hall location has a dedicated kids' menu, but the sides program, particularly the baked beans, mac and cheese, and corn muffin, covers family-friendly needs adequately.
How Does Prince's Fit Into a Nashville Itinerary?
Prince's Hot Chicken is best treated as a fixed anchor in your Nashville food itinerary rather than a spontaneous detour. Given that Nashville International Airport served a record 25.7 million passengers in 2026 and domestic leisure visitors account for 67% of Nashville's tourism base, most people reading this are planning a trip from out of town. That means the location decision matters.
If you are staying near Broadway and the downtown corridor, the Assembly Food Hall location at 5th and Broadway is the correct choice. It is the most convenient option for the roughly 10-minute walk from Lower Broadway, and it keeps you in the same footprint as the Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, and the rest of the entertainment district. Groups staying at Luxe Cowgirl 538, a western-themed two-bedroom rental just steps from Broadway, can walk to the Assembly Food Hall in under 10 minutes without needing a rideshare at all. The Luxe Loft SoBro 916 is similarly positioned, just 3 blocks from Broadway with direct walking access to 5th and Broadway.
If you are staying in a larger group house outside the downtown core, the South Shack makes more sense as a dedicated lunch or dinner destination. Groups at Underwood Manor, a rustic farmhouse near Midtown and the Gulch, are roughly 10 to 15 minutes from the South Shack by Uber. The drive is straightforward and the Uber cost is modest, typically $12 to $18 depending on surge pricing. If you want the most authentic experience and are not locked into downtown, go south.
The Nashville food scene that surrounds Prince's is worth building around. For a practical Nashville dining guide that goes beyond the obvious, the Downtown Nashville Official Dining Directory lists current options by neighborhood. And if you want to combine Prince's with a broader Nashville itinerary, our Nashville attractions guide covers the full picture of what to do before and after the meal.
One timing note: if your group plans to eat at Prince's and then head directly to Broadway, do so in either direction rather than right before peak honky-tonk hours on a Saturday night. The Assembly Food Hall fills up sharply after 8:00 p.m. on weekends. Eat at 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. and you will get in and out before the Broadway rush fully arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Prince's Hot Chicken
What year did Prince's Hot Chicken open?
Prince's Hot Chicken opened in 1945 as the Bar-B-Q Chicken Shack, founded by James Thornton Prince in Nashville, Tennessee. Ownership transferred to his great-niece André Prince Jeffries in 1980. The 1945 founding date makes Prince's one of the oldest continuously operating concepts in Nashville's restaurant history and the documented originator of the Nashville hot chicken style.
Where is the original Prince's Hot Chicken location today?
The original Prince's locations no longer operate. The earliest address at 28th Avenue and Jefferson Street is long gone, and the beloved Ewing Drive address in East Nashville closed permanently in 2018 after a car crash caused a fire. The current flagship is the South Shack at 5814 Nolensville Pike in South Nashville. It is the closest experience to the original that exists today.
Which Prince's Hot Chicken location is best for tourists?
The Assembly Food Hall location at 5055 Broadway Place, Level 2, is the most practical choice for tourists. It is centrally located near Lower Broadway, the Ryman Auditorium, and Bridgestone Arena, with shorter lines on weekday visits. Food writers including The Infatuation specifically recommend this location for visitors precisely because of its downtown convenience. The South Shack offers a more authentic atmosphere but requires a 15 to 20 minute Uber from downtown.
Is Prince's Hot Chicken spicier than Hattie B's?
At comparable labeled heat levels, Prince's is generally considered more intense than Hattie B's. Prince's uses a dry spice paste that creates a dense, thick bark on the crust, and the heat builds cumulatively with each bite. Hattie B's produces excellent hot chicken, but the flavor profile and heat delivery are different. If you have eaten Hattie B's hot level and want to calibrate, start at Prince's medium on your first visit and adjust from there.
What are the best sides to order at Prince's Hot Chicken?
The three most recommended sides are the macaroni and cheese, the Southern-style baked beans with smoked pork, and the greens with smoked turkey. Sweet tea is the essential drink pairing and the most effective heat management tool on the menu. Coleslaw and potato salad are solid secondary choices. For high heat levels, order at least two dairy or sugar-based items alongside your chicken to manage the cumulative burn.
Does Prince's Hot Chicken have vegetarian options?
Prince's Hot Chicken is not known as a vegetarian-friendly destination. The menu centers on fried chicken in multiple formats. Several sides, including coleslaw and potato salad, may be meat-free, but the baked beans are made with smoked pork and the greens are prepared with smoked turkey. Check the current menu directly for the most up-to-date ingredient information, as offerings vary slightly by location.
Is Prince's Hot Chicken accessible for guests with mobility limitations?
The Assembly Food Hall location at 5055 Broadway Place is the most accessible Prince's option, with elevator access between floors, wheelchair-friendly entry, and accessible restrooms. The South Shack at 5814 Nolensville Pike has ground-level entry with surface parking adjacent to the building. The TripAdvisor listing for the Assembly location specifically notes wheelchair access. If full accessibility is a priority, call ahead to confirm current setup at (629) 895-4688 for the Assembly location.
How far in advance should I plan a Prince's visit during Nashville events?
During major Nashville events like CMA Fest in June, which brings roughly 90,000 visitors per day according to Visit Music City, wait times at the Assembly Food Hall location increase significantly on evenings and weekends. For event weekends at Nissan Stadium or Bridgestone Arena, visit Prince's at lunch rather than dinner, or use the Tanger Outlets location in Antioch as an alternative. The South Shack on Nolensville Pike tends to have shorter waits than the Assembly location during downtown-heavy event weekends.
Is Prince's Hot Chicken Worth the Visit in 2026?
Prince's Hot Chicken is worth visiting not because it is trendy, but because it is true. This is the restaurant that created a food style now found in every American city, in national chains, in grocery stores, and on fast food menus worldwide. Visiting Prince's in 2026 is the closest you can get to the original experience, made from a recipe that predates the modern Nashville food boom by seven decades.
The Assembly Food Hall location removes every logistical barrier for downtown visitors. You are three blocks from the Ryman Auditorium, steps from Broadway, and inside one of the most well-located food destinations in the city. Order the chicken sandwich at medium, add mac and cheese, get sweet tea, and calibrate your heat tolerance before you commit to the upper levels. That first bite tells you everything you need to know about why Nashville hot chicken became what it is.
For your full Nashville trip, the Stay Nashville restaurant guide covers the broader dining scene, and our local experiences page connects you with Nashville guides who know exactly which spots to hit after you leave Prince's for the night.
If you are building a Nashville trip around eating well and exploring the city properly, Underwood Manor sits close to Midtown and puts you within a short Uber of both the South Shack and the Assembly Food Hall. The property's speakeasy game room and 7-person hot tub make for a solid pre-dinner or post-dinner anchor, and the location puts nearly everything in this guide within 15 minutes. Check availability at Underwood Manor here.
Written by Chase Gillmore, Owner & Operator at Stay Nashville
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