No trip to Nashville, for me, is complete without some hot chicken. We had driven up for the day for the flea market and some roaming around and were getting ready to head back home, as dinner time approached.  Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is the pinnacle for me and we’ve been to the original (Ewing Drive) location many times.  It is hard to believe that it has almost been five years since our first visit there.  But it’s north on 65, on the way out of the city, and we were headed south on 24, so it wasn’t feasible.  Then I remembered they had opened a second location on the southside and I knew where we were headed.

Just celebrating their first anniversary, Prince’s Hot Chicken, opened in a strip mall off Nolensville Pike, in what was apparently a former sports bar.  It differs drastically, in many ways, from the original (open since 1976):

• They take cards (location 1 is “Cash Only”, according to the hand written note on the paper plate on the wall);
• They have a fountain machine – and a liquor license (as opposed to a vending machine filled with soft drinks);
• They close alot earlier (11 pm as opposed to 4 am – on Friday adn Saturday)
• They have real plates; and
• There is sufficient seating.

The differences led to my biggest concern – that the food wouldn’t be as good.

We both ordered white quarters, one with French fries and one with slaw.  One mild and one medium. (I just wasn’t feeling up for “Hot” today). Hot is definitely as high as I want to go on the heat chart.  It’s okay for lunch, but, for me, is a bit much for dinner.

There was no need to fear – the food is more than equal to the original.  That chicken can be that juicy, without being greasy, is the key difference between Prince’s and all of the imitators, outside of Nashville.  Hattie B’s (in Nashville – and coming to Atlanta early next year) isn’t greasy and I’ve heard good things about a couple of other places in that town.  But Prince’s is the original – and the best, to me.  Even in a cleaner location that takes cards and serves your food on a real plate.