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crispy fried chicken, pickles, sauce on a fried chicken sandwich Hugh Baby’s / Official Photo

16 Fantastic Fried Chicken Sandwiches in Nashville

Grab traditional crispy Southern and Nashville hot chicken sandwiches all over the city

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Food journalists and passionate chicken chain fanatics worldwide have flooded the internet in years past, in a battle debating the greatness of// fast food crispy chicken sandwiches.

But surely, there’s no place better than Nashville to really settle the score with one of the things the south does best — fried chicken. Enough of Chick-Fil-A and Popeye’s crispy chicken sandwiches’ heydays — let’s get hyper local and shine a light on something Nashville truly excels at.

The city has plenty of non-mass-produced sandwiches topped with traditional crispy fried chicken, some (of course) Nashville hot, and some looser interpretations. Some are available only at weekend brunch, and some you might spend some time in (a socially distanced) line for.

Without further ado — a list of 15 fantastic crispy fried chicken sandwiches to seek out in Nashville. All items on this map are available for takeout or delivery.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Slow Burn Hot Chicken

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The Madison hot chicken specialist is a favorite among locals — and there’s now a second East Nashville outpost with a walk-up window. Here, a hot chicken sandwich runs $7.50 a la carte, or $9 with one of their standout sides. Diners choose spiciness levels ranging from Southern (zero heat) to increasingly fiery “inferno”, “purgatory”, and “the end”. Hot chicken fans can also choose to get their fried fiery fowl sandwiched on a doughnut.

Place orders online from home then head in for even less of a wait.

Hot chicken doughnut sandwich
Delia Jo Ramsey/Eater Nashville

Nadeen's Hermitage Haven

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At the Hermitage Philly cheesesteak and breakfast destination, there’s also a worthy chicken contender in Tyrone’s hot chicken sandwich. The crispy hand-dredged Nashville hot chicken lies on a toasted potato roll, dressed in lettuce, tomato, and creamy house blue cheese dressing. This chicken sandwich rings in a la carte at $10.50.

Head into Lakeside Lounge for one of the better solid fried chicken sandwich deals in town, available for takeaway and dine-in service Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Namesake ‘BokWiches’ run $5 a la carte or $8 with a side of fries.

Online ordering is available for pick-up and delivery is available via Postmates.

Mother's Ruin

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Germantown’s late night cocktail spot also makes a case for itself with its way better than average bar food. The spicy chicken sandwich here is more than a hand full — buttermilk fried chicken with shredded slaw and pickles, served with waffle fries and spicy ketchup. All in at $16, this massive sandwich is perhaps best eaten with a fork and knife.

Order online for takeout and delivery.

Mother’s Ruin/Facebook

Waldo's Chicken and Beer

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Fast-casual chicken-centric Waldo’s offers one fried chicken sandwich for heat seekers and one for traditionalists. The “fowl mouth” is spicy habanero fried chicken thigh slapped on a toasted potato bun with cheddar, jalapeño slaw, herb mayo, and namesake Waldo’s sauce (8.49). The $7.49 O.G. is a classic pickle-brined fried chicken thigh with pickles, lettuce, and herb mayo.

Order online for takeout or delivery in Germantown or in Franklin.

on the left, a chicken sandwich layered with slaw, on the right, a white bowl of macaroni and cheese. sitting on a red and white checkered paper tray.
The spicy ‘fowl mouth’ chicken sandwich at Waldo’s
Delia Jo Ramsey / Eater Nashville

Joyland Restaurant

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Place orders online for carryout or walk on in for Sean Brock’s standout fried chicken sandwich, burgers, and biscuits. The $11 fried chicken sandwich here comes served on a potato roll with pickle slaw and Brock’s signature joy sauce. A really good gluten-free version is also available.

right side of photo - close up of fried chicken sandwich Jeff Scott

Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish

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Named for the late Bolton Polk and now owned by the hot chicken mentor’s nephew Bolton Matthews, the famous restaurant’s hot chicken sandwiches start at $5.50, in spice levels that somehow seem hotter than all of the other hot chicken competitors around town. So take care when choosing how fiery that fowl should come out.

Online ordering is available for takeout from the Antioch location only.

Bolton’s/Facebook

Liberty Common

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Downtown’s Southern brasserie has a solid fried chicken sandwich on offer — priced at $13 and served with choice of crispy fries or salad. The liberty chicken sandwich comes Southern fried, Nashville hot, or grilled. The traditional Southern fried variation comes topped with with cabbage slaw, heirloom tomato, a fried pickle, and smoked aioli. Pair appropriately with a glass of bubbly on their patio or at home.

Place orders online for takeout.

Hugh-Baby's

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Well known pitmaster Pat Martin’s crispy hand-breaded, golden fried chicken sandwich comes crowned with pickles and comeback sauce. And, priced at just 4.79, it’s the most affordable sandwich on the list.


Place orders online for pickup and delivery via Doordash. Or, just drive on thru the line at the Charlotte Avenue location.

crispy fried chicken, pickles, sauce on a fried chicken sandwich Hugh Baby’s / Official Photo

Tennessee Brew Works

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At the Pie Town spot best known for its beer and burgers, there’s also a solid fried chicken sandwich. The Nashville hot chicken sandwich comes with farm egg gribiche, cheese, ,and pickles, priced at $14 with fries and Basil Ryeman ketchup.

Order online for curbside pick-up or get it delivered via Postmates.

Red's 615 Kitchen

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Open just over a year near the Parthenon, Red’s serves up a duo of noteworthy hot chicken sandwiches. The Southern dirty bird sandwich ($12, served with fries) comes layered with two jumbo tenders, house pimento cheese, hot sauce, and comeback sauce.

Red’s 615/Facebook

Hattie B's Hot Chicken - Melrose Nashville, TN

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One of the most well-known fried fowl sandwiches in Music City is Hattie B’s hot chicken variation. Served with one side, it’s a (choose-your-own-heat) crisp fried chicken breast with coleslaw, pickle, and Nashville comeback sauce.

Pro Hattie B’s aficionados skip the lines and order ahead online for takeout or get it delivered via Uber Eats.

Hattie B’s/Facebook

Josephine

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Available only during weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), chef Andy Little’s fried chicken sandwich is a fan favorite. Layered with lettuce, pickles, and spicy ranch, his sandwich is worth both dodging the ice cream line at neighboring Jeni’s and fighting the weekend bachelorettes cruising the 12 South mural scene for.

Luckily now the crowds are thinner, but you can still stay socially distant with takeout (call 615-292-7766) or delivery via Postmates. A 20-percent service charge is added to each to-go order.

Josephine’s brunch-only fried chicken sandwich
Michael Sati

Emmy Squared – Green Hills

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The Brooklyn-born Detroit-style pizza restaurant opened its second Nashville location in Green Hills in 2019, and a third in Germantown in 2021 (just open for takeout and delivery). While typically the name conjures up dreams of one of the city’s most beloved burgers or a cheese-crusted rectangular pizza, there’s also a solid case to be made for its two fried chicken sandwich offerings. Both $13.65 and served on a pretzel bun, the Nashville hot katsu sandwich joins greens, pickles, and radishes with Alabama white sauce — while a worthy classic chicken parm features tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil.

Order online for curbside takeout from the Gulch or Green Hills, or get it delivered.

Emmy Squared/Facebook

Subculture Urban Cuisine And Cafe

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The South Nashville restaurant’s SC hot chicken sandwich is available in not hot, mild, medium, hot, and stupid hot spice levels. Served with sesame slaw, avocado, and aioli, it’s a top pick among locals (alongside the hot chicken ramen and hot chicken tacos).

Order online for pick-up or delivery.

Subculture/Facebook

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack South

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Available from basic plain to tear-inducing xxx hot, a case could be made that perhaps the city’s best crispy chicken sandwich wasn’t even a sandwich at all. Until very recently there was no sandwich on the menu, but the open-faced white bread topped with the OG bone-in Nashville hot chicken and pierced with a pickle-packed toothpick surely fit the bill.

In celebration of forty yeas of ownership, the fiery fried fowl’s founder just added a new lunch sandwich dubbed “the Andre special” after Ms. Andre’ herself. It’s a boneless chicken breast sandwich with choice of heat level (plus spicy ranch or sweet heat sauce), topped with slaw and of course, pickles.

Place orders online for pick-up from the South location, or just walk up to order at the downtown food truck.

Slow Burn Hot Chicken

The Madison hot chicken specialist is a favorite among locals — and there’s now a second East Nashville outpost with a walk-up window. Here, a hot chicken sandwich runs $7.50 a la carte, or $9 with one of their standout sides. Diners choose spiciness levels ranging from Southern (zero heat) to increasingly fiery “inferno”, “purgatory”, and “the end”. Hot chicken fans can also choose to get their fried fiery fowl sandwiched on a doughnut.

Place orders online from home then head in for even less of a wait.

Hot chicken doughnut sandwich
Delia Jo Ramsey/Eater Nashville

Nadeen's Hermitage Haven

At the Hermitage Philly cheesesteak and breakfast destination, there’s also a worthy chicken contender in Tyrone’s hot chicken sandwich. The crispy hand-dredged Nashville hot chicken lies on a toasted potato roll, dressed in lettuce, tomato, and creamy house blue cheese dressing. This chicken sandwich rings in a la carte at $10.50.

BokBox

Head into Lakeside Lounge for one of the better solid fried chicken sandwich deals in town, available for takeaway and dine-in service Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Namesake ‘BokWiches’ run $5 a la carte or $8 with a side of fries.

Online ordering is available for pick-up and delivery is available via Postmates.

Mother's Ruin

Germantown’s late night cocktail spot also makes a case for itself with its way better than average bar food. The spicy chicken sandwich here is more than a hand full — buttermilk fried chicken with shredded slaw and pickles, served with waffle fries and spicy ketchup. All in at $16, this massive sandwich is perhaps best eaten with a fork and knife.

Order online for takeout and delivery.

Mother’s Ruin/Facebook

Waldo's Chicken and Beer

Fast-casual chicken-centric Waldo’s offers one fried chicken sandwich for heat seekers and one for traditionalists. The “fowl mouth” is spicy habanero fried chicken thigh slapped on a toasted potato bun with cheddar, jalapeño slaw, herb mayo, and namesake Waldo’s sauce (8.49). The $7.49 O.G. is a classic pickle-brined fried chicken thigh with pickles, lettuce, and herb mayo.

Order online for takeout or delivery in Germantown or in Franklin.

on the left, a chicken sandwich layered with slaw, on the right, a white bowl of macaroni and cheese. sitting on a red and white checkered paper tray.
The spicy ‘fowl mouth’ chicken sandwich at Waldo’s
Delia Jo Ramsey / Eater Nashville

Joyland Restaurant

Place orders online for carryout or walk on in for Sean Brock’s standout fried chicken sandwich, burgers, and biscuits. The $11 fried chicken sandwich here comes served on a potato roll with pickle slaw and Brock’s signature joy sauce. A really good gluten-free version is also available.

right side of photo - close up of fried chicken sandwich Jeff Scott

Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish

Named for the late Bolton Polk and now owned by the hot chicken mentor’s nephew Bolton Matthews, the famous restaurant’s hot chicken sandwiches start at $5.50, in spice levels that somehow seem hotter than all of the other hot chicken competitors around town. So take care when choosing how fiery that fowl should come out.

Online ordering is available for takeout from the Antioch location only.

Bolton’s/Facebook

Liberty Common

Downtown’s Southern brasserie has a solid fried chicken sandwich on offer — priced at $13 and served with choice of crispy fries or salad. The liberty chicken sandwich comes Southern fried, Nashville hot, or grilled. The traditional Southern fried variation comes topped with with cabbage slaw, heirloom tomato, a fried pickle, and smoked aioli. Pair appropriately with a glass of bubbly on their patio or at home.

Place orders online for takeout.

Hugh-Baby's

Well known pitmaster Pat Martin’s crispy hand-breaded, golden fried chicken sandwich comes crowned with pickles and comeback sauce. And, priced at just 4.79, it’s the most affordable sandwich on the list.


Place orders online for pickup and delivery via Doordash. Or, just drive on thru the line at the Charlotte Avenue location.

crispy fried chicken, pickles, sauce on a fried chicken sandwich Hugh Baby’s / Official Photo

Tennessee Brew Works

At the Pie Town spot best known for its beer and burgers, there’s also a solid fried chicken sandwich. The Nashville hot chicken sandwich comes with farm egg gribiche, cheese, ,and pickles, priced at $14 with fries and Basil Ryeman ketchup.

Order online for curbside pick-up or get it delivered via Postmates.

Red's 615 Kitchen

Open just over a year near the Parthenon, Red’s serves up a duo of noteworthy hot chicken sandwiches. The Southern dirty bird sandwich ($12, served with fries) comes layered with two jumbo tenders, house pimento cheese, hot sauce, and comeback sauce.

Red’s 615/Facebook

Hattie B's Hot Chicken - Melrose Nashville, TN

One of the most well-known fried fowl sandwiches in Music City is Hattie B’s hot chicken variation. Served with one side, it’s a (choose-your-own-heat) crisp fried chicken breast with coleslaw, pickle, and Nashville comeback sauce.

Pro Hattie B’s aficionados skip the lines and order ahead online for takeout or get it delivered via Uber Eats.

Hattie B’s/Facebook

Josephine

Available only during weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), chef Andy Little’s fried chicken sandwich is a fan favorite. Layered with lettuce, pickles, and spicy ranch, his sandwich is worth both dodging the ice cream line at neighboring Jeni’s and fighting the weekend bachelorettes cruising the 12 South mural scene for.

Luckily now the crowds are thinner, but you can still stay socially distant with takeout (call 615-292-7766) or delivery via Postmates. A 20-percent service charge is added to each to-go order.

Josephine’s brunch-only fried chicken sandwich
Michael Sati

Emmy Squared – Green Hills

The Brooklyn-born Detroit-style pizza restaurant opened its second Nashville location in Green Hills in 2019, and a third in Germantown in 2021 (just open for takeout and delivery). While typically the name conjures up dreams of one of the city’s most beloved burgers or a cheese-crusted rectangular pizza, there’s also a solid case to be made for its two fried chicken sandwich offerings. Both $13.65 and served on a pretzel bun, the Nashville hot katsu sandwich joins greens, pickles, and radishes with Alabama white sauce — while a worthy classic chicken parm features tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil.

Order online for curbside takeout from the Gulch or Green Hills, or get it delivered.

Emmy Squared/Facebook

Subculture Urban Cuisine And Cafe

The South Nashville restaurant’s SC hot chicken sandwich is available in not hot, mild, medium, hot, and stupid hot spice levels. Served with sesame slaw, avocado, and aioli, it’s a top pick among locals (alongside the hot chicken ramen and hot chicken tacos).

Order online for pick-up or delivery.

Subculture/Facebook

Related Maps

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack South

Available from basic plain to tear-inducing xxx hot, a case could be made that perhaps the city’s best crispy chicken sandwich wasn’t even a sandwich at all. Until very recently there was no sandwich on the menu, but the open-faced white bread topped with the OG bone-in Nashville hot chicken and pierced with a pickle-packed toothpick surely fit the bill.

In celebration of forty yeas of ownership, the fiery fried fowl’s founder just added a new lunch sandwich dubbed “the Andre special” after Ms. Andre’ herself. It’s a boneless chicken breast sandwich with choice of heat level (plus spicy ranch or sweet heat sauce), topped with slaw and of course, pickles.

Place orders online for pick-up from the South location, or just walk up to order at the downtown food truck.

Related Maps