Don't be fooled by the sterile, food court location. This SoBro eatery, owned and operated by Nashville native Aqui Simpson, is serious about hot chicken. If you want to test your internal fortitude, try yours '400 Degrees.'

Hattie B's is no longer the new kid on the block, having quickly made their way to the upper echelon of Nashville's hot chicken community. Serving up plenty of spice, high quality sides and brews, you can hit the always booming Midtown location, or head out west to their Charlotte Avenue spot, offering a lot more parking and a whole lot more seating.

One of Nashville's most famous purveyors of hot chicken (they even made an appearance in a Taylor Swift/B.o.B. music video), Bolton's has been serving the hot stuff for over 15 years. Their original Main Street location in East Nashville gives you the true 'chicken shack' experience, but their Franklin Pike spot provides a slightly more convenient dine-in setting.

This is the grandaddy of them all. Having started serving their legendary fiery chicken over 70 years ago, Prince's is the original 'Hot Chicken Shack.' Honored as a 2013 James Beard Foundation America's Classic, this North Nashville treasure is sure to continue gaining devoted followers across the country.

While not a traditional hot chicken destination, Scoreboard still brings the heat. Levels range from 'Sissy' to "Satan's Tongue.' [Photo via Tripadvisor]

Specializing in fried chicken, Party Fowl serves up some mean hot chicken in either the traditional "Nashville Hot" flavor, or the even hotter "Poultrygeist" for those feeling extra daring.

Although Helen's has only been open for a little over a year, it's already gained a reputation as one of the best hot chicken places by connoisseurs of the dish. If you like to feel the heat try the "hot" flavor, or get the "hella hot" for a kick of spice that will make your eyes water.