Wow, this is a tough one. Prince’s is definitely still the OG hot chicken joint, but its legions of fans were crushed by the closing of the North Nashville location after an unfortunate fire when a car crashed into part of the strip mall that housed the restaurant. (Regardless of the fact that there have been several other iterations of the chicken shack in other neighborhoods over the decades.) Consider this like the CMA’s old Horizon Award, where a country act that wasn’t necessarily new was recognized for significant career advancement.
Through the years, the only thing holding Prince’s back seemed to be the team’s own unwillingness to expand from their small home, but any limitations are now officially gone. Their larger South Nashville outpost has overcome initial consistency hiccups to adequately balance quality with quantity. Now they can serve more hot chicken lovers in a much larger venue. Other developments include a permanent Prince’s food truck at the sprawling 6th & Peabody complex downtown and planned expansions to the airport and the upcoming Fifth + Broad food hall downtown. They’ve also announced that they are seeking to reopen another shack in their former neighborhood of North Nashville. More Prince’s is always a good thing! CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN
