Kim Gentes

If you end up in the Nashville area for any length of time, there is one place you must try. Prince's Hot Chicken Shack. Local, out of the way and unique flavor - yep, Prince's has it all. But, like many out-of-the-way places, it comes with a warning label.

First, the food is unique and spectacular.

The only real choice you want to make when you get there is this- mild or medium.  If you are a Prince's veteran, then no need to tell you about the other choices. But if you are new, forget the menu and just get the 1/4 chicken breast with fries.  Then decide your level of heat. If you are just new and not sure always go with mild. If you like lots of hot food and love real spicy stuff, get medium. Don't ever try the hot until after you have already successfully enjoyed the medium.  Here is my recommend for all first timers:

• 1/4 chicken breast - mild
• fries
• drink

You could try the potato salad or beans, but neither are stellar, and the quality is very small. Stick with the chicken and fries and you will love it.  I have tried another of the hot chicken places in Nashville, and while the food was good, the core chicken dish just can't compare to legendary Prince's.  You can get better beans and potato salad at other places, but you won't find better chicken, anywhere, anytime.

In addition to the stellar food, the cost is very reasonable. Only $5-8 per plate depending on what you get. When you include drink and tax, you should get out for about $9 per person.

Sounds great right? Yes, it is!  In the past, I had written about the rather lackluster cleanliness and upkeep of the Prince's locatoin. However, after several visits, Prince's has been consistently improving the tables, and cleanliness of the place. The bathrooms are still somewhat messy, but the food eating areas have improved drastically. Thank you Prince's for addressing those areas!

One of the difficult problems with a local legend can be the wait to get food. In the last several months this has improved a lot. The wait can sometimes be between an hour or TWO for just a single person serving of chicken.  Again, this is not possible for most restaurants to sustain, but for a local legend, people understand that long lines are sometimes part of the package. Lately, I have been going at off-peak times (no lunch or dinner stops) and the wait has been less than 30 minutes.

So here is the tact you have to take- go to Prince's knowing it's a typical dive. Go there for the food. The place is just a basic room with some tables. Nothing fancy. No real atmosphere. If you are lucky, you will get a table. Go there for the amazing food. Enjoy it.

Hands down, it is the best chicken I have ever had in my life. In fact, I haven't been there in quite a while and just writing about it makes me realize it is time for another trip to Prince's.

Go there. http://bit.ly/o9EEkh

Review Kim Gentes.