Hot chicken counterThe Nations$$$$
Pepperfire Hot Chicken
A 2010-era hot chicken original, now in The Nations with room to sit down. Get a tender on a pepper-jack grilled cheese.
#8 in Hot chicken
What to get
- Hot chicken tenders or a tender on a pepper-jack grilled cheese
- Green chili mac and cheese
- Banana pudding
When to go
Weekday lunch, Tue–Fri (it's closed Sunday and Monday).
Insider tip
The expanded dining room means you can eat there now instead of taking it to go (Infatuation).
Heads up
Some regulars say quality dipped after the move to the Nations; skin can be greasy on off days (Infatuation).
Find it
- Phone
- (615) 915-4441
- Website
- pepperfirehotchicken.com
- Reservations
- walk-in only
Recognition
Checked Oct. 1, 2026. Ratings are a snapshot from Google and Yelp; ranks are ours (how we rank). Something out of date? Tell us.
Eat & Drink
More in Hot chicken
-
#1Hot chicken · Midtown
Hattie B's Hot Chicken
The hot chicken most visitors try first: a clear heat scale, good sides and a line that keeps moving.
-
#2Hot chicken + bar · East Nashville
Party Fowl
Hot chicken for a crowd: big tables, boozy slushies, and an East Nashville location open until 1 AM on weekends.
-
#3Hot chicken · South Nashville
Prince's Hot Chicken Shack
The family that started Nashville hot chicken, still frying it on Nolensville Pike. A plain room and serious heat.
-
#5Hot chicken · East Nashville
Brave Idiot
A Main Street truck that critics rate for both its hot chicken and its Crispy Boi smashburger. Carry your order into a neighboring bar.
-
#6Hot chicken counter · North Nashville
400 Degrees
Owner Aqui Hines deep-fries her hot chicken instead of pan-frying it, for an extra-crunchy crust. A small counter on Clarksville Pike.
-
#7Hot chicken + hot fish · East Nashville
Bolton's Famous Hot Chicken & Fish
A Main Street counter where locals come for the hot fish as much as the chicken.
The NashvilleTN Insider · 10K+ readers
The best of Nashville, in your inbox.
The shows worth buying tickets for, what just opened, where happy hour is good right now, the weekend plan, and a heads-up before we go live.