The Best Fried Chicken Spots in Tennessee

Loveless Cafe
The Loveless' Renowned Chicken and Biscuits | The Loveless Cafe
The Loveless' Renowned Chicken and Biscuits | The Loveless Cafe

In the pantheon of great Southern foods, fried chicken is definitely, and deservedly, near the top of the podium. Tennesseans love their chicken, and restaurants across the state pride themselves on their talent with poultry, oil, and an iron skillet. When you’ve got a craving, here are some spots to consider before you head for one of the chains. You can thank us later.

Arnold’s Country Kitchen

NASHVILLE

At the top of just about any Tennessee fried chicken list, alphabetically or qualitatively, Arnold’s only serves their hot sauce-brined, double-battered, perfectly fried chicken on Mondays, and the crowds gather early to get a bite of the bird. The crunch of the batter is just the harbinger of an ultimately revelatory experience.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Fried Chicken

MASON

Even though Gus’s has franchised all over the country, the first location in tiny Mason is still the OG of piquant chicken. Not as infernally spiced as its Nashville hot chicken cousin, Gus’s offers a fantastic balance between salty batter and peppery meat.

Public House Chattanooga
Public House Chattanooga

Public House

CHATTANOOGA

Public House features all the benefits of a fancy restaurant with none of the snootiness, as the attention that the staff pays to their fried chicken would befit a dish at a Michelin-starred spot. Brined in sweet tea, fried, and served with a house-made pepper sauce on the side, it’s “hot cuisine” at its finest.

Chandler’s Deli

KNOXVILLE

This nondescript Knoxville soul food cafeteria serves up huge portions of fried chicken, heavily battered and fried hard to create the optical illusion that you might be eating a drumstick from an ostrich. Discovering that much of the bulk comes from the spicy, crunchy crust is not a disappointment.

Husk

NASHVILLE

Husk Executive Chef/mad scientist Sean Brock spent years perfecting his fried chicken recipe before settling on a combination of five of his favorite versions of the dish. We don’t care if it’s a recipe from Mars crossed with some secret KFC spices -- it’s damned delicious and one of the best you’ll ever taste.

Blackberry Farm
Blackberry Farm

Blackberry Farm

WALLAND

This luxury resort is known for its unrivaled service, enormous wine collection, and upscale Appalachian cuisine, but it’s the humble fried chicken that lingers in the dreams of past guests. Soaked in very strong tea for two days to add a bit of acid and sweetness to the meat, the chicken is fried in a batter that includes spices like Old Bay Crab Boil Seasoning. The result is worthy of the resort’s esteemed reputation.

Kleer-Vu Lunchroom

MURFREESBORO

Get in line. Grab a tray. Point to the fried chicken. Receive chicken gratefully. Dig in. Anything else you do is pretty much superfluous at this iconic soul food cafeteria.

Jack Pirtle’s Chicken

MEMPHIS

In a town like Memphis where you can find great fried chicken in gas stations, it’s a big deal to be known as a citywide favorite. But that’s the reputation for Jack Pirtle’s chain of chicken joints, famous for boxes ranging from two to 16 pieces of dark and/or white meat. They also serve up some mean fried livers ‘n’ gizzards, if that’s your thing.

Subculture Urban Cuisine and Cafe
Subculture Urban Cuisine and Cafe

Subculture Urban Cuisine and Cafe

ANTIOCH

You’ll notice that there are no dedicated Nashville hot chicken joints on this list, because that fiery fowl already gets plenty of time in the spotlight. Not receiving enough attention is this tiny strip mall eatery run by a pair of Chilean brothers who have quietly built up a rabid following for dishes like their chicken sandwich, which balances the hot crust with creamy avocado, a cooling aioli, and crunchy Asian slaw.

Boyette’s Dining Room

TIPTONVILLE

Tucked way up in the northwest corner of the state on the banks of scenic Reelfoot Lake, Boyette’s is an institution known for its all-you-can-eat plate dinners. You can choose up to three meats from a list of country ham, catfish fillets, catfish steak, and fried chicken. The fish is fine, but there’s no shame in just asking for platter after platter of their golden chicken.

Miss Mary Bobo’s

LYNCHBURG

Located just across the town square from the Jack Daniel’s visitor center, Miss Mary Bobo’s is a mandatory stop on any visit to the tiny town of Lynchburg. Once an actual boarding house where the distillery’s guests would eat and sleep, it’s now a quaint tea room where local ladies serve as hostesses at communal tables to make sure nobody hogs all the fried chicken from the passed platters served family style. Don’t worry about them running out -- there’s always more to come.

Loveless Cafe
The Loveless Cafe

The Loveless Cafe

NASHVILLE

Although it’s a bit of a schlep out of town, tourists and locals alike make the trip out to the famous Loveless Cafe, primarily for its legendary biscuits and fried chicken. Don’t worry about having to choose -- these items are a package deal.

Miss Polly's Soul City Cafe
Miss Polly's Soul City Cafe

Miss Polly’s Soul City Cafe

MEMPHIS

While the provenance of chicken and waffles is still a source of debate between those who claim it was born in Harlem, Atlanta, or LA, Miss Polly’s in Memphis can certainly boast that it makes some of the best. And because it’s located smack dab in the middle of Beale Street, the main party strip of Memphis, it’s always waiting to help soak up some of that sin for you.

Publix
Publix

Publix

VARIOUS

In a moment of supreme truthfulness, many Southerners will admit that an eight-piece box of this supermarket chain chicken is one of their top-five favorite fried delights. Crispy and flavorful, inexpensive and ultimately convenient, Publix is the centerpiece of many a Tennessee picnic. C’mon, Kroger -- up your chicken game already!

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Chris Chamberlain is a food, drink, and travel writer based out of Nashville. He’s not afraid to get his hands a little greasy and always carries a handkerchief in his back pocket to clean off his fingers. Get country-fried with him on Twitter at @CeeElCee.