Best Chicken and Waffles in Nashville (2026)

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Hattie B's popularized Nashville hot chicken for a national audience when it opened in 2012, and the Midtown flagship is still the room that puts the format on the map for visitors. The hot chicken and waffles puts genuine heat against the sweet waffle, and the heat levels are not decorative. Counter service, order at the window, and the line moves. Arrive early or expect a wait. The hot chicken tenders with sides are the practical order for anyone not ready to commit to a sandwich.

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The Loveless Cafe has been on Highway 100 since 1951, and the fried chicken and waffles here sits inside a full Southern brunch spread that includes scratch buttermilk biscuits with house preserves and country ham with red-eye gravy. The room draws families, and the staff handles large parties with patience. The biscuits are the anchor of the menu; the chicken and waffles earns its place alongside them. Historic building, family-friendly pace, and prices that stay reasonable for what the kitchen is doing.

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Milk and Honey runs a focused brunch menu where the chicken and waffles and the Nashville Hot Skillet are the two dishes that generate repeat visits. The Burnt Sugar Latte has its own following. The room fills fast on weekends, and the kitchen handles the volume without the quality slipping. Early weekday seating is the low-drama option. The bourbon French toast rounds out the sweet side of the menu for tables splitting dishes.

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The Butter Milk Ranch runs the classic chicken and waffles alongside buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy and a breakfast burrito that holds its own. Service gets consistent high marks, and the room has the energy of a neighborhood spot that knows its regulars. There is a wait on weekends, and the consensus is it is worth sitting through. Family-friendly layout, reasonable prices, and a kitchen that executes the Southern brunch format without cutting corners.

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Fifth and Taylor is the special-occasion room on this list, and the Nashville hot chicken and waffles here is a dressed-up version of the format: sharper plating, a fuller bar program, and a menu that also runs seared scallops with sweet corn risotto and bourbon glazed pork tenderloin. Bar seating is walk-in friendly and worth grabbing on a weeknight. The mac and cheese is a standout side. Price tier three, so plan accordingly, but the kitchen delivers at that level.

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Nashville Jam Cafe runs a low-key, traditional American breakfast with chicken and waffles as the headliner alongside pulled pork benedict and buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy. The room is relaxed, the service is fast and friendly, and the owner is present on weekend mornings. The French toast is thick and gets strong marks. Bronut appetizer is a crowd order to start. Straightforward neighborhood brunch spot without the line pressure of the higher-profile rooms downtown.

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Butchertown Hall takes the chicken and waffles in a gastropub direction: buttermilk fried chicken, waffle, and a menu that also covers braised short rib benedict and cast iron mac and cheese. The room runs brunch later into the afternoon than most, which means weekend stragglers can still get the full menu at two in the afternoon. Brisket nachos are a strong bar-side order. Reservations are accepted; the host team handles mix-ups and the room keeps its composure under volume.

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Big Bad Breakfast is a Williamson County brunch room in Franklin with chicken and waffles alongside a loaded breakfast skillet and biscuits with sausage gravy. The shrimp and grits draws its own following. Outdoor service gets called out specifically, and the kitchen staff is friendly. Wait times on weekends run long, and the egg execution has been inconsistent in parts of the record. Arrive with patience, and the core dishes hold up.

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Ruby Sunshine brings a New Orleans-influenced breakfast menu to Nashville, and the chicken and waffles here sits alongside Ruby's Love Cakes and eggs benedict on a menu that is unmistakably NOLA in orientation. Beignets are on the menu; serve temperature has come up in the record so ordering them early is the move. The room runs crowded on weekends, and street parking on the side streets is the practical approach. Strong service and a kitchen that mirrors the New Orleans source material closely.

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Noir Kitchen and Cocktails is the upscale end of the chicken and waffles spectrum in Nashville: a soul food-rooted menu with fried chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and bourbon glazed pork belly in a room built for brunch dates and evening cocktails. Portions are generous, the cocktail program is a draw in its own right, and the kitchen is consistent across multiple visits. Price tier three; the room earns it. Groups and solo diners both get handled well.

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Red Rooster Cafe is in Hendersonville, Sumner County, and it is the budget pick on this list: price tier one, chicken and waffles alongside big pancakes, country breakfast platters, and biscuits with gravy. The service is attentive and the coffee stays hot. Eggs are cooked to order and the kitchen moves without rushing tables out. For families in the Hendersonville corridor who want a full Southern breakfast without a long drive into Davidson County, this is the practical call.