Nashville hot chicken is a popular favorite in most areas, but when it comes to Houston, there is such a vast choice that it can be near impossible to find the place that does the best!
So if you’re looking for the spiciest, the crunchiest, the juiciest, or the overall tastiest, we have selected our places and chosen venues with a great variety to help you select the best-fried chicken dinner for you.
Best Places to Have Nashville Hot Chicken in Houston, Texas
In our guide to the 8 best Nashville hot chicken in Houston, we’ve looked at which places specialize in just chicken, which businesses offer a wider variety, and which places cater to those of you who may be dining with people who don’t want chicken or prefer a veggie option.
We will show you their locations, invite you to view their menu, and look at their prices so that you can pick the perfect spot for you.
And with that, let’s take a look at what we deem to be some of the best Nashville chicken in Houston, TX.
1. Tumble Hot Chicken 22
| Address: | T22 Chicken Joint, 10723 Louetta Road, Houston, TX 77070 |
| Website: | tumble22.com |
| Food: | Bone-In chicken, chicken bites, dirty fries, mac & cheese |
| Our Recommendation: | The Lil' Og and Quarter Dark Chicken |
Tumble 22 started as a food truck, and in the space of just four years, they have built themselves up to currently owning four restaurants as it stands in 2022. They’re named Tumble 22 because of their Nashville-inspired hot chicken because its hand-breaded chicken is tumbled 22 times to achieve that perfect crunch.
The chicken is fried in a secret blend of spices. They have six levels of heat, which range from “Wimpy” to “Stupid Hot.” Which-ever you decide to try, you’ll have a great time testing yourself and your party. There are other options and sauces on the menu for those who don’t like the spice.
You can eat in or takeaway at any of their five locations, and they offer deals on family meals, such as the “JumboTenders Family Pack.”
Their chicken was delicious, crunchy, and full of spices and flavor.
There are a couple of other items on the menu for those who do not want fried chicken or perhaps veggies, such as mac & cheese, dirty fries, potato salad, and deviled eggs.
The prices here are reasonable, a single meal costing you anywhere between $4.00 and $14.00, the family packs averaging the $20.00 mark. Or, if you’re dining on a budget, visit between 4 pm and 6 pm Monday to Friday (dine-in only), where you’ll find a choice of six dishes at around $4 or $5 each, as well as low-priced beer.
You May Also Like: 7 Best Diners and Drive-Ins in Houston, TX
2. Mico’s Hot Chicken
| Address: | 1603 N Durham Dr. Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website: | https://micoshotchicken.com/ |
| Food: | Sammich, loaded fries, dips, drinks, ice cream |
| Our Recommendation: | Tender basket |
Mico’s Hot Chicken started serving from a trailer in 2019; they have since been successful and grown themselves into owning a restaurant where diners can eat in or takeaway.
Although their menu is still growing, their offer is worth trying. They offer different levels of heat, including some of the hottest peppers in the world, so if you’re a little scared of the spice, be sure to ask for the lowest heat level available.
The “Chicken Tenders Basket” that we had was superb, and the chicken was so flavorsome and juicy, you could tell it had been cooked with care.
They have a small selection of drinks and two desserts on offer.
Micos is an ever-growing and up-and-coming company, so although the menu is small at the moment, it still deserves to be in our guide on quality alone, and we highly recommend you visit them.
3. Main Chick Hot Chicken
| Address: | 1731 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098 |
| Website: | https://www.facebook.com/eatmainchick/ |
| Food: | Sliders, hot chicken, mac & cheese, waffle fries |
| Our Recommendation: | Cluck It Up Fries & Slaw Slider |
Main Chick Hot Chicken serves Halal only, Nashville hot chicken from Westheimer Road in Houston. Although it may not be the place to head if you want a sit-down meal, it most definitely is the place to go if you wish to eat some excellent hot fried chicken and don’t mind eating outdoors.
As with most Nashville chicken shops, you can choose your spice level, there are three options of mild and medium, and three levels of hot, the hottest being “Cluck it,” be sure only to order this one if you’re an avid spice lover as it will blow your mind.
There are sliders on the menu. We went for the slaw slider, served on a fresh bun, with their signature “Come Back Sauce,” pickles, and coleslaw. The chicken was super tender and had lots of flavors.
Although the menu is not massive, there is plenty of choice for a quick lunch on the go.
They don’t currently have a website online. Still, their menu is available, along with regular updates, on their Facebook page, which we have linked above.
Unfortunately, because they are only a smaller venue, they don’t have any options for vegetarians, other than the side dishes, where you can get cheese fries or mac & cheese.
4. Common Bond Cafe & Bakery
| Address: | 1706 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006 |
| Website: | commonbondcafe.com |
| Food: | Pastries, cake, sandwiches, Bahn-mi, breakfast, steak, shrimp & grits, chicken |
| Our Recommendation: | Nashville Hot Chicken |
Common Bond Cafe & Bakery may not be at the forefront of your mind when you’re thinking of where to go to get great Nashville hot chicken. However, you’d be wrong to dismiss it.
There is only one option for the spicy hot chicken here at the bakery, but wow is worth a trip to try it. The Nashville Hot Chicken here comes served on a fresh pain-de-mai bun, with homemade garlic aioli and a brussel sprout slaw. It was by far some of the best chicken we’ve tasted, and we all cleared our plates.
Alongside the chicken burger, there was such a vast array of menu items that it was hard to establish what cuisine this cafe was based on. We concluded it was literally a bit of everything, from Bahn-mi sandwiches to excellent pizza, shrimp and grits to french dip, PO boy to wild mushroom mac & cheese. The choice is fantastic, and this is definitely somewhere you can go with a large party and still find something for everyone.
There are plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans, and even gluten-free choices, too, such as the cheese grits.
The prices here are slightly higher compared to some of the other restaurants in this guide, but given the variety and fantastic menu, along with the food quality, it is worth every penny.
They also run a happy hour between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, where you can get good discounts on drinks, so it’s worth checking out.
There is no children’s menu, but there is more than enough choice when it comes to small plates and light lunches for a low price that would suit little ones.
Keep Reading For: 7 Best Breakfast in Houston, TX
5. Bismillah Restaurant & Cafe
| Address: | 5696 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77036 |
| Website: | https://www.bismillahrestaurant.com/ |
| Food: | Biryani, kebabs, grills, fried chicken, burgers, wings, chaat |
| Our Recommendation: | Mango Habanero Chicken Burger |
Bismillah Restaurant & Cafe serves a Pakistani/American fusion menu and has been in the culinary business since 2006. They combine traditional curries and kebabs with classic American pizzas, burgers, and fried chicken.
The restaurant is vibrant, exciting, and a popular spot with locals and celebrities alike; this can be seen inside the establishment. The walls are splashed with autographs of the stars who have graced them with their presence. They also have displayed in the restaurant evidence of the family’s rich Houston and Pakistani heritage.
Their Nashville-style fried chicken is fantastic, the portions are great, the chicken is tender and juicy, and the coating is crispy. They have a few different sauce choices, including mango habanero and buffalo. You can order the chicken in the form of a burger or as tender strips.
Alongside the fried chicken, there is an extensive menu with many other options; there is a good variety, whether you fancy an American-style burger or a classic Pakistani-style biryani.
There is also a small children’s menu, including chicken strips and man & cheese.
They were average to high when it came to pricing, but we found it great value for money. The fried chicken itself was priced at around $10.99 for a burger and $9.99 for the strips. Everything else ranges anywhere from $7.99 to $26.99. So you will most likely find something to suit most people’s budget.
6. Gus’s World Famous Chicken
| Address: | 1815 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website: | https://gusfriedchicken.com/ |
| Food: | Fried chicken, sharing plates, chicken wings, chicken thigh |
| Our Recommendation: | Chicken Thigh |
Gus’s fried chicken is a family establishment that first started making fried chicken way back in 1953. Now run by the original owner’s son, Gus, they continue to loyally serve their parents’ original recipes and continue to perfect the beloved fried chicken.
They have become such a favorite with locals and travelers alike that in 2001 they were even voted one of the “Top Ten Meals in The United States Worth Flying For,” and not much has changed since then in our opinions.
The options for the chicken are varied in that you can choose individual pieces, such as leg, breast, wing, tender, or thigh. And then you can also pick from mixed plates, where you can select tenders, wings, dark or light meat. All their dishes are served with baked beans, slaw, and white bread (what more do you need on the side of fried chicken, really?)
They have a good variety of sides and chicken snacks, but not a massive amount of choice for vegetarians.
There is a small dessert menu and no children’s menu, but lots of small choices that would easily please the kids.
The prices here are slightly higher than some of the others we visited, but we didn’t find them unreasonable, and you can still pick up some tasty chicken under $5.00 if all you’re after is a chicken snack.
7. The Waffle Bus
| Address: | 1540 W. Alabama St. Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website: | wafflebus.com |
| Food: | Sandwiches, chicken, fryders (sliders with waffle bun) |
| Our Recommendation: | HOT Chicken Fryder |
The Waffle Bus is another destination that initially started off serving from a food truck, voted “Houston’s Favorite Food Truck,” they now have a fully established restaurant.
The menu is extensive, with plenty of choices, mainly including chicken and waffles. The Fryders, which aren’t something we’d seen at other restaurants while doing our research, were next-level. Everything about them was fabulous regarding flavor, portion size, and presentation. The Hot Chicken Fryder with pickles and “Thunder Sauce ” was out of this world.
The quality of the chicken is excellent, and the way it’s cooked just finishes it off, crunchy and a great spice combination which is totally unique to them.
If you have a bit of a sweet tooth or just want something to finish off that spicy chicken, check out the “Sweet Waffle Sandwich” menu. They have some super tasty options, but we recommend trying the “Strawberry Irish Cream Brulee.”
They also have a children’s menu with chicken or grilled cheese with waffles.
When it comes to price, they’re pretty cheap, and you can grab a substantially sized meal for around $7.00 or $8.00.
You May Also Like: 6 Best Mexican Food in Houston, TX
8. The Cookshack
| Address: | 4015 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website: | https://www.thecookshack.com/ |
| Food: | Chicken tenders, smoked ribs, sweet potato fries, tacos |
| Our Recommendation: | Hot Chicken Tacos and Applewood Smoked Ribs |
The Cookshack is a well-known hot fried chicken shop in and around Texas. They pride themselves on top-quality ingredients and some of the best-fried chicken in the area.
All their chicken is fresh every day and hand-battered, with five different heat levels. Their hottest is the “AMF.” The food is outstanding, the flavors are mind-blowing, and the service we received was exceptional, so no matter where you are in Texas, be sure to visit this place for a great hot fried chicken experience.
The Hot Chicken Tacos we had were superb, served with slaw, pickles, and cookshack sauce. There were so many flavor combinations going on it’s like a party in the mouth.
We, of course, had to try the AMF chicken. (You can guess what the name stands for) and WOW, let’s just say we couldn’t finish it, but despite the fire in our mouths and the tears in our eyes, the flavor of the coated chicken still shone through.
They have a great drink and cocktail menu too.
The prices here are pretty good, the main courses start at just $8.29, and they all come with a choice of side and sauce.
See Also: 6 Best Restaurants With A View in Houston | To Dine With A View
Summary
While reading this guide, we hope that we have helped you decide which place you’ll choose to get the best Nashville fried chicken.
If you’ve found this helpful, why don’t you also check out our guides to the 7 Best Places For Lobster Rolls in Houston and 7 Best Korean BBQ Restaurants in Houston, TX.