Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish has been doing its thing in East Nashville since well before hot chicken became a national phenomenon, and it has benefited from the obscurity. The operation is no-frills in the way that matters — the fryer is the focus, the room is what it is, the menu does exactly what it says it does.
The hot chicken has more edge than Hattie B's and less polish than Prince's, which puts it in an interesting middle ground. The fish sandwich is a genuine surprise and worth ordering alongside the chicken.
The fish sandwich is the sleeper. The hot chicken is the real thing — funkier and less polished than the chains, which is exactly why it's worth seeking out.
