Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack spices up Yee-Haw Brewing Co. | Grub Scout
I have to admit I fast-tracked this place to the top of my list, mainly because I was really curious to get an early look at the new Yee-Haw Brewing Co. operation on Broadway. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is a permanent food vendor inside the main building. The Grub Spouse was supposed to meet me there on a recent weeknight, but as it turned out, I wound up ordering for both of us and dining solo.
I’ll address the chicken first. You can get tenders and wings as well as the Andre chicken sandwich, made with a boneless breast. I went for the four-piece jumbo tenders ($14.99). The menu also features a soft pretzel, a black-bean burger and a garden salad. I ordered a single Smashburger ($8) to go for The Spouse. It’s prepared with white American cheese, grilled onions and secret sauce.
Prince’s offers eight levels of hotness on their chicken, ranging from plain to XXX hot. I asked the employee behind the counter what she recommended, and she said that if I typically like my spicy foods on the hot side, I should start with a medium. I was skeptical, because typically, restaurant foods are seldom as hot as they’re hyped up to be. But I took the lady’s advice and stuck with medium flavor for my tenders. Ranch, blue cheese and honey mustard dipping sauces are also available, but I skipped them all.
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Side dishes include french fries, Get It Gurl greens, Southern-style baked beans and mini corn dogs. I ordered the brewer’s grain tabouli ($4) as my side dish and the fried Brussels sprouts ($4) for The Spouse. Just for fun, I tacked on a jumbo chocolate chunk cookie ($5) for me and The Spouse to split later.
Of course, I had to try a beer from Yee-Haw’s menu of 21 taps available that evening. I ordered the Legacy of Haze IPA and took a stroll around the premises while I waited for my food to come out. There’s lots of seating in the main building, including stools around the bar, tables on the floor and a few intimate, recessed booths. A small stage is capable of accommodating live entertainers.
Outside, an expansive area for socializing offers seating groups built around firepits as well as tiered amphitheater-style seating areas in front of the large outdoor stage. Nearby is an open-air bar that also has quite a few taps available. The entire outdoor area is essentially carpeted in artificial turf.
I wound up taking a seat at the bar inside (it was still a little chilly out that evening), and soon enough, someone spotted the flag with my order number on it and delivered our meals — mine plated and The Spouse’s already boxed up to go.
Kudos to Nashville-based Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack on their work. My four tenders were quite meaty and substantial as well as juicy and flavorful. And the woman who took my order wasn’t wrong; the medium level of spice packed quite a punch. I could have probably tolerated one level of hotness higher, but I certainly didn’t feel cheated by the fire erupting from my medium sauce. It rang my bell for sure but without generating discomfort.
I was pleased with everything else too. The Smashburger was a satisfying and tasty sandwich, and I loved my side of tabouli — an unlikely item to discover at a hot-chicken establishment. And though I generally don’t care for Brussels sprouts, The Spouse’s side order was doctored up and deep-fried enough to make these particular sprouts acceptable to my palate. Back at The Grub House, The Spouse and I split the large chocolate chip cookie and certainly had no complaints as we worked our way through it in short order.
I’ve already been back to Yee-Haw Brewing Co. since that first visit, just to hang out and enjoy the beer and the social setting. And if I ever decide I need something to nosh on during a future visit, I won’t hesitate to order up some grub while I’m there. As far as I’m concerned, Prince’s Hot Chicken rules.
Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack
Food: 4.25
Service: 3.75
Atmosphere: 4
Overall: 4
Address: 745 N. Broadway
Phone: 865-210-8862
Beer and cider service only
Hours: 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Mondays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 11 a.m.-midnight Thursdays through Sundays
Head to the new Yee-Haw Brewing Co. on Broadway to get a taste of some inspired Nashville-style hot chicken.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville restaurant review: Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack rules roost
