I can remember my first visit to Nashville. It was here where I tried Nashville hot chicken for the first time at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. While I have had fried chicken countless times in the past, this version was different. The Nashville specialty is made with southern fried chicken tossed in a special blend of seasonings, including cayenne pepper. Hot chicken is hot, and will make your mouth burn. But it’s also smoky, salty, sweet, rich, and, most importantly, delicious.
While they didn’t invent hot chicken, Hattie B’s took Nashville by surprise. In a few short years, the restaurant has become a destination with foodies looking for the best hot chicken in Nashville. Over the years, the family-operated business has started to expand across the south and to the west, bringing the same great recipes and flavors with them.
In the fall of 2018, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken opened a location in Las Vegas at the Block 16 Urban Food Hall inside The Cosmopolitan. If you are looking for the best hot chicken in Las Vegas, you go to Hattie B’s.
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Block 16 Urban Food Hall
As mentioned before, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is located in the Block 16 Urban Food Hall inside The Cosmopolitan on the Las Vegas Strip. Since opening in 2018, the upscale, affordable food hall has become popular with locals, tourists, and foodies.
Today, a culinary destination, the hall is now known for its quality food and fast-casual environment. While small, you can find some great eats here other than Hattie B’s Hot Chicken.
Interior and Seating
Prior to Covid restrictions, a limited number of counter seats could be found surrounding the food stall. I enjoyed sitting in these seats at the counter where I could watch the chefs at work in the kitchen. As soon as restrictions end, I assume these seats will return.
Even before Covid, seating inside the food hall was limited to a small central seating area shared by all the food stalls. If those tables are full, which they often are, try your luck at one of the high-top tables found scattered around The Cosmopolitan.
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken Menu
You won’t find anything fancy on the menu at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. What you will find is made-to-order fried chicken and homemade sides using locally sourced, high quality ingredients.
The simple menu featured chicken plates along with a hot chicken sandwich. Whether you want white or dark meat, half a chicken, or tenders, you can order it in a plate.
As with many hot chicken restaurants in Nashville, you can customize the heat level. Choose one of six heat levels from Southern, with no heat, to Shut the Cluck Up, which will burn your face off. Choose wisely as the heat levels match their description. As for me, I go for Damn Hot which always gives me a great burn.
All plates were served with two sides while the hot chicken sandwich was served with one side. Sides included southern staples such as southern greens, mac & cheese, and cole slaw along with potato salad and fries.
Other than chicken, there was one other item on the menu. And, that was a banana pudding for dessert.
As for drinks, there was iced tea, lemonade, local craft beer, hard seltzer, and boozy slushies.
Hot Chicken Sandwich
If you’re a fan of Nashville hot chicken and crispy chicken sandwiches, then you might want to order the Hot Chicken Sandwich ($15.00) served with one side.
The highlight had to be the thick chicken breast. Crispy on the outside, while tender on the inside. Frying the chicken low and slow in hot oil resulted in a breading which wasn’t too thick or thin. Also, the breading stuck to the chicken without falling apart. The crispy texture of the breading complemented the tender, juicy chicken underneath.
After it was fried in oil, the chicken took a bath in more hot oil and spices. These spices included salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and brown sugar. This is when the southern fried chicken became spicy, sweet, smoky, rich Nashville hot chicken. As for my heat level, I selected Damn Hot, which was damn hot. The heat burned my mouth to the point where I could still enjoy the flavors of the sandwich.
A generous amount of tangy and sweet cole slaw, piled on top of the fried chicken breast, helped balance the heat and added texture. The mixture of red cabbage, green cabbage, and carrots added a crunchy bite, a must for any chicken sandwich.
I found the cole slaw to be less creamy than your average slaw. I think this was because they used less mayo than normal, which I actually preferred. Also adding texture, along with a good salty bite, were thick slices of pickles. Drizzled over the chicken, slaw, and pickles was Comeback Sauce, a creamy and rich sauce similar to Thousand Island.
While easy to overlook, the bun played an important role in the success of this sandwich. The buttery, lightly toasted bun held up to the last bite, even as it soaked up flavors of the spicy oil, chicken, slaw, and sauce. The sweetness and smokiness of the bun complemented the heat of the hot chicken.
Pimento Mac & Cheese
If there is one thing I love, it’s a good mac & cheese. While not the healthiest, if it’s on the menu, odds are I will be ordering it. So, when I saw the Pimento Mac & Cheese listed on the menu as a side, the choice was simple.
The large pieces of elbow macaroni were cooked to perfection. Each noodle cooked until tender but not overcooked or mushy. There was quite a generous amount of noodles packed in the bowl.
Mixed in with the macaroni was a viscous and creamy cheese sauce known as a mornay sauce. To make this sauce, the chefs mixed butter, flour, and milk into a roux before adding grated cheddar cheese. This resulted in a cheesy, rich, creamy, and buttery sauce which coated each and every noodle.
Diced pimento peppers not only added flavor and color but added texture. The crunchy yet tender peppers complemented the soft noodles and creamy sauce. My only complaint? I wanted more peppers, especially as a pepper lover.
Hattie B’s version of mac & cheese tasted homemade but with an elevated twist, making it something both delicious and special.
Service
Being a food stall, I have always experienced fast and efficient service on my visits to Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. This is true even without any table service. On each visit, after ordering with the cashier, my food is always prepared fast yet made fresh to order.
Conclusion
The Block 16 Urban Food Hall inside The Cosmopolitan is one of the best places in Las Vegas for affordable yet delicious food. If you want something fast and casual yet upscale, then this is your spot.
Here, you will find Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, serving the best Nashville hot chicken in Las Vegas. This is true whether you order your chicken with no heat or challenge yourself to Shut the Cluck Up.
With food made fresh to order using high-quality ingredients, friendly service, local craft beers, and an awesome location at The Cosmopolitan, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is worth a visit whether you are a local, a tourist, or a foodie.
Pros
- Without a doubt, the best hot chicken in Las Vegas
- Personalized heat levels so everyone can enjoy their food
- Homemade southern sides
- Local craft beers
- Friendly and efficient service
Cons
- Limited seating
Hours
Monday-Friday: 11:00AM-10:00PM
Saturday-Sunday: 10:30AM-10:00PM
Address
3708 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (located in The Cosmopolitan, Level 2, The Boulevard Tower)
GPS Coordinates: 36.10953,-115.17483
Map
Last Updated on March 26, 2024
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