Review Belles Hot Chicken - Fitzroy

🍴 Chicken was nice. Had the spicy burger which was very nice. Didn't find it too spicy. 💰 Price was reasonable. 🤵 Staff were friendly and accommodating 🚻 Amenities were clean and in good condition ------------- 🔄 Repeatability: Probably a once off Tips from your local guide: 1. Wouldn't stress about the heat, go for the number 3.

Absolutely tremendous from the moment I walked in to the moment I rolled out... Staff were wonderful, food delicious and overall price very reasonable. Been heaps of times before COVID and I'm happy to report that they haven't lost a step. Please do your self a favour, visit, enjoy and eat some chicken.

Now that was some good Southern style hot chicken. Top marks. Best chicken I've had ever. I've just moved here from Queensland in February, im loving the food. Edit: forgot to take the photo before I finished, I got the medium spice chicken tenders, with chips and ranch sauce and my house-mate got hot chicken drumsticks with Blue cheese sauce with Mac 'n' Cheese. We also had a beer while we waited (a very nice malty mid strangth)

5 stars actually isn’t enough. Tantalising, delicious, amazing, inspiring, flavours dreams are made of that is what you will experience here. Your tastebuds won’t know what to compute to your brain as they will be overwhelmed with flavour and beyond any level of taste satisfaction you have ever experienced. Just stop what you’re doing and come get some chicken please.

Spicy Chicken burger had a strange chemical taste to it, had some nice crispy parts on the thigh fillet though. The mac and cheese was extremely bland and such a tiny serve for the price $7. outrageous price for chips with gravy. The gravy was so tiny. Pretty overrated establishment for Gertrude street. I should’ve learnt my lesson the first time eating-in there. Im giving an extra star as it was probably Uber eats that took too long to deliver, everything was stone cold. I’ve never had to microwave chips, $12?! For chips?! Avoid. And especially avoid ordering with a delivery service. I advise this restaurant to abandon using these delivery services.

This is one of my fav places for hot Chicken and chicken sandwich! The Spice is perfect it's hot without being not tolerable they have the balance just right. The chicken sandwich is amazing the chicken is so tender and juicy and the bun is so light and fluffy.. the potato and gravy is so smooth and Buttery with the gravy being so tasty and salty. It's a must in my opinion!

Had Belle’s from the comfort of home - definitely a nice treat to get through another lockdown! Ordered the wings & a drumstick (all hot) along with the Mac & cheese! Good sized portions, good heat & flavour and that Mac & cheese was amazing. The other thing I loved was how hot & fresh the food was - felt like I was at a table and it came straight out the kitchen!

I loved my visit to Belles Hot Chicken. We had the loveliest waitress, super friendly and helpful with what to order, and checked on us to ensure we had adequate water etc. The chicken was delicious, we had the chicken tenders and everyone else on our table also loved their meals including the chicken sandwich and wings. Menu is super easy to order from. Not the cheapest but worth a visit

Quite disappointed with the size of takeaway, much smaller than dine in when you pay $6 each for a small tub

Best fried chicken burger in Melbourne. Anybody that loves a spicy burger needs to try this place out. 10/10.

Always so consistently good! This place is absolutely my go to for hot fried chicken. No other places can meet my spiciness requirements as much as Belles. I’m so glad I don’t live so close to Belles, otherwise I’ll probably eat here everyday.

Watching American food documentaries has left me hanging for southern style fried chicken. I’m not usually a big fried food fanatic so I hadn’t tried Belle’s and I hate myself for it. The service was great, the diner was so cute and the chicken was delicious. The sound of three wings didn’t seem like much but I insisted we order a set each first and not dive into the 16 wing bucket. (Thank the lord I said that). The three wings were a decent serving, came with a side as well. I ordered the hot wings and yam salad and bf had the medium wings with chips. As I was hissing my saliva as I ate the chicken I could hear the waiter explain to another table that the medium isn’t spicy and then there’s a huge jump to the hot. The heat was manageable but don’t order it if you can’t handle spice! The chips were amazing! Dare I say perfect? The yam salad was so refreshing and great match with the fried chicken. Will definitely be back!

I came for the limited time Hot Cheetos menu and ordered the chicken burger and mac & cheese with marinara sauce. The chicken burger was very juicy, mac & cheese was well seasoned and the marinara sauce was addicting!<br/><br/>For their normal menu, I tried the Hot level wings. They were very tender and juicy, perfectly seasoned as well!<br/><br/>I will definitely be back for more wings 😋

Hot Damn this was a tasty feed..... Crispy southern fried chicken sandwich with a side of Belle's famed Mac 'n' Cheese from @belleshotchicken in Fitzroy.

We needed an in between snack/meal to take us to dinner and Belle’s delivered. Crispy chicken marinated all the way through to the bone and the chicken tenders for the kids were tasty and crispy. The kids loved the Mac and Cheese so much we had to come back the next day and buy two serves.

A must try for fried chicken 🍗 lovers! The chicken is delicious, crunchy and you can choose varying spice 🌶 Legend has it that the restauranteur did a comprehensive tour of America 🇺🇸 and brought back the best chicken! Great selection of drinks too!

Ordered the bucket and the three of us struggled to finish it off. Loved the hot wings. Was crispy on the out and juicy inside. The chips were amazing too. The sauce were good. Nice retro american diner decor and the staffs were amazing.

I had only tried at Belles hot chicken in the food court at Collins square and the chicken sandwich there was amazing! Amazing enough to convert me to choosing a chicken burger over a beef burger at a burger restaurant. <br/>This establishment proved no different . Amazing chicken burger . Great coleslaw and salty chips. Try out the different dipping sauces. <br/>The venue had the old skill 1950s diner theme going and friendly service . <br/>Best chicken burger place in town!

I like the ambience of this restaurant. We came here for dinner and had the seats at one of the comfy booths. We both went for the medium-levelled spice for our wings and drumsticks. They have much spicier options but we prefer to taste the chicken rather than the spice. Still, I found the meat was rather dry and missed that juiciness other chicken restaurants deliver. The flavoured coating was quite pasty too and stuck to our fingers, making it messy to eat. At least this restaurant provides wet wipes for you to clean your hands afterwards.<br/>My favourite would be the chips, honestly. The extra Hickory BBQ sauce that we ordered was second to none.

Now, I am no stranger to the famous Melbourne fried chicken staple and institution that is Belles Hot Chicken. It seems that whenever I’ve visited I was so focussed on the food that I completely forgot to take photos... so here is my belated review after about 4-5 visits to the various different store locations.<br/>This particular visit, our party of 3 decided to attempt the Hickory BBQ chicken ribs and the baller bucket: 16 wings, 4 sides and 4 sauces. We got the wings in “medium” (which is not spicy at all but a oily, salty coating of flavour). For sides we got the fries, coleslaw, pickled vegetables and roasted yam salad while for sauces we got the Mississippi Comeback, ranch, blue cheese and BBQ. <br/>The ribs were marinated in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, and were of a good portion size. The chicken ribs and the chicken wings were both juicy and moist, but the outside wasn’t crunchy at all. The coating on the wings can be very salty to some, which is where the dipping sauces come in. They complement the chicken perfectly, and balance out the flavour. The sides were also perfect; balancing out the grease and strong salty flavour of the chicken, they refreshed and cleansed your palate and made you feel slightly less guilty about indulging in a bucket of fried chicken. <br/>My favourite sauce was definitely the Mississippi Comeback, with the BBQ at a close second. I loved all the sides but the yam salad definitely deserves a special mention! <br/>With all this food, my companions and I of course had drinks to help us wash it all down. They opted for wines from the menu, which they said were great. I opted for the homemade lemonade and found the cool sour tang of it refreshing and a great sidekick to the sides (helping wash away the chicken’s salty and oily goodness).<br/>Staff were attentive and friendly, and the vibe was lively and befitting of a Friday evening. <br/>A great option for when you are craving a “dirty feed” and drinks with others.

These guys know their chicken. It’s super moist inside and gorgeous and crunchy on the outside. I paired mine with pickled veg which was good. However next time I think I’ll try the mac’n’cheese

Crispy skin and juicy meat, fries are awesome as well. However, the Medium heat it more like Mild - order at least Hot if you want to taste some spice.<br/>

I am not sure what I was expecting, but from the photos, the chicken looks like it has been fried to a crisp and crunchy golden brown.  What I received was four pale, insipid, soggy and dry chicken tenders.  Maybe it was what I ordered, which was Southern style with coleslaw, and extra for Hickory BBQ Sauce.  Thank goodness for the sauce.  The Mushrooms were at least crispy.  Meals are served on a slice of white bread to soak up the fat.  Not encouraged to ever return

Delicious hot fried chicken. When I am feeling extremely spicy food and unhealthy fried chicken this place is my go to place. Would love to try their waffle with chicken too

Best juicy spicy chickens, but the fries were below average I would say. But nothing to hold me back from coming again. Staff were very friendly and nice.

I was really excited to go to Belle’s for the first time but surprisingly underwhelmed by the chicken. I ordered four hot wings. I found the coating really harshly flavoured - definitely hot (and the temperature of the wings was also so hot I couldn’t pick them up for 5 minutes) but no real flavour beyond the spice kick and, for me at least, overly greasy - they also left an almost chalky aftertaste that wasn’t particularly pleasant. On plus side, the bean salad to accompany was good. The beer on tap (Pirate IPA) was also good. I reckon I would order differently next time - maybe the chicken burger would be a better bet.

Been to this place twice. I got hot tenders with fries. I'd recommend trying different sauces because you can dip the fries and the chicken in it (ranch is a must for me). This is a very filling and satisfying meal and the fried foods won't disappoint.

I’ve ordered here many times from Ubereats and have dined in a couple of times. The food has been consistently delicious. My go to dish is usually the hot tenders and fries with their Mississippi comeback sauce. Oh and their mushrooms ain’t bad either!

Had this hankering for a fat ol’ greasy burger the other day, so what better way to fulfill it than by ordering in Belles spicy fried chicken sandwich. The meat was thick, flavorful and juicy. Loved the seasoning on the fries as well.

Hot chicken ($4 each)<br/>⭐️ 4.5/5 ⭐️<br/>🍴With varying heat levels from southern-really f**ing hot, the fried chicken here is worth trying! Either go for a set of 4 pieces with a side for $17-19 or get single pieces at $4 each. Wanting to try varying heats, we went with the single option. Southern was a classic flavourful fried chicken with a deliciously crisp skin surrounding tender tasty meat. Medium was aromatic but lacked the fiery kick. Hot was true to the American-style hot fried chicken with the spices creating a slightly numbing sensation. They were all enjoyable in their own right<br/>📍Belles Hot Chicken, 150 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065<br/>#cafehoppingkidsmelbourne #cafehoppingfitzroy

Came in for dinner mid week. Food was good (extra pickles yes pls). We had the chicken sandwich and chicken tenders with bean salad and pickled vegetables. We ordered medium which I think might actually translate to mild because there was zero heat? Will order hot next time. Service was prompt and friendly.

Wow... spicy chicken is what we were after, and spicy chicken is what we got!! Everything about Belles is delicious, from the thirst quenching cocktails through to the creamy mac n cheese and coleslaw.<br/><br/>Decked out in diner style, we settled into our booth and ordered both the chicken sandwich and the mushroom sandwich. I love that you can determine what level of spice you want, and we went right down the middle, which was still zingy and incredibly tasty. Both the chicken and the crumbed mushrooms were juicy, and the buns were so good at soaking up the sauces. The obligatory order of chips didn't disappoint either, hot and seasoned well.<br/><br/>The mac n cheese was delicious, as was the creamy coleslaw... both great sides for the sandwiches. Our waitress was lovely, very friendly and helpful with suggestions about the spice levels and cocktail menu. Belles is now added to our visit again list, it was that good.

TL;DR Was a great meal, very good service and hospitable staff. <br/><br/>Having finished a gruelling day of uni that concluded at 6 P.M., it was an hour tram ride back to Fitzroy for a meal at Belle’s. I’d walked past an outlet I’d spotted in the city and googled the organisation, and it turned out they had an outlet in Fitzroy that catered to my busy needs. <br/><br/>As I walked in, I was immediately greeted and seated at the bar. I was offered the menu and I decided on a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, which comes to $18 along with a side, which I decided would be their Old Bay Fries.<br/><br/>I received my meal in a basket that was common in making an association with fried chicken. The sandwich came with cheese, lettuce, a delicious sauce I cannot recall and a spicy chicken breast. 4 pickles were placed on the side to allow for my customisation.<br/><br/>The chicken was the real star (as it no doubt should be); it was extremely crispy and tender to bite into, and the cheese and lettuce supplemented the chicken breast well. The debate on whether or not it classified ‘spicy’ for me still lingers in my head, as I usually go for extremes in terms of spice. However, in being objective, I’d say the chicken was spot on in being spicy but not in burning my tongue. <br/><br/>The pickles were delicious, acidic and combined well with the nature of the sandwich provided. The bread was nicely toasted and was crunchy, as opposed to soggy. <br/><br/>The chips were crinkle cut and reminded me of Mexicrinkles’ version of fries. They were seasoned well but insufficiently in my opinion.<br/><br/>Small details, such as the lack of heat on the chicken, the slight lack of seasoning on the fries and my lack of provision of even a glass of water (the combo does not come with a drink) granted 4 Stars. These were small grievances however, I was extremely satisfied and am considering returning to the outlet for another meal. <br/><br/>

Staff were warm and friendly, service was excellent (thank you tall guy with beard, sorry we didn't catch your name). Chicken really tasty - succulent and generously spiced and the skin was crunchy. Portions are generous, I couldn't finish my basket of 4 wings and side of mac n cheese.

Welldone Morgan for bringing Belles Hot Chicken to aussie!<br/>We all loved it so much.<br/>The hot on the tongue, chips and the coleslaw are perfect combination.<br/>

Best chicken sandwich I’ve had. Was a bit skeptical when I saw the $18 price but it’s actual huge and comes with chips too. The chicken itself was cooked to juicy perfection with the right amount of spice. I can’t really say much about the rest because it was so caught off guard with how good it is. Melbourne bitter on tap couldn’t ask for more. also thanks to lady who gave us random container of sauce through the window. Went perfect with the chips 🙏🏼

This place has limited offerings, but then given the name, it would be to expect anything different. What they do, they do damn well. <br/>When it comes to the level of spice, watch your back, they don’t much around.<br/>A chilli fan, I opted for the ‘Really Hot’, reluctant to go all in, with the ‘Really F**king Hot’. I was flooded with relief for this decision when my nostrils and lips were burning hot fire, 2 wings deep.<br/>That said the chicken was delicious, filling, with the sides all equally delectable. Mac n cheese is a must.

I have been here a few times now and is always a solid meal. Chicken is succulent every time no matter which cut you choose. Chicken tenders with the dipping sauces are a hit. The peach bbq dipping sauce is smoky and fruity, an excellent touch if you choose the medium spiciness. Going for the hot spiced chicken I would recommend something cooler like the ranch as the spice meter can go off the charts if you get anything over 'very hot.'<br/><br/>Chips are crispy and safe bet for a side. I went with the mac n cheese which if you are after something alternative, would recommend!<br/><br/>All in all worth a visit if you are all about chicken. The only downside is it can be pricey as a 'meal' may not be enough to fill the average person. Each time I have ordered extra chicken pieces. <br/>

Came here a month or 2 ago! Had the spicy chicken wings (heavily overpriced) and their spicy chicken sandwich.<br/><br/>To be honest, the wings weren’t the best... or close to the best I’ve had. But they weren’t bad. Didn’t like the fact they charged extra for sauces when customers already were paying a lot for just a few wings. On the other hand, the spicy chicken sandwich was really good! <br/><br/>Will only return if I’m in the area and probably only for the sandwich

The tenders taste like kfc without the grease!! Delicious! The wings are spicy though - I am normally good with spice but these had a lot of heat. And wasn’t even the spiciest ones. The wings have a nice crispness, and the coleslaw mayo has a nice tanginess to it. Unfortunately I’d had many wines before visiting this place so a visit back is on the cards!

Nom nom nom!<br/>Service was really good. Staff were attentive and friendly. As soon as we walked in they seated us straight away. Food also came out pretty quickly. The wings were delicious! Even tried the hot ones (haha definitely underestimated them) did shed one tear haha <br/>Some feedback would be: serving cider or other kinds of beer pls

Real awesome, authentic diner feeling to our dinner. Regrettably ordered the ‘hot’ wings with chips and their spicy mayo sauce to my demise. I struggled handling the heat. Nonetheless, can’t fault their crispy skin and succulent chicken!!

Exceptional customer service, staff are attentive and friendly. It’s easy to have a chat with them. Food was speedy and a great portion size. Love the $2 wings on Tuesday’s, they are huge! The housemade drinks are so good, and cheap! Love the lemonade!

I am Indian so I though I could handle the Really Hot flavors fine. I was wrong. Chicken had me sweating, it was so hot. Probably best to overestimate your ability to handle hot food. The food was great and the service was amazing.

Nashville style hot fried chicken at Melbourne's doorstep. Chef Morgan McGlone, the brainchild behind Belles Hot Chicken and Natural History Bar & Grill, has not only cemented this Tennessee staple as a new Melbourne classic, but as one of my all-time favourites.<br/><br/>The signature dish at Belles is the chicken wings, with an option of tenders, drumsticks, fish or mushrooms also available on the menu. My go-to choice is the wings, prepared with the 'Really Hot' spice blend, and a side of old bay seasoned fries.<br/><br/>The spice blends are what makes this 'Nashville' style chicken. A major component of a typical Nashville spice blend is cayenne pepper, which comes in no short supply here and gives the chicken that vibrant red colour. The heat options range from 'Southern', with no spice but plenty of flavour, all the way through to 'Really Hot'. Take it from a chilli fiend, the spiciness ratings are pretty accurate. Newcomers beware, the latter is not for the faint-hearted.<br/><br/>Amazing fried chicken wouldn't be complete without equally amazing drinks. Morgan McGlone's passion for natural wine lives strong throughout the restaurant. There's an ever changing assortment of natural wines available that pair very well with the chicken. Beer and spirits are of course also available, and can provide temporary relief should you be a bit too ambitious with your heat selection...<br/><br/>This diner style restaurant serves up classic Nashville style fried chicken, and has a special place as one of my favourites. For any fans of incredibly crunchy, tender fried chicken that packs a spicy punch, Belles is a must-visit. If you need any help deciding, I highly recommend the wings with a side of old bay fries and Mississippi Comeback sauce

A great fast food joint. The different spice levels of the chicken is suitable, the chicken and moist and the Mac and cheese is fantastic!! Highly recommend for a cheat meal!

I am usually good with chilli but if you want to take it to the next level, this place is for you. The chilli powder on top of the marinade will make you beg for relief. The sweet potato salad was such a good way to cool down.

We have been here once before and have come back because we are craving for more. The southern tenders were okay, but the hot drumsticks were great! We were immediately seated when we arrived but unfortunately the wait time for the food was more than 30 minutes.. the place was relatively busy when we came but not packed.

Hot chicken and waffle. Wow. What a great combination. The chicken is spicy and salty, fried to the point that the skin is crispy but the inside is still juicy. You combine that with the fluffy waffle and sweet maple syrup, just wow.

This chicken was absolutely delicious. A salty and crunchy coating with juicy flesh. The Gertrude St venue has a trendy diner style set up. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful when deciding what to order. We’ve got to return on the weekend to try the fried chicken and waffles!

Delicious! Finally proper American fried chicken!<br/>Love that they have special deals each day, we were lucky to try their$2 wings that were finger lickin good!<br/>Mac and cheese was bomb and so was the chicken burger. <br/>Staff were lovely and attentive. Great atmosphere, restaurant was clean.<br/>Take your lover, friends and family here for proper American fried chicken!

We came here for lunch on a Monday. The place was pretty quiet and we were seated immediately. We ordered the Southern chicken tenders and Medium chicken wings. There was quite a wait on the chicken tenders as they got our order wrong. The chicken was nicely cooked but wasn't mind blowing. The cardamom lemonade also tasted a little odd as the flavour combination was off putting.

This place has a great vibe and ambiance. Loved the music and the lighting... it just positively added to the whole experience. <br/>Now to the chicken.... It was OK. We didn’t like the fact that it tasted like it had been fried 5 times over. I love a crispy layer but it tasted over fried and it took away from the juices of the chicken. Then again, I appreciate everyone has a different preference when it comes to fried food.

I had the hot chicken. It was prettyyyyyy hot... but good. Besides the chicken everything else was average. If I'm in the area and craving some soul food I might go again.

If you order the bucket you need to be really hungry or have a bit of help! Two of us tried and ultimately failed but it was awesome all the same. This is one of the best places for fried chicken in Melbourne. Staff are great and the everything on the menu is delicious! Also as another reviewer said beware hot means hot!

Been here a few times and always enjoy it.<br/>My favourite thing about Belles is really their blue cheese sauce, which goes so well with the chicken and the fries. Drumstick is my favourite choice of meat because it's moist inside but still has that crispy exterior coating which any fried chicken must have. The wing can be a bit drier because it has more crispy coating and less flesh than the drumstick. The chicken itself is quite tasty, but sometimes I feel it lacks something... It can get quite spicy if you pick the higher heat option, but in my opinion when it's too spicy the spice offsets a bit of the tastiness so I usually just go with Hot or Really Hot. <br/><br/>In terms of sides, the old bay fries are alright but I would prefer them to be a little more crispy. Coleslaw goes well to reduce the heat; because it's a bit drier than usual coleslaw it can taste a bit more salad-y than coleslaw-y which I don't mind but some people might. I probably like the roast yam salad the best out of all the sides because it's appetizing and something different. Not a big fan of the mac and cheese side because the creaminess is a bit too rich to match the fried chicken.<br/><br/>The portion size is quite large but makes sense for the price.<br/>Ambience resembles a typical American diner, very open space so it's a nice place to chat.<br/>Service is good.<br/><br/>Overall one of my favourite fried chicken places in Melbourne to come to, great for people that love spicy food!

Awesome Southern Fried Chicken! Perfectly fried wings with crispy skins and tender juicy meats. Mac n cheese was on point. Love the ambience too. Definitely recommended if you are craving for some southern fried wings.

Coming back from a day of footy and Black Panther my son and I drove past Belle's.<br/>I've wanted to eat here for ages and thought I'd give him a treat as I'd heard good things.<br/><br/>We ordered the Chicken and waffles.  I was eating 1/2 the waffles and some fries and my 9yo was taking on 4 giant chicken tenders, the other 1/2 of the waffles and some of the fries.  <br/><br/>The Waffles were great, fluffy and crunchy with a side of maple syrup. Chips abit oversalted but crunchy.  <br/><br/>Unfortunately for my son, the chicken coating was incredibly salty, He was eating really slowly not wanting to say anything. But I had a taste so when I say salty I mean , covered in salt salty. Not sure if it was just the coating was not mixed properly or both our tastebuds are too sensitive. <br/><br/>Pity.

BEST FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH EVER. I've always wanted to try this place but have always been hesitant due tot he lack of their presence on social media. Ordered their signature chicken sandwich which comes with a choice of a small side for $18. Although it seems pricey at first glance, it's actually pretty standard value wise. Onto the sandwich, a perfectly fried piece of bird with such a crunchy coating yet so succulent inside. The belles sauce adds a nice kick but isn't overpowering. Everything in this just works. I can't wait to come back.

So I firstly I would like to say, I USE to love this place. I always order the mushroom sandwich or the hot chicken sandwich with Mac & cheese and fries on the side. Food was always great! However my last experience was terrible.. They used an old chicken that they already deep fried earlier and probably deep fried it again to make my burger. The chicken was hard... like it was all dried up, I would describe the texture like cooked pasta that you’ve placed in the fridge without glad wrap and the top half that was exposed to the air dried out, then instead of throwing it out you deep fry that piece... It was so bad that it made me sick because half of edible and half was not. It’s very disappointing because I loved this place. The Mac & cheese is to die for. But I wouldn’t come back. If the chefs were saving food... i would advise the chefs to a least cut out the dried parts.

Definitely go for the chicken and waffles if you've come on the weekend. Decadent and accompanied with sweet syrup it's truly one of the best chicken waffles I've had. Fried chicken is coated and fried to perfection. <br/>It's a shame that it's not the regular menu. <br/>Coleslaw was a nice side to break through all the fried and oiliness. Would've preferred it a little creamier from what I remember.<br/><br/>Felt like their Medium heat wasn't spicy at all. Would definitely consider going for hot. Go hard or go home, right?<br/><br/>Lots of food, great, fun personable service. Great detail on the decor. Bring a couple of your mates here for a nice solid feed!

Came here around 1pm for my birthday lunch with my cousin. We walked in and was instantly greeted by the smell of deliciously fried chicken, the restaurant was dressed with warms lights which created a warm, comfortable atmosphere. <br/><br/>Food: since it was an occasion, I would say we kind of over ordered. <br/>- medium heat chicken tenders with a side of coleslaw<br/>-Chicken wings (med heat) and waffles with a side of Mac n cheese <br/>- fries <br/><br/>1. The chicken and waffles were really the highlight of the whole meal. The wings had a nice heat to it without it being overly spicy. The soft waffle really created a different sensation in my mouth while pairing it with the incredibly tender chicken. Fortunately just for the right touch when it gets too heated the maple syrup comes and saves the day, by cutting it down with its subtle sweetness. <br/><br/>2. Ok coleslaw and chicken were shockingly good as well, although the tenders weren’t as tender as I wished it was alright. With all the heavy, oily food going around ordering the coleslaw was the right decision. I haven’t had a lot of good coleslaw in my life, but this one really tops the notch. There was a right amount of dressing to cover all of the cabbages so the veggies still retained its refreshing crisp. Amazing! <br/><br/>3 Mac & cheese and fries:<br/>Heard great things about the fried so we decided to order them as well, the chips were flavoured to perfection and had an amazing crunch to it! It was flavoured with this herby/salty seasoning which complimented everything really well. <br/>Mac n cheese: ok I insisted on ordering this because I haven’t really tasted restaurant made Mac n cheese (yep only the boxed stuff). This one was really cheesy but flavoured with the right seasoning so it wasn’t cheese overload. Hence the name “Mac n CHEESE” It was really a good balance between cheese and the exceptional seasoning they put inside. <br/><br/>Service: the man who guided us through the menu, since it was our first time was extremely nice and helpful! Food came out fairly fast so we didn’t need to wait for long.

Not too bad with chicken and nice suggestion from staff. We had dinner with Buffalo wings, really hot drumstick - salad, peach bbq ribs and mushrooms - mac and cheese.. all of them was nice. Thanks

This was my first introduction to Belle famous chicken wings. I first tried hot (which has good level of heat) and slowly worked my way up to really f@$k’n hot. <br/>On my last visit I was a little disappointed that the spiciness just wasn’t there. They do offer off menu selections however they won’t accommodate during the peak lunch and dinner periods.

Omg I want some right now. This place makes my favourite fried chicken. It the only place that lets you choose your spicy level and isn’t sweet. Love love love their chick and chip and sides and the favour saver bread too.

Pretty good place for fried chicken with an American twist. I got the medium heat chicken wings, with mac & cheese as the side, and 3 dipping sauces for an extra $5 (blue cheese, peach BBQ and Mississippi comeback). The chicken itself was slightly oily, and you can see some unplucked feathers sticking out at the end of the wings. The taste was better than average, but still not as good as KFC (my favourite junk food). Mac & cheese was done very well and I prefer it over the chicken. The sauces were OK, nothing special to be honest, I didn't like the blue cheese and don't know why it is called peach BBQ as I couldn't taste any hints of peach flavours. Service was fantastic though, staff were very attentive and nice. The price could be lowered as I believe it is quite pricey for what it is. I would have given a rating 4 if it is less pricey.

I love my fried chicken, and the chicken wings at Belle's are nice, although the skin is perhaps a little more oily and firmer than how I usually like it. Chips are very good and sides of mac and cheese and coleslaw are fine. The mushroom was a little burnt...not sure if this was the intended effect. In terms of chilliness, I had 'medium' which wasn't very spicy, and my friend had 'really hot' which was definitely more spicy but still tolerable. Overall, decent fried chicken but a little flavourless compared to my 'gold standard' at KFC.

Great fried chicken, the hot chicken sandwich is my go to.<br/>The sides can be a bit hit and miss so i just stick with the fries or slaw. <br/>Definitely worth checking out.

Really enjoyed my meal here. The chips were crispy and hot and the chicken tenders were tasty (and really bloody spicy with the "hot" heat). Ranch was great too. The belles cocktails were tasty (had the tequila and bourbon-based ones) and the drinks selection was great. My only critique is that food is on the pricier end of the fried chicken restaurant scale. Woukd go back!

One of the earlier American-style diners in Melbourne (I think I first visited this branch in 2015..), fried chicken is what you head here for. I like that you can select your choice of spice-level. Being a veteran spice-eater and lover - I chose Hot (trust me, this is enough!).<br/>I went with tenders and a side of coleslaw. May try the Mac and Cheese next!<br/>Service is quick, staff friendly.

Food; “chicken sandwich with pickled veg, chicken tenders with coleslaw, the sandwich and tenders really enjoyable, though the pickled veg I wish ordered a different side. Coleslaw generous serve, couldn’t finish it all.<br/>Service: was very good, greeted when we came in, food came out quick <br/>Ambience. Nice and bright with north facing windows. The old bench steering I’m not a fan of, you can feel every movement thru the seat of the person you’re sitting back to back with.<br/>

They had my curiosity with their tenders, now they have my attention with the chicken sandwich.<br/>Possibly the best chicken shop out there. Better than Nandos, and their 'hot' is actually hot, unlike said competitor. I consider myself fairly heat resistant, but the 'Really Hot' option is right on my limit, especially the tenders, which don't have the soothing bread to go with it. 'Really F**king Hot' is only for absolute freaks of nature, and I believe the waitress who tells me its put people in hospital before.<br/>Order with caution

Amazing chicken wings and especially the mac and cheese! Though the weather was hot and the drink wasn't as cold as I hoped it would be. Other than that definitely will go back !

A sleek, modern American style diner serving fantastic fried chicken. Very effective and simple menu with chicken in various cuts and heats (I recommend the tenders in medium) paired with sides including mac and cheese! Each dish served with pickles which help balance the saltiness and love how the meat is served on a piece of bread to soak up the oil.

This is actually amongst the best hot chicken you can get, full stop. I've had a LOT of friend chicken of all different kinds, I have never had hot wings like belle's. It's amazing, it's hot, it's heavy, I can't eat it more than once every few weeks, but when that gap opens up and I start getting the chicken cravings, there's only one place I know will satisfy.

My favourite spicy chicken ever!When I look at my UxxxEATs record, I see a sea of Belles orders. When visiting the restaurant, the service is quick and for me, the food consistently spot on (very spicy and yummy).

Some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten!<br/>They give you several options in terms of heat to choose from, as well as serval sides you can get with your meal 😊<br/>Staff are friendly and wait times aren’t too long. <br/>The chicken does come out really hot so don’t do what we did and bite into it straight away because that hot oil isn’t merciful 😂. <br/>Definitely try and book in advance because it does get busy in the evenings. However, they do have a waiting area which you can read over the menu and order some drinks instead of outside/doorway.

We happened to be in the area and felt like eating some chicken so we stopped at this place. Luckily for us, there was a chicken and waffle special that was only available on the weekends so we ordered that. We also ordered the normal wings, with mac and cheese as the side.<br/>In terms of the flavour of the chicken, I thought it wasn't bad. I really enjoyed their waffles and the mac and cheese, thought it tasted quite nice.

Got recommended to come here by my sister who loves this place! We came here Saturday night at 7pm and the there was a waiting line. Luckily we got a seat at the bar within 10 minutes (yay!). The atmosphere was great; good music and good vibe. The staff was so quick on their feet and prompt with taking orders and serving food+ drinks. We ordered the drums (southern heat), wings (medium) and a side of fries and mac and cheese. Each meal was $17 but the portion was so worth it! My southern heat drums were juicy and tender. I wish I got medium heat though because medium was ++ more flavoursome and not spicy at all. My partner wish he got hot instead because he wanted a spicy kick. The chips and mac and cheese was so yum! Such great side dishes! 100% will be coming back!

Just the thought of Belle's hot chicken makes my mouth water!!! Sooooo good southern fried chicken! We love our spicy food and really f**kin hot is up there with the best! The bay fries are fabulously crunchy and the slaw is fresh. We also love the mushroom (yes, really) and you can't go past the chicken and waffles on weekends.

Awesome chicken, great service, good drinks. Can't beat some good fried chicken - follow that up with some tasty sidr dishes and you got yourself a winner!

Initially wandered in here because the giant 'WINE' sign made us think it was a bar! The wine is pretty expensive so we didn't have any of that. The beer was good. We also shared some wings which were really good. We got the medium heat which was not spicy at all but full of flavour. The wings also had a lot of meat on them which justified the price ($17 for four wings!) and the chips were loaded with spices and very salty but very nice. Would come back if I lived in the area.

Oh Belle's, you're always just so tasty but your portions are just never satisfying. Never, ever left disappointed by my meal, just wanting for more!

Collins Square venue.<br/>I ordered the chicken tenders with coleslaw. The chicken was hot, fresh, and spicy (I ordered the equivalent of medium). The flavour wasn't outstanding. There was not enough coleslaw, given it was a replacement for chips (see attached picture). It was a bit pricy (~$17-$19). It was a bit of a let down after many months of waiting for it to open. Having said that, the quality was there, and the staff were friendly. I will be going back to try the drumsticks and burger (to be fair, you know). <br/>

Southern fried chicken at its best. Also, when their menu says Hot, it is HOT. Take it from an Indian who can handle heat. Do not underestimate that warning. I have tried everything on their 'Meat' section of the menu and my favourite has to be the wings. Love their coleslaw and pickles as well. Not a big fan of their old bay fries. The sandwich is not so bad too. Give it a go if you still haven't.

I ordered the hot wings, it's really nice if you like spicy wings. Excellent service as well! Would come back for more. <br/>Best fried chicken I've had<br/>

Visited the one at Barangaroo site!<br/><br/>It was love through WOM and <br/><br/>It was love through the taste bud.<br/><br/>Thank you Belle's for your spicy chicken!

Belles hot chicken is chicken done right, you can choose your level of spice and the chicken is crunchy on the outside but moist and tender inside, I go for the wings as they are massive and have a great flavour, I pair with old bay fries., mac and cheese is good but not the best could have more cheesy flavour, the pickled veg is too gingery for me, the coleslaw is quite nice but my choice is the fries. for nashville hot chicken belles does it best.

Landing late on a Friday night = ordering Belle’s Hot Chicken via UberEats. You can customise the heat of the chicken by selecting the choice of spice which ranges from Southern to Really F**king Hot. We paired our wings with mac and cheese, fries and their delicious coleslaw

Omg! This place is still amazing. Evil 36253245 calories per visit. But wow! Phenomenal fried chicken. Awesome dipping sauces! I can't eat fried chicken anywhere else. The best. Great service too. Even when super busy. Good staff.

This is the second time I've been and I ordered the extra hot chicken. Honestly, soooo disgusting. It's just chicken that's been coated in chilli powder, and it's so bad. There's no actual attempt to have any flavour, it's just going for heat and it was horrible. Just imagine having a heap of grainy chilli powder in your mouth. Such a disappointment since they are spoken of so highly. If you go- don't bother with adding spice to your chicken, it is not worth the pain and disgust you'll endure.

I really wanted to love Belle's Hot Chicken, but it was such a disappointment for me. Came with a friend last Sunday, and he ordered hot wings with BBQ sauce and pickled vegetables. I ordered medium wings with ranch and fries. The chicken meat itself was nicely cooked. But the coating was a terrible wet powdery consistency, like they smothered the cooked chicken in smoked paprika seasoning, and that's it. There was no heat in the "medium" level. My friend's hot wings were slightly better but still had too much powdery taste! Really poorly devised. Fries were OK. Pickled vegetables were a sweet gherkin flavour, would have been better as dill pickles. :(

Deadset that good. This chicken was peng. And the chippies were the greatest golden straws of love that my tongue has ever caressed. The secret combination of spice and crunch is a privilege to man kind, it is the reason chickens were put on this earth. For the great gal bal to season and spice the bad boys in order to give man what he wants. Fri chick.

Spicy chicken is way too hot. I tasted nothing but hot and bitter. Don't get me wrong I love spicy food but I probably expect too much. <br/>Staff was nice and friendly. Ambient was great and drink list is standard. Good for hangout with friends.

Very nice place to have some fried chicken and sides. You order the type of meat, side and sauce that goes with it. Nice variety of sides to choose from. Mac & cheese was surprisingly good . Will visit again .

A little pricey but good overall. The chicken is nice, good range of choices for your preferred level of spice. Nice seating inside and friendly staff, outside seats aren't very comfortable.

Giddy up. Nothing better than deep fried chicken tenderloins soaked in butter milk. Holy moly this place is the shiz. My buddy burnt his arsehole out eating the 'f*cking hottest chicken' it was funny

Average Chicken but there is better in Melbourne!<br/><br/>This place is nice and super busy so we popped in one night going for the chicken. The service was a little slow and when the food came out it was not the best. The chicken a bit on the greasy side i mean i love fried chicken but this left my fingers oily and the chips were soft with lots of chicken salt once of my lest favorite things i prefer the classic type for my chips and for them to be more crunchy. <br/>I love pickles and they were the best thing on this plate it brings a good freshness to the dish <br/>This place was ok and i would go back if some one invited me but wouldn't go back by myself. <br/><br/>Restaurant Type: Casual/ Fast food but eat in

Chicken is really good, wine list is really good. Service usually great but on our last trip there it was slow with attitude. Still overall it's a pretty great experience.

Great consistent feed.<br/>The slaw is devine, not sure how one of the best fried chicken in AUS isn't rated above. The sauces are delicious and blend in very nicely with the chicken. A must try for fried chicken lovers! On that note I'll be there tomorrow :)

Under the guidance of Chef Morgan McGlone (Belles Hot Chicken) and wine expert Mark Protheroe, the bar serves delicious small plates in homage to chefs from MasterClasses past, complemented by an exclusively Victorian wine list. Think falling off the bone beef short rib inspired by David Chang (Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York), and perfectly grilled swordfish, parley, mussels inspired by Christian Puglisi (Relæ, Copenhagen). Simply delicious!

Just been there for lunch for the first time and left with mix feelings. Arrived at 12:05,about 20 people waiting to order (good sign!) To compensate my 5-km walk, I ordered chicken sandwich with fries & chicken tenders with pickled vegetables. The sandwich can live up to its fame, juicy tender tasty, 3.5 stars. But I definitely wouldn't recommend chicken tenders to anyone, 4 pieces dry and so so so salty sticks. 2 stars I applaud to myself for finishing them all. Fries just ok, vegetables less ok. Maybe I will go back for its sandwich, everything else NO NO NO

Woah. Woah. Woah! I freaking love belles! The chicken really is that good! Like every time, always. Delicious sides and super generous serves. The drinks menu is also great. Try the cardemon lemonade it is off the hook good. Southern tenders, blue cheese dressing extra pickles, do it and thank me later.

Great food and sexy staff. Established a fantastic rapport with the bearded, bespectacled man. His charisma and tact is to be commended and definitely something I'll be returning to experience again and again.

First time eating here and I got the southern fried tenders. The chicken was so flavourless it tasted like nothing. The chicken was anything but crunchy it was quite soggy. The chips were quite tasty but that's about it. I don't think I'll be dining here again.

Fried chicken on point, mild is recommended always packed can't book and they sell long neck beers! The chicken sandwich is real good and deffs the mac and cheese but order more then one you'll need it!

Best fried chicken I've had in Melbourne - real Nashville style. <br/><br/>Really enjoyed this place, it reminded me a lot of the states. It's Nashville styled fried chicken for those that are wondering if it's a little different to what expected. I had hot, the hottest one is probably too much for me, despite the fact I love hot food.<br/><br/>Definitely go the drumsticks or wings, the tenders aren't as juicy. I loved the Mac and cheese but didn't like that you had to get it extra as a side. <br/><br/>Good drink selection and real cool vibe, which is expected of this area.

Friendly staff, great tasting hot chicken, we ordered really hot and it was indeed! Been wanting to try this place after friends recommended it. It was worth it. Next time we'll order the waffles cos they looked pretty good on plate near us. Very happy with our chicken and a side of slaw.

Wow, it was such a random choice to walk into this hidden gem, but walked out with 100% satisfaction!! <br/>Fried chicken has became such popular dishes nowadays, both in Korean food and typical American food. <br/>Low price range, you order the type of meat, level of spiciness and a side, each cost between $ 14-18, serving is as big as a proper main course, recommending the Southern level of Heat (spiciness) on Chicken wings! Super yummy!! Also recommending Hot Drumstick!!! <br/>Hope u all like it Xx<br/>

Belle's chicken? I don't know what you feed those chicken but they are tasty and juicy. The seasonal on the chicken is so different to KFC, korean fried chicken and southern fried chicken, it has a lot of flavour on it no need for sauce. The chicken burger are a hit here must try. Fried oyster is something different and it goes well with alcohol. I have to say I have never tasted such great Mac and cheese before in my life, just wish it was a bigger serve. The drinks here are amazing too, love sitting outside in spring with the nice sun shinny on me while having some alcohol and fried chicken. Yes this place is children friendly, maybe not pram as it a bit small inside and there is no high chair but don't worry they also do take away here.

Cost: $30-$40 PP<br/>Ambience: American diner casual<br/>Stand Out Items: Fried chicken, pickled vegetables, coleslaw. All the food really.<br/><br/>What can i Say? This is one of mine and my husbands favourite places to eat in Melbourne. We usually go for the Souther, Hot and Really F***ing Hot Chicken here. The service can be slow as the food is freshly fried and because the place is always busy. BUT, the wait is always worth it. The chicken comes with a side of your choice and a slice of bread.<br/><br/>Heres a secret: the slice of bread,  soaks in some of the goodness. Wrap some of the chicken with that, and dip it in a sauce(which you order separately) and you have heaven.<br/><br/>Belle's Hot Chicken is truly good, and yes when they say Really F***ing Hot, they mean it.

Ahhh I didn't get to try any of the spicy ones so maybe that's why my experience is more disappointing. But because of those rave reviews I guess I expected something mind blowing, I tried the southern and medium chicken. It's juicy and tender, crispy yes! But the flavour just kinda lacks a punch; do not eat this first thing of the day maybe that's why I felt sick from all the grease. Broccoli salad is nice, waffles are really good for the first few bites then it gets so greasy and heavy. Overall I would only come back to take a friend here for them to try this sort of flavour/food but I do think portions are small and a little overpriced!<br/><br/>Also this place uses halal chicken if anyone needed to know!

Can you believe I've never had fried chicken other than from KFC before? The Korean fried chicken trend is strong but like burgers we've never perused it. I do love Belleville's rotisserie chicken though, but we've never been to Belle's Hot Chicken till now, conveniently near tonight's event. At 8pm the peak of dinner on a Saturday night Belles was alive and booked out as a bar. We sat at the bar around the corner, behind a soda machine. There're booths but at peak hour a table for one will be at the counter. Metal, reflective with water stains.

I have a holy trinity of foods…Burgers, Donuts and last but not least, Fried Chicken! Whoever thought of covering raw chicken with flour and spices, and plunging it into hot oil is no doubt the greatest human who ever lived. Belles Hot Chicken has been around for a little while, but certainly got the ball rolling in Melbourne in regards to the Fried Chicken hype. Their hot chicken is amazing, and justly so considering the effort that goes into it. Going with my mates Tony, Chris and DJ; we came, we saw, and we devoured!

Bucket of chicken is always the answer. Shared between 3 of us was quite the feast. I think the recommendation is 4 or so. But we don't need no rules. We mixed up the spicy levels with half and half. Half being regular and half being hot. It was chicken Russian roulette when taking pieces out of the bucket. I like spicy things. But the hot chicken here is off the hook. I got sweaty just picking some of the pieces up. But it was tasty and I couldn't stop. I apologize to all the other customers for taking half the napkins to wipe my forehead sweat.

First time to Belle's Hot Chicken and we ordered the southern fried chicken tenders with fries, the chicken ribs with peach BBQ and an additional side of the mix bean salad. <br/><br/>The southern fried chicken tenders were cooked to perfection. The batter was really tasty. The fries were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. My favourite is the chicken ribs in peach BBQ. The sauce is so flavoursome. <br/><br/>I find the price a bit steep but the yummy food makes up for it. Service was a little slow as we waited quite a long while for our food after ordering it while we see all the UberEats orders being churned out first. The restaurant is busy so make sure you head there earlier to secure a table otherwise you'd probably have to wait for a table.

Amazingly cooked chicken wings. I got the baller bucket with a couple of friends, easily filled up 3 big eaters. Big wings, cooked perfectly and came with pickles which I LOVE!!. Can't wait to go back to try other things on the menu. (Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the selection of sides is restricted, and I would've thought maybe they could have more traditional sides -potato salad, collared greens, beans- that's type of thing.

It was time to catch up with the baby cousins and we were wondering the streets looking for a great feed. We chanced upon Belle’s Hot Chicken and since the group comprised mostly of teenage boys, we were sure that this will satisfy them. We walked in at 8PM with a group of 9 and they didn’t have space, asking us to come back in 15mins so they can set up. Again we wondered the streets and 15minutes later, we high tailed it back and sat our tooshies down.

Absolute massive fan of Belles Hot Chicken! Went to the Fitzroy location, and were able to nab seats straight away. Food wise, I had the weekend 'Hot Chicken and Waffles' recurring special! <br/><br/>The spicy, juicy chicken; as well as the sweetness of the waffles + maple syrup worked amazingly together! Also got a as it's labelled, 'Really F*cking Hot' Spiced Tender. This was actually still pretty tasty, but definitely not for those who aren't chilliheads like me.<br/><br/>Service was efficient, and the drinks were great! Definitely recommend for a well priced feed to spice up your life.

Their chicken n fries so hot so good! A place that has to visit once a month at least. Third times for me included one uber eat for the pass 3 months. Don't go for fu*king hot if you aren't master of spicy food lol

I could not stomach the sh#* they served me at this place. I lived in the US for 2 years and was never served anything as horrifyingly oily as my chicken burger. I can't comment on the flavour because we left in disgust without touching it. If Maccas or KFC served this food there would be a public health outcry.

Sigh I wanted to love this place, but hard plastic/ a stone in your food and chipped teeth are a no-no.<br/><br/>The good:<br/>When they say hot, they mean hot. And if you're out to chase that 'hot sauce high', well, they deliver.<br/>The portions are good.<br/>The chicken is generally well cooked and succulent.<br/>Beers on tap.<br/>An interesting selection of wines.<br/>Good lay out<br/>Nice staff and generally good service.<br/><br/>The bad: <br/>The flavour on "really hot" and above is average. The powdery taste of 'spice powder combo' is a bit overwhelming. BUT! I just love spicy food.<br/><br/>Coleslaw lacked a bit of flavour but maybe that's best given the oily chicken. <br/><br/>Chicken was a bit too oily for my taste.<br/><br/>First time I was there they lost my order and I sat there for an hour until they realised. But, they were super kind and it was on the house. <br/><br/>Some of the produce they sell seems overpriced. However, having never paid because of issues that have occurred, I can't comment. <br/><br/>The ugly:<br/><br/>The saddest part of all. Unfortunately, when eating their coleslaw, there was a small solid shard in my food which chipped my teeth when I bit on it. <br/><br/>Lucky for me, I work in a field that can repair such things and they will likely get off.<br/><br/>It goes without saying, they kindly flipped the bill on this one too. <br/><br/>They were kind enough to investigate so that when I rang them they could identify what the piece was and the manager was empathetic.<br/><br/>Final say:<br/>I understand it was an accident, but: <br/><br/>1. Having particles in your food is a 'no-no' and you automatically fail. It is dangerous. <br/><br/>2. Not putting an order through is an amateur move.<br/><br/>I may return one day to try some other stuff. But! considering I'll probably repair my own teeth, I may wait for them to cordially invite me and sweeten the deal.

One of the only places in Melbourne to get some authentic hot chicken. However in previous months they have stopped serving thighs, which are one of the best pieces in fried chicken, bad move! <br/><br/>

Best Chicken in Melbourne hand down.<br/>Wings can get messy, but I suggest the durum sticks with mixed bean salad and blue cheese dipping sauce. Get The Arnoldo if you're thirsty as it pairs well with the meal.

Really bad service here. Our group did not had any extra food and this restaurant billed us more food. Unclear reason and no evidence we had extra food. This place is just a disgust.

Overpriced- under flavoured.<br/>The staff were fun and helpful but the food was a huge let down. The chicken wings were very dry and tasteless, and not very spicy. The tenders were also badly over cooked and flavourless. The mac and cheese tasted of processed plastic cheese too.<br/>Really if you want spicy chicken, go to Nandos it's better quality and better value.

Nice venue, friendly staff and generous portion sizes. The chicken and sides were nice. I think things might be a little on the pricy side, but all in all a decent spot for lunch.

Food was OK but takeaway order on Cup Day was incorrect - missing some items. Need to check food orders picked up from this place. Sides were also relatively expensive: $5.50 for a tiny tub of salad.

Hot delicious fried chicken in a super fresh white roll - moreish, hot, tasty - amazing can't wait to try more - fab fun staff who are pretty cool but unpretentious

Is it possible to ramp up the heat on the really hot sauce? We specifically ventured down hearing word of scorching heat. The food was enjoyable enough, but there was a ceiling on the heat. Please reserve and provide a fiery haven for us; for those who want our ears to ring, have an inability to talk and whom temporarily levitate across the room. <br/>

I couldn't wait to get to belles to try some chicken. But from the time i walked in I was disappointed. Read an article from "urban Melbourne" saying they had some of Melbourne's best Mac n cheese i asked the waiter for a serve to which i was told it's only there some days and today wasn't one of them. Then we ordered, I had the southern chicken which is not southern chicken. It had no herbs or spices as southern chicken does nor any seasoning. My friend who ordered "hot chicken" was greeted with smothered on raw dry spice which had not absorbed into the chicken at all because no moisture was used to coat it. Her chicken tenders were also very dry. Won't be coming back. Horrible experience.

Yummy chicken, great crunch, spicy sauce!! If you're after fried chicken fix, this is it!! Won't be disappointed! Glad they have UberEATS delivery too!

Love this place!! <br/><br/>Not only do they have amazing fried chicken and sides but they make an inexcusably delicious sundae (which a believe is under rated). They tend to mix up the flavours weekly but my favourite would of been the soft serve mixed with pistachio praline. So damn good!! <br/><br/>My go to are the medium tenderloins with a side of fried and broccoli and almond salad. When I'm sharing I'll also order the mac and cheese - also a highlight in their menu. <br/><br/>Good vibes all around at Belle's hot chicken.

I quite like spicy food so I was keen to try this place for a while. Loved the buffalo wings. The ranch sauce is what makes the chicken special. You can also get mild chicken if you don't like hot food.

I went here with a friend for lunch. My friend ordered the tenderloins and I ordered the drumsticks, hers came with old bay fries and mine came with almond broccoli salad and peach BBQ sauce. Both of us ordered medium because we're wimps hehehe jk I'm not meant to eat spicy food anymore. The medium wasn't spicy at all it was just smoky and nice, the pickles and broccoli salad had a small bit of heat. My drumsticks were really delicious, tender and messy however my friend complained that her tenderloins were too dry. I tried them and they were a bit dry but still not as dry as Gami. The old bay fries were crinkle cut chips they were ok, I'm not a huge fan of crinkle cut chips. The broccoli salad wasn't that great, I'd order another side next time. The staff here were friendly enough. I think they need to change their booth chairs because they rock too much. I had to move spots because a kid was bouncing around behind me and even after that the seat moved when people behind us moved and I sometimes have problems sitting still so they probably felt me moving around. I'd come back here and probably try the chicken and waffles.

Great place for a dirty greasy meal with mates. Baller bucket is the way to go, wash it down with a bourbon and coke, southern-style. Chicken isn't like mama cooks it back in AL but it'll do for what Melbourne has to offer. Staff are efficient but not overly nice. But go for the food, drinks and a good night with friends!

Went here with a friend last weekend. Pretty good time. I struggle to eat wings (or anything really) with any kind of grace and/or dignity, so I opted for the tenders. She got the wings. We did do tradesies at one stage just to mix things up, but that was a terrible idea because as implied by my earlier comment, I just can't eat wings. The establishment cannot however be held accountable for my lack of eating skills, so I have removed no points due to this minor hiccup in what was otherwise a very fine evening. <br/><br/>Why are people so hung up on wings anyway? I'm always being told that 'the wings are the best!' and this is completely lost on me; both because eating wings is basically physically impossible and because the few times I've successfully managed to remove some flesh from a wing so that I might sample it, I have just not seen what all the fuss was about. Give me a nice, easy tender any day. You wing fans can scoff at me from your ivory tower or whatever all you like. I like tenders. <br/><br/>So we got our chicken hot. It was hot. Can't really complain about that since we quite literally asked for it. Keep that in mind though, this is not the sort of place where 'hot' means 'mild' and 'mild' means 'venti' or whatever. Hot is pretty hot. Still flavourful though, and I loved the addition of pickle slices and a slice of bread under the chicken to soak up extra sauce. I really like bread. Basically if you want to impress me, just give me some bread. (+4.5).<br/><br/>We got chips and pickled vegetables on the side, the chips were chips. The pickled vegetables were pickled vegetables. Decent enough to be worth mentioning, which is what I have done. <br/><br/>Drank some orange wine, never had orange wine before. Not sure if it was worth $14 a glass, but it was pretty nice. <br/><br/>All in all, fairly top place. Service was good too. Probably worth a return trip next time I'm in town.

The Chicken Wings were surprisingly delicious. Initially expecting something akin to KFC wicked wings, these were a step above. The light batter was flavourful and seasoned with a nice level of spice and bold flavours. With just the right amount of crunch, the enclosed meaty protein was exceedingly juicy and tender with a great chicken aroma. The only qualms are that the wings became increasingly salty as the meal progressed.<br/> <br/>Overall a half decent fried chicken joint, although nothing was entirely that spectacular but was enjoyable overall.

So my first impressions where this place looks like a cool place. Dimmed lights, booths, nice bar area friendly staff. But on closer examination I found the layout not a good fit for it. I noticed all the booths where taken up by 2 people which I found odd. They had a huge bar area which I though was wasteful because the area could have been utilized better by adding more seating <br/>Food; the service was great. Our waitress was really lovely and helpful. But the chicken tenders where a let down. The where not tender at all the where actually rubbery. We opted for no heat on the chicken. The fish was delightful and the coleslaw was yum. I think they needed a BBQ sauce on the menu. And there wasn't any sort of dessert on the menu which I thought was a lost opportunity on there behalf because we went elsewhere for it. After we left we second guessed our choice of tenders and maybe should have had the wings. Didn't get to try the Mac and Cheese as they had run out. Might go back if in the area but won't go out of my way.

Finger licking good.

Rating Belle's hot chicken 3.5 or less, is like rating Radiohead's 'OK Computer' a 7 from 10...You don't get it, or it happened you listended to the album/ordered the chicken on an off day, and thats ok... The chicken is friggin fantastic, you gotta go more than one time to find the exact right level of hot-ness for you (and if you don't like it hot, juicy and scrumptious, by all means go to Gami for some bland sh*t that shouldnt be compared as it aint the same). The wings are soft, juicy and the basting is bloody unreal, it doesn't dominate the chicken and the spots where the wing doesn't have much meat, it is just thick and crispy enough that you can't wait to chomp it down anyway...feel free to throw on some amazing blue cheese dip on it so it can swirl in your mouth together with the hot-ness of the chicken for a few last seconds before it disappears as it's so damn easy to eat. Perhaps the service aint always great, but it's never got in the way of my full enjoyment of this place. As well, if you don't like the service, good on ya, leave a review here, give feedback, let's see how/if they respond. It's a skill to give feedback and takes even bigger skill to accept it and take it on.

I would be happy to eat here at least once a week, but then again, who doesn't love fried chicken?! Simple friend food which is, let's face it, difficult for the kitchen to stuff up. It's a foolproof business model and I'm just annoyed I didn't think of it first. Bravo.

Had my lunch delivered via ubereats today. Didn't have time to take a proper photo as my tummy was grumbling. Ordered the most spicy chicken tenders with pickled veges. Reckon the price is too much for 4 pieces of chicken tenders with some chilli flakes and flavourings. It wasn't too dry but juicy either. Was a tad bit disappointed given the high ratings on Zomato

Dined here on a Wed night - place was busy but we were lucky enough to get a booth when we arrived. We were first timers and the waitress was very friendly and patient explaining the menu in detail to us. I enjoyed the drumsticks (hot) with the slaw - 3 decent size, meaty and juicy drumsticks with such a big bang of flavour - my lips were numb afterwards but it was definitely a good feeling! Hubby enjoyed the chicken sandwich (aka burger) with the fries. Have heard and read so much about this chain and how good the fried chicken is here and so glad we finally got to try it. Very enjoyable and will return again for sure. To be noted that I'm not usually a big fan of fried chicken but I really enjoyed the food here and will return again for my next fried chicken fix.

Wasnt the biggest fan here got some chick 'hot' and it tasted like cayenne pepper and nothing else good beers on tap and lovely staff maybe next time belle

I'm lucky enough to be able to see Belle's from my office. So of course it took me until now to visit. It was so good- I wish it hadn't taken so long!  Started with a diet coke in a glass bottle and some window watching. I chose the Hot Fish Sandwich with fries for $16. . The bun was soft, the fish was in a spicy coating and it was packed with pickles,  coleslaw and sauce. Yum! Great chips too.

Great chicken here. The chicken is crisp and juicy at the same time rivals the korean style fried chicken. Sides are ok the slaw we had was pretty bland. Great service and i would come back in a heart beat!Caroleezy

Oh how I do love my diners! Haven't been to too many in recent times (anybody remember the Pink Cadillac Cafe in Knox City oh some 25 odd years ago...or how about Soda Rock on Chapel street, love this place although last time I went a few years back it did need some TLC as it had seen better days...) Well Belle's didn't disappoint! The chicken was so tender and the slaw a perfect match..(fries were very good too) But for me the atmosphere was what made it all a great night to remember. We were seated on stools at the bar (love that) and I so enjoy observing the barstaff in action...the neon sign (couldnt stop staring at that -well it WAS in my face-maybe cause it was my birthday too...the place conjured up so many memories of times gone by...and the barman got extra points for calling my husband "sir"<br/>...all of these points created the "perfect night "and the perfect score

I like the vibe of this place but unfortunately the service tends to disappoint. The chicken is undoubtedly very tasty but staff could improve their service for sure. One waitress left the blue cheese sauce in an awkward position on our table, such that it tipped over when I moved my chicken. When I called her over to explain what had happened she said 'no worries!' and grabbed me another one....but I was very surprised when the extra sauce appeared on my bill!

Not sure what all the fuss is about this joint <br/>No better than fast food from chicken shop<br/>Charge extra for a bit of ordinary sauce on the side<br/>And don't serve coffee! In Melbourne!

Recommended: buffalo wings - juicy and flavorsome.<br/>Ordered the 'Hot' drumsticks, was a bit too hot for me unfortunately but the texture was great. For me, it lacked that "wow" factor hence the rating.

Moist, tasty chicken in good sized serves. We tried the chicken sandwich, which was really tasty, plus southern & medium tenders, with fries. The pickles were crunchy & sharp, and the perfect foil for the fried food. The tables fill fast, so go early. The only thing we didn't like was the house made ketchup, which was smoky & thin.

The chicken was succulent and really hit the spot. I would definitely return but would ask them to go easier on the seasoning as 'moderate' had the effect of my mouth being on fire (I'm usually fine with hot food). Luckily, the generous side serving of slaw cooled things down. Portions were huge and service was great.

Belle's is easiest the best chicken in Melbourne! Love the tenders, with plenty of heat if needed. The blue cheese sauce is delicious.<br/>Had the slaw and collard greens, both went well with the chicken. Great spot on Gertrude.

So i only heard about this place a few days ago and needed to try it, so today i did. We ordered the drumsticks (medium) which were pretty juicy, however i found the coating a little plain. We also got a side of coleslaw with them which was pretty good (i love any coleslaw though). We also got some tenders (very hot) which were amazing. They were spicey and hot, but not over the top hot. They were juicy and the flavour in the coating was perfect, the came with a side of chips that had a good spicey salt on them. We also got some ranch dipping sauce that was nice.<br/>The place seems to get quite busy and i can see why, the devore inside is very american dinerish and a decent size.<br/>I will be back here again, next time i will be trying the really fing hot sauce though.

Have visited this great eatery a few times now and loved it everytime. My usual dish has been the dark meat with pickled veggies and the sauce is hot sauce. Always perfectly cooked and seasoned and goes so well with an ice cold coke. Only slight downer was they don't do dark meat no more :( only drumsticks but the same taste and flavor was there

5/5 - we did takeaway as had to eat at a friends place and it was amazing! <br/><br/>We tried the Richmond one last week - also a 5/5 - chicken tenders in southern are so good, have now tried all tenders in each heat from the southern to medium, then hot, really hot and then really fkn hot. <br/><br/>Now the hot at Richmond was more than the really fkn hot here - I had so much trouble eating the hot previously and broke into a sweat; so I thought here I'll like really try and kill my throat and go all the way and it wasn't even remotely hot haha. So a bit of a difference there. <br/><br/>Partner had the chicken sandwich and it's so good - I can't eat the bread but was on toasted brioche and crispy chicken - so much flavour on the chicken. Ranch and blue cheese sauce is so yummy; and the pickles pack some heat too. <br/><br/>Winter slaw was really good too - loads of dill - my fave!

We are big fans of fried chicken so we were pretty excited to try out this famous chicken shop. We ordered the medium wings, drumsticks, fries, winter coleslaw with blue cheese sauce and ranch sauce. The chicken was moist inside and crunchy on the outside. However, tastewise we have had better (i.e: Peri Peri chicken in Clayton or Gami). We found the coating a bit powdery, yet the taste was a bit bland. The ranch sauce was a bit thin but that's okay. Fries were delicious and the coleslaw was good. The staff could be a bit more attentive to customers and their orders (they mis-calculated our bill twice). Overall it's a nice chicken shop but we wouldn't return unless there's something new.

Great chicken , and spicy flavor you can choose as per your taste. Hot should be enough. Try the chicken with blue cheese sauce alongwith colselaw.<br/>A highly recommended place

So y'all want fried chicken. And you want it Southern Americana where it's dang nabbit spicy hot. Then this is the place to sink your hungry pangs. I found both their fried chicken wings and the tenders amazingly done - crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside. The spices galore and powder paprika basting were authentic and hits you in the face (medium and hot was enough for us) like a Southern state hurricane. With the great value of (chicken) Meat selections, which generously includes one side, this place has gotten the recipe mix (literally and metaphorically) right. The fries were flawlessly done, the blue cheese sauce tangy and stinky just as it shoulld be, and the winter slaw was well balanced, crunchy, vinegared with finesse. I shall come back real soon.

Food is so amazing and delicious, and the staff are absolutely lovely. I also really enjoy the 2000's hip hop they always seem to be playing. The wings are a favourite, with a side of mixed pickles, and blue cheese sauce. Will be back again and again. Love!

Freakin' delicious. The highlight of our meal were those chicken sandwiches! Crispy fried chicken on soft bun! Mmmmm. Deep fried chicken was decent, found the coating on the outside a bit powdery¿? Ranch sauce was good, but a little too thin, however the food was excellent overall. A very good dining experience and will return.

A friend raves about this place so I thought I'd give it a go. First time was terrible. Chicken was soggy and bland. The chips tasted exactly like the frozen ones you can get from Aldi and all of it had a weird citrus taste on it. I convinced myself that it was an off day for the kitchen and gave them another shot and received similar results. Sounds terrible but I'd prefer kfc.

The chicken sandwich was amazing. Watch out for the hot chicken as it freaking hot.<br/>The only downside was that the head waiter refused to give a slice of bread to our toddler stating that they had a low supply of bread. One of the waitresses was kind and thoughtful to bring us a slice.<br/>The food is awesome though.

Tasty fried chicken not the absolute best in Melbourne but really good. Strips were the best and the sliced white bread is a funny accompaniment. Cool place in the heart of Gertrude street with great ambience.

Awesome wings! Full of flavour and perfectly cooked. Sides were good too, came with a group of friends and we were all extremely satisfied with all we ordered. can't wait till next time to try the really hot wings!

You know KFC?  Belle's Hot Chicken is what KFC aspires to be.  Belle's chicken is super crunchy, hugely flavoursome, and buzzing.  Took the kids for lunch, and managed to find a table - just good fortune as the place was chockas.  We sampled three of the five different heat ratings.  'Southern' (not hot, but still lovely spices), 'medium', just yum, with a warm hum, and skipping the next two, we went right for the (apparently hilariously named [if you ask our kids]) 'Really ****** Hot'.  Our youngest and my o/h are not into heat, but my older two kids like to compete on the heat tolerance, and I love hot stuff.  This Belle's chicken was just wonderful.  Flavour hasn't lost out to heat, it's far from the hottest thing I've tried, just really delicious, chicken moist, honestly, whichever heat takes your fancy, you can't be disappointed.Of the sides, the chips were great, the potato salad with it's touch of pickle, fabulous, a good coleslaw.  Only the house-pickled veg fell a little flat.  They looked beautiful, but were a bit underwhelming in 'pickle-ness' for me.  Costs more than the chain, but better to eat this chicken once, than the other a few times a year!  Umm, we wont wait a year to be back here.....<br/> PS:  Try the Chicken and Waffles, a truly Southern experience. <br/>

Ordered hot wings, nice flavor but weren't that hot. Chips had nice spices on them. Go with the blue cheese sauce, it's yum and pairs nicely with all the spicy flavors.

This is one of the best fried chicken restaurants in Melbourne, period. There's a variety of chicken cuts, but my pick would be the dark meat or the tenders in hot or medium. The hot seasoning is quite hot indeed. The pickles are absolutely amazing...sweet, spicy with a hint of heat. The chicken is nice and crunchy on the outside, and juice on the inside. The spice can be a little throaty at times  because it's a dry dusting, so it's good to let the chicken settle for a few minutes so that the spices moisten with the steam.<br/><br/>They used to serve an amazing broccoli salad as well, but it's been phased out for a potato salad instead. The fries are nice and crisp and have good seasoning on top.<br/><br/>The negatives...much like many other places, drinks are very expensive ($4.5 for a 330ml Coke!) and they charge extra for condiments like tomato sauce as well. When you're already paying $16 for 2 pieces of chicken and fries, charging an extra $2 for tomato sauce is just tight...

The atmosphere in Belle's Hot Chicken takes you to the environment of a Southern Belle. American diner set up with a turn table and comfy diner booths, Belles hot Chicken is a must visit. The Chicken- yum! Golden skin with herbs and spices. I went to medium as I can't tolerate hot, but they cater for all tastes - going right up to very hot! The chips are crispy and the selection of sides is fantastic, including pickles (which are quite hot!) and creamy coleslaw. Craving fried chicken? Head to Belle's Hot Chicken!<br/>

One of my fav fried chicken in Melbourne. Always get the baller bucket when you have a party of 4 or more, it comes with 16 wings, 4 sides and 3 sauces!! I always go for the hot and medium but if you have a high tolerance go for the very hot or extra hot!! <br/>

When they say it's spicy, it's really spicy.<br/><br/>Very trendy hippy American diner setup with a fuss-free menu offering delicious food, there is very few things that go wrong when you come here for a meal. Go for level 2 or level 3 (medium or hot) when you're choosing your spice level or it can be slightly unwieldy or unbearable depending on how well you can tolerate heat. Chicken & waffles is pretty yummy too. Can't come here too often though, or you might risk clogging of your arteries :)

I'm not sure about this place. I had it for the first time and I was left feeling meh...tasted like chicken baked with paprika (underwhelming) tried it again and still nothing..service was ok, atmosphere on trend but the food barely adequate.

I really enjoyed the food here at Belle's Hot Chicken, but service could do with some improvement. I strongly recommend the hot and medium sauces on the deep fried chicken tenders or the drumstick/ thigh. The chicken was tender and juicy on the inside (even the tenders were glistening), while the skin remained crispy throughout the entire meal. No need for extra sauce as the original taste was great. The sides were good to cut the palate too, especially the potato salad (the green apple was a nice touch). Even their fried oysters and mushrooms were addicting. Can't wait to come back for the food next time, however, the wait staff could be a little bit more attentive to the patrons. It took quite a while just to get water and almost 15 minutes to get payment done.

What can we say really, we still love Belle’s hot chicken. We’re talking hot chicken, chicken burgers, mac-n-cheese and coleslaws. Enjoy watching this feast of Melbourne Fried Chicken unfold below. Hollywood’s Rating: 9/10 Clucks. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Enter your comment here...

I like the idea of it more than the reality with Belles, it is tasty deep fried goodness chook, no doubt, but it left me wanting something on both visits.. Fair enough the first time we got extra hot and t was inedible, my mistake, but the second time just ordered mild spice so was much better, yum chicken but I just don't feel it is good value for money at all.. The sides were tiny and way overpriced for what they are.. For me, the place could improve..

Delicious fried chicken with heat. We just ordered the wings at number 3/5 hot and it was spicy!!!! Can't imagine what 5/5 hot would be like. The Mac n cheese is nice but a bit dry. And the coleslaw and fries are delicious. I did feel like I was about to have a heart attach when I left from all the fried food.

Fried chicken done right!!! Get the dark meat as it was delicious. Heat ratings on the menu honest... If you like it hot, you'll enjoy the super spicy choice. The sides were delicious. I will be definitely coming back! Props to the music as well, love a bit of nostalgic hip hop with my fried chicken.

I want to like the chicken, but it annoys the bejezzus out of me that they just can't get any consistency in the heat of their chicken. One day the really hot is ridiculously hot and another day not at all. The regular has little flavour. The super hot is also inconsistent. I tried it once, and it wasn't any hotter that the really hot, just more bitter. What the hell is wrong with their quality control? I love coleslaw, but Belle's is too dam creamy it's hard to distinguish the cabbage. Oysters are on the menu, but I can never get them. And my favourite side of broccoli is now no longer. I've been there about 10 times, but I'm over it.

Very disappointed with Belles. The chicken tenders were a massive let down. The coating was soggy and not crunchy and the meat was dry. The wings were better but the coating was so so salty despite being more crunch and very oily.<br/><br/>The service was also really poor. We sat their for 20 minutes waiting for someone to approach us. <br/><br/>Look elsewhere

This place had been on my list for a long time, but I’d just never quite made it there. It’s got quite a rep as one of the standout chicken joints in the inner north. They immediately made a bad impression with their beer list. Granted, my taste is certainly not the same as your average Fitzroy local. But, Coopers Pale Ale or Kronenburg on tap, and then Melbourne Bitter and Pabst Blue Ribbon in cans. Can you please tell me why there is not enough demand in this place to stock one decent beer?

Bad experience. They forgot our order even though we're the last few customers left. There were 3-4 floors staffs that were just casually chatting amongst themselves. Terrible alertness and sensibility, mediocre customer service. Don't think we'll be coming back.

Been here for lunch a couple times now. Simple American diner set-up with great dishes on offer. Food is delicious, but I wish the chicken was a little crispier - the hot sauce really softens the skin. That said, still super tasty and a great place for a Friday work lunch or after work dinner and beers.

Waffles (+maple syrup) and fried chicken! How wacky. But it worked; it was so good (and so bad!) and looking forward to having this combo again.

Headed to Belles Hot Chicken for a Sunday afternoon feed. <br/>Chicken Waffles<br/>Chicken Burger<br/>And more Chicken Wings<br/>Service was great and food was even better. Highly recommend this place!

On what is perhaps is one of the most spontaneous food trips, I decided to venture in Belle's hot chicken just to try their chicken sandwich.<br/><br/>After about 10 minutes of waiting for our order of potato salad, fries, and their chicken sandwich, it arrives. Firstly, potato salad was ok. I've had better but not bad. Fries weren't amazing either, well spiced but I have had better too. On to our main event; the chicken sandwich. Let me say this first, this certainly is not the best chicken burger/sandwich I have had. The bottom bun was soggy and aesthetically speaking did not whet my appetite. HOWEVER, upon tatsing, the chicken patty was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. WITHOUT A DOUBT the best chicken patty in Melbourne's burger game. It was beautifully crunchy and crispy and is bursting with juices. The taste profile was on point.<br/><br/>All things considered, it seems pretty idiotic to go to a fried chicken resto and order just 1 fried chicken item. Belle's hot chicken has a real potential to really change the Melbourne burger game. Improve that bun and I will burn my cash on your joint.

It's all about the chicken. Or the coating on the chicken. It's certainly why people flock here. And I'm not able to accurately describe the flavour, so you'll have to try it yourself. The sauces and coleslaw are ok. But it's all about the chicken!

A tasty combo.<br/>Of tender succulent meat<br/>And dry crispy skin.<br/><br/>Great when hungover.<br/>With drunk flashbacks from last night.<br/>True hair of the dog?

Do yourself a favour and order as many songs as you can eat. Don't waste your time with the chicken tenders and forget about sides. Just smash as many of the wicked wings as you can possibly manage. They really are that damn good.

Cool busy affordable little retro style diner in Fitzroy, staff are very friendly and attentive. Chicken is really good I tried the medium, would probably try hot next time for that extra kick. There home style lemonade was delicious.

Must say, I was super keen to try this place as everytime I went by it looked so busy & I love a bit of fried chicken. But I was really disappointed. Chicken was oily, chips were average & food highly salty. I actually had the sweats, not just because the food was spicy but because of the excessive salt, fat & oil on my food. My body did not take to it well.

Loved the crispy skin and tender meat! Went for hot but it wasn't spicy enough for me. Refreshing pickles to balance out the oiliness which was also soaked up by the bread. And absolutely filling tho it doesn't look like much!

Love this place! Ordered the wings and tenders with sides of beans and coleslaw! The flavours on the chicken are so tasty and the sides are actually really delicious. Loved the bean salad! Would definitely come back for more!

Really love Belle's Hot Chicken, the chicken is always cooked to perfection and is never greasy. Great for a weekend meal. The southern spice is great for people who don't like spice and the sweet tea is amazing. The chips are a bit of a let down and I wish they did gravy and mashed potatoes.

Overrated, Overpriced and Over heated after eating here.<br/><br/>Reading some of the positive reviews I went looking for some Fried hot chicken at Belle's and I was left thoroughly disappointed to say the least, the customer service was great and the folks are super friendly and nice. But I surely wont be coming back for just the smiling faces. I must also highlight that the place had a very good feel to it with nice interiors and to me it felt like I was in U.S at a local diner. So well done on that.<br/><br/>I took out a couple of things, namely the wings (hot) and dark meat (medium) both of which were extremely hot for me to handle. I guess the problem wasn't heat as much as the lack of flavor was. It was literally fried chicken coated in Chili powder. The fries were nice but the side of pickles were another disappointing factor. I wouldn't pay that much ever again for the side of those mediocre pickles. <br/><br/>My Order was stuffed up too. I ordered two sauces (blue cheese and Mississippi comeback) none of which were given to me instead some yogurt base sauce was given which tasted more like a mint chutney from an Indian takeaway. I am assuming that was their version of the ranch sauce. Even it was, it was really poor. Also they placed in a slice of toast which seems rather distasteful. I'd rather have a little bun or something else in there. The placement of the slice of bread was just baffling. <br/><br/>All in all we drove a long way from the east to up north fitzroy for overpriced and tasteless chicken. I have had food at many an american diners while living overseas but this was hands down one of the bottom 3. I dont usually give such a bad response for a place but i wouldn't recommend this joint at all. <br/><br/><br/>P.s - I also ended up sick the next morning.

I'd read many great reviews about Belle's, moreso from essential Melbourne eats for 2015. As much as I go through chicken phases (whether it be Nando's, local roasts from various shops and supermarkets, the occasional KFC) I must admit that in recent years chicken doesn't excite me like other meats. It may be my own shift to slow cuts and there really isn't any slow cooking chickens (if you exclude the brining, smoking and ridiculous low heats of Heston).

"Southern fried chicken," said my brother in the most Wild West American accent he could muster. Those 3 words started the craze for fried chicken of the non-Korean kind. My friend found just the spot: Belle's Hot Chicken. But when we got there, we didn't want the southern flavour ... we wanted it hot ... because we thought we were superhuman but also for bragging rights. <br/><br/>We came here with high expectations ... High calorie expectations. We heard the chicken with waffles were amazing but to our disappointment they only served them for lunch ... On weekends ... Not during the time that we were there.<br/><br/>So we had the following instead:<br/>1) Fried oysters: surprisingly amazing. Never had fried oyster before but this wasn't bad. 5/5<br/>2) Chicken tenders, baller bucket and dark meat of hot (4/5), very hot (3/5) and really f'ing hot (2/5) and those pickles in the bucket were our life savers because the chicken was quite spicy!<br/>3) old bay fries: 5/5<br/>4) broccoli and almond salad: 3/5<br/>5) coleslaw: 4/5<br/>6) mixed pickles: 4/5<br/>7) 3 bean salad: 4/5 <br/><br/>So as you can see, the hotter the chicken, the less tasty it became to me. The really f'ing hot was actually bitter to me because all I could taste was chilli and nothing else. My tongue also went numb in the process. <br/><br/>I would come back again but try the southern chicken, not the hot ones. And also the waffles. <br/><br/>

If you're sick of all those burger restaurants this is a nice change up. Southern chicken is tasty but like most takeaway chicken it can be expensive for fast food.

Seriously delicious food in a great location, Belle's chicken is best served as southern tenders with a can of Melbourne Bitter to wash down the brilliant taste. Nothing beats biting into a juicy tender dipped in blue cheese sauce and the broccoli salad is a great side so that you can keep telling yourself that you are staying on that health kick!

My partner and I have been here twice and on both occasions service was lacking. The second time especially as it was a public holiday there were only two staff who were run off their feet with a restaurant that was filled to the brim with customers. We have tried the southern fried tenders, the medium wings, Belle's chicken burger and the blue cheese and ranch sauces. The wings were the best by far having the most flavour and are cooked well. The burger on the other hand which contains a coated thigh was inedible as it was dripping with grease and filled with gristle. I like that the chips are crimped but they need salt! The combination of the burger and the lack of service gives this place a three. A bit more quality control and more staff would improve this place!

KFC over this any day at 1/3 of the price! I can see what they are trying to do and so gave them a try but seriously not even as good as KFC. The atmosphere and staff are nice but I went there for food.

I had their Dark Meat (Hot) with Broccoli & Almond Salad while my friend had Tenders (Medium) with Old Bay Fries. I loved both the drumstick and thigh as their skin were crispy, while the meat was succulent. The chicken was spicy enough for me, as the spiciness packed a punch! The chicken was well-seasoned as not only the exterior, but also their interior, was locked with the finger-licking savour. In terms of juiciness of the meat, the tenders pale in comparison with the dark meat. However, the tenders were as crispy and fragrant as the dark meat, even though the former was at "Medium" spicy level. As for the sides, the fries were appetising as it was well-fried, with the interior being soft and delectable, while the salad was ordinary.

My family's been craving fried chicken since we got back from the US six months ago so we decided to try Belle's. We went to Belle's on a busy Saturday for lunch, the staff were friendly but very busy so it took awhile to place our order. We ordered fried chicken (dark meat) with hot sauce and a couple of sides including fries. The chicken was amazing, super crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The hot sauce was deliciously hot and tangy. The fries were covered in a chilli seasoning which was nice. Overall deliciously messy finger licking fried chicken, service can improve but the chicken makes it all good.

Belle's Hot Chicken does some crazy good fried chicken - another highlight in my visit to Melbourne. <br/>Months later and Belle's still got me dreaming of their deep fried goodness.

This is a regular place that me and my husband go (talking about once a week or once a fortnight). We always get the dark meat and tenderloins and depending on how we feel that day, range from extra hot to hot. Chips are the way to go, if you aren't health conscious and the must here is a sauce on the side (we choose the blue cheese and come back sauce). <br/>For around AU$18 each, including the sauce, this is a great value meal.

So at the suggestion of my boyfriend W, we finally settled on visiting Belle’s Hot Chicken in Fitzroy for my birthday lunch. We have been meaning to visit for quite some time and finally we got round to it! Hooray!. I am the first to admit that I am a huge fan of Southern style american cuisine and this was the place for it.

The Mac and Cheese is the best, better than anything even the USofA.  It's creamy with just enough cheese.  And that's even before the chicken.  I had the hot which is peppery without smokin your hair off, and the chicken is crispy and succulent just the way southern fried chicken should be.  I now regret not also going for the chicken and waffles but you can't have everything, well not yet anyway.  All they need is a key lime pie and there's the complete meal.

The menu says "Wings" but these were wings on steroids! 4 large chicken wings with your choice of seasoning from "Southern" style salt and pepper to "really f****in hot" seasoning. We had both the medium and hot. The hot will test you as is, going the full heat, I can assume is almost a death sentence! 😂 Crispy skin on the outside, succulent and juicy meat on the inside. The chicken fell off the bone and melted in the mouth. Choose an extra to go with the main and you'll be totally satisfied. Wide ranging drinks menu including beers off tap was a massive thumbs up from me. Off the menu was their "Mac and Cheese". So beautifully cheesy and full of flavour and al'dente pasta. I also enjoyed their housemade slaw and their tangy smoky tomato ketchup with those monster fries. Very affordable grub that fills your belly made fresh delivered fast.<br/>The atmosphere, family friendly, indoor and outdoor seating available.<br/>Staff were welcoming, service was fast and turnaround times from ordering to service on a busy night was quick! If your taking the kids on a Saturday night, best book ahead as it's a busy eatery to avoid disappointment because it's a great place to eat.<br/><br/>Cucina Vita rating 4.5 out of 5<br/>#livelovefood #chicken #wings #Fitzroy #melbournefood #cucinavita<br/>NB: This review was not paid for or commissioned by the service provider.<br/>

Minimalist. Simple. Elegant. unreal. The crunch, the juices, the crinkle fries, the blue cheese sauce. It's all perfect. Choose at least hot or you're a limp tit, you can cool yourself off with a PBR. <br/>

So, you don't really come to Belle's for the food. Don't bother with the fries, just order the yummy hot Dark and the Mac 'n Cheese. Keep space for the soft serve. Look, Belles is about the vibe. It's where the cool kids go to see other cool kids. Plus the people taking care of you are are super nice and will pour you something from the interesting wine list. Catch the 86 Tram, sit at the bar and just enjoy yourself.

I haven't actually dined here since last year, but i feel like i need to leave a review for all the many many amazing times i have had here.Chicken and waffles are the best!I will miss you greatly, but you went and opened up another location right near my house.Goodbye Fitzroy, Hello Richmond

Came here yesterday with a friend for lunch. We worked up a pretty big appetite after a long bike ride. This place did not disappoint! We ordered the waffles with wings, tenders with chips, coleslaw, and the fried oysters. The chicken was obviously the highlight - crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. Everything else were great compliments. <br/><br/>In terms of service, it matched the atmosphere - chill and friendly. <br/><br/>I recommend this place for anyone who loves fried chicken. <br/><br/>

Went there today for lunch with my friend. We both ordered the hot chicken, chips and the mac and cheese. The chicken was tasty and spicy. <br/>The service today was just ok. Had to ask for water after about 10 mins and the Mac and cheese never turned up, yet they still tried to charge us for it! <br/>I've been here before and the service was much better. Maybe it was Sunday, and everyone was a lot more relaxed? Mmnn

Absolutely amazing food here! Only order hot if you have good tolerance of spice, as their crispy coatings pack a punch! Fried mushroom was tender and delicious, made a great veg replacement for the chicken pieces. Servings are so filling and the sides are high quality as well. Chips are crispy and flavoursome and the broccoli is actually delicious! Will be back for more!

We eat at Belle's a few times a month. It never fails to disappoint. Always busy but the staff are accommodating and have never had to wait more than 10 minutes on Friday night! Service is always great and the fried chicken is awesome. Have to go the really f!@#$ing hot wings next time! And that mac n cheese!! Smoky and perfect! Keep up the good work!

Heard from a friend that this place is really good, and now my parents in law are visiting and they love chicken, we thought it's a good time to try! Arrived pretty late on a Thursday (after 9pm I think) which was no problem. We took the baller bucket with the four of us, with 2 sides of chips, the brocolli salad and the mixed pickles. Most of us don't like hot, the friendly waiter said medium wasn't very hot, but we could also order half southern and half medium, which we did. For sauces we took Mississippi, Ranch and ketchup. The chicken was okay. The southern was a bit bland, the medium was better and it wasn't hot at all. The brocolli salad tasted nice. The mixed pickles were hot! I would have expected the waiter to say something about this when we ordered, because we asked about the spicyness of the chicken. All and all, it was a fun experience, but I didn't think the food was great.

We came here on a hot day when not much else was open. I shared some chips and watermelon with my mother in law as we felt it was too hot to eat much. My husband had the tenderloins in really hot sauce (that the name) he absolutely loved it. And they don't lie about the sauce it was Really hot! (We eat a lot of hot food). My husband was is heaven and I'm sure we will return on a cooler day so I can try something as well (although I'll have the sauce weaker than the really hot!)

All I ever hear is Belle's Chicken, it's the best, you gotta go, why haven't you been, stop googling reviews and just go there.<br/><br/>Well whilst in the city for the boring Aus Open I decided to hit this place up, had to park a fair distance away as there was no local parking or it was all permit zones. Anyway I like a good weekend stroll so be it.<br/><br/>The place was packed and I mean PACKED!!<br/>I just ordered the kids and myself some chicken and chips each. We were told it was a 15 minute wait, wellllllll 45 minutes later I finally had the food in hand, the lady that served me kept smiling and saying shouldn't be too. In that 45 minutes we had 2 guys come by asking for change, standing at the outside tables holding their hats out, it was so annoying and not something I want when I'm trying to eat. <br/><br/>Anyway I spent about $70 for myself and 2 young kids, I was quite shocked when I saw what we had got. 2 fried pieces of chicken and a little handful of chips each, let's be honest everyone, fried chicken is fried chicken, I don't care where you go unless it's dirty kfc it's all the same.. crazy to think I spent $70 for 6 pieces of chicken and what was equivalent to a minimum of chips. I could've got the same deal at my local charcoal chicken for $25.. <br/><br/>I would recommend this place for the single person and his/her mates. Too expensive and not much food for a family.<br/><br/>Great service from the staff but those cooks were looking at their phones more than the grills etc.<br/><br/>

Update: only giving it a 4.5/5 because the service can be hit and miss sometimes<br/>Update2: place is quickly coming undone by a couldn't-care-less attitude from staff and management. Dry wings with barely any seasoning to a very old lucking salad. <br/>Love this place! The tenders are moist, as are the wings, and deliciously seasoned. Just beware when more than 'really hot' you better be prepared for fire! I love spicy foods but can only go through 3 of them without completely loosing my sense of taste! The Belles spritz is great too! olives and Aperol spritz + great chicken, what else can you ask for!?<br/>

Belle's hot chicken has Nashville style hot chicken. You can pick your heat from mild to very hot. As it was my first time I chose "hot". I went for the tenders to make life easier. Great choice because any hotter and it would have taken away from the taste. Chicken wasn't oily it tested on white bread which absorbed some juices. Crinkle fries were crunchy and coupled well with some house ranch sauce. Washed down with an alcoholic iced tea.

Waited for 50min for our meals to arrive. Staff seemed more interested in looking cool and flirting with each than doing their job! It's as if people wanting to eat at 6:30pm on a Saturday had snuck up on this place. Food was good without being great $16 is pretty expensive for 2 pieces of chicken, it's quite gimmicky and a little full of itself, but hey give it a go!

Had the southern tenderloins, medium chicken wings with a side of chips & broccoli almond salad. Chicken tasted really good, it was succulent & not dry at all, which is what you want in fried chicken. If you go, you must try the Mississippi comeback sauce! It was delicious!

The food was SUPER salty and I told the staffs about it (I'd like to do so before writing any negative reviews) but he said he had the same food today and it was not salty! I ended up not eating what i ordered. The broccoli salad was nice though!

I have been to this restaurant multiple times yet have not once been disappointed. Their generous servings are very affordable and satisfying. One of the best fried chicken places there is. <br/>Will definitely be returning again very soon!

Came in September 2015 with 3 friends. Overpriced with awful service. We arrived at 12:30pm and were told it was full. We asked if we could wait for a table and the waitress told us we could, then left us standing in the doorway. We had to flag her down to ask if we could sit somewhere to wait so she told us to sit at the bar... But didn't show us there. We waited at the (greasy) bar and had to ask her for menus and then again when we wanted to order so that our meals could at least be cooked, not knowing how long it would be until a table would free up. We moved ourselves when a table came up 25 mins later. Our food came soon after and it was a huge disappointment. Greasy and dry with barely any flavour. Original chicken was too salty.<br/><br/>Would not recommend.

We got exactly what we came for. American fried chicken!<br/>The chicken was great, the pickles excellent and varied and the sides were also top notch.<br/>We will be back after a bit more exercise.<br/>Had the iced sweet tea and that was a great foil for the spicy chicken.

Chicken is great but the chips why why why. Very disappointing. Dry and overcooked every time. You would think a chicken place would make good chips to compliment the chicken. The sides generally could be improved. The bean salad is flavorless. Put a little dressing on it! I think this place could be great if it focused on something other than just the chicken.

Chicken was great enjoyed the food until going to the bathroom and seeing a mouse run into the store room. Would never go back, very disappointing to see this sort of thing at a well known restaurant

My girlfriends and I definitely have bigger eyes than our stomachs. We ordered a baller bucket for just the three of us after demolishing chicken wings plus a side. I must say though that I find it very greasy and not as tasty as I imagined it would be. To say the lease, I was not very satisfied. Customer service was good.

Ok I will be the first to admit that I am horrible at dieting because I just love to eat things like fried chicken. So when a friend asked me where I wanted to go on Sat (cheat day of the week) I suggested Belle's without hesitation!. V and I go way back, been friends since I was 14, I don't see her much but when I do, I always have stuff to talk about. Then when you add D and F with their gaming talk, recipe for a perfect night out.

Belle’s Hot Chicken is a testimony to Southern Fried Chicken done dead-on. Situated on the increasingly gentrified Gertrude St, Belle’s does one thing and it does it right – hot chicken.  The interior is diner-esque, with large booths by the window and stools by the bar. Large red neon lights behind the bar read “Wine”, one of my favourite words.

Order:<br/>Chicken tenders (hot) + chips<br/>Fish (hot) + 3 bean salad<br/><br/>This was rather tasty! Would definately come back. Perhaps next time though I'd go medium as opposed to hot (i can handle hot but WOW!! This was next level) The chicken was nicer than the fish (it is a chicken joint after all!) So no surprise there. 3 bean salad was a nice, calming, chaser. 😊<br/>

Very solid....had both the tenders and the dark meat. Don't bother with tenders, way too dry (to be fair the waitress did recommend that if we wanted truly juicy chicken go for the dark meat). Sides solid, chips very good. Enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. Hard to go wrong with chicken and beers

Fun funky place worth checking out.<br/><br/>We ate the spicy chicken sandwich with side of broccoli the sandwich/ burger was tasty but very oily. The broccoli just wasn't my expectation, it was smothered in a mayonnaise dressing<br/><br/>We had tenders with a side of fries. The tenders had a crunchy exterior and a little dry on the inside.<br/><br/>We also had the homemade lemonade with cardamon, this was very sweet but nice.<br/><br/>Only complaint would be the 30min wait for fried chicken when the place wasn't overly full when we arrived.

I was craving for hot food and i heard from a friend its really hot therefore i ordered the really fxxng hot one. To my disappointment it just not hot nor spicy at all. <br/>Taste wise is average to me. 😞 <br/>The place itself gives a good vibe to catch up with friends. Staffs are helpful n friendly <br/>

Better than anticipated but nothing special. Considering it's a chicken place, the tenders were a little overcooked. Chose your cut of meat and level of spice of the batter along with the sides. Chips were great, as is the broccoli and almond salad. But it was the gherkins that I loved most! :)<br/><br/>Friendly place - an upmarket fast food joint where you can dwell over your food without wanting to overstay. Everything served in plastic baskets and wrapped in paper.

This is probably my favourite place to eat in Melbourne. Huge portions, affordable. Excellent, unobtrusive service. <br/><br/>Every single time I've been here the chicken has been amazing. It doesn't matter if I rock up at 12pm on a Monday or 8:30pm on a Friday. It's always the same. It's always amazing. <br/><br/>Come here for a slice of South Carolina goodness. The wings, medium, with a side of Old Bay fries is my go-to meal. But everything on their menu is incredible.<br/><br/>A must go for all Melbournians. <br/><br/><br/><br/>

Phenomenal! My fav: bourbon iced tea cocktail. Wings or tenders medium with broccoli salad. Blue cheese sauce. Warning - broccoli salad is swimming in creamy sauce. But still good. Best fried chicken ever. Love love love.

*Burp* oh hallo, I just came back from Belle's hot chicken. The portion size are enormous!!! But the chicken was so succulent and delicious.<br/><br/>For $16 you get a choice of part of meat (wing, thigh, tenders etc), one side and you get to choose a varying degree of spiciness. From Southern (lame... Ahem I mean original recipe) to really fcking hot. I decided to go all out and chose really fuking hot and debated whether I wanted chips or a very healthy broccoli & almond salad. Given that I am having the deep fried stuff I decided to be healthy, which turned out not being very healthy cos it's made with a creamy dressing! :/<br/><br/>The really fuking hot chicken was not spicy at first then it gave me a somewhat slow burn but the more you ate it the more non-spicy it became so really it's just medium hot for me. Then again I do love my chilli so don't use me as a benchmark for your Hawtness.<br/><br/>We also shared a plate of fried oysters which was good but not great. It didn't have enough plumpness so it was a bit dry post deep frying.<br/><br/>I wanted to come back and try their chicken and waffles though ($18, weekend only)! Must come back early one weekend before the crowd kicks in!

Fun place to enjoy American style food (and bloody hot chicken !) with friends. Staff were attentive, prices very reasonable and the drinks cold. I'd recommend this place for catching up with friends or even bring kids along.

“Trolling the internet (mainly broadsheet) for a fried chicken craving, we came across Belles Hot Chicken. Previously closed for renovation’s, it was the perfect time to try it out. Hearing only amazing things, Belles Hot Chicken impressed – beautiful marinated chicken meat with fragrant herbs and spices with the ‘punch in the face’ heat (spicy flavor).”

I had such high expectations of this place, and although it looked really cute and the staff were great, I wasn't so impressed by the food. I expected heaps of flavour in the crumb of the chicken, but mine was rather oily and had very little flavour. The weekend 'waffles and fried chicken' was over priced for what they were and although I was filled and didn't hate it, if I came back if would be to try something very different.

Out of tenderloins! Wings were ok. Not the greatest out there. <br/>Blue cheese sauce was runny. Didn't have any flavour. Mac and cheese special was soggy and runny... Pasta way over cooked<br/><br/>Never had such horrible mac and cheese.

The description is as is written on the tin; it is chicken and it is hot (and fried!). Thankfully it is fried well, and comes with some fitting accoutrements. That being said it is a fairly unhealthy mix, as even the sides are fairly heavy on the calories. The really f hot version is really that - avoid unless you are wishing an unpleasant experience. The other levels of heat are all very bearable.<br/><br/>Gets busy, and does not come cheaply. Personally I feel it could do with some balance to just serving fried and mayonnaise-laden sides - a salad or two wouldn't go astray.

Can u please standardise your spicyness. I order hot a week ago and it was soooooo hot I couldn't eat it. (Hot is medium btw). Then I ordered medium and there was no spice. So I ordered spicy and no spice. There is potential here but you need to regulate your spices if u r charging $20. Give me back my money and I'll go to KFC <br/>

I was hungry so grabbed the tenderloins as well as the wings. I love chilli and got the 'hot' and 'really hot sauce,' neither of which were off the charts on heat. Service and location great. Will be back to out the 'really f'ing hot option.'

Came here for some afternoon chicken..had to say the chicken is not bad but nothing to go nuts about.. I wish it was fried chicken lol but yeah. The service was good though and fries were good too.

I had the medium wings and my partner had the original dark chicken pieces. I thought the medium heat was great- awesome flavours and not that spicy I would probably go to up to hot next time. The fries were great, very crunchy. My partner really didn't like the mixed pickles-I didn't think he was expecting pickled cauliflower or mushrooms. He left pretty hungry but I was fine- the wings portion seemed much larger. Blue cheese sauce was the bomb BUT it was pretty runny. All in all staff were very friendly but for what you pay for the portions are a little bit on the small side.

I'd been looking forward to checking this place out for a while after all the rave reviews. Unfortunately I left disappointed. I ordered the chicken tenders (medium) with fries and a ranch dressing sauce. Whilst the chicken was nice and succulent the overwhelming saltiness was too much for me. Also, the waitress forgot my order of sauce after twice asking. When I eventually received it, it was for free which was a nice gesture. I received no water at all which was needed as everything was so salty. Tried once but wouldn't go back.

Great atmosphere, good choice of wine. For my opinion, the chicken is not that flavourful as I expect. The chicken is a little dry for me. But the sides are good.

Had the medium dark meat and chips. The chook was beautifully brined so really juicy. The skin was thin and crunchy but too oily for my liking (yeah I know it's fried chicken) so towards the end I was feeling too grosse to finish it. Chips were just crinkle cut numbers with a tad too much seasoning. I found it all overseasoned. The ranch sauce is so effing good though. Nice lager from Barcelona to cut through the grease. Good tunes, lovely space, nice staff... Just a bit underwhelmed with the chook.

Had the chicken tenders and chips from here today. Thought the chicken was really good,  my mouth watered thinking about the next tender I'll eat. Chips were fantastic as well. I ordered the blue cheese sauce to go with it, but I wish the sauce was a bit thicker, was very runny.

If you're looking for fried chicken definitely give this place a try, they know just how to cook it right. Its great because you can choose your level of spice and they have a nice selection of sides. Can be a bit pricey but def worth trying.

Since hearing about a fried chicken joint kicking goals over in Melbourne, it was only a matter of time before I rolled in the door to do some damage. I dined on a Sunday for lunch with an "soul food" loving mate. The setup is very on trend, hip american diner setup, no fuss menu driven by strong produce. The staff were all relaxed and friendly. I ordered the dark meat with an added tenderloin with a side of coleslaw, my mate ordered the tenders with blue cheese sauce. The meals arrived and didn't disappoint! Generous servings of succulent chicken with a wicked heat factor. The house made pickles, coleslaw and 3 bean salad all ticked boxes as well. It's probably a good thing I don't live close to this place 😂, it's an absolute winner!!

One of my favorite Fried Chicken places in Melbourne. I've been to The U.S and have eaten at many fried chicken joints, and Belle's Hot Chicken, definitely hits the spot. Spicy and succulent chicken. I always go for the "Hot", it's a very nice kick and wakes you up without leaving your mouth feeling like you've swallowed hot coals. Definitely go for the Old Bay Chips as a side!

OK, so this one does live up to the hype. The chicken is tasty, not greasy at all. Beware though, when they say 'hot chicken' they are not joking! Happy chatty service, good value portion sizes.

Chicken & waffles were delicious! Ordered hot which was veryyy hot. Lovely with beer though. Ordered mac & cheese as a side which was average. Lovely staff and place. Would definitely come back!

Seeing that I eat like a 6 ft man (as do my other two dining companions), I was disappointed to see the serving sizes at Belle's, especially cause I felt like I could eat the entire lamb, and not just the three cutlets and tiny side I was given (after a 35 minute wait for food). Between us, we ordered the lamb cutlers and brown meat x 2, with sides of mac & cheese, beans, almond + broccoli salad and chips. No denying all the meat was succulent and f*!#ing spicy. Highlights were definitely the creamy broccoli salad and mac & cheese, which definitely helped to soothe the fire within. For the price we paid, the portion size was small, but I will still be back cause it was tasty.

So there's southern, medium, hot, really hot and f'king hot. Naturally, I wanted the f'king hot. Because I love chilli and can handle quite large doses of it. Or so I think. Thank freaken lord the gent who took my order questioned my unwise decision. With the fear of God put in me, I chickened out and opted for 'really hot' instead. Even so, the damn wings beat me. I hung my head in shame as I scraped off as much of the chilli powder as I could and sniffled and sweated my way through the wings. I left Belles with a burning yet numb sensation in my mouth and a dent in the pride, but am very glad to have tried it. Next time, I think I'll just have medium.

I don't really rate this joint. The wings are not that great. Too oily. Chips are good but the slaw is rubbish. Plenty of better places to eat nearby.

Late night supper, craving for fried chicken. Friendly staff took my order of Southern style wings with side of old bay fries. $16.00 all up, which is a tad pricey. The meal was nicely arranged in an oval shaped basket. The crinkle cut fries were crunchy with a soft pipping hot centre. The wings, oh boy, hot and juicy! Coating was consistent in terms of crunch factor. Next time I will order fries with no seasoning, as it can make the meal too salty. Definitely will be back again for western style fried chicken.

Best chicken wings I've had in a long long time.<br/><br/>Chicken wings are my absolute weakness. Ever since I took a bite out of one of the Carlisle’s super crazy epic amazing wings I’ve been hooked. I used to go to Newtown for no other reason than for Ash’s super epic wings at the Carlisle and since his unfortunate passing I’ve never really found anything that could satisfy my cravings. To the point I kind of shy away from even trying other wing offerings just knowing they won’t be anything on Ash’s magical recipe.<br/><br/>So when my mate suggested we go to Belle’s Hot Chicken (which wasn’t on my super epic list of Melbourne Epicness to check out, but it should have been!) I turned my nose up at the thought of wasting my time on yet another wing of disappointment. I reluctantly went along to Belle’s with our Buck’s group, cursing all the way thinking what a waste and we should have gone to Naked For Satan instead. When we got to Belle’s it was crazy busy, and cold and the wait was going to be at least half an hour for our group of 7. So Deeks and I sent the rest of the crew across the road and waited it out in line (luckily inside) to try and score a table to try these ‘so called epic wings’.<br/><br/>Two things struck me within minutes of waiting...actually 3 things.<br/><br/>They had a vinyl record player<br/><br/>The toilet was communal and therefore a little cleaner than the average male toilets.<br/><br/>They had a bottle of Ardbeg 10 just sitting there behind the bar.<br/><br/>So we ordered a couple of drams of the Ardbeg while we waited and my love affair began.<br/><br/>I wish I could remember the cat’s name that was working the floor. He was buzzing around madly, clearing, serving, calling out names for peeps waiting (but not ours). Dude was on fire!<br/><br/>So we waited and drank some of the best Scotch available for well under $100.<br/><br/>And we waited…<br/><br/>It wasn’t quite 30 mins when we noticed a couple of larger tables had been cleared and if we squashed in we could possibly fit 7 peeps around one of them. Keeping in mind we weren’t the only cat’s waiting on a table. And then one of the coolest things happened.<br/><br/>A little shit from one of the other groups tried to pull a Putin move and slyly annex one of the free tables, he took a corner and then slowly moved to the middle after a minute, beckoning for his friends to follow and join and usurp the table for themselves.<br/><br/>Dude working the floor, is rushing around madly, but notices what’s going on and pauses for a second, goes up and asks the little shit for his name….little shit fumbles turns to his friends and plucks something out of the air...champion of a dude scalds him, tells him a table will be ready after 3 other groups,, kicks him off, swings both large tables around in one swift action and tells us our table is ready. All without making a scene, I only noticed what was going on because I just happened to be facing the right way. It was win for everyone who’s ever wanted to smack one of those arseholes that wants to push in.<br/><br/>So the service is epic and they have my respect for that. But what about this chicken?<br/><br/>We ordered the hot and mild wings and quickly just reverted to buckets of wings. I haven’t filled up on crunchy epic wings like that in a long time. No they weren’t Ash’s epicness, but they were epic in their own right. I was instantly jealous and wishing Belle’s would open something in Sydney.<br/><br/>Hot wasn’t too crazy hot and maybe it’s the Korean in me, some others in our group thought it was out of this world hot. The chicken was juicy, tender, wanting the fall off the bone and into your mouth. The skin was crispy, not too salty. My recommendation is the mild, I’m cool with hot stuff, but to me it can overwhelm the taste at times and the mild was just so damn epic.<br/><br/>I’ve been to several “Southern Styled” American joints in Sydney and they’re average to pretty good, usually not as amazing as the hype. Belle’s Hot Chicken just smashed it, I now get it!<br/><br/>Again I have no choice but to come back here next time in Melbs.<br/><br/>Thanks a lot Belle’s!!! There goes any chance to try anything else in Melbourne...hope you’re happy!!!<br/><br/> p.s. Fix Sydney please. <br/>

Back when Belles served Mac and cheese, I think their chicken was better. Now I feel like an archaeologist digging for a hidden gem - trying to scrape inedible matter (batter) of my chicken tender. It's basically just salt with the awful powdery texture of flour. Yuk. The chicken itself, if you can make it through its repellent crust, is rly juicy and delicious. Shammme because once upon a time (I can barely remember because multiple disappointments are burying the memory) the chicken batter was ok. Nice vibe in the restaurant though. Nice sides too - but really, you're there for the chicken.

One word. Overrated.<br/>Ok more words - nice staff, gimmicky theme, very long wait to be seated and to be served. Are Aussies so obsessed with American culture that a fried chicken joint is on trend????

This has to be one of my favourite meals Iv had in Melbourne. Southern style chicken coated in your choice of spicy dry rub, ranging from mild to really<br/> f$*?ing hot (menus words not mine) great selection of dipping sauces and sides. Beers on tap just tops it off.

Finger licking' gooood. Place has that cool vibe when you walk in without being pretentious. The chicken... if you can handle hot, I suggest you order the hottest.. it blew my mind, literally. The chicken was tender and moist, yet had a crispy skin. I recommend you order the sides, they had a mac n cheese to die for. This place is awesome and the food is delicious, ill be back for sure.

When they say really hot? They really do mean really hot! It's quite a big difference between hot and really hot so try it if you dare! :) make sure you get some sauce too, it really helps with the burnnnn !

Ordered the hot dark meat with coleslaw and chips. The meat was super juicy and tender however the battered skin was incredibly salty. Usually my favourite part of fried chicken, but with the amount of seasoning, I couldn't actually eat it all. The medium chicken was a lot less salty. Wasn't aware mac n cheese was a special until we heard the waitress tell the table behind us later on. Will give these guys some time to work out the level of seasoning before coming back.

Belles's hot chicken has been on my food list for a while and I happened to be in Fitzroy at the time so I thought to myself "why not?". I tried the dark meat which included the drumstick and thigh which was seasoned with the really hot choice of spice. My chosen side was the creamy coleslaw which I feel in love with. The chicken itself was tender and very juicy and the additional pickles were sour and perfect as well as the piece of bread that saved the chicken from drenching the paper at the bottom. I had company and they ordered the mild wings with bay fried and my other friend had the really f**kin' hot tenders with fries also. The later friend complained how the spice ruined the chicken because all she could taste was a funny chemical taste which restaurants tend to add in their meat, to make it really spicy. But in the end everyone was pretty happy with what we ordered and it would be fun to visit again.

A diner fitted for the casual dining experienced and a menu of succulent crisp chicken coated in spiced increasing in heat.<br/>For the go getters of chilli take on the F****en hot wings and for the the less enthused the medium will still add that touch of extravagant flavours enhancing the chicken.<br/>Pick the sides that best suit the temperatures of spice to assist in dining pleasures.<br/>Friendly service and a great spot for a quick meal.

Scouted this place to go and try the extra f*n hot wings. I love spicy food and with a name like that I thought it was gna be a scorcher only too find out that it wasnt that bad, maybe my tolerance is ridiculous

I tried the really f***king hot wings and coleslaw as the side dish... Wings were very nice, crunchy but moist and tasty inside unlike the other fried chicken vendor which usually tasty in the skin not the flesh.. But the really f***king hot taste for me it's not fiery spicy but more bitter... Maybe because they use dried chilly instead of chilli sauce.. Service was good though the waitress didn't say they had Mac 'n cheese as special side dish but told the other table, I'd ordered Mac n cheese instead coleslaw, but have to say the coleslaw was really really good

We all discussed our experience in a different venue afterwards, we all agreed the food was way over seasoned, we chose to leave as the waiter was very rude and he literally slammed our bill on the table. The chicken is well cooked and the sauces are great.

I really wanted Belle's to be great. Pity our food was so over-seasoned we couldn't enjoy it :(<br/><br/>PROS- Tasty lassi. Good music. Well cooked, juicy chicken. Nice sauces, pickles and broccoli sides. Fast service. Good general vibe and fitout.<br/>CONS- More ice than lassi; glass full of ice. Super salty chicken wings and tenders. Super salty mushrooms. Bottle of cola $4.50. No eye contact and not particularly warm service.<br/><br/>In summation, I wanted desperately to like this restaurant. Had we been seen or asked how things were we would have been frank about the over seasoning. We felt rushed out instead :(

Hot spicy wings or tenders that were cooked and seasoned really well. We thought the glorious crinkle cut fries were way over seasoned and would be better just salted or lightly seasoned to counter balance the beautifully seasoned chook. Pickles and coleslaw on the side made for a nice meal. Big problem with this place is the price it charges for wine by the glass - and by extension, the bottle. This is not a great wine list and nor is this a smart dining restaurant so charging up to $15 a glass for a 200ml pour of ok wines in a place where you don't even need cutlery to eat your meal is out of step with the whole concept. Take note from Hot Chicken Project in Geelong who have raised the bar with a good value cracking wine list to match finger licken' good chicken.

Delicious! Chicken was juicy and the coating yummy. We had medium and thought it just right. Since it was a Saturday, we had waffles. Waffles were fluffy and not too crispy, syrup on the side. A very filling meal. Only downside is the cost of alcohol, $13 for a glass of wine seems a bit much. Also sauces really shouldn't cost extra.

I went to bells expecting the best- and I wasn't let down. We got there and put our name on the list (as it was a fifteen minute wait) and went across to the sister bar-Clementine, and had drinks. Then we went back to bells. The menu was pretty self explanatory- fried chicken, fried chicken and more fried chicken. You can chose from a range of sides, sauces and levels of hotness. The chicken came out fairly quickly. I can say that even though it was just fried chicken it was GOOD fried chicken. It wasn't oily, and the chicken was very moist. The coleslaw was good and the crinkle cut chips added to the American diner feel. They only have one dessert- soft serve, but I couldn't resist. It was classic vanilla soft serve topped with smooth caramel and a crumble. Would go back, but dinner time is very busy and loud. Looking forward to going back and trying some waffles and chicken!!!

When did fried chicken become such a gourmet (expensive) delicacy? Perhaps 15 years after lamb shanks sky rocketed from pauper food to fine dining meal. So the chicken at Belles is not cheap. $16 for two pieces and the sides and sauces are extra.<br/><br/>You do at least get a couple of sliced pickles and cheap white bread included with the meat. I am torn however because the batter is so crispy and tasty; the meat hot and tender.<br/><br/>If you are a true blue Aussie and can't handle spice, don't order "Medium" heat, get the southern instead. However if you like a lot of heat via spice, then medium will taste mild.<br/><br/>The chips come with a paprika style salt.<br/><br/>I would eat the broccoli side again.

Not worth the 20 minute wait for the food and then I asked for blue cheese dressing which never arrived! Give this overrated place a miss! <br/>

Hot damn! There's something about this place. When visiting, it seems appropriate to slip into a Southern American drawl. Slicker than snot on a doorbell, Belle's serves up the best fried hot chicken around. I am a wing (wo)man. These wings (lovingly brined, floured and fried) are fixin' to destroy my waistline. Feel better by ordering a vinegary side. Yee har.

Lovely visit to Belle's Hot Chicken last Monday! Absolutely adored the music playing from the vinyl player - all these old school hits like Aretha Franklin and all. Our server was nice, and explained that while the Medium spiciness didn't really have a kick, the Hot and Very Hot chicken were firecrackers. Me and my friend were hungry and feeling a little daring, so got Hot and Very Hot respectively. Our original orders were both a notch down, but the "no kick" comment made me think I could handle more! BOY WAS I WRONG. Hot is SO spicy, but SO GOOD. When the mouth-burning moments faded in and out, and I could actually taste, the seasoning on the chicken was great. My wings were juicy and the meat was cooked well. The side of off-menu mac and cheese we ordered was @delicious. Belle's had foregone the typical baked crust on top, and it meant their mac was creamy and rich and had no risk of being dry.<br/><br/>Definitely plan to come back, this time with a little less pride in my spice tolerance. Plain old Southern fried chicken, or Medium at most next time! Plus a cheeky bev or two since the place has such a nice vibe and fantastic music.

Excellent Southern-style chicken. They truly deliver what they claim to offer: excellent chicken in an American-style diner. Found the price a lil bit expensive for fried chicken but hey, the chicken and fries here came out perfect. Can't complain.

Chicken was absolute delicious, chips were great too, the food did take awhile for it to come out but it was worth the wait, awesome place, definitely recommend

A delicious treat! Often frequent here after being at the MCG! It's a crazy busy place and hard to get a table, but awesome chicken and delicious sides!

Very yummy hot chicken wings and also feel very full afterward. Which one are the best? I will say Chicken and Apple Cider probably! Get off at parliamen station then take tram or you can walk to there. Depends on you.

This is good fried chicken. Thats it. No bullshit nothing else. Get the Hot fried chicken. Smash a few alcoholic iced teas & then enjoy there home made soft serve. delicious.

Went for dinner tonight & really enjoyed it. We had the tenders, drumstick & thigh with a side of chips & ranch dressing. Tenders were southern style, while the other cuts my husband chose medium. Tenders were delicious, fresh, juicy & cooked to perfection. The only thing that was missing was the crunch when you bite into it. My husband had the medium heat chicken & enjoyed it. I found it powdery but he loved it. Generous serving size & the pickles

Unfortunately the portion sizes seems to be getting smaller and smaller. The chicken tenders were and always are delicious, but they are nearly half the size they used to be. A real shame!

Delicious fried chicken! Great option of getting chicken tenders if you're not into meat on the bone. Sauce costs extra which is a little annoying but you get a fair bit of it.

I can not say enough good things about this place! Chicken was perfectly cooked, sides were sensational! Took me back home to North America with the first bite! Staff were friendly and attentive! Keep up the good work crew!

Great little establishment of you're after some nicely cooked southern fried chicken and variety of heat. When these guys say hot, they mean it! Limited wine selection but the soft serve and service is good.

The southern fried Chicken here is absolutely amazing and so tasty!! The chips are really good to however, I found them to be extremely salty. I would defiantly come back for the chicken!!

We love it! Very good spicy and crispy chicken. I love to eat them with coleslaw. And their cocktails are great, too. We ordered "HOT" and it was spicy enough for me and too spicy for my husband but he still loved eating them. Can't resist such good friend chicken here.

loved the food - chicken is divine, chips are crispy and the mac + cheese is a must-try! great vibe + interior design. p.s. please get ketchup - no american diner serving fried chicken is complete without a a red bottle on the table!

Visited Belles chicken after hearing so much about this place.<br/>Very average food!!<br/>Felt like upmarket Kentucky .<br/>Definitely won't rush back.<br/><br/>

Service was cheerful and fun. Ordered the really hot dark meat and it was chilli powder overload. Powdery more than spicy. However the chicken was cooked well. Couldn't fault the soft serve though.

Belle's Hot Chicken is a must to visit. I've been twice and both times I've walked out with a smile on my face. Great ambience, staff and food. The chicken and waffles are a must try. I've never had waffles that are so fluffy and tasty. The broccoli salad is also a delicious way to tone down the hotness of the chicken. So good. The "really hot" chicken was enjoyable for me. The hottest level of spice "really **** hot" was too hot for me but fun to try and my friend whipped through four wings without a sweat. Keep up the good job Belles!

Very Average Food. Warm, friendly service but average food.<br/>KFC style with the high price tag.<br/>Wine selection was poor with prices through the roof.<br/>Would not return.

This place totally lives up to the hype. This was high on my list of Melbourne eats traveling from the gold coast. Southern fried chicken to die for, fluffy waffles, creamy smokey Mac & cheese. Just wish I could have got a shake. Staff were super friendly & there's a great vibe inside. My hubby & I walked out fat, happy & with an all day food coma.

Way too much chilli powder. I visited this place with a friend and got the wings and tenderloins and i dint enjoy it at all. It had way too much chilli powder which made it hard to eat and left a very bad after taste.<br/>Don't think i will be coming back soon

Great Fast Southern Chicken Option. Good southern food that fills you up at a decent price whilst the service is usually quick as well... and menu does have some variety in sides and stuff as well as the great tasty Chicken.. <br/><br/>Then again if you are going to a Chicken Place you should probably expect to be eating Chicken. :)

Massive fan of hot wings and Belles does a great job of them! Decent serving for the price, nice sides, delicious drinks (loved the ice tea!) and friendly service. Will definitely be back!

Well priced and tasty - good for sharing and for groups. Beware ... when they say "hot" they mean it!

Went for dinner on Sunday, the place was busy but the kitchen have been very quick.<br/>I had chicken wings with Monterey cheese, amazing, the best that I had in Melbourne.<br/>I suggest everybody to try the place.

So disappointing!. I really had hoped this would be good but I was so disappointed. I came here with two other friends and we ordered the day's special which was lamb chops, as well as a serve of the tenders and a serve of brown meat, with broccoli and almond salad, coleslaw, chips and last of all, a serve of cheese&mac. <br/><br/>The sides were enjoyable. The cheesy Mac was creamy and delicious but my goodness... The meats were covered in a bitter tasting chilli powder that left a horrible aftertaste in our mouths. We asked for hot. Maybe that was a mistake because our meats were tasteless and had a dry, chalky texture. The chips were over seasoned and salty as hell. And not to mention, it's totally overpriced!<br/><br/>Such a shame because I loved Belle's diner and its menu. Won't be coming back.

Overpriced chicken with a lot of chilli powder. I usually enjoy spicy fried chicken....my Indian gene's allow me to handle more spice than your average person. Belle's just adds a lot of chilli..it did not have flavor....<br/>On the good side Belle's chicken was definitely better than your average KFC.....<br/>Go for it if you are like a change or want to experiment.....

Amazing southern chicken. Probably the best I've had since actually being in the south of the U.S. Everyone who worked there were nice. Will be coming back.

Simply amazing.. The joy that Belles brings me is unmatched by any other restaurant. The wings are where it is at, hot and spicy and perfectly crispy and they go so well with the blue cheese sauce. I get either the Hot or the Really Hot and working my way up to the Really F*$%ing Hot. The specials are always great, including the friend chicken livers and buffalo chicken ribs.<br/><br/>Their wine list is impressive, and the music coming from the record player creates the perfect laid back environment.

No free range?. This place is nice, but the lack of free range chicken is really disappointing. It really affected my enjoyment of my meal (which was super tasty, but still...). Considering the area it's in, people wouldn't think twice about paying a couple of extra bucks for a happy chook. Service was tepid but efficient, but charging $2 extra for sauce was a little rich. If this place changed to free range chicken I'd be back in a heart beat. Until then, definitely not.

HOT!. This American-style restaurant serves up amazing spicy fried chicken with sides. With five levels of spiciness to choose from, most of us ordered a level two and three, and found two to be nice and spicy and three to be too spicy. Be prepared with water if you don't have an extremely high spice tolerance. The fried chicken and sides were DELICIOUS, however an individual serving was a tad big for us girls.

It's fun, yes. It's on trend, yes... for now. But it's hard to get too excited, or crave repeat visits, for such a limited menu and concept. The cayenne pepper in the hot paste that coats each chicken piece, while novel and arresting on the first bite, soon leaves a vaguely unpleasant, artificial taste in the mouth - one that's admittedly very consistent with the original Nashville recipes that Belle's is emulating. <br/><br/>On the plus side, the wine list here is excellent, and I'm hopeful that the new offshoot Bar Clarine might add a bit more nuance and interest to the food offerings here. Based on his stint at the Flinders Inn, Morgan can definitely cook - so here's hoping Bar Clarine allows him to dish up something a bit more challenging, and a bit less opportunistic than an appropriated dude-food staple for the foodie hipster lemmings.

Dropped in for a pre night shift feed. Definitely wasn't disappointed! Ordered the medium spiced tenders and they tasted great, spicy enough but not too much that you can't taste anything else (although there is a "F$&@ing hot" option for those that way inclined)<br/><br/>Will definitely reccomend.<br/><br/>Chicken, chips and a drink with a ranch sauce came to $20 so a tad pricier than many places but this is gertrude st fitzroy so still reasonable.

Chicken Indeed Hot. Went in for lunch. The service was polite and attentive. I came in for fried chicken and was not disappointed. The price isn't an issue once you've eaten and drank. <br/>I got the wings, and I will be there again to get the chicken tenders one level hotter.

I had the really hot dark meat and the chicken was superb, so juicy!! Nice hint of spice however as a chilli lover I'd be keen to give the really f***in hot a go as I like a bit of burn. Overall a tasty feed and worth a try but a bit on the pricey side...

Terrible! For hipsters only. I went to this place last night and was really looking forward to trying it - unfortunately I had one of the most terrible food experiences ever. The waitress pointed us to a table and we began walking over. We were yelled at by a guy behind the counter across the room for sitting at the table we were pointed to (the only table free). When he figured it out, he did not apologize or acknowledge us. When the guy took our order, he said aggressively "What do you want?" I told him my order and then he looked at my friends in turn and rudely pointed and just said "you?". He rolled his eyes when we asked him for drinks. The food finally came and it was extremely ordinary - dry and the outside was doughy with poorly cooked chips. The place was overpriced - particularly the alcohol. We left embarrassed and disappointed afterwards. If you enjoy taking photos of your food for facebook (which seemed popular) and don't care bout taste, come here,otherwise avoid it!

Love the fried chicken but the sides are lacking. Match made in heaven? Southern style tenders and Meat Mother mashed potato and gravy. Make it happen! Or at least make your own version. Plus mac and cheese. Go on. You know you want to.

Not sure about the wine. While the meal was pretty good, service friendly and well priced, I didn't get the wine thing (it was natural?). Paying $18 for a glass with my $16 chicken...I don't think so. We shared a longneck of beer instead.

The chicken here is hawt. There are various levels of hotness and we decided to try "hot" and "really hot" which is one step down from "really f*ing hot" and it was hawt. The hot was bearable but really got was just u enjoyable. Don't do it. The chicken we tried was dark meat and tender and crispy but I felt it could have done with a little more zing to the spice. The wait staff were all lovely and the manager checked in on everyone on all tables which I thought always adds a friendly touch. Only other thing is I wouldn't have the chocolate peanut ice cream, it's very Wendy's ice cream soft serve style. There was a bit of a queue when we left so get in early!

Delish. The best fried chicken! And sides and sauces!!

Belles Hot Chicken used to be Belles Hot Diner until they realised that fried chicken is all a person REALLY needs. Now their menu is slick, stripped back and it’s fried chicken to perfection. It very much still resembles an American Diner, but with the lights down low and a little more moody. Seating at the bar is significantly less romantic, but tables turn over quickly, even for a Thursday night. I started off with Wings ($16.0) at Medium Heat, whilst a friend ordered the Dark Meat (Drumstick & Thigh $16.0) at the Hot Heat. I opted for the Old Bay Fries which were included in the price, and paid for the Mississippi Comeback Sauce ($2.0) which is like a garlic aioli. The chicken wings are oily and tender, and really, really tasty. When the basket arrived I looked at it with great scepticism, but I was full by the end.  Each basket comes with a slice of white bread to soak up that chilli oil, and you can choose to eat it or avoid it at the end of the meal. I should have opted for the Hot Heat level, as Medium was barely even spicy. They definitely do not use KFC’s secret spices at Belles, and the flavour is so much more intense and less commercial. I much prefer this fried chicken over Crazy Wings. The Dark Meat selection seems to have more meat, with less fiddling around with the bones, but the flavour does not penetrate in to the chicken meat as much as with the wings. To end, I couldn’t resist getting the Soft Serve of the week ($6.0) – chocolate with crumbled caramelised peanuts. It was pretty good, but nothing special. A fudge brownie would’ve really made it good.

The chicken was crazy juicy, and each bite left the fat dripping down my chin. The crisp, dry batter had a nice, smoky kick; between the sizzling fat and spices, I regretted not getting a tub of ranch sauce to cool things down. Luckily the chicken was served with a generous handful of sweet house-made pickles, so I doused the fire that way.

We've been to Belle's when she was a diner and a couple of times since her reincarnation as the chicken queen. There are definitely some things I love about it and that make my tastebuds zing and my heart sing. And then there are some aspects that just leave me less hot and more lukewarm.

The menu offers a choice of chicken meat; wings, tenders, dark meat (thigh and drumstick), and your choice of heat in the batter; southern (for plain), medium, hot, really hot, and really f**kin’ hot for those who are completely insane.<br/><br/>Then there are more choices in the sides, and sauces. Do you have fries, or slaw? Ranch or blue cheese?

Tasty. Have been looking forward to trying this place since it opened and it didn't disappoint... had the dark meat (drumstick & thigh) "hot" and partner had "really f**kin hot" - crunchy, juicy, delicious, I'll be back for sure.

Great Food and Staff. The chicken is yummy and side options are all fantastic, the only negative is the paper the food is served on, it goes soggy and rips apart, you end up eating bits of paper! Anyway ill be back definitely above average

Had the very hot chicken tenders and it was great. Not your crispy kind of chicken but tender and definitely hot. Pickles were nice to cut through the heat as was the broccoli and almond salad. Extra Mushroom was disappointing at $4 each but peanut butter & jam soft serve was a nice simple way to finish the meal.

Fantastic chicken with a cool vibe. A hangover and a passing recommendation from a respected chef buddy of mine led me to Belle's hot chicken one languid Sunday afternoon. Expecting a cramped, busy diner with greasy, oily slabs of bird, I was rather surprised - situated in a quiet but trendy part of Fitzroy, Belle's has an inviting and hipster cool vibe that makes it the kind of place you would want to take your friends. The menu, as others have said, is very focused - different cuts of chicken, select your heat and side, and beverage of choice. Being somewhat of a chilli fiend, I opted for the "really f**kn hot" tenders with a Pabst. It was, as advertised, extremely hot, as well as tasty, and I would recommend that less seasoned chilli eaters listen to the recommendations of the waiter. Chicken was succulent and not at all oily, pickles and fries were lovely, all in all, I would definitely visit again. My only criticism is that it may be a tad expensive for fried chicken and chips, but definitely worth it in my eyes.

Yeh ok not worth the wait. I have been wanting to come here for soooo long and my sister suggested it one night so off we went, i love anything fried and i loved the little setup they had going on, we got the last table and started reading the menu. I kinda liked how you had to select what kind of chicken, then what kind of hotness and then you get to choose your side. The thing which annoyed us was that after we ordered we waited forty minutes for the food to come out, this place only has maximum 12 tables and not an extensive menu so when the food did come and the chips were cold and the fried chicken had a floury taste to the batter we were not too happy, its expensive for what it is and i hate to say that i won't come back, if there was something else on the menu that i wanted to try then maybe but not coming back to wait and be disappointed with food, also a non cream based condiment might help and when i came home i had to run straight to the loo, sorry guys

Got to love that hot chicken. After flying up from Sydney I went straight to Belle's for my first meal. The chicken wings were awesome, deliciously crispy, and really hit the spot. I could have easily ordered seconds (because I liked them so much, not because I was hungry). The last time I had fried chicken this good was a few years back in Los Angeles, so great job Belle's!

What a stella feed! Really hot spice setting was very good. Shame about the abrupt waiter who asked us to leave when we were just finishing our chips. That can really ruin a meal

I can't speak for the chicken, but THANK you for putting a vegetarian option on the menu! The mushrooms are amazing! Makes us vegos feel like we're being included when an establishment that is primarily carnivore-based has an awesome vegetarian option. It was delicious!<br/>We will be back :)

So hot right now!. Fried chicken to end all fried chicken in Melbourne, the heat is real. Sides are just ok, mushrooms alright but the chicken is great!

Gertrude's ace!. Everything is nice and delicious here. seriously the chicken are amazing! so are the seasonal pickles and brocoli salad. thoroughly enjoy them. ignore all the negative comments and the % rating scores because we giving it 20 out of 5 stars!

The wings here were great! They were actually hot and delicious. A must try for all wing lovers.

Don't believe the Hype!. Head to Gami Gami Korean Fried Chicken then comeback to Belles Hot Chicken and ask yourself, am I going to stay and eat! NO! Very over rated, no value, two girls serving were under the Pump both inside and outside the restaurant! Senior Management, put another person on keep things flowing! Hmmmnn the Pizza after Belles filled the hunger spot! Belles you ain't all that!

Fried Chicken love!. Had a weeknight dinner here on a whim and glad we did, I am an avid fried chicken fan and I must say Belles was quite good. I actually much preffered it over Rockwell and sons but at had a much thicker coat, while Belles was more 'light'.<br/>A small group of 4 adults and a child eaily polished off 1 Baller bucket ($60) which comprised of 16 fried wings which you can go half/half so we went the Southern (no chilli) and half medium, 4 sides, there was no mac and cheese so we had a bit of a cry, nonetheless we had the green beans which was superb, it was like a homestyle bean green bean stew with a pork hock flavour to it, coleslaw and 2 chips sprinkled with old bay seasoning. All were delicious, the generous handful of pickles cleansed the grease in between bites of crunchy, juicy, tasty hot fried chicken. The chilli eaters of the group also thought they would give the 'very hot' dark meat ($16) 2 pieces (thigh and drumstick) and 1 side, we chose the brocolli side, it was ok but we were better off getting another serve of green beans as that was esten quite quickly,, they hesitated ordering the 'very f@cking' hot fried chicken and very glad they did as the 'very hot' was too hot to enjoy, I ate a pickle that nestled atop one of these fiery pieces and my tongue was on fire...so next time we'll go with anything below 'hot', to me the Southern was the best it was just great tasting chicken at its best. We also had the Sundae which was a softserve with chocolate soil and a tangy salted caramel, it was a good palate cleanser and probably would have worked with dampening the chilli had we ordered it earlier. Service was good, promt and friendly. Chicken best eaten with beer, such a delicious combo. Will return!

Take away. They do takeaway! Great if you want to cry over the heat of the chicken in the privacy of your own home (my husband haha). Delicious moist tender chicken and a good amount of well cooked fries. Will return!

Great spicy fried chicken, could probably work on the customer service. Let's start with the positives. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and ordered the "Really F#king Hot" chicken with a side of coleslaw. It comprised of one thigh and one drumstick with 2 pickles on a slice of white bread (presumably to soak up the grease) and a bowl of coleslaw. The meat was well-cooked; being juicy and tender with a smoky crispy skin, richly encrusted with spicy chilli and paprika. It isn't really as spicy as a number of other reviews seem to suggest.The heat was slow-burn so it didn't detract from the natural flavours of the chicken, whilst still giving it a decent kick. I thought it could do with a tad bit more salt, but it was a delicious effort all the same. The coleslaw did the job of balancing out the intensity of the fried chicken. <br/><br/>However it did take more than 20 minutes to get out of the kitchen, which is a tad bit long considering I was one of the first customers there. And the rather terse oh-so-cool hipster wait staff (well, it is Fitzroy) taking orders at the counter could probably be a little friendlier, you know like smile...it's not really that hard, and it does wonders for customers' moods. <br/><br/>All and all, it's still worth a visit if you like your fried chicken..kudos to the chefs.

Like it. Deep fried yumminess. Daughter loves the peanut butter milkshake.

Loved it!. My husband and I visited Belles last week and loved it! Love the set-up....and choosing the meat, level of heat, sauce and sides....it's all a it of fun. :) We also had some oysters, which weren't on the menu...but fantastic! Some healthy options would be a great addition though for those of us watching our weight.

HOT. My group shared a mixture of wings, tenders, and dark meat, it varying degrees of heat. They were AWESOME. Particularly the "really f**king hot" ones. They're incredibly hot, but in the best way possible.<br/><br/>Will definitely be back

Epic. Chicken is dynamite, great wine list (if expensive). Really f***in hot is brutal

Chicken + Waffles = AMAZING. Heard a lot about this concept of chicken and waffles and it has been on "The List" for a while. After a hard days shopping with the boys we were wandering around the area when I remembered this beautiful place was still had a NO under the "Visited" column, that had to be corrected.<br/><br/>We came in and 3/4 of us got the Chicken & Waffles, with the other getting just chicken (which was served on some bread). We got a range of sides including the coleslaw, mac and cheese and fries. If you're going to get any of the hotter varieties of chicken I'd highly recommend the coleslaw. It gives you a much needed break from the spice, at least it did for me.<br/><br/>Everything tasted fantastic and the combination of waffles covered in maple syrup eaten with some hot fried chicken blew our minds. The desert option of soft serve with salted caramel topped was also extremely delightful. <br/><br/>This place is just cool, if you like fried chicken check it out. If you like waffles come check it out. If you like salty sweet combinations full of flavour definitely check it out.

Disappointing. Too much paprika. Bobar shiraz was undrinkable.

Nothing too noteworthy. A glowing write-up in a newspaper put this place on the radar. <br/><br/>After fighting our way through a throng of (the ubiquitous) hipsters we walked in and stood for (say) 30 seconds... no response from any of the staff. I had to approach a waitress cleaning a table to find out where we could sit.<br/><br/>Once seated the waitress explained the menu and we ordered a batch of tenders (Southern Style) with coleslaw and wings (Hot) with mac & cheese, intending to share (first visit, wanted to try some flavours).<br/><br/>Sharing wasn't made easy, but we made do. The sides were served in small paper cups and the chicken sitting on a piece of white bread in a plastic basket with a few halved pickles thrown in for good measure.<br/><br/>Southern Style tenders were fairly bland in flavour. Obviously, I wasn't expecting hot, but they were only made tasty with the addition of some hot sauce on the table. Eating them with the coleslaw helped... although it was a pretty wet and unspectacular coleslaw.<br/><br/>The hot wings were pretty tasty. We're talking full wings, (all three sets of bone) so you're probably going to need to eat with your hands. Mac & cheese was pretty bland, even with the addition of some chilli powder.<br/><br/>Belle's Hot Chicken isn't bad, but it certainly isn't great. For the price there's not a great deal on the plate (considering how simple the food is). I can't say that I didn't like it, but I certainly can't recommend it.

Awful !!. Was really excited to try, but sorry guys, really lacking salt, very very oily, the 'wonder white' bread underneath was an oily soggy mess afterwards, not sure if that's intended, pretty gross, not at all pleasant.

Guys - this is difficult because I get your business model. I'm just not the demographic you're aiming for as a guy who needs to watch his weight! But I'm writing this because I want you to succeed! Have a few healthy options on the menu! I'm a local who wants to support local businesses and not die too young! Service was great though!

Good fun, great chicken. I had dark meat with fries (hot) , other half had tenders with Mac and Cheese (F**** Hot) - The fries were really crunchy and awesome and the chicken was superb. The staff are very friendly and pretty cool too in a non-pretentious way. I want to go back on a weekend soon for chicken and waffles.

I don't even eat fried chicken but..... While visiting Melbourne from Auckland I dined at Belles Hot Chicken with two friends at first I wasn't too excited about the prospect of eating fried chicken assuming it wouldnt taste any better than KFC I mean all fried chicken tastes the same right?! How I was incredibly wrong!<br/><br/>I ordered the hot dark meat with a side of coleslaw it was served within 10minutes and was the juiciest most succulent chicken I've ever had!!! I'm serious about my food and this is a very serious review I absolutely loved the food (also had a soft serve!) The service was great and music made me feel like I was in a Southern eatery in America.<br/><br/>Please open in Auckland!

Most AUTHENTIC fried chicken in Melbourne. I've eaten here often and every single time, the hot chicken is always juicy, perfectly seasoned and piping hot. This is fried chicken people, it's meant to have oil on it, so why people are commenting on it being "oily" clearly have never been to the South and eaten real fried chicken. This is authentic as it gets and if you have been to Nashville you will understand how good Belles is.

Fine. Good grilled chicken. a bit oily definitely not healthy. but every once in a while, why not, it's good.

Friedtastic!!!. Epic fried epicness. Chicken like its ment to be!!!

Dissapointing. If you want soggy, tasteless, oily fried chicken, then this is the place to go. Really wanted this place to be good, but unfortunately I was very unimpressed. There're so many better places to go for fried chicken in Melbourne.

Expensive and basic. My friends and I shared a bucket and a few sides. It was $40 each. for some chicken wings, Mac and cheese and coleslaw. I feel this is pretty steep. They didn't even give us plates! We ate off napkins. I'm guessing the owners scrapped the previous (delicious) menu for a cheaper, easier one to make more ca$h money. There are better places to eat in the area that are less gimmicky, cheaper and better.

DAYUM! SPICY!. SO HOT!!! Juicy chicken!! Staff are such hipster but hey, we are in Fitzroy?!!! <br/><br/>Tasty chicken. Good music. Great drinks!

So, Belle's diner is now a fried chicken joint and because I liked the previous menu, I decided to give them a go...but how very disappointing! My 'off menu' soft shell crab actually made me feel ill because it was so, so oily, and the seasoning was too overpowering for the crab. My partner's chicken was edible, but he ordered a 'medium' heat and he said it was way too spicy. The side of chips were inedible: undercooked, over seasoned and way too salty.<br/>I know that the hipsters will still frequent this place, but surely they've got to be kidding themselves that the menu is good?!

Don't do it.. Deeply disappointing. Super friendly staff - but the food was atrocious.<br/><br/>I never write reviews but felt like this time it was necessary. We paid $52 for two pretty revolting dishes and a drink each, and ended up leaving most of the food on the plate, alas!<br/><br/>Belle's diner was amazing. Not sure why they would have ever changed away from the amazing menu or burgers that they did there before. But seriously, JUST DON'T DO IT.<br/><br/>Still can't get over the strange mustardy onion sauce on the fish. Let alone the white bread...? And the old soggy slaw? <br/><br/>Enough said.

Best fried Chook. This place is special ! I'm a chef from Maryland that lived in the south for 8 years and this chicken is cooked to perfection.Brined then floured correctly and served with spice.I recently are Hot chicken at Hattie B's , Boltons , Princes and 400 degrees and this beats it all hands down.One the chicken is real chicken not STEGGLES or Mass produced poultry.<br/>Natural wine is badass and I can get my PBR here .They also do this bourbon drink with Tea called the Southern Charm.<br/>They play vinyl all night which is cool and rare.<br/>Previous reviews say that the chicken is not good or oily but for gods sake its fried chicken people and its delicious.<br/>I'm sure most of the haters have never even been to the US or the ones that say they have obviously are fans of the dirty bird.

Don't waste your time. As a native Nashvillian living in Melbourne, I was incredibly disappointed. The chicken was flavorless and soggy, and our Mac and cheese was watery. <br/><br/>I'm unimpressed, especially since I love Husk in Nashville and would expect more of someone who came in with that background. <br/><br/>This is not what Nashville hot chicken tastes like, and I will not be going back.

Not worth the hype.. If you want a oily tasteless soggy fried chicken experience then hit this place up. So many better fried chicken places in Melbourne. Sadly KFC's one of them.

We were caught unaware as we thought it was Belle's Diner, a bit of a favourite for burgers. We stayed even though not very interested in the menu. My friend liked the chicken, I felt indifferent about the mushrooms and the chips. We probably won't be back even though we like the location because we can sit outside with our dog.

Wicked crispy hot fried chicken cooked to perfection, juices flowing the bird marry with the flavour filled oils from the skin to make this the real deal finger smacker. This is just a simple world class treatment of the humble bird. Skin is crisp and seasoned to perfection. Wash it down with homemade iced tea or a pabst and life is good!

All right, do the coleslaw is average at best but who cares, it's about the chicken baby and this us the real deal. No fuss, honest to goodness the best fried chicken in melbourne. Crispy spicy skin that stays that way even after a good thirty minutes. Juices and oil spill out into white bread that is one of life's great mop ups. BAM, these guys have nailed it, hats off to them. To the "don't linkers" , get over yourselves, take it for what it is, great great chicken with a side of old school vinyl playing in the background, wash it down with a pabst and life just got that much better.

Hot Dark Meat Fried Chicken. I've eaten fried chicken in Memphis Arkansaw Oklahoma Nashville whilst driving NYC to LA and this is as good or if not better than anything I've ever had. Bring on Belles

Really wanted to like this place but just really didn't. Chicken was bland and served in a stupid plastic basket. When I poured maple syrup over the waffles it went all over the table. Tasteless ranch and blue cheese sauces were servered in disposable Plastic tubs and chips so bland I couldn't eat them- now that's a first. Service was poor. Lining up to order and pay blocked the doorway. Will not be going back. Sort yourself out and get some proper crockery as a start!

Far out this place is unreal! Delicious fried chicken (not too oily) medium was probably more on the hot side so be careful when ordering :) love the Pabst Blue Ribbon cans. Definitely check this place out!

Hot as you want it.... First of all, I'm very confused by the price comments. Why are we comparing to prices in the US? Of course it's more expensive. Everything in this country is more expensive than in the US, often by as much as double. If we compare this to Melbourne prices, I don't get the whinging. People are paying $18 for smashed avo on toast for brunch and we're shedding tears over $16 for a reasonably filling portion of fried chicken? We pay a silly $9 for a Macca's value mean for crying out loud.<br/><br/>Anyway, onto the food. The fried chicken is probably the best I've in Melbourne and comes the closest to American style fried chicken. I find most restaurants that try to do it either have a skin that's soggy or overly battered. I spent some time in Nashville on a long roadtrip in the US and ate at two of their famous hot chicken places (Hattie B's and Bolton's) and thought this measured up quite well (yes, albeit at twice the price). There's a spice level for everyone - I got the hottest and it made me cry the way I like it. My wife got the medium and it suited her well. I didn't bother with the sauces - it does seem silly to pay extra for that. The sides were solid but the chicken is the main attraction.<br/><br/>No problems with the service. Not outstanding but not bad.

Chicken and Waffles. Amazing dish for brunch, house made waffle with the best fried chicken.<br/><br/><br/>-----07 Sep, 2014-----<br/><br/>Completely Authentic. This place is special , its incredibly true down to the chicken.I just travelled through the South in the USA and this trumps it all.<br/>Chicken is exceptional and is of the highest quality, crisp and succulent.If there is a better fried chicken in Melbourne please tell me where as these guys have lived it (Unlike other pretenders) also the price warrants what you get and if you disagree your simply cheap.<br/>Service is professional and friendly if this place was anywhere else they could charge double.Wake up Melbourne this is the real deal.

I get it, it's hip right now. Especially on Gertrude St where rents are high. The food is perfectly nice, they've done well here. <br/><br/>If you want to pay $16 for three chicken wings and a side then great, you'll love it. <br/><br/>I'm imagining lining up for Franklin BBQ in TX or Fette Sau in BK and telling the folks that in Melbourne we have a place where three wings and a side are $16, they would have a heart attack. It's just too expensive. Chicken wings are after all, chicken wings.

Really wanted to like this place but their fried chicken isn't particularly special. Well cooked and crispy but no flavour apart from paprika dusted on for heat.

Great Food... But. Having just returned from living in the US and enjoying lots of american food I was pleasantly suprised to find their belles chicken is incredibly authentic and tasty. 5 starts for taste.<br/><br/>Serving size is terrible. $16 for 3 wings that cost $4 a kilo gram is insane. I want to be satisfied for my $16. You can bet that every time I ate this cuisine in the USA I was full afterwards and completely satisfied. <br/><br/>Great food, terrible execution.<br/><br/>P.S. Pabst blue ribbon as the only american beer? Most BARS in the USA dont even serve this stuff.

Keeps it simple, like it should. I love the Melbourne food scene, but one thing that I find frustrating at times is that it has a hard time keeping simple food simple. Sometimes I just want to eat working-class food as it was meant to be eaten.<br/><br/>Belle's does this with fried chicken. A streamlined menu is executed well without adding a fancy spin to it besides a wine list. The fried chicken walked the fine line between pleasure and pain and the beans were tasty. If Belles just added sweet tea to the menu, it'd be as close to authentic as possible this side of the Pacific.<br/><br/>Loved the diner feel. Despite it being packed, we got our food quickly. I'd visit more often if I didn't live on the other side of the city.

Disappointing move for Belle's. Prices are unreasonably high, the menu is limited and the coleslaw and Mac n cheese are covered in thick saucy goop it's revolting. A big downgrade from Belle's diner which had a refreshing slaw and really interesting Mac n cheese with truffle oil, not to mention a bigger menu, attentive service and better value. Do not recommend this place.

Nashvillian approved. Being from Nashville, I was both excited and skeptical to try Nashville hot chicken here in Melbourne. After a lunch there, I can say that Belles does the dish justice. The chicken was served as it should be - with pickles and on a slice of white bread. I ordered dark meat really hot, and while the spiciness scale is a step down from Nashville chicken joints (back home the second hottest level make me cry, at Belles it just made my nose run), it still packed a punch with some nice crunch. <br/><br/>My side of potato salad was perfect for a spicy dish and was really nicely done. It wasn't too sweet and wasn't runny, like I often find. The pickles were some of the best I've had in Melbourne, and although that's not that difficult as Australians don't really do pickles well, they actually were good on an absolute scale as well. My wife really enjoyed the cole slaw, and she's a cole slaw snob. She said it was closer to American style slaw versus Australian slaw, which tends to be drier.<br/><br/>Price is pretty standard for eating out in Melbourne - I'm not sure where everyone else is eating. I'm also surprised about the comments about the service, as we found the staff to be friendly and attentive. When the chefs found out I was from Nashville, they had me come to the back so we could chat a bit.<br/><br/>I'll be back whenever I get a craving for home.

Worst service in melbourne! After being pointed out a table that we could sit at ( pretty poor form), we sat for 15 minutes without so much as a hello from a server ( they were all far to busy having a goss behind the bar) when finally I walked up and ordered drinks and food for the whole table. After a solid 30 min and everyone at our table wanting to walk out our food finally arrived. That was the only time we spoke to a service staff.. As someone who has spent my whole life working in the industry I can honestly say this is pathetic! The chicken was average and overpriced and the service was appalling..

Good concept but poor execution. Chicken is overly oily, coleslaw old and soggy and it very over priced at $16 min. Shame because the staff are lovely and the atmosphere alone is worth a visit

Awesome Awesome Awesome!. Let me start by saying anyone who has given this place a negative review is wrong!<br/><br/>American style deep fried chicken with loads of chilli sauce and amazing sides. Do one thing and do it well and that's what this place does. Getting a park is a nightmare, but its worth it when you find it. 2 chicken dishes which included a side of chips on one and a side of slaw on the other, plus 2 yum blue cheese dipping sauce and two beers, $50. Absolutely cannot fault that. Friendly staff, awesome feed. This place is the cats pyjamas!<br/>I've been once, but I will be back...often.

I was really excited about this new venture. I love the concept. However, although the food was good, not brilliant, the service was very poor. It took ages to establish eye contact with the staff, who did not appear to care. No doubt the place will be a success with the hipster brigade, but our visit was a perfect reminder that hospitality is about so much more than food.

Really wanted to like it but the sauce is lacking in flavour and not very hot.<br/><br/>$16 is also on the expensive side for 3 wings and a tiny side.<br/>The "dark meat" option of thigh and leg is much bigger if you're hungry.<br/><br/>Just a tip, mixed pickle is okra and cauliflower. Not necessarily a bad thing but definitely not what we're used to.<br/><br/>Might give it another go in a few weeks, maybe it's just a problem during the opening day.

The chicken's first-rate – juicy meat in a crunchy, nicely burnished coating. But when I started digging in, I really wanted that cayenne-based

The menu is short and sweet, meaning everything on it needs to be exceptional. It is a choice of different cuts of chicken (along with a fish, and a mushroom option), in a sauce ranging from mild to extremely hot, with several classic sides on offer, and a few specials too. The other theme is the natural wines on offer, which is intriguing, and will be highlighted in a new bar next door (coming soon)...

Belle’s hot chicken is a diner in Fitzroy, which serves American southern style fried chicken.The chicken is delicious! The chickens crunchy exterior and juicy interior can be hot or not, the choice is yours. This finger lickin’ fried chicken is definitely something worth talking about...

...Formerly Belle’s Diner, the eatery is now a temple of worship for the religion that is fried chicken. Southern fried chicken to be exact. And you could not find more devout devotees than the two of us.  Sometimes I feel all I write about is fried chicken and then I think about what all that fried chicken is doing to my insides. But hey, life’s for living right? The menu at Belle’s Hot Chicken is refreshingly simple.  For $16 you choose a cut of meat (wings, tenders or dark meat) and a side (choices range from Mac and Cheese to Almost Arnold’s Beans). You then choose the spice level you’re willing to risk- Southern if you want zilch chilli right up to Really F**kin’ Hot...

Belle’s Hot Chicken Fitzroy is yet another new place to eat at that’s opened in this part of town with a lot of hype. Owner/chefs Aaron Turner (formerly of Loam) and Morgan McGlone (formerly of Husk in Nashville) said goodbye to the world of fine dining a little while back to spend some time in Nashville discovering how fried chicken is done in that part of the world.

Chef Aaron Turner has opened the first Nashville-style fried chicken joint in Australia in the heart of Fitzroy and claims that “It’s the best fried chicken you’ll ever have”.  Having been to and absolutely loved Aaron’s 2-hat venture, Loam , and despite knowing that we were about to walk into a fried chicken diner, we were really hoping for something special…

From chefs Aaron Turner (previously at regional gem Loam, and lately manning pans in Nashville) and Morgan McGlone (last seen as chef de cuisine at the Nashville spin-off of Sean Brock’s Husk), the newly reopened Belle’s is all about focus and doing one thing well, and that one thing is spicy fried chicken, and we mean spicy.

Belle’s Hot Chicken has been highly anticipated by The Chicken Scene ever since news leaked out that Belle’s Diner would be transformed into a Nashville style chicken restaurant. The way the menu is setup was a clear sign that this will be a huge Melbourne Fried Chicken contender. The menu is simple yet so dynamic at Belle’s and is based off of a Meat and Heat combination. You get to pick the cut of meat you want (Wings, Tenders, or Dark Meat) and then you get to pick the Heat (Mild, Hot, Very Hot, and Very F***ing Hot). Pure Genius! Hollywood was a lone wolf for this mission but was really hungry so ended up ordering the tenders with the heat level of Hot, Mac-n-cheese and the fries with a side of blue cheese sauce. The chicken came out in a basket with the fries, while the mac-n-cheese came out in a side cup. The chicken consisted of 3 pieces and hot it was. It was freshly cooked, and was steamy and juicy. The spices were really good and factor

Melbourne’s Belle’s Hot Chicken is doing a series of popups at Sydney’s Bondi Icebergs and we check in during their first pop up. A photo posted by TheJugernauts (@thejugernauts) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:07pm PST Details for the forthcoming popups listed above. The incredible view out from where we were standing and the standing room only space at Bondi Iceberg. A look at the menu. It should be noted that there wasn’t a price on these. And each dish was $22 and each consider consisted of 1x meat + choice of heat, 1x sauce and both sides (you’ll also get full size pickles). We had a quick go at mix and matching for 6 people and paired the eats with nice cooling asahi. Shroom, and wings (medium) + sides. It should be noted that there’s a slice of white bread in there as well.

Excuse the pun but The World Loves Melbourne has a fried chicken bucket list. Belle's Hot Chicken is a Nashville style standout dude food mecca that The World Loves Melbourne finally visited, and we left on a spicy fried chicken high. Get it right - this is not just fried chicken - but spicy fried chicken. Chilli meets chicken in a wonderful connection. Belle's Hot Chicken is the masterstroke of (ex Loam) Aaron Turner and Morgan McGlone (ex Husk in Nashville and Rumours), who flew in to town to work their magic after a stint in a fine dining kitchen in Nashville.

Nashville Hot Chicken, natural wine bar and smashable beers!

We end up eating the chicken the best way we know how: with our fingers, tearing into the piping hot chicken with our teeth. It's a hot juicy mess that will leave you grinning from ear to ear even as chicken juices run down your chin.

Belle’s Hot Chicken (150 Gertrude St, Fitzroy) was high up the eat list with word on the street that the fried chicken here would be Southern-style and amazing. It did not disappoint and I’ve had dreams about it eve..

When ordering your chicken, you simply choose which part of the chicken you would like to eat, followed by how hot you would like (from ‘southern’ all the way to ‘really f**kin’ hot’), and one side. There’s also an ‘off the menu’ menu, but I’m a little bummed this visit that the chicken livers didn’t make an appearance…simply means I’ll have to revisit I guess…