Nashville Hot Chicken St George: How Chef Jay Bogsinske Brought Music City's Fire to Utah's Desert

There's this moment when you bite into Jay Bird's Mac Daddy sandwich that makes everything stop. The crunch of the perfectly fried chicken breast gives way to creamy mac and cheese spilling out the sides, comeback sauce dripping onto your fingers, all nestled in a brioche bun that somehow holds this glorious mess together. As one DoorDash reviewer put it: "WOW! EASILY THE BEST CHICKEN SANDWICH EVER." And honestly? They're not wrong.

At Red Cliffs Mall in St. George, Utah's first Jay Bird's location has been slinging the best Nashville hot chicken the state has ever seen since opening in May 2023. One customer who tried the macaroni and cheese chicken sandwich said they "loved it so much it was the first place we came back to when we visited St George again." That's the thing about authentic Nashville hot chicken—once you've had it done right, everything else is just fried chicken with hot sauce.

From Chicago's South Side to St. George: The Chef Jay Story

Jay Bird's Chicken started in Long Beach, California in 2019, created by Executive Chef Jay Bogsinske and Wild Thyme Restaurant Group. But the real story begins way before that, in Chicago's South Side, where young Jay watched his mother and grandmother turn their kitchen into a neighborhood legend.

"They would cook everything with that," Bogsinske remembers about the leftover bacon fat his family saved for cooking. "I was probably like 8 or 9 years old before I realized that everyone doesn't cook their eggs with that." Every year during the holidays, his entire house would be covered in paper bags for cooling as each batch of cookies was carefully baked with close attention paid to the flavors and details.

But it was those summers in Nashville that changed everything. Jay Bird's represents Chef Jay's upbringing in Chicago, where he would spend summers visiting Nashville and frying chicken every Sunday as a family tradition. He absorbed the real deal—the layers of seasoning, the brining, the flouring, the milk dipping. All those things that separate authentic Nashville hot chicken from the pretenders.

Here's where it gets interesting: Bogsinske left a career in fine French dining to pursue a cuisine that's less pretentious and more down to Earth. Because when you ask chefs what their favorite food is, nine times out of ten they're going to tell you about some hole-in-the-wall. "Eating Nashville hot chicken back then meant eating on a picnic table in front of a shack," he explains. That's the spirit he brought to Jay Bird's—James Thornton Prince's legacy from Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, which opened in 1945 and started the whole Nashville hot chicken movement.

The Nashville Hot Chicken Experience at Jay Bird's St. George

Walk into Jay Bird's at Red Cliffs Mall and you might be surprised by the aesthetic. As one first-time visitor described it: "First impression is 'What a clean Sterile place' It's all white with nothing on the walls." But that minimalist approach isn't an accident—it keeps the focus exactly where it should be: on making exceptional chicken.

The staff greets you immediately and explains your choices. And here's where Jay Bird's separates itself from every other chicken spot in Southern Utah: you get six levels of heat. From Plain Jay (no spice) all the way up to Fire—which uses Carolina Reaper, literally one of the hottest chili peppers in the world.

"After you get done frying the chicken, you take it through a second stage where you shake on your spice seasoning of choice," explains Branen Fitzgerald, Jay Bird's creative director. This isn't just tossing hot sauce on fried chicken. This is the real Nashville technique—a cayenne pepper spice paste applied after frying, creating that signature heat and flavor that's become legendary in Music City.

The Mac Daddy: St. George's Most Craveable Sandwich

Let's talk about the Mac Daddy, because this is what people drive across town for. One regular customer said: "Walk dont run to get the Mac Daddy Sandwich & Fries, it's SO good. I crave this thing 24/7, it's probably one of the best chicken sandwiches ive had."

It's a seven-ounce fried chicken breast—massive, crispy, spiced to your preference—topped with house-made mac and cheese and comeback sauce, all on a brioche bun. The same reviewer noted that "this thing is a little difficult to eat so I recommend eating the sandwich with the paper still around it." Pro tip right there. They also swap the fries for extra mac and cheese, which "is so delicious."

Is it on the pricier side compared to other chicken sandwich places in St. George? Yeah. But as that customer assured: "it is completely worth it."

Blazin' Fries: The Side That Steals the Show

One local declares: "Blazin' Fries are genuinely my favorite comfort food!" And another agrees: "Absolutely love this place. The Blazing Fries Medium spice will change your life. I can't get enough of it."

These aren't just seasoned fries. The Blazin' Fries come topped with mac and cheese, one chopped tender spiced with your choice of heat, comeback sauce, and Big Sexy sauce. It's basically a full meal disguised as a side dish. The crinkle-cut fries stay crispy even under all those toppings, and the combination of creamy, spicy, and savory hits different.

Chicken & Waffles: Sunday Tradition Meets Fast-Casual

One reviewer who ordered the chicken and waffles with sweet tea said: "Food was served quickly and tasted great...I thought it was terrific!" The fried chicken is described as "some of the best I've ever tried," and even the waffle underneath was exceptional—"a testament to Jay Birds' approach of doing a few things really well, rather than a few dozen things just alright."

Bogsinske explained his philosophy: "When you look at In-N-Out, or you look at [Raising] Cane's, you just see these double lines of people. Their registers never stop." That focused menu strategy is working—customers aren't overwhelmed with choices, but every option on the menu is executed at the highest level.

A Word About Heat Levels: Choose Wisely

Look, Nashville hot chicken is spicy. That's the whole point. But Jay Bird's gives you control. One couple from Sedona ordered medium and "found it to be just the right amount of heat," noting that the chicken was better than Popeyes or Chick-fil-A, with chicken that's "moist, lightly breaded and served piping hot."

But respect the fire. One DoorDash reviewer learned the hard way, ordering a higher spice level and finding it genuinely too hot to eat. The lesson? Start with Plain Jay or Mild if you're new to Nashville hot chicken. You can always go hotter next time. And trust me, there will be a next time.

Jay Bird's & St. George's Growing Food Scene

When Jay Bird's opened in May 2023, it became Utah's first location for the growing chain. The restaurant took over the old Arby's location in the Red Cliffs Mall parking lot, becoming the 9th Jay Bird's in the U.S. The renovation transformed the space completely—new commercial kitchen, tile work throughout, updated facade. As the construction team noted, seeing Jay Bird's "filled with hungry patrons and Jay himself handing out trays of delicious-looking Nashville-style hot chicken during the grand opening" made all the renovation effort worth it.

St. George's food scene has exploded in recent years, and Jay Bird's arrival represents something significant: authentic, technique-driven cooking from a chef who actually knows the tradition he's representing. Bogsinske saw what was happening with Nashville hot chicken in LA and noticed that "nine out of 10 people doing it really don't know Nashville hot chicken. They want to cash in on it, but they don't understand all the layers of seasoning, brining, the flouring, the milk dipping, all those things. It's painfully obvious to people who do know what it is that a lot of people don't know what it is."

That commitment to authenticity matters. You're not getting some corporate approximation of Nashville hot chicken—you're getting the real technique, learned from summers in Music City and refined through years of fine dining experience.

Planning Your Visit to Jay Bird's Chicken St. George

Location: 1694 Red Cliffs Dr, St. George, UT 84790 (Red Cliffs Mall)

Hours:

• Monday-Thursday: 11am-9pm
• Friday-Saturday: 11am-10pm
• Sunday: 11am-7pm

What to Order:

• First-timers: Get the Mac Daddy sandwich at Mild or Medium heat with Blazin' Fries. Add an Arnold Palmer—customers say they're delicious.
• For the table: Order The Chop (chopped tenders mixed with coleslaw, pickles, and both sauces) to share
• Spice lovers: Work your way up the heat scale—don't jump straight to Fire unless you really know what you're doing
• Classic route: Chicken and waffles with sweet tea for that authentic Sunday tradition vibe

Insider Knowledge:

• Keep the paper wrapper around your Mac Daddy while eating—it helps contain the beautiful mess
• Sub the regular fries for mac and cheese on any meal
• Staff is "super friendly and helpful with our order" so don't hesitate to ask questions about spice levels
• Located right off I-15, making it perfect for travelers heading to or from Zion National Park (40 minutes away)

Find Them Online: Instagram: @jaybirdschicken Website: jaybirdschicken.com Phone: (435) 218-7288

The Bottom Line

Nashville hot chicken isn't just a trend in St. George anymore—it's a permanent fixture, and Jay Bird's is setting the standard. Chef Jay Bogsinske brought decades of technique, family tradition, and genuine respect for the craft to Southern Utah's desert landscape.

As one customer summed it up simply: "Excellent food and excellent service! We loved the fries, the sandwiches and these guys were super friendly and helpful with our order. I'd recommend these guys over and over again!"

Whether you're a St. George local looking for something beyond the usual chain restaurants, a foodie exploring Southern Utah's evolving dining scene, or a traveler needing a serious meal before hitting the trails at Zion, Jay Bird's delivers. Just remember: choose your spice level wisely, keep that paper wrapper handy, and prepare for your new favorite comfort food obsession.

The Mac Daddy awaits.