Chris’s guidebook
Food
Louisville is known for its local cuisine, always placing in the top 3 foodie cities. Hope you brought your appetite.
$$ A honky-tonk bourbon bar with upscale eats. Reservations recommended, especially on the weekends.
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The Green Building Gallery
732 E Market St$$ A honky-tonk bourbon bar with upscale eats. Reservations recommended, especially on the weekends.
Chik'n & Mi
1765 Mellwood Ave$$ Ramen, fried chicken, asian fusion. Excellent brunch
Royals Hot Chicken
736 E Market St$$ Nashville style hot chicken
$$ Started as a food truck and just kept growing. A little spendy, but great.
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Grind Burger Kitchen
829 E Market St$$ Started as a food truck and just kept growing. A little spendy, but great.
$$ Upscale New American. Worth going to the cellar lounge for a drink
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Decca Restaurant
812 E Market St$$ Upscale New American. Worth going to the cellar lounge for a drink
$$ Kinda divey, but inventive pub grub (like duck fat fries). In the basement under some apartments, look for the hanging hammerhead shark as there is no signage. Go very early, like before 6, or you will be waiting outside. No reservations. Always very crowded, loud, and is very tight inside, just part of the experience.
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Hammerheads
921 Swan St$$ Kinda divey, but inventive pub grub (like duck fat fries). In the basement under some apartments, look for the hanging hammerhead shark as there is no signage. Go very early, like before 6, or you will be waiting outside. No reservations. Always very crowded, loud, and is very tight inside, just part of the experience.
The Post
1045 Goss Ave$ Cheap, very large, pizza by the slice.
$$ Typical pub fare, but large list of beers. Free arcade games (like X-Men, Simpsons, mario kart, basketball)
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HopCat
1064 Bardstown Rd$$ Typical pub fare, but large list of beers. Free arcade games (like X-Men, Simpsons, mario kart, basketball)
$$ It’s an Irish pub. And honestly it’s exactly the same as Flanagans or Molly Malones right next door, except O’Sheas has a great patio.
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O'Shea's Irish Pub
956 Baxter Ave$$ It’s an Irish pub. And honestly it’s exactly the same as Flanagans or Molly Malones right next door, except O’Sheas has a great patio.
$$ Upscale doughnuts with unique toppings, including Froot Loops and fried chicken
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Hi-Five Doughnuts
1940 E Main St$$ Upscale doughnuts with unique toppings, including Froot Loops and fried chicken
$ This is a neighborhood staple. They open everyday between 5-6am and stay open until they’re sold out. The hours list until 1pm but I don’t think they’ve ever been open that late. If you’re not there by 9am or so, you’ve missed most of what they made that day.
Clifton Donut Shop
2317 Brownsboro Rd$ This is a neighborhood staple. They open everyday between 5-6am and stay open until they’re sold out. The hours list until 1pm but I don’t think they’ve ever been open that late. If you’re not there by 9am or so, you’ve missed most of what they made that day.
Toast On Market
620 E Market St$$ Breakfast and brunch. You can’t go wrong here.
$ A non-profit bakery that hires women out of sex trafficking and teaches them baking and life skills. Everything here is great, but the cinnamon rolls are fantastic.
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Scarlet's Bakery
106 Fairfax Ave$ A non-profit bakery that hires women out of sex trafficking and teaches them baking and life skills. Everything here is great, but the cinnamon rolls are fantastic.
$$ A hole in the wall in a strip mall. The kind of place where all the chairs are from different places and slightly broken and you have to order with the letter/number of the menu item due to the language barrier. This place is fantastic.
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Vietnam Kitchen
5339 Mitscher Ave$$ A hole in the wall in a strip mall. The kind of place where all the chairs are from different places and slightly broken and you have to order with the letter/number of the menu item due to the language barrier. This place is fantastic.
$ There’s only 4 things on the menu here, but the gyro is why people come. The bread here is out of this world. All kinds of pastries as well for after the meal. It’s counter service, so get in line, and If it’s busy, you will wait in line twice - the first to order, then after the meal to pay.
Jasmin Bakery European Bread
2205 Steier Ln$ There’s only 4 things on the menu here, but the gyro is why people come. The bread here is out of this world. All kinds of pastries as well for after the meal. It’s counter service, so get in line, and If it’s busy, you will wait in line twice - the first to order, then after the meal to pay.
$ Pretty much just the latest thing open. Big, floppy, greasy, New York style pizza. Open until 5am.
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Spinelli's Highlands
614 Baxter Ave$ Pretty much just the latest thing open. Big, floppy, greasy, New York style pizza. Open until 5am.
Neighborhoods
Named one of the 18 Best Food Neighborhoods in America, East Market - known as NuLu to locals - is known for unique art galleries, specialty stores, antique shops and a growing number of local restaurants. Upscale food and trendy bars abound. Park your car and walk up and down Market Street. Free shuttles to and from 4th Street Live on the LouLift busses. Check the LouLift schedule, only runs Mon-Sat until about 7pm.
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East Market District
Named one of the 18 Best Food Neighborhoods in America, East Market - known as NuLu to locals - is known for unique art galleries, specialty stores, antique shops and a growing number of local restaurants. Upscale food and trendy bars abound. Park your car and walk up and down Market Street. Free shuttles to and from 4th Street Live on the LouLift busses. Check the LouLift schedule, only runs Mon-Sat until about 7pm.
A nice, eclectic neighborhood, with the bulk of what's to offer on Bardstown Rd. Food from $ - $$$$, and every kind of bar you can imagine are on Bardstown Rd. You can park anywhere you can find a spot (careful! Parking on Bardstown Rd 4pm - 6pm on a weekday can get your car towed!) and walk around. Unless it's super packed (like the Derby) most places won't have a cover.
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Highlands
A nice, eclectic neighborhood, with the bulk of what's to offer on Bardstown Rd. Food from $ - $$$$, and every kind of bar you can imagine are on Bardstown Rd. You can park anywhere you can find a spot (careful! Parking on Bardstown Rd 4pm - 6pm on a weekday can get your car towed!) and walk around. Unless it's super packed (like the Derby) most places won't have a cover.
Drinks
Taj Louisville
807 E Market St$ A no frills bourbon bar that will remind you of New Orleans
$$ Upscale cocktail lounge, hidden above Butchertown Grocery
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Butchertown Grocery
743 E Washington St$$ Upscale cocktail lounge, hidden above Butchertown Grocery
Hell or High Water
112 W Washington St$$ Upscale mixology. Reservations required.
$ An old church turned craft beer dispensary. Has an outdoor patio and choir loft seating upstairs. Some food. A little pretentious.
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Holy Grale
1034 Bardstown Rd$ An old church turned craft beer dispensary. Has an outdoor patio and choir loft seating upstairs. Some food. A little pretentious.
$$ A really fun bar dressed up like a 1950’s house, shag carpet and all. It’s worth walking around, even if you’re not planning on drinking.
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Odeon
1335 Story Ave$$ A really fun bar dressed up like a 1950’s house, shag carpet and all. It’s worth walking around, even if you’re not planning on drinking.
$ The local’s neighborhood bar and the best place to end your evening.
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Hilltop Tavern
1800 Frankfort Ave$ The local’s neighborhood bar and the best place to end your evening.
$$ Bar in the front, night club in the back. Known for their margaritas and wakatakas (flatbread tacos)
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Galaxie
732 E Market St$$ Bar in the front, night club in the back. Known for their margaritas and wakatakas (flatbread tacos)
$ The largest selection of beers in the city, including some extremely rare bottles. Not much atmosphere to speak of. This place also has no signage and always looks closed. Look for the flags in the window and just walk in. One of the best kept secrets in Louisville. Cash only. ATM works most times.
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Sergio's World Beers
1605 Story Ave$ The largest selection of beers in the city, including some extremely rare bottles. Not much atmosphere to speak of. This place also has no signage and always looks closed. Look for the flags in the window and just walk in. One of the best kept secrets in Louisville. Cash only. ATM works most times.
$ The best dive bar in the city. Named because it’s the back door to a strip mall, so you will have to drive around the building to find it. $3 drinks, darts, skeeball, pool. Don’t eat here.
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The Back Door
1250 Bardstown Rd$ The best dive bar in the city. Named because it’s the back door to a strip mall, so you will have to drive around the building to find it. $3 drinks, darts, skeeball, pool. Don’t eat here.
$$ Lively gay bar featuring dancing and nightly drag shows. Everyone is welcome. Usually a cover.
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Play Louisville
1101 East Washington Street$$ Lively gay bar featuring dancing and nightly drag shows. Everyone is welcome. Usually a cover.
A collection of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs aimed at the younger generation. Has a fun piano bar. If you're over, like 25, maybe check out the Highlands / Bardstown Road instead.
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Fourth Street Live!
411 S 4th StA collection of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs aimed at the younger generation. Has a fun piano bar. If you're over, like 25, maybe check out the Highlands / Bardstown Road instead.
Breweries
$$ A world renowned brewer known for darker and smoked beers. Pub Fare.
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Against the Grain Brewery kanye ne Smokehouse
401 E Main St$$ A world renowned brewer known for darker and smoked beers. Pub Fare.
Mile Wide Beer Co.
636 Barret Ave$ Good beer with darts and a pinball arcade.
$ Always really bizarre beers, like peanut or strawberry ales. Worth checking out and being adventurous. Awesome outdoor space when weather is nice. No indoor space.
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Apocalypse Brew Works
1612 Mellwood Ave$ Always really bizarre beers, like peanut or strawberry ales. Worth checking out and being adventurous. Awesome outdoor space when weather is nice. No indoor space.
$$ Just across the river (make sure you choose “Avoid tolls” and take the 2nd street bridge or it will cost $8 just to get there and back). If you can fit it in, the Sunday brunch buffet is fantastic, if you’re willing to drop $20 a person on it. The brunch buffet includes a bloody Mary, mimosa, or beer.
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The Red Yeti
256 Spring St$$ Just across the river (make sure you choose “Avoid tolls” and take the 2nd street bridge or it will cost $8 just to get there and back). If you can fit it in, the Sunday brunch buffet is fantastic, if you’re willing to drop $20 a person on it. The brunch buffet includes a bloody Mary, mimosa, or beer.
$$ Fun venue that includes live music most nights and a great outdoor space.
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Gravely Brewing Co
514 Baxter Ave$$ Fun venue that includes live music most nights and a great outdoor space.
$$ All beers from here are aged in barrels. Insteresing to sample. All very strong beers.
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Goodwood Brewing
636 E Main St$$ All beers from here are aged in barrels. Insteresing to sample. All very strong beers.
Great Flood Brewing Company
2120 Bardstown Rd$ Bring your own food
$$ A neighborhood type brewery in walking distance to several other establishments. Can get very loud.
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Monnik Beer Company
1036 E Burnett Ave$$ A neighborhood type brewery in walking distance to several other establishments. Can get very loud.
$ Lots of games in a well lit taproom. Owner worked in management at Yum! and cashed out his 401k to start his dream, a brewery. He’s in there brewing a lot of times.
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Akasha Brewery Company
909 E Market St$ Lots of games in a well lit taproom. Owner worked in management at Yum! and cashed out his 401k to start his dream, a brewery. He’s in there brewing a lot of times.
$ A little out of the way, but set in a beautiful old church. There are a couple of locations, so make sure you pick the one on Watterson Trail for the cool location. Food trucks most nights.
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3rd Turn Brewing
10408 Watterson Trail$ A little out of the way, but set in a beautiful old church. There are a couple of locations, so make sure you pick the one on Watterson Trail for the cool location. Food trucks most nights.