10 Essential Bars in Louisville

Most folks know that Louisville, Kentucky, is the spiritual home of bourbon, featuring myriad “Urban Bourbon Trail” distilleries and tasting rooms (even if the bulk of whiskey-making takes place beyond city limits in Bardstown and beyond).

But it’s also a major commercial and tourist center, drawing visitors for the famed Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs, and sports fans keen to visit the Louisville Slugger or Frazier (Muhammad Ali) History museums, or take in a Cardinals game.

Sure, there’s plenty of bourbon to be found in Kentucky’s largest city. But Louisville is embracing much more these days. The bar and restaurant scene has been expanding rapidly, so we turned to local industry pros for advice on where to drink in the city, and what to order while you’re there.

Image Courtesy of Epiphany

Best Farm-to-Table Bar: Epiphany

The Highlands

Stephanie Manning, bartender at Tartan House, describes this as “a little, semi-rustic hole-in-the-wall,” entered through an alley behind the post office, but their impact is outsized.

“Their focus is to serve lovely, fresh cocktails that are sustainable,” Manning says. “One of their owners has a farm, and a lot of their ingredients and garnishes are sourced from it—like the small pickled green tomatoes they serve in martinis instead of olives. They often have pop-ups with entirely foraged ingredients.”

Try The Louisville cocktail, which won lead bartender S.C. Baker the top spot in a cocktail competition. It’s made with Knob Creek bourbon, Cynar, house Curaçao, cinnamon and lime.

Central Business District

If you’re headed to the stadium to catch a Cardinals game, skip the touristy spots and corporate chains and make a beeline here. “You enter a gallery on Washington Street and buzz in for someone to open the secret entrance,” says Manning.

What’s inside is a subterranean speakeasy with plush red velvet banquettes and live jazz. It’s also near the downtown Whiskey Row. Press the call button to order the signature Calling Card No. 1, made with Old Forester bourbon, rye, Braulio and sweet vermouth.

The Highlands

If you’re a fan of bars set in former churches (trust us, it’s a thing), this is where you’ll want to post up for Belgian beers and frites, in an old Unitarian chapel house. “Enjoy the Biergarten and a curated world-class beer selection,” advises Brian Downing, owner of The Silver Dollar. Note: you can also book a reservation for the dining hall upstairs, a former choir loft, and don’t miss a trip to the restrooms, which are decorated with cheeky renditions of the Last Supper.

North of Bourbon — Photography by Frankie Fiore

Germantown

“Chef Lawerence Weeks brings New Orleans to Louisville with Cajun-Creole dishes, upbeat cocktails and a comprehensive bourbon selection,” notes Downing. He’s not alone in his enthusiasm for this bourbon bar and restaurant; it was recognized by the New York Times as one of the Top 50 Restaurants in America for 2024. Come for the gumbo with smoked brisket or peppered catfish nuggets, and stay for one of the bourbon flights or a Frozen Kentucky Coffee modeled after the iconic drink served at NOLA’s Erin Rose.

Image Courtesy of Nouvelle Bar and Bottle

NuLu

Try this retail shop/wine bar combo, says Lindsay Matteson, general manager/beverage director of Hell or High Water. “It’s a gorgeous wine bar with a relaxed vibe, small bites and a beautiful patio.” While an extensive bourbon list and house Old Fashioned with smoked syrup is available, owner John Grisanti is a Master of Champagne, and the pro move is to ask about bubbles from his delightfully named “Completely Irresponsible Champagne List.”

Germantown

Open ‘til 4 a.m., seven days a week, this “absolute dive that’s dark and decked out with the kitschiest old bar signs I’ve ever seen,” says Manning, is a clear industry favorite. Run by Susie Hoyt, an alum of Chicago craft cocktail bar Violet Hour, this is “a dive-y cocktail bar helmed by a classically trained bartender,” Matteson adds. So, yes, stop by for a Gold Rush (“Susie muddles fresh lemon which gives it an extra juicy kick,” Matteson explains), but if you’d rather have a beer, a shot or a dram from the house single barrel list, you won’t be alone in that order.

Pretty Decent — Photography by Andrew Hyslop

Clifton

Louisville’s first all-agave bar, which opened in April 2023, also doubles as a plant shop. “John Douglass has built a perfect 20 seat mezcaleria in the back of a plant store on Frankfort Avenue,” says Downing. The venue is co-owned with wife Jeanne, now a Kentucky Master Gardener. “They have a world-class agave selection and a knowledgeable and passionate staff.”

Ask for guidance selecting from the massive list of mezcals (and agave distillates not certified as mezcal), or sip a Spa Day, a refreshing cocktail made with espadin mezcal, aloe vera liqueur and cantaloupe-cucumber-basil agua fresca.

Image Courtesy of Seven Cocktails and Bourbon

NuLu

Dark, sleek, experimental: Matteson recommends this “upscale, lively new bar that opened this year” for its “inventive cocktails” (think: clarified, carbonated, etc.) and extensive whiskey selection and vintage spirits list.

It’s also on Manning’s shortlist. “They always have seven cocktails and seven bites to eat, but however simple or weird they are, they’re always delicious,” she says. You never know what you’ll find. She adds, “Seven might have a drink made with Baiju infused to mimic gin, or an espresso martini made with only vintage spirits from the 1970s.”

Clifton

“It’s better to eat in a bar than to drink in a restaurant,” quips owner/proprietor Brian Downing. This iconic honky-tonk-inspired bar set in an old red-brick firehouse makes it easy to do both. The chicken and waffles are legendary, and the birria tacos with braised brisket are not to be missed.

Downing—who took over the bar after it nearly shuttered during the pandemic—also has a whiskey pedigree of his own, working as head distiller for Washington State’s Talking Cedar and representing brands including George Dickel and Kentucky’s Bulleit Bourbon. Try the Silver 75: Buffalo Trace bourbon, lemon juice and sparkling wine, topped with a lemon peel and cherry. Or, order by the pour from the extensive single-barrel bourbon list.

Butchertown/NuLu

Not every Louisville whiskey bar specializes in bourbon: Tartan House is all about Scotch. Located in a small free-standing house that’s set back from the street and easy to miss, this is a cozy, welcoming spot, with a U-shaped marble-topped bar and plenty of exposed brick. “They’re known for their craft cocktails and amazing Scotch selection,” Matteson says, noting that the list includes plenty of bourbon too. “Definitely try their Penicillin; it’s widely regarded as the best in the city.” The classic is made with honey, ginger, lemon and two types of Scotch.