Must Try Restaurants in Downtown Louisville, KY
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on September 19, 2022 and last updated on September 27, 2023. Please refer to restaurant websites and social media pages for the most up-to-date information.
For more recommendations on where to eat and drink around Louisville, check out our city page.
If you’ve never been to Louisville, Kentucky, you’ve missed one of the most charming, historic cities in America. With beautiful architecture dating back to the 19th century, world class events like the Kentucky Derby, and incredible restaurants, bars and distilleries, there’s plenty to see in Louisville. In downtown Louisville specifically, you can find a vibrant arts scene, five star dining, and an array of museums covering science, bourbon and more. From historic Whiskey Row to shopping in the South Fourth Street district, there’s endless things to explore. So where are the best restaurants Downtown Louisville? Check out our list below, and grab some brown butter ice cream, a fried chicken sandwich, or a spinach pie at one of these great restaurants.
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Against The Grain Brewery and Smokehouse
401 E Main St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 515-0174
There is probably no beer-lover in Downtown Louisville that doesn’t frequent what can only be described as a beer palace, Against The Grain. The four owners have been brewing beer since the 90’s and offer the classics such as hop, malt, smoke, and session. They have incorporated beer into some of their meals, such as mac and beer cheese. The foods to try out include the pit-smoked brisket, pecan pie, and Weisenberger grits.
Brendon’s Catch 23
505 S 4th St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 654-8411
This establishment is among the top of the list when it comes to the best fine dining restaurants in Downtown Louisville. It is an excellent choice for high-fashion tea and elegant events with the decor and class to boot. Their supper menu has different meal options such as raw and cooked seafood and steak. There is also a special menu curated each night with different entrees, and they offer vegetarian and gluten-free options on request.
Bristol Bar & Grille
614 W Main St #4211, Louisville, KY 40202
502-582-1995
Bristol has all your favorite libations and beers, but you’d be remiss if you missed out on the Green Chili Wontons. They’re fried and stuffed with Monterey Jack and green chilies and served with a guacamole dipping sauce. They’re light and unassuming until you take a bite and they shoot out at you with a jab-cross combination of steamy and flavorful. Like another Louisville icon, these wontons float like a butterfly but sting like a bee.
Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar
127 W Main St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 587-1626
Doc Crow’s is Louisville eatin’ at its finest. Check out Doc’s Chicken: a slow-smoked and butter-basted half chicken, get it roasted with a side of bourbon honey. It’s sweet and spicy and juicy and crispy and just delicious. There’s other BBQ items like the Smokehouse burger (½ lb beef patty with BBQ sauce, tobacco onions, lettuce, pickles, tomato), smoked wings, and the essential Doc’s Potato Chips for a flavor-packed side. If you don’t feel like eating something smoked, they also have a robust raw bar, with options like Peel and Eat Shrimp or Oysters on the Half Shell. The only thing that makes BBQ or a raw bar better is a stiff cocktail or a crisp beer, so don’t leave your food feeling lonely or yourself feeling thirsty.
Equus & Jacks
122 Sears Avenue, Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 897-9721
Equus & Jack’s bourbon restaurant is a beautiful gem in the heart of St. Matthew’s. It’s one of the neighborhood’s best restaurants, especially when it comes to cocktails. They also have delicious food, so get adventurous, go with what the waiter suggests and the restaurant serves best. That said, you can’t go wrong with Jack’s Burger, 8oz CAB beef patty, traditionally dressed, with your choice of cheese. Add some crispy bacon for an extra buck fifty.
Hammerheads
921 Swan St Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 365-1112
This is one of the spots in Downtown Louisville with vegetarian options and amazing finger-licking ribs. So what’s good here? We recommend their house-smoked St. Louis spare ribs with Grippo fries, venison burgers, pork belly tacos, and smoked mac and cheese. Their best vegetarian option is the Garcia burger with shiitake mushrooms, potato bun, portabella, sun-dried tomato mayo, falafel, and lettuce.
Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
325 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 584-0102
You would expect a city that hosts the Kentucky Derby to have some excellent steakhouses, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t be wrong. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse is a stylish, luxurious steak and seafood downtown Louisville restaurant. They have incredible USDA prime steaks, fresh sushi and the best drinks menu downtown. The restaurant also serves world class wines, so don’t be shy to ask your server for a good suggestion. With a gorgeous dining room, you could do a lot worse for a date night dining experience than Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse.
Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen
122 W Main St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 290-8888
This Downtown Louisville spot is not only known for its tasty food and impressive drink menu, but also its live music performances each weekend featuring local and national artists. Their menu has some of the best Southern foods, such as sweet potato casserole, big pig sandwich, and southern fried chicken. They also have regular tacos like bourbon bbq pork and plant-based tacos like the barbacoa taco and wild mushroom.
Mussels and Burger Bar
113 S 7th St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 749-6451
Imagine a restaurant where you can have a gourmet burger, some fresh, delicious mussels, and an ice-cold beer. Well when in Downtown Louisville, Mussels and Burger Bar is the place to be. It is family friendly, providing a great atmosphere for hanging out on weekends or grabbing dinner after a day at the office. Try the CEO Burger, topped with Gruyere cheese, truffle aioli, caramelized onions, mixed greens, and oven-roasted tomatoes. The burgers are made with top-quality meat and other wholesome ingredients. Good food options are all over the menu – if you’re not feeling like beef, order a seafood burger with shrimp, lobster, crabmeat patty, lettuce, avocado, and a spicy aioli between pretzel buns with a side of truffle fries. There’s also, as the name suggests, an amazing variety of mussels, such as the salty and flavorful Curry Cream variety, with yellow Korean-style curry, red onions, lemongrass, garlic, cilantro, and lemon zest.
Proof on Main
702 West Main St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 217-6360
The name of the game at Proof on Main is bourbon. You can get it neat or on the rocks or in a cocktail, such as the Rye Rye Birdie, with rye, sherry, amaro, apricot liqueur, walnut orgeat, and bitters. It has a stout bite yet a sweet and forgiving aftertaste. If you came with an appetite (which we bet you did if you’re here), the Charred Octopus and Chicken Fried Pork Cheeks are just what you need and you didn’t even know it.
Repeal Oak-Fired Steakhouse
101 W Main St #101, Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 716-7372
It’s places like Repeal that remind us why steakhouses are such beloved fixtures. Start off with the Truffle Honey Burrata Cheese, topped with sweet apricot, mint, and rich, crunchy marcona almonds. Then settle into your meal with any of the perfectly charred oak-fired steaks. As your side, it’s hard to beat the Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes or the Thick-Cut Peppered Bacon…or both. Accompany your meal with a bottle of wine or even Repeal’s Signature Old Fashioned.
Sidebar At Whiskey Row
129 N 2nd St Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 630-2012
The one dish we recommend is the double jeopardy burger made with an in-house recipe that brings together an Angus beef patty, red onion, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. This Downtown Louisville spot is known for its interesting take on different foods, sure to blow your mind with its flavor. It is a fantastic place for an evening cocktail and a tasty burger. They have a wide array of craft beers, cocktails, and fun non-alcoholic beverages, such as the caramel apple bacon milkshake.
Looking for a place to eat near the University of Louisville? Click here for our guide!
Try a Kentucky classic on your next visit. Check out our list of best places to get a Hot Brown sandwich.
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