While there are whiskey-centered bars dotted throughout the world, there’s something intrinsically right about the warm and inviting confines of a dark bourbon bar in Kentucky. The bluegrass state is known for its cherished spirit, so it’s only natural that the bars here would respect, elevate and champion for all things bourbon.
Kentucky’s cup runneth over with great bourbon bars geared toward everyone from newcomers to aficionados. There’s also a pretty sweet law on the books that allows bars and restaurants to sell vintage spirits, so you can literally sip on a bourbon from the year you were born.
With great bourbon comes great responsibility, and the hardworking mixologists and staff at most Kentucky bourbon bars can inform and entertain with expertly crafted cocktails and flights. In Louisville in particular, the city’s official cocktail, as proclaimed by the mayor, is the old fashioned. So just about any of the bars you step foot in will be able to make a spectacular one for a decent price.
Here are some of my favorite bourbon bars listed by city, and this is definitely NOT an entire list. Hell, even your neighborhood watering hole here has over 50 bourbons behind the bar, so it would be impossible to list them all. And while you’re perusing the list, think about this: If Kentucky has the best bourbon, then it sure as hell has the best bars.
Louisville
Neat, 1139 Bardstown Road
Neat specializes in vintage whiskey, so this is the place to go to try a Maker’s Mark from the ’70s or one of the very first Blanton’s ever bottled. They also have a noteworthy cocktail program as well as modern releases, so plan to be here for a while as you jump around the menu. There are even rooms for rent above the bar, so if this was your home base while visiting Louisville, you might never leave home.
Bourbons Bistro, 2255 Frankfort Ave.
Bourbons Bistro first opened in 2005, right before the bourbon boom began. The beloved restaurant and bar blends culinary expertise with fine cocktails, and of course you can get a pour of some of the best bottles out there. The old fashioneds are always solid, and the bartenders will give you all the juicy details of bourbon gossip. One of the founders, Jason Brauner, went on to help start Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey. But you can still find him at Bourbons Bistro from time to time.
Watch Hill Proper, 11201 River Beauty Loop
Although this is somewhat a drive from downtown Louisville, it’s definitely worth the trek. If the Library of Congress collected bourbon, this would be it. Thousands of bottles line the back wall, and when you sit at the bar facing the wall, all you can do is sit and stare, marveling at all the whiskey you see before you. Of course they’ve got great cocktails and a well-rounded food menu, but the star here is the bourbon. The oodles and oodles of bourbon.
The Last Refuge, 600 E. Market St.
Another awe-inspiring collection of bourbon, The Last Refuge is tied to Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door whiskey brand, but thousands of bourbons and whiskeys are on display here in this repurposed church. It’s definitely an Instagram-worthy stop here, and they’ve got pretty decent pub grub and cocktails as well, if you’re hungry and thirsty for more than a pour.
Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar, 127 W. Main St.
Normally a seafood and barbecue restaurant wouldn’t classify as a bourbon bar, but a few years ago Doc Crow’s opened the Bourbon Room and expanded their collection tenfold. Shelves and shelves of bottles line the walls as you dine, and they’ve got everything from scotch and Japanese whisky to Jim and Jack.
Bardstown
The Volstead, 107 E. Flaget St.
The Volstead is the closest you can come to drinking in the basement of a true whiskey collector. They’ve got so much booze on the shelves, the bar now is inundated with new releases, whiskeys from around the world and your favorite bourbons. You gotta try the famous bourbon peach slushie, too. I promise you won’t be disappointed … and you may never leave.
Old Talbott Tavern, 107 W. Stephen Foster Ave.
This is Bardstown’s (and perhaps Kentucky’s) oldest bar, which first opened in 1779. They’ve got a great selection of bourbons and a staff that can whip up a mean old fashioned at your beck and call. You feel like you’re stepping back in time while sipping bourbon here, and you can grab a bite to eat as well.
Neat, 110 W. Stephen Foster Ave.
This second location of the vintage bourbon bar from Louisville, and they’re both quite similar in focus: vintage bourbon, modern releases and great cocktails. It’s dark and mysterious, the way I prefer my bars to be. And you can lounge on the comfy furniture or belly up to the bar. Go ahead, order a Wild Turkey from the year you were born.
Mr. Tubs, 104 N. Fourth St.
IYKYN: This fun little cocktail bar is located where the town laundromat used to be, hence the name. It’s got a great menu if you’re hungry, expertly made cocktails, and I highly suggest the bourbon slushie made with Knob Creek and Ale-8.
Lexington
Goodfellas Pizzeria, 1228 Manchester St.
Located smack dab in the middle of Lexington’s distillery district — next to James E. Pepper Distillery, Barrel House and Dark Arts — sits Goodfellas Pizzeria, where you can get a slice and a breadstick along with 200+ choices of bourbons. There’s even an old smokestack from the Pepper Distillery’s heyday inside, which makes a cool private sitting area for a group. Goodfellas is always a solid choice when I’m in Lexington, and don’t skip the breadstick!
OBC Kitchen, 3373 Tates Creek Road
OBC stands for Old Bourbon County, which is what Kentucky was known as before it became a commonwealth. This chef-driven restaurant and upscale bar has an enormous bourbon list. It’s so big, they blew it up and used it as décor in the dining area. Last time I was there, I had Bacon in a Glass (applewood-smoked bacon with a honey bourbon glaze and peanut butter dip) and a pour of their privately selected Weller Antique. The whole experience was heavenly.
Belle’s Cocktail House, 156 Market St.
Belle’s is an upscale cocktail bar that has views you could use when you’re having a bad day or just need a place to chill after work. From bourbon slushies to premium pours to the simple old fashioned, Belle’s has it all. And if you stop by, hopefully it’s during happy hour, where all the bourbons under $100/pour are 50% off.
Bourbon on Rye, 115 W. Main St.
Who doesn’t love a charcuterie board with bourbon? Bourbon on Rye has you covered, along with several other well-paired drinking snacks. One of my favorite cocktails to get at Bourbon on Rye is the Coffee & Smokes, a mix of bourbon, cold brew syrup, Carpano Vermouth and bitters. And yes, of course they’re packing an impressive bourbon list.
Bluegrass Tavern, 115 Cheapside
One of my favorites in Lexington, Bluegrass Tavern is unassuming and unpretentious, and it has every right to gloat with its massive bourbon inventory. But it doesn’t. It just asks you to simply come in, sit down, and enjoy a pour of something you love or something you’ve never tried before. They also have great cocktails and beer, and their staff can point you in the right direction if you’re a newbie.
Covington
Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, 629 Main St.
Covington is a kick-ass bourbon town that many people forget about. But places like Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar are changing that. This little cubby hole is chalk full of bottles waiting to be shared, and they’ve even got a bottle shop and host events throughout the year.
Wiseguy Lounge, 603 Main St.
This speakeasy can be found inside Goodfellas Pizza (yes, the same Goodfellas from Lexington), and it offers up a bounty of bourbon by the pour or in cocktails or flights. I’d say they have one of the best cocktail programs in northern Kentucky, and the staff’s bourbon knowledge is superb, as it should be.
Revival Vintage Spirits & Bottle Shop, 614 Madison Ave.
Mostly a bottle shop that specializes in vintage whiskey, Revival also will sell you rare bourbon by the pour. The staff is quite knowledgeable and friendly, and any given afternoon you know there’s some serious whiskey talk going on. Don’t be afraid of a little dust on the bottle.
Smoke Justis, 302 Court St.
Named after a famous fast pitch baseball star, this restaurant and bar offers an impressive selection of bourbon and whiskey. On the weekends, you might even get lucky with some live entertainment. It’s fun to watch the bartenders climb up and down the library ladder to fetch what you’re drinking.
Frankfort
The Stave, 5711 McCraken Pike
This little roadside restaurant sits between Woodford Reserve and Castle & Key, so you better believe it’s stocked with all kinds of brown liquid. It’s a great place to grab lunch if you’re out on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail or just stopping in for a cocktail or a pour or two. It does tend to get busy during peak tourism seasons in the spring and fall.
House of Commons: A Bourbon Library, 245 W. Main St.
This fun, informative bar is a great place to stop if you’re in town visiting Buffalo Trace Distillery. It’s got hundreds of bottles on the back shelf — all Kentucky made and Kentucky proud. They’ve got flights, they host events, and they can even whip you up a tasty cocktail or two.
Owensboro
The Miller House, 301 E. Fifth St.
Located in Owensboro’s historical downtown district, this little mom-and-pop restaurant has a little secret they keep in the basement. That secret is a 600+ bourbon bar called Spirits, and it’s fun to take people down there for lunch after a tour at the nearby Green River Distilling Co. The food is quite tasty as well, and the cocktails are out of this world.
