This location is the latest addition for Bluegrass Brewing Company. It's located downtown, near the KFC 'YUM' Center Arena. This locale features two stories, the 'Cellar", just below street level, and the upstairs. Both are clean, modern, comfortable and inviting. The upper level is very bright, with large windows. The lower level is a little more intimate, with low key lighting. Both levels offer a bar, tables and numerous flat screen, HD TV's. Each level has BBC's beers on draught. Food is decent and reasonably priced. The menu includes at least a half dozen meat free items. In addition to beer, BBC showcases KY Bourbons and fine wines.
(4)
Jay C.
(I believe this listing is actually for the 300 W Main St location. That's where this review is for. There is a parking lot at 300 E Main according to Google Street View.) We only drank during our visit here on 1/17/2012. The beers were typical of a brew pub. The service left much to be desired. The bartender was cold and clearly interested in being somewhere else on was purported to be her birthday by other patrons. When I went up to the bar to get a second round, I attempted to converse with her and order another drink. Not only was I snubbed in conversation, I was told that she had closed - "we close at midnight." Mind you, she never called last call, nor did she warn us upon our first order that the bar would stop serving soon, since we arrived around 11:40. I sat back down with our group while they finished their drinks only to have another employee begin putting the stools and get snarky with us when we commented that last call was never called and that no attempt had been made to close open tabs. His reply was that they close at midnight, "It's on the door." And, in reference to the comment on my guest's tab that was still open, "Walk it, I dare you." After this experience, we walked over to The Troll Pub only to find the closing early and then have them STAY OPEN for our group of ten. Overall, we're a group of fifty visiting Louisville for the week and I don't expect any of us to return here. It's a shame as we're staying two blocks away.
(1)
FromScratch M.
Not bad. Food was typical but well done. Good beer.
(4)
Suzie Q.
We got the pretzel sticks with beer cheese here, which were awesome. We ended up getting a second order. Our bison burgers were pretty good. Fries were crispy and thick. The raspberry meade was really good for a non beer drinker. My husband liked his beers. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable. He let us sample beers before ordering. He also brought out some food quickly for our energetic one year old. A great experience!
(4)
William R.
Walking down Main St and I stopped to take a picture of the YUM! KFC stadium...turn around and here is this brewery. Well hell... why not stop in and have something to drink? I cozied up the bar where I was greeted immediately. I went right after the sampler which is 7 2oz pours of a pre-selected list of beers. Fortunately the beers I wanted to try were on that list so we were good to go. While the beers are solid the majority didn't have that memorable quality... except the bourbon stout. Now I am a huge bourbon stout fan so I was really looking forward to this one. I drank it last to give it a chance to warm up some. HOLY F! That bourbon smacks you in the face...twice. I was really taken back by how strong it was and even more taken back that the ABV was listed as low as it was (a little over 8%... and if you are comparing other barrel aged stouts they typically hover 10% and higher). Definitely a beer I would drink again. I also grabbed a glass of the mead as I never had mead before. Although I enjoyed it I believe this type of beverage has a place and time and this just wasn't either. Give the place a try... super friendly staff will make you want to stay. I didn't eat, but when a plate would pass me and the whiff of whatever was on the plate hit my nose it was all I could to do to resist asking to see a menu. (I had plans to eat at a different place or I would have just stayed here). Cheers!!
(3)
Judy R.
Sam was our bartender... He was amazing !! He gave us a sample of the rye beer ! It was delicious - we had a mug !!!l I've never had rye beer, I really enjoyed it ! This is a mini brewery and it is amazing ! The rye was the seasonal special. They have all 10 of their beers on tap, we sampled three which were all excellent. They have their own rootbeer on tap (it is awesome). We purchased a growler of Root beer and enjoyed every drop ! This amazing mini brewery is right on Main Street in Louisville, KY .
(5)
Leslie W.
BBC is solid at what it started out as - a microbrewery. They have a nice selection of beers as well as a full bar and a menu that fits the profile. Having said that, it's not a restaurant that I seek out regularly. I usually end up at this BBC when at Actors Theatre or at events nearby. It's a close, fairly affordable place for a drink and a snack. The menu is heavy bar food - burgers, pizza, sandwiches. If you like meat and/or carbs, this is your kind of place. They do have vegetarian options but on the whole they aren't very inspired. The one dish that surprised me, and that I usually turn to, is the vegan wings. The chewy, fried seitan is coated in spicy, bbq sauce and served with honey. I usually get blue cheese dressing as well to quench the heat. This last visit, we ordered the pretzel bread and beer cheese to start. The bread was warm and delicious with a creamy, tangy beer cheese dip on the side. Very good overall but a little skimpy on the beer cheese. I had the spinach & artichoke pizza swapping mushrooms for the regular chicken. Pizza was very large for $10.99 and quite rich. It was big enough for dinner and two more meals the next day. It wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, but certainly not the worst. Average, I'd say. If you're downtown looking for bar food and beer (at a decent price), this fits your needs. It's not inventive or extraordinary, but has been consistent.
(3)
Paul G.
Just walking by looking for what we could find and up popped BBC Blue Grass Brewing Co. Decided to go in since it was one of the few places still open. Much to our surprise it is a high quality micro brewer started in 1993 and still going strong. The master brewer is from New Zealand. And has been here forever. They have 8 always beers on tap and two seasonal specials on tap. Plus their RootBeer which is excellent. We got the Growler 1/2 gallon which compared to other breweries is a real bargain, and it is very very good.
(5)
Joseph T.
Had tickets to the Palace. Was hungry. Saw BBC. Parked. Walked in. Seated immediately. Asked what I wanted. Bourbon Barrel Stout. Delicious. Also ordered a bison burger. Medium. Southwest style. Had jalapeños on it. And guacamole. Fantastic. Loved it. Garlic fries worked. Great compliment. Would get again. Wife had salad. Thoroughly enjoyed. Good food. Awesome location. Cool atmosphere. Decent prices. BBC wins all the trophies.
(4)
Natasha K.
Stopped in for a quick bite to eat. Service was friendly and knowledgable. I was craving a sandwich so went for the brisket sandwich and it did not disappoint! The brisket was tender and juicey, topped with the Gouda cheese, bacon jam and carmalized red onions- WOW. Very good. The atmosphere was laid back and fun. Wished we weren't on such a time crunch so we could have enjoyed it more.
(4)
Matt G.
A really laid back experience with great beer. Kelsey was my bartender and she was a real pro. I recommend the Rye beer and the Bison burger, Smokehouse style.
(5)
Michelle M.
I really enjoyed the flight of beers. I usually prefer my beer a bit colder than it was served, but it was ok. The fried green tomatoes were very good, but we did not like the Mediterranean plate. The service was fine; not bad but not exceptional.
(4)
Stuart S.
I visited two of the Bluegrass Brewing Company locations, but there may have been a third spot too. This spot was more of a restaurant/bar on par with a TGIF in which there were many tables for food as well as a bar; kind of the same atmosphere. They had a nice selection of beers, all were good, but none were great. As their great slogan goes "Beer is Food", but I prefer my beer and food to taste better!
(3)
Heath C.
One of the larger craft breweries in the local area, BBC does the job right! They have a few beers that are always on tap and then they have seasonal selections as well. My personal favorite is the sunset wheat. Its probably the least "hoppy" of their selections so its really smooth to drink and goes well with their meals. The food selection is nothing out of the ordinary, but at least all the selections are done reallllly well. The fish and chips are some of the best that I've had in Louisville! The main thing that I had an issue with was that the music was SO LOUD! My family spent the entire night saying the words "huh?" and "what?" Because we literally couldn't hear each other speak. If the music would have been lower then it would have been a perfect night.
(4)
Megan M.
We've been multiple times to the downtown location and is a great spot to take guests staying downtown for conventions. The pretzel and beer cheese app is really good and the BBQ vegan wings are surprisingly delicious. The only thing we've ever ordered is the bison burger -amazing- and the brisket sandwich -also amazing. Both are massive sandwiches/burgers with great flavor. The bison burger is juicy every single time. We really only look at the menu for the beer flights and it's a great way to try new beers for a good price. The only downside to this location is the noise. On a night that there is an event at the Yum Center it gets packed quick and very loud, which I don't mind, but is not a place you'd go for casual conversation.
(4)
Ron R.
OK, first a disclaimer. I am not rating this place on food as we did not eat here. We stopped in for about an hour to grab a few drinks. The ambiance of this place is great. It is sub-street level which gives the lighting a new twist when the sun is high. The place is built (not sure if by intention) like a brewery/speak easy. They brew their own beers there and have flights for $9 which is a great deal. We decided to belly up to the bar and our bartender was phenomenal. She was so nice that I added a star from 4 to 5 on this place. She was engaging, informative and very nice overall. She helped everyone in the group pick a beer and explained the flight in detail to me. There were 9 beers total in the flight and I only really liked 3 of them as the majority were IPAs and I'm not a big fan of IPAs. I'm sure they were perfectly good beers. The 3 beers I did like...I loved. Very good. We asked for a food menu to look at the items they have available although we weren't hungry and many options sounded delicious. We are going to come back here next time we visit Louisville to try the food. Once I do that, I will update the review to reflect the quality of BBC overall. Until then, it gets 2 thumbs up!
(5)
Brian G.
BEER... BEER... and more BEER! I am a regular at this pub with all the beer choices, (my particular fav is the 1/2 wheat, 1/2 raspberry mead) In my opinion it's the best craft beer place in the Ville! As for food... the Pretzel & Beer Cheese" which I think they call it a Bavarian pretzel stick x 2 served with house made local beer cheese for $5.99 delicious and if that is not your thing. Then I recommend, Thai Lettuce Wrap; julienned peppers, onions, cabbage, water chestnuts, toasted peanuts & rice noodles. Topped with your choice of chicken or tofu it's all good and for only $8.99. I get the chicken! Stay thirsty!
(5)
Michael M.
Came to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby and asked the locals for a great place to eat. The locals know... The hot brown sandwich is a Kentucky original sandwich and it is worth the flight from California. The staff really had southern hospitality... So friendly. This is really a five star due to the ambience and great tasting food.
(5)
Lauren K.
BBC gets an A for effort, but pretty much gets a C+ for everything else. I'm sorry BBC, but you know what they say: C's get degrees and A's get paid (I added that last part). I wouldn't necessarily go to this bar if you are looking for a joint to hang out in downtown given that there is a plethora of other bars within a .5 mile radius of there. BBC is in a prime spot because of being kitty corner from the KFC Yum! Center but that can be both a good thing and a bad thing. For BBC being a popular and local beer distributor I had imagined that the pub would have a big bar to sit at but it was sort of small and situated near the staircase so I constantly felt like people were hovering about me. They did have some of their specialty drafts, many of which sounded good. I got the Raspberry Meade which was really quite tasty but because of the alcohol concentration it came in a small glass (which I was forewarned of so that was nice). I will say that it is always fun to go to the local brewery pub and maybe this isn't the best one I've gone to but it's not entirely bad. I was fairly unimpressed with the food - I got a burger and fries and it came out just like burger and fries at any other joint. The burger was fine and there wasn't anything particularly wrong with it but it didn't have much flavor either (perhaps I've just grown accustomed to huge mouthfuls of flavor). It took a very long time for me to receive my burger and I recognize that it was crowded in there, but I don't believe that it should have taken 45 minutes to get a burger and fries. Another thing that sort of bugged me was the fact that despite sitting right st the bar th e service we received was very minimum. I did like the atmosphere in there though and I liked the way it was decorated, having exposed pipes and it being brick. I like a good industrial feel sometimes and you do get that here for sure. One cool thing though - they sell tshirts at the pub that say "Beer is Food" and in all different colors! I do like the shirt and it's always a good shirt for those days when you have to wash your car and need to throw something on!
(3)
Jonathon B.
Great Service, John and Matt took great care of the 18 in our bachelor party. Didn't eat, but food smelled and looked great. Tried the KY common, good summer beer
(5)
Alyssa M.
My husband and I spent the weekend exploring Louisville, and we wanted to give BBC a try (we love a good brewery!) We visited on a Friday night, and were sat in the dark basement near the bar. Hostess looked like she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing- but our waitress was much friendlier. Husband got a couple beers, while I ordered a cocktail. Both were pretty good- but expensive! For dinner, he ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich, and I ordered a personal pizza. His BBQ sandwich was very dry with not a lot of flavor. My pizza was decent- kind of tasted like a frozen pizza from Walmart. The place seemed very sticky and dirty, and the food wasn't worth much at all. And it was an expensive meal! If you're touring Louisville, skip BBC.
(2)
Anita M.
Stopped here before a concert. The locals recommended it. A nice brewery with a nice menu selection- pizza, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, entrees. Friendly service. We had the burger & the brisket- fabulous! Right across street from Yum Center.
(4)
Matt R.
Truly nothing to love here except that it's great to have a BBC right at the crossroads of Actors & Yum. Where Doc Crow's, Sidebar and Milkwood might give you something more memorable, they also are more likely to be crowded when an event is going on. BBC is always a fine plan B, whether you're in your gameday gear or in your finest theatre dress. BBC is All-American. Serviceable beers. A handful of vegetarian items. Waitstaff a little rough around the edges. Does it bother you that your water glass is empty for 5 minutes? That the staff often uses the upstairs bar as a coat rack? That the satellite television has been showing the menu screen for 10 minutes? Then go someplace more upscale. The rest of us will enjoy our beer-and-burger.
(3)
Sarah W.
We came in late I know they closed at 10:45 the kitchen we were there at 10:15. Ordered our food which were pizzas and were told no go. What happened next was amazing the pork chop was delicious the crab cake spicy but also good flavor. Garlic fries fresh and service was so so. But food worth the wait! They really have a great menu and fresh salads. We will eat here again.
(4)
Edward W.
Awesome vegan BBQ wings and several other vegan and vegetarian options. Plenty of food options for meat eaters too. Beer is worth trying. I had a raspberry mead and wheat beer that were delicious.
(5)
Chad N.
I was highly disappointed with my burger. I ordered a buffalo burger with smoked gouda and bacon with a side of garlic fries paying nearly $15. The burger had no seasoning or flavor and the fries were soggy. I ordered my food for take out. I only give the place a "2" star because the guy at the bar was really cool over the phone. I only ate the food so I can't speak about the drinks.
High: BBC has a great location, as it is right across the street from the KFC Yum Center. The Brewpub has two levels, which offers plenty of seating before, during, and after games. (NOTE: There was a Yelp deal if you bought a beer during a Louisville game) Low: Beer was average. I tasted the IPA and Double IPA (I had originally ordered the Winter Warmer, but they were out), and I was ready to leave after one beer. Both were pretty standard but didn't make me want to drink another one or drink other styles. Silver lining: I would take something from BBC over a Miller Lite in the basketball arena.
(3)
Megan S.
At 2pm on a Saturday near downtown Louisville you would expect a restaurant to be busy but not completely packed. On a toasty day in July my friend and I went to grab some food and beers. The restaurant was PACKED. We were seated immediately but got easily the worst server in the restaurant. He never introduced himself, waited 20 minutes for the check after he cleared our plates and he never asked how our food was after receiving it. Looking past the awful service and onto the important part... the beer. The beer was great and decently priced; $4.25 a draft beer. I was able to get a glass of raspberry mead as well. I would highly recommend. It does come in a smaller glass but it is a great drink. We also got an appetizer, the beer cheese and pretzels. Those were good nothing really too special about the cheese that I was hoping for. As far as food my friend got a hamburger and really enjoyed it. I however got the margherita pizza and it was AWFUL. I had to actually put salt on the pizza to give it taste. I could go on a huge rant about all the things they did to ruin this pizza but I am going to stop. I will simple recommend that this is an okay restaurant that serves as much better place for appetizers and beers.
(2)
Lauren H.
I really enjoy BBC. For lunch or dinner, there are plenty of options. I eat at the downtown location more for lunch, and the St. Matthews location more for dinner. Both locations serve consistently delicious food. The menu is versatile, with options ranging from wings to salad to burgers to pizza to hot browns. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices on the menu. I've tried several dishes and everything has been fantastic. The Nachos are probably my favorite item on the menu, and I often order them as my meal. They are definitely in my top two best nachos of all time. I've also had the Pretzel with Beer Cheese, Turkey Club, Brisket sandwich, Margherita pizza, Buffalo Chicken salad, Bison burger, and Grilled Chicken sandwich "South of the Border" style. I loved each of these dishes and would happily order any of them again. Aside from the great food, they brew their own beer. And it's amazing. The prices are very reasonable. The service is well-paced. I love coming here. BBC is always a good experience.
(4)
Nick B.
The food and drink was decent, but expensive and not as memorable as I would maybe have expected.
(3)
DuJuan B.
Paid dinner prices, and got lunch portions. Just wasn't what I thought it would be. The bourbon peach pork chop tasted good. But at the same price at brickhouse I get two chops that make the one I got look like a doggy treat. The brews were ok, nothing that blew me away, but I would drink them over the "buds" and "millers" out there. Orders were quick to get to the table, once my waiter finally came to take my order. Long story short... I'd come back for a decent brew if I was downtown. Just grab a bite before hand.
(2)
Stephanie B.
I spontaneously found myself having lunch here, and I am so glad that happened! My guests and I were planning on meeting at Doc Crow's just down Main Street for lunch on a Saturday, but they were closed. We decided on the alternative of the BBC due to the close proximity. I was pleased to find that the restaurant has a special deal on Yelp where a guest can order one of their in house brewed beers for just 99 cents with the purchase of an appetizer on a UofL game day. I happily ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer with a cup of Brewhouse Chili. The meat in the chili added a complex smokey flavor to the hearty red chili. The fried green tomatoes rested on a bed of arugula and were generously drizzled with an aioli. The sauce did not overpower the taste of the green tomatoes not the herb rich crust. The Bourbon Barrel Stout (still can't believe I paid just a buck!) was the perfect addition to my meal. It was full of intricate flavor without being too heavy or dark for my liking. Our server, Kayla, was excellent as she answered all of our questions surrounding the online deal and our unfamiliarity with the menu. She was quick to keep our water glasses full and our dirty dishes out of the way. Kayla made for a complete guest experience.
(4)
Bobbi B.
In fairness to the restaurant I wanted to provide an updated review. We had lunch there this week and my husband and his colleague's pork chops were great per both of them. I had a Wedge Salad which was good, it's a salad and was a little concerned after our last fiasco about ordering. Service was good (same server and I think he recognized us from pictures) LOL!
(4)
Kent H.
It seems that there's a brewpub just about everywhere, but I seldom drink beer anymore. However, I'm game every once in a while and stopped in for a visit. I like my beer dark, and ordered the Bourbon Barrel Stout. I was very impressed from the first sip to the last. Lots of flavor in this one from the namesake aging vessels. On to a bite to eat. I wasn't in the mood for typical pub fare, but I noticed crab cakes on the menu. Wow! Quite possibly the best ones I've had outside of Alaska. Lots of crab meat and perfectly cooked. It was served on a bed of rice/wild rice mix, and at first it looked like a huge pile of rice. Further investigation revealed summer squash, zucchini, and spinach buried in the mix which were nice little surprises. The sauce that was drizzled over was okay, but the next time I'll get it without. A little tartar would have been better for my taste. Overall, a very good experience in a venue that I don't often visit.
(4)
Roxanne O.
Nice little brewpub in the heart of downtown Louisville. Bonus points for vegan options. I came here with a group once and service was top notch for my larger party. Dfinitely worth checking out if you're staying downtown.
(3)
Rebekah T.
We love beer and often like to visit local breweries when we travel. We like to sample and try all the beers on tap and pick our favorites. I picked the Bluegrass Brewing Company for lunch and we walked over from our hotel. When I called, the nicest hostess answered the phone with her bubbly personality. On a dreary winter day, sometimes it's the smallest thing that brightens your day. That was our experience at the BBC, from the beer to service and food. We sat at the bar and ordered up two samplers because we wanted to try them all. Although there were more on tap than the sampler holds, the bartender gave us the two extras samples included. The beer was great. My favorites being the Raspberry Meade, Bobbi Jo's Bourbon Barrel Blackout Stout and Audrey's Homewrecker IPA. It was cold out, so I ordered the soup of the day, the Beef Burgundy. I haven't had this soup in so long, but the flavor was on point. It's a savory comfort soup that is filling and was a great surprise. My guy insisted that I make this at home soon and I will. The Iceberg wedge salad was picture perfect as well as being so damn good. By this point, I was impressed by everything we ate but the main course was just arriving. We ordered the Hot Brown, which is a Louisville favorite and must have when in town. The deconstructed mess of a sandwich is so damn good and they made a great one. My guy said at one point that he could not stop eating it, even after full and by the time we left - all plates were cleaned. We loved the Bluegrass Brewing Company and had an excellent meal and samplers. I didn't take the yelp reviews too seriously when choosing this place and I'm glad, because the best gems are the ones that are sometimes overlooked.
(5)
Thomas H.
Good buffalo chicken sandwich, beer cheese and pretzels, and burgers. Pizza not so good. Good service.
(4)
Martin K.
Good beer, only ok food. Not a bad place to watch a game.
(3)
Sean H.
I stopped to watch a soccer game and get a beer. The atmosphere at the bar was casual with a TV right there and I was able to meet both goals. The server was friendly and made good recommendations. The PALE was excellent so I decided to try the IPA but was not as happy as this was way over hopped. (I know it's the trend but still not a reason to drink over hopped beer) I had a 2 oz sample of the 10.5 DOUBLE IPA and it was excellent. I'm going to go back for beef brisket and a full glass of the double.
(4)
Brian W.
Had chicken sandwich with was great fries were good but could had more, but the on tap root beer with free refills was AWSOME! Food was quick for downtown lunch at 12:00. Would return again for nothing else but the homemade root beer.
(5)
Zach L.
Slow service. Overpriced desserts. I don't really know what to say, except that we must have come on an off night. Maybe it's because I didn't come for the beer (what?!?!?!?), but I just felt like the place was . . . lacking. The server was bored, the food was bland, the crowd was tired. Need to try it again, after which I'll update if necessary.
(3)
Mike B.
I think the porter I had was the most solid thing on tap. While the bourbon barrel stout is better than alltech's one that we get bottled up in Ohio, the porter was even more fantastic. The rest of the beer was a solid, true to style lineup. Food was good, I was starving so I'd have eaten anything. The bison burger I got (smokehouse style) was a little dry, but bison is a beat leaner than beef so that was kind of expected. Service was good, they had a rockstar working the bar, since this guy was serving ~15 at the bar plus all the dining room drink orders as well. He didn't know what a bright tank was though when I asked if anything was served out of one.
(4)
Christina G.
We came here with a big group on A Friday night about 7pm. The place was packed, but we were grateful to be seated immediately outside. We were also seated before all members of our party joined us, which was appreciated. The good: - The food. My husband and I split a southwest burger and fish platter and all was tasty. I could have used more fries, and our waitress forgot to bring us the ketchup bottle she said she would, but that feeds into the bad below. - The drink menu. I had a bourbon sweet tea and it was refreshing. - The atmosphere. We weren't inside, but I thought the outside area was a fun place to be. The bad: - The service. We waited forever for our waitress - first to take our drink order, then to take our appetizer order, then to take our food order. It felt like we were waiting for a very long time. Also, I was skeptical when our waitress didn't write down our food orders. I should have been. One person ordered a bean burrito with chicken added. A plain bean burrito came out. And she completely forgot one person's order. She kept telling us it was coming when she must have realized her mistake, but the food came out a good 20 minutes after the rest of us had our dishes. I don't live in the area, but I'd probably give this place one more try if I did.
(3)
Lara P.
Josh was amazingly helpful. I was visiting from San Antonio and he provided the hospitality! Their beer needs no introduction, as that was why I was there. I did get to enjoy a nice sampler of seasonal beers and BBC famous Bourbon barrel stout. My travel buddy had the Hot brown, some local open face turkey saucy goodness while I enjoyed the Spinach artichoke CHICKEN pizza with garlic sauce...I missed the chicken mentioned in the description, and picked it off. Josh was willing to have the kitchen make another but I was fine. Chicken on pizza is normally dry and this was no exception. Fine beer, bar service and food!
(4)
Libby P.
The food was amazing! The waiters suggestion for crab cakes was spot on! Others had stir fry, fish taco, and bison burger, caesar salad... All amazing! Definitely worth the meal. Price good too. Lots of local beers the boys enjoyed. Wine was perfect also.
(5)
Susan S.
We were in town to go to our son's CIET Graduation at Ft. Knox... We were in Lousiville for 3 days -- and we ate at BBC twice. We wandered in on our first day in Louisville... We didn't know anything about anything... But we were LUCKY to have wandered into BBC. The bartenders were FUN and accommodating; we felt like we were home there! The beer was delish... I'm hooked on the raspberry mead. Can you send some to Boston?? We also tried a flight of bourbon. (I had a good time!) Woo-hoo! We ate too... We love Buffalo wings -- and found these to be the best ever! The brisket and reuben sandwiches were yummy. It was all so enjoyable that we ended up there for lunch the next day w/2 very hungry Cadets who had not had good food in 30 days. They LOVED their food -- they tried the bison burgers and enjoyed them immensely. The friend green tomatoes were the best (can I get the recipe?) If you want to feel at home away from home, go to BBC... It's fabulous!
(5)
James M.
Came here at 9:50 on Thursday night. Asked hostess specifically if ordering food 10 min before kitchen closed was an issue. I've worked in the industry. I get that that doesn't make you popular with staff many times. Turns out food was fine. My server forgot my ice in the bourbon. Then after delivering food, told me she was done and passing me to bartender. She literally told me "she'd be drinking at bar, but bartender was great. Had me covered" She was wrong. Bartender had plenty of bar customers to accommodate, and had no intention of doing anything to help a customer she didn't seat. Never saw her. Not once. Dirty plate sat in front of me for 20 min. Drink glass empty. No refill offered. My original server still at bar. If your staff is ready to go and you don't want to take care of late customers that require food service. Just say so up front. Don't pretend like you are going to take care of us then ignore paying customers. Good burger. She had that right I guess. First time in a long time I left 1 cent for tip.
(2)
Mara K.
Four stars to the overall experience, but only three (or maybe two and a half) to the actual food. I stopped here after a long drive from Pittsburgh to Louisville. I was hungry and in need of a beer. Bluegrass fits the bill. You enter from the street and walk down a few steps to get in. Almost like "Cheers" but no Norm. I sat at the bar and read from the chalkboard a list of delicious brewed on site beers. They have a few nice IPA options and I went with the "Atta Boy". Not bad. I then had a Raspberry Mead, which is served in a small glass (due to a very high ABV). It tasted heavily of honey, with a dash of raspberry. I enjoyed it - but I'd rather stick to my IPAs. Dinner is where things went a little south. I ordered a veggie sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes. I hate to say this, but my one year old niece could have prepared a better batch of mashed potatoes. Dry, tasteless, and lumpy. And awful. One bite and I said goodbye. My veggie sandwich was ok. It had some tasty roasted veggies, but here's the weird part, a Boca burger too. Maybe I missed that on the menu description but ugh, why? My waiter/bartender saw how awful my mashed potatoes were and took it off the bill without me asking or complaining. Thanks dude. This place has a cool decor. It's a little dark inside but the walls are all exposed brick and has very cool lighting and decorations.
(4)
April R.
We went to quite a few breweries on this trip and I hate to say it but Bluegrass was at the bottom of the ones I liked. The location is really good and although it had a bad smell I liked the feel of the "underground" brewery. The service was blah and the flight of beers didn't let you select the ones you wanted. Of course the ones we were most interested in didn't come with the flight so we had to purchase those separately. We ended up trying almost everything and felt that the quality was lacking. None of the beers were that great, they had the feel of a home brewer just learning how to brew. There are some great bars in the area that I would recommend instead of coming here.
(2)
Erin K.
I have found myself at BBC on many occasions, particularly after a concert at YUM! or while roaming downtown and I don't know why I am just now reviewing it. I really, really, like this place. The service is always friendly even when they are slammed and their food is always good. I have had quite a few things on the menu but the standouts for me are the turkey club (on a wonderful pretzel bun) and the brisket sandwich which is super tender and comes with gouda and a bacon jam (!). The BBC, being a brewing company, has some good beers as well. I really like their American Wheat, it's light and a perfect beer to drink a few of! They also have a great Raspberry Meade that is slightly sweet and not at all bitter. Yum!
(4)
Ron B.
Didn't get anything to eat and can't drink beer, but came for an event after work and found the space to be pretty nice and hip. The only thing to note is the lack of non-beer options. But if those limitations aren't yours, totally worth your time.
(3)
Tara Q.
This is located right across from the KFC Yum! Center, great location. I went here with my hubby after Comic Con in Louisville last weekend. It was rainy and cold and all we wanted was a warm, comfy place to eat dinner. This location was great because you basically are on street level as you're sitting at your table. Pretty intimate. The draft selections left a little to be desired even though that's what they're known for. It may just be that the beer I ordered was just too hoppy, but to each his own. But I will say that their BBQ Chicken sandwich was Amazing! I ate the entire thing and would've licked my plate, but c'mon I'm not an animal!
(3)
Toni I.
Our waitress was the only reason this review gets another star. The beer was nothing special, summer wheat tasted like yogurt. Grove milky finish. Mediocre food. Tasted like cafeteria food. The first impression of the chili is it tasted chicken broth and kidney beans. The garlic fries were recommended but literally just garlic on top of mediocre fries. The fruit bowl was good. The fried tomatoes were good but tiny portion, and pretty much just a fried casing. not at all worth the cost. Super disappointed after getting several recommendations. Will not ever return. Loved the t shirts for sale though, beer if food.
(2)
David F.
Wow! These vegan BBQ wings are amazing!! Excellent beer, great food, nice environment I definitely will come back if I'm ever in Louisville
(5)
Theresa G.
Very disappointed. I came in with family during vacation and was seated near screaming kids when mine are 16 and 12. Plus place was empty. Seated in horrible tight seats and the waiter was awful. The pizza my son ordered was under cooked. The beer was not good either and I was very upset with low quality hops and malt that left a bad aftertaste. All together terrible experience. Stay away unless you want bad food, bad service, and a terrible seat squeezed in the corner because they are saving the better seats for ghosts!
(1)
Orlando G.
Great beer. Had a few New Kids on the Bock and they excellent. Fun place did a shotski with done strangers at the bar!
(4)
Ashlee G.
Always fun and great service! A laid back atmosphere! My home bar for sure! Where everybody knows your name! :)
(5)
Kristin C.
The bison burger is delicious I get it every time we eat here! The spinach artichoke dip is also a must. Plenty of beer, wine and even mixed drinks in a fun atmosphere and right across from the yum center! We love it and eat here on a semi-regular basis. It's not super cheap but I feel that it's worth every penny. Only thing I've ever felt was lacking was friendliness of staff. The upstairs is beautiful for gatherings and the food won't disappoint!
(4)
Marissa G.
Delicious food and great service! I had the Brussels sprout and cheese soup and the ultimate veggie sandwich. Both were so delicious I finished every last bite. I like how they add fried green tomatoes on their veggie sandwich. Never before had I had that on a veggie sandwich and it was excellent! Highly recommended for a quick bite or a get together with friends.
(4)
Jessica P.
Got the Mediterranean Platter-- so good! Pita bread was soft and crunchy,falafel was fresh made, hummus was thick and chunky. We then got the buffalo chicken salad, salad was delicious chicken tenders were juicy and thick. Great meal for my boyfriend and I.
(4)
Rachael M.
Stopped there on Friday night and were seated right away. We were in the lower level, which was very dark and made reading the menu a challenge. The menu was okay but the wait after we placed our order was way too long. We waited nearly an hour for mediocre food. There are so many better options for the price in Louisville.
(2)
Michael S.
Went here these past two Saturdays. Had great experiences both times. Each visit was prior to a concert directly across the street at KFC Yum Center. Many of the fellow customers were concertgoers as well. Needless to say, it was getting slammed both times. My first visit, I sat at the bar. The bartender waited on me immediately and kept me and everyone else served promptly. The second visit, I sat on the sidewalk patio. My waiter likewise kept me served with no wait. Even when the weather began to sprinkle rain! When it did, he offered to transfer me to the bar inside. I chose to stay outside. And again, he kept on tending to me. This is an excellent place to relax and pass time when in downtown Louisville!
(5)
Barbara L.
This is a review for the bar only. We went this past Saturday night, it was so quiet. Nice young man served us at the bar. My husband hand the bourbon barrel stout. He liked it a lot and had two. I passed on alcohol and went for diet coke. The bartender was nice and cordial. Would go again for the beer and maybe try the food. Watched the first half of the steelers ravens game. Nice place. Good location.
(4)
Kevin M.
Just had a fantastic meal with a side of their Dark Star Porter beer and the Hot Brown open faced sandwich. Jessica was our server, lifelong resident who provided great service and lots of tips on the local sites and things to do. She knew all their bier and was able to match recommendations to each of our preferences.
(5)
Amy L.
BOURBON BARREL STOUT!!! Enough said, really, but I will continue. No matter which location- downtown, Saint Matthews- I always have a good time and good eats at BBC. The beer is a given. I love the rotating draft list and always try somehting new, but Bourbon Barrel Stout is my "go-to" beer of choice. It has that dark, coffee, chocolate, bourbon flavor that reminds me of eating bourbon balls. YUM!! It is not your Mama's beer either- it packs some punch. The lettuce wraps, spinach burger and garlic fries and my favorites but on occasion, the pizzas call my name. There is something on the menu to please every palate. Proud of our local Brewery:)
(5)
Colleen D.
Great beer, great food! We ate pretzel with beer cheese, burger, brisket sandwich, and buffalo chicken salad!! All was yummy!
(5)
Andy S.
The food has been very disappointing last couple visits. My table of 4 were all unhappy, mainly due to the hard, dried out chicken used for the pizza and chicken, bacon, ranch quesadilla (special). The potato soap, which was also a special, was very bland and boring. Stick to the beer!
(2)
Sondi A.
although this restaurant was recommended by the hotel staff, it was adequate but boring. the waitress however was inattentive; the iced tea got watered down, and tracking her down to get our bill seemed like an inconvenience. skip it.
(2)
Ashley P.
Service was awesome. Our waitress was quick and attentive and super sweet. The raspberry mead was spot on!!! They also make their own root beer which my friend got and she loved it! We split beer cheese, which was good but was served cold which was different but still pretty good, We had to ask for a second thing of cheese because it was so small. We also,split a Margerita pizza, it was awesome the tomatoes tasted so sweet!
(4)
Corey I.
This place has always been a great experience for me due to there price and home brewed beer. If your in to trying new beers I would stop in for a drink. I wish I could say I knew the menu better but I'm always ordering there burgers when I go in. The location downtown is awesome so your able to catch the inner city life at it's finest.
(4)
Mehul P.
There should be a disclaimer for this place, that you should know, if an event is going on at the YUM center or downtown in general, the quality of your experience at the BBC on Main is going to go way down. With that out of the way, I'll say that my experiences have been good. The food, is pretty nice for a place known more for its beer. We had the pretzel sticks and they were delicious with the in-home beer cheese (which is heavenly). I had this mushroom burger which was savory, tender, and succulent as any piece of meat. The beer without question is fantastic, try any you like. I may sound like I'm reviewing in hyperbole, but consider it more as an overarching satisfaction. We even had room for dessert and it was fantastic as well, chocolate sundae cake! Come early enough before a game, or before you catch a show next door. You'll enjoy it. I'm sure of it.
(4)
John F.
Dinner stop while staying at the Seelbach. Short walk from hotel. We enjoyed the beer and food. Potato skins and spinach andartichoke sou dip were good. We had the Hot Brown for dinner. It was tasty also. Their beers were good. My wife had a coffee stout which she enjoyed. I had a 2 porters that were great. Picked up a Beer is food t-shirt. Our server was great!
(4)
Noah T.
We sat outdoors, so keep that in mind, but the service was just average. The food wasn't all that impressive. For appetizers we had vegan wings, which were pretty good and interesting because they were unique. The spinach burger seemed to be a favorite by other reviewers, but it wasn't too flavorful and was pretty thin. The side of chips were dull and almost seemed stale. The waitress got my order wrong as well. The redeeming factor is the beer. The bourbon barrel stout is incredible, as is the standard stout and the brown ale. I recommend going for the beer, which on its own is a 5.
(3)
Joseph P.
Neat little microbrewery right outside the KFC Yum Center! Diner like upstairs with neat bar basement below. Had a good burger cooked the way I ordered. Great sampling of beer, but by far the Bourbon Barrel Stout stands alone at the top!
(4)
Sean H.
A bit overpriced and the server not quite knowledgeable about their wares. Upside is that its close to the convention center and hotels.
(3)
Michelle S.
Food was fair....beer isn't that interesting. We got a summer wheat and a raspberry whatever. Waiter suggested mixing them so she brought us a warm glass to do so. A warm glass....yes that's right. Warm. So I'm not sure what's up with that.
(3)
Kelly S.
Great dinner! Fish and chips entree is so wonderful. Fish was crispy, flaky and just the right amount spice.
(4)
Darren W.
Stopped in to watch a hockey game, drink a beer, eat some food with my wife. Knew they had DirecTV and it was free view week for Center Ice, so the game was going to be on. Too, saw at least 10 TV's. Asked if we sit where we could see a TV and put on hockey game and was told 'the remote was broken can't Change the channels'. I call BS, and I won't be back.
(1)
Kevin B.
Great beer, good atmosphere, good service and just OK food. I work downtown and it wouldn't be on my list of places to eat lunch but for an after work beer I would recommend it to anyone.
(3)
Lisa F.
Not sure why this place has 31/2 stars, but I had an awesome experience. The food was awesome. The best buffalo wings!! My friend ordered a custom Bison burger and it was cooked perfectly as ordered! They let us sample the craft beers! Totally recommend the place. Now we did sit at the bar not sure if this heightened the experience but with that....the food was great
(4)
Kristie T.
First time going to this particular BBC was last weekend. I was already familiar with the menu before I went, but I ended up not ordering anything after all because my table ordered several appetizers and I nibbled off of something. I really can't remember, but I did have the sampler and the waiter was so helpful and wrote it all out on a card so I knew what each drink was. It was a fun experience and I want to go back to try out their hot brown next time.
(4)
Farida A.
Had a salad with fried oysters, watermelon, goat cheese, and strawberry vinaigrette. It was delicious. Also tried the derby pie which was amazingly good! Our waitress was awesome too. One coworker wasn't happy with his buffalo chicken burger, but the other coworker loved her salad.
(4)
Sean N.
You gonna come here. Great, great beer and great service! What more can you ask for. They have the best beer in L-ville. Say hi to Margert.
(5)
Trae B.
Erin, she was are waitress pretty cool chick. I had a burger with blue cheese and bacon, it was decent. The star of the show was the Bourbon Barrel Stout. I then ordered desert and meh. The brownie, which Erin suggested came out nuked I sent it back for the derby pie which yet again was put in the micro. Recommend the beer and the burger, have it if you're hungry.
(3)
James I.
Not bad. Waitress was very nice. Had the bison burger with garlic fries and the apa on tap. Very good flavor. Would most likely come back.
(3)
Heather C.
Really nice atmosphere and got my large group in quickly. Drinks were decent and my hamburger was okay.. Nothing amazing.. My husband paid $10 for a whiskey on the rocks! That was incredibly frustrating.. Otherwise it was okay, but I was expecting a lot more after reading some reviews..
(3)
Rico P.
I was there last week during their dinner hour and they were really busy. Service was moving a little slow since they were so busy but they were hustling. The manager, Phil, came out and and pitched in and walked around and asked how everyone was doing. I really did appreciate the extra effort the manager put in to make sure everything was moving smoothly. Thanks Phil. We will be back.
(5)
Todd C.
Waitress was polite, rest of the staff very rude. Hostess argued with us for no apparent reason.
(2)
Bobby Y.
Great place for proximity to the KFC Yum Center! but if you expect good food and good service this is not your restaurant. I'm 50/50 on good/bad service. We tend to get one server that's an absolute train wreck. Wrong orders, takes forever, then messes up the bill. Didn't notice track marks, but it'd be on par from the previous poster's comments. Another server always recommends the crabcakes....seriously? Frozen crabcakes is the best they have to offer? I doubt they're sourcing crab from the Ohio River...sure UPS is close, but methinks they're not same day air shipping crabcakes. Food's consistently blah, brew is so-so.
(2)
Shana K.
Horrendous service but decent food and drinks. I visited on a weekday evening with a group of five adults and the waiter seemed put out by our presence. He frequently walked past our table, completely ignoring us, even as we attempted flag him over so we could order additional drinks or food items. He also clearly had no knowledge of the menu, often bringing the wrong types of beer. He complained to us about having to split our check despite their having a computerized POS system. He never once asked if we were enjoying our meal or if we needed anything else. Everyone at the table was offended by his absolute disregard of us as customers. The food and drinks that we did manage to get were decent but none of it was anything particularly unique or special. Several people tried the buffalo chicken salad and enjoyed it. I had the margherita pizza and thought it was good. The beer was a hit overall once everyone managed to receive what they had asked for. However, I tried one of the specialty mixed drinks and it was so sweet it was undrinkable. Everyone at the table tried it and agreed that it tasted like kool-aid and was overpriced at $7. BBC might be worth visiting again but only if the service vastly improves. Otherwise they aren't offering anything that can't be gotten elsewhere.
(2)
Jason A.
Great location right downtown. We sat in the basement section which had a cool feel to it. Our waiter was very attentive and recommended some really great Beer selections. We got some pretzels with beer cheese for apps that were very good, and our Burgers were all also very good. Would for sure go back.
(4)
Anthony B.
I had a great veggie burger with guac and jalapenos on it, served with kettle chips (albeit a bit stale) on a burger king bun. That really threw me for a loop.... I would have given this place a four except for that, as the staff was very knowledgeable about the area and their bourbon.
(3)
Kelly S.
Stopped in for a short time before going to the Brown Theater. Nothing too much to say, but the outdoor seating was very nice, and the fall 2014 seasonal appetizers they had were delicious. Very reasonable drink prices, too. I would definitely visit again to try some of the beer and maybe some more food options
(4)
Heather H.
We walked down here after visiting Against the Grain down the street. I'm not sure if my thoughts on the beer here are tainted by having just had some amazing brews down the street, but all of the beer here, while not being bad, was pretty unmemorable. What knocks this up to four stars was the great service from the bartender, and the AMAZING vegan seitan wings we had. They were seriously good, to the point that we are trying to figure out how we can make them at home in a similar way since we can't very well drive to Louisville whenever we are craving them. If you can drive to Louisville, you should seriously go and check out these wings.
(4)
Mark H.
All I had was beer. It was very good. I am still buzzing from the beer so if I sound like Homer Simpson, you'll know why. I tried a sample of the Octoberfest, good, then tried a sample of the Strong Ale, better. I had a whole glass of that, recommended. Next I had the Bourbon Barrel something something Dark Side and it was great too. I think it was just a brew with bourbon added rather than a cask-aged brew. Still tasty. Have I told you how much I love you? Yes, Beer is food.
(4)
Jose C.
I've heard bourbon is the drink down here so I had to try the Bourbon Barrel Stout, excellent beer. In town for a visit and dropped in late for a quick beer, big bar with TV's. I was a little disappointed with the service considering it was late and it was pretty empty. I did not try the food so I can't comment on it. I'd definitely give it another shot though.
(4)
Jamie B.
The only reason I gave it two stars was because the beer was good. The food was mediocre at best. The bun the burger came on was no better than a Kroger bun. I asked the server if I could substitute a different side instead of chips or slaw and she said yes. I got the bill and there was a charge for a different charge. She was unsympathetic when I brought it to her attention. I will never come back and I wouldn't recommend trying it. You can get a much better burger at SmashBurger.
(2)
Solomon P.
Beer good, service meh, and food...below expectations. This is not a place for dinner with friends. If you want good beer, then yes.
(3)
Jared P.
Went here on a busy Saturday night we were able to get a table very quickly. Service was very fast and friendly. Food met the par as well. If you get a burger, get the BBC style.
(4)
Kelly L.
Phenomenal food. I had the crab cakes and a few of the beers. Very accommodating servers, and nice ambiance. Our waitress explained all of the beers to the novice drinkers that were with us and explained all of the menu items in detail. Well worth the trip. It was way better than I expected for a micro-brewery.
(5)
Hope K.
I had lunch here since its near the convention center and was expecting standard bar grub. I ordered the veggie sandwich which was delicious and surpassed expectations. Smoky roasted veg and crisp fried green tomato. Looked like a great beer selection but I didn't try any.
(4)
Lily N.
The food is okay, I would not state anything special. We had split the buffalo burger and fries. The buffalo burger was nice, but the beer. I was informed that is suppose to be its specialty. Honestly was not exactly feeling awed. But the proximity to the KFC Yum Center cannot be beat!
(3)
Rachel F.
For a great work lunch or a good mid-week chill place to grab a beer this BBC is a nice spot. On a night that there is a big event at YUM? Not my scene. It is going to flip to slammed and touristy. The burger is solid. Not at all dry but not so moist that is is falling to pieces. I love the options of what you can put on there. The Germantown with beer cheese and other stuff (hard to read beyond beer cheese on a burger!) and the one i got that I don't remember the name added pimento cheese (perfectly slightly melted) and fried green tomatoes, tobacco straws and ham. And it is BBC, for those not familiar, it is a good local brew. The wheat ale is a typical one, not too well, wheaty, but not too girly either. They have a Bourbon Barrel Stout that's a must try if you haven't already. The beertails are yummy. I think the Pale Ale is the worst beer they have. Maybe you disagree, but all the choices here, if you are a BBC newbie, I'd avoid it.
(4)
Sarah M.
Louisville, do people not believe in eating out on Sunday nights? I swear, every restaurant downtown was closed on Sundays. Ended up here at BBC thanks to a recommendation from our hotel's front desk. Service was spotty. We could barely here our server speak (mumbling, not my friend), he was kind of slow, especially towards the end, and gave us more information regarding the beers than we asked for. I get it, you're a brewery, but we already knew what we were ordering, and were more interested in ordering than hearing a detailed explanation about EVERY BEER EVER there. Food: I love places that mark off on the menus what items are vegetarian friendly. THANK YOU. Started with the vegan bbq "wings" - normally I HAAATE fake meat products, but I wanted to try the bbq sauce. These were phenominal, although I don't know that a wing is an accurate description - looked more like vegan rib tips. But I digress. The menu has a bit of everything - I ate pizza, the mom had a spinach burger, the dad... something meat. maybe a burger. Clearly I didn't care what he ate. He was generally pleased with his beer that he had. I had a "beertail" (beer cocktails, new thing, so trendy and hip~). Overall this was a pretty solid eating experience. Thanks for being open on a Sunday when everyone else nearby isn't. This is right across from the YUM! Center (coolest name ever!!), so location wise, good for downtown events.
(4)
Lochin S.
we stayed across the street so a night cap was called for. They do have good beers, we did not eat there. Service is wonderful and friendly.
(4)
Rhea P.
Second trip was the last. . . too many fabulous restaurants in Louisville to visit. I mean, it's food, it's not bad, but it's not special either.
(2)
Irus M.
We ordered Angus Burger, Rueben and Kids pizza and everybody seemed to finish up their meal completely. ;-) Friendly, fast, pretty good selection of menu and not pricey. We were unsure when we chose it, thinking it's going to be all bar kind of resto, but turned out its quite 'normal'
(4)
Brandon K.
This review is for the BEER and SERVICE (the food was like eating a salt lick. didn't care for it one bit). I tried several of their varieties and was very pleased. I'm a home brewer as well so I can appreciate a quality craft brew. The service was also on point. I'll be back (when I'm not hungry for food).
(4)
Melanie K.
This BBC is located down by Floyd Street. There are several BBC's downtown and two on main. However, this BBC is just a pub. I am not certain if they actually serve food, but they do cater so low key bar crowd. I only walked in for a few minutes, but the staff was very helpful in directing back to the Yum Center BBC that has three floors not just two. I will be back to have some solid music and low key premium drafts.
(4)
T D.
Service at the bar was outstanding. My husband was a bit disappointed that they did not offer any lagers.
(3)
Harry John H.
Good beer and excellent service! Of the local breweries in the area this is the place to go to try great local beer and friendly people. Take from me, I'm a home brewer.
(5)
Chris S.
Ok, I've said it in other reviews from this trip, but I will say it again, Louisville was not what I expected. The culture here is so much more progressive than I originally thought it would be. I mean seriously, if you would have told me that I could go into a brew pub in downtown Lousiville and order vegan buffalo wings, I'd of called you a liar. Well it ended up being fact. In a city where I was expecting to be inundated with slab of meat after slab of meat, this place had a fairly large vegan/ vegetarian list on their menu. And the vegan seitan wings were pretty darn good too! The atmosphere is pretty cool and very pub-like, as would be expected. Everyone I was with loved the beer and the offerings, maybe some a little too much! One of the major highlights really was our server though. His incredibly attention to detail and fun attitude made for a great dining experience. We had a big group, but that was no problem for him at all. He handled everything smoothly, and we got away with no bill confusions or difficulties. Definitely worth a stop if you are in town for a conference, as I was.
(4)
Allison L.
Beer was good. Raspberry meade was very nice. Food very average. Had the pretzel appetizer which was fine but difficult to mess up. Pizza for entree- basically a step above a frozen pizza. Scant low-quality toppings. Service was the worst I've ever had. Our waiter took our order and did not come back to the table until we flagged him down for the check. Other staff member brought us our food but did not ask if we needed anything so we assumed our waiter would come check on us. Never did. As a result, I had to go to the bar to get water, we had to eat the pizza off of napkins since we never were brought plates. Other tables seemed to be getting fine service but I felt like he was blatantly ignoring us. When we asked for the check, he asked how everything was and we told him our complaints, giving him the opportunity to apologize/comp something but he nonchalantly said "Cool. I'll get the check." Felt kinda bad but couldn't justify tipping. Also no toilet paper in the bathroom, was gonna tell the waiter but he wasn't around to tell.
(1)
Lanie Z.
Before seeing a play at Actors Theatre of Louisville, I stopped by next door and thoroughly enjoyed my time. I ate at the bar, and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Accommodating, but not cloying. And, there are many vegetarian and vegan options, which I appreciated. The spinach burger and the tofu stir fry are out of this world -- both from the owners' recipes. The tofu stir fry has a wonderful soy sauce and the vegetables are perfectly sauteed. And the cilantro rice tops off the dish perfectly. I also enjoyed the vegan BBQ wings. They were a little crispier, tangier and spicier than any I've ever had, but I enjoyed them. Love this place.
(5)
Kristen W.
One of the first restaurants we went to when we were apartment hunting before we moved to Louisville. We had a late lunch and enjoyed a good beer alongside our food. The waiter was really helpful, recommending BBC beers based on our preferences, and letting us sample the offerings before we settled on one. We also went with the waiter's recommendation on food, and ordered the crab cakes and the spinach/walnut burger. He told us the burger was the recipe of the owner's wife, and she made them daily. It was really good, unlike any veggie burger I've ever had. The crab cakes weren't the best, but they were definitely tasty. The restaurant left a good impression on us, and made us excited to move to Louisville!
(4)
Bryan M.
I travel significantly for business. I am a craft beer nerd and homebrewer so patronizing brewpubs and craft beer bars is a must on the road. I had high hopes for BBC as I am a big fan of their bourbon barrel stout and I typically love the brewpub experience and rich pub food. I was a little disappointed. I came in at a time that was not busy at all. There were myself and two others at the bar. The bartender wasn't very attentive and seemed to be preoccupied with a female coworker he kept talking with at the end of the bar. My glass stood empty a couple of times until I flagged him down. I had made up my mind at this point that I probably wouldn't have dinner tthere, but I did order some pretzels. They were so-so and the beer cheese dip was cold. However, the beer was solid. In addition to the bourbon barrel stout, I had their double IPA and it was tasty. For that in and of itself, I will give two stars, but there are plenty of places that have good beer.
(2)
Beth G.
Beer and service were great. Food was average. Sat up at the bar since I was there by myself. The bartender was very friendly and made great recommendations on what beer to try. I had the IPA and an Octoberfest. I really enjoyed both of them. I also had a pizza, which was OK. It probably would have been better if it had been hot. It nice little place. I would definitely go there again for a beer if I was in town.
(4)
Elena G.
We stopped in here to get out of the rain while waiting for the Forecastle gates to open. Super cozy and nice atmosphere for a dark Saturday afternoon! All of the beers we tried were great and it was awesome to see a local brewery with so many varieties. But...this review is mainly for the BBQ seitan wings with local honey. A-may-zing. Still thinking about them and wondering if I can somehow recreate this deliciousness on my own! Nice to know that there are so many veg options in Louisville, we'll hopefully be back.
(4)
W. T.
This place is way overrated and should never be described as 'phenomenal'! I went here while in town for business and was expecting good, solid food. What I got was overcooked, lacking flavor, and smothered in butter. I ordered the chili which was very plain and would have been greatly helped by adding chopped onions and cheese as a topping. I usually prefer chili without those but this needed something! I also got the pork chop with succotash and wilted greens. Each one of those 3 things was drenched in butter and the greens were almost nonexistent. One piece of wilted spinach counts as a side? Maybe they forgot the rest? This is not a place I would ever go back to.
(2)
Josh H.
The beer here is decent, maybe slightly below average for a brewpub. I may be biased because we went to Against the Grain just down the street shortly afterward, which had fantastic beer. Regardless, the service was good and the brisket sandwich may be the best I've ever had (probably because of the bacon jam).
(4)
John G.
My wife and I were visiting Louisville and staying at the Galt House. We happened to see this place off Main Street when we were driving back to our hotel after some retail therapy. The waiter we had was very knowledgeable about their beers. I had a beer sampler and we chatted about most of the beers on it when he stopped by to check on us which he did frequently. I had the shrimp and grits which were phenomenal and my wife had the hot brown which was even better. Probably the best I've ever had.
(4)
Daniel C.
Stopped in here for lunch after a morning visiting KY with my Mom. The food was pretty good as were the beers. Nothing blew my socks off, but over all a tasty meal with some pretty good beers. I liked the BBQ sando and the Home Wrecker IPA.
(3)
Rose K.
The second of two places in Louisville by my hotel that had vegan wings! Delicious - I love vegan wings! Hmm, I focused so much on the wings and now it's been so long that I can't remember what I had for my entree - maybe the veggie burger?
(4)
Shannon G.
Love it. They always have a great beer selection to include a seasonal or two throughout the year. Food is good, but beer is much better. Highly recommended!
(5)
Marianne C.
I've had their beer a number of times while in the 'ville. The beer is pretty good, but the food isn't. As someone else said, there are many otther options in town, so why go there for a not jumbo pretzel, congealed beer cheese (yuck!), and beer?
(2)
Chris H.
Nice bar and grill, basement with brew smells. I'm good with that and the beer was nice, not skunky at all. Food was good, straight forward and nice flavors.
(4)
Tim M.
The beer and the service here are awesome. I had a personal pizza here with the garlic sauce, it was absolutely delicious. If you want a good beer, decent pizza and a friendly bartender, check this place out.
Doug P.
This location is the latest addition for Bluegrass Brewing Company. It's located downtown, near the KFC 'YUM' Center Arena. This locale features two stories, the 'Cellar", just below street level, and the upstairs. Both are clean, modern, comfortable and inviting. The upper level is very bright, with large windows. The lower level is a little more intimate, with low key lighting. Both levels offer a bar, tables and numerous flat screen, HD TV's. Each level has BBC's beers on draught. Food is decent and reasonably priced. The menu includes at least a half dozen meat free items. In addition to beer, BBC showcases KY Bourbons and fine wines.
(4)Jay C.
(I believe this listing is actually for the 300 W Main St location. That's where this review is for. There is a parking lot at 300 E Main according to Google Street View.) We only drank during our visit here on 1/17/2012. The beers were typical of a brew pub. The service left much to be desired. The bartender was cold and clearly interested in being somewhere else on was purported to be her birthday by other patrons. When I went up to the bar to get a second round, I attempted to converse with her and order another drink. Not only was I snubbed in conversation, I was told that she had closed - "we close at midnight." Mind you, she never called last call, nor did she warn us upon our first order that the bar would stop serving soon, since we arrived around 11:40. I sat back down with our group while they finished their drinks only to have another employee begin putting the stools and get snarky with us when we commented that last call was never called and that no attempt had been made to close open tabs. His reply was that they close at midnight, "It's on the door." And, in reference to the comment on my guest's tab that was still open, "Walk it, I dare you." After this experience, we walked over to The Troll Pub only to find the closing early and then have them STAY OPEN for our group of ten. Overall, we're a group of fifty visiting Louisville for the week and I don't expect any of us to return here. It's a shame as we're staying two blocks away.
(1)FromScratch M.
Not bad. Food was typical but well done. Good beer.
(4)Suzie Q.
We got the pretzel sticks with beer cheese here, which were awesome. We ended up getting a second order. Our bison burgers were pretty good. Fries were crispy and thick. The raspberry meade was really good for a non beer drinker. My husband liked his beers. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable. He let us sample beers before ordering. He also brought out some food quickly for our energetic one year old. A great experience!
(4)William R.
Walking down Main St and I stopped to take a picture of the YUM! KFC stadium...turn around and here is this brewery. Well hell... why not stop in and have something to drink? I cozied up the bar where I was greeted immediately. I went right after the sampler which is 7 2oz pours of a pre-selected list of beers. Fortunately the beers I wanted to try were on that list so we were good to go. While the beers are solid the majority didn't have that memorable quality... except the bourbon stout. Now I am a huge bourbon stout fan so I was really looking forward to this one. I drank it last to give it a chance to warm up some. HOLY F! That bourbon smacks you in the face...twice. I was really taken back by how strong it was and even more taken back that the ABV was listed as low as it was (a little over 8%... and if you are comparing other barrel aged stouts they typically hover 10% and higher). Definitely a beer I would drink again. I also grabbed a glass of the mead as I never had mead before. Although I enjoyed it I believe this type of beverage has a place and time and this just wasn't either. Give the place a try... super friendly staff will make you want to stay. I didn't eat, but when a plate would pass me and the whiff of whatever was on the plate hit my nose it was all I could to do to resist asking to see a menu. (I had plans to eat at a different place or I would have just stayed here). Cheers!!
(3)Judy R.
Sam was our bartender... He was amazing !! He gave us a sample of the rye beer ! It was delicious - we had a mug !!!l I've never had rye beer, I really enjoyed it ! This is a mini brewery and it is amazing ! The rye was the seasonal special. They have all 10 of their beers on tap, we sampled three which were all excellent. They have their own rootbeer on tap (it is awesome). We purchased a growler of Root beer and enjoyed every drop ! This amazing mini brewery is right on Main Street in Louisville, KY .
(5)Leslie W.
BBC is solid at what it started out as - a microbrewery. They have a nice selection of beers as well as a full bar and a menu that fits the profile. Having said that, it's not a restaurant that I seek out regularly. I usually end up at this BBC when at Actors Theatre or at events nearby. It's a close, fairly affordable place for a drink and a snack. The menu is heavy bar food - burgers, pizza, sandwiches. If you like meat and/or carbs, this is your kind of place. They do have vegetarian options but on the whole they aren't very inspired. The one dish that surprised me, and that I usually turn to, is the vegan wings. The chewy, fried seitan is coated in spicy, bbq sauce and served with honey. I usually get blue cheese dressing as well to quench the heat. This last visit, we ordered the pretzel bread and beer cheese to start. The bread was warm and delicious with a creamy, tangy beer cheese dip on the side. Very good overall but a little skimpy on the beer cheese. I had the spinach & artichoke pizza swapping mushrooms for the regular chicken. Pizza was very large for $10.99 and quite rich. It was big enough for dinner and two more meals the next day. It wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, but certainly not the worst. Average, I'd say. If you're downtown looking for bar food and beer (at a decent price), this fits your needs. It's not inventive or extraordinary, but has been consistent.
(3)Paul G.
Just walking by looking for what we could find and up popped BBC Blue Grass Brewing Co. Decided to go in since it was one of the few places still open. Much to our surprise it is a high quality micro brewer started in 1993 and still going strong. The master brewer is from New Zealand. And has been here forever. They have 8 always beers on tap and two seasonal specials on tap. Plus their RootBeer which is excellent. We got the Growler 1/2 gallon which compared to other breweries is a real bargain, and it is very very good.
(5)Joseph T.
Had tickets to the Palace. Was hungry. Saw BBC. Parked. Walked in. Seated immediately. Asked what I wanted. Bourbon Barrel Stout. Delicious. Also ordered a bison burger. Medium. Southwest style. Had jalapeños on it. And guacamole. Fantastic. Loved it. Garlic fries worked. Great compliment. Would get again. Wife had salad. Thoroughly enjoyed. Good food. Awesome location. Cool atmosphere. Decent prices. BBC wins all the trophies.
(4)Natasha K.
Stopped in for a quick bite to eat. Service was friendly and knowledgable. I was craving a sandwich so went for the brisket sandwich and it did not disappoint! The brisket was tender and juicey, topped with the Gouda cheese, bacon jam and carmalized red onions- WOW. Very good. The atmosphere was laid back and fun. Wished we weren't on such a time crunch so we could have enjoyed it more.
(4)Matt G.
A really laid back experience with great beer. Kelsey was my bartender and she was a real pro. I recommend the Rye beer and the Bison burger, Smokehouse style.
(5)Michelle M.
I really enjoyed the flight of beers. I usually prefer my beer a bit colder than it was served, but it was ok. The fried green tomatoes were very good, but we did not like the Mediterranean plate. The service was fine; not bad but not exceptional.
(4)Stuart S.
I visited two of the Bluegrass Brewing Company locations, but there may have been a third spot too. This spot was more of a restaurant/bar on par with a TGIF in which there were many tables for food as well as a bar; kind of the same atmosphere. They had a nice selection of beers, all were good, but none were great. As their great slogan goes "Beer is Food", but I prefer my beer and food to taste better!
(3)Heath C.
One of the larger craft breweries in the local area, BBC does the job right! They have a few beers that are always on tap and then they have seasonal selections as well. My personal favorite is the sunset wheat. Its probably the least "hoppy" of their selections so its really smooth to drink and goes well with their meals. The food selection is nothing out of the ordinary, but at least all the selections are done reallllly well. The fish and chips are some of the best that I've had in Louisville! The main thing that I had an issue with was that the music was SO LOUD! My family spent the entire night saying the words "huh?" and "what?" Because we literally couldn't hear each other speak. If the music would have been lower then it would have been a perfect night.
(4)Megan M.
We've been multiple times to the downtown location and is a great spot to take guests staying downtown for conventions. The pretzel and beer cheese app is really good and the BBQ vegan wings are surprisingly delicious. The only thing we've ever ordered is the bison burger -amazing- and the brisket sandwich -also amazing. Both are massive sandwiches/burgers with great flavor. The bison burger is juicy every single time. We really only look at the menu for the beer flights and it's a great way to try new beers for a good price. The only downside to this location is the noise. On a night that there is an event at the Yum Center it gets packed quick and very loud, which I don't mind, but is not a place you'd go for casual conversation.
(4)Ron R.
OK, first a disclaimer. I am not rating this place on food as we did not eat here. We stopped in for about an hour to grab a few drinks. The ambiance of this place is great. It is sub-street level which gives the lighting a new twist when the sun is high. The place is built (not sure if by intention) like a brewery/speak easy. They brew their own beers there and have flights for $9 which is a great deal. We decided to belly up to the bar and our bartender was phenomenal. She was so nice that I added a star from 4 to 5 on this place. She was engaging, informative and very nice overall. She helped everyone in the group pick a beer and explained the flight in detail to me. There were 9 beers total in the flight and I only really liked 3 of them as the majority were IPAs and I'm not a big fan of IPAs. I'm sure they were perfectly good beers. The 3 beers I did like...I loved. Very good. We asked for a food menu to look at the items they have available although we weren't hungry and many options sounded delicious. We are going to come back here next time we visit Louisville to try the food. Once I do that, I will update the review to reflect the quality of BBC overall. Until then, it gets 2 thumbs up!
(5)Brian G.
BEER... BEER... and more BEER! I am a regular at this pub with all the beer choices, (my particular fav is the 1/2 wheat, 1/2 raspberry mead) In my opinion it's the best craft beer place in the Ville! As for food... the Pretzel & Beer Cheese" which I think they call it a Bavarian pretzel stick x 2 served with house made local beer cheese for $5.99 delicious and if that is not your thing. Then I recommend, Thai Lettuce Wrap; julienned peppers, onions, cabbage, water chestnuts, toasted peanuts & rice noodles. Topped with your choice of chicken or tofu it's all good and for only $8.99. I get the chicken! Stay thirsty!
(5)Michael M.
Came to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby and asked the locals for a great place to eat. The locals know... The hot brown sandwich is a Kentucky original sandwich and it is worth the flight from California. The staff really had southern hospitality... So friendly. This is really a five star due to the ambience and great tasting food.
(5)Lauren K.
BBC gets an A for effort, but pretty much gets a C+ for everything else. I'm sorry BBC, but you know what they say: C's get degrees and A's get paid (I added that last part). I wouldn't necessarily go to this bar if you are looking for a joint to hang out in downtown given that there is a plethora of other bars within a .5 mile radius of there. BBC is in a prime spot because of being kitty corner from the KFC Yum! Center but that can be both a good thing and a bad thing. For BBC being a popular and local beer distributor I had imagined that the pub would have a big bar to sit at but it was sort of small and situated near the staircase so I constantly felt like people were hovering about me. They did have some of their specialty drafts, many of which sounded good. I got the Raspberry Meade which was really quite tasty but because of the alcohol concentration it came in a small glass (which I was forewarned of so that was nice). I will say that it is always fun to go to the local brewery pub and maybe this isn't the best one I've gone to but it's not entirely bad. I was fairly unimpressed with the food - I got a burger and fries and it came out just like burger and fries at any other joint. The burger was fine and there wasn't anything particularly wrong with it but it didn't have much flavor either (perhaps I've just grown accustomed to huge mouthfuls of flavor). It took a very long time for me to receive my burger and I recognize that it was crowded in there, but I don't believe that it should have taken 45 minutes to get a burger and fries. Another thing that sort of bugged me was the fact that despite sitting right st the bar th e service we received was very minimum. I did like the atmosphere in there though and I liked the way it was decorated, having exposed pipes and it being brick. I like a good industrial feel sometimes and you do get that here for sure. One cool thing though - they sell tshirts at the pub that say "Beer is Food" and in all different colors! I do like the shirt and it's always a good shirt for those days when you have to wash your car and need to throw something on!
(3)Jonathon B.
Great Service, John and Matt took great care of the 18 in our bachelor party. Didn't eat, but food smelled and looked great. Tried the KY common, good summer beer
(5)Alyssa M.
My husband and I spent the weekend exploring Louisville, and we wanted to give BBC a try (we love a good brewery!) We visited on a Friday night, and were sat in the dark basement near the bar. Hostess looked like she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing- but our waitress was much friendlier. Husband got a couple beers, while I ordered a cocktail. Both were pretty good- but expensive! For dinner, he ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich, and I ordered a personal pizza. His BBQ sandwich was very dry with not a lot of flavor. My pizza was decent- kind of tasted like a frozen pizza from Walmart. The place seemed very sticky and dirty, and the food wasn't worth much at all. And it was an expensive meal! If you're touring Louisville, skip BBC.
(2)Anita M.
Stopped here before a concert. The locals recommended it. A nice brewery with a nice menu selection- pizza, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, entrees. Friendly service. We had the burger & the brisket- fabulous! Right across street from Yum Center.
(4)Matt R.
Truly nothing to love here except that it's great to have a BBC right at the crossroads of Actors & Yum. Where Doc Crow's, Sidebar and Milkwood might give you something more memorable, they also are more likely to be crowded when an event is going on. BBC is always a fine plan B, whether you're in your gameday gear or in your finest theatre dress. BBC is All-American. Serviceable beers. A handful of vegetarian items. Waitstaff a little rough around the edges. Does it bother you that your water glass is empty for 5 minutes? That the staff often uses the upstairs bar as a coat rack? That the satellite television has been showing the menu screen for 10 minutes? Then go someplace more upscale. The rest of us will enjoy our beer-and-burger.
(3)Sarah W.
We came in late I know they closed at 10:45 the kitchen we were there at 10:15. Ordered our food which were pizzas and were told no go. What happened next was amazing the pork chop was delicious the crab cake spicy but also good flavor. Garlic fries fresh and service was so so. But food worth the wait! They really have a great menu and fresh salads. We will eat here again.
(4)Edward W.
Awesome vegan BBQ wings and several other vegan and vegetarian options. Plenty of food options for meat eaters too. Beer is worth trying. I had a raspberry mead and wheat beer that were delicious.
(5)Chad N.
I was highly disappointed with my burger. I ordered a buffalo burger with smoked gouda and bacon with a side of garlic fries paying nearly $15. The burger had no seasoning or flavor and the fries were soggy. I ordered my food for take out. I only give the place a "2" star because the guy at the bar was really cool over the phone. I only ate the food so I can't speak about the drinks.
(2)Rachel S.
The brisket sandwich here is amazing! So much flavor, not drowned in sauce. I got the seasonal veggies, which were delightfully light sautéed and seasoned Brussels sprouts. I wish the pulled pork I sampled came with sauce on the side, as it's a little too sauced---you can't taste the meat. The spinach artichoke dip is truly unparalleled, while the Mediterranean platter was fairly flavorless. While the menu offers both hits and misses, I'd say it errs on the side of DELICIOUS!
(4)Allison F.
High: BBC has a great location, as it is right across the street from the KFC Yum Center. The Brewpub has two levels, which offers plenty of seating before, during, and after games. (NOTE: There was a Yelp deal if you bought a beer during a Louisville game) Low: Beer was average. I tasted the IPA and Double IPA (I had originally ordered the Winter Warmer, but they were out), and I was ready to leave after one beer. Both were pretty standard but didn't make me want to drink another one or drink other styles. Silver lining: I would take something from BBC over a Miller Lite in the basketball arena.
(3)Megan S.
At 2pm on a Saturday near downtown Louisville you would expect a restaurant to be busy but not completely packed. On a toasty day in July my friend and I went to grab some food and beers. The restaurant was PACKED. We were seated immediately but got easily the worst server in the restaurant. He never introduced himself, waited 20 minutes for the check after he cleared our plates and he never asked how our food was after receiving it. Looking past the awful service and onto the important part... the beer. The beer was great and decently priced; $4.25 a draft beer. I was able to get a glass of raspberry mead as well. I would highly recommend. It does come in a smaller glass but it is a great drink. We also got an appetizer, the beer cheese and pretzels. Those were good nothing really too special about the cheese that I was hoping for. As far as food my friend got a hamburger and really enjoyed it. I however got the margherita pizza and it was AWFUL. I had to actually put salt on the pizza to give it taste. I could go on a huge rant about all the things they did to ruin this pizza but I am going to stop. I will simple recommend that this is an okay restaurant that serves as much better place for appetizers and beers.
(2)Lauren H.
I really enjoy BBC. For lunch or dinner, there are plenty of options. I eat at the downtown location more for lunch, and the St. Matthews location more for dinner. Both locations serve consistently delicious food. The menu is versatile, with options ranging from wings to salad to burgers to pizza to hot browns. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices on the menu. I've tried several dishes and everything has been fantastic. The Nachos are probably my favorite item on the menu, and I often order them as my meal. They are definitely in my top two best nachos of all time. I've also had the Pretzel with Beer Cheese, Turkey Club, Brisket sandwich, Margherita pizza, Buffalo Chicken salad, Bison burger, and Grilled Chicken sandwich "South of the Border" style. I loved each of these dishes and would happily order any of them again. Aside from the great food, they brew their own beer. And it's amazing. The prices are very reasonable. The service is well-paced. I love coming here. BBC is always a good experience.
(4)Nick B.
The food and drink was decent, but expensive and not as memorable as I would maybe have expected.
(3)DuJuan B.
Paid dinner prices, and got lunch portions. Just wasn't what I thought it would be. The bourbon peach pork chop tasted good. But at the same price at brickhouse I get two chops that make the one I got look like a doggy treat. The brews were ok, nothing that blew me away, but I would drink them over the "buds" and "millers" out there. Orders were quick to get to the table, once my waiter finally came to take my order. Long story short... I'd come back for a decent brew if I was downtown. Just grab a bite before hand.
(2)Stephanie B.
I spontaneously found myself having lunch here, and I am so glad that happened! My guests and I were planning on meeting at Doc Crow's just down Main Street for lunch on a Saturday, but they were closed. We decided on the alternative of the BBC due to the close proximity. I was pleased to find that the restaurant has a special deal on Yelp where a guest can order one of their in house brewed beers for just 99 cents with the purchase of an appetizer on a UofL game day. I happily ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer with a cup of Brewhouse Chili. The meat in the chili added a complex smokey flavor to the hearty red chili. The fried green tomatoes rested on a bed of arugula and were generously drizzled with an aioli. The sauce did not overpower the taste of the green tomatoes not the herb rich crust. The Bourbon Barrel Stout (still can't believe I paid just a buck!) was the perfect addition to my meal. It was full of intricate flavor without being too heavy or dark for my liking. Our server, Kayla, was excellent as she answered all of our questions surrounding the online deal and our unfamiliarity with the menu. She was quick to keep our water glasses full and our dirty dishes out of the way. Kayla made for a complete guest experience.
(4)Bobbi B.
In fairness to the restaurant I wanted to provide an updated review. We had lunch there this week and my husband and his colleague's pork chops were great per both of them. I had a Wedge Salad which was good, it's a salad and was a little concerned after our last fiasco about ordering. Service was good (same server and I think he recognized us from pictures) LOL!
(4)Kent H.
It seems that there's a brewpub just about everywhere, but I seldom drink beer anymore. However, I'm game every once in a while and stopped in for a visit. I like my beer dark, and ordered the Bourbon Barrel Stout. I was very impressed from the first sip to the last. Lots of flavor in this one from the namesake aging vessels. On to a bite to eat. I wasn't in the mood for typical pub fare, but I noticed crab cakes on the menu. Wow! Quite possibly the best ones I've had outside of Alaska. Lots of crab meat and perfectly cooked. It was served on a bed of rice/wild rice mix, and at first it looked like a huge pile of rice. Further investigation revealed summer squash, zucchini, and spinach buried in the mix which were nice little surprises. The sauce that was drizzled over was okay, but the next time I'll get it without. A little tartar would have been better for my taste. Overall, a very good experience in a venue that I don't often visit.
(4)Roxanne O.
Nice little brewpub in the heart of downtown Louisville. Bonus points for vegan options. I came here with a group once and service was top notch for my larger party. Dfinitely worth checking out if you're staying downtown.
(3)Rebekah T.
We love beer and often like to visit local breweries when we travel. We like to sample and try all the beers on tap and pick our favorites. I picked the Bluegrass Brewing Company for lunch and we walked over from our hotel. When I called, the nicest hostess answered the phone with her bubbly personality. On a dreary winter day, sometimes it's the smallest thing that brightens your day. That was our experience at the BBC, from the beer to service and food. We sat at the bar and ordered up two samplers because we wanted to try them all. Although there were more on tap than the sampler holds, the bartender gave us the two extras samples included. The beer was great. My favorites being the Raspberry Meade, Bobbi Jo's Bourbon Barrel Blackout Stout and Audrey's Homewrecker IPA. It was cold out, so I ordered the soup of the day, the Beef Burgundy. I haven't had this soup in so long, but the flavor was on point. It's a savory comfort soup that is filling and was a great surprise. My guy insisted that I make this at home soon and I will. The Iceberg wedge salad was picture perfect as well as being so damn good. By this point, I was impressed by everything we ate but the main course was just arriving. We ordered the Hot Brown, which is a Louisville favorite and must have when in town. The deconstructed mess of a sandwich is so damn good and they made a great one. My guy said at one point that he could not stop eating it, even after full and by the time we left - all plates were cleaned. We loved the Bluegrass Brewing Company and had an excellent meal and samplers. I didn't take the yelp reviews too seriously when choosing this place and I'm glad, because the best gems are the ones that are sometimes overlooked.
(5)Thomas H.
Good buffalo chicken sandwich, beer cheese and pretzels, and burgers. Pizza not so good. Good service.
(4)Martin K.
Good beer, only ok food. Not a bad place to watch a game.
(3)Sean H.
I stopped to watch a soccer game and get a beer. The atmosphere at the bar was casual with a TV right there and I was able to meet both goals. The server was friendly and made good recommendations. The PALE was excellent so I decided to try the IPA but was not as happy as this was way over hopped. (I know it's the trend but still not a reason to drink over hopped beer) I had a 2 oz sample of the 10.5 DOUBLE IPA and it was excellent. I'm going to go back for beef brisket and a full glass of the double.
(4)Brian W.
Had chicken sandwich with was great fries were good but could had more, but the on tap root beer with free refills was AWSOME! Food was quick for downtown lunch at 12:00. Would return again for nothing else but the homemade root beer.
(5)Zach L.
Slow service. Overpriced desserts. I don't really know what to say, except that we must have come on an off night. Maybe it's because I didn't come for the beer (what?!?!?!?), but I just felt like the place was . . . lacking. The server was bored, the food was bland, the crowd was tired. Need to try it again, after which I'll update if necessary.
(3)Mike B.
I think the porter I had was the most solid thing on tap. While the bourbon barrel stout is better than alltech's one that we get bottled up in Ohio, the porter was even more fantastic. The rest of the beer was a solid, true to style lineup. Food was good, I was starving so I'd have eaten anything. The bison burger I got (smokehouse style) was a little dry, but bison is a beat leaner than beef so that was kind of expected. Service was good, they had a rockstar working the bar, since this guy was serving ~15 at the bar plus all the dining room drink orders as well. He didn't know what a bright tank was though when I asked if anything was served out of one.
(4)Christina G.
We came here with a big group on A Friday night about 7pm. The place was packed, but we were grateful to be seated immediately outside. We were also seated before all members of our party joined us, which was appreciated. The good: - The food. My husband and I split a southwest burger and fish platter and all was tasty. I could have used more fries, and our waitress forgot to bring us the ketchup bottle she said she would, but that feeds into the bad below. - The drink menu. I had a bourbon sweet tea and it was refreshing. - The atmosphere. We weren't inside, but I thought the outside area was a fun place to be. The bad: - The service. We waited forever for our waitress - first to take our drink order, then to take our appetizer order, then to take our food order. It felt like we were waiting for a very long time. Also, I was skeptical when our waitress didn't write down our food orders. I should have been. One person ordered a bean burrito with chicken added. A plain bean burrito came out. And she completely forgot one person's order. She kept telling us it was coming when she must have realized her mistake, but the food came out a good 20 minutes after the rest of us had our dishes. I don't live in the area, but I'd probably give this place one more try if I did.
(3)Lara P.
Josh was amazingly helpful. I was visiting from San Antonio and he provided the hospitality! Their beer needs no introduction, as that was why I was there. I did get to enjoy a nice sampler of seasonal beers and BBC famous Bourbon barrel stout. My travel buddy had the Hot brown, some local open face turkey saucy goodness while I enjoyed the Spinach artichoke CHICKEN pizza with garlic sauce...I missed the chicken mentioned in the description, and picked it off. Josh was willing to have the kitchen make another but I was fine. Chicken on pizza is normally dry and this was no exception. Fine beer, bar service and food!
(4)Libby P.
The food was amazing! The waiters suggestion for crab cakes was spot on! Others had stir fry, fish taco, and bison burger, caesar salad... All amazing! Definitely worth the meal. Price good too. Lots of local beers the boys enjoyed. Wine was perfect also.
(5)Susan S.
We were in town to go to our son's CIET Graduation at Ft. Knox... We were in Lousiville for 3 days -- and we ate at BBC twice. We wandered in on our first day in Louisville... We didn't know anything about anything... But we were LUCKY to have wandered into BBC. The bartenders were FUN and accommodating; we felt like we were home there! The beer was delish... I'm hooked on the raspberry mead. Can you send some to Boston?? We also tried a flight of bourbon. (I had a good time!) Woo-hoo! We ate too... We love Buffalo wings -- and found these to be the best ever! The brisket and reuben sandwiches were yummy. It was all so enjoyable that we ended up there for lunch the next day w/2 very hungry Cadets who had not had good food in 30 days. They LOVED their food -- they tried the bison burgers and enjoyed them immensely. The friend green tomatoes were the best (can I get the recipe?) If you want to feel at home away from home, go to BBC... It's fabulous!
(5)James M.
Came here at 9:50 on Thursday night. Asked hostess specifically if ordering food 10 min before kitchen closed was an issue. I've worked in the industry. I get that that doesn't make you popular with staff many times. Turns out food was fine. My server forgot my ice in the bourbon. Then after delivering food, told me she was done and passing me to bartender. She literally told me "she'd be drinking at bar, but bartender was great. Had me covered" She was wrong. Bartender had plenty of bar customers to accommodate, and had no intention of doing anything to help a customer she didn't seat. Never saw her. Not once. Dirty plate sat in front of me for 20 min. Drink glass empty. No refill offered. My original server still at bar. If your staff is ready to go and you don't want to take care of late customers that require food service. Just say so up front. Don't pretend like you are going to take care of us then ignore paying customers. Good burger. She had that right I guess. First time in a long time I left 1 cent for tip.
(2)Mara K.
Four stars to the overall experience, but only three (or maybe two and a half) to the actual food. I stopped here after a long drive from Pittsburgh to Louisville. I was hungry and in need of a beer. Bluegrass fits the bill. You enter from the street and walk down a few steps to get in. Almost like "Cheers" but no Norm. I sat at the bar and read from the chalkboard a list of delicious brewed on site beers. They have a few nice IPA options and I went with the "Atta Boy". Not bad. I then had a Raspberry Mead, which is served in a small glass (due to a very high ABV). It tasted heavily of honey, with a dash of raspberry. I enjoyed it - but I'd rather stick to my IPAs. Dinner is where things went a little south. I ordered a veggie sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes. I hate to say this, but my one year old niece could have prepared a better batch of mashed potatoes. Dry, tasteless, and lumpy. And awful. One bite and I said goodbye. My veggie sandwich was ok. It had some tasty roasted veggies, but here's the weird part, a Boca burger too. Maybe I missed that on the menu description but ugh, why? My waiter/bartender saw how awful my mashed potatoes were and took it off the bill without me asking or complaining. Thanks dude. This place has a cool decor. It's a little dark inside but the walls are all exposed brick and has very cool lighting and decorations.
(4)April R.
We went to quite a few breweries on this trip and I hate to say it but Bluegrass was at the bottom of the ones I liked. The location is really good and although it had a bad smell I liked the feel of the "underground" brewery. The service was blah and the flight of beers didn't let you select the ones you wanted. Of course the ones we were most interested in didn't come with the flight so we had to purchase those separately. We ended up trying almost everything and felt that the quality was lacking. None of the beers were that great, they had the feel of a home brewer just learning how to brew. There are some great bars in the area that I would recommend instead of coming here.
(2)Erin K.
I have found myself at BBC on many occasions, particularly after a concert at YUM! or while roaming downtown and I don't know why I am just now reviewing it. I really, really, like this place. The service is always friendly even when they are slammed and their food is always good. I have had quite a few things on the menu but the standouts for me are the turkey club (on a wonderful pretzel bun) and the brisket sandwich which is super tender and comes with gouda and a bacon jam (!). The BBC, being a brewing company, has some good beers as well. I really like their American Wheat, it's light and a perfect beer to drink a few of! They also have a great Raspberry Meade that is slightly sweet and not at all bitter. Yum!
(4)Ron B.
Didn't get anything to eat and can't drink beer, but came for an event after work and found the space to be pretty nice and hip. The only thing to note is the lack of non-beer options. But if those limitations aren't yours, totally worth your time.
(3)Tara Q.
This is located right across from the KFC Yum! Center, great location. I went here with my hubby after Comic Con in Louisville last weekend. It was rainy and cold and all we wanted was a warm, comfy place to eat dinner. This location was great because you basically are on street level as you're sitting at your table. Pretty intimate. The draft selections left a little to be desired even though that's what they're known for. It may just be that the beer I ordered was just too hoppy, but to each his own. But I will say that their BBQ Chicken sandwich was Amazing! I ate the entire thing and would've licked my plate, but c'mon I'm not an animal!
(3)Toni I.
Our waitress was the only reason this review gets another star. The beer was nothing special, summer wheat tasted like yogurt. Grove milky finish. Mediocre food. Tasted like cafeteria food. The first impression of the chili is it tasted chicken broth and kidney beans. The garlic fries were recommended but literally just garlic on top of mediocre fries. The fruit bowl was good. The fried tomatoes were good but tiny portion, and pretty much just a fried casing. not at all worth the cost. Super disappointed after getting several recommendations. Will not ever return. Loved the t shirts for sale though, beer if food.
(2)David F.
Wow! These vegan BBQ wings are amazing!! Excellent beer, great food, nice environment I definitely will come back if I'm ever in Louisville
(5)Theresa G.
Very disappointed. I came in with family during vacation and was seated near screaming kids when mine are 16 and 12. Plus place was empty. Seated in horrible tight seats and the waiter was awful. The pizza my son ordered was under cooked. The beer was not good either and I was very upset with low quality hops and malt that left a bad aftertaste. All together terrible experience. Stay away unless you want bad food, bad service, and a terrible seat squeezed in the corner because they are saving the better seats for ghosts!
(1)Orlando G.
Great beer. Had a few New Kids on the Bock and they excellent. Fun place did a shotski with done strangers at the bar!
(4)Ashlee G.
Always fun and great service! A laid back atmosphere! My home bar for sure! Where everybody knows your name! :)
(5)Kristin C.
The bison burger is delicious I get it every time we eat here! The spinach artichoke dip is also a must. Plenty of beer, wine and even mixed drinks in a fun atmosphere and right across from the yum center! We love it and eat here on a semi-regular basis. It's not super cheap but I feel that it's worth every penny. Only thing I've ever felt was lacking was friendliness of staff. The upstairs is beautiful for gatherings and the food won't disappoint!
(4)Marissa G.
Delicious food and great service! I had the Brussels sprout and cheese soup and the ultimate veggie sandwich. Both were so delicious I finished every last bite. I like how they add fried green tomatoes on their veggie sandwich. Never before had I had that on a veggie sandwich and it was excellent! Highly recommended for a quick bite or a get together with friends.
(4)Jessica P.
Got the Mediterranean Platter-- so good! Pita bread was soft and crunchy,falafel was fresh made, hummus was thick and chunky. We then got the buffalo chicken salad, salad was delicious chicken tenders were juicy and thick. Great meal for my boyfriend and I.
(4)Rachael M.
Stopped there on Friday night and were seated right away. We were in the lower level, which was very dark and made reading the menu a challenge. The menu was okay but the wait after we placed our order was way too long. We waited nearly an hour for mediocre food. There are so many better options for the price in Louisville.
(2)Michael S.
Went here these past two Saturdays. Had great experiences both times. Each visit was prior to a concert directly across the street at KFC Yum Center. Many of the fellow customers were concertgoers as well. Needless to say, it was getting slammed both times. My first visit, I sat at the bar. The bartender waited on me immediately and kept me and everyone else served promptly. The second visit, I sat on the sidewalk patio. My waiter likewise kept me served with no wait. Even when the weather began to sprinkle rain! When it did, he offered to transfer me to the bar inside. I chose to stay outside. And again, he kept on tending to me. This is an excellent place to relax and pass time when in downtown Louisville!
(5)Barbara L.
This is a review for the bar only. We went this past Saturday night, it was so quiet. Nice young man served us at the bar. My husband hand the bourbon barrel stout. He liked it a lot and had two. I passed on alcohol and went for diet coke. The bartender was nice and cordial. Would go again for the beer and maybe try the food. Watched the first half of the steelers ravens game. Nice place. Good location.
(4)Kevin M.
Just had a fantastic meal with a side of their Dark Star Porter beer and the Hot Brown open faced sandwich. Jessica was our server, lifelong resident who provided great service and lots of tips on the local sites and things to do. She knew all their bier and was able to match recommendations to each of our preferences.
(5)Amy L.
BOURBON BARREL STOUT!!! Enough said, really, but I will continue. No matter which location- downtown, Saint Matthews- I always have a good time and good eats at BBC. The beer is a given. I love the rotating draft list and always try somehting new, but Bourbon Barrel Stout is my "go-to" beer of choice. It has that dark, coffee, chocolate, bourbon flavor that reminds me of eating bourbon balls. YUM!! It is not your Mama's beer either- it packs some punch. The lettuce wraps, spinach burger and garlic fries and my favorites but on occasion, the pizzas call my name. There is something on the menu to please every palate. Proud of our local Brewery:)
(5)Colleen D.
Great beer, great food! We ate pretzel with beer cheese, burger, brisket sandwich, and buffalo chicken salad!! All was yummy!
(5)Andy S.
The food has been very disappointing last couple visits. My table of 4 were all unhappy, mainly due to the hard, dried out chicken used for the pizza and chicken, bacon, ranch quesadilla (special). The potato soap, which was also a special, was very bland and boring. Stick to the beer!
(2)Sondi A.
although this restaurant was recommended by the hotel staff, it was adequate but boring. the waitress however was inattentive; the iced tea got watered down, and tracking her down to get our bill seemed like an inconvenience. skip it.
(2)Ashley P.
Service was awesome. Our waitress was quick and attentive and super sweet. The raspberry mead was spot on!!! They also make their own root beer which my friend got and she loved it! We split beer cheese, which was good but was served cold which was different but still pretty good, We had to ask for a second thing of cheese because it was so small. We also,split a Margerita pizza, it was awesome the tomatoes tasted so sweet!
(4)Corey I.
This place has always been a great experience for me due to there price and home brewed beer. If your in to trying new beers I would stop in for a drink. I wish I could say I knew the menu better but I'm always ordering there burgers when I go in. The location downtown is awesome so your able to catch the inner city life at it's finest.
(4)Mehul P.
There should be a disclaimer for this place, that you should know, if an event is going on at the YUM center or downtown in general, the quality of your experience at the BBC on Main is going to go way down. With that out of the way, I'll say that my experiences have been good. The food, is pretty nice for a place known more for its beer. We had the pretzel sticks and they were delicious with the in-home beer cheese (which is heavenly). I had this mushroom burger which was savory, tender, and succulent as any piece of meat. The beer without question is fantastic, try any you like. I may sound like I'm reviewing in hyperbole, but consider it more as an overarching satisfaction. We even had room for dessert and it was fantastic as well, chocolate sundae cake! Come early enough before a game, or before you catch a show next door. You'll enjoy it. I'm sure of it.
(4)John F.
Dinner stop while staying at the Seelbach. Short walk from hotel. We enjoyed the beer and food. Potato skins and spinach andartichoke sou dip were good. We had the Hot Brown for dinner. It was tasty also. Their beers were good. My wife had a coffee stout which she enjoyed. I had a 2 porters that were great. Picked up a Beer is food t-shirt. Our server was great!
(4)Noah T.
We sat outdoors, so keep that in mind, but the service was just average. The food wasn't all that impressive. For appetizers we had vegan wings, which were pretty good and interesting because they were unique. The spinach burger seemed to be a favorite by other reviewers, but it wasn't too flavorful and was pretty thin. The side of chips were dull and almost seemed stale. The waitress got my order wrong as well. The redeeming factor is the beer. The bourbon barrel stout is incredible, as is the standard stout and the brown ale. I recommend going for the beer, which on its own is a 5.
(3)Joseph P.
Neat little microbrewery right outside the KFC Yum Center! Diner like upstairs with neat bar basement below. Had a good burger cooked the way I ordered. Great sampling of beer, but by far the Bourbon Barrel Stout stands alone at the top!
(4)Sean H.
A bit overpriced and the server not quite knowledgeable about their wares. Upside is that its close to the convention center and hotels.
(3)Michelle S.
Food was fair....beer isn't that interesting. We got a summer wheat and a raspberry whatever. Waiter suggested mixing them so she brought us a warm glass to do so. A warm glass....yes that's right. Warm. So I'm not sure what's up with that.
(3)Kelly S.
Great dinner! Fish and chips entree is so wonderful. Fish was crispy, flaky and just the right amount spice.
(4)Darren W.
Stopped in to watch a hockey game, drink a beer, eat some food with my wife. Knew they had DirecTV and it was free view week for Center Ice, so the game was going to be on. Too, saw at least 10 TV's. Asked if we sit where we could see a TV and put on hockey game and was told 'the remote was broken can't Change the channels'. I call BS, and I won't be back.
(1)Kevin B.
Great beer, good atmosphere, good service and just OK food. I work downtown and it wouldn't be on my list of places to eat lunch but for an after work beer I would recommend it to anyone.
(3)Lisa F.
Not sure why this place has 31/2 stars, but I had an awesome experience. The food was awesome. The best buffalo wings!! My friend ordered a custom Bison burger and it was cooked perfectly as ordered! They let us sample the craft beers! Totally recommend the place. Now we did sit at the bar not sure if this heightened the experience but with that....the food was great
(4)Kristie T.
First time going to this particular BBC was last weekend. I was already familiar with the menu before I went, but I ended up not ordering anything after all because my table ordered several appetizers and I nibbled off of something. I really can't remember, but I did have the sampler and the waiter was so helpful and wrote it all out on a card so I knew what each drink was. It was a fun experience and I want to go back to try out their hot brown next time.
(4)Farida A.
Had a salad with fried oysters, watermelon, goat cheese, and strawberry vinaigrette. It was delicious. Also tried the derby pie which was amazingly good! Our waitress was awesome too. One coworker wasn't happy with his buffalo chicken burger, but the other coworker loved her salad.
(4)Sean N.
You gonna come here. Great, great beer and great service! What more can you ask for. They have the best beer in L-ville. Say hi to Margert.
(5)Trae B.
Erin, she was are waitress pretty cool chick. I had a burger with blue cheese and bacon, it was decent. The star of the show was the Bourbon Barrel Stout. I then ordered desert and meh. The brownie, which Erin suggested came out nuked I sent it back for the derby pie which yet again was put in the micro. Recommend the beer and the burger, have it if you're hungry.
(3)James I.
Not bad. Waitress was very nice. Had the bison burger with garlic fries and the apa on tap. Very good flavor. Would most likely come back.
(3)Heather C.
Really nice atmosphere and got my large group in quickly. Drinks were decent and my hamburger was okay.. Nothing amazing.. My husband paid $10 for a whiskey on the rocks! That was incredibly frustrating.. Otherwise it was okay, but I was expecting a lot more after reading some reviews..
(3)Rico P.
I was there last week during their dinner hour and they were really busy. Service was moving a little slow since they were so busy but they were hustling. The manager, Phil, came out and and pitched in and walked around and asked how everyone was doing. I really did appreciate the extra effort the manager put in to make sure everything was moving smoothly. Thanks Phil. We will be back.
(5)Todd C.
Waitress was polite, rest of the staff very rude. Hostess argued with us for no apparent reason.
(2)Bobby Y.
Great place for proximity to the KFC Yum Center! but if you expect good food and good service this is not your restaurant. I'm 50/50 on good/bad service. We tend to get one server that's an absolute train wreck. Wrong orders, takes forever, then messes up the bill. Didn't notice track marks, but it'd be on par from the previous poster's comments. Another server always recommends the crabcakes....seriously? Frozen crabcakes is the best they have to offer? I doubt they're sourcing crab from the Ohio River...sure UPS is close, but methinks they're not same day air shipping crabcakes. Food's consistently blah, brew is so-so.
(2)Shana K.
Horrendous service but decent food and drinks. I visited on a weekday evening with a group of five adults and the waiter seemed put out by our presence. He frequently walked past our table, completely ignoring us, even as we attempted flag him over so we could order additional drinks or food items. He also clearly had no knowledge of the menu, often bringing the wrong types of beer. He complained to us about having to split our check despite their having a computerized POS system. He never once asked if we were enjoying our meal or if we needed anything else. Everyone at the table was offended by his absolute disregard of us as customers. The food and drinks that we did manage to get were decent but none of it was anything particularly unique or special. Several people tried the buffalo chicken salad and enjoyed it. I had the margherita pizza and thought it was good. The beer was a hit overall once everyone managed to receive what they had asked for. However, I tried one of the specialty mixed drinks and it was so sweet it was undrinkable. Everyone at the table tried it and agreed that it tasted like kool-aid and was overpriced at $7. BBC might be worth visiting again but only if the service vastly improves. Otherwise they aren't offering anything that can't be gotten elsewhere.
(2)Jason A.
Great location right downtown. We sat in the basement section which had a cool feel to it. Our waiter was very attentive and recommended some really great Beer selections. We got some pretzels with beer cheese for apps that were very good, and our Burgers were all also very good. Would for sure go back.
(4)Anthony B.
I had a great veggie burger with guac and jalapenos on it, served with kettle chips (albeit a bit stale) on a burger king bun. That really threw me for a loop.... I would have given this place a four except for that, as the staff was very knowledgeable about the area and their bourbon.
(3)Kelly S.
Stopped in for a short time before going to the Brown Theater. Nothing too much to say, but the outdoor seating was very nice, and the fall 2014 seasonal appetizers they had were delicious. Very reasonable drink prices, too. I would definitely visit again to try some of the beer and maybe some more food options
(4)Heather H.
We walked down here after visiting Against the Grain down the street. I'm not sure if my thoughts on the beer here are tainted by having just had some amazing brews down the street, but all of the beer here, while not being bad, was pretty unmemorable. What knocks this up to four stars was the great service from the bartender, and the AMAZING vegan seitan wings we had. They were seriously good, to the point that we are trying to figure out how we can make them at home in a similar way since we can't very well drive to Louisville whenever we are craving them. If you can drive to Louisville, you should seriously go and check out these wings.
(4)Mark H.
All I had was beer. It was very good. I am still buzzing from the beer so if I sound like Homer Simpson, you'll know why. I tried a sample of the Octoberfest, good, then tried a sample of the Strong Ale, better. I had a whole glass of that, recommended. Next I had the Bourbon Barrel something something Dark Side and it was great too. I think it was just a brew with bourbon added rather than a cask-aged brew. Still tasty. Have I told you how much I love you? Yes, Beer is food.
(4)Jose C.
I've heard bourbon is the drink down here so I had to try the Bourbon Barrel Stout, excellent beer. In town for a visit and dropped in late for a quick beer, big bar with TV's. I was a little disappointed with the service considering it was late and it was pretty empty. I did not try the food so I can't comment on it. I'd definitely give it another shot though.
(4)Jamie B.
The only reason I gave it two stars was because the beer was good. The food was mediocre at best. The bun the burger came on was no better than a Kroger bun. I asked the server if I could substitute a different side instead of chips or slaw and she said yes. I got the bill and there was a charge for a different charge. She was unsympathetic when I brought it to her attention. I will never come back and I wouldn't recommend trying it. You can get a much better burger at SmashBurger.
(2)Solomon P.
Beer good, service meh, and food...below expectations. This is not a place for dinner with friends. If you want good beer, then yes.
(3)Jared P.
Went here on a busy Saturday night we were able to get a table very quickly. Service was very fast and friendly. Food met the par as well. If you get a burger, get the BBC style.
(4)Kelly L.
Phenomenal food. I had the crab cakes and a few of the beers. Very accommodating servers, and nice ambiance. Our waitress explained all of the beers to the novice drinkers that were with us and explained all of the menu items in detail. Well worth the trip. It was way better than I expected for a micro-brewery.
(5)Hope K.
I had lunch here since its near the convention center and was expecting standard bar grub. I ordered the veggie sandwich which was delicious and surpassed expectations. Smoky roasted veg and crisp fried green tomato. Looked like a great beer selection but I didn't try any.
(4)Lily N.
The food is okay, I would not state anything special. We had split the buffalo burger and fries. The buffalo burger was nice, but the beer. I was informed that is suppose to be its specialty. Honestly was not exactly feeling awed. But the proximity to the KFC Yum Center cannot be beat!
(3)Rachel F.
For a great work lunch or a good mid-week chill place to grab a beer this BBC is a nice spot. On a night that there is a big event at YUM? Not my scene. It is going to flip to slammed and touristy. The burger is solid. Not at all dry but not so moist that is is falling to pieces. I love the options of what you can put on there. The Germantown with beer cheese and other stuff (hard to read beyond beer cheese on a burger!) and the one i got that I don't remember the name added pimento cheese (perfectly slightly melted) and fried green tomatoes, tobacco straws and ham. And it is BBC, for those not familiar, it is a good local brew. The wheat ale is a typical one, not too well, wheaty, but not too girly either. They have a Bourbon Barrel Stout that's a must try if you haven't already. The beertails are yummy. I think the Pale Ale is the worst beer they have. Maybe you disagree, but all the choices here, if you are a BBC newbie, I'd avoid it.
(4)Sarah M.
Louisville, do people not believe in eating out on Sunday nights? I swear, every restaurant downtown was closed on Sundays. Ended up here at BBC thanks to a recommendation from our hotel's front desk. Service was spotty. We could barely here our server speak (mumbling, not my friend), he was kind of slow, especially towards the end, and gave us more information regarding the beers than we asked for. I get it, you're a brewery, but we already knew what we were ordering, and were more interested in ordering than hearing a detailed explanation about EVERY BEER EVER there. Food: I love places that mark off on the menus what items are vegetarian friendly. THANK YOU. Started with the vegan bbq "wings" - normally I HAAATE fake meat products, but I wanted to try the bbq sauce. These were phenominal, although I don't know that a wing is an accurate description - looked more like vegan rib tips. But I digress. The menu has a bit of everything - I ate pizza, the mom had a spinach burger, the dad... something meat. maybe a burger. Clearly I didn't care what he ate. He was generally pleased with his beer that he had. I had a "beertail" (beer cocktails, new thing, so trendy and hip~). Overall this was a pretty solid eating experience. Thanks for being open on a Sunday when everyone else nearby isn't. This is right across from the YUM! Center (coolest name ever!!), so location wise, good for downtown events.
(4)Lochin S.
we stayed across the street so a night cap was called for. They do have good beers, we did not eat there. Service is wonderful and friendly.
(4)Rhea P.
Second trip was the last. . . too many fabulous restaurants in Louisville to visit. I mean, it's food, it's not bad, but it's not special either.
(2)Irus M.
We ordered Angus Burger, Rueben and Kids pizza and everybody seemed to finish up their meal completely. ;-) Friendly, fast, pretty good selection of menu and not pricey. We were unsure when we chose it, thinking it's going to be all bar kind of resto, but turned out its quite 'normal'
(4)Brandon K.
This review is for the BEER and SERVICE (the food was like eating a salt lick. didn't care for it one bit). I tried several of their varieties and was very pleased. I'm a home brewer as well so I can appreciate a quality craft brew. The service was also on point. I'll be back (when I'm not hungry for food).
(4)Melanie K.
This BBC is located down by Floyd Street. There are several BBC's downtown and two on main. However, this BBC is just a pub. I am not certain if they actually serve food, but they do cater so low key bar crowd. I only walked in for a few minutes, but the staff was very helpful in directing back to the Yum Center BBC that has three floors not just two. I will be back to have some solid music and low key premium drafts.
(4)T D.
Service at the bar was outstanding. My husband was a bit disappointed that they did not offer any lagers.
(3)Harry John H.
Good beer and excellent service! Of the local breweries in the area this is the place to go to try great local beer and friendly people. Take from me, I'm a home brewer.
(5)Chris S.
Ok, I've said it in other reviews from this trip, but I will say it again, Louisville was not what I expected. The culture here is so much more progressive than I originally thought it would be. I mean seriously, if you would have told me that I could go into a brew pub in downtown Lousiville and order vegan buffalo wings, I'd of called you a liar. Well it ended up being fact. In a city where I was expecting to be inundated with slab of meat after slab of meat, this place had a fairly large vegan/ vegetarian list on their menu. And the vegan seitan wings were pretty darn good too! The atmosphere is pretty cool and very pub-like, as would be expected. Everyone I was with loved the beer and the offerings, maybe some a little too much! One of the major highlights really was our server though. His incredibly attention to detail and fun attitude made for a great dining experience. We had a big group, but that was no problem for him at all. He handled everything smoothly, and we got away with no bill confusions or difficulties. Definitely worth a stop if you are in town for a conference, as I was.
(4)Allison L.
Beer was good. Raspberry meade was very nice. Food very average. Had the pretzel appetizer which was fine but difficult to mess up. Pizza for entree- basically a step above a frozen pizza. Scant low-quality toppings. Service was the worst I've ever had. Our waiter took our order and did not come back to the table until we flagged him down for the check. Other staff member brought us our food but did not ask if we needed anything so we assumed our waiter would come check on us. Never did. As a result, I had to go to the bar to get water, we had to eat the pizza off of napkins since we never were brought plates. Other tables seemed to be getting fine service but I felt like he was blatantly ignoring us. When we asked for the check, he asked how everything was and we told him our complaints, giving him the opportunity to apologize/comp something but he nonchalantly said "Cool. I'll get the check." Felt kinda bad but couldn't justify tipping. Also no toilet paper in the bathroom, was gonna tell the waiter but he wasn't around to tell.
(1)Lanie Z.
Before seeing a play at Actors Theatre of Louisville, I stopped by next door and thoroughly enjoyed my time. I ate at the bar, and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Accommodating, but not cloying. And, there are many vegetarian and vegan options, which I appreciated. The spinach burger and the tofu stir fry are out of this world -- both from the owners' recipes. The tofu stir fry has a wonderful soy sauce and the vegetables are perfectly sauteed. And the cilantro rice tops off the dish perfectly. I also enjoyed the vegan BBQ wings. They were a little crispier, tangier and spicier than any I've ever had, but I enjoyed them. Love this place.
(5)Kristen W.
One of the first restaurants we went to when we were apartment hunting before we moved to Louisville. We had a late lunch and enjoyed a good beer alongside our food. The waiter was really helpful, recommending BBC beers based on our preferences, and letting us sample the offerings before we settled on one. We also went with the waiter's recommendation on food, and ordered the crab cakes and the spinach/walnut burger. He told us the burger was the recipe of the owner's wife, and she made them daily. It was really good, unlike any veggie burger I've ever had. The crab cakes weren't the best, but they were definitely tasty. The restaurant left a good impression on us, and made us excited to move to Louisville!
(4)Bryan M.
I travel significantly for business. I am a craft beer nerd and homebrewer so patronizing brewpubs and craft beer bars is a must on the road. I had high hopes for BBC as I am a big fan of their bourbon barrel stout and I typically love the brewpub experience and rich pub food. I was a little disappointed. I came in at a time that was not busy at all. There were myself and two others at the bar. The bartender wasn't very attentive and seemed to be preoccupied with a female coworker he kept talking with at the end of the bar. My glass stood empty a couple of times until I flagged him down. I had made up my mind at this point that I probably wouldn't have dinner tthere, but I did order some pretzels. They were so-so and the beer cheese dip was cold. However, the beer was solid. In addition to the bourbon barrel stout, I had their double IPA and it was tasty. For that in and of itself, I will give two stars, but there are plenty of places that have good beer.
(2)Beth G.
Beer and service were great. Food was average. Sat up at the bar since I was there by myself. The bartender was very friendly and made great recommendations on what beer to try. I had the IPA and an Octoberfest. I really enjoyed both of them. I also had a pizza, which was OK. It probably would have been better if it had been hot. It nice little place. I would definitely go there again for a beer if I was in town.
(4)Elena G.
We stopped in here to get out of the rain while waiting for the Forecastle gates to open. Super cozy and nice atmosphere for a dark Saturday afternoon! All of the beers we tried were great and it was awesome to see a local brewery with so many varieties. But...this review is mainly for the BBQ seitan wings with local honey. A-may-zing. Still thinking about them and wondering if I can somehow recreate this deliciousness on my own! Nice to know that there are so many veg options in Louisville, we'll hopefully be back.
(4)W. T.
This place is way overrated and should never be described as 'phenomenal'! I went here while in town for business and was expecting good, solid food. What I got was overcooked, lacking flavor, and smothered in butter. I ordered the chili which was very plain and would have been greatly helped by adding chopped onions and cheese as a topping. I usually prefer chili without those but this needed something! I also got the pork chop with succotash and wilted greens. Each one of those 3 things was drenched in butter and the greens were almost nonexistent. One piece of wilted spinach counts as a side? Maybe they forgot the rest? This is not a place I would ever go back to.
(2)Josh H.
The beer here is decent, maybe slightly below average for a brewpub. I may be biased because we went to Against the Grain just down the street shortly afterward, which had fantastic beer. Regardless, the service was good and the brisket sandwich may be the best I've ever had (probably because of the bacon jam).
(4)John G.
My wife and I were visiting Louisville and staying at the Galt House. We happened to see this place off Main Street when we were driving back to our hotel after some retail therapy. The waiter we had was very knowledgeable about their beers. I had a beer sampler and we chatted about most of the beers on it when he stopped by to check on us which he did frequently. I had the shrimp and grits which were phenomenal and my wife had the hot brown which was even better. Probably the best I've ever had.
(4)Daniel C.
Stopped in here for lunch after a morning visiting KY with my Mom. The food was pretty good as were the beers. Nothing blew my socks off, but over all a tasty meal with some pretty good beers. I liked the BBQ sando and the Home Wrecker IPA.
(3)Rose K.
The second of two places in Louisville by my hotel that had vegan wings! Delicious - I love vegan wings! Hmm, I focused so much on the wings and now it's been so long that I can't remember what I had for my entree - maybe the veggie burger?
(4)Shannon G.
Love it. They always have a great beer selection to include a seasonal or two throughout the year. Food is good, but beer is much better. Highly recommended!
(5)Marianne C.
I've had their beer a number of times while in the 'ville. The beer is pretty good, but the food isn't. As someone else said, there are many otther options in town, so why go there for a not jumbo pretzel, congealed beer cheese (yuck!), and beer?
(2)Chris H.
Nice bar and grill, basement with brew smells. I'm good with that and the beer was nice, not skunky at all. Food was good, straight forward and nice flavors.
(4)Tim M.
The beer and the service here are awesome. I had a personal pizza here with the garlic sauce, it was absolutely delicious. If you want a good beer, decent pizza and a friendly bartender, check this place out.
(5)