Bardstown Bourbon Restaurant (Bardstown, KY)

The Bardstown Bourbon Restaurant in central Kentucky features delicious upscale eats in a classy but casual dining area! Plus, enjoy cocktails made with their house whiskies.

By: Alisha Trenalone

Last year I visited the Bardstown Bourbon Company for a distillery tour, and it was delightful.

But as I meandered the visitor area, I realized there was one very important experience I would miss out on: eating at the restaurant! It had already closed for the day, but it looked like such a beautiful place to eat that I knew I'd have to return.

And so, several months later on a weekend getaway that also took me to Wilderness Trail Distillery in nearby Danville, my family and I made our way back over to Bardstown Bourbon Company for lunch.

It completely lived up to my expectations! Here's what it's like.

Reservations at Bardstown Bourbon Restaurant

Five days a week, the restaurant is open for lunch hours. (It's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.) It can get pretty busy on the weekends, so making a reservation is a good idea, especially if you have a larger group.

That said, our group of three went on a Sunday as soon as it opened, and we were able to get a table with no problem.

To make a reservation or peruse the menu, head to their website.

If you're searching instead for a quick, casual place to eat, Bardstown Burger back in the downtown area is a no-fuss option!

If you're looking to make this spot part of a larger Bourbon Trail journey, check out our posts on the original nine trail distilleries, as well as newer ones like Lux Row, and smaller craft ones like Willett Distillery (with its reservations-only bar).

Seating Options

The restaurant is beautifully laid out. The enormous glass front makes it wonderfully light and airy inside.

There's also an interesting wall panel made of moss that's quite visually striking.

There's also plenty of outdoor seating with shade umbrellas, as well as an outdoor bar.

The chaise lounges scattered around look great for relaxing with friends. But they're in full sun, so we didn't see anyone using them at midday.

On the other side of the visitor's entrance, there's even more seating.

Food + Drink Options

Besides what's listed on the cocktail menu, there's a separate list of available liquors, wines, and so forth.

I ordered an Old-Fashioned, and it was strong but smooth.

The others ordered a local beer (West Sixth is made in Lexington) and a hard cider from a brand we weren't familiar with.

Turns out, Blake's Hard Cider in the Peach Party variety was one of the more full-flavored and satisfying ciders we've ever tried.

The entrée menu seems to change slightly through the seasons, so there's no guarantee you'll see the same options we did.

My salad nicoise was fantastic, especially the smoked salmon and the (surprise!) dark purple potatoes.

The others ordered the BBCo Burger, made with smoked gouda and caramelized onions, and the pulled pork tacos featuring sorghum-bourbon barbeque slaw and grilled pineapple.

The burger can have add-ons of bacon and a farm egg.

The verdict? We were all in love with the flavors. The pulled pork tacos in particular got a major thumbs up, and I loved my salad.

The portion sizes were reasonable enough to leave us a little room for dessert, and the bread pudding with bourbon caramel sauce had been calling out to us since the first moment we saw it on the menu.

One dessert and three spoons later, we were in the kind of seventh heaven that comes after a really special meal.

Coffee was served in a cute little stainless steel French press pot, just right for sharing between two or three people.

On a later visit where we brought more family along, I got to try the Manhattan cocktail, and I enjoyed it even more than the Old-Fashioned.

Additionally, our party tried the fried chicken and grits (with bourbon cream sauce and hot honey!), brussels sprouts appetizer (with maple glaze and blue cheese!), and the chocolate Nutella boozy milkshake.

Everything on the second visit was just as delightful as the first.

Having experienced two lunches here, the Bardstown Bourbon Restaurant has gone to the top of my list of favorite meals ever. I can't wait to go again. I hope you get a chance to try it too!