Dudley's On Short (Lexington, KY)

For a special occasion or just an elegant evening out, Dudley's on Short is a beautiful dining experience in downtown Lexington.

Dudley's on Short is a fine dining restaurant featuring American cuisine in Lexington, Kentucky.

This is one of Lexington’s most fantastic high-end dining options. It’s perfect for a special occasion, such as an anniversary, or just a really nice night out in Lexington. My husband and I tried it out one winter evening and were completely impressed!

Here's what to know if you're thinking about going.

Looking for casual eats in Lexington? We recommend The Local Taco, The Cellar Bar & Grille, Kentucky Native Cafe, Zim's, and Pietana.

Reservations + Parking at Dudley's on Short

The restaurant is only open for evening dining through the week, although there are brunch hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Check the restaurant website for exact hours.

Reservations are recommended! Be sure to call ahead, or if you have a group of six or fewer, you can use the online service OpenTable, linked on their website.

Since the restaurant is downtown, be aware that parking may be paid depending on where you find a spot. Street parking is free later on in the evenings, but check the meter for exact times. The restaurant also offers a valet service.

First Impressions

The restaurant's interior is gorgeous! The structure that houses this two-story restaurant was originally built in 1889. Dudley's moved in here in 2010 after an extensive renovation.

When we first arrived, we were offered a coat check.

Our server was wonderful, attentive and knowledgeable. I asked for a dry white wine recommendation, and our server suggested a white Boudreaux to go with my meal. It was perfect!

I was especially impressed by the seafood selection. As someone who regularly orders high-end seafood to cook at home, I was also impressed by the quality of the seafood we were served.

When we were first seated, they served us warm rolls and butter.

Selecting Meals at Dudley's on Short

Nightly specials are listed on the board outside the restaurant. (I ended up picking the pan-seared pompano!)

The regular menu makes for a mouth-watering read too. It offers a variety of seafood, beef, and poultry entrées, as well as some salads.

We got some diced ahi tuna as a complimentary amuse-bouche. The flavor and texture were outstanding!

We also ordered the smoked Kentucky trout "Dudley" eggs (deviled eggs) as an appetizer. These were fantastic! I’m definitely going to try making something similar at home with smoked trout.

For our main course, as mentioned above, I went for the pan-seared pompano. I do enjoy a pan-seared fish! This one was delicate and buttery, and I loved the micro greens on top. The potatoes, zucchini and sauce were also scrumptious.

Our other selection was seared scallops with risotto. The scallops were buttery, the risotto was perfect, and I loved the crunch from the pine nuts.

Everything on the dessert menu sounded spectacular.

We had a hard time seeing past the bourbon ball cake, which practically begged to be ordered. It was a rich layer cake topped with a bourbon ball — absolutely, decadently good.

This was a beautiful, memorable evening out, and I hope you get to try Dudley's on Short for yourself sometime! If you've already been, let us know in the comments what your favorites were!