Nightlife might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Louisville, but these bars are sure to make you reconsider. Home of the Kentucky Derby and the Louisville Slugger, Louisville is also the center of the American whiskey industry, and the bars they’re served in. We explore 10 of best the city has to offer.
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Meta
Famous for making Jell-O shots out of rare, cult favorite Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, which retails for around $249 per bottle, Meta Bar is an effortlessly cool and rowdy little joint for drinking and dancing. Meta occupies the four walls of a former strip club, but has turned the space into an upscale co*cktail lounge with quirky happenings like Wu-Tang Wednesdays. Stop in for the famous High Pant (Old Fitzgerald, Fernet, ginger, bitters, orange) at the Carrara marble bar.
Holy Grale
Holy Grale, located in a renovated Unitarian church, is the gastropub brainchild of Louisville Beer Store owners Lori Beck and Tyler Trotter. A geeked out beer bar as well as the home of haute comfort food, Holy Grale is your place to unwind over drinks. In addition to their extensive and adaptive beer menu, delve into their genius pub grub for their famous fried Scotch quail egg covered in farm-fresh bratwurst.
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse is the innovation of four guys: Andrew, Jerry, Sam and Adam, and it’s the brewhouse with the most impressive collection possible. Located in the south east corner of Louisville Slugger Field, at the corner of Jackson and Main Street, it’s a former train station with ornate industrial architecture that lends beautifully to the dining room and brewhouse vibe. Against The Grain houses one of the nation’s only operational, Victorian-styled and three story showpiece brewhouses, as well as eclectic local art and the best beers around.
Proof on Main
A boutique hotel, art museum, phenomenal restaurant and bar all in one, Proof on Main is known for its post-Derby parties. Whether you’re there for co*cktails or a casual bite, Proof is perhaps the best place in Louisville to people watch, with a dedication to diversity and originality. Their signature co*cktails are original recipes inspired by the season and their wine list is award-winning. Proof is accessible, eclectic and above all, ready to shake it up.
Garage Bar
Located in downtown Louisville’s NuLu or East Market District, Garage Bar has been dubbed the best pizza place in Louisville by Food & Wine magazine. Garage Bar is housed in a former auto-service garage but now serves up an eclectic list of craft brews, seasonal co*cktails and famous Kentucky bourbons. Garage Bar is the place to sit back with pizza and a brew, and occasionally try your hand at one of their glowing ping-pong tables.
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The Silver Dollar
The Silver Dollar embodies the Bakersfield Sound in the Clifton area of Louisville. Despite their endless bourbon list, the craft co*cktails have garnered the spotlight in this immense bar. Set in the former Frankfort Avenue fire station, The Silver Dollar is perhaps the best co*cktail bar in Louisville, boasting delicious American South-style food with Latin and Mexican influences. It is, concisely, a bar with great grub.
Zanzabar
Zanzabar boasts Louisville’s only vintage arcade and notoriously crazy weekend nights. Switching the vibe during the week, Zanzabar hosts a weekly pinball tournament and turns into a Southern neighborhood bar. Zanzabar’s doors opened in 1938, and they’ve been serving it up ever since. Check out the heated patio on what will be either an easy, uncomplicated evening or a wild weekend night out.
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