Lovely leisurely dinner on Friday evening prior to an event at the nearby KCA. I sat at the bar…read moresince I was dining solo and bartender was superb with service. Relaxed setting and courses were timed beautifully. Started with an Italiana Margarita -- TGIF!!! Had to have the phenomenal Caesar salad, which has an authentic dressing, homemade rustic croutons, and fresh grated Parmesan. This was also accompanied by a basket of small warm bread loaves straight from the oven and butter rosettes. Finally, I ordered the Capellini Pesce that was fantastic with shrimp, salmon, and succulent scallops married to a light tomato veloute. I appreciated the tender, buttery scallops and ultimately took 2/3 of the large entree home. Vincenzo made the rounds of the dining areas per his norm and warmly greeted me and stopped to chat briefly. A really special treat that makes diners feel at home in his territory. Highly recommended for quality Italian dishes. Setting has an old world charm mixed with a dinner club feeling. Looking forward to dining here again. Valet parking was available for $10, but I was fortunate to find a spot down the block on a side street. Street parking is free after 6 PM, but otherwise is via ParkWhiz service, via text or through the app, approximately $3 per hour.

Ate here with 10 other work colleagues. We are in town for a conference. Restaurant was dead when…read morewe arrived for our reservation at 6pm, but filled up within the hour. The food was excellent... appetizers & main courses prepared table side by a team of servers. Many of the male servers were in full tuxes. The service was absolutely impeccable... completely on point the entire evening keeping drinks filled and placing & removing plates & silverware timely yet not overly intrusive. Entrees went form $30-$64, and the desserts were incredible. I travel a lot for work, and eat out frequently, and the entire experience rivals establishments in much larger cities and way higher prices. Dare I say it puts many, many restaurants to shame... plenty of staff that work together like a well oiled machine, with a smile, and very pleasant. If you're in town, you've gotta dine here. Chose it based on our group size, food allergies, and Yelp reviews. Worthy of a fine dining experience and ambiance. Great date night option for locals. Definitely will visit again when in the area.

We visited Reardon's Fruit Market and Garden Center and saw this Bistro across the street and…read moredecided to try it out for lunch. What a gem!!! We had a conversation with the owner who has degrees in Food Science and Culinary Arts, and is passionate about "changing the world with food." The inside is cozy, inviting, and meticulously clean. There is a small bar area and an area of table seating. Outdoor seating is available as well. The bistro is known for one of its appetizer small plates of deviled eggs. The owner said that the recipe for the eggs is one of the few things he is not wiling to share! Employees and patrons have drawn pictures of deviled eggs that are displayed on a wall space. I opted for the grilled chicken Greek salad. Greek salad is a favorite of mine and I have eaten it from numerous restaurants. By far, this was the best I have ever had. The artful presentation, fresh ingredients, and decadent flavors were a real treat. The chicken was so tender and again, the flavor bloomed in my mouth. The owner brought out a small serving of homemade peach ice cream that had been made the day before with fresh peaches. I simply have no words for how delicious it was. I will let my husband describe his experience in his yelp account, but I will say that after having salmon the night before at an 'upscale' restaurant in Louisville, he commented that the salmon at this bistro "blew it away!" People often say "I will return and try other menu options," when in fact they do not follow through. That will not be the case with us, we both agree that we cannot wait to return!

My wife and I were in Crestwood, KY visiting a local nursery just off LaGrange Rd and spied the…read moreCrestwood Bistro across the road and decided to stop in for lunch. Once again we found an absolute GEM of a spot just out kicking around. In conversation with the owner we discovered that he has degrees in both culinary arts and food science. His blended knowledge in these areas contributes to exquisite dishes. My wife had an exceptional Greek salad w/ chicken while I opted for a mixed green salad with grilled salmon; easily the finest piece of fish I have eaten in Louisville. It was grilled to perfection with a spice mixture of his own creation which he would not divulge! At the end of the meal we were severed a sample of his homemade peach ice cream. If you prescribe to the old adage that eating out is about the food not the upscale expensive vibe than this place is it! We will be back again soon!

My husband and I visited Uptown this past Saturday for the first time and it was amazing. The…read moreestablishment and ambiance itself was warm and inviting and I can't even describe how amazing the food was. I myself had the fried oysters for the app and then the cod. The oysters were awesome! The cod fell apart deliciously and the mashed potatoes that came with were devine. Now, every resturant is able to make amazing food. But the cherry on top was our awesome server Marty. I hope in future reservations we can request him. He was so sweet and was so helpful in choosing what to eat. I especially hope his personal life is as full of as much joy and whismy as his service. Ashley wasn't our server, but she was equally as sweet and helpful when we needed her. Marty also asked me if I trusted him when it came to choosing dessert and he did not disappoint! Apparently the manager and his wife make the chocolate fudge themselves and lord was it good. Marty also made it a little extra special by adding some blueberry syrup. That man is a treasure! We can't wait for our next chance to enjoy an evening at Uptown.

We were able to visit the Uptown Cafe booth at the Dare to Care's Taste of Derby charitable event…read more Their item of a pulled pork barbecue sandwich with pickled red onions was delicious and was featured on a tender bun. We look forward to visiting the brick and mortar location to try other menu items.

My husband and I went to Del Frisco's for our Anniversary. We hadn't been in years. Not since they…read moreleft the old building. I have to admit we both missed the old homestead but the new place is really beautiful. A little dark but very nice. We both had half salads, me the wedge and him the garden salad both were good. We also both had a shrimp cocktail. We thought at first, "4 shrimp!" but they were huge. I even gave my fourth one to my husband. He ordered the filet and I had the prime rib both were cooked to perfection. I had to take half of mine home. Being it was our 38th anniversary our waitress brought us out crème brûlée with blueberries and blackberries on top...delicious. Our server Laura B was a gem. Attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. Great meal. Great time.

I had high hopes for this restaurant, as it had been years since I have eaten there. Sadly, I will…read morenot be returning. Our server took over 15 minutes to initially greet us. When the server finally took our drink order, I had to ask about any specials for the day. We ordered our food when she returned with our drinks, but the food took 45 minutes to arrive, for two people. White wine glasses with residue on them for our bottle of red wine. Swordfish which sat under the heat lamp so long it left an outline on the plate. Prime rib ordered rare, again, under the heat lamp too long, served medium. Sad to see a Louisville Legend slip so badly.

As close to perfection as it gets. Came in with no reservation and my table couldn't have been…read morebetter, up at the front wall facing the street, windows floor to ceiling. I witnessed an intense rain and lightning storm, perfectly timed for my visit. (Started right after I arrived, all cleared up when I was ready to leave). I'll get to the food soon. But I'll start with Jessica, the perfect waitress. Not only did she know the menu thoroughly and the service went flawlessly and perfectly timed, her amiable demeanor led to real but brief conversation, not just the typical waiter/customer pleasantries. We talked about the storm (she loves to play soccer in the rain, my vacation so far, and ChatGPT. Yes, I used it to choose between two entrees and we joked about its odd responses and the mistakes it can make. (In the end I went against both ChatGPT's and her advice but was happy with my choice.) Food started with a complimentary small piece of bruschetta. Garlicky and parsley-y. Yum. Free bread was also provided with the meal: a mini baguette. I didn't eat the bread but asked to take it home as I was camping and out of bread. When I opened the bag later I was thrilled to see that a second loaf was added! An amuse-bouche and free bread; off to a promising start. Appetizer and entree were both from the large specials page: 9 items in addition to the ample and varied everyday menu. I started with "Tempura Fried Lobster and Cream Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms, Sweet Thai Sauce." I couldn't really taste the batter-fried blossoms but they made elegant containers for the filling, like a crab rangoon. And the chili sauce was a good accompaniment. The elderly lady sitting alone at a nearby table celebrating her birthday and apparently a regular, I think related to the band, hearing what I ordered got my attention and admonished me to "make sure they put the lobster in it". Apparently she wasn't satisfied with hers. I was though. Like the crab in a Rangoon the lobster was subtle but there. The portion was an adequate 3 pieces and knowing there was an entree and dessert coming I took one home. Even the take-away packing was done expertly, in an attractive black paper box and a foil liner inside. My entree was "Pecan-Encrusted Walu Hawaiian Butterfish. Sweet potato-sage risotto, Tuscan kale, bourbon apple butter." Very good and the portion was just right. I liked the pecan crust, not overwhelming the mildly flavored, oily fish. The risotto was too creamy for me (some like it that way), but I really liked the sweetness and sage flavor and finished it. The kale was fried crispy, an interesting touch. This was all served on a flat slate plate, attractively presented with the bourbon apple butter sauce and some micro greens. No pretentious "chef knows best" attitude here. Salt and pepper grinders available at the table for those who wanted them (like me). I had two cocktails from the interesting selection. Barolo Manhattan had Old Forester bourbon, Cocchi Barolo Chinato (an aged Italian bitter), sweet vermouth, dark cherry juice, and cherry bitters. The other was Bourbon Tea: Michters bourbon, tea, lemon juice, apple juice, mint. Both drinks were brought by another person, not my waitress. And in both cases they returned soon after, inquiring how I liked them. Excellent I replied, both times. Also a selection of 12 whisky and bourbon flights: 3 or 4 smaller portions according to a theme: a rye selection, bourbons, single-barrels, and flights featuring specific distillers Maker's Mark, Woodford, etc. There was a small dessert selection and some appealed but I didn't really have room. But also ice cream, a small scoop for $2 and a large for $4. Very reasonable. There's always room for ice cream, right? Jessica didn't remember the flavors and was going to check but I asked her to surprise me - just as long as it's not vanilla. She brought blackberry lavender. A very interesting flavor but the texture was off, a little grainy. A trivial flaw. The ambience of the place couldn't be better. White tablecloths, fresh flowers and a candle on the table, widely spaced tables and moderate noise, a gentle waterfall comprising an entire wall. And when a birthday was celebrated (my neighbor and also another table across the room) it was done tastefully with the waiter quietly arriving with a candled cake and a jazzy instrumental Happy Birthday from the band. None of the stupid chants from the entire waitstaff found in many places these days, more appropriate for Marine bootcamp than a restaurant. The band, a guitar/bass duo, was so nice to listen to. Old jazz instrumentals mostly. I could have stayed all night. In fact I did, waiting until they stopped around 9:00 before leaving, feeling no pressure to vacate. I tipped them well, and not just because they made a valiant attempt at my request for "Poinciana" which they warned me they hadn't played in years. I think they are a house band, playing here regularly.

I like an older restaurant whose stretched their legs and built ties with community…read more Varanese has been on franfort ave for some time. Its a local date night favorite. I took my son on a date and we fancied up. He pulled out chairs for me and ordered our drinks. He was 15. He talked to the waiter about his steak and what the different toppings meant and talked planes with our food neighbor as he wants to be a pilot. That's what this place offers. Community. The food was also stellar, we had creme brulee for dessert both our favorites and my son left a little older, a little more mature. He left with confidence. It was a great experience.

This review is for the happy hour. Every day this place does and oyster flight happy hour... really…read moreenough said if you like oysters. They have three options for 2.50 each which is affordable. The oysters are clean and fresh and come with a variety of sauces. My boyfriend ordered the fish dip, which was smokey and delicate but creamy and came with crunchy bread crostinis. We shared a ceasar salad with anchovies and enjoyed our selves so much we stayed for dessert. I usually ask for dessert. I only want a bite. We ordered some sort of dome cake that needed to be set on fire before eating.. who doesn't like a show. It was just ok but worth it. Our waiter was an amazing older gentleman who was knowledgeable about the oysters and establishment. He and my boyfriend discussed new Orleans impact on bourbon or something like that. Overall I will be back.

I love the decorations and ambiance to the place, really nice and would love to go here again!…read moreEveryone is well dressed and clean, the hotel lobby is nice as well! I had ordered their rolls and I love the butter or spread that went on-top, but I will say it was quite salty!! I had ordered filet mignon medium rare and it was heavily seasoned and salty, very salty, and came out cold :/ I will definitely give this place another try with their amazing Brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes, but very disappointed with the fact that my steak was cold!!

The Blackstone Grille is very close to my house. My wife and I had never darkened their doors until…read morerecently. The only reason I can give is that we have always been a fan of J. Harrods, so we would drive the extra half a mile to eat there on a regular basis. With J. Harrods closing, we had been visiting the Paddocs restaurants more regularly. At a recent Wedding Reception, restaurant choices came up and several friends highly recommended Blackstone. With such high praise, we decided to try Blackstone. Pulling into the parking lot reminded me of another reason that we had not been to Blackstone, the parking lot was full. We found a spot and walked in. As the parking lot had foretold, the restaurant was packed. My wife spotted the only 2 open seats in the place at the bar, so we quickly took our place after questioning the nearby patrons to make sure we were not stealing anyone's seats. Mt wife ordered her standard Old Fashion, and I, my standard rum and coke. Our friends had told us we had to try the Fried Calamari, so that was the 1st thing we ordered. I had noticed on the specials board walking in that the Chef was offering up a special that night, scallops. Reading they had scallops made my choice easy. I ordered the scallops with baked potato and green beans. My wife ordered the Plank Salad with grilled chicken. When the fried calamari came out it was our friends had described it. A large, meaty portion that tasted fantastic. We both agreed that our main entrees were most excellent. My only comment concerns the green beans. I grew up in the deep south where green beans were cooked differently. I have been to enough restaurants around the world to know there are many ways to prepare green beans. Blackstone's stones green beans were served al dente. They were very tasty, just not my preferred way of eating green beans. My wife on the other hand, really enjoyed her portion of my green beans. I would be amiss if I left out the wait staff and especially the bartenders. We had the best time setting at the bar and laughing and joking with the bartenders. They were able to keep everyone served with their desired beverage while at the same time entertaining the bar patrons. The entire experience was fantastic. I can honestly say that I am sorry we had not been to Blackstone prior, but I can assure you we will become regulars.

Nice place to hang out and meet friends, have drinks and grab a bite to eat. Staff were friendly…read more The bar area in this restaurant is a bit small and always crowded. Regulars rule here, as they should. Food was decent. Lot of down home pics when it come to food. Definitely will return.

Our server was exceptional at the Yellow Cactus. I got the Speedy Gonzalez lunch special with a…read morebeef taco and a chicken enchilada. The taco was loaded and flavorful, a very generous size. The chicken enchilada was good as well as the beans. They have many daily specials and it's worth a visit!

Our first time at The Yellow Cactus! My sons and I came for lunch, ordering cheese dip to enjoy…read morewith our chips and salsa. I enjoyed both their mild and spicier salsa. Good flavors. I'm already craving it for tomorrow. My youngest traditionally ordered a cheeseburger with fries (his version of Mexican). The burger was massive! My other son enjoyed the 2 tacos with rice and I did the combo with a burrito, taco and rice. So much food! I couldn't even make it to the taco. Lots of beef stuffed inside. Friendly service and attentive, bringing us chip and drink refills. Plenty of indoor seating (no outdoor patio) so this is a good spot for groups. Colorful, bright colors. Clean bathroom and huge parking lot.