It was a lovely evening. Dining and walking the grounds of this quaint historical house was a wonderful experience. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly but not intrusive. The food was delicious. The salad and dressing were light and fresh. The main dish, fricassee of chicken with fresh green vegetables from the garden with the smooth veloute sauce was divine. The dessert, Paris Brest was so fresh. The pate au choux and pastry cream exquisite. As much as we tried only one of 4 could finish it, one would have been enough for three desserts. This was a wonderful place to finish our Bourbon Trail trip to Kentucky. I highly recommend it. You definitely need reservations. read more

This place is an experience If you are in a hurry don't go You need to savor every taste and moment It was during restaurant week and we had a four course meal with great drinks My first course was chilled garlic and almond soup Mind blowing Second course mushrooms with olive oil Third course meatballs with herbed couscous and churros and chocolate So good The service A+ and the decor is so beautiful Run there don't walk read more

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Finding Holly Hill Inn, all the way from Los Angeles, is why I love Yelp! Staying in Midway for the night, tired and hungry, look on Yelp, and find this local treasure Holly Hill Inn was once an inn, but is now just a restaurant. However, walking around the place, and even when entering and seeing a stairway ascending from the entryway, it looks like it is still an inn. It is very old fashioned, like it could be in the original Gone With The Wind. There are a few different, small dining rooms. The dinner menu is a fixed price affair. You can choose any one of three options for the four courses, including dessert. Our server was very good. Attentive, made us feel at ease, could answer any question, and did a great job. You can see our choices/dishes in the pictures. All of the food was refined and expertly conceived, and cooked/prepared/plated. My only criticism is that the first two courses are a really undersized portion. The entrees saved the experience, as the portion size was perfect. The food is rich, and after the entrees we were pleasantly full and satisfied. The chocolate cake and port pairing was the perfect conclusion to a memorable meal. read more

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On one of our recent bourbon adventures, we found ourselves staying at an Airbnb in Midland, KY -- and as luck would have it, we were less than half a mile from Holly Hill Inn. My wife had already heard wonderful things about Holly Hills, so we made a reservation without hesitation. At our appointed time, we arrived with friends and were quickly seated. After ordering drinks, we looked over the menu and were excited to see that Holly Hill offers Service à la russe -- a style of dining where each course is served sequentially, allowing you to savor every dish individually. (They even let you choose from several options for each course, which makes the experience even more personal.) I absolutely love this type of service, though my biggest challenge was deciding which delicious-sounding dish to pick for each course! Every plate we had was fantastic. The scallop course was perfectly prepared, and the sweet squash and wild grain soup was rich and flavorful. The duck breast that followed was beautifully cooked, and the apple tart was the perfect ending -- sweet, warm, and comforting. The food was outstanding, but I'd be remiss not to mention the wonderful wait staff. They were friendly, attentive, and really added to the overall experience. I'm already looking forward to the next time my travels bring me near Holly Hill Inn -- I'll definitely be back to enjoy the food (and the hospitality) all over again. read more

Absolutely loved our visit to this warm and cozy joint in Midway Kentucky... Arrived early, but the staff let me in through the bar area because I was lost... Very friendly and kind. The location is steeped in history and they provide some reading material that gives you the sense of how historic this location is. Artwork hangs on the wall, so the location serves as a sort of gallery, which can be enjoyed by the patrons. Forget about all the wonderful things I've already said... The food was perfect and the portions were perfect as well. We had the prix fixe brunch, so the three course meal was worth the $35 that it cost and I would've paid much more for the experience as well as the food. Bravo to the owners for having the wherewithal to employ such wonderful people and an amazing chef, we will be back. read more

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Food was very disappointing service extra slow. Had to get waitress to have my omlet done it was running raw egg over plate They returned omlet cooked done just the bill 100, only extra was juice n coffee not going back for brunch. read more

After learning they were nominated for a James Beard award, we had to visit! The space is beautiful, the brunch was delicious and the service was warm and welcoming. read more

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An exquisite place with service, ambience, drinks and food to match. Wowza. Everything was top notch. Made reservations, arrived an hour earlier and they accommodated us right away. Be sure and grab a packet of flower seeds by the guest book on your way out. Then plant them in your garden and relive the deliousness when the flowers bloom. My goodness. Unforgettable dining experience. And priced reasonable. A BIG slice of heaven. Thank you to the entire staff. read more

Wonderful food and ambiance! Love the old house. Server was attentive and accommodating.

We've been to Holly hill inn both for a themed Kaiseki dinner that was outstanding but this review, I want to feature their take home New Year's Eve menu. This menu was $80 for enough food for two. The food even lasted into the next day. Started with delectable kale salad and tomato and artichoke soup. A boule bread bowl came with perfectly seasoned olive oil and aged balsamic. Following, the mains were a vol au vent with the most perfect shrimp and lobster newburg and a short rib with roasted vegetables and a delicious jus. We were so stuffed we couldn't finish dessert until a few hours later. A moist jam cake with blackberry topping. It was a beautiful meal. read more

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The food was very interesting mixing flavors and playing around with combining non-traditional foods. Most the dishes were fantastic, some were unique and definitely something I had never had before. If you want something fancy and different I'd recommend this place. The service was good and we took our time enjoying our experience. read more

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We had a large group gather here for brunch and it exceeded our expectations! Quite a bit of food so Price is good. read more

Wow!! I can't wait to return. Is it possible to give more than 5 stars? Just continues to be an unbelievable experience when dining at a restaurant by one of the best Kentucky chefs. Quida I believe now owns 5 restaurants each with their own personality and style. Holly Hill remains my favorite. The service and location are world class. Our three course meal with starters were just amazing. So good in fact that I was so immersed in the experience I forgot to take some pictures of my three courses. All I can say is if you haven't experienced Holly Hill or Chef Quida's restaurants you are missing out. Run don't walk. You will thank me because you did! I'm still full! read more

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I've seen the evolution of Holly Hill since its earliest days when the dinner menu often included an almost plain but masterfully roasted chicken. It was a wonderful place to meet for lunch, not expensive but homey and delicious desert. It's grown up and still has hominess but with a flourish or two. I appreciate that there are still hearty entrees for hearty appetites. The atmosphere is lovely and the staff couldn't be nicer. Really, the staff puts it over the top. Last visit was brunch right before they were to close for a month so a few hiccups may have been owing to dwindling stores. A delicious soup in a small bowl, not even half full. An ok pork chop but with an amazing sauce. A promising desert that really didn't fill the cup (again - were they stretching their food to make it through the night or were they watching our weight? You like to be the one to decide those things.) Maybe the host knew, but when we asked for coffee, a troop of French presses filled the table. A personal peeve of mine: I don't like to feel like I'm making my own coffee when I go out. It saves the staff doing refills but the pots were awkward and filled our small table. It might have been nice to ask if we wanted one or two pots for the table. Is this just bill padding? Possibly. We were a little put off by our meals, overall, but were delighted by the surroundings and the staff as always. Holly Hill offers a unique service in the middle of the country. Whoever does the photographs for the website is a genius. It's a beautiful atmosphere, a convenient meeting place and the people are lovely. It was a bit disappointing because - I'm going to be frank - the value didn't match the cost this time. But the end of a holiday rush and the last day before an extended close isn't the best visit to go by. We will certainly give this old acquaintance another visit. read more

We had the pleasure of eating holiday brunch at this cozy restaurant today. Beautifully decorated for Christmas with classic Christmas music softly playing, the atmosphere was perfect on this rainy Sunday. We started with the sweet potato beignets which were delicious served on a bed of whipped cranberry spread with a slight kick of heat from red pepper honey drizzle and topped off with toasted pecan pieces. Our first course included a winter green salad with beets, Gorgonzola and a maple bacon vinaigrette for myself. My husband chose the Zupa Di Napoli squash bisque. A rich, creamy delight! Our entrees were the equally delicious braised berry beef flat iron steak with Brussels sprouts and potatoes.The steak was tender and flavorful. I chose baked Idaho trout with broccolini Amandine. The trout was perfectly cooked with a crabmeat dressing and burre blanc sauce on top. Our chosen desserts were bourbon chocolate pecan pie for my husband and Kentucky jam cake for myself. My mother used to make homemade jam cake with caramel frosting every Christmas. I have not had anything that tasted like hers since she passed away almost 11 years ago. I hesitated to order it fearing disappointment but I am so happy I decided to try it!! I literally teared up with the first bite because it tasted so much like my momma used to make. The caramel frosting was the perfect texture. This dessert evoked priceless memories for me. What a wonderful treat!!! The meal was made even better by the accompanying French press pot of Nate's coffee we shared. Our server was wonderful, kind and attentive. So glad we booked the holiday brunch here!! read more

Beautiful venue and excellent food. Great staff, chef, and team. Pro tip: arrive early and walk the grounds.

We had been to Holly Hill repeatedly for brunch but not previously for dinner--it was so good I felt compelled to review, something I've never done before. In our combined 8 courses we struggled to identify a favorite, because they were just all that good. I was obsessed with the mushroom appetizer and equally torn between the fried rabbit and the scallops...& while we almost both ordered the Dubai chocolate cake, it turned out the cobbler was to die for. We almost licked the plate. The wine pairing was delightful and our server was so kind, knowledgeable, and charismatic. Wonderful experience--as always--simply perfect. read more

Attended the opening of the Ray Papka Art Gallery/reception at Holly Hill Inn. As it happens, Ray is Ouita's delightful dad. She has decided to host a permanent collection of his very interesting mixed media works. Stop by for dinner and take a stroll upstairs to see them. 71 read more

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Holly Hill is Quita's little gem. The house may be old but not the food. I've enjoyed everything I've ever had here, and I can be a tough critic! They offer lots of salads, cornbread, and well thought out dishes. The service can be a bit slow but it's always pleasant. I've seen Quita there herself working. With all of her restaurants I don't see how she does it all! The porch is my fav place to sit and eat. Very pleasant decor inside. read more

Beautiful quaint restaurant, yet all of Quita Mitchel's restaurants are! Lovely decor, cozy home feeling, tiny bar. We didn't have any reservations which is a must, but the staff was so friendly & accommodating & sat us immediately. Ordered the special Sunday Brunch Butternut Squash Soup which was awesome & creamy! The bread was more like delicate pastry w/ dried fruit which I usually don't like, but loved it! Ordered Steak, Eggs, Grits, Greens & Hashbrowns. It was alright, but didn't like the bbq sauce on the Steak. Everything else was alil bland, but love the ambiance & will be back to try much more. Everything that came out looked delish & I am a fan of all of Quita's restaurants. read more

Holly Hill Inn - Beautiful Art - New American Near Me - Midway, Kentucky

This is a fine dining destination in central Kentucky. We went a couple of weeks ago, the first time since before Covid. The atmosphere is muted country luxury. An old mansion, wood floors, nice drapes, copious artwork. Fresh flowers at the tables. Service impeccable. These are professionals, providing top notch hospitality, hands down. The food: we started with coconut sunchoke soup. This was inspired, absolutely delicious, and the star of the meal. Light, perfect combination of flavors and textures. Fantastic. The second course I chose was a ribeye with horseradish and greens on the side. The greens were great--a mixture of fresh greens au gratined, perfectly seasoned. Unfortunately, the ribeye was served overcooked, tough with ample gristle. This is the reason for four stars instead of five. I wish I had ordered scallops. My wife had steak diane and duck fat potatoes. The potatoes were underwhelming, just okay. The steak diane was good, but too rich for her tastes. Dessert was chocolate cake with cherries and cream. This was excellent. I ordered the wine pairing. The selections were tasty, worked well. The final I ordered was a double oaked bourbon with dessert. Excellent pairing. Overall, a very nice meal at a special place. Unfortunately, the lack of attention on the main courses knocks it down a bit. Considering the price, fairly steep for this area, we expected near perfection. Total bill for two with drinks and good tip was over $260. It's fine to pay that for fine dining, but excellent execution is expected. read more

It took me almost 36 years, but I finally made it to Holly Hill Inn, which in itself is a shame since they have BRUNCH! We enjoyed a fantastic 4-course dinner on the eve of the my fiancé's parents 55th wedding anniversary. Amuse Bouche: Cherry tomato tart (I could have eaten an ACTUAL pie-sized version of this perfection) House pasta with pistachio pesto Joe's duck breast, fresh corn polenta, plum sauce, roasted grapes Peach-blackberry galette, buttermilk ice cream, bourbon caramel Bourbon blackberry bramble (Plus his red snapper and dark chocolate mousse cake) Two critical pieces of feedback: 1) The atmosphere they're going for is upscale, small, and ideally intimate, but it cannot be so when one can hear the conversations at every other table (and know that they can hear yours). As of that weren't bad enough, every door in the place is open and you can hear dishes clanging and glasses clinking. Something could be done to improve the acoustics, regardless of the age of the structure. 2) While delicious, the means do not justify the ends when it comes to the four-course meal. $55 is quite a stretch for the portions we received, namely the third (main) course, and I wasn't the only one who looked quizzically at my plate when it arrived. So keep that in mind. The service was exceptional from a professionalism standpoint, but all businesses are short-staffed right now and - understandably - service is slow and you might wait 20 minutes for someone to stop long enough to notice every drink at your table is empty. That's ok. That said, many of the wine bottles are very reasonably priced, so order a bottle and forego the wait! read more

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This food was amazing. We went for Christmas Eve brunch. I had eggs Benedict (my fav), which had pimento cheese and country ham and the grits were perfecccct. My husband had the pork chop, which was also great. The first dishes and desserts were perfect also. I don't usually care for apple pie, but it was the best I've ever had. So delicious. Highly recommend brunch and probably any meal here! The cocktails were also spectacular! read more

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I learned that I had to stay in Lexington and I also kept seeing notifications for the Cassoulet event at Holly Hill and I had always wanted to go to Holly Hill Inn so I made a reservation! I was right on time and they were expecting me and sat me in the dining area. It was not a very busy. She said the week before Thanksgiving was usually pretty quiet. I didn't mind at all. The Christmas decorations around the restaurant were beautiful. I loved the warm ambience of the restaurant. I could've sat there all night drinking wine and looking around at the beauty. I did eat very slow. I ordered the seafood sampler and butternut squash bisque. Neither one of those photos turned out so I am so bummed. They were both more than I could've ever hoped for. Every single bite was fresh and unique. Then, I had to have the cassoulet. It was very flavorful. So much food I couldn't even eat half of it. Very rich in flavor. For the dessert, I ordered the Boca Negra with vanilla bean gelato. I barely had room for it, but I had to try it. So rich also and sweet. Not too sweet. More like dark chocolate sweet. The service there was outstanding. I was never left hanging. The server was so wonderful and accommodating. I can't wait until my second check in! read more

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Wow- this place is beautiful! Located a few miles off the highway in Midway, Holly Hill Inn is a historical house turned into a stunning restaurant. The atmosphere is top notch. You can sit inside the beautiful dining rooms or be seated outside on the front porch. We went for Sunday brunch and opted to stay inside. They have a brunch option to do 3 courses for $25 or you can order a la carte. Daniel went with the 3 courses and I chose to stick with an entrée. The attention to detail and service here are fantastic. We started with an order of artichoke fritters and a mimosa and Bellini. So good! They also brought us out a basket of tiny homemade biscuits and scones. Yum! Daniel picked the asparagus bisque soup, the Benedict and the chocolate bread pudding. I had a version of the Benedict with smoked salmon and it was amazing. The bread pudding was some of the best I have ever had. When I made the reservation, I told them we were celebrating an anniversary and they made us feel special by decorating the dessert plate, giving us a glass of champagne and a card signed by the staff. What a wonderful touch! Truly exceeded my expectations. They offer wine dinners here too and I cannot wait to go back for one. read more

Holly Hill Inn - New American Near Me - Midway, Kentucky

You know, for the pomp and circumstance that this place offers I was super let down overall and not entirely sure I'd be willing to give it another go for what they offer and ask for in pricing. I think the biggest issue I had was that in making the reservation it offered either the 'standard menu' or a 'cassoulet dinner' that was being offered that night. I ticked the Standard Menu button and made the reservations that occurred on our anniversary weekend. Get to the restaurant all fine and everything and get led up to our seats and shown the menu. It's just the cassoulet one. Okay...well, that sucks. The waiter says 'that's all we got tonight, sorry.' Well, not sure why I was able to make the reservations with standard menu, but I guess we happened to line up on that night for this yearly thing they do. And being in Midway...going somewhere else is a bit tough, it's that or McDonalds at that time of night within a reasonable distance. Overall, pretty good food. Wait service is was fine, though slow. Refills were iffy being on the second floor, but not deal breaking by any means. The biggest issue was basically the 'well, sucks to suck.' The waiter had that awkward 'I got nothing' look about the miscommunication on the reservations, and the manager was basically like tough luck, sucks for you. I get it, that was the dinner that night, but if you are going to have reservations that ask you to specify what you want that creates an expectation. When that expectation isn't met, maybe try to make up for it? At least it was tasty, just not what we wanted that night. read more

Southern Sunday Brunch As a party of four, we enjoyed Sunday brunch on the porch, and it was delightful. We started with a bottle of Viognier and country ham biscuits, followed by the Campanella, and entrees of saffron mussels, pork tenderloin and eggs Benedict. We enjoyed the the pavlova and French press coffee for dessert! read more

Holly Hill Inn - Saffron mussels - New American Near Me - Midway, Kentucky

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We reserved a private room for our group of 10 for a post ashes scattering luncheon to celebrate our deceased family member. They offered a prix fixe menu and we also ordered 2 appetizers and a couple of mimosas. The menu options were diverse. Our group sampled 5 of their entree choices and we were all very impressed with not only the taste, but the presentation and the service--all impeccable. Very delicious, large portions for $35 per person plus the add ons and drinks. It was a beautiful May Day and the house and grounds are just gorgeous! HIGHLY recommend and will be returning as soon as we can. read more

Poor service and food was not good. Took us over an hour and a half for Sunday lunch. Thought St. Patrick Day would be special, but the corn beef was way overcooked and actually crunchy. We have eaten here several times and this one was a real disappointment. read more

The food was cold, the server did not check on our table during our entire lunch. We did bring this to the staff's attention, but no response from management. read more

ok, this review is about 20 years late but one of the most memorable meals I had was at this establishment. FiddleHead Ferns, Sweatbreads and Maine Lobster. after 27 years in the fine wine biz travelling extensively and eating very well. That meal remains in my top 5 of all time. read more

My husband and I came to Holly Hill on one of their tasting nights. We reserved in advance for the "Goan Feast" and it was incredible! We had never heard of this West Indian cuisine and are now hooked. In the 4 course meal we had option for the appetizer and entree, so it was fun to order differently and then share our plates. Food was outstanding, service was excellent and the setting is really beautiful. Highly recommend! read more

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We had one of the best meals we've had in a longtime. We went for our anniversary and loved the ambiance as well as the food. We sat upstairs in a room with only 4 tables which felt very intimate. We loved that it was so unpretentious but the food was Michelin Star worthy. Every course was beautifully presented and delicious and thoughtful in its structure. On top of that it was very reasonably priced. I would definitely go back again. read more

What can I say, but Holly Hill brunch lived up to the hype. It was definitively the best traditional southern brunch that I ever had. We started the meal with a refreshing Mimosa and shared the artichoke fritters which topped even the Bristol's signature appetizer. My wedge salad was so much more than a typical steakhouse wedge. My Salmon Eggs Benedict was fantastic with perfect ratios and expert Hollandaise, and my wife's sausage omelet was nearly not as heavy as it sounded. We finished with the baked apple appetizer as a shared dessert which was just the right finish to the meal. There really wasn't sticker shock when the bill came, as I knew the cost upfront. Let's put it this way - I have had lesser dinners at "bigger" city restaurants for much more. Still, it was about a bit pricey for Sunday breakfast - but well worth the trip for a special occasional or a self-indulgent purge. read more

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My boyfriend surprised me with a seven course Valentine's Day dinner here. Love the house, the set up, and the service of the staff. The food was excellent with farm to table ingredients such as rabbit, beef tenderloin, scallops, salmon, along with deliciously fresh produce and herbs. The dark chocolate cake was divine. And I'm not a huge fan on chocolate cake! It was a fantastic surprise! I look forward to going back throughout the year to see the changes in menu with the seasons. read more

Holly Hill Inn - New American Near Me - Midway, Kentucky

For having a set menu there are several choices for each course. They have a great wine and bourbon selection. Next time I'm in Lexington I'll be going back. read more

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Chef Ouita Michel NAILED it. Gorgeous location, local and seasonal ingredients, & good people. Being southern - this place made me feel so at home. Chef Michel and her husband transformed this old inn into an intimate restaurant with a seasonal menu and dishes that utilize simple ingredients but are executed flawlessly. We enjoyed a Saturday lunch and for $18 you can enjoy a 3 course meal for lunch. We started with the fried green tomato from scratch just like anyone from the south remembers their grandmother mastering. Next I had a crisp salad with radishes heirloom tomatoes and house made dressing. It hit the spot. For my appetizer I had the trout almandine. Oh. My. Gawd. I ate it super slow to enjoy every bite. My fiancé had the pork loin with roasted fruits - equally perfect. My trout almandine was accompanied by perfectly roasted fingerling potatoes and root vegetables. I was in fall heaven. To complete this majestic meal - I had the chocolate cheesecake with caramel and sea salt drizzle. Again, perfectly executed. We paired the meal with a glass of dreaming tree white and a Leif nut brown ale. I was also tempted by the line of creative bourbon cocktails they had - true to southern fashion. In addition to the food the inn itself is gorgeous. Complete with ferns and twinkly lights - it's a must see. The drive to midway from Cincy is about 1.5 hours but totally worth it for a day away. Plus buffalo trace distillery is 10 minutes away - so make a day trip of it :) read more

Holly Hill Inn - The beautiful Holly Hill Inn - New American Near Me - Midway, Kentucky

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Holly Hill Inn is a special place. Located in an historic house, it feels like you're visiting friends - if you have friends who are amazing chefs, that is. The staff and kitchen were very accommodating of our special dietary needs, and the food was innovative and memorable. I was particularly taken with an arugula salad that sounded simple in its description, but they totally nailed it. My roasted pumpkin entree was also delicious, as was my husband's venison. Chef Ouita Michel is lovely, and her warmth and exuberance set the tone for the whole place: understated yet unforgettable. read more

My associates get there and they notice that there are tables available downstairs but then the hostess takes them upstairs. They go upstairs the heat rises. It's Fucking hot. Waitress took forever to wait on them. I asked for ice multiple times and didn't get it for 30 mins. We requested to go back downstairs but they were apparently previously reserved... long story short. We were still there 1 hour and fifteen minutes later and received NOTHING. No bread, no appetizers, no food. read more

Absolutely amazing service. Great food and our server was amazing!! Great place to celebrate an anniversary!