Restaurant was fully booked for the night but I was told bar seating was first-come-first-served and there were spots available so I arrived. Two spaces left. Seats were spaced unusually close together but I enjoyed the atmosphere, noisy and dark, the walls covered almost entirely with photos and memorabilia from the original 1933 Jack Fry's that this newer restaurant honors. From the website, "Fry was known as a rambling, gambling kind of guy who loved amateur boxing and horse racing." I'm not much of a talker with strangers but the close spacing led to conversation, the woman to my right giving me suggestions on what to order and the man to my left things to see and do in Louisville and beyond. Complimentary bread was provided. Two kinds: a sourdough and the other one a little sweet. The butter was whipped and shaped into an attractive rosette. I don't like butter but both breads were very good on their own. I started with an appetizer of escargot, served in the standard 6-welled plate. With very garlicky melted butter, and broiled parmesan sparingly on the top. The small croutons under each snail made this relatively small dish more substantial. And it also came with more sourdough bread, toasted this time so it was even better. My entree was Pork Tenderloin. The menu explains "Pan-seared Berkshire tenderloin, baby cauliflower, swiss chard, toasted couscous, and cherry tomatoes over a wild ramp aioli, tangerine oil, and sherry gastrique topped with crispy shallots." Wow; that's quite a description! And it was quite a dish, the pork tender and all the ingredients working really well together. I researched "Berkshire tenderloin" and learned it is a "premium, boneless cut of pork from the heritage Berkshire pig. Often called the Kobe beef of pork." The portion size was quite reasonable. I had no leftovers but neither did I finish it still wanting more. Dessert was Banoffee Pie: sliced bananas, soft hazelnut toffee, Biscoff cookie crust, whipped crème fraiche. Much better than any of the ones I tried in Ireland where I first discovered this decadent dessert. More refined and pie-like than those which were more like a trifle. I really liked the hazelnut toffee topping, which was crunchy, not soft as described. Drinks were excellent too. The Manhattan was different from what I'm used to. I detected vanilla so I asked my bartender/waitress. Yes, Giffard Vanilla liqueur she said. I reread the menu and it said "Bulleit rye, Mellett Amaro, Giffard Vanilla, black walnut bitters, Luxardo cherries. I had a second, Jack's Old Fashioned: "Benchmark Bonded Bourbon [Buffalo Trace], muddled Luxardo cherry and orange, demerara syrup, Angostura Bitters." This did not disappoint either. But a second drink may have been a mistake. These were strong! So I had to walk for over 90 minutes before I felt it was appropriate to drive. But I was a tourist and there was plenty to see in the area and it was an enjoyable walk and I could work off some of this relatively large and excellent meal. read more

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Jack Fry's is one of the old, classic restaurants in Louisville. We went for our anniversary and I'd classify the restaurant as good, but that's about it. First off, parking that night was a nightmare which is not their fault. The greeting was fine and we were brought to a very tiny table tucked against the wall. The interior of the place is very small and tables are close together. If you are looking for a quiet dinner, this is not the place. Perhaps because we were there on a Saturday night and it was packed was a factor. The service was okay. Again, the place was packed. The young woman who was in charge of keeping water glasses full was very attentive. Our server was fine when we actually saw him, but we didn't see much of him. We split the escargo appetizer which was good and I had the short ribs with goat cheese whipped potatoes. The short ribs were quite good but not remarkable. The potatoes, at least to me, had a strange consistency and were not even remotely good. Our dessert was fine. All in all, a good restaurant, but for the price I expected better. read more

It was hot outside. I came in hangry. Mr. Eric was the consummate professional. He made me feel so welcomed, as did the entire staff. The food, as per usual, was perfect. I can't recommend Jack Fry's highly enough. read more

Pros: Cozy atmosphere Wonderful food options - really enjoyed my lobster roll Cons: Parking can be a bit tricky Service was flat They didn't have a to-go cup with a lid Pro tip: Make a reservation ahead of time, even for lunch read more

Jack Fry's - Lobster roll with side of couscous for lunch - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Our dining group of 10 enjoyed a midweek dinner at Jack Fry's and sampled a variety of apps, cocktails, salads, entrees, and desserts. I stuck with one of my favorite menu items of lamb chops with haricots verts. This was seasoned and prepared well and delicious. Each of our dining party was pleased with their selections. Waitstaff were excellent. Noise level was moderate since our party was seated at a long table in the central dining room and near the live music. Parking was not an issue since we arrived near opening time. read more

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Everything we expected. I got the Pork Chop and wife got the beef filet. My wife commented all night how good her meal was, and she eats at a lot of steakhouses for work. She was hesitant to go the route she did because of it, but she was glad she did. Also had the whipped ricotta for an app which was a great bite. Jacks old fashion was just okay, but they did have an amazing g selection of bourbons.....including a Pappy flight for just south of $400 if you're interested in that. read more

Jack Fry's - Pork Chop - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

***4 1/2 stars*** This was the one place we went to in Louisville on the recommendation of someone else, and it paid off. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I came here for a late dinner (extremely late for me) two Thursdays ago around 8ish. A colleague of mine cited Jack Fry's as a highly rated old school steakhouse, which is definitely my jam. I also liked that, based on a superficial glance at the map, it was nowhere near the touristy areas closer to the Ohio River and the Louisville Slugger Museum. And in hindsight now, this Highlands neighborhood was by far my favorite section of Louisville - had a nice, chill hipster vibe with a whiff of Park Slope (Brooklyn). My kind of place. When we got here, Jack Fry's was loud and jumping, almost too loud. I'm assuming parts of this establishment have been updated since it doesn't look QUITE as old school as it could have - the bar area for sure with its dark wood looked pretty ancient but I didn't feel the ye olde vibes enveloping me the way I assumed they would. Not an insult at all, but I'd be curious about the history of the building itself given that it seemed to take more of a middle ground in that regard. We were able to secure reservations about an hour ahead of time and were seated a few tables away from the bar area. I did not get the impression there were many if any other tourists in the restaurant; seemed to be a lot of older locals, which makes sense. We'd developed an appetite from adventuring all day, so this was a fun one. We split two apps - the escargots and the seared scallops. Both were excellent, and I particularly enjoyed the scallops - incredibly flavorful and tender. That's not a knock on the escargots in the slightest; we had an excellent version of this at a French restaurant in Boston pretty recently and this was on par or close to it. I felt like I was leaving too much of the garlic butter in the little dish thing (probably a technical glitch on my end with the little fork) but it was still delicious. Huge recommend on both fronts. On the entree front, it's hard for me to keep looking down the menu if I see Short Ribs, and these were Bourbon-Braised so I didn't have much of a choice. Honestly one of the best I've had, and this is a pretty common order for me. Tender, tasted delicious and this is probably the only way I'll eat onions on top of a meal (very crispy where you don't detect the inherent sliminess of the onion). I wasn't able to finish it all, but this was the one leftover on our trip that I was careful to preserve, and I had a delicious pre-breakfast with it two days later. I regretted quasi-filling up on a huge handful of Teriyaki Beef Jerky at the Mammoth Cave earlier in the day, but what's done is done. Somehow we also managed to order and consume a dessert, though I couldn't tell you how. Lot of intriguing options but I went with the Bourbon Pecan Olive Oil Cake, which was honestly heavenly. I've just started to get into Olive Oil Cake, and this one was very moist and amazing. One of my Thanksgiving go-tos is a Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, which this understandably had a lot in common with, but the texture of this was a cut above - it was able to navigate a delicate balance of density and airiness. Just awesome. The one ding I have to go this place unfortunately was the bar area - we had Old Fashioneds, and this was one of the worst we had on the trip. The bourbon was significantly overpoured for both of the drinks, which was a real shame - I could tell the bitters were done correctly but when you add an extra ounce or two of bourbon, you start getting into gasoline territory. A shame. The service was excellent; our waiter was over regularly but not overwhelmingly, and despite being literally the last table (which I think is more about the older demo than us being party animals on that particular night), we never felt like anyone was pushing us out or anything. This is a selling point for Louisville in more ways than one; I don't want to ding the city too much, but a lot of it felt like it was on the down slope, particularly closer to downtown. This was an area that felt like it was coming up, and great steakhouses don't hurt the cause. read more

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This was recommended to us by several people. I loved the interior and overall vibe of the restaurant. Overall, lots of old photos. We picked the whipped ricotta for our starter. It was very good, and a little unusual for me - more of a savory flavor that was very good. It could have used more bread, as we had 4.5 slices and quite a bit of cheese. We ate the Beet Salad next, very good. For our entrees, we ordered the Short Rib and Chicken Poulet. All the food was great and our drink the Filly Fizz was light and perfect. Our server was a bit unusual. We definitely had different palettes, she talked us out of dessert. I wanted Chocolate Raspberry Cake, but she volunteered Chocolate was her last choice and that was all I was really interested in. read more

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Had not been to Jack Fry's for about 20 years despite living a few blocks away. Decided to give it another try on a Monday night. It was a very good decision to do so. There were no parking spots available when we arrived (would usually walk but had mother-in-law in her 90's with us). There was a long line of people waiting to get in. I guess they open the door at 5:30pm. Despite the line, we were seated quickly enough. Very nice wine selection. Our server (Michael) was prompt, patient, attentive, and friendly. The whipped ricotta was so delicious. The appetizer my MIL got was very good according to her (and she can be hard to please). She also loved the Brie salad. My Caesar salad was very tasty (the capers are a nice touch). My husband got the market fish entree and nearly licked the plate clean because it was so good. The only thing I did not enjoy was the noise level. It was a Monday, but the place was packed. It was very difficult to have a conversation at the table. And if someone with hearing aids were in there, I would imagine it would be unpleasant for them. Despite the noise, everything was very enjoyable. Definitely pricey but well worth the cost. Did not make it to the restrooms so unable to comment on those. I am quite sure we will be back! read more

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Just a reminder that you can do walk-in seats at the bar on a random Thursday & listen to the amazing piano player in the moody dimly lit restaurant while one of you orders a burger & fries ($21) with house-made spicy pickle slices and the other of you orders the berry cobbler ($11). read more

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Beginning with food, it was delicious and approachable! Some of our favs include: fried oysters, with cheesy grits, cioppino, Yorkshire pudding. The alcoholic bevs were delicious as well. They found out it was someone's birthday from our party and they brought over small bundt cake with candle, super sweet and thoughtful. The ambiance of the place was lovely, definitely a nice place for celebrate and good food! read more

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I finally made it to this iconic staple and what did I order? The beef filet. It was a beautiful cut, cooked to perfection, tender, well-seasoned, but still letting the beef be the star. It came with roasted smashed potatoes and asparagus. So simple but done so well. I loved the dark, moody vibes. And my bartender was so sweet and helpful. I am very excited to go back and try dessert! read more

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I am thrilled to see that Jack Fry's has outdone themselves. Service, atmosphere, food were all top notch and excellent. We started off with the Carpaccio (Shaved beef tenderloin, capers, olive oil, black pepper, Díjon crema and fingerling potato chips.) Outstanding. Then I had a sample of my friend's Bibb Salad (Bibb lettuce in Dijon vinaigrette, topped with melted brie and almonds). An unusual pairing of ingredients but delicious! My entree was a special of the night - a ribeye with glazed carrots and a wild ramp mashed potato. Absolutely stunning and a wonderful dish - I am glad I chose it. Hopefully I will not have to wait another 5 years to come here again, if I could I would come once a month! Its that great. read more

My parents always spoke so highly of Jack Fry's so I was excited to finally try it out! The spicy fried oysters over grits, short rib with goat cheese mashed potatoes, and filet were all AMAZING! The service was so great as well. Our servers name was Danielle and she was so kind! The atmosphere was so cozy. Would definitely go back and try more on the menu! read more

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Wow, what a place! Small place, not near the city center, but they know how to do steak. We were greeted as we walked in just after they opened at 5:30. We took an Uber and got dropped off, and then hid under the eaves waiting for the restaurant to open. Fortunately, it was out of the rain. Wait by the door on the side, the door to the front off the street is emergency use only. We started with their Seabass Quenelles special, which was delightfully light and flavorful. I ordered their Caesar Salad with anchovies, which came with three of them and was quite tasty. My wife had their Beet & Buratta Salad, which she said was very good. For a main course, I had their Filet Mignon, medium rare. The steak quality was outstanding, so tender and tasty. It came on a bed of asparagus with potatoes. My wife enjoyed her spare rib dinner, which came with Brocollini and mashed potatoes. After dinner, we enjoyed their Strawberry Cheesecake, which was quite tasty. The wine list was adequate, and the selections were good to match with the food we selected. The ambiance is old steakhouse chic, which if you enjoy good steaks should be music to your ears and taste to your taste buds. read more

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The food is incredible, but I'd hope a steak place could nail a steak and they don't disappoint! It's got an amazing atmosphere and teleports you back in time to dimly lit cigar bars. I can't remember our server name for the life of me but she was amazing and so quick with refills and answering all our questions! read more

If someone gives you a list of must-try restaurants in Louisville, and the list does not include Jack Fry's, toss the list, and be wary of future recommendations from the source (and if it turns out they just haven't been, take them there and consider it a good deed done). This is a true classic establishment. Old-school atmosphere (think classic steakhouse feel). Top notch service. Great cocktails. Excellent food. The burger is a bit of a hidden gem amidst the finer-dining options that otherwise populate the menu...add a fried egg and some bacon jam for true joy. Last time I was there, they had a pork shoulder so tender you could eat with a spoon (yes, I tried, it worked). Lamb chops are always a winner. So many good choices, with some everyday dishes and some rotating options. It can be tough to get into (and parking is brutally limited, alas), but lunch time can be a good time to slide in, and the bar is always a good choice, especially if you enjoy friendly conversation with fellow patrons and friendly bartenders. read more

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From the moment we walked in, the staff was exceptional, warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. There was never a moment where I felt like we needed to ask for anything. Everything seemed to happen effortlessly, which is a rare quality in a restaurant and one that made the entire evening feel special. My wife and I were celebrating her birthday, and we couldn't have picked a better place. I ordered the pork, and she had the filet. I don't say this lightly, but the pork was probably the best I've ever had. Every bite felt intentional, and it was the kind of meal you find yourself thinking about when eating similar dishes in the future. And then there was the Old Fashioned. I've lived in Kentucky long enough to have had my fair share of great ones, and this one easily makes my top three of all time. But more than the food or the drinks, there was something about the atmosphere that made the night memorable. It felt like experiencing a little piece of Louisville that has managed to preserve its character and history while still feeling completely alive. I genuinely can't recommend this place enough. If you live in Louisville, do yourself a favor and get a table here. Come hungry, stay awhile, and let yourself enjoy the experience. A little slice of Louisville history, exceptional food and drinks, and some of the best vibes in the city. 12/10. read more

Our party of 8 made a 5:30 reservation so we could catch the sunset from the Big 4 Bridge. We waited, waited, and waited. It took 1 hour and 40 minutes before the entrees came out. The manager came over and told us they had a full house and the staff was working as hard as they could. I had a Brie salad and shrimp and grits. The salad was good. The shrimp and grits were very mediocre. Others in our party got raw couscous. The fillet was dry. The manager offered us free desserts for compensation. We ended up getting 3 desserts for 8 people. The food was warm at best. I expected much more from a restaurant that charges high prices. I would definitely not go back and not recommend it to anyone! read more

Food was amazing! One of the best steaks I've ever had! The iced tea was fantastic with some kind of extra flavor in it. The Banoffee pie was out of this world! Can't wait to eat here again! Fabulous food and atmosphere! read more

Jack Fry's - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I saw they had delicious burgers so of course we had to come here. Parking was easy which was great. Service was amazing and ambiance seemed nice. Silly me forgot my glasses but I could see more with my prescription sunglasses it was just dark lol. read more

Jack Fry's - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Jack Frys is the standard that fine dining restaurants should be held too. The service is immaculate. The server anticipated every need and was fully versed on the menu. The food was great. I think everyone at the table loved their food. I got the salmon and it was perfectly cooked. We all got different desserts. I loved the cheesecake and everyone who got the olive oil caked RAVED about it. I love that they take reservations so you can plan your evening accordingly. I'd definitely recommend trying out this Louisville staple at some point in time. read more

Jack Fry's is always a fantastic eating experience. It's a classic vibe with amazing food, incredible service, and great drinks. Possibly my favorite appetizer ever is the spicy fried oysters. They are just incredible. Served with grits and crispy prosciutto. A must try. We both got the filet because we haven't been in a while and it's our favorite thing on the menu. The steak was cooked to perfection. The crispy potatoes are somehow nearly as good. The Parmesan on the steak is also a nice touch. I had an old fashioned that was the perfect addition to the meal. The meal was paced well and our server was incredibly attentive without being overbearing. Highly recommend Jack Fry's. read more

Jack Fry's - Spicy fried oysters and old fashioned - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Unbelievable dinner at the bar here when visiting Louisville! Amazing bartender suggested drinks, and I ordered a salad and then lamb chops for my main which was awesome. Looking forward to coming back on my next visit! read more

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Mediocre. I understand the restaurant's historic value to the city, but the food was disappointing. The dining room is extremely cramped, and the lighting was nearly nonexistent. Nice for a one-time visit, but I likely won't be back. read more

Great establishment! Had a reservation for a Sunday dinner and was seated promptly. Wonderful service throughout the night. Highly recommend the Veal and Lamb Chop entrees. read more

Jack Fry's - Veal Tenderloin Medallions - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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As Louisville adds unremarkable restaurant after unremarkable restaurant, Jack fry's remains a pinnacle and unmatched by any of the highly-hyped, yet lowly-appointed disappointments in its price range. Keep trying folks, but some things cannot be duplicated, let alone excelled. read more

It is really hard for me to give one of my favorite restaurants less than five stars, but a recent lunch was not up to par. Everybody can have an 'off' day. The service was great, but the shrimp and grits was not as good as usual. Minimal grits, the cheese was on the hard side, and the country ham in it was chewy. The flavor was good, our server had a great smile and the atmosphere was as usual 'Old Louisville'. My companion's burger was huge and he pronounced it 'very good'. I'm sure everything will be five star again the next time I go. read more

Jack Fry's - Shrimp and grits - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Best service I've had at a restaurant in a long time. The are full of cool relics and memories that make you proud to be a Louisvillian. The cocktails and appetizers were great, especially the fried oysters. I tried the shortrib, strip steak, and burger. All were great. I had 3 forms of potato and all blew me away. I would much rather have McDonald's but gotta give credit where it's due read more

Jack Fry's - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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We had a great time eating at Jack Fry's tonight with our local restaurant club. The restaurant is decorated classically with the throwback to the prohibition days. Mike provided great service for our group and the food was fantastic. read more

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Food was excellent along with the service. Old time restaurant with close tables. Conversations are easily audible. read more

We went on a Thursday night as a business dinner and had a reservation. We were immediately seated at 6pm. Parking can be a challenge but there is some limited parking there. We had an amazing meal. The old fashioned drinks were very good, the perfect blend. We had a few appetizers and they were spot on. They had a sea bass special and it was one of the best sea bass meals I have had. They also were great with my garlic allergy to make sure the meal did not have any garlic. The hollandaise sauce was perfect and the potatoes were broiled to perfection. The rest of my party had steaks and they were cooked as requested. We ordered a few desserts to share and they were all delicious. The ambiance in this place is special, lots of history here. Highly recommend read more

Definitely an old school Louisville staple, good service from a professional wait staff. Very dark inside and tight quarters in the dining room My associate ordered the filet which he said was very good, I have the salmon over a starch with spinach. Overall solid experience, more of a romantic dinner, special occasion spot with limited (but good) menu choices, only one steak offering. Also, per usual in that area parking scare. read more

This is one of my favorite places in Louisville. The ambiance reminds me of the Roaring Twenties. It just feels like deals have gone down in this restaurant. The food and service are excellent. read more

I was recently in Louisville for work during Derby week. Someone mentioned that Jack Fry's was a must try. We weren't sure if we could get in because derby week is very busy but they were able to get us reservations for an early dinner. Let me just say that this is one of the best meals I have ever had in Louisville or anywhere for that matter. The service was excellent. The drinks were very tasty and we enjoyed the ambiance of the place. We didn't dress up but there were several tables that were dress in their derby fare. I had the pork chop that was cooked to perfection. Come hungry because the portions are not small. I can't wait to come back and try the spare ribs. They start you with a bread basket of baguette and soda bread alongside warm butter. Both are delicious but the soda bread is my favorite. It gave unsweetened pound cake vibes. I had their house mock-tail that was very tasty. It's kind of like an old fashion without the bourbon. Overall it was an excellent experience and I can't wait to come back. read more

Jack Fry's - Menu - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Always delicious the tight tables make it Manhattan with most excellent service always go to place

Consistency is their trademark. Another marvelous meal. Actually worth a flight just to dine here. Stephanie the owner makes you feel at home and wonderful bar service. read more

As always Jack Frys delivers on all fronts. Ambiance unique romantic setting. Service is over the top excellent. Food is incredible, every dish, every bite. And now that they are offering a flourless, gluten free cake, I am over the moon!! Our go to place for special occasions, birthdays, anniversary or just a nice date night. read more

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Wow! What an incredible meal! I don't know what was my favorite because everything was sooo good! I had the Escargot and the Fried Oysters (wow!). The Gorgonzola Salad was to die for and the Scallops were cooked to perfection! I can't wait to go back! read more

Jack Fry's - Scallops w/pork belly - New American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Though we live in Louisville, we rarely dine out locally. Much of our time is spent abroad experiencing restaurants in other cities and cultures, which has ironically made us neglect some of the great institutions in our own town. For my wife's birthday, we returned to Jack Fry's--one of our favorites for nearly 40 years--to celebrate with close friends. The food was very good. The fried oysters were better than ever, the Manhattans were made exactly to spec, and the lamb chops were spot on. Unfortunately, the evening was overshadowed by the seating arrangement and service. The tables were placed so tightly together that the experience felt more like economy class on a crowded airplane than a comfortable dining room. Our server somewhat acknowledged us but the service felt largely perfunctory rather than welcoming. The real challenge came from the table behind us. One diner--who clearly needed more space than the restaurant had allotted--responded to the tight quarters with repeated commentary and chair bumping throughout the meal. The combination of cramped seating and increasingly self-absorbed behavior from that table created an awkward dynamic that ultimately overshadowed what should have been a relaxed birthday dinner. Jack Fry's remains a Louisville institution, and the food was excellent. But the crowded seating and indifferent service allowed what might otherwise have been a small issue to dominate what should have been a special evening. read more