So good! So good! The hot fried chicken with hot honey sauce was just fantastic! Every bit was flavorful and left me wanting more. The Mac and cheese was also delicious! I'd skip the slaw next time, not bad, but would try something else. The warm cookie to finish the night was epic! Baked fresh and did not disappoint. The only downside was when I realized I left my hat there the next morning Dinner was served very quickly! The waitress was friendly and attentive (I forget her name). read more

Merle's is one of those restaurants where I didn't expect much from it, but nevertheless, it exceeded my expectations. It's way better than it needs to be! It could just be mediocre pub food, but the food here is very, very good. I don't know why, but when I'm in the south, I get the hankering for a deviled egg. So we started with the deviled eggs (Los Huevos El Diablo), which, despite the name, were not super spicy. They had just the right amount of spice. One thing to know about me is: If I see a patty melt on the menu, I will order that. So I got the Merle's Melt, which is a burger patty with cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, plus bacon and special sauce on buttered toast. It was sublimely tasty! It comes with house-made chips, which were good. They also offer tacos on the menu. One of my children got one steak taco and one chicken taco. The tacos are topped with tomato, lettuce and cojita cheese. I was told that these were very good! My kid eats like a bird, but ate one and a half tacos, so that must say something, right? The Lip Smack'n Mac & Cheese was also ordered, as well as the fried chicken, because the menu says that the fried chicken is award-winning, so how could we not? The fried chicken was super crispy and tasty, and the mac and cheese was creamy and made with large shells, which is the best kind of pasta to use for mac and cheese (in my opinion). The service was great, the lighting was great, and we were seated quickly, even though they seemed busy. It was a good place to have a family dinner in Louisville. read more

If I could give six stars, I absolutely would. Merle's Whiskey Kitchen is one of the best dining experiences I've had in Louisville. The service was incredible from start to finish--friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. The staff really know their menu and make great recommendations, especially when it comes to their massive bourbon selection. There are pictures of the original bourbon Gods all around making for an educational ambiance. Speaking of bourbon, this place is a dream if you're a fan. They have over 100 bourbons to choose from, making it the perfect spot to sample some of Kentucky's best while you eat. And the food...wow. Some of the most delicious comfort food you'll find anywhere. The authentic Kentucky fried chicken is a must-order--crispy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Every dish we tried felt like elevated Southern comfort food done right. Between the amazing service, incredible food, and unbeatable bourbon selection, Merle's is a must-visit when you're in Louisville. Easily a six-star experience. read more

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Stopped in for a drink and turned out to have a nice time looking around talking with people what a wonderful place friendly and lovely they have live music good experience read more

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Big fan of Merle's. We actually went prior to dinner reservations because we wanted a quick snack and some drinks - the queso completely hit the spot. Plus, they had an extensive cocktail menu - to include some super fun jello shots! Our server was fantastic - funny, kept up with our antics, and took excellent care of us. read more

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Late night, live music and good eats! Dip anything in the cheese that the soft pretzels came with. Soooooooo good! read more

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Great downtown vibe. Went on a Saturday night and there was a great crowd -- high energy. Live music started at 8 and added to the fun Saturday night atmosphere. Really cool interior with rustic brick, exposed ductwork, and bourbon barrels. The food was very good -- reasonably priced for a trendy downtown establishment. Minus one star because the service was reeeeally slow, and my adult beverage was quite weak. Still, worth going at least on a Friday or Saturday night for a date night or evening out with a group. read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Bourbon barrels and funky fixtures - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I Came for the Bourbon, Stayed for the Tacos, Got Emotionally Confused by a Cherry So there I was, just an innocent pilgrim wandering down Bourbon Row in downtown Louisville, seeking nothing but strong whiskey and questionable life decisions--when I walked into this joint. A whiskey pub and grub situation nestled inside an old brick building that looks like it once hosted saloon shootouts and Civil War banjo battles. The whole place gives off serious "I'm a gunslinger but also into farm-to-table" vibes. The moment I sat down, I felt seen. The service? Spot-on. Like, eerie good. My server had that blue-eyed, personable, northern-rustic-southern-belle thing going on--like Laura Ingalls Wilder moved to Asheville, opened a whiskey bar, and started dating a bearded man who owns an axe. She somehow knew what I wanted before I said anything. "Just water?" she asked. "No," I said, "I want a bourbon that makes me feel like I could wrestle a bear emotionally." So she brings me a Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned, and I'm ready to ascend. And then I see it. A Sunday cherry. Not a maraschino. Not a Luxardo. Not a cherry that's ever seen the inside of a bourbon barrel. No. This was the bright red kind you find buried under Cool Whip at your cousin's second wedding. I swear the thing winked at me and whispered, "You're just a little guy, aren't ya?" Like... did they recognize me from my Tiny Tots T-ball League photo? Is there a database of "men who look like they peaked emotionally in Little League"? Which brings me to the tacos, because let's be real: I blacked out and ordered five. It was a tequila-adjacent decision even though I wasn't drinking tequila. * Fried Chicken Taco: tasted like Kentucky sang this taco a lullaby before serving it. * Wild Mushroom: like licking the face of a wise forest elf. * Kentucky Fried Avocado: a fried green miracle that made me briefly forget my social security number. * Fish Taco: possibly caught by Poseidon himself in a side hustle. * Green Chile Verde: spicy enough to make you rethink your relationship with dairy. I also got a kale salad to balance the chaos, which worked for about 8 minutes until the bourbon said, "No more vegetables, this is my show now." Now here's the best part: I'm sitting there, probably chewing too loud, when a guy taps my shoulder and says, "Excuse me, are you a Buster Posey fan?" I turn. The man claims to be Buster Posey's neighbor. From Leesburg, Georgia. We fist-bumped over the San Francisco Giants like we were at a Little League reunion that served bourbon. This place. This place, man. Crowd gets rowdy on Fridays, so show up before 6pm unless you enjoy standing shoulder to shoulder with sweaty bourbon pilgrims reenacting the Oregon Trail in search of tacos. Final verdict: 10/10 would get emotionally confused by another Old Fashioned here. Would share tacos with strangers. Would trust my kale salad to hold my secrets. Come thirsty. Come hungry. Leave with a new best friend and maybe a legally binding friendship contract with someone from Leesburg. read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Kale Salad (5/5) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Historic touristy spot in Whiskey Row. Awesome atmosphere and service. We stopped in for a cocktail after a busy day of bourbon trailing. I got the Devil's Advocate and it was the perfect summery cocktail on a hot day. It's Angel's Envy, muddled blackberries and lime, simple syrup, topped with Sprite. We only wanted a cocktail, and our server may have asked too many times if we wanted an appetizer, but she was super sweet. It wasn't busy at the time, so we didn't feel bad using a table to have a quick drink. The drinks came out quickly with nice presentation. My husband's old fashioned could have been even better with a nicer Luxardo cherry, but it was still delicious. Don't hesitate to stop in, and the food did look pretty tasty! read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Devil's Advocate - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Stopped into Merle's Whiskey Kitchen before the Louisville basketball game and had a great experience! They have fast service and an amazing menu. I tried the deviled eggs which had a nice amount of spice. Awesome space too with great music! read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - House margarita, deviled eggs - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Got to try this place while in vacation in Louisville. Loved the vibe and food was delicious. I got their fried chicken and it was so good. The drinks and atmosphere were great too. If you're visiting from out of town like me, this is definitely a spot. You should check out. read more

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Horrible from start to finish. Surprised they're even in business and can't imagine anyone having a good experience. Came with a group of 5. Our waitress was awful. My cup was dirty with lipstick on it - I asked for a new glass, no apology (?) and then... she didn't come back with a new one right away! So I didn't have water for a while... Ordered 2 tacos and a side of mac and cheese. May have been the worst mac and cheese I've ever had - runny and tasteless. Even my whole table wouldn't eat it. Tacos were room temp/cold. I ate them because we were short on time but I wondered if they had been sitting out or what, but clearly not fresh. Overall food was horrible, service was worse, and I wouldn't recommend a thing. read more

I'm always looking for a great place that serves southern food and when you live in the South you expect to find some top notch southern food. Tonight, I visited Merle's Whiskey Kitchen which is right in the heart of Downtown Louisville. This establishment is known for their rather large selection of bourbon whiskey as you'll find every type of bourbon whiskey featured from Kentucky and also other various bourbon whiskey to choose from. On this trip however, I decided to it try the whiskey but instead make having dinner my priority. What surprised me is that the menu here gets right to the point and isn't pages and pages of food but instead a very appropriate selection of food to choose from. With chicken to tacos and more, I firmly believe you won't have a problem finding something that will tickle your taste buds and satisfy your hunger. Being as I'm a big fan of chicken and waffles, that was my main course on this trip. The chicken and waffles are some very well each with three separate decently sized Belgian waffles each topped with its own chicken tender with some bourbon maple syrup on the side. The chicken tenders were very juicy and tender and the waffles along with the syrup I poured on them as well as the chicken was so very good. For the sides I tried their shareable Mac and cheese which is definitely a shareable portion for two (and since my wife was with me we got quite a lot out of it). The Mac and cheese was very creamy and quite good. We also tried their pretzels and queso and I have to say that I've never had queso quite like this. It almost had a sort of a hummus texture if you were to keep mixing the queso. It's absolutely delicious and I could've ate just it straight from the bowl. The atmosphere here is very welcoming and that of a very medium tone when it comes to the lighting which is very pleasing to the eyes and not too bright at all. It makes whatever you're enjoying from a cocktail to some food a very pleasurable experience plus, the staff are all very knowledgeable and very friendly when it comes to answering any questions you may have. I absolutely recommend checking out Merle's Whiskey Kitchen if you're ever in the Louisville area as I know it's certainly a place I will be frequenting again and again. read more

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Merle's Whiskey Kitchen is the real deal! The wings were absolutely amazing -- flavorful, juicy, and cooked perfectly. Pair that with their impressive whiskey selection, and it's a winner. The whiskey tasting was a great experience, and I loved everything about it. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and just an all-around spot you'll want to come back to. If you're in Louisville and love good food and great whiskey, this is the place. read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Food was tasty, service was fast and accommodating. Hard to have a conversation but cool interior. read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Merle's Melt with regular seasoned fries - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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My husband and I were visiting Louisville for the day and needed to stop somewhere for lunch. When looking for places this, Merle's Whiskey Kitchen looked liked a great place to stop! I had ordered the El Jefe Nachos and man was it delicious! The cheese was sooo good! We sat at the bar and the service was great! Definitely a good ole country bar/restaurant! read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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This is a nice spot if you're looking to really hit the boo's hard and watch some sports. Lots of different whiskey and bourbon options as well as lots of beer options and lots of televisions. Someone who doesn't drink I enjoyed a couple different flavors of Red Bull in the food I had there cowboy style Cobb salad which is very good it was served with steak and I also sampled their bacon appetizer which I don't think anybody at our table liked but that's okay. It has a very untraditional atmosphere and theme from the servers and bartenders and that's part of the experience I would definitely check this place out again if I'm in town for a convention and want to go somewhere where there's a lot of sports nice staff and a lot of beverage choices. One of my coworkers had their 25-hour cooking slow deep fried chicken and said it was amazing. read more

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The chips and queso were decent, not too salty and the cheese had a good flavor. And even thought the server hyped up the candied bourbon maple bacon (thick cut smoked bacon our famous old forester bourbon maple glaze served on the side) to the point where my date just had to get it to try it, I did not care for it. The bacon was thick cut but the glaze made it limp and soggy and so the fatty parts were kind of gross to me. My date seemed to like it though? So maybe it was just me. My southern fried chicken sandwich (southern fried chicken tenders, homemade "bama" sauce on a brioche bun, topped with house made slaw and pickles) was good, but I, again, was being a picky jerk and did not like the bama sauce, so I asked for a cup of bourbon BBQ and that really elevated the sandwich. The chicken was thick and juicy with a nice coating and the bun was nice and soft. Fries were OK, I should have gotten the parmesan version again because those were way better. All in all, what a difference 10 years make! read more

DO NOT GO EVEN IF IT IS YOUR ONLY OPTION. I'd rather eat gas station snacks than ever have a meal here again. Whole place smells like vomit. Food was absolutely gross. We got their acclaimed bacon and it was freezing cold and the pieces were all stuck together. I think they made a batch at 10am and then just served it all day. Undrinkable cocktails as well. We paid our bill and left full drinks and plates on the table. I'd give 0 stars if possible read more

Overall - this was a great spot with good food! Ambiance was great. Very chill place with Kentucky bourbon-vibe. We got lucky and were seated immediately even on a busy Saturday night. Service was great. Our server was pretty busy running around but she checked in with us frequent enough that we didn't feel like we had to flag her down. Food was good! The classic burger wasn't anything spectacular but still a solid burger. I was shocked how much I liked the Fried Avocado taco. It was delicious and I didn't feel like anything was missing. Had a nice little kick but not spicy. Loaded potato was great! It was pretty heavy on the cheese but I liked it. So glad our original destination was too busy because we never would have ended up here. read more

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We stopped for lunch at Merle's on our way to Nashville. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. Our server, Chloe was super friendly and knowledgeable. We ordered a bunch of tacos, the bacon!! Mac and cheese, fried chicken sandwich. Had the Buzzzzz (spicy Margarita), $20... but worth it! Spicy. Really spicy. Really good food, we got in quickly and the food came fast. Definitely stop by when in town. read more

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This was a very busy popular bar on Whiskey Row downtown. The service was prompt and friendly. I liked the whiskey barrels as decor and end tables next to stools. Bats don't always have enough space to set down your drink. The quarter fried chicken was disappointing. Overcooked, obviously. Blackened to the eye. The cornbread side was tasty though. And the signature bourbon old fashioned with Old Forester was good but not special. read more

Service was good, and no wait for a seat. We had the chips and queso--very good and a large portion. The Cobb salad was okay, and the blue Kentuckian was really good. Nice venue, cool decor, and a clean establishment. Def recommend. read more

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The quality used here is always of high quality. I have been there on several occasions and I have never had a negative experience.

Food was just average nothing special, Service was off hand, no personal words nothing. Place was smelly like sewer. Did not enjoy this at all. Lady singing was so loud it made my head hurt. Do not recommend at all. read more

We stopped in before attending a comedy show a few doors down. Walking in, we were greeted and told to sit wherever we liked in a section of bar tops. The live music was sensational, I felt at home with the mix of country and covers of songs like teenage dirt bag. We had a few beers, a cookie skillet that melted in our mouths, and the best wings I've had in months. Safe to say that the experience is one I'd like to repeat, often. Only down side was getting our check took a moment, but that's how it is when you're in bars like this. Nothing to frown upon. I loved the vibe and everyone was having a great time! read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Empty cookie skillet - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Delicious food, fast friendly service and free coozies! Taz was an awesome server. Hubby had the fish tacos and I had Pastor with elote. Everything was excellent. read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Elote with Pastor tacos. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Visited March 20, 2025 In town for a conference and decided to try Merle's for lunch. I was seated right away since I was dining alone, but it took a while before someone actually came to my table to take my order. After some convincing from the wait staff, I ended up ordering the BBQ pork taco and the Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich. The BBQ sauce on the taco was amazing and the pork was tender. However, there was too much slaw on my taco which took away the flavor. The chicken sandwich on the other hand I had no complaints. The chicken was seasoned to perfection and the pickles added extra flavor to tie everything together. Points were deducted because though the food came out fast it was all lukewarm. Especially since I saw the gentleman in front of me cooling off the steam from his food. read more

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I was in town for a convention and walked past this place every day when I left my hotel. I finally went in for lunch before I headed to the airport. I was by myself so I sat at the bar. I started with 3 tacos; Green chili pork, Al pastor and brisket all without cilantro. I think the green chili pork was their award winning taco but I liked the Al pastor the most. The green chili sauce seemed more like a sweet jam than a spicy sauce which I would have preferred. I was still a little hungry and you never know how the airlines are going to treat you, so I ordered 3 more. This round was the bourbon que, chorizo and pollo rojo and this time my favorite was the chorizo. It was a little on the greasy side but it was good. I would have been fine with 4 tacos. I was getting full during the 5th and I had to struggle to put back the last one. Al pastor was still my overall favorite. It wasn't my first time here. I don't think I'd make it a point to go back, but it's in a convenient location so it might happen. read more

Food was good, fairly good atmosphere. Tacos. Got a bite and moved on. Good if your in the area.

Tacos are yuuuuummmy! Ordered to go and they did not disappoint. Next time I'm in KY I'll be back.

This was probably one of the best meals I had in Louisville during my weeklong stay. Myrna was our server and she was fantastic! She was attentive, observant and very personable. I say she is observant because I received the wrong dish and she was at the table within a minute because she noticed. Anyway, for our meal we got a variety of drinks from margaritas (yum!) to mixed drinks to the vodka iced tea, everyone enjoyed their beverages. If I lived in Louisville I'd be a regular for their margaritas alone! For entrees some got tacos and raved about the green chili jam, I got chicken tenders with green beans and slaw, others got chicken with Mac and cheese. Everything was delicious. I was completely stuffed and satisfied when we left. The hot honey oil is amazing and I loved the green beans and slaw. Myrna made the evening so fun for us. We joked that they should open a small bar or have an event with "Myrna at Merle's". Give the girl a raise or at least a pat on the back. read more

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Such a great restaurant! We had the cornbread, pork tacos, deviled eggs, cookie skillet and old fashions! Service was great, food was amazing and such a fun atmosphere! I will definitely be back! read more

The plus side was the service was quick and the wings were really good. The minus side is my wife's tacos were cold and had WAY too much cilantro on them. The potatoes were nice and creamy but not enough gravy. The mac n cheese was baller though. On top of that, having to pay to park kinda sucks too. The place is nice and not too loud. The chicken tastes like it was fried and put aside and then refined to order. read more

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This place is excellent. I wasn't sure what to expect since it's definitely on the beaten path, but it really is so good! My friend and I were visiting from out of town and really wanted a place that had Mint Juleps and so we landed at Merle's. First, the mint juleps are excellent. Second, the skillet cornbread with honey butter is absolutely divine - it's enough to split between 2 people but you won't want to share. I ordered the Caesar salad with chicken and loved it! The atmosphere is also really neat as it's in some kind of historic downtown warehouse with original brick walls. read more

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Drinks were really good rhe sandwich and wings were really good but chop salad nah dont order nothing more to say ambiance is excellent super good service was great but i prefer not to be asked 10 tines in 10 mins how in doing lol read more

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The food was so good! The waitstaff were great. We came from out of town and they helped with us the drink menu and recommended things for us to do while in the area. read more

Merle's Whiskey Kitchen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Popped in just for drinks and snacks on a Friday evening. Obvs huge bourbon menu but I had a delicious vodka cocktail. We shared some brisket nachos and the churros. The nachos were good but man those churros are swoon worthy. Our waitress was great but I can't remember her name bc we'd been drinking bourbon all dang day! Loved the live music too. read more

Very disappointing, really wanted to love it. I don't know if I had a bad experience specifically because I came alone, or if it's really just not that good. Came in alone, and took a bit for me to be noticed. Maybe it's just me, but the place also smelled kinda off as well. Ordered their famous old fashioned, chips w/ queso as an appetizer, and a patty melt. All my food and drink was brought out at the same time like they were trying to get me out of there, even though the restaurant wasn't full. Absolutely terrible service. The old fashioned was good not excellent. Queso was okay, but I've made similar at home with Walmart cheese. Patty melt was good, but came with frozen fries. Wouldn't come back, should've gone to one of the other restaurants on whiskey row. read more

I see why this place wins best tacos in town every year. The carne asada ones are the bomb! I still haven't had their fried chicken but definitely a spot I'd like to hit up for live music and good grub read more