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Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar

3.5 (176 reviews)
ModerateAmerican
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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RAFFERTY'S RESTAURANT & BAR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar

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Kona Chicken with different sides
Lorraine F.

No problems at this diner-like restaurant. Diner because there's a lot to chose from on the menu. We both had the Kona chicken. Chicken was well prepared and it was tasty. You could pick your side and there's a good amount to pick from. Service was very friendly and attentive...very pleasant waiter. The coffee? They said it was a fresh pot but it wasn't hot. They serve he cream in a little dish that you would serve ranch on and it spills! And no spoon to stir. I'd definitely go back. Just no coffee!!!

Seating area at Raffertey's
Rob G.

Rafferty's is always a safe bet for a quality meal and enjoyable surroundings. The Lexington location is no different. The Bluegrass Sandwich is my go to- a grilled chicken sandwich fully dressed and fries. You cannot go wrong! They have a varied menu with sandwiches and steaks, their appetizers are all fantastic and they have dessert offerings to tempt you as well. There are daily drink specials and a wonderful bar area if you are looking for a place to relax with friends and enjoy the sports events on their multiple televisions. Seating can be scarce for games ( especially the Kentucky sports events) and peak times during the weekend. There is plenty of parking and as I mentioned before there is a great bar area to enjoy while waiting for a table. Whenever we are in the area we try to stop by Rafferty's!

Chef Salad with house dressing -Awesome
Drew G.

I have been eating at Rafferty's for 40 years and I always come back for their salads and club sandwich! The honey mustard and hot bacon dressings are unique and delicious! They also have good soups. It's a solid choice for families or just about anybody.

Chicken Finger Platter - Original
Bethany C.

You likely know what kind of food to expect at Rafferty's since it is a chain of pub fare. My favorites are the chicken tenders, BBQ burger, Sunshine chicken salad, and the croissants. A little pricier for a lunch option but the service and food quality are excellent. Today was busy since UK basketball was playing at the time we entered the restaurant, but we were seated quickly in a booth in the bar area. Service was excellent. A great place to watch the game. Two entrees, bowl of soup, two drafts beers = $56.

My Buffalo Chicken Finger Platter Hickory Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Man where do I begin... The joy this restaurant brings me and my family is indescribable. To be able to break bread and fellowship at such an establishment is an experience like no other. I deal with a difficult decision every time I step through the doors of Rafferty's. Do I get fall-off-the-bone hickory smoked baby back ribs? Do I get the tender, juicy, tossed buffalo chicken strips? The one thing I do know is there will be fresh-cut, perfectly seasoned, crispy french fries. I've spent the last 5 minutes reading disrespectful and undeserving reviews. I think to myself, was it the service? Was it the time spent? Was it the price? What could happen to have someone write such a hateful review. It boils down to one thing... Maybe they didn't order the right thing. I'm here typing, grinning ear to ear thinking about the delicious meal I just had. Me, my two brothers, and my father split two orders of hickory smoked baby back ribs and two tossed chicken tenders all with fries. It is quite literally the best meal you can get for around $20 a person. The next time you walk through the pearly gates of Rafferty's, do me and favor and don't look at the menu. Look your server in the eyes, and order the meal described above. I promise you will not regret it. Get a tall iced cold beer, a crispy coca-cola, or a delicious sweet tea. You cannot go wrong. I hope this makes your decision easier and god bless Mr. Rafferty. Best, Cade

Cheese fries
Phoebe M.

I visited for the first time since Covid on 5-20-24. I was worried that portion sizes and food quality would be different than pre-covid, but raffertys delivered! The cheese fries were perfect and very little had changed since the pandemic. Mostly just a small price bump and a bit smaller size, but still more than enough for the table. Quality was superb! I also got the buffalo chicken tenders and these are not chicken nuggets - these are real p pieces of breast. I am not someone who usually orders chicken tenders. I'm a sushi, steak, adventurous eater and I was just looking for a smaller dish since I planned on filling up on cheese fries. But I will be ordering the tenders again as well. Honestly, it's the perfect pairing.

Salmon on a  Caesar Salad
courtlin l.

I havent been here in awhile but my food was phenomenal. Honestly it was the best salmon I've had in a while. I came in not expecting much honestly but it was perfectly cooked, really well seasoned and flavorful and had this lovely crisp on the edges. The salad was drowned in sauce and not the freshest but I also got a side of broccoli that was really good! The place looks as how I remember it pretty standard it's not bad. There are a lot of bees around the front entrance but what can you do. Wouldn't want to choose patio seating for that reason though. Our service was fine.

Fried Chicken Finger Platter - Originalchicken
Tom P.

Bar food decent selection great service and they had Guinness... So when in Rome and I was in Louisville so fried chicken it was and well it was plentiful and hot " temp" not seasoning which there was not much if any so I ask for some Cajun on the side and now we were talking the fries were fries and like I said they had fast service decent food and the had Guinness

Chicken finger platter know as hot fingers with homemade blue cheese!
Jeremy M.

Delicious food and great service! We love their hot fingers platter with French fries and the house salad! We highly recommend a side of honey mustard to dip the fries in and blue cheese to dip the hot fingers! Their blue cheese is the best we've ever had! The house salad comes with a croissant drizzled with honey butter! The only negative is that the restaurant unfortunately uses peanut oil to deep fry everything in so we always have to bring a separate meal in with us for a peanut allergy.

Potato Soup and Salad

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9 months ago

I was charged 22 bucks for 4 grilled chicken strips and a side salad. Wtf...............

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1 year ago

One of the best filets in Lexington. The service is excellent and the bar service is really nice.

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1 year ago

No issues. Picked up the best open faced roast beef in town a day ago! Absolutely delicious!

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1 year ago

Great service. Good pub grub. I had a very good burger. My wife enjoyed her salad. Nice sports atmosphere.

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11 months ago

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2 years ago

We love to eat here when we're visiting family in Lexington. The food is good & the drinks are delicious...& strong!

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Terrible food and service , it was totally waste of time and money , food was very bland and waitress had a attitude. Won't be going back

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Great service and their food is always good. I normally get the potato soup and the house salad with two of their honey butter rolls.

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Big Kahuna - Mahi Mahi Plate

Big Kahuna

4.7(386 reviews)
3.1 mi
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I ordered food from here using their website and I will say that even after some hiccups due to…read moreDoorDash which meant the food arrived cold, it was still good and that really speaks volumes for this place. I'm from the west coast and I've had my fair share of Hawaiian food and I can only imagine how good it would've been it the driver and delivery service would have done their jobs correctly. When I'm back in town I can't wait to come in and give this place another shot.

I had never had spam and have never been to Hawaii, so Big Kahuna was a fun option to try for…read moretakeout. I got the spam and eggs. Spam was a little salty (duh, that's to be expected) but well fried. The fried sunny side up egg was amazeballs too, so rich and runny. Fries were hot and crispy as well, but honestly the spam and eggs (which also came with sticky rice and macaroni salad) was so filling that I barely touched the fries. This delicious smorgasbord was only 9 dollars! My colleague had the juicer, which is mahi mahi with cabbage slaw and spicy mayo. He also got the Hawaiian style fries. Topped with spicy mayo, sweet soy, house chili sauce, green onion, and sesame seed, this is an extravagant dish! He enjoyed it. My other colleague got spam musubi is spam and sweet soy on sticky rice, wrapped in seaweed. He says it's his favorite dish from there. Other dishes include kalua pork (Hawaiian bbq sauce), teriyaki chicken, grilled tofu, coconut shrimp, and katsu, which is panko fried pork with their house sauces. For a meal out of the ordinary, give Big Kahuna a try. They say they have the "second best fish sandwich in town!" (Charlie's claims the first spot).

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4.3(176 reviews)
6.4 mi
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Man, this place is ... well, it's just good. It is a longtime Lexington staple located in an old…read moreneighborhood in a run down strip mall on a two-lane road just out of downtown Lexington. This is a Comfort Food Place with friendly people and large portions of really good food at great prices. Cheap drinks. Horse Racing on the TVs, as well as other sports and such. My wife and I went last month on a whim as we were in the area (it's a bit of a drive for us) and ran into 4 people we knew on a Thursday night. It's a small dive of a place, so that was 10% of the crowd. I've been several times for lunch but this was my first dinner. They have a standard menu with a good bit of variety and a lot of great desserts. But, they also have daily specials. For my lunch visits, there are usually 5-8 options and when they're gone, that's it. For dinner... I swear there were 25 options handwritten on the damn chalkboard. It was insane. What do I get!? I got the frog legs. My wife got the standard menu cheeseburger. Both as delicious as the fish platter, the open faced roast beef, and every other thing I've gotten here. Home Cooking my friend, and I mean food you want to eat. This ain't no health club, this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin' around. It isn't fancy, it isn't pretty, it's old. And, I'd go there 3 nights a week if it was within a 10-minute drive.

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Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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