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The Howser Tavern

3.7 (12 reviews)
Closed • 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

The Howser Tavern Photos

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THE HOWSER TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

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The Secret Handshake with Castle & Key gin, Cambord and lemon topped with an orchid.
Marie P.

Great location in the heart of downtown Frankfort, KY. Howser's Tavern is friendly with a great vibe, decor, friendly staff and delish crafted drinks. The charcuterie boards are the perfect snack to accompany a cocktail. If you stay in the St Clair bnb or have a little extra cash, you can get into their super secret Speakeasy lounge.

Great Pinot.  And cool money tree.
Rick S.

This is an excellent place in Frankfort. It's near the Old Capitol on Saint Clair Street. Megan was great behind the and awesome. The drinks and food were wonderful. It was just good. Like a real good. Great hotel and great bar.

Leigh H.

In town for the weekend for Bourbon on the Banks. I love this Tavern. All of the staff are courteous and kind. The cocktails and small plates are amazing. 10/10 recommend.

Relaxing atmosphere and great food. Sandwiches, pizza and cheese boards. Friendly, welcoming service.

American  Charcuterie board

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8 months ago

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4 months ago

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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8 months ago

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1 year ago

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11 months ago

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7 months ago

Had pizza and pretzel. Horrible! Pizza tasted like a very bad frozen pizza. Pretzel had an odd taste as well. Just a bar type of place.

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10 months ago

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5 months ago

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2 years ago

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Watch Hill Proper - Main bar

Watch Hill Proper

4.4(94 reviews)
38.5 mi
Locally owned & operated
Luxury

If you have folks visiting from out of state, Watch Hill Proper is a must-see to show off Kentucky…read morebourbons! They have a catalog of over 2,000 unique bourbons from which you may choose and watch the bartender climb the old library style ladder to retrieve it! I'm sure there are many pictures of this online and I apologize for not adding to the multitudes because it really is impressive! I was with a large party and neglected to take pictures because I had such a great time! The food and drinks really deserve to be seen; I apologize for missing that opportunity to show them off. We had out-of-town family visiting and they really enjoyed the experience. The service was exceptional and the food even better. Our experience was all around wonderful and we will be back! The pricing there is on par with the finest restaurants in town and is well worth it. If you're on a tight budget, get a seat at the bar for one drink just for the large catalog of bourbons to browse and the overall bourbon club atmosphere and experience.

Top notch spot for an upscale dinner with friends or a special someone. At dinner last night we got…read moreto try the new menu and seasonal drinks and had a delightful time! Highly recommend - the chicken schnitzel (split), steak tartare, beet salad, and the fried brussels sprouts. Service was terrific, attentive and ready to go the extra mile to make sure you've had a high quality experience to match the food and ambiance. Finally, if you're into it, you cannot go wrong with their house old fashioned. That said, the seasonal Huber's Apple Crusta was a treat yesterday. I ordered one first and the rim tasted like a salty, caramel-ly, sugary slice of apple pie. Not too sweet, just enough. My dinner date ended up ordering another in lieu of dessert.

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Watch Hill Proper - Main room

Main room

Watch Hill Proper - Main bar

Main bar

Watch Hill Proper - Entrance to Main room

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Entrance to Main room

Black Rabbit - Boulevardier

Black Rabbit

4.0(102 reviews)
41.9 mi

Black Rabbit has a really cool atmosphere. We visited on a Thursday evening for live jazz,…read morecocktails, and appetizers, and the vibe made for a great night out. The lounge seating setup was a little unconventional, but the staff quickly accommodated us when I mentioned a concern, which I really appreciated. The service was outstanding. I wish I could remember our server's name because he truly made the experience. He handled the entire lounge area by himself and never missed a beat -- personable, knowledgeable, attentive, and incredibly efficient. We ordered a few cocktails along with the hush puppies, Cajun calamari, and Brussels sprouts. The drinks were fantastic, and while the appetizers were good, they weren't quite memorable enough for us to reorder next time. That said, we're definitely planning to come back and explore more of the menu. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend checking out Black Rabbit for yourself. It's a great spot for either a romantic date night or a fun evening out with friends.

Our dining group of 10 met here for our monthly dinner and it was a very interesting property. I…read moreplugged in the address in my GPS app and the name of another business popped up. Since this restaurant has a speakeasy vibe, I thought it might be part of the schtick. However, I'm not sure how long the business has been open, so maybe the GPS was accurate. Our dinner host who made the reservation had told our group the "password" in order to be taken to our private dining room. When I arrived and approached the hostess stand, she took me via a convoluted route to the rest of the diners, no password required. I guess I was lucky because other diners in our group said they had to provide the password. We arrived during happy hour and it was also martini night, so several items from the appetizer menu (wings, spinach dip, tempura shrimp) and cocktail list were available for reduced price. I ordered tempura shrimp (5 pieces) and a glass of Malbec. The shrimp were bland and were served with a sweet chili sauce that was cloyingly sweet with absolutely no heat. I ended up ordering a bourbon roasted pear salad as my main. It was a better choice with buttery lettuce, chunks of firm pear, crunchy walnuts, and pickled red onions. One of my fellow diners had to wait for her first course appetizer to arrive well after the rest of us had finished ours, as it was either overlooked by waitstaff or the kitchen. Service was slow at times, although the place appeared at not even 1/2 capacity when we arrived and possibly 2/3 when we left 2 hours later. Another diner ordered pizza and said that the toppings were good, but commented that the texture of the crust (underdone) made it unpalatable. Finally, another person in our group had to send her food back to be heated. She indicated the plate was warm, but the food (pot roast Manhattan) was not. Final bill was just under $50 (happy hour shrimp $10, wine $11, salad $18, and an automatic 20% gratuity had been added). Upon reflection, I would perhaps return here for a cocktail to enjoy the lounge and live jazz when that is offered. I would be very hard pressed though to order any food, as there are many more valuable and appealing options nearby at this price point.

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Black Rabbit - Private dining room

Private dining room

Black Rabbit - Dreamsicle, made with Jackson Morgan Orange Bourbon Cream and vodka and ice cream.

Dreamsicle, made with Jackson Morgan Orange Bourbon Cream and vodka and ice cream.

Black Rabbit - Lounge area and bar at entrance

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Lounge area and bar at entrance

Bourbon On Rye - Chicken Gouda Sliders

Bourbon On Rye

4.4(142 reviews)
23.2 mi
•$$

If you're in Lexington and you don't stop here, you're doing Kentucky wrong. I walked in expecting…read morea solid pour, but I walked out feeling like I'd just left a family reunion--the kind where everyone actually likes each other. The selection is top-tier (easily one of the best I've seen in the Bluegrass State), but the hospitality is what sets this place apart. We ended up chatting with the owner, and he treated us like old friends who had been coming there for twenty years. It's rare to find a spot that has both a world-class whiskey list and zero pretension. It's the perfect atmosphere--historic building, great energy, and people who truly know their bourbon. Pro Tip: Pull up a stool, ask for a recommendation, and be prepared to stay a while. You're among friends here.

I recently went to Bourbon on Rye while visiting Lexington and I was amazed. I got the bourbon…read morebarbecue Gouda chicken sliders and the barbecue sauce was amazing. The chicken was fresh and the fries were really good as well. They also have a really nice cocktail list and they make all of their syrups and shrubs in house which I think is awesome. It sets them apart from other bars in the area. I got the union cocktail and it was the perfect mix of bitter and sweet. My friend had the bourbon sour and it was really good as well. Will definitely be back here next time I'm in Lex.

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Bourbon On Rye - Inside view with the bar

Inside view with the bar

Bourbon On Rye - Meatballs

Meatballs

Bourbon On Rye - Draft Beer menu

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Draft Beer menu

The Grand Reserve - The Grand Reserve Bar

The Grand Reserve

4.1(12 reviews)
22.4 mi

Huge love to this venue. We held our KHAKY (Kidney Health Alliance of Kentucky) Trees of Life Gala…read morefundraiser here on the same night as a popular hip hop artist in the same building so add nasty rain to that traffic and that was the worst part about the night! We entered by the Speakeasy parking side and had no problem finding parking for our event. From the moment you walk in this place has so much charm and potential for whatever event is being held there! The bar display was beautiful ! A real class piece. We took some pictures as we entered the speakeasy entryway with nice lighting. The main room was so spacious and wide. We had room for a stage/band and about 45 tables of various sizes for seating, trees, wreathes, silent auction items and more! There was veggie and cracker tray out for a snack before the buffet opened. The restrooms were absolutely beautiful as well, clean and stocked through the event. The place is classically decorated to suit any occasion. I wouldlove to attend more events there!

Attend an event here for New Years Eve. We had an absolute blast. The ambiance and experience was…read moregreat. They had entertainment available with fire breathers and trapezes. There was plenty of room and the music was great. The bar area was pretty crowded and it took a minute to get a drink. Overall it was a blast and I'd recommend attending this event.

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The Grand Reserve - The Grand Reserve Bar

The Grand Reserve Bar

The Grand Reserve - Crafted Cocktails

Crafted Cocktails

The Grand Reserve - Creativity is our specialty!

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Creativity is our specialty!

The Howser Tavern - speakeasies - Updated May 2026

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