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    The Old Talbott Tavern

    3.3 (672 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    The Old Talbott Tavern Photos

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    THE OLD TALBOTT TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Touristy
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Live music

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    Winter Apple Salad
    Michael H.

    Stopped for a wet and rainy lunch on my way out of town. This place was on my list so I was excited to be able to work it in. I had seen the soup and so had to try. The soup was delicious. Very hardy and filled. Excellent on a cold rainy day. The salad was very delicious also and I loved the house made dressing. I was greater upon entry. Due t the holiday season was asked what group I was with and then promptly seated in a front dining room with a great waitress. Very knowledgeable and super friendly. The place is an old historic working inn. Super neat and all the history was amazing. Definitely a place I want to return for non-work trip.

    David C.

    The oldest Bourbon bar in the country! Great food and drinks. They even have Burgoo soup, hot brown, and chess pie! Fantastic!

    Chess Pie
    Jennifer K.

    This place was such a good experience!! The Old Talbott Tavern is rich in history and offers a self guided tour. The service was excellent and our server was very friendly. The prices were very reasonable too. I highly recommend the cornbread!!! OMGoosh I could have eaten the whole basket! The Hot Brown was good although the Walnut crusted chicken that my friend ordered was way better. We ended the meal with bread pudding which was pretty good. Loved this place!

    Entrance to Tavern
    Denny K.

    I read a news/travel article about the "oldest restaurants" in each state and found that the Old Talbott Tavern was not a afar drive from our home. Historically speaking this place is a real gem that is well-maintained after all these years. (5 stars) Service was courteous and for the most part & prompt. (4 stars) But we had to wait for the check. Food - both at dinner and breakfast (albeit complementary with our room next door at the Talbott Inn) was somewhat of a disappointment. (Granted, there are a lot of delicious-sounding items on the menus....so a second or third visit would be warranted for a more complete review.) My "Hot Brown," (an open-faced sandwich of turkey breast and ham covered in Mornay sauce, baked or broiled (yes) and topped with a slice of tomato and two slices of very crispy bacon)...came swimming in a bowlful of the sauce. (see my photo) The underlying toast (or in some cases served with toast points) was nothing more than an indiscernible slab of soggy white bread. Flavor - meh. My partner's salmon was very good; sides fine. Breakfast - limited selections, but fair - was just average...Oh, but they ran out of coffee (45 minutes before closing service - so I got none to start the day. Uh-uh. Sadly, while the historic atmosphere and ambiance was absolutely wonderful, the food just didn't live up to our expectations this time.

    Cocktails and beer
    Joshua W.

    Joe was a great member of the staff and we enjoyed chatting with him as we enjoyed our drinks and the live music.

    Exterior
    Bob S.

    We stopped here for lunch on our way south and were glad we did. This historic 18th century building has been providing hospitality for many years and continues to do so today. We tried the traditional Hot Brown and a Rachel and both were top notch. Portions were more than generous and prices were reasonable. Service was good and parking is free outside on the street or in their small lot beside the building. Our only negative comment was the background music. They were playing 60's rock and it might have been appropriate for the customers who were mostly retired folks but it just didn't fit with the historical significance of the place but that was a minor annoyance. Over it's 5 stars in my book and highly recommended. Bardstown has a lot of other small, good restaurants but if you have to choose only one, this should be your choice IMHO.

    Entree and Burger Menu
    Tara J.

    The ambiance is absolutely gorgeous! We went Jan 1st to celebrate our first Anniversary and went for the "known" items as food choices. Had the Burgoo Stew, Kentucky Hot Brown & the Talbots Tavern Pie. The service was good and friendly. The stew was a tad spicy for me but tasted amazing. The Kentucky Hot Brown was ok but was my first one so not sure what to compare to. The pie was 20/20 amazing! The cocktail we had was Southern Tea and was amazing also!

    Lunch menu
    Ray R.

    Best small town feeling and so welcoming. They make you feel like your family and take good care of you. A must stop when in area

    Menu side 1 -- July 2024
    Sarah W.

    There were 15 of us seated for a 5 PM Thursday dinner reservation. Reservations were made a month in advance and were able to be made via the Open Table system or calling the venue directly. The restaurant has a terrific website, which was helpful for several of us to review prior to our visit to preplan and accommodate dietary restrictions. Our party ended up being seated at 3 separate tables due to restaurant staff deciding we might not want to be seated together. We were pressed for time, so we decided to let this go; however, it was disappointing that our reservation request was not honored. Our waitress was polite and kind, but she seemed a bit overwhelmed by the size of our group, which ended up being 2 tables of 4 and 1 table of 7. The restaurant has a very high noise level, so it is difficult to have conversation in a typical range without feeling like it is yelling. I ordered a bottle of wine for the table, which finally arrived almost 1/2 an hour later. I ordered a hot brown for my main course, which was okay. It had 1 slice of bacon, which we all commented was skimpy. We're used to having an original hot brown at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, so this would be considered a nice attempt and average. I ordered a piece of chess pie for dessert, which was also very skimpy and for a steep price of $5.99 for some butter, sugar, and eggs. Our visit here was painfully slow at times and stretched over 2 to 2-1/2 hours, so I would recommend getting here early and using your patience if you need to be somewhere after dinner. We had to rush to make it to our next tour stop and missed out on some activities as a result of the slow pace. Parking is a bit of a challenge, so we parked 1/2 a block away and walked over the rough sidewalks -- do NOT wear heels, as you will ruin them.

    Kentucky Hot Brown
    Jesse G.

    If you want a great Kentucky tradition. You will find descent representations of hot browns and thick club sandwich and all the bourbon you could ever hope for! This informally bar setting lends towards a comfortable experience with a friendly staff in the heart of bourbon alley. Plus the historical vibes are authentic.

    Bread pudding

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    Thanks for the review, Zachary! We hope you will join us again soon!

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    Thank you so much for the review, Ray! Hope to see you again soon!

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    Page 1 of 17

    Ask the Community - The Old Talbott Tavern

    Review Highlights - The Old Talbott Tavern

    We had read about this Tavern and Inn as being super old and both Jesse James and Daniel Boone stayed there.

    Mentioned in 40 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The owners were communicative and welcoming. The B&B was well appointed. We had a charcuterie board…read moreawaiting us when we arrived. It was decorated beautifully and we had plenty of privacy. We stayed in the Magnolia Room. Accessibility into the house and our room was seamless. The only downside is that it is on the main drag and there was so much traffic noise. It was too loud to enjoy sitting on the porch. The upside though is that it is walking distance to dining, shopping and taverns.

    We had a very nice stay at the Red Rose Inn, bed and breakfast, located within walking distance to…read morethe historic Bardstown downtown area. The Inn was built in the early 1800's featuring 4 bedrooms all with private baths ( 1 on the 1st floor and 3 on the 2nd floor), a sitting area and dining room on the main floor and a large deck out back. The deck had 3 separate umbrella tables and chairs! The bedrooms were very spacious. Bathroom was a little tight, though I appreciated more space in the bedroom. Charming antique decor throughout. Hosts, Susan and David were very friendly. Hot breakfast was at 9 in the dining room with all the guests together. Coffee was available at ~7am There is street parking in front and a small parking area behind the house through the alley. The alley was very tight! The street the house is on is a pretty busy road so you do hear the street noise at bedtime but slowed down after 10pm. I didn't find the king bed very comfortable, springs seemed a little worn. Bedding and towels were lovely very soft and fresh. The whole house was spotlessly clean! We highly recommend and would stay again +1 Service +1 Food~Taste/flavor/quality +1 Presentation +1 Atmosphere/vibe +1 Value

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    My wife and I spent a couple of nights in the Chapeze Suite at the Kentucky Bourbon House. When we…read morefirst arrived, we were charmed by the historic feel of the place and also pleased with the amenities. Nice bathroom and furnishings. The owners added hospitality by having a full coffee service, snacks, and some cereal for a light breakfast. The house is also right on the central circle in Bardstown, so walking to restaurants was very convenient. However, this house is right on the main thoroughfare in Bardstown, and less than 50 ft from the road. The constant traffic noise made it very difficult to sleep, as the bed is located right next to the window facing the street. On Saturday, the noise was constant until after 2:30 am and on Sunday the noise did not abate until after 12:30 am. Each morning the noise started again about 6 am. This was a constant barrage of loud mufflers, pickups and diesel trucks. There is also a traffic light out on the street so we heard these noisy vehicles accelerating from the light. If you have an issue with noise at night I recommend that you investigate other properties. This room, with taxes and fees, was over $200 per night and I don't feel we got that type of value

    We spent four nights in the Bourbon Cottage. Great location, great cottage. We were walking…read moredistance to restaurants and night life. The hosts provided a great list of things to do. The cottage was central to many distilleries and other places to visit. I highly recommend a stay at the cottage! (walk across the street and get a YumYum)

    The Veranda Bed and Breakfast - View of the front of the home. (Photo by Mark Smith)

    The Veranda Bed and Breakfast

    (3 reviews)

    The Veranda Bed and Breakfast is tucked in the middle of downtown Bardstown in a lovely…read moreneighborhood. The house itself looks little run down from the outside, but still appears clean and operational. Ann, the housekeeper/owner, has decorated the home with more trinkets from travels than I have ever seen in my life. If you stay here she will give you an elaborate tour describing every detail of nearly every piece of furniture and artwork in the house (so be prepared for a lengthy tour). She is incredibly friendly and kind, however quite talkative, so be prepared to be stealthy if you want to come and go without being caught in a lengthy conversation. The home is very historic and elegant, but not luxurious. The beds are old and somewhat uncomfortable. The bathrooms are ornate, but are equipped with old, lacy towels and large bottles of shampoo that I imagine have been there for ages. Both mornings that we were there, Ann prepared us hearty breakfasts including baked apples, pecan french toast with bourbon syrup and fried green tomatoes. If you're a person in need of wi-fi for business or pleasure you won't get any here and there isn't anywhere close to go and find it. Furthermore most of the outlets in the house are older and will not accommodate the power supply for your laptop. Simply put, be prepared to live essentially as a minimalist during your stay. A big perk to this bed and breakfast (or any of them in this area) is that it's located very close to the Bourbon Trail. We toured Maker's Mark and Heaven Hill distilleries, but I can talk about those later. While the home looks beautiful and the local area is gorgeous, the price per night here is far too high for what you get. We've stayed in better homes with more amenities for far cheaper. I've read the other Yelp user have reported this location as closed, but we stayed here earlier this week and can assure you it's open. Ann did mention that it may close during the winter because she does not heat the house.

    I believe this is the B & B my family and I stayed in about 18 years ago. The place was nice…read moreenough but rather cluttered. The main complaint I had about this place is how horribly haunted it is/was! I barely slept at night due to the bed shaking, the foot steps in the hallway and the general feelings of malevolence in the place. I will never stay here again!

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    Talbott Inn - Conveniences

    Talbott Inn

    (20 reviews)

    $$

    What went well? Everything. The service was great. The selection was varied. The cooked food was…read morewell presented, and reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend when you visit Bardstown.

    4.5 What a pleasant and enjoyable stay! We were completely…read moresurprised by the comfort and conveniences provided at the Talbott Inn. We had looked at the historic rooms at the nearby Tavern (our reason for visiting), but decided not to take our chance on stairs we'd have to negotiate to get to a room. However, the Inn has a very large and convenient elevator, so that's the place we chose. (Note: the elevator is very slow...but what's the rush?) The reception desk and area is small but adequate with odds and ends of tchotchkes for sale. Receptionist was very polite. Our room was spacious! And...I mean bigger than the photos represent and much larger than we imagined. Large comfy bed, plenty of soft and medium pillows, fridge, microwave, chairs to lounge, relax, or read. Complementary bottles of water, coffee and coffee maker. All nice touches. And thermostat was easy to adjust. Bathroom was fine, clean, well-stocked with one notable exception, which we find in nearly every hotel we stay in these days: No towel rods to hang wet towels or wash cloths. That is, except one hook high up on the back of the bathroom door. (Virtually out of reach for my wife. We find this an unreasonable inconvenience in all our travels....(so only a half point deduction here.) Windows provided beautiful views of the square and were seemingly well-insulated....so no terrible traffic noises to keep us awake during the night. (OK...A few trucks in the morning, but not too early.) All-in-all we give this lodging very high marks and our solid recommendation. Oh, and very reasonably priced to boot!

    The Old Talbott Tavern - bars - Updated May 2026

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