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    The Old Talbott Tavern

    3.3 (674 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?
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Touristy
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - The Old Talbott Tavern

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    Kentucky burgoo
    Liz J.

    Husband found The Old Talbott Tavern when he was planning on our trip. He likes to try popular restaurants in the area we are passing through as we travel. This restaurant says established in 1779- wow! When you walk in, you are initially greeted with warm southern hospitality. There's a gift shop as you enter and you will find really cool stuff to look at. We were greeted by our sweet server who answered a lot of our questions to get a feel of the long history of this place. The structure was well preserved with some upgrades due to a fire years ago. Wonderful place! Our order- Kentucky burgoo and Kentucky brown. The server had me try the soup first which was so sweet of her. Husband ended up having the burgoo and we shared the Kentucky brown. The soup was very rich in flavor and I enjoyed a few spoons with crackers- very good! The Kentucky brown is a must-have dish from this place. The serving is good for two people. It is very savory and so comforting especially if you come hungry. We love the foods, hospitality, and the ambiance of this restaurant. If I remember it right, our server's name is Christine and she was originally from California and we had a sweet conversation. What a sweet lady!

    Ryan B.

    Came here on a Monday at 4:30pm. Not crazy busy. We ate in the one dining room but they do have a bar area with its own entrance too. It was great to visit here with all its history. I had an old fashioned to celebrate my last day as a 49 year old. The food was good. We walked about .3 miles to eat here so I think the have street parking and possibly a lot as well.

    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.

    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!

    David C.

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

    Salmon with dill sauce, baked potato and zucchini-squash.
    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.

    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.

    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.

    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

    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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    2 years ago

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    Thanks for the review, Karen! Hope to see you again soon!

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    1 year ago

    The food wzs amazing. My husbsnd ordee the barbeque burger. I had the burgoue. It had a little kick and was quite tasty.

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    1 year ago

    $24 for a buffalo trace old fashioned. I'll leave that and the 1 star review right here.

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    Thanks for the review, Sandy! Hope to see you again for dinner!

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    Page 2 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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    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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    Talbott Inn - Conveniences

    Talbott Inn

    3.5(22 reviews)
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    Stayed here for one night's lodging after attending an event in the area. The room was fantastic…read morewith comfortable accommodations and I slept well after an initial adjustment period to the street noise below my window. I was in the upstairs corner Lincoln Suite and the stone walls are thick and several layers of draperies contribute to the quietude. Although the building is old, many modernized remodels have been completed. However, do not expect an up-to-date type space. For example, there is a slight step up into the bathroom. The door to the room also rattled whenever someone else closed a door elsewhere .... Or maybe that was Lincoln's ghost? I was too tired to fret about it and slept well. Would recommend staying here at least once for a unique experience. Breakfast was included in the room rate. Menu is in the room to contemplate ahead of time. Went down to the dining area prior to my check out and had a nice dining experience. Ordered the Traditional Breakfast option and it was well prepared and satisfying, so overall also a great value. There is also a Keurig coffeemaker in the room. Staff are all very welcoming and proficient. Parking was free next to the property.

    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!

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    Talbott Inn - Sitting area near elevator on second floor.

    Sitting area near elevator on second floor.

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    Talbott Inn - View of entrance door to our room.

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    View of entrance door to our room.

    The Old Talbott Tavern - bars - Updated May 2026

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