I wanted to love this restaurant. 3rd generation family owned operation that's been open since 1922 (104 years). The history of this place was amazing. I'm guessing every major race horse owner, trainer and rider have eaten in here at least a few times. Well, if this place were a museum of memories, it would have been 5 out of 5 stars. This is where the positive part of this experience ends. We came in to dine at 10am on Saturday 4/19/26. The restaurant was full. It took our server nearly 30 minutes to take our order. During that long wait, the busser did refresh our coffee multiple times. When the server finally made it to our table we gave her 3 breakfast orders (Superfecta - eggs, bacon & French toast). This was at 10:30. We waited another hour and 10 minutes before we received our food at 11:40. I can see these times on our check. During this time as least one table got up and walked out on their order as the wait was unacceptable. We had at least 3 more rounds of coffee during the wait. Wagner's did not have a Supervisor or Manager working the floor. The staff was so buried in the weeds they could not see straight. Without any sort of management help, tables kept pouring in, and the servers kept taking the orders, just compounding the problem. Our server was a nice old lady. I would love to give her a shoutout but here name was not listed on the check. Only the cashiers name, "Giggles" was listed. The issues of this day was not our servers fault. There was nothing she could do. The restaurant had two individuals cooking. This was the breakdown. They clearly were not up to the task to handle the volume the restaurant had. With no management presence on the floor, it was like watching the RMS Titanic slowly sink. At one point during the wait I got up and went shopping in Wagner's gift shop. I bought a Wagners' hat (before the wheels came off). I went to the cashier and "Giggles" asked if I wanted to leave a tip with the purchase. I responded, "a tip for buying a hat"? What a hustle. There were 3 or 4 cashiers working behind the stand. Not a good use of labor. Drop to 2 or 3 and hire a couple more cooks. When the food came, it was marginal at best. My coffee was stone cold at this point. They surely would have given me more, but at this point, I don't think I could have drinken my 5th or 6th cup. You don't operate a business for 104 years being this bad. They were truly as bad as it gets last Saturday. Nothing would get me to ever step foot in this restaurant again. That's unfortunate because I love supporting small owner/operators. read more

Few restaurants get a higher rating for ambience and character over quality of the food. But this happens to be one of them. First, the food is good. This is a traditional American breakfast place. The serving sizes are average. The wait staff was wonderful, and you totally feel like you're in Mel's Diner. It's a flashback to 1975. Enjoy. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Ham and cheese with egg - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Great place for a breakfast and lunch across the street from Churchill downs the restaurant has all nostalgia of the Kentucky Derby famous people who have been there the food is excellent as well it's a good little place for a fun experience they have a gift shop as well read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Local diner outside of Churchill. We went the morning of the KDF mini & full marathon race. Able to seat ourselves and greeted right away by friendly staff. Ordered and received drinks & food quickly. Cute gift shop in the back. read more

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I'd heard about Wagner's Pharmacy long before I ever moved to Louisville. Every Derby week, I'd tell my wife, "We really need to try that place!" But with its popularity -- and being clear across town -- it just never quite happened. Well, the stars finally aligned, and on a cold Friday morning in November, we made it happen. Simply put, it was everything we'd heard and more. The charm is pure old-school Louisville, and the only thing better than the atmosphere was the food itself. I went with my go-to -- biscuits and gravy with a side of sausage -- while everyone else ordered their favorites. The smell of breakfast hit the table just a second before the plates did, and the first bite proved to me exactly why Wagner's has been a local favorite for decades. Everything was delicious, hearty, and made with love. While my wife and friends browsed the gift shop for souvenirs, we all agreed -- we won't be waiting until Derby season to come back. Wagner's absolutely lived up to the legend. read more

We had the best visit here. The food and service are great, and we loved the vibe. After having a quick bite, we went to see the ponies, which was so fun. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Wagner's is over 100 years old and is part of Louisville. With its proximity to Churchill Downs and the fairgrounds, it welcomes several visitors. If you have a student at UL, Wagner's is close by university as well. This divey diner covers all areas of the walls with photos of winning horses and events at the track. Seat yourself at one of the several tables and during the better weather there's also a large patio. Breakfast and lunch all day. I got the superfecta breakfast platter with eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes and pancakes. The pancakes were so good! It's hard to find a good pancake in Louisville and these had a bit of sweetness in the batter. Solid coffee too. Other family members enjoyed the bratwurst sandwich, onion rings, burgers, fries and chocolate milk. We can't wait to return because there's so much more to enjoy. Service was friendly and family-like. We enjoyed talking to the staff and later browsing the gift shop. If you're visiting there's plenty of reasonably priced items to pick up as gifts. Come enjoy part of our city's history! read more

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The pace to be for breakfast during Derby week There's always a line waiting for a table. Put your name in and peruse the pharmacy store. We each had a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit that was pretty stuffed. There's plenty of parking in the back. Go and get in the Wagners action. 53 read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Bacon, egg and cheese biscuit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

After an early morning doctor's appointment for my wife who had to fast we needed to find a nearby place for breakfast. Fortunately we were able to go to Wagner's with an hour to spare before they quit serving breakfast. We found a table close to the front of the restaurant with a view of Churchill Downs and were greeted by a friendly server who brought us drinks and took our order. Wagner's is a diner throwback from the 50s and 60s. It's simple and filling breakfast foods and reasonable prices. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Eggs, biscuits and fried potatoes for breakfast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Dropped in here for lunch. The burgers arms fries are great. The breakfast menu looks good too and there is a nice gift shop. Hours are from 7am to 2:30pm. Old time drugstore with a lunch counter. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Burger fry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Pretty good place. Service was just a normal diner type style & same with the atmosphere. The place was packed around lunch time & they still seemed to keep everybody content. Nothing fancy but I think it's a place to check out being so close to Churchill downs & a pretty well known place in the area. My salad wasn't bad & the grilled chicken on it had good flavor. The dressings are the single package Ken's brand & I went with ranch & a little drizzle of Italian. read more

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A classic Louisville staple. They released a prototype sticky bun. I must say, they need to put it on the menu. Service is great as always. Still giving that old school diner atmosphere. You know what to expect good common folk food. Absolutely, fantastic. read more

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I am ashamed to confess, I've lived here 44 years (i.e., my entire life...not giving some deathbed confessional after settling down here after decades abroad or anything)...and I just visited this Louisville institution recently. This is a failure I will need to atone for with many future visits. Just a great place. Lot of history here, as the photos lining the walls will attest. Right across the street from Churchill Downs, many racing folk have made their way to this spot over the years for classic diner style breakfast and lunch. So, it's pretty cool to step into history when you visit here. Food is excellent diner fare. Strong breakfast lineup, quality burgers, hearty sandwiches (ribeye is tender, juicy, and just plain delicious), good daily specials (I'm partial to fried fish Fridays). The kind of place I wish there were more of out there. Service is friendly and efficient. If you're in town for some horse races, drop in. If you're in town for something else, do the same. And if you're like me and live here, get over there for some good grub, and repeat the process! read more

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Iconic! Loaded with Kentucky Derby/Churchill Downs history. Food was very good and the service even better.

This is a great stop for tourists! The diner charm and history of the building and location, along with the friendly servers is definitely worth a try. The food was good and there's a good selection of Kentucky staples such as the Kentucky Hot Brown, Kentucky Style Homemade Chili (with noodles), and fried bologna sandwiches, as well as Derby Pie. We had the hot brown and the chili and both were good. We arrived too late for breakfast so didn't get to try Pam & Jack's Omelette that was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay. Nice gift shop as well. read more

A very popular and well-known diner here in Louisville! They are mostly known for all of their Derby decor, lots of old photos from back in the day. They also sell derby items here so if you're looking for horse toys, derby cups, chocolate, etc you'll find it here! I'm definitely going to come back to buy some items. The eating area is on the other side of the room. Lots of tables. When you walk in, they'll seat you. Menus are on the table. It wasn't busy at 9am on a Friday but it got a bit busier as we sat. Still a good number of open tables though. I got the ham and eggs with potatoes and wheat bread, my sister got bacon and eggs with potatoes and rye, and my friend got a sandwich with sausage and cheese. He doesn't like eggs. Simple breakfast items. But I understand that some folks enjoy eating breakfast out. It's nice to have a simple breakfast that you can expect to taste decent. Food was good. I liked the ham. Very flavorful and not dry. Potatoes were almost too crispy. Not bad but I wanted a mix of crispy and less crispy. My sisters bacon looked almost too crisp, but she said they weren't too bad. Prices were good for what you're getting, especially now if you go to a popular spot it may be more expensive to get a meal like this. Service was fast and they were attentive to our table. Only a couple servers but they did a good job checking up. You pay at the back room where they sell all the derby stuff. Parking is easy. Tons of spots around the entire building. I'm sure it gets busy here on or around derby day since one side of the building looks out to the gates to the infield. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Bacon and Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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This place is amazing. The history the people the food. Truly a must visit. I wish they were open longer, but that just me.

I really don't like giving out 1 Star, but when service is this bad, I just have to. Visited Wagner's over Memorial Day Weekend because we all decided to go to the race tracks and this was supposed to be the place for breakfast/brunch beforehand. It started off so promising with the 6 of us including a baby was sat right away. And that is where it went down hill. We waited for about 10-15 min before our server came by to take our drink order. She returned with our drinks, we gave her our food order, then we didn't see her for over an hour!!! No FOOD, no Server, no one letting us know what was going on. We were very tempted to just get up and leave. When the food finally came out, no apologies for taking long, nothing. And unfortunately, the food wasn't good enough to offset the bad service. So I can say that I did visit Wagner's, but I seriously doubt that I'll ever return. read more

Finally had an opportunity to visit this local landmark, established in 1922. I've seen it highlighted every year at Derby time as being a well-loved and well-visited hot spot located near trackside with a well-documented history. We were easily able to be seated for a Friday lunchtime group of 8. The place was fairly busy and bustling with customer traffic. Menu consisted mainly of the good homemade diner standards that one would typically expect -- fried or cold bologna, chili, vegetable beef soup, Patty melts, tuna and chicken salad on toast, and hot brown. There are also several daily and weekly specials. I tried the cup of chili and half of a chicken salad sandwich, which came with a side of chips, all under $10. Great value, great quality, and great flavor. Our waitress and other waitstaff were extremely friendly and nice. Size of our party hindered a fast food timeline, but it's nice to slow down sometimes, so no complaints here. Walls were covered in every imaginable available spot to display news articles, horse shoes, bridles, and photographs. It was fun to wander around to look at all of the memorabilia and there is a gift shop area near the back parking lot entrance doors to grab souvenirs. This will be a fun place to visit again just to soak up more of the history and enjoy a homemade meal. read more

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What a delicious surprise! We stopped on our way to Churchill Downs. I have heard stories and watched clips of people eating here but I never stopped in. Oh my goodness I have missed the best breakfast I've ever had! The food was amazing, I had two eggs sausage home style potatoes tomatoes and biscuits! I'm not a big eater but I finished my entire plate...it was delicious! My friends had similar breakfast dishes and everyone was happy with meals. The food was so so good! The service was great. Our server approached our table in a timely manner got the drink orders and promptly returned to take our orders. He was fast and friendly and our food was delivered to the table exactly as we ordered it! He came back twice to check on us and refilled our drinks. He was very good. The ambiance is unreal! Posters and pictures of former guests and famous horses and jockeys cover the walls along with newspaper articles! It's a maze of derby history. Wagner's will now be my official breakfast eatery, nothing in the area comes close to the delicious food friendly service and great atmosphere. I felt so comfortable! Oh they do have a gift shop with a great selection of derby merchandise! I highly recommend you give Wagers a try..you will not regret it! read more

Place right across from Churchill Downs, old diner, great staff, great service, has parking, great view of the racetrack. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Wagner's Diner, great place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Great old school hole in the wall diner with decor dedicated to all things horse racing. Pancakes are fantastic! Cinnamon roll is worth trying. Ham and cheese omelette was great. Definitely would go back. read more

It was ok. It was freezing inside because outside was colder. We sat by the grill and it was cold. The food wasn't bad but none of it seemed home made. I saw pre made patties go into the fryer for the chicken fried steak. Oh well! read more

Wagner's is an excellent Southern diner plus general store that is across the entrance from Churchill Downs. We came in before the Derby and ordered lunch. I had the kickin bourbon bacon grilled chicken sandwich with a side of fries and quickly devoured it. The flavor was excellent and I ate the entire sandwich. The fries were also great. Since it was Derby day and we were sitting outside, the service was a tad slow but the food came quickly once we ordered. We ended up coming back for breakfast the next day and to thank the staff who gave us great horse tips that resulted in a profitable day. This time I ordered off the breakfast menu and had the Trackside Platter with a side of sausage gravy and potatoes. Breakfast isn't my favorite meal, but I love a homemade biscuit and gravy, and theirs didn't disappoint. This is a historic, affordable diner with no frills but a good vibe, food, and general store. I highly recommend stopping in! read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Trackside Platter - 2 biscuits, scrambled eggs, potatoes, plus a side of sausage gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Well if this app would allow me to put zero stars I most certainly would. Where do I begin. Walked in not one person spoke or said anything to me while I sat looking at a menu. I got up decided let me stop and ask someone where I need to place my order; mind you this is my very first time coming here. The lady I stopped and asked just pointed and walked away, they're busy so I chalk that up. I stand and wait for the person who is doing orders and seating to greet me and tell me hold on "she" may have stopped taking to go orders." I'm scratching my head wondering why would you stop taking to go orders when you're not stopping seating people?" She returns and tells me I'm sorry she's stopped taking to go orders, so now I'm a little pissed. So I calmly asked her the same question that was in my head, how do you stop taking orders and turn away money and you're still seating people. I'm baffled and she explains to me that well she is backed up on orders and it would be looking at like a 40 min wait. I explain that is fine I expected a wait for fresh food. Like I'm never that person to point out when I feel somehow wronged but this let's me know that the way I look may still be a problem with people. This has truly stunned me and to be honest I'm NEVER COMING back to this place. I asked a couple on the way out the same question and they were lost on it. All I can say is wow! read more

Wagner's Pharmacy is mainly just special for its location next to Churchill Downs and its history. As for the food, it is just okay. I got the Boneless Cod (Friday daily special) with mac and cheese and cole slaw. The cod was nicely fried on the outside but rather tasteless on the inside. The mac and cheese tasted like easy mac- not too bad, but not great. The cole slaw was ordinary. They also gave two bland slices of bread with the dish, which seemed like they had just been taken out of a grocery store bag. The best part of the meal was the Derby Pie slice, which was nutty and pretty tasty with kind of a cookie dough consistency in the middle. The prices are pretty good, as the cod was $12 and the pie slice was $5. Wagner's Pharmacy has been in business for many decades and it shows in the historical value. The walls are filled with tons of historic Kentucky Derby photos along the walls, and the interior is uniquely decorated in an old wooden style. The service speed is fine and the staff are average friendliness. Overall, Wagner's is a fine option if you are looking for a quick breakfast or brunch before visiting Churchill Downs across the street. However, I wouldn't exactly recommend it if you are just looking to go for a meal, as you can probably find better places around Louisville. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Boneless Cod with Mac and cheese, Cole slaw, and bread - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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We took the back barn tour at Churchill Downs and our tour guide pointed out this place. I was getting hangry and we decided to go here to grab breakfast before exploring the derby museum. The decor was great and featured a bunch of gorse pictures and signed derby paraphernalia. I ordered the bacon and eggs with potatoes. The potatoes were delicious and crispy. It was a cross between a potato and tater tot. My boyfriend enjoyed an omelet with biscuits. It was so fast, which is what we wanted. Everyone was friendly and this was a great pick for breakfast. They also have a gift shop that I got a few things at. read more

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I went here randomly for breakfast one morning with a friend. Ordered their Hot Brown. It was just ok. They had the basic ingredients put together for it and add the greasy diner style touch. Our waitress was sweet and attentive and had a mask on propperly the entire time. read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Their Hot Brown - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

BE AWARE, breakfast only served until 11.. I made it there at 11:04 and missed it. Burger was okay Waitress was great Atmosphere was houses, but really, I wanted an omlet omelet read more

First time visiting Wagner's and we had out-of-town company with us. Our waitress was friendly and the service was good. We were excited to try the highly rated pancakes but they weren't crisp at all. The blueberry pancakes are just a thick blueberry (whole) syrup topping which our waitress did explain. Only one in the bunch decided to try it and he wished he hadn't. We have company coming next month so we'll try lunch next time. read more

I wish could remember the name of my tour guide from Churchill Downs tours. Not only was she amazing at her job but recommended Wagner Pharmacy for breakfast/lunch. When local tells u it local favorite? U need to check it out!! Happy I did because talk about hidden gem. History. Wagner Pharmacy has been around for really long time. You can see the history in all the pictures hanging along all the walls. Add even more most if not all in black and white. Literally being across the street from Churchill Downs thoroughbred is everywhere. I believe they have picture of every single Derby winner. I enjoy interior design so much personality. Pharmacy and gift shop up front. As u walk back middle section start coffee shop, all along walls tons of history in pics, then get back section come into old school coffee shop with classic counter area and kitchen, the vibe all regulars, and hear talk of thoroughbred racing. I loved it. The food was awesome. It was so good went back again before I left. My first trip had "Hot Brown". If there one dish defines Louisville this is it. It not from original spot Brown Hotel. It was pretty dam good. Only "Hot Brown" I had and made lasting impression. Second visit had biscuit and gravy. Really tasty. So if near Churchill Downs or plan visit Churchill Downs need make stop at Wagners Pharmacy! read more

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Not sure why it was featured on Man vs. Food. The people on there that were stating that it was "the" place to get a hot brown in Louisville must have been paid to say that or either they have some nostalgia attachment to the place from their childhood. The hot brown they had was definitely good but came nowhere near close to the original at The Brown Hotel or other places in town that serve it. Having sampled the hot brown here at various places, I wouldn't go back there for a hot brown. read more

came on a recommendation to try something local and historic. Fun location and I loved the history on the walls. The food was very bland and disappointing, but the real shock was the service. We and another table kept trying to flag down our server for our check. It turned into a bit of an un-funny comedy routine of us yelling and waiving. We went so far as getting up and finding her in another part of the restaurant and asking for the check so we could pay at the register and go. The other table got theirs and we waited another 20 minutes. I finally went up to the registers and asked for ANYONE to help us PLEASE. It was not a good time. read more

Historic pharmacy and diner across from Churchill Downs. They serve breakfast and lunch and sell sundries and their famous liniment for horses and humans. We enjoyed hearty soups and traditional diner style sandwiches like fried bologna and tuna melts. There's nothing fancy here and the server left a bit to be desired but it was neat talking with the locals and hearing Derby stories from the workers who frequent Wagners. Park in back, seat yourself and enjoy! read more

Wagner's Pharmacy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Food was fine. I forgot my purse in the booth the other day & I called the front desk to see if they had seen it. The lady on the phone claimed no one returned it up front and she even went back to my seat to check. I decided to go in myself to see if it was there and even my waitress stated it wasn't in the seat. Luckily, I looked behind the front desk myself and there was my bag. No one claimed to see it or return it up front however it was sitting there. I don't know if the store was planning to rob my purse and credit cards inside but it was quite suspicious so be aware of your belongings at this establishment. read more

Breakfast/lunch spot right next to Churchill Downs. It's a fairly large restaurant but they only had 2 people cooking. We stopped in for a quick breakfast before heading to a music festival. Unfortunately, it took quite a long time to receive our food. Once the food arrived, we all enjoyed our meals, but it was an average breakfast. It wasn't outstanding, and it wasn't bad...it was average. I'd rather go somewhere else to get faster service for the same quality food. Overall, 3-star read more

Love the lunch. Burger or Derby Sandwich mmm! Conveniently located by Churchill Downs this diner has so much character & racehorse charm. The gift shop & photos of champion racehorses on the wall is right up my aly. I love it! Breakfast was ok I had the ham, pepperjack on rye. Not seasoned, but I will be back many times during the meet cause the food is good. I will try something else on the breakfast menu next time. Service is good & lots of locals enjoy it as well. No alcohol fyi & the bathrooms are very clean just tiny. Absolutely must have the Derby again. Delish! read more

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Food is always great. If your at Churchill Downs stop in this place, its full of nostalgia and memorabilia.

Wagner's Pharmacy is a Louisville institution, and I'm happy that I was finally able to cross it off my Louisville bucket list. It is a piece of Louisville history and especially Louisville racing history. Photos of past Derby and other race winners line the walls, and you definitely get the sense that if you were to walk into Wagner's 10, 20, 50 years ago, you would likely have seen a similar scene. Fun fact: Wagner's goes all of the way back to 1922. It isn't fancy but a place for a quick, stick-to-your-ribs breakfast or lunch, and while you're there, you'll likely see other people from the area and Churchill Downs sitting down to a meal next to you. For my first visit, I had to go with a classic: the Derby Sandwich. This includes hot honey glazed ham, melted Swiss cheese and mayo, served with pickle and chips. It's not healthy, but it's soul gratifying. I was a bit apprehensive about the cheese plus mayo combination, but it worked. My friend and I also tried the pimento cheese sandwich. This sandwich comes with a hefty serving of this Southern cheese. And considering the prices, it was easy to try a couple of things. Both of these cost roughly $11 together. The servers were friendly and quick. And next time I go, I want to wander back into the general store area. If you're going to the track, go all in and get a true Churchill Downs experience by eating at Wagner's. read more

Wagner's Wow what an iconic place! Slow getting food but all waiters/waitresses all pitch in. Always a Pot of coffee being walked around. Super friendly staff! This is where the locals go! read more

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