Touring Whiskey Row in Louisville? Here are 7 downtown restaurants to try

Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal

Welcome to downtown Louisville! Here, you'll find several bourbon distilleries, the home of Louisville Slugger and a museum to "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali.

And while you're here, you can tap into the city's bustling food scene, too.

Whether you're searching for a lunch spot near a distillery or a place for dinner before a University of Louisville Cardinals game, there are several restaurants at a variety of price points. Many are within walking distance of Main Street, also known as Whiskey Row and Museum Row.

Feeling hungry? Here are a few spots to try next time you're in downtown Louisville.

Monk's Road Boiler House

Log Still Distillery opened a new fine dining restaurant and tasting room experience, called Monk's Road Boiler House, in downtown Louisville on July 17.
Log Still Distillery opened a new fine dining restaurant and tasting room experience, called Monk's Road Boiler House, in downtown Louisville on July 17.

131 W. Main St., facebook.com/MonksRoad

Monk's Road Boiler House is one of the newer additions to downtown Louisville. This high-end restaurant and tasting room, which is part of the Log Still Distillery family, is taking the downtown district by storm. The menu is curated by Chef Ciro Matteo Pirozzi and highlights Monk’s Road's spirits. The two-level venue offers fine dining cuisine on the upper level and a speakeasy bar on the lower level for tastings and bourbon experiences.

Price Point: High-end | Neighboring attractions:Old Forester Distilling Co. and KFC YUM! Center

Mussel and Burger Bar

A post shared by Mussel & Burger Bar (@mussel_burger_bar)

113 S. Seventh St., mussel-burger-bar.com

Mussel and Burger Bar strives to be a neighborhood bar and grill "with a chef's attitude" that offers gourmet twists on classics and grill favorites. This downtown gem is a sought-after destination for mussels, burgers, and beer in a family-friendly atmosphere, and it frequently appears listed among some of the best restaurants in the city.

Price Point: Elevated casual | Neighboring attractions:Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory,Kentucky Science Center, Bourbon and Billets, and Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery

Parlay Sports Bar

A post shared by Parlay Sports Bar (@parlaylouisville)

416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., parlaylouisville.com

Parlay Sports Bar is one of the newer hotspots in downtown Louisville that has quickly become a sought-after destination for late-night munchies. This is very much a traditional bar and grill with a steadily growing reputation for great food and cocktails.

Price Point: Casual | Neighboring attractions:Kentucky International Convention Center, Derby City Gaming, and Louisville Palace Theater

Parlour

Parlour's pizza and wings.
Parlour's pizza and wings.

133 W. Liberty St., eatparlourpizza.com

Parlour is a local pizza chain that has quickly grown its footprint in Louisville and Southern Indiana in recent years. It's widely known by Louisvillians for its artisan pizzas, calzones, and smoked wings.

Price Point: Casual | Neighboring attractions:Kentucky International Convention Center, Derby City Gaming, Old Forester Distilling Co., and KFC YUM! Center

Repeal Oak Fired Steakhouse

The oak-fired grill at Repeal Oak-Fired Steakhouse in Louisville.
The oak-fired grill at Repeal Oak-Fired Steakhouse in Louisville.

101 W. Main St., repeallouisville.com

One of the best steakhouses in Louisville operates inside Hotel Distil on historic Whiskey Row behind a historic building façade that was painstakingly preserved, supported, and restored. Repeal Oak Fired Steakhouse is well-known in the Derby City food scene for its steaks, seafood, cocktails, and ambiance.

Price Point: Fine dining | Neighboring attractions:Old Forester Distilling Co. and KFC YUM! Center

Sidebar at Whiskey Row

Menu items at Sidebar on Whiskey Row
Menu items at Sidebar on Whiskey Row

129 N. Second St., sidebaratwhiskeyrow.com

Sidebar at Whiskey Row's menu invites visitors to tap into a few local traditions such as Benedictine spread, pimento cheese, and a twist on the famed Louisville Hot Brown open-faced sandwich in a sharable french fry appetizer. This restaurant offers an extensive artisan burger menu as well as an assortment of milkshakes.

Price Point: Elevated casual | Neighboring attractions:Old Forester Distilling Co. and KFC YUM! Center.

Wild Swann Restaurant

Wild Swann at The Grady Hotel in downtown Louisville offers craft cocktails and small bites.
Wild Swann at The Grady Hotel in downtown Louisville offers craft cocktails and small bites.

601 W. Main St., wildswann.com

Wild Swann's menu nods to southern elegance and offers an "ingredient-focused" menu that is known for its culinary pairing as well as cocktails that nod to Louisville's storied legacy with Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.

Price Point: Elevated casual | Neighboring attractions:The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Derby City Gaming, The Kentucky Center, Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, Muhammad Ali Center, Kentucky Science Center, Bourbon and Billets, and Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery.

Reach reporter Maggie Menderski at mmenderski@courier-journal.com.

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Where to eat in downtown louisville traveling kentucky bourbon trail

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