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Bristol Bar & Grille - Downtown, Louisville, KY

Bristol Bar & Grille - Downtown

4.5
4.5
1042 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM

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Booked 21 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Charming
Home of the Green Chili Wontons, Louisville’s favorite guilty pleasure, Bristol Bar & Grille has been the city’s neighborhood restaurant since 1977. Original menu dishes include the classic Bristol Burger and aged, charbroiled New York Strip steak as well as favorites like Pork Dijonnaise and Theresa’s Sweet Chili Linguine. We source many of our ingredients from local farmers. An award-winning Sunday brunch buffet features made-to-order waffles, Weisenberger grits, fried chicken and a build your own Bloody Mary Bar. Bristol Bar & Grille Master Sommelier, Scott Harper, crafted an extensive wine menu to pair with each dish. Certified Bourbon Stewards are on hand to answer any questions about our native spirit. Bristol Bar & Grille downtown is located on the heart of Main Street. A member of the Urban Bourbon Trail, we are perfect for business lunches, family dinners, date night and private events. Walking distance from many of Louisville’s top attractions. Outdoor seating is available.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Elegant Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Contemporary American, Wine Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 3:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (502) 582-1995
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Catering
    Since 1977, Bristol Catering has been providing full service catering and event planning for weddings, corporate events, fund-raisers, galas and social gatherings. Whether you are planning a small intimate affair or a grand gala, our team will work with you to create a spectacular event. Our off-premise catering can be reached at 502.584.3663. Bristol Bar & Grille offers on-premise catering / private rooms at our Downtown, Highlands and Jeffersonville locations.
  • Private party facilities
    The Bristol Bar & Grille Downtown has 3 private dining rooms that can accommodate any size group, small or large up to 120 guests. There are no charges for these rooms and no matter what your occasion, the Bristol has the perfect menu selections to choose from.
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown Louisville
  • Cross street
    6th St.
  • Parking details
    The Bristol Bar & Grille validates parking for guests that park at 120 S. 6th PARC garage after 6:00 PM (Mon. - Fri.) and all day on Sat. & Sun. Excludes special events such as Light Up Louisville and Thunder Over Louisville.
  • Public transit
    The Bristol Bar & Grille Downtown is located on the route for the Louisville Zero bus and is free for all riders.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,042 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bristol Bar & Grille - Downtown offers a welcoming atmosphere with attentive staff and reliable service. "Always dependable," it serves as a perfect pre-theater dining spot, featuring "delicious, fresh" meals and standout appetizers like "green chili wontons." While some reviews note occasional inconsistencies, the overall experience remains a "great dining option."
1,042 Reviews
  1. Priya

    Atlanta

    46 reviews

    4.0

    46 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was quite good, and the service was on point. We’d dine here again.

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  2. Curtis

    Louisville

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    My spouse and I visited before a Sunday night show recently. This is one of the few restaurants open near the KCFA on a Sunday evening. Our show started at 6:30, our reservation was for 5pm, and we arrived 10mins early. We were greeted immediately and shown to a two-top booth in the bar area. Waters were served by a gentleman dressed in street clothes - guessing a manager, which was fine and impressed us that everyone was chipping in to help with the crowd. We waited for a bit for our waitress to greet us, and take our drink orders. She came back with a tray of drinks and said she would be right back to take our order. I watched her deliver her drinks and then take the orders of the tables behind us that had been seated after us. She made it to us, and we ordered. I ordered a side salad and the hot brown w/no tomato. My spouse ordered the steak sandwich with the skillet potatoes. Bread was brought and then we waited. And waited. We were right near the kitchen we could see trays of food coming out. All of the tables sat after us were served their food and multiple drink refills, while we continued to sit. In full transparency, our waitress was saddled with all of the bar tables. And I realize it was super busy - which was the main reason we made an early reservation and then arrived a bit earlier than that. My salad never showed, and our waitress never came back to check, and she was running between so many tables it was useless trying to get her attention. When our food finally showed, mine looked great and tasted as good. My spouses steak sandwich was served with packets of ketchup - which is surprising and disappointing with fine dining. Both of us would have appreciated drink refills but didn't come until the end of the meal. Our check arrived, with the salad included. When I mentioned it to the waitress, she said " I wish you would have told me", so it was my fault. She removed the salad and we settled the bill. Our $50+ simple meal took an hour and 20mins.
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. While I’m glad you enjoyed the Hot Brown and appreciated the team effort from our staff, I’m truly sorry for the delays and missteps in service. It’s disappointing to hear that your meal took longer than expected, and that your salad never arrived. We strive to provide attentive service, even on our busiest nights, and we clearly fell short here. I appreciate your patience and understanding, and I’ll be addressing this with our team to ensure better communication and efficiency moving forward. We value your feedback and hope you’ll give us another opportunity to provide the level of service you deserve.

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  3. Don

    Louisville

    13 reviews

    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Arrived on Feb. 21 at 5 pm with a reservation. Told the lady receptionist I needed a table for 4 instead of three and explained why. She told me “ If we do not have the room then we do not have the room”. She was rude but she did seat us at a table with four chairs. Even though the app would not let me modify the number of quests I did leave a note stating I needed a table for 4. I have been coming to this restaurant for over 30 years and this was my first encounter with any rude staff. The food and service was good,
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for your loyalty over the past 30 years—we truly appreciate your continued support. While I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the food and service, I’m very sorry that your experience at check-in didn’t reflect the hospitality we strive for. Your feedback is important, and I will be addressing this with our team to ensure all guests feel welcomed from the moment they arrive. We appreciate you sharing your experience and hope to provide the warm and accommodating service you’ve come to expect on your next visit.

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  4. Robert

    VIP

    Louisville

    113 reviews

    5.0

    113 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It is always a pleasure to dine at the Bristol downtown. M, the host, called me my name and welcomed me. My table was ready upon my arrival. The food was good, service well done, even on a busy night. Even though I didn't order drinks from the bar, Colin, saw me and left the bar to come to my table to visit for a minute. Always nice to feel valued as a customer and friend, by M and by Colin. I wasn't able to try the onion rings that was to be served with a burger special, but I hope they will be available on the menu soon as an appetizer or side option.
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for your kind words and for being a valued guest! We're so glad to hear that M and Colin made you feel welcome and that you had a great experience, even on a busy night. I’ll be sure to share your feedback with our team—it means a lot to us. And we appreciate your interest in the onion rings! I’ll pass along your suggestion about adding them as an appetizer or side. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

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  5. Joy

    VIP

    Louisville

    68 reviews

    5.0

    68 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful service,and food. Our go to place before shows at the Kentucky Center
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you! We're honored to be your go-to spot before shows at the Kentucky Center. Looking forward to serving you again soon! 🎭🍽️

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  6. Dan and Michele

    VIP

    Cincinnati

    20 reviews

    2.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on February 18, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    To be fair, it was a Kentucky Center for the Arts play night, so the rest. is swamped with diners. I can only imagine how difficult that makes it when you are swarmed with diners in an approximately 2 hours time frame. You can't beat the location and of course, the green chili wontons - which were hot, crispy and delish. Very nice people, super helpful and enjoyable to speak with about reservations. It went down hill after the won tons. I ordered a fried chicken cobb and my chicken had a human hair embedded in the coating and was clearly fried with the chicken then put on my salad. I quietly removed the chicken from the salad and called the attention to our waiter, who just took the plate and sent a new order of chicken to me - yuuuuck - I neither ate the chicken nor the salad but paid my bill when it came for the salad. On another order, my friend ordered Thai Chicken Stir Fry - waiter served three of us, showed the 4th the plate and said it was missing mushrooms, he would have them redo to include mushrooms - someone else brought the exact same thing back, still missing mushrooms, taking it back again - meanwhile, three of the 4 diners were eating (well, not me bc of the hair) - way too long later they brought the stir fry back with a few mushrooms and my friend ate while we chatted and watched. Nothing was really quite right after the won tons ... Spinach Chicken salad which is usually a big hit was literally covered in garlic - not a little, but an entire bowl of garlic. After my chicken, other fried chicken cobb lost her appetite. The food at this location is hit or miss, when its good its good, but when its bad - its just awful. Waiter was nice enough, clearly overworked - he nor the rest. handled the hair issue the best. And, not the rest. fault but the sewer smell near the back of the rest. and in the restroom was awful - but with River Road flooded and the water table up, nothing the rest. did to cause it nor could prob. do about it.
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you for your honest feedback. We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the green chili wontons and found our team welcoming, but we sincerely regret the issues you encountered with your meal. We strive for consistency and excellence, and it’s clear we fell short during your visit. Your concerns are being addressed, and we truly appreciate the opportunity to improve. We hope you’ll give us another chance to provide you with the quality experience you deserve.

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  7. Jodell

    VIP

    Louisville

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on February 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Terri is a wonderful server. Food is always great!
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you for the kind words! We're so glad you enjoy the food and that Terri takes great care of you. We'll be sure to pass along the compliment—hope to see you again soon! 😊🍽️

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  8. Lynn

    VIP

    Louisville

    36 reviews

    4.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on February 18, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was attentive and very helpful. The food was not up to par. The pork chop was undercooked and had to be sent back and my Thai chicken had no sauce on it which the server recognized and brought to the table. It was my first time trying the Thai chicken and I couldn’t figure out why it was so bland-no sauce.
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you for your feedback. We're glad to hear your server took great care of you, but we’re sorry the food didn’t meet expectations. Your experience matters to us, and we’ll address these concerns with our team to ensure better consistency. We truly appreciate you giving us a try and hope to make it up to you on your next visit!

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  9. Connie

    Louisville

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good. Enjoy the food. Service was good. My go to for dinner
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you! We're honored to be your go-to spot for dinner. Glad you enjoyed the food and service—hope to see you again soon! 😊🍽️

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  10. Dan

    VIP

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nice variety on the menu, food is great, service is excellent, atmosphere is comfortable and casual, good wine & spirits options, and can't beat the value.
    Bristol Bar & Grille - DowntownResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you, Dan! We appreciate your kind words and your continued support. It means a lot to us that you enjoy the food, service, and atmosphere. Looking forward to seeing you again soon!

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FAQs

Bristol Bar & Grille - Downtown is rated 4.5 stars by 1042 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM

Select a time

Booked 21 times today
Google Map for Bristol Bar & Grille - Downtown

614 W. Main St., Louisville, KY 40202

Additional information

  • Cross street
    6th St.
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown Louisville
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 3:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Contemporary American, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Elegant Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    The Bristol Bar & Grille validates parking for guests that park at 120 S. 6th PARC garage after 6:00 PM (Mon. - Fri.) and all day on Sat. & Sun. Excludes special events such as Light Up Louisville and Thunder Over Louisville.
  • Public transit
    The Bristol Bar & Grille Downtown is located on the route for the Louisville Zero bus and is free for all riders.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (502) 582-1995
  • Catering
    Since 1977, Bristol Catering has been providing full service catering and event planning for weddings, corporate events, fund-raisers, galas and social gatherings. Whether you are planning a small intimate affair or a grand gala, our team will work with you to create a spectacular event. Our off-premise catering can be reached at 502.584.3663. Bristol Bar & Grille offers on-premise catering / private rooms at our Downtown, Highlands and Jeffersonville locations.
  • Private party facilities
    The Bristol Bar & Grille Downtown has 3 private dining rooms that can accommodate any size group, small or large up to 120 guests. There are no charges for these rooms and no matter what your occasion, the Bristol has the perfect menu selections to choose from.
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