LouVino Douglass Hills Restaurant & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Douglass Hills

Review for LouVino Middletown/Douglass Hills 11400 Main Street Louisville, Ky 40243 6/28/2024

Tonight 15 Residents of the HOA of Swan Pointe went to LouVino for dinner. Their atmosphere makes the restaurant special. There is an outdoor eating area and inside the restaurant there is a division of the seating areas, it is divided by glass storage of wine bottles. To the left of it is the area with more booths for the customers to sit in. They also use that area for large parties. On the right side of the divider there are about 15 bar stools at the bar. Then the tables that we sat at were arranged in a long line of seating for 16 people and with additional seating for about 8 more before you get to the kitchen. Our server tonight was Kristin M. We had gotten there in time for Happy Hour. We could order select Appetizers, Wine, Bourbon, and Draft Beers. Kristin went down the table to take each person’s drink and appetizer orders. We chatted and welcomed people from our group that were still coming in. Shortly the drinks and appetizers were brought to the table. Then Kristin started taking the orders for our entrees. She knew all about each item, and was very careful to write down any changes that each person wanted on their order. Taking our orders didn’t take as long as I thought it would. Soon the food started getting delivered to the tables. I didn’t get down the table to see what every one ordered but 4 of us on our end of the tables ordered the Smash Burger with either fruit, fries or tater tots. The other 2 ordered the Chicken and Waffles. The Chicken breast was large and was seasoned and breaded with corn flakes. There was a round malted cheddar and chive waffle cut into quarters. It came with whipped honeybutter and syrup. My husband ordered it without the smoked paprika that would have been sprinkled on the top. He loved his meal. The Smashed Burger came with two smashed burger patties with pepper jack cheese, a lettuce leaf, tomatoes, shallots, pickles and Aioli sauce and topped with a Brioche Bun. It came with your choice of a side. Every one that was there at the table really enjoyed their food and beverages. Kristin really did a great job with getting the correct meals to each person and did an excellent job collecting payments and getting the cards back to the right owner. She really did a good job. She was very sweet and careful, and knowledgeable. She even took our picture for us. I’d love to have her be my server...

Showed up on a Sunday before 2. We were turned away for service at the front door because “they close / stop service at 1.” After taking my disabled father back to the car I returned to inform the hostess that their posted hours said 2 and we arrived before 2. I then asked to speak with management.

I informed management of our experience. Standing at the bar next to the open kitchen I could observe that food service was still in full swing, and it was just now 2pm as I glanced at my phone (again). I told management that service staff should be better trained to provide better customer service, that they should be transparent if they were closing early rather than lying at telling us they stopped service at 1pm. I motioned multiple times toward the open kitchen which was definitely still in full service and preparing orders.

Management very much so was unresponsive to my suggestions to improve their training and customer service. Attempts were made to “explain away” inexcusable behavior on the part of their hostess (lying and misrepresenting their operating hours). I asked that excuses and “smoothing over” not be attempted, as what I had experienced was legitimately not good service, not transparent, or even marginally acceptable standard operating procedure for a restaurant.

Snark was definitely on the menu from the hostess (prior to speaking with management) as well as the manager / bar manager herself. When I told her I would never be returning there I was told to “have a good day,” which I responded with “you too,” and received “I will,” in response (snark). No attempt at an apology or “sorry for wasting your time” or “sorry for the mix up” or “sorry for our hostess giving you incorrect information” about when they stopped service (2pm not 1pm) was given.

My family usually hit this spot for weekday happy hour or weekend brunch / lunch service. I will never be back and will encourage everyone I know not to bother darkening they door of this...

My husband and I popped in the Middletown location for an impromptu date 12/22/18. This was our first time here and we were excited about trying new wines and just having some nice “us time” during this crazy holiday season. I made reservations on open table and we were surprised to see the restaurant somewhat empty when we arrived. We were taken to a tiny two top table in the corner of the bar side of the restaurant. My husband is not a small guy so we were a little cramped so we asked if we could have one of the comfy chair tables on the left side of the restaurant where it was quieter. We were told that they had to check if they could accommodate us (again an almost empty restaurant) but we were eventually moved.

Our server was absolutely terrible (sorry...no way to sugar coat it). She walked up asked if we knew what we wanted to order and when we started to say no and explain it was our first time there she walked away abruptly. Two more attempts to get her to help us or give suggestions unsuccessfully we decided to leave and go someplace else. Up to this point we would have given a 1 star

Then a different waiter Trevor came over and said he was taking over because they were sending the other waitress home for the night. Thank goodness! Trevor was a 5 star and the first thing he asked us was if we had ever been there before and gave his recommendations. We had the brussel sprouts (AMAZING) and chicken tacos (interesting) and tried flights of wine that Trevor recommended. Also amazing.

The rest of the evening was wonderful and my husband and I dine out frequently and really look for places that have a good ambiance, good food and good service. This location could have been so much better on the service side from our hostess to the first waitress but overall we enjoyed.

Side note: the first waitress never went home and continued serving tables after we left. We found her behavior and this whole exchange...