Blue Dog Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in Louisville

As a long time Blue Dog customer who visits Louisville twice a year since moving out of state, I was eager to try my favorite bakery now that it has changed hands. I'm sad to find that the quality and the service have deteriorated significantly,

They now serve day-old muffins (the morning glory was my standard order). I popped in late on a Tuesday afternoon and noticed that they had already prepped the muffins for the following day; having tasted one the following morning, it was obvious that they were old. They were stale; the interior wasn't fluffy and nor was the interior of the muffin falling-apart-fresh as it once was.

And where are the specialty pastries? Yes there were maybe 4 or 5 of one kind, but where is the variety? Going into the "old" blue dog was such a sensual experience! The variety was always a surprise and delight; what a treat and a learning experience it was. Now......sad.

Now the service; where are the males? All of the servers are female, which in and of itself isn't a problem, but just an oddity. Also they were so unfriendly. I went back twice during the week, and each time, myself and my companions commented on how unhappy each server seemed. I don't expect overly nice service, but when a server shows up at your table and glares at you and won't even engage in easy banter, you can tell that there is some problem from the management that is apparent in the servers interaction with the public. This happened on three occasions, so I assume that it wasn't just an off day.

Lastly, the plants outside. Kit (the former owner) cared about the whole of the atmosphere and never would have allowed dead plants to be in the planters next to the patrons tables. Having been seated outside, having to look at dead plants and gruff service, on top of diminished quality of the food, well I just had to write a review.

I'm glad to say that Red Hog, which is owned by the former Blue Dog owner, still maintains the quality and service of Blue Dog; It's obvious that Kit is still in charge there.

The Blue Dog that I knew could have competed with the best of the French bakeries; at that level, it is in the small details that the difference and the magic happens. I'm so very sorry and sad that that has been lost. It is...

Visited this café and bakery recently with high expectations, especially given the crowd and reputation. While there were a few highlights, overall, the experience was quite underwhelming when it came to the food.

Starting with the positives—the ambience and service were both pleasant, creating a cozy environment that’s perfect for a casual brunch or coffee outing. The specialty coffees were decent, though not particularly memorable, especially when compared to other options available just within Louisville.

The real saving grace of the visit was the in-house bakery. All the bread-based items were baked to perfection—light, fresh, and clearly crafted with care. The Bourbon Orange French Toast and the pizza stood out primarily because of the quality of the bread. Even the complimentary bread was excellent and a testament to the skill of the baker.

However, the rest of the food menu fell flat. The Chicken Salad Croissant was a major letdown, with large, dry chunks of chicken and no dressing—only the croissant itself was enjoyable. The Artichoke Sandwich and basic Fried Egg Sandwich were both disappointingly bland and poorly executed. The worst offender was the Snap Pea and Strawberry Tartine—priced at $14, it was shockingly small and featured raw snap peas, making it difficult to eat and unappetizing.

It genuinely felt like the kitchen was operating without a chef, or at least without proper oversight. Perhaps the regular chef was away, or maybe the menu just lacks refinement.

In summary, while the bakery items are worth a visit, the rest of the menu does not justify the high prices or hype. If you’re stopping by, stick to the baked goods and coffee, and you might leave satisfied. For a full meal, you might want to...

I had high expectations before coming to Blue Dog. I arrived to my party of 6 around 15 minutes later. Our waitress did not come out to take my drink order and I waited about 15 minutes before asking another waiter. After the other members at my party received their food, our waitress still did not take my order.

I had to order from another waiter--who did not tell me there was an option of sides with my dish-- and did not receive my food for another 25 minutes, after my party had already finished eating.

When I requested a side change at the front desk (our waitress did not come around to ask us how the food was so I never had a chance to ask her), I was told to wait for my waitress.

When I told my waitress that I'd like fruit instead of refried beans, she rudely said "next time you expect a party change let us know so we can get you a bigger table". Not sure how that was relevant, but I'm disappointed in the neglectful service I received from my waitress and the other staff member whom I told I had not been waited on.

I will mention that during this time, other waiters checked up on the tables next to us. Maybe their attitude was due to the fact we were college students? Either way it was unacceptable.

I did not even receive a napkin. I had to use my friend’s dirty one.

I will absolutely not be returning here. Save your money and spend it on a place that treats like you a decent customer. The food was good but not nearly good enough to excuse the...