Darling's — Restaurant in Louisville

Darling's is a lovely spot for some great cocktails. While their liquor collection and house cocktails are heavily slanted towards gin, they also have a discerning collection of bourbon, rum, and other spirits.

The location overall is reminiscent of most bars in older strip-mall style spaces - bar on one side, tables on the other, bathrooms (they label as WC's, a nod to the Art Nouveau decor, pairing well with the gin focus) in the back. A handful of tables in front of the building for some outdoor seating.

The bartenders are all knowledgeable, and happy to make suggestions and help guide visitors to a drink they'll enjoy.

Don't skip on the house tonic!

While the music they play helps try to slant the ambiance towards being more casual, speakeasy-esque, a lack of sound dampening material on the ceiling and the space being essentially completely hollow creates a very noisy environment. It builds a cycle of everything getting much louder as even a few people add to the crowd, sometimes to the point of not being able to even hear the music.

The bar also suffers from a flow issue. Signage/signaling is minimal. Often, getting a round means having to find a space between seated bar patrons or hoping there is already a line somewhere at the bar to help establish a proper queue.

Overall, a great spot that with a few changes could be amazing. Looking forward to...

I visited a couple of years ago when they opened, didn't seem that great. Not much of a crowd, seemed a little too much on the dive bar side instead of an artisanal cocktail bar, and a bit grimmy. Last night I went with a friend, and was super impressed! Big difference. Place was packed with well dressed, well behaved mature customers hanging out with their dates and friends. The drinks I ordered, the seasonal "Drink Named Mark" and the hot butter apple cocktail (or something like that LOL) were outstanding. Perfect for the cold night. I really liked the vibe here. Reminded me a bit of Seven Cocktails here in Louisville and OGs like Violet Hour in Chicago.

Couple of important notes. The prices here are very fair compared to most similar establishments. Two drinks were $22. Again, these are high end drinks. Another thing, which I learned quickly, is to be patient! It might seem like you're being ignored but if they're busy, it's going to be a bit before they get to you. I watched them make the drinks and each one takes a few minutes. Some people come up to the bar and order four or five drinks for everyone. While they have three bartenders working, it's still a challenge. They will get to you. Your patience will...

A place to brood, but in the best of ways. A place to gather with your yours to chat into the night, and certainly meet some more to add to the party. Dark, "shotgun styled", and overlooking the Bardstown madness through wide windows and spacious entryway, this place offers the hole-in-the-wall experience bumping against accessable speakeasy that can sometimes be too hard to find. Sure, there's no secret entry or coded verbage required to gain special entry (at least that I encountered), but it still feels that way. It's your secret getaway shared with all.

Only had one Cocktail (time constraints), but I know where the place is, so I'll be certain to have anothers.

Friendly staff. A dark countertop/bar wrap-around that maybe Keaton's Batman would have owned, and mood lighting nipping at the heels of a New Orleans sister joint, this is a place to explore. A nudge pricey, but, hey, it...