Dasha Barbour's @ E. Main — Restaurant in Louisville

On this Sunday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky, my Love and I enjoyed for the first time the culinary delights of Dasha Barbour's 217 E. Main St. (downtown) Louisville, KY. From the moment we stepped through the door, our visit was magical. We were greeted with warmth and hospitality that set the tone for an unforgettable dining experience. We want to give genuine props and thank you to Ky'la and Kasiane, for your warmth, professionalism, and impeccable service. And to extend thanks to the entire staff at Dasha Barbour's downtown – your commitment to excellence is truly commendable. I hope the manager of this website shares this review with the staff. Ky'la, the hostess, welcomed us with a smile that lit up the room and made us feel right at home. Her genuine enthusiasm and professionalism were evident from the start, and she set the stage from that point on. Thank you. Our waitress, Kasiane, was a shining example of grace and skill. She guided us through the menu with expert knowledge and attention to detail, making thoughtful recommendations that perfectly complemented our taste buds. Her warm demeanor and genuine love for her craft were evident in every interaction, and she went above and beyond to ensure that our dining experience was nothing short of exceptional. Thank you. The ambiance was simply enchanting. As we settled into our seats, we were captivated by the soothing melodies of jazz and R&B music playing softly in the background. The atmosphere was cozy, with a sophisticated charm that instantly put diners at ease. And then there was the staff – dressed to impress in sleek black attire with pinstripes touch of old-world charm. Their professionalism and attention to detail were second to none, and their sharp appearance only added to the restaurant's overall ambiance. As we waited for our meal, we couldn't help but marvel at the impeccable surroundings and elegant decor, with a lavish backdrop of black and gold that exuded sophistication. The tables were adorned with elegant black and sparkling gold accents, creating a luxurious setting that felt intimate and inviting. We chose our drinks. The presentation was exquisite. Indulging in the cotton candy martini was a whimsical delight, served in a glass with a cloud of fluffy cotton candy, a visual feast. We poured the martini over the delicate confection; it dissolved into a sweet symphony of flavors that danced on the palate. And then there was "Feeling Myself" – an irresistible concoction that lived up to its name in every sip. With its perfect balance of flavors, this drink left us utterly satisfied. And when our food arrived, it was nothing short of a culinary masterpiece. As for the food, it was nothing short of soulfully delicious. We indulged in the fried fish and sweet potato casserole, a perfect blend of flavors and textures that left us craving more with each bite. The shrimp and grits were equally divine: tender shrimp and creamy grits that melted in our mouths. And let's not forget the appetizers – the fried mushrooms and the beef queso dip with chips were the perfect start to our meal, flavorful with just the right amount of indulgence. We savored each bite and knew that our first visit to Dasha Barbour's would be one to remember- it surpassed all expectations. While pricey, there's no denying it was worth it. From the quality of the ingredients to the skill of the chef and kitchen staff, it was clear that Dasha Barbour's downtown takes pride in delivering an unparalleled dining experience. We can't wait to return and experience the magic of the restaurant. As we left the restaurant, bellies full and hearts happy, we knew we would return. Thank you, Ky'la and Kasiane, for your exceptional service and warm hospitality. And to the chef and kitchen staff – your passion and dedication to your craft are genuinely appreciated. Until next time, Dasha Barbour's downtown will hold a special place in our hearts...

I checked the website to see about reservations. It says that they’re not required but recommended. I did not have a reservation. When I came in with my daughter someone came in after us and the lady at the front just assumed we were all together without asking. I had to tell her it was just us two. She asked me if I had a reservation and I said no. She told me okay and that she’ll go clean off a table for us. She then came back and asked for my number then told me that she’s going to go check and clean off a table, again when she already said she was going to do that like 15 minutes ago. I was waiting over 40 minutes and they were not busy. There were tables that were not reserved available. I eventually made a reservation as I was standing there because clearly they wanted me to make one even though it’s not REQUIRED. Which they should literally just make it required at this point with all the reviews pertaining to that issue. She eventually came back and asked me what my name was again and then took us to a table. We were sitting at the table waiting for another almost 10 minutes for our menus. The lady came over asking us about the order and I told her I have never been there before and we didn’t get a menu. She then told us that it was the barcode on the table. Which I feel like we should have been told when being placed at the table. We were ordering and I was asked if we wanted the sliders and then the lady came back and I was told they didn’t have them and said they can do the burger so we got that instead. I was trying to get the lady attention and another waiter came over to help because my daughter didn’t like the burger then our actual waiter came over. She took it back and then said they couldn’t get her anything else because she already ate it. I said that she had to eat it to try it. It was cut into four pieces, one of the four pieces was tried and there was ketchup all over another piece. The waiter asked what didn’t you like the bread!? Like it really doesn’t matter what part of it she didn’t like. She didn’t like it and I didn’t either so I understood why she almost threw up.

I was told that their food policy was that they could give me something else but couldn’t take it off the bill. A policy that I didn’t see anywhere on their website. I asked if she could get something else because she doesn’t like it. I was told rudely by the lady who wasn’t out waiter that they’ve been making it like that all day and no complaints!? I said well this is a child so that’s different and she had nothing else to say.

The general manager came and said they couldn’t get her anything else because the kitchen is closed and they can’t make anything else. I’ve been told 3 different reasons why she couldn’t get something else at this point. She said they could discount it. She said it’s a taste preference. The burger literally taste like hot dogs. That’s the best I could describe it.

When it was time to pay the waiter said that she sees that it was discounted but I did not receive a receipt to see anything for myself. She asked me if I wanted her to select the 20% gratuity or do I want to do it mostly. And I thought I heard incorrectly so I asked her to repeat herself like she was basically asking for a tip which is very unprofessional.

We ordered the burger, corn bread, wings with sweet hot honey or something, and the macaroni. The only things that were good was the wings...

I’ve been here multiple times, but I have to say when myself and five others visited on 8/3/24 it was by far the worst experience we’ve had. We came to celebrate two friends birthdays because we were used to the great food, vibes and service. It seems the service has went downhill over the last few months. Crazy. Anyway, when we were seated we noticed we weren’t getting any menus. Our server informed us it was QR code only. That’s okay, the hiccup was we didn’t have good service being downtown that day so we couldn’t all view the menu on our phones. We noticed the restaurant had wifi but a password was needed. It took 15+ minutes and multiple times of us asking our server for the password for us to actually get it. (We weren’t told what was out on the menu until we tried to order it, or we ordered it and our server came back later and told us it was out. Which is kind of weird because everything is put in on a handheld.. why not update it if possible or better yet communicate) Fast forward, we ordered drinks. Those took forever and not all of the drinks came at once and were spaced out 20+ minutes. From a table that is in the restaurant/bartender business, that’s ridiculous. If the restaurant responds, I don’t want to hear that you’re understaffed. You weren’t that day. At least on the FOH side. If you were, there wouldn’t have been servers with normal 3 table sections. We watched the bar for a while and seen that other servers were getting their drinks out before our server (she rang them in at the same time. Why were they made so far apart?) I feel our server would have brought them all at once if she had them in a timely manner. Two drinks were watered down, you could tell they had been sitting. Another friend waited 30+ minutes for her drink just for it to come to the table with a knat in it. Yes A KNAT. Insane. On to the food, it was good but we waited more than 2 hours for it. An hour for appetizers and even when the entrees came an order was wrong and another friend just didn’t receive hers. By the time they did, the rest of our party was finished with their food and all around agitated. I myself only ordered dessert and that was almost a two hour wait for that. Not once did we receive a visit from the restaurant manager to apologize for the wait, the mishap or ANYTHING which blew my mind. We didn’t see anyone with that status even going around to tables to check and see how everyone was doing. As I said earlier we were there celebrating birthdays. We noticed that others were too. They received their cakes and birthday songs with their servers with other servers helping. When it came down to that time it was clear that the servers/workers working that day clearly didn’t jig with our server cause there was no songs played nor servers offering her help. You could tell she was new, but it was sad how no one was guiding/helping her the time we were there unless she’s just not a good server nor asked for a song to be played 🤷🏽‍♀️. I’ll be back again in the future cause this restaurant does have very good food. Just not good service nor wait time. Hopefully the next visit will be better. If not I don’t see...