North of Bourbon — Restaurant in Louisville

I will say 99% of the time the experience will probably be good. That said, ours was not.

TL;DR Hostess forgot our reservation after heading to the bar, Owner likely lied to us, bartenders were great, food was great for the one thing we ate. Can’t support, supporting this restaurant though.

My wife reserved us a table for my birthday and we were visiting from out of town. Our reservations were at 8 but I tried calling around 6 to see if we could get in earlier - they said we might be able to get a seat at the bar, but no guarantees (they also give every table 2 hours, and oh by the way they had $50 from us for a hold from reserving a table). At 7:30 we show up figuring even if we can’t get a seat at the bar for a drink we could hang for 30 minutes.

We got there and they said our table was wrapping up, so we could grab a drink at the bar and they’d come grab us. At this point there were probably 6-8 seats at the bar open and two of their tables in the barrels open along with half of the smaller more cramped tables. We went to go grab a drink. The table behind us cleared out and then at 8:10 my wife went to check on the table as 3 out of 4 of the barrel tables were open. The hostess had forgotten about us, a couple who she was assisting when my wife walked up were walk ins and offered a cramped table in the corner which they declined, and then the hostess told my wife she could either remain at the bar or take the table they just offered the walk in.

My wife is not a confrontational person but asked if there was someone else she could speak with. One of the owners arrived to tell her all of the tables in the barrels were accounted for as were any of the tables except the one in the corner and one outside. She came back to me upset, and we ordered an appetizer that was fantastic because I was starving. The bartenders were fantastic and noticing she was upset were trying to cheer her up. However, it wasn’t working so I asked the same owner that told her all of the tables were accounted for to come speak with us just to inform him we were not having a good evening. He tried standard non apology de-escalation tactics, but assured us they had done nothing wrong and that in fact our reserved table was the corner table that they had just previously offered walk ins. I noted that three of the four tables were open, but he said they were accounted for, he also said the hostess was new, so unfortunately there was nothing he could do. I did tell him that as the owner it’s kind of his job to do something, but we basically ended with that we’re were debating eating or not and would just try to enjoy our night.

We finished our appetizer, and that same owner comes back saying that the table behind us he thought had initially been reserved for 9:15, but was actually 8:15 and after multiple attempts to contact the reservation they were prepared to offer it to us. It felt phony, and frankly we just didn’t want to support the restaurant any further so we turned him down. The bartender offered me a free drink because he felt bad, so we tipped the bartenders heavily and moved on with our...

North of Burbon feels like a well-kept secret that no one should be keeping to themselves!

This place was EXACTLY what I was thinking of when I asked my friends to go to a place that embodied the whole bourbon tasting experience. Did not disappoint one bit! Offering a lavish array of bourbons and an equally impressive menu, it surely knows how to leave a mark on its visitors.

During my recent visit with my wife and friends, we were treated to a culinary delight. The highlight of my meal was undoubtedly the burger - perfectly cooked, sumptuously seasoned, and even though it was a bit on the smaller side, the taste did not compromise. Each bite burst with flavors, assuring that size was not an obstacle to my enjoyment.

Complementing the burger was a side of Mac and Cheese, which was nothing short of divine. The texture was creamy and comforting, yet not overly rich, crafted not with a typical cheese sauce, but with a medley of perfectly melted cheeses. It was a unique take that added a sophisticated touch to this classic comfort food.

My wife, a fan of Southern cuisine, was overjoyed with her choice - a beef PoBoy. She shared that it was delicious and the pairing with her choice of bourbon rounded out the flavors brilliantly.

Speaking of bourbon, the variety available at North on Bourbon is commendable. The flight that I selected featured an array of Blanton's and Maker's Mark - each with its own distinct profile that went hand in hand with our meal choices.

The service was excellent, with a warm and welcoming staff that was attentive and knowledgeable. They guided us through the extensive bourbon selection and ensured our dining experience was smooth and enjoyable.

The only thing holding back a perfect five-star rating is the slightly smaller portion of the burger, which although delicious, left me wanting a bit more.

All in all, North on Bourbon combines a wide variety of quality bourbons with a delightful menu, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors that bourbon enthusiasts and foodies will appreciate. With its warm atmosphere, knowledgeable service, and top-notch food, it's a place I would wholeheartedly recommend for anyone looking to enjoy a great meal amidst the charm...

Update - I would like to address the response from management. I never called your establishment. I did my reservation through open table online. So there was NO conversation with you all about being full and I certainly did no decline anything over the phone. I never spoke to you all over the phone. I did pick outdoor seating online, but what we experience as your outdoor dining was not what I expected from a top 50 restaurant .

My husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary at this restaurant. I made a reservation, which was for outdoor seating. I was thankful for this because indoors was very cramped and loud. We were seated at a table on the sidewalk. At first, the weather felt great. As the night went on, and the Sun set It got a little chilly and very dark. I recommend the restaurant get better lighting for outdoor patrons. Where the table was on the sidewalk We had around 30 joggers having to dodge our table while they were running And using the sidewalk. The house next-door to the restaurant seem to be undergoing renovations, and we had to listen to a Wood saw for the first half of our meal. The manager in our server were lovely people. They seemed overwhelmed and shortstaffed. When we were initially seated, we were told about a complementary champagne toast to celebrate our anniversary. Unfortunately, that never came and I decided to ask about it when we received our check. Asking The champagne but at this point, our meal was over and we were ready to go home.

My husband had the braised rabbit which he loved. I had some sort of shrimp special for the day and was very underwhelmed. The shrimp were tiny, popcorn, shrimp pieces, and seemed like something Olive Garden would serve. The boudin balls were great and I loved the sauce. The cheesecake was odd and lumpy, Not sure if we got a bad batch.

Once seated, it took around 40 minutes to get our initial cocktails. About an hour, we received our appetizer. And then around the Mark, we received our entrées. At this point, we were very eager for our cheesecake.

I had really high hopes And maybe we were here on a bad night but unfortunately, I do not see...