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Not sure you get any better than this place for the quality of the food. It is superb. Their were four of us for dinner and we had three different entrees, salads, and deserts.
Absolutely fantastic FOOD.
The noise level is a bit bothersome, but kinda of expected. They had live music as well which was nice, but didn't help the noise level.
Not what we expected from the outside or the name of the restaurant, but we are planning on making it a habit of visiting on our annual Louisville RV Convention trip.
It gets busy so plan on waiting. Had to go a block away to park on a Tuesday night.
the best restaurant in Louisville. a highlands institution.
you know in great gatsby when they talk about going to Louisville for the Derby? jack fry's evokes what you can imagine the low key wining and dining of that time to be. (although I think Gatsby was written before jack fry's opened in the 30's. you get what i'm going for here though, don't ya?)
everything on the menu is perfect. specifically: the shrimp and grits, the 12oz pork chop, and the burger.
the piano/clarinet jazz duo who look like they have about 112 years of playing under their belt is perfect.
the space is perfect. small, somewhat intimate with stimulating ambient conversation and classic kitchen din.
i miss louisivlle. i miss jack fry's.
I went to this restaurant because of the reviews and it did not disappoint. It is a mixture of classic fine dinning and southern cooking.
First the restaurant is small, but very cosy, it is noisy and very busy. The bar is small but they do serve a full menu there.
The food is good. The chief knows what he is doing. The shrimp appetizer was very good as well as the fried oysters. They were a mixture of southern cooking with grits and classic dishes and it worked.
The goat cheese salad was standard, but that said, there was nothing that I could complain about. The dressing was good and there was a good amount of goat cheese. no skimping here.
For entree, I had the fillet that was cook as requested. You would think that a steak house would be able to cook a fillet medium rare, but I have had to send a lot of steaks back that were over or under cooked. the steak at Jack Fry's was cooked just right. Well done.
In all I was very pleased with the dinner that I received. It was extremely tasty, the wait staff was superb, bartender was working it all night and the ambiance with the live jazz band was terrific.
In all, if you are looking for a good steak, forget about Morton's, go to Fry's, try something new. it won't disappoint.
My husband and I both said the same thing- it was ok and we are foodies. The food wasn't served very hot, nothing really stood out as great . Our server did a good job, so service was not an issue.
We had been excited about our first dinner then there and left feeling disappointed about our experience. Maybe it was just an off night for them.
Ok, I hate to review what is essentially a steak restaurant solely on one experience with their burger. But since I'm only in town visiting, who knows when I'll be back next.
They cook a very good burger, there is no argument there. My main problem was that I ordered it medium and it came out well done. My only other issue was the bun. It seemed to be the exact same "kaiser roll" the Wendy's uses on it's burgers. I top notch burger just needs a top notch bun.
Had there been at least some pink and a better bun, it would have been a four star burger. Again, this is simply the review of a guy who rolled through town and got a burger (bacon and cheese to be exact). Seeing the other reviews, I'm sure this place has much more to offer. This review is aimed more for those burger enthusiast out there.
I should add, great historical atmosphere and good service.
I didn't like the name of the restaurant one bit when I was yelping Louisville for food. I was imagining a run down hamburger food joint.
But, I was wrong! The restaurant is small and intimate, the bar is nice, the live band was great and the food was delicious. Score!
The bartender was awesome - very efficient and made some great recs. The pace of the meal was perfect and the quality was amazing.
Tips:
* Make a reservation. We got there on a Tuesday night and wound up sitting at the bar.
* The bar stools have no backs on them. That sucks. It isn't a short meal and my back was bothering me by the end of the meal. They do have purse hooks under the bar, bonus!
* We came super casual and felt totally out of place. They said there wasn't a dress code, but from the stares of the patrons, I can tell we were way under dressed.
Very good experience, service and food were stellar. I went for the filet, which practically melts in your mouth, one of the best I've had. A nice twist to the filet is the topping of Prosciutto Di Parma, which gave it a bit of saltiness. Sprinkled with parmigiano with asparagus and a crispy potato cake.
Others at my table got the hamburger ("best hamburger I've had") and the lamb chops which got great reviews as well.
The Creme Carmel is a MUST....this dessert is outrageous and one of the best I've had anywhere. Light, nice crisp sweet glaze, and packed with flavor.
The only negative of the night was our wine selection, a cab that was too young and too tannic. It softened up a bit with our meal but I guess what can you expect from a $40 cab in a resto? You get what you pay for...this is probably a $15 bottle of wine at your local wine shop.
Dressy? Why....jeans and a collar will do.
My wife and I just moved to Louisville. When we asked people for restaurant recommendations, almost without fail Jack Fry's was in their list.
It lived up to the hype. My steak was delicious, the wine list was good and reasonably priced (we had a bottle of 7 Deadly Zins), and the service was excellent.
Wow. What a find. Great room, wonderful bar and creative menu. This was an all around hit.
Desserts were truly exceptional. The caramel, chocolate pie with bourbon syrup was to die for.
Only regret is we went for lunch vs. dinner.
Okay, this one gets the CV seal of approval. I love a casual, funky atmosphere, good wait staff and good food. This place has all three.
I had a great veal chop with a ginger reduction - unusual and very nice. The veal was perfect, very tender and moist. The Stilton Salad tasty - the blue cheese just right.
I was dining with a group. Between the five of us, ahi, bourbon pork and salmon - all great! Don't miss the shrimp and grits.
CV says, check it out.
All the reviews say it below, but I feel like the chef from my dining experience at jack Fry's is owed his due, so I will describe the ethereal delight that was my escargot / diver scallop / veal tenderloin event.
The place is small so reservations are a must. If you can, a day in advance if you want to get close to eating around 8 pm. I got a late reservation at 9:30 pm...and it was totally worth it. The appetizers were wonderful and the service was great, and the kitchen staff never gets it wrong. It is ALWAYS awesome!
My date and I split the Veal Tenderloin which was simply otherworldly. It literally melts in your mouth and is perfectly paired with delicate gnochi and a sauce that was so good I couldn't begin to understand it.
It is easy for me to spend over $100 dollars on a two-person dinner (especially here in San Diego where it probably won't be anything special). This one was $108 minus tip, and I am spoiled, because this is what I expect now when paying this amount, which by the way, is the best $100 I have spent in a damn long time. With appetizers a salad, entree and bottle of wine, this is value for perfect food.
The salad is good. This is a bit too pricey and did not care for thr food.
Overall this seems to be a nce place...the cooking tends to be 'what you see is what you get'.
Servers were rude.
Food was good, not great. Atmosphere was bad. Like opening night at a Chili's in anytown USA. Bar was slammed making it difficult to get a drink while we waited a half an hour after our reservation time to be seated. Service was bad, rushed, and indifferent just like a chain restaurant. A bad experience but the food was good.
Burger #78: Fancy in Kentucky?
Before heading out to Louisville, I asked the yelp for local burger advise. Sadly, Kentucky has yet to discover the internet so I was flying blind. When browsing businesses in Louisville, the first thing that pops up is Jack Fry's. I didn't read the entire menu because that golden word jumped off the screen at me, Burger.
So after stopping of at our hotel, my coworker and I head out for dinner. The place was pretty packed and had a live jazz trio playing. Very dim interior and almost uncomfortable romantic vibe, for being with a coworker. We were seated pretty quick and service was always spot on. I decided to order shrimp and grits and the burger with cheddar and bacon.
Sadly, I forgot my camera so no pics. The shrimp and grits had the best grits I've ever had in my life, way better than Waffle House. The gravy with shiitake mushrooms and tomatoes went perfectly with the grits and the only issue was that the shrimp were slightly overcooked.
I could smell the burger before it reached my eyes, which is always a good thing. It was cooked almost perfectly, just a tad over medium-rare, but the bacon was perfectly crisp with a hint of fatty chew left in it. The meat was nice and juicy and full of good burger flavor. The caramelized onions were a nice touch and the bun was just right.
All in all a damn fine burger. It was cheaper than my grits appetizer so it was a great deal too! But I couldn't help think that for the $25 I dropped on dinner I could have had 40 burgers from White Castle.
My review isn't even needed-- just look at the 30 ahead of mine. They're spot on.
Best Louisville restaurant! A+ food and service. Only warning: food portions are small.
What a cool place! Sporting a 1940's supper club vibe, Jack Fry's is all about great service, food and atmosphere.
Surprised that we needed a reservation on a weeknight, they were very accomodating and managed to seat us in the smaller room near the entrance. Which was cool - they could have shooed us away.
We started off with the Country Pate, which was served cold and with roasted garlic, cornichons, red onions and French bread. Then we shared the Roasted Beet Salad which came with Kentucky arugula and pistachio and herb rolled Indiana goat cheese in a shallot citrus vinaigrette.
I had the Potato Gratin as my entree which was layers of potatoes, wild mushrooms and thyme topped with goat cheese. Accompanied by grilled vegetables with mixed wild greens in a nutty vinaigrette and a pepper currant relish. This was a small serving but boy was it rich. A lovely combination of flavours.
I liked the people watching as well as how friendly everyone was in there. Fancy but not pretentious, elegant without being obnoxious. I would definitely return, this is a super joint!
Probably the best damn meal Ive had in years. My friend took me here for a special night out and we gorged ourselves on a shrimp appetizer, two baskets of bread, a chicken and pork dinner and a kickass toffee brownie desert. Our server was super friendly and gave us great suggestions. Though the place is small and a bit cramped - the atmosphere was really great. Pricey but worth every penny.
Parking is a nightmare - park across the street at the WalGreens.
I'm just going to add to the positive things said about this place... The food was excellent and the service was even better.
I had had sushi the night before in Louisville (which was also excellent) and was in the mood for something a bit more heavier. I had read Eli G.'s posting about the burger here and was really excited to try it.
I told my waiter (which had lived in Santa Cruz, Ca for a while) that I was going to have a wierd dinner combination and he told me he wouldn't judge me, which is always good.
I started with the Diver Scallops, which were excellent. Mind you I usually stay away from scallops but these scallops were seared perfectly on the outside and just had the most perfect texture and flavor on the inside.
I then had the Stilton salad which was accompanied with some seasonal heirloom tomatoes. The tomatoes totally made the salad.
He recommended a pinot grigio to go with both the scallops and salad(listen to your waiter/ess!!) which was an excellent combination of flavors.
Then came the burger with cheddar cheese and bacon (which was completely unnecessary!!!). The burger was probably one of the best burgers I've ever had! I removed the bacon because it was just not necessary. The burger had so much flavor on its own. It was a juicy, medium rare, delicious piece of heaven.
I was going to go with a Coke with my burger cause what else do you have with a burger, right? Wrong! It was dinner after all. My waiter recommended a red wine (sorry I don't remember the name) which totally went with this delicious burger. I've never had wine with a burger but I think I am going to start doing that.
After I had eaten the whole thing (*tear*) and was hoping for more burger, all I had left were the fries which come with this tasty burger. Not as good as the burger but that's ok.
Definitely, call ahead if you have large groups. Lots of small tables on the bar/dining area. They had live jazz (on a weeknite too!)
For our last lunch in KY, my coworkers and I consulted yelp and decided on Jack Fry's. We walked in at 12:30 on a Friday and we didn't have to wait for a table for 6.
I can see how this place would get very fancy for dinner but lunch was semi-casual. It looked like about 70% of the people were having the burger, but I opted for the turkey sandwich with avocado, roasted red peppers, cheese and toppings on yummy crunchy artisan bread. It was VERY good and served with crunchy in-house chips and a pickle.
The price was very reasonable and the food was just right. All my co-workers had the burger and gave it 2 thumbs up but all agreed it wasn't 'hands down the BEST' burger they'd ever had, but very good nonetheless. One of us had the Thai chicken salad and it look absolutely delish! My ice-tea and water was always full and all the servers looked equally hip/upper class in funky glasses.
This may not be fair, but the only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that they don't have any draft beers. I guess maybe it's too uppity for beers, but if you are known for have the best burger in town I think you should have at least a couple beers on tap.
The pictures on the walls were all mesmerizing! The large nude woman as you walk in surprised me a little for a place so high brow but I loved looking around at all the fun black and white photos and lots of derby references.
Very cool place.
Dressy: The crowd was from suit and tie to blazer and slacks to polo and jeans. So dressy yes, but not so dressy that you feel uncomfortable in jeans. (i.e. no one looks at you like you're crazy for wearing that informal outfit in a place like this.) Do leave the shorts and baseball cap at home though.
Reservations: We needed them for Thursday night at 945pm. It was packed and when we got there there were only two tables open.
Hours: They were one of the few places open after 10pm. (They closed at 11pm.) Ding, ding.
Atmosphere: Much smaller than I expected. Not intimate, just small. Take this to mean loud. The place was packed on Thursday night at 10pm and my wife and I could barely hear one another and the poor waitress had to repeat herself over and over. The decor, although not unusual by Ruby Tuesday's standards, was vintage and neat. I felt like the ghosts of 1930s corrupt politicos had met here to see who they were going to have elected in their next city, county our state election (think All The King's Men). The one item that really jumped out at me was the huge painting when you first walk in the side entrance of a Betty Paige-esque naked woman in repose. I guess this ads to my vision of the once old boys club. Someone else mentioned this place was a great place to people watch and I agree whole heartedly.
Service: Was great - attentive as all-get-out! All friendly and better service than most restaurants I have ever been to (which is to say not too many interruptions but more than a usual joint).
Menu: My only real complaint was that I had expected 'Southern food' on a high end scale and although they had a couple of Southern items on this artsy menu (aka grits) I just would not go in expecting Southern. Obviously this little tid bit did not effect my over all rating.
Food:
Bread was great (2 types including a Southern-esque corn bread loaf).
her:
heirloom tomato salad - she said it was the best tomato she had all summer (this was October 16th)
fish special - I know, not helpful - she wanted fish when we went in, and it was so loud she only heard part of the description from the waitress and still ordered it. She loved it.
dessert - mini chocolate milk shake with molten lava cake - she wouldn't let me try it.
him:
corn chowder (special): I will dream of this chowder when I think of corn chowder - 9/10.
cheeseburger with bacon and cheddar: seems anticlimactic after all I have written to say that I had a burger but it was a great burger - juicy and tasty - the roll was not the best (crumbled while eating it and tasteless) however and so the over rating of the burger takes a hit. Fries were great.
dessert - lemon cheesecake - it was great - not award winning great but still a great ending to a great meal. did I mention great?
$$$$:
Not that we were trying to keep our bill down but we got out of there for under $100 for the two of us. My soda was $1, my burger with adding cheddar and bacon remained at $9.25, my soup was $7, her salad was $9, here wine was $6, etc. Reasonable prices for what we got. I had expected the soda to be $4, my soup to be $12, etc. So this was just a nice way to end the night.
I am sure the food and ambiance are wonderful here. That is why, after Yelping for the 'best' Louisville restaurants (for a party of 10 after the Derby Marathon) I made a reservation here on April 13th. Come the day of April 25th I called to adjust my reservation to nine, when, to my great disappointment, our reservation was nowhere to be found. The manager tried to be helpful and was very apologetic since she could not get me a replacement table. My advice--- get the name of the person taking the reservation and call back a day or two ahead to make sure they have not lost your reservation like they lost mine.
I heard that Jack Frys was always one of peoples favorite restaurants but I never went because nothing seemed to stand out about it (American food) . When I finally did get around to going i was blown away. Everything we ordered was excellent and it gave the whole meal just a wonderful feel.
Highly recommended.
Hands down one of the best stops in Louisville. Good luck getting in during Derby week, it won't happen.
What I love about this place:
- The ambiance: cozy, traditional bar, piano in the background, surrounded by good people
- The food: traditional flavors and dishes that will make you feel like you are eating at home
So good I'm going to name my next dog Jack Fry.
A must go in Louisville.
Best service in town. Excellent, delicious food. Call before you go to get a table. I highly recommend going for lunch, which is a little lower priced than dinner, but just as wonderful, as far as the service and the food.
Best restaurant in town.
You can tell that somebody in that kitchen loves their job.
Creme caramel that will make you cry.
Cozy, with a definite buzz. Get a martini. Lean over the table and touch your companion's hand. Try the pate. Linger. Laugh.
It's my favorite special occasion restaurant in Louisville.
The burger at lunch is a must have. For dinner, the chops are outstanding. The dinner specials are usually pretty good as well. I have eaten there 8 times in the past two years. You can get by at under $60 per person if you don't get a bottle of wine. They have a great Bourbon selection as well.
--- Non pate lovers skip to below ---
Are they gone? Pate lovers of the world UNITE! Yes, Jack Fry's has heard our battle cry! They consistently serve some of the best pate in town, and at a price that can't be beat. The portion is typically huge too, enough to make a meal for one person if you could resist the rest of the menu...
--- Okay, the rest of you can start reading here ---
Ever since I left the 'ville, this is one of those places that I long for and hope to visit every time I am in town. This is the sort of restaurant one finds by luck or from a good review in NYC or SF: cozy, cool, old, unassuming, and awesome. Jack Fry's is one of my most favorite restaurants in town, with generally great service and stellar food.
The pate and escargots are both phenomenal for those that will have them, and while I consider it a bit pedestrian the shrimp and grits are a nice southern touch. The Stilton and beet salads are both very good (although I recommend a martini to cut the stilton). For the main pretty much everything they do here is a winner, even the burger (especially the burger).
So you go to Jack Fry's and eat the pate and the Stilton salad and the martini and the duck. You have just consumed one of the best meals in the 'ville. To finish the night, swing into the video store a couple doors down for something cool like an old Yakuza film. Watch it, then go to bed with the feeling that you have just had a night worth remembering.
The best part is that you can do it all again.
The top Louisville Restaurant for: meat, old school ambiance, and libations. They have no peer for continental cuisine in Louisville. I only wish there was more parking.
My favorite restaurant in the city by far. Terrific wines and terrific filet every time I visit. Just wish they still had the chocolate pave on the desert menu!
One of my favorite eats in the Ville. Not much to say here, just know that it is delicious.
Absolutely amazing food. Wash everything down with a mint julep. If you ever find yourself south of the mason-dixon line, stop in.
My favorite restaurant in Louisville.
great atmosphere, great food, great drinks. as old school as they come with some great food to boot. i'm new to lousville, but so far this is my favorite place to grab a meal by far.
Louisville, KY
Category: American (New)
Louisville, KY
Category: Bakeries
Louisville, KY
Category: Restaurants
Louisville, KY
Category: Restaurants
Louisville, KY
Category: Restaurants
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