About Us

Two men in business suits standing side by side inside a bar or restaurant, with shelves of liquor bottles and brick wall in the background.

Bourbons Bistro has been flying the bourbon flag on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky since 2005—well before “Bourbonism” became a buzzword and long before bourbon tourism was in full swing. As a bourbon bar and restaurant dedicated to Kentucky bourbon, it was ahead of the curve from the start.

Founders Jason Brauner and John Morrison came up with the idea the best way possible: sitting around, sipping bourbon, and wondering why Kentucky’s signature spirit wasn’t getting the spotlight it deserved. Somewhere between pours, the concept took shape on a cocktail napkin—and a bold idea was born.

At the time, building an entire restaurant around bourbon felt like a bit of a gamble. Outside of hotel bars, no one was really doing it. But with roughly 95% of the world’s bourbon made right here in Kentucky, they saw an opportunity to showcase Kentucky bourbon in a way that was approachable, educational, and (most importantly) enjoyable. Bourbons Bistro quickly became a place where you could enjoy a great meal and actually learn something about bourbon—without feeling like you’re in a classroom.

Guests come to Bourbons Bistro for bourbon flights, curated tastings, and a menu designed to pair with whiskey. The setting only adds to the story. Housed in a historic 1880s building on Frankfort Avenue, Bourbons Bistro fits right in with the neighborhood’s independent spirit and tight-knit community of locally owned businesses. Over the years, the area has grown alongside the restaurant, built on a culture of collaboration—neighbors helping neighbors, sharing resources, and showing up for one another.

More than 20 years in, Bourbons Bistro has seen its share of challenges—from industry shifts to economic downturns. But one thing hasn’t changed: they keep showing up. A dedicated team, many of whom have been there for years, continues to create an environment that’s welcoming, knowledgeable, and refreshingly unpretentious. Whether you’re a seasoned bourbon enthusiast or just figuring out what you like, the philosophy remains the same: no wrong answers, just good guidance when it comes to bourbon.

That approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. Bourbons Bistro has been named one of America’s Best Bourbon Bars by The Bourbon Review (more than once, but who’s counting), earned Bar of the Year (USA) from Whisky Magazine, and in 2023 took home Global Bar of the Year from Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky Awards (yes, as in the world). They’re also proud to be an official partner of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail—which feels like a pretty natural fit.

Looking ahead, Bourbons Bistro plans to keep doing what it’s always done: supporting the bourbon industry, sharing its history, and serving as a place where people can gather, learn about bourbon, and raise a glass. The industry may continue to evolve, but the mission stays the same. And we’re more than happy to keep riding that wave.

FAQs

About Bourbons Bistro

  • Bourbons Bistro is located at 2255 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville's historic Clifton neighborhood, Kentucky 40206. The restaurant sits in the heart of the Frankfort Avenue dining corridor, minutes from downtown Louisville, and is a proud partner of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

  • Bourbons Bistro opened in 2005 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. It was one of Louisville's original bourbon-focused restaurants and is widely credited with helping anchor the city's bourbon-tourism identity. As bourbon writer Fred Minnick has said, "…it all started with Bourbons Bistro. Without Bourbons Bistro anchoring bourbon's core market, there's a strong chance Kentucky's largest city would never have been motivated to support bourbon."

  • Bourbons Bistro is an award-winning bourbon bar and restaurant serving contemporary Southern-inspired cuisine paired with one of the country's most extensive bourbon selections. The menu is seasonal, the bourbon list features more than 130 selections including a barrel selection program, and the setting is warm, historic, and neighborhood-anchored on Louisville's Frankfort Avenue.

  • Bourbons Bistro is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30pm to 10pm and Friday and Saturday from 4:30pm to 11pm. The kitchen is closed Sunday and Monday. The bar stays open later than the kitchen — until 11pm or later Tuesday through Thursday, and midnight or later Friday and Saturday.

  • Street parking is available on Frankfort Avenue and adjacent side streets. The restaurant is easy to reach from downtown Louisville, Old Louisville, the Highlands, and St. Matthews.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro has been named an award-winning bourbon bar multiple times. Recent honors include Whisky Magazine's Global Bar of the Year (2023), Whisky Magazine's America Bar of the Year (2022 and 2023), and The Bourbon Review's America's Best Bourbon Bar (2022 and 2024). Bourbons Bistro is also a Kentucky Bourbon Trail partner.

  • Bourbons Bistro offers one of Louisville's most extensive bourbon selections, with more than 130 bourbons including rare, allocated, and single-barrel expressions. The restaurant runs an active barrel selection program, choosing individual barrels directly from distilleries for exclusive pours available only at Bourbons Bistro.

BOURBON PROGRAM

  • Bourbons Bistro offers more than 130 bourbons, ranging from Kentucky staples to rare and allocated bottles. The list is curated by co-founders Jason Brauner and John Morrison and includes an ongoing barrel selection program with pours you can only find at Bourbons Bistro.

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro offers curated bourbon flights alongside its 130+ bourbon selection. Flights include themed comparisons across distilleries, vertical tastings of single brands, and rotating features tied to specific bourbon dinners and takeover events.

  • A barrel selection program means the restaurant selects individual bourbon barrels directly from the distiller, so the whiskey poured is unique to that establishment and not available anywhere else. Bourbons Bistro has run an active barrel selection program for years and features private-barrel pours from producers including Buzzard's Roost, Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Castle & Key, and others.

MENU AND FOOD

  • Bourbons Bistro on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville pairs an extensive bourbon list (130+ selections) with contemporary Southern-inspired cuisine. The menu changes seasonally and features signature dishes like the Shrimp & Grits — Cajun sausage and jumbo shrimp over Kentucky's own Weisenberger stone-mill grits — alongside the Bourbon's Burger, Bourbons Chop, and often has rotating chef-led weeknight specials.

  • Bourbons Bistro in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood offers bourbon-inspired seasonal menus, with dishes and cocktails that change with the season. The current summer menu features Tuna Poke Nachos, Scottish Salmon with summer succotash, Lemon Ricotta Pasta, the Bourbon's Burger with bourbon BBQ, and Summer Salad with fresh berries. Chef Jereme McFarland debuts new seasonal menus quarterly.

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro's menu changes with the seasons. New menus are debuted in spring, summer, fall, and winter, built around what's freshest each quarter. Chef Jereme McFarland also introduces rotating weeknight specials throughout the year.

  • Bourbons Bistro's signature dishes include the famous Shrimp & Grits (Cajun sausage and jumbo shrimp over Kentucky's own Weisenberger stone-mill grits, finished in cream), the Bourbon's Burger with house bourbon BBQ and crispy onions, and the Bourbons Chop. Seasonal favorites and rotating weeknight specials round out the menu.

RESERVATIONS AND VISITS

  • Reservations at Bourbons Bistro are available online through OpenTable at bourbonsbistro.com or by calling the restaurant directly at (502) 894-8838. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar as space allows. Reservations are recommended for weekend evenings and any bourbon dinner or ticketed event.

  • Yes, Bourbons Bistro welcomes walk-ins at the bar as seating allows. For dining room tables, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings, reservations through OpenTable are recommended.

  • Bourbons Bistro's dress code is smart casual. Guests are comfortable in everything from jeans and a nice shirt to a jacket for a special occasion. There is no formal dress requirement.

  • Bourbons Bistro welcomes guests of all ages in the dining room. As a bourbon-focused establishment, the atmosphere is best suited for older families and adult gatherings, though children accompanied by adults are welcome for dinner.

PRIVATE DINING AND EVENTS

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro offers private dining for events of all kinds, including rehearsal dinners, corporate gatherings, holiday parties, bridal showers, and bourbon dinners. The upstairs Rick Room seats up to 50 guests and has a separate private entrance. The covered main-floor patio accommodates up to 30 guests. Off-site catering is also available. Contact the events team at events@bourbonsbistro.com.

  • Bourbons Bistro on Frankfort Avenue offers dedicated private dining spaces in Louisville, including the upstairs Rick Room (up to 50 guests, private entrance) and a covered main-floor patio (up to 30 guests). The restaurant hosts rehearsal dinners, corporate events, birthdays, holiday parties, bourbon dinners, and other private gatherings. Off-site catering is also available.

  • The Rick Room is Bourbons Bistro's upstairs private event space, accommodating up to 50 seated guests. It has its own private entrance and is used for bourbon dinners, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, and celebrations. Note: The Rick Room is on the second floor and is accessed by stairway only; the building does not have an elevator.

  • Bourbons Bistro can accommodate up to 50 guests seated in the upstairs Rick Room and up to 30 on the covered main-floor patio. Larger events can be discussed with the events team, and off-site catering is available for events at other locations.

HAPPY HOUR AND SPECIALS

  • Bourbons Bistro offers Happy Hour Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30pm to 7pm, with $2 off bottles of beer, $2 off glasses of wine, $3 off glasses of bourbon, and $4 off select appetizers including Spicy Fried Oysters, Goat Cheese Dip, and Salmon Cakes.

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro's summertime late-night happy hour runs weeknights after 9pm when all drinks are half price. It is a favorite for a low-key end-of-evening stop in the Clifton neighborhood.

  • Yes — Half-Price Bottles of Wine every Thursday at the bar, and half-price drinks during late-night happy hour Tuesday through Saturday after 9pm. Bourbon dinners and takeover events are hosted throughout the year, typically on Wednesday evenings in the Rick Room. Go to https://bourbonsbistro.com/specials for the latest information.

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro hosts bourbon dinners throughout the year, featuring guest distillers, master blenders, and brand ambassadors from producers including Knob Creek, Bardstown Bourbon, Green River, Buzzard's Roost, Angel's Envy, Castle & Key, and many others. Bourbon dinners typically include a curated multi-course meal paired with a flight of bourbons and a talk from the visiting distiller. Upcoming dinners are listed on bourbonsbistro.com under Events.

NEIGHBORHOOD AND HISTORY

  • Bourbons Bistro on Frankfort Avenue is one of Louisville's most beloved historic-feeling restaurants. Open since 2005 in the Clifton neighborhood, the space features exposed brick, warm lighting, and Louisville's original bourbon-focused dining room. The atmosphere is intimate, neighborhood-anchored, and consistently praised for its warmth and character.

  • Yes — Bourbons Bistro is a partner of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It's one of a small number of Louisville restaurants recognized on the trail for its role in Kentucky's bourbon culture, including its bourbon selection, barrel program, and events featuring Kentucky's most notable distillers.

  • Bourbons Bistro is widely considered the best bourbon bar in Louisville's Clifton and Frankfort Avenue neighborhood. Named Whisky Magazine's Global Bar of the Year (2023) and America Bar of the Year (2022 and 2023), and Bourbon Review's America's Best Bourbon Bar (2022 and 2024), Bourbons Bistro sits at 2255 Frankfort Avenue and is open Tuesday through Saturday.