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    Barrel 53

    4.0 (23 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Appetizer
    Babygirlinmiami S.

    Food, service and ambience were amazing. Staff was extremely accommodating and made sure our meals were well prepared.

    Apple crisp dessert with a cinnamon roll base.
    Chris R.

    Barrel 53 is the restaurant and bar inside the yet-to-open Hotel Lex at Exit 104 of I-75 in Lexington KY. Just a few miles down the road from my house. So, when I saw they were locally owned, open, and featured a bourbon bar, I added it to my Must Try list. The opportunity arose when a musician friend told me he was playing there on July 1. So, off I went to join his wife, a couple other friends and a couple dozen other patrons for a Saturday night of food, drinks, live music and friends. The whole evening was a winner! The space is decorated as one would expect a bourbon-themed place to be, with dark woods, barrels, large bar. It is very spacious with booths, tables, high tops, and a small private room. The staff were friendly, attentive, and proud of what they were doing there. The food was fantastic!! Great presentation, lots of options and everything prepared perfectly! My friends and I enjoyed all our dishes from chicken to hot brown to grilled cheese to apps. And the Brussel Sprouts were killer. Then we shared an apple crisp dessert that was more than enough for all of us to sample. The bourbon list is good and growing with reasonable prices. Their cocktail list takes imaginative twists on classics. (But don't let them use bottled lime juice concentrate! If they do, ask them to remake it and they will. Hopefully, I made my point when I suggested they reserve that for the cleaning closet, not the cocktail well.). They had really good beer specials, too! $2.00-4.00 for good stuff! Whether you live in Lexington, come for a visit, or are just passing thru on the interstate, this place should be in your restaurant rotation.

    Dry rub wings and fries
    Ree R.

    The food is pretty mediocre. It's not bad but it is also not great. Now the service is another story. The service is spectacular. Everyone is so nice and very welcoming. I will be back just because of the service. The ambiance of the place is very welcoming and warm. We was treated like family that they have known their whole lives. I will definitely be back. We went on a Tuesday for open mic night and the music was good as well. We didn't know any of the music but it was still nice:

    Lemon Drop Martini with a pink sugar rim
    Savannah B.

    Whenever I'm in or around Lexington this will forever be my go to! Locally owned & The people here are absolutely amazing and so welcoming. Barrel 53 is the restaurant & bar located inside the hotel and the food NEVER disappoints, The Barrel Burger is BOMB & their fries are even good later when they are cold. The younger bartender is seriously the best and has the sweetest soul!! I placed first in one of their karaoke competitions so they comped my room (bathroom was extra fancy btw) and seriously made me and my family feel like we didn't want to leave lol!! Thanks Hotel Lex & Barrel 53 for making us feel like family, we will always recommend yall to anyone planning a trip or heading through & will have forever memories from my family

    salmon with seasonal veggies
    courtlin l.

    I come here a lot because I do the open mics and gigs there. The food is always amazing! The salmon is so good. The main bartender and server is so friendly and fun. It's a nice place and a nice hotel. Definitely worth a visit. The live music is also good!

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    4 months ago

    Food is excellent. I would recommend this to anyone who is in this area stop in and be amazed.

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    2 years ago

    The bartender with the long brown hair is terrible. If you walk in and she is working, turn around and go somewhere else.

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    Boonedogs - Pimento Dog 
BLOOMBERG'S TOP 13 HOT DOGS IN AMERICA

    Boonedogs

    3.9(144 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    Really enjoyed lunch here! They have delicious dressed up dogs. My husband and I both went with…read morebeef dogs that were topped with great pairing. They offer a build your own option as well where you have quite a number of other options of meats and toppings. I have to say the wings were perfectly fried. After trying my husband's salt and pepper wings I ordered the Blackberry Habanero for myself. They had a very nice sweet flavor. I requested a side of the sauce to dip the wings because I really wanted more of the great flavor! Finger licking good! It was a real nice day so we chose to sit in their outdoor area which is covered by triangular canopies. There are picnic style tables and an area for kids to play. Very comfortable area. Our server was great and very attentive. There was no long waits for anything! If you enjoy a good hotdog like I do I recommend you try here. Even if you don't want all the fancy stuff you can just enjoy a simple dog with only the fixing you want! I'll be back for sure!

    This is a hidden gem in Lexington Located by lots of horse farms A beautiful drive to get there…read more It has outside and inside seating It was a gorgeous day so we sat outside Our server I believe Chelsea was amazing She told us all about what Boonedogs has to offer happy hour trivia etc You also can bring your dogs They are known for gourmet hot dogs Delicious!! I got the kentucky dog with pickles onions tomato special sauce and everything seasoning My hubby got the cheesesteak hot dog and my daughter build your own So yummy!!

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    Boonedogs - Good choices!

    Good choices!

    Boonedogs - Cheeseburger Sliders Lunch Combo

    Cheeseburger Sliders Lunch Combo

    Boonedogs - Fried Bologna Sandwich
A Southern favorite with thick-sliced bologna, grilled onions, American cheese, mustard, and mayo.

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    Fried Bologna Sandwich A Southern favorite with thick-sliced bologna, grilled onions, American cheese, mustard, and mayo.

    Southern Cookhouse & Bar - Nashville Hot chicken

    Southern Cookhouse & Bar

    4.4(24 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    While out shopping, the movies, and enjoying a great day in Lexington, the Fat Man and his wife…read moredecided to get a late lunch. We swung into Southern Cookhouse & Bar. Southern Cookhouse features scratch-made dishes using local ingredients, a variety of burgers, pizzas, and classic Southern entrees. I started with the Chicken & Sausage Gumbo because I love soup and all soup-adjacent things. The gumbo had a good, rich flavor from the roux, with subtle heat and a sweet finish. The chicken had a nice flavor, a little saltiness, and it was tender. The Andouille sausage was cooked well and rounded out the flavor profile. The tomatoes and scallions added brightness and crunch. The rice had a few hard pieces, but overall it was good. I do want to mention that I did find a few chicken bones in the dish, just so people are aware. My wife tried the Dunwoody Cobb, made with Grilled chicken breast, boiled eggs, bacon, avocado, tomato, and blue cheese crumbles, with spring mix tossed in Dijon vinaigrette. The lettuce was crunchy and fresh. The bacon had a great salt level, crunch, and crispiness. The avocado added a creamy richness to each bite, while the tomato's acidity cut through the Dijon mustard's sweet and bitter notes. The star of the show was the salty, nutty, creamy blue cheese crumbles, which meshed well with all the other components. The chicken was cooked well and had good flavor, but it was dry. While I avoided it, my wife said the boiled egg was well-cooked and added it to the salad. I had the Nashville Hot chicken, which comes with spicy pickles, coleslaw & mayo on slider rolls with potato salad. The potato salad was mustard-and-mayo-based. The potatoes were soft but still offered some texture. The mustard and mayo balanced each other and added flavor. There were eggs in the potato salad, but they blended into the background and did not stand out. The sweet pickle relish added crunch and texture without being overly sweet. I'm not sure if it was made in-house or from a container; it was good nonetheless. The slider was fresh, soft, and nicely toasted. The slaw was medium-chopped, with a great mayo ratio and a good sweetness, tasting fresh, crunchy, and creamy without being so rich as to drown out the vegetables or the chicken. The pickle was not spicy, but a thick-cut bread-and-butter type with a little sweetness and a velvety, buttery flavor. The chicken was juicy, tender, and cooked well. The Nashville-style spices were mild to medium, just enough to know it was there but not so overpowering that it was all you tasted. It was not overly oily either, which often plagues sandwiches of this type. The entire sandwich worked well together. Southern Cookhouse has a full menu, but some items do rotate or are seasonal. The bar is fully stocked, offering draft beer, tea, and soft drinks. They offer counter ordering, and the staff is very friendly. The Fat Man says that Southern Cookhouse & Bar is Fat Man Approved with 2 chins.

    If you love Shoestring Fries, this is your place!! They are some of the best shoestring fries that…read moreI have ever had. I always come back for that Waymore's Chicken Pot Pie!! I guarantee that you won't find a similar dish on anyone's menu. I love the gravy over the top of a chicken pot pie chimichanga. It is brilliant!! Anyway, they have great burgers and it's a great neighborhood bar. You should check it out. It is owned and operated by a family that lives in the neighborhood.

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    Southern Cookhouse & Bar - Bar

    Bar

    Southern Cookhouse & Bar - Dunwoody Cobb

    Dunwoody Cobb

    Southern Cookhouse & Bar

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    Char

    Char

    4.4(53 reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$

    We went for brunch this weekend. First time here and we both got the specials. I got the omelet…read morewith goat cheese and red onion. Husband had the bread pudding French toast. We also had coffees (regular drip for me and an iced latte for him). And I also tried the key lime gimlet. It's made with Castle & Key gin which is a favorite of mine. Ambience was very nice and the food was delicious. I asked for a side of bacon. I am very particular about my bacon and it came out cooked perfectly, crispy but not burnt. Service was fantastic and pleasant. The only criticism I had is that the red onion in my omelet was bitter. But no one's fault, sometimes onions are very astringent. Everything else was delicious and well made. Oh and we got the house made cinnamon roll for the table. This was delicious. So buttery and gooey with cinnamon. We will be back, maybe for dinner to try their dinner menu!

    Char on Ashland is a must-visit in Lexington! We tried five items and here's the honest breakdown:…read more The Cinnamon Bun is a 10/10 -- hands down the star of the visit. It's enormous (easily shareable between 6+ people) and absolutely delicious. The Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich was a close second at 9/10, a great classic executed really well. The Banana Bread Latte was an 8/10 -- very good but ask for it less sweet. The Iced Cinnamon Bun Latte and Eggs in Heaven both landed at 6/10. The latte sounds incredible on paper but the cinnamon bun flavor didn't quite come through, and while the Eggs in Heaven dish itself is a good concept, my eggs were unfortunately not cooked to my liking. We really enjoyed sitting outside and enjoying our breakfast! Service was good, a little slow but they were very friendly! Overall a great spot with a lot of potential -- the pastry alone is worth the trip. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu!

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    Char
    Char
    Char

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    Barrel 53 - bbq - Updated August 2026

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