BEWARE: This place made my stomach hurt... because I couldn't stop eating it! This is without a doubt the best bbq I have had in Louisville. I feel bad for anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of eating here! The inside has a very nice, quiet, rustic feel to it. The individual who took our order up front was incredibly kind as well. Not a single bad thing to say about this place! read more

Well they got me. Lol. Drove 40 minutes because I was craving it, ordered a extra bottle of their sauce because it is that good, didn't check the bag (my fault, especially since it's happened before), got charged for 2 bottles & got nothing. Not even the cups you get with the meal. Not driving back. Good food? Yes. Ribs, potato salad, green beans, heck it's all good. BUT check to make sure you get your BBQ sauce. Starting to be a pattern, sadly, & I hate that. I'll just have to remember to look better. Bootleg do better! read more

I'm originally from Texas so I feel like I know my BBQ. This was a little different than the bbq I like. It was overall great portions, friendly service, and overall decent bbq! Wish they had better parking because sometimes the road gets back up because of Bardstown. Overall would recommend! read more

Great food and good barbecue overall For when you just don't feel like cooking at home but still want a good barbecue read more

Stumbled upon this place while I was out driving and decided to give it a try! I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich with Mac and cheese & Cajun Chicken Gumbo. Let's start with the sandwich, I'd say it was a 7/10. It lacked the flavor that I was expecting from a bbq place, I didn't really get any Smokey flavor like I wanted. The Mac & cheese was creamy and surprisingly good! I was also amazed at how good the Cajun chicken gumbo was, I would say that was the best thing I ordered! It was packed with flavor and a great amount of spice. I wasn't expecting the gumbo to taste better than the sandwich but the guy next to me did let me know that they were known for their wings! Next time I will go for the wings, the sandwich was good but it lacked a lot of flavor! I also ordered the butter pie, presentation was sloppy and it didn't taste as I expected it would! Overall service was quick and I'll be back for those wings. read more

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Great food and excellent service. Nice and clean. Highly recommend the Burgoo stew. It's full of meats and veggies.

Asked for baby back ribs & got spare ribs instead. Baked beans way too spicy. Corn was good.

Expensive. Standard pulled chicken sandwich, 3/4 red beans, 3/4 cup green beans and drink = $19.06. Good barbecue sauce on the side - not sure if they make or if it comes from Sysco. read more

We Always count on Bootleg Bar-B-Q for super service--usually take out but the dine-in tables are really nice too! One of the few Standalone local restaurants. Lots of choices of great food & we have tried everything. The character of the building is charming with wood accents. read more

Little bit of a drive. Hidden from Bardstown road. Bit great food! Some of the best you'll have .. service is great. You'll definitely leave happy! read more

Food was delicious,staff was friendly and helpful since it was our first time there. Food was Amazing Im generally not a Res beans and rice fan but they are good. Pulled pork was good the sauces were Amazing too! They the HOT sauce mixed with the BBQ it's a perfect mix of sweet and hot. When I come back to town I will be coming back! read more

The food at BootLeg is always great and service is terrific. Love the chicken barbecue and their coleslaw is right up there with Mike Lennigs. read more

It had been a very long time since I had this food. The last time I had it they were in a small shack. Now they have a full on restaurant. That not the only thing that changed, their food has went down hill. My large pork chop was tasteless, potato chips were stale, and sausage was ok. The picking up the food was odd to. The First Lady told me to wait even though she wasn't doing anything as soon as I walked in. Later Second Lady 20 feet calls me over to get my name and tell me wait again. Later a third lady brings out my food. This experience I can skip. read more

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My order was takeout, so this review is solely for their food. Among 7 adults, we ordered 3 lbs of pulled pork, sides of beans, Mac and cheese, twice baked taters, and green beans. Everybody loved everything, but with preferences. First of all, 3 lbs for 7 people is excessive as we learned, it lasted 2 meals with leftovers even for all 7 people. The pulled pork was moist, and fairly flavorful. My biggest gripe is not getting additional sauce to make it spicy etc to everyone's preference. The sides in order of everyone's preference: (1) Beans - great and a must have. (2) Twice baked taters - amazing potatoes with cheese and bacon, it went fast. (3) The Mac and cheese and green beans were both good, but not on the same level as the taters and beans, so I will not order them again. Overall, very pleased with the food and will plan on returning. read more

I got sausage, mashed potatoes, baked beans and a slice of butter cream pie. All was good. Service was a little slow because of the snow outside. The pie was off the chain. Would definitely recommend adding a hotter bbq sauce selection, unless I just missed it. I would recommend eating here. read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Baked beans, mash potatoes and gravy with a smoked sausage. - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Bootleg bbq is a long-standing fern creek staple located off old Bardstown road in Lousiville Kentucky a mile or so before hitting the Mount Washington city line. For years this was just a small shack with limited to no seating but over the last five years or so they did a complete remodel that features spacious seating, old school 50s and 60s style country decor and a very home feeling vibe to it. Service on my trips here are always pretty good. You order at the counter when walking in at the dine in portion and seat yourself. The opposite side of the counter which has a separate entrance is for carry out. In our history they have always gotten our food out fast, accurately and fresh. My personal go to meal is a pulled pork sandwich with a side of baked beans. I've gotten other sides in the past like max and cheese and there double tater (mashed potatoes with cheese on top) and you can't go wrong. The baked beans is my favorite though and some of my favorite in the city. The sandwich has a good taste and the bbq sauce is very tasty. My wife is a big fan of the pork and loves getting the burgoo side. Kids usually stick to the kids menu and usually finish there plates. So complaints on there end. Overall a nice hole in the wall establishment just a little bit off the beaten path of busy bardstown road that has above average bbq, good service and a good atmosphere. read more

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Right off Bardstown road and has a great dinning room. Sandwich was really good as well as the fries. I took a half slab of ribs home for dinner and they were really good. read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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we went today and got two nachos and two chili dogs. Neither one were big portions and the total came to $52 which is outrageous for what we got not to mention the food is disgusting and they didn't even get the order right please don't waste your money on this business. It's definitely a waste of time and money and a disappointment in the food. I will never return and I will never recommend them. read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Bootleg at one time was the best bar-b-q in Louisville, unfortunately it's just not what it once was. Today I paid 25.40 for 13 wings and a 1/2 lb of brisket. The brisket was marginal, and the wings were an absolute joke as a recent reviewer wrote I didn't know you could get wings this small. Additionally, I left a tip with the young lady that was ringing me out of $2.40, there was no thanks or even a grunt. Remember this is a carry out, all that was done was hand me a bag didn't even offer a fork or napkin. Never again... sad to see a once great place go down. read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Wings and 1/2 of brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Great BBQ and sides, my son said he likes the chicken wings, been going there for years. read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Eight of us went to Bootleg this evening to celebrate a birthday. I was craving the pork chop but they were already sold out for the night, that's how good it is. The pork chop is approximately an inch to an inch and a quarter thick and smoked to juicy perfection. But I love the chicken also so it was an easy switch. The half bird was Smokey and juicy, the skin roasted to a crisp yet moist tasty bite. The baked potatoes are huge and come with butter, sour cream, bacon and cheese. Two of our party had the big Nasty and really enjoyed them. The big Nasty is a large brisket sandwich on a Kaiser bun smothered with gooey cheese, peppers, onions, and a tangy white sauce. The baked beans, tater salad, mac and cheese were all given a thumbs up. The service is friendly and the restaurant inviting. read more

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Drove over 30 minutes because I heard there was a very good barbecue to be had, but once I was instantly greeted by a very disrespectful cashier. Never made eye contact continue to look at her phone while pointing with a pin behind her at the menu. Definitely do not recommend this place if you are African-American. read more

The most amazing experience I have had in a restaurant yet. The owner was in there working himself making it the best experience ever for us. He took our order himself and gave us free sides for our 1 year old! Then when our 4 year old was crying for a hot dog (even though she ordered ribs) he heard and brought her out a hot dog on the house and even cut it up for her. Super nice dude!!! Everything was clean and tasted amazing as always.! read more

The brisket was decent. The coleslaw was bland and boring. My wife had to add vinegar and sugar to make it good. The macaroni was no big deal. I made better from Kroger. Too far from my house. I only went there because I had a free gift certificate. read more

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I don't know how I've lived in the Louisville area for the length of time I have and had never had Bootleg BBQ!!! Our party had a carry out order tonight. We had the Baby Back Ribs, the Pulled Pork BBQ, Baked Beans, Mac and Cheese, Silk Pie, and Cherry Cobbler. Each and every bite of this food was absolutely SUCCULENT and FULL OF FLAVOR from the meat to the side dishes and the last bite of the dessert!!!!! I'm not always all about BBQ type food but this place BEATS THEM ALL, that I've ever had before! I'm looking forward to a reason to return here for a carry out order again! They have some sort of extra magical way that they do their Baby Back Ribs!!!! EXCELLENT! read more

Wings are good. A little on the small side but tasty. You have to order them 24 hours in advance to get them. The girl working the counter was (how shall I say this) a piece of work. Went in and there were some girls ordering at the counter and I walked up to the carry out counter. Girl said I need to get in the other line behind the girls. After she takes care of the girls she ask me what I wanted and I told her I had a carry out order and she told me I needed to be in the other line. read more

Food was great the waitress sucked they were rude messed up when charging me for my food and then says it will be 3 business days to get my money back read more

Great smoky food, quality service, restaurant is small, but we this place to order massive takeout orders for parties and events Recommend 10/10 if you like smoked chicken. read more

The food is always spot on and a fan favorite at events! But if you need catering for 10-20 people, you need to arrange it well in advance since they need plenty of time to prepare. On the same day, I went in and tried to get a 3 pints of potato salad, and I was denied saying it would take 3 hours to have that ready. It felt odd since they should be able to prep more quickly, so I went to another BBQ joint to get what I needed. read more

My husband has been here a few times but this time he got a large pork chop and it was really salty and tasteless. It was just lukewarm. We ordered it to go and they told us it would be really in 26 minutes. He ate some of it but quit because of all the salt on it. Won't go back. read more

Order ahead and pick up. Dine in or sit outside. Food is always great and staff always friendly. I have ordered dinner for my family or a quick hotdog for myself. Always hot and delicious. When we ordered bulk/catering for wings...they were hot when I picked them up and a crowd pleaser. If cobbler (peach) is available...try it. read more

Used to love this place until today! We spent $45.00 on a half of slab of baby back ribs and the smallest chicken wings I ever saw! The wings looked like humming bird wings, I never saw any wings that small! The ribs were cold and tough! Won't be back here and the sad thing is I have been coming here for 15 years! read more

Tried the smoked chicken. The leg/ thigh portion was okay. The breast portion was extremely dry and not easy to eat. I have learned to check the sack when doing carry out. The sides did not make it into the sack. Every time I try Bootleg my expectations are disappointed. Good reputation but not deserved. read more

After a walk at Broad Run park on a beautiful day, we decided we wanted to have dinner on a patio and Bootleg was near by with outdoor seating. Little did we know, before pulling up to the restaurant, that they were closed to dining and were only doing carry-out. We decided to place our carry-out order over the phone but still sit in their outdoor seating area. We let them know we were sitting outside. The food was ready VERY quickly (we were all shocked) and they brought it out to the picnic table where we were seated. I ordered the pulled turkey sandwich with 2 sides: green beans and mashed potatoes/gravy. I advised that they could hold the bun because I like to eat my BBQ with a fork but they gave me the bun anyhow so I had half the bun as "bread" for the meal as one might have with their dinner. The turkey was a small serving, probably because it was a perfect amount for a sandwich; however, it ended up being enough for me with having the sides. The greens beans and potatoes were great! My group also ordered a couple quarter chickens and the pork chop meal... sides included a couple giant baked potatoes (which were definitely that, giant) and mac & cheese. Everyone seemed overall happy with their food. read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Pulled turkey sandwich (off the bun) with mashed potatoes/gravy, and green beans. - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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So, before COVID I definitely had my favorite BBQ spots, and they were unrivaled. Sadly, COVID damaged them pretty severely and now they are shadows of their former selves. I was in the market for a new place and STAT! Did I drive miles out of my way to seek this place out based on a single persons recommendation? You bet I did! And was I glad I did! You walk in and order at the counter, then pick up when your name is called. The interior looks like the remnants of a barn sale - there are knickknacks, and barn wood walls, but the decor is scattered all over randomly, and not jammed full like you'd see at like a Cracker Barrel or something. I ordered the pork sandwich with coleslaw and mashed potato and gravy. The pork was excellent, moist and flavorful, and the coleslaw added made it messy and wonderful. The potatoes are real and fresh. If I had any complaint it would be the sauce I was given, it was overly sweet and cloying, I saw other sauces that they had but was not given an option to choose so I don't know if i could have changed it. Fingers crossed that they open a second location more north of this one but until then I am driving forever to get here. read more

Stopped by while staying at a local AirBnB in the area. This place makes everything homemade and it shows. This review was done during COVID and this place was strictly following the guidelines and we appreciated it! There is a covered area with picnic tables to eat outdoors. Otherwise, you can only order via phone or online (during COVID). I have been to dozens of bbq places across the country and this place outpaces most all of them. We ordered most everything on the menu. First, if there is any way you can order the smoked sticky wings you will not be be disappointed. Smokey, full of flavor and sticky sweet makes them unforgettable. For the meats, we ordered the spare ribs, smoked chicken, pulled pork, and smoked sausage. The ribs were a model of perfection; tender, smokey, and a wonderful coating of seasonings. No sauce required there! The rub on the smoked chicken was outstanding and the meat was moist and delicious. The smoked sausage was juicy, with a great snap, and just wonderful. The sides here are some of the best I've ever had. All homemade, the recipes were great. The cole slaw and tater salad were perfect, but the real star of the show for me was the baked beans. Unusually sweetened with a hint of cinnamon, they stand out from other baked beans you might find elsewhere. We also had the red beans and rice (topped with a spiced tomato paste), green beans, Cajun chicken gumbo, and mashed potatoes. All worth the price of admission! The burgoo stew, a Kentucky specialty, was a unique, rich, and delicious. Highly recommended. They also offer a very, very unique Kentucky bbq sauce made from Worcestershire, vinegar, and spices. A bit unusual, but worth a try. Last, but not least, we had the bread pudding and butter cream pie for dessert. What a way to top off such an outstanding meal! Be sure to leave room for dessert or bring it home for later! read more

Bootleg Bar-B-Q - Ribs, chicken, pulled pork, sides, dessert, wings. - Barbeque Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

my wife and I came here tonight to get some really nice ribs and what we got was some store bought rib. we've ate here before and the ribs were much bigger some we got tonight were somewhat burn. aside from that when we ordered the ribs we were wanting the family meal where you get two large sides and rolls but when they called our name we had two individual sides so I took them back up and the girls said she wanted us to get another individual sides I didn't want to call a seen because there was so many people around and I didn't want to embarrass me or the restaurant so we just left but it will be a long time before we come back to bootleg bbq they used to be the best place for ribs but not anymore read more

Service and ambiance have made improvements over the years, but unfortunately the BBQ is just not there. Bootleg is okay in a pinch, but fails to even rival a chain like City BBQ. The meat has more of a first time smoking flavor than a serious BBQ joint. The sides such as potato salad and red beans with rice are the highlights. Okay but not great. read more

I Ordered 75 hot and sticky wings. The sauce is amazing, but the problem is I couldn't find the chicken. I am still not sure where you can purchase a bird that small unless they own a hummingbird farm. All I could do once I got home was laugh that I spent $75 on my new hot and sticky toothpicks. On top of that, the young staff that works there acts like they are disturbed that you would have the audacity to pull them away from their phone to wait on a you. On a positive note, the potato salad was delicious. read more

This was my first visit to Bootleg since the remodel and wow, the change is dramatic. They have a real restaurant now with air conditioning and everything! Bootleg has always been a counter service place, so that hasn't changed, and, as far as I can tell, neither has the menu. We called ahead and ordered 25 wings, plus a half chicken, sandwich, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese when we got there. The wings were good, the chicken was solid and so were the sides. Is it the best barbecue in the area? Probably not. Is it worth a try? Absolutely. read more

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