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    Bootleg Bar-B-Q

    3.9 (213 reviews)
    InexpensiveBarbeque, Southern, American
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Bootleg Bar-B-Q Photos

    Business Info

    BOOTLEG BAR-B-Q ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Bootleg Bar-B-Q

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    Reviews With Photos

    Aldean R.

    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.

    Mike L.

    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.

    Street sign from bardstown rd
    Joseph G.

    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.

    Kristi L.

    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.

    Wings and 1/2 of brisket.
    Jeff J.

    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.

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

    The Big Nasty
    Deb M.

    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.

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    2 years ago

    My favorite barbecue place in Louisville. Like the pulled pork, mutton and twice baked potatoes.

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    3 years ago

    Best potato salad ever and the pulled pork barbecue is my favorite so we try to stop by at least ice a month!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Bootleg Bar-B-Q

    Yelp and Google say that they are only open Saturday and Sunday but their website says that they are open every day of the week. Which one is correct?

    They are open everyday from 11a-8p and 9p on Friday and Saturday

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    They call it the 2nd best BBQ in Kentucky , but we call it the best we have ever had!!…read more The brisket deserves a bite all by itself before you add sauce. Melts in your mouth and well seasoned. We loved the Mac and cheese, my wife is particular about that and this met her standards. The vinegar slaw was perfectly tangy and refreshing. And the sweet potato fries are exactly what you need to dip into those sauces. Get the hot bbq sauce and add the vinegar sauce!! Even as I type I have a nice warmth in my mouth and throat. It made me star dipping everything in the sauce- slaw included!! Burgoo is fantastic!! With a gentle heat, I would get it alone if it came in a big bowl! With so much meat, corn, Lima beans, and carrots but it is the broth (sauce?) that gets you hooked. We had the Ale8-1 Burton slushy, which is sweet and refreshing on a hot day. And for desert we had to try the bourbon bites! Wow! Try to save room. Love the music in the background and casual atmosphere which would be fun for families or friend to meet. They service is friendly and helpful for us newbies! Wish we lived near by, so order up and enjoy!

    Unfortunately, our experience at Feast BBQ was really disappointing food-wise. I've never seen…read morebrisket served in thick slices cut with the grain, which made it tough and difficult to eat. The chicken was extremely dry and had an overly smoky, almost burnt wood taste. The only things our group actually enjoyed were the coleslaw and the tater tots. Even the potato salad tasted store-bought and appeared to come straight from a carton rather than being homemade. Most of us ended up leaving a good portion of food on our plates. For the price, it just wasn't worth it. That said, the staff was very friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout the visit, and they did have a really good selection of beers. I hate leaving negative reviews because the service side of the experience was great -- we were just very disappointed with the food.

    Photos
    Order at the counter on the left. Small bar with 15-20 beers on tap.
    Order at the counter on the left. Small bar with 15-20 beers on tap.
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    Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar

    Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar

    3.9
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    Stopped at Doc Crow's since it seems to be a popular spot. Upon walking in, it doesn't seem big but…read morethere's an additional space after the first section. The restaurant includes a long row of bar seating that extends to the other end of the restaurant, so there was no problem for me to find a seat on a busy day. I ordered the Mac n cheese and braised greens, and the Mac n cheese was really good and creamy. The braised greens were just okay, it wasn't the best greens I've had and it could use extra flavor. I don't know if this is a thing they do at Doc Crow's, but in my opinion the bartender excessively kept asking me what I wanted even while I was still looking at the menu. This definitely frustrated me since it was clear that I wasn't ready yet. I think she should have done a better job reading my cues to figure out when I am ready to order.

    We were due for an underwhelming experience, and I'm at least partially to blame for not having a…read moredinner spot lined up beforehand. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I spent most of the afternoon on a bourbon tour and a post-tour distillery so...food was needed. And quickly. In our mild defense, we didn't really know how the day was going to go or when we were actually going to have dinner, which made it a little tougher to pre-plan, but no research went into this at all and we paid for it. We wrapped up our bourbon adventures at the Angel's Envy distillery probably five or six blocks from here. Instead of being grownups and doing at least a quick/impromptu recon for spots, we literally just walked outside and down W Main St until we hit something. And we hit this, which was right on the edge of the main tourist area, pretty much Louisville's equivalent of the Times Square/MSG area. And as someone who works and used to live in NYC, you'd have to do a lot of convincing to get me to eat in that particular area - it's overpriced and the food/service just tends to not be very good, which makes you wonder what the appeal is for tourists beyond the convenience. But regardless, it's always struck me as an odd way for a tourism spot to put its best foot forward (or not). Doc Crow's is enormous, and when we were brought further into the restaurant to our table, I think we literally walked through three or four large rooms and navigated through multiple passageways. If you told me this place took up an entire city block or close to it, I'd believe you. Beyond the size/scope, there's nothing really distinctive that separates it from the myriad of other restaurants you'd expect to see catering to out-of-towners. It was the Friday evening of Memorial Day Weekend, so a place that I suspect is usually pretty busy was even busier and louder than that. Maybe not the greatest recipe after a bourbon tour, but who can say. On the app front, we got the Crispy Salmon Bites, which were fine. Not an item I typically see on a menu, even one with more of a seafood bent. I thought the cornmeal/panko breading was the right call; I'm a big catfish aficionado, so I'm of the opinion that cornmeal is underutilized, at least in the Northeast where I come from. Otherwise, nothing really mind-blowing there; probably would have made sense for it to be a different type of fish given the prep (I think salmon is best raw in a sushi roll or grilled), but it could have been worse. I don't think a ton of thought went into this on my end, but I went with the full rack BBQ ribs, along with a side of mac n' cheese. Again, okay, though not as flavorful as I would have hoped and I thought the ribs were on the dry side. Not their fault, but I always regret getting the full rack in hindsight because ribs have a deceptively significant amount of meat on the bones and a half rack is a very decent portion by itself; I am a work in progress just like everyone else. The mac n' cheese was also pretty dry, which I think you can see pretty obviously in the accompanying picture. Tasted and felt reheated at least once or twice. The service was pretty efficient given how busy it was, but our waiter was just on robotic autopilot. Not remotely personable and everything I said to him was responded to with, "For sure, for sure." Maybe he was having a rough night to start the holiday weekend, but it felt like he was just going through the motions and just checking off some boxes there. I went into this already predisposed to not like the generic tourist trap places, so grain of salt. But my recommendation if you have the time/bandwidth (now that I'm a cagey Louisville vet) is to bypass this area if you can and find something tastier and more interesting in the Highlands neighborhood. That's where the real ones are.

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    Beautiful Bar area
    Beautiful Bar area
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    Back Deck BBQ

    4.3
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    12.2 mi
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    Back Deck BBQ was seriously incredible! The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender with the perfect…read moresmoky flavor, and the pulled pork was juicy, flavorful, and piled high. The macaroni & cheese was rich and creamy, and the yams had the perfect sweet homemade taste. But the baked beans absolutely stole the show for me. Thick, smoky, loaded with flavor, and easily some of the best baked beans I've ever had. Definitely one of my favorite BBQ spots now and hands down one of the best BBQ in Louisville, KY. Can't wait to go back!

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    Inside
    Inside
    Spare Ribs, Sliced Turkey Breast, Brisket, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Smoked Mac and Cheese, Smokey Beans, and Yams
    Spare Ribs, Sliced Turkey Breast, Brisket, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Smoked Mac and Cheese, Smokey Beans, and Yams
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    Hammerheads

    4.5
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    13.2 mi
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    Have heard about this gem for 20 years but never tried it until last night. Wife and I sat at the…read morebar - love the atmosphere: spacious dive bar with low ceilings and wood paneling. There are also picnic tables out front. You get a faint whiff of the grill/smoker upon entering. Kylie was our bartender and she was fabulous - knowledgeable, friendly, and answered all of our questions with patience. Wife ordered a mango margarita and doesn't like a lot of tequila, so Kylie went half and gave her a shot on the side in case she wanted to add more. It was wonderful. I had a couple of beers. We started with the fried mushrooms, which aren't what you would expect. It's two large portobellos cut into chunks, battered, fried, and served with sun-dried tomato mayo. They were great. I then ordered a duck taco, brisket taco, and a side of Grippo Fries with smoked mayo. I'd never tried duck but that taco was smack-a-lackin'. The brisket taco was also good, and the fries were fantastic - sweet and spicy, fresh cut, and crispy. Wife ordered a pork belly slider and truffle fries. She enjoyed the slider but didn't care for the fries - just not her thing. The portions here are large. A side of fries will feed three people. We took a hefty portion of them home, as well as some of the mushrooms. We could've sat there at the bar and spent 3 hours socializing and enjoying a smattering of cocktails - love the setting. Look forward to going back and trying one of the burgers at some point.

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    More of the bar
    More of the bar
    PBLT Sandwich - Definitely overall Pretty good! Needed another slice or two of pork belly but otherwise super tender. Would get again!
    PBLT Sandwich - Definitely overall Pretty good! Needed another slice or two of pork belly but otherwise super tender. Would get again!
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    Mark's Feed Store

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    4.0
    (475 reviews)
    11.9 mi
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    Just a quick shout out to this Fern Creek location. They had the BEST Halloween gathering a few…read moredays before, for all the customers kids. Decorated to the nines, lots of fun and activities and treats. The kiddos had a blast. When u go, consider trying their turkey, chicken sandwiches, and lemon pepper fish. We love all....plentiful servings, lightly crusted chicken and fish, the turkey is piled high and delish. Although I'm a creature of habit with their potato salad, we opted for the sweet potato and baked potato today. Along with their side salad and scrumptious green beans, this meal was hot, perfectly prepared, and a bountiful serving of each!! Well done!!! Outstanding staff!!!!

    i am beyond impressed with this place! It is incredibly well priced and the service was top tier…read more Our server (Eve) was attentive and gave great menu recommendations, the manager (Brian) checked on us more than once and was very kind. The place was clean and nicely decorated. The serving sizes are great (definitely at least two meals for me!) and tasted amazing. I tried their brisket, grilled chicken, and pulled pork, my favorite was their brisket. the onion straws were crispy and a great starter. and the buttermilk pie.. it melts in your mouth. also... mention its your first time! they gave us a free bottle of their BBQ sauce (to die for) and free dessert. overall a wonderful time and i can't wait to come back. (also they have free parking just to the left of their building)

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    Mission BBQ

    4.6
    (290 reviews)
    10.9 mi
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    Mission has the best brisket in Louisville! You decide if you want moist or lean (go moist, trust…read moreme you won't regret it). The 6 different bbq sauces at the tables are all tasty. The service is top notch and the restaurant is always clean. Food is à la carte but prices are reasonable.

    Visited here with friends for a weekday lunch and enjoyed the smoked turkey, greens, and cornbread…read more I also purchased a commemorative cup so I can get reduced prices on refills (that's IF the cup isn't forgotten at home though). Love all of the variety of sauces on the table. Even found a new one at the counter with some horseradish added, which thrilled me. Thanks for the heads up from one of the staff -- much appreciated! Noise level is mild to moderate. Restaurant is very clean. Staff are all extremely friendly and welcoming. One of the staff brought some complimentary cookies to the table for one of our guys who had served. What a nice gesture! Looking forward to return visits in the near future. Appreciate the concept and honoring our service members. I did deduct 1 star this time since one of my friends informed me about something that caused him to pause. He stated a bit of an "ick" that the photos of women service members are apparently displayed in the men's restroom in the stalls. Can't help but feel it's a bit disrespectful and wish those were displayed in the restaurant with all of the other service members. I'll check out the women's facilities during my next visit to see if perhaps a commensurate display of service members is also similarly in place.

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    Mission BBQ
    Mission BBQ
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    Decor

    Bootleg Bar-B-Q - bbq - Updated June 2026

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