Nice food, kind wait staff. The children were treated especially well. Good value here.

Really solid, had the daily burger which included pork belly and aioli. Also ordered a last word which was good, if a touch on the sweet side (but as my tastes lean dry most will be very happy with this). Good experience, better food than you might expect at a bar. read more

Stopped in for an Old Fashioned and it was amazing!!! Everyone was super nice and it had a prohibition vibe! Can't wait to come back next time I'm in town!! read more

This one will be short and sweet: Friendly staff, cool atmosphere, and THE BEST MANHATTAN I HAVE EVER HAD EVER. read more

An awesome bar with a great owner! Chris gave us more history on bourbon that we got on tours! It's a must try for a great cocktail. read more

Bourbon On Rye - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Happened upon this spot due to other dinner choice restaurant was too busy to handle a part of 6. The cocktails here were only average. Was thinking if you have bourbon in your name the old fashion would be one of your best cocktails. I've had better. Bar type food. Sliders, quesadillas and burgers. Burger was overcooked. Social distancing with table space was not happening. I can understand the difficulty for establishments to try and do this. The atmosphere was nice. A good place to relax. No table service. You order at the bar and they bring your food. It wasn't horrible and it wasn't great. Only average. read more

This is a great place to go unwind and play some pinball. Who doesn't like pinball?? Right??? The atmosphere is awesome and the drinks are better!!! read more

I'm actually quite torn about this place. I love that so many bourbon and cocktail bars are popping up all over downtown Lexington. Actually, the cocktail bar directly next door ( www.yelp.com/biz/seltzer-club-lexington ) has the same owner and has a very similar vibe to BOR. A speakeasy/prohibition ambiance is actually what they're going for here. The actual bar backdrop is exquisite, I won't give it away, go see for yourself. The owner told us the story, of how and where he purchased it from. I'm thinking that if that bar could talk, it would have a lot to tell. Where it got weird for me started with Chris, the bartender. I know him as a local bourbon legend, but I've encountered him a few times and I've never been a fan. He used to work at Bluegrass Tavern according to the BT Yelp reviews, I'm not the only one who isn't a fan of his. Seriously, if you can see past him, this place wouldn't be so bad. I was there on opening night, 10/6/17. I ordered a Mai Thai, which is described to have a Kentucky twist to it, with a butter, washed bourbon/rum blend, house orgeat, lime juice, and cointreau. It was fantastic! In true prohibition fashion, they literally crush the ice by hand, in a canvas bag and a wooden mallet. Ok, that caught me off guard and as the other bartender was pounding away I asked Chris "what's he doing". He might as well have said, "he's making ice, dumb ass". He did say "he's making ice" but the face that he made with it was extra. Ok, now I felt dumb and uncomfortable 2 minutes into being there. Then my husband inquired about a bourbon ON THE SHELF at the bar. Instead of saying "that's not available" Chris informed us that he was told to act dumb if someone wanted to purchase a pour and then he walked away... um, ok. The extreme awkwardness with him didn't stop there. I was seriously ready to leave, but my husband wanted to order food, so he did. By that time, I'd finished my drink and never was served another. It was so awkward. I will say, the owner was very nice and explained that the bottle was from his personal collection and he did a good job smoothing things over. I get it but don't have it on display and then act rude and weird about it, Chris. The food was fantastic. The grilled chicken sandwiches were a bit bigger than sliders and accompanied a glaze sauce that gave them the perfect kick. The fries were also excellent and everything was piping hot. I liked everything about it except the bottle fluke and Chris and his attitude. I don't think I'll be going back... maybe I'll go back to Bluegrass Tavern now. read more

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Amazing bar and service. Four of us had a great time talking to the excellent bartenders. Unique and awesome drinks.

Doesn't get much better than this fun environment, with amazing food, and fantastic drinks. Chris, John, and Heather are amazing, and Chef Ed in the kitchen is putting out by far the best beer cheese and prime rib sliders around. If you are just trying to get into drinking bourbon or are a collector you can't beat the perfect selection they have. Chris picks the perfect bourbons to recommend if you are on the fence. If you are feeling like something with some sweetness (go with the paper plane), sourness (try the gimlet), or all around Classiness (can't beat an old fashioned) you can't find a better bar in town. Not only do they have a wide selection of bourbons but the well selected beers on tap make picking a great beer simple. Make sure to say hi to Taylor the happiest guy in town. Always busy running around keeping the bar stocked with handmade seltzers or simple syrups. And I can guarantee that they have the cleanest glasses in town. In short, staff is amazing, food is amazing, drinks are amazing...go to Bourbon on Rye and feel amazed. "Here's to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life." ― F. Scott Fitzgerald read more

Bourbon On Rye - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Great new cocktail bar downtown! We went for the opening, and had incredible hand-crafted drinks. We tried the pink mimosa and java wine spritzer because they were on special, but the real winner is the green tea fizz. As food goes, we had sliders and beer cheese with pretzels (also because of specials...) All was delicious. The beer cheese is made with bourbon, which adds a nice extra tang! Portions are small, but let's face it. When you're at a cocktail bar, you don't really come to stuff your face with solids. I'll be back to try the turmeric sour... read more

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Bourbon on Rye is next door to The Seltzer Club, with a pass through that leads you into what may be the best bar in Lexington -- now the two bars in Lexington. The same old world feel, with a 100 year old backdrop behind the bar and great replica lighting. A small menu has been added. Chef Ed (James father) is a graduate of the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and lords over the kitchen. What James has done here, with both bars, with great attention to detail, is amazing. Future (vertical) plans are exciting, and I can't wait to see what comes next. Open until 2:30 AM every night except Sunday. read more

The game! The game right! Taylor done changed the game! read more

This was my kind of bar. Plenty of creative cocktails and very knowledgeable bartenders. It was a slow weeknight and pretty early so we got to talk with our bartender a good bit. He gave us plenty of recommendations for things to do in town. He crafted our drink orders around ingredients we like, and you could tell he loved doing it. We had to leave for dinner reservations but honestly should have just cancelled and stayed here. read more

Bourbon on Rye/ Seltzer Club is a great place to get some high-qualtiy, reasonably priced drinks. They serve food late at night as well. I tried the Reuben lifers and the prime rib sliders. Both were great. We had the Java wine spritzer and the Mai Tai to drink and had some good conversation with Chris, the bartender, about all the different cocktails and the history behind the bar and building. We're looking forward to returning with friends. read more

Bourbon On Rye - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Staying for one night in downtown Lexington and this came up as an option on yelp. I was drawn because I love a wedge salad but the school bar had fantastic food and great service. Highly recommended read more

This is a great place to stop for happy hour or a night cap. Decent bourbon selection and knowledgeable staff. I really like the seating -the couches and high backed club tables make it relaxing. The food is pretty standard Pub fare. I wouldn't come for dinner but definitely will be back for appetizers and drinks. read more

We had a group of 5 and had the food order in by 620 we were told it would take a while but what we experienced FAR exceeded that we had a show to go to, and wanted to leave by 730. We ended up not getting the food until 740 on top of that, much came out cold we are trying to be patient with the current circumstances, but this was quite excessive there was also no effort to compliment anything the drinks were good and wouldn't say I wouldn't go back again but will never order food there again read more

Loved this bar! Was visiting Lexington for a weekend getaway. This bar was recommended for their cocktails by another bar trended, and I'm quite the sucker for a good cocktail so we had to stop in. The bars decor made me feel like I was in Mad Men, while still having a hometown vibe to it. The bartender was surprisingly friendly for the bar having a speakeasy ambiance. I had a lavender cocktail of some kind, the name escapes me but it was fantastic! Highly recommend stopping in this bar for a cocktail or two. read more

This place came with high reviews but I would say it was just ok. I had the burger sliders. Just average to me. I don't think I would go back as there are many other great places in the area. read more

Amazing spot, right across the street from Center Point, in the heart of downtown Lexington, KY. I took my wife there for our anniversary just to grab and drink, but we ended up staying for dinner after we took a look at the menu! Knowledgeable staff, great drinks, awesome food and the owner even checked on us multiple times to make sure everything was spot on. Will definitely be back. (Very reasonably priced too!) read more

Great selection, great bartenders. Didn't try the food but the drinks were on point.

Good Lexington bourbon bar with decent food menu. However they 86d the burgers on a Saturday at 8:30 so didn't get to try them. Drinks are amazing - the gin and tonic on tap is a nice surprise! read more

Bartenders were great and selection was awesome! Had some pretty rare bourbons and awesome flight options. Super let down by the lack of service (it seemed the only people working were two bartenders and a bus boy). It took forever to get drinks and with the lack of staff to control the patrons, people with no drinks were sitting in the booths for over an hour...making it basically a "standing room only" restaurant for everyone else. Very minimal seating, super overcrowded and not like I truly care, but not one person was wearing a mask. Disappointed in literally everything except the drinks, so if you do not care about the rest, this is a pretty cool place. read more

This place is the shitz! Very knowledgeable bar tenders, friendly, and professional. The atmosphere is very welcoming and lots of bourbon and whiskey to choose from. Don't know what to drink? Ask the experts! No fear of feeling embarrassed, these homies got your back. Let them guide you through the world of Kentucky spirits. Chris and Taylor are two men you should take your drinking experience to. Good luck and happy experience! read more

Stopped in here for a pre-dinner cocktail and had a really lovely experience. I think the owner (Chris) was serving us drinks and some nice conversation too! We ordered fries and wings from the kitchen, which were good typical bar fare. What is absolutely EXCELLENT about this place is the ginger beer. I've been let down my Kentucky mules before so I was hesitant to order one, but so glad I did. Chris explained how they make their own ginger beer and how it's a delicate balance of allowing it to ferment just long enough to get the CO2, but not too long. Well, he's perfected the process and I'll have to go back just for the ginger beer. They also have incredible happy hour deals - half priced bottles of wine and half priced pints of beer. Whoa! They also had a specialty bottled cocktail that they made, which was eggnog. I didn't try any (because I'm not a fan of eggnog), but my guess is it's fabulous if you like eggnog. Definitely stop in the next time you're in the area. We'll be back for great deals, exquisite drinks, and arcade games (yes, there were 2)! read more

Bourbon On Rye - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Fabulous! Drinks were absolutely spot on. Staff was amazing. Will definitely return.......

Chris is amazing!!! Both he and the rest of the crew know bourbon. If you want to try a few select bourbon or just want a mixed drink with a different twist this is your place. Simple instructions I gave... I wanted one rye and one npn-rye sweeter Manhattan. Chris selected the bourbon and all the rest to make two diverse drinks on one theme. Both were artfully and lovingly created to perfection. Plus the conversation was delightful. Thanks for giving us a great start to the night! read more

Great place to hang out with friends and family!!!Wonderful drinks and the food is amazing!!! I recommend it to anyone! read more

Bourbon On Rye - Best Drinks in town!!!! - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Cool style and esthetics. I like how the bar tenders were dressed like steampunk blacksmiths. The drinks are on the pricier side though, but they are well made so I can't complain. read more

The atmosphere of this place is really neat. It's dim but enough light to see your group. There is a lot of seating and couches for more relaxed seating. My group got a variety of appetizers and meals. They all came out at different times but was pretty good. My burger was cooked perfectly. The cocktails were interesting and there was a great variety to pick from. read more

Only been here to have some cocktails. Great bartender and love the ambiance. Will definitely be back to try dinner.

Stopped in lastnight for the first time, walked in and got some drinks and food. Actually tried some new drinks based on recommendations from the owner and bartender, i'm hooked and will be back for more. Oh and try the orange juice, you will understand once you try it. Both the food and drinks are really good and i would recommend everyone stop in, you will not be disappointed. read more

Best Manhattan in town! Chris and Taylor know how to make it happen! Union Club is another amazing bourbon drink. The History lessons that go with the drinks are enlightening! read more

Don't be a Green Bay Pacer fan when eating here! The bartender told us "oh I didn't know you were a packer fan - get the fuck out of my bar" I would highly recommend if you are a packer fan to NOT eat here. Service is not so good for out of state people! read more

Cocktails are excellent. Enjoyed the bourbon sour, airplane, and tumeric sour. Pretzels were a nice pre meal snack. Enjoyed the vibe of the place. Friendly service as well. Give it a try. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. Let me first acknowledge that I did not have one drink, not even a drop, and no food, not even a bite. My sister flew into town from DC today and I wanted to show her a good time/ good dinner and all that. Reviews of this place were good. So I thought what the hell, let's give it a go! Well, there was no go! We walked in and sat at a booth directly facing the bar, we were clearly there. As a veteran bartender with over a decade of experience in a busy city (DC), I was horrified of the lack of service and decency. We sat there for OVER 20 minutes! This place is a JOKE! This place will never survive. It's important to note that this place was so empty, I even thought it may be closed when I drove by. There were no more than 12-14 customers in the entire place. After 20 minutes of not even a nod or smile or hello we put our coats back on and headed on out to a more sophisticated and restaurant/bar Dudley's. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time, because the people working here will gladly waste yours. ****Update to previous review- please feel free to send me a picture or screen shot of your restaurant policy of no table service! It was clearly not visible, as I saw nothing to that effect. Also, 3 months to respond to a bad review! Ha! Like I said before, this joint is a JOKE!!! read more

Bourbon on Rye absolutely rocks!!! We held a rehearsal dinner with them on Friday and could not have been happier!! They were so accommodating and we quickly felt right at home! Chris and James....you have fans for life from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky!! We will be back for an evening to just sit and enjoy. Thank you again! Can't wait to see the next stages of the building. read more

It's the season of social distancing and I know how difficult it is for businesses. Still, it is our own personal choice to be in public at a bar in the middle of a pandemic. With that said, the most annoying part about our experience here was the fact that they had a private event (a wedding reception) happpening in a separate room from the bar seating and main bar. It wasn't annoying that it was happening (congratulations to them!) it was that they had a separate room for their event that no one else could go into, but it seemed half of them were constantly in the main part of the bar with the rest of the non wedding guest patrons. In groups smack middle of the tiny walk way with zero awareness or care for anyone else. Why an establishment would allow this is beyond me, why were they not ask to continue their activities in the room the reserved? I'm sure they had to come out to the bar for drinks, understandable, but none of them at any point wore masks. Fine whatever, that's their prerogative, but watching a wedding guest walk through the bar licking and sucking each individual finger like he just ate ribs then walk over and stand as the bar touching the bar with said fingers was effing disgusting. Yes I know what you're thinking, that's not the bar's fault that's the disgusting old man's fault... But my point is that this wedding party that they allowed all over the place including their private room gave zero f*** about anyone else and really to me that's a reflection of bar/event coordinator /owner because guidelines were not set for this event and their guests that would make a visit here as nice and enjoyable for anyone not included in this wedding party. (like, stay in the room you reserved to allow our other paying patrons space to enjoy themselves as well!) I'd avoid this place if a "private event that is really all over everyone else's business" going on. You will not be a priority. Drinks were good, it's a shame we couldn't enjoy the intended ambience of this establishment, bet its better when finger licking grandpa isn't walking around touching everyone and their mother. Thanks for the delish Sazerac and beef sliders though. read more

Food was delicious. The Scrap fries were the best and highly recommend it. Normal wait time for getting food. About 15-25 minutes.