Delicious Sunday morning brunch on our last day in Lexington, Ky. Highly recommend making a reservation for the weekend as it can get pretty busy and packed. The service was great. The staff was friendly and attentive. What we ordered: Appetizer: Bacon Beignets (best we ever had!) Entree: Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Biscuit with Sausage Gravy, Fried Egg, and Crisp Potatoes (mouth watering good, especially after a night of drinking . Potatoes were a bit too salty for our liking) Dessert: Lemon Olive Oil Cake (unique and surprisingly delightful taste) read more

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Came here because of DDD. The atmosphere was good, nice music selection. Staff was friendly, though my waitress was more interested in talking to her friends at the next table than checking on her section. However, the food was wonderful, and I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a nice date night place. read more

Dudley's on Short - Old Fashioned - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Really nice interior with an upscale environment in an old bank building. Many interesting pictures on the walls and a few of horses, go figure. Service was very good and our waiter was very nice and well trained. The cocktails and large wine list are really top notch. The menu is very interesting with some daily specials, thou they were out of one special item by the time we were there. Some interesting starters, we had the firecracker shrimp which were cooked perfectly and had a sweet and spice glaze. Our group had a variety of entrees and the scallops, roasted chicken breast. Tournedos Maxell and the steak frites were all enjoyed. We had few deserts and one with a bourbon chocolate ball cake was the big hit of the night. If you are looking for a fun more upscale restaurant in downtown, try Dudley's. read more

Great date night spot! We started off with complimentary yeast rolls and they were incredible. The smoked trout deviled eggs were a unique appetizer, would recommend! My steak frites was just okay but I will absolutely come back and try something different. Overall enjoyable experience. read more

Dudley's on Short - Smoked Smoked Ky Trout Dudley Eggs - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Came for lunch for the hot brown. It looked like a lot of food. Some of us had it. They seemed to enjoy it. I had the eggs Benedict. I loved it. The perfectly poached egg atop of a nice juicy tomato on a tasty ham on a crunchy english muffin. the Hollandaise did not drain all over. It enabled me to really taste the wonderful tomato. And I'm not a big tomato fan. read more

Full disclosure...I worked at the former location of Dudley's a zillion years ago. I always loved their food back then. I don't get to visit often since I don't live in Lexington, but it is always an awesome experience with incredible food. We last visited on May 2, so I'm a little behind. My wife had steak frites. I don't recall the name of my dish, but they were both excellent. The same owner, Debbie, from back in the days when I worked there was there during our visit, and she is such a perfect person to allow this place to have such long-term success. Dudley's being so close to the home of University of Kentucky basketball, Rupp Arena, I had to gratuitously get my University of Louisville face make in the picture of my dish. You're welcome, UK fans I highly recommend you check out this place! read more

Dudley's on Short - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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We sat outside on a cool, sunny afternoon enjoying people watching and great food. We started with delicious muffins, possibly white chocolate and cranberry? Light, fluffy, fabulous. Then my husband had the "Buddha bowl" which contained couscous, nuts, onion, golden raisins, and parsley, so good he kept murmuring. I had quiche, a big wedge filled with spinach, asparagus tomatoes, & onions in a pastry crust that was among the best I've ever tasted. It came with a side salad topped with vinaigrette. Service was excellent! We highly recommend Dudley's On Short for a super meal! read more

Dudley's on Short - Quiche - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Excellent find in downtown Lexington. When you walk in you know it will be a great night with the atmosphere. Had the ahi tuna and house salad. The service was perfect. read more

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Date night! We started off with the best crab cake I have ever eaten and a baked goat cheese laden with local lavender honey and pistachios hot in a skillet. For entrees we had the duck and tournedos. The cook on both was why Dudley's gets a four instead of five. The duck was slightly overcooked but the fat hadn't been rendered enough. That being said, the confit duck in rice and accompanying veg were delish! The tournedos with crab meat were slightly more well than medium; however again, accompanying mashed potatoes and sauce were stunning. The ambience is perfect for a date night. It's in a beautiful spot on downtown with plenty of street parking , lot parking and garage parking nearby. On this day in particular, because the weather was so nice, the doors were also wide open allowing for beautiful fresh air during our meal. Service was excellent and quick. We will be back especially for that delicious decadent crab cake. Truly the best we've had in town! read more

Food Fun Adventure Weekend took Fat Man Reviews to Dudley's on Short in Lexington, KY. Dudley's is a Lexington staple and a self-described "culinary trailblazer" specializing in using the finest local ingredients with exceptional service. We started with the Weisenberger Grits & Beer Cheese Fritters, served with hot pepper jelly. The fritters were cooked well with a slight crunch, the beer cheese was good, but it was just a very mild beer cheese. The pepper jelly was sweet and added a spice but could have used more. I tried the Roasted Carrot Bisque. It was creamy and prepared well and packed full of fall spices. The whipped cream did not add much in my opinion. The dish was fixed exactly as I imagined, but did not work well for me, however, my fiancé thought it was good. My fiancé had the Sunday Supper special. It included warm mushroom and radicchio salad, roasted pork loin, sage and cornbread stuffing, candied sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. I did not try the salad, but she loved it. The rest of the dish was amazing. The pork was juicy and perfect, stuffing was moist and delicious, the potatoes were fluffy and sweet while the cranberry sauce added a tartness to round out the entire dish. I decided on the Swordfish special. The meal came with caramelized sweet potato purée, roasted cabbage, charred onions, bourbon raisins and smoked cream. The swordfish was cooked and seasoned well, and the purée was sweet to cut through the fattiness of the fish. The onions and cabbage were prepared perfect, buttery, nutty and slightly sweet. The smoked cream was okay but slightly thin. My meal was missing the raisins. For dessert, we tried the Poached Apple & Spice Cake. The apple was cooked well, and it tasted like a Granny Smith. The cake was awesome, it was moist, and the spice level was lovely. It was served with mulled wine & bergamot caramel, vanilla labnah and toasted meringue that offered a sweet, salty, tangy and sticky flavor roller coaster. This dish was superb. Dudley's on Short offers steakhouse favorites and out of the box creations in a small menu. The service is great and very attentive. Dudley's on Short is Fat Man Approved and recommend. read more

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Had dinner with friends here on Friday night. We could not have been happier. I had the hot brown special and the whole table tried it, and loved it. Others had the Halibut and raved about it. The service is what truly stood out. Our server, Celeste, was flawless. Friendly, informative, and efficient. Never needed a thing, but never interjected herself either. The manager, Heath, heard about our gathering, came to greet us, answer questions and make suggestions. That man knows cuisine and cocktails. Try the Old Fashioned with his name. You will be glad you did. Last, I loved it so much I went the next night and sat out front. Lucky enough to get Celeste again, and everything was, again, perfect. read more

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We had a beautiful brunch at Dudley's. It is the type of menu and atmosphere that is a classic with great service as the cherry on top. read more

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I recently had lunch here with a friend. She had the fruit plate while I had a burger. Both of our meals were good, the service was good (even if not real friendly) and the atmosphere was wonderful. The dining room might have been the best part of the meal. I would give this restaurant five stars if it weren't for the menu prices. We all know that eating out has become more expensive in this post-COVID era, but $19.00 for a hamburger? No, it wasn't that good. read more

It was a really nice restaurant Located in a really fancy and nice area Really classic and wonderful I could not love it more I need to come back if I got a second chance People who are dine in here are really classic and elegant please do make a reservation sometimes they can get very hot read more

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Great food, great atmosphere! We really enjoyed our dinner here. It felt like a very upscale French restaurant yet, still had a casual feel as well. The setting was more formal in the dining area but the front bar was more laid back. Our servers was excellent as well, Michael was his name. I don't usually remember my servers names but he was great. We started with a pimento cheese crab cake and also had fried oysters which were both amazing. I also had the voichiessouis (I'm sure I have spelled this wrong) soup and it wasn't good but the server was kind enough to see that I didn't eat more than a bite and didn't charge me. I also had the angel hair pasta dish and it was excellent. Some at my table had the salmon which thy were very happy with. The French fries were the second best I've ever had! I felt like it all was reasonably priced as well. Definitely recommend! read more

This restaurant is so charming with very friendly staff. Came here for brunch with friends. Overall, we enjoyed the frittata and quiche. I thought the broccoli, caramelized onion, and cheddar cheese quiche was ok. It was slightly warm (wished it was warmer) and could have used more seasoning and more cheese. Broccoli seemed to be shredded within the quiche, no florets. The main flavor came from the onion. While the quiche was ok, the side salad it came with was light, perfectly dressed, and refreshing. Shared a side of potatoes that were outstanding. Crisp on the outside and well seasoned. The coffee was good and went well with the generous bread plate of banana bread, biscuit, scone, and blueberry muffins. read more

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Definitely recommend going there if you are looking for a fancy restaurant & delicious food. Everything we ordered was so good! Instagram: @foodbytiana read more

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Great food and amazing service! The Dudley eggs and complimentary breads were yummy starters. Went with the turkey bacon panini special and it was delicious. We hope to be back soon. read more

Great service and new chef that made this a great experience! Had the seasonal menu items. 3 course meal for $39.

My wife and I came here for Valentine's Day dinner, and we had a great experience. With any public holiday, expect a select menu, but the food was terrific. They also had a great selection of cocktails, and our waiter was very attentive and was able to answer all our questions or get the answer immediately. I knew this place was big but didn't expect there to be upstairs which was amazing as we were seated almost immediately. The bread basket that was brought round was very fresh, but a tad bit salty for my wife. However, it was perfectly paired with their salt for my taste. Our appetizers and entrees were delicious and overall I had a great meal with an even better experience. read more

My husband and I have never been to Dudley's and decided to splurge for Valentine's Day. I didn't realize this but they do have an upstairs which is where we were seated. The ambiance there was different, more quiet and romantic than downstairs. They had a special menu for Valentine's Day, you could pick from a few appetizer, entree and dessert options. The bread basket in the beginning of the meal was fun, there were a couple of options to choose from, I went with the focaccia, but it was a tad too salty. As for my meal, I chose the salmon tartar for my appetizer, scallops with cauliflower as an entree (it was a bit oily for my taste) and the chocolate tarts for dessert (loved the cookie crust!). Chocolate truffles to finish off the meal were an excellent touch! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a date night spot. read more

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Exceptional!!! Great service. The oysters were so good we had two orders. I ordered the Hot Brown and it did not disappoint. The presentation was beautiful especially for the Heart salads which was a part of the special...I don't come to Lexington often but would definitely do Dudley's again. read more

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A nice elegant restaurant in downtown Lexington. Serves nice cocktails and mimosas for brunch. The food, eh, it's alright. I suppose when one of your most popular dishes is deviled eggs, oh excuse me Dudley's eggs, we shouldn't expect much, and Dudley's certainly underwhelmed. I mean come on, if you're gonna put it out there make sure it's better than Aunt Sue's deviled eggs at the family reunion. Maybe shave some truffles on it. Saturday brunch, not many people there despite the pretty good reviews. The staff was nice, our waiter was new and didn't know much about the specials. Thankfully they had a sign on the sidewalk listing their specials. Nothing looked interesting or novel. Big salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, oh excuse me pasta Dudley's, salmon and Kentucky's favorite the hot Brown. If I never see another menu with the infamous hot brown it'll be too soon. If you're a tourist reading this, if you see the hot brown coming your way give it a wide berth. A party of 7, someone had a salad, a sandwich, a burger, the pasta Dudley and the Hot Brown (not me). Nothing stood out except for the pasta and not in a good way. Watery and almost soup like and bland as an unsalted cracker. If you're downtown Lexington stop by Dudley's for a cocktail or two then head on over to Jeff Ruby's for a great steak. read more

This is hands down one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. My boyfriend and I visited Lexington for the weekend, and he picked this out based on a Reddit post for best restaurants in the area. The atmosphere was so nice for a snowy Saturday night. It almost feels like you're in a house the way the dining room is set up. We arrived early for our reservation, so grabbed a couple drinks at the bar. We chose two of the specialty cocktails and they were great. The bartender was super attentive. We were then seated and they took our coats to hang up (a very nice touch you don't get at most restaurants these days). Our server was awesome, I wish I could remember his name. My boyfriend tried the pork belly special, and I had the steak and frites. We both agreed the pork belly was the best pork we've ever had. Upon expressing this to our waiter, he went and talked to the chef to see how they cook it to get it so tender, and arrived back with very detailed instructions! The steak and frites were also delicious, but the pork just really blew us both away. I can't recommend this place enough! Was the perfect place to celebrate our anniversary! read more

For the past 2 years my boyfriend has made plans for us to have New Years Eve dinner at Dudley's on Short. The restaurant always goes above and beyond for the occasion to make make sure it is memorable by having NYE props available (Hats, masks, noisemakers, etc) in addition to a special NYE menu! The service is always as exceptionally excellent as is the creative menu and the outstanding quality of the dishes prepared! This year I had an unforgettable beet dish in lieu of a salad (which I'm still trying to figure out how they made) and the most incredible sea scallops as my main. The scallops were huge (silver dollar size), oh so tender with a delicate braised "crust"! Although it was a very busy evening, we were waited on as if we were the only patrons in the restaurant. The hostess even accommodated our last minute request for a table change from the main dining area, where our reserved table was located, to a table in their bar area. It was a thoroughly delightful meal and atmosphere! Happy New Year! read more

Dudley's on Short - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

We had a wonderful dinner at Dudley's on our first trip to Lexington! My friend made all reservations for the weekend and I merrily went along with the plans. We had drinks next door at Parlay Social first, where I enjoyed the house cocktail, "The Parlay," very much indeed. I mention this because the two spots are connected - you just walk right through into Dudley's. I didn't know until the next day that Dudley's has a rooftop bar or else we would have gone there! Regardless, Parlay Social was great for a pre-dinner drink. Their bourbon selection is fantastic. We were promptly seated at Dudley's in one of the main dining rooms and quickly greeted by our server. We swiftly ordered appetizers - the chicken skins and the Dudley eggs. I don't enjoy deviled eggs, but my dinner mates really enjoyed Dudley's. I also enjoyed the chicken skins, although if I ever order them again, I will ask for the honey to be held back. None of us enjoyed the sweetness on the chicken skins - it would have been better had they just been crispy and spicy. The bartender at Parlay Social highly recommended the smoked olives and those were definitely delightful! Their fall menu had just rolled out and I must say decisions were tough, but I went with one of the specials of the night: a 16 oz prime ribeye with allium butter (read: butter with onions), garlic chard, and truffled mashed potatoes. This dish was everything I love on a plate. My steak was cooked to perfection and I absolutely loved the butter. The swiss chard was also cooked perfectly and the garlic was just the right amount. I did try the duck breast and the pasta Dudley - both were equally amazing. And oh my goodness, dessert. You didn't know it until today - you need the Black Tie Sundae in your life. Perfect vanilla ice cream, gooey chocolate and caramel sauces, delicious soft brownie, and whipped cream. Yum yum get you some. Service was totally on point all night. Our somm was incredibly helpful in steering us to some really delicious wine that was a terrific value. We greatly appreciated that! Our waiter was also super helpful, polite, and knowledgeable and really had terrific timing in terms of asking us what we needed and pacing our courses. I will definitely return to Dudley's the next time I'm in Lexington! read more

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I really enjoyed dinner this evening with coworkers. The food was absolutely amazing and the service was top notch! The Ribeye was seasoned to perfection and cooked perfectly! The shredded brussels sprouts salad was sooooo good! I'd give a 6 star rating if I could! Lexington, you're very lucky! read more

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I miss Lexington so much!!! We didn't hesitate to make reservations for Dudley's when we were in town for graduation. A lot of the restaurants closer to Rupp were booked but luckily we had a table at Dudley's. We arrived early and sat at the bar for drinks while the rest of our party arrived and the bartenders are hilarious and so welcoming. We were offered complimentary assortment of bread, too! We ordered a few appetizers to share and they came out beautifully - looking at you, octopus! Our server was attentive and honest when it came to recommendations for our meal. I had a beautifully cooked steak and was stuffed! Can't wait for the next time! read more

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Whenever I'm in Kentucky I find new places that serve Hot Brown's. I have done this for years! I went about 20 minutes out of my way to try Dudley's on Short!! It did not disappoint!!! Definitely one of the best if not the best I ever had in all my travels! A must try if you're in the area!! Excellent Services as well! Sorry almost forgot about the amazing service! I get carried away when it involves a hot brown!! read more

we enjoyed a wonderful meal in the lounge. It was loud but lively. Everyone in our party enjoyed their dinner, The Maxwell was amazing.

Fantastic food and service! Great place for date night, after a ballgame or Keeneland.

Just a fantastic menu, great food and the cocktails were amazing. Server was attentive and had some great suggestions. Went out of her way to accommodate a special request for my wife. read more

One of my most favorite restaurants, ever! The food, the drinks, the service - the ambiance! This place has it all. And if you can get on the rooftop, it's beautiful!!! read more

Rather high end, decor is*SUPRISE* horse racing. Really good food, I had the KY Hot and was very happy seeing KY was Kentucky and not jelly. Grandson had the burger-loved it. As funny as this may sound the tomatoes on his burger and I open faced Sammy was outstanding. They had to have been home grown, store tomatoes don't taste like that anymore. read more

Dudley's on Short - American Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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This isn't just an excellent restaurant, it's a dining EXPERIENCE! The staff is impeccable - attentive, perfect timing, friendly, and professional. We started with appetizers, one of which was deviled eggs and shrimp cocktail. Not your average eggs and shrimp, the flavors were delicate and fresh. The entrees were amazing - I had the duck breast which was absolutely addictive. Portion sizes and wine paring was perfect. This excellent dining experience was completed with a visit upstairs to enjoy the evening with some fresh air and fine wine. I can't rave enough about this restaurant! If you want to feel special with enjoy an amazing meal and experience, this place is for you! read more

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Thank you so much! We are Dudley fans! Have been coming here for years. Service and menu is outstanding. Today, last year we celebrated a 20th birthday, today we celebrated 21. Corey is an outstanding server. The roof top dining is a must!! The ambiance on the roof top is exquisite. Thanks, Dudley's! read more

Really enjoyed my Sunday brunch at Dudley's - the place was clean, nice and really touched the heritage of Lexington with all the decor. We were definitely a little under dressed for brunch as some folks were there with ties and suit jackets - but we did not receive different service which was great. We did have a hard time knowing if we could get a table - we could not make a reservation on Open Table, so we called to see if they could take 5, they said no they could not. Then we walked by the restaurant and decided to go ask in person - when we did that they said yes they can seat us. Upon going in the place was very empty which was confusing. Besides this miss-hap we enjoyed the food, drinks and atmosphere. A couple of us opted for the specials of the day and they were so good! It was great that each person at the table got a chocolate chip muffin as a "free" appetizer, we also opted for the bacon beignets and some coffees - it was disappointing that there was no milk alternative for the coffees however. Our main meals were cooked perfectly and VERY flavorful. They were really accommodative to removing certain ingredients from any of the meals to address dietary preferences. Definitely will be back next time I am in Lexington and will probably dress a little nicer next time :) read more

A great experience. Decor was fantastic we loved how each room was painted a different color. On to the food: deviled eggs were a hit. So we're the pimento cheese balls. Daughter had steak frites and ate it all. I had a pasta with pork and it was a perfect sized portion with nice flavors. Wife had the Kentucky hot brown and raved about it. It's a mess of meat cheese and bread in case you didn't know! Was not a fan of the old fashioned nor the desert cake but oh well. We came on an absolutely beautiful summer night and got to enjoy the weather and people watching. Service was great too. Check this place out if you are in Lexington. read more

Perhaps it was simply a "Blue Monday" for Dudley. The service was excellent. But, here's the blue stuff: The fried Calamari: The "breading" was crisp and warm, but inside, all that, you could barely taste/find the calamari. The Duck Confit with crisp, sweet potatoes and creamy sauce: The duck was hidden under a heavy, flavorless gravy that covered up the potatoes. Very sorry to say, it was a messy tasteless, uninteresting dish. Halibut: Excellent fresh fish, but unnecessarily overcooked, cold/luke, and situated on a dense package of red chard that a knife couldn't even cut. The sauce was gravy-like and flavorless. Perhaps the dish had been prepared too early. Very unattractive and hard to eat. Tournedos: It looked delicious. The guest liked it but said the dish was somewhat lukewarm. read more

Wow, what an experience! Everything was amazing! Plenty of options with the specials and they chef was able to make a dish vegan for my sister. I had the steak Maxwell, SO GOOD!! Cocktails were fun and tasty too. Highly recommend. My family will be back. Service was excellent (Bradley). He had all the information and very personable & knowledgeable. read more