One of the best dining experiences I have ever had. Before even sitting down we were blown away with how beautiful the restaurant looks. They have such a diverse and unique menu we ordered so much food, definitely recommend the Japanese Fried Chicken and the Dry Aged Beef Skewers. Not only is the food amazing but their cocktail menu is outstanding, so many great and unique options. The Enso Old Fashioned and the Strawberry swing were absolutely delicious. As good as the food and drinks were it wouldn't be the same without such an amazing staff to go along with it. Our waitress answered all our questions and gave some amazing recommendations. Also have to point out how perfectly everything came out and just how talented the cooks are in the back. Overall I wish I could give this restaurant more than 5 stars, got to try so many things and I can't wait to try more next time I visit. read more

Enso - Japanese Fried Chicken and the Dry-Aged Beef Skewer - Southern Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Enso is one of Louisville's best new restaurants. Our server was always attentive and giving us recommendations and explaining dishes. The cocktails were unique and fun. We had a large group, so it was a lot of fun getting all of the small plates and sharing everything. You have to try the meatballs and the turnip greens! read more

Enso - Southern Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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I wasn't sure what to expect. Southern cuisine, Japanese style? Well, they pulled it off. Food was all amazing and unlike anything I've had elsewhere. Great vibe, low lighting, the staff was super friendly, personable and accommodating. We sat at the bar and Meredeth really took care of us, mixing unique cocktails, again with the Japanese angle but a Southern kick. We will be back! read more

This is such a cool restaurant! When you walk in it has a very traditional but modern Japanese vibe. They give hot towels to wash hands at the beginning and a little broth cup. So cute. The cocktails all looked amazing. We got to sit at the dinner bar and watch the chef prep some dishes. We got several dishes to share and they were all great. A good mix of southern and Japanese. The tofu was incredible as were the shishitos. We will be back for ramen for sure! read more

I can't say enough good things about Enso. We were instantly greeted and seated by the sweetest person. We were lucky enough to sit at the bar with the chef. Both of us had allergies and the server and chef took the time to make sure we didn't order anything with it and made accommodations when it was possible. They went above and beyond. The Japanese potato salad was so good. The chicken oyster skewer was so flavorful. The textures of the chicken katsu slider were great. Cant wait to go back and try more. read more

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Finally got into the popular Enso! Maybe my expectations were a little high because it has 4 1/2 stars but I would say it's mediocre at best. And when the receipt came, I can honestly say I was shocked to see just how expensive it was. The food was OK, but nothing really jumped out to me or screamed "I must have it again!" we tried all the appetizers, skewers, and the Ramen bowls. Again, nothing was bad. It just wasn't 4 1/2 stars good. I got the kimchi Ramen bowl and I thought it would've had more flavor. I tried two of the cocktails and they barely had any alcohol in them and they were very expensive. Would love to try it again to see if going with a smaller group would affect the experience but with so many great places to eat in Louisville. I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon. The restaurants ambience is really nice, the server was extremely nice and helpful, but the service very slow, but I have to give them grace because it was Friday night and they had a full house. read more

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Enso has become my new favorite restaurant in town. The yellowtail was a special for the night and definitely the best bite of the meal. I was a little sad that they took away my favorite menu item (scallop udon) when I returned last time but I was still just as impressed with some new items. read more

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We loved it! My husband has already been twice. Small plates so you can get to taste a lot of dishes. Highlights include the miso rolls-the most divine bread rolls in town other than Repeal. Enjoyed the crab noodles, tempura catfish, mochi cakes, chicken skewer. Everything was flavorful. My husband gave rave reviews about the ramen as well but I haven't tried it yet. Watch out for the market price Waygu items-they can get pricey. Interesting cocktail menu with unique options including an Ube drink. Already have my next res booked! read more

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Our server recommended the tuna that was more expensive than the tuna we were originally going to order. We receive the tuna and all 3 of us hated it; insanely fishy tasting and smelling?? None of us have ever experienced this before. On top of this, the broth it was in had zero taste and I'm pretty sure it was just olive oil. We asked for their special salt to try to see if it would help, it did not. We ended up leaving multiple pieces and told the server we did not like it. She didn't offer to exchange it for anything else or take it off the bill. Then she said SHE DOESNT EVEN EAT TUNA. When she recommended it. Everything else was ok. I've been wanting to go there since it opened and I'm not sure if I'll return. read more

Enso - Tuna - Southern Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Loved that with each dish was a story. Beautifully nestled in an urban environment, felt very upscale. Our waitstaff was impeccable and did an outstanding job. read more

Enso - Southern Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

This place is amazing. The food is like delicious art. Bobby, the host, was the most accommodating person and I was tremendously appreciative of him working with us for our dinner reservation modification. read more

One of the most unique restaurants I've ever been to with friendly staff and delicious food including a few vegan options but definitely make a reservation because it fills up fast. read more

The JFC was amazing! Great service, minimalist decor, everything was very clean. We enjoyed the ginger salad and seafood nachos were delicious. We would love to go back and try some of the sliders. The recommendation for Sake was very good. read more

We really enjoyed this experience! We were brought complimentary warm wet towels and tea during our dinner. We ordered 5 small plates for the two of us (tomato salad, lamb skewers, chicken skewers, Japanese fried chicken, and chili shrimp) and they were all really good! The chicken skewers were so juicy, I highly recommend. As well as the Japanese fried chicken and tomato salad (a special so may not be available). We got the custard as a dessert and it was amazing!!! Very small though, so maybe a few if it's more than 2 people. read more

Enso - Southern Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

A friend of mine who knows the chef owner wanted to go to this establishment as a reward for a favor he was helping me with, as we are both foodies I figured, why not and several dishes he talked about sounded quite interesting. We arrived and they had our reservation although it did take a minute to get seated in a nearly empty establishment. When the waitress finally comes over she starts in on how everything is small plates and that it is best eaten family style, information we already knew and planned for, As there were 3 of us dinning we ordered practically everything on the menu that even slightly caught our eye. My friend had been talking about nothing but the She Crab chili noodles since we decided to dine here. We ordered those and the creamy scallop udon and the buckwheat noodles. We also ordered the A5 Wagyu one for each of us despite the waitress interrupting and interjecting the price. Some skewers and I asked for some of the pork sliders to take home post meal and specifically requested that no slaw be put on the slider. I told her this two or three times at a minimum. We were served the tiny cup of their signature chicken broth. It was actually quite tasty and she was even kind enough to give us a second. Almost everything went downhill from there. I failed to mention that we ordered the roasted turnip special for the night, it ended up being one of the better dishes. Either, the she crab noodles or the creamy scallops udon were the first dish to come out, both were huge disappointments. The she crab noodles had none of the proclaimed flavors and the creamy scallop udon absolutely all you could taste was lemon. Lemon absolutely ruined the flavor, it was literally like biting into a lemon. The non traditional buckwheat noodles were ok and somewhat interesting. The A5 Wagyu slider was ruined by overcooking. A5 should never ever be cooked past medium rare. These sliders were past well done. I apologize on behalf of the chef-owner who was present in the kitchen that night, to that cow and its owner for the desecration perpetuated upon its flesh that night. We ordered quite a few things and our bill including tip was over $600 and they were literally trying to push us out the door. I understand it was a Sunday night and we had been the only table in the restaurant for most of the evening. It was not late only like 9 or 9:30 pm. I don't even remember if we had dessert so that tells you that it either wasn't good or wasn't bad or we didn't even bother to indulge. To top it all off when I got ready to eat my to go pork sliders, they were covered in slaw which I had specifically requested to be left off numerous time. Service was very lackadaisical and not at all professional. I should mention that we told the waitress each time we were disappointed and no offer was made to replace the dish or to remove it from the check. I should reiterate that we love this type of food and were not complaining from lack of knowledge but rather from knowing what the food should taste like and that we could not eat it because it tasted so one note like the over abundance of lemon in a dish so that all you could taste was lemon, or the extreme overcooking of the A5, which is an absolute culinary sin! The dining room was nicely decorated but the ambiance does not make up for lack of quality in the dining options. I went here with great hopes and they were severely crushed. I will not return. Service is the easiest part of the equation in dining and they epically fail. read more

One of the best new restaurants in Louisville in 2023. I went at the end of the year and they were decorated for Christmas and had a special Christmas cocktail list! I was told to try the chili she crab and the rec was spot on! It was delish and a little spicy! read more

This place is spectacular! The ambiance, food, service perfect. We had several appetizers, cocktails at the bar. Meredith took good care of us. Looking forward to going back! Get the octopus balls, fried chicken, baby octopus. read more

This was such an amazing experience overall. Went here on a date and the environment was soothing as was the service. We were given traditional tea and hand towels prior to eating and their Sake collection was impressive with many tasty options. The best small plate of the night was the octopus hush puppies. Since coming to Enso, I've told everyone and their mother that they need to try this place. read more

The food is so lackluster here and the prices are insane. I ordered the chicken udon and the noodles were really bad. The chicken were meatballs and were way too salty. It's shame since the concept here was so great, but the food is inauthentic and subpar. It's hard to justify spending 24 dollars for a small bowl of soggy noodles. We also ordered the agadashi tofu and it was also a disappointment. The ambiance is nice for a date, but I won't be back for the food. read more

Food: mediocre, this is basically expensive fake Japanese street food Service: pretty good Ambiance: pretty good Overall: not going to come back. Pretty expensive for what it is, not worth the money. I rather save it for Japan. read more

The food was very good. Great atmosphere. Many cocktail choices. Service was great. Would definitely go back and recommend to friends read more

I love the food, drinks, and overall concept of Enso. However, it is a place that borrows from soul food/Black culture, but is not welcoming to Black people. I am sorry to hear about the recent fire, but when they reopen I cannot recommend them. read more

Overall experience was good - the service was excellent, the ambience was unique. The food/menu is very specific - so if you do not go looking for their very specific offerings, you may be disappointed in the variety. What they offer is done with excellence and very tasty, but the variety of options is limited, and within those options there are a lot of the same things. read more

Service and Food were very good. It was a special occasion, so we ordered several appetizers for the table and each tried something different on the menu. Everyone loved what they ordered. My favorites were the Japanese Fried Chicken, Japanese Country Captain, Crawfish Miso Ramen, and the Chicken and Dumplings. Will definitely be going back! read more

In Louisville on business for the next week, this was my first . Nice atmosphere pricey menu, food is pretty good. The service was very good and would definitely put this on the list of places to dine in Louisville. Will be doing a few more reviews and some of the other establishments recommended to me. read more

Wonderful food, atmosphere and extremely attentive staff. The overall experience is something you need to try! read more

Enso - Loved the octopus hushpuppies, creamy scallop udon and subbed over dubbed cocktail. - Southern Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Visited while we were in town for Christmas and we fell in love with the food at this new concept from Chef Lawrence Weeks. Will definitely return next time we come to Louisville. The creative menu items made for a fun experience! Kabobs were a hit. The staff was also very accommodating for our larger group. read more

Absolutely amazing flavors in every dish. The Tasso Pork Sliders are a must. Shareable dishes make it easy to try many items from menu. It's easy to tell the care and attention the culinary staff puts into their work. read more

The food was fantastic! I love Asian fusion with a southern twist! The meal started with a cup chicken broth as a gift and then we shared small plates so we tried a little of everything. That's what I would recommend doing so you can try a lot. The prices were great for a lot of food! And the service and ambiance were amazing! 100% will visit every time I come back to Louisville. It's one of my new favorites!! read more

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First time visit. Great place for date night. Beautiful night, so we sat out on covered deck. Which was just lovely. Service was excellent. Cocktails were great. We got three orders to share (which was their suggestion). We got a special raw fish, chicken skewers and Japanese fried chicken. Flavors were all unique, fresh. Of the things we got, not sure I'd get the fried chicken again. However, we will be back. Flavors and atmosphere and service are top notch. read more

My wife and I went on the third day open for an early dinner. Sat at the bar and had a few small plates. Wonderful food and cocktails. Love the traditional fare. Service was fantastic. Looking forward to coming back soon. Really cool space. read more

A group of six of us went to Enzo last night. We were anxious to try it since we have been to North of Bourbon and really enjoyed the atmosphere and cuisine. The dinner started off with a warm towel delivered to our table followed by complementary chicken broth, which was excellent. We had a variety of items and everything was excellent. Some items that stood out were the shaved apple salad , lamb skewers , the sliders especially the pork slider. The chicken udon and scallop yakiudon were very impressive. The cocktails were right on point and they have a very nice wine list. Kyle was our server and did a fantastic job. I highly recommend that you get reservations. This might be my new favorite restaurant in all of Louisville! read more

I had really high hopes for this place but I left super disappointed. We got the Japanese Country Captain which was a curry and rice dish that was not very flavorful. It was weird because the dish included baked and breaded chicken on the same plate. We got the Octopus hush puppies that were just hush puppies with octopus. Ginger cucumber salad that was a huge disappointment because it was literally just a couple of cut up cucumbers, sesame seeds thrown on there and the ginger dressing was like,smeared on the side of the bowl. And then we got a potato salad that was good but nothing special. It was expensive for what it was. The restaurant was beautiful and our server was really kind and attentive. This restaurant has more style then substance. It has potential and I hope they improve! read more

I was disappointed. Ambience and service are great. But food was not. Ramen was not tasty, broth was missing flavor, chicken was tough. Really wanted to enjoy it but it lacked sophistication. read more

Enso has achieved something quite difficult: create a successful Japanese(ish) restaurant not focused on sushi or ramen. Notably, it has opened in a location formerly home to Maido Essential Japanese, which may have had similar goals in mind, but ultimately succumbed to becoming a generic sushi spot. Not so for Enso, as it stands firm with its devotion to skewers and craft cocktails. All of these are fantastic, and reasonable portions for the price. Some of the other dishes offer less portion for the price, but they are very creative inventions, such as a delicious Hokkaido scallop special we recently tried, one of the best preparations of scallop I've experienced. Enso begins the meal with a warm soup on the house, which is delicious, and also a very clever way to make a guest feel at home, and less concerned about the somewhat high prices. This is the best new restaurant to open in Louisville since covid. read more

Dinner for 4, $382.00, not including tip! Wish I would've taken a picture of my ginger salad. Large bowl of mixed greens, with 4 slices of cucumber with a dollop of dressing on each one. Was told there is more dressing in the bottom. My husband nor I found any, anywhere. When I told the waiter, and asked for more, he brought out a tiny little dish about the size of a half dollar, less than a 1/2 inch tall! I was charged an additional $1.50. We were served octopus hush puppies, we didn't order. Pretty sure we were charged for them anyway. For that price, could have gone about anywhere for a better meal. I can't see them being open very long. Really puzzled reading the rave reviews this place got. We waited a long time for the cheesecake to come out. No one picked up our tab with credit card to cash us out. I asked someone who was bussing tables if she could take care of it. Very disjointed service. Started out ok, then quickly declined. Won't be back. read more

Incredible service, drinks are super well-balanced and the ambiance is incredible, all the dishes are super creative and fun, it's an experience read more

so good every time. The potato mochi, lamb bbq sewkers, octopus hushpuppies, crab noddles and matcha cheesecake was what me and my friends got and it was amazing. The service is was great. I love that they do little Japanese traditions like the cleansing of the hands with towels and the broth before your meal. The ambiance is also very welcoming and comforting. read more

Fabulous unusual food. Livatmosphere.Great service. Clearly one of 10 best in Louisville.Maybe in top five. Go as soon as you can!

This place is killin it! The entire experience here is a must if you're in town. The attention to detail in the service, food, and overall experience is incredible! People may complain about the prices but I'm telling you the experience (food, service, and ambiance) here is completely worth every penny you pay. They are upping the Louisville food scene with the amount of detail they are paying attention to. Do yourself a favor and go! Also, Michelle is one of the best bar tenders in town! Go see her! read more