I got the Seafood Platter. The cod fillets were a good size but overcooked and came out dry, tough, and chewy. The fried oysters were overcooked too -- super hard and hard to chew. The crab cakes and butterflied shrimp were just okay. The fries, fried scallops, and hush puppies were good (though the hush puppies were pretty small).The breading on everything was very dark, not the nice golden color shown on their website. Might've just been a bad day -- I'll probably give them another shot in a few weeks. read more

John O'bryan's Tavern - Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Went here for lunch and got a white fish sandwich platter. Came with slaw and fries. It was a little expensive for what I got unfortunately. $16 and no drink but it was ok. I'll come by and get something else again read more

John O'bryan's Tavern - Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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I took my mom here for St.Patrick's day because she wanted fish and I'd looked up places that had it near her house. We had never been here before it's definitely a whole in a wall, they only take cash no cards. Theres a hodgepodge of dining furniture and sections to sit. It seems a lot of the chairs came from various locations. Their staff was very slow despite the fact they weren't very busy. My mom who's known to complain about everything of course complained about the wait and how hungry she was. I tried to appease her until the food came. They served us fried fish and French fries and I'm not sure if it was good or if I was just hungry but I did eat it all and enjoyed my bucket of beer. I forgot to take pictures. read more

My husband and I had tried this place a couple times and it was really good. This time ..... It was horrible. Never ever again will we eat anything from here. So disappointed in the quality that has gone downhill. read more

Classic hole-in-the-wall place. Good fried fish. Decent prices. Great take out option for the Southend folks!

Since this has been sold to new owners the food is not as good, and the prices are almost doubled. Sad to see such an awesome place go down hill in my opinion. Used to love it here, now I will be going to Mike Linnings if I want to pay $25 or a fish platter, it will be much better! read more

Great neighborhood ambiance!, Incredible fish and perfect cole slaw. I had a mound of hot fries on the first visit and the superbly battered onion rings on the second visit. The staff is attentive and welcoming. Easy to find location (just off Dixie Hiway) and ice cold beer! read more

If you come here, it's because you've always come here or because someone else who always comes here told you about it! Small old hole in the wall kinda joint, with the coldest bottles of common domestic beers and the hottest and best fried fish sandwich in the south end. Their fried cauliflower is fantastic, as are the mushrooms. The service is fast and polite, and there are plenty of tables. Brings cash - no cards accepted. read more

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This was the first time I ate in the restaurant rather than takeout. I highly recommend it. The fries melt in your mouth and the fish is crispy and tasty. Jenise Hale -Author #GossamerKey read more

The owner was EXTREMELY rude, we didn't get our full order when we asked about it we were told that they were out of the items, but they were going to let us walk out the door having paid $50 with an incomplete order, then she got an attitude when we wanted it taken off the bill or a suitable replacement, they in fact did replace it after demanding it be replaced, the owner than slammed our replacement on the table and didn't even close the box all the way, TERRIBLE service, TERRIBLE owner, will NEVER be back, Should have just stayed closed!!! read more

This place is a small hole in the wall country diner type place, with great food and great atmosphere. Our server, Trish, was warm and welcoming, super sweet and helpful as we went over our options, and just provided a really nice atmosphere. The fish sandwich was all I've heard and more- good portion size, cooked to perfection, flaky, tender and just nothing bad to say at all. Fries were well seasoned too, and I also enjoyed the cole slaw. We got there right as fresh sweet tea was being brewed, so that was another welcome treat. The casual, relaxed feel, warm banter between staff and some other customers, and amazing food, good prices, means this place is now on our list of places to eat regularly. Only down side I could find was that they only take cash, so, be prepared for that. I wasn't. The store behind them has an ATM if needed. read more

The fish was great. Our normal place was closed on Mondays. We had the fish and bush puppy's Fish was great hush puppy's we're good. Don't think they were house made. Service by the cute dark haired girl was exceptional. read more

Spending my High School years living off Dixie Highway, O'Bryans quickly became a staple in my dining experiences. Sure, it's a bit of a dive and hasn't been updated, but the fantastic thing is, that doesn't bother a soul that walks through the door. The bar and front room are characterized by the regulars that adorn the stools. The staff is neighborly and will call you hun. Most have worked there for years and are very comfortable. O'Bryans is likely my favorite fried fish in Louisville. Always hot, fresh, and delicious. My partner and I split the Fish Sandwich for Two. (Huge, sharable meal option!) The tavern offers curbside with call ahead, carryout, and dine-in. They are strictly cash only. Sides may seem expensive, but they are large and shareable portions. Bottled domestic beer is icy cold! Try the onion rings! read more

Laid back atmosphere with great food & service. The fish sandwich & onion rings are fantastic!

If the TV shows Cheers and Deadliest Catch came together and had a baby, I'm pretty sure that the baby would be O'Bryan's. It seems like every person that walks in is a regular, but they are a bit more of the Deadliest Catch ilk. Kinda rough, down home type people. Very friendly, mind you... just calling it what it is. The place is good. They serve really good food, better than your standard "local bar." They are known for their fish. And for good reason. It's probably the best fish in the Southend of Louisville, possible exception being Mark's Feed Store. Definitely better than Mike Linnig's. And cheaper. A fish plate for two (4 pieces of fish, a bunch of fries, and cole slaw) is like $12 or something (I can't remember the price - I posted the menu and am too lazy to look at it). Not bad at all. Don't be deceived, however... most people in and from the Southend will have you believe that this is the greatest fish restaurant in the history of history. Such is typical of Southenders, for we are a proud lot. We tend to use hyperbole where possible to infatuate anyone within earshot, and have them think that the Southend of Louisville can be found somewhere between Camelot and Asgard. O'Bryan's - Good fish? Yes. Good service? Yes. Friendly people? Absolutely. Great restaurant and bar? Naa. Decent enough to get a 4* because it is locally owned, and the people genuinely care about what they're doing. read more

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This place used to be good. As an old regular, I won't be coming back this place is now sooo dysfunctional I've been here for 2 hrs not even mad I did It to myself read more

My husband got a carry out for us yesterday evening. He ordered a fishbox for two and paid $2.00 extra to get onion rings instead of fries. When he got home with our order, we found that we only received a total of 5 onion rings for two people. While the onion rings tasted good, we were disappointed in the quantity. Five onion rings for two people seems inadequate.I will add that the fish and cole slaw were good. read more

When reviewing I try to compare establishments that are comparable or within the same type class. John O'bryan's Tavern is just as the name suggests. It is a small beer joint that has a loyal local clientele. With that being said...we couldn't have felt more welcome than if we had been true blue regulars. Found it on Yelp looking for a place to get fish. Chosen because of some of the positive reviews. Enjoyed because of the laid back friendly atmosphere to accompany a good hand breaded fish sandwich. No fountain sodas but you choose from the selection of the day in the standing glass-front cooler. My dining partner said his coleslaw wasn't cold and that was a concern for him. I ordered extra crinkle fries instead of slaw and they were cooked just right. I really have to give the wait staff a high five for keeping up since there was a high spirited group of 14 who were there to eat and entertain themselves and others with Karaoke. It was nice to find another place to grab some tasty fish besides the go to, long lines of M.Lng's read more

John O'bryan's Tavern - Good portion fish sandwich and crinkle fries - Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Great Food! Not so great Ambiance, but the Food is worth the trip! I've met people there from as far away as Memphis TN who came for the Fried Fish!! read more

Love the food here! Good fish and my son said it's one of the best burgers he's ever tasted! Just remember though that this place is cash only. Personally I'd think if they could upgrade that so people can use their cards, they'd make a whole lot more money. To each his own on that part. But other than that, I've always loved getting food here. read more

This place does not look like much from the outside. Festooned with beer banners advertising their many good deals. The regulars and neighborhood clearly keep this place rolling along. The food is on point. Hot crispy and delicious. Walk in here and eat! It is worth it. read more

John O'bryan's Tavern - Bars Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

The cash only place is grim. The carry out fish sandwiches/sides are very good but WAY overpriced. $7.00 for onion rings? Not worth it. read more

My dad found this place with some of his motorcycle buddies and we went for lunch. The clientele is an awesome but salty mix of hard working guys and people drinking bottles of beer At 11:30am. Locally owned, I think the proprietor was working the kitchen and his daughter was working the floor. The cook who I assume may have been John O'Bryan himself greeted us and was very friendly. Great fish sandwich, great big portions of fish. If you're not super hungry be sure to get the smaller platter, my one portion with two pieces of fish white bread and fries was way more than I could handle. Would have liked to had better selection of beverages then the community reach in cooler but hey worth the trade-off for the great food. Grab yourself a friend, a diet rite soda and a great lunch the next time you are in Shively. read more

Love this place! Real food and real people! Priced right. Great fried fish and burgers. No plastic. Look for the regulars for some great conversations. read more

I work in the salon across the street.. everybody's been talking about their fish sandwich.. for $7.95 you get a huge helping of fish and 4 pieces of bread!!! I had to hurry to write this review because it's awesome!! Even me picking it up.. the atmosphere is EVERYTHING! Please go and get the fish!!! read more

If looking at the pictures, be aware that the prices on the menu pictured have doubled. A fish platter for one is now $12.45 & the fish platter for two is $20+ change. Just wish I had taken a picture of the fries & slaw from my dinner last night before eating/tossing (fries). The fries were so greasy & limp that they were actually a gross brown color. The serving size of slaw was in a clear plastic shrimp sauce condiment container. The fish was good, but not worth the cost of the disappointing platter. read more

Great, really big fish basket. Definitely a great choice for fish fans! Beer was good and cold. A little loud when karaoke kicked off

This place is okay. The only part I enjoyed really was the beer prices. Which was $2 a bottle. Great fish sandwiches. Nice staff. family run buisness. Don't get anything that's not fish or shrimp here otherwise you are wasting your money. read more

Fish is great and the price is great. They will run out of fish if you don't get there at a decent time! The atmosphere is a little rough and small but that why I always get the food to go. read more

Good fish but payed double than what the prices were on the menu, also had to leave and get cash had no clue didnt accept credit cards..this expensive I'll be going to mike linings for now on read more

Best fish around. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but give it a chance. You'll be glad you did!

Great fish sandwiches and their fried oysters are delicious. The food is hot and fesh as it comes. It's cooked to order and comes up in about 5 minutes. The beer is ice cold, with ice still coming down the side of the bottle, and the atmosphere is lively with a loud blue collared crowd. Good fun and there is always a game on. read more

My mom introduced me to this place. Her coworkers use to frequent this bar and on Fridays would bring in fish for everyone at her job. When I tell you this is the best fish I have ever had in my life ! It is perfectly seasoned and you get huge pieces. I went into the location a couple of times to get a to go order. It is a simple bar. Nothing spectacular and it's small. Not gonna lie, my spider senses did alert when I walked into the establishment, just because it looked like a place that catered to locals and I definitely felt like an outsider...With that being said, the bar tenders that I interacted with on both visits, were extremely nice and helpful. I felt like the patriots looked at me like, who is she, but even they smiled and spoke. This made me feel a little more comfortable. I did wait in my vehicle for my order to be ready which took less than 10mins. But I will go here again and again for that fish! Yum! Note, they only except cash so stop by ATM on your way. They may have one at the location, I didn't pay attention. read more

The waitress always over charges. But food is good. Oh and if you have a penis, you'll be waited on first.

Heard this dive bar had great fish. That is very true. My husband and I ordered the fish platter for two. Two big fish pieces came with a handful of French fries and a tiny container of cole slaw. Fish was really good, fries were just ok and a bit skimpy on the quantity, cole slaw was really good. We thought it was a bit pricy for the quantity and quality of the food. When this is described as a dive bar, they're not kidding. Parking lot was a muddy mess with giant puddles. Interior of bar was dark and dingy. The patrons at the bar were dropping F-bombs like they were punctuation. read more

Food was horrible and i was not welcomed there because of my skin color. I looked over my shoulder i happen to look in the same direction as a white guy and he began to run his mouth about my type is not welcomed there, called me a nigger, spit at me but he missed. I ignored him for the most part but if his spit would have touched me he would have had a serious problem. What made it so bad is the fact that the owner was there and encouraged this racist behavior. If your of color dont waste your money going there. read more

Small bar with amazing fried food. Way better than any place I've had before. My first but definitely not last visit today was spectacular. The woman behind the bar was friendly and funny and the cook was cool too. I ordered the fish sandwich for 2 and fried shrooms. They only take cash so make sure to stop at your nearest atm before stopping at this south end paradise. It's the perfect treat of fried goodness read more

Awesome food and atmosphere. My kind of place. Small, local, and friendly. I don't really look like the regulars here. But that didn't stop them from treating me like one of their own. My new spot for a quick bite and a few beers! read more

The best fish dinner in town and don't be scared of the outside its all good.

Fish sandwich is good, karaoke is awesome, but staff is rude to anyone who isn't one of their regulars. More than once come for food and had waitress ignore for up to 20 minutes before grudgingly taking our orders. read more