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The Service Station Restaurant

4.5 (50 reviews)
Closed 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

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Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - The Service Station Restaurant

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Smoked Wings starter
Sarah W.

Ok, folks, I've finally found my favorite local Louisville barbecue spot and it feels like divine intervention. It's a 10/10 for every menu item that I sampled and rates up there with the barbecue that I happen to love (Texas hill country near New Braunfels). We started with fried green tomato appetizer, which had a nice cornmeal crunch and zesty toothsome green veggie interior. Accompanying remoulade sauce was just right. Second round was an order of 5 smoked wings with bourbon BBQ sauce. Best smoked wings I've had because of the perfumed and tender moist meat with each bite. Nice sized (and none of that rubbery gross skin I've had everywhere else) and order had choice of ranch or blue cheese, as well as celery sticks. Celery did seem a little tough and a tad stringy, but I chose to ditch it. Finally, we did a sampler of 4 ribs, smoked chicken leg quarter, and generous portion of pulled pork with 2 sides. A+ x3! The ribs had been cooked for the proper length of time to allow for fall-off-the-bone conditions, tender, meaty, smoky, nice bark, just enough sauce to enhance and not detract from the delectable smoky flavor. The pulled pork likewise included some bark in the portion and was yummy flavor. Included sliced tangy pickles, red onions rings, and a couple of containers of extra sauce. The chicken quarter is reminiscent of some that I get at an annual summer fire department fundraiser with a secret mopping sauce .... always sells out .... in a community located over an hour away. Trust me -- I'm saying A LOT here. ;) I ordered sides of braised collard greens and roasted sweet potatoes, but discovered we'd ended up with the greens and a sub of Mac 'n cheese when I arrived home. No complaints and have to say the sides are also stellar. Not ashamed to say that even the greens potlikker wasn't wasted. (Wished that the cornbread had also been included in the order -- another slight oversight.) The Mac'n cheese was perfect texture, super cheesy, and we were wowed by the type of pasta used since it was substantial and held its own with the sauce. I was in my happy place as soon as I pulled up to the parking lot on Burnett Avenue on a weekday and met with smoky aroma. Went inside the nondescript building to order at the counter and enjoyed iced tea and chatting with the welcoming, friendly staff while it was prepped. Price point is competitive and great value for amount and quality of food. We will be back and already looking forward to it.

BBQ sampler, fries, mac-n-cheese, and fried pickles
Neal H.

We got takeout. The BBQ sampler w/fries and mac-n-cheese, and fried pickles. All of it was good. The place is an older building. While there's nothing fancy, it's not dirty. I don't think it's a priority for them. There were two guys working in a small kitchen and a server. In the end, we enjoyed the experience and wouldn't mind trying other stuff from there when we're back in Louisville.

Nancy P.

Our first visit and we stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner. There were only a few patrons and we were told to sit wherever we wanted. There are a few tables in the bar area, several in a back room and covered outdoor seating. There is a huge grill outside so not sure how comfortable outdoor seating would be. I had the 1/2 rack of ribs that came with cole slaw and one side and I opted for the mac and cheese. The ribs were excellent as was the mac and cheese. I did not care for the slaw and our server replaced it with steamed, mixed veggies which were also excellent. My husband had the fried fish which was also very good, the slaw, which he had replaced with mashed potatoes and french fries. We had a fabulous piece of carrot cake for dessert. It was so moist and flavorful. A neighborhood bar vibe, a small parking lot and street parking. The service was top-notch.

Braised Collard Greens
Renae D.

We loved our food. The Philly cheesesteak egg rolls with their spicy sauce was really good. Definitely recommend those. My sister & I shared their buffalo chicken sandwich & they split it for us, which we loved. It was nothing special but had good flavor & we loved the classic pickles. I got a side of the collard greens & added a little hot sauce. They were delicious. I would get those every time. My husband got the meat platter & his personal favorite were the ribs. They had a nice smoked flavor & fell off the bone. Overall we had a good experience. Service was nice & we're glad we stopped in.

Menu
Lorie L.

I was first introduced to The Service Station at a Yelp event and that sampling was enough to get me back in the door. My family of four went for dinner -- so good! We loved these dishes: chicken and waffles, fries, burger, pit master sandwich, pimento cheese, onion rings. The only dish that didn't get a rave review was the shrimp and grits. My husband noted it was slathered in the sweet chili sauce and it wasn't filling. We opted to sit outside. There's some seating in the main room near the bar and a large room next door. The large room isn't air conditioned so it gets super hot during the summer - this is actually why I have waited awhile to return. I knew the meal would be more enjoyable in cooler weather. Service was a bit slow last night. The staff was super transparent about the wait for food. We were having a lazy night without a schedule so it didn't affect this trip. Overall, lots of smiles from the team, ready to welcome people and say goodbye. Street parking plus a private lot. Very close to UL.

Craighton M.

My first exposure to The Service Station located n Burnett Avenue in downtown Louisville was at a Yelp event where the appetizers were enough to have us plan a repeat visit en masse with the family, They served chicken and waffles, fries, barbecue sliders, pimento cheese on crackers and my favorite, shrimp and grits w/ hot sauce. I pounced on them each time they came out of the kitchen (seafood freak). Service was great especially considering the large crowd of enthusiastic Yelpers. They have a main room near the bar and a much larger room next door. There is a private lot and street parking. The owner and staff were very friendly and accommodating.

Signage out front
Jeff C.

Our First Taste of Louisville Barbecue During our travels through Kentucky, we decided to stop for some Louisville barbecue after spotting a highly-rated service station. The parking lot was spacious, accommodating about 20 vehicles, with additional street parking available. As soon as we exited the car, the enticing aroma of smoked barbecue wafted through the air, setting high expectations for our meal. Upon entering, the restaurant appeared smaller than anticipated; however, we later discovered a larger room to the right, which seemed to have once been a bar or nightclub. We were warmly greeted by a friendly waitress who promptly seated us. After a brief wait, she returned to take our drink orders. Unfortunately, after about 20 minutes without seeing our waitress, I ventured to the bar to inquire about our drinks, only to find that they had been overlooked. Thankfully, she soon arrived with our beverages and took our food orders. I opted for the shrimp and grits, while my wife chose the barbecue platter sampler, featuring pulled pork, ribs, chicken wings, and two sides--cornbread and mac & cheese--with an additional order of French fries. While waiting for our food, I visited the restroom, which was in decent shape but had a loose toilet seat and could have used a more thorough cleaning. When our meals arrived, I was met with disappointment regarding portion sizes, as they seemed less generous compared to what I had anticipated based on previous reviews. My wife received four ribs, a handful of pulled pork, and two chicken drumsticks. Despite this, the quality of the meat was commendable, though slightly on the dry side. The cornbread was particularly disappointing--dry and seemingly a bit stale. In contrast, the mac & cheese was enjoyable, and the French fries were a standout, perfectly seasoned and crispy. As for my shrimp and grits, I found the dish to be fantastic; however, there was a mismatch in the ratio of grits to gravy, leaving me wanting more of the former. Overall, while the food was good, the smaller portions and the dryness of some items left me wanting more, especially considering the prices. If the meat had been more moist and the cornbread fresher, I would have rated this experience higher. Additionally, the delay in drink service was a minor setback. Nevertheless, I appreciated the meal and would be willing to give this restaurant another chance in the future.

Smoked Chicken Mac n Cheese Braised Collard Greens
Ashley E.

Excellent food- some of the best greens I've ever had! I got the half chicken with greens and Mac and cheese. Everything was fantastic!!!! My dining mate got the meatloaf, green beans and mash potatoes- his go to comfort meal that he enjoyed! Everything was great and can't wait to see this place finished out. They are under renovation so there are a couple tables and a bar area. The restrooms are also under renovation as well as an additional dining room. Can't wait to see it all done!

Jeremy L.

From the the shrimp and grits to the chicken and waffles the southern family roots of The Service Station are evident. A locally grown family establishment is bringing new flavor to an old neighborhood. Personally, I'm very excited that there's a place like this to add to the depth of variety of food around the University of Louisville. Move over the bar food and bring in the soul food! Be part of the neighborhood with Chef and owner Kendell Shepherd and bring your Family to be part his family too.

Fried Green Tomatoes were excellent
Jim R.

My wife and I for lunch. What was good was really good and a couple items not so good. First we started with Fried Green Tomatoes ($8) which were excellent. We split the BBQ Platter ($28) which included pulled pork, smoked wings, ribs and two sides. First the good. The ribs were very good and our two sides were awesome. Our sides were roasted sweet potatoes and collard greens. I'm not normally overly impressed with restaurant sides, but both sides were awesome. The best way I can explain the sweet potatoes is think of what most people serve on Thanksgiving minus marshmallows. The greens were tender, not overly salty and seasoned well. They were good! Now the not so good. The pulled pork was dry and some of the 'crust' was so tough I couldn't eat it. The smoked wings had an extremely tough outer skin and a couple were not edible. Good flavor the parts you could eat. Finally, service was attentive and excellent. However, we were 'offered' tea refills and when I was told what I owed (no itemized check) I thought it sounded high. I asked about the total and was then told refills are not free. Keep in mind when we offered refills I still had half my original amount. I told our server had I known refills were not free, I would not have agreed to the refill. Our server immediately deleted the refill charge. Note: they do have their own small parking lot which was nice.

Cheryl B.

Everything I had at this event was delicious. I loved the chicken and waffles and the barbecue sandwiches. The desserts were also amazing. Banana pudding and chocolate cake. The service was excellent. I definitely will go back to this place and will tell all my friends about it. It does have limited parking.

Meatloaf with sides.
Joe B.

We tried this for the first time today. Service was fine but the food was average at best. I did like their Mac and cheese and the cornbread. The meatloaf was meh. My wife wasn't impressed with the food and thought the place was depressing. It was worth a try to go to a new place.

Pitmaster sandwich and barbecue platter YUM!
Drew M.

A tasty hole in the wall with a nice selection on the menu, a few tables indoors, also covered back porch seating. Very friendly and the food oh my goodness. The pulled pork was out of this world as where the ribs. The bones just fell out on their own. The greens were so smooth and the grits were delightful. Was a great end to the day after visiting the Derby.

Exterior

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17 days ago

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27 days ago

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6 months ago

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7 months ago

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10 days ago

Food was great! Had the Fried green tomatoes was great. The pulled pork was great as well.

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9 months ago

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4 days ago

It was horrible ribs was dried up and wings was very expensive 5 wings for 14 dollars

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8 months ago

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9 months ago

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2 months ago

Food is delicious. I had the ribs the cheese grits and the greens. Yum. Smoked ribs were falling of the bone. Highly recommend.

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3 months ago

Amazing Food, great sides! The place has a great vibe. Kendal makes the best BBQ in Kentucky. Check it out.

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9 months ago

The Service Station Burger and fries were REALLY good and with a great price! $15 and it's practically two meals it's so big.

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11 months ago

Love the food! It is top notch! If you like good real food, then forget the fancy lights for tourists. Have smoked ribs and wings!

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The Service Station Restaurant - sandwiches - Updated July 2026

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