Loved it! Great food and wonderful views. Truly a hidden gem in Frankfort, KY. I go there whenever I'm in town.

I'm not sure how this place has an average of 4.6. The service was slow, the Bourbon list is too large for lack of organization. They could not find what I asked for (Castle & Key) and it took about 20 minutes to get a cocktail. The price was listed as $9.00. I ordered a Manhattan and the bill came at $27.00 for the Bourbon and a $2.00 up charge for Neat. My wife's chicken sandwich was super well done and tough. My grits were room temp at best. The catfish was good. Bread pudding after rave reviews by our server was not worth the money or the calories. Very disappointing experience. read more

Great experience! The food, service and ambiance were excellent! This was a great find along the bourbon trail.

Overall good place to eat near a couple of distilleries. We stared with calamari which was fine and then went on to the chicken curry which was usual as it did not taste like curry. The shrimps were really nice as was the fish special. Overall the food was good. There was a band playing outside which took away from an overall good experience. We did not stay to listen to the band. read more

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Our group made reservations for 14 people, but when we arrived, they had already seated people not holding our reserved seats. Another person with reservations came in after us and was seated right away. Our group and another group go each month to different locations for lunch. We will not be visiting the Stave. read more

Good time. Food was tasty and great bourbon selection. Fried Chicken Sandwich was yummy.

A delicious adventure @thestaveKentucky Venturing off the highway, to enjoy the backroad beauty of the Bourbon Trail, we discovered a gem! THE STAVE restaurant, located between Woodford Reserve and Castle & Key distilleries, has a warm and welcoming staff (shout out to T-bone * you're awesome), the perfect decor (the back wall looks like it was built using oak casks), paired with the culinary skills of Chef Jonathan Sanning, = outstanding experience! We arrived hungry and were not once disappointed!! From start to finish, with several dishes in-between, the taste and presentation was a delight to the senses. Pickle-brined Hot Chicken, Smoked Salmon Toast (a brunch item), Pimento Curds with Hot Pepper Jelly, Yelllow Watermelon Salad and my-oh-my that homemade Peach Pie (in season), All paired with a lovely glass of Albariño! Looking forward to our next, and there will be a "next" visit!! read more

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Really a long ways to drive from anywhere. The food was ok but not out of this world. Owner and server were very good. read more

I want to like this place, but I've stopped going because the spot is very much focused on tourism and I cannot fault them for that, but even then the food just never lives up to the promise of how good things look and feel and as are described on the menu. It's quite busy at all times, the bourbon list is extensive and massively overpriced, but extensive nonetheless. I've done several dishes there and none have left me thinking 'that was great,' and only sometimes I've thought 'that was decent.' Not sure how to describe it, but bland overall is kinda the thing. Service is just fine, but the place is certainly worth a stop for a burger and water on the side when visiting the distilleries. read more

Food was the best out in the middle of KY. Had the special, fried bologna, and devoured it. So tasty. Decent prices on bourbon. Appreciate flight prices. They did lose our reservation and it took them a while to get us seated but the service was nice. read more

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This place is a gem and a must when visiting Woodford Reserve. Remember to make a reservation and ask for the peach cheesecake 10/10.

The service was slow because they had far more tables than staff. The bourbon selection was great, but overpriced. The food was the big issue. Ordered the burgoo, which is a stew with chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables. Was given a bowl that was completely devoid of all three meats. And unfortunately because the staff was stretched so thin, there was no recourse and I ended up eating a bowl of vegan burgoo. Couple that with my wife ordering a salad with no croutons and making it clear that she had celiac disease, she still received a bread-laiden salad that again, took quite some time to remedy. The only piece of the meal that was redeeming was the deviled egg appetizer. read more

Best bourbon advise and selection I've ever seen. Food was stellar and staff was like going to a friendly grandma's house!

Was a great place to stop at. Went to Buffalo trace the. Castle and key. Hit the stave for lunch and was amazing. Great people very friendly and very good bourbon. Gotta try it read more

Made a reservation for 5:15. Stood at the door for 5 minutes before anyone acknowledged I was there with my daughter and wife. The party in front of us in line had a 6:30 reservation and asked if they could be seated sooner. I spoke up and said my reservation was for 5:15. They seated the 6:30 party first. We sat down and waited 10 minutes until we got a menu because our server was the host. 10 minutes after we received our menus our server came to take our order after we went to the bar to see who would be serving us. I was ready to walk out the door but kept telling myself to wait it out. By this time 6:30 table has drinks in hand as has already ordered food. Our waiter finally shows up and we order 2 cocktails and 2 entrees. Food showed up before cocktails, no water either. Food was very good but cocktails were comparable to something a Mormon grandmother would whip up in a whirl. It's crazy that this place is rated so well on yelp yet service is so bad. Seriously hope you get that together. read more

We spent the day at Kentucky Horse Park and I found this gem here on Yelp. My husband and I both had the spicy honey chicken, my sons burger looked amazing. We shared an app, crawfish cakes, really good! Then they brought by dessert. I don't normally do dessert...we had cheesecake with apples on top, it disappeared as fast as they brought it out. My husband did two flights/samplers of their bourbons, which he enjoyed all of them. I had their special drink for the day...I think it was sunrise, it had OJ and bourbon, I really liked it and I'm not normally a big bourbon person. But I ended the evening with a Country Jam Mule...best mule I've ever had. If we're ever back in the area we'll definitely be back. Thank goodness we got reservations bc that's the only way to get in there right now, so plan ahead. read more

The Stave - Cheesecake with apples - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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The food was good, ambiance was nice, bourbon was extensive if not pretty pricey. Reasonably priced for everything else. We stayed around the corner from here and got a little bit burned out as most of the food here is fried. Solid location if you're in the area but I wouldn't necessarily recommend going out of your way to hit it up. read more

The Stave - Collection of bourbons - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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Don't miss this place! My grandparents lived just up the road from here and as a child I remember coming to visit. Seemed a little depressing with Old Taylor and Old Crow distilleries closed and in disrepair. I am so happy to see this area coming back to life with Castle and Key opening at the Old Taylor site. The Stave is a wonderful place to grab a snack or eat some amazing food. I love there is still a Kentucky charm here but with an upscale vibe. The bourbon menu here is extensive. If you are taking time to visit any of the distillery's around Frankfurt, make it a point to spend some time enjoying what The Stave has to offer. read more

The Stave - a platter of meats, breads, and drinks - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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Great food, great service, would definitely recommend and location for the bourbon trail is unbeatable!

We try and steal away to this cute little place as often as possible. The food is always delicious. Highly recommend!

Okay so we arrived into Frankfort and weren't sure where to go. We found The Stave on Yelp and decided to give it a try. SO worth it! We had a drive full of winding roads and came upon the restaurant. We sat in the screened in porch - started with crawfish fritters. Oh they were insanely good. I had the Stave hamburger and my husband had the pickle brine chicken Sammie. All of it was excellent. Drinks also good. Shout out to Jack, our waiter, who was hustling hard. read more

The Stave - Pickle brined chicken Sammie with green beans - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Stopped by based on the recommendations of our tour guide at Castle & Key. Was not disappointed! The bourbon list was simply amazing, and the food was even better. If this is not the definition of a hole-in-the-wall gem, I don't know what is. The fritters and the brussels sprouts were fantastics apps; and my braised short ribs were perfectly cooked. read more

Maybe we caught them on an off day, but this was not a good experience for us, and I could not recommend it to any friends visiting the bourbon trail. We had reservations for noon on a Saturday at the treehouse (an elevated deck next to the creek). There were 4 other tables of patrons out there too, so business was good. The big downside to the treehouse is - service is slow. Anything you order, every food or drink item, even water, needs to come from the main restaurant. Further delaying service, the staff seemed to have great difficulty keeping drinks on trays. 3 trays of water were dropped before ever making it to the tables. With each trip taking over 5 minutes, you can see where this slows down the whole experience. But this seemed mostly like a problem of preparation! There is a bar at one end of the treehouse, but it was not set up at all, and offered zero support to the waitstaff or tables seated there. They did not have water, or salt and pepper, or extra silverware and napkins. So if you wanted even the simplest of items, it took at least 5 minutes for the server to walk to the main building, get the item, and being it back. But it never took 5 minutes - it was always much longer than that. When our food was delivered, we asked for salt and pepper. By the time salt and pepper got to our table, 3 people had finished their meals, and the 4th hadn't touched theirs (because they were waiting on salt and pepper!). The server was oblivious, or over their head, and just walked away to another table. At this point, our table had to move on with one of party yet to eat, as we had other appointments on the bourbon trail (and had already been here for over an hour). My friends went to wait in the car, so I could take care of the check (and ask for the uneaten item to be removed from the check). I sat alone for 20 minutes at a table waiting for the server to return... they never did. I did my best to calculate the check and left cash on the table. (check was definitely covered, with minimal tip) If they remove the uneaten dish, the server received a generous tip. The server seemed like a very kind person, and they were not unpleasant. They simply didn't have the support or organization of leadership at this establishment. The food itself (what was eaten), was good. No food complaints, just service complaints. If you have time to waste and no other plans, then give this a try - but if you have time to waste and no other plans, what are you doing on the bourbon trail? read more

What really stood out for me was the setting, which was unforgettable, stunning, and unique. This place is worth visiting even if all you want is drinks because the back "porch" is LITERALLY A TREEHOUSE. Let me elaborate, let me tempt you -- about twenty wooden steps up from the parking lot and picnic tables behind the small main restaurant building is a wooden platform surrounded on three sides by lush green foliage: walnut trees, maples, and I forgot what else, and behind them, the literal side of a small mountain. There are only about 3-5 tables up there so it's intimate, relaxed, and basically a paradise if you're into hanging out in a tree canopy. Think every "fairycore" inspiration blog you've ever fallen asleep to. The kitchen seemed to be under some pressure the night we were there (the first major holiday weekend after a 15-month pandemic, so....), and were doing their best, so I guess be patient with them and just enjoy the scenery. We actually didn't have slow service -- our server seemed to be up there constantly going back and forth -- but there were just some little hiccups that seemed to come from being really busy with less people or resources than they had available. That being said, the cooked greens that came with my pretzel trout were really awesome (flavorful!); the trout itself wasn't bad. I asked for an old fashioned that was light on the alcohol and heavy on the mixer and didn't get it at first, but then they were willing to bring me more of the mixer and that made it amazing. I was very happy with it once they brought me more of the brown sugar syrup. Would love to come back and try the hot fried chicken, but I'm not local so it will have to wait. The servers were very nice people, so that's another plus. read more

By far the best meal I have had at a restaurant. Everything was so fresh and locally sourced. The wait staff went above and beyond to make our experience amazing. Definitely will be back to this hidden gem. read more

It's pretty decent place to eat. A little over priced but everything is these days. Service was fair, we ate out on the deck. Not busy the time of day we were there. read more

Super cool place on the way to Woodford Distillery. We stopped in for lunch and we're disappointed. Wide variety of drinks and food, and something for everyone. Service = top notch. Thank you! read more

Stopped in for an early dinner after several stops on the bourbon trail. Excellent food and service! Our waitress was extremely helpful and an all around joy. Will definitely make the stop again next time we're in the area! read more

Always a favorite spot with visiting the bourbon trail! Very good food! We've been four or five times and never have gotten anything we didn't like from the menu! Awesome bourbon menu and great selection of craft beer to switch things up! read more

I recommend reservations, otherwise you will be waiting - we had reservations for 1 pm and I'm glad we did. The menu on their website viewed the day prior, doesn't match the menu at the restaurant - which was disappointing since we drove there specifically for a Hot Brown. The bbq platter was nothing special, the smoked bologna was very good, and hamburger was just a hamburger. read more

Phenomenal food, drinks and service by Megan. Great brunch spot! We had the Chicken & Waffles, the Biscuits and Gravy, and the Skillet Hash and it was a triple crown of deliciousness. Also Megan was attentive and sweet and helpful and knowledgeable and even told some great jokes. Megan was great. read more

The Stave - Blackberry Spritz (empty because they were delicious) - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Cute restaurant off the beaten path! Very close to Woodford Reserve, so worth stopping in before or after a tour. We came in as part of a prearranged group so we didn't get to order off the menu ourselves. However, the cocktails and food they laid out for us were amazing! The restaurant has a laid back vibe, you'll dine at a picnic table. Service was fantastic, the staff was very attentive. read more

The Stave - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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We walked in and everyone was so welcoming throughout our entire dining experience. The bourbon selection was great. Even better than the Bourbon was their food!! It was soooo delicious. Our food was served quickly and the customer service was above and beyond. I wish we lived closer so we could eat here more often. If you are in the anywhere near the area it's definitely worth the trip. read more

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Tasty meal and convenient location near Woodford Reserve. I had pimento cheese added to the sandwich, which was delicious. I wish the spread wasn't cold though. Could've definitely had double the grits (heaven!). My husband loved the Stave burger. He definitely chose the winner. I wish there had been pie! read more

The Stave - Pickle brined fried chicken sandwich - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Service lovely. Pimento grilled cheese, home run. Very impressed from start to finish. Sad I live 6 hours away or this would be a staple stop for me. read more

Great little place off the beaten path. Went here for lunch with a group of friends. We all had something different and nothing disappointed. Started with the snack board- everything was wonderful- especially the pimento cheese and cornbread. Highly recommend! I had the Pickle brined hot chicken- yum! Would definitely get this again. I want to return some evening and sample the bourbon drinks and dinner menu. read more

What a great find! This is a small place out in the middle of nowhere. Huge bourbon selection. We enjoyed the Burnt Orange Old Fashion as well as some of their beer. Loved the Blackened Catfish with cheese grits. Service was great. They were very busy at 5pm so I'm glad we had a reservation for 6pm otherwise I don't think we would have been seated. Service was also very good. read more

Fried green tomatoes creamy horseradish sauce I believe was with it, tomato sandwich with the right amount of mayo, watermelon salad nice light vinaigrette, and build your own biscuit... which has the pickle brined chicken, country ham, pimento cheese, house made pickles, mayo apple butter, bourbon mustard and honey! The best pairing with the chicken was the bourbon mustard and honey and pickle! This was the visit on 29-August-20.... as usual excellent!!! I did not get to write up the second visit but here is the draft from the first visit... we started with drinks, the burnt orange old fashioned, and the Millville marriage. Both excellent choices! Then we tried several small plates, starting with deviled eggs with bread and butter pickled greens! Was not sure that would have gone together but they did! Next up was the Heirloom tomato sandwich with dukes mayo! Seasonal item but damn good! Dukes is a southern mayo that has come on here over the past few years. Then we had the country ham biscuit plate with caramelized onion relish, bourbon whole grain mustard and apple butter! Excellent choice but prefer the build your own from above! And lastly for lunch was the Pickle brined hot chicken bites! Amazing as well and not hot to burn but hot for flavor! It too is in the build your own biscuit! Last but not least the bread pudding that had bourbon sauce on it! It is a play on derby pie which without the approval of Kerns bakery no one else can use that name on a menu! As we have grown to really love this place but have little time to enjoy it anymore it will always be a favorite and we recommend it to all of our out of town friends when they visit! The menu is the hard part to tell them about as it is rotating and changes with fresh produce availability and the chefs whim!!! Check their hours and go enjoy! read more

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Perfect unexpected spot to grab a good bite to eat. Make sure you visit Castle and Key Distillery while in the area. We always do the local Distillery and then grab a bite here, the vibe is casual and the food is home type comfort eats with a twist. Truthful...nothing bad on the menu! read more

Excellent find! If you haven't been here, Go! If you have, Go back! Service was Amazing, drinks delish, food was ample, served quickly, and all dishes were perfectly cooked. We loved the pimento cheese, fried catfish, hot honey chicken sandwich, burger, and old fashioneds. Would highly recommend this place to all. Reservations recommended. read more