This place ROCKS! We have absolutely loved each time we've been. Vina is THE greatest and loveliest of servers. The food never ever disappoints! read more

I am just driving away from eating here today. These are my takeaways. Menu - Very Creative Atmosphere - Excellent Friendliness - Good Prices - Moderate to High Quality - Poor Would I return? - No Hear me out.... I had high expectations after reading the menu and seeing the plates of food around me. Then I watched my food (crawfish "crab" cakes, and a Stave burger) sit under the heat lamp for at least 15 minutes before the server brought it to our table. When the burger was placed in the serving window under the heat lamp I watched the cook in the camouflage hat put French fries on my plate with his bare hands. The food was not fresh, the burger was not juicy, it was luke warm, the cheese was no longer melted, and the fries were also soggy. The crawfish "crab" cakes were decent, the fried green tomatoes they were served on top of were tough, the sauce on top was good. The food was too expensive to not be served fresh. Our waitress McKenzie was sweet, but her service was SLOW and wasn't really around to offer refills or check on the food. This place could easily get 5 stars if the experience had been different. read more

An honest unbiased and not angry review: I made an online order at 3:45pm for 2 entrees and 1 appetizer. This was prior to their opening dinner time of 4:00pm per their website. I scheduled pickup for 6:25pm. We ended up able to arrive at 6:00pm so I greeted the hostess, advised her of the situation "were way early but here whenever it's ready" and asked her where we could sit to have a cocktail while we waited. We were seated on the covered attached patio where heaters had been placed. It's about 30 degrees tonight and while I appreciated the heater efforts, it was still very chilly, even in a sweatshirt and jacket. Regardless, temp is a difficult struggle especially with today's covid spacing restrictions, so whatever. I was honestly just happy to be there. We ordered 2 gin and tonics which were market priced and well made; I could actually taste the Castle and Key gin, which is kinda a prerequisite of a good drink. The bartender was relatively quick considering it seemed he was making drinks for the entire bar and allowed us to order from the back window which was extremely convenient. We sat happily for 30 minutes while 6:25 came and went. At somewhere around 6:40, the bartender came out and said he was sorry for the delay and brought me another drink, which I had asked for about 5 minutes prior. Good again, we were unconcerned about the delay and fine and happy to be there. At 6:45 my phone rang from a random # and I answered. It was the Stave who asked if we were still picking up. I advised we were in the restaurant and had told both the hostess and the bartender that we were waiting on our order. He weirdly said, "oh ok. So you're here" prompting me to ask, "is it ready? should we come into the dining area to get it?" He said "uh, no it's not but soon" and hung up. 15 minutes later a manager (maybe?) came onto the patio, announcing my name in a search for recognition. I answered, he sat down, and reluctantly said that they'd accidentally sold my meal and that they were now sold out completely of the dish. I said I didn't understand because we'd ordered prior to opening and had been there over an hour at this point. He had no excuse other than confusion. He asked if I'd like anything else and that he'd take it off the bill. I reluctantly ordered the sirloin, even though I typically don't order steak from "non-steak" places because I love it rare and don't love overcooked disappointment. But in this case I kinda thought they'd be in a hurry to rectify the situation so If there was ever a time I'd get rare steak, it could be this one... plus, it was the only other gluten free menu item available. So what the hell? When I ordered I kindly explained to the manager how I liked my steak "blue" and asked if they could put it on the grill, count to ten, flip, count to ten and throw it in the box. We all laughed and he left. We continued waiting for another 15ish minutes. While we were waiting another man came in and they told him the exact same thing. "Sorry you ordered in advance, but your order is now currently sold out." He seemed as confused as we were, citing several times that he ordered online hours ago. We felt his pain. When the order finally came out, we settled our drinks, and started to leave but I noticed we had no receipt. I went up and again tipped the bartender, he did a very good job, and asked if we could get our modified receipt. After struggling for a minute he handed me the original. I stated that the bill should be modified due to the selection change and after a discussion he obliged. A little disappointing that had I not noticed, we would have been overcharged. Not great customer service considering the situation. We leave, have a 7 minute ride home.. and fast forward to opening the dishes 3-5 minutes later... the appetizer was cold, but the flavors were nicely done. My husband's quail was declared a well awaited success albeit also cold. He didn't seem to mind. The stuffing that accompanied his meal was crazy gamey and had a very strange unpleasant flavor. He left it untouched, which is highly unlike him. My steak had been pre-cut (super weird and low end) and was unfortunately very WELL DONE, aka inedible. Needless to say my dog had a very nice dinner and I went hungry. It was very sad and disappointing to have waited that long for nothing. As a local supporter and overall fan of The Stave I've really been rooting for the place to succeed. Even now, I've not given up on them. This is our 5th visit here and all had issues, but tonight was by far the worst experience. Overall, really subpar food wise and clearly the place has issues with their system, organization, and order execution. I hope very sincerely that they get their act together soon and I can enjoy the kind of meal I know they have the potential to serve. read more

The Stave - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

I came to this establishment from the distillery next door this past Saturday for lunch. We came in at the same time another group came in. The host looked at both of us, and told us it was gonna be a 20 min wait. We had another distillery tour to make so we were kinda on a time crunch. I went inside to use the restroom, and saw a completely empty bar , with a service member looking bored and ready to serve. So I asked if the bar was " first come first serve." The host said, let me check. He went inside and asked the bartender if he wanted people sat. He came back outside and sat the other people at the bar instead of someone like me and my group that asked. Very unprofessional and we will not be back. read more

Cannot review the food since we never got it. Had reservations, once seated waited over an hour with no food. Table next to us came in after us and received their appetizers and food and left before we never got our food. At the hour and fifteen minute mark had to leave for a tour, finally brought our food out to go, we refused it yet our bill reflected the drinks and food we did not eat. Finally figured bill out. Was constantly told the tour vans/buses, which most came after we were there, was keeping the kitchen busy. If your with a tour group you will probably enjoy it, if you're on your own, roll the dice. We did and lost. Have reservations with our group for June and October...CANCEL!!!! read more

Hidden Gem! Looks can be quite deceiving! I wasn't sure what to expect when pulling up. I was pleasantly surprised! Staff was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu! The food was delicious the drinks were delicious! Pricing was great! I would highly recommend making the stop here. Only comment maybe try to get one more restroom there seemed to be a line the entire time. read more

For starters serving a $12 cocktails in a plastic cup kind of ruins the experience. The cocktails they had were interesting, but small and overpriced... which also seemed to be the theme with the food. It was good, but small portions and overpriced (at least the app we got... biscuits with a sample of toppings). They seem like they have great potential and maybe COVID has hurt their game, but I did expect a bit more based on the reviews and location (kind of in the middle of nowhere). read more

3 meals served at room temperature - 2 hot browns the waiter suggested. The grated cheese atop the dish was not even melted. The burgoo was also room temperature. we left the price of each uneaten meal & left - was told & not apologized to that they were slammed. if that was the case, why take our reservation. The fellow wrapping the silverware touched each fork by the tines. will also advise the health dept. Just AWFUL! Waste of money. In hindsight we should not have paid for 3 meals we could not eat! read more

Absolutely loved this place! The servers are amazing and the food is delicious. The bourbon selection is great. We tried to reserve a spot for the the Saturday night fire pit with live music but it was rained out, they did reserve us a spot indoors and still enjoyed live music. We love it so much we ate there 2 days in a row. Surprisingly the green beans were the favorite for both my kids! We had a table of 6 and no one regretted their orders either time! read more

The Stave - The tiramisu cheesecake - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Irish brunch on Saint Patrick's Day!!! Loved trying something different! We tried the Married in Millville -Castle & Key Gin, Woodford Reserve, lime, simple syrup, & a bourbon cherry. The Irish Breakfast Special was a house-made Banger, white pudding, black pudding, two eggs, baked beans, hash, roasted mushrooms, grilled tomato, & soda bread. I had my first experience with white pudding. Very flavorful and great, just not for me. Every other mouthful was delicious and impeccable cooked. Their soda bread was amazing and I'm not big on bread! read more

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Had to visit since we were in the area and tend to favor out of the way places. Seated quickly. Service was good. Food was terribly disappointing. Bourbon is overpriced. Chicken sandwich tasted burned. Cold fries. The southern Benedict was SALTY.. even picking off the meat left the sauce tasting like the salt shaker fell in the dish. And lastly-- the ambiance was ruined when they seated a larger group behind us at the bar and they stood at our backs for the duration of the meal... did I mention they were holding two dogs at the bar and standing behind us? Fluffy Pomeranians. Not sanitary. Doesn't take into account that your other customers had allergies. Most health departments don't allow dogs in the main dining area that is about five foot from an open kitchen cooking area. Quickly finished, paid, and left. Super disappointing. May need to work on a few things before season starts. read more

Excellent food! So delicious...we had to stop ourselves from eating everything on our plate so we wouldn't walk away too stuffed! Had cornbread and pork appetizer, bourbon chef sampler, chicken sandwich and Stave burger. All we're delicious...but Stave burger was "OMG good"! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in the Frankfort area. Before Covid-19, I would go at least every other week during my lunch break for the blackened fish and grits. It is the best. The grits add some comfort food element, while the fish and spicy greens are light and flavorful. This past weekend, we did a motorcycle ride to the Stave, to sit out in the newly-opened outdoor area by the water. It was perfect. The special was Shrimp and Grits, served with the same spicy greens and cheese grits as my usual dish, but with battered onion straws on top. Lawd, it was good. I hope they make it a regular offering. Also, Fried Green Tomatoes have been added to the seasonal menu. Get those. They are some of the best I've had, partly because of the tangy, spicy sauce that comes with them! My hubby got the Stave Burger, which was also good. I had a bourbon cocktail that had ginger beer and lime, very refreshing. There was some confusion about where I should order if I sit outside and getting my food (currently served in the to-go bags and you take it to your table), which is totally understandable at this time. Also, bring a mask if you need to go inside to use restroom, for Covid-19 regulation. Enjoy!!! PS. When there is pie, get pie. Chef rotates various fruit pies that are made from scratch, usually topped with whipped cream made from Buffalo Trace Bourbon cream. You can ask for the pie to be warmed which is divine. read more

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Dinner outside at the picnic tables is fun, but dress accordingly. Also outside is an upper deck, plus you'll find seating inside too! Book a reservation and enjoy your meal. Wine list isn't the greatest, but plenty of other drink options. $20 for a cedar fire that they had multiple challenges getting to start and a baby possum strolling under the upper deck not far from our table. Food is great, service is good and everyone is friendly! read more

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Great food. Be sure to make reservations as it is a very small place. Ordered the old fashioned thinking it would be fabulous but it was small and nothing to write home about. Get something else. Service was great. read more

I enjoy Stave for it's food, ambiance, Drinks, and good service. The breakfast entries are excellent and the cost is less than many chain restaurants. I highly recommend. read more

We came across this hidden gem while passing thru Kentucky. Highly recommend this place for good food and good drinks and amazing service! read more

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Great food and location. We bring out of town guest along with local friends here and always a great time. Highly recommend. read more

Great recommendation from staff at Buffalo Trace to stop in The Stave for lunch. Despite COVID, service was great and food was spot on. We had the pimento cheese grit bites, ham biscuits and hot chicken sandwich with pimento cheese (highly recommend). Will definitely stop by when we are back in town read more

The Stave - Pimento cheese grit bites! - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Good food, nice facility, okay service. There at 3:30 on a Saturday and maybe it was a weird time but the staff seemed hurriedly busy but there really weren't many guests. Our server was also bartending and he was distracted doing that, causing our food to sit under the warming lamp for fifteen minutes. Finally tracked down another server to ask for our food. So we got our app and main course at the same time. Fries were still decently hot but fried green tomato grilled pimento cheese was soggy from sitting. The pulled pork and hoe cake was delicious and I should have ordered it as my meal. Partner got the catfish po'boy and enjoyed it. We got the bread pudding to go and devoured it later. Also, deviled eggs are no longer on the menu, sadly. read more

To be perfectly honest, I was starting to get worried as we drove through the country to get to this restaurant. But from the moment we walked in the front door, we knew it was a great move. We were greeted by a couple different people, immediately seated and drinks brought to the table. I ordered the special cocktail of the day, Dreaming of Sunshine I think. It came with this thick bourbon cream on the top and boy oh boy was it good! I ordered the Hot Honey fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. It was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside... perfect balance (How do they do that!?!!). My husband had the pickle brined hot chicken sandwich and gave it 2 thumbs up. He also has a piece of Samoa cheesecake.... Delicious!!! I have one word to describe the service...stellar! Loved, loved, loved this place. My only complaint is that I'm sorry it's over 3 hours away from my home. It was the perfect meal to end our vacation. Worth a a little drive off the highway. read more

I was really looking forward to this place and was very disappointed. The only reason I gave it two stars was that I changed my reservation at the last second on a Saturday night and they were very accommodating. After that it went down hill. The waiter took forever to first come to our table and couldn't give us any recommendations on bourbon. After getting our drinks, the rest of our meal was rushed. We each ordered the wedge salad which was ok. We hadn't had our salad for 5 mins when our entrees arrived. I ordered the fried chicken based off of other reviews and it left a lot to be desired. From the chicken to the veggie and potato, my entire dish was cold. I definitely would not go back. read more

What a cute and delicious restaurant in the middle of nowhere, but just around the corner from Woodford distillery! The food was delicious and the service attentive, helpful and kind. It's not big inside so I recommend a reservation. Also as a FYI, there is no cell phone service at the restaurant but they do have free Wi-Fi. Definitely recommend! read more

Wonderful Restaurant. Food was good (Mushroom Stroganoff and Shrimp and Grits)-(Grits had a very flavorful sauce). Servers were personable and friendly and prompt. Bartender was great. Bourbon List was amazing and bartender was very knowlegeable. Would go there again if in area. read more

Been here 3 times over the course of 6 months: 1st: exceptionally good service and tasty food, really wanted to go back. Had the Brussels Sprout salad. 2nd: service was good, menu had changed however still good food, but had to send the raspberry pie back. 3rd: Service was blah and food was mediocre. Had to send two meals back as the order was wrong. Corned Beef Hash was more like country potatoes and bland. Don't think I will go back anytime soon. I think as they get more popular that ability to maintain the falevel in my first visit is proving difficult. Been back and all is forgiven, great food and great service for Brunch, had the Local Chorizo Hash which was yummy. There was 6 of us and all had great things to say. read more

I've been wanting forever to take a trip out this way and finally got the chance to enjoy a Friday afternoon exploring the area with a friend while off for the holidays. It's a bit of a drive but an easy drive with lovely views. A quaint looking building sitting in what feels like the middle of nowhere but conveniently located between two nearby distilleries! Ah ha! It was a slightly rainy day in January so I didn't get to check out the grounds this time... guess I will just have to go back! The interior is very cozy with lots of beautiful wood on the walls and warm lighting, felt like the perfect place for a home cooked meal. Since we arrived between 12:30 and 1, the lunch crowd was already winding down and parking wasn't a problem at the time. It seems small but there was a good amount of seating available in the main dining around and the covered space outside the main dining area. We were greeted and seated quickly and everyone was very friendly and helpful. On this trip, I also didn't get to order any of the amazing sounding cocktails or a bourbon from their very long list or even dessert, so I guess those are more reasons to head back out again haha. But I did get to enjoy an absolutely delicious meal of venison shepherds pie. Since that is one of my favorite dishes, when it's available, I'm going to order it! Venison isn't my first choice of meat so I wasn't completely sure how I would like it. I had almost talked myself into ordering the Stave burger my friend ordered. And I did take a bite of his burger so I know without a doubt I chose the better option for me! The venison shepherds pie was so delicious, I think probably the best shepherds pie dish I've ever had. I definitely want to go back and try more of their special dishes! Oh and I didn't even mind that there wasn't any cell service out there! read more

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We weren't impressed. We had a really long wait in the very hot sun at about 1:30 pm, were seated by the bathroom, and the food was just soso. The service was adequate. Lots of bourbon displayed so maybe that would make the experience better, but we weren't imbibing at lunchtime. Won't be back. read more

I could come here every weekend...food-10, service-10, drinks-10, ambiance-10. A true gem

Everything, just everything about The Stave is over the moon Amazing. In a region lacking in great food options- this is an oasis! You can tell as soon as you walk in this cozy space priority is put on experience and amazing fresh, from scratch, comfort food.Drink and cocktail menu are extensive and well priced. Highly recommend sharing the small plates, although it would be hard to choose- we went with pimento balls and beer cheese. We went for the southern classics that we can't get in the city, all were perfect. Don't stop there, Desert baby! Cheese cake was delicious but the true winner was the bourbon bread pudding. Service was top notch and felt like I was welcomed into someone's home, ahh southern hospitality. Go, now! Can't wait to return. read more

The Stave has earned a five star rating. Exceptionally good experience at The Stave! I had the shrimp grits. And was impressed with the size of the shrimp. The grits were yummy and I just loved the taste. The Stave did not disappoint. The staff is well trained. We enjoyed the casual atmosphere. I'll be back. read more

Visited on a recent Saturday for lunch and tried to get there early to beat the bourbon tour crowds. This was a good idea as the tour buses started showing up as soon as we arrived. The inside of the restaurant is tiny and was very crowded and loud, so we opted for a table on the deck which is enclosed for winter with heaters placed about. Still chilly, but tolerable and much quieter. The service was fantastic and they have a great drink selection- several interesting wine choices, an assortment of beers, and bourbon, of course. We tried a few different dishes-- black eyed pea fritters, hot brown fries, soup beans with cornbread, and a fish sandwich. It was all okay, but it seemed like everything needed more seasoning. If I were rating on food alone, I probably wouldn't give it 4 stars, but the overall experience bumped it up for me. We'll try different dishes next time, something like their snack board or deviled eggs seem like good choices to try. read more

The atmosphere is quaint and comfortable. It's small, but with a lot of talk. The tables are packed tightly and gives the feel of an old-country inn. We felt at ease the whole meal. The food is original, but feels like Kentucky. read more

Oh My God Becky! This place has exemplary service, the food is impeccable, every team member spoke and made us feel like family. I have not been anywhere in my life where I've fallen in love so quickly with ALL of it ! It's a win win. Came for lunch and came back for dinner . I'll probably come back to KY to visit this place. The whiskey menu is bigger than the restaurant and the bread pudding and short ribs and pork chops?!?! I'm floored! I can't say enough good about it! read more

I wish I could give this place 10 stars. The food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was casual but magical and the staff was super helpful and courteous. The fried catfish was to die for and the pickle brined hot chicken & banana pepper bites were so good. All the sauces and dressings seemed to be house made, which put everything over the top. Our only regret is that we ate too much to enjoy a dessert and that we had to leave before the live music started. We can't wait to come back! read more

Due to the heat, we chose to make our reservation for an indoor table. That was not a good decision. Our table was annoyingly wobbly. It was quite cramped, with multiple diners bumping into the back of my date's chair, to get to the single bathroom. People standing next to our table waiting for the bathroom didn't improve things. We had the pimento cheese as an appetizer, it was very good, with a savory flavor and nice zing. I had the hot honey chicken sandwich. It was neither hot (spicy), hot (temperature) , nor honey. It was a very plain breaded chicken sandwich. The fries were good, a larger cut of fry with a good flavor. My date had a crab and crawdad dish, she said it was very good. We had to ask three times for my date's salad. Server never checked on us after bringing us our food. Would not recommend. read more

Wonderful lunch spot minutes from Woodford Reserve and Castle and Key. So glad we found this place. Chris was a wonderful host. Everyone was warm and welcoming, and we especially enjoyed meeting "Chops". All the food and cocktails were delicious and thoughtfully prepared. 115 bourbons to choose from. Killer fried chicken, banging deviled eggs, the "hot brown fries" are a must! Cool KY mural and great photo opp. on side of restaurant. Highly recommend that you stop here!! read more

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Excellent food and service! We stopped there without having a reservation. Everyone was very nice. Asked for food recommendations and we took their advice. Delicious!! We spent the whole time joking and laughing with our server. It was like having dinner at home with friends read more

Hidden gem to go with friends or take a spouse out for a unique southern food experience. Traditional popular southern dishes kicked up a notch and with a twist. Friendly staff and amazing bourbon selection. On a few rare occasions, beers I hoped to get were alreadyy sold out due to popularity. Highly recommend especially if your touring along the bourbon trail / tours! read more

The Stave - Catfish on grits with collard greens. - Southern Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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My husband and I ate at The Stave in January. It was incredible! The chicken and waffles did not disappoint.

Food to die for and all local. The bourbon selection was top notch and the staff were helpful if you weren't sure what to have. The dessert was amazing! Vina was the sweetest!! Best food we've had in this trip. read more