Crystal L.
Yelp
It's an oddity for sure. The hours alone are head-scratching. For a place that has "whiskey" in its name, they keep very unusual hours - closing at 6 or 7 pm. Maybe this is Covid/staffing-related?
I had read about this place and its well-known chef so added it to my bookmarks for my next trip home. We attempted an early dinner on my first night, but it was closed for a private party. My mother and I went back the next morning for breakfast - which again is weird because looking at the menu, while there ARE breakfast choices, it's really not a breakfast-centric joint.
It was crowded on a Saturday morning around 10 (right after they opened). It is also LOUD. Much too loud. Part of that is owing to the nature of the room - all hard surfaces and nothing to soften the din. But the other part of it is the hard rock music that is playing LOUDLY in the morning. Now listen, I am a HUGE KISS fan, and hearing "Love Gun" anytime is usually A-OK with me... but I'm not sure it's the right thing for a breakfast crowd in Union, Kentucky. In general, I loved all the musical choices, but it's not appropriate for the room. Or the time of day.
I didn't see anyone drinking whiskey with their biscuits, but there were biscuits at every table. My mother ordered the FOOL'S GOLD
(Two Biscuits, Two Eggs, Bacon, Sawmill Gravy - $12) and confirmed that the gravy was on the side. It was. I made a plate out of sides... a scrambled egg, bacon, smoked cheddar grits and a biscuit. Oh, and jam. More on that later.
The biscuits are pretty good. They're not the best you'll ever have and they won't remind you of grandma's, but they're OK. The bacon we both received was awful. Not in the least bit crisp. We didn't eat much of that. I tried Mom's gravy and it was OK... mostly it tasted like flour. My smoked cheddar grits were good and if you're going to go here, I'd recommend those.
Here's something else... if you want butter with your biscuit, that'll be $1. Want some jam? That's another buck. I kid you not.
What's up with that? Hey, I live in Los Angeles so I've seen all kinds of crazy shit on menus, but that's pretty nuts. I went ahead and sprang for the $1 side of jam and it was... basically the same size/taste side of jam that you'd get for free at any IHOP. I don't get it.
This isn't the worst food you'll find in Northern KY to be sure. But there are a LOT better breakfast/brunch places. And better biscuits to be sure. With butter and jam - natch.