Check's Cafe

Awesome place. Super friendly staff. Food was awesome. We came in late with the family but ordered food right before the kitchen closed. Highly recommend!

Been coming here for over 15 years and hope it never changes. The food is delicious, don’t skip the chili. The no frills atmosphere is great for families and a warm welcome over the hipster spots taking over Louisville.

The bartender, I believe her name was Laura, was soooo sweet, especially to my 3 year old. She got us everything we needed. The food was wonderful. I got a cheeseburger with onion rings (whatever sauce came with that was a little spicy but DELICIOUS) and my boyfriend and so both got cheese sticks.

The cornbread is dry and the potato salad is like raw potatoes that have a tangy sour taste it wasn’t good in my opinion. The fries are crunchy and crispy which was good and the burger is ok, it lacks a bit of flavor. The chili was really good though i recommend the chili, it taste like any other chili. Overall would i come back to this place not really

When I think of a local neighborhood eatery, I envision a friendly environment and friendly employees. Today I visited Check's Cafe based on the reviews. However, it was everything except friendly and quite the opposite experience for me. I sat at the table looking around trying to figure out how do I get service, I had enough time to check my email. Everyone at the bar seem to be enjoying themselves and the patrons sat quietly at the tables eating. After about 5+ minutes, I saw someone come into the place and order at the counter, so I went behind him and said that I would like to order a sandwich, she said what kind? I said what do you have and she pointed to an electronic board on the wall and said the pages will turn. As someone who is not from the neighborhood, it was very awkward. No one asked if I needed anything, no one offered to say "by the way you place your order at the bar." Nothing! No friendly greeting or atmosphere for me?

Nice menu. Tried a rolled oyster. Very interesting but not for me. Fries are superb. Bourbon options aplenty including the ability to buy bottles, some of which are allocated/hard to find. I recommend checking this place out!

Today I broke my normal habit of getting chicken livers and got what it seemed. Everybody else was eating there – chili. It was delicious. I added onion and cheese and spaghetti because that’s how I like it and it was absolutely simply perfect. If you want a spicy chili, I would suggest you just add it to your chili because this was not too spicy for me. My friend and I love this place and eat there whenever we can work into our schedules.

I would PASS on the fish sandwich... Had high hopes for the food. Fish sandwich was not a good choice what so ever. It was definitely a frozen patty that they fried and threw on some rye bread and charged $12 for it. Also, its a la carte so no sides... My fiance got the Buffalo chicken sandwich which was a better choice. The fries on hers were the best thing, good crunch, and great taste. The environment and community is why you come here. Reminds me of an old school diner. Great service and fantastic personality from the staff. And the people here all know each other and it's a real close community I can tell. So enjoy the experience and hope it is so good it helps you over look the food.

If you like down home country food, this is the place to go. I moved away three years ago to Florida and I came back to visit my kids for the weekend and my daughter was like let's go to Checks! I was so excited to see chicken livers, lima beans and mashed potatoes on the menu. Oh my God I haven't had that since I moved away. It was like sitting down to eat dinner with my mama. There was a band playing when we got there. It was really nice enjoyable. The staff was friendly. Except for the girl at the check-in she had such attitude! She was the only bad experience in the whole place. Other than that, I can't wait to come back again and eat some more delicious country food. See u soon!

Live and learn. Sadly for this learning we paid money to experience it. Our first visit to Check's was a complete bummer. The menu is extensive and we were actually struggling to decide what to order because it all sounded good. What I believe we received was a plethora of frozen items - naked wings with hot sauce, grilled chicken sandwich, oyster, and fries. Granted the fries were good. Otherwise, my grilled chicken sandwich should have been fried chicken and the bun was crumbly and stale. The hot sauce was a runny version of Frank's. The chef salad had the audacity to promote itself as such due to the lack of toppings and the salad being a bagged mix. The restaurant smells like bad fish and it hits you as soon as you walk in. Plenty of seating inside and few patio tables outside. Scan the QR code for the menu and order at the front. I knew the vibe would be divey and the restaurant would be filled with neighborhood locals. However, it was so strange that we found ourselves laughing through the meal. Workers scowling at the counter and talking to regulars like children, women loudly indulging in drinks at the bar, men dropping the f-bomb every other word in conversation. I have teens so, whatever, but not a family feel to this place. Such a waste of $90 for four people and two of us drank water! I urge you to drive down the street to Dairy Del for a better menu of food items plus wonderful dessert.

I live in the highlands and have been to Checks many times. It's a Schnitzelburg landmark, having been around for 60 years in the same family. Many of the people who live in the area grew up eating there. It is where the old timers eat, and that's its problem. Every time I go in this place it looks like I walked into a nursing home. Stumbling and shambling old folks leaning way too far over their tables and getting lost on their way to the bathroom. This is the clientele that they've cultivated and this is who they cater to. They do not want to be a place where young people go, and it shows. Their food is overpriced UNLESS you know to get their specials, which is all the old timers get. If you want, say, a cheesesteak (never on special) it will cost you $14 to eat the smallest, sorriest damn cheesesteak you've ever seen. Did you want fries with that? If so, it will cost you FIVE WHOLE DOLLARS for a half-handful of fries. Sides are not included on the menu prices unless you order the specials. As for the staff, there are two types of people who work here: the waitstaff are all young, high school or college age types who are extremely pleasant and sweet. Everyone else - especially those behind the cash register or the bar - are some of the most cantankerous old coots I have ever had the misfortune of being served by. If you are not a local, they do not want you here. It's unfortunate that this place is so god awful. If you must go there, just get the specials. You'll save a ton of money, even if you didn't want meatloaf or green bean casserole, or whatever nursing home slop they felt like making that day.

Fun atmosphere. There was a band playing and they were great. Very busy spot with a lot of history. Food was ok, but I would definitely order something different next time. The burger wasn't great, but the buffalo chicken sandwich was pretty good and dripping with sauce. The fries were fabulous, crispy, & hot!

Check's delivered exactly what I wanted it to-neighborhood vibes with a little bit of attitude, but in a way that still feels friendly (if that makes sense.) My buffalo chicken sandwich was yummy/ Chicken was moist and french fries were good. I have also tried the fried fish sandwich, NE clam chowder, green beans, potato salad, and cornbread. All very solid. Corn bread was served warm! That's the ticket. I think that food is good, but I'm giving it 5 stars because I want this place to be here forever. It's easy, it's approachable, and with so many 'hot' spots popping up in Germantown, it's nice to have a neighborhood spot like this. Primed for people-watching, great for watching college sports (if that's your thing), and a nice heavy pour in a well cocktail-what's there to complain about? Check's feels like a place that knows exactly what it's doing and is standing by it. I'm all for it.

Cool neighborhood restaurant. You order at the counter, and they bring it to you. Service was quick. I got a BLT sandwich with fries and it was really good. It was a lot of bacon. They had a few craft and domestic beers on tap.

Ate at Check's Cafe for lunch while checking out Germantown. The cafe has definite character. It's fun, food is great, and staff is all wonderful. Love the mix of diner and bar feel to the decor. Would recommend for a great bite to eat.

Checks is a Louisville institution with great fish and chili. The burger is ok and it's been overran by lame college students

Eating at Check's Cafe today. traditionally one of our favorite spots for lunch. Was shocked to see that a plain hot dog with onion rings and a turkey sandwich cost us $30. For my turkey sandwich they charged me a dime each for lettuce, tomato and pickle and 50-cents for cheese. soda and ice tea $3.29 each. I generally expect for sandwiches to come dressed, guess times are changing, and restaurants are making it harder and more expensive to support your local eateries. Very disappointing and won't be frequently visiting in the future. And we did leave cash tips too.

The bean soup is off the hook. Reminds me of my childhood!! The service was great. Very clean and everyone was super friendly.

This is truly a staple of Louisville. If you go. You go for the chili or the fish. Both will bring you lots of joy. The staff is always friendly. The service is usually already coming out as you are seating. This place is always busy. Have patience when you go. It's worth the wait. You can eat inside or out. The inside is a collection of the past. I love going and eating inside. Great people watching. Trust me. It's worth the eats.

Check's is a neighborhood institution. It has a great feeling of nostalgia when you walk in the door, the servers are very friendly, and they get to know all the regulars. The prices are more than what they used to be, but they are fair and the food is pretty good. I went there on a Sunday around noon. This was my first time eating at Check's since before the pandemic, and I was excited to visit. I ordered at the counter (no table service here) and grabbed a seat at the bar. Laura was tending bar that day and told me it was quieter inside than usual, but that didn't dampen her spirits. She was very kind and quick to refill drinks and check on us. Before my burger came, she even let me try the day's chili...and even though it was 90 degree out, it was so good! My burger was not as good as I remembered 4 years ago, but was still pretty solid. The cheese melted nicely on there and the fries hit the spot. Next time, I think I'm going to branch out and order the fried chicken or one of their fried fish dishes. Those have two sides and probably more bang for your buck. They have regular drink and food specials worth checking out. It's also in a cool part of Schnitzelburg near several other places worth checking out. They also have a second floor they use on busy days and some cafe-like outdoor seating that's very pleasant. I definitely recommend coming if you enjoy a good neighborhood watering hole with friendly faces. I will be back.

One year later from when my husband first brought me here, and the experience has gone down hill. Food not good and prices definitely not reasonable for what we got. I ordered the pan fried oysters again because that's what I come here to get. But paying $15 for 5-6 pieces of fried oysters isn't exactly reasonable when it's ala carte. I ordered the broccoli cheese casserole as my side for $3.25 and it was cold. My husband ordered the fried cod fish sandwich meal and the cashier said it came with two sides but actually we were charged $2 for the side salad so technically it came with one side. His meal with a fish sandwich that was cold and soggy, Mac n cheese that was cold and he had to take it back to heat it up, and a salad that was wilted, was $20. We are Grateful for the meal. But it's nothing to rave about here anymore.

Don't bother going if you want to listen to a football game. Three games on no sound! Not enough help eithet

The food was overpriced and substandard. The service was horrible and we couldn't get the woman at the bar to focus on our orders, she was too busy hugging random men. The floors are dirty and it's a very shabby decor. Unless you are over 60 and have some sentimental ties to the place or live close by, it is not worth going to because there are so many better options in Louisville.

Loved the ambiance and the chicken and dumplings. Ordered at the counter and they brought us our food.

The food was really good!! Yelp needs to update the prices because they are $4- $5 higher now .

Nostagically, I remember this place as a cool and hip location...Well, now, there is a yes and no for here...nice ambiance, cold food, not as ordered...no one cares and if you don't either, you'll be fine. Maybe come to drink but don't come to eat...but if you do and don't expect much you will absolutely not be disappointed.

It's a old well established neighborhood corner place to get good bar food watch sports & feel at home. Nothing fancy, order from the bar grab a table & your food is brought out to you. Great Chilli...btw

Giving 1 star because they did not disclose that a 3% "service charge" is automatically added to all bills. That is a shady and slimy business practice. If it weren't for this I would probably give it two stars. The food is now extremely over-priced for what you get. Chicken tenders, fries, a beer, and a 20% tip was $30.00, and they gave 3 of the saddest, tiniest chicken strips. I get that inflation is driving up the cost of dining out, but there are much better, higher quality restaurants in the area for that price. Also I am local from Louisville, not sure why it says San Francisco?

Love the joint! So many memories there with my family! Love the Chili and fish sandwich. All and all it's all good!

Met my son and friend for lunch. Great food and friendly staff. It's like your friendly neighborhood restaurant. You order at the bar and they bring the food out to you. If you like fried food come on down. The place is clean. Have a small parking spot in the back otherwise it's street parking.

Definitely the most delicious chili. You order at the bar and a runner brings your food to your table . It was lunch time and they were packed so it was somewhat noisy. Obviously they have lots of regulars there on a daily basis .

This Cafe has been around since 1944 and has survived the pandemic, yay!!! I have passed this place many times during my Schnitzelburg adventures and went my first time last year for burger week and a few times after that. This cafe also happens to sit across the street from one of my favorite breweries, Monnik. It may look small on the outside but it is spacious on the inside and there is limited bar seating. There is street parking and they have a small private parking lot in the back. Going inside you order at the counter, menu is posted on the wall to the side. After ordering you are able to pick your own seating, when the food is being brought out to you, it's basically a guessing game as to what table to bring it to since you aren't given anything to indicate what you order. You're basically watching for your food to come out and wave you them down. Have no complaints about the food whatsoever, the burger has always been good every visit, and this is the first visit my friend and I got the fries with the burger and we were impressed. Have heard the Chili is good here and have yet to try it. If you happen to be in the Schnitzelburg area, this is definitely a hole in the wall cafe that you must try. It is family friendly as well.

2 club sandwiches, 1 cheeseburger, 3 fries, and 3 diet cokes with tip $76.92. Seems rather high for this type and amount of food.

Super cute and historic local spot! The Philly Cheesesteak is awesome, and the service was friendly. Great place to visit, and decent prices!

$8.99 for 6 fried mushrooms. Waited 1 hour for our food to find out it was sitting behind the counter for 30 minutes +. They ask for a tip up front so tipped 18% for Terrible service. Will not be back. Stay clear.

What can I say every time I stop by and bring new friends with me they always say I can't believe I haven't been here before. I tried a limited choice of salmon patties with the always tasty German potato salad and slaw. My friend tried the buffalo chicken sandwich and found it to be a good choice. I'll be back soon to get my favorite the chicken livers.

Food is ok. Service is ok. Outdoor and indoor seating available Very much a locals and usual crowd kinda place with regulars that are loyal

I had the pork tenderloin. The pork was well marinated with the right amount of salt, battered and fried so it was crunchy and tasty. I noticed a lot of old folks in the restaurant, a tell tale sign that it had a good following. The location was safe and easy to park.

Food is not fancy but typically very good. Lots of homemade options. Today for lunch, the place was very crowded. You order at the counter then find a seat. When your order is really the food runner shouts your name, you wave, they bring your food over! The fish sandwich is my go to. Nice size piece of fried fish on rye bread with one side. I got fries. Should have chosen something else. Fries were lukewarm and they were the kind with a crust which isn't my fav. Luckily I also got some fried mushrooms and they were YUM! Horseradish dipping sauce. Seemed homemade! Go for a very casual bite to eat. Reliably good.

Will be my last visit after going for years. Not a regular, but an occasional visitor for over 40 years. If you like bones in your fish sandwich then you will love Check's. When I asked she said sometimes they have bones sometimes they don't. What an awful answer. Sometimes we try and kill or injure or customers sometimes we don't. Important to let people know in case I missed one and don't wake up tomorrow.

Haven't been there in a few years since it was so bad on our last visit, we gave it a rest. Wife and I decided to give them another try last weekend. First, small fish with onion rings, rolled oyster, small burger with fries, one beer and tea. $63.00 with tip. Got there about 5:30. Saturday. Light crowd. Took about 20-25 minutes. Wife liked her burger and fries. My fish was good sized, tasted ok while being a little stinky. Nothing special, same for the onion rings. Rolled oyster (that's their description) was a good sized piece. However, I never was able to locate the mollusk. It was just an oyster flavored fried dough ball. No plans to go back anytime soon. I miss the old Checks

Went tonight for dinner and got take out.we Got 2 of the fish platters with fries and onion rings. The fish was super tough and chewy. The fries were okay.. they were soggy. And the onion rings were the only thing that was edible. We didn't get our second set of onion rings, we got someone else's pan fried oysters and cocktail sauce. The cocktail sauce looked like I was made months ago, it was solidified and gross.

Local favorite. Fish is really good, famous for chili & bean soup too. We enjoy Wed trivia.

Crazy that I never heard of Checks until my coworkers suggested it for lunch. It was very busy during lunch, but it didn't take long for us to get our order. I ordered the fried cod sandwich with fries. You get two nice pieces of cod. I was kind of disappointed because everyone at the table food looked good, but my fish was over fried. The fish was too hard. The fries were good. They have seasonings on the table, so I sprinkled a little seasoning on them, and they were good to go. Although my fish didn't turn out good. I will go back and try something else on the menu. It seems like a nice little bar to go to. All the staff were very friendly.

Thanks to my son, I was finally introduced to Checks earlier this year. I enjoyed it so much, I requested a repeat visit several weeks later! Then I was glad that a group of my friends chose to meet there for a dinner outing a few months after that. No complaints! I have ordered the delectable chicken livers each time and have tried sides of green beans, Cole slaw, German potato salad, and broccoli casserole. I always have at least half of the meal boxed up to take home because the portions are HUGE. I can't wait to visit this establishment again and plan to have the chicken livers, although my table mates each had various entrees and seemed quite pleased with fish sandwiches, chicken tenders, and wings. I have sat in the main dining room, sat at the bar and enjoyed listening to the regular patrons, and also sat upstairs in the enclosed sunroom which gave one of the kids in our group plenty of room to cavort and expend energy while the adults visited. Great central location -- only drawback is parking can be difficult during popular dinner hour. Service is stellar and friendly!

We had a large group (Approx. 40) and they situated us in their upper room (2023). What a great job they did! The food was fantastic. Their Chili is really good, and everything on the menu was involved/tried in our large group, and everyone was happy! We've been back several times (just Wife & I) and always stopped in for the Chili, Brats, etc. We love this pace, it's our go-to Louisville spot.

Review update Visited mid day for lunch with friends. Normally it's packed. In between 2 & 4 is ideal, It's the best time to easily find a seat. Order at counter. Food is delivered to your table. Pleasant servers. Today I ordered the buffalo chicken fried tenders and fries. The tenders were crisp, meaty and moist inside with just the right spice with side blue cheese dressing. The order was large for one person. Fries was crisp but I prefer a thicker cut yet I enjoyed them. My friends also enjoyed their meals. Street parking with a small lot in rear. Full bar and several taps. Nice spot to catch a game. Out door covered seating and upper deck best for a warmer day.

This is one of those hidden Louisville gems that people don't hear about unless they are a longtime Louisvillian. It's got a diner type feel about it. Especially with the checkered floor. You order at the counter and they'll call your name to bring the food out to you. They've got tons of seating too! Outside or inside! They also have tons of TVs if you're hoping to catch the game. I ordered the Reuben with sweet tea and a side of green beans! Yummy! It was all very delicious and that sweet tea was absolutely fantastic! My sister got the catfish with 2 sides. She got fried apples and the German potato salad. It was flavorful and filling and she had to take it home! My other friend got chicken tenders with fries which he loved. A perfect crunchiness to all of it! My other friend buffalo tenders with fries. She was less than impressed with the tenders but enjoyed the fries. Prices are cheap here! While it's just American food, they've got a variety of things to choose from. They're known for their burger, which I saw lots of people ordering. I'll have to try it next time. There's a parking lot behind it which seems to be theirs. Otherwise, parallel parking is easy to find. Staff was really nice! The lady at the counter never lost her cool even as customers were slower than molasses to figure out what they wanted to order. The others who did drinks and food were quick and smiley!

Traveling through Louisville and this was a great find. Old style restaurant that does a great job. Many choices on the menu which makes this place great as well. Very down home place and staff is very customer friendly. The food we received was freshland delivered quickly. It was a great place to dine. We will be back again when we come back through.

This is the first time I have ever been there. I enjoyed the fish, collard greens, onion rings, etc. We got the cherry cobbler to go for later.

Buffalo sauce is very good. Fries were very good, crispy. There is a reason this place has been around so long, can't go wrong.

I'm a long time local been coming here a few times a year for 30 years. I love the people and atmosphere, but at least what I ordered today was mediocre at best. I got the roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and Mac and cheese. The mashed potatoes where very dry needed butter or something tasted straight from a box. The gravy was okay but I had better. There was a decent amount of beef, but it was a mixture of tuff pieces and okay ones. The macaroni was fine and creamy but very bland with very little cheese flavor. It wasn't their fault that the prices here on yelp are out dated. It was $11.99 not $9.49. There is a 15% rebate on the upside app.

Checks is a Germantown tradition- great fried fish, oysters (pan fried), chili, burgers, and home cooked classics. Checks is one of the few places in town you can get pan fried or rolled oysters with a beer that are delicious and a fair price in town. If it's cold or rainy chili and a grilled cheese is my go to. The roast beef and country fried steaks are go to dinner classics!!! The fish sandwich is another and the fish bites are delicious chunks of fish fried! The Philly cheesesteak is another yummy option- whatever you're in the mood for checks as it!!!

Perfect weather for a huge bowl of chili. I ordered mine with the fixin's onions, noodles and cheese. We were able to watch the UofL game. Such a great value for the two of us to eat, two bowls of chili, order of fries and a beer for less than $20. Wow! Neighborhood sports bar and pub, my dad came here when he was young too!

Love Check's! Came here on Easter, so happy they were open! New to the neighborhood, happy to find a cool local spot!

Comfort food in a welcoming neighborhood establishment. The pork tenderloin sandwich was great!

Cool little neighborhood bar type setup that every-time ive visited they seem to have a regular rotation of regulars. They have pretty tasty burgers and a good atmosphere. This location is staple of its community and has been a long time and it's easy to tell why. Worth checking out if you have never been