The Burl

had such a fun time seeing Goth Babe here in September! only an hours drive from Covington, we parked for free like 0.5 mile down the road and was pleasantly surprised with how low key it felt. there was a taco food truck, an arcade bar, and a brewery available for food and drink (they did have some non-alcoholic options). we enjoyed some food on the rooftop patio area before the show started. spring & fall would be an ideal time to see a show here. definitely would come back.

Great show view from anywhere in the building. Great sound throughout the whole space and even when out on the patio! Great options for drinks including the non drinkers! Water jug available for self serve!

One of the best local spots in Lexington to catch a show, play some vintage arcade games, grab a bite to eat and a cold drink. If you haven't been, you are missing out.

My favorite music venue in Lexington. The wood frame makes for a beautiful sound to live music, and their sound team is great. Located in the distillery district so there are plenty of places to visit before and/or after the show.

Amazing! We saw Manchester Orchestra and it was a sold out show and very hot BUT, I saw the security staff passing out bottled water to people in need... It was great to see humanity was in the hearts of people of Kentucky. Great show! And I can't stress enough. How amazing the staff at the bro was!!!!

Great outdoor venue! Went to see Ole 60 last night. Plenty of space, good food, craft beer and a variety of alcohol. I was DD last night so I didn't have drinks. They have jugs of water with cups for you to help yourself. Had street tacos that were very good. Would definitely go back to see some live music. Parking was full when we arrived so we parked on the street at the 1st available spot.

Went to the Drunken Flea open market, a beautiful venue. Large open outdoor spaces, rustic bar inside very low lighting inside. Drinks seemed to be reasonably priced and all the staff encountered were polite and helpful.

Fantastic experience at The Burl! Friendly folks, delicious burger, great local brew and what an amazing concert with Band of Horses! I will come back! Luke was my bar tender and showed me around the place. Very great experience for a gal traveling alone to catch a favorite band. Thank you!

We were passing through KY and stopped in The Burl as it was very close to our BnB. We were met by John Miller, friendly helpful and knowledgeable about the beer and cocktail offerings. There many styles, flavors, and ABVs to choose from. We found what worked for us easily. Also ordered some food from Lucy's right next door. We split an order of wings, a burger, and a basket of waffle fries. The food was spot on and they walked our order over to the bar patio in what seemed record time to me. We spent most of our evening there and their pool tables (2) were in good shape. I would have given the fifth star but it seems the locals aren't that friendly when it comes to understanding that when your wife is at the bar getting more change for the pool table, it's their chance to take your table from you. It just seemed odd none of the other pool players were neighborly at all or wanted to welcome some out-of-towners to their bar - not even one of the owners. This is definitely a departure from the way we behave with non locals in VA. Suffice it to say, the beverages, the food, and a great bartender get all of the stars. The missing star goes to the vibe we left that night. I explained this to our bartender and told him we will definitely be back to visit Lexington, but we won't be coming back to The Burl.

We love The Burl complex. We were there last night for the Mama Said String Band and Molly Tuttle outdoor show. Started at Burl Arcade for drinks and a place to hang out. Then ventured outside for the concert. Everything was great. Only issue was long lines for the 2 bathrooms in Burl Arcade.

The Burl campus just keeps getting better with the addition of Burl Brew. They serve their beers in the Brew building along with a few cocktails and some spirits. You can also bring in drinks from Burl Arcade and The Burl music venue as all three buildings are the same liquor license. Food can be ordered from Lucy's thru a window by the Arcade and taken to the Brew building. Brew is a great place to watch sports. Several TVs and they show all the NFL games on Sundays. This is especially nice when the weather is pleasant as they have garage doors they open to let in fresh air. The bartenders are friendly and the beers are decent. Give them a try!

What a great place for a show!! Loved this venue. Outdoor space with an arcade and reasonably priced beers! $5 beers at a concert, who knew it was possible. Not a bad view in the house and Manchester Orchestra put on another great show. Love the area as well.

I love the Burl Arcade for a little fun, and while so far I don't love their cocktails, its still a solid choice for a basic well drink and an outside the ordinary experience. There is always a diverse crowd here, making it a fun place for anyone!

The Burl is a good venue for live music and getting a more intimate feel with the bands. I've watched a good number of shows here at this point. The bartenders have been pretty good, just of course between bands playing the line/que is longer. Food is sometimes outside by the arcade, but I've never had it, pretty expensive. I just go see the music bands and have a drink.

Great little spot for live music located in the Distillery District. The Burl has built up a nice little complex of businesses with their arcade and brewery located right next door.

This place is hiding on Manchester street. Loved its lowkey atmosphere and they had the old school games in there. Its sort of like the Rec Bar in louisville but better. Welcoming, drinks were great, and bartenders are good. If you like video games and old school pinball. This is your place. Definitely may go back again this weekend. I gave 4 stars because some of the machines took my quarters lol Thanks

Or first time. Glad we found this spot to hang out. Video games, beer, food. All in a cool, casual atmosphere. Perfect! Too bad we weren't there on a concert night - would have been great to listen to live music as well.

We made our 1st trip here last night. Cody Canada was in town and he didn't disappoint. Place is about 1/4 of the size of the place up the street. Small venue that doesn't disappoint. View was good from anywhere in building. Choices of beverages was very good. We stopped at arcade before, Really idea, There was food & fire pit going outside.

This review is mainly for the food by Kismet. We spent most of our day in the distillery district. One of the bartenders at Ethereal mentioned this as a good place to grab a bite. I love the accessibility of the menu items, plenty of vegetarian options to choose from. I went with spicy noodles and my husband the Cubano. Respectively, we found both dishes filling and satisfying. After we ate, we stayed on the Burl campus and enjoyed the sights and sounds. The food area shares space with the arcade and across the entryway the music hall was pumping out don't y great tunes. Overall, this was a great space that we yearned for back home. We were lucky that it was also within walking distance for us.

The Burl has always been a fantastic music venue and I've bene lucky to catch quite a few show there. As with all kinds of hospitality businesses, they've been forced to be a little creative during limited attendance regulations. In The Burl's case, they've been having dinner shows, in which local restaurants provide meals included in the ticket price, while keeping the price for dinner and a show reasonable. Most recently, John R. Miller performed with food provided by Kismet. He's an mazing Americana singer/songwriter/picker in the vein of John Prine. Check him out! And in a few weeks, I'll be headed to a similar set up for bluegrass band Wolfpen Branch! Can't wait! Check out these dinner shows while they're still available!

For those that know me, you know I try to avoid Lexington at all costs. There are a few things in that town worthy of your time. The Burl is definitely a gem that you should visit for a show. To begin, The Burl is in the perfect location as a brewery and restaurant district is located across the street. Spend your day drinking, touring a distillery, and eating over there before heading across the street to see your favorite musician at The Burl. There's plenty of parking around the area. On my last visit, it was for Julien Baker. The Burl was a perfect venue for her. Louisville has many small-ish music venues... Headliners, Zbar, and Mercury Ballroom to name a few. With that, Louisville wishes it had a venue like this. The closest thing to The Burl is Headliners except Headliners is much bigger. You walk into the place and you're immediately next to the restrooms, bar, and merch table. The long concert hall isn't very wide but you can go right up next to the stage if you're there early enough. On the opposite wall is a door that leads out on to a patio. I'm not sure how often it's open as I've never tried to check it out. I do like the way it's setup though. The patio is practically a deck that is connected to the building. I've seen plenty of patios at other venues that dump you in an area away from the stage. That type of thing almost defeats the purpose of going to a show. I've only been here for winter and spring shows. The temp has always been manageable. I have a feeling in the dead of summer, it might get moist and sweaty(more than usual for a concert hall) in here but I'm not sure. The crowd can also vary here. Of course, people like Julien Baker I'll travel from Louisville to see but with Lexington having UK, college kids are almost always around. We encountered one of these bro-like dweebs that brought his brother to the show with him. I ignored him because he immediately put off that too-cool-for-school vibe but my girlfriend had an exchange with him to set him straight. Be aware that crowd results may vary. During this last show, Julien had a lot of sound issues. For such a quiet musician, this was troubling. She powered through but as visibly frustrated as she seemed, I'm not sure if it was a band sound-guy issue or a venue problem. I'll actually be seeing her again in July so I'll be curious to see if the sound issues carry over. There's not much left to say about this venue. It's a perfect venue for smaller acts that are about to break or have just barely gained attention. If you're a fan of someone rolling through here, you should absolutely make it a point to go.

Such a cool music venue! Our first visit was for an outdoor show with tables sold in sizes of 2,4 or 6. Most of the tables seemed to be 6 tops but unsure if that's the norm. For being an outdoor show sitting next to a railroad track I thought the music sounded great! Fair warning I'm not an audiophile. The drinks were way more reasonably priced that most other venues I've been to so that was unexpected.

Nice venue went here for Back 2 Mac tribute concert. I like the atmosphere, only thing was the room got super stuffy with all the people in there haha. Still a beautiful and lovely place! I like the burl a lot and the arcade.

Charging 15$ pp on a Sunday afternoon to see a band is ridiculous so we walked across the street and had drinks and watched free entertainment

I'm a local musician and enjoyer. This place is safe, clean and has the best sound and management around. Get to a show here.

I was here for the Julien Baker show on April 21, 2018. I instantly liked the space. It isn't huge, but it is a good size for a show. Space for people but small enough to make it still feel kind of intimate. Despite it being a sold out show, I didn't feel crushed. I didn't have to smush my way through immovable throngs of people just to get to the restroom or the bar. There was still some breathing space. And unlike most other performance venues I have attended concerts at, the drinks weren't outrageously priced! I was pleasantly shocked to pay less than $5 for a can of GOOD beer! The only issue of the visit was some troublesome sound issues. It also seemed to throw off the performer. The major offenses were fixed enough to make it through the set. But it was frustrating. I would gladly return to the Burl for another show in the future!

It's a different setup from most places that offer live music. They have a couple places to order food, usually food trucks, and drinks from a bar and smaller well. The outdoor concerts have a one price per person but the price varies from band to band. The retro quarter arcade/pinball area is a delight. They do have places to sit inside and around the open middle area facing the concert. They have a fire pit and I've seen people bring their own chairs. Parking can get full fast so come early or be prepared for a minor walk. The crowd was definitely an older relaxed setting versus a college party type so my wife and I definitely felt comfortable rather than out place.

My wife and I met some friends for Trivia night, and we had a lot of fun. We were originally seated inside, but they ended up setting up some Fold-in-Half Tables, and we moved outside as we felt more comfortable outside. They had a food truck with some amazing fries. I ended up ordering one for my wife and one for myself. Service at the bar was speedy. Their credit card machine did go down, and the bartender informed us that we could write down our tip or just accept the 20%. As a bar tender, I understand that it must be frustrating, but I had no issue supporting a very informative bar tender.

Last night we saw Chris Knight, the venue was sold out and it was a standing room only event. It was spacious enough and even with all the people it was easy to get to the bar. If the weather was nicer there is a patio where you could drink and smoke with the ability to still hear the great music. I will be back for other musical events here. Great night!!

Great little spot for bands, couldn't have seen a Dustin Kensrue acoustic show at a better place. Food was good and they even have an awesome arcade building with Dig Dug straight outta Stranger Things. Plus the stained glass tree of life, woo woo!

Great location and nice beer selection. It is a smaller place, no indoor seating, which was fine with me. Grandma here wishes they would start shows a little earlier but you can't win em all

One of the best music venues in Lexington, hands down. The indoor shows and outdoor shows are both extremely fun to attend! I loved how they offered tables during quarantine and kept this going. They have had quite a few people play there that have gone on to do something big! I am always impressed with the big names they get to perform there. My 1st Biy Strings show was at The Burl and I will never get another experience like it! Buy tickets, go to the show. I can't count how many shows I've been to at The Burl because I love it so! And check out the arcade (bring your quarters!) and see what their kitchen has, too!

While walking up you immediately notice the barn-like feel and the awesome graffiti art on the side of the building. The fire pit on the side is a super big plus in my book too! The sound/acoustics were pretty sweet and White Reaper sounded amazing. This is a standing room only establishment but the stage is raised which helps if you are vertically challenged like me. The drink prices were cheap in my opinion...$3-$5 for the beers that we imbibed in. They even have a couple of arcade games for your entertainment (ms pac man was my fav). There is a large back patio as well where you can still easily hear the music if you need to step out for some fresh air. I would jump to see another show here.

The Burl might have my favorite Bloody Mary in town, and the arcade is perfect. That wall of TVs is my favorite thing ever.

We went to the family arcade day and had a lot of fun. I'm not sure who had more fun, my 10 year old or my husband who played all the arcade games growing up in the 80's. I hope this is a regular event they have planned.

This venue has a ton of potential and is a great addition to the distillery district. Although not much to look at from the outside, the inside has great acoustics, a full bar with very reasonably priced drinks, and a nice staff. Unlike some of the other venues I've been to while living here, the burl seems to be doing all the little things right (dimming the lights when the bands play, turning off the televisions when the shows start, etc). Looking at the upcoming acts, it seems like they are hosting a mix of local bands with touring bands. For a cheap cover, drinks, and a cool atmosphere, the burl makes for a fun night out. I look forward to returning!

Boy was this a fun night, maybe a little too fun due to the amount of Four Rose's Bourbon I drank, but what a great venue for live music. The crowd could have a little bigger, but it's kinda to be expected the night before Thanksgiving. We had seen last nights headline band, the Cordova's play around here and in Nashville before, but this was by far my favorite venue I have seen them at. The sound comes of the barn wood walls just right. It seems the Burl has all kinds of bands play there, but tonight the guys and gals that played sounded great, both the opening couple of acts, as well as, the Cordova's. Everyone who came out to see them play and get off the stage and mingle with the crowd went away feeling like they got a heck of a bargin for the $7 cover. Simply put, I had a great time and I will definitely be back to the Burl for some more live music regardless of the band playing.

The Burl is a great music venue and they get some very good bands. I also love the 80's arcade across the parking lot. It's a pretty small venue and I really love the floor and decor.

This place is great. It's a nice little square with an arcade and food trucks. I got #1 on ghostbusters pinball with 187 million points. Everyone that likes to have fun should check this place out at least once.

The Burl earns a solid 4 stars from me. The venue is a restoration renovation mix, and is overall pretty cool. There are patio areas on both the front and back, a nice little bar area that serves just about anything you want - including some craft beers in tap, and a stage area with seating for live music. With the stained glass, it reminded me of a quaint Eastern Kentucky church. When a band is playing, expect a cover charge. And if you plan to get frisky with the tap, take a Lyft or Uber. You'll be glad you did. Check this place out. I think you'll like it.

The Burl was awesome. They have all kinds of unique and antique arcade games that are a blast to play. Most games are only a quarter. Which is not bad at all. They keep track of scores so you can try and beat the highest score. Will definitely be going back

My wife and I went to the Burl Arcade on a spur of the moment thing. We were thrown back by all the vintage arcade games they have. The have a full bar with several craft beers on tap. Very friendly bar staff. They have 2 money coin machines to get you started. Also they have an ATM to start your arcade adventure or to keep that adventure going. My wife and I grabbed a few beers and then walked across the parking lot to grab some pulled pork nachos off the food truck. It was a such a good time. We spent probable 2 hours here playing games and eating. They have some of the coolest vintage games from the 80's and 90's. Took me back to some really great childhood memories.

I hung out here during one of their LexBrunch free concerts on a Sunday - such a fun time! The band performing was great and there was a decent-sized crowd in attendance. Food trucks were available to purchase brunch. I tried the Bloody Mary and Mimosa from the bar. Both were good. This place also has a nice patio. I'm looking forward to returning here soon!

I can only say positive things about this place but I've only been during the day. The atmosphere was fun. The Sunday brunch series was an awesome addition to the Lexington brunch scene. There's nothing else really like it with the combination of live music, drinks and food trucks. On a nice day it was great to have both the indoor and outdoor areas. I enjoyed the drink selection too.

Really liked this place. Building is long and rectangular with an all wood inlay. There's also seating available outside on both sides of the building and a fire pit as well. I came for a speaking/story event. I would definitely come back to hear some music or hang out. Cool spot!

great environment! have been here numerous times with both my fiancée and friends, had a blast every time. will definitely be back!

This is a fun place. I loved the arcade as I'm a child of the eighties and nineties so I remember riding my bike to the one in my hometown to pump quarters into my favorite machines. If you're a pinball fan, go to this establishment. They've got about twenty or so and most are super cool. Across the parking lot is the music venue and it's a great size. It's intimate and there's an outdoor area right off of the main floor which is nice for conversation and having a seat to cool down a bit. Fun place, good drinks, great arcade, pretty good sound.

If your not into big crowds or huge bands this is the place to be. Lots of fun and enjoy your time with friends, the arcade bar across the street is always a great night cap to a night of drinking with friends!

The bartenders are good but the rest of the staff is rude and unprofessional! Most notably the bouncers and support staff... this goes for the arcade as well as the music venue.

Great spot to hear live music! Good drinks at great prices, nothing negative to say. Only reason for the 4 star was the bathrooms are small and can become problematic during busy shows.

I love this venue. Good sound, live bands, good layout and location. This is the smaller venue Lexington needs! Plus.. I can't wait for the arcade to open this year!!

AMAZING place! The inside is beautiful- it's like a barn but classier. The music/dancing area looks like it was meant for music and dancing, as opposed to a corner of a dive bar where you're trying to move but there's no room. The bartenders are all wonderful. The patio is a great area for socializing and is very spacious. So pumped about this venue!

what a bad experience this past Saturday!! this past Saturday, my then-girlfriend & I drove from Louisville to Lexington to hear some reggae. (yes, I've said then-girlfriend. we've already broken up!) I wanted her to hear some authentic reggae, for which she had never heard, live. the gig was supposed to start at 9. I guess the music may have started close to this time. (I really didn't check.) but after the band played about 2.5 songs, there was an hour break. we were unbelievably surprised! finally we decided to leave, & the guy at the door was kind enough to give us our money back. the place seems to be employed by very young people. there seemed to be no boss anywhere around. there was an unusually Laissez-faire working mood. this seemed to be business as usual. I cannot imagine this place staying open more than a week!!

A great place to see a band. But there is absolutely no accommodations for a handicapped person. When I asked I was told sorry. They should have chairs available for those who cannot stand for long periods of time. I bought my tickets months ago and was one of the first persons to enter, so of course the few stools available were taken by whoever. I just felt they were not willing to help me out.

My friends and I spent all night waiting on a bartender while he struck out with every girl in the place. He got an attitude when we asked to be served and I rightfully kept the receipt as I was overcharged the next day. I guess he thought deserved a little tip since no one was going to let him give his little tip.

Love the Burl! Been there twice to see J. Roddy Walston and the Business. Staff is super friendly and the venue is a large shot-gun type room with a large bar to the side and a really nice deck and fire pit outside. Never have to wait for a beer. Drink prices are good. Great venue for live music.