The Elkhorn Tavern

Elkhorn Tavern was one of our stops on the Bites of the Bluegrass Distillery District Tour! We were served warm & tasty burgoo and a corn muffin, yum! We also got to do a spirits tasting as part of the tour! After the tour and after visiting some other places we went back to Elkhorn Tavern for drinks and live music, great atmosphere, good service and fun times!

Have walked by this place several times. Finally went in the other day. Awesome atmosphere! Go to the counter to order setup. Delicious and very reasonably priced cocktails! We tried several... the limited menu was always the issue for me but now having been there I'm so glad we tried it. Big charcuterie board, nice salad, good Buffalo dip, and a tasty BLT sandwich. Can't wait to go back and try more!

Excellent tavern with fantastic food and beer in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Has great music by local musicians and excellent service by a great waitstaff. It’s a welcome community amenity that is a great asset to Lexington. Highly recommend!

I recently visited The Elkhorn Tavern and had an absolutely delightful experience. The food was delicious and the ambience was just right for a relaxed evening, making it an ideal spot to spend quality time with friends. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, perfect for enjoying drinks and good conversation. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking to have a great time with great food and drinks!

I've been coming to the Elkhorn for years and as much as I like the vibe and live music, the weekend service is ATROCIOUS. The bar is understaffed and chaotic. The "table service" is a joke. I found my "server" at the end of the bar clustered with 3-4 other employees chit-chatting obliviously. They looked at me as though I was intruding by wanting to place a food order. Those adolescents shouldn't be fired. The people who hired them and are supposedly managing them should be fired. Terrible experience.

Ten ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awesome Staff. Bartender was knowledgeable, friendly, wonderful. Kaylee Payton was amazing. Food was Divine!!! The Bourbon was top self. Smoothest 122 proof ever... Can't wait to get back!!!

My grandmother and I were coming from PA for the second time and stopped in for what turned into an amazing experience!! We had Emma helping us at the bar! She made our evening! Great drinks and made sure we always had everything we needed with a smile! Refreshing to have such great service. We would come again

Loved it! Good food and good service! Relaxed old Timey atmosphere. Huge bourbon selection. Enjoyed our lunch & then toured two distilleries in the same complex (Barrel House & James Pepper). Joe was our bartender & waiter & managed to clear tables and do it all with a smile! Good air conditioning too!! This is the perfect stop on your way to the corvette museum.

I loved this place with live music on a Friday night. Amazing vibe and a good buffalo chicken chip appetizer that was gluten free. Their menu was not marked well for GF but they had a list in the kitchen of what was GF and they took a picture of it and I selected from the picture on their phone. Cool place with kind of an older crowd. When they were playing REM, some young people had clearly never heard it?!? C'mon people !!! The music was great.

Elkhorn Tavern is the bar/restaurant side of Barrel House Distillery. The inside is very rustic and country feeling with a quant outdoor patio out front. They have a mix of sandwiches and shareables to pair with their cocktail, beer, and wine offering. Our group got (2) Barrel House Select Old Fashioneds, an Elkhorn Sour, and Lexington Lemonade. The Old Fashioned was well balance. Elkhorn Sour & Lexington Lemonade were pretty as far as presentation but was a bit tart. We also got the Beer Cheese Platter to share. This came with crackers and pretzel sticks. Cheese itself was good but I was not expecting it to be hard. All staff members we encountered were overly kind! Always having a smile, recommending local spots, checkin in on us, and making small talk. The hospitality was great which was much appreciated!

Fun little space in the collective. They have a good sized patio and very cozy interior. We stopped by for a drink after having a slice of pie and were not disappointed by our old fashioned. The selection on the wall was impressive and the prices were reasonable. The staff was friendly without being overbearing. Definitely recommend a stop here!

The service and ambiance are always excellent. Such a chill place to hang out. It's our new Saturday night spot!

Great customer service. This is bar food, so if that is what you like, then, this is the place for you. Food is served in plastic baskets, paper bowls and with plastic utensils. My salad was good and the chicken was ok.

Late review: we enjoyed our food, esp. my husband loved the Elkhorn burgoo that has beef, rabbit, elk and vegetables. We sat at the back patio because we had our fur baby with us. Too bad I can't remember the server's name, he was super friendly!

Wonderfully cozy bar with great staff and great vibes. Love relaxing at the bar with a good book. The drinks are fantastic as well and there's a large fireplace!

I had to stop by here to experience a little bit of bourbon during my visit to Lexington. I'm not a huge bourbon drinker, but wanted to try out some options. The bartender working that day was brand new and the other one had called off so she was on her own while still learning. Overall, she was very sweet and did a good job. I went ahead and ordered the County Judge to drink which had some orange juice and other items in it. It was pretty good. I was intrigued by the Elkhorn burgoo so I had to try it! It came out very quick and it was very hot. I enjoyed it. I really liked the ambiance in here. There were a mix of tables, sofas, and chairs.

My husband and I were there with friends for lunch this week . We ordered the Burgoo. I was surprised that the bowl was so small for $12. The muffins were gone. We got Ritz crackers for the same price. I was not impressed. I felt the atmosphere could be cleaner also.

I don't visit here often, and every time I wonder why I don't come here more! Elkhorn Tavern has an EXCELLENT cocktail program, with bartenders who take genuine pride in their concoctions. The raspberry lemon drop is heavenly, witch just a hint of Rosemary to set the flavors off. We also sampled some upcoming cocktails that showcased house-made shrubs. Seriously a great program! I'm going to also call out the AMAZING bbq we sampled. I didn't catch the name, but this is smoked right outside Elkhorn Tavern and it's seriously legit. We left this bar to go to a $100+ meal, and I'll say I would have much preferred this bbq to that meal.

This is the 2nd time we've visited here for a lunch & have really enjoyed it. First time I had soup f the day & husband the burgoo, a specialty, and this time I had the pimento cheese sandwich, so yummy! And he had the pulled pork sammi, which he really enjoyed. We didn't get pics of our good, just the bourbon sampler. They have a cute attached gift shop & nice bourbon. Both times at lunch they've been lightly busy, but I think more of you need to get in there!!

Nice place! Fun atmosphere, too. We had very attentive staff and the food came out fast. Chicken salad was delicious. Burgoo (look it up) was hearty. HUGE selection of drinks and bourbons. Definitely recommend but be advised parking is a challenge.

Met some folks for a Sunday afternoon at the Tavern. First, the bourbon selection and the atmosphere is great. Lots to take in and lots to enjoy. We opted to sit outside and service was a little slow and slightly inattentive. Long waits for water and forgot my bourbon on the drink delivery. Helpful though on recommendations for the meal. Not a huge menu, but that's not really what you're there for from view at the bourbon wall. We all chose the multiple sliders and passed them around. They were good, just not enough to fill me up. Probably should have scoped the menu before I went. Not a bad place, and I'd go back, but with a different expectation and I'd probably enjoy it a lot more.

The worst service I've ever encountered. The bartender's language was horrible. He was berating the live band and calling a customer an "f'n looser" for ordering an LIT. Too low for his standards, I guess. Bar tender left while he was mid making a drink to get a sweat shirt from the merchandise because he was cold. When the customer ahead of us asked him to finish his drinks, he told him to "f'n hold on. Thats not how you get good service." We love this place but until the staff can act even a tad more professional, we won't be back. Regret that I didn't see him name tag, but the grumpy bar tender with the loop earning needs a serious attitude adjustment. Blatantly disrespectful and downright mean guy.

Great food great beer. Good selection of bourbon. Nice area. Service was awesome. Highly recommend!

Not a fun place, Saturday night and it was dead. All the bartenders were not friendly. Food was mediocre. The service was the only nice person there, Austin.

Unfortunate place to be. Do not go and expect to be able to have a good time. YOU WILL BE SILENCED! Go next door to The Breakroom or Halligans. Stuffy place. Not for me.

After distillery hopping, we wanted to take a break and have a bite to eat. We looked up Kentucky Burgoo and this place popped up. The place isn't hard to find, and there's a huge parking lot. Unfortunately they also share their lot with other bars/ restaurants, so i think it could be tricky to find a spot if you hit peak times. We were lucky and stopped at 5:30 on a Wednesday, so easy parking. Stephen and I shared the charcuterie board, and each had our own bowl of Burgoo. It's a hearty bowl of stew/ soup filled with meat and vegs. The side of corn mash muffins was delicious, too. Stephen really enjoyed his flight of local bourbons, and wanted to take a bottle home. Sadly, the release wasn't available until next week. Service is a bit slow. It could have been an off day as there's only 1 guy running the show as bartender, host and waiter. Tables were left un-bussed and we had to ask a few times for things. If you can overlook the slow service, its a 4 star review. If you're in a hurry? Maybe 3 stars

This place is a hidden gem in the distillery district. Classic simple southern food & drinks for a great price. We love coming here on a sunny day & sitting outside. Great service, food, drinks, & atmosphere. Limited menu BUT consistently great.

May 2023- stopped by on a whim. Food great service atmosphere. Sense of the slow pace of sipping burbon

Thank you, Elkhorn Tavern, for giving my wife & I a near-perfect New Year's Eve date night! We arrived a little before the kitchen closed, so we were able to take advantage of your "Distillery Board" charcuterie, which was the perfect accompaniment to your fine selection of Bourbons, the wonderful ambience (half the reason we chose this Tavern), and the great live music we enjoyed. Our first bartender contact, a young man, was friendly enough at the door, but never checked on us again. His female counterpart however kept our drinks coming and was super friendly throughout. The young lady who promptly announced no more kitchen orders as soon as we sat down was a little gruff, and I would have understood her decision if she were anxious to get somewhere else to celebrate, but she closed the kitchen & then sat at the bar for the rest of the time, while other people were continually coming in (this was around 10:30). I'm not sure what your typical kitchen hours are for a holiday, and I've worked kitchens so I understand wanting to close up shop, but she could have been a little more discreet about it. Announcing it the way she did in front of customers just came across as rude. Overall, an awesome experience. Great ambience, good Bourbon, a warm fireplace (the young lady who was our bartender also stoked the fire!), and good music, really made our New Year's special. We would have gladly stayed for the countdown, but left around 11:30 to celebrate at home with our kids. We will definitely come back for a more formal sit-down experience.

We had the beer cheese platter, distillers board, and country ham sliders and everything was excellent. The distillers board was super worth the price and definitely worth getting!

We started the girls weekend here and it was an ok choice. The only weird thing is if you sit outside you have to go inside and order drinks and dinner. I ordered a mojito and a chicken salad sandwich. It was good but nothing too exciting. Our meals took forever and we were starving. They had music there and the singer was fabulous. Probably will not be my first choice if I return to that area.

Service was great, live music was also great. Rather small bar. Wish they had more on draft but beer is mostly bottled.

A cute little place in the distillery district. The atmosphere is very relaxed and cozy. You get a cabin feeling when you go there. The internals are well designed and I promise you won't be disappointed. Also, the COVID restrictions are being well followed. The service was very prompt. We were being well taken care of. They have specials that might not be in the menu. So be sure to ask for that. I got the pulled port sliders and they were amazing. My friend got the burgoo and no complaints there either. Overall, a cute little romantic place tucked away in the distillery district.

My new favorite local place in town. Reasonably priced food and drinks. Great atmosphere with friendly service. The food menu is maybe considered "limited" in some minds but it's worth giving a shot. I've had just about everything on the menu and it's always been very good. My new go to place.

We walked in here after drinking beers and wanted a change of pace. Unfortunately, the last tour had already kicked off and so we weren't able to see the distilling operation so it was pretty quiet when we walked in so we were the only two in the bar at the time. Fortunately, while the I couldn't see the product being made the bar was still open and they carry their product. It's Kentucky, bourbon country so I got the Old Fashioned. It was good, a little on the sweeter side, I think to try to round out the bourbon, which was a little on the rougher side.

We stopped in at the Elkhorn Tavern on a Saturday evening while we were visiting the distillery District. It was a nice bar restaurant when you walk in we got a drink at a few laughs looked around it's all cool Decour that the place had offered and had a nice fire on the outside and just overall fun environment

After hearing our tour guide talk up the Burgoo during our trip to Barrel House Distilling Co, we had to stop for a bite to eat. This is a place you can sit and relax in! I had never even heard of Burgoo before this day, but I like to eat local fare when traveling so it was a no brainer when ordering that I was going to try this stew. It was delicious! Very well spiced, nice hearty portion without being too much. The muffin paired nicely also.

Great place for music on the weekends. Very cozy-cool space. Bar tenders are awesome. Food menu is limited but everything is very good. One of my favorite places. Only issue is seating is limited so you have to have a strategy.

On Easter Sunday we are in from out of town. The place we focused on was closed, but we got a warm welcome here. The bartender/server Elizabeth was friendly& helpful with a good sense of humor we ordered 2 of the Dark bourbon beer and 2 grilled pimento cheese sandwiches which also were spiced with some jalapeño, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Awesome comfort food with a twist! The live music was great and not so loud that we couldn't hear ourselves talk! Would come back anytime but being back in Lexington again soon is not likely. If you have the chance, don't miss out on this place!

We had a group for our first visit and had only a short wait in line to order at the bar on a beautiful Saturday in October. Cocktails and flights were greatly enjoyed, and we shared a half charcuterie board, which fed us all plenty well and was exceptionally delicious...I'm still thinking about it! We sat outside but the inside looked so cozy; can't wait to go back!

On our first night in Lexington we were looking for a place to eat in the Distillery district. I was looking for a burger with no luck so we opted for Elkhorn Tavern. The music lured us in. If you sit outside you have to go then we and order and they bring your food to you - it was pretty fast when we were there. Hubs got the Elkhorn Burgoo (when in Rome) and I got the Tavern Salad along with the Beer Cheese platter. Both meals were very tasty. I thought the Burgoo would come in a bowl but instead came in a to go cup. Also the utensils were plastic. I would probably skip the beer cheese platter - little cup of cheese with pretzels, ritz crackers and celery. Overall good food and music and the staff was very friendly.

This is my second trip to Elkhorn Tavern and it's fast becoming a favorite for me. I love the relaxed and cozy atmosphere. Tonight was cool and rainy and the roaring fireplace was a welcome sight! Despite being cozy, social distancing guidelines are being adhered to....barstools have been removed and tables spaced apart (seems they removed some tables). A sign was on our table indicating it had been sanitized. Service was prompt with a laid back vibe. No live music tonight, but the music being played through the sound system was interesting and the volume was perfect for dinner conversation. We ordered sandwiches with cowboy caviar and Burgoo. All perfectly prepared and simply delicious!

I love it when you get recommendations from locals when you're traveling! Our Thoroughbred Heritage Tours guide told us about Burgoo and then recommended @theelkhorntavern! Great recommendation Nicholas! And the Burgoo was DELICIOUS! Burgoo is a beef, elk, and rabbit stew, local to Kentucky! It also has lima beans, corn, okra, tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes. I would highly recommend Burgoo and @theelkhorntavern!

If you are looking for a place to have a good sandwich and some tasty drinks this would be a great place to start. There are a whole bunch of bars/distilleries and restaurants in the area surrounding the parking lot and we decided this one looked good. We were right. Starting with a flight of their own spirits, we were treated to some amazing flavors. I am not a bourbon drinker but their recipe was so smooth that I really enjoyed it. They even have an old recipe for dark moonshine and that was the real surprise. It was a rich flavor without the bite of a brown liquor. The vodka was a real treat that had some zing and a smooth finish. The rum was unlike anything I have ever tasted before and I have had some rum over the years. We had some sandwiches (BLT and Chicken Salad) that were delicious. I am a BLT aficionado and this was one of the better ones that I have ever eaten. Not too much bacon (typical mistake), good lettuce and thinly sliced tomatoes. I had the corn mash muffins as a side and the bourbon balls as a desert. Everything I ate was delicious and if we are back in the area, this is a definite stop.

Great tavern in the Pepper Distillery district with food and excellent drinks. We stopped in while visiting one of our favorite cities and love this place. Cozy, really friendly staff, excellent drinks. They make their own bourbon, vodka, moonshine and rum. They have live music a couple of nights a week and a great little patio. Definitely worth your time to stop in and enjoy a delicious libation!

I'm rating on the food, not the drinking. The servers were really nice and helpful. I enjoyed the atmosphere. We were the only people there at lunch time today. I ordered the BLT ($10) and a side salad ($2). The BLT was good and I recommend getting it toasted, but it does not come with any sides and is not worth $10 for just the sandwich. If it came with fries or a bowl of soup beans I would totally pay $10 for a plate, but I won't be back at that price. The side salad was not good, I do not recommend it. It was not very cold and just tasted odd.

Elizabeth is a phenomenal bartender, she mastered making the Old Fashioned. Better than many of their higher class competitors in the area for bourbon. The atmosphere is laid back with appropriate Decor as well as nice live music (not loud or overpowering, the equivalent of a bar/social should have). Overall I would rate this place a 15/10 if I could. I love everything about it. As someone who has been a manager at Ashley's, the furniture is quite nice, comfortable and hardwood, the taxidermy is authentic, and the vibes and drinks are perfect. Amazing drinks, amazing atmosphere, amazing people. Thank you!!!!

I can't say enough wonderful things about this place. As a new resident to Lexington, this was my first experience doing a distillery tasting. The staff was knowledgeable, energetic and so very friendly. At our visit, we chose to share the Barrel House Flight and Elkhorn Burgoo. I'm not normally a dark liquor drinker, but the dark shine and barrel house select were especially wonderful and complex. The burgoo was flavorful and filling and did not skimp on ingredients or quality. You can tell this place is run with love and care. I look forward to my next visit.

My friends and I used to come here often but I don't think we'll be back anytime soon. The first time I visited, it felt like a place where old men sat around with brandy and cigars. Not bad but a little dull. Over the past few years, it's really livened up- younger crowds and great live music. Guess that's why it's unfortunate to feel the way I do now. Here's why: The kitchen staff are the worst. I don't know what goes on back there, but for a menu that contains mostly sandwiches, they're incredibly slow. It mediocre food for what you pay and rude service. The drinks have been consistently good but I'd hire some new bartenders. Darren and Levi are always super friendly, knowledgeable, and make some killer bourbon drinks but the other guys behind the bar have horrible attitudes. They seem like they don't care about the customer - they just want to do the bare minimum and get you out. We used to always feel welcome and knew we'd get a great recommendation for cocktails, especially if Darren or Levi were behind the bar. Unfortunately, that vibe seems to be missing with the rest of the staff lately. Hopefully they can hire a few bartenders and servers who are actually energized by customer facing work & feel passionate about what they do. For now, maybe we'll call ahead to see who's working before we show up!

My friend and I had a wonderful time checking out this place. I think it's the perfect bar/restaurant to bring any guest that is new to Lexington or who just wants to get a taste of local cuisine and cocktails. As part of Barrel House Distillery they have a variety of cocktails made with their signature liquors. I loved seeing that so many fruits and flavors were featured on their cocktail menu. We tried a half board with cheeses, meats and crackers and it was still pretty large. We also tried she country ham biscuit and burgoo which was honestly delicious. The burgoo is worth it! I'll give them bonus points for the Kentucky flair on their menu and also for the great taste of the food and beverages. I'd only deduct points for the service. Initially it was great and then we basically never saw our server again for at least an hour.

This is a hidden gem. The service is fantastic and the burgoo is phenomenal. A must visit for out of towners. They also have distillery tours and live music. Enjoy the open fire in the stone fireplace during the cooler months.

Located in the old James Pepper Distillery a few minutes from downtown Lexington. Sit and relax inside or outside front or back. Have a pour of a Bourbon or a cocktail. They have taverin fair to eat (sandwiches, meat and cheese boards...). Great place to sit and relax after cruising all the places in the old distillery complex.

Awesome awesome awesome having a great time in Lexington. This is such a cool area highly recommend

Stopped in for lunch and a couple beers. We were seated right away, servers were attentive and the beer/food came fast. Food was also delicious. Pimento cheese sandwich was awesome with a great kick to it, BLT was excellent and simple - just as it should be. Bloody Mary was also so good!

Loved this cute/rustic/ truly old Kentucky aesthetic in a new hip part of town. With many options of bourbon and unique combinations, this is highly recommended. The bar/restaurant has live music and delicious food options for a casual night out.

Loved visiting this place on my KY vacation!! The bartenders were awesome and fun. The environment was clean, cozy, and unique! Our drinks were all great. They have a great little store inside with drinks, souvenirs, & gifts. Totally recommend

Really enjoyed this place it's connected to bourbon barrel company where you can take a tour small operation but Marshall was a great tour guide very inviting atmosphere and queen inside great selection of bourbon whiskeys as well