Wagner's Pharmacy (Diner)

This place is so much better than the 4.2 star rating five stars all day long in my book. Had breakfast with a business colleague of mine. We both got full breakfasts service was outstanding and our bill was less than $25! Will definitely be back as soon as I possibly can :-)

I loved this place. Our server was great, polite, and helpful. We loved the old horse racing stuff on the wall and the store. The Hot Brown was ok, good, but not mind blowing as I thought it would be.

Great little place. Great service. Food was really good. I forgot to get a picture of my plate because of being rushed on lunch break. I had a BLT and chips: my friend had a grilled cheese and onion rings. We were hoping breakfast was still available but breakfast is only served all day on the weekends. I will definitely be back for biscuits and gravy. The little gift shop is nice but pricey.

This place is so great. I’ve lived in Louisville my whole life and never been here. Definitely sleeping on it. The food was very classic diner food. If that’s your thing you’ll love it. The prices are reasonable. They had a white gravy without sausage which was absolutely fantastic. The decor is all derby themed and all the servers seem super friendly. So excited to come back.

My wife and I had wanted to eat at Wagner's for a long time. Let me tell you it did not disappoint. The service, food, and atmosphere were awesome. We will return.

Without exaggeration, the Wagner Burger that I got for lunch today was the best burger I’ve had in a decade. The flavor was phenomenal — it might not look like much in picture, might look like just an average burger you can get from just about anywhere, but looks are deceiving because it tasted amazing. The bacon was amazing, the fries were nice and hot (although they’re just regular crinkle fries) — great service, great atmosphere. Felt like the little places we grew up eating at living in a small country town. Surprising to find a place with that quality and atmosphere in the middle of Louisville. Really cool seeing all the derby winners in photos on the wall etc. If you’re seeing this and coming to the area or in the area — it’s worth the visit. Keep in mind it’s only open from 7am-2:30pm. Breakfast & Lunch. Don’t miss it!

We walked here between visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum and attending the fall races at Churchhill Downs. The service was excellent and the food was even better! My husband got the Hangover special and I got a bacon biscuit sandwich with a side of potatoes. We got derby pie to go. Great place to eat!

We had a group of six, meet here for lunch, on a Tuesday afternoon at 1:00. Was able to get immediate seating. Our server, Kimberly took our drink order. As she returned to our table, with our beverages, she took our food order and was very polite and informative about the menu. 15 or 20 minutes later we were enjoying our lunch. Kimberly kept our beverages refilled and answered any questions we had. The food was great and nostalgic atmosphere was very interesting. We had a very enjoyable time.

I'd heard about Wagner's Pharmacy long before I ever moved to Louisville. Every Derby week, I'd tell my wife, "We really need to try that place!" But with its popularity -- and being clear across town -- it just never quite happened. Well, the stars finally aligned, and on a cold Friday morning in November, we made it happen. Simply put, it was everything we'd heard and more. The charm is pure old-school Louisville, and the only thing better than the atmosphere was the food itself. I went with my go-to -- biscuits and gravy with a side of sausage -- while everyone else ordered their favorites. The smell of breakfast hit the table just a second before the plates did, and the first bite proved to me exactly why Wagner's has been a local favorite for decades. Everything was delicious, hearty, and made with love. While my wife and friends browsed the gift shop for souvenirs, we all agreed -- we won't be waiting until Derby season to come back. Wagner's absolutely lived up to the legend.

We had the best visit here. The food and service are great, and we loved the vibe. After having a quick bite, we went to see the ponies, which was so fun.

Local diner outside of Churchill. We went the morning of the KDF mini & full marathon race. Able to seat ourselves and greeted right away by friendly staff. Ordered and received drinks & food quickly. Cute gift shop in the back.

Wagner's is over 100 years old and is part of Louisville. With its proximity to Churchill Downs and the fairgrounds, it welcomes several visitors. If you have a student at UL, Wagner's is close by university as well. This divey diner covers all areas of the walls with photos of winning horses and events at the track. Seat yourself at one of the several tables and during the better weather there's also a large patio. Breakfast and lunch all day. I got the superfecta breakfast platter with eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes and pancakes. The pancakes were so good! It's hard to find a good pancake in Louisville and these had a bit of sweetness in the batter. Solid coffee too. Other family members enjoyed the bratwurst sandwich, onion rings, burgers, fries and chocolate milk. We can't wait to return because there's so much more to enjoy. Service was friendly and family-like. We enjoyed talking to the staff and later browsing the gift shop. If you're visiting there's plenty of reasonably priced items to pick up as gifts. Come enjoy part of our city's history!

The pace to be for breakfast during Derby week There's always a line waiting for a table. Put your name in and peruse the pharmacy store. We each had a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit that was pretty stuffed. There's plenty of parking in the back. Go and get in the Wagners action. 53

Dropped in here for lunch. The burgers arms fries are great. The breakfast menu looks good too and there is a nice gift shop. Hours are from 7am to 2:30pm. Old time drugstore with a lunch counter.

A classic Louisville staple. They released a prototype sticky bun. I must say, they need to put it on the menu. Service is great as always. Still giving that old school diner atmosphere. You know what to expect good common folk food. Absolutely, fantastic.

Pretty good place. Service was just a normal diner type style & same with the atmosphere. The place was packed around lunch time & they still seemed to keep everybody content. Nothing fancy but I think it's a place to check out being so close to Churchill downs & a pretty well known place in the area. My salad wasn't bad & the grilled chicken on it had good flavor. The dressings are the single package Ken's brand & I went with ranch & a little drizzle of Italian.

I am ashamed to confess, I've lived here 44 years (i.e., my entire life...not giving some deathbed confessional after settling down here after decades abroad or anything)...and I just visited this Louisville institution recently. This is a failure I will need to atone for with many future visits. Just a great place. Lot of history here, as the photos lining the walls will attest. Right across the street from Churchill Downs, many racing folk have made their way to this spot over the years for classic diner style breakfast and lunch. So, it's pretty cool to step into history when you visit here. Food is excellent diner fare. Strong breakfast lineup, quality burgers, hearty sandwiches (ribeye is tender, juicy, and just plain delicious), good daily specials (I'm partial to fried fish Fridays). The kind of place I wish there were more of out there. Service is friendly and efficient. If you're in town for some horse races, drop in. If you're in town for something else, do the same. And if you're like me and live here, get over there for some good grub, and repeat the process!

The last time we were here breakfast was over so we ordered lunch. This morning we were there around 9:40 am and fortunately in time for breakfast. We both ordered the $11.99 breakfast that included 2 eggs, 2 biscuits, hash browns and choice of ham or bacon. The eggs were fine and the biscuits were light and fluffy. The ham was fine however the hash browns were of the frozen variety and was not memorable. Service was very good and especially friendly. I had a refill of coffee and enjoyed the retro look of this old 50-60s diner directly across the street from the legendary Churchill Downs.

This is a great stop for tourists! The diner charm and history of the building and location, along with the friendly servers is definitely worth a try. The food was good and there's a good selection of Kentucky staples such as the Kentucky Hot Brown, Kentucky Style Homemade Chili (with noodles), and fried bologna sandwiches, as well as Derby Pie. We had the hot brown and the chili and both were good. We arrived too late for breakfast so didn't get to try Pam & Jack's Omelette that was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay. Nice gift shop as well.

This place is amazing. The history the people the food. Truly a must visit. I wish they were open longer, but that just me.

I really don't like giving out 1 Star, but when service is this bad, I just have to. Visited Wagner's over Memorial Day Weekend because we all decided to go to the race tracks and this was supposed to be the place for breakfast/brunch beforehand. It started off so promising with the 6 of us including a baby was sat right away. And that is where it went down hill. We waited for about 10-15 min before our server came by to take our drink order. She returned with our drinks, we gave her our food order, then we didn't see her for over an hour!!! No FOOD, no Server, no one letting us know what was going on. We were very tempted to just get up and leave. When the food finally came out, no apologies for taking long, nothing. And unfortunately, the food wasn't good enough to offset the bad service. So I can say that I did visit Wagner's, but I seriously doubt that I'll ever return.

What a delicious surprise! We stopped on our way to Churchill Downs. I have heard stories and watched clips of people eating here but I never stopped in. Oh my goodness I have missed the best breakfast I've ever had! The food was amazing, I had two eggs sausage home style potatoes tomatoes and biscuits! I'm not a big eater but I finished my entire plate...it was delicious! My friends had similar breakfast dishes and everyone was happy with meals. The food was so so good! The service was great. Our server approached our table in a timely manner got the drink orders and promptly returned to take our orders. He was fast and friendly and our food was delivered to the table exactly as we ordered it! He came back twice to check on us and refilled our drinks. He was very good. The ambiance is unreal! Posters and pictures of former guests and famous horses and jockeys cover the walls along with newspaper articles! It's a maze of derby history. Wagner's will now be my official breakfast eatery, nothing in the area comes close to the delicious food friendly service and great atmosphere. I felt so comfortable! Oh they do have a gift shop with a great selection of derby merchandise! I highly recommend you give Wagers a try..you will not regret it!

Finally had an opportunity to visit this local landmark, established in 1922. I've seen it highlighted every year at Derby time as being a well-loved and well-visited hot spot located near trackside with a well-documented history. We were easily able to be seated for a Friday lunchtime group of 8. The place was fairly busy and bustling with customer traffic. Menu consisted mainly of the good homemade diner standards that one would typically expect -- fried or cold bologna, chili, vegetable beef soup, Patty melts, tuna and chicken salad on toast, and hot brown. There are also several daily and weekly specials. I tried the cup of chili and half of a chicken salad sandwich, which came with a side of chips, all under $10. Great value, great quality, and great flavor. Our waitress and other waitstaff were extremely friendly and nice. Size of our party hindered a fast food timeline, but it's nice to slow down sometimes, so no complaints here. Walls were covered in every imaginable available spot to display news articles, horse shoes, bridles, and photographs. It was fun to wander around to look at all of the memorabilia and there is a gift shop area near the back parking lot entrance doors to grab souvenirs. This will be a fun place to visit again just to soak up more of the history and enjoy a homemade meal.

Great old school hole in the wall diner with decor dedicated to all things horse racing. Pancakes are fantastic! Cinnamon roll is worth trying. Ham and cheese omelette was great. Definitely would go back.

Place right across from Churchill Downs, old diner, great staff, great service, has parking, great view of the racetrack.

It was ok. It was freezing inside because outside was colder. We sat by the grill and it was cold. The food wasn't bad but none of it seemed home made. I saw pre made patties go into the fryer for the chicken fried steak. Oh well!

Well if this app would allow me to put zero stars I most certainly would. Where do I begin. Walked in not one person spoke or said anything to me while I sat looking at a menu. I got up decided let me stop and ask someone where I need to place my order; mind you this is my very first time coming here. The lady I stopped and asked just pointed and walked away, they're busy so I chalk that up. I stand and wait for the person who is doing orders and seating to greet me and tell me hold on "she" may have stopped taking to go orders." I'm scratching my head wondering why would you stop taking to go orders when you're not stopping seating people?" She returns and tells me I'm sorry she's stopped taking to go orders, so now I'm a little pissed. So I calmly asked her the same question that was in my head, how do you stop taking orders and turn away money and you're still seating people. I'm baffled and she explains to me that well she is backed up on orders and it would be looking at like a 40 min wait. I explain that is fine I expected a wait for fresh food. Like I'm never that person to point out when I feel somehow wronged but this let's me know that the way I look may still be a problem with people. This has truly stunned me and to be honest I'm NEVER COMING back to this place. I asked a couple on the way out the same question and they were lost on it. All I can say is wow!

Wagner's is an excellent Southern diner plus general store that is across the entrance from Churchill Downs. We came in before the Derby and ordered lunch. I had the kickin bourbon bacon grilled chicken sandwich with a side of fries and quickly devoured it. The flavor was excellent and I ate the entire sandwich. The fries were also great. Since it was Derby day and we were sitting outside, the service was a tad slow but the food came quickly once we ordered. We ended up coming back for breakfast the next day and to thank the staff who gave us great horse tips that resulted in a profitable day. This time I ordered off the breakfast menu and had the Trackside Platter with a side of sausage gravy and potatoes. Breakfast isn't my favorite meal, but I love a homemade biscuit and gravy, and theirs didn't disappoint. This is a historic, affordable diner with no frills but a good vibe, food, and general store. I highly recommend stopping in!

A very popular and well-known diner here in Louisville! They are mostly known for all of their Derby decor, lots of old photos from back in the day. They also sell derby items here so if you're looking for horse toys, derby cups, chocolate, etc you'll find it here! I'm definitely going to come back to buy some items. The eating area is on the other side of the room. Lots of tables. When you walk in, they'll seat you. Menus are on the table. It wasn't busy at 9am on a Friday but it got a bit busier as we sat. Still a good number of open tables though. I got the ham and eggs with potatoes and wheat bread, my sister got bacon and eggs with potatoes and rye, and my friend got a sandwich with sausage and cheese. He doesn't like eggs. Simple breakfast items. But I understand that some folks enjoy eating breakfast out. It's nice to have a simple breakfast that you can expect to taste decent. Food was good. I liked the ham. Very flavorful and not dry. Potatoes were almost too crispy. Not bad but I wanted a mix of crispy and less crispy. My sisters bacon looked almost too crisp, but she said they weren't too bad. Prices were good for what you're getting, especially now if you go to a popular spot it may be more expensive to get a meal like this. Service was fast and they were attentive to our table. Only a couple servers but they did a good job checking up. You pay at the back room where they sell all the derby stuff. Parking is easy. Tons of spots around the entire building. I'm sure it gets busy here on or around derby day since one side of the building looks out to the gates to the infield.

Wagner's Pharmacy is mainly just special for its location next to Churchill Downs and its history. As for the food, it is just okay. I got the Boneless Cod (Friday daily special) with mac and cheese and cole slaw. The cod was nicely fried on the outside but rather tasteless on the inside. The mac and cheese tasted like easy mac- not too bad, but not great. The cole slaw was ordinary. They also gave two bland slices of bread with the dish, which seemed like they had just been taken out of a grocery store bag. The best part of the meal was the Derby Pie slice, which was nutty and pretty tasty with kind of a cookie dough consistency in the middle. The prices are pretty good, as the cod was $12 and the pie slice was $5. Wagner's Pharmacy has been in business for many decades and it shows in the historical value. The walls are filled with tons of historic Kentucky Derby photos along the walls, and the interior is uniquely decorated in an old wooden style. The service speed is fine and the staff are average friendliness. Overall, Wagner's is a fine option if you are looking for a quick breakfast or brunch before visiting Churchill Downs across the street. However, I wouldn't exactly recommend it if you are just looking to go for a meal, as you can probably find better places around Louisville.

BE AWARE, breakfast only served until 11.. I made it there at 11:04 and missed it. Burger was okay Waitress was great Atmosphere was houses, but really, I wanted an omlet omelet

We took the back barn tour at Churchill Downs and our tour guide pointed out this place. I was getting hangry and we decided to go here to grab breakfast before exploring the derby museum. The decor was great and featured a bunch of gorse pictures and signed derby paraphernalia. I ordered the bacon and eggs with potatoes. The potatoes were delicious and crispy. It was a cross between a potato and tater tot. My boyfriend enjoyed an omelet with biscuits. It was so fast, which is what we wanted. Everyone was friendly and this was a great pick for breakfast. They also have a gift shop that I got a few things at.

First time visiting Wagner's and we had out-of-town company with us. Our waitress was friendly and the service was good. We were excited to try the highly rated pancakes but they weren't crisp at all. The blueberry pancakes are just a thick blueberry (whole) syrup topping which our waitress did explain. Only one in the bunch decided to try it and he wished he hadn't. We have company coming next month so we'll try lunch next time.

Not sure why it was featured on Man vs. Food. The people on there that were stating that it was "the" place to get a hot brown in Louisville must have been paid to say that or either they have some nostalgia attachment to the place from their childhood. The hot brown they had was definitely good but came nowhere near close to the original at The Brown Hotel or other places in town that serve it. Having sampled the hot brown here at various places, I wouldn't go back there for a hot brown.

I went here randomly for breakfast one morning with a friend. Ordered their Hot Brown. It was just ok. They had the basic ingredients put together for it and add the greasy diner style touch. Our waitress was sweet and attentive and had a mask on propperly the entire time.

came on a recommendation to try something local and historic. Fun location and I loved the history on the walls. The food was very bland and disappointing, but the real shock was the service. We and another table kept trying to flag down our server for our check. It turned into a bit of an un-funny comedy routine of us yelling and waiving. We went so far as getting up and finding her in another part of the restaurant and asking for the check so we could pay at the register and go. The other table got theirs and we waited another 20 minutes. I finally went up to the registers and asked for ANYONE to help us PLEASE. It was not a good time.

I wish could remember the name of my tour guide from Churchill Downs tours. Not only was she amazing at her job but recommended Wagner Pharmacy for breakfast/lunch. When local tells u it local favorite? U need to check it out!! Happy I did because talk about hidden gem. History. Wagner Pharmacy has been around for really long time. You can see the history in all the pictures hanging along all the walls. Add even more most if not all in black and white. Literally being across the street from Churchill Downs thoroughbred is everywhere. I believe they have picture of every single Derby winner. I enjoy interior design so much personality. Pharmacy and gift shop up front. As u walk back middle section start coffee shop, all along walls tons of history in pics, then get back section come into old school coffee shop with classic counter area and kitchen, the vibe all regulars, and hear talk of thoroughbred racing. I loved it. The food was awesome. It was so good went back again before I left. My first trip had "Hot Brown". If there one dish defines Louisville this is it. It not from original spot Brown Hotel. It was pretty dam good. Only "Hot Brown" I had and made lasting impression. Second visit had biscuit and gravy. Really tasty. So if near Churchill Downs or plan visit Churchill Downs need make stop at Wagners Pharmacy!

Food was fine. I forgot my purse in the booth the other day & I called the front desk to see if they had seen it. The lady on the phone claimed no one returned it up front and she even went back to my seat to check. I decided to go in myself to see if it was there and even my waitress stated it wasn't in the seat. Luckily, I looked behind the front desk myself and there was my bag. No one claimed to see it or return it up front however it was sitting there. I don't know if the store was planning to rob my purse and credit cards inside but it was quite suspicious so be aware of your belongings at this establishment.

Historic pharmacy and diner across from Churchill Downs. They serve breakfast and lunch and sell sundries and their famous liniment for horses and humans. We enjoyed hearty soups and traditional diner style sandwiches like fried bologna and tuna melts. There's nothing fancy here and the server left a bit to be desired but it was neat talking with the locals and hearing Derby stories from the workers who frequent Wagners. Park in back, seat yourself and enjoy!

Food is always great. If your at Churchill Downs stop in this place, its full of nostalgia and memorabilia.

Breakfast/lunch spot right next to Churchill Downs. It's a fairly large restaurant but they only had 2 people cooking. We stopped in for a quick breakfast before heading to a music festival. Unfortunately, it took quite a long time to receive our food. Once the food arrived, we all enjoyed our meals, but it was an average breakfast. It wasn't outstanding, and it wasn't bad...it was average. I'd rather go somewhere else to get faster service for the same quality food. Overall, 3-star

Wagner's Pharmacy is a staple in Louisville, Kentucky. This is where the locals go. The restaurant is a quaint little bit of history. The food is basic, but good. We'd visit again if in the area.

Wagner's Pharmacy is a Louisville institution, and I'm happy that I was finally able to cross it off my Louisville bucket list. It is a piece of Louisville history and especially Louisville racing history. Photos of past Derby and other race winners line the walls, and you definitely get the sense that if you were to walk into Wagner's 10, 20, 50 years ago, you would likely have seen a similar scene. Fun fact: Wagner's goes all of the way back to 1922. It isn't fancy but a place for a quick, stick-to-your-ribs breakfast or lunch, and while you're there, you'll likely see other people from the area and Churchill Downs sitting down to a meal next to you. For my first visit, I had to go with a classic: the Derby Sandwich. This includes hot honey glazed ham, melted Swiss cheese and mayo, served with pickle and chips. It's not healthy, but it's soul gratifying. I was a bit apprehensive about the cheese plus mayo combination, but it worked. My friend and I also tried the pimento cheese sandwich. This sandwich comes with a hefty serving of this Southern cheese. And considering the prices, it was easy to try a couple of things. Both of these cost roughly $11 together. The servers were friendly and quick. And next time I go, I want to wander back into the general store area. If you're going to the track, go all in and get a true Churchill Downs experience by eating at Wagner's.

Wagner's Wow what an iconic place! Slow getting food but all waiters/waitresses all pitch in. Always a Pot of coffee being walked around. Super friendly staff! This is where the locals go!

Great atmosphere and service. Tuna salad on rye was on point. Ate at the Secretariat table and listened to local horse folks talk about the morning. Highly recommended.

It was a very good Western style breakfast as expected. Nothing fancy, just good, filling eating to start the day.

By far the absolute slowest and worst service possible.we were here for over an hour and still didn't have our food. In fact the entire front dining room was waiting on food. This place frankly just needs to shut down. While the staff is nice, they are dumb and slow. If I could give 0 stars I would. Screw this place, it's staff and it's cooks. They don't even apologize for shitty service. The best thing the owner can do is strike a match, watch it burn, and try to collect insurance. Or another idea is fire everybody and then sell off piece by piece. This was truly one of the worst experiences I have ever had in my travels.

Let me start off with there is so much history in this restaurant and gift shop, as soon as I sat in the booth I saw the winning horse from 1924 which was the year my parents were born that was pretty cool for me. The service was great waitress was very attentive and made sure my breakfast was served to perfection. The food was amazing and a must stop if you are in the area. I didn't go back for lunch but the menu look great.

Great breakfast location. Biscuits were wonderful and the unique setting ambiance is classic.

The service was great! The food is typical diner style, not the healthiest but still good and plentiful. There is a store attached to the restaurant with great derby themed items. It's right across the street from Churchill Downs and has great history to look at while you're in there. The people were all GREAT!

This pharmacy-turned-diner is directly adjacent to Churchill Downs. Our group of six stopped in on a Saturday afternoon in July before heading to a tour of the race track. This type of mom and pop shop is right up my alley, and Wagner's did not disappoint! Lots of old favorites on the menu that take you back in time, like a fried bologna sandwich. I opted for a cup of vegetable soup which was loaded with veggies and very flavorful. For my lunch, I went with a BLT and french fries. Both were spot-on for me, and the fries were the crispy crinkle ones! Oh, so yummy! Highly recommend!!!

Went for lunch a few weeks back. Very crowded but they seemed to handle it well. Food was solid to decent. Nothing special. I need to come back and try the breakfast as I've heard that's there speciality. The decor and store attached was neat throwback and good honor to Churchill downs. Overall neat place. Worth checking out.

This place is an institution that everyone must experience at least once on their travels. It is a diner-sandwich type establishment with plenty of seating inside and out. The waitstaff was kind and friendly, though it took a long time for us to receive our 4 sandwiches on a weekday. They were delicious though and worth the wait! The attached pharmacy is also a kitschy gift shop for any horse and Kentucky derby lover. The location is perfect and there is ample parking.

Delicious food and very friendly staff. Everyone knows everyone here and they have no problem walking up and talking to you. I can tell the food is made with love. Yum!!

Iconic place with simple food. This is an old timey diner for the older crowd. It is right across from Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby is held. The diner has a Derby theme to it with all the photos of horses and race memorabilia on the wall. There is a good amount of seating and the waitresses are nice. It's old school, so not as clean and fancy or modern. They have a gift shop with all the horse related and derby souvenirs you can find. I got the Kentucky Hot Brown which was famous, just to try it. I would not recommend unless you enjoy a average alfredo sause and tomatoish flavor. The breakfast items are where it is at. The omelet especially the Pam is amazing and the pancakes are great too. There is parking but I imagine this place is super crowded during Derby season.

Food was decent, it's your typical diner food. It was just so long of a wait for the food to get into our table. We had a big group and we were seated in 3 separate tables, and I kid you not, the 2 tables were done eating but our food has not been served yet. We must have waited an hour and 30 min total to be seated and to actually eat. Dont think I'll be eating here again.

This is a must if you are visiting Louisville or if you are a resident. It's the sweetest little diner full of history and really good food. The prices are very reasonable and the service is attentive. You might even meet a new friend due to the seating arrangements. They have sandwiches, burgers, fish, soups and desserts. You can even get a good, home cooked breakfast with fried bologna if that's your preference. They have a sweet gift shop with all things Churchill Downs. I got the club sandwich with fries on this visit and ended up sharing with a new friend that I met that day. The sandwich well made and the fries were good and hot. I've eaten the burgers and breakfast and have never been disappointed. I hope this place sticks around for another 100 years!