Makers Mark Bourbon House

Absolutely the worst experience of my life! We travelled to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby this weekend to celebrate my cousin's bachelor party. Everyone was really excited about eating dinner at Makers Mark. The excitement subsided as soon as we stepped in the door. I have never experienced such a rude host manager in my entire life. I think his name was Jacob. We called ahead of time to let them know that we were running a little late. We arrived 45 minutes late and we had a smaller party of seven because a few of the guys decided to go home after the Derby. Jacob wanted us to pay $100 for every missing person from our party. On top of that, when we refused to pay such a ridiculous penalty, this guy threatened to sue us. What kind of restaurant threatens their customers?!?! I have never experienced anything so disturbing in my entire life. Jacob explained to me how Derby week works and that they expect every customer to accommodate them and abide by their ridiculous dinner reservation contract. This guy had the rudest smirk on his face and talked to us with such arrogance and contempt I almost forgot that we were the customer. When we got back, we found the dinner contract and the contract made no mention of any fees or charges for showing up late or changing the size of the party. This guy probably wanted to pocket an extra $300 bucks as a tip. I can't say anything for the food, because we walked out of this place...no steak in the world is worth being verbally abused and threatened. more

I've lived in Chicago for the last ten years and recently moved my company back to Louisville. I had heard of 4th Street Live and wanted to see what it was all about. So my fiance and I headed downtown. I'm a HUGE bourbon fan and when we saw the Maker's Mark Lounge, it was our obvious choice. The restaurant looked cool and comfortable. The leather seats and mix of marble and wood tables splashed with red columns and double fireplaces made me feel like I was back in a major metropolitan area. We was just looking to have drinks and started there. I've never seen a bourbon list so extensive with such rare, premium brands. I started with a tasting flight of three 16 year old + bourbons. It was served neat on a bourbon barrel wood plank with an ice back. My fiance had a martini called the Paul Jones. It was a wonderful blend of the new Maker's Mark 46 bourbon, Grand Marnier, Pimm's, mint and cucumber. Sounds odd but it was fantastic. She had a few of those, haha. While I was enjoying my bourbon, we started browsing the cocktail and wine list. Both very impressive for any restaurant, let alone one in the middle of Louisville, KY. After our drinks, we wanted to see what kind of food they had. The dinner menu looked fantastic! It was mainly southern dishes with an upscale twist. We ordered the Goat Cheese Skillet appetizer. It was served in a cast iron skillet with bourbon stewed tomatoes and mushrooms and pita bread. Heavenly. After starting there, we split a Bibb Salad that had spiced nuts and a spicy bourbon vinaigrette. Again, delicious. We ventured into the entrees and decided to go big. We ordered the Master's Distillers Filet. It was 10 oz of absolute life-changing prime beef. It was topped with asparagus and a creamy bourbon reduction. At that point, as much as we wanted dessert, we called it quits even though the dessert list was equally impressive as the rest of the menus. Service was A+!! Our server, Torri, was attentive, funny, and extremely knowledgeable. Normally in nice restaurants, the service is great but very stuffy. Torri made our experience very memorable. She was fun and down to earth. She was the perfect ambassador for bourbon and guided us through our night perfectly. We simply cannot wait to return to Maker's Mark. We actually purchased tickets for their New Year's Eve party. Looking very forward to another perfect night out!! more

everything about this place, aside from the decor, is TERRIBLE. Rude host staff, rude serving staff, and rude bartenders. The food took over thirty minutes and was barely adequete. I asked to speak with a manager and was met with a confused baffoon whom I later found out was actually the assistant general manager. As a Makers Mark Ambassador I am embarrassed by this place and will NOT be returning. Pros: nice atmosphere more

This restaurant is located in the heart of 4th Street Live in downtown Louisville. The atmosphere is upscale and relaxing. The food is delicious but a little pricey. The sauces and glazes that are used make the tastes unique and delicious. A great place to take a date for an intimate evening. I would recommend this restaurant but be prepared to pay for what you get. more