Brendon’s Catch 23

If only there were more stars to give! The four of us had an absolutely perfect meal. This place is beautiful. Modern décor but in a historic downtown setting with original columns, molding, and lighting. Thank you for a wonderful rehab job on this building. Our server, Robert (I think. He’s been a server for decades. I hate getting someone’s name wrong so I hope my memory is correct.) could not have been more professional and engaging. If reading the menu didn’t make your mouth water, Robert’s descriptions would. It’s great to find someone who really loves the food and wants you to love it, too. He also helped us pick a great wine and told us some history of the building. Now the food. Trust me and start with the Fried Calamari with garlic aioli. Crispy calamari, tangy aioli, and perfect pickled vegetables as a bonus. After that, I suppose my three friends enjoyed their ahi tuna salad, cornbread crusted salmon, and whole fried catfish because the three entrees promptly disappeared. I had the Shrimp and Grits and it could not have been more delectable. I loved the spice on the very large shrimp and that the andouille sausage was chopped so that each bite of stone ground grits had andouille. Our table shared the brussel sprouts and the corn-​ancho hushpuppies, both of which were enough for four since they also brought out mini corn muffins. The entrée portions are very generous. You will not leave hungry. We didn’t really have room for dessert but Robert said the warm butter cake was his favorite so, of course, we had to try it. My only regret is that there were so many other menu gems I wanted to try that will have to wait for another day!

As I walk through the door, I am greeted by the sweetest smile and a manager. They wished me a happy birthday and led us to the table. As I sat down, I began to glance at our menus and noticed «Happy Birthday Elise» as the headliner. After an beautiful and emotional day… It got the tears rolling. Nowadays, the details are forgotten. And sometimes all it takes a person to smile, is a simple acknowledgement.
Our server, Amber, was phenomenal. Honestly, the best service hands down. She made us feel special and welcomed. Her knowledge of the menu was superb. Along with her recommendations!
The wine selection had a little somethin somethin for everyone and Andrew went with a decently priced bottle that paired beautifully with my meal.
We started with the jar of king crab because WHY NOT! I have been dying to get my hands on crab and Louisville just isn’t the market for it… Until now! Holy crap legs this stuff was great! They go ahead and peel the juicy and flavorful meat out for you. So you can keep your hair and dress clean ;)
Deciding what I wanted was the most difficult part of the night… I wanted it ALL! I ended up going with the scallops and pea purée and Andrew went with the Sea Bass! Again, holy freaking crab legs our meals were delicious! And the lobster Mach and cheese to share made our bellies smile and high five one another a time or two!!!
It’s safe to say that we will be back, a third time. Our second time was four days later and was also a great experience. All of the team members remembered us!
Thank you for a beautiful birthday and meal!

This restaurant was a pleasant surprise. We visited last night. When we got there… I was worried about the crowd… but apparently it was an event in the bar because everyone had name tags on. We didn’t have reservations but were escorted to a table in the empty dining room. The décor is very fancy… but still comfortable. We did not order appetizers or drinks… we just ordered entrees. Before our entrees we were given cute little mushroom shaped cornbread… that were delicious. For our entrees we had shrimp and grits, shrimp linguine, stuffed chicken, and fried shrimp. The best entrees were the shrimp and grits and the shrimp linguine. The fried shrimp and stuffed chicken were just ok… nothing to write home about. I would go back for the shrimp and grits and the linguine for sure. Beware… it was not a cheap meal… over $ 100 for four people but the portions were reasonable and the service was great!

Nice seafood and steak spot in a pretty happening part of downtown Louisville. I was in town for a conference and it seemed like everyone else read the positive reviews so this place was jammed packed with other conference goers. I managed to grab a seat at the bar luckily.
As for the food and drinks, they were excellent, but a bit expensive.
Service wise my bartender was friendly but a little distracted by the droves of people.
Overall it’s a pretty nice restaurant and I would visit again.

All we can say is WOW. My husband and I decided to start a new tradition for Christmas Eve and have a nice dinner out. Unfortunately, we decided this last minute and every place was booked solid (Ruth’s Chris, Morton’s, Jeff Ruby’s, Le Moo, etc and so on). We found BC23 had an opening and after looking through some reviews on Unilocal,I made our reservation.
This was a truly phenomenal experience. Our server, Jaime, was hands down the best server either of us have ever had in our entire lives. Not exaggerating! He was genuine, friendly, impeccably attentive and helpful. Very wonderful gentleman and if you can, request him! Top notch service from the moment we walked in. Jaime even let my husband taste a beer before ordering it and when he didn’t like it, he got something else he loved (the bourbon barrel ale). I had a wonderful cocktail and all I can remember was it, too, had bourbon. Steep price on drinks but well made. We tipped our waiter extra generously because this service was just in a class of its own. Truly.
The prices, yes, are a bit steep so be prepared. They are on par with RC and Mortons I’d say, with some cheaper and some pricier options than both the former and latter. About half the menu comes with a side, while others must be ordered a la carte. We had the mushroom appetizer which was delicious and we couldn’t even finish it. We both got filets which were cooked perfectly. (Con: they were out of lobster tail which disappointed my husband but it was a holiday so not super surprising). We shared mashed potatoes. Also delicious. No room for dessert.
I would highly recommend this place on just the service alone, but the food quality was also phenomenal. Love the décor and ambience. Not super quiet and not overly loud. You can dress up or casual with some jeans and still be comfortable. I will note, this is NOT truly a steakhouse even though Unilocal lists it that way. Catch 23 is true to its name and has a very heavy seafood menu. Only 3 steaks on the menu.

My rating is on bartender and his service alone. Never had a chance to try my dinner. I ordered 3 drinks, only got 2. Neither was made by the bartender I ordered them from. My friend, after waiting for 10 min ordered a Moscow Mule. She said it didn’t taste right, his response «we don’t have ginger beer». When asked, «why didn’t you tell me» he said «well I either thought you wouldn’t notice or I would give you something else for free».
Then between :45 min and a hour after we ordered dinner and still didn’t have it we asked him «did you put in our order» he responded «you know what I am not sure»
Louisville is too great a food town for this to happen.

My husband and went to Brendon’s Catch 23 for the first time on our annual ‘Christmas date’. Our waiter, JJ, introduced himself and greeted us by saying «welcome to Louisville’s best new restaurant». I was skeptical, but he was right. Our dinning experience was on par with what you expect for the price point, pricey, but worth it.
The atmosphere is stunning — high ceilings, old architecture with modernized touches. The wine list was sufficient and although they were out of the wine we ordered initially, they had plenty of others to choose from. The service was good, but the food was the highlight of the evening. We had the mussels appetizer, they were delicious in a very light sauce. The pairings in the chef’s preparations were interesting, tasty and hearty. I had the cornbread crusted salmon and it was prepared beautifully. My husband had the seared yellow fin tuna; it was cooked to medium rare perfection with an interesting twist, béarnaise glacé. The side of lobster mac and cheese was decadent excellence.
I can’t wait for an occasion to go back to Brendon’s.

I was so pleasantly surprised and impressed after dining at Brendon’s Catch 23. After struggling to find last minute reservations for my dad’s 60^th birthday, we found that Brendon’s had an opening. It was a Wednesday night, and I was a bit hesitant to try Brendon’s after reading some of the reviews on Unilocal.However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Both the service and food were phenomenal!
When we walked in, it was 7 o’clock and it wasn’t terribly busy, which concerned me. It’s located next to and across from two hotels on 4^th street, but after walking inside you’re welcomed into a spacious and modern venue. Because of the holidays, it was beautifully decorated with lights, garland, and a tree. It was swanky, but not too cool where it felt uninviting. The music was audible, but not too loud where I had trouble hearing my family. Everything about the atmosphere was just right.
As we approached our table, we noticed that 5 menus had already been laid out for us, and the menu was personalized to wish my dad a Happy Birthday — a pleasant surprise! As we were greeted by our server, Chase, I was impressed by her patience and helpfulness, as we took about 35 minutes to finally order. My dad spilled his water and within 15 seconds, there were 3 – 4 servers to help clean up. They brought rags, new napkins, new waters, and new [personalized] menus. I was very pleased.
I got the cornbread crusted salmon, which was very good. My brother got the chilean seabass, which was incredible. Sister got the jumbo crab cakes, mom the catfish, and dad the seafood sampler — all delicious. We shared everything because it was all so tasty. We also got a side of hush puppies (my guilty pleasure!) and lobster mac and cheese… soo good.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Brendon’s. The service alone is enough to bring me back. Ignore all the negative reviews; if they’re true, then they’ve since worked out the kinks and have moved miles ahead to amazing customer service and food. I highly recommend Brendon’s Catch 23!

We stayed at the Embassy Suites for 4 nights and ate at Brendons’s the first night. I have to admit that after being burned at other places we went into Brendon’s with low expectations. But boy were we wrong.
The moment you walk in, you’re floored by the atmosphere. Gorgeous décor, low noise, and super friendly waitstaff.
You can sit in the bar area or the dining area… we chose the dining area. They have an open kitchen, which was really neat to see food being prepared. Our waiter was the best. He had great food suggestions, actually looked at us and carried a conversation, was super friendly, and made our dining experience exceptional.
The food was amazing as well. Incredibly good! Then he brought out corn bread muffins, which looked like tall mushrooms. The menu had plenty to choose from… from seafood to steaks and pastas. My wife had the Chilean Sea Bass, which was presented well on the plate, but was not a big portion. If you have a big appetite, I would suggest ordering a side dish to compliment the sea bass. I ordered the New York Strip and it was cooked to perfection medium rare! Its not the best I’ve ever had but it was pretty damn close. My portion size was huge and had to take my leftovers with us when we were finished.
The service was fantastic… we never felt rushed nor did we have to wait in between courses. The meal, drinks, and service were outstanding, and we cannot wait until we return!

Modern environment. Well balanced menu between fine fish, steaks and shell-​fish. Their bar is fantastic, they offer some great drinks and obviously they have an impressive list of bourbons.
The appetizers at this restaurant are the best I had in at least 10 years. I would consider this place to hang out with friends and share some appetizers and drinks.
If you go to this place, do yourself a favor and try the «Stuffed Mushrooms» they taste like heaven. The best in the world!!!

We stayed at the Embassy Suites for 2 nights and ate at Eddie Merlot’s the first night, which was an absolute disaster of a meal… and expensive meal which literally left a bad taste in our mouth as far as a Louisville dining experience goes. We had reservations at Brendon’s the 2^nd night. I have to admit that after being burned at Eddie’s we went into Brendon’s with low expectations. But boy were we wrong.
The moment you walk in, you’re floored by the atmosphere. Gorgeous décor, low noise, and super friendly waitstaff.
You can sit in the bar area or the dining area… we chose the dining area. They have an open kitchen, which was really neat to see food being prepared. Our waiter Jamie (sp?) was the best. He had great food suggestions, actually looked at us and carried a conversation, was super friendly, and made our dining experience exceptional.
The food was amazing as well. I had the corn and crab chowder as a starter, and my husband had the clam chowder. Incredibly good! Then he brought out corn bread muffins, which looked like tall mushrooms ;-) The menu had plenty to choose from… from seafood to steaks and pastas. I had the Chilean Sea Bass, which was presented well on the plate, but was not a big portion. If you have a big appetite, I would suggest ordering a side dish to compliment the sea bass. My husband had the linguini which he really loved. His portion size was huge and had to take his leftovers with us when we were finished.
The service was fantastic… we never felt rushed nor did we have to wait in between courses. The meal, drinks, and service were outstanding, and we cannot wait until we return!

This place holds so much promise but it is just poorly managed. We were seated in the bar, even though I had made reservations via Open Table several days in advance. Our table looked out over Fourth Street and the Seelbach which was nice but the high, long table of people seated behind us were loud, openly intoxicated and obnoxious. One woman fell off her bar stool and ended up flat on the floor, rolling around like a marginalized bug. The party included a two-​year-​old who was being taught how to take dollar bills and «wave them at pretty girls» through the large plate glass windows. I thought the alcohol might have been limited once the woman became upright, but no and they just kept yelling and falling into my back. The manager smiled from the hostess stand and did nothing.
The service was barely there and we had to pace the meal ourselves. The Caesar salad was interesting because the dressing was oyster based as opposed to anchovy and not something I’d order again. The greens salad was something I’d whip up on a Tuesday night at home. There was only one Sauvignon Blanc by the glass and it was good. We ended up ordering a couple of bottles and the price was very good – somewhere around the 30 dollar mark. The Brussel sprouts were fantastic. The whole fried catfish was beyond bland and came with uninspired bok choy. The crab cakes were good, but for $ 36, I thought they should be better than something I could produce at home after a trip to Whole Foods. It came with two sauces, one hot and one with no taste. I liked the hot one. The mashed potatoes were pretty waxy and the asparagus over cooked. The sushi was small – four pieces for $ 14. The corn and crab chowder, acceptable but nothing to write home about.
The place is simply loud. Televisions are positioned around the bar and were turned to various football games. The main dining room looked quite but we were in the bar with weak service. Our waiter admitted he wasn’t supposed to be waiting on us but whoever was «in the weeds.» He did the best he could, and was pleasant, but it was like no one was watching the ship!
It was around $ 200 for three of us which I think calls for more inspired dishes, better service and someone literally «having my back.» That poor child! I hope they all got home safe and sound in their logo wear!

Well, the manager told our party that they were all about social media and if we liked it, to review it on social media. So, I assume the same applies if you don’t like it?
Four people. $ 650 check. Drinks «on the rocks» apparently = «we add an extra half ounce of liquor because IT LOOKS BETTER IN THE GLASS and ADD $ 2 PER DRINK.» (Yes, that’s what my boss was told — it looks better in the glass.) An extra $ 10 on the $ 650 check that they would not comp because it’s supposedly on the menu.
So if we’d said «I’ll take five bourbons and five glasses of ice,» because we didn’t want an extra half ounce of bourbon… wet, empty glasses on the table after splashing a bunch of ice into the bourbon would have looked great too, huh?
Four people. National sales reps who travel and talk for a living. Two of whom visit Louisville frequently. Four people who won’t be coming back to this restaurant. And will tell everyone they know who also visit and live in Louisville. Over 10 bucks.
When you do dumb stuff, you REALLY do dumb stuff.

As others have said the food and drink is awesome. We ordered several small plates, others at our table had small plates and entrees and they were delicious. But, the service was certainly sub-​par for what I would expect out of a restaurant of this caliber.
We were sat at a table in the bar area. In their defense, we did change our reservation a day ahead of time from 3 to 5 people. However, if they were not able to accommodate us in the main dining room they had a full 24 hours to contact us and let us know. We were sat in the hinterlands of the bar, where there were many reserved table signs but no people and we were then forgotten. After a good 10 minutes we had to get up and remind them that we were there. A bartender was sent over and he appeared to be our main server the rest of the evening. He tried hard but simply could not keep up with the rest of his duties and we were pretty much only attended to when they happened to remember we were there.
If you go here and are expecting the class of service that should come with $ 30-​$ 75 entrees, I suggest you insist on being sat in the dining room.

This place lives up to the hype! My sister and I went to Brendon’s early on a Friday night for dinner and drinks before a show. There were so many good dishes to try so we decided to skip the pricier entrees and order multiple appetizers. I got the peel and eat shrimp with pickled vegetables. I was surprised it was served cold but it was delicious anyway! My sister got the jar of crab which I highly recommend. We also split the chowder and the chocolate bread pudding dessert was delicious. I loved this restaurant and can’t wait to go back and try the other items on the menu. Some menu items are expensive but there are definitely options for those who don’t want to spend as much. If you decide to splurge it is totally worth it.

Lobster mac and cheese. be still my heart. A main dish that involves lobster and is under $ 30 is a must. The Mr. was quite keen on his yellowfin tuna. I’d comment, but I prefer my fish non-​gurgling. House Sauvignon blanc paired perfectly with both of our seafood entires!
A new restaurant where it feels like the staff is putting in an extra effort to appease their diners. Much appreciated.
Our anniversary dinner was made extra special with personalized (take home) menus. Awesome touch!

Did not go to this restaurant. Food is good and tasty but that’s the only positive thing I can say about this restaurant.
I went there a couple of nights and the head bartender (with a beard) is absolutely atrocious. And the GM Mike Cooper is terrible. I ended up ordering an expense bourbon which the bartender said was $ 20 per beverage. The drink ended up being $ 38 and the general manager basically did absolutely nothing and made me feel like it was my fault that the beverage was more expensive, even though the bartender admitted she had quoted me the wrong price. The GM actually comped a ladies’ low-​cost glass of wine at the end of the bar but less than two minutes later said he was absolutely unable to comp anything.
In all honesty and the lack of service at this restaurant is truly atrocious and you should skip this restaurant and go to some the many better restaurants on main, even though the bartender Marlee is fabulous she’s not enough to save this restaurant under the current GM’s (Mike Cooper) supervision.

Brendon’s Catch 23 is a fantastic addition to the blooming downtown Louisville dining scene.
I attended there recently for a dinner meeting, and was overall very pleased. Immediately upon entering, the cozy but sophisticated ambiance caught my eye. It has a large, open bar in the front with oysters (love a good oyster bar!), as well as a hearth with a crackling fire and — further back — a view into the kitchen in the back.
Tucked away on the left was the private dining room for the event that I attended. We were served some appetizers (crackly flatbread with a choice of hummus, cheese, olives, and a bruschetta-​type of tomato sauce) prior to our meal starting. Speaking of the meal, the first
dish was a spring mix salad, with a light vinaigrette dressing, pecans, and goat cheese. It was a satisfying mix of flavors and textures and got the meal started out right.
Out of our choices for entrees, I decided on the center cut filet, which was flanked by green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. I also decided to grab a cornbread muffin to accompany the entrée (yum!). This particular steak was steak done right. There are so many excellent steak restaurants in the city, and this one should be added to the list of places to grab a great one. It was cooked perfectly (they got medium just right), the green beans had just enough crunch (I hate soggy green beans), and the garlic mashed potatoes weren’t too garlicky, salty, or creamy.
Topping it all off was the berries and cream for dessert. The berries were at the peak of ripeness, and the cream was clearly homemade and sweetened and flavored with what tasted like a little bit of cinnamon. It was the perfect, light end to a delicious meal.

This is definitely one of those places where I wish I could give half stars or rate each portion of the evening individually. I’d give Brendon’s a 4.5!
If you don’t feel like reading the rest: 2 – 3 stars for drinks, 5 for service and ambiance, 4 for entrée and 2 – 3 for dessert.
To start, I had about an hour before a show at the Louisville Palace and thought this would be an excellent place to get a drink and a small meal. Brendon’s definitely didn’t disappoint! I would give the décor 5 (maybe even more!) stars. The ambiance and the restaurant as a whole was impeccable. They’ve done a great job capturing the age and character of the building while including more modern updates (such as a sleek new fireplace). On top of that, the service was exceptional. We sat at the bar for the evening and the bartender was attentive, friendly, and you could tell he cared about doing a great job. I believe the owner stopped by to ask how everything was as well, so it’s clear they care about making sure you enjoy yourself.
Any time I see a mule on a bar menu, I try to order it, especially if it’s non-​traditional. This one was made with Copper & Kings Immature brandy. I’d probably give the drink 2 – 3 stars. Not the best mule I’ve ever had. I do like that they used a local spirit, though. Would maybe just be better as a Kentucky Mule with bourbon.
We also split the C23 burger, which was a great choice. It has bacon jam and bourbon onions. Even better, it was $ 2 cheaper on the bill than on the menu! We also split the banana cream pie, which wasn’t as good as it looked. It was just bananas, cream, and crust, no filling or anything.
For two drinks, an entrée and dessert, our total came to $ 42. Not bad!
All in all, I’d definitely come back to Brendon’s and probably get some seafood since that seems to be their specialty!

This place is wonderful. It just opened up, so they are still working out some kinks. But the service was great. The food was AMAZING. We had a few apps and they were so great, we almost didn’t get entrees.
The aura is awesome. The inside looks classic but hip. They have a handful of private rooms you can book, up to 30-​ish people. The rooms also have AV hookups if you need them for business presentations.
Personally, I’d recommend the steak. It may have been one of the best I had ever had. In a restaurant that boasts it’s seafood options, that’s pretty impressive. The shrimp were perfect as well.