Charr’d Bourbon Kitchen & Lounge

An evening out with friends we haven’t gotten together with in about a year. Was looking for some place with good food in an environment conducive to conversation — almost impossible these days. Chose Charr’d and was not disappointed. Our server Sarabeth was great — knew her bourbons, made some great recommendations for food and wine parings and was very attentive. No one had a bad meal and the presentation was beautiful. We sat there and talked for almost four hours.

We ate here on a Friday for lunch:
A little confusing when you enter where the hostess is and where to sit
The full menu isn’t available
Seating is located in the hotel lobby so it is a little noisy
Charr wings were more like burnt wings
Drinks were on point and good so that’s a plus
Salad was fresh and crisp so that’s good!
Overall it was not bad but not good enough to come back.

Group of 17 can be hard on wait staff, but ours were fabulous. My side of the table in the private dining room was cared for by SaraBeth. We could not have been better cared for!
The food/​drinks were great too. The mashed broccoli was odd– unless you like baby food, ask to sub it out. We past our meals around and all I sampled was great! The a la carte sides can serve 2, easy. The KY Blue salad was good but side dish size; spinach salad was entrée size and could be shared.
Wings appetizer was good as was the chicken dip. The humus was a bit dry but tasty. The bourbon list is mind boggling! 237 to choose from.

It is now 2016 and with a new year comes a renewed desire to write some more restaurant reviews after a 3+ year hiatus. Choosing Charr’d for my first review experience of 2016 may be a bit questionable however, as my dining experience left me scarr’d. Allow me to explain.
My dining experience at Charr’d occurr’d on New Year’s Eve 2015, with a party of 8. Our group had target’d this restaurant as it was close to Louisville’s Breakout Games (which, sidebar: highly recommend’d for a fun group activity), which was the first event of our New Year’s Eve festivities. I will admit that I was moderately skeptical going into the experience, considering that we are talking about a hotel restaurant out in Hurstbourne Parkway world (2016 resolution: suppress preconceiv’d notions of any restaurant and judge based solely on the actual experience), but my skepticism was moderately buoyed by the positive Unilocal reviews and the enthusiasm from some of my friends.
We had made reservations for this night and were expecting something moderately special as one of our friends had a connection with someone at the restaurant. Our table was out in the open in the lobby, which really was not a huge deal but not what I think any of us had expect’d going in. It was understandably noisy considering the excitement of the night, with several wedding parties milling about and other happenings occurring. I was fine with our seating as it allow’d me the opportunity to check in on the first College Football Playoff game of the night, which quickly turn’d into a blowout in the second half.
My initial disappointment with Charr’d began after I view’d the cocktail list. When I go to a restaurant called Charr’d BOURBON Kitchen & Lounge, I expect to see an extensive list of quality bourbon cocktails. Charr’d deliver’d one one half of this expectation: an extensive list. My assessment was bas’d solely on reading the list, not tasting, but there was one prevailing theme on this cocktail list: SWEET. I will admit to pre-​studying the menu before arriving and after I studi’d that menu, I didn’t see anything I would really want. The actual menu added a take on an Old Fashioned (my favorite classic cocktail) yet for some reason this cocktail egregiously added agave syrup (read: SWEET).
Now before you think this is all my slanted view of the cocktail list, here is where the fun began. Our waitress (who was a fun waitress, if a little odd for the situation and a little slow at times, particularly during close-​out of the checks) explicitly asked some of us if we «liked» bourbon. If we «liked» bourbon she strongly recommend’d that we avoid any bourbon cocktail because they are too (all together now) SWEET. A restaurant with BOURBON in its name determin’d the best way to appeal to its diners would be to devise a cocktail menu that only features SWEET cocktails that the waitresses feel the need to steer their customers away from, likely due to too many cocktails sent back. So yeah, that is kind of a problem, I think somebody mess’d up.
This led us to request the bourbon list which was extensive. Three of us in the party opted for Johnny Drum 15 year 101 proof, priced at a very reasonable $ 9. A small consolation considering the alternatives.
Enough about the drinks, on to the food. The menu just did not inspire me. Frankly, it is what I would expect however, for a standard hotel restaurant menu. The type of restaurant that you would typically only eat at if you were staying at that hotel and just did not have any other options (you are snow’d in, you are seclud’d in the middle of nowhere, you work’d late while out of town). This lack of inspiration on the menu result’d in five of us ordering the exact same thing: the Charr’d Chicken. There are several «Charr’d» items on the menu, so even though this restaurant shies away from one part of their title (remember the SWEET bourbon cocktails), I figur’d I ow’d the restaurant a chance to try one of its featur’d dishes. Our waitress also applaud’d our choice and she was not one to hold back her opinion on any item on the menu (The Wild Turkey burger = not very good, the Eggs N Hell are the best ever, etc. etc.). But, to comment on the Charr’d Chicken it was… actually pretty good. It was certainly charr’d and cook’d appropriately, but lack’d the flavor explosion I had hoped for based on the description of «cherry wood smoked bacon, maple and truffle.» I enjoy’d but was not wow’d.
This review has gone on far too long for a ²⁄₅ restaurant. In conclusion, Charr’d is not some terrible disaster, but it just does not make sense as a dining destination. Too expensive, too uninspir’d, too misguid’d. I dar’d to take a chance on Charr’d and was left bor’d, I was not floor’d. Next time we want some post-​Breakout Games nosh we will stick to the tri’d and true Mussel and Burger Bar (similar location: check; cheaper prices: check; better cocktails: check; better food: check).
New Year’s Resolution: Write more concise reviews.

Was a little skeptical of a hotel restaurant, but the reviews were all so great that we ended up purchasing the Groupon deal.
Overall, a wonderful experience. We sat at the bar, and the service was fantastic. I was pleasantly surprised.
For dinner, I had the Charr’d Chicken & my husband had the Charr’d Burger. Our entrees took awhile to come out. We weren’t in a rush and didn’t mind, but it was probably close to 45 min. My chicken was bone-​in, which I wasn’t expecting, but everything tasted great. The mashed potatoes and asparagus hit the spot.
With over 130 bourbons and a classy but casual ambience, I highly recommend for anyone wanting dinner and drinks off the beaten path. The Groupon was a steal!

Omg! Ate here tonight, had chickens wings and chic dip for appetizer and it was awesome… For our entrée I had pork chop, and it was the best I have ever had, it was tender and great smoke flavor… The service was good also … I will definitely come back here when I am back in Louisville !!

Tonight I had one of the best pork chops I have ever eaten! The Grilled Bourbon Smoked Pork Chops are AMZING! They are sweet, grilled, juicy and meaty! I recommend this meal for real pork chop lovers. Paired with the cabbage and the potato cakes you can’t go wrong.

Service was a little uncoordinated and the food took longer than normal but it was 100% worth the wait. My friend found this Gem on Groupon and it’s still currently running. It is located inside the hotel. We shared the hummus as an app, it did not disappoint and I had the shrimp tacos, grilled. She had the Charr’d burger, it was so large she had to cut it to eat it. Neither of us have any complaints and can’t wait to have a girl’s night there again.

We purchased a Groupon for Charr’d and decided to check it out late Friday. The biscuits and bourbon infused butter were worth the trip alone. They were Amazing!!!
I ordered the Hot Brown and it was delicious! I love having a Hot Brown any chance I get and this was a great one.
My date had the crab cakes and his only complaint was that he wanted more.
We will be back even without the Groupon.

I was a little skeptical when I heard about this place on Groupon, it was in a hotel but it had a ton of bourbon so I was game. We got their pretzels and beer cheese and the Grippo’s wings and each got a bourbon. Oh My Goodness! The food is delicious and all of the bourbon choices, wow, I was thrilled!
The pretzels come sliced which was a little odd, but it worked out, and their beer cheese was fabulous. I was eating it with the celery that came with our wings. And let me tell you about those wings! They coat them in the Grippo’s seasoning, and then smoke them, and then coat them again *drool*!!! I can’t wait to go back and have some more.
And if you’re from Louisville, you get a local discount, who doesn’t like saving money?!

This review is restricted to the breakfast buffet @9am. Saturday morning breakfast… On the plus side all the staff were very friendly and helpful and the star rating in no way reflects them. By 9 am the buffet seemed tired and dried out. It was difficult to track down the chef to make an omelet. When he was found he did a good job and was very nice. This was a bummer because we had been here previously for breakfast while staying at the Marriott and had a great experience. I guess the breakfast runs there until close to noon which is very convenient but I wouldn’t have wanted to see it or eat it 3 hours later. On the fence for going out for breakfast if we choose to stay there again.

Nice upscale restaurant located in the hotel. The bar features over 120 bourbon including Pappy Van Winkle. Bourbon wings are thunder and the burgoo soup is some of the best soup I’ve ever had. Too bad they won’t let me eat because I’m employed there lol but it still good.

Decent food, great bourbon selection.
For a hotel restaurant this place is very good! We were here for work and weren’t expecting much. When we rounded the corner and saw the bar, that changed! The bourbon selection is massive and there are varieties here that I cant get back in Ohio. Heaven Hill or something like that is my new favorite from down there. Drinks were good and they could handle a crowd.
We only got lunch here but the burger was great. Large and full of flavor. I was pleasantly surprised. I cant say too much more about the food.
The décor and bar was legit though. So if you have to stay somewhere in Louisville. give this place a try!

We were passing through and stayed at the hotel in some bad weather. Usually I am apprehensive about hotel food, it’s usually overpriced and disappointing. Charr’d was neither of these. We tried the Eggs, and quesadilla from the appetizers, and a side of mac and cheese. Everything was sooo delicious. The bartender was friendly, and knowledgable about the bourbons. She made some great recommendations and great cocktails. We are actually planning to go back because we liked this Marriott and Charr’d so much. Highly recommend!

Great high end spot in the east end. Very nice bar with a great selection of over 130 bourbons. Definitely worth a stop.

Located right inside the doors of the recently renovated Marriott East, this restaurant is top notch but at a reasonable price. Seating, lighting, décor fits the «bourbon» theme yet has a classy feel. Chef Montgomery makes amazing dishes– probably due to his past with Jeff Ruby. Food portions are plenty and flavor is wonderful! I loved the Chicken Lyonnaise and the Kentucky Blue Salad. Would love to try the chef’s bread pudding.