KFC

The chicken strips are tiny and the price is really expensive. ($ 8). Burger meal was okay. Chicken burger+wedges+soda was about $ 12. Since it’s inside the center, it’s convenient to access but the price is way more expensive than local KFC. For $ 8, I’d rather have pulled pork bun at Doc Crow’s right across the yum center.

This is one of the best arenas around. Go here for games & comedy shows. I’d imagine that concerts are okay too, but large arenas like this I tend to stay away from when it comes to live music.
Security is helpful & nice. There are plenty of eat & drink options here. With that being said, you should probably opt to eat at one of the many fantastic restaurants downtown. I don’t think there’s a bad seat in the house. I recently visited to see Kevin Hart. I had floor seats & while the padded fold out chairs were nicer than most floor seats… they could be improved. Parts of the arena overlook the river & 2^nd street bridge. It’s definitely a nice area of the arena to retreat to if you need a break from NCAA tournaments or anything in general.
There are plenty of parking garages within a 5 block radius of the arena. You won’t have an issue finding a place to park. Clean bathrooms.
Exiting the arena can be tricky. Being on the floor doesn’t help that fact. The flow of people-​traffic moves, but you definitely have to be patient.
From a facilities perspective… The Yum Center is a solid 5. I’m taking off 1 star because of the prices. It’s an arena so you can expect to pay exaggerated prices for beer, bourbon, & food. That’s just how it is… FINE!
I’ll try not to sound too pompous on this next part, but if I do… then so be it! Normally I can find the right bartender that will pour my neat bourbon (for $ 9) & actually give me more than 1 ounce. When you’re a bourbon lover & order a drink neat that shows you love/​enjoy your bourbon… in turn usually scoring yourself larger pours. Not here. Nope. Nadda. In your dreams. So do yourself a favor… bring a flask, start drinking at home, or find a restaurant or bar where you can find better drinks before arriving.

I have been to a couple of concerts here now. Haven’t had a bad seat! Fun place for a show. You probably can’t Unilocal while you are there though… it’s hard to get WIFI to work inside…

I love going to the Yum Center. I feel bad for the fans of teams who have deep history in success yet seem to still be playing in facilities that could very well have been for a large high school in Texas. This is a well thought-​out facility that is truly good enough for the NBA. Every event I’ve been here for has gone well, the concessions are fantastic, the bathrooms are clean, and once I lost a couple pounds the seats didn’t seem that tiny anymore! It is amazing what a vegetable or two can accomplish. The things I don’t like about the Yum Center are things that any large stadium downtown in any city will have as issues: parking, parking, parking. Even if the Yum Center had more parking it wouldn’t matter because my fellow Louisvillians still couldn’t queue, park, drive, or be in general courteous of one another when it came to exiting the YUM Center. Louisville is a small town but seriously dude, there are other people here. Use the turn signals, it isn’t illegal.
I have to admit that I loved the wide selection of beer and other alcoholic beverages because our inability to consistently hit free throws makes me rather cross. Honestly, I’ve never shouted quite as much as I have when watching the Cards miss free throws. You have one job. I love you man but you’re driving me to drink. Luckily, the Yum Center has a lot of great choices.
If you’re looking for a great experience at a game or concert the YUM Center will provide you just that, unless you went to see Justin Bieber then you’re either a bad parent or make bad choices. You need Jesus.

My boyfriend and I attended a University of Louisville women’s basketball game versus Georgia Tech at the KFC Yum! Center last night. Upon entering the arena it was very lit up and the energy within was extremely contagious. For the University of Louisville being the foundational core of the entire city of Louisville I was surprised that there was not as much seating as I’d originally thought there to be. The seating in the arena was also pretty cramped (but so is the case with many large arenas). The upside of this lack in seating is that the court is very visible from all angles and levels; this definitely made for an exciting game!
I must say that it was very neat to see that there was a Woodford Reserve lounge within the center, putting the nice little Kentucky spin on a good olé basketball game. This is definitely a great place to see either a women’s or men’s basketball game and it was so nice to see that the women’s team had a large following and fan base. It’s a great energy within the KFC Yum! Center and I will definitely be returning to enjoy another game or two with a Woodford Reserve bourbon in hand.

Sexy Beast decided that we should go out, in public, in a crowd, to see a concert, with thousands and thousands of other people.
I’m a bit anti-​social. I hate crowds. I’m not a fan of anything that requires that I wait my turn. But, I love Sexy Beast and I do enjoy the vocal acrobatics of Cyndi Lauper.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that the very first concert that I ever attended was at The Louisville Gardens. Ms. Lauper took the stage. The Bangles opened for her. I had a general admission ticket and danced my sweaty, 13 year old ass off in the pit at the front of the stage.)
So, I agreed to join him for the Cher/​Cindy Lauper concert at The Yum Center.
The doors to the building remained locked until just before the show. I’m not sure if that was to keep all those middle aged women in pleather pants from getting all crazy and wreaking havoc or if it was designed to force me to accept the truth that some people should never, ever be allowed to don spandex, especially leopard print spandex with cutouts. I’ll give you a minute to picture that.
If it was imperative to keep all that cattle on the front porch, the humane thing to do would have been to have a vendor or two with bottled water available for sale and a Honey Bucket or two available for the incontinent crowd. Cher’s pushing 70 now and her fans range in age from 8 to 80. Old people sometimes have leaky plumbing. If you won’t let them in the house, at least give them the option of the outhouse.
The food selections were standard (pizza, pretzels, chicken fingers) and (as expected) over-​priced. The cocktail prices were actually not all that unreasonable given the venue ($ 8 or $ 9, as far as I recall). Mad props to the bar carts for pouring Grey Goose. The Goose makes everything seem more tolerable, even the cackling, screeching American Idol rejects who insist upon belting out every single song at the top of their wheezing lungs.
There were plenty of restrooms. You might have to hike a couple of extra yards to find one that isn’t overly crowded.
Let’s talk about the engineering feat that is the seating in the Yum Center. In order to pack as many people as possible in there, the seats are arranged in steep, steep stacks. The great thing about that is that the view is pretty decent no matter where you are. The awful thing about that is that you risk plunging headlong into the rows in front of you if you happen to lack the grace of a prima ballerina. (Don’t laugh. It has happened.)
From afar, the damned thing looks like a giant goldfish cracker. I’m not happy with what it does to the skyline but I didn’t get asked for my opinion on the matter and I doubt that anyone cares what I have to say about it, anyhow. Also, that whole exclamation point thing is annoying.

I took my daughter to see Lady Gaga perform here and was impressed with the whole place. The layout was nice, you could tell that a lot of time had been spent creating a place with maximum seating without sacrificing visibility. Lady Gaga came out about an hour and a half late but that was hardly the fault of the venue. We are returning in August to see the Katy Perry concert, should be fun.

I’ve been to the Yum Center over 30 times having been a Lady Cards season ticket holder and an avid concert goer. It still amazes me how many people that tell me they’ve never been inside. I’ve had terrific seats and nose bleed seats. In my opinion there isn’t a bad seat in the place. I’ve shared so many terrific memories with my children and friends in that building. At almost every event, I take advantage of the parking there too. It seems to be lower than any other surrounding area. The UofL store inside is awesome as well.

Went to the Brad Paisley concert. Drove 2 hours to get there. It proved to be a great place for a concert. Seats were in section 113. Perfect sight line. Also right by second stage setup at other end of the arena. It was loud but voices were very clear. Great sound overall. And it was clean. Outside there was ample parking ($ 8 for a parking garage right across the street!!) and local restaurants aplenty. I would drive extra just to see a show here again. 1 star deduction for ridiculous concession prices. Some things are the same no matter where you go.

An update to my review of the KFC YUM! Center.
Subtitle: Get your head out of your ass Arena Authority
It’s possible that I was overly harsh in my first review. I focused on some structure/​design issues and didn’t give proper credit to the YUM! Center for drawing bigger acts to town.
So, yes, it is pretty cool that Louisville is now a city that can draw Beyonce.
But let’s not forget that the primary tenant is still the University of Louisville. Which, in addition to the basketball program, dabbles in higher education.
I was in town this past weekend for graduation. Graduation. An event that exists for the sole purpose of dressing graduates up in silly outfits and taking their picture.
What? You didn’t think people came for the speeches, did you? Graduation is an elaborate photo op. You spend tens of thousands of dollars on your education and then you take a picture in a silly hat. That’s the way it has worked for generations.
Except at the YUM! Center. Where they don’t allow cameras.
I understand why you don’t want me to go take professional concert photos of Justin Timberlake to sell on the interwebs. What I don’t understand is why you would tell the moms of the world that they can’t take a photo of their kid in a silly hat.

The nations largest bar has a full-​size basketball court right smack dab in the middle! Seriously though, this is one of the nicest arenas I’ve been in. Nicely appointed and good views from every seat.

I’m with Amanda J on this one – I don’t know how you could give the Yum! Center anything less than 5 stars. I’ve been to multiple concerts and basketball games here and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. Getting inside has always been seamless – plenty of attendants scanning tickets and the bag checks are always quick.
The restrooms have always been clean, the food staff have always been quick and friendly – never stood in a line for more than a few minutes which is great when your favorite song just started or there’s only a minute left in the 4^th quarter and you’re down by 2 – yes all of these things have happened to me at YUM.
The location downtown is perfect – the arena really adds to the already stunning Louisville skyline and as a die-​hard Card I couldn’t be more proud of the University representation.
If you’re in from out of town and looking to grab a bite to eat or a drink before heading to the arena – there are plenty of bars and restaurants nearby… just make sure you get there early as they fill up pretty quickly! A few of my favorites are Patrick O’Shea’s, Troll Pub by the Bridge and Impellizeris.

So my first time was for the NCAA D1 women’s volleyball championships. That was fun but there were a lot of empty seats.
This past weekend I went for the Dalai Lama. The security was said to be intense and we were in line from 11am till 12:30pm with our tickets in hand. By the time we got to the security, they were just letting people fly through the metal detectors not caring. This was very poor planning by the Yum Center and the folks running the Dalai Lama’s show. And this time again it was said to be a sell out, but there were hundreds of empty seats in the lower bowl and on the floor. Ticket distribution is terrible and I think it’s due to so many corporate sponsors just throwing away tickets.
But otherwise it’s a typical arena, with overpriced food and lots of bad nosebleed seats. This arena though has bathrooms much closer to seats than I typically see.

Excellent acoustics regardless of where the seats are! We had some seriously crappy seats for a recent concert… almost behind the stage and in the nose bleed section, which was NOT cool… but my fault. Anyhow, I was a bit concerned as to how the show would sound given the fact the speakers where facing forward, but it didn’t seem to matter. The acoustics were spectacular and sound was seemingly perfect!
Minus the fact that beers are $ 7.50 each, the escalator stalled and my chicken sandwich was given to 4 people who ordered them after me, and I ended up waiting forever… I really liked this place. Conveniently located within walking distance to some serious post-​concert fun and multiple hotels was a plus! I enjoyed myself enough to return thanks to the sound!

The nicest arena that I’ve been to and I have never had a bad seat… I think that is partly due to the design of the arena and stages. Always a lot of helpful, friendly employees, which makes it even more Kentucky Proud. The location is convenient to the downtown area and you can very easily access the interstate.
Even if an act comes to my city, if would prefer to make the drive and go to the Yum Center instead.
I’m still team BBN though.

I wanted to wait to review the Yum! until after I had seen a concert there. I’ve now seen a few types of events at the Yum. First of all, how cool is the name? I know that building itself is just named after a brand that named themselves YUM! but come on… I love saying I’m going to the Yum Center. I had great seats to my first event in the Yum — near the middle and close to the floor. I was so impressed and really felt like the seats were spacious and I was in the performance I was seeing. Parking is somewhat a pain, but where is not when you have several thousand people wanting to go the same place?
Next, I had season tickets to the UofL Cards basketball game. We made a habit of parking in the garage right next to the stadium for $ 10 and made quick entrances into the game. Its always easy to navigate to our seats pretty quickly. One thing I noticed — the Taco Bell stand wasn’t always open. Not sure what gives!
The concert I saw most recently at the Yum was amazing. Partly due to the artist and set up of the stage, but the performer did several circus like tricks and the sound was always spot on. The light show was impressive and the theatrics were amazing. I think any sort of performance would go off without a hitch at this venue after seeing that concert.
The Yum Center is easy to navigate and has a variety of offerings. Most any seat is a good seat (even way up high). The only thing that can make it difficult is the hanging scoreboards in the corners may obstruct some of the full view of the stadium and aren’t always pleasing to look at. Browse some of the ratings on here — if you’re looking for specifics, but I’d like report that this is a great location… maybe my favorite in Louisville! Especially outside in front on gameday/​performance. So fun! (except the smokers, cough cough).

The Yum! Center is what takes Louisville from being a sorta big city with a small city feel to being a real big city. This is a great venue for sporting events (Go Cards!) as well as concerts and shows that may otherwise have not toured here due to there not being an arena large enough (e.g. Taylor Swift, Bön Jovi, Justin Bieber, and even the Dalai Lama!)
Having only been open since 2010, the Yum! Center is still pristine and nearly sparkling! Lots of food and drink options are scattered throughout the arena including Taco Bell, KFC, Papa John’s, hot dogs, hamburgers, pot roast sandwiches, pretzels, Hot Brown bites (haven’t tried them yet!), beer, wine, and spirits. Extra special are the booths set up for Maker’s Mark drinks and Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen desserts (a Louisville favorite). There is also a large Cardinal Authentic apparel and miscellaneous UofL items store on the first floor as well as a Norton Urgent Care facility around the side of the building!
There are many places to park near here that range in price. If you want to park in the garage directly east of the arena it’s usually $ 10, but the farther away you decide to park it will certainly be cheaper (and maybe even free!) Walk with a buddy!
Show up early and get loud! (Oh, and don’t accidentally drive to Indiana while finding a place to park…)

I really don’t know how you can give less than five stars to the KFC Yum! Center. The facility is completely state of the art. I have season basketball tickets up in the «nose bleeds» and I still don’t mind. Having attended a variety of events here (I was even in my first flash mob here!), I’ve sat in a lot of seats (including suites), used a lot of restrooms, ate a lot of things… I have no real complaints. So I’ll highlight a few different things!
There are a variety of concessions. (Not many healthy ones, but probably more healthy options than your average concession stand, since there are so many options.)
There are plenty of places to park downtown near the arena. Depending on when you go, it can be free. I generally park four or so blocks away, and I’ve never sat in real traffic any of the times I’ve been/​left.
The venue has drawn a number of large concerts and acts to Louisville. As avid concert and «experience» goer, it has been a welcome addition to the city.
Probably the closest thing I have to a complaint is that if you have very good seats (in the middle, toward the floor), it can take a little bit of time to get up and out if you’re trying to get concessions/​use the restrooms during a «busy time.» (It’s because of the design.) It’s okay, because your seats are amazing. Oh, my other complaint is you probably won’t have a cell phone signal. That’s annoying.
A tip if you’re at the top: There are stairwells in the back of the arena (and also in the front corner… if not both) you can walk down to exit. If you’re physically able, this makes getting out of the arena quicker, as you don’t have to wait for the escalator.
Finally… The arena is decked out in red and black AND home to the University of Louisville Cardinals. On that note, I LOVE IT!

You do not have to play basketball to feel like a Baller’ here!
This facility is amazing. There is seating for every price level and there is truly a great seat all around. This can not be said for concerts which build a stage on the floor so make sure you check where the stage is located when you buy your tickets to prevent profile view.
For food you will find all your classic Yum Brands and Papa John’s for pub food selections. There are also micro brews beer carts, Home Made Pie Kitchen ice cream, liquor carts, plus your classic dogs, nacho’s, and beer. However, don’t expect «yummy» prices on the food.
There are four floors to the Yum Center. The bottom floor (sub basement) is for the well to do, with leather couches and bourbon bars. Anyone with tickets in the first 10 rows will have access to the bottom floor. The first floor is for die-​hards and season ticket holders. The middle is for private suites, boxes, and events. The third floor is for your every day person, one time tickets, and during non basketball games there is a open Spirit lounge.
This Spirit room lounge can only be describe as gorgeous. Floor-​to-​ceiling windows do not even begin to cover the glass wall structure on the backside of the Yum Center, it is a definite must see on the third floor.
Directions and driving to the Yum Center was constructed so that all the major streets and highways are close to prevent no more then 15 minutes in traffic. For a tourist, it is a 10 minute walk back to any downtown hotel.
Over all, I always leave the Yum Center feeling that the facility was money well spent. I just wish I could say the same thing for my Card-​iac Cardinals.

First off, I’m not a huge Cards fan, but I enjoy basketball (women’s basketball too) and the opportunity to see a game at «the Bucket» presented itself in the form of free tickets. It is very rare that I would pass on anything FREE and it makes the enjoyment quotient of any event increase exponentially (makes for more available pocket change for beer, which in and of itself, increases enjoyment.)
As far as arenas go, this is a beautiful facility. Spacious, clean, comfortable, with views overlooking the river (be better if I-​64 were not there, but I don’t think plan 86 – 64 will ever go through.) Of course, be prepared for arena pricing for everything food/​beverage related. They have to keep the electricity on after all, and Yum! intends to make back their investment.
Lower level seating is comfortable if a little tight but they were able to tier the seating in a way to give everyone a pretty good seat.
On a side note, as Redbird made his way through the crowd, my one complaint would be to find a way to dry clean that outfit, as I think the Bird is suffering from a little odor problem. If he were running in a flock, I suspect the resulting birdkill from the shock of his sweaty stench would be rather apocalyptic as 150-​lbs. each of giant birds came falling from the sky.