Main Eatery

I really liked Main Street Eatery. It is a quaint, locally-​run business, and you can tell that the owner really takes pride in his restaurant. You order at the counter here, and the line is usually to the door. The menu is neatly written on chalkboards on the wall, so you’ll have plenty of time to read over the menu. The food is classic deli lunch: soups, salads, and sandwiches. The choices are pretty basic and common; nothing extravagant. There are plenty of combo’s you can choose from if you want a diverse lunch. All combo’s come with a drink. Additionally, there are specials every day. There is a sandwich and a soup of the day, as well as a «Blue Plate Special.» I chose the sandwich of the day with the soup of the day combo, which was chicken salad on a croissant and potato au gratin soup. Both were delicious and filling.
I enjoyed Main Street Eatery. The atmosphere is very homey and personal, especially for being in the heart of downtown. Plus, the food is great. The only reason it might not become my favorite place is the simplicity of the food. The sandwiches are your basic cold-​cuts, and I prefer a hot, grilled sandwich. Still, the ingredients are very fresh and delicious, and Main Street Eatery has definitely landed a spot in my monthly lunch rotation.

Delicious lunch spot. Very friendly service as well.

This place is excellent! I work downtown so there are many options to choose from. I find myself walking 10 blocks every week to go to this place! I have not had a bad meal here. You can tell that they take extra care to pay attention to quality! They even give a discount for paying with cash! I usually get the Blue Plate Specials and they are very tasty! I’ve had Tuesday Roast Beef, Wednesday Char Burger, Thursday Chicken Salad and Cheesecake (yum!!) and Friday grilled cheese and tomato soup. I miss TC’s on Market, and this place is reminiscent of that place.

Read the reviews and decided to try the Thursday chicken salad special. So glad I did. The service was friendly and the food was awesome. If you are there on Thursday, get the croissant. So melt in your mouth delicious!

I went with a co-​worker for lunch. Nice, quaint location — love the setting. The service is great too. I had the chicken cordon bleu. It was good but as other reviewers have mentioned it wasn’t anything special. It’s something I could make at home so I felt guilty spending $ 7+. I’ll go back to try the other sandwiches and their soups.

I’ve Never had a bad sandwich-​turkey, roast beef, Fridays grilled cheese, but the chicken salad is my favorite by far!!! Paired with a steaming cup of their broccoli cheese soup and you have THE perfect lunch! The tomato is also outstanding along with the potato, but nothing compares to that broccoli cheese! The service is top notch and they even offer a discount when you pay with cash! I’m hungry now!

I’ve decided Thursdays at the Main Eatery get 5 stars. In fact, I just checked, of the 15 reviews for Main Eater, 4 of them mention Thursday. We must be onto something. In case you don’t care to find those other four reviews. Here’s why Thursday gets *****‘s
Chicken salad sandwich on an enormously melt-​in-​your-​mouth croissant. Bag-​o-​chips. Drink. And NYC Cheesecake. All for less than $ 9. (It’s even cheaper if you pay in cash.)
Sorry, can’t vouch for the remainder of the week.

I started going to The Main Eatery in the summer of 2004 when I was working downtown right after high school. My best friend and I ended up going 2 or 3 times a week that summer, and became friends with the owners, David and Floyd (David runs the register, Floyd is in the kitchen). Any time I’ve been in there, I’ve always felt like family, and David takes time to welcome everyone warmly, whether they’re old friends or first-​time visitors.
Everything on the menu is delicious, but my absolute favorites are the tuna salad sandwich, the chili, and the Friday soup special, home-​made tomato bisque. The tuna salad is the best I’ve ever had; enough sweetness from the relish, tang from the mayo, and substantial chunks of tuna, plus the soft texture of the wheat bread and cool crunch of the lettuce make it an all around fantastic and simple (in a good way!) sandwich. The chili is thick, meaty, and can stand on its own (no noodles needed). A bit spicy and a bit sweet, I always get it with some onions and cheese on top. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bitterly cold January afternoon or a scorching hot July day, I’ll get this chili because it’s that good. Finally, the tomato bisque is wonderful. It’s Floyd’s mom’s recipe, only available Friday’s, and if you don’t go early enough, it sells out usually about 12:30. Creamy, thick, rich, and a perfect balance of sweet and acidity from the tomatoes. I promise it will not disappoint.
I live in St. Louis now, so I don’t get to see my friends there as often as I’d like. But the few times a year I get to go in and have a tuna salad sandwich with a side of chili, David gives me a big hug, then asks if I want mustard on that tuna sandwich today. It’s just like being at home with family.

The Main Eatery is a good, local, convenient option.
The food is good, but the sandwiches are like any that you could make yourself at home. So not too special.
On my recent visit, I got the turkey and Swiss sandwich. It was good, but again it was on sliced bread that I could pick up at the grocery store.
I will say, though, that the old-​fashioned chicken noodle soup was great. Just the right about of salt and ample chicken and noodles. I would definitely get this again.
My friend ordered the chicken cordon bleu and was impressed by it. Maybe I’ll try that next time.
The customer service was polite. The whole meal cost me about $ 7, so you can judge if you think that is too expensive or not.

This is the absolute worst experience in my life. I received my chicken salad sandwich and was over run with relish. I received it, saw this and asked if they could remake the sandwich or recommend something else while I pay the difference if any. The employee got the owner and the exact words from the owner was «I don’t have time to do anything special for you» in a very nasty manor. I was shocked. I said «Okay» and walked away.
I returned to my seat and he came storming out the door and said «you are not listening to me!», again in a nasty raised voice. After I tried to calmly explain myself again he says «You are not welcome here anymore.» I have never seen such poor customer service in my life. Not to worry, I will never come back to this sandwich shop again.
This is the owner of the shop. If he will act like this to his customers in front of others, imagine what he is doing in the back of the shop with your food. I strongly strongly recommend not to spend your hard earned money at this shop.
Still amazed that this happened…

This is one of my favorite places for lunch!
It’s convenient, the employees are super friendly, the food is delicious, and the price is right.
There is almost always a line out the door and while that takes some time, once you order, your food is ready before you even have time to finish getting your drink!
Yesterday, I had ½ a chicken salad sandwich, a cup of chili, and a drink for $ 7. I’d say that’s about comparable to Panera, except you’re supporting local, and it’s a shorter walk from work for me. :)

Great prices and food. Their sandwiches (especially grilled cheese and PB&J) and soups are really good. The best deals are usually the Blue Plate Specials. If they have cheesecake get it! They usually run out fast and it is to die for. The co-​owner also works the register which is pretty cool.

Excellent place to eat at for lunch. I usually go with the blue plate special. Everything that I have tried here has been delicious! I especially like the chicken salad sandwich. One day, it was the blue plate special and it came with a cheesecake with blueberry topping and shaved chocolate on top… so good!
Don’t forget to bring cash as you get a 4% (I think) discount with your meal. I would recommend this place to anyone downtown looking for a good meal at lunch.

The Main Eatery is a popular choice among downtowners during lunch. You will see the line extend out the door during prime lunch hours, so you know something must be worth the wait.
I’d past by on numerous occasions, but wasn’t compelled enough to wait on the sidelines. Until my friend told me about the infamous grilled cheese sandwich. Apparently there is a cult following for this king of cheese and it’s on the special board every Friday.
So I had to try it and the verdict is… delish. Well maybe not stand in line in 100 degree heat delish, but well worth the outdoor wait on 80 – 90 degree day.
Recently I fell in love with the chicken salad sandwich, which happens to be the special every Thursday. This is my go-​to sandwich. Fresh home-​made chicken salad with grapes and celery mixed in, topped on a buttery, flaky croissant. Only problem is that they only have croissants on Thursday, so when I miss a Thursday, like today, it’s tough to compromise with wheat or sour dough bread.

Anyone who works downtown is probably well aware of this place as there is almost always a line out the door during the busiest times at lunch and the Friday grilled cheese special is talked about in hushed tones. I have now had the chance to go here for lunch around five to six times and am thankful to have this establishment on Main Street.
Overall, I am not a huge go-​out-​for-​lunch guy as it can be time consuming and costly. I typically only go out for lunch occasionally and make it a treat. I had to go to the Main Eatery on a Friday a while back to sample this much-​talked about grilled cheese and tomato soup, which constitute the Friday blue plate special. Each day of the week, the Main Eatery offers a blue plate special, which is definitely your best option. At around $ 7-​$ 8, these meals include that day’s sandwich, plus a soup (or chips for slightly less $) and a drink. While I was a bit underwhelmed by the grilled cheese sandwich, all of the Main Eatery’s soups definitely deliver and the other days of the week feature some great hot sandwiches, likely Monday’s hot ham and cheese on focaccia (my favorite and Tuesday’s hot roast beef. Even Wednesday’s burger is surprisingly tasty.
The other great draw for this place are the friendly owners, who quickly convert many customers into loyal regulars through the witty banter at the cash register (this may contribute to the out-​the-​door lines). Finally, the Main Eatery also offers a 5% discount when you pay with cash (hand over your bills and the owner will «do some cash discount action» to bring your total down).
After repeated visits, it is clear why the Main Eatery is a Louisville favorite for lunch. The great sandwiches and soups coupled with the cozy interior create a comfortable atmosphere that is a great reprieve from the trials and tribulations of the daily grind.

Trusted Unilocal to find me a lunch spot I could walk to, and as usual, Unilocal came through.
The line was to the door when I arrived, but a couple of regulars in line said that usually happens because the co-​owner working the register likes to talk to his regulars. That’s a good sign, in my book, of a good place, so I was willing to wait.
The blue plate special for the day was a handmade cheeseburger with either chips or soup and a drink, and I opted for chips. The wait from ordering to getting my food was short, maybe three minutes, and even in the 3-​minute walk back to my office, the burger was still piping hot when I ate.
I will definitely keep trying The Main Eatery out.

Ever since I decided to try out the Main Eatery on my birthday this past February, I’ve been hooked. So have my coworkers, as they tend to go here almost once/​week.
Everything I’ve tried has been good, but the stand-​outs to me are the Monday Blue Plate Special (Kentucky ham and cheese on warm focaccia with honey mustard) and all of the soups (especially the broccoli cheddar). Among my friends and coworkers, everyone has their own favorite day to go, and their own favorite thing to get, showing that you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Don’t expect a super quick lunch, as the line is usually out the door, and the owner taking your order makes great conversation with everyone in line. Once you order though, your food is almost instantly at the window, and you’re free to sit anywhere in the large but cozy-​feeling restaurant.
Everyone I’ve taken here has asked to go back, which I take as a pretty good sign. Great downtown lunch spot.

Very good soup. Had the black bean soup of the day. One thing is bring cash, because there is a $ 6 minimum for cards and a bowl of soup comes short of that.

Such a conveniently located simple, quick deli. If you are looking for a cheap lunch to go this is your spot. Apparently the 2 owners are generally the guy taking your order and the one making your lunch. I love that. And the prices are amazing. An expensive meal there is 7 bucks. For less than 6 you can get soup and a ½ sandwich.
I had the broccoli cheddar and chicken salad sammich, though apparently I could have done better. The soup was wonderful and warm and that ideal comfort soup. Perfect portion too. The chicken salad was good, just not my style. It was a bit too creamy for me and not much spice. I also had food envy when my bread was the thick white bread and I saw my friend’s lovely marbled rye bread. Good to know. So next time I am getting the piece of cornbread that I saw on the way out — Jordan P was totally right! and a different sandwich. Or maybe a salad. Either way, I will certainly be back to this perfect work lunch spot.
P. S. they give a cash discount

I had been planning to go this place for a couple of months, and yesterday was finally the day. When I arrived the line was out the door. This could have been a sign of super slow service or a sign of good food. The good food won. I had the black been soup, a salad and a cornbread muffin, and I loved it all. The soup was perfect. If you know me, you know I love my black beans — they had have the soup down to science here! And the cornbread muffin. That’s another story. First off it was HUGE. I ate it over the course of about five hours. The combination of sweet and savory was great, and those little pieces of corn found throughout added a nice mix of textures. I 100% recommend getting a muffin with your meal. They’re only $ 0.94 — so adding one won’t add much to your bill.
I ordered my meal to go because I was in a bit of a rush, but despite the fact that the place was really busy, there seemed to be plenty of seating for those dining in. There are seats lining the counter and kitchen, which is closed off aside from a little window to grab your food. Then, up a few steps in the back there are more tables. All of the tables in the front were empty, so I assume most people prefer to sit there to avoid the busy front section of the restaurant.
I’ll be back. Hopefully it’s on a day when I want what’s on the blue plate special. I’ve secretly always wanted to order one of those from a restaurant and never have.