Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Butchertown

A friend and I went to Varanese for his 25th birthday. OpenTable had an option to specify if the reservations were for a special occasion and I said yes, for a birthday. We got to the front desk and they brought it up almost immediately, which really surprised my friend, and they seated us at a table with a little "happy birthday" sign on it. The live jazz band even played a snippet of the birthday song and have him a complimentary birthday dessert with a little candle on it. He loved it! Our waitress was great, and we didn't want for anything. The owner of the restaurant was milling around, checking on patrons and just being an overall lovely host. All of the food was delicious. This was pretty much the best American-style cuisine restaurant I have ever been to. It was all very classy, flavorful, fresh, and perfectly cooked. Nothing was overdone or undercooked. It got a little loud on a Friday night at 7pm, but honestly, that's just Frankfort Ave for you on a Friday night lol! It didn't bother me enough to affect my rating though. I would highly recommend this restaurant, especially for special occasions — they really do go all out.

The Fat Lamb in Kentucky exceeded all expectations! The food was outstanding, with every dish bursting with flavor. The service was impeccable—attentive and friendly. The ambience was warm and inviting, creating the perfect setting for an unforgettable dining experience. Highly recommend the feta appetizer!

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening. All four of us has something different, and each was delicious. We also shared 4 different apps, and 5 desserts. Service was spot on, not hovering but always available. There was a slight hiccup with the heat, things happen, and they did a great job of managing it. Looking forward to our return.

What a WOW view from one of the rotating dining rooms! We thoroughly enjoyed splurging for our anniversary dinner at Swizzle. The calamari appetizer was excellent, as was the wedge salad which they kindly split for us. And basket of warm bread - yum! My husband now lists their Tomahawk Pork Chop in his top ten - super tender, perfectly cooked. I had the scallops - also perfectly cooked with the grits, peas, and fried onions accompaniments - wonderful. Considering it was a super busy night at the restaurant, we felt very well taken care of by the wait staff. Also, if you aren't staying at the hotel or Ubering, use the restaurant valet for $10.00. A great deal for parking, and our car was waiting for us at the curb when we were done with dinner.

What a menu! Make sure to start with the amuse bouche, the mini arancini was perfect. The mushrooms appetizer is unlike any I've had; warm, cold, crispy, umami, tangy, creamy. The trout was warm and briney but offset by a beautiful char on the skin. Fantastic dining experience, exceptional vibes. Can't wait to come back next time I'm in Lousiville.