The Highlands Taproom Grill opened its doors a little over a month ago. Tommy and Sally Clemons are the owners, who also own the original Highlands Taproom located across from Mid-City Mall. That Taproom is well known around the Highlands. The Highlands Taproom Grill is nothing like the original Taproom. The original Highlands Taproom for those that don’t know, is a small bar best known for karaoke and free live music. It has 13 beers on tap, a decent size hard liquor selection and a few wines.
Once you walk into the Highlands Taproom Grill, the first thing you will notice is the added space that the original Taproom lacked. The bar also has a much cleaner and updated look. The beer selection has been expanded to 22 on draft along with a larger selection of hard liquor, and a much larger selection of wine. They also have at least two dozen bottled beers. The seating in the bar is much better with more tables and more space at the bar. During warmer weather there’s great seating facing Bardstown Road along with much added room and seating on the side deck.
One of the biggest complaints about the original Taproom was the lack of food. They had none. The Highlands Taproom Grill not only fixed this issue, they perfected it. Words like great and excellent don’t even do the food justice. I won’t lie. I have only tried a few items on the menu due to religious reasons. I do not eat pork or shellfish due to my religion. That means nearly half the menu is off limits to me. The food I have tried is beyond perfect.
The first thing I tried was their Cheeseburger. It’s made with locally ground short rip and New York strip steak. I tried it medium and it melts in your mouth. I recommend it with the Pepper-jack Cheese. On the side I tried the Onion Rings. I have fallen in love with these. For years Mike Linnigs’ onion rings have been voted “Louisville’s Best.” Mike Linnigs now has competition.
I am a big critic and fan of chili. This is due to the fact that my mom makes the best. When trying chili I am always skeptical on how good it will be. The Highlands Taproom Grill chili is not bad at all. I would give it 7.5 out of 10. I only rate it this low because it lacks spice. I love my chili hot and spicy. Their chili is worth trying and will be coming in handy soon when the colder weather hits.
The Nachos are some of the best in Louisville. Most of my friends get them covered with everything, including the Pulled Pork. I have tried them with everything (besides the pork) and they are beyond awesome. The jalapenos always taste fresh as does the cheese. You can tell that the cheese isn’t canned cheese that’s been sitting in a refrigerator for days. The Nachos are enough to make an entire meal for most people. I do not recommend eating these alone.
Now let’s talk about greatness. I have a new favorite meal in Louisville. The Derby City Steak Kebob is maybe one of the top five best tasting foods I’ve ever had. Its marinated sirloin on small pieces of toast, topped with caramelized onions and blue cheese. Every bite you take is full of flavor. Normally when you try food, some bites are better than others. From beginning to end, every bite of this is awesome. I could eat this meal every day of the week and never get sick of it. If you are a newcomer to the Highlands Taproom Grill, do yourself a favor and try The Derby City Steak Kebob.
The menu is short and simple. They have different soups of the day and neat snacks and appetizers such as “Deviled Egg Assortment”, “Beer Cheese Platter” and “Pulled Pork Spring Rolls.” They also have different lunch and dinner specials not listed on the menu. Simply ask your server or bartender what they are. Recently my friend John tried the “Bucky Burger” named after one of the bartenders. It was their Cheeseburger topped with two onion rings, BBQ sauce and an egg. For those who don’t eat meat, don’t be alarmed. They do have salads and vegetarian food.
If you are a fan of the original Highlands Taproom, you will love this place. Around half the staff is from the original Taproom. Expect to see great bartenders such as Sheila, Bucky and Will. The new staff is also excellent. They are a friendly group of people that seem to have fun while working. Even when busy, they do all they can to provide an excellent service. Recently they added “Trivia Night” on Thursday. This is a great chance to try and win free gift cards for free food/beer.
This great new bar is located at 1058 Bardstown Road. For more information you can visit their website or call 502-584-5222. You should just come in however and see for yourself how great the food is. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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