Favorite dining establishments of the law school community.

Belknap Campus | Old Louisville/Surrounding Area | Downtown Louisville | The Highlands | Clifton/Crescent Hill | East End | South End | Southern Indiana & Beyond

$ Budget (under $5)
$$ Moderate ($6-$15)
$$$ Decadent (over $15)

Transit Authority of River City

Louisville Hot Bytes

Louisville Law Dining Guide

Belknap Campus

Map, menus, coupons and more

Café Bristol
Speed Museum | 634.2723 | $$

Einstein Bros and Damon’s Sports Grill
Bingham Humanities Building

Food Court: Papa John’s, Subway, Wendy’s, etc.
Student Activities Center (SAC) | $

Heine Brother’s Coffee and Tulip Tree Café
Ekstrom Library | $

McAlister’s Select
Miller Information Technology Center (MITC) | $$

Old Louisville/Surrounding Area

Bearno’s Pizza
1923 S. 4th St. (Bus #94 Black Loop)| 634.5155 | $$

Bearno’s Pizza features a fantastic lunch buffet Monday-Friday for under $10 including drink. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

China Inn
1925 S. 4th St. (Bus #94 Black Loop) | 636.2020 | $$

Penny, the owner, serves a wide selection of standard Chinese as well as several great Thai dishes (from her homeland) at a very reasonable price & quick service. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Cottage Inn
570 Eastern Pkwy (Bus #29) | 637.4325 | $$

This may just be the best place in Louisville to sample traditional southern cooking and tradition at a very reasonable price. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Dairy Kastle
575 Eastern Pkwy (Bus #29) | 634.8990 | $

It’s mostly ice cream & milk shakes, malts and floats, but it also serves hotdogs & brats. In fact if your budget is really tight you can get a brat & a medium drink for $1.99. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Denny’s
434 Eastern Pkwy (Bus #29) | 636.2538 | $$

At Crittenden on Eastern Parkway there is a Denny’s, which is probably familiar to most folks anyway. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Granville Inn
1601 S. Third St. (Bus #37 & 38) | 635.6475 | $$

For really tasty, not-so-healthy choices, I recommend the Granville Inn, within a 10-minute walk from the Law School. ~Becky Wimberg

La Tapatia & Santa Fe Grill
3000 & 3022 S. Third Street (Bus #94 Black Loop)| 634.3722 | $$
*Also recommended by Jim Chen and Larry Knowles

Really good, really cheap and really authentic Mexican dishes served within walking distance of campus. ~Scott Campbell

Don't let the look of the building fool you, this is one of the best Mexican places in Louisville. Good, authentic Mexican food (and lots of it) as well as friendly staff for only slightly more than a meal at Taco Bell. I usually spend between $5-$8 and leave full. The burritos are huge. ~Will Hilyerd

I can personally vouch for the food at Santa Fe but have not yet tried La Tapatia. I’ve heard though that it compares favorably to Santa Fe in price, quality & service. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Lunch Pail
502 E. Warnock Street (Bus #94 Black Loop)| 634.7116 | $

This is a fine deli featuring great homemade sandwiches and soups as well as fantastic deserts. The dining room is very small, maybe half a dozen table at most plus a couple of tables outside. So it might be best to order something to go. But the food is great, the staff friendly & they have a student lunch special for $5.00 Monday-Friday. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Senor Iguana
3105 S. Second St. (Bus #94 Black Loop) | 368.0876 | $$

Good and cheaply priced Tex-Mex food served in comfortable surroundings, with so many different dishes offered that it would take weeks, if not months, to try them all. ~Scott Campbell

Shah’s Mongolian Grill
423 E. Warnock St. (Bus #94 Black Loop)| 409.5029 | $$

This is a great small place. The selection and service is good. The food is priced by how many meats you choose for you dish. After that you get to choose your vegetables, meat and sauce as well as whether to have it with rice or noodles. They also have free wireless Internet so you can surf while you eat. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Sunergos Coffee
2122 S. Preston Street (Bus #18 & 45) | 634.1243 | $
*Recommended by Kathy Bean

Third Avenue Café
1164 S. Third St. (Bus #37 & 38) | 585.2233 | $$ 
*Also recommended by the SBA

An all-round good menu, including several healthy, vegetarian, and vegan choices. ~Becky Wimberg

Third Avenue is a funky, neighborhood place that offers something for everyone--vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters can all find goodies on the eclectic menu. My favorites are the veggie reuben, the black bean burger, and the veggie club wrap. Everything is homemade. Prices are reasonable and the desserts are excellent. ~Robin Harris

Windy City Pizzeria
2622 S. 4th Street (Bus #4, 29, & 38) | 636-3708 | $$ 

Located at the corner of 4th and Winkler, just a couple blocks south of campus. Pretty good sandwiches and thin crust pizzas. The real draw though is the Chicago-style stuffed pizzas--giant cheese filled monstrosities that have to be eaten to be believed. Another nice feature is that once a month, they have a charity day, where 10% of the day's receipts go to a selected charity. They deliver too--when they're in the mood. ~Scott Campbell

Downtown Louisville

732 Social
732 E. Market St. (Bus #15, 31 & 77) | 583.6882 | $$$ 

Located in Louisville’s only green-certified building, the 732 Social is a stylish spot for sipping pre-prohibition style cocktails. Menu items range from $7-25, but you can get by with less if you stick to one drink and an appetizer. ~Virginia M. Smith

The Café
712 Brent St. (Bus #21 & 23) | 589.9191 | $$ 

Highly recommended for a weekday lunch and Sunday brunch. The homemade creamy tomato basil soup and strawberry cake are as good as grandma's. ~Virginia M. Smith

Mayan Café
813 E. Market St. (Bus #15, 31 & 77) | 566.0651 | $$

The menu mixes fresh local ingredients and delights from the chef's Yucatan Peninsula, including plaintains, yuca cakes, and lima beans that will surprise you. ~Virginia M. Smith

Toast on Market
736 E. Market Street (Bus #15, 31 & 77) | 569.4099 | $$ 

My favorites include the lemon soufflé pancakes and huevos ahogados. Call before you leave home to add your name to the wait list as this place is popular for Sunday brunch. ~Virginia M. Smith

East End

211 Clover Lane
211 Clover Lane (Bus #19, 31 & 55) | 896.9570 | $$$ 

My favorite high end restaurant in town.  Uses fresh locally grown food in many dishes.  Vegetarian and traditional entrees. ~Ariana Levinson

Dakshin South Indian Restaurant
4742 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #80) | 491.7412 | $$

Great Indian food. Fine to bring children. Reasonably priced. ~Ariana Levinson

J. Alexanders
102 Oxmoor Court (Bus #19, 29, 31, & 58) | 339.2206 | $$ 
*Recommended by the SBA

Lee’s Korean Restaurant
1941 Bishop Lane, # 107 (Bus #58) | 456.9714 | $$

Very authentic Korean food. Reasonably priced and alright to bring children. ~Ariana Levinson

Napa River Grill
1211 Herr Lane, #190 (Bus #15, 49 & 55) | 893.0141 | $$$ 

Parents in town and want to take you to dinner at a nice place?  This should be the place.   Also good for the special occasion with a VERY special someone.  Good outdoor dining area.  Great food and beverage selection.  Personal favorites are the Pad Thai and the Veal Napoleon and trust me on this, you want the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crème Brûlée.  For dinner for two, expect to spend between $80-$100 (thus the reason for getting the 'rents to take you when they are in town).   Located in Westport Village Shopping Center in Lyndon (about 20 minutes from U ofL).   Note:  Several websites and guides still list the old address on Dupont Circle. ~Will Hilyerd

Selena’s
10609 Lagrange Rd. | 245.9004 | $$ 

One of my favorite restaurants is Selena's near the city of Anchorage. Selena's has casual dining inside and outside, moderately priced, accepts reservations, and bottles of wine are half-price on Sunday and Tuesday.  ~Tom Blackburn

A lovely place to dine alfresco on Sunday afernoons while being serenaded by a trio of classical musicians. I recommend the Eggs Sardou, a delicious vegetarian twist on a traditional benedict, a $2 bellini and a basket of beignets for the table. ~Virginia M. Smith

The Highlands

August Moon Chinese Bistro
2269 Lexington Rd. (Bus #55) | 456.6569 | $$$ 

Want someplace to take a date that has great food and won't completely empty your wallet? This upscale Asian restaurant, owned by a UofL Business School grad and her husband, has a great selection of wonderful dishes from several Asian cultures, not just China. If you aren't used to real hot and spicy, watch out for the hot and spicy dishes, though. Worth the trip to the Lexington Rd. area. Has some outside dining on the back deck overlooking the creek. Expect to spend between $20-$30 per person. ~Will Hilyerd

City Café
1250 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23) | 459.5600 | $$ 

A great place to eat at moderate cost located on the back side of Mid City Mall and next to the Baxter Avenue Theatre, home of the best movies in Louisville. So, when you’re sick and tired of law books, find a date, and go there for dinner and a movie. You won’t regret it. I promise. (The preceding statement was not meant to imply, in anyway, a money-back guarantee of any kind.) ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Come Back Inn
909 Swan St. (Bus #43) | 627-1777 | $$ 

Tucked away on Swan Street, this Italian-American pub is a diamond in the rough.  Come Back Inn delivers huge helpings of tasty food at reasonable prices in a cozy atmosphere.  The next time you can't decide on a place to dine, take the trip to Swan Street and enjoy the casual vibe.  Favorites include:  antipasto wontons, house salad, any pasta dish, and spinach ricotta pizza. ~Kimberly Ballard

Homemade Pie Kitchen
1041 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17, 23 & 55) | 618.3380 | $$ 

This homespun favorite now serves a deli lunch and has multiple locations throughout Louisville and Southern Indiana. ~Ariana Levinson

Kashmir
1285 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23)  | 473.8765 | $$ 

Offers a lunch-time buffet. Excellent for vegetarians. ~Kathy Bean

La Que
1019 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17, 23 & 55) | 238.3981 | $$

This small restaurant is reasonably priced and very family friendly.  While it’s not exactly like having Thai in Los Angeles, it is our favorite Thai place we have tried in town. ~Ariana Levinson

Oishi Sushi
2245 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23) | 618.2829 | $$ 

This is the best sushi place in Louisville. It’s reasonable (for sushi) price and the food is outstanding in variety, taste & presentation. You can certainly leave well satisfied for $15-20. It is not very big but features a traditional sushi bar as well as several tables along the windows. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Despite its modest facade, Oishi Sushi offers some of the freshest and most beautifully presented sushi in the area. My favorites are the Spicy Girl Roll and the Aloha Roll wrapped in soy paper and kiwis. ~Virginia M. Smith

Qdoba
1500 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23) | 454.3380 | $ 

It’s a really great TexMex place with great food, a nice décor and still moderate prices. ~Michael Ben-Avraham

Queen of Sheba
2804 Taylorsville Rd. (Bus #21 & 23)  | 459.6301 | $$ 

Great Ethiopian food. Fine to bring children. Reasonably priced. ~Ariana Levinson

There are several vegetarian dishes to choose from including the comibination plate that's served with injera bread, salad, and lentils. ~Virginia M. Smith

Ramsi's Café On the World
1293 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23) | 451.0700 | $$ 
*Recommended by the SBA

Seviche
1538 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23) | 473.8560 | $$$ 

Anthony Lamas serves up savory Argentinian dishes including the city's largest selection of ceviche. Tastings are available for just $3 and on Sunday’s all ceviche and wine bottles are half price. ~Virginia M. Smith

Smoketown USA Pit BBQ and Tex-Mex
1153 Logan Street (Bus #25 & 43) | 409.9180 | $$

While I can only vouch for the vegetarian dishes, my friends tell me the trio of BBQ sliders are delicious. It’s the sautéed greens, jalapeno cornbread, and unique retail items that keep me coming back. ~Virginia M. Smith

Spinelli's Pizzeria
614 Baxter Avenue (Bus #17 & 55)  | 568.5665 | $ 
*Recommended by the SBA

Tony Boombozz
1448 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17, 23 & 29) | 458.8889 | $$ 

We’ve sampled all the pizza places in the Highlands, and I like theirs best.  The atmosphere is family friendly and there is outside and open air porch seating. ~Ariana Levinson

Zaytun Gyros
2286 Bardstown Rd. (Bus #17 & 23) | 365.1788 | $$

Good food, including the hummus. Another small, family friendly, and reasonably priced place. ~ Ariana Levinson

Clifton/Crescent Hill

El Mundo
2345 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #19 & 31) | 899.9930 | $$ 
*Also recommended by the SBA

This funky Mexican restaurant has a short but sweet menu, a large selection cerveza and other cool drinks at the bar, and, on lovely spring Thursdays and Fridays, the whole mundo seems to be out on the back patio. ~Kurt Metzmeier

Grape Leaf
2217 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #19 & 31) | 897.1774 | $$ 

Excellent for vegetarians. ~Kathy Bean

Irish Rover
2319 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #19 & 31) | 899.3544 | $$ 
*Also recommended by the SBA

Owned by Irish natives Siobhan and Michael Reidy, this authentic Gaelic pub in a 150-year-old saloon has Guinness on tap and the best bangers and mash in town.  And do not miss the Scotch Eggs! ~Kurt Metzmeier

Kentucky Barbeque Company
1800 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #19 & 31) | 895.3419 | $$ 

Located in a building that has housed restaurants and bars for generations, the Kastan brothers have some of the best slowed-cooked meats and red-potato salad in Louisville and a fully stocked vintage mahogany bar. ~Kurt Metzmeier

Maido
1758 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #15 & 31) | 894.8775 | $$ 

A izakaya-style (sake pub) restuarant, Maido serves sushi, traditional Japanese cuisine and Western fusion entrees in a historic building with the largest outdoor patio on Frankfort Avenue.  The bar is stocked with exotic sakes and premium beers. ~Kurt Metzmeier

Nancy’s Bagel Grounds
2101 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #19 & 31) | 895.8323‎ | $ 

Louisvillian Nancy Haner Gratz returned from adventures in the mountains of Wyoming in 1998 to begin making the best New York Style bagels in the Bluegrass and brewing premium coffee made with beans roasted by Columbia River Coffee Roasters of Astoria, Oregon. ~Kurt Metzmeier

North End Café
1722 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #15 & 31) | 896.8770 | $$ 

Next door to the Kavier Forge gallery and around the corner from the site of Louisville sculptor Ed Hamilton’s first studio, the North End Café is a work of art itself.  Owner-chef Christopher Seckman’s dead-on sense of style is apparent from its iconic logo to its gallery-like décor to its menu, which features traditional American cuisine made with local ingredients. ~Kurt Metzmeier

Sol Aztecas
2350 Frankfort Ave. (Bus #19 & 31) | 895-3333 | $$ 

Sol Aztecas has a larger and more traditional menu than its neighbor across the street (El Mundo), but its treatment of Mexican classics is on-target, with well-prepared entrees, generous portions, and good service. Its sidewalk level patio is particularly inviting. ~Kurt Metzmeier

South End

Mike Linnig's
9308 Cane Run Rd. (Bus #19) | 937.9888 | $$ 

A great seafood restaurant that has been in operation since 1925, located in southwest Jefferson County. This restaurant is also located next to the River Walk so after you eat you can take a nice leisurely walk by the Ohio River. ~Jodi Duce

Southern Indiana & Beyond

Doe Run Inn
500 Doe Run Inn, Brandenburg, KY | 422.2982 | $$ 

One of the oldest restaurants in Kentucky built in 1805. This restaurant is located in Brandenburg, KY. They serve southern style cooking and everything is homemade. You can eat on the back porch and listen to sound of water flowing in the creek that follows the property. ~Jodi Duce

New Albanian Brewing Company
3312 Plaza Drive, New Albany (Bus #22) | 812.944.2577 | $$ and 415 Bank St., New Albany (Bus #2) | 812.725.9585 | $$ 

The new bistro on Bank Street has received rave reviews from local critics, while the original (aka Richo's) offers the largest selection of beer in the tri-county area and some of the tastiest pizza as well. Try an order of breadsticks and homemade beer cheese with a draught of rootbeer in the red room. ~Virginia M. Smith