What Louisville restaurants are open late? Here are 15 places to try

Dahlia Ghabour, Louisville Courier Journal
·8 min read

If you're out late at an event, chances are it's been a minute since you've eaten. Unfortunately, most Louisville restaurants close by 10 p.m.

Most of them, but not all of them. Some, like Insomnia Cookies or Jeff's Donuts, even have business models set around staying open late.

Here are 15 locally-owned places around Louisville with kitchens open after 10 p.m.

21st in Germantown

1481 S. Shelby St; 21stgermantown.com; 502-654-7221 

This Germantown bar and restaurant is located in a historic building and serves burgers and sandwiches, wings, tenders, mac & cheese balls, sides and two desserts. The bar serves beer and cocktails, and the venue hosts regular live music and karaoke events.

21st in Germantown is open Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday 4p.m. to 4 a.m. and Sunday 4 p.m. to midnight.

The Back Door

1250 Bardstown Road; thebackdoorlouisville.com; 502-451-0659

The bar starts to fill up around 9 p.m. at The Back Door on a Tuesday night.
The bar starts to fill up around 9 p.m. at The Back Door on a Tuesday night.

This watering hole has 13 TVs and is a favorite spot for fans of the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky sports teams. The bar has a separate pool room and arcade room with games. Back Door serves boneless and traditional wings with a variety of sauces, appetizers like hot pepper cheese balls and chicken tenders, sandwiches, quesadillas, nachos and a build-your-own burger.

The Back Door is open Monday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 a.m. and weekends from 1 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Drake's

2651 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy, 3909 Shelbyville Road, 3921 Summit Plaza Drive; drakescomeplay.com

Drake's servs craft beer, burgers and sushi.
Drake's servs craft beer, burgers and sushi.

This Lexington-based restaurant chain has three Louisville locations open and a fourth on the way to Jeffersonville, Indiana by the end of 2022. The restaurant serves smashed burgers, steaks and combos, sandwiches, sushi, salads, chili and more. The bar serves both seasonal cocktails and zero-proof cocktails.

Drake's Louisville locations are open Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to midnight and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. The kitchen closes one hour prior.

More: Drake's is opening a fourth Louisville-area location. Here's what to know

Goodfellas Pizzeria

642 Baxter Ave.; goodfellaspizzeria.com; 502-398-5704

The Goodfellas Pizzeria, which specializes in pizza by the slice, held its grand opening Friday night bringing New York-style pizza to The Baxter Apartments complex that is also home to Carali's Rotisserie Chicken and Hi-Wire Brewing. March 11, 2022
The Goodfellas Pizzeria, which specializes in pizza by the slice, held its grand opening Friday night bringing New York-style pizza to The Baxter Apartments complex that is also home to Carali's Rotisserie Chicken and Hi-Wire Brewing. March 11, 2022

This long-awaited Lexington-based pizzeria opened a Louisville location on Baxter Avenue at the new year. Goodfellas serves classic New York-style pizza by the slice and in pies as well as breadsticks, signature meatballs, a meatball sub, a calzone, salads and desserts. The restaurant has ample lounge space and an outdoor patio.

Goodfellas is open Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

More: Fuggedaboutit! This new restaurant brings authentic New York-style pizza to Louisville

High Horse

1032 Story Ave.; highhorsebar.com; 502-690-5020 

Pictured is the Piri Piri Pulled Pork Panuozzo and Zeppole, Italian donuts, with lemon curd. They are available at Lucky Leopard Pizza at High Horse Bar.
Pictured is the Piri Piri Pulled Pork Panuozzo and Zeppole, Italian donuts, with lemon curd. They are available at Lucky Leopard Pizza at High Horse Bar.

This neighborhood bar was designed to be open late for service industry workers in particular. The 1970s themed bar serves affordable drinks and throwback cocktails, while the connected restaurant, Lucky Leopard Pizza, serves three Neapolitan pizzas, four sandwiches and two desserts. One of the sandwiches, "The Late Night McLeopard," features house-made sausage, scrambled egg, cheddar cheese, arugula and chile mayo ($13). Finish your night with some classic or blackberry curd beignets ($7-$9).

High Horse is open daily from 2 p.m. to 4 a.m.

More: This new Louisville late-night spot is serving up Neapolitan-style pizza

Highlands Tap Room Grill

1056 Bardstown Road; facebook.com/HighlandsTaproomGrill; 502-584-5222 

Guests enjoy drinks on the patio outside the Highlands Tap Room on Bardstown Road in Louisville, Ky. on Sep. 20, 2021. There is a proposal to close off this stretch of road to vehicles on the weekend.
Guests enjoy drinks on the patio outside the Highlands Tap Room on Bardstown Road in Louisville, Ky. on Sep. 20, 2021. There is a proposal to close off this stretch of road to vehicles on the weekend.

This Highlands bar and restaurant is known for it's spacious outdoor patio, which sits right on Bardstown Road and is a great spot for people watching. The restaurant also has weekly specials of items like pulled chicken sliders, slow roasted beef and cheddar sandwiches and a breakfast burger.

Highlands Tap Room is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Hilltop Tavern

1800 Frankfort Ave.; hilltoptavernlouisville.blogspot.com; 502-742-2908 

This neighborhood hangout has a full bar, foosball, shuffleboard and arcade games plus a menu of comfort food. (Bonus: it's also haunted). The tavern serves a dozen appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas and affordable beers. Try the beer cheese burger made with a half-pound fresh-ground chuck patty, spicy Two Hearted beer cheese and bacon on a brioche bun with fries ($13).

Hilltop Tavern is open Tuesday to Thursday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 4 a.m.

More: Here are 25+ Louisville restaurants to take your out-of-town guests to when they visit

Jeff's Donuts

5420 IN-62, Ste 300, Jeffersonville, Indiana; 6401 New Dutchmans Pkwy; jeffsdonuts.com

Doughnuts at Jeff's Donuts.
Doughnuts at Jeff's Donuts.

Nothing beats a place that's open 24 hours a day. Jeff's Donuts, which has been operating in Jeffersonville, Indiana for more than 20 years, opened a Louisville location in St. Matthews last year. The shop makes more than 40 varieties of doughnuts fresh daily, from fritters to Long Johns, zingers, chocolate glazed doughnuts and honeybuns. The zingers, doughnuts topped with raspberry jelly and coconut cream filling, and tiger tails, doughnuts rolled with chocolate fudge to look like a tiger's tail, are particularly popular.

Jeff's Donuts is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

More: This popular 24-hour doughnut shop is coming to St. Matthews. Here's what to know

La Bamba Mexican Restaurant

1237 Bardstown Road; labambaburritos.com; 502-451-1418 

This burrito restaurant is one of Louisville's go-to destinations for a middle-of-the-night meal. La Bamba serves build-your-own burritos, tacos, nachos, tamales, quesadillas, combos and some vegetarian options. The area chain has several locations in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Louisville.

La Bamba is open Monday and Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 am to 4 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.

O'Shea's Irish Pub

956 Baxter Ave.; osheaslouisville.net; 502-589-7373 

O'Shea's bar
O'Shea's bar

This Irish pub in the Highlands has two sister properties in downtown Louisville and downtown Jeffersonville, Indiana. The bar sells a variety of starters, burgers, patty melts, quesadillas, fish and chips, salads and soups. There's also a simple cocktail list, boozy milkshakes and wine by the glass and bottle.

O'Shea's is open Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.

The Post

1045 Goss Ave.; thepostlouisville.com; 502-635-2020

The chicken and waffle pizza from The Post in Louisville
The chicken and waffle pizza from The Post in Louisville

This pizzeria serves New York style pizza in pies and by the slice, plus calzones and hot subs. There's more than a dozen options for 12-inch, 16-inch and 20-inch pies, including "The Lone Wolf" pizza with pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, green pepper, red onion, mushroom and olives. The bar serves a variety of local beers, cocktails and bourbons.

The Post is open weekdays 4 p.m. to midnight and weekends 2 p.m. to midnight. The kitchen serves slices only after 11 p.m.

Recbar

10301 Taylorsville Road, Jeffersontown, Kentucky; 336 Pearl St., New Albany, Indiana; recbarlouisville.com

The Recbar's Sweet & Spicy Chicken Sandwich starts with a 6-oz. fried breast of chicken that has been tossed in a sweet and spicy sriracha sauce topped with lettuce, tomato, peperjack cheese and grilled pineapple. 14 March 2019
The Recbar's Sweet & Spicy Chicken Sandwich starts with a 6-oz. fried breast of chicken that has been tossed in a sweet and spicy sriracha sauce topped with lettuce, tomato, peperjack cheese and grilled pineapple. 14 March 2019

Louisville's largest arcade bar has two area locations and is perfect for a game night with friends. The bar has 16 beers on tap and more than 100 bourbons and whiskeys available, while "pub grub" fare includes pretzel bites and beer cheese and sliders, totchos (a mountain of tater tots with toppings), tacos, burgers, sandwiches, salads and some desserts.

Recbar is open Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday noon to midnight.

More: Game on! RecBar opens a new location with updated menu, 200+ arcade games

The Silver Dollar

1761 Frankfort Ave.; whiskeybythedrink.com; 502- 259-9540 

The Silver Dollar Bar and Restaurant's ultimate burger is topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato, pickles, American cheese, and served between two grilled cheese sandwiches. The dish is often accompanied by an order of French fries or home-made potato chips (seen here.)September 04, 2018
The Silver Dollar Bar and Restaurant's ultimate burger is topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato, pickles, American cheese, and served between two grilled cheese sandwiches. The dish is often accompanied by an order of French fries or home-made potato chips (seen here.)September 04, 2018

This historic Frankfort Avenue bar and restaurant is a "reimagining of a 1950s California honky tonk," according to its website. Start out with fried pickles, then try a chili, smash burger or steak frites. A variety of sides, dipping sauces and two desserts fill out the menu. The Silver Dollar also serves bourbon flights, classic cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks.

The Silver Dollar is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to midnight. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Spinelli's Pizza

4005 Shelbyville Road, 614 Baxter Ave.; spinellispizzeria.com

Spinelli's Pizzeria on 5th and Jefferson streets.
Spinelli's Pizzeria on 5th and Jefferson streets.

Spinelli's Pizza is open until 5 a.m. and serves 12-inch and 18-inch pizzas in classic flavors and off-the-wall flavors like chicken and waffles, cheesesteak and Korean barbecue. The restaurant also serves appetizers like cheesy bread and mac & cheese bites, a handful of sandwiches, salads, some vegan items, pizza by the slice and stromboli.

Spinelli's St. Matthews is open Wednesday to Sunday 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. Spinelli's in the Highlands is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Tin Roof

3921 Shelbyville Road; tinrooflouisville.com; 502-895-1914 

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This live music bar offers a weekday happy hour, daily specials, and two separate food menus. The evening menu is packed with tacos, quesadillas, tenders and wings, burgers and sandwiches, while the weekend brunch menu offers a small selection of chicken and donuts, a Kentucky hashbrown play on the famous Hot Brown, a breakfast burger and eggs. Don't forget to check the website for a calendar of music events, too.

Tin Roof is open Tuesday to Thursday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday 4 p.m. to 3 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

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Features reporter Dahlia Ghabour covers food, dining trends and restaurants in the Louisville area. Send tips on new places or story ideas to dghabour@courier-journal.com or follow on Twitter @dghabour. 

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville, KY restaurants open late: 15 places to try