St. Charles Exchange

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The deviled eggs are amazing — six different preparations of deviled eggs. This alone should garner a 5 star review. The bartender, Cora, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and we had a great time tasting bourbon and enjoying the 4^th of July.

I had high hopes for St. Charles Exchange, after reading several positive reviews. I went for my first visit this past Friday evening, with an 8 p.m. reservation. I left sorely disappointed. The service was terribly slow, and one dish — the pork fritters — was actually served cold. Not even lukewarm. It was the temperature it would be if it had been sitting out for 10 – 15 minutes before they brought it to the table. It was horrible.
But let me tell about my entire experience. I’d made reservations with the plan to have dinner there. Arrived right at 8 p.m. for my reservation. The place was about 2/3’s full. There was only one person taking orders for every table in the restaurant and bar. We sat for about 20 minutes before anyone came to fill our water glasses. The waitress came over at that moment, frantic, when she said she saw that we hadn’t been «watered» to use her word. We had been about to leave, but really wanted to give the place a chance and she was so nice that we thought, «okay, a small mistake, but they can recover and we can have a good time here.»
The waitress came back a few minutes later to take our drink order. We waited another 15 – 20 minutes and still hadn’t received our cocktails. It was 8:45 p.m. at this point. We’d been sitting for 45 minutes and hadn’t even gotten a cocktail. We wanted to get up and leave, but the waitress had been so upset that we’d been ignored that we actually didn’t want her to feel bad. So we stayed. Finally the drinks arrived. But by that point, we decided to skip ordering entrees and just have a couple of appetizers and then head next door to the 21C Museum Hotel and have a drink and more food in their bar area. We didn’t want to risk waiting another hour or so before our food arrived at St. Charles Exchange.
The appetizers arrived — Elvis on Horseback, the peanut butter stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, and the Pork Fritters. As mentioned, the fritters tasted fine, but they were nearly cold and meant to be served piping hot. The stuffed dates were good, but really tiny. I’d had goat-​cheese stuffed dates at Mojitos the night before and they were huge and utterly delicious. These left me saying «meh.»
So finally, at 9:45 p.m., we left. After one drink each and two appetizers. An hour and 45 minutes to get served what should have took 45 minutes tops at most places around town. The experience was so bad that despite the pretty setting and the friendly (albeit stressed to the max) waitress, that we won’t be returning. The 21C Museum Hotel is literally across the street and the food is so much better and the setting is just as cool.

I am reading all the past review. and I am baffled at what everyone is saying, for the $$$ the food is OK, and service is POOR at best. Do not go here if you have any plans after dinner, as we sat at our table close to 3 hrs for average food.
The restaurant atmosphere was great, but it does not cover up the bismal service and trend following menu that leaves your tastebuds disappointed.
I am starting to loose faith in my fellow Louisvillians and their ability to truly rate restaurants that deserve a 3 – 5 star rating.

I have been here twice in about a three week period; once for dinner and once for drinks with some friends and I have to give this place the 5 star review it deserves. I came here for dinner with a date and we both split the deviled egg appetizer (we both haven’t stopped thinking of that dish since!) and then I had the cheese plate and he tried one of their vegetarian dishes. Both of us were quite pleased with our chocies. We also tried their signature Old Fashioned, which was bourbon heaven. I typically only drink bourbon on the rocks, but this drink was to perfection! We also stopped in there last night with another couple for drinks as the Bats game was rained out. It was very quiet, but my friend and I split a bottle of wine, while the men both enjoyed bourbon and some cocktails off the list. We really had a wonderful time. Both times the waiter and the bartender have been knowledgeable and accomodating. I very much recommend this place for either dinner or drinks; you can’t go wrong here.

The best Manhattan in town.
We met up with some friends for the famous Manhattan at St. Charles Exchange. The environment was real swanky, and I don’t think I’ve seen as many bottles on the bar than here. Beer buckets were served in punch bowls. Servers were as nice as ever. Our Manhattan’s came out as quickly as we ordered them and I couldn’t wait for the first sip.
Kentucky changed me because I’ve always been a whiskey fan, but I was just used to the Jack and ginger and hadn’t really gotten into the heavier stuff. I was told the fruit rinds were nontraditional but I thought they made the drink so much better, adding a slight citrus twist to the full-​bodied woody flavor. As the ice melted, it became easier to drink but lost a little bit of the bite.
Service was so amazing, the drink was such a refresher, and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to St. Charles.

This place was amazing! The bartender was cute wand friendly plus the food and beer was great! I had the exchange burger with in was a tad over cooked but still juicy some how. My fried has the short ribs and my fiancé had the steak frites which he loved. The prices were reasonable and the food was beyond exceptional. The place had a really cool vibe and its building was stepped in history. I loved the exposed brick and location in downtown new Albany! Can’t wait to go back and tell you even more unique things about this place on my next visit!

I can’t wait to dine at St. Charles Exchange again! I spent a small fortune on my meal, but it was entirely worth it.
A friend of mine and I went during 502 Restaurant Week and ordered from the 4-​course restaurant week menu, which just meant I would spend more than I normally would. I normally would not order 4 courses for a meal. From what I can tell the restaurant week did not offer any noticeable discount or special menu items. Regardless, the restaurant week menu allowed me to try more dishes that I normally would not have tried.
For the appetizer, I ordered the deviled eggs, and my friend ordered the mussels. The mussels were excellent and most of the deviled eggs were as well. I do not think the deviled egg flavors are consistent day-​to-​day, but my favorite was definitely the Sriracha one. There was also a country ham egg, which was tasty. The least interesting seemed like just a normal deviled egg to me and lacked flavor (especially compared to the other options).
I ordered the Cornbread Panzanella as my salad, and it was awesome. Brussels sprouts (I love anything with Brussels sprouts), blue cheese, arugula, and balsamic vinaigrette… very tasty! My friend had the beet salad. He did not seem to be a fan (he said beets taste like dirt), but I liked the bite of it that I had.
I ordered the Verlasso Salmon as my entrée, and like everything above, it was also great. The salmon also had Brussels sprouts — woohoo! I would get the salmon again in a heartbeat. My friend ordered the duck, and he seemed to be in love with it. He also said he’d get the duck again. I tried the duck, it was good, but I am not a huge duck fan.
For dessert I ordered the cinnamon roll bread pudding, and my friend ordered the espresso crème brûlée. Both were very good, but I was quite glad to have the bread pudding as I enjoyed it much better than the crème brûlée.
In addition to the good food, the atmosphere is incredible. It has a very Old World feel to it, which I enjoy. There was also a 2 piece jazz band that night. Listening to jazz and having three fantastic Old Fashioneds (the best in Louisville by far) makes for a great evening.
When it was all said and done,.I spent $ 105 after tip and tax for just me. YIKES! Again, well worth every penny. I will definitely be back (but may have to skip the 4 course meal).

One of my favorite places to frequent in Louisville. The bar is amazing just like the old fashioned.

Another great restaurant in Louisville! The food is excellent and the drinks are very tasty. I love the vintage theme with the drinks and décor. This is a great date night restaurant!
PS — the deviled eggs are very tasty!

I was with a group of 15 on a Saturday night. We had a reservation at 7:30 and were seated with no wait. The service was prompt — we told our server we had tickets to a show and needed to finish within 2 hours of being seated. Our servers were very attentive and all our meals came out correct and delicious. I would definitely recommend this place and hope to return again soon. I’d love to take my significant other here because it seems like the perfect place for a romantic date.
The only negative was, some members of our group used 10% off coupons that were provided by our hotel concierge. The waitress did seem a bit annoyed… those who didn’t use the coupon received their checks back intermediately, but the coupons took a while and we were told a manager had enter each one manually. So, if you have a coupon I would suggest you let the server know when ordering to avoid any issues.

The ambience of St. Charles Exchange is very nice and that’s what attracted me to it. You know you’re in a high end and posh place as soon as you step in the door, but there’s nothing snobbish about it either.
I have only been here for drinks and I very much enjoyed it. I went after work and took advantage of happy hour by getting their $ 5 old fashioned. Typically, when I get an old fashioned somewhere it’s too sweet, but I decided to give SCE a shot. They nailed it. Not too much sugar and they didn’t throw gobs of cherries in it. It had sweetness with a nice strong bite and flavor of bourbon.
After happy hour the drinks are pricey but not unreasonable. Two happy hour old fashioneds, a regular priced old fashioned and a glass of wine after a 25% tip I think was around $ 38.
I prefer SCE to Proof on Main (right across the street) as a bar itself, but one advantage Proof has is being able to grab a drink and go enjoy the 21c museum.
The service was good and I loved the atmosphere. It’s a solid place to meet someone for drinks on a first date or to talk business with clients. I’ll be back and when I do return I’m looking forward to grabbing a bite to eat.

The Old Fashioned available for happy hour hit the spot. We visited on a business trip based on the advice of locals. Glad we stopped in for the comfy leather couches and long, long bar.
We only stayed for an early drink, but the saloon /​Prohibition-​style atmosphere was just right. Felt like I experienced a touch a true old Louisville.

LOVED IT! Went for drinks after work and it was great. We sat at the bar and the prices were great for happy hour. It can be quite expensive but the general feel of the restaurant, the decoration and service makes it worth it. Will definitely go back!

My Hubby and I ate here for date night last night and had a great experience! We had never been before but the restaurant came highly recommended by a friend. It did not disappoint. The old school ambiance was both sophisticated and welcoming and the staff were great! We ordered the Country Ham Fritters as an app and they were quite good. He had the burger while I had the scallops. Both were excellent and we cleaned our plates. I definitely plan on going back, maybe bringing along some friends!

Good location. AH-​mazing outdoor patio! I can’t believe that we were the only ones out there last night… it was beautiful! I hope our waiter didn’t hate us too much…
I didn’t order any food, we really just wanted some cocktails and enjoy them outside. I got something with «devil» in the name and the Caribbean Comber. Both were delicious, the comber being my favorite. Drinks are pricey but they are also nice and strong.
I certainly recommend it for drinks. Food options look pretty good too!

I feel like I could eat a McDonald’s hamburger in St. Charles Exchange, and it would still feel chic, high end.
Not to say that their food is like fast food — very, very much the opposite of that. But the ambiance and attention to detail at this posh spot brings the dining experience to a whole new level.
So earlier today, I finally got to eat a meal at St. Charles Exchange. I had only been there in the past for appetizers and drinks, which were always fabulous.
I took advantage of the $ 15 502 Lunch Week deal and chose the grogranica greens salad and croque madame with frites from the options offered.
The salad was fruity and sweet, and the croque madame was a grand dame of a sandwich indeed, with ham, rich sauce and an egg on top.
This sandwich looks hefty, and while I’m sure it did not help my waistline, I didn’t leave feeling overly stuffed, which was nice.
And since it’s Bourbon Heritage Month, I had to try one of St. Charles Exchange’s great bourbon cocktails. Feeling fun, I got the PB&B, which is made with peanut butter-​infused Buffalo Trace bourbon, Sprecher Puma Cola and a smoked strawberry. You could really taste the peanut butter in it, but it worked well with the bourbon. This drink was like a childhood memory, taken to an adult level.
Lounging back in the tall booths or gazing at the bar, St. Charles Exchange makes me feel like I’ve taken a trip back to the 20s perhaps. It’s a fun place to bring locals and guests.
But at the same time, the look isn’t gimmicky. It’s just sleek.
Can’t wait to go back — perhaps for dinner!

I read the reviews of this place and figured it was a must visit in Louisville. The ambiance was definitely top-​notch, better than many places I have visited in my travels. The décor was awesome including the massive entrance that house these magnificent blinds.
The selection of bourbons and whiskeys was on par with any bar that wants to house the banner for being a bar in Bourbon Country. Additionally, I visited the establishment during happy hour and a quality Old Fashioned cost $ 5. That’s solid right there.
My group enjoyed several small plate appetizers including the mussels and the deviled egg plate. These were solid dishes that I recommend but must say that the deviled egg dish was awesome creatively.
In my opinion, quality ice is often the forgotten ingredient in a cocktail. However, this place has superb square block ice in every drink.
The only negative, our bartender was really lame. Only said a handful of words to us over the 2 hours we were there. Rather disappointing but I had good company with me.

It was my 1^st visit to this location and I was a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews. I didnt know what to expect. I must say I was very happily impressed with my experience this visit and would recommend to others as well as go again sometime. It is very expensive when it is all said and done, but a place you go once in a while to celebrate something etc.
It happened to be the Saturday after Valentines Day, they still had their Valentines Menu in place for this evening and many people were there to celebrate Valentines Day. The place was packed, but the service was good considering this.
We sat at the bar 1^st to have a drink, we had the Old Fashion (was great) and Chocolate Martini (Great also). Then sat at our table and on came the food. The Devil Eggs are incredible and a neat start. I had the Qual and it was incredibly delish, wife had the petite filet/​oscar style with a crab topping she too loved it. For Dessert the Bourbon Cake and that was very delish as well.
Atmosphere was incredible, it is the oldest building in Louisville and the entire building is Brown Forman’s corporate offices with the restaurant using a small part of the bottom floor of the building.

Great atmosphere! Sophisticated and simple. I love the cocktails and the cheese board. You can’t go wrong with any of the cocktails. If you want to look like you’re really in the know, order the Swizzle. It’s no longer on the menu, but the bartenders will still make it. It’s like a layered snow cone. Delicious and beautiful.
There aren’t a lot of options for vegetarians, but the salads and sides make for a fine meal. The desserts are all made in house, so save room for them. If you’re a fan of ice cream, you’ll be a fan of this place. I tried the sweet potato ice cream on my most recent visit and it was fantastic.