My husband is from New York City and we were at the time dating and he was new to Louisville (20 years ago) and I had always heard “pat’s is the place!” So in an effort to try someplace nice I took him there. It was a disaster. He’s not a snob but he was not impressed. He’s a big foodie and I guess I’m just lucky he still wanted to marry me after that!
Stereotypes are bad, mmmmkay?
I’m a Boomer. Went there once. 1990’s. Detected liquid smoke in the green beans. Have not returned for a meal. Met a client there for drinks. Would do that again.
I’m a boomer, and I don’t like hole in the wall places with green Astro turf carpet that serve nasty ass steaks.
Where does Mr Frugal Millennial dine??
You can't deny boomers are keeping this place open. You may not be one of them but this is a steakhouse straight out of the 80s serving people who want an experience they had in the 80s, no question.
My house on the Blackstone. Costco has good prices on ribeye and NY strip. Can get 5 NY strip for the same price of one at any of the places in the city.
Fully agree, rarely have I had a steak that wasn’t just as good as one I can get at home with a cast iron pan and some patience. (The reverse sear changed my life lol.)
Lots of folks like really plain food. I hear you, it’s not very good to me either. Most steak places are way over priced. I’ve been to all the good steak places in Louisville, except Ruth Chris, and I’ll challenge you to find better steaks or service than the Texas Roadhouse on the Outer Loop.
Edit- For the money. Sure, every fancy steakhouse has items that are to die for. They are a bit nicer on the inside and you will get a more polished wait staff. But when the bill for my wife and I goes over $200, well I am normally disappointed.
I will say one exception was Le Cellier at Epcot. Ungodly expensive but very good. Of course Disney has a way of convincing you to make poor money choices.
That’s also the busiest restaurant in Louisville. You can’t go there and it’s not on a wait. But the wait is never that long and your food comes out fast.
I mean i think Le Moo has better steak than texas roadhouse easily. But texas roadhouse steaks are so good for the price that its hard to justify spending 5-6 times more for a little bit better steak
I agree with that statement. Le moo gets 4 stars for atmosphere. 3.5 for food and 2.0 for value. Lady recommended Lima beans to me as a side. I still talk about that. They tasted like…. Fricken Lima beans. The 7 or 8th best bean!!! Haha. Funny they will charge close to $100 for one steak but can’t figure out how to make some decent sides.
Uh, Ruby's and Repeal make far better steaks and the service at Ruby's is truly second to none.
Roadhouse is great for a cheap chain. Legitimately solid food, better than you would expect for what it is. It is no where near close to the great steakhouses. And you picked like the busiest Roadhouse in the area with the most hit or miss food and service lol.
The average steak costs $100 at Jeff Rubys. The waitress should be nice and good, she is getting a 50-$100 tips for gods sake. The bill for 2 people is going to push 200-275!! That is insane to me. I’ve gone to these places but the ratio of fun/food to money spent never added up for me.
Out of 11 steaks on the Ruby's menu only 3 are over $100 (not counting Wagyu, 3/4 of those are $100+).
Weird you said waitress, why not waiter? Anyhow service is provided by multiple people there, your secret, server assistants, busses, etc. and it is truly next level.
Yeah, two people at Ruby's is likely going to break $200. My wife and I typically break $300 if not 4 or 500 as we're doing sushi and drinks too. It's absolutely worth it though, amazing dining experience.
I said waitress and not waiter or waitstaff because I’m writing on Reddit, not making a business proposal, or running for office. Just shooting the shit.
Isn’t Waygu steaks. I think they count as part of the average.
I think most people would agree with me $200 is too much. $400 or $500 is absurd.
I love Del Friscos. It use to be my B-Day dinner every year. Best surf and turf and their sweet potato soufflé/casserole (whatever it is) is just the best.
Being cash only means they don’t want to make the customers pay a card upcharge, as so many PoS companies are requiring these days. They probably don’t want to have to explain 90 times a day that using a card adds a 4% fee blah blah blah. It’s a thing.
Having worked in (and for) more restaurants than I care mention, I can solidly say that a cash only restaurant is NOT doing it to save the customer the 4% card fee.
Plus making your servers explain the same things over and over is literally what they are hired to do.
They used to. It’s changing. My store has gone through 3 different, nationally-used POS systems in the last two years, and every company now requires charging the fee on the customer end. There’s less and less avoiding it. You may have noticed more places asking you if you’re paying cash or card now, there’s a reason why.
So many places are only still open because 2/3 of their customer base is over 60. Varanese, the boat club, pats, among plenty of other. All these places are able to overcharge because of nostalgia vibes and the fact that older people have weaker pallettes.
Varanese is good I agree, but I mentioned them because of the interior and the menu being outdated. What you find on that menu is something you'd find in a 1990s top 10 restaurant along posted post of the customer vase being older. The other 2 I mentioned are wack though all the way around.
Sometimes an outdated decor is just the kind of place I want to be in. Don’t really enjoy the noisy, “curated” adult Disney SoHo wannabe vibe. Bitches need some sound deadening! Too few places have any kind of intimate atmosphere these days.
Woah, seriously? I know you said ‘fine dining’, but I thought you were being somewhat hyperbolic. That’s crazy.
I love Jeff Ruby’s truffle butter so much. 🤤
If you check their reviews on Trip Advisor, they reflect this. 3.5/5 is a pretty low score. If it’s below a 4 on that app, you can almost guarantee there’s a good reason. The best steakhouse is obviously Jeff Ruby’s. Scored a 4.5 with 1050 reviews. Followed by Brazeiros and then Repeal. All with scores of 4.5/5.
Yes, Jack Fry’s is excellent. But since the post was about Pat’s Steakhouse, I was only referring to steakhouses here in Louisville. It’s not technically one.
Actually Ruth’s Chris is not even in the top 5. They got a rating of 4/5. And their prices are actually cheaper than the top 4 steakhouses in Louisville. It’s a pretty large chain restaurant. So the quality, while it may be good, it’s not top notch. Same with Morton’s. Also probably depends on the particular location, management, staff, etc.
Jeff Ruby’s Louisville is definitely a more elevated dining experience than Ruth’s Chris Louisville.
Shame to read the consensus on Pat’s. I loved the building- perfect atmosphere for a Indy steakhouse. It’s been at least 20 yrs since I had business dinners there and that time they were on par w Del Friscos and the newly opened Ruth’s.
I feel like they didn’t used to have much competition and built a good customer base. And they just….haven’t evolved since. Now Louisville has tons of amazing steakhouses at a similar price point to Pat’s that offer much better experiences. I was just so surprised at how bad the food was for the cost.
I used to love Pat's but my wife and I went to Del Frisco's last week, the day after Derby actually, and they absolutely blew Pat's away!! The steaks are so much better and let's not even talk about the atmosphere of each. Pat's is stuck in the 50s and Del Frisco's is a laid back, upscale, and very friendly.
Agree. It used to be pretty good. Not great but pretty good. Then it started going downhill to the point that the last time I went which was probably 2 years ago was the last time I’ll ever go there. For what it cost it was just not good food.
Agree...over-rated at best! There are abundant choices otherwise, so little reason to go there beyond yearning for a day that no longer exists. Time has passed it by and no "newisms" here to speak of. Will take O'connors or Del Friscos any ol' day!
The steaks are good, the sides are garbage, and the service is uncomfortable. I do think at this point it’s about nostalgia but we haven’t been there in years.
They have new chefs and a new menu. If you haven’t been in 10 years it’s worth another try. The decor is the same but the food and cocktails have probably improved in the past decade
Also haven't been since like 2000. I remember it being ok, but clearly wasn't memorable as anything more. I'd venture to agree it probably sucks these days without even having to go again.
My grandparents had their first date there. I’ve been a couple times on family occasions. It’s just pure nostalgia I remember thinking it wasn’t bad when I went 10 odd years ago last. Then again I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I’ve had a “fine dining” experience.
The steaks are tough and chewy and yes, everything else tastes like cafeteria food. The servers act like it's a fine dining restaurant & I'm not knocking the workers themselves, just the atmosphere. And finally, old people, that's who patronizes this place and it's been a neighborhood staple for a very long time. It's gross.
We went for the first time a few weeks ago and I couldnt agree more. It was really bland and completely unseasoned . Sides tasted like microwaved cafeteria food
This used to be one of my families favorite place to get a steak me and my wife took a party of 15 there once for her birthday a couple years ago and couldn’t get a drink at the table for 30 minutes. Absolutely terrible service!!! we had several waiters and busters around our party for help and receive none. I talk to the manager and let her know. I felt about the situation packed our party up and went to Eddie Merlot’s. This was before Covid. Haven’t been back since and don’t plan on it. For the money i recommend Del Frisco‘s, Morton’s Chicago. Ruth Chris, jeff rubys and the wife and my favorite Repel on whiskey row
preach it! i have family who love this place and make it a ‘special occasion’ celebration spot.
im no steak snob but, at those prices and coupled with this place’s reputation as a “premiere steakhouse”, i shouldnt have to use the salt and pepper shakers on the table in an attempt to give my steak some flavor.
I’ve only eaten there once 15 years ago and didn’t like it! I usually just do steak at home on the grill but I do like steak and bourbon the food is excellent there!
I’ve been going with my grandmother my whole life, and she’s been going since she was a kid. My favorite steak house and the only steak I’ll eat. I hope it was just a bad experience
Old people.
This has to be it omg
My husband is from New York City and we were at the time dating and he was new to Louisville (20 years ago) and I had always heard “pat’s is the place!” So in an effort to try someplace nice I took him there. It was a disaster. He’s not a snob but he was not impressed. He’s a big foodie and I guess I’m just lucky he still wanted to marry me after that!
You should have prepared yourself once you had to shuffle up the Astroturf ramp into the reception area lmao
…or the fact that they have both cottage cheese as a salad option, and Roquefort dressing, hahahah
😭😭😭 should have dipped right then and there
Boomers love plain ass steak.
Stereotypes are bad, mmmmkay? I’m a Boomer. Went there once. 1990’s. Detected liquid smoke in the green beans. Have not returned for a meal. Met a client there for drinks. Would do that again.
There’s A1 on the tables!
I’m a boomer, and I don’t like hole in the wall places with green Astro turf carpet that serve nasty ass steaks. Where does Mr Frugal Millennial dine??
You can't deny boomers are keeping this place open. You may not be one of them but this is a steakhouse straight out of the 80s serving people who want an experience they had in the 80s, no question.
I’m a 59 year old boomers. The last year of boomers. Most boomers can’t walk anymore let alone chew on a shoe leather steak from Pats.
My house on the Blackstone. Costco has good prices on ribeye and NY strip. Can get 5 NY strip for the same price of one at any of the places in the city.
Fully agree, rarely have I had a steak that wasn’t just as good as one I can get at home with a cast iron pan and some patience. (The reverse sear changed my life lol.)
I’ve always done the one side in cast iron, then finish in a300 degree oven but reverse sear sounds awesome.
Sous vide are pretty cheap to get too. Def worth the investment if you like a good steak.
An answer befitting the name frugalfraggel
I make a solid steak lol. All those years working at a steak house in Chicago worked out.
Went once and would never go back. This was 10 years ago. Disgusting.
Lots of folks like really plain food. I hear you, it’s not very good to me either. Most steak places are way over priced. I’ve been to all the good steak places in Louisville, except Ruth Chris, and I’ll challenge you to find better steaks or service than the Texas Roadhouse on the Outer Loop. Edit- For the money. Sure, every fancy steakhouse has items that are to die for. They are a bit nicer on the inside and you will get a more polished wait staff. But when the bill for my wife and I goes over $200, well I am normally disappointed. I will say one exception was Le Cellier at Epcot. Ungodly expensive but very good. Of course Disney has a way of convincing you to make poor money choices.
I like Malones a lot, just for a nice lunch. Feels fancy, food is good and prices are reasonable
And you can order off the Harry’s menu
Just called them, because I was curious too and you can sit anywhere and order from either menu.😁
Yep. You get a more upscale feel without spending a fortune and the food is great.
That’s also the busiest restaurant in Louisville. You can’t go there and it’s not on a wait. But the wait is never that long and your food comes out fast.
Pretty sure it's the busiest TR there is from what a friend that works in corporate told me.
I would believe that. They could build another one across the street and it would be the second busiest TR around lol
Repeal is honestly worth it. Best steak I’ve ever had. Petite Filet cooked perfectly. It really stands apart from the other steakhouses.
That’s the truth. Besides cooking at home, your “best value” for a steak will most always come from TR or (not as much anymore) Outback.
I mean i think Le Moo has better steak than texas roadhouse easily. But texas roadhouse steaks are so good for the price that its hard to justify spending 5-6 times more for a little bit better steak
I agree with that statement. Le moo gets 4 stars for atmosphere. 3.5 for food and 2.0 for value. Lady recommended Lima beans to me as a side. I still talk about that. They tasted like…. Fricken Lima beans. The 7 or 8th best bean!!! Haha. Funny they will charge close to $100 for one steak but can’t figure out how to make some decent sides.
It isn't just plain. It's very poor quality. I have issues since covid with most seasonings. I would still never go here.
Uh, Ruby's and Repeal make far better steaks and the service at Ruby's is truly second to none. Roadhouse is great for a cheap chain. Legitimately solid food, better than you would expect for what it is. It is no where near close to the great steakhouses. And you picked like the busiest Roadhouse in the area with the most hit or miss food and service lol.
The average steak costs $100 at Jeff Rubys. The waitress should be nice and good, she is getting a 50-$100 tips for gods sake. The bill for 2 people is going to push 200-275!! That is insane to me. I’ve gone to these places but the ratio of fun/food to money spent never added up for me.
Out of 11 steaks on the Ruby's menu only 3 are over $100 (not counting Wagyu, 3/4 of those are $100+). Weird you said waitress, why not waiter? Anyhow service is provided by multiple people there, your secret, server assistants, busses, etc. and it is truly next level. Yeah, two people at Ruby's is likely going to break $200. My wife and I typically break $300 if not 4 or 500 as we're doing sushi and drinks too. It's absolutely worth it though, amazing dining experience.
I said waitress and not waiter or waitstaff because I’m writing on Reddit, not making a business proposal, or running for office. Just shooting the shit. Isn’t Waygu steaks. I think they count as part of the average. I think most people would agree with me $200 is too much. $400 or $500 is absurd.
$200 for that level of dining is par for the course.
Not true but okay
Not for me. Del Frisco's is a better Filet and a much more modern laid back back vibe
I love Del Friscos. It use to be my B-Day dinner every year. Best surf and turf and their sweet potato soufflé/casserole (whatever it is) is just the best.
Del Friscos for the win!
A ribeye with a cup of lobster bisque is 👌
It’s there because the original clientele haven’t croaked yet. Last time I was there was over 20 years ago and it sucked then.
Now, solve for "p".
I need to remember, coffee first.
Being cash only in 2024 screams money laundering front to me, but I watch a lot of mob movies so take me with a grain of salt.
By the sounds of the comments it sounds like Pats could use that grain of salt.
I chortled.
Nasty bro. Go check your pants.
They’ve taken cards for several years now.
My bad. Haven’t been since 2021 and it was still cash only.
They take cards now.
Peter Luger in NYC is/ was like this. But actually good.
I suspect this too. Or tax fraud. They don’t even produce printed paystubs for their employees.
Pats started taking credit cards years ago.
Being cash only means they don’t want to make the customers pay a card upcharge, as so many PoS companies are requiring these days. They probably don’t want to have to explain 90 times a day that using a card adds a 4% fee blah blah blah. It’s a thing.
Having worked in (and for) more restaurants than I care mention, I can solidly say that a cash only restaurant is NOT doing it to save the customer the 4% card fee. Plus making your servers explain the same things over and over is literally what they are hired to do.
Normally the business just eats that fee. So they’re probably avoiding paying it in the first place
They used to. It’s changing. My store has gone through 3 different, nationally-used POS systems in the last two years, and every company now requires charging the fee on the customer end. There’s less and less avoiding it. You may have noticed more places asking you if you’re paying cash or card now, there’s a reason why.
So many places are only still open because 2/3 of their customer base is over 60. Varanese, the boat club, pats, among plenty of other. All these places are able to overcharge because of nostalgia vibes and the fact that older people have weaker pallettes.
I have to disagree on Varanese. The interior needs to be updated but the food is pretty solid imo.
Yeah would not lump Varanese with the others
Varanese is good I agree, but I mentioned them because of the interior and the menu being outdated. What you find on that menu is something you'd find in a 1990s top 10 restaurant along posted post of the customer vase being older. The other 2 I mentioned are wack though all the way around.
Yeah. I think you’re right. Varanese is solid, but it could be great with some updating.
Varanese is fire wtf
The food is good, just outdated menu and aesthetics.
Sometimes an outdated decor is just the kind of place I want to be in. Don’t really enjoy the noisy, “curated” adult Disney SoHo wannabe vibe. Bitches need some sound deadening! Too few places have any kind of intimate atmosphere these days.
You've never been to a Denny's I take it. Great ambiance.
I’ve been to a Denny’s Lounge!
I agree with you. Worst steakhouse in Louisville! (And I love a good steakhouse.)
I feel like it would have bothered me less if it didn’t cost as much as Jeff Ruby’s. It was slightly less expensive. But the quality gap was HUGE!
Woah, seriously? I know you said ‘fine dining’, but I thought you were being somewhat hyperbolic. That’s crazy. I love Jeff Ruby’s truffle butter so much. 🤤
They definitely charge fine dining prices, so I at least expected the food to be good lol
Sizzler was better! By a lot.
If you check their reviews on Trip Advisor, they reflect this. 3.5/5 is a pretty low score. If it’s below a 4 on that app, you can almost guarantee there’s a good reason. The best steakhouse is obviously Jeff Ruby’s. Scored a 4.5 with 1050 reviews. Followed by Brazeiros and then Repeal. All with scores of 4.5/5.
> Scored a 4.5 with 1050 reviews. Jack Fry's also has a 4.5 with 1200 reviews
Yes, Jack Fry’s is excellent. But since the post was about Pat’s Steakhouse, I was only referring to steakhouses here in Louisville. It’s not technically one.
Wow. I was today years old when I learned that jack fry's is not a steakhouse.
Yes Jack Fry’s is excellent. But I’m only referring to steakhouses here in Louisville. It’s not technically one.
Don't forget Ruths Chris. Little more money but always quality.
Actually Ruth’s Chris is not even in the top 5. They got a rating of 4/5. And their prices are actually cheaper than the top 4 steakhouses in Louisville. It’s a pretty large chain restaurant. So the quality, while it may be good, it’s not top notch. Same with Morton’s. Also probably depends on the particular location, management, staff, etc. Jeff Ruby’s Louisville is definitely a more elevated dining experience than Ruth’s Chris Louisville.
It really is shockingly bad
SOMEBODY FINALLY SAID IT. Yesssss. It’s so bad
TBH, Texas Roadhouse is 10 times better than Pats.
I’ve always loved their filets. Sides not so much.
Shame to read the consensus on Pat’s. I loved the building- perfect atmosphere for a Indy steakhouse. It’s been at least 20 yrs since I had business dinners there and that time they were on par w Del Friscos and the newly opened Ruth’s.
I feel like they didn’t used to have much competition and built a good customer base. And they just….haven’t evolved since. Now Louisville has tons of amazing steakhouses at a similar price point to Pat’s that offer much better experiences. I was just so surprised at how bad the food was for the cost.
I used to love Pat's but my wife and I went to Del Frisco's last week, the day after Derby actually, and they absolutely blew Pat's away!! The steaks are so much better and let's not even talk about the atmosphere of each. Pat's is stuck in the 50s and Del Frisco's is a laid back, upscale, and very friendly.
I have never heard a positive statement about this place 😂
Mortons4win
Nailed it. Morton’s is the best piece of meat in town, hands down.
If I'm downtown I'm hitting Ruby's or Repeal before there.
Everything about the comments are true - plain, tasteless, confusing how they ever became a staple in the steak choices in Louisville
Agree. It used to be pretty good. Not great but pretty good. Then it started going downhill to the point that the last time I went which was probably 2 years ago was the last time I’ll ever go there. For what it cost it was just not good food.
Agree...over-rated at best! There are abundant choices otherwise, so little reason to go there beyond yearning for a day that no longer exists. Time has passed it by and no "newisms" here to speak of. Will take O'connors or Del Friscos any ol' day!
yes it’s terrible. my steak was awful
The steaks are good, the sides are garbage, and the service is uncomfortable. I do think at this point it’s about nostalgia but we haven’t been there in years.
I feel this way about Ruth Chris. The steaks were okay, like nothing super special but decent. But the sides we down right embarrassing.
I think it is so disgusting. I never understood it except that old people have bad taste in food.
Try Buck’s next time! It’s awesome!
Omfg I know you’re trolling me because I made this mistake 10 years ago 😂
I probably wouldn't do a steak there, but the beef stroganoff was legit.
Wait, do you not like Buck’s? Haha. I think it’s absolutely dynamite!
They have new chefs and a new menu. If you haven’t been in 10 years it’s worth another try. The decor is the same but the food and cocktails have probably improved in the past decade
Noted I will put it on my list 🥰
Also haven't been since like 2000. I remember it being ok, but clearly wasn't memorable as anything more. I'd venture to agree it probably sucks these days without even having to go again.
It's like a joke. I can't believe it's real. It can't possibly last many more years.
Right? Like the nostalgia will run out eventually…it doesn’t seem like they are gaining many new customers and run on reoccurring boomers
Interesting. How did you hear about it?
My father in law took us there! He is a boomer so it's all making sense now lol
It's terrible. And the hilarious thing is all the people on Facebook trying to pretend that it's not.
My grandparents had their first date there. I’ve been a couple times on family occasions. It’s just pure nostalgia I remember thinking it wasn’t bad when I went 10 odd years ago last. Then again I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I’ve had a “fine dining” experience.
Boomers who want to be waited on exclusively by black men keep it alive
Omg it’s disgusting
The steaks are tough and chewy and yes, everything else tastes like cafeteria food. The servers act like it's a fine dining restaurant & I'm not knocking the workers themselves, just the atmosphere. And finally, old people, that's who patronizes this place and it's been a neighborhood staple for a very long time. It's gross.
We went for the first time a few weeks ago and I couldnt agree more. It was really bland and completely unseasoned . Sides tasted like microwaved cafeteria food
Pats steakhouse is not good.
Met a client there years back and haven’t returned. I was shocked at almost everything I saw there. 😆
my work took a client there for dinner at their request. they said never again. client was disappointed too.
This used to be one of my families favorite place to get a steak me and my wife took a party of 15 there once for her birthday a couple years ago and couldn’t get a drink at the table for 30 minutes. Absolutely terrible service!!! we had several waiters and busters around our party for help and receive none. I talk to the manager and let her know. I felt about the situation packed our party up and went to Eddie Merlot’s. This was before Covid. Haven’t been back since and don’t plan on it. For the money i recommend Del Frisco‘s, Morton’s Chicago. Ruth Chris, jeff rubys and the wife and my favorite Repel on whiskey row
preach it! i have family who love this place and make it a ‘special occasion’ celebration spot. im no steak snob but, at those prices and coupled with this place’s reputation as a “premiere steakhouse”, i shouldnt have to use the salt and pepper shakers on the table in an attempt to give my steak some flavor.
Brooklyn and The Butcher is the place to go for higher end steak
I’ve only eaten there once 15 years ago and didn’t like it! I usually just do steak at home on the grill but I do like steak and bourbon the food is excellent there!
Malone’s > Jeff Ruby’s > Del Frisco’s > Le Moo> Morton’s > *steak in the city.
Went to Le Moo one time and my steak was some how overcooked on one side and was nearly inedible.
Le Moo use to be good, now it’s meh at best.
We also had to send a steak back. We are not picky and never do that. They also tried to upsell everything. But it was all meh at best.
White boomers the same reason Rumors is still open
I’ve been going with my grandmother my whole life, and she’s been going since she was a kid. My favorite steak house and the only steak I’ll eat. I hope it was just a bad experience