I went down to Maker's Bark Bar at 4th Street Live in Louisville tonight. They were doing a pre-Father's Day night with Julian and Preston Van Winkle and Jimmy and Eddie Russell serving as bar tenders and giving away Pappy Van Winkle Cigars and Wild Turkey old fashioned glasses. I even got Jimmy, Eddie, Julian and Preston to autograph my glass for me!
The bar is very nice with a decent selection of bourbons. It is very trendy and very loud. That is the one thing I had against it was that it was hard to hold a conversation because of the noise at the bar. It may have been better if I had went to a table, but the fun was at the bar.
The bourbons are served in Reidel glasses which are good - better than what you will get at most bars - but I like the Glencairn glasses at the Bourbon's Bistro better. The food prices were a bit higher as well with most food being in the $20.00 to $40.00 range. The food was good - I had the duck with rice and a spicy peanut sauce. The bartenders are all very well informed and one is even keeping a note book and asking some very good questions to people like the Russells and the Van Winkles to get her facts straight about the products and its history. She kept me there with questions about an hour after I had planned on leaving.
The Maker's Mark Bar will appeal to people looking for a night spot and it is next to the Hard Rock Cafe and several other dance clubs at 4th Street LIve. I will go back with out of town guest and if they have another night like tonight with distillery people. It is upscale and trendy and should do well actracting the younger crowd who want to see and be seen, but an old fart like myself really prefers something a little quieter for everyday drinking.
Mike Veach