The Irish Rover

The Irish RoverThe Irish Rover
The Irish RoverThe Irish Rover
Bar, Eatery

2319 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, Kentucky, 40206-2409
United States

(502) 899-3544 | map
theirishroverky.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.2
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
18
pDev:
7.38%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of West_Chester_Ale_Tester
Reviewed by West_Chester_Ale_Tester from Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -14.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.25 | food: 3.5
A nice enough Irish pub, filled with all the things Americans think they have in Ireland. The beer selection isn't great and neither is the food. I'm sure the locals love it, but it's just not for me.
Dec 16, 2019
Photo of jakestuart303
Rated by jakestuart303

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Love this old style Irish Pub. Great food and libations. A must on the Louisville eatery tour.
Dec 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by syudewitz from Florida

Jun 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by ADTaber from South Carolina

Jun 02, 2015
 
Rated: 4.2 by unimatrix1 from Indiana

Jan 24, 2015
Photo of KornWallace
Reviewed by KornWallace from New York

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
It's been a while since I was last in Louisville but The Rover was my favorite haunt while I was there.

They have a decent bottle selection and their taps rotated frequently. The food was okay but nothing to write home about. Sometimes it was hit or miss. I'd try the lamb burger though.

They always had a friendly waitstaff and bartenders. The owner was frequently available to chit chat with and talk O'Hara's versus Guinness.

The decor was never anything special but the beers and the staff was always what did it for me.

The pricing was reasonable as well.
Aug 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.4 by Buschyfor3 from Kentucky

Aug 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Nolen12 from Kentucky

Aug 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by gspeicher from Kentucky

Jun 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by mrfrancis from Kentucky

May 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by OldeSchool from Florida

May 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by threedaggers from Kentucky

Jan 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by cwd from Kentucky

Nov 23, 2013
Photo of Bourbon
Reviewed by Bourbon from Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 5
Before I start raving about this place, I will say that if you want to be blown away by a beer selection, this is not the place. That alone stands in front of it getting a perfect score.

On the subject of its' beer selection, it touts every major Irish beer I've ever known, the standard macros and a singular contribution: a local brew designed for this place, the Irish Rover Red. That brew alone bumps up the score for me.

I dare say that from the time I set foot in the Irish Rover, I feel like a guest. Courteous and attentive waitstaff, an atmosphere that feels "at home" without feeling "lived in." Food drawn from authentic Irish fare exceptionally well done. A pleasure and a treat to visit.

If you find yourself in the area, you should do yourself a favor and stop in.
Sep 23, 2010
Photo of Cresant
Reviewed by Cresant from Kentucky

3.88/5  rDev -7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4.5
The owner Michael Reidy is from County Clare, Ireland and this is as close as you'll get to a real Irish pub in Louisville. The restaurant is comprised of three large rooms. The bar area is cozy and darker than the other two rooms with a long bar and about five dark green wooden booths. The unobtrusive TV will likely be playing football (the European type). The other two rooms have tall ceilings and bright walls which are adorned with photos from the owner's childhood and of Irish writers, etc. Booths are available in the rear room also (in addition to the large sturdy tables). Four or five tables are available outside close to Frankfort Ave.

The staff are friendly and competent. This is a restaurant more than a beer bar. They do have a full service bar with 5-6 beer-taps but they are more mainstream and the unifying theme is Ireland. You can get a fine Fuller's ESB, Tennent's lager, Smithwick's, Boddington's, Harp, or the expected Guinness. Also they usually have a tap of something from the local Bluegrass Brewing Co.

Several bottled beers are available: Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, Anderson Valley Hop Ottin', Theakston Old Peculiar, Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, and MacEwan's Scotch Ale. A broad selection of Irish Whisky's and Kentucky Bourbons are also available.

The food is very good pub grub. Check out their website for the menu "theirishroverky". Fish and chips and the veggie sandwich are favorites. The thick fries are very tasty and the sandwichs seem to be made with bread sliced lengthwise from the homemade sourdough loaf--They are large! I always end up taking half of the sandwich home (lunch the next day!).

A very casual and comfortable place. You will see families with children, people of all ages, and regulars bellied up to the bar. A nice mix that works.
Dec 03, 2006
Photo of cameraman
Reviewed by cameraman from Kentucky

4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
The Rover is as close as you can get to an Irish pub in the states. The beer list is standard for irish pubs, guinness, etc. The food is what makes this place authentic for me, fish and chips, cottage pie, leak potato soup. Having one of those entres and a pint of guinness, man my day got so much better. The atmosphere is what brings it together, it feels very quaint and cozy, in the winter there is fire in the harth. The only down fall is possibly the hours, they do close at 11pm, and are closed on Sundays. But, if you are in Louisville and are craving some Irish grub go to the Rover.
Jul 15, 2006
Photo of Opethsprite
Reviewed by Opethsprite from Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
There's nothing quite like a visit to the Irish Rover with some close friends on a dark winter's eve. This place exudes a friendly, inclusice, and cheerful atmosphere with a certain playful (beer induced?) boisterousness. The lovely old building is decorated with pictures of Irish natives and the countryside to give a certain feeling of being at some beer hall in Ireland.

The food is quite delicious (Bangers and Mash, the Irish Club, and the Veggie Sandwich being favorites of my mates), and any enthusiast will want to save room for the Chocolate Guiness Cake!

The selection at the bar has enough variety to please many different tastes. Various imports from Irish macros (and micros) decorate the bar top, as do several other forms of alcohol.

The staff is friendly, and the place seems relatively well-kept in general. If you're in the area, you should definitely pay a visit!
Nov 30, 2004
Photo of oreilly
Reviewed by oreilly from Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +10.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
The Irish Rover is truly a sampling of Ireland in America. It honestly doesn't get any better than this, at least not on this side of The Pond. They are locally known for their exceptional beer battered fish and chips served with dill mayonnaise and lemon. I personally order their smoked salmon salad and their Dublin salmon dishes quite often. Both are very good. The black and tans are made with Guinness and Fuller's, which makes them a little more stout than average. When you are at The Rover, you feel like you're in Ireland, either at a neighborhood Irish pub or in an Irish family's house. If you happen to stop by, tell them O'Reilly sent you. If you plan in advance to stop by, then drop me a message and I'll meet you there.
Mar 12, 2003
The Irish Rover in Louisville, KY
Place rating: 4.2 out of 5 with 18 ratings