Some of our guests come for the bourbon. Others come for the architecture and history that surrounds you in Old Louisville. Some hope for the mystery of an old spirit or ghost who might still linger in the darkness. When you step inside the Louisville Bourbon Inn, it’s not difficult to imagine you’ve been transported back in time to another era, because you can feel the history and sense the mystery all around you.
If you have a free evening and you want a similar experience outside of Old Louisville that adds the thrill of doing something illegal, take a step back in time to the Prohibition era. It’s a time when you could buy an exquisitely-crafted cocktail and sip it in a dark corner of a clandestine underground bar with a secret entrance. Everyone knew these bars existed, but nobody talked about them. You can experience this history, mystery and thrill of the illicit by visiting Louisville’s speakeasy bars and clubs. Here are a few suggestions:
- At the Omni Hotel, look for a photo mural of a woman making a “shush” gesture and you’ll find the secret entrance to a hidden 1920s-style cocktail lounge and bowling alley called 𝑷𝒊𝒏 + 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒇. Enjoy a specialty cocktail and a “light bite.”
- At the Hotel Genevieve, the 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒚 is a speakeasy that’s tucked into a hidden location within the hotel. If you’re fortunate enough to find it, they serve cocktails and bar snacks from 6 pm to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, and until 2 am on Friday and Saturday.
- In the basement of the Grady Hotel, you can find a speakeasy for the thirsty and the curious called the 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒏. It features local bourbons and Kentucky-inspired small plates.
- Through a hidden entrance on Whiskey Alley, you’ll find a speakeasy with a two-story library called 𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒓 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓. You will need a reservation that’s good for a maximum of two hours in this upscale club.. It features live jazz every Thursday, an extensive Bourbon list, and specialty cocktails such as 𝑆𝑖𝑙𝑘 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 and 𝑂𝑜ℎ 𝐿𝑎 𝐿𝑎.
- When you see 100 bottles of whiskey, you will know you’ve discovered 𝑮𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒆’𝒔 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝑩𝒂𝒓 located underground in the Nulu Marketplace. This speakeasy is only open to the public on Friday and Saturday, and features decadent cocktails and specialty pours of bourbon.
Leave your car at the Inn and catch an Uber or Lyft to enjoy an evening at Louisville’s speakeasy bars. It’s a little out of the ordinary, which makes it even more fun and memorable, whether you’re a history buff or a cocktail enthusiast.
Check out the Press Room on our website for magazine articles that talk more about Louisville’s speakeasy bars and tasting rooms. They also happen to recommend the Louisville Bourbon Inn as the best bed and breakfast for your next trip to Bourbon Country!
