The Bar Hopper: Kentucky Barbecue Co.

(Credit: Joseph Lord)

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Louisville has plenty of barbecue joints, but ask your neighbor or cubiclemate which is their favorite and you’ll be met with a quizzical look. Some are better than others, but none in Louisville are outstanding. We’re not just talking about the quality of the brisket or the zestiness of the sauce, but also the ambiance of the joint.

 For this Bar Hopper, good barbecue is defined by a barn-like restaurant in Jacksonville, Ala., with the unfortunate name Cooter Brown’s Rib Shack. Cooter Brown’s was an ideal place for a slab of ribs and an ice-cold brew, not just because the ribs were large, inexpensive and tender. It certainly wasn’t because of the limited beer selection. Cooter Brown’s was authentic — the sports memorabilia and old license plates that covered the walls were hung with not an iota of irony.

So when a barbecue restaurant took over the former Café Lou Lou space on Frankfort Avenue, my hopes were not high. Because the pursuit of authenticity always fails from the beginning. A restaurant can’t strive to look authentic — it either is or it isn’t. Kentucky Barbecue Co. doesn’t have servers in overalls. The décor is bland. It doesn’t try to be rustic, and that’s why it’s a winner. The tasty food and beer list with some 90 brews do the selling.

I sat at the bar and was taken aback by the plethora of beer options. About a dozen are served on draught and scores more are served by the bottle, and not just Budweiser or Pabst Blue Ribbon. I ordered a pint of the Hoptimus IPA produced by the New Albanian Brewing Co. It was a bit pricey at $6, but very tasty. The restaurant serves an impressive and tasty menu of appetizers: Bourbon baby-back ribs, Louisiana crawfish, sweet potato fries and more. Prices range from $4.99 to $8.99. Sandwiches are in a similar price range, and rib platters go from $14.99 to $20.99.

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