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Bootleg Bar-B-Q & Catering Bootleg BarBQ is run the old fashioned way - built from the ground up, and operated by the two owners. They don't sit back and let the employees do all the work - they are there - answering your calls, taking your orders, cooking, catering, driving, cleaning, repairing whatever requirements repairs at anytime.
Reviews (29)
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Robin S.
Jun 24, 2022
Order ahead and pick up. Dine in or sit outside. Food is always great and staff always friendly. I have ordered dinner for my family or a quick hotdog for myself. Always hot and delicious. When we ordered bulk/catering for wings.they were hot when I picked them up and a crowd pleaser. If cobbler (peach) is available.try it.
Adam Bachmann
Jun 09, 2022
Local. Friendly staff. Great pricing. good serving size. Plenty of seating. Many great food options. Every time I've been there, the staff remember us and greet us with smiles. Tried something new each time I've been there and am not disappointed. Several times I've eaten there and had enough to bring home for a second meal. Bonus!
Amanda M.
Jun 05, 2022
Thumbs down! Would never return! Got the brisket family pack. Wasn't impressed at all! Will go back to city barbeque or the other chain spots. It's atleast worth my money.
Lindie H.
May 27, 2022
Chicken was great. Tried multiple different sides with my kids. Had baby back ribs. Great taste, but over cooked. Loved the cabbage, baked beans, Mac and cheese, and green beans. Cobble has a great taste just small portions for price. Overall would still highly recommend this place!
James O.
May 20, 2022
They are fantastic, they have catered our Thanksgiving dinner for the last 5 years! I cannot remember ever having a bad experience with them or their food.
Sean W.
May 14, 2022
Very bland. Way over priced. Nothing special about this place. Still not allowing people inside to eat.
Jennifer Carver
May 13, 2022
Just tried this place for the first time today and it was absolutely amazing! The food here doesn't disappoint in any shape or form, just all delicious! The staff was very friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was pleasant and very clean! I enjoyed it so much! We will definitely be going there more often!
T. J. Hart
May 08, 2022
Came for the mutton and burgu and can't say I was disappointed. Never tried bbq mutton before and don't have anything to compare it to but it was darn tasty. More places need to have it on menu. Burgo was good and Mac and cheese was creamy. Bread pudding was amazing. The only thing missing is I didn't taste much smoke in the meat.
Hermina Waddell-Roberts
May 08, 2022
Tried this place for the first time on Mother's Day with the family. I had a taste for brisket and was sorely disappointed in what I received. The sandwich came already sauced which indicates to me there was something to hide! After biting in to the sandwich I couldn't taste any of the pit or smoked flavor I was hoping for and always enjoy when I eat brisket.

My sides were Mac & cheese and baked beans. The noodles were way too mushy and tasteless. The baked beans were slightly better but rather runny. The baby back ribs were virtually meatless and not very filling for my teen daughter. My husband didn't eat very much of his brisket sandwich either and left his sides. The red beans and rice wasn't tasty at all but the green beans were so so. Told management and they asserted it's the same food they've served since 1991. Didn't ask for our money back but reassured them we won't return!
Martin Fawbush
Apr 27, 2022
The food is always delicious. They cater, offer carry out, and now opened a dine in option. You can get all the regular BBQ food, but they also offer vegetarian options.
Sean F.
Apr 12, 2022
Bootleg is a good local Restuarant with some of my favorite food. They have delicious sides as well. The potato salad, ribs, brisket (ask for without sauce) and pulled pork are some of the best. I always recall good service from the counter too. It can sometimes be slow getting your food and sometimes the sides and dessert portions leave you wanting for more. But it is worth a try!
Lynn Lewis
Apr 05, 2022
Oh my goodness, gotta love me some Bootleg BBQ, I said to my momma and at that moment, her voice took on a sound of excitement."would you like some Bootleg momma?". Pleasantly surprised to see a complete makeover of this restaurant located just north of Mt Washington, Ky off Bardstown Rd. Ordered pulled chicken BBQ, potato salad, a slice of butter cream pie and bread pudding. Last night, momma and myself enjoyed your delightful food, leading to a pleasant visit. Thank you!
Anthony M.
Apr 02, 2022
Great food. Sticky wings are awesome. Potato salad is the best. We usually get take out but they do have dine in.
Cindy H.
Mar 29, 2022
Definitely glad we came back here. The food was delicious and the new building is big, fun and inviting. I've had the smoked chicken twice now and it was so good I got the half chicken just for myself. Well seasoned and a good smoke flavor throughout the meat. My hubby got the beef brisket sandwich and it was a nice pile of smoked meat that was tender and flavorful. The baked beans were thick and rich. We went at lunchtime so the self service was quick and food was well presented.
Anita Higdon
Feb 19, 2022
Bootleg is hands down an all time favorite of mine and probably everyone else's. The food is always delicious, unbelievably priced and it's consistent; you can't say that, unfortunately, for most eateries. I had the pulled pork sandwich and my friend had the brisket sandwich. He also ordered twice baked potatoes and oh! my! I would highly recommend trying them. Next time I'm getting the bread pudding with honey and bourbon. Yum!
Keith R.
Feb 11, 2022
The food is great. They've kept the dining area closed for an extended period of time. This would be five stars if they would reopen inside dining. It is a long walk to the outdoor dining area.
Weston Anderson
Feb 08, 2022
Great ribs. Fall off the bone. The mild sauce was underwhelming but quality of the meat was good. Was unaware the dining room was close as I arrived but ordered at the front and got my food within 5-10 minutes. Really impressed!
Abbee
Feb 04, 2022
Near and dear picked this out because he wanted to try the mutton. Spoiler! It was really good! We called ahead to make sure they had outdoor dining and if it was dog friendly. Yes to both! They have a very nice outdoor dining area. The young lady that took my order was very friendly and answered all my questions. It didn't take long for them to bring out our order.

I ordered the Big Nasty with brisket on a whim. I had never seen anything like it and was really glad I did. The other winners were the mutton, Kentucky burgoo and the cactus salad. Everything was good but those are on the definitely want that again. We're looking forward to coming back.
Vicki M.
Jan 24, 2022
Best BBQ in town, IMO, hands down! Great potato salad and coleslaw second to none. Love this place!
Janet Bogard
Jan 17, 2022
Its was ok not worth the $18.00 the ribs were just ok the potatoe salad & baked beans had way too much onion the best thing was the little cup of mild bbq sauce Disappointment!
Melinda J.
Jan 11, 2022
This is my favorite BBQ joint in the Louisville area and I know my BBQ. My go to is the Smoked whole chicken family pack. They use a dry rub for the chicken which is what I prefer. I hate it when places slather smoked meat with sauce. If the place does it right you do not need sauce because the rub has the flavor. Plus I hate sticky fingers. This is Bootleg in a nut shell.

The rub is stellar. The chicken is always so moist with a crispy and flavorful skin. We always get the green beans and Burgoo. The green beans is southern style and has a nice subtle flavor. I can live on these green beans. The burgoo has a nice meaty flavor packed with veggies. Thick enough to use a roll instead of a spoon. My second go to was the rib tips.

If they still carry it, get an order, it does not disappoint. Again dry rub and the meat just falls apart. My only complaint is that they have not opened a second location closer to my house on the opposite side of Bardstown Rd. They used to have one on Preston but I'm assuming they sold it as it has a different name now. I worked here as a teenager when they were nothing more than a shack when they first opened. I have been a fan since. Quality bbq.
Raj D.
Oct 24, 2021
Place looks like it's earned a lot of fame over the years. I'd take my review with a grain of salt as I only had the mutton and vegan barbecue options and I'm sure their beef tastes a lot better. They'd also run out of their smoked chicken and ribs. Hate to be coming down from a big city and judging it harshly but just wasn't my kind of meal. Mac and cheese was a little over cooked and flavorless. Mutton barbecue tasted a heavy and the cactus salad was flavorless. Recommend the ale 8 cola and pretty good Carolina style mustard barbecue sauce.
Glenda R.
Oct 22, 2021
Haven't eaten at the actual restaurant yet but had party catering several times. Their pulled pork and chicken bbq is always a hit but their WINGS are to die for.
Steve B.
Aug 19, 2021
Made a special trip down here because I heard others in the past talk about how good it was. It was fine but there are many other BBQ places nearer to me that are much better in my opinion. They also mention that they are 'Louisville's only authentic BBQ restaurant' which I'm not sure I understand. What makes it 'authentic' and the other dozen or so BBQ joints in Louisville not 'authentic'? Seems like a presumptuous statement to me. Anyway, the food was very good.

I had a brisket sandwich with two sides: green beans (good but nothing special) and 'cactus coleslaw' which was really interesting and unique. The sandwich was very flavorful if on the smallish side. I went in the mid afternoon and was a little surprised to see only one car in the whole (large) parking lot. I assumed they were closed but after driving that far I double-checked and they were indeed open.

One guy was waiting for a take-out order and I had to ask if the dining room was open as nobody was there. It was open. When I walked in, it was at first a little confusing to know where to go and what to do as big 'curtains' of clear plastic going up to the ceiling separate you from the staff at the order counter and everyone was masked up.

No doubt they are taking plenty of precautions but it feels a bit excessive and off-putting and a little intimidating. Whatever charm the restaurant's interior has is completely negated by the hard-line precautionary measures. especially when most other places are way more relaxed. I'm sure there are people who appreciate the draconian stance but if I want to feel like I'm eating in a medical facility, I'll go to the hospital cafeteria. Value is pretty good but I suppose. if you live nearby. It's at least in line with other BBQ joints. Good food and nice folks though, but not worth the trip for me.
Holly T.
Apr 30, 2021
After a walk at Broad Run park on a beautiful day, we decided we wanted to have dinner on a patio and Bootleg was near by with outdoor seating. Little did we know, before pulling up to the restaurant, that they were closed to dining and were only doing carry-out. We decided to place our carry-out order over the phone but still sit in their outdoor seating area.

We let them know we were sitting outside. The food was ready VERY quickly (we were all shocked) and they brought it out to the picnic table where we were seated. I ordered the pulled turkey sandwich with 2 sides: green beans and mashed potatoes/gravy. I advised that they could hold the bun because I like to eat my BBQ with a fork but they gave me the bun anyhow so I had half the bun as "bread" for the meal as one might have with their dinner.

The turkey was a small serving, probably because it was a perfect amount for a sandwich; however, it ended up being enough for me with having the sides. The greens beans and potatoes were great! My group also ordered a couple quarter chickens and the pork chop meal. sides included a couple giant baked potatoes (which were definitely that, giant) and mac & cheese. Everyone seemed overall happy with their food.
Troy K.
Mar 07, 2021
Great little hidden gem for BBQ in Louisville. A little out of the way but that adds to the charm. We normally get the family meal pack. Easily feeds 4 for around $20. The smoked bratwurst is an awesome snack to eat on the way home. The pulled pork is awesome. Unbelievable potato salad!
Cary M.
Jan 13, 2021
The brisket was decent. The coleslaw was bland and boring. My wife had to add vinegar and sugar to make it good. The macaroni was no big deal. I made better from Kroger. Too far from my house. I only went there because I had a free gift certificate.
Britany J.
Apr 07, 2020
I ordered the 4lb sticky hot wings and when I say these wings are so delicious and addictive. I did a carry out order. If you plan on ordering wings, they tell you to call three hours before the time that you need them. The wings are hot when you pick them up. The 4lb of sticky wings has approximately 50 wings. The wings are smoked and sticky. You don't need no sauce on them whatever seasoning that they use is very good.
Bianca P.
May 10, 2019
This was my first visit to Bootleg since the remodel and wow, the change is dramatic. They have a real restaurant now with air conditioning and everything! Bootleg has always been a counter service place, so that hasn't changed, and, as far as I can tell, neither has the menu. We called ahead and ordered 25 wings, plus a half chicken, sandwich, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese when we got there. The wings were good, the chicken was solid and so were the sides. Is it the best barbecue in the area? Probably not. Is it worth a try? Absolutely.