City: Louisville, KY

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (502) 568-9009

Address: 446 South Fourth St.

Description: When the Fourth Street Live! entertainment district had its grand opening in October 2004, the Maker’s Mark Bourbon House & Lounge was one of the first businesses to participate in the revitalization of downtown Louisville. An impressive 57-foot-long wooden bar outlined in marble, chic furnishings, and customized art-glass fixtures hinted at good things to come. Today, this upscale eatery is going strong, attracting a faithful clientele of locals and out-of-towners alike. It’s also a popular stop along the Urban Bourbon Trail, a collection of Louisville establishments that promotes the state’s rich distilling heritage while serving Kentucky bourbon and bourbon-based products. In addition to numerous bourbon cocktails and more than 60 bourbons available at the bar, guests can sample a wide variety of dishes from seasonal menus that make the most of local products. Appetizer selections might include items such as the canapé Lucile with homemade lamb sausage, muenster cheese, micro greens, and Dijon bourbon mustard, or the rock shrimp popcorn, shrimp that is marinated in bourbon buttermilk, deep-fried, and served with bourbon mustard aioli and sweet chili sauce.