Great metro feel with a small town attitude. Great bar, great cocktails, menu is fresh, local, always changing. Love this place.
(5)
Heather F.
Great atmosphere, great drinks, great food, great service. The owner is always there, and helps give the restaurant a true "neighborhood" feel. We frequent the Empire regularly and are never disappointed.
(5)
Justin V.
This use to be our favorite spot in Louisville, and we have eaten there 9 or 10 times this year. The food can be great and we usually have great service. But tonight we were shocked. We had one of those nights were many things went wrong. We got the scene that they were having a "kitchen issue". In summary, we had to ask 3 times to get bread(and got 2 slices for a 4 top), our meals took forever, 3 out of the 4 items we ordered were wrong(my entree never came), and them my drink was spilled and we were charged for the replacement. But, what really upset us was the manager totally ignored us. I hope the Empire hasn't gotten so successful that they no longer feel they have to care about their customers. I hope this was an isolated night.
(2)
Mike J.
Man this place hits the spot in Louisville. It's just what we needed. I don't think the decor could get any better. I love it. You instantly feel at ease and comfortable in this place. It's modern, yet extremely inviting and warm. I love the use of local ingredients too. Good job chef. The food seems to have improved. When it first opened the menu was all over the place and while creative, it was the opposite of being hard to decide because of so many good options. There were no single options that grabbed you. Everything was just a bit too creative if you know what I mean. Like a basic chicken dished marred by some outlandish sauce, etc. Also my wife doesn't eat pork and the menu was covered in bacon and pork products (which of course I can never get enough of). Also, fair warning, if you get the gnocci it's not what you think. It's three huge piece of potato pasta, not a bowl full of little ones. It's delicious though. Anyway, the menu is a lot more welcoming to the average diner now, but still has creative touches and elegance. The beef short ribs are outstanding and fall off the bone. The gruyere souflee appetizer gets rave reviews, although it's a bit too rich for me. I hold back the 5th star just because I feel the menu could improve a bit. Outside of a the beef short-rib appetizer there are no dishes that I've had that really satisfy. My wife has gotten a few "eh" dishes too. It's also slightly on the pricey side for the quality. The empire is a great local joint for Louisville and I'm glad it's there. I look forward to it evolving and hopefully improving on the menu as they have over the past year.
(4)
Elmo G.
After the Street Faire last night we stopped in for a burger. It was nice to sit out on the sidewalk, to watch all the action going on Main Street. Just a couple of issues, we ordered burgers, when they came out, one had blue cheese on it. My wife hates blue cheese so they took it back, when it returned they had just taken the blue cheese off. Still with a strong smell and taste of blue cheese. It was late and wanted to get home, I traded burgers with my wife. The server first said they had replaced the burger, but the stated they had just tried removing the blue cheese. He made it right on the bill, which is nice. They should have thought a little more about how strong blue cheese favor is on food. Another reason for the three stars is the burgers were a little dry. I'll go back but will try something different.
(3)
ruby d.
My friends have been telling me about The Empire for months... I finally made it in this week and was thrilled with my experience! The space itself was warm and inviting. There was a short wait for a table so we started at the bar, where we were served a delightful pineapple mojito and an elderflower spritzer. When we were moved to the table we were greeted by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable server. Everything from the calamari salad (which was HUGE) to the grilled ono to the panna cotta delivered. My friend ordered the skirt steak for dinner with a side order of asparagus, which was amazing as well. We found the menu to be exciting while staying approachable. All in all a great meal, I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Sarah R.
I have had two great experiences here so far. Everything from the appetizers to the desserts were spot on. The service was also attentive and friendly. I have been once on a weekend and it was packed. Everyone in our party enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. We came back the following week on a Tuesday night with the kids (3 and 6) and it was way more low key. My six year old loved the mac and cheese, although I do think that 5.50 is a bit much for a kid's meal in Louisville. We are so happy to have this place as a part of our little town and look forward coming back again.
(4)
Kristin H.
Love this place! We have sat at the bar every time because we love the atmosphere and especially the bartender Alex! Not only is she an awesome bartender but a great person too! She is so personable and you can tell that she loves her job and loves Empire! Thanks Alex and Empire for a great experience every time!
My husband and I went here for happy hour and it did not disappoint. We both ordered the house red and white and they were good for house wines and only $4! We ordered the buffalo wings and the spicy wings. The buffalo wings were good, just the right amount of crispy but needed a touch more sauce. And the spicy chili wings were out of this world. The sauce is almost like a thai inspired chili sauce and we were practically licking the container it came in. We also ordered the buratta crostini and it was drizzled with olive oil , flecked with salt and had pieces of lemon that looked like pineapple. That touch made the dish. We also ordered their burger slider which was one of the nest I've had in a long time. I find that restaurants don't really take care with sliders but this one was juicy and cooked perfectly. I would go back to eat multiple sliders alone!! I haven't had dinner here but I'm guessing its amazing. Overall our bill for all that food and 3 drinks was under $45-50 with tip. In Boulder County THAT is a deal!
(4)
David M.
Empire Restaurant and Lounge . . . a total surprise. Yesterday evening my sweetie and I picked up a friend and we decided to go on a short road trip in search of good Mexican food. We drove up to Lafayette to try out Efrain's which I'd heard a lot about, but go figure, they were closed. So we drove west until we hit Louisville where we stopped a reputable looking couple (?) and asked where the best restaurant in town was. They pointed down the street to this 40's neon sign that said "Empire Restaurant and Lounge." It turned out to be a great find. I guess some would call it new American cuisine. You know: Local produce. Organic this and that. Frequent seasonal menu changes. The whole schtick. But you know what I call it. Ummmmm ummmm, gooooood. We had a delicious arugula / mint(!) / shaved goat cheese and walnut salad, followed by some honkin' thick lamb chops and mac & cheese and pancetta. The desserts (beignets in syrup and cream, and panna cotta) were scumpdillyicious. All in all a completely surprising and excellent dinner (and the servers were simply charming to boot). Bottom line: Try it Mikey. You'll like it.
(4)
Simone L.
Delicious. Had the burger and rare, at that - VERY different experience from other posters (excellent!). The bread pudding was exquisite, cocktails worth the price, the fish delicious - a delightful dinner spot.
(4)
Jeb B.
Louisville just doesn't have good food options. But, when Brendan opened The Empire...he changed that. This is a great place for good food if you're just occasional visitor and it's a good, local place if you're a barfly like me. I'd review the menu, but it changes fairly frequently. Overall, I've yet to have a bad meal there. Even the mac and cheese is special. A year later, The Empire still doesn't disappoint. The bartenders make great drinks (I'm partial to the Old Fashioned (ask Lexie to make it)) and the food is still superb. My only complaint is that they don't serve the Mac n Cheese in the silver buckets anymore.
(5)
Ailea J.
Empire Burger? Yes, pretty please! We came for dinner on a Friday night with our little preschooler; we were seated immediately in a booth in the back, close to the kitchen so we could watch the food traffic. For appetizers, we ordered the homemade chips with guacamole and grilled oysters (based on the waiter's recommendation). Seasoned with a lemon sauce and vinegar, these oysters are put on the grill until they open and served straight away with the sauces on top. Delicious--the little girl even tried one and liked it. The homemade chips and guac were fantastic as well, but the taste of the oysters just lingered on. We ordered the mac and cheese for the little girl, a tuna burger (medium well), and an Empire Burger (medium) with bleu cheese and bacon. My Empire Burger was juicy, the bun wasn't soggy (what? is that possible? Yes. And it was magnificent), and it came with homemade pickle spears (which are the way to this pregnant woman's heart). The tuna burger, based on the bite that I tried, tasted like a version of sushi-style garlic tuna on a bun with wasabi mayonnaise. And the mac and cheese (here's me clutching my heart), it was creamy and rich with what tasted like an aged parmesean cheese as one of the cheeses. My daughter didn't care for it (of course, she prefers the kind with powder and elbow macaroni), but the plate was cleaned off regardless (I wonder how!). Overall, it was a great meal, and we will definitely be returning.
(4)
Josh P.
If you haven't been, downtown Louisville can be a fun change of pace, and the Empire Lounge is an apt addition to the neighborhood. Capitalizing on the American nostalgia theme that seems to be en vogue lately, the Empire lives up to the "lounge" in its name (minus the smoke of course). We enjoyed the bacon wrapped dates, though I can't say I've had many bacon-wrapped dishes that I didn't like. The flatiron steak was a bargain. It was a nice sized cut of choice beef prepared to a perfect medium rare. We finished dinner with a nice stroll down main street to aid in our digestion. All in all, well worth the trip.
(3)
Cathy B.
I ate here recently with a friend and it was below expectations. I probably won't go back - just too many better places to spend my money. We got there in time for happy hour but were disappointed to learn that the happy hour menu was only offered at the bar and in the lounge. Having settled at our table, we decided not to move. The starter of almond stuffed, bacon wrapped dates was great but it's hard to mess that dish up. It was pricey at 4 pieces for $8. I ordered the gnocchi after the waitress assured me it was finished in a pan, but alas, it was not. The gnocchi was mushy and the tomato sauce was unremarkable. It reminded me of a reheated frozen meal. I also got the small mac and cheese w/ pancetta. For $8 it was a HUGE portion, so big that I double-checked with the waitress that it was the small. While it was a very tasty combination of cheeses, it barely had any pancetta and the quantity was just too much for such a rich dish. DIdn't finish it. My last dish was the sauteed greens, which that night was chard. Big fail. These were the most bland greens I have ever eaten, the kind of preparation that turns people off from greens permanently. They tasted steamed. On top of that, they cost $6, which is even a high price point for well-prepared greens. My friend ordered the salmon which she thought was fine but I thought was overdone.
(2)
Mike F.
Living in Stepfordville (Highlands Ranch), it's not often we get to experience "up North" dining. This past weekend found us antiquing in Arvada & we used Yelp to search for some food choices. I always have trouble finding something my wife will tolerate since she thinks my only choices will be deep fried or Mexican. Though there's nothing wrong with either, I have to mind my p's & q's, or suffer the wrath of wifey... Empire showed up on my Android, the reviews sounded good, the pic's looked good, so off we went. The wife got the "you're gonna' pay for this" look when we drove up & she saw the Route 66 style sign, but we forged on. We were quickly seated by a window with a great view of Main St. The menu came & wifey's look went away. Yes, she saw lots of non-fried stuff!!! There were so many good yummy sounding things on the menu - here's our selections; -Deviled Eggs. Now tell me, how many places can you order deviled eggs? I prefer the sweet pickle variety, these were not, but still very good. -Shaved brussel sprout salad w/ toasted walnuts and pecorino. I'm a brussel sprout fan, but have never had anything like this delite prepared uncooked & shaved with toasted sugar coated walnuts. I will come back just for this salad, yummm... -Grilled 1/2 chicken w/blue cheese bread pudding. Wife said this was quite good, I didn't try it. -Coal miner's mac & cheese w/ pancetta. This sure isn't mac & cheese from the box, it was creamy & cheesy & a whole lot of it. Sorry arteries... The service was good, the environment was good as well. Overall, this was a nice experience & a really pleasant surprise. Will we go back? Yes, any time we're up in the Louisville neck of the woods!
(4)
Marty D.
We have enjoyed a few sit down dinners and enjoyed many happy hours. We are finally getting some good restaurants in Louisville, or do you call it Loserville :) It would be great to see the happy hour menu updated with new items, but overall my wife and I have been very satisfied.
(4)
Rachel E.
The Empire was delightful. Its non-Boulder location made it that much more appealing, especially for a restaurant that could fit in very well with that crowd... The dark wood interior and leather furniture, red lanterns and cozy location; it was cool and hip and sexy, and not a bit pretentious. A nice crowd.. families and couples and girls' night out, man dates and prom kids. House made mozzarella crostini... Fabulous. Charcoal grilled pork chop with grits.. A+ Grilled Leg of Lamb, goat cheese enchilada.. A bit too rare for my liking.. but, good. Ricotta beignet with caramel, mascarpone ice cream... WOW! A bite from the warm middle and a bit of ice cream on top.. d.e.l.i.s.h. Our table by the wall divider was secluded and cozy and a perfect spot to eat and talk and eat and talk, but, next time I want the table under the EAT sign.. The service was okay.. not overly friendly, but, accommodating.. The Empire is off the beaten path.. but, it's off the hook!
(4)
Monica I.
We drove up to Louisville based on the reviews here and it was definitely worth it. It's where Pasquini's used to be, and though I was sad to see the old place had gone it was replaced by something even better. The atmosphere is low key, with dark wood and comfortable seating. It was nice to see a simple menu with a few choice items. Unfortunately, everything sounded so good it was hard to decide on what to order. Our server was very knowledgable about the menu and took very good care of us. We started with six oysters on the half shell. They were very fresh and perfect, though they came with a vinegar-based dip instead of the usual cocktail sauce and horseradish. It was a new twist on oysters for me, and though I enjoyed it I think I prefer the kick of horseradish. I had the lamb shoulder with polenta. My friend had a half order of gnocchi along with roasted cauliflower. We shared everything. Lamb is one of my favorites, though I prefer lamb chops to the lamb shoulder. It's not cooked to order, so it was definitely slow cooked with no pink anywhere. Still it was delicious. The polenta was also good, but the lamb pieces were served on top of the creamy polenta. That meant that every bite of lamb contained more than a bit of the polenta. I think it could have been plated better, but it was still very good. My friend's gnocchi was light, fluffy and buttery. A half order was almost too much because it was very rich. I would definitely recommend going with the half order and another side to make a meal, just like she did. Her cauliflower was also very good and a refreshing alternative to the usual veggies you can get at other restaurants. We split a blueberry-filled pastry with ice cream for dessert. It was the perfect end to a fantastic meal. We didn't even have the check yet and we were already planning our next trip to The Empire. It's a comfy restaurant with the kind of food you would normally have to travel to LoDo to find. Check this place out!
(5)
Daily R.
Nice Place, great lounge and bar. Rob, Eric, Jim and the staff are all great people. Great bartenders, great appetizer specials and drinks. Right in the old town restaurant row in Louisville. Best town in the U.S.
(4)
Joanne G.
On a recent Saturday night we decided to bring a friend from California to the Empire. We realize it was a weekend night (Saturday) and knew there would a be a little wait. We did not expect to wait over an hour. So hungry I was remembering the great looking Udis big round bread as we walked in. We finally got seated and were thankful. I thought for the first time, after visiting several times over the years, the food was fair. After waiting so long, we were hungry and then told they ran out of bread. How disappointing. Then a very nice male waiter, not ours, searched high and low and came to the table with a few pieces of bread. Thank you. Ordered the goat cheese enchilada appetizer and it was cold. Everyone agreed our food was just so, so. I did not see the owner there that night and not sure what the problem was. Unfortunately, we will return and give them another try, but won't be our first choice. I should mention, the brussel sprout salad is always a good choice.
(3)
Scott F.
Despite the tacky neon sign that had always turned me off from the restaurant (after inquiring about it, it is apparently it's deemed some sort of necessity by the town) the Empire is an excellent and classy restaurant. I've brought friends and family here whenever they're in town to show them a good meal. I've met a few of the people who work here and a rotating menu keeps everything fresh. If you're looking for food cooked to order and spending some money on quality food than the empire is a great choice. I can't believe the reviews aren't higher, but it seems most of the people are upset with the service or time it takes to get food - which I've never had an issue with and don't mind waiting when you're with good company and good drinks.
(5)
Kim M.
My husband and I came here for the first time a couple of nights ago. We had heard about it for a while and we finally ventured out to Louisville to check it out. First off I love the area of main street where the restaurant is located - a nice blend of homey and chic. The Empire really has the look of an old-fashioned lounge from the big protruding neon sign that you see before you even get close to the entrance, but as you get closer and peek inside, you will notice a clean, upscale/casual bar/restaurant. As we walked in, we were greeted warmly. We immediately felt a good vibe. We opted to sit at the bar, which was very sleek with a copper-like bar-top, giving it a very cool modern, yet inviting feel to it. We ordered a couple of happy hour beers and got a couple of burgers from the regular menu. The burgers and fries were amazing - the best I've had in a long time, And the bartender, Eric, was friendly and gave us a top-of-the-line service. My only disappointment was that we had not checked out this place sooner. The rest of the menu looked intriguing- I definitely want to check out the duck with the goat cheese enchiladas & the shrimp and grits! We will be back.
(5)
Jeri J.
I'd been hearing that this place had a rep for being less than friendly. However, as with most everything, I reserved judgment until I tried it for myself. Yeah. I probably should have listened. My friend and I walk in just after 4pm after spying their happy hour menu listed outside. Nobody greeted us, so we approached someone and asked if we should seat ourselves. She said yes. So, asked if we could sit outside. Again, she said yes. Our server comes outside and hands us menus and not a happy hour menu in sight. After asking for it, she tells us we are in the wrong area for happy hour seating (?!) and must sit in the lounge. (And the lounge is....where?) Sooooo.....we offer to go inside but she grudgingly tells us we can stay where we are. Then it starts raining. So we gather all of our own stuff in and head inside. (Seriously - I'm balancing a glass of wine, a glass of water, napkin roll, silverware, and plate....and not one offer of help.) We ask where the lounge is - she gestures towards a seating area that looks mostly full except for two tables, which are evidently reserved. So there we still stand, hands full, without words....because we still don't know where we are supposed to go and the server is offering zero suggestions and nobody else that works there seemed to care about the random patrons walking around balancing full glasses and multiple plates like they're auditioning for the circus. So we ask if we can sit at the bar. Though, not exactly where we wanted to eat dinner, at this point we are desperate and feeling terribly awkward. So, sit we do. The bartender was a tough nut to crack at first, but I'm pretty sure I won him over eventually. Or maybe that's just what I thought after my fourth glass of wine. Regardless, it was weird and uncomfortable. Maybe I'll give it another go because the food was good (hence two stars instead of one) but with so many other options Downtown, it may be awhile, if ever.
(2)
Jason B.
I like this place! It's a bit overpriced, but it is a nice change. The food is great!
(4)
Amanda E.
I cannot say enough good things about Empire. We have been there 3 times now. Each time we have made it a point to order something different, drinks included, and have yet to be disappointed. The entrees are creatively assembled, drinks are delicious (potent yet not overbearing) and ambiance is relaxed. I have had their ahi special, pork ricotta meatballs and salmon reuben. There isn't a single thing I wouldn't order again. BTW get the deviled eggs! WRT price - you get what you pay for. It's not going to be a cheap night out, but it is by far not the most expensive option out there. Besides, the chocolate croissant bread pudding alone makes it worth your while. Treat yo'self.
(5)
V M.
Yum! Went for dinner with some family that was in from out of town on a recommendation, and everything was awesome. Drinks were good (a little pricey, but good), selection was great, food was awesome. I had the hands down best grilled cheese ever (only thing that would have made it better would have been a really good tomato soup, but that's just my preference)! But what was even better, was my husbands dinner :) It was bucatini? I think? Spaghetti with pork and ricotta meatballs. They had the most amazing fluffy texture, and just perfect taste. Also had a fun looking atmosphere for happy hour or weekend drinks.
(4)
R A.
I used to look forward to going to the Empire. Now, feeling really stale and two bad meals in a row. What has changed, I don't know. Service is slow, food is unacceptable.
(1)
Mmmm W.
I really want to love this place due to the ambiance and location, but unfortunately I don't. I've been there 3 times. The first time was great, but the next two times, the entrees were so salty, my mouth was burning. We told the waitress, and she said the food was "seasoned". I do like the Brussels sprout salad. Seems that there could be a few more options on the menu.
(2)
Lauren S.
I really like this restaurant. I love the mussels in miso and I get the panna cotta every time. The food is consistently good. The service has been okay to good. A few times I've had waiters forget the bread or not know what wine to recommend, but most of the time the service is good. The owner even comes to greet the tables on occasion. I especially like the outdoor seating in the summer time.
(4)
Rod H.
The Empire is a solid example of New American cuisine. It had a good atmosphere and very good service (though the hostess seemed stressed out). The food was excellent. I ordered the grilled pork tenderloin, which was marinated over night and had a great flavor, not to mention that it was cooked perfectly. My wife ordered the salmon. It was undercooked (raw in the very very center), but the kitchen happily corrected this. Unfortunately, they went a tad overboard, overcooking it just slightly. It was complemented by it's pistachio sauce topping, which had a bit too much olive oil, making the dish too oily, but the taste was still quite good. There were a number of other dishes I wanted to try, and I had a hard time choosing my selection, which is a good sign at a restaurant with such a small menu. I definitely plan on going back.
(4)
Lois B.
I waited until last minute to plan a dinner get together for a party of ten. After calling about twenty or so restaurants, The Empire was the only one that was able to accommodate us on a Saturday night. I am so happy all of the others said they couldn't have us because this restaurant is phenomenal! My friend who had arrived before us was sipping on her moscow mule and suggested I give it a try. Let me just tell you that my favorite drink is now moscow mule! It was delicious. Just by looking at the menu, I knew we were in for a great dining experience. Some of us had dozen oysters as the appetizer. It was delicious except I wish they were colder or served on a bed of ice. For the entree, my husband had braised lamb and I had mussels in lemongrass sauce. They were both so tasty! Two of our friends ordered some kind of duck and they were cooked to perfection! Everyone couldn't help but discuss how happy they were about this place. I can't wait to come back to try other things on the menu!!
(5)
Jasmine T.
Limited menu, average food, weak wine list and icky server. Other than that, nice atmosphere and good beer selection if you like Dale's and heavier beer. Server seemed put out by doing a job and was way too hasty. Slopped our food down, while whirling around, and said "enjoy" in a monotone, rote tone. My husband and I immediately looked at each other, as if to say, "did that just happen?" If you are looking for a place that has great food and a good experience, go somewhere else.
(2)
Jamison N.
I really liked sitting at the bar in the middle of the dinner shift. The restaurant has a great layout with a casual lounge type area in the front for less formal meet-ups and a more elegant dining area in the back for more intimate experiences. The cocktails and food were good. I tried the dinner special, some lamb meatballs with a side of veggies and really enjoyed it. The old fashioned that the bartender recommended was a great pairing with it. I'll be back!
(5)
Doug O.
We love this place. My wife and I make it a point to go here at least once a month because we enjoy the food and atmosphere that much. The menu is always changing and they are always offering something really good and exciting each week. The wine selection is good and while it's usually busy, it's never too hard or too long of a wait to find a table. The service is always friendly and quick. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for something new and fun!
(5)
Brian M.
Very dated interior and bland gnocchi. Red sauce also bland. Few patrons here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. With the other close options for dining, you can do much better.
(2)
Jennifer G.
Love, love, LOVE the Empire - great food, great service, amazing bartending. We go there once a week for cocktails, sometimes dinner. The new burger is top-notch, and the Chef's tasting menu is always sure to please. Try the Deviled eggs as an app, and the bread pudding for dessert - to die for!! They have Wine Wednesday every week, $5 a glass, and it never fails to please, white or red. But the jewel of the Empire is the bartender Lexi - a true mistress of the classic cocktail, but her original creations are as amazing as the good old cucumber gin and tonic. Go there now!
(5)
Terry G.
I had been meaning to try the Empire for a while now since I spend a fair amount of time in downtown Louisville. We got there early on Friday evening and decided to belly up to the copper topped bar and enjoy a couple of drinks and happy hour appetizers. Our bartender was great,knowledgable,friendly and very attentive. For drinks my date ordered an old fashioned and I ordered a margarita and both were good. We ordered lots of appetizers because I wanted to try a variety so we ordered a slider,chips and guacamole,chili rubbed wings,fries and buffalo wings. Everthing was very good and during happy hour 4 to 6 PM the prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is comfortable and you won't be sitting at the bar if you don't get there early. I will enjoy the happy hour again soon and I might pony up for the real menu if I need to plan a special night out.
(4)
Laurie G.
We visited the Empire Restaurant early last Saturday evening, for happy hour. Great neon sign above the building, and when we walked in there was definitely a very relaxed, dark, loungy feel to the place. From the 'snacks' section of the menu we ordered deviled eggs - I'd never seen deviled eggs on a menu but I'm glad they were because they were very tasty. We also had a pizza that was delicious and just the right size to share. Looking forward to going back for dinner.
(4)
Ron R.
So my apologies to the bartender. When I was asked what was wrong with the 1 minute calamari ( I said it was awful) I should have been able to spout off the list. Which I will do in a moment. I froze because I was challenged . He asked if it was rubbery, then what I did not like about it. Here you are pal: soft like spaghetti, soupy, flavorless, mush. You said you sold a lot of this. Wow, really? I want to add that its a different menu. No appetizer section yet a list of snacks. I'm in the wrong place. BTW, the negroni was good.
We went there on a Friday night, late-ish, and I agree with some here that it was decent, but nothing to write home about. The service was fine. What stood out, and not in a good way, was their 5-minute calamari: it was the worst appetizer that my S.O. and I have ever had--bar none. Slimy, drowned in sauce, and obviously sitting on the counter for quite a while. It was, in a word, gross. The beef dish he had was okay, and I had a chicken something that was so unremarkable that I can't remember what it was. Won't go back.
(2)
Ursula H.
Disclaimer: I am totally *over* "New American" food BUT, The Empire is by far my favorite restaurant in Colorado. I have never (in 50+ meals) been disappointed. My major complaint is that it's not in Denver. Although I admit that Louisville (probably) deserves awesome restaurants too, I would like to be able to swing by for happy hour sometime without having to brave 36. That being said, it's worth the drive. What to eat: everything is good but the standouts (for me) are the skirt steak, deviled eggs, chicken wings, the burger, and of course, the risotto. To drink: Pimm's Cip or an Empire Martini (I'm a sucker for bleu cheese stuffed olives). Lots of other creative cocktails, beer, and wine to choose from too. Final tip: have dessert--even if you are really full--it's always worth it. Of course the ingrediants are seasonal and local--like so many restaurants today-- but The Empire is also inspired and delicious without being pretencious.
(5)
Luke T.
A real restaurant, featuring seasonal grub with professional wait staff. Someone that knows the menu, makes appropriate recommendation. That is a real restaurant. One with wait staff that knows what they put on the plates. We started with their oysters and it was good and fresh. Followed with the pork chop. Hearty and savory. Tender and so juicy. It was pretty darn good. Buddy had the OHU or OMU? Some fish from the exotic waters of Hawaii. Per buddy, it was good. If you want something innovative, you should check out this place and their specials. I was pleasantly surprised.
(4)
Randy G.
Pretentious and overpriced for what you get. Even a burger wasn't that great. Draft beer was warm.
(1)
Phillip C.
I ate here for the first time last night, on a recommendation from a friend. Without a doubt, this is a great place for dinner. My companion and I shared several small plates to get a good variety. We started with the grilled romaine salad. I don't say this often about salads, but this was truly outstanding. The slight char on the lettuce added a nice bitterness to the plate. The oat croutons added a unique crunch, while the buttermilk dressing was the right amount of creamy and acidity. It was also a very generously portioned salad. We also had the burrata with heirloom tomatoes. The kitchen did a good job making the ingredients shine and didn't get in the way of it. It was a nightly special, so I'm not sure how often it's available. Another special last night was the bahn mi. The sandwich was very well flavored, but I'd have liked a bit more veggie crunch that typifies the iconic Vietnamese sandwich. It came with a side of fries, which were very good: piping hot and cut thick. The Korean bbq ribs were among the best I've had. It's labeled a "snack" on the menu, but there are two double-cut ribs on the plate (four ribs if you're counting along at home). They had very nice cocktails and an approachable wine list. We both had a cocktail before our table was ready and also each had a glass of Malbec for $8 apiece. They also feature plenty of affordable wines by the bottle. If you're planning dinner in Boulder, there are plenty of good options. But do yourself a favor and expand your search radius. Empire is worth the trip to old town Louisville!
(5)
Robin S.
I have eaten at Empire 3 times now, each time was really delicious. The calamari salad is really good (but share it, its big). They have a nice wine selection, and they typically have good specials. Last night I had the Bucatini with local greens and beans, which was fantastic. Plus, its on the hip strip on Main Street in Louisville, a happenin' little spot of restaurants.
(4)
V E.
I am obsessed with their crispy calamari salad!!! I moved back home to LA but every time I visit Boulder I always have to make it down to Louisville to have The Empire's calamari salad. Big portion. Dressing is perfect! Good ratio of calamari to lettuce. Just perfection.
(5)
Jim H.
Appetizers very good, meal not so good. Very slow service.
(2)
Sandrine H.
This place is great for drinks, and the food can also be good. However, what gets me every time is the frown of the waiters. Everytime I go there, the main waiter is frowning. I even told him he should be looking for another job that would make him happy. On another occasion, I expressed my discontentment about the calamari salad: I used to love it, and now it consists mainly of lettuce and very little calamari (but the price did not reflect that change). When I told my waiter, all I got from him, what an "oh well" attitude, like they really don't care what we are saying or feeling about their food or services. And on another occasion, my waiter was completely absent: Never saw again her once my food was served.
(2)
Todd W.
Not what I expected. Good beer, and a great bar. Having never been to Louisville, I was thinking "middle of nowhere dive bar". Instead I find a rich and dark litlle restaurant with great atmosphere. I have't tried the food yet, but I shall return! The menu and the beer selection alone are enough to bring me back. Very friendly service, with plenty of people-watching opportunities around.
(4)
bethany s.
Was so excited to try this place based on reviews! The initial put off of a terrible table right by the door has to be expected sometimes, even though we had a reservation. Annoying but not really anyone's fault. We ordered the 1 minute calamari right away which came very fast and was very good. Then we ordered the burrata off of the chef's menu. This took a while to come out and during the wait we decided to get the check, since we were too cold to be comfortable. Then the burrata arrived. Y'all. This is where it all got so much worse. The burrata was a leathery sphere, when I punctured it with a knife, sour milk spouted out and the "shell" came apart. I made the mistake of still trying to eat it. I do not know why. We left pretty much immediately at that point, even though they offered us a different table, and took ourselves right to Trattoria Bacco in Boulder. Had to get right back on the burrata horse before it was ruined forever.
(1)
Christi S.
First of all, the big "Route 66" looking neon sign can be a bit of a turn off. I know what you'll be thinking... "Really? Neon? Was this place the inspiration for the watering hole in the movie 'Cars'??" But no... don't let the outside fool you. Once you step inside you'll find a comfy, just on the edge of elegant type restaurant. It is dark, yet casual... almost as if you're in a small town in Colorado... wait... you are. Supposedly there is a fireplace somewhere, but we were seated right by the front door because "the back was full". So, I can't attest to the validity of the coziness of the "rear" of the space. But what we did see was very nice. You'll be comfy either in jeans (not with flip flops, mind you) or in your after work business casual wear. Our server was young and hip, like most of the wait staff at every eatery in Boulder. She knew all the specials and politely informed us of our options. Not too "busy" to bother, but not the sit down and act like your best friend type either... she was awesome and extremely attentive. My son went out on a limb and ordered the grilled cheese sandwich. He ate the whole thing, but again, he's 7 so I'm finding it hard to determine if this means he likes something or if he is simply inhaling his food. My husband got the NY Strip that was on special. Resting on a bed of parsnip potato puree, his steak was reportedly "very yummy". It was rubbed with rosemary and other spices and cooked just the way he likes it - medium. It wasn't overcooked (which is often the problem) and he even managed to give me a few bites. I had a salmon dish that I enjoyed very much. Cooked perfectly, it was topped with a pistachio tapenade that I have to admit I didn't like at all. It was supposed to have capers in it but I must have missed them. However, the fish was soooo good that I braved my way through the pistachio stuff and took one for the team. There was also a nice nest of swiss chard on my plate that was delicious. If not for the pistachio stuff... I would order this over and over again! Maybe next time (and there WILL be a next time) I'll just scrape it off.. :) Sadly, we were too full for dessert. However, I did manage to suck down two of their Empire Lemonades and let me say how refreshing it was to be served a drink with dinner that actually had alcohol in it as advertised! I'm sick and tired of ordering drinks at other places and joking to the waitstaff "Have the bartender spill some liquor in this $8 drink next time." Such was not the case with this strawberry infused vodka lemonade... yummm So, in long, The Empire Lounge & Restaurant has earned my patronage. I will gladly return with my family to enjoy the local flavors! Thanks Empire!!
(4)
S S.
Excellent buy pricey. Should be $$$ I eat mainly at La Rev and Empire in Louisville. Lulu BBQ is $$ and is ALWAYS way cheaper for me to eat there--and when I say eat I mean a drink, an appetizer and an entree. Always great service-once in awhile we've had a 'dud' server but most often they know us by sight. Great food selection excellent taste to everything!
(5)
Bob L.
Just moved to Colorado. Live in Louisville and thought the retro sign was a bit much, but went in anyway. Glad we did. Antipasta plates are great. Calamari salad is a gem. My 4 year old son cut his teeth on pasta in Tuscany, and this is the only place in America where he will eat both the pasta and the sauce. One of the few places where the bread is actually crispy! Good wine selection, friendly staff. Nice to have a place where we can be regulars!
(4)
Robin M.
Thanks, Yelpers - we never would have found this place without you! We had a fantastic meal here this evening. I dined on happy hour fare. We all shared the delicious fried chickpeas. I had half a calamari salad with tender, salty, fried calamari rings which perfectly offset the fresh, bitter greens and dressing, plus two meaty hoisin spare ribs with a bit of kimchi, all topped off with a deliciously minty and smooth Empire lemonade. I couldn't have been happier with my choices. My friend had a lovely salad and ricotta meatballs on polenta. My son had a meatball-and-polenta happy-hour appetizer and a lamb shank that he demolished. Our two junior members shared a child's mac and cheese. They were unfortunately full of cake from earlier in the afternoon and took most of their lovely meal home, but they did down a plain lemonade, chickpeas, and some of the fresh, warm, grainy bread. The service was excellent. The surroundings were pleasant. All in all, a very satisfactory meal. I may have to go to Lafayette more often.
(5)
Lou P.
Visited for the first time recently. Despite walking in rather late, they were welcoming and patient as we studied the menu. I went with a Yelpers tip and had the calamari salad. It was exceptional. Our party was happy with our meal and I'd definitely return to try the rest of the menu.
(4)
Lindsay C.
Went here for a dinner for four. The food was really good! I got a seafood special and my boyfriend a gin martini that was super smooth. They have a pretty solid drink selection and the food is very good for the price.
(5)
Tom S.
I struggle with how to rate the Empire. We love having a restaurant like this in Louisville. The feel of the Empire is great and it's nice to have higher end dining right in downtown Louisville. The wood fired oven is cool and fills the restaurant with delicious smells making your mouth water when you walk in. We've been her many times and the food has been consistently good, but the menu hasn't changed very much and lacks creativity relative to some of the up and coming spots in Denver and Boulder. We keep going hoping to find something new and delicious, but leave feeling bored. Overall it feels like things have gotten a little stale and need to be revamped. My wife is really into craft cocktails and for a restaurant at this level the options and creativity needs to be stepped up. A couple years ago I'd have given it 4-5 stars, but we've found ourselves less and less interested in going over time. We've hit spotty service over the many times we've gone with long waits for food in between courses and little in the way of management attention to get things back on track. Seems they've gotten a little complacent, I'd love to see them get reenergized and come to the table with something new.
(3)
Matt S.
Came here with a friend. Great atmosphere, great food, nice decor. The burger was outstanding. Nice whiskey selection. One of my favorite restaurants in Louisville.
(5)
Kieran C.
Worth it for the streetside outdoor seating. The food is good and probably best in Louisville. But the similar refrain amongst all these posts....too expensive and especially for the appetizer-size portions you receive for main dishes. I counted 8 gnocchi on my plate, which worked out to $2.00 per gnochhi. Waitress forgot our bread which highlighted the small portion sizes more. Think about you are paying for patio outdoor people watching and maybe you can justify it.
(3)
Veronique C.
I find the food overpriced and the portions small. The quality of the food is also uneven, some plates tasty, while others (still pricey though) are quite boring. Their bread is much better now than the rolls they used to give a few years ago, but then, after your first slice, you have to pay for another one. That tells me a lot about the place. ..
(3)
Patrick D.
My first visit to Empire and I had some lofty expectations. Staff wasn't engaging or even personable. Offered no assistance with the menu. It seemed as though we were bothering the bartender for just sitting down and asking the specials. Left almost as soon as we sat down.
(1)
Karl G.
Empire was very accommodating by making a reservation for our group of 15 from work. Based on the yelp reviews we thought this would be a safe bet to please everyone. As we waited for our group we had a nice selection of beers and drinks from the bar. The bartender was very efficient. The atmosphere was fun and lively. We sat for dinner and found the wait staff to be attentive. Our meat and cheese board was pretty good along with our red wine. So far so good. Our end of the table of 7 people pretty much ordered the same thing- "slow cooked" lamb shoulder (me) and the beef brisket. The entrees came in timely fashion but both dishes were below average. Why? The meat was tough for both the lamb and brisket. I mean tough to the point of shoe leather. I can only assume they didn't cook either meat long enough for the meats to break down which it always does IF cooked low and slow. Most of us ate only half. The next day a co-worker said he got sick to his stomach..he thought it was from the food. Who knows Anyway I will never be back and a whole bunch of people in our group feel the same way.
(2)
debbie g.
So we went to empire Friday night and sat outside. Because we were there for happy hour our server told us we might have to move if someone comes in for dinner....what? Service was slowwwwwwww, server was so so! Husbands ordered ribs, after a half hour asked where they were, she forgot to put the order in, hello! Will not be going back. No stars for you! Had to leave a star to continue, but I give it no stars.
(1)
Bryan H.
My girlfriend and I have eaten here 4 times over the past summer. Once for dinner, the other times for happy hour drinks and food. The dinner items are creative and well prepared. My girlfriend had the chopped salad, she commented it was overpowered with oregano. For $17 I would have expected better. I had the Mac and cheese, which was good. There are no gluten free options listed on the menu, surprising in Boulder county, and limiting for my girlfriend who is GF. The occasions we have dined there for happy hour have been less then what you would expect from a "fine dining restaurant" most notably the attitude of some of the servers, noted in other reviews. Our last experience the server in the bar brought all our food, appetizers and meals at the same time. I told him we won't want the guacamole since it was intended as an appetizer. He seemed offended, left us alone the rest of the evening, charged us for the guac. The restaurant seems clean, food is fresh, somewhat expensive, small portions. But a good location in the heart of Louisville, server experience is a crap shoot.
(3)
Leanne G.
This place is the perfect blend of sophistication with a hometown appeal. You can have elegant entries, such as oysters, or down home favorites like mac-n-cheese. Both will be delicious and don't worry - have them both at once. Its Louisville - you can have it your own way! The atmosphere is also very attractive while being comfortable. The restaurant is not to loud, which is always nice. There are enough corners tucked throughout that you can have an intimate meal, or sit right out front for a more social experience. I particularly like it in the summer when they open the window to the street so your party can sit half inside and half outside on the sidewalk. Its a unique environment with food that won't disappoint!
(5)
Al Z.
It's probably old town lousiville's best restaurant, and certainly the most creative. Service is generally good, but there are a few servers we've found there that really should find something else to do. It's pretty typical to have the owner stop by once of twice at every table to see how things are going. Menu always has specials, and there are many times you wish they'd make it a regular item (like a Sunday dinner special they called summer picnic chicken). The lamb tends to be good, and starters like the calamari or chopped salad are tops. We love the empire and support it as much as we can because the food is the best or certainly tops for louisville. We just wish it were a little better priced, and that some of the help would move on.
(4)
Michael K.
Just about as solid as it gets. Love the calamari salad, and the alaskan salmon was on point. Also, fun wine list and great service. Definitely worth it.
(5)
Harry F.
Amazing food. Had the roasted romaine salad and the 1 minute Calamari today. Both were spectacular. I don't use that word often. Pan roasted chicken was terrific as always. Friend had the butternut squash soup and it was memorable. Malbec by the glass was very good. Eat here.
(5)
Kat M.
This place was great when it first opened, but the portions have gotten smaller and smaller and the outcomes are inconsistent. It's good on some days and mediocre on others. Prices went up, while quality went down. There are other, better options in Louisville.
(3)
Gabriel K.
Meh....I will probably be back because its close to the new house and hip place....a place somebody will say let's meet at the empire...and I will go. However, given the opportunity to eat out by myself in Louisville...there is not a chance in hell I would be back. I would rather go to the Old Louisville Inn. The service was barely ok, we saw 5 different people ask us for orders and deliver various parts....late. Our main server was much more interested in moving on to the next tip than making our experience pleasant. The fries were $6 for frozen wedges. The Ono fish was good, except for the raw parts that weren't cooked. The "cool" "hip" style salads and accents were poorly constructed...as if somebody was working in a very good restaurant for a few months and learned some style, but they didn't learn how and were to serve it. Goat cheese enchiladas were just YUCK. I thought about getting a nice drink to cheer up my date and me, but thought that asking for a double would be shockingly expensive and still underweight to make up for the real need to make it a pony bottle and really change my mind. My wife was very disappointed and will not be back.
(2)
Danny L.
I've been to the Empire twice. The first time was actually pretty great. We sat outside, the food was delicious, and our waiter, though rather droll, was quite knowledgeable (and not just about the menu). However, this past time we were there on a Saturday night at 7p. When we walked in the door, I was worried the place might actually be on fire the way the hostess was running around and literally shouting! I'm not sure why this was the case, as everything else seemed pretty chill. It wasn't very busy, and she was the only one going crazy. It was like the rest of the restaurant had been filmed in slo-motion and she was superimposed at 130% speed. If it hadn't been so annoying, it would have actually been quite hilarious... I mean, there was just a really relaxed ambiance, except for the crazy hostess running around like Speedy Gonzalez with a bull horn. The hostess kept *running* by us, shouting about which tables were being cleaned and how long we'd need to wait. Finally a table was ready, and even though we'd been standing there for around 10 minutes, the hostess seated a guy that walked in right at the moment she was going to seat us (the people who'd been waiting, and enduring her madness, for the past 10 minutes!). What the what?! Evidently the busser was on the same drugs as the hostess, because he ran by our table to fill the waters and got more water on the table than in the glasses. When the waiter finally arrived (it took a bit, but still his approach was comparable to that of a casual turtle) one of the people in our party asked for the table to be wiped off (not to mention the pretty significant portions of FOOD on his chair), the waiter got all snooty and just walked away! Actually he sauntered off. We wiped the table and chair off ourselves. A different waiter appeared a bit later to take our drink order, and we wondered if the original waiter had given our table away... but then that guy came back later to take our food order (?). I'm all for the staff helping out with each other's tables to make sure guests are taken care of, but I'm NOT a fan of not being sure who our waiter actually is... especially when you feel like your waiter is jettisoning your table because they don't want to bother with you. I'm going to cut it short here, because I'm not sure that this evening was indicative of The Empire Lounge, but I think being one of the few "good" eating establishments in the area has induced some sort of lapse in attention to service and details. Hopefully the management can encourage the staff to start treating people and the restaurant a little more like a nice place to eat and hang out and a little less like a cafeteria... or a rodeo.
(3)
Scott K.
Very good food. I had the gnocchi which was great but the portion size was a bit small; even for me who complains that our portions in this country are immense. The service was sufficient - the waiter wasn't really that in tune with the table's needs. To boot it was a snowy evening and the restaurant was pretty dead. You would have thought that our table of 6 would receive really good service since that was pretty much his tip for the evening but it still didn't seem to matter much. To be clear - the service wasn't poor it just wasn't great, this coming from a group of folks who have all waited tables in their younger years. Don't let that deter you however, it's still a good spot.
(4)
Jennifer K.
Excited to go to happy hour,off work early, searched Yelp. Chose Empire and regret it. Although, now I know. We walked in and they asked if we were there for dinner. I said no, just happy hour and they explained where to sit for happy hour. I made some, albeit stupid, joke about how I need more shade for my ginger and pointed at my husband (red head obviously) and they just looked at me like, "what?" So we sat down and laughed about the lost humor. Looked at the chalk board behind the bar and it listed oysters, but no price. So I asked. $3 an oyster. Wow. My husband just said woah and chuckled. Which probably happens a lot since the bartender got very defensive. Well, that's normal for around here. Then I said, yeah that's the thing, "around here". And I laughed. And he just smirked and walked away and said yeah. I said to him when he walked back, man no one here laughs at anything I say! Laughed again, and nothing. He just talked about how those are the prices around here. At that point I was done. I did not feel welcome. No personality in the house. You don't have to like my jokes, or me, or my lack of interest in$3 oysters, but you do have to fake it when you are a hostess or bartender. It's the job. We went next door. I am in such a great mood too.
(1)
Stan P.
We decided to go to the Empire Lounge for Valentine's Day and were not disappointed. The dinner was excellent and the options for the different courses were well thought out. The Flatiron Stake with Chimichiri sauce and the roasted sweet potatoes were all sorts of tasty, and the Shrimp Pasta bowl my wife ordered magically disappeared in a cloud of yummy goodness. The Caramel Bread Pudding with Caramel Ice Cream on top was the perfect finish to the evening. Pro Tip: If you are going to do multiple courses, split the salad and the desert. Pro Tip #2: Make a reservation unless you plan on showing up right when they open, while they do have deceptively huge space, it does fill up.
(4)
Mandy C.
Awesome! Ate off the happy hour menu, loved the Mac n cheese! Pork taco was so yummy! Thank you Ryan for being an awesome bartender/server!
(5)
Paul S.
I've eaten here several times and it never disappoints! I think they have the best burgers and fries in Boulder County! Staff is always attentive and they know how to do it right! Server takes orders and they have runners that check on your water, bring bread and bring food out to you right away so it's HOT and not sitting under some heat lamp for several minutes. Example- only time I was disappointed in my food was when they didn't put enough sauce on a bolognese. I didn't say anything but the server could tell I wasn't satisfied with my meal so she came back a minute later with a bowl of extra sauce- that's service!
(5)
Christa L.
It's surprising when they build a place with great food in a small quiet town. My company and I started off with a sampler platter of sorts. It consisted of goat cheese, babaganoush, salami (which reminded me of finocchinoa salumi.) Along with some tasty accompaniments, such as peppadew and what I believe was a pear jam. We also indulged six oysters on the half shell (from Nova Scotia.) I lived the briny flavor with a touch of sweetness. Now for the meal, my Denver bestie got their mac n cheese. Was pretty good, I liked that they used shells, it was like little cheese surprises. Her mate chose the duck with goat cheese, the duck was good. I loved the seasoning of it. The enchiladas were ok. Now for the finale, my dish.... pork and ricotta meatballs. A nice balance of meat to cheese ratio. There were potatoes and what I believe was either spinach or kale that came along for the ride. I think I could have done without, maybe it was more of a filler. The sauna of sauce that the meatballs were enjoying a nice hot dip had great flavor. A nice zing to it. We didn't have dessert, well our beverages were considered our dessert. So yes, dessert was wonderful. Over all, I dig the atmosphere and the food selection seemed to be the star of this estabishment. Since, I don't actually live in CO. I'm sure the menu will have it's fair share of rotation by the time I visit again. Kudos to you Empire Lounge, for dropping a great meal in a small town.
(4)
Steven S.
There were some good things here - but some definite service issues. We were seated and had our server come promptly on a Friday night - so that was nice. The guacamole and house-made chips were quite good we thought. After a reasonable, wait our entrees came. My fish sandwich, unfortunately, was completely burned - both the bun and the fish. There was a distinct burning smell and the kitchen should have never sent it out in the first place. When I flagged our server down, she took the entire plate away and said she would get another. It didn't arrive until after my companions were all finished. It was actually pretty good. But there was no apology, no manager that came by, no check adjustment - just generally handled very badly. So the food shows some promise, but the service and the kitchen judgment definitely need some work.
(2)
Jihad S.
I've had a special experience every time I've come here. Amazing ahi tuna burger... best ahi tuna anything I've had outside of Alaska. Their peppery bucatini pasta is delicious. The pork and ricotta meatballs are worth the cost of a flight from California. The pork chop is hearty and tasty. The kale salad as well as the Brussels sprout salad are fresh unique ways to enjoy healthy veggies that will make you want more. The pancetta Mac n cheese is decadent and worth splitting, I judge it to be too rich for one person. Amazing! I don't remember the service because I was having such a good time, so maybe that says something in and of itself. Go and enjoy!
(4)
J. Earl M.
Great Service, Awesome Space, Appetizers more than lack luster. I was going to have dinner but for the price I paid for the apps I decided to have dinner somewhere else. If you are going to put deviled eggs on the menu they better knock your socks off.
(3)
Ashley B.
I'd just like to say that I grew up in Louisville since I was 2 years old. I definitely knew this town when it was nothing more than an Applebee's and the Blue Parrot. That was, literally, it. I am happy that downtown Louisville is expanding in so many ways, and I think overall Empire is a good edition. I went to Empire once and it was sort of a fine, ok experience, but they hadn't been open very long. I think the best thing about this place is the daily 3-6 happy hour. You have to sit in certain areas, but many cocktails are $4, draft beers and wells are $1 off, and the wine bottle of the day is half off. This is a great deal, and we scored a bottle of wine for $15. To be fair, however, I knew the wine that we were served, and it's at most $9 a bottle, so these "discounted" bottles (which are not on the wine menu as everyday choices) are not really very discounted, since the rest of the wine menu is inflated about 100%. I love happy hours that have food specials; that's a prerequisite for me. There is a $3 food menu here, with a few $6 items including a meat plate, a cheese plate, a small calamari salad and a small mac and cheese. We tried the chips and guac, meat plate and French fried potatoes. The chips and guac were fine, but a bit small. Probably 3 tablespoons of innocuous guacamole with about 15 chips. The meat plate (and the cheese as well, I'm assuming) were a bit restrictive, keeping you to one choice of meat or cheese. We received 5 50-cent piece-sized cuts of salami, with 2 dime-sized slices of pickle and 2, 2-inch long pickled snap peas. This came with 4 small toast points. It was fine but the flavors didn't accompany one another. The salvation in all this was really the french fried potatoes. They were golden wedges of potato, and the serving for $3 was impressive. They weren't particularly well-seasoned, but the texture was perfect. They stayed crispy for a long time and the insides were perfectly fluffy. They really were a great example of fries, though I wish they were served with house-made ketchup instead of Heinz. Overall, I would come for the deals, but I would not pay full price. I was happy to see them busy, but I think, to a degree, they are relying on the still-small restaurant environment of Louisville. Hopefully over time they will fully expand into what they can fully achieve, which I think is a lot.
(3)
Jason H.
I live close by, and go to this place a lot. It is the best true restaurant in old town Louisville. Food is generally good...calamari and brussel sprout salads are excellent. Service is usually good, sometimes lacking. Atmosphere is nice, and owner will often stop by. If you are in old town Louisville and would like a true meal, I would recommend Empire. If you are just looking for drinks, pizza, bar food, there are other options that would be better.
(4)
Rebecca L.
Went there on a Saturday evening. The server was pleasant, but really didn't know much about wine. I asked how much oak was in the house white and she said it was a balanced Chardonnay. I ordered it, and it had no oak at all. Fortunately that is what I like. No complaints about the portions, but beware of the specials--ask the price. I had the "special" side, which was multicolored carrots. There 5 slender carrots on the plate, and they were so undercooked that I had to eat them with my fingers, which wasn't that delicate since they were awash in butter. I was astonished when we got the bill. $9.00 for those carrots. Seriously? We left with the feeling that we should have gone to the brewpub next door.
(2)
Lori S.
My husband and I tried this for the first time last Saturday night, and it was a revelation. I can't believe some of the more negative reviews. I think there might be a slight issue with the way the outdoor dining is structured. The sidewalk intersects the seating, so there are constantly people strolling through this part of the "dining area." It appears that Louisville has designed it this way to take advantage of more outdoor dining in the summer months. In the winter, they essentially roll the extra "dining platforms" up and convert it back to parallel street parking. You can't really blame the restaurants for this traffic issue, though. As for the actual food, it was stellar! We got a whole fried trout (our server helpfully suggested that we could easily share it if we got a couple of sides, and she also gave us the heads up that it would be "head on" because apparently some diners were disturbed to find their dinner staring up at them.) It was delicious. We also had the kale salad, which was so simple, but so good that I am now determined to recreate it at home. Baby kale dressed with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper, tossed with breadcrumbs to hold it on the leaves, and topped with parmesan cheese. We also had the mixed greens. They happened to be my favorites: rainbow chard and beet greens. I have to say, with freshly prepared, seasonal fare this good, I don't know why so many people order the burger (yeah, I do actually know... sometimes you just want a burger!). Branch out a little and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
(4)
david s.
Very disappointing. Under cooked food and way way overpriced. I ordered the swordfish appetizer. It was three quarter sized pieces of fish on sticks with a few cherry tomatoes plopped in a cereal bowl for $14. The worst part about it was the fish was almost raw. I sent it back and it came back dry and overcooked. My wife ordered the quail with sausage and grits. For $23 this was an insulting dish. Small portions of bland food and an undercooked sausage. Blech! We also ordered a side of french fries to start. This really bothered us. Any decent restaurant should be able to prepare good fries. In order to achieve a crispy outside and a tender soft inside it is important, with thick cut steak fries, to blanch them first. These spuds were obviously thrown into the frier raw. You end up with a crispy outside but a firm and undercooked inside. A restaurant that does not care enough to take this extra step to make a good french fry obviously does not care about the quality of their food. The server was very nice though. Louisville has much better restaurants at much more reasonable prices. Check out Bistro 503, great food at about a third less.
(1)
Jamie G.
Shrimp risotto and mahi mahi tacos split with my hubby = Delicious!! Now I'm excited to come back to Empire, especially now that I know how wonderful the risotto is. :)
(5)
Geoff Q.
We had a great experience with the Empire lounge. Very knowledgeable and attentive server and a great atmosphere. Will definitely go again.
(5)
Julie B.
Great place for lunch or dinner. My favorite is the mac and cheese and the calamari salad. I've always had fast and friendly service. It's never too loud and it always has a great vibe.
(5)
Chris W.
Met some friends here for dinner and drinks during happy hour - $3 for most apps - great deal! The food and recipes are thankfully different and certainly a step above the regular bar and grille fare. We enjoyed meatball sliders, mac & cheese, chips & guac, buffalo wings and mozzarella crostini. Everything was excellent: full of flavor and cooked to perfection! As for beer, the selection was right up my alley as well with a couple of IPAs on tap! My double IPA was very fresh and served nice and cold. For dinner, our group had the roasted chicken with rice, eggplant sandwich and burger. My eggplant was amazingly good and everyone else said their dishes were similarly excellent. For dessert, my wife and I shared the sampler and highly recommend it. Our friends shared the apple tart and loved it. The atmosphere is nice: comfortable and casual with dark woods and intimate lighting. The restaurant never gets too loud - we were able to have conversations without raising our voices. Service was very friendly and attentive. All in all, this was a great first visit for us and we'll most certainly be back!
(4)
Pork Chop H.
We walked right in and were seated right away, without reservations, on a Friday evening (Open Table had nothing available though), much to my pleasant surprise. After being seated, our server came in a timely manner. We were also one of the first tables to be occupied in our immediate section, a wing to the side of the restaurant. We ordered some apps, like guacamole, hoisin tacos (misspelled on the menu), mozzarella and roasted peppers. They came out in a timely fashion. The guac was satisfying, the hoisin tacos were okay though. The menu said it came with housemade kim-chi, but it seemed more like a traditional Western-style pickled purple cabbage. Not exactly the same thing. The mozzarella, which is housemade, tasted like any other fresh mozzarella I've had. Satisfying, though. Our entrees took a VERY long time to arrive and there were no assurances like, "Your food is coming right up" or "Sorry, we just got slammed," or anything. The other tables all around us got served (and most of them arrived after us). It was a bummer. My husband's tuna burger (which he requested rare) was well-done. The meatball grinder sandwich was not super well-flavored, so much so that my dining companion requested ketchup to put on it. I ordered the calamari salad for my entree and while I love spice and calamari, there was so much cayenne on the calamari, I couldn't really taste the freshness of the salad. Plus it was just a huge mass of shredded lettuce w/ the calamari. Really mediocre and disappointing.
(2)
Mariano d.
My favorite place in Louisville. Short menu, good cooking techniques and quality ingredients. The duck is just amazing. This said, I am not sure though if this is a Bar with a restaurant in the back or a restaurant with a bar in the middle! This can also be an advantage of course but it also take resources from both sides of the business. I have the idea that they don't really know yet.
(4)
Anna T.
This restaurant saved me from the bottomless pit of a broken heart as well as hunger! Feeling forlorn from a fight and famished from a 2-hour flight, the shuttle service driver from DoubleTree Hotel took me here to replenish my mind and body (and drink away my sorrows! haha I kid) What a great recommendation because I was delightedly thrilled! I immediately sat at the bar and the nice bartender (whose name I regretfully forgot) offered me a menu. I took a quick glance at their menu and ordered a burger then proceeded to ordering a coldass beer. A burger and a beer: two proven ways to cure a broken heart. (Not really scientically proven but Anna-tically proven) What I ordered: Chicken Swiss= $7 Kona Chicken=$8 (for someone else, not I) Fire Rock Pale Ale = $5 Crown & Coke = $6 (roughly) In total: PRICELESS! All in all, great cooked food, a comfortable and fun atmosphere, and friendly banter with the bartender, this girl left with a full stomach! (and an almost full heart) *insert tear here.
(4)
Josh E.
I like this place ever since i first read about it on yelp, and yesterday I decided to go and check out their happy hour menu. It was delicious, everything is made fresh for you right there in the chefs open kitchen. The staff was friendly and the service was good as well as the food. We ordered the deviled eggs, standard eggs no special tricks here, and then we ordered the crispy calamari salad which was my favorite dish of the evening and apparently one of their staple dishes. It was tempura battered calamari with a tasty mixed arugula salad all tossed w/a vinaigrette dressing YUMM! I also ordered their Leek and Blue Cheese dip served with some flax seed crostini's Also YUMMM with 3 m's. Finally we ventured to try their pork nachos, now as far as nachos go these were not my favorite but they were tasty. I know it was from the Happy Hour menu which is usually a smaller portion but I could see where with the calamari salad and the nachos they are probably being a little stingy with the proteins and more giving with the fillers like arugula and tortilla chips, on the whole nacho plate there was maybe a large tablespoon of pork and not all the chips had cheese or pork some and id say at least half had nothing on them. Id almost rather have a portioned nacho that came with a little of everything on ea chip instead of a piled plate with chips and only enough cheese and pork etc to cover the top layer. Other that that everything was good, its a cool place and i really like downtown louisville, its a quaint little town and with all the little outdoor restaurants and cafes it was pretty awesome. And they also have an aweome open air front seating where you can sit either inside or out on a wooden bar that looks in over the whole restaurant. We washed everything down with a cucumber G&T an Empire Old Fashioned, which was served with cherry infused bourbon, and a couple Empire Lemonades made with freshly infused strawberry vodka, A++ on the drinks, and A+ on the service, the food was delicious and tasty but I think they should work on the portions of the dishes a little bit. I would definitely go back to try some of their other dishes, like the $17 gumbo with shrimp and chicken and sausage, Or their clams with Sofrito. Im sure its a meal in itself, well all I have to say is it better be for $17 bux. The rest of the menu sounded so delicious I wish I could have just tried a little bit of everything by walking around and sampling everyones dishes lol, fortunately I wasn't buzzed enough to do that so Ill have to just return for a second helping in the near future!
(4)
Chuck R.
Highly rude host at the front door. I dropped off my fiance to see about getting us a table while I parked the car. While it was busy, there was no line and my fiance asked for a table for 2. The host asked my fiance where I was. When he explained to the host that I was parking the car and would be here in just a minute, the host rudely stated that it was restaurant policy not to seat incomplete parties. My fiance pointed out that there wasn't a line of people waiting for a table and that there were about 4 tables available that sat 2 people.The host reiterated that he could not seat my fiance because I wasn't there to "complete the party". I've never had a meal at the Empire, and now never will because of the rude staff. They lost 2 customers and I'm sure a whole lot more because of this review. I wouldn't recommend eating there, unless you want to be greeted by a snob host.
(1)
paul a.
Went to Empire last weekend after seeing the cool signage out front a few times, as well as the summertime seating outside. Good loungy space, but don't go for the food. The good: - Service was very friendly and we got seated right away in a sunny spot - Good decor, without being over the top or hipster-ish - Good seasonal beer selection The bad: - Burger was absolutely flavorless, although it was cooked medium-well as requested. I'm not a good cook, but I can do a better tasting burger any day. Seriously bland. And the burger was recommended by our server. - Slow. The food took forever to get to us. Might go back for drinking and bar food, but not for a sit down dinner.
(2)
Keith S.
Terrible service and overall experience. My friend, his fiancee, baby and I went to the Empire a few months ago. We arrived during the last half hour of happy hour and expressed an interest and doing to rounds of food orders and drinks. The waitress said no problem and took our first round of food orders. About 40 minutes later, and after watching people who arrived later than we did, our food arrived. The waitress seemed to have forgotten to put our order in and did not nothing to fix it. I mean, she could have been honest and all would have been good. The food was nothing special either. I would not recommend this place based off the service.
(1)
Erica A.
We were looking for a place that uses natural, organic and local produce. This is the place. What a find. Very friendly wait staff. I called the restaurant to find out more about the ingredeints they use to cook with and received a friendly call back from one of the co-owners. The co-owners have experience at other Denver restaurants like Jax Fish House and Lola's. Check out their website for information about the restaurant. I'm a fan.
(4)
Lana C.
Pretty good! Chill vibe on a Sunday night- loved the red wine!
(4)
Joshua S.
Some disclosure: we've been regulars of Empire since it opened and it is our local "go to" and frankly one of the only possible "foodie" establishments in East Boulder County. Over the years we've gotten to know the owner Jim Cohen and his family, along with many of the staff. Jim has a solid history of top kitchen work, and he uses local ingredients and a gourmand touch. You can view menus online, so I won't delve into the dishes or the cuisine. However, some favorites on the current menu: calamari salad, brussels sprout salad, burger, duck with goat cheese enchiladas, pork meatballs with potato and greens. The patio and front window seating are nice to have in the summer, and the interior design is warm and dark, and welcoming. We sit at the bar, along with many other regular customers. Sure there's BBQ and Mexican and Italian and bars and such on Main Street. But when we want to have an adult foodie experience with a nice bottle of wine, and a creative menu, then we're at Empire. You can still have a great burger and beer in your shorts and flip flops, it is far from stuffy and pretentious. The opposite: Jim is there to welcome you and resolve any issue that might arise. And Eric & Rob are at the bar to satisfy any liquid cravings. Recommended!
(5)
Elky M.
Have been back several times and the quality and service is still perfect-o. You can't go wrong with anything. And a friend noted that I'm real generous with my ratings - but it's because I don't go to places that suck! Cheers!
(5)
Rajagopal K.
My wife and I went to this restaurant yesterday. We are vegetarians.With the kind of reviews it has received, we thought a classy place like this would offer a good selection of items, including for vegetarians. Unfortunately, this was not the case. We ordered the risotto for $19, which was one of a few vegetarian items we could find. While the quality of the risotto was very good, the portion/quantity was quite small, about the size of a cereal bowl, and did not come with any sides either. Suffice to say, we were disappointed. Also, the tables are quite close to each other, so there is very little privacy. We will not be going back to this place again.
(2)
kari b.
This place is hit or miss. The calamari salad is so yummy. Kids burger was a burnt black little burger, I do mean BLACK, on a bun, period, no cheese no nothing, I am not sure if that is how they always come out but wow yuck. Service is hit or miss and so is the food. It is worth a go because on a good night this place is a real hit.
(3)
Natalie L.
Wow. This was THE WORST EVER!!! I could have saved my stomach, spent half as much and had food twice as good by going to BOULDER. $20 for a COLD ( no exaggeration) tuna burger and greens. My six yr old would not eat the french fries, when does that happen?? I'm all for Louisville having a great downtown, THIS is not helping!!! Makes me want to go ANYWHERE else for food. I'll stck to the Bittersweet cafe, thank you.
(1)
Bradley G.
The french fries I'm having at the bar are delicious and the drinks are good.
(4)
Bob C.
A fantastic restaurant overall, with great drinks, nice wine, and really tasty food. Tuna burger is excellent and the grilled chicken is fantastic- very moist and full of flavor. The fish specials are a bit pricey (i think they were around $24 last time I went). My wife and I have gone to The Empire for several date-nights and it never disappoints. The only time I've been slightly disappointed was the last time (1 of 5 visits) when we brought our 3-yr old daughter. The waitress was not very efficient, made us wait very long time before drink order, then long wait for food order, then a really long wait for food. She was obviously slammed, but seemed to willfully ignore our looks and leans and waves as we tried to get her attention. This place would be the perfect restaurant if they were just slightly more kid-friendly. We'll be back for sure- but probably not with the kid as it was torture to wait for service throughout the meal.
(4)
Steve O.
Went here on a double date the other night. Some friends had moved to Boulder and this was a compromise spot. The place was busy but not over crowded. We had about a 15 or so minute wait for a table in the bar area. Once we were seated, the waitress was prompt. She knew the specials cold, down to the ingredients for sauces and had some suggestions from the regular menu that proved to be good. We split a few apps. The cheese platter was good, with a goat's milk brie-like option that was tasty and a caprese salad with several varieties of local heirlooms. I had the pork chop as my main, and that was thick, juicy and cooked to a nice medium with a chile verde sauce on top. The grits that came with it were alright, but not great. The same was true of the side of collard greens I ordered, OK but not wow. They had a decent wine list, too. My one gripe, and this cost them a star, is that one of the bus boys came and took my plate before I was done eating. He just walked over and picked it up without saying a word. He realized he made a mistake immediately, saying "Oh wait, you weren't done were you? I'm sorry." I told him I wasn't done, but he could take the plate now that he had his thumb on top of it. I could tell he felt stupid. Mistakes will happen from time to time. I trust that isn't a regular occurrence there. I don't think it's a place I'd drive up to from Denver regularly, but if you're north of Arvada for some reason, it's worth checking out.
(3)
Alaina H.
I drove by this place today and immediately started salivating while remembering their mashed potatoes with balsamic reduction gravy. New American pub food, dressed up and absolutely delicious. The owner, and his family (at least the ones that work there) are amazing people, really personable and definitely inspire the best in the staff. The first time I was in here I had my nearly 2 year old daughter with me, we took turns eating and chasing her through the restaurant, the entire staff was really understanding and comfortable about the whole situation. I have no idea why it took me so long to write a review here, and this is not really the compliment I want to give, but I recommend this place every chance I get, so here is my yelping word of mouth. Eat here, get the potatoes, love life!
(5)
Aaron O.
The Empire Lounge is amazing. First walking in, you are always greeted right away and asked where you would like to sit for dinner. It is very nice in the spring and summer times when the city puts out the street patios. We normally sit at the bar when wining and dining here. We are always greeted by Lexi the head bartender and manager. She is in command of the best drink menu in Louisville. She is always up to the challenge of crafting you the perfect cocktail, whether it be from this era or from the forgotten era of the true classic cocktails. Jim and the staff in the kitchen are also in command of one of the best food menus in Louisville. Give yourself a little time to peruse the drink and dinner menus, which are always changing with the seasons, so does the dessert menu (the strawberry rhubarb tart is amazing). An amazing restaurant that sometimes gets skipped over, but a MUST go to spot in town........
(5)
Andrea L.
Nice appearance with mediocre food and mislabeled dishes/unexplained subs. We tried this restaurant on a whim. Ordered the $9 side of "Roman style Gnocchi" because I love gnocchi but rarely get a chance to order it. However, what came was not gnocchi but polenta. The waitress, nor the busboy that delivered it mentioned the kitchen subbing anything. Was extremely disappointed. I ordered the calamari salad which was decent tasting but VERY simple with fried calamari and two types of shredded lettuce, not worth the price. My fiance got the mahi taco special and was disappointed with his entree. The taco's were small and disproportionate. The side of rice was about 1/4 cup of what seemed to be bland, minute rice. It arrived to the table smelling pretty "fishy". The guy I assumed to be the owner was a total douche. He was sitting at random tables of people he either knew or thought were big spenders, but never stopped by to ask us about our meal. Just can't believe at a restaurant that appears to be so upscale they'd have such mediocre food, terrible customer service and mislabeled dishes.
(1)
Carissa M.
I met some girlfriends for drinks at The Empire Restaurant a few weeks ago and it was darling! The drinks were delicious and the vibe was cool - very laid back with a hint of coolness. We did not eat at The Empire Restaurant, but we totally should have as our experience up the street at The Melting Pot was seriously sub par and all of the dishes I saw at The Empire looked good! I look forward to going back to The Empire Restaurant sometime soon!
(4)
Mary K.
We were trying to decide a place to eat in Louisville and after drving around a bit -- chose Empire. Atmosphere was great. Food good. Portion and prices not good -- our tuna burgers came with a tablespoon of coleslaw for $18. Our food server was stoned and walked out to the table while chewing food. I would go back and try for 2nd time but for the price -- not really sure it was worth it.
(3)
Tim E.
We had heard mixed things about the Empire and our experience was very much along the "mixed" lines. To pass the time of the wait for the table we got two drinks - the Empire lemonade and the Melon-infused Margararita. Both tasted like water. It was like the mixes were made with ice in them that had melted by the time we got them. You could barely taste the "lemonade" or the "melon". You could barely taste alcohol. Basically, you couldn't taste anything but the salt or sugar on the rim. These were easily the worst drinks we have had in years - even worse than a bad Mexico all-inclusive. We were seated and after 5 minutes, we met our waitress. We ordered a side salad, a blue cheese burger and fries, and the warm berry compote. The side salad was good, and the buttermilk ranch dressing was very tasty, same goes for the burger and fries. Very good. The dessert was a major disappointment. I don't know about all of you, but any compote I have had in the past has had crumbs/crunchies in them. This didn't, which wasn't the worst part. Let me preface things by saying that I have never relished paying a lot of money for not a lot of food. I'm not looking for Golden Corral portions of food, just some value. The warm berry compote was a small dollop of ice cream, several berries/strawberries (like less than 7), and a syrup sitting in the bottom of the bowl - $8. We were really disappointed. Essentially, our Empire experience ended as it started, with major disappointment and the overall feeling that we had been "taken". We won't be returning. I can spend a lot of money on food at any number of restaurants and be left feeling good about things, but I doubt this would ever be the case here. It should tell you something that all of the glowing reviews on Yelp for this restaurant are "4 stars", and not 5. Dine at your own risks, and if you seriously lower your expectations then you have at least a chance of being satisfied, but if you go into it expecting a great meal, then you'll leave just as we did - Very, Very Disappointed .. and borderline upset.
(2)
Alli K.
Wonderful restaurant with an amazing local selection. Ambiance is very chill; I can't wait to eat here again!
(5)
Laura P.
Wish I could give this place 3 and a half stars. The food can be good and the atmosphere and location are great. Sometimes though I just find it too rich especially for place that is going for healthy. I ordered the mac and cheese and it was just to oily and heave. I at about half of the small portion and still felt a bit overfull. The drinks are good here though and some of the stuff I have gotten is great so it depends on what you order.
(3)
Pashley C.
Pleasant Pub ambiance, charcoal grill, good house wine, cheeful server, salty main courses, inedible cauliflower side dish, nice bread pudding.
(2)
Chris M.
I liked this place, the decor was dark wood and felt comfortable. I did not really love the menu, the food was good but a little limited , I would have liked to see more appraisers. The drinks were good and I could seem myself going back for happy hour rather than dinner again. The service was outstanding. This place may have not been 100 percent to my tastes but thats not to say someone else might not like it. I can see myself going back, especially for happy hour.
(3)
Wilson F.
Absolutely great service. The decor is nice and quite comfortable. Nice wine list. I feel that the food, however, is overrated and overpriced, and the menu is surprisingly limited.
(3)
Dave B.
4 1/2 stars. Went here on New Years Eve, and the place was busy but not crazy. Our server was relaxed and helpful. The atmosphere is very pleasant, with dark paneling and a cozy lounge area with a fireplace. The food was delicious. I had the NY strip with fries - very tasty. My wife had the pork, which was flavorful though a bit dry. A great place, wish we could come more often!
(4)
Michael S.
Empire took over Pasquini`s space on Main street.They did a wonderful job erasing the evidence of the old occupant on the interior.So far the exterior is unchanged.The food and drink was good. Service a Little rusty. The place has been open a week it is not fair to do a full review yet. Happy Hour 4-6. Closed on Mondays
(4)
Jason H.
3 1/2 stars. The menu is limited but usually well-executed. Local, simple approachable food. Good wine choices, good drinks, and good local beer. This used to be the best choice for dinner in downtown Louisville, but the service & atmosphere have declined from the heyday. On it's best nights, the food is still the best downtown, but it doesn't always feel welcoming and the service can be hurried.
(3)
Connie R.
When I saw this place going in I was skeptical, we had enjoyed the previous restaurant in that location and I was worried that the historic neon sign would be removed, I was delighted to see that it was repaired and adapted to the new place. I was also initially disturbed by the prices, until I tasted the food. On the rare occasion that I can pry myself away from ordering the Calamari Salad, I am never disappointed, except of course when I see the Calamari Salad go by to another table (it's just so darned good). Their specials aren't what they are trying to get rid of before it goes bad, but ordered in specifically for the chefs latest creation. The chef goes for an emphasis on locally grown food. The pork chops are supper thick, and never dry. The tuna burger is incredible. The cucumber infused gin and tonic is so refreshing, and the ladies at the bar are always willing to concoct any drink that you can come up with. I had to laugh when I saw a couple of the other reviews mention a disinterested waiter; being a regular, I know exactly who they were talking about.
(5)
Ann B.
What a wonderful place! Great food and atmosphere, and the service was great. It's a wonderful place for a date, and is hip without being pretentious. I wish it were open for lunch, but that's the only negative thing I can think of
(5)
Amy K.
Love this place! My fave is the calamari salad and the mac & cheese. yay Empire!
(5)
eric t.
Our first experience to Empire was very impressive. McMannus did a thorough job making the interior and exterior really feel and look like a lounge. Louisville has changed allot since the last time I had visited and Empire definitely added to the experience. We went for happy hour and looked over the whole menu. Although the HH menu was short it looked interesting. Me and my gal ordered Old fashioned highballs (perfect!). Tried the wings (I kinda rate HH menus by their wings- steer clear on these). And the great thing was even though they weren't serving dinner yet we could order off the dinner menu. Ordered a great pizza and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We will be back!
(4)
Phi P.
I heard a lot of good things about the Empire, so I decided to try it out with my family for dinner. We started off with the chips and guacamole, and I must say it wasn't any spectacular. The guacamole could have had a lot more kick, but it was pretty tame. Next they brought out the biscuits. Although they tasted pretty good, they were pretty dry and powdery. I would've liked it if they were heated a bit before they brought them out. For my main course, I ordered a burger with the addition cheese and onion. I must also say that the burger was also "dry", as the patty was very hard to consume comfortably. The fried potatoes that came with it were pretty good, but once again they weren't as warm as I would've liked. My sister and father both ordered a flat iron steak, which I thought was good, but nothing spectacular. My mom ordered a calamari salad which I thought looked the best out of all, but I didn't get to try any of it.
(3)
Colorado M.
We love this this place! We have probably been about 10 times and the food and drink has always been delicious. The menu has "safe" choices, but also many unusual new food creations that allow us to take some risks. The "safe" choices are still exciting in that the quality of ingredients and the way they are cooked make them extra special. I believe any resturant that allows the customer to view the kitchen staff creates a confidence in their cleanliness and skilsl. Love the cucumber infused gin and tonic, the old-fashioned, calamari salad (1/2 plate is plenty), and the sliders. Looking forward to trying mac/cheese when the weather cools down. The Happy Hour menu is large and varied at a great price. Happy Hour is a great way to try a smaller version of much of the dinner menu. The staff are knowledgeable, professional, and hard-working. Overall, I feel The Empire is a great business because they aim to please their customers and their menu represents a true appreciation for quality/creative food. They have all the ingredients for success.
(5)
B B.
Food was just ok. Prices much too high for quality of food. I told the owner as much and he didn't seem to care that I was not satisified. Needless to say I will not be returning
(2)
Jeffery B.
I'd probably give 2.5 stars, if I could. I didn't mind the over-the-top signage. We made reservations for 5.30 on a Saturday and the place was understandably pretty empty, so service was good. The main problems were a) weird menu and b) prices. I've eaten all over Denver and Boulder County and don't mind spending money for a meal. At Empire, though, there's a decent $15 chicken plate, which after all is just roast chicken. OK. However, the $16 risotto was laughable, decent risotto but barely enough to coat a small dish a half inch. They had a very limited wine selection by the glass. The collection of waiters was just bizarre -- some wearing Empress T's, some with shorts and odd shirts, some dressed other ways. Our waitress kept coming over but really didn't have much to say. Meanwhile . . . EVERYTHING is a la carte and the sides are expensive (french fries are $5, asparagus is $8). Like I said, I wouldn't mind if this were a fancy restaurant in Larimer Square, but it's not. I ordered the risotto and wanted a salad. They had this Greek Salad for $12 (!) and some other odd salad. I said "you don't have a side salad?" and the waitress said, "oh, yes, it's just not on the menu. It''s normally field greens, but tonight it's just chopped romaine". Uh huh. You have a perfectly good accompaniment to entrees that have virtually no sides and you don't put it on the menu. That kind of weirdness persisted throughout the experience. BTW, virtually every customer was in shorts and some in flipflops. Some had kids. Some ate the expensive burger-like fare. My sweetie and I were reasonably dressed as we were going dancing. Anyway, it's not a big deal, it's just like the Empress doesn't know who it wants to be: a solid upscale restaurant with $25 entrees and a good wine list and all the rest, or a hipster restaurant with an eclectic menu.
(2)
aubrey b.
this is is my new favorite restaurant. the food was unbelieveable, and better yet, the service was top notch; attentive but not annoying, good suggestions, quick, informative. also the vibe and atmosphere are young, hip, but not too yuppie. love it!! will go again and again I'm sure.
(5)
Melissa L.
The two star rating is mostly for service. I really wanted to like the Empire, for its unique menu and trendy, upbeat decor. And to be honest, though our portions were a bit smaller than hoped on our first visit, our experience with the food has generally been positive. However, each time we've visited, we've had a different poor experience with the wait staff or management--from a general disinterested 'vibe' from our server, to lack of service provided to a group who had reserved part of the restaurant for appetizers. (A large group of people ended up using silverware to eat individual cheese cubes from a platter, when the staff in charge was too put out to replenish the group's toothpicks!) At first I thought maybe it was me--and hey, everyone is entitled to have a bad night once in a while--but after 4+ visits, I am convinced the poor service is more than just a fluke among certain parts of the staff. We've always had a good experience with the hostesses and bartenders--so it varies!--but our last unfriendly experience was enough to keep us from going back for a while.
(2)
cupcake m.
This place is great. Everything we had from appetizers to desert was just really good. I would go back again and again-it is SO nice to have a restaurant to go to that is close to my house and not to have to drive into Boulder just to get a decent meal. I hope that they do well-Old Town is such a nice little spot-and it really needed a good restaurant. I agree that the kids meals are a bit too pricey-because the restaurant itself is not cheap-but it is worth it. I am however, not sure if it is worth paying to bring your kids along. Maybe they can work on that-because a lot of us like/need to take our kids along. The space is really big and open and quite nice as well. All in all I say "Yay for Empire"!!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Thu, Sat Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Seth T.
Great metro feel with a small town attitude. Great bar, great cocktails, menu is fresh, local, always changing. Love this place.
(5)Heather F.
Great atmosphere, great drinks, great food, great service. The owner is always there, and helps give the restaurant a true "neighborhood" feel. We frequent the Empire regularly and are never disappointed.
(5)Justin V.
This use to be our favorite spot in Louisville, and we have eaten there 9 or 10 times this year. The food can be great and we usually have great service. But tonight we were shocked. We had one of those nights were many things went wrong. We got the scene that they were having a "kitchen issue". In summary, we had to ask 3 times to get bread(and got 2 slices for a 4 top), our meals took forever, 3 out of the 4 items we ordered were wrong(my entree never came), and them my drink was spilled and we were charged for the replacement. But, what really upset us was the manager totally ignored us. I hope the Empire hasn't gotten so successful that they no longer feel they have to care about their customers. I hope this was an isolated night.
(2)Mike J.
Man this place hits the spot in Louisville. It's just what we needed. I don't think the decor could get any better. I love it. You instantly feel at ease and comfortable in this place. It's modern, yet extremely inviting and warm. I love the use of local ingredients too. Good job chef. The food seems to have improved. When it first opened the menu was all over the place and while creative, it was the opposite of being hard to decide because of so many good options. There were no single options that grabbed you. Everything was just a bit too creative if you know what I mean. Like a basic chicken dished marred by some outlandish sauce, etc. Also my wife doesn't eat pork and the menu was covered in bacon and pork products (which of course I can never get enough of). Also, fair warning, if you get the gnocci it's not what you think. It's three huge piece of potato pasta, not a bowl full of little ones. It's delicious though. Anyway, the menu is a lot more welcoming to the average diner now, but still has creative touches and elegance. The beef short ribs are outstanding and fall off the bone. The gruyere souflee appetizer gets rave reviews, although it's a bit too rich for me. I hold back the 5th star just because I feel the menu could improve a bit. Outside of a the beef short-rib appetizer there are no dishes that I've had that really satisfy. My wife has gotten a few "eh" dishes too. It's also slightly on the pricey side for the quality. The empire is a great local joint for Louisville and I'm glad it's there. I look forward to it evolving and hopefully improving on the menu as they have over the past year.
(4)Elmo G.
After the Street Faire last night we stopped in for a burger. It was nice to sit out on the sidewalk, to watch all the action going on Main Street. Just a couple of issues, we ordered burgers, when they came out, one had blue cheese on it. My wife hates blue cheese so they took it back, when it returned they had just taken the blue cheese off. Still with a strong smell and taste of blue cheese. It was late and wanted to get home, I traded burgers with my wife. The server first said they had replaced the burger, but the stated they had just tried removing the blue cheese. He made it right on the bill, which is nice. They should have thought a little more about how strong blue cheese favor is on food. Another reason for the three stars is the burgers were a little dry. I'll go back but will try something different.
(3)ruby d.
My friends have been telling me about The Empire for months... I finally made it in this week and was thrilled with my experience! The space itself was warm and inviting. There was a short wait for a table so we started at the bar, where we were served a delightful pineapple mojito and an elderflower spritzer. When we were moved to the table we were greeted by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable server. Everything from the calamari salad (which was HUGE) to the grilled ono to the panna cotta delivered. My friend ordered the skirt steak for dinner with a side order of asparagus, which was amazing as well. We found the menu to be exciting while staying approachable. All in all a great meal, I can't wait to go back!
(5)Sarah R.
I have had two great experiences here so far. Everything from the appetizers to the desserts were spot on. The service was also attentive and friendly. I have been once on a weekend and it was packed. Everyone in our party enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. We came back the following week on a Tuesday night with the kids (3 and 6) and it was way more low key. My six year old loved the mac and cheese, although I do think that 5.50 is a bit much for a kid's meal in Louisville. We are so happy to have this place as a part of our little town and look forward coming back again.
(4)Kristin H.
Love this place! We have sat at the bar every time because we love the atmosphere and especially the bartender Alex! Not only is she an awesome bartender but a great person too! She is so personable and you can tell that she loves her job and loves Empire! Thanks Alex and Empire for a great experience every time!
(5)Beth P.
Fantastic option for the night. We found ourselves spending a night in Louisville while visiting friends, and I (as usual) leaned on Yelp for a recommendation. We had the mushroom risotto and the pork meatballs, which were both fantastic (with some of the best sautéed kale I have ever had with the meatballs). Drinks were very high quality if a smidge under-strong. But the dessert was amazing. Warm fresh apple tart topped with the most decadent mascarpone ice cream... Yum. Definitely a worthwhile stop!
(5)Nancy G.
My husband and I went here for happy hour and it did not disappoint. We both ordered the house red and white and they were good for house wines and only $4! We ordered the buffalo wings and the spicy wings. The buffalo wings were good, just the right amount of crispy but needed a touch more sauce. And the spicy chili wings were out of this world. The sauce is almost like a thai inspired chili sauce and we were practically licking the container it came in. We also ordered the buratta crostini and it was drizzled with olive oil , flecked with salt and had pieces of lemon that looked like pineapple. That touch made the dish. We also ordered their burger slider which was one of the nest I've had in a long time. I find that restaurants don't really take care with sliders but this one was juicy and cooked perfectly. I would go back to eat multiple sliders alone!! I haven't had dinner here but I'm guessing its amazing. Overall our bill for all that food and 3 drinks was under $45-50 with tip. In Boulder County THAT is a deal!
(4)David M.
Empire Restaurant and Lounge . . . a total surprise. Yesterday evening my sweetie and I picked up a friend and we decided to go on a short road trip in search of good Mexican food. We drove up to Lafayette to try out Efrain's which I'd heard a lot about, but go figure, they were closed. So we drove west until we hit Louisville where we stopped a reputable looking couple (?) and asked where the best restaurant in town was. They pointed down the street to this 40's neon sign that said "Empire Restaurant and Lounge." It turned out to be a great find. I guess some would call it new American cuisine. You know: Local produce. Organic this and that. Frequent seasonal menu changes. The whole schtick. But you know what I call it. Ummmmm ummmm, gooooood. We had a delicious arugula / mint(!) / shaved goat cheese and walnut salad, followed by some honkin' thick lamb chops and mac & cheese and pancetta. The desserts (beignets in syrup and cream, and panna cotta) were scumpdillyicious. All in all a completely surprising and excellent dinner (and the servers were simply charming to boot). Bottom line: Try it Mikey. You'll like it.
(4)Simone L.
Delicious. Had the burger and rare, at that - VERY different experience from other posters (excellent!). The bread pudding was exquisite, cocktails worth the price, the fish delicious - a delightful dinner spot.
(4)Jeb B.
Louisville just doesn't have good food options. But, when Brendan opened The Empire...he changed that. This is a great place for good food if you're just occasional visitor and it's a good, local place if you're a barfly like me. I'd review the menu, but it changes fairly frequently. Overall, I've yet to have a bad meal there. Even the mac and cheese is special. A year later, The Empire still doesn't disappoint. The bartenders make great drinks (I'm partial to the Old Fashioned (ask Lexie to make it)) and the food is still superb. My only complaint is that they don't serve the Mac n Cheese in the silver buckets anymore.
(5)Ailea J.
Empire Burger? Yes, pretty please! We came for dinner on a Friday night with our little preschooler; we were seated immediately in a booth in the back, close to the kitchen so we could watch the food traffic. For appetizers, we ordered the homemade chips with guacamole and grilled oysters (based on the waiter's recommendation). Seasoned with a lemon sauce and vinegar, these oysters are put on the grill until they open and served straight away with the sauces on top. Delicious--the little girl even tried one and liked it. The homemade chips and guac were fantastic as well, but the taste of the oysters just lingered on. We ordered the mac and cheese for the little girl, a tuna burger (medium well), and an Empire Burger (medium) with bleu cheese and bacon. My Empire Burger was juicy, the bun wasn't soggy (what? is that possible? Yes. And it was magnificent), and it came with homemade pickle spears (which are the way to this pregnant woman's heart). The tuna burger, based on the bite that I tried, tasted like a version of sushi-style garlic tuna on a bun with wasabi mayonnaise. And the mac and cheese (here's me clutching my heart), it was creamy and rich with what tasted like an aged parmesean cheese as one of the cheeses. My daughter didn't care for it (of course, she prefers the kind with powder and elbow macaroni), but the plate was cleaned off regardless (I wonder how!). Overall, it was a great meal, and we will definitely be returning.
(4)Josh P.
If you haven't been, downtown Louisville can be a fun change of pace, and the Empire Lounge is an apt addition to the neighborhood. Capitalizing on the American nostalgia theme that seems to be en vogue lately, the Empire lives up to the "lounge" in its name (minus the smoke of course). We enjoyed the bacon wrapped dates, though I can't say I've had many bacon-wrapped dishes that I didn't like. The flatiron steak was a bargain. It was a nice sized cut of choice beef prepared to a perfect medium rare. We finished dinner with a nice stroll down main street to aid in our digestion. All in all, well worth the trip.
(3)Cathy B.
I ate here recently with a friend and it was below expectations. I probably won't go back - just too many better places to spend my money. We got there in time for happy hour but were disappointed to learn that the happy hour menu was only offered at the bar and in the lounge. Having settled at our table, we decided not to move. The starter of almond stuffed, bacon wrapped dates was great but it's hard to mess that dish up. It was pricey at 4 pieces for $8. I ordered the gnocchi after the waitress assured me it was finished in a pan, but alas, it was not. The gnocchi was mushy and the tomato sauce was unremarkable. It reminded me of a reheated frozen meal. I also got the small mac and cheese w/ pancetta. For $8 it was a HUGE portion, so big that I double-checked with the waitress that it was the small. While it was a very tasty combination of cheeses, it barely had any pancetta and the quantity was just too much for such a rich dish. DIdn't finish it. My last dish was the sauteed greens, which that night was chard. Big fail. These were the most bland greens I have ever eaten, the kind of preparation that turns people off from greens permanently. They tasted steamed. On top of that, they cost $6, which is even a high price point for well-prepared greens. My friend ordered the salmon which she thought was fine but I thought was overdone.
(2)Mike F.
Living in Stepfordville (Highlands Ranch), it's not often we get to experience "up North" dining. This past weekend found us antiquing in Arvada & we used Yelp to search for some food choices. I always have trouble finding something my wife will tolerate since she thinks my only choices will be deep fried or Mexican. Though there's nothing wrong with either, I have to mind my p's & q's, or suffer the wrath of wifey... Empire showed up on my Android, the reviews sounded good, the pic's looked good, so off we went. The wife got the "you're gonna' pay for this" look when we drove up & she saw the Route 66 style sign, but we forged on. We were quickly seated by a window with a great view of Main St. The menu came & wifey's look went away. Yes, she saw lots of non-fried stuff!!! There were so many good yummy sounding things on the menu - here's our selections; -Deviled Eggs. Now tell me, how many places can you order deviled eggs? I prefer the sweet pickle variety, these were not, but still very good. -Shaved brussel sprout salad w/ toasted walnuts and pecorino. I'm a brussel sprout fan, but have never had anything like this delite prepared uncooked & shaved with toasted sugar coated walnuts. I will come back just for this salad, yummm... -Grilled 1/2 chicken w/blue cheese bread pudding. Wife said this was quite good, I didn't try it. -Coal miner's mac & cheese w/ pancetta. This sure isn't mac & cheese from the box, it was creamy & cheesy & a whole lot of it. Sorry arteries... The service was good, the environment was good as well. Overall, this was a nice experience & a really pleasant surprise. Will we go back? Yes, any time we're up in the Louisville neck of the woods!
(4)Marty D.
We have enjoyed a few sit down dinners and enjoyed many happy hours. We are finally getting some good restaurants in Louisville, or do you call it Loserville :) It would be great to see the happy hour menu updated with new items, but overall my wife and I have been very satisfied.
(4)Rachel E.
The Empire was delightful. Its non-Boulder location made it that much more appealing, especially for a restaurant that could fit in very well with that crowd... The dark wood interior and leather furniture, red lanterns and cozy location; it was cool and hip and sexy, and not a bit pretentious. A nice crowd.. families and couples and girls' night out, man dates and prom kids. House made mozzarella crostini... Fabulous. Charcoal grilled pork chop with grits.. A+ Grilled Leg of Lamb, goat cheese enchilada.. A bit too rare for my liking.. but, good. Ricotta beignet with caramel, mascarpone ice cream... WOW! A bite from the warm middle and a bit of ice cream on top.. d.e.l.i.s.h. Our table by the wall divider was secluded and cozy and a perfect spot to eat and talk and eat and talk, but, next time I want the table under the EAT sign.. The service was okay.. not overly friendly, but, accommodating.. The Empire is off the beaten path.. but, it's off the hook!
(4)Monica I.
We drove up to Louisville based on the reviews here and it was definitely worth it. It's where Pasquini's used to be, and though I was sad to see the old place had gone it was replaced by something even better. The atmosphere is low key, with dark wood and comfortable seating. It was nice to see a simple menu with a few choice items. Unfortunately, everything sounded so good it was hard to decide on what to order. Our server was very knowledgable about the menu and took very good care of us. We started with six oysters on the half shell. They were very fresh and perfect, though they came with a vinegar-based dip instead of the usual cocktail sauce and horseradish. It was a new twist on oysters for me, and though I enjoyed it I think I prefer the kick of horseradish. I had the lamb shoulder with polenta. My friend had a half order of gnocchi along with roasted cauliflower. We shared everything. Lamb is one of my favorites, though I prefer lamb chops to the lamb shoulder. It's not cooked to order, so it was definitely slow cooked with no pink anywhere. Still it was delicious. The polenta was also good, but the lamb pieces were served on top of the creamy polenta. That meant that every bite of lamb contained more than a bit of the polenta. I think it could have been plated better, but it was still very good. My friend's gnocchi was light, fluffy and buttery. A half order was almost too much because it was very rich. I would definitely recommend going with the half order and another side to make a meal, just like she did. Her cauliflower was also very good and a refreshing alternative to the usual veggies you can get at other restaurants. We split a blueberry-filled pastry with ice cream for dessert. It was the perfect end to a fantastic meal. We didn't even have the check yet and we were already planning our next trip to The Empire. It's a comfy restaurant with the kind of food you would normally have to travel to LoDo to find. Check this place out!
(5)Daily R.
Nice Place, great lounge and bar. Rob, Eric, Jim and the staff are all great people. Great bartenders, great appetizer specials and drinks. Right in the old town restaurant row in Louisville. Best town in the U.S.
(4)Joanne G.
On a recent Saturday night we decided to bring a friend from California to the Empire. We realize it was a weekend night (Saturday) and knew there would a be a little wait. We did not expect to wait over an hour. So hungry I was remembering the great looking Udis big round bread as we walked in. We finally got seated and were thankful. I thought for the first time, after visiting several times over the years, the food was fair. After waiting so long, we were hungry and then told they ran out of bread. How disappointing. Then a very nice male waiter, not ours, searched high and low and came to the table with a few pieces of bread. Thank you. Ordered the goat cheese enchilada appetizer and it was cold. Everyone agreed our food was just so, so. I did not see the owner there that night and not sure what the problem was. Unfortunately, we will return and give them another try, but won't be our first choice. I should mention, the brussel sprout salad is always a good choice.
(3)Scott F.
Despite the tacky neon sign that had always turned me off from the restaurant (after inquiring about it, it is apparently it's deemed some sort of necessity by the town) the Empire is an excellent and classy restaurant. I've brought friends and family here whenever they're in town to show them a good meal. I've met a few of the people who work here and a rotating menu keeps everything fresh. If you're looking for food cooked to order and spending some money on quality food than the empire is a great choice. I can't believe the reviews aren't higher, but it seems most of the people are upset with the service or time it takes to get food - which I've never had an issue with and don't mind waiting when you're with good company and good drinks.
(5)Kim M.
My husband and I came here for the first time a couple of nights ago. We had heard about it for a while and we finally ventured out to Louisville to check it out. First off I love the area of main street where the restaurant is located - a nice blend of homey and chic. The Empire really has the look of an old-fashioned lounge from the big protruding neon sign that you see before you even get close to the entrance, but as you get closer and peek inside, you will notice a clean, upscale/casual bar/restaurant. As we walked in, we were greeted warmly. We immediately felt a good vibe. We opted to sit at the bar, which was very sleek with a copper-like bar-top, giving it a very cool modern, yet inviting feel to it. We ordered a couple of happy hour beers and got a couple of burgers from the regular menu. The burgers and fries were amazing - the best I've had in a long time, And the bartender, Eric, was friendly and gave us a top-of-the-line service. My only disappointment was that we had not checked out this place sooner. The rest of the menu looked intriguing- I definitely want to check out the duck with the goat cheese enchiladas & the shrimp and grits! We will be back.
(5)Jeri J.
I'd been hearing that this place had a rep for being less than friendly. However, as with most everything, I reserved judgment until I tried it for myself. Yeah. I probably should have listened. My friend and I walk in just after 4pm after spying their happy hour menu listed outside. Nobody greeted us, so we approached someone and asked if we should seat ourselves. She said yes. So, asked if we could sit outside. Again, she said yes. Our server comes outside and hands us menus and not a happy hour menu in sight. After asking for it, she tells us we are in the wrong area for happy hour seating (?!) and must sit in the lounge. (And the lounge is....where?) Sooooo.....we offer to go inside but she grudgingly tells us we can stay where we are. Then it starts raining. So we gather all of our own stuff in and head inside. (Seriously - I'm balancing a glass of wine, a glass of water, napkin roll, silverware, and plate....and not one offer of help.) We ask where the lounge is - she gestures towards a seating area that looks mostly full except for two tables, which are evidently reserved. So there we still stand, hands full, without words....because we still don't know where we are supposed to go and the server is offering zero suggestions and nobody else that works there seemed to care about the random patrons walking around balancing full glasses and multiple plates like they're auditioning for the circus. So we ask if we can sit at the bar. Though, not exactly where we wanted to eat dinner, at this point we are desperate and feeling terribly awkward. So, sit we do. The bartender was a tough nut to crack at first, but I'm pretty sure I won him over eventually. Or maybe that's just what I thought after my fourth glass of wine. Regardless, it was weird and uncomfortable. Maybe I'll give it another go because the food was good (hence two stars instead of one) but with so many other options Downtown, it may be awhile, if ever.
(2)Jason B.
I like this place! It's a bit overpriced, but it is a nice change. The food is great!
(4)Amanda E.
I cannot say enough good things about Empire. We have been there 3 times now. Each time we have made it a point to order something different, drinks included, and have yet to be disappointed. The entrees are creatively assembled, drinks are delicious (potent yet not overbearing) and ambiance is relaxed. I have had their ahi special, pork ricotta meatballs and salmon reuben. There isn't a single thing I wouldn't order again. BTW get the deviled eggs! WRT price - you get what you pay for. It's not going to be a cheap night out, but it is by far not the most expensive option out there. Besides, the chocolate croissant bread pudding alone makes it worth your while. Treat yo'self.
(5)V M.
Yum! Went for dinner with some family that was in from out of town on a recommendation, and everything was awesome. Drinks were good (a little pricey, but good), selection was great, food was awesome. I had the hands down best grilled cheese ever (only thing that would have made it better would have been a really good tomato soup, but that's just my preference)! But what was even better, was my husbands dinner :) It was bucatini? I think? Spaghetti with pork and ricotta meatballs. They had the most amazing fluffy texture, and just perfect taste. Also had a fun looking atmosphere for happy hour or weekend drinks.
(4)R A.
I used to look forward to going to the Empire. Now, feeling really stale and two bad meals in a row. What has changed, I don't know. Service is slow, food is unacceptable.
(1)Mmmm W.
I really want to love this place due to the ambiance and location, but unfortunately I don't. I've been there 3 times. The first time was great, but the next two times, the entrees were so salty, my mouth was burning. We told the waitress, and she said the food was "seasoned". I do like the Brussels sprout salad. Seems that there could be a few more options on the menu.
(2)Lauren S.
I really like this restaurant. I love the mussels in miso and I get the panna cotta every time. The food is consistently good. The service has been okay to good. A few times I've had waiters forget the bread or not know what wine to recommend, but most of the time the service is good. The owner even comes to greet the tables on occasion. I especially like the outdoor seating in the summer time.
(4)Rod H.
The Empire is a solid example of New American cuisine. It had a good atmosphere and very good service (though the hostess seemed stressed out). The food was excellent. I ordered the grilled pork tenderloin, which was marinated over night and had a great flavor, not to mention that it was cooked perfectly. My wife ordered the salmon. It was undercooked (raw in the very very center), but the kitchen happily corrected this. Unfortunately, they went a tad overboard, overcooking it just slightly. It was complemented by it's pistachio sauce topping, which had a bit too much olive oil, making the dish too oily, but the taste was still quite good. There were a number of other dishes I wanted to try, and I had a hard time choosing my selection, which is a good sign at a restaurant with such a small menu. I definitely plan on going back.
(4)Lois B.
I waited until last minute to plan a dinner get together for a party of ten. After calling about twenty or so restaurants, The Empire was the only one that was able to accommodate us on a Saturday night. I am so happy all of the others said they couldn't have us because this restaurant is phenomenal! My friend who had arrived before us was sipping on her moscow mule and suggested I give it a try. Let me just tell you that my favorite drink is now moscow mule! It was delicious. Just by looking at the menu, I knew we were in for a great dining experience. Some of us had dozen oysters as the appetizer. It was delicious except I wish they were colder or served on a bed of ice. For the entree, my husband had braised lamb and I had mussels in lemongrass sauce. They were both so tasty! Two of our friends ordered some kind of duck and they were cooked to perfection! Everyone couldn't help but discuss how happy they were about this place. I can't wait to come back to try other things on the menu!!
(5)Jasmine T.
Limited menu, average food, weak wine list and icky server. Other than that, nice atmosphere and good beer selection if you like Dale's and heavier beer. Server seemed put out by doing a job and was way too hasty. Slopped our food down, while whirling around, and said "enjoy" in a monotone, rote tone. My husband and I immediately looked at each other, as if to say, "did that just happen?" If you are looking for a place that has great food and a good experience, go somewhere else.
(2)Jamison N.
I really liked sitting at the bar in the middle of the dinner shift. The restaurant has a great layout with a casual lounge type area in the front for less formal meet-ups and a more elegant dining area in the back for more intimate experiences. The cocktails and food were good. I tried the dinner special, some lamb meatballs with a side of veggies and really enjoyed it. The old fashioned that the bartender recommended was a great pairing with it. I'll be back!
(5)Doug O.
We love this place. My wife and I make it a point to go here at least once a month because we enjoy the food and atmosphere that much. The menu is always changing and they are always offering something really good and exciting each week. The wine selection is good and while it's usually busy, it's never too hard or too long of a wait to find a table. The service is always friendly and quick. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for something new and fun!
(5)Brian M.
Very dated interior and bland gnocchi. Red sauce also bland. Few patrons here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. With the other close options for dining, you can do much better.
(2)Jennifer G.
Love, love, LOVE the Empire - great food, great service, amazing bartending. We go there once a week for cocktails, sometimes dinner. The new burger is top-notch, and the Chef's tasting menu is always sure to please. Try the Deviled eggs as an app, and the bread pudding for dessert - to die for!! They have Wine Wednesday every week, $5 a glass, and it never fails to please, white or red. But the jewel of the Empire is the bartender Lexi - a true mistress of the classic cocktail, but her original creations are as amazing as the good old cucumber gin and tonic. Go there now!
(5)Terry G.
I had been meaning to try the Empire for a while now since I spend a fair amount of time in downtown Louisville. We got there early on Friday evening and decided to belly up to the copper topped bar and enjoy a couple of drinks and happy hour appetizers. Our bartender was great,knowledgable,friendly and very attentive. For drinks my date ordered an old fashioned and I ordered a margarita and both were good. We ordered lots of appetizers because I wanted to try a variety so we ordered a slider,chips and guacamole,chili rubbed wings,fries and buffalo wings. Everthing was very good and during happy hour 4 to 6 PM the prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is comfortable and you won't be sitting at the bar if you don't get there early. I will enjoy the happy hour again soon and I might pony up for the real menu if I need to plan a special night out.
(4)Laurie G.
We visited the Empire Restaurant early last Saturday evening, for happy hour. Great neon sign above the building, and when we walked in there was definitely a very relaxed, dark, loungy feel to the place. From the 'snacks' section of the menu we ordered deviled eggs - I'd never seen deviled eggs on a menu but I'm glad they were because they were very tasty. We also had a pizza that was delicious and just the right size to share. Looking forward to going back for dinner.
(4)Ron R.
So my apologies to the bartender. When I was asked what was wrong with the 1 minute calamari ( I said it was awful) I should have been able to spout off the list. Which I will do in a moment. I froze because I was challenged . He asked if it was rubbery, then what I did not like about it. Here you are pal: soft like spaghetti, soupy, flavorless, mush. You said you sold a lot of this. Wow, really? I want to add that its a different menu. No appetizer section yet a list of snacks. I'm in the wrong place. BTW, the negroni was good.
(2)Yokes F.
I love this place. Definitely coming back many many times. Their prices are really good too for what you're getting served. I had a spicy miso frisée salad with calamari in it that was very tasty along with some fantastic mac and cheese bold with flavor. The mac and cheese was so rich, I recommend getting the smaller portion first. It's more than it looks when you start eating it. But I have to say,.... REALLY GOOD mac and cheese. This is something I'm going to be craving in the future. We also had their burrata salad that tasted humble and homemade. Although my boyfriend's pulled pork sandwich was lacking in flavor, that had an amazing coleslaw served with it. I wouldn't mind getting an entire bowl of that stuff. The desserts looked good but we were too full to order more food. One thing I love about Empire Lounge is that they're very generous with the veggies and they all taste farm fresh. You would usually pay a price for that kind of quality and quantity but you don't here. Everything is regular priced which makes this place a little gem in little downtown Louisville. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes!
(4)Heather W.
We went there on a Friday night, late-ish, and I agree with some here that it was decent, but nothing to write home about. The service was fine. What stood out, and not in a good way, was their 5-minute calamari: it was the worst appetizer that my S.O. and I have ever had--bar none. Slimy, drowned in sauce, and obviously sitting on the counter for quite a while. It was, in a word, gross. The beef dish he had was okay, and I had a chicken something that was so unremarkable that I can't remember what it was. Won't go back.
(2)Ursula H.
Disclaimer: I am totally *over* "New American" food BUT, The Empire is by far my favorite restaurant in Colorado. I have never (in 50+ meals) been disappointed. My major complaint is that it's not in Denver. Although I admit that Louisville (probably) deserves awesome restaurants too, I would like to be able to swing by for happy hour sometime without having to brave 36. That being said, it's worth the drive. What to eat: everything is good but the standouts (for me) are the skirt steak, deviled eggs, chicken wings, the burger, and of course, the risotto. To drink: Pimm's Cip or an Empire Martini (I'm a sucker for bleu cheese stuffed olives). Lots of other creative cocktails, beer, and wine to choose from too. Final tip: have dessert--even if you are really full--it's always worth it. Of course the ingrediants are seasonal and local--like so many restaurants today-- but The Empire is also inspired and delicious without being pretencious.
(5)Luke T.
A real restaurant, featuring seasonal grub with professional wait staff. Someone that knows the menu, makes appropriate recommendation. That is a real restaurant. One with wait staff that knows what they put on the plates. We started with their oysters and it was good and fresh. Followed with the pork chop. Hearty and savory. Tender and so juicy. It was pretty darn good. Buddy had the OHU or OMU? Some fish from the exotic waters of Hawaii. Per buddy, it was good. If you want something innovative, you should check out this place and their specials. I was pleasantly surprised.
(4)Randy G.
Pretentious and overpriced for what you get. Even a burger wasn't that great. Draft beer was warm.
(1)Phillip C.
I ate here for the first time last night, on a recommendation from a friend. Without a doubt, this is a great place for dinner. My companion and I shared several small plates to get a good variety. We started with the grilled romaine salad. I don't say this often about salads, but this was truly outstanding. The slight char on the lettuce added a nice bitterness to the plate. The oat croutons added a unique crunch, while the buttermilk dressing was the right amount of creamy and acidity. It was also a very generously portioned salad. We also had the burrata with heirloom tomatoes. The kitchen did a good job making the ingredients shine and didn't get in the way of it. It was a nightly special, so I'm not sure how often it's available. Another special last night was the bahn mi. The sandwich was very well flavored, but I'd have liked a bit more veggie crunch that typifies the iconic Vietnamese sandwich. It came with a side of fries, which were very good: piping hot and cut thick. The Korean bbq ribs were among the best I've had. It's labeled a "snack" on the menu, but there are two double-cut ribs on the plate (four ribs if you're counting along at home). They had very nice cocktails and an approachable wine list. We both had a cocktail before our table was ready and also each had a glass of Malbec for $8 apiece. They also feature plenty of affordable wines by the bottle. If you're planning dinner in Boulder, there are plenty of good options. But do yourself a favor and expand your search radius. Empire is worth the trip to old town Louisville!
(5)Robin S.
I have eaten at Empire 3 times now, each time was really delicious. The calamari salad is really good (but share it, its big). They have a nice wine selection, and they typically have good specials. Last night I had the Bucatini with local greens and beans, which was fantastic. Plus, its on the hip strip on Main Street in Louisville, a happenin' little spot of restaurants.
(4)V E.
I am obsessed with their crispy calamari salad!!! I moved back home to LA but every time I visit Boulder I always have to make it down to Louisville to have The Empire's calamari salad. Big portion. Dressing is perfect! Good ratio of calamari to lettuce. Just perfection.
(5)Jim H.
Appetizers very good, meal not so good. Very slow service.
(2)Sandrine H.
This place is great for drinks, and the food can also be good. However, what gets me every time is the frown of the waiters. Everytime I go there, the main waiter is frowning. I even told him he should be looking for another job that would make him happy. On another occasion, I expressed my discontentment about the calamari salad: I used to love it, and now it consists mainly of lettuce and very little calamari (but the price did not reflect that change). When I told my waiter, all I got from him, what an "oh well" attitude, like they really don't care what we are saying or feeling about their food or services. And on another occasion, my waiter was completely absent: Never saw again her once my food was served.
(2)Todd W.
Not what I expected. Good beer, and a great bar. Having never been to Louisville, I was thinking "middle of nowhere dive bar". Instead I find a rich and dark litlle restaurant with great atmosphere. I have't tried the food yet, but I shall return! The menu and the beer selection alone are enough to bring me back. Very friendly service, with plenty of people-watching opportunities around.
(4)bethany s.
Was so excited to try this place based on reviews! The initial put off of a terrible table right by the door has to be expected sometimes, even though we had a reservation. Annoying but not really anyone's fault. We ordered the 1 minute calamari right away which came very fast and was very good. Then we ordered the burrata off of the chef's menu. This took a while to come out and during the wait we decided to get the check, since we were too cold to be comfortable. Then the burrata arrived. Y'all. This is where it all got so much worse. The burrata was a leathery sphere, when I punctured it with a knife, sour milk spouted out and the "shell" came apart. I made the mistake of still trying to eat it. I do not know why. We left pretty much immediately at that point, even though they offered us a different table, and took ourselves right to Trattoria Bacco in Boulder. Had to get right back on the burrata horse before it was ruined forever.
(1)Christi S.
First of all, the big "Route 66" looking neon sign can be a bit of a turn off. I know what you'll be thinking... "Really? Neon? Was this place the inspiration for the watering hole in the movie 'Cars'??" But no... don't let the outside fool you. Once you step inside you'll find a comfy, just on the edge of elegant type restaurant. It is dark, yet casual... almost as if you're in a small town in Colorado... wait... you are. Supposedly there is a fireplace somewhere, but we were seated right by the front door because "the back was full". So, I can't attest to the validity of the coziness of the "rear" of the space. But what we did see was very nice. You'll be comfy either in jeans (not with flip flops, mind you) or in your after work business casual wear. Our server was young and hip, like most of the wait staff at every eatery in Boulder. She knew all the specials and politely informed us of our options. Not too "busy" to bother, but not the sit down and act like your best friend type either... she was awesome and extremely attentive. My son went out on a limb and ordered the grilled cheese sandwich. He ate the whole thing, but again, he's 7 so I'm finding it hard to determine if this means he likes something or if he is simply inhaling his food. My husband got the NY Strip that was on special. Resting on a bed of parsnip potato puree, his steak was reportedly "very yummy". It was rubbed with rosemary and other spices and cooked just the way he likes it - medium. It wasn't overcooked (which is often the problem) and he even managed to give me a few bites. I had a salmon dish that I enjoyed very much. Cooked perfectly, it was topped with a pistachio tapenade that I have to admit I didn't like at all. It was supposed to have capers in it but I must have missed them. However, the fish was soooo good that I braved my way through the pistachio stuff and took one for the team. There was also a nice nest of swiss chard on my plate that was delicious. If not for the pistachio stuff... I would order this over and over again! Maybe next time (and there WILL be a next time) I'll just scrape it off.. :) Sadly, we were too full for dessert. However, I did manage to suck down two of their Empire Lemonades and let me say how refreshing it was to be served a drink with dinner that actually had alcohol in it as advertised! I'm sick and tired of ordering drinks at other places and joking to the waitstaff "Have the bartender spill some liquor in this $8 drink next time." Such was not the case with this strawberry infused vodka lemonade... yummm So, in long, The Empire Lounge & Restaurant has earned my patronage. I will gladly return with my family to enjoy the local flavors! Thanks Empire!!
(4)S S.
Excellent buy pricey. Should be $$$ I eat mainly at La Rev and Empire in Louisville. Lulu BBQ is $$ and is ALWAYS way cheaper for me to eat there--and when I say eat I mean a drink, an appetizer and an entree. Always great service-once in awhile we've had a 'dud' server but most often they know us by sight. Great food selection excellent taste to everything!
(5)Bob L.
Just moved to Colorado. Live in Louisville and thought the retro sign was a bit much, but went in anyway. Glad we did. Antipasta plates are great. Calamari salad is a gem. My 4 year old son cut his teeth on pasta in Tuscany, and this is the only place in America where he will eat both the pasta and the sauce. One of the few places where the bread is actually crispy! Good wine selection, friendly staff. Nice to have a place where we can be regulars!
(4)Robin M.
Thanks, Yelpers - we never would have found this place without you! We had a fantastic meal here this evening. I dined on happy hour fare. We all shared the delicious fried chickpeas. I had half a calamari salad with tender, salty, fried calamari rings which perfectly offset the fresh, bitter greens and dressing, plus two meaty hoisin spare ribs with a bit of kimchi, all topped off with a deliciously minty and smooth Empire lemonade. I couldn't have been happier with my choices. My friend had a lovely salad and ricotta meatballs on polenta. My son had a meatball-and-polenta happy-hour appetizer and a lamb shank that he demolished. Our two junior members shared a child's mac and cheese. They were unfortunately full of cake from earlier in the afternoon and took most of their lovely meal home, but they did down a plain lemonade, chickpeas, and some of the fresh, warm, grainy bread. The service was excellent. The surroundings were pleasant. All in all, a very satisfactory meal. I may have to go to Lafayette more often.
(5)Lou P.
Visited for the first time recently. Despite walking in rather late, they were welcoming and patient as we studied the menu. I went with a Yelpers tip and had the calamari salad. It was exceptional. Our party was happy with our meal and I'd definitely return to try the rest of the menu.
(4)Lindsay C.
Went here for a dinner for four. The food was really good! I got a seafood special and my boyfriend a gin martini that was super smooth. They have a pretty solid drink selection and the food is very good for the price.
(5)Tom S.
I struggle with how to rate the Empire. We love having a restaurant like this in Louisville. The feel of the Empire is great and it's nice to have higher end dining right in downtown Louisville. The wood fired oven is cool and fills the restaurant with delicious smells making your mouth water when you walk in. We've been her many times and the food has been consistently good, but the menu hasn't changed very much and lacks creativity relative to some of the up and coming spots in Denver and Boulder. We keep going hoping to find something new and delicious, but leave feeling bored. Overall it feels like things have gotten a little stale and need to be revamped. My wife is really into craft cocktails and for a restaurant at this level the options and creativity needs to be stepped up. A couple years ago I'd have given it 4-5 stars, but we've found ourselves less and less interested in going over time. We've hit spotty service over the many times we've gone with long waits for food in between courses and little in the way of management attention to get things back on track. Seems they've gotten a little complacent, I'd love to see them get reenergized and come to the table with something new.
(3)Matt S.
Came here with a friend. Great atmosphere, great food, nice decor. The burger was outstanding. Nice whiskey selection. One of my favorite restaurants in Louisville.
(5)Kieran C.
Worth it for the streetside outdoor seating. The food is good and probably best in Louisville. But the similar refrain amongst all these posts....too expensive and especially for the appetizer-size portions you receive for main dishes. I counted 8 gnocchi on my plate, which worked out to $2.00 per gnochhi. Waitress forgot our bread which highlighted the small portion sizes more. Think about you are paying for patio outdoor people watching and maybe you can justify it.
(3)Veronique C.
I find the food overpriced and the portions small. The quality of the food is also uneven, some plates tasty, while others (still pricey though) are quite boring. Their bread is much better now than the rolls they used to give a few years ago, but then, after your first slice, you have to pay for another one. That tells me a lot about the place. ..
(3)Patrick D.
My first visit to Empire and I had some lofty expectations. Staff wasn't engaging or even personable. Offered no assistance with the menu. It seemed as though we were bothering the bartender for just sitting down and asking the specials. Left almost as soon as we sat down.
(1)Karl G.
Empire was very accommodating by making a reservation for our group of 15 from work. Based on the yelp reviews we thought this would be a safe bet to please everyone. As we waited for our group we had a nice selection of beers and drinks from the bar. The bartender was very efficient. The atmosphere was fun and lively. We sat for dinner and found the wait staff to be attentive. Our meat and cheese board was pretty good along with our red wine. So far so good. Our end of the table of 7 people pretty much ordered the same thing- "slow cooked" lamb shoulder (me) and the beef brisket. The entrees came in timely fashion but both dishes were below average. Why? The meat was tough for both the lamb and brisket. I mean tough to the point of shoe leather. I can only assume they didn't cook either meat long enough for the meats to break down which it always does IF cooked low and slow. Most of us ate only half. The next day a co-worker said he got sick to his stomach..he thought it was from the food. Who knows Anyway I will never be back and a whole bunch of people in our group feel the same way.
(2)debbie g.
So we went to empire Friday night and sat outside. Because we were there for happy hour our server told us we might have to move if someone comes in for dinner....what? Service was slowwwwwwww, server was so so! Husbands ordered ribs, after a half hour asked where they were, she forgot to put the order in, hello! Will not be going back. No stars for you! Had to leave a star to continue, but I give it no stars.
(1)Bryan H.
My girlfriend and I have eaten here 4 times over the past summer. Once for dinner, the other times for happy hour drinks and food. The dinner items are creative and well prepared. My girlfriend had the chopped salad, she commented it was overpowered with oregano. For $17 I would have expected better. I had the Mac and cheese, which was good. There are no gluten free options listed on the menu, surprising in Boulder county, and limiting for my girlfriend who is GF. The occasions we have dined there for happy hour have been less then what you would expect from a "fine dining restaurant" most notably the attitude of some of the servers, noted in other reviews. Our last experience the server in the bar brought all our food, appetizers and meals at the same time. I told him we won't want the guacamole since it was intended as an appetizer. He seemed offended, left us alone the rest of the evening, charged us for the guac. The restaurant seems clean, food is fresh, somewhat expensive, small portions. But a good location in the heart of Louisville, server experience is a crap shoot.
(3)Leanne G.
This place is the perfect blend of sophistication with a hometown appeal. You can have elegant entries, such as oysters, or down home favorites like mac-n-cheese. Both will be delicious and don't worry - have them both at once. Its Louisville - you can have it your own way! The atmosphere is also very attractive while being comfortable. The restaurant is not to loud, which is always nice. There are enough corners tucked throughout that you can have an intimate meal, or sit right out front for a more social experience. I particularly like it in the summer when they open the window to the street so your party can sit half inside and half outside on the sidewalk. Its a unique environment with food that won't disappoint!
(5)Al Z.
It's probably old town lousiville's best restaurant, and certainly the most creative. Service is generally good, but there are a few servers we've found there that really should find something else to do. It's pretty typical to have the owner stop by once of twice at every table to see how things are going. Menu always has specials, and there are many times you wish they'd make it a regular item (like a Sunday dinner special they called summer picnic chicken). The lamb tends to be good, and starters like the calamari or chopped salad are tops. We love the empire and support it as much as we can because the food is the best or certainly tops for louisville. We just wish it were a little better priced, and that some of the help would move on.
(4)Michael K.
Just about as solid as it gets. Love the calamari salad, and the alaskan salmon was on point. Also, fun wine list and great service. Definitely worth it.
(5)Harry F.
Amazing food. Had the roasted romaine salad and the 1 minute Calamari today. Both were spectacular. I don't use that word often. Pan roasted chicken was terrific as always. Friend had the butternut squash soup and it was memorable. Malbec by the glass was very good. Eat here.
(5)Kat M.
This place was great when it first opened, but the portions have gotten smaller and smaller and the outcomes are inconsistent. It's good on some days and mediocre on others. Prices went up, while quality went down. There are other, better options in Louisville.
(3)Gabriel K.
Meh....I will probably be back because its close to the new house and hip place....a place somebody will say let's meet at the empire...and I will go. However, given the opportunity to eat out by myself in Louisville...there is not a chance in hell I would be back. I would rather go to the Old Louisville Inn. The service was barely ok, we saw 5 different people ask us for orders and deliver various parts....late. Our main server was much more interested in moving on to the next tip than making our experience pleasant. The fries were $6 for frozen wedges. The Ono fish was good, except for the raw parts that weren't cooked. The "cool" "hip" style salads and accents were poorly constructed...as if somebody was working in a very good restaurant for a few months and learned some style, but they didn't learn how and were to serve it. Goat cheese enchiladas were just YUCK. I thought about getting a nice drink to cheer up my date and me, but thought that asking for a double would be shockingly expensive and still underweight to make up for the real need to make it a pony bottle and really change my mind. My wife was very disappointed and will not be back.
(2)Danny L.
I've been to the Empire twice. The first time was actually pretty great. We sat outside, the food was delicious, and our waiter, though rather droll, was quite knowledgeable (and not just about the menu). However, this past time we were there on a Saturday night at 7p. When we walked in the door, I was worried the place might actually be on fire the way the hostess was running around and literally shouting! I'm not sure why this was the case, as everything else seemed pretty chill. It wasn't very busy, and she was the only one going crazy. It was like the rest of the restaurant had been filmed in slo-motion and she was superimposed at 130% speed. If it hadn't been so annoying, it would have actually been quite hilarious... I mean, there was just a really relaxed ambiance, except for the crazy hostess running around like Speedy Gonzalez with a bull horn. The hostess kept *running* by us, shouting about which tables were being cleaned and how long we'd need to wait. Finally a table was ready, and even though we'd been standing there for around 10 minutes, the hostess seated a guy that walked in right at the moment she was going to seat us (the people who'd been waiting, and enduring her madness, for the past 10 minutes!). What the what?! Evidently the busser was on the same drugs as the hostess, because he ran by our table to fill the waters and got more water on the table than in the glasses. When the waiter finally arrived (it took a bit, but still his approach was comparable to that of a casual turtle) one of the people in our party asked for the table to be wiped off (not to mention the pretty significant portions of FOOD on his chair), the waiter got all snooty and just walked away! Actually he sauntered off. We wiped the table and chair off ourselves. A different waiter appeared a bit later to take our drink order, and we wondered if the original waiter had given our table away... but then that guy came back later to take our food order (?). I'm all for the staff helping out with each other's tables to make sure guests are taken care of, but I'm NOT a fan of not being sure who our waiter actually is... especially when you feel like your waiter is jettisoning your table because they don't want to bother with you. I'm going to cut it short here, because I'm not sure that this evening was indicative of The Empire Lounge, but I think being one of the few "good" eating establishments in the area has induced some sort of lapse in attention to service and details. Hopefully the management can encourage the staff to start treating people and the restaurant a little more like a nice place to eat and hang out and a little less like a cafeteria... or a rodeo.
(3)Scott K.
Very good food. I had the gnocchi which was great but the portion size was a bit small; even for me who complains that our portions in this country are immense. The service was sufficient - the waiter wasn't really that in tune with the table's needs. To boot it was a snowy evening and the restaurant was pretty dead. You would have thought that our table of 6 would receive really good service since that was pretty much his tip for the evening but it still didn't seem to matter much. To be clear - the service wasn't poor it just wasn't great, this coming from a group of folks who have all waited tables in their younger years. Don't let that deter you however, it's still a good spot.
(4)Jennifer K.
Excited to go to happy hour,off work early, searched Yelp. Chose Empire and regret it. Although, now I know. We walked in and they asked if we were there for dinner. I said no, just happy hour and they explained where to sit for happy hour. I made some, albeit stupid, joke about how I need more shade for my ginger and pointed at my husband (red head obviously) and they just looked at me like, "what?" So we sat down and laughed about the lost humor. Looked at the chalk board behind the bar and it listed oysters, but no price. So I asked. $3 an oyster. Wow. My husband just said woah and chuckled. Which probably happens a lot since the bartender got very defensive. Well, that's normal for around here. Then I said, yeah that's the thing, "around here". And I laughed. And he just smirked and walked away and said yeah. I said to him when he walked back, man no one here laughs at anything I say! Laughed again, and nothing. He just talked about how those are the prices around here. At that point I was done. I did not feel welcome. No personality in the house. You don't have to like my jokes, or me, or my lack of interest in$3 oysters, but you do have to fake it when you are a hostess or bartender. It's the job. We went next door. I am in such a great mood too.
(1)Stan P.
We decided to go to the Empire Lounge for Valentine's Day and were not disappointed. The dinner was excellent and the options for the different courses were well thought out. The Flatiron Stake with Chimichiri sauce and the roasted sweet potatoes were all sorts of tasty, and the Shrimp Pasta bowl my wife ordered magically disappeared in a cloud of yummy goodness. The Caramel Bread Pudding with Caramel Ice Cream on top was the perfect finish to the evening. Pro Tip: If you are going to do multiple courses, split the salad and the desert. Pro Tip #2: Make a reservation unless you plan on showing up right when they open, while they do have deceptively huge space, it does fill up.
(4)Mandy C.
Awesome! Ate off the happy hour menu, loved the Mac n cheese! Pork taco was so yummy! Thank you Ryan for being an awesome bartender/server!
(5)Paul S.
I've eaten here several times and it never disappoints! I think they have the best burgers and fries in Boulder County! Staff is always attentive and they know how to do it right! Server takes orders and they have runners that check on your water, bring bread and bring food out to you right away so it's HOT and not sitting under some heat lamp for several minutes. Example- only time I was disappointed in my food was when they didn't put enough sauce on a bolognese. I didn't say anything but the server could tell I wasn't satisfied with my meal so she came back a minute later with a bowl of extra sauce- that's service!
(5)Christa L.
It's surprising when they build a place with great food in a small quiet town. My company and I started off with a sampler platter of sorts. It consisted of goat cheese, babaganoush, salami (which reminded me of finocchinoa salumi.) Along with some tasty accompaniments, such as peppadew and what I believe was a pear jam. We also indulged six oysters on the half shell (from Nova Scotia.) I lived the briny flavor with a touch of sweetness. Now for the meal, my Denver bestie got their mac n cheese. Was pretty good, I liked that they used shells, it was like little cheese surprises. Her mate chose the duck with goat cheese, the duck was good. I loved the seasoning of it. The enchiladas were ok. Now for the finale, my dish.... pork and ricotta meatballs. A nice balance of meat to cheese ratio. There were potatoes and what I believe was either spinach or kale that came along for the ride. I think I could have done without, maybe it was more of a filler. The sauna of sauce that the meatballs were enjoying a nice hot dip had great flavor. A nice zing to it. We didn't have dessert, well our beverages were considered our dessert. So yes, dessert was wonderful. Over all, I dig the atmosphere and the food selection seemed to be the star of this estabishment. Since, I don't actually live in CO. I'm sure the menu will have it's fair share of rotation by the time I visit again. Kudos to you Empire Lounge, for dropping a great meal in a small town.
(4)Steven S.
There were some good things here - but some definite service issues. We were seated and had our server come promptly on a Friday night - so that was nice. The guacamole and house-made chips were quite good we thought. After a reasonable, wait our entrees came. My fish sandwich, unfortunately, was completely burned - both the bun and the fish. There was a distinct burning smell and the kitchen should have never sent it out in the first place. When I flagged our server down, she took the entire plate away and said she would get another. It didn't arrive until after my companions were all finished. It was actually pretty good. But there was no apology, no manager that came by, no check adjustment - just generally handled very badly. So the food shows some promise, but the service and the kitchen judgment definitely need some work.
(2)Jihad S.
I've had a special experience every time I've come here. Amazing ahi tuna burger... best ahi tuna anything I've had outside of Alaska. Their peppery bucatini pasta is delicious. The pork and ricotta meatballs are worth the cost of a flight from California. The pork chop is hearty and tasty. The kale salad as well as the Brussels sprout salad are fresh unique ways to enjoy healthy veggies that will make you want more. The pancetta Mac n cheese is decadent and worth splitting, I judge it to be too rich for one person. Amazing! I don't remember the service because I was having such a good time, so maybe that says something in and of itself. Go and enjoy!
(4)J. Earl M.
Great Service, Awesome Space, Appetizers more than lack luster. I was going to have dinner but for the price I paid for the apps I decided to have dinner somewhere else. If you are going to put deviled eggs on the menu they better knock your socks off.
(3)Ashley B.
I'd just like to say that I grew up in Louisville since I was 2 years old. I definitely knew this town when it was nothing more than an Applebee's and the Blue Parrot. That was, literally, it. I am happy that downtown Louisville is expanding in so many ways, and I think overall Empire is a good edition. I went to Empire once and it was sort of a fine, ok experience, but they hadn't been open very long. I think the best thing about this place is the daily 3-6 happy hour. You have to sit in certain areas, but many cocktails are $4, draft beers and wells are $1 off, and the wine bottle of the day is half off. This is a great deal, and we scored a bottle of wine for $15. To be fair, however, I knew the wine that we were served, and it's at most $9 a bottle, so these "discounted" bottles (which are not on the wine menu as everyday choices) are not really very discounted, since the rest of the wine menu is inflated about 100%. I love happy hours that have food specials; that's a prerequisite for me. There is a $3 food menu here, with a few $6 items including a meat plate, a cheese plate, a small calamari salad and a small mac and cheese. We tried the chips and guac, meat plate and French fried potatoes. The chips and guac were fine, but a bit small. Probably 3 tablespoons of innocuous guacamole with about 15 chips. The meat plate (and the cheese as well, I'm assuming) were a bit restrictive, keeping you to one choice of meat or cheese. We received 5 50-cent piece-sized cuts of salami, with 2 dime-sized slices of pickle and 2, 2-inch long pickled snap peas. This came with 4 small toast points. It was fine but the flavors didn't accompany one another. The salvation in all this was really the french fried potatoes. They were golden wedges of potato, and the serving for $3 was impressive. They weren't particularly well-seasoned, but the texture was perfect. They stayed crispy for a long time and the insides were perfectly fluffy. They really were a great example of fries, though I wish they were served with house-made ketchup instead of Heinz. Overall, I would come for the deals, but I would not pay full price. I was happy to see them busy, but I think, to a degree, they are relying on the still-small restaurant environment of Louisville. Hopefully over time they will fully expand into what they can fully achieve, which I think is a lot.
(3)Jason H.
I live close by, and go to this place a lot. It is the best true restaurant in old town Louisville. Food is generally good...calamari and brussel sprout salads are excellent. Service is usually good, sometimes lacking. Atmosphere is nice, and owner will often stop by. If you are in old town Louisville and would like a true meal, I would recommend Empire. If you are just looking for drinks, pizza, bar food, there are other options that would be better.
(4)Rebecca L.
Went there on a Saturday evening. The server was pleasant, but really didn't know much about wine. I asked how much oak was in the house white and she said it was a balanced Chardonnay. I ordered it, and it had no oak at all. Fortunately that is what I like. No complaints about the portions, but beware of the specials--ask the price. I had the "special" side, which was multicolored carrots. There 5 slender carrots on the plate, and they were so undercooked that I had to eat them with my fingers, which wasn't that delicate since they were awash in butter. I was astonished when we got the bill. $9.00 for those carrots. Seriously? We left with the feeling that we should have gone to the brewpub next door.
(2)Lori S.
My husband and I tried this for the first time last Saturday night, and it was a revelation. I can't believe some of the more negative reviews. I think there might be a slight issue with the way the outdoor dining is structured. The sidewalk intersects the seating, so there are constantly people strolling through this part of the "dining area." It appears that Louisville has designed it this way to take advantage of more outdoor dining in the summer months. In the winter, they essentially roll the extra "dining platforms" up and convert it back to parallel street parking. You can't really blame the restaurants for this traffic issue, though. As for the actual food, it was stellar! We got a whole fried trout (our server helpfully suggested that we could easily share it if we got a couple of sides, and she also gave us the heads up that it would be "head on" because apparently some diners were disturbed to find their dinner staring up at them.) It was delicious. We also had the kale salad, which was so simple, but so good that I am now determined to recreate it at home. Baby kale dressed with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper, tossed with breadcrumbs to hold it on the leaves, and topped with parmesan cheese. We also had the mixed greens. They happened to be my favorites: rainbow chard and beet greens. I have to say, with freshly prepared, seasonal fare this good, I don't know why so many people order the burger (yeah, I do actually know... sometimes you just want a burger!). Branch out a little and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
(4)david s.
Very disappointing. Under cooked food and way way overpriced. I ordered the swordfish appetizer. It was three quarter sized pieces of fish on sticks with a few cherry tomatoes plopped in a cereal bowl for $14. The worst part about it was the fish was almost raw. I sent it back and it came back dry and overcooked. My wife ordered the quail with sausage and grits. For $23 this was an insulting dish. Small portions of bland food and an undercooked sausage. Blech! We also ordered a side of french fries to start. This really bothered us. Any decent restaurant should be able to prepare good fries. In order to achieve a crispy outside and a tender soft inside it is important, with thick cut steak fries, to blanch them first. These spuds were obviously thrown into the frier raw. You end up with a crispy outside but a firm and undercooked inside. A restaurant that does not care enough to take this extra step to make a good french fry obviously does not care about the quality of their food. The server was very nice though. Louisville has much better restaurants at much more reasonable prices. Check out Bistro 503, great food at about a third less.
(1)Jamie G.
Shrimp risotto and mahi mahi tacos split with my hubby = Delicious!! Now I'm excited to come back to Empire, especially now that I know how wonderful the risotto is. :)
(5)Geoff Q.
We had a great experience with the Empire lounge. Very knowledgeable and attentive server and a great atmosphere. Will definitely go again.
(5)Julie B.
Great place for lunch or dinner. My favorite is the mac and cheese and the calamari salad. I've always had fast and friendly service. It's never too loud and it always has a great vibe.
(5)Chris W.
Met some friends here for dinner and drinks during happy hour - $3 for most apps - great deal! The food and recipes are thankfully different and certainly a step above the regular bar and grille fare. We enjoyed meatball sliders, mac & cheese, chips & guac, buffalo wings and mozzarella crostini. Everything was excellent: full of flavor and cooked to perfection! As for beer, the selection was right up my alley as well with a couple of IPAs on tap! My double IPA was very fresh and served nice and cold. For dinner, our group had the roasted chicken with rice, eggplant sandwich and burger. My eggplant was amazingly good and everyone else said their dishes were similarly excellent. For dessert, my wife and I shared the sampler and highly recommend it. Our friends shared the apple tart and loved it. The atmosphere is nice: comfortable and casual with dark woods and intimate lighting. The restaurant never gets too loud - we were able to have conversations without raising our voices. Service was very friendly and attentive. All in all, this was a great first visit for us and we'll most certainly be back!
(4)Pork Chop H.
We walked right in and were seated right away, without reservations, on a Friday evening (Open Table had nothing available though), much to my pleasant surprise. After being seated, our server came in a timely manner. We were also one of the first tables to be occupied in our immediate section, a wing to the side of the restaurant. We ordered some apps, like guacamole, hoisin tacos (misspelled on the menu), mozzarella and roasted peppers. They came out in a timely fashion. The guac was satisfying, the hoisin tacos were okay though. The menu said it came with housemade kim-chi, but it seemed more like a traditional Western-style pickled purple cabbage. Not exactly the same thing. The mozzarella, which is housemade, tasted like any other fresh mozzarella I've had. Satisfying, though. Our entrees took a VERY long time to arrive and there were no assurances like, "Your food is coming right up" or "Sorry, we just got slammed," or anything. The other tables all around us got served (and most of them arrived after us). It was a bummer. My husband's tuna burger (which he requested rare) was well-done. The meatball grinder sandwich was not super well-flavored, so much so that my dining companion requested ketchup to put on it. I ordered the calamari salad for my entree and while I love spice and calamari, there was so much cayenne on the calamari, I couldn't really taste the freshness of the salad. Plus it was just a huge mass of shredded lettuce w/ the calamari. Really mediocre and disappointing.
(2)Mariano d.
My favorite place in Louisville. Short menu, good cooking techniques and quality ingredients. The duck is just amazing. This said, I am not sure though if this is a Bar with a restaurant in the back or a restaurant with a bar in the middle! This can also be an advantage of course but it also take resources from both sides of the business. I have the idea that they don't really know yet.
(4)Anna T.
This restaurant saved me from the bottomless pit of a broken heart as well as hunger! Feeling forlorn from a fight and famished from a 2-hour flight, the shuttle service driver from DoubleTree Hotel took me here to replenish my mind and body (and drink away my sorrows! haha I kid) What a great recommendation because I was delightedly thrilled! I immediately sat at the bar and the nice bartender (whose name I regretfully forgot) offered me a menu. I took a quick glance at their menu and ordered a burger then proceeded to ordering a coldass beer. A burger and a beer: two proven ways to cure a broken heart. (Not really scientically proven but Anna-tically proven) What I ordered: Chicken Swiss= $7 Kona Chicken=$8 (for someone else, not I) Fire Rock Pale Ale = $5 Crown & Coke = $6 (roughly) In total: PRICELESS! All in all, great cooked food, a comfortable and fun atmosphere, and friendly banter with the bartender, this girl left with a full stomach! (and an almost full heart) *insert tear here.
(4)Josh E.
I like this place ever since i first read about it on yelp, and yesterday I decided to go and check out their happy hour menu. It was delicious, everything is made fresh for you right there in the chefs open kitchen. The staff was friendly and the service was good as well as the food. We ordered the deviled eggs, standard eggs no special tricks here, and then we ordered the crispy calamari salad which was my favorite dish of the evening and apparently one of their staple dishes. It was tempura battered calamari with a tasty mixed arugula salad all tossed w/a vinaigrette dressing YUMM! I also ordered their Leek and Blue Cheese dip served with some flax seed crostini's Also YUMMM with 3 m's. Finally we ventured to try their pork nachos, now as far as nachos go these were not my favorite but they were tasty. I know it was from the Happy Hour menu which is usually a smaller portion but I could see where with the calamari salad and the nachos they are probably being a little stingy with the proteins and more giving with the fillers like arugula and tortilla chips, on the whole nacho plate there was maybe a large tablespoon of pork and not all the chips had cheese or pork some and id say at least half had nothing on them. Id almost rather have a portioned nacho that came with a little of everything on ea chip instead of a piled plate with chips and only enough cheese and pork etc to cover the top layer. Other that that everything was good, its a cool place and i really like downtown louisville, its a quaint little town and with all the little outdoor restaurants and cafes it was pretty awesome. And they also have an aweome open air front seating where you can sit either inside or out on a wooden bar that looks in over the whole restaurant. We washed everything down with a cucumber G&T an Empire Old Fashioned, which was served with cherry infused bourbon, and a couple Empire Lemonades made with freshly infused strawberry vodka, A++ on the drinks, and A+ on the service, the food was delicious and tasty but I think they should work on the portions of the dishes a little bit. I would definitely go back to try some of their other dishes, like the $17 gumbo with shrimp and chicken and sausage, Or their clams with Sofrito. Im sure its a meal in itself, well all I have to say is it better be for $17 bux. The rest of the menu sounded so delicious I wish I could have just tried a little bit of everything by walking around and sampling everyones dishes lol, fortunately I wasn't buzzed enough to do that so Ill have to just return for a second helping in the near future!
(4)Chuck R.
Highly rude host at the front door. I dropped off my fiance to see about getting us a table while I parked the car. While it was busy, there was no line and my fiance asked for a table for 2. The host asked my fiance where I was. When he explained to the host that I was parking the car and would be here in just a minute, the host rudely stated that it was restaurant policy not to seat incomplete parties. My fiance pointed out that there wasn't a line of people waiting for a table and that there were about 4 tables available that sat 2 people.The host reiterated that he could not seat my fiance because I wasn't there to "complete the party". I've never had a meal at the Empire, and now never will because of the rude staff. They lost 2 customers and I'm sure a whole lot more because of this review. I wouldn't recommend eating there, unless you want to be greeted by a snob host.
(1)paul a.
Went to Empire last weekend after seeing the cool signage out front a few times, as well as the summertime seating outside. Good loungy space, but don't go for the food. The good: - Service was very friendly and we got seated right away in a sunny spot - Good decor, without being over the top or hipster-ish - Good seasonal beer selection The bad: - Burger was absolutely flavorless, although it was cooked medium-well as requested. I'm not a good cook, but I can do a better tasting burger any day. Seriously bland. And the burger was recommended by our server. - Slow. The food took forever to get to us. Might go back for drinking and bar food, but not for a sit down dinner.
(2)Keith S.
Terrible service and overall experience. My friend, his fiancee, baby and I went to the Empire a few months ago. We arrived during the last half hour of happy hour and expressed an interest and doing to rounds of food orders and drinks. The waitress said no problem and took our first round of food orders. About 40 minutes later, and after watching people who arrived later than we did, our food arrived. The waitress seemed to have forgotten to put our order in and did not nothing to fix it. I mean, she could have been honest and all would have been good. The food was nothing special either. I would not recommend this place based off the service.
(1)Erica A.
We were looking for a place that uses natural, organic and local produce. This is the place. What a find. Very friendly wait staff. I called the restaurant to find out more about the ingredeints they use to cook with and received a friendly call back from one of the co-owners. The co-owners have experience at other Denver restaurants like Jax Fish House and Lola's. Check out their website for information about the restaurant. I'm a fan.
(4)Lana C.
Pretty good! Chill vibe on a Sunday night- loved the red wine!
(4)Joshua S.
Some disclosure: we've been regulars of Empire since it opened and it is our local "go to" and frankly one of the only possible "foodie" establishments in East Boulder County. Over the years we've gotten to know the owner Jim Cohen and his family, along with many of the staff. Jim has a solid history of top kitchen work, and he uses local ingredients and a gourmand touch. You can view menus online, so I won't delve into the dishes or the cuisine. However, some favorites on the current menu: calamari salad, brussels sprout salad, burger, duck with goat cheese enchiladas, pork meatballs with potato and greens. The patio and front window seating are nice to have in the summer, and the interior design is warm and dark, and welcoming. We sit at the bar, along with many other regular customers. Sure there's BBQ and Mexican and Italian and bars and such on Main Street. But when we want to have an adult foodie experience with a nice bottle of wine, and a creative menu, then we're at Empire. You can still have a great burger and beer in your shorts and flip flops, it is far from stuffy and pretentious. The opposite: Jim is there to welcome you and resolve any issue that might arise. And Eric & Rob are at the bar to satisfy any liquid cravings. Recommended!
(5)Elky M.
Have been back several times and the quality and service is still perfect-o. You can't go wrong with anything. And a friend noted that I'm real generous with my ratings - but it's because I don't go to places that suck! Cheers!
(5)Rajagopal K.
My wife and I went to this restaurant yesterday. We are vegetarians.With the kind of reviews it has received, we thought a classy place like this would offer a good selection of items, including for vegetarians. Unfortunately, this was not the case. We ordered the risotto for $19, which was one of a few vegetarian items we could find. While the quality of the risotto was very good, the portion/quantity was quite small, about the size of a cereal bowl, and did not come with any sides either. Suffice to say, we were disappointed. Also, the tables are quite close to each other, so there is very little privacy. We will not be going back to this place again.
(2)kari b.
This place is hit or miss. The calamari salad is so yummy. Kids burger was a burnt black little burger, I do mean BLACK, on a bun, period, no cheese no nothing, I am not sure if that is how they always come out but wow yuck. Service is hit or miss and so is the food. It is worth a go because on a good night this place is a real hit.
(3)Natalie L.
Wow. This was THE WORST EVER!!! I could have saved my stomach, spent half as much and had food twice as good by going to BOULDER. $20 for a COLD ( no exaggeration) tuna burger and greens. My six yr old would not eat the french fries, when does that happen?? I'm all for Louisville having a great downtown, THIS is not helping!!! Makes me want to go ANYWHERE else for food. I'll stck to the Bittersweet cafe, thank you.
(1)Bradley G.
The french fries I'm having at the bar are delicious and the drinks are good.
(4)Bob C.
A fantastic restaurant overall, with great drinks, nice wine, and really tasty food. Tuna burger is excellent and the grilled chicken is fantastic- very moist and full of flavor. The fish specials are a bit pricey (i think they were around $24 last time I went). My wife and I have gone to The Empire for several date-nights and it never disappoints. The only time I've been slightly disappointed was the last time (1 of 5 visits) when we brought our 3-yr old daughter. The waitress was not very efficient, made us wait very long time before drink order, then long wait for food order, then a really long wait for food. She was obviously slammed, but seemed to willfully ignore our looks and leans and waves as we tried to get her attention. This place would be the perfect restaurant if they were just slightly more kid-friendly. We'll be back for sure- but probably not with the kid as it was torture to wait for service throughout the meal.
(4)Steve O.
Went here on a double date the other night. Some friends had moved to Boulder and this was a compromise spot. The place was busy but not over crowded. We had about a 15 or so minute wait for a table in the bar area. Once we were seated, the waitress was prompt. She knew the specials cold, down to the ingredients for sauces and had some suggestions from the regular menu that proved to be good. We split a few apps. The cheese platter was good, with a goat's milk brie-like option that was tasty and a caprese salad with several varieties of local heirlooms. I had the pork chop as my main, and that was thick, juicy and cooked to a nice medium with a chile verde sauce on top. The grits that came with it were alright, but not great. The same was true of the side of collard greens I ordered, OK but not wow. They had a decent wine list, too. My one gripe, and this cost them a star, is that one of the bus boys came and took my plate before I was done eating. He just walked over and picked it up without saying a word. He realized he made a mistake immediately, saying "Oh wait, you weren't done were you? I'm sorry." I told him I wasn't done, but he could take the plate now that he had his thumb on top of it. I could tell he felt stupid. Mistakes will happen from time to time. I trust that isn't a regular occurrence there. I don't think it's a place I'd drive up to from Denver regularly, but if you're north of Arvada for some reason, it's worth checking out.
(3)Alaina H.
I drove by this place today and immediately started salivating while remembering their mashed potatoes with balsamic reduction gravy. New American pub food, dressed up and absolutely delicious. The owner, and his family (at least the ones that work there) are amazing people, really personable and definitely inspire the best in the staff. The first time I was in here I had my nearly 2 year old daughter with me, we took turns eating and chasing her through the restaurant, the entire staff was really understanding and comfortable about the whole situation. I have no idea why it took me so long to write a review here, and this is not really the compliment I want to give, but I recommend this place every chance I get, so here is my yelping word of mouth. Eat here, get the potatoes, love life!
(5)Aaron O.
The Empire Lounge is amazing. First walking in, you are always greeted right away and asked where you would like to sit for dinner. It is very nice in the spring and summer times when the city puts out the street patios. We normally sit at the bar when wining and dining here. We are always greeted by Lexi the head bartender and manager. She is in command of the best drink menu in Louisville. She is always up to the challenge of crafting you the perfect cocktail, whether it be from this era or from the forgotten era of the true classic cocktails. Jim and the staff in the kitchen are also in command of one of the best food menus in Louisville. Give yourself a little time to peruse the drink and dinner menus, which are always changing with the seasons, so does the dessert menu (the strawberry rhubarb tart is amazing). An amazing restaurant that sometimes gets skipped over, but a MUST go to spot in town........
(5)Andrea L.
Nice appearance with mediocre food and mislabeled dishes/unexplained subs. We tried this restaurant on a whim. Ordered the $9 side of "Roman style Gnocchi" because I love gnocchi but rarely get a chance to order it. However, what came was not gnocchi but polenta. The waitress, nor the busboy that delivered it mentioned the kitchen subbing anything. Was extremely disappointed. I ordered the calamari salad which was decent tasting but VERY simple with fried calamari and two types of shredded lettuce, not worth the price. My fiance got the mahi taco special and was disappointed with his entree. The taco's were small and disproportionate. The side of rice was about 1/4 cup of what seemed to be bland, minute rice. It arrived to the table smelling pretty "fishy". The guy I assumed to be the owner was a total douche. He was sitting at random tables of people he either knew or thought were big spenders, but never stopped by to ask us about our meal. Just can't believe at a restaurant that appears to be so upscale they'd have such mediocre food, terrible customer service and mislabeled dishes.
(1)Carissa M.
I met some girlfriends for drinks at The Empire Restaurant a few weeks ago and it was darling! The drinks were delicious and the vibe was cool - very laid back with a hint of coolness. We did not eat at The Empire Restaurant, but we totally should have as our experience up the street at The Melting Pot was seriously sub par and all of the dishes I saw at The Empire looked good! I look forward to going back to The Empire Restaurant sometime soon!
(4)Mary K.
We were trying to decide a place to eat in Louisville and after drving around a bit -- chose Empire. Atmosphere was great. Food good. Portion and prices not good -- our tuna burgers came with a tablespoon of coleslaw for $18. Our food server was stoned and walked out to the table while chewing food. I would go back and try for 2nd time but for the price -- not really sure it was worth it.
(3)Tim E.
We had heard mixed things about the Empire and our experience was very much along the "mixed" lines. To pass the time of the wait for the table we got two drinks - the Empire lemonade and the Melon-infused Margararita. Both tasted like water. It was like the mixes were made with ice in them that had melted by the time we got them. You could barely taste the "lemonade" or the "melon". You could barely taste alcohol. Basically, you couldn't taste anything but the salt or sugar on the rim. These were easily the worst drinks we have had in years - even worse than a bad Mexico all-inclusive. We were seated and after 5 minutes, we met our waitress. We ordered a side salad, a blue cheese burger and fries, and the warm berry compote. The side salad was good, and the buttermilk ranch dressing was very tasty, same goes for the burger and fries. Very good. The dessert was a major disappointment. I don't know about all of you, but any compote I have had in the past has had crumbs/crunchies in them. This didn't, which wasn't the worst part. Let me preface things by saying that I have never relished paying a lot of money for not a lot of food. I'm not looking for Golden Corral portions of food, just some value. The warm berry compote was a small dollop of ice cream, several berries/strawberries (like less than 7), and a syrup sitting in the bottom of the bowl - $8. We were really disappointed. Essentially, our Empire experience ended as it started, with major disappointment and the overall feeling that we had been "taken". We won't be returning. I can spend a lot of money on food at any number of restaurants and be left feeling good about things, but I doubt this would ever be the case here. It should tell you something that all of the glowing reviews on Yelp for this restaurant are "4 stars", and not 5. Dine at your own risks, and if you seriously lower your expectations then you have at least a chance of being satisfied, but if you go into it expecting a great meal, then you'll leave just as we did - Very, Very Disappointed .. and borderline upset.
(2)Alli K.
Wonderful restaurant with an amazing local selection. Ambiance is very chill; I can't wait to eat here again!
(5)Laura P.
Wish I could give this place 3 and a half stars. The food can be good and the atmosphere and location are great. Sometimes though I just find it too rich especially for place that is going for healthy. I ordered the mac and cheese and it was just to oily and heave. I at about half of the small portion and still felt a bit overfull. The drinks are good here though and some of the stuff I have gotten is great so it depends on what you order.
(3)Pashley C.
Pleasant Pub ambiance, charcoal grill, good house wine, cheeful server, salty main courses, inedible cauliflower side dish, nice bread pudding.
(2)Chris M.
I liked this place, the decor was dark wood and felt comfortable. I did not really love the menu, the food was good but a little limited , I would have liked to see more appraisers. The drinks were good and I could seem myself going back for happy hour rather than dinner again. The service was outstanding. This place may have not been 100 percent to my tastes but thats not to say someone else might not like it. I can see myself going back, especially for happy hour.
(3)Wilson F.
Absolutely great service. The decor is nice and quite comfortable. Nice wine list. I feel that the food, however, is overrated and overpriced, and the menu is surprisingly limited.
(3)Dave B.
4 1/2 stars. Went here on New Years Eve, and the place was busy but not crazy. Our server was relaxed and helpful. The atmosphere is very pleasant, with dark paneling and a cozy lounge area with a fireplace. The food was delicious. I had the NY strip with fries - very tasty. My wife had the pork, which was flavorful though a bit dry. A great place, wish we could come more often!
(4)Michael S.
Empire took over Pasquini`s space on Main street.They did a wonderful job erasing the evidence of the old occupant on the interior.So far the exterior is unchanged.The food and drink was good. Service a Little rusty. The place has been open a week it is not fair to do a full review yet. Happy Hour 4-6. Closed on Mondays
(4)Jason H.
3 1/2 stars. The menu is limited but usually well-executed. Local, simple approachable food. Good wine choices, good drinks, and good local beer. This used to be the best choice for dinner in downtown Louisville, but the service & atmosphere have declined from the heyday. On it's best nights, the food is still the best downtown, but it doesn't always feel welcoming and the service can be hurried.
(3)Connie R.
When I saw this place going in I was skeptical, we had enjoyed the previous restaurant in that location and I was worried that the historic neon sign would be removed, I was delighted to see that it was repaired and adapted to the new place. I was also initially disturbed by the prices, until I tasted the food. On the rare occasion that I can pry myself away from ordering the Calamari Salad, I am never disappointed, except of course when I see the Calamari Salad go by to another table (it's just so darned good). Their specials aren't what they are trying to get rid of before it goes bad, but ordered in specifically for the chefs latest creation. The chef goes for an emphasis on locally grown food. The pork chops are supper thick, and never dry. The tuna burger is incredible. The cucumber infused gin and tonic is so refreshing, and the ladies at the bar are always willing to concoct any drink that you can come up with. I had to laugh when I saw a couple of the other reviews mention a disinterested waiter; being a regular, I know exactly who they were talking about.
(5)Ann B.
What a wonderful place! Great food and atmosphere, and the service was great. It's a wonderful place for a date, and is hip without being pretentious. I wish it were open for lunch, but that's the only negative thing I can think of
(5)Amy K.
Love this place! My fave is the calamari salad and the mac & cheese. yay Empire!
(5)eric t.
Our first experience to Empire was very impressive. McMannus did a thorough job making the interior and exterior really feel and look like a lounge. Louisville has changed allot since the last time I had visited and Empire definitely added to the experience. We went for happy hour and looked over the whole menu. Although the HH menu was short it looked interesting. Me and my gal ordered Old fashioned highballs (perfect!). Tried the wings (I kinda rate HH menus by their wings- steer clear on these). And the great thing was even though they weren't serving dinner yet we could order off the dinner menu. Ordered a great pizza and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We will be back!
(4)Phi P.
I heard a lot of good things about the Empire, so I decided to try it out with my family for dinner. We started off with the chips and guacamole, and I must say it wasn't any spectacular. The guacamole could have had a lot more kick, but it was pretty tame. Next they brought out the biscuits. Although they tasted pretty good, they were pretty dry and powdery. I would've liked it if they were heated a bit before they brought them out. For my main course, I ordered a burger with the addition cheese and onion. I must also say that the burger was also "dry", as the patty was very hard to consume comfortably. The fried potatoes that came with it were pretty good, but once again they weren't as warm as I would've liked. My sister and father both ordered a flat iron steak, which I thought was good, but nothing spectacular. My mom ordered a calamari salad which I thought looked the best out of all, but I didn't get to try any of it.
(3)Colorado M.
We love this this place! We have probably been about 10 times and the food and drink has always been delicious. The menu has "safe" choices, but also many unusual new food creations that allow us to take some risks. The "safe" choices are still exciting in that the quality of ingredients and the way they are cooked make them extra special. I believe any resturant that allows the customer to view the kitchen staff creates a confidence in their cleanliness and skilsl. Love the cucumber infused gin and tonic, the old-fashioned, calamari salad (1/2 plate is plenty), and the sliders. Looking forward to trying mac/cheese when the weather cools down. The Happy Hour menu is large and varied at a great price. Happy Hour is a great way to try a smaller version of much of the dinner menu. The staff are knowledgeable, professional, and hard-working. Overall, I feel The Empire is a great business because they aim to please their customers and their menu represents a true appreciation for quality/creative food. They have all the ingredients for success.
(5)B B.
Food was just ok. Prices much too high for quality of food. I told the owner as much and he didn't seem to care that I was not satisified. Needless to say I will not be returning
(2)Jeffery B.
I'd probably give 2.5 stars, if I could. I didn't mind the over-the-top signage. We made reservations for 5.30 on a Saturday and the place was understandably pretty empty, so service was good. The main problems were a) weird menu and b) prices. I've eaten all over Denver and Boulder County and don't mind spending money for a meal. At Empire, though, there's a decent $15 chicken plate, which after all is just roast chicken. OK. However, the $16 risotto was laughable, decent risotto but barely enough to coat a small dish a half inch. They had a very limited wine selection by the glass. The collection of waiters was just bizarre -- some wearing Empress T's, some with shorts and odd shirts, some dressed other ways. Our waitress kept coming over but really didn't have much to say. Meanwhile . . . EVERYTHING is a la carte and the sides are expensive (french fries are $5, asparagus is $8). Like I said, I wouldn't mind if this were a fancy restaurant in Larimer Square, but it's not. I ordered the risotto and wanted a salad. They had this Greek Salad for $12 (!) and some other odd salad. I said "you don't have a side salad?" and the waitress said, "oh, yes, it's just not on the menu. It''s normally field greens, but tonight it's just chopped romaine". Uh huh. You have a perfectly good accompaniment to entrees that have virtually no sides and you don't put it on the menu. That kind of weirdness persisted throughout the experience. BTW, virtually every customer was in shorts and some in flipflops. Some had kids. Some ate the expensive burger-like fare. My sweetie and I were reasonably dressed as we were going dancing. Anyway, it's not a big deal, it's just like the Empress doesn't know who it wants to be: a solid upscale restaurant with $25 entrees and a good wine list and all the rest, or a hipster restaurant with an eclectic menu.
(2)aubrey b.
this is is my new favorite restaurant. the food was unbelieveable, and better yet, the service was top notch; attentive but not annoying, good suggestions, quick, informative. also the vibe and atmosphere are young, hip, but not too yuppie. love it!! will go again and again I'm sure.
(5)Melissa L.
The two star rating is mostly for service. I really wanted to like the Empire, for its unique menu and trendy, upbeat decor. And to be honest, though our portions were a bit smaller than hoped on our first visit, our experience with the food has generally been positive. However, each time we've visited, we've had a different poor experience with the wait staff or management--from a general disinterested 'vibe' from our server, to lack of service provided to a group who had reserved part of the restaurant for appetizers. (A large group of people ended up using silverware to eat individual cheese cubes from a platter, when the staff in charge was too put out to replenish the group's toothpicks!) At first I thought maybe it was me--and hey, everyone is entitled to have a bad night once in a while--but after 4+ visits, I am convinced the poor service is more than just a fluke among certain parts of the staff. We've always had a good experience with the hostesses and bartenders--so it varies!--but our last unfriendly experience was enough to keep us from going back for a while.
(2)cupcake m.
This place is great. Everything we had from appetizers to desert was just really good. I would go back again and again-it is SO nice to have a restaurant to go to that is close to my house and not to have to drive into Boulder just to get a decent meal. I hope that they do well-Old Town is such a nice little spot-and it really needed a good restaurant. I agree that the kids meals are a bit too pricey-because the restaurant itself is not cheap-but it is worth it. I am however, not sure if it is worth paying to bring your kids along. Maybe they can work on that-because a lot of us like/need to take our kids along. The space is really big and open and quite nice as well. All in all I say "Yay for Empire"!!
(4)