Dined here in early July. The food is to die for (especially a curry-style dish on the menu when we visited), the service is excellent (and not too hurried), and the ambiance is charming. The bread is also out of this world. The wine pairings also nicely complement the food, and the desserts are definitely worth having (especially the drunken banana cake). It is one of the nicest special occasion restaurants in Louisville. One caveat of interest to certain diners is the restaurants lax policy on pets. When we dined there, another table came in with a small dog. It wasn't a service or support dog because the diners kept passing it around the table, and even that table's server petted it. The dog's presence didn't bother us (it was well-behaved and quiet), but I could see some diners not enjoying dinner with a dog at the next table.
nireli2019
Wow! Great dining experience. Come as you are and be welcomed to a unique combination of high end food and exceptional service.
WendyY418
Chef Lee’s tasting only menu restaurant is well worth finding in Old Louisville. The atmosphere is cozy and dark and invites you to linger longer. The food is everything we’d hoped, creative and delicious. The Manhattan cocktail was a nice fun surprise presented with a liquid smoke bubble to pop! Visit and visit often.
C2136VVkateh
This was more of an experience than a dinner and everything about it was exceptional. There were 3 of us and between the group, we sampled each of the selections on the prix fix menu. All were beautifully prepared, creative and delicious. Our waiter was knowledgeable, professional but laid back. This type of restaurant could easily be pretentious, but nothing about the evening felt that way. Each course was described when it was delivered which was fun. Although I don’t think this experience is for everyone, I will definitely return during another season to see what else Chef Lee will create.
WhiskiedWanderlust
It’s been a long time since I’ve had food this good with service this spot-on. 610 Magnolia is a tasting menu only restaurant, which meant 5 courses the night we went. Every dish was enjoyable, especially the pork loin with pork belly. The wine pairing added an extra ounce of awesome, and was worth the splurge. But the best part was the service. Our server instantly felt like an old friend, and those that helped him made the evening feel like we were hanging out at a friend’s house. Thank you all for making our birthday evening so spectacular!
dinahJ2825FV
Great tasting menu and wine pairing. Really good value for the price. Excellent service and comfortable atmosphere. Love the seasonal,locally sourced menu.
762SharonC
Waitstaff excellent. Food was very good but for the price I should have been wowed by at least one course. Also wine pairing was expensive for what you received. Ended up being about $30 a glass
Ascoli59
Visiting Louisville for the first time from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, we were so looking forward to dinner at 610 Magnolia. We’ve been fans of Chef Lee from afar. However, given its reputation and price point, we were majorly disappointed, not just by the food but the by overall experience. It was good, mind you, but seemed somewhat tired, uninspired and occasionally sloppy. At the start, the energetic and affable server commented on the high price of some wines on the list, steering us away from them, which we felt was odd. The amuse bouche was yummy. And the next course (can’t recall what it was) was unmemorable. The pasta course, especially, seemed particularly ill-planned. The two or three stuffed pastas were difficult to find/taste under a cup or so of artichoke pesto that overwhelmed. The bland himachi and sticky rice course reminded me to visit Pinku, our local Japanese street-food restaurant, where I can get a fresher, tastier, more subtle version. Finally, the lamb chops were somehow made tasteless and, as much as I dragged them through the accompanying jus (which seemed hastily plated and missed the final wipe around the edges), I could not get the flavors. Perhaps it lacked salt. We ended with a tasty two-cheese plate with typical jam, Marcona almonds and raisins that, again, was not elevated beyond what one would get in any number of restaurants (including at Malcolm Yards, a new food hall we’re frequenting), not an offering from a James Beard award winner. As the server quipped, cheese plates are sort of like opening up the refrigerator and tossing what you have on a board. He’s right; that’s what we do at home. But this is 610 Magnolia. Another reviewer below noted that Lee no longer lives in KY; perhaps that is what is going on. The genial but somehow disengaged staff seemed to serve dishes they had done many times before, not inviting us into this establishment for a special experience. Don’t get me wrong: we’re not those diners who need precious presentation. Quite the opposite: we delight in and respect artists who simply love to cook and create, love to serve, and love to see guests happy—at any price point. But given the expectations for the level of this dining experience? Wanting. And surprising.
John C
Visiting Louisville for the first time from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, we were so looking forward to dinner at 610 Magnolia. We’ve been fans of Chef Lee from afar. However, given its reputation and price point, we were majorly disappointed, not just by the food but the by overall experience. It was good, mind you, but seemed somewhat tired, uninspired and occasionally sloppy. At the start, the energetic and affable server commented on the high price of some wines on the list, steering us away from them, which we felt was odd. The amuse bouche was yummy. And the next course (can’t recall what it was) was unmemorable. The pasta course, especially, seemed particularly ill-planned. The two or three stuffed pastas were difficult to find/taste under a cup or so of artichoke pesto that overwhelmed. The bland himachi and sticky rice course reminded me to visit Pinku, our local Japanese street-food restaurant, where I can get a fresher, tastier, more subtle version. Finally, the lamb chops were somehow made tasteless and, as much as I dragged them through the accompanying jus (which seemed hastily plated and missed the final wipe around the edges), I could not get the flavors. Perhaps it lacked salt. We ended with a tasty two-cheese plate with typical jam, Marcona almonds and raisins that, again, was not elevated beyond what one would get in any number of restaurants (including at Malcolm Yards, a new food hall we’re frequenting), not an offering from a James Beard award winner. As the server quipped, cheese plates are sort of like opening up the refrigerator and tossing what you have on a board. He’s right; that’s what we do at home. But this is 610 Magnolia. Another reviewer below noted that Lee no longer lives in KY; perhaps that is what is going on. The genial but somehow disengaged staff seemed to serve dishes they had done many times before, not inviting us into this establishment for a special experience. Don’t get me wrong: we’re not those diners who need precious presentation. Quite the opposite: we delight in and respect artists who simply love to cook and create, love to serve, and love to see guests happy—at any price point. But given the expectations for the level of this dining experience? Wanting. And surprising.
Peper81
My husband and I had dinner here a few weeks ago and it was amazing. If you are not familiar with the place, I think you will be a little surprised by how the place looks from the outside. When we pulled up, we thought we were in the wrong location until we saw their distinctive door. The restaurant is in a more residential looking area then we were expecting and it's actually an old converted barn so not your typical restaurant building. The inside is very warm and inviting with only a handful or so of tables which makes the dining experience very intimate. I can't say enough about how friendly and attentive the staff is with the guests. The general manager, Liz, walked around to every table and talked with guests and filled any glasses that needed it. We had our main waiter and then a couple other "roving" waiters who came and filled our glasses or retrieved empty plates. It all felt attentive without feeling intrusive which can sometimes be a hard balance but it all felt smooth and effortless here. The food is excellent! It's a tasting menu for everyone, no ala carte options. The menu is seasonal so there's no advance notice of what will be on the menu unless you email them and request it and they don't send it out until a day or so before your menu. There were 5 courses (not counting the amuse bouche) with 2 options each except for the pasta course which had just the one option. My husband and I picked different options for all courses except the fish as neither of us are lobster people. Each one was exceptional. We both cleaned our plates each time. Even though we cleaned our plates, neither one of us felt over served or under served. We were both full without feeling sickly full or having to stop ourselves from enjoying the full serving. This is the only place I have been to where the tasting menu portions were the perfect size like this. It truly is an artform that very few get right. The best part of our evening is that Edward Lee was in-house that night and came out and greeted each table and inquired if the food was good. He was so friendly and warm. It was such a delight to go to a famous chef's restaurant and actually have said chef be there AND mingle with their guests. Such a nice surprise to what was already an exceptional experience and meal.
I purposefully didn't give my husband any details about this dinner in advance. He can be a very picky eater especially when he reads a menu he doesn't know what everything on it is. First off the ambiance was delightful. Quiet, quaint in a neighborhood you wouldn't expect. As expected my husband wasn't too happy as he read the menu and saw it was a fixed five course menu. I begged him to have an open mind. HE LOVED IT! I knew he would once he got past the menu and put in his mouth the delectable plates coming out of the kitchen. The bar was top notch as well. While it was our most expensive dinner while in Louisville we had no regrets in splurging our first night in town. I highly recommend a visit here !
Jennifer N
Had a 5-course tasting menu. Every course was delightful! Also had the wine tasting selections. My husband and I should have shared the wine because it was more than I could drink!
Betsy B
We went while visiting our daughter who lives in Old Louisville. The menu seemed limited due to Covid but had something for everyone. The staff was very attentive and knowledgable. We had the pleasure of meeting Edward Lee who came to our table twice to check on us.
caik2018
We had high hopes for this restaurant during our visit to Louisville. In summary the food was amazing, but the service was spotty.. 1) there is a limited menu (4 apps, 4 mains) and 8 tables (2 pax/table) due to COVID 2) the food was very tasty and on point. Really interesting flavors and well presented. 3) the kitchen was very slow (2 hours and 15 mins for the total service). Long waits between course. 4) with 3 staff working on a Wed night; they did not offer a level of service commensurate with the food (notwithstanding pace); I had to refill both our water and wine glasses the majority of the time, and completely finished plates remained uncleared for unacceptable periods of time. Another issue, I needed more lettuce for my main (you wrap the pork in lettuce), no one noticed that I had stopped eating and was trying to catch their eye for ~15 mins. The manager did apologize when we raised the poor service and comped the dessert; not enough to overcome the disappointment with the overall dining experience. It could have been an off night for both the kitchen and service- perhaps they normally have 4 staff for the 8 tables? There were couples seated after us that were on a slower pace that evening. Based on my experience go early and drop a fork to catch the servers attention if you need something.
debmink
Even though they are closed because of COVID-19, we were able to do pick up.Our son surprised us with the Derby dinner special. I had filet mignon and my husband had the halibut. Both were extraordinary. The dinner even came with the makings of a mint julep. Our favorite was the chocolate chess pie. It had a brownie crust with a layer of chocolate and then a butterscotch sauce over it as well as whipped cream and a fresh raspberry. It was absolutely amazing. It was worth every cent.
Dined here in early July. The food is to die for (especially a curry-style dish on the menu when we visited), the service is excellent (and not too hurried), and the ambiance is charming. The bread is also out of this world. The wine pairings also nicely complement the food, and the desserts are definitely worth having (especially the drunken banana cake). It is one of the nicest special occasion restaurants in Louisville. One caveat of interest to certain diners is the restaurants lax policy on pets. When we dined there, another table came in with a small dog. It wasn't a service or support dog because the diners kept passing it around the table, and even that table's server petted it. The dog's presence didn't bother us (it was well-behaved and quiet), but I could see some diners not enjoying dinner with a dog at the next table.
Wow! Great dining experience. Come as you are and be welcomed to a unique combination of high end food and exceptional service.
Chef Lee’s tasting only menu restaurant is well worth finding in Old Louisville. The atmosphere is cozy and dark and invites you to linger longer. The food is everything we’d hoped, creative and delicious. The Manhattan cocktail was a nice fun surprise presented with a liquid smoke bubble to pop! Visit and visit often.
This was more of an experience than a dinner and everything about it was exceptional. There were 3 of us and between the group, we sampled each of the selections on the prix fix menu. All were beautifully prepared, creative and delicious. Our waiter was knowledgeable, professional but laid back. This type of restaurant could easily be pretentious, but nothing about the evening felt that way. Each course was described when it was delivered which was fun. Although I don’t think this experience is for everyone, I will definitely return during another season to see what else Chef Lee will create.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had food this good with service this spot-on. 610 Magnolia is a tasting menu only restaurant, which meant 5 courses the night we went. Every dish was enjoyable, especially the pork loin with pork belly. The wine pairing added an extra ounce of awesome, and was worth the splurge. But the best part was the service. Our server instantly felt like an old friend, and those that helped him made the evening feel like we were hanging out at a friend’s house. Thank you all for making our birthday evening so spectacular!
Great tasting menu and wine pairing. Really good value for the price. Excellent service and comfortable atmosphere. Love the seasonal,locally sourced menu.
Waitstaff excellent. Food was very good but for the price I should have been wowed by at least one course. Also wine pairing was expensive for what you received. Ended up being about $30 a glass
Visiting Louisville for the first time from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, we were so looking forward to dinner at 610 Magnolia. We’ve been fans of Chef Lee from afar. However, given its reputation and price point, we were majorly disappointed, not just by the food but the by overall experience. It was good, mind you, but seemed somewhat tired, uninspired and occasionally sloppy. At the start, the energetic and affable server commented on the high price of some wines on the list, steering us away from them, which we felt was odd. The amuse bouche was yummy. And the next course (can’t recall what it was) was unmemorable. The pasta course, especially, seemed particularly ill-planned. The two or three stuffed pastas were difficult to find/taste under a cup or so of artichoke pesto that overwhelmed. The bland himachi and sticky rice course reminded me to visit Pinku, our local Japanese street-food restaurant, where I can get a fresher, tastier, more subtle version. Finally, the lamb chops were somehow made tasteless and, as much as I dragged them through the accompanying jus (which seemed hastily plated and missed the final wipe around the edges), I could not get the flavors. Perhaps it lacked salt. We ended with a tasty two-cheese plate with typical jam, Marcona almonds and raisins that, again, was not elevated beyond what one would get in any number of restaurants (including at Malcolm Yards, a new food hall we’re frequenting), not an offering from a James Beard award winner. As the server quipped, cheese plates are sort of like opening up the refrigerator and tossing what you have on a board. He’s right; that’s what we do at home. But this is 610 Magnolia. Another reviewer below noted that Lee no longer lives in KY; perhaps that is what is going on. The genial but somehow disengaged staff seemed to serve dishes they had done many times before, not inviting us into this establishment for a special experience. Don’t get me wrong: we’re not those diners who need precious presentation. Quite the opposite: we delight in and respect artists who simply love to cook and create, love to serve, and love to see guests happy—at any price point. But given the expectations for the level of this dining experience? Wanting. And surprising.
Visiting Louisville for the first time from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, we were so looking forward to dinner at 610 Magnolia. We’ve been fans of Chef Lee from afar. However, given its reputation and price point, we were majorly disappointed, not just by the food but the by overall experience. It was good, mind you, but seemed somewhat tired, uninspired and occasionally sloppy. At the start, the energetic and affable server commented on the high price of some wines on the list, steering us away from them, which we felt was odd. The amuse bouche was yummy. And the next course (can’t recall what it was) was unmemorable. The pasta course, especially, seemed particularly ill-planned. The two or three stuffed pastas were difficult to find/taste under a cup or so of artichoke pesto that overwhelmed. The bland himachi and sticky rice course reminded me to visit Pinku, our local Japanese street-food restaurant, where I can get a fresher, tastier, more subtle version. Finally, the lamb chops were somehow made tasteless and, as much as I dragged them through the accompanying jus (which seemed hastily plated and missed the final wipe around the edges), I could not get the flavors. Perhaps it lacked salt. We ended with a tasty two-cheese plate with typical jam, Marcona almonds and raisins that, again, was not elevated beyond what one would get in any number of restaurants (including at Malcolm Yards, a new food hall we’re frequenting), not an offering from a James Beard award winner. As the server quipped, cheese plates are sort of like opening up the refrigerator and tossing what you have on a board. He’s right; that’s what we do at home. But this is 610 Magnolia. Another reviewer below noted that Lee no longer lives in KY; perhaps that is what is going on. The genial but somehow disengaged staff seemed to serve dishes they had done many times before, not inviting us into this establishment for a special experience. Don’t get me wrong: we’re not those diners who need precious presentation. Quite the opposite: we delight in and respect artists who simply love to cook and create, love to serve, and love to see guests happy—at any price point. But given the expectations for the level of this dining experience? Wanting. And surprising.
My husband and I had dinner here a few weeks ago and it was amazing. If you are not familiar with the place, I think you will be a little surprised by how the place looks from the outside. When we pulled up, we thought we were in the wrong location until we saw their distinctive door. The restaurant is in a more residential looking area then we were expecting and it's actually an old converted barn so not your typical restaurant building. The inside is very warm and inviting with only a handful or so of tables which makes the dining experience very intimate. I can't say enough about how friendly and attentive the staff is with the guests. The general manager, Liz, walked around to every table and talked with guests and filled any glasses that needed it. We had our main waiter and then a couple other "roving" waiters who came and filled our glasses or retrieved empty plates. It all felt attentive without feeling intrusive which can sometimes be a hard balance but it all felt smooth and effortless here. The food is excellent! It's a tasting menu for everyone, no ala carte options. The menu is seasonal so there's no advance notice of what will be on the menu unless you email them and request it and they don't send it out until a day or so before your menu. There were 5 courses (not counting the amuse bouche) with 2 options each except for the pasta course which had just the one option. My husband and I picked different options for all courses except the fish as neither of us are lobster people. Each one was exceptional. We both cleaned our plates each time. Even though we cleaned our plates, neither one of us felt over served or under served. We were both full without feeling sickly full or having to stop ourselves from enjoying the full serving. This is the only place I have been to where the tasting menu portions were the perfect size like this. It truly is an artform that very few get right. The best part of our evening is that Edward Lee was in-house that night and came out and greeted each table and inquired if the food was good. He was so friendly and warm. It was such a delight to go to a famous chef's restaurant and actually have said chef be there AND mingle with their guests. Such a nice surprise to what was already an exceptional experience and meal.
Restaurantji Recommends
I purposefully didn't give my husband any details about this dinner in advance. He can be a very picky eater especially when he reads a menu he doesn't know what everything on it is. First off the ambiance was delightful. Quiet, quaint in a neighborhood you wouldn't expect. As expected my husband wasn't too happy as he read the menu and saw it was a fixed five course menu. I begged him to have an open mind. HE LOVED IT! I knew he would once he got past the menu and put in his mouth the delectable plates coming out of the kitchen. The bar was top notch as well. While it was our most expensive dinner while in Louisville we had no regrets in splurging our first night in town. I highly recommend a visit here !
Had a 5-course tasting menu. Every course was delightful! Also had the wine tasting selections. My husband and I should have shared the wine because it was more than I could drink!
We went while visiting our daughter who lives in Old Louisville. The menu seemed limited due to Covid but had something for everyone. The staff was very attentive and knowledgable. We had the pleasure of meeting Edward Lee who came to our table twice to check on us.
We had high hopes for this restaurant during our visit to Louisville. In summary the food was amazing, but the service was spotty.. 1) there is a limited menu (4 apps, 4 mains) and 8 tables (2 pax/table) due to COVID 2) the food was very tasty and on point. Really interesting flavors and well presented. 3) the kitchen was very slow (2 hours and 15 mins for the total service). Long waits between course. 4) with 3 staff working on a Wed night; they did not offer a level of service commensurate with the food (notwithstanding pace); I had to refill both our water and wine glasses the majority of the time, and completely finished plates remained uncleared for unacceptable periods of time. Another issue, I needed more lettuce for my main (you wrap the pork in lettuce), no one noticed that I had stopped eating and was trying to catch their eye for ~15 mins. The manager did apologize when we raised the poor service and comped the dessert; not enough to overcome the disappointment with the overall dining experience. It could have been an off night for both the kitchen and service- perhaps they normally have 4 staff for the 8 tables? There were couples seated after us that were on a slower pace that evening. Based on my experience go early and drop a fork to catch the servers attention if you need something.
Even though they are closed because of COVID-19, we were able to do pick up.Our son surprised us with the Derby dinner special. I had filet mignon and my husband had the halibut. Both were extraordinary. The dinner even came with the makings of a mint julep. Our favorite was the chocolate chess pie. It had a brownie crust with a layer of chocolate and then a butterscotch sauce over it as well as whipped cream and a fresh raspberry. It was absolutely amazing. It was worth every cent.
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