6 Best Southern Restaurants near Paducah

“The food is always good when I come here ! Staff is very friendly !“

“My husband and I visited The Freight House tonight for the first time, as a belated Valentine date night. We agree that this was the best dining experience we've ever had, and want to make it at least an annual tradition to enjoy a meal here for Valentine's Day. This review will be somewhat long, but it's well-deserved. First off, the reservation process is a piece of cake as it can be done online, so no need to call if that's not your thing. You'll get reminders about your reservation, a notification when your table is ready, and zero hassle or issues when you arrive and check in. The atmosphere is stellar. The lighting is nice, not too dim but not too bright either, it's just right. The overall feel of modern southern charm is tastefully complemented by local artwork curated by the area's most talented hands. I was equally as struck by the smell though... it didn't smell quite like a restaurant, like a steakhouse or just somewhere with good food. It had a very light, clean *almost* floral smell. I am not sure if this is the intention, but it seems like it might be, as if to allow more room for the senses to really take in the flavorful experiences of the food on the palate without being tainted or altered by overwhelming scents. It was just interesting, and something I've never noticed about any other restaurant I've ever been to. There were glasses of water, a full pitcher of water, silverware, and napkins already set at the table for us. Sam, our waitress, was very friendly. She was knowledgeable about the items on the menu, and helpful in choosing a cocktail when I couldn't decide between three that all sounded equally as good. She was just the right amount of attentive, allowing us to enjoy our meal and conversation, keeping our table free of clutter as we were through with our plates from one course to the next, and filling our drinks (without even asking if we needed refills) as soon as she would pass by and see them starting to get low. Now, onto the drink and food. I ordered The Smoking Gun cocktail, at Sam's recommendation, intrigued mainly by the mezcal - it's usually a tricky liquor, in my opinion, but very enjoyable in a cocktail when mixed properly with other suitable liquors. This one was done right. Although I don't remember most of what made up the actual cocktail, it was perfect for sipping on throughout dinner, very smooth and somewhat fragrant as it was garnished with orange peel and rosemary. We ordered the smoked fish dip as an appetizer, and it was simply downright delicious paired with the garlic crackers that it came with. For dinner, My husband ordered the shrimp and grits, and I had the roasted duck. We tried bites of each others' entrées, and were equally impressed with both. The roasted duck was visibly plated with care (I'm sure the shrimp and grits were too, it's just a little more noticeable with something like roasted duck), and the flavors of both dishes were impeccable. We are not dessert people when we go out to eat, but tonight we decided to treat ourselves, and I'm so glad we did. We split the banana pudding, and I dare you to find a better one anywhere, because it was heavenly in itself, but topped with the bourbon "whoop" and toffee crumbles... for lack of a better way to put it, it's bananas how good it is. All portions were a moderate size. They weren't so big that we felt stuffed to the brim or miserable, but weren't so small that we felt they weren't worth it. Everything consisted of fresh, quality ingredients that meshed so well together as a result of creative genius. I wish we would've made plans to eat here forever ago, but we love to cook at home and just rarely dine out. As mentioned above though, I think we'll be making room for special occasions at The Freight House from here on out. 10/10 wonderful experience!“

“Ordered lunch (delivered by door dash) food arrived quickly and every single dish was cooked and presented with perfection.manager was very kind and appreciative when I called and ask how to contact you. Please recognize service manager ( believe Justin) and who ever prepared meal. Very good service and delicious food. John Curtis Paducah, KY“

“We love Cheddars but are experiencing them running out of things lately, which is annoying after you search the menu, make your selection, and then the server tells you after you've ordered that they are out of things. If a restaurant runs out of certain items, servers should be told immediately so customers can be told BEFORE ordering. It's the courteous and respectful thing to do. We like their food in general, so we'll dine there again, but hopefully they do better with professionalism regarding running out of items and telling us after we've ordered and waited an additional 10-15 minutes.“

“The food was delicious and our waitress was very friendly.“

“Great food and friendly staff!“