Sidebar Grill

Great food all around! Will be stopping here for a burger any time I am in Lexington or driving past! Small place worth the wait if full.

Decently priced and very yummy! This is an awesome dive a great place for my family. I was surprised they had a highchair and crayons! Everything we have had so far was great and decent portions. We usually try to share an entrée but that doesn’t quite fill us up so we get and app or soup with it and its just enough. House made chips are yummy and I recommend their fried pickles!

I always thought this was a bar, but on a recent trip to mourn the passing of the original A la Lucie I noticed their exterior specials board and my friend and I decided to stop in for lunch. I’m glad I did. This is a nice lunch option with some great options. I especially enjoyed the hand-​cut fries, as did my friend. I tried the chili and found it really filling and fairly flavorful. The menu isn’t extensive, but everything I tried was tasty. I had one of the beef burgers and my friend had the portabella mushroom burger. Both were great. The food quality was appropriate for the reasonable price. We weren’t able to try any of the long list of beer selections, but they looked to have several good local brews. Our server was quiet but efficient and quick, but the place was not at all busy so it was pretty easy to get her attention. I will go back and bring friends next time I’m stuck downtown and need a fast, tasty lunch.

The Sidebar special is my go-​to meal when I want something great and low key. The steak is always delicious, the sweet potato wedges with honey butter dipping sauce is incredible, the side salad is a great size and they use good ingredients, and they always have a few good craft beers on tap. Love, love, love Sidebar!

Loved the hipster/​punk atmosphere and décor. Staff was polite and offered useful suggestions. I went with the grilled sausage, and enjoyed it. The menu is fairly limited, but everything they do seemed to be done with care and attention. I also had a side of dill chips and would definitely recommend those.
We came in during a Cats game day because everything was so packed by Rupp. Definitely not a sports atmosphere, but I enjoyed that aspect because it wasn’t typical of everything by the stadium.

A hidden gem in Lexington. Love it.

I’ll tell you what — I wasn’t expecting much when we first walked in the door. But the burger was really good! The fries were okay — I wished they had been a little crisper. But they seemed to be freshly made. Service was quick and friendly. This is a great lunch spot if you are looking for something casual downtown!

What could be a great restaurant with an awesome vibe and pretty decent food is far outweighed by the fact that it took an hour and a half for 2 cheeseburgers. The fact that it was the «lunch rush» is the only thing saving it from 2 stars.
The cheeseburger was pretty good, not great. Personally though, I’m not a fan of charging extra for cheese, include it in the price.
Also, if you’re going to take that long to give me my food, at least make sure it comes out hot. The meat itself was warm, but the bun was cold.
Overall, if you’re driving down I-​75 and wondering if this place is worth getting off the beaten path a bit… keep driving.

First night in for Rolex 3 day. Staying st Hyatt so this was a close place to try.
It was wed night and they had a live guitar guy. Really good.
It was busy. This is a like a local dive bar.
I ordered the fish and chips — I thought it was way too greasy!!!
Friend pickle was good :)
A few select micro brew beers!

Burgers to fish and chips. Everything is fresh and homemade. No pretense. The staff is friendly. I’ve never had a bad meal or service.

Excellent service. Great food. Eclectic environment. Definitely on my list to return when I am back next week.

We come here all the time and the food is AMAZING. Seriously. Try the burgers. They’re amazing. I keep saying amazing. Best word to describe this place.
Further, the fish and chips are to DIE FOR. But better bring an appetite or split ‘em with a friend — the portions are ginormous. Not that I’m complaining!

I came here after a long road trip from Atlanta. I was really hungry and since I tend to avoid the typical fast food nonsense, I sought out an interesting local place that was open and currently serving food. I drove from my hotel, parked and walked in.
I was VERY pleased to find live music playing (on a Wednesday night), hipsters sitting around drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon, various ladies appreciating my arrival and a bartender with a most excellent beard behind the bar (so far so good). I perused the menu and started salivating… the food sounded great. I made my selection, went to the bar because, well, no table service. I was thus informed that the kitchen was closed, given a ‘surely you must be joking’ look and told there was absolutely no food being served (it was 10:10 pm). They had stopped serving food at 10 pm. I was hoping they would show a slight glimmer of mercy and some exceptional customer service by saying something like, ‘but let me see if I can get a little something put together for you’… but nope, no such luck. ((Sigh)) So I left because I was not drinking that night and my main goal was to grab a bite. I would’ve liked to have eaten here. Oh well… maybe next time.
This place is definitely a dive bar that seems to be popular with the locals. Apparently a great place to come get some cheap drinks.

Great burger and great sweet potato fries! The price is cheap and it’s about the right portion. Don’t open on Sunday night though. Always craving for their burgers on Sunday. Don’t know why…

A small place that is pretty cool. Enter from sidewalk and there are a few lower eating table on either side. About 10 feet in, the bar is on the left. Directly across from the bar are a few 2 person high too tables. Red is the dominant color, but the walls are covered with all kinds of pictures, drawings, and signs. The bar top is an older wooden surface with a classic rail. Bar face is mainly stickered. 4 – 5 padded stools with back support. Behind the bar is a wreck. One half contains the kitchen and of the cook burns or creates smoke, the entire bar will know it. A couple TVs that were surprising tuned to sports. Surprising since the sidebar looks more anti-​organized anything. Fun crowd and good service.

I’ve heard of sidebar ever since we moved to Lexington and was excited to meet up with friends for drinks and dinner on Friday. Whoever organized a large group of us to meet here obviously did not do their research, LOL. This place is pretty small with only one large table and a handful of smaller tables. The bartender seemed cool and I bet he makes some really great drinks but I only ordered Malibu and pineapple. The food took a while and I thought the burger was decent but it was awfully small and I wasn’t a big fan of the sweet potato fries. They are too big and not crispy. I think this place is probably known more for their drinks than for their food.
They did have a cool ambience with a laid-​back vibe. The bartender and waitstaff were really cool and did a good job in accommodating our large group. Next time I come back it will be with a smaller group and only for drinks.

Alright, I know that this review isn’t popular given all of the 5 stars for this place. However, I waited until I went twice before forming an opinion. If it were just after the first time, the rating would be lower :/​Anyway, the first time the service was great but I was just not a fan of the food. I had a burger and sweet potato fries. I must say the burger was not my thing. The sweet potato fries were so bad that i asked for them to take them back and get me chips. I’m not sure about everyone else, but i like my sweet potato fries crispy and these just seemed thick and chewy…
My second visit was better. I ordered the chicken fingers and regular fries. That’s my go to meal when im scared people will mess stuff up. lol anyway, it was great! The fries were nicely done and the fresh chicken fingers were some of the best ive had. So i will definitely be back for them :)

Can you say GREAT!!! Food, location, staff, everything, was great!!! Burgers are a must, one of the best I have ever had! Grilled cheese was yummy and perfect for light fare!
Overall– definitely will go back and strongly recommend!

It was good enough. The black bean burger and BBQ sandwich satisfied us, but it wouldn’t be enough to bring us back. They have a very unique décor and overall the service was good. If you find yourself nearby then it’s worth a try.

Sidebar is a hole-​in-​the-​wall type place, and the food is what is often the case at these types of spots: freakin’ fabulous.
The black bean burger was made in-​house and was super (and I order them at a lot of different places). It had a nice, spicy kick, but wasn’t ridiculously spicy by any means. The bun was fresh and toasted perfectly. The sweet potato fries were awesome. My companion’s burger was excellent and she liked the homemade dill potato chips that accompanied the burger.
Service was top-​shelf. Our gal took great care of us and every request was met with a cheerful, «of course,» or «sure.»
The next time I’m jonesing for a burger, Sidebar will be at the top of my list.