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When you need a night out on the town, Louisville is home to plenty of great venues for craft cocktails, live music, and comedy shows. You’ll find down-home Southern whiskey spots or funky spaces where live bands entertain intimate crowds. Full of places for spending time with friends or enjoying a date night, check out our list of some of the best spots for nightlife in Louisville, Kentucky.

Great Flood Brewing Company

Image by Terry Kearney is licensed by CC0 1.0

Great Flood Brewing Company serves mostly house brews on its 20 taps. Kid- and dog-friendly, Great Flood Brewing Company hosts fun events like movie nights, “Games on Tap,” trivia, and “Sunday Ticket” with live sports broadcasts. Bring your own food to enjoy with your brew. The Brewing Company also offers tap takeovers and pint nights featuring other local brews.

Great Flood Brewing Company crafts its beer offsite but nearby in Louisville’s Shelby Park neighborhood. A full brewing facility, you can take a virtual tour of the working brewery on their website to get a closer look at the ingredients, machines, and processes that make their beer so tasty.

Location: 2120 Bardstown Road

Hours: Monday through Thursday 3 pm. to 12 a.m., Friday 2 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday 12 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

NoraeBar

Named after the popular after-work social spot in South Korea called a noraebang (song room),  NoraeBar brings a modern twist to karaoke fun in Louisville. Featuring on-stage performances and private rooms for your own personal sing-alongs, NoraeBar also serves a full menu of specialty cocktails and classic drinks. Head to NoraeBar for a fun night of karaoke in a small private room for up to eight or a large room that fits up to 15 people. If being in the spotlight is more your thing, NoraeBar also hosts special nights where you can sing with a live band on stage.

Location: 717 E. Market St. Louisville, KY

Hours: Thursday 8 p.m to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., Sunday 6 p.m to 2 a.m.

Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar

Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar features live music in one of Louisville’s oldest blues bars. Come hear a variety of blues, jazz, funk, Motown, and rock six nights a week. Locally owned and operated with a big dance floor and stage, Stevie Ray’s serves signature cocktails, beer, and drinks from a full bar menu. Bring your own food from any of Louisville’s tasty restaurants and enjoy great music in a relaxed atmosphere with a local history all its own. Relax in the Voodoo Garden out back or dance until you drop. Be sure to check out the nightly jam session.

Location: 230 E. Main St. Louisville, KY

Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 4 a.m., Sunday 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Whirling Tiger

Whirling Tiger calls itself a “mid-century modern cocktail den” with a live music venue. Featuring a full menu of specialty cocktails, wine, and beer, you can sip a drink in the comfortable bar area or head to the dedicated music spot in the back of the facility. The newly renovated music venue offers a state-of-the-art sound system and cozy listening space for local bands and traveling artists. Whirling Tiger also hosts private events if you want to have a big party.

Location: 1335 Story Ave. Louisville, KY

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery

Take a distillery tour earlier in the day then stay out for drinks at Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery. The official starting point on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery offers guided tours and tastings of its American whiskey selection. Visit The Bar at Fort Nelson for historical drinks curated by the staff cocktail historian or try a more modern sip with specialty ice designed by top creators so your drink doesn’t get watered down.

Location: 801 W. Main St. Louisville, KY

Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Planet of the Tapes

Planet of the Tapes offers a comedy club, bar, and video lounge all together in one unique venue. With themed cocktails like The Mangolorian or Berry and the Hendersons, the bar also served house-made sodas and non-alcoholic versions of most of their drinks. With events on most nights from 8-10 p.m., head to Planet of the Tapes for comedy acts, burlesque shows, and movie viewings. Relax and watch a show with table service so you can order anything from the bar without getting up.

Location: 640 Barret Ave. Louisville, KY

Hours: Monday through Thursday 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., Friday through Sunday 6 p.m to 2 a.m.

Thirsty Pedaler

The Thirsty Pedaler is a tour on wheels that delivers you to bars around the downtown area. Pedal your way from spot to spot on a 16-passenger bike while sipping your favorite brew from the on-bike tap. Grab a cocktail and stop to relax at your chosen venue, then hop back on your tour vehicle to keep the fun going. Perfect for bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays, or just a night out with friends, make a reservation ahead of time to book your ride on the Thirsty Pedaler.

Location: 100 E. Main St. Louisville, KY

Hours: by appointment

Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen

Named number one in Louisville and part of the Urban Bourbon Trail, Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen is a great place to stop for a sip. Offering bourbon, cocktails, beer, and Southern bites, Merle’s serves plenty of variations on their signature drink with many of Merle’s bourbons barreled specifically for the Whiskey Kitchen. Enjoy soul food in the Western-style whiskey hall with a bar from the 1920s. Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen also offers live music to complement the delicious food and drinks served every day.

Location: 122 W. Main St. Louisville, KY

Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 12. p.m.

Do you have a favorite cocktail spot or concert venue to recommend? Contact us and tell us all about it, or check out this list of our favorite distilleries for inspiration! Ready to schedule a service? Our vehicle experts will help you get back on the road so you can head out to enjoy all of Louisville’s nightlife.