Excellent lunch today for three. A perfect Hot Brown, a fantastic Beer Cheese Burger and a standout chicken dish that included cheese grits made with their wonderful beer cheese and sauteed spinach and onions. We started with their traditional, still great fried banana peppers and a Beer Cheese appetizer plate. Service was friendly and prompt. Hall's welcoming rustic charm is intact, but brightened by some contemporary art. Hadn't been there in many years but hope to return soon.
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Head to Hall's on the River for good food, great service, and a splendid view.. Hall's has been a favorite of Central Kentucky diners for more than four decades. Located approximately 25 minutes from Lexington in nearby Winchester, Hall's is legendary for its "beer cheese" dip---one of the most popular brands in Kentucky.
I had not been to Hall's for several years but decided to check it out to see if it is still worth the trip. I am happy to report my experience did not disappoint. The drive from Lexington is scenic and due to the somewhat remote location, Hall's is definitely more of a destination restaurant than an impulse visit.
On this particular evening, the weather was ideal for outside dining so I opted for a table on Hall's large and spacious deck which overlooks the Kentucky river. Hall's is large and can easily accommodate crowds and large parties of 8-10. Watching people canoeing along the river and the perfect weather definitely added to the experience. In addition, my server, Ashley, was warm, friendly, and attentive. The manager (owner?) also stopped by twice during my visit to make sure everything was OK.
I ordered the Fried Banana Peppers--a Central Kentucky favorite for an appetizer. They were served hot with cocktail sauce and were large and tasty. If you like Banana Peppers, you will definitely like Hall's version.
I also ordered the Cornbread Salad and instead of the recommended dressings I chose the Bourbon Orange Vinaigrette. This salad consists of mixed greens with homemade cornbread, scallions, and bacon. Two thumbs up!
For my entree I went with the Fried Frog Legs with "Smashed" Potatoes and Onion Rings. I was curious about the onion rings and they were lightly breaded and delicious. The potatoes were also quite good with bits of potato skins throughout. The frog legs, four of them, were plump and also lightly breaded and very filling.
Hall's is clearly Southern comfort food and I enjoyed everything I sampled and had lots leftover. The combination of good food, scenic view, and excellent service makes Hall's worth the trip and I plan to go back soon and try other items on the menu.
I was somewhat surprised that Hall's apparently does not offer desserts. I did not see any listed on the menu. Nor do they serve any type of bread with the meal. A bit surprising for Southern comfort fare. I would recommend that Hall's consider serving their cornbead with each meal. It was a nice touch to the Cornbread Salad and would make for an excellent stand alone offering.
If you have never been to Hall's, the beer cheese platter is a must to indoctrinate you to the true Hall's experience!
New management has done a great job. Onion rings and cat fish are both perfection.
Beautiful curvy ride to Halls! I wish we had come with some time to enjoy the area before dark. The food was filling and enjoyable . My family tasted a variety , including tasty frog legs , authentic hit browns, and crawfish cakes! Nice views of nature . I will come back for lunch in the summer so we can enjoy the deck overlooking the river!
My family and I ate there today. My wife had the Hot Brown and I had the catfish. Kids menu and food was exceptional. Everthing was AWESOME ! We'll be back !
Out of this world appetizers!. My husband and I ate at Hall's this afternoon for our anniversary dinner. We had the fried shiitake mushrooms, fried banana peppers and fried tomatoes for our shared appetizers. My husband doesn't like fried tomatoes at all, but we both agreed the fried tomatoes were fabulous!! The mushrooms were equally wonderful and the peppers were great too. We shared a fried catfish dinner that was OK, but the appetizers were far better than the dinner. We sat on the deck and enjoyed the beutiful view. Our server was awesome and we would definately go again.
Old atmosphere, NEW menu items!. Hall's was a favorite by my parents and we often visited throughout the years. However, my last visit there was exceptional! We ventured down by the river and walked in to witness a whole new menu, new chef and the same excellent atmosphere as before! While you now have to pay for the beer cheese, it's the same recipe! My brother loved the shrimp & grits, I obsessed over the crawfish cakes and my parents loved the prime rib. My fiance and I will be sure to go back soon!
We went there for lunch. Service excellent. Good excellent. Prices very reasonable. Don't know why some reviews are not great or shy they say price high. Half brown large delic and e cough for two. 8.95. Fried green tomatoes delic. Highly recommend.
New menu with great short ribs and crawfish cakes. A must try!
Under new management! Great service. The pickle planks appetizer were not very meaty but nice crisp to the bite. My sweetheart had the catfish with fries and tartar sauce. Very good, nice portions, which was a complaint before, size of portions are much nicer! I had the shrimp and grits w/ braised greens. Served in a small cast iron skillet, this was a wonderful dish! Don't be afraid! Halls is back!!!
One of my fav spots in town. Their new menu is top-notch...especially the shrimp n grits and ribs. It seems like the whole atmosphere has changed for the better and I'm already looking forward to going back. If its been awhile since you've been or have never visited, make sure you put it on your short list.
I went to halls for the first warm weekend of spring after betting on the ponies at keeneland! It was a perfect ending to a perfect day! I had a very good perfectly cooked New York strip, but the shrimp and grits my sis had blew us both away! Nothing like it in central ky. And we finished with bread pudding with bourbon sauce. Awesome! I always liked halls and their very unique atmosphere, but the food is off the charts! We'll be back this weekend again!!
One Of a Kind. While visting some relatives from out of town, they wanted to go out to eat one night. I heard some co-workers talking about beercheese, and they told me about Hall's. It was a nice spring day so we deciced to eat on the deck. The waitress told us about the chef specials, and the beer selection. So we started with some beer cheese fries, smoked wings, and a round fall's city. I would say those are the best wings I ever had. Don't even get me started on the crawfish cakes, they were awesome. My wife loved the cornbread salad as well. Great food, service, and atmosphere.
Bethany Columbia UniversalLinen
+4.5
Love it here. I grew up in Winchester, Ky and I ate a Hall's many times. The atmosphere is great, it's family friendly and also fun. I've never had a meal that I didn't love from Hall's and even though I am in Louisville now my parents continue to eat there as often as they can :) Keep up the good work!
HOLY SHITAKI. "I love fried mushrooms"...I used to think the fried mushrooms I got at restau rants were good but I have been deceived! Hall's new chef is making HOME MADE fried Shitaki mushrooms. Now I can say "I love fried mushrooms".... As the new chef is slowly revamping the old Hall's menu I have notice everything is going to fresh NOT frozen! Tonight I also had some fresh cut french fries and the BEST SMOKED PORK BBQ sandwich(Hell Bender) I have ever had. They have been trying out a new smoker..you MUST check it out!!!!!!!!!!!
Worth the drive. The eight mile drive off I-75 was scenic. The restaurant itself is in scenic surroundings, set in a hollow near Ft. Boonesborough. And the food was excellent. Loved their fish sandwich. Would love to try their country ham someday.
Stop at Hall's For the Win. The service was above and beyond, and more than pleasant. Our server was so friendly. The Environment in the afternoon was peaceful and quiet. And the ribs! They have the most amazing cole slaw. I could marry that cole slaw. Nom nom
Was almost afraid to try Hall's after reading all the negative reviews. We had lunch there today and they sure know how to do burgers right. We both chose the beer cheese topping, sautéed mushrooms were a steal for an extra 50 cents. Sliced tomatoes were red & juicy, not the pale mealy ones so often served. The burgers were so juicy that the mayo served on the side wasn't even needed.
Connoisseur Of The Mundane
+4.5
Hall's is Hall's. Hall's is a destination, an atmosphere. The food is usually good if perhaps a bit rustic and unsophisticated, much like the charming setting. The service is generally decent, though occasionally it is less than.
It's nice to have a place to take out of town guests that's quintessentially Kentucky. Hall's on the River fits the bill.
Good food on the river.....good luck finding it!. This place is great, but you'd better have a good idea of where you're going or you'll wind up getting lost! The food and atmosphere are worth the effort to get to it - good basic food....get their beer cheese! If you can score a table by the river or out on the patio (if it's not too 'buggy' or humid), it's a great place to hang out and just take things down a notch. This is a true Kentucky icon.....they got hit by the floods earlier in May 2010, but I'm sure they've cleaned up and are back serving good food (seafood, etc.) at reasonable prices.
Hall's on the river...... There's only one word to decsribe it deliscous !!! It's amazing one thing I would reccomed would be there beer cheese nochos there the best too bad there already booked or mothers day!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice change of atmosphere for this area. If not for the large road signs, no one would find it. Strange enough there is a large billboard for it down in Somerset...?????? Oh well. Surprisingly good ribs the last time I went. Nice in the summer to sit on the deck. Though I don't frequent it due to location, it is a nice change of pace to go there.
The food is good, the atmosphere is better than average, and the lunchtime service is quick and friendly! A tad expensive, but sitting by the river with friends and a cold beer is worth the trouble to find this really quaint bit of Kentucky.
A Lexington tradition. If you are from out of town be warned: this restaurant may be hard to find, get good directions, several maps, and a GPS. It's worth the effort to get there. Good seafood, friendly people, and a great atmosphere especially outside overlooking the river.
Better for lunch. The food is generally good, but a little pricey. We've noticed that their lunch service is generally quicker and better; dinner can take a while, and the last time we were there for dinner, our food came out lukewarm. The prime rib is served soaked in jus, and not particularly good. The beer cheese nachos are outstanding, however, and the beer cheese dip is very good.
Tucked down in the bottom of a hollow at the bend of the Kentucky River, you’ll find Hall’s on the River, a quintessential Kentucky culinary landmark that has been serving up the best uniquely Kentucky dishes for decades.
Great atmosphere and love the outdoor properly spaced seating during the pandemic. Great food and friendly staff. Can’t wait to go back when I am back that way! Beer Cheese is a must if you love beer cheese!
Amazing atmosphere, huge outdoor patios. COVID safe. Try the Hot Brown!
Let's start with the good, the food was above average. My first time having a hot brown (half size was plenty). My wife had the frog legs which she enjoyed. They have a lovely location overlooking the river. On the negative, we sat for 20 minutes before we saw a server.there was a serious miscommunication with the hostess and no one was assigned our table. Once that was cleared up, our server was very apologetic and kind. All in all we enjoyed the night and would go again.
A little bit on the expensive side but well worth it great waitresses and cook. We had a great time down there. Of course I've been going to Halls way before the floods and before Halls was their there was a great restaurant right across the street from Halls that I love going to too
Nice and fast waiters and the food was absolutely delicious. The ribs and chicken were tender and almost fell off the bone. The fried catfish was juicy, and all the sides (beans, fries, coleslaw) were super tasty too. The only little complaint I have is that the berry cobbler was too doughy and didn't seem to be baked all the way through. But desert aside, absolutely recommend this place!
A great southern cuisine restaurant with a great environment. You can sit out on the patio and enjoy a porch with a view over the river. Catfish is a MUST as well as the famous Kentucky Hot Brown. Also have to try the beer cheese, it's what they're famous for! My favorite restaurant around, can't say enough great things about Halls. They accommodate reservations for large groups as well.
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