If the gladiatorial, bloviating, gas-bag world of The Dorito Man ran LEO Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards, there would be only winners, all of them morally and intellectually bankrupt. In the PC world of hippies grown up and annoyingly ingrown, the Readers’ Choice Awards would have no first place, only participation awards for all. But, you know, we at LEO have tradition to uphold, with decades of LEO celebrating the best of Louisville, so we are going to award all three places again this year.
New categories, more than 20, include Best Restaurant by neighborhood, Best Lawyers, Best IT Support… and Best Place to Take Your Cat (maybe we need to get out more often). And as in past years, the results reflect Louisville’s crazy quilt of diversity and provide a road map to explore the best the city has to offer. You also will find LEO’s Choices, those niche things that uh… spark joy for us.
So with no more fanfare and blah, blah, blah… here are the winners!
A&E
Best Art Gallery
1. Tim Faulkner Gallery
2. Revelry Boutique Gallery
3. 21c Museum Hotel Louisville
Best Local Album
1. White Reaper –
The World’s Best American Band
2. Quiet Hollers –
Amen Breaks
3. Wax Fang –
Victory Laps
Best Local Song
1. Judy French – White Reaper
2. Broken Guitar –
Quiet Hollers
3. Rainbows – James Lindsay
Best Band/Musician Performing Original Music
1. White Reaper
2. Villebillies
3. Quiet Hollers
Best Cover Band
1. Tony and the Tan Lines
2. Cover Me Bad
3. Louisville Crashers
Best Local Music Video
1. Quiet Hollers – Pressure
2. Brenda- Night School
3. RMLLW2LL – So Amerikkan
Best Local Comedian
1. Tom Mabe
2. Justin Tabb
3. Keith McGill
Best Place to See Comedy
1. The Caravan Comedy Club
2. The Bard’s Town
3. Kaiju
Best Drag Queen
1. Hurricane Summers
2. Jade Jolie
3. Leah Halston
Best Festival
1. Forecastle Festival
2. Kentucky Derby Festival
3. Kentuckiana Pride Festival
Best Jukebox
1. Magnolia Bar
2. Nachbar
3. The Pearl of germantown
Best Karaoke Bar
1. Akiko’s Karaoke club
2. T. Eddie’s Bar & Grill
3. The Bard’s Town
Best Live Music Venue
1. Headliners Music Hall
2. Mercury Ballroom
3. Zanzabar
Best Live Theater Venue
1. Actors Theatre of Louisville
2. Louisville Palace
3. Kentucky Center for the arts
Best Improv Troupe
1. Damaged Goods improv
2. Louisville Improvisors
3. Project Improv
Best Movie Theater
1. Baxter avenue theatres filmworks
2. Xscape theatres blankenbaker
3. Cinemark Tinseltown USA
Best Museum
1. Speed Art Museum
2. Frazier History Museum
3. 21c Museum Hotel Louisville
Best Outdoor Art Show
1. St. James Court Art Fair
2. Cherokee Triangle Art Fair
3. The Louisville Unfair
Best Performing Arts Group
1. Kentucky Shakespeare
2. Va Va Vixens
3. CirqueLouis
Best Theater Production
1. Dracula by Actors Theatre
2. Hedwig & The Angry Inch by Pandora Productions
3. Kentucky Shakespeare in the Park
Best Visual Artist
1. Antonio Pantoja
2. Marc Murphy
3. John Brooks
Attractions
Best Place to Play Basketball
1. Seneca Park
2. Cherokee Park
3. YMCA of greater Louisville
Best Place for an Event/Party
1. Mellwood Art & Entertainment Center
2. Copper & Kings
3. The Ice House
Best Place for Free Entertainment
1. Louisville Waterfront Park
2. Kentucky Shakespeare in the Park
3. Cherokee Triangle
Best Local Landmark
1. Churchill Downs
2. Big Four Bridge
3. Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Bat
Best Neighborhood
1. The Highlands
2. Germantown
3. Crescent Hill
Best Place to Take your Cat
1. Barkstown Road
2. Home
3. Vet
Best Place to Take your Dog
1. Cherokee Park
2. Barkstown Road
3. Seneca Park
Best Parade
1. Kentucky Derby Festival Republic Bank Pegasus Parade
2. KyAnna Pride
3. St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Best Park
1. Cherokee Park
2. The Parklands at Floyds Fork
3. Seneca Park
Best Place to Take Kids in the Summer
1. Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay
2. Louisville Zoo
3. Louisville Waterfront Park
Best Place to Play Soccer
1. Mockingbird Valley Sports complex
2. Seneca Park
3. Louisville Champions Park
Best Place to Swim
1. Lakeside swim club
2. Louisville American Turner’s Club
3. YMCA of greater Louisville
Best Place to Play Tennis
1. Tyler Park
2. Seneca Park
3. Blairwood
Retail
Best Adult/Erotic Store
1. Cirilla’s
2. Love Boutique
3. Adam and Eve
Best Antique Store
1. Joe Ley Antiques
2. The Crazy Daisy Antique Mall
3. Mellwood antiques
Best Bicycle Shop
1. Parkside bikes
2. On Your Left Cycles
3. Middletown Cycling
Best Chocolate/Candy Shop
1. Cellar Door Chocolates
2. Schimpff’s Confectionery
3. The Sweet Spot Candy Shoppe
Best Car Dealer
1. Bachman
2. Bill Collins
3. Neil Huffman
Best Clothing Boutique
1. Dot Fox Clothing Culture
2. General Eccentric
3. Blush Boutique
Best Comic Book Shop
1. The Great Escape Louisville
2. The Destination
3. Heroes
Best Consignment Shop
1. Sassy fox
2. Margaret’s Consignment
3. Evolve
Best Farmers Market
1. Douglass Loop Farmers Market
2. New Albany
3. Beargrass Christian Church
Best Instrument Shop
1. Doo-Wop Shop
2. Guitar Emporium
3. Mom’s Music
Best Jewelry Store
1. Davis Jewelers
2. Genesis Diamonds
3. Shane Co.
Best Liquor Store
1. Old Town Liquors
2. Liquor Barn
3. Total Wine & More
Best Local Bookstore
1. Carmichael’s Bookstore
2. Half Price Books
3. Barnes & Noble
Best Local Hardware Store
1. Keith’s Hardware
2. Brownsboro Hardware & Paint
3. Oscar’s Hardware
Best Local Health Food Store
1. Rainbow Blossom Natural food Markets
2. Whole Foods market
3. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market
Best Local Record Store
1. Guestroom Records Louisville
2. Better Days Records
3. Matt Anthony’s Record Shop
Best Local Wine Shop
1. The Wine Rack
2. Westport Whiskey & Wine
3. Commonwealth Tap
Best New Store/Business
1. Wild Dog Rose
2. Surface Noise
3. Six Sisters Boutique
Best Outdoor Sporting Goods Store
1. Quest Outdoors
2. Dick’s Sporting Goods
3. Academy Sports + Outdoor
Best Party Rental Company
1. Ballou’s
2. Rent and Rave
3. The Event Company
Best Pet Shop
1. Feeders Supply
2. Sandy’s Pet Shop
3. Barkstown Road
Best Head Shop
1. Natural Mystic
2. Electric Ladyland
3. Puff Puff Pass
Best Tobacco Store
1. Cox’s Smoker’s Outlet and spirit shoppe
2. J. Shepherd
3. Oxmoor Smoke Shoppe
Best Vintage Clothing Store
1. The Nitty Gritty
2. Acorn Apparel
3. Vintage Banana
Best Place to Buy a Unique Gift
1. Work the Metal
2. Revelry Boutique Gallery
3. Block Party Handmade Boutique
Services
Best Advertising Agency
1. Mightily
2. Scoppechio
3. Doe-Anderson
Best Apartment Complex
1. Germantown Mill Lofts
2. Amp Apartments
3. Oxmoor Apartment Homes
Best Barbershop
1. Derby City Chop Shop
2. Underground Classic Cuts
3. Handsome Fellows
Best Local Bank
1. Republic Bank
2. PNC Bank
3. Stock Yard Bank & Trust
Best Cab Company
1. Uber
2. Lyft
3. Yellow Cab
Best Caterer
1. Wiltshire Pantry
2. Ladyfingers catering
3. Masterson’s Catering
Best Dentist
1. Mortenson family Dental
2. Frankfort Avenue Family Dental
3. Davis Dental center
Best Family Doctor
1. Deer Park family doctors
2. Terry Weiss
3. Julie Ellis
Best Furniture Store
1. Furniture Dudes
2. Eyedia
3. Cherry House
Best Dry Cleaner
1. Highland
2. Nu-Yale
3. Holiday
Best Grocery Store
1. Kroger
2. Trader Joe’s
3. Whole Foods market
Best Gym/Fitness Club
1. YMCA of greater Louisville
2. Planet Fitness
3. Louisville athletic Club
Best Hair Salon
1. Southern Comforts Salon & Spa
2. Z Salon & Spa
3. Under the Dryer salon
Best Hotel
1. 21c Museum Hotel Louisville
2. The Brown Hotel
3. The Seelbach hilton
Best Interior Design Services
1. Barry Wooley Designs
2. Set The Stage
3. Bittners
Best IT Support
1. Louisville Geek
2. Technology Plus
3. Geek Squad
Best Lawyer
1. Greg Simms
2. Dan Canon
3. Darryl Isaacs
Best Local Pet Grooming
1. The Pet Station Salon and Boutique
2. See Spot Grooming
3. Pretty Paws
Best Massage/Spa
1. Z Salon & Spa
2. Massage Envy
3. Apex Massage
Best Mechanic
1. Tachyon Performance
2. McCormick Motorsports
3. Smith’s Imports
Best Place to Adopt a Pet
1. Kentucky Humane Society
2. Feeders Supply
3.Saving Sunny Inc.
Best PR Firm
1. Design Web Louisville
2. Bandy Carroll Hellige
3. BoxCar PR
Best Skateshop
1. Home SkateShop
2. 43industries
3. Asylum Extreme
Best Tattoo Studio
1. Tattoo Charlie’s
2. Acme Ink
3. Five Star Tattoo
Best Yoga Studio
1. Bend & Zen hot Yoga
2. 502 Power Yoga
3. Yoga on Baxter
Best Roofer
1. HKC Roofing
2. Commonwealth Roofing Corp.
3. Highland Roofing Company, Inc.
Best Plumber
1. BC Plumbing Co.
2. Tom Drexler
3. Dauenhauer plumbing
Best Vet Clinic
1. Shively Animal Clinic & Hospital
2. Fairleigh Pet center
3. The Downtown Animal Clinic
Dining
Best Bakery
1. Nord’s Bakery
2. Plehn’s Bakery
3. Blue Dog Bakery & Café
Best BBQ
1. Feast BBQ
2. Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ
3. Mark’s Feed Store
Best Breakfast
1. Wild Eggs
2. Highland Morning
3. North End Cafe
Best Boozy Brunch
1. Le Moo
2. Louvino
3. Wild Eggs
Best Burger
1. Grind burger kitchen
2. Mussel and Burger Bar
3. Stout
Best Burrito
1. New Wave Burritos
2. El Mundo
3. Qdoba
Best Chef
1. Edward Lee – Milkwood & 610 Magnolia
2. Anthony Lamas – Seviche
3. Paul Skulas – Portage House
Best Chinese Restaurant
1. August Moon Chinese bistro
2. Joy Luck
3. Oriental House
Best Coffee
1. Heine Brothers’ Coffee
2. Quills Coffee
3. Sunergos coffee
Best Coffee Shop
1. Heine Brothers’ Coffee
2. Quills
3. Sunergos coffee
Best Cuban Restaurant
1. Havana Rumba
2. Mojitos Tapas Restaurant
3. Habana Blues
Best Deli/Sandwich Shop
1. Morris’ Deli
2. Stevens & Stevens deli
3. Frank’s Meat & Produce
Best Delivery
1. New Wave burritos
2. Jimmy John’s
3. Domino’s
Best Ethiopian Restaurant
1. Queen of Sheba
2. Abyssinia
3. Addis Grill
Best Fine Dining
1. Jack Fry’s
2. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
3. Volare
Best Fish Sandwich
1. The Fish House
2. Mike Linnig’s
3. Moby Dick
Best Fried Chicken
1. Royals
2. Joella’s
3. The Eagle
Best Food Truck/Cart
1. V-Grits
2. Get In Your Belly
3. Traveling Kitchen
Best Hot Dog
1. Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago
2. Dairy Kastle
3. Red Top
Best Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
1. The Comfy Cow
2. Graeter’s Ice Cream
3. Louisville Cream
Best Indian Restaurant
1. Kashmir
2. Shalimar
3. Dakshin South Indian Restaurant
Best Italian Restaurant
1. Volare Ristorante
2. Come Back Inn
3. Mercado Italiano
Best Kids’ Restaurant
1. SuperChefs
2. RecBar
3. Carrabba’s italian grill
Best Korean Restaurant
1. Charim
2. Sarang Korean Well-Being
3. Lee’s
Best Late-Night Bite
1. White Castle
2. Burger Boy Diner
3. The Back Door
Best Latin Restaurant
1. Seviche
2. Havana Rumba
3. The Mayan Cafe
Best Lunch Bargain
1. Butchertown Pizza Hall
2. Check’s Cafe
3. Frank’s Meats and Produce
Best Mexican Restaurant
1. El Mundo
2. El Nopal
3. El Taco Luchador
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant
1. The Grape Leaf
2. Safier
3. Shiraz
Best New Restaurant
1. Portage House
2. Morels Cafe
3. Fork & Barrel
Best Outdoor Dining
1. Captain’s Quarters
2. The Eagle Food & Beer Hall
3. Decca
Best Patio for Pets
1. Garage Bar
2. The Hub Louisville
3. NachBar
Best Pizza
1. The Post
2. Wick’s Pizza
3. Butchertown Pizza hall
Best Place for a Romantic Dinner
1. Jack Fry’s
2. Bistro Le Relais
3. Jeff Ruby’s steakhouse
Best Restaurant: Butchertown
1. Butchertown Grocery
2. Butchertown Pizza Hall
3. The Butchertown Social
Best Restaurant: Downtown
1. Jeff Ruby’s steakhouse
2. Proof on Main
3. Mussel & Burger Bar
Best Restaurant: East Louisville
1. the Village Anchor
2. Louvino
3. Mojito’s tapas restaurant
Best Restaurant: Germantown
1. Eiderdown
2. The Post
3. Check’s Cafe
Best Restaurant: Clifton/Crescent Hill
1. The Silver Dollar
2. Varanese
3. El Mundo
Best Restaurant: Highlands
1. Jack Fry’s
2. Ramsi’s Cafe on the World
3. Seviche, a latin restaurant
Best Restaurant: NULU
1. Feast BBq
2. the Mayan Cafe
3. Harvest
Best Restaurant: South Louisville
1. Vietnam Kitchen
2. Mike Linnig’s restaurant
3. Annie’s Cafe
Best Restaurant: St. Matthews
1. Simply Thai
2. NamNam Cafe
3. Havana Rumba
Best Restaurant: West Louisville
1. The Table
2. Seafood Lady
3. Big Momma’s Soul food kitchen
Best Salad
1. Green District
2. Panera Bread
3. Texas Roadhouse
Best Steakhouse
1. Jeff Ruby’s steakhouse
2. Pat’s Steak house
3. Le Moo
Best Sushi
1. Sapporo
2. Dragon King’s Daughter
3. Oishii Sushi
Best Taco
1. El Taco Luchador
2. Migo
3. Citizen 7
Best Take Out
1. Yang kee Noodle
2. Simply Thai
3. Clay Oven Indian restaurant
Best Thai Restaurant
1. Simply Thai
2. Time 4 Thai
3. Thai Cafe
Best Vegetarian Restaurant
1. Heart & Soy/roots
2. Morels Cafe
3. Half-Peach Bakery & Cafe
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
1. Vietnam Kitchen
2. NamNam Cafe
3. Annie’s Cafe
Best Wings
1. Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ
2. The Back Door
3. Roosters
Drinks
Best Bar: Downtown
1. 21c museum hotel louisville
2. 8Up Elevated Drinkery & Kitchen
3. Garage Bar
Best Bar: Highlands
1. the Back Door
2. Nowhere bar louisville
3. Chill Bar highlands
Best Bar: East Louisville
1. Commonwealth Tap
2. RecBar
3. Drake’s
Best Bar: South Louisville
1. Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar
2. Peppermint Lounge
3. Hoops Grill & Sports Bar
Best Bar: West Louisville
1. Cole’s Place
2. Cavaliers
3. Club Cedar
Best Beer List
1. HopCat
2. Holy Grale
3. Sergio’s world beers
Best Bourbon List
1. Commonwealth Tap
2. the Silver Dollar
3. Bourbons Bistro
Best Local Brewery
1. Against The Grain Brewery
2. Monnik Beer Co.
3. Mile Wide beer Co.
Best Cocktail
1. Meta
2. Red Herring
3. Commonwealth Tap
Best Local Distillery
1. Copper & Kings
2. Angel’s Envy
3. Evan Williams
Best Dive Bar
1. the Back Door
2. Magnolia Bar
3. NachBar
Best Wine List
1. Louvino
2. Commonwealth Tap
3. La Chasse
Best Margarita
1. El Mundo
2. Citizen 7
3. Galaxie
Best Sports Bar
1. Buffalo Wild Wings
2. RecBar
3. Saints Pizza and Pub
Nightlife
Best Bar
1. Commonwealth Tap
2. Play Louisville
3. RecBar
Best Club DJ
1. GlitterTitz Djz
2. Syimone
3. Sam Sneed
Best Gay Bar
1. Play Louisville
2. Nowhere/Somewhere Bar
3. Big Bar
Best Gay Club
1. Play Louisville
2. Nowhere/Somewhere Bar
3. Big Bar
Best Happy Hour
1. The Butchertown Social
2. Commonwealth Tap
3. The Hub Louisville
Best Neighborhood Bar/Pub
1. Commonwealth Tap
2. Hilltop Tavern
3. Nachbar
Best New Bar/Club
1. The Butchertown Social
2. Mr. Lee’s Lounge
3. Red Herring
Best Place to Dance
1. Play Louisville
2. Nowhere Bar
3. Zanzabar
Best Place to Find a Date
1. Play Louisville
2. Zanzabar
3. Tin Roof
Best Place to Shoot Pool
1. Diamond Pub and billiards
2. The Back Door
3. The Barret Bar
Best Strip Club
1. PT’s Showclub Louisville
2. Trixie’s Entertainment Complex
3. The Godfather Nightclub
Best Trivia Night
1. Drake’s
2. Commonwealth Tap
3. Flannigan’s Ale House
Media
Best Local Blog
1. Never Nervous
2. Card Chronicle
3. Insider Louisville
Best Local Writer
1. Mike Rutherford
2. Syd Bishop
3. Sara Havens
Best Local Publication
1. LEO Weekly
2. Insider Louisville
3. The Voice-Tribune
Best Local Radio Personality
1. Terry Meiners
2. Kelly K
3. Ben Davis
Best Local Radio Station
1. 91.9 WFPK
2. 99.7 WDJX
3. 107.7 The Eagle
Best Local TV Personality
1. Dawne Gee
2. Terry Meiners
3. Marc Weinberg
Best Local TV Station
1. WAVE 3
2. WDRB 41
3. WHAS 11
Best Local Website
1. Insider Louisville
2. LEO Weekly
3. Never Nervous
Best Place to Pick up a LEO Weekly
1. Heine Brothers’ coffee
2. Kroger
3. Qdoba
Best Twitter Feed
1. Louisville Humor
2. Howell Dawdy
3. Joe Sonka
Other
Best Community Role Model
1. Dawne Gee
2. Mayor Greg Fischer
3. U.s. Rep. John Yarmuth
Best Place you Wish had Never Gone out of Business
1. Ear x-tacy
2. Lynn’s Paradise Cafe
3. Why Louisville
Best Thing That’s Happened this Year
1. The Solar Eclipse – Marvin the Martian
2. Forecastle Festival
3. New Juicery opening up in Nulu
Best Local Sports Person of the Year
1. Lamar Jackson
2. Justin Thomas
3. Rick Pitino
Best Entrepreneur
1. Gill Holland
2. TIE: Joe Heron/Copper & Kings
2. Joey Wagner/J Wagner Group
2. Mo McKnight Howe/Revelry Boutique Gallery
2. Steve & Marsha Fewell/CS Photography
2. Junior Bridgeman
2. Kevin Grangier/Belle Noble Entertainment Group
3. TIE: John Neace
3. John Schnatter