Readers’ Choice 2014

The people have spoken and the results are in. It’s that time of year again when LEO Weekly readers determine what they think is the best Louisville Metro has to offer. Some of these Readers’ Choice categories are as hotly debated as the midterm November elections. But we live in a democracy after all, and these are your votes — on where you like to eat, drink and play. The city is better for your nods.

In addition to the readers’ collective voice, some of the writers at LEO are offering their own picks in unusual and random categories (it wouldn’t be proper if we didn’t). So without further ado, let’s raise the curtain.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Best Annual Festival

  1. Kentucky Derby Festival
  2. Forecastle
  3. WorldFest

Best Music Festival

  1. Forecastle
  2. Peak Summit Festival
  3. Insomniac-a-thon

Best Art Fair

  1. St. James Court Art Show
  2. Cherokee Triangle Art Fair
  3. Unfair

Best Art Gallery

  1. Revelry Boutique Gallery
  2. Sister Dragonfly Gallery
  3. Land of Tomorrow Gallery

Best Bowling Alley

  1. Kingpin Lanes
  2. Vernon Lanes
  3. Ten Pin Lanes

Best Charitable Event

  1. Walkaway from Colon Cancer
  2. WHAS Crusade for Children
  3. Kentucky Alliance Unity Dinner

Best Church Picnic

  1. St. Joseph Orphan Picnic
  2. St. Agnes Parish Carnival
  3. St. Rita

Best Film Festival

  1. 48 Hour Film Project
  2. Louisville LGBT Film Festival
  3. Flyover Film Festival

Best Live Music Venue

  1. Headliners Music Hall
  2. Louisville Palace
  3. Mercury Ballroom

Best Live Theater Venue

  1. Actors Theatre Louisville
  2. The Kentucky Center
  3. Louisville Palace

Best Local Cover Band

  1. Tony and the Tan Lines
  2. Cover Me Badd
  3. Louisville Crashers

Best Local Original Band

  1. My Morning Jacket
  2. Bottom SOP
  3. Soul Funkin Dangerous

Best Local Comedian

  1. Tom Made
  2. Ameri King
  3. Keith McGill

Best Local Hip Hop Artist

  1. God Hand Black
  2. Jalin Roze
  3. Elephant Room

Best Museum

  1. Frazier History Museum
  2. Conrad-Caldwell House Museum
  3. Local Speed- The Speed Art Museum

Best Performing Arts Group

  1. Actors Theatre
  2. Louisville Ballet
  3. Va Va Vixens

Best Public Mural

  1. Hunter S. Thompson at the Monkey Wrench
  2. The Highlands- Weird, Independent, and Proud
  3. Diane Sawyer

Best Theater Production

  1. KentuckyShakespeare
  2. Dracula at Actors Theatre
  3. 13th of Paris at Theatre 502

Best Theater Troupe

  1. Actors Theatre
  2. Theatre 502
  3. Kentucky Shakespeare

Best Visual Artist

  1. Aleksandra Stone
  2. Antonio Pantoja
  3. Shaun Wilson

Goods & Services Best Adult Erotic Store

  1. Cirilla’s
  2. Metro Station
  3. Blue Movies

Best Antique Store

  1. Joe Ley Antiques
  2. Crazy Daisy Antique Mall
  3. Mellwood Antiques & Intertiors

Best Attorney

  1. Dennis Burke
  2. Gary Stewart
  3. Rachelle Howell

Best Barber Shop

  1. Derby City Chop Shop
  2. The Loop Barber Shop
  3. Market Street Barbers

Best Bicycle Shop

  1. Bardstown Road Bicycle Co.
  2. Parkside Bikes
  3. Bike Couriers Bike Shop

Best Men’s Clothing Store

  1. GQ Unlimited
  2. Macy’s
  3. Von Maur

Best Women’s Clothing Boutique

  1. Dot Fox Clothing Culture
  2. Blush Boutique
  3. Apricot Lane

Best Comic Book Shop

  1. Great Escape
  2. Zone Comic Shop
  3. Destination Comics

Best Consignment Store

  1. Sassy Fox
  2. Margaret’s Consignment
  3. Urban Attic

Best Cosmetic Surgeon

  1. Dr. Calobrace
  2. Dr. Alexander Digenis
  3. Dr. O’Daniels

Best Childcare

  1. KinderCare
  2. Highlands Community Ministries
  3. VanGuard Academy

Best Dentist

  1. Mortenson Family Dental
  2. Dr. David Schaefer
  3. University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Best Dry Cleaner

  1. Holiday Cleaners and Laundry
  2. Highland Cleaners
  3. Dixie Cleaners

Best Farmers Market

  1. Douglass Loop Farmers Market
  2. St. Matthews Farmers Market at Beargrass Christian Church
  3. Bardstown Road Farmers Market

Best Florist

  1. Green Lady Studio
  2. Nanz and Kraft
  3. Boston Floral Couture

Best Golf Course

  1. Valhalla
  2. Seneca Golf Course
  3. Cherokee Golf Course

Best Grocery Store

  1. Kroger
  2. Whole Foods
  3. ValuMarket

Best Gym/Fitness

  1. Planet Fitness
  2. LA Fitness
  3. YMCA

Best Hair Salon

  1. Icons Salon
  2. Joseph’s Salon & Spa
  3. Z Salon & Spa

Best Health Food Store

  1. Rainbow Blossom
  2. Whole Foods Market
  3. Trader Joe’s

Best Hospital

  1. Baptist Health
  2. Norton Healthcare
  3. Jewish Hospital

Best Instrument Shop

  1. Doo Wop Shop
  2. Guitar Emporium
  3. Guitar Center

Best Jewelry Store

  1. Shane Co.
  2. Davis Jewelers
  3. Genesis Diamonds

Best Liquor Store

  1. Old Town Wine and Spirits
  2. Liquor Barn
  3. Party Mart

Best Local Bank

  1. Republic Bank
  2. PNC
  3. Stock Yards Bank

Best Local Book Store

  1. Carmichael’s
  2. Half Price Books
  3. A Reader’s Corner

Best Local Hardware Store

  1. Brownsboro Hardware and Paint
  2. Keith’s Hardware
  3. Oscar’s Hardware

Best Local Pet Grooming

  1. The Pet Station Salon and Boutique
  2. See Spot Grooming & Daycare
  3. Bark Avenue Groom & Bowtique

Best Local Record Store

  1. Underground Sounds
  2. Better Days Records
  3. Highlands Records

Best Massage/Spa

  1. Z Salon & Spa
  2. Apex Massage
  3. Joseph’s Salon & Spa

Best Mechanic

  1. McCormick Motorsports
  2. Tachyon Performance LLC
  3. Volksdoktor Import Service

Best Pediatrician

  1. Dr. Gerald Sturgeon
  2. East Louisville Pediatrics
  3. All Children Pediatrics

Best Place to Have an Event/Party

  1. Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center
  2. The Ice House
  3. 21c Museum Hotel

Best Place to Adopt a Pet

  1. Kentucky Humane Society
  2. Shamrock Pet Foundation
  3. Animal Care Society

Best Place to Buy a Unique Gift

  1. Why Louisville
  2. Regalo
  3. Scout

Best Place to Take Kids in the Summer

  1. Louisville Zoo
  2. Kentucky Kingdom
  3. Waterfront Park

Best Place to Take Kids when it’s Raining

  1. Kentucky Science Center
  2. Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park
  3. Cinemark Tinseltown

Best Plumber

  1. BC Plumbing
  2. Dauenhauer Plumbing
  3. Tom Drexler

Best Primary Care Doctor

  1. Dr. Elmer Dunbar
  2. Dr. Yi-Yi Tsai
  3. Dr. John Meyer

Best Real Estate Agency

  1. RE Solutions LLC
  2. Semonin
  3. ReMax

Best Roofing

  1. Commonwealth Roofing
  2. Highland Roofing
  3. HKC Roofing

Best Hookah Lounge

  1. Cafe 360-MB
  2. Shah’s Mongolian Grill
  3. Prince Hookah Lounge

Best Tattoo Studio

  1. Tattoo Charlie’s
  2. Acme Ink
  3. Twisted Images

Best Smoke Shop

  1. Cox’s Smoker’s Outlet
  2. Up-N-Smoke
  3. Puff Puff Pass

Best Tobacco Store

  1. J Shepard
  2. Riverside Cigar Shop
  3. Oxmoor Smoke Shop

Best New Car Dealer

  1. Sam Swope Auto Group
  2. Cross Chrysler Jeep
  3. Bachman Auto Group

Best Pre-Owned Car Dealer

  1. Sam Swope Auto Group
  2. Craig and Landreth Cars
  3. Cross Chrysler Jeep

Best Veterinarian

  1. Deck Veterinary Clinic
  2. Shively Animal Clinic and Hospital
  3. Fairleigh Pet Center

Best Video Store

  1. Wild and Woolly
  2. Family Video
  3. RedBox

Best Vintage Clothing Store

  1. Nitty Gritty
  2. Old Souls Vintage
  3. Elizabeth’s Timeless Attire

Best Yoga Studio

  1. Yoga on Baxter
  2. Yoga East
  3. 502 Power Yoga

NIGHTLIFE

Best Bar to People Watch

  1. The Back Door
  2. 4th Street Live!
  3. NoWhere Louisville

Best Bloody Mary

  1. Dish on Market
  2. Wild Eggs
  3. Outlook Inn

Best Bourbon List

  1. Dish on Market
  2. J Harrod’s
  3. Down One Bourbon Bar

Best Club DJ

  1. DJ Dietrich
  2. GlitterTitzDjz
  3. DJ S.Y.I.M.O.N.E.

Best Comedy Venue

  1. Laughing Derby at Comedy Caravan
  2. The Bard’s Town
  3. Groucho’s Bar & Karaoke

Best Dive Bar

  1. Cahoots
  2. Third Street Dive
  3. The Back Door

Best Gay Bar

  1. Nowhere Louisville
  2. Play Louisville
  3. The Connection

Best Happy Hour

  1. Mellow Mushroom
  2. Boombozz Taphouse
  3. Cardinal Hall of Fame Cafe

Best Karaoke

  1. Akiko’s
  2. Groucho’s Bar and Karaoke
  3. Joe’s Older Than Dirt

Best Local Brewery

  1. Against the Grain
  2. Bluegrass Brewing Company
  3. Cumberland Brewery

Best Margarita

  1. El Mundo
  2. Wild Rita’s
  3. Ramiro’s

Best Martini

  1. 60 West Bistro
  2. August Moon
  3. Joe’s Palm Room

Best Neighborhood Bar/Pub

  1. Hilltop Tavern
  2. Nachbar
  3. Shenanigan’s Irish Grill

Best New Club/Bar

  1. Play Louisville
  2. Meta
  3. The Cure Lounge

Best Place to Dance

  1. Nowhere Louisville
  2. Play Louisville
  3. Zanzabar

Best Place to Find a Date

  1. Nowhere Louisville
  2. Zanzabar
  3. Play Louisville

Best Place to Shoot Pool

  1. The Back Door
  2. Barret Bar
  3. Bank Shot Billiards

Best Sports Bar

  1. Against the Grain
  2. Buffalo Wild Wings
  3. Champions

Best Strip Club

  1. PT’s Showclub
  2. Trixie’s
  3. Rustic Frog

Best Local Beer

  1. Kentucky Kolsch
  2. New Albanian Hoptimus IPA
  3. Bluegrass Brewing Co. American Pale Ale

Best Trivia Night

  1. The Bards’ Town
  2. Mag Bar
  3. Zanzabar

MEDIA

Best Local Blog

  1. LouisvilleKY.com
  2. Card Cronicle
  3. Sports Corner

Best Local Radio Personality

  1. Terry Meiners WHAS
  2. EZ Bluegrass B96.5
  3. Laura Shine WFPK

Best Local Radio Station

  1. WFPK
  2. 98.9 Radio Now
  3. WDJX

Best Local Radio Morning Show

  1. The Ben Davis and Kelly K Show – WDJX
  2. Lambert & Lindsey Morning Show – 102.3 The Max
  3. Tony Cruise & The Morning Team – WHAS

Best Local TV Meteorologist

  1. Kevin Harned – WAVE 3
  2. Marc Weinberg – WDRB 41
  3.  Jay Cardosi – WLKY 32

Best Local TV Personality

  1. Dawn Gee – WAVE 3
  2. Ann Bowdan – WLKY 32
  3. Erica Coghill – WLKY 32

Best Local TV Station

1 WHAS 11

2) WLKY 32

3) WDRB 41

Best Local TV News Station

  1. WHAS 11
  2.  WAVE 3
  3. WDRB 41

Best Local Website

  1. louisvilleKY.com
  2. WDRB.com
  3. Louisville.com

Best Place To Pick Up LEO Weekly

  1. Party Mart
  2. Heine Brothers’ Coffee
  3. Liquor Barn

Best Twitter Feed

  1. @louMUSICulture
  2. @UofL
  3. @LouisvilleHumor

DINING

Best All-You-Can-Eat-Deal

  1. Dish on Market (Sat. and Sun. Brunch)
  2. Bearno’s by the Bridge
  3. Taj Palace

Best Bakery

  1. Nord’s Bakery
  2.  Plehn’s Bakery
  3. Blue Dog Bakery

Best BBQ

  1.  Hilltop Tavern
  2.  Mark’s Feed Store
  3.  Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot and Smokehouse

Best Beer List

  1. Diamonds
  2. Highland Tap Room
  3. Old Chicago

Best Breakfast/Brunch

  1. Wild Eggs
  2. Dish on Market
  3. North End Café

Best Burger

  1. Dish on Market
  2. Mussel and Burger Bar
  3. WW Cousins

Best Cajun/Creole

  1. J. Gumbo’s
  2. Joe’s OK Bayou
  3. Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern

Best Chef

  1. Anthony Lamas
  2. Edward Lee
  3. Fernando Martinez

Best Chinese

  1. Emperor of China
  2. Dragon Café
  3. Jumbo Buffet

Best Coffee

  1. Heine Brothers’
  2. Starbuck’s
  3. Safai Coffee

Best Deli/Sandwich

  1. Stevens & Stevens
  2. Jimmy John’s
  3. Jason’s Deli

Best Delivery

  1. Jimmy John’s
  2. Wick’s Pizza Parlor and Pub
  3. Bearno’s

Best Dessert

  1. Homemade Pie & Ice Cream Kitchen
  2. Sweet Surrender Dessert Café
  3. The Comfy Cow

Fine Dining

  1. 610 Magnolia
  2. Lilly’s – A Kentucky Bistro
  3. Jack Fry’s

Fish Sandwich

  1. Mike Linnig’s Restaurant
  2. The Fishery – St. Matthews
  3. The Fish House and Café Beignet

Food Truck/Cart

  1. Grind Gourmet Burger Truck
  2. Holy Mole Taco Truck
  3. Lil Cheezers Food Truck

Best Hot Dog

  1. Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago
  2. Busta Grill
  3. Dairy Kastle

Best Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt

  1. Comfy Cow
  2. Greater’s Ice Cream
  3. Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen

Best Indian Restaurant

  1. Kashmir Indian Restuarant
  2. Shalimar Indian Restaurant
  3. Clay Oven Indian Restaurant

Best Italian Restaurant

  1. Volare Italian Ristorante
  2. Come Back Inn
  3. Vinenzo’s Italian Restaurant

Best Japanese Restaurant

  1. Sapporo Japanese Grill and Sushi
  2. Hiko-a-mon Modern Japanese Sushi Bar and Fish Market
  3. Oishii Sushi

Best Late Night Bite

  1. White Castle
  2. The Back Door
  3. Spinelli’s Pizzeria

Best Latin Restaurant

  1. Havana Rumba
  2. Seviche, A Latin Restaurant
  3. Mojito Tapas Restaurant

Best Mexican Restaurant

  1. El Nopal Mexican Restaurant
  2. Sol Azteca’s Grill and Cantina
  3. Ramiro’s Cantina

Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

  1. The Grape Leaf
  2. Shiraz Mediterranean Grill
  3. Safier Mediterranean Deli

Best New Restaurant

  1. Clay Oven Indian Restaurant
  2. El Taco Luchador
  3. El Camino

Best Outdoor Dining

  1. Captain’s Quarters Restaurant
  2. El Camino
  3. Village Anchor Pub & Roost

Best Pizza

  1. Wick’s Pizza Parlor and Pub
  2. Papalino’s Pizza
  3. Boombozz Taphouse

Best Meal Under $10

  1. Bluegrass Burgers
  2. Troll Pub Under the Bridge
  3. DiOrio’s Pizza and Pub

Best Place for a Romantic Dinner

  1. Jack Fry’s
  2. Bistro Le Relais
  3. Village Anchor Pub & Roost

Best Place to Eat when Someone Else is Buying

  1. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
  2. Jack Fry’s
  3. Ruth Chris Steakhouse

Best Pub Grub

  1. The Back Door
  2. The Irish Rover
  3. Holy Grale

Best Customer Service

  1. Bristol Bar & Grill
  2. Jack Fry’s
  3. Ruth Chris Steakhouse

Best Restaurant

(Louisville)

  1. Seviche, A Latin Restaurant
  2. Jack Fry’s
  3. Village Anchor Pub & Roost

Best Restaurant

(Southern Indiana)

  1. Feast BBQ
  2. The Exchange Pub + Kitchen
  3. Rocky’s Sub Pub

Best Seafood Restaurant

  1. Mitchell’s Fish Market
  2. Mike Linning’s Restaurant
  3. Bonefish Grill

Best Steakhouse

  1. Jeff Ruby’s
  2. Pat’s Steakhouse
  3. Ruth Chris Steakhouse

Best Sushi

  1. Sapporo Japanese Grill and Sushi
  2. Hiko-a-Mon Modern Japanese
  3. Oishii Sushi

Best Take Out

  1. Yankee Noodle
  2. Simply Thai
  3. Cafe Mimosa

Best Thai Restaurant

  1. Simply Thai
  2. Thai Cafe
  3. Thai Siam

Best Vegetarian Food

  1. Roots
  2. Heart and Soy
  3. Ramsi’s Cafe on the World

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

  1. Vietnam Kitchen
  2. Nam Nam Cafe
  3. Basa

Best Wine List

  1. Louvino
  2. Jeff Ruby’s
  3. Napa River Grill

Best Wings

  1. Hilltop Tavern
  2. Buffalo Wild Wings
  3. Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ

Best Salad

  1. Chop Shop Salads
  2. Jason’s Deli
  3. Rafferty’s

OTHER STUFF

Best Business to Have as a Facebook Friend

  1. Digenis Plastic Surgery Institute
  2. Why Louisville
  3. Barkstown Road

Best Category We Forgot

  1. Best Park
  2. Best Church
  3. Best High School

Best Community Role Model

  1. Greg Fischer
  2. Rev. Walter Malone
  3. Russ Smith

Best Local College

  1. University of Louisville
  2. Bellarmine University
  3. Spalding University

Best Local Landmark

  1. Conrad-Caldwell House
  2. Churchill Downs
  3. Big Four Bridge

Best Local Politician

  1. John Yarmuth
  2. Mitch McConnell
  3. Greg Fischer

Best Local Politician That Needs A Slap To The Head

  1. Mitch McConnell
  2. John Yarmuth
  3. Attica Scott

Best Local Scandal

  1. The Purge
  2. LEO Weekly ownership change
  3. Dan Johnson’s financial issues

Best Neighborhood

  1. Highlands
  2. Germantown
  3. Lyndon

Best Nonprofit

  1. Gnome Home
  2. Fairness Campaign
  3. Crusade for Children

Best Person To Have Their Face On A Building

  1. Diane Sawyer
  2. Muhammad Ali
  3. Hunter S. Thompson

Best Place To Make A Public Spectacle Of Yourself

  1. 4th Street Live!
  2. Louisville Zoo
  3. KFC Yum! Center

Best Place To Ride Your Bike

  1. Cherokee Park
  2. Louisville Loop
  3. Waterfront Park

Best Place To Take Your Dog

  1. Cherokee Park
  2. Hays Kennedy Park
  3. Tom Sawyer Park

Best Place You Wish Had Never Gone Out Of Business

  1. ear X-tacy
  2. Lynn’s Paradise Cafe
  3. Azalea Restaurant

Best Reason To Hate Louisville

  1. Allergies
  2. Traffic
  3. Humidity

Best Reason To Love Louisville

  1. The People
  2. Restaurants
  3. The Kentucky Derby

Best Waste Of Public Money

  1. The Bridges Project
  2. Bike Lanes
  3. Operation Brightside

Best Use Of Public Money

  1. Big Four Pedestrian Bridge
  2. Bike Lanes
  3. East End bridge