MEAT at the Blind Pig

So who has visited MEAT? I did on opening night, though it had a fantastic atmosphere and great drink selection (drinks were a little pricey, but definitely a treat).

http://meatlouisville.com/menu.html

Check this beast out. This is a smooth, well-considered menu, and I'm kind of a menu-writing geek, so I'll spare you the 500 words...

Do keep in mind this is a copy of a preview, so things are subject to change.

When one looks at the maximum impact of bartender prep to execution, they've come as close as one can for a menu this size. Once again, really well-thought out.

They've had to bend/break some arms to source some of this product and have spent a considerable amount of capital on some vessels, for sure.

The eyes will tend to gloss over when reading things they don't recognize, so don't get wrapped up on that...

Just go. And throw oneself on the bartender's whim- they know what they're doing.

I loved the place, but had a really hard time reading the menu -- black on red in dim lighting = blur.
But Jeremy said they were going to redo the menu to make it easier to read.

We are...which is such a bummer because it looks so cool with those colors, but really it's super difficult to read. Should be reprinted by Friday. In the meantime feel free to ask us lots of questions about the beverages!

We are...which is such a bummer because it looks so cool with those colors, but really it's super difficult to read. Should be reprinted by Friday. In the meantime feel free to ask us lots of questions about the beverages!

The black font on white (what Stephen posted) looks sharp and fits the time period you are going for.

We dropped in on Saturday evening for a few cocktails, and were blown away.

First, the entrance. To enter, you walk up the external steps next to the rear door of the Blind Pig to a second floor landing. Immediately, you encounter an unmarked, nondescript door with a bright red light next to it. After tentatively testing the handle to find the door unlocked, we correctly guessed it was the entrance. You step inside to a dimly lit hallway that ends with various pieces of meat hanging behind a glass window. Hang a left, and the hallway ends with a gentleman waiting to check your ID's. You're then escorted through a curtain and into the bar.

Second, the bar. We loved it. Dimly lit, with lots of wood and old fashioned metal lighting. The bar itself is horseshoe shaped, and there are various couches, chairs, and other seating scattered throughout. As far as I could tell, the music tended to be tunes from the Prohibition era, which fit the place to perfection. On one corner of the bar are various serve-yourself bar snacks (crispy green beans, wasabi peas, etc.). I fell in love with the place immediately.

Finally, the cocktails. We tried three, and all were outstanding, and in my opinion, better than anything downstairs at the Blind Pig or at the sorely-missed 732 Social, the previous best two cocktail establishments in the city. My wife started with the Whiskey Sour, and MEAT executed this classic to perfection, with the house sour and powdered sugar balancing each other, and the egg whites adding a bit of froth and thickness. I had the Amor e Amaro (Wild Turkey, Averna, demerara syrup, whole egg). It had a nice bourbon taste, a hint of sweetness, and a distinguished texture from the whole egg - just a great, well balanced cocktail. My wife moved on to the Amor e Amaro, while I, feeling a bit more adventurous, ordered a Hickory Stick (Old Forrester Signature, Fernet Branca, Luxardo Bitter, Vya Dry, lemon chip). There were a lot of flavors going on there, but they blended well and it was a great, note-worthy cocktail.

I can see MEAT easily becoming our go-to for cocktails. From our sampling, everything was executed to near-perfection, and service was friendly and attentive, and the décor is calming and relaxing. This place is seriously in the vein of the Patterson House, Violet Hour, Bourbon and Branch, etc., all without the attitude present at the aforementioned cocktail bars.

Hat tip. Well done.

We dropped in on Saturday evening for a few cocktails, and were blown away. ...
Hat tip. Well done.

Nice review! I'm not even a cocktail drinker and I feel like I'm missing out on something special here. A couple of cocktails at Meat followed by dinner at the Pig sounds like an exciting evening. How about Willets with Ale8 rootbeer and bacon. You could call it the Blind Drunk Pig! Probably already been done. Thanks Brad. Would love to get to talk you and your wife over a drink sometime. Cheers

All,

We have been soooo wanting to go and hoping to make it tonight. Does anybody know if you can put your name in at Blind Pig and then go up to MEAT for a cocktail while you are waiting? We won't be able to be to Blind Pig until 8:00 so I expect a wait ( and we were potentially hoping to make a show at The Alley Theatre 2 blocks away at 10:00).

Can't wait!
Deb

All,

We have been soooo wanting to go and hoping to make it tonight. Does anybody know if you can put your name in at Blind Pig and then go up to MEAT for a cocktail while you are waiting? We won't be able to be to Blind Pig until 8:00 so I expect a wait ( and we were potentially hoping to make a show at The Alley Theatre 2 blocks away at 10:00).

Can't wait!
Deb

I would assume you can put your name in and head upstairs for a drink. The first question we were asked when we went, was if we we waiting on a table downstairs.

All,

We have been soooo wanting to go and hoping to make it tonight. Does anybody know if you can put your name in at Blind Pig and then go up to MEAT for a cocktail while you are waiting? We won't be able to be to Blind Pig until 8:00 so I expect a wait ( and we were potentially hoping to make a show at The Alley Theatre 2 blocks away at 10:00).

Can't wait!
Deb

As far as I know, yes. A friend went two weeks ago and did just this.

MEAT deserves the praise. Nice joint...

They should also be highly praised for hosting some of the Kentucky Bartender's Guild Educational events!

We finally made it to Meat last night and loved the cocktails and the atmosphere. I had a Queen's Tea (I love Campari) which was very refreshing and summery. I moved to the Smoke Monster and absolutely loved it. I was kind of like drinking and smoking at the same time without the nastiness of actually smoking.

Hub had a Hickory Stick and then a beer. He gave a thumbs up to both.

One draw back, we sat at one of the front couches and with some regularity there would be a strong smell of deep frying. I kind of felt like I smelled like a deep fried pork rind or the mall food court by the time we left.

I would definitely go back. The lighting is lovely.