The more Jack Fry's changes, the more it stays the same

[Robin Garr]

The more Jack Fry's changes, the more it stays the same

LEO's Eats with Robin Garr



Jack Fry's! The very name of this Highlands landmark makes many of us smile. Fry's feels like an enduring landmark, a piece of Louisville culinary history that always stays the same. Which is kind of funny when you consider that it has changed both owner and chef since my last review.

As it happens, this ship of foods has stayed its stately course through the recent changes: When owner Susan Seiller moved on in 2008, she passed the reins on to Stephanie J. Meeks, who had worked her way up from host to manager over a dozen years and knew the place inside out.

When longtime Chef Shawn Ward (who kindled Louisville's affection for Low Country Carolina shrimp and grits back in the '90s) moved to join the all-star team that's re-making The Brewery this past April, he simply turned over the toque to McClain Brown, who'd been working at Ward's side for six years and was executive sous since 2012.

Indeed, the more things change, the more they change the same.

But look back a lot further in time, and while Jack Fry's may still look much as it did in the 1930s, we can't credibly claim that it has stayed the same. Back in our parents' time, or maybe our grandparents' time; back when Hunter S. Thompson and Sue Grafton were growing up in the neighborhood, it was a different place, and Jack Fry's was a very different kind of neighborhood saloon.

The original Jack Fry, the namesake and owner, started a neighborhood tavern upon the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. If I had to guess, I'd suspect that it might have had a more shadowy existence before Repeal, as Mr. Fry, by all accounts, was only loosely guided by the strictures of the law. A huge fan of the ponies, the prize fights and the bottle, Jack was purportedly the man to see if you wanted to get down a bet or acquire a six-pack without proper ID.

But that was then, and this is now. The neighborhood, having slipped some from its original status as one of Louisville's finest 19th century suburbs, was re-gentrifying by the time Jack retired in 1972. After some years as Por Que No Mexican, new owners restored Mr. Fry's moniker in 1982.

They sought to retain its classic urban tavern vibe, a commitment that remains unchanged to this day in its dusky walls and old Louisville photos. But you sure can't get down a bet or buy an illicit six-pack here any more.

Old Jack Fry would probably be saddened to know of this, and I expect he'd be horrified to know that for dinner for two can easily take you north of 100 smackers now, with entrees alone ranging from the $20s through the upper $30s. (The lunch menu is lighter on the wallet, although it's hardly cheap eats at $9 to $16.)


Nevertheless, the food, the mood and the style, not to mention its worthy bar and thoughtful adult beverage options, make it all worthwhile. It's one of the city's top spots, and it seems likely to stay that way. ...


Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/the-m ... s-the-same

Jack Fry's
1007 Bardstown Road
452-9244
http://jackfrys.com
Robin Garr's rating: 91 points

Maybe it's just us but we've never been that impressed with Jack Fry's. It's always crowded and noisy (also used to be smoke but fortunately Metro government solved that) and the food is good but certainly not better than many other places around town. In addition we never been overly impressed with the wait staff, maybe we didn't get the right people at our waiters but....

I have had similar experiences, Mark, you are not alone. Maybe the hype was too big when I first went, but I've never been overly impressed with any part of my experiences. And since I'm not in love with it, the ambience feels dated in a bad way instead of dated in a good way.

My wife and I ate there recently and I still consider Jack Fry's one of the best restaurants in town. The waitstaff are real pros and most have been there for years. The Shrimp and Grits and Pork Chop are mainstays on the menu and are excellent. My wife and I often split an entree and they do a nice job doing the split for us in the kitchen and bump up the side portions and make the presentation look just as nice as the full portion.
One of my guilty pleasures is doing a take-out order of the Jack Fry Burger with bacon, Stilton cheese and caramelized onions. The burger is boxed with the fries on a sheet of aluminum foil with the fries soaking up any juice leaked from the burger. The bun, lettuce, tomato and pickle are wrapped separately in another box. It ranks up there with Harvest, Game and Holy Grale (although I wish the bun was better).

I think the place is due for an outside makeover.

[Robin Garr]

I think the place is due for an outside makeover.

Exterior of the building, you mean? Do you have something particular in mind, James? I've always figured that they want to keep the look and feel of an old Louisville tavern, with the irony of expensive upscale takes on comfort food served within. I doubt they'd want to put aluminum siding on it.

But it would be a bad idea to let it get shabby. Serious question: What exactly would you recommend, if they hired you to consult?

I don't know, Robin. I just think its time to have somebody take a good look and offer some suggestions. In my opinion, the somewhat dated exterior does not do justice to the quality of the dining experience that Jack Fry's offers. When I drive by with out-of-town guests and point right and left to all the cool restaurants and cafes along Bardstown/Baxter, I'm hesitant to qualify Jack Fry's as "one of our finest dining establishments" based on the less than stellar appearance of the place from the exterior to an outsider. I feel like I'm betraying Jack Fry's by withholding this well-deserved detail when in reality it is indeed one of the finest in the area.

[Robin Garr]

In my opinion, the somewhat dated exterior does not do justice to the quality of the dining experience that Jack Fry's offers.

James, I don't see any reason to feel bad about expressing this opinion. Thinking it over, you may have identified why Louisville old-timers have so much affection for Jack's while younger folks and people who've come here from other places may not get it on the first try. What a lot of us old hippies love about it just comes across as faded and drab in the 2100s. Or something. It's certainly a fair point, in any case, and clearly not meant to be mean. That's obvious.

In my opinion, the somewhat dated exterior does not do justice to the quality of the dining experience that Jack Fry's offers.

James, I don't see any reason to feel bad about expressing this opinion. Thinking it over, you may have identified why Louisville old-timers have so much affection for Jack's while younger folks and people who've come here from other places may not get it on the first try. What a lot of us old hippies love about it just comes across as faded and drab in the 2100s. Or something. It's certainly a fair point, in any case, and clearly not meant to be mean. That's obvious.

Yep, well said, Robin.