winchell's

creative cooking in a sports bar atmosphere. we normally do not flock to places known for accommodating sports fans, but after seeing a show on ket in which the chef of winchells hosted an over-the-top multicourse dinner for family and friends we knew that this particular "sports bar" had some brains behind it. thankfully, our assumption was correct. we had trouble deciding what to order! the menu offered pub favorites, regional specialties, and some creative twists on traditional dishes. winchells also has a huge marker board full of interesting daily specials. right off the bat, we ordered well drinks. they were really cheap because we happened to be there during happy hour (which runs mon-sat 3-7 10-close....probably one of the most flexible ones in town). the bartender was on top of their game. they made a mean old fashioned (a rarity these days) and made each drink progressively stronger, a real professional! our server had a sweet, attentive, fun demeanor. after a billing error(not on her part), she was very apologetic and showed immediate concern over quickly correcting the matter...and did so. as far as our actual meal goes, we ordered the pulled pork quesadilla with an extra side of jalapeno cheese grits. the quesadilla was crisp, the cheese was perfectly melted, and the pork was tender with a balanced barbeque sauce. the grits were perfection. they had a beautifully smooth texture, the spiciness wasn't overwhelming, and the cheese added an incredible balance. we could have eaten an entire plate of jalapeno grits alone for the meal and have been perfectly happy. we also ordered the grilled country ham and fontina cheese sandwich with fries. the ham had a perfect cut with the distinct flavor that every kentuckian desires from their country ham. fontina made a surprisingly good companion to the cured local classic. the fries were perfectly browned and simplistic. despite the walls of obnoxious flat-screened tvs in every level of visual saturation, we only encountered friendly patrons, kind servers, skilled bartenders, and innovative, passionate kitchen staff. we adore winchells and will be back.

a favorite. you can count on winchell's to make you happy every time you visit. i particularly love their breakfast of eggs benedict with home fries and jalapeno grits. my husband loves basically anything they have for any meal and requests we go to winchell's more than any other place in town.

surprisingly great!. located in a strip mall, it looks like a typical sports bar dive. not so! when i walked in, my expectations were low, but i was pleasantly surprised. this spot has wonderful southern favorites that have been cooked well. the menu is quite extensive and there is always a hefty specials selection as well, sandwiches and salads in addition to hot entrees. among the things we tried: the fried oysters were almost perfect, the mac and cheese was good, the hot brown was great, and the bread pudding came with the most wonderful bourbon-y sauce! everything we ordered was delicious! next time you are considering cracker barrel or ramseys, consider this spot instead!

good breakfast, so so dinner. my wife and i had been to winchell's for breakfast before a football game back in the fall and it was great. everything from the omelet to the jalapeno cheese grits were very tasty. however we went for dinner last night and it was just not very good. we started with some fried banana peppers which were just ok ... personally i was hoping for more of a kick from the peppers. i had the philly cheese steak and the meat was tough and stringy and i didn't get any horseradish cream sauce like the menu said i would. my wife got the veggie plate which she didn't care much for plus it was $10 ... for four sides. seriously? winchell's is great for breakfast, not so much the rest of the time.

underrated. this has got to be one of the most underrated places in lexington. food too good to be in a sports bar setting. it's everything ramsey's wishes it could be. home/country cooking as done by real chefs.

very underrated restaurant. i consider myself a hot brown connoisseur, and i believe winchell's has the best in town. the staff is very knowledgeable. our waiter pretty much knew every ingredient for each item on the menu by heart. definitely a one of my favorite local restaurants.

absolutely love it!. lunch yesterday at winchell's was one of the best meals i've had in a long time! they have such an extensive menu, and they had many, many specials, from appetizer, salad, and side item specials to sandwich and entree specials. it was so hard to choose. also, many of their items are rather unique as well. i decided on the cornmeal breaded fried oyster special, and the twice baked potato special side, and the creamy coleslaw, and wow! the very best fried oysters i've ever eaten! and, the portion was huge. the twice baked potato was fabulous, and the coleslaw was very, very creamy and tasty. everything was so good, i really want to go back today to try something else!
i've never had anything at winchell's that wasn't good, actually... but they outdid themselves with the lunch i enjoyed yesterday!

best breakfast. we have tried almost all of the breakfast/brunch spots in town. winchells is one of the few we have gone back to time and time again. consistently good! love the jalepano grits!

7:00 pm reservation for a birthday celebration. got seated at 7:28. what's up with that?

one of the best and most consistent restaurants in lexington, hands down. the shabby decor is deceiving - don't let it fool you. the food is fresh, flavorful and amazing!

surprising great food, time after time.. so...
this is not my scene. that's what i say every time i walk into winchell's....and then i get my food...and i'm happy.

if you haven't been, imagine cracker barrel - but w/o the bric-a-brac and with really good food. or, think ramsey's with a lot of tv's...and with really good food. the menu is decidedly country, but with much more intense flavors than you'd expect...especially in some of the incredible sauces.

i haven't eaten anything on the menu that hasn't been good.

the service is friendly and casual. the energy is good - and there always seems to be a crowd, but not a wait. trivia, etc really make it feel like what it is: a local bar blessed with some fantastic chefs.

we're lucky to have a little place like this in town.

i'd give winchell's top marks with no hesitation if they were just in a slightly nicer space. i don't mind the location...just would prefer slightly nicer chairs and tables and carpets...etc.

thanks to the whole crew there for never dissapointing.

nope!. i know the overwhelming reviews here are good but i've been to winchell's several times and i just don't care for it. it is very noisy and loud, the service is ok, but, the food is way over-priced for what they deliver. quantity is not good for the price and i found the preparation to be mediocre. you can eat at bob evans and cracker barrel cheaper and the quality is better.

shhhh, don't tell anyone!. what a great place! i really enjoyed it. i ordered off the special - fish tacos, slaw & veggies. yummy! my guest ordered the reuben & pulled pork plate - they loved it. great place to watch the game. very nice service and really enjoyed the atmosphere. clean, nice and good food, what more could you ask for! 2 thumbs up!!!

yummy! can't believe we waited this long to go there. great meal and service.

simply the best breakfast in town!. winchell's is one of my favorite places to eat in town! it easily has the best breakfast in lexington (seriously, try the trout and eggs!) but you can't go wrong whatever time you go there. their lunch plates are fantastic with a wonderful selection of fresh vegetables. (the kale greens are my favorite!) sandwiches are large and their fried chicken is just like grandmas! try one of their daily specials if you are feeling a little adventurous, but stick to the permanent menu items and you can't go wrong!

the atmosphere is kind of bland. it's a sports bar with lots of sports movie posters and a few jerseys on the wall. however, tons of tvs pepper the multiple rooms.

winchell's is also the best place/bar in town to watch a soccer match. during the world cup this summer the place was to capacity when the us played. and you can't go wrong with watching an early premier league game while have a top notch breakfast!