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Southern restaurant, Japanese Influence - Enso, Louisville, KY

Enso

4.7
4.7
264 Reviews
$50 and over
Regional American (Southern)
  • Innovative
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for special occasions
A Southern restaurant using Japanese technique and style to connect the parallels in culture between Japan and the American South. All service is a la carte and come out as they are prepared to insure they are served at their peak. Share the table with family and friends. We are honored to welcome all guests.

Not bookable

This restaurant is temporarily offline. Please contact the restaurant directly or check back shortly for availability.

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Regional American (Southern), Japanese, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (502) 384-7931
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Lawrence Weeks
  • Neighbourhood
    Frankfort Ave - Crescent Hill
  • Cross Street
    Frankfort & Pope St.
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 264 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Central Kentucky

    Innovative

  • Central Kentucky

    Healthy

  • Louisville

    Innovative

  • Louisville

    Healthy

  • Louisville

    Great for outdoor dining

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Enso offers a vibrant dining experience with "excellent hospitality" and a "unique fusion" of Southern and Japanese flavors. Guests rave about the "chef's counter," "inventive cocktails," and "delicious small plates" perfect for sharing. While some find it pricey, the "superb ambiance" and "attentive service" make it a must-visit.

264 Reviews
  1. Taylor

    Dallas

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff and service was fabulous! We had a delicious meal and will be back. Favorites included the sashimi, shishito peppers, broccolini and lamb skewers. One of my favs in Louisville!

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  2. Wendy

    Atlanta Metro

    57 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    57 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a delightful evening - completely unhurried (were there 2 ½ hours). Food was amazing and we shared everything we ordered - portions are all appetizer size and its more like ordering a bunch of tapas. We all agreed that our favorites were the Sorghum Ginger Salad, Sesame Broccoluni, Japanese Fried Chicken, Nashville Hot Oysters, Mushroom Yakisoba. Lamb and Beef Skewers, and the Egg Custard. We also had cocktails and the Brandy Umeshu and Sake:) It was a treat for all the senses. Our servers were delightful and helpful but not hovering and one diner with Celiac had plenty of options. We will definitely be back.

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  3. Sara

    Louisville

    20 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Fabulous food mostly. Painfully slow service. Seemed we had a B team server, she was helping another seemingly senior server who never came to our table.

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  4. Johnny Cashus

    Hawaii

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything we ate was deliscious and our server, Gabriela, was spectacular. My favorite dish was the shishito peppers. The cheesecake was also delicious. The cocktails and highballs were tasty and refreshing. Overall a great place to meet some good friends for a wonderful time together.

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  5. Mark

    Cleveland

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Enso is a unique blend of Japanese-inspired southern cooking. It may not be for everyone, but our party all thought it was great creative food, creative tasty drinks and excellent service. We ate out on the patio, which may not be the best ambiance, but it was just fine. Our first time at Enso - really a hidden gem! We also will be back.

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  6. Alex

    Coastal Georgia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server, I believe Melissa (sorry if I misremembered) was great. She was attentive without being overbearing and very knowledgable of the menu. For a group that likes to tastes lots of different things on a menu there are a lot of options for small bites. The chili shrimp cold salad was very interesting and was the most creative dish we had. We ordered one of each skewer as well and that was a great deal. I will be back to try more of the menu.

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  7. Lori

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 9, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    If you enjoy attention to flavor , presentation and great service with the foundation of quality ingredients, you should enjoy Enso. The concept of Japanese Southern fusion makes sense when you taste your food, the teas, or the cocktails. I recommend ordering for your table with the intention of sharing because you will want to try many dishes. All of our food tasted amazing! The menu does a good job of detailing the ingredients of each dish but we were still surprised, in a very good way, how those ingredients had been used to deliver a delicious dish. Can't wait to go back!

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  8. Raymond

    Memphis

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent evening from start to finish. Great for table conversation, outstanding service and amazing food.

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  9. Allison

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enso is the perfect elevated restaurant in the Louisville area. Its location- across a presumed old movie theatre and nestled at the North edge of Frankfort ave- is quaint and purposefully decorated. The service was phenomenal, and the food was prepared with love and care. I was celebrating a very personal occasion, and they made sure to accommodate. Their kindness will keep us coming back. Enso has officially entered my top 3 Louisville restaurants. If they have the quail, do yourself a favor and try it and the matcha cheesecake.

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  10. BrendaW

    Louisville

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on October 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was not my first time but I tried items on the menu they I had not before. There is a pepper dish I tried for the first time and it was wonderful. Whole peppers but not hot. Very savory ! Then I had a fish special and it was magnificent ! We were a party of four and shared the different food selections. The screwers - the tempura veggies and the broccolinis. Cocktails were great and the server was very attentive. She gave great suggestions. Knew the menu and stated some of her favorites.

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FAQs

Enso is rated 4.7 stars by 264 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Not bookable

This restaurant is temporarily offline. Please contact the restaurant directly or check back shortly for availability.

Google Map for Enso

1756 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Frankfort & Pope St.
  • Neighbourhood
    Frankfort Ave - Crescent Hill
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Regional American (Southern), Japanese, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Lawrence Weeks
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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