As soon as I enter SET at Theatre Square, I’m entranced by the warm, classy atmosphere. Glass windows cover the entire front of the restaurant, providing a great view of the Louisville Palace and adding to the ambiance. The staff is friendly to say the least, and as they seat me, I admire the artwork on display and the lounge area, perfect for relaxing in the evening with a cocktail while the DJ, Alec Leonardo, provides the mood music. It comes as no surprise that the menu is theater-themed. They offer a three-course meal, presented as “First Set,” “Second Set” and “Third Set.” Standouts include the classic Hot Brown ($11), a rueben ($11), the Devil’s Eggs ($7), and two mouthwatering burgers, the Lunch Burger ($9) and the Knock Out Burger ($14). For the “First Set,” I order the Trio ($10): grilled pita bread and assorted veggies with several different dipping options: roasted garlic, olive oil and feta hummus, tzatziki, and pimento cheese.
Image: Rob Niece
I don’t have the stomach capacity for all three sets, so I pass on the “Second Set.” I move on to my “Third Set” and order the Knock Out Burger, an eight-ounce Black Hawk burger on grilled brioche bread with American cheese, chipotle aioli, bacon, and topped off with a sunny side up egg. As a side, I chose the mac and cheese ($10), because who can resist a four cheese option?
Image: SET at Theatre Square
SET takes great pride in their meal presentation, which is just as creative as the restaurant’s concept. The Knock Out Burger is served on a wooden platter, adorned with a black boxing glove that reads “Contender,” and the mac and cheese arrives on a makeshift mouse trap. As if this wasn’t cool enough, SET serves their sliders ($9) on a platter that comes with a Louisville Slugger attached, and their deviled eggs, The Devil’s Eggs, are presented in a bird cage.
Image: SET at Theatre Square
With such elaborate presentation, I expected the food itself to meet the same standards, and I was not let down. My burger was cooked to perfection. I love macaroni and cheese, but I find that ordering it in restaurants often leaves me disappointed. But not at SET. Their four cheese version, complete with a crunchy finish on the top, is absolutely delicious.
Image: Rob Niece
So who’s the man behind the culinary magic? SET’s head chef, Geoffrey Heyde, has a rich history in the food industry, dating all the way back to when he was 18. He focuses on consistently providing customers with new options, and so he says they hope to change SET’s menu at least 3 times a year. His specialty dish? “Whatever my wife likes,” he laughs.
Check out their menu here.
Hours of Business
Sun-Wed: 10:30am–10pm
Thurs-Sat: 10:30am–12am
(Open until 2am for local shows)
Happy Hour: 3pm-6pm weekdays only
Cover Image: SET at Theatre Square Facebook page
