Gralehaus 1001 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, KY 40204

"This is a lovely German style bistro. Our lattes were excellent. The inside is small and the seats are all nestled around the open kitchen, so you can really smell when the butter hits the pan. The "ugly frittata" came with seasonal greens on top; it was filling and savory. There are step stairs to get in the front door. I didn't see if there was a wheelchair ramp. When you walk in, you receive a menu and are seated, but to order, you go back to the counter to place your order. It's cozy and fun."

"Gralehaus has a ton going for it with some logistical issues that made for a clunky experience for me that could have been great but landed as good in the end. My wife and I went in at 11AM on a Sunday for brunch. I have zero experience in the food service industry, so my take on this experience may be clueless, but it’s just that—my experience. I do want to start with the positive—the food. I had the French toast with eggs and sausage on the side. The bread tasted extremely fresh, and the texture was perfect. The dish itself was complex and not just overly sweet. The cookie butter, syrup, and cream were a great balance of sweet and salty with a hint of sourness. Maybe the best French toast I’ve had. My wife had a frittata that was extremely well executed. The sausage was a large patty, and it tasted fresh and local. The coffee was delicious. We were ushered to the waiting area located through a courtyard in another building with the bar and taps. I cannot stress enough how beautiful this place is. But this was the first bump in the road for me. We were able to order drinks, but everything needed to be shuttled back and forth by the servers, which made service more difficult to render and to receive. The coffee really needed two sugars, and we were given only one. Not a big deal, but it’s not like a server can just grab you something easily when they need to go to a completely different building. By the time we were seated and our food arrived, we’d been nursing the same cup of coffee for probably 25 minutes. This was the second bump. My wife asked for a warm up for her coffee and was told they don’t do “free refills” but we were free to order another cup. At $3.75 a cup, this felt a bit silly. I can understand not wanting to give out bottomless coffee, but a single top off for a cup of drip coffee being out of the question was a big turn-off for both of us. It’s a first world problem, for sure, but on the spectrum of hospitality, it comes across as inhospitable to me. Lastly, I’ll advise that it’s tight quarters. This is definitely a me thing. I get a little anxious dining in small spaces with lots of people. There was probably enough information available for me to come to that conclusion beforehand, but I didn’t. Hopefully this helps someone else set expectations. In hindsight, it wouldn’t stop me from going. I’m nitpicking the negative things, but those small things that rubbed me the wrong way really rubbed. The positive aspects really did shine. Don’t expect the things that I did, and I’m sure you’ll have a fabulous experience."

"Delicious. Enjoyed the breakfast, lattes were okay but breakfast was where it was at. Everything tasted fresh and was well made. This place is smaller so there is usually a wait list. The space is cozy and darker. Parking is street parking unless you can find space in a near by parking lot."

"The food is delicious! So fresh and tasty. I enjoyed the Eggs & Grains, a latte with oat milk and followed by the Best Darn Coffee Cake. Was it? Well, it is sweet, lots of sugar, it’s like a crumble cake. But pretty good overall. I prefer denser cake. The service was very good, diligent staff, refilling your water glass, and removing your dishes, I just wish they took our order at the table, as it’s nice to be served fully at your table."

"They know how to deliver exceptional service and an excellent menu! The staff are very friendly and the menu offers a great variety of healthy options and all of their food is made in house! It’s a beautiful Victorian-style home built in the early 1900’s. It reminded me of walking back in time! I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a quiet and cozy atmosphere."