Diners arrive in a variety of vehicles at The Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky.
Knotty pine walls and oak floors are accentuated in The Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky.
A greyhound statue greets visitors near the hostess stand of The Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky.
Rustic decor is featured in the inside patio room of The Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky.
Outdoor seating is available at The Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky.
The Greyhound Tavern in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, features southern dishes in a thematic setting.
The Greyhound Tavern in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, is one of my favorite places to eat. The food is delicious, the thematic atmosphere is interesting and eclectic, and the staff is friendly.
My husband and I have eaten here for celebratory reasons, for gathering with family for the holidays, for go-to meals before traveling, as it is located near CVG, and for no particular reason at all.
When I ask a friend who lives near the restaurant if she’s eaten here, I receive an unexpected reply.
“We haven’t,” she acknowledges. “Isn’t that a restaurant for old people?”
I don’t even know how to begin to reply to that. I’m silent.
“I mean, that’s what we’ve always thought,” she continues, apparently noticing my hesitation to respond.
What does that even mean, I wonder: a restaurant for old people?
If age is relative, then I suppose we are old in some respects, yes. But maybe not so old in others.
Regardless, the question prompts me to ponder what it is we like so much.
The food is southern-style, so fried chicken, open-faced roast beef, meatloaf and Hot Browns. Fried green tomatoes. Steaks, seafood, burgers, sandwiches and salads are also on the menu. The variety of options is so vast, diners are hard-pressed to make a selection.
The attention and the details devoted to the theme, the greyhound, are remarkable. Established in 1921, the restaurant was originally called The Dixie Tea Room, and two of the original rooms still exist. In the 1930s, it was renamed The Greyhound Grill in honor of the owner’s greyhound dog trainer.
Directly inside the front door is the hostess stand. To the right is the tavern room, featuring a fireplace and horse and hound prints and statues. Knotty pine walls and oak floors complete the rustic and comfortable feel.
The bar, similarly decorated, is just beyond this room.
Two additional dining rooms are to the left of the hostess stand. And just through these rooms is both indoor and outdoor patio dining.
If “old people,” as my friend puts it, are interested in enjoying a flavorful meal in a creative environment and hosted by an inviting staff, then a stop at The Greyhound Tavern is for them. But, I will add, a person’s age is an entirely irrelevant detail for such an experience.
(Note: Marjorie Appelman is a retired English, communications and journalism teacher from Mason County High School and co-founder of the travel blog Tales from the Trip, which is on Instagram and Facebook. She can be reached at marj.appelman@gmail.com.)
