Where to eat in Lexington after midnight. kitchens that keep going, post-bar staples and the classic 2am move.

After-hours picks

Goodfellas Pizzeria ★ 4.3

Pizzeria$$distillery-districtSun-Wed 11:00-24:00; Thu-Sat 11:00-02:30Until Thu-Sat 02:30, slices to the end

Goodfellas Pizzeria slings New York slices in Lexington's Distillery District until 02:30 on weekends, with the Wiseguy Lounge bourbon speakeasy upstairs.

Tip: Head upstairs to the Wiseguy Lounge while you wait for a slice; Thursday to Saturday it runs to 02:30.

Wiseguy Lounge ★ 4.3

Cocktail barSpeakeasy$$distillery-districtSun-Wed 17:00-24:00; Thu-Sat 17:00-02:30Until Thu-Sat 02:30

Wiseguy Lounge hides a Prohibition-styled bourbon bar above Goodfellas Pizzeria on Manchester Street, Lexington's speakeasy with hundreds of bottles.

Signature drink: Bourbon old fashioned above the pizza ovens

Tip: Enter through the pizzeria and head upstairs; Thursday to Saturday it pours until 02:30 with slices below.

Bourbon on Rye ★ 4.2

Cocktail barBourbon bar$$downtownWed-Sat 16:00-02:30Until Wed-Sat 02:30 with a late kitchen

Bourbon on Rye keeps Prohibition-era cocktails and 12 taps going until 02:30 on West Main Street, a late-shift bourbon room in downtown Lexington.

Signature drink: Rye cocktails from the Prohibition playbook

Tip: Wednesday to Saturday only; kitchen plates pub classics late, which is rare downtown after midnight.

McCarthy's Irish Bar ★ 4.0

AmericanIrish pub$downtownMon-Sun 11:00-02:30Until 02:30 nightly

McCarthy's Irish Bar pulls Guinness on South Upper Street daily until 02:30, the downtown Lexington local for march-in singalongs and post-game pints.

Signature drink: Guinness across from the courthouse crowd

Tip: Open 11:00 to 02:30 every day; it is the default St Patrick's headquarters, so plan around the March crush.

The Green Lantern ★ 4.1

Cocktail barDive bar$north-limestoneMon-Sun 16:00-02:30Until 02:30 nightly

The Green Lantern books doom metal, bluegrass and punk into a West Third Street dive, one of Lexington's most-loved and longest-running dive rooms.

Signature drink: Cheap cans and whatever band is loading in

Tip: Cash helps at the bar; Wednesday karaoke and the happy hour before 19:00 are the reliable nights.

Charlie Brown's ★ 4.1

AmericanNeighbourhood bar$$chevy-chaseSun-Thu 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-01:00Until Fri-Sat 01:00

Charlie Brown's furnishes its Euclid Avenue bar like a worn library, all couches, bookshelves and lamplight, a Lexington comfort institution with pub food.

Signature drink: A bourbon by the fireplace among the bookshelves

Tip: Grab a couch by the fireplace in winter; the kitchen serves the full menu until late on weekends.

Le Gourmet ★ 3.9

Haitian$$Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 14:00-23:00Until 23:00 nightly, kitchen included

Le Gourmet cooks Haitian family recipes on South Broadway, bringing poulet pane, grilled fish and slow beef stews to Lexington seven days a week until late.

Signature: Poulet pane, Grilled fish

Tip: Open until 23:00 nightly, Sunday from 14:00; portions are generous, so order the soup only if sharing.

The Bar Complex ★ 4.4

Cocktail barLGBTQ+ nightclub$$downtownThu-Sat 20:00-02:30Until Thu-Sat 02:30

The Bar Complex runs three bars, a dance floor and drag stages on East Main, the long-standing anchor of LGBTQ+ nightlife in downtown Lexington.

Signature drink: Dance-floor drinks before the drag show

Tip: Thursday to Saturday only, 20:00 to 02:30; check the drag show schedule and arrive before the second set.

Halal Munchies ★ 4.0

Middle Eastern$Sun-Thu 10:00-02:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-04:00Until Sun-Thu 02:00; Fri-Sat 04:00

Halal Munchies feeds the UK campus halal platters and wraps until 02:00 or later on South Limestone, Lexington's dependable late halal kitchen.

Try: Halal platters and wraps

Tip: It runs to 04:00 on Friday and Saturday nights, by far the latest halal food in Lexington.

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