FDKY BBQ
9606 Taylorsville Rd.
BBQ Dine-in/Drive-thru/Carry-out
Sitting on the outskirts of Jeffersontown (J-town) across from Kingpin Lanes bowling alley on Taylorsville Road, FDKY BBQ cradles its reputation as a go-to option in the area by remaining welcoming, laid back, and consistently great.
Pulling into the parking lot, I could see a car ordering at the drive-thru window, patrons exiting, and through the tinted restaurant windows, a couple dining inside. A diner trifecta. COVID restrictions may have put a mild strain on the restaurant’s ebb and flow, but owner Joe Kelly insists that closing the dining room for a stretch of months was the right thing to do.
“Our main concern was safety. Not just for our customers. We were looking out for our employees as well,” he said.
FDKY’s commitment to these values seems to have paid off.
A bluesy atmosphere
Upon entrance, you can almost taste the waft from the smoker. The crackling from the deep fryer provides white noise in between guitar notes on the speakers.
“What are y’all having,” Kelly asked.
I requested the ribs I had heard so much about. With fries.
Moseying around, knick-knacks and mounted tv screens can be seen plastered along the walls all throughout the establishment. We sat at a long wooden table in a corner near the entrance. With the cozy layout, every table seemed to be in earshot of each other. Though with the kitchen ‘n’ blues blend of sounds as a backdrop, conversations are comfortable enough for privacy.
The rub on the ribs
The red rib basket arrived with classic bbq red and white plaid paper. The fries were thin little medium-seasoned straws. I would proceed to eat 4 at a time. As renowned as FDKY’s barbeque sauce selections are, I chose to sample the ribs before grabbing a dipping sauce.
The flavor I discovered was as smooth as the aroma that hit me on the way in. It was the rub. I asked Joe what was in it.
“Our dry rub is really really good. We’re going to start selling it in little seasoning jars soon,” he said.
I’ll take that as “if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.”
The smoke on the ribs wasn’t overkill, and the meat was falling all over my plate. I kept slurping the dry rub on my fingertips. The ribs were excellent. And come to think of it, I never did grab any sauces.
FDKY BBQ is perfect for a relaxing dining experience. For my liking, I’d pair it with a fun night of bowling or Gaslite Festival Parade viewing. A must re-visit.
