MONTICELLO, Ky. (LEX 18) — Every town has its go-to spot. In Monticello, that place is City Pool Hall, where a seemingly never-ending stream of patrons makes their way in for lunch.
“It's the best burger in the state of Kentucky,” said Kenneth Ramsey, stopping in after a round of golf.
City Pool Hall opened in 1946, and just like the grease sizzling on the grill, the restaurant’s been cooking ever since, although it has evolved in some ways.
Once upon a time, women weren’t allowed inside City Pool Hall. Mayor Kenny Catron remembers girls waiting outside the door while he and his classmates grabbed lunch for them inside.
Today, the rules are different, but their tried and true eats haven’t changed.
A burger, bun, ketchup, mustard, onion, and a touch of salt – simple, yet sensational.
Going barstool to barstool, each patron cited the burger as the best thing on the menu.
But what you won’t find on the menu is a side of nostalgia served for free as soon as you walk in the door or pick up a pool stick.
“I’ve been coming here since 1955,” said Milton Keeton, visiting from Indiana.
“I’m in here four or five days a week now,” echoed another customer.
The next time you're in town and the hankering for a hamburger hits, here’s your sign from a City Pool Hall regular, “They need to come to the Pool Hall and eat a burger!”
