Best Restaurants in Owensboro
Updated October 2026 · 10 places · Owensboro
Here are 10 locally owned, sit-down restaurants at Owensboro addresses, selected across barbecue, Mexican, Italian, seafood, pizza, and diner-style dining. Local dining guides, tourism listings, restaurant pages, and diner-review rankings support the recommendations; price levels are approximate guide categories, not menu quotes.
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Our Picks
Old Hickory Bar-B-Q
338 Washington Ave, Owensboro, KY 42301
Old Hickory is a locally owned barbecue restaurant with dine-in service and a long-running Owensboro history. Local coverage notes its slow-cooked mutton, chicken, and ribs, while diners frequently recommend it as a local barbecue stop.
Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn
2840 W Parrish Ave, Owensboro, KY 42301
Moonlite is a locally owned barbecue restaurant offering buffet dining and carryout. Local coverage highlights its buffet, homemade sides, burgoo, and desserts, and its Owensboro diner-review listing includes hundreds of reviews.
Ole South Barbeque
3523 KY-54, Owensboro, KY 42303
Ole South is a locally owned barbecue restaurant with buffet dining as well as breakfast service. Visit Owensboro describes it as serving barbecue at lunch and dinner and breakfast, and its current site lists the Owensboro address and operating schedule.
Lure Seafood & Grille
401 W 2nd St, Owensboro, KY 42301
Lure is a locally owned restaurant serving seafood, steaks, burgers, and oysters, with a riverfront patio. Local tourism coverage also mentions Sunday brunch and live music, and its own website confirms its Owensboro address.
Niko’s Italian Cuisine
2200 E Parrish Ave, Owensboro, KY 42303
Niko’s is a locally owned Italian restaurant offering dine-in meals and wine and spirits. Owensboro Living’s dining guide describes its focus as Italian cuisine and characterizes it as fine dining.
Don Mario Mexican Restaurant
122 W 2nd St, Suite A, Owensboro, KY 42303
Don Mario is a locally owned Mexican restaurant in downtown Owensboro. Visit Owensboro describes it as serving traditional Mexican cuisine, and its own website confirms the downtown address and daily service.
Real Hacienda Mexican Restaurant
4820 Frederica St, Owensboro, KY 42303
Real Hacienda is a family-owned Mexican restaurant serving what its site describes as authentic Mexican cuisine. Owensboro Living’s dining guide also recommends it for Mexican food and notes its Frederica Street location.
54 Pizza
1700 Starlite Dr, Owensboro, KY 42301
54 Pizza is an Owensboro pizza restaurant with dine-in service and two local locations. Owensboro Living describes its pizza as hand-tossed with generous toppings, and the restaurant identifies itself as an Owensboro pizza parlor.
Dee’s BBQ & Diner
1362 E 4th St, Owensboro, KY 42303
Dee’s BBQ & Diner is a local diner serving breakfast, lunch, and barbecue. Owensboro Living describes its plate specials and barbecue, and a current Tripadvisor listing shows the East Fourth Street address and more than 50 reviews.
City Walk of Owensboro
222 Allen St, Owensboro, KY 42303
City Walk of Owensboro is a locally recommended American café-style restaurant downtown. Recent dining coverage lists it among the city’s higher-rated restaurants, with American, barbecue, and sandwich categories.