I will be spending 3 weeks in downtown Louisville (spending time between the Hyatt and the Doubletree). Are there any places (restaraunts, bars,...) that I shouldn't miss during my stay? Thanks in advance.

Downtown Louisville does not have a great variety of attractions, but there are a few that should not be missed.
First and foremost is the Actor's Theater of Louisville which is probably the pre-eminent regional theater company in the country. Its complex is at Third and Main, a few blocks from the Hyatt and toward the end of February and the beginning of March, it will feature the Humana Festival of New American Plays. I have had projects in Louisville for more than twenty years and always manage to arrange a trip out there for this festival.
The restaurant on the roof of the Hyatt is OK, not great, but OK, although there are some very interesting views of the city and of the big river as you spin around. Although most of the best restaurants are out on Bardstown Road, Frankfort Avenue, or St. Mathews and require a car or taxicab ride, one of the two best in town is Vincenzo's, a Northern Italian at Fifth and Market. The service is polished and elegant and the food is extremely well prepared. Be warned that Vincenzo's will present you with a NY type tab. You can also get a pretty good meal with an excellent wine selection at the Bristol Bar & Grill, one of a local chain, that can be found adjacent to the Kentucky Center for the Arts, not far from the hotel.
The only other restaurant that I can recommend near downtown is Timothy's, at Ninth and East Broadway, a very short cab ride from the hotels. Timothy's specialty (invented here) is a "white chili" made with chicken and which is pretty good. The main dish that I think it does the best is a macadamia crusted sea bass, which I am sure to order at least a few times every year.
The other of the two best restaurants in Louisville is Lilly's, close in on Bardstown Road. This house specializes in the use of local ingredients and has never disappointed us.
You will find the best directory and reviews of restaurants on the Courier-Journal website by clicking on Louisville Scene, which will also have a listing of all cultural (and also not so cultural) events that week. The best club listing is in the alternative weekly LEO (Louisville Eccentric Observer), which is published on Thursdays and which you can get for free at the airport coming into town. Look for it in a dispenser at the end of the escalators coming down to the rental car and baggage claim area. It is one of the best of its kind in the country.
I have never stayed at the Doubletree, but my lawyer's office is at the Kentucky Home Life Building right across from the Hyatt, where I have stayed many times, most recently mid-December. The hotel is pretty much a standard Hyatt, good but without a Concierge Lounge. If you have the flexibility, investigate the Seelbach, which is now a Hilton and is a restored turn-of-the-century building. The rooms are unique and elegant, the public areas are impressive, and the Concierge Lounge is even open on the weekend.
The only other hotel that I have found with a Lounge is the Marriott about eight or ten miles out east, where I usually stay when I don't have any business downtown.
As you may have guessed from this post, Louisville is a city with a weak downtown, mostly closed after dark, and almost all of the action is a good ride away. If you don't have a car, you will not have the ability to take advantage of much of the nightlife.
If you have any questions about any particular attraction or restaurant, don't hesitate to e-mail me with it, for I have been working that town (with a liberal expense account) for the aforementioned twenty years and know many of the answers.

monitor - thanks, you clearly know the place better than we do (we're all of 90 miles away in Lexington) - I was afraid I'd have to try to give advice since London Called to Spiff. I can't fault anything you said and will second your praise for Vincenzo's.

The only thing I can add is there's an OK microbrewery - Bluegrass Brewing Co. - not downtown, Shelbyville Rd. I think; in the phone book anyway. OK beer (the barley wine was interesting). Food is edible.

chexfan - when will you be in Louisville? I'll check with L'ville friends for more ideas for you, but depending on your schedule, and ours, maybe we can get together, if you're interested. There's a fair number of FTers in the Bluegrass and surrounds, I've noticed.

GG

Lilly's is one of my favorite restaurants n the U.S.-- you should really try it out if you have time (as mentioned above, its on Bardstown Road).

Having just spent 2 years in Louisville, have to agree with all of the above, especially about BBC on Shelbyville road.A great "hole in the wall" place is the Come Back Inn, which doesn't look like much but is a great Italian place. Its always full so if you go be prepared to wait. http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/comeback.shtml
The Doubletree is within a couple of blocks of the Hyatt. When I stayed there just after I arrived in Louisville everyone advised me not to walk around there after dark. (Though on general Louisville's a safe place)

If you want something to do there's always the Slugger museum downtown where they'll customize bats for you (neat gifts).

For a great view of Louisville, cross the bridge into Indiana and try Buckheads (not the greatest food, but some of the best views from the deck).
Hope this is of some use, email me if you want more info

Louise

Thanks everyone for your help with my stay in SDF. I was actually begining to worry that no FT'er knew anything about the city. I am going to be car-less so everything I will be doing/going will be in walking/cab distance from downtown. Your suggestions have all been noted and I will try to do them.

Thanks again.

GG- I will be in the Bluegrass State from mon-fri for the next 3 weeks.

Basketball is BIG is Loua'ville!! I'd try to catch a game fo sure!

doc has the pronunciation almost right: it's Loo'-a-vul

Basketball is BIG in the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky. LexPassenger and I have always been grateful for the separation of church and state, lest we be required to attend a ballgame every Saturday!

chexfan, I think you'll find that a car is a requisite to sanity before it's over - but the rates are usually pretty cheap except during the Derby and various basketball thingies. Try an intown property for best rates.

Timing! We're leaving for SAN on Wednesday, and not back until late next week, but maybe week 3...

GG, thanks for pinch-hitting for me; you surmised correctly - I was visiting the Queen.

Things I enjoy doing in Louisville:

Phoenix Hill Tavern Fri/Sat nights - Three live bands and a mostly 20's-40's crowd of people. Great place to dance, socialize, and the drinks are not outrageous, nor is the $5 cover charge.

The Louisville Panthers - Louisville's minor-league hockey team. They are the Florida Panthers farm team. Lots of great action and NHL players often rotate through the Panthers and their opponents. Or.... See Spiff and the rest of the Louisville Adult Hockey League try not to injure each other too badly at Pantherland Ice Arena Sun/Mon nights. Free admission, but you get what you pay for.

The Galt House's Sunday Brunch - Delightful food and a view of the Ohio river @ ~$25-30 per person.

Take a river cruise if you can, but don't bother with one of the cruises with food. They're not worth the money. A tour cruise is your best bet.

Other "interesting" bars: Bar (That's the name) - If you're into "meat markets" then this is definitely the spot. Have a Nice Day Cafe - Thought the 70's had died the painful death they deserved? Not here. Molly Malone's - A terrific Irish Pub. Across the river in Southern Indiana (about 10 min from Louisville) my recommendation is Rich-o's. It is a small "hole-in-the-wall" type of place, but they have great BBQ and the best selection of imported beer in the Kentuckiana area.

It's a great area; I'll post more things as I think of them.

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"Sire, it is not a revolt. It is a Revolution!"