(16) Except as provided in KRS 527.020, no license issued pursuant to this section shall
authorize any person to carry a concealed firearm into:
(a) ...
(e) Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense beer or alcoholic
beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the
establishment is primarily devoted to that purpose
You can't carry anywhere that has a "bar area" in KY. Even if you are not sitting in the bar area.
Alabama is a no go and you are in it for a few miles, if you take 24 to 75. Ohio is a no go.
You only read the first section of that statute and didn't finish. Again it says:
(16) Except as provided in KRS 527.020, no license issued pursuant to this section shall
authorize any person to carry a concealed firearm into:
(a) ...
(e) Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense beer or alcoholic
beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the
establishment is primarily devoted to that purpose
That means, if an establishment is licensed to dispense beer or alcohol, you are not allowed to carry into any portion of the establishment which is primarily devoted to dispensing beer or alcohol. So, no bars, no bar area of Applebee's, Friday's, B-Dub's or the like. It only says "portion". It does not say that you many not carry a concealed firearm into "any establishment licensed to dispense...." There's a difference.
Ummm, read it again:
Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense beer or alcoholic
beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the
establishment is primarily devoted to that purpose
You don't get much clearer than "ANY PORTION". You are prohibited from ANY PORTION of an establishment who is licensed to sell alcohol if they have a portion dedicated to alcohol. It does not say you must be in the bar area, they say ANY PORTION. So Applebees is a no-go because they have a bar area.
If it said "WHERE THAT portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to that purpose", then you would be right. But it doesn't. It just says you are prohibited from any portion, if there is a portion that is a bar.