The best place in the Midwest to have whiskey and smoke a cigarette, but that is all.

Well lets get down to brass tacks. It is in fact called the Engine Room, Not the Tampon Aisle... So it alludes to an atmosphere of loud, bikers and smokers that want a bar the way they used to be. I don't smoke, and though it is allowed, it isn't smoky or overwhelming. I understand that so many have jumped on a vegan/vegetarian gypsy circus goat rodeo, then this isn't your place. They don't have a kitchen, but are tied to the little pizza joint on the corner, and they carry the basic nom noms... Calzones, pizzas, chicken wings, well you get it. I have never had an issue with either the regulars, or the bartenders. But if you act a fool, you will be treated like a fool. It's a good ol' boy hangout, and coming here to discuss your new kale and arugula based mud mask is not going to go over well for you. This is a place to drink, play the jukebox, have a smoke without the judgement of the hipster with blackframed glasses, writing his thesis on a typewriter in the corner. Plenty of TVs are lined along the wall playing whatever is the thing, and the bartender has never had an issue changing the channel on one to satisfy a customer. They carry on top a few crafts on draft, and some of the regular piss water like any other bar. They do have a lot more craft in the fridge in bottles. The glasses are cold and frosty and run about 4 bucks a beer. There are also daily specials on the wall, and dollar tacos and 50 cent boneless wings are my fave. They do not try to be a 5 star Zagat Rated whatever kind of place, and that is why they get 5 stars. This is a place to drink, to sit down and relax and jam to Led Zeppelin, not drink organic vodka over grassfed beef burgers on gluten free pretzel buns whilst admiring each other's vintage pinterest page. read more

Order a drink Tipped. $1.50.... You think it would get you notice for the next order... Not here on a Sunday sept15. I waited and waited and waited.. Finally I wave 2 arms in the air.. And got noticed . Sad that bartender could make 45% tip on purchase price of beverages.. Her loss... 2nd purchase netted her 0%.. read more

Nice bar. Its loud, there is a jukebox. Smoking is allowed but the place never feels smokey. All of the regulars seem friendly, seems like the out of college croud. There were a bunch of tables (and the place was pretty crouded on a wednesday night, so it might be super busy on a weekend). There was a table full of people playing poker. In the back, there's an electronic dart board, punching bag game, jukebox, and some video games that seemed golf oriented. Beer prices were decent ($3 dom and imported were the special) but their other drinks seemed pricy. Six bucks for a small (not too strong) long island is kind of high. read more

The first thing you notice when you enter is the décor. It has tools, mechanical and engine parts decorated throughout the place. The bar is long with plenty of seating and yes it's loaded with tools on the seats and even embedded in the actual bar. In the afternoon the place is packed with regulars and it is real clicky. If you're not with the in crowd, wait a few visits and you will eventually be accepted amongst the rest of the tools. The south end of the bar is called skid row and the north end is considered contractors row. I'm convinced that if you take a picture in there on any weekday and come back a month later it would look identical. The warm weekends attract a lot of bikers and it's a frequent stop for bike runs and bar crawls. The bartenders are worth the visit. Jo who works in the afternoon on Sat. is the moneymaker for the bar, she's supermodel hot and a pro at her craft. You can find T (who is also hot), working weekday afternoons running her lip like a truck driver while pretending to manage the place. A few other hotties are scattered throughout different night shifts and the owner even pops in from time to time to show the bartenders how easy it is to be super nice to people, but they never listen. Overall, this bar has a legendary cast of characters with funny nick names who have been regulars for a decade. I go to enjoy some of the funniest daytime drama to start off my Saturdays. read more

If I am here, it's to meet friends, and they chose this place. It would be better if they ran fans so the second hand smoke wasn't soo bad/stationary. Drink prices are reasonably cheap. There is only 1 bathroom stall. Music, via jukebox, is all over the board. You can go from Bone Thugs and Harmony song to Lady Antebelleum song, then into a heavy metal song. Not my first choice for a night out, but I go for certain people who live out that way. read more

If you are into LOUD and MASCULINE, the Engine Room is for you. My husband loves to sit at the bar and identify the tools and fasteners imbedded in the bar and hanging on the walls. He was very excited to find a fire hydrant (???) that had been made by the company he works for at the Engine Room. Oh Wow. The bar tenders are pleasant enough but there are many other bars in da region that are more welcoming. read more

Meh. I guess this place is ok to stop for a beer or two, but it's too masculine, small, and smokey for my taste. Drinks are decently priced and the dart boards are usually available for use, so I can't complain there... But I wouldn't choose to come here for any reason other than it being close to home. read more

its an ok bar in a strip mall....a little over priced for NW Indiana though.....bartenders seem more into talking to each other than serving you.... a lot of different import and micro-brew bottles...but i just care about a new drink when mine is empty, i dont want to have to yell to get served...... no food, BUT there is a Zuni's Pizza place at the other end of the parking lot and you can get them to deliver your pie to the bar, which is a cool deal....and Zuni's makes a really good pizza ( Zuni's review comming up soon ) the actuall bar is kinda cool.... all sorts of tools, i guess the engine part of the name, laquered into the bar top..... lots of tables around..... and a view of RT.30 right out the window... how can you beat that? oh and if your lucky as we were one night, you can see Mr. John Jurkovich of ESPN Radio, TF North, EIU and NFL fame holding court at one of the tables.....he actually played *My Name is Sue* by Johnny Cash on the juke box one night ....lol its an ok place...not a destination.... but if your in the area, worth a look... and again, its Indiana, so NO happy hour and smoking IS allowed read more