We went to brunch Saturday morning and it was just what we needed! They have all the things you'd crave for brunch, chicken and waffles, French toast, breakfast platters, and mimosas! Servers were great, food was good and hit the spot! read more

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Wow! We were in a hurry to leave Indy on a Sunday as the Colts fans were coming in. The highway already had traffic so we drove through town. I desperately wanted coffee or a Bloody Mary. What looked like a dead end street brought me here. It was like a mirage! They open early!! The welcoming environment was one thing, and the food was amazing! The burger was delicious and the omelette. I saw someone had pizza which looked incredible, tavern style. Can't wait to go back. read more

English Ivy's - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I've heard nothing but great things about English Ivy's, specifically their Wednesday night fried chicken special. I love that they had a small parking lot in the back and a nice patio space for such an urban area. Service was fine. It was definitely noticeable that the staff really knew the regulars and favored them much more than us first timers, but I get it. Places like this are special. It welcomes a community that is unfairly judged. It's a place where people can come as they are. What's better than that? Food was really good! The cheese curds were very "bar food" stereotype but delicious known the less. I wish the green beans didn't have onions, but I will ask for them without next time. This place is kind of a dive. You won't find luxury finishes here. But it's a vibe. read more

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My favorite place to dine. Moved to Indy a little over 2 years ago. My son took me to English Ivy's and I have been there several times Since. Have never been disappointed with the meal. If you haven't given Ivy's a visit yet you are missing out on some great food and excellent, friendly service. read more

With a restaurant, things can change often, so I like to review my favorites every couple of years. This one is similar to my last one where I review brunch. First off, let's talk about the service and the staff. Meredith is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet, and she greets me with a hug every time I come in. Her cheerful personality just puts you in a better mood regardless of what's going on in your life. She remembers guests' names and what their "usual" order is if they've been coming in awhile, especially for brunch. I've never had a problem with anyone who works the Sunday morning shift at English Ivy's, but everyone knows when I come in, Merideth gets my table. Another one who gets a special callout is Ed. Two of my dear friends come with me for brunch, and Ed always makes it a point to come over to the table and joke around with them, which they absolutely love. He's even been sweet enough to make a couple of music CDs (you know, those flat circular things with a hole in the middle) for one of them with her favorite music on it. When it comes to the food, I'm pretty much happy with everything. Here are some of my comments, though, on the good and the bad. -The folks in the back do a great job with eggs. One of my friends likes soft scrambled eggs and the other likes them more well-done. They've been spot-on every time. -I've become a bit of a pancake snob, and the pancakes at Ivy's miss the mark. I'm used to pancakes where the batter has just a little vanilla in them to make them slightly sweet. I prefer not to use syrup or butter and eat pancakes plain, letting the batter to provide sweetness for me. This is the only place I've almost had to ask for syrup. -Pancakes are wayyyy too small. Pancakes should take up most of the plate when they're served. Not the case here. For the money you spend, the pancakes are about half the size and thickness than they should be. I've learned that I need to order a la cart and ask for 2 orders of pancakes. This is close to what I would expect. -Again, just a personal preference, but I really wish the hash browns they served for brunch were made from shredded potatoes placed on the grill, not the previously frozen, fried puck of a hashbrowns like you get at McDonalds. I'd love to be able to order a side of these, extra crispy with onion. Heck, I'd even stuff these in an omelet with meat and veggies and smother it with gravy. Mmm.... Aside from my comments about the size of the pancakes and my personal opinion about what potatoes they should have, I really do like Ivy's. It's a great place to enjoy a Sunday morning with friends, and a place that we'll continue to visit again and again. read more

Came in on a Friday night and it was hoppin'! Loved the Halloween decor and the welcoming environment. They were definitely slammed -- so it took a bit longer to put in a food order. The drinks are generous pours and the prices are amazing! Loved the appetizer platter -- so many fried things on one plate. Incredible. Piping hot, too! Will definitely be coming back for our pub food fix. read more

Best gay bar in Indianapolis! I love the neighborhood bar type of feel that this place has. The atmosphere has always been great whenever I've visited over the years. The staff have always been super friendly. I've never had a bad experience here. The food is amazing! I only suggest making the bar bigger lol it is a bit of a cluster of people there on the weekends. More seating at the bar would be good. Whenever I visit Indianapolis I always make it a point to visit English Ivy's! read more

Food was good not a lot of seasoning but well cooked. Service was friendly and environment was extremely welcoming. I ordered takeout and it was ready upon arrival with everything that I requested and needed. Great place to go. read more

Stumbled upon this GEM - delicious brunch (chicken & waffles), groovy decor & kewl staff. Pride friendly ‍ read more

English Ivy's - Fun drink menu, great food, eclectic decor & kewl staff - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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The atmosphere here is cozy, eclectic, and welcoming. It's a neighborhood bar at it's core and a real gem if you have to travel to visit. The food was darn good and priced very well. Service, when slammed, was slow but attentive. There are two main areas, one near a stage, and one with a wall between you and that stage. It's a real introvert/extrovert choice. I loved all of my food and my table ordered drinks that don't exist, yet were made. Parking is on the street and if you blink you may walk right on by. There wasn't the feeling that you needed to "know" someone to walk in. Other places have rules and regulars that can make neighborhood places feel colder. Not here! English Ivy's was a really great time. I will be going back in a heartbeat with friends. I hope the charm doesn't get lost in the development of the area, because neighborhoods need a good identity spot. read more

Located in the St Joseph neighborhood in Indianapolis, this LGBT-oriented bar and restaurant is a fun, casual place for a drink or meal. It is very convenient to downtown if you're looking for a lunch venue. t gets very busy on Saturdays especially as you might expect. It seems to draw a lively and friendly crowd. We enjoyed the weekend special prime rib dinner with a loaded baked potato and your choice of soup or salad. The menu appears to have a wide selection of American pub food enough to satisfy most tastes. Service is excellent as well. Recommended. read more

English Ivy's - Dinner at English Ivy's - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We went to English Ivy's yesterday, Saturday, for brunch, and was surprised it was Drag Bingo Brunch. The restaurant was packed with 2 small tables open. I think we were the only people not playing. I love bingo, but I didn't want to devote all my attention to the cards at that time. I'd like to go back and play at their next bingo brunch. Everyone appeared to be having a terric time, and as you'd expect, the crowd really got involved. Several participants continually had difficulty hearing the numbers due to how close the caller was to the microphone. The volume was incredibly loud, so I was happy for the breaks between games. The bloody mary's had even more flavor today than two weeks ago. It's hard to imagine because we loved them during the last brunch. If you're a bloody mary fan, give them a try. My husband ordered the Tenderloin and asked for Cajun Seasoning on the Tenderloin. He enjoyed the tender sandwich and would order again. I ordered the 3 Whipped Eggs omlette with 5 fillers (ham, spinach, mushrooms, onions, and pepper jack cheese). Three fillers are included with the price of the omlette, with each additional filler running $1. The omlette was served with home fries, bacon, or sausage plus toast. I substituted bacon for the home fries and chose bacon as my meat. The bacon was excellent and prepared just as I had requested. We had a good time and look forward to our next visit. read more

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Ugh. Ivy's has a piece of my heart. Dark, divey, and delicious. A special place for the queer community in Indy, Ivy's is the place to go if you're looking for comfort food and service that feels like a hug. The staff are all super nice and make you feel at home. The food is your typical American style diner food. Big portions and big taste. We've been to Ivy's during Pride, with friends, and at Midnight after a long, long day. Ivy's, I hope you never close and never change. read more

Good food Good service. Cocktails were reasonably priced. Fun place to visiit with friends.

I saw Dara H. liked a picture of beef strongoff at English Ivy's on Facebook. It looked so good! So, Wanda M. and I decided to meet there one evening. We went on a weeknight and I'm glad we did. It was really busy up front in the bar area. The back area was so nice and was decorated for Christmas. Not nearly as busy and that was good! The special they had that day was sweet and sour pork. It sounded ok, but not what either one of us wanted. I saw they had chicken velvet soup on their Facebook page. They were sold out. So, French onion soup was we ordered. It was good although I wish it had more croutons added to it. The drink Nina the server suggested was terrific! The special was Tito's and she added 2 fruit juices to it. I would order that again! Wanda decided on a Long Island and later a Mudslide both looked as good as good. Wanda ordered the chicken Marsala and I ordered chicken Parmesan. I liked my dish and the garlic bread had the right amount of garlic to butter radio. Lol. Wanda's meal looked great as well. We both wanted the creme brûlée for dessert. Wanda has said she always gets this here and it's great. Sadly, it was sold out as well. :-/ We will just have to come back and try them! Overall a nice restaurant and great food! read more

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Came here to support a Damien Center event. It is a primarily a gay bar, however, everyone is welcome. They have parking in the back but also there is street parking (free)! There is also a patio area with several picnic tables which appear to be dog friendly. The inside is quite large with plenty of seating even at the bar which is where we sat. Our server didn't really make conversation with us but she was very attentive. Checked in but it was strictly business. She seemed to joke around with others that I assume are regulars. The drinks are poured very generously and the food is decent. There are lots of options on the menu so you will definitely find something you like. Wasn't blown away but I do like the fact that it's local, gay friendly, free parking and not overly expensive. read more

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Always great food for reasonable prices. Their brunch menu is especially good. I loved the chicken and waffles.

Let's start with the good. Our waiter and the rest of the staff were incredible. Very kind, very attentive, and everything was fast. We were there for the Friday night dinner special on my birthday. Salads were great and so were side items of backed potato and broccoli. Now for the bad. Our prime rib was very dry, chewy, and lacking in flavor. It's my favorite cut of meat and I only ate half of it. 3 of us went, all 3 of us were VERY SICK within hours. I was awake most of the night with really bad GI issues including vomiting and diarrhea, it last through the following day. The two people I went with also had bad GI upset by the following morning and the entire next day. It had to be the dishes or glasses were not clean, the food appeared okay outside of the prime rib being very disappointing especially after spending $120 for two prime rib specials and two cocktails. Super disappointed. I hadn't been here in years and I wont be going back. read more

We go to Footlite Theatre. For year's English Ivy advertised in the program. So, We have eaten there while the restaurant as gone through change. We still find the food good, the atmosphere ok and the location to the theatre very accommodating. I have to admit I loved the atmosphere when there were glass chandeliers and tablecloths, and a cozy dining room, but as I said early the change did not affect the quality of service or the food. We must have dined on a bad night last week though, I ordered pasta with seafood in garlic sauce. It was horrible. The shrimp and scallops were over cooked, tough even. So much spaghetti that it held the tiny seafood up high in the bowl and no real sauce. I at the seafood and didn't want to say anything but our waiter was so friendly and caring that I mentioned that he should tell the chef he was off that night or maybe in the Christmas rush, and the dish I always order was not good. He said he was sorry and took my plate away. Not expecting any more than my comment, the waiter came back with the check. He took my dinner off. I did not ask for it, did not expect it. He offered that quality of service. This service is one of the things that keeps us coming back to English Ivy. It is just a good place to eat. Especially on Friday when they do Roast Beef, YUM read more

The food, service and ambiance can all be described as judgmental trash. The waitress with no Chin and the bald short guy made our experience hell, likely because of their own insecurities. Learn how to decipher which room is the food room vs the drink room and maybe you can sort it out a little bit. Horrible service all around. Don't waste your time, go to Metro. read more

English Ivy's is truly one of those magical places that makes Indy. The neighborhood feel with the welcoming atmosphere of an LGBTQ+ bar brings the best of both worlds together. A great patio outside and a small inside can make this place packed on weekends. We try to come once a month for the Friday night Prime Rib special. Hands down their Prime Rib is my favorite in the city! A great crust with a ton of flavor and a phenomenal au ju sauce. Served with usual green beans or asparagus or another vegetable mix, and they usually recommend baked potato or mashed potatoes as the other side. You also get a choice of soup or salad to go with it. A great selection of cocktails and full bar round out the experience. Staff are all phenomenal and so nice, their desserts are also delicious! Check out their lunch specials as well! read more

English Ivy's - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Really enjoyed the Friday special with the prime rib. Service was slow which made our chowder sold out and salad come with dinner. Still the experience was positive but realize SLOW service read more

Food service and atmosphere are fabulous! Please order the appetizer combo. And order Lasagna too.

This is my favorite lunch spot their tuna melt is delicious and the chips are some of the best I've had. The staff is so friendly and I love being in a spot that feels safe to be myself. read more

So I ordered my food to go and when I opened my box this is what I got. I'm disappointed, and upset that as I got 2 tater kegs as a side . That's pretty disappointing. As a restaurant/ bar you should be more on giving the customers a great experience and I think this wasn't the point to make to me. 2 taters is pretty disappointing and the restaurant should know better. They should improve on this! read more

English Ivy's - Disappointed with the amount of sides. Only 2-3 taters came. - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

One of my favorite downtown spots! They've been around for ever so we've been here many, many times. They have great service & good food. The food and drink prices are unbeatable and if you like a low key, local vibe.. this is the place! Dark pub vibes inside, nice outdoor seating in the summer. Highly recommend if you like a good dive bar with friendly faces. Highly recommend any sandwich on the menu or visiting for brunch. read more

**English Ivy is Our Go-To Spot!** English Ivy is one of our favorite weekly stops, and we always have a great experience. The entire staff is so welcoming, and Steve is truly the man! He always makes sure we're taken care of and adds such a personal touch to every visit. The food and atmosphere are top-notch, but it's the people that really make it special. If you're looking for a spot with great vibes and friendly faces, English Ivy is the place to be! read more

This was our first visit to English Ivy's. On Friday night they have a prime rib dinner for the special. We arrived about 6pm and the place was packed. We put our name in and they told us it would be about 15-20 minutes. We didn't know it but they do take reservations. Next time I will call ahead. I ordered the prime rib dinner.($29) It came with a salad and two sides, green beans and a baked potato. My husband ordered the chicken wrap with buffalo sauce and mac & cheese for his side. I took awhile for our dinner to come out but like I said they were busy. My dinner came out and they had ran out of green beans and baked potatoes. And they gave me mashed potatoes and squash instead. I was okay with both of them. I really wanted a baked potato but I understand. The prime rib was okay, really didn't have much flavor but okay. I would not order it again. My husband liked the chicken wrap and would order it again. Our server was very attentive and friendly! We will go back but not on a Friday night. read more

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The hospitality of this place is inviting. The staff was amazing including Damian, Chucky, Zach, and Emily. The love I received as a visitor was great. I recommend this local staple. The famous breaded pork loin sandwich was amazing. The wings were crunchy and moist with the best Bleu cheese doing sauce. Drinks are very affordable. When Indianapolis visit this local place. read more

Great food, fun atmosphere, tasty drinks, highly recommend. My innkeeper recommended this place and it was within walking distance so I arrived with neutral expectations to find a lively local restaurant full of pleasant surprises. It was packed on a Friday night but the staff was super attentive and worked to make sure everyone had a seat and a drink asap. I enjoyed the prime rib special and was impressed with the price point for the rest of the menu. Whenever I am in Indianapolis I will be back! read more

Great neighborhood Cheers-like hangout. Good food, service, and drink specials. Crowd is always diverse.

We went here for 1 drink, stayed for 6+ hours. If you're in town go here and you're guaranteed to have a great time. And their food is SO good. They have indoor and outdoor seating so take advantage of it all. read more

OK, if you have a calendar of specials on your website(checked before we went), you should stand behind them. We got two burgers. On their website it clearly says BOGO at half price. Excuse: we have not done that for a long time. Then change your website. Second: clearly asked for a Long Island Ice Tea and waitress delivered a regular ice tea. Did make sure they did not charge us for the drink. She seemed more interested in talking to her friends than paying attention. Here is a screen shot of the website page: Tuesday Specials When Tue, June 27, 11am - 12pm Where English Ivy's, 944 N Alabama St, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA (map) Description Tuesday Specials $2 Domestics $3 Wells $3 House Wines BOGO Tuesday! Buy One Select App and get the 2nd App Half Off Buy One Burger and get the 2nd Burger Half Off read more

Came for brunch! Awesome chicken orange salad! Cooked just right-can cut with a fork. The dressing is homemade and delish. The biscuits and gravy was also delish. Eggs and bacon so flavorful. Highly recommend this friendly tavern/restaurant with an interesting history. But you'll have to ask about that yourself! read more

I'd been here once before and didn't remember what I had, but I won't forget the fried chicken from this visit. It was EXCELLENT. Green beans and mashed potato sides were also delicious. Service was good. It was SO LOUD in the restaurant; it may not be the place for a cozy catch up. read more

This local gay bar and restaurant is an Indy staple. They have great food and service as well as a comfortable atmosphere for everyone. I particularly enjoy the tots appetizer as well as the pretzels. Tonight for my dinner, I had a Southwest Quesadilla that they happily substituted the chicken for steak and added onion and green peppers. It was delicious! Then, I had a yummy piece of Three Layer Chocolate Cake. Also, they have Diet Mountain Dew on their fountain! They are amazing at ensuring their guests have a great experience. Jeff the owner is very friendly and checks in on his guests. Make sure to check this place out! read more

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This is our go to neighborhood place. Everyone is welcomed. The food, prices services are all exceptional. Not much in the atmosphere department, booths and tables a little worn, non descript "decor" but that doesn't always matter! Varied menu, good specials! read more

Great daily menu speical.Friday night pime rib, best in Indy.come early, usually sells out, it's that good. Service is amazing. Staff is right on it. I drive an hour to enjoy food and staff. read more

All I'm gonna say is Yass queen to the service but a "what the hell?" to the lewks I was getting... it's Indianapolis I didn't expect very much, but if you're just looking for a gay bar to sit eat and drink, this is a place to go. The bartender kept coming to my table to ask if I was OK or needed anything else or refills and that was a pleasure. Wish the music was a little bit more modern. I got the regular American burger and it was surprisingly good for our food. Rum and coke score : 4/5 got my tipthy read more

Joined some friends at the Ivy for for brunch. Service was great food was so so. Pretty average fare. The gravy says homemade. Tasted like premade. Biscuits were definitely from frozen. Asked for crispy bacon got stretchy bacon. Although my God Sons meal came out last because they were waiting on crispy bacon. Decent prices. Just really could step up the food. read more