After multiple competitor bars told me that Hilltop has the best pizza in the area, I finally had a chance to see what the hype was about. Firstly, you know it has to be good when the competition is telling you to go there! Secondly, the rumors are true! Speaking on behalf of my carryout order today, it was easy to glance at their menu online, call ahead to place my order, and pick it up quickly. Today I opted for a 10" (medium) personalized pizza with bacon and jalapeños as the toppings and an order of their pepperjack cheeseballs appetizer with a side of ranch. As someone who likes spicy things and has a decent tolerance for spice, I can confidently say that the jalapeños here do you have some heat to them. Not enough to make them unenjoyable, but enough that if you or your companion do not like spice at all, then I would stay away from the jalapeños. Starting with a pepperjack cheese balls... freaking YUM!! They're small enough to pop in your mouth, perfectly fried with not too much breading, and the pepperjack was creamy and packed with flavor. As a self-proclaimed cheese addict, I would come here just for these! And the ranch to dip them in? ... cue the slow clap. Best ranch in town! The pizza did not disappoint either. I can see what the fuss is all about. It was hearty, abundant with bacon, and not too overehelmed with crust. I feel like some places cheat you out of pizza by making the crust too substantial, but Hilltop takes their toppings all the way to perimeter. The crust is supportive so you don't have to fuss with everything sliding off the top during your rabid consumption of their slices. Yes, folks. Their competition was absolutely right! Hilltop has the best bar fare on the Eastside! It took about 20-minutes for my order to be ready from placing the order to picking it up. I did pick up at about 6:30PM on a Saturday, and I had no problems finding a place to park, getting in, and getting out. I headed to the bar where the bartender was completely pleasant, grabbed my order, and ran my card for me. My order total was $23.93 + tip for the pizza and an order of their pepper jack cheese balls with a side of ranch. I do have to say that if I was dining in, I might be a tad uncomfortable here. It was one of those days where it's 90+ degrees outside, and it almost felt like their AC was broken. It was quite hot and stuffy inside. Easy access on 10th St. A decent size parking lot with street space for overflow. Plentiful entertainment on site via games, pulltabs, darts, tv's, and music. A covered patio out back. If you're looking for a no fuss neighborhood dive bar, Hilltop Tavern should be your next destination. Oh, and I hear that their breakfast is off the charts amazing. We'll have to try that next! read more

Hilltop East Tavern - 10" pizza with bacon and jalapeño (spicy!) and pepperjack cheeseballs with ranch - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Great food. Solid bar. Good outdoor patio. The Breaded Tenderloin is 10/10!! I definitely recommend it. Rather be there than the cemetery across the street! read more

The staff are all pretty good. The customers are really rude, some of the act like they own the place. Hope the DJ takes a better Saturday night gig. read more

Went there for karaoke night on a Saturday night. The people couldn't be more friendly and loved the vibe! Food was the weakest link but not bad for bar food!! read more

Stoped for a few cold ones. They had a shift change and apparently the new bartender was more interested in his game than the empty glasses of the patrons of which there were a few other than mine. Won't be back read more

Nice place to hang out. Good music at the jam on fridays. Nice people. Great back patio for hanging out with groups in the summer. Met a lot of cool people here read more

12' pizza became 10' almost overnight and now has half the toppings. I was totally disappointed. Have loved the pizza for years. Probably won't be going back anytime soon. Their pizza was my main reason for going. The guy next to me ordered the now 10' pizza as well, had three drinks and said his bill was $7 more than usual, and was not happy. He seemed to have been a regular because bartenders both new his name. read more

Great place The staff is amazing and very friendly! The breaded tenderloin was delicious Went there a few weeks ago and had a delicious Sunday breakfast The in the picture was only $15 Pretty inexpensive for two Definitely need to try this place Karen and Kristina are outstanding bartenders/servers read more

Hilltop East Tavern - Hungry man breakfast $8 French toast with bacon $7 - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Went there for brunch me and a friend had a great time hanging out back with the other patrons the drinks were strong and the food was delicious and not too pricey read more

I've driven by this place multiple times and never thought I'd be stopping. That is.. until I met some Irvington people who come here from time to time and I had just enough booze one Friday night to say "what the heck".. Honestly, I don't know what I was so worried about. The customers were nice and the servers were quick with drinks and the pours were heavy. A Touchtunes jukebox was on the wall and my group decided to make it 80's and 90's music night while we were there. Hearing someone yell "who played this sh**" was a highlight of the night. It's a little local place and most of the customers seemed to know one another. They had no problems welcoming us in for the night. read more

Well, I'm known as the hipster brunch snob in my group, so certain people in my life have decided that I need to venture out and try places that aren't considered the most popular and 40 bucks for brunch. This is how I ended up at the Hilltop east tavern, I've actually driven past it a few times cutting over from the south side to the east side. Today I finally can say I've been here, I enjoyed myself, I'd place this bar in the dive bar category, it has bar seating, high tops and an outdoor patio. They also have strategically placed TVs which is your standard for just about any bar. Service was great! Our bartender was on her own but did an awesome job of keeping on top of us. I had a Bloody Mary, a pretty low key one by my usual Bloody Mary standards but the flavor was awesome. The menu has a lot of options and is very cheap, I think the most expensive thing was a large pizza? My breakfast was tasty, back to basics with eggs, toast, hash browns and bacon. Good stuff and I'd be into checking this place out again read more

Hilltop East Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Here right now with my nephew!!! Turning him on to one of the best dive bars on the east side! Best place to stop and go outside on the patio and have a beer and a quesadilla! Mine with no black olives and they get it right every time! Fun times, great music and all hilarity ensues. Also? This place is haunted AF!! Does anybody know the tale about the sheriff who was shot here?!?! I know the Ghost Adventures crowd has been invited here but they got no activity but if you ask the patrons hilltop and the staff? They'll tell you differently. Cheers! read more

Cash only, but they have an ATM. This is a bar with no frills and gimmicks. It's just a good bar. They pour good drinks. They keep the beer cold. They have a full menu with pretty good food, (pizza is popular) and the kitchen will feed you late into the night. They have live music regularly. They have a juke box, pool table, and darts. I daresay they even have a slogan that you might see in an ad or on their t-shirts. "Better here than across the street." That's because across the street is a cemetery. I think it's funny! read more

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If you're looking for a dive with excellent food, this is your spot. For over a year now I've heard about this place and hadn't pulled the trigger on going, we live less than 8 mins from here so it is not out of the way. We finally decided it was time to at least try the food, I can't say enough good things about it. We did a carry out order, the lady on the phone was so kind and helpful as we fumbled through what we wanted. We ended up with wings, an Italian sub, breadsticks, poppers, and the legendary pizza I've heard so much about. I wish I would have got a photo of the pizza but everyone dove into it so fast it was quickly gone. We got a deluxe pizza no olives or mushroom, it was loaded with toppings and like a thick yet crispy style of crust. The wings were double dipped and SO crispy and flavorful. The breadsticks were similar to the crust, crispy but fluffy. The sub I was told was very unbeatable. I can't believe we've slept on this place so long. I plan to come back and have a drink next time I do carry out. read more

Hilltop East Tavern - Poppers/ breadsticks - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Service was awesome, our waitress was awesome! We spent 40$ on arcade games and 30$ 1 Italian sub and a side of cheese curds. Absolutely amazing. The older lady taking care of the bio didn't tell and she did not have any signs for cash only... but the atm in the corner was a $5 charge. So I collected 26$ in cash and gave her a 5$ tip. I know 5$ is low, but when all you get it your order taken and your drinks. That's all you deserve. The bartender was upset I wouldn't use they atm there and when cashing out I got nothing in response. No thank you, how was it, have a good day.. everyone is cool but I just paid your electric bill for the month and no think you read more

Hill Top is in great need to change up. It's the same old band same music. I understand it's a blues Jam but why don't they bring in new blues songs. Or maybe a lady singing. It's always men. Maybe that band called Mojo gumbo band more often. read more

Hilltop East Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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So I recently had a guest in my hotel, downtown Indy, ask for a biker bar. I'm not to privy to the biker situation here in Indy so I sent him to Hilltop. I told him the drive there is pretty scenic, 10th street, their pizza is the best, and I've seen some bikes parked there before. He loved it and couldn't say enough about it. From the pizza, to the live band, to the drive around town. I was so happy to be able to steer him to the right place, a favorite place of my own. When we arrive at Hilltop, we order drinks at the bar and then have a short debate on what toppings and what size pizza we should get. Put that order in with Karen and head to the patio. They absolutely have one of the best patios in town. Great trees hang overhead and the sunset is always beautiful. White lights twinkle in the darkness. You can retreat to a more intimate corner or have a seat with a picnic table and strike up some convo with other patrons. During winter I seek refuge inside and play pool or darts. They have a jukebox that is almost always playing music to appeal to any generation. Ok, but let me mention some other perks of one of my favorite bars. Live music on the weekends, free wings on Tuesday? maybe Thursday but I think it's Tuesday, they serve breakfast, and on football Sundays, the bartenders even cook up a little feast available to everyone at no cost. The drinks are reasonable and strong. Also, I don't actually believe this establishment to be a biker bar. I think that maybe some people that own motorcycles maybe drive them there sometimes and visit for a while. Now back to the pizza! I honestly don't even know what makes it so good. It's just the best, ok? Go try it. The crust is thin and crispy and the cheese sometimes takes on a nice light brown quality and is a little crispy too. The sauce doesn't overpower the pizza but just enhances the flavor. And the topping just add to the deliciousness. They sprinkle some magical blend of herbs and spices over the top that also helps make this my favorite pizza. And I'm a pretty picky pizza eater. I've been doing it for many years so I've honed my tastes precisely. Please go get a pizza here. That being said, we also love their soups. From broccoli cheese to chili back up to potato soup, they are all delicious. If you live on the eastside and haven't been here, I don't even know what you've been doing all your life. read more

Hilltop East Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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One of my favorite greasy spoons in Indy. The beer is cheap and the food is amazing. The atmosphere is pretty dingy, but the staff is nice and the crowd is good. I dropped in just to check the place out and grab a quick beer. When I started seeing some of the food go out I was amazed. Then I ordered a pizza and was blown away. Tried the wings after that... WOW! Kitchen is open really late and they serve fried foods up until 2AM. WARNING: They only accept cash, but there is an ATM inside. read more

I moved to the east side almost 3 years ago and was hesitant to try anything, especially a little dive. Man, was I wrong, I've met great people here and the staff remember you. Kahlel is our regular bartender and makes a mean Bloody Mary. Karen, Kim, and the other staff recognize us & greet us warmly too! I often have dinner here weekly and yes it is bar food, if you don't like bar food you probably shouldn't eat here... the double dipped wings are a must try! Great, made to order pizza too. There is often live music (typically Blues) on the weekends. The prices can't be beat, it is cash only and they do have an ATM. The patio is nice and the neighbors are quiet! read more

When will I stop being surprised by small neighborhood businesses? Never! Is this a hipster place? Would the Hilltop ever sport wanna be trendy's? The joy of hitting oddball places. Here sit's a good eclectic mix of generations and cultures. They are all wrapped up in a blanket of bluesy goodness. Small, yes. But a decent sized 'beer' garden. Minimal parking. The libations are inexpensive and tasty. If you like what us old timers call 'jams', hit this spot once in a while for the music. read more

Hilltop East Tavern - Bluesy, blues. It's a jam. - Dive Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

First time here but won't be the last. Very clean bar and awesome bartender. Must say the bathroom was the cleanest I have even been in any bar in Indy. Smoke free makes it even better! Will be back for sure read more

The food was horrible! Me and a nurse friend stopped by while In town from hearing great things we came super early so everything should've been fresh! Z everything was hard and had a grease taste. It all tasted so old. I wish we had a great experience like others. read more

This place has the greatest t-shirts ever. The other side of 10th Street is a huge cemetery. The bar's t-shirts read "Better here than across the street!" Classic. Its a little divey, although Kim's done a lot to spruce it up. The food is actually pretty competent bar food -- get a burger or a pizza and you'll be fine. The crowd is generally pleasant and from the neighborhood and not rough. But here's the cool thing --- LIVE MUSIC! Hilltop often has live music on Fridays (currently a long-running blues jam with good musicians). Often live music Saturdays too (often one of several cover rock bands, though it can vary). The bartenders are fantastic and social and nice. Expect to drink Budweiser, eat a decent simple meal, and hear some good music. Its an east side neighborhood bar -- no complaints. read more

The pizza is a must try. The vegetable pizza is honestly one of my favorites. Salads are great with homemade croutons. Lots of good eats, ice cold beverages, friendly staff and free smiles. Live music "Open Stage "Blues Jam tonight with some of Indy's best blues musicians stopping by on Friday nights. You will enjoy the huge outside patio while visiting on pleasant days. This is not your parents Hilltop Tavern. The neighborhood is not bad. Kim York Watkins is nothing' but a first rate lady working hard to give you a good place to hang! read more

I love a dive bar as much as I love upscale dining, the hilltop is a classic dive that is literally sitting butted up to a cemetery. Its been around for as long as I can remember. Its cash only, however it does have a sort of ATM... This was about the most outdated working machine I have seen in ages. It has a dial up connection, you swipe your card, once your requested amount is approved a receipt is printed for you to take up to the bar... then they give you the cash. I share this in detail for those of you are are as unaware as I was. The food is average bar food, some items better then others.. Good drinks are poured, but the service can be hit or miss. Regulars do seem to get the best service. Live music is played on the weekends. There is also a covered back porch for the smokers. read more

I stopped in there as a quick stop for a beverage and an appetizer. During my hour stay in the patio, I had 3 servers. I put in an order of seasoned fries and after 30 minutes, I checked on the order and they were sitting on the window. They brought them out 5 minutes later an were just above room temperature. I've heard good things about this place but I was disappointed in my experience. Perhaps ordering food during a triple shift change on the patio was the reason but they weren't busy enough to warrant such poor service. It'll taking some urging for me to return. read more

true neighborhood bar where most of the other patrons know each other and the bartender knows their name. as an outsider, head's definitely raised and i received a couple strange looks when i entered, but everyone was very friendly and ready to talk sports or local news. looking foward to coming back on a friday or saturday evening. walk in this windowless building (strip club in past???) through the door facing the parking lot and the L-shaped bar is on the left. nice bar overhang. Laminate bar top with large wood rail. wood paneling as the bar face down to a large box footrest. bar back is cluttered by mainly coolers, bottle shelves and stupid shit like a red bull cooler and jager machine. high top tables and other eating tables opposite the bar. includes a stage and dance floor also. service is top notch and the food is good bar food. read more

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Was there for a private event, so can't speak to what the crowd is normally. But the place was cute and clean. Service was good. I didn't eat but my friends did and they raved about how wonderful the pizza was and other items they really enjoyed as well. I would return. read more

Open blues jam on Friday nights is a joke....it's only open to the regulars. If you want to be able to get on stage and play along you'll be there until at least 1am. The "regulars" do not like ANY newcomers.....bunch of old farts!!! read more

Neighborhood tavern with great food. It looks rough from the outside, but it is very clean inside. They have wonderful pizza -- seriously -- it is delicious. And I recommend the combo basket for an appetizer. Friendly service, lots of regulars, and it's real Eastside Indy. We were very pleasantly surprised when we ate here! read more

This was definitely a local dive bar. I live in the area and went with friends to check it out. I'm a huge fane of neat dive bars and this one was okay. We enjoyed drinking on the patio and the drinks were reasonably priced. We also were feeding the jukebox money to play songs when no one else was so it was fun to hear our songs right away. We had eaten dinner beforehand so we didn't try any of the food. We had a nice time, but I don't feel drawn back here. read more

The place is dive. It is not in good shape. It is poorly staffed and poorly managed by Kim the owner. The food service is poor and the food is awful. It is colder in the building than it is outside because she won't turn on the heat. Her customers have to wear coats inside. They don't take credit cards and do not post it on the door. It is cash only which is so far behind the times. Even McDonalds takes credit cards. She does not want to pay the fees just another way she is so cheap! The Bartender works really hard but hugs and kisses her male customers. This is so inappropriate and if that is the only way she can make money then she needs another job! I was having a hard time telling if she was a bartender or a prostitute the way she was rubbing all over some of them Don't waste your money or your time. For what she charges she can get a really decent meal anywhere else and a lot better service and not have to watch the crap going on with the male customers. Not impressive! read more

Great place to hear live music! Huge fenced in back patio with plenty of seating and amazing bartenders.

Love the atmosphere the food and they know how. To make the drink's. Right anyway i would rather be thete than across the street from. It

Not a fan of this bar. Service is so so and it's extremely hot in there. Too expensive for a dive bar and selection is limited. It's convenient for me and my friend so I'm sure we will go back but only because it's close. read more

No vaping!!. Other than that......great bar, great drinks and great people. Highly recommend this bar!!!