John&#x27;s Famous Stew

Love this place. We really enjoyed the music, the very friendly staff, the cool vibe and the…read moreoverall ambience. The food was delicious and drinks were great. We will go back.

Stopped in here for a quick jazz hit on a Saturday night in Indy and fell in love with the place…read more The bartender was friendly and made a strong drink. The band was tight. The vibe was cool. If I lived in the neighborhood I'd be a regular here. There was a cover, which we don't mind paying, but that kinda caught us off guard. But again, we are happy to pay for good music.

Sadie Johnson

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Great beer from Czech Republic

Burnside Inn

4.3(110 reviews)

1.8 mi•Mile Square

This place holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first bars my fiancé and I went…read moreon our first date! We absolutely love it here. Three story house party, pretty much. Karaoke bar on the top floor, so be ready to sing your heart out on Thursdays. They'll sometimes have live music on the first floor, which is a good time when the weather is nice. Known for their mules!

Bouncer keeps line outside to make place look busier, so annoying to get into. Update: turns out…read moreplace was closing before they're scheduled to and refused to admit it. Good drinks and bartender service from previous visits.

Big Moscow mule

Turquoise Room - Burnside Inn.

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Dorman Street Saloon

4.3(128 reviews)

2.8 mi•Cottage Home

I heard of Dorman's through a group of friends and I wanted to go check it out. I love a dive bar…read moreso this is right up my alley. Super casual and lowkey spot where music is playing and sports are on the tv. Plenty of seating whether it's at the bar or at a table. I honestly appreciate the prices too because in this day and age, getting a simple drink at some spots is starting to cost way too much. The service was great, spot was a little dead but it was early in the day and the Bartender was nice and attentive. Overall, would love to come here again with a friend group for a chill day drinking moment.

I always love stopping into Dorman. They are a fun, usually more quiet, dive bar that is a nice…read morehalfway point for us and our friends. We stopped in for a nightcap a couple of weekends ago and it was packed and a group of girls were being incredibly loud, so it was very hard to hear inside. We ended up eventually going outside to sit on the patio and had a much better time. You can't go wrong with a miller lite and a pour of maker's mark, but you also can't go wrong with their prosecco on draft.

1.1 mi•Pogue's Run, Babe Denny, Mile Square

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The Whistle Stop

4.2(85 reviews)

Our server was so sweet and accommodating to the many food allergies in our family. The food was…read moredelicious and a great price. We were here for comic con and didn't want to pay the convention food prices. This was a close walk (next to Lucas Oil Stadium). It's a bar with a family room. I'll go back!

Whistle Stop was a great, late night option in Indianapolis. My friends had come to pick me up from…read morethe Indianapolis airport and we wanted to stay in the city to eat dinner. There were not too many late night places open, but we were referred to the Whistle Stop by a neighboring restaurant. It is a small town bar vibe, with the music at a moderate volume at the front. There are also games, including arcade games like Pacman as well as board games to enjoy while waiting on the food. I got the brisket mac and cheese, which was topped with barbecue and white sauce. The meat was juicy and tender, while the mac and cheese was cheesy and flavorful. Service was also quick, and the waiter was very attentive to our table. Overall, The Whistle Stop is a great place to stop by in Indy.

1.4 mi•Mile Square, Wholesale District

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Cool little joint.

Wild Beaver Saloon

3.2(97 reviews)

Fun place with live music. Small inside but packed during games and events at Lucas Oil Stadium.read more

Fun time, but a little cramped and only one bathroom. We were also there for karaoke, which started…read moreat 10:00. Told we had to wait until 10 to put our name/song in. Even though I was the third in line there were others that went before us, who must have been regulars that were given preference. There was a long line outside when we left before midnight. Evidently a popular spot.

1.3 mi•Wholesale District, Mile Square

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The Saint Shack

3.9(67 reviews)

Stopped back in my old hometown of Indianapolis and after the Fever game decided to check out The…read moreSaint Shack. I absolutely dig the vibe here. It's not too big or doesn't have the scene of a club. It's a nice, chill place with various alcoholic slushies and jello shots that actually come in a shot! The food here is really good as they have a selection of various types of hot dogs. I went with their traditional dog with mustard and ketchup with some tater tots. The food was very delicious and the perfect little meal after a Fever game. I absolutely recommend coming here as the prices are rather inexpensive and it also doesn't have that big club feel like other places in downtown Indy do.

We were walking downtown Sunday afternoon and stopped in for a quick bite. It was pretty empty so…read morewe were greeted by friendly staff and were able to have all of our questions about the menu answered. I had the LA dog with tots and my friend had the Veggie dog with fries, I also had the mango passionfruit Slushy. I thought my LA dog was pretty good but my friend did not enjoy the Veggie dog. This is a cute bar, they even have beer pong available to play (it's the water version), very much worth a visit if you're in the area.

Dirty corn dog and boudin balls

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Inside seating

Checkered Flag Tavern

4.3(191 reviews)

4.3 mi•Ben Davis

Holy Toledo. Where was this place when i lived in Indy? Stopped by to have a Pork Tenderloin…read moreSandwich. It was one of the best that I have ever had. Had a salad and could only eat 2 bites. The tenderloin was fresh and Cooked PERFECTLY. Very large and so tasty. Fries were fresh and salad was actually very good. Great quality. Server was unbelievably nice. She was working the whole bar and still did great. They must have 1 million in racing memorabilia. Very nice and I had a soft drink due to work, but the prices of beer and bourbon were pretty cheap. Looks like a dive bar but the cook is really good and just fun to be in. Server made the day and she was so friendly. I will be back.

We can't wait to come back! How's that for a way to start a review? This place has been on our list…read morefor a long time and we finally had a Saturday afternoon with no place to go. Very non-descript building from the outside but wow oh wow, is it decorated on the inside! Racing mementos everywhere! The menu had so many options, but the waiter Don steered us in the right direction. He made lots of menu suggestions plus was on top of things the whole time we were there. We shared an order of wings, a breaded, pork tenderloin, and a Smashburger. All of them were absolutely delicious. Looking forward to trying some more menu items.

Darts

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Lots of locals sitting around the bar

Duke's Indy

4.4(91 reviews)

1.4 mi

Hear me out. I am not a honky tonk kind of girl, but when I saw their music bingo event, I had to…read morego. This bar is one that should be talked about more. While the space is small, the energy inside is huge. I recommend taking a group of people and splitting the whole chicken dinner. It fed 3 of us plus leftovers. Their fry platter is also top tier. Im still thinking about the sauces that come with it. Show up for the vibes, return for the roasted brussel sprouts

It's not often that I find myself on this side of town these days, however, I arrived at Duke's…read moreIndy to participate in a fundraising event. It gave me an opportunity to check out a venue I'd always wanted to check out. Duke's is a honky-tonk (think Waylon not Wallen), an intimate yet wonderfully decorated bar located in what was formerly known as Ice House Bar. Duke's has live music nearly every night - if it's not actually music, it's some other type of event. The venue is relatively small with about a max of 60 in the main room and a side space that could probably fit 20-25 more. The main room has mostly 4-top tables with a bar area available. The side space seems to be mostly high-top tables. Duke's has a lunch and dinner menu. While it may seem weird for a honky-tonk, Duke's actually has a rather extensive vegan menu. They are well known for their fried chicken, however, the menu actually has a variety of bar food ranging from burgers to tenderloin to appetizers to a bunch of other items. The vegan menu is also surprisingly extensive. Duke's has a full bar. I was pleased that they do have unsweetened iced tea. I ordered the chicken - which came with a chicken breast and a wing. It was nicely seasoned and quite delicious. In terms of accessibility (which was relevant since I'm a wheelchair user and one of the acts was using a motorized chair), Duke's has made some definite efforts toward accessibility (this is an older building with limits). There's a ramp offering accessibility in the back (and there is parking in the back). This is a very working class/industrial area, but everything felt safe to me and I had no issues. The ramp has a side rail you can hold on to if needed. I was able to use the ramp without much difficulty. The dining area is easily accessible other than the side area with high-tops (it's accessible, but the tables are higher). It looked like they had 3-4 bathrooms with all being single user. The first one I tried wasn't wheelchair friendly, however, the second one worked quite nicely and did have bars. Duke's had brought in a ramp - an impressive gesture. They stated it was something they'd been wanting to do and today offered the opportunity. It wasn't perfect, however, when you're disabled you get so used to lack of access that when someone genuinely tries you tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. I sure did. Employees were super friendly throughout the event and I got the opportunity to meet the owner for the event (which was comedy). Overall, this was an excellent experience. They have their concert schedule on their website along with their menu. This is a lovely little honky-tonk and I really enjoyed my time here. I almost stayed for tonight's concert (I actually knew her music), however, after being there all afternoon I was tired. That said, I'll no doubt return.

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AJ's Lounge

4.2(30 reviews)

1.0 mi•Downtown

AJ's Isa great spot for R&B music, live or a DJ. Their…read morefried catfish filets are delicious. Cocktails are righteous! Nice size floor if you want to dance. Friendly, great place to connect.

My friends and I had good, lowkey vibes here for drinks. Moscow mule was strong but pricey for $16.read more

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Workingman's Friend

4.3(441 reviews)

1.6 mi

Easy five stars. We got the double cheeseburger, pork tenderloin sandwich, onion rings, and a…read morechalice of beer, and everything was delicious. Exactly the kind of good, greasy meal you're hoping for, and at prices that are hard to beat. Great service and a fun bar atmosphere made it even better. It's a lunch spot so check the hours before heading over, and bring cash because they are strictly CASH ONLY. Absolutely worth planning around.

We arrived at 11:12, shortly after the restaurant opened at 11, and noticed it was already starting…read moreto fill up quickly. By 11:25, it was about halfway full, and by the time we left at 11:45, it was quite busy. The place has a retro vibe, and while the food was enjoyable, it didn't quite reach great. However, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere certainly added to the experience. Lol We spent over $36 on my hot ham sandwich upgraded to French fries, his double cheese smash burger upgrade, onion rings, a Coke, and an iced tea. While it was reasonably priced, I wouldn't categorize it as cheap. Overall, I think it's worth trying at least once, as it offers a unique dining experience, but I do not feel compelled to return. It was an enjoyable outing, but not one that I am eager to repeat.

March 2026 prices.

Onion Rings, Double Smash.

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Bar area

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Charles F.

11 years ago

I love this place. Forget the "Downtown experience". This is the real thing. Try the stew. I am a picky eater, and I hate the bland, suburban, "white bread" establishments. This is a genuine, old fashioned, working- class eatery. If you cannot appreciate that, go park your behind at Red Lobster, or Applebees. Serves you right. If Archie Bunker, and Fred Sanford, had lived in Indianapolis, they both would have been eating here. read more

Brett E.

4 years ago

I don't have anything good to say about this place. I walked in with my kids and witnessed a homeless guy passed out at the bar and would yell and do weird stuff. We tried the chili but wasn't a fan. We didn't stay long since my kids were scared of the man shouting stuff. read more

Patricia N.

113

202

1 year ago

You have to eat here at least once. I need to go back sometime. It has been years since I have been and this place has been there for many years. read more

Alicia M.

7 years ago

Love the food and service. Great place to go for lunch. Made fresh everyday. This is one of those small unknown gems you seek out.

k t.

15 years ago

Mediocre hot and mild stew which they mix together to make medium. The tenderloin is decent and the place is a trip back to 1978.

Gene U.

170

7 years ago

The star stew is good, pork tenderloin not so much, but its large. But the stew is good.

Sarah R.

4 years ago

Best Tenderloins!!!! Staff was great!!!

Thomas W. H.

21 years ago

Great little bar/restaurant downtown.

Peter P.

Elite 26

257

2381

5685

17 years ago

What a dive... Oh, but what stew!!!! read more

John's Famous Stew - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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The food was definitely worth it. The waitresses left a little to be desired. They had attitudes…read moreand their attire was not appropriate for the family friendliness advertised. The male server was most helpful.

1 st Visit. Was greeted and seated in a comfortable seat. Tables were clean and well stocked. Wife…read morehad the Tenderloin and Tots with sweet tea. I had 10 Inch pizza with everything. Both meals were well cooked, fresh, Hot and Tasty. I had a tall Coors Light draft which was cold. Very pleased by the customer service. Owner stopped by checked on us. I believe he has a great thing going. Several folks stopped by after work for drinks. Seemed like the place to be. Look forward to my next visit.

The Prewitt

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What a fun, character-rich place! Located in a renovated historic movie theater, tons of ambiance…read moreplus frequent live entertainment. The rooftop is a hidden gem, lovely if it's not too hot to sit outside. I was with a group and we got to sample a number of menu items. The shrimp cocktail with little pops of mustard seed was great, as were the short rib egg rolls. Also enjoyed the sirloin with chimichurri and the sesame-crusted seared tuna. Do not miss the "Sticky Foot" dessert - a slab of DELICIOUS date bread pudding with caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream and popcorn on top. YUM. If you're a cocktail fan, I loved the butterscotch/root beer old fashioned. Order it smoked if you're fancy.

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My husband wanted to plan a date night and chose Eddy's for a few reasons -- the outdoor seating…read moreand live music sounded like a great way to spend the evening. The musician was decent, although there weren't many people sitting outside. The staff was very friendly, service was okay, and the overall atmosphere was extremely casual. We each ordered a drink and decided to share the crab cakes as an appetizer. Unfortunately, the crab cakes seemed undercooked and had quite a bit more filler than crab. I understand that crab cakes can vary from restaurant to restaurant, but the undercooked texture was unexpected. We ended up asking for our check and leaving. Our server never asked how the food was, even though it was pretty obvious we hadn't eaten the crab cakes, which was disappointing. We enjoyed Eddy's because of the outdoor seating and live music which is right up our alley, but unfortunately the crab cake experience was a huge disappointment and we won't be back for dinning.

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