I had heard really good things so when my co-workers suggested it, I was happy to try it. We were not disappointed. The atmosphere is fine and the service is good but the food is the draw. One of us had a salad with grilled chicken on it and it looked fine but salad doesn't warrant further mention. Another had a tenderloin with stew on top and he said it was excellent. Another had the Turkey Manhattan and he raved about it. I had the Beef Manhattan and it was great. We also had the combo appetizer platter that we enjoyed as well. This is just good homemade cooking and is highly recommended. read more

John's Famous Stew - Beef Manhattan - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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The restaurant is deep in the industrial zone just west of downtown Indy and therefore a bit difficult to get to. I recommend using a navigation app unless you're already familiar with the area. The restaurant is justly famous for it's support of the blue collar workers throughout the decades. It's a basic, no frills inexpensive eatery where the draw is the food and the staff. That said, it's DEFINITELY worth the drive if you enjoy typical hoosier fare. It has all the standards including the ridiculously huge pork tenderloins the state is famous for. It also has it's named stew. I've had that and the beef manhattan and thoroughly enjoyed both. The bowl of stew is generous and has a rich beefy gravy surrounding cooked down chunks of onion, celery, green peppers, carrot slices and the like along with chunks of potato and generously large chunks of stew beef. Spices include cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper. The spice level of the medium heat (provided by the cayenne) is very similar to a typical hoosier chilli. It gives a bit of a bite but nothing much to anyone who enjoys spicy tex-mex, thai or indian foods. For spice lovers, I recommend going for the hot version. The stew is actually quite good and I'll be back for more. It's a generous enough portion that I was full after eating that and the bread that it came with. I'm not a small guy either. The decor is basic but very clean. You go here for the food and the company. The staff and chef are all very friendly and welcoming. You're made to feel at home and appreciated. I was taken care of very well without feeling crowded or rushed. I've not tried the appetizers yet but probably will. I'll be back now and then. read more

The food was excellent like it used to be!! The stew flavor was really good but the temperature was a little tepid. Chef Frank came out to check on us and he explained they were working on their steamers and electricity and he offered to heat up our plates! Just what it needed! They need their beer license back though! lol We will be back! read more

Best stew since Grandma made it I like the extra veggies but don't get the hot it'll burn your bunghole

I must have driven by John's Famous Stew a zillion times before I ate there. A coworker recommended it for lunch and I commented that I'd always wanted to try it, and she said we must. And so we did. She was an expert JFS customer so I let her lead the way. . . Wow. First and foremost this is a great dive bar. It's small, crowded and while not dark and smoky like the old days, still a great feel for lunchtime crowd. And it IS crowded. You may have to wait to find a table - and most of those tables are covered with bowls of stew and their delicious bread. I ordered the basic stew with extra meet (that's a ripoff, by the way, considerably more and I could barely tell the difference) - you can adjust the level of spicy and I went with the hot. It was fantastic. Warm, hearty, filled me up and the taste was amazing. This is fork-worthy stew. Remember Dinty Moore in a can? Like that only it tastes good. The service was great, friendly and attentive. They get your food out quick (probably to make room for the long line) and if you don't like stew, there are plenty of other options. But don't go into a stew joint the first time and order something else, that's just not cool! read more

Good food, huge servings, great service! I would definitely recommend this restaurant and plan to return!

Really good tavern fare. The hot stew is spicy (and I like spicy) so if you are questioning heat level I would start with medium. Don't expect to be pampered and you will do just fine here. Lots of "Huns" and "Sweeties" thrown my direction from the waitress when ordering, refills, etc. Old school friendly. The bowl of stew (without the extra potatoes, vegetables, etc.) was incredibly filling. 21 and older. read more

John's Famous Stew - Hot stew and bread. Yum. - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Black Sabbath blaring over the speakers thanks to the dude who threw his quarters in to the jukebox. Bad, bad decision. Hands over ears. Stew and angry music? GAHHHHHHH. It wasn't the bad music that turned me off, it was the not so fly service. I get it, some places pride themselves on their lack of "frills". I grew up in a small town filled with establishments that specialized in a lack of frills but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice smiles and a simple menu recommendation. As for the stew, the meat was delicious. I ordered the goulash version which comes with "garden fresh vegetables" and "butter beans". Note that the veggies are frozen vegetable medley and leave much to be desired. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the big chunks of carrots and potatoes that come with the base stew. If you can handle a little kick, go for the medium spice level. Perfect for cleaning out the sinuses. Lastly, this place is like walking into 1981. Charm central. Neon beer signs and weird celebrity images galore. read more

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So glad you're back! Stopped in the other day after hearing it had reopened. Same place, different folks, same food. Thank you!

I just went to John's Famous Stew today ! To say their stew is unmatched is truly a understatement !! But, what I noticed in their Great stew was something I've seen eveytime I ordered it. For some reason they just jump ou at me ! Magnificent big bold extremely tasty Carrots slices Oh My Gosh thy are essential to the look and marvelous taste of John's Famous Stew !!!! Do yourself a huge favor, especially if you've never tried their stew get down to the Kentucky street location sooner than later you will be absolutely amazed how marvel it is, and wished you hadn't spent all these years missing this fantastic marvelous flavorful Stew If you haven't been there, you have missed out on an over (100 year tradition) and that only happens because you're really really good ! read more

Amazing food would recommend to anyone who like spicy stew. They have different spice levels depending on what you can handle.

Best stew I've ever tasted and the breaded pork tenderloin was magnormous and delicious. Topped off our meal with triple layer carrot cake and fresh baked blackberry cobbler with ice cream! read more

I can't get enough of this hearty stew. It has a deep and complex flavor with huge chunks of meat, potatoes, carrots, and onions, and it's served with a couple pieces of white bread to sop up all of the goodness. The broth is slightly tangy and can be mild, medium, or hot. This is this enough to eat with a fork. You have to expect to spend some time here, as they are always packed, and for good reason. It's also an amazing value, and there's enough for two meals. The atmosphere is divey, but quaint, and the noise levels are uncomfortably high, but you won't care about talking when your stuffing your face with deliciousness. It's truly no frills, and it's sort of refreshing to find an unassuming gem like this right by downtown. They have other items on the menu, like a Hoosier pork tenderloin, and I intend to one day try them if I ever get burned out on the stew. read more

John's Famous Stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Amazingly good stew. I had the hot and it was the perfect amount of heat. My wife had the mild and it was still a little too spicy for her. For reference she likes her chicken wings naked because mild is too hot for her. Our friends had the medium and a tenderloin sandwich and they both loved their meal. Very good stuff. read more

While the business is open for 4 more hours upon arrival the buisness said they could not serve anything because they were out of everything. While I understand that they may have run out of stew I genuinely don't understand why we couldnt get anything. i drove out of my way to get this because it was recommended and I feel like the service could have been better. I wish I could have tried it because it was recommend however I will not be back because of the device I receive. read more

Wow has this place changed to the WORSE since it reopened, ordered 2 beef stews to go, got home started eating one of them and unfortunately ZERO meat, so that got me wondering about the second bowl I ordered, again ZERO meat, how caJohn 's Famous Stewn they call this beef stew when there's no BEEF? So I called and told them my situation and was told that's the "Luck of the draw!" Really? I paid $30 bucks for a few chopped up carrots and potatoes. Never again! They got the last bit of money from me. And I will spread the word! Terrible business! read more

John's Famous Stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

This morning. My best friend and I got there at 1030. The website said they were open at 1030a. I wanted to be sure so entered into a lit restaurant and they confirmed they were open. We could smell stew cooking. I asked for the bathroom and went in and washed my hands. !!!When I came out the men in the restaurant -- they had turned off the dining room lights and told me they had no electricity in the kitchen; which was well lit up and they were cooking back there. Told me they had no food. I was like where are all the waitresses and they said we sent them home no electricity. I could tell they were lying to me!! !!!Then I asked if I could order carry out right now and they said yes. So I was like ok I'll get some carry out because that makes no sense. So I said if I can order carry out I said can I sit at this table to eat. Then they said no we don't have anything. This was not only alarming and disturbing to me after driving 20m to a restaurant I came to a lot before they closed. In fact I just called days prior to ask if they had reopened because they told me that night days prior that they had reopened with the same staff the same food and recipes. Clearly this place is not the same place. They think they are better than their customers. To be sure this wasn't in my head. I called just now at 6p on the same day to inquire if they were open (without electrical issues) and the waitress who identified herself as Nicole told me she knew of no electrical issues. She then asked about (me) a man that came in for lunch - but she didn't really listen to my key identifiers when she asked them. Then when I said I was the first patron there at 1030a she then asked them again and then they hung up the phone on me. I called back and they picked up and slammed the phone on me. What kind of restaurant is this?!?!!!! You wasted my gas driving all the way over there told me you were open then turned me away because of what? I don't even know any of these people. Never seen any of them before in my life. None of the familiar female waitresses were there. I was only in their 1m, I went to the restroom to wash my hands and simply wanted some stew. I was the first patron of the day we were excited we could get in and out after eating. I was paying cash I had $120 in my jacket pocket and I was buying for me and my friend. In fact two of the older waitresses know me because I spoke to them all the time. When I ate there. This was the only place I liked to eat when my spouse was alive and after they died. I could no longer cook any food. So I came here after my spouse died of cancer and then the business closed for the pandemic then it never reopened. No one deserves being treated like this. This was one of the last places I took my spouse to eat as we only had 11 months together with cancer. This is why I still came here to eat. I hated that it closed. Glad it reopened. I hope the original owners see this. Vera is her name one of the original waitresses. That I used to talk to me and my spouse. I brought my brother here with me after the funeral and we all .. they just trashed warm memories. For what? Why do this to any customer for absolutely no reason? Since you don't think I deserve any answers.. I'll post my experience, here. Now, I don't want to know why you treated me and my best friend that way. Won't be back. read more

A group of us recently checked out the re-opened original location which has been serving stew and more to Indianapolis residents since 1911, I believe. Everyone but me ordered one of the many stew variations and all were complimentary. I tried a spoonful of the medium heat stew and found it quite flavorful and the stew meat was fall apart tender. Glad my friend offered me a sample. My tenderloin was nice and meaty...not pounded down paper thin and mostly breading (brought half home and enjoyed it next day) but I fell in love with the waffle fries. They were light and crispy with just the perfect level of crunch. Being too stuffed for dessert I brought home some dark cherry cobbler which was a big fail...there were positive reviews on their cobbler but based on my experience I will not be ordering it again. Not only did it not look appetizing the crust was chewy and at just over $4.50 it was overpriced. Maybe I just caught them on a bad cobbler day IDK. Be warned that they close at 6 p.m. during the summer except on Friday nights...we saw somewhere that they were open until 7 p.m. Thankfully our waiter was chill about the situation as he had closing duties to perform. And the service was super fast and friendly. If you get a chance stop by and try out this long time Indy business and show them some love. read more

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What once was a great place for lunch is long gone. The quality is definitely lacking and the prices are not worth it. Save your cash and look elsewhere for a lunch spot as this not worth it. read more

Great place for a quick and tasty lunch with co-workers. Great service with a smile and a peach cobbler that keeps you coming back for more. Oh and the stew...it's delicious! read more

John's Famous Stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Eh. Just because the tenderloin is big, doesn't make it special. I feel like the breading was a dip in milik and then cheap, unseasoned flour. Service was good. Doubt ill spend my money there again. read more

A little neighborhood bar/restaurant tucked into the area just southwest of downtown Indianapolis. The stew definitely lives up to the name. This place has been in business since 1911 and is still going strong! Good food served in large portions at a very reasonable price. This is the kind of place to go for a hearty meal that will stick to your ribs. They close at 8pm during the week, 4pm on Saturday, closed on Sunday. read more

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Haven't been there in forever and nothing has changed! Great food and the Tenderloin Supreme is serious good eats. There were 5 of us in our group and everyone was happy. HOWEVER...... our not so personable waitress needs an attitude adjustment. read more

John's Famous Stew - Tenderloin Supreme - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

This place is so old it's unique. It's got "fork and knife sandwiches" and they'll throw stew on top of everything. There's no outside influence to the menu. It's just American food, and that's rare in this day and age. Nothing about it is going to amaze you, but there's nothing on the menu over ten dollars. Dirt cheap and weird. If you live in Indianapolis, this place is old school. read more

Visited here for dinner a few days ago, it was my first time. 1st of all, the only way this food is "amazing" is if you regularly eat cat food from a can. The "Famous Stew" had maybe 3 very small pieces of meat, and was very bland except for the heat in the "medium" version. I'm not sure what all these rave reviews are about, the stew is maybe on par with a can of Dinty Moore, actually probably not even that. It wasn't good in any way, shape or form. I get it - the place has been around forever, and people naturally want to be part of some great tradition. Prepare to be under whelmed. 2nd- there were hundreds of fruit flies buzzing around us. They were landing in the food, flying in our faces, and other tables were bothered by them as well. 3rd- later that night , at 4:30am I was awoken by a terrible sound coming from my innards. It was a ghastly sound, and was born of some terrible evil that was about to conflagrate violently upon release. I gingerly made my way to the bathroom, and before I even made it there I was having a DEFCON 4 CODE BROWN. I was barely seated at which at that instant was a gigantic explosion that shook the plumbing . I was quickly engulfed in a hovering cloud of horrid putrification of that which I had not experienced since a trip to Mexico many years ago. There was one other violent release, and several loud aftershocks which startled our cat who ran for safety. While that took several minutes , I was able to recover . However, I required a shower for cleanup due to the enormous brown tidal backsplash from the huge release of gas and pressure from my lower colon. Upon looking into the bowl, everything in the bowl looked exactly like John's Stew; except splattered everywhere and the awful horrid odor that was now creeping toward my wife in our bed chambers. There was no saving her, eventually she was overcome by fumes and made a gagging sound and pulled the covers over her head. I turned on the overhead fan and cranked it up to 3 to try to move the thick cloud of brown stealthy death stench. Eventually , we were able to breathe again. On a good note, when I stepped on the scale later the next morning , I was 4 lbs lighter. I doubt we will be retuning to this great Indy Tradition. read more

After passing by this place (and hitting its portal on the mobile geolocation game Ingress) a number of times, I finally got around to stopping in for lunch. (I work at Eli Lilly Tech Center, just across the street.) I found a homey atmosphere, and a lot of good food. The waitress was quick to notice and seat me, and brought me my food right away. Since the place was named for its famous stew, that was just what I had. It was offered on the menu in three levels of hotness--mild, medium, and hot. I picked medium. In retrospect, I might go with mild next time; medium was almost too hot for me. (And apparently it was just made that way by sprinkling cayenne on it; the waitress told me to stir it before eating because all the heat was on top.) Apart from the standard bowl offering, the restaurant offers several other ways to have the stew, including served over potatoes. I thought that the $8 cost was a little pricey for a bowl of stew, but ordered it anyway...then I got a big bowl that was filled literally brim full of tasty stuff, and I had to change my mind. It came with a couple of thick slices of bread. Stew isn't typically one of those things you go to a restaurant for. To my knowledge, I've never ordered it at any restaurant other than this one. It's one of those traditional comfort foods you get at home, usually made by your mother. But this stew...well, I'm not going to say it was BETTER than homemade (because my Mom would kill me! :) but it was definitely in the same league (and light years beyond Dinty Moore canned stuff). It was loaded with carrots, potatoes, candy-bar-sized chunks of tender beef that yielded perfectly to the fork...wow. I ate every last bit of it, and used the bread to swipe up the last of the broth. For dessert, I ordered a bowl of blackberry cobbler with ice cream, feeling nostalgic for the blackberry pie my folks used to make from berries grown on the farm, and it was as good as the stew. The one sour note in the experience was that instead of butter, there was only Country Crock spread on the table to go with the bread. I guess it's possible they might have real butter on request; next time I go I'll ask and see. But then, I didn't really need butter on the bread anyway since I mainly just dipped it in the stew. It's a little pricey to eat there regularly, but given how close they are to work I expect I'll go there at least a few more times, and perhaps try some of their non-stew home-cooking lunch specials, such as their country-fried steak. In the end, if you like a good bowl of stew, this is definitely the place to get it! read more

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I thought I had reviewed this already, I must've been in a giant tenderloin and hearty stew haze because I have not until right now. Just thinking about the meal almost supplants the need for dinner. If it did, I'd need a pitcher of water because this food was super salty. Like crazy high in concentrated sodium. Oh, speaking of crazy uses of powdery white substances: just moments after we sit, at the one of two other tables at 3pm on a Saturday... a man gets water, said man takes salt shaker and shakes seven shakes of salt into his water, then said man and salt in water takes finger and stirs. Yep. Who the hell knows if this is a regular thing here... but I see it as a pretty solid descriptor of how JFS will miff you, so be on the look out. Other things that will miff you at JFS: *The service. Rude & Crude. *The tenderloin: lean & mean & bigger than your face. *The spicey hearty stew isn't as hot as they think it is. *The expired High Life. Why the 4 Stars? Well... I'm taking this place with a grain of salt. (Just not in my water.) I could sit in here all day. I could take on an ornery bad ass facade to give it right back to the workers and I could stare at the giant horse mural. I probably wouldn't eat much beyond a bowl of stew. Just the appearance of this place deserves 4 stars. They're a locally owned old school joint that rakes in so much cash and stands alone as a go to lunch spot for blue collar workers. I want to return out of complete spite. In the face of being so gruff, I'm gonna love on 'em 'til the bitter (salty) end. read more

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Definitely unique dive bar. Crowd is definitely older and blue-collar but don't let that sway you from the food. Their stew is the best in Indiana and have very fair prices. On a cold day this is perfect and they will even do take out orders. read more

Great little diner with good hearty food. Of course we had to have the stew. I had extra garden vegetables added to mine and could only eat about half. My husband had his over a huge tenderloin. Everything was very tasty. The sweetest part was our friendly server from eastern Tennessee. read more

John's Famous Stew - Famous stew - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Since 1911, but the service must have been better then. The stew is goodl, but I got it "hot" spicy and my waitress never came back to offer me a refill. When she finally came over, all I got was, "sorry buddy" read more

John's Famous Stew is an Indianapolis institution, unchanged for years because of how absolutely perfect it is. The interior is dark and feels like you walked into a local bar (fun fact: you did) and the tables are so close together that it's almost certain that you're going to have to struggle and shuffle your way to your table of choice. Once you get to your table, hold on to your butts because you're about to experience the greatest stew you've ever had. The famous beef stew comes in mild, medium, and hot and with a multitude of accompanying entrees and sides. I highly recommend the stew burger (a burger drowning in stew) or the tenderloin supreme (a 1lb tenderloin drowning in stew, you get the picture.) Eating at John's Famous Stew is always a very filling and satisfying experience and one that I recommend. read more

Well I guess I throw in my two cents about the stew here. I prefer the Hot Stew which is quite good. My favorite part is the cabbage. Everything about the stew here is good I just never find myself craving it. The reason this place get a 4 star to me is the tenderloin. I think it is probably the best in Indianapolis. I have had a lot of tenderloins where the meat is 10 inches round but this place serves it on a bun that is in proportion. Other than the size it is juicy on the inside while retaining that crispy fried goodness on the exterior and all of the toppings are fresh. Hands down just a good sandwich. I have only been here a couple of times and will probably update this review when I have tried a few other things on the menu. Of these few visits I have had mixed feeling about the service. It just depends which waitress you get I suppose. Anyway if you're in the mood for a tenderloin sandwich this is a must try. read more

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Well I was in Indy near the Speedway area on business, read about local business and ran across John's. Wow, a place specializing in stew...very interesting. I read reviews by other yelpers and headed in. I had a couple of issues that keep me from giving it more stars. I had the Tenderloin Supreme, the hot version. First the good stuff: The majority of yelpers are dead on about the pork tenderloin. It was a good size, nicely breaded and very tasty. The beef and veggies were also excellent and my meal was served fairly quickly. Now the bad: My own bad move really for ordering the hot sauce. I don't know why I thought that I would enjoy a hot, hot stew. In my opinion the stew should be sweet. Hot sauces can vary day to day, and this day was a fiery one. I can handle the heat usually and indeed had no trouble polishing off this large filling meal. I just felt that the heat factor took the basic flavors out of the stew.The bread helped me somewhat, but it was a bad bread day too - a bit stale. There was only one other table of four sitting in the restaurant and while I waited and waited for more water and my check, the waitress stood at their table and bs'd with them. They were obviously regulars and/or friends of hers. Eventually she came to me ( I used a lot of body language to get her ), and she was sweet and nice and brought my check and the water I requested. Now I feel certain if I returned i would get the mild sauce, maybe even order it to go, and I'll be willing to bet I'd give it four or even five stars, but this day, it wasn't right so I have to judge it as it was. read more

Goulash in an old near westside standard. Friendly staff and clean interior. Order the hot and it will properly light you up. It may not be as good as the goulash that your baba made, but it's pretty damn good and definitely hotter. If they've been open for over 100 years (since 1911) you know they're doing something right. The proof is when you find yourself saving that last hunk of bread to wipe your bowl clean. read more

Awesome food and service! Always my go to for a great lunch! Make sure you are hungry!

We waited over 20 minutes for server. This was at 1230 (lunch rush) but there were only 6-8 other patrons. We had visited John's several times pre pandemic and prior to new ownership and enjoyed the food and experience. Unfortunately the stew was nothing like we remembered it and the bread seemed generic and stale. We also used to enjoy a cold beer with the hot stew and found out after ordering that they don't serve beer. Probably won't return. read more

Definitely if in Indianapolis stop here!!!! Had the Stew. I mean duhhh it's in the name haha. Staff had awesome customer service: informative and very friendly. Suggested to try the mixed stew!! If you like flavor but not trying to be a daredevil it is a must!!! The stew was very flavorful, fresh veggies including cabbage . I was delighted by it and recommend to anyone!!! Can't get that quality of stew just anywhere!! read more

Man, the last two Fridays I found some epic places to eat. Once again with temps in the 20's and blustery winds, I thought it would be the perfect day for a hot bowl of beef stew. So, I drove downtown to this place. I almost passed it. It's hard to see the signage on the building. It definitely has an old pub vibe. I got there at around 11:20 and the place was packed. I just sat at the bar. It was busy, but I was helped right away. Ordered the Mild Beef Stew and a Yuengling Black & Tan. I didn't have to wait long. The stew was probably the best I've ever had. It was flavorful and hearty. The meat and veggies were tender and there was plenty. And the beer paired well with it. And I could not pass up blackberry cobbler for dessert, and it was wonderful. Definitely a perfect lunch. The staff was very good and friendly, and for as old as it is, it's very clean and well kept. And the entire lunch was less than $15. I'll definitely be a frequent patron here. HIGHLY recommended! read more

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I love this place! I am sad it took me a few years of living in Indy to hear about this somewhat hidden gem. The restaurant is close to downtown, but if you didn't know it was there, you might accidentally drive by without noticing. Do not make that mistake! I have been twice for lunch as of this review and I can't wait to go back. The stew has various spice levels. I ordered mild the first time, but medium the second. I love spicy foods so the medium is my favorite so far. I love how the flavors come together in the stew, and how the vegetables are large and flavorful. I have ordered the stew over the mashed potatoes both times, and my word...AMAZING! read more

Went here for lunch today, it took over 45 minutes to get 1 hamburger and fries, and 1 bowl of Johns Famous Stew. The food here is excellent, but I think it is time to hire some new cooks, there is no reason it took that long to cook a hamburger. Our waitress apoligized numerous time for the delay, we told her it wasnt her fault. read more