My son's scout troop had a GroupRaise fundraiser night at the Speedway MCL, so we stopped in for the first time in several years for food and company. We were impressed by the portion sizes for the price, quality of the food, and friendliness of the staff. We dined on a Wednesday night so it wasn't very busy, they were definitely set up to accommodate parties of any size. For your meal, you can select mains and sides ala carte, or they have some good meal deals, like a nightly blue plate special, or a kids' meal which is only $5.99 at the time of this review (about the same as a Happy Meal!). It looked like they had several additional menu items on the line that weren't listed on the website, too, like salmon and beef and noodles. I tend to have a smaller appetite so I tried a salad which was fresh and too big for me to finish. My only negative is that they were playing a nice selection of eighties music, which made me realize, oh no, I am old, and officially part of the cafeteria crowd. Regardless, we'll be back! read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Speedway themed dining room - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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MCL, Speedway,, Sad their closing.. True getting costly, After latest trips there, behind the counter was one, Wow, He made sure One got order right, not sloppy .......... Thanks to him, went back 2nd day. Thank you Vincent.... read more

Visiting my hometown and in search of nostalgia, I wanted lunch at MCL. It did not disappoint. The fried chicken still holds first place for me, and the pecan pie was delicious. Super friendly service and very clean restaurant. read more

Per menu item, shrimp & french fries... Said, NO french fries/ No substitute offered, At casher, charged full price............. Horrid!! 10/18/2024.. read more

listen. you know what mcl is like, so there's not much feedback needed. vegetarians are out of luck but the deviled eggs are surprisingly good so it cancels out, you're surrounded by either cute old people or cute little kids, and a sense of nostalgia is served with every meal read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Deviled Eggs Corn Mashed Potatoes - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Went to our "go to" restaurant today. I seems to have gone down hill since the last time we were there. They had stuffed chicken breasts on the menu. Unfortunately none were ready. It would be 18 minutes if wait time I then asked for a chicken breast. Sorry those were also still cooking I ended up getting a vegetable plate. Thank goodness the other people in my group were able to get what they wanted. Not real happy with MCL tonight read more

This was the 2nd time during covid I have been to MCL, same location. The first time I was a little disappointed in my selections and didn't like the food. This time I went my HOA board was having a meeting and this was the location chosen. The 1st time the place was dark and crabby and the food didn't look very appealing, and of course wasn't anyone inside. When I went this time the place was bright and looked better, the food looked fresh and more appealing. I had the fried catfish, red skinned potatoes,mac/cheese that was not really the veggies I wanted but the choices are slim, I wished they hada bigger selection of veggies. I asked if maybe the salads could be a side and they said no. I remember now why I didn't go as often because of the price. The selection i made was a special fkr $9.99 but as a family is it not affordable. However my fish was tasty and I enjoyed it, my roll was delicious as well. read more

I highly recommend the chicken pot pie when it's on the menu. When we stopped in to eat last, the restaurant was very clean. They were a little short staffed, but everyone working was friendly. read more

I have not been to this location in ages. Not sure when the updated the decor on the walls but it looks great in here. Yes the crowd is older but you get that w every single cafeteria. I have to say the older lady cutting the meat was not very pleasant but the rest of the staff was. I love the mashed potatoes and green beans. It has been my go to since I was a kid. I went w the stuffed chicken but I thought the chicken was touch so just ate the stuffing. My star tonight was that cherry cobbler! Delicious. I loved the lady waiting in our table. She was spot on w refills and taking dishes. Super nice. I hope people remember to tip them. read more

Excelent , wow and extraordinary service. I always usually enter the restaurant with my kids and every time I enter, this place surprises me in a good way. I can't believe today they remembered me and my kids. They remembered exactly what me and my kids order every time we come here. Regina was very special every time she served me and she always knows what we want. Speedway MCL Restaurant and Bakery read more

Whenever I feel like being the youngest person in the room by 20+ years, I head to MCL. But white hair isn't the only thing I can count on at the cafeteria chain, delicious Harvard beets, stewed tomatoes and buttery mashed potatoes and gravy are always in attendance as well. I always seem to favor vegetables that are no longer healthy due to ingredient additions like a pound of butter and cup of sugar. Despite it's cafeteria status, the food remains fresh and flavorful. You can easily have plenty to eat within the $8 - $12 price range. However, if you feel like kicking it up a notch, there is always a stash of indulgent desserts just waiting to land a spot on your ass. My pick goes to the coconut cream pie with an estimated four inches of meringue. read more

Awful food and awfully expensive will never go back!! Highly disappointed and dissatisfied!

Mike this is tallngirl.i never had to make a bad review but the female on cashregester was mean I'm thall girl and a curb side she was mean twice and hung up one me and I wasn't even being rude. She even said she was the manager then hung up on me. Not coming there anymore if those kids are mean read more

MCL creates home-style comfort food. It's good. The reason for my low rating is cost. This place is extremely expensive. A single chicken breast is $4.49 A small drink is $2.55. By the time you add a side or two, it's difficult to get out of the restaurant for under $15. And then there is a customary tip for wait staff. The latter may not be required but I usually leave one. The wait staff, although usually nice, doesn't do much for me personally....I am obtaining my own food and taking it to a table. In the end, I'm not sure there is a good value here. read more

MCL has the reputation of mainly senior citizen patrons. Yes, and it's true, it is a favorite of many a senior. Lots of Sunday family dinners happen here as well. The interior is comfortable with tables of different sizes with booths and can accomadate small to large groups. Several seniors were playing cards after lunch at a couple different tables while I was visiting for a business meeting. Lots of laughter and good conversations going on. The food is served cafeteria style. I ask they scoop from the bottom so the food is hot. Most of the food is old fashioned comfort food with hand carved roast beef, beef manhattans, fish, meatloaf, spaghetti, lots of veggies with mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, broccoli, pickled beets, fresh tossed or Cobb salads, fresh fruit, soups and homemade desserts. Friday night all you can eat fish is a very popular night. The line can get lengthy but it ususally moves quickly. If you have any kind of issue carrying your tray an employee is right there to assist. So helpful! Once you're in the dining area a server attends to your drink refills, extra napkins, removing dirty dishes, etc. Our server was excellent and very attentive with extra napkins, refilling our beverages and carryout containers. There is a carryout side where you can call ahead and pick up or just want in and order. We do this often for Strawberry Pie or another dessert I'm craving. The only thing I try to avoid are the days the Retirement Centers stop in for lunch. Sometimes it can be 25 or 50 people depending on the number of buses but their usually through the line in 15 - 20 minutes. I enjoy the comfort food which is priced ala carte. It can add up quite quickly so keep a running sub-total as you're going or you'll be shocked at the register. So whether you dine in or run through the carryout stop by when comfort food, or dessert, sounds good. read more

Everyone should eat here! Amazing food for great prices. Seriously, this is a place that the locals have loved for years. Don't be put off by the older crowd that frequents it, as the food is awesome enough to swallow your pride. read more

Prior to this visit I haven't been to MCL in over five years when my grandmother chose to eat there for Mother's Day. That was a bad experience so I was in no rush to return. That location has since closed so maybe there's a connection. A coworker talked me into going for a late lunch and I was pleasantly surprised. I tried the fried chicken and broccoli casserole. Both were pretty good. I also got a Cobb salad that was overflowing in it's bowl making it hard to eat without making a mess. I chose a slice of pecan pie for dessert. Their desserts never disappoint. This location was clean, dining area was large, and the staff was friendly. By the interactions with some customers, I can tell some are regular visitors. The restaurant does give a homey feel despite being a cafeteria. This visit left a much better taste in my mouth than my last...literally,lol. read more

Good food, generous portions, friendly staff. A special thanks to their staff for working very hard to help us find a lost phone. They could not have been more helpful. (Turns out the phone was in a handbag with the ringer off, and the Verizon locator mistakenly showed it at the restaurant. :() Bless them. read more

Been coming here my whole life. I was dragged as a kid. My mom was dragged as a kid by her dad. I'll drag my future kids. It's a family tradition. We keep on coming after we're adults, so that speaks well for it. One day when I was 18 or 19 and my parents were on vacation, my younger sister and I were deciding where to eat and we ended up looking at each other and saying, "Hell... let's go to MCL." At that moment, we knew we'd crossed a threshold. We'd chosen to go to MCL by ourselves. And for good reason! Home-cooked-style food and delicious desserts. Friendly staff. The feeling that no matter what else changes in life, at least MCL will be mostly the same. read more

go before the Sunday School crowd arrives food is always fresh usually a Don of Don's Guns siting @ McLs a funny story happened here to a friend of mine, his dad was going into surgery & wanted to make sure his son was saved if anything happened in surgery Dad said i want you to believe in Je$u$ christ, friend said to his hearing impaired Dad, "i don't believe in jesus, his dad said "What" just then there was a silence as he SCREAMED "I DON'T BELIEVE IN jE$U$ CHRIST" we laugh about this story to much!!! i'm kinda Hungry for McL Cafeteria suddenly read more

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Came here with family for a birthday party. After I heard we were going to a cafeteria I was a little disappointed, especially after driving past the critically acclaimed Tacos 46 and such exotic ethnic foods as Yemeni on the way to it. However, trying to be optimistic, I hoped that I would find a nostalgic home-cooked-tasting American meal. Sadly, I didn't. The pros: - There was plenty of space for our decently large party. - The service was decent. - The lima beans were really good. - Free dessert for my little cousin (whose birthday it was) (Unfortunately those were the only pros) - There were a few issues in the line process (they were out of something that they said they had on the board, for example, creating confusion) - The rest of the food besides the lima beans...instant mashed potatoes (OK at a school cafeteria maybe..I expected more), tilapia was really dry and extremely bland, my mom's twice-baked potato was dry and hard and they gave her enough salad dressing for 7 salads - The price! I figured it would at least be cheap but for what my mom and I got it was not worth it. I figured this place would have some good old fashioned American food charm but unfortunately it was what it was...a cafeteria. read more

This restaurant is a lifesaver for single me who doesn't love to cook, but every now and then craves a "home cooked" meal. The best deal is the blue plate special (entree, 2 sides & bread for $8.95). The entree changes daily - so check ahead for that! They offer Carryout or normal cafeteria style (which gets pricey fast so be careful!). read more

MCL Restaurant & Bakery - Blue Plate Special entree menu! - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I'm not way old. I'm not one who loves cafeterias. This restaurant isn't close to my house. With that said, I still LOVE MCL! The food at this place rocks. There is always variety, it is fresh and high quality, nothing ever tastes like it came out of a box or a bag. When I was a child, people still cooked and the food here tastes like somebody's grandma made it (and made it right.) The desserts are always excellent, never frozen or box mix stuff. Places like this are just about extinct. I hope enough younger people will have the opportunity to come here, maybe with older relatives, and get to experience what real food tastes like. P.S. The iced tea is the best in the whole wide world! read more

I usually enjoy my visits at other locations. Trip here was not ordinary for me. Ok 1st sign I was destined for a bad experience I walk in stepping around buckets catching water falling from the ceiling. I ordered the salmon waited 10min to be told it won't be ready for a hr..... fine, no big deal I asked for a refund because nothing else seemed appetizing. I was told the manager had to do it since I paid with a card. The manager comes up and says sorry sir not sure why you were told the wait will be that long the salmon will be done in 10min..... ok, cool I been waiting this long now(20min) but I told him I have somewhere to be if it's going to be any longer I will pass he says no worries and like he promised had my salmon in the time he said. I'm carrying the food to the car and it felt cooler than room temp so I looked inside and find literally a seasoned raw piece of salmon not cool. I go inside ask the manager how could you not tell this is raw fish u packaged my food he says we check the temp it has to be done I open the filet and it's ice. So now the manager apologizes several times and say I will get to the bottom of this and after spending almost a hour there that I was originally told the wait for the salmon would be I just got a refund and I'm back to square one looking for lunch lol. Needless to say I won't be back to that location. Staff seemed very unorganized and under trained read more

Food is good. Decent portion. Variety of choices. Clean seating area. I feel sometimes it's pricey but it's worth it

I have been coming here forever. The food is always good home cooking. The staff are long timers which says something about the business.

Lots of choices for a fairly decent price. Excellent, polite, friendly service from all the staff. Servers, cashier and table bussers treated all the "old people" with patience. 2 of the people in our party were happy to discover that Liver and Onions were on the menu and they both declared 2 thumbs up for the flavor, tenderness and portion size. A very clean, well kept store read more

My favorite restaurant of all. Everything is perfect, if you went there I would recommend the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. Or the turkey man hat ton. Aside from the food service is great and everyone is so friendly. In conclusion it is a little pricey but trust me it's worth it. read more

I just have to give a shout out to MCL for feeding our race team this week at Indy. There's nothing better than homemade cooking while at the race track! They were super helpful getting the food into the track for us, which is not easy. We had excellent-full service meals from them both days. If you need catering, I recommend them! Thanks to the gang at MCL from Skullcandy Team Nissan! read more

Never disappointed! I've been coming here with my grandparents for as long as I can remember and they always have fresh food, friendly atmosphere, are clean, and well priced. The best place to eat for low-key outings. read more

This place is awesome! Great prices and the food is really good!

Every time I am in town visiting family, they always have to come here, my grandmother and uncle LOVE this place, but the food is just so so. I have always had very friendly service, although some of the workers are not always the most sanitary (ie: the worker handling money, then packing up and touching our pie with her bare hands without washing her hands). As I said, the food is so so, nothing special, and all of the sides taste like they are something that came straight out of the freezer and were just heated in the microwave. Their offerings do change and I have been there with some pretty decent daily offerings, but just yesterday I had a horrible chicken that was so dry and flavorless I ended up just throwing it out so while the side dishes are consistently mediocre, the main dishes are hit or miss. read more

One word...YUM!! The cafeteria style was a difficult concept at first. I was not certain what to do exactly. However the hospitality was overwhelming and the wonderful staff assisted us along the way. The food. Oh my oh my! I selected the chicken Parm and corn....SO GOOD!! Homemade deliciousness!! I definitely recommend it! After that I couldn't leave without trying their desserts! Talk about sweet!! The chocolate torte, recommended by our server Bernice, was a mouthful of unforgetable chocolatey richness!! I'll be back... read more

MCl Avon I have been going to MCL since the one opened in Speedway in the 60's. The new one in Avon is a far cry from Speedway. The FOOD IS GREAT but the counter service is horrible. Just a bunch of kids with little to no training. One young girl actually took green beans off my wife's plate. I was told I could not use a coupon (free dessert) for a cinnamon roll even though the roll was half the price of a piece of pie and pictured on the coupon. I will never go back until things change. Why go to a restaurant and be stressed out. Come on MCl hire some adults. RAJ read more

This is the best place in town to get a great meal, that really feels home made. Everything is so fresh and the employees were are so nice everytime I go there! I am actually craving some more fried chicken - it is full of flavor. Everything is delicious!!! read more

I live in Los Angeles, CA. When I come to Indianapolis MCL is one of my favorite place to eat. The food is not over seasoned and the service is great. read more

Today I went to MCL. While waiting in line, I told the worker behind the counter that I wanted some Macaroni and Cheese. She takes someone else's plate with meat on it, and slobs a big pile of Mac'n'cheese right on it. I told her that wasn't my meal, and she angrily replied that I shouldn't have order the meat then. She eventually gave me a bowl of what I wanted, so everything is good. MCL usually doesn't have mean spirited workers. My family and I enjoy eating here once a month. The workers are friendly. The meals include salads, chicken, beef, veggies, cakes, and pies. Everything seems to be homemade. The restaurant is a popular choice for elderly people. read more

Decent food but mommas boy works there and he lies about getting woman and the food was very expensive。

On 8/12/15 the food was barely warm; quality mediocre; not much flavor/bland. Lady behind counter was unfriendly and impatient. She would not answer any questions about the food. Rude. Gravy had a burnt taste. Catfish tasteless. Rolls cold and hard. First and last visit. read more

My boyfriend and i go here during lunch because it's like having a home cooked meal without all the work-- well; actually its better than a meal i'd home cook. ;) Prices are reasonable for the food you get- $25 for 2 of us with a meal each, a drink each, and sharing desert. I LOVE their ice tea. My only objection- all their salads have pork on them and i don't eat pork. read more