NICK'S ENGLISH HUT IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA IS NOSTALGIC ============================== I attended a parent's cocktail party about nine years ago when I visited IU during the student orientation for my son. I had fun, had a beer and collected a Nick's Hut glass jar/glass. Fast forward nine years and my son and daughter-in-law had their "Welcome Party" the evening before their wedding on Friday, June 19, 2026. This was after their wedding rehearsal and dinner elsewhere. We had a great time on the second floor that was totally reserved for our big group. They had more food, beer and other beverages as well. Kind of cool to attend events before my son started college and years later. read more

Nick's English Hut - Upstairs - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Management/ownership at the establishment is horrendous. My son turned 21 six months ago. Family had their welcome drinks for an event at this establishment. Bought out the Hoosier room. Wouldn't serve my son even though he had student ID, debit cards, credit cards and an address on his license that matches mine and my wife's (obviously). Still wouldn't do anything and said even if we called the cops to validate the ID he wouldn't accept it as valid. Need the "Real ID" to get on an airplane to get here. But this guy apparently knows something everyone else doesn't. Hmmmm. Crazy. read more

Nick's never disappoints, and when it's summer in Bloomington and the outdoor seating is available, we make it a point to visit more often. In this case, a couple of buddies and I met for dinner and drinks. It's a shame Kirkwood isn't closed to cars completely, as the space was limited and there were kids on motorcycles driving up and down the road. Other than that, another great experience. As usual I ordered the Stromboli with no pickles. Word to first timers, when they say pickles they mean a LOT of pickles and the juice will run into the bread. So if that's not your thing, tell them to put them on a separate plate far far away or simply skip them. The strom at Nick's is, without a doubt, the single best sandwich in Bloomington. I ordered a side of fried mushrooms with mine, which are admittedly overpriced but also delish. Friends ordered a breaded tenderloin with fries and a burger with onion rings. Both enjoyed their meals, but other than the onion rings those wouldn't be anywhere the top of my list for a Nick's visit. The rings are fantastic, but I just love the pizza, stroms, Italian beef and some other things before I'd go the more traditional tenderloin or burger route. The place is a landmark in Bloomington with great food, great service and is a great place to hang out, have a great meal and a few beers and enjoy the night. read more

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We were new to Bloomington and needed good food open late in downtown Bloomington! Nicks solved for that. This place is an IU/Indiana institution. As evidenced by the decor. It was a quiet spot on a weeknight since all the students are on break. Our server was great and had great recommendations. We went with the tenderloin & a Stromboli and shared the smaller side portion of fries. The fries & the garlic aioli were awesome. The smaller side of fries was just enough for the two of us to share. The tenderloin & Stromboli were great too. The lettuce and tomato on the tenderloin were so fresh that it stood out how fresh it was. This place has dive bar vibes but excellent food. we'll be back. read more

This place sucks! The food is tasteless and the service was abismal. We got fried mushrooms, mozz sticks, pepperoni pizza, stromboli, mushroom burger and Italian beef. Where do I start?! The mozz sticks came with sour salsa instead of marinara, the mushrooms were large and when we asked for extra sauce, we were charged $10 for it and it wasn't even ranch, it was some weird horseradish sauce. The waiter, max was not friendly even though we ordered a bunch and had kids. I am not sure college kids would appreciate paying $10 for extra sauce! The au jus with the italian beef was just oil and finally all the meat in the stromboli was on the plate and we literally received bread on the side. What a joke! We love frequenting college places but not when the stuff don't realize they are in the service industry! read more

This is an iconic Bloomington spot and definitely worth experiencing, especially if you're visiting. The food is okay, but I think most people come for the drinks and the atmosphere. It's a fun place to watch an IU game, with a lively crowd that makes game days even more enjoyable. read more

Must stop in and hang at Nick's before any IU event! Excellent interior with historic pictures, Stromboli is on point, and friendly staff makes this place a local gem! Pro Tip: 1st come 1st serve seating! Will be packed before a game read more

Nick's English Hut - Chicken fingers - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Nice atmosphere and great staff but the burger was small for how expensive it was and no side. It makes me less likely to go back for food if many items I can get somewhere else at a better price and for better quality. read more

Great atmosphere. Most of the food is good/solid, though there have been a few occasions at lunch where things were not up to par - but never bad. The big guy who is a manager can be abrupt and downright rude - totally unnecessary when nice people are just asking questions, like why is there no posted list of prices for the t-shirts/hats. Need some significant personality adjusting there.... read more

I visited Nicks with my oldest daughter. We shared a bacon burger (extra crispy bacon) and an order of sink the biz fries! The food was delicious. The service was pleasantly refreshing. But, the reason why I chose Nicks for lunch was for the experience. The atmosphere. To allow her a front row seat of IU and Kirkwood. For the culture and the history. We really enjoyed looking at all of the historical IU timepieces, signatures, and memorabilia displayed throughout the restaurant! It's a must if you've never been! Try the Strombolis, also a great choice! read more

With both of our kids at IU, we came to Bloomington for a visit. I thought a good empty-nest activity for my husband and I to start would to become eccentric day drinkers. So for lunch, we headed to our favorite place from when we were both at IU, Nick's. Eager to start our new hobby, I ordered a cosmopolitan and my husband ordered an old fashioned. We also ordered delicious appetizers (mozzarella sticks and mushrooms) and lunch (pizza and a grilled chicken sandwich) from our super friendly waiter. I was about 3/4 of the way through my cosmo and fell asleep. So my new middle-aged hobby ended just as soon as it started. Our waiter brought the check and we paid and tipped generously. The moral of this review: the food is good, the service is fast and friendly, and the drinks are strong. We'll be back again. And again and again. But next time I'm probably having a Diet Coke. read more

Nick's English Hut - Cosmo - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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HOO- HOO- HOOSIERS! There is literally no other place I'd rather be on a game day. If there was a place to go that captured the vibes of being at home (stadium/assembly hall) while being away, this is home. While the price point may be a bit higher than most places, it truly is worth the cost. Rotating soup of the day, kick-ass seasoned fries, and a burger cooked to absolute perfection at medium rare it's hard to beat. If you're truly dining on a budget I'd recommend going sometime between 11a-4pm when they offer their lunch plate special, you can get a quarter bbq strom, biz fries, and even a cup of soup for around the price of $15. Service here is unlike any you'll receive at your typical college bar with adamant servers and bartenders looking to help you at any given moment to solidify your experience at Nicks as one of the best. Culturally it is a phenomenon that cannot be beat! read more

Nick's English Hut - Indiana University wins the CFP National Championship against Miami 2026 - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Went back in the 70s during college days. Went back recently and it was the same, but still awesome! Don't change! I'll be back. ....

Waiter was super nice I have never met a kinder lad than that man. But it took what seemed an inconceivable amount of time for them to create a single chicken breast and put it on our table. I would not recommend the wait that comes with this place as it will leave you with disappointment and cobwebs in your pocket. The place looks nice at least. read more

What a fun place in a cool college town. Had breaded pork tenderloin and pizza, both of which were delicious. Very substantial fried mushrooms ‍ appetizer, a pitcher of beer and played "sink the Biz!" What a great time. read more

The fries are out of this world. Get a bowl. Trust me. You will eat them. We gif a grilled buffalo chicken sandwich and it was outstanding. We eat these many places but this one is the best in town! Server is a lady who is an elementary teacher and she is full of personality. You definitely want her!! She's outstanding. We have also had the wings. They are good but grey only have one temp and it's way too hot for me so tread lightly. read more

A favorite haunt since college. Stromboli with a side of their fried mushrooms is our go to order. Wash it down with a pound of tap beer in a pint mason jar. Always a busy and fun place to experience the college atmosphere. read more

Got to be honest, when I went into this place I thought no shot their food is going to be good based on just beers and booze everywhere which is what you get at a college dive bar so I wasn't surprised by the atmosphere. The food was pretty good! Mozzarella Sticks were fine, how can you do those wrong. Tenderloin was excellent for a college bar! I've lived in Indiana my whole life so I have had plenty of tenderloins, and this one was at least a 7/10. read more

Nick's English Hut - Mozzy Sticks - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Loved how they served popcorn. Chicken wasn't anything to rave about. Shirley temple was refreshing. Service could have been better but it was alright. Atmosphere was full of IU stuff as expected but I didn't like it as a Purdue fan. Overall 3 stars . read more

Nick's English Hut - Chicken Tenders - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I hadn't been here in years and was kind of nervous if it would still be the same. Glad to say it was! The biz fries and Stromboli's still hit!! I also loved the Guinness that they served, the alcohol selection was great Really a proper trip to Bloomington for me isn't complete without a nicks visit, read more

Nick's English Hut - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Since 1927 so I guess they're doing something right. This is the quintessential IU tavern. It's everything Harry's at Purdue wishes it was. read more

Nick's English Hut - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

This is a Bloomington, IN staple and a must visit spot if you're visiting. Great game day place with full menu and bar. My go to menu item is the Traditional Stromboli (half) and Sink the Biz Fries. Lively atmosphere and wonderful service. read more

Nick's English Hut - Traditional Stromboli with Fries and a High Noon. - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I get it.. Tradition is everything at Nick's. Unfortunately that's pretty much all it has going for it. Ambiance? Extremely cramped booths designed for Munchkins. Poorly lit. Not too clean. Service? Wasn't busy at all between lunch and dinner but it took forever for the server to show up with menus. Took even longer to come back to take our orders. Took even longer than that to get our food. Friendly though. Food? Ordered what we were hoping was the same Strombolis that we remembered from the 1980's. Arrived cold on what seemed like hard, five day old Hoagie rolls. The sausage was okay. But all in all it was a big letdown. Beer was cold though. It appears that Nick's these days is trading on nostalgia more than ambiance, service and food quality. If you just want a beer and get that Hoosiers feeling amidst the IU trappings hit the bar and pass on the food and dining room. read more

Gayle and I returned to Nick's for Lunch a few weeks ago, along with her oldest Son. Same as it ever was, plus I purchased on of their iconic bell jar beer glasses to take home. The duality of Nick's was more evident the next afternoon when I was walking near Campus and witnessed hoards of students with "Santa Crawl" t-shirts travelling from bar to bar (with their IDs ready for inspection). There was a huge line in front of Nick's stairway to their 2nd floor bar area and a lot of folks coming down. Meanwhile at the nearby door to the restaurant, I could have easily sat down for another delicious lunch in their far from full front dining area. read more

Service here is pretty good. Attentive staff. Place has been around forever and is a must stop. Only issue is food is average. That said I keep coming back and will continue read more

The atmosphere here was so fun! I can see the hype from the IU students. A great place to catch a game or people watch. read more

Nick's English Hut - a man sitting at the bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Loren, the manager put in the xtra effort make our dinner turn out great. The biz fries and Stromboli were perfect.

A gem of a bar. Nick's has a wide selection of bar favorites, and I don't think I've had a bad dish yet. The Sink the Biz fries are a must. Super fun atmosphere. There are certain times you'll want to avoid because of the crowds but definitely worth a visit. read more

Let's start with the positives. This is a Bloomington institution, no question. It has a ton of history, it's a great place to get a drink, and to catch an IU game if you couldn't get a ticket to go in person or if they're on the road. The staff is laid back, and the atmosphere is what you'd expect of a tavern as old as it is. I love it for all of those reasons. The food, however, leaves a lot to be desired, especially for the price. Having had their pizza, wings, burgers and fries, I've never been particularly impressed. That said, I know it's not usually the food that brings people in. If you're in Bloomington and wanting to watch a game and get a beer, this is as good a spot as you'll find. I'd just eat beforehand. read more

Working in the area, took the guys for lunch. Great service by the big guy! We got the fried mushrooms and they were awesome. Food was delicious. Definitely a college town feel in here. read more

No IU experience is complete without a trip to Nick's. Most of the food is standard bar fare, service is hit-or-miss, but the atmosphere is pure Indiana. There's Hoosier memorabilia everywhere, from license plates to records to their very own bison head. Will you be a little crowded squishing 4 people into a booth downstairs? Maybe. But after a few rounds of sink the biz in and stuffing those glorious fries in your face, you won't mind. The sink the biz fries are always a bright spot. Dusted in a powder full of Parmesan and spices, you might just find yourself running your finger along the bottom of the bucket for more. The sauce is great, too. I also have to say that I love the new fry buckets themselves--they collapse into their own to-go containers. Genius! read more

Nick's English Hut - Biz fries - Sports Bars Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

This is an IU staple! Like any college watering hole it's filled with greasy offerings that are best accompanied with a beer. Today we opted forward the chicken fingers, fries, onion rings and mozzarella sticks. We would definitely get the chicken fingers with biz fries and sauce again. It's a huge portion that is perfect for splitting. We had a side of ranch and Jamaican Jerk sauce. Both were great. The mozzarella sticks were not the gooey but hard fried with the inner cheese almost non existent. I would pass on those next time. The onion rings were great but do not come with a sauce. I'm an Indiana girl so ketchup is fine for me. read more

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Biz Fries 9/10 really delicious; came with amazing Mayo sauce? Supreme Pizza 8.5/10 also delicious! Wish their ranch was better but I still really enjoyed. Stromboli 8.5/10 very impressed, very delicious. Bread was very soft and yummy read more

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The ambiance was historical and unique, the service was speedy and the food was really good with excellent portions. The Sink the Biz Fries were soooo good and the bucket was HUGE!! We spit the Italian Beef sandwich it was so big and the "side" salad was anything but a side!! For an authentic Bloomington experience, I would highly recommend Nick's!! read more

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As an IU alum, I've been to Nick's more times than I can count. Stopped by for lunch during an impromptu visit to town with my sister (who'd never been there) last weekend. Even on a Saturday afternoon in the summer, the atmosphere at Nick's is great! So much to look at, sports on tv and of course...that amazing Bloomington vibe! Throw in the good food and prompt service...you can't go wrong here! read more

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Overall pretty good. Bigger than expected portions. The waiter was quite a "smart Alec" in a fun way and made us feel at home. I will return. recommend to others when in Bloomington. The dining room has a lot of great IU posters and pictures. Comfortable seating as well. read more

Popped into Nick's on a whim. We were seated right away despite the campus being busy with graduation. Our server was great. She was on her game and dealt with us quickly. She got us menus and took our orders within 10 minutes. The ambiance of the place was loud and cramped. (Again... graduation.) Nick's is a sports bar, and the pub atmosphere is to be expected. That said, physically handicapped patrons may struggle with seating in the tight booths, and getting to the bathrooms. The place is very tight and crammed with booths. There's another seating area in the back that is more open, but still cramped. Restrooms are in a central location and there's not a lot of space in them - especially if you're in a wheelchair. The food was mediocre. It was not bad; just par for a pub. I think that's my key criticism: we paid almost $25.00 a plate for something that was really worth about $12.00. Again, not bad, but definitely over-priced. The selection is good, with all things Americana on the menu, but everything is a la cart, so a burger, fries, and a drink end up being much more than they needed to be. I think I will go back to Nick's. I'm just going to order a little differently next time. read more

Fun place to hang out and chill with friends. Gets crowded but still comfortable. Reasonable drinks and aren't cheap with the alcohol

I visited Nick's tonight for the first time. I thought the decor was super interesting. I love little restaurants that put up their history and tell a little story while you eat. I learned a lot about people who had visited the restaurant in the past while waiting for my food. The place wasn't busy for how pushy the staff seemed to be. My partner asked multiple times for different drinks to which he received "we're out" and finally just settled for his water. The server didn't come back to see if he ever wanted anything else or to offer any sort of alternate drinks. The food was pretty good. I didn't get a photo before I snarfed it down. I ordered the chicken sandwich and fries. The bacon on the sandwich was cooked perfectly; one of the best orders of bacon I've had locally. The chicken could have used another minute or two on the grill, but it was done just enough. Altogether, I would order the sandwich again. The fries were perfect. I think the one thing all of the restaurants in Bloomington get right is the fries: and I'm a bit of a fry snob. My partner ordered a burger and it was delicious ! I love a burger where you can taste the grill when you bite into it. Definitely recommend going for the experience. Unsure why the service was so poor - possibly short staffed or just expecting a big rush. read more

I'm in town for the holidays, and called Nick's to order a strom for carryout as I've done for decades when I'm in town. The guy who answered the phone was a jerk, and said he would not take a carryout order. I was surprised, because I've ordered carryout dozens of times, and asked if that was just for the holidays, or a new policy. He didn't answer my question, butvsaid if I wanted to order, I could come in. read more