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    Rick's Café Boatyard

    3.7 (1.3k reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Bars, Seafood
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Rick's Café Boatyard Takeout or Delivery

    Rick's Café Boatyard Photos

    Business Info

    RICK'S CAFÉ BOATYARD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Romantic
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Rick's Café Boatyard

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    Beyond burger
    Missi R.

    I had lunch here today with three colleagues. The food and service could not have been better. Everything was absolutely perfect. This was a perfect day to dine outside. And Rick's has the best outdoor dining in the Indianapolis area, hands down. No other restaurant patio or deck even comes close. From our table we had a nice view of Eagle Creek. There were a few sailboats out, the sky was blue, and there was a gentle breeze. Our server Cameron was excellent. He answered our questions about menu items and provided suggestions. He was very efficient and kept our glasses full. We ordered several appetizers to share: shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, crab cakes, and Korean hush puppies. Highly recommend the Korean hush puppies and the crab cakes! I ordered salmon roulades for my entrée, and I would definitely order it again. Everyone else enjoyed their entrées as well: a grouper Reuben, vegetable stir fry, and chicken Parmesan. A perfect experience.

    Grilled Fisherman's Catch
    Toni S.

    We celebrated our anniversary 30 years ago at Rick's Boatyard and we are in town so we thought we would try it again. It has definitely changed in 30 years. It's still beautiful there. We sat next to the window so we could see the view which is beautiful still. The hostess and wait staff are very friendly and helpful. However they have changed the menu, but what can you expect. LOL Hubby got the grilled fisherman's catch which was salmon, lobster tail, scallop, and shrimp with rice. The best for him was the scallops, shrimp, and rice. The lobster had no flavor and was hard to get out of the shell. I got the grilled pork chops with mashed potatoes and green beans. The best thing on my plate was the mashed potatoes. The pork chops were grilled but didn't have any seasoning. The green beans didn't have any flavor either. I took my leftovers home to doctor them for another meal. Overall, we agreed that the restaurant has taken a turn for the worse. We kissed the seasoned mixed vegetables and seasoned seafood.

    Billie K.

    What is not to love about a restaurant on the water? Don't be afraid to do the outdoor seating. There is a lot of fans and it is very relaxing. The food is phenomenal. There's nothing I've ever had. That is not good. The staff is always friendly and there's not a long way to get your food. Try their wedge salad! You will not be disappointed. Oh, and don't forget to take home one of their pieces of Keylime pie!

    Caribbean Swordfish
    Sally T.

    Love to be by the water but it was Friday night and it was crowded and so loud it was hard to have a conversation. Food was delicious though! Grilled Fisherman's Catch for me, salmon and a skewer of shrimp, scallops and a lobster tail. Salmon and a lobster tail for the hubby and Caribbean Swordfish for the son.

    Seasonal Creme Brûlée
    Chassity B.

    I've been to this place multiple times and it has never disappointed me! The food every time is delicious despite others saying quality has gone down. This hasn't been my experience thus far. I usually get the steak salad cooked medium rare and it is cooked perfectly every time. The service is usually just okay but my last few times in my bartender and server were both fantastic! You get a great view of eagle creek which gives great vibes year around. In the summer it makes for a perfect outdoor patio spot. Highly recommend!

    Caesar salad and crab cake hush puppies
    Whitney M.

    Over the weekend a small group of girlfriends and I went to Rick's Boatyard to enjoy the nice weather. I was fortunate enough to make a last minute reservation on open table (yay!) and we had an excellent table on the patio overlooking the water! It had been a couple of years since my last visit, and was sad to see some of my usual favorites no longer on the menu (I'm looking at you chicken cordon bleu fingers!!!). The vibes were incredible! Unfortunately our cocktails and food were average and honestly lacked a lot of flavor, but I will keep returning for the patio! I will say, parking can also be a nightmare depending on the time of day. They do have a rather big lot, so you may just be driving around for a while. If you happen to park further out, I appreciate they have a golf cart shuttle to the main entrance!

    Megan G.

    Rick's used to be one of my favorite spots for a date night or dinner with friends, but after today's visit, that changed. The service was great, and our server did everything he could to make our experience enjoyable. Unfortunately, I was heartbroken to learn that a new chef has taken over, completely revamped the menu, and STOPPED SERVING THE BEST APPETIZER IN ALL OF INDIANA: the Chicken Cordon Bleu Fingers. I genuinely have no idea why they would make this decision. These have been on the menu for well over a decade, have a cult following, and are one of the main reasons many people visit Rick's in the first place. Thankfully, our server went above and beyond and found a way to make it happen since they still prepare them for banquets and special events. That alone should tell you how beloved they are. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal didn't fare as well. The risotto was a major disappointment. It was bland, overcooked, and lacked the rich flavor it used to have. The gumbo was also underwhelming, tasting overly tomato-heavy and missing the depth and seasoning you'd expect. Overall, the food quality has noticeably declined. Between the menu changes and the disappointing execution, it's no longer worth the drive or the price point for me. It's disappointing to see a restaurant I once loved move in this direction.

    Callie K.

    This was my second visit to Rick's, and probably my first time in ten years. I made reservations online for a group of 8 and it was super easy. Day of, the staff called to confirm numbers and where we'd like to sit. Check in was easy, but our seating request hadn't been transferred over, no big deal thankfully. Our waitress was super friendly, and kept well organized. She automatically provided separate checks without even asking. I ordered the roll basket and bacon jam burger. The rolls were fine, but nothing special. The bacon jam burger was super delicious. Overflowing with bacon. My only complaint is I ordered it medium and it came out more medium well to well done. We all agreed we enjoyed our experience and would have to come back again.

    Side salad
    Ro W.

    Most of my salad was welted today. My brownie sundae was good. There were multiple flies flying around inside the restaurant where I couldnt enjoy my food. Decent service. The bathroom needed to be cleaned also.

    Rick's boat yard outside deck
    Yvette A.

    Celebrated a coworker's retirement here with Sunday brunch, and I didn't even realize they offered brunch until this visit. It ended up being such a nice experience! We sat on the patio, and although the shades were closed earlier in the day, they opened them later once the weather warmed up, which made the vibe even better. Our server was very nice and attentive, especially with our large group. We ordered a half mimosa tower, and I really enjoyed it. I also tried Rico's Coffee from the brunch menu, which was so good and paired perfectly with the brunch vibe. I ordered the French toast platter, which came with four pieces of French toast, scrambled eggs, brunch potatoes, and bacon. It was delicious and so filling that I had to get a to-go box. The yogurt parfait was also really good, and everyone at the table seemed to enjoy their food and drinks, including the Bloody Mary options and tea. We ordered liquid marijuana shots as a group and these were great. One thing to note: we brought a cake for our friend and didn't know there was a $25 outside cake fee, so be aware of that if you plan to bring your own dessert. After brunch, we walked around the beautiful grounds, and a few of us stayed longer on the patio. The high-top seating wasn't the most comfortable, but the drinks and appetizers made up for it. The whiskey sour was good, and we enjoyed the crab cakes, calamari, shrimp, and Rico's dip. This turned into an all-day affair with good food, drinks, beautiful weather, and great company. A really nice spot for brunch, celebrations, and patio time.

    Mac C.

    Being a lifelong resident of Indiana this is one place I was wanting to try but never was a place I got around to going somehow. Well the time finally came around for Father's Day as a special request and I'll tell you I should of listened to the bad reviews. Unfortunately they're deserving We made a reservation and we're seated right away around 5. The restaurant is huge and tight seating. Pretty cool vibe. Unfortunately we waited 15 minutes to see a server. We needed our booth wiped down so the whole thing started questionable. As you can see from my pictures it wasn't packed. Our waiter finally came, got someone to wipe our booth off and said he'd be right back. Again .... Waiting. He finally comes back and takes our drink order then swiftly walks away instead of taking (or even asking) for our appetizer orders. We sat sooo long we actually had our entire meal ready to give him. The food was mediocre at best. I told him I couldn't have raw onion, including scallions, yet my dip had them. The chicken dip is a watery mess topped with scallions under cheese that's melted. He was gonna send it back, which I was willing to do, but once I looked under the cheese to see a watery grave of chicken dip? made 'fresh'? I declined. It's obvious it's frozen, thawed, slapped with scallions and cheese and melted . I know the 'made fresh' is a cover for sorry it took forever to remember to bring it out. I'm not really sorry being so snippy it's deserved Clam chowder? (yes another question mark) was another complete MISS . Shrimp cocktail and our filets were fresh and huge shrimp were given though ‍. I was honestly praying our steaks would be cooked right and they definitely were! The fisherman's catch could of used some kind of seasoning. My guest kinda tasted some salt at least ‍ Overall we had a good time because of our company we had. It was a trial and complete error. I'm almost 100 % sure the menu is the problem. It's so expansive there's just too many items causing the problems. Nothing's gonna be fresh like this. I can't imagine if they were a little packed how the wait time and food time would be. It just really failed all of us

    Parmesan Branzino Fish
    Elaine F.

    Food was really good, service was a bit slow but could have been due to Father's Day. The view of the lake was nice and relaxing. The Parmesan Branzino was great! Flakey, and Parmesan crusted seasoning with green beans and rice.

    Rico Burger
    Lauren T.

    This is the first time I've been to Rick's in a while and it didn't disappoint. We met our two friends and their young daughter for dinner. They were so nice and brought out a 'fancy' drink for her to enjoy. (Sprite, grenadine and a cherry) The waitress was so nice and the food came out quickly. So good!

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    28 days ago

    Service & food is amazing . The pork chops are to die for. Tender and juicy. The seafood I was so fresh. Outdoor atmosphere.

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    2 months ago

    It was my first time going. It was really busy. We did not have to wait to be seated . But the food was really good.

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    Ask the Community - Rick's Café Boatyard

    We want to check this place out, but we have two young kids and can't easily find sitters. Is it somewhere that is ok to bring kids?

    As long as you don't let them run wild and keep them under control, there's no reason that you can't bring them!

    Do the brunch and main menu overlap or is it just brunch menu on Sundays until brunch hours are over?

    I know for Thanksgiving they had the traditional turkey dinner with the trimmings and dessert but some of our group were able to order off their menu; the brunch I am not sure. Give them a call and ask them. Food is great and plentiful. There… 

    Do they have Oysters Rockefeller on the menu here ? On Open Table it does not list them, but I've seen them reviewed on here and mentioned

    I was there a couple months ago and posted photos of the menu and I do not see them listed. They may have a special occasionally where they make them.

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    I really don't think so the way the business is set up.

    Do they take reservations?

    Yes - they take them over the phone or on the Open Table app.

    Are there daily drink specials?

    Yes, varies day to day. Give them a call when you plan on going and they can tell you what's on special.

    What are the dress requirements for Rick's? Is it casual?

    We were there for lunch and shorts and jeans wrere perfect. It is not fancy outside on the deck...I would say evenings indoors could be dressier OR not. Very informal vibe.

    What hours are they open?

    According to their website they have summer hours (5/1) & winter hours (10/1). Summer: Mon-Thurs 11am to 11pm… 

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    Deans Steak & Seafood

    Deans Steak & Seafood

    4.3(45 reviews)
    8.2 miCanal Walk

    In town for the convention and staying at the Marriott, so decided to not wander away and come to…read moreDean's. Very nice place, excellent service extensive menu. Wide selection of Wagyu beef, lobster, king crab, price points are what is expected, but the ambience is very nice with service being impeccable while the menu has explained. My guest ordered the flat iron steak, which was surprisingly very good and a very good price point, I opted for the petite fillet was a little disappointed. It was tough, ordered rare to medium rare came out, medium, but added the truffle, Bernaise sauce and mushrooms, and was quite tasty. Asparagus spears were plentiful and very large but a great side. Lobster bisque was rich with bits of lobster and a shot of cognac. And just what I would expect. All in all excellent evening, great service, good food good experience. Highly recommend.!!

    I'm updating my review. I gave Deans another try. No steak... totally turned off on that…read more My waitress, Shearyl, was amazing. I was so happy to have her as my waitress again. Very wise lady, listen to her. I've updated my score not necessarily on the food, but on the eloquent customer service from Jacob( I think I have his name correct). Sorry if I don't. I expressed the huge disappointment regarding the Prime ribeye the night before and he was truly alarmed to hear it. He quickly took care of that evening's entree. No buts about it. He also assured me that my experience would be shared with the chef and staff. Unfortunately, what I really wanted to try got sold out, so I tried the bass. I will say the cauliflower jus was superb. A spoon is recommended. It is so delicate however, its deliciousness got lost when with the porkbelly and onions. Did I mention ask for a spoon?? There were bright spots and unfortunately the main attractions of the plates weren't even though they were cooked well. Interesting experience. The staff outweighed the food here. At least with the 2 meals I tried.

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    Deans Steak & Seafood
    Deans Steak & Seafood - Table side Martini service

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    Table side Martini service

    Rick's Café Boatyard - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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