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    Root & Bone Indianapolis

    4.4 (778 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Root & Bone Indianapolis Photos

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    ROOT & BONE INDIANAPOLIS ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Root & Bone Indianapolis

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    Ryan D.

    This was a great find nestled in an Indianapolis neighborhood. My husband and I went to Root & Bone Indianapolis for breakfast on a Sunday morning. The restaurant got busier as we ate. The server was very nice and had some great recommendations. I had the stuffed French toast while my husband had the tea brined chicken and waffles. The French toast was amazing. The best French toast that I have had in a while, possibly ever. The attention to detail was amazing. The apples were cut so small that I wondered what kitchen implement could cut them that small. The tea brining of the chicken brought out a wonderful flavor and made it very tender. Their hot chocolate was amazing as well! I cannot recommend Root & Bone Indianapolis enough!!!

    Liza G.

    Cozy vibes are unmatched here. Plus, rain just makes it even better. We grabbed seats at the bar top last minute on NYE, and it was the best decision ever. The bartender was great and super personable. I even ran into some high school friends I hadn't seen in years, which totally set the tone for a great night. We started with the biscuits as a starter (only downside, just one per person, but they are 10/10) served with honey chicken jus & sea salt. Then we split the whole bird and shared the mac & cheese and fries. The mac was just okay, pretty dry, and the fries were just alright too. The real star of the show was the sweet tea brined chicken with their spicy honey on the side. Very, very good! The only real downside to this location is the parking. The lot is tiny, so you'll most likely end up looking for street parking, which isn't always easy (or quick) in this area.

    S'mores dessert. We devoured everything else before pics.
    D W.

    A rare genuine 5-star place. We went for weekend brunch and every bite of food was amazing. The kids cheese burger, juicy, grilled and on a house made bun. The French toast was decadent. And the chicken biscuits appetizer eats like a meal (with house made pickles that you can eat on their own. Service was equally fantastic. Michael took care of use at every turn and gave our little one a little extra treat that made us all quite happy. Fun fact, the service was top notch even though they were short handed. The vibe is relaxed but upscale. Refined but not stuffy; elegantly comfortable. This is my new go-to place in Indy. #nonotes

    Mustard Glazed Salmon
    Erin D.

    I've only been to Root & Bone a few times but the dining room always seems full. It's a cozy place with great southern inspired food. During my recent visit, drinks came out very quickly and the bartender was working hard even taking food orders out in the dining room. In the past, I enjoyed their gluten free fried chicken, but didn't see it on the menu and the mustard glazed salmon caught my eye. It was delicious! I later asked the server if the chicken could still be made gluten free and he said yes, it just takes longer. So, ask for it if you want it! It's rare to find. My husband raves about the Mac and cheese. Everyone loved their food but the crème brûlée didn't have a crunch to it, so it may not be what you expect.

    Little red rooster
    Jayden D.

    What a great date night my wife and I had here. We had a reservation for a busy Saturday night, and was quickly seated after checking in. I started off with a Little Red rooster cocktail- it had a nice balance of flavor throughout, and wasn't overpowering. My wife and I had the fried green tomatoe BLT's to start with. I don't like uncooked tomatoes- but these were delicious. The were crispy and crunchy, the pork belly added a savoriness, and the tomato jam added a great sweetness. For my main, I had the short rib meatloaf. It was juicy, and the mashed potatoes were creamy, with a nice pan sauce on top. My only complaint was our server. He took our order, brought our drinks, and brought the check. There was little checking in throughout the meal, and I could have used a refill of water a few times. Will definitely return in the future if we are in the area.

    Deviled Eggs
    Jessica S.

    What great service! From the host to the waiters, they were all amazing. We showed up about 10 minutes after our reservation on Valentine's Day. Parking was awful, but they managed to fit us in. In hindsight if I had remembered a florist shared the corner with them I would have planned better, we had to park about 8 blocks down. We tried their deviled eggs, very salty and odd but still a good bite. I went with the eggs Benedict, and I enjoyed every bite from the nice dressing on the salad to the right amount of hollandaise sauce. My husband did the R&B brunch burger with fries. Hands down best fries I have ever tried. His egg on his sandwich wasn't cooked enough for him, the white was still runny but he ate it anyway. They kept the coffee coming keeping us warm and we looked around at the adorable shabby chic decor. We took a sticky toffee pudding home and they bagged it up so nicely for us. We will be back for sure, this is a quaint gem in SoBro.

    Phil B.

    I now work in the same building at the Flower Shop next door. The owner took me and my husband over for a snack and to meet the crew. Everyone was friendly and the service was great. The Brie was had was great and I tasted the Farm Salad my boss ordered and it was very good. I need to try the chicken and biscuit.

    Cute restroom names
    Linda M.

    I heard about this restaurant as recommended by Yelp. I was in the neighborhood for a Yelp Elite event and decided to try it out. Prices are quite high. They have a small lot for parallel parking. An employee mentioned parking across the street as that business is closed down. I ate outside with the sun not completely blocked by the umbrella. The food attracted flies. The host seemed irritated with the expected crowd, but he did quicken the process of closing out my bill. I ordered the famous meatloaf - half brisket and half short rib. The two loaves were seared on top with a little aroma. The preparer did not provide enough au gus as meatloaf was dry, and I typically like dry food. The waiter tried to help with the menu and food by offering more gravy which was already on my unusual lumpy potatoes with happily surprised chives. There was strangely tart tomatos as my ketchup for the meatloaf. The spicy seasoned asparagus was few. The waiter gave complimentary biscuits and salt/seasoning as I was a first time guest. I was not impressed. The diners beside me ordered fancy-looking deviled eggs. I am from the South and was not impressed much by the pricey entree.

    Brie
    Callie K.

    I've been meaning to check this restaurant out for a long time, and finally went last night. My friend was in town, and adores root and bone. It's fitting because we both love INDYCAR and James Hinchcliffe is a partner here It's not a huge restaurant, so I suggest reservations. We were seated on time and greeted by our amazing server. He was so friendly, personal and knowledgeable. During the entire process, I never felt rushed and the pace was relaxing for an evening out. The Brie appetizer was delicious but I could've used some toasted baguette with it as I love cheese and bread. It was still delicious. My friend got her favorite, the meatloaf. It hit the spot as always. I had to get the half fried chicken with waffles. I was a bit confused because I didn't see a leg with my portion, but it was delicious. Our server had regular honey with mine since I can't do spicy. I would recommend this dish to anyone. I can't wait to come back and try additional dishes. The salads looked divine, the ribs looked delicious. It's such a cute little spot with a lot of personality.

    Potato barrels and caviar
    Linda F.

    I dined at Root & Bone for the first time tonight, a Saturday night. I was part of a party of 7. We were having dinner before the ballet at Newfields. Our reservation was at 5pm. We told our waiter we had to leave by 645. The waiter said that would not be a problem. It was a big problem. Unfortunately that was not our only problem. We ordered baked Brie and potato barrels with caviar as appetizers. Because we had limited time, we ordered our entrees at the same time. The appetizers came out well timed and were good. However, it all went off the rail after this. One person ordered their burger medium rare and the other ordered their burger medium. When the burgers came out the server said one was well done and the other was medium. However they were both medium. One person ordered shrimp and grits. It was cold. But the plate was hot. It's as if they microwaved the entree attempting to reheat it, unsuccessfully. The other person who ordered shrimp and grits did not get their order for at least 15 minutes after everyone else was served. One of the last entrees to come out was the soup and salad. We were perplexed why the shrimp and grits and the soup and salad were so delayed. My entree was the ribs and carrots. I will say my meal was good. We told the waiter again we needed to leave by 645. We also told him twice how to split up the charges. However, the waiter disappeared around 630 and we did not see him again until around 650. He finally gave us our bills, but they were incorrect. It took another 15 min for him to correctly print out the bills. We finally left the restaurant at 715. The ballet began at 730. We made it to our seats just as the ballet was beginning. We would have sent back the poorly executed entrees if we had the time, but we didn't. The waiter was terrible. He would acknowledge what we said and then not do it. The entrees took a long time to come, then it was cold and not delivered together. It was a very bad experience. The last 20 minutes of our time was spent just trying to pay and get out of there so we could make the ballet. It was very stressful. Two in our party said they have eaten here twice before and they really enjoyed it. However, they said after tonight they will not be back. I would not recommend eating here if you must leave by a specific time. However, there are many outstanding restaurants in the area. It just doesn't make sense to waste your time and money at a place that is subpar. This was very disappointing. I doubt I'll be back.

    Salmon and brussel sprouts
    Dani J.

    I really like R&B. So far everything that I've tried here has been really good. This visit was no different. My party of 4 met here to celebrate a birthday on a Sunday afternoon. Elaine was our waitress and she was very patient and attentive. We tried the cheddar cornbread as an afterthought seeing it at another table. It was really good. For my entree, I chose the half bird chicken and waffles. I also ordered a side of fries. The dipping sauces kicked the fries up a notch. Very good. The chicken was juicy and seasoned well. The portion was plentiful and I could only eat half the waffle and a piece of the chicken. The leftovers were good the next day.

    Ricotta ravioli (bottom) and brick chicken (top)
    Ana C.

    I loved the decor in this restaurant. There's a lot of space, unique decoration, and a big window which I'm sure lets in a lot of natural light during the day. Our server was really kind and friendly. We ordered a chicken dish and pasta dish. I'm not a huge fan of couscous but the chicken was good, not dry at all. The pasta was an interesting combination of flavors which I enjoyed although I don't think I would order either dish again. I'm intrigued as to what the short rib "meatloaf" tastes like so perhaps I'll be back!

    Homemade biscuits, strawberry jam and whipped butter
    Denise H.

    R & B is one of my favs. I had their take on a pork tenderloin, delicious. Try the old fashioned that is bacon infused. Staff are helpful and attentive, thanks Drew!!!

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    2 months ago

    The food was so delicious and very simple. I would recommend you try the place. The atmosphere is so amazing

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    Page 1 of 20

    Root & Bone Indianapolis Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Root & Bone Indianapolis

    This says vegan options available but the menu does not list a single vegan option and it seems like most items are not easily modifiable?

    Not the most vegan friendly place. You'd probably end up with just a green salad with a vinaigrette.

    Do they have a kids menu? Would it be ok for a kid of 5?

    Not sure about kids menu, but they have meals that my kids would eat like chicken biscuits and fried chicken.

    Do they offer gluten free options?

    Yes!

    Do they have outdoor dining?

    Hi, Gary! We do have outdoor seating on our patio. Hope to see you soon ✨

    Does this restaurant have gift certificates? If so, how can I buy one online?

    Yes!

    Are they open for brunch?

    No, they open starting at 5pm.

    Do they take reservations?

    Yes. I made mine on Open Table

    View All 9 Questions

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    The vibe of this place is so fun! There's a main restaurant space and then an archway that leads to…read morethe half that's the bar. Since it's a corner space, it has tons of natural light and even has outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is on a busier road, though, so you'd have to be okay with that if you choose an outside seat! The bartender was not only helpful but went above and beyond. He talked with us about beer, but also came over and chatted with us about the card game we were playing. We got to try at least 3 or 4 beers on a flight and they were all great. I ended up going with the lemonade beer and it tasted like summer! We will definitely be back when we want a place to kick back and relax with some great beer!

    Upland is kind of an Indiana staple for good reason. Good beer (presumably. I'm sober lol) and…read moredefinitely good food. Coming in on a Thursday night, we experienced a bit of a rush for seating but we were sat quickly enough and then got our subsequent service fairly quickly as well. This location I think is cozier than others, where it's more sectioned off into a couple different areas with a family friendly area at the front and the bar area a little more separated. We got a nacho to start. It is huge. It can be a whole meal. We accidentally made it most of ours! I got a sweet plum burger as my main dinner. I had about half of it for dinner and saved the rest for later. I didn't think it was anything super special since the sweet plum sauce doesn't really come through in the way I would have hoped. For dessert, we got a strawberry and vanilla ice cream. I wish we could have tried the brownie, but the snow storm of Jan '26 probably made supply chain difficult. Altogether, under devour, starter, 2 mains, and dessert was $40. Pretty good deal if you ask me! I'd certainly come again!

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    Upland College Ave Tasting Room
    Upland College Ave Tasting Room
    Upland College Ave Tasting Room

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    The Northside Social

    The Northside Social

    4.2
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    2.4 mi
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    I'd heard interesting things about this place, so I decided to finally come with my mom and try it…read morefor dinner on a recent Sunday evening. We were greeted warmly upon arrival and taken to the patio, as requested. I can't remember our server's name, but she was nice! However, towards the end of our visit something turned and seemed off, though we weren't sure what was going on. I opted for the margherita pizza, which they add pesto to, making it a bit different. I didn't love the taste, and actually ending up removing the tomatoes when I ate the leftovers the next day, which made a significant difference. My mom ordered the fried chicken plate, which comes with two sides and she enjoyed it. Reservations recommended!

    Came in recently and have to say food was sub par this time. Got the filet and the steak had no…read moreflavor. I'm not even sure they seasoned it at all. I don't need much, usually I just put salt on before cooking steak. Also asked for medium rare and it came out medium. Not sure if the steak knife I got was dull or because the steak was over cooked but it was hard to cut. Also the sweet potatoes were under cooked. Majority were still hard. Overall disappointed and won't be ordering this again. The only star/positive was bartender and the lovely dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. Service was good per usual sitting at the bar.

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    Bar area seating
    Bar area seating
    Stout Braised Brisket
    Stout Braised Brisket
    Outside

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    Outside
    Big Lug Canteen

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    4.3
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    5.0 mi
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    Summer is officially here, and so are the best vibes on the patio at Big Lug! As we know, this is…read moreone of my favorite neighborhood spots for several reasons. One being how they consistently roll out new monthly specials - they're always creative, and the names and descriptions are so much fun. Plus, their specials tie into whatever's locally happening at the time, whether it's Pride Month, Oktoberfest, or anything in between. I tried the summer za' which is a pizza with tomato, corn, zucchini, sausage, red onion, and cheese. Super tasty! And for my mocktail lovers, try the watermelon mint refresher. I'm obsessed!

    Big Lug Canteen delivers a memorable meal from start to finish -- friendly, unpretentious service,…read morea warm neighborhood vibe, and two standout dishes that I'll be ordering again. The Brussels sprouts are an absolute triumph: perfectly blistered with a caramelized exterior and tender interior, dressed in a harmonious balance of bright acidity and savory depth. Little crunchy bits and a subtle smoky char add texture, while a finishing sprinkle (and a hint of something sweet-salty) elevates them from simple side to a show-stealer. The Korean salmon is equally impressive. The fish arrives flaky and moist with a richly glazed crust that carries sweet, spicy, and umami notes in perfect proportion. Layers of flavor -- gochujang-forward heat, sesame brightness, and a touch of citrus -- play against the salmon's natural richness without overpowering it. It's plated thoughtfully, with complementary sides that keep each bite balanced. If you're at Big Lug Canteen, don't pass up those two dishes -- they demonstrate skilled technique, bold yet nuanced seasoning, and a real sense of care in the kitchen. Great food, relaxed atmosphere, solid value. Highly recommended.

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    The Big Lug Patio
    The Big Lug Patio
    Nashville Hot Chicken salad! So addicting!
    Nashville Hot Chicken salad! So addicting!
    They made a Pirate Cat beer!

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    They made a Pirate Cat beer!

    Root & Bone Indianapolis - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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