Great lil tavern pub!! Patrons and servers were all VERY welcoming and friendly. Great place to chat it up with the locals and have a yummy burger that will remind you of the diners we all grew up on. I'd definitely stop back in next time I'm in the area. Pro or Con depending on your outlook but they allow you to smoke inside... for me, I appreciate the nostalgia of simpler times, good conversation and frosty beverages. read more

Wagon Wheel Bar & Grill - Wagon Wheel Single Burger. Great flavor!! - American Near Me - Rensselaer, Indiana

If you want to go where the locals go, stop here. Not only is the atmosphere great, they have a very unique burger. Just order it as it comes. Somehow the ingredients come together. I stop every time I'm in the area. read more

Wagon Wheel Bar & Grill - a hamburger on a plate - American Near Me - Rensselaer, Indiana

Great ambiance! nice staff especially Carla will go out of her way to make sure you are good. she remembers all her customers. Good burgers and great service. must try all the beers there read more

Hole in the wall. The burger and Chicago dog were great beer was cold but...every person in the bar was smoking. Reminded us of the good old days when you had to leave your clothes in the garage after a night out so your whole house didn't smell like cigarettes. read more

Fits it's advertising to a T! Little bar in town, and that's what it is. Had the Wagon Master burger, and it was tasty as all get out. Lady at the bar was super friendly, too. read more

Sausage patties look like McDonald's and taste worse than! Hasbrowns not fully cooked

Great little place! Love the Wagon Wheel burger, comes with pepper jack cheese, salami, pickles, grilled onions and ketchup and mustard on a toasted bun! How fun! Can't lose with a quality cocktail and friendly service with a smile! Getting off the main highway is the way to go! read more

Wagon Wheel Bar & Grill - a man and a woman sitting at a table - American Near Me - Rensselaer, Indiana

We stopped here from the yelp reviews and we were disappointed. Small little bar with even smaller amount of menu choices. Burger was small and tasted much like it was a precooked crock pot burger. Staff was nice and seemed like a decent bunch of folks. Wouldn't hesitate to stop by for a drink after i had dinner elsewhere. read more

Ahhhh, Benny's.....one of the best little dive bars that ever was. I too am a college alumni and have had many fun times here. 5 stars for the memories. We actually got Benny to tell us "most" of the ingredients in the legendary "Down on One Knee" one night. And we all thought we would be able to remember it the next day. Yeah right. During senior year, my entire marketing class skipped our last class and came here at 10am. This was also the first place the party bus stopped after I was married. The bridal party had several "Down on One Knees." Yum. I've never had a Wagonmaster sober but I know 1) it's a sandwich 2) it tastes delicious when you're intoxicated 3) it's not healthy 4) it's always a good idea after 1am. Cheers! read more

I've known Rennselaer since I was a kid and have visited it nearly every year or two, on and off. Until I looked on yelp for nearby restaurants, did I know this place existed. Asking relatives about it, I realized the reputation and tradition it's established for the nearby college, and how long-time memories exist of it; long before things like yelp existed, to review it. This is what I know about it; though the 'Wagon Master' is worthy of it's reputation as a burger, and that this is a standout place somewhat hidden obscurely in a town like Rennselaer, and I am pleased to know that it has preserved it's establishment, which in this day and age would often sink under the modern cookie-cutter mindset for business models and "modernity"; the reality is it is a somewhat insular and local-catered establishment. This might stem from the fact that people aren't to be trusted unless they are "known" and can be gauged accordingly. Things might have changed to the local surroundings to make some of the Rensselaer I knew and grew up with, change in it's way it could be perceived. It might be that anyone that comes in and doesn't sit at the bar is assumed to only be there for a carry-out, and nevertheless would be one to be by themselves; just passing through vibe. One basis for the assumption of this interpretation, is that they don't offer incentive to stay and drink at the bar, and nor do they insure that people that come in to eat are able to entertain themselves at the arcade machines requiring coin slots. It may just be that the arcade machines pander to competetive spirit, that much of any college-catered nearby atmosphere tends to address, and for that reason a lone-spirit type of individual is given something of a nod to go on about there way once they come out to give the order; perhaps. Irregardless I see it as something of an oversight in how the business functions/operates, even though I likely was the only person that entered the establishment 40 minutes after they opened, because they were just getting the grill heated up. Granted it is a single individual that was operating it, from whom I know to be the owner's Wife whom wasn't yet ready for business, to be able to offer the option of receptive business practice. Now to the Wagon Master burger review. I've cooked on charbroil grills before so I'm familiar with how the grease tends to "stick" to the burger when grilled, as the grease doesn't usually get the chance to separate away from it; it's one of the secrets of why charbroiled burgers tend to be known for their "flavor," which is imbued with the spirit of dead cow meat sizzling and charring, much as how iron skillets are left to stay greasy and do much the same. One thing I would do is try to ensure that the grease wasn't as apparent, usually by pressing down on the burger to keep it somewhat free from the grease, and that the wrapper wasn't soaked beyond ability to handle it (which is often a forgotten luxury of old-school burgers; this might be nothing to complain about for those with nostalgic traditions.) The first observation I made of it was that the hamburger meat might be filled with filler such as breadcrumb, or that it is pre-formed. Looking at photos on yelp it appeared to be a steak fillet. When asking a relative (lifelong resident of Rensselaer) she thought the pepper-jack cheese was once more noticeable; granted as you get older your taste buds aren't as receptive to spices. She thought that maybe it was a combination of sausage and hamburger, much like a meatball recipe. I see no problem with this, and believe it allows for some of the flavor of the grease-seeped into the burger, and allow for a somewhat spongy texture. She summed it up that "it wasn't the same burger as she remembers," though it might just be the nature of unavailable ingredients that changed the options, or trying to cheapen the recipe to make it more economical for them to run the place. I believe Canadian bacon or a ham slice, ketchup, mustard, onions, and pickle, were used. The main difference in other words are with the ham slice, and the hamburger meat ingredients, apart from other places such as Burger King. Typically such a place should incentevize that they also offer sweet potato fries, as I would have checked it out for review, as otherwise I forgot to order it. From photos I saw of the burger, I could have sworn it contained a broiled egg, and from the aroma of the burgers upon the drive back to the house, I believe another ingredient is vinegar within the meat; though it might just be the ketchup and mustard. It's worth going to see, but I like to replicate similar types of burgers myself, and have no idea why it seemed to evade noticing what ingredients were used; or at least to mention it in the reviews. It is a place I'm glad to recognize in the memories I have of the town, even if my experience of those memories will probably not be as optimistic as others have. Thank you anyways. read more

Good food, cheap beer, friendly staff. Stopped by here on a drive home from Indy to Chicago and needed a place for lunch with a TV. Perfect place. The Wagon Master burger hits the spot and they had free soup as well. Definitely worth checking out if you're in need of a place while driving down I-65 in the area or if you're ever in town. read more

Looked like a comfortable little dive bar, but there were several people smoking cigarettes so we chose not to stay and eat here.

The wagon masters and the drinks (pitchers) of down on one knee are amazing. Joe is an awesome bartender

Great dive bar. Dive bar clientele. Benny is great and the wagon master is excellent. read more

Wagon Wheel Bar & Grill - The wagon master - American Near Me - Rensselaer, Indiana

My California liver started shaking once we crossed the state line. My husband's hometown boasts the infamous Wagon Wheel, Home of the "Wagon Master". It wasn't very good but I scarfed down two because I had an inexplicable increase in hunger once we got there. The pinnacle of the happy hour can be encapsulated in four words: Down on one Knee. 5 stars because it is the least pretentious bar that I have been to in a LONG time. read more

Food was okay nothing to special I did like the stuff pepper soup service was not good she never smiled, we had to ask for everything, she never came back after we got our food make sure things were good which it wasn't my guy got fried chicken it came out dry. The gyro was good n my son did like spaghetti. The service needs help girls are not trained properly when we were leaving she didn't even say a word to us just watched us walk out the door with a crappy look on her face read more

We stopped by here when we read the reviews and it was great! Benny was still bar tending then, but has since sold the place. We try to stop each time we travel for the delicious burger! Fortunately the new owners kept the same recipe. read more

Traffic for 2 hours and had to watch the IU game. Joe promised the game would be on. We walked in and NASCAR was quickly removed and IU was in place. 10 Miller Lites later and two Wagon Masters and an IU win! Joe is awesome! read more

Great Wagon Master burger. Enjoyed talking with the locals. The plain old cheeseburger is very good too but not as tasty as the WM. Small place but worth the visit read more

This review is written from the perspective of a former college student from this town. With that bit of knowledge you must also understand that this was one of the 4 bars within the town of Rensselaer, and the one closest (stumbling distance) to the college. Now that you have a background for understanding my biased review of the local college favorite known lovingly as "Benny's" I'll tell you this place has a legendary cheeseburger. It's known at the Wagonmaster and it's been known to bring hungry alumni back from across the country to see if it's as good as they recall. In this reviewers opinion it shouldn't be the only reason you come back to visit your alma mater but it also should not be an overlooked stop on your homecoming tour. In addition while there you need to make sure you order a pitcher of "Down on One Knee", another Benny's trademark. Students have for years tried to steal/copy/extract the recipe to no avail so for now order a pitcher a few frozen shot glasses and make your toasts! Benny's is another small town bar with nothing out of the ordinary about it. What makes the Wagon Wheel special is the memories that college students have created in this bar. The owner looks tough but definitely has a soft spot for his regulars. The regulars look tough but generally keep to themselves. Benny's is a part of what made Saint Joseph's College special, and if you're just passing through Rensselaer, IN on US 65 take a short break and have yourself a Wagonmaster. (Be careful with the Down on One Knee though...) read more

Betsy and I cruised down to a birthday party in Brook, In. Arrived early and checked Yelp and was not disappointed in the guys at Wagon Wheel bar. Big Joe provided cold beverage and the backstory on the bar. The local crew shared their view of the world and events this weekend in the area. Would recommend the brews and the tasty burgers. read more

I graduated in 1980 from Joe's and the memories of Southside remain in my head, heart soul and I will never forget. I go back every year with friends that we are graduated together to get back some of those memories even for a brief few minutes. The Wagon Master is by far worth every penny. I have this burger drunk and straight and it is the best. read more

If you like your food with a side of lung cancer, this might be the place for you. I reeked of cigarette smoke after eating here. They do not take plastic, so have cash handy. They didn't have a fryer and had chips as a side. How about the Wagon Master, just meh, nothing special. I've had better gas station microwave burgers. Nice people, but this is nothing more than a bar. read more