Note: All the BLUE text is notes from my actual visit there and what I thought of the
place. See the bottom for all my recommendations for places to eat/drink/party
at. Update: Rob Hines, Jr. sent me some additional notes (In Orange), since he lives in Indy. Thanks Rob!
Following found at www.indy.org
(1) Acapulco Joe's Mexican Restaurant
365 N. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 637-5160
Indianapolis' first
Mexican restaurant. Menu features daily traditional breakfasts as well as daily
drink specials. Open Mon.-Sat. and all Colts home game Sundays.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place was AWSOME, the food is actually more of a Tex-Mex than true
Mexican though, but the food was great! It was a bit more expensive than you
would think a Mexican restaurant would be but the food makes up for it
(2) Alcatraz Brewing Co.
Circle Centre, 49 W. Maryland St., Ste. C-12
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 488-1230
FAX (317) 488-1231
Gleaming copper
brew kettles and impressive stainless steel fermentation vessels serve as the
backdrop for the long sweeping bar in this chic brewpub. The menu features a
selection of first courses, salads, pastas, wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches and
main courses.
Nylan’s
Notes: While we never actually got around to getting into this place it still
looked like a very good place to meet up with friends because it’s right next
to the Convention center. I wouldn’t recommend it to hangout at though.
Rob’s
Notes: Fair food, though it tends to fill up quick.
The beer is average for a micro brew. Not too expensive
comparatively, good place to drop in and eat if you don't want to hang around.
(note: all
restaurants in Circle Centre are marked #2)
(3) Bazbeaux (picked by Nylan)
334 Massachusetts Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 636-7662
Enjoy innovative
pizzas, salads and sandwiches made with the freshest ingredients, homemade
doughs and sauces and a choice of 52 toppings. Winner of People's Choice Award
for best pizza by Indianapolis Monthly magazine. Dine in, carry-out or
delivery. Seasonal outdoor dining.
Nylan’s
Notes: Ehh, it was okay. It’s a decent place to chill at but I wasn’t over
impressed by it. The prices were reasonable though. But it was just too far to
walk.
(2) Brewski's
World Mardi Gras Entertainment Complex
Circle Centre, 49 W. Maryland St., Ste. H-8
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 630-5483
FAX (317) 630-5033
This unique-style
pub offers an infinite variety of beer on tap or by the bottle. Drop by for our
daily home style lunch specials. Entertain yourself with NTN's National Trivia
Game, darts, pool, a variety of board games and a rockin' juke box.
Nylan’s
Notes: Wasn’t impressed, it was an okay pub. But there are places that are
better and closer. We didn’t eat here, so not sure how the food prices compared
(4) Buca di Beppo (picked by Nylan)
35 N. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 632-2822
FAX (317) 632-0360
indianapolisbuca@bucadibeppo.com
Enjoy the warmth
and passion of this "immigrant" Southern Italian restaurant, combining
real family recipes with a fun, bawdy and witty setting reminiscent of the
1940s-50s Italian supper clubs. Specialties like spaghetti and meatballs,
chicken cacciatore and rigatoni positano are prepared in giant servings meant
to be shared.
Nylan’s
Notes: Wow, this place was great! Big portions of food and it was all good!
Great for a informal lunch or dinner. And the dinners are cheap compared to the
amount of food you get.
(5) Chester Calloway's Classic American
Grill
134 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 767-1903
FAX (317) 767-1931
Old-fashioned casual
dining in a family atmosphere. Full bar with over 65 beers, located on the
upper level, with complete dining room located on the lower level.
Nylan’s
Notes: Ehh, it was okay, and fairly close. Would pick it for a casual lunch.
Food was reasonably priced
(6) Claddagh Irish Pub (picked by Nylan)
234 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 822-6274
FAX (317) 822-6284
Real Irish pub
featuring a menu including Irish stew, fish and chips and sheppard’s pie along
with 20-ounce pints and many other great selections. Live music twice a week.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place was great, was kind of far from the Convention center though,
about 4 blocks, but it’s still a interesting place if you like Irish pubs.
(7) The Cozy Restaurant & Lounge Nite
Club
20 N. Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 638-2100
FAX (317) 638-0025
Large facility that
offers a wide variety from sandwiches to fine dining. Live entertainment with
dance floor and game and pool room.
Nylan’s
Notes: Ehh, wasn’t impressed Go to Jillian’s instead
(2) Gator's
World Mardi Gras Entertainment Complex
Circle Centre, 49 W. Maryland St., Ste. H-7
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 630-5483
FAX (317) 630-5033
A non-stop party
featuring excitement, tropical fare and the latest high-energy dance music.
From fashion shows to beach parties, Gator's is always on the cutting edge. State-of-the-art
sound and light show allows you to dance until you drop.
Nylan’s
Notes: Ehh, I wasn’t really impressed by anything in the Mardi Gras Complex
(8) Greek Islands Restaurant (picked by Nylan)
906 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 636-0700
FAX (317) 636-2347
george@greekislandsrestaurant.com
Established in 1987
and family owned and operated by the Stergiopoulos family. Authentic Greek food
made on premises. House specialties include flaming cheese appetizer and
Souvlaki pork shish kabob and lamb chops and many more great Greek foods.
Bellydancing Fri. and Sat. nights.
Nylan’s
Notes: This is the one place that we didn’t stop at that I wish we would have.
Because I LOVE greek food! It’s about 9 blocks south and is just off the bottom
of the map, so it might be a start of the evening or the last place for the
weekend.
Rob’s
Notes: Great food, and very reasonable prices. It's very small though, if you
want Greek, you might consider calling ahead for reservations.
(9) Hard Rock Cafe
47 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN
(317) 636-2516
FAX (317) 636-2551
indianapolis_sales@hardrock.com
Serving the best
down-home American food, seasoned with a healthy dose of rock 'n roll. Enjoy
cool tunes, legendary memorabilia and authentic Hard Rock Cafe merchandise.
Nylan’s
Notes: Ehh, it’s a Hard Rock what else is there to say
(10) Hard Times Café
121 W. Maryland St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 916-8800
FAX (317) 916-8212
hardtimesindy@aol.com
With its Southwestern
Depression Era Chili Parlor atmosphere, Hard Times Cafe has been described as a
shrine to the Western spirit. Featuring three authentic and historically
correct chili recipes: Texas, Cincinnati and Vegetarian. Outstanding burgers,
dogs, sandwiches, salads, appetizers and desserts also available. Full bar
features a wide selection of microbrew beers.
Nylan’s
Notes: Walked by this place, wasn’t too impressed, but it is fairly close
Rob’s Notes: Run of the mill, a bit pricey for
the quality. There are better choices.
(11) Have a Nice Day Cafe
225 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 635-8824
FAX (317) 635-8871
Retro dance club
featuring the best of the 70s, 80s and 90s music.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place was jumping when we walked by, but since there was a long
line. But it looked like a great dance club/Pick-up bar.
Rob’s
Notes: A lot of fun, bar food and club atmosphere. It's middling busy on the
weekdays, packed on the weekends. You will wait in line.
(12) Hooters
Indianapolis Downtown
25 W. Georgia St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 267-9637
FAX (317) 236-9795
Beach party atmosphere
featuring a wide variety of menu items including nearly world-famous chicken
wings, seafood, salads and cold beer served by the world-famous Hooters girls.
Call to inquire about reservations in our party room.
Nylan’s
Notes: Okay I have one thing to say about Indy. There seems to more women with
more … upfront shall we say than most cities I have been to. And this place is
one of them.
(13) Houlihans
111 W. Maryland St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 266-8711
FAX (317) 266-8910
Great selection of
sandwiches and dinner entrees, most "made from scratch" in house.
Served in a comfortable, yet classic atmosphere. Houlihans is a step above
other casual restaurants. Don't forget to save room for one of our tantalizing
homemade desserts.
Nylan’s
Notes: Walked by this place, wasn’t too impressed, but it is fairly close
Rob’s
Notes: Good sandwiches, pretty good dinner menu if you stick to the 'made from
scratch' stuff.
(14) India Garden Restaurant
143 N. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 634-6060
FAX (317) 634-2160
The award-winning
branch in Broad Ripple has opened its doors in downtown as well. Casual dining
at a reasonable price. Serving chicken, lamb, seafood and a large selection of
vegetarian dishes. Banquet hall available for private parties.
Nylan’s
Notes: We never did get to this place, but it was kinda far off to walk from
the convention center anyway. Would be good for a get-together though.
Rob’s Notes: Okay for a 'theme' restaurant, there are better choices if you want real Indian food. I thought it was a bit pricey for what you got.
(15) Jillian's (picked by Nylan)
141 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 822-9300
FAX (317) 822-1009
Jillian's, a
45,000-square-foot, three-floor entertainment complex, features a sports video
cafe and bar with over 20 giant screen TVs and a menu specializing in classic
American favorites. We also offer Hibachi Grill, Amazing Games Room and Hi-Life
Lanes Bowling.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place was great! On the 2nd floor there is an arcade with a bar in
it, And Air Hockey while your drunk is fun. Especially if you are watching the
people playing! This is a definitely a place to start out an evening of bar
hopping.
(16) Lotus
235 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 951-2174
FAX (317) 951-2298
Asian bistro,
nightclub and champagne lounge. The first floor features a restaurant serving
Euro-Asian cuisine and sushi bar. The second floor is a nightclub with dance
music, a disc jockey and VIP area. The third floor is a champagne lounge
featuring full bottle service.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place was fairly dead when we walked by, so we didn’t stop.
Rob’s Notes: Yuppy, trendy, champagne bar/dance club. A place to hang out for the tragically hip 20-something upwardly mobile places. I didn't like it.
(17) Loughmiller's Pub & Eatery
301 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 638-7380
Indy's answer to
Murphy Brown's favorite hangout, Phil's. Check out the political memorabilia
while enjoying a frosty mug and the music of jazz man extraordinaire Sonny
Gholson every Thurs. and Fri.
Nylan’s
Notes: We walked by this place before it was open; it seemed kind of small for
a gathering of more than 8-10 people.
Rob’s Notes: Pretty good bar fare, small, the jazz is great if you're into that sort of thing.
(18) Magic Moments Restaurant
One N. Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 822-3400
FAX (317) 951-0662
jtucker@indynet.com
With a commending
view of Monument Circle and the skyline of Indianapolis, you will experience a
most enjoyable evening at one of Indianapolis' finest restaurants in a relaxed
and elegant penthouse setting. Magic Moments is the restaurant you won't want
to miss.
Nylan’s
Notes: Was not impressed by this place. It was also too formal for my tastes.
Rob’s Notes: Expensive. Don't come without a suit. The chowder was good though. Might be good if you're into a romantic evening with your partner.
(19) The Majestic Restaurant
47 S. Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 636-5418
FAX (317) 636-8321
yohn2@prodigy.net
Fresh seafood,
great steaks, stuffed Florida pompano, cajun blackened fish, bluepoint oysters,
clam chowder, stir-fried vegetarian pasta dish. Thick cut filet mignon, New
York strip steak or fresh tuna, sword, salmon, mahi, red snapper or
grouper--grilled, blackened or sautéed.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place looked good, but it was a fair walk from the convention
center
(20) Malibu on Maryland
14 W. Maryland St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 635-4334
A lively
bistro-type place with live piano jazz on the first level and relaxing dining
on the second level. Featuring wood fired fresh seafood, certified Angus steaks
and creative pasta dishes.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place has great steaks, and the jazz was fairly good also. Prices
were reasonable for steak and seafood.
(21) Mikado Japanese Restaurant (picked
by Nylan)
148 S. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 972-4180
FAX (317) 972-4193
The finest in
authentic Japanese cuisine, offering delicious selections from a seasonal menu.
Fabulous dining room features a Japanese garden, contemporary Japanese
furniture and handmade china from Japan. Come in for a cup of sake, salmon
teriyaki or the freshest sushi available.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place I wanted to stop at, but the rest of the party chickened out.
Wusses, anyway I have heard that this place is VERY good. Will definitely be
stopping at during GenCon.
Rob’s
Notes: Excellent food, and the opinion I've heard from my friends wholike
sushi, is that it's some of the best in town. Tends to be expensive, but most
good Japanese places are. Calling ahead is a really good idea.
(22) Morton's
of Chicago, The Steakhouse (picked by Nylan)
41 E. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 229-4700
FAX (317) 229-4704
Rich mahogany wood
paneling and etched glass set the tone. Crisp white tablecloths, cozy brickwork
and sumptuous wine and food displays punctuate the environment. Morton's also
offers the board room for private meetings, special events and receptions for
10 people or more at no additional charge.
Nylan’s
Notes: This is a final dinner type place, something where you wanted a little
class. The prices are steep, but the food makes up for it.
(2) P.F.
Chang's China Bistro
Circle Centre, 49 W. Maryland St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 974-5747
FAX (317) 974-5748
nhampfchangs@aol.com
P.F. Chang's China
Bistro combines traditional Chinese cuisine with inviting American hospitality
in an upbeat bistro setting to create a truly unique dining experience.
Nylan’s
Notes: We only walked by here, but it seemed big and inviting. This is a place
I would like to try during GenCon
Rod’s Notes: The food is good, not great, and
tends to be, IMO, expensive. It's more of a 'theme', chain, Chinese restaurant,
catering to the upwardly mobile. If you want real Chinese, this would be one of
my last choices.
(23) Ram
Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery
140 S. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 955-9900
FAX (317) 955-9934
Upscale casual
restaurant and brewery featuring burgers, steaks, salads, sandwiches and
handcrafted beers. Big screen TV in the lounge, full-service bar, kid's menu
and 48-seat private dining room with audio-visual capabilities available.
Nylan’s
Notes: Walked by this place, it seemed kinda small from the outside. Other than
that it looked okay.
Rob’s Notes: It's like Alcatraz, fair food, okay prices. Nothing special. It's small, though it tends to be less busy than some other Pub/Brewery places.
(24) Rathskeller Restaurant
401 E. Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 636-0396
FAX (317) 630-4652
An "old
world" restaurant with loads of personality and ambiance. Serving classic
and gourmet German cuisine as well as contemporary cuisine to tempt every taste
bud. One of Indiana's most interesting and unique bars with a wide variety of
German beers.
Nylan’s
Notes: I loved the Rathskeller we had in South Bend, and wanted to try this
one, but it is just to far to walk and then stumble back.
Rob’s Notes: Definitely one of my favorite places in Indy. The food and prices are excellent. It is a little far from the convention center, but it's worth a cab ride to go. Probably a good idea to call ahead.
(25) Rock
Bottom Brewery
10 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 681-8180
FAX (317) 681-8615
"Food too good
for a brewpub. Beer too good for a restaurant." Innovative menu including
steaks, salads, seafoods and unique Southwestern fare. Handcrafted ales brewed
on premises. Excellent service and atmosphere, with unique basement pool bar,
live music and big TVs.
Nylan’s
Notes: This is an okay place to meet-up with a group. But it isn’t a place to
hang-out. It’s a good casual restaurant though, and the prices seemed
reasonable
(2) Ruth's
Chris Steak House
at Circle Centre Mall
49 W. Maryland St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 633-1313
FAX (317) 633-1356
indycc@iei.net
Dine in casual
elegance, surrounded by the cosmopolitan charm of downtown Indianapolis.
Specializing in prime steaks, fresh seafood, New Orleans-inspired specialties,
tempting desserts, world-class wine list. Unique martini and cigar bar and
exquisitely appointed dining rooms. Handicapped and banquet facilities.
Nylan’s
Notes: We walked by this place, but we had just eaten at Steak and Shake for
breakfast so eating here was out of the question. But it looked good.
Rob’s
Notes: Probably at the top of the list for Steak Houses in Indy. The food is
great, the service borders on fawning, and the prices reflect it. It's /really/
expensive.
(26) St.
Elmo Steak House
127 S. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 637-1811 (800) 637-1811
FAX (317) 687-9162
tifney@stelmos.com
An Indianapolis
institution since 1902, St. Elmo is a favorite of local and national
celebrities. Enjoy mouth-watering steaks, seafood, chicken or chops. Begin with
Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and sample wine from the award-winning wine list to
complete your dining experience.
Nylan’s
Notes: We were running a bit low on cash so we never got around to eat here,
but I have heard it was good, but expensive.
Rob’s
Notes: A step down from Ruth Kris. Excellent food. It's a nice place, though
it's pretty busy on the weekends. Moderately expensive. A better value that
Ruth Chris, I think, though the steaks are not as good.
(27) Steak &
Shake
127 S. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 637-1811 (800) 637-1811
FAX (317) 687-9162
Nylan’s Notes: This is the ONLY place we could find
for breakfast; luckily it’s close to the convention center.
(28) Tiki Bob's Cantina
231 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 974-0954
FAX (317) 974-0952
High-energy island adventure with the best of 70s, 80s, 90s and today's music. Daily drink specials and the best party in Indianapolis. Check out for any of your private party needs any day of the week.
Nylan’s Notes: This is another pick-up bar, and it
seemed kind of a dive, but was very active.
Rob’s
Notes: Too crowded, and nothing special to recommend it against Jillian's, or
any of the other downtown bars. I only went once, and never went back.
(2) World Mardi Gras Music Hall
World Mardi Gras Entertainment Complex
Circle Centre, 49 W. Maryland St., Ste. H-8
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 630-5483
FAX (317) 630-5033
World Mardi Gras
Music Hall has live music and entertainment as well as the famous New Orleans
atmosphere. World Mardi Gras has hosted many national recording artists along
with many regional and local acts.
Following found at Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. web site (found at www.indy.org, in map section)
(29) Thai Garden Restaurant
245 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 822-4151
FAX (317) 822-4451
A family restaurant offering
authentic Thai cuisine. Lunch buffet available Mon.-Fri. and dinner buffet on
Fri.-Sat.
Nylan’s
Notes: This place has great authentic Thai food, hot and spicy. The prices are
a bit steep though
(30) The Slippery
Noodle Inn
372 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis
IN
46225
Phone: (317) 631-6974
Web: http://www.slipperynoodle.com/
Nylan’s
Notes: This place is a HUGE blues bar, with two stages. A definite must stop
for Indy
(31) The Ugly
Monkey
370 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
Nylan’s
Notes: This place ROCKED! Okay, it’s a meat market (or for those of you that
don’t know what a meat market is, it’s a pick-up bar) but it was LOUD and had a
GREAT DJ, plus a lot of very attractive women there. A MUST stop place if you
like loud hard rock.
(32) Red Garter
Lounge
P.O. Box 204
Maxwell, IN 46154-0204
Phone: (317) 637-0829
Nylan’s
Notes: Okay, it’s a strip club, but it is supposed to be one of the best ones
in town, and it’s just 5 blocks away.
Rob’s Notes: I used to work at a strip club in Indy, and I can say,
it's not one of the best. It's the only one close to downtown, nuff said. They
serve lunch too on weekdays, eat before you go.
(33) Hollywood Bar &
Filmworks (added by
Rob)
247 South Meridian
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(317) 231-9250
This is a movie
theatre/bar/restaraunt, so if you need time to unwind, and see a flick, it's
not a bad choice. The food is good, the prices are fair, and it's the only
place that still shows Rocky Horror Picture Show in Indianapolis, though I
don't know if it'll run on convention weekend (they show it every other
weekend).
Places
recommended by Nylan:
For a quick bite to
eat: There are Subways located around Indy, I saw about 3, there is one right
next to #17, and there is one in Circle Centre mall on the top floor. The top
floor of the mall also has lots of little places to eat at similar to the mall
in Milwaukee.
For Breakfast: The
only real place other than your hotel is #27 Steak and Shake
For Lunch: Unless you
want something to sit down and eat at, I would just hit the top floor of the
Circle Center (#2) and the food court. They have a lot of decent restaurants.
For Dinner: I highly
recommend (#1) Acapulco Joe's Mexican
Restaurant, (#4)
Buca di Beppo, (#21) Mikado Japanese
Restaurant (sushi!), (#2) Ruth's Chris Steak House,
& (#29) Thai Garden Restaurant, These are all mostly casual places with
good food. If you are looking for a formal place for like a goodbye dinner,
welcoming dinner etc. then I would recommend (#22) Morton's
of Chicago, The Steakhouse, (#26) St. Elmo Steak House, & (#21) Mikado Japanese
Restaurant.
For short-term drinking or starting to bar
hop: I would recommend (#2) Alcatraz Brewing Co. because
it’s fairly close to the convention center, (#13) Houlihans because it’s also
close and on the way to other bars, (#15) Jillian's is actually one you could spend a lot of
time at simply because of the arcade &/or bowling, but it’s a definite
start place.
For hanging out for the evening I recommend
the following: (#6) Claddagh Irish Pub, Nothing really beats a authentic Irish
pub for drinking with friends, (#11) Have a Nice Day Café is a very active
bar/dance club, (#15)
Jillian's, Yes I know I included this in
both sections but it’s a good place to start, or just hang-out, (#28) Tiki Bob's Cantina This place is another good
bar/dance club, (#30)
The Slippery Noodle Inn This place is perfect for you if you like the blues,
not very good for picking up members of the opposite sex though, & (#31)
The Ugly Monkey This place is by far my favorite bar / dance club, but that’s
because I like watching crowds of people and the social dynamics, and they had
some attractive women also. And if you see the Crysta the shot girl give her a
big tip, she is very good at her job.
Well that about
wraps it up. If you have any additions or questions email me at
nylanfs@yahoo.com