arenn's Indianapolis Dining Guide (Archival Page)

Abbey Coffeehouse (**) $ Casual
771 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 269-8426

Acapulco Joe's- (*) $ Casual
365 N. Illinois St., (317) 637-5160

Better than Chi-Chi's, but not by much. This American style Mexican place has a cult following in Indy that stupifies me. The food is mediocre, as is the squeeze bottle salsa. Indianapolis Montly recently rated this as one of the 20 most important restaurants in the city over the last 20 years. Yikes. An irate Mexican immigrant quickly corrected this outrageous inclusion in a letter to the editor, but the damage was done. Apparently the Joe in question (a Mexican immigrant who supposedly made it here by accident after the bus company ticket agent misunderstood "Minneapolis") used to burst into the restaurant singing "God Bless America". He's dead now, but his personality may have had much to do with this restaurant's success.

Aesop's Tables (**) $ Casual
600 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 631-0055

A decent Mediterranean joint in the corner storefront of a flatiron style building on Mass Ave. Extremely popular for lunch. The food is what you would expect (hummus, etc) and is good if not outstanding.

Alcatraz Brewing Company (**) $ Casual
49 W. Maryland St. (Circle Centre), (317) 488-1230

The prototype for a chain operated by the same folks as California Cafe, this brewpub features a prison theme. Better than average bar food includes wood fired pizzas and beer battered onion rings. The beer is decent. Expect a wait on weekend nights.

Amici's+ (***) $$ Casual
601 E. New York St., (317) 634-0440

This Lockerbie area eatery serves up the best some of the best downtown Italian in a great atmosphere. The place is in an old house, and diners are scattered throughout several rooms for an intimiate dining experience. While next door to stately Lockerbie square, the decor is more funky Broad Ripple than sterile Victorian.

Bazbeaux Pizza+ (**) $$ Casual
334 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 636-7662
832 E. Westfield Bvld, (317) 255-5711

Very good gourmet thin crust pizza with more toppings than you can shake a stick at. They have other stuff, but why bother ordering it. An Indianapolis original and quite possibly the city's best pizza place.

Bertolini's (**) $$ Informal
49 W. Maryland St, (inside Circle Centre on the 1st floor Pariian wing), (317) 638-1800

So, so Italian chain run by the folks who own the Morton's of Chicago steakhouse chain. With a name like that behind them, I was expecting top notch food, but this place fails to deliver. The dishes (yet another place serving gourmet pizzas?) are uninventive and, while tasty, are not something that would make you really want to go here instead of one of the other zillion Italian places in town. The desserts are a highlight though. Watch out for rushed service.

Broad Ripple Steakhouse (**) $$ Informal
929 E. Westfield Bvld, (317) 253-8101

This place has an identity crisis. On the one hand you have the term "steak house" which conjures up images of fat guys in suits smoking cigars while devouring huge hunks of meat. Then you have "Broad Ripple" which makes me think hip and trendy. This is reinforced with such menu items as "Damn Fine Mushrooms". And there's the decor of the place which is dark and intimate. I find it all a bit disconcerting. Still, the place is pretty good. Not a traditional steakhouse, but they serve a decent cut of meat at prices you can afford. Other entree's such as swordfish offer plenty of options and the appetizers are mostly pretty good.

BW-3 (**) $ Casual
6235 N. Guilford Ave., (317) 259-1859
A bar that has great buffalo wings. Don't bother ordering anything else because it's all terrible. But the wings are the best in the city. Try the hot or if you are a real masochist, get 10 of the blazin', but don't say I didn't warn you.

Cafe Patachou+ (****) $ Casual
4911 N. Pennsylvania St., (317) 925-2823

This Meridian-Kessler cafe serves the best breakfast food in Indy, perhaps anywhere. The omlettes are incredible, as is everything else really. Try the sourdough toast. Surprisingly, the coffee is only ok. Open only for breakfast and lunch.

Cazueala's Mexican Restaurant+ (**) $$ Casual
10224 E. Rockville Rd., Avon, (317) 271-7225
8311 N. Michigan Rd. (unrated), (317) 876-9995

A surprisingly good casual Mexican place. While the service is a bit rushed, the food is pretty solid. This is the best thing that's happened to Avon dining in a while. I have it listed as highly recommended mostly because of its location in the dining neverland of Avon. Northwest siders have more choices and should take that into account.

Coach and Horses (*) $$ Casual
9251 W. Rockville Rd., (317) 271-1212

Don't think this place is bad because of the one star rating. The food is a bit greasy and only ok, but this place has a ton of character (and cigarette smoke) and is one of my west side favorites. Bar food including prime rib, nachos, burgers, burritos, you name it.

The Diner (**) $ Casual
9762 W. Washington St., (317) 839-9464

One of those old gleaming metal trailer style diners, this place fits in perfect on a decayed stretch of Washington St. left over from the days before the interstate highways. Good burgers and fries, but not as great as everybody claims. The friendly staff welcomes newcomers, but there are plenty of regulars as well.

El Sol de Tala (**) $$ Casual
2444 E. Washington St., (317) 635-8252

If you're looking for authentic Mexican, this is the place to go. Very good stuff all around. The neighborhood is a bit out of the way, but this is worth the drive. A northside location failed, probably because the wannabe sophisticate diners were expecting an upscale Chi-Chi's.

Illinois Street Food Emporium+ (***) $ Casual
5500 N. Illinois St., (317) 253-9513

This Butler-Tarkington sandwich shop serves up the best subs in the city. If you're eating alone, be sure to just order a half sandwich or you'll be carrying out a doggie bag. Great coffee, good desserts. Very popular.

Johnny Rocket's (**) $ Casual
49 W. Maryland St. (Circle Centre 3rd level food court), (317) 238-0444

The locals have gone ga-ga over this faux 50's diner concept. Burgers, fries, malts, loud music -- you know the drill. The food is ok, but not nearlly as great as all the awards this chain has garnered locally might lead you to believe. Be warned, there is almost always a long line to get a seat.

La Bamba's (***) $ Casual

The best drunk food in Broad Ripple. These "burritos as big as your head" are pretty good and I'm a burrito snob. Perhaps that's the reason this chain that started out at the University of Illinois is growing like gangbusters. Oh, it's good enough to eat at if you're sober too.

La Jolla- (*) $$ Casual
921 Broad Ripple Ave., (317) 253-5252

Looking for a place to dine al fresco, you might be tempted to stop in this crowded Mexican place on the Broad Ripple strip. Don't. The food is medicore and the service poor. The only redeeming qualities are the outdoor deck and their very good salsa.

Milano Inn- (*) $$ Informal
231 S. College Ave., (317) 264-3585

Mediocre food and service characterize this near downtown Southern Italian. It's been around a long time and has a loyal client base, but given the out of the way location and below par food, it's definitely one of the places to avoid.

The Old Spaghetti Factory (**) $$ Casual
210 S. Meridian St., (317) 635-6325

My mother makes better spaghetti sauce than this downtown chain spot, but admittedly, she's Italian. An ok place to take the family maybe, but there are much better pastas out there.

Palomino (***) $$ Informal
49 W. Maryland St. (Circle Centre, corner of Illinois/Maryland), (317) 974-0400

Without a doubt the hottest spot in town, the food at this chain is clearly above average, but not spectacular. From bread (with an aweseome tomato dipping sauce) to dessert, everything they make is solid. It's difficult to make a bad choice here. The service is very good. The decor is a different matter. It is a glitzy mishmash of styles (palm trees in Indianaplis?) that seems more designed to impress the diner with how much money was spent on it ($3 million) than to convey any sense of atmosphere. The places calls itself a "Euro Bistro" which shows me the owners neither know anything about European food, nor bistro's. The food is really just American and the atmosphere pseudo-theme restaurant. Tellingly, while both the Indianapolis Monthly critics and readers voted this the best place in town, it failed to even make the top forty in the San Francisco Zagat guide, meriting a mere 19 out of 30 for food quality. The local raves it gets here say more about Indianapolis than they do about Palomino.

Papa Joe's (zero) $$ Casual
2441 Lafayette Rd., (317) 925-3593

Exactly what you expect from the west side. Terrible Southern Italian food. Marginal pizzas. Drink lots of beer if you get stuck going here.

Rock Bottom Brewery (**) $$ Casual
10 W. Washington St., (317) 681-8180

Yawn, another chain brew pub. Am I in Indianapolis or Cincinnati (or Milwaukee or Chicago or Denver)? The food and the beer are all the same at this place no matter where you go. Ok pub grub and decent beers. Pretty good service though, which by itself could make this a worthwhile place to visit.

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (****) $$$ Informal
45 S. Illinois St., (317) 633-1313
9445 Threel Rd. (96th and Keystone), (317) 844-1155

A New Orleans based chain it may be, but they serve up the best steak in town (sorry St. Elmo's). The monster cuts of prime aged beef come in sizzling hot plates of melted butter. The appetizers and sides (including many different types of potatoes - order several and serve them family style) are awesome, as are the desserts. Premium cigars are available (at a premium price of course). If you are not on expense account, this place will vaporize your wallet in a hurry as everything is a la carte and very pricey. The dress is more formal than I have seen at Ruth's Chris elsewhere, which strikes me as a bit odd, since I've always viewed Indy as a layed back, casual town. Be sure to scan the room for celebreties as when they come to town this is one of the top spots they visit.

Shapiro's Deli+ (****) $ Casual
808 S. Meridian St., (317) 631-4041
2370 W. 86th St. (unrated), (317) 872-7255

An absolutely incredible Jewish deli that could smash any competition I've tried in New York City. They're that good. Everything is amazing from the bagels to the corned beef sandwiches (my deli benchmark) to mashed potatoes. Come early before they run out of the most popular items.

St. Elmo's Steak House+ (**) $$$ Informal
127 S. Illinois St., (317) 635-0636

Ok, a new and significantly downgraded review. Based on my last couple trips I'd have to say that this steak house is definitely now second rate. The atmosphere - masculine, clubby, with photos of notable visitors on the walls and a tuxedo clad wait staff that takes care of your every need - is still tops, but boy have the steaks declined in quality. I can get a better cut of beef at Outback. My last trip everybody complained about their steaks, and most of the people I were with weren't exactly jaded veterans of the Chicago steak house scene like I am. The appetizer list is still weak - except for the shrimp cocktail of course - and the desserts not so great. Ruth's Chris is right down the street, and I say go to the chain instead. Much better food.

Sullivans Steakhouse (**) $$$ Informal
3316 E. 68th St, (317) 580-1280

Yet another chain beef palace. This place has the same formula as Ruth's Chris and St. Elmo's - everything a la carte, premium beef, a very masculine, upscale atmosphere - but just doesn't do it quite as well. They are trying to establish a niche at the low end of the premium market, but their prices are just too high to justify going here except for the purpose of variety. Awesome French Onion soup and souffles are the highlights. The side dishes and other appetizers fall flat. The steaks are good, but don't overwhelm the same way Ruth's Chris and St. Elmo's do. This place is unbelievably popular so be sure to get a reservation - and an upgrade on your credit card limit.

Union Jack's Pub (**) $$ Casual
924 Broad Ripple Ave., (317) 257-4343
6225 W. 25th St. (unrated), (317) 297-3636

This is really more restaurant than English pub. And the specialty is Chicago style pizza. It's the genuine article and pretty good if not really a competitor to any of the best Windy City places. The rest of the food is standard pub fare and is of marginal quality.