Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

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  • boombaby1987
    Member
    • Jan 2012
    • 4420

    #31
    Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

    Originally posted by Dr. Hibbert
    Coming to Indy and not grabbing lunch at Shapiro's should be considered a crime. It's worth the money. I've yet to have anything on their menu that was short of fantastic.

    Random thoughts:

    1. You can't go wrong with most steakhouses in Indy. No one will mistake Indy for KC, but I've never heard anyone really complain about their steak anywhere either. St. Elmo's is the most famous locale, and a lot of locals will tell you it's overrated and you can get the same food cheaper at Harry & Izzys (they share a kitchen). I think it's good steak, though. Still best I've had in the city.

    2. If you like really good burgers at a place with some nice ambiance, where you can still see ESPN in the corner -- BRU Burger on Mass Ave.

    3. If you like BBQ, I always hear great things about Smokehouse on Shelby, though it's definitely a cab ride from downtown.

    4. Underrated place I like a lot: Tavern on South, on South Street next to Lucas Oil Stadium. It's my ideal tavern menu, so if I'm planning on grabbing drinks & food for a few hours, Tavern is a place to go for the quality of both. Maybe not so much the crowd (that will be more Mass Ave or Fountain Square)

    5. If you're looking for Italian, please don't go to Buca or some other Italian chain. Indy has a lot of chain restaurants, and a lot central to downtown that make you think those are your only options. But Milano Inn is a very short cab ride from downtown, and so worth it.

    6. If you're just looking for low-expense, good-crowd, sports-watching fun, you can't go wrong with Kilroy's. As an IU alum, it holds a special place in my heart. It's also spoiled me for drink choices (having since been somewhere and asked what kind of long islands they have, and being met with a quizzical look and response "there's just the long island" -- Kilroy's must have 30+ different variations of Long Islands). I've never eaten at the downtown Kilroy's, but IU Kilroy's was perfect for pregaming for IU basketball on $2 Tuesdays especially, could grab a cheeseburger, breadsticks and drink for $6!
    In regards to Italian, I like Iarias, but that is a little bit out of downtown.
    There is no NBA player named Monte Ellis.

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    • themayhem87
      Member
      • Feb 2006
      • 109

      #32
      Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

      Originally posted by Anthem
      The Big City?

      I thought you were coming to Indianapolis?
      L0L have u been to Knoxville? Indy seems like NY compared to this city

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      • Dr. Hibbert
        Member
        • Jan 2009
        • 5074

        #33
        Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

        Originally posted by boombaby1987
        In regards to Italian, I like Iarias, but that is a little bit out of downtown.
        Yeah, I was thinking mostly what's a practical trip for someone presumably staying/hanging out downtown. Or else I might have said Mama Carrolla's.

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        • I Love P
          Member
          • Jun 2008
          • 4065

          #34
          Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

          I'm not sure if you're into subs, roast beef or mini sliders, but there is a White Castle, Subway and Arby's all in a row just south of BLF on South Street. You should really check those places out.

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          • Eindar
            Member
            • Jan 2004
            • 3247

            #35
            Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

            Originally posted by boombaby1987
            In regards to Italian, I like Iarias, but that is a little bit out of downtown.
            This. Iaria's is basically down the street from Milano Inn, and has superior food. Milano Inn, however, has better ambiance, if that's your thing.

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            • ASkin_ANight
              Member
              • Jan 2012
              • 91

              #36
              Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

              Bru Burger is great and has some really good beers, although most are in bottles.

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              • Trader Joe
                DIET COKE!
                • Jan 2006
                • 46914

                #37
                Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                Go to Mass Ave. Eat literally anywhere. You'll be happy. Bakersfield has great tacos. Yat's has great cajun/creole. Chatham has great english pub fare, their prince dean's angel wings are amazing. Mesh on Mass has a great late night menu that is just off the chain, pork belly sliders for 3 dollars? Yes please. Bazbeaux's pizza is fantastic. Mass Ave is just a great neighborhood, I would have lived there if the condos weren't all obscenely overpriced.

                Ralston's has a fantastic beer list with good solid food and is owned by the same people who do Chatham. Ball and Biscuit is a mass ave cocktail bar that makes some insane cocktail combos and has good small plate food.

                The Indy food scene is really strong. I wouldn't eat at a place like Weber Grill, Rock Bottom, RAM, etc., if I only had a couple days here, too many other great places to go.

                Even if you are married to staying around the circle I would start at a place like Harry and Izzy's first. The Prime rib sandwich is maybe my favorite sandwich in Indiana, fall apart tender on a big delicious onion bun with house made horseradish sauce and more fries than one person can ever eat, plus you can get the St. Elmo's shrimp cocktail. Potbellies right on the circle is a grinder/sub place that serves great hot subs fast and cheap it's a great lunch option if you're walking around downtown.

                If you're into cigars and sushi, check out Bu-Da lounge. If you like craft cocktails and small plate style food check out the Libertine which is a favorite downtown watering hole of the rich and famous when the Super Bowl was here. They and the Ball & Biscuit are probably the two best cocktail bars in Indy and like the B&B you can grab small plates here to munch on. Libertine is actually a great pregame spot 2 blocks from the stadium or so right on Washington just southeast of the circle you can walk right down Penn from there to get to the stadium.
                Last edited by Trader Joe; 12-17-2013, 04:10 PM.


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                • Unclebuck
                  Administrator
                  • Jan 2004
                  • 36200

                  #38
                  Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                  am I the only one who doesn't like St. Elmo's shrimp cocktail. I mean enough with the cocktail sauce. Can I please just have some on the side to dip my shrimp into. I felt I was eating the cocktail sauce with Shrimp on the side.

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                  • owl
                    Member
                    • Mar 2004
                    • 17151

                    #39
                    Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                    Originally posted by Unclebuck
                    am I the only one who doesn't like St. Elmo's shrimp cocktail. I mean enough with the cocktail sauce. Can I please just have some on the side to dip my shrimp into. I felt I was eating the cocktail sauce with Shrimp on the side.
                    Frankly I can make cocktail sauce similar to that.
                    {o,o}
                    |)__)
                    -"-"-

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                    • Steve
                      Member
                      • May 2004
                      • 46

                      #40
                      Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                      Not a burger place, but my favorite restaurant in Indianapolis is R Bistro on Mass Ave. Not cheap but not outrageously expensive either. Great local place. I miss it very much since I no longer live in indy.

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                      • Sollozzo
                        Member
                        • Jan 2004
                        • 27440

                        #41
                        Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                        Originally posted by Unclebuck
                        am I the only one who doesn't like St. Elmo's shrimp cocktail. I mean enough with the cocktail sauce. Can I please just have some on the side to dip my shrimp into. I felt I was eating the cocktail sauce with Shrimp on the side.

                        No one would talk about it if it was shrimp with just a little sauce on the side.

                        Comment

                        • Unclebuck
                          Administrator
                          • Jan 2004
                          • 36200

                          #42
                          Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                          Originally posted by Steve
                          Not a burger place, but my favorite restaurant in Indianapolis is R Bistro on Mass Ave. Not cheap but not outrageously expensive either. Great local place. I miss it very much since I no longer live in indy.
                          I was going to mention that, I love R Bistro. I have only been there 3 times as it is expensive, but the food is always great. R Bistro, Siam Square, Oakley's Bistro, and Bazbeaux are probably my 4 favorite restaurants in the city.

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                          • idioteque
                            hopeful
                            • May 2006
                            • 11439

                            #43
                            Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                            Way off the beaten path for you, but if you have any extra time to grab a meal maybe the next day or something, I always really liked Italian Gardens. I don't think the neighborhood it is in is he best and it looks kinda like a hole in the wall from the outside, but the food is GOOD. Or at least it was 7 years ago. Maybe people who have been there recently could say something.

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                            • BlueNGold
                              Banned
                              • Aug 2005
                              • 32249

                              #44
                              Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                              Originally posted by PacersCenter
                              Might I recommend Pearl St. Pizza. It's off, you guessed it, Pearl St, which is an alley between Meridian and Pennsylvania by Coaches/Scotty's/O'Riellys. Had it for the first time the other day, amazing...pretty cheap too, but damn good pizza.
                              I eat at Pearl St. often...and you might try the Calzones. I like them better than the Pizza. BTW, if it were not a good place to eat, they would clearly go out of business. Nobody is ever going to drive by it.

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                              • Dr. Hibbert
                                Member
                                • Jan 2009
                                • 5074

                                #45
                                Re: Heading to Indy for the game 28th....where do I eat in the big city

                                Well, I hope OP is satisfied. All this thread has done with me is make me hungry and make me want to move to Mass Ave.

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