Any new restaurants?
Posted by raptorov

Probably more for locals, but has anything new opened up to check out? I know Goodwood closed, but has anything moved in there, or is the Georgia Street redo bogging everything down. We all remember the gamer themed places, and it would be so cool to get some of that vibe back.

Posted by quarex

It really seems like the current level of office occupancy in downtown Indianapolis, whatever it is, has permanently cut the number of restaurants and coffee shops needed by like half, given how few of the old classic Gen-Con haunts that closed have even been fully dismantled, let alone replaced.  I mean other than the Ram you can still see the old signage for places like Sugarfire Smokehouse, Scotty's Brewhouse, Colts Grille, I think even Claddagh and Haveli

Posted by squirecam

I still miss dicks bbq on Pennsylvania ave.

Posted by njseahawksfan

This made me go and check to make sure The Eagle is still there.  They are, and I recommend it.  Fried chicken, spoonbread and Miller High Life.

The Eagle – Menu (eaglerestaurant.com)

Posted by njseahawksfan quarex

quarex wrote:
It really seems like the current level of office occupancy in downtown Indianapolis, whatever it is, has permanently cut the number of restaurants and coffee shops needed by like half, given how few of the old classic Gen-Con haunts that closed have even been fully dismantled, let alone replaced.  I mean other than the Ram you can still see the old signage for places like Sugarfire Smokehouse, Scotty's Brewhouse, Colts Grille, I think even Claddagh and Haveli
Man, I miss Scotty's.  But they went out of business after being acquired by a company that tried to take them national and then went under due to other investments tanking, not because of a lack of customers.  Which makes it all the more sad, because they were SERIOUSLY GenCon Friendly.  

Posted by hahnarama

No Scotty's went under because Scott Wise was a HORRIBLE owner. He lied to the new buyers about the value and revenue stream of all the restaurants. He lied to the secret shareholders after he took their ca$h.  

It was great, it was just run by the wrong person.

Posted by aldctjoc

Unfortunately, there's going to be a bit fewer food choices downtown for a while. City Market will be closing for a while so that the buildings can be renovated.


But it's not like there'll be a complete dearth. City Market may be a hike (1.7 miles according to Google maps), but it's still got a lot of good choices. I love the heck out of Gaucho's Fire there. And there's so much else on Mass Ave to try. Too many to list. 

Somehow I've never heard of Saint Shack, despite being in Indy semi-regularly. I want to try them. 

There's a new high-end restaurant called Commission Row near Gainbridge Fieldhouse (that's Indy's NBA stadium). It's right up the street from the Alexander hotel. It's described as a steakhouse and speakeasy, and while it's severely uncheap - they list a $199 seafood tower! - it looks like it could be an appealing alternative to St. Elmo's, Capital Grille, or Hyde Park Steakhouse. If you're feeling spendy. 

What else? Agave and Rye, nearly across the street from the Alexander. And the new Tupelo Honey is directly east of that hotel. I never got a chance last con to try Nevermore, and that's right nearby, in Union Station. And then some old standbys, like Shapiro's Deli southeast of Lucas Oil Stadium, Nada's, Old Spaghetti Factory, Yard House...

I know not all the places I'm listing are new, but I don't always hear or read some of these places when people talk about restaurants nearby. And that's mostly because many of them are a bit farther than Steak n Shake, Cafe Patachou, or any of the hotel restaurants. But they may be "new" for some people who haven't ventured too far from the ICC. 

Posted by quarex

Fascinating, through that anti-Scott Wise post I have learned he is back in business and runs Roots Burger Bar in a former Scotty's Brewhouse location in Muncie.  And he has another one in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel!  And apparently tried opening one in Indianapolis proper in 2022 which made it all the way to...2023.

Posted by hahnarama

I actually went to Agave & Rye last week, food was good but not worth the cost. If you want some KILLER tacos, $5-$6 a pop, try the Condato 530 Mass Ave

I could be wrong but since Nevermore re opened under new ownership I thought it was just for events only

Shapiro's has been around for over 100 years. KILLER Pastrami.

Posted by aldctjoc

The thing about Shapiro's is that every time I go there, my eyes get too big for my stomach and I can never finish what I buy. But hot damn, going there is worth it. 

Yeah, I'd definitely be interested in knowing who does good tacos. If Agave & Rye's quality to cost ratio isn't that good, I definitely would like to know about alternatives. 

And I have no idea about Nevermore; I just know that both them and, for different reasons, Whistle Stop Inn both seem like places to at least try. If Nevermore is only available for events, though, that curtails things. 

Posted by raptorov

Is Whistle Stop closed Sundays? I wandered over there last year on Sunday and it was closed.

Posted by del_grande raptorov

raptorov wrote:Is Whistle Stop closed Sundays? I wandered over there last year on Sunday and it was closed.

Yes, it is closed on Sundays, according to its website (hours are listed at the bottom)

Posted by raptorov

Thanks! It just seems strange that Sunday would be the day closed with Lucas Oil Stadium right there. If I am not mistaken, things happen there on Sundays when there is no Gen Con.

Posted by del_grande raptorov

raptorov wrote:Thanks! It just seems strange that Sunday would be the day closed with Lucas Oil Stadium right there. If I am not mistaken, things happen there on Sundays when there is no Gen Con.

There's a Chick-Fil-A located inside the NFL stadium in Atlanta, but that's closed on Sundays as well - even when the stadium was hosting the Super Bowl.

Posted by aldctjoc

Yeah, but if you can't get enough business, then management will close rather than lose money on operating costs.

I'm seeing restaurants where I live being closed at least once a week, some twice a week now, and even having non-contiguous hours (i.e. open for lunch, closed after, say, 2pm, reopen at 4 or 5, etc.) now. True, some places in other cities have done that as a matter of course for years now, but I'm talking about places that used to be open solid for mostly the same hours every day. 

Things changed with COVID, and changed even more post COVID. 

I'm just not surprised to see a place, even one downtown in Indianapolis that's that close to Lucas Oil, the ICC, and not too far from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, be closed on Sundays. I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised. 

Posted by raptorov

Yeah, I have gotten used to the town my wife and I frequent on Lake Erie doing that. Even Friday or Saturday night. If no one is there at 7:30, they close. But thats a small town, not a big city. But you are right, the ways things were before Covid in the Earth that Was, sure are not anymore.

Posted by njseahawksfan hahnarama

hahnarama wrote:
No Scotty's went under because Scott Wise was a HORRIBLE owner. He lied to the new buyers about the value and revenue stream of all the restaurants. He lied to the secret shareholders after he took their ca$h.  
It was great, it was just run by the wrong person.

Huh, I didn't know that.  In fact, it seemed to be the opposite in the little that I read about that in the papers.

Majority owner of bankrupt Scotty’s plans to oust operating partner, focus on basics – Indianapolis Business Journal (ibj.com)

"The troubles facing Scotty’s are common to restaurants that go through ownership changes, said Steve Delaney, a real estate broker with CBRE.
“Service, food quality, cleanliness can all suffer when the original owner/operator leaves,” Delaney said.
Scotty’s Brewhouse was especially susceptible to this dynamic because Wise was so closely associated with the company he founded, Delaney said. “People knew who he was. Once he left, I think operations suffered, because it was his baby.”

Posted by squirecam del_grande

del_grande wrote:
raptorov wrote:Thanks! It just seems strange that Sunday would be the day closed with Lucas Oil Stadium right there. If I am not mistaken, things happen there on Sundays when there is no Gen Con.

There's a Chick-Fil-A located inside the NFL stadium in Atlanta, but that's closed on Sundays as well - even when the stadium was hosting the Super Bowl.
I can't imagine paying rent and letting 8 to 10 events go with zero revenue. 

Posted by quarex

This is why economics is not a science.  

Posted by shiverman45 del_grande

del_grande wrote:
raptorov wrote:Thanks! It just seems strange that Sunday would be the day closed with Lucas Oil Stadium right there. If I am not mistaken, things happen there on Sundays when there is no Gen Con.

There's a Chick-Fil-A located inside the NFL stadium in Atlanta, but that's closed on Sundays as well - even when the stadium was hosting the Super Bowl.
Chick-Fil-As are closed on Sundays because that's corporate policy. 

Sign in to write a new post. New Post
1