O'Reilly's Irish Bar and Restaurant
36 S. Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.974.0674





For our marketing team lunch last week, we make the quick trek down Pennsylvania Street to O'Reilly's Irish Bar and Restaurant.  This was Abby's first restaurant selection since joining  the Compendium team, and she definitely pulled through when the pressure was on!

O'Reilly's fits in well with other Indianapolis pubs, but definitely has it's own feel.  It does a great job of combining the atmosphere of an old fashioned pub, with the modern day set-up that sports fanatics and business workers would be looking for. 

The menu at this downtown Indianapolis restaurant is also one of their great selling points.  They have many different variations of burgers, salads and wraps to choose from, as well as Irish specialties and a group of meals the offer as $5 lunch specials everyday. 

For the most part, the portions were generous.  Some of the salads were even overflowing off of the plates and I couldn't keep my BBQ sandwich intact because it was so big.

Most of us agreed that the biggest draw-back of the restaurant was the very smokey atmosphere.  Also, what seemed to be a refreshing, chilly environment upon first walking into the restaurant turned into an ice-box feeling as we could hardly use our utensils because our hands were shivering due to the frigid temperature.  

All in all, if you're looking for Indianapolis lunch restaurants, O'Reilly's possesses plenty favorable characteristics that make it the perfect location, be prepared to wait for a table if you want to eat outside, and bring a jacket if you're not a fan of the cold!






Front Page Sports Bar & Grill
310 Massachusetts Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.631.6682






Apparently we loved the hike to Mass Ave enough last week to return there this week. Friday's destination: Front Page Sports Bar & Grill.  One of the better known sports bars Indianapolis, Front Page provided all of the necessary features to create a very enjoyable lunch atmosphere.

Front Page has seating both indoors and outdoors, which makes it perfect on a warm afternoon.  You better get there early on a nice day, or else the outdoor seating will quickly fill up.

The menu at this Indianapolis restaurant was fairly typical for a sports bar & grill.  A cheeseburger and fries was the popular choice, with Mikey & Meghan getting the Blue Bella Burger (which Mikey describes simply as "heavenly") while I went for the classic BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger.

Chandra thoroughly enjoyed the GIANT tenderloin, and Megan opted for a delicious seafood entree.  Abby, the newest addition to Compendium's marketing team, landed on the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.  She thought the portion sizes were favorable and the sandwich had good flavor.

Like most of the places we've stumbled up in the past few weeks, the atmosphere makes this downtown Indianapolis restaurant an enjoyable place to eat.  The wait staff was very helpful, the outdoor seating was perfect for a sunny day, and the multiple big screen televisions inside make it a perfect place to watch a game with friends!






Any professional looking for bars in Indianapolis to hit up after a long day working on spreadsheets needs to show up at Scotty's Brewhouse a Downtown Indianpolis Restaurant.

Scotty's on Google

Scotty's has everything you need to feel the following:

1. I'm a professional who deserves nice things
2.  I need high end LCD TV's at every viewing angle known to man
3.  I need the cleanest downtown Indianapolis restaurant in existance
4.  I need a nearly limitless beer selection, I need it cold, and I need it now

Scotty's menu is consistent no matter which location you choose to visit.  The wait staff is well train and on brand.  Which means you know what you're getting everytime you visit.  Very few bars in Indianapolis can boast that.

Treat yourself to a cold one after a long day of work in downtown Indianapolis.  Stop by Scotty's and tell them McKay sent you!



MacNiven's
339 Massachusetts Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.632.7268







For the Friday lunch, Meghan landed on MacNiven's Restaurant and Bar as the selection.  MacNiven's has the feel of a Scottish pub, with the menu and atmosphere to match.   It had a similar feel to other Indianapolis pubs, with quality food and fun service.

We all agreed that the atmosphere and wait staff gives MacNiven's a very "fun" feel, especially on a beautiful afternoon when they open up the windows.  We were able to sit at a table facing Mass Ave while enjoying the fine Scottish cuisine.

Chandra and Meghan both ordered the Angus burger, which is a cheeseburger prepared in a very unusual way.  They flatten out the patty until it is very thin and the size of the plate! Both of the ladies thought the burgers were top-notch.

Megan's grilled cheese was, quite possible, the "best grilled cheese ever," and Mikey claimed that his fish & chips was golden delicious. I went for the chicken curry with fried rice and was very pleased with the great flavor!

Although the menu was varied in its selections, it still seemed fairly limited.  If you're not willing to get outside of the "norm" with food selections, this might not be your perfect fit.  However, for a quick lunch break on a nice day, or an after work drink with friends (it is known to have an ample beer selection) MacNiven's should be the perfect downtown Indianapolis restaurant for you!

 



 







Red Robin
(multiple Indianapolis locations)
13215 Harrell Parkway
Noblesville, IN 46060
(317) 773-8150

After a few hours of trying to decide which Indianapolis restaurant my lovely girlfriend, Melissa, and I should have our date night at on Monday, I landed on Red Robin.  And I don't mean to brag, but it was a solid choice.

Red Robin is known for their gourmet burgers, and they do not disappoint.  Their menu is almost overwhelming at first glance and you have to ask yourself, "How can they actually make this many variations of the cheeseburger!?" 

The atmosphere is fun and very family oriented (for example, at 9:00pm on a Monday night, Nickelodeon was on half of the TV's, ESPN on the others).  If you want to bring the whole family, they have plenty of seating for you, as well as a bar area if you're trying to avoid the occasional screaming 2-year-old.

The food itself would easily compare with some of the best restaurants Indianapolis.  For myself, I went with the Whiskey River BBQ Burger, a massive burger topped with BBQ sauce and onion fries (and if you need your bacon fix like me, you add that too). It was a very... very good burger.

Melissa had the Banzai Burger, marinated in teriyaki and topped with grilled pineapple and cheese.  She thoroughly enjoyed it and was very happy with her choice.  The Banzai Burger did leave us both stumped at the question: "Do you put ketchup on a burger with pineapple on it?" (she decided not to...)

All in all, Red Robin was great.  There's no denying that it is a little pricey as far as burger's go, but when you're paying for a gourmet burger, they provide gourmet quality.  (Also, the waitress told me that adding bacon was an additional $.99 and threw a curve ball at me when it was actually $1.29!) But besides the bacon incident, I have no problem claiming that Red Robin will provide some of the best hamburgers Indianapolis. 





Bourbon Street Distillery
361 Indiana Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 636-3316




The Bourbon Street Distillery put up quite a fight today to be considered one of the best Indianapolis restaurants.

With quick service, a fun atmosphere, and a wide selection on the menu, this Indianapolis restaurant left myself and all of the members of the Compendium marketing team very satisfied. 

The menu had a wide range of selections, with everything from spicy Cajun seafood dishes to club sandwiches eight inches tall and then finish it all off with cheesecake for dessert.

Overall, we agreed the atmosphere and service were both very favorable qualities.  The wait staff was fun and there was plenty of seating, both indoor and outside.  The restaurant is prime for a quick lunch break or an after work drink.

All five of us were in shock as our food came out not even ten minutes after we put our orders in!  I, personally, have never seen service so fast. And, in the words of Megan, the quick service makes it perfect for a speedy business lunch.

Mikey and Megan went the seafood route and were both very satisfied with their spicy dishes, Mikey had the craw fish etoufee and Megan tried the tilapia salad.

Meghan, Chandra, and I went the route of American cuisine... with Chandra ordering a HUGE club sandwich, Meghan having the Bourbon Burger (we're talking massive here folks) and I went with the old fashioned country fried steak with gravy.  We were all very happy with our selections.

Megan pointed out one of the only flaws we could find in this fine Indianapolis restaurant: The lack of a website or menu online.  I don't believe this was a breaking point for any of us, but with so many "blog-minded" individuals, we could easily see how the world of blogging could really help this restaurant.  

This being my first Indianapolis restaurant review, I'm feeling pretty generous in giving this restaurant such a high score, but I must say... I'd give Bourbon Street Distillery a 9/10.

And Bourbon Street (yes I'm talking to you)... if you want that last point to get a perfect score, contact Compendium today and we'll help you get better connected to the Indianapolis community.









A few weeks ago, the Marketing Team here at Compendium decided to celebrate our successes and go out for food, drinks and some fun. We went to Jillian's downtown and it was a great way to wrap up one quarter and kick off the next. We grabbed some food (typical bar food) some drinks and then we went upstairs to try our hand at bowling.

As for the food at Jillian's, I can say that it was really really good. Although it was typical bar food, it was still very good. I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Fries which was a chicken breast covered in their medium spicy sauce with lettuce, tomato, and red onion. It totally fulfilled my hot and spicy craving that day. However, I wish it was almost drenched in the sauce. I like a lot of sauce on my sandwich.

Meghan ordered the same thing, the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with fries (copier). She said her food was really good, but the sauce was a little hot and the fries were "awesome" and were seasoned nice and crispy!

We can't for the life of us remember what Mikey ordered, but he said he remembers is being good.

Megan ordered the Chopped Salad which is romaine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, bleu cheese, grilled chicken and some other "healthy" junk. She said she was surprised by the food, because it was very good. She had only been there for drinks and to play games previously.

Then we went bowling, which is always fun. Mikey thought it was awesome how there was huge TVs above the pins, so you would never miss an instant of the game. The atmosphere is a fun, party atmosphere. The afternoon we were there, was during the night that Louisville was playing in March Madness here in Indianapolis. Therefore, Jillian's designated themselves as the "Headquarters" of Louisville. It was packed!

So I would recommend anyone to go there. It is a great place for a department outing to relax, eat, and have a few drinks to celebrate a victory!





So there is this place located in the heart of downtown that serves what I would like to call home cookin'. Maxine's Chicken and Waffles is a great place if you want have a little time to kill during your lunch hour. So when it was Mikey's turn to choose where we went, he made the executive decision to check out Maxine's, which turned out to be a great restaurant in Indianapolis.

I personally never thought that chicken and waffles would ever be appetizing together, but turns out... it's not that bad. I ordered the Dusty's Waffle and since I wanted the full experience, I ordered a Jumbo Chicken Wing. I wasn't disappointed in the waffle, which had this sweet spread and even better syrup to put on top. It also came with two eggs and two pieces of sausage. When I ordered the Jumbo Chicken wing, I was a little worried because I didn't know if I was going to be able to eat it all. However, upon it's arrival I realized I wasn't intimidated and Jumbo doesn't really mean anything related to it's size (I'm still trying to figure that one out...)

Megan ordered the Veggie Omlet with an extra side. However, she was kind of dissapointed because they came back with the wrong kind of bread. She was brutally honest with me when I asked her what she thought of our choice. She said that the service wasn't up to par because it slow and she thought other people got there after us and they were served before us.

Meghan also had the Dusty's Waffle with the sides of eggs and turkey sausage. She thought her food was very good, yet filling so make sure you go on an EMPTY stomach. She also said the staff was very friendly but to make sure you get there a little early because the tables fill up quick!

When I asked Mikey what he thought of his choice his response....... "Dude...peach butter... wow." He also said that he felt a "taste of love in each bite, no exaggeration." So I am going to take a stab in the dark and say that he liked his choice a lot. 

So all-in-all it was a pretty good choice. We got out of the office for a while and visit a different side of town that we weren't exposed to regularly. It was a good time! If you only have credit, lukily for you they accept those too. So if you are ever around town, check out Maxine's Chicken and Waffles, located at 132 North East Street in Indianapolis. Maxine will probably even seat you!




A few weeks ago before I left for my spring break, we decided to grab lunch at this little place just north of the circle on Pennsylvania. Elbow room is a great Indianapolis restaurant that everyone needs to stop by at some point.

When the marketing team here at Compendium went, we all happen to order something different, which was good to give us some insight on their expansive menu.

Mikey ordered a veggie burger. When I asked him what he thought about it he did the "Raise the Roof" motion. He said that it was good and his burger had a lot of flavor. Also he really liked the bar and thought it might be a good place to check out. Maybe for a game? or just to have a couple drinks with friends?

Meghan ordered the strawberry chicken salad and was very impressed with the fact that they had Fat Free dressings for a healthier alternative. She said that her food was very flavorful, even with it being a more health conscious meal.

Megan had the Turkey Bourbon sandwich and found it to be very good. She mentioned that it was a bit crowded, but if you are going to grab lunch with co-workers, you have to commit and make sure that you have enough time.

Chandra at the cob salad with chicken and found it to be tasty as well. She said the staff were very friendly and very efficient. However, she said that the place was small, "hense the name 'Elbow Room'" Also she mentioned something about her dressing being soupy... so watch out and be prepared!

As for me, I ordered the American Burger. It was a harty meal consisting of a burger, with American cheese, red onions, lettuce, and bacon. And to go along with it, I ordered the fries... oh how i love fries.

I think we all would agree that it was a great downtown Indianapolis restaurant. However, the rush comes around noon, so if you are going there for lunch, just get there a little early.

So if you are looking for a good downtown Indianapolis restaurant, you should think about going to Elbow room, located at 605 N. Pennsylvania. You can check out their website and their menu online!




Recently there is a newer establishments in Broad Ripple. It is probably one of my favorite places to go when I need to get away from my roommates, or just campus in general, Brothers.

Brothers is a chain of restaurants located at almost every large college or university in Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Illinois. It is a great place to grab a bit to eat or a couple of drinks when you need to get away. It is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Broad Ripple, just because of the atmosphere. They have several TV's around so if you want to grab the big game of your Alma Mater, or just to watch any game... it's the place to be.

One of my favorite things about Brothers is that througout the week, they have tons of specials. Tuesday nights, they have 2 dollar drafts!


So if you are looking for a great sports bar in Indianapolis, I would recommend Brothers.

*Also, it is non-smoking... so that is another perk that I love!






This week for the Marketing Team at Compendium's Friday lunch, we decided to keep it simple and check out the new location of Buffalo Wild Wings (it was my choice).

This new location just recently opened up and we were all having a craving for some hot wings.

When we got there, we were immediately seated and asked for drinks. Mikey and I both opted for the water because we both are trying to stop drinking pop (or soda, or "coke", or whatever you call it). Meghan and Chandra ordered their diet cokes (they serve Coke Products) and we put in our orders.

Meghan ordered 6 boneless wings with the "Asian Zing" sauce along with some onion rings. She said her food was delicious and the onion rings were perfectly cooked. The only thing she had against the place was the service was a little slow for the lunchtime hour (which all of us thought was a bit odd).

Mikey ordered the Big Jack Daddy burger. It was a massive burger with BBQ, onion rings, and pulled pork on top of a burger. He mentioned today "I wish I got wings becuase it is a wing place, but next time... I'lll get wings"

I orderd the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich. It was a large chicken breast with a piece of swiss cheese, ranch dressing and the Medium sauce that you can get on wings. I was really excited to eat when i ordered it. It did meet almost every expectation that was causing my mouth to water. However, I do wish that their was more of the Medium sauce smothering the chicken breast. MMMMMM... so Good!

Chandra ordered the Ultimate Nachos, (which is supposed to be an appetizer. However, it came out it seemed like an entire meal! It was huge!
She had to share some of it with the rest of us.

As for the atmosphere, it was a sport bar type place, with TV's all over the place showing different sports channels so you won't miss an instant of any game if you go there. Also, if you aren't so much of a sports fanatic, you can play trivia games on some of the TV's! So if you are in town, the new location is almost on the corner of Pennsylvania and Washington street downtown Indianapolis. So go check it out!





Scotty's Brewhouse in Downtown Indianapolis boasts the largest restaurant menu in Indianapolis.  If you are looking at Indianapolis New Restaurants take a trip to Scotties.

Scotties Brewhouse

As an aside, I used to wait tables at the Original Scotties in Muncie, IN and if I can vouch for nothing less it is easily the cleanest restaurant in the entire universe. 

As for the management, Scott Wise is the caliber of restaurant owner that I wish I could be!  He's a risk taking, innovative, marketing machine.  If that weren't enough, his restaurant delivers on all his promises. 




The experience is incredibly consistent for the volume of customers that Scotty's serves everyday.  Scotty's will compete and win business away from other Downtown Indianapolis Restaurants because he is willing to earn you away.  That cannot be underestimated for a restaurantuer. (Did I spell that right?)

Another homerun from a marketer that all Indianpolis restaurant owner's should take notes from. 






This past weekend on Valentine's Day, I had the pleasure of enjoying a wonderful dinner at an amazing locally owned restaurant on the north side of Indianapolis, Peterson's.Click here to check out Peterson's website
Locally owned and operated, Peterson's restaurant is a dream come true for successful business owner Joe Peterson and his family. Joe's desire is to provide an unmatchable ambiance serving only the best to patrons.

While on the pricey side, it was an amazing dinner and worth every penny.  As an appetizer, we had stuffed shrimp, had a lobster bisque soup and then for our meals, we enjoyed a New York Strip and Lamb.  Everything was to die for.  Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive, which only added to the experience!

Without a doubt, I would recommend Peterson's both for special evening or just a great dinner!





If you are finding this post because you typed steakhouse indianapolis into a search engine, let me tell you about Mo's.   Suprisingly, (to some) we have a lot of great steak restaurants in Indianapolis. 

Anyone looking for a steakhouse in Indianapolis can choose from lots of national chains like Ruth's Chris or Sullivans Steakhouse, or even local favorite St. Elmo's Steakhouse.  

Mo's however offers a different steak indianapolis experience.  As steakhouses in Indianapolis go, Mo's is my favorite environment.  Even full it never feels crowded, the food is great and includes some terrific seafood options.  The service is first class and the bar is terrific.

If you really want to satisfy your search for the best steakhouses in Indianapolis, try Mo's located at 47 South Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204




There is this place in Broad Ripple that my friends and I go pretty frequently. Especially when we don't want to cook dinner. It is called Noodles & Company and is located across the stree from Union Jacks and next to La Jolla.

It is one of those places that everyone can find something great to eat. If you like spicy, they have spicy. If you like mild, they have mild. If you like Mac and Cheese... it's phenomenal!

They have three different menus with different types of cuisines... American, Mediterranean, and Asian. All are delicious and like I said before.. they have something there for everyone.

When I go, I usually order the Chicken Pad Thai treo with a ceasar salad. The "treo" is the size of meal, which means you get a pasta, a meat, and a choice of salad or soup. They also have other smaller sizes for the days that you want to eat light.

So the next time you are cruising through Broad Ripple (or any of their other locations) and you feel your stomach start to grumble... go ahead and check out Noodles and Company, located at 927 Broad Ripple Avenue. They also have one located on IUPUI's campus. So you can check that one out too.





Well.. it is... But Dagwood's is also a great place to grab a bite to eat in Broad Ripple. I have been there once or twice for lunch and I must say... it is a hidden gem.

Dagwoods is a little deli locacted right next to Q'Doba in Broad Ripple and if you are out for a Sunday lunch, I would recommend it. It has a great menu of subs from the classic BLT to the Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, loaded with everything from onions to pickles and of course turkey. They also offer wraps and salads if you aren't feeling a sub for lunch. You can even create your own sub from options listed on the menu. Along with your sub they offer a combo that includes a cookie or chips and a drink.

The price is reasonable and the subs are well worth it. The staff is always friendly and very helpful if you are feeling indecisive. You also don't have to worry about stopping by the ATM before you get there becuase they take cash or credit. So the next time you are in Broad Ripple around lunchtime... check out Dagwoods located at 6336 Guilford Avenue right next to Q'Doba and across the street from the fire station.




Last night I decided to meet up with someone for some drinks after work. We decided to go to the Scotty's Brewhouse downtown because we had never been to it. She had been to the one located on the northside, but not their new location.

When we got there, the hostess was very helpful in giving the soups of the day (but we weren't really there for the soup). The waitor was great, he was very helpful and cordial when we asked him to come back in a few minutes to give us time to decide on what we wanted. He definatly knew his beers. I wanted to try something new and asked him for a lighter beer (but not a light, light beer). He gave me a great suggestion and it was exactly what I was looking for.

We also got some appetizers to go along with our drinks. The ones we finally decided on were the Dill Chips and the Kitchen Sink Sampler. If you have never been to Scotty's you have to try the Dill Chips when you go. It doesn't matter if you have never had them, or whatever your excuse.. just get them.. you can't go wrong. The Kitchen Sink Sampler consisted of 2 chicken feathers (which are just chicken fingers), 1/2 order of loaded fries, 1/2 order of beer battered onion rings, and 8 mini corndogs... mmmm so good!

Everything was awesome and the service was fantastic. Our waiter, Beau, was first rate...

The atmosphere was awesome. If you are looking for a place to grab a few drinks after work, or if you are hoping a night to watch the game and eat some appetizers... Scotty's is the place. The are several locations: Downtown Indy, on the Northside, Muncie, Bloomington, and West Lafayette.

Remember, there are several specials throughout the week. If you want to see the specials you can check out Scotty's website!




So today I was talking to Mikey again today about restaurants (funny, I didn't realize Mikey is a restaurant connoisseur). He mentioned a place that we all went a few months ago for our Marketing team celebration for meeting our goal the month, Adobo (but I missed it because of finals week.. ugh).

Anyway... So I went around to everyone else that went to get their take on this place because I have never been.
  • Meghan thought that the food was delicious and the had the best margaritas ever. It was a cool atmopsphere and the food was made right in front of you (kinda like a hibachi).
  • Megan said her marg was not too sweet and was a good mixture of booze and mixer. It was a "good place to go for after work drinks and snack." When I asked her about it, she also said that you couldn't go without getting the Guacamole and if you don't like margaritas, you need to try at least one.
  • Mikey, the all knowing of local restaurants, said that the food was fresh. He had a cumcumber shot chaser that was made right there by the "awesome bartender" from Guadalajara who taught Mikey about the good places to visit in Mexico.
So if you are looking for a place for drinks after work, I might meet you there sometime. Adobo is located at 110 E. Washington Street across the street from Fogo De Chao. Also, if you are concerned about whether you can use cash or stop by the ATM.... don't worry about it.. they accept both.




So the other day I was talking with Compendium's creative designer Mikey about places to grab a bite to eat in indy. He has mentioned a place that I hadn't had since I was a kid. Arnie's pizza, located up on 96th street is a great place to grab some pizza at a reasonable price.

After Mikey had mentioned Arnie's, I had to ask what he thought about it. He first said that the variety is a lot wider than he expected. Arnie's has an extensive menu including not only Pizza, but subs and salads as well (there is something there for everyone). Mikey also said that he liked that the pizza was thin crust (my favorite!!) Also, the ingredients are chopped up in smaller pieces (which allows for more toppings!) On top of the great pizza and the wide variety of food, Mikey said that there is a big bar. So it is a great place to grab a bite to eat and a few drinks before a night out.

There are several locations where you can get your fix of Arnie's pizza. The on in Indy is on 96th street (it recently moved up there from it's previous location on 86th street in the strip mall next to Wal-Mart). You can call in or order on-line and get carry out for those nights that you want to pick up something on your way home from work!




Bakeries, Bakeries, Bakeries!  I love desserts, cheese cake, home made cakes basically anything that has sugar in it!
Sophia's 4th Birthday CakeWeston's Baby Shower
Try Encore Deserts and More on 116th Street and Allisonville in Fishers. 


Encore Desserts and More is locally owned and bakes  their deserts on site!  They have been in their location for a little over a year now.    Fresh and Extremely Flavorful are a couple of ways I would describe Encore desserts! 


Check them out for your next birthday, anniversary, wedding or event!  I highly recommend them!!