Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt

    4.4 (19 reviews)

    Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt Photos

    ATHENAEUM CHRISTKINDLMARKT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Raclette- Traditional
    Christina B.

    Exactly what you want when you think of a Christmas market in terms of beautiful ambiance and tasty treats. I knew going in that it would be smaller than the Carmel Christkindlmarkt but I was surprised at how much smaller. I loved the live music from the stage. It added an extra layer of Christmas magic. Plus, we had the benefit of one of the first snows of the season adding to the ambiance so it was a vibe. After going to the Carmel one a few years in a row, we were pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to wait in long lines and fight crowds of people just for a sandwich. We were able to stop at every booth and try just about every type of food offered in about an hour. They had lots of heat lamps and seating available too. We were able to reserve a spot and park in the Block20 garage next door for about $5. It's a good thing because it was over $17 for two tiny Butterbiers. For the hot chocolates, it was $16 cash for two but there was an extra dollar+ fee for using a credit card. It's definitely worth stopping in while you are already downtown! But bring cash.

    a person holding a cup of coffee
    Kristina J.

    Love the space! Lots of seating. I love that they sell Christmas trees, have German food and sell beverages. We had a pretzel, raclette, beer and gluwine. Also music- both piped in and live. And a wonderful Santa. Free admission and parking was easy to find. I'd love it if there were more vendors. I think that would really push this over the top. I realize the space is smaller, but I think it could work!

    Mulled cider
    Kelly S.

    What a charming winter addition to Mass Ave. Located behind the Rathskeller, this Christkindlmarkt is in its second year and while not as big and extensive as the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, has a lot of charm and much smaller crowd sizes. There are a variety of food items - I had the schnitzel sandwich, loaded Kartoffelpuffer and mulled cider. The schnitzel was really good and is definitely the inspiration behind the Hoosier tenderloin. The potatoes were alright - I think I prefer the spiral potatoes on a stick but these are a great side for the sandwich. Mulled wine is not my thing, so I got the cider and found it much more agreeable. It will warm you up inside! The decor is very festive and they also have a stage for music and a band was playing during our time there. You'll also find some vendors with things for sale both inside the market and in the alley outside it. I also loved the cute photo ops inside the market too! We parked in the garage that was suggested on their web site and it's just steps away from everything, which was very convenient. I would encourage you to visit for a fun family night, date night or girls night out.

    Kara M.

    This is the perfect weather to come to the inaugural day of the Anthenaeum Christkindlmarkt! Sunny and almost 50° This is located in the back where the Biergarten is at the Rathskeller. They have German pretzels, roasted Bavarian nuts, gluhwein a German mulled cider, raclette cheese and more. The Bavarian honey ham with raclette cheese on the French baguette was really good. They have souvenir Christmas boots, ornaments also. The stage is beautiful! They decorated it so nice. They have fresh Christmas trees and wreaths for sale before you walk in. They have a nice "Indy" sing where you can take your picture with the Biergarten in the background. I wish they had some props to hold up. Like a pretzel, German flag, Saint Nikolas props things like that. They have a bunch of picnic table outside along a wall and other areas to sit inside. They have restrooms outside in a trailer, but they're nice. They will have concerts throughout the festival and all the information as to who's performing and when is on the anthenaeum website.

    Views of 2022 market shops
    Rachel S.

    The Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt was a fun holiday event addition this year to downtown Indy. The smaller vibe reminds me of the German Christmas markets you'd find in cities like Chicago. It felt cozy and inviting, with heated lamps all around and lights to add to the magic of the environment. We didn't go on a night with entertainment, but I did see they had several nights with music throughout December. A few specific stops I loved: -Ash & Elm had a special holiday cider made for the market. It was delicious and not overly sweet -The Ornament Haus featured the most beautiful handmade wax ornaments by "Wax Traditions." We didn't plan to buy anything but couldn't leave without grabbing one for our tree -The Christkindlmarkt boot mugs were handmade by "Gravesco Pottery" and it was easy to see how high-quality they were -The Rathskeller Restaurant offered traditional German items at a convenient pickup window - their pretzel and ham & raclette sandwich were a great warm snack This well-organized and cute market was the perfect Indy holiday stop!

    Eddie C.

    Pretty good job converting the Biergarten to a holiday market. I think the area would probably be closed during the winter, so they are able to create a new event in a familiar space. The Christkindlmarkt is fairly compact. There are about eight or so vendors, selling everything from food items to merchandise. In particular, they were selling artwork, craft jewelry, ornaments, and pottery. Because of its proximity to The Rathskeller, there are nice food options with German twists. A full bar with specialty beers is also available. Ash & Elm is also on hand with a cider just made for the market. Hot beverages are also available for purchase. There is live entertainment on most nights during the run of the market. While the event is outdoors, there are heaters to keep the guests warm. They did a good job with additional lighting and holiday décor. Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt is worth a quick visit during the holidays, whether to pick up some gift items or to enjoy the atmosphere. It is a nice way to reimagine what a holiday event can be.

    Alissa J.

    My family and I were downtown today and decided to visit the Athenaeum to check out the market. Since it's a Sunday we found free nearby parking and walked right in. Since it was a cold rainy day it wasn't crowded and we had plenty of space to view all the booths. We loved hearing the live music and checking out the dancing as well. We got a hot beverages to keep us warm and enjoyed the show. It was a wunderbar time!

    Brady R.

    Downtown needed something like that for locals. I'll say I've never been to the circle downtown for the holidays.... I just never make it that way as a local. This place is a nice start to what could be a great tradition for a downtown Christmas market. The only real option to compare this to is Carmel's, which has been going on for many years and has easily 5x the space than the Biergarten does. That being said, I think it was a great first year at this and it will only get better from here on out. Some notes for future planning: - some of the Mass Ave vendors shouldn't have been there. It was odd to see a shop that was literally a block away with their store front. - have more fires and warming stations - squeeze in a few more vendors - there was lots of empty space, especially at the entrance, when we went. - we went during a Christmas karaoke night, but if other nights they weren't playing music, that is a must. Other than that, I think it's a great event and can't wait to see it grow and improve next year!

    Everyone is getting Das boot from local artist Gravesco!
    Nani R.

    I absolutely just adored this small Christmas market. The food offerings were quite delightful and warming. Can't go wrong with food ordered from The Rathskeller! Their gluwein was so fantastic in the cutest locally made boot mugs. I sure hope everyone got one! Those babies are such a great collectors item especially at the holiday season. I have been finding myself using my boot mug for tea, hot chocolate, and even my mother-in-law's holiday puncha she makes every year. The music here was such a nice touch for this seasonal market. I can't wait to see how it grows next year!

    Brian C.

    We went to the Anthenaeum Christkindlmarkt and had a great time! We me friends on a Sunday late afternoon. We knew we were missing the music, which ended at 4, but we wanted to see the lights as it got dark. We lucked out with free parking and had a short walk. It's not a very big market, but the best part was no lines! We were able to scope out all the huts and there was so much local items to buy. We ordered food and had a seat at one of the tables. The menu wasn't huge, but everything sounded good. We split the cheese sandwich. It wasn't as fresh as watching it made in Carmel, but it was good and it didn't take over an hour. And we got to sit and talk with our friends. There is a cider hut and one for hot cocoa. We all ended up doing cocoa. But the hot cider sounded tasty. I know we want to go back next year and catch Krampus and St. Nick. For the first year the Anthenaeum Christkindlmarkt was just the perfect bit of Christmas cheer we needed to start our holiday.

    Entrance to market
    Brittany G.

    Love having this cozy, accessible Christmas market downtown! We went right as it opened on a Friday evening and some vendors were still getting set up. We sampled hard ciders from Ash and Elm, got some spiced nuts, and my toddler enjoyed the hot chocolate and decor! Want to come back for food and to enjoy live music before it ends.

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brady R.
    893
    1260
    5988

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nani R.
    253
    229
    1178

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Wendy K.
    0
    103
    21

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt

    Review Highlights - Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt

    Sunny and almost 50° This is located in the back where the Biergarten is at the Rathskeller.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for German 551 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Heidelberg Haus - My wife and I got our wedding cake here.

    Heidelberg Haus

    4.5(342 reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$

    Cadillac decaf coffee, i've never really felt passionately about decaffeinated coffee until I…read morevisited Heidelberg. I've driven by the Bakery, so many times and wanted to stop, but I was always in a hurry. My sister and I went in and we each got a dessert and because it was four in the afternoon, we got decaffeinated coffee. The refills were free and we sat at the little counter like we were at a diner and enjoyed everything about this iconic little bakery. The decor is a eclectic. We just took our time and looked around and laughed at so many signs and odd little things that were placed over the years. On the way to the ladies room, you will find out that the gentleman that started the restaurant fought in one of the world wars, and you will see his worn out shoes, his uniforms, his letters of accommodation and Learn his story. Now let's get to the desserts. We shared some type of a wonderful lemon pastry and a black forest cake. Best black forest cake I've ever had. Savored every bite. We were able to buy the last of the springle's that they had made from Christmas. FYI, if you don't like black licorice don't buy Springerle's but you can only get them at Christmas because it's a German tradition and they won't work in the summertime because of the humidity. Things that I learned that day. We saw that they had a dinner menu with a huge variety of different bratwurst and assorted sausages that we would like to try sometime. We ended up spending an hour and a half in a beautiful little place that we thought we were just going to stop and grab desserts to go.

    Love this place! We have been coming here to get birthday cakes since I was very little! There…read moreare so many cakes and pastries to choose from. We usually pop in to grab items from the grocery or to pick up things from the pastry case. Today we had lunch here too! Service was friendly and quick. We came in right before a big rush (around noon on Saturday). Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Heidelberg Haus
    Heidelberg Haus - Cakes and balls

    Cakes and balls

    Heidelberg Haus - Pretzels

    See all

    Pretzels

    The Rathskeller - Bavarian Platte

    The Rathskeller

    3.9(795 reviews)
    0.0 miMile Square
    $$

    It is so comforting to know that a long time established restaurant continues to deliver high…read morecaliber food and service. RATHSKELLER has accomplished that over many years. The old Bavarian charm remains throughout the restaurant. Our visit this time was prior to the MJ MUSICAL at Old National. It's right across the street. The staff is well aware of their diner's itinerary and backs certain you can enjoy cocktails, wine, and dinner in time for the 7:00 pm start time. I applaud that courtesy. It was evident that our server, Cindy was a seasoned employee (20 years). Her attention throughout our visit left us wanting for nothing. I noticed many times her surveying our table for refills, empty plates. Her big smile and friendly personality only added to the exceptional experience. The food is prepared in the traditional German style. It is rich and very filling. The portions are enormous. Our party enjoyed an appetizer of Brat & Kraut balls and entrees of Schnitzel Parm., Jäeger schnitzel, spinach dinner salad with hot bacon dressing and my favorite "Oxtail Soup". Just the item for a cold winter night. Patrons of OLD NATIONAL CENTER shows should start their evening off right with dinner at THE RATHSKELLER. You won't be disappointed.

    The food here was delicious, and I loved the imported beer selection. I'm excited to come back -…read morethough with the smaller spaces (that aren't super sound-friendly), it'll probably only be somewhere I go when I can tolerate tight, loud spaces. But the food was absolutely delicious, and I loved to see a large building going to good use. PROS: -If you want to be transported into a German beer hall, welcome. This is your place. Located in an old, traditional church, small hallways and rooms and lots and lots of wooden accents await you. Unlike some of the commercialized German beer halls (like Hofbrauhaus), this one feels like it has been around for ages. -DELICIOUS food. All of the sausages came pre-cut and absolutely delicious. Our Braut-n-Balls were great too. Really cheap pretzels you can buy by-the-pretzel to add even more German to your life. Zero complaints about any of the food we got here. -I don't know why I assumed Rathskeller was their own brewery, but that was silly. They do, however, import a TON of German beers - including quite a few faves I had when I was over in Germany. They had some imported seasonals too, and I found one I loved (that I'm a little sad about since it'd be hard to find here outside of Rathskeller). -Service was around. I wouldn't call it attentive, but we had what we wanted shortly after wanting it, so it wasn't bad. They were efficient - not necessarily friendly. CONS: -I would be worried about the bathroom situation if coming here during an event or peak hours. The restaurant feels a bit like a labyrinth, so I'm not sure if I missed it, but the single women's restroom that was easily accessible only had a few stalls in it. There's seating for hundreds of people here, easily. For the outdoor area, there are 4 porta-potties in the alleyway. (There are quite a few homeless people in the area too, and I would assume those actually also serve a very helpful function for the community too?) -The "multiple menus" thing is really confusing. When we tried to pre-shop our options before coming here, we didn't know which menu to use. When we ended up coming here and they handed us 8 (literal) pages of different menus, it felt overwhelming. There's a lot of overlap between the menus, but they aren't exact copies. -Hallways and tables are TIGHT in here. You will probably prefer the outdoor picnic tables in the warmer months if you have mobility issues. There were multiple table-and-chair sets that were, simply, too tightly put to the table behind them that I literally couldn't get into them. We finally found a table that had a bit extra space (so I could get in), but my super-slender tablemate had to do a super-tight shimmy and take off all of his sweatshirts to get in on his end. -Women's bathroom access appears to be down some stairs inside, too, (at least the one I found), so this really may not be a good fit for people who have difficulty with smaller spaces, steps, or uneven flooring. I will note that they do have a handicap-accessible outdoor porta-potty though.

    Photos
    The Rathskeller - Entranceway - walking down

    Entranceway - walking down

    The Rathskeller - Hot Wurst Platte (for 2-4)

    Hot Wurst Platte (for 2-4)

    The Rathskeller - Historic dining room

    See all

    Historic dining room

    Kuma's Corner - Neurosis burger

    Kuma's Corner

    4.2(816 reviews)
    1.6 miFountain Square
    $$

    I came here on a whim and I'm glad I did!…read more Kuma's corner kind of feels like a rock concert venue turned restaurant on the inside, with lots of memorabilia in there. There's a bit of grunge aesthetic too. I opted for the patio seating on the nice day that I visited. Service worked pretty quickly and friendly. I got a mocktail to start that was cranberry, orange, and pineapple juice. It was pretty yummy. I was far more impressed by the foooood! My partner and I split a burger and Mac and cheese. The size small was $9 and was honestly huge. It was definitely enough food for two. The burger we got was also a good size, and came with a lot of shoestring onion on top. The burger was $18 but it's a 10 oz patty which is practically a better deal than most other burgers out there. I'll be back again sometime for sure!

    My husband wanted a good burger but because I'm vegan, it needed to be a place with an option for…read moreme. After researching, I found Kuma's Corner. They have a vegan option. Convenient location. Zero proof drinks. There were some reviews about long wait times, non-toasted buns and the cost but the write up of the place itself gave me nostalgia vibes for a place called Cobra Burger in Richmond, VA so I had to try my luck. I really wanted to love this place, as I've not found anything like Cobra Burger here in Indy. When we arrived, around 6:45p on a Thursday, the patio had a good amount of people, but inside was pretty empty apart from the bar. We sat at a two top in the bar area. The music was at a pretty low volume, especially considering the amount of reviews that said otherwise. Our server was also bartender, so it initially took her a couple of minutes to come over, which is understandable. She took our order for drinks and then after bringing them back for the food. She was nice and provided good service although juggling tables and the bar, plus she was also pregnant. It took a very long time for us to get our food (close to an hour), despite three guys working the line in the kitchen, banging out burger after burger. The food arrived, hot and correct. Both my husband and I were disappointed that the reviews were right and the burger buns were not toasted. Non-toasted burger buns actually make the burgers harder to eat and less enjoyable. My burger was decent for a non-handmade vegan option; for the price my expectation is amor sophisticated/handmade creative one, but I am thankful that they had a vegan option at all. My husband thought his burger was just okay and that he's had better ones around Indy, so we probably won't be dining here again. For the size of the burger, they should bring you ample napkins without having to ask because it is very messy trying to eat them. For two burgers with fries, one small mac & cheese, and three beers (one regular and two nonalcoholic) before tip the bill was over $80. Now, if the food was top-tier fantastic, I would say fine but being that it was more middle of the road it's a bit pricey.

    Photos
    Kuma's Corner
    Kuma's Corner - Caesar salad

    Caesar salad

    Kuma's Corner - The Famous Kuma

    See all

    The Famous Kuma

    Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt - german - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...